ضَرَبُوۡا

Commentary:

The expression, when they travel in the land, means, when they travel in the land in the cause of God. This meaning is supported by the context.

The idea contained in the words, so that Allah may make it a cause of regret in their hearts, is that when Muslims refused to act upon the advice of disbelievers not to fight, and instead, came forth in large numbers to fight in the way of God, the disbelievers were naturally grieved at their failure to win them over to their way of thinking.

The interpretation of the clause, and Allah gives life and causes death, would vary according to the different meanings of the words موت (death) and حیاة (life) occurring in it. If the death referred to in the verse is taken in the sense of destruction, the clause would mean that with the death of a few Muslims, Islam would not go to ruin. God has decreed to vouchsafe victory to Muslims and the death in fighting of a number of the victorious army cannot possibly result in their destruction. If, however, death is here taken to mean "disgrace", then the clause would mean that God’s votaries and true servants never meet with disgrace because all honour is in His hands and He gives it to whomsoever He pleases. Truly speaking, he who fights and lays down his life in the cause of truth can in no sense be regarded as dead, because such a one gives his life for the sake of Him Who is the controller of all life and death. Such a person can never die; for though physically he may die, spiritually he lives forever. In this connection, see also 2:155.

25:10.

Important Words:

ضربوا لک الامثال (coin similitudes for thee).

Among a multitude of its meanings the word ضرب means, he described or rehearsed; he declared, propounded or explained; he made, caused to be, or constituted; he coined, quoted or made use of. ضرب مثلا means, he rehearsed, propounded or declared a parable, a similitude, an example or a proverb; he mentioned or set forth a parable; or he framed a parable. The Quranic expression واضرب لھم مثلا اصحاب القریة means, And propound thou to them or make thou to them a parable or similitude or an example of the people of the town (Lane & Aqrab). See also 2:274 & 4:35.

امثال (similitudes) is the plural of مثل (mathal) or مثل (mithal). See also 13:7 & 14:46.

Commentary:

The plural noun امثال (similitudes) shows that the word, مسحور (a victim of deception) in the previous verse is to be taken in all its different senses. If the word had been used only in one sense, the singular form مثل (mathal) and not the plural form امثال (amthal) would have been used.

The passage provides an illustration of the fact that when the Quran uses a certain word denoting a number of different senses it means that the word should be understood in all such senses as may be relevant to the context.

17:49.

Commentary:

With this verse begins the refutation of the disbelievers’ objections mentioned in the preceding verses. The verse purports to say that these people have a very poor concept of the real values of life, and have set up criteria of their own devising, to test the truth of Divine Messengers, with the result that instead of finding the right path they continue to grope in the darkness of doubt and disbelief.