أَوْحَىٰٓ

7:89.

Commentary:

This verse contains a subtle reference to a deep-rooted desire of the opponents of God’s Messengers in all times. They ardently wish the Prophets to incline towards them a little and abstain from a wholesale denunciation of their beliefs that there may thus come about something like a compromise between the two parties. This desire of disbelievers has also been expressed in 68:10. But the Prophets always flatly refuse to agree to any such compromise and adhere unflinchingly to their principles, without deviating an hair’s breadth from them. It is after disbelievers see that the Prophets accept no compromise that they launch a campaign of bitter persecution against them and thus either seek to force them back into their faith or compel them to leave their country, which includes extirpation by any other means. This is how disbelievers have treated God’s Prophets throughout the ages—the same offer of compromise on their part, the same disdainful rejection of this offer by the Prophets and the same campaign of bitter persecution launched against the latter by their opponents.

In the words, We will surely destroy the wrongdoers, God has, as it were, turned the tables upon disbelievers. They had threatened the Prophets with expulsion from "our land" if they did not recant their faith. To this threat God replies by saying that, as the land is His and not theirs, so if it comes to dispossessing the wrongdoers, it will be they that will be destroyed. The verse thus implies a prophecy of the ultimate destruction of the enemies of the Holy Prophet and of his triumphant return to Mecca.

17:23; 26:214; 28:89.

Commentary:

In 16:126 we were told that a number of commandments full of wisdom would be given soon. The present verse purports to say that a few of these wise Divine commandments have already been mentioned in the previous verses. In v. 23. great stress was laid on توحید (Oneness of God). In the following verses the practical implications of the Islamic conception of توحید and the great moral and spiritual benefits that mankind has derived from this concept were explained. In the verse under comment, however, توحید is considered from another standpoint, the injury that its antithesis—idolatry (شرک) does to human intellect. A polytheist naturally feels self-condemned and realizes the untenability of his position before a believer in the Oneness of God because he knows that he possesses no solid argument to support his belief. Thus he can never enjoy real peace of mind.

3:42; 33:43.

Important Words:

اوحی (asked in a low voice) is derived from وحی. They say وحی الی فلان or اوحی i.e. he communicated to him or gave order or made a request by gesture or sign; he talked to him in secret or he talked to him in such a way that others may not hear him; اوحی اللّٰه الیه means, God sent revelation to him. The real sense of وحی (wahy) which is inf. noun from وحی (waha) is to convey one’s intention or wish by means of quick signs which may be done by gesture, writing, etc. They say اوحی العمل i.e. he did the thing quickly. اوحی الدواء الموت means, medicine precipitated his death (Lane & Aqrab). See also 5:112.

For محراب (chamber) see 3:38.

Commentary:

When Zachariah was commanded by God not to speak to his people for three consecutive nights, he made up his mind to devote himself fully and completely to the remembrance of God. During this time when he had to speak to anyone he spoke so low as to be heard only by those very near him. In 3:42 the word رمزا has been used to express the same sense, for رمز means to communicate by means of movements of the lips and not to use one’s throat. So the Quran repudiates the Biblical suggestion that Zachariah was struck dumb. What actually happened was that he told his people in very low tones that he had been commanded by God to remember and glorify Him and that they should also do the same and not disturb him.

Important Words:

ما (what) is sometimes used, to denote honour, surprise, or for emphasis. ما أحسن زیدا means, how beautiful Zaid is. فتی ما فلانmeans, an excellent youth is such a one (Lane & Aqrab).