يَشْهَدُ

3:19; 11:15.

Commentary:

God has placed in the Quran such vast treasures of eternal truth and spiritual knowledge as bear witness to its being the Word of God. The manifold qualities of the Quran for such as ponder over it furnish an irrefutable evidence of its Divine origin.

The angels testify to the truth of the Quran by appearing in dreams and visions to righteous men, telling them that the Quran is the Word of God. They also bear witness by suggesting suitable ideas to the minds of men, leading them to the acceptance of Islam. See also 3:19.

5:49; 45:19.

6:2; 27:61.

Important Words:

ھلم (bring forward) is both intransitive and transitive, meaning (1) come; or (2) cause to come, i.e. bring forth or produce (Lane). ھلم (halumma) is, according to the people of the Hijaz, one of the words known as اسماء الفعل and is thus used by them in the fixed form whether the number is singular or plural and whether the gender is masculine or feminine; but others differ from this view (Aqrab).

Commentary:

The Quran now returns to the subject of man-made laws about prohibitions. The verse signifies that disbelievers should declare that they do not agree with the Quran and find its teachings inferior to their own and then God Himself will decide between the two parties. Indirectly the words also hint that everybody should express his opinion freely when he disagrees with others and should refrain from dissimulation.

63:2.

Important Words:

ارصادا (to prepare an ambush) is derived from. ارصد which again is derived from رصد. They say رصدہ i.e. he sat or lay in wait for him in the way; or he watched or waited for him. ارصد له الامر means, he prepared for him the thing or affair. ارصدہ علی کذاmeans, he charged him with the watching or guarding of such a thing. رصد or مرصد or مرصاد means, a place or way, etc. where one lies in wait, or watches, for an enemy. ارصاد therefore means, to prepare a place where one may wait, or lie in ambush, for the enemy (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The verse refers to a plot hatched by one Abu ‘Amir, a member of the Khazraj tribe of Medina and an arch-enemy of Islam. After the Battle of Badr, Abu ‘Amir fled to Mecca and there incited the Meccans and other Arabs to avenge the defeat of Badr. He was with the Meccan army at Uhud. Learning that there were certain hypocrites in Medina, he entered into correspondence with them, with a view to plotting against Islam. It was his accomplices who built the so-called mosque at Quba, a suburb of Medina, to carry on their secret and mischievous propaganda against Islam. The building was completed when the Holy Prophet was about to leave for Tabuk. The builders of the "mosque" requested him to consecrate it by saying Prayers therein. The Holy Prophet, who so far knew nothing of their evil designs, promised to do so on his return from the expedition. But in the meantime, the present verse was revealed to him, and on his return to Medina he ordered the "mosque" (which has come to be known as مسجد ضرار i.e. the Harmful Mosque) to be set on fire and razed to the ground.

The reference in the words, and prepare an ambush for him who warred against Allah and His Messenger, is to Abu ‘Amir, who, since the Battle of Badr, had been inciting the Arabs against the Muslims and had personally taken part in the Battle of Uhud. He is also said to have been present at the Battle of the Ditch and Hunain. At last, he fled to Syria, designing and hoping, to enlist the help of the Greeks against Islam, but he died at Kinnisrin, an exiled wretch. Abu ‘Amir is reported to have prayed for the death of the Holy Prophet in the words: امات اللّٰه الکاذب منا طریدا وحیدا غریبا i.e. "May God make him who is the liar of us two die, driven away, alone and in exile." When the Holy Prophet heard of this prayer of Abu ‘Amir, he calmly exclaimed, "Let it be so." The prayer met with wonderful acceptance, proving that it was Abu ‘Amir himself who was the liar and not the Holy Prophet (Khamis, ii.144).

Commentary:

The reason why Abraham was summoned to appear in public was either that those who had heard him speak ill of the idols should bear witness against him that he had broken the idols, or that after listening to the evidence against Abraham they might decide what punishment should be meted out to him. Or the reason might be that all people should witness the punishment that was to be inflicted on him. This is the significance of the words "that they may bear witness."

2:199; 5:3.

2:204.

Commentary:

Apart from the spiritual good that the Pilgrimage does to a Muslim, it possesses great social and political significance. It has great potentialities for welding different Muslim countries into one strong international brotherhood of Islam. Muslims from all parts of the world, who meet at Mecca once a year can exchange views on all sorts of matters of international importance, renew old and establish new contacts. They have opportunities to acquaint themselves with the problems that confront their brethren in faith in other countries, to copy one another’s good points and profit by one another’s experience and also to cooperate with one another in many other ways. Mecca being God’s appointed centre of Islam, the Pilgrimage can serve as a sort of a United Nations Organization for the whole Muslim world. All other religions have failed to produce such a forum for the exchange of international ideas and programmes. But it is regretted that Muslims have not yet awakened to the realization of Mecca being an international capital for the whole Muslim world. These are some of the material benefits and advantages to which reference has been made in the words, "that they may witness its benefits;" and the words "and may mention the name of Allah," refer to the great spiritual benefits which Muslims can and should derive from the Pilgrimage to Mecca. See also 3:98.

23:4; 28:56.

Important Words:

زور means, a lie; a falsehood; false witness; association of others with God; a place where lies are told; a place where people hear singing and entertain themselves with vain or frivolous diversion; the assemblies of polytheists; strength, etc. (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

In view of different meanings of the word زور given under "Important Words" above, the expression لا یشھدون الزور would mean: (a) they do not tell lies; or (b) they do not go to places where people indulge in telling lies and in frivolous diversions, they do not sit in the company of liars; or (c) they do not associate false gods with Allah or do not attend such places where idolatry is practised; or (d) they do not bear false witness. In the last case the particle ب will be taken as understood before الزور.

Commentary:

A hypocrite is a liar and a coward. He is completely unreliable and devoid of all honour. The hypocrites of Medina had urged the Jews of Medina to defy the Holy Prophet and break their plighted word with him, holding out to them false promises of help and succour in time of need. But when relying upon their promises the Jews defied the Prophet and he, in order to punish them, marched against them, the Hypocrites left them in the lurch.

Commentary:

It is characteristic of a hypocrite that he makes loud profession of his faith and thus seeks to conceal the treachery and infidelity of his heart.