Topic: Believers On The

3:15; 18:47; 57:21.

3:38; 24:39; 35:4; 40:41.

Important Words:

زین (is made to appear attractive) is passive voice from زین which is derived from زان. They say زان الشیء or زین الشیءmeaning, he decorated or embellished or beautified the thing so as to make it look attractive (Aqrab).

یسخرون (they scoff) is formed from سخر. They say سخر منه or سخربه i.e. (1) he mocked at or scoffed at or laughed at him; he derided or ridiculed him; (2) he cut a joke with him or made a jest of him; (3) he deemed him ignorant (Aqrab & Lane).

فوقھم (above them). The word فوق is the infinitive noun from فاق. They say فاقه i.e. he was above him or was superior to him (in any sense); he excelled him in rank, eminence, nobility, knowledge or any other good quality; he overcame him in argument (Aqrab & Lane).

یوم القیامة (the Day of Resurrection) is a compound expression being made up of یوم (day) and القیامة (resurrection). The word یوم (day) is also used to denote time generally as already explained in 1:4; and القیامة (resurrection) is derived from قام meaning, (1) he stood up, or (2) he stood still. The expression قامت الساعة means, the appointed hour of resurrection came to pass. القیامة therefore, means the rising of the dead or the Resurrection (Aqrab). The word is also used for such occasions on which people leave their homes and gather in a place in response to a call, as in the Friday Prayers (Taj). Thus figuratively the word القیامة (resurrection) may denote a state of unusual life and activity following a state of inertia and lifelessness. The word القیامة is really القیام (the act of standing) which is the noun-infinitive from قام, the final ة being added to denote the act of resurrection being sudden and all together (Mufradat).

Commentary:

As the preceding verse spoke of those who change the gift of God by rejecting it or refusing to act upon it, the present verse fittingly provides the underlying reason of such rejection or refusal. The attention of these people is devoted to the affairs of this world, which appear so attractive to them as to leave no room in their hearts for God and His Messenger. The فاعل or author of the act denoted by the verb زین which is in the passive voice, has not been named here; but elsewhere the Quran clearly states that it is Satan who has taken upon himself to make the things of this world look beautiful and attractive in the eyes of unbelieving people (15:40), who thus become engrossed in the affairs of the world.

Intoxicated with their material gains and worldly possessions, disbelievers, and for that matter, hypocrites also, look down upon believers and scoff at them when they see their apparently low worldly position and hear promises of victory and future greatness being made to them. In view of the utter helplessness of the believers, they cannot possibly bring themselves to conceive that believers will ever become heirs to that eminence and glory which is promised to them by God and, therefore, they treat such promises with contempt. But truth has always triumphed over falsehood in the end. The history of all religions and particularly that of Islam bears undeniable testimony to this fact.

The clause, but those who fear God shall be above them on the Day of Resurrection, does not mean that the triumph of the Faithful over disbelievers will be confined to the next world only. The words "the Day of Resurrection" have been added to point out that whereas believers will also triumph in this world, as borne out by the facts of history, their triumph in the next world will be complete and perpetual. These words may also refer, according to Arab usage, to the time of the downfall of disbelievers and the rise of the Faithful in this very world. In this sense the clause would signify, "wait a while, for the appointed time is not far distant when Muslims will triumph over their enemies and will be above them in all respects", i.e. in knowledge, wealth, power, etc.—a fact to which the early history of Islam in Medina, Damascus, Baghdad, Egypt, Spain, etc., bears ample testimony. To quote only one instance, i.e. that of the Arabs being in their time above the rest of the world in science, Robert Briffault says: "The debt of our science to that of the Arabs does not consist in startling discoveries or revolutionary theories; science owes a great deal to Arab culture; it owes its existence" (The Making of Humanity).

It will be noted that while making the promise of future greatness, the verse substitutes the expression "those who fear God" for the expression "those who believe". This change has been made to point to the fact that to obtain triumph mere ایمان (belief) is not enough; the Muslims should effect a real change in themselves, by attaining تقوی or fear of God. The phrase "without reckoning" may mean three things: (1) that the favours and gifts of God know no ending; for a thing that does not end cannot be reckoned; (2) that God bestows upon believers more favours and more gifts than they appear to deserve, the more so because believers spend in the cause of God to the utmost of their power without keeping an account of what they spend, so God also showers His blessings upon them without reckoning; (3) that God treats the believers as friends; and as people do not keep an account of what they give to their friends, therefore God also keeps no account of what He gives to the Faithful.

As to the relevancy of this clause to the previous one, it may be noted that as God promised to grant special victory and unusual greatness to believers—so much so that they were to be "above" the disbelievers in all respects when the time of "resurrection" (i.e. the fall of the disbelievers and the rise of the believers) came—the question naturally arose, how out of all proportion to their efforts and resources were the handful of believers going to attain this glorious triumph? In reply to this implied question, the Quran says that the people need not doubt this prophecy for the matter is not to be settled by ordinary rules of cause and effect but by the fact, so amply borne out by history, that "Allah bestows His favours on whomsoever He pleases without reckoning." In this connection we may well quote from Carlyle who, while speaking of the spectacular rise of Islam to power, says: "These Arabs, the man Mohammad, one spark on a world of what seemed black unnoticeable sand; but lo, the sand proves explosive powder, blazes heaven-high from Delhi to Granada!" (On Heroes and Hero Worship).

21:102; 39:62.

39:74.

Important Words:

وفداً (honoured guests) is the plural of وافد which is active participle from وفد. They say وفد الی او علی السلطان i.e. he came to the king as an ambassador, envoy or messenger; or to convey gifts and ask aid; he went forth to the king (Aqrab & Lane).

Commentary:

This verse has provoked discussion as to whether the righteous will be assembled before God or will merely be admitted to Paradise. There seems to be no real difference between the two alternative senses, because Paradise is the House of God and going to Paradise is as good as going before God. The verse may also apply to two resurrections; the one in this world and the other in the next. Resurrection in the next world will both be individual and collective. Immediately after its departure from the physical body the human soul begins to taste of the fruits of the works, good or bad, a man might have done in this world. This state of the soul is known by its individual resurrection in which its experience of the reward or punishment, as the case may be, of the next life is partial and incomplete. The Resurrection on the Last Day, however, will be collective when the whole of mankind will be brought before God’s Judgement Seat. Then the realization by the soul of its state of bliss or punishment will be complete. That will be the final Resurrection. The significance of the verse as is clear from many sayings of the Holy Prophet, is that there will be great confusion and bewilderment on the Day of Resurrection. But immediately after the initial shock the righteous will regain their composure and peace of mind and will be honoured with the gift of God’s favours and blessings.

7:9; 101:7-8.

Important Words:

موازین (good works) is the plural of میزان (a balance) and موزون (a thing that is weighed) and is derived from وزن. They say وزن الشیء i.e. he weighed the thing or he determined or estimated the weight of the thing. وزن الشیء means, the thing became heavy and weighty. وزن means, the act of weighing, or the weight of a thing, or weightiness. وزن الرجل means, the man was of weighty opinion (Aqrab & Lane).

Commentary:

See 7:9-10.

Commentary:

The words, "Heaven will be brought near to the righteous," mean that the righteous will be given new and better faculties to enjoy the bliss of Paradise.

13:25.

Commentary:

The righteous and the God-fearing will have success, honour and prosperity bestowed upon them in this life, and they will make unceasing spiritual progress and will bask forever in the sun of Divine pleasure and bliss in the life to come.

The word طبتم may also mean, because you led good and pure lives.

Commentary:

The verse purports to say that were it not that by the obliteration of disparity of means, wealth and position, all men would have become of one type and human society would have ceased to function, God would have provided all disbelievers with houses made of silver, having doors and stairways of silver, and would have given them couches of silver on which to recline and other ornaments of gold, because these things possess no worth or value in His sight or at the most are a temporary embellishment of this worldly life which itself is of very short duration. But the life eternal and everlasting, whose blessings will know no limitation or diminution is only for the righteous and God-fearing.

5:56; 19:97.

Commentary:

In the hour of distress all friendships are forgotten. Friends desert each other, even turn into enemies. Elsewhere the Quran gives a graphic description of the pitiable condition of sinners when they are confronted with the evil consequences of their wicked deeds. See 70:11-15; 80:35-38.

30:16; 52:18; 78:32.

Commentary:

The righteous were oppressed and persecuted and were denied safety and security in this world for having accepted the Divine Message. In the next world they will enjoy perfect peace, safety and security as recompense for having been denied these blessings in the present life.

The verse may also constitute a prophecy. The Companions of the Holy Prophet were oppressed and persecuted for many years. They are told that the time was fast approaching when they will enjoy security and will have all those blessings and boons that are mentioned in the succeeding verses.

26:91; 81:14.

Commentary:

If, as mentioned in the preceding verse, more and more sinners will be thrown into Hell for being purged and purified of their spiritual maladies, the present verse says, that Heaven will also be brought near for the righteous and the God-fearing.

7:9; 23:103.

Commentary:

When used in relation to an individual موازین means, his works, but when used in relation to a nation, it means, its material means and resources; and according to the present-day terminology of war, 'tonnage' seems to be an exact rendering of the word. In the latter sense of the word the verse would mean that a nation whose material resources or tonnage of steamships or aeroplanes is heavy will predominate over its adversaries and this fact will add to its prestige and power and consequently to its happiness.