Topic: Qur’an For Attainment Of

Placed before every chapter except ch.9; also in 27:31. See also 96:2.

Important Words:

ب (in) occurring here in combination with اسم is a particle used to convey a number of meanings, the one more applicable here being that of 'with'. The compound word بسم therefore would mean 'with the name of.' According to the Arab usage, the words iqra’ or aqra’u or naqra’u or ishra’ or ashra‘u or nashra‘u would be taken to be understood before بسم اللّٰه. The expression بسم اللّٰه would thus mean 'begin with the name of Allah' or 'recite with the name of Allah,' or 'I or we begin with the name of Allah.' or 'I or we recite with the name of Allah.' In the translation the words بسم اللّٰه have been rendered as "in the name of Allah", which is a more familiar form (Lane).

اسم (name), which is derived either from وسم (a mark) or سمو (height), means a name or attribute (Aqrab). Here it is used in both senses; for, firstly, it refers to 'Allah' which is the personal name of God; and, secondly, it refers to Ar-Rahman (Gracious) and Ar-Rahim (Merciful) which are His attributive names.

اللّٰه (Allah) is the name of the Supreme Being, Who is the sole possessor of all perfect attributes and is free from all defects. In the Arabic language, the word Allah is never used for any other thing or being. No other language has a distinctive name for the Supreme Being. The names found in other languages are all attributive or descriptive and are often used in the plural, but the word "Allah" is never used in the plural number. It is a simple substantive, not derived. It is never used as a qualifying word. Hence, in the absence of a parallel word in the English language, the original name "Allah" has been retained throughout the translation.

This view is corroborated by eminent authorities of the Arabic language. Lane says: "اللّٰه (Allah) according to the most correct of the opinions respecting it is a proper name, applied to the Being, Who exists necessarily by Himself, comprising all the attributes of perfection, the ال (al) being in-separable from it" (Arabic-English Lexicon). For a fuller discussion of the word 'Allah,' the reader is referred to Tafsir-e-Kabir by Hadrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, Head of the Ahmadiyya Community.

الرحمن (Gracious) and الرحیم (Merciful) are both derived from the same root رحم meaning, he showed mercy; he was kind and good; he forgave. The word رحمة combines the idea of رقة i.e. 'tenderness' and احسان i.e. 'goodness' (Mufradat). الرحمن is in the measure of فعلان and الرحیم in the measure of فعیل. According to the rules of the Arabic language, the larger the number of letters added to the root word, the more extensive or more intensive does the meaning become (Kashshaf). The measure of فعلان thus conveys the idea of fullness and extensiveness, while the measure of فعیل denotes the idea of repetition and giving liberal reward to those who deserve it (Muhit). Thus the word الرحمن would denote "mercy comprehending the entire universe," whereas the word الرحیم would denote "a mercy limited in its scope but shown repeatedly".

In view of the above, الرحمان is One Who shows mercy gratuitously and extensively to all creation without regard to effort or work, and الرحیم is One Who shows mercy in response to, and as a result of, the actions of man but shows it liberally and repeatedly. The former is applicable only to God, while the latter is applied to man also. The former extends not only to the believers and unbelievers but to the whole creation; the latter applies mostly to the believers. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said: الرحمان رحمان الدنیا و الرحیم رحیم الآخرة i.e. the attribute الرحمن generally pertains to this life, while the attribute الرحیم generally pertains to the life to come (Muhit), meaning that as this world is mostly the world of actions and the next a world where actions will be particularly rewarded, God’s attribute of الرحمن provides man with material for his works in this life, whereas His attribute of الرحیم brings about results in the life to come.

The abundance of everything which we enjoy in this life, which is indeed all a favour of God, is provided for us before we do anything to deserve it or even before we are born, while the blessings in store for us in the life to come will be given to us as a reward of our actions. This shows that الرحمن is the Bestower of gifts which precede our birth, while الرحیم is the giver of blessings which follow our deeds as their reward.

Commentary:

(i) The verse بسم اللّٰه الرحمن الرحیم is the first verse of every chapter of the Quran, except the chapter Bara’ah, which, however, is not an indepen-dent chapter but a continuation of the chapter Anfal. There is a saying reported by Ibn ‘Abbas to the effect that whenever any new chapter was revealed, Bismillah was the first verse to be revealed, and without Bismillah the Holy Prophet did not know that a new chapter had begun (Dawud). This hadith goes to prove that (1) the verse Bismillah is part of the Quran and not something supernumerary and (2) that the chapter Bara’at is not an independent chapter. It also refutes the belief expressed by some that Bismillah is a part only of Al-Fatihah and not of all the Quranic chapters. Such views are further refuted by the hadith in which the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, definitely, that the verse Bismillah is a part of all the Quranic chapters (Bukhari & Qutni).

(ii) The Holy Prophet attached great importance to the verse Bismillah. He is reported to have said that any important work which is done without reciting Bismillah is apt to prove devoid of God’s blessings. Thus, it is a general practice among Muslims to commence every work with a recital of this prayer.

(iii) The place of this verse in the beginning of every chapter has the following significance:

1. The Quran is a treasure of divine knowledge to which access cannot be had without the special favour of God. In 56:80 God says regarding the Quran: None shall touch it except those who are purified, meaning that except the favoured ones who have been purified by the hand of God, none shall grasp the deeper meaning of the Quran. Thus Bismillah has been placed at the beginning of each chapter to remind the reader that in order to have access to and benefit from the treasures of divine knowledge contained in the Quran, he should not only approach it with pure motives but also constantly invoke the help of God and try to lead a righteous life.

2. In the Old Testament (Deut. 18:18,19) we read: "I will raise them (the Israelites) up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." As the Holy Prophet of Islam was raised in the likeness of Moses (Quran, 73:16), so in fulfilment of the above prophecy God so ordained that each time a new Surah was revealed, it was begun by the words: In the name of Allah. This meant that every chapter of the Quran, i.e. every new proclamation made by God through the Holy Prophet, should commence with this verse so that on the one hand the prophecy made by Moses might be fulfilled and on the other, there might be a constant repetition of the warning to the Jews and Christians that if they hearkened not to the words of the new Prophet, they would be answerable to God.

3. In the Old Testament, we also read: "But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die" (Deut. 18:20). The verse Bismillah (in the name of God) has, therefore, been placed at the beginning of every chapter of the Quran so that the fact might be brought home to the Jews and Christians in particular and to other peoples in general that the success which attended the career of the Holy Prophet was a positive proof of the fact that all that he spoke was spoken by the command of God; for if it had been otherwise, he would surely have met with early destruction. The verse Bismillah is thus a standing challenge to the Jews and Christians, and every time it is repeated at the head of a chapter it serves as an argument for the truth of the Holy Prophet. This result could not have been attained if the verse had been put only in the beginning of the Quran.

4. The verse Bismillah placed before every chapter of the Quran also serves another important purpose. It is a key to the meaning of each individual chapter. This is so because all questions affecting moral and spiritual matters are related in one way or another with these fundamental divine attributes: Rahmaniyyat (grace) and Rahimiyyat (mercy). Thus each chapter is, in fact, a detailed exposition of some aspect of the divine attributes mentioned in the verse.

(iv) Some Christian writers have raised the objection that the formula of Bismillah has been borrowed from earlier Scriptures, insinuating that it cannot therefore be of Divine origin. Wherry, in his commentary has expressed the opinion that it has been borrowed from the Zend-Avesta where it has the form: بنام ایزد بخشائنده وبخشائش گر i.e. With the name of God, Forgiving, Kind. A similar objection has been raised by Sale. Rodwell, however, has expressed the opinion that the Quran borrowed the formula from the Jews, among whom it was in vogue and from whom its use was borrowed by pre-Islamic Arabs. Both these criticisms are wrong and beside the point; for firstly it has never been claimed by the Muslims that the formula in this or similar form was not known before the revelation of the Quran; secondly it is wrong to argue that the formula could not be of Divine origin even if it was sometimes used by the pre-Islamic peoples in an identical or similar form before its revelation in the Quran. As a matter of fact, the Quran itself states that Solomon used the phrase in his letter to the Queen of Sheba (27:31). What Muslims claim—and this claim has never been refuted—is that the Quran was the first Scripture to use the formula in the way it did [see (iii) above]. It is also wrong to say that the formula was in common vogue among pre-Islamic Arabs, for it is well known that Arabs had an aversion to the use of the name Ar-Rahman for God. Again, if such formulae for the praise of God were known before, it only goes to corroborate the truth of the Quranic teaching that there has not been a people to whom a Teacher has not been sent (35:25), and that the Quran is a repository of all permanent truths contained in the previous Books (98:4). It adds much more, of course, and, whatever it adopts, it improves its form or use or both.

(v) It has been asked why the word اسم (name) has been used before the word اللّٰه (Allah) in the verse Bismillah. This may be explained in a number of ways:

1. In the Arabic language the particle ب is used not only to signify connection or invoke help, but also in swearing. So if the word اسم had been dropped, the phrase باللّٰه (billah) might have meant "I swear by Allah." The introduction of اسم (name) removes this ambiguity.

2. God being the source of all goodness, even the invoking of His names proves a blessing. Says the Quran (55:79): Blessed be the name of thy Lord, the Owner of Majesty and Honour. The Holy Prophet sometimes healed people by invoking the various names of God. Therefore, the word اسم (name) has been added in order to remind the Faithful that to remember the names of God is to merit a blessing.

3. The use of the word "name" further indicates that God is hidden and can be known only through His names, i.e. attributes. By reciting Bismillah, a believer seeks the help of God through His attributes of Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim.

4. Again, the inner meanings of the Quran are a guarded treasure and nobody can have access to them, except under proper authority. The person who begins a recitation with the formula, In the name of Allah, says, as it were, to the guardian angels of this spiritual treasure, "I am approaching it in the name of Allah, so open to me the treasures of the inner meanings of the Quran." To the one who approaches the Quran in such a spirit, the treasures will indeed be opened. The verse, None shall touch it except those who are purified (56:80), likewise, shows that only the pure in spirit can find access to the deep secrets of the Quran.

5. Another reason for introducing the word "name" in Bismillah is to draw attention to the prophecy of Moses (Deut. 18:18-20) to which reference has already been made.

6:21.

2:175; 5:16; 6:92.

Important Words:

یعرفون (recognise) is derived from عرف which means, he knew or recognized or perceived a thing. Though the word is also used of such knowledge as is derived through the senses, it is particularly used of such knowledge as is obtained by thinking and meditating (Mufradat & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The pronoun hu (him or it) occurring in the clause "recognise him or it" may be taken as referring either to the change of Qiblah or to the Holy Prophet. The clause means that the People of the Book know, on the basis of the prophecies found in their Scriptures, that a Prophet would appear among the Arabs and that he would be connected with the Ka‘bah.

The sentence, some of them conceal the truth knowingly, refers to the learned men of the Jews who were well versed in their scriptures and knew the prophecies relating to the advent of the Holy Prophet of Islam but deliberately suppressed those prophecies in order to conceal them from the people.

2:186; 3:4; 8:42; 21:49; 25:2.

2:287; 5:7; 22:79.

22:38.

Important Words:

رمضان (Ramadan) is the name given to the ninth month of the lunar year. The word is derived from the verb رمض. They say رمض النھار i.e. the day became intensely hot. رمض الرجل means, the man had his feet burnt by the earth which had become intensely heated by the sun. رمض الصائم means, his inside became very hot with thirst owing to fasting. ارتمض من الحزن means, he began to burn, i.e. he was greatly distressed, with grief and sorrow. الرمض means, the first rain of autumn which finds the earth hot and burning (Aqrab & Lane). The month of رمضان is so named because (1) fasting in this month causes heat and burning due to thirst; (2) worship and devotion in this month burns away the traces of sin in man, this signification being corroborated by a saying of the Holy Prophet (‘Asakir and Merdawaih as quoted by Fathul-Qadir); and (3) its devotions produce in the heart of man the necessary warmth of love for his Creator and his fellow beings. The name رمضان is of Islamic origin, the former name of the month being ناتق (Muhit & Mawardi, as quoted by Fathul-Qadir).

القرآن (the Quran) is the name given by God Himself to the Book revealed to the Holy Prophet of Islam, containing the final Law for mankind. The word is derived from قرأ. They say قرأ الکتاب meaning: (1) he read the book, i.e. he read it to himself; or (2) he recited the book, i.e. he read it aloud so that others might hear it; قرأ also means, he conveyed or delivered a message, etc., as they say اقرأعلیه السلام meaning, convey or deliver my salam to him; (3) قرأ الشیء means, he collected or drew together the thing; (4) قرأت المراة means, the woman became pregnant and brought forth a child (Aqrab & Lane). Thus قرآن (Quran) means: (1) a book which is meant to be read. The Quran is indeed the most widely read book in the world (Enc. Brit. 11th edition, article on Koran by Nöldeke); (2) a book or message which is meant to be conveyed and delivered to other peoples. The Quran is indeed the only revealed Book whose delivery or message is absolutely unrestricted; for whereas all other Books are meant for specific times and specific peoples, the Quran is meant for all times and all peoples (34:29; also Bukhari); (3) a Book which comprises and has collected in itself all truth; the Quran is indeed a storehouse of knowledge which not only comprises all eternal truths revealed in previous Books (98:4) but also all such truths as mankind may stand in need of at any time and in any circumstances (18:50); (4) a Book which contains not only visible truth which may be seen and felt by all but, like a pregnant woman big with child, it contains truths that lie hidden from the eyes of most men and, like a newborn child, come to light only as and when time ripens (15:22). All these meanings are not only expressive of an existing state of affairs but also serve as mighty prophecies, the truth of which has been established in all ages.

Commentary:

The ground having been suitably prepared in the preceding two verses, this verse gives the awaited commandment about fasting. But even here the actual commandment is preceded by a suitable description of the month of Ramadan in which fasts were to be observed. The month was not chosen arbitrarily but was selected for the purpose of fasting because it was a sacred month in which the Quran was revealed. And the Quran is not an ordinary book. It is a Book full of right guidance and of bright Signs and of things that help to differentiate between truth and falsehood. This sublime foreword placed before the commandment about fasting contains an implied question to the effect: Will you not now fast when fasting is a tried thing, when it is so useful, when it is to be observed only for a few days, when even in these few days suitable facilities have been provided, and lastly when these few days correspond with a month which is full of blessings?

As hinted above, this verse mentions the reason for which the month of Ramadan was selected for the purpose of fasting. It was in this month that the Quran was revealed. The revelation of the Quran in the month of Ramadan may mean two things: (1) that the revelation of the Holy Book commenced in the month of Ramadan, for it is on record that it was on the 24th of Ramadan that the Holy Prophet received his first revelation (Musnad & Jarir); (2) that the revelation of the Quran was repeated to the Holy Prophet every year in the month of Ramadan, for it is also on record that the angel Gabriel rehearsed every year to the Holy Prophet the whole of the revealed portion of the Quran during this month and this he continued to do till the very year of the Prophet’s death (Bukhari, ch. on Manaqib). Thus in a way even the whole of the Quran may be said to have been sent down in Ramadan.

The words, clear proofs of guidance and discrimination, point out that the Quran is a Book which is not content with making mere assertions. It supports every assertion it makes with necessary reasons and arguments which are both clear and convincing, and it also adduces heavenly Signs which go to discriminate right from wrong with such clearness that they leave no room for doubt. This excellence belongs exclusively to the Quran. Indeed, other scriptures, too have been spoken of as "a light and guidance," but about none of them has it been said that they supply reasons, arguments and Signs in support of their assertions.

Although former Prophets also were given Signs that people might accept them as Divine Messengers, yet the Scriptures they brought contained nothing that might bear testimony to their truth. It is only the Quran that contains all kinds of evidence—rational, scriptural and heavenly—to demonstrate the truth of its teachings so that it might itself furnish necessary evidence of its truth, and that, unlike other scriptures, tales and stories of the past might not form its sole support.

The clause, let him fast therein, signifies that it is necessary to fast all the days of the month of Ramadan; it will not do to fast only for a few days. Thus, out of every twelve months in the year, at least one—that of Ramadan—must be so devoted to the worship of God.

The clause, whoso is sick or is on a journey, he shall fast the same number of other days, at first appears to be an unnecessary repetition of what has already been said in the preceding verse in identical words, but really it is not so; for whereas in the previous verse this clause formed part of a verse that was meant to prepare the ground for the commandment to fast, in this verse it forms part of the actual commandment. The clause signifies that if in the month of Ramadan one happens to be sick or is on a journey, one should not fast, owing to the extra hardship entailed, but should fast the same number of other days when one has recovered from sickness or when the journey is over. The Quran, however, wisely refrains from defining the terms "sickness" and "journey," leaving them to be defined by the common usage of the people.

The clause, He desires not hardship for you, points to the very important principle that divine commands are not meant to cause trouble or inconvenience but to afford ease and facility. In this connection it may well be noted that St. Paul looks upon the Law as an entanglement with "the yoke of bondage" if not as an actual curse (Gal. chs. 3 & 5). But he forgets that true freedom, and for that matter, true happiness lie only in willing obedience to a good and righteous legislation. The Islamic law, even "in meats and drinks and divers washings, and carnal ordinances," is a real help and guidance rather than a hindrance and a bondage.

The clause, so that you may complete the number, indicates that God’s purpose in prescribing a fixed number of days is that believers may be able to complete the number which, in His sight, is essential for their spiritual welfare. A fixed number was essential; for, otherwise, some people might have failed to fast even the minimum number, while others would have unduly suffered for doubt as to their having completed the necessary number even after they had long exceeded it.

The clause, that you may exalt Allah for His having guided you, points to yet another object underlying the commandment. All such expressions in which the offering of a particular praise to God is enjoined signify two things: (1) that man being God’s creation should continuously offer praise to Him, invoking the particular divine attribute that may suit the occasion; (2) that he should also try to reflect in his person the selfsame attribute of God. "Exalting God" would therefore mean not only God’s glorification but the uplift and exaltation of the devotee himself. In fact God stands in need of no praise. He is what He is whether we praise Him or not. So truly speaking, everything is for the benefit of man himself, and the benefit underlying fasting is the exaltation of man, morally and spiritually and, in a sense, physically as well.

The final clause, that you may be grateful, is also full of deep meaning. God is not cruel or unkind; He has due regard for our weaknesses and He does not put us to unnecessary trouble; and whatever seeming trouble He puts us to is for our own good. This kind and loving attitude of God towards us ought to give rise to a corresponding feeling of love for Him in our hearts and we ought to feel grateful to Him for His love and kindness.

To a superficial observer the language of the Quran as used in this verse might appear to be rather unconnected, forming independent clauses. But a closer study reveals a beautiful arrangement between them. In fact the four clauses in the concluding portion of this verse furnish reasons for the four commandments contained in the first portion of the verse, the succeeding reasons following the reversed order of the preceding commandments in a most natural manner. The first reason given by the verse is contained in the clause, Allah desires to give you facility and He desires not hardship for you. Though the apparent wording of this clause is different from the wordings of the succeeding clauses, actually it is also one of those that supply a reason, for in reality the clause stands like this, "that you be afforded facility, etc." Corresponding to this clause we have the last commandment of the verse, i.e. whoso is sick or is on a journey, etc. The second clause supplying a reason is, that you may complete the number, corresponding to which we have the commandment, whosoever of you is present at home in this month, let him fast therein, hinting that God means the Muslims to fast the whole month. The third clause supplying a reason is, that you may exalt Allah for His having guided you. Corresponding to this we have the words, a guidance for mankind, etc. Finally comes the clause, that you may be grateful, corresponding to which we have the clause, the month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was sent down, hinting that the wise God has chosen the most sacred and the most blessed part of the year for fasting so that you may be doubly benefited by it. Such figure of speech in which parts of a sentence correspond with others occurring in the same sentence in a reverse order, the first clause of the former group corresponding with the last clause of the latter, is known in Arabic rhetoric as لف و نشر معکوس (Mutawwal).

2:165; 3:28; 45:6.

Commentary:

The lesson implied in the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of night and day is that man has been created both for spiritual and temporal progress, and that if he acts righteously, his period of darkness and affliction must be followed by one of sunshine and happiness. For further explanation of this verse see next verse.

4:104; 10:13; 39:10; 62:11.

38:28.

Important Words:

باطلا (in vain) is derived from بطل meaning, it was or became false or vain, or void or futile or devoid of virtue or of no account. They say ذھب دمه باطلا meaning his blood went for nothing, i.e. went unretaliated. بطل فی حدیثه means, he jested or was not serious in his discourse. باطل therefore, means: false, spurious, vain, useless, void and of no account (Lane).

Commentary:

Such a grand system to which an allusion has been made in the previous verse could certainly not have been brought into being without a definite purpose. The phenomenon of day and night referred to in the preceding verse affords an illustration of how this purpose is served. With the rising of the sun the whole world is illuminated, and men begin to work. Then night falls and the light of the sun is hidden from our view and men go to sleep, but even then some heavenly bodies are busy doing their allotted task. Thus both during day and night heavenly bodies perform their appointed functions and loyally serve man. The whole universe having been created to serve man, the creation of man must also have a great purpose. Of men, some are bright in themselves like the sun, and there are others who possess no intrinsic light of their own but borrow it from others. Such men as place themselves in right relation to the Sun of the spiritual realm become enlightened, while those that keep away from it are left in the dark.

When man ponders over the spiritual implication of the physical phenomenon of the creation of heavens and earth, the alteration of day, and night and the consummate order that pervades the universe, he is deeply impressed by the great wisdom of the Creator, and from the inmost depths of his being rises the cry: Our Lord, Thou hast not created this in vain. Then apprehension takes hold of him lest he should become deprived of the light of the spiritual Sun and he cries out: Save us from the punishment of Fire, which is nothing but being overtaken by spiritual darkness and moral degradation.

3:19; 11:15.

Commentary:

God has placed in the Quran such vast treasures of eternal truth and spiritual knowledge as bear witness to its being the Word of God. The manifold qualities of the Quran for such as ponder over it furnish an irrefutable evidence of its Divine origin.

The angels testify to the truth of the Quran by appearing in dreams and visions to righteous men, telling them that the Quran is the Word of God. They also bear witness by suggesting suitable ideas to the minds of men, leading them to the acceptance of Islam. See also 3:19.

16:17.

Commentary:

The argument embodied in this verse runs like this: "When God has made stars for guidance during the hours of night in the physical world, would He make no stars for the guidance of man in the spiritual world? The spiritual welfare of man is much more important than his physical welfare; so when God has created means of guidance for the temporal welfare of man, does it not stand to reason that He should have also provided means for the spiritual guidance of erring humanity?"

7:59.

Important Words:

درست (thou hast learnt well) is derived from درس which means, it became effaced, erased or obliterated; or transitively, it effaced, erased or obliterated. درس الثوب means, the cloth became old and worn out. Similarly, درس الثوب means, he rendered the cloth old and worn out. درس الکتاب means, he read the book or he read it repeatedly so as to remember it; or he made it easy to remember by much reading; or he learnt or studied it (Lane).

Commentary:

The verse purports to say, "We have explained Our teachings in various ways with the result that believers have acquired perfect belief in them, while disbelievers have rejected them, saying, 'You have learnt these teachings from Jews and Christians and are now repeating them to us.'" The verb درست (thou hast learnt well) has thus been used here ironically. Taking the transitive meaning of درست the clause would mean that disbelievers reject the teachings, saying: "You have read or recited the signs and teachings you claim to have brought to us and we have heard them. That is enough; do not bother us any more."

In fact, whereas the teachings of the Quran benefit those who accept them, they serve the purpose of establishing the guilt of those who reject them so that they become answerable to God for their rejection.

Commentary:

This verse recapitulates what has been said above about man-made laws. For the killing of children, see 6:138 above. The words, for lack of knowledge, signify that they do so because they do not possess revealed knowledge, which is the only source of true guidance.

16:36; 43:21

Commentary:

Being unable to answer the arguments given against idolatry and man-made laws in the foregoing passage, idolatrous Arabs had recourse to the trite plea in support of idol-worship: If Allah had pleased, we could not have joined gods with Him. From this they inferred that attributing co-partners to God was in accordance with God’s will. The Quran gives four answers to this plea, two in the present verse and two in the next. The first answer is contained in the words: In like manner did those who were before them accuse God’s Messengers of falsehood, until they tasted of Our wrath. These words signify that this plea of theirs is not a new one. The same plea was brought forward by those gone before. If this plea was true, and the act of setting up associate with God was in accordance with God’s will, why should He have punished the previous peoples? The very fact that God punished them for their associating gods with Him shows that this act of theirs was not in accordance with His will. The second answer is contained in the words: Have you any knowledge? Then produce it for us. You follow nothing but mere conjecture. And you do nothing but lie, i.e. you possess no argument based on true knowledge to support your assertion; what you say is mere conjecture. The remaining two answers are given in the next verse.

2:169,173; 23:52.

Commentary:

Islam being not a religion of monasticism, the verse implies a rebuke for those who forbid the use of pure and good things.

The good and pure things of God’s provision, which are really meant for, and deserved by, believers only are also shared by disbelievers in this life; but in the life to come they will be enjoyed by believers only, to the exclusion of disbelievers.

6:115; 10:58; 12:112; 16:90; 29:52.

Commentary:

The Book referred to in this verse is the Quran. It embodies three distinct things:

(1) "Knowledge" essential for recognizing and knowing God;

(2) "Guidance" properly to discharge the duties due to God and to observe the rights of man; and

(3) "God’s mercy" descending on the Faithful.

7:154; 9:5.

Commentary:

The words, they are your brethren in faith, mean that not only should all hostilities cease against such disbelievers as repent, but they are to be looked upon as brethren and treated as such. See also note on 9:5, above.

25:62; 71:17.

17:13

Important Words:

ضیاء (brilliant light) is the substantive noun from ضاء i.e. it became bright. اضاءت النار means, the fire burned brightly or, transitively, the fire lit up (the surroundings, etc.). ضیاء means, light; bright or brilliant light. It is synonymous with نورthough, according to some, it has a more intensive signification than نور. Some lexicologists consider ضوء or ضیاء as signifying the rays that are diffused by what is termed نور. According to others these two words are synonymous in their original application but ضوء or ضیاء is more forcible according to usage. According to yet others ضوء or ضیاء signifies that light which subsists by itself, as that of the sun or fire, and نور that which subsists by some other thing as does the light of the moon i.e. reflected light (Lane & Aqrab). The truth appears to be that whereas ضیاء or ضوء signifies strong light, نور is a more general term denoting light as opposed to darkness. This is why نور is one of the names of God. نور is also more extensive and more penetrating as well as more lasting in its significance (Muhit).

Commentary:

The verse points to a very wise natural law. We can judge the amount of space traversed by a body only by the change of its position relative to other bodies. So this verse purports to say that God has appointed stages for the sun and the moon that we may be able to make a reckoning of time. In other words, He has caused these heavenly bodies to move and has appointed stages for their motion so that by observing the motion of these bodies we may be able to know that a certain amount of time has passed and that we have moved on from our original position. All reckoning and all calendars depend on the movements of the sun and the moon. The moon moves round the earth and thereby we are able to know the measure of months. The earth moves round the sun and also rotates on its own axis, thus enabling us to measure our years as well as our days. The Arabic words rendered here as, that you might know the number of years and the reckoning of time, may also be translated as "that you might know the number of years and the principles of mathematics." In fact all fundamental principles and basic rules of mathematics are based on and derived from the movements of heavenly bodies like the sun and the moon.

The verse is also pregnant with a deep spiritual import. Just as in the physical world the sun and the moon enable us to prepare our calendars and make a right estimate of our works and their results, similarly through the suns and moons of the spiritual universe, i.e. the Prophets, we can measure the value of our labour and its results. Without the Prophets of God there can be no true awakening and no realization of the spiritual progress made by man, just as without the sun and the moon it would be impossible to form an idea about time or to measure it. The Prophets of God are like the sun and the moon in the spiritual world. They reveal the capacity for spiritual progress that lies latent in human nature and make men understand and realize their inborn faculties and capabilities and the limitless field of spiritual progress that lies before them. Without Prophets, there could be no real spiritual progress in the world.

The words بالحق (in truth) signify that God has not created the heavens and the earth only to satisfy a caprice. He has created them to fulfil an eternal and noble object. The Prophets and Messengers of God are as much needed for the spiritual growth of man as are the sun and moon for that of the physical world.

2:165; 3:191; 23:81.

Commentary:

In the present verse the words, for a God-fearing people, have been substituted for the expression, for a people who have knowledge, occurring in the previous verse. This has been done because though the natural phenomenon of the alternation of day and night is known even to the most ignorant person, it is only the God-fearing that derive real spiritual benefit from a reverent study of it. Similarly, the ordaining of various stages for the moon and the sun, of which the previous verse spoke, was not so easy a thing as to be perceived and understood by each and every person and therefore only those endowed with knowledge could benefit from it. Hence it is that where the Quran speaks of the alternation of day and night, it uses the words "God-fearing people"; and where it refers to the stages of the moon and the sun it uses the words "a people who have knowledge".

The phenomenon of the alternation of day and night continues without interruption. Day is followed by night and night by day. This phenomenon resembles the rise and fall of nations. The days of their glory and prosperity are followed by the nights of their decline and degradation. No nation has ever enjoyed perpetual glory, nor has any people forever floundered and groped in the darkness of degradation and decline. But the analogy must not be too far stretched, for the verse does not speak of the "length" of days and nights but only of their "alternation". A people may make their day of prosperity long and shorten their night of decline. So let no people delude themselves with the idea that, because periods of light and darkness or, for that matter, of prosperity and decline, must follow one another, therefore, if they are overtaken by spiritual night it is only inevitable and that soon the day will dawn. For the night may become long or even too long. Similarly, it is in the power of man to postpone the coming of the night. Indeed, although nations are subject to the law of growth and decay, this does not mean that they should make no effort to check and arrest the process of decay and retrieve their lost prosperity. By implication the Meccans are told in this verse that God has caused the day of glory to dawn upon them through the Holy Prophet and it is now for them to work out their destiny and carve a bright future for themselves while it is yet day and before the darkness of night again overtakes them.

6:84.

Commentary:

The words, Thus did We plan for Joseph, make it clear beyond any shadow of doubt that the whole thing was planned by God Himself, Joseph having no hand in it. Quite inadvertently Joseph happened to place the King’s measuring cup in Benjamin’s luggage and his brothers happened themselves to make the suggestion which enabled Joseph to detain Benjamin.

Incidentally, the verse also shows that even a Prophet living under an alien government should abide by its laws and give it his full cooperation. Joseph desired to keep his brother with him, but the law of the land forbade him to do so. A Providential combination of circumstances, however, enabled him to satisfy his heart’s desire. The mistaken view held by some Muslims that a foreign Government is not entitled to their loyalty and cooperation finds no support in Islam. It tends adversely to affect their morals, and their whole attitude towards their rulers is calculated to become based on insincerity, even hypocrisy.

The words, then he began the search with their sacks before the sack of his brother, do not mean that Joseph made the search personally. The pronoun "he" refers to the man who announced the loss of the measuring cup and who naturally himself came forward to make the search. The reason why he searched Benjamin’s luggage last lies in the fact that, owing to Joseph’s kindly attitude towards him, the proclaimer naturally desired to show the greatest possible deference to Benjamin.

15:20; 16:16; 21:32.

36:37; 51:50.

7:55; 39:6.

Commentary:

This verse points to the law of nature that heaven and earth work in unison and this harmonious co-operation of the celestial and terrestrial bodies is responsible for the successful working of the universe. For instance, when rain falls from heaven the earth brings forth its vegetation which is thus the common result of both heaven and earth. The same law works in the spiritual universe, for just as there is a heaven and an earth in the material world there is also a spiritual heaven and a spiritual earth. Rain and light come down from the spiritual heaven, and the spiritual earth becomes enligh-tened and revived into a new life. Just as good soil cannot fail to yield its treasures after the descent of rain, similarly, unsullied human nature cannot withhold its treasures after the descent of heavenly water which is Divinerevelation. God’s Prophets attract men as a magnet attracts iron. There was therefore, no cause for wonder if Islam spread quickly. The wonder would have been if it had not spread so fast, because then one would have been entitled to ask why the soil did not bring forth its verdure and herbage when rain had fallen at the proper time.

The verse refers to another important natural law, viz. God has made in the earth mountains which keep water stored up in the form of snow which, on melting, feeds rivers and springs. If the store of snow on the tops of mountains were exhausted, rivers and springs would be dried up and the land would lie dry and desolate. An analogous law operates in the spiritual world. In the spiritual realm certain individuals are like mountains and serve as reser-voirs, storing up the Word of God, while certain other individuals are like rivers and springs which water the world but cannot keep the water stored up. Prophets are the mountains of the spiritual world, while savants and ulema, learned in religious lore, are its rivers and springs, and the common people provide the soil which these rivers and springs, being themselves fed by the melted snow of the mountains, water and make fertile. Should these mountains disappear, there would be no springs and no rivers and the earth would dry up and be ruined.

Though the present verse refers only to fruits, elsewhere the Quran speaks of God having made pairs—male and female—of all things (36:37; 51:50). This is a truth which of all religious Scriptures the Quran was the first to propound. It is true that even in pre-Islamic days the Arabs had discovered that the date trees were male and female, but they could go no further. It was the Quran that made known to the world the great truth that all fruit-trees, in fact, everything, had male and female. The people could not at first understand it. But now, after a lapse of 1350 years, scientific research has confirmed the Quranic announcement and scientists have begun to discover pairs even in inorganic matter.

The verse draws our attention to the fact that the law that everything has a pair applies to the human intellect also. Until heavenly light descends on it, man cannot have true knowledge, which is born of a combination of Divinerevelation and human reason. So it is impossible to have true knowledge of God independently of the revelation sent to the Holy Prophet. Similarly, human reason cannot fail to accept the Word of God revealed to the Holy Prophet if it is presented to it in a proper manner.

The words, He causes the night to cover the day, point to yet another fundamental law of nature that the night serves as a covering for the day, and by pointing to this law the Quran dispels the popular misconception that the light of the Quran could not spread amidst the prevailing im-penetrable veil of darkness. Just as the darkness of night is removed to give place to the light of the day, similarly, the present darkness of sin and iniquity will be followed by the spiritual light of truth and righteousness. Darkness, in fact, possesses no independent existence and a single ray of the sun dispels and dissipates it. The Sun of Islam will now dispel the darkness of unbelief and infidelity.

6:100; 16:12.

16:14; 39:22.

Important Words:

متجاورات (adjoining one another) is derived from تجاور which is derived from جاور which again is derived from جار which means, he or it declined or deviated. جاورہ means, he became his neighbour or he lived near him; he confined himself in a mosque, etc., occupying himself in prayer and religious meditation. تجاوروا means, they became mutual neighbours or they lived near together (Lane).

صنوان (growing together from one root) is the plural of صنو. They say اصنی النخل i.e. the palm-trees had pairs or triplets or more growing together from single roots. صنو means, one of a pair or of three or of more palm-trees or of any trees growing from one root; each being called the صنو of the other. The word also means, a brother by the same father or the same mother. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, عم الرجل صنو ابیه i.e. the paternal uncle of the man is the صنو of his father (Takmilah fis-Sihah) meaning that the stock of both is one. The Quranic words صنوان و غیر صنوان mean, palm-trees having one root and others having separate roots (Lane).

الاکل (fruit) is derived from اکل (akala). They say اکله i.e. he ate it. اکل (akl) which is the noun-infinitive means, the act of eating. اکل (ukul) means, what is eaten; any eatable; food; fruit; means of subsistence or ample means of subsistence; worldly good fortune; intelligence; judgement; firmness of intellect (Lane).

Commentary:

Disbelievers are told here that they should not think that, because the Holy Prophet is one of them and belongs to the same stock as they, he enjoyed no superiority over them. Do they not see, the verse says, that adjoining tracts of the same land possess different capacities and properties and produce different kinds of produce? A certain tract of land, for instance, grows one thing while the piece adjacent to it cannot grow it. Similarly, trees of one stock or one species growing in the same garden, not unoften, grow fruits of different quality. Why cannot the same thing happen among human beings?

The expression, they are watered with the same water, signifies that when trees watered with the same water bear fruits vastly different in taste and colour, why cannot the Holy Prophet, even though he lives in the same town and among the same people, excel them, especially when he is nourished in the elixir of Divine revelation and his opponents are brought up under the inspiration of Satan? The words also point to the fact that the same means employed by persons of different capabilities often produce different results. A sword in the hands of a person who does not know its use will be quite a different weapon in the hands of a seasoned and skilful warrior. So the superiority of the Holy Prophet over his opponents lies not only in his superior capacities but also in the way he makes use of the means at his disposal. AbuBakr and ‘Umar were ordinary citizens of Mecca who would have ended their days in oblivion but the magic touch of the Holy Prophet lifted them to the highest pinnacles of usefulness and glory.