Topic: Encompasses The Disbelievers
View Aspects
أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَٰتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِم مِّنَ ٱلصَّوَٰعِقِ حَذَرَ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ مُحِيطٌۢ بِٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ
6:40, 123; 24:41.
13:13; 24:44; 30:25.
سَمَاء (Sama’) 挂在头顶上空并形成影荫的东西; 天空或天; 一片乌云或许多乌云。 (Lane)
这一节和上一节涉及两类虚伪者: (1) 假装成穆斯林的不信道的人; 与 (2) 信道的人, 但信得不诚、德行较差、有不信道的倾向。这节经典的要点看来是, 后一种虚伪者的情况像那些胆小的人, 稍为碰到一阵雷雨和闪电就惊恐而未能从中受益。
واؤ اس جگہ حالیہ ہے۔ مطلب یہ ہے کہ جب کفار خداتعالیٰ کی گرفت تلے آگئے ہیں اور تباہ ہونے والے ہیں تو پھر ان سے ڈرنا حماقت نہیں تو اور کیا ہے۔ چونکہ واؤ حالیہ ہے اس لئے اس کا ترجمہ ’’حالانکہ‘‘ کیا گیا ہے۔
6:40, 123; 24:41.
13:13; 24:44; 30:25.
Sama’ means, anything which hangs overhead and gives shade; the sky or the heaven; a cloud or clouds (Lane).
This and the preceding verses refer to two classes of hypocrites: (1) Disbelievers who posed as Muslims; and (2) believers, bad in faith and worse in works, with leaning towards disbelief. The purport of the verse seems to be that the condition of the latter class of hypocrites is like that of those timorous people who, at a mere shower of rain with thunder and lightning, become alarmed and fail to benefit by it.
6:40, 123; 24:41.
13:13; 24:44; 30:25.
Important Words:
او (or) is a conjunction signifying several meanings. Here it is used in the sense of "or". It does not, however, denote doubt but simply indicates the presentation of an alternative similitude.
صیب (heavy rain) is derived from صاب which means, it came down; it descended; or it poured forth. The word صیبmeans, clouds pouring down heavy rain; or heavy rain itself (Lane).
السماء (the clouds) is derived from سما i.e. he or it became high or towering. Thus السماء means, anything that hangs high over your head and covers you in its shade; the sky; any canopy, ceiling or roof; a cloud (Aqrab).
رعد (thunder). رعدالسحاب means, the cloud thundered. رعد لی فلان means, he threatened me. رعد therefore means, thunder of clouds; or thunder of war, etc. In the present verse it is used figuratively, meaning, weighty commands; or prophecies relating to coming disasters; or injunctions relating to war, etc.
البرق (lightning) is derived from برق i.e. it shone or gave out light. برق السماء means, the sky shone with lightning. برق الشیءmeans, the thing shone with light. البرق therefore means, lightning or gleaming in the clouds (Aqrab). In this verse it is used figuratively, meaning, victories in wars; or spoils of war; or clear signs of truth, etc.
الصواعق (thunderclaps) is the plural of الصاعقة (a thunderclap) which is derived from صعق (sa‘iqa) or صعق (sa‘aqa). They say صعقت السماء القوم i.e. the sky hit the people with lightning. صعق الرعد means, the thunder grew louder. صعق الرجل means, the man fell down in a swoon; he died; he lost the power of thinking owing to some great and sudden noise accompanying a calamity. الصاعقة means: (1) lightning that descends from the thundering clouds and burns what it smites; (2) any destructive calamity or punishment; (3) death and destruction; (4) noise or report accompanying a divine punishment like an earthquake, etc.; (5) swoon and unconsciousness (Aqrab & Lane).
الموت (death) is from مات i.e. he died (in various senses); he became as if dead; he slept. موت is the opposite of حیاة (life) and means death or lifelessness. Like life, death is also of several kinds: (1) Stoppage of the power of growth (50:12). (2) Deprivation of sensation or consciousness (19:24). (3) Depri-vation of the faculty of intellect and understanding (6:123). (4) To be, as though, dead with grief or sorrow or fear (14:18). (5) Spiritual death (3:170). (6) Sleep, which the Arabs call a light sort of death (Mufradat). (7) Stillness or motionlessness. (8) Being reduced to poverty. (9) Becoming worn out. (10) Becoming base, abject, vile and despicable. (11) Becoming destitute of cultivation or of inhabitants (Lane). According to Lisan موت (death) also signifies any painful condition such as poverty, humiliation, dotage, sinfulness, etc.
Commentary:
This verse refers to the second class of hypocrites, viz. those who, though not quite insincere in their belief, were yet weak in their faith and practice and became upset whenever there was a threat of attack by the enemy or whenever a situation arose demanding some sacrifice. These people feared the oppression of men more than the punishment of God, and tried to maintain good relations with disbelievers by secret correspondence and by supplying information about the believers. They consoled themselves with the thought that as Islam was a true religion from God, its victory was assured in spite of anything they might do, and hence it was not proper for them to expose themselves to unnecessary danger.
Islam has no place for such weaklings. It is a religion of action and sacrifice. That is why, in the very beginning of the Quran, such people have been plainly told that God reckons them among the hypocrites and will deal with them accordingly. Islam teaches us not to spare any sacrifice to win the pleasure of God and one who is not prepared for such a complete sacrifice will not deserve the reward promised to Islam and Muslims.
This and the preceding verses refer to two classes of hypocrites: (1) disbelievers who posed as Muslims, and (2) believers bad in faith and worse in works––with leanings towards disbelievers. This is proved by the following considerations: (a) In verse 18 it is said that the hypocrites kindled a fire, but in the present verse there is no mention of the hypocrites kindling a fire. On the contrary, mention is made of signs or trials coming from heaven; (b) In the first simile it was said that when the fire illuminated its surroundings, the hypocrites were bereft of their sight. In the second simile embodied in vv. 20 & 21 it is said that when there is light, the people take advantage of it and begin to move;(c) In the first simile it was said that the people referred to were not believers. They were deaf, dumb and blind. But in the second simile it is only said that if God willed He would make these people deaf and blind, implying that they were not so already but would become so, if they continued to pursue the course they had adopted; and (d) The men in the first simile were said to be plotting against Islam and Muslims, whereas those in the second simile are not spoken of as plotting against Muslims, but simply as leaving them alone in times of danger. All these facts indicate that these verses refer to two separate classes of hypocrites and this is why the word او (or) has been placed between the two verses. They are two separate classes and not the same class.
The purport of the present verse is that the condition of the latter class of hypocrites is like that of those timorous people who, at a mere shower of rain with thunder and lightning, become timid and fail to benefit from the rain. Similarly, the coming of Islam is accompanied by trials and hardships. The true believer knows that these too have a purpose and is not upset. The trials serve only to increase his zeal.
Objection is sometimes taken against Prophets on the ground that their advent produces disorder and disunion in the earth. The verse provides an answer to this objection by pointing out that just as rain, which gives life to the earth, is accompanied by darkness and thunder and a temporary screening of the sun, even so the trials which accompany the advent of Prophets only presage the dawning of a new era in even greater splendour and effulgence.
The word صاعقة (thunderclap) is spoken of in the verse as making the hypocrites fearful of death. The verse suggests that such a fear is unreasonable because the thunder-clap which makes these people afraid comes after the lightning has actually struck. To slip one’s fingers into one’s ears can therefore serve no purpose. A state of war already exists between believers and disbelievers and this must entail some suffering and hardship. It is of no use to the hypocrites to try to escape the implications and consequences of war.
The words, Allah encompasses the disbelievers, at the end of the verse point to the unreasonableness of the fear entertained by the hypocrites. Since God has already decreed the defeat and destruction of the disbelievers, the hypocrites need have no fear of any serious harm from them.
b
6:40, 123; 24:41.
c
13:13; 24:44; 30:25.
29K
سَمَاء (Sama’) 挂在头顶上空并形成影荫的东西; 天空或天; 一片乌云或许多乌云。 (Lane)
29L
这一节和上一节涉及两类虚伪者: (1) 假装成穆斯林的不信道的人; 与 (2) 信道的人, 但信得不诚、德行较差、有不信道的倾向。这节经典的要点看来是, 后一种虚伪者的情况像那些胆小的人, 稍为碰到一阵雷雨和闪电就惊恐而未能从中受益。
3
واؤ اس جگہ حالیہ ہے۔ مطلب یہ ہے کہ جب کفار خداتعالیٰ کی گرفت تلے آگئے ہیں اور تباہ ہونے والے ہیں تو پھر ان سے ڈرنا حماقت نہیں تو اور کیا ہے۔ چونکہ واؤ حالیہ ہے اس لئے اس کا ترجمہ ’’حالانکہ‘‘ کیا گیا ہے۔
b
6:40, 123; 24:41.
c
13:13; 24:44; 30:25.
26
Important Words:
او (or) is a conjunction signifying several meanings. Here it is used in the sense of "or". It does not, however, denote doubt but simply indicates the presentation of an alternative similitude.
صیب (heavy rain) is derived from صاب which means, it came down; it descended; or it poured forth. The word صیبmeans, clouds pouring down heavy rain; or heavy rain itself (Lane).
السماء (the clouds) is derived from سما i.e. he or it became high or towering. Thus السماء means, anything that hangs high over your head and covers you in its shade; the sky; any canopy, ceiling or roof; a cloud (Aqrab).
رعد (thunder). رعدالسحاب means, the cloud thundered. رعد لی فلان means, he threatened me. رعد therefore means, thunder of clouds; or thunder of war, etc. In the present verse it is used figuratively, meaning, weighty commands; or prophecies relating to coming disasters; or injunctions relating to war, etc.
البرق (lightning) is derived from برق i.e. it shone or gave out light. برق السماء means, the sky shone with lightning. برق الشیءmeans, the thing shone with light. البرق therefore means, lightning or gleaming in the clouds (Aqrab). In this verse it is used figuratively, meaning, victories in wars; or spoils of war; or clear signs of truth, etc.
الصواعق (thunderclaps) is the plural of الصاعقة (a thunderclap) which is derived from صعق (sa‘iqa) or صعق (sa‘aqa). They say صعقت السماء القوم i.e. the sky hit the people with lightning. صعق الرعد means, the thunder grew louder. صعق الرجل means, the man fell down in a swoon; he died; he lost the power of thinking owing to some great and sudden noise accompanying a calamity. الصاعقة means: (1) lightning that descends from the thundering clouds and burns what it smites; (2) any destructive calamity or punishment; (3) death and destruction; (4) noise or report accompanying a divine punishment like an earthquake, etc.; (5) swoon and unconsciousness (Aqrab & Lane).
الموت (death) is from مات i.e. he died (in various senses); he became as if dead; he slept. موت is the opposite of حیاة (life) and means death or lifelessness. Like life, death is also of several kinds: (1) Stoppage of the power of growth (50:12). (2) Deprivation of sensation or consciousness (19:24). (3) Depri-vation of the faculty of intellect and understanding (6:123). (4) To be, as though, dead with grief or sorrow or fear (14:18). (5) Spiritual death (3:170). (6) Sleep, which the Arabs call a light sort of death (Mufradat). (7) Stillness or motionlessness. (8) Being reduced to poverty. (9) Becoming worn out. (10) Becoming base, abject, vile and despicable. (11) Becoming destitute of cultivation or of inhabitants (Lane). According to Lisan موت (death) also signifies any painful condition such as poverty, humiliation, dotage, sinfulness, etc.
Commentary:
This verse refers to the second class of hypocrites, viz. those who, though not quite insincere in their belief, were yet weak in their faith and practice and became upset whenever there was a threat of attack by the enemy or whenever a situation arose demanding some sacrifice. These people feared the oppression of men more than the punishment of God, and tried to maintain good relations with disbelievers by secret correspondence and by supplying information about the believers. They consoled themselves with the thought that as Islam was a true religion from God, its victory was assured in spite of anything they might do, and hence it was not proper for them to expose themselves to unnecessary danger.
Islam has no place for such weaklings. It is a religion of action and sacrifice. That is why, in the very beginning of the Quran, such people have been plainly told that God reckons them among the hypocrites and will deal with them accordingly. Islam teaches us not to spare any sacrifice to win the pleasure of God and one who is not prepared for such a complete sacrifice will not deserve the reward promised to Islam and Muslims.
This and the preceding verses refer to two classes of hypocrites: (1) disbelievers who posed as Muslims, and (2) believers bad in faith and worse in works––with leanings towards disbelievers. This is proved by the following considerations: (a) In verse 18 it is said that the hypocrites kindled a fire, but in the present verse there is no mention of the hypocrites kindling a fire. On the contrary, mention is made of signs or trials coming from heaven; (b) In the first simile it was said that when the fire illuminated its surroundings, the hypocrites were bereft of their sight. In the second simile embodied in vv. 20 & 21 it is said that when there is light, the people take advantage of it and begin to move;(c) In the first simile it was said that the people referred to were not believers. They were deaf, dumb and blind. But in the second simile it is only said that if God willed He would make these people deaf and blind, implying that they were not so already but would become so, if they continued to pursue the course they had adopted; and (d) The men in the first simile were said to be plotting against Islam and Muslims, whereas those in the second simile are not spoken of as plotting against Muslims, but simply as leaving them alone in times of danger. All these facts indicate that these verses refer to two separate classes of hypocrites and this is why the word او (or) has been placed between the two verses. They are two separate classes and not the same class.
The purport of the present verse is that the condition of the latter class of hypocrites is like that of those timorous people who, at a mere shower of rain with thunder and lightning, become timid and fail to benefit from the rain. Similarly, the coming of Islam is accompanied by trials and hardships. The true believer knows that these too have a purpose and is not upset. The trials serve only to increase his zeal.
Objection is sometimes taken against Prophets on the ground that their advent produces disorder and disunion in the earth. The verse provides an answer to this objection by pointing out that just as rain, which gives life to the earth, is accompanied by darkness and thunder and a temporary screening of the sun, even so the trials which accompany the advent of Prophets only presage the dawning of a new era in even greater splendour and effulgence.
The word صاعقة (thunderclap) is spoken of in the verse as making the hypocrites fearful of death. The verse suggests that such a fear is unreasonable because the thunder-clap which makes these people afraid comes after the lightning has actually struck. To slip one’s fingers into one’s ears can therefore serve no purpose. A state of war already exists between believers and disbelievers and this must entail some suffering and hardship. It is of no use to the hypocrites to try to escape the implications and consequences of war.
The words, Allah encompasses the disbelievers, at the end of the verse point to the unreasonableness of the fear entertained by the hypocrites. Since God has already decreed the defeat and destruction of the disbelievers, the hypocrites need have no fear of any serious harm from them.
a
6:40, 123; 24:41.
b
13:13; 24:44; 30:25.
39
Sama’ means, anything which hangs overhead and gives shade; the sky or the heaven; a cloud or clouds (Lane).
40
This and the preceding verses refer to two classes of hypocrites: (1) Disbelievers who posed as Muslims; and (2) believers, bad in faith and worse in works, with leaning towards disbelief. The purport of the verse seems to be that the condition of the latter class of hypocrites is like that of those timorous people who, at a mere shower of rain with thunder and lightning, become alarmed and fail to benefit by it.
وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ خَرَجُوا۟ مِن دِيَٰرِهِم بَطَرًا وَرِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ
Important Words:
بطرا (boastfully). بطر الرجل means, the man exulted or exulted excessively; or he behaved insolently and ungratefully; or he behaved with pride and boastfulness; or he became stupefied and confounded with his wealth (and power), bearing it in an evil manner and turning it to a wrong purpose; or he regarded a thing with hatred and dislike, without its deserving to be so regarded; or he walked with a proud and conceited gait (Lane).
Commentary:
Boastfulness and the desire to be seen of and praised by others have always been a source of weakness in man, and the verse condemns them in the strongest terms. Again, in the field of religion, true service lies in opposing the enemy not only with fervour and zeal but with a view to helping and advancing the cause of truth. Those who are truly brave do nothing from motives of selfishness or self-display; their only motive is to seek the pleasure of God. The verse gives a description of the Meccan army under Abu Jahl which came forth from Mecca in proud exultation, and the Muslims are warned against following their example.
1136
Important Words:
بطرا (boastfully). بطر الرجل means, the man exulted or exulted excessively; or he behaved insolently and ungratefully; or he behaved with pride and boastfulness; or he became stupefied and confounded with his wealth (and power), bearing it in an evil manner and turning it to a wrong purpose; or he regarded a thing with hatred and dislike, without its deserving to be so regarded; or he walked with a proud and conceited gait (Lane).
Commentary:
Boastfulness and the desire to be seen of and praised by others have always been a source of weakness in man, and the verse condemns them in the strongest terms. Again, in the field of religion, true service lies in opposing the enemy not only with fervour and zeal but with a view to helping and advancing the cause of truth. Those who are truly brave do nothing from motives of selfishness or self-display; their only motive is to seek the pleasure of God. The verse gives a description of the Meccan army under Abu Jahl which came forth from Mecca in proud exultation, and the Muslims are warned against following their example.
بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فِى تَكْذِيبٍ
84:23.
a
84:23.
وَٱللَّهُ مِن وَرَآئِهِم مُّحِيطٌۢ
17:60.
17:60.
c
17:60.
c
17:60.