Tafseer of Ornaments of gold · Az-Zukhruf · 43:4
And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us, exalted and full of wisdom.
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.
The explanation of the word of the Exalted: وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ (4) ("And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us, surely exalted, full of wisdom" (4)).
The Exalted, whose praise is proclaimed, says: and indeed this Book — the origin of the Book from which this Book was transcribed — is with Us surely exalted. He says: possessor of loftiness and exaltedness. "Ḥakīm" (full of wisdom): its verses have been made firm and then expounded, so that it is possessor of wisdom.
And in accordance with what we have said about this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
Mention of who said that:
Yaʿqūb related to me, saying: Ibn ʿUlayya related to us, on the authority of Hishām al-Dastawāʾī, on the authority of al-Qāsim ibn Abī Bazza, who said: ʿUrwa ibn ʿĀmir related to us, that he heard Ibn ʿAbbās say: the first thing Allah created was the pen, and He commanded it to write what He wished to create. He said: and the Book is with Him. He said: وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ ("And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us, surely exalted, full of wisdom"). He means: the Qurʾān is in the Mother of the Book (umm al-kitāb) which is with Allah, from which it was transcribed.
Abū al-Sāʾib related to me, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, saying: I heard my father, on the authority of ʿAṭiyya ibn Saʿd, concerning the word of Allah — blessed and exalted is He —: وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ ("And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us, surely exalted, full of wisdom"). He means: the Qurʾān is in the Mother of the Book which is with Allah, from which it was transcribed.
Abū al-Sāʾib related to me, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, saying: I heard Mālik narrate, on the authority of ʿImrān, on the authority of ʿIkrima: وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا ("And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us"). He said: the Mother of the Book is the Qurʾān.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا ("And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book with Us"). He said: the Mother of the Book is the origin of the Book and the whole of it.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ ("And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book"): that is, the whole of the Book, that is, the origin of the Book.
Muḥammad related to us, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ ("And indeed it is, in the Mother of the Book"). He says: in the Book that is with Allah, in the origin.
And His word: لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ ("with Us, surely exalted, full of wisdom") — we have already mentioned its meaning.
And in accordance with what we have said about this, the people of interpretation have spoken.
Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ ("with Us, surely exalted, full of wisdom"). He reports about its rank, its excellence, and its honor.
