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: اَعۡجَلَكَ 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 into
consideration.
These verses relate to the instance when
the Almighty had asked Moses (sws) to come to the same place
as when he was blessed with prophethood so that the Torah
could now be give 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 ascertained 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 اَتۡمَمۡنَهَا بِعَشۡرٍ فَتَمَّ
مِیۡقَاتُ رَبِّهِۤ 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 the consequence of 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
this 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 these nations had. 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 these 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 becomes 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 this 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 knows where Moses (sws) had gone to search for God, and
if they give 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 has just disappeared?
Samiri was a also 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 would pass
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 worse
that Aaron’s own life was subjected to danger and he felt that
if he now takes any step, instead of any benefit, great harm
will come about and the whole community would be dismembered.
Thus, he thought it best to leave matters 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 receive 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 prank 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)
had not did enough to protect the nation from the evil of
these miscreants. His grief was at the wretchedness of his
nation that 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 that they
should stay at that place until he returns with shari‘ah for
which he was going. He had told them to follow the directives
of Aaron (sws) during this time.
قَالُوۡا مَاۤ اَخۡلَفۡنَا مَوۡعِدَكَ
بِمَلۡکِنَا وَ لٰکِنَّا حُمِّلۡنَاۤ اَوۡزَارًا مِّنۡ زِیۡنَةِ
الۡقَوۡمِ فَقَذَفۡنَهَا 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
the 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 مَلۡک
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 in
order 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 this 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, now that
they have been pushed so far, they have 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 these 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 هَذَاۤ اِلَـهُکُمۡ 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
extract such a calf from which a bellowing sound would come
out. Samiri regarded this sound to be a consequence of his
magic. In order to fool the masses, he led them to believe
that he had thrown the dust created by the hooves of Gabriel’s
horse in this statue thereby creating this sound.
Even today people fool people 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 this mischief stirred the
propaganda that this calf is the real deity of the masses and
of Moses (sws); however, the latter had 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)7
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 هَرُوۡنُ مِنۡ
قَبۡلُ یٰقَوۡمِ اِنَّمَا فُتِنۡتُمۡ بِهِ وَ اِنَّ رَبَّکُمُ
الرَّحۡمٰنُ فَاتَّبِعُوۡنِیۡ وَ اَطِیۡعُوۡۤا 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 these 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 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 بَنِیۡۤ
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 this 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 to correct them. Now only two options remained:
either Aaron (sws) was to separate himself with his followers
from 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 this 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
this 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
بِهٖ 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 this 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 this 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 this
punishment in which he would continuously be cursed was not a
temporary one; he will have to endure it for the rest of his
life.
The words اَنۡ
تَقُوۡلَ لَا مِسَاسَ refer to the
fact that Samiri will 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 would virtually become 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 of his own
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 this 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 one’s self to be unclean is the ultimate of
extent of humiliation.
The last part of the verse shows portrays
the fate of the calf. Moses (sws) mentioned it in this way
because not only is it essential to wipe out polytheism, it is
also essential to destroy all its manifestations so that all
the viruses of this creed are 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 punished 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
others 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 from 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
out 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 out
this 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 are demanding 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 فَسَجَدُوۡۤا 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 هَدَی (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 (130) وَ لَا تَمُدَّنَّ
عَیۡنَیۡكَ اِلٰی مَا مَتَّعۡنَا بِهِۤ اَزۡوَاجًا مِّنۡهُمۡ
زَهۡرَةَ الۡحَیٰوةِ الدُّنۡیَا لِنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِیۡهِ
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 (134) 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
خٰلِدِیۡنَ فِیۡهِ
is for the consequence of the word
وِزۡر (burden) which is punishment. The 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 such 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 would 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 on which these verses warn is
the 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 too for citing them.
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 pass 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 of the Arabs. They reckoned that the deities they
worship are favoured by God. These deities will themselves
intercede for whomsoever of their worshippers they want to.
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’.
یَعۡلَمُ مَا بَیۡنَ اَیۡدِیۡهِمۡ وَ مَا
خَلۡفَهُمۡ وَ لَا یُحِیۡطُوۡنَ بِهِ عِلۡمًا (110)[25]
This verse has been explained under the
throne verse of Surah al-Baqarah. The implication is that
God’s knowledge is all embracing. None else can grasp the
extent of God’s knowledge. When this is the case, who can add
to His knowledge and on this basis intercede before Him for
someone. God does not need to find out the details about the
character of a person. This issue has been discussed under
verse 87 of Surah Maryam too. Readers can look it up.
وَ عَنَتِ الۡوُجُوۡهُ لِلۡحَیِّ
الۡقَیُّوۡمِ
وَ قَدۡ خَابَ مَنۡ حَمَلَ ظُلۡمًا (111)
The word عنو
means to express humility and meekness and the word
ظُلۡم means
polytheism, as has been explained at a number of instances.
This verse strikes another blow at the
advocates of the wrong conception of intercession. About their
alleged intercessors, they thought that they held a very high
status before God. They could coax and cajole Him to accept
whatever they wanted. They could ask Him with full courage,
confidence and insistence to fulfil their desires. Such was
the affection God had for them that He would necessary accept
their wishes and intercession. The verse negates this concept
in an emphatic way.
Here from among the attributes of God, the
ones referred to are الۡحَیُّ
and الۡقَیُّوۡمُ.
The have a special significance. It is known about the
Idolaters of Arabia that they did believe in God but because
of their polytheistic beliefs, they had relegated him to the
status of a helpless elder of a house who had delegated all
his responsibilities to others and secluded himself in
isolation. This conception of God had made them totally
indifferent to His existence and made them trust and depend on
their alleged deities and intercessors. Here the Qur’an has
also criticized this view by informing them that God is a
living God Who is overseeing the matters of His creatures. He
has not left them at the mercy of others and it should not be
thought that as the first cause has no role in their lives.
The word ظُلۡم
refers to polytheism and it is not defined to signify the fact
that in whatever form a person indulges in it will not be
acceptable to God in the Hereafter. Here it needs to be kept
in mind that polytheism is not merely idol-worship; it has
some very subtle and blatant forms and each leads to ruin in
the hereafter. I have been referring to its various types
during the course of this tafsir and have also penned an
independent tract on this subject: Essence of Polytheism.
وَ مَنۡ یَّعۡمَلۡ مِنَ الصّٰلِحٰتِ وَ
هُوَ مُؤۡمِنٌ فَلَا یَخٰفُ ظُلۡمًا وَّ لَا هَضۡمًا (112)
When ظُلۡم
and ہَضۡم
occur together the way they have in this
verse, the former refers to usurpation of rights and the
latter to embezzlement and injustice. In the first, a person
does not fulfil his rights towards others and in the second a
person is guilty of extorting from others.
The previous verse pointed out that doomed
is the person who indulges in any form of polytheism. Here it
is said in parallel that he who does righteous deeds and is
also a believer, he will be fully rewarded and should not fear
any appropriation or extortion.
The condition of being a believer shows
that the person is doing righteous deeds while adhering to
monotheism; if these deeds are contaminated with polytheism in
any way, then they will not carry any weight before God.
وَ کَذٰلِكَ اَنۡزَلۡنٰهُ قُرۡاٰنًا
عَرَبِیًّا وَّ صَرَّفۡنَا فِیۡهِ مِنَ الۡوَعِیۡدِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ
یَتَّقُوۡنَ اَوۡ یُحۡدِثُ لَهُمۡ ذِکۡرًا (113)
This verse is coordinated to what is said
earlier from where this subject was brought up. In verses
99-100 it was pointed out that God has specially revealed this
reminder from Himself: those who turn away from it will carry
a heavy burden on the Day of Judgement. After that a warning
was sounded regarding the advent of the Day of Judgement.
After this mention, the previous subject is taken up with a
new introduction and more details.
It is stated that for this purpose of
reminder the Qur’an has been revealed: the necessary
consequences of denying it are explained in it so that if
people want to adopt the path of piety and God-consciousness,
they are afforded this opportunity; if they do not do so, then
they shall stand fully cognizant of the fact that if they are
seized by God, then they do not have any excuse to offer for
their attitude.
The assertion of revealing the Qur’an in
Arabic has been made as a favour to the Arabs and also as a
means of conclusive communication of the truth. In other
words, it is a great blessing of God that this Book has been
revealed in their own language to remind them and convey the
truth to them in this way. Now, they cannot present the excuse
that if a messenger had come to with a book in their language,
they would have been the foremost in accepting faith. The
Qur’an has done away with this excuse.
The word تصريف
means to explain something in a multiple and a variety of
ways, as has been indicated at various instances. The
implication is that in the first case, the Book has been
revealed in their language and in the second place not left
any ambiguity in stating the consequences of evading it: they
have been fully elucidated on the basis of knowledge,
intellect, history as well as on the basis of the signs found
within human beings and those around him. If even after this
elaborate arrangement, these people do not mend their ways,
who is to blame?
The purpose of all this arrangement is to
create piety and God-consciousness. If they do not understand
this, then at least they should know the purpose of being sent
in this world and what they, on the contrary, are guilty of.
It may be kept in mind that the Qur’an has once again reminded
the Arabs of that part of their history in which their
forefathers Abraham (sws) and Ishmael (sws) had made them
inhabit the land of Arabia. The word
احداث is pointing
to this aspect. The expression احداث
ذكر means to once again remind
people of some anecdote.
فَتَعٰلَی اللّٰهُ الۡمَلِكُ الۡحَقُّ
وَ لَا تَعۡجَلۡ بِالۡقُرۡاٰنِ مِنۡ قَبۡلِ اَنۡ
یُّقۡضٰۤی اِلَیۡكَ وَحۡیُهُ وَ قُلۡ رَّبِّ زِدۡنِیۡ عِلۡمًا
(114)
In order to understand the correct meaning
of this verse, readers are advised to look up what is written
under verses 64-65 of Surah Maryam. The sole weapon of the
Prophet (sws) against the onslaughts of his rivals was the
Qur’an. Thus he was naturally anxious to receive it. It would
guide him in his hardships, assure him in his travails and
provide him with decisive answers to the never ending sequence
of demands and questions posed to him. For this reason, he
would always be waiting for new guidance from God much like a
soldier waiting for fresh supplies to combat a huge army. To
allay these worries, he is assured that he should not hastily
demand the revelation of the Qur’an. The exalted God knows
what benefits are there in its piece-meal revelation; He is
the real king of the universe and the reminder sounded by him
to people is His decree. It is not a request or a pleading.
Regardless of the people’s response to this Book, the Prophet
(sws) should continue to recite it out to them in the gradual
sequence it is being revealed. God fully knows the wisdom in
the time span He has allocated for it. He should not ask to
have it hastily sent down before this time frame and on the
contrary keep praying that his Lord may increase his
knowledge.
This subject is discussed in the Qur’an at
many instances and everywhere with this background. Our
exegetes have confined its meaning to a certain understanding.
They contend that when Gabriel would recite the revelation to
the Prophet (sws), he would show haste in acquiring it and was
hence stopped from doing so. This in itself is correct that
intense interest does make a person impatient. When a much
awaited letter arrives, we try to read it in one go. This is a
natural sentiment and the Prophet (sws) must have had it for
the Qur’an as well. However, it is not correct that the
Prophet (sws) has been stopped on expressing this. The real
background has already been referred to. This subject is also
brought up at other instances in the Qur’an and if they are
read together, the whole matter will become evident.
وَ لَقَدۡ عَهِدۡنَاۤ اِلٰۤی اٰدَمَ مِنۡ
قَبۡلُ فَنَسِیَ وَ لَمۡ نَجِدۡ لَهُ عَزۡمًا (115)
The expression
عَهِدَ اِلٰی means “to impose a
responsibility on someone.”
In the previous verse, the Prophet (sws)
has been stopped from showing haste regarding the Qur’an.
Here, in this verse in order to explain the harms of haste,
the incident of Adam (sws) and Satan is referred to: it was
this hastiness that made Adam (sws) commit a mistake. Satan
took advantage of this weakness found in human nature and
enticed Adam (sws): he disobeyed God’s directive regarding the
forbidden tree. The result was that Adam (sws) was expelled
from Paradise and made to inhabit the earth, as a place of his
trial and test. The purpose of citing this incident is that
haste never pays. Earlier, in the account of Moses (sws), it
was also shown that his hastiness did not produce good results
and his nation was afflicted with a grave trial. In the
background of these incidents, the Prophet (sws) is instructed
that he too should not be impatient in his preaching: he
should do whatever he is being revealed to him a gradual way.
If he shows impatience, it may result in some lacunae in the
training of his people, even if his intention and objective is
good. It may well be that some devil or Samiri take advantage
of this and lead them astray.
The words مِنۡ
قَبۡلُ (before this) refer to the
past episode of Adam (sws) and Satan. In other words, just as
the Prophet (sws) is being asked to not show haste, Adam (sws),
his forefather and that of while mankind, was given this
directive but he could not comply with it. The result was that
Satan succeeded in deceiving him. Since past experiences,
especially if they relate to one’s own lineage are a means of
guidance for present and future generations, it was said that
the Prophet (sws) must keep them in mind.
The word نَسِیَ
refers to something slipping the mind. In other words, the
directive given to Adam (sws) slipped his mind once he was
overcome with impatience even though it was transient. He was
not able to maintain his resolve. Details of the directive
given to him and the nature of his mistake are coming up. This
verse merely says that all emotions are part of human nature
but must be confined within limits. If they remain within
these limits, they produce great benefits for individuals and
for societies. However, if they become unbridled, they are a
great danger to both. People must inculcate in themselves the
traits of patience and resolve to keep these emotions in
check. In the absence of this control, an emotion can wreak
havoc any time. Haste is an emotion among others and it is
found in human nature. In verse 37 of Surah al-Anbiya’ and in
verse11 of Surah Bani Isra’il, it is thus respectively stated:
خُلِقَ الإنْسَانُ مِنْ عَجَلٍ
(human beings are made from the substance of haste) and
كَانَ الإنْسَانُ عُجُوْلًا
(human beings are impatient). This emotion is advantageous for
people only if it is controlled by patience and resolve
otherwise it will jeopardise their life.
The last part of the verse is meant to
point to the impatience shown by Adam (sws) and inform the
Prophet (sws) of its consequences.
وَ اِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلٰٓئِکَةِ
اسۡجُدُوۡا لِاٰدَمَ فَسَجَدُوۡۤا اِلَّاۤ اِبۡلِیۡسَ
اَبٰی (116)
In the previous verse that part of the
incident of Adam (sws) and Satan has been referred to which
was needed for the specific objective it was cited. Now the
actual incident is described. By summarizing an incident
before it is actually mentioned, it becomes very helpful in
understanding the coherence of a discourse. The Qur’an has
adopted this style at various instances. In the incident of
the seven sleepers in Surah al-Khahf too this style has been
adopted.
The incident of Adam (sws) and Satan has
also been discussed in the tafsir of Surah al-Baqarah and
Surah al-A‘raf. Repeating it here would be needless. Readers
may look up what is written under verses 30-39 of Surah al-Baqarah
and verses 11-14 of Surah al-A‘raf. The wisdom behind this
directive, the nature of prostration, the reason for including
both the jinn and angels in the directive and the arrogance of
Satan, all have been explained to the best of my
understanding.
فَقُلۡنَا یٰۤـاٰدَمُ اِنَّ هٰذَا عَدُوٌّ
لَّكَ وَ لِزَوۡجِكَ فَلَا یُخۡرِجَنَّکُمَا مِنَ الۡجَنَّةِ
فَتَشۡقٰی (117)
Not only did Satan refuse prostration, in
frenzy of jealousy, he also challenged God, as has been
explained under verses 14-22 of Surah al-A‘raf. He claimed
that if he was given this respite, he would prove that that
neither are human beings worthy of any superiority over him
nor do they deserve Paradise; most of them would become his
own followers. On the one hand, God gave him this respite and
warned him that He will cast him and all his followers in Hell
and on the other hand, informed Adam (sws) that he should stay
in Paradise but should remember that Satan is his eternal
enemy. He should stand guard against him lest he leads them
astray and haves him expelled from Paradise and he ends up in
deprivation and despair.
اِنَّ لَكَ اَلَّا تَجُوۡعَ فِیۡهَا وَ
لَا تَعۡرٰی (118) وَ اَنَّكَ لَا تَظۡمَؤُا فِیۡهَا وَ لَا
تَضۡحٰی (119)
In these two verses, a very comprehensive
picture of the Paradise in which Adam (sws) had been placed.
What is said here is that he will neither face the hardships
of cold nor of hot weather.
In cold weather, hunger and shelter are
needed and in hot weather protection from the sun and water
for drinking are needed. Those who are aware of classical
Arabic literature know that they would refer to the pangs of
hot and cold weather by mentioning these aspects. Some people
are of the view that it would have been more apt to mention
thirst with hunger and the heat of the sun with shelter. In
our opinion, this is the result of a deprivation of literary
flair for Arabic.
فَوَسۡوَسَ اِلَیۡهِ الشَّیۡطٰنُ قَالَ
یٰۤـاٰدَمُ هَلۡ اَدُلُّكَ عَلٰی شَجَرَةِ الۡخُلۡدِ وَ مُلۡكٍ
لَّا یَبۡلٰی (120)
Though Satan had been expelled from
Paradise for showing arrogance and disobeying God, he had
sought respite from Him until the Day of Judgement to entice
Adam (sws) and his progeny. Thus he came to him even in
Paradise to whisper his suggestions to him cited in the verse.
He tried to entice Adam (sws) into eating the forbidden fruit
by telling him that this will ensure his eternal stay in
Paradise. In the first place, human beings have this weakness
to do the very thing they have been stopped from; in the
second, Adam (sws) did fear that he may be asked to go out of
Paradise because God had warned him that Satan was his eternal
enemy and may have him driven out of Paradise. Satan perceived
this fear found in Adam (sws) and was successful in convincing
him that if he wanted eternal life and an eternal kingdom, he
should taste this fruit. Being overwhelmed with the desire to
live eternally, Adam (sws) forgot that God had warned him
about the enmity of Satan. He regarded his enemy to be his
well-wisher and was deceived by him.
It is evident from this that though Satan
is an eternal enemy of Adam’s progeny, his most successful
line of attack is the one he adopts in the garb of being a
well-wisher and friend. He comes in this garb and makes people
realize that the secret to their cultural and social
development lies in the very things God and His Messenger have
disallowed to them. Even in current times, we can see that
this precisely is the greatest argument presented by the
agents of Satan to inveigle human beings.
In verse 20 of Surah al-A‘raf, the topic
discussed in this verse is stated thus:
مَا نَهٰىكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هٰذِهِ
الشَّجَرَةِ اِلَّا اَنْ تَكُوْنَا مَلَكَيْنِ اَوْ تَكُوْنَا
مِنَ الْخٰلِدِيْنَ (your Lord has
only stopped you from this tree lest you become angels or that
you may acquire immortality). Here the question arises that in
the verse under discussion, the words used are
مُلۡكٍ لَّا یَبۡلٰی
(eternal kingdom) and in Surah al-A‘raf, the words are
اَنْ تَكُوْنَا مَلَكَيْنِ
(lest you make become angels). Though these may not be two
contradictory statements, but they sure are different. How can
they be reconciled? In order to do away with this discrepancy,
some people have read the Surah al-A‘raf verse as
اَنْ تَكُوْنَا مَلَكيِنِ (lest you
become kings). However, in the first place, this
reconciliation is not very sound and in the second the
mutawatir reading is the one only found in the mushaf and non-mutawatir
readings are not acceptable.
In my view, the answer to this question is that Satan tried to
entice Adam (sws) and Eve in various ways. At times, he told
them that eating this fruit would turn them into angels and at
times he told them that they would gain an eternal kingdom.
The basis of my view is that it is explicitly mentioned in
verse 22 of Surah al-A‘raf that Satan had tried hard to
inveigle Adam (sws). He had to give him a lot of assurances in
order to win him over. While explaining the afore-mentioned
verse, I had written that the expression
فَدَلّٰىہُمَا بِغُرُوۡرٍ means to gradually entice and
lead a person away. It is thus evident that Adam (sws) did not
succumb to Satan with just one of the outcomes he had
mentioned. It is only after he had led Adam (sws) to believe
of various fantastic outcomes and that too at different
instances that this happened. The purpose was to somehow
deceive him.
فَاَکَلَا مِنۡهَا فَبَدَتۡ لَهُمَا
سَوۡاٰتُهُمَا وَ طَفِقَا یَخۡصِفٰنِ عَلَیۡهِمَا مِنۡ وَّرَقِ
الۡجَنَّةِ وَ عَصٰۤی اٰدَمُ رَبَّهُ فَغَوٰی (121)
This verse has been explained in Surah al-Baqarah
and in verse 22 of Surah al-A‘raf too.
The word غَوٰی
means “to go astray.” The
implication of the verse is that Adam (sws) was deceived by
Satan and he tasted the forbidden fruit. As a result, he was
deprived of his attire of Paradise about which it was
mentioned in verse 118 that God had promised never to deprive
him. Adam (sws) and Eve began covering their bodies in
embarrassment and uneasiness. They had taken this step to
acquire eternal life in Paradise but the result was that they
even lost what they had.
ثُمَّ اجۡتَبٰهُ رَبُّهُ فَتَابَ عَلَیۡهِ
وَ هَدَی (122)
Here اجۡتَبي
is mentioned before Adam (sws)
repented and his repentance was accepted. Thus this word means
giving Adam (sws) the urge to repent and giving him the words
of repentance. In verse 37 of Surah al-Baqarah, the words used
are: فَتَلَقّٰۤی
اٰدَمُ مِنۡ رَّبِّہٖ کَلِمٰتٍ
فَتَابَ عَلَیۡہِ
ؕ اِنَّہٗ ہُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِیۡمُ (Thus
Adam learnt some words from his Lord and repented; so, his
Lord accepted his repentance; indeed, He is one who graciously
accepts repentance and is very merciful).
In verse 23 of Surah al-A‘raf, the words of repentance are
cited thus: قَالَا رَبَّنَا
ظَلَمۡنَاۤ اَنۡفُسَنَا
ٜ وَ
اِنۡ لَّمۡ تَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَ تَرۡحَمۡنَا لَنَکُوۡنَنَّ مِنَ
الۡخٰسِرِیۡنَ (They prayed: Lord! We
have been unjust to our souls and if you do not forgive us and
have mercy on us, we would end up in loss). It is evident from
this that Adam (sws) was very ashamed at his mistake and it is
God’s law that if a person realizes his mistake, he is blessed
with the urge to repent from God and God makes him even more
close to Him. It is this status which is called
اجۡتَبي in this
verse. There is no doubt that very fortunate is the person who
besides realizing his blemish and having the urge to repent is
revealed words of repentance by God.
Consider the expression
وَ هَدٰی فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ.
The preposition عَلٰي
evidences the fact that it encompasses the
meaning of رحم
ie., he once again received God’s mercy and
guidance. I have referred to this in verse 37 of Surah al-Baqarah
as well. The word ہَدٰی
refers to the fact that God guided him in his future phases so
that he could combat the onslaughts of Satan.
This verse also refutes the Christian
belief of original sin and also of those who regard Adam (sws)
to be the father of human kind only but not a prophet of God.
The words of this verse signify that he was a prophet and
sense and reason too demand that God gave him a shari‘ah to
guide him and his progeny. The next verse explains this.
قَالَ اهۡبِطَا مِنۡهَا جَمِیۡعًا
بَعۡضُکُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ
فَاِمَّا یَاۡتِیَنَّکُمۡ مِّنِّیۡ هُدًی فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ
هُدَایَ فَلَا یَضِلُّ وَ لَا یَشۡقٰی (123)
This verse has been explained from various
aspects under verse 36 of Surah al-Baqarah and verse 24 of
Surah al-A‘raf. I have also tried to explain under these
verses the wisdom behind Adam (sws) coming into this world and
facing the challenge of Satan. I have further explained that
these verses do not address Adam (sws) and Eve; the address is
towards Adam (sws) and Satan in the capacity of two groups.
The words
بَعۡضُکُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ refer to
the fact that Satan will be their enemy and they too should
treat him as their enemy if they want to regain Paradise and
end up successful in the Hereafter. This is because every
sensible person regards his enemy to be his enemy and is
always on guard against him. Only foolish people befriend
their enemies and follow their advice.
Those who regard the dual form mentioned
here to imply Adam (sws) and Eve as being addressed here are
grossly mistaken. In the first place, exactly the same
statement is cited in Surah al-Baqarah in plural form.
Secondly, if the dual form occurs here in the verse under
discussion, it is also qualified by the word
جَمِیۡعًۢا (all).
If Adam (sws) and Eve are addressed here, then this word is
absolutely needless here. Thirdly, the natural relationship
between Adam (sws) and Eve is not of enmity: it is of love. If
there is some hostility between a husband and wife, it is not
because they are enemies of one another; it is because of
Satan’s enticement. However, the enmity between Satan and
between Adam (sws) and Eve is natural and extends until the
Day of Judgement. The enmity of Satan is based on jealousy and
he had openly declared this basis. As far as a human being’s
enmity for him is concerned, then every sane person should
remember that he has been sent out of Paradise to combat this
enmity. If he befriends Satan, it would mean that he is
calling for his own doom at the hands of his enemy.
Consider next the last part of the verse:
“Thus if there comes to you guidance from Me, then he who
follows My guidance will neither go astray nor will be
deprived.” This actually is the weapon which God had blessed
Adam (sws) and his progeny with. Since human beings have been
sent in this world to combat a very clever foe, it was the
will of God that He not only guide them through their nature
and intellect but also through divine revelation so that they
could fight Satan with double the might and power.
Two things are clearly proven from this
verse:
Firstly, the sole means to remain secure
from the onslaughts of Satan in this world is the Book of God.
He who is deprived of this light will always remain vulnerable
to the enticement of devils found both among the jinn and
humankind.
Secondly, Adam (sws) was a prophet. He has
been sent in this world to counter the onslaughts of Satan for
which God’s guidance for both Adam (sws) and his progeny is
essential. Thus, God must have revealed a shari‘ah to him
according to the circumstances. I have referred to some
directives of his shari‘ah under the incident of Abel and Cain
in verse 31 of Surah al-Ma’idah
وَ مَنۡ
اَعۡرَضَ عَنۡ ذِکۡرِیۡ فَاِنَّ لَهُ مَعِیۡشَةً ضَنۡکًا وَّ
نَحۡشُرُهُ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَةِ اَعۡمٰی (124)
The expression
مَعِیۡشَةً ضَنۡکًا refers to a life
devoid of peace of mind and inner satisfaction.
There is a vacuum in a human being which is
only filled by faith in God. So unless he has this faith in
him nothing else can give him peace of mind and assurance.
Other things, however grand and attractive they may be, can
provide temporary joy but they cannot give relief to the
anxiety found in the heart and soul of a person. When a child
cries because of hunger, it can be appeased for a little while
through a nipple or a soother but it receives satisfaction
only when a mother feeds it. Without this arrangement, the
child remains restless. Similar is the case with a human
being. He may provide himself with various means and resources
but if he is deprived of faith in God he will remain
dissatisfied, hesitant, fearful, unstable and in a state of
spiritual crises however much he may try to hide this. The
kingdom of the satisfied soul is acquired by true and firm
faith. اَلَا بِذِكْرِاللّٰهِ
تَطْمَئِنَّ الْقُلُوْبُ (Listen! It
is only through God’s remembrance that hearts receive
assurance).
A question may arise here: there are many
people who lay claim to faith but they spend their lives in
great worries and straitened circumstances; on the other hand,
there are so many who regard faith in God to be a hoax but
they lead very comfortable and happy lives. The answer to this
question is that in the first place here the discussion is not
with those who merely lay claim to faith but with those who
have true faith. Secondly, we only see the apparent splendour
of those whom we regard to be very happy even though they are
indifferent to God. If we were able to creep into their
hearts, we would be able to see so many threats, doubts and
fears concealed in them but they are not apparent to everyone.
Only they themselves can see them or those who have the
insight of faith in them.
The verse goes on to say that those who
evade God’s remembrance will be resurrected blind on the Day
of Judgement. The reason is that it is this remembrance which
removes hurdles from the faculties of sight, hearing and
intellect. The Qur’an has specified that he who evades this
remembrance is blind, deaf and intellectually deprived in
spite of having the afore-mentioned faculties. As a punishment
of grossly disrespecting His favours, God will raise such
foolish animals as blind. These favours were not given to
people so that they become slaves of what is palpable and
tangible; on the contrary, they were given to them to observe
signs that are etched in every nook and corner and every
particle of this universe. If a person sees but cannot see
what is most obvious, then he may see everything but
understands nothing.
Here a question arises. In verse 22 of
Surah Qaf, it is stated: فَکَشَفۡنَا
عَنۡکَ غِطَآءَکَ فَبَصَرُکَ الۡیَوۡمَ حَدِیۡدٌ
(so, now We have removed that veil which
covered you; thus sharp is your eyesight today). On the other
hand, it is stated here that God will raise up that person as
blind. How can this discrepancy be reconciled? The answer is
that there is no discrepancy. In Surah Qaf, the subtle
implication is that people remain slaves to their faculties in
this world; not only do they not realize their blindness, they
in fact regard themselves to be intellectuals; however, on the
Day of Judgement, they will realize their blindness. Today
such is the case that in spite of the fact that the eyes of
our scientists are fully equipped with telescopes and
microscopes, they are unable to see their own eyes. Yet a day
will come when everything will become evident and no would be
able to deny the reality. It is to this revelation that the
verse of Surah Qaf points to.
قَالَ رَبِّ
لِمَ حَشَرۡتَنِیۡۤ اَعۡمٰی وَ قَدۡ کُنۡتُ بَصِیۡرًا (125)
قَالَ کَذٰلِكَ اَتَتۡكَ اٰیٰتُنَا فَنَسِیۡتَهَا
وَکَذٰلِكَ الۡیَوۡمَ تُنۡسٰی (126)
The word نسي
here means “to ignore.”
The implication
of this verse is that if they had been given eyes, why did
they not get opened in spite of reminders and warnings? The
punishment of such eyes is that they remain shut. Their
complaint is of no use. Just as they had ignored God’s
revelations, they deserve to be ignored themselves.
وَ کَذٰلِكَ
نَجۡزِیۡ مَنۡ اَسۡرَفَ وَ لَمۡ یُؤۡمِنۡ بِاٰیٰتِ رَبِّهِ
وَ لَعَذَابُ الۡاٰخِرَةِ اَشَدُّ وَ اَبۡقٰی (127)
The word إسراف
means “to exceed the limits.” The expression
مَنۡ اَسۡرَفَ
refers to people who wasted their talents in the very things
they had to abstain from and ignored things they were required
to do.
اَفَلَمۡ
یَهۡدِ لَهُمۡ کَمۡ اَهۡلَکۡنَا قَبۡلَهُمۡ مِّنَ الۡقُرُوۡنِ
یَمۡشُوۡنَ فِیۡ مَسٰکِنِهِمۡ
اِنَّ فِیۡ ذٰلِكَ لَاٰیٰتٍ لِّاُولِی النُّهٰی (128)
The correct meaning of
اَفَلَمۡ یَهۡدِ لَهُمۡ
would be “was not such and such a thing not
enough to open their eyes and give them guidance?”
This is an answer given to those who were
demanding a sign for the punishment. Were not the ruins of the
destroyed nations like the ‘Ād and the Thamud they pass by in
their trade journeys sufficient to open their eyes? Arab poets
have versified the destruction of their cities. These cities
were situated along the main trade-routes. In the presence of
these blatant signs, what more do they want? A sensible person
is one who learns from the fate of others and not when his own
fate stares him in the eye. If human beings adopt this
attitude, then what difference remains between them and
animals?
وَ لَوۡ لَا
کَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتۡ مِنۡ
رَّبِّكَ لَکَانَ لِزَامًا وَّ اَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّی (129)
The expression
اَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّی is coordinated to
کَلِمَةٌ.
This verse answers the demand of showing a sign of punishment.
In other words, if this punishment is not visiting them, it is
because its time is fixed according to God’s established
practice and prescribed law. No one should think that this is
a bluff or God does not have the resources to bring it about.
This subject is brought up in the Qur’an at a number of
instances. Thus in verse 14 of Surah of Surah al-Shura, it is
stated: وَ لَوۡ لَا کَلِمَۃٌ
سَبَقَتۡ مِنۡ رَّبِّکَ اِلٰۤی اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّی لَّقُضِیَ
بَیۡنَہُمۡ.
It is evident from this that God has appointed a day of
accountability for the deniers. For this reason, in spite of
the haste shown by the hasty, God is giving them respite.
Unfortunate are the people who instead of benefitting from
this respite become even more rebellious.
The word کَلِمَۃٌ
here refers to the fact that God has already fixed a time of
punishment and the expression اَجَلٌ
مُّسَمًّی is pointing to the fact
that a certain time of its advent has been prescribed; its
time of arrival is not ambiguous or vague in any way. In God’s
calendar, its time of arrival is fixed to the second.
فَاصۡبِرۡ
عَلٰی مَا یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ وَ سَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ قَبۡلَ
طُلُوۡعِ الشَّمۡسِ وَ قَبۡلَ غُرُوۡبِهَا
وَ مِنۡ اٰنَآیِٔ الَّیۡلِ فَسَبِّحۡ وَ اَطۡرَافَ
النَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرۡضٰی (130)
The Prophet (sws) is now urged to exercise
patience at the nonsense he is facing from his adversaries and
to do this he is asked to be diligent in the prayer as much as
he can. Patience is based on the belief that whatever happens,
happens with God’s will, which is based on the greater good of
everyone. The greatest and most effective means to fully
implant this belief in one’s mind is the prayer.
Consider now the expression:
وَ سَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ.
The general meaning of tasbih is God’s remembrance and this is
required all the time. However, here its mention is qualified
by time. For this reason, it refers to the prayer. The word
hamd is mentioned right after it to delineate the true form of
God’s remembrance. While the dominant element in tasbih is to
absolve God from all negative attributes, the dominant element
in hamd is to affirm all positive attributes in God. If any of
these aspects is not kept in mind, the true conception of God
is sacrificed, as a result of which
the whole system of person’s life is ruined. Some religions
gave so much importance to the first aspect that God became
aloof and inaccessible to them. As a result, they ended up
needing mediators and intercessors. In order to safeguard
people from this trial, the Qur’an has directed people to keep
in mind both aspects so that their relationship with God is
established on the right footing. Without this relationship, a
person cannot adhere to the right path.
Consider now the words:
قَبۡلَ طُلُوۡعِ الشَّمۡسِ وَ قَبۡلَ
غُرُوۡبِهَا. Before sunrise and
sunset come the prayers of fajr and ‘asr. This is also
mentioned in a narrative in the Al-Jami‘ al-sahih of al-Bukhari.
The reason that both these prayers are mentioned the foremost
is their importance in religion.
The words
فَسَبِّحۡ وَ مِنۡ اٰنَآیِٔ الَّیۡلِ
refer to the night prayers. One of them is isha’ and the other
is tahajjud. The verb is repeated here for emphasis. The
emphasis laid is because both these prayers need extra effort.
The words وَ
اَطۡرَافَ النَّهَارِ point to the
three prayers on the boundaries of the day: chasht, zuhr and
maghrib. It is very evident that both chasht and maghrib are
at the boundaries of the day. Deliberation shows that zuhr too
is at the boundary since the day is divided into two by it.
Its time is at the last edge of the first part of the day and
at the opening edge of the second part.
This verse clearly negates the view of
those people who claim that the timings of the prayer are not
mentioned in the Qur’an. Not only does the Qur’an mention the
obligatory prayers, it also mentions the tahajjud and ishraq
prayer. The Prophet (sws) has crystallized these timings
through his own practice. He has also determined the forms of
the prayers and also designated the obligatory and the
optional ones. Obviously, it was his task to delineate all
these details and to determine the extent and limits of each
prayer. This is because he was not merely a person who was to
recite out the Qur’an to people; he was also its teacher.
Here it may be kept in mind that the prayer
is stressed upon as a means to acquire perseverance. These
verses were revealed in the very tough phase of the struggle
between truth and evil. In them, the Prophet (sws) and through
him all the ummah are informed of a measure that will make
them persevere in trying circumstances and make them worthy of
God’s help as well. In such circumstances, it is not merely
the obligatory prayers which are needed; to be diligent in the
optional ones is also required. This view of ours is
corroborated by the Qur’an, the sayings of the Prophet (sws)
and the practice of the righteous. In general circumstances,
the prayers of tahajjud and ishraq are optional prayers but in
challenging and difficult circumstances, whether they are
individual or collective, these prayers must be adhered to as
well.
This issue will insha’Allah be discussed in
detail in Surah al-Muzzammil and at an appropriate instance
also shed light on the wisdom behind the timings of the
prayers.
Consider next the last expression of the
verse: لَعَلَّكَ تَرۡضٰی
(so that you are showered with favour). In verse 5 of Surah
al-Ḍuha, it is similarly said: وَ
لَسَوۡفَ یُعۡطِیۡكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرۡضٰی
Concealed in the two words of the verse
under discussion is a world of meaning. The implication is
that the Prophet (sws) should adhere to his stance and be
diligent in offering the prayer; as a result, God will bless
him with so many successes of this world and the next that he
will be drenched. Found in these prayers is everything that he
needs and there is no need for him to look up to anyone else.
وَ لَا
تَمُدَّنَّ عَیۡنَیۡكَ اِلٰی مَا مَتَّعۡنَا بِهِۤ اَزۡوَاجًا
مِّنۡهُمۡ زَهۡرَةَ الۡحَیٰوةِ الدُّنۡیَا لِنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِیۡهِ
وَ رِزۡقُ رَبِّكَ خَیۡرٌ وَّ اَبۡقٰی (131)
In this verse, the Prophet (sws) has been
stopped from pampering and showing concern for the rich and
affluent of his nation. The affluent elements of a nation are
responsible for its development or decadence. If they become
corrupt, the whole nation follows suit and if they remain
upright, uprightness of the whole nation can be expected. For
this reason, it has remained the established practice of the
prophets of God that they address the elders and chiefs of
their nations the foremost. Until and unless they lose hope in
them due to their stubbornness and obduracy, they continue to
reform them. As per this established practice, Muhammad (sws)
too first called upon the leaders and the affluent elements of
the Quraysh. Prophets reckon that if the rich accept the
truth, their influence and resources would significantly help
the cause and also the poor among the Muslims. This desire is
solely based on the sincere well-being of these affluent
elements and to keep aloft the word of God. However, when
these elements from their attitude showed that their hearts
will not melt before the truth, the Almighty stopped the
Prophet (sws) from being worried and concerned about them. He
was told to not the slightest care about their wealth; his
preaching has its own means and resources and God will provide
for him and his companions. If these people are not siding
with the truth, it is their own deprivation. God does not need
their wealth and resources.
The words “and do not even glance at the
resources of worldly pleasures” refer to the groups of the
Quraysh who held political authority in Makkah and Ta’if.
Obviously, the Prophet (sws) did not look towards their wealth
because of any greed. In fact, the affluent people of these
cities were prepared to offer a lot of wealth to the Prophet (sws)
on the condition that he desist from his preaching. However,
instead of accepting it, he recited before them some verses of
the Qur’an calling them to faith. Prophets of God have never
given any importance to the wealth and resources of people who
have not consigned their hearts to God. If a sensible person
sees that someone is wasting the vigour of his youth and all
his abilities to realize a wrong objective, he yearns to see
this young foolish man giving due importance to his abilities.
In a similar way, the Prophet (sws) too desired that the
affluent elements of his nation give due importance to the
blessings and favours they have received from God and they do
not squander their wealth and abilities to realize the mission
of Satan. This desire has its roots in sympathy and concern
for others. It has not the slightest semblance of any greed in
it. However, this sincerity and concern should have a limit.
As soon as it was reached, the Almighty stopped the Prophet (sws)
from it.
When the verse says that these favours have
been given to the groups by the Almighty, it expresses a fact.
If someone has wealth and resources in this world, it is
neither because of the inheritance he receives from his
forefathers nor the because of his intelligence; they are
God’s bestowal and by it, He sees whether a person is grateful
or ungrateful. Foolish is the person who does not understand
the actual reality and uses God’s favours to rebel against
Him.
The expression
زَهۡرَةَ الۡحَیٰوةِ الدُّنۡیَا is an
accusative of state from the genitive pronoun in
بِہٖۤ. Such
accusative of states are common in eloquent Arabic and many
examples of it have been pointed out in this exegesis. The
implication is that the wealth and resources God has blessed
them with are transient. If there is any use of them, then it
is using them to earn for the Hereafter. Its brightness will
whither away soon and leave it scarred.
The words
لِنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِیۡهِ refer to the
established practice of God. It has been explained under 40
verse of this very surah. God blesses people with favours in
this world and also makes them pass through calamities. When
He inflicts them with hardships, the purpose is to test their
patience and when He blesses them with favours, the purpose is
to test how grateful they are. In other words, if God blessed
these groups with favours, it is not because they had a right
to them but to try them. If the actual right they have
recognized is to show ingratitude, they will soon see its
fate.
The words “and your Lord’s sustenance is
better and lasting” inform the Prophet (sws) that he does not
need the patronage of these ingrates for his preaching. What
he and his companions will soon receive from God would be a
thousand times better and lasting too. What these arrogant
people have will last and shine for a few days only but what
God will bestow will be everlasting. It will never fade away.
It may be noted that the plant of piety grows from the elixir
God has revealed for its nourishment. If someone tries to
nurture it through stagnant water, then in the first place, it
is against its nature to grow because of filthy water and in
the second, if it seemingly does grow, then it will bear
fruits of vice and not virtue.
وَ اۡمُرۡ
اَهۡلَكَ بِالصَّلٰوةِ وَ اصۡطَبِرۡ عَلَیۡهَا
لَا نَسۡـَٔلُكَ رِزۡقًا
نَحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُكَ
وَ الۡعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقۡوٰی (132)
The word اَہۡل
is not used merely for the family of
the Prophet (sws). In Arabic, it has a wider connotation. For
example, it is used thus in ، اهل
الكتاب ، اهل الإنجيل ، اهل القرية ، اهل القرون ، اهل الله اهل
الحديث. It is mentioned in the Lisan al-‘arab:
اهل الرجل أخص الناس به (the
expression اهل الرجل refers to
people who have a specific relation to a person). It similarly
records اهل كل نبي امته (the
expression اهل نبي refers to the
nation of a prophet).
It is narrated from Abu Bakr (rta) that when on the day of
Judgement his Lord will ask him as to who he made in charge of
the Muslims, he will reply:و
ليت عليهم خير اهلك (I made the best
اهل (ahl) as the ruler). In verse 55 of Surah Maryam,
about Ishmael (sws), it is stated: وَكَانَ
يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُ بِالصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّكَوٰةِ (He would
direct his اهل (ahl) to the prayer
and the zakah). Obviously, the wife and children cannot be
implied by the word اهل (ahl) here;
all those associated to him are meant.
In the verse under discussion too, the word
اهل refers to all those who professed faith in Muhammad
(sws) whether they were specifically related to him or were
other Muslims regardless of belonging to the Quraysh or the
Hashimites or being slaves or free men and women. All these
are called اهل of the Prophet (sws).
This is because all those who profess faith in a prophet in
fact become his family; at the same time, a prophet is
concerned about them just as he is concerned about his own
family. Deliberation shows how much the use of the word
اهل has increased respect and status
of poor Muslims. The Almighty included those into the
Prophet’s family who until then had no one to depend upon.
Thus the verse asks the Prophet (sws) to direct his followers
to offer the prayer and adhere to it himself as well. The
prayer here refers to the same prayer mentioned in the
previous verse: the Prophet (sws) should vigilantly and
diligently adhere to it and also ask his followers to the same
too so that this creates patience and perseverance. The true
meaning of the expression وَ اصۡطَبِرۡ
عَلَیۡہَا is that just as a farmer tills his soil, sows
deeds, waters it and continues to guard it, the Prophet (sws)
too should tend to his land, and then see the blessings it
produces. Such will be these blessings they he will feel
drenched by them and not need to look up to others in this
matter.
The words “it
is We Who shall provide sustenance to you” imply that the
Almighty will provide livelihood to the Prophet (sws) and his
followers and they are not required by Him to make any effort
in this regard. He should continue with his task and show
vigilance in the prayer and not worry about this. Pointing
towards this reality, Jesus (sws) is reported to have said:
“The labourer is worthy of his hire.” (Luke, 10:7)
Readers must keep the singular pronoun in
نَرۡزُقُکَ
in mind. It was not said: “We will provide for you and your
followers.” It was said: “We will provide for you.” This
address to the Prophet (sws) is in his capacity of the head of
the Islamic family and its sustainer. When the promise is
being made with the head of the family, obviously it is made
with the whole of the family ie. all Muslims. In the Islamic
political system, the ruler is the provider of his whole
Islamic family. For this reason, he is concerned about every
individual the way the head of a family is concerned about his
wife and kids. If I go into the details of how Abu Bakr (rta)
and ‘Umar (rta) maintained this standard, the discussion will
be prolonged. In current times, we do find many people wailing
publicly while grieving for the masses but there are none like
‘Umar (rta) who thought that if even in the farthest corners
of his kingdom a dog died of hunger, then he was responsible
and did not merely express these emotions but took practical
steps to prevent this from happening; so much so that this
intense sense of accountability made him ignore even his own
wife and children.
Consider next the words: “and success in
the end is for piety.” In the previous part of the verse,
promise for worldly sustenance was made; now glad tidings of
success in the hereafter are given: none except the pious will
succeed.
It may have looked odd to those who are
slaves to the apparent that how can the prayer guarantee
sustenance for a person. It is true that those who are neither
aware of the real essence of the prayer nor aware of those who
offer such prayers cannot be made to understand this; this
thing can only be known and felt. Only experience can convince
a person about its truth. Only those who taste the true
flavour of the prayer know that is concealed in it. Readers
should not regard this statement to be a claim made by me. I
am not that practicing a Muslim. However, I have seen with my
eyes both in real life and in pages of history people whose
foreheads gleam with the signs of prostrations. Such is their
glitter that they even overshadow the sun’s brightness. And
such is the extent of their seeking forgiveness of God that
the greatest treasures of earth have not the slightest weight
before them.
وَ قَالُوۡا
لَوۡ لَا یَاۡتِیۡنَا بِاٰیَةٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّهِ
اَوَ لَمۡ تَاۡتِهِمۡ بَیِّنَةُ مَا فِی الصُّحُفِ
الۡاُوۡلٰی (133)
When the Prophet’s adversaries would feel
helpless and cornered in countering him through arguments, as
a last resort, they would demand from a sign of him being
God’s envoy. A sign would mean a miracle and also the torment
that the Qur’an has promised them in case they deny him. The
People of the Book were more responsible for raising this
question. Just as in those times they would implant many
questions in the minds of the Idolaters whose examples can be
seen the previous surahs, they would also advise them to
demand a sign from Muhammad (sws) just as the previous
messengers did so. As per own their knowledge, these People of
the Book claimed that the nations of these previous messengers
were even inflicted with punishments, so why can’t this
messenger show such miracles? The Qur’an has answered this
question and while answering it, also kept in consideration
those who were implanting it and those also who were
presenting it. In this verse, the first group is answered and
in the next verse the second.
The answer given to the first group – the
People of the Book – is that is this not a sufficient sign for
them that the last messenger whose advent was predicted in
their scriptures has now come and ratified all these
prophecies? I have cited these prophecies in the exegesis of
Surah al-Baqarah and Surah Āl-i ‘Imran. I have also attempted
to explain that if Muhammad (sws) is called an attester of the
previous scriptures, it means his advent has ratified all the
prophecies made in his favour. This ratification is called
بَیِّنَةُ
(sign) in this verse.
وَ لَوۡ
اَنَّـاۤ اَهۡلَکۡنٰهُمۡ بِعَذَابٍ مِّنۡ قَبۡلِهِ لَقَالُوۡا
رَبَّنَا لَوۡ لَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡتَ اِلَیۡنَا رَسُوۡلًا فَنَتَّبِعَ
اٰیٰتِكَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِ اَنۡ نَّذِلَّ وَ نَخۡزٰی (134)
This verse gives an answer while keeping in
view the Idolaters. The implication is that in order to do
away with their excuse mentioned in the verse, God sent a
messenger to them. Now the truth has been conclusively
communicated to them. If even now they do not profess faith,
the very thing they demand will manifest itself.
The words ذلت
and خزي
are generally used synonymously but
when they occur together the way they do here, there is a
subtle difference between the two. In this case,
ذلت refers to the
humiliation which a person feels internally and
خزي refers to one
which is before others. Their implication was that they would
neither have been disgraced before their own selves nor before
others.
قُلۡ کُلٌّ
مُّتَرَبِّصٌ فَتَرَبَّصُوۡا
فَسَتَعۡلَمُوۡنَ مَنۡ اَصۡحٰبُ الصِّرَاطِ السَّوِیِّ وَ
مَنِ اهۡتَدٰی (135)
This verse sounds the last warning. The
last two verses were indirect in their address. In this verse,
the address has become direct to express the intensity of
anger.
In this verse, because of concomitant
indications, the parallel sentence to is suppressed. Examples
of such suppression can be seen in earlier surahs. I have
translated the verse accordingly.
With these words, the explanation of this
surah comes to its completion. May God forgive our blemishes
and guide us to accept the truth.
Lahore
25th January 1973
_______________________
And what made you leave your
people and come over early, O Moses? He replied: “These
people are also right behind me and Lord! I have come
early to earn your pleasure.”
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