يَرْجُونَ

8:75; 9:20.

Important Words:

ھاجروا (migrated) is derived from ھجر. They say ھجر الشیء i.e. (1) he cut it or he severed it; (2) he avoided it or kept away from it, or he gave it up. ھاجر means, he left one place to settle in another (Aqrab). The word is particularly used about one who leaves a place where religion is persecuted and goes to a place where there is no such persecution, especially to a place where there exists means of serving and supporting the faith. The early Muslims who migrated from Mecca to Medina were known as مھاجرین i.e. those who left Mecca and settled in Medina with the intention of helping the cause of Islam.

جاھدوا (strive hard) is derived from جھد which means, he strove or laboured hard, taking extraordinary pains. جھد فی الامرmeans, he used his utmost power in prosecuting the affair. جاھدالعدو means, he fought with the enemy exerting his utmost effort to repel him, his enemy doing the like. جھاد means, exerting one’s utmost power in contending with an object of disapprobation; and this is of three kinds, namely, (1) with a visible enemy (2) with Satan, and (3) with one’s self (Lane).

یرجون (who hope) is derived from رجا which gives twofold meaning. They say رجا الشیء meaning: (1) he hoped to get the thing; (2) he was afraid of the thing (Aqrab). When used in the sense of hoping, it is used on occasions when the thing hoped for is likely to afford pleasure (Mufradat).

Commentary:

The verse holds out the promise to Muslims, and they are indeed buoyed up with the hope, that though now they are beset with great difficulties and unusual hardships, the time is fast approaching when all difficulties would disappear and they would become heirs to God’s mercy both in this world and the next.

As the context shows, the words, those who believe, occurring in the verse refer to such of the believers as resided in Medina and had not been called upon to migrate. Thus the verse mentions two classes of believers who can hope to get Allah’s mercy; (1) believers resident in Medina, i.e. the Helpers, who engaged themselves in جھاد or holy war against the forces of Satan; and (2) Migrants from Mecca who were also engaged in such war. The words, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful, have been added to point out that Allah will forgive the above-mentioned two classes of believers their sins and shortcomings which will not stand in the way of their winning God’s mercy, provided they remain sincere in their faith and continue striving hard in the cause of Allah, for, as the Quran elsewhere explains, the good works of a man drive away his evil ones (11:115).

3:147.

Commentary:

The expression, you hope from Allah, does not merely signify "hoping to get a reward or recompense", but also includes "hoping to win the pleasure of God and attain His nearness." There can be no bigger incentive for making sacrifices in the cause of religion than the hope that one will thereby win the pleasure and nearness of one’s Lord and Master.

10:12, 46; 25:22.

Important Words:

یرجون (look for) is derived from رجا which has two contrary meanings i.e. (1) he hoped, and (2) he feared. They say رجوته I hoped for him or it; and مارجوتك i.e. I feared not thee (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

It is a characteristic of the style of the Quran that it uses words and expressions that are apparently simple but embody a vast variety of meanings. As the Arabic language is most adapted to serve this purpose, God has bestowed upon it the honour of being the language of the Quran. رجا (looking for) is one such word and means both hope and fear. The use of this word in the present verse has therefore made it rich with deep meaning.

The study of human nature reveals the important fact that all human progress is bound up with the instincts of hope and fear. Our best efforts are inspired by one or other of these two instincts. Some persons labour and sweat, actuated by hopes of acquisition and aggrandizement; others work out of fear lest they should come to grief. The present verse contains an appeal to both classes. To those for whom the incentive to work is hope, the verse says, "Why don’t you hope to meet God and shape your conduct according to, and in anticipation of, that meeting; because on the hope of that meeting depends all your material prosperity as well as your moral and spiritual advancement." To those whom fear alone can incite to action, it says, "Why don’t you fear and try to escape God’s punishment which, if it overtakes you, will destroy you outright." Thus in one single word the Quran has exhorted to action both and, for that matter, all classes of men.

In the words, are content with the life of this world and feel at rest therewith, is beautifully given the Islamic point of view with regard to material progress. Islam is not opposed to the search for, or attainment of, material prosperity. What it disapproves is that one should make the acquisition of the things of this world the aim and end of one’s existence and should have no thought for the Hereafter. Secondly, Islam disapproves the idea that after one has attained prosperity, one should give up all further effort at making still more progress. As a matter of fact, the good of the Hereafter, coupled with material prosperity, is spoken of in the Quran as one of the favours of God and every Muslim is exhorted to pray for it (2:202).

The words, those who are heedless of Our Signs, throw further light on the subject, viz. that God is displeased with only those who are wholly engrossed in the pursuit of material things and consign all spiritual things to oblivion.

17:12.

See 10:8.

Important Words:

الخیر (wealth) is a common Arabic word giving among others the following meanings: (1) good, moral or physical, actual or potential; (2) a thing that all desire, being profitable or useful; (3) wealth or property; (4) good fortune, happiness or prosperity (Lane).

Commentary:

Some difference of opinion exists among commentators as to the meaning of the first part of this verse. This difference has arisen owing to the word خیر (wealth) being misconstrued as "good" or "virtue", which it does not always mean. The word خیر as shown under Important Words, also means wealth or property, and it is in this sense that it has been used in the present verse. The verse thus means that disbelievers have directed all their energies to the earning of wealth and have altogether neglected God. Their conduct demands that evil should overtake them. But God is slow to punish. If He had been as quick in punishing as their conduct deserves, they would have been destroyed long ago. But God gives people respite to repent and mend their ways. If, however, the word خیر be taken in the sense of "good", then the pronoun ھم in the expression استعجالـھم would be taken as the object of the word استعجال and not as the subject, and in this case the verse would mean that if God had been as quick to inflict punishment as He is to bestow good, then they would already have been destroyed; but God, being Forgiving and Merciful, gives them time to repent.

The words, But We leave those who look not for the meeting with Us to wander distractedly in their transgression, do not mean that God desires to leave the transgressors in their transgression, but that, in spite of their transgression, He grants them respite so that they may not die in a state of transgression but may have a chance to correct themselves and escape punishment.

As already pointed out in 10:4 above, the Quran sometimes omits to mention a question and only indirectly alludes to it by giving the answer. Thus this verse shows that 10:4 was a reply to the demand of the disbelievers for a speedy decision. All these verses therefore occur in a perfectly natural order and contain a reply to an implied question.

See 10:8.

17:74.

6:51; 7:204; 46:10.

Important Words:

تلقاء (accord) is derived from لقی. They say لقیه i.e. he came face to face with him; he found or met him. توجه تلقاء النار means, he went in the direction of the fire, or towards the fire. جلس تلقاء فلان means, he sat facing him or opposite to him. فعله من تلقاء نفسه means, he did it himself; he did it of his own accord, i.e. without being led to it by someone else or without being forced to do it (Aqrab).

Commentary:

Signs (آیات) are of two kinds: (1) simple signs, and (2) clear or manifest signs. To the first class belong all things, even the smallest atom of the universe, because every one of these things points to the existence of a Creator, though it is our own faculty of reasoning that draws the inference that every created thing must have a Creator. But the signs shown at the hands of Prophets speak for themselves. They are shown to establish the truth of things hidden from our eyes, viz. the existence of God, the Day of Resurrection, the truth of the Prophets, and the nature of Divine attributes. As these signs serve as evidence for matters that concern belief, they have been spoken of as آیات بینات (clear signs), while the Signs from nature are spoken of simply as آیات (signs). All pestilences, for example, are آیات while a pestilence predicted by a Prophet of God to prove the truth of his claim is آیة بینة i.e. a clear and manifest sign, for such a pestilence serves its purpose much more clearly and definitely than a general one.

The words, those who look not for the meeting with Us say, Bring a Quran other than this or change it, show that when the leaders of disbelief saw that the hearts of their followers were becoming gradually inclined towards the truth and they were beginning to accept the new faith, they became anxious and, in order to incite their followers against the Prophet, assumed the garb of peacemakers. As men naturally love peace, the leaders of disbelief exploit this natural human desire and suggest a compromise, viz. that the Prophet should introduce no new teaching but should only assume the leadership of the people which would maintain the homogeneity of the community and save it from discord or dissension. If, however, this proposal should not meet with the Prophet’s acceptance, he should at least omit from his teachings such portions as offend against the cherished ideas of the people. When making these proposals, the ringleaders know full well that the Prophet would never accede to these unreasonable demands, which cut at the very root of his divine mission, and that in this way the people would come to think that he was too narrow-minded to give up even some of his ideas for the sake of national unity and concord. Thus they think they would succeed in making the people ignore the important fact that truth and the acceptance of a Divine Call were much more precious than mere patched-up unity and that the decline of nations was always due to the denial of divine truth. In reply to these demands of his opponents the Holy Prophet is commanded to say in this verse that he could not change a teaching which was revealed by God and which was the only means of their regeneration, for such change, instead of proving useful, was sure to prove ruinous.

The expression "of my own accord" occurring in the words, It is not for me to change it of my own accord. I only follow what is revealed to me, contains a subtle hint that Divine teachings are always in accordance with the condition of the people for whom they are sent, and hence nobody can change them of his own accord. If the Holy Prophet should himself change the teachings revealed to him, it would lead to the ruin of the people because Divine teachings, being in fitness of prevailing circumstances, can alone bring about a real spiritual and moral reformation among people and any change in these teachings would certainly be not to their good. The words, Bring a Quran other than this or change it, may also refer to the prophecies of punishment and destruction contained in the Quran. Disbelievers naturally did not like these prophecies and wanted them to be changed. The verse tells them that they could have these warnings changed only if they changed their own condition, because if a change takes place in them, the nature of the warnings would automatically change.

The words, I only follow what is revealed to me, may also mean, "In respect of the Quran I follow nothing but what is revealed to me" i.e. not only are all the words of the Quran divine but its divisions into verses and Surahs as well as the arrangement thereof are also divine. Incidentally this also does away with the objection raised by certain critics of Islam that the opening verse of each Surah, viz. بسم الله was not of Divine origin but was placed there by the Prophet himself.

Some Christian writers pretend to see this verse as an effort by the Holy Prophet to justify the alleged abrogation of certain verses of the Quran. By the words, It is not for me to change it of my own accord. I only follow what is revealed to me, the Holy Prophet is supposed by these writers to have disclaimed all responsibility for abrogation in the Quran. But this assumption is absurd. Far from justifying abrogation, the verse shows that not a single verse of the Quran has ever been abrogated. When disbelievers demanded that the Holy Prophet should make some alteration in the Quran, they did not mean that they would accept it after the demanded changes had been made. Their object in making such a demand was that, if the Holy Prophet agreed to make any change in the Quran, in compliance with their demand, they would at once say that it was not the word of God but his own composition which he altered at will to meet their wishes. But if he refused to accede to their demand, they would get a ready tool to incite the masses against him, condemning him as one who had no regard for national peace and harmony. Christian writers seem to forget the fact that if, as alleged by them, certain verses of the Quran had already been replaced by others, disbelievers had no need to resort to the above device, but could justify their objection on the basis of the abrogation that had already taken place in the Quran and could seize on it as evidence of the Quran not being the word of God. Thus the verse under comment incidentally furnishes evidence that there has been no abrogation in the Quran.

The words, the punishment of an awful day, signify a national disaster. The words mean that the teachings which are revealed by God are for the good of the people themselves and it is on acting upon them that all progress depends. So, if any change is made in these teachings, it is sure to prove detrimental to the best interests of the entire people.

Important Words:

قواعد (elderly women) is the plural of قاعد and قاعدة, and قاعد is active participle from قعد which means, he sat. They say قعدت عن الولد او الحیض i.e. she ceased to bear children or to have the menstrual discharge. قعدت الامرأة means, the woman lost her husband. قاعد means, a woman who has ceased to bear children or to have the menstrual discharge or to have a husband; an old woman, advanced in years. امرأة قاعد is like امرأة حامل i.e. a pregnant woman (Mufradat, Aqrab & Lane).

Commentary:

The verse shows that even old women are not allowed to display their finery or ornaments and the beauty of their person and form or countenance to strangers. In the expression ان یضعن ثیابھن the particle ان is مصدریة and the meaning, is their laying aside their clothing.

10:8, 12.

Commentary:

The disbelievers in their conceit and arrogance seem to be satisfied with nothing less than that angels should descend upon them or God Himself should speak to them to bear witness to the truth of the Prophet.

7:85; 27:59.

Commentary:

The reference in the word "the town" may be to Sodom, the town of Lot, which was situated on the way from Arabia to Syria.

نشور (to be raised) may also signify the hour of the triumph of Islam. The Quraish did not have the remotest idea that the cause of the Holy Prophet would or could ever triumph.

2:275; 14:32; 16:76.

Commentary:

The present verse gives a description of العلماء (those who possess knowledge) mentioned in the preceding verse.

Important Words:

لایرجون (fear not) is formed from رجا. They say رجا الشیء i.e. he hoped to get the thing; he feared the thing. The word رجا is used in the sense of hoping to get a thing when the thing hoped for is good and pleasant and fearing a thing that should be feared (Aqrab & Mufradat). See also 10:8.

ایام الله (days of Allah) means, the favours and punishment of God (Aqrab). See also 14:6.

Commentary:

The Surah under comment was revealed at Mecca in the early period of the Holy Prophet’s ministry when Islam was in a very weak state and Muslims were being persecuted. It was at that time that Muslims were enjoined to forgive those who persecuted them and who did not fear the punishment of God. The verse clearly embodied a great prophecy that the time was fast approaching when the persecutors of the poor and defenceless Muslims would be at the latter’s mercy. So Muslims were told in advance that in such an eventuality they should forgive their persecutors and forget the wrongs done to them, and leave them to God to deal with them as He, in His infallible wisdom, deemed fit.

The words ایام الله signify the days when God helped the Muslims against their enemies and punished the latter.

Important Words:

یرجعون (feared) is formed from رجا . They say رجا الشیء i.e. he hoped to get the thing; he feared the thing (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The disbelievers did not believe in the Hereafter where they would be rewarded for their good deeds and had no apprehensions that they would be punished for their evil actions. Thus they lacked both the motives—hope and fear—which prompt a man to do good, and refrain from bad, deeds.