ROOT ح ل ي

2:52, 93; 4:154; 7:153; 20:89.

20:90.

Commentary:

The calf is discarded and condemned as a deity, because it does not speak to its votaries nor guide them to any way. This shows that God can remain a true deity only as long as He speaks to His servants and provides for their guidance. So those are manifestly in the wrong who think that, whereas God used to speak and reveal Himself in the past, He has ceased to do so now. It is foolish to say that there is no harm if God has ceased to speak now when He spoke to His chosen servants in times gone by. If this argument possessed weight, worshippers of the calf could also advance a similar argument with regard to it. The fact is that no attribute of God can be supposed to have ceased to operate or become extinct. The gift of Divine revelation is attainable even now as it was attainable in the past, and those who look upon it as a thing of the past are grievously mistaken. God speaks at all times, and those who possess the capacity and quality to hear His voice, can and do hear it even now. Take away the power of speech from God and you leave Him no better than a calf. It is absurd to argue that as the Law of Islam has been made perfect, so no revelation is needed after the Holy Prophet. Revelation does not come merely to bring a new Law. It is primarily meant to grant freshness of spiritual life to man and bring him near unto his Lord and Master.

39:22.

Important Words:

جفاء (rubbish) is derived from جفأ (jafa’a) which means, it (valley flowing with water) cast forth froth or foam or particles of rubbish or refuse. جفت القدر means, the cooking-pot cast forth its froth or foam in boiling. Hence جفاء means, what is cast forth in the form of froth or foam or scum or rubbish by a torrent or a cooking-pot. Figuratively, the word also means, anything that is worthless or useless (Lane).

Commentary:

The verse has used two very apt illustrations. First, it says that when rain falls and water begins to flow in various directions, then so much foam and froth appears on the surface of the water in places which are quite clean that it seems to cover it altogether.

But soon the foam subsides and the water is seen rushing along. In the second illustration froth is referred to as appearing on the surface of gold or silver or any other metal when the smith melts it to make ornaments or utensils, but the smith removes the scum and then only pure metal remains behind.

In the first illustration, truth is compared to water and falsehood to foam which, in the beginning seems to prevail over truth, but in the end it is carried away even as rubbish is swept away by a powerful current of water. In the second illustration, truth is likened to gold or silver which, when melted, brings forth a foamy excretion which is cast away, leaving behind the unmixed metal, pure and bright.

The parable implies that before the mighty onrush of Islam the foam and froth of false beliefs and practices will disappear. The parable also means that through the Prophets of God a great awakening in the nature of man causes a conflict between his good inclinations and the evil customs and usages to which he has subjected himself. Those whose inner nature is good emerge from this conflict with their wrong ideas and beliefs replaced by right ones.

The words, so that valleys flow according to their measure, mean that different people benefit by the truth according to their respective capacities for assimilation.

35:13; 45:13.

Important Words:

طریا (fresh) is active participle from طری or طرو. They say طری اللحم او طرو i.e. the flesh-meat was or became fresh, juicy or moist. طری also means, it became new; was newly made or done; was renewed. طراہ (tarra-hu) means, he rendered it fresh or juicy. طری الطیب means, he rendered perfume fragrant by admixtures. طری البناء means, he plastered or coated the building with clay or mud. طری therefore means fresh, juicy or moist; (Lane & Aqrab).

مواخر (ploughing) is the plural of ماخرة which is active participle from مخر. They say مخر السابح i.e. the swimmer clave the water with his arms in swimming. مخرت السفینةmeans, the ship clave the water with its stem and ran; clave the water with a noise; ran cleaving the water with a noise; faced the wind in her course; advanced and retired. The primary signification of مخر is the act of cleaving; and it also signifies the making of a noise or sound. ماخرة means, ships cleaving the water with their stems; or thrusting the water with their stems; or the sound of the running whereof, by means of the wind, is heard; or running; or advancing and retiring by means of the wind (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

In the preceding verses mention was made of those things which grew on land or of which man could enjoy the benefit on land. In this verse, however, mention is made of water and things that grow therein. It may be noted that while speaking of the sea the same expression سخر (He has pressed into service) has been used in this verse as in the case of the night and day and heavenly bodies in v. 13, the expression بامرہ (by His command) which occurs in that verse has been dropped in the present verse. This is because heavenly bodies and the alternation of night and day are beyond man’s control and the benefits man derives from them are gratuitous and independent of any labour or effort on his part; therefore when mentioning them the expression, (by His command) has been used. But because for the benefits that man derives from the sea he has to make some effort in the making of boats, etc., this expression has been left out.

The sea is a most important source of material benefits to man. It is the great repository of water from which the sun supplies us with rain. It is also the highway for travel and commerce and an important source of food for man. It is quite obvious that God Who has made such vast provision for the physical needs of man could not have failed to make similar provision for his moral and spiritual needs.

The verse also suggests that although water is so essential for man and is present in such abundance in the sea it is unfit either for drinking or for irrigation purposes unless it is distilled by process of evaporation and is made usable. In the same way the mere existence of moral and spiritual truths in the world can be of no avail to man unless they are purified of all dross and are so assorted and presented as to suit his needs.

The subject of the uses and benefits of water for man began with 11th verse and is continued in the following verses. The theme is developed in all these verses that it is on water that men and animals have to depend for their food and that the sun, the moon, and the stars too have some sort of connection with water. The sun causes the water of the sea to evaporate, and then the same returns to us purified in the form of rainwater. This theme of the various uses of water leads us to a much nobler spiritual theme. It is that although we have water in the sea yet we cannot turn it into clouds. Similarly, though we possess reason and intellect, yet unless the water of revelation comes down from heaven our reasoning faculties alone can be of no avail to us to frame a perfect Law that may conduce to our moral and spiritual well-being.

9:72; 13:24; 19:62; 20:77; 35:34; 38:51; 61:13; 98:9.

15:48; 36:57; 83:24.

Important Words:

اساور (bracelets) is the plural of سوار which is derived from سار. They say سار او تسور الحائط i.e. he climbed or scaled the wall. تسورalso means, he put on or decked himself with bracelets. سوار means, a man’s or woman’s bracelet of silver or of gold (Lane & Aqrab).

سندس (fine silk) means, thin or fine دیباج (silk brocade) or thin or fine حریر (silk). It is opposed to استبرق (Lane).

استبرق (heavy brocade) is derived from برق which means, it shone, gleamed or glistened. استبرق means, thick دیباج (silk brocade) or دیباج interwoven with gold; thick silk (Lane & Aqrab).

ارائک (raised couches) is the plural of اریکة which is derived from ارک which means, he persisted or persevered. They say ارک بالمکان i.e. he remained in the house, not quitting it. The Arabs say ارک الامر فی عنقه i.e. he compelled him to do the thing; he made him cleave to it. اریکة means, a raised couch in a tent or chamber decorated and adorned with cloth and curtains for a bride; a bed spread upon the ground to sit upon; anything upon which one reclines; a raised couch (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The wearing of bracelets of gold may refer either to this life or the next. In the former case, the words, They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, mean that gold bracelets being symbols of royalty, Muslims will become rulers of vast and mighty empires. But taken as referring to the next life they connote a spiritual sense, meaning that good works of Muslims in this life would assume an embodied form in the next. Or "bracelets of gold" may signify special marks of honour, i.e. the Faithful will enjoy great power, honour and dignity and their womenfolk will wear garments of fine silk and heavy brocade interwoven with gold. This prophecy was fulfilled when the treasures of Persia and Rome were laid at the feet of so-called illiterate and half-civilized Arabs who wore clothes made of coarse skins and the hair of animals.

The words, how good the reward, imply that these things will not make Muslims lovers of ease and luxury and will not lead to their moral or spiritual death. On the contrary they will prove "a good reward" for them, that is, these things will give them peace and contentment of mind.

The words, and how excellent the place of rest, signify that contacts and friendships formed in accordance with Quranic teaching, being based on sincere and honest motives, will not lead to war and mutual hatred but will bring about real peace and concord in the world.

18:32; 35:34; 76:22.

76:13.

Commentary:

This verse refers to the believers, the second of the two classes of men referred to in v. 20 above. The first class of men—the disbelievers, have been referred to in vv. 20-23 above.

The verse embodies a prophecy which met with remarkable fulfilment. It was made at a time when the very fate of Islam hung in the balance and there was no safety or security for Muslims anywhere. But afterwards in fulfilment of this prophecy they were given most fertile and beautiful countries to rule. They had the choicest of fruits to eat and they lived in gardens beneath which streams flowed. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "The Nile and the Euphrates are two of the streams of Paradise" (Muslim, ch. Al-Jannah). So it is clear that the Holy Prophet and his Companions knew that they were promised 'gardens' not only in the next life but in this world also and that they also knew that by 'gardens' in this life were meant rich and fertile lands once ruled by the Kings of Persia and the Emperors of the eastern Roman Empire. During the Caliphate of ‘Umar, Muslim armies fought on two fronts, in Mesopotamia and Syria, and when Arab chiefs with their respective claims presented themselves before him and offered their services, he asked them to which of "the two promised lands," Mesopotamia or Syria, they would like to go. This shows that the Companions of the Holy Prophet knew and understood that the 'gardens' promised them in the Quran were the rich provinces of the Persian Empire and of Syria and Egypt. The prophecy was literally fulfilled. When Persia was conquered, bracelets of gold and pearl and silken garments formed part of the booty. These things were distributed among the Muslims and Suraqah, a companion of the Holy Prophet, was made by ‘Umar to wear the bracelets of gold which the kings of Persia used to wear on special State occasions. Thus was fulfilled another prophecy of the Holy Prophet according to which he is reported to have once said to Suraqah, "How would you feel when you will be made to wear the golden bracelets of Chosroes (Al-Khasa’isul-Kubra, vol. II, p. 113).

16:15; 45:13.

Important Words:

عذب (palatable) is derived from عذب (‘adhiba) which means, it was or became sweet; became easy and agreeable to be swallowed or drunk. ماءعذب means, sweet water. They say انه لعذب اللسان i.e. verily he is sweet of tongue (Lane & Aqrab). See also 25:54.

ملح (salt) is noun-infinitive from ملح (malahah). They say ملح الطعام i.e. he put salt in the food. ملح الماء means, the water became saltish. ملح (maluhah) it (a thing) was or became beautiful or pretty (Lane & Aqrab). See also 25:54.

سائغا (pleasant) is derived from ساغ which means, it (beverage) was easy and agreeable to swallow (Lane). See also 16:67.

مواخر (ploughing the waves) is derived from مخر. They say مخرت السفینة i.e. the boat clove the water with its stem and ran (Lane). See also 16:15.

For فرات and أجاج see 25:54.

Commentary:

Metaphorically, the two seas spoken of in this verse are true and false religions. The words عذب and أجاج may be taken as representing respectively true and false religions which cannot be equal. The one is like sweet water which is good to drink and slakes the thirst and is also very useful for irrigation, while the other is like bitter water which is not only not fit to drink but is also unusable for purposes of irrigation. The verse continuing the metaphor purports to say that though saltish water is not fit for drinking and irrigation, it has other uses. From the saltish seawater come out fresh meat and ornaments. Similarly, though the present opponents of Islam are, like saltish water, bitter and worthless, yet out of their loins there will be born those who will be zealous and devout bearers of its message.

9:72; 13:24; 16:32; 61:13; 98:9.

18:32; 22:24; 76:22.

Commentary:

The reference in the verse may also be to the idols which were bedecked and bejewelled with ornaments. The verse administers a subtle rebuke to idol worshippers that they worship idols which can neither speak nor answer their prayers nor defend themselves against attacks made upon them. See also 20:90 and 21:64.

18:32; 44:54.

18:32; 22:24; 35:34.

Commentary:

At the کافور stage of spiritual journey the God-intoxicated wayfarer is described as himself seeking to drink the wine of God’s love (v. 6) and at the زنجبیل stage, he is served by others with the life-giving beverage (v. 18), but at the last or سلسبیلstage God Himself gives him to drink the elixir of everlasting life.