Central Theme, Arrangement and Relation
with the Previous Sūrah
This sūrah is the dual counterpart of
the previous sūrah---Feel. A comprehensive treatment of the central theme of
both these sūrahs has been given in the exegetical explanation of the preceding
sūrah. Briefly, it can be restated as that the Quraysh have been asked to fulfil
the natural right of their association with the Baitullaah, after a thorough
indication is made to them about the nature of this association.
In the previous sūrah, it had been
pointed out that the Quraysh had been living peacefully and securely in this
land because of their affiliation with Baitullaah. In this sūrah, it has been
asserted that it is this affiliation which also accounts for their provisions of
livlihood and sustenance. Both these favours entail the worship of the Lord of
this House, instead of associating others with Him without any rational basis.
It should be kept in mind, that a state
which provides its citizens with peace and sustenance can be termed as close to
an ideal one. In the holy land of Mecca, the Quraysh had been the beneficiaries
of these blessings because of the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) through Baitullaah. As
a natural right of these blessings the Quraysh should have been grateful to the
Lord of this House, but they became involved in outrageous forms of polytheism,
inducting within its precincts fictitious Gods and Godesses. With this
background they are being admonished in this sūrah to remain deeply conscious of
their relation with the Baitullaah---which the Almighty Himself had given in
their trusteeship. It was because of the Baitullaah that the whole atmosphere
had become peaceful and secure for them; this special status had also been
instrumental in securing for them lavish resources of sustenance and livelihood.
If they now show ingratitude to the Lord of the House they deserve to be deposed
from this prestigious position and be divested from all the benefits, both
spiritual and material, they possess on account of it.
A cursory analysis of the meanings of
the sūrah shows that, first of all, an indication is made to the special
affiliation of the Quraysh with the Baitullaah and the holy Land of Mecca. Next,
a reference is made to the trade excursions they regularly undertook in winters
and summers, upon which depended their financial prosperity. Their economical
well-being heavily relied on these tours and being the custodians of Baitullaah,
success in these tours was guaranteed. Once ousted from this position they could
never achieve the privilege of being guided through these routes unscathed, in
which danger openly lurked for all other tribes.
Meaning of the Sūrah
On account of the association the
Quraysh have---the association they have with the winter and summer journeyings.
Hence, they should worship the Lord of this House who feeds them because of
hunger and provides them with peace in fear.
Explanation of the Sūrah
Li eeelafi quraish
(On account of the association the Quraysh
have.) (1)
Aalifal makaana wa aalafahu eeelaafan
means ta'wwadahu wasta'nasa bihi ie `he is used to and familiar with this
place.'
Aalaftuhu makaana kazaa eeelaafan
means ja'altuhu ya'lafahu ie `I made him familiar with this place.'
Aalafahu muaalafatan wa eelaafan
means aanasahu wa `aasharahu ie `he became accustomed to him, he resided
with him.
This explanation clearly shows that
there is no essential difference between Eelaaf and Eeelaaf. Both mean
attachment, association, and affiliation. Although it is not clear from this
first verse that with whom the association is being implied, yet the subsequent
verses qualify the association as the one the Quraysh had with the Baitullaah as
its custodians and overseers, as a result of which they had been reaping many
benefits.
In other words, the Quraysh are being
reminded that the honour and prestige they had attained in Mecca in particular
and Arabia in general, because of which they had gained extraordinary material
benefits, were not because of their own ability and planning, but they were the
result of their association with the House of their Lord. They must always
remain aware about the nature of this relationship not only with this sacred
House but also with its Lord. They should not become inebriated with these
worldly successes and thereby forget the rights and obligations imposed on them
about this House and its Lord.
Eelaafihim rihlatashshi taai was saif.
(---the association they have with the winter
and summer journeyings.) (2)
Eelaaf is the permutative (badal) of
Eeelaf of the first verse. Initially, the subject had just been raised and left
incomplete to raise a question among the people addressed about the nature of
the association of the Quraish. This style has also been adopted elsewhere in
the Qur’ān. The style is useful, first of all, to direct the attention of those
addressed, and secondly it serves to firmly establish something in their minds
by repeating it in two different ways.
The verse explains that the association
under discussion is the one the Quraysh had with their trade journeyings of
summers and winters. It should be kept in mind, that during the winter season
the Quraysh used to travel to Yemen, while their summers were spent journeying
towards Syria and Palestine. With these caravans travelled the wealth of the
whole nation. The reason being that there were many traders and businessmen who
acted as agents of those who could invest money, and hence people who did not go
along with these caravans were also able to benefit from this profitable
business. It were these tours which were the real source of wealth for the
Meccan people. By this means merchandise reached other markets and at the same
time their own consumers were able to buy goods from other markets. Thus, these
trade routes were the real source of sustenance for the Quraish. Although these
were international trade routes, yet they were safe in the true sense of the
word for the Quraysh only. The extent of protection provided to them was not
provided to anyother tribe. Other tribes were robbed in broad daylight, and had
to seek permission by paying huge amounts to the tribe whose territory they had
to pass, but the Quraysh enjoyed unlimited freedom and liberty. They were even
provided with people who acted as guides and no one could even think of
tampering with them, for they were given a special respect as the custodians of
Baitullaah and caretakers of the pilgrims. It is with all this background that
the Qur’ān admonishes them not to become inebriated with these worldly successes
and forget the Lord of this House. All these successes are due to the Baitullaah
and they shall only remain their beneficiaries if they remain sincere with the
causes of the exalted House.
It should be borne in mind, that it was
no stroke of luck that the Quraysh had become the custodians of the Baitullaah.
It was not just by chance that they had come from somewhere and settled in its
whereabouts, and later became its custodians; in fact it was the Prophet Abraham
(pbuh) who had purposefully established the abode of his children in the
vicinity of Baitullaah to achieve a certain mission associated with it. He had
made a special invocation to the Almighty to bless them with peace and
sustenance, whose mention is coming up. In other words, the Quraysh are being
reminded of their past that they had been settled here for a special purpose.
They must fulfil this covenant with all sincerity, otherwise they would be
doomed not only in this world but in the Hereafter as well. We quote from the
Qur’ān:
"And remember when Abraham prayed: O
Lord! make this land one of peace and security. Preserve me and my sons from
worshipping idols. Lord, they have led many men astray. Those then who follow my
[ways] are of me but for those who disobey me, You are surely forgiving and
merciful. O our Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in a barren valley
near Your sacred House that they may establish regular prayers, so incline some
people's hearts towards them and provide them with fruits in order that they may
be thankful." (14:13-37)
It is evident from these verses, as
mentioned earlier, that Abraham had settled his children near Baitullaah with a
special purpose for which it itself was built. He had prayed to the Almighty to
bless them with peace and sustenance and make them a people towards whom
everyone would turn in all the affairs of life. The Almighty accepted this
prayer and the Quraysh remained the beneficiaries of these favours in every
period. The Quraysh are being reminded of this very association with the
Baitullaah. It would be gross ingratitude on their part to relish all the
material benefits from this association but become indifferent to its rights and
obligations. The House was built to worship the One and Alone God and prevent
people from worshipping idols, and it was preicsely for this reason Abraham had
established the abode if his children in a barren stretch of land. Instead of
fulfilling this purpose they have stuffed it with all kinds of idols who reign
supreme in it, in place of the Creator of the heavens and the earth.
Falya`bu doo rabba haazal bait. Allazee
at`amahum min joo`. Wa 'aamanahum min khauf.
(Hence, they should worship the Lord of this
House who feeds them because of hunger and provides them with peace in fear.)
(3-4)
The verse states the rights of the
blessings of peace and sustenance bestowed on the Quraysh by the Almighty. They
should be grateful to Him and worship Him with all sincerity. It should be kept
in mind, that inspite of being implicated in horrible forms of polytheism, they
had never disassociated themselves with the concept of a God in their religious
beliefs. Not for a moment did they consider any of the idols placed in the
Baitullaah as its real Lord. Even a cursory glance at Abdul Mutalib's prayer
at the time Abraha attacked the Baitullaah shows the essence of Tauheed
overflowing in it; there is not the slightest indication of invoking help from
any other deity, save the real Lord of the House. In fact, the Quraysh only
regarded the idols a means to procure the nearness of God---whom they always
considered their real Creator and Sustainer, and there never ever came a change
in this stance.
Allazee at`amahum min joo`. Wa 'Aamanahum
min khauf:
In this verse min is that of causation (sababiah)
and the words joo` and khauf have special connotations. By joo` is meant the
specific condition of an area which arises due to a scarcity of edibles, and by
khauf is meant the state of an area which arises due to a lack of security and a
constant danger to life and wealth. Both these words have been used in these
meanings in other places of the Qur’ān as well:
"We shall test you with something of
fear and famine, with loss of life, wealth and crops." [2:155]
Haram, (the land around the Baitullaah)
before the advent of Abraham had always remained scarce in food resources and
was also in a constant state of strife and unrest. It was because of the
Baitullaah that the Almighty blessed the area with peace and ample sources of
sustenance. At many instances these favours have been recounted in the Qur’ān:
"Have We not established for them a
secure sanctuary towards which all kinds of produce are being drawn." [ 28:57]
"Have they not seen that We have made
a sanctuary secure while people are being snatched away from all around them."
[29:67]
This sūrah is another instance where the
same subject has been brought up. Both peace and sustenance are special
blessings of the Almighty. Instead of showing conceit and vanity upon their
bestowal, the Quraysh are being admonished to be grateful to the Almighty and
remain aware that this gratitude entails His worship, not revolt and
disobedience.
[Translated from
Islahi's "Tadabbur-i-Qur’ān"]
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