Topic: Cooperation

59:9.

5:9; 11:90.

Important Words:

الھدی (the animal brought as an offering) is the noun-infinitive from ھدی meaning, he directed; or he showed the way. ھدیة means, a present, i.e. a thing sent or offered to another as a token of love, courtesy or honour. ھدی means (1) mode or manner of acting; conduct or character; (2) what one brings as an offering to the Ka‘bah, consisting of camels or kine or sheep or goats to be sacrificed; or the goods or commodities so brought; (3) camels absolutely (Aqrab & Lane).

القلائد (collars) is the plural of قلادة which is the noun-infinitive from قلد meaning, he twisted or wound or wreathed a thing upon another. قلدھاقلادة (qallada-ha) means, he put a necklace upon her neck. قلدالبدنة means, he hung upon the neck of the camel or cow, etc. brought as an offering to Mecca, a collar, to show that it was meant for sacrifice as an offering. قلادة means, a necklace; a collar or the like; that which is hung, as a sign or mark, upon the neck of a camel or cow, etc. brought to Mecca for sacrifice (Lane & Aqrab). The word قلائد (collars) may also mean "collared animals" (Muhit). The words ھدی and قلائد as used in this verse both signify animals that are taken to Mecca for sacrifice during the Pilgrimage, قلائد particularly meaning such animals as have collars round their necks, and ھدی all animals without distinction that are brought to Mecca for sacrifice.

آمین (who repair) is the plural of آم which is the active participle from ام. They say امه i.e. he repaired or directed his course to it; he aimed at or sought after it; he endeavoured to reach or attain it (Lane). See also 3:8; 3:21; 3:114.

Commentary:

The words شعائرالله (Signs of Allah, for which see 2:159) signify anything that leads to the knowledge and realization of God. The offerings made to God, or the animals of sacrifice brought to the Ka‘bah, are "Signs of God", in the sense that they teach us to be ever ready to sacrifice all, that belongs to us, for the sake of God.

The words الشھرالحرام (Sacred Month) may signify each one of the four Sacred Months, viz. Shawwal, Dhul-Qa‘dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Rajab. Some theologians, however, hold the view that here the "Sacred Month" means only Dhul-Hijjah, i.e. the month of حج (Greater Pilgrimage), to which a special reference has been made on account of the great gathering of pilgrims that takes place at Mecca in that month. Others are of the opinion that the word here refers to Rajab, the usual month of عمرة (Lesser Pilgrimage), to which no respect was paid by certain Arab tribes. Abstaining from profaning the Sacred Month may also mean paying due respect to the works performed therein.

All manner of fighting must cease during the four Sacred Months. As pilgrims have to travel to and from Mecca during these months, not only are pilgrims and animals of sacrifice not to be molested on the way, but all hostilities must cease and there should be perfect peace so that pilgrims may perform both their inward and outward journeys in complete security. The hunting of land animals has also been forbidden for similar reason.

The words, nor those repairing to the Sacred House, refer particularly to the pilgrims who go to Mecca for the Greater or the Lesser Pilgrimage. But they may also refer to such travellers as may proceed to Mecca for any valid purpose, including such non-Muslims as may visit the Sacred House with the permission of its custodians to gain religious knowledge.

The expression, help not one another in sin and transgression, constitutes an effective reply to the malicious charge that Islam is a militant religion, encouraging aggressive warfare against the infidels. How can a Book which gives such clear injunctions to its followers as are contained in the above words, be expected to command them to take up arms against innocent and unoffending people and to kill them wherever they are found on the sole ground that they do not profess Islam?

The verse clearly forbids Muslims to fight their enemies in the four Sacred Months even when a state of war exists. The Holy Prophet himself was the first to carry out this injunction. He would not fight the idolatrous Meccans when, at Hudaibiyyah, they refused to allow him and his 1,400 followers to perform عمرة (Lesser Pilgrimage) for which he had undertaken such a long and arduous journey. He went back to Medina after signing a treaty, the terms of which at that time appeared to be very humiliating, in spite of the fact that his followers were prepared to fight. The Holy Prophet, however, paid no heed to the outraged feelings of his followers and did what righteousness and piety demanded. But when non-Muslims are the first to attack Muslims during a Sacred Month, the latter are allowed to defend themselves (2:195, 218).

40:9.

Commentary:

This verse enunciates a great truth which has been mentioned by the Quran only viz. any good or bad act that a man does is shared by many other persons. The success of a tradesman in his trade or of a farmer in his farming or of an industrialist in his industry is due to the intentional or unintentional cooperation of a good many other individuals. It is for this reason that the Quran has laid down the institution of Zakah and has thereby given to the poor what is due to them in the property of the rich. What is true of a tradesman or an industrialist or an agriculturist is also true of others. Similarly, the wife of a religious missionary who goes to preach in a foreign country is a sharer in his work, for she looks after his children and performs his sundry other duties connected with his household. In the same way his parents and children rightfully have a share in his good work. As, therefore, a man does good works or wins credit with the intentional or unintentional help of his relatives and kinsmen, they all are made to participate proportionately in his rewards, and the Wise and Merciful God has laid down the law that in Heaven all members of the family of a person who has excelled others in virtue, will be placed with him, provided, of course, they have earned a place in Heaven, by their own righteous deeds.

The words, angels shall enter unto them from every gate, are not here used to point out that there will be many gates of Heaven but that the various classes of good deeds of the believers will, in the next world, be represented as so many gates.