النمل
An-Naml
The Ant • makkah • 93 Verses
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طسٓ ۚ تِلْكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ وَكِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
26:2; 28:2.
15:2; 26:3; 28:3.
Commentary:
For a general discussion about abbreviated letters see 2:2 & 19:2 and about طس see 26:2.
It is significant that whereas 26th and 28th chapters which have the abbreviated letters طسم in their beginning open with the verse "These are the verses of the clear Book", the present Surah which is prefixed with طس begins with the verse, "These are verses of the Quran, and of an illuminating Book." This shows that while in the former two Surahs the Quran was alluded to only with reference to Moses’ Book, in the present Surah it has been mentioned expressly and by name, as in the verse under comment as well as in vv. 7, 93.
One more fact deserves special notice. The verse has used two descriptive words for the Quran, viz. کتاب i.e. the Book and القرآن the Quran. The use of these two words implies a mighty prophecy that the Holy Book of Islam will continue to be preserved in the form of a book till the end of time and that it will be widely studied and read, the word قرآن meaning a book that is read. This prophecy was made at a time when the very art of printing had not yet been known and it was made to a people most of whom could not even read or write. The prophecy has met with marvellous fulfilment. Even the most hostile opponent of Islam can hardly deny the fact that no other book is so widely and frequently read as the Quran. The famous German orientalist Nöldeke writes: "Since the use of the Koran in public worship, in schools and otherwise, is much more extensive than, for example, the reading of the Bible in most Christian countries, it has been truly described as the most widely read book in existence" (Enc. Bri. 9th edit. vol. 16, p.597).
26:2; 27:2; 28:2.
15:2; 26:3; 28:3.
For a general discussion of the abbreviated letters see {16} and {1738} and about Ta Sin, see {2094}. It is significant that whereas the 26th and 28th Chapters which have the abbreviated letters Ta Sin Mim in their beginning, open with the verse, These are verses of the Book that makes things clear, the present Surah which is prefixed with the letters Ta Sin begins with the verse, These are verses of the Qur’an, and of an illuminating Book. This shows that while in the former two Chapters the Qur’an is alluded to only with reference to Moses’s Book, in the present Surah it has been mentioned by name, in its own right as in the verse under comment as well as in vv. 7 and 93.
The use of 'Al-Qur’an' and 'the Book' as qualifying words implies a mighty prophecy that the Holy Book of Islam will continue to be preserved in the form of a book till the end of time and that it will be widely studied and read, the word Qur’an meaning a book that is read. 'Since the use of the Koran in public worship, in schools and otherwise, is much more extensive than, for example, the reading of the Bible in most Christian countries, it has been truly described as the most widely read book in existence' (Enc. Bri. 9th edit. vol. 16, p. 597).
هُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
2:3; 10:58; 12:112; 31:4.
Commentary:
The verse points to the two prominent characteristics of the Quran to which repeated reference has been made in it, viz. (1) that it is a guidance and (2) that it gives good tidings to the believers. These characteristics signify that the Quran contains all those rules of conduct, precepts and ordinances which are required for man’s moral and spiritual development and progress, and are essential for the achievement of the goal of human life, and that it also holds out to believers the promise that if they acted upon its teaching they will enjoy prosperity, prestige and power in this world and the pleasure and nearness of God in the life to come.
2:3; 10:58; 12:112; 31:4.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ
2:4; 8:4; 14:32; 31:5.
2:4; 8:4; 14:32; 31:5.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ زَيَّنَّا لَهُمْ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ فَهُمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
16:23; 17:11; 34:9.
Commentary:
Elsewhere in the Quran we have: "Satan made all that they did seem fair to them" (6:44) and "And when Satan made their deeds seem fair to them" (8:49). It is clear from these two verses that it is Satan who makes evil and mischievous deeds of evildoers look beautiful in their eyes. But in the verse under comment it is stated that God makes the deeds of disbelievers appear beautiful to them. Thus there seems to be a contradiction between the present verse and vv. 6:44; 8:49. But in reality there is no contradiction because it is a law that if a person pursues an evil course, thinking that he is not accountable for what he does he begins to justify his conduct as good and proper and so it begins to appear to him in that light. This, in fact, is the consequence of his own conduct but inasmuch as it comes about in accordance with a divine law, it is attributed to God, because it is God Who has ordained that disbelief in the Hereafter should result in evil deeds appearing beautiful in the eyes of disbelievers; otherwise God only commends good and righteous deeds and has made disbelief, transgression and disobedience hateful and repugnant (49:8).
16:23; 17:11; 34:9.
From vv. 6:44 and 8:49 it is clear that it is Satan who makes evil and mischievous deeds of evil-doers look beautiful in their eyes. But in the verse under comment it is stated that God makes the deeds of disbelievers appear beautiful to them. It is a natural law that when a person pursues an evil course, thinking that he is not accountable for what he does, he begins to justify his conduct as good and proper, and thus it begins to appear to him in that light. This, in fact, is the consequence of his own conduct but inasmuch as it comes about in accordance with a Divine Law, it is here attributed to God.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَهُمْ سُوٓءُ ٱلْعَذَابِ وَهُمْ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ هُمُ ٱلْأَخْسَرُونَ
وَإِنَّكَ لَتُلَقَّى ٱلْقُرْءَانَ مِن لَّدُنْ حَكِيمٍ عَلِيمٍ
Important Words:
تلقی (thou hast been given) is derived from لقی. They say لقی فلانا i.e. he met him, found him, saw him, came face to face with him. لقی فلانا الشیء (laqqa) means, he threw the thing towards him, he made him meet or experience it. See 2:38 and 24:16.
Commentary:
The verse is a clear denial of the charge that the Holy Prophet had his own ideas written down and collected in the form of a book and called it "the Quran." It also constitutes an unequivocal declaration of the fact that the Prophet learnt the Quran direct from the Wise and All-Knowing God.
The verse constitutes a clear denial of the charge that the Holy Prophet had his own ideas written down and collected in the form of a book and called it 'The Qur’an,' and is an unequivocal declaration that he received the Qur’an directly from the Wise and All-Knowing God.
إِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِأَهْلِهِۦٓ إِنِّىٓ ءَانَسْتُ نَارًا سَـَٔاتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ ءَاتِيكُم بِشِهَابٍ قَبَسٍ لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ
20:11; 28:30.
Important Words:
تصطلون (warm yourselves) is derived from اصطلی which is the same as صلی. They say صلی النار i.e. he was or became burned by the fire or he endured the heat of the fire. اصطلی means, he warmed or burned himself by the fire (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
It was not actual fire that Moses had seen. Had it been so he would have used the expression انی آنست النار i.e. I have perceived the fire, instead of انی آنست ناراً i.e. I have perceived a fire. In fact it was a vision that Moses had seen, fire symbolizing the love of God. It is worthy of note that most of the major incidents connected with Moses that have been mentioned in the Quran, were not incidents which actually took place in the material and physical world but were visions which symbolized great landmarks in his spiritual development and prophetic mission. Besides the vision about the rod (7:118) and that concerning the breaking of the mountain into pieces (7:144) there are other important instances of such visions in the Quran, the verse under comment affording one such instance. See also 20:11.
20:11; 28:30.
It was not actual fire that Moses had seen. Had it been so he would have used the expression 'I have perceived the fire,' instead of 'I have perceived a fire.' In fact, it was a vision that Moses had seen, 'fire' symbolising the love of God. It is worthy of note that most of the major incidents, connected with Moses that have been mentioned in the Qur’an, were not incidents which actually took place in the physical world but only visions symbolizing great landmarks in the course of his spiritual development and prophetic mission. Besides the vision about the rod there are mentioned other important instances of such visions in the Qur’an (7:144), the verse under comment affording one such instance.
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهَا نُودِىَ أَنۢ بُورِكَ مَن فِى ٱلنَّارِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَسُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Commentary:
The expression من فی النار و من حولھا may have the following two interpretations: (a) who is in search of the fire, and who is near it; (b) who is actually in the fire and who is about to enter it, 'fire' symbolizing the fire of God’s love or the fire of trials and tribulations.
It is wrong to apply, as some commentators of the Quran have done, the expression بورک من فی النار to God. The word بورک(blessed) being in passive voice cannot be used about God, the right word to use about the Almighty is تبارک which means, He is blessed.
The expression may mean, (a) who is in search of the fire, and who is near it; (b) who is actually in the fire and who is about to enter it, 'fire' symbolising the fire of God’s love or the fire of trials and tribulations. The fire was not God, nor was God in the fire. It was only a Divine manifestation which cast its glow upon all that was near.
يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
20:12-13, 15; 28:31; 79:17.
Commentary:
The fire was not God, nor was God in the 'fire.' Holy is He and exalted far above assuming any material shape or being confined to space. The 'fire' was a manifestation of God which cast its reflection upon all that was near.
20:12, 13; 28:31.