Tafseer of The Ant · An-Naml · 27:17
And gathered for Solomon were his soldiers of the jinn and men and birds, and they were [marching] in rows.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Allah, exalted be His mention, says: and for Sulaymān his hosts of jinn, men, and birds were gathered together in a procession of them, and they are arranged in battle ranks.
The people of interpretation differed concerning the meaning of His word فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ . Some said: the meaning is that the foremost of them are held back until the rearmost have caught up.
* Mention of those who said that:
Al-Qāsim related to us, he said: al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ al-Khurāsānī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: over every category someone was appointed to drive its foremost back upon its rearmost, so that they would not race ahead in the march — as kings do.
Al-Qāsim related to us, he said: Abū Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيْمَانَ جُنُودُهُ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالإنْسِ وَالطَّيْرِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ — he said: the foremost are driven back upon the rearmost.
And others said: the meaning is that they are driven forward.
* Mention of those who said that:
Yūnus related to me, he said: Ibn Wahb informed us, he said: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word: وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيْمَانَ جُنُودُهُ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالإنْسِ وَالطَّيْرِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ — he said: yūzaʿūna: they are driven forward.
And others said: rather the meaning is that they race ahead.
* Mention of those who said that:
Al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: Abū Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, who said: al-Ḥasan said: يُوزَعُونَ — they race ahead.
Abū Jaʿfar said: The most correct of these opinions is the opinion of the one who says that the meaning is: the foremost are driven back upon the rearmost; for the wāziʿ in Arabic usage is the one who holds back — one says of it: "wazaʿa fulān fulānan ʿan al-ẓulm" when someone restrains another from committing injustice, as the poet said:
"Has desire not been restrained now that she gave no heed? — indeed yes, and I have consoled myself from the longing for the young woman."
And another said:
"In a time when I rebuke gray hair for youthfulness, and say: is it not now time that I take heed — and gray hair is a restrainer (wāziʿ)."
And the reason that those who keep people away from rulers and commanders are called "wazaʿa" is that they hold them back from that.
