Tafseer of The Ant · An-Naml · 27:39
A powerful one from among the jinn said, "I will bring it to you before you rise from your place, and indeed, I am for this [task] strong and trustworthy."
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.
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, saying: Ibn Jurayj said, and Mujāhid said concerning قَالَ عِفْريتٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ ('An ʿifrīt from among the jinn said'): he said: a rebellious one (mārid) from among the jinn. أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَقُومَ مِنْ مَقَامِكَ ('I will bring it to you before you rise from your place').
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Abū Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda and others, with the same import.
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Abū Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of a number of his companions: قَالَ عِفْريتٌ — he said: a shrewd, cunning one.
He said: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, who said: Wahb ibn Sulaymān informed me, on the authority of Shuʿayb al-Jabāʾī, who said: the ʿifrīt whom Allah has mentioned, his name is Kawzān.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq, on the authority of a number of the scholars: قَالَ عِفْريتٌ — his name is Kawzān.
His word أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَقُومَ مِنْ مَقَامِكَ means: I will bring you her throne before you rise from this seat of yours.
He was sitting — according to what has been transmitted — to judge among the people. So he said: I will bring it to you before you rise from this sitting in which you sit to judge among the people. And it has been transmitted that he sat until midday.
In accordance with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes spoke.
*Mention of who said that:*
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both of them together — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, with the same import.
He said: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Abū Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda and others, with the same import. He said: and he was judging — he said: before you rise from the sitting in which you judge.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq, on the authority of a number of the scholars, on the authority of Wahb ibn Munabbih: أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَقُومَ مِنْ مَقَامِكَ — he means his sitting.
His word وَإِنِّي عَلَيْهِ لَقَوِيٌّ أَمِينٌ ('and indeed I am truly strong and trustworthy for it'): strong over the precious things contained in it, and I will not be unfaithful regarding it.
And it has been said: trustworthy regarding the private part of the woman.
*Mention of who said that:*
ʿAlī related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word وَإِنِّي عَلَيْهِ لَقَوِيٌّ أَمِينٌ: he said: strong in carrying it, trustworthy regarding her private part.
