يُرِدْ

3:149; 4:135; 42:21.

Commentary:

The preceding verse spoke of the possible death of the Holy Prophet. But that was mentioned only as a matter of principle. Otherwise, how could the Holy Prophet, whom God had promised to protect, die except by His leave? Whenever death comes, it comes with the permission of God; but that permission could not be yet given in the case of the Holy Prophet. There is a fixed time for it and the enmity or the secret machinations of disbelievers could not hasten that time.

10:101.

Important Words:

حرجاً (close) means, close, strait or narrow (Lane). See also 4:66.

رجس (Punishment). See 5:91.

Commentary:

The desire of Allah, mentioned in the words, whomsoever Allah wishes to guide, follows the actions of man. It is the result of man’s own good deeds, and not arbitrary.

The words, He expands his bosom for the acceptance of Islam, signify that such a one is cheerfully willing to accept and obey every command of God. He feels pleasure in obeying God’s behests. If a man is always ready and willing to obey the commandments of God, it shows that he is progressing spiritually. But if a man feels Divine commandments to be a burden, it is an indication of the fact that he is spiritually retrogressing.

The "wish" of Allah to make a man go astray also comes as a sequence to man’s own evil deeds. When a man becomes a sinner and does wicked deeds the result is that he is led astray from the right path. Such a one feels the commandments of God to be burdensome, and perceives difficulty and mental trouble in carrying them out. His bosom becomes narrow and close. His case is like that of a person who is asked to climb up a steep height.

It may be noted here in passing that the verse also hints that to ascend into heaven with the physical body is a sort of punishment and not a boon.

The verse tells us that God helps those who practise virtue and willingly obey His commandments and He causes them to progress spiritually, while those who do not believe and lead sinful lives continue to advance in sin and wickedness.

The verse further teaches us that we cannot progress spiritually unless we render obedience to God with willing and cheerful hearts.

6:18; 39:39.

Commentary:

This verse sheds light on the fact that good and evil are of two kinds. There is a kind of good or evil which comes into being under the general divine law. It is subject to the laws of nature and therefore can be brought about or averted, through the efforts of man himself by defying or obeying the laws of nature, as the case may be. But there is another kind of good or evil which is brought about only by the special decree of God. By saying this the verse hints that God’s dealings with the Holy Prophet are subject to God’s special decree. This is why all the schemes and machinations of his enemies proved utterly futile.

8:35; 16:89; 43:38; 48:26.

Important Words:

عاکف means, one who dwells in a place or dwells there permanently. Here it means one who dwells in Mecca or dwells in it constantly. See also 2:126 & 21:53.

الباد (visitor from the desert) is derived from بدا. They say بدا القوم الی البادیة i.e. people went forth to the desert, or they went forth from the region of the towns to the pasturing places in the desert. حضارة which means, life in the towns, is contrary to بداوة which means, life in the desert. باد means, one who dwells in بادیة i.e. desert or tents; not remaining in his place; one who comes from outside the town, i.e. a visitor or an occasional visitor (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

This verse serves as an introduction to the subject of pilgrimage which is the central theme of this Surah. Circumambulation of the Sacred Mosque is the most important of the rituals and ceremonies of Pilgrimage, so a brief reference to the sacredness and importance of the Ka‘bah forms a befitting introduction to the subject of Hajj.

The reference in words "those who hinder men from the way of Allah and from the Sacred Mosque" may also be to a well-known incident connected with the Truce of Hudaibiyyah. In the 7th year of the Hijrah, the Holy Prophet, in fulfilment of a vision, left Medina with 1400 Companions to pay a visit to Mecca and perform ‘Umrah or the Lesser Pilgrimage. When he reached a place called Hudaibiyyah, he was prevented by the Meccans from proceeding further. He returned to Medina after having signed a truce known as the Truce of Hudaibiyyah. This Truce, known after the name of the place at which it was signed, led to the conquest of Mecca and eventually of the whole of Arabia.

The verse also points to the Islamic principle of the equality of status of all men in a place of worship and by implication to the inherent equality of all human beings.

22:13-14; 39:39.

Commentary:

The verse shows that people will worship various gods in the time of the Promised Messiah—Mammon, material power, false political philosophies and impracticable eco-nomic theories, etc.