Topic: Vision Of

2111

Important Words:

امرا (evil) is derived from امرا (amara). امرہ means, he commanded him. They say امرالقوم (amira) i.e. the people became many. امرالامر means, the affair or case became severe, distressful, grievous or wonderful. امر (imrun) means, a severe, distressful or grievous thing; or a terrible and foul or very foul, evil or abominable thing; or a wonderful thing. The Quranic words لقد جئت شیئا امرا mean, verily thou hast done a severe, distressful or grievous thing; or a terrible and foul or evil or abominable thing (Lane, Aqrab & Mufradat).

Commentary:

The preceding several verses served only as an introduction to the subject of the Isra’ of Moses. With the present verse, however, begins an account of the incidents which Moses actually saw in his vision. Moses is here represented as having objected to the very first act of his learned companion, in spite of the fact that he had promised not to do so. The Holy Prophet, however, was shown in his own vision as having kept silent all the way. This contrast in the behaviour of these two great Prophets represented the attitude of their followers towards their respective religions. Whereas the Companions of the Holy Prophet remained loyal to their Faith under the severest persecution and difficulties, the followers of Moses ignored and defied theirs when it suited them. On the other hand the three incidents of both visions are identical in their interpretation and significance though the metaphors used to describe them are different.

سفینة (boat) in the language of dreams denotes "worldly riches" This interpretation is supported by the Quran also (17:67). In this sense of the word, the embarkation of both Moses and his learned companion who, as is explained above, was the embodied form of the Holy Prophet, signifies that the followers of both these Prophets will have worldly riches in plenty in their respective periods.

The words, he staved it in, when interpreted, signify that the Holy Prophet would lay down commandments which would, as it were, make a hole in the boat of the material prosperity and riches of his followers, i.e. he would see to it that wealth does not accumulate in the hands of a few but that it continues to change hands and is fairly distributed among all sections of Muslims. To effect this Islam has made the giving of Zakah obligatory, has totally prohibited all transactions based on interest and by its law of inheritance has sought to distribute the wealth of a dying person among all his children, parents, wives and other near relatives. It has also prohibited gambling and has laid down laws to better and improve the condition and status of labourers. The materialistic and wealthy Jews and Christians could not view such a division of wealth with favour and regarded it as reckless waste. All their economic laws tend to increase the wealth of the rich and to help it accumulate in a few hands. Whereas in his vision Moses objected to the hole being made in the boat by his learned companion which, interpreted in accordance with the language of dreams, meant that his people would be too much enamoured of material wealth to accept laws aiming at its equitable distribution, the Holy Prophet in his own Vision refused to accept the cup of water offered to him which signified that his followers would prefer religion to the world.

Just as Moses in his vision found fault with his learned companion when the latter made a hole in the boat, similarly his people found fault with the Holy Prophet when he called upon his followers to spend their money in the cause of God. They even taunted him for making such demands (5:65 & 36:48).

2112

Commentary:

The righteous man of God in Moses’ vision (the Holy Prophet) is here represented as saying to him that as there existed great difference between the teachings of the two, he (Moses) could not accompany him, i.e. Moses’ people would not accept him (the Holy Prophet) unless they replaced their love of money by love of God.

2113

Commentary:

Moses repents of his mistake, begs to be excused and promises to ask no more questions. This may be interpreted as signifying that at first Jews and Christians would offer to make common cause with the Holy Prophet but later on they would back out of their solemn agreements. It so happened that when the Prophet went to Medina, the Jews of the town entered into an alliance with him. But later on, finding that such an alliance would entail great sacrifices, they broke it and ended by openly siding with his enemies. So was the case with Christians also. In the beginning they were on friendly terms with Muslims but their friendship soon became changed into open enmity. The Christian Emperor Heraclius treated the Prophet’s epistle with great respect and it appeared that he would become Muslim. But afterwards when Christians found that the political interests of Islam clashed with their own they declared war on Muslims which continued to have repercussions for a very long time.

2114

Important Words:

قتله (he killed him). قتل means, he killed; he killed his carnal desires. قتل الشراب means, he lessened the effect of wine by mixing it with water. They say قتل الجوع اوالبرد i.e. he lessened the vehemence of hunger or cold. قتل غلیه means, he quenched his thirst by making him drink water (Aqrab). See also 2:62; 2:73 & 4:158.

Commentary:

This part of Moses’ vision corresponds to the second part of the Holy Prophet’s Vision. In his Vision the Prophet saw a man calling him from across the road and then he was offered a cup of wine which he refused to accept. Gabriel told him that the man who called him was Satan and that the cup of wine signified deviating from the right path (Jarir). Similarly, in the second part of his vision Moses was shown a young man which, in the language of dreams signifies, among other things, ignorance, power and love of sensuous pleasures. Moses’ objection to the killing of the young boy by the righteous servant of God in his vision meant that Islam would require its followers to bring a veritable death over their carnal desires and passions but that the pleasure-loving Jews and Christians would find fault with this Islamic commandment.

The expression فانطلقا i.e. so they journeyed on, which has been used several times in these verses is exactly the expression used by the Archangel Gabriel for the Holy Prophet in his Vision, namely, انطلق انطلق i.e. go on, go on.

The words, when they met a young boy, he slew him, may refer to the murder by a party of Muslims of that archenemy of Islam, Ka‘b bin Ashraf, the ring leader of the Jewish miscreants of Medina (Hisham).

This verse also makes clear that the Journey of Moses of which an account has been given in these verses was undertaken in a vision because no sane person while awake would kill a man without legitimate cause.

2115

Commentary:

This verse shows that the followers of Moses—the Jews—would repeatedly break their solemn agreements with the Holy Prophet till a complete rupture of mutual relations ensued.

2116

Commentary:

The words اھل قریة (people of a town) in a dream signify, one or more nations; and asking for their hospitality means, seeking their cooperation in a righteous cause. In this sense of the words, اھل قریة the verse would mean that Moses and the Holy Prophet would seek the cooperation of Jews and Christians in the cause of God but it would be denied to both of them. That the Jews flatly refused to give any cooperation or assistance to Moses when he asked them to go with him to conquer Canaan is clearly stated in the Quran (5:22-25). The Holy Prophet also failed to receive the cooperation of Christians in even such a noble cause as the establishment of the Unity of God on earth. Says the Quran, O People of the Book! come to a word equal between us and you—that we worship none, but Allah, and that we associate no partner with Him and that some of us take not others for Lords besides Allah. But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness that we have submitted to God (3:65).

According to Ta‘tirul-Anam, جدار (wall) in a vision with a breach in it denotes a leader of a people or a learned man who has lost his property and the repairing of it signifies the restoration of the property of that leader.

In view of these interpretations, the words, And they found therein a wall which was about to fall, signify that Jewish and Christian religious leaders would lose all influence over their followers; and the repairing of the wall denotes that that influence would be rehabilitated. These words may also refer to the progress made by the Israelites through Moses and by the Ishmaelites through the Holy Prophet. The words, if thou hadst desired, thou couldst have taken payment for it, may mean that the business instinct of the Jewish and Christian peoples would grow so strong that they would not do anything without demanding remuneration for it.

2117

Commentary:

When the righteous servant of God (the Holy Prophet) saw that Moses, i.e. his followers, in spite of his earnest appeal for their cooperation in the propagation of the ideals which were common between them, would not give up their attitude of sullen aloofness and hostility, he realized that he would have to sever all connection with them.

2118

Commentary:

With this verse begins an explanation of the foregoing incidents as given by the holy man of Moses’ vision.

The words, 'poor people' here represent the meek of heart whom material prosperity and abundance of wealth do not prevent from taking care of and sympathizing with the needy and the destitute and from associating with them. The expression 'a king' denotes love of the world and attachment for material things. The verse thus means to say that those proud and conceited sons of darkness who disdain to spend their money on philanthropic purposes are wholly lost in the love of this world and fall easy victims to Satan. This is why the Holy Prophet sought to make a hole in the boat of his people—he laid down such laws as should render their love of this world pierced with the love of the next world so that they should spend their money in the service of the oppressed and the down-trodden and instead of tyrannizing over them they should serve them and sympathize with them.

It is worthy of note that whereas in the Holy Prophet’s Vision the love of the world took the form of an old woman, in Moses’ vision it was represented by a cruel king. This signified that the love of the world and its pleasures would exercise much less influence over the followers of the Holy Prophet than over those of Moses.

2119

Commentary:

As explained under 18:75 above غلام (youth) in a vision signifies, activity or buoyancy, power and ignorance; and the word قتل as also shown under the same verse means, diminishing or lessening the effect or vehemence of a thing. In view of the significance of these words, the killing of the youth would signify the lessening or diminishing the evil effects of ignorance, too much power and uncontrolled buoyancy.

The expression ابواہ (his parents) here means the human body and soul, because the parents or the source from which spring all moral qualities is the combination of the human body and soul which is man himself. So the killing of the youth in the vision signifies bringing under proper control unbridled human passions and lessening their vehemence and intensity. Thus the killing of the young man by the holy man of God so that he should not lead his parents to rebellion and disbelief, as seen in his vision by Moses, signifies that man has been gifted with great natural powers to perform the highest deeds of virtue and that in order to bring these powers into play, the faculties of activity, power and ignorance have been implanted in him. Man can fulfil the great object of his life by making use of these powers which spring from a combination of the human body and soul. But if these powers are not kept under proper control, they lead man to disbelief and transgression. These powers have been brought under proper control and their undue vehemence curbed by the commandments and ordinances which God has revealed to the Holy Prophet as signified by the killing of the young boy by the holy man in Moses’ Vision.

2120

Commentary:

The verse means to say that Islam has laid down these ordinances and commandments so that man may completely subdue his carnal desires and thus experience a new spiritual birth. But, as mentioned above the followers of Moses gave free play to their low passions and, abandoning themselves to a life of ease and pleasure, exceeded all bounds of moderation and sobriety.

2121

Commentary:

As already pointed out جدار (the wall) represents the elders of the Jews i.e. Moses, Jesus (18:78) and Abraham of whom the Quran says, "and in the next he will surely be among the righteous" (2:131).

By کنز (treasure) is meant the treasure of divine knowledge which was vouchsafed to Moses and Jesus.

The verse purports to say that God preserved in the Quran the great treasure of spiritual knowledge which was vouchsafed to Moses and Jesus (98:4) and which was in danger of being lost because of the irreligiousness of the Jews and their engrossment in worldly affairs so that, when they awaken to a realization of truth, they may accept it.

The words, as a mercy from thy Lord, mean that the preservation by God of the imperishable part of the teachings of Moses and Jesus in the Quran was an act of mercy on His part because the Jews by their repeated rebellion and transgression had forfeited all title to Divine mercy. But despite their iniquities God had mercy on them and preserved their own treasures of spiritual knowledge in the Quran for their guidance.

The words, I did it not of my own accord, mean that the Holy Prophet had no hand in the preservation of this great treasure of divine knowledge. A reference to this fact has also been made in the words, "Nor does he speak of his own desire" (53:4).

After a perusal of the incidents mentioned in the preceding verses and their explanation it becomes abundantly clear that the Vision of Moses has been mentioned here to point to the following facts:

(a) That it was decreed and was in the fitness of things that the Holy Prophet should appear after Christians who constitute the second part of the Mosaic Dispensation had become corrupt.

(b) That because Islamic teaching was based on laws and principles which differed fundamentally from some principles of the Mosaic Law, true and real cooperation between Jews and Muslims was impossible, but salvation without subscribing to Islamic principles was also unthinkable.

(c) That Jews and Christians would refuse to accept the Holy Prophet and would follow their own separate course but they will have to give their allegiance to him in the long run.

(d) That, after a long and fatiguing journey and after having despaired of obtaining real peace and contentment of mind through their own unaided efforts, Jews and Christians would be compelled to take stock of their whole position with the result that they would realize that as their religion had long outlived its usefulness they should have given it up long before.

(e) That after the dawning of this realization upon them, the prophecies concerning them which have been preserved in the Quran will lead Jews and Christians to accept the Holy Prophet.

(f) That after having accepted Islam they will submit themselves to limitations and restrictions which it has imposed upon man to regulate his moral conduct, and that by subduing their unrestrained passions they will become resigned to Divine decree and thus will draw upon themselves God’s grace and will bathe in the sea of His Mercy.

In fact, the Isra’ of Moses constituted a beautiful prelude to the coming Islamic Dispensation which was to supplant the Mosaic Law.

2246A

Important Words:

آنست (I perceived) is derived from انس (anisa). They say انس به i.e. he became familiar with him. آنسه (anasa-hu) means, he perceived it; he saw him or it and looked at him or it; he heard it, namely a sound; he felt it; he was sensible of it; he knew it; he had certain knowledge of it; he was acquainted with آنست منه الرشد means, I knew him to be characterised by maturity of intelligence and rectitude of actions and good management of affairs (Lane & Aqrab).

قبس (brand). They say قبس منه ناراً he took fire from him. قبس النار means, he lighted or kindled the fire. قبس means fire, or live coal; a brand or a firebrand; a piece of fire which one takes upon the end of a stick (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

Opinions differ as to what it was that Moses actually saw. In fact it was a vision that he had seen. The language of metaphor which has been used in this account of Moses also lends support to the view that he had only seen a vision and that he himself was conscious of the fact that he had seen no fire of wood or coal. If he had actually seen a material fire of wood, Moses would have used the words "I perceive the fire" and not the words "I perceive a fire", as he did.

Visions, however, are of two kinds: (a) those that concern only an individual. In such visions the Divine manifestation which is called ولایت (manifestation shown to God’s beloved other than the Prophets) in the spiritual terminology remains confined to the concerned individual. (b) Visions in which جلوهٔ نبوت (manifestation shown to the Prophets) is shown, the Divine manifestation extends also to the Prophet’s people.

By the words, "perhaps I may bring you a brand therefrom or find guidance at the fire", Moses meant to say that if it were جلوۂ نبوت that he had seen, then he would be given a new Shari‘ah for his people but if it were only جلوۂ ولایت he would receive some guidance for his own spiritual advancement.

It may be of interest to note that fire is of three kinds; (a) that which has light and also burns; (b) that which has no light but it burns; and (c) that which has light but does not burn. The fire which Moses had seen seemed to belong to the last category.

The word "tarry" implies that Moses wanted privacy for communion with God, therefore he asked his family to remain behind.

According to the Quran the incident to which reference has been made in this verse took place after Moses had completed his ten years of service with Shu‘aib in Midian and was actually on his way to Egypt with his wife and not as the Bible says that it occurred before he left for Egypt and was staying with Shu‘aib and that when one day he led the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, to the back side of the desert and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb, "the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush" (Exod. 3:1-3). Consideration of all the relevant facts of geography contradicts this Biblical account as the Lord appeared to Moses on mount Horeb which is in the desert of Sinai hundreds of miles away from Midian; and Moses after having had this experience could not possibly have gone back to Jethro, with the flock to apprise him of it the same evening as the Biblical account implies. Thus the Quranic account, is more in accordance with reason and facts of geography than the Biblical account. According to it the incident occurred after Moses had left Midian for good.

2817

Important Words:

تصطلون (warm yourselves) is derived from اصطلی which is the same as صلی. They say صلی النار i.e. he was or became burned by the fire or he endured the heat of the fire. اصطلی means, he warmed or burned himself by the fire (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

It was not actual fire that Moses had seen. Had it been so he would have used the expression انی آنست النار i.e. I have perceived the fire, instead of انی آنست ناراً i.e. I have perceived a fire. In fact it was a vision that Moses had seen, fire symbolizing the love of God. It is worthy of note that most of the major incidents connected with Moses that have been mentioned in the Quran, were not incidents which actually took place in the material and physical world but were visions which symbolized great landmarks in his spiritual development and prophetic mission. Besides the vision about the rod (7:118) and that concerning the breaking of the mountain into pieces (7:144) there are other important instances of such visions in the Quran, the verse under comment affording one such instance. See also 20:11.