سُقُ

7:163.

Important Words:

رجز (a punishment) means: (1) filth; (2) punishment; (3) idol-worship (4) iniquity or sin (Aqrab).

من السماء (from heaven). For سماء see note on 2:20. As سماء means a "height" or "anything that is high above us", therefore the expression من السماء would mean "from on high" or "from God", implying that the punishment meted out to the Israelites was not brought about through earthly means but, as it were, descended from above.

Commentary:

This verse is a continuation of the previous one. God commanded the Israelites to behave submissively and to pray to Him for the forgiveness of their sins, but they, mischievous and arrogant as ever, disobeyed the injunctions given to them and changed the words of prayer taught by God, whereupon He chastised them with a punishment that was not of this earth, i.e. He visited them with a pestilence or plague that destroyed a number of them. Or the expression رجزا من السماء may mean that their disobedience recoiled on their own souls in the sense of moral degradation and filthiness of heart and mind.

The question of the word which the Israelites used in place of the one taught to them is immaterial. According to some, they used the word حبة or حنطة i.e. "give us corn to eat" instead of حطة i.e. "remove our sins" (Bukhari & Jarir). The words sound alike and afforded a playful opportunity to the mischief-minded among the Israelites. But as already said, the word substituted is not material. What matters is that they, i.e. many of them as the Quran hints, disobeyed the Lord and made religion a plaything. Hence the punishment.

3:12; 5:11; 7:37, 73; 10:74; 22:58.

2:66; 4:14, 155

7:169.

Important Words:

شرعا (appearing on the surface) is the plural of شارع which is active participle from شرع. They say شرع فی الامر i.e. he entered upon or began or commenced the affair. شرع المنزل means, the dwelling had its door opening upon a thoroughfare, or the door of the house opened on the road. شرع الشیء means, he raised or elevated the thing much. شارع of which the plural is شرع(shurra‘un) means, entering into water or entering into an affair; appearing on the surface of water; situated on a main road; having its door opening on a road; a main road or thoroughfare; a legislator or announcer of the law. حیتان شرع means, fishes raising their heads above water; or fishes directing themselves from the deep water to the bank; or fishes appearing upon the surface of the water (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The قریة (town) referred to in this verse is said to be Aila (Elath) on the Red Sea. It was situated on the N. E. arm of the Red Sea, in the Atlantic Gulf (which has derived its name from the place itself) and is mentioned as one of the last stages of the Israelites during their wanderings. It is mentioned also in 1 Kings 9:26 and 2 Chron. 8:17. In Solomon’s time the city came into the possession of the Israelites but afterward it was probably taken from them. Later Uzziah reconquered it, but under Ahaz it was again lost (Enc. Bib. and Jew. Enc.).

As no fish were caught on the Sabbath day, they had instinctively come to know the time when they were safe and, therefore, this instinctive feeling of security made them appear on the surface or approach near the coast in great numbers on the Sabbath day. This fact proved too strong a temptation for the Jews, and they began to make arrangements to catch them on the Sabbath day. The cause of evasion was not far to seek. The Israelites had the fish caught by the non-Israelite people and then purchased them from the latter and in this way sought to evade the commandment, although it was forbidden to them even to make purchases on that day. It was to stop this mean practice that Nehemiah stationed his servants at the gates of Jerusalem to see that no loads were brought in on the Sabbath day (Neh. 13:19).

6:45.

Important Words:

بئیس (severe) is verbal adjective from بؤس which means, he was or became mighty or strong in war or fight; or courageous or valiant. بأس is infinitive-noun from this root and means, might or strength in war or fight; courage and valour; war or fight; fear; harm or injury; punishment, or a severe punishment. بئیس means, mighty or strong; courageous or valiant. عذاب بئیس means, a vehement or severe punishment (Lane). See also 2:178.

Commentary:

In the preceding two verses three classes of men have been mentioned: (1) those who profaned the Sabbath; (2) those who, while themselves refraining from profaning the Sabbath, did not prohibit others from violating it; and (3) those who not only themselves refrained from profaning the Sabbath, but also urged the profaners to abstain from this evil. Of these three classes, the present verse declares only those as saved who not only themselves abstained from doing evil but also exhorted others to abstain from it, and the

rest have been represented as "transgressors" and these were visited with Divine punishment. This shows that the second party who, though they themselves refrained from profaning the Sabbath yet did not prevent their brethren from violating it, were also condemned as transgressors and shared the punishment with those who actually broke the commandment of God. This constitutes a great warning to us that we can be classed with the righteous only when we not only ourselves eschew evil but exhort our brethren also to do the same. We should do our duty both to God and man, the one being as important as the other.

27:59.

Important Words:

رجزا (punishment) is infinitive-noun from رجز (rajaza) and means, punishment; dirt or filth; iniquity or sin; idol worship, etc. (Aqrab). See also 2:60.

6:94.

Commentary:

When confronted with the consequences of their evil deeds, the disbelievers will be told on the Day of Reckoning that as they had fully exploited and drained to dregs the material gifts that God had bestowed upon them and had used them not in the service of good causes but to further their own sordid ends, they should be prepared to suffer disgrace and ignominy as a fit requital for their misdeeds.

13:36.

Important Words:

أنھار (rivers) is the plural of نھر which is inf. noun from نھر (nahara) which means, it flowed or flowed with force. نھر means, a river, a brook, a stream. The word also means, amplitude, or light and amplitude (Lane).

عسل (honey) is inf. noun from عسل (‘asala). عسل الطعام means, he prepared the food with honey. They say عسله i.e. he made him an object of eulogy; he made him an object of love to men. عسل means, honey; flowers or blossoms because honey is made therefrom; a good or righteous deed, the eulogy for which a person is deemed sweet (Lane).

Commentary:

The verse mentions four kinds of favours and blessings promised to believers in this and the next life, i.e. rivers of pure water, rivers of milk of which the taste does not change, rivers of wine which gives delight and rivers of clarified honey. The word أنھار which has been used four times in the verse, besides other senses, signifies light and amplitude; and عسلamong other things, means a good or righteous deed which wins for the doer the love and esteem of men. In view of the signification of these two words the verse may mean that the four things mentioned will be given to the righteous in plenty: viz. water which is the source of all life (21:31); milk which, besides giving health and vigour to the body, stands for spiritual knowledge; wine which gives pleasant sensations and forgetfulness of worries; and honey, being the means of curing many a disease, represents good and righteous deeds which make the believers beloved of men. Taken in the physical sense, i.e. pertaining to the present life, the verse would signify that in the present life the believers will have in plenty all those things which make life pleasant, delightful and useful; and taken symbolically and in a spiritual sense, it would mean that believers will have a full life, they will be endowed with spiritual knowledge, will drink the wine of God’s love and will do deeds that will win for them love and esteem of men.