أَقِيمُ

See 2:4.

2:84, 111, 178; 4:163; 5:56; 9:11; 21:74; 23:5.

Important Words:

زکوة (Zakah)is derived from زکا i.e. he or it grew or increased or became good or purified, etc. So literally زکوة signifies: (1) increase or augmentation; (2) purification (Lane). Technically, it signifies the obligatory alms prescribed by Islam. (See note on 9:60). زکوة is so called because it results in the purification of the property from which it is given and also in its increase through God’s blessing (Mufradat).

ارکعوا (bow down) is derived from رکع which means, he bowed down. رکع الی الله means, he leaned towards God and found peace of mind in Him. رکع المصلی means, the worshipper performed the رکوع in his Prayer, i.e. assumed the bowing posture.راکع means, one who bows down before God or leans towards Him (Lisan & Aqrab). The Arabs used the word راکع for one who worshipped God alone to the exclusion of idols (Asas). A well-known pre-Islamic poet Nabighah says:

سیبلغ عذرا اونجا حا من امرء الی ربه رب البریة راكع

viz. He who is راكع i.e. who turns to God alone, the Creator of the world, will have a good argument in his favour and will obtain salvation.

Commentary:

In this verse the Jews are called upon to undergo a complete transformation and identify themselves with Islam not only in belief but also in practice. Only a perfect conversion can save them.

The expression, bow down with those who bow, does not mean that the Jews should bow down as in daily Prayers; for that would be redundant, as the performance of the prescribed daily Prayers has already been mentioned in the words اقیموالصلوة. The expression therefore means that they should completely submit to God, severing all such connections as may lead them astray from Him.

The question here arises, why does not God say "bow down with the believers or the Muslims" which would have been a much simpler construction than bow down with those who bow. The answer is that this construction has been adopted to convince the Jews that this commandment of God is not an arbitrary one but is meant for their own good, because by obeying it they would be identifying themselves with a righteous people. The word الراکعین being an attributive word also supplies an argument which the use of a proper name could not do. Moreover, by the use of this word, God has bestowed well-merited praise on the Muslims. They are, as a community, a راکعpeople, wholly devoted to the service of the One God, having severed all connections with false deities. This extra significance could not have been secured by the use of the word Muslim or Mu’min which have come to be regarded as more or less proper names.

4:155; 5:13.

2:44; 4:78; 6:73; 22:79; 24:57; 30:32.

Important Words:

میثاق (a covenant). See 2:64.

Commentary:

After setting forth the attitude of the Israelites of the Holy Prophet’s time towards the Prophets of God and their own Scriptures, the Quran draws their attention to the teachings which they had been required to follow but which they ignored.

The verse under comment does not refer to any particular covenant, but to the vices which were rife among the Jews at the time and which were forbidden them in the Bible. Worship of any object other than God is repeatedly forbidden in the Jewish scriptures (Exod. 20:3-6). Again, kindness to parents is also among the injunctions (Exod. 20:12). Similarly, for the kind treatment of kinsmen, clear injunctions have been given (Lev. 19:17, 18; Exod. 21:9, and Prov. 3:27, 28). For care of orphans, an injunction is to be met with in Deut. 14:29. Sympathy for the poor is enjoined in Deut. 15:11. The injunction to deal gently with mankind is found in Prov. 3:30. The commandment to observe Prayer is given in Deut. 6:13. The injunction for alms-giving may be seen in Exod. 23:10, 11.

The Jews openly disregarded these clear injunctions. They set up equals to God, some believing in Ezra as the son of God, others taking the word of their divines as revelation and setting aside the dictates of the Holy Writ. Their treatment of their own kinsmen and others was cruel. Their attitude towards orphans and the indigent was unsympathetic. They were quite devoid of fellow feeling and were lax in worship and alms-giving. It should, however, be noted that God has not condemned the whole Jewish nation, but has made an exception in the case of the righteous few among them.

In this verse, as everywhere else in the Quran, the sequence of words follows the natural order of importance. The worship of the One God is mentioned first. Then mention is made of mankind, who have been divided into two classes: (1) those who deserve good treatment as a right; (2) those to whom kindness is shown as an act of charity. The first class is mentioned first, because in their case there is a sort of obligation, a debt to be paid. Those who are to be treated kindly out of charity are mentioned afterwards, the degree of need in each case determining the sequence. Last of all, acts of obedience to God are mentioned; and out of them the most important ones pertaining to the purification of the soul and the payment of religious taxes are selected; and these are placed after fellow feeling, because fellow feeling is the first step towards the moral elevation of man, who often feels impelled to it from within without reference to any law.

It is noteworthy that the injunctions that are found scattered in the Bible have been placed together in a most beautiful order in the Quran.

See 2:4.

73:21.

Commentary:

When one is subjected to continued persecution, one is apt to lose patience. But Muslims were enjoined to meekly endure troubles and torments, and in order to be able to do so, they were ordered to resort to الصلوة (prayers to God) on the one hand, and to الزکوة (helping mankind) on the other. By so doing, they would acquire from God the power to endure.

The words, whatever good you send on before you for yourselves, you shall find it with Allah, contain a deep spiritual truth. Whatever good man does is kept in store for him by Allah and nothing is lost. Every good work is like a seed which may lie hidden from the public view but is all the time a large tree in the making. So the Muslims should not think that their Prayers and their Zakah will be lost. They are sure to bring forth good fruit sooner or later.

2:247; 4:67.

14:45; 63:11.

9:38; 57:21.

See 4:50.

Commentary:

This verse refers to a class of men who show eagerness to fight when they are told not to fight, but when the actual time for fighting arrives, they refuse to fight or try to avoid it by various pretexts, thus showing that their former eagerness for fighting was either insincere or was only due to a temporary excitement.

The verse may also be regarded as referring to انصار (Helpers) of Medina who, before the advent of Islam to that city, were constantly at war among themselves. But when they accepted Islam, they were asked to cease fighting. When, however, they were called upon to take up arms to defend Islam, a section of them, who were always fighting among themselves before they embraced Islam, became afraid of fighting in the cause of God.

3:192.

2:240.

Commentary:

As in the midst of a battle, formal Prayers are either said in haste, or performed in the form of one Rak‘at only. Muslims are enjoined in this verse, with a view to making up the deficiency, to continue remembering God and praying to Him in an informal manner after the obligatory service is over. This was to compensate, on the one hand, for the shortening of Prayer and, on the other, to serve as a means of drawing the special aid and help of God in a time of great danger.

The expression, And when you are secure (from danger), then observe Prayer (in the prescribed form), very clearly brings out the difference between the words صلوا or اقضوا الصلوة (pray or offer Prayer) and the words اقیموا الصلوة (observe Prayer). The latter expression signifies observing Prayer attentively with all its necessary conditions. The verse thus clearly shows that Islam does not look upon the hasty performance of Prayer as coming under the injunction, اقیموا الصلوة (observe Prayer). See also 2:4.

4:78; 22:79; 24:57.

Commentary:

The concluding theme of the preceding verse has been continued in the present one.

4:59; 16:91; 57:26.

Important Words:

مسجد (time and place of worship) is derived from سجد i.e. he prostrated himself; or he bent himself down towards the ground and put his forehead on it; he lowered his head and bent himself; he was lowly, humble or submissive. مسجد means, a place in which one performs the act of سجدة i.e. the act of prostrating before God; a place in which one performs acts of worship or devotion; a place in which a person says his Prayers; a house of Prayer; a mosque or a Muslim temple (Lane). Being اسم ظرف the word may also mean, time of worship.

Commentary:

We are told in this verse that when the time of Prayer approaches and we are about to go to a mosque, we should fix our attention aright, setting our face to God and taking our minds away from the cares and thoughts of the world. The ablution performed before every Prayer also serves the useful purpose of turning our thoughts towards God and putting us in the right state for Prayers.

The words, As He brought you into being, so shall you return, are important because they point to the great truth that just as our bodies gradually develop in the wombs of our mothers, so will our souls pass through a similar process of develop-ment after our death. We should, therefore, be very careful about our souls.

Important Words:

قبلة (so as to face one another) is derived from قبل. They say قبل المکان i.e. he came facing the house. استقبله means, he faced him or it; he turned his face to him. قابلة means, he was opposite to him. قبلة in the sense of متقابلة means, facing each other. It also means, direction; kind or class (Lane & Aqrab). See also 2:143.

مصر (town) means both Egypt and town.

Commentary:

The injunction to live in a town does not mean that the Israelites lived in the wilderness before this. The verse only emphasizes the necessity and usefulness of a civilized and corporate life. There is a general tendency on the part of the members of weak minority communities to live together in big towns.

In view of the different meanings of the word قبلة given under Important Words the Quranic expression اجعلوا بیوتکم قبلة may mean: (1) that the Israelites were instructed to live together so as to be able to help one another in time of need, because this object is only attainable when people build their houses near or facing each other; or (2) that the Israelites should have all their houses facing one direction, which figuratively means that they should be united by the bonds of brotherhood and should have a common goal or ideal; or (3) that all their houses should be of one class or kind, hinting thereby that there should exist a real tie of brotherhood between the rich and the poor and all should pull together as one team, because there can be no real tie of brotherhood when some members of a community live in palatial dwellings and others in wretched hovels.

To sum up, the verse lays down the following seven wise principles by following which a people can rise and prosper—(1) they should lead a corporate life; (2) they should be united; (3) they should fully co-operate with one another; (4) they should possess discipline and organization; (5) there should be no invidious distinction between the different classes; (6) they should continually invoke the help of God by prayer; and (7) they should be persevering. Finally, the verse contains an equally important direction for the head or leader of the community, which is that he should continue to give "glad tidings," i.e. he should speak words of encouragement and good cheer to his people because nothing is more detrimental to success than despair and despondency.

9:41.

2:136; 16:124.

2:144; 16:90.

Important Words:

جاھدوا (strive) is derived from جھد. They say جھد فی الامر i.e. he did his utmost, took extraordinary pains, he employed himself vigorously in prosecuting the affair. جھد دابته means, he fatigued the beast or burdened the beast beyond its power. جاھد means, he exerted his utmost power in contending with an object of his disapprobation. جاھد العدو means, he fought with the enemy imposing upon himself distress or exerting his utmost power or ability to repel him. جھاد orمجاھدة are infinitives from جاھد (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The word جھاد has been used in two senses in the Quran with a slight change, viz. جھاد فی سبیل اللّٰه i.e. striving hard in the cause of Allah, used in several verses of the Quran and جھاد فی اللّٰه, literally meaning striving hard in Allah, as used in the present verse and in 29:70. As it appears from the latter two verses جھاد فی اللّٰه signifies striving hard to win the pleasure and nearness of God while جھاد فی سبیل اللّٰه signifies the waging of war against the enemies of truth. Thus جھاد فی اللّٰه seems to possess a higher spiritual significance than جھاد فی سبیل اللّٰه.

Jihad is of three kinds: (a) jihad against one’s baser self, i.e. against one’s evil desires and propensities or jihad against Satan and (b) jihad against the enemies of truth which includes fighting in self-defence. These two kinds of jihad may be termed as جھاد فی اللّٰه and the third kind of jihad may be called جھاد فی سبیل اللّٰه. The Holy Prophet has termed the first two kinds of jihad as جھاد اکبر (the greater jihad) and the third kind of jihad as جھاد اصغر (the smaller jihad). Once when he was returning from fighting he is reported to have said: رجعتم من الجھاد الاصغر الی الجھاد الاکبر i.e. you have returned from the smaller jihad (fighting against the enemies of Islam) to the greater jihad (waging war against one’s baser self) (Khatib). According to Imam Raghib, the words جاھدوا فی اللّٰه حق جھادہ include all the three forms of jihad. The words جاھدوا فی اللّٰه may also include the propagation of Islam, as the words, "and He has laid no hardship upon you in religion," indicate. See also 2:219.

The words, "He has chosen you and has laid no hardship upon you in religion," show that while on the one hand it has been laid down as a sacred duty upon Muslims to preach their religion, on the other they signify that Islam is a simple, practical and practicable religion and there is nothing in its commandments which it is not easily possible for man to carry out. To this practicality and practicability of the Islamic ordinances pointed references have also been made in vv. 2:287 & 54:18. The words also show that the Law or Shari‘ah has not been revealed to impose a burden upon man as the Christians say but, on the contrary, to lighten his burdens and to break the chains and fetters with which he has shackled himself and to uplift him morally and spiritually.

The words, "He named you Muslims before," refer to the following prophecy of the Bible:

And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name… And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen, and the Lord God shall slay thee; and He shall call His servants by another name (Isaiah 62:2 & 65:15).

The allusion in the words "And in this Book" is to Abraham’s prayer quoted in the Quran, viz. "Our Lord make us Muslims (submissive) to Thee and make our offspring a people submissive to Thee" (2:129). It is very significant that though in its essence the religion of all the Prophets of God was Islam, it was reserved for the religion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad to receive this proper name from God. As the religions preached and practised by the former prophets were only an undeveloped and imperfect form of Islam they did not receive a proper name and were known after their own names.

But as Islam, the eternal faith, received its fullest development and completest consummation at the hands of the Holy Prophet, his religion was given this proper name. This is one of the many superiorities which the Holy Prophetpossesses over other Prophets of God.

The words "He named you Muslims" possess another significance. The word 'Muslim' being from the root 'Islam' which means 'peace'; a true Muslim is one who is at peace with God and man and is also at peace with himself. The Holy Prophet has given an apt definition of a Muslim in the following well-known hadith

المسلم من سلم المسلمون من یدہ و لسانه

i.e. a true Muslim is one from whose hands and tongue other Muslims are safe (Bukhari). It is indeed strange that a religion, whose very name means 'peace' and whose followers are enjoined to preach and practise peace, should have been stigmatized by hostile and ignorant critics as having brought fire and sword into the world, and should have been maligned as being indebted for its expansion and propagation to the swords and spears of its votaries! Nothing could be farther from truth.

22:78.

Commentary:

The verse describes the three essential conditions on the fulfilment of which depends the fulfilment of the Divine promise about the establishment of Khilafat.