Topic: Arguments For (Burhan)
View Aspects
وَقَالُوا۟ لَن يَدْخُلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَن كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَٰرَىٰ ۗ تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ ۗ قُلْ هَاتُوا۟ بُرْهَٰنَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ
2:63.
اس کلام کے یہ معنے ہیں کہ یہودی کہتے ہیں کہ صرف یہودی‘ اور مسیحی کہتے ہیں کہ صرف مسیحی جنت میں داخل ہوں گے۔ یہ مرادنہیں کہ یہودی یہ سمجھتے ہیں کہ یہودی اور مسیحی ہی جنتی ہیں اور مسیحی سمجھتے ہیں کہ مسیحی اور یہودی ہی جنتی ہیں۔
2:95; 62:7.
Important Words:
ھود (the Jews) has by some been looked upon as the plural of ھائد which is active participle from ھاد meaning, he repented and turned towards the truth or towards God. In this sense ھود would mean, a people who have turned to God with repentance. The word ھود is a proper name for the Jews. The original and commoner word, however, is الیھود or یھود from which, according to some, the letter یا has been dropped, leaving the word ھود (Aqrab). See also 2:63.
Commentary:
So far Christians were not separately addressed. But now the Quran mentions them along with the Jews, indicating that their case was no better than that of the latter, both being under the delusion that one could obtain salvation merely by becoming a Jew or a Christian. They forgot the fact that when God had established a fresh covenant, salvation could not be possible without conforming thereto. If, however, the Jews and the Christians were justified in their claims, they should advance some reasons or scriptural evidence to show that it was enough for the purposes of salvation to join their folds. And they could not do it, because in their very Scriptures was foretold the appearance of a Prophet whom they were enjoined to accept and whose rejection was stated to lead to estrangement from God.
Christianity, as well as Judaism, was meant for the guidance of the Israelites alone. The mission of Jesus was not meant for the whole world (Matt. 7:6; 10:6; 15:24; Mark 7:27). Though later on the followers of Jesus violated the limit imposed upon his mission and claimed universality for it, yet the hard fact remains that he was sent only for the Israelites, and his mission was to uplift that people alone. As other nations of the world are also the creation of God, it is therefore only right to believe that God must have made some arrangement for their guidance as well. Hence, it is quite unreasonable on the part of the Jews and Christians to hold that the door of salvation was closed against the followers of other faiths. Such a view would mean that God had confined salvation to certain tribes, to the exclusion of others, which is evidently absurd.
Islam, however, is not exposed to that objection. In the first place, it is not a tribal faith, but is universal in character. In the Quran, God enjoins the Holy Prophet to Say, O mankind! truly I am a Messenger to you all from Allah (7:159). Similarly, there is a saying of the Holy Prophet to the effect, "I have been sent for the whole mankind while the Prophets before me were sent to particular peoples only" (Musnad).
Secondly, unlike Judaism and Christianity, Islam does not hold Hell to be ever-lasting, but a place of reformation, where sinners will be purged of their sins to enable them to find their way ultimately to Heaven and enjoy the reward of whatever good deeds they had done in this world. On the other hand, Islam looks upon the bounties of Heaven to be everlasting. With Jews and Christians, it is only the wish that has been father to the thought and nothing else. Produce your proof, if you are truthful, says the Quran.
f
2:63.
2
اس کلام کے یہ معنے ہیں کہ یہودی کہتے ہیں کہ صرف یہودی‘ اور مسیحی کہتے ہیں کہ صرف مسیحی جنت میں داخل ہوں گے۔ یہ مرادنہیں کہ یہودی یہ سمجھتے ہیں کہ یہودی اور مسیحی ہی جنتی ہیں اور مسیحی سمجھتے ہیں کہ مسیحی اور یہودی ہی جنتی ہیں۔
c
2:95; 62:7.
118
Important Words:
ھود (the Jews) has by some been looked upon as the plural of ھائد which is active participle from ھاد meaning, he repented and turned towards the truth or towards God. In this sense ھود would mean, a people who have turned to God with repentance. The word ھود is a proper name for the Jews. The original and commoner word, however, is الیھود or یھود from which, according to some, the letter یا has been dropped, leaving the word ھود (Aqrab). See also 2:63.
Commentary:
So far Christians were not separately addressed. But now the Quran mentions them along with the Jews, indicating that their case was no better than that of the latter, both being under the delusion that one could obtain salvation merely by becoming a Jew or a Christian. They forgot the fact that when God had established a fresh covenant, salvation could not be possible without conforming thereto. If, however, the Jews and the Christians were justified in their claims, they should advance some reasons or scriptural evidence to show that it was enough for the purposes of salvation to join their folds. And they could not do it, because in their very Scriptures was foretold the appearance of a Prophet whom they were enjoined to accept and whose rejection was stated to lead to estrangement from God.
Christianity, as well as Judaism, was meant for the guidance of the Israelites alone. The mission of Jesus was not meant for the whole world (Matt. 7:6; 10:6; 15:24; Mark 7:27). Though later on the followers of Jesus violated the limit imposed upon his mission and claimed universality for it, yet the hard fact remains that he was sent only for the Israelites, and his mission was to uplift that people alone. As other nations of the world are also the creation of God, it is therefore only right to believe that God must have made some arrangement for their guidance as well. Hence, it is quite unreasonable on the part of the Jews and Christians to hold that the door of salvation was closed against the followers of other faiths. Such a view would mean that God had confined salvation to certain tribes, to the exclusion of others, which is evidently absurd.
Islam, however, is not exposed to that objection. In the first place, it is not a tribal faith, but is universal in character. In the Quran, God enjoins the Holy Prophet to Say, O mankind! truly I am a Messenger to you all from Allah (7:159). Similarly, there is a saying of the Holy Prophet to the effect, "I have been sent for the whole mankind while the Prophets before me were sent to particular peoples only" (Musnad).
Secondly, unlike Judaism and Christianity, Islam does not hold Hell to be ever-lasting, but a place of reformation, where sinners will be purged of their sins to enable them to find their way ultimately to Heaven and enjoy the reward of whatever good deeds they had done in this world. On the other hand, Islam looks upon the bounties of Heaven to be everlasting. With Jews and Christians, it is only the wish that has been father to the thought and nothing else. Produce your proof, if you are truthful, says the Quran.
f
2:95; 62:7.
134
The Jews and the Christians both suffer from the delusion that only a Jew or a Christian could obtain salvation.
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى يُحْبِبْكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
4:70.
4:70.
The verse emphatically declares that the goal to attain Divine love is now impossible of achievement except by following the Holy Prophet. It further removes the misunderstanding that may possibly arise from 2:63 that belief in the existence of God and in the Hereafter is alone sufficient for salvation.
4:70.
Commentary:
The verse is most important inasmuch as it pertains to the attainment of the love of God which is considered by Islam to be the highest goal of human life. It constitutes an open and unqualified challenge to mankind, particularly to Christians, who claim to be under the direct leadership of the "son of God", while they and the Jews both call themselves "the children of Allah and His beloved ones" (5:19). The verse emphatically declares that the goal pertaining to the attainment of Divine love is now impossible of achievement except by accepting Islam and following the Holy Prophet Muhammad. Those who seek to love God and attain to His nearness must follow the guidance of the Prophet of Islam, which will make them the beloved ones of God. This is the only door now left open for the attainment of Divine love; and as God loves only pure souls, such men as sincerely follow Islam and act upon its teachings will be purified by Him and have their faults forgiven them.
c
4:70.
b
4:70.
322
Commentary:
The verse is most important inasmuch as it pertains to the attainment of the love of God which is considered by Islam to be the highest goal of human life. It constitutes an open and unqualified challenge to mankind, particularly to Christians, who claim to be under the direct leadership of the "son of God", while they and the Jews both call themselves "the children of Allah and His beloved ones" (5:19). The verse emphatically declares that the goal pertaining to the attainment of Divine love is now impossible of achievement except by accepting Islam and following the Holy Prophet Muhammad. Those who seek to love God and attain to His nearness must follow the guidance of the Prophet of Islam, which will make them the beloved ones of God. This is the only door now left open for the attainment of Divine love; and as God loves only pure souls, such men as sincerely follow Islam and act upon its teachings will be purified by Him and have their faults forgiven them.
b
4:70.
398
The verse emphatically declares that the goal to attain Divine love is now impossible of achievement except by following the Holy Prophet. It further removes the misunderstanding that may possibly arise from 2:63 that belief in the existence of God and in the Hereafter is alone sufficient for salvation.
وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُ ۚ أَفَإِي۟ن مَّاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ ٱنقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَعْقَٰبِكُمْ ۚ وَمَن يَنقَلِبْ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَن يَضُرَّ ٱللَّهَ شَيْـًٔا ۗ وَسَيَجْزِى ٱللَّهُ ٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ
5:76.
2:144, 218; 5:55; 47:39.
吴候德流传着一个错误的消息--------穆圣已经被害。这节经文提到了那件事, 大意是说, 虽然这一传闻是不真实的, 然而纵使它是真实的, 穆圣确已被害, 信者也不应动摇他们的信仰。穆罕默德仅是一位先知; 正如他以前的先知都已死去, 他也会死去。但是伊斯兰教的安拉是永生的。有记录说, 当穆圣去世的 时候, 欧麦尔站在麦地那的清真寺内, 手中握着出鞘的剑说: “谁要说穆圣死了, 我将砍下他的头。他没有死, 而是到他的养主那儿去了 (他已升天), 正如穆撒已到养主那儿, 他将回来, 惩罚伪善者。”阿布伯克尔来到现场, 断然吩咐欧麦尔坐下, 对聚集在清真寺的穆斯林演说, 朗诵了这节经文, 使他们相信穆圣确实已死, 所以他们伤心已极。本节经文附带证实了这个事实: 穆圣之前的所有先知都已逝世。因为如果任何一个先知还活着的话, 本节经文就不能作为穆圣逝去的证据而加以引证。事实上伊斯兰教不靠任何伟人作为其存在的支柱。安拉是其启示者、防御者和保护者。但不应以为此节经文意味着穆圣会死在战争中或死于凶手之手。他受许得到主佑, 使生命免遭一切伤害 (5:68)。穆圣死亡这个捏造的传闻传开时, 敌人十分高兴。但结果穆斯林祸中得福。这为他们对穆圣以后确实逝世带给他们的过重精神负担作了思想准备。但这个经历证明, 这对他们来说是承受不住的。
5:76.
2:144, 218; 5:55; 47:39.
A false report was spread at Uhud that the Holy Prophet had been killed. The verse refers to that incident and purports to say that although the report was untrue, yet even if it had been true and the Prophet had in fact been killed, that should not have made the Faithful waver in their faith. Muhammad was only a Prophet; and as other Prophets before him had died, so would he. But the God of Islam is Ever Living. It is on record that when the Holy Prophet died, ‘Umar stood up in the Mosque at Medina with a drawn sword in his hand and said, "Whoever will say that the Prophet of God is dead, I will cut off his head. He is not dead, but has gone to his Lord (he has ascended to heaven), even as Moses had gone to his Lord, and he would come back and punish the Hypocrites." Abu Bakr coming on the scene firmly told ‘Umar to sit down and addressing the Muslims who had gathered in the Mosque, recited this very verse which convinced them that the Prophet was really dead and so they were overwhelmed with grief. T
5:76.
2:144, 218; 5:55; 47:39.
Commentary:
As already mentioned (3:122), the false report was spread at Uhud that the Holy Prophet was killed. The verse refers to this incident and purports to say that although the report about the death of the Prophet was untrue, yet even if it had been true, that should not have made the Faithful waver in their faith. Muhammad was only a Prophet; and as other Prophets before him had died, so would he. But the God of Islam ever lives.
It is also on record that when, seven years later, the Holy Prophet died, ‘Umar stood up in the Mosque at Medina with a drawn sword in his hand, and said, "Whoever will say that the Prophet of God is dead, I will cut off his head. He is not dead, but has gone to his Lord, (i.e. he has ascended to heaven) even as Moses had gone to his Lord, and he would come back and punish the hypocrites." At this stage, Abu Bakr, who happened to be away at the time of the Prophet’s death, hurriedly came back, went straight into the Prophet’s chamber and, seeing that he was really dead, kissed his forehead, saying, "Sweet art thou in death as thou wert in life, and surely God will not bring on thee two deaths." Then he came out, strong and firm, asked ‘Umar to sit down and, addressing the Companions, who were gathered in the Mosque, recited to them this very verse, i.e. Muhammad is only a Messenger; verily all Messengers have passed away before him; if then he die or be slain, will you turn back on your heels? meaning, that in the circumstances it was no wonder that the Holy Prophet also had passed away. Hearing this timely recital, ‘Umar, and all others, were convinced of the death of the Holy Prophet and were overpowered with grief. Thus, the verse incidentally proves that the Prophets that lived before the Holy Prophet had all died; for if any of them had been alive, the verse could not have been quoted as proof of the Holy Prophet’s death.
The verse also negates the idea that any Prophet has risen to heaven; for it was used to falsify ‘Umar’s contention to the effect that the Holy Prophet was not dead but had risen to heaven. The verse thus proves, without a shadow of doubt, that Jesus too, who was one of the Prophets that had appeared before the Holy Prophet, is not physically alive in the heavens, as some present-day Muslims, following the Christian belief, erroneously think. He is certainly dead, as proved by this verse and the consensus of the Companions’ opinion on the occasion of the death of the Holy Prophet.
In fact, religion does not depend on any personality. It belongs to God alone. That is why the Quran says that if the Holy Prophet dies or is killed, it will be no ground for Muslims to turn away from Islam; for the Prophet is only a Messenger and the religion is God’s. Elsewhere, however, the Quran clearly says: And Allah will protect thee from men(5:68). These two verses are not at variance with each other. What the Quran intends to emphasize in the verse is the fundamental truth of Islamic teachings. Muslims had seen how pure and true these teachings were. Their truth was evident and they could not have become false even if the Holy Prophet had been slain. For instance, the fundamental teaching of Islam is the Unity of God. Now, this truth could not become an untruth if the Prophet were killed. But apart from this announcement in principle, the Prophet could not be killed, for God had definitely promised to protect him.
It should also be remembered that immunity from being murdered is not given in the Quran as a criterion of a Prophet’s truth. People are required to accept a Prophet in his lifetime, and, therefore, they must have proofs of his truth in his lifetime, so that, by witnessing them, they may believe in him. They cannot wait till the time of his death in order to know whether he is a true or a false claimant.
Once a Prophet has furnished clear proofs of his truth in his lifetime, his claim is established and nothing can undo those proofs. Only if a Prophet were murdered before he had been able to give any proof of his truth could we conclude that he had proved a failure and was not a true claimant. But such a thing has never happened.
The enemy rejoiced when the report went round that the Prophet had been slain, but that supposed death of the Prophet turned out to be the veritable "life" of Islam. It fulfilled a great purpose. It prepared Muslims for the actual passing of the Holy Prophet. If this event had not occurred, the death of the Holy Prophet would have proved an unbearable trial for Muslims. In fact, this painful experience brought in disguise many blessings for Islam. At the Battle of Uhud, it brought to light the unshakable faith of the believers; at the time of his death it served to save Islam from going to pieces; and now that Islam is to all appearances dead, it is serving as a means of breathing new life into it, by proving that Jesus, whom Christians have deified, is dead, like all other Prophets that lived before Islam.
b
5:76.
c
2:144, 218; 5:55; 47:39.
283
吴候德流传着一个错误的消息--------穆圣已经被害。这节经文提到了那件事, 大意是说, 虽然这一传闻是不真实的, 然而纵使它是真实的, 穆圣确已被害, 信者也不应动摇他们的信仰。穆罕默德仅是一位先知; 正如他以前的先知都已死去, 他也会死去。但是伊斯兰教的安拉是永生的。有记录说, 当穆圣去世的 时候, 欧麦尔站在麦地那的清真寺内, 手中握着出鞘的剑说: “谁要说穆圣死了, 我将砍下他的头。他没有死, 而是到他的养主那儿去了 (他已升天), 正如穆撒已到养主那儿, 他将回来, 惩罚伪善者。”阿布伯克尔来到现场, 断然吩咐欧麦尔坐下, 对聚集在清真寺的穆斯林演说, 朗诵了这节经文, 使他们相信穆圣确实已死, 所以他们伤心已极。本节经文附带证实了这个事实: 穆圣之前的所有先知都已逝世。因为如果任何一个先知还活着的话, 本节经文就不能作为穆圣逝去的证据而加以引证。事实上伊斯兰教不靠任何伟人作为其存在的支柱。安拉是其启示者、防御者和保护者。但不应以为此节经文意味着穆圣会死在战争中或死于凶手之手。他受许得到主佑, 使生命免遭一切伤害 (5:68)。穆圣死亡这个捏造的传闻传开时, 敌人十分高兴。但结果穆斯林祸中得福。这为他们对穆圣以后确实逝世带给他们的过重精神负担作了思想准备。但这个经历证明, 这对他们来说是承受不住的。
a
5:76.
b
2:144, 218; 5:55; 47:39.
428
Commentary:
As already mentioned (3:122), the false report was spread at Uhud that the Holy Prophet was killed. The verse refers to this incident and purports to say that although the report about the death of the Prophet was untrue, yet even if it had been true, that should not have made the Faithful waver in their faith. Muhammad was only a Prophet; and as other Prophets before him had died, so would he. But the God of Islam ever lives.
It is also on record that when, seven years later, the Holy Prophet died, ‘Umar stood up in the Mosque at Medina with a drawn sword in his hand, and said, "Whoever will say that the Prophet of God is dead, I will cut off his head. He is not dead, but has gone to his Lord, (i.e. he has ascended to heaven) even as Moses had gone to his Lord, and he would come back and punish the hypocrites." At this stage, Abu Bakr, who happened to be away at the time of the Prophet’s death, hurriedly came back, went straight into the Prophet’s chamber and, seeing that he was really dead, kissed his forehead, saying, "Sweet art thou in death as thou wert in life, and surely God will not bring on thee two deaths." Then he came out, strong and firm, asked ‘Umar to sit down and, addressing the Companions, who were gathered in the Mosque, recited to them this very verse, i.e. Muhammad is only a Messenger; verily all Messengers have passed away before him; if then he die or be slain, will you turn back on your heels? meaning, that in the circumstances it was no wonder that the Holy Prophet also had passed away. Hearing this timely recital, ‘Umar, and all others, were convinced of the death of the Holy Prophet and were overpowered with grief. Thus, the verse incidentally proves that the Prophets that lived before the Holy Prophet had all died; for if any of them had been alive, the verse could not have been quoted as proof of the Holy Prophet’s death.
The verse also negates the idea that any Prophet has risen to heaven; for it was used to falsify ‘Umar’s contention to the effect that the Holy Prophet was not dead but had risen to heaven. The verse thus proves, without a shadow of doubt, that Jesus too, who was one of the Prophets that had appeared before the Holy Prophet, is not physically alive in the heavens, as some present-day Muslims, following the Christian belief, erroneously think. He is certainly dead, as proved by this verse and the consensus of the Companions’ opinion on the occasion of the death of the Holy Prophet.
In fact, religion does not depend on any personality. It belongs to God alone. That is why the Quran says that if the Holy Prophet dies or is killed, it will be no ground for Muslims to turn away from Islam; for the Prophet is only a Messenger and the religion is God’s. Elsewhere, however, the Quran clearly says: And Allah will protect thee from men(5:68). These two verses are not at variance with each other. What the Quran intends to emphasize in the verse is the fundamental truth of Islamic teachings. Muslims had seen how pure and true these teachings were. Their truth was evident and they could not have become false even if the Holy Prophet had been slain. For instance, the fundamental teaching of Islam is the Unity of God. Now, this truth could not become an untruth if the Prophet were killed. But apart from this announcement in principle, the Prophet could not be killed, for God had definitely promised to protect him.
It should also be remembered that immunity from being murdered is not given in the Quran as a criterion of a Prophet’s truth. People are required to accept a Prophet in his lifetime, and, therefore, they must have proofs of his truth in his lifetime, so that, by witnessing them, they may believe in him. They cannot wait till the time of his death in order to know whether he is a true or a false claimant.
Once a Prophet has furnished clear proofs of his truth in his lifetime, his claim is established and nothing can undo those proofs. Only if a Prophet were murdered before he had been able to give any proof of his truth could we conclude that he had proved a failure and was not a true claimant. But such a thing has never happened.
The enemy rejoiced when the report went round that the Prophet had been slain, but that supposed death of the Prophet turned out to be the veritable "life" of Islam. It fulfilled a great purpose. It prepared Muslims for the actual passing of the Holy Prophet. If this event had not occurred, the death of the Holy Prophet would have proved an unbearable trial for Muslims. In fact, this painful experience brought in disguise many blessings for Islam. At the Battle of Uhud, it brought to light the unshakable faith of the believers; at the time of his death it served to save Islam from going to pieces; and now that Islam is to all appearances dead, it is serving as a means of breathing new life into it, by proving that Jesus, whom Christians have deified, is dead, like all other Prophets that lived before Islam.
a
5:76.
b
2:144, 218; 5:55; 47:39.
494
A false report was spread at Uhud that the Holy Prophet had been killed. The verse refers to that incident and purports to say that although the report was untrue, yet even if it had been true and the Prophet had in fact been killed, that should not have made the Faithful waver in their faith. Muhammad was only a Prophet; and as other Prophets before him had died, so would he. But the God of Islam is Ever Living. It is on record that when the Holy Prophet died, ‘Umar stood up in the Mosque at Medina with a drawn sword in his hand and said, "Whoever will say that the Prophet of God is dead, I will cut off his head. He is not dead, but has gone to his Lord (he has ascended to heaven), even as Moses had gone to his Lord, and he would come back and punish the Hypocrites." Abu Bakr coming on the scene firmly told ‘Umar to sit down and addressing the Muslims who had gathered in the Mosque, recited this very verse which convinced them that the Prophet was really dead and so they were overwhelmed with grief. T
لَقَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ لَفِى ضَلَٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ
2:130, 152; 9:128; 63:3; 65:12.
The words are intended to awaken in the hearts of Muslims a desire to follow the example of the Holy Prophet, who was like them and was one of them.
2:130, 152; 9:128; 62:3; 65:12.
Commentary:
The expression, by raising among them a Messenger from among themselves, is intended to awaken in the hearts of Muslims a desire to follow the example of the Holy Prophet, who was like them and one of them. The Prophet was not only a man like them but was actually one of them. If he could rise to such spiritual heights, why could not they?
All Messengers of God are raised from among human beings and they possess the same faculties and are actuated by the same desires and aspirations as other human beings, and, therefore, they can serve as true models for their fellow beings. But a so-called "Son of God" does not possess the same desires and the same faculties as we have, and cannot, therefore, be a model for us. Our model should be from our own kind. He who is not of our kind, being a divine being, free from human passions and human weaknesses, cannot be held out to us as a model for imitation.
The verse also points to the fulfilment of the prayer of Abraham contained in 2:130, in which the different functions of the Promised Prophet have been mentioned just as they are mentioned here.
a
2:130, 152; 9:128; 63:3; 65:12.
289
这句话的意思是唤醒穆斯林心中以穆圣为模范的愿望, 而穆圣和他们一样, 也是他们中的一员。
a
2:130, 152; 9:128; 62:3; 65:12.
447
Commentary:
The expression, by raising among them a Messenger from among themselves, is intended to awaken in the hearts of Muslims a desire to follow the example of the Holy Prophet, who was like them and one of them. The Prophet was not only a man like them but was actually one of them. If he could rise to such spiritual heights, why could not they?
All Messengers of God are raised from among human beings and they possess the same faculties and are actuated by the same desires and aspirations as other human beings, and, therefore, they can serve as true models for their fellow beings. But a so-called "Son of God" does not possess the same desires and the same faculties as we have, and cannot, therefore, be a model for us. Our model should be from our own kind. He who is not of our kind, being a divine being, free from human passions and human weaknesses, cannot be held out to us as a model for imitation.
The verse also points to the fulfilment of the prayer of Abraham contained in 2:130, in which the different functions of the Promised Prophet have been mentioned just as they are mentioned here.
a
2:130, 152; 9:128; 63:3; 65:12.
520
The words are intended to awaken in the hearts of Muslims a desire to follow the example of the Holy Prophet, who was like them and was one of them.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَكُم بُرْهَٰنٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكُمْ نُورًا مُّبِينًا
7:158; 64:9.
"Manifest proof" may either refer to the Qur’an which contains great and manifest Signs and proofs; or to the Holy Prophet who, by his personal example, demonstrated that the Quranic teachings are a great blessing for mankind.
"A clear Light" may also either refer to the Holy Prophet or to the Qur’an.
7:158; 64:9.
Commentary:
The word برھان (manifest proof) may either refer to the Quran with its great and manifest Signs, or to the person of the Holy Prophet who, by his personal example, demonstrated to the world that the Quranic teachings were a great blessing for mankind.
The words نورا مبینا (a clear light) may also either refer to the Holy Prophet or to the Quran which supplies the clearest of light for all spiritual wayfarers. The verse thus also incidentally constitutes a repudiation of the Christian dictum that the Shari‘ah is a curse.
c
7:158; 64:9.
366
“明证” 或者可以指含有伟大而明显迹象和证据的 «古兰经»; 或者可以指穆圣, 他以个人作榜样, 显示了 «古兰经» 教义是人类的一大福祉。
b
7:158; 64:9.
637
Commentary:
The word برھان (manifest proof) may either refer to the Quran with its great and manifest Signs, or to the person of the Holy Prophet who, by his personal example, demonstrated to the world that the Quranic teachings were a great blessing for mankind.
The words نورا مبینا (a clear light) may also either refer to the Holy Prophet or to the Quran which supplies the clearest of light for all spiritual wayfarers. The verse thus also incidentally constitutes a repudiation of the Christian dictum that the Shari‘ah is a curse.
a
7:158; 64:9.
713
"Manifest proof" may either refer to the Qur’an which contains great and manifest Signs and proofs; or to the Holy Prophet who, by his personal example, demonstrated that the Quranic teachings are a great blessing for mankind.
714
"A clear Light" may also either refer to the Holy Prophet or to the Qur’an.
إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ يُغْشِى ٱلَّيْلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُۥ حَثِيثًا وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ وَٱلنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَٰتٍۭ بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ ۗ أَلَا لَهُ ٱلْخَلْقُ وَٱلْأَمْرُ ۗ تَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
13:4; 36:38.
10:4; 11:8; 25:60; 32:5; 41:10-13; 50:39; 57:5.
اَيَّامْ (Ayyam) 是 يَوْم (Yaum) 的复数, 只是意指时间 (1:4); 或者它可意指一段不定的时间, 或者一件事物发展的一个阶段。它不可能推测或肯定这一时期的长短。它可能是 “一千年”, (22:48) 或者 “五万年”。(70:5) 可是Yaum这个单词在这里或者在 «古兰经» 其它任何经文中肯定不是指地球自转所决定的时期。安拉没有给我们透露过所有他的日期和范围。如果安拉的有些日期长达千年以上, 另外一些长达五万年以上, 那么, 还有些可以长达百万年或亿万年以上。科学揭露了这样一事实: 天地经历了亿万年的时期才演变成它们现在这个形状。杰出的穆斯林学者穆海•艾尔•丁•伊本•阿拉比 (مُحْيیُ الدِّيْن اِبْنِ عَرَِبی, Muhyud-Din Ibn-e-Arabi) 的远见, 使人们得到相似的结论。这样, 我们不能绝对肯定完成天地创造这 “六天” 的长度是多久。安拉在不同时期内进行不同的改变工作, 有的花一千年, 另外的花五万年, 还有的甚至花更长的时期。我们能够说的只是, 天地的创造经历了六个很长的周期才趋完全。
( عَرْشArsh) (宝座、帝位) 代表安拉超绝无比的常德 (صِفَات تَنْزِيْهِيَّة, Sifate-Tanzihiyyah), 即任何其它存在物中不能见到的许多常德。在 «忠诚» 章中提及的四个常德, 是他超越无比的常德。这些常德是永恒不变的, 是通过安拉 (类似) 相像的常德 (صِفَات تَشْبِيْهِيَّة, Sifate-Tashbihiyyah)--------即在其它存在物中也或多或少可以见到的那些常德--------显示出来的。后面的这些常德被称为帝位的支持者。它们是众世界的养主, 无限博爱的主, 永久仁慈的主和审判日子的主。帝位代表安拉越绝无比的常德从23:117经文中也可清楚地看出, 它说明 “安拉的独一性” 与他的帝位是密切有关的, 因为正是这种超越无比的常德确实证明安拉独一性, 而安拉的其它的常德人类与他在不同程度上是共有的。 “稳固地奠立了帝位” 这几个字的意思是, 在创造了物质的宇宙之后, 安拉超越无比的常德和相像 (类似) 的常德开始活动, 世界上一切事情都开始按自然界规定的法则运行, 而且它们运行的秩序变得非常完美。(The Larger Edition of the Commentary pp.973-976)。
خَلْق (Khalq, 创造) 与 اَمْر (Amr, 命令) 的区别是, 前一个单词一般的意思是从先前存在的物质中衡量或推断 (演变) 出一件事物; 而后一个单词意味着在没有物质的情况下要产生一件事情, 只发出一个命令用的单词 “有”。 “创造只是他的工作, 制定规定也只是他的工作” 这句话的意思也可以是, 安拉不仅创造了宇宙, 而且行使权威并 (指挥) 控制宇宙。Amr也可意指 “制定法律”。
یعنی نظامِ شمسی اس طرح چلتا ہے کہ یوں معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ جیسے سورج چاند کو پکڑ رہا ہے اور چاند سورج کو پکڑ رہا ہے یعنی تیز رفتاری سے دونوں چکر لگا رہے ہیں جس کے نتیجہ میں رات اور دن پیدا ہوتے ہیں۔
سَخَّرَ کے معنے ہوتے ہیں کَلَّفَہٗ عَمَـلًا بِلَا اُجْرَۃٍ بغیر تنخواہ یا وظیفہ کے کام کرے۔ (اقرب)
13:4; 36:38.
10:4; 11:8; 25:60; 32:5; 41:10-13; 50:39; 57:5.
Ayyam is the plural of Yaum which denotes time absolutely (1:4); or it may signify an indefinite period, or a stage in the development of a thing. It is not possible to surmise and define the length of this period. It may be "a thousand years" (22:48), or "fifty thousand years" (70:5). But the word Yaum definitely does not refer here or in any other verse of the Qur’an as the period of time determined by the rotation of the earth on its axis. God has not disclosed to us the extent of all His days. If some of God’s days extend over a thousand years and others over fifty thousand years, there may be still others which extend over millions or billions of years. Science has disclosed the fact that it took the heavens and the earth millions of years to be evolved into their present shape. A vision of the eminent Muslim scholar, Muhyud-Din Ibn-e- ‘Arabi, leads one to a similar conclusion. Thus we cannot definitely determine the length of the "six days" during which the creation of the
See {54}.
‘Arsh (Throne) represents God’s transcendent attributes (Sifate- Tanzihiyyah), i.e. such attributes as are not found in any other being. The four attributes of God mentioned in Surah Ikhlas are His transcendent attributes. These attributes are eternal and unchangeable and are manifested through God’s attributes of similitude (Sifate-Tashbihiyyah), i.e. such attributes as are found more or less in other beings also. These latter attributes are said to be the bearers of the ‘Arsh. They are Rabbul-‘Alamin, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim and Maliki Yaumid-Din. That ‘Arsh represents the transcendent attributes of God is also clear from 23:117 which shows that the "Unity of God" and His ‘Arsh are intimately connected, for it is the transcendent attributes which constitute the real proof of Divine Unity, other attributes of God being shared by man in different degrees. The words, "Settled Himself on the Throne" signify that aft
The distinction between Khalq (creation) and Amr (command) is that while the former word generally means, the measuring out or evolving of a thing out of pre-existing matter, the latter means, bringing into being without matter by uttering the simple command word "be." The clause, His is the creation and the command, may also mean that God has not only created the universe but He also exercises authority and command over it. Amr also means, the making of laws.
10:4; 11:8; 25:60; 32:5; 41:10-13; 50:39; 57:5.
13:4; 36:38.
Important Words:
عرش (Throne) is substantive from the verb عرش which means, he constructed or built a shed or a building, etc. عرش البیتmeans, he built or constructed the house. عرش بالمکان means, he put up, or lodged, in the house. The saying من العرش الی الفرشmeans, from the highest sphere to the lowness of the earth. عرش means, a shed or building constructed for shade; a house in an absolute sense; a dwelling or a place of abode; the wood upon which one stands when drawing water; the roof of a house or the like; the throne or the seat of a king; the means of support of a thing or an affair; might or power; regal power; sovereignty; dominion. The expression استوی علی العرش means, He (God) reigned as King; He settled Himself on the Throne; He was or became established on the Throne of Power and Majesty (Lane & Aqrab). See also 2:30 & 6:142.
Commentary:
The word یوم (day) also means "time" absolutely (1:4); and it is in this sense that the word has been used in the present verse. It is difficult to say how long these six periods of time were in which, according to this verse, the heavens and the earth were created. They may have extended over hundreds of thousands of years. The word ایام (days) evidently is not used here in the sense of ordinary days of 24 hours, because such days are determined by the rising and setting of the sun and the sun itself, being a part of this universe, came into existence simultaneously with it.
The word ثم (then) shows that after completing the creation of the heavens and the earth in six "days" or six "periods", God settled Himself on the Throne on the seventh day. As the Arabic word سبع (seven) is generally used as a symbol of perfection, the expression would signify that on the seventh day when God became established on the Throne of His Power and Majesty, the universe became in perfect working order.
The "night and day" mentioned in the clause, He makes the night cover the day, have been mentioned here as symbolizing sin and virtue. In fact, the phenomenon of sin in a perfectly ordered universe is explainable only by the phenomenon of night. Just as that part of the earth which is hidden from the sun is covered by darkness; similarly, when a man turns away from God, he becomes involved in the darkness of sin; but when he turns his face towards God, the day dawns for him and he basks in the light of truth and righteousness.
The words, He makes the night cover the day which pursues it swiftly, are explained in 2:165 by the expression "the alternation of night and day." The clause may also imply that it is God’s سنة or practice that after a period of darkness He brings a period of light so that mankind may not suffer.
By using the word مسخرات (all made subservient) with respect to the sun, the moon and the stars, the verse reminds us that it was not in the power of man to make all these planets serve him and that it is God alone Who has placed them at his service. Therefore, if, in spite of these great favours, he would not listen to God’s voice, he would be marked as a transgressor and consequently merit His punishment.
The distinction between خلق (the creation) and امر (the command) is that while the former generally means, the measuring out or evolving of a thing out of pre-existing matter, the latter means, bringing into being without matter by uttering the simple command "Be". The clause, His is the creation and the command, may also mean that God has not only created the universe but also exercises authority and command over it.
For the words, He settled Himself on the Throne, see under 10:4 where the expressions "Divine Throne", and "God’s settling on it" have been fully dealt with.
a
13:4; 36:38.
b
10:4; 11:8; 25:60; 32:5; 41:10-13; 50:39; 57:5.
497
اَيَّامْ (Ayyam) 是 يَوْم (Yaum) 的复数, 只是意指时间 (1:4); 或者它可意指一段不定的时间, 或者一件事物发展的一个阶段。它不可能推测或肯定这一时期的长短。它可能是 “一千年”, (22:48) 或者 “五万年”。(70:5) 可是Yaum这个单词在这里或者在 «古兰经» 其它任何经文中肯定不是指地球自转所决定的时期。安拉没有给我们透露过所有他的日期和范围。如果安拉的有些日期长达千年以上, 另外一些长达五万年以上, 那么, 还有些可以长达百万年或亿万年以上。科学揭露了这样一事实: 天地经历了亿万年的时期才演变成它们现在这个形状。杰出的穆斯林学者穆海•艾尔•丁•伊本•阿拉比 (مُحْيیُ الدِّيْن اِبْنِ عَرَِبی, Muhyud-Din Ibn-e-Arabi) 的远见, 使人们得到相似的结论。这样, 我们不能绝对肯定完成天地创造这 “六天” 的长度是多久。安拉在不同时期内进行不同的改变工作, 有的花一千年, 另外的花五万年, 还有的甚至花更长的时期。我们能够说的只是, 天地的创造经历了六个很长的周期才趋完全。
498
( عَرْشArsh) (宝座、帝位) 代表安拉超绝无比的常德 (صِفَات تَنْزِيْهِيَّة, Sifate-Tanzihiyyah), 即任何其它存在物中不能见到的许多常德。在 «忠诚» 章中提及的四个常德, 是他超越无比的常德。这些常德是永恒不变的, 是通过安拉 (类似) 相像的常德 (صِفَات تَشْبِيْهِيَّة, Sifate-Tashbihiyyah)--------即在其它存在物中也或多或少可以见到的那些常德--------显示出来的。后面的这些常德被称为帝位的支持者。它们是众世界的养主, 无限博爱的主, 永久仁慈的主和审判日子的主。帝位代表安拉越绝无比的常德从23:117经文中也可清楚地看出, 它说明 “安拉的独一性” 与他的帝位是密切有关的, 因为正是这种超越无比的常德确实证明安拉独一性, 而安拉的其它的常德人类与他在不同程度上是共有的。 “稳固地奠立了帝位” 这几个字的意思是, 在创造了物质的宇宙之后, 安拉超越无比的常德和相像 (类似) 的常德开始活动, 世界上一切事情都开始按自然界规定的法则运行, 而且它们运行的秩序变得非常完美。(The Larger Edition of the Commentary pp.973-976)。
499
خَلْق (Khalq, 创造) 与 اَمْر (Amr, 命令) 的区别是, 前一个单词一般的意思是从先前存在的物质中衡量或推断 (演变) 出一件事物; 而后一个单词意味着在没有物质的情况下要产生一件事情, 只发出一个命令用的单词 “有”。 “创造只是他的工作, 制定规定也只是他的工作” 这句话的意思也可以是, 安拉不仅创造了宇宙, 而且行使权威并 (指挥) 控制宇宙。Amr也可意指 “制定法律”。
1
یعنی نظامِ شمسی اس طرح چلتا ہے کہ یوں معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ جیسے سورج چاند کو پکڑ رہا ہے اور چاند سورج کو پکڑ رہا ہے یعنی تیز رفتاری سے دونوں چکر لگا رہے ہیں جس کے نتیجہ میں رات اور دن پیدا ہوتے ہیں۔
2
سَخَّرَ کے معنے ہوتے ہیں کَلَّفَہٗ عَمَـلًا بِلَا اُجْرَۃٍ بغیر تنخواہ یا وظیفہ کے کام کرے۔ (اقرب)
a
10:4; 11:8; 25:60; 32:5; 41:10-13; 50:39; 57:5.
b
13:4; 36:38.
954
Important Words:
عرش (Throne) is substantive from the verb عرش which means, he constructed or built a shed or a building, etc. عرش البیتmeans, he built or constructed the house. عرش بالمکان means, he put up, or lodged, in the house. The saying من العرش الی الفرشmeans, from the highest sphere to the lowness of the earth. عرش means, a shed or building constructed for shade; a house in an absolute sense; a dwelling or a place of abode; the wood upon which one stands when drawing water; the roof of a house or the like; the throne or the seat of a king; the means of support of a thing or an affair; might or power; regal power; sovereignty; dominion. The expression استوی علی العرش means, He (God) reigned as King; He settled Himself on the Throne; He was or became established on the Throne of Power and Majesty (Lane & Aqrab). See also 2:30 & 6:142.
Commentary:
The word یوم (day) also means "time" absolutely (1:4); and it is in this sense that the word has been used in the present verse. It is difficult to say how long these six periods of time were in which, according to this verse, the heavens and the earth were created. They may have extended over hundreds of thousands of years. The word ایام (days) evidently is not used here in the sense of ordinary days of 24 hours, because such days are determined by the rising and setting of the sun and the sun itself, being a part of this universe, came into existence simultaneously with it.
The word ثم (then) shows that after completing the creation of the heavens and the earth in six "days" or six "periods", God settled Himself on the Throne on the seventh day. As the Arabic word سبع (seven) is generally used as a symbol of perfection, the expression would signify that on the seventh day when God became established on the Throne of His Power and Majesty, the universe became in perfect working order.
The "night and day" mentioned in the clause, He makes the night cover the day, have been mentioned here as symbolizing sin and virtue. In fact, the phenomenon of sin in a perfectly ordered universe is explainable only by the phenomenon of night. Just as that part of the earth which is hidden from the sun is covered by darkness; similarly, when a man turns away from God, he becomes involved in the darkness of sin; but when he turns his face towards God, the day dawns for him and he basks in the light of truth and righteousness.
The words, He makes the night cover the day which pursues it swiftly, are explained in 2:165 by the expression "the alternation of night and day." The clause may also imply that it is God’s سنة or practice that after a period of darkness He brings a period of light so that mankind may not suffer.
By using the word مسخرات (all made subservient) with respect to the sun, the moon and the stars, the verse reminds us that it was not in the power of man to make all these planets serve him and that it is God alone Who has placed them at his service. Therefore, if, in spite of these great favours, he would not listen to God’s voice, he would be marked as a transgressor and consequently merit His punishment.
The distinction between خلق (the creation) and امر (the command) is that while the former generally means, the measuring out or evolving of a thing out of pre-existing matter, the latter means, bringing into being without matter by uttering the simple command "Be". The clause, His is the creation and the command, may also mean that God has not only created the universe but also exercises authority and command over it.
For the words, He settled Himself on the Throne, see under 10:4 where the expressions "Divine Throne", and "God’s settling on it" have been fully dealt with.
a
13:4; 36:38.
b
10:4; 11:8; 25:60; 32:5; 41:10-13; 50:39; 57:5.
984
Ayyam is the plural of Yaum which denotes time absolutely (1:4); or it may signify an indefinite period, or a stage in the development of a thing. It is not possible to surmise and define the length of this period. It may be "a thousand years" (22:48), or "fifty thousand years" (70:5). But the word Yaum definitely does not refer here or in any other verse of the Qur’an as the period of time determined by the rotation of the earth on its axis. God has not disclosed to us the extent of all His days. If some of God’s days extend over a thousand years and others over fifty thousand years, there may be still others which extend over millions or billions of years. Science has disclosed the fact that it took the heavens and the earth millions of years to be evolved into their present shape. A vision of the eminent Muslim scholar, Muhyud-Din Ibn-e- ‘Arabi, leads one to a similar conclusion. Thus we cannot definitely determine the length of the "six days" during which the creation of the
985
See {54}.
986
‘Arsh (Throne) represents God’s transcendent attributes (Sifate- Tanzihiyyah), i.e. such attributes as are not found in any other being. The four attributes of God mentioned in Surah Ikhlas are His transcendent attributes. These attributes are eternal and unchangeable and are manifested through God’s attributes of similitude (Sifate-Tashbihiyyah), i.e. such attributes as are found more or less in other beings also. These latter attributes are said to be the bearers of the ‘Arsh. They are Rabbul-‘Alamin, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim and Maliki Yaumid-Din. That ‘Arsh represents the transcendent attributes of God is also clear from 23:117 which shows that the "Unity of God" and His ‘Arsh are intimately connected, for it is the transcendent attributes which constitute the real proof of Divine Unity, other attributes of God being shared by man in different degrees. The words, "Settled Himself on the Throne" signify that aft
987
The distinction between Khalq (creation) and Amr (command) is that while the former word generally means, the measuring out or evolving of a thing out of pre-existing matter, the latter means, bringing into being without matter by uttering the simple command word "be." The clause, His is the creation and the command, may also mean that God has not only created the universe but He also exercises authority and command over it. Amr also means, the making of laws.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ ۖ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ ٱلْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِۦ وَأَنَّهُۥٓ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
معلوم ہوا انسان مردہ انسان کو ہدایت سے زندہ کرتا ہے نہ کہ قبروں میں دفن شدہ مردوں کو ظاہر زندگی دے کر۔
4:60; 8:47; 24:55.
The pronoun "he" refers to the Messenger, for it is the Messenger who actually calls. Calling by God is also through His Messenger. Or, "he" may be taken to refer to both Allah and the Messenger separately, i.e. when Allah calls you or when the Messenger calls you.
The giving of life to the dead when ascribed to a Prophet of God should be taken in its metaphorical or spiritual sense.
The words "Allah comes in between a man and his heart" signify that man (or his ego) has no control over his heart, so he cannot make it obey his dictates. The words may also mean that one should hasten to listen and respond to Divine Call because if one delays doing so, unforeseen circumstances may intervene to make one’s heart hard or rusty and then one may refuse to listen to it.
3:33; 4:60; 8:47; 24:55.
Commentary:
Though the verse enjoins the Faithful to respond to both Allah and His Messenger, it does not say "when they (Allah and His Messenger) call you" but simply "when he calls you." The pronoun "he" obviously refers to the Messenger, for it is the Messenger who actually calls. Calling by God is also through His Messenger. Or the singular pronoun "he" may be taken to refer to both Allah and the Messenger taken separately, i.e. when Allah calls you or when the Messenger calls you.
The words, that he may give you life, embody a great truth. The calling of the Messenger is always for the purpose of giving life to those who believe. It must, however, be remembered that when the quickening of, or the giving of life to, the dead is ascribed to a Prophet of God, the words should be taken not in their physical but in their spiritual sense.
The words, know that Allah comes in between a man and his heart, are important. There are two powers in men, firstly, the will-power of the "I". This power has its seat in the mind and has, therefore, been referred to in the verse as "man". The second power lies in the heart. The "I" or the will-power, or in other words "the man," issues its command and it is for the heart to obey it. But an unpurified heart does not always obey the command emanating from the mind. The words, Allah comes in between a man and his heart, therefore, signify that God has His position between the "I" and the heart. Man has not the power to purify his heart, i.e. he cannot make it obey the dictates of the "I", for he has no control over it. But God controls the heart and can purify it. So we should obey God that He may purify our heart and make it follow the will of the "I". The expression is figurative and means that it is God alone Who can make the dictates of the "I" have the desired effect on the heart.
The verse also hints that one should always hasten to hear and obey a good call; for if one delays doing so, the law of God, meant for those who hesitate to accept the truth and keep back from it, is likely to come in, and make the heart rusty, with the result that it becomes all the more disinclined to accept the truth.
d
4:60; 8:47; 24:55.
542
使死人得到生命, 如果是由安拉的一个先知来赐给死人生命的话, 应该从譬喻或精神的意义上去理解。
543
“安拉比人更接近他的心” 这句话意指, 人 (或自我) 不能控制他的心灵, 因此不能使他的心灵受他的支配。这句话也意味着人们应该赶快聆听和响应安拉的呼唤, 因为如果延迟而不这么做的话, 不能预见的种种情况可能介入, 使他们的心灵硬化或生锈, 然后可能不肯听从他的呼唤。
1
معلوم ہوا انسان مردہ انسان کو ہدایت سے زندہ کرتا ہے نہ کہ قبروں میں دفن شدہ مردوں کو ظاہر زندگی دے کر۔
a
3:33; 4:60; 8:47; 24:55.
1113
Commentary:
Though the verse enjoins the Faithful to respond to both Allah and His Messenger, it does not say "when they (Allah and His Messenger) call you" but simply "when he calls you." The pronoun "he" obviously refers to the Messenger, for it is the Messenger who actually calls. Calling by God is also through His Messenger. Or the singular pronoun "he" may be taken to refer to both Allah and the Messenger taken separately, i.e. when Allah calls you or when the Messenger calls you.
The words, that he may give you life, embody a great truth. The calling of the Messenger is always for the purpose of giving life to those who believe. It must, however, be remembered that when the quickening of, or the giving of life to, the dead is ascribed to a Prophet of God, the words should be taken not in their physical but in their spiritual sense.
The words, know that Allah comes in between a man and his heart, are important. There are two powers in men, firstly, the will-power of the "I". This power has its seat in the mind and has, therefore, been referred to in the verse as "man". The second power lies in the heart. The "I" or the will-power, or in other words "the man," issues its command and it is for the heart to obey it. But an unpurified heart does not always obey the command emanating from the mind. The words, Allah comes in between a man and his heart, therefore, signify that God has His position between the "I" and the heart. Man has not the power to purify his heart, i.e. he cannot make it obey the dictates of the "I", for he has no control over it. But God controls the heart and can purify it. So we should obey God that He may purify our heart and make it follow the will of the "I". The expression is figurative and means that it is God alone Who can make the dictates of the "I" have the desired effect on the heart.
The verse also hints that one should always hasten to hear and obey a good call; for if one delays doing so, the law of God, meant for those who hesitate to accept the truth and keep back from it, is likely to come in, and make the heart rusty, with the result that it becomes all the more disinclined to accept the truth.
c
4:60; 8:47; 24:55.
1109A
The pronoun "he" refers to the Messenger, for it is the Messenger who actually calls. Calling by God is also through His Messenger. Or, "he" may be taken to refer to both Allah and the Messenger separately, i.e. when Allah calls you or when the Messenger calls you.
1110
The giving of life to the dead when ascribed to a Prophet of God should be taken in its metaphorical or spiritual sense.
1110A
The words "Allah comes in between a man and his heart" signify that man (or his ego) has no control over his heart, so he cannot make it obey his dictates. The words may also mean that one should hasten to listen and respond to Divine Call because if one delays doing so, unforeseen circumstances may intervene to make one’s heart hard or rusty and then one may refuse to listen to it.
وَلَقَدْ هَمَّتْ بِهِۦ ۖ وَهَمَّ بِهَا لَوْلَآ أَن رَّءَا بُرْهَٰنَ رَبِّهِۦ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ لِنَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَٱلْفَحْشَآءَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ
The wife of Joseph’s master intended a thing about Joseph (i.e. copulation). Similarly, Joseph intended a thing about her, i.e. resisting her evil intention. That Joseph did not intend anything evil is clear from the previous verse. His only object was to dissuade her from her evil purpose.
By 'manifest Sign' are meant the heavenly Signs which Joseph had already witnessed, e.g. the wonderful dream which foretold his future greatness (v. 5), the revelation he had received when cast into the well, which also pointed to his later eminence and glory (v. 16) and also his being taken out alive from the well.
Just as an attempt was made to tempt Joseph away from the path of piety and rectitude, similarly, the idolaters of Mecca made an unsuccessful attempt to make the Holy Prophet give up preaching the Unity of God by offering to make him their king or to collect great wealth for him or to give him in marriage the most beautiful girl in Arabia. The offer was of course contemptuously rejected by the Holy Prophet with the historic words, 'If you place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left hand, even then I will not give up preaching God’s Unity (Hisham).
Commentary:
This verse tells us that the wife of Joseph’s master intended a thing about Joseph (i.e. copulation) in which she did not succeed. Similarly, Joseph intended a thing about her (i.e. turning her to pure thoughts), but he too did not succeed in his endeavour. That Joseph did not intend anything evil is clear from the previous verse. His only purpose was to dissuade her from her evil course.
By "manifest sign" is meant the heavenly signs which Joseph had already witnessed, e.g. the wonderful dream which foretold his future greatness (v. 5) and the revelation he had received when cast into the well, which also pointed to his later eminence and glory (v. 16). Surely, the person who was being prepared for the exalted office of a Prophet could not debase himself before an idolatrous woman.
The words, that We might turn away from him evil and indecency, signify that a person who had witnessed such signs could not stoop to evil. They may also mean that God brought about these circumstances so that Joseph should no longer live in the evil company of his master’s wicked wife and her evil companions which might have exercised a pernicious influence on him.
Here there is another point of resemblance between Joseph and the Holy Prophet. Just as an attempt was made to tempt Joseph away from the path of piety and rectitude, similarly, the idolaters of Mecca made an unsuccessful attempt to make the Holy Prophet give up preaching the Unity of God by offering to make him their king or amass great wealth for him or give him in marriage the most beautiful girl in Arabia. The offer was of course disdainfully rejected by the Prophet with the historic words, "If you place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left hand, I will not give up preaching the Oneness of God." (Zurqani & Hisham). This constitutes the eleventh resemblance between these two great Prophets.
1528
Commentary:
This verse tells us that the wife of Joseph’s master intended a thing about Joseph (i.e. copulation) in which she did not succeed. Similarly, Joseph intended a thing about her (i.e. turning her to pure thoughts), but he too did not succeed in his endeavour. That Joseph did not intend anything evil is clear from the previous verse. His only purpose was to dissuade her from her evil course.
By "manifest sign" is meant the heavenly signs which Joseph had already witnessed, e.g. the wonderful dream which foretold his future greatness (v. 5) and the revelation he had received when cast into the well, which also pointed to his later eminence and glory (v. 16). Surely, the person who was being prepared for the exalted office of a Prophet could not debase himself before an idolatrous woman.
The words, that We might turn away from him evil and indecency, signify that a person who had witnessed such signs could not stoop to evil. They may also mean that God brought about these circumstances so that Joseph should no longer live in the evil company of his master’s wicked wife and her evil companions which might have exercised a pernicious influence on him.
Here there is another point of resemblance between Joseph and the Holy Prophet. Just as an attempt was made to tempt Joseph away from the path of piety and rectitude, similarly, the idolaters of Mecca made an unsuccessful attempt to make the Holy Prophet give up preaching the Unity of God by offering to make him their king or amass great wealth for him or give him in marriage the most beautiful girl in Arabia. The offer was of course disdainfully rejected by the Prophet with the historic words, "If you place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left hand, I will not give up preaching the Oneness of God." (Zurqani & Hisham). This constitutes the eleventh resemblance between these two great Prophets.
1373
The wife of Joseph’s master intended a thing about Joseph (i.e. copulation). Similarly, Joseph intended a thing about her, i.e. resisting her evil intention. That Joseph did not intend anything evil is clear from the previous verse. His only object was to dissuade her from her evil purpose.
1374
By 'manifest Sign' are meant the heavenly Signs which Joseph had already witnessed, e.g. the wonderful dream which foretold his future greatness (v. 5), the revelation he had received when cast into the well, which also pointed to his later eminence and glory (v. 16) and also his being taken out alive from the well.
1375
Just as an attempt was made to tempt Joseph away from the path of piety and rectitude, similarly, the idolaters of Mecca made an unsuccessful attempt to make the Holy Prophet give up preaching the Unity of God by offering to make him their king or to collect great wealth for him or to give him in marriage the most beautiful girl in Arabia. The offer was of course contemptuously rejected by the Holy Prophet with the historic words, 'If you place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left hand, even then I will not give up preaching God’s Unity (Hisham).
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا ٱلذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَٰفِظُونَ
36:70; 65:11.
本节经文中作出的有关保护与保存 «古兰经» 的诺言已实现得如此出色, 因而即使没有其他证据, 单是这个事实就足以证实此经起源于安拉。本节经文在麦加降示 (Noldeke)。当时穆圣及其追随者们的生命极其危险, 敌人能较易地厄杀新宗教 (的信仰)。正是在那时, 不信的人受到挑战, 要他们用最恶劣的手段来毁灭新宗教 (的信仰), 并且警告不信的人, 安拉定会挫败他们的一切阴谋。因为安拉自己就是这一宗教的保护者。这一挑战是公开和明确的, 而敌人是强大、残忍的。然而 «古兰经» 仍然非常安全, 没遭到任何破坏和窜改, 并且总是享有绝对安全和保护。任何其他启示的天经都没有 «古兰经» 这一特征。威廉•米尔 (William Muir) 爵士是臭名昭著的一个对伊斯兰教抱有敌意的批评家。他说: “根据最有力的推测, 我们可以肯定地说, «古兰经» 中的每一节经文都是真正由穆罕默德本人讲的、没有经人改动过的文章。……从另一方面看, 其形式和内容都受到保护, 因此我们获得穆罕默德本人发表和应用的经文。……将其纯洁的经文与我们圣经中的各种经文作比较, 则是在不相似的事物之间进行比较。” (Introduction to ‘The Life of Mohammad’) 德国伟大的东方学专家, 诺尔德克 (Noldeke) 教授写的内容如下: “欧洲学者企图证明 «古兰经» 内容以后曾经被窜改, 但他们失败了。” (Enc. Brit.) 几年前, 明格那博士 (Dr. Mingana) 未能找出 «古兰经» 经文纯洁性的岔子, 却相反赞同 «古兰经» 所宣称的真理: 在一切启示的天经中, 只有 «古兰经» 完全没被窜改。(参见《大版本的注释本》 1263-1266页)
36:70; 65:11.
The promise about the protection and preservation of the Qur’an made in this verse has been so remarkably fulfilled that even if there had been no other proof, this fact alone would have sufficed to establish its Divine origin. This Surah was revealed at Mecca (Noldeke) when the life of the Holy Prophet and his followers was extremely precarious and the enemy could easily crush the new Faith. It was then that disbelievers were challenged to do their worst to destroy it and were warned that God would frustrate all their designs because He Himself was its Guardian. The challenge was open and unequivocal and the enemy strong and ruthless, and yet the Qur’an remained safe against corruption and interpolation and tampering with and has ever continued to enjoy perfect security. This distinction of the Qur’an is not shared by any other revealed Book. Sir William Muir, the notoriously hostile critic of Islam, says: 'We may, upon the strongest presumption, affirm that every verse in the Qur’an is the
36:70; 65:11.
Commentary:
This verse furnishes a powerful proof of the truth of the Quran and of its Divine origin. In fact, the promise about the preservation of the Quran made in this verse has been so remarkably fulfilled that even if there had been no other proof of the truth of Islam, this alone would have sufficed to establish its Divine origin.
Verse 8 contains the demand mockingly made by disbelievers that if the Quran were really as grand a Book as it was claimed to be, it ought to have descended under the guardianship of angels. This ridicule of disbelievers has been answered in the present verse, which emphatically says that the Quran is indeed a sublime Book and that God Himself has undertaken to act as its Guardian and that He will always protect it against every kind of corruption and interference. And in order that this promise about the protection of the Quran may gain still more force, particles expressive of special emphasis, such as انا (verily We) and نحن (Ourself) and again انا followed by ل (most surely) have been used in this verse. Thus the claim has been made in the most emphatic and forceful language.
The statement that God Himself is the Guardian of the Quran does not mean that angels do not guard it. They also do so, for when the master himself is guarding a thing, the servants must also be necessarily engaged in that service. By saying, most surely We will be its Guardian, God, however, points to the fact that there are certain peculiarities of the Quran which it is beyond the power of angels to guard and, therefore, God Himself has undertaken to do that work.
This Surah was revealed at Mecca. According to Ibn Hisham, it was revealed in the fourth year of the Holy Prophet’s ministry. Sprenger, Rodwell and Nöldeke all agree that it belongs to the Meccan period. Now it is a well-known fact that during the Meccan period, the life of the Holy Prophet and his followers was extremely precarious. They did not even know how to save themselves or where to hide themselves. For no less than three years the Prophet and his few helpless followers were virtually imprisoned in the Shi‘b (valley) of Abu Talib from where they could not venture out. They were under a ban. Is it not then astonishing that when the very lives of Muslims were in peril and the enemy was so strong that he could easily crush the new Faith, disbelievers were challenged to do all that lay in their power to destroy the Quran, and were told that God would frustrate all their designs because He Himself was its Guardian? The challenge was open and unequivocal and the enemy strong and ruthless. But what was the result? The Prophet and his Companions not only remained safe and sound but thrived and prospered and the number of converts continued to swell and the Quran remained safe against all corruption and has ever continued to enjoy perfect security. This distinctive feature of the Quran has not been shared by any other book revealed to any other Prophet.
Sir William Muir, the well-known critic of Islam, says about the Quran: "We may, upon the strongest presumption, affirm that every verse in the Quran is the genuine and unaltered composition of Mohammad himself." Again, "There is otherwise every security, internal and external, that we possess the text which Mohammad himself gave forth and used." Again, "To compare (as the Muslims are fond of doing) their pure text with the various readings of our Scriptures, is to compare things between which there is no analogy." (Introduction to "The Life of Mahomet"). Prof. Nöldeke, the great German Orientalist writes as follows: "Slight clerical errors there may have been, but the Quran of Othman contains none but genuine elements, though sometimes in very strange order. Efforts of European scholars to prove the existence of later interpolations in the Quran have failed." (Enc. Brit.). Professor Nicholson, says in his "Literary History of the Arabs": "Here (in the Quran) we have materials of unique and incontestable authority for tracing the origin and early development of Islam—such mater-ials as do not exist in the case of Buddhism or Christianity or any other ancient religion."
The importance of this security of the Quranic text is further enhanced when we compare it with other revealed Scriptures. The Quran was revealed among an illiterate people, while most other Scriptures were revealed among peoples who were comparatively more literate and therefore better qualified to preserve the purity of their Scriptures. Yet they failed to do so, while the Quran, the most widely read of all revealed Scriptures, enjoys complete immunity from all sorts of corruption. This miraculous preservation of the Quranic text is no mere accident. It has been brought about by the special providence of God in accordance with an openly declared prophecy of the Quran.
The means adopted to safeguard the purity of the text of the Quran have been briefly referred to in verse 2 in the memorable words الکتاب (the Written Book) and قرآن مبین (the Illuminating Recital) signifying: (a) That every verse of the Quran was committed to writing as soon as it was revealed and this writing was most tenaciously preserved. (b) That it was committed to memory as soon as revealed by a number of Muslims. And this pious practice has increasingly continued so much so that in the past centuries hundreds of thousands of Muslims have had the entire Quran literally on the tips of their tongues. Add to this the fact that from the very beginning of Islam the recital of parts of the Quran in the five daily Prayers was made obligatory.
The following additional factors also very materially contributed to the preservation of the Quran:
(1) God has inspired the Muslims with an extraordinary love for the Quran. They enjoy the reading of the Book even if they do not understand the meaning of the text. This leads to its being preserved in their hearts.
(2) The rhythm of the Quran is so sweet and its language so charming and so easy to learn and the construction of its sentences so beautiful that it can be committed to memory with great ease.
(3) God so ordained that immediately after the Quranic revelation became complete, it spread far and wide, to the remotest corners of the world, among all nations and all peoples, so that it became practically impossible for anyone to tamper with its text.
(4) From the beginning the Quran formed for Muslims the basis of all the sciences and learning they acquired and developed with a view to serving it. Various branches of knowledge such as Grammar, Rhetoric, History, Philosophy and Logic were cultivated and developed by Muslims for the sake of a better understanding of their holy Book.
(5) God has preserved Arabic, the language of the Quran, as a living language, while the languages of all other revealed Books, which were not meant to last forever, have become practically dead.
Again, it is not only the text of the Quran that has been preserved intact by God. He has provided for the preservation of its spirit also. This has been done by raising divinely inspired Reformers among the Muslims from time to time. These Reformers, known in Islamic terminology as Mujaddids, receive revelations from God and interpret and explain the true meaning of the Quranic text. Such Reformers appeared among the followers of other religions also, but that was only for so long as such scriptures served as guides for their followers. After the advent of Islam, however, all other religious systems and their scriptures, which were intended only for specific periods and specific peoples, became abrogated and divinely inspired Reformers ceased to appear among them. Now, therefore, the Quran alone among all revealed Scriptures of the world holds the field as a living Book and hence divinely inspired Reformers now appear only among the followers of Islam. In our own time God has raised Ahmad, the Promised Messiah, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, to demon-strate the truth and excellence of the Quran in a manner unparalleled in the history of Islam. Ahmad’s present-ation of Islam is not like one praying for a hearing, as was the vogue among the apologetic school of Muslim writers, but as a victor challenging the protagonists of all other religious systems and the so-called Modernists and Higher Critics to find fault with any teaching of Islam; and also as a judge passing his judgement upon them. The appearance of such Reformers in itself constitutes proof of the living power of a religion and its Scripture inasmuch as they are really the fruit of their religion and their appearance proves its efficacy.
The question here arises, if the Scriptures revealed to the previous Prophets have not been preserved in their original purity, what guarantee is there to believe that the Quran would enjoy permanent security? In this connection it should be noted that the promise of protection made by God in this verse mentions the word الذکر (rendered in the text as "this Exhortation") and not the Quran or any other word; and herein lies the answer to the above question. For, to become deserving of the permanent protection of God it is essential that the Divine revelation should be الذکر of which the necessary attributes are: (1) that it should establish a close and permanent relationship between man and his Maker, inspiring in the former constant remembrance of God, the word ذکر meaning remembering; and (2) that it should elevate man to a state where God may also remember him or in other words favour him with His words and with heavenly help, the word ذکر also means eminence. The verse under comment thus purports to mean that God undertakes to protect any Scripture so long as it serves the above two purposes. But when, through changes in the conditions and circumstances of man, any Scripture ceases to perform these functions and God, in His infallible wisdom, deems it necessary to reveal another Scripture, He naturally ceases to extend His protection to earlier revelations. The question as to when any particular Scripture at any particular time ceases to serve the above-mentioned purposes has to be decided on facts. It is a fact beyond doubt that at the present time no religion other than Islam can claim that there is among its followers anyone who fulfils in his person the conditions mentioned above, viz. attainment of such nearness to God that God begins to speak to him and manifests His special powers for his sake. Such a claim can be made only by a follower of the Quran. As stated above Ahmad, the Promised Messiah, has made this claim in our own time and has proved by powerful heavenly signs that his claim is founded on fact and God is helping his cause wonderfully. It is, therefore, natural that Muslims should claim and believe that now the protection of God is a privilege enjoyed by the Quran alone.
As regards the future, our belief based upon promises made in the Quran is that whenever Muslims forget, or fall away from, the teachings of the Quran, God will, by raising heavenly Reformers, restore to them their faith in its pristine purity. The teachings of the Quran will thus remain effective for all time and will ever continue to enjoy Divine help and protection.
b
36:70; 65:11.
654
本节经文中作出的有关保护与保存 «古兰经» 的诺言已实现得如此出色, 因而即使没有其他证据, 单是这个事实就足以证实此经起源于安拉。本节经文在麦加降示 (Noldeke)。当时穆圣及其追随者们的生命极其危险, 敌人能较易地厄杀新宗教 (的信仰)。正是在那时, 不信的人受到挑战, 要他们用最恶劣的手段来毁灭新宗教 (的信仰), 并且警告不信的人, 安拉定会挫败他们的一切阴谋。因为安拉自己就是这一宗教的保护者。这一挑战是公开和明确的, 而敌人是强大、残忍的。然而 «古兰经» 仍然非常安全, 没遭到任何破坏和窜改, 并且总是享有绝对安全和保护。任何其他启示的天经都没有 «古兰经» 这一特征。威廉•米尔 (William Muir) 爵士是臭名昭著的一个对伊斯兰教抱有敌意的批评家。他说: “根据最有力的推测, 我们可以肯定地说, «古兰经» 中的每一节经文都是真正由穆罕默德本人讲的、没有经人改动过的文章。……从另一方面看, 其形式和内容都受到保护, 因此我们获得穆罕默德本人发表和应用的经文。……将其纯洁的经文与我们圣经中的各种经文作比较, 则是在不相似的事物之间进行比较。” (Introduction to ‘The Life of Mohammad’) 德国伟大的东方学专家, 诺尔德克 (Noldeke) 教授写的内容如下: “欧洲学者企图证明 «古兰经» 内容以后曾经被窜改, 但他们失败了。” (Enc. Brit.) 几年前, 明格那博士 (Dr. Mingana) 未能找出 «古兰经» 经文纯洁性的岔子, 却相反赞同 «古兰经» 所宣称的真理: 在一切启示的天经中, 只有 «古兰经» 完全没被窜改。(参见《大版本的注释本》 1263-1266页)
b
36:70; 65:11.
1716
Commentary:
This verse furnishes a powerful proof of the truth of the Quran and of its Divine origin. In fact, the promise about the preservation of the Quran made in this verse has been so remarkably fulfilled that even if there had been no other proof of the truth of Islam, this alone would have sufficed to establish its Divine origin.
Verse 8 contains the demand mockingly made by disbelievers that if the Quran were really as grand a Book as it was claimed to be, it ought to have descended under the guardianship of angels. This ridicule of disbelievers has been answered in the present verse, which emphatically says that the Quran is indeed a sublime Book and that God Himself has undertaken to act as its Guardian and that He will always protect it against every kind of corruption and interference. And in order that this promise about the protection of the Quran may gain still more force, particles expressive of special emphasis, such as انا (verily We) and نحن (Ourself) and again انا followed by ل (most surely) have been used in this verse. Thus the claim has been made in the most emphatic and forceful language.
The statement that God Himself is the Guardian of the Quran does not mean that angels do not guard it. They also do so, for when the master himself is guarding a thing, the servants must also be necessarily engaged in that service. By saying, most surely We will be its Guardian, God, however, points to the fact that there are certain peculiarities of the Quran which it is beyond the power of angels to guard and, therefore, God Himself has undertaken to do that work.
This Surah was revealed at Mecca. According to Ibn Hisham, it was revealed in the fourth year of the Holy Prophet’s ministry. Sprenger, Rodwell and Nöldeke all agree that it belongs to the Meccan period. Now it is a well-known fact that during the Meccan period, the life of the Holy Prophet and his followers was extremely precarious. They did not even know how to save themselves or where to hide themselves. For no less than three years the Prophet and his few helpless followers were virtually imprisoned in the Shi‘b (valley) of Abu Talib from where they could not venture out. They were under a ban. Is it not then astonishing that when the very lives of Muslims were in peril and the enemy was so strong that he could easily crush the new Faith, disbelievers were challenged to do all that lay in their power to destroy the Quran, and were told that God would frustrate all their designs because He Himself was its Guardian? The challenge was open and unequivocal and the enemy strong and ruthless. But what was the result? The Prophet and his Companions not only remained safe and sound but thrived and prospered and the number of converts continued to swell and the Quran remained safe against all corruption and has ever continued to enjoy perfect security. This distinctive feature of the Quran has not been shared by any other book revealed to any other Prophet.
Sir William Muir, the well-known critic of Islam, says about the Quran: "We may, upon the strongest presumption, affirm that every verse in the Quran is the genuine and unaltered composition of Mohammad himself." Again, "There is otherwise every security, internal and external, that we possess the text which Mohammad himself gave forth and used." Again, "To compare (as the Muslims are fond of doing) their pure text with the various readings of our Scriptures, is to compare things between which there is no analogy." (Introduction to "The Life of Mahomet"). Prof. Nöldeke, the great German Orientalist writes as follows: "Slight clerical errors there may have been, but the Quran of Othman contains none but genuine elements, though sometimes in very strange order. Efforts of European scholars to prove the existence of later interpolations in the Quran have failed." (Enc. Brit.). Professor Nicholson, says in his "Literary History of the Arabs": "Here (in the Quran) we have materials of unique and incontestable authority for tracing the origin and early development of Islam—such mater-ials as do not exist in the case of Buddhism or Christianity or any other ancient religion."
The importance of this security of the Quranic text is further enhanced when we compare it with other revealed Scriptures. The Quran was revealed among an illiterate people, while most other Scriptures were revealed among peoples who were comparatively more literate and therefore better qualified to preserve the purity of their Scriptures. Yet they failed to do so, while the Quran, the most widely read of all revealed Scriptures, enjoys complete immunity from all sorts of corruption. This miraculous preservation of the Quranic text is no mere accident. It has been brought about by the special providence of God in accordance with an openly declared prophecy of the Quran.
The means adopted to safeguard the purity of the text of the Quran have been briefly referred to in verse 2 in the memorable words الکتاب (the Written Book) and قرآن مبین (the Illuminating Recital) signifying: (a) That every verse of the Quran was committed to writing as soon as it was revealed and this writing was most tenaciously preserved. (b) That it was committed to memory as soon as revealed by a number of Muslims. And this pious practice has increasingly continued so much so that in the past centuries hundreds of thousands of Muslims have had the entire Quran literally on the tips of their tongues. Add to this the fact that from the very beginning of Islam the recital of parts of the Quran in the five daily Prayers was made obligatory.
The following additional factors also very materially contributed to the preservation of the Quran:
(1) God has inspired the Muslims with an extraordinary love for the Quran. They enjoy the reading of the Book even if they do not understand the meaning of the text. This leads to its being preserved in their hearts.
(2) The rhythm of the Quran is so sweet and its language so charming and so easy to learn and the construction of its sentences so beautiful that it can be committed to memory with great ease.
(3) God so ordained that immediately after the Quranic revelation became complete, it spread far and wide, to the remotest corners of the world, among all nations and all peoples, so that it became practically impossible for anyone to tamper with its text.
(4) From the beginning the Quran formed for Muslims the basis of all the sciences and learning they acquired and developed with a view to serving it. Various branches of knowledge such as Grammar, Rhetoric, History, Philosophy and Logic were cultivated and developed by Muslims for the sake of a better understanding of their holy Book.
(5) God has preserved Arabic, the language of the Quran, as a living language, while the languages of all other revealed Books, which were not meant to last forever, have become practically dead.
Again, it is not only the text of the Quran that has been preserved intact by God. He has provided for the preservation of its spirit also. This has been done by raising divinely inspired Reformers among the Muslims from time to time. These Reformers, known in Islamic terminology as Mujaddids, receive revelations from God and interpret and explain the true meaning of the Quranic text. Such Reformers appeared among the followers of other religions also, but that was only for so long as such scriptures served as guides for their followers. After the advent of Islam, however, all other religious systems and their scriptures, which were intended only for specific periods and specific peoples, became abrogated and divinely inspired Reformers ceased to appear among them. Now, therefore, the Quran alone among all revealed Scriptures of the world holds the field as a living Book and hence divinely inspired Reformers now appear only among the followers of Islam. In our own time God has raised Ahmad, the Promised Messiah, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, to demon-strate the truth and excellence of the Quran in a manner unparalleled in the history of Islam. Ahmad’s present-ation of Islam is not like one praying for a hearing, as was the vogue among the apologetic school of Muslim writers, but as a victor challenging the protagonists of all other religious systems and the so-called Modernists and Higher Critics to find fault with any teaching of Islam; and also as a judge passing his judgement upon them. The appearance of such Reformers in itself constitutes proof of the living power of a religion and its Scripture inasmuch as they are really the fruit of their religion and their appearance proves its efficacy.
The question here arises, if the Scriptures revealed to the previous Prophets have not been preserved in their original purity, what guarantee is there to believe that the Quran would enjoy permanent security? In this connection it should be noted that the promise of protection made by God in this verse mentions the word الذکر (rendered in the text as "this Exhortation") and not the Quran or any other word; and herein lies the answer to the above question. For, to become deserving of the permanent protection of God it is essential that the Divine revelation should be الذکر of which the necessary attributes are: (1) that it should establish a close and permanent relationship between man and his Maker, inspiring in the former constant remembrance of God, the word ذکر meaning remembering; and (2) that it should elevate man to a state where God may also remember him or in other words favour him with His words and with heavenly help, the word ذکر also means eminence. The verse under comment thus purports to mean that God undertakes to protect any Scripture so long as it serves the above two purposes. But when, through changes in the conditions and circumstances of man, any Scripture ceases to perform these functions and God, in His infallible wisdom, deems it necessary to reveal another Scripture, He naturally ceases to extend His protection to earlier revelations. The question as to when any particular Scripture at any particular time ceases to serve the above-mentioned purposes has to be decided on facts. It is a fact beyond doubt that at the present time no religion other than Islam can claim that there is among its followers anyone who fulfils in his person the conditions mentioned above, viz. attainment of such nearness to God that God begins to speak to him and manifests His special powers for his sake. Such a claim can be made only by a follower of the Quran. As stated above Ahmad, the Promised Messiah, has made this claim in our own time and has proved by powerful heavenly signs that his claim is founded on fact and God is helping his cause wonderfully. It is, therefore, natural that Muslims should claim and believe that now the protection of God is a privilege enjoyed by the Quran alone.
As regards the future, our belief based upon promises made in the Quran is that whenever Muslims forget, or fall away from, the teachings of the Quran, God will, by raising heavenly Reformers, restore to them their faith in its pristine purity. The teachings of the Quran will thus remain effective for all time and will ever continue to enjoy Divine help and protection.
e
36:70; 65:11.
1482
The promise about the protection and preservation of the Qur’an made in this verse has been so remarkably fulfilled that even if there had been no other proof, this fact alone would have sufficed to establish its Divine origin. This Surah was revealed at Mecca (Noldeke) when the life of the Holy Prophet and his followers was extremely precarious and the enemy could easily crush the new Faith. It was then that disbelievers were challenged to do their worst to destroy it and were warned that God would frustrate all their designs because He Himself was its Guardian. The challenge was open and unequivocal and the enemy strong and ruthless, and yet the Qur’an remained safe against corruption and interpolation and tampering with and has ever continued to enjoy perfect security. This distinction of the Qur’an is not shared by any other revealed Book. Sir William Muir, the notoriously hostile critic of Islam, says: 'We may, upon the strongest presumption, affirm that every verse in the Qur’an is the
لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُۥ بِٱلْقَوْلِ وَهُم بِأَمْرِهِۦ يَعْمَلُونَ
由上下文来看, 代词 ‘他们’ 指的是先知。安拉的使者不可能违背安拉或在道德上犯罪。这节经文确定众先知是不可能犯罪的。
The pronoun 'they' as the context shows refers to Prophets. Divine Messengers are incapable of disobeying God or committing a moral offence or sin. The verse establishes the sinlessness of the Prophets.
Commentary:
The pronoun 'they' in this verse as the context shows refers to prophets. The verse means to say that the prophets of God do not say anything which they are not bidden by God to say. Hence it is inconceivable that anyone of them should have laid claim to the Godhead or Sonship. Not only do they not say anything unless they are bidden by God to say it, but they also do not do anything unless God commands them to do so. The verse establishes the fact that Divine Messengers are incapable of disobeying God or committing a moral offence or sin. Incidentally it establishes the sinlessness of the Prophets.
832
由上下文来看, 代词 ‘他们’ 指的是先知。安拉的使者不可能违背安拉或在道德上犯罪。这节经文确定众先知是不可能犯罪的。
2368
Commentary:
The pronoun 'they' in this verse as the context shows refers to prophets. The verse means to say that the prophets of God do not say anything which they are not bidden by God to say. Hence it is inconceivable that anyone of them should have laid claim to the Godhead or Sonship. Not only do they not say anything unless they are bidden by God to say it, but they also do not do anything unless God commands them to do so. The verse establishes the fact that Divine Messengers are incapable of disobeying God or committing a moral offence or sin. Incidentally it establishes the sinlessness of the Prophets.
1881
The pronoun 'they' as the context shows refers to Prophets. Divine Messengers are incapable of disobeying God or committing a moral offence or sin. The verse establishes the sinlessness of the Prophets.
وَمَن يَدْعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَ لَا بُرْهَٰنَ لَهُۥ بِهِۦ فَإِنَّمَا حِسَابُهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ
Commentary:
The verse means to say that after the fact has been established that man has been created to fulfil a great object and that object is to develop and manifest in him Divine attributes, if he were so foolish as to worship gods of his own conception or creation he will have to render an account of his actions to God in the life to come and in the present life also such people will meet with frustration and discomfiture.
2589
Commentary:
The verse means to say that after the fact has been established that man has been created to fulfil a great object and that object is to develop and manifest in him Divine attributes, if he were so foolish as to worship gods of his own conception or creation he will have to render an account of his actions to God in the life to come and in the present life also such people will meet with frustration and discomfiture.
أَمَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَأَنزَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَنۢبَتْنَا بِهِۦ حَدَآئِقَ ذَاتَ بَهْجَةٍ مَّا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُنۢبِتُوا۟ شَجَرَهَآ ۗ أَءِلَٰهٌ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ يَعْدِلُونَ
سَمَآءٌ کے معنے آسمان کے علاوہ بادل کے بھی ہوتے ہیں (اقرب)
عَدَلَ بِرَبِّہٖ کے معنے ہوتے ہیں اَشْرَکَ (اقرب) یعنی شریک قرار دیا۔
31:11; 50:10.
6:2.
The first argument in favour of the subject introduced in the preceding verse is taken from nature—from the creation of heavens and earth, from the coming down of rain and the life it gives to the dead earth, and from mountains and rivers.
31:11; 50:10.
6:2.
Commentary:
The first argument in favour of the subject introduced in the preceding verse is taken from nature—from the creation of heavens and earth, from the coming down of rain and the life it gives to the dead earth and from mountains and rivers. All these things point to the existence of a great Divine Being Who is One and Unique in His marvellous powers and attributes.
b
31:11; 50:10.
c
6:2.
3
سَمَآءٌ کے معنے آسمان کے علاوہ بادل کے بھی ہوتے ہیں (اقرب)
4
عَدَلَ بِرَبِّہٖ کے معنے ہوتے ہیں اَشْرَکَ (اقرب) یعنی شریک قرار دیا۔
b
31:11; 50:10.
c
6:2.
2854
Commentary:
The first argument in favour of the subject introduced in the preceding verse is taken from nature—from the creation of heavens and earth, from the coming down of rain and the life it gives to the dead earth and from mountains and rivers. All these things point to the existence of a great Divine Being Who is One and Unique in His marvellous powers and attributes.
b
31:11; 50:10.
c
6:2.
2182
The first argument in favour of the subject introduced in the preceding verse is taken from nature—from the creation of heavens and earth, from the coming down of rain and the life it gives to the dead earth, and from mountains and rivers.
أَمَّن جَعَلَ ٱلْأَرْضَ قَرَارًا وَجَعَلَ خِلَٰلَهَآ أَنْهَٰرًا وَجَعَلَ لَهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ حَاجِزًا ۗ أَءِلَٰهٌ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
تفصیل کے لئے دیکھئے نوٹ سورہ ٔ فرقان آیت۵۴۔
20:54; 78:7.
25:54; 55:20, 21.
The argument, begun in the preceding verse, is here further developed and expanded.
20:54; 78:7.
25:54; 55:20-21.
Commentary:
The argument begun in the preceding verse is here further developed and expanded. For an explanation of the expression "and put a barrier between the two waters" see 25:54.
d
20:54; 78:7.
e
25:54; 55:20, 21.
1
تفصیل کے لئے دیکھئے نوٹ سورہ ٔ فرقان آیت۵۴۔
d
20:54; 78:7.
e
25:54; 55:20-21.
2855
Commentary:
The argument begun in the preceding verse is here further developed and expanded. For an explanation of the expression "and put a barrier between the two waters" see 25:54.
d
20:54; 78:7.
e
25:54; 55:20, 21.
2183
The argument, begun in the preceding verse, is here further developed and expanded.
أَمَّن يُجِيبُ ٱلْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ ٱلسُّوٓءَ وَيَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفَآءَ ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ أَءِلَٰهٌ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ
قَلِیْل کا لفظ عربی زبان کے محاورہ میں کلی نفی کے لئے بھی استعمال ہوتا ہے۔ اردو میں بھی کہتے ہیں ’’تم مانتے تھوڑا ہی ہو‘‘؟ جس کا مطلب یہ ہوتا ہے کہ تم بالکل نہیں مانتے۔
2:187; 7:56.
10:15.
As God’s great powers are manifested in the marvellous working of the laws of nature (preceding verse), so are they manifested in man’s inner conscience when he cries to God in the agony of his soul and God listens to his cry.
2:187; 7:56.
10:15.
Commentary:
This verse gives the second argument in support of God’s existence, His great and unlimited Powers and Unity. It purports to say that as God’s great powers are manifested in the marvellous working of the laws of nature, so are they manifested in man’s inner conscience when he cries to God in the agony of his soul and God listens to his cry. The acceptance of prayers which is the pith and kernel of all religious belief constitutes one of the most important arguments to prove the existence of God. If man had not witnessed great miracles being performed in all ages through the acceptance of prayers by God of His dear ones, he would have justifiably ceased to believe in God’s existence.
The words, "Who answers the distressed when he calls upon Him," may also refer to the extremely weak and distressed state of the Companions of the Holy Prophet when in their agony they prayed to God and He heard their prayers. The words, "and makes you Successors in the earth," lend support to this inference inasmuch as they implied a prophecy that the weak and distressed Muslims would one day become rulers in the land in which at that time there was no security and safety for them.
f
2:187; 7:56.
g
10:15.
951
正如安拉的伟大力量在自然法则 (上节经文) 的绝妙的运行中显示出来那样, 他的伟大力量也在人类的内心中显示出来。当他们向安拉祈祷诉说自己心灵中的痛苦时, 安拉听取他们的祈祷。
2
قَلِیْل کا لفظ عربی زبان کے محاورہ میں کلی نفی کے لئے بھی استعمال ہوتا ہے۔ اردو میں بھی کہتے ہیں ’’تم مانتے تھوڑا ہی ہو‘‘؟ جس کا مطلب یہ ہوتا ہے کہ تم بالکل نہیں مانتے۔
a
2:187; 7:56.
b
10:15.
2856
Commentary:
This verse gives the second argument in support of God’s existence, His great and unlimited Powers and Unity. It purports to say that as God’s great powers are manifested in the marvellous working of the laws of nature, so are they manifested in man’s inner conscience when he cries to God in the agony of his soul and God listens to his cry. The acceptance of prayers which is the pith and kernel of all religious belief constitutes one of the most important arguments to prove the existence of God. If man had not witnessed great miracles being performed in all ages through the acceptance of prayers by God of His dear ones, he would have justifiably ceased to believe in God’s existence.
The words, "Who answers the distressed when he calls upon Him," may also refer to the extremely weak and distressed state of the Companions of the Holy Prophet when in their agony they prayed to God and He heard their prayers. The words, "and makes you Successors in the earth," lend support to this inference inasmuch as they implied a prophecy that the weak and distressed Muslims would one day become rulers in the land in which at that time there was no security and safety for them.
a
2:187; 7:56.
b
10:15.
2184
As God’s great powers are manifested in the marvellous working of the laws of nature (preceding verse), so are they manifested in man’s inner conscience when he cries to God in the agony of his soul and God listens to his cry.
أَمَّن يَهْدِيكُمْ فِى ظُلُمَٰتِ ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ وَمَن يُرْسِلُ ٱلرِّيَٰحَ بُشْرًۢا بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَحْمَتِهِۦٓ ۗ أَءِلَٰهٌ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ تَعَٰلَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
رِيْح (Rih, 风) 用于单数时, 它一般的意思是安拉的惩罚 (17:70; 54:20; 69:7, 等), 可是它用于复数时, 一般的意思是安拉的赐福。
When Rih (wind) is used in the singular number, it generally signifies Divine punishment (17:70; 54:20; 69:7, etc.), but when it is used in the plural number it generally signifies Divine blessings.
Commentary:
It is significant that when the word ریح (wind) is used in the singular number in the Quran, it generally signifies Divine punishment (17:70; 54:20; 69:7, etc.), but when it is used in the plural number it generally signifies Divine blessings, particularly the advent of a heavenly Messenger.
In the present and the preceding verses three kinds of argument and evidence have been adduced to prove the existence and Unity of God—evidence from external nature, man’s inner self and from his collective life.
952
رِيْح (Rih, 风) 用于单数时, 它一般的意思是安拉的惩罚 (17:70; 54:20; 69:7, 等), 可是它用于复数时, 一般的意思是安拉的赐福。
2857
Commentary:
It is significant that when the word ریح (wind) is used in the singular number in the Quran, it generally signifies Divine punishment (17:70; 54:20; 69:7, etc.), but when it is used in the plural number it generally signifies Divine blessings, particularly the advent of a heavenly Messenger.
In the present and the preceding verses three kinds of argument and evidence have been adduced to prove the existence and Unity of God—evidence from external nature, man’s inner self and from his collective life.
2185
When Rih (wind) is used in the singular number, it generally signifies Divine punishment (17:70; 54:20; 69:7, etc.), but when it is used in the plural number it generally signifies Divine blessings.
أَمَّن يَبْدَؤُا۟ ٱلْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ وَمَن يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ أَءِلَٰهٌ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ قُلْ هَاتُوا۟ بُرْهَٰنَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ
10:35; 29:20; 30:12, 28.
10:32; 34:25; 35:4.
The words, originates creation and then repeats it, signify creation and procreation.
10:35; 29:20; 30:12, 28.
10:32; 34:25; 35:4.
Commentary:
The words, "originates creation and then repeats it," signify creation and procreation.
a
10:35; 29:20; 30:12, 28.
b
10:32; 34:25; 35:4.
953
“原始创造, 继而再造它们” 这些字, 意示创造和再创造新的。
a
10:35; 29:20; 30:12, 28.
b
10:32; 34:25; 35:4.
2857A
Commentary:
The words, "originates creation and then repeats it," signify creation and procreation.
c
10:35; 29:20; 30:12, 28.
d
10:32; 34:25; 35:4.
2186
The words, originates creation and then repeats it, signify creation and procreation.
قُل لَّا يَعْلَمُ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلْغَيْبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ
11:124; 16:78; 35:39.
11:124; 16:78; 35:39.
11:124; 16:78; 35:39.
Commentary:
Another invincible argument in favour of the theme dealt with in the preceding verses is embodied in the verse under comment, viz. that God alone knows the unseen in the heavens and the earth. The fact that the possession of knowledge of the unknown is the sole prerogative of God is established by the knowledge of the unknown which He vouchsafes to His Messengers and His righteous servants, instances of which are to be witnessed in every age among the true followers of Islam.
The words "when they will be raised up" may also mean "when their resurrection as a great nation will take place?"
c
11:124; 16:78; 35:39.
c
11:124; 16:78; 35:39.
2858
Commentary:
Another invincible argument in favour of the theme dealt with in the preceding verses is embodied in the verse under comment, viz. that God alone knows the unseen in the heavens and the earth. The fact that the possession of knowledge of the unknown is the sole prerogative of God is established by the knowledge of the unknown which He vouchsafes to His Messengers and His righteous servants, instances of which are to be witnessed in every age among the true followers of Islam.
The words "when they will be raised up" may also mean "when their resurrection as a great nation will take place?"
e
11:124; 16:78; 35:39.
بَلِ ٱدَّٰرَكَ عِلْمُهُمْ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ ۚ بَلْ هُمْ فِى شَكٍّ مِّنْهَا ۖ بَلْ هُم مِّنْهَا عَمُونَ
只是人类的知识和智慧不能满足他们灵魂中的渴望, 也不能确信不疑地证明安拉的存在以及死后生命这两个基本的宗教信念, 因为充分理解这两个信念是超出人类知识能力范围之外的事情。真正能够在人类思想中产生对这两个信念坚定信心的是, 只有通过安拉的启示而获得的安拉的信息才能在人的意识中达到肯定的高度。人类的知识最多只能得出一个结论: 应当有安拉, 而且应当有死后生命。只有安拉的启示才能把这个 “应当有” 变成 “确实存在”。
No amount of human knowledge and intelligence alone can satisfy the cravings of the human soul, nor can it prove beyond doubt the existence of God and of Life after death, the two basic religious beliefs, because their full comprehension is beyond human ken. It is Divine knowledge acquired through Divine revelation that can and does actually engender certainty in human mind about them. Man’s knowledge can, at best, lead to the conclusion that there must be a Divine Being and a Life after death, but it is Divine revelation alone that can change this must be into the certain is.
Important Words:
ادارک (has reached its end) is derived from درک. They say درک المطر (darraka) i.e. the rain dropped with close consecutiveness. أدرکه means, he attained, reached or overtook him. تدارکو or ادارکوا means, they attained, reached, overtook one another so as the last of them met with the first of them. بل ادارک علمھم فی الاخرة means, their knowledge with regard to the meeting of the Hereafter has reached its end i.e. they have become devoid of knowledge about it. See also 7:39.
Commentary:
No amount of human knowledge and intelligence alone can satisfy the craving of the human soul after God, or can prove beyond doubt the existence of God and life after death, the two most fundamental of all religious beliefs, because their full comprehension is beyond human ken. It is divine knowledge acquired through Divine revelation that can and does actually engender certainty in human mind about these two basic religious problems. Man’s knowledge can, at best, lead to the conclusion that there must be a Divine Being and a life after death but it is Divine revelation alone that can change this "must be" into a certain "is."
954
只是人类的知识和智慧不能满足他们灵魂中的渴望, 也不能确信不疑地证明安拉的存在以及死后生命这两个基本的宗教信念, 因为充分理解这两个信念是超出人类知识能力范围之外的事情。真正能够在人类思想中产生对这两个信念坚定信心的是, 只有通过安拉的启示而获得的安拉的信息才能在人的意识中达到肯定的高度。人类的知识最多只能得出一个结论: 应当有安拉, 而且应当有死后生命。只有安拉的启示才能把这个 “应当有” 变成 “确实存在”。
2858A
Important Words:
ادارک (has reached its end) is derived from درک. They say درک المطر (darraka) i.e. the rain dropped with close consecutiveness. أدرکه means, he attained, reached or overtook him. تدارکو or ادارکوا means, they attained, reached, overtook one another so as the last of them met with the first of them. بل ادارک علمھم فی الاخرة means, their knowledge with regard to the meeting of the Hereafter has reached its end i.e. they have become devoid of knowledge about it. See also 7:39.
Commentary:
No amount of human knowledge and intelligence alone can satisfy the craving of the human soul after God, or can prove beyond doubt the existence of God and life after death, the two most fundamental of all religious beliefs, because their full comprehension is beyond human ken. It is divine knowledge acquired through Divine revelation that can and does actually engender certainty in human mind about these two basic religious problems. Man’s knowledge can, at best, lead to the conclusion that there must be a Divine Being and a life after death but it is Divine revelation alone that can change this "must be" into a certain "is."
2187
No amount of human knowledge and intelligence alone can satisfy the cravings of the human soul, nor can it prove beyond doubt the existence of God and of Life after death, the two basic religious beliefs, because their full comprehension is beyond human ken. It is Divine knowledge acquired through Divine revelation that can and does actually engender certainty in human mind about them. Man’s knowledge can, at best, lead to the conclusion that there must be a Divine Being and a Life after death, but it is Divine revelation alone that can change this must be into the certain is.