ٱلْقُرْءَانَ

47:25.

Commentary:

The word اختلاف (disagreement) may have two meanings: (1) either it may refer to contradictions in the text of the Quranand the teachings contained therein; or (2) it may refer to the non-agreement between the Quranic announcements in the form of prophecies and their result or fulfilment. The Quran is free from اختلاف (disagreement) in both these respects. In spite of covering an extremely vast field of reform—spiritual, moral, social, economic, political, legal, etc.—its teachings are perfectly harmonious, no part clashing in letter or spirit with another, no section nourished at the cost of another.

Taken in the second sense, the verse means that all the different announcements and prophecies made by the Quran are proving, and will prove, to be true; and there can be no disagreement in this respect either. If the Quran had not been the Word of God, but the fabrication of man, most of the prophecies and promises made by it under extremely adverse conditions would have failed to materialize.

So the fact that the prophecies made in the Quran have been, and are being, fulfilled against all calculations and all expectations and in a most wonderful manner is a proof positive of the fact that it is the revealed Word of God.

The word, much, qualifying the word disagreement should not be construed to mean that some disagreement in the Quran is possible. The expression is simply intended to mean that, whereas otherwise there would have been much disagreement, the Quran being the Word of God, there is, in fact, none.

Important Words:

نقص (We narrate). They say قص اثرہ i.e. he followed his tracks or footsteps in pursuit. قص علیه الحدیث means, he related to him the story in its proper manner i.e. rightly, as though he followed its traces in pursuit and related it accordingly (Lane). See also 7:177.

Commentary:

As the expression نقص (which literally means, we narrate rightly or properly) indicates, the verse shows that some differences existed about the life story of Joseph. The Quran here claims to act as judge between the upholders of different views and to lift the veil of obscurity from the face of the true story. This is why it says, We relate to thee the narration rightly or properly as though following its very traces (see Important Words). It is strange that some European critics of the Quran have not taken into consideration the existence of differences about the life of Joseph, but have only thought fit to take exception to the narrative of the Quran, merely because it differs from that of the Bible in certain details. In fact, the very objection has established the truth of the Quran, inasmuch as the claim that it relates the incidents rightly shows that the Revealer of the Quran knew that at some future time people would object to the Quranic version. Brinckman is one of these critics. In his "Notes on Islam" he says, "In the Koran a beautiful and touching tale is mangled and spoiled." The following pages will show whether it is in the Quran or the Bible, that a "beautiful and touching tale" has been "mangled and spoiled."

One of the reasons why the story of Joseph was revealed to the Holy Prophet in such detail is that it contains many prophetic allusions to his own life. The whole story was to be, as it were, re-enacted in the person of the Holy Prophethimself and his brethren, the Quraish, and was thus to serve as evidence of his truth. Another reason is that, as the Holy Prophet was the like of Joseph it was necessary that he himself should know the latter’s life history.

The Holy Prophet has been referred to here as of those not possessed of requisite knowledge. His lack of requisite knowledge about Joseph was intended to hint that, firstly, the whole truth about Joseph was to be found neither in the Bible nor in the Talmud; and, secondly, that the Holy Prophet was not aware that events similar to those which happened to Joseph were to occur in his own life. The account of the Quran differs from that of the Bible in many respects but, as will appear from the following pages, wherever the two accounts differ, it is the Bible that has erred.

Important Words:

عضین (so many lies). عضون is the plural of عضة (‘idatun) which is considered to be derived from both عضا یعضو and عضه یعضه. They say عضا الشاة i.e. he cut the sheep or goat into parts or portions. عضی القوم means, he divided the people into parts or sections. عضة means, he lied or enchanted or calumniated. عضة فلانا means, he reviled such a one or vilified him or accused him with false accusations; he calumniated him. العضة in which both derivations combine, means, a lie or falsehood; a calumny; an enchant-ment; a piece, part or portion of a thing; a party, sect or class of people (Aqrab).

Commentary:

The word عضین as given under Important Words means, many lies or so many lies. This meaning of the word is more appropriate here and better suited to the context than the other meaning viz. "parts." Read with the previous verses, the sense of the present verse would be that the Holy Prophet should announce the approach of the threatened punishment to those people who had divided among themselves the unenviable task of persecuting him and his followers and had declared the Quran to be a bundle of lies. This interpretation disposes of the difficulties incidental to other interpretations of these verses.

Commentary:

In v. 97 it was said that those who would remain steadfast under hard trials would be favoured with great rewards. The present verse tells believers that the best way by which they could guard heavenly boons is that they should seek the protection of God against the attacks of Satan. The reason why Muslims are bidden to seek the protection of God against Satan while beginning to recite the Quran is that it is a most precious treasure from which Satan tries to keep men away. Hence the necessity of seeking God’s protection against Satan while beginning the recitation of the Quran lest worldly gains and material comforts should make men oblivious of their great spiritual objectives.

12:112; 16:103; 18:3.

Commentary:

The verse purports to say that the goal which the Quran sets before its followers is much nobler and more sublime than that of the former peoples and promises its true followers both spiritual and temporal blessings. They should, therefore, make great efforts to attain them and be on their guard against a lax and undisciplined life and in every way prove themselves deserving of the promised boons.

Commentary:

The 'veil' mentioned in this verse is the veil sometime of malice and envy, at another time of a false sense of dignity and racial pride, at yet another time of the fear of loss of social position and income, or again it is the veil of a long-standing custom and belief fondly and firmly held that stands in the way of the acceptance of truth by disbelievers, etc. It is a hidden veil which disbelievers themselves do not clearly see and appreciate.

Commentary:

As hinted above, the present verse contains a message of comfort and hope for the Holy Prophet and Muslims. It means to suggest that it is incompatible with the perfect and unerring Quranic revelation that its bearer should fail in his mission. The cause of the Holy Prophet, therefore, will triumph and his followers after passing through severe trials and tribulations will achieve success, prosperity and glory. This Surah was revealed at Mecca in the very early period of the Call when the Muslims were being mercilessly harassed and harried and the persecution to which they were subjected was very severe and organized and seemed to know no end. Hence the need for these comforting words.

The verse also refutes and rebuts the Christian dogma that the Law or the Shari‘ah is a curse. It purports to say that the Law has been revealed as a source of Divine mercy and blessing. There is nothing in it which is repugnant to human nature and which if acted upon should put man into trouble and distress.

Commentary:

The expression "my people" may apply to the Quraish of Mecca who were the Holy Prophet’s people and were the Quran’s immediate addressees. More appropriately the words may apply to all Muslims, who have discarded the Quran and have thrown it behind their backs. Perhaps never during the last 14 centuries the Quran was so much neglected and ignored by the Muslims as it is today. There is a saying of the Holy Prophet to the effect: "A time will come upon my people when there will remain nothing of Islam but its name and of the Quran but its words (Baihaqi, Shu‘abul-Iman). The present indeed is that time.

The emphasis on the word "this" in the expression "this Quran" is full of pathos. The Holy Prophet is represented here as saying that his people have discarded such a blessed book as this Quran in which there is light and guidance for them and which is God’s greatest boon for mankind and which has been revealed to raise them to the highest pinnacles of moral and spiritual eminence.

Important Words:

تلقی (thou hast been given) is derived from لقی. They say لقی فلانا i.e. he met him, found him, saw him, came face to face with him. لقی فلانا الشیء (laqqa) means, he threw the thing towards him, he made him meet or experience it. See 2:38 and 24:16.

Commentary:

The verse is a clear denial of the charge that the Holy Prophet had his own ideas written down and collected in the form of a book and called it "the Quran." It also constitutes an unequivocal declaration of the fact that the Prophet learnt the Quran direct from the Wise and All-Knowing God.

Commentary:

The implied reference in this verse may be to Solomon whom the Jews accused of resorting to Shirk (idolatry) in order to win the affection of an idolatrous woman. The Quran absolves him of this most heinous charge (as it absolves all other Prophets of the charges levelled against them by the Jews) by stating that far from stooping to idol worship in order to win the love of the Queen of Sheba, Solomon actually converted her to the worship of the One True God and made her renounce the worship of false gods. As there had existed difference of opinion among the Jews about Solomon’s behaviour towards the Queen, the Quran has lifted the veil from the real fact. The verse may possess general application also.

10:109; 39:42.

Commentary:

The theme of the preceding verse is further developed in the present verse and the Holy Prophet is commanded to say that from Mecca will emanate the light of the Quran which will illumine the whole world.

17:85.

Important Words:

فرض (made binding) means, He (God) made a thing obligatory or binding by a known decree. فرض له means, he appointed to him a thing. فرض اللّٰه الاحکام علی عبادہ means, God has instituted or prescribed for His servants ordinances and commandments (Lane & Aqrab).

معاد (place of return) is derived from عاد. They say عاد الیه i.e. he returned to it. معاد means, a place to which a person returns; a place, state or result to which a person or thing eventually comes; a place of destination or an ultimate state or condition (Mecca is so called because the pilgrims return to it again and again); Paradise; Pilgrimage; Hereafter (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

This verse is considered by some scholars to have been revealed while the Holy Prophet was on his way from Mecca to Medina. It embodied a great prophecy, viz. that the Holy Prophet one day will have to leave Mecca and then eventually he will come back to it as a victor and conqueror, and the fulfilment of this mighty prophecy under extraordinary circumstances will show "who has brought the guidance, and who is in manifest error." The verse constitutes a befitting sequel to the Surah which gives a somewhat detailed life-story of Moses, the counterpart of the Holy Prophet. Moses fled from Egypt and lived in Midian for ten years which were years of preparation for the great task which lay ahead of him. Then he went back to Egypt with the Divine Message and succeeded in delivering the Israelites from the bondage of Pharaoh. Similarly, the Holy Prophet fled from Mecca and spent ten precious years of his life in Medina which were the years of preparation for the great object of conquering Mecca, the centre and citadel of his Faith. He returned to it as a conqueror and victor and fully succeeded in the achievement of his great object.

72:2.

Important Words:

نفراً (a party) is derived from نفر (nafara) which means, he ran away at random; he broke loose and went hither and thither; he became separated and returned to a distance. نفر (nafarun) means, a number of men from three to ten or less than ten; a man’s people or tribe consisting of his near relations (Lane).

Commentary:

The party of men referred to in the verse were the Jews of Nusaybin or, as some say, from Mosul or Nineveh in Iraq. Being apprehensive of the Meccans’ opposition, they met the Holy Prophet at night and after listening to the Quran and to the Holy Prophet’s discourse, they converted to Islam and carried the new Message to their people who also readily accepted it. The next verse leaves no doubt that they were Jews and seemed to be the leaders of their people (Bayan, vol. 8). See also 72:2.

4:83.

Commentary:

This verse constitutes an enlargement of the one preceding it. It purports to say that it is because disbelievers do not ponder over the Quran and do not try to understand and realise the real purpose of Islamic wars that they lose their spiritual sight and hearing and begin to find fault with the Quranic commandments about war.

19:98; 44:59.

Commentary:

All those basic ideals, principles and rules of conduct which concern man’s moral development and his physical and social progress and well-being, have been laid down in the Quran in simple and easy language and are easily comprehensible by persons of average intelligence and understanding and are also quite practical and practicable because they are in harmony with human nature. But the treasures of Divine realization and deep mysteries of the unknown which lie hidden in the Quran are accessible only to those few holy men of God who are endowed with special spiritual insight and who have scaled the dizzy heights of communion with the Divine Being and have been purified by Him.

Moreover, the Quran has been made easy in this sense also that it comprehends all those permanent and imperishable teachings that are found in other revealed Scriptures, with a great deal more that is indispensable for the guidance of man till the end of time (98:4).

Commentary:

The account of each of the four peoples of antiquity with whose history the pagan Quraish were quite conversant—the peoples of Noah and Lot and the tribes of ‘Ad and Thamud—ends with a stern warning, coupled with a pathetic appeal to them to learn a lesson from the fate of these peoples and not to reject the Message of the Quran which is revealed only for their good and rejection of which would land them into ruin.

Commentary:

God revealed Himself through His Prophets and Messengers to whom He gave His Word. The Quran constituted the culmination of Divine revelation. This revelation of God to man through His Word was not due to any good act on man’s part. It was a sheer gift flowing from God’s beneficence.

13:32.

Commentary:

Metaphorically, the word جبل signifies a big and proud man; the chief or leader of a people. In this sense of the word the verse would mean that the Quran contains such a sublime and powerful Message that it would make the heart of even a proud man melt. Or the verse may signify that the proud pagan Arabs whom no pre-Islamic teaching could wean from their polytheistic beliefs and idolatrous practices and who like a strong rock remained unmoved and firmly wedded to their Bedouin usages unaffected by the erosive influence of the glamour and glitter of the neighbouring Christian civilization, would be humbled before its sublime and powerful Message, and from their stony hearts would gush forth fountains of light and learning.

17:107; 25:33.

Important Words:

رتل (recite) is derived from رتل (ratila). They say رتل الشیء i.e. the thing was or became well arranged. رتل الثغیر means, the front teeth were or became even in their growth or separated one from another; were well set together and were white and lustrous. رتل الکلام (rattala) means, he put together and arranged well the component parts of the speech and made it distinct. ترتیل in its original sense relates to the teeth, signifying their being separated one from the other, and when used with regard to a speech it signifies, putting together and arranging well its component parts and making it distinct. رتلت القرآنmeans, I recited the Quran in a leisurely manner, deliberately, distinctly and well (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The Quran was revealed gradually and piecemeal. Its revelation spread over a period of 23 years. This gradual process served two great purposes. It helped believers to learn, remember and assimilate it and to mould their lives in accordance with its teaching. The gradual process was also intended to meet the increasing needs of changing circumstances and to strengthen the belief and conviction of Muslims, since, during the interval, they had opportunities to witness fulfilment of prophecies made earlier in the Quran. The piecemeal revelation of the Quran also fulfilled the following Biblical prophecy, viz. "For it is precept upon precept; line upon line, here a little and there a little: for with strange lips and another tongue will he speak to this people" (Isaiah 28:11). The construction of the verse and the words used in the Biblical prophecy are expressive of Divine purpose in the gradual revelation of the Quran.