رَّبِّ

7:68.

Commentary:

The words, but I am a Messenger from the Lord of the worlds, rebut the charge of error on Noah’s part in a most beautiful and convincing manner. The rejecters of Noah claimed that he was in error or that he had lost his way. The argument given by Noah in refutation of this charge is to the effect that a person who is proceeding to a place may indeed be said to be unacquainted with the way or to have lost it owing to his having never trodden it before, but how can a person who is returning from a certain place be said not to know the way to that place and how can he possibly lose the way in leading others to it? So Noah could not be in error, for he was actually coming from God, and, therefore, there was no possibility of his wandering away from the path that leads to Him.

7:62.

Commentary:

The Prophet Hud here refutes the charge of being in error by the same argument by which Noah refuted a similar charge (see 7:62 above). God, being the fountainhead of all wisdom, he who comes from Him, cannot be looked upon as foolish. The other charge is refuted in the next verse.

26:17; 20:48; 43:47.

12:112; 16:90.

Commentary:

The previous verse dealt with the subject that it was necessary for God to have sent down revelation for the guidance of mankind and that it is not in the power of anyone else to provide such spiritual guidance. From a discussion of the subject in principle, the Quran in this verse turns to the particular question, whether the Quran could be the word of man. It answers this question in the negative and gives five very cogent reasons to show that it is indeed the revealed word of God.

The first argument hinted at in the words, except Allah, is that the Quran comprises such subjects as are beyond the power of man to know and as can be revealed by God alone. Now among the things which are known to God alone are matters which pertain to the unseen, viz. prophecies about great events of the future; and there can be no doubt about the Divine origin of a book which contains things which are known to God alone.

The second argument given here to prove the Divine origin of the Quran is that not only do its own prophecies contradict the idea of its having been forged and fabricated by a man but the prophecies of the previous Prophets also establish its Divine origin. This is hinted at in the words, it fulfils that which is before it; and obviously no man-made book has the power to fulfil in itself prophecies foretold in previous Scriptures.

It is a peculiar characteristic of the Quran that, instead of speaking of former Prophets as bearing witness to the truth of the latter Prophets, it represents the latter as fulfilling what the former Prophets have said, the reason being that whereas former Prophets do indeed predict the advent of the Prophets that are to come after them, the latter Prophets establish the truth of the former Prophets by making their appearance exactly at the time and in the manner foretold. The best way of expressing this idea is the one that has been followed by the Quran. For, to say that the former Prophets bear testimony to the truth of such and such a Prophet or of such and such a revelation, is not so effective as to say that it is only by means of the present revelation or the present Prophet that the truth of the former Prophets can now become established. This is a line of reasoning which the followers of the former Prophets dare not reject.

The third argument embodied in this verse is hinted at in the words, an exposition of the Law, i.e. the Quran explains and expounds the teachings of previous Scriptures. This also constitutes a very strong proof of the truth of the Quran. The previous Scriptures require the help of the Quran for the exposition and elucidation of their teachings. The Torah, the Gospels, the Vedas, the Zend-Avesta, all discuss such great spiritual problems as the Unity of God, revelation, Divine attributes, prophethood, life after death, moral and spiritual conditions, etc., but none of these books deals with these questions in such a manner as to make them perfectly clear and understandable, and their ambiguities and obscurities have to be explained with the help of the Quran. So in the verse under comment the claim is made that the Quran explains and clarifies those parts of previous Scriptures about which so much vagueness and obscurity exists and disbelievers are told that, if they deny the Divine origin of the Quran, they will have to admit that the All-Knowing God Himself was unable to put so much spiritual knowledge in all the former revealed books as this human being (the Prophet of Islam) has succeeded in placing in this small Book, the Quran. So the followers of other faiths will have either to admit the Divine origin of the Quran or deny previous Scriptures also.

The fourth argument given in this verse is contained in the words, There is no doubt about it, which means that the Quran contains all the reasons and arguments needed to prove its Divine origin and does not require the help or support of any outside person or book for that purpose. It deals with various social, moral and spiritual problems in such a perfect and exhaustive manner that he who ponders over it dispassionately can readily see that the Quran makes no claim which it does not support with cogent reasons and powerful arguments. This constitutes irrefutable evidence of the fact that this Book has indeed proceeded from God; for the Quran demands our belief in many unseen things and it is not in the power of man to prove unseen things by intellectual reasoning alone without the help of observation and experience. But obviously man cannot provide bases of observation and experience for things unseen. Only God can do it.

The fifth argument of the Divine origin of the Quran as given in this verse is contained in the words, It is from the Lord of all the worlds. This is to hint that by means of the Quran the Divine attribute of Rabbul ‘Alamin (Lord of all the worlds) has been made manifest to all mankind. The Quran is not meant to satisfy the need and requirements of a particular people or a particular period only, as were the previous Scriptures, but is meant for all nations and all ages. Now it is impossible for a human being to produce a book which should satisfy the requirements of all mankind for all time. Man is naturally influenced by his environment and ordinarily foresees and seeks to meet his immediate needs only. It is God alone Who can give such teachings as are equally useful for all times and all peoples and as are unaffected by changes in time and in the conditions and circumstances of man. The Quran embodies such teachings.

14:42; 46:16; 71:29.

Important Words:

جناح الذل (wing of humility). جناح is derived from جنح which means, he or it inclined, leaned or propended. They say جنح الطائرi.e. the bird contracted its wings to descend and approached like one falling and repairing to a place of refuge. جنح اللیلmeans, the night came on. جناح means wing; hand; upper arm or arm from the shoulder to the elbow; edge; side; wing of an army; protection; a part or portion of a thing. The Arabs say ھو مقصوص الجناح i.e. he has his wings clipped, meaning, he lacks strength or power or ability. One would say انا فی جناح فلان i.e. I am under the protection of such a one. خفض له جناحه means, he lowered to him his wing. The Quranic expression واخفض لھما جناح الذل means, And make soft to them thy submissive side i.e. treat them with gentleness and submissiveness or lower to them the wing of submissiveness, meaning, be submissive to them (Lane & Aqrab).

ذل (dhull) is derived from ذل (dhalla) which means, he or it was or became low, abject, despicable, humble and weak; he or it (an animal) was or became easy, tractable, submissive or manageable; it (a road) was or became beaten or trodden so as to be rendered easy to walk or ride upon; it (a tank) was or became broken. ذل (dhull) is synonymous with ذل (dhill) and means, lowness; paltriness, abasement, and weakness; easiness, tractableness; submissiveness; also gentleness; and mercy. According to Imam Raghib ذل (dhull) is a consequence of subjection and ذل (dhill) is what is after refractoriness (Lane, Aqrab & Mufradat).

Commentary:

The verse uses a beautiful simile to teach the Faithful to be always kind to their parents. It purports to say that as ordinarily a person can never fully repay the love and affection his parents gave him when he was yet a child, he should make up the deficiency by praying for them. The words of the prayer imply that in old age parents need to be tended as carefully and affectionately as little children are looked after in their childhood.

Important Words:

مدخل (entry) is derived from دخل, which means, he entered. ادخله of which the infinitive noun is ادخال or مدخل means, he caused him to enter. مدخل therefore means, to enter, entering or entry. The Quranic expression رب ادخلنی مدخل صدق means, O my Lord cause me to enter in a good or agreeable manner (or make my entry a good entry) (Lane).

Commentary:

In acceptance of his prayers and supplications, the Prophet in this verse has been vouchsafed the glad tidings that in fulfilment of the prophecy made in the words, Glory be to Him Who carried His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Distant Mosque, he would be taken to Medina which would constitute the first of the various "exalted positions" (مقام محمود) which are to be bestowed upon him. In anticipation of the fulfilment of this prophecy, the Prophet is commanded to pray that his entry in Medina may be doubly blessed and so may be his departure from the town in which he is now living (Mecca). This prayer of the Prophet was amply fulfilled. His enemies desired to expel him from Mecca in ignominy and disgrace but he was foretold by God of their evil designs and in accordance with the divine plan he left Mecca of his own accord and arrived in perfect safety in Medina, where he succeeded in gathering round him a band of most faithful and devoted followers.

The question may be asked why the entry of the Prophet into Medina has been mentioned before his "coming forth" from Mecca, which is contrary to events as they took place. The answer to this seeming historical anomaly is that the order in the statement of events as they took place has been reversed in order to console the Holy Prophet. The news of his departure from Mecca would naturally have caused him great pain. In order to relieve him of this mental anguish God preceded the news of his departure from Mecca by the news of his entry into Medina where power and honour awaited him.

The word مدخل (entry) might also be taken to refer to the Holy Prophet’s subsequent victorious entry into Mecca. Read in this sense, the said "entry" may be understood to constitute another stage in the Holy Prophet’s march to his promised مقام محمود (exalted station) because with his triumphant re-entry into Mecca ended all opposition to Islam and the Prophet’s erstwhile opponents became his devoted followers.

The prayer contained in the words, And grant me from Thyself a helping power, was necessary because power is a great corrupter of men. The Prophet is taught to pray that instead of corrupting him the acquisition of power may prove a source of real help to him.

The prayer contained in this verse supports the interpretation of اسراء i.e. the Vision about the Prophet’s Night Journey mentioned in v. 2, namely that the flight of the Holy Prophet from Mecca to Medina was sure to take place.

23:117.

Commentary:

The words O my Lord, increase me in knowledge show the great importance that the Quran attaches to the acquirement of knowledge. Even the Holy Prophet to whom was vouchsafed knowledge about the generations that have passed away and about those that are yet to be born أوتیت علم الاولین و الآخرین)), is taught to pray that his knowledge may be increased. He is further reported to have said, "Seek knowledge though it may be found in a country as far away as China" (Saghir vol. 1). Elsewhere in the Quran knowledge has been styled as "God’s great grace" (2:270 & 4:114).

The verse also implies that all knowledge is of two kinds: (a) that which is vouchsafed to man through revelation and which has found its perfect manifestation in the Quran which is the last and most perfect Divine teaching; (b) that which man acquires by his own effort and labour. It is this second kind of knowledge for the acquisition of which man is enjoined in the present verse to make ceaseless effort.

The verse also implies that the Quran will come to be increasingly read and followed.

11:49.

Commentary:

For a detailed account of Noah and the Ark and the place where it came to rest, see 11:38-45. Briefly it may be stated here that according to the Bible Noah’s Ark rested on the mountains of Ararat (Gen. 8:4) and according to the Quran it rested upon Al-Judi. It is of interest to note that ارا راط being a combination of ارا which means, "I saw" and راط which means, "he sought refuge in the mountains," signifies a place of safety in the mountains and the word جودی means, "my beneficence, my grace, my mercy." Thus, whereas according to the Bible, the Ark rested in a place of safety, according to the Quran it rested in a place where God’s mercy, grace or beneficence were manifested.

Important Words:

ھمزات (incitements) is the plural of ھمزة which is derived from ھمز. They say ھمزہ i.e. he pressed it; squeezed it; pinched it; he impelled or repelled him or it; he beat him; he goaded him or urged him; he broke it; he suggested evil to his mind; he incited him.ھمز or ھمزة means, madness or insanity; the evil suggestion of evil persons which they inspire into the minds of men; inciting (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

In the expression "from the incitements of the evil ones," the words "evil ones" refer to the leading men among the Holy Prophet’s enemies, and "incitements" signifies the campaign of vilification and misrepresentation by which they sought to incite the people against him. The context bears out this meaning of the words 'evil ones.' The Holy Prophet had enjoyed full protection of God and therefore was completely immune to the influence and evil suggestions of Satan, hence the question of his being subject to the incitements of the evil ones does not arise. The Prophet’s شیطان (Evil Spirit) had lost all power to do mischief to him (Muslim, Kitab Sifatil-Munafiqin). The Prophet had found complete refuge in his Lord.

20:5; 40:3; 46:3.

Commentary:

The verse may possess one or all the following meanings:

(1) There is no doubt in the fact that this Book has been revealed by the Lord of all the worlds.

(2) The revelation of this Book in which there is no doubt is from the Lord of all the worlds.

(3) The fact that this Book contains all the conceivable beauties and excellences which a revealed Scripture must possess, leaves no doubt in its being revealed by the Lord of the worlds.

(4) Since this Book has undoubtedly been revealed by the Lord of the worlds its teachings are meant for the whole of mankind.

20:5; 26:193.

Commentary:

The fact that the Quran is a "well-preserved Book" and that "none shall touch it except who are purified" constitutes a proof and a guarantee that "it is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds."

26:118; 54:10.

Important Words:

دیار is derived from دار and means, one who lives in a house. They say ما فی الدار دیار i.e. there is no one in the house (Lane).

Commentary:

God’s Prophets are full of the milk of human kindness. Noah’s prayer shows that opposition to him must have been long, persistent and unremitting, and that all his efforts to bring his people to the right path must have been abortive, and that there had remained no possibility for any further addition to his small following, and also that his opponents must have exceeded all legitimate bounds in opposing and persecuting him and his followers, and in indulging in evil pursuits. Matters must have come to such a pass that a man of a compassionate disposition like Noah was constrained to pray against his people. In an identical situation the Holy Prophet’s attitude to his opponents presents a vivid contrast. In the Battle of Uhud, the Holy Prophet had two of his teeth broken. He was badly wounded and bled profusely, and yet the only words that escaped his lips on that occasion, were, "How will a people get salvation who have wounded their Prophet and have smeared his face with blood, for no fault but that he calls them to God. My Lord! forgive my people, they know not what they do" (Zurqani & Hisham).

الارض (the land) in the verse signifies Noah’s own land––Iraq––and not the whole earth. This word has been used at several places in the Quran in the sense of a particular land or country (5:27 & 28:82).

14:42.

19:66; 37:6; 38:67; 44:8.