Document Type : Original
Author
Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
Abstract
The referent of the question in the verse, “And ask those whom We sent before you of Our messengers...” (al-Zukhruf 43:45), is a matter of disagreement in its interpretation. Commentators have identified the referent as previous prophets, believing People of the Book, or heavenly scriptures and teachings. Nevertheless, the role of this verse in the contextual unity and semantic coherence of Sūrat al-Zukhruf has received little attention. Using a descriptive-analytical method and drawing on the rhetorical functions of the imperative to ask in the Qur’an and the contextual and thematic unity of the sūrah, this study seeks to clarify the referent of the question and the position of the verse within its structure. The findings show that the imperative to ask in the Qur’an is not necessarily used to obtain information about an unknown matter; rather, it may serve assertive, argumentative, and confirmatory functions. Accordingly, the imperative in verse 45 functions less as a genuine request for information than as a means of affirming a clear and certain truth. The analysis further shows that verse 45 occupies a focal position in the sūrah’s argumentative progression, linking the preceding discussions of polytheism with the subsequent verses concerning the prophetic mission. The study concludes that the verse refers to the common tradition of the divine messengers, emphasizing the unity of their message in rejecting polytheism and calling to monotheism, and situating the Prophet’s mission within this monotheistic tradition.
Keywords
- Sūrat al-Zukhruf
- Verse 45
- “And Ask Those Whom We Sent”
- Context
- Monotheism
- Miʿrāj
- Unity of the Prophets’ Message
Main Subjects
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