Topic: Ash-Shakur (The Appreciating)
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۞ إِنَّ ٱلصَّفَا وَٱلْمَرْوَةَ مِن شَعَآئِرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنْ حَجَّ ٱلْبَيْتَ أَوِ ٱعْتَمَرَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِ أَن يَطَّوَّفَ بِهِمَا ۚ وَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَاكِرٌ عَلِيمٌ
22:33.
صفا اور مروہ مکہ میں دو پہاڑیاں ہیں۔
بِھِمَاکے معنے یہاں فِیْھِمَاکے ہیں‘ یعنی ان دونوں پہاڑیوں کے درمیان اِدھر سے اُدھر اُن قواعد کے مطابق جو سنت سے ثابت ہیں دوڑے۔
مدینہ کے لوگ صفا اور مروۃ کے درمیان سعی کرنے کو گناہ سمجھتے تھے (تفسیر کبیر جلد دوم ص ۳۰۷)۔
22:33.
As-Safa and Al-Marwah are the names of two hills near the Ka‘bah in Mecca, the first-mentioned being the nearer of the two. These hills stand as a memorial to Hagar’s great patience and extraordinary loyalty to God on the one hand and to God’s special care of her and her son, Ishmael, on the other. A visit to these hills deeply impresses the pilgrim with the love, fidelity to and power, of God.
The words, whoso does good beyond what is obligatory, do not refer to Hajj (Greater Pilgrimage), which under certain conditions is obligatory on every Muslim once in a life-time, but to ‘Umrah (Lesser Pilgrimage) which is not obligatory but only supererogatory. The words may also be considered to refer to any additional pilgrimage which a Muslim may perform, after he has performed the obligatory one.
22:33.
Important Words:
الصفا والمروة (As-Safa and Al-Marwah) are the names of two hills near the Ka‘bah in Mecca, the first-mentioned being the nearer of the two. Both Arabian history and the traditions of Islam connect these hills with the story of Hagar and Ishmael when Abraham left them near these hills under God’s command. Ishmael was yet a child, and when the scanty provisions ran out and he was in a pitiable condition for want of water, Hagar anxiously and repeatedly ran between these two hills in search of water and help, but none was found. When, however, she was in her seventh circuit, an angel of God called to her saying that God had brought forth a spring of water near her son and that she should go and look to it (Bukhari, ch. on Anbiya’). Thus the hills of صفا (Safa) and مروة (Marwah) became شعائر الله i.e. Signs of God worthy of due honour and respect in the sight of every true believer. The Bible also makes mention of مروة in a somewhat changed form (Gen. 22:2; also Enc. Bib. under Moriah) in connection with the sacrifice of Abraham’s son.
شعائر (Signs) is the plural of شعیرة which is derived from شعر meaning, he knew or he perceived. Thus شعیرة means: (1) anything by means of which another thing may be known; (2) a sign; (3) anything which is considered or is performed as a mark of submission to God; (4) the rites of pilgrimage and practices pertaining thereto (Aqrab).
حج (is on pilgrimage) means: (1) he sought a person or thing; (2) he went or repaired to a person or thing; (3) he went to a person again and again; (4) he visited a holy place; (5) he performed حج (Pilgrimage) to the Ka‘bah; (6) he overpowered a person in argument (Aqrab).
اعتمر (performs ‘Umrah) is derived from عمر which means, he occupied or tenanted a house; he worshipped God and prayed to Him. اعتمر means, he went to, or visited, a place. عمرة means, visiting a place; worshipping and praying to God; performing Lesser Pilgrimage in which some of the rites of حج are left out (Aqrab).
تطوع (does beyond what is obligatory) is derived from طاع i.e. he obeyed; he did an act willingly and voluntarily. The infinitive الطوع means: (1) obedience; (2) doing an act willingly without its being obligatory on one. تطوع means, he performed an act with effort and volition. تطوع خیرا means, he performed a good act which was not obligatory on him (Aqrab & Mufradat).
Commentary:
To a superficial observer the verse under comment dealing with the subject of Pilgrimage appears to have no connection with the preceding ones which deal with the subject of trials and sacrifices. But a deeper study will at once disclose a very close connection between the two. The preceding verses warned Muslims to be prepared for sacrifices and gave them the glad tidings that if they performed the required sacrifices willingly and patiently, God would bless them greatly and would show special mercy to them and would remember them with kindness and would provide guidance for them whenever needed. Now, in order to bring home to them the truth of this promise, He invites the attention of Muslims to the great sacrifice of Abraham near the site of As-Safa and Al-Marwah. Abraham obeyed His Lord and left his wife Hagar and his son Ishmael near these two hills of Mecca, which was then a most desolate tract. The seed was sown in a soil which was apparently the most barren of all soils, but how wonderfully it prospered! God was a most Loving and Faithful God who so fondly remembered His servants, Abraham and Ishmael, even after the lapse of 2,500 years, and Muslims can expect the same love and the same fidelity from Him, if they too love and obey Him. Safa and Marwah, as explained under Important Words above, are two hills which stand as a memorial to Hagar’s great patience and extraordinary loyalty to God on the one hand and to God’s special treatment of her and her son on the other. A visit to these hills makes the pilgrim deeply impressed with the love, fidelity and power of God.
The words, it is no sin for him, should not be taken to mean that performing the circuit between Safa and Marwah is only permissible and not obligatory. The expression is used simply to remove the aversion to such performance found among certain persons on the basis of the fact that heathen Arabs had placed two idols on these two hills (Muslim). God removed this erroneous notion by saying that it was no sin to perform the circuit between Safa and Marwah, which on account of the great sacrifice of Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael on the one hand and the resulting blessings of God on the other, had become شعائر الله i.e. great Signs of God. That the performance of these circuits is obligatory in both حج and عمرة(the Greater and the Lesser Pilgrimage) is clear from the practice of the Holy Prophet and his injunctions to his followers (Bukhari, ch. Al-Hajj).
The words, whoso does good beyond what is obligatory, do not refer to حج (Greater Pilgrimage), which under certain conditions is obligatory on each Muslim once in a lifetime, but to عمرة (Lesser Pilgrimage) which is not obligatory but simply supererogatory. The words may also be considered to refer to any additional حج or Pilgrimage which a Muslim may perform, after he has performed the one obligatory Pilgrimage.
As this verse mentions the subject of Pilgrimage only secondarily, we are not giving here a note on the rites and philosophy of which will be discussed when we come to the relevant verses.
e
22:33.
1
صفا اور مروہ مکہ میں دو پہاڑیاں ہیں۔
2
بِھِمَاکے معنے یہاں فِیْھِمَاکے ہیں‘ یعنی ان دونوں پہاڑیوں کے درمیان اِدھر سے اُدھر اُن قواعد کے مطابق جو سنت سے ثابت ہیں دوڑے۔
3
مدینہ کے لوگ صفا اور مروۃ کے درمیان سعی کرنے کو گناہ سمجھتے تھے (تفسیر کبیر جلد دوم ص ۳۰۷)۔
a
22:33.
165
Important Words:
الصفا والمروة (As-Safa and Al-Marwah) are the names of two hills near the Ka‘bah in Mecca, the first-mentioned being the nearer of the two. Both Arabian history and the traditions of Islam connect these hills with the story of Hagar and Ishmael when Abraham left them near these hills under God’s command. Ishmael was yet a child, and when the scanty provisions ran out and he was in a pitiable condition for want of water, Hagar anxiously and repeatedly ran between these two hills in search of water and help, but none was found. When, however, she was in her seventh circuit, an angel of God called to her saying that God had brought forth a spring of water near her son and that she should go and look to it (Bukhari, ch. on Anbiya’). Thus the hills of صفا (Safa) and مروة (Marwah) became شعائر الله i.e. Signs of God worthy of due honour and respect in the sight of every true believer. The Bible also makes mention of مروة in a somewhat changed form (Gen. 22:2; also Enc. Bib. under Moriah) in connection with the sacrifice of Abraham’s son.
شعائر (Signs) is the plural of شعیرة which is derived from شعر meaning, he knew or he perceived. Thus شعیرة means: (1) anything by means of which another thing may be known; (2) a sign; (3) anything which is considered or is performed as a mark of submission to God; (4) the rites of pilgrimage and practices pertaining thereto (Aqrab).
حج (is on pilgrimage) means: (1) he sought a person or thing; (2) he went or repaired to a person or thing; (3) he went to a person again and again; (4) he visited a holy place; (5) he performed حج (Pilgrimage) to the Ka‘bah; (6) he overpowered a person in argument (Aqrab).
اعتمر (performs ‘Umrah) is derived from عمر which means, he occupied or tenanted a house; he worshipped God and prayed to Him. اعتمر means, he went to, or visited, a place. عمرة means, visiting a place; worshipping and praying to God; performing Lesser Pilgrimage in which some of the rites of حج are left out (Aqrab).
تطوع (does beyond what is obligatory) is derived from طاع i.e. he obeyed; he did an act willingly and voluntarily. The infinitive الطوع means: (1) obedience; (2) doing an act willingly without its being obligatory on one. تطوع means, he performed an act with effort and volition. تطوع خیرا means, he performed a good act which was not obligatory on him (Aqrab & Mufradat).
Commentary:
To a superficial observer the verse under comment dealing with the subject of Pilgrimage appears to have no connection with the preceding ones which deal with the subject of trials and sacrifices. But a deeper study will at once disclose a very close connection between the two. The preceding verses warned Muslims to be prepared for sacrifices and gave them the glad tidings that if they performed the required sacrifices willingly and patiently, God would bless them greatly and would show special mercy to them and would remember them with kindness and would provide guidance for them whenever needed. Now, in order to bring home to them the truth of this promise, He invites the attention of Muslims to the great sacrifice of Abraham near the site of As-Safa and Al-Marwah. Abraham obeyed His Lord and left his wife Hagar and his son Ishmael near these two hills of Mecca, which was then a most desolate tract. The seed was sown in a soil which was apparently the most barren of all soils, but how wonderfully it prospered! God was a most Loving and Faithful God who so fondly remembered His servants, Abraham and Ishmael, even after the lapse of 2,500 years, and Muslims can expect the same love and the same fidelity from Him, if they too love and obey Him. Safa and Marwah, as explained under Important Words above, are two hills which stand as a memorial to Hagar’s great patience and extraordinary loyalty to God on the one hand and to God’s special treatment of her and her son on the other. A visit to these hills makes the pilgrim deeply impressed with the love, fidelity and power of God.
The words, it is no sin for him, should not be taken to mean that performing the circuit between Safa and Marwah is only permissible and not obligatory. The expression is used simply to remove the aversion to such performance found among certain persons on the basis of the fact that heathen Arabs had placed two idols on these two hills (Muslim). God removed this erroneous notion by saying that it was no sin to perform the circuit between Safa and Marwah, which on account of the great sacrifice of Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael on the one hand and the resulting blessings of God on the other, had become شعائر الله i.e. great Signs of God. That the performance of these circuits is obligatory in both حج and عمرة(the Greater and the Lesser Pilgrimage) is clear from the practice of the Holy Prophet and his injunctions to his followers (Bukhari, ch. Al-Hajj).
The words, whoso does good beyond what is obligatory, do not refer to حج (Greater Pilgrimage), which under certain conditions is obligatory on each Muslim once in a lifetime, but to عمرة (Lesser Pilgrimage) which is not obligatory but simply supererogatory. The words may also be considered to refer to any additional حج or Pilgrimage which a Muslim may perform, after he has performed the one obligatory Pilgrimage.
As this verse mentions the subject of Pilgrimage only secondarily, we are not giving here a note on the rites and philosophy of which will be discussed when we come to the relevant verses.
a
22:33.
184
As-Safa and Al-Marwah are the names of two hills near the Ka‘bah in Mecca, the first-mentioned being the nearer of the two. These hills stand as a memorial to Hagar’s great patience and extraordinary loyalty to God on the one hand and to God’s special care of her and her son, Ishmael, on the other. A visit to these hills deeply impresses the pilgrim with the love, fidelity to and power, of God.
185
The words, whoso does good beyond what is obligatory, do not refer to Hajj (Greater Pilgrimage), which under certain conditions is obligatory on every Muslim once in a life-time, but to ‘Umrah (Lesser Pilgrimage) which is not obligatory but only supererogatory. The words may also be considered to refer to any additional pilgrimage which a Muslim may perform, after he has performed the obligatory one.
مَّا يَفْعَلُ ٱللَّهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِن شَكَرْتُمْ وَءَامَنتُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ شَاكِرًا عَلِيمًا
2:159.
Shukr on the part of God consists in forgiving a person or commending him or regarding him with satisfaction, goodwill or favour and hence necessarily recompensing him or rewarding him (Lane).
2:159.
Commentary:
شکر (gratitude) on the part of man is to have a due sense of the favours of God and render thanks for them both by words of mouth and by action; and on the part of God, it is to give proper rewards to men for their obedience and righteousness. See also 1:2.
c
2:159.
353
شُكْر (Shukr) 用于安拉时是表示安拉宽恕一个人, 或者赞扬他, 或者对他感到满意及有好意或恩宠的意思, 因此必然给他报偿或酬答。(Lane)
c
2:159.
611
Commentary:
شکر (gratitude) on the part of man is to have a due sense of the favours of God and render thanks for them both by words of mouth and by action; and on the part of God, it is to give proper rewards to men for their obedience and righteousness. See also 1:2.
c
2:159.
690
Shukr on the part of God consists in forgiving a person or commending him or regarding him with satisfaction, goodwill or favour and hence necessarily recompensing him or rewarding him (Lane).
لِيُوَفِّيَهُمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزِيدَهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ
3:58; 39:11.
3:58; 39:11.
3:58; 39:11.
Important Words:
شکور (Most Appreciating) is derived from شکر (shukr) which is noun inf. and means thankfulness. شکر is of three kinds: (1) with the heart or mind; (2) with the tongue, and (3) with the limbs. Man’s love for God and his humility towards Him and his acknowledgment of Divine favours and eulogising and praising God for having bestowed them upon him and his making use of those favours in a manner liked by God, constitutes شکر(thankfulness) on the part of man. شکر (thankfulness) on the part of God consists in forgiving a person or commending him or regarding him with satisfaction, goodwill or favour and hence recompensing or rewarding him (Lane). See also 14:8.
c
3:58; 39:11.
b
3:58; 39:11.
3200
Important Words:
شکور (Most Appreciating) is derived from شکر (shukr) which is noun inf. and means thankfulness. شکر is of three kinds: (1) with the heart or mind; (2) with the tongue, and (3) with the limbs. Man’s love for God and his humility towards Him and his acknowledgment of Divine favours and eulogising and praising God for having bestowed them upon him and his making use of those favours in a manner liked by God, constitutes شکر(thankfulness) on the part of man. شکر (thankfulness) on the part of God consists in forgiving a person or commending him or regarding him with satisfaction, goodwill or favour and hence recompensing or rewarding him (Lane). See also 14:8.
a
3:58; 39:11.
وَقَالُوا۟ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَذْهَبَ عَنَّا ٱلْحَزَنَ ۖ إِنَّ رَبَّنَا لَغَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ
Commentary:
When a believer has gone through the three stages of spiritual development mentioned in v. 33 above, all fear of faltering or falling disappears. His spiritual future becomes safe. This state of mind of a true believer is described elsewhere in the Quran in the words لا خوف علیھم ولاھم یحزنون i.e. they will not grieve over their past failures, if any, nor will they have fear about any possible future failures.
3202
Commentary:
When a believer has gone through the three stages of spiritual development mentioned in v. 33 above, all fear of faltering or falling disappears. His spiritual future becomes safe. This state of mind of a true believer is described elsewhere in the Quran in the words لا خوف علیھم ولاھم یحزنون i.e. they will not grieve over their past failures, if any, nor will they have fear about any possible future failures.
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يُبَشِّرُ ٱللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ ۗ قُل لَّآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا ٱلْمَوَدَّةَ فِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ ۗ وَمَن يَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَّزِدْ لَهُۥ فِيهَا حُسْنًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ
25:58; 38:87.
شیعہ لوگ اس کے معنے یہ کرتے ہیں کہ میں اور کوئی اجر نہیں مانگتا صرف میرے رشتہ داروں سے محبت کرو۔ حالانکہ یہ بھی تو اجر ہے۔ اس آیت کے اصل معنے وہی ہیں‘ جو ہم نے کیے ہیں۔ اَلْمَوَدَّۃُ فِی الْقُرْبٰیٰ‘ چاہتا ہوں۔ یعنی بحیثیتِ رسول اس کا مطالبہ کرتا ہوں‘ کہ جو قریب ترین رشتہ دار سے محبت کی جاتی ہے وہ مجھ سے کرو۔ چنانچہ ایک دوسری جگہ اس مضمون کو واضح کیا گیا ہے اور بتایا گیا ہے کہ خدا اور رسول سے رشتہ داروں سے بھی زیادہ محبت ہونی چاہیے چنانچہ فرمایاقُلۡ اِنۡ کَانَ اٰبَآؤُکُمۡ وَ اَبۡنَآؤُکُمۡ وَ اِخۡوَانُکُمۡ وَ اَزۡوَاجُکُمۡ وَ عَشِیۡرَتُکُمۡ وَ اَمۡوَا
یعنی وہ نیکیوں پر اس طرح ٹوٹ ٹوٹ کر پڑتا ہے جیسے کسی حسین چیز پر عاشق گرتا ہے۔
25:58; 38:87.
The words may also mean: (1) I ask of you no reward for calling you to the way of God except that, being related to you by ties of kinship, my solicitude for your spiritual well-being impels me to do so. (2) I ask of you no reward for the great work I am doing for your spiritual benefit except that you should learn to live and behave like blood relations. (3) I ask no reward or return for my solicitude and love for you except that in offering opposition to me you should at least have some regard for the ties of relationship that I have with you. (4) I want no reward from you except that you should learn to develop a liking for attaining nearness to God (the word, Qurba meaning Qurbah, nearness). This last meaning agrees with 25:58 where the Holy Prophet is depicted as saying: I ask of you naught in return for it except that he, who will, may take a way to his Lord.
25:58; 38:87.
Commentary:
The expression لا أسئلکم علیه أجرا إلا الـمودة فی القربی is supposed to bear several interpretations. Some of these are as follows: (1) I ask of you no reward for calling you to the way of God except that, being related to you by ties of kinship, my solicitude for your spiritual well-being impels me to invite you to accept the message of truth. In this case إلا is إستثناء منقطع; (2) I ask of you no reward for the great work I am doing for your spiritual benefit except that you should learn to live and behave like blood relations; (3) I ask no reward or return for my solicitude and love for you except that in offering opposition to me you should at least have some regard for the ties of relationship that I have with you; and (4) I want no reward from you except that you should learn to develop a liking for attaining nearness to God (the word قربی meaning قربة i.e. nearness). This last meaning agrees with 25:58 where the Holy Prophet is stated as saying to his people: "I ask of you naught in return for it except that he who will, may take a way to his Lord."
b
25:58; 38:87.
1
شیعہ لوگ اس کے معنے یہ کرتے ہیں کہ میں اور کوئی اجر نہیں مانگتا صرف میرے رشتہ داروں سے محبت کرو۔ حالانکہ یہ بھی تو اجر ہے۔ اس آیت کے اصل معنے وہی ہیں‘ جو ہم نے کیے ہیں۔ اَلْمَوَدَّۃُ فِی الْقُرْبٰیٰ‘ چاہتا ہوں۔ یعنی بحیثیتِ رسول اس کا مطالبہ کرتا ہوں‘ کہ جو قریب ترین رشتہ دار سے محبت کی جاتی ہے وہ مجھ سے کرو۔ چنانچہ ایک دوسری جگہ اس مضمون کو واضح کیا گیا ہے اور بتایا گیا ہے کہ خدا اور رسول سے رشتہ داروں سے بھی زیادہ محبت ہونی چاہیے چنانچہ فرمایاقُلۡ اِنۡ کَانَ اٰبَآؤُکُمۡ وَ اَبۡنَآؤُکُمۡ وَ اِخۡوَانُکُمۡ وَ اَزۡوَاجُکُمۡ وَ عَشِیۡرَتُکُمۡ وَ اَمۡوَا
2
یعنی وہ نیکیوں پر اس طرح ٹوٹ ٹوٹ کر پڑتا ہے جیسے کسی حسین چیز پر عاشق گرتا ہے۔
b
25:58; 38:87.
3619
Commentary:
The expression لا أسئلکم علیه أجرا إلا الـمودة فی القربی is supposed to bear several interpretations. Some of these are as follows: (1) I ask of you no reward for calling you to the way of God except that, being related to you by ties of kinship, my solicitude for your spiritual well-being impels me to invite you to accept the message of truth. In this case إلا is إستثناء منقطع; (2) I ask of you no reward for the great work I am doing for your spiritual benefit except that you should learn to live and behave like blood relations; (3) I ask no reward or return for my solicitude and love for you except that in offering opposition to me you should at least have some regard for the ties of relationship that I have with you; and (4) I want no reward from you except that you should learn to develop a liking for attaining nearness to God (the word قربی meaning قربة i.e. nearness). This last meaning agrees with 25:58 where the Holy Prophet is stated as saying to his people: "I ask of you naught in return for it except that he who will, may take a way to his Lord."
b
25:58; 38:87.
2654
The words may also mean: (1) I ask of you no reward for calling you to the way of God except that, being related to you by ties of kinship, my solicitude for your spiritual well-being impels me to do so. (2) I ask of you no reward for the great work I am doing for your spiritual benefit except that you should learn to live and behave like blood relations. (3) I ask no reward or return for my solicitude and love for you except that in offering opposition to me you should at least have some regard for the ties of relationship that I have with you. (4) I want no reward from you except that you should learn to develop a liking for attaining nearness to God (the word, Qurba meaning Qurbah, nearness). This last meaning agrees with 25:58 where the Holy Prophet is depicted as saying: I ask of you naught in return for it except that he, who will, may take a way to his Lord.
إِن تُقْرِضُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا يُضَٰعِفْهُ لَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ شَكُورٌ حَلِيمٌ
2:246; 57:12; 73:21.
2:246; 57:12; 73:21.
Spending one’s wealth in the cause of Truth is tantamount to giving a loan to the Bountiful and Appreciating God which He pays back manifold.
2:246; 57:12; 73:21.
Commentary:
Spending one’s wealth in the cause of God is tantamount to giving a loan to Him which the Bountiful and Appreciating God pays back manifold.
b
2:246; 57:12; 73:21.
a
2:246; 57:12; 73:21.
4267
Commentary:
Spending one’s wealth in the cause of God is tantamount to giving a loan to Him which the Bountiful and Appreciating God pays back manifold.
b
2:246; 57:12; 73:21.
3063
Spending one’s wealth in the cause of Truth is tantamount to giving a loan to the Bountiful and Appreciating God which He pays back manifold.