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القرآن
6 Suras and narratives 6 / 8

Sura 72: the speech of the Occulted and the revealed speech

Established rule 2 examples 1 min

In sura 72, a long series of sentences begins with وَأَنَّهُۥ / وَأَنَّا. The reading of Hafs has أَنَّ ("that"), which makes everything that follows the content of "It has been revealed to me that"; the reading of Warsh has إِنَّ in 72:3-14, which makes it the direct speech of the Occulted. The translation follows Warsh for 72:3-14 (without "that") and keeps "And that" for the revealed speech (72:17-19).

The sura opens with « قُلْ أُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ أَنَّهُ ٱسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ », "Say: It has been revealed to me that a group of the Occulted listened". The Occulted then speak: "Indeed, we have heard an amazing recitation…".

The question is where their speech ends. With أَنَّ (Hafs), each sentence from 72:3 to 72:14 still depends on "It has been revealed to me that": the Prophet would be reporting. With إِنَّ (Warsh), these sentences are a direct statement by the Occulted: "And exalted is the majesty of our Guardian…". The "our Guardian" of 72:3 shows that it is indeed they who speak.

Here the translation follows the reading of Warsh for 72:3-14: twelve clauses rendered "And …", without "that". From 72:17 the text returns to revealed speech, and the sentences keep "And that …": « وَأَنَّ ٱلْمَسَٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ », "And that the places of prostration belong to God" (72:18). The series in وَأَنَّ in 53:38-54, with no divergence of reading, also keeps "And that".

In the text

Example 72:3
وَأَنَّهُۥ تَعَٰلَىٰ جَدُّ رَبِّنَا
“And exalted is the majesty of our Guardian”
Text quoted in Hafs (وَأَنَّهُۥ); Warsh reads وَإِنَّهُۥ, and the translation follows that reading: direct speech of the Occulted, without "that". "Our Guardian" shows who speaks.
Example 72:18
وَأَنَّ ٱلْمَسَٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ
“And that the places of prostration belong to God”
Return to revealed speech: "And that".