الۡعِلۡمِ
Appears 12 times in Quran
Occurrences in Quran
Found 12 verses containing "الۡعِلۡمِ".
وَلَنۡ تَرۡضٰی عَنۡکَ الۡیَہُوۡدُ وَلَا النَّصٰرٰی حَتّٰی تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَہُمۡ ۗ قُلۡ اِنَّ ہُدَی اللّٰہِ ہُوَ الۡہُدٰی ۗ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعۡتَ اَہۡوَآءَہُمۡ بَعۡدَ الَّذِیۡ جَآءَکَ مِنَ الۡعِلۡمِ ۙ مَا لَکَ مِنَ اللّٰہِ مِنۡ وَّلِیٍّ وَّلَا نَصِیۡرٍ
2:146; 13:38.
2:146; 13:38.
2:112.
2:146; 13:38.
Important Words:
ملة (creed) is derived from مل and means, among other things, religion; law of Shari‘ah; the right way (Lane).
اھواء (evil desires) is the plural of ھوی (an evil desire). The verb ھوی means, he or it fell or descended or came down from a higher position to a lower one. It also means, it rose or ascended. الھوی means, a desire; an evil or low desire; an evil inclination; love and attachment اتبع ھواہ means, he followed his evil inclination, i.e. swerved from the way of rectitude (Aqrab & Lane).
Commentary:
The words, if thou follow their evil desires, though apparently addressed to the Holy Prophet, are really general in their application, being meant for his followers. The Holy Prophet has been described in the Quran as a model for mankind and a paragon of perfection (3:32; 33:22) and therefore he was infinitely above the possibility of complying with the evil wishes of the Jews and the Christians concerning the guidance he had directly received from God. At several other places in the Quran, the same form of address has been used. This is done to emphasize the importance of the commandment which is seemingly addressed to the Holy Prophet but is really meant for his followers (see 17:24). This mode of address is not peculiar to the Quran. In the Bible we come across similar instances (e.g. Deut. 16:21, 22).
e
2:146; 13:38.
a
2:112.
b
2:146; 13:38.
127
Important Words:
ملة (creed) is derived from مل and means, among other things, religion; law of Shari‘ah; the right way (Lane).
اھواء (evil desires) is the plural of ھوی (an evil desire). The verb ھوی means, he or it fell or descended or came down from a higher position to a lower one. It also means, it rose or ascended. الھوی means, a desire; an evil or low desire; an evil inclination; love and attachment اتبع ھواہ means, he followed his evil inclination, i.e. swerved from the way of rectitude (Aqrab & Lane).
Commentary:
The words, if thou follow their evil desires, though apparently addressed to the Holy Prophet, are really general in their application, being meant for his followers. The Holy Prophet has been described in the Quran as a model for mankind and a paragon of perfection (3:32; 33:22) and therefore he was infinitely above the possibility of complying with the evil wishes of the Jews and the Christians concerning the guidance he had directly received from God. At several other places in the Quran, the same form of address has been used. This is done to emphasize the importance of the commandment which is seemingly addressed to the Holy Prophet but is really meant for his followers (see 17:24). This mode of address is not peculiar to the Quran. In the Bible we come across similar instances (e.g. Deut. 16:21, 22).
a
2:146; 13:38.
وَلَئِنۡ اَتَیۡتَ الَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡکِتٰبَ بِکُلِّ اٰیَۃٍ مَّا تَبِعُوۡا قِبۡلَتَکَ ۚ وَمَاۤ اَنۡتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبۡلَتَہُمۡ ۚ وَمَا بَعۡضُہُمۡ بِتَابِعٍ قِبۡلَۃَ بَعۡضٍ ۚ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعۡتَ اَہۡوَآءَہُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَکَ مِنَ الۡعِلۡمِ ۙ اِنَّکَ اِذًا لَّمِنَ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ
عیسائی لوگ مشرق کی طرف منہ کرکے نماز پڑھا کرتے تھے۔ چنانچہ نجران کے عیسائی جب رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے پاس مذہبی گفتگو کرنے کے لئے آئے تو انہوں نے مشرق کی طرف ہی منہ کرکے نماز پڑھی تھی۔ عام طور پر اس کی وجہ وہ یہ بتاتے ہیں کہ مسیحؑ کی خبر دینے والا ستارہ مشرق کی طرف سے طلوع ہوا تھا۔
یہودیوں میں سامری قبیلہ کے لوگ جیسا کہ نئے عہدنامہ کی کتاب یوحنا باب ۴ آیت ۲۰ سے معلوم ہوتا ہے۔ یروشلم کے ایک پہاڑ کی طرف منہ کرکے عبادت کیا کرتے تھے اور باقی یہودی بیت المقدس کی طرف منہ کرکے نماز پڑھا کرتے تھے۔ پس ان سب میں اختلاف قبلہ تھا۔ اسی کی طرف اس آیت میں اشارہ کیا گیا ہے
109:3, 7.
6:57; 13:38.
This verse points to the hostility of Jews and Christians not only to Islam but also to one another. The Jews had Jerusalem as their Qiblah (Kings 8: 22-30; Dan. 6: 10; Ps. 5: 7 & Jonah, 2: 4), while the Samaritans, a disowned section of the Jews, who also followed the Mosaic Law, had adopted a certain mountain in Palestine, named Gerizim, as their Qiblah (Commentary on the New Testament by W. Walsham How, D.D.). The early Christians, followed the Qiblah of the Jews (Enc. Brit., 14th edition, v. 676 & Jew. Enc. vi. 53). The Christians of Najran worshipped in the Holy Prophet’s Mosque at Medina, with their faces turned to the East (Zurqani, iv. 41). Thus the Jews, the Samaritans, and the Christians followed different Qiblahs owing to their mutual jealousy and enmity. In these circumstances it was vain to expect them to follow the Qiblah of the Muslims.
109:3, 7.
6:57; 13:38.
Commentary:
This verse points to the hostility of Jews and Christians not only to Islam but also to one another. The Jews had Jerusalem as their Qiblah (See I. Kings 8:22-30; Dan. 6:10; Ps. 5:7; Jonah, 2:4) while the Samaritans, a disowned section of the Jews, who also followed the Mosaic Law, had adopted a certain mountain in Palestine, named Gerizim, as their Qiblah (John, 4:20 and Commentary on the New Testament by Right Rev. W. Walsham How, D.D., published by Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London, under this verse). As regards the early Christians, they followed the Qiblah of the Jews (Acts 3:1; Enc. Brit., 14th edition, v. 676; Jew. Enc. vi. 53) but we learn from authentic sources that when a party of the Christians of Najran paid a visit to Medina to have a discussion with the Holy Prophet on some doctrinal point, they worshipped in the Holy Prophet’s mosque at Medina with their faces turned to the East (Zurqani, iv. 41). Thus the Jews, the Samaritans, and the Christians followed different Qiblahs owing to their mutual jealousy and enmity. In these circumstances it was vain to expect them to follow the Qiblah of the Muslims, and when obsolete faiths refused to follow the true Qiblah, how could a true believer follow a Qiblah that had become obsolete.
The concluding clause speaks of the practice of the People of the Book as vain "desires," not because they were not originally based on revelation but because they were opposed to the new revelation that had appointed the Ka‘bah as Qiblah. He who insists on sticking to an order that is no longer in force, really follows naught but his own desire.
The words, then thou shalt surely be of the transgressors, do not evidently refer to the Holy Prophet, because, (1) he could in no circumstances go against Allah’s commandment, and (2) the foregoing part of this very verse says about him, nor wouldst thou follow their Qiblah, and (3) it is clearly stated in the preceding verse that he loved to turn his face towards the Ka‘bah and eagerly awaited a divine commandment to that effect. It is, therefore, unthinkable that the Prophet could forsake the Qiblah of his own liking. The words obviously refer, as supported by the rules of the Arabic language as well as the usage of the Quran, either to the reader in general or to every individual Muslim who followed the Holy Prophet.
a
109:3, 7.
b
6:57; 13:38.
1
عیسائی لوگ مشرق کی طرف منہ کرکے نماز پڑھا کرتے تھے۔ چنانچہ نجران کے عیسائی جب رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے پاس مذہبی گفتگو کرنے کے لئے آئے تو انہوں نے مشرق کی طرف ہی منہ کرکے نماز پڑھی تھی۔ عام طور پر اس کی وجہ وہ یہ بتاتے ہیں کہ مسیحؑ کی خبر دینے والا ستارہ مشرق کی طرف سے طلوع ہوا تھا۔
یہودیوں میں سامری قبیلہ کے لوگ جیسا کہ نئے عہدنامہ کی کتاب یوحنا باب ۴ آیت ۲۰ سے معلوم ہوتا ہے۔ یروشلم کے ایک پہاڑ کی طرف منہ کرکے عبادت کیا کرتے تھے اور باقی یہودی بیت المقدس کی طرف منہ کرکے نماز پڑھا کرتے تھے۔ پس ان سب میں اختلاف قبلہ تھا۔ اسی کی طرف اس آیت میں اشارہ کیا گیا ہے
a
109:3, 7.
b
6:57; 13:38.
152
Commentary:
This verse points to the hostility of Jews and Christians not only to Islam but also to one another. The Jews had Jerusalem as their Qiblah (See I. Kings 8:22-30; Dan. 6:10; Ps. 5:7; Jonah, 2:4) while the Samaritans, a disowned section of the Jews, who also followed the Mosaic Law, had adopted a certain mountain in Palestine, named Gerizim, as their Qiblah (John, 4:20 and Commentary on the New Testament by Right Rev. W. Walsham How, D.D., published by Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London, under this verse). As regards the early Christians, they followed the Qiblah of the Jews (Acts 3:1; Enc. Brit., 14th edition, v. 676; Jew. Enc. vi. 53) but we learn from authentic sources that when a party of the Christians of Najran paid a visit to Medina to have a discussion with the Holy Prophet on some doctrinal point, they worshipped in the Holy Prophet’s mosque at Medina with their faces turned to the East (Zurqani, iv. 41). Thus the Jews, the Samaritans, and the Christians followed different Qiblahs owing to their mutual jealousy and enmity. In these circumstances it was vain to expect them to follow the Qiblah of the Muslims, and when obsolete faiths refused to follow the true Qiblah, how could a true believer follow a Qiblah that had become obsolete.
The concluding clause speaks of the practice of the People of the Book as vain "desires," not because they were not originally based on revelation but because they were opposed to the new revelation that had appointed the Ka‘bah as Qiblah. He who insists on sticking to an order that is no longer in force, really follows naught but his own desire.
The words, then thou shalt surely be of the transgressors, do not evidently refer to the Holy Prophet, because, (1) he could in no circumstances go against Allah’s commandment, and (2) the foregoing part of this very verse says about him, nor wouldst thou follow their Qiblah, and (3) it is clearly stated in the preceding verse that he loved to turn his face towards the Ka‘bah and eagerly awaited a divine commandment to that effect. It is, therefore, unthinkable that the Prophet could forsake the Qiblah of his own liking. The words obviously refer, as supported by the rules of the Arabic language as well as the usage of the Quran, either to the reader in general or to every individual Muslim who followed the Holy Prophet.
a
109:3, 7.
b
6:57; 13:38.
168
This verse points to the hostility of Jews and Christians not only to Islam but also to one another. The Jews had Jerusalem as their Qiblah (Kings 8: 22-30; Dan. 6: 10; Ps. 5: 7 & Jonah, 2: 4), while the Samaritans, a disowned section of the Jews, who also followed the Mosaic Law, had adopted a certain mountain in Palestine, named Gerizim, as their Qiblah (Commentary on the New Testament by W. Walsham How, D.D.). The early Christians, followed the Qiblah of the Jews (Enc. Brit., 14th edition, v. 676 & Jew. Enc. vi. 53). The Christians of Najran worshipped in the Holy Prophet’s Mosque at Medina, with their faces turned to the East (Zurqani, iv. 41). Thus the Jews, the Samaritans, and the Christians followed different Qiblahs owing to their mutual jealousy and enmity. In these circumstances it was vain to expect them to follow the Qiblah of the Muslims.
وَقَالَ لَہُمۡ نَبِیُّہُمۡ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ قَدۡ بَعَثَ لَکُمۡ طَالُوۡتَ مَلِکًا ۚ قَالُوۡۤا اَنّٰی یَکُوۡنُ لَہُ الۡمُلۡکُ عَلَیۡنَا وَنَحۡنُ اَحَقُّ بِالۡمُلۡکِ مِنۡہُ وَلَمۡ یُؤۡتَ سَعَۃً مِّنَ الۡمَالِ ۚ قَالَ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ اصۡطَفٰٮہُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ وَزَادَہٗ بَسۡطَۃً فِی الۡعِلۡمِ وَالۡجِسۡمِ ۖ وَاللّٰہُ یُؤۡتِیۡ مُلۡکَہٗ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ ۚ وَاللّٰہُ وٰسِعٌ عَلِیۡمٌ
3:27.
طالوت سے مراد جدعون ہے اور یہ صفاتی نام ہے جو طَالَ سے نکلا ہے جس کے معنے ہیں لمبا اور مضبوط ہو گیا اور جدعون کے معنے عبرانی زبان میں اپنے مادہ کے اعتبار سے گرانے یا کاٹنے کے ہیں اور جدعون ایسے شخص کو کہتے ہیں جو اپنے مخالف کو کاٹ ڈالتا اور زمین پر گرا دیتا ہے۔ بائبل میں بھی جدعون کو بہادر پہلوان کے نام سے پکارا گیا ہے (دیکھو قاضیوں باب۶ آیت۱۲) پس طالوت اور جدعون دونوں ہم معنی الفاظ ہیں۔
علاوہ اور معنوں کے مُلْـک کے معنے حکومت اور غلبہ کے بھی ہیں (اقرب) اَ نّٰی کے مندرجہ ذیل معنے ہیں۔ (۱) کَیْفَ کس طرح (۲) مِنْ اَیْنَ کہاں سے (۳) اَ یْنَ جہاں اور کہاں۔ اس صورت میں یہ دو فعلوں کو جزم دیتا ہے۔ (۴) حَتّٰی کب (اقرب) پس اس آیت کے معنے یہ ہوئے کہ اسے ہم پر حکومت کس طرح مل سکتی ہے یا یہ کہ اسے ہم پر حکومت کرنے کا حق کب حاصل ہوا؟ یا اُسے ہم پر حکومت کہاں سے حاصل ہوئی۔
مِنَ الْمَالِ‘ سَعَۃً کی صفت ہے۔ اس لئے ’’سَعَۃً مِّنَ الْمَالِ‘‘ کا صحیح ترجمہ مالی فراخی ہے۔
بَسْطَۃً کے معنے وسعت۔ فراخی اور کمال کے ہیں (اقرب)
اپنا ملک کہہ کر اِس طرف اشارہ فرمایا کہ جب حکومت خداتعالیٰ کی ہے تو حق دار وہ ہے جسے خداتعالیٰ مقرر کرے۔
3:27.
Talut is the attributive name of an Israelite king who lived about two hundred years before David and about the same number of years after Moses. Some Commentators of the Qur’an have wrongly identified Talut with Saul. The description of the Qur’an fits in more with Gideon (Judg. chs. 6-8) than with Saul. Gideon lived in about 1250 B.C. and the Bible calls him a "mighty man of valour" (Judg. 6: 12) which is the same as Talut. According to some Christian writers incidents related in this passage refer to two different periods which are separated from each other by the long interval of 200 years, and refer to this passage as an instance, as they say, of historical anachronisms to be found in the Qur’an. The passage does indeed refer to two different periods, but there is no anachronism in it. The Qur’an has here referred to both these periods. Its object in doing so is to show how the unification of the different tribes of Israel began in the time of Gideon, (i.e. Talut), two hundred years before Dav
3:27.
Important Words:
طالوت (Talut) is the attributive name of an Israelite king who lived about two hundred years before David and about the same number of years after Moses. Most commentators regard Talut to be a name of Hebrew origin and consider him to be synonymous with Saul (1. Sam. ch. 9). As Hebrew is only an offshoot of Arabic, the word Talut appears to be derived from the Arabic root طال i.e. he became tall or high___a description coinciding with the one given in the verse under comment viz. one increased abundantly in knowledge and body. It is, however, not right to identify Talut with Saul. The description of the Quran fits more with Gideon (Judg. chs. 6-8) than with Saul. Gideon lived in about 1250 B.C. and the Bible calls him a "mighty man of valour" (Judg. 6:12) which is the same as Talut.
Commentary:
There has been a difference of opinion as to the identity of the person to whom the name Talut has been applied. According to a number of Muslim commentators, Talut stands for Saul, and the passage refers to the reign of Saul. Christian writers have, however, taken exception to this view. According to them the incidents related in this passage refer to two different periods which are separated from each other by the long interval of 200 years; and these critics refer to this passage as an instance of historical anachronism, found in the Quran. The passage does indeed refer to two different periods, but if Christian critics had carefully thought over their own history, they would have seen that there is no confusion of dates in the passage in question and that the Quran has here referred to both these periods. Its object in doing so is to show how the unification of the different tribes of Israel began in the time of Gideon (i.e. Talut) two hundred years before David, and was finally consummated in the time of David.
In order to determine the identity of Talut, let us glance over the main incidents related in verse 247 to 252. These are as follows: 1. The people of the period to which Talut belongs had been driven forth from their homes and their children (2:247). 2. One who was not originally a king was appointed as such (2:248). 3. God helped the followers of this king, giving them the Talut as a token of His sovereignty (2:249). 4. The people were tried by means of water (2:250). 5. There existed a great disparity in numbers between these people and the enemy, and the trial reduced their number still further (ibid). 6. In spite of the small number of his followers, this king overcame the enemy (2:252).
Now some of these details do indeed apply to Saul, but there are others which do not. The key words which afford a clue to the identity of Talut are, Hast thou not heard of the chiefs of the children of Israel after Moses. The words "after Moses" indicate that the incident belongs to an early period when the Jews as a nation had just begun to take a definite shape in history. For two hundred years after Moses, the Israelites were divided into different tribes and had no king and no fighting force. In 1256 B.C., owing to their iniquity, God delivered them into the hands of the Midianites who plundered and ravaged them for seven long years, and they were compelled to take refuge in caves (Judg. 6:1, 2). This is why they are represented in the Quran as saying, we have been driven forth from our homes. The Midianites attacked them and carried away their sheep and oxen and asses, and destroyed their crops and pillaged them as far as Gaza (Judg. 6:4-6). The Israelites then cried to their Lord, and God raised among them a Prophet; and an angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, appointed him king and promised him divine help. Then Gideon said to God, "Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house" (Judg. 6:15). This tallies with the description given in the Quran which represents the chiefs among the Israelites as saying with regard to the new king, How can he have sovereignty over us while we are better entitled to sovereignty than he and he is not given abundance of wealth (2:248). What makes the identification of Talut with Gideon still more certain is the fact that it was in the time of Gideon and not Saul that the Israelites were tried by means of water and the description of the trial as given in the Bible (Judg. 7:4-7) is the same as that of the Quran.
From Judg. 7:6, 7 we learn that after the aforesaid trial, there remained with Gideon only 300 men. It is interesting to note that a Companion of the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "We were 313 men in the Battle of Badr, and this number corresponds to the number of men who followed Talut" (Tirmidhi, ch. on Siyar). Thus this tradition also lends support to the conclusion that Talut was no other than Gideon.
What further confirms the identity of Talut with Gideon is that the Hebrew word Gideon is identical in meaning with the Arabic word Talut. The former is derived from a root which in Hebrew means "to fell" (Enc. Bib.) or "to hew" (Jew. Enc.). Thus, Gideon means "one who cuts down his adversary and fells him to the ground" and the Bible itself speaks of Gideon as a "mighty man of valour" (Judg. 6:12), and we have already noted that in Arabic Tala means one who is tall and towers above others (see Important Words above).
The clause, how can he have sovereignty over us while we are better entitled to sovereignty than he, and he is not given abundance of wealth, indicates that the people raised two objections against Talut or Gideon: (1) that he did not belong to a highly placed family and was therefore not entitled to kingship, and (2) that he did not possess the requisite wealth for exercising influence. Both of these are plausible objections that are usually made by ordinary people of the world; but a chosen people guided by the will of the Just and Wise God must think otherwise. With them the real title to sovereignty is neither family status nor wealth but the personal qualities of a man; hence the clause, surely Allah has chosen him above you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and body. The superiority of a man in physical and mental faculties coupled with knowledge and prowess must remain the basis for all title to rulership. And in the case of Talut the title had the additional strength of coinciding with the choice of God Who is the best and, in fact, the only true Judge of all titles.
c
3:27.
3
طالوت سے مراد جدعون ہے اور یہ صفاتی نام ہے جو طَالَ سے نکلا ہے جس کے معنے ہیں لمبا اور مضبوط ہو گیا اور جدعون کے معنے عبرانی زبان میں اپنے مادہ کے اعتبار سے گرانے یا کاٹنے کے ہیں اور جدعون ایسے شخص کو کہتے ہیں جو اپنے مخالف کو کاٹ ڈالتا اور زمین پر گرا دیتا ہے۔ بائبل میں بھی جدعون کو بہادر پہلوان کے نام سے پکارا گیا ہے (دیکھو قاضیوں باب۶ آیت۱۲) پس طالوت اور جدعون دونوں ہم معنی الفاظ ہیں۔
4
علاوہ اور معنوں کے مُلْـک کے معنے حکومت اور غلبہ کے بھی ہیں (اقرب) اَ نّٰی کے مندرجہ ذیل معنے ہیں۔ (۱) کَیْفَ کس طرح (۲) مِنْ اَیْنَ کہاں سے (۳) اَ یْنَ جہاں اور کہاں۔ اس صورت میں یہ دو فعلوں کو جزم دیتا ہے۔ (۴) حَتّٰی کب (اقرب) پس اس آیت کے معنے یہ ہوئے کہ اسے ہم پر حکومت کس طرح مل سکتی ہے یا یہ کہ اسے ہم پر حکومت کرنے کا حق کب حاصل ہوا؟ یا اُسے ہم پر حکومت کہاں سے حاصل ہوئی۔
5
مِنَ الْمَالِ‘ سَعَۃً کی صفت ہے۔ اس لئے ’’سَعَۃً مِّنَ الْمَالِ‘‘ کا صحیح ترجمہ مالی فراخی ہے۔
6
بَسْطَۃً کے معنے وسعت۔ فراخی اور کمال کے ہیں (اقرب)
7
اپنا ملک کہہ کر اِس طرف اشارہ فرمایا کہ جب حکومت خداتعالیٰ کی ہے تو حق دار وہ ہے جسے خداتعالیٰ مقرر کرے۔
a
3:27.
254
Important Words:
طالوت (Talut) is the attributive name of an Israelite king who lived about two hundred years before David and about the same number of years after Moses. Most commentators regard Talut to be a name of Hebrew origin and consider him to be synonymous with Saul (1. Sam. ch. 9). As Hebrew is only an offshoot of Arabic, the word Talut appears to be derived from the Arabic root طال i.e. he became tall or high___a description coinciding with the one given in the verse under comment viz. one increased abundantly in knowledge and body. It is, however, not right to identify Talut with Saul. The description of the Quran fits more with Gideon (Judg. chs. 6-8) than with Saul. Gideon lived in about 1250 B.C. and the Bible calls him a "mighty man of valour" (Judg. 6:12) which is the same as Talut.
Commentary:
There has been a difference of opinion as to the identity of the person to whom the name Talut has been applied. According to a number of Muslim commentators, Talut stands for Saul, and the passage refers to the reign of Saul. Christian writers have, however, taken exception to this view. According to them the incidents related in this passage refer to two different periods which are separated from each other by the long interval of 200 years; and these critics refer to this passage as an instance of historical anachronism, found in the Quran. The passage does indeed refer to two different periods, but if Christian critics had carefully thought over their own history, they would have seen that there is no confusion of dates in the passage in question and that the Quran has here referred to both these periods. Its object in doing so is to show how the unification of the different tribes of Israel began in the time of Gideon (i.e. Talut) two hundred years before David, and was finally consummated in the time of David.
In order to determine the identity of Talut, let us glance over the main incidents related in verse 247 to 252. These are as follows: 1. The people of the period to which Talut belongs had been driven forth from their homes and their children (2:247). 2. One who was not originally a king was appointed as such (2:248). 3. God helped the followers of this king, giving them the Talut as a token of His sovereignty (2:249). 4. The people were tried by means of water (2:250). 5. There existed a great disparity in numbers between these people and the enemy, and the trial reduced their number still further (ibid). 6. In spite of the small number of his followers, this king overcame the enemy (2:252).
Now some of these details do indeed apply to Saul, but there are others which do not. The key words which afford a clue to the identity of Talut are, Hast thou not heard of the chiefs of the children of Israel after Moses. The words "after Moses" indicate that the incident belongs to an early period when the Jews as a nation had just begun to take a definite shape in history. For two hundred years after Moses, the Israelites were divided into different tribes and had no king and no fighting force. In 1256 B.C., owing to their iniquity, God delivered them into the hands of the Midianites who plundered and ravaged them for seven long years, and they were compelled to take refuge in caves (Judg. 6:1, 2). This is why they are represented in the Quran as saying, we have been driven forth from our homes. The Midianites attacked them and carried away their sheep and oxen and asses, and destroyed their crops and pillaged them as far as Gaza (Judg. 6:4-6). The Israelites then cried to their Lord, and God raised among them a Prophet; and an angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, appointed him king and promised him divine help. Then Gideon said to God, "Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house" (Judg. 6:15). This tallies with the description given in the Quran which represents the chiefs among the Israelites as saying with regard to the new king, How can he have sovereignty over us while we are better entitled to sovereignty than he and he is not given abundance of wealth (2:248). What makes the identification of Talut with Gideon still more certain is the fact that it was in the time of Gideon and not Saul that the Israelites were tried by means of water and the description of the trial as given in the Bible (Judg. 7:4-7) is the same as that of the Quran.
From Judg. 7:6, 7 we learn that after the aforesaid trial, there remained with Gideon only 300 men. It is interesting to note that a Companion of the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "We were 313 men in the Battle of Badr, and this number corresponds to the number of men who followed Talut" (Tirmidhi, ch. on Siyar). Thus this tradition also lends support to the conclusion that Talut was no other than Gideon.
What further confirms the identity of Talut with Gideon is that the Hebrew word Gideon is identical in meaning with the Arabic word Talut. The former is derived from a root which in Hebrew means "to fell" (Enc. Bib.) or "to hew" (Jew. Enc.). Thus, Gideon means "one who cuts down his adversary and fells him to the ground" and the Bible itself speaks of Gideon as a "mighty man of valour" (Judg. 6:12), and we have already noted that in Arabic Tala means one who is tall and towers above others (see Important Words above).
The clause, how can he have sovereignty over us while we are better entitled to sovereignty than he, and he is not given abundance of wealth, indicates that the people raised two objections against Talut or Gideon: (1) that he did not belong to a highly placed family and was therefore not entitled to kingship, and (2) that he did not possess the requisite wealth for exercising influence. Both of these are plausible objections that are usually made by ordinary people of the world; but a chosen people guided by the will of the Just and Wise God must think otherwise. With them the real title to sovereignty is neither family status nor wealth but the personal qualities of a man; hence the clause, surely Allah has chosen him above you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and body. The superiority of a man in physical and mental faculties coupled with knowledge and prowess must remain the basis for all title to rulership. And in the case of Talut the title had the additional strength of coinciding with the choice of God Who is the best and, in fact, the only true Judge of all titles.
a
3:27.
307
Talut is the attributive name of an Israelite king who lived about two hundred years before David and about the same number of years after Moses. Some Commentators of the Qur’an have wrongly identified Talut with Saul. The description of the Qur’an fits in more with Gideon (Judg. chs. 6-8) than with Saul. Gideon lived in about 1250 B.C. and the Bible calls him a "mighty man of valour" (Judg. 6: 12) which is the same as Talut. According to some Christian writers incidents related in this passage refer to two different periods which are separated from each other by the long interval of 200 years, and refer to this passage as an instance, as they say, of historical anachronisms to be found in the Qur’an. The passage does indeed refer to two different periods, but there is no anachronism in it. The Qur’an has here referred to both these periods. Its object in doing so is to show how the unification of the different tribes of Israel began in the time of Gideon, (i.e. Talut), two hundred years before Dav
ہُوَ الَّذِیۡۤ اَنۡزَلَ عَلَیۡکَ الۡکِتٰبَ مِنۡہُ اٰیٰتٌ مُّحۡکَمٰتٌ ہُنَّ اُمُّ الۡکِتٰبِ وَاُخَرُ مُتَشٰبِہٰتٌ ۖ فَاَمَّا الَّذِیۡنَ فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِہِمۡ زَیۡغٌ فَیَتَّبِعُوۡنَ مَا تَشٰبَہَ مِنۡہُ ابۡتِغَآءَ الۡفِتۡنَۃِ وَابۡتِغَآءَ تَاۡوِیۡلِہٖ ۗ وَمَا یَعۡلَمُ تَاۡوِیۡلَہٗۤ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ ۗ وَالرّٰسِخُوۡنَ فِی الۡعِلۡمِ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ اٰمَنَّا بِہٖ کُلٌّ مِّنۡ عِنۡدِ رَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا یَذَّکَّرُ اِلَّاۤ اُولُوا الۡاَلۡبٰبِ
11:2.
39:24.
7:54; 18:79.
4:163.
مُحْكَمْ (Muhkam) 的意思是: (1) 意义不会受到窜改或删减者; (2) 意义不含糊或不存在怀疑可能性者; (3) 意义清楚而解释明确者; (4) 包含«古兰经»特有教义的节文(مُفْرَدَات, Mufradat和Lane)。
اُمّ (Umm) 意指: (1) 母亲; (2) 事物的起源或基础; (3) 任何作为扶助、支持改革或修正另一事物手段的东西; (4) 与周围其它事物相联系的任何东西 (اَقْرَبْ, Aqrab和مُفْرَدَات, Mufradat)。
مُتَشَابِه (Mutashabih) 用於 (1)虽是一致, 但可以有不同解释的词语、句子或经节; (2) 彼此相似或一致的部分; (3) 经文的真正意义和没有表示出来的意义相类似的部分; (4) 经文的正确意思只有参照称为 مُحْكَمْ (Muhkam) 的经文才可知道; (5) 不经过反复考虑就不能正确理解的经文; (6) 经文含有的教义和先前启示的经文含有的教义相符或相似的部分 (مُفْرَدَات, Mufradat)。
تَأ وِيْل (Ta’wil) 意思是: (1) 解释或说明; (2) 讲话或文章的意义的推测; (3) 转变讲话或文章的正确解释; (4) 对梦的解释; (5) 事物的结束、结果或后果 (Lane)。在此节经文中该词出现两次。第一次的意思是 (2) 和 (3), 而第二次的意思是 (1) 或 (5)。
此节经文说明这样一个重要规则, 即为了证实一个有争论的观点, 应该考虑那明确而清楚的经文措辞。如果发现这些经文与某一意义不明确的章节的句子结构有抵触, 就应该把该章节解释得与措辞明确、清楚的经文相一致。根据此节经文来看, «古兰经» 有两种经文。一种是 مُحْكَمْ (Muhkam) 意义肯定而明确的, 另一种是 مُتَشَابِه (Mutashabih) 意义可作不同的解释的。正确解释 Mutashabih 经文的方法是, 只有把其经文解释得与 (Muhkam) 经文相一致。在39:24中, 整个 «古兰经» 被称作Mutashabih而在11:2中所有 «古兰经» 节文被说成是 Muhkam。这不应该被看作与在注释的这节经文相矛盾。根据在注解的这节经文, 有些 «古兰经» 节文是 Muhkam, 有些节文是 Mutashabih。就 «古兰经» 节文的真正意义而论, 整个 «古兰经» 是 Muhkam, 因为所有的节文包含明确而永恒的真理。然而, 从另一意义来说, 全本 «古兰经» 节文是Mutashabih, 因为 «古兰经» 每一节都同时表示几个同样正确和适当的意思, 就另一意义说, «古兰经» 也是Mutashabih 相互类似, 其中没有前后矛盾或相互不一致的地方, 不同的节文可以相互印证。(如同此节经文所指出的那样) 有些经文当然属於 (Muhkam), 有些属于Mutashabih, 这要看不同读者的知识、思想品质和天赋能力而定, 如本节所指示者。至于预言, 用明白、直接、只容许有一种意义的语言所表述的可以看作是 (Muhkam); 而用隐喻、能有不止一种解释的语言叙述的, 则可被看作 Mutashabih。因此, 应该按照确已实现了无疑的预言和伊斯兰教的基本原则来解释用隐喻的言语所叙述的预言。有关(Muhkam) 预言, 读者可参阅58:22; 而28:86则包含Mutashabih预言。(Muhkam) 这个词也适用那种包括充分而全面经律的经文; 而 Mutashabih经文只包容某一经律的一部分, 并且须与其它经文联系起来阅读, 才能形成一条完整的经律。مُحْكَمَات (Muhkamat) (明确的经文)通常论述伊斯兰教信仰的律令和教义; 而且 مُتَشَابِهَات (Mutashabihat) 论述次要的论题或叙述众先知的生平轶事或各民族史, 在论述中有时就用一些可能会产生不同意思的成语和短语。这样的经文的解释不应与措辞清楚的伊斯兰教信仰的教义相矛盾。这里可以注意到: 为了用最少的词来表达众多的意思, 为了使经文风格优雅, 为了使人们受到磨炼--------如果没有这种磨炼, 人们的心灵就不可能深化和完美--------就需要使用隐喻, 而隐喻是经典中Mutashabih经文的主要基础。
مُحْکَمٰتٌ محکمات سے مراد وہ آیات ہیں جن میں قرآن کریم کی خاص تعلیم بیان ہوئی ہے۔
مُتَشٰبِھٰتٌ سے مراد وہ آیات ہیں جن میں ایسی تعلیم ہے جو پہلی کتابوں میں بھی مذکور ہے۔
یعنی جو آیات پہلی کتب کی تعلیم سے ملتی ہیں وہ ان کو بگاڑ کر پہلی قوموں کی روایات کے تابع کر دیتے ہیں اور اس طرح قرآن کریم کی خوبی کو چھپا دیتے ہیں۔
7:54; 18:79.
4:163.
11:2.
39:24.
Muhkam means, (1) that which has been made secure from change or alteration; (2) that in which there is no ambiguity or possibility of doubt; (3) that which is clear in meaning and decisive in exposition and (4) a verse which embodies a teaching special to the Qur’an (Mufradat & Lane).
Umm means, (1) mother; (2) source or origin or basis of a thing; (3) anything which is a means of sustenance and support or of reformation and correction for another; (4) anything to which other things around it are linked (Aqrab & Mufradat).
Mutashabih is used about (1) that phrase, sentence or verse which is susceptible of different, though concordant, interpretations; (2) that whose parts resemble or are concordant with one another; (3) that whose true significance bears a similarity to a sense which is not meant; (4) that of which the true meaning is known only by referring it to what is termed Muhkam; (5) that which cannot be rightly understood without repeated consideration; (6) a verse which contains teaching corresponding to or resembling those contained in the previous revealed Scriptures (Mufradat).
Ta’wil means, (1) interpretation or explanation; (2) conjecture about the meaning of a speech or writing; (3) turning away a speech or writing from its right interpretation; (4) interpretation of a dream; (5) end, result or sequel of a thing (Lane). In this verse the word occurs twice; in the former place it gives the second or the third meaning, while in the latter it gives the first or the fifth meaning.
The verse lays down the golden rule that, in order to prove a controversial point, the decisive and clearly worded parts of a Scripture should be taken into consideration, and if these are found to contradict the construction put upon a certain ambiguous passage that passage should be so interpreted as to make it harmonize with the decisive and clearly worded parts of the text. According to the verse, the Qur’an has two sets of verses. Some are Muhkam (firm and decisive in meaning) and others Mutashabih (capable of different interpretations). The right way to interpret a Mutashabih verse is that only such interpretation of it should be accepted as agrees with the verses that are Muhkam. In 39:24 the whole of the Qur’an is called Mutashabih and in 11:2 all the Quranic verses have been described as Muhkam. This should not be taken as contradicting the verse under comment, according to which some verses of the Qur’an are Muhkam and others Mutashabih
11:2.
39:24.
7:54; 18:79.
4:163.
Important Words:
محکمات (decisive in meaning) is derived from احکم which again is derived from حکم which means, he decided or he judged; he prevented or restrained or withheld. احکمه means, he rendered it firm, stable and secure; he restrained it. Hence محکم means: (1) that which has been made secure from change or alteration; (2) that in which there is no ambiguity or possibility of doubt; (3) that which is clear in meaning and decisive in exposition (Aqrab, Mufradat & Lane).
ام (basis) is the noun-infinitive from ام (amma), i.e. he aimed at or sought or took himself to. ام possesses a variety of meanings some of which are: (1) mother; (2) source or origin or basis of a thing; (3) anything which is a means of sustenance and support or of reformation and correction for another; (4) anything to which other things surrounding it are linked (Aqrab & Mufradat).
متشابھات (susceptible of different interpretations) is the plural of متشابھة which is derived from شبه. They say شبھه به i.e. he made it to be like that; he likened it to that. شبه علیه الامر means, he rendered the affair confused or obscure or ambiguous to him. تشابه الرجلان means, the two men were so like each other that it was difficult to distinguish one from the other. متشابهmeans, mutually resembling. Thus the expressions متشابھه is used about (1) that phrase, sentence or verse which is susceptible of different, though concordant, interpretations; or (2) that whose parts resemble or are concordant with one another; or (3) that whose true significance bears a similarity to a sense which is not meant; or (4) that of which the true meaning is known only by referring it to what is termed محکم (decisive); or (5) that which cannot be rightly understood without repeated consideration (Aqrab, Lane & Mufradat).
زیغ (perversity) is the noun-infinitive from زاغ which means, he declined or deviated, or turned aside from the right course. So زیغ means, deviation from the truth or the right course; crookedness; doubt. ازاغه means, he made him deviate from the right course (Aqrab & Mufradat).
تاویله (its interpretation). تاویل is the noun-infinitive from اول which is derived from آل i.e. he or it turned or returned. اولهmeans, he caused it or him to turn or return. اول الکلام means, he interpreted or explained the speech or writing. اول الرؤیاmeans, he interpreted the dream. تاویل means, (1) interpretation or explanation; (2) conjecture about the meaning of a speech or writing; (3) turning away a speech or writing from its right interpretation; (4) interpretation of a dream; (5) end, result or sequel of a thing (Lane & Aqrab). In the present verse the word تاویل occurs twice, the first-mentioned تاویلgiving the second or the third meaning, while the second-mentioned gives the first or the fifth meaning.
الراسخون (firmly grounded) is the plural of الراسخ which is derived from رسخ i.e. he or it was or became firm, stable or established. رسخ الشیءmeans, the thing became firmly established. رسخ العلم فی قلبه means, knowledge became firmly established, or sank deep, in his heart. الراسخ فی العلم is one whose knowledge is extensive and deep-rooted, being firmly established and based on sure ground (Aqrab & Mufradat).
Commentary:
The verse, which was revealed when a party of Christians from Najran visited the Holy Prophet in Medina (Jarir), serves a fourfold purpose: (1) it gives the genesis of the later Christian doctrines and explains how the true original doctrines became perverted; (2) it tells how the critics of Islam, particularly the Christians, distort true Islamic teachings in order to find an excuse for attacking Islam; (3) it warns Muslims to take a lesson from the history of Christians; and (4) it supplies a sure and trustworthy principle of interpreting revealed Books, or, for that matter, any writing or speech, in a right manner.
What proved the perversion of the Christian faith was that expressions like "Son of God" etc. used metaphorically were taken literally and the simple and straightforward faith of Jesus was transformed out of all recognition, the متشابهbeing given the place of محکم.
Again, it is on record that when the party of Christians, referred to above, visited the Holy Prophet and had a discussion with him on the godhead of Jesus, they, like clever casuists, who when it suits their purpose tear a passage from its context and then base their arguments on it, asked the Holy Prophet if the words کلمة الله (word of God) and روح(spirit) were used about Jesus in the Quran, and, receiving an answer in the affirmative, joyfully exclaimed that the divinity of Jesus was thereby proved. They did not care to ponder over the explanation of these words in their context, which did not at all bear out the sense which they thought they possessed. It is to such objectionable practices that allusion is made in this verse, which lays down the golden rule that, in order to prove a controversial point, the decisive and clearly worded parts of a Scripture should be taken into consideration, and that if they are found to contradict the construction put upon a certain ambiguous passage quoted in support of an argument, that interpretation should be rejected and the passage should be so interpreted as to make it harmonize with the decisive and clearly worded parts of the text.
This golden rule should always be observed whenever it is required to interpret or explain a passage which is susceptible of several interpretations and is not easily comprehensible. Its observance is all the more necessary when a seemingly difficult and knotty verse of the Quran is sought to be explained. Any interpretation which clashes with other verses of the Quran and runs counter to the clearly worded parts thereof should be rejected and only that interpretation which is in harmony with its basic principles should be accepted.
According to the verse, the Quran has two sets of verses. Some are محکم (decisive in meaning) and others متشابه(capable of different interpretations). The right way to interpret a متشابه verse is that only such interpretation of it should be accepted as agrees with the verses that are محکم and all other interpretations should be dismissed as incorrect. It is on record that one day the Holy Prophet, on hearing people disputing about the interpretation of certain verses of the Quran, angrily said: "Thus were ruined those who have gone before you. They interpreted certain parts of their scriptures in such a manner as to make them contradict other parts. But the Quran has been so revealed that different parts of it should corroborate one another. So do not reject any truth by making one part contradict the other. Act on what you understand thereof and refer that which you do not understand to those who know and understand it" (Musnad).
The above hadith also refutes the theory of abrogation, for it speaks of the Quran as a Book of which all parts corroborate one another and condemns those who think that some of its verses contradict others. To Ahmad, the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, goes the credit of exploding the so-called abrogation theory. He and his disciples have given convincing explanations of those verses which were previously regarded as abrogated.
It may be noted here that in 39:24 the whole Quran is called متشابه and in 11:2 all the Quranic verses have been described as محکم. This should not be taken as contradicting the verse under comment, according to which some verses of the Quran are محکم and others متشابه. The apparent in-consistency is easily explained. So far as the real significance of the Quranic verses is concerned the whole of the Quran is محکم (decisive), inasmuch as all its verses contain decisive and eternal truths. In another sense, however, the whole of the Quran is متشابه inasmuch as the Quranic verses have been so worded as to give, at one and the same time, several meanings equally true and good. The Quran is also متشابه (i.e.mutually resembling) in the sense that there is no contradiction or inconsistency in it, its different verses affording support to one another. But parts of it are certainly محکم or متشابه for different readers according to their mental and spiritual capacities, as the present verse points out.
As regards prophecies, those that are couched in plain and direct language, susceptible of only one meaning, would be regarded as محکم and those that are described in figurative or metaphorical language, capable of more than one interpretation, would be regarded as متشابه. The prophecies described in metaphorical language should, therefore, be interpreted in the light of the prophecies that have been clearly and literally fulfilled and also in the light of the basic and fundamental principles of Islam. For an example of محکم prophecies, the reader is referred to 58:22; whereas 28:86 contains a متشابه prophecy.
The term محکم may also be applied to such verses as embody full and complete commandments while متشابه verses are those which give only part of a certain commandment, and require to be read in conjunction with other verses to make a complete injunction.
Moreover, محکمات (decisive verses) generally deal with the Law and the doctrines of Faith, while متشابھات generally deal with topics of secondary importance or describe incidents in the lives of Prophets or the history of peoples and, while so doing, sometimes make use of idioms and phrases capable of different meanings. Such verses should not be so interpreted as to contradict the clear-worded tenets of the Faith.
The Arabic clause which has been translated as and none knows its right interpretation except Allah and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge; they say, ‘We believe in it; the whole is from our Lord', may be rendered in two ways, according as the pause is made after the word الله (Allah) or after the word العلم (knowledge). If the pause is made after العلم (knowledge), the clause would be translated as above and the term would in this case apply to verses pertaining to events of the past or verses containing general exhortation. If, however, the pause is made after الله (Allah), the term متشابھات would refer to prophecies of which the real interpretation is known to God only. In this case the clause would be translated as, "and none knows its interpretation except Allah; and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say, "We believe in it, the whole is from our Lord". Grammatically, both constructions are correct.
Finally, it may be noted that the use of metaphors, the main basis of متشابھات verses, in religious scriptures is necessary; (1) to assure vastness of meaning in the fewest of words; (2) to add beauty and grace to the style; and (3) to provide for the people a trial (ابتلاء) without which spiritual development and perfection is not possible.
c
11:2.
d
39:24.
e
7:54; 18:79.
f
4:163.
224
مُحْكَمْ (Muhkam) 的意思是: (1) 意义不会受到窜改或删减者; (2) 意义不含糊或不存在怀疑可能性者; (3) 意义清楚而解释明确者; (4) 包含«古兰经»特有教义的节文(مُفْرَدَات, Mufradat和Lane)。
225
اُمّ (Umm) 意指: (1) 母亲; (2) 事物的起源或基础; (3) 任何作为扶助、支持改革或修正另一事物手段的东西; (4) 与周围其它事物相联系的任何东西 (اَقْرَبْ, Aqrab和مُفْرَدَات, Mufradat)。
226
مُتَشَابِه (Mutashabih) 用於 (1)虽是一致, 但可以有不同解释的词语、句子或经节; (2) 彼此相似或一致的部分; (3) 经文的真正意义和没有表示出来的意义相类似的部分; (4) 经文的正确意思只有参照称为 مُحْكَمْ (Muhkam) 的经文才可知道; (5) 不经过反复考虑就不能正确理解的经文; (6) 经文含有的教义和先前启示的经文含有的教义相符或相似的部分 (مُفْرَدَات, Mufradat)。
227
تَأ وِيْل (Ta’wil) 意思是: (1) 解释或说明; (2) 讲话或文章的意义的推测; (3) 转变讲话或文章的正确解释; (4) 对梦的解释; (5) 事物的结束、结果或后果 (Lane)。在此节经文中该词出现两次。第一次的意思是 (2) 和 (3), 而第二次的意思是 (1) 或 (5)。
228
此节经文说明这样一个重要规则, 即为了证实一个有争论的观点, 应该考虑那明确而清楚的经文措辞。如果发现这些经文与某一意义不明确的章节的句子结构有抵触, 就应该把该章节解释得与措辞明确、清楚的经文相一致。根据此节经文来看, «古兰经» 有两种经文。一种是 مُحْكَمْ (Muhkam) 意义肯定而明确的, 另一种是 مُتَشَابِه (Mutashabih) 意义可作不同的解释的。正确解释 Mutashabih 经文的方法是, 只有把其经文解释得与 (Muhkam) 经文相一致。在39:24中, 整个 «古兰经» 被称作Mutashabih而在11:2中所有 «古兰经» 节文被说成是 Muhkam。这不应该被看作与在注释的这节经文相矛盾。根据在注解的这节经文, 有些 «古兰经» 节文是 Muhkam, 有些节文是 Mutashabih。就 «古兰经» 节文的真正意义而论, 整个 «古兰经» 是 Muhkam, 因为所有的节文包含明确而永恒的真理。然而, 从另一意义来说, 全本 «古兰经» 节文是Mutashabih, 因为 «古兰经» 每一节都同时表示几个同样正确和适当的意思, 就另一意义说, «古兰经» 也是Mutashabih 相互类似, 其中没有前后矛盾或相互不一致的地方, 不同的节文可以相互印证。(如同此节经文所指出的那样) 有些经文当然属於 (Muhkam), 有些属于Mutashabih, 这要看不同读者的知识、思想品质和天赋能力而定, 如本节所指示者。至于预言, 用明白、直接、只容许有一种意义的语言所表述的可以看作是 (Muhkam); 而用隐喻、能有不止一种解释的语言叙述的, 则可被看作 Mutashabih。因此, 应该按照确已实现了无疑的预言和伊斯兰教的基本原则来解释用隐喻的言语所叙述的预言。有关(Muhkam) 预言, 读者可参阅58:22; 而28:86则包含Mutashabih预言。(Muhkam) 这个词也适用那种包括充分而全面经律的经文; 而 Mutashabih经文只包容某一经律的一部分, 并且须与其它经文联系起来阅读, 才能形成一条完整的经律。مُحْكَمَات (Muhkamat) (明确的经文)通常论述伊斯兰教信仰的律令和教义; 而且 مُتَشَابِهَات (Mutashabihat) 论述次要的论题或叙述众先知的生平轶事或各民族史, 在论述中有时就用一些可能会产生不同意思的成语和短语。这样的经文的解释不应与措辞清楚的伊斯兰教信仰的教义相矛盾。这里可以注意到: 为了用最少的词来表达众多的意思, 为了使经文风格优雅, 为了使人们受到磨炼--------如果没有这种磨炼, 人们的心灵就不可能深化和完美--------就需要使用隐喻, 而隐喻是经典中Mutashabih经文的主要基础。
1
مُحْکَمٰتٌ محکمات سے مراد وہ آیات ہیں جن میں قرآن کریم کی خاص تعلیم بیان ہوئی ہے۔
2
مُتَشٰبِھٰتٌ سے مراد وہ آیات ہیں جن میں ایسی تعلیم ہے جو پہلی کتابوں میں بھی مذکور ہے۔
3
یعنی جو آیات پہلی کتب کی تعلیم سے ملتی ہیں وہ ان کو بگاڑ کر پہلی قوموں کی روایات کے تابع کر دیتے ہیں اور اس طرح قرآن کریم کی خوبی کو چھپا دیتے ہیں۔
a
11:2.
b
39:24.
c
7:54; 18:79.
d
4:163.
299
Important Words:
محکمات (decisive in meaning) is derived from احکم which again is derived from حکم which means, he decided or he judged; he prevented or restrained or withheld. احکمه means, he rendered it firm, stable and secure; he restrained it. Hence محکم means: (1) that which has been made secure from change or alteration; (2) that in which there is no ambiguity or possibility of doubt; (3) that which is clear in meaning and decisive in exposition (Aqrab, Mufradat & Lane).
ام (basis) is the noun-infinitive from ام (amma), i.e. he aimed at or sought or took himself to. ام possesses a variety of meanings some of which are: (1) mother; (2) source or origin or basis of a thing; (3) anything which is a means of sustenance and support or of reformation and correction for another; (4) anything to which other things surrounding it are linked (Aqrab & Mufradat).
متشابھات (susceptible of different interpretations) is the plural of متشابھة which is derived from شبه. They say شبھه به i.e. he made it to be like that; he likened it to that. شبه علیه الامر means, he rendered the affair confused or obscure or ambiguous to him. تشابه الرجلان means, the two men were so like each other that it was difficult to distinguish one from the other. متشابهmeans, mutually resembling. Thus the expressions متشابھه is used about (1) that phrase, sentence or verse which is susceptible of different, though concordant, interpretations; or (2) that whose parts resemble or are concordant with one another; or (3) that whose true significance bears a similarity to a sense which is not meant; or (4) that of which the true meaning is known only by referring it to what is termed محکم (decisive); or (5) that which cannot be rightly understood without repeated consideration (Aqrab, Lane & Mufradat).
زیغ (perversity) is the noun-infinitive from زاغ which means, he declined or deviated, or turned aside from the right course. So زیغ means, deviation from the truth or the right course; crookedness; doubt. ازاغه means, he made him deviate from the right course (Aqrab & Mufradat).
تاویله (its interpretation). تاویل is the noun-infinitive from اول which is derived from آل i.e. he or it turned or returned. اولهmeans, he caused it or him to turn or return. اول الکلام means, he interpreted or explained the speech or writing. اول الرؤیاmeans, he interpreted the dream. تاویل means, (1) interpretation or explanation; (2) conjecture about the meaning of a speech or writing; (3) turning away a speech or writing from its right interpretation; (4) interpretation of a dream; (5) end, result or sequel of a thing (Lane & Aqrab). In the present verse the word تاویل occurs twice, the first-mentioned تاویلgiving the second or the third meaning, while the second-mentioned gives the first or the fifth meaning.
الراسخون (firmly grounded) is the plural of الراسخ which is derived from رسخ i.e. he or it was or became firm, stable or established. رسخ الشیءmeans, the thing became firmly established. رسخ العلم فی قلبه means, knowledge became firmly established, or sank deep, in his heart. الراسخ فی العلم is one whose knowledge is extensive and deep-rooted, being firmly established and based on sure ground (Aqrab & Mufradat).
Commentary:
The verse, which was revealed when a party of Christians from Najran visited the Holy Prophet in Medina (Jarir), serves a fourfold purpose: (1) it gives the genesis of the later Christian doctrines and explains how the true original doctrines became perverted; (2) it tells how the critics of Islam, particularly the Christians, distort true Islamic teachings in order to find an excuse for attacking Islam; (3) it warns Muslims to take a lesson from the history of Christians; and (4) it supplies a sure and trustworthy principle of interpreting revealed Books, or, for that matter, any writing or speech, in a right manner.
What proved the perversion of the Christian faith was that expressions like "Son of God" etc. used metaphorically were taken literally and the simple and straightforward faith of Jesus was transformed out of all recognition, the متشابهbeing given the place of محکم.
Again, it is on record that when the party of Christians, referred to above, visited the Holy Prophet and had a discussion with him on the godhead of Jesus, they, like clever casuists, who when it suits their purpose tear a passage from its context and then base their arguments on it, asked the Holy Prophet if the words کلمة الله (word of God) and روح(spirit) were used about Jesus in the Quran, and, receiving an answer in the affirmative, joyfully exclaimed that the divinity of Jesus was thereby proved. They did not care to ponder over the explanation of these words in their context, which did not at all bear out the sense which they thought they possessed. It is to such objectionable practices that allusion is made in this verse, which lays down the golden rule that, in order to prove a controversial point, the decisive and clearly worded parts of a Scripture should be taken into consideration, and that if they are found to contradict the construction put upon a certain ambiguous passage quoted in support of an argument, that interpretation should be rejected and the passage should be so interpreted as to make it harmonize with the decisive and clearly worded parts of the text.
This golden rule should always be observed whenever it is required to interpret or explain a passage which is susceptible of several interpretations and is not easily comprehensible. Its observance is all the more necessary when a seemingly difficult and knotty verse of the Quran is sought to be explained. Any interpretation which clashes with other verses of the Quran and runs counter to the clearly worded parts thereof should be rejected and only that interpretation which is in harmony with its basic principles should be accepted.
According to the verse, the Quran has two sets of verses. Some are محکم (decisive in meaning) and others متشابه(capable of different interpretations). The right way to interpret a متشابه verse is that only such interpretation of it should be accepted as agrees with the verses that are محکم and all other interpretations should be dismissed as incorrect. It is on record that one day the Holy Prophet, on hearing people disputing about the interpretation of certain verses of the Quran, angrily said: "Thus were ruined those who have gone before you. They interpreted certain parts of their scriptures in such a manner as to make them contradict other parts. But the Quran has been so revealed that different parts of it should corroborate one another. So do not reject any truth by making one part contradict the other. Act on what you understand thereof and refer that which you do not understand to those who know and understand it" (Musnad).
The above hadith also refutes the theory of abrogation, for it speaks of the Quran as a Book of which all parts corroborate one another and condemns those who think that some of its verses contradict others. To Ahmad, the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement, goes the credit of exploding the so-called abrogation theory. He and his disciples have given convincing explanations of those verses which were previously regarded as abrogated.
It may be noted here that in 39:24 the whole Quran is called متشابه and in 11:2 all the Quranic verses have been described as محکم. This should not be taken as contradicting the verse under comment, according to which some verses of the Quran are محکم and others متشابه. The apparent in-consistency is easily explained. So far as the real significance of the Quranic verses is concerned the whole of the Quran is محکم (decisive), inasmuch as all its verses contain decisive and eternal truths. In another sense, however, the whole of the Quran is متشابه inasmuch as the Quranic verses have been so worded as to give, at one and the same time, several meanings equally true and good. The Quran is also متشابه (i.e.mutually resembling) in the sense that there is no contradiction or inconsistency in it, its different verses affording support to one another. But parts of it are certainly محکم or متشابه for different readers according to their mental and spiritual capacities, as the present verse points out.
As regards prophecies, those that are couched in plain and direct language, susceptible of only one meaning, would be regarded as محکم and those that are described in figurative or metaphorical language, capable of more than one interpretation, would be regarded as متشابه. The prophecies described in metaphorical language should, therefore, be interpreted in the light of the prophecies that have been clearly and literally fulfilled and also in the light of the basic and fundamental principles of Islam. For an example of محکم prophecies, the reader is referred to 58:22; whereas 28:86 contains a متشابه prophecy.
The term محکم may also be applied to such verses as embody full and complete commandments while متشابه verses are those which give only part of a certain commandment, and require to be read in conjunction with other verses to make a complete injunction.
Moreover, محکمات (decisive verses) generally deal with the Law and the doctrines of Faith, while متشابھات generally deal with topics of secondary importance or describe incidents in the lives of Prophets or the history of peoples and, while so doing, sometimes make use of idioms and phrases capable of different meanings. Such verses should not be so interpreted as to contradict the clear-worded tenets of the Faith.
The Arabic clause which has been translated as and none knows its right interpretation except Allah and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge; they say, ‘We believe in it; the whole is from our Lord', may be rendered in two ways, according as the pause is made after the word الله (Allah) or after the word العلم (knowledge). If the pause is made after العلم (knowledge), the clause would be translated as above and the term would in this case apply to verses pertaining to events of the past or verses containing general exhortation. If, however, the pause is made after الله (Allah), the term متشابھات would refer to prophecies of which the real interpretation is known to God only. In this case the clause would be translated as, "and none knows its interpretation except Allah; and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say, "We believe in it, the whole is from our Lord". Grammatically, both constructions are correct.
Finally, it may be noted that the use of metaphors, the main basis of متشابھات verses, in religious scriptures is necessary; (1) to assure vastness of meaning in the fewest of words; (2) to add beauty and grace to the style; and (3) to provide for the people a trial (ابتلاء) without which spiritual development and perfection is not possible.
a
7:54; 18:79.
b
4:163.
d
11:2.
e
39:24.
369
Muhkam means, (1) that which has been made secure from change or alteration; (2) that in which there is no ambiguity or possibility of doubt; (3) that which is clear in meaning and decisive in exposition and (4) a verse which embodies a teaching special to the Qur’an (Mufradat & Lane).
370
Umm means, (1) mother; (2) source or origin or basis of a thing; (3) anything which is a means of sustenance and support or of reformation and correction for another; (4) anything to which other things around it are linked (Aqrab & Mufradat).
371
Mutashabih is used about (1) that phrase, sentence or verse which is susceptible of different, though concordant, interpretations; (2) that whose parts resemble or are concordant with one another; (3) that whose true significance bears a similarity to a sense which is not meant; (4) that of which the true meaning is known only by referring it to what is termed Muhkam; (5) that which cannot be rightly understood without repeated consideration; (6) a verse which contains teaching corresponding to or resembling those contained in the previous revealed Scriptures (Mufradat).
372
Ta’wil means, (1) interpretation or explanation; (2) conjecture about the meaning of a speech or writing; (3) turning away a speech or writing from its right interpretation; (4) interpretation of a dream; (5) end, result or sequel of a thing (Lane). In this verse the word occurs twice; in the former place it gives the second or the third meaning, while in the latter it gives the first or the fifth meaning.
373
The verse lays down the golden rule that, in order to prove a controversial point, the decisive and clearly worded parts of a Scripture should be taken into consideration, and if these are found to contradict the construction put upon a certain ambiguous passage that passage should be so interpreted as to make it harmonize with the decisive and clearly worded parts of the text. According to the verse, the Qur’an has two sets of verses. Some are Muhkam (firm and decisive in meaning) and others Mutashabih (capable of different interpretations). The right way to interpret a Mutashabih verse is that only such interpretation of it should be accepted as agrees with the verses that are Muhkam. In 39:24 the whole of the Qur’an is called Mutashabih and in 11:2 all the Quranic verses have been described as Muhkam. This should not be taken as contradicting the verse under comment, according to which some verses of the Qur’an are Muhkam and others Mutashabih
شَہِدَ اللّٰہُ اَنَّہٗ لَاۤ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا ہُوَ وَالۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃُ وَاُولُوا الۡعِلۡمِ قَآئِمًۢا بِالۡقِسۡطِ ۚ لَاۤ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا ہُوَ الۡعَزِیۡزُ الۡحَکِیۡمُ
5:9; 7:30.
5:9; 7:30.
The words also mean, in accordance with justice.
The one central and indisputable fact in nature and the basic principle of every true religion is Divine Unity. The whole creation and the consummate order pervading it bear undeniable testimony to this fundamental fact. The angels who are the bearers of the Message of truth to the Prophets, the Messengers of God, who propagate it in the world, and those good people who receive and imbibe true knowledge from God’s Messengers, all add their testimony to the Divine testimony. Similarly, all are united in testifying to the falsehood of the idea of setting up gods with Allah, be it in the form of plurality, trinity, or duality of gods.
5:9; 7:30.
Commentary:
The one central and indisputable fact in nature and the basic principle of every true religion is the Unity of God. The whole creation and the consummate order pervading it bear an undeniable testimony to this fundamental truth. The angels who are the bearers of the message of truth to the Prophets, the Messengers of God who propagate it in the world, and those good people who receive and imbibe true knowledge from God’s Messengers, all add their testimony to the testimony of God. Similarly, all are united in testifying to the falsehood of the idea of setting up gods with God, be it in the form of plurality, trinity, or duality of gods. All true testimony must point and does point to the Oneness of the Creator.
d
5:9; 7:30.
a
5:9; 7:30.
310
Commentary:
The one central and indisputable fact in nature and the basic principle of every true religion is the Unity of God. The whole creation and the consummate order pervading it bear an undeniable testimony to this fundamental truth. The angels who are the bearers of the message of truth to the Prophets, the Messengers of God who propagate it in the world, and those good people who receive and imbibe true knowledge from God’s Messengers, all add their testimony to the testimony of God. Similarly, all are united in testifying to the falsehood of the idea of setting up gods with God, be it in the form of plurality, trinity, or duality of gods. All true testimony must point and does point to the Oneness of the Creator.
a
5:9; 7:30.
381A
The words also mean, in accordance with justice.
382
The one central and indisputable fact in nature and the basic principle of every true religion is Divine Unity. The whole creation and the consummate order pervading it bear undeniable testimony to this fundamental fact. The angels who are the bearers of the Message of truth to the Prophets, the Messengers of God, who propagate it in the world, and those good people who receive and imbibe true knowledge from God’s Messengers, all add their testimony to the Divine testimony. Similarly, all are united in testifying to the falsehood of the idea of setting up gods with Allah, be it in the form of plurality, trinity, or duality of gods.
فَمَنۡ حَآجَّکَ فِیۡہِ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَکَ مِنَ الۡعِلۡمِ فَقُلۡ تَعَالَوۡا نَدۡعُ اَبۡنَآءَنَا وَاَبۡنَآءَکُمۡ وَنِسَآءَنَا وَنِسَآءَکُمۡ وَاَنۡفُسَنَا وَاَنۡفُسَکُمۡ ثُمَّ نَبۡتَہِلۡ فَنَجۡعَل لَّعۡنَتَ اللّٰہِ عَلَی الۡکٰذِبِیۡنَ
62:7, 8.
本章所涉及的关于基督教教义的讨论在本节经文中结束了。上面所提到的是来自 نَجْرَان (Najran) 的基督教代表团由六十人组成, 由通称阿尔•阿基布 (اَلْعَاقِبْ, Al-‘Aqib) 的团长阿布达尔•迈喜合 (عَبْدُالْمَسِيْح, ‘Abdul-Masih) 率领。他们和穆圣在他的清真寺会面, 并且相当详尽地讨论了所谓伊撒神性的教义。当问题经过充分讨论, 并发现代表们仍坚持他们错误的教义以后, 穆圣遵从这节经文所包含的安拉的指令, 作为最后一个办法, 邀请他们和他一起参加 ‘祈祷辨真’。这是一个伊斯兰教用语即 مُبَاهَلَة (Mubahala), 即祈求安拉诅咒持错误信念的人, 然而, 由于基督教徒们似乎对他们的宗教主张并没有信心, 他们拒绝接受这场挑战, 这样就间接地承认他们的教义是虚假的 (زُرْقَانِی, Zurqani)。可以顺便一提, 穆圣与来自纳季兰 (Najran) 的基督教徒代表团讨论期间, 允许他们在他的清真寺里按照他们自己的方式面东祈祷--------这是一种宗教的宽容行为, 在所有的宗教史上是史无前例的 (Zurqani)。
62:7, 8.
The discussion on Christian doctrines with which this Surah deals has been brought to a close in this verse. The reference, as mentioned above, is to the Christian deputation from Najran which consisted of sixty persons and was headed by their chief, ‘Abdul-Masih, known as Al-‘Aqib. They met the Holy Prophet in his Mosque and the discussion on the doctrine of the so- called divinity of Jesus continued at some length. When the question had been fully discussed and the members of the deputation were found to be still insisting on their false doctrine, the Holy Prophet, in obedience to Divine command contained in the present verse, invited them, as a last resort, to join him in a sort of prayer-contest technically known as Mubahalah, i.e. invoking the curse of God on the holders of false beliefs. As, however, the Christians did not appear to be sure of their ground, they declined to accept the challenge, thus indirectly admitting the falsity of their doctrine (Zurqani). Incidentally, it may
62:7, 8.
Important Words:
نبتھل (let us pray fervently) is derived from بھل. They say بھله i.e. he left him to his own will; or he left him to himself; he cursed him. ابتھل means, he prayed or supplicated humbly and earnestly and fervently, with energy and effort. باھلهmeans, he cursed him, being also cursed by the latter. مباھلة means, the act of invoking God’s curse on each other, i.e. on whichever party is the wrongdoer (Aqrab & Lane).
انفسنا و انفسکم (our people and your people). The words are the plural of نفس and mean: (1) our souls and your souls; (2) ourselves and yourselves; (3) our people and your people; (4) our co-religionists and your co-religionists (Lane). See also 2:55 and 3:29. Here, as the context shows, the words give the last-mentioned meaning.
Commentary:
The present discussion on Christian doctrines with which this Surah began has been brought to a close in this verse. The reference, as mentioned above, is to the Christian deputation from Najran which consisted of sixty persons and was headed by their chief, ‘Abdul-Masih, known as Al-‘Aqib. They met the Holy Prophet in his Mosque and the discussion on the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus continued at some length. When the question had been fully discussed and the members of the deputation were found to be still insisting on their false doctrine, the Holy Prophet, in obedience to the Divine command contained in the present verse, invited them as a last resort to join him in a sort of prayer contest technically known as مباھلة i.e. invoking the curse of God on the holders of false beliefs. As, however, the Christians did not appear to be sure of their ground, they declined to accept the challenge, thus indirectly admitting the falsity of their doctrine (Zurqani, Khamis & Bayan under 3:3). On this occasion, the Holy Prophet brought out ‘Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husain (Khamis & Zurqani) as well as Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and others (‘Asakir) in the field and is reported to have said: "If the Christians had accepted the challenge of مباھلة and agreed to pray to God to send His punishment on the lying party, God would have surely destroyed the liars before a year had passed" (Bukhari, Muslim & Tirmidhi).
It may be noted that the prayer contest known as مباھلة is in the nature of seeking God’s arbitration in fundamental religious differences. When other methods of settlement fail, the parties approach Almighty God to decide between them according to His eternal scheme of helping the righteous and destroying the wicked. The act of cursing is thus not in the form of abusing but an earnest supplication to God to uphold the truth and destroy falsehood—to amputate the diseased limb in order to save the healthy one. Thus مباھلةis a very serious affair and should be resorted to in very rare cases, subject to the following conditions, which are deducible from the present verse as well as from the relevant sayings of the Holy Prophet; (1) the point in dispute should be a matter of supreme and fundamental religious importance and should be based on clear scriptural authority; (2) the matter should first be fully argued and discussed between the parties; (3) the مباھلة should take place only if and when after the aforesaid discussion each party still continues to adhere to its views, definitely holding the other party to be in the wrong; (4) for the actual contest the parties should assemble in a suitable place together with the members of their families and a suitable number of others holding similar views, and there solemnly invoke the curse of God on the party sticking to falsehood.
As to the form or time of punishment which, as a result of مباھلة must overtake the offending party, the verse sheds no light. The matter rests entirely with God. From the above-quoted tradition, however, it may be deduced that if any period at all is to be fixed, it should be not less than a year. But the form of punishment must still rest on Divine will. The Judge in heaven reserves the right of deciding each individual case as He thinks fit. The result is left to speak for itself.
It may be noted here incidentally that during the discussions with the Christian deputation from Najran, the Holy Prophet allowed them to pray in his Mosque in their own way, which they did facing the east—an act of religious toleration unparalleled in the history of all religion (Zurqani).
b
62:7, 8.
253
本章所涉及的关于基督教教义的讨论在本节经文中结束了。上面所提到的是来自 نَجْرَان (Najran) 的基督教代表团由六十人组成, 由通称阿尔•阿基布 (اَلْعَاقِبْ, Al-‘Aqib) 的团长阿布达尔•迈喜合 (عَبْدُالْمَسِيْح, ‘Abdul-Masih) 率领。他们和穆圣在他的清真寺会面, 并且相当详尽地讨论了所谓伊撒神性的教义。当问题经过充分讨论, 并发现代表们仍坚持他们错误的教义以后, 穆圣遵从这节经文所包含的安拉的指令, 作为最后一个办法, 邀请他们和他一起参加 ‘祈祷辨真’。这是一个伊斯兰教用语即 مُبَاهَلَة (Mubahala), 即祈求安拉诅咒持错误信念的人, 然而, 由于基督教徒们似乎对他们的宗教主张并没有信心, 他们拒绝接受这场挑战, 这样就间接地承认他们的教义是虚假的 (زُرْقَانِی, Zurqani)。可以顺便一提, 穆圣与来自纳季兰 (Najran) 的基督教徒代表团讨论期间, 允许他们在他的清真寺里按照他们自己的方式面东祈祷--------这是一种宗教的宽容行为, 在所有的宗教史上是史无前例的 (Zurqani)。
a
62:7, 8.
350
Important Words:
نبتھل (let us pray fervently) is derived from بھل. They say بھله i.e. he left him to his own will; or he left him to himself; he cursed him. ابتھل means, he prayed or supplicated humbly and earnestly and fervently, with energy and effort. باھلهmeans, he cursed him, being also cursed by the latter. مباھلة means, the act of invoking God’s curse on each other, i.e. on whichever party is the wrongdoer (Aqrab & Lane).
انفسنا و انفسکم (our people and your people). The words are the plural of نفس and mean: (1) our souls and your souls; (2) ourselves and yourselves; (3) our people and your people; (4) our co-religionists and your co-religionists (Lane). See also 2:55 and 3:29. Here, as the context shows, the words give the last-mentioned meaning.
Commentary:
The present discussion on Christian doctrines with which this Surah began has been brought to a close in this verse. The reference, as mentioned above, is to the Christian deputation from Najran which consisted of sixty persons and was headed by their chief, ‘Abdul-Masih, known as Al-‘Aqib. They met the Holy Prophet in his Mosque and the discussion on the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus continued at some length. When the question had been fully discussed and the members of the deputation were found to be still insisting on their false doctrine, the Holy Prophet, in obedience to the Divine command contained in the present verse, invited them as a last resort to join him in a sort of prayer contest technically known as مباھلة i.e. invoking the curse of God on the holders of false beliefs. As, however, the Christians did not appear to be sure of their ground, they declined to accept the challenge, thus indirectly admitting the falsity of their doctrine (Zurqani, Khamis & Bayan under 3:3). On this occasion, the Holy Prophet brought out ‘Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husain (Khamis & Zurqani) as well as Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and others (‘Asakir) in the field and is reported to have said: "If the Christians had accepted the challenge of مباھلة and agreed to pray to God to send His punishment on the lying party, God would have surely destroyed the liars before a year had passed" (Bukhari, Muslim & Tirmidhi).
It may be noted that the prayer contest known as مباھلة is in the nature of seeking God’s arbitration in fundamental religious differences. When other methods of settlement fail, the parties approach Almighty God to decide between them according to His eternal scheme of helping the righteous and destroying the wicked. The act of cursing is thus not in the form of abusing but an earnest supplication to God to uphold the truth and destroy falsehood—to amputate the diseased limb in order to save the healthy one. Thus مباھلةis a very serious affair and should be resorted to in very rare cases, subject to the following conditions, which are deducible from the present verse as well as from the relevant sayings of the Holy Prophet; (1) the point in dispute should be a matter of supreme and fundamental religious importance and should be based on clear scriptural authority; (2) the matter should first be fully argued and discussed between the parties; (3) the مباھلة should take place only if and when after the aforesaid discussion each party still continues to adhere to its views, definitely holding the other party to be in the wrong; (4) for the actual contest the parties should assemble in a suitable place together with the members of their families and a suitable number of others holding similar views, and there solemnly invoke the curse of God on the party sticking to falsehood.
As to the form or time of punishment which, as a result of مباھلة must overtake the offending party, the verse sheds no light. The matter rests entirely with God. From the above-quoted tradition, however, it may be deduced that if any period at all is to be fixed, it should be not less than a year. But the form of punishment must still rest on Divine will. The Judge in heaven reserves the right of deciding each individual case as He thinks fit. The result is left to speak for itself.
It may be noted here incidentally that during the discussions with the Christian deputation from Najran, the Holy Prophet allowed them to pray in his Mosque in their own way, which they did facing the east—an act of religious toleration unparalleled in the history of all religion (Zurqani).
a
62:7, 8.
426
The discussion on Christian doctrines with which this Surah deals has been brought to a close in this verse. The reference, as mentioned above, is to the Christian deputation from Najran which consisted of sixty persons and was headed by their chief, ‘Abdul-Masih, known as Al-‘Aqib. They met the Holy Prophet in his Mosque and the discussion on the doctrine of the so- called divinity of Jesus continued at some length. When the question had been fully discussed and the members of the deputation were found to be still insisting on their false doctrine, the Holy Prophet, in obedience to Divine command contained in the present verse, invited them, as a last resort, to join him in a sort of prayer-contest technically known as Mubahalah, i.e. invoking the curse of God on the holders of false beliefs. As, however, the Christians did not appear to be sure of their ground, they declined to accept the challenge, thus indirectly admitting the falsity of their doctrine (Zurqani). Incidentally, it may
لّٰکِنِ الرّٰسِخُوۡنَ فِی الۡعِلۡمِ مِنۡہُمۡ وَالۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِمَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَیۡکَ وَمَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِکَ ۚ وَالۡمُقِیۡمِیۡنَ الصَّلٰوۃَ ۚ وَالۡمُؤۡتُوۡنَ الزَّکٰوۃَ وَالۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاللّٰہِ وَالۡیَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ اُولٰٓئِکَ سَنُؤۡتِیۡہِمۡ اَجۡرًا عَظِیۡمًا
3:8.
2:5, 137; 3:200; 4:137; 5:60.
This means those learned men among the Jews who embraced Islam. The word "believers" has been added to indicate that only those Jews are meant here who became Muslims.
The variation in the vowel-points of Muqimin is permissible according to rules of Arabic grammar. It is resorted to for the purpose of emphasis (Kashshaf, i. 336).
3:8.
2:5, 137; 3:200; 4:137; 5:60.
Important Words:
مقیمین (who observe Prayer) is the active participle from اقام which is derived from قام i.e. he stood up or he stood still. اقام الامر means, he put the affair in a right state or condition.
اقام الصلوة means, he said or observed prayer constantly, regularly and with all the conditions attached to it (Lane & Aqrab). According to ordinary rules of grammar, this word ought to have been المقیمون and not المقیمین. But the اعراب (diacritics) of the word have been varied from that of the preceding or succeeding words e.g. الراسخون and المومنون in order to arrest the attention of the reader and thus to impress upon his mind the importance of the matter. The rules of the Arabic language sanction that variation for the purpose of emphasis (Jarir, vi. 16; Kashshaf, i. 336).
Commentary:
The words, But those among them who are firmly grounded in knowledge, refer to those learned Jews who embraced Islam. The word "believers" has been added to indicate that only those Jews are meant here who turned Muslim.
e
3:8.
f
2:5, 137; 3:200; 4:137; 5:60.
a
3:8.
b
2:5, 137; 3:200; 4:137; 5:60.
626
Important Words:
مقیمین (who observe Prayer) is the active participle from اقام which is derived from قام i.e. he stood up or he stood still. اقام الامر means, he put the affair in a right state or condition.
اقام الصلوة means, he said or observed prayer constantly, regularly and with all the conditions attached to it (Lane & Aqrab). According to ordinary rules of grammar, this word ought to have been المقیمون and not المقیمین. But the اعراب (diacritics) of the word have been varied from that of the preceding or succeeding words e.g. الراسخون and المومنون in order to arrest the attention of the reader and thus to impress upon his mind the importance of the matter. The rules of the Arabic language sanction that variation for the purpose of emphasis (Jarir, vi. 16; Kashshaf, i. 336).
Commentary:
The words, But those among them who are firmly grounded in knowledge, refer to those learned Jews who embraced Islam. The word "believers" has been added to indicate that only those Jews are meant here who turned Muslim.
d
3:8.
e
2:5, 137; 3:200; 4:137; 5:60.
704
This means those learned men among the Jews who embraced Islam. The word "believers" has been added to indicate that only those Jews are meant here who became Muslims.
705
The variation in the vowel-points of Muqimin is permissible according to rules of Arabic grammar. It is resorted to for the purpose of emphasis (Kashshaf, i. 336).
وَکَذٰلِکَ اَنۡزَلۡنٰہُ حُکۡمًا عَرَبِیًّا ۚ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعۡتَ اَہۡوَآءَہُمۡ بَعۡدَمَا جَآءَکَ مِنَ الۡعِلۡمِ مَا لَکَ مِنَ اللّٰہِ مِنۡ وَّلِیٍّ وَّلَا وَاقٍ
12:3; 20:114; 43:4.
2:121,146; 42:16.
Important Words:
عربیا (clear). See 12:3.
Commentary:
That the Quran has been revealed in the Arabic tongue is not the idea that is meant to be expressed in this verse, for that language is spoken by the Arabs. The real idea lies in the deeper significance of the word عربیا viz. the Quran has been invested with a vastness of meaning which is beyond human power.
The words, if thou follow their evil desires, after the knowledge that has come to thee, thou shalt have no friend nor defender against Allah, may be taken as addressed either to the reader or to the Holy Prophet. In the latter case, the verse would be taken as expressing the Majesty and Independence of God. The Prophet was only a flute through which the sweet and majestic voice of God was being sounded. Away from the mouth of God it becomes silent and is no better than a piece of wood.
g
12:3; 20:114; 43:4.
h
2:121, 146; 42:16.
d
12:3; 20:114; 43:4.
e
2:121,146; 42:16.
1648
Important Words:
عربیا (clear). See 12:3.
Commentary:
That the Quran has been revealed in the Arabic tongue is not the idea that is meant to be expressed in this verse, for that language is spoken by the Arabs. The real idea lies in the deeper significance of the word عربیا viz. the Quran has been invested with a vastness of meaning which is beyond human power.
The words, if thou follow their evil desires, after the knowledge that has come to thee, thou shalt have no friend nor defender against Allah, may be taken as addressed either to the reader or to the Holy Prophet. In the latter case, the verse would be taken as expressing the Majesty and Independence of God. The Prophet was only a flute through which the sweet and majestic voice of God was being sounded. Away from the mouth of God it becomes silent and is no better than a piece of wood.
a
12:3; 20:114; 43:4.
b
2:121, 146; 42:16.
وَیَسۡـَٔلُوۡنَکَ عَنِ الرُّوۡحِ ۖ قُلِ الرُّوۡحُ مِنۡ اَمۡرِ رَبِّیۡ وَمَاۤ اُوۡتِیۡتُمۡ مِّنَ الۡعِلۡمِ اِلَّا قَلِیۡلًا
在犹太人的精神衰退和堕落期间, 他们看来在开始尝试像现代的许多唯灵论者、通神论者和印度瑜伽教徒等所进行的那些神秘莫测的做法。麦地那的有些犹太人在穆圣时代看来已经在进行这些做法。这就是为什么麦加的多神教徒竭力想得到帮助来驳倒穆圣, 他们建议麦加的多神教徒要质问穆圣有关人的灵魂的问题。«古兰经»用现在注释的这节经文来答复他们说, 灵魂从安拉的命令中得到它的力量, 任何其他声称来自所谓精神锻炼和巫术的东西都是骗人的鬼话。据说有关人的灵魂的性质问题首先是由古莱西族在麦加向穆圣提出的, 然后, 根据阿布杜拉•彬•麦斯武德 عَبْدُ الله بِنْ مَسْعُوْد (‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud) 的看法, 由犹太人在麦地那向穆圣提出。灵魂在这里描写为由安拉直接命令而创造出来的东西。按«古兰经»经义, 一切创造 (物) 分为两类: (1) 原始的创造 (物), 即不借助任何以前创造出来的物质或事物而产生的创造 (物); (2) 后来的创造 (物), 即借助於以前创造出来的方法和物质所产生的创造 (物)。前一种创造 (物) 属於 اَمْر (Amr, 直译:命令) 类, 可见2:118节经文, 而后一种称为 خَلْق (Khalq, 直译:创造)。人的灵魂属於第一类。
In the period of their spiritual decline and decadence the Jews seem to have come to dabble in occult practices like many modern Spiritualists, Theosophists and Hindu Yogis. Some of the Jews of Medina also seem to have resorted to these practices in the time of the Holy Prophet. This is why when the Meccan idolaters sought their help to confute the Holy Prophet, they suggested that they (the Meccan idolaters) should question him about the human soul. The Qur’an answers them by the verse under comment by saying that the soul derives its powers from the command of God and anything else that is claimed to be acquired by the so-called spiritual exercises and magical art is all humbug. The question regarding the nature of the human soul is reported to have been first put to the Holy Prophet at Mecca by the Quraish and then, according to ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud, by the Jews at Medina. The soul has been described here as something created by the direct command of God. According to the Qur’an all creation fal
Commentary:
Various meanings have been assigned to the word روح (soul) by scholars of different schools of Muslim religious thought. According to some of the commentators it applies to all angels; according to others it means only the angel to whom is entrusted the task of the creation of the world; yet others think that it particularly applies to the Archangel Gabriel.
Some scholars, however, are of the view that الروح means the word of God, while some others take it as applying to the Quran. But the most appropriate meaning of this word is "the human soul."
The question regarding the nature of the human soul was first put to the Holy Prophet at Mecca by some of the Meccan idolaters, probably at the instance of the Jews of Medina, when the news reached the latter that he had claimed to be a Divine Prophet. In reply the Prophet recited to them the present verse. When, however, he came to Medina the question appears again to have been put to him by the Jews and he must naturally have recited to them the same verse, thus giving rise to the wrong notion held by some traditionalists that this verse was revealed in Medina or that, after having been first revealed at Mecca, it was again revealed at Medina. The fact is that it was only revealed once and that was at Mecca.
As stated above, the most appropriate meaning of the word الروح is the human soul. The soul has been described here as something created by the direct command of God. As a matter of fact according to the Quran all creation falls under two categories: (1) Original creation which is brought about without the aid or help of any substance or matter previously created. (2) Subsequent creation which is brought about with the aid and help of means and matter previously created. The former kind of creation falls under the category of امر (lit. command) for which see 2:118, and the latter is known as خلق (lit. creating). In this verse we are told that the human soul belongs to the first category.
In the period of their spiritual decadence the Jews seem to have come to dabble in spiritualism and occult practices like many modern Spiritualists, Theosophists and Hindu Yogis. They had come to believe in magic and so-called spiritual practices. These occult practices appeared to have exercised great influence on them. It appears that the Jews started taking interest in magic and occult practices in the time of the Prophet David. These practices became very popular with them in the time of Jesus. According to Philo and the well-known Jewish writer, Josephus, the Essenes in the time of Jesus greatly indulged in these practices and by a life of renunciation they had greatly developed this art. The Quran also refers to the Jewish counterparts of the modern spiritualists in 72:8-10. References to black and white magic may also be found in the books of the Old and New Testaments. Some of the Jews of Medina also seem to have resorted to these practices in the time of the Holy Prophet. This is why when the Meccan idolaters sought their help in confuting the Prophet they suggested that they (the Meccan idolaters) should enquire of him regarding the powers and attributes of the human soul. The Quran answers this inquiry in the verse under comment by saying that the perfect soul derives its powers from the command of God and anything else that is claimed to be acquired by so-called spiritual exercises and magical arts is all meaningless. It may be added that by الروح is particularly meant the perfect soul. That the knowledge acquired by so-called spiritual exercises and by their professed communication with the dead carries little weight has often been demonstrated by the fact that the information claimed to be furnished by departed souls to different mediums regarding the next world always varies.
The question of the powers and attributes of the human soul is of more than local importance, inasmuch as it had not only agitated the minds of the Medinite Jews of the Prophet’s time but has also agitated those of Hindu Yogis, Theosophists and Spiritualists in our own time. Taking الروح in its general sense the verse would mean that the human soul is as much the creation of God as the human body.
729
在犹太人的精神衰退和堕落期间, 他们看来在开始尝试像现代的许多唯灵论者、通神论者和印度瑜伽教徒等所进行的那些神秘莫测的做法。麦地那的有些犹太人在穆圣时代看来已经在进行这些做法。这就是为什么麦加的多神教徒竭力想得到帮助来驳倒穆圣, 他们建议麦加的多神教徒要质问穆圣有关人的灵魂的问题。«古兰经»用现在注释的这节经文来答复他们说, 灵魂从安拉的命令中得到它的力量, 任何其他声称来自所谓精神锻炼和巫术的东西都是骗人的鬼话。据说有关人的灵魂的性质问题首先是由古莱西族在麦加向穆圣提出的, 然后, 根据阿布杜拉•彬•麦斯武德 عَبْدُ الله بِنْ مَسْعُوْد (‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud) 的看法, 由犹太人在麦地那向穆圣提出。灵魂在这里描写为由安拉直接命令而创造出来的东西。按«古兰经»经义, 一切创造 (物) 分为两类: (1) 原始的创造 (物), 即不借助任何以前创造出来的物质或事物而产生的创造 (物); (2) 后来的创造 (物), 即借助於以前创造出来的方法和物质所产生的创造 (物)。前一种创造 (物) 属於 اَمْر (Amr, 直译:命令) 类, 可见2:118节经文, 而后一种称为 خَلْق (Khalq, 直译:创造)。人的灵魂属於第一类。
2015
Commentary:
Various meanings have been assigned to the word روح (soul) by scholars of different schools of Muslim religious thought. According to some of the commentators it applies to all angels; according to others it means only the angel to whom is entrusted the task of the creation of the world; yet others think that it particularly applies to the Archangel Gabriel.
Some scholars, however, are of the view that الروح means the word of God, while some others take it as applying to the Quran. But the most appropriate meaning of this word is "the human soul."
The question regarding the nature of the human soul was first put to the Holy Prophet at Mecca by some of the Meccan idolaters, probably at the instance of the Jews of Medina, when the news reached the latter that he had claimed to be a Divine Prophet. In reply the Prophet recited to them the present verse. When, however, he came to Medina the question appears again to have been put to him by the Jews and he must naturally have recited to them the same verse, thus giving rise to the wrong notion held by some traditionalists that this verse was revealed in Medina or that, after having been first revealed at Mecca, it was again revealed at Medina. The fact is that it was only revealed once and that was at Mecca.
As stated above, the most appropriate meaning of the word الروح is the human soul. The soul has been described here as something created by the direct command of God. As a matter of fact according to the Quran all creation falls under two categories: (1) Original creation which is brought about without the aid or help of any substance or matter previously created. (2) Subsequent creation which is brought about with the aid and help of means and matter previously created. The former kind of creation falls under the category of امر (lit. command) for which see 2:118, and the latter is known as خلق (lit. creating). In this verse we are told that the human soul belongs to the first category.
In the period of their spiritual decadence the Jews seem to have come to dabble in spiritualism and occult practices like many modern Spiritualists, Theosophists and Hindu Yogis. They had come to believe in magic and so-called spiritual practices. These occult practices appeared to have exercised great influence on them. It appears that the Jews started taking interest in magic and occult practices in the time of the Prophet David. These practices became very popular with them in the time of Jesus. According to Philo and the well-known Jewish writer, Josephus, the Essenes in the time of Jesus greatly indulged in these practices and by a life of renunciation they had greatly developed this art. The Quran also refers to the Jewish counterparts of the modern spiritualists in 72:8-10. References to black and white magic may also be found in the books of the Old and New Testaments. Some of the Jews of Medina also seem to have resorted to these practices in the time of the Holy Prophet. This is why when the Meccan idolaters sought their help in confuting the Prophet they suggested that they (the Meccan idolaters) should enquire of him regarding the powers and attributes of the human soul. The Quran answers this inquiry in the verse under comment by saying that the perfect soul derives its powers from the command of God and anything else that is claimed to be acquired by so-called spiritual exercises and magical arts is all meaningless. It may be added that by الروح is particularly meant the perfect soul. That the knowledge acquired by so-called spiritual exercises and by their professed communication with the dead carries little weight has often been demonstrated by the fact that the information claimed to be furnished by departed souls to different mediums regarding the next world always varies.
The question of the powers and attributes of the human soul is of more than local importance, inasmuch as it had not only agitated the minds of the Medinite Jews of the Prophet’s time but has also agitated those of Hindu Yogis, Theosophists and Spiritualists in our own time. Taking الروح in its general sense the verse would mean that the human soul is as much the creation of God as the human body.
1647
In the period of their spiritual decline and decadence the Jews seem to have come to dabble in occult practices like many modern Spiritualists, Theosophists and Hindu Yogis. Some of the Jews of Medina also seem to have resorted to these practices in the time of the Holy Prophet. This is why when the Meccan idolaters sought their help to confute the Holy Prophet, they suggested that they (the Meccan idolaters) should question him about the human soul. The Qur’an answers them by the verse under comment by saying that the soul derives its powers from the command of God and anything else that is claimed to be acquired by the so-called spiritual exercises and magical art is all humbug. The question regarding the nature of the human soul is reported to have been first put to the Holy Prophet at Mecca by the Quraish and then, according to ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud, by the Jews at Medina. The soul has been described here as something created by the direct command of God. According to the Qur’an all creation fal
یٰۤاَبَتِ اِنِّیۡ قَدۡ جَآءَنِیۡ مِنَ الۡعِلۡمِ مَا لَمۡ یَاۡتِکَ فَاتَّبِعۡنِیۡۤ اَہۡدِکَ صِرٰطًا سَوِیًّا
فَلَمَّا جَآءَتۡہُمۡ رُسُلُہُمۡ بِالۡبَیِّنٰتِ فَرِحُوۡا بِمَا عِنۡدَہُمۡ مِّنَ الۡعِلۡمِ وَحَاقَ بِہِمۡ مَّا کَانُوۡا بِہٖ یَسۡتَہۡزِءُوۡنَ
ذٰلِکَ مَبۡلَغُہُمۡ مِّنَ الۡعِلۡمِ ۚ اِنَّ رَبَّکَ ہُوَ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَنۡ ضَلَّ عَنۡ سَبِیۡلِہٖ وَہُوَ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَنِ اہۡتَدٰی
16:126; 28:57; 68:8.
16:126; 28:57; 68:8.
16:126; 28:57; 68:8.
Commentary:
The words of the verse seem to have been spoken ironically or by way of reproach. The utmost limit of the knowledge of disbelievers (the verse purports to say) is that they worship gods, which can do them no good nor can they injure them, in preference to God the Almighty, to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth and Who has created all things for the service of man. Moreover their strivings are confined to the acquirement of material things of this life and they have no thought for the Hereafter.
a
16:126; 28:57; 68:8.
a
16:126; 28:57; 68:8.
3987
Commentary:
The words of the verse seem to have been spoken ironically or by way of reproach. The utmost limit of the knowledge of disbelievers (the verse purports to say) is that they worship gods, which can do them no good nor can they injure them, in preference to God the Almighty, to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth and Who has created all things for the service of man. Moreover their strivings are confined to the acquirement of material things of this life and they have no thought for the Hereafter.
b
16:126; 28:57; 68:8.