O مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَ الْإِنْسِ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَنْ تَنْفُذُوا مِنْ أَقْطارِ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ فَانْفُذُوا لا تَنْفُذُونَ إِلاَّ بِسُلْطانٍ [33]
O company of jinn and humankind! If you can pass beyond the bounds of the heavens and the earth, then pass beyond them—but you cannot do so without extraordinary power.
“How did the noble Dhul-Qarnayn follow the means?
In light of the verse يَا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَنْ تَنْفُذُوا مِنْ أَقْطَارِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَانْفُذُوا ۚ لَا تَنْفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَانٍ , the way to acquire the various sciences is to connect with the Sovereign, who is none other than the divine Proof.”
(Al-Rahman, 33)
Ali ibn Ibrahim (may God have mercy on him)—O مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَ الْإِنْسِ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَنْ تَنْفُذُوا مِنْ أَقْطارِ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ فَانْفُذُوا لا تَنْفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطانٍ فَإِذَا کَانَ یَوْمُ الْقِیَامَهًْ أَحَاطَتْ سَمَاءُ الدُّنْیَا بِالْأَرْضِ وَ أَحَاطَتِ السَّمَاءُ الثَّانِیَهًْ بِسَمَاءِ الدُّنْیَا وَ أَحَاطَتِ السَّمَاءُ الثَّالِثَهًْ بِالسَّمَاءِ الثَّانِیَهًْ وَ أَحَاطَتْ کُلُّ سَمَاءٍ بِالَّذِی یَلِیهَا ثُمَّ یُنَادِی مُنَادٍ یا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَ الْإِنْسِ إِلَی قَوْلِهِ بِسُلْطانٍ أَیْ بِحُجَّهًْ.
Ali ibn Ibrahim (may God have mercy on him): When the Day of Resurrection comes, the lowest heaven will encompass the earth, the second heaven will encompass the lowest heaven, and the third will encompass the second; each heaven will encompass the one next to it. Then a caller will proclaim: O مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَ الْإِنْسِ... بِسُلْطانٍ —that is, the Proof and the evidence.
Tafsir Ahl al-Bayt, vol. 15, p. 414; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 7, p. 103; al-Qummi, vol. 55, p. 345
Dear teacher, this verse concerns the Day of Resurrection. Does it also apply to the time before the Resurrection?
And how do we connect with the “Sovereign,” given that you said the Sovereign is the divine Proof?
َّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ