مَثَلُ
Appears 9 times in Quran
Occurrences in Quran
Found 9 verses containing "مَثَلُ".
مَثَلُ مَا یُنۡفِقُوۡنَ فِیۡ ہٰذِہِ الۡحَیٰوۃِ الدُّنۡیَا کَمَثَلِ رِیۡحٍ فِیۡہَا صِرٌّ اَصَابَتۡ حَرۡثَ قَوۡمٍ ظَلَمُوۡۤا اَنۡفُسَہُمۡ فَاَہۡلَکَتۡہُ ۚ وَمَا ظَلَمَہُمُ اللّٰہُ وَلٰکِنۡ اَنۡفُسَہُمۡ یَظۡلِمُوۡنَ
10:25; 68:18-21.
مطلب یہ ہے کہ خرچ تو انسان اس لئے کرتا ہے کہ اسے ترقی حاصل ہو مگر چونکہ یہ لوگ منافقت سے خرچ کرتے ہیں ان کا خرچ ویسا ہی نتیجہ پیدا کرتا ہے‘ جیسا کہ شمالی بادِ تُند جو سخت ٹھنڈی ہوتی ہے اور کھیتیوں کو تباہ کردیتی ہے۔ اسی طرح وہ خرچ بھی ان کے اعمال کے نتائج کو تباہ کر دے گا۔
10:25; 68:18-21.
The idea underlying this verse is that the efforts of the disbelievers against Islam will recoil on themselves. Whatever they do or spend with a view to injuring the cause of Islam will only injure themselves.
10:25; 68:18-21.
Important Words:
صر (intense cold). They say صر الباب i.e. the door made a sound or a creaking sound. صر الطائر means, the bird (hawk or falcon) uttered its cry. صر means, it (plant) became smitten with intense cold; or he (a person) had an iron collar put round his neck. So صر means: (1) intense cold; (2) cold that smites the herbage and destroys it; (3) sound or noise; (4) a wind with an excessively loud sound; (5) fire (Lane & Lisan).
Commentary:
The idea underlying this verse is that the efforts of the disbelievers against Islam will react only against themselves. Whatever they do and whatever they spend with a view to injuring or destroying Islam will only injure the disbelievers themselves. God sent Islam for the good of the people, but by rejecting it they are bringing about their own ruin.
f
10:25; 68:18-21.
1
مطلب یہ ہے کہ خرچ تو انسان اس لئے کرتا ہے کہ اسے ترقی حاصل ہو مگر چونکہ یہ لوگ منافقت سے خرچ کرتے ہیں ان کا خرچ ویسا ہی نتیجہ پیدا کرتا ہے‘ جیسا کہ شمالی بادِ تُند جو سخت ٹھنڈی ہوتی ہے اور کھیتیوں کو تباہ کردیتی ہے۔ اسی طرح وہ خرچ بھی ان کے اعمال کے نتائج کو تباہ کر دے گا۔
b
10:25; 68:18-21.
402
Important Words:
صر (intense cold). They say صر الباب i.e. the door made a sound or a creaking sound. صر الطائر means, the bird (hawk or falcon) uttered its cry. صر means, it (plant) became smitten with intense cold; or he (a person) had an iron collar put round his neck. So صر means: (1) intense cold; (2) cold that smites the herbage and destroys it; (3) sound or noise; (4) a wind with an excessively loud sound; (5) fire (Lane & Lisan).
Commentary:
The idea underlying this verse is that the efforts of the disbelievers against Islam will react only against themselves. Whatever they do and whatever they spend with a view to injuring or destroying Islam will only injure the disbelievers themselves. God sent Islam for the good of the people, but by rejecting it they are bringing about their own ruin.
a
10:25; 68:18-21.
461
The idea underlying this verse is that the efforts of the disbelievers against Islam will recoil on themselves. Whatever they do or spend with a view to injuring the cause of Islam will only injure themselves.
وَلَوۡ شِئۡنَا لَرَفَعۡنٰہُ بِہَا وَلٰکِنَّہٗۤ اَخۡلَدَ اِلَی الۡاَرۡضِ وَاتَّبَعَ ہَوٰٮہُ ۚ فَمَثَلُہٗ کَمَثَلِ الۡکَلۡبِ اِنۡ تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَیۡہِ یَلۡہَثۡ اَوۡ تَتۡرُکۡہُ یَلۡہَث ۚ ذّٰلِکَ مَثَلُ الۡقَوۡمِ الَّذِیۡنَ کَذَّبُوۡا بِاٰیٰتِنَا ۚ فَاقۡصُصِ الۡقَصَصَ لَعَلَّہُمۡ یَتَفَکَّرُوۡنَ
یعنی ہمیشہ خداتعالیٰ کے خلاف شکایت کرتے رہتے ہیں کہ اس نے ہمیں کچھ نہیں دیا۔
Material things, specially love of money.
Yalhath, (from Lahatha which means, his breath rose on account of fatigue or weariness), signifies that whether or not such a one is asked to make sacrifices in the cause of religion, he seems to be always panting like a thirsty dog, as if the ever-increasing burden of sacrifices is leaving him completely exhausted.
Important Words:
تحمل علیه (thou drive him away). تحمل is derived from حمل. They say حمله i.e. he bore or carried or conveyed it. حمل علیه الشیءmeans, he loaded him with the thing, or he put the thing on him as a load; or he imposed on him the thing as a burden. حمل علیه means, he charged or assaulted or attacked him (Lane). It is in the last mentioned sense that the word has been rendered here as "drive him away".
یلھث (hangs out his tongue) is formed from لھث meaning, he thirsted; or thirst heated his body. They say لھث الکلب i.e. the dog put forth his tongue on account of thirst or fatigue or weariness. لھث الرجل means, the breath of the man rose on account of fatigue or weariness; or he was fatigued or weary (Lane & Aqrab).
قصص (description) is the noun-infinitive from قص. They say قص اثره i.e. he followed his footsteps; or he followed his track in pursuit. قص الشعر means, he cut or clipped the hair. قص علیه الخبر means, he related to-him the news or the narrative or the story. قصص therefore, means, description or explanation; a narrative or story; following someone or something in his or its footsteps or track (Lane & Aqrab). See also 3:63.
Commentary:
The verse continues the description of the similitude begun in the previous verse. When a man becomes wholly engrossed in worldly affairs and begins to follow his evil desires and inclinations and rejects truth, he becomes, degraded, as it were, to the position of a dog. His thirst for money becomes insatiable. He continues to hanker after the paltry goods of this world. This description quite fits in with a hypocrite or one weak in faith. Whether or not he is made to undergo sacrifices in the cause of religion, he seems to be always panting like a thirsty dog, as if the ever-increasing burden of sacrifices is leaving him exhausted. The above interpretation is in accord with the meaning of the expression حمل علیه in the sense of "putting a load on". If, however, the expression is taken in the sense of "attacking or charging" or for that matter "driving", then the words would mean that the weak of faith belonging to the class of people mentioned here always feel fatigued and weary in the way of God, whether they are smitten with afflictions and trials or not.
1
یعنی ہمیشہ خداتعالیٰ کے خلاف شکایت کرتے رہتے ہیں کہ اس نے ہمیں کچھ نہیں دیا۔
1064
Important Words:
تحمل علیه (thou drive him away). تحمل is derived from حمل. They say حمله i.e. he bore or carried or conveyed it. حمل علیه الشیءmeans, he loaded him with the thing, or he put the thing on him as a load; or he imposed on him the thing as a burden. حمل علیه means, he charged or assaulted or attacked him (Lane). It is in the last mentioned sense that the word has been rendered here as "drive him away".
یلھث (hangs out his tongue) is formed from لھث meaning, he thirsted; or thirst heated his body. They say لھث الکلب i.e. the dog put forth his tongue on account of thirst or fatigue or weariness. لھث الرجل means, the breath of the man rose on account of fatigue or weariness; or he was fatigued or weary (Lane & Aqrab).
قصص (description) is the noun-infinitive from قص. They say قص اثره i.e. he followed his footsteps; or he followed his track in pursuit. قص الشعر means, he cut or clipped the hair. قص علیه الخبر means, he related to-him the news or the narrative or the story. قصص therefore, means, description or explanation; a narrative or story; following someone or something in his or its footsteps or track (Lane & Aqrab). See also 3:63.
Commentary:
The verse continues the description of the similitude begun in the previous verse. When a man becomes wholly engrossed in worldly affairs and begins to follow his evil desires and inclinations and rejects truth, he becomes, degraded, as it were, to the position of a dog. His thirst for money becomes insatiable. He continues to hanker after the paltry goods of this world. This description quite fits in with a hypocrite or one weak in faith. Whether or not he is made to undergo sacrifices in the cause of religion, he seems to be always panting like a thirsty dog, as if the ever-increasing burden of sacrifices is leaving him exhausted. The above interpretation is in accord with the meaning of the expression حمل علیه in the sense of "putting a load on". If, however, the expression is taken in the sense of "attacking or charging" or for that matter "driving", then the words would mean that the weak of faith belonging to the class of people mentioned here always feel fatigued and weary in the way of God, whether they are smitten with afflictions and trials or not.
1073
Material things, specially love of money.
1074
Yalhath, (from Lahatha which means, his breath rose on account of fatigue or weariness), signifies that whether or not such a one is asked to make sacrifices in the cause of religion, he seems to be always panting like a thirsty dog, as if the ever-increasing burden of sacrifices is leaving him completely exhausted.
اِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الۡحَیٰوۃِ الدُّنۡیَا کَمَآءٍ اَنۡزَلۡنٰہُ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ فَاخۡتَلَطَ بِہٖ نَبَاتُ الۡاَرۡضِ مِمَّا یَاۡکُلُ النَّاسُ وَالۡاَنۡعٰمُ حَتّٰۤی اِذَاۤ اَخَذَتِ الۡاَرۡضُ زُخۡرُفَہَا وَازَّیَّنَتۡ وَظَنَّ اَہۡلُہَاۤ اَنَّہُمۡ قٰدِرُوۡنَ عَلَیۡہَاۤ اَتٰٮہَاۤ اَمۡرُنَا لَیۡلًا اَوۡ نَہَارًا فَجَعَلۡنٰہَا حَصِیۡدًا کَاَنۡ لَّمۡ تَغۡنَ بِالۡاَمۡسِ ۚ کَذٰلِکَ نُفَصِّلُ الۡاٰیٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ یَّتَفَکَّرُوۡنَ
3:118.
11:69.
18:46.
The moral of the parable is that when nations become proud and vain and take life lightly, their decline sets in and they come to grief.
18:46.
3:118.
11:69.
Important Words:
حصیدا (a field that is mown down) is derived from حصد meaning, he reaped or cut with the scythe seed-produce or plants or herbage. They say حصدھم بالسیف i.e. he mowed them down with the sword; he slew them; he exerted his utmost power or exceeded ordinary bounds in slaying them; he exterminated them with the sword. The Arab proverb من زرع الشر حصد الندامةmeans, he who sows evil reaps regret. حصید means, reaped seed-produce; grain that is reaped; seed-produce torn up and carried away by the wind; slain or mown down with the sword, like seed-produce when reaped. حصاد means, time or season of reaping; what remains on the ground after the crop has been reaped; what falls off and becomes scattered of the seed-produce (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
The life of this world has been likened here to rainwater. The verse purports to say that when rain descends from heaven, it causes various kinds of vegetation to grow. Some of them are useful for man and others for animals. But man, instead of ascribing this to the favour of God, looks upon it as the fruit of his own industry and skill. When, however, in consequence of his pride and vanity, a sudden visitation from God destroys all the produce of the earth, he cannot prevent or delay its destruction, let alone possess the power to produce it which he so vaingloriously claimed to have. The moral of the parable is that when nations become proud and vain, i.e. when they take life lightly, their decline sets in and they come to grief.
Water in this verse may also be taken to stand for the word of God. In this sense, the verse would mean that the word of God brings about mighty changes in the life of those who accept and follow it and various new sciences come into existence as a result of its study and new discoveries are made in the material as well as in the spiritual world. The revelation of the Quran gave birth not only to highly spiritual and righteous men but also to eminent philosophers and scientists. But when Muslims became vain and refused to acknowledge their debt to the word of God and began to look upon themselves as the real originators and creators of all these sciences, they fell from the high pedestal of material and spiritual glory to the depths of degradation and degeneration.
b
18:46.
c
3:118.
d
11:69.
a
18:46.
b
3:118.
c
11:69.
1300
Important Words:
حصیدا (a field that is mown down) is derived from حصد meaning, he reaped or cut with the scythe seed-produce or plants or herbage. They say حصدھم بالسیف i.e. he mowed them down with the sword; he slew them; he exerted his utmost power or exceeded ordinary bounds in slaying them; he exterminated them with the sword. The Arab proverb من زرع الشر حصد الندامةmeans, he who sows evil reaps regret. حصید means, reaped seed-produce; grain that is reaped; seed-produce torn up and carried away by the wind; slain or mown down with the sword, like seed-produce when reaped. حصاد means, time or season of reaping; what remains on the ground after the crop has been reaped; what falls off and becomes scattered of the seed-produce (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
The life of this world has been likened here to rainwater. The verse purports to say that when rain descends from heaven, it causes various kinds of vegetation to grow. Some of them are useful for man and others for animals. But man, instead of ascribing this to the favour of God, looks upon it as the fruit of his own industry and skill. When, however, in consequence of his pride and vanity, a sudden visitation from God destroys all the produce of the earth, he cannot prevent or delay its destruction, let alone possess the power to produce it which he so vaingloriously claimed to have. The moral of the parable is that when nations become proud and vain, i.e. when they take life lightly, their decline sets in and they come to grief.
Water in this verse may also be taken to stand for the word of God. In this sense, the verse would mean that the word of God brings about mighty changes in the life of those who accept and follow it and various new sciences come into existence as a result of its study and new discoveries are made in the material as well as in the spiritual world. The revelation of the Quran gave birth not only to highly spiritual and righteous men but also to eminent philosophers and scientists. But when Muslims became vain and refused to acknowledge their debt to the word of God and began to look upon themselves as the real originators and creators of all these sciences, they fell from the high pedestal of material and spiritual glory to the depths of degradation and degeneration.
a
3:118.
b
11:69.
c
18:46.
1252
The moral of the parable is that when nations become proud and vain and take life lightly, their decline sets in and they come to grief.
۞ مَثَلُ الۡفَرِیۡقَیۡنِ کَالۡاَعۡمٰی وَالۡاَصَمِّ وَالۡبَصِیۡرِ وَالسَّمِیۡعِ ۚ ہَلۡ یَسۡتَوِیَانِ مَثَلًا ۚ اَفَلَا تَذَکَّرُوۡنَ
13:17; 35:20, 21.
قرآن مجید میں اندھے اور بہرے اور بینا اور سننے والے کے الفاظ اکٹھے بیان ہوئے ہیں۔ مگر اردو میں اندھے کے مقابلہ میں بینا آتا ہے اور بہرے کے مقابلہ میں سننے والا۔ اس لئے ہم نے اردو محاورہ کے مطابق عبارت کو آگے پیچھے کر دیا ہے۔ جو عربی کے قاعدہ لف و نشر مرتب کے مطابق ہے۔
13:17; 35:20, 21.
A beautiful contrast is instituted here between belief and disbelief. A believer is represented as one who is in perfect possession of the faculties of sight and hearing, while the disbeliever is likened to a blind and deaf person.
13:17; 35:20-21.
Commentary:
This verse beautifully contrasts faith and disbelief. A believer is here represented as one who is in perfect possession of the faculties of sight and hearing, while the disbeliever is likened to a blind and deaf man. Certainly there is a world of difference between them. The epithets "blind" and "deaf" for disbelievers have not been used by way of abuse, but are meant to throw light on the real nature of disbelief.
The difference between a spiritually blind man and one who can see is that the former cannot see the spiritual light that comes from God, while the latter can. Similarly, whereas the former gropes, stumbles and falters on the way to his destination, the latter sees his way clear to it and reaches it directly. Moreover, a blind man cannot distinguish a friend from a foe, and might mistake one for the other, while the seeing man can never make such a mistake.
Similar differences exist between those who follow a true religion and those who reject it. The follower of a true religion knows the Will of God, which serves as a beacon of light for the spiritual wayfarer. But one who rejects truth loses his spiritual vision and thus is deprived of the means to know the Will of his Creator. Similarly, he who has accepted truth, being a seeker after Divine revelation, does not stumble or stagger on the way to his destination, but arrives at it straight away. On the contrary, those who seek to find truth by the unaided help of their own reasoning faculties may sometimes succeed in finding it, but after a good deal of stumbling and groping in the dark. The difference is well illustrated by the statutory prohibition in the United States of America of alcoholic drink in the past few years. Islam prohibited drinking outright, with the result that the Muslim world totally abandoned it. The non-Muslim world has only now begun to realize its evils after an experiment extending over hundreds of years. Another vital difference between a believer and a disbeliever is that the former takes his stand on the firm rock of some recognized truth about which there exists no dispute in his mind, but the latter does not know where he stands, with the result that in order to refute a truth, he sometimes happens to attack even those principles to which he himself subscribes. This is why the Quran repeatedly reminds its opponents that, while attacking Islam, they very often attack their own beliefs and principles.
Believers and disbelievers have also been here compared to the hearing and the deaf. The difference between a man who has ears and one who is deaf is that the former, being able to hear what others have to say, benefits by their experience, while the latter can derive no such benefit. This constitutes one of the chief differences between Islam and other Faiths, and between Muslims and non-Muslims. The teachings of Islam comprise all truths—even those that are found in other religions—and a Muslim is enjoined to get hold of truth wherever he finds it and to make it his own, while a non-Muslim remains contented with his own antiquated and outworn ideas and turns a deaf ear to all others. It is to this peculiarity of Islam that the Holy Prophet has alluded in his famous saying: "A word of wisdom is the lost property of a believer; he gets hold of it wherever he finds it" (Tirmidhi, ch. on ‘Ilm).
In short, the sign of a true religion is that it is catholic and broad-minded and embraces in itself all truths; while a false religion is characterized by narrow-mindedness and perversity. Thus, the very thing which is criticized by the opponents of Islam as one of its defects is claimed here as an excellence. Islam has been accused of plagiarism, but it answers this charge by saying that it is not like a deaf man who cannot hear and therefore is incapable of benefiting by the knowledge and experience of others, but, like a person who is in perfect possession of the power of hearing, it listens to what others have to say and thus supplements and perfects its own store of knowledge. This is why the Quran has not only collected in itself all such teachings of other divinely inspired religions as are fundamentally good and beneficial but has also added to them such new truths as are not to be found in any other Faith.
The epithets "hearing" and "deaf" point to another contrast also. In Islam, the door of Divine revelation is open, and spiritually speaking only such an ear can be said to be gifted with the faculty of "hearing" as listens to the voice of God. In fact, it is for the purpose of hearing the sweet voice of God that the ear has been primarily created. So the ear which does not hear the voice of
God is a deaf ear. Similarly, it is to point to this great difference that believers and disbelievers have been respectively likened to "the seeing" and "the blind." In Islam the door of heavenly signs and miracles is ever open and he alone can be truly said to be "seeing" who sees the fresh signs of God. The eye which refuses to see the signs of God is indeed a blind eye.
c
13:17; 35:20, 21.
1
قرآن مجید میں اندھے اور بہرے اور بینا اور سننے والے کے الفاظ اکٹھے بیان ہوئے ہیں۔ مگر اردو میں اندھے کے مقابلہ میں بینا آتا ہے اور بہرے کے مقابلہ میں سننے والا۔ اس لئے ہم نے اردو محاورہ کے مطابق عبارت کو آگے پیچھے کر دیا ہے۔ جو عربی کے قاعدہ لف و نشر مرتب کے مطابق ہے۔
a
13:17; 35:20-21.
1406
Commentary:
This verse beautifully contrasts faith and disbelief. A believer is here represented as one who is in perfect possession of the faculties of sight and hearing, while the disbeliever is likened to a blind and deaf man. Certainly there is a world of difference between them. The epithets "blind" and "deaf" for disbelievers have not been used by way of abuse, but are meant to throw light on the real nature of disbelief.
The difference between a spiritually blind man and one who can see is that the former cannot see the spiritual light that comes from God, while the latter can. Similarly, whereas the former gropes, stumbles and falters on the way to his destination, the latter sees his way clear to it and reaches it directly. Moreover, a blind man cannot distinguish a friend from a foe, and might mistake one for the other, while the seeing man can never make such a mistake.
Similar differences exist between those who follow a true religion and those who reject it. The follower of a true religion knows the Will of God, which serves as a beacon of light for the spiritual wayfarer. But one who rejects truth loses his spiritual vision and thus is deprived of the means to know the Will of his Creator. Similarly, he who has accepted truth, being a seeker after Divine revelation, does not stumble or stagger on the way to his destination, but arrives at it straight away. On the contrary, those who seek to find truth by the unaided help of their own reasoning faculties may sometimes succeed in finding it, but after a good deal of stumbling and groping in the dark. The difference is well illustrated by the statutory prohibition in the United States of America of alcoholic drink in the past few years. Islam prohibited drinking outright, with the result that the Muslim world totally abandoned it. The non-Muslim world has only now begun to realize its evils after an experiment extending over hundreds of years. Another vital difference between a believer and a disbeliever is that the former takes his stand on the firm rock of some recognized truth about which there exists no dispute in his mind, but the latter does not know where he stands, with the result that in order to refute a truth, he sometimes happens to attack even those principles to which he himself subscribes. This is why the Quran repeatedly reminds its opponents that, while attacking Islam, they very often attack their own beliefs and principles.
Believers and disbelievers have also been here compared to the hearing and the deaf. The difference between a man who has ears and one who is deaf is that the former, being able to hear what others have to say, benefits by their experience, while the latter can derive no such benefit. This constitutes one of the chief differences between Islam and other Faiths, and between Muslims and non-Muslims. The teachings of Islam comprise all truths—even those that are found in other religions—and a Muslim is enjoined to get hold of truth wherever he finds it and to make it his own, while a non-Muslim remains contented with his own antiquated and outworn ideas and turns a deaf ear to all others. It is to this peculiarity of Islam that the Holy Prophet has alluded in his famous saying: "A word of wisdom is the lost property of a believer; he gets hold of it wherever he finds it" (Tirmidhi, ch. on ‘Ilm).
In short, the sign of a true religion is that it is catholic and broad-minded and embraces in itself all truths; while a false religion is characterized by narrow-mindedness and perversity. Thus, the very thing which is criticized by the opponents of Islam as one of its defects is claimed here as an excellence. Islam has been accused of plagiarism, but it answers this charge by saying that it is not like a deaf man who cannot hear and therefore is incapable of benefiting by the knowledge and experience of others, but, like a person who is in perfect possession of the power of hearing, it listens to what others have to say and thus supplements and perfects its own store of knowledge. This is why the Quran has not only collected in itself all such teachings of other divinely inspired religions as are fundamentally good and beneficial but has also added to them such new truths as are not to be found in any other Faith.
The epithets "hearing" and "deaf" point to another contrast also. In Islam, the door of Divine revelation is open, and spiritually speaking only such an ear can be said to be gifted with the faculty of "hearing" as listens to the voice of God. In fact, it is for the purpose of hearing the sweet voice of God that the ear has been primarily created. So the ear which does not hear the voice of
God is a deaf ear. Similarly, it is to point to this great difference that believers and disbelievers have been respectively likened to "the seeing" and "the blind." In Islam the door of heavenly signs and miracles is ever open and he alone can be truly said to be "seeing" who sees the fresh signs of God. The eye which refuses to see the signs of God is indeed a blind eye.
d
13:17; 35:20, 21.
1308
A beautiful contrast is instituted here between belief and disbelief. A believer is represented as one who is in perfect possession of the faculties of sight and hearing, while the disbeliever is likened to a blind and deaf person.
لِلَّذِیۡنَ لَا یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِالۡاٰخِرَۃِ مَثَلُ السَّوۡءِ ۖ وَلِلّٰہِ الۡمَثَلُ الۡاَعۡلٰی ۚ وَہُوَ الۡعَزِیۡزُ الۡحَکِیۡمُ
30:28.
30:28.
30:28.
Commentary:
The verse sets forth clearly the main purport of the chapter, i.e. those who do not believe in the life after death can have no faith in the possibility of Divine revelation. They seek to arrogate to themselves the framing of laws for their guidance. But such attempts have always ended in failure while the "word" which comes from God, being free from all defects and imperfections and being possessed of all conceivable excellences, is a safe guide. This shows the need for Divinerevelation.
The two attributes of "Mighty" and "Wise" point to the fact that true guidance can only come from God, for One possessed of might alone can implement all His promises and only the Wise One can find out what man really needs and only He can satisfy that need.
These attributes also point to the fact that there must be a life after death. Since God is Wise, all His acts must be based upon wisdom and if there be no life after death, this life ceases to possess any purpose or object, and this should cast a reflection on the wisdom of God. Similarly, complete manifestation of God’s might can take place only in the life after death, for in the event of such a manifestation taking place in this life, faith and virtue would cease to have weight or value.
f
30:28.
a
30:28.
1861
Commentary:
The verse sets forth clearly the main purport of the chapter, i.e. those who do not believe in the life after death can have no faith in the possibility of Divine revelation. They seek to arrogate to themselves the framing of laws for their guidance. But such attempts have always ended in failure while the "word" which comes from God, being free from all defects and imperfections and being possessed of all conceivable excellences, is a safe guide. This shows the need for Divinerevelation.
The two attributes of "Mighty" and "Wise" point to the fact that true guidance can only come from God, for One possessed of might alone can implement all His promises and only the Wise One can find out what man really needs and only He can satisfy that need.
These attributes also point to the fact that there must be a life after death. Since God is Wise, all His acts must be based upon wisdom and if there be no life after death, this life ceases to possess any purpose or object, and this should cast a reflection on the wisdom of God. Similarly, complete manifestation of God’s might can take place only in the life after death, for in the event of such a manifestation taking place in this life, faith and virtue would cease to have weight or value.
a
30:28.
۞ اَللّٰہُ نُوۡرُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُوۡرِہٖ کَمِشۡکٰوۃٍ فِیۡہَا مِصۡبَاحٌ ۖ اَلۡمِصۡبَاحُ فِیۡ زُجَاجَۃٍ ۖ الزُّجَاجَۃُ کَاَنَّہَا کَوۡکَبٌ دُرِّیٌّ یُّوۡقَدُ مِنۡ شَجَرَۃٍ مُّبٰرَکَۃٍ زَیۡتُوۡنَۃٍ لَّا شَرۡقِیَّۃٍ وَّلَا غَرۡبِیَّۃٍ یَّکَادُ زَیۡتُہَا یُضِیۡٓءُ وَلَوۡ لَمۡ تَمۡسَسۡہُ نَارٌ ۚ نُّوۡرٌ عَلٰی نُوۡرٍ ۗ یَہۡدِی اللّٰہُ لِنُوۡرِہٖ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ ۚ وَیَضۡرِبُ اللّٰہُ الۡاَمۡثٰلَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَاللّٰہُ بِکُلِّ شَیۡءٍ عَلِیۡمٌ
یعنی سب برکت دنیا میں خداتعالیٰ کے تعلق سے پیدا ہوتی ہے۔
یعنی جو تعلیم اس کی طرف سے آتی ہے اس کا مقابلہ دوسری تعلیموں سے ایسا ہی ہے جیسا کہ ایک مٹی کے دِیے کا ایک ریفلیکٹر رکھنے والے لیمپ سے۔
مشرق و مغرب سے تعلق نہ رکھنے والے درخت سے مراد ایسی تعلیم ہے جس میں نہ مشرقیوں کا لحاظ رکھا گیا ہے اور نہ مغربیوں کا۔ اور یہ تعلیم صرف قرآن مجید کی ہے۔ رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم فرماتے ہیں۔ لَافَضْلَ لِلْعَرَبِیِّ عَلَی الْاَعْجَمِیِّ (مسند احمد بن حنبل۔ جلد ۵ صفحہ ۴۱۱ مطبوعہ بیروت)
Nur means, light as opposed to darkness. It is more extensive and more penetrating as well as more lasting in its significance than Diya’ (Lane).
Mishkat means, a niche in a wall, i.e. a hole or hollow in a wall, not extending through, in which a lamp placed gives more light than it gives elsewhere; a pillar on the top of which the lamp is put (Lane).
Zujajah means a glass; a globe of glass (Lane).
The verse is a beautiful metaphor. It speaks of three things—a lamp, a glass-globe and a niche. The Divine Light is stated to have been confined to these three things which combined together make its brightness and effulgence complete and perfect. 'The lamp' is the very source of the light; the 'glass-globe' which is over the lamp protects its light from being extinguished by the puffs of wind and increases its brightness; and 'the niche' preserves the light. The simile may aptly apply to an electric torch of which the constituent parts are the electric wires which give light, the bulb which protects the light and the reflector which spreads and diffuses the light and gives it direction. In spiritual terminology, the three things—'the lamp,' 'the glass-globe' and 'the niche'—may respectively stand for Divine Light, God’s Prophets who protect that light from being extinguished and add to its effulgence and brightness, and the Khalifahs or Successors of the Prophets who diffuse and disseminate
14:26.
Important Words:
نور (light) is noun-infinitive from أنار. They say أنار الشیء i.e. the thing became bright and beautiful and manifest. أنار البیتmeans, he lit the house. أنار المسئلة means, he made the question clear and plain. نور means, light; that which makes a thing clear; light as opposed to darkness. نور is more extensive and more penetrating as well as more lasting in its significance than ضیاء. It is also one of the names of God (Aqrab & Muhit). See also 10:6.
مشکٰوة (niche) is derived from شکو and الشکو is the opening of the small skin for water or milk called شکوة and showing what is in it. شکا فلان means, the nails of such a one split in several places. They say شکا الی اللّٰه i.e. he complained of his case to God or he told God the weakness of his condition. مشکٰوة means, a niche in a wall, i.e. a hole or hollow in a wall, not extending through, in which a lamp placed therein gives more light than it gives elsewhere; a pillar or the like upon the top or head of which the lamp is put; or the iron things by means of which a lamp is suspended (Lane & Aqrab).
مصباح (a lamp), is derived from أصبح which means, he entered upon the time of morning; he rose in the middle of the night. They say أصبح القوم i.e. he came to the people in the morning, أصبح المصباح mean, he lit the lamp. أصبح الحق means, the truth became manifest. مصباح means, a lamp; a big lance or arrow (Lane & Aqrab).
زجاجة (glass) is derived from زج they say زج حاجبه i.e. his eyebrow was or became narrow and long or arched; he made his eyebrow narrow and long or made it narrow and long and arched, or clipped the redundant portion of the hair thereof. زج الموضع means, he made even, and adjusted the place. زجاجه means, a glass, a globe of glass; crystal window-pane; tumbler; eye (Lane).
مبارکة (blessed) is passive participle from برک which means, it was or it became firm or steady. برک علیه means, he applied himself constantly to it. برکة (barakatun) which is infinitive-noun from this root means, increase; abundance or plenty; firmness, stability or perpetuity coupled with increase; abundant and perpetual good. مبارکة means, abundant; firm, stable; having perpetual good blessed, etc. (Lane & Aqrab). See also 6:156.
Commentary:
The verse is a beautiful metaphor. It speaks of three things––a lamp, a glass-globe (or chimney) and a niche. The divine light is stated to have been confined to these three things which combined together make its brightness and effulgence complete and perfect in every respect. المصباح (the lamp) is the very source of the light; الزجاجة is the globe of glass or chimney which is over the lamp and which protects its light from being extinguished by the puff of wind and increases its brightness; and المشکٰوة (the niche) preserves the light. The simile may aptly apply to an electric torch of which the constituent parts are the electric wires which give light, the bulb which protects the light and the reflector which spreads and diffuses the light and gives it direction. In spiritual terminology the three things, i.e. المصباح (the lamp), الزجاجة (the glass) and المشکٰوة (the niche), mentioned in the verse, may respectively stand for divine light, God’s Prophets who protect that light from being extinguished and add to its effulgence and brightness, and the Khalifahs or Successors of the Prophets who diffuse and disseminate the divine light and give it a direction and purpose for the guidance and illumination of the world. This interpretation is borne out and supported by the context inasmuch as towards its close the Surah speaks of the establishment of Khilafat among the Muslims.
The verse further states that the oil used to light the lamp is of the highest possible purity and is inflammable to a degree which makes it (the oil) burst out into a flame even without being ignited. It is extracted from a tree which belongs neither to the east nor to the west.
The verse may have another interpretation. The light mentioned in the verse may be taken to refer to the Holy Prophet because he has been spoken of as نور (light) in the Quran (5:16). المشکٰوة (the niche) in the case would signify the heart of the Holy Prophet and المصباح (the lamp) his most pure and unsullied nature which is endowed with the best and noblest attributes and qualities and الزجاجة (the glass) would signify that the divine light with his nature has been invested is as clear and bright as crystal. When the light of heavenly revelation descended upon the light of the Holy Prophet’s pure nature, it shone with a twofold effulgence which in the words of the Quran has been described as "lights upon lights." This light of Prophet was sustained by an oil which emanated from a blessed tree, which means that the Holy Prophet’s light was not only bright and brilliant but abundant and stable and perpetual (as word مبارکة signifies) and was intended to illumine both the east and the west i.e. the whole world. Further, the Prophet’s heart was so pure and his nature gifted with such noble qualities that he was almost fit to discharge the duties of his great mission even before the light of Divine revelation had descended upon him. This is the significance of the words, "whose oil would well-nigh be ablaze even though fire touched it not."
If نور be understood to mean the light of Islam, the metaphor would mean that the light of Islam is placed on so high a pillar of minaret (المشکٰوة) and is so resplendent as to illumine the whole world. It is, as it were, placed under a glass-globe which not only saves it from being put out by puffs of adverse winds but adds to its lustre and glory and its light will one day spread over both the east and the west and will enlighten the entire world. The words, "a tree neither of the east nor of the west," further signify a universal guidance which does not discriminate in favour of or against any people and which is equally meant for all of them. The explanation is supported by another verse of the Quran viz. "they desire to extinguish the light of Allah with the breath of their mouth; but Allah will perfect His light, however much the disbelievers might dislike it" (61:9).
The metaphor may have yet another explanation. المشکٰوة or the niche in the verse is the human body. The human body contains the spirit which makes itself manifest through the organs of the body. Like the niche the human body protects the light, namely, the spirit; and guides its expression i.e. the human body contains the مصباح or the lamp of the soul which illumines the human mind and brings it into touch with God. The lamp is contained in زجاجة (globe or glass) which protects it from harm or injury and enhances and reflects its light. This زجاجة is the human brain of which the mechanism is so perfect as to have led some philosophers to think that it is the ultimate source of divine light. The light is sustained by the oil from a blessed tree, namely from those basic and eternal truths which are not the exclusive possession of any people, of the east or of the west. These eternal truths are implanted in the very nature of man and would almost make themselves manifest even without the help of Divine revelation.
5
یعنی سب برکت دنیا میں خداتعالیٰ کے تعلق سے پیدا ہوتی ہے۔
6
یعنی جو تعلیم اس کی طرف سے آتی ہے اس کا مقابلہ دوسری تعلیموں سے ایسا ہی ہے جیسا کہ ایک مٹی کے دِیے کا ایک ریفلیکٹر رکھنے والے لیمپ سے۔
7
مشرق و مغرب سے تعلق نہ رکھنے والے درخت سے مراد ایسی تعلیم ہے جس میں نہ مشرقیوں کا لحاظ رکھا گیا ہے اور نہ مغربیوں کا۔ اور یہ تعلیم صرف قرآن مجید کی ہے۔ رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم فرماتے ہیں۔ لَافَضْلَ لِلْعَرَبِیِّ عَلَی الْاَعْجَمِیِّ (مسند احمد بن حنبل۔ جلد ۵ صفحہ ۴۱۱ مطبوعہ بیروت)
a
14:26.
2618
Important Words:
نور (light) is noun-infinitive from أنار. They say أنار الشیء i.e. the thing became bright and beautiful and manifest. أنار البیتmeans, he lit the house. أنار المسئلة means, he made the question clear and plain. نور means, light; that which makes a thing clear; light as opposed to darkness. نور is more extensive and more penetrating as well as more lasting in its significance than ضیاء. It is also one of the names of God (Aqrab & Muhit). See also 10:6.
مشکٰوة (niche) is derived from شکو and الشکو is the opening of the small skin for water or milk called شکوة and showing what is in it. شکا فلان means, the nails of such a one split in several places. They say شکا الی اللّٰه i.e. he complained of his case to God or he told God the weakness of his condition. مشکٰوة means, a niche in a wall, i.e. a hole or hollow in a wall, not extending through, in which a lamp placed therein gives more light than it gives elsewhere; a pillar or the like upon the top or head of which the lamp is put; or the iron things by means of which a lamp is suspended (Lane & Aqrab).
مصباح (a lamp), is derived from أصبح which means, he entered upon the time of morning; he rose in the middle of the night. They say أصبح القوم i.e. he came to the people in the morning, أصبح المصباح mean, he lit the lamp. أصبح الحق means, the truth became manifest. مصباح means, a lamp; a big lance or arrow (Lane & Aqrab).
زجاجة (glass) is derived from زج they say زج حاجبه i.e. his eyebrow was or became narrow and long or arched; he made his eyebrow narrow and long or made it narrow and long and arched, or clipped the redundant portion of the hair thereof. زج الموضع means, he made even, and adjusted the place. زجاجه means, a glass, a globe of glass; crystal window-pane; tumbler; eye (Lane).
مبارکة (blessed) is passive participle from برک which means, it was or it became firm or steady. برک علیه means, he applied himself constantly to it. برکة (barakatun) which is infinitive-noun from this root means, increase; abundance or plenty; firmness, stability or perpetuity coupled with increase; abundant and perpetual good. مبارکة means, abundant; firm, stable; having perpetual good blessed, etc. (Lane & Aqrab). See also 6:156.
Commentary:
The verse is a beautiful metaphor. It speaks of three things––a lamp, a glass-globe (or chimney) and a niche. The divine light is stated to have been confined to these three things which combined together make its brightness and effulgence complete and perfect in every respect. المصباح (the lamp) is the very source of the light; الزجاجة is the globe of glass or chimney which is over the lamp and which protects its light from being extinguished by the puff of wind and increases its brightness; and المشکٰوة (the niche) preserves the light. The simile may aptly apply to an electric torch of which the constituent parts are the electric wires which give light, the bulb which protects the light and the reflector which spreads and diffuses the light and gives it direction. In spiritual terminology the three things, i.e. المصباح (the lamp), الزجاجة (the glass) and المشکٰوة (the niche), mentioned in the verse, may respectively stand for divine light, God’s Prophets who protect that light from being extinguished and add to its effulgence and brightness, and the Khalifahs or Successors of the Prophets who diffuse and disseminate the divine light and give it a direction and purpose for the guidance and illumination of the world. This interpretation is borne out and supported by the context inasmuch as towards its close the Surah speaks of the establishment of Khilafat among the Muslims.
The verse further states that the oil used to light the lamp is of the highest possible purity and is inflammable to a degree which makes it (the oil) burst out into a flame even without being ignited. It is extracted from a tree which belongs neither to the east nor to the west.
The verse may have another interpretation. The light mentioned in the verse may be taken to refer to the Holy Prophet because he has been spoken of as نور (light) in the Quran (5:16). المشکٰوة (the niche) in the case would signify the heart of the Holy Prophet and المصباح (the lamp) his most pure and unsullied nature which is endowed with the best and noblest attributes and qualities and الزجاجة (the glass) would signify that the divine light with his nature has been invested is as clear and bright as crystal. When the light of heavenly revelation descended upon the light of the Holy Prophet’s pure nature, it shone with a twofold effulgence which in the words of the Quran has been described as "lights upon lights." This light of Prophet was sustained by an oil which emanated from a blessed tree, which means that the Holy Prophet’s light was not only bright and brilliant but abundant and stable and perpetual (as word مبارکة signifies) and was intended to illumine both the east and the west i.e. the whole world. Further, the Prophet’s heart was so pure and his nature gifted with such noble qualities that he was almost fit to discharge the duties of his great mission even before the light of Divine revelation had descended upon him. This is the significance of the words, "whose oil would well-nigh be ablaze even though fire touched it not."
If نور be understood to mean the light of Islam, the metaphor would mean that the light of Islam is placed on so high a pillar of minaret (المشکٰوة) and is so resplendent as to illumine the whole world. It is, as it were, placed under a glass-globe which not only saves it from being put out by puffs of adverse winds but adds to its lustre and glory and its light will one day spread over both the east and the west and will enlighten the entire world. The words, "a tree neither of the east nor of the west," further signify a universal guidance which does not discriminate in favour of or against any people and which is equally meant for all of them. The explanation is supported by another verse of the Quran viz. "they desire to extinguish the light of Allah with the breath of their mouth; but Allah will perfect His light, however much the disbelievers might dislike it" (61:9).
The metaphor may have yet another explanation. المشکٰوة or the niche in the verse is the human body. The human body contains the spirit which makes itself manifest through the organs of the body. Like the niche the human body protects the light, namely, the spirit; and guides its expression i.e. the human body contains the مصباح or the lamp of the soul which illumines the human mind and brings it into touch with God. The lamp is contained in زجاجة (globe or glass) which protects it from harm or injury and enhances and reflects its light. This زجاجة is the human brain of which the mechanism is so perfect as to have led some philosophers to think that it is the ultimate source of divine light. The light is sustained by the oil from a blessed tree, namely from those basic and eternal truths which are not the exclusive possession of any people, of the east or of the west. These eternal truths are implanted in the very nature of man and would almost make themselves manifest even without the help of Divine revelation.
2046A
Nur means, light as opposed to darkness. It is more extensive and more penetrating as well as more lasting in its significance than Diya’ (Lane).
2046B
Mishkat means, a niche in a wall, i.e. a hole or hollow in a wall, not extending through, in which a lamp placed gives more light than it gives elsewhere; a pillar on the top of which the lamp is put (Lane).
2046C
Zujajah means a glass; a globe of glass (Lane).
2047
The verse is a beautiful metaphor. It speaks of three things—a lamp, a glass-globe and a niche. The Divine Light is stated to have been confined to these three things which combined together make its brightness and effulgence complete and perfect. 'The lamp' is the very source of the light; the 'glass-globe' which is over the lamp protects its light from being extinguished by the puffs of wind and increases its brightness; and 'the niche' preserves the light. The simile may aptly apply to an electric torch of which the constituent parts are the electric wires which give light, the bulb which protects the light and the reflector which spreads and diffuses the light and gives it direction. In spiritual terminology, the three things—'the lamp,' 'the glass-globe' and 'the niche'—may respectively stand for Divine Light, God’s Prophets who protect that light from being extinguished and add to its effulgence and brightness, and the Khalifahs or Successors of the Prophets who diffuse and disseminate
مَثَلُ الَّذِیۡنَ اتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ اَوۡلِیَآءَ کَمَثَلِ الۡعَنۡکَبُوۡتِ اتَّخَذَتۡ بَیۡتًا ۖ وَّاِنَّ اَوۡہَنَ الۡبُیُوۡتِ لَبَیۡتُ الۡعَنۡکَبُوۡتِ ۖ لَوۡ کَانُوۡا یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ
The subject of the Unity of God with which the Surah primarily deals is brought to a close in this verse with a beautiful metaphor which drives home to polytheists the folly, futility and falsity of idolatrous beliefs and practices. They are as frail as the web of a spider and cannot stand intelligent criticism.
Commentary:
In the previous several verses arguments have been given in refutation of Shirk and brief references have been made to the lives and missions of some of the greatest preachers of Divine Unity to show that those who rejected them ultimately came to grief. This subject of the Unity of God is brought to a close in this verse with a beautiful metaphor which drives home the folly, futility and falsity of idolatrous beliefs and practices of polytheists. They are as frail, says the verse, as the web of a spider and cannot stand intelligent criticism.
2967
Commentary:
In the previous several verses arguments have been given in refutation of Shirk and brief references have been made to the lives and missions of some of the greatest preachers of Divine Unity to show that those who rejected them ultimately came to grief. This subject of the Unity of God is brought to a close in this verse with a beautiful metaphor which drives home the folly, futility and falsity of idolatrous beliefs and practices of polytheists. They are as frail, says the verse, as the web of a spider and cannot stand intelligent criticism.
2254
The subject of the Unity of God with which the Surah primarily deals is brought to a close in this verse with a beautiful metaphor which drives home to polytheists the folly, futility and falsity of idolatrous beliefs and practices. They are as frail as the web of a spider and cannot stand intelligent criticism.
فَاَہۡلَکۡنَاۤ اَشَدَّ مِنۡہُمۡ بَطۡشًا وَّمَضٰی مَثَلُ الۡاَوَّلِیۡنَ
مَثَلُ الَّذِیۡنَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوۡرٰٮۃَ ثُمَّ لَمۡ یَحۡمِلُوۡہَا کَمَثَلِ الۡحِمَارِ یَحۡمِلُ اَسۡفَارًۢا ۚ بِئۡسَ مَثَلُ الۡقَوۡمِ الَّذِیۡنَ کَذَّبُوۡا بِاٰیٰتِ اللّٰہِ ۚ وَاللّٰہُ لَا یَہۡدِی الۡقَوۡمَ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ
Important Words:
أسفار (books) is the plural of سفر (sifrun) which is derived from سفر (safara). They say سفر الکتاب i.e. he wrote the book means, a book; a large book; a writing (Lane).
Commentary:
The verse contains an implied warning to Muslims not to reject the Promised Messiah like the Jews before them who had rejected the Holy Prophet.
4238
Important Words:
أسفار (books) is the plural of سفر (sifrun) which is derived from سفر (safara). They say سفر الکتاب i.e. he wrote the book means, a book; a large book; a writing (Lane).
Commentary:
The verse contains an implied warning to Muslims not to reject the Promised Messiah like the Jews before them who had rejected the Holy Prophet.