كَلِمَةً

Important Words:

طیبة (good) is derived from طاب which means, it was or became sweet and pleasant, or good and ennobled. طابت النفس بکذاmeans, the soul became pleased, contented and satisfied with that. طاب عیشه means, his life became happy and plentiful. طابت الارض means, the land became abundant in herbage; طیب خاطرہ (tayyaba) means, he put his heart at rest and afforded him peace of mind; he placated or soothed his mind. (Aqrab).

Commentary:

This and the following verses constitute two of the most important verses of the Quran. They contain the infallible criterion which helps a man to test and realize the truth of a revealed book that claims to meet the needs and requirements of all mankind.

The Word of God has been likened in these verses to a tree which possesses five essential qualities: It is (1) good (طیب), which means that it possesses a good and beautiful form; (2) it has deep roots in the earth (اصلھا ثابت); (3) its branches reach high into the sky (فرعھا فی السماء); (4) it yields its fruits in abundance and in all seasons (تؤتی اکلھا کل حین) and (5) the yielding of its fruits is in conformity with the command and decree of God (باذن ربھا).

The first quality is that it is طیب (good). As given under Important Words, a thing is called طیب (good) when it is free from all defects, is beautiful to look at, possesses an agreeable flavour, is clean and pure and is possessed of all good qualities in abundance. These qualities possessed by a revealed Book would mean that (a) it is free from all such teachings as may in any way offend against human reason and conscience or against human feelings and susceptibilities; (b) the person who acts upon it becomes fully satisfied with it; (c) it is grand and splendid in every way; (d) it is highly pleasing and (e) it surpasses other corrupted revealed Books in all these qualities.

The second essential quality of such a book is (1) that, like a good and deep-rooted fruitful tree, it possesses a strong and stable foundation which means that it ever continues to receive fresh life and sustenance from its source, satisfying all human needs and the depth and vastness of its meaning knowing no end; (2) that, like a strong tree, it does not bend before the blasts of objections and adverse criticism but stands firm against all storms; also that it remains firmly fixed in its place and is not swayed by changes in the views and conditions of man; (3) that, like the tree which has roots deep in the earth, it possesses a very long life and is not subject to change or abrogation; (4) that it continues to possess a community of votaries and followers who, by carrying its teachings into actual practice, set up a very high standard of moral excellence and thus demonstrate by their practical example the excellence and beauty of its teachings; and (5) that it derives life and sustenance from only one source and there is, therefore, no disharmony or discord in its principles and teachings.

The third characteristic of such a book is that its branches reach high into heaven, which means that by acting upon it a man can scale the highest summits of spiritual eminence; that, like a large tree with branches extending over a wide area, it fully meets all the vast and multifarious needs of man, and there is not a question which concerns the material or spiritual welfare of man that it does not answer.

The fourth distinctive feature of such a book is that it yields its fruits in abundance and in all seasons (see the succeeding verse), which means that its blessings are witnessed at all times and that it continues to produce in every age men who by acting upon its teachings attain communion with God and who by their uprightness and the purity of their conduct tower high above their contemporaries.

The fifth characteristic of such a book is that the works of its followers produce not only results in harmony with the physical laws of nature but also a spiritual result which is the pleasure of God.

The Quran possesses all these qualities in full measure. In most beautiful and simple language it has thoroughly dealt with all the intricate and difficult moral and spiritual problems of man. It has satisfied and will continue to satisfy all the multifarious and multitudinous needs of man. Its principles and teachings are practical and practicable in all times. It has produced in all ages in the past (and will also continue to produce in future) men who, by acting upon it, came to establish a real and living contact with their Creator and who drank deep at the fountain of Divine communion. It has never been found wanting whenever tested and tried. The Quranic tree will never wither or decay and will continue to yield delicious and wholesome fruit till the end of time.

22:72; 40:43.

19:91-92.

Commentary:

The expression کبرت کلمة (grievous is the word) is really کبرت ھی کلمة which means that the saying of this word is very grievous, or that it is very grievous even to open the lips with this word and it is against reason and common sense to utter it. The verse constitutes a severe indictment of the doctrine that Jesus is the son of God. This doctrine is not only blasphemous but also revolting to human intellect. It is an insult to human understanding to say that a weak and helpless man who could not save himself from being hung on the cross was God or the Son of God. Misguided and erring leaders of the Christian Church fabricated a most heinous and blasphemous doctrine without even a modicum of sense or reason to support it. They were fully aware of the fact that the disciples of Jesus and early Christians were strict monotheists and yet they departed from their pristine Faith. The later Christians, however, had with them the excellent Islamic teaching about the Unity of God, but they did not benefit by it, nor by the monotheistic beliefs of their own forebears. Without rhyme or reason they ascribed Godhead to a weak human being.

The words, they speak naught but a lie, signify that Jesus never taught such a foolish doctrine but later Christians themselves invented it and they are to blame for it. In fact, even the canonical Gospels lend no support to this blasphemous doctrine. No doubt the Bible has used the epithet "son of God" about Jesus but so has it also done about several other persons. For instance in Exod. 4:22 we have, "Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first born." See also Gen. 6:2, John 10:35, etc.

Important Words:

عقب (posterity) is derived from عقب (‘aqaba). They say عقبه i.e. he came after him, as though at his heels; he followed him closely; he succeeded him. عقب means, heel; son; grandson; offspring; progeny; posterity; what follows immediately.

Commentary:

The argument against the plea of ancestral beliefs put forward by disbelievers is further developed in the present verse. It purports to say that if they are sincere in saying that they follow the beliefs and customs of their forefathers, then they should also follow the example of their ancestor, the Patriarch Abraham, who was such a firm believer in Divine Unity and who preached it to his posterity with such sincerity and persistence that this belief came to stay among them for a long time, i.e. his sons, grandsons and great-grandsons all believed in One God.