Ruku 280 ع

Important Words:

رتقا (a closed-up mass) is inf. noun from رتق (rataqa). They say رتق الثوب i.e. he repaired or sewed up the cloth. رتق الشیء means, he repaired or closed up the thing. رتق is the contrary of فتق. The expression فتق المسک means, he took out the musk from the bladder of deer.فتق الثواب means, he slit, rent or opened up the cloth. They say رتق فتقھم i.e. he closed up the breach that was between them; he reconciled them. The Arabs say: ھو الراتق والفاتق i.e. he is the reformer of the affair. The word رتقhere means, ذواتی رتق i.e. things closed up, or better a closed-up mass, and فتق refers to the splitting of the amorphous mass or to the throwing off of the planets of the solar system.

Commentary:

The verse, by pointing to a great scientific truth, draws attention to a spiritual phenomenon of equally great importance. It refers to the pre-material stage of the universe and purports to say that the heavens and the earth or the whole universe or particularly the solar system has developed out of an amorphous or nebular mass. God, in accordance with the laws which He had set in motion, split the mass of matter, and its scattered bits became the units of the solar system ("The Universe Surveyed" by Harold Richards, and "The Nature of the Universe" by Fred Hoyle). God then created all life out of water. The verse seems to imply that like the material universe a spiritual universe also develops out of an amorphous mass of confused ideas and foolish beliefs. Just as God in His infallible wisdom and in pursuance of a great design split the mass of matter and its scattered bits became the units of the solar system, in the same way He brings about a new spiritual order in a world weltering in the morass of confused ideas. When mankind sinks into an impenetrable gloom of moral turpitude and spiritual atmosphere becomes dense and oppressive, God causes a light to appear in the form of a Heavenly Messenger who shakes up the overspreading spiritual gloom, and out of this confused and lifeless mass of moral depravity and spiritual degeneration a spiritual universe is born which begins to reach out from its centre and eventually embraces the whole earth, receiving life and direction from the impetus behind it. Just as all physical life is created from water, so does spiritual universe receive life from heavenly water which is Divine revelation. See also General Introduction.

The words "the heavens and the earth were a closed-up mass," in a physical sense may signify that there is no rain from heaven, and the earth becomes parched and dried up and grows no vegetation, and life tends to become extinct. Spiritually speaking they may mean that there is a cessation of Divine revelation and the hearts and brains of men become corrupt and spiritual darkness enshrouds the entire face of the earth. Thus the whole verse may refer both to the general physical phenomenon and to the cessation of Divine revelation. The words "then We opened them out," may refer to the throwing off of the planets of the solar system. Physically speaking they would mean that God sends down rain from heaven, and spiritually speaking they may signify that Divine revelation descends i.e. a Prophet is raised to whom God reveals Himself and to whom He vouchsafes His Word.

Again spiritually speaking the words "And We made from water everything living" signify that when the period of the cessation of revelation which has been called فترة in the Quran (5:20) ends, God sends a Messenger, who by means of Divine revelation, brings about complete moral revolution among his people and gives, as it were, new life to a spiritually dead people. Alluding to the physical phenomenon the words would mean that when on account of a long period of drought the earth becomes parched and dry, God sends down fresh rain from heaven and the earth begins to bloom and blossom and vibrate with a new life. Thus briefly the verse signifies that as no physical life can exist without water, similarly no spiritual life is possible without the water of Divine revelation.

13:4; 15:20; 16:16; 31:11; 77:28.

Important Words:

ان تمید بھم (lest it should quake with them). تمید is derived from ماد which means, it (a thing)was or became in a state of violent motion or commotion; it was or became violently agitated; it turned about or became contorted and convulsed; it quivered or trembled; he bestowed a benefit or favour. مادت به الارض means, the earth went round with him. The expression ان تمید بھم means, lest it should quake with them, be convulsed with them and go round with them and move about violently (Lane & Aqrab). See also 16:16.

فجاجاً (wide pathways) is the plural of فج which is noun-infinitive from فج (fajja) which means, he opened or separated his two legs while walking. فجت الناقة means, the she-camel opened out her hinder legs for being milked. فج means, a wide and open pathway between two mountains (Aqrab).

Commentary:

The verse throws light on yet another scientific truth. Geology has established the fact that mountains have, to a great extent, secured the earth against earthquakes. Earth-quakes were very common before mountains were created. In the beginning the earth was very hot from inside. When as the result of the intense heat gases were formed in the bowels of the earth, they tried to force a way out, thus causing violent agitations and eruptions in the form of volcanoes which having cooled down took the shape of mountains. ("Marvels and Mysteries of Science" by Allison Hox & Enc. Brit. under "Geology"). To this great scientific truth the words ان تمید بھم (lest it should quake with them) refer. Spiritually speaking the heat of sin and iniquity in the world throws out lava from its volcanoes and brings about moral destruction and then God cools down this fire by the spiritual water of Divine revelation and by means of "mountains" which spiritually speaking are Prophets and Divine Reformers.

Taking these words in the sense 'that it may go round with them,' the verse would signify that the mountains are a great help to the earth in moving steadily on its axis. The Quran spoke of the earth as "moving round" long before it was discovered that it was not stationary and moved on its axis and round the sun.

Again mountains, rivers and natural highways are among great Divine blessings. The mountains are natural reservoirs of water and vegetable and mineral wealth; the rivers constitute natural conduits for water, and natural highways make it possible for man to have access to these vast stores of Divine blessings. Spiritually speaking, 'mountains' are the Divine Prophets who are the great reservoirs of heavenly water and divine knowledge and 'highways' (which in the earth are the channels of rivers) represent righteous ulema (learned men) and divines who receive guidance from the prophets and convey it to common men. Just as rivers and streams become dried up when it does not rain on mountains, similarly pious and righteous men disappear from the world when no fresh revelation descends from heaven for a long time. Indeed revelation is as essential for spiritual life as is water for physical life.

Commentary:

The solar system with its sun, moon, planets and stars is a well-ordered and well-regulated system which has existed for millions of years, never having once suffered from the slightest disorder or deviation in the movements of these bodies. These heavenly bodies exercise a very wholesome influence on the terrestrial globe and its inhabitants. Just as a roof is a means of protection from rain, cold and heat for the residents of a house, similarly the heaven serves as a protection for the earth below and heavenly bodies exert their beneficial influence upon mankind. The spiritual universe also has its heaven with its sun, moon, planets and stars.

These bodies of the spiritual heaven also exert their influence on the spiritual life of men. They illumine their lives and provide for them guidance in the night of spiritual darkness. Spiritually speaking the implication in the words "a roof well-protected" is that astrologers and diviners have no access to divine secrets.

36:41.

Important Words:

فلک (orbit) is derived from فلک (falaka). They say فلک ثدی الجاریة i.e. the breast of the girl became round. فلک means, the place of the revolving of the stars i.e. the celestial sphere, the vault of heavens or the firmament (Lane & Aqrab).

یسبحون (gliding along) is derived from سبح. They say سبح الرجل i.e. the man slept and took rest; he went far off in his walk. سبح فی الکلام means, he talked much. سبح فی الماء means, he glided along in the water and took great delight in it. The word is used metaphorically with regard to the floating or gliding of the stars and about the swift and smooth running of the horse (Aqrab).

Commentary:

Spiritually speaking the sun stands for the Law-bearing Prophets, particularly the Holy Prophet of Islam, and the moon for those Reformers and Prophets who borrow their spiritual light from the Law-bearing Prophets. 'The day' represents the time when a new Prophet makes his appearance in the world and fresh revelation comes down from heaven and 'the night' represents that period when there is spiritual darkness all round and no revelation comes from God.

The verse means to say that the night and the day, the sun and the moon have all been created by God and serve a definite purpose. They all fulfil human needs and are indispensable for man’s existence on earth. The significance of the present and the preceding verse is that when God has taken so much care to provide for the physical and material needs of man, it is impossible even to think that He should have neglected to make a similar provision for his spiritual needs.

Important Words:

خلد is syn. with خلود which is infinitive noun from خلد (khalada) which means, he stayed for long. خلد بالمکان means, he stayed in the place. خلد الی الارض means, he stuck to the earth. خلد الیه means, he inclined to him. خلد (khuld) or خلود means, the immunity of a thing from speedy decay or deterioration and its remaining in a certain condition for a long time. The mountains are called خوالد (khawalid) on account of their long life (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The verse seems to signify that all the different Dispensations and religious systems before the Holy Prophet were decreed and destined to suffer spiritual decay and death and that it was only the Dispensation of the Holy Prophet—the Islamic Dispensation, which was to live and continue till the end of time. That is to say that all avenues to spiritual progress are closed after the Holy Prophet and only the door of Islam is left open to mankind to attain salvation and nearness to God. The words, "if then thou shouldst die shall they live forever," also seem to signify that if the Islamic Dispensation were to die, which is inconceivable, then there will be no spiritual light left and all humanity will suffer spiritual death. The implication of the verse may also be that no human being is immune from decay or death, not even the Holy Prophet. Eternity and everlastingness are God’s own exclusive attributes.

Commentary:

There are two ways to test the mettle of a person, viz. (a) by making him pass through the fire of trials and tribulations; and (b) by bestowing upon him wealth and material power and prosperity. God tries His servants in both these ways. This is the significance of this verse. Or the verse may also mean that God tries man by raising His Prophets and by affording him the opportunity to win His pleasure by accepting and following them; and sometimes when a long period of spiritual darkness ensues and no Divine Reformer is present in the world, He gives men of intellect and broad vision an opportunity to follow the dictates of conscience and right teaching which is in harmony with human nature in order that they should, instead of allowing themselves to be carried away like the common run of men by the current of sin and iniquity, establish in the world the usages and practices of God’s Prophets.

25:42.

13:31.

Commentary:

The words, "Is this the one who makes an evil mention of your gods," are expressive of contempt and contumely for the Holy Prophet on the part of disbelievers. They think it presumptuous on the Prophet’s part to speak slightingly of their gods. To this contemptuous expression of disbelievers the Quran replies by saying that if they think that it is presumptuous on the part of the Holy Prophetto speak disparagingly of their false gods, what do they think of their own contemptuous rejection of the very mention of the Gracious God?

Important Words:

The clause خلق الانسان من عجل means that haste forms a part of man’s being and is so prominent a trait of his character and he is so hasty by nature that he can be said to have been created, as it were, out of haste i.e. he has been given a hasty disposition. The words "but ask me not to hasten," support this meaning. At another place in the Quran, we have خلقکم من ضعف (30:55) which also means that man by nature is very weak. Similarly, the verse خلقتنی من نار و خلقته من طین means, that Satan by nature is a fire-eater and man is by nature submissive (7:13). When the Arabs have to express a prominent natural characteristic of a person they say خلق منه i.e. he has been created of it. An Arab would say خلقت من لعب i.e. thou hast been created of sport i.e. "you love and indulge very much in sport" (Lisan).

Commentary:

The verse means to say that disbelievers treat the Holy Prophet with contempt because of the delay that has occurred in the Divine punishment overtaking them. They are warned that this delay should not mislead them into believing that they will go scot-free and that they should not reject the Message of Islam in haste and that the time was fast approaching when the prophecies made by the Prophet about the triumph and victory of Islam will be fulfilled and the punishment of God will descend on them swift and hard.

34:30; 36:49; 67:26.

Commentary:

The reference in the words, when will this promise be fulfilled, is to the sign of punishment referred to in the preceding verse. The disbelievers demanded that they should be punished for their rejection of the Holy Prophet there and then. It is to this impatience of theirs that the verse refers.

Commentary:

The context shows and the wording of the present verse also lends support to the inference that the allusion in the word "fire" is to "the fire of war." The disbelievers ignited that fire and were themselves consumed in it. They were destroyed by the weapon which they employed against the believers. They drew the sword against Islam and by the sword they perished.

The words, the fire from their faces, signify the punishment that they will see in front of them i.e. the punishment whose signs will be apparent and manifest; and the words "nor from their backs" signify the punishment that will come upon them from behind their backs i.e. the punishment which will overtake them suddenly and unawares. Moreover, the punishment will overwhelm all of them—their leaders who are their faces and the ordinary folk who follow them and blindly accept their lead.

36:50; 67:28.

Commentary:

The reference in the verse may be to the Fall of Mecca when the Quraish were taken completely by surprise and were utterly confounded. The sign of punishment which they demanded came upon them suddenly in the form of the fall of their capital city the centre of disbelief and idolatry.

6:11; 13:33.

11:9; 46:27.

Commentary:

The verse makes mention of two things which never fail to occur when a Prophet preaches his message: (a) the message is held up to scorn and the Prophet himself is mocked and jeered at; and (b) the jeering and mocking of the scoffers always recoils on their own heads and they themselves become the laughing-stock of the world.