عَزِيزِ

8:11.

Commentary:

The verse is intended to warn Muslims against treating angels as gods or even as an independent source of help. Help comes from Allah alone; angels are entirely subservient to Him and do nothing by their own will. They come only by the command of God and do only what God commands them. The way in which angels help men is that they strengthen their hearts and fill their enemies with awe and fear. If God had so willed, a single angel would have been enough to help the Muslims, but He promised to send as many as five thousand angels in order to cheer and strengthen their hearts and to hint that a very large number of the hidden forces of nature were working in their favour. For the work and duties of angels, see 2:31.

It may incidentally be noted here that some believers, and even some disbelievers, are reported to have actually seen the angels at the Battle of Badr (Jarir, iv. 47). See also 8:11.

113:2.

25:48; 78:11.

36:39-40; 55:6.

Important Words:

حسبانا (reckoning) is the noun-infinitive from حسب. They sayحسبه i.e. he numbered or counted or reckoned it. حسبان means, numbering, counting or reckoning; also punishment, calamity or affliction with which a man is tried; the revolving firmament (Lane).

Commentary:

The words, He causes the break of day, signify that just as God causes the dawn to break, i.e. the night to change into day, similarly He brings men from spiritual darkness into light. He takes them out of the darkness of disbelief and sin into the light of faith and virtue.

The words, He made the night for rest, signify that just as a man, who works during the day, gets tired and goes to sleep at night and then gets refreshed, similarly the people among whom the Holy Prophet made his appearance had had a long night of rest, and so their powers had been renewed. The Holy Prophet had made his appearance when the time was ripe for it and when the people, with their powers refreshed, were best fitted for work and could benefit most by his advent. They were now full of energy and well able to ascend the heights of spirituality under his lead; and so it actually happened.

By referring to the sun and the moon in this verse, the Quran draws the attention of the deniers of revelation to the fact that, just as in the physical world the sun and the moon are indispensable, being measures of time and sources of light, so are the Prophets of God indispensable in the spiritual world.

Important Words:

العزیز (The ‘Aziz) is derived from عز which means, he was or became mighty, potent, powerful or strong; or he was or became high or elevated in rank or condition or state; عزیز means, mighty, potent, powerful or strong; high or elevated in rank or condition or state; noble, honourable, glorious or illustrious; proud, disdainful; invincible; a mighty king or a glorious king. العزیز is one of the names of God signifying the Mighty, Who overcomes everything; or He Who resists or withstands so that nothing overcomes Him; or the Incomparable or Unparalleled. It also signifies "king," because he has the mastery over the people of his dominions and the word was especially used about the ruler of Egypt i.e. the valley of the Nile together with Alexandria. It is a surname like النجاشی (Negus) applied to the King of the Abyssinians and قیصر (Kaiser) applied to the Emperor of the Romans (Lane & Aqrab).

شغفھا (he has infatuated her with love). شغفه means, he or it struck or smote the pericardium of his heart. شغف بالشیء means, he was or became vehemently desirous of the thing. شغفه المال means, the property became embellished to him so that he loved it. The expression قد شغفھا حبا means, he has affected her so that love of him has entered beneath the pericardium of her heart; or, love of him has struck or smitten or has rent the شغاف (pericardium) or the حجاب (midriff) of her heart (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

Al-‘Aziz stands here for Potiphar. According to modern technicality the rulers of Egypt are known by this title. But Potiphar was only the captain of the King’s guard. It seems that at the time of the Holy Prophet the chiefs and dignitaries of Egypt were also known by this title. It is also possible that those women might have used this high title for Potiphar merely by way of flattery.

It appears that the incident of the wife of ‘Aziz having made evil approaches to Joseph became public and the womenfolk of the locality began gossiping about it as is their wont.

12:32.

Important Words:

ماخطبکن (what was the matter with you) خطب (khatbun) is the noun-infinitive from خطب (khataba). They say خطب القوم i.e. he addressed the people and delivered to them an exhortation or admonition. خطب المرأة means, he asked or demanded the woman in marriage. خطب means, a thing, an affair, or a business, small or great, that one seeks or desires to do or that may be a subject of discourse; a great thing or affair; or the cause or occasion of a thing or an event; or an affliction or calamity. They say ماخطبك i.e. what is the thing or affair or business that thou seekest or desirest to do; or, what is the cause of thy coming? (Lane).

Commentary:

This verse shows that the King had become so convinced of the righteousness of Joseph that, on hearing of the accusation against him, he at once believed it to be false. This is why the women, judging from the way in which the King questioned them, realized that he looked upon Joseph as a righteous man, and so they confessed the truth. But by so doing they only bore witness to the innocence of Joseph, without in any way accusing Potiphar’s wife. The latter, however, fearing lest after exonerating Joseph of all blame the women might proceed to testify to her misconduct, hastened to confess her guilt, although she had not yet been questioned by the King. She did this to escape the greater shame of being condemned out of the mouth of others and perhaps also to win some credit for speaking the truth without being questioned.

10:2; 11:2; 12:2; 13:2; 15:2.

2:258; 5:17; 14:6; 65:12.

Commentary:

For an explanation of the abbreviated letters Alif Lam Ra, see 2:2. & 10:2.

This verse represents the Quran as a "torch" by means of which the Holy Prophet led men from darkness into "light," which is "the path of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy."

Commentators differ as to what is meant by "light." In popular parlance, students of modern philosophy or sciences or those who follow no revealed Law or, for that matter, know no religion, are spoken of by some as "men of light." Christians look upon their own religion as the source of all light, while according to Hindus their religion alone is light and all else is darkness. For the followers of Islam it is their faith which, of all religious systems, deserves to be called by this name. The verse under comment lays down a sure criterion by which true "light" may be judged and tested. According to it "light" means "coming out of darkness and attaining nearness to God," so only those who, betake themselves to Him may be said to have received the "light."

The verse mentions two attributes of God, "the Mighty" and "the Praiseworthy." The attribute, "the Mighty," pertains to outward light, while "the Praiseworthy" refers to inward light. He who develops in himself the first attribute is enabled to overcome his external enemies and become safe from physical afflictions, privations and hardships, while he who develops the second attribute overpowers his inward enemy, Satan, and gets rid of the darkness of doubts, misgivings, evil suggestions and ignorance. The Arabs were delivered from both these kinds of darkness through the Holy Prophet. They were not only revived into a new life but superstition, ignorance, idolatry and moral depravity also took leave of them. Through the Holy Prophet they became not only the temporal rulers, but also the moral and spiritual teachers of the world.

25:59; 33:49.

Commentary:

The Surah has given a brief account of the teachings of seven great Prophets of God and of the persecution and opposition they had to meet at the hands of their enemies and of the sad end to which the latter came on account of their rejecting the Divine Message. The account of every Prophet ended with the highly significant words, viz. "And thy Lord—He is the Mighty, the Merciful," meaning that God possessed the power to punish the rejecters and persecutors of the Prophets and was Merciful to those who believed in them. After this account the Holy Prophet has been commanded to preach his message and has been told that like the Prophets mentioned above he would also face fierce opposition and persecution. He has been further enjoined to pray and to put his trust in the Mighty and Merciful God, the injunction implying that those who will persist in opposing and persecuting him will experience God’s might but those who will accept him will be shown mercy.

13:20; 22: 55; 35:32; 47:3; 56:96.

20:5; 32:3; 40:3; 41:3; 45:3; 46:3.

6:97; 55:6.

Commentary:

In the spiritual realm the sun may represent a Law-bearing Prophet.

17:101; 52:38.

Commentary:

In reply to the refusal of disbelievers to accept the Holy Prophet on the plea that he was a mere mortal like them and nothing more, the verse reproachfully asks them: Since when have they arrogated to themselves the possession of the treasures of Divine mercy? It is God’s own special prerogative to select, in His infallible wisdom, whom He deems fit to be the bearer of His Message and the conveyer of His will to His creatures.