Tafseer of The letter Qaaf · Qaaf · 50:16
And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein
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 words of the Exalted: وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإِنْسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ (50:16) (And indeed, We have created man, and We know what his soul whispers to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.)
And His word ( وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإنْسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ ) "And indeed, We have created man, and We know what his soul whispers to him" — the Exalted — praised be His mention — says: and indeed, We have created man, and We know what his soul reflects upon within itself; his secrets and the hidden thoughts of his heart are not concealed from Us ( وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ ) "and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein" — He says: and We are nearer to man than the vein of the shoulder. The "warīd" is a vein between the larynx and the two neck muscles, and the "ḥabl" (the cord) is the warīd; it was annexed to itself on account of the difference in the wording of its two names.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) said.
* 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 ( وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ ), he said: the vein of the neck.
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 — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid ( حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ ), he said: that which is in the throat.
The scholars of the Arabic language differed concerning the meaning of His word ( وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ ). Some of them said: its meaning is: We have more authority over him and are nearer to him in power over him.
Others said: rather, the meaning of that ( وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ ) is: through the knowledge of what his soul whispers to him.
