In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful


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Study the Qur'aan in Qur'aanic light to understand Islam in its pristine simplicity, clarity, beauty and purity

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Qur'aanic Studies - Volume XV




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 is on Al-An'am Verses 111 to 165.

Mohammad Shafi
Mumbai, INDIA,
8th April, 2008


CONTENTS


Chapter 6. Al-An'am


Verses 111 to 120


Verses 121 to 130


Verses 131 to 140


Verses 141 to 150


Verses 151 to 160


Verses 161 to 165




title6


Chapter 6: Al-An'am (The Cattle)

6.111
111. Walaw annana nazzalna ilayhimu almala-ikata wakallamahumu almawta wahasharna AAalayhim kulla shay-in qubulan ma kanoo liyu/minoo illa an yashaa Allahu walakinna aktharahum yajhaloona

111. And even if We had sent down to them the angels and the dead had spoken to them and We had brought together all things before them, they would not have believed unless Allah willed, but most of them are ignorant.

6.112
112. Wakathalika jaAAalna likulli nabiyyin AAaduwwan shayateena al-insi waaljinni yoohee baAAduhum ila baAAdin zukhrufa alqawli ghurooran walaw shaa rabbuka ma faAAaloohu fatharhum wama yaftaroona

112. And thus did We make shayateen34, from among mankind and jinn, hostile to every prophet - they deceive one another with sweet talk. And had your Lord so willed they would not have done it. Leave them then alone with what they fabricate.

34. Please see study notes 2.33 to 2.35 on Verse 2.36.

6.113
113. Walitasgha ilayhi af-idatu allatheena la yu/minoona bial-akhirati waliyardawhu waliyaqtarifoo ma hum muqtarifoona

113. 35So that the hearts of those who do not believe in the hereafter may get inclined to what they fabricate and that they may be well pleased with it and that they may earn what they earn of evil.

35. This Verse is in continuation of the last sentence in the preceding Verse.

6.114
114. Afaghayra Allahi abtaghee hakaman wahuwa allathee anzala ilaykumu alkitaba mufassalan waallatheena ataynahumu alkitaba yaAAlamoona annahu munazzalun min rabbika bialhaqqi fala takoonanna mina almumtareena

114. Shall I36 then seek a judge other than Allah? And He it is Who has revealed to you the Book explained in details. And those whom We37 have given the Book know that it is, in fact, revealed by your Lord. So be not38 of those who doubt.

36. Whom does this pronoun, in the first person singular, refer to? If it were to refer to the Prophet, the Verse would have begun with the word qul (say) as elsewhere in the Qur'aan. And the context of the sentence rules out that the pronoun could have referred to Allah. The only alternative left is that the pronoun refers to the angel conveying the Verse to the Prophet. But the angel must have made this statement in order that the same statement is reflected from the mind of every believer. The divine purpose is to make every believer believe that since Allah has given him/her a detailed Book of Guidance, in the form of the Qur'aan, he/she stands in need of no guide other than Him and His Book. In other words, it is the bounden duty of every believer to reject any guide, in the form of a person or his book, that advocates anything contrary to the divine Guidance given in the Qur'aan.

37. The revelation is from Allah, and He uses the angels to convey it to His human Messengers. That is why the pronoun used here is We.

38. The addressee here is an individual. That individual could be the Prophet or every believer, individually.

6.115
115. Watammat kalimatu rabbika sidqan waAAadlan la mubaddila likalimatihi wahuwa alssameeAAu alAAaleemu

115. And the word of your Lord is complete in truth and justice. None can change His words. And He is the One Who listens, the One Who knows.

6.116
116. Wa-in tutiAA akthara man fee al-ardi yudillooka AAan sabeeli Allahi in yattabiAAoona illa alththanna wa-in hum illa yakhrusoona

116. And if you (singular in number) obey most of those on the earth, they will lead you astray from Allah's Path. They follow nothing but conjecture and they do nothing but guess.

6.117
117. Inna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu man yadillu AAan sabeelihi wahuwa aAAlamu bialmuhtadeena

117. It is your Lord, indeed, Who knows who goes astray from His Path. And He it is Who knows those who follow the Guidance.

6.118
118. Fakuloo mimma thukira ismu Allahi AAalayhi in kuntum bi-ayatihi mu/mineena

118. Eat then of that39 on which Allah's name has been mentioned, if you do believe in His Verses/signs.

39. Many a translator has made an interpolation to indicate that 'that' here refers to non-veg items of food. The translators thus make an unwarranted assumption that they are, by making the interpolation, clarifying what the divine Verse had left unclarified! The translators' assumption is clearly unwarranted in view of Verse 115 above. So, the clear implication of this Verse 118 is that the believers ought to take Allah's Name before partaking of any food, veg or non-veg.

6.119
119. Wama lakum alla ta/kuloo mimma thukira ismu Allahi AAalayhi waqad fassala lakum ma harrama AAalaykum illa ma idturirtum ilayhi wa-inna katheeran layudilloona bi-ahwa-ihim bighayri AAilmin inna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu bialmuAAtadeena

119. And why should you not eat of that on which Allah's name has been mentioned, and He has already made plain for you what He has forbidden - except under compelling circumstances - to you? And, indeed, many do unknowingly lead people astray by their own personal likes and dislikes. Indeed, your Lord it is Who knows those who transgress.

6.120
120. Watharoo thahira al-ithmi wabatinahu inna allatheena yaksiboona al-ithma sayujzawna bima kanoo yaqtarifoona

120. And desist from committing a sin openly and from secret approaches to it.40 Indeed, they who earn sin shall be recompensed for what they earned.

40. A sin is normally committed secretly. Therefore committing a sin openly could only mean that the sin is in fact committed. And committing the interior (batin) of a sin could mean doing something which would lead to that sin. batinahu is therefore translated here 'as secret approaches to it'. Refer also, in this context, to Verse 151 below, wherein mankind is specifically directed not to even come near indecencies.

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6.121
121. Wala ta/kuloo mimma lam yuthkari ismu Allahi AAalayhi wa-innahu lafisqun wa-inna alshshayateena layoohoona ila awliya-ihim liyujadilookum wa-in ataAAtumoohum innakum lamushrikoona

121. And eat not of that on which Allah's name has not been mentioned, and doing so would indeed be a rebellion against Allah. And the devils do indeed inspire their friends to contend with you. And if you obey them, you shall certainly be those who worship others besides Allah.

6.122
122. Awa man kana maytan faahyaynahu wajaAAalna lahu nooran yamshee bihi fee alnnasi kaman mathaluhu fee alththulumati laysa bikharijin minha kathalika zuyyina lilkafireena ma kanoo yaAAmaloona

122. Is he whom We raised from the dead and for whom we made a light by which he walks among the people, like him who is in darkness from which there is no way out? Thus what the suppressors of Truth do has been made to look fair to them.41

41. The suppressors of Truth are happy with the moral darkness in which they live. They therefore seek no way out therefrom.

6.123
123. Wakathalika jaAAalna fee kulli qaryatin akabira mujrimeeha liyamkuroo feeha wama yamkuroona illa bi-anfusihim wama yashAAuroona

123. And thus42 have We made, in every human settlement, the biggest of the criminals to plot therein. And they plot not but against their own selves, and they perceive this not.

42. I.e. by making their evil deeds look good to the criminals.

6.124
124. Wa-itha jaat-hum ayatun qaloo lan nu/mina hatta nu/ta mithla ma ootiya rusulu Allahi Allahu aAAlamu haythu yajAAalu risalatahu sayuseebu allatheena ajramoo sagharun AAinda Allahi waAAathabun shadeedun bima kanoo yamkuroona

124. And when a Verse/sign comes to them they say, "We will not believe till we are given the like of what Allah's Messengers are given. Allah knows with whom to place His Message. The criminals shall get disgrace and severe punishment from Allah because they plotted against the divine scheme of things.

6.125
125. Faman yuridi Allahu an yahdiyahu yashrah sadrahu lil-islami waman yurid an yudillahu yajAAal sadrahu dayyiqan harajan kaannama yassaAAAAadu fee alssama-i kathalika yajAAalu Allahu alrrijsa AAala allatheena la yu/minoona

125. And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his mind for Islam, and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his mind narrow and restricted as though he were ascending up into the skies.43 Thus does Allah lay disgrace on those who do not believe.

43. When one climbs a mountain, a stairway or a tree, one feels the gravitational pull restricting or trying to prevent one's upward movement. A man who has gone astray similarly feels some restrictive force trying to prevent him from accepting Islam.

6.126
126. Wahatha siratu rabbika mustaqeeman qad fassalna al-ayati liqawmin yaththakkaroona

126. And this44 is the Straight Path of your Lord. WE have certainly explained the Verses/signs plainly for a people who ponder.

44. The Path of Islam as enunciated in the Qur'aan.

6.127
127. Lahum daru alssalami AAinda rabbihim wahuwa waliyyuhum bima kanoo yaAAmaloona

127. For them, there shall be the home of peace with their Lord, and He will be their Wali45 by virtue of their deeds.

45. Refer study note 2.154.

6.128
128. Wayawma yahshuruhum jameeAAan ya maAAshara aljinni qadi istakthartum mina al-insi waqala awliyaohum mina al-insi rabbana istamtaAAa baAAduna bibaAAdin wabalaghna ajalana allathee ajjalta lana qala alnnaru mathwakum khalideena feeha illa ma shaa Allahu inna rabbaka hakeemun AAaleemun

128. And on the Day when He shall gather them all together, "O assembly of jinn! You did frequent some among mankind." And their auliya46 from among mankind shall say, "Our Lord! We did benefit one another, and we have reached our destination You fixed for us." HE shall say, "The fire shall be your abode. You shall dwell therein forever, except as Allah wills. Indeed, your Lord is Wise, Knowledgeable."

46. Plural of wali.

6.129
129. Wakathalika nuwallee baAAda alththalimeena baAAdan bima kanoo yaksiboona

129. And thus do We make the wrongdoers auliya of one another because of what they earned.

6.130
130. Ya maAAshara aljinni waal-insi alam ya/tikum rusulun minkum yaqussoona AAalaykum ayatee wayunthiroonakum liqaa yawmikum hatha qaloo shahidna AAala anfusina wagharrat-humu alhayatu alddunya washahidoo AAala anfusihim annahum kanoo kafireena

130. "O assembly of jinn and mankind! Did there not come to you Messengers from amongst you, recounting to you My Verses/signs and warning you of your appointment for this Day?" They shall say, "We bear witness against our own selves." And the life of this world deceived them, and they shall bear witness against their own selves that they were suppressing the Truth.

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6.131
131. Thalika an lam yakun rabbuka muhlika alqura bithulmin waahluha ghafiloona

131. The Messengers were sent because your Lord would not destroy human settlements oppressively, while their inhabitants were unaware.

6.132
132. Walikullin darajatun mimma AAamiloo wama rabbuka bighafilin AAamma yaAAmaloona

132. And all have ranks according to what they do. And your Lord is not unaware of what they do.

6.133
133. Warabbuka alghaniyyu thoo alrrahmati in yasha/ yuthhibkum wayastakhlif min baAAdikum ma yashao kama anshaakum min thurriyyati qawmin akhareena

133. And your Lord is the Self-sufficient One, Mercy being His Attribute. If He so wills, He may destroy you, and make whom He wills successors after you, just as He raised you up from the seed of another people.

6.134
134. Inna ma tooAAadoona laatin wama antum bimuAAjizeena

134. Indeed, that which you are promised must come to pass, and you are in no position to prevent it.

6.135
135. Qul ya qawmi iAAmaloo AAala makanatikum innee AAamilun fasawfa taAAlamoona man takoonu lahu AAaqibatu alddari innahu la yuflihu alththalimoona

135. Say, "O my people! You do your best and I do what I do. You will duly come to know for which of us will the final abode47 be. Surely, the wicked persons shall not be successful."

47. From the context it is apparent that the abode meant here is the abode in Paradise.

6.136
136. WajaAAaloo lillahi mimma tharaa mina alharthi waal-anAAami naseeban faqaloo hatha lillahi bizaAAmihim wahatha lishuraka-ina fama kana lishuraka-ihim fala yasilu ila Allahi wama kana lillahi fahuwa yasilu ila shuraka-ihim saa ma yahkumoona

136. And they assign to Allah a share out of what He has created of tilth and cattle! And they arbitrarily apportion, "This is for Allah, and this for those whom we worship besides Allah." Then what is apportioned for those whom they worship besides Allah, does not reach Allah. And what is apportioned for Allah, reaches those others they worship! Evil is the way they judge!

6.137
137. Wakathalika zayyana likatheerin mina almushrikeena qatla awladihim shurakaohum liyurdoohum waliyalbisoo AAalayhim deenahum walaw shaa Allahu ma faAAaloohu fatharhum wama yaftaroona

137. And thus those, other than Allah, whom they worship have made killing of their children look fair to most of the polytheists, in order to lead them to their own destruction and cause confusion in their religion. And if Allah had willed, they would not have done it. So leave them and their fabrications alone.

6.138
138. Waqaloo hathihi anAAamun waharthun hijrun la yatAAamuha illa man nashao bizaAAmihim waanAAamun hurrimat thuhooruha waanAAamun la yathkuroona isma Allahi AAalayha iftiraan AAalayhi sayajzeehim bima kanoo yaftaroona

138. And they arbitrarily say, "These cattle and tilth are prohibited. None shall eat them except such as We please." And they say there are cattle whose backs are forbidden, and cattle on which they would not mention Allah's name, fabricating a lie against Him. He shall requite them for what they used to fabricate.

6.139
139. Waqaloo ma fee butooni hathihi al-anAAami khalisatun lithukoorina wamuharramun AAala azwajina wa-in yakun maytatan fahum feehi shurakao sayajzeehim wasfahum innahu hakeemun AAaleemun

139. And they say, "What is in the wombs of these cattle is specially for our males, and forbidden to our females. And if it be stillborn, then they share therein." HE will 'reward' them for their prescriptions. He is indeed Wise, Knowledgeable.

6.140
140. Qad khasira allatheena qataloo awladahum safahan bighayri AAilmin waharramoo ma razaqahumu Allahu iftiraan AAala Allahi qad dalloo wama kanoo muhtadeena

140. Doomed surely are they who have killed their children48 foolishly without knowledge, and have forbidden what Allah has provided for them, fabricating a lie against Allah. They have surely gone astray, and are not those who follow divine Guidance.

48. People in the modern age too kill their children, but in the wombs!

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6.141
141. Wahuwa allathee anshaa jannatin maAArooshatin waghayra maAArooshatin waalnnakhla waalzzarAAa mukhtalifan okuluhu waalzzaytoona waalrrummana mutashabihan waghayra mutashabihin kuloo min thamarihi itha athmara waatoo haqqahu yawma hasadihi wala tusrifoo innahu la yuhibbu almusrifeena

141. And He it is Who produces gardens, trellised and untrellised, and date palms and seed-produce of which the fruits are of various sorts, and olives and pomegranates, like and unlike. Eat of its fruit when it bears fruit, and pay its due49 on the day of harvest, and squander not! Indeed, He loves not the squanderers.

49. The Creator expects His worshippers to give something to the poor and needy from the fruits, which He grants them by His grace. The worshippers should not make the mistake of thinking that the fruits are the result of their labours alone. Without Allah's grace, all their labours could come to naught.

6.142
142. Wamina al-anAAami hamoolatan wafarshan kuloo mimma razaqakumu Allahu wala tattabiAAoo khutuwati alshshaytani innahu lakum AAaduwwun mubeenun

142. And of cattle there are those that are beasts of burden and those to be laid down on the ground for slaughter and food. Eat of what Allah has provided for you and follow not the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you an open enemy.

6.143
143. Thamaniyata azwajin mina aldda/ni ithnayni wamina almaAAzi ithnayni qul alththakarayni harrama ami alonthayayni amma ishtamalat AAalayhi arhamu alonthayayni nabbi-oonee biAAilmin in kuntum sadiqeena

143. Of eight cattle in pairs, consider two of sheep and two of goats. Ask them, "Which ones has He forbidden - the two males or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Inform me, with knowledge, if you are truthful."

6.144
144. Wamina al-ibili ithnayni wamina albaqari ithnayni qul alththakarayni harrama ami alonthayayni amma ishtamalat AAalayhi arhamu alonthayayni am kuntum shuhadaa ith wassakumu Allahu bihatha faman athlamu mimmani iftara AAala Allahi kathiban liyudilla alnnasa bighayri AAilmin inna Allaha la yahdee alqawma alththalimeena

144. And consider two of camels and two of cows. Ask, "Which ones has He forbidden - the two males or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Were you witnesses when Allah enjoined this on you? Who, then, can be more wicked than he who, without knowledge, fabricates a lie against Allah, to lead mankind astray? Indeed, Allah does not guide the wicked people!50

50. In this Verse, and the preceding one, Allah exposes the arbitrariness and falsehood of the disbelievers, claiming - as per their own whims, fancies or superstitious beliefs - that certain cattle are forbidden for certain people. Refer Verses 138 and 139 above, in this context.

6.145
145. Qul la ajidu feema oohiya ilayya muharraman AAala taAAimin yatAAamuhu illa an yakoona maytatan aw daman masfoohan aw lahma khinzeerin fa-innahu rijsun aw fisqan ohilla lighayri Allahi bihi famani idturra ghayra baghin wala AAadin fa-inna rabbaka ghafoorun raheemun

145. Say, "I do not find in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden for anyone to eat except that which has died of itself, or blood poured forth, or flesh of swine - for that indeed is unclean - or that which is a transgression, on which a name other than Allah has been invoked. But then whoever is driven by necessity, without being disobedient or transgressing, then indeed your Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.

6.146
146. WaAAala allatheena hadoo harramna kulla thee thufurin wamina albaqari waalghanami harramna AAalayhim shuhoomahuma illa ma hamalat thuhooruhuma awi alhawaya aw ma ikhtalata biAAathmin thalika jazaynahum bibaghyihim wa-inna lasadiqoona

146. And to those who were Jews We had forbidden every animal having claws. And of oxen and sheep We had forbidden to them the fat of both, except such as was on their backs or in the entrails or what was mixed with bones. This was a punishment We gave them on account of their rebellion, and We are indeed Truthful.

6.147
147. Fa-in kaththabooka faqul rabbukum thoo rahmatin wasiAAatin wala yuraddu ba/suhu AAani alqawmi almujrimeena

147. Then if they deny you, say, "Your Lord is the Embodiment of vast mercy. And His punishment cannot be averted from the criminals."

6.148
148. Sayaqoolu allatheena ashrakoo law shaa Allahu ma ashrakna wala abaona wala harramna min shay-in kathalika kaththaba allatheena min qablihim hatta thaqoo ba/sana qul hal AAindakum min AAilmin fatukhrijoohu lana in tattabiAAoona illa alththanna wa-in antum illa takhrusoona

148. Those, who worship others besides Allah, will say, "If Allah had willed, we and our fathers would not have worshipped others besides Him, nor would we have forbidden anything." Thus did those before them deny until they tasted Our punishment. Say, "Have you any knowledge that you can put forth for us? You follow nothing but conjecture and you do nothing but guess!"

6.149
149. Qul falillahi alhujjatu albalighatu falaw shaa lahadakum ajmaAAeena

149. Say, "With Allah then is the conclusive argument. And had He so willed, He would certainly have guided you all."

6.150
150. Qul halumma shuhadaakumu allatheena yashhadoona anna Allaha harrama hatha fa-in shahidoo fala tashhad maAAahum wala tattabiAA ahwaa allatheena kaththaboo bi-ayatina waallatheena la yu/minoona bial-akhirati wahum birabbihim yaAAdiloona

150. Say, "Produce your witnesses who can testify that Allah has forbidden this." Then if they testify, do not testify with them. And follow not the desires of those who reject Our Verses/signs and who do not believe in the hereafter and hold others as equals to their Lord!

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6.151
151. Qul taAAalaw atlu ma harrama rabbukum AAalaykum alla tushrikoo bihi shay-an wabialwalidayni ihsanan wala taqtuloo awladakum min imlaqin nahnu narzuqukum wa-iyyahum wala taqraboo alfawahisha ma thahara minha wama batana wala taqtuloo alnnafsa allatee harrama Allahu illa bialhaqqi thalikum wassakum bihi laAAallakum taAAqiloona

151. Say, "Come, I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you. He has enjoined that you do not worship anything besides Him, that you be good and kind to your parents, that you do not kill your children because of poverty - We provide sustenance for you, and for them - that you do not come near indecencies, whether done openly or in secrecy, and that you do not kill anyone, which act Allah has forbidden, except for the requirements of justice. This He has enjoined you with, that you may understand51".

51. Understand the propriety of the things divinely ordained.

6.152
152. Wala taqraboo mala alyateemi illa biallatee hiya ahsanu hatta yablugha ashuddahu waawfoo alkayla waalmeezana bialqisti la nukallifu nafsan illa wusAAaha wa-itha qultum faiAAdiloo walaw kana tha qurba wabiAAahdi Allahi awfoo thalikum wassakum bihi laAAallakum tathakkaroona

152. "And approach not the property of the orphan, but in the morally most appropriate manner,52 until he/she attains maturity. And give full measure and weight, with justice. We do not burden a person beyond one's capacity. And when you speak, be just even it be to a near and dear one. And fulfill your obligation to Allah. This He has enjoined you with, that you may remember."

52. The obvious hint here is that the trustee of the orphan's property should not use the property for the trustee's own use and aggrandisement.

6.153
153. Waanna hatha siratee mustaqeeman faittabiAAoohu wala tattabiAAoo alssubula fatafarraqa bikum AAan sabeelihi thalikum wassakum bihi laAAallakum tattaqoona

153. And this then is My Straight Path, so follow it. And follow not the paths that alienate you from His Path.53 This He has enjoined you with, that you may fear Him.

53. The Path, that Allah Almighty calls His own and indicates it through the demonstrative pronoun 'this', is obviously that shown by the Qur'aan. We follow that Path, only by following the do's and don'ts mentioned in the Qur'aan. And it is repeatedly asserted in the Qur'aan that the divine commandments therein meant to be followed by mankind are variously explained for easy understanding of all those who fear Allah. And, yet, a majority of Muslims today commit blasphemy by believing that understanding the Qur'aan is the prerogative of the very few, who are well-versed in Arabic, are aware of the innumerable ahaadeeth and have deeply studied the various works of fuqhaa besides! Such Muslims are, in effect, following the other paths that alienate them from Allah's Path. The alienation effected is reflected first in their disbelief that the common man, who is a muttaqi, can understand the Qur'aan. The man-influenced ahaadeeth have led the Muslims further away from the pure divine Path. (Refer study notes 3.35 to 3.37). They are unfortunately following a deen other than that approved by Allah Ta'ala in Verse 5.3.

6.154
154. Thumma atayna moosa alkitaba tamaman AAala allathee ahsana watafseelan likulli shay-in wahudan warahmatan laAAallahum biliqa-i rabbihim yu/minoona

154. Also, We gave Moses the Book, complete for those who would do good, with details on every thing, and as a guidance and a mercy, so that they should believe that they were scheduled to meet their Lord.54

54. The purpose of the mention here of the Book (Torah) given to Moses is to warn the Muslims against following in the footsteps of Moses' people. They were given a completed Book, complete in all respects to lead them on the divine Straight Path. Yet they resorted to open belligerence and intransigence even when Moses was living with them. This is recorded in Verses 2.55 onwards of Qur'aanic Chapter 2. They thus chose to follow paths other than that shown to them in the Torah. As a consequence, the Jews lost political power and got dispersed to all parts of the world to live there as small minorities. They have been given political power again now, but, surely, they are under divine test. As the Jews had been in a state of ignominy till recently, so are the Muslims now. They too have abandoned the Qur'aanic Path and have thus become the favourite whipping boys of all and sundry, all over the world.

6.155
155. Wahatha kitabun anzalnahu mubarakun faittabiAAoohu waittaqoo laAAallakum turhamoona

155. And We have sent down this Book55 as a blessing. Follow it then and fear Allah so that mercy is shown to you.

55. The Qur'aan.

6.156
156. An taqooloo innama onzila alkitabu AAala ta-ifatayni min qablina wa-in kunna AAan dirasatihim laghafileena

156. Lest you should say, "The Book was was sent down only to two groups56 before us, and We were truly unaware of lessons therein."

56. The Jews and the Christians.

6.157
157. Aw taqooloo law anna onzila AAalayna alkitabu lakunna ahda minhum faqad jaakum bayyinatun min rabbikum wahudan warahmatun faman athlamu mimman kaththaba bi-ayati Allahi wasadafa AAanha sanajzee allatheena yasdifoona AAan ayatina soo-a alAAathabi bima kanoo yasdifoona

157. Or lest you should say, "If only the Book had been sent down to us, we would certainly have been guided better than they." So now, surely, there has come to you a Clarification, Guidance and Mercy from your Lord.57 Who then is more wicked than he who rejects Allah's Verses/signs, and turns away therefrom? We will repay those who turn away from Our Verses/signs with an evil punishment because of their turning away.

57. The Qur'aan embodies the Clarification, Guidance and Mercy, all from the Compassionate and Understanding Creator.

6.158
158. Hal yanthuroona illa an ta/tiyahumu almala-ikatu aw ya/tiya rabbuka aw ya/tiya baAAdu ayati rabbika yawma ya/tee baAAdu ayati rabbika la yanfaAAu nafsan eemanuha lam takun amanat min qablu aw kasabat fee eemaniha khayran quli intathiroo inna muntathiroona

158. Are they waiting for nothing but that the angels should come to them, or that your Lord should come, or that some of the signs of your Lord should come? The day when some of the signs of your Lord do come, one's believing then shall be of no benefit to anyone, who had already not attained faith or earned good points through one's faith, before! Say, "Wait! We too are waiting."

6.159
159. Inna allatheena farraqoo deenahum wakanoo shiyaAAan lasta minhum fee shay-in innama amruhum ila Allahi thumma yunabbi-ohum bima kanoo yafAAaloona

159. You have indeed no concern with those who divide their religion into sects. Their matter goes to Allah, Who will then tell them what they did.58

58. This is a strong divine condemnation of those who cause divisions in the Allah-approved Religion of Islam. And yet there are divisions galore in Islam! How are these divisions caused and by whom? As far as my understanding goes, the first division was caused on the basis of the controversy over the ahaadeeth reporting the last sermon of the Prophet, peace be upon him. As per some ahaadeeth, the Prophet was reported to have said that he was leaving behind his Sunnah, besides the Qur'aan. There are some who disopute this and say that it was not the Sunnah, but Ahle-Bayt. Thus arose the two sects, Sunnis and Shias, the latter sect adopting the very word, Allah Ta'ala used to condemn the schism, to identify themselves by! Herein lies a clear pointer to the answer to the question, how and by whom. It is through the man-influenced, error-prone ahaadeeth that Satan has helped Muslims bring about the divisions! When will the Muslims realise this and save themselves from certain doom?

6.160
160. Man jaa bialhasanati falahu AAashru amthaliha waman jaa bialssayyi-ati fala yujza illa mithlaha wahum la yuthlamoona

160. One who comes up with a good deed, shall have the credit of ten like it, and one who comes up with an evil deed, shall have the recompense of only the like thereof and they shall not be wronged.

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6.161
161. Qul innanee hadanee rabbee ila siratin mustaqeemin deenan qiyaman millata ibraheema haneefan wama kana mina almushrikeena

161. Say, "As for me, my Lord has indeed guided me to the Straight Path of the right religion - the creed of Abraham58, the upright man; and he was not of those who worship others besides Allah."

58. Abraham's creed was to submit to the Lord of the worlds. See Verse 2.131

6.162
162. Qul inna salatee wanusukee wamahyaya wamamatee lillahi rabbi alAAalameena

162. Say, "Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds."

6.163
163. La shareeka lahu wabithalika omirtu waana awwalu almuslimeena

163. "He has no associate whom I should worship. And this am I commanded with, and I am the first of those who submit."

6.164
164. Qul aghayra Allahi abghee rabban wahuwa rabbu kulli shay-in wala taksibu kullu nafsin illa AAalayha wala taziru waziratun wizra okhra thumma ila rabbikum marjiAAukum fayunabbi-okum bima kuntum feehi takhtalifoona

164. Say, "Shall I seek a lord other than Allah? And He is the Lord of all things! And none earns anything but for one's own self. And no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return. He will then explain to you the things in which you differed."

6.165
165. Wahuwa allathee jaAAalakum khala-ifa al-ardi warafaAAa baAAdakum fawqa baAAdin darajatin liyabluwakum fee ma atakum inna rabbaka sareeAAu alAAiqabi wa-innahu laghafoorun raheemun

165. And He it is Who has made you His representatives on earth, and raised some of you above others in ranks so that He may test you in what He has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in retribution, and He is indeed Forgiving, Merciful.

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