یٰبَنِیۡ اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ قَدۡ
اَنۡجَیۡنٰکُمۡ مِّنۡ عَدُوِّکُمۡ وَ وٰعَدۡنٰکُمۡ جَانِبَ
الطُّوۡرِ الۡاَیۡمَنَ وَ نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَیۡکُمُ الۡمَنَّ وَ
السَّلۡوٰی (80) کُلُوۡا مِنۡ طَیِّبٰتِ مَا رَزَقۡنٰکُمۡ وَ لَا
تَطۡغَوۡا فِیۡهِ فَیَحِلَّ عَلَیۡکُمۡ غَضَبِیۡ
وَ مَنۡ یَّحۡلِلۡ عَلَیۡهِ غَضَبِیۡ فَقَدۡ هَوٰی (81)
وَ اِنِّیۡ لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَنۡ تَابَ وَ اٰمَنَ وَ عَمِلَ
صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهۡتَدٰی (82)
After making them cross the sea, the
Almighty has reminded the Israelites of His great favours so
that they can recall the great responsibility imposed on them
as an obligation for these favours. At the same time, they are
also informed of the fate that is destined for those who do
not value favours and instead of being grateful end up as
ingrates and rebels. Precisely in this context with a slight
change in words, this topic is brought up in Surah al-Baqarah.
There I have explained every aspect of it in detail. Hence
here I will content myself to hints only. Those who want to
read these details can look up what has been written under
verses 46-57 of Surah al-Baqarah.
The promise referred to in the words
وَ وٰعَدۡنٰکُمۡ جَانِبَ الطُّوۡرِ
الۡاَیۡمَنَ is the one which the
Almighty made with the Israelites through Moses of giving them
the Torah. For this purpose, he had called them to this
blessed side of the mount Tur. It is here that Moses (sws) was
made a messenger while he was returning from Madyan. Details
of the way the Israelites behaved with this favour are
discussed ahead.
The words
الۡمَنَّ and
السَّلۡوٰی have
been explained under verse 57 of Surah al-Baqarah together
with how the Israelites treated those favours.
The words “eat of the pure things given by
Us and do not be rebellious after receiving this favour”
mention the obligation they owe for these favours. The
Israelites were reminded of these favours by their very
existence and also through prophets of God. The Torah contains
references to these. The last part cautions them that this
abundance of favours should not make them arrogant and
rebellious; these traits are the hallmark of the Pharaoh whose
fate they have just witnessed. It is further stated that such
rebelliousness invites God’s wrath and he who becomes its
target is destroyed: from a state of honour he descends into
humiliation. They have seen with their very eyes the fate of
the one who claimed to be god.
The last verse mentions the path of
deliverance for those have the determination to follow these
directives.
وَ مَاۤ اَعۡجَلَكَ عَنۡ قَوۡمِكَ یٰمُوۡسٰی
(83) قَالَ هُمۡ اُولَآءِ عَلٰۤی اَثَرِیۡ وَ عَجِلۡتُ اِلَیۡكَ
رَبِّ لِتَرۡضٰی (84)
The preposition
عَنْ after
اَعۡجَلَكَ
indicates a verb be considered to be present that collocates
with the expression: اَعۡجَلَکَ عَنۡ
. This style has been explained at a
number of instances in the Qur’an that in such cases a tadmin
exists in which the suppressed verb collocates with the
preposition. The translation keeps this aspect in
consideration.
These verses relate to the instance when
the Almighty asked Moses (sws) to come to the same place as
when he was blessed with prophethood so that the Torah could
then be given to him. God fixed a time period of thirty days
for this. However, in his zeal to meet Him, Moses (sws)
assigned Aaron (sws) to look after the nation and reached the
place before time. The Torah mentions this but does not state
any time period or the hastiness shown by him:
The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on
the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of
stone with the law and commandments I have written for their
instruction.” Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and
Moses went up on the mountain of God. He said to the elders,
“Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are
with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.”
(Exodus, 24:12-14)
In Surah al-A‘raf, this is mentioned thus:
وَ وٰعَدۡنَا مُوۡسٰی ثَلٰثِیۡنَ لَیۡلَةً
وَّ اَتۡمَمۡنٰهَا بِعَشۡرٍ فَتَمَّ مِیۡقَاتُ رَبِّهۤ
اَرۡبَعِیۡنَ لَیۡلَةً وَ قَالَ مُوۡسٰی لِاَخِیۡهِ هٰرُوۡنَ
اخۡلُفۡنِیۡ فِیۡ قَوۡمِیۡ وَ اَصۡلِحۡ وَ لَا تَتَّبِعۡ
سَبِیۡلَ الۡمُفۡسِدِیۡنَ (7: 142)
And We took a promise of thirty nights from
Moses and completed it with ten further nights; so, as a
result of this, forty nights were completed as the time
appointed by his Lord.
And Moses said to his brother Aaron: “After me, be in my place
among my people and keep reforming them and do not tread the
path of the mischief-mongers.” (7:142)
This haste shown by Moses (sws), as is
evident from his own words, was the result of his zeal and his
passion to earn God’s pleasure. Viewed thus, it had nothing
wrong in it. In fact, it was a consequence of his love for
God. However, this haste became a source of great trial for
him and his nation. Taking advantage of his absence, the
miscreants among them led the nation to the trial of cow
worship. In spite of his full effort, Aaron (sws) was not able
to control the situation. Until then, the temperament of
Moses’ (sws) nation was of being swayed by emotions. It has
been mentioned in Surah al-A‘raf that right after crossing the
sea when they encountered idol-worshipping nations, they
demanded from him to make an idol for them the way those
nations had done. This incident took place just before him
going to the mount Tur. He had also scolded these miscreants
on this demand. He must have been well aware of them and must
have also known how much Aaron (sws) would be able to control
those mischief-mongers. In these circumstances, even a few
days of his absence could have become a great trial. However,
in his zeal and passion, he could not fully gauge the gravity
of the situation. The consequence was very grave.
It has been explained at a number of
instances that if prophets of God make mistakes, it is never
because of any inclination to any base desire or sentiment; at
times, however, in their desire for the truth and pleasing God
they do exceed the prescribed limits. This attitude, in itself
is not something bad, yet since prophets of God are standards
of the truth and all their words and deeds are examples
for others, they are checked by Him for any
excess. Thus Moses (sws) was also checked for his hastiness.
In the introduction of this surah, it has been mentioned that
Prophet Muhammad (sws) was taught to show patience. For this
reason, this incident from the life of Moses (sws) has been
specially mentioned. The purpose is to tell Muhammad (sws)
that showing patience and waiting for God’s decree is the
right behaviour for such struggles in His cause; otherwise, at
times, the most pious of intentions done with haste become a
pitfall for many.
قَالَ فَاِنَّا قَدۡ فَتَنَّا قَوۡمَكَ مِنۡ
بَعۡدِكَ وَ اَضَلَّهُمُ السَّامِرِیُّ (85)
The words
فَتَنَّا قَوۡمَكَ refer to the
established practice of God that I have explained in detail
under فَتَنّٰكَ فُتُوۡنًا
in verse 40. Both individuals and nations constantly pass
through various trials. Through these trials, the Almighty
distinguishes the right from the wrong. Here the purpose is to
say that God made Moses’ (sws) nation pass through a test and
it failed the test: Samiri led it astray.
Samiri is not mentioned in the Torah. Thus
what is known about him is only that which is mentioned in the
Qur’an and what is stated ahead. The narrators of the Torah
have ascribed all this mischief to Aaron (sws). It is a favour
done by the Qur’an that it has exposed the name of the actual
originator of the mischief and absolved Aaron (sws) of this
blame.
Whether Samiri belonged to the Israelites
or to the Egyptians who had migrated with Moses (sws) is an
irrelevant question that also has no benefit. I would not like
to enter into this debate. What is evident from the Qur’an is
that he was a very cunning and mischievous person hypocritical
in nature who entered among the followers of Moses (sws) with
evil motives. It will be evident from subsequent verses that
he was a clever mystic who had the skill of playing mind
tricks. Such people can easily deceive simpletons. Taking
advantage of Moses’ (sws) absence, he tried to trick the
masses. It is evident from details already mentioned that
Moses (sws) had left before his scheduled time and then later
God extended his term by ten days to train and instruct him.
Thus Samiri was afforded with opportune time to play his
tricks. He gathered all those elements from the Israelites who
already had a proclivity for idol-worship. He told them that
no one knew where Moses (sws) had gone to search for God, and
if they gave him some of their jewellery he would make a deity
for them who would guide them; until when will they wait for
Moses (sws) who had just disappeared?
Samiri was also a very adept idol-maker of
Egypt. He made a calf from the jewellery given to him by the
people. Such was its shape that when the wind passed through
it, a certain sound came out of it. He regarded this sound, as
will become evident later, to be a consequence of his magic.
He was thereby able to fool the masses. Aaron (sws) tried his
best to protect people from the mischief created by him, but
he was not successful in suppressing elements which had been
over-awed by Moses (sws). Matters became so bad that Aaron’s
own life was subjected to danger and he felt that if he then
took any step, instead of any benefit, great harm would come
about and the whole community would be dismembered. Thus, he
thought it best to leave matters up to Moses’ return.
فَرَجَعَ مُوۡسٰۤی اِلٰی قَوۡمِهِ غَضۡبَانَ
اَسِفًا قَالَ یٰقَوۡمِ اَلَمۡ یَعِدۡکُمۡ رَبُّکُمۡ وَعۡدًا
حَسَنًا اَفَطَالَ عَلَیۡکُمُ الۡعَهۡدُ اَمۡ اَرَدۡتُّمۡ اَنۡ
یَّحِلَّ عَلَیۡکُمۡ غَضَبٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ فَاَخۡلَفۡتُمۡ
مَّوۡعِدِیۡ (86)
When Moses received news of what had
happened, he was overcome by emotions that arise on such
occasions. He returned to his people in great anger and grief.
He was annoyed at the miscreants of his nation who had
succeeded in this mischief and it is evident from later verses
that he was also angry with Aaron (sws) because he did not
have full knowledge of the incident; he reckoned that Aaron (sws)
did not do enough to protect the nation from the evil of the
miscreants. His grief was at the wretchedness of his nation’s
conduct while he had gone to fetch God’s guidance for them:
they started worshipping a calf.
The promise referred to in the verse is the
one that has been referred to earlier: while going to mount
Tur, he had directed all the chiefs of his nation to stay at
that place until he returned with the shari‘ah for which he
was going. He had told them to follow the directives of Aaron
(sws) during that time.
قَالُوۡا مَاۤ اَخۡلَفۡنَا مَوۡعِدَكَ
بِمَلۡکِنَا وَ لٰکِنَّا حُمِّلۡنَاۤ اَوۡزَارًا مِّنۡ زِیۡنَةِ
الۡقَوۡمِ فَقَذَفۡنٰهَا فَکَذٰلِكَ اَلۡقَی السَّامِرِیُّ (87)
Because of the rather concise nature of
this verse, our exegetes have faced difficulty in interpreting
it. After stating its meaning in my own words, I will explain
its individual words.
First of all, Moses (sws), as alluded to
earlier, scolded the nation elders who he had given the
responsibility of looking after it in his absence. These
elders expressed their helplessness and inability. They said
that they did not have any role in whatever happened; people
had entrusted their jewellery in their care; at their demand,
they returned it back to them and in this way Samiri prepared
a calf for them. Their implication was that he was responsible
for this crime as well as those who were deceived by him. They
were forced to consign the jewellery to him when its owners
pressurized them.
The word مَلۡك
means “will and power.” They meant that they tried their best
to abide by the promise they made. However, circumstances were
beyond their control.
The expression
زِیۡنَةِ الۡقَوۡمِ refers to the
jewellery people had entrusted to the chiefs. It seems that,
to safeguard themselves from the uncertainties of travel, many
people had entrusted their jewellery to the elders of the
nation, which they accepted as a service to them. The Torah
contains conflicting statements regarding the ownership of the
jewellery – whether it belonged to the Israelites or to the
Egyptians. It is evident from chapter 35 of the book of Exodus
that it belonged to the Israelites; however, another narrative
from this book shows that while leaving the country, the
Israelites had borrowed it from the Egyptians. This
second account appears to be illogical. In the first place,
the Israelites never had the status that they could borrow
jewellery from the Egyptians and the latter agree to this
settlement especially when, for years, a very grave conflict
existed between the two. Also, the Egyptians thought that the
Israelites were preparing to leave the country. Secondly, how
could Moses (sws) morally and religiously tolerate the fact
that he allow his people to own something they had actually
borrowed? Thus this view is untenable. The correct view in
this regard is that the jewellery belonged to the Israelites.
In verse 148 of Surah al-A‘raf, the words used are
مِنْ حُلِيِّهِمْ (from their
jewellery), which corroborate this view.
The word قَذَف means to “to cast
down or to throw up.” The chiefs said that they had carried
the burden of the people entrusted to them even though they
did not like it. The purpose was to be of service to them;
however, the fact that they had been pushed to the limit, they
had cast down the burden. Those who have a flair for the
Arabic language know that all the three words
حُمِّلۡنَاۤ,
اَوۡزَار and قَذَفۡ allude to
heaviness of the burden those chiefs felt. When Moses (sws)
scolded them, they thought they since the calf had been made
from jewellery, he must have thought that they too had a hand
in it. In order to remove this doubt from his mind, they said
these words to clarify their own position. Also evident from
their word بِمَلۡکِنَا is the fact
they tried their best to save people from the mischief worked
by Samiri. However, circumstances worsened beyond their
control. Since their helplessness was evident, it seems that
Moses (sws) accepted their excuse.
Consider next the expression:
اَلْقَي السَّامِرِيُّ.
The verb اَلْقٰي
in Arabic has a wide connotation. Just as
it means to place something on the ground, it also means to
throw dice and show a trick or stunt. In Surah al-Hajj, this
word will be extensively researched. Here it is in exactly the
same meaning as in verse 65 of this surah
اِمَّاۤ اَنۡ تُلۡقِیَ وَ اِمَّاۤ اَنۡ
نَّکُوۡنَ اَوَّلَ مَنۡ اَلۡقٰی
(either you show your trick first or we show our skill).
The chiefs held Samiri to be entirely
responsible for this mischief.
فَاَخۡرَجَ لَهُمۡ عِجۡلًا جَسَدًا لَّهُ
خُوَارٌ فَقَالُوۡا هٰذَاۤ اِلٰـهُكُمۡ وَ اِلٰهُ مُوۡسٰی
فَنَسِیَ (88)
The word خُوَارٌ
signifies the bellowing of the calf. In other words, Samiri
made a model of the calf from which this sound came out. It
seems that he was very adept in the Egyptian art of
idol-making. In those times, this art was at its zenith in
Egypt. Some relics of those times have been mentioned in the
tafsir of Surah al-A‘raf. It was not difficult for anyone
skilled with the craft of making idols in those times to
fashion a calf from which a bellowing sound came out. Samiri
regarded this sound to be a consequence of his magic. To fool
the masses, he led them to believe that he had thrown the dust
created by the hooves of Gabriel’s horse in the statue thereby
creating the sound.
Even today people fool others by such mind
tricks and there exist far greater magicians than Samiri in
our cities. So how could it have been difficult for him to
deceive a simple nation as the Israelites? Thus, the
miscreants who were the originators of that mischief stirred
the propaganda that the calf was the real deity of the masses
and of Moses (sws); however, the latter just ignored it and
disappeared in the wilderness of mount Tur. The result of this
propaganda was that a vast majority of the Israelites were
caught in the quagmire of this mischief.
اَفَلَا یَرَوۡنَ اَلَّا یَرۡجِعُ اِلَیۡهِمۡ
قَوۡلًا وَّ لَا یَمۡلِكُ لَهُمۡ ضَرًّا وَّ لَا نَفۡعًا (89)
The implication of this verse is that a
deity is the greatest need of a person. What need will such a
lame deity fulfil that has made them worship it?
وَ لَقَدۡ قَالَ لَهُمۡ هٰرُوۡنُ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ
یٰقَوۡمِ اِنَّمَا
فُتِنۡتُمۡ بِهِ
وَ اِنَّ رَبَّکُمُ الرَّحۡمٰنُ فَاتَّبِعُوۡنِیۡ وَ
اَطِیۡعُوۡا اَمۡرِیۡ (90)
In this verse, Aaron (sws) has expressed
his acquittal from this mischief. As indicated earlier, in the
Torah he has been regarded as its originator; however, the
Qur’an has vehemently negated it. It is also evident from the
word “already” that as soon as this mischief surfaced, he
started to warn people about it in the words mentioned in the
verse.
قَالُوۡا لَنۡ نَّبۡرَحَ عَلَیۡهِ عٰکِفِیۡنَ
حَتّٰی یَرۡجِعَ اِلَیۡنَا مُوۡسٰی (91)
Aaron (sws) tried his best to warn people
of it but they refused to listen to him. Their response
depicted in the verse shows that in spite of this, though they
were deceived by Satan and were guilty of great foolishness,
later many of them did realize this folly, as is evident from
Surah al-A‘raf. However, it is never easy to rectify a
foolish act. Thus, those people too instead of giving it up
immediately adhered to calf-worship until the return of Moses
(sws).
قَالَ یٰهٰرُوۡنُ مَا مَنَعَكَ اِذۡ
رَاَیۡتَهُمۡ ضَلُّوۡۤا (92) اَلَّا تَتَّبِعَنِ
اَفَعَصَیۡتَ اَمۡرِیۡ (93)
The directive referred to in the verse is
the one Moses (sws) had given to Aaron (sws) and the elders
when he was departing for mount Tur. I have also mentioned it
under verse 123 of Surah al-A‘raf: he directed Aaron (sws) to
mind the people in his place and remain aware of the
miscreants in the nation and not let them spread mischief. The
style in which Moses (sws) has posed this question is that he
knew that Aaron (sws) would not deliberately disobey him; he
actually wanted to find out his excuse.
Obviously, after
اَلَّا تَتَّبِعَنِ apparently there
is no need for لَا.
Thus our grammarians regard it to be redundant. However, it is
not redundant here but occurs to emphasize the verb in
accordance with common linguistic principles of classical
Arabic. This style is found in Urdu as well.
قَالَ یَبۡنَؤُمَّ لَا تَاۡخُذۡ بِلِحۡیَتِیۡ
وَ لَا بِرَاۡسِیۡ
اِنِّیۡ خَشِیۡتُ اَنۡ تَقُوۡلَ فَرَّقۡتَ بَیۡنَ بَنِیۡ
اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ وَ لَمۡ تَرۡقُبۡ قَوۡلِیۡ (94)
The reaction of Moses (sws) depicted in
this verse shows both his affiliation and sense of honour for
the truth and his natural love for his brother. In fact, this
love entailed that when he realized that Aaron (sws) was
guilty of a weakness in the matter of religion, he be
overwhelmed with emotions and fervently admonish him. The
attitude of the prophets of God is that in worldly affairs
they do show tolerance; however, in religious affairs, they do
not compromise in any way. In this regard, the closer a person
is to them, the more sensitive they are for him. People who
are given to the pleasures of this world behave entirely
differently: they are very cautious and clever in worldly
affairs and even call their fathers and sons to account;
however, in religious affairs, they do not have any
sensitivity; whatever, their close ones do does not effect
their sense of honour.
Aaron (sws) expressed his excuse in a very
nice way. It has been explained in Surah al-A‘raf that he
tried his best to stop people from that trial. However, a vast
majority was led astray by the spell weaved by Samiri. Such
was its extent that Aaron (sws) feared for his life if he
persisted in correcting them. Then only two options remained:
either Aaron (sws) could separate himself with his followers
from the others or wait for some days for Moses’ (sws) return.
The first option would have resulted in divisions among people
and bloodshed. In the second option, it could have been
expected that Moses (sws) would set right the affairs because
of the awe and respect he commanded and because of his acumen.
For this reason, Aaron (sws) did not adopt the first option
because it would have created disorder rather than any
improvement in the state of affairs and he wanted to save his
nation from disorder and bloodshed as much as possible. In the
second option, there was a chance that Moses (sws) would be
able to control the situation because of his acumen and
forceful personality. For this reason, he abandoned the first
option as it would create disorder. He obviously wanted it to
not happen.
قَالَ فَمَا خَطۡبُكَ یٰسَامِرِیُّ (95)
After asking all those who could be
responsible for the mischief, when it became evident to Moses
(sws) that it was Samiri’s handiwork, he posed the question
alluded to in this verse.
قَالَ بَصُرۡتُ بِمَا لَمۡ یَبۡصُرُوۡا بِهِ
فَقَبَضۡتُ قَبۡضَةً مِّنۡ اَثَرِ الرَّسُوۡلِ فَنَبَذۡتُهَا وَ
کَذٰلِكَ سَوَّلَتۡ لِیۡ نَفۡسِیۡ (96)
When Samiri saw that he could not escape
from the grasp of Moses (sws), he made up a clever excuse to
absolve himself. In the excuse, on the one hand, he tried to
justify his action and on the other confessed that whatever he
did was a deception of his own inner-self and he was led to
believe that it was actually the truth.
He said that he had a vision and saw
something which others did not; he saw in his vision that
Gabriel had come and that he (Samiri) had picked up a handful
of dust and put it inside the model of a calf that he had
made. As a result of this, it started to speak. He confessed
that after Moses’ statement, it became evident to him that he
had been deceived by his inner-self and that it was not a
vision that he had seen. As a result, he perpetrated this
crime. In this way, he tried to convince Moses (sws) that it
was a misconception and nothing intentional. However, he fully
knew that it would not be easy for him to escape from the
grasp of Moses (sws) and whatever bluff he was playing would
not succeed before him. He thus confessed that whatever
happened was because of a misconception: he regarded the
deceptive prompting of his soul to be a vision and hence
committed the crime.
قَالَ فَاذۡهَبۡ فَاِنَّ لَكَ فِی الۡحَیٰوةِ
اَنۡ تَقُوۡلَ لَا مِسَاسَ وَ اِنَّ لَكَ مَوۡعِدًا لَّنۡ
تُخۡلَفَهُ
وَ انۡظُرۡ اِلٰۤی اِلٰـهِكَ الَّذِیۡ ظَلۡتَ عَلَیۡهِ عَاکِفًا
لَنُحَرِّقَنَّهُ ثُمَّ
لَنَنۡسِفَنَّهُ فِی الۡیَمِّ نَسۡفًا (97)
This excuse was enough for Moses (sws) to
understand Samiri’s clever trick.
The word
فَاذۡهَبۡ here means “to go and get
lost.”
The words فِی
الۡحَیٰوةِ imply that the punishment
in which he would continuously be cursed was not a temporary
one; he would have to endure it for the rest of his life.
The words اَنۡ
تَقُوۡلَ لَا مِسَاسَ refer to the
fact that Samiri would himself call out to people that he was
impure and thus should not be touched nor could he himself
touch anyone.
In the Mosaic shari‘ah, there exists a
punishment to sever someone from the community. After stating
certain prohibitions in chapter 7 of Leviticus, it is said
about those who are guilty of them:
When anyone touches anything unclean,
whether human uncleanness, or an unclean animal, or any
unclean detestable thing, and eats of the flesh of the
sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to the Lord, that
person shall be cut off from his people.
A person who was administered this
punishment virtually became untouchable; he would neither be
allowed to participate in any social gathering of grief or
festivity nor allowed to enter worship places; also, no one
would be allowed to make arrangements for his burial. A
punishment which is even more harsh than this has been
prescribed for patients of leprosy. It is stated in the book
of Leviticus:
Anyone with such a defiling disease must
wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower
part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as
they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live
alone; they must live outside the camp. (13:45-46)
Moses (sws) administered the same
punishment to Samiri. The only difference is that for lepers
this punishment remains as long as they are inflicted with
this disease but for Samiri it was a life-long punishment
since he was afflicted with the leprosy of hypocrisy. Moral
leprosy is filthier than physical leprosy. Moreover, Moses (sws)
gave him the punishment of cursing him which is the harshest
punishment in religion. If the Qur’anic words
اَنۡ تَقُوۡلَ لَا مِسَاسَ
are placed in parallel with the words of the Torah: “and cry
out, ‘unclean! unclean!’” only then the real emphasis of the
Qur’anic words can be understood. It should be kept in mind
that declaring oneself to be unclean is the ultimate extent of
humiliation.
The last part of the verse portrays the
fate of the calf. Moses (sws) mentioned it in this way because
not only was it essential to wipe out polytheism, it was also
essential to destroy all its manifestations so that all the
viruses of that creed were totally uprooted.
At the time of the conquest of Makkah, the
Prophet (sws) too had destroyed all the idols forthwith.
Here it is possible that a question arise
in the minds of some people: why was Samiri not put by death
by Moses (sws) since many perpetrators of this crime were
executed by him, as is mentioned in the tafsir of Surah al-Baqarah?
The answer to this question in my opinion is that this curse
is more harsh and exemplary a punishment than execution, as I
have mentioned in the case of those who had violated he
command about the sabt. When a person is executed, the
punishment finishes the matter immediately and the lesson
other people receive from it is also temporary. However, the
curse-punishment sticks to a person both in this world and in
the Hereafter. Imagine the extent of the wretchedness of a
person who calls out with his own tongue that he is unclean
and that no one should touch him. It should be kept in mind
that the curse of a messenger is a punishment from which none
can escape. Such a person will remain accursed wherever he
goes – both in this world and in the next.
The Qur’an has specified here that the
statue of the calf was burnt and crushed to bits and its ashes
were scattered in the sea. However, the account in the Torah
says that Moses (sws) dissolved the ashes in water and made
the people drink it. This shows that the narrators of the
Torah do not even have the knack of fabricating something. How
could Moses (sws) have asked people to drink this “elixir of
life”? If this account is regarded to be true, then perhaps it
is the consequence of this drink that in spite of being
recipients of a divine book, these people became prone to
polytheism. Such is its effect that it has become a permanent
feature of their lives.
اِنَّمَاۤ اِلٰـهُکُمُ اللّٰهُ الَّذِیۡ لَاۤ
اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ
وَسِعَ کُلَّ شَیۡءٍ عِلۡمًا (98)
The verse implies that those who regarded
the calf to be their deity were doomed. People should remember
that only God is the one they must worship. The words “His
knowledge embraces everything” form an argument in favour of
monotheism. When this is the case, why should anyone other
than Him be made a deity? When He hears and knows everything,
He alone is sufficient. What then is the need for anyone else?
Section III: Verses (99-135)
The account of Moses (sws) ended on the
previous verse. In these succeeding verses, the same topic is
taken up as was discussed in the introductory part of the
surah in a new style and with new arguments. Prophet Muhammad
(sws) is addressed and told that the anecdote just narrated to
him is not merely a tale of the past; he and his followers are
going through similar circumstances. Those who are trying to
evade him and lead others away from him will not only bear
their own burden of sins on the Day of Judgement but also of
those who were led astray by them. That day will be very
harsh. None will have a say in it. Everyone will appear before
God and before Him no one will be able to intercede for anyone
unless He allows. The reminder which has been revealed to the
Prophet (sws) warns people of all dangers; he should recite it
to people. Those who have the urge will benefit from it and he
who evades it should be left alone by him. He is not
responsible for such people. Moreover, he should recite the
Qur’an to people in a gradual way just as it is being revealed
gradually. There is much wisdom in this methodology. He should
not show haste in this matter for it will deprive everyone of
its blessings. Adam (sws) showed haste and the consequence was
that Satan was able to expel him from Paradise. The Prophet (sws)
should direct the attention of those who are demanding a sign
of punishment from him to the history of their own land.
Moreover, he should be patient on their sarcastic remarks and
to attain patience fervently adhere to the prayer. He should
not go after the rich and the affluent to make them accept
faith: neither is he in need of their wealth and resources nor
is his preaching dependent on their patronage. God is his
patron and sufficient to sustain him and his companions. Those
who demand signs from him should be told that the greatest
sign is the Qur’an that has been sent to them. It has been
sent to them so that the truth can be conclusively conveyed to
them. He should also tell them that if they think that this
sign is not enough and would like a sign of the promised doom,
then they should wait and he too will wait.
Readers may now proceed to study these
verses in the light of this background.
Text and Translation
کَذٰلِكَ نَقُصُّ عَلَیۡكَ مِنۡ اَنۡبَآءِ
مَا قَدۡ سَبَقَ وَ قَدۡ اٰتَیۡنٰكَ مِنۡ لَّدُنَّا ذِکۡرًا (99)
مَنۡ اَعۡرَضَ عَنۡهُ فَاِنَّهُ یَحۡمِلُ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَةِ
وِزۡرًا (100) خٰلِدِیۡنَ فِیۡهِ وَ سَآءَ لَهُمۡ یَوۡمَ
الۡقِیٰمَةِ حِمۡلًا (101) یَّوۡمَ یُنۡفَخُ فِی الصُّوۡرِ وَ
نَحۡشُرُ الۡمُجۡرِمِیۡنَ یَوۡمَئِذٍ زُرۡقًا (102)
یَّتَخَافَتُوۡنَ بَیۡنَهُمۡ اِنۡ لَّبِثۡتُمۡ اِلَّا عَشۡرًا
(103) نَحۡنُ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَا یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ اِذۡ یَقُوۡلُ
اَمۡثَلُهُمۡ طَرِیۡقَةً اِنۡ لَّبِثۡتُمۡ اِلَّا یَوۡمًا (104)
وَ یَسۡـَٔلُوۡنَكَ عَنِ الۡجِبَالِ فَقُلۡ یَنۡسِفُهَا رَبِّیۡ
نَسۡفًا (105) فَیَذَرُهَا قَاعًا صَفۡصَفًا (106) لَّا تَرٰی
فِیۡهَا عِوَجًا وَّ لَاۤ اَمۡتًا (107) یَوۡمَئِذٍ
یَّتَّبِعُوۡنَ الدَّاعِیَ لَا عِوَجَ لَهُ وَ خَشَعَتِ
الۡاَصۡوَاتُ لِلرَّحۡمٰنِ فَلَا تَسۡمَعُ اِلَّا هَمۡسًا (108)
یَوۡمَئِذٍ لَّا تَنۡفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ اِلَّا مَنۡ اَذِنَ لَهُ
الرَّحۡمٰنُ وَ رَضِیَ لَهُ قَوۡلًا (109) یَعۡلَمُ مَا بَیۡنَ
اَیۡدِیۡهِمۡ وَ مَا خَلۡفَهُمۡ وَ لَا یُحِیۡطُوۡنَ بِهِ
عِلۡمًا (110) وَ عَنَتِ الۡوُجُوۡهُ لِلۡحَیِّ الۡقَیُّوۡمِ وَ
قَدۡ خَابَ مَنۡ حَمَلَ ظُلۡمًا (111) وَ مَنۡ یَّعۡمَلۡ مِنَ
الصّٰلِحٰتِ وَ هُوَ مُؤۡمِنٌ فَلَا یَخٰفُ ظُلۡمًا وَّ لَا
هَضۡمًا (112) وَ کَذٰلِكَ اَنۡزَلۡنٰهُ قُرۡاٰنًا عَرَبِیًّا
وَّ صَرَّفۡنَا فِیۡهِ مِنَ الۡوَعِیۡدِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ یَتَّقُوۡنَ
اَوۡ یُحۡدِثُ لَهُمۡ ذِکۡرًا (113) فَتَعٰلَی اللّٰهُ الۡمَلِكُ
الۡحَقُّ وَ لَا تَعۡجَلۡ بِالۡقُرۡاٰنِ مِنۡ قَبۡلِ اَنۡ
یُّقۡضٰۤی اِلَیۡكَ وَحۡیُهُ وَ قُلۡ رَّبِّ زِدۡنِیۡ عِلۡمًا
(114) وَ لَقَدۡ عَهِدۡنَاۤ اِلٰۤی اٰدَمَ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ فَنَسِیَ
وَ لَمۡ نَجِدۡ لَهُ عَزۡمًا (115) وَ اِذۡ قُلۡنَا
لِلۡمَلٰٓئِکَةِ اسۡجُدُوۡا لِاٰدَمَ فَسَجَدُوۡا اِلَّاۤ
اِبۡلِیۡسَ اَبٰی (116) فَقُلۡنَا یٰۤـاٰدَمُ اِنَّ هٰذَا
عَدُوٌّ لَّكَ وَ لِزَوۡجِكَ فَلَا یُخۡرِجَنَّکُمَا مِنَ
الۡجَنَّةِ فَتَشۡقٰی (117) اِنَّ لَكَ اَلَّا تَجُوۡعَ فِیۡهَا
وَ لَا تَعۡرٰی (118) وَ اَنَّكَ لَا تَظۡمَؤُا فِیۡهَا وَ لَا
تَضۡحٰی (119) فَوَسۡوَسَ اِلَیۡهِ الشَّیۡطٰنُ قَالَ یٰۤـاٰدَمُ
هَلۡ اَدُلُّكَ عَلٰی شَجَرَةِ الۡخُلۡدِ وَ مُلۡكٍ لَّا یَبۡلٰی
(120) فَاَکَلَا مِنۡهَا فَبَدَتۡ لَهُمَا سَوۡاٰتُهُمَا وَ
طَفِقَا یَخۡصِفٰنِ عَلَیۡهِمَا مِنۡ وَّرَقِ الۡجَنَّةِ وَ
عَصٰۤی اٰدَمُ رَبَّهُ فَغَوٰی (121) ثُمَّ اجۡتَبٰهُ رَبُّهُ
فَتَابَ عَلَیۡهِ وَ هَدٰی (122) قَالَ اهۡبِطَا مِنۡهَا
جَمِیۡعًا بَعۡضُکُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ فَاِمَّا یَاۡتِیَنَّکُمۡ
مِّنِّیۡ هُدًی فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَایَ فَلَا یَضِلُّ وَ لَا
یَشۡقٰی (123) وَ مَنۡ اَعۡرَضَ عَنۡ ذِکۡرِیۡ فَاِنَّ لَهُ
مَعِیۡشَةً ضَنۡکًا وَّ نَحۡشُرُهُ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَةِ اَعۡمٰی
(124) قَالَ رَبِّ لِمَ حَشَرۡتَنِیۡۤ اَعۡمٰی وَ قَدۡ کُنۡتُ
بَصِیۡرًا (125) قَالَ کَذٰلِكَ اَتَتۡكَ اٰیٰتُنَا
فَنَسِیۡتَهَا وَکَذٰلِكَ الۡیَوۡمَ تُنۡسٰی (126) وَ کَذٰلِكَ
نَجۡزِیۡ مَنۡ اَسۡرَفَ وَ لَمۡ یُؤۡمِنۡ بِاٰیٰتِ رَبِّهِ وَ
لَعَذَابُ الۡاٰخِرَةِ اَشَدُّ وَ اَبۡقٰی (127) اَفَلَمۡ یَهۡدِ
لَهُمۡ کَمۡ اَهۡلَکۡنَا قَبۡلَهُمۡ مِّنَ الۡقُرُوۡنِ
یَمۡشُوۡنَ فِیۡ مَسٰکِنِهِمۡ اِنَّ فِیۡ ذٰلِكَ لَاٰیٰتٍ
لِّاُولِی النُّهٰی (128) وَ لَوۡ لَا کَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتۡ مِنۡ
رَّبِّكَ لَکَانَ لِزَامًا وَّ اَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّی (129) فَاصۡبِرۡ
عَلٰی مَا یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ وَ سَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ قَبۡلَ
طُلُوۡعِ الشَّمۡسِ وَ قَبۡلَ غُرُوۡبِهَا وَ مِنۡ اٰنَآیِٔ
الَّیۡلِ فَسَبِّحۡ وَ اَطۡرَافَ النَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرۡضٰی
(13) وَ لَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَیۡنَیۡكَ اِلٰی مَا مَتَّعۡنَا بِهِ
اَزۡوَاجًا مِّنۡهُمۡ زَهۡرَةَ الۡحَیٰوةِ الدُّنۡیَا
لِنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِیۡةِ وَ رِزۡقُ رَبِّكَ خَیۡرٌ وَّ اَبۡقٰی
(131) وَ اۡمُرۡ اَهۡلَكَ بِالصَّلٰوةِ وَ اصۡطَبِرۡ عَلَیۡهَا
لَا نَسۡـَٔلُكَ رِزۡقًا نَحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُكَ وَ الۡعَاقِبَةُ
لِلتَّقۡوٰی (132) وَ قَالُوۡا لَوۡ لَا یَاۡتِیۡنَا بِاٰیَةٍ
مِّنۡ رَّبِّهِ اَوَ لَمۡ تَاۡتِهِمۡ بَیِّنَةُ مَا فِی
الصُّحُفِ الۡاُوۡلٰی (133) وَ لَوۡ اَنَّـاۤ اَهۡلَکۡنٰهُمۡ
بِعَذَابٍ مِّنۡ قَبۡلِهِ لَقَالُوۡا رَبَّنَا لَوۡ لَاۤ
اَرۡسَلۡتَ اِلَیۡنَا رَسُوۡلًا فَنَتَّبِعَ اٰیٰتِكَ مِنۡ
قَبۡلِ اَنۡ نَّذِلَّ وَ نَخۡزٰی (143) قُلۡ کُلٌّ مُّتَرَبِّصٌ
فَتَرَبَّصُوۡا فَسَتَعۡلَمُوۡنَ مَنۡ اَصۡحٰبُ الصِّرَاطِ
السَّوِیِّ وَ مَنِ اهۡتَدٰی (135)
In this way, We also narrate to you
anecdotes of the past and have also given you a reminder
specially from Our self. Those who turn away from it will bear
a heavy burden on the Day of Judgement. They will always
remain under it and on the Day of Judgement it will be a very
heavy burden. The Day the trumpet shall be blown and We shall
gather the wrongdoers with their eyes turning blue out of
fear. They will be secretly saying to one another: “You must
have hardly stayed for ten days.” We very well know what they
will say when the most clever among them will say: “At most,
you have must have stayed for a day.” (99-104)
And they ask you about the mountains. Say:
My Lord will scatter them away in the form of dust and level
the earth flat. You will neither see
any bend in it nor a high place. On that Day, everyone will
follow the one who calls out. They shall dare not the
slightest deviate from him and all voices shall be lowered
before the Most Merciful God. You will only be able to hear
hushed whispers. On that Day, intercession will be of no avail
except if the Merciful allows someone and approves of him to
say something. He knows all that is in front of them and
behind them, and their knowledge cannot grasp Him. Everyone’s
faces will be bent down before the Ever-Living and
Ever-Sustaining God. And he who is guilty of any form of
polytheism will face humiliation. And he who does righteous
deeds and he is also a believer shall neither fear any
injustice nor oppression. (105-112)
And in this way We have revealed it in the
form of an Arabic Qur’an and have mentioned My warning in it
in various ways so that these people remain secure from God’s
wrath or it may produce some insight in them. So, exalted is
God, the real king. Thus you should not show haste in
acquiring the Qur’an before its revelation is complete and
keep praying: My Lord! Increase my knowledge further.
(113-114)
And before this, We had imposed the
obligation of a promise on Adam, but he forgot. And We did not
find him strong-willed. And when We asked the angels:
“prostrate before Adam,” they prostrated except Iblis. He
refused to do so. At this, We said: “Adam! He is an enemy to
you and to your wife. So, he should not succeed in expelling
you and your wife from this orchard so that you end up
deprived. Here you have the comfort of not being hungry nor
will you need any clothes; neither will thirst bother you nor
will you feel the sun.” But Satan tempted him. He said: “Adam!
Should I inform you of a tree which has eternal life and of a
kingdom which shall never perish?” So, both ate that tree’s
fruit. At this, their hidden parts became evident to them and
they began covering themselves with the leaves of that
orchard. And Adam disobeyed the directive of his Lord; he was
thus led astray. Then his Lord blessed him, graciously
accepted his repentance and guided him. He ordered: “All of
you get down from here. You shall remain enemies of one
another. Thus if there comes to you guidance from Me, then he
who follows My guidance will neither go astray nor will be
deprived. And he who turns away from My reminder, for him is a
life of affliction and on the Day of Judgement, We shall raise
him as a blind person.” He will say: “Lord! Why did you raise
me blind? I was one who had eyesight?” God will reply: “Our
revelations came to you in this world in this way; so you
ignored them. Today you shall be ignored likewise.” And in
this way shall We treat him in exchange who exceeds the limits
and does not profess faith in the revelations of his Lord and
the torment of the Hereafter will be more severe and more
lasting. (115-127)
Was this not enough to guide them that We
have destroyed many nations before them in whose settlements
they walk about? Indeed, there are many signs in this for
those who have intellect. And had a matter not been decreed
earlier by your Lord and there was not a prescribed time, a
torment would have surely visited them. So, show patience on
whatever they say and keep extolling your Lord while
glorifying Him before the sun rises and before it sets and
glorify him in the night times too and on the margins of the
day also so that you are showered with favours. And do not
even glance at the resources of worldly pleasures We have
given some of their groups in it for their trial, and your
Lord’s sustenance is better and lasting. And ask your people
to offer prayer and adhere to it yourself also. We do not ask
for any sustenance from you. It is We Who shall provide
sustenance to you, and success in the end is for piety.
(128-132)
And they say: “Why does he not bring a sign
from his Lord for us?” Has not the testimony of what is
written in their earlier scriptures reached them? And if We
destroyed them before this through some torment, they would
have said: “Lord! Why did You not send a messenger to us that
we may have followed Your revelations before being humiliated
and disgraced?” Say: Each one is waiting; so, you also wait.
Soon you will know who is treading the right path and who the
wrong one and who will reach the destination. (133-135)
Explanation
کَذٰلِكَ نَقُصُّ عَلَیۡكَ مِنۡ اَنۡبَآءِ
مَا قَدۡ سَبَقَ وَ قَدۡ اٰتَیۡنٰكَ مِنۡ لَّدُنَّا ذِکۡرًا (99)
The word refers to the account of Moses (sws)
that has just been narrated. The verse implies that these
important tales of the past are being narrated to the Prophet
(sws) from which it becomes clear how God dealt with His
messengers and their rivals. He can see the fate of his rivals
in the mirror of these accounts. The word
ذِکۡر refers to
the Qur’an. The Almighty has preserved in the Qur’an the
portion of accounts of the previous messengers and their
teachings that was meant to be preserved. Similarly, the
guidance that was to be revealed to Muhammad (sws) as the last
Prophet is also found in it.
مَنۡ اَعۡرَضَ عَنۡهُ فَاِنَّهُ یَحۡمِلُ
یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَةِ وِزۡرًا (100) خٰلِدِیۡنَ فِیۡهِ وَ سَآءَ
لَهُمۡ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَةِ حِمۡلًا (101)
These verses sound a threat to those who
will evade this reminder. The antecedent of the pronoun in
خَلِدِیۡنَ فِیۡهِ
is for the consequence of the word
وِزۡر (burden) which is punishment. They will forever
undergo punishment. The burden is called heavy for this very
reason. Moreover, no one will help them in carrying this
burden. Everyone will bear his own burden.
یَّوۡمَ یُنۡفَخُ فِی الصُّوۡرِ وَ نَحۡشُرُ
الۡمُجۡرِمِیۡنَ یَوۡمَئِذٍ زُرۡقًا (102)
The word زُرۡق
is the plural of أزْرَقْ.
The latter word refers to blue eyes.
However, as an idiom, it also refers to a person who is
terrified. This is because in extreme fear a person’s eyes
turn blue.
The previous verses mentioned the Day of
Judgement. This verse portrays it. The indirect style found in
“the Day the trumpet shall be blown” reflects the horrific
nature of the event: a great cataclysm will ensue but no one
will know from where the sound is coming.
یَّتَخَافَتُوۡنَ بَیۡنَهُمۡ اِنۡ
لَّبِثۡتُمۡ اِلَّا عَشۡرًا (103)
The verse implies that today these people
have absolutely no fear of the Day of Judgement. In the first
place they think that it is improbable. If they believe in it
to any extent, they ignore it thinking that life, then death,
then barzakh and then the hereafter are so far off that there
is no need to worry about it and spoil the pleasures of this
life. Today they may regard it to be far-fetched but when it
will come, they whisper about the time of their stay in this
world. I have explained at another place that people will have
no awareness of their time in barzakh when they rise on the
day of Judgement. They will think that they had just slept and
have now awakened.
As for the life of this world, as long as a
person lives through it, he keeps thinking that he has a lot
of time left. However, when death stares him in the eye, at
that time he thinks that what he thought to be a long span
turned out to be so brief. This is especially true about a
life spent in indifference: it seems like a dream from which
one has woken up. It is on this indifference that the Qur’an
has warned about here: it is not how a person feels here
because that is a total deception; the real feeling will be
the one when the truth comes before a person.
نَحۡنُ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَا یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ اِذۡ
یَقُوۡلُ اَمۡثَلُهُمۡ طَرِیۡقَةً اِنۡ لَّبِثۡتُمۡ اِلَّا
یَوۡمًا (104)
The implication of this verse is that no
one should think that details of what will happen on the Day
of Judgement the Almighty is informing them of are baseless
and are being presented to strike awe in their hearts. All
this is destined to happen.
The word اَمۡثَلۡ
means “better and superior.” Here it is used sarcastically. In
other words, this would be the statement of the person
considered the most clever and superior among them.
Those who are adept in classical Arabic
poetry know that the deception of which these verses warn is
one with which many poets were afflicted and would thereby
regard the Day of Judgement to be
حديث خرافة (a baseless
thing). I am intentionally abstaining from citing relevant
couplets and perhaps there is no need for it. This is because
this matter is not just specific to the age of jahiliyyah.
Even today people are under this deception. The Qur’an has
warned people of precisely this.
وَ یَسۡـَٔلُوۡنَكَ عَنِ الۡجِبَالِ فَقُلۡ
یَنۡسِفُهَا رَبِّیۡ نَسۡفًا (105) فَیَذَرُهَا قَاعًا صَفۡصَفًا
(106) لَّا تَرٰی فِیۡهَا عِوَجًا وَّ لَاۤ اَمۡتًا (107)
The word نَسۡف
means to uproot something, separate grain from chaff, make
something into straw and ash and have it blown away.
The antecedent of the pronoun in
فَیَذَرُهَا is
land. Pronouns are used in this way for obvious and famous
things. Several instances of such pronouns can be seen in the
Qur’an for the sky and the earth. Thus in verse 45 of Surah
al-Fatir: مَا تَرَكَ عَلَيٰ
ظَهْرِهَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ the
antecedent of the pronoun هَا
is the earth though it is not mentioned.
قَاع صَفۡصَف
refers to barren and flat land, which does not have any high
or low surfaces, vegetation or trees.
The word اَمۡت
refers to high ground. Regarding the Day of Judgement, the
Arabs had another misconception: they thought that the
mountains could never be destroyed. Even their intellectuals
had this view, let alone the masses. Zuhayr whose compositions
belong to the category of wisdom poetry is reported to have
said:
ألا أرى علي الحَوَادثِ باقِيًا
ولا خالِدا الّا
الجِبالَ
الرّواسِيَا
(Except for these mountains implanted so
deeply, I do not regard anything else to withstand the
calamities of time)
When the Qur’an warned people of the
cataclysm that would take place on the Day of Judgement,
because of this very misconception, many would sarcastically
ask the Prophet (sws) about the fate of mountains.
The people of Arabia regarded the mountains
to be huge and indestructible; however, today’s human beings
regard themselves to be unconquerable and proudly think that
very soon they will conquer the whole universe. In the
presence of this notion, the question of the hereafter does
not even come to their minds.
یَوۡمَئِذٍ یَّتَّبِعُوۡنَ الدَّاعِیَ لَا
عِوَجَ لَهُ وَ خَشَعَتِ الۡاَصۡوَاتُ لِلرَّحۡمٰنِ فَلَا
تَسۡمَعُ اِلَّا هَمۡسًا (108)
The word ہَمۡس
refers to a low and stifled sound like a whisper. The
implication of the verse is that today they are not listening
to the calls of God’s Messenger who is calling them to the
truth and vehemently opposing him. But on the day of Judgement
they will follow the calls of a caller who will lead them to
doom.
یَوۡمَئِذٍ لَّا تَنۡفَعُ الشَّفَاعَةُ
اِلَّا مَنۡ اَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحۡمٰنُ وَ رَضِیَ لَهُ قَوۡلًا
(109)
The exception mentioned in this verse is
severed (munqata‘). The verse refutes the claim of
intercession by the Arabs. They reckoned that the deities they
worship were favoured by God. Those deities would themselves
intercede for whomsoever of their worshippers they want. The
verse negates this claim. It states the two conditions of
intercession which can be beneficial. Any concept of
intercession that does not take these conditions into
consideration is baseless and a person who expects otherwise
will come to know of this fact on the Day of Judgement. I will
explain this aspect more under verse 28 of Surah al-Anbiya’.
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