فَوْز

3:133; 8:21; 33:72.

See 2:26.

9:100; 58:23; 98:9.

Commentary:

The words, This is a day, refer to the Day of Judgement, which shows that the question mentioned in 5:117 above will be put to Jesus on the Day of Judgement, i.e. after he will have paid his supposed second visit to the earth, as is alleged by those who believe in his ascension to, and descent from, heaven.

The word "truthful" used in the verse hints that as the followers of Jesus did not prove truthful, they could not hope to benefit from Divine mercy. The word really refers to Muslims, who were true to the teachings of their Prophet. They believed as he taught them to believe, and acted as he taught them to act, and were true to their God. The word may also refer to the followers of Ahmad, the Promised Messiah, who was raised as the مثیل, or likeness, of Jesus. God, as it were, says, "We sent two Messiahs, the followers of the one drifted away from his teachings and began to look upon him as God, but the followers of the other Messiah were true to his teachings. So this day only the truth of the truthful shall profit them."

Commentary:

The word ذالك (that) may either refer to the "averting of punishment" or to "mercy", for both "mercy" and the "averting of punishing" are manifest triumphs.

2:26.

3:16; 5:3; 9:22; 57:21.

Important Words:

جنات عدن (Gardens of eternity). عدن is derived from عدن. They say عدن بالارض i.e. he remained, stayed, dwelt or abode in the land. عدنت البلد means, I took for myself the town or country as a home or a settled place of abode. An Arab would say عدنت الابل بمکان کذا i.e. the camels kept to such a place, not quitting it. جنات عدن would, therefore, mean Gardens of perpetual abode (Lane). See also 5:66.

Commentary:

The word طیبة translated as "delightful" in the text also means good, agreeable and clean. The use of this word thus hints that our houses and dwelling-places on this earth should also be clean and agreeable to live in. See also note on 9:68 above.

The expression, Gardens of eternity, hints that the permanent home of man is the Hereafter, the life of this world being only transient. Incidentally, it also implies that the blessings of Heaven are everlasting. See also 5:66.

See 2:26.

58:23; 98:9.

Important Words:

السابقون (foremost) is the plural of السابق being derived from سبق. They say سبقه i.e. he got or went or came before him or ahead of him; he outstripped him in a race, etc. So سابق is one who outstrips others in faith and actions (Lane).

الاولون (the first) is the plural of الاول which is derived from وأل being the opposite of الآخر i.e. the last. اول means, the first; one preceding all others (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The verse mentions two distinctive qualifications of prominent believers: (1) السابقون i.e. those who are foremost in spiritual rank, outstripping others in faith and actions; and (2) الاولون i.e. those who are the first to believe, others only following them.

The Companions of the Holy Prophet are thus held up here as models for others, being both foremost in rank and the first to believe. Nay, even those, who sincerely followed in their footsteps, became the favoured ones of God. Incidentally, the verse also constitutes a forcible refutation of the Shia accusations against the first three Successors of the Holy Prophet and his prominent Companions.

4:75; 61:11-12.

3:196; 61:5.

Commentary:

The words, an unfailing promise that He has made incumbent on Himself in the Torah and the Gospel and the Quran, mean that the Torah, the Gospel and the Quran contain clear promises of divine favour and assistance for those who strive in the cause of God with their persons and property. The promise is general, but was to apply to Muslims alone after Islam had abrogated other religions. These words may also mean that the people of whom God purchased their lives and property in exchange for Heaven, viz. the Companions of the Holy Prophet of Islam, have been spoken of and commended in all the three Books, i.e. not only in the Quran, but in the Torah and the Gospels as well.

41:31.

Commentary:

In reply to a question as to what was meant by the expression, glad tidings in the present life, the Holy Prophet is reported to have said: "It means a true dream or vision that a believer sees with regard to himself, or what others see with regard to him." The term بشری or مبشرات (glad tidings) is, however, of general application and may be used with regard to the revelations and visions of the Prophets as well as those of saints and other believers, and the verse under comment refers to both these kinds of visions and revelations (Jarir & Kathir).

The words, there is no changing the words of God, may mean two things: (a) that the granting of بشری (glad tidings) is an eternal law of God, and being eternal, it must prove true in the case of Muslims also; and (b) that this is a special promise meant for Muslims and God has decreed that this promise will never change. This implies that there are certain prophecies which do not belong to the category of the "words of God" as used here, and are liable to be changed, but there are certain others, which belong to the category of the "words of God" and these never fail to be fulfilled.

The expression, that indeed is the supreme triumph, may mean either that the receiving of "glad tidings" is a great achievement, or the fact that the "words of God" do not change is a great secret of success. The verse is capable of bearing both these interpretations. That the receiving of "glad tidings" is really a great triumph is self-evident. As for the immutability of the "words of God," i.e. the laws of nature, one can easily see that the whole working of the universe is based on it. Everything is governed by certain fixed and immutable laws. For example, fire burns and water assuages thirst. If these laws had been subject to change, the whole system of the universe would have gone to pieces. It is, therefore, on the unchangeability of the laws of nature that all progress depends.

11:24; 31:9; 41:9; 98:8-9.