Topic: As Allah’s Signs
View Aspects
وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَٰٓئِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّآ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم ۚ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ
یعنی خداتعالیٰ کے قانون کے تابع ہیں۔
یعنی سب قسم کی تعلیمات دے دی ہیں۔
11:7, 57.
16:90.
The verse points out that even birds and insects, like ants, can understand from atmospheric change that a storm is imminent, and animals like dogs understand the orders of their masters but the foolish disbelievers do not see the writing on the wall and do not realize that by rejecting the Holy Prophet they are incurring the displeasure of God. They are warned that all their actions have been recorded and they will have to answer for them. The verse further seems to point to two classes of men: (a) Those who like the beasts are wholly bent upon the earth and their entire life is confined to satisfying their physical desires. (b) Those who like birds soar high into spiritual regions—highly spiritual persons having been likened to birds in the Qur’an (3:50).
11:7, 57.
16:90.
Important Words:
امم (communities), which is derived from ام i.e. he betook himself to or aimed at or sought, is the plural of امة which means, a way, course or manner of acting or of conduct or of life; religion, which is a course that men follow; the followers of a religion; or a people to whom a Prophet is sent, whether unbelievers or believers; a generation; a nation, a people, a race, a tribe or a family; a collective body of men or of other living beings; a kind, genus or generical class; creatures of God. It also means, a righteous man who is an object of imitation, being a model for others; or one who follows the true religion; or a learned man who has no equal in his time (Lane).
امثال (like) is the plural مثل (mathal) and مثل (mithl), both being derived from the verb مثل for which see 2:107. مثل (mathal) means, description, condition, state or case; a description by way of comparison; similitude; argument or sign, etc. The word is also used in the sense of مثل (mithl) which means, a like; one similar to; the thing itself, i.e. the same as (Aqrab Lane).
Commentary:
The Quran draws the attention of disbelievers to the animals that move on the earth and to the birds that fly in the air. Even animals and birds can understand by means of signs that a change has taken place in the season, but disbelievers are worse than these; for they do not see the signs which indicate that Islam is triumphing while disbelief is beating a retreat. Even a dog can see whether its master is angry or pleased; but disbelievers cannot see whether their Lord is displeased with them. Thus, both the birds that fly in the air and the animals that move on the earth are, in this respect, better than disbelievers.
Incidentally, the verse also hints that even birds and animals will be resurrected and requited for their actions like men. The resemblance between the requital of men and animals may not be perfect, but it is still there. Some of the sayings of the Holy Prophet also lend support to this conclusion; for it is said in a hadith that the horned goat shall be made to pay penalty to the goat without horns which it kills or injures (Muslim, ch. on Tahrimuz-Zulm).
The last words of the verse, i.e. We have left out nothing in the Book. Then to their Lord shall they be gathered together, may also refer to disbelievers. In that case, this part of the verse would mean that all the works of disbelievers will be preserved and nothing will be left out, and that they will finally be requited for their actions on the Day of Resurrection.
a
11:7, 57.
b
16:90.
3
یعنی خداتعالیٰ کے قانون کے تابع ہیں۔
4
یعنی سب قسم کی تعلیمات دے دی ہیں۔
b
11:7, 57.
c
16:90.
786
Important Words:
امم (communities), which is derived from ام i.e. he betook himself to or aimed at or sought, is the plural of امة which means, a way, course or manner of acting or of conduct or of life; religion, which is a course that men follow; the followers of a religion; or a people to whom a Prophet is sent, whether unbelievers or believers; a generation; a nation, a people, a race, a tribe or a family; a collective body of men or of other living beings; a kind, genus or generical class; creatures of God. It also means, a righteous man who is an object of imitation, being a model for others; or one who follows the true religion; or a learned man who has no equal in his time (Lane).
امثال (like) is the plural مثل (mathal) and مثل (mithl), both being derived from the verb مثل for which see 2:107. مثل (mathal) means, description, condition, state or case; a description by way of comparison; similitude; argument or sign, etc. The word is also used in the sense of مثل (mithl) which means, a like; one similar to; the thing itself, i.e. the same as (Aqrab Lane).
Commentary:
The Quran draws the attention of disbelievers to the animals that move on the earth and to the birds that fly in the air. Even animals and birds can understand by means of signs that a change has taken place in the season, but disbelievers are worse than these; for they do not see the signs which indicate that Islam is triumphing while disbelief is beating a retreat. Even a dog can see whether its master is angry or pleased; but disbelievers cannot see whether their Lord is displeased with them. Thus, both the birds that fly in the air and the animals that move on the earth are, in this respect, better than disbelievers.
Incidentally, the verse also hints that even birds and animals will be resurrected and requited for their actions like men. The resemblance between the requital of men and animals may not be perfect, but it is still there. Some of the sayings of the Holy Prophet also lend support to this conclusion; for it is said in a hadith that the horned goat shall be made to pay penalty to the goat without horns which it kills or injures (Muslim, ch. on Tahrimuz-Zulm).
The last words of the verse, i.e. We have left out nothing in the Book. Then to their Lord shall they be gathered together, may also refer to disbelievers. In that case, this part of the verse would mean that all the works of disbelievers will be preserved and nothing will be left out, and that they will finally be requited for their actions on the Day of Resurrection.
b
11:7, 57.
c
16:90.
846
The verse points out that even birds and insects, like ants, can understand from atmospheric change that a storm is imminent, and animals like dogs understand the orders of their masters but the foolish disbelievers do not see the writing on the wall and do not realize that by rejecting the Holy Prophet they are incurring the displeasure of God. They are warned that all their actions have been recorded and they will have to answer for them. The verse further seems to point to two classes of men: (a) Those who like the beasts are wholly bent upon the earth and their entire life is confined to satisfying their physical desires. (b) Those who like birds soar high into spiritual regions—highly spiritual persons having been likened to birds in the Qur’an (3:50).
أَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَى ٱلطَّيْرِ مُسَخَّرَٰتٍ فِى جَوِّ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
67:20.
67:20.
The verse only contains a reference to the punishment which was soon to overtake the disbelievers of Mecca. The keeping back of the birds signifies the withholding of the punishment that was in store for them. Arabic poetry abounds in verses where birds are spoken of as following in the rear of a victorious army to feed on the dead bodies of the enemy killed and left on the field of battle. And the hovering of birds, according to Arabic idiom, is symbolic of the defeat and destruction of a people (see 67:20). The present verse declares that God has withheld Muslims from waging war against disbelievers. But once they were given permission to fight the disbelievers will be defeated and destroyed and their dead bodies will be eaten by the birds which they see flying in the sky.
67:20.
Commentary:
Some commentators of the Quran erroneously consider that this verse alludes to the Almightiness of God Who has given the birds the power to fly in the air but there is no such allusion here to any such power and might of God. The verse only contains a reference to the punishment that was soon to overtake the disbelievers of Mecca. The keeping back of the birds signifies the withholding of the punishment that was in store for them. Arabic poetry abounds in verses where birds are spoken of as attending a victorious army to feed on the dead bodies of the enemy killed and left on the field of battle. The great poet Nabighah says:
اذا ما غدی بالجیش حلق فوقه
عصا ثب طیر تھتدی بالعصائب
i.e. When he marches out, flocks of birds attend his victorious army, knowing that he will surely defeat his enemy and thus would provide a good feast for them. So the hovering of birds according to Arabic idiom is symbolic of the defeat and destruction of a people. Verses 105:2-5 contain a clear reference to this significance of the Arabic idiom. The verse under comment means to say that God has withheld Muslims from waging war against disbelievers. But once they were given permission to fight, the disbelievers will be defeated and destroyed and their dead bodies will be eaten by the birds which they see flying in the sky.
a
67:20.
a
67:20.
1880
Commentary:
Some commentators of the Quran erroneously consider that this verse alludes to the Almightiness of God Who has given the birds the power to fly in the air but there is no such allusion here to any such power and might of God. The verse only contains a reference to the punishment that was soon to overtake the disbelievers of Mecca. The keeping back of the birds signifies the withholding of the punishment that was in store for them. Arabic poetry abounds in verses where birds are spoken of as attending a victorious army to feed on the dead bodies of the enemy killed and left on the field of battle. The great poet Nabighah says:
اذا ما غدی بالجیش حلق فوقه
عصا ثب طیر تھتدی بالعصائب
i.e. When he marches out, flocks of birds attend his victorious army, knowing that he will surely defeat his enemy and thus would provide a good feast for them. So the hovering of birds according to Arabic idiom is symbolic of the defeat and destruction of a people. Verses 105:2-5 contain a clear reference to this significance of the Arabic idiom. The verse under comment means to say that God has withheld Muslims from waging war against disbelievers. But once they were given permission to fight, the disbelievers will be defeated and destroyed and their dead bodies will be eaten by the birds which they see flying in the sky.
d
67:20.
1567
The verse only contains a reference to the punishment which was soon to overtake the disbelievers of Mecca. The keeping back of the birds signifies the withholding of the punishment that was in store for them. Arabic poetry abounds in verses where birds are spoken of as following in the rear of a victorious army to feed on the dead bodies of the enemy killed and left on the field of battle. And the hovering of birds, according to Arabic idiom, is symbolic of the defeat and destruction of a people (see 67:20). The present verse declares that God has withheld Muslims from waging war against disbelievers. But once they were given permission to fight the disbelievers will be defeated and destroyed and their dead bodies will be eaten by the birds which they see flying in the sky.
حُنَفَآءَ لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِۦ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتَخْطَفُهُ ٱلطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِى بِهِ ٱلرِّيحُ فِى مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ
人是安拉的最高贵的创造物。整个宇宙--------日、月、星辰、大地、海洋、山脉等等都是为人服务的。人在道德上与精神上都能达到很高的境界。在人的身上可以反映出安拉的常德。因而, 如果人把自己降到很低的地位去崇拜无生命的物体时, 那他就像从天落下, 从精神的高峰跌落到道德的低谷, 智力也随之减退。
قرآن مجید میں کَاَ نَّھَا ہے مگر لغت میں لکھا ہے کہ ’’ک‘‘ زائد حرف کے طور پر یعنی صرف تاکید کے لئے بھی استعمال ہوتا ہے اس لئے ہم نے اس کے ترجمہ کو چھوڑ دیا ہے۔
آیت میں ’’اَوْ‘‘ کا لفظ ہے ہم نے اس کے معنے ’’اور‘‘کے کئے ہیں اور یہ عربی زبان کے لحاظ سے درست ہے۔
Man is the noblest creation of God. The whole universe—the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the oceans, the mountains, etc. have been made to serve him. He can rise morally and spiritually so high as to reflect in his person Divine attributes. So if he degrades himself so low as to worship lifeless objects, he falls, as it were, from the heights of spiritual eminence to the depths of moral and intellectual degradation.
Commentary:
Man is the noblest creation of God. The whole universe—the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the oceans, the mountains, etc., have been made to serve him. He can rise morally and spiritually so high as to reflect in his person the Divine attributes. So if man whom God has given the highest place in His whole creation degrades himself so low as to worship lifeless objects, he falls, as it were, from the heights of spiritual eminence to the depths of moral and intellectual degradation. This, in brief, is the purport of this verse.
A brief note on idolatry is here called for. Broadly speaking idolatry consists in the paying of Divine honours to idols, images or any created object; the ascription of Divine powers to natural agencies and the excessive admiration, veneration or love for any person or thing. Besides this, idolatry has several other subtler forms. Some of these are as follows:
1. To believe that there are more beings than one who possess equal and similar powers and attributes and who have equal share in the creation and control of the universe with God.
2. To show allegiance or veneration to beings or objects other than God in the form of acts and movements of the body which are expressive of the highest veneration for those beings or objects and which are prescribed by different religions to be offered only to the Supreme Being and which have been regarded as part of worship, such as prostration, etc.
3. To rely fully and completely upon material means for the fulfilment of one’s needs to the entire exclusion of trust in God.
4. To ascribe to human beings attributes which are God’s own exclusive prerogatives, such as His being Eternal and Everlasting and His attribute of creation or quickening the dead.
5. To think of a person that he has attained to such stage of nearness to God that God is bound to and does accept all his prayers. This amounts to ascribing Divine powers to him.
6. To entertain feelings of love, veneration for, or fear of, any human being greater or even equal to those which he has for God. All these different forms of idolatry have been expressed by the four words used by the Quran, viz. ند (like or equal); شریک (co-partner or sharer); اله(worthy of worship) and رب (sustainer).
861
人是安拉的最高贵的创造物。整个宇宙--------日、月、星辰、大地、海洋、山脉等等都是为人服务的。人在道德上与精神上都能达到很高的境界。在人的身上可以反映出安拉的常德。因而, 如果人把自己降到很低的地位去崇拜无生命的物体时, 那他就像从天落下, 从精神的高峰跌落到道德的低谷, 智力也随之减退。
2
قرآن مجید میں کَاَ نَّھَا ہے مگر لغت میں لکھا ہے کہ ’’ک‘‘ زائد حرف کے طور پر یعنی صرف تاکید کے لئے بھی استعمال ہوتا ہے اس لئے ہم نے اس کے ترجمہ کو چھوڑ دیا ہے۔
3
آیت میں ’’اَوْ‘‘ کا لفظ ہے ہم نے اس کے معنے ’’اور‘‘کے کئے ہیں اور یہ عربی زبان کے لحاظ سے درست ہے۔
2462
Commentary:
Man is the noblest creation of God. The whole universe—the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the oceans, the mountains, etc., have been made to serve him. He can rise morally and spiritually so high as to reflect in his person the Divine attributes. So if man whom God has given the highest place in His whole creation degrades himself so low as to worship lifeless objects, he falls, as it were, from the heights of spiritual eminence to the depths of moral and intellectual degradation. This, in brief, is the purport of this verse.
A brief note on idolatry is here called for. Broadly speaking idolatry consists in the paying of Divine honours to idols, images or any created object; the ascription of Divine powers to natural agencies and the excessive admiration, veneration or love for any person or thing. Besides this, idolatry has several other subtler forms. Some of these are as follows:
1. To believe that there are more beings than one who possess equal and similar powers and attributes and who have equal share in the creation and control of the universe with God.
2. To show allegiance or veneration to beings or objects other than God in the form of acts and movements of the body which are expressive of the highest veneration for those beings or objects and which are prescribed by different religions to be offered only to the Supreme Being and which have been regarded as part of worship, such as prostration, etc.
3. To rely fully and completely upon material means for the fulfilment of one’s needs to the entire exclusion of trust in God.
4. To ascribe to human beings attributes which are God’s own exclusive prerogatives, such as His being Eternal and Everlasting and His attribute of creation or quickening the dead.
5. To think of a person that he has attained to such stage of nearness to God that God is bound to and does accept all his prayers. This amounts to ascribing Divine powers to him.
6. To entertain feelings of love, veneration for, or fear of, any human being greater or even equal to those which he has for God. All these different forms of idolatry have been expressed by the four words used by the Quran, viz. ند (like or equal); شریک (co-partner or sharer); اله(worthy of worship) and رب (sustainer).
1949
Man is the noblest creation of God. The whole universe—the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the oceans, the mountains, etc. have been made to serve him. He can rise morally and spiritually so high as to reflect in his person Divine attributes. So if he degrades himself so low as to worship lifeless objects, he falls, as it were, from the heights of spiritual eminence to the depths of moral and intellectual degradation.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱلطَّيْرُ صَٰٓفَّٰتٍ ۖ كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُۥ وَتَسْبِيحَهُۥ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ
17:45; 59:25; 61:2; 62:2.
17:45; 59:25; 61:2; 62:2.
Angels of the Heavens.
Animate and inanimate things which are upon the earth such as men, animals, vegetables, and minerals.
The birds which fly in the air. In a spiritual sense, the three expressions respectively signify: (a) persons of very high spiritual status; (b) worldly-minded men whose whole attention and efforts are devoted to the acquirement of material pursuits and who have no thought or time for spiritual things and (c) people whose spiritual condition is midway between that of the two above-mentioned categories.
Whereas the clause, Whose praises all who are in the heavens and the earth celebrate, refers to the collective testimony that the whole universe bears to the Unity and Holiness of God, the words, Each one knows his own mode of prayer and praise, refer to the evidence which everything bears to Divine Unity and Holiness individually and separately by carrying out faithfully the task allotted to it by God. Salat has different meanings with reference to different objects. Used in connection with God it means Divine mercy; used in connection with angels, it means their asking forgiveness of God for men and used in connection with man, it means the prescribed form of Prayer (Lane).
17:45; 59:25; 61:2; 62:2.
Commentary:
The word من (who) taken to mean both animate and inanimate things, the expression "who are in the heavens and the earth and the birds with their wings outstretched" would signify three classes of beings i.e. (1) angels of the heaven; (2) animate and inanimate things which live upon or are related to the earth such as man, animals, vegetables, and minerals; (3) and the birds which fly in the air. Taken in a spiritual sense, the words "who are in the heavens," would mean persons of very high spiritual status, and "who are in the earth" would signify those unfortunate worldly-minded persons whose whole attention and efforts are devoted to material pursuits and who have no thought or time for spiritual things, and the words "the birds with their wings outstretched" would apply to those people whose spiritual condition is midway between that of the two above-mentioned categories. At one time they soar spiritually so high as to touch the very confines of the celestial firmament and at another time sink so low as to grovel in the dirt and dust of the earth.
The words کل قد علم صلاته و تسبیحه may mean: (i) each one of these beings and things knows his or its own mode of prayer and praise; (ii) God knows the reality of the prayer and praise of each one of these classes, God being the subject of the verb علم. Moreover, whereas the clause "Whose praises all who are in the heavens and the earth celebrate," refers to the collective testimony that the whole universe bears to the Unity and Holiness of God the words, "each one knows his own mode of prayer and praise," refer to the evidence which everything bears to Divine Unity and Holiness individually and separately by carrying out faithfully the task allotted to it by God. This may be the significance of the words "his own mode of prayer and praise." صلاة (prayer) has different meanings with reference to different objects; used about God, it means Divine mercy; used about angels, it means their asking forgiveness of God for men and used about men it means the prescribed form of Prayer (Lane & Aqrab).
b
17:45; 59:25; 61:2; 62:2.
a
17:45; 59:25; 61:2; 62:2.
2623
Commentary:
The word من (who) taken to mean both animate and inanimate things, the expression "who are in the heavens and the earth and the birds with their wings outstretched" would signify three classes of beings i.e. (1) angels of the heaven; (2) animate and inanimate things which live upon or are related to the earth such as man, animals, vegetables, and minerals; (3) and the birds which fly in the air. Taken in a spiritual sense, the words "who are in the heavens," would mean persons of very high spiritual status, and "who are in the earth" would signify those unfortunate worldly-minded persons whose whole attention and efforts are devoted to material pursuits and who have no thought or time for spiritual things, and the words "the birds with their wings outstretched" would apply to those people whose spiritual condition is midway between that of the two above-mentioned categories. At one time they soar spiritually so high as to touch the very confines of the celestial firmament and at another time sink so low as to grovel in the dirt and dust of the earth.
The words کل قد علم صلاته و تسبیحه may mean: (i) each one of these beings and things knows his or its own mode of prayer and praise; (ii) God knows the reality of the prayer and praise of each one of these classes, God being the subject of the verb علم. Moreover, whereas the clause "Whose praises all who are in the heavens and the earth celebrate," refers to the collective testimony that the whole universe bears to the Unity and Holiness of God the words, "each one knows his own mode of prayer and praise," refer to the evidence which everything bears to Divine Unity and Holiness individually and separately by carrying out faithfully the task allotted to it by God. This may be the significance of the words "his own mode of prayer and praise." صلاة (prayer) has different meanings with reference to different objects; used about God, it means Divine mercy; used about angels, it means their asking forgiveness of God for men and used about men it means the prescribed form of Prayer (Lane & Aqrab).
a
17:45; 59:25; 61:2; 62:2.
2050
Angels of the Heavens.
2050A
Animate and inanimate things which are upon the earth such as men, animals, vegetables, and minerals.
2050B
The birds which fly in the air. In a spiritual sense, the three expressions respectively signify: (a) persons of very high spiritual status; (b) worldly-minded men whose whole attention and efforts are devoted to the acquirement of material pursuits and who have no thought or time for spiritual things and (c) people whose spiritual condition is midway between that of the two above-mentioned categories.
2051
Whereas the clause, Whose praises all who are in the heavens and the earth celebrate, refers to the collective testimony that the whole universe bears to the Unity and Holiness of God, the words, Each one knows his own mode of prayer and praise, refer to the evidence which everything bears to Divine Unity and Holiness individually and separately by carrying out faithfully the task allotted to it by God. Salat has different meanings with reference to different objects. Used in connection with God it means Divine mercy; used in connection with angels, it means their asking forgiveness of God for men and used in connection with man, it means the prescribed form of Prayer (Lane).
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَى ٱلطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صَٰٓفَّٰتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَ ۚ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍۭ بَصِيرٌ
یعنی زلزلوں سے اور بیماریوں سے اس نے تم کو محفوظ کیا ہوا ہے۔ ورنہ پرندے آسمان پر اڑتے ہوئے انتظار کر رہے ہیں کہ تم پر عذاب آئے اور وہ جھپٹ کر تمہاری لاشیں کھائیں۔
16:80.
If the disbelievers continue to oppose Truth, they will be destroyed by famines, earthquakes; particularly by wars, and the birds of the skies will feast upon their dead bodies (16:80). See also note {1880} in "The Larger Edition of the Commentary."
16:80.
Commentary:
The verse as the context shows, refers to Divine punishment that is in store for disbelievers. It purports to say that if they continue to oppose truth, they will be destroyed by famines, earthquakes and particularly by wars, and the birds of the skies will feast on their dead bodies. The Merciful God grants them respite that they might accept the Heavenly Message and save themselves from Divine punishment. See also 16:80.
a
16:80.
1452
如果不信者继续反对真理, 他们将毁于饥荒、地震, 尤其是毁于战争, 天上的飞鸟将以他们的尸体为美餐 (16:80)。另见 《大版本的注释本》中第1880条注。
1
یعنی زلزلوں سے اور بیماریوں سے اس نے تم کو محفوظ کیا ہوا ہے۔ ورنہ پرندے آسمان پر اڑتے ہوئے انتظار کر رہے ہیں کہ تم پر عذاب آئے اور وہ جھپٹ کر تمہاری لاشیں کھائیں۔
b
16:80.
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Commentary:
The verse as the context shows, refers to Divine punishment that is in store for disbelievers. It purports to say that if they continue to oppose truth, they will be destroyed by famines, earthquakes and particularly by wars, and the birds of the skies will feast on their dead bodies. The Merciful God grants them respite that they might accept the Heavenly Message and save themselves from Divine punishment. See also 16:80.
a
16:80.
3083
If the disbelievers continue to oppose Truth, they will be destroyed by famines, earthquakes; particularly by wars, and the birds of the skies will feast upon their dead bodies (16:80). See also note {1880} in "The Larger Edition of the Commentary."