The third verse very explicitly states, “He is with you wherever you may be; God is the seer of whatever you do.”

What we learn from this verse is that He has no fixed station or in others words He is needless of time and place; present everywhere and encompassing everything.

One group of commentators (Like in Tafsir Ruhul Ma’ani) say that this verse should be explained symbolically like “His knowledge is with us not that He is present with us” These people are unaware that God’s knowledge is inherent. Our image does not register in His mind. Inherent knowledge means that everything is present before him and His entity because of His omnipotence encompasses everything.

Some commentators opine that every contingent being emanates its life from the Necessary Being, God. Once they don the garb of physical life the bounties of God are bestowed on them. In this way God is closer to every species of being than the being itself. (1)

Tafsir Al Mizan says, this closeness is in the sense that God encompasses all the contingent beings and “wherever you be” is said to highlight this or other wise god’s connection with all the various beings in existence is like one.(2)

Those who have not understood His encompassment of the contingent and material beings have taken the meaning of this verse symbolically. They say that being close to God means being a part of His knowledge and power(3) But the truth is the encompassment of beings, which is evident from the verse and intellectually acceptable.(4)

The fourth verse deals with the issue of whisperings. “There is not a secret consultation between three, but He is the fourth among them; nor between five and He is the sixth, nor between fewer nor more but He is with them, wherever they be: in the end, on the Day of Judgment will He tell them what they did. God has full knowledge of everything.”

“Najwa” actually means a place that is aloof because of its height and people who want secret consultations normally go to such secluded places so that none can hear them. This is why the term is used for whisperings.

Some people think that “Najwa” ensures the presence of three or more people and if there are only two then it will be called “Sarar” but this is not proven when there are verses about Najwa related to the Messenger ( in this Surah Mujadilah) and it means that they often whispered to the messenger in seclusion.

The question is why only three or five people? Why were four not mentioned? The commentators explain this in various ways and the best is that if four is mentioned then the sentence will stand that he is the fourth with the three and fifth in the four. This repetition is not agreeable with eloquence (except in special circumstances). When it says no more and no less then it includes the intermediary number and it will include two before three, and four after it and thus will include more than five. This is also a part of linguistics and this means that Najwa includes two also.

Some feel that it speaks of two incidents regarding the hypocrites where there three and five who whispered.

It is strange that some commentators have included it with the previous verse but have taken it to mean the encompassment by knowledge. It may be because initially in the verse God spoke about the vastness of God’s knowledge which covers everything

In the heavens and on earth.

Verse 7 of Surah Mujadilah says:

“Don’t you see that God knows whatever is in the heavens and the earth?”

It is confirmed that God’s encompassment through knowledge and His encompassment through existence are not separate because we have earlier said that God’s knowledge is inherent in Him and it means it is present everywhere. Reflect.

The fifth verse deals with the same issue but in a different style. It says, “It was We who created man and We know what suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.”

Habal means a rope and “Wareed” means thick or strong but many people take it to mean the two main arteries in the neck or jugular veins. Some have taken it to mean the Aorta which is the main artery of the heart. It is clear that since Habal has been used then it does not concern the small veins. It must be about either of the main arteries. Both the interpretations have been given by the linguists and the commentators (5)

It seems that the artery of the heart is closer to the meaning of the verse because verse 24 of Surah Anfal that says, “And know that God comes in between a man and his heart”. Both the verses speak about the closeness of God to a person’s heart because if you take the heart to be the center of person then nothing is closer to it than the Aorta. Qura’n says that God is closer to a person than this artery (Aorta). This verse true and beautifully describes the needlessness of place for God. It is said, He is closer to men than even the jugular vein. So He is present everywhere even in the core of our heart.

It is certain that an entity of this kind is above the need of place and station because a created being cannot be everywhere or at different places but only if has many parts and each part is in a different location.

The sixth and the final verse speak exclusively about those who are about to leave the world and have reached the end of their age. It says, “And then you remain gazing, and We are nearer to him than you, yet you do not perceive us.”

We know for sure what goes on inside a person who is in his death throes and what chaos pervades frail body. Is he happy that he is about to leave the body and fly away to Paradise? Is he sad because he faces the punishment of God because of his sinful deeds and he sees it all now? But you do not see anything and are not aware of them. (says God)

Those commentators who could not understand the closeness of God with mankind have taken this verse symbolically and said, “It means that the angels of death will be closer to him and you cannot see them.”

It should be noted that this interpretation and similar ones are not just related with the person on his death bed but for all humans. This issue has been discussed under different symbols. It will be clear now that this interpretation is incorrect. This verse speaks about the person on his death bed because this was the issue. On the whole this verse is a very valid proof of god being needless of a place or station.

1. For more information on the knowledge of God see the discussion on knowledge in this volume.

2. Tafsir Kabeer vol.29 page 214

3. Tafsir Al Mizan vol.19 page 167

4. Tafsir Qartabi vol.9 page 6407 and the similar meaning in Tafsir Abul Fatuh Razi vol.11 page 38 and again in Tafsir Kabeer vol.29 page 215 it is said that this closeness is due to knowledge or because of His ever watchfulness.

5. Research of Mafuradat Raghib, Majmaul Bahrain, lisan-ol-Arab, Al Mizan and Qartabi etc