اضۡرِبۡ
Appears 8 times in Quran
Derived Words (3)
Words derived from the stem "اضۡرِبۡ".
Occurrences in Quran
Found 8 verses containing "اضۡرِبۡ".
۞ وَاِذِ اسۡتَسۡقٰی مُوۡسٰی لِقَوۡمِہٖ فَقُلۡنَا اضۡرِبۡ بِّعَصَاکَ الۡحَجَرَ ۖ فَانۡفَجَرَتۡ مِنۡہُ اثۡنَتَا عَشۡرَۃَ عَیۡنًا ۖ قَدۡ عَلِمَ کُلُّ اُنَاسٍ مَّشۡرَبَہُمۡ ۖ کُلُوۡا وَاشۡرَبُوۡا مِنۡ رِّزۡقِ اللّٰہِ وَلَا تَعۡثَوۡا فِی الۡاَرۡضِ مُفۡسِدِیۡنَ
7:161.
اِضْرِبْ بِّعَصَاکَ الْحَجَر اس جگہ اَلْحَجَر ہے اور اَلْ کے معنے خاص چیز کے ہوتے ہیں۔ پس آیت کا صحیح ترجمہ یہ نہیں کہ ’’پتھر پر مار‘‘ بلکہ یہ ہے کہ ’’فلاں پتھر پر مار‘‘۔
7:161.
That at present there is no trace of the springs at that spot is nothing to be wondered at, because it is not yet definitely known in what particular region Moses performed his journey. Moreover, it is a matter of common experience that springs sometimes cease to flow and their mouths become closed abruptly in the mountains. The event referred to here occurred thousands of years ago and it is well known that sometimes a spring gushes forth, but soon the flow of water ceases and the spring runs dry. Often springs once flowing become so dry that no trace of them is left. Even as late as the end of the 15th century twelve springs actually flowed at this place. "The rock stands within the border of Arabia and some of his (the Prophet’s) countrymen must needs (sic) have seen it if he himself had not, as it is most probable he had. And in effect he seems to be in the right. For one, who went into those parts in the end of the fifteenth century, tells us expressly that the water issued from twelve places of the
7:161.
Important Words:
عصا (rod). عصا الرجل means, he beat the man with a rod. عصا القوم means, he brought together the people, or he made them agree on some matter of common concern. عصا means: (1) a rod strong enough to support the weight of a man; (2) communal and family life; (3) a community; (4) the shin-bone (Aqrab).
الحجر (rock) is from حجر i.e. it prevented or resisted. الحجر means, a stone; a great mass of stone; a rock (Lane).
Commentary:
This verse mentions another favour bestowed on the Israelites. When once they were hard pressed by thirst and no water was procurable in the desert, God saved them by revealing to Moses the knowledge of a rock from which water flowed out when struck with a rod.
The demand of the Israelites for water and their being supplied with it is mentioned at two places in the Bible. At one place mention is made of the twelve springs of Elim, but nothing is said there of Moses’ striking the rock with his rod (Exod. 15:27). At the other place, Moses, by divine command, struck the rock Horeb with his rod, and there flowed out abundant water with which the Israelites and their animals slaked their thirst (Exod. 17:1-7 Numb. 20:2-11). Here no mention is made of the number of springs. It appears that the Quran refers to the occurrence relating to the rock of Horeb because, with the only difference that the Bible does not give the number of springs whereas the Quran gives a definite number, almost all the details narrated in the Bible concur with the narrative of the Quran. As for the slight difference with regard to the number of springs, reason favours the narrative of the Quran. The Israelites numbered several thousands besides riding animals and beasts of burden, and one spring was certainly insufficient for such a large number, especially when we take into consideration the fact that the thirsty Israelites were, according to the Bible, in a state of extreme exasperation at that time and were prepared even to stone Moses to death. It is possible, however, that at the source there was only one mouth of the spring, but it divided into twelve channels as it flowed down the rock, the number being in conformity with the number of the Israelite tribes.
If at present there is no trace of the twelve springs at that spot, it is no wonder; for it is a matter of common experience that sometimes several springs rising at the same spot have some of their openings closed and cease to flow. From a testimony quoted by Sale, however, it appears that even as late as the end of the fifteenth century, twelve springs actually flowed there. He says: "The rock stands within the border of Arabia and some of his (the Prophet’s) countrymen must needs have seen it if he himself had not, as it is most probable he had. And in effect he seems to be in the right. For one who went into those parts in the end of the fifteenth century tells us expressly that the water issued from twelve places of the rock, according to the number of the tribes of Israel" (Al-Koran by Sale, page 8).
The miracle of Moses on this occasion did not lie in bringing about a thing against the known laws of nature, but in the fact that God revealed to him the specific spot where water was just ready to flow at a blow of his rod. It is within the experience of those who study geological conditions in rocky districts that sometimes water flows underneath small hillocks or rocks and gushes forth when the rock is struck with something heavy or pointed.
As Manna and Salwa had already been bestowed on the Israelites, God now fittingly asks them to eat and drink of what Allah has provided. But as a life of ease and independence is likely to make men arrogant and mischievous, God at the same time warns the Israelites to exercise self-restraint and refrain from creating trouble and disorder in the land.
d
7:161.
1
اِضْرِبْ بِّعَصَاکَ الْحَجَر اس جگہ اَلْحَجَر ہے اور اَلْ کے معنے خاص چیز کے ہوتے ہیں۔ پس آیت کا صحیح ترجمہ یہ نہیں کہ ’’پتھر پر مار‘‘ بلکہ یہ ہے کہ ’’فلاں پتھر پر مار‘‘۔
b
7:161.
67
Important Words:
عصا (rod). عصا الرجل means, he beat the man with a rod. عصا القوم means, he brought together the people, or he made them agree on some matter of common concern. عصا means: (1) a rod strong enough to support the weight of a man; (2) communal and family life; (3) a community; (4) the shin-bone (Aqrab).
الحجر (rock) is from حجر i.e. it prevented or resisted. الحجر means, a stone; a great mass of stone; a rock (Lane).
Commentary:
This verse mentions another favour bestowed on the Israelites. When once they were hard pressed by thirst and no water was procurable in the desert, God saved them by revealing to Moses the knowledge of a rock from which water flowed out when struck with a rod.
The demand of the Israelites for water and their being supplied with it is mentioned at two places in the Bible. At one place mention is made of the twelve springs of Elim, but nothing is said there of Moses’ striking the rock with his rod (Exod. 15:27). At the other place, Moses, by divine command, struck the rock Horeb with his rod, and there flowed out abundant water with which the Israelites and their animals slaked their thirst (Exod. 17:1-7 Numb. 20:2-11). Here no mention is made of the number of springs. It appears that the Quran refers to the occurrence relating to the rock of Horeb because, with the only difference that the Bible does not give the number of springs whereas the Quran gives a definite number, almost all the details narrated in the Bible concur with the narrative of the Quran. As for the slight difference with regard to the number of springs, reason favours the narrative of the Quran. The Israelites numbered several thousands besides riding animals and beasts of burden, and one spring was certainly insufficient for such a large number, especially when we take into consideration the fact that the thirsty Israelites were, according to the Bible, in a state of extreme exasperation at that time and were prepared even to stone Moses to death. It is possible, however, that at the source there was only one mouth of the spring, but it divided into twelve channels as it flowed down the rock, the number being in conformity with the number of the Israelite tribes.
If at present there is no trace of the twelve springs at that spot, it is no wonder; for it is a matter of common experience that sometimes several springs rising at the same spot have some of their openings closed and cease to flow. From a testimony quoted by Sale, however, it appears that even as late as the end of the fifteenth century, twelve springs actually flowed there. He says: "The rock stands within the border of Arabia and some of his (the Prophet’s) countrymen must needs have seen it if he himself had not, as it is most probable he had. And in effect he seems to be in the right. For one who went into those parts in the end of the fifteenth century tells us expressly that the water issued from twelve places of the rock, according to the number of the tribes of Israel" (Al-Koran by Sale, page 8).
The miracle of Moses on this occasion did not lie in bringing about a thing against the known laws of nature, but in the fact that God revealed to him the specific spot where water was just ready to flow at a blow of his rod. It is within the experience of those who study geological conditions in rocky districts that sometimes water flows underneath small hillocks or rocks and gushes forth when the rock is struck with something heavy or pointed.
As Manna and Salwa had already been bestowed on the Israelites, God now fittingly asks them to eat and drink of what Allah has provided. But as a life of ease and independence is likely to make men arrogant and mischievous, God at the same time warns the Israelites to exercise self-restraint and refrain from creating trouble and disorder in the land.
b
7:161.
101
That at present there is no trace of the springs at that spot is nothing to be wondered at, because it is not yet definitely known in what particular region Moses performed his journey. Moreover, it is a matter of common experience that springs sometimes cease to flow and their mouths become closed abruptly in the mountains. The event referred to here occurred thousands of years ago and it is well known that sometimes a spring gushes forth, but soon the flow of water ceases and the spring runs dry. Often springs once flowing become so dry that no trace of them is left. Even as late as the end of the 15th century twelve springs actually flowed at this place. "The rock stands within the border of Arabia and some of his (the Prophet’s) countrymen must needs (sic) have seen it if he himself had not, as it is most probable he had. And in effect he seems to be in the right. For one, who went into those parts in the end of the fifteenth century, tells us expressly that the water issued from twelve places of the
وَقَطَّعۡنٰہُمُ اثۡنَتَیۡ عَشۡرَۃَ اَسۡبَاطًا اُمَمًا ۚ وَاَوۡحَیۡنَاۤ اِلٰی مُوۡسٰۤی اِذِ اسۡتَسۡقٰٮہُ قَوۡمُہٗۤ اَنِ اضۡرِبۡ بِّعَصَاکَ الۡحَجَرَ ۖ فَانۡۢبَجَسَتۡ مِنۡہُ اثۡنَتَا عَشۡرَۃَ عَیۡنًا ۖ قَدۡ عَلِمَ کُلُّ اُنَاسٍ مَّشۡرَبَہُمۡ ۚ وَظَلَّلۡنَا عَلَیۡہِمُ الۡغَمٰمَ وَاَنۡزَلۡنَا عَلَیۡہِمُ الۡمَنَّ وَالسَّلۡوٰی ۖ کُلُوۡا مِنۡ طَیِّبٰتِ مَا رَزَقۡنٰکُمۡ ۚ وَمَا ظَلَمُوۡنَا وَلٰکِنۡ کَانُوۡۤا اَنۡفُسَہُمۡ یَظۡلِمُوۡنَ
قرآن مجید میں حَجَر (یعنی پتھر) پر اَلْ آیا ہے اور اس کے معنے ’’فلاں‘‘ کے ہوتے ہیں۔ یعنی حکم یہ نہ تھا کہ کسی پتھر کو مار بلکہ یہ تھا کہ فلاں پتھر کے نیچے چشمہ ہے اسے سونٹا مار کر توڑ دو۔ پانی نکل آئے گا۔ میں نے کشمیر میں ایک چشمہ دیکھا جو پتھر کے نیچے سے آتا تھا اور اس میں سے چودہ چشمے بہتے تھے۔
5:13.
2:61.
2:58; 20:81.
See {101}.
They only wronged themselves and could not harm the cause of truth.
5:13.
2:61.
2:58; 20:81.
Commentary:
See notes on 2:58 & 61.
The words, And they wronged Us not, mean that they did not harm the cause of the religion revealed by God
d
5:13.
e
2:61.
f
2:58; 20:81.
524
他们只伤害了他们自己而不能伤害真理的事业。
1
قرآن مجید میں حَجَر (یعنی پتھر) پر اَلْ آیا ہے اور اس کے معنے ’’فلاں‘‘ کے ہوتے ہیں۔ یعنی حکم یہ نہ تھا کہ کسی پتھر کو مار بلکہ یہ تھا کہ فلاں پتھر کے نیچے چشمہ ہے اسے سونٹا مار کر توڑ دو۔ پانی نکل آئے گا۔ میں نے کشمیر میں ایک چشمہ دیکھا جو پتھر کے نیچے سے آتا تھا اور اس میں سے چودہ چشمے بہتے تھے۔
a
5:13.
b
2:61.
c
2:58; 20:81.
1050
Commentary:
See notes on 2:58 & 61.
The words, And they wronged Us not, mean that they did not harm the cause of the religion revealed by God
b
5:13.
c
2:61.
d
2:58; 20:81.
1061A
See {101}.
1062
They only wronged themselves and could not harm the cause of truth.
وَاضۡرِبۡ لَہُمۡ مَّثَلَ الۡحَیٰوۃِ الدُّنۡیَا کَمَآءٍ اَنۡزَلۡنٰہُ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ فَاخۡتَلَطَ بِہٖ نَبَاتُ الۡاَرۡضِ فَاَصۡبَحَ ہَشِیۡمًا تَذۡرُوۡہُ الرِّیٰحُ ۗ وَکَانَ اللّٰہُ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ مُّقۡتَدِرًا
10:25; 57:21.
What an apt and forceful description of the transitoriness of worldly life!
10:25; 57:21.
Important Words:
ھشیما (dry grass broken into pieces) is derived from ھشم. They say ھشم الشیء i.e. he broke the thing. ھشمه (hashshama-hu) means, he broke it much or crushed it, namely a dry thing or anything hollow. ھشیما means, a plant that is dry and breaks or is broken into pieces (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
The subject of the worldly life has been further elaborated by another parable in this verse. It purports to say that in the beginning worldly life looks very beautiful and attractive but its end is most wretched and miserable. On the other hand, spiritual life appears very hard and unpleasant at first but it ends most auspiciously and pleasantly. In the heyday of their power nations are very gay and happy and it appears that their glory will endure forever but once their decay and decline set in they are scattered by the winds of adversity like dry broken grass and are so completely forgotten as if they had never lived on this earth.
a
10:25; 57:21.
766
对今世生命的暂短性描写得多么的贴切和有力啊！
c
10:25; 57:21.
2086
Important Words:
ھشیما (dry grass broken into pieces) is derived from ھشم. They say ھشم الشیء i.e. he broke the thing. ھشمه (hashshama-hu) means, he broke it much or crushed it, namely a dry thing or anything hollow. ھشیما means, a plant that is dry and breaks or is broken into pieces (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
The subject of the worldly life has been further elaborated by another parable in this verse. It purports to say that in the beginning worldly life looks very beautiful and attractive but its end is most wretched and miserable. On the other hand, spiritual life appears very hard and unpleasant at first but it ends most auspiciously and pleasantly. In the heyday of their power nations are very gay and happy and it appears that their glory will endure forever but once their decay and decline set in they are scattered by the winds of adversity like dry broken grass and are so completely forgotten as if they had never lived on this earth.
d
10:25; 57:21.
1696
What an apt and forceful description of the transitoriness of worldly life!
۞ وَاضۡرِبۡ لَہُمۡ مَّثَلًا رَّجُلَیۡنِ جَعَلۡنَا لِاَحَدِہِمَا جَنَّتَیۡنِ مِنۡ اَعۡنٰبٍ وَّحَفَفۡنٰہُمَا بِنَخۡلٍ وَّجَعَلۡنَا بَیۡنَہُمَا زَرۡعًا
从这节经文开始, 以比喻的形式讲两种人--------基督教徒和穆斯林--------的情况, 这 “两个人” 代表这两种人, 而 “两座果园” 代表基督教国家兴起的两个时期。这节经文指出, 在基督教国家盛衰交替的历史中, 他们将两次上升到拥有极大权力的地位。第一个时期是在伊斯兰教来临之前, 而第二个时期从公元十七世纪初开始, 那时欧洲的基督教国家开始作出极大的进展, 而在十九世纪时他们得到史无前例的权力和威望, 可以称为达到顶峰。
یعنی مسلمانوں اور مسیحی اقوام کی۔
باغ سے مراد قوم اسرائیل کو ملنے والی دنیوی مال و دولت اور اولاد ہے۔ اس جگہ عیسائی قوم کے دو حصوں کا ذکر ہے اور مراد یہ ہے کہ عیسائی قوم کی پہلی ترقی کے بعد ان پر کمزوری کا دور آئے گا جس کے بعد وہ پھر دنیوی طور پر ترقی کرنے لگ جائیں گے۔
یہاں مراد مالک ہیں۔ لیکن چونکہ مثال میں باغوں کا ذکر تھا۔ اس لئے مالکوں کی جگہ ان کے مملوکہ ممالک کا ذکر کر دیا ہے اور تمثیلی طور پر ایسے لفظ اختیار کیے ہیں جن سے یہ سمجھا جائے گا کہ گویا یہاں کھیتوں کا ذکر ہے۔
With this verse begins, in the form of a parable, the conditions of the two peoples—Christians and Muslims, the "two men" representing these two peoples and "two gardens" the two periods of the rise of the Christian nations. The verse denotes that in their chequered history Christian nations would rise to great power twice. The first period preceded the advent of Islam while the second began with the dawn of the 17th century. A.D., when Christian nations of Europe began to make great progress and acquire unprecedented power and prestige which reached its zenith in the nineteenth century.
Commentary:
With this verse begins, in the form of a parable, a description of the conditions respectively of Muslim and Christian nations in the Latter Days. The form and wording of the dialogue unmistakably shows that it is no real conversation between two living persons but is a portraiture, in metaphorical language, of the conditions of these two peoples at a certain time. The dialogue represents the decline and degradation of Muslims at their nadir and the power and prosperity of western Christian nations at their zenith in the Latter Days.
Now parables, like dreams, require to be interpreted, and the present and following several verses having been couched in allegorical language it is difficult to grasp and fully appreciate their full significance and beauty without putting on them a construction which their apparent form does not seem to bear. In the language of dreams a "garden" signifies wife, children, riches and life full of happiness; sometimes it also denotes cantonments and army headquarters. "Grapes" represent abundant provisions which can be stored up and last for a long time; "palm trees" signify exercise of authority over large number of men; "corn" in the case of a monarch denotes expansion of his dominions and in that of other people their "work". A "stream" denotes an eminent man and "fruits" mean fresh sources of honour (Ta‘tirul-Anam).
The parable describes the conditions of two men. One of them had two gardens which metaphorically interpreted means that God had bestowed upon him an abundance of wealth and offspring in two separate periods of his life. This interpretation is supported by v. 35 below where the same person says, I am richer than thou in wealth and stronger in respect of men.
The words, and We surrounded them with date-palms, signify that this man will protect his riches and offspring and dominions with military force.
The expression, and between the two We placed corn-fields, denotes that in between the two gardens there will be ordinary property which will not be so strongly protected.
758
从这节经文开始, 以比喻的形式讲两种人--------基督教徒和穆斯林--------的情况, 这 “两个人” 代表这两种人, 而 “两座果园” 代表基督教国家兴起的两个时期。这节经文指出, 在基督教国家盛衰交替的历史中, 他们将两次上升到拥有极大权力的地位。第一个时期是在伊斯兰教来临之前, 而第二个时期从公元十七世纪初开始, 那时欧洲的基督教国家开始作出极大的进展, 而在十九世纪时他们得到史无前例的权力和威望, 可以称为达到顶峰。
1
یعنی مسلمانوں اور مسیحی اقوام کی۔
2
باغ سے مراد قوم اسرائیل کو ملنے والی دنیوی مال و دولت اور اولاد ہے۔ اس جگہ عیسائی قوم کے دو حصوں کا ذکر ہے اور مراد یہ ہے کہ عیسائی قوم کی پہلی ترقی کے بعد ان پر کمزوری کا دور آئے گا جس کے بعد وہ پھر دنیوی طور پر ترقی کرنے لگ جائیں گے۔
3
یہاں مراد مالک ہیں۔ لیکن چونکہ مثال میں باغوں کا ذکر تھا۔ اس لئے مالکوں کی جگہ ان کے مملوکہ ممالک کا ذکر کر دیا ہے اور تمثیلی طور پر ایسے لفظ اختیار کیے ہیں جن سے یہ سمجھا جائے گا کہ گویا یہاں کھیتوں کا ذکر ہے۔
2073
Commentary:
With this verse begins, in the form of a parable, a description of the conditions respectively of Muslim and Christian nations in the Latter Days. The form and wording of the dialogue unmistakably shows that it is no real conversation between two living persons but is a portraiture, in metaphorical language, of the conditions of these two peoples at a certain time. The dialogue represents the decline and degradation of Muslims at their nadir and the power and prosperity of western Christian nations at their zenith in the Latter Days.
Now parables, like dreams, require to be interpreted, and the present and following several verses having been couched in allegorical language it is difficult to grasp and fully appreciate their full significance and beauty without putting on them a construction which their apparent form does not seem to bear. In the language of dreams a "garden" signifies wife, children, riches and life full of happiness; sometimes it also denotes cantonments and army headquarters. "Grapes" represent abundant provisions which can be stored up and last for a long time; "palm trees" signify exercise of authority over large number of men; "corn" in the case of a monarch denotes expansion of his dominions and in that of other people their "work". A "stream" denotes an eminent man and "fruits" mean fresh sources of honour (Ta‘tirul-Anam).
The parable describes the conditions of two men. One of them had two gardens which metaphorically interpreted means that God had bestowed upon him an abundance of wealth and offspring in two separate periods of his life. This interpretation is supported by v. 35 below where the same person says, I am richer than thou in wealth and stronger in respect of men.
The words, and We surrounded them with date-palms, signify that this man will protect his riches and offspring and dominions with military force.
The expression, and between the two We placed corn-fields, denotes that in between the two gardens there will be ordinary property which will not be so strongly protected.
1689
With this verse begins, in the form of a parable, the conditions of the two peoples—Christians and Muslims, the "two men" representing these two peoples and "two gardens" the two periods of the rise of the Christian nations. The verse denotes that in their chequered history Christian nations would rise to great power twice. The first period preceded the advent of Islam while the second began with the dawn of the 17th century. A.D., when Christian nations of Europe began to make great progress and acquire unprecedented power and prestige which reached its zenith in the nineteenth century.
وَلَقَدۡ اَوۡحَیۡنَاۤ اِلٰی مُوۡسٰۤی اَنۡ اَسۡرِ بِعِبَادِیۡ فَاضۡرِبۡ لَہُمۡ طَرِیۡقًا فِی الۡبَحۡرِ یَبَسًا لَّا تَخٰفُ دَرَکًا وَّلَا تَخۡشٰی
26:53.
26:64.
Against all unimpeachable historical data, most extraordinary theories have been propounded about the Israelites, viz. (a) they never lived in Egypt; because no reference to them is to be found in the old Egyptian historical records. (b) In the fifth year of the reign of Pharaoh Meneptah (or Merenptah) when Moses is said to have taken the Israelites out of Egypt, some Israelite tribes were actually living in Canaan, therefore the theory that Moses had taken the Israelites out of Egypt to Canaan during his reign and that they settled there some fifty years later is all wrong.
The propounders of these strange theories seem to forget that the Israelites were foreigners in Egypt and were a subject race and had lived the miserable life of serfs and slaves under their cruel rulers. How could such people be considered worthy of any notice being taken of them by historians? When even in this 20th century historians cannot find it easy to prepare a well- connected and harmonious narrative about a people from
26:53.
26:64.
Important Words:
لا تخشی (nor wilt thou have fear) is formed from خشیwhich means, he feared or dreaded or feared with reverence, veneration, respect, or awe. We have in the Quran وھم من خشیته مشفقون i.e. they fear their Lord, holding Him in reverence (21:29). خشی منه means, he feared or dreaded what might happen to him from him or it. خشیة is the dread, fear or awe resulting from the knowledge which one possesses about a thing or person. The Quranic expression انما یخشی اللّٰه من عبادہ العلماء(35:29) means, only those of His servants who possess knowledge fear Allah (Lane, Aqrab & Mufradat). The reference to the fear mentioned in the words لا تخشی is to the dangers of the sea and other hardships that lay ahead of the Israelites.
Commentary:
The incident mentioned in this verse relates to the time when, under God’s command, Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt into Canaan. The Israelites left secretly by night, and when Pharaoh learnt of their flight, he pursued them with his hosts and was drowned in the Red Sea.
In order to appreciate fully the nature and significance of this incident which indeed constituted a great divine sign, it is necessary to read the verse under comment along with other relevant verses such as vv. 2:51, 26:62-64 & 44:25. The Quran says:
And remember the time when We divided the sea for you and saved you and drowned Pharaoh’s people while you looked on (2:51).
And when the two hosts came in sight of each other the companions of Moses said, 'We are surely overtaken.'…Then We revealed to Moses, saying, 'Strike the sea with thy rod.' Whereupon it parted and every part was like a huge sandhill (26:62-64). When the Israelites were passing they had the sea on one side and the small lake son the other, which conformably to the natural laws of perspective appeared raised above the level of the land.
And leave the sea at a time when it is motionless. Surely, they are a host which is doomed to be drowned (44:25). i.e. pass through the sea quickly at a time when the tide has receded.
The Bible also refers to this incident in the following verses:
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea…And the Lord said unto Moses, 'Stretch out thine hand over the sea'…And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea and the sea returned to its strength…And the waters returned and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them (Exod. 14:21-28).
The following facts emerge from the above account of this incident as given in the Quran and the Bible;
(a) that Moses was commanded by God to take away the Israelites out of Egypt by night;
(b) that Pharaoh pursued the Israelites with his mighty hosts;
(c) that when the Israelites reached the arm of the Red Sea which lay across their route, they were greatly dismayed because Pharaoh was close behind with his hosts;
(d) that when on seeing Pharaoh’s hosts the Israelites exclaimed in fright that they were overtaken, God commanded Moses to strike the water of the sea with his rod;
(e) that when Moses struck the sea with his rod as the Quran says or stretched out his hand over the sea as the Bible says, it was the time of the ebb-tide and the sea was receding, leaving a dry bed;
(f) that Moses was commanded by God to cross quickly the dry bed to the opposite bank, which he did;
(g) that when the hosts of Pharaoh reached the sea, it was the time of high tide and that in their zeal to overtake the Israelites they took no notice of it and at once jumped into the sea behind them; and
(h) that, as it appears, being heavily equipped with big chariots and other heavy armaments the progress of the army of Pharaoh was greatly retarded so that while they were yet in the midst of the sea, the high tide returned and they were all drowned.
Historians differ as to the exact place from where Moses crossed the Red Sea from Egypt into Canaan. Some are of the view that on his way from the territory of Goshen, which is also called the valley of Al-Tamthilat or Wadi Tumilat and where the capital of the Pharaohs was situated (Enc. Bib. vol. 4, col. 4012, under "Rameses"), Moses passed by the Gulf of Timsah (Enc. Bib., cols. 1438 & 1439). Others think that he went much further to the north and going round Zoan crossed over to Canaan near the Mediterranean Sea (Enc. Bib., col. 1438). But what is most probable is the fact that from Tal Abi Sulaiman which was the capital of the Pharaohs in Moses’ time, the Israelites at first went to north-east to the Gulf of Timsah but finding that a net of gulfs barred their way, they turned south and crossed the Red Sea near the town of Suez where it is hardly more than 2/3 mile wide, and started for Qadas (Enc. Bib., col. 1437).
The following passage from Peake’s "Commentary on the Bible" (p. 64) may also be read with interest:
The Israelites fled with him (Moses) across the Goshen marshes into the Sinaitic Peninsula. The crossing of the "Red Sea" (yam suph, "sea" or "lake of reeds") was probably the crossing of the southern end of a lake a few miles N.W. of what is now called the Red Sea. A wind laid bare a wide stretch of shore, and when an Egyptian force pursued the fugitives, their chariot wheels stuck fast in the wet soil, and the water returned upon them when the wind shifted. Writers differ as to the route taken by the Israelites. Some think that they moved southward to the mountainous range of (the modern) Sinai, and then along the eastern arm of the Red Sea, now known as the Gulf of ‘Akabah, to its northernmost point at Ezion Geber. Others think that the evidence points to the route still taken by Mecca pilgrims, nearly due E. to Ezion Geber, and that thence they moved N.W. to the region of Kadesh (Barnea), to Mt. Sinai or southward along the E. side of the Gulf of ‘Akabah to Mt. Horeb. The traditions differ and certainty is impossible.
There are people who against all canons of history take particular delight in propounding most extraordinary theories that the Israelites never lived in Egypt. Some such theories are:
(a) No reference to the Israelites is to be found in the old Egyptian historical records.
(b) In the fifth year of the reign of Pharaoh Merneptah (or Mereneptah) when Moses is said to have taken the Israelites out of Egypt, some Israelite tribes were actually living in Canaan, therefore the theory of Moses having taken the Israelites out of Egypt to Canaan during his reign and their having settled in that country some fifty years later is all wrong.
(c) Though some trace is found of a few tribes having crossed over from Asia into Egypt but there is no proof that these were the Israelite tribes.
The propounders of these strange theories seem to ignore the patent fact that the Israelites were foreigners in Egypt and were a subject race and lived the miserable life of slaves under their cruel rulers. How could such people be considered worthy of any notice being taken of them by historians? Apart from this the fact may also be taken into consideration that when it is not quite possible for historians even in this 20th century to prepare a well-connected and harmonious narrative about a people from the remnants of its ruined civilization, it was much more difficult for historians in the past to reconstruct a consistent record from the fragmentary accounts of a people who lived in the hoary past and who were treated like beasts of burden by their rulers. This is why no reference to the Israelites is to be found in the old historical records of Egypt.
Secondly, the doubtful theory that certain Israelite tribes were found to be living in Canaan in the 5th year of the reign of Pharaoh Merneptah cannot disprove the fact that other Israelite tribes had remained behind in Egypt. Is it not possible that some of these tribes might have left Egypt for Canaan sometime before all of them were taken out of it by Moses. It is very strange that on the one hand these very writers say that Moses is an Egyptian name and that some of the companions of Moses also had Egyptian names, and on the other that the Israelites never went to Egypt. Moreover, the Bible gives a detailed and well-connected story of the Israelites having lived in Egypt. There was no compelling reason for the writers of the Bible to have done so, especially when the Israelites had lived there only as slaves and worse than beasts of burden. No people would feel any urge or pride in forging and falsely inventing such a miserable record of shame and sorrow of themselves. Last but not least, the Biblical details with regard to the customs, culture and mode of life of the Pharaohs of that time is another proof of the fact that the Israelites had lived under them. The Bible had no interest in the Pharaoh dynasty of Egypt apart from their being rulers of the Israelites. Besides, as stated by old Greek historians, the Egyptians themselves admitted that the Israelites had lived in Egypt for a long time and later on had left this country. The present Egypt, however, should not be confused with a territory which in ancient times was also known as Egypt but which formed a part of northern Syria or northern Arabia.
The date of the Exodus has also been much contested and there seems to be considerable difficulty in determining its exact date from the Biblical records alone. Neither the name of the reigning Pharaoh nor the place where he held his court is mentioned; the account given is not contemporary, but has been condensed and annotated by later editors, and fused by them into a general narrative; and the Biblical chronology of the period, though containing trustworthy material, is known to be largely artificial. Apart from the Biblical records any historical information on the subject is meagre. Various theories, however, are held about the Exodus. Some of these are as follows:
1. The view that the Israelites left Egypt with the Hyksos (1580 B.C.) at the beginning of the XVIIIth Dynasty, or shortly afterwards, and lived a nomadic life of about 200 years in the desert previous to entering Canaan. But evidently this view seems to do violence to genuine Hebrew tradition.
2. The theory which dates the Exodus in the XVIIIth Dynasty, but about 1445 B.C. just after the long despotic reign of Thutmose III and during that of his son Amenhotep II (1447-1420 B.C.). This theory too lacks the support of trustworthy historical material and Hebrew tradition.
3. The hypothesis which connects the Exodus with the religion’s revolution attempted by Amenhotep IV, otherwise known as Akhenaten (1383-1366 B.C.) This view would place the Exodus about 1350 or 1345 B.C. This seems to be more plausible than the first two views.
4. But the theory, largely prevalent which receives much support from historical data, archaeological research and Hebrew tradition is that the Exodus occurred in the Nineteenth Dynasty (1328-1202 B.C.), in the reign of Merneptah II or Mereneptah II (1234-1214) and still seems the most probable. It appears to have taken place about 1230 B.C. According to this view the Pharaoh of the oppression would be Rameses II and his successor Merneptah II, the Pharaoh of the Exodus (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, pp. 119, 955 & 956).
Incidentally, it may be stated here that the striking of the water of the sea with his rod by Moses had no cause and effect connection with the actual parting of the sea. It was merely a sign or a Divine intimation that it was the time of the ebb tide and that the Israelites should hasten to cross. God had so arranged that when Moses reached the sea the tide was about to go back, so that as soon as he struck the sea with his rod in obedience to Divine command, it began to recede and a dry path was made for the Israelites. The striking of the water with his rod by Moses and the recession of the sea coincided. This constituted a miracle because God alone knew when the sea would recede and He had commanded Moses to strike its waters at the time of its recession.
a
26:53.
b
26:64.
c
26:53.
d
26:64.
2293A
Important Words:
لا تخشی (nor wilt thou have fear) is formed from خشیwhich means, he feared or dreaded or feared with reverence, veneration, respect, or awe. We have in the Quran وھم من خشیته مشفقون i.e. they fear their Lord, holding Him in reverence (21:29). خشی منه means, he feared or dreaded what might happen to him from him or it. خشیة is the dread, fear or awe resulting from the knowledge which one possesses about a thing or person. The Quranic expression انما یخشی اللّٰه من عبادہ العلماء(35:29) means, only those of His servants who possess knowledge fear Allah (Lane, Aqrab & Mufradat). The reference to the fear mentioned in the words لا تخشی is to the dangers of the sea and other hardships that lay ahead of the Israelites.
Commentary:
The incident mentioned in this verse relates to the time when, under God’s command, Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt into Canaan. The Israelites left secretly by night, and when Pharaoh learnt of their flight, he pursued them with his hosts and was drowned in the Red Sea.
In order to appreciate fully the nature and significance of this incident which indeed constituted a great divine sign, it is necessary to read the verse under comment along with other relevant verses such as vv. 2:51, 26:62-64 & 44:25. The Quran says:
And remember the time when We divided the sea for you and saved you and drowned Pharaoh’s people while you looked on (2:51).
And when the two hosts came in sight of each other the companions of Moses said, 'We are surely overtaken.'…Then We revealed to Moses, saying, 'Strike the sea with thy rod.' Whereupon it parted and every part was like a huge sandhill (26:62-64). When the Israelites were passing they had the sea on one side and the small lake son the other, which conformably to the natural laws of perspective appeared raised above the level of the land.
And leave the sea at a time when it is motionless. Surely, they are a host which is doomed to be drowned (44:25). i.e. pass through the sea quickly at a time when the tide has receded.
The Bible also refers to this incident in the following verses:
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea…And the Lord said unto Moses, 'Stretch out thine hand over the sea'…And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea and the sea returned to its strength…And the waters returned and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them (Exod. 14:21-28).
The following facts emerge from the above account of this incident as given in the Quran and the Bible;
(a) that Moses was commanded by God to take away the Israelites out of Egypt by night;
(b) that Pharaoh pursued the Israelites with his mighty hosts;
(c) that when the Israelites reached the arm of the Red Sea which lay across their route, they were greatly dismayed because Pharaoh was close behind with his hosts;
(d) that when on seeing Pharaoh’s hosts the Israelites exclaimed in fright that they were overtaken, God commanded Moses to strike the water of the sea with his rod;
(e) that when Moses struck the sea with his rod as the Quran says or stretched out his hand over the sea as the Bible says, it was the time of the ebb-tide and the sea was receding, leaving a dry bed;
(f) that Moses was commanded by God to cross quickly the dry bed to the opposite bank, which he did;
(g) that when the hosts of Pharaoh reached the sea, it was the time of high tide and that in their zeal to overtake the Israelites they took no notice of it and at once jumped into the sea behind them; and
(h) that, as it appears, being heavily equipped with big chariots and other heavy armaments the progress of the army of Pharaoh was greatly retarded so that while they were yet in the midst of the sea, the high tide returned and they were all drowned.
Historians differ as to the exact place from where Moses crossed the Red Sea from Egypt into Canaan. Some are of the view that on his way from the territory of Goshen, which is also called the valley of Al-Tamthilat or Wadi Tumilat and where the capital of the Pharaohs was situated (Enc. Bib. vol. 4, col. 4012, under "Rameses"), Moses passed by the Gulf of Timsah (Enc. Bib., cols. 1438 & 1439). Others think that he went much further to the north and going round Zoan crossed over to Canaan near the Mediterranean Sea (Enc. Bib., col. 1438). But what is most probable is the fact that from Tal Abi Sulaiman which was the capital of the Pharaohs in Moses’ time, the Israelites at first went to north-east to the Gulf of Timsah but finding that a net of gulfs barred their way, they turned south and crossed the Red Sea near the town of Suez where it is hardly more than 2/3 mile wide, and started for Qadas (Enc. Bib., col. 1437).
The following passage from Peake’s "Commentary on the Bible" (p. 64) may also be read with interest:
The Israelites fled with him (Moses) across the Goshen marshes into the Sinaitic Peninsula. The crossing of the "Red Sea" (yam suph, "sea" or "lake of reeds") was probably the crossing of the southern end of a lake a few miles N.W. of what is now called the Red Sea. A wind laid bare a wide stretch of shore, and when an Egyptian force pursued the fugitives, their chariot wheels stuck fast in the wet soil, and the water returned upon them when the wind shifted. Writers differ as to the route taken by the Israelites. Some think that they moved southward to the mountainous range of (the modern) Sinai, and then along the eastern arm of the Red Sea, now known as the Gulf of ‘Akabah, to its northernmost point at Ezion Geber. Others think that the evidence points to the route still taken by Mecca pilgrims, nearly due E. to Ezion Geber, and that thence they moved N.W. to the region of Kadesh (Barnea), to Mt. Sinai or southward along the E. side of the Gulf of ‘Akabah to Mt. Horeb. The traditions differ and certainty is impossible.
There are people who against all canons of history take particular delight in propounding most extraordinary theories that the Israelites never lived in Egypt. Some such theories are:
(a) No reference to the Israelites is to be found in the old Egyptian historical records.
(b) In the fifth year of the reign of Pharaoh Merneptah (or Mereneptah) when Moses is said to have taken the Israelites out of Egypt, some Israelite tribes were actually living in Canaan, therefore the theory of Moses having taken the Israelites out of Egypt to Canaan during his reign and their having settled in that country some fifty years later is all wrong.
(c) Though some trace is found of a few tribes having crossed over from Asia into Egypt but there is no proof that these were the Israelite tribes.
The propounders of these strange theories seem to ignore the patent fact that the Israelites were foreigners in Egypt and were a subject race and lived the miserable life of slaves under their cruel rulers. How could such people be considered worthy of any notice being taken of them by historians? Apart from this the fact may also be taken into consideration that when it is not quite possible for historians even in this 20th century to prepare a well-connected and harmonious narrative about a people from the remnants of its ruined civilization, it was much more difficult for historians in the past to reconstruct a consistent record from the fragmentary accounts of a people who lived in the hoary past and who were treated like beasts of burden by their rulers. This is why no reference to the Israelites is to be found in the old historical records of Egypt.
Secondly, the doubtful theory that certain Israelite tribes were found to be living in Canaan in the 5th year of the reign of Pharaoh Merneptah cannot disprove the fact that other Israelite tribes had remained behind in Egypt. Is it not possible that some of these tribes might have left Egypt for Canaan sometime before all of them were taken out of it by Moses. It is very strange that on the one hand these very writers say that Moses is an Egyptian name and that some of the companions of Moses also had Egyptian names, and on the other that the Israelites never went to Egypt. Moreover, the Bible gives a detailed and well-connected story of the Israelites having lived in Egypt. There was no compelling reason for the writers of the Bible to have done so, especially when the Israelites had lived there only as slaves and worse than beasts of burden. No people would feel any urge or pride in forging and falsely inventing such a miserable record of shame and sorrow of themselves. Last but not least, the Biblical details with regard to the customs, culture and mode of life of the Pharaohs of that time is another proof of the fact that the Israelites had lived under them. The Bible had no interest in the Pharaoh dynasty of Egypt apart from their being rulers of the Israelites. Besides, as stated by old Greek historians, the Egyptians themselves admitted that the Israelites had lived in Egypt for a long time and later on had left this country. The present Egypt, however, should not be confused with a territory which in ancient times was also known as Egypt but which formed a part of northern Syria or northern Arabia.
The date of the Exodus has also been much contested and there seems to be considerable difficulty in determining its exact date from the Biblical records alone. Neither the name of the reigning Pharaoh nor the place where he held his court is mentioned; the account given is not contemporary, but has been condensed and annotated by later editors, and fused by them into a general narrative; and the Biblical chronology of the period, though containing trustworthy material, is known to be largely artificial. Apart from the Biblical records any historical information on the subject is meagre. Various theories, however, are held about the Exodus. Some of these are as follows:
1. The view that the Israelites left Egypt with the Hyksos (1580 B.C.) at the beginning of the XVIIIth Dynasty, or shortly afterwards, and lived a nomadic life of about 200 years in the desert previous to entering Canaan. But evidently this view seems to do violence to genuine Hebrew tradition.
2. The theory which dates the Exodus in the XVIIIth Dynasty, but about 1445 B.C. just after the long despotic reign of Thutmose III and during that of his son Amenhotep II (1447-1420 B.C.). This theory too lacks the support of trustworthy historical material and Hebrew tradition.
3. The hypothesis which connects the Exodus with the religion’s revolution attempted by Amenhotep IV, otherwise known as Akhenaten (1383-1366 B.C.) This view would place the Exodus about 1350 or 1345 B.C. This seems to be more plausible than the first two views.
4. But the theory, largely prevalent which receives much support from historical data, archaeological research and Hebrew tradition is that the Exodus occurred in the Nineteenth Dynasty (1328-1202 B.C.), in the reign of Merneptah II or Mereneptah II (1234-1214) and still seems the most probable. It appears to have taken place about 1230 B.C. According to this view the Pharaoh of the oppression would be Rameses II and his successor Merneptah II, the Pharaoh of the Exodus (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, pp. 119, 955 & 956).
Incidentally, it may be stated here that the striking of the water of the sea with his rod by Moses had no cause and effect connection with the actual parting of the sea. It was merely a sign or a Divine intimation that it was the time of the ebb tide and that the Israelites should hasten to cross. God had so arranged that when Moses reached the sea the tide was about to go back, so that as soon as he struck the sea with his rod in obedience to Divine command, it began to recede and a dry path was made for the Israelites. The striking of the water with his rod by Moses and the recession of the sea coincided. This constituted a miracle because God alone knew when the sea would recede and He had commanded Moses to strike its waters at the time of its recession.
c
26:53.
d
26:64.
1838
Against all unimpeachable historical data, most extraordinary theories have been propounded about the Israelites, viz. (a) they never lived in Egypt; because no reference to them is to be found in the old Egyptian historical records. (b) In the fifth year of the reign of Pharaoh Meneptah (or Merenptah) when Moses is said to have taken the Israelites out of Egypt, some Israelite tribes were actually living in Canaan, therefore the theory that Moses had taken the Israelites out of Egypt to Canaan during his reign and that they settled there some fifty years later is all wrong.
The propounders of these strange theories seem to forget that the Israelites were foreigners in Egypt and were a subject race and had lived the miserable life of serfs and slaves under their cruel rulers. How could such people be considered worthy of any notice being taken of them by historians? When even in this 20th century historians cannot find it easy to prepare a well- connected and harmonious narrative about a people from
فَاَوۡحَیۡنَاۤ اِلٰی مُوۡسٰۤی اَنِ اضۡرِبۡ بِّعَصَاکَ الۡبَحۡرَ ۖ فَانۡفَلَقَ فَکَانَ کُلُّ فِرۡقٍ کَالطَّوۡدِ الۡعَظِیۡمِ
20:78.
Important Words:
طود (mountain) is derived from طاد which means, it was or became firm or steadfast. طود means, a mountain or a great mountain rising high into the sky, an elevated or overlooking tract of land (Lane & Aqrab).
فرق (part) is derived from فرق (faraqa) and means, a piece or portion that is split or separated from a thing; a great flock or herd of sheep or goats only; a group of boys; a mountain; a wave, billow or surge (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
For a more detailed discussion as to how the Israelites passed safely through the sea and how Pharaoh with his hosts was drowned, see 20:78
The idea embodied in the words اضرب بعصاک الحجر has been expressed elsewhere (20:78) in the words فاضرب لھم طریقا فی البحر یبساi.e. "make for them a dry path in the sea." God miraculously so arranged that when the Israelites were crossing the sea it was the time of the low tide and the water of the sea had receded, leaving a dry path for them to pass. But when the Egyptians following them reached the middle of the sea, the high tide returned and the rising water quickly engulfed them.
The words کل فرق may either refer to the two parties of the Egyptians and the Israelites or to the several parties in which the Egyptians might have become divided while they were crossing the sea; or they may refer to each wave of the sea because when the water was receding it looked like a huge mound.
d
20:78.
925
这句话也意味着, “把你的民族带到海那儿去”。 عَصَا (‘Asa) 的意思是民族或社团 (Lane)。
a
20:78.
2746
Important Words:
طود (mountain) is derived from طاد which means, it was or became firm or steadfast. طود means, a mountain or a great mountain rising high into the sky, an elevated or overlooking tract of land (Lane & Aqrab).
فرق (part) is derived from فرق (faraqa) and means, a piece or portion that is split or separated from a thing; a great flock or herd of sheep or goats only; a group of boys; a mountain; a wave, billow or surge (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
For a more detailed discussion as to how the Israelites passed safely through the sea and how Pharaoh with his hosts was drowned, see 20:78
The idea embodied in the words اضرب بعصاک الحجر has been expressed elsewhere (20:78) in the words فاضرب لھم طریقا فی البحر یبساi.e. "make for them a dry path in the sea." God miraculously so arranged that when the Israelites were crossing the sea it was the time of the low tide and the water of the sea had receded, leaving a dry path for them to pass. But when the Egyptians following them reached the middle of the sea, the high tide returned and the rising water quickly engulfed them.
The words کل فرق may either refer to the two parties of the Egyptians and the Israelites or to the several parties in which the Egyptians might have become divided while they were crossing the sea; or they may refer to each wave of the sea because when the water was receding it looked like a huge mound.
a
20:78.
2117A
The words also mean, 'take thy people to the sea,' ‘Asa meaning people or community (Lane).
وَاضۡرِبۡ لَہُمۡ مَّثَلًا اَصۡحٰبَ الۡقَرۡیَۃِ اِذۡ جَآءَہَا الۡمُرۡسَلُوۡنَ
Qaryah may mean any town or place, or metaphorically speaking it may stand for the whole world. Thus Ashabul-Qaryah may signify humanity at large. Or, the word signifying a particular town may refer to Mecca, the Centre and Citadel of Islam. In this case the word 'the Messengers' will apply to the Holy Prophet who represented in his person all the Messengers and Prophets of God.
Important Words:
القریة (the town) is infinitive-noun from قری. They say قری الضیف i.e. he entertained the guest. قری الماء فی الحوض means, he collected the water in the pond. قریة means, a town, a central town. It is so called because people from all quarters gather there and also because they are entertained there. The word also means, gathering of men (Aqrab).
Commentary:
A part of the Surah deals, in metaphorical language, with the advent of a great Reformer in the Latter Days who was to represent the Second Coming of the Holy Prophet. This important subject begins with the present verse.
The word القریة may have been used here in its wider sense meaning any town or place, or speaking metaphorically, it may stand for the whole world. The whole world has been called a قریة here because in the Latter Days the means of commun-ication were to develop so extensively that the whole world was to become, as it were, one town. In this sense of the word the expression may signify humanity at large. The use of the word "parable" with regard to the account of اصحاب القریة i.e. people of the town, seems to lend further support to the view that القریة may not be a particular town that has been mentioned here. The whole account is a parable or simile.
Or the word القریة signifying a particular town may refer to Mecca, the Centre and Citadel of Islam. In that case the word المرسلون (the Messengers) will apply to the Holy Prophet in whose person all the Messengers and Prophets of God were represented. See next verse.
3222
Important Words:
القریة (the town) is infinitive-noun from قری. They say قری الضیف i.e. he entertained the guest. قری الماء فی الحوض means, he collected the water in the pond. قریة means, a town, a central town. It is so called because people from all quarters gather there and also because they are entertained there. The word also means, gathering of men (Aqrab).
Commentary:
A part of the Surah deals, in metaphorical language, with the advent of a great Reformer in the Latter Days who was to represent the Second Coming of the Holy Prophet. This important subject begins with the present verse.
The word القریة may have been used here in its wider sense meaning any town or place, or speaking metaphorically, it may stand for the whole world. The whole world has been called a قریة here because in the Latter Days the means of commun-ication were to develop so extensively that the whole world was to become, as it were, one town. In this sense of the word the expression may signify humanity at large. The use of the word "parable" with regard to the account of اصحاب القریة i.e. people of the town, seems to lend further support to the view that القریة may not be a particular town that has been mentioned here. The whole account is a parable or simile.
Or the word القریة signifying a particular town may refer to Mecca, the Centre and Citadel of Islam. In that case the word المرسلون (the Messengers) will apply to the Holy Prophet in whose person all the Messengers and Prophets of God were represented. See next verse.
2432
Qaryah may mean any town or place, or metaphorically speaking it may stand for the whole world. Thus Ashabul-Qaryah may signify humanity at large. Or, the word signifying a particular town may refer to Mecca, the Centre and Citadel of Islam. In this case the word 'the Messengers' will apply to the Holy Prophet who represented in his person all the Messengers and Prophets of God.
وَخُذۡ بِیَدِکَ ضِغۡثًا فَاضۡرِبۡ بِّہٖ وَلَا تَحۡنَثۡ ۗ اِنَّا وَجَدۡنٰہُ صَابِرًا ۚ نِّعۡمَ الۡعَبۡدُ ۖ اِنَّہٗۤ اَوَّابٌ
پہاڑی لوگ لمبی شاخ جس کے آگے پتیّ ہوتے ہیں مار کر گھوڑے کو دوڑاتے ہیں۔ اسی حالت کا یہاں ذکر ہے جس سے معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ حضرت ا ّیوب پہاڑ کے رہنے والے تھے۔ تفسیر فتح البیان میں لکھا ہے کہ ضِغْثٌ کے معنے کھجور کی گپھّے دار ٹہنی کے بھی ہوتے ہیں (جلد۸ ص۱۱۷)
ضَرَبَ کے معنے سفر کرنے کے بھی ہوتے ہیں۔ (اقرب الموارد)
حِنْثٌ کے معنے ہوتے ہیں حق سے باطل کی طرف مائل ہونا۔ اس میں یہ اشارہ کیا گیا ہے کہ دشمن تجھ کو ہدایت سے پھرا کر اپنی طرف لانا چاہتے ہیں لیکن گو تو فطرتاً ایسا نہیں کر سکتا پھر بھی دشمنوں کی مخالفت کی وجہ سے تجھے تکلیفیں پہنچیں گی۔ سو ہم تجھے حکم دیتے ہیں کہ ایک سواری پر بیٹھ جا اور ایڑیاں اور ٹہنیاں مار مار کر اس کو دوڑا یعنی تیزی سے دشمن کے ملک سے نکل جا تا کہ دشمن کا تجھ پر قبضہ نہ رہے اور تو ان کے باطل سے جس طرح روحانی طور پر محفوظ ہے جسمانی طور پر بھی محفوظ ہو جائے۔
While in v. 43 Job was enjoined to urge his riding beast with his foot, in the present verse he is told to strike the beast with a bundle of twigs to make it run fast that he may be out of danger and reach a place of safety soon.
The words, la Tahnath mean, do not incline to falsehood, i.e. make no compromise with idol-worship or polytheistic beliefs and remain steadfast in your belief in the Unity of God. If the expression means, break not thy oath, the verse would signify that as Job had become separated from his people due to negligence on their part, he had vowed that he would punish the guilty for their negligence after he joined them. When, however, he was united with them he was told by God (as the verse shows) not to treat them severely in the hour of joy and thanksgiving and to fulfil his oath in a way which should cause them least distress.
Important Words:
ضغثاً (a handful of dry twigs) is derived from ضغث (daghatha). They say ضغث الشیء i.e. he collected together the thing. ضغث الحدیث means, he related the tradition in a confused manner; ضغث also means, he uttered a cry. ضغث (dighthun) means, a handful of fresh or dry twigs; whatever is collected together and grasped with the hand; a bundle of rushes; what is confused and without truth or reality (Lane & Aqrab).
لاتـحنث (break not thy oath) is derived from حنث which means, he said what was not true; he committed a sin or crime; he inclined towards what was false. حنث فی یمینه means, he broke or retracted his oath. حنث means, a sin or crime. بلغ الحنث means, he attained to the age when he was punishable for sin or disobedience (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
While in v. 43 Job was enjoined to urge his riding beast with his foot, in the present verse he is told to strike the beast with a bundle of twigs to make it run fast that he may be out of danger and reach a place of safety soon.
The words لاتـحنث mean, do not incline to falsehood, i.e. make no compromise with idol worship or polytheistic beliefs and remain steadfast in your belief in the Unity of God.
The expression لاتـحنث meaning, break not thy oath, the verse may also signify that as Job had become separated from his people, due to negligence on their part, he had vowed that he would punish the guilty for their negligence after he joined them. When, however, he was united with them he was told by God (as the verse shows) not to be severe on them in the hour of joy and thanks-giving and to fulfil his oath in a way which should cause least distress to them.
The implied reference in this and the preceding three verses seems to be to the separation of the Holy Prophet from his kith and kin by his migration to Medina, where after a few years not only were his own people united with him but he found many other most sincere and devoted followers—the Ansar. When even-tually he triumphed over his own people, he forgave them with a large-heartedness and magnanimity which has remained unequalled in the whole history of the world. This was all in harmony with the Divine plan that his resemblance with Job might be established.
1
پہاڑی لوگ لمبی شاخ جس کے آگے پتیّ ہوتے ہیں مار کر گھوڑے کو دوڑاتے ہیں۔ اسی حالت کا یہاں ذکر ہے جس سے معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ حضرت ا ّیوب پہاڑ کے رہنے والے تھے۔ تفسیر فتح البیان میں لکھا ہے کہ ضِغْثٌ کے معنے کھجور کی گپھّے دار ٹہنی کے بھی ہوتے ہیں (جلد۸ ص۱۱۷)
2
ضَرَبَ کے معنے سفر کرنے کے بھی ہوتے ہیں۔ (اقرب الموارد)
3
حِنْثٌ کے معنے ہوتے ہیں حق سے باطل کی طرف مائل ہونا۔ اس میں یہ اشارہ کیا گیا ہے کہ دشمن تجھ کو ہدایت سے پھرا کر اپنی طرف لانا چاہتے ہیں لیکن گو تو فطرتاً ایسا نہیں کر سکتا پھر بھی دشمنوں کی مخالفت کی وجہ سے تجھے تکلیفیں پہنچیں گی۔ سو ہم تجھے حکم دیتے ہیں کہ ایک سواری پر بیٹھ جا اور ایڑیاں اور ٹہنیاں مار مار کر اس کو دوڑا یعنی تیزی سے دشمن کے ملک سے نکل جا تا کہ دشمن کا تجھ پر قبضہ نہ رہے اور تو ان کے باطل سے جس طرح روحانی طور پر محفوظ ہے جسمانی طور پر بھی محفوظ ہو جائے۔
3413
Important Words:
ضغثاً (a handful of dry twigs) is derived from ضغث (daghatha). They say ضغث الشیء i.e. he collected together the thing. ضغث الحدیث means, he related the tradition in a confused manner; ضغث also means, he uttered a cry. ضغث (dighthun) means, a handful of fresh or dry twigs; whatever is collected together and grasped with the hand; a bundle of rushes; what is confused and without truth or reality (Lane & Aqrab).
لاتـحنث (break not thy oath) is derived from حنث which means, he said what was not true; he committed a sin or crime; he inclined towards what was false. حنث فی یمینه means, he broke or retracted his oath. حنث means, a sin or crime. بلغ الحنث means, he attained to the age when he was punishable for sin or disobedience (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
While in v. 43 Job was enjoined to urge his riding beast with his foot, in the present verse he is told to strike the beast with a bundle of twigs to make it run fast that he may be out of danger and reach a place of safety soon.
The words لاتـحنث mean, do not incline to falsehood, i.e. make no compromise with idol worship or polytheistic beliefs and remain steadfast in your belief in the Unity of God.
The expression لاتـحنث meaning, break not thy oath, the verse may also signify that as Job had become separated from his people, due to negligence on their part, he had vowed that he would punish the guilty for their negligence after he joined them. When, however, he was united with them he was told by God (as the verse shows) not to be severe on them in the hour of joy and thanks-giving and to fulfil his oath in a way which should cause least distress to them.
The implied reference in this and the preceding three verses seems to be to the separation of the Holy Prophet from his kith and kin by his migration to Medina, where after a few years not only were his own people united with him but he found many other most sincere and devoted followers—the Ansar. When even-tually he triumphed over his own people, he forgave them with a large-heartedness and magnanimity which has remained unequalled in the whole history of the world. This was all in harmony with the Divine plan that his resemblance with Job might be established.
2538
While in v. 43 Job was enjoined to urge his riding beast with his foot, in the present verse he is told to strike the beast with a bundle of twigs to make it run fast that he may be out of danger and reach a place of safety soon.
2539
The words, la Tahnath mean, do not incline to falsehood, i.e. make no compromise with idol-worship or polytheistic beliefs and remain steadfast in your belief in the Unity of God. If the expression means, break not thy oath, the verse would signify that as Job had become separated from his people due to negligence on their part, he had vowed that he would punish the guilty for their negligence after he joined them. When, however, he was united with them he was told by God (as the verse shows) not to treat them severely in the hour of joy and thanksgiving and to fulfil his oath in a way which should cause them least distress.