یَوۡمٍ
Appears 28 times in Quran
Occurrences in Quran
Found 28 verses containing "یَوۡمٍ".
اَوۡ کَالَّذِیۡ مَرَّ عَلٰی قَرۡیَۃٍ وَّہِیَ خَاوِیَۃٌ عَلٰی عُرُوۡشِہَا قَالَ اَنّٰی یُحۡیٖ ہٰذِہِ اللّٰہُ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِہَا ۖ فَاَمَاتَہُ اللّٰہُ مِائَۃَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَہٗ ۖ قَالَ کَمۡ لَبِثۡتَ ۖ قَالَ لَبِثۡتُ یَوۡمًا اَوۡ بَعۡضَ یَوۡمٍ ۖ قَالَ بَل لَّبِثۡتَ مِائَۃَ عَامٍ فَانۡظُرۡ اِلٰی طَعَامِکَ وَشَرَابِکَ لَمۡ یَتَسَنَّہۡ ۖ وَانۡظُرۡ اِلٰی حِمَارِکَ وَلِنَجۡعَلَکَ اٰیَۃً لِّلنَّاسِ ۖ وَانۡظُرۡ اِلَی الۡعِظَامِ کَیۡفَ نُنۡشِزُہَا ثُمَّ نَکۡسُوۡہَا لَحۡمًا ۚ فَلَمَّا تَبَیَّنَ لَہٗ قَالَ اَعۡلَمُ اَنَّ اللّٰہَ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ قَدِیۡرٌ
23:15.
یہاں آیت میں اَوْ کا لفظ استعمال ہوا ہے جس کے عام معنے تو ’’یا‘‘ کے ہیں۔ لیکن کبھی ’’اور‘‘ کے معنے بھی دیتا ہے۔
کَالَّذِیْ میں ک کا ترجمہ ہم نے حالت کا کیا ہے۔ لیکن عام طور پر اس کے معنے ’’طرح‘‘ کے ہوتے ہیں۔ ان معنوں کومدِّنظر رکھ کر ترجمہ ہونا چاہیے تھا ’’اس شخص کی طرح‘‘ لیکن ہم نے ترجمہ کیا ہے ’’اس شخص کی مثل‘‘ اور یہ معنے بھی جائز ہیں۔ چنانچہ علامہ ابن ہشام لکھتے ہیں وَ اَمَّا الْکَافُ الْاِسْمِیَّۃُ الْجَارَّۃُ فَمُرَادِفَۃٌ لِّمِثْل یعنی ایک کاف اسمیّہ ہوتا ہے جو جرّ دیتا ہے اور اس کے معنے مثل یعنی مشابہ کے ہوتے ہیں (مُغْنی اللَّبِیب)
پہلے حضرت ابراہیم علیہ السلام کی ایک بحث کا ذکر کیا۔ پھر بعد کی آیات میں ایک مردہ شہر کا ذکر کیا۔ یہ اس بات کا ثبوت ہے کہ جو میں نے اوپر دلیل دی ہے وہی ٹھیک ہے یعنی حضرت ابراہیم علیہ السلام نے اپنے مخالف سے حیات فردی کا ذکر نہیں کیا تھا بلکہ حیات قومی یا جنسی کا ذکر کیا تھا۔ کیونکہ یہ مثال جو اب بیان کی گئی ہے اس میں حیات قومی یا جنسی کا ذکر ہے۔ حیات فردی کا ذکر نہیں۔
خَاوِیَۃٌ: خَوٰی یَخْوِیْ خَوَائٌ سے نکلا ہے کہتے ہیں خَوَی الْبَیْتُ: سَقَطَ وَ تَھَدَّمَ گھر کر گیا۔ نیز فَرَغَ وَ خَلَا گھر خالی ہو گیا۔ ویران ہو گیا (اقرب) پس جملہ کے یہ معنے ہوئے کہ وہ شہر اپنی چھتوں پر گرا ہوا تھا یعنی پہلے چھتیں گریں پھر ان پر دیواریں گر گئیں۔ بعض نے ’’خالی ہو گیا‘‘ کے معنے کرکے عَلٰی عُرُوْشِھَا سے پہلے ایک اور ساقط محذوف نکالا ہے یعنی شہر خالی تھا اور اپنی چھتوں پر گرا ہوا تھا۔ دونوں معنے درست ہیں لمبی ویرانی پر دلالت کرنے کے لئے یہ الفاظ استعمال ہوئے ہیں کیونکہ جو مکان عدم استعمال کی وجہ سے گریں بالعموم پہلے ان
بَلْ حرف ہے جو اِضْرَاب کے معنے دیتا ہے یعنی بات کو پھیر کر دوسری طرف لے جانا۔ یہ اِضْرَاب دو طرح کا ہوتا ہے ایک تو انکار کی غرض سے ہوتا ہے جیسے قرآن کریم میں ہے۔ وَ قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمٰنُ وَلَدًا سُبْحَانَہٗ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّکْرَمُوْنَ (انبیاء: ۲۷) یعنی پہلی بات غلط ہے۔ حقیقت یہ ہے کہ جن کو خدا کا بیٹا کہتے ہیں وہ اللہ کے معزز بندے ہیں اور دوسری اقسام اضراب کی یہ ہے کہ ایک غرض سے دوسری غرض کی طرف مضمون کو پھیرنا مقصود ہوتا ہے۔ بَل سے پہلے جملہ کی تردید مدنظر نہیں ہوتی۔ جیسے قران کریم میں ہے قَدْ اَفْلَح مَنْ تَزَکّٰی وَ ذَکَرَ اسْمَ رَبِ
قَرْیَۃ سے مراد یوروشلم ہے جسے بخت نصر نے تباہ کر دیا تھا۔ وہ آدمی جو یوروشلم کے پاس سے گذرا حزقیل نبی تھا۔ اللہ تعالیٰ نے کشف کے ذریعہ سے ان پر ظاہر کیا کہ ایک سو سال تک یہ شہر دوبارہ آباد ہو جائے گا۔ (حزقیل کے کشف کے لئے دیکھیں پرانا عہدنامہ حزقیل باب۳۷)
23:15.
The ruined town referred to in the verse is Jerusalem which was laid waste by Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon in 599 B.C. Ezekiel, the Prophet, was among the Jews whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away into captivity to Babylon and who was made to pass by, and witness the ghastly sight of, the devastated town.
Ezekiel was naturally shocked at the sad sight and prayed to God in words full of extreme pathos as to when the ruined town would be restored to life. His prayer was heard and he was made to see a vision that the restoration prayed for would take place in a hundred years. The verse does not mean that Ezekiel remained actually dead for a hundred years. Only he saw a vision that he had died and had remained dead for a hundred years and then had come back to life. The Qur’an sometimes mentions scenes seen in a vision as having actually taken place without stating that they were witnessed in a vision or dream (12:5). The vision signified, and Ezekiel understood the significance, that the Children of Israel would remain in the state of captivity and complete national degradation for about a hundred years after which they would receive a new life and would come back to their sacred city. And it actually came to pass as Ezekiel had dreamt. Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar in 599 B.C. (2 Kings 24: 10). Ezek
The words are intended to express indefiniteness of time (18:20 & 23:114) and mean, according to the Quranic usage, that Ezekiel did not know how long he had remained in that state. Yaum here does not mean a day of 24 hours but time absolutely (see 1:4). The words, I have remained a day or part of a day, may also refer to the time for which Ezekiel slept or the time he took in seeing the vision. Apparently Ezekiel thought that he was being asked about the duration of the time of the vision.
Bal is a particle of digression signifying (a) the cancellation of what precedes as in 21:27, or (b) transition from one object of discourse to another as in 87:17. Here bal has been used in the latter sense.
The clause, It is so but thou hast also remained in this state for a hundred years, points out that although in one sense Ezekiel had remained in that state for a hundred years (for he had dreamt that he had been dead for a hundred years), yet the statement that he had tarried for a day or part of a day was also correct, for the actual time spent in seeing the vision was naturally very short.
To bring home this fact to the mind of Ezekiel, God directed his attention to his food and drink and his ass. That his food and drink had not rotted and his ass was still alive showed that he had really tarried only for a day or part of it. The words, look at thy ass, also indicate that Ezekiel saw the vision while sleeping in the fields with his ass by his side, for while in captivity, the Israelites were made to work in the fields as farmers.
Ezekiel represented in his person the whole Jewish nation. His symbolic death for a hundred years represented their national degradation and sorrows in captivity, for that was the period after which they came to their own. This is how Ezekiel became a Sign. See also Ezekiel, chap. 37.
23:15.
Important Word:
خاویة (fallen) is derived from خوی. They say خوی البیت i.e. (1) the house fell down in ruins; (2) the house became empty and untenanted (Aqrab).
عروش (roofs) is the plural of عرش (roof). They say عرش i.e. he built a house. عرش البیت means, he raised the roof of the house. عرش means: (1) the roof of a house; (2) the throne or the ceremonious chair of a king; (3) the pillar, etc. supporting a thing; (4) honour and prowess; (5) leaders and chiefs among men; (6) tent, canopy, shed etc. affordingshade; (7) trellis supporting vines (Aqrab & Lane).
یتسنه (have rotted) is derived from سنه i.e. (1) it passed through a time extending over years; (2) it (food, etc.) became altered and rotten by the lapse of years or absolutely. تسنه gives the same meaning as سنه (Aqrab).
Commentary:
The preceding verse contained one illustration of how Allah brings His friends out of darkness into light. The present verse cites, as hinted in the words, or like him, another illustration of how He breathes new life into a people after they have fallen and become degraded.
The ruined town referred to in the verse is Jerusalem which was laid waste by Nebuchadnezzar. The person who, as the verse says, passed by it was Ezekiel, the Prophet; and the words which had fallen down upon its roofs hint that it was soon after its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar that Ezekiel passed by the town. Ezekiel was among the Israelite captives whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away to Babylon and who, in accordance with an ancient custom, were made to pass by the ruins of the town so that they might witness with their own eyes how their city had been laid in ruins by the conqueror. Ezekiel, who was a great well-wisher of his people, was immensely pained to see the ruins of the sacred city and pathetically asked God when the time would come when the ruined city would be restored to life, i.e. when its inhabitants, the children of Israel, would come back to it, rebuild it and make it prosperous once more. This prayer, it appears, was heard by God Who showed him in a vision that the restoration asked for would come in a hundred years.
The clause then Allah caused him to die for a hundred years does not mean that Ezekiel was actually made to die and then raised to life again. It was, in fact, a vision which Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 37). The Quran sometimes mentions scenes seen in a vision as if they had actually happened, without stating that they were witnessed in a vision or a dream (e.g. 12:5). What actually happened was that Ezekiel saw in a vision that he had died and remained dead for a hundred years and then had come back to life. As he was the representative of his people, his death signified the death of the Israelites. Thus God informed him through this vision that the children of Israel would remain in their state of captivity and lifelessness for a hundred years, after which a new life would be given them and they would return to inhabit their sacred city. And this dream or vision actually turned out to be true. For Jerusalem was first invaded by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 B.C. and again in 587 B.C., when after a long siege the city was totally destroyed by his general in 586 B.C. Ezekiel probably saw the vision in 586 B.C. The city was rebuilt about 100 years after its destruction and thus the vision came true.
It is wrong to think that God actually caused Ezekiel to die and that he remained dead for a hundred years and was then brought back to life; for that would have been no answer to his prayer, which did not pertain to the death and resurrection of any individual but to that of a town which was lying in ruins.
The words, which had fallen down upon its roofs; point out that Ezekiel saw the ruins soon after the destruction (not necessarily the complete and final destruction) of the town when the fallen roofs were still to be seen under the debris of the walls.
The words, I have remained a day or part of a day, are intended to express indefiniteness of time and mean, according to the Quranic usage, that Ezekiel did not know how long he had remained in that state. The words have been used in this sense in another passage of the Quran as well: They said, We have tarried a day or part of a day. Others said, Your Lord knows best the time you have tarried (18:20). Again, They will say, We tarried a day or part of a day, but ask those who keep count (23:114). In fact, یوم (day) here does not mean a day of 24 or 12 hours but time absolutely (see 1:4). The clause, I have remained a day or part of a day, may also refer to the time for which Ezekiel slept or the time he took in seeing the vision or the dream. Apparently Ezekiel thought that he was being asked about the duration of the time of the vision.
The clause, Nay, thou hast remained in this state for a hundred years, points out that although in one sense he had remained in that state for a hundred years (for he had dreamt that he had been dead for a hundred years), yet the statement that he had tarried for a day or part of a day, was also correct, for the time spent in seeing the vision was naturally very short. To bring home this fact to the mind of Ezekiel, God directed his attention to his food and drink and to the ass. That his food and drink had not become stale and that his ass was still alive, showed that he had really tarried only for a short time. The words and look at thy ass also indicate that Ezekiel saw the vision while sleeping in his fields with his ass by his side, for while in captivity the Israelites were made to work in the fields as farmers.
The words that We may make thee a Sign unto men show that Ezekiel was to be made a Sign to men inasmuch as his vision, according to which Jerusalem was to become re-inhabited by the children of Israel, was to come true. The words, look at the bones, are intended to echo the words used by the children of Israel in those days of misery, viz. that they had become like dry bones and there was no hope of their being ever endued with new life (Ezek. 37:11, 12). The words along with the accompanying clause meant that God had power to clothe the bones with flesh and to breathe new life into them. The bones were first to be set or placed in position and thereafter clothed with flesh, i.e. the Israelites, then like dead bones, were first to be brought back to their town and then the process of the clothing of the bones with flesh, i.e. the rebuilding of the town, etc. was to be completed.
The vision of Ezekiel has been mentioned in the Bible in chapter 37 of his book.
a
23:15.
1
یہاں آیت میں اَوْ کا لفظ استعمال ہوا ہے جس کے عام معنے تو ’’یا‘‘ کے ہیں۔ لیکن کبھی ’’اور‘‘ کے معنے بھی دیتا ہے۔
2
کَالَّذِیْ میں ک کا ترجمہ ہم نے حالت کا کیا ہے۔ لیکن عام طور پر اس کے معنے ’’طرح‘‘ کے ہوتے ہیں۔ ان معنوں کومدِّنظر رکھ کر ترجمہ ہونا چاہیے تھا ’’اس شخص کی طرح‘‘ لیکن ہم نے ترجمہ کیا ہے ’’اس شخص کی مثل‘‘ اور یہ معنے بھی جائز ہیں۔ چنانچہ علامہ ابن ہشام لکھتے ہیں وَ اَمَّا الْکَافُ الْاِسْمِیَّۃُ الْجَارَّۃُ فَمُرَادِفَۃٌ لِّمِثْل یعنی ایک کاف اسمیّہ ہوتا ہے جو جرّ دیتا ہے اور اس کے معنے مثل یعنی مشابہ کے ہوتے ہیں (مُغْنی اللَّبِیب)
3
پہلے حضرت ابراہیم علیہ السلام کی ایک بحث کا ذکر کیا۔ پھر بعد کی آیات میں ایک مردہ شہر کا ذکر کیا۔ یہ اس بات کا ثبوت ہے کہ جو میں نے اوپر دلیل دی ہے وہی ٹھیک ہے یعنی حضرت ابراہیم علیہ السلام نے اپنے مخالف سے حیات فردی کا ذکر نہیں کیا تھا بلکہ حیات قومی یا جنسی کا ذکر کیا تھا۔ کیونکہ یہ مثال جو اب بیان کی گئی ہے اس میں حیات قومی یا جنسی کا ذکر ہے۔ حیات فردی کا ذکر نہیں۔
4
خَاوِیَۃٌ: خَوٰی یَخْوِیْ خَوَائٌ سے نکلا ہے کہتے ہیں خَوَی الْبَیْتُ: سَقَطَ وَ تَھَدَّمَ گھر کر گیا۔ نیز فَرَغَ وَ خَلَا گھر خالی ہو گیا۔ ویران ہو گیا (اقرب) پس جملہ کے یہ معنے ہوئے کہ وہ شہر اپنی چھتوں پر گرا ہوا تھا یعنی پہلے چھتیں گریں پھر ان پر دیواریں گر گئیں۔ بعض نے ’’خالی ہو گیا‘‘ کے معنے کرکے عَلٰی عُرُوْشِھَا سے پہلے ایک اور ساقط محذوف نکالا ہے یعنی شہر خالی تھا اور اپنی چھتوں پر گرا ہوا تھا۔ دونوں معنے درست ہیں لمبی ویرانی پر دلالت کرنے کے لئے یہ الفاظ استعمال ہوئے ہیں کیونکہ جو مکان عدم استعمال کی وجہ سے گریں بالعموم پہلے ان
5
بَلْ حرف ہے جو اِضْرَاب کے معنے دیتا ہے یعنی بات کو پھیر کر دوسری طرف لے جانا۔ یہ اِضْرَاب دو طرح کا ہوتا ہے ایک تو انکار کی غرض سے ہوتا ہے جیسے قرآن کریم میں ہے۔ وَ قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمٰنُ وَلَدًا سُبْحَانَہٗ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّکْرَمُوْنَ (انبیاء: ۲۷) یعنی پہلی بات غلط ہے۔ حقیقت یہ ہے کہ جن کو خدا کا بیٹا کہتے ہیں وہ اللہ کے معزز بندے ہیں اور دوسری اقسام اضراب کی یہ ہے کہ ایک غرض سے دوسری غرض کی طرف مضمون کو پھیرنا مقصود ہوتا ہے۔ بَل سے پہلے جملہ کی تردید مدنظر نہیں ہوتی۔ جیسے قران کریم میں ہے قَدْ اَفْلَح مَنْ تَزَکّٰی وَ ذَکَرَ اسْمَ رَبِ
6
قَرْیَۃ سے مراد یوروشلم ہے جسے بخت نصر نے تباہ کر دیا تھا۔ وہ آدمی جو یوروشلم کے پاس سے گذرا حزقیل نبی تھا۔ اللہ تعالیٰ نے کشف کے ذریعہ سے ان پر ظاہر کیا کہ ایک سو سال تک یہ شہر دوبارہ آباد ہو جائے گا۔ (حزقیل کے کشف کے لئے دیکھیں پرانا عہدنامہ حزقیل باب۳۷)
a
23:15.
266
Important Word:
خاویة (fallen) is derived from خوی. They say خوی البیت i.e. (1) the house fell down in ruins; (2) the house became empty and untenanted (Aqrab).
عروش (roofs) is the plural of عرش (roof). They say عرش i.e. he built a house. عرش البیت means, he raised the roof of the house. عرش means: (1) the roof of a house; (2) the throne or the ceremonious chair of a king; (3) the pillar, etc. supporting a thing; (4) honour and prowess; (5) leaders and chiefs among men; (6) tent, canopy, shed etc. affordingshade; (7) trellis supporting vines (Aqrab & Lane).
یتسنه (have rotted) is derived from سنه i.e. (1) it passed through a time extending over years; (2) it (food, etc.) became altered and rotten by the lapse of years or absolutely. تسنه gives the same meaning as سنه (Aqrab).
Commentary:
The preceding verse contained one illustration of how Allah brings His friends out of darkness into light. The present verse cites, as hinted in the words, or like him, another illustration of how He breathes new life into a people after they have fallen and become degraded.
The ruined town referred to in the verse is Jerusalem which was laid waste by Nebuchadnezzar. The person who, as the verse says, passed by it was Ezekiel, the Prophet; and the words which had fallen down upon its roofs hint that it was soon after its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar that Ezekiel passed by the town. Ezekiel was among the Israelite captives whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away to Babylon and who, in accordance with an ancient custom, were made to pass by the ruins of the town so that they might witness with their own eyes how their city had been laid in ruins by the conqueror. Ezekiel, who was a great well-wisher of his people, was immensely pained to see the ruins of the sacred city and pathetically asked God when the time would come when the ruined city would be restored to life, i.e. when its inhabitants, the children of Israel, would come back to it, rebuild it and make it prosperous once more. This prayer, it appears, was heard by God Who showed him in a vision that the restoration asked for would come in a hundred years.
The clause then Allah caused him to die for a hundred years does not mean that Ezekiel was actually made to die and then raised to life again. It was, in fact, a vision which Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 37). The Quran sometimes mentions scenes seen in a vision as if they had actually happened, without stating that they were witnessed in a vision or a dream (e.g. 12:5). What actually happened was that Ezekiel saw in a vision that he had died and remained dead for a hundred years and then had come back to life. As he was the representative of his people, his death signified the death of the Israelites. Thus God informed him through this vision that the children of Israel would remain in their state of captivity and lifelessness for a hundred years, after which a new life would be given them and they would return to inhabit their sacred city. And this dream or vision actually turned out to be true. For Jerusalem was first invaded by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 B.C. and again in 587 B.C., when after a long siege the city was totally destroyed by his general in 586 B.C. Ezekiel probably saw the vision in 586 B.C. The city was rebuilt about 100 years after its destruction and thus the vision came true.
It is wrong to think that God actually caused Ezekiel to die and that he remained dead for a hundred years and was then brought back to life; for that would have been no answer to his prayer, which did not pertain to the death and resurrection of any individual but to that of a town which was lying in ruins.
The words, which had fallen down upon its roofs; point out that Ezekiel saw the ruins soon after the destruction (not necessarily the complete and final destruction) of the town when the fallen roofs were still to be seen under the debris of the walls.
The words, I have remained a day or part of a day, are intended to express indefiniteness of time and mean, according to the Quranic usage, that Ezekiel did not know how long he had remained in that state. The words have been used in this sense in another passage of the Quran as well: They said, We have tarried a day or part of a day. Others said, Your Lord knows best the time you have tarried (18:20). Again, They will say, We tarried a day or part of a day, but ask those who keep count (23:114). In fact, یوم (day) here does not mean a day of 24 or 12 hours but time absolutely (see 1:4). The clause, I have remained a day or part of a day, may also refer to the time for which Ezekiel slept or the time he took in seeing the vision or the dream. Apparently Ezekiel thought that he was being asked about the duration of the time of the vision.
The clause, Nay, thou hast remained in this state for a hundred years, points out that although in one sense he had remained in that state for a hundred years (for he had dreamt that he had been dead for a hundred years), yet the statement that he had tarried for a day or part of a day, was also correct, for the time spent in seeing the vision was naturally very short. To bring home this fact to the mind of Ezekiel, God directed his attention to his food and drink and to the ass. That his food and drink had not become stale and that his ass was still alive, showed that he had really tarried only for a short time. The words and look at thy ass also indicate that Ezekiel saw the vision while sleeping in his fields with his ass by his side, for while in captivity the Israelites were made to work in the fields as farmers.
The words that We may make thee a Sign unto men show that Ezekiel was to be made a Sign to men inasmuch as his vision, according to which Jerusalem was to become re-inhabited by the children of Israel, was to come true. The words, look at the bones, are intended to echo the words used by the children of Israel in those days of misery, viz. that they had become like dry bones and there was no hope of their being ever endued with new life (Ezek. 37:11, 12). The words along with the accompanying clause meant that God had power to clothe the bones with flesh and to breathe new life into them. The bones were first to be set or placed in position and thereafter clothed with flesh, i.e. the Israelites, then like dead bones, were first to be brought back to their town and then the process of the clothing of the bones with flesh, i.e. the rebuilding of the town, etc. was to be completed.
The vision of Ezekiel has been mentioned in the Bible in chapter 37 of his book.
a
23:15.
322
The ruined town referred to in the verse is Jerusalem which was laid waste by Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon in 599 B.C. Ezekiel, the Prophet, was among the Jews whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away into captivity to Babylon and who was made to pass by, and witness the ghastly sight of, the devastated town.
323
Ezekiel was naturally shocked at the sad sight and prayed to God in words full of extreme pathos as to when the ruined town would be restored to life. His prayer was heard and he was made to see a vision that the restoration prayed for would take place in a hundred years. The verse does not mean that Ezekiel remained actually dead for a hundred years. Only he saw a vision that he had died and had remained dead for a hundred years and then had come back to life. The Qur’an sometimes mentions scenes seen in a vision as having actually taken place without stating that they were witnessed in a vision or dream (12:5). The vision signified, and Ezekiel understood the significance, that the Children of Israel would remain in the state of captivity and complete national degradation for about a hundred years after which they would receive a new life and would come back to their sacred city. And it actually came to pass as Ezekiel had dreamt. Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar in 599 B.C. (2 Kings 24: 10). Ezek
323A
The words are intended to express indefiniteness of time (18:20 & 23:114) and mean, according to the Quranic usage, that Ezekiel did not know how long he had remained in that state. Yaum here does not mean a day of 24 hours but time absolutely (see 1:4). The words, I have remained a day or part of a day, may also refer to the time for which Ezekiel slept or the time he took in seeing the vision. Apparently Ezekiel thought that he was being asked about the duration of the time of the vision.
323B
Bal is a particle of digression signifying (a) the cancellation of what precedes as in 21:27, or (b) transition from one object of discourse to another as in 87:17. Here bal has been used in the latter sense.
324
The clause, It is so but thou hast also remained in this state for a hundred years, points out that although in one sense Ezekiel had remained in that state for a hundred years (for he had dreamt that he had been dead for a hundred years), yet the statement that he had tarried for a day or part of a day was also correct, for the actual time spent in seeing the vision was naturally very short.
325
To bring home this fact to the mind of Ezekiel, God directed his attention to his food and drink and his ass. That his food and drink had not rotted and his ass was still alive showed that he had really tarried only for a day or part of it. The words, look at thy ass, also indicate that Ezekiel saw the vision while sleeping in the fields with his ass by his side, for while in captivity, the Israelites were made to work in the fields as farmers.
326
Ezekiel represented in his person the whole Jewish nation. His symbolic death for a hundred years represented their national degradation and sorrows in captivity, for that was the period after which they came to their own. This is how Ezekiel became a Sign. See also Ezekiel, chap. 37.
قُلۡ اِنِّیۡۤ اَخَافُ اِنۡ عَصَیۡتُ رَبِّیۡ عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ عَظِیۡمٍ
10:16; 39:14.
Commentary:
This verse is an expression of the supreme independence of God. The Holy Prophet is made to say, "O men, it is indeed strange that you should not fear the punishment of God while I, who am a Prophet of God, fear His punishment if I disobey Him." This is an emphatic way of exhorting men to avoid disobedience of God. The expression does not imply that the Holy Prophet is likely to disobey God or even that it is possible for him to do so. It is simply meant to convince disbelievers that God is above all and none can dare disobey Him with impunity.
d
10:16; 39:14.
417
这节经文着重告诫人们警惕不要违背安拉。它不是说穆圣会违背安拉。
d
10:16; 39:14.
763
Commentary:
This verse is an expression of the supreme independence of God. The Holy Prophet is made to say, "O men, it is indeed strange that you should not fear the punishment of God while I, who am a Prophet of God, fear His punishment if I disobey Him." This is an emphatic way of exhorting men to avoid disobedience of God. The expression does not imply that the Holy Prophet is likely to disobey God or even that it is possible for him to do so. It is simply meant to convince disbelievers that God is above all and none can dare disobey Him with impunity.
a
10:16; 39:14.
830
The verse constitutes an emphatic exhortation to men to be on their guard against being disobedient to God, not that the Holy Prophet could ever disobey Him.
لَقَدۡ اَرۡسَلۡنَا نُوۡحًا اِلٰی قَوۡمِہٖ فَقَالَ یٰقَوۡمِ اعۡبُدُوا اللّٰہَ مَا لَکُمۡ مِّنۡ اِلٰہٍ غَیۡرُہٗۤ اِنِّیۡۤ اَخَافُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ عَظِیۡمٍ
11:26-27; 23:24.
11:26-27; 23:24.
After having briefly described the great moral reformation that the appearance of a Divine Prophet brings about among his people and the evil consequences to which opposition to him leads, the Surah with this verse proceeds to give illustrations of some of the nations of antiquity, beginning with the people of Noah.
11:26-27; 23:24.
Important Words:
نوح (Noah) a very ancient Prophet who, as the Bible tells us, lived nine generations after Adam and eleven generations before Abraham. (Gen, 5:3-32; Luke 3:34-38). His native land was Mesopotamia. He is believed to be the progenitor of the greater part of mankind. The word نوح (Noah) may, in Arabic, be considered to have been derived from ناح which means, he bewailed or mourned. They say ناحت علی زوجھا i.e. the woman bewailed or mourned over her dead husband. ناحت الحمامة نوحا means, the pigeon cooed in a plaintive manner. The Prophet Noah is particularly known for the Flood that overtook his people as the result of his bewailings and lamentations before God for the persecution he had to suffer at the hands of his wicked people, most of whom perished in the Flood. His three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, are generally believed to be the ancestors of the three principal races of mankind. See also 11:26.
Commentary:
After having briefly described the great moral and spiritual reformation that the appearance of a Prophet brings about among a people, and the evil consequences to which opposition to him leads, the present verse proceeds to give illustrations of some of the nations of antiquity, beginning with the people of Noah, to show that those, who oppose God’s Prophets, meet with nothing but destruction. Most of the different races now living on this earth are believed to be descended from Noah. His descendants seem to have spread in all directions, as may be seen from the story of the Deluge which is known to the people of Europe, Asia, Africa and even America.
The words, We sent Noah to his people, show that the Deluge overtook only the people to whom Noah was sent. It was not a universal phenomenon, but the descendants of Noah may have carried the tale to distant lands.
The words یوم عظیم literally meaning "a great day", have been used to signify a day of heavy punishment which was too dreadful to be forgotten.
a
11:26-27; 23:24.
a
11:26-27; 23:24.
959
Important Words:
نوح (Noah) a very ancient Prophet who, as the Bible tells us, lived nine generations after Adam and eleven generations before Abraham. (Gen, 5:3-32; Luke 3:34-38). His native land was Mesopotamia. He is believed to be the progenitor of the greater part of mankind. The word نوح (Noah) may, in Arabic, be considered to have been derived from ناح which means, he bewailed or mourned. They say ناحت علی زوجھا i.e. the woman bewailed or mourned over her dead husband. ناحت الحمامة نوحا means, the pigeon cooed in a plaintive manner. The Prophet Noah is particularly known for the Flood that overtook his people as the result of his bewailings and lamentations before God for the persecution he had to suffer at the hands of his wicked people, most of whom perished in the Flood. His three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, are generally believed to be the ancestors of the three principal races of mankind. See also 11:26.
Commentary:
After having briefly described the great moral and spiritual reformation that the appearance of a Prophet brings about among a people, and the evil consequences to which opposition to him leads, the present verse proceeds to give illustrations of some of the nations of antiquity, beginning with the people of Noah, to show that those, who oppose God’s Prophets, meet with nothing but destruction. Most of the different races now living on this earth are believed to be descended from Noah. His descendants seem to have spread in all directions, as may be seen from the story of the Deluge which is known to the people of Europe, Asia, Africa and even America.
The words, We sent Noah to his people, show that the Deluge overtook only the people to whom Noah was sent. It was not a universal phenomenon, but the descendants of Noah may have carried the tale to distant lands.
The words یوم عظیم literally meaning "a great day", have been used to signify a day of heavy punishment which was too dreadful to be forgotten.
a
11:26-27; 23:24.
992
After having briefly described the great moral reformation that the appearance of a Divine Prophet brings about among his people and the evil consequences to which opposition to him leads, the Surah with this verse proceeds to give illustrations of some of the nations of antiquity, beginning with the people of Noah.
لَا تَقُمۡ فِیۡہِ اَبَدًا ۚ لَّمَسۡجِدٌ اُسِّسَ عَلَی التَّقۡوٰی مِنۡ اَوَّلِ یَوۡمٍ اَحَقُّ اَنۡ تَقُوۡمَ فِیۡہِ ۚ فِیۡہِ رِجَالٌ یُّحِبُّوۡنَ اَنۡ یَّتَطَہَّرُوۡا ۚ وَاللّٰہُ یُحِبُّ الۡمُطَّہِّرِیۡنَ
The reference is said to be to the Mosque at Quba which was built on the site where the Holy Prophet had alighted before entering Medina on the day of his arrival from Mecca. According to some authorities, however, the reference is to the mosque which the Holy Prophet himself built at Medina and which later came to be known as "the Mosque of the Prophet."
Commentary:
According to some traditions the words, A mosque which was founded upon piety from the very first day is surely more worthy, refer to a mosque at Quba which was built on the site where the Holy Prophet had alighted before entering Medina on the day of his arrival from Mecca; while, according to others, these words refer to the Mosque which the Holy Prophet himself built at Medina and which later came to be known as مسجد النبی i.e. "the Mosque of the Prophet." The wording of the verse seems to support the latter view.
1257
Commentary:
According to some traditions the words, A mosque which was founded upon piety from the very first day is surely more worthy, refer to a mosque at Quba which was built on the site where the Holy Prophet had alighted before entering Medina on the day of his arrival from Mecca; while, according to others, these words refer to the Mosque which the Holy Prophet himself built at Medina and which later came to be known as مسجد النبی i.e. "the Mosque of the Prophet." The wording of the verse seems to support the latter view.
1218
The reference is said to be to the Mosque at Quba which was built on the site where the Holy Prophet had alighted before entering Medina on the day of his arrival from Mecca. According to some authorities, however, the reference is to the mosque which the Holy Prophet himself built at Medina and which later came to be known as "the Mosque of the Prophet."
وَاِذَا تُتۡلٰی عَلَیۡہِمۡ اٰیَاتُنَا بَیِّنٰتٍ ۙ قَالَ الَّذِیۡنَ لَا یَرۡجُوۡنَ لِقَآءَنَا ائۡتِ بِقُرۡاٰنٍ غَیۡرِ ہٰذَاۤ اَوۡ بَدِّلۡہُ ۚ قُلۡ مَا یَکُوۡنُ لِیۡۤ اَنۡ اُبَدِّلَہٗ مِنۡ تِلۡقَآئِ نَفۡسِیۡۤ ۖ اِنۡ اَتَّبِعُ اِلَّا مَا یُوۡحٰۤی اِلَیَّ ۖ اِنِّیۡۤ اَخَافُ اِنۡ عَصَیۡتُ رَبِّیۡ عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ عَظِیۡمٍ
See 10:8.
17:74.
6:51; 7:204; 46:10.
'Punishment of an awful day' signifies a national disaster.
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.
c
10:8.
d
17:74.
e
6:51; 7:204; 46:10.
a
See 10:8.
b
17:74.
c
6:51; 7:204; 46:10.
1291
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.
a
See 10:8.
b
17:74.
c
6:51; 7:204; 46:10.
1244
'Punishment of an awful day' signifies a national disaster.
وَاَنِ اسۡتَغۡفِرُوۡا رَبَّکُمۡ ثُمَّ تُوۡبُوۡۤا اِلَیۡہِ یُمَتِّعۡکُمۡ مَّتٰعًا حَسَنًا اِلٰۤی اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّی وَّیُؤۡتِ کُلَّ ذِیۡ فَضۡلٍ فَضۡلَہٗ ۖ وَاِنۡ تَوَلَّوۡا فَاِنِّیۡۤ اَخَافُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ کَبِیۡرٍ
11:53, 62; 71:11.
The verse shows that the stage of Taubah comes after, and is higher than, Istighfar in the spiritual development of man. Taubah is an act of sincere and wholehearted turning to God after His protection has been sought against the evil effects of past sins. What better means than this can be imagined to attain God’s nearness?
11:53, 62; 71:11.
Important Words:
کبیر (dreadful) is derived from کبر which means, he or it was or became great in estimation or rank or dignity; or he or it became big or large in corporeal substance or in years. They say کبر الامر i.e. the affair was or became of great moment. کبر علیه الامر means, the affair was or became difficult, hard, severe, grievous, distressing or burdensome to him. کبیر means, great in corporeal substance; or in estimation or rank or dignity; great and noble; a lord or chief; greatest or oldest ancestor; old or advanced in age; also full-grown and adolescent; the most knowing or learned of a people; difficult, severe, grievous, distressing and burdensome. It is synonymous with عظیم with the difference that, whereas the latter word generally means great in comparison with others, the former means great in itself. الکبیر as an epithet applied to God is generally considered to be synonymous with العظیم which means, the Incomparably Great (Lane).
Commentary:
In the previous verse, the attention of man was drawn to the object of his creation. But as he has to face many obstacles and impediments which hinder the realization of his ideal, he has therefore been advised in the present verse to seek God’s help for the removal of those obstructions and hindrances which, in the form of the dross and rust of sin, continue to accumulate round his heart and eventually completely cover it. The Arabic word used here is استغفار (seeking forgiveness), which literally means "to pray to God that He should cover up". In this sense of the word the injunction embodied in the verse signifies that we should always pray to God that He should cover up and suppress those of our evil inclinations and desires which hinder us from attaining His nearness.
The expression, then turn to Him, means that when we have successfully suppressed and overcome our evil desires, we should turn to God that He may engender in our hearts such love for Himself as may help us to attain His nearness. This shows that it is only when evil desires, which excite the displeasure of God, have been successfully suppressed and the love of God becomes engendered in our hearts that we can truly turn to Him. Incidentally, the verse also shows that the stage of توبة (turning to God) comes after استغفار (seeking forgiveness and praying to God for the removal of the evil effects of our sins and the suppression of our evil inclinations).
Those who think that the Islamic doctrine of توبة (turning to God) encourages sin are utterly ignorant of its real significance. It is indeed foolish to think that the man who is engaged in making a sincere effort to remove the evil effects of his sins and to suppress his evil desires is making only a lip-profession. In fact, توبة (repentance) does not consist in merely uttering words of repentance. It is an act of sincere and whole-hearted turning to God after His protection has been sought against the evil effects of past sins. What better way than this can there be to attain the nearness of God? The words, an appointed term, mean the period ordained by God for the followers of a Prophet. The words, He will grant His grace to every one possessed of merit, refer to spiritual blessings in both this life and the life to come.
A thing is said to be کبیر (lit. great) both with regard to its extensiveness and its intensity and gravity. Hence the words, the punishment of a dreadful (lit. great) day, mean that in case the people rejected God’s teaching, they would be visited with a punishment which would not only be of long duration but would also be most distressing, so that it would indeed be hard for disbelievers to bear.
e
11:53, 62; 71:11.
607
这节经文表明, 悔改这个阶段在人类精神发展过程中出现在祈求宽恕之后, 并高于后者。悔改是对过去罪恶的不良结果求得了安拉的保护之后虔诚和全心全意地归向安拉。为了接近安拉, 还可想象出什么比这更好的方法呢?
a
11:53, 62; 71:11.
1385
Important Words:
کبیر (dreadful) is derived from کبر which means, he or it was or became great in estimation or rank or dignity; or he or it became big or large in corporeal substance or in years. They say کبر الامر i.e. the affair was or became of great moment. کبر علیه الامر means, the affair was or became difficult, hard, severe, grievous, distressing or burdensome to him. کبیر means, great in corporeal substance; or in estimation or rank or dignity; great and noble; a lord or chief; greatest or oldest ancestor; old or advanced in age; also full-grown and adolescent; the most knowing or learned of a people; difficult, severe, grievous, distressing and burdensome. It is synonymous with عظیم with the difference that, whereas the latter word generally means great in comparison with others, the former means great in itself. الکبیر as an epithet applied to God is generally considered to be synonymous with العظیم which means, the Incomparably Great (Lane).
Commentary:
In the previous verse, the attention of man was drawn to the object of his creation. But as he has to face many obstacles and impediments which hinder the realization of his ideal, he has therefore been advised in the present verse to seek God’s help for the removal of those obstructions and hindrances which, in the form of the dross and rust of sin, continue to accumulate round his heart and eventually completely cover it. The Arabic word used here is استغفار (seeking forgiveness), which literally means "to pray to God that He should cover up". In this sense of the word the injunction embodied in the verse signifies that we should always pray to God that He should cover up and suppress those of our evil inclinations and desires which hinder us from attaining His nearness.
The expression, then turn to Him, means that when we have successfully suppressed and overcome our evil desires, we should turn to God that He may engender in our hearts such love for Himself as may help us to attain His nearness. This shows that it is only when evil desires, which excite the displeasure of God, have been successfully suppressed and the love of God becomes engendered in our hearts that we can truly turn to Him. Incidentally, the verse also shows that the stage of توبة (turning to God) comes after استغفار (seeking forgiveness and praying to God for the removal of the evil effects of our sins and the suppression of our evil inclinations).
Those who think that the Islamic doctrine of توبة (turning to God) encourages sin are utterly ignorant of its real significance. It is indeed foolish to think that the man who is engaged in making a sincere effort to remove the evil effects of his sins and to suppress his evil desires is making only a lip-profession. In fact, توبة (repentance) does not consist in merely uttering words of repentance. It is an act of sincere and whole-hearted turning to God after His protection has been sought against the evil effects of past sins. What better way than this can there be to attain the nearness of God? The words, an appointed term, mean the period ordained by God for the followers of a Prophet. The words, He will grant His grace to every one possessed of merit, refer to spiritual blessings in both this life and the life to come.
A thing is said to be کبیر (lit. great) both with regard to its extensiveness and its intensity and gravity. Hence the words, the punishment of a dreadful (lit. great) day, mean that in case the people rejected God’s teaching, they would be visited with a punishment which would not only be of long duration but would also be most distressing, so that it would indeed be hard for disbelievers to bear.
e
11:53, 62; 71:11.
1295
The verse shows that the stage of Taubah comes after, and is higher than, Istighfar in the spiritual development of man. Taubah is an act of sincere and wholehearted turning to God after His protection has been sought against the evil effects of past sins. What better means than this can be imagined to attain God’s nearness?
اَنۡ لَّا تَعۡبُدُوۡۤا اِلَّا اللّٰہَ ۖ اِنِّیۡۤ اَخَافُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ اَلِیۡمٍ
7:60; 71:4.
'A grievous punishment' is different from 'the punishment of a grievous day.' The latter expression implies greater intensity. Certain punishments are very grievous, but there are 'certain days' the remembrance of which continues to haunt and cause pain even after the lapse of hundreds of years. Whereas the actual 'punishment' causes pain only to those on whom it falls, remembrance of the 'days of a grievous punishment' terrifies even those who come after.
7:60; 71:4.
Commentary:
"A grievous punishment" is different from "the punishment of a grievous day." The latter expression implies greater intensity. Certain punishments are very grievous, but there are certain "days" the remembrance of which continues to cause great pain even after the lapse of hundreds of years. The actual "punishment" causes pain only to those on whom it falls, but remembrance of the "days" of a terrible punishment frightens even those who come after. Thus, by using the expression, the punishment of a grievous day, the Quran points to the fact that the threatened punishment was to be such as would be long remembered and would strike terror into the hearts of coming generations. This expression aptly describes the grievous nature of the punishment which overtook the people of Noah, for the great Deluge is remembered even to the present day as a terrible catastrophe the very thought of which inspires fear.
e
7:60; 71:4.
612
‘痛苦的惩罚’ 和 ‘痛苦的日子的惩罚’ 是不同的。后一种讲法意思较强烈。有些惩罚是很痛苦的, 但是有 ‘某些日子’, 想起那些日子即使过了几百年之后仍会继续萦绕在心里而引起痛苦。真正的 “惩罚” 只在直接受到的人身上引起痛苦, 而 ‘痛苦惩罚的日子’ 甚至使那些后来的人们也感到惊恐。
a
7:60; 71:4.
1408
Commentary:
"A grievous punishment" is different from "the punishment of a grievous day." The latter expression implies greater intensity. Certain punishments are very grievous, but there are certain "days" the remembrance of which continues to cause great pain even after the lapse of hundreds of years. The actual "punishment" causes pain only to those on whom it falls, but remembrance of the "days" of a terrible punishment frightens even those who come after. Thus, by using the expression, the punishment of a grievous day, the Quran points to the fact that the threatened punishment was to be such as would be long remembered and would strike terror into the hearts of coming generations. This expression aptly describes the grievous nature of the punishment which overtook the people of Noah, for the great Deluge is remembered even to the present day as a terrible catastrophe the very thought of which inspires fear.
f
7:60; 71:4.
1309
'A grievous punishment' is different from 'the punishment of a grievous day.' The latter expression implies greater intensity. Certain punishments are very grievous, but there are 'certain days' the remembrance of which continues to haunt and cause pain even after the lapse of hundreds of years. Whereas the actual 'punishment' causes pain only to those on whom it falls, remembrance of the 'days of a grievous punishment' terrifies even those who come after.
۞ وَاِلٰی مَدۡیَنَ اَخَاہُمۡ شُعَیۡبًا ۚ قَالَ یٰقَوۡمِ اعۡبُدُوا اللّٰہَ مَا لَکُمۡ مِّنۡ اِلٰہٍ غَیۡرُہٗ ۖ وَلَا تَنۡقُصُوا الۡمِکۡیَالَ وَالۡمِیۡزَانَ ۚ اِنِّیۡۤ اَرٰٮکُمۡ بِخَیۡرٍ وَّاِنِّیۡۤ اَخَافُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ مُّحِیۡطٍ
7:86; 29:37.
26:182, 183.
麦德彦是伊布拉欣的儿子, 是他第三个妻子克土拉 (Keturah) 所生 («创世纪»25:1, 2)。他的子孙都叫麦德彦。他们的城市也叫麦德彦。这个城市位於阿拉伯海岸的阿夸巴 (عَقَبَة, ‘Aqabah) 海湾, 离海约六七英里。麦德彦的后裔生活在希贾兹 (حِجَازْ, Hijaz) 的北部, 城市是他们建造的。穆撒从法老那里出走后避难在该处。他在渡过红海后就和以色列人一起呆在麦德彦的附近。见注释509。
7:86; 29:37.
26:182, 183.
Midian was a son of Abraham from his third wife, Keturah (Gen. 25: 1, 2). His descendants were all called Midian. Their metropolis was also called Midian. This town was situated on the Gulf of ‘Aqabah, on the Arabian coast, at a distance of some six or seven miles from the sea. The descendants of Midian lived in the north of the Hijaz and it is they who built this town. It was there that Moses fled for refuge from Pharaoh and it was in the neighbourhood of Midian that he stayed with the Israelites after crossing the Red Sea. See also {1010}.
7:86; 29:37.
26:182, 183.
Important Words:
محیط (destructive) is derived from حاط. They say حاط به i.e. he guarded, kept, protected or took care of him or it; he defended him or he paid frequent attention to him or it. احاط به means, he or it surrounded, encompassed or enclosed it or him. They say احیط فلان i.e. such a one was destroyed, or his destruction drew near. The Quranic words ان ربك احاط بالناسmean, verily thy Lord hath men in His grasp or power, or He hath destroyed them or is about to destroy them. محیطmeans, surrounding, encompassing or enclosing. The words, عذاب یوم محیط mean, the punishment of a day which shall beset people on every side so that there will be no way of escape from it; or the punishment of a destructive day (Lane).
مدین (Midian) was a son of Abraham from his third wife, Keturah (Gen. 25:1, 2). His descendants were all called Midian, in accordance with ancient usage. Or it may be that originally they were called "Banu Midian" (children of Midian) but these words later became abbreviated into Midian. The metropolis of these people was also called Midian, which itself may be an abbreviation of some such name as Duri Midian (the houses of Midian). This town was situated on the Gulf of ‘Akabah, on the Arabian coast, at a distance of some six or seven miles from the sea. This is why in some ancient books of geography it is mentioned as a sea port, while in others it is shown as an inland town. The trade caravans going from Arabia to Egypt passed through it. There are still several small townships known as Midian, but the original town no longer exists. The descendants of Midian lived in the north of the Hijaz and it is they who built this town. It was hither that Moses fled for refuge when Pharaoh and his nobles sought to kill him and it was in the neighbourhood of Midian that he stayed with the Israelites after crossing the Red Sea. The fact that the word مدین(Midian) possesses a close resemblance to مدینه (Medina), the town of the Holy Prophet, constitutes one of the many similarities Moses had with the Holy Prophet. See also 7:86.
شعیب (Shu‘aib). See 7:86.
Commentary:
Some commentators think that Shu‘aib was the father-in-law of Moses and that Moses had gone to live with him after he had killed an Israelite. The Bible, however, gives the name of the father-in-law of Moses as Jethro (Exod. 3:1). Now Jethro and Shu‘aib cannot be the same person, nor was Shu‘aib the father-in-law of Moses. The following facts support this view:
(1) Shu‘aib has been mentioned in the Quran at several places and so has the father-in-law of Moses, but nowhere in the Quran is there the slightest hint that Shu‘aib and the father-in-law of Moses were the same person nor has the father-in-law of Moses anywhere been referred to as a Prophet of God.
(2) The Quran clearly states that Moses was raised as a Prophet after the destruction of the people of Midian (7:104), which definitely shows that they were not contemporaries.
(3) The Quran also states that Shu‘aib appeared not long after Lot, so he could not be a contemporary of Moses (v. 90 below).
(4) If Shu‘aib had been the contemporary and father-in-law of Moses, he would not have failed to refer to the destruction of Pharaoh and his people, which had taken place only recently, when he had referred to the destruction of the peoples of Noah, Hud and Salih (v. 90), but he did not do so.
The following important facts about the people of Shu‘aib also emerge from this and other verses of the Quran: (a) that, like the Holy Prophet, it was chiefly at the hands of the people of his town that Shu‘aib met with opposition (7:89); (b) that his people not only practised idolatry, but were also fraudulent in their dealings with one another; (c) that they were a well-to-do and prosperous people; (d) that they had adopted the calling of the road and were given to plundering and dacoity (7:86 & 11:86 below). As these people lived on the trade route to Egypt, they used to plunder the caravans which passed by that way. This inference receives further support from the fact that near Midian there was a wood which was peopled by the descendants of Dedan, a nephew of Midian, being the child of another son of Abraham from Keturah (Gen. 25:3). These people are referred to in the Quran as اصحاب الایکة i.e. the People of the Wood (15:79 & 26:177) and Shu‘aib preached to them as he preached to the people of Midian (26:178-192). From 15:80 it appears that this wood or jungle lay on a trade route, so it served as a good hiding place for the people of Midian to plunder travellers.
The words, the punishment of a destructive day, signify that the punishment of that day will be thoroughly destructive. The words may also mean that the day will not end until the whole people are annihilated. See the meaning of the word محیط (destructive) above.
d
7:86; 29:37.
e
26:182, 183.
622
麦德彦是伊布拉欣的儿子, 是他第三个妻子克土拉 (Keturah) 所生 («创世纪»25:1, 2)。他的子孙都叫麦德彦。他们的城市也叫麦德彦。这个城市位於阿拉伯海岸的阿夸巴 (عَقَبَة, ‘Aqabah) 海湾, 离海约六七英里。麦德彦的后裔生活在希贾兹 (حِجَازْ, Hijaz) 的北部, 城市是他们建造的。穆撒从法老那里出走后避难在该处。他在渡过红海后就和以色列人一起呆在麦德彦的附近。见注释509。
b
7:86; 29:37.
c
26:182, 183.
1465
Important Words:
محیط (destructive) is derived from حاط. They say حاط به i.e. he guarded, kept, protected or took care of him or it; he defended him or he paid frequent attention to him or it. احاط به means, he or it surrounded, encompassed or enclosed it or him. They say احیط فلان i.e. such a one was destroyed, or his destruction drew near. The Quranic words ان ربك احاط بالناسmean, verily thy Lord hath men in His grasp or power, or He hath destroyed them or is about to destroy them. محیطmeans, surrounding, encompassing or enclosing. The words, عذاب یوم محیط mean, the punishment of a day which shall beset people on every side so that there will be no way of escape from it; or the punishment of a destructive day (Lane).
مدین (Midian) was a son of Abraham from his third wife, Keturah (Gen. 25:1, 2). His descendants were all called Midian, in accordance with ancient usage. Or it may be that originally they were called "Banu Midian" (children of Midian) but these words later became abbreviated into Midian. The metropolis of these people was also called Midian, which itself may be an abbreviation of some such name as Duri Midian (the houses of Midian). This town was situated on the Gulf of ‘Akabah, on the Arabian coast, at a distance of some six or seven miles from the sea. This is why in some ancient books of geography it is mentioned as a sea port, while in others it is shown as an inland town. The trade caravans going from Arabia to Egypt passed through it. There are still several small townships known as Midian, but the original town no longer exists. The descendants of Midian lived in the north of the Hijaz and it is they who built this town. It was hither that Moses fled for refuge when Pharaoh and his nobles sought to kill him and it was in the neighbourhood of Midian that he stayed with the Israelites after crossing the Red Sea. The fact that the word مدین(Midian) possesses a close resemblance to مدینه (Medina), the town of the Holy Prophet, constitutes one of the many similarities Moses had with the Holy Prophet. See also 7:86.
شعیب (Shu‘aib). See 7:86.
Commentary:
Some commentators think that Shu‘aib was the father-in-law of Moses and that Moses had gone to live with him after he had killed an Israelite. The Bible, however, gives the name of the father-in-law of Moses as Jethro (Exod. 3:1). Now Jethro and Shu‘aib cannot be the same person, nor was Shu‘aib the father-in-law of Moses. The following facts support this view:
(1) Shu‘aib has been mentioned in the Quran at several places and so has the father-in-law of Moses, but nowhere in the Quran is there the slightest hint that Shu‘aib and the father-in-law of Moses were the same person nor has the father-in-law of Moses anywhere been referred to as a Prophet of God.
(2) The Quran clearly states that Moses was raised as a Prophet after the destruction of the people of Midian (7:104), which definitely shows that they were not contemporaries.
(3) The Quran also states that Shu‘aib appeared not long after Lot, so he could not be a contemporary of Moses (v. 90 below).
(4) If Shu‘aib had been the contemporary and father-in-law of Moses, he would not have failed to refer to the destruction of Pharaoh and his people, which had taken place only recently, when he had referred to the destruction of the peoples of Noah, Hud and Salih (v. 90), but he did not do so.
The following important facts about the people of Shu‘aib also emerge from this and other verses of the Quran: (a) that, like the Holy Prophet, it was chiefly at the hands of the people of his town that Shu‘aib met with opposition (7:89); (b) that his people not only practised idolatry, but were also fraudulent in their dealings with one another; (c) that they were a well-to-do and prosperous people; (d) that they had adopted the calling of the road and were given to plundering and dacoity (7:86 & 11:86 below). As these people lived on the trade route to Egypt, they used to plunder the caravans which passed by that way. This inference receives further support from the fact that near Midian there was a wood which was peopled by the descendants of Dedan, a nephew of Midian, being the child of another son of Abraham from Keturah (Gen. 25:3). These people are referred to in the Quran as اصحاب الایکة i.e. the People of the Wood (15:79 & 26:177) and Shu‘aib preached to them as he preached to the people of Midian (26:178-192). From 15:80 it appears that this wood or jungle lay on a trade route, so it served as a good hiding place for the people of Midian to plunder travellers.
The words, the punishment of a destructive day, signify that the punishment of that day will be thoroughly destructive. The words may also mean that the day will not end until the whole people are annihilated. See the meaning of the word محیط (destructive) above.
b
7:86; 29:37.
c
26:182, 183.
1340
Midian was a son of Abraham from his third wife, Keturah (Gen. 25: 1, 2). His descendants were all called Midian. Their metropolis was also called Midian. This town was situated on the Gulf of ‘Aqabah, on the Arabian coast, at a distance of some six or seven miles from the sea. The descendants of Midian lived in the north of the Hijaz and it is they who built this town. It was there that Moses fled for refuge from Pharaoh and it was in the neighbourhood of Midian that he stayed with the Israelites after crossing the Red Sea. See also {1010}.
مَّثَلُ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا بِرَبِّہِمۡ ۖ اَعۡمٰلُہُمۡ کَرَمَادِۣ اشۡتَدَّتۡ بِہِ الرِّیۡحُ فِیۡ یَوۡمٍ عَاصِفٍ ۖ لَّا یَقۡدِرُوۡنَ مِمَّا کَسَبُوۡا عَلٰی شَیۡءٍ ۚ ذٰلِکَ ہُوَ الضَّلٰلُ الۡبَعِیۡدُ
24:40.
2:265.
"Their works" may mean, the efforts which disbelievers made in opposition to the Prophets of God.
24:40.
2:265.
Commentary:
The words, کفروا بربھم (disbelieve in their Lord) do not mean that they deny the existence of God, for even the idolaters of Mecca believed in the existence of God. They only mean the denial of the favours or powers of God. There are people even among the so-called educated classes who believe in God but do not believe that He ever interferes in the affairs of the world. The actions of such people are wholly devoted to the furtherance of their material ends. They have no thought for God and do nothing to please Him. It is of the actions of such people that the verse says that they are null and void so far as the reward of the next world is concerned. They are like ashes upon which a furious gale blows, widely scattering them.
The words "their works" may also mean the efforts which disbelievers made in opposition to the Prophets of God, for such works invariably produce no result and come to nothing. Instead of attaining the object for which they are performed, they bring ruin and destruction in their wake, as punishment from God.
The verse should not, however, be understood to mean that no works of disbelievers will produce any result for, in conformity with the physical laws of nature, every deed done in a right way must produce its natural result. What, therefore, the verse means to say is that the works of disbelievers would fail to achieve the real object of life, which is God’s pleasure, because all their efforts are devoted to the achievement of the good of this world. On the other hand the Faithful, while reaping the fruits of their actions as a natural and inevitable result, will also win God’s pleasure, because all their works are for the sake of God.
a
2:265.
e
24:40.
a
24:40.
b
2:265.
1673
Commentary:
The words, کفروا بربھم (disbelieve in their Lord) do not mean that they deny the existence of God, for even the idolaters of Mecca believed in the existence of God. They only mean the denial of the favours or powers of God. There are people even among the so-called educated classes who believe in God but do not believe that He ever interferes in the affairs of the world. The actions of such people are wholly devoted to the furtherance of their material ends. They have no thought for God and do nothing to please Him. It is of the actions of such people that the verse says that they are null and void so far as the reward of the next world is concerned. They are like ashes upon which a furious gale blows, widely scattering them.
The words "their works" may also mean the efforts which disbelievers made in opposition to the Prophets of God, for such works invariably produce no result and come to nothing. Instead of attaining the object for which they are performed, they bring ruin and destruction in their wake, as punishment from God.
The verse should not, however, be understood to mean that no works of disbelievers will produce any result for, in conformity with the physical laws of nature, every deed done in a right way must produce its natural result. What, therefore, the verse means to say is that the works of disbelievers would fail to achieve the real object of life, which is God’s pleasure, because all their efforts are devoted to the achievement of the good of this world. On the other hand the Faithful, while reaping the fruits of their actions as a natural and inevitable result, will also win God’s pleasure, because all their works are for the sake of God.
c
24:40.
d
2:265.
1462
"Their works" may mean, the efforts which disbelievers made in opposition to the Prophets of God.
وَکَذٰلِکَ بَعَثۡنٰہُمۡ لِیَتَسَآءَلُوۡا بَیۡنَہُمۡ ۚ قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنۡہُمۡ کَمۡ لَبِثۡتُمۡ ۖ قَالُوۡا لَبِثۡنَا یَوۡمًا اَوۡ بَعۡضَ یَوۡمٍ ۚ قَالُوۡا رَبُّکُمۡ اَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثۡتُمۡ فَابۡعَثُوۡۤا اَحَدَکُمۡ بِوَرِقِکُمۡ ہٰذِہٖۤ اِلَی الۡمَدِیۡنَۃِ فَلۡیَنۡظُرۡ اَیُّہَاۤ اَزۡکٰی طَعَامًا فَلۡیَاۡتِکُمۡ بِرِزۡقٍ مِّنۡہُ وَلۡیَتَلَطَّفۡ وَلَا یُشۡعِرَنَّ بِکُمۡ اَحَدًا
2:260; 23:113, 114.
这节经文看来指的是已经遍布全世界的西方基督教国家。“我唤起了他们” 这句话, 指的是那些国家在将来注定要作出的巨大进展。“他们中一个人说: ‘你们逗留了多长时间?’” 这些话意指, 基督教国家开始觉得现在是他们自己奋发和甩掉自己的没有生气状态的时候了。这种觉醒发生在十字军东侵的时代, 那时英国、法国和德国的君主联合起来, 整个欧洲联合向穆斯林进攻要从他们手中夺取圣地。按照阿拉伯习惯用语的意思, ‘一天或少於一天’ 这一用语意指一段不肯定的时期。«古兰经» 其他经文中 (20:103-104) 定为一千年, 这一时期是西方基督教国家的休眠时期。20:103-104节经文中的 “十天” 代表十个世纪, 而这些经文中的 “蓝眼睛的” 这些字指的是一般有着蓝眼睛的西方民族。不列颠在东方权力的基础是在17世纪开始时奠定的, 这是众所周知的历史事实 (“March of Man”)。这一时期差不多在穆圣之后一千年。
当山洞中的居住者看到迫害他们的浪潮已经平静下来时, 他们派了一个人到城里用旧的硬币买些食物并且看看情况对他们怎样。طَعَامْ (Ta‘am) 可以意指诸如小麦、大麦、小米、枣子等粮食 (Lane)。这指的是西方国家到世界各地的商业远征。
欧洲的商人在做生意的时候特别显得文雅和有礼貌的样子。“他要有礼貌地” 这些字, 看来指的就是他们的这一特征。这一用语也可意为, “让他们自己行动谨慎。”
“但绝不要使任何人知道你们” 这些话, 指的是西方的势力悄悄地、趁人不备地渗透进东方。
یعنی جب اصحاب الکہف پر زمانہ کی تاریخ روشن ہوگئی اور انہوں نے نسبتاً کچھ امن پایا تو اپنے پرانے سکے دے کر انہوں نے اپنے میں سے بعض کو خوراک خریدنے کے لئے بھیجا۔
2:260; 23:113, 114.
The verse seems to refer to the Christian nations of the West after they had spread all over the world. The words, We raised them up, refer to the great progress which these nations were destined to make in the future. The words, One of them said, 'How long have you tarried,' signify that Christian nations would begin to feel that it was now time for them to bestir themselves and shake off their lethargy. This awakening took place in the time of the Crusades when the monarchs of England, France and Germany made common cause and the whole of Europe united to make a concerted attack upon Muslims to wrest the Holy Land from their hands. According to Arabic idiom the words 'a day or part of a day' denote an indefinite period. Elsewhere the Qur’an (20:103, 104) has specified as one thousand years the period during which Christian nations of the West remained in a state of sleep or inactivity. "Ten days" in 20:103, 104 stand for ten centuries and the words "blue-eyed" in these verses refer
When the Dwellers of the Cave saw that the wave of persecution against them had subsided, they sent one of their members to the city with some old coins to buy provisions and to find out how matters stood with regard to them. Ta‘am may signify such articles of food as wheat, barley, millet, dates, etc. (Lane). This refers to the commercial expeditions of the Western nations to all parts of the world.
European businessmen have a special knack for being gentle and courteous in their commercial dealings. To this characteristic of theirs the expression, And let him be courteous, seems to refer. It also means, 'Let him conduct himself with caution.'
The words, but let him not inform anyone about you, refer to the quiet and unobtrusive penetration of the Western influence in the East.
2:260; 23:113-114.
Commentary:
Like its predecessor this verse also speaks not of early Christians who took shelter in "the cave" but of the Christian nations of the west after they had spread all over the world. The words, "We raised them up", refer to the great progress which these nations were destined to make in future. It is a peculiarity of the Quranic style that it uses the past tense for events which are to take place in future in order to emphasize the inevitability and certainty of their occurrence. The words mean to say that the day is sure to come when God will bring about an awakening among these people who are now asleep.
The words, one of them said; How long have you tarried, signify that Christian nations would begin to feel that it was now time for them to bestir themselves and shake off their lethargy. This awakening took place in the time of the Crusades when the Monarchs of England, France and Germany made common cause and the whole of Europe combined to make a concerted attack upon Muslims to wrest the Holy Land from their hands.
The expression, یوما او بعض یوم i.e. a day or part of a day, does not mean that the Dwellers of the Cave were not certain as to how long they remained asleep. According to Arabic idiom the expression denotes an indefinite period of time. Elsewhere the Quran has specified as one thousand years the period for which Christian nations of the west remained in a state of sleep or inactivity. In vv. 20:103,104 we have, The day when the trumpet will be blown. And on that day We shall gather the sinful together blue-eyed. They will talk to one another in a low tone: You tarried only ten days, The words "ten days" here stand for ten centuries and the word زرقا (blue-eyed) clearly refers to the peoples of the west who generally have blue eyes. It is a well-known historical fact that the foundations of British power in the east were laid in the beginning of the seventeenth century, in about 1611 A.D., when a British commercial company was allowed to open its first industrial concern in Surat and began to do business in the Bay of Bengal (March of Man, published by Enc. Brit. Society). This period approximates to one thousand years after the Holy Prophet began to preach his Mission in 611 A. D. The secret of the British power in subsequent centuries lay in their success in obtaining a foothold in the East. Other European nations only followed in the wake of the British people.
The word طعاما (provisions) in the verse under comment does not mean 'cooked food' as is generally misunderstood. It possesses a much wider significance and may mean, wheat, barley, millet, dates or other articles of food (Lane). The words, and let him bring you provisions thereof, refer to the import of Indian articles of food, especially wheat, by European countries for about 200 years. European businessmen had a special knack of being gentle and courteous in their commercial dealings. To this characteristic of theirs the expression ولیتلطف (and let him be courteous) refers.
The words, and let him not inform any one about you, refer to the quiet and unobtrusive penetration of Western influence in the East, particularly in India—the undivided India of pre-Partition days.
b
2:260; 23:113, 114.
748
这节经文看来指的是已经遍布全世界的西方基督教国家。“我唤起了他们” 这句话, 指的是那些国家在将来注定要作出的巨大进展。“他们中一个人说: ‘你们逗留了多长时间?’” 这些话意指, 基督教国家开始觉得现在是他们自己奋发和甩掉自己的没有生气状态的时候了。这种觉醒发生在十字军东侵的时代, 那时英国、法国和德国的君主联合起来, 整个欧洲联合向穆斯林进攻要从他们手中夺取圣地。按照阿拉伯习惯用语的意思, ‘一天或少於一天’ 这一用语意指一段不肯定的时期。«古兰经» 其他经文中 (20:103-104) 定为一千年, 这一时期是西方基督教国家的休眠时期。20:103-104节经文中的 “十天” 代表十个世纪, 而这些经文中的 “蓝眼睛的” 这些字指的是一般有着蓝眼睛的西方民族。不列颠在东方权力的基础是在17世纪开始时奠定的, 这是众所周知的历史事实 (“March of Man”)。这一时期差不多在穆圣之后一千年。
749
当山洞中的居住者看到迫害他们的浪潮已经平静下来时, 他们派了一个人到城里用旧的硬币买些食物并且看看情况对他们怎样。طَعَامْ (Ta‘am) 可以意指诸如小麦、大麦、小米、枣子等粮食 (Lane)。这指的是西方国家到世界各地的商业远征。
750
欧洲的商人在做生意的时候特别显得文雅和有礼貌的样子。“他要有礼貌地” 这些字, 看来指的就是他们的这一特征。这一用语也可意为, “让他们自己行动谨慎。”
751
“但绝不要使任何人知道你们” 这些话, 指的是西方的势力悄悄地、趁人不备地渗透进东方。
3
یعنی جب اصحاب الکہف پر زمانہ کی تاریخ روشن ہوگئی اور انہوں نے نسبتاً کچھ امن پایا تو اپنے پرانے سکے دے کر انہوں نے اپنے میں سے بعض کو خوراک خریدنے کے لئے بھیجا۔
a
2:260; 23:113-114.
2060
Commentary:
Like its predecessor this verse also speaks not of early Christians who took shelter in "the cave" but of the Christian nations of the west after they had spread all over the world. The words, "We raised them up", refer to the great progress which these nations were destined to make in future. It is a peculiarity of the Quranic style that it uses the past tense for events which are to take place in future in order to emphasize the inevitability and certainty of their occurrence. The words mean to say that the day is sure to come when God will bring about an awakening among these people who are now asleep.
The words, one of them said; How long have you tarried, signify that Christian nations would begin to feel that it was now time for them to bestir themselves and shake off their lethargy. This awakening took place in the time of the Crusades when the Monarchs of England, France and Germany made common cause and the whole of Europe combined to make a concerted attack upon Muslims to wrest the Holy Land from their hands.
The expression, یوما او بعض یوم i.e. a day or part of a day, does not mean that the Dwellers of the Cave were not certain as to how long they remained asleep. According to Arabic idiom the expression denotes an indefinite period of time. Elsewhere the Quran has specified as one thousand years the period for which Christian nations of the west remained in a state of sleep or inactivity. In vv. 20:103,104 we have, The day when the trumpet will be blown. And on that day We shall gather the sinful together blue-eyed. They will talk to one another in a low tone: You tarried only ten days, The words "ten days" here stand for ten centuries and the word زرقا (blue-eyed) clearly refers to the peoples of the west who generally have blue eyes. It is a well-known historical fact that the foundations of British power in the east were laid in the beginning of the seventeenth century, in about 1611 A.D., when a British commercial company was allowed to open its first industrial concern in Surat and began to do business in the Bay of Bengal (March of Man, published by Enc. Brit. Society). This period approximates to one thousand years after the Holy Prophet began to preach his Mission in 611 A. D. The secret of the British power in subsequent centuries lay in their success in obtaining a foothold in the East. Other European nations only followed in the wake of the British people.
The word طعاما (provisions) in the verse under comment does not mean 'cooked food' as is generally misunderstood. It possesses a much wider significance and may mean, wheat, barley, millet, dates or other articles of food (Lane). The words, and let him bring you provisions thereof, refer to the import of Indian articles of food, especially wheat, by European countries for about 200 years. European businessmen had a special knack of being gentle and courteous in their commercial dealings. To this characteristic of theirs the expression ولیتلطف (and let him be courteous) refers.
The words, and let him not inform any one about you, refer to the quiet and unobtrusive penetration of Western influence in the East, particularly in India—the undivided India of pre-Partition days.
a
2:260; 23:113, 114.
1678
The verse seems to refer to the Christian nations of the West after they had spread all over the world. The words, We raised them up, refer to the great progress which these nations were destined to make in the future. The words, One of them said, 'How long have you tarried,' signify that Christian nations would begin to feel that it was now time for them to bestir themselves and shake off their lethargy. This awakening took place in the time of the Crusades when the monarchs of England, France and Germany made common cause and the whole of Europe united to make a concerted attack upon Muslims to wrest the Holy Land from their hands. According to Arabic idiom the words 'a day or part of a day' denote an indefinite period. Elsewhere the Qur’an (20:103, 104) has specified as one thousand years the period during which Christian nations of the West remained in a state of sleep or inactivity. "Ten days" in 20:103, 104 stand for ten centuries and the words "blue-eyed" in these verses refer
1679
When the Dwellers of the Cave saw that the wave of persecution against them had subsided, they sent one of their members to the city with some old coins to buy provisions and to find out how matters stood with regard to them. Ta‘am may signify such articles of food as wheat, barley, millet, dates, etc. (Lane). This refers to the commercial expeditions of the Western nations to all parts of the world.
1680
European businessmen have a special knack for being gentle and courteous in their commercial dealings. To this characteristic of theirs the expression, And let him be courteous, seems to refer. It also means, 'Let him conduct himself with caution.'
1681
The words, but let him not inform anyone about you, refer to the quiet and unobtrusive penetration of the Western influence in the East.
فَاخۡتَلَفَ الۡاَحۡزَابُ مِنۡۢ بَیۡنِہِمۡ ۖ فَوَیۡلٌ لِّلَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا مِنۡ مَّشۡہَدِ یَوۡمٍ عَظِیۡمٍ
14:3; 38:28; 51:61.
14:3; 38:28; 51:61.
14:3; 38:28; 51:61.
Important Words:
الاحزاب (parties) is the plural of حزب which means, a party or group of men; a party of men who agree in their ideas and actions (Lane).
Commentary:
The verse means to say that in spite of the fact that the followers of Jesus followed one Book, held the same basic beliefs and their religious practices were almost the same, they differed among themselves. Some of them said that Mary was an ordinary woman who gave birth to the son of God, others believed that she was God’s wife and was therefore "Divine". Yet some others among them believed that Jesus was only a man and a Prophet of God. He had, like other Prophets, manifested in himself some Divine attributes, and there were others who said that he was God Incarnate. Some others believed in three separate Divine persons i.e. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, each of them being perfect God; others said that they are only three manifestations of the One God i.e. in one capacity God is Father, in another capacity He is Son and in the third capacity He is the Holy Ghost.
So the followers of Jesus, in spite of believing in the same Book and possessing the same basic doctrines and principles of religion, became split up into many sects.
b
14:3; 38:28; 51:61.
b
14:3; 38:28; 51:61.
2181
Important Words:
الاحزاب (parties) is the plural of حزب which means, a party or group of men; a party of men who agree in their ideas and actions (Lane).
Commentary:
The verse means to say that in spite of the fact that the followers of Jesus followed one Book, held the same basic beliefs and their religious practices were almost the same, they differed among themselves. Some of them said that Mary was an ordinary woman who gave birth to the son of God, others believed that she was God’s wife and was therefore "Divine". Yet some others among them believed that Jesus was only a man and a Prophet of God. He had, like other Prophets, manifested in himself some Divine attributes, and there were others who said that he was God Incarnate. Some others believed in three separate Divine persons i.e. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, each of them being perfect God; others said that they are only three manifestations of the One God i.e. in one capacity God is Father, in another capacity He is Son and in the third capacity He is the Holy Ghost.
So the followers of Jesus, in spite of believing in the same Book and possessing the same basic doctrines and principles of religion, became split up into many sects.
a
14:3; 38:28; 51:61.
وَلَا یَزَالُ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا فِیۡ مِرۡیَۃٍ مِّنۡہُ حَتّٰی تَاۡتِیَہُمُ السَّاعَۃُ بَغۡتَۃً اَوۡ یَاۡتِیَہُمۡ عَذَابُ یَوۡمٍ عَقِیۡمٍ
11:18.
“灭亡的时刻” 是指伊斯兰教的最后胜利。这一单词也用来指麦加的攻克。不信的古莱西 (قُرَيْش, Quraish) 政权最终被彻底粉碎。麦加的攻克相当突然。直到穆斯林武装抵达麦加大门口时, 古莱西族对有关穆斯林武装的活动情况才略有所知。
أمْرَأةٌ عَقِيْمٌ (’Imra’atun ‘Aqimun) 指无子女的妇女; يَوْمٌ عَقِيْمٌ (Yaumun ‘Aqimun) 指毁灭的日子, 恶战的日子之所以这样说, 是因为在恶战中很多妇女失去了自己的子女, 成了 عَقِيْمٌ (‘Aqim) (Lane)。
11:18.
"The Hour" signifies the final triumph of Islam. It may also refer to the Fall of Mecca, when the power of the disbelieving Quraish was finally and completely crushed. The Fall took place quite suddenly. The Quraish did not have the least inkling about the Muslim army till it had reached the very gates of Mecca.
Imra’atun ‘Aqimun means, a barren woman. Yaumun ‘Aqimun means, a destructive day, a day of hard fighting, so called because many women having lost their sons in the fighting become ‘Aqim (Lane).
11:18.
Important Words:
عقیم (destructive) is derived from عقم. They say عقمت المرأة i.e. the woman was or became barren. امرأة عقیم means, a barren woman, a woman that does not conceive or give birth to a child. یوم عقیم means, a severe fighting. یوم عقیم means, a day having no day after it; a destructive day, a day of hard fighting, so called because many women having lost their sons in the fighting become عقیم (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
"Hour" in the verse signifies the final triumph of Islam. It may also refer to the Fall of Mecca, when the power of the disbelieving Quraish was finally broken. The fall took place quite suddenly. The Quraish had not had the least inkling of the approach of Muslim army till it reached the very gates of Mecca.
The words, "the punishment of a destructive day," may refer to any form of punishment, preferably to the day of the Battle of Badr.
This and the following two verses imply a prophecy about the ultimate triumph of Islam, and the defeat and discomfiture of disbelievers.
b
11:18.
873
“灭亡的时刻” 是指伊斯兰教的最后胜利。这一单词也用来指麦加的攻克。不信的古莱西 (قُرَيْش, Quraish) 政权最终被彻底粉碎。麦加的攻克相当突然。直到穆斯林武装抵达麦加大门口时, 古莱西族对有关穆斯林武装的活动情况才略有所知。
874
أمْرَأةٌ عَقِيْمٌ (’Imra’atun ‘Aqimun) 指无子女的妇女; يَوْمٌ عَقِيْمٌ (Yaumun ‘Aqimun) 指毁灭的日子, 恶战的日子之所以这样说, 是因为在恶战中很多妇女失去了自己的子女, 成了 عَقِيْمٌ (‘Aqim) (Lane)。
b
11:18.
2485
Important Words:
عقیم (destructive) is derived from عقم. They say عقمت المرأة i.e. the woman was or became barren. امرأة عقیم means, a barren woman, a woman that does not conceive or give birth to a child. یوم عقیم means, a severe fighting. یوم عقیم means, a day having no day after it; a destructive day, a day of hard fighting, so called because many women having lost their sons in the fighting become عقیم (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
"Hour" in the verse signifies the final triumph of Islam. It may also refer to the Fall of Mecca, when the power of the disbelieving Quraish was finally broken. The fall took place quite suddenly. The Quraish had not had the least inkling of the approach of Muslim army till it reached the very gates of Mecca.
The words, "the punishment of a destructive day," may refer to any form of punishment, preferably to the day of the Battle of Badr.
This and the following two verses imply a prophecy about the ultimate triumph of Islam, and the defeat and discomfiture of disbelievers.
b
11:18.
1964
"The Hour" signifies the final triumph of Islam. It may also refer to the Fall of Mecca, when the power of the disbelieving Quraish was finally and completely crushed. The Fall took place quite suddenly. The Quraish did not have the least inkling about the Muslim army till it had reached the very gates of Mecca.
1965
Imra’atun ‘Aqimun means, a barren woman. Yaumun ‘Aqimun means, a destructive day, a day of hard fighting, so called because many women having lost their sons in the fighting become ‘Aqim (Lane).
قَالُوۡا لَبِثۡنَا یَوۡمًا اَوۡ بَعۡضَ یَوۡمٍ فَسۡـَٔلِ الۡعَآدِّیۡنَ
一生过得安逸舒适, 接着是痛苦和惩罚, 就显得这种生活非常短暂, 甚至成为惋惜和遗憾的根源。不信者的这一回答表明, 今生的舒适是多么空虚和短暂。
A whole life spent in ease and comfort, when followed by pain and punishment, appears very short and even becomes a source of regret and mortification. The reply of the disbelievers shows how vain and short-lived are the comforts of this life.
Commentary:
A whole life spent in ease and comfort, when followed by pain and punishment, appears very short and even becomes a source of regret and mortification. The verse purports to say that when disbelievers will leave behind a life spent in luxury in this world and will be brought face to face with Divine punishment and then will be confronted with the question as to how long they lived in the world, they will feel as if they had lived only for a day or even part of a day and will say so. The reply of disbelievers shows how vain and short-lived are the comforts of this life.
896
一生过得安逸舒适, 接着是痛苦和惩罚, 就显得这种生活非常短暂, 甚至成为惋惜和遗憾的根源。不信者的这一回答表明, 今生的舒适是多么空虚和短暂。
2585
Commentary:
A whole life spent in ease and comfort, when followed by pain and punishment, appears very short and even becomes a source of regret and mortification. The verse purports to say that when disbelievers will leave behind a life spent in luxury in this world and will be brought face to face with Divine punishment and then will be confronted with the question as to how long they lived in the world, they will feel as if they had lived only for a day or even part of a day and will say so. The reply of disbelievers shows how vain and short-lived are the comforts of this life.
2021
A whole life spent in ease and comfort, when followed by pain and punishment, appears very short and even becomes a source of regret and mortification. The reply of the disbelievers shows how vain and short-lived are the comforts of this life.
فَجُمِعَ السَّحَرَۃُ لِمِیۡقٰتِ یَوۡمٍ مَّعۡلُوۡمٍ
7:114; 20:59.
7:114; 20:59.
7:113; 20:59.
e
7:114; 20:59.
b
7:113; 20:59.
a
7:114; 20:59.
اِنِّیۡۤ اَخَافُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ عَظِیۡمٍ
قَالَ ہٰذِہٖ نَاقَۃٌ لَّہَا شِرۡبٌ وَّلَکُمۡ شِرۡبُ یَوۡمٍ مَّعۡلُوۡمٍ
7:74; 11:65; 17:60; 54:28; 91:14.
7:74; 11:65; 17:60; 54:28; 91:14.
7:74; 11:65; 17:60; 54:28; 91:14.
Important Words:
شرب is infinitive noun from شرب (shariba). شرب الماء means, he drank the water. شرب (shirbun) means, water that one drinks; a draught; a share or portion of water that falls to one’s lot; the use of water for the purpose of watering sown fields or for beasts; turn of drinking; a watering place a time of drinking (Lane & Aqrab).
d
7:74; 11:65; 17:60; 54:28; 91:14.
a
7:74; 11:65; 17:60; 54:28; 91:14.
2783
Important Words:
شرب is infinitive noun from شرب (shariba). شرب الماء means, he drank the water. شرب (shirbun) means, water that one drinks; a draught; a share or portion of water that falls to one’s lot; the use of water for the purpose of watering sown fields or for beasts; turn of drinking; a watering place a time of drinking (Lane & Aqrab).
c
7:74; 11:65; 17:60; 54:28; 91:14.
وَلَا تَمَسُّوۡہَا بِسُوۡٓءٍ فَیَاۡخُذَکُمۡ عَذَابُ یَوۡمٍ عَظِیۡمٍ
26:156.
26:156.
See 26:156.
Commentary:
The tribe of Thamud were tried by means of the she-camel. The Prophet Salih used to go about preaching on his she-camel, so interference with her movements meant interference with his work. Metaphorically Salih himself may be regarded as God’s she-camel, i.e. bearer of the Heavenly message, interference with whose movements was tantamount to interference with the plan and design of God Whose Messenger he was. For a fuller note see 7:74.
e
26:156.
b
See 26:156.
2784
Commentary:
The tribe of Thamud were tried by means of the she-camel. The Prophet Salih used to go about preaching on his she-camel, so interference with her movements meant interference with his work. Metaphorically Salih himself may be regarded as God’s she-camel, i.e. bearer of the Heavenly message, interference with whose movements was tantamount to interference with the plan and design of God Whose Messenger he was. For a fuller note see 7:74.
d
26:156.
فَکَذَّبُوۡہُ فَاَخَذَہُمۡ عَذَابُ یَوۡمِ الظُّلَّۃِ ۚ اِنَّہٗ کَانَ عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ عَظِیۡمٍ
7:92; 11:95; 29:38.
7:92; 11:95; 29:38.
7:92; 11:95; 29:38.
c
7:92; 11:95; 29:38.
a
7:92; 11:95; 29:38.
a
7:92; 11:95; 29:38.
یُدَبِّرُ الۡاَمۡرَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ اِلَی الۡاَرۡضِ ثُمَّ یَعۡرُجُ اِلَیۡہِ فِیۡ یَوۡمٍ کَانَ مِقۡدَارُہٗۤ اَلۡفَ سَنَۃٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّوۡنَ
这节经文提及伊斯兰教在它兴衰交替的经历中命定要遇到的非常严重的危机。伊斯兰教在它的历程的最初三个世纪中必然是一个持续发展和成功的时期。据说穆圣曾经明确地暗示过这一事实, 他说, “最好的一个世纪是我活着的这个世纪, 而后是下一个世纪, 而后是再一个世纪” (تِرْمِذِی و بُخَارِی كِتابُ الشَّهَادَات, Tirmidhi & Bukhari, Kitabush Shahadat)。在最初三个世纪的连续胜利之后, 伊斯兰教开始衰落。这种衰退的过程在以后的千年中进行下去。“而后在一天之内上升回到他那里, 这一天的时间按照你们的计算是一千年。” 这句话所指的是这一千年的时期。据传, 他在另一次讲话中曾说过, 这一宗教将上升到昴 (宿) 星团 (Pleiades), 而一个波斯血统的人将把它带回地球 (بُخَارِی كِتابُ التَّفْسِيْر, Bukhari, Kitabut Tafsir)。伊历纪元第十四世纪主许迈喜合显现后, 这个衰退过程已经停止, 伊斯兰教复兴时期已经开始。
بہائی لوگ اس آیت کے غلط معنے کرکے مسلمانوں کو بہکاتے ہیں وہ کہتے ہیں کہ اسلام کی زندگی صرف ایک ہزار سال ہے پھر وہ منسوخ ہو جائے گا اور بہائی مذہب اس کی جگہ لے لے گا۔ حالانکہ آیت کے معنی صاف ہیں کہ اسلام ہزار سال میں آسمان پر چڑھے گا۔ اس کے معنے منسوخ ہونے کے نہیں ہو سکتے۔ کیونکہ منسوخ تو ایک آیت سے ایک منٹ میں ہو جاتا ہے۔ درحقیقت اس آیت میں بتایا گیا ہے کہ ایک ہزار سال تک مسلمان دنیا میں کمزور ہوتے جائیں گے۔ اس کے بعد محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی پیشگوئیوں کے مطابق اسلام کو قائم کرنے والا مامور آجائے گا۔ اور اسلام پھر مضبو طی سے قائم ہو جائے گا۔ چنانچہ اسی سور
The verse refers to a very serious crisis that was destined to come over Islam in its chequered career. Islam was to pass through a period of sustained progress and prosperity during the first three centuries of its life. The Holy Prophet is reported to have pointedly alluded to this fact in his saying: 'The best century is the one in which I live, then the next century, then the century after that '(Tirmidhi & Bukhari, Kitabush-Shahadat). Islam began to decline after the first three centuries of uninterrupted conquests. The process of decline and decay continued in the next thousand years. It is to this period of a thousand years that reference has been made in the words, then will it go up to Him in a day the duration of which is a thousand years. In another of his sayings the Holy Prophet is reported to have said that Faith will ascend to the Pleiades and a man of Persian descent will bring it back to the earth (Bukhari, Kitabut-Tafsir). With the appearance of the Promised Messi
Commentary:
As mentioned above the principal theme of the Surah under comment is the progressive expansion and eventual triumph of Islam. In the present verse, however, reference has been made to a very serious crisis that was destined to come over Islam in its chequered career. Islam was to pass through a period of sustained progress and prosperity during the first three centuries of its life. The Holy Prophet is reported to have pointedly alluded to this fact in a well-known saying, viz. خیر القرون قرنی ثم الذین یلونھم الخ i.e. the best century is the one in which I live, then the next century, then the century after that. Then there will spread falsehood at the hands of people who will take pride in their wealth and riches and will grow fat on the earnings of others (Tirmidhi & Bukhari, Kitabush-Shahadat). As foretold in this saying of the Prophet, Islam began to decline after the first three centuries of uninterrupted conquests and growing prosperity, till it suffered a very serious check in about 271 A.H. when its gradual decline set in. The process of decline and decay continued till it reached its nadir in the next one thousand years. It is to this period of a thousand years that reference has been made in the words, then shall it go up to Him in a day the duration of which is a thousand years. In another of his sayings the Holy Prophet is reported to have said that Faith will ascend to the Pleiades and a man of Persian descent, namely the Promised Messiah, will bring it back to the earth (Bukhari, Kitabut-Tafsir). With the appearance of the Promised Messiah in the 14th century A.H., the process of decay has been arrested and a renaissance of Islam has taken place. The indications are, and prophecies in Divine Scriptures and those in the Hadith lend support to the inference, that the present renaissance of Islam will extend over a much longer period and its spiritual conquests will not stop unless they have embraced in their orbit almost the entire globe.
1016
这节经文提及伊斯兰教在它兴衰交替的经历中命定要遇到的非常严重的危机。伊斯兰教在它的历程的最初三个世纪中必然是一个持续发展和成功的时期。据说穆圣曾经明确地暗示过这一事实, 他说, “最好的一个世纪是我活着的这个世纪, 而后是下一个世纪, 而后是再一个世纪” (تِرْمِذِی و بُخَارِی كِتابُ الشَّهَادَات, Tirmidhi & Bukhari, Kitabush Shahadat)。在最初三个世纪的连续胜利之后, 伊斯兰教开始衰落。这种衰退的过程在以后的千年中进行下去。“而后在一天之内上升回到他那里, 这一天的时间按照你们的计算是一千年。” 这句话所指的是这一千年的时期。据传, 他在另一次讲话中曾说过, 这一宗教将上升到昴 (宿) 星团 (Pleiades), 而一个波斯血统的人将把它带回地球 (بُخَارِی كِتابُ التَّفْسِيْر, Bukhari, Kitabut Tafsir)。伊历纪元第十四世纪主许迈喜合显现后, 这个衰退过程已经停止, 伊斯兰教复兴时期已经开始。
1
بہائی لوگ اس آیت کے غلط معنے کرکے مسلمانوں کو بہکاتے ہیں وہ کہتے ہیں کہ اسلام کی زندگی صرف ایک ہزار سال ہے پھر وہ منسوخ ہو جائے گا اور بہائی مذہب اس کی جگہ لے لے گا۔ حالانکہ آیت کے معنی صاف ہیں کہ اسلام ہزار سال میں آسمان پر چڑھے گا۔ اس کے معنے منسوخ ہونے کے نہیں ہو سکتے۔ کیونکہ منسوخ تو ایک آیت سے ایک منٹ میں ہو جاتا ہے۔ درحقیقت اس آیت میں بتایا گیا ہے کہ ایک ہزار سال تک مسلمان دنیا میں کمزور ہوتے جائیں گے۔ اس کے بعد محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی پیشگوئیوں کے مطابق اسلام کو قائم کرنے والا مامور آجائے گا۔ اور اسلام پھر مضبو طی سے قائم ہو جائے گا۔ چنانچہ اسی سور
3062
Commentary:
As mentioned above the principal theme of the Surah under comment is the progressive expansion and eventual triumph of Islam. In the present verse, however, reference has been made to a very serious crisis that was destined to come over Islam in its chequered career. Islam was to pass through a period of sustained progress and prosperity during the first three centuries of its life. The Holy Prophet is reported to have pointedly alluded to this fact in a well-known saying, viz. خیر القرون قرنی ثم الذین یلونھم الخ i.e. the best century is the one in which I live, then the next century, then the century after that. Then there will spread falsehood at the hands of people who will take pride in their wealth and riches and will grow fat on the earnings of others (Tirmidhi & Bukhari, Kitabush-Shahadat). As foretold in this saying of the Prophet, Islam began to decline after the first three centuries of uninterrupted conquests and growing prosperity, till it suffered a very serious check in about 271 A.H. when its gradual decline set in. The process of decline and decay continued till it reached its nadir in the next one thousand years. It is to this period of a thousand years that reference has been made in the words, then shall it go up to Him in a day the duration of which is a thousand years. In another of his sayings the Holy Prophet is reported to have said that Faith will ascend to the Pleiades and a man of Persian descent, namely the Promised Messiah, will bring it back to the earth (Bukhari, Kitabut-Tafsir). With the appearance of the Promised Messiah in the 14th century A.H., the process of decay has been arrested and a renaissance of Islam has taken place. The indications are, and prophecies in Divine Scriptures and those in the Hadith lend support to the inference, that the present renaissance of Islam will extend over a much longer period and its spiritual conquests will not stop unless they have embraced in their orbit almost the entire globe.
2323
The verse refers to a very serious crisis that was destined to come over Islam in its chequered career. Islam was to pass through a period of sustained progress and prosperity during the first three centuries of its life. The Holy Prophet is reported to have pointedly alluded to this fact in his saying: 'The best century is the one in which I live, then the next century, then the century after that '(Tirmidhi & Bukhari, Kitabush-Shahadat). Islam began to decline after the first three centuries of uninterrupted conquests. The process of decline and decay continued in the next thousand years. It is to this period of a thousand years that reference has been made in the words, then will it go up to Him in a day the duration of which is a thousand years. In another of his sayings the Holy Prophet is reported to have said that Faith will ascend to the Pleiades and a man of Persian descent will bring it back to the earth (Bukhari, Kitabut-Tafsir). With the appearance of the Promised Messi
قُل لَّکُمۡ مِّیۡعَادُ یَوۡمٍ لَّا تَسۡتَـٔۡخِرُوۡنَ عَنۡہُ سَاعَۃً وَّلَا تَسۡتَقۡدِمُوۡنَ
ایک دن سے مراد ایک ہزار سال ہے۔ یعنی اسلام کی ترقی کے پہلے تین سو سال حدیث کے مطابق ملا کر تیرھویں صدی ہجری تک یہ وعدہ چلے گا اور تیسری صدی کے بعد جب ہزار سال پورا ہو جائے گا یعنی اصطلاحاً ایک دن تو اسلام کی ترقی کا زمانہ آجائے گا۔
7:35; 10:50.
The Day of the Battle of Badr or the day mentioned in 32:6 which is stated to be equal to one thousand years after the expiry of which the period of the recognition and acceptance of Islam as a universal Faith will begin.
7:35; 10:50.
Commentary:
If v. 27 above is taken as referring to the Battle of Badr, the word یوم (day) in the present verse would signify 'a year'. The Battle of Badr wasfought in about a year after the Hijrah.
c
7:35; 10:50.
1050
白德尔 (بَدْر, Badr) 战役的那一天或32:6节经文所谈的 “等于一千年的那一天”, 该一天期满后, 伊斯兰教将开始被承认和接受为全世界的宗教。
1
ایک دن سے مراد ایک ہزار سال ہے۔ یعنی اسلام کی ترقی کے پہلے تین سو سال حدیث کے مطابق ملا کر تیرھویں صدی ہجری تک یہ وعدہ چلے گا اور تیسری صدی کے بعد جب ہزار سال پورا ہو جائے گا یعنی اصطلاحاً ایک دن تو اسلام کی ترقی کا زمانہ آجائے گا۔
a
7:35; 10:50.
3155
Commentary:
If v. 27 above is taken as referring to the Battle of Badr, the word یوم (day) in the present verse would signify 'a year'. The Battle of Badr wasfought in about a year after the Hijrah.
b
7:35; 10:50.
2396
The Day of the Battle of Badr or the day mentioned in 32:6 which is stated to be equal to one thousand years after the expiry of which the period of the recognition and acceptance of Islam as a universal Faith will begin.
قُلۡ اِنِّیۡۤ اَخَافُ اِنۡ عَصَیۡتُ رَبِّیۡ عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ عَظِیۡمٍ
6:16; 10:16.
6:16; 10:16.
6:16; 10:16.
b
6:16; 10:16.
d
6:16; 10:16.
e
6:16; 10:16.
فَاخۡتَلَفَ الۡاَحۡزَابُ مِنۡۢ بَیۡنِہِمۡ ۖ فَوَیۡلٌ لِّلَّذِیۡنَ ظَلَمُوۡا مِنۡ عَذَابِ یَوۡمٍ اَلِیۡمٍ
19:38.
19:38.
19:38.
b
19:38.
c
19:38.
a
19:38.
۞ وَاذۡکُرۡ اَخَا عَادٍ اِذۡ اَنۡذَرَ قَوۡمَہٗ بِالۡاَحۡقَافِ وَقَدۡ خَلَتِ النُّذُرُ مِنۡۢ بَیۡنِ یَدَیۡہِ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِہٖۤ اَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوۡۤا اِلَّا اللّٰہَ اِنِّیۡۤ اَخَافُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ عَظِیۡمٍ
7:66; 11:51.
اَحْقَاف‘ حِقْفٌ کی جمع ہے جس کے معنے ریت کے اونچے ٹیلے کے ہوتے ہیں۔ یہ نام اس قوم کے انجام کی وجہ سے رکھا گیا ہے۔ ورنہ پہلے تو وہ سر سبز زمین میں رہتے تھے۔ مگر جیسا کہ قرآن کریم میں بیان کیا گیا ہے‘ ان پر ایک سخت آندھی آئی جو سات رات دن تک چلتی رہی اور وہ تباہ ہو گئے (سورۃ الحآقۃ: ۷‘۸) اور اس آندھی کی وجہ سے ان کے ملک میں کثرت سے ریت کے ٹیلے پیدا ہو گئے جن کے نیچے وہ قوم دَب گئی۔
عذاب کی چھوٹی گھڑی بھی لمبی معلوم ہوتی ہے۔ اس لئے قرآن کریم میں عذاب کے دن کو اکثر یوم عظیم کہا جاتا ہے کیونکہ عذاب کا دن ختم ہوتا نظر نہیں آتا۔
7:66; 11:51.
7:66; 11:51.
Commentary:
‘Ad was not the name of one tribe but of a group of tribes. The tribe has been called ‘Adi Iram in the Quran (89:8). They were a highly powerful and cultured people and had specialized in architecture. They ruled over rich and fertile territories in Yemen. As a result of their rejection of the Prophet Hud, and their wicked and immoral deeds, they were destroyed by a violent wind which continued to lash them for seven consecutive days, burying their chief cities under heaps of sand and dust. For detailed notes on ‘Ad see 11:51 and 26:124.
c
7:66; 11:51.
1
اَحْقَاف‘ حِقْفٌ کی جمع ہے جس کے معنے ریت کے اونچے ٹیلے کے ہوتے ہیں۔ یہ نام اس قوم کے انجام کی وجہ سے رکھا گیا ہے۔ ورنہ پہلے تو وہ سر سبز زمین میں رہتے تھے۔ مگر جیسا کہ قرآن کریم میں بیان کیا گیا ہے‘ ان پر ایک سخت آندھی آئی جو سات رات دن تک چلتی رہی اور وہ تباہ ہو گئے (سورۃ الحآقۃ: ۷‘۸) اور اس آندھی کی وجہ سے ان کے ملک میں کثرت سے ریت کے ٹیلے پیدا ہو گئے جن کے نیچے وہ قوم دَب گئی۔
2
عذاب کی چھوٹی گھڑی بھی لمبی معلوم ہوتی ہے۔ اس لئے قرآن کریم میں عذاب کے دن کو اکثر یوم عظیم کہا جاتا ہے کیونکہ عذاب کا دن ختم ہوتا نظر نہیں آتا۔
b
7:66; 11:51.
3775
Commentary:
‘Ad was not the name of one tribe but of a group of tribes. The tribe has been called ‘Adi Iram in the Quran (89:8). They were a highly powerful and cultured people and had specialized in architecture. They ruled over rich and fertile territories in Yemen. As a result of their rejection of the Prophet Hud, and their wicked and immoral deeds, they were destroyed by a violent wind which continued to lash them for seven consecutive days, burying their chief cities under heaps of sand and dust. For detailed notes on ‘Ad see 11:51 and 26:124.
a
7:66; 11:51.
یَسۡـَٔلُہٗ مَنۡ فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ ۚ کُلَّ یَوۡمٍ ہُوَ فِیۡ شَاۡنٍ
一切创造物的生命和给养都依赖安拉, 安拉是创造主、支持者和养育者。安拉的常德无边无际, 不可计量, 世世代代以各种方式不断显现。
مطلب یہ ہے کہ اس کی صفات اتنی غیر محدود ہیں کہ ہر لحظہ وہ نئی صفات کا ظہور کرتا رہتا ہے اور انسان کی طرح اس کی صفات صرف چند صفات میں محدودنہیں۔
All creatures depend for their life and sustenance on God Who is their Creator, Sustainer and Nourisher. His attributes know no limit or count, and they keep finding their manifestation in diverse ways all the time.
Commentary:
The verse signifies that all creatures depend for their life and sustenance on God Who is their Creator, Sustainer and Nourisher. He alone is Independent and the Besought of all. His attributes know no limit or count, and keep finding their manifestations in diverse ways all the time. He is very Kind and Merciful to him who deserves His Mercy and is Severe in punishing him who incurs His displeasure.
1352
一切创造物的生命和给养都依赖安拉, 安拉是创造主、支持者和养育者。安拉的常德无边无际, 不可计量, 世世代代以各种方式不断显现。
3
مطلب یہ ہے کہ اس کی صفات اتنی غیر محدود ہیں کہ ہر لحظہ وہ نئی صفات کا ظہور کرتا رہتا ہے اور انسان کی طرح اس کی صفات صرف چند صفات میں محدودنہیں۔
4066
Commentary:
The verse signifies that all creatures depend for their life and sustenance on God Who is their Creator, Sustainer and Nourisher. He alone is Independent and the Besought of all. His attributes know no limit or count, and keep finding their manifestations in diverse ways all the time. He is very Kind and Merciful to him who deserves His Mercy and is Severe in punishing him who incurs His displeasure.
2932
All creatures depend for their life and sustenance on God Who is their Creator, Sustainer and Nourisher. His attributes know no limit or count, and they keep finding their manifestation in diverse ways all the time.
لَمَجۡمُوۡعُوۡنَ اِلٰی مِیۡقٰتِ یَوۡمٍ مَّعۡلُوۡمٍ
تَعۡرُجُ الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃُ وَالرُّوۡحُ اِلَیۡہِ فِیۡ یَوۡمٍ کَانَ مِقۡدَارُہٗ خَمۡسِیۡنَ اَلۡفَ سَنَۃٍ
即吉布利尔--------传达安拉言语的天使。
بعض حساب دان جنہوں نے حساب کے ذریعہ سے دنیا کی عمر کا اندازہ لگایا ہے۔ انہوں نے قریباً پچاس ہزار سال ہی دنیا کی ساری عمر قرار دی ہے پس اگر ان کا قیاس صحیح ہے تو اس کے معنے یہ ہیں کہ اس آیت میں دنیا کی ساری عمر کی طرف اشارہ ہے۔ صلحاء اور اولیاء نے حضرت آدمؑ سے لے کر رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے زمانہ تک پانچ ہزار سال کی عمر قرار دی ہے مگر اندازے الگ الگ حساب سے ہوتے ہیں۔ پس یہ اختلاف کوئی نہیں۔ آدم کی نسل سے سلسلہ انبیاء کی عمر ممکن ہے سات ہزار سال ہو اور طبقات الارض کے اندازے کے لحاظ سے دنیا کی عمر پچاس ہزار سال ہو پس یہ کوئی اختلاف نہیں۔
Ar-Ruh meaning human soul, the verse may signify that the development and progress of the human soul will know no end. Or, the verse may mean that Divine plans and programmes take thousands of years to mature. Or, the reference may be to a specific cycle of fifty thousand years in which some particular great change is decreed to take place, because Divine prophecies have their fixed periods, epochs and cycles in which they are fulfilled.
Important Words:
الروح (Spirit) means, the human soul; spirit; the vital principle; inspiration; revelation; Word of God; the Quran; angel Gabriel; joy; happiness; mercy of God, etc. (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
الروح meaning human soul, the word may signify that development and progress of the human soul will know no end. Or the verse may mean that Divine plans and programmes take thousands of years to mature. Or, the words "fifty thousand years" may have reference to the age of the world as estimated by some geologists from a study of the layers of earth. Or the reference may be to a specific cycle of fifty thousand years in which a great change was decreed to take place, because Divine prophecies have their fixed periods, epochs and cycles in which they are fulfilled.
1483
即吉布利尔--------传达安拉言语的天使。
2
بعض حساب دان جنہوں نے حساب کے ذریعہ سے دنیا کی عمر کا اندازہ لگایا ہے۔ انہوں نے قریباً پچاس ہزار سال ہی دنیا کی ساری عمر قرار دی ہے پس اگر ان کا قیاس صحیح ہے تو اس کے معنے یہ ہیں کہ اس آیت میں دنیا کی ساری عمر کی طرف اشارہ ہے۔ صلحاء اور اولیاء نے حضرت آدمؑ سے لے کر رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے زمانہ تک پانچ ہزار سال کی عمر قرار دی ہے مگر اندازے الگ الگ حساب سے ہوتے ہیں۔ پس یہ اختلاف کوئی نہیں۔ آدم کی نسل سے سلسلہ انبیاء کی عمر ممکن ہے سات ہزار سال ہو اور طبقات الارض کے اندازے کے لحاظ سے دنیا کی عمر پچاس ہزار سال ہو پس یہ کوئی اختلاف نہیں۔
4369
Important Words:
الروح (Spirit) means, the human soul; spirit; the vital principle; inspiration; revelation; Word of God; the Quran; angel Gabriel; joy; happiness; mercy of God, etc. (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
الروح meaning human soul, the word may signify that development and progress of the human soul will know no end. Or the verse may mean that Divine plans and programmes take thousands of years to mature. Or, the words "fifty thousand years" may have reference to the age of the world as estimated by some geologists from a study of the layers of earth. Or the reference may be to a specific cycle of fifty thousand years in which a great change was decreed to take place, because Divine prophecies have their fixed periods, epochs and cycles in which they are fulfilled.
3120
Ar-Ruh meaning human soul, the verse may signify that the development and progress of the human soul will know no end. Or, the verse may mean that Divine plans and programmes take thousands of years to mature. Or, the reference may be to a specific cycle of fifty thousand years in which some particular great change is decreed to take place, because Divine prophecies have their fixed periods, epochs and cycles in which they are fulfilled.
لِاَیِّ یَوۡمٍ اُجِّلَتۡ
Important Words:
أجلت (deferred) is derived from أجل (ajila) which means, it was or became delayed, postponed, kept back or it had a term or period appointed for it at which it should fall due or come to pass. أجل الشیء (ajjala) means, he delayed or postponed or deferred the thing or he appointed a period or term for it. (Lane & Aqrab).
4509
Important Words:
أجلت (deferred) is derived from أجل (ajila) which means, it was or became delayed, postponed, kept back or it had a term or period appointed for it at which it should fall due or come to pass. أجل الشیء (ajjala) means, he delayed or postponed or deferred the thing or he appointed a period or term for it. (Lane & Aqrab).
اَوۡ اِطۡعٰمٌ فِیۡ یَوۡمٍ ذِیۡ مَسۡغَبَۃٍ
76:9; 89:19.
76:9; 89:19.
76:9; 89:19.
Important Words:
مسغبة (hunger) is derived from سغب which means, he was or became hungry or suffered hunger, together with fatigue. أسغب القوم means, the people entered upon a state of hunger. They say به مسغبة i.e. in him is hunger or hunger together with fatigue (Lane & Aqrab).
c
76:9; 89:19.
a
76:9; 89:19.
4732
Important Words:
مسغبة (hunger) is derived from سغب which means, he was or became hungry or suffered hunger, together with fatigue. أسغب القوم means, the people entered upon a state of hunger. They say به مسغبة i.e. in him is hunger or hunger together with fatigue (Lane & Aqrab).
a
76:9; 89:19.