Qur'aanic Studies - Volume I
by
Mohammad Shafi
PREFACE
Below the Arabic text of every verse of the Qur'aan, is its transliteration, followed by translation and Chapter Notes, if any, essentially based on the Qur'aan itself. Please remember that the Arabic text is divine and, therefore, sacrosanct, but the transliteration, translation and the Notes are human and, therefore, subject to correction. Please also remember that the human-made Notes cannot, and do not, explain the divine verses. They seek to explain the human translation only and/or to relate the verse to present circumstances or to divine explanations given in other verses of the Qur'aan.
I have adopted the transliteration method employed by the Muslim Students' Association (MSA) of the University of Southern California. And, in this regard, I may usefully quote from their site:
"MSA-USC would like to thank muslimnet.net for making their transliteration of the Qur'an publicly available.
'We would like to emphasize that this [transliteration] text is not a substitute for the original Arabic Qur'an. It is only an attempt to help those who are trying to learn to read the Arabic text, since it is as close to the written text as possible.
It is important to practice pronouncing the letters as directed in the transliteration table, especially the underlined letters, before starting to read. It will be helpful if an Arabic speaker can help you.
This work is free for use to everyone as long as no changes that might distort it are done to it. We request from those who benefit from it to pray for us. We pray to Almighty Allah to help you learn to read the Holy Qur'an, and to do every good thing.'"
I present this humble work in the earnest hope that it will prompt my Readers to try and understand the divine Message in its original Arabic text. They should remember that no translation however meticulously done can ever equal the original Arabic text in its divine grandeur and pristine clarity.
One may wonder why this yet another addition to the existing plethora of Translations and Commentaries! The answer to this question lies in the beauty of the fact that the divine Message of the Qur'aan remains valid for all times and ages since its revelation until the Last Day. The Message therefore needs to be studied from time to time in the changing perspectives of the changing times. It would be absolutely wrong to confine this universal Message for mankind to the circumstances and situations of a particular period in the past. Unfortunately, however, most of the commentators so far have based their understanding of the Qur'aan in the strict perspective of the circumstances and situations prevailing at the time of its revelation way back in 7th century A.D. The Muslim mindset generally has thus got stagnated and therefore unable to cope with the changing situations of the changing times. This humble attempt of mine is to help Muslims generally to come out, Allah willing, of that crippling stagnation.
This Volume of my Qur'aanic Studies covers Al-Fatiha and Al-Baqarah Verses 1 to 78.
Mohammad Shafi
Mumbai, INDIA,
24th August, 2006
سورة الفاتحة
(Al-Fatiha)
Chapter 1: The Opening
| 1 |
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ |
1. Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi
1. In the name of Allah1, the Gracious2, the Merciful2.
Chapter Notes:
1. I have retained here the original Arabic word. The English near-equivalent God does not convey the same significance or uniqueness that the word implies. Non-Muslim readers are requested not to get the wrong impression that Muslims have a separate god called Allah. Allah is the sole Creator and Sustainer of the entire Universe and of all things, animate or inanimate, therein.
2. The root letters, of both the Arabic words in the original text, are the same: ra, ha, ma. The root word denotes compassion, mercy, or, more comprehensively, grace. It is by Allah's grace that we receive from Him even unmerited favours.
The epithet Rahmaan signifies possession of grace, and the epithet Raheem, active manifestation of that grace upon all Creation. Allah not only possesses grace, but actively bestows it upon His creatures.
Both these words are prefixed by the definite article al (the). It signifies that it is Allah who is the real possessor and bestower of grace. It is only the reflection of this really divine quality that we see in His creatures.
| 2 |
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ |
2. Alhamdu lillahi rabbi alAAalameena
2. The praise3 is for Allah, Lord4 of the worlds5,
Chapter Notes:
3. The prefix of the definite article here, too, is significant. It is only Allah, who is really praiseworthy. When we praise a person for his/her beauty, intelligence, work etc., our praise is, in fact, misdirected! We should really be praising the Creator who made the person beautiful or intelligent, or gave him the capacity to produce the good work. That is why Muslims, whenever they see anything praiseworthy, utter this phrase in Arabic, alhamdulillah!
4. The original Arabic word is Rabb. It is a very comprehensive word, covering the meanings of Master, Owner, Nourisher, Developer, Guide, Provider et al. For want of a befitting corresponding word in English, the word "Lord" is used, although it does not convey the same comprehensive meaning. For the purpose of this translation, therefore, "Lord" is redefined to have the comprehensive meaning of the Arabic word Rabb.
5. This is the dictionary meaning of the Arabic word aalameen. It is in plural: worlds, and not world. But what worlds? The simple dictionary meaning wouldn't fully convey the divine meaning.
In most of the places where this word has been used in the Qur'aan, it is accompanied by the word Rabb, as in this place. But there are a few places where it isn't, as in verses 2.47, 3.97, 6.86, 6.90, 21.107 and 29.6.
A close study of these latter verses would show that the word is used in the same sense as in the sentense, "My world is different from yours." Every individual lives in one's own individual world in the sense that his/her environment, conditions of living, circle of contacts etc. are different from others'. One's own world is, in other words, one's own individual life. It is to these millions of individual worlds that the Qur'aan refers to as aalameen.
Allah thus declares that He is the Rabb of every individual life. If every individual would but submit completely to His will and obey His commands as given in the Qur'aan, the Lord will surely nourish and lead the individual's life to Success and Salvation!
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الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ |
3. Alrrahmani alrraheemi
3. The Gracious, the Merciful,
| 4 |
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ | 4. M aliki yawmi a lddeen i
4. Master of the Judgement Day6!
6. The Judgement Day mentioned here has been described in the Qur'aan as, "The Day when no person shall be able to do anything for another. And the Authority, that Day, shall be with Allah!" [82.19] The Day obviously will not be any day of this world in which we are living now. It has got to be of another world, after our deaths! That Day, Allah will judge every person, strictly on merit. No influence, no recommendation!
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5 |
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ |
5. Iyy aka naAAbudu wa-iyy aka nastaAAeen u
5. You, we worship, and, You, we ask for help.
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اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ |
6. Ihdin a a lssir ata almustaqeem a
6. Guide us to the Straight Path -
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7 |
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ |
7. Sir ata alla theena anAAamta AAalayhim ghayri almagh doobi AAalayhim wal a a lddalleen a
7. Path of those upon whom You have bestowed favours7, not of those who have incurred Your wrath8, nor of those who have gone astray9!
7. The Qur'aan elsewhere declares, "And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, shall be with those on whom Allah has bestowed favours - the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, the reformers and doers of good. And good, indeed, are such companions!" [4.69]
8. Explaining why or how people incurred Allah's wrath, the Qur'aan says, "...That was because they disobeyed and exceeded all limits!" [2.61] and [3.112]
9. The Qur'aan says elsewhere, "Surely, in the matter of those who have suppressed the Truth after attaining to belief therein, and who have gone on to suppress it further, their repentance shall not be accepted. And those are the ones who have gone astray!" [3.90]
This Chapter is obviously in the form of a prayer from mankind. The rest of the Qur'aan is Allah's response thereto.
سورة البقرة
(Al-Baqarah)
Chapter 2: The Cow
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
1. Alif-lam-meem
1. Alif-lam-meem.1
Chapter Notes:
1. These are three of the letters of the Arabic alphabet. Such letters appear at the beginning of some other Chapters too. Their meaning or significance, however, is a mystery. The All-knowing Allah has placed them there, perhaps, as tokens of the many mysteries of Creation, mankind is still unaware of.
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ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ |
2. Thalika alkitabu la rayba feehi hudan lilmuttaqeena
2. This is the Book - no doubt therein - of guidance for the pious, the Allah-fearing2 -
2. The original Arabic word 'al-muttaqeen' has been translated here as 'the pious, the Allah-fearing', but hereafter in this translation of the Qur'aan the Arabic word will be referred to as 'the pious', for brevity. It should always however be construed to mean what its divine definition, given in the succeeding verses 3 and 4, says.
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3 |
الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ |
3. Alla theena yu/minoona bi alghaybi wayuqeemoona a lssal ata wamimm a razaqn ahum yunfiqoon a
3. Those who believe in the Unseen3, say the prayer properly4 and spend5 out of what We have provided for them,
3. The belief in the Unseen, non-apparent or unknown things ('Al-Ghayb' in the original Arabic text) is fundamental to Islam, as it is to many other Religions. Without this belief, words like Allah, angels, life after death, paradise, hell etc. shall carry no meaning. This belief is nothing, but a recognition of the very apparent fact that human knowledge does not encompass everything. There do exist things which we are not physically aware of. The Qur'aan declares elsewhere, "...None in the heavens nor on the earth knows the Unseen, except Allah..." [27.65] This means that no being, even whether angel or any other, other than Allah can be aware of everything. Knowing the Unseen is therefore the exclusive prerogative of Allah.
4. "...and be attentive at every place of worship and invoke Him alone to make the Religion exclusive for Him..." [7.29]
"...invoke Him in fear and in hope..." [7.56]
"And remember your Lord within yourself humbly and without being loud..." [7.205]
"And woe unto the prayer-offerers who are neglectful of their prayers!" [107.5]
These and some other verses of the Qur'aan tell us how to conduct prayers properly. (See Chapter Note 108 also.)
5. The Qur'aan says elsewhere:
"...And they ask you as to what they should spend. Say: what you can spare..." [2.219]
"...Whatever you spend of good must be for the parents and the kindred and the orphans and the poor and the wayfarer..." [2.215]
"...And you spend not, but to seek Allah's pleasure..." [2.272]
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4 |
وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ وَبِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ | 4. Wa alla theenaَyu/minoona bim a onzila ilayka wam a onzila min qablika wabi al- akhirati hum yooqinoon a
4. And those who believe in what has been bestowed upon you6 and in what had been bestowed before you6, and who are certain of the Hereafter 7.
6. In the original Arabic text, the pronoun used is 'ka', the 2nd person singular equivalent to the English 'Thou'. Since the usage of 'Thou' has now become archaic, I have used 'You' instead, which stands for both singular and plural. In the Qur'aanic context, the Arabic 'ka' is used when the divine address is directed personally to Prophet Muhammed (peace and Allah's blessings be upon him).
7. "And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement, but the abode in the Hereafter is better for the pious! Won't you understand?" [6.32]
This Qur'aanic verse clearly indicates that the Hereafter is a world beyond this one. Humans, after their deaths in this world, will obviously be resurrected for another life in that other world, the Hereafter!
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أُولَـٰئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ |
5. Ol a-ika AAal a hudan min rabbihim waol a-ika humu almufli hoon a
5. Those are the ones on guidance from their Lord and those are the ones to achieve salvation!
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6 |
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَأَنْذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنْذِرْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ |
6. Inna alla theena kafaroo saw aon AAalayhim aan thartahum am lam tun thirhum l a yu/minoon a
6. 8For those, indeed, who suppress the Truth9, it is all the same whether you warn them or you do not: they shall believe not!
8. In the earlier verses of this Qur'aanic Chapter, it may be recalled, the persons who would get guidance from the divine Book were described. In this verse, and in the few verses following on this page, those persons, who would not get the guidance, are described!
9. In the original Arabic text, the word used is 'kafaru'. The root word is 'kafara'. It is equivalent, phonetically as well as in meaning, to the English word 'cover'. So the Arabic 'kafara' literally means to cover, to hide, or to suppress. And what does one cover, hide or suppress? Obviously, the obvious, the fact, the naked truth! Later, in verse 18 on this page and also in verse 171 of this Qur'aanic Chapter, such persons are described as deaf, dumb and blind. They are so described as they suppress the truth they hear and see, and do not speak out the truth they know of. 'Kafaru' is therefore translated here as 'who suppress the Truth'.
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7 |
خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِمْ ۖ وَعَلَىٰ أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ |
7. Khatama All ahu AAal a quloobihim waAAal a samAAihim waAAal a ab sarihim ghish awatun walahum AAa thabun AAa theem un
7. Allah has set a seal on their minds and on their sense of hearing. And in their discernment is a blind. And for them is severe torment.
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8 |
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَبِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَمَا هُمْ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ |
8. Wamina a lnn asi man yaqoolu amann a biAll ahi wabi alyawmi al- akhiri wam a hum bimu/mineen a
8. And among mankind there are some who say, "We believe in Allah and in the Last Day." And yet are they believers not!10
10. Alas! An overwhelming majority of the so called believers in today's world, I am afraid, fall in the category of people described in this verse, and in the few verses that follow this verse. They declare themselves as Muslims (believers), but their deeds betray the hollowness of their belief. Their attitude towards observance of divine commands regarding praying, fasting etc. is, at best, indifferent. And the general conduct of their worldly affairs does not reflect any concern at all that they would have to account for these before the Lord in the Hereafter. They delude themselves under the deception that this worldly life is the be-all and end-all of their existence! Allah Almighty describes their mental attitude as a disease, which He worsens if they continue indulging in their falsehoods.
Such a mental attitude inculcates in them a tendency to grab what they can, by hook or by crook, here and now! And then the Satan steps in and lures them to the temptations of this world. While in the grips of such a temptation, if they are told not to indulge in any mischief, they protest and say that they are only trying to improve their conditions!
And when someone points out to them that they are not so strict in following the tenets of Islam as some other Muslims are even at the expense of material or business interests, they say - at least, to themselves - that they are not fools like the others!
On the other hand, if social compulsions make them go through, albeit reluctantly, some religious duties like performing prayers etc., when they meet with their own ilk they dismiss their religious acts as mere delusion.
Allah Almighty compares them to blinded people unable to see the light around them - the light of the Qur'aan, which they hardly ever read with a view to get any guidance therefrom. Like people caught in a rainstorm putting their fingers into their ears to shut out the thunderbolts, they are ever afraid of death, which could put an abrupt end to their illusory life on this earth! It is only because of Allah's grace and mercy that they are able to carry on with whatever lives they could enjoy on this earth. Allah could, if He so willed, deprive them of the little earthly enjoyment too!
Allah can indeed do - or undo - whatever He wills!
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يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّا أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ |
9. Yukh adiAAoona All aha wa alla theena amanoo wam a yakhdaAAoona ill a anfusahum wam a yashAAuroon a
9. They are trying to deceive Allah and those who believe, and they deceive none but themselves and perceive it not!
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فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ |
10. Fee quloobihim mara dun faz adahumu All ahu mara dan walahum AAa thabun aleemun bim a k anoo yak thiboon a
10. In their minds is a disease and Allah has increased their disease. And for them is severe torment as they have been lying.
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وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ |
11. Wa-i tha qeela lahum l a tufsidoo fee al-ar di q aloo innam a na hnu mu sli hoon a
11. And when it is said to them, "Make no mischief on the earth," they say, "We are but trying to improve things."
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أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَـٰكِنْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ |
12. Al a innahum humu almufsidoona wal akin l a yashAAuroon a
12. Nay! In fact, they are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive it not!
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13 |
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُوا كَمَا آمَنَ النَّاسُ قَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَا آمَنَ السُّفَهَاءُ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ السُّفَهَاءُ وَلَـٰكِنْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ |
13. Wa-i tha qeela lahum aminoo kam a amana a lnn asu q aloo anu/minu kam a amana a lssufah ao al a innahum humu a lssufah ao wal akin l a yaAAlamoon a
13. And when it is said to them, "Believe just as people believe," they say, "Shall we believe as the fools did?" Nay! In fact, they are the ones who are fools, but they know not!
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وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا إِلَىٰ شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُوا إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِئُونَ |
14. Wa-i tha laqoo alla theena amanoo q aloo amann a wa-i tha khalaw il a shay ateenihim q aloo inn a maAAakum innam a na hnu mustahzi-oon a
14. And when they meet those who believe, they say, "We believe," and when they are closeted with their own satanic folk, they say, "We surely are with you! We have been but mocking."
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اللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ |
15. All ahu yastahzi-o bihim wayamudduhum fee tughy anihim yaAAmahoon a
15. Allah mocks at them and leaves them to lose their way committing their excesses.
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أُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلَالَةَ بِالْهُدَىٰ فَمَا رَبِحَتْ تِجَارَتُهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا مُهْتَدِينَ |
16. Ol a-ika alla theena ishtarawoo a lddal alata bi alhud a fam a rabi hat tij aratuhum wam a k anoo muhtadeen a
16. These are the people who bartered away guidance for misguidedness. But their barter deal benefited them not, and they failed to become guided!
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مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَلَمَّا أَضَاءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُ ذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُمَاتٍ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ |
17. Mathaluhum kamathali alla thee istawqada n aran falamm a a daat m a hawlahu thahaba All ahu binoorihim watarakahum fee thulum atin l a yub siroon a
17. Their situation is as the situation in which someone kindled a fire. But when it lighted up its environs, Allah snatched away their light and left them, in darknesses, unable to see!
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صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ |
18. Summun bukmun AAumyun fahum l a yarjiAAoon a
18. Being deaf, dumb and blind, they return not!
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أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَاتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِمْ مِنَ الصَّوَاعِقِ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ مُحِيطٌ بِالْكَافِرِينَ |
19. Aw ka sayyibin mina a lssam a-i feehi thulumatun waraAAdun wabarqun yajAAaloona a sabiAAahum fee athanihim mina a lssaw aAAiqi ha thara almawti wa All ahu mu hee tun bi alk afireen a
19. Or, 11their situation is as in a rainstorm from the sky, that is accompanied by darknesses and thunder and lightning! They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the thunderbolts, fearing death. And Allah encircles the suppressors of Truth!
11. In the original Arabic text, the equivalent of "their situation is" is understood and not actually expressed. The understood expression is expressed in the translation to render the meaning clearer in the context of the English language syntax and idiom.
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يَكَادُ الْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَارَهُمْ ۖ كُلَّمَا أَضَاءَ لَهُمْ مَشَوْا فِيهِ وَإِذَا أَظْلَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَامُوا ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ |
20. Yak adu albarqu yakh tafu ab sarahum kullam a a daa lahum mashaw feehi wa-i tha a thlama AAalayhim q amoo walaw sh aa All ahu la thahaba bisamAAihim waab sarihim inna All aha AAal a kulli shay-in qadeer un
20. The lightning almost snatches their sights away! Whenever it flashes for them, they move forward in its light, and, when darkness falls on them, they stop. And, had Allah so willed, He could indeed have taken away their hearing and their sights. Allah certainly has power over everything!
| 21 |
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ |
21. Y a ayyuh a a lnnasu oAAbudoo rabbakumu alla thee khalaqakum wa alla theena min qablikum laAAallakum tattaqoon a
21. 12O mankind! Worship13 your Lord, Who created you as well as those before you, so that you become pious -
12. In the course of the first 5 verses of this Qur'aanic Chapter, it is stated - readers may recall - that the pious will get guidance from the divine Book. In the next fifteen verses, following the first 5, those other people ae described who will not get the guidance therefrom. Having thus categorised mankind into 2 distinct sections, the Qur'aan advises them all, in this 21st verse, as to how to belong to the category of the pious so as to get the guidance and attain salvation. Readers may also take note, here, that the Qur'aanic Message is addressed to the entire mankind, and not to any particular regional or racial group.
13. To worship is to adore someone as divine. The root of the Arabic word used in the original text is 'abada', which also means to be a slave to. So, in the Qur'aanic concept of worship, the worshipper submits himself completely to the divine as a slave would to an absolute master! At another place in the Qur'aan, Allah exhorts His Messenger (peace and Allah's blessings be upon him), 'Say: I have been forbidden to worship those whom you invoke besides Allah, since there have come to me evidences from my Lord; and I am commanded to submit to the Lord of the worlds.' [40.66]
| 22 |
الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ فِرَاشًا وَالسَّمَاءَ بِنَاءً وَأَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ رِزْقًا لَكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ أَنْدَادًا وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ |
22. Alla thee jaAAala lakumu al-ar da fir ashan wa alssam aa bin aan waanzala mina a lssam a-i m aan faakhraja bihi mina a lththamar ati rizqan lakum fal a tajAAaloo lill ahi and adan waantum taAAlamoon a
22. The Lord Who made the earth, a habitable place14 for you and the sky, a generator of means to provide sustenance15. And He sent down water from the sky. Then He brought out therewith, from the produce, sustenance for you. Do not then, knowingly, instal false rivals unto Allah.
14. 'Farasha' is the root of the corresponding Arabic word used in the original divine text. One of its varied meanings is to render easy, convenient, commodious or to furnish a house. Science is witness to the fact that the earth is placed in a mathematically precise and correct position in the Universe so as to make it habitable by human beings, as also by an innumerable variety of other living creatures. The original Arabic word used is therefore rendered as 'habitable place' in the translation.
15. The root of the original Arabic word used here has the meanings, inter alia: to build, construct, raise, strengthen and assist by benefits. Read with these meanings, the role of the sky, as described subsequently in this very verse, provides the obvious contextual meaning - viz., a generator of means to provide sustenance - of the original Arabic word used.
| 23 |
وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِنْ مِثْلِهِ وَادْعُوا شُهَدَاءَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ |
23. Wa-in kuntum fee raybin mimm a nazzaln a AAal a AAabdin a fa/too bisooratin min mithlihi wa odAAoo shuhad aakum min dooni All ahi in kuntum sadiqeen a
23. And if you are in doubt concerning what We have sent down unto Our Servant, then come up with Chapter like one thereof16 and call your witnesses, other than Allah, if you are truthful.
16. This is an open divine challenge for those who entertain doubts in the divinity of the Qur'aan. The Book elsewhere gives a hint of what the challenge means. "Do they not then ponder over the Qur'aan? Had it been from someone other than Allah, they would surely have found therein many a contradiction." [Q: 4.82]
|
| 24 |
فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَلَن تَفْعَلُوا فَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِي وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ ۖ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِينَ | |
24. Fa-in lam tafAAaloo walan tafAAaloo fa ittaqoo a lnn ara allatee waqooduh a a lnn asu wa al hij aratu oAAiddat lilk afireen a
24. But, if you do it not - and you can never do it - then fear the Fire fuelled by humans and stones, and kept ready for suppressors of the Truth.
| 25 |
وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ۖ كُلَّمَا رُزِقُوا مِنْهَا مِنْ ثَمَرَةٍ رِزْقًا ۙ قَالُوا هَـٰذَا الَّذِي رُزِقْنَا مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ وَأُتُوا بِهِ مُتَشَابِهًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا أَزْوَاجٌ مُطَهَّرَةٌ ۖ وَهُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ |
25. Wabashshiri alla theena amanoo waAAamiloo a lssali hati anna lahum jann atin tajree min ta htih a al-anh aru kullam a ruziqoo minh a min thamaratin rizqan q aloo h atha alla thee ruziqn a min qablu waotoo bihi mutash abihan walahum feeh a azw ajun mu tahharatun wahum feeh a kh alidoon a
25. And gladden the minds of those who believe and do good deeds with the prophesy that there would certainly be for them gardens underneath which flow the canals. Everytime they are served there with the food of a fruit, they will say, "This is what we had been served with before," and they will be given things resembling one another17. And for them therein will be mates purified. And therein will they have lives eternal!
17. In verse 3.7, the Qur'aan says, "It is He (Allah) Who has sent down the Book. In it are verses that are entirely clear - these form the fundamentals of the Book - and others, not entirely clear. Then as for those in whose minds is proneness for deviation, they follow the verse that is not entirely clear to find fault and to seek its hidden meaning. And none but Allah knows its hidden meaning. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say, 'We believe in it; every verse is from our Lord.' And none remember it except for the people of deep understanding." This verse of Chapter 2, currently under our study, describing a scene in Paradise, and the preceding verse (No. 24), stating that human beings would be the fuel of Hell Fire, are among those unclear verses spoken of in verse 3.7. The intelligence endowed to humans in this world, is not capable of comprehending how, for example, humans would be used as fuel of the Fire and yet go on living to suffer continuously therein. We have but to believe in such unclear verses verbatim, as described in the Qur'aan. It is a test of our belief in Allah and in the Unseen!
| 26 |
۞ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا ۚ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهَـٰذَا مَثَلًا ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيرًا ۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِ إِلَّا الْفَاسِقِينَ |
26. Inna All aha l a yasta hyee an ya driba mathalan m a baAAoo datan fam a fawqah a faamm a alla theena amanoo fayaAAlamoona annahu al haqqu min rabbihim waamm a alla theena kafaroo fayaqooloona m atha ar ada All ahu bih atha mathalan yu dillu bihi katheeran wayahdee bihi katheeran wam a yu dillu bihi ill a alf asiqeen a
26. Allah, indeed, blushes not at quoting an example of even a fly or of anything tinier. Those, then. who believe, know this to be nothing but the Truth from their Lord. And those who suppress the Truth, question, "What is Allah's intention in giving such an example?" By it, He sends many astray; and, by it, He guides many to the Right Path. And He does not send astray any, by it, but the wicked!
| 27 |
الَّذِينَ يَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ |
27. Alla theena yanqu doona AAahda All ahi min baAAdi meeth aqihi wayaq taAAoona m a amara All ahu bihi an yoo sala wayufsidoona fee al-ar di ol a-ika humu alkh asiroon a
27. They (the wicked) are those who go back on their declaration, recognizing Allah as their Lord, after it (the declaration) was solemnly affirmed18. And they cut asunder what Allah has commanded to be adhered to19. And they spread corruption on the earth. Those are the people, doomed!
18. The Qur'aan tells us elsewhere: "And whenever your Lord has brought forth from Adam's children - from their loins - their offspring, He has asked them to testify upon the evidence of their own selves, 'Am I not your Lord?' and they have said, 'Yes, we do testify!' Lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, 'We were indeed unaware of this.' Or, lest you should say, 'Our forefathers had indeed assigned partners to You before, and we were but the offspring following them. Would You then destroy us for what those others indulging in falsehood did?' And thus do We explain the verses/signs in details, and so that they revert." [Q: 7.172 to 174] And in verse 4.107, the Qur'aan says, "And argue not on behalf of those who deceive themselves. Allah indeed loves not those who sinfully betray their trust." From these divine verses it should be abundantly clear that the truth about the existence of the Almighty Creator is ingrained in what we call the conscience of every human being at his/her very birth!
19. Allah has commanded adherence to a life of piety for mankind to enable it to get guidance from the Qur'aan and to attain to salvation [Q: 2.2 to 5]. The wicked wilfully keep themselves away from leading such a life.
| 28 |
كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَكُنْتُمْ أَمْوَاتًا فَأَحْيَاكُمْ ۖ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ |
28. Kayfa takfuroona bi All ahi wakuntum amw atan faa hy akum thumma yumeetukum thumma yu hyeekum thumma ilayhi turjaAAoon a
28. How can you suppress the Truth about Allah!? It was He Who gave you life when you were but dead. He will then revert you to the dead and raise you up again to life. And to Him you will then return!
| 29 |
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ ۚ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ |
29. Huwa alla thee khalaqa lakum m a fee al-ar di jameeAAan thumma istaw a il a a lssam a-i fasaww ahunna sabAAa sam aw atin wahuwa bikulli shay-in AAaleem un
29. He it is Who created for you all that is on the earth. He then rose over towards the atmoshere and outer space and set them right, into seven spheres and skies20 & 21. And He does have knowledge of all things.
20. It is interesting to note in this context that, as per recent discoveries, the atmosphere immediately surrounding the earth has seven layers, one over another. They are: Troposphere, Tropopause, Stratosphere, Stratopause, Mesosphere, Mesopause and Thermosphere. These layers, inter alia, shield the earth from the ultraviolet rays radiating from the Sun. The Troposphere provides oxygen and the water recycling facility for sustenance of life on earth. And Allah says in verse Q: 21.32, "And We have made the atmosphere safe and well guarded..." In verse 67.3, the Qur'aan speaks of the Blessed Lord, "Who has created the seven layers of the atmosphere, one over another..." And in verse 40.13, it speaks of Allah, "Who... sends down provisions for you from the atmosphere..."
21. But from some other verses it is apparent that the Arabic word Samaa (plural: Samaawaat) has been used in the Qur'aan both for earth's atmosphere as well as outer space. It is so indicated in verse 65.12: "It is Allah Who has created seven skies and of the earth the like thereof..." In the divine terminology, the sky nearest to the earth includes its (earth's) atmosphere. While mankind has come to know of the seven layers of earth's atmosphere, the six layers of the outer space, beyond the lowest which is studded with the stars [Q: 41.12], appear to be still beyond human knowledge and comprehension.
| 30 |
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ |
30. Wa-i th q ala rabbuka lilmal a-ikati innee j aAAilun fee al-ar di khaleefatan q aloo atajAAalu feeh a man yufsidu feeh a wayasfiku a lddim aa wana hnu nusabbi hu bi hamdika wanuqaddisu laka q ala innee aAAlamu m a l a taAAlamoon a
30. And when your Lord said to the angels, "I am indeed going to establish a vicegerent22 to 25 on the earth." They said, "Will You establish therein those who would spread discord therein and shed blood? And we glorify You with praises and sanctify You!" Said He, "I know that which you do not know."
22. Khalifa is the word used in the original Arabic text and it is important to understand the divine meaning thereof. One of the dictionary meanings of this word is 'successor', but this meaning cannot be applied in the context here. Allah obviously wanted to make the first human, Adam, a Khalifa on the earth and so there is no question of his being a 'successor' there. Earlier to Adam being sent to the earth, Allah's was the only, and complete, sway over there, and it would be preposterous to think that Almighty Allah would appoint any 'successor' to Him, Himself!
23. It would therefore be most appropriate to take the other meaning viz. 'vicegerent' or, so to say, a viceroy acting as the Absolute Sovereign's deputy ruler in a specific region of the Sovereign's vast dominion and exercising some of His delgated powers to a limited extent.
24. And in verse 35.39, the Qur'aan speaks of the entire mankind being made the Khalaif, or the vicegerents (in plural, that is), on the earth. This verse and other verses like 6.165, 7.74, 7.69 etc. go to show that it is not Adam only who had been made the Khalifa, but that human beings that came through his progeny to inhabit this earth so far and that would come in future, are all the Khalaif or Khulafa on this earth. In some translations, this plural word has been wrongly interpreted as 'successors'. All human beings are Allah's vicegerents on this earth. They are, in other words, His deputies, everyone having control over his/her respective little world (aalam).
25. But these little deputies tend to forget their real position and status. They forget that they are only deputies of their common Sovereign, the real Nourisher and Sustainer of all their little worlds (Rabb-il-aalameen). They forget that Allah is, as do verses 6.165 and 10.14 explain, only testing them by the limited delegation of some of His powers to them. Allah is testing whether or not His deputies are exercising their delegated powers justly and fairly for constructive creation within the spheres of their little worlds, remembering all the while that they are answerable to their Sovereign for all their acts of omission and commission.
| 31 |
وَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ الْأَسْمَاءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنْبِئُونِي بِأَسْمَاءِ هَـٰؤُلَاءِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ |
31. WaAAallama adama al-asm aa kullah a thumma AAara dahum AAal a almal a-ikati faq ala anbi-oonee bi-asm a-i h aol a-i in kuntum sadiqeen a
31. And He taught Adam all the names26. Then He placed them before the angels. Then He said to them, "Describe to me these names, if you do really know the truth."
26. "And to Allah belong the best Names; so call Him by those..." is how the verse 7.180 begins. Speaking of the idols worshipped by the pagan Arabs, the Qur'aan says, "They are but names which you have given - you and your fathers - for which Allah has sent no authority..." [53.23] In the light of these and similar other verses, we may safely infer that the names (asma), in the context of the verse (2.31) presently under study, are but the genuine characteristics or real attributes of things.
| 32 |
قَالُوا سُبْحَانَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَا إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ |
32. Q aloo sub hanaka l a AAilma lan a ill a m a AAallamtan a innaka anta alAAaleemu al hakeem u
32. They said, "Glory to You! We do have no knowledge other than what You have taught us. You indeed are the One having knowledge of everything and the One possessing all wisdom!
| 33 |
قَالَ يَا آدَمُ أَنْبِئْهُمْ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ ۖ فَلَمَّا أَنْبَأَهُمْ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ |
33. Q ala y a adamu anbi/hum bi-asm a-ihim falamm a anbaahum bi-asm a-ihim q ala alam aqul lakum innee aAAlamu ghayba a lssam aw ati wa al-ar di waaAAlamu m a tubdoona wam a kuntum taktumoon a
33. Said He, "O Adam! Describe to them the names of these things. And when he described to them the names thereof, He said, "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the atmosphere and skies beyond and of the earth, and that I know what you declare and what you have been concealing?"
| 34 |
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ |
34. Wa-i th quln a lilmal a-ikati osjudoo li- adama fasajadoo ill a ibleesa ab a wa istakbara wak ana mina alk afireen a
34. And when We asked the angels to prostrate27 & 28 before Adam, prostrated they all except for Iblees29. He (Iblees) refused and was proud30 and became one of the suppressors of Truth!
27. One may think that it is the prerogative of Allah to be bowed or prostrated to. And Allah does say, "...Prostrate not to the sun nor to the moon, but prostrate to Allah Who created them, if it is He Whom you worship." [Q: 41.37] But here, in verse 2.34, Allah Himself asked the angels to prostrate to Adam who was but a creature of Allah. To understand properly the truth behind this apparent contradiction, one must remember that to worship is to obey completely and unquestioningly. When Allah Himself asked the angels to prostrate to Adam, He was just testing their absolute obedience to Him.
28. There is another instance mentioned in the Qur'aan of a man, Prophet Yusuf (may peace be upon him), being prostrated to by his brothers and parents [Q: 12.100]. That was in the nature of an involuntary act in divine fulfilment of the inerpretation of a dream seen by Yusuf in his childhood. Neither this instance, nor that of the angels prostrating before Adam at the express order of the Almighty Creator, should be taken as a precedent for us humans to prostrate before any created thing. For us, the standing divine command, as given in verse 41.37 quoted above in the preceding Note, is to prostrate only to Allah!
29. In verse 18.50, Iblees has been described as a Jinn.
30. Justifying his pride, Iblees is quoted, in verse 7.12, as saying, "I am better than him (Adam). You created me from fire, and him You created from clay."
| 35 |
وَقُلْنَا يَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنْتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَـٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ |
35. Waquln a y a adamu oskun anta wazawjuka aljannata wakul a minh a raghadan haythu shi/tum a wal a taqrab a h athihi a lshshajarata fatakoon a mina a lththalimeen a
35. And We said, "O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Garden31. And eat and live therein, both of you, in ease and affluence, wherever you wish. But come not near this tree, for then you both will be among the wicked!32"
31. The Garden (Al-Jannah) has been described elsewhere in the Qur'aan as follows: "...in it are rivers of water the colour, taste and smell of which are not changed, rivers of milk of which the taste never changes, rivers of wine delicious to the drinkers and rivers of purified honey; therein for them is every kind of fruit, and forgiveness from their Lord..." [47.15]; "...its provision is eternal and so is its shade..." [13.35]; "...they will have therein all that they wish..." [16.31]; "...their provision therein will be without limit." [40.40]; entry therein will be in happiness [43.70]; it will be a place of bliss [56.12].
32. This was obviously the first test the human race was put to. Allah, the Absolute Creator, could have, if He wanted to, so made Adam and Eve that they would by nature avoid going to the tree in question. But He left the freedom of choice - of conscious disobedience - to the first humans. And He has likewise left that freedom to their progeny. Deep down in every human mind is ingrained the fact of the existence of the Absolute Creator and the distinction between right and wrong, just as Adam and Eve were aware of the fact and of the distinction. But, like Adam and Eve, every human being is prone to suppress the promptings of his/her conscience and thus land himself/herself in trouble!
| 36 |
فَأَزَلَّهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ عَنْهَا فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ ۖ وَقُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ ۖ وَلَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ |
36. Faazallahum a a lshshay tanu AAanh a faakhrajahum a mimm a k an a feehi waquln a ihbi too baAA dukum libaAA din AAaduwwun walakum fee al-ar di mustaqarrun wamat aAAun il a heen in
36. Then the Satan33 & 34 made them slip therefrom and got them out from where they were. And We said, "Down you go, in reciprocal enmity35. And on the earth for a while, will there be board and lodging for you."
33. The root of the Arabic word Shaitaan is shatan which means 'to oppose/hinder' or 'to be distant'. In the context of verse No. 34 of this same Chapter Al-Baqarah, 'the Shaitaan' mentioned here is obviously with reference to Iblis, who in his ill-conceived pride refused to obey Allah's command to prostrate before Adam. He (the Satan) thus distanced himself from Allah and His mercy. He also vowed to hinder mankind from following Allah's path [Q: 7.16 & 17]. Iblis has therefore been addressed as 'the Shaitaan' here.
34. But as has already been seen earlier in verse 2.14, the Qur'aan refers to shayaateen (plural of Shaitaan) also. And in verse 6.112, it refers to shayaateen both of the mankind and of the Jinn. Therefore shayaateen are all those humans and jinns of rebellious nature, who distance themselves away from Allah's Straight Path and also try to seduce others from that Path.
35. The Qur'aan repeatedly informs us (in verses 2.168, 43.62, for example,) that the Satan is our open enemy. So primarily, in the context of the situation depicted in this verse, the mutual enmity Allah refers to is between Adam and Eve on the one hand, and the Satan on the other. This mutual enmity with the Satan would extend to the entire human race as the latter would multiply, on the earth. But, since the Satan would have a following among humans also, the mutual enmity would as well be between the followers of Satan and the others, among human beings themselves.
| 37 |
فَتَلَقَّىٰ آدَمُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ |
37. Fatalaqq a adamu min rabbihi kalim atin fat aba AAalayhi innahu huwa a lttaww abu a lrra heem u
37. Adam thereupon learned/received Words36 from his Lord, Who then pardoned him. Surely, He is the One Who forgives, the One Merciful!
36. In the context of the divine words that follow immediately, it appears that the 'Words' Adam learned from his Lord were the words of prayer mentioned in verse Q: 7.23. That is the prayer Adam made to his Lord for the forgiveness of his and Eve's disobedience of the divine injunction against approaching the tree in the Garden. The 'Words' could also be the highly important meassage contained in the succeeding verses 38 and 39 of this very Chapter 2. Or the 'Words' could be any other divine message that the first human recived from his Lord for the proper conduct of the lives of the first human inhabitants of the earth. It was important for Adam to know then exactly what those words were, but it is not so for us, now. What is important and necessary for us now is to know exactly what the Qur'aan contains!
| 38 |
قُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ مِنِّي هُدًى فَمَنْ تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ |
38. Quln a ihbi too minh a jameeAAan fa-imm a ya/tiyannakum minnee hudan faman tabiAAa hud aya fal a khawfun AAalayhim wal a hum ya hzanoon a
38. We said, "Down you go, all, from this place! Now, whenever Guidance comes to you from Me, then all those, who follow My Guidance, shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.
| 39 |
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَـٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ |
39. Wa alla theena kafaroo waka ththaboo bi- ay atin a ol a-ika a s- habu a lnn ari hum feeh a kh alidoon a
39. And those who suppress the Truth, and belie Our verses/signs, those will be dwellers of the Fire, therein to remain, eternally!37"
37. And this - the divine message contained in these two verses 38 and 39 - is what is vitally important and necessary for us now to know and always remember. This is the divine mantra for the ultimate salvation of any individual among mankind. The individual ought to remember that is is only the purely divine - and not any other - guidance that will get him/her the salvation. The individual also ought to remember that if he/she suppresses or in any way whatsoever belies the truth behind any piece of the divine guidance, he/she would certainly be doomed! [For a comprehensive meaning of aayaat (translated here as verses/signs), please see Chapter Notes 150 and 151 of these Studies.]
| 40 |
يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ وَإِيَّايَ فَارْهَبُونِ |
40. Y a banee isr a-eela o thkuroo niAAmatiya allatee anAAamtu AAalaykum waawfoo biAAahdee oofi biAAahdikum wa-iyy aya fa irhaboon i
40. O Children of Israel38 & 39! Remember My favour40 which I bestowed upon you, and fulfil your terms41 of the Covenant with Me and I will fulfil my terms42. And Me, then, you hold in awe!
38. The earliest people, so addressed (Bani Israel, in original Arabic) in the Qur'aan, were the ethnic group among whom Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was born. Those people had then been subjected to harassment and persecution by Pharaoh, the ruler of ancient Egypt. Moses was sent by Allah to Pharaoh to ask him to "let Children of Israel come with me." [Q: 7.105]
39. The bulk of the descendents of those people of Moses (also known as Jews, Hebrews or Israelites) are now brought together in the present State of Israel. This bringing together is a prophesy of the Qur'aan [17.104] that has come true! Also come true is the indirect prophesy and warning that the nominal followers of the Qur'aan today would be following the behavioural pattern of the Children of Israel. This latter prophesy is inherent in the frequent references made in the Qur'aan to various aspects of Jewish history.
40. Glimpses of the divine favour, bestowed upon the Children of Israel, are shown in verses 47 to 64 of this very Chapter (Al-Baqarah) of the Qur'aan.
41. The terms to be fulfilled by the Children of Israel are enumerated in verses 83 and 84 of this Chapter.
42. And Allah promises - to all those who believe in Him and fear Him and obediently do His bidding - the good both of this world and of the Hereafter! [Q: 10.64]
| 41 |
وَآمِنُوا بِمَا أَنْزَلْتُ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا مَعَكُمْ وَلَا تَكُونُوا أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍ بِهِ ۖ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا وَإِيَّايَ فَاتَّقُونِ |
41. Wa aminoo bim a anzaltu mu saddiqan lim a maAAakum wal a takoonoo awwala k afirin bihi wal a tashtaroo bi- ay atee thamanan qaleelan wa-iyy aya fa ittaqoon i
41. And believe in what43 I have sent down in confirmation of that which is with you. And be not the first to suppress it. And do not trade my verses/signs for a little benefit44. And Me, then, you fear!
43. What is referred to here is obviously the Qur'aan. Verse 46.12 makes this further clear. The basic message of all the preceding divine books had been the same as that of the Qur'aan.
44. In Qur'aanic verses 3.187 and 5.44, we find similar expressions - on trading divine verses for a little gain - made with reference to the people on whom earlier divine books were bestowed. A study of these verses, as also of the verses 41 and 42 currently under our study here, would make it clear that the expression means knowingly suppressing, hiding or twisting the meanings of the divine verses for gaining temporal benefits. The benefit or price mentioned here should not be confused with price tags attached to copies and translations of the Qur'aan and to commentaries thereon, made available in the market or on the Net. When we buy a copy of the Qur'aan, for example, from the market, we do not, and cannot, buy the invaluable divine verses as such. We pay only for the human effort put in, in making a printed copy of the Qur'aan made conveniently available to us.
| 42 |
وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا الْحَقَّ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا الْحَقَّ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ |
42. Wal a talbisoo al haqqa bi alb atili wataktumoo al haqqa waantum taAAlamoon a
42. And confound not the truth with the falsehood and thus knowingly conceal the truth!
| 43 |
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَارْكَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ |
43. Waaqeemoo a lssal ata wa atoo a lzzak ata wa irkaAAoo maAAa a lrr akiAAeen a
43. And say the prayer properly45 and give the charity46. And bow with those who bow47!
45. Please refer Chapter Note 4.
46. In Qur'aanic verse 30.39, the charity (az-zakaat, in Arabic) is defined as that which is given away to seek just the pleasure or approval of Allah.
47. Bowing - bowing before Allah - forms an essential part of the Islamic prayer. This act symbolises, as nothing else does, complete amd utter submission to Allah's will and command! In asking the Children of Israel to bow with those who bow, Allah is inviting them to join the Muslims in complete submission to their One and Only Lord.
| 44 |
۞ أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ |
44. Ata/muroona a lnn asa bi albirri watansawna anfusakum waantum tatloona alkit aba afal a taAAqiloon a
44. You tell people to be good and you forget your own selves? And you read the Book! Do you not then understand!?
| 45 |
وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ |
45. Wa istaAAeenoo bi alssabri wa alssal ati wa-innah a lakabeeratun ill a AAal a alkh ashiAAeen a
45. And seek divine help48 with the patience49 and the proper prayer45! And this indeed is the hard thing except for those who dread -
48. The Arabic Wastaeenu has been rendered as 'And seek divine help' in the light of verse [Q: 1.5].
49. 'The patience' that mankind is repeatedly exhorted, in the Qur'aan, to aspire to, along with 'the proper prayer', is that referred to in the exquisitely appropriate anecdote related in verses 18.65 to 18.82. Please go through that anecdote. It is too long for me to repeat here. Man is wont to get exasperated, as Prophet Moses was in that anecdote, by the apparent inscrutability of the happenings in this world. He should have unshakable faith in Allah and be patient. The inscrutable happenings would turn out to be for the good, in the end.
| 46 |
الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُمْ مُلَاقُو رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ |
46. Alla theena ya thunnoona annahum mul aqoo rabbihim waannahum ilayhi r ajiAAoon a
46. - Those, who think that they certainly shall meet their Lord and that unto Him they certainly shall return!50
50. The addressees of this divine address, covered in this section (Verses 2.40 to 2.46) of these Qur'aanic Studies, could as well have been the Muslims of today, besides the Children of Israel! And I have no doubt in mind that the modern-day Muslims too are the indirect addressees here. The All-knowing Allah knew that, in the future, the bulk of the Muslims would be treading the path of the Children of Israel! That is why, as already noted in Note 39 above, the Qur'aan makes frequent references to the Jews.
| 47 |
يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّي فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ |
47. Y a banee isr a-eela o thkuroo niAAmatiya allatee anAAamtu AAalaykum waannee fa ddaltukum AAal a alAA alameen a
47. O Children of Israel! Remember My Favour which I bestowed upon you. And remember that I gave you preference over the Worlds.51 & 52
51. Glimpses of "My Favour" that Allah spoke of earlier in verse 40 above, are being mentioned, one by one, from this verse. The first, mentioned here, is the divine preference given to the Children of Israel, in granting them the divine Favour, over all the worlds. [As for 'worlds' (aalameen), please see Note No. 5 under Chapter 1 above]. And as for the reason for that preference, Allah says in verse 7.137, "...And the fair Word of your Lord was fulfilled upon the Children of Israel because of their patience..." That was the patience they displayed, while suffering at the hands of the despotic Pharaoh and his people. Refer verse 49 below.
52. And in this recounting of the exemplary patience displayed in the face of terrible torment, there is a hint for the Muslims of today to exercise similar patience in the adverse circumstances the latter find themselves surrounded with now. The Muslims however, it is sad to note, are resorting to manifest acts of impatience, thus (and otherwise, as well) betraying lack of faith in Allah and His Message! No wonder therefore that they (the Muslims) merit no favour from Allah and end up as the favourite 'whipping boy', for all and sundry, around the world today.
| 48 |
وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا لَا تَجْزِي نَفْسٌ عَنْ نَفْسٍ شَيْئًا وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَلَا يُؤْخَذُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ وَلَا هُمْ يُنْصَرُونَ |
48. Wa ittaqoo yawman l a tajzee nafsun AAan nafsin shay-an wal a yuqbalu minh a shaf aAAatun wal a yu/kha thu minh a AAadlun wal a hum yun saroon a
48. And fear that Day when none can be of any avail on anything to another, when no intercession will be accepted from anyone nor any ransom taken, and when they will be given no help!53
53. This is a divine statement, made quite categorically. In defiance thereof, however, almost the entire Christendom and the majority of the Muslims cling to their futile fond hopes that Jesus and Muhammad (may peace be upon them both) shall ransom their sinning souls out, with their - the two Messengers' - respective powers(?) of intercesssion!
| 49 |
وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَاكُمْ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَاءَكُمْ ۚ وَفِي ذَٰلِكُمْ بَلَاءٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ |
49. Wa-i th najjayn akum min ali firAAawna yasoomoonakum soo-a alAAa thabi yu thabbi hoona abn aakum wayasta hyoona nis aakum wafee thalikum bal aon min rabbikum AAa theem un
49. And there was that time when We delivered you from Pharaoh's people! They were inflicting on you a terrible torment: they were slaughtering your sons and sparing the lives of your womenfolk. And therein was a mighty trial from your Lord!
| 50 |
وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ الْبَحْرَ فَأَنْجَيْنَاكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ |
50. Wa-i th faraqn a bikumu alba hra faanjayn akum waaghraqn a ala firAAawna waantum tan thuroon a
50. And the time when We split the sea for you! We then saved you. And We drowned Pharaoh's people. And you had been watching!
| 51 |
وَإِذْ وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْتُمُ الْعِجْلَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَأَنْتُمْ ظَالِمُونَ |
51. Wa-i th w aAAadn a moos a arbaAAeena laylatan thumma ittakha thtumu alAAijla min baAAdihi waantum thalimoon a
51. And the time when We gave an appointment to Moses of forty nights! You then took to the calf after he left. And you were indulging in wickedness!
|
52 |
ثُمَّ عَفَوْنَا عَنْكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ |
52. Thumma AAafawn a AAankum min baAAdi thalika laAAallakum tashkuroon a
52. Then after that We forgave you that you might express gratefulness!54
54. The episode mentioned in verses 51 and 52 above, is explained in greater details in verses 7.142 to 7.154. The divine appointment was to give Moses written Tablets containing "admonition and details on everything". For the appointment with Allah, Moses had to go away from his people, the Children of Israel, for forty nights. It was during this period of Moses' absence from them that the Children of Israel took to the abomination of worshipping a calf-like object made from ornaments.
| 53 |
وَإِذْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَالْفُرْقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ |
53. Wa-i th atayn a moos a alkit aba wa alfurq ana laAAallakum tahtadoon a
53. 55And there was that time when We gave to Moses the Book56, and the standard by which to distinguish between right and wrong57, so that you may be guided.
55. The Qur'aan continues here, from the preceding verses, to reminisce the past history of the Jewish people to them.
56. Verse 3.65 makes it clear that the divine Book Torah was not revealed till after Prophet Abraham. And in verse 5.46, it is made clear that the divine Book Gospel (Injeel) was revealed to Prophet Jesus, and that the Torah was revealed before the time of Jesus. Again, in verse 5.43 it is mentioned that the Jews have the Torah. These circumstantial evidences from the Qur'aan leave no room for any doubt that the divine Book revealed to Moses was the Torah.
57. The Arabic word used in the original revelation is al-furqaan. Furqaan is a thing that distinguishes between good and evil, between right and wrong. In verse 8.29, the Qur'aan tells the believers, "...If you fear Allah, He effects furqaan for you..." The word is used in this verse without the prefix al, and the quoted part of the verse obviously means that Allah enables the believers, who fear Him, to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong. In this verse 53, which we are currently studying, as also in verse 21.48, the word with the prefix al is used as a synonym for the Torah. In other words, the Torah is described as a criterion, or a standard, by which to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong. In verses 3.4 and 25.1, The Qur'aan is also described as al-furqaan.
| 54 |
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّكُمْ ظَلَمْتُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ بِاتِّخَاذِكُمُ الْعِجْلَ فَتُوبُوا إِلَىٰ بَارِئِكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ عِنْدَ بَارِئِكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ |
54. Wa-i th q ala moos a liqawmihi y a qawmi innakum thalamtum anfusakum bi ittikh athikumu alAAijla fatooboo il a b ari-ikum fa oqtuloo anfusakum thalikum khayrun lakum AAinda b ari-ikum fat aba AAalaykum innahu huwa a lttaww abu a lrra heem u
54. And that time when Moses said to his people, "O my people! You did indeed wrong your own selves by taking to the worship of the calf. So turn in repentance to your Creator and kill those selves58 of yours! That will be better for you with your Creator." Allah then accepted your repentance. Truly, He is the One to accept repentance, the One Merciful!
58. The original Arabic word, which I have translated as 'those selves of yours' or as 'your own selves' earlier in the same verse, is anfusakum, literally, 'your souls'. So, when Moses urged his people to kill 'anfusakum', he did not urge them to kill one another physically, as is wrongly depicted in some English translations. He urged them to annihilate their inner tendensies to polytheism. He urged them to change their 'nature'. The use of this very word in verses 16.72, 30.21 and 42.11 in that sense, corroborates this interpretation. In these verses, it is pointed out to mankind that Allah has made for them mates min anfusikum ('of your nature').
| 55 |
وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ |
55. Wa-i th qultum y a moos a lan nu/mina laka hatt a nar a All aha jahratan faakha thatkumu a lssaAAiqatu waantum tan thuroon a
55. And that time when you said, "O Moses! We won't believe you until we see Allah with our own eyes." The thunderbolt then struck you as you were watching!59
59. In verse 7.143, the Qur'aan also speaks of Moses himself individually expressing his desire to his Lord to see Him. But this expression of desire was not the result of any intransigence - it was just his curiosity. Moses became unconscious when he made an attempt to see Him. Allah thus made Moses understand the absurdity of a finite creature like a human being, in the circumstances of his/her earthly existence, attempting to see the Infinite Being! This incongruity is also highlighted in verse 42.51: "It is not for any human being that Allah would speak to him except ... from behind a veil ... " In verse 25.21, Allah condemns those who ask why they do not see Allah, as being driven by self-conceit and utter arrogance! The Children of Israel were, similarly, driven by their intransigence in what they told Moses as recorded in this verse under our study presently. It was obviously by way of divine punishment for this intransigence that the thunderbolt struck them!
| 56 |
ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ |
56. Thumma baAAathn akum min baAAdi mawtikum laAAallakum tashkuroon a
56. We then raised you up after your death60, so you might be grateful!
60. Death (Maut in Arabic) is the irreversible ending of the present worldly life on this earth, especially so far as human beings are concerned. The Qur'aan corroborates when it says that Allah withholds the souls of those on whom He has passed the decree of death [39.42]. But nothing is impossible for Allah! And to illustrate, the Qur'aan speaks of a person whom Allah caused to die for a hundred years and then raised him up again [2.259]. The verse under our study presently is another instance wherein Allah raised up the Children of Israel to life, after their death from the thunderbolt that struck them. We do hear of some medical cases in our present times also, when persons, after having been declared clinically dead, regained life.
| 57 |
وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْغَمَامَ وَأَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَىٰ ۖ كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ ۖ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَـٰكِنْ كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ |
57. Wa thallaln a AAalaykumu algham ama waanzaln a AAalaykumu almanna wa alssalw a kuloo min tayyib ati m a razaqn akum wam a thalamoon a wal akin k anoo anfusahum ya thlimoon a
57. We caused the clouds to provide you with shade. And We sent down the manna and the quail: "Eat of the good, lawful and pure things We have provided for you." They could do no wrong to Us, but they were doing wrong to themselves!61
61. Down in this same Qur'aanic Chapter, in verse 61, we are informed as to why the Children of Israel thus gained the displeasure of Allah. They told Moses that they could not endure one kind of food - the manna and the quail, the superior sources of food divinely provided to them. They wanted to have inferior agricultural products like herbs, onions, lentils etc.
| 58 |
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا ادْخُلُوا هَـٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَدًا وَادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُولُوا حِطَّةٌ نَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَايَاكُمْ ۚ وَسَنَزِيدُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ |
58. Wa-i th quln a odkhuloo h athihi alqaryata fakuloo minh a haythu shi/tum raghadan wa odkhuloo alb aba sujjadan waqooloo hi ttatun naghfir lakum kha tay akum wasanazeedu almu hsineen a
58. And the time when We said, "Enter this place and eat and live therein, in ease and affluence, wherever you wish. And enter the gate, prostrating and praying for forgiveness (hittatun). We shall forgive you your sins and grant much more, of our mercy, to the good people."
| 59 |
فَبَدَّلَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا قَوْلًا غَيْرَ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُمْ فَأَنْزَلْنَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا رِجْزًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ |
59. Fabaddala alla theena thalamoo qawlan ghayra alla thee qeela lahum faanzaln a AAal a alla theena thalamoo rijzan mina a lssam a-i bim a k anoo yafsuqoon a
59. But then the wicked people changed the word to one other than what they were asked to utter! We thereupon sent down upon those wicked people a disgraceful calamity from the sky because they had been transgressing.62
62. In verses 7.161 and 7.162, the same episode (narrated here in verses 58 and 59 of this Qur'aanic Chapter presently under our study) is repeated in almost identical words and with no further details. What is of relevance to us now from this episode is that the Almighty Allah expects believers to obey His commands in letter and spirit! The Jews in that episode were punished because of their mischievous change of the word hittatun they were ordered to utter. Earlier, our first foreparents, Adam and Eve, were banished from Paradise because they had gone near the tree although Allah had prohibited them from doing so! Likewise, in our present-day world, Muslims are facing ignominious situations all over the world because of their negligence of, disregard for and/or open disobedience to the divine commands in the Qur'aan!
| 60 |
۞ وَإِذِ اسْتَسْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبْ بِعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ ۖ فَانْفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا ۖ قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَشْرَبَهُمْ ۖ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا مِنْ رِزْقِ اللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ |
60. Wa-i thi istasq a moos a liqawmihi faquln a i drib biAAa saka al hajara fa infajarat minhu ithnat a AAashrata AAaynan qad AAalima kullu on asin mashrabahum kuloo wa ishraboo min rizqi All ahi wal a taAAthaw fee al-ar di mufsideen a
60. And when Moses asked for water for his people, We said, "Strike the stone with your stick." Sprang forth therefrom, then, twelve63 springs. Everyone knew one's own place for water. "Eat and drink of that which Allah has provided and do not act wickedly64 on the earth spreading corruption."
63. In verse 7.160 we are informed that Moses' people were divided into twelve tribes. The twelve springs of water were obviously for those twelve tribes, one for every tribe.
64. This divine command was ostensibly addressed to Moses' people here, but it is a universal command for all mankind. Man is generally not content with what Allah has provided for him. He is ever greedy for more! As Allah says, "You are obsessed with the greed to have more and more, until you are lowered into the graves." [Q: 102.1 & 2] So obsessed is he that he tries to get more by hook or by crook. Means no longer matter to him. If he does not get it fast by fair means, he has no compunction in resorting to foul means. He loses patience. He loses faith in his Creator. Thus is wickedness and corruption spread on earth. It may well be noted here in this context that what Allah has provided for us is what we get by fair means!
| 61 |
وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَنْ نَصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ وَاحِدٍ فَادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنْبِتُ الْأَرْضُ مِنْ بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّائِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا ۖ قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ الَّذِي هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِالَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ ۚ اهْبِطُوا مِصْرًا فَإِنَّ لَكُمْ مَا سَأَلْتُمْ ۗ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ وَالْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ |
61. Wa-i th qultum y a moos a lan na sbira AAal a taAA amin w ahidin fa odAAu lan a rabbaka yukhrij lan a mimm a tunbitu al-ar du min baqlih a waqithth a-ih a wafoomih a waAAadasih a waba salih a q ala atastabdiloona alla thee huwa adn a bi alla thee huwa khayrun ihbi too mi sran fa-inna lakum m a saaltum wa duribat AAalayhimu a lththillatu wa almaskanatu wab aoo bigha dabin mina All ahi thalika bi-annahum k anoo yakfuroona bi- ay ati All ahi wayaqtuloona a lnnabiyyeena bighayri al haqqi thalika bim a AAa saw wak anoo yaAAtadoon a
61. And when you said, "O Moses! We cannot indeed endure but one kind of food. So invoke your Lord on our behalf to bring forth for us agricultural products like herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils and onions." He said, "Would you change what is better for what is worse? Go you down to a town! You will certainly get there what you want!" And they were hit by the ignominy and the poverty, and they incurred Allah's wrath. That was because they were suppressing Allah's signs/verses and they were killing the Prophets wrongfully. That was because they disobeyed and they were crossing the limits.65 & 66
65. Living ignominiously in this very world could well be the lot of those who exceed Allah-set limits in their disobedience of divine commands. It was the lot of the Jews for the same crime in the pre-Qur'aanic times, as does this verse under our study presently inform us. For the same crime besides, verse 5.78 informs us, they incurred the curse of Prophets David and Jesus. Verse 3.112, read with verse 3.110, informs us further that the said crime could bring about the same fate (of living ignominiously in this very world) on ahl-ul-kitaab (people of the Book). Muslims of the present-day world, being one of the peoples of the Book, are afflicted with the same fate! For the same crime! The crime of persistent disobedience of Qur'aanic commands!
66. Living ignominiously, yes - but still living! There's a ray of hope therein, nevertheless, from the Merciful Lord! It is as though He is warning us, with the ignominy we Muslims are facing, to mend our ways! To revert to obedience of His commands, in letter and in spirit, before it is too late! Before we are finally lowered into our graves!
| 62 |
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالنَّصَارَىٰ وَالصَّابِئِينَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ |
62. Inna alla theena amanoo wa alla theena h adoo wa alnna sar a wa alssabi-eena man amana biAll ahi wa alyawmi al- akhiri waAAamila sali han falahum ajruhum AAinda rabbihim wal a khawfun AAalayhim wal a hum ya hzanoon a
62. Indeed, those who believe and those who are Jews, the Christians and the Saabieen67 - whosoever believed in Allah and in the Last Day, and acted righteously68 - for them then, of course, is their reward with their Lord. And fear shall overpower them not; nor shall they grieve!69
67. In two other verses of the Qur'aan namely, 5.69 and 22.17, are these people (the Saabieen or the Saabioon) mentioned. While verse 5.69 is almost a replica of verse 2.62 we are presently studying, verse 22.17 informs us that on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will judge between all the groups of people mentioned here (in verse 2.62) along with the polytheists. That is all! So while we find plenty of information about the Jews and the Christians elsewhere in the Qur'aan, there isn't much therein as regards the Saabieen. Obviously, our Lord did not consider it necessary to give us more information about them. As the Qur'aan says, "... And they will not encompass anything of His knowledge except that which He wills. ..." [2.255]
68. In verse 8.29, the Qur'aan informs the believers that Allah creates for them the furqaan, the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, if they are pious! Even a thief, when he steals, knows in his heart of hearts that he is doing something wrong! But he suppresses this call of his conscience. And with its repeated suppressions, his conscience so to say dies much before his physical death! A pious, Allah-fearing man, on the other hand, does not suppress his conscience - his furqaan! The Qur'aan guides us further in this regard by explaining, in verses 2.44, 2.177 and 2.189, what Al-Birr (good, righteous conduct or behaviour) ought to be!
69. From Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon them all), all the Prophets have preached but one Religion - the Religion of Islam! And the fundamentals of this Religion have always been: belief in Allah, belief in the Hereafter and performance of righteous deeds. So no eyebrows need be raised when this verse 2.62 informs us that even the Jews and the Christians shall attain to salvation if they only satisfied the three conditions mentioned. And no dichotomy be sought between this verse here and verse 3.85, wherein Allah informs us that no religion other than Islam shall be accepted! The moot question that now arises is whether the present-day Christians and the present-day Jews - with all their notions about Trinity, and about each being the chosen people of God with guaranteed divine visas to Paradise, and with their outright rejection of Muhammad and of the Qur'aan as the last Prophet and the last divine Testament - do thus satisfy the three fundamental conditions to be entitled to Salvation. And the moot question also is whether the present-day Muslims - with their neglect and ignorance of, and therefore with their fundamental deviations from, divine commands laid down in the Qur'aan - do thus satisfy the three fundamental conditions to be entitled to Salvation.
| 63 |
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ الطُّورَ خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَاكُمْ بِقُوَّةٍ وَاذْكُرُوا مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ |
63. Wa-i th akha thn a meeth aqakum warafaAAn a fawqakumu a lttoora khu thoo m a atayn akum biquwwatin wa othkuroo m a feehi laAAallakum tattaqoon a
63. And that time when We took your pledge and raised the Mountain over you!70 "Hold on to what We have given you steadfastly! And do repeatedly refer to and remember its contents in order that you become pious!"71
70. We get further explanation on this episode, in the history of the Children of Israel, in verse 7.171. The mountain was so raised over them (i.e. Moses' people) that they thought it was about to fall on them. Allah thus used even coersion to make the recalcitrant Jews abide by the Book of Allah given to Moses. HE does that even now to the so-called Muslims to make them abide by the Qur'aan. HE coerces them by involving them in some or the other calamity or ignominy every now and then. And we are very much the witnesses therto! But alas! The Muslims of today generally are as recalcitrant as the Jews had been during Moses' time.
71. This divine command was ostensibly given to the Jews. But it is as if Allah is telling the Muslims of today, 'Hold on to the Qur'aan steadfastly! And do repeatedly refer to and remember its contents in order that you become pious!' Are there any amongst us, listening to the divine Whisper, my fellow Muslims?
| 64 |
ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ فَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَكُنْتُمْ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ |
64. Thumma tawallaytum min baAAdi thalika falawl a fa dlu All ahi AAalaykum wara hmatuhu lakuntum mina alkh asireen a
64. You then turned away, thereafter! Had it not been for Allah's Grace upon you and His Mercy, you would certainly have been among the doomed!72
72. This divine statement too is ostensibly addressed to the Jews, but it is no less applicable to the Muslims of today!
| 65 |
وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ الَّذِينَ اعْتَدَوْا مِنْكُمْ فِي السَّبْتِ فَقُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُونُوا قِرَدَةً خَاسِئِينَ |
65. Walaqad AAalimtumu alla theena iAAtadaw minkum fee a lssabti faquln a lahum koonoo qiradatan kh asi-een a
65. And you did indeed know those of you who committed transgression on Sabbath73. So We told them, "Be you monkeys, despised!"
73. The dictionary informs us that Sabbath is the religious day of rest kept by Christians on Sunday and by Jews on Saturday. The Qur'aan informs us, in verse 4.154, that the Jews were specifically commanded not to transgress the strict observance of their Sabbath. That is, they were asked to take an obligatory rest from usual pursuits for earning worldly wealth. In verse 7.163, the Qur'aan further informs us how a township of Jewish fishermen were put to a test, by making the fish in the sea more easily available, for catching, on the day they observed Sabbath, than on other days! The fishermen failed in the trial and committed transgression. It is this transgression that is alluded to here.
| 66 |
فَجَعَلْنَاهَا نَكَالًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا وَمَا خَلْفَهَا وَمَوْعِظَةً لِلْمُتَّقِينَ |
66. FajaAAaln ah a nak alan lim a bayna yadayh a wam a khalfah a wamawAAi thatan lilmuttaqeen a
66. We set it then as an exemplary punishment for those present at that time and for those who lived thereafter.74 And We made it a lesson for the pious!75 & 76
74. We have seen earlier, in verse 63 of this Chaper, that Allah raised the Mountain over Moses' people to coerce them into abiding by the Book of Allah given to Moses. Here is another method adopted by Allah to coerce the recalcitrant Jews. The punishment meted out to the fishermen breaking the Sabbath Law was made an example of, to warn off the other Jews against breaking any divine commandment.
75. During the pre-historic times before the advent of the Last Prophet (peace and Allah's blessings be upon him), Allah sent direct signs for the people to recognise prophets sent to them. HE also gave direct signs to warn them against disobedience of divine Law. This is what we learn from various anecdotes mentioned in the Qur'aan. The direct signs were given obviously to compensate those people for the lack of means to acquisition of knowledge that Mankind now enjoys. We cannot but marvel at the tremendous divine sense of justice in this! So we do not witness those direct divine signs now. But we do witness indirect signs of warnings. Like the ignominious state of Muslims all over the world at present. It's a divine sign warning us against our neglect and disobedience of the divine commands contained in the Qur'aan (see also Chapter note 70 above). And in the Qur'aan itself, the caring hand of our Caretaker can be seen, as here in this verse, asking the pious to take a lesson from past history.
76. The pious amongst the present-day Muslims do have to take a lesson from this episode in Jewish history. For, the Qur'aan too prescribes abstaining from our worldly affairs for a short period on Fridays. In verses 62.9 and 62.10, Allah commands the Believers to leave off business from the time the Muazzin gives the call for the Friday noon prayers till the end of the prayers. If we flout this command, Allah may not now turn us into apes, but our aakhira is bound to be ruined! And, despised like apes we already are; we may further be despised in this very world!
| 67 |
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا ۖ قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ |
67. Wa-i th q ala moos a liqawmihi inna All aha ya/murukum an ta thba hoo baqaratan q aloo atattakhi thun a huzuwan q ala aAAoo thu biAll ahi an akoona mina alj ahileen a
67. 77And that time when Moses told his people, "Allah does command you to sacrifice a cow78"! They said, "Are you teasing us?" Said he, "I seek refuge with Allah from being among the ignorant!"79 & 80
77. The Qur'aan here continues with reminiscences from the past history of the Jews.
78. It is the mention here of the word 'cow' that this Qur'aanic Chapter (Surah) gets its title from. An in-depth study of verses 2.67 to 2.71 reveals that the title is not just a random pick-up of a word mentioned in the Surah. The title epitomizes a matter of deeper significance. It symbolises a human trait highlighted in the episode described in these five verses. A trait, which has often landed mankind in trouble vis-a-vis its Creator!
79. From these very initial words of the episode here, it is apparent that his people were not taking Moses - their Prophet - seriously! Their Prophet, who had come to Pharaoh, their erstwhile oppressive ruler in Egypt, with clear signs of his Prophethood! Their Prophet, who had rescued them, with Allah's help, from that ruler's torments! When this man - whom they thus very well knew as the Prophet of Allah - informs them of the command from Allah, they thought he was just jesting!!
80. It is such casual approach to commands divine, that Allah abhors! HE expects His express orders to be obeyed unquestioningly, in letter and in spirit! Remember how Adam had to lose Paradise for disobeying Allah's order not to go near a particular tree. This propensity to blatant disobedience is innate to human nature. Observe a child deliberately disobeying any elder's order to him, unless the child is made aware that he would be definitely punished if he disobeys. This innate nature is evident in the Muslims of today who casually treat Allah's express order to them to leave off business the moment they hear the call to Friday prayers! (See Chapter Note 76 above.) There are many who completely ignore the call to prayer and continue with their businesses. And there are many who delay their departure for the Masjid till it is time for the actual cogregational prayer to start! Compare this casual approach to a divine order, with the immediate compliance to the bugle sounded for soldiers in a military camp to come out to the ground for the early morning parade! No soldier can dare disobey the bugle call for fear of being immediately punished by the Corporal!
| 68 |
قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا هِيَ ۚ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا فَارِضٌ وَلَا بِكْرٌ عَوَانٌ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ فَافْعَلُوا مَا تُؤْمَرُونَ |
68. Q aloo odAAu lan a rabbaka yubayyin lan a m a hiya q ala innahu yaqoolu innah a baqaratun l a f ari dun wal a bikrun AAaw anun bayna thalika fa ifAAaloo m a tu/maroon a
68. They said, "Invoke your Lord for us to make clear to us what she is to be like." Said he, "HE does say that the cow should be neither old, nor young, but of a middle age in between. Now carry out what you have been commanded to do!81"
81. There is a hint here of divine displeasure at Moses' people asking for details of the cow to be sacrificed.
| 69 |
قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا ۚ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَاءُ فَاقِعٌ لَوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ |
69. Q aloo odAAu lan a rabbaka yubayyin lan a m a lawnuh a q ala innahu yaqoolu innah a baqaratun safr ao f aqiAAun lawnuh a tasurru a lnn athireen a
69. They said, "Invoke, for us, your Lord to make clear to us of what colour she is to be!" Said he, "HE does say that the cow should be yellow - bright in colour, pleasing to the beholders."
| 70 |
قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا هِيَ إِنَّ الْبَقَرَ تَشَابَهَ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَمُهْتَدُونَ |
70. Q aloo odAAu lan a rabbaka yubayyin lan a m a hiya inna albaqara tash abaha AAalayn a wa-inn a in sh aa All ahu lamuhtadoon a
70. They said, "Invoke, for us, your Lord to make clear to us what she is to be like; for, the cow does look common to us! And now, Allah willing, we shall indeed be guided!"
| 71 |
قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ الْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِي الْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَا شِيَةَ فِيهَا ۚ قَالُوا الْآنَ جِئْتَ بِالْحَقِّ ۚ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ |
71. Q ala innahu yaqoolu innah a baqaratun l a thaloolun tutheeru al-ar da wal a tasqee al hartha musallamatun l a shiyata feeh a q aloo al- ana ji/ta bi al haqqi fa thaba hooh a wam a k adoo yafAAaloon a
71. He said, "HE does say that the cow should be one that is not trained to till the earth or water the field. It should be sound in body, with no scar or blemish in her." They said, "You have now come with the Truth!" They sacrificed her then; and they were not keen on doing it!82 to 84
82. And here's confirmation of the divine displeasure! The Jews, as usual were loathe to carry out the divine command. It was this loathing or reluctance that had prompted them to seek clarifications about the cow to be sacrificed. Their inquisitivenes only helped in making the divine command more complicated, and difficult to implement. Had they been content with the initial order given in verse 67, they could have sacrificed any cow easily available to them. The choice was very wide, and therefore the command, easy to implement. But their persistent inquisitiveness narrowed the choice, and thus made the command more difficult to implement.
83. I would like to invite attention in this context to Qur'aanic verses 5.101 and 5.102. The believers are forbidden therein from being more inquisitive about things revealed in the Qur'aan, which, if made evident, might cause hardship to them. The believers are further informed that people who lived earlier had come to suppressing the Truth, because of such inquisitiveness. The reference there, is obviously to this persistent questioning of the Jews regarding the cow to be sacrificed!
84. And we Muslims of the present day, faithfully follow the Jews in almost every wrong thing they did! We are not content with the perfect divine Islamic law enunciated to us, in sufficient details, in the perfect, incorruptible and clear verses of the Qur'aan! We seek further explanations for and interpretations of those perfect verses elsewhere! Some of our religious leaders tell us that we cannot claim to know Islam perfectly unless we make ourselves conversant with thousands and thousands of ahaadeeth, besides the Qur'aan! (Please also go through Chapter Notes 96 to 98 under Part 16 of these Studies, in this context.) We have thus rendered our perfect, easy and simple Religion, difficult and complicated. No wonder therefore that the Muslims, today, have come to suppress the Truth, as did the other people mentioned in verse 5.102!
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وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسًا فَادَّارَأْتُمْ فِيهَا ۖ وَاللَّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ |
72. Wa-i th qataltum nafsan fa idd ara/tum feeh a wa All ahu mukhrijun m akuntum taktumoon a
72. 85And when you killed a person! You then quarrelled therein. And Allah is the One Who would bring out what you were hiding.
85. This is in continuation of reminiscences from the past history of the Jews.
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فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبُوهُ بِبَعْضِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُحْيِي اللَّهُ الْمَوْتَىٰ وَيُرِيكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ |
73. Faquln a i driboohu bibaAA dih a ka thalika yu hyee All ahu almawt a wayureekum ay atihi laAAallakum taAAqiloon a
73. So We asked them to raise him up86 from something thereof87 to 89. Thus does Allah give life to the dead90 & 91, and show you His signs so that you may understand92.
86. Among the various meanings in which the Arabic root word zaraba is used in the Qur'aan, one is 'to set up' or 'to raise'. It is in this meaning that this word, with its grammatical variation, is used in verse 57.13. It is used therein to connote 'setting up' or 'raising' a wall between the believers and the hypocrites, in the Hereafter. And the pronoun hu obviously refers to the murdered person mentioned in the preceding verse 2.72. Since the pronoun is masculine, it is obvious that the murdered person was a man. And in the context of the reference made to Allah giving life to the dead, further down in this very verse (2.73), it is further obvious that the killed man was brought to life again to disclose to the people as to who had killed him.
87. Here, the pronoun used is the feminine ha. This has led some of the commentators of the Qur'aan to link it to the slaughtered cow referred to in verse 2.71. But this linkage is unwarranted. For, in the immediately preceding verse 2.72, mention is made of a murdered man, and his dead body (the Arabic word for which is feminine in gender) is already referred to therein as ha. We should remember that the All-knowing Allah can make no mistakes!
88. The fact, that His choice of words is perfect, is well-illustrated in the use of the masculine pronoun hu just before, in this very verse 2.73. Had the Jews been told to hit or strike at the dead body of the murdered man, the pronoun used would have been ha and not hu. The use of hu there, conclusively proves that the Jews were told to raise a living man, and not to stike at a dead body.
89. So, the Jews were asked to raise the murdered man to life from or with something or some part of the dead body. It needs no mentioning that in this act of raising the living from the dead, Allah was the sole Architect and the people were just the instruments! Just like: a man and a woman are merely the instruments with which Allah brings a new human being into this world.
90. And in this divine statement lies the divine confirmation of the conclusions drawn in the foregoing notes! The reference here, obviously, is mainly to the Resurrection of mankind in the Hereafter. Allah says that He thus gives life to the dead. That is, just as He had given life to the murdered man (of the episode narrated in these two verses) from some part or remnant of his dead body. Allah has thus disclosed to us that on the Resurrection Day, He will give life to every human, that ever lived on this earth and died, from any remnant of that human. And the good earth contains distinctive remnants aplenty of every such individual! A tiny bit of a bone, a tooth, or even hair from any dead person, mixed with the earth, serves as a good enough remnant for the Almighty Allah to resurrect that person from!
91. Modern knowledge has enabled us to have an insight into these wonderfully meaningful divine verses. Any bit of a remnant from the dead person contains microcells. And every such cell contains a DNA map distinctive to that person! So even a man now can come to know, by conducting a proper DNA test, as to which person that remanant belongs to. So we can now understand how the Almighty Creator can have no problems at all in distinguishing the remnants, one from another.
92. In the pre-historic age - the setting for this episode described here in these two verses under our study - the extent of human knowledge was limited. The All-knowing Allah had compensated the people living then with seemingly miraculous signs to make them understand the Reality of, inter alia, the Hereafter. The seemingly miraculous bringing of a murdered person back to life in the episode, described here in these two verses, was one such sign. But now, with the considerable advance in human knowledge, the divine signs about the Reality are implanted in that advanced knowledge itself. A few years back, with such knowledge, man succeeded, for the first time, in making a surrogate mother sheep give birth to a lamb that was genetically identical - a clone - to another sheep! The lamb was made to be conceived in the surrogate mother's womb asexually by implanting the nucleus of a cell taken from the body of the other sheep into an unfertilised egg of the mother sheep! This human effort of course involved a very complicated and uncertain procedure, the success rate of which is said to be very, very low! But it did give the unmistakable sign that the Resurrection is a distinct possibility!
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ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الْأَنْهَارُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْمَاءُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ |
74. Thumma qasat quloobukum min baAAdi thalika fahiya ka al hij arati aw ashaddu qaswatan wa-inna mina al hij arati lam a yatafajjaru minhu al-anh aru wa-inna minh a lam a yashshaqqaqu fayakhruju minhu alm ao wa-inna minh a lam a yahbi tu min khashyati All ahi wam a All ahu bigh afilin AAamm a taAAmaloon a
74. Then, thereafter93, your minds became as hard as stones, or harder still! And, indeed, through some of the stones, do the rivers flow. And some, indeed, break; and the water springs out therefrom. And some stones, indeed, fall down for fear of Allah.94 And Allah is not unaware of what you do!
93. After, that is, the numerous favours - recounted in the foregoing verses of this Qur'aanic Chapter - Allah had bestowed upon the Children of Israel.
94. Despite the divine favours bestowed upon them, the Children of Israel remained adamant and unyielding; they wouldn't yield to the pleas of their Prophets to submit themselves completely to the will of Allah and to abide by every command of His. Their unyielding nature is compared to the hardness of the stones. Even the stones do submissively obey the laws of Nature, or, in other words, the divine laws. Loosened stones at top of the mountains roll down the slopes in obedience to the divine force of gravitation. The same divine force compels other stones to make way, through them, for streams of water gushing down from melting snow. The divine law, by which water seeks its own level, forces stones embedded deep down in the earth to break and allow spring water to come up through them. Thus do even hard stones obey divine commands of Nature; but the recalcitrant Children of Israel wouldn't obey the divine commands given to them! And the moot question that arises in my mind is whether the Muslims of today are any better than the Jews. The Muslims too, generally, do openly disobey the divine commands given to them through the Qur'aan! And Allah is not unaware of what we do!!
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۞ أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ |
75. Afata tmaAAoona an yu/minoo lakum waqad k ana fareequn minhum yasmaAAoona kal ama All ahi thumma yu harrifoonahu min baAAdi m a AAaqaloohu wahum yaAAlamoon a
75. Are you confident then that they will believe now, for your sake!?95 And a section of them had already been listening to Allah's Message; and then, after understanding it, they had perverted what they had understood - knowingly!96 to 98
95. Allah thus hints at the unlikelihood of the Jews, generally, ever accepting Islam.
96. Here's yet another wrong that the Jews committed, and the Muslims have been faithfully following them in committing the same sort of wrong! Unlike the Torah, however, the Qur'aan cannot be changed; the preservation of the latter is divinely guaranteed [Q: 15.9]. Even so, a section of the Muslims, claiming to be learned in religious matters, are found perverting the simple, easy and clear meanings of some of the Words of Allah! Take, for example, verse 2.2 which we have already studied. The Qur'aan unambiguously and categorically tells us therein that the pious (muttaqi) would certainly get guidance from the divine Book. It prescribes no other condition to enable mankind to get the guidance. A pious, Allah-fearing man will of course take all necessary steps to enable him to understand the original Qur'aanic text in Arabic. He doesn't need this to be specifically told to him.
97. But our self-proclaimed religious leaders think otherwise. They think (nauzubillah) they are wiser than Allah! They say it is not enough to be a muttaqi. They impose additional conditions: one should be a qualified Aalim, well-versed in Arabic as a language, well-conversant with thousands and thousands of ahaadheeth and well-read in the numerous works of the fuqha!
98. They (the religious leaders) have thus unwarrantedly rendered the understanding of the universal divine Message for the entire mankind, as the prerogative of the privileged few like themselves!
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وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ قَالُوا أَتُحَدِّثُونَهُمْ بِمَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيُحَاجُّوكُمْ بِهِ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ |
76. Wa-i tha laqoo alla theena amanoo q aloo amann a wa-i tha khal a baAA duhum il a baAA din q aloo atu haddithoonahum bim a fata ha All ahu AAalaykum liyu hajjookum bihi AAinda rabbikum afal a taAAqiloon a
76. And when they99 meet those who believe, they say, "We do believe."100 And when they are alone, one with another, they say, "Do you tell them what Allah has opened to you, to enable them to quarrel with you therewith, before your Lord? Have you no sense?"101
99. This is in continuation of the Jewish history. 'they' here therefore connotes 'the Jews'.
100. Exactly the same phrase in Arabic has been used in verse 2.14, as we have already seen in Part 3 of these Studies. There, the hypocrites in general are referred to; and here, the hypocrites from among the Jews!
101. Verse 2.14 informs us that the hypocrites' declaration of faith was only a mockery. Here, in verse 2.76, we get the further information that the Jews were worried about the hypocrites from among them divulging things divinely revealed - exclusively for them, as they thought - in the Torah, to the believers! Later, in verse 3.119, we are informed of the acute state of ill-will and anger that raged in the hypocrites' minds against the believers, despite their (the hypocrites') outward show of belief!
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أَوَلَا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ |
77. Awa l a yaAAlamoona anna All aha yaAAlamu m a yusirroona wam a yuAAlinoon a
77. Do they not know that Allah is well-aware of wbat they conceal and what they declare?
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وَمِنْهُمْ أُمِّيُّونَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا أَمَانِيَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ |
78. Waminhum ommiyyoona l a yaAAlamoona alkit aba ill a am aniyya wa-in hum ill a ya thunnoon a
78. And among them are illiterates who know nothing of the Book - they know nothing but their own desires/fancies. And they do not but guess!102 & 103
102. Even at the risk of sounding repetitive, I wish to reiterate the fact that the All-knowing Allah hasn't given us these glimpses of Jewish history just to remember these for answering questions in a written test. HE knew beforehand that a substantial majority of those who profess to follow the Qur'aan, would in fact be following the footsteps of the Jews, in their behaviour and attitude towards divine Guidance! HE has given these glimpses at some length, and even sometimes repeatedly, to warn us against following those faulty footsteps.
103. The illiteracy among the professed followers of the Qur'aan, now, may not be as high as among the Jews at the time of the revelation of the Qur'aan. But we have a sort of neo-illiterates now! These neo-illiterates do know how to read the Qur'aan, and do read it, in original Arabic, but they do not know - nor do they deem it necessary to know - what the Arabic text means!! These neo-illiterates, like the illiterate Jews before them, know nothing of the Book; they do but know their own false desires, and they do not but guess!!!
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