نَذِیۡرٌ
Appears 22 times in Quran
Derived Words (4)
Words derived from the stem "نَذِیۡرٌ".
- a warner
- Warner
- a clear Warner
- a plain Warner
- I am but a plain Warner to you.
- and a warner
Occurrences in Quran
Found 22 verses containing "نَذِیۡرٌ".
یٰۤاَہۡلَ الۡکِتٰبِ قَدۡ جَآءَکُمۡ رَسُوۡلُنَا یُبَیِّنُ لَکُمۡ عَلٰی فَتۡرَۃٍ مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ اَنۡ تَقُوۡلُوۡا مَا جَآءَنَا مِنۡۢ بَشِیۡرٍ وَّلَا نَذِیۡرٍ ۖ فَقَدۡ جَآءَکُمۡ بَشِیۡرٌ وَّنَذِیۡرٌ ۗ وَاللّٰہُ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ قَدِیۡرٌ
اس جگہ عبارت سے ’’نہ‘‘ نکالا گیا ہے اور چونکہ اسے ہم بریکٹ میں نہیں لا سکتے تھے اسے ظاہر کر دیا گیا ہے۔ عربی میں اَنْ کے ساتھ جو مصدر بنے عام طور پر اس جگہ ’’نہ‘‘ کا لفظ محذوف سمجھا جاتا ہے اور اس جگہ بھی اَنْ کا بنایا ہوا مصدر مذکور ہے اس لئے موقعہ کے مطابق ہم نے ’’نہ‘‘ محذوف نکالا ہے۔
5:16.
History is silent whether any Prophet had appeared in any country between the Holy Prophet and Jesus, at least not among the People of the Book. The world was, in fact, expecting and preparing for the advent of humanity’s greatest Deliverer. Some statements of doubtful authenticity (Kalbi) mention that Jesus was followed by some Prophets, Khalid bin Salam, being one of them. But the Holy Prophet himself is reported to have said that there was no Prophet between him and Jesus (Bukhari).
5:16.
Important Words:
فترة (interval) is the noun-infinitive from فتر. They say فترالشیء i.e. the thing remitted or became allayed or abated or still after vehemence; or it became gentle after violence. They say فترعن عمله i.e. he flagged or became remiss or languid in his work. فترالحر means, the heat abated or flagged after being intense and vehement. فترة means, languor or remissness; weakness or feebleness; an interval of time between two things; an interval of time between two Prophets during which there is a cessation of prophetic revelation (Aqrab & Lane).
Commentary:
As generally believed, no Prophet appeared among Jews and Christians after Jesus. According to some historians, however, three Prophets did appear after Jesus, and according to Kalbi, Jesus was followed by four Prophets, one of them, Khalid bin Salam, appearing in Arabia. It was with regard to Khalid bin Salam that the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "He was a Prophet to whose message his people paid no heed" (Muhit). Whatever the truth, the Holy Prophet was preceded by a period of فترة or cessation of Prophethood, no Prophet of God having appeared immediately before him.
The expression, lest you say, there has come to us no bearer of glad tidings and no warner, points to the important truth that God never visits a people with punishment unless He first sends a Messenger to them (17:16), because if punishment overtakes men without the appearance of a Messenger, they can justifiably say that they are being punished without being told what their offence is and without being given the opportunity to repent and mend their ways. In the present age too the world has been visited with calamities of diverse kinds on an extraordinary scale. A Messenger, therefore, must have come. He has indeed come in the fulness of the time in the person of Ahmad, the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement.
a
5:16.
372
历史上没有说过, 是否在穆圣和伊撒之间在任何国家中出现过先知, 至少在有经的人中间没有出现过。这个世界其实是在期待并为人类最伟大的解救者的降临做准备。有些可靠性值得怀疑的报告 كَلْبِی (Kalbi) 说, 伊撒之后曾经有过几个圣人, 其中有哈利德·彬·萨拉目。但是, 据说穆圣曾经自己说过, 在他和伊撒之间并没有任何先知出现过。(«布哈理»)
1
اس جگہ عبارت سے ’’نہ‘‘ نکالا گیا ہے اور چونکہ اسے ہم بریکٹ میں نہیں لا سکتے تھے اسے ظاہر کر دیا گیا ہے۔ عربی میں اَنْ کے ساتھ جو مصدر بنے عام طور پر اس جگہ ’’نہ‘‘ کا لفظ محذوف سمجھا جاتا ہے اور اس جگہ بھی اَنْ کا بنایا ہوا مصدر مذکور ہے اس لئے موقعہ کے مطابق ہم نے ’’نہ‘‘ محذوف نکالا ہے۔
a
5:16.
657
Important Words:
فترة (interval) is the noun-infinitive from فتر. They say فترالشیء i.e. the thing remitted or became allayed or abated or still after vehemence; or it became gentle after violence. They say فترعن عمله i.e. he flagged or became remiss or languid in his work. فترالحر means, the heat abated or flagged after being intense and vehement. فترة means, languor or remissness; weakness or feebleness; an interval of time between two things; an interval of time between two Prophets during which there is a cessation of prophetic revelation (Aqrab & Lane).
Commentary:
As generally believed, no Prophet appeared among Jews and Christians after Jesus. According to some historians, however, three Prophets did appear after Jesus, and according to Kalbi, Jesus was followed by four Prophets, one of them, Khalid bin Salam, appearing in Arabia. It was with regard to Khalid bin Salam that the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "He was a Prophet to whose message his people paid no heed" (Muhit). Whatever the truth, the Holy Prophet was preceded by a period of فترة or cessation of Prophethood, no Prophet of God having appeared immediately before him.
The expression, lest you say, there has come to us no bearer of glad tidings and no warner, points to the important truth that God never visits a people with punishment unless He first sends a Messenger to them (17:16), because if punishment overtakes men without the appearance of a Messenger, they can justifiably say that they are being punished without being told what their offence is and without being given the opportunity to repent and mend their ways. In the present age too the world has been visited with calamities of diverse kinds on an extraordinary scale. A Messenger, therefore, must have come. He has indeed come in the fulness of the time in the person of Ahmad, the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement.
c
5:16.
729
History is silent whether any Prophet had appeared in any country between the Holy Prophet and Jesus, at least not among the People of the Book. The world was, in fact, expecting and preparing for the advent of humanity’s greatest Deliverer. Some statements of doubtful authenticity (Kalbi) mention that Jesus was followed by some Prophets, Khalid bin Salam, being one of them. But the Holy Prophet himself is reported to have said that there was no Prophet between him and Jesus (Bukhari).
اَوَلَمۡ یَتَفَکَّرُوۡا ۗ مَا بِصَاحِبِہِمۡ مِّنۡ جِنَّۃٍ ۚ اِنۡ ہُوَ اِلَّا نَذِیۡرٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ
23:26; 34:47; 52:30; 81:23.
23:26; 34:47; 52:30; 81:23.
Sahib (companion) implies a refutation of the charge of insanity brought against the Holy Prophet, as well as a veiled rebuke to the Meccans. They are told that the Holy Prophet is their companion. He has lived and moved among them and they have known him for years; so they could easily see, and indeed in their heart of hearts they are convinced, that there is nothing of insanity about him.
23:26; 34:47; 52:30; 81:23.
Important Words:
صاحب (companion) is derived from صحب which means, he was or became his companion, associate, comrade, fellow or friend. صاحب of which the plural is اصحاب or صحابة means, a companion, associate, comrade, fellow or friend; owner or master; possessor; inmate; manager or disposer; one who keeps or adheres to a thing (Lane). Figuratively the word is also used in the sense of helper.
Commentary:
The word صاحب (companion) meaning both a companion and a helper is not intended as a plain reference to the Holy Prophet. The word has been specially chosen to imply a refutation of the charge of insanity brought by some of his enemies against the Holy Prophet, as well as a veiled rebuke to the Meccans. They are told that the Prophet was their companion and associate. He lived and moved among them and they knew him perfectly well and, therefore, they could easily see, and indeed in their heart of hearts they knew that there was nothing of insanity about him. He was also their helper and was constantly working for their good which constituted further proof of the fact that he was not insane. That he was نذیر مبین (a plain warner) and issued his warnings in a clear and reasoned manner also pointed to the same conclusion—that he was in full possession of his senses.
g
23:26; 34:47; 52:30; 81:23.
b
23:26; 34:47; 52:30; 81:23.
1071
Important Words:
صاحب (companion) is derived from صحب which means, he was or became his companion, associate, comrade, fellow or friend. صاحب of which the plural is اصحاب or صحابة means, a companion, associate, comrade, fellow or friend; owner or master; possessor; inmate; manager or disposer; one who keeps or adheres to a thing (Lane). Figuratively the word is also used in the sense of helper.
Commentary:
The word صاحب (companion) meaning both a companion and a helper is not intended as a plain reference to the Holy Prophet. The word has been specially chosen to imply a refutation of the charge of insanity brought by some of his enemies against the Holy Prophet, as well as a veiled rebuke to the Meccans. They are told that the Prophet was their companion and associate. He lived and moved among them and they knew him perfectly well and, therefore, they could easily see, and indeed in their heart of hearts they knew that there was nothing of insanity about him. He was also their helper and was constantly working for their good which constituted further proof of the fact that he was not insane. That he was نذیر مبین (a plain warner) and issued his warnings in a clear and reasoned manner also pointed to the same conclusion—that he was in full possession of his senses.
a
23:26; 34:47; 52:30; 81:23.
1078
Sahib (companion) implies a refutation of the charge of insanity brought against the Holy Prophet, as well as a veiled rebuke to the Meccans. They are told that the Holy Prophet is their companion. He has lived and moved among them and they have known him for years; so they could easily see, and indeed in their heart of hearts they are convinced, that there is nothing of insanity about him.
قُل لَّاۤ اَمۡلِکُ لِنَفۡسِیۡ نَفۡعًا وَّلَا ضَرًّا اِلَّا مَا شَآءَ اللّٰہُ ۚ وَلَوۡ کُنۡتُ اَعۡلَمُ الۡغَیۡبَ لَاسۡتَکۡثَرۡتُ مِنَ الۡخَیۡرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِیَ السُّوۡٓءُ ۚ اِنۡ اَنَا۠ اِلَّا نَذِیۡرٌ وَّبَشِیۡرٌ لِّقَوۡمٍ یُّؤۡمِنُوۡنَ
10:50; 72:22.
2:120; 5:20; 11:3.
Commentary:
By the word "good" in the sentence, I should have secured abundance of good, is meant no material good, but spiritual good. As for material good, it is well-known that it did come to the Holy Prophet, but he discarded it, praying to God in the words اللھم احیینی مسکیناوامتنی مسکینا i.e. "My God, make me live the life of a poor man and let death come to me when I am poor" (Tirmidhi). So by the word "good" is here meant, not worldly good or riches but spiritual good or the good of Islam, which the Holy Prophet so ardently desired.
The word "unseen" in the clause, If I had knowledge of the unseen, means the secret ways of purifying men’s hearts which are known to God alone (16:10). The Holy Prophet is thus represented as saying: "'If I had known the secret and hidden ways by which men’s hearts are turned to truth, I would have certainly used them and would have made all of you accept the true Faith."
The expression, and evil should not have touched me, means that in the event of my having won over all men to Islam, there would have been no war.
h
10:50; 72:22.
i
2:120; 5:20; 11:3.
a
10:50; 72:22.
b
2:120; 5:20; 11:3.
1075
Commentary:
By the word "good" in the sentence, I should have secured abundance of good, is meant no material good, but spiritual good. As for material good, it is well-known that it did come to the Holy Prophet, but he discarded it, praying to God in the words اللھم احیینی مسکیناوامتنی مسکینا i.e. "My God, make me live the life of a poor man and let death come to me when I am poor" (Tirmidhi). So by the word "good" is here meant, not worldly good or riches but spiritual good or the good of Islam, which the Holy Prophet so ardently desired.
The word "unseen" in the clause, If I had knowledge of the unseen, means the secret ways of purifying men’s hearts which are known to God alone (16:10). The Holy Prophet is thus represented as saying: "'If I had known the secret and hidden ways by which men’s hearts are turned to truth, I would have certainly used them and would have made all of you accept the true Faith."
The expression, and evil should not have touched me, means that in the event of my having won over all men to Islam, there would have been no war.
b
10:50; 72:22.
c
2:120; 5:20; 11:3.
اَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوۡۤا اِلَّا اللّٰہَ ۚ اِنَّنِیۡ لَکُمۡ مِّنۡہُ نَذِیۡرٌ وَّبَشِیۡرٌ
2:120; 5:20; 7:189; 25:57; 34:29; 35:25.
اگلی آیت کے ساتھ ملا کر ترجمہ: (اور) اس تعلیم پر مشتمل ہے کہ تم اللہ کے سوا (کسی) کی عبادت نہ کرو۔ اور یہ کہ تم اپنے رب سے بخشش مانگو (اور) اس کی طرف (سچا) رجوع کرو (تب) وہ تمہیں ایک مقررہ میعاد تک اچھی طرح سے سامان عطا کرے گا۔ اور نیز ہر ایک فضیلت والے (شخص) کو اپنا فضل عطا کرے گا اور اگر تم پھر جاؤ گے تو میں یقیناً تم پر ایک بڑے (ہولناک) دن کے عذاب (کے آنے) سے ڈرتا ہوں۔ کیونکہ میں خدا کی طرف سے بلاشک و شبہ تمہارے لئے ہوشیار کرنے والا اور اہم خبریں دینے والا (بنا کر بھیجا گیا) ہوں۔
بشارت کے معنی اردو زبان میں خوشخبری کے ہوتے ہیں لیکن عربی زبان میں اس کے معنی اہم خبر کے ہوتے ہیں۔ خواہ وہ انذار کے متعلق ہو۔
2:120; 5:20; 7:189; 25:57; 34:29; 35:25.
2:120; 5:20; 7:189; 25:57; 34:29; 35:25.
Commentary:
The words, you should worship none but Allah, apparently show God to be selfish and standing in need of man’s worship. Nothing can be farther from truth than such an idea. God needs no worship from man. On the contrary, it is man himself who needs the worship of God for his own moral and spiritual benefit (29:7 & 49:18), because worship does not consist merely in certain outward acts but extends to all those spiritual strivings which help to make man reflect in his person Divine attributes. In fact, as the Arabic word عبادة (worship) means full and total obedience and submission to God’s will, it is clear that one who obeys God with thorough submissiveness and humility of heart and follows the will of his Creator fully and completely will not fail to imbibe Divine attributes and attain to the highest spiritual stature. This is something in which lies man’s own good. God gains nothing from it. The mention in the Bible of man having been created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27) also points to the same great truth, i.e. that man has been created so that he may develop in himself the attributes of God. The words of the Bible must not, however, be taken literally, for God is free from all form.
The injunction to worship God alone means that God should always be kept in view, because the complete picture of an object can be drawn only when that object is held constantly before the eye. Hence, worship means constant viewing of the attributes of God and the imprinting of them on the mind. It is clear that in so doing we benefit ourselves alone and do no good to God. A saying of the Holy Prophet also corroborates the above conception of worship. When asked what عبادة(worship) meant, he is reported to have replied that it meant that one should worship God as if one was actually seeing Him, i.e. that different attributes of God should stand embodied before the mind’s eye (Bukhari, ch. on Iman).
The Holy Prophet was a نذیر (Warner) in the sense that he cautioned and warned men to be on their guard against following evil ways and shunning good ones. And he was a بشیر (bearer of glad tidings) inasmuch as he pointed to them the way and provided for them the means of attaining both spiritual bliss and material prosperity.
d
2:120; 5:20; 7:189; 25:57; 34:29; 35:25.
1
اگلی آیت کے ساتھ ملا کر ترجمہ: (اور) اس تعلیم پر مشتمل ہے کہ تم اللہ کے سوا (کسی) کی عبادت نہ کرو۔ اور یہ کہ تم اپنے رب سے بخشش مانگو (اور) اس کی طرف (سچا) رجوع کرو (تب) وہ تمہیں ایک مقررہ میعاد تک اچھی طرح سے سامان عطا کرے گا۔ اور نیز ہر ایک فضیلت والے (شخص) کو اپنا فضل عطا کرے گا اور اگر تم پھر جاؤ گے تو میں یقیناً تم پر ایک بڑے (ہولناک) دن کے عذاب (کے آنے) سے ڈرتا ہوں۔ کیونکہ میں خدا کی طرف سے بلاشک و شبہ تمہارے لئے ہوشیار کرنے والا اور اہم خبریں دینے والا (بنا کر بھیجا گیا) ہوں۔
2
بشارت کے معنی اردو زبان میں خوشخبری کے ہوتے ہیں لیکن عربی زبان میں اس کے معنی اہم خبر کے ہوتے ہیں۔ خواہ وہ انذار کے متعلق ہو۔
a
2:120; 5:20; 7:189; 25:57; 34:29; 35:25.
1384
Commentary:
The words, you should worship none but Allah, apparently show God to be selfish and standing in need of man’s worship. Nothing can be farther from truth than such an idea. God needs no worship from man. On the contrary, it is man himself who needs the worship of God for his own moral and spiritual benefit (29:7 & 49:18), because worship does not consist merely in certain outward acts but extends to all those spiritual strivings which help to make man reflect in his person Divine attributes. In fact, as the Arabic word عبادة (worship) means full and total obedience and submission to God’s will, it is clear that one who obeys God with thorough submissiveness and humility of heart and follows the will of his Creator fully and completely will not fail to imbibe Divine attributes and attain to the highest spiritual stature. This is something in which lies man’s own good. God gains nothing from it. The mention in the Bible of man having been created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27) also points to the same great truth, i.e. that man has been created so that he may develop in himself the attributes of God. The words of the Bible must not, however, be taken literally, for God is free from all form.
The injunction to worship God alone means that God should always be kept in view, because the complete picture of an object can be drawn only when that object is held constantly before the eye. Hence, worship means constant viewing of the attributes of God and the imprinting of them on the mind. It is clear that in so doing we benefit ourselves alone and do no good to God. A saying of the Holy Prophet also corroborates the above conception of worship. When asked what عبادة(worship) meant, he is reported to have replied that it meant that one should worship God as if one was actually seeing Him, i.e. that different attributes of God should stand embodied before the mind’s eye (Bukhari, ch. on Iman).
The Holy Prophet was a نذیر (Warner) in the sense that he cautioned and warned men to be on their guard against following evil ways and shunning good ones. And he was a بشیر (bearer of glad tidings) inasmuch as he pointed to them the way and provided for them the means of attaining both spiritual bliss and material prosperity.
d
2:120; 5:20; 7:189; 25:57; 34:29; 35:25.
فَلَعَلَّکَ تَارِکٌۢ بَعۡضَ مَا یُوۡحٰۤی اِلَیۡکَ وَضَآئِقٌۢ بِہٖ صَدۡرُکَ اَنۡ یَّقُوۡلُوۡا لَوۡلَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ عَلَیۡہِ کَنۡزٌ اَوۡ جَآءَ مَعَہٗ مَلَکٌ ۚ اِنَّمَاۤ اَنۡتَ نَذِیۡرٌ ۚ وَاللّٰہُ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ وَّکِیۡلٌ
قرآن مجید میں لَعَلَّ کا لفظ ہے اور لغت نے لَعَلَّ کے یہ معنے دئے ہیں کہ متکلم اپنے مقابل کے متعلق دلی خواہش کے اظہار کے لئے کبھی یہ لفظ استعمال کرتا ہے۔ اس لئے ہم نے یہ ترجمہ کیا ہے کہ شاید کفار تجھ سے اب یہ توقع رکھتے ہیں کہ تو قرآن کا کچھ حصہ چُھپا دے جو توقع صرف ان کا وہم ہے عملاً ناممکن ہے۔
17:94; 25:9.
13:8.
17:74.
The word, la‘alla, is used to denote either a state of hope or of fear, whether that state pertains to the speaker or to the addressee or to someone else.
It is a peculiarity of the Quranic diction that sometimes it omits the question and only gives the answer, the question being implied in the answer itself. The present verse is an example of this peculiarity. In the preceding verse believers were promised forgiveness and a great reward. Thereupon disbelievers mockingly asked the Holy Prophet, 'Where is the promised reward of which we do not see the slightest sign? You do not have even the money which you need so badly, nor do the angels descend from heaven to help you.' The Qur’an turns the tables upon them and answers their irony with an irony, saying, 'Ah! How "weighty" is the objection of these people and perhaps, O Prophet, from fear of being unable to answer it, you would hide a part of Our revelation which contains prophecies regarding the prosperity and triumph of Islam! This is only their wishful thinking, their vain and futile hope. Such a thing can never happen.'
17:74.
17:94; 25:9.
13:8.
Important Words:
فلعلك (thou art now perhaps). The word لعل is used to denote either a state of hope or of fear, whether that state pertains to the speaker or to the addressee or to someone else. In the Quranic expression فلعلك تارك بعض مایوحی الیك (thou art now perhaps going to abandon part of that which has been revealed to thee) the word لعل has been used to signify that "the people imagine that thou art now perhaps going to abandon, etc." (Mufradat). See also 2:22.
کنز (treasure) is the noun-infinitive from کنز (kanaza). They say کنز المال i.e. he buried the property or treasure in the earth; he collected the property and treasured it, or he hoarded it or stored it in secret. کنز الرمح means, he stuck or fixed the spear in the ground. کنز التمر means, he stored or packed up the dates (in the receptacle). کنز (kanz) means, treasure; property buried in the earth; any property whereof the portion that should be given in alms is not given; property that is preserved in a receptacle; anything abundant and collected together; gold and silver; a treasure of knowledge or science; that in which property is preserved or that in which property is buried or hoarded in secret (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
It is a peculiarity of Quranic diction that sometimes it omits to give the question and only gives the answer, the question being implied in the answer itself. The present verse constitutes an example of this style. In the previous verse believers were promised forgiveness and a great reward. Thereupon disbelievers asked the Holy Prophet in a jeering and ironical manner, "You say your followers will get a great reward and their sins will be forgiven. We know nothing about the forgiveness of their sins. But where is the promised reward of which we do not see the slightest sign? You do not have even the money which you need so badly, nor do the angels descend from heaven to help you." The Quran turns the tables upon the disbelievers and answers their irony, with an irony, saying, "How weighty indeed is the objection of these people and perhaps, o Prophet, from fear of being unable to answer it, you would hide a part of Our revelation which contains prophecies regarding the prosperity and triumph of Islam!" meaning that such a thing can never be.
The verse is capable of another interpretation also. In this case the word لعل would be taken to refer to the hope of disbelievers that the Holy Prophet may, out of fear of their objections, suppress part of the Divine revelation. The verse declares such hopes to be vain and futile, for the Holy Prophet was "only a warner," and the function and duty of a warner is only to issue the warning and deliver his message faithfully; he has no right to suppress any portion of the message. Again, by using the words "only a Warner" the verse also hints that the Holy Prophet did not claim to be God so that the treasures of the earth might be under his control; he was only a human being. If it be said here that believers who were promised "a great reward" (see the preceding verse) were also human beings like the Holy Prophet, it should be remembered that they were promised the reward not immediately but after they had established their title to it by displaying patience and steadfastness under trials and hardships for a considerable time. So disbelievers could demand from the Holy Prophet clear and palpable signs of the prosperity promised to him only when the promised time had come and not earlier. To come attended with power and glory in the very beginning is a sign of personal authority which belongs to God alone and not to any human being."
The words, Allah is Guardian over all things, are intended to point to the fact that all these promises will certainly come to pass. The Holy Prophet will assuredly get both مغفرة (lit. covering up) and a great reward, and the angels of God will undoubtedly descend to bring his work to completion and make null and void the machinations of his enemies. Not only will he himself be favoured with a great reward, but his followers and disciples also would become rulers and kings. Any fair-minded and impartial person can see that both these promises were literally fulfilled.
Some hostile critics of Islam have pretended to infer from this verse that the Holy Prophet was actually prepared to abandon a portion of the Quran out of fear of the objections of his opponents. But the context spurns this baseless interpretation. Can any reasonable person imagine that the demand for the descent of helping angels or for the possession of a treasure was such that, on account of it, the Holy Prophet should, in any way, have become prepared to suppress part of Divine revelation, or that he was unaware of the fact that he was only a warner whose duty was to deliver the Message, whatever it might be? Again, did he not know that God had clearly spoken to him saying He Himself was "Guardian over all things"? So the words, thou art now perhaps going to abandon part of that which has been revealed to thee, contain only a vain hope on the part of the disbelievers that the Prophet might give up part of his revelation; they do not at all find any intention or readiness on his part to do so. Do not these critics know that when at Mecca a deputation of the Quraish waited on the Holy Prophet and asked him to give up preaching against their idols and threatened to crush him and his tribe in case he refused to do so, the prompt answer he gave was that even if they put the sun on his right and the moon on his left he would not swerve a hair’s breadth from the teachings which God had given him? Could he, whom the threats or cajolery of the Quraish at a time when he was extremely weak could not induce to give up his preaching, have become so unnerved by these silly objections as to become ready to conceal a part of the DivineWord?
The verse that follows also gives the lie to such an inference, for it contains a challenge to the world to produce ten Surahs like any ten Surahs of the Quran. If there had been any doubt in the Prophet’s mind concerning any portion of the Quran, could that very portion possibly have been followed by a challenge like this? This challenge shows that he believed in the truth of every word of the Quran with a conviction firm as a rock.
d
17:74.
e
17:94; 25:9.
f
13:8.
1
قرآن مجید میں لَعَلَّ کا لفظ ہے اور لغت نے لَعَلَّ کے یہ معنے دئے ہیں کہ متکلم اپنے مقابل کے متعلق دلی خواہش کے اظہار کے لئے کبھی یہ لفظ استعمال کرتا ہے۔ اس لئے ہم نے یہ ترجمہ کیا ہے کہ شاید کفار تجھ سے اب یہ توقع رکھتے ہیں کہ تو قرآن کا کچھ حصہ چُھپا دے جو توقع صرف ان کا وہم ہے عملاً ناممکن ہے۔
a
17:74.
b
17:94; 25:9.
c
13:8.
1394
Important Words:
فلعلك (thou art now perhaps). The word لعل is used to denote either a state of hope or of fear, whether that state pertains to the speaker or to the addressee or to someone else. In the Quranic expression فلعلك تارك بعض مایوحی الیك (thou art now perhaps going to abandon part of that which has been revealed to thee) the word لعل has been used to signify that "the people imagine that thou art now perhaps going to abandon, etc." (Mufradat). See also 2:22.
کنز (treasure) is the noun-infinitive from کنز (kanaza). They say کنز المال i.e. he buried the property or treasure in the earth; he collected the property and treasured it, or he hoarded it or stored it in secret. کنز الرمح means, he stuck or fixed the spear in the ground. کنز التمر means, he stored or packed up the dates (in the receptacle). کنز (kanz) means, treasure; property buried in the earth; any property whereof the portion that should be given in alms is not given; property that is preserved in a receptacle; anything abundant and collected together; gold and silver; a treasure of knowledge or science; that in which property is preserved or that in which property is buried or hoarded in secret (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
It is a peculiarity of Quranic diction that sometimes it omits to give the question and only gives the answer, the question being implied in the answer itself. The present verse constitutes an example of this style. In the previous verse believers were promised forgiveness and a great reward. Thereupon disbelievers asked the Holy Prophet in a jeering and ironical manner, "You say your followers will get a great reward and their sins will be forgiven. We know nothing about the forgiveness of their sins. But where is the promised reward of which we do not see the slightest sign? You do not have even the money which you need so badly, nor do the angels descend from heaven to help you." The Quran turns the tables upon the disbelievers and answers their irony, with an irony, saying, "How weighty indeed is the objection of these people and perhaps, o Prophet, from fear of being unable to answer it, you would hide a part of Our revelation which contains prophecies regarding the prosperity and triumph of Islam!" meaning that such a thing can never be.
The verse is capable of another interpretation also. In this case the word لعل would be taken to refer to the hope of disbelievers that the Holy Prophet may, out of fear of their objections, suppress part of the Divine revelation. The verse declares such hopes to be vain and futile, for the Holy Prophet was "only a warner," and the function and duty of a warner is only to issue the warning and deliver his message faithfully; he has no right to suppress any portion of the message. Again, by using the words "only a Warner" the verse also hints that the Holy Prophet did not claim to be God so that the treasures of the earth might be under his control; he was only a human being. If it be said here that believers who were promised "a great reward" (see the preceding verse) were also human beings like the Holy Prophet, it should be remembered that they were promised the reward not immediately but after they had established their title to it by displaying patience and steadfastness under trials and hardships for a considerable time. So disbelievers could demand from the Holy Prophet clear and palpable signs of the prosperity promised to him only when the promised time had come and not earlier. To come attended with power and glory in the very beginning is a sign of personal authority which belongs to God alone and not to any human being."
The words, Allah is Guardian over all things, are intended to point to the fact that all these promises will certainly come to pass. The Holy Prophet will assuredly get both مغفرة (lit. covering up) and a great reward, and the angels of God will undoubtedly descend to bring his work to completion and make null and void the machinations of his enemies. Not only will he himself be favoured with a great reward, but his followers and disciples also would become rulers and kings. Any fair-minded and impartial person can see that both these promises were literally fulfilled.
Some hostile critics of Islam have pretended to infer from this verse that the Holy Prophet was actually prepared to abandon a portion of the Quran out of fear of the objections of his opponents. But the context spurns this baseless interpretation. Can any reasonable person imagine that the demand for the descent of helping angels or for the possession of a treasure was such that, on account of it, the Holy Prophet should, in any way, have become prepared to suppress part of Divine revelation, or that he was unaware of the fact that he was only a warner whose duty was to deliver the Message, whatever it might be? Again, did he not know that God had clearly spoken to him saying He Himself was "Guardian over all things"? So the words, thou art now perhaps going to abandon part of that which has been revealed to thee, contain only a vain hope on the part of the disbelievers that the Prophet might give up part of his revelation; they do not at all find any intention or readiness on his part to do so. Do not these critics know that when at Mecca a deputation of the Quraish waited on the Holy Prophet and asked him to give up preaching against their idols and threatened to crush him and his tribe in case he refused to do so, the prompt answer he gave was that even if they put the sun on his right and the moon on his left he would not swerve a hair’s breadth from the teachings which God had given him? Could he, whom the threats or cajolery of the Quraish at a time when he was extremely weak could not induce to give up his preaching, have become so unnerved by these silly objections as to become ready to conceal a part of the DivineWord?
The verse that follows also gives the lie to such an inference, for it contains a challenge to the world to produce ten Surahs like any ten Surahs of the Quran. If there had been any doubt in the Prophet’s mind concerning any portion of the Quran, could that very portion possibly have been followed by a challenge like this? This challenge shows that he believed in the truth of every word of the Quran with a conviction firm as a rock.
a
17:94; 25:9.
b
13:8.
e
17:74.
1301
The word, la‘alla, is used to denote either a state of hope or of fear, whether that state pertains to the speaker or to the addressee or to someone else.
1302
It is a peculiarity of the Quranic diction that sometimes it omits the question and only gives the answer, the question being implied in the answer itself. The present verse is an example of this peculiarity. In the preceding verse believers were promised forgiveness and a great reward. Thereupon disbelievers mockingly asked the Holy Prophet, 'Where is the promised reward of which we do not see the slightest sign? You do not have even the money which you need so badly, nor do the angels descend from heaven to help you.' The Qur’an turns the tables upon them and answers their irony with an irony, saying, 'Ah! How "weighty" is the objection of these people and perhaps, O Prophet, from fear of being unable to answer it, you would hide a part of Our revelation which contains prophecies regarding the prosperity and triumph of Islam! This is only their wishful thinking, their vain and futile hope. Such a thing can never happen.'
وَلَقَدۡ اَرۡسَلۡنَا نُوۡحًا اِلٰی قَوۡمِہٖۤ اِنِّیۡ لَکُمۡ نَذِیۡرٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ
7:60; 23:24; 71:3.
7:60; 23:24; 71:3.
7:60; 23:24; 71:3.
Important Words:
مبین (plain) is derived from ابان which again is derived from بان for which see 2:169. مبین gives three meanings: (1) plain and clear; (2) he who or that which makes a thing clear by giving reasons and arguments; (3) he who or that which cuts something asunder.
Commentary:
In the previous verse it was stated that disbelievers did not care either to ponder over the inglorious end to which false prophets and their followers came or to the great success attained by true Prophets. The former class of people were likened to the blind and the deaf and the latter to the hearing and the seeing. With the present verse begin some illustrations of these two classes of men. The first illustration is that of Noah, who was one of the great Prophets of God.
All Prophets of God are نذیر مبین (plain Warners) i.e. (1) there is no secrecy about their teaching and manner of work. Unlike false pretenders, they do not conceal their teaching. With them everything is fair and above board. (2) Their teaching is also based on reason and argument. Thus, unlike the warning of the false prophets, the warning of the true Prophets causes no despair or despondency among their followers. The Holy Prophet has strongly condemned warnings which occasion despair. He is reported to have said: من قال ھلك القوم فھو اھلکھم i.e. "He who says that the people have perished, it is really he himself who causes them to perish by so saying" (Muslim, ch. on Birri Was-Silah). Such a person, in fact, makes people lose faith and confidence in themselves and makes them despair of their future. Lost in the slough of despond, they begin to think lightly of sin and iniquity and feel hopelessly discouraged and disheartened. It is the function of a divine reformer to tell people that he has with him the remedy of their corruption. Thus when Noah said that he was نذیر مبین i.e. a plain Warner, he meant that all his work was above suspicion and that his warning was based on reason; that he had come not to dishearten his people, but to make them realize their true condition. He also meant that he not only warned them of impending punishment but also pointed out to them the way in which they could escape that punishment. It was to "worship none but Allah."
d
7:60; 23:24; 71:3.
a
7:60; 23:24; 71:3.
1407
Important Words:
مبین (plain) is derived from ابان which again is derived from بان for which see 2:169. مبین gives three meanings: (1) plain and clear; (2) he who or that which makes a thing clear by giving reasons and arguments; (3) he who or that which cuts something asunder.
Commentary:
In the previous verse it was stated that disbelievers did not care either to ponder over the inglorious end to which false prophets and their followers came or to the great success attained by true Prophets. The former class of people were likened to the blind and the deaf and the latter to the hearing and the seeing. With the present verse begin some illustrations of these two classes of men. The first illustration is that of Noah, who was one of the great Prophets of God.
All Prophets of God are نذیر مبین (plain Warners) i.e. (1) there is no secrecy about their teaching and manner of work. Unlike false pretenders, they do not conceal their teaching. With them everything is fair and above board. (2) Their teaching is also based on reason and argument. Thus, unlike the warning of the false prophets, the warning of the true Prophets causes no despair or despondency among their followers. The Holy Prophet has strongly condemned warnings which occasion despair. He is reported to have said: من قال ھلك القوم فھو اھلکھم i.e. "He who says that the people have perished, it is really he himself who causes them to perish by so saying" (Muslim, ch. on Birri Was-Silah). Such a person, in fact, makes people lose faith and confidence in themselves and makes them despair of their future. Lost in the slough of despond, they begin to think lightly of sin and iniquity and feel hopelessly discouraged and disheartened. It is the function of a divine reformer to tell people that he has with him the remedy of their corruption. Thus when Noah said that he was نذیر مبین i.e. a plain Warner, he meant that all his work was above suspicion and that his warning was based on reason; that he had come not to dishearten his people, but to make them realize their true condition. He also meant that he not only warned them of impending punishment but also pointed out to them the way in which they could escape that punishment. It was to "worship none but Allah."
e
7:60; 23:24; 71:3.
قُلۡ یٰۤاَیُّہَا النَّاسُ اِنَّمَاۤ اَنَا۠ لَکُمۡ نَذِیۡرٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ
26:116; 29:51; 51:51; 67:27.
26:116; 29:51; 51:51; 67:27.
b
26:116; 29:51; 51:51; 67:27.
a
26:116; 29:51; 51:51; 67:27.
2479
Commentary:
The verse refers to the universality of the Message of Islam. The Holy Prophet was sent for the whole of mankind and the Quran is humanity’s infallible guide till the end of time.
a
26:116; 29:51; 51:51; 67:27.
اِنۡ اَنَا۠ اِلَّا نَذِیۡرٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ
وَقَالُوۡا لَوۡلَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ عَلَیۡہِ اٰیٰتٌ مِّنۡ رَّبِّہٖ ۖ قُلۡ اِنَّمَا الۡاٰیٰتُ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ وَاِنَّمَاۤ اَنَا۠ نَذِیۡرٌ مُّبِیۡنٌ
6:38; 13:28.
22:50; 26:116; 51:51; 67:27.
Commentary:
In the Quran by the sign demanded by disbelievers is meant generally the sign of punishment. This meaning is clear from vv. 54, 55& 56 below. To this demand of disbelievers the Holy Prophet is commanded to say that it is not for him to fix the time when punishment should come, because he is only a Warner whose duty is confined to warning them that if they persisted in their rejection of the Divine Message and did not mend their ways they will perish.
c
6:38; 13:28.
d
22:50; 26:116; 51:51; 67:27.
a
6:38; 13:28.
b
22:50; 26:116; 51:51; 67:27.
2975
Commentary:
In the Quran by the sign demanded by disbelievers is meant generally the sign of punishment. This meaning is clear from vv. 54, 55& 56 below. To this demand of disbelievers the Holy Prophet is commanded to say that it is not for him to fix the time when punishment should come, because he is only a Warner whose duty is confined to warning them that if they persisted in their rejection of the Divine Message and did not mend their ways they will perish.
a
6:38; 13:28.
b
22:50; 26:116; 51:51; 67:27.
۞ قُلۡ اِنَّمَاۤ اَعِظُکُمۡ بِوٰحِدَۃٍ ۖ اَنۡ تَقُوۡمُوۡا لِلّٰہِ مَثۡنٰی وَفُرٰدٰی ثُمَّ تَتَفَکَّرُوۡا ۚ مَا بِصَاحِبِکُمۡ مِّنۡ جِنَّۃٍ ۚ اِنۡ ہُوَ اِلَّا نَذِیۡرٌ لَّکُمۡ بَیۡنَ یَدَیۡ عَذَابٍ شَدِیۡدٍ
7:185; 23:71.
7:185; 23:71.
The verse recommends an objective and detached examination of the Holy Prophet’s claim. The disbelievers are urged to ponder dispassionately without prejudice and without being influenced by crowd mentality, whether the Holy Prophet suffers from insanity or unsoundness of mind.
Commentary:
In this and the next few verses, another kind of argument has been suggested to test the truth of the Holy Prophet. The present verse recommends an objective and detached examination of his claim. The disbelievers are urged to ponder, dispassionately, without prejudice, and being uninfluenced by crowd mentality, whether the Holy Prophet suffers from insanity or unsoundness of mind. The Quran is convinced that if a person were to deliberate seriously and in solitude over the claim of the Holy Prophet, he would inevitably come to the conclusion that he is neither an impostor, nor an insane person, because an impostor is never allowed to progress and prosper, and sooner or later—sooner rather than later—he meets with a terrible end, while an insane person can neither give such excellent teaching as does the Quran, nor can bring about such wonderful revolution in the life of a whole people, steeped in ignorance and immorality as had been brought about by the Holy Prophet.
a
7:185; 23:71.
a
7:185; 23:71.3168
Commentary:
In this and the next few verses, another kind of argument has been suggested to test the truth of the Holy Prophet. The present verse recommends an objective and detached examination of his claim. The disbelievers are urged to ponder, dispassionately, without prejudice, and being uninfluenced by crowd mentality, whether the Holy Prophet suffers from insanity or unsoundness of mind. The Quran is convinced that if a person were to deliberate seriously and in solitude over the claim of the Holy Prophet, he would inevitably come to the conclusion that he is neither an impostor, nor an insane person, because an impostor is never allowed to progress and prosper, and sooner or later—sooner rather than later—he meets with a terrible end, while an insane person can neither give such excellent teaching as does the Quran, nor can bring about such wonderful revolution in the life of a whole people, steeped in ignorance and immorality as had been brought about by the Holy Prophet.
a
7:185; 23:71.
2403
The verse recommends an objective and detached examination of the Holy Prophet’s claim. The disbelievers are urged to ponder dispassionately without prejudice and without being influenced by crowd mentality, whether the Holy Prophet suffers from insanity or unsoundness of mind.