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Title: An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Quran Compiler. A Group of Muslin Scholars and Copyright 1998 Kamal Faghih Imani"

ISBN: 964-5691-45-1

Translator: Mr. Sayyid Abbas Şadr-Sameli Editor: Ms. Celeste Smith Published by: The Scientific and Religious Research Center

Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (as) Public Library, under the direction of

Ayatullah Allamah Mujahid Al-Haj Sayyid Kamal Faghih Imāni. Address: Shekar Shekan Crossroads, Ahmadabad Street, Post Office Box 81465/5151

Esfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Telephone: 2281000 , 2282000, 2296478 Far 98 - 311 - 2297028

Number of copies in this Print: 6,000

First Edition: 1997 A.D., 1375 / 1417 A.H.

Second Edition: 1998 A.D. , 1376 / 1418 A.H.

Third Edition: 1998 A.D., 1377 / 1419 A.H.

Fourth Edition: 1999 A.D. , 1378 / 1420 A.H.

Fifth Edition : 2003 A.D. , 1381 / 1423 A.H.

Sixth Edition : 2005 A.D. , 1384 | 1426 A.H.

Point

Please note the Internet Site Address

For the English Commentary of the Light of Holy Qur’ān

www.maaref-foundation.com/light.htm

E-mail: commenraty_of_the_quran@yahoo.com

enlightening_commentary@yahoo.com

All rights reserved by the Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.) Library

ISBN:

شابک:

Book Specifications:

Title: An English Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur’ān

Compiler: A Group of Muslim Scholars and " Copyright 1998 Kamal Faghih Imani "

Translator: Mr. Sayyid ‘Abbās Sadr-‘āmelī

Published by: The Scientific and Religious Research Center

Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.) Public Library, under the direction of

Ayatullah Allamah Mujāhid Al-Haj Sayyid Kamāl Faghīh Īmānī.

Address: Shekar Shekan Crossroads, Ahmadabad Street, Post Ofice Box 81465/5151

Esfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Telephone: 2281000, 2282000, 2296478

Fax: 98-311-2297028

Number of Copies in this Print: 6,000

First Edition: 2005 A.D. , 1384 / 1426 A.H.

Table of Contents

Introduction …………….……………………………. 15

Transliteration ……….……………………………… 16

Sura Al-’Anbiyā, No. 21 (112 verses)

The Contents of Sura Al-’Anbiyā’ …….………… 17

The virtue of reciting of the Sura ………………………... 18

Section 1: Judgment getting nigh ………………………... 19

Commentary, verse 1 .………………………………... 19-20

Commentary, verses 2-4 ...…………………………… 21-22

Commentary, verse 5 ……..……………………….…….. 23

Explanations ...………………………..………………. 24

Commentary, verses 6-7 ....…………………….…...... 25-26

Commentary, verse 8 ……..……………………….…. 27-30

Specialization is formally accepted in Islam …………... 30

Commentary, verse 9 ……..……………………….…….. 31

Commentary, verse 10 ……..……………………….….... 32

Explanations ………………………………………. 32-33

Section 2: Everything in the universe belongs to Allah ... 34

Commentary, verse 11-13 ...….………………………. 34-35

-When the Divine chastisement is cast none can escape 35

Commentary, verse 14-15 .....……………………….….... 36

Commentary, verse 16-17 .....……………………….….... 37

Explanations ………………………………………. 38-39

Commentary, verse 18 .....……………………….….... 40-41

Commentary, verses 19-21 ..……………………….… 42-43

Commentary, verse 22 .....……………………….….... 44-45

Commentary, verse 23 .....……………………….….... 46-47

Commentary, verse 24 .....……………………….….... 48-49

Commentary, verse 25 ……..………………………..…... 50

Commentary, verses 26-27 .....……………………….. 51-52

Explanation ………………………………………... 52-53

Commentary, verse 28 .....……………………….….... 54-55

Commentary, verse 29 .....……………………….……..... 56

Section 3: Every soul shall taste death ………………….. 57

Commentary, verse 30 .....……………………….….... 57-60

Commentary, verse 31 .....……………………….……..... 61

Explanation ……………………………………….…... 62

Commentary, verse 32 .....……………………….……..... 63

Commentary, verse 33 .....……………………….….... 64-65

Commentary, verses 34-35 ..……………………….… 66-67

Commentary, verse 36 .....……………………….….... 68-69

-The impacts of favour of Allah have covered the world 69

Commentary, verses 37-38 ..……………………….… 70-72

Commentary, verse 39 .....……………………….….... 73-74

Commentary, verse 40 .....……………………….……..... 75

Commentary, verse 41 .....……………………….……..... 76

Section 4: The Divine Mercy …………………………….. 77

Commentary, verses 42-43 ..……………………….… 77-78

Commentary, verse 44 .....……………………….……..... 79

Commentary, verse 45 .....……………………….….... 80-81

-Receptive ears are needed for hearing the Truth …… 80

Commentary, verse 46 .....……………………….……..... 82

Commentary, verse 47 .....……………………….….... 83-84

Commentary, verses 48-49 ..……………………….…….. 85

Explanation …………………………………………… 86

Commentary, verse 50 .....……………………….….... 87-88

Section 5: Abraham argues against idolatry ………….... 89

Commentary, verses 51-52 ..……………………….… 89-90

Commentary, verses 53-54 ..……………………….…….. 91

A few traditions about misguidance ……………... 92-93

Commentary, verses 55-56 ..……………………….… 94-95

Commentary, verse 57 .....……………………….….... 96-97

A few traditions concerning pictures ………………... 98

Commentary, verses 58-60 ..………………………... 99-100

-Abraham was about sixteen when he broke the idols 100

Commentary, verses 61-63 ..………………………. 101-103

Commentary, verses 64-65 ..………………………. 104-105

Commentary, verses 66-68 ..………………………. 106-107

Commentary, verses 69-70 ..………………………. 108-109

Commentary, verses 71 …..……………………….……. 110

Commentary, verses 72 …..……………………….……. 111

Commentary, verses 73 …..………………………... 112-113

Explanations ……………………………………. 114-115

Commentary, verses 74-75 ..………………………. 116-117

Section 6: The Apostle of Allah delivered and blessed .. 118

Commentary, verses 76-77 ..………………………. 118-119

Commentary, verses 78-79 ..………………………. 120-121

Commentary, verses 80-81 ..………………………. 122-123

Commentary, verses 82 …..………………………... 124-125

Commentary, verses 83-84 ..………………………. 126-127

Commentary, verses 85-86 ..………………………. 131-133

Commentary, verses 87-88 …..……………………. 134-135

Some explanations about the Life of Yūnus (a.s.) 135-136

What darkness means here ………………………… 136

What was Yūnus’ leaving the better ……………….. 137

An Instructive lesson …………………………... 137-139

Commentary, verses 89-90 ..………………………. 140-141

Commentary, verse 91 …..……………………….…….. 142

A few points about this verse ………………….. 143-145

Section 7: The righteous shall inherit the earth ………. 146

Commentary, verses 92-94 ..………………………. 146-151

Commentary, verses 95-97 ..………………………. 152-156

Commentary, verses 98-100 ..……………………... 157-159

Commentary, verse 101 ………………………………... 160

Commentary, verse 102 …………………………… 161-162

Commentary, verse 103 …………………………… 163-164

Commentary, verse 104 …………………………… 165-166

Commentary, verse 105 …………………………… 167-172

A few traditions upon expecting for Mahdī …... 172-176

Expectation means ‘full prepared’ ……………. 176-182

1- Personal self-improvement ……………………… 178

2- Social succours ……………………………... 178-179

3- The expectants assume no corruption ………. 179-180

Commentary, verse 106 ………………………………... 183

Commentary, verse 107 …………………………… 184-186

Commentary, verses 108-109 ……………………... 187-191

Commentary, verses 110-111 ……………………... 192-193

Commentary, verse 112 …………………………… 194-195

The End of Sura Al-’Anbiyā’

Sura Al-Hajj, No. 22 (78 verses) ………………………. 196

The Feature of Sura Al-Hajj ……………………………… 196

The virtue of reciting the Sura …………………………… 197

Section 1: The Awful Day of Judgment ………….…….. 198

Commentary, verses 1-2 …………………………... 199-200

Commentary, verse 3 …………………………………... 201

Commentary, verse 4 …………………………………... 202

Commentary, verse 5 …………………….………... 203-205

Commentary, verses 6-7 …………………………... 206-208

Man’s seven stages of life ……………………… 208-211

Resurrection of the body …………………………… 211

What does ‘the worse part of the life’ means? .. 212-213

Commentary, verses 8-10 ……………………….… 214-217

Section 2: The Weak in Faith …………………………... 146

Commentary, verses 11-13 ………………………... 219-223

Commentary, verse 14 …………………………….. 224-225

The occasion of Revelation of verses 15-16 ……………. 226

Commentary, verses 15-16 ………………………... 227-229

Commentary, verse 17 …………………………………. 230

Some points ………………………………………….. 231

Who Magians are …………………………….… 231-233

Who the Sabeans are ………………………………... 234

Commentary, verse 18 …………………………….. 235-236

Some points ……………………………………... 236-238

The occasion of revelation of verse 19 ……………….… 239

Commentary, verse 19 …………………………….. 239-240

Commentary, verses 20-21 …………………………… 241

Some traditions ………………………………… 241-242

Commentary, verse 22 …………………………………. 243

Section 3: The believers shall be rewarded ……………. 244

Commentary, verse 23 …………………………….. 244-245

Commentary, verse 24 …………………………….. 246-247

Commentary, verse 25 …………………………….. 248-249

Some points ……………………………………... 249-254

Section 4: Pilgrimage to the Sacred House ……………. 255

Commentary, verse 26 …………………………….. 255-257

Commentary, verse 27 …………………………….. 258-261

Commentary, verse 28 …………………………….. 262-264

What does ‘the appointed day’ mean? …………….. 265

Mentioning Allah in Muna …………………………. 266

The philosophy and the profound secrets of Hajj 267-272

The economic dimension of Hajj ……………… 272-273

The meat of sacrifices in our time …………….. 274-275

Commentary, verse 29 …………………………….. 276-281

Commentary, verse 30 …………………………….. 282-284

What is false speech? …………………………... 284-285

Commentary, verse 31 …………………………….. 286-288

Commentary, verse 32 …………………………….. 289-291

Commentary, verse 33 …………………………….. 292-294

Section 5: Regard for the Sign of Allah ………………... 146

Commentary, verse 34 …………………………….. 295-297

Commentary, verse 35 …………………………….. 298-299

Some traditions ………………………………… 299-301

Commentary, verse 36 …………………………….. 302-305

Commentary, verse 37 …………………………….. 306-307

Commentary, verse 38 …………………………….. 308-309

Section 6: Fight in self defense permitted ……………... 310

Commentary, verse 39 …………………………….. 310-312

Commentary, verse 40 …………………………….. 313-316

Commentary, verse 41 …………………………….. 317-319

The philosophy of the Holy War ……………… 319-321

Whom has Allah promised to help? …………... 321-322

The righteous, the humble, and he helpers of Allah 322-323

What is ‘right’ and what is ‘wrong’? …………. 323-324

The importance of enjoining right and forbidding wrong ……………………………………………….. 324-326

Does enjoining right negate freedom? ……… 326-327

Does enjoining right produce anarchy? …………. 327

Enjoining right is separate from rudeness …. 328-329

Commentary, verses 42-44 ………………………... 330-331

Commentary, verse 45 …………………………….. 332-334

Commentary, verse 46 …………………………….. 335-338

Commentary, verse 47 …………………………….. 339-340

Commentary, verse 48 …………………………………. 341

Section 7: The enticement by Satan ……………………. 342

Commentary, verses 49-51 ………………………... 342-344

Commentary, verse 52 …………………………….. 345-346

Commentary, verse 53 ……………………………….… 347

Commentary, verse 54 ……………………………….… 348

Commentary, verse 55 …………………………….. 349-350

Commentary, verses 56-67 ………………………... 351-353

Section 8: Reward for those who migrate in Allah’s cause 354

Commentary, verses 58-59 ………………………... 354-356

Commentary, verse 60 …………………………….. 357-359

Commentary, verses 61-62 ………………………... 360-362

Commentary, verses 63-64 ………………………... 363-366

Section 9: Allah’s Will alone is done …………………... 367

Commentary, verses 65-66 ………………………... 367-369

Some points: the first point ……………………. 369-370

The second point …………………………………….. 370

The third point ………………………………… 370-371

Commentary, verse 67 …………………………….. 372-373

Commentary, verses 68-69 ……………………….…….. 374

Commentary, verse 70 …………………………….. 375-376

Some traditions concerning knowledge ……………. 376

Commentary, verse 71 …………………………….. 377-378

A few traditions concerning polytheism ……. 378-379

Commentary, verse 72 …………………………….. 380-382

Section 10: The Muslims, chosen by Allah Himself – A parable of the helplessness of the polytheists and their own imaginary deities ………………………………………... 383

Commentary, verses 73-74 ………………………... 383-386

A point concerning theology ………………… 386-387

Occasion of revelation, verses 75-76 ..………………….. 388

Commentary, verses 75-76 ………………………... 388-391

Commentary, verse 77 …………………………….. 392-393

Commentary, verse 78 …………………………… 394-396

Some traditions about Holy Struggle …………. 396-397

Commentary, verse 78 continued …………………. 397-402

Supplication …………………………………………... 402

The End of Sura Al-Hajj …………………………………. 402

References ………………………………………………... 403

Index ……………………………………………………… 406

A presentation to Muslims ……………………………….. 426

The List of Publications of the Library ………………… 430

Introduction

In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

Fortunately, by the help of Allah, the gap between books 6 and 9 was filled very soon and now book 7 and book 8 are available for the readers of the commentary of the Qur’ān to study.

In the introduction of book 3 it was explained that every volume of this series was decided to be compiled rather concisely, containing two parts of the Qur’ān in one volume, in order that the series of the rest of the commentary of the Qur’ān could be translated, published and distributed sooner than before. Now, again this volume, No. 10, contains the commentary of the verses of one part of the Qur’ān, part 17, because the exegesis of the verses of this part became fairly more detailed. This case may also happen for a few volumes of later parts of the Qur’ān.

For obtaining further information about the source and purpose of providing this endeavour and that how the reader of it can utilize this commentary best, we may recommend you to study the introduction detailed at the beginning of book No. 1 (part one) which will surely be helpful.

As usual, again and again we ask Allah, the Almighty, to help us, as ever before, and assist us to complete this sacred endeavour successfully.

May He (s.w.t.) guide and succour all of us by the light of the Qur’ān to pave its Straight Path further and further, for we are always in need of His favours.

The Scientific and Religious Research Center

Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.) Public Library

Sayyid ‘Abbās Sadr-‘Āmilī

The Translator

Transliteration of Arabic Letters

pic

Sura Al-’Anbiyā’,No. 21

The Content of the Sura:

(Revealed in Mecca) No. 21 (112 verses in 7 sections)

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِیمِ

In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

The attractive matter is that this Sura has begun with some intensive warnings unto those mischievous people who are neglectful and unaware about the final reckoning and record, and its concluding part has also been completed with some other warnings in the same field.

The Virtue of Recitation of the Sura:

A tradition has been narrated from the holy Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) who said: “Whoever recites Sura Al-’Anbiyā’

Allah will take his reckoning easy, (and also On the Day of Hereafter He will not reckon his deeds strictly), and every prophet whose name has been mentioned in the Qur’ān will greet him and shake his hands.”⁽¹⁾

It is clear that recitation is usually a preliminary stage for contemplation, and contemplation is a preliminary step for Faith and practice.

Section 1: Judgment getting nigh

Point

Judgment getting nigh and nigh, yet warnings are unheeded – The infidels still doubt about the bonafide of the Apostle (Muhammad) sent unto them with the Reminder (the Qur’ān) – People still demanding miracles.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِیمِ

1 اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِی غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ

Commentary: verse 1

The Reckoning is nigh

This Sura begins with a vigorous warning unto all people, a shaking and an awakening warning. It says:

“ Nigh unto mankind has drawn (the day) of their Reckoning, while they turn away in heedlessness.”

The people’s daily action shows that this negligence has occupied their whole entity; else, how is it possible that a mortal believes in the fact that Reckoning is nigh, a reckoning done by an extraordinary exact Performer, and yet he takes all the matters perfunctorily so that he pollutes himself with any kind of vice?

The purpose of “nigh is the day of Reckoning and Hereafter’ is that the remaining life of this world, in comparison with that which has passed, is a little time, therefore, Resurrection is nigh. It is a relative nearness, in particular that once the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), pointing to his two fingers in one hand, said that his auspicious advent and the Day of Hereafter were like those two fingers.

There arises a question here that, regarding to the fact that ‘Negligence’ is ‘to be inattentive to something’, and /’i‘rād/ (to turn away) is an action which is done with attention, then how is it that ‘negligence’ and ‘turning away’ are usually referred to beside each other?

The answer to this question is that negligence is of two kinds:

2 مَا یَأْتِیهِم مِن ذِکْرٍ مِن رَّبّ-ِهِم مُّحْدَثٍ إِلاَّ اسْتَمَعُوهُ وَهُمْ یَلْعَبُونَ 3 لاَهِیَةً قُلُوبُهُمْ وَأَسَرُّوا النَّجْوَی الَّذِینَ ظَلَمُوا هَلْ هَذَآ إِلاَّ بَشَرٌ مّ-ِثْلُکُمْ أَفَتَأْتُونَ السّ-ِحْرَ وَأَنتُمْ تُبْصِرُونَ 4 قَالَ رَبّ-ِی یَعْلَمُ الْقَوْلَ فِی السَّمَآءِ وَالاَرْضِ وَهُوَ السَّمِیعُ الْعَلِیمُ 2. “ Never comes to them a new reminder from their Lord, but they listen to it while they play.”

the All-knowing’.”

Commentary: verse 2-4

Disbelievers said the Prophet was a soccer

One of the signs of their turning back from the Truth has been pointed out in this verse, where it says:

“ Never comes to them a new reminder from their Lord, but they listen to it while they play.”

But, if, even for one time, they take it earnestly, the path of their life may change at the same time.

Again, for a more emphasis, the verse implies that their hearts have sunk in vanity and ignorance. The verse says:

“ Their hearts trifling, …”

The reason of it is that they have outwardly taken all the earnest matters in play and joke; therefore, it is natural that such people will never find the way of felicity and prosperity.

Then, the Qur’ān points to a part of their satanic plans, when the verse continues saying:

“… and those who did wrong (to themselves) counsel together in secret (saying): ‘Is this (man) other than a human being like yourselves? …”

They say to each other now that he is not more than an ordinary human being, then these extraordinary actions that he does and the penetration of his speech cannot be any thing but sorcery. If so, do you go toward sorcery? The verse says:

“… Will you then go to sorcery while you see (it)?’”

In their saying, the disbelievers emphasized on two things: the first was that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was a human being, and the second matter was the accusation of sorcery. Besides them, they accused him with some other false things, too, which will be rejected by the Qur’ān through later verses.

The Qur’ān, from the tongue of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), answers them in a general form, as follows:

“ He said: ‘My Lord knows (every) word (spoken) in the heaven and the earth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-knowing’.”

They should not imagine that their hidden plans and their concealed words are not revealed to Allah. It is not such, but “He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing”. Thus, He knows everything and is aware of all deeds. Not only He hears the words but also He is aware of the thoughts which pass through the minds and the decisions that are concealed in the hearts.

5 بَلْ قَالُوا أَضْغَاثُ أَحْلاَمٍ بَلِ افْتَرَاهُ بَلْ هُوَ شَاعِرٌ فَلْیَأْتِنَا بِاَیَةٍ کَمَآ اُرْسِلَ الاَوَّلُونَ 5. “ ‘Nay!’, They say: ‘(These are) medleys of dreams! Nay! he has forged it! Nay! he is a poet! Let him then bring us a sign like the ones that were sent unto (the prophets) of old.”

Commentary: verse 5

Four subjects the opponents used to apply

After referring to two pretexts of the opponents, the Qur’ān points to four other subjects they used to apply. They said that whatever Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.), had brought were not revelations, but they were some confused dreams that he considered as truth and reality. The verse says:

“ ‘Nay!’, They say: ‘(These are) medleys of dreams! …”

Sometimes they change their saying and say that he is a liar who has forged these words to Allah. The verse continues saying:

“… Nay! He has forged it! …”

And sometimes they say that he is a poet, and those verses are some poetic imaginations made by him. The verse says:

“… Nay! He is a poet! …”

And, finally they say that, passing by these things, if he is true, and he is a messenger of the Lord, he should bring a miracle for them as the former messengers had been sent with miracles. The verse says:

“… Let him then bring us a sign like the ones that were sent unto (the prophets) of old.”

Considering these contradictory attributions they attributed to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) it shows as a good reason that these

people were not the seekers of the Truth. Their aim was to find pretexts in order to send the rival out of the scene in any rate and any form they could.

Explanations:

The Arabic term /’adqāθ/ is the plural form of /diqθ/ in the sense of ‘a group’, or ‘a collection’; and the Qur’ānic word /’ahlām/ is the plural form of /hulm/ with the sense of ‘dream’. Thus, the holy phrase /’adqāθu ’ahlām/ means ‘a selection of confused dreams’.

Those disbelievers wanted the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) to bring some miracles like those of Moses (a.s.) and Isaac (a.s.), but their real aim was to seek pretexts, because taking the sort of miracle depends on Divine Wisdom, not on the desires of people.

The enemy is not satisfied with striking one accusation. He attacks from every side by means of frequent accusations, and this is one of the main styles of the enemy.

6 مَآ ءَامَنَتْ قَبْلَهُم مِن قَرْیَةٍ أَهْلَکْنَاهَآ أَفَهُمْ یُؤْمِنُونَ 7 وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَکَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً نُّوحِی إِلَیْهِمْ فَسْاَلُوا أَهْلَ الذّ ِکْرِ إِن کُنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ 6. “ There did not believe before them any town which We destroyed; will these (now) believe?”

(the Reminder) if you do not know.”

Commentary: verse 6-7

All prophets were human beings

Former verses denoted that the disbelievers said: “Is this man other than a human being like yourselves?” In this verse, the Qur’ān implies that not only this Prophet (p.b.u.h.) but also the former Divine prophets were human beings to whom the revelation was made. And this, the descent of revelation to them, does not contrast with being a human being.

In the previous holy verses, there were mentioned six contradictory pretexts that the opponents of Islam sought unto the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.). Here by this verse, the Qur’ān answers them. At first, it refers to the miracles that they demanded as their pretext, and that the people of the towns, whom were destroyed before them, sought for such miracles, but when their suggestions were fulfilled they did not believe. The verse says:

“ There did not believe before them any town which We destroyed; will these (now) believe?”

In the meantime, the holy verse warns the disbelievers that if their demand concerning the miracles are responded and they do not believe, their destruction is certain.

Then the Qur’ān answers their first rejection about the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) as a human being. It implies that all the Messengers sent before the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) were totally human beings and from the sort of humankind. The verse says:

“ And We sent none before you, but men to whom We made revelation. …”

This is a clear historical reality with which everybody is acquainted. Therefore, if you do not know it, ask other people. The verse continues saying:

“… So ask the people of the Reminder if you do not know.”

8 وَمَا جَعَلْنَاهُمْ جَسَداً لاَّ یَأْکُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَمَا کَانُوا خَالِدِینَ 8. “ And We did not make them (such) bodies not eating the food, nor were they immortals.”

Commentary: verse 8

The Immaculate Imams are the people of Thikr

Among the secrets of the succession of a leader is that he always lives among the people, and in the affairs of his natural life he is generally like them so that, by seeing him and by means of his conduct, people might be practically constructed properly.

From the point of material and human necessities, prophets are never different from other people. Therefore, no one should expect prophets, reformers and teachers to be some angels; because it is an undue expectation. That is why this verse gives a further explanation about the Divine prophets that they are of humankind. It says:

“ And We did not make them (such) bodies not eating the food, nor were they immortals.”

The leader of a group should be from among those people themselves, with the same instincts, temperaments, emotions, feelings, necessities, and interests, so that he can feel their pains and problems. It is in that case that, by being inspired with his instructions, he can choose the best way of healing them; and become an example and a good pattern for other human beings, too.

However, asking from the people of thikr (the reminder) and referring to the experts is a principle approved by wisdom. Some commentators have said that the purpose of ‘the people of the Reminder’ is the scholars of the Jews and Christians. But there are a great number of traditions, narrated from Ahl-

ul-Bayt (a.s.), which indicate ‘the people of the Reminder’ are the Immaculate Imams (a.s.). One of them is the following tradition.

It is narrated from Imam Ali-ibn-Mūsar-Ridā (a.s.) who, in answer to the question about the abovementioned verse, said: “We are the people of Reminder, and we must be asked.”⁽¹⁾

Another tradition narrated from Imam Bāqir (a.s.) denotes, that, on the commentary of this verse, he said: “The Qur’ān is the Reminder, and the Ahl-ul-Bayt of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) are the people of the Reminder, and they must be asked.”⁽²⁾

Some other traditions indicate that /ŏikr/ (reminder) is the Prophet himself (p.b.u.h.), and his Ahl-ul-Bayt (a.s.) are ‘the people of the Reminder’.⁽³⁾

There have been recorded many other traditions which, on the whole, announce the same meaning. In numerous books and commentaries compiled by the scholars of the Sunnites, too, we are faced with some traditions containing the same concepts, including in twelve well-known commentary books of the Sunnites.⁽⁴⁾

There has been narrated from Ibn-‘Abbas who, upon the commentary of this verse, said: “ It (means) Muhammad, Ali, Fātimah, Hassan and Husayn (a.s.). They are the people of the Reminder, and intellect, and statement.”

Again, a holy tradition has been recorded in the book of Tha‘labī, narrated from Jābir-i-Ju‘fī, who says: “As soon as

this verse was revealed, Ali (a.s.) said: ‘We are the people of the Reminder’.”⁽¹⁾

This is not the first time that, in the traditions concerning the commentary of the verses of the Qur’ān, we confront the statement of some definite extensions which never confine the vast concept of a verse.

As it was mentioned before, the Qur’ānic term /ŏikr/ is applies for any cognizance, remembrance, and information. Thus the phrase /ahl-uŏ-ŏikr/ (the people of the Reminder) envelops all the aware and the informed persons in all fields. But, in view of the fact that the Qur’ān is the clear example of remembrance, knowledge and awareness, it has been called /ŏikr/ (Reminder). The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) himself is also the manifest extension of /ŏikr/, and such are the Immaculate Imams (a.s.) who are his Ahl-ul-Bayt and the heirs of his knowledge.

But, the acceptance of this matter does not oppose the generality of the concept of the verse and the occasion of its revelation which concerns the scholars of ‘the People of the Book’. It is for this reason that the scholars of theology, and the experts of Muslim law, attach to this verse when speaking about /’ijtihād/ (discretion), and that those who are unaware of the religious ordinances should follow a religious jurist.

However, the abovementioned holy verse expressed a fundamental Islamic principle, which covers all the material and spiritual subjects of the life. It warns all the Muslims that they ought to ask the people of Reminder whatever they do not know, and they should not interfere in the fields they are not acquainted with.

Thus, not only in all religious laws and Islamic affairs the subject of specialism is formally accepted, but also it is emphasized on in all fields. It is such that all Muslims, in all ages, should have some expert and aware persons available in all subjects of life so that, if there are some people who do not know how to solve their own problems, they can easily refer to them.

It is also necessary to mention that we must refer to those experts and clear-sighted persons whose truthfulness and veracity have been proved and who are rather matchless. Do we ever refer to a physician who is specialist in his branch but we are not certain of his truthfulness and uprightness in that job which the physician has? That is why, in connection with jurisprudence and following a religious leader, the epithet of ‘justice’ has been put beside both /’ijtihād/ (discretion) and /’a‘lamiyyat/ (being the most learned). In other words, the imitated authority should not only be both knowledgeable and aware of the Islamic affairs, but he must also be pious and God-fearing.

9 ثُمَّ صَدَقْنَاهُمُ الْوَعْدَ فَاَنجَیْنَاهُمْ وَمَن نَّشَآءُ وَأَهْلَکْنَا الْمُسْرِفِینَ 9. “ Then We fulfilled the promise unto them. So We delivered them and whomever We would, and We destroyed the extravagant ones.”

Commentary: verse 9

Allah promised to support prophets against enemies

Then, as a threat and a warning, the Qur’ān says to the obstinate and pertinacious rejecters of the Truth that Allah had promised the prophets to relieve them from the grips of their enemies and make their enemies’ plans futile. It says:

“ Then We fulfilled the promise unto them. So We delivered them and whomever We would, and We destroyed the extravagant ones.”

Yes, alike the Allah’s way of treatment, which was choosing prophets, the leaders of humankind, from among human beings, this was also the Allah’s way of treatment that He would support His Messengers against the plots of their opponents. And, if their frequent advices did not affect on them, He would clear out the surface of the ground from the dirt of their beings.

10 لَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَیْکُمْ کِتَاباً فِیهِ ذِکْرُکُمْ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ 10. “ We have sent down to you a Book wherein is your Reminder. Have you then no sense?”

Commentary: verse 10

The Quran is a clear and eternal miracle

This holy verse, in an expressive short sentence, again answers the majority of the objections of the polytheists. It says:

“ We have sent down to you a Book wherein is your Reminder. Have you then no sense?”

Whosoever studies the verses of this Holy Book, which are the means of reminding, awakening the hearts, exciting the thoughts, and purifying the societies, he knows well that this Book, the Qur’ān, is a clear and eternal miracle. The signs of inimitability of the Qur’ān are seen in it from different points of view: from the view point of extraordinary attraction, from the point of contents, such as ordinances and religious laws, beliefs, theology and so on. With the existence of this clear miracle, do they expect the appearance of another miracle?

The quality of being awakening of the Qur’ān is not a compulsory aspect; but it is conditioned to man’s will and that he opens the windows of his heart to it.

Explanations:

The Qur’ānic phrase /ŏikrukum/ means either ‘the means of remembrance’, or ‘the cause of honour and dignity of your name’. In philology, the Arabic term /ŏikr/ has been meant into ‘fame’, and ‘nobility and honour’, too. (Ghāmūs-ul-Muhit)

Concerning the commentary of this holy verse, Imam Kāzim (a.s.) said: “The purpose of the phrase ‘wherein is your Reminder’ is that: it is mentioned in the Book that the obedience, after the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), should be paid to Imam; that is, your nobility and honour lies in the obedience from (immaculate) Imam after the Prophet.”

Section 2: Everything in the universe belongs only to Allah

Point

Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs only to Allah – Every Apostle of Allah preached the unity of Allah and service only in Him.

11 وَکَمْ قَصَمْنَا مِن قَرْیَةٍ کَانَتْ ظَالِمَةً وَأَنشَأْنَا بَعْدَهَا قَوْماً ءَاخَرِینَ 12 فَلَمَّآ أَحَسُّوا بَأْسَنَآ إِذَا هُم مّ-ِنْهَا یَرْکُضُونَ 13 لاَ تَرْکُضُوا وَارْجِعُوا إِلَی مَآ اُتْرِفْتُمْ فِیهِ وَمَسَاکِنِکُمْ لَعَلَّکُمْ تُسْأَلُونَ 11. “ And how many a town We utterly destroyed (the people of) which were iniquitous, and We raised up after them another people.”

Commentary: verse 11-13

When the Divine chastisement is cast none can escape

Following the explanations about the obstinate polytheists and disbelievers, which were mentioned before, here, the Holy Qur’ān refers to the fate of them in comparison with the end of former nations. At first, it says:

“ And how many a town We utterly destroyed (the people of) which were iniquitous, and We raised up after them another people.”

Then, the Qur’ān states their circumstance when the Divine chastisement is cast over their towns and they are helpless but confronting the punishment of Allah. The Qur’ān says:

“ So when they felt (the coming of) Our punishment, behold, they (tried to) flee from it.”

They tried to flee from the punishment of Allah exactly like a defeated army who see the blades of the swords of the enemy above their heads and they escape every side.

But, as a blame and scorn, they are told not to fly and return to the comfortable life they have made, to the beautiful splendid castles and ornamented dwellings they have produced, perhaps the beggars and the deprive come there and ask them something. The verse says:

“ (But it was said to them) ‘Do not fly (now) and come back unto what you were made to lead easy lives in and unto your dwellings, haply you will be questioned.”

This phrase may be a hint to the fact that when they were living in the world and were leading their easy comfortable lives, they used to send back the beggars who come to their dwellings and asked for some helps. Now, such people are told to return and repeat the same hateful and disgraceful actions they used to do. This is, in fact, a kind of derision and blame upon them.

14 قَالُوا یَا وَیْلَنَآ إِنَّا کُنَّا ظَالِمِینَ 15 فَمَا زَالَتْ تِلْکَ دَعْوَاهُمْ حَتَّی جَعَلْنَاهُمْ حَصِیداً خَامِدِینَ 14. “ They said: ‘Oh woe to us! Verily we were unjust’.”

Commentary: verse 14-15

Efforts for changing fates in Hereafter is of no avail

In any case they may be, they will be informed and aware when they reach this period. Whatever they used to take joke formerly, they will see in the most serious form and reality in front of them, so that they shout and, as the verse says:

“ They said: ‘Oh woe to us! Verily we were unjust’.”

But this compulsory wakefulness, which comes into being for everybody when they face with the earnest scenes of punishment, is worthless and is of no avail in changing their fate. Therefore, the Qur’ān adds through this verse:

“ And this their crying ceased not till We made them as reaped corn, extinct.”

However, the Qur’ānic term /hasīd/, in the sense of ‘what is reaped’, means ‘harvested’.

The Arabic word /xāmid/ means ‘extinguished’.

16 وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمآءَ وَالاَرْضَ وَمَا بَیْنَهُمَا لاَعِبِینَ 17 لَوْ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نَتَّخِذَ لَهواً لاَتَّخَذْنَاهُ مِن لَدُنَّآ إِن کُنَّا فَاعِلِینَ 16. “ And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them in play.”

Commentary: verse 16-17

The creation of the world is not aimless

In view of the fact that the former verses illustrated this fact that the faithless transgressors did not consider any good for their creation except feasting and drinking, or, in fact, they imagined that the world might be aimless. Here, in order to nullify this doctrine and to prove the existence of a worthy aim for the Divine creation of the whole world in general, and humankind in particular, the Qur’ān says:

“ And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them in play.”

This vast land, this high sky, and these various and lively creatures that are found in them, show that there have been an important purpose for their creation. Yes, they have been created, on one side, to denote that there is a great Creator for them and they are simply some signs to His Grandeur. And, on the other side, they have been created to work as a reason for Resurrection. Otherwise, all these things were meaningless to be created for a few days of life.

Now that it is certain that the creation of the world is not aimless, this fact is also certain that the aim of this creation has

not been a hobby for Allah, because it will be an irrational hobby. The verse says:

“ Had We intended that We should take amusement we would certainly have take it form before Ourselves, if We would do (such a thing).”

This holy verse conveys two facts. The first is that it is impossible that the aim of Allah to be a hobby and play. Then it implies, on the supposition that His aim were a play, the play should be apt to His Essence. It should be something out of the world of abstractions, not out of the world of the limited matter.

Explanations:

In Arabic, the word /lau/ is used for an action which is impossible to be done, and since, here, /lahw/ (play) is impossible to be attributed to Allah, this word has been applied in this verse.

In these verses, at first Allah says: “… We did not … in play”, and then He continues saying: “Had We intended that We should take amusement, …” but He does not say: “… that We should take play”. Thus, it makes clear the meaning that the essence of ‘amusement’ and ‘play’ is the same.

It has been recorded in Al-Mīzān, the commentary, that a regulated action which is done by some imaginary aims, like some childish deeds, is called ‘play’, but as soon as these imaginary actions become earnest, so that they hinder man from the main affairs and change into the form of hobbies, they are called ‘amusement’ both of which are futile and meaningless when concerning Allah.

This subject has frequently emphasized on in the Qur’ān that the world of existence is not a play, but has an aim. If,

granting an impossibility, Allah intended an aim of play, He would not pay to creation of man; He might not put all those prophets into trouble; He would not bid and forbid anything; and He would not assign any reward and retribution for human beings.

18 بَلْ نَقْذِفُ بِالْحَقّ ِ عَلَی الْبَاطِلِ فَیَدْمَغُهُ فإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌ وَلَکُمُ الْوَیْلُ مِمَّا تَصِفُونَ 18. “ Nay! But We hurl the truth against falsehood so that it breaks out its brain, and behold, falsehood vanishes away. And yours will be woe for that which you ascribe (unto Allah).”

Commentary: verse 18

This world is a collection of Truth and reality

The, Arabic term /qaŏafa/ means ‘to throw from a long distance swiftly and powerfully’; and the Qur’ānic term /damq/ is used for ‘a stroke upon head so that its effect reaches the brain’.

The Qur’ānic word /wayl/ here means ‘punishment and destruction’. It is usually used for an instance which deserves ‘destruction’. (Lisān-ul-‘Arab)

However, in order to futile the imaginations of those who consider the world aimless, or as a means of pleasure, the Qur’ān, with a decisive tone, implies that this world is a collection of ‘Truth’ and ‘reality’. It is not so that whose fundamental be based upon falsehood. The verse says:

“Nay! But We hurl the truth against falsehood so

that it breaks out its brain, and behold,

falsehood vanishes away. …”

And, at the end of the abovementioned verse, the Holy Qur’ān continues saying:

“… And yours will be woe for that which you ascribe (unto Allah).”

This concluding phrase means that Allah (s.w.t.) always sets some clear reasonable proofs and manifest miracles from Him against the vain imaginations of such people, in order that these illusions can be wretched in the view of the wise men and possessors of intellect.

19 وَلَهُ مَن فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَرْضِ وَمَنْ عِندَهُ لاَ یَسْتَکْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَلاَ یَسْتَحْسِرُونَ 20 یُسَبّ-ِحُونَ اللَّیْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لاَ یَفْتُرُونَ 21 أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا ءَالِهَةً مِنَ الاَرْضِ هُمْ یُنشِرُونَ 19. “ And to Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth; and those who are with Him are not proud to worship Him, nor do they get weary.”

Commentary: verse 19-21

The commandments of Allah are for our benefit

In figurative ownerships, the further man becomes near to Allah he fears less and, therefore, he sometimes commits a vice, too. But, in real ownerships, the nearer a man becomes to Allah, he worships Him more.

The words through the former verses were about this fact that the world of existence has a designed progressive aim for human beings.

Now, in view of the fact that there may appear this thought that: how Allah is in need of Faith and worship, then the Qur’ān pays to answer this question, when it says:

“ And to Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth; and those who are with Him are not proud to worship Him, nor do they get weary.”

“ They glorify (Him) by night and day; they never intermit.”

In this case, how does He need to your obedience and your worship? Thus, His order of Faith, worship, righteous deed, and servitude upon you all are for your own interest and your benefit.

Next to the statement of negation of vanity and aimlessness of the world of existence expressed in former verses, in the following holy verse, the Qur’ān refers to the Unity of the Worshipped Who is the Deviser of this World. It says:

“ Or have they taken gods from the earth who can raise (the dead)?”

22 لَوْ کَانَ فِیهِمَآ ءَالِهَةٌ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا فَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبّ ِ الْعَرْشِ عَمَّا یَصِفُونَ 22. “ If there were, in the heavens and the earth, (other) gods besides Allah, they would both certainly go to ruin. So glorified is Allah, the Lord of the ‘Arsh, from what they attribute (unto Him).”

Commentary: verse 22

Allah is the Lord of the whole world of existence

This verse is one of the clear reasons of the negation of any god as well as polytheists’ gods. It says:

“ If there were, in the heavens and the earth, (other) gods besides Allah, they would both certainly go to ruin. …”

In that case, the regulation of the world would disturb. The verse continues saying:

“… So glorified is Allah, the Lord of the ‘Arsh, from what they attribute (unto Him).”

These undue attributes unto Him, these false idols and imaginary gods are naught but some illusions, and the Essence of Allah, the Pure, therefore may not be polluted by these undue attributes.

The proof which has been mentioned in the verse under discussion upon Unity and negation of any god, besides being simple and clear, is one of the exact philosophical proofs in this field. The Islamic scholars call it ‘a mutual hindering proof’. This reasoning, briefly speaking, says that no doubt there is a single regularity dominated over this world. This harmony existed in the laws and order of the creation denotes that they have originated from a single source, because if the sources were different and the wills were various, this

harmony and agreement would never exist; since each of them might have a separate requirement and would nullify the effect of the other, and, consequently, the world might finally go to destruction.

Hushām-ibn-Hakam once asked Imam Sadiq (a.s.) what the reason of Unity of Allah was. Imam (a.s.) said: “The continuation of devices (of the world) and the completion of creation, is the reason of His Unity…” (Tauhīd-i-Sadūq, p. 250).

This verse is an answer to those who used to believe in a separate god for every thing and every affair. That is why the Qur’ān says: “The Lord of the ‘Arsh” which means Allah is the Lord of the whole world of existence.

23 لاَ یُسْئَلُ عَمَّا یَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ یُسْئَلُونَ 23. “ He (Allah) will not be questioned as to what He does, but they will be questioned (for their deeds).”

Commentary: verse 23

People will be questioned of all their affairs

After proving the Unity of the Controller of this world by the reasoning which was explained in the previous verse, the Qur’ān in this verse implies that He has arranged the world so wisely that there is no room for any objection and talk upon it. Yes, no one can object Him and question Him, while others are not like that, because there may be many objections and questions upon their deeds. The verse says:

“ He (Allah) will not be questioned as to what He does, but they will be questioned (for their deeds).”

Questions are two kinds. One sort of question is that a person desires to know the main point and the real aim of an affair. This kind of question is permissible, even about the deeds of Allah, too.

The other kind of question is the protesting question. This sort of question implies that a performed action has been wrong or improper. It is evident that this kind of question, concerning the deeds of Allah, the Wise, is meaningless. But there is room for asking this kind of question, if necessary, about the deeds of others.

This fact has also been mentioned that the Qur’ān has repeatedly pointed out that men are responsible for their own actions, including the verse which says: “So, by your Lord, We would most certainly question them all.”⁽¹⁾

And, in another verse of the Qur’ān, we recite: “And stop them, (for) they shall be questioned.”⁽¹⁾

However, on the Day of Judgment, people will surely be questioned about their thoughts and intentions, youth and lifetime, incomes and expenditures, choosing the leader, and obedience from dignitaries.

24 أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ ءَالِهَةً قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَکُمْ هَذَا ذِکْرُ مَن مَعِیَ وَذِکْرُ مَن قَبْلِی بَلْ أَکْثَرُهُمْ لاَ یَعْلَمُونَ الْحَقَّ فَهُم مُعْرِضُونَ 24. “ Or have they taken other gods besides Him? Say: ‘Bring your proof! This (Qur’ān) is the remembrance of those who are with me, and the remembrance of those before me. But most of them do not know the truth, so they are averse’.”

Commentary: verse 24

The Qur’ān has condemned reliance on majority

This verse contains two more reasons upon the negation of polytheism. These couple of evidences together with the previous evidence makes three proofs in that field. At first it says:

“ Or have they taken other gods besides Him? Say: ‘Bring your proof! …”

This statement indicates that if you relinquish the previous reasoning upon the fact that the regulation of the world of existence is the evidence to Unity, there is at least, no reason to prove the deity of these gods. How then does a wise person accept something without any reason?

Then, the Qur’ān points to the last reason here, where from the tongue of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) it implies that this is not only the word of mine and that of my companions’, who talk upon Unity, but this is also the saying of the prophets before me. The verse says:

“… This (Qur’ān) is the remembrance of those who are with me, and the remembrance of those before me. …”

This reasoning is the same reasoning that the scholars of theology bring under the title of ‘the consensus of prophets upon the Oneness of Allah’.

And, since sometimes it happens that the abundance of idle worshippers causes some persons not to accept Unity, the Qur’ān continues as follows:

“… But most of them do not know the truth, so they are averse’.”

The opposition of the majority of the ignorant people against the truth in many societies has always been an evidence taken by some unaware ones for their turning away. And, the Holy Qur’ān has seriously condemned reliance on majority.

However, Ali (a.s.) said: “By the descent of the Qur’ān to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), the knowledge of the former prophets, and the knowledge of Allah’s saints, and the knowledge of whatever will happen until the Resurrection have been given to him (p.b.u.h.).” Then Imam Ali (a.s.) recited the above-mentioned verse: “This (Qur’ān) is the remembrance of those who are with me, and the remembrance of those before me.” Therefore, the Qur’ān continues the knowledge of whatever had been before and whatever exists now and whatever will be in future. (Tafsīr-us-Sāfī, and Tafsīr-i-Furāt).

25 وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِکَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِی إِلَیْهِ أنَّهُ لآ إِلَهَ إِلآَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ 25. “ And We sent no Messenger before you but We revealed unto him that ‘Verily there is no god but I; so worship Me (alone)’.”

Commentary: verse 25

No prophet invited to polytheism at all

Allah has manifestly announced in the Holy Qur’ān that Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, is the seal of the Prophets, where it says: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Apostle of Allah and the last of the prophets; …”⁽¹⁾Yet, it has referred to this meaning in different ways and by different occasions. Among them is the fact that more than 30 times the Qur’ānic phrase: /min qablika/ (before you) has been repeated in various occurrences of the Qur’ān while the phrase /min ba‘dika/ (after you) has not occurred in the Qur’ān even for one time.

And, since it is possible that some unaware persons say that they have prophets such as Isac (a.s.) who has invited them to numerous gods, the Qur’ān, with full explicitness, in this verse says:

“ And We sent no Messenger before you but We revealed unto him that ‘Verily there is no god but I; so worship Me (alone)’.”

And, thus, it proves that, among Divine prophets, neither Isaac (a.s.) nor other than him has invited people to polytheism at all, and these kinds of attributions are some slanders.

26 وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمنُ وَلَداً سُبْحَانَهُ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّکْرَمُونَ 27 لاَ یَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُم بِاَمْرِهِ یَعْمَلُونَ 26. “ And they say: ‘The Beneficent (Allah) has taken to Him a son.’ Glory be to Him! Nay, but (angels) are (His) honoured servants.”

Commentary: verse 26-27

Angels are the honoured servants who act His orders

This idea that the angels are Allah’s children, not only had been accepted by some polytheists, but also had been current among the Jews and the Christians.⁽¹⁾

And since in the previous verse the words were about the Divine prophets and nullification of any kind of polytheism, this verse is upon the negation of angels as the children of Allah.

The explanation is that: many of the polytheists of Arab believed in angels as the children of Allah. The Qur’ān has condemned this baseless superstitious belief and proves its falsehood through various reasonings. At first, it says:

“ And they say: ‘The Beneficent (Allah) has taken to Him a son.’ …”

If they mean that this son is a ‘true son’, the requisite of it is to be body; and if the son is adoption, which had been common amongst Arabs, that is also a proof for feebleness and inability.

But attributing a son to an Essence that is Eternal, non-body, and free from want from any point of view, is absolutely meaningless.

That is why, in order to negate Him from any blemish and defect, immediately after that, the verse continues saying:

“… Glory be to Him! …”

Then in some different statements it explains the qualities of the angels, which, on the whole, are some clear evidences for the lack of child attributed to Allah:

They are not like the disobedient servants who serve their master only under the pressure of that master. For the sake of the sincerity of these divine angels in their servitude, Allah has honoured them, too, and He has increased His bounties for them. The verse says:

“… Nay, but (angels) are (His) honoured servants.”

“ They do not precede Him in speech, and (only) according to His commandment do they act.”

Are these qualities the epithets of children or the qualities of the servants?

Explanations:

Allah (s.w.t.), and, secondly, this servitude is accompanied with sincerity.

28 یَعْلَمُ مَا بَیْنَ أَیْدِیهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ یَشْفَعُونَ إِلاَّ لِمَنِ ارْتَضَی وَهُم مِنْ خَشْیَتِهِ مُشْفِقُونَ 28. “ He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they (angels) do not intercede except for him with whom He is well-pleased and they tremble

in awe of Him.”

Commentary: verse 28

Angels cannot intercede from their own accord

The Arabic term /xauf/ usually means ‘to be afraid of sin’, while the Qur’ānic word /xašyat/ means: ‘to be afraid of the Greatness of Allah’, a fear which is always accompanied with glorification and veneration.

Some Islamic traditions indicate that the objective meaning of the Qur’ānic phrase / man-ir-tadā/, mentioned in the verse, is the one whose religion is consented (by Allah), although he is sinful. The reason of it is that a believer, for the repentance he shows after committing a sin, will be divinely favoured and will be interceded.

However, the holy verse, pointing to the Awareness of Allah unto the situation of the angels, implies that He knows both the present and the future deeds of the angels so that He (s.w.t.) is aware of their life in this world and the world to come. He is cognizant of the status of before their existence and after it. The verse says:

“ He knows what is before them and what is behind them, …”

Certainly the angels do know that Allah (s.w.t.) has such an encompassing knowledge about them. This very cognition causes that they neither say anything before Him nor do they

disobey His commandments. Then the noble verse continues implying that, undoubtedly, the angels, who are the worthy and honourable servants of Allah, will intercede for those who are in need of it, but this fact must be noted that they will never intercede save for the one whom they know Allah is well-pleased of and He has given the permission of his intercession. The verse says:

“… and they (angels) do not intercede except for him with whom He is well-pleased …”

The abovementioned sentence is an answer to those people who used to say that they worshipped the angels in order that they intercede for them with Allah. The Qur’ān says that the angels cannot do anything from their own accord. Therefore, whatever you desire you may ask Him directly, even for the leave of intercession.

It is also for this very cognition that they fear only Him. The verse says:

“… and they tremble in awe of Him.”

They do not fear that they have done a sin, but they are in awe of shortcoming in worship before Him and of leaving the better.

29 وَمَن یَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنّ-ِی إِلَهٌ مِن دُونِهِ فَذَلِکَ نَجْزِیهِ جَهَنَّمَ کَذَلِکَ نَجْزِی الظَّالِمِینَ

Commentary: verse 29

Angels never claim deity

This holy verse may be of the kind to be said that others understand it. It means that people should know that whoever, even the honourable angels (the consideration of which is impossible concerning them), call others to polytheism, they must wait for the retribution of Hell.

It is quite evident, of course, that the divine angels, with those outstanding special qualifications, and the high rank of pure servitude they have, will never claim deity. But if, supposedly, one of them says he is a god besides Allah (s.w.t.), He will recompense him with Hell. The verse says:

“ And whoever of them (the angels) says: ‘Verily I am a god besides Him, such a one We recompense with Hell, even so do We recompense the unjust.”

The probable claim of divinity, in fact, is a clear example of injustice to oneself and to the society and it is involved in the general law.

Section 3: Every Soul Shall Taste Death

Point

The Omnipotence of Allah proved from His Creation – Every soul shall taste Death – Everyone tested with Good and Bad – The Disbelievers who ridiculed the Apostle shall themselves be punished to be ridiculed in return.

30 أَوَ لَمْ یَرَ الَّذِینَ کَفَرُوا أَنَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَرْضَ کَانَتَا رَتْقاً فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَآءِ کُلَّ شَیْءٍ حَیٍّ أَفَلاَ یُؤْمِنُونَ 30. “ Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were joined together before We clove them asunder, and We made from water every living thing? Will they not then believe?”

Commentary: verse 30

Tangible living creatures are made from water

Here, there have been stated a few signs of Allah in the system of the world of existence and its regular order, which is an emphasis on the previous discussions regarding the reasons of Monotheism. At first it says:

“ Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were joined together before We clove them asunder, and We made from water every living thing? …”

Then, the Qur’ān questions that, after having seemed these clear signs, do they not believe yet? The holy verse continues saying:

“… Will they not then believe?”

There are some different ideas offered by the commentators about the purpose of the words /ratq/ (joining) and /fatq/ (separation) mentioned in the above verse, which concern the

heavens and the earth. Among them, three interpretations seem more appropriate, and, as it will be explained, all of them may be found in the concept of the verse. (Tafsīr-ul-Kabīr, by Fakhr-i-Rāzī)

There are numerous traditions narrated from the Ahl-ul-Bayt (a.s.) which refer to the latter meaning while some of them point to the first commentary (Tafsīr-us-Sāfī, and Nūr-uth-Thaqalayn).

No doubt that the latter commentary is something which is visible by the eyes that how it rains and that the lands cleave

asunder and plants grow. This is completely adapted with the sentence saying: “Do not those who disbelieve see”, and it also harmonizes with the sentence declaring: “… and We made from water every living thing”.

But the first and the second above commentaries do not contradict the vast meaning of these sentences, because the word ‘see’ sometimes is in the sense of ‘knowledge’. True is that this knowledge and cognizance is not available for all. It is only the scientists who can give others some information about the past of the earth and the heaven and their attachment and, then, their separation, which may lead human beings throughout the whole centuries of the life.

It is for this reason that it has such a deep comprehensive content that can be applied by all groups of people in all times. And that is why we think there is no obstacle that this verse can embrace the whole three commentaries, each of which is correct and perfect in its own place. We have frequently reiterated that the usage of one word, with more than one meaning, not only is not wrong but sometimes is also the reason for a high eloquence. So, some Islamic traditions indicate that the Qur’ān has different layers of meaning. This may refer to this concept, too.

Concerning the Qur’ānic meaningful idea, cited at the end of the abovementioned holy verse, indicating that all living things have been created from water, here we introduce two known commentaries:

Another matter is that the Arabic word /mā’/, mentioned here, refers to the drop of seed from which the living creatures are usually produced.

It is interesting that the scientists of today believe that the first gemma of life has been found in the depth of the seas, and that is why they think that the life has begun by means of water. And when we see that the Qur’ān considers the creation of man out of /tīn/ (mud), it is because this substance is a mixture of water and dust.

This subject is also noteworthy that the main part of man’s body, as well as that of many animals, mostly consists of water, (about seventy percent).

Some have objected that the creation of the angels and jinn both is certainly not from water, though they are some living creatures. The answer of it is clear, because the purpose in this context is those living creatures which are tangible for us.

An Islamic tradition indicates that once a person asked Imam Sadiq (a.s.) about the taste of water. The Imam (a.s.) at first said: “Ask with the aim that you learn something, not with the purpose of seeking pretext.” Then he (a.s.) added: “The taste of water is the taste of life. Allah, Be He Glorified, has said: ‘And We made from water every living thing’.”⁽¹⁾

In the summer, in particular, when a person, tolerating continued thirst, reaches some wholesome water in that hot weather, after drinking the first gulps of it, he feels that a spirit of life is blown into his body. The Imam, in fact intends to clarify the relation and dependence of life and water by this beautiful expression.

31 وَجَعَلْنَا فِی الاَرْضِ رَوَاسِیَ أَن تَمِیدَ بِهِمْ وَجَعَلْنَا فِیهَا فِجَاجاً سُبُلاً لَّعَلَّهُمْ یَهْتَدُونَ 31. “ And We set in the earth firm mountains lest it should shake with them (people), and We set therein broad high ways that they may be guided.”

Commentary: verse 31

Mountains are bounties of Allah on the earth

This holy verse has pointed to another part of the signs of Monotheism as well as the great bounties of Allah. It says:

“ And We set in the earth firm mountains lest it should shake with them (people), …”

As a shield, mountains have embraced the earth, and this causes that they prevent the intensive shakes of the earth on a large scale which appear as a result of the pressure of the inner gases of it.

Moreover, this very arrangement of the mountains usually decreases the movements of the crust of the earth against the low tides and high tides of the moon to the least.

On the other hand, if there were not any mountains, the surface of the earth would not have any peace because of the hurricanes, as it is seen in the dry hot deserts as well as salt deserts. Mountains are good places for preserving snow to store water in them for the summer. They are often good and appropriate environments for the growth of plants and animals. The kinds of stone, which are used in buildings, are taken from mountains, and there are cited some other advantages counted among the benefits of the mountains.

Then the Qur’ān points to another bounty, which is also one of the signs of the greatness of Allah, when it says:

“… and We set therein broad high ways that they may be guided.”

Verily if these valleys and gaps were not, the great series of mountains existing on the crust of the earth, would so separate the different regions of the land that the joint of them was utterly broken, and this shows that all these phenomena have been arranged according to a proper program.

Explanations:

32 وَجَعَلْنَا السَّمَآءَ سَقْفاً مَّحْفُوظاً وَهُمْ عَنْ ءَایَاتِهَا مُعْرِضُونَ 32. “ And We set up the heaven as a roof well-protected, and yet they turn away from its signs.”

Commentary: verse 32

Atmosphere protects the earth against aerolites

In view of the fact that the mere stillness of the earth is not enough for the comfort of human’s life and he must also be secured from the upward, in this verse the Qur’ān adds:

“ And We set up the heaven as a roof well-protected, and yet they turn away from its signs.”

The objective of ‘the heaven’ here is the atmosphere which has encompassed the earth from every side. According to the researches of the concerning scientists, the depth of this atmosphere reaches to hundreds kilometers. This depth of weather, which apparently is tender, is composed of oxygen and different gases, is so firm and strong that no disturbing thing that comes toward it can destroy it. It protects the earth against aerolites which continuously fall down, day and night, and are more dangerous than any bullet.

Moreover, the harmful parts of the sunrays are taken by it. Thus, it guards the earth against the fatal outside rays that comes towards it from cosmos.

33 وَهُوَ الَّذِی خَلَقَ اللَّیْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ کُلٌّ فِی فَلَکٍ یَسْبَحُونَ 33. “ And He it is Who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.”

Commentary: verse 33

The night has also an orbit for itself

This verse has referred to the creation of the night and the day as well as the creation of the sun and moon. It says:

“ And He it is Who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.”

The commentators of the Qur’ān have different opinions upon the interpretation of the sentence: “They float, each in an orbit”. But what agrees with the conclusive researches of scholars is the fact that: the purpose of the motion of the sun, in the abovementioned verse, is either a circular motion rotating around itself, or the motion it has in the whole solar system.

It is also necessary to be mentioned that the Arabic word /kūll/ (each), mentioned in the verse, may refer to the moon, the sun, and also the stars all together. This meaning is understood from the word /layl/ (the night) recited in this holy verse.

Some great commentators have also said that mentioning ‘the night’, ‘the day’, ‘the sun’, and ‘the moon’ in the verse may refer to the four seasons. For, the night, which is in fact the conical shadow of the earth, has also an orbit for itself. If a person from outside of the atmosphere looks from a distance at it, he will see that this conical dark shadow is constantly running around the earth. He will also see that the light of the sun, which shines upon the earth and produces the day, is like

sun, which shines upon the earth and produces the day, is like a cylinder that ceaselessly rotates around this glob. Therefore, the day and the night each has a line and place for itself.

Some others have said that the objective of the motion of the sun, here, is the motion created by our feeling, for, to the consideration of the observers of the earth, it seems that the sun and the moon both are moving.

34 وَمَا جَعَلْنَا لِبَشَرٍ مِن قَبْلِکَ الْخُلْدَ أَفإِیْن مّ-ِتَّ فَهُمُ الْخَالِدُونَ 35 کُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ وَنَبْلُوکُم بِالشَّرّ ِ وَالْخَیْرِ فِتْنَةً وإِلَیْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ 34. “ And We appointed immortality for no man before you. Then if you die, can they be immortal?”

Commentary: verse 34-35

The main abode of man is not in this world

Through a part of the previous verses, we were acquainted with the fact that some polytheists objected about the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) as why he was a human being. This verse refers to some other objections that they had. Sometimes they said that the fame that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), or as they called him ‘that poet,’ had got was not lasting and everything would be vanished by his death. (Sura At-Tūr, n. 52, verse 30)

Sometimes they thought such that since this man believes that he is the seal of the prophets, he should not die in order to protect his religion, and, therefore, his death in future will be the reason for the falseness of his claim.

The Qur’ān answers them for their false imagination in a short sentence. It says:

“ And We appointed immortality for no man before you. …”

This is the invariable law of creation that no one has an eternal life. Besides that, do these people, who are happy for

your death just now, live immortally after your death? The verse says:

“… Then if you die, can they be immortal?”

The duration of a religion, creed, and a sacred law does not need the ever permanence of its bringer. His successors may continue his line after him.

Then the Holy Qur’ān states the general law of death for all souls, with no exception, as follows:

“ Every soul shall taste of death; …”

After mentioning the general law of death, there will arise this question that: What is the aim of this ephemeral life, and what is the use of it?

In the continuation of this holy verse, the Qur’ān states as follows:

“… and We try you with evil and good for a testing, and unto Us you shall be returned.”

The Divine trial is harder when it is done by means of afflictions.

Your main abode has not been assigned in this world. It is somewhere else. You have come here only for taking examinations, and after the end of the examination and gaining the necessary development, you will go to your main abode, the world of the Hereafter.

By the way, Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.), concerning the Qur’ānic sentence, saying: “… and We try you with evil and good for a testing, …”, said: “Health and self-sufficiency is ‘good’, and sickness and poverty is ‘evil’ and both of them are for trial.”⁽¹⁾

36 وَإِذَا رَءَاکَ الَّذِینَ کَفَرُوا إِن یَتَّخِذُونَکَ إِلاَّ هُزُواً أَهَذَا الَّذِی یَذْکُرُ ءَالِهَتَکُمْ وَهُم بِذِکْرِ الرَّحْمَنِ هُمْ کَافِرُونَ 36. “ And when those who disbelieve see you, they take you not but for mockery; (saying each other): ‘Is this the one who makes mention of your gods?’ And (while) they, at the mention of the Beneficent (Allah), are themselves disbelievers.”

Commentary: verse 36

The impacts of favour of Allah have covered the world

Blasphemy takes man to a point that he mocks the strong logic and the statement of the Immaculate Imam, while he is not ready to show the least disrespect to the piece of wood and stone, the idol. Its example is that if there is a malodorous corpse in a pool, when it rains its putrefaction and fetid smell will increase. Blasphemy is like a corpse of carrion in man’s soul. He brings forth some more obstinacy by seeing the Prophet (p.b.u.h.).

So, in this verse, the Qur’ān encounters the disbelievers in connection with their evil situation against the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) which shows their wrong doctrine in some fundamental subjects. At first, the holy verse implies that they disrespectfully point to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and say whether this man is the same who mentions their gods and idols maliciously. The verse says:

“ And when those who disbelieve see you, they take you not but for mockery; (saying each other): ‘Is this the one who makes mention of your gods?’ And (while) they, at the mention of the Beneficent (Allah), are themselves disbelievers.”

It is surprising that when a person frankly says something disrespectfully about these idols, which are made of wood or stone, and tells the truth by saying that these are some soulless, senseless, and worthless beings, they wonder; but when a person denies the Merciful, Beneficent Allah, Whose impacts of favour have covered all the world, and everything is a reason for His Greatness and Mercy, it will not be wonderful for them.

37 خُلِقَ الإِنسَانُ مِنْ عَجَلٍ سَأُوْرِیکُمْ ءَایَاتِی فَلاَ تَسْتَعْجِلُونِ 38 وَیَقُولُونَ مَتَی هَذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن کُنتُمْ صَادِقِینَ 37. “ (The nature of mortals is such that as if) man has been created of haste; soon (enough) I will show you My signs, so do not ask Me to hasten (them) on.”

Commentary: verse 37-38

Man has been created of haste

This holy verse points to one of the heinous and irrelevant deeds of those immethodical libertines. It says:

“ (The nature of mortals is such that as if) man has been created of haste; …”

There are various opinions cited upon this sentence, but it is clear that the purpose of ‘man’ here is the whole mankind, (those untrained people, of course, who are out of the realm of the leadership of the Divine leaders).

As it is also testified by the later holy verses, the objective meaning of the Qur’ānic term /‘ajal/, here, is ‘haste’ and ‘precipitance’. The Qur’ān in another occurrence says: “… and man is ever hasty.”⁽¹⁾

In fact, the sense of ‘Man has been created of haste’ is an emphasis, which means ‘man’ is so hasty that as if he has been created out of precipitancy and his whole entity has been made up out of it. And, truly, a great deal of common people are such. They are hasty both in good deeds and evil acts, so that even when they are told if they pollute themselves with

blasphemy and sin the Divine punishment will seize them, they say why it does not come soon.

Then, at the end of the verse, it says:

“… soon (enough) I will show you My signs, so do not ask Me to hasten (them) on.”

The Qur’ānic phrase ‘My signs” here may refer to the verses and signs of punishment, calamities and chastisement by means of which the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) threatened them. Yet, those empty-minded people repeatedly asked for the afflictions that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had promised them.

The Qur’ān, in this verse, says that they should not haste, because they will visit them soon.

This holy phrase may also refer to those miracles which prove the veracity of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). In this case, the phrase means that if you wait, sufficient miracles will be shown to you.

These two commentaries do not contradict each other, because the disbelievers were hasty for both of them, and, finally, Allah gave both of them to them. Yet, the first commentary seems closer to the concept of the verse and is more appropriate to the later verses.

Again, in the next verse, the Qur’ān points to one of their requests that they hastily asked. It says:

“ And they (the disbelievers) say: When will this promise (be fulfilled) if you are truthful?”

They were impatiently waiting for the event of the Hereafter to happen. They were unaware of the fact that, as soon as the Hereafter happens their full helplessness and misfortune begin. But what can be done; the hasty man makes also haste even for his own misfortune and destruction.

The application of the phrase ‘if you are truthful’, which is in the plural form, though the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) was the addressee, is for the reason that they addressed his true followers in this expression, too. They wanted to say that the absence of the Hereafter was the reason for that they all were liars.

39 لَوْ یَعْلَمُ الَّذِینَ کَفَرُوا حِینَ لاَ یَکُفُّونَ عَن وُجُوهِهِمُ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَن ظُهُورِهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ یُنصَرُونَ 39. “ If those who disbelieve but know the time when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces and from their backs, nor shall they be helped, (they would not hasten about the Resurrection).”

Commentary: verse 39

The Hell Fire will surround the disbelievers

This holy verse points to one of the examples of the man’s haste. The disbelievers repeatedly asked the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) what time was the time of the promised Hereafter when they would be punished for their disbelief; and thereby they caused his annoyance. Allah soothes the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) by implying that if they were aware of the day when the Fire will encompass them not only from their fronts but also from their backs and they will have no way to run away, they would not haste to reach it. Yes, the haste of man is for his ignorance, since if he knew he would not make haste. The abovementioned holy verse says:

“ If those who disbelieve but know the time when they will not be able to ward off the Fire from their faces and from their backs, nor shall they be helped, (they would not hasten about the Resurrection).”

The application of the words: ‘faces’ and ‘backs’ in the above holy verse refers to the fact that the Hell Fire is not in a state that it comes towards them from one side, but, on the contrary, it covers both the front parts of them and their backs, so that it seems they are in the middle of the Fire and they are buried in it.

And the Qur’ānic sentence /walāhum yunsarūn/ (nor shall they be helped) refers to the fact that these idols, which they imagine they will intercede them and help them, can do nothing for them.

40 بَلْ تَأْتِیهِم بَغْتَةً فَتَبْهَتُهُمْ فَلاَ یَسْتَطِیعُونَ رَدَّهَا وَلاَ هُمْ یُنظَرُونَ 40. “ Nay, but it (the Fire) will come to them all of a sudden and make them confounded, so they will neither be able to repel it, nor will they be respited.”

Commentary: verse 40

No one can repel the divine punishment

Through this holy verse, the noble Qur’ān implies that this Divine punishment and the blazing Fire will come to them suddenly so that it will make them astonished. The above holy verse says:

“ Nay, but it (the Fire) will come to them all of a sudden and make them confounded, …”

They will be so confused that they will have no power to repel their punishment. And, even if they ask for respite, in spite of their haste until then, they will not be respited. The verse continues saying:

“… so they will neither be able to repel it, nor will they be respited.”

41 وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِئَ بِرُسُلٍ مِن قَبْلِکَ فَحَاقَ بِالَّذِینَ سَخِرُوا مِنْهُم مَّا کَانُوا بِهِ یَسْتَهْزِءُونَ 41. “ And indeed Messengers before you were (also) mocked, but that whereat they mocked encompassed those who scoffed at them.”

Commentary: verse 41

All prophets were ridiculed

In previous verses, it was said that the idolaters and disbelievers used to mock the holy Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.). Then, in order to soothe the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and console him, this verse implies that it is not only you whom have been mocked at, but those prophets who were before you were also ridiculed. The verse says:

“ And indeed Messengers before you were (also) mocked,…”

Yet, finally, whatever of the Divine punishments they used to mock at visited them. The verse continues saying:

“… but that whereat they mocked encompassed those who scoffed at them.”

Therefore, O Prophet Muhammad! Do not be grievous, and these kinds of acts, which are ignorantly done, should not have the least impact on your soul, or influence in your strong will.

Section 4:The Divine Mercy

Point

The Divine Protection for all-Judgment shall be through Just balances set up – Book given to Moses and Aaron – Qur’ān, the Reminder full of Blessings

42 قُلْ مَن یَکْلَؤُکُم بِالَّلیْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ بَلْ هُمْ عَن ذِکْرِ رَبّ-ِهِم مُّعْرِضُونَ 43 أَمْ لَهُمْ ءَالِهَةٌ تَمْنَعُهُم مِن دُونِنَا لاَ یَسْتَطِیعُونَ نَصْرَ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلاَ هُم مِنَّا یُصْحَبُونَ

Commentary: verse 42-43

Committing sins causes the wrath of the Beneficent

The common powers cannot protect man from different gangers. Man is always in need of the protection and support of Allah, because protection is always of the dignity of Allah’s Lordship. Thus, this holy verse implies that not only in the Hereafter no one defends you against the Divine punishment, but also in this world the case is the same. The verse says:

“ Say: ‘Who guards you by night and by day from (the Wrath of) the Beneficent (Allah)?’ …”

In fact, if the Lord of heaven had not set the atmosphere of the earth as a protective canopy for it, only this would have been sufficient that you had to be the target of the aerolites to be bombarded every day and night.

It is noteworthy that instead of the application of Allah, the holy word ‘the Beneficent’ has been used in this verse. This means that: you should see how much sin you have committed that you have caused the wrath of Allah, Who is the source of general Mercy and favour.

Then, it adds:

“… But (yet) they turn away from the remembrance of their Lord!”

They hearken neither to the advices of His prophets, nor do they let Allah’s remembrance and His blessings move their hearts, nor may they use their contemplation in this way.

Again, as a question, the holy Qur’ān asks: to what have these unjust and sinful disbelievers pleased themselves against the Divine retributions? Do they have gods who can defend them before the Wrath of Allah? The verse says:

“ Or have they gods that can protect them from (the wrath of) Us? …”

These artificial gods of theirs cannot even assist themselves nor can they defend themselves, nor does Allah help them by means of His Grace and spiritual power. The verse continues saying:

“… They are not able to help themselves nor can they be defended from Us.”

44 بَلْ مَتَّعْنَا هَؤُلآءِ وءَابَآءَهُمْ حَتَّی طَالَ عَلَیْهِمُ الْعُمُرُ أَفَلاَ یَرَوْنَ أَنَّا نَأْتِی الاَرْضَ نَنقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَآ أَفَهُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ 44. “ Yet, We gave provision to these and their fathers until life grew long for them. Do they not see that We come to the land, curtailing it of its sides? Are they then the victors?”

Commentary: verse 44

Divine blessings sometimes cause pride in Man

This holy verse has pointed to one of the main reasons of the disobedience of the faithless persons. It says:

“ Yet, We gave provision to these and their fathers until life grew long for them. …”

But, this long life and abundant divine blessings did not move the sense of gratitude in them so that they might humble themselves in worshipping Him. On the contrary, those divine blessings caused their pride and disobedience.

Do they not see that this present world and its gifts are not durable? Do they not see that Allah is constantly watching the land, decreasing its sides and its inhabitants? The verse says:

“… Do they not see that We come to the land, curtailing it of its sides? …”

They see that tribes and nations come and go one after another, in a manner that even the scientists, dignitaries, and scholars, who are the managers of the affairs of the earth, have passed away. Then, who is the victor, they or the Lord? The verse continues:

“… Are they then the victors?”

45 قُلْ إِنَّمَآ اُنذِرُکُم بِالْوَحْیِ وَلاَ یَسْمَعُ الصُّمُّ الدُّعَآءَ إِذَا مَا یُنذَرُونَ

Commentary: verse 45

Receptive ears are needed for hearing the Truth

The glad tidings and warnings of Divine prophets are not based upon personal decisions, imaginations, conjectures and guesses, but they are wholly based on the Divine conclusive revelation.

Therefore, this fact is reiterated in this holy verse that the mission of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is that he should warn people by the way of Divine revelation. So, addressing the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), it says:

“ Say: ‘Verily I warn you only by the revelation. …”

And, he should tell them he does not say anything from his own self, but if it does not affect their hard hearts, it is not so surprising, nor does it show any reason for the deficiency of the revelation. On the contrary, it is for the fact that when the warnings are said to the deaf persons, they cannot hear. The verse says:

“… But the deaf do not hear the call when they are warned.”

They should have receptive ears so that they hearken the word of the Truth. The ears, which the different curtains of sin, negligence, and pride have covered, have utterly lost the ability of hearing the Truth.

Thus, those who do not utilize the divine blessings properly, it seems that they are deprived of those blessings.

That is, if a person has apparently ears, but he does not hear the Truth, or he has eyes but he does not see the facts, he is indeed deaf and blind. Sometimes, of course, preaching is not effective because individuals are not eligible and receptive; then it does not mean that there is a deficiency in the preacher or his style of preaching.

46 وَلَئِن مَسَّتْهُمْ نَفْحَةٌ مِنْ عَذَابِ رَبّ-ِکَ لَیَقُولُنَّ یَاوَیْلَنَآ إِنَّا کُنَّا ظَالِمِینَ 46. “ And if a blast of the punishment of your Lord touches them, they will certainly say: ‘Woe unto us! Verily we were unjust’.”

Commentary: verse 46

When the Divine punishment comes, it is too late

Those persons who do not awake by the warnings of divine prophets, will surely be awaken by the lashes of the divine punishment. By confronting the simplest danger, all claiming vanities will be destroyed and the sleeping consciences will awaken.

This holy verse implies that these unaware proud people, who never obeyed the Lord when they were in peace and affluence, will be so worried when a little punishment of Allah visit them that they cry that they were all oppressors and unjust. The verse says:

“ And if a blast of the punishment of your Lord touches them, they will certainly say: ‘Woe unto us! Verily we were unjust’.”

But, what is the use of it? This constrained awareness does not benefit them.

47 وَنَضَعُ الْمَوَازِینَ الْقِسْطَ لِیَوْمِ الْقِیَامَةِ فَلاَ تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَیْئاً وَإِن کَانَ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ أَتَیْنَا بِهَا وَکَفَی بِنَا حَاسِبِینَ 47. “ And We shall set up the balances of justice for the Resurrection Day, so that no soul shall be wronged anything; and even if there be (an action) of the weight of grain of mustard seed, We will bring it (into account), and sufficient are We (as) reckoners.”

Commentary: verse 47

The entire acts will minutely be reckoned

This holy verse points to the exact and just Reckoning of the deeds on the Resurrection Day and the precise and just rewards of the Hereafter in order that the disbelievers and oppressors know, supposing that the punishment of this world does not encompass them, the chastisement of the Hereafter is certain, and their entire acts will minutely be reckoned. Allah in this holy verse says:

“ And We shall set up the balances of justice for the Resurrection Day, …”

The available Islamic traditions indicate that: on the Day of Resurrection, the scales of measurement of people’s deeds are prophets (a.s.), the immaculate Imams (a.s.), the sanctified, and the righteous, those near stationed ones in whose record of deeds there is not any dark spot.

These scales of measurement are so exact and regular that as if they are the justice themselves. For this reason, the verse immediately adds:

“… so that no soul shall be wronged anything; …”

That is, neither the divine reward of the righteous will be decreased, nor the proper punishment of the wrong doers will be added to.

This negation of ‘being wronged anything’ does not mean that there will not be exactness in Reckoning. On the contrary, the case will be such that the least thing of good and bad will be made present and will be measured. The verse continues saying:

“… and even if there be (an action) of the weight of grain of mustard seed, We will bring it (into account), …”

And, this alone is enough that Allah is the Reckoner of the deeds of the servants. The verse says:

“… and sufficient are We (as) reckoners.”

48 وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَیْنَا مُوسَی وَهَارُونَ الْفُرْقَانَ وَضِیَآءً وَذِکْراً لِلْمُتَّقِینَ 49 الَّذِینَ یَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَیْبِ وَهُم مِنَ السَّاعَةِ مُشْفِقُونَ 48. “ And indeed We gave Moses and Aaron the Furqān (criterion) and a Light and a Reminder for the pious ones.”

Commentary: verse 48-49

The pious fear their Lord in secret

There are stated some outstanding points from the lives of the Divine prophets in this verse and the following ones, which have fairly been enlightened with some very instructive matters. These explanations make more clear the former discussions upon the messengership of the holy Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) and his conflicts with the opponents, and with regard to the existing principals among them. In this verse, it says:

“ And indeed We gave Moses and Aaron the Furqān (criterion) and a Light and a Reminder for the pious ones.”

Then, in the next verse, the Qur’ān introduces the pious as having the following qualities. The verse says:

“ Those who fear their Lord in secret and they dread the Hour (of doom).”

Their dread is a kind of fear which is mingled with respect and glorification to Him.

The pious, in fact, are very interested in the Resurrection Day, since it is the center of the reward and grace of Allah; yet they are also frightened of the Reckoning of the Lord.

Explanations:

In the same way that the general aims of the prophets are alike, the qualities of their celestial Books are also similar. Those qualities which are mentioned in this verse about the Torah, in some other verses of the Qur’ān, they are attributed to the Qur’ān, too, such as Furqān, Light, Reminder.

1- Furqān: “Blessed is He Who sent down the Furqān upon His servant …”⁽¹⁾The Qur’ānic term /furqān/ is called to a news by which ‘right’ is recognized from ‘wrong’.

2- Light: /diyā’/ “… and We have sent down to you a manifest Light.”⁽²⁾

50 وَهَذَا ذِکْرٌ مُّبَارَکٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ أَفَاَنتُمْ لَهُ مُنکِرُونَ 50. “ And this (Qur’ān) is a blessed Reminder which We have sent down (for you). Do you then deny it?”

Commentary: verse 50

The sanctity of the Qur’ān is not deniable

Concerning the Qur’ān being blessed, this is sufficient to know that, in a short time, it could turn many people from polytheism to monotheism, from separation to unity, from ignorance to knowledge, from wildness to civilization, from captivity to government, from pollution to purity, from poverty to richness, from stagnation to running, from superstitions to facts, from disgrace to glory, from following the false deities to obeying the immaculate Imams (a.s.), from negligence to awareness, from instability to steadfastness, from disbelief to faith, and, concisely speaking, from darkness to light.

So, this holy verse, comparing the Qur’ān with the former Divine Books, says:

“ And this (Qur’ān) is a blessed Reminder which We have sent down (for you). Do you then deny it?”

Is there any room for denying such a Book? The reasons of its legitimacy are found inside of it, its luminosity is manifest, and its followers are prosperous and victorious.

The sanctity of the Qur’ān is not deniable; and it is such a Book that its admonitions can attract millions of hearts to itself in different ages and out of many generations.

To be acquainted with the extent that how much this holy Qur’ān is the cause of cognizance and source of beatitude, it is quite enough to consider the status of the residents of Arabian Peninsula before the descent of the Qur’ān when they used to

live in wildness, ignorance, poverty, misery and dispersion, comparing with their status after the descent of the Qur’ān, when they became an example for others. We may also consider the condition of some nations before and after that the Qur’ān went among them.

Section 5:Abraham Argues against Idolatry

Point

Abraham makes the idolaters themselves declare that their idol-gods could not speak even when they had to complain against what befell them in getting broken and who did it. The Idol-gods can neither profit anybody nor harm anyone nor they can help themselves – Mercy and Bounties bestowed upon Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Lot.

51 وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَیْنَآ إِبْرَاهِیمَ رُشْدَهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَکُنَّا بِهِ عَالِمِینَ 52 إِذْ قَالَ لأَبِیهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَا هَذِهِ التَّ-مَاثِیلُ الَّتِی أَنْتُم لَهَا عَاکِفُونَ 51. “ And indeed We gave Abraham aforetime his rectitude, and We were aware of him (his eligibilities).”

Commentary: verses 51-52

All the prophets invited people to the Truth

In previous verses, the statement was upon the Torah and the Qur’ān, while in this verse Allah declares that sending prophets and celestial Books is not a new matter, and before this, at the time of Abraham (a.s.), there was the subject of the invitation of the deluded people unto the Truth.

Therefore, an important part of the life and struggles of Abraham against idolaters is referred to here. At first, it says:

“ And indeed We gave Abraham aforetime his rectitude, and We were aware of him (his eligibilities).”

Then, the Holy Qur’ān points to one of the most important programs of Abraham (a.s.) where it says:

“ When he said to his father and his people: ‘What are these images (and lifeless statues) unto which you pay devotion’?”

The word ‘father’, mentioned in this verse, refers to his uncle, ’Āzar, because in Arabic language sometimes ‘uncle’ is called /’ab/ (father), too.⁽¹⁾

This Abraham’s saying, in fact, is a clear reasoning for making the act of idol worshipping futile, because what is seen of the idols is their mere statues and the rest is delusion and conjecture.

The Arabic word /tamāθīl/ is the plural form of /temθāl/ with the sense of ‘lifeless statues’.

Having a glance over the history of idolatry shows that making statues had initially been used as a remembrance of the dignitary, which, later, became gradually as a state of sanctity and turned in the form of worship.

53 قَالُوا وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا لَهَا عَابِدِینَ 54 قَالَ لَقَدْ کُنتُمْ أَنْتُم وءَابَآؤُکُمْ فِی ضَلاَلٍ مُبِینٍ 53. “ They said: ‘We found our fathers worshipping them’.”

Commentary: verses 53-54

With the past of time sciences develop

Abraham told the idol worshippers that both they and their fathers had been in manifest fault, while they had no proper answer to that clear logic. They only repelled the proposition from themselves and related it to their ancestors. Thus they said that they had seen their fathers and ancestors that they had been worshipping those idols, and therefore, they were loyal to the traditional custom of their ancestors. The abovementioned holy verse says:

“ They said: ‘We found our fathers worshipping them’.”

Since there is no reason that ancestors might be wiser and more knowledgeable than the substituting generations, and in most cases the circumstances prove the reverse, because, with the past of time, sciences and knowledge develop, so Abraham immediately told them that not only they but their fathers also were certainly in aberration. The verse says:

“ He said: ‘Indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error’.”

A few Traditions upon Misguidance:

1- The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: “I fear about my Ummah for three (main things) after me: misguidance after guidance, the seditions which cause aberrations, and the vain desire of the belly and of pudendum.”⁽¹⁾

2- Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.) said: “Whoever seeks guidance other than Allah’s guidance will go astray.”⁽²⁾

3- Imam Baqir (a.s.) said: “Verily Allah, Almighty and Glorious, appointed Hadrat Ali (a.s.) (to leadership) to be a sign between Him and His servants. Then, whoever has known him (his right) is a believer, and whoever has rejected him is a disbeliever; and whoever has not known him gets astray, and whoever appoints another (leader) with him is a polytheist, and whoever has confessed his mastership will enter Paradise.”⁽³⁾

4- Imam Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.) said: “The most polluted deeds is that which causes misguidance.”⁽⁴⁾

5- Muhammad-ibn-Muslim said: “I heard that Imam Baqir (a.s.) in a tradition was saying: ‘And do know O’ Muhammad! Verily the leaders of injustice, as well as their followers, are far from the religion of Allah. Certainly they have gone astray and lead astray, and the deeds that they do ‘… are like ashes on which the wind blows severely on a stormy day; they will have no power over any thing out of what they have earned; that is the very straying, far (and deep)’.”⁽⁵⁾(Usūl-i-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 184)

6- Zurārah once said: “I heard that Imam Sadiq (a.s.) in a tradition was saying: ‘O’ Allah! Cause me know You for

verily if You do not make me know You I will not know Your prophet. O’ Allah! Cause me know Your prophet, for verily if You do not make me know Your prophet, I will not know Your Hujjah. O’ Allah! Cause me know Your Hujjah, for verily if I do not know Your Hujjah I will get astray from my religion (and will be misguided).”⁽¹⁾

7- Imam Baqir (a.s.) said: “Whoever teaches a part of guidance (to any one) will have the like of the reward of those who act it and there will decrease nothing of the rewards of them; and whoever teaches a part of aberration (to any one) the sin of those who commit it will be for him without decreasing anything from their sins.”⁽²⁾

8- Yazīd-ibn-‘Abdulmalik narrates that Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: “Visit each other because your visit will cause your hearts to be enlivened and our sayings to be remembered, and our sayings may make you kind to each other. Then if you practically take them (and do accordingly), you will develop and be prosperous; and if you abandon our sayings you will get astray and annihilate. Therefore, take them (and do accordingly), for I stand guarantor of your rescue and prosperity.” ⁽³⁾

55 قَالُوا أَجِئْتَنَا بِالْحَقّ ِ أَمْ أَنتَ مِنَ اللاَّعِبِینَ 56 قَالَ بَل رَبُّکُمْ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَرْضِ الَّذِی فَطَرَهُنَّ وَأَنَا عَلَی ذَلِکُم مِنَ الشَّاهِدِینَ 55. “ They said: ‘Have you brought to us the truth, or are you one of the triflers’.”

Commentary: verses 55-56

The Creator of man and all beings is worshipped

This statement of Abraham (a.s.) which was accompanied with kinds of emphasis and was said in a perfect decisiveness, caused the idol worshippers to come a little to themselves and try to investigate and research about the truth. They turned to Abraham (a.s.) and asked him implying whether he had brought them a true matter or he was joking. The verse in this regard says:

“ They said: ‘Have you brought to us the truth, or are you one of the triflers’.”

But, in answer to them, Abraham (a.s.) explicitly said that what he said was serious and was the exact fact that: their Lord is the Lord of the heavens and that of the earth. The above holy verse says:

“ He said: ‘Nay! But your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth Who originated them, …”

Abraham (a.s.) continued that this is the same Lord Who had created them and he was one of the witnesses of that notion. The verse continues saying:

“… and I am unto this (fact) one of the witnesses’.”

By this sharp statement, Abraham (a.s.) showed that that One is eligible to be worshipped Who is the Creator of them and the Creator of the earth and all beings.

57 وَتَاللَّهِ لاََکِیدَنَّ أَصْنَامَکُم بَعْدَ أَن تُوَلُّوا مُدْبِرِینَ 57. “ And, by Allah, I will certainly plan against your idols after you go away turning your backs’.”

Commentary: verse 57

Abraham was completely steadfast in his belief

The commentators are divided in having the opinion that how Abraham (a.s.) stated this sharp statement. Some of them, such as the authors of Tafsīr-us-Sāfī and Al-Mīzān, believe that this sentence was not stated openly and Abrāhām (a.s.) said it in secret. The reason for this is that they believe that the explicit claim of opposition against the small and big gods of a people, lonely and on the first day of the call, is opposite to precaution. But it seems that it is not so, because the accounts of the men of Allah are different from the ordinary accounts of ours, and nothing can prevent them to pave their clear way and to perform their Divine mission.

In the previous holy verses, we recited that Abraham (a.s.) explicitly told his people: “… Indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error.”⁽¹⁾

Did Hadrat Zaynab (a.s.) not say to Yazīd, when she was as a captive in Shām, “I belittle you”, and then she started criticizing earnestly upon him and his government? Did the great man of Iran, Imam Khomiynī, not say “The king must go”, when the king was in the peak of his tyrannical kingdom, and being fully equipped with kinds of arms, he was supported by all interior and exterior powers? Did he not tell the king’s substitute: “I will nock down this government”? Did he not say to the existing dominant worldly oppressor, America, that America could do no evil? Truly

speaking, to what kind of current political circumspections and ordinary precautions do these sentences agree?

Some believe that for conflicting the factors of mischief, those factors they must be struggled against in a negative manner. For instance, at the time of the tyrannical king of Iran, when the cinemas of the country were a serious means of deviation of the young generation, one of the dignitaries said: “If people decide not to go to cinemas, the cinemas will automatically be suspended”.

But, the above-mentioned holy verse condemns this kind of thought, and it persists on the fact that the source of mischief must be eradicated. The example of it is the act of Moses (a.s.) who burnt the golden Calf, and the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) ruined the ‘mosque of dissension’ where was a base for the hypocrites.

Therefore, to prove that this proposition was one hundred percent earnest, and that he (a.s.) was steadfast in his belief in a manner that he would accept heartily all its results and consequences in whatever form they might be, Abrāhām added:

“ And, by Allah, I will certainly plan against your idols after you go away turning your backs’.”

Abraham’s purpose was to make them understand that he would finally use an opportunity and break the idols entirely.

But, perhaps, the greatness and dignity of the idols in their minds was so high that they did not take this statement for serious, and they did not show any reaction. They might think that it was not possible that a person let himself play with the sacred things of a people and a tribe whose government was supporting them, too. With what daring could he do that? By which power was he able to afford it?

A few traditions concerning pictures:

1- The holy Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) said: “The intensive punishment of the people on the Day of Hereafter belongs to the drawers of pictures.” (Perhaps, the purpose of it is: ‘those who painted the pictures of gods’.)⁽¹⁾

2- Abī Basīr has narrated from Imam Sādiq (a.s.) who said: “The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: ‘Gabriel came to me and said: ‘Your Lord sends you regards and has prohibited you from ‘Tazwīq’ of the houses’.” Abū Basīr said: “Then I asked what ‘Tazwīq of the houses’ meant; when he (a.s.) said: ‘Painting pictures in the house’.” (It should be thought what kinds of picture there were on those days regarding that the people had the belief of idol worship in them and every picture must be considered as that.)⁽²⁾

Muhammad-ibn-Muslim said: “I asked Imam Sadiq (a.s.) about the drawing of the pictures of trees, sun, and moon. Then he (a.s.) said: ‘When there is not a thing (a face) of an animal, it does not matter’.”⁽³⁾

58 فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَاذاً إِلاَّ کَبِیراً لَّهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ إِلَیْهِ یَرْجِعُونَ 59 قَالُوا مَن فَعَلَ هَذَا بِاَلِهَتِنَآ إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِینَ 60 قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا فَتیً یَذْکُرُهُمْ یُقَالُ لَهُ إِبْرَاهِیمُ 58. “ So he broke them into pieces, (all) except the chief of them, that haply they may return to it.”

Commentary: verses 58-60

Abraham was about sixteen when he broke the idols

However, without being afraid of the dangers of his action nor scaring from the harsh blow of the wrath of those people which could be considered as a result of his deed, in an appropriate opportunity, Abraham bravely took action and hastened fighting against those powerless gods which had so many fanatic ignorant advocators in their support. The verse in this regard says:

“ So he broke them into pieces, (all) except the chief of them, …”

Abraham’s aim of doing it was that, maybe, the idol worshippers might come to him and he would say whatever was to say. The verse says:

“… that haply they may return to it.”

It is true that by the word ‘idolatry’ we call in mind mostly the idols made of stone and wood, but from another point of view, the words idol and idolatry have a vast meaning which envelops every consideration to anything besides Allah, in any

form and state it may be. According to an Islamic tradition, “Whatever makes man busy to itself, in a way that it makes him far from Allah, it is his idol.”

Finally, the idol worshippers entered the idol temple and encountered a scene that they could not imagine it. Instead of a tidy idol temple, they faced with an untidy scene, a heap of broken idols. They shouted asking who had done that wrong to their idols and that whoever had done it had certainly been one of the oppressors. The holy verse says:

“ They said: ‘Who has done this with our gods? Surely he is (one) of the unjust’.”

By this saying they indicated that the person who had done that action, in fact, had been unjust both to their gods, and to the society and to their party, and to himself.

But, a group of people who had the threats of Abraham due to the idols in mind, and knew this offensive behaviour of his to those artificial objects of worship, declared their opinion as follows:

“ They said: ‘We heard a youth making mention of them, who is called Abraham’.”

According to some narrations, it happened at that time when Abraham was completely young, and he was probably about sixteen years old.

61 قَالُوا فَأْتُواْ بِهِ عَلَی أَعْیُنِ النَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ یَشْهَدُونَ 62 قَالُوا ءَأَنتَ فَعَلْتَ هَذَا بِاَلِهَتِنَا یَآ إِبْرَاهِیمَ 63 قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهُ کَبِیرُهُمْ هَذَا فَسْاَلُوهُمْ إِن کَانُوا یَنطِقُونَ 61. “ They said: ‘Then bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may bear witness’.”

Commentary: verses 61-63

Abraham did not tell a lie concerning the idols

Principally, it is usual that when a crime is committed, in order to find the person who has committed it, the hostile connections with the matter are investigated about. Certainly, there was no other person in that locality but Abraham who was objecting to the idols. Therefore, all attentions turned to him, and some groups of the idolaters suggested, now that the circumstance was such, Abraham might be brought in front of the people so that those who knew him and were acquainted with the proposition could testify to his being criminal. The verse says:

“ They said: ‘Then bring him before the eyes of the people, that they may bear witness’.”

The callers cried around the city that those who were aware of the enmity and ill-speaking of Abraham due to idols should attend to bear witness.

At last, the court started its job with the presence of the chiefs of the people. It has also been said that Namrūd himself was attending the court.

The first question which was asked from Abraham was as follows:

“ They said: ‘Are you the man that did this with our gods, O Abraham’?”

Abraham answered them in such a way that they felt they were seriously surrounded, so that they could not save themselves from it. Here is Abraham’s response:

“ (Abraham) said: ‘Nay, it was done by this, the chief of them! Ask them if they can speak’.”

The principals of the job of the specialists of felony indicate that the accused person is the one who has the effects of the crime with him. Here, the ‘effects of the crime’ is with the chief idol.

Abraham wanted to say why they went to him, and why did they not accuse the chief god of theirs? He inquired whether they did not think that the chief idol probably had considered that other idols were as its future rival and, therefore, had destroyed them totally.

Since this interpretation, from the view point of the commentators, did apparently not adapt to the reality, and in view of the fact that Abraham is a prophet and an immaculate person never tells a lie, there have been stated different matters upon this Qur’ānic sentence. What seems the best of all is that Abraham (a.s.) decisively attributed this action to the great idol, but all references testified to the fact that he did not intended to say it earnestly. He wanted to make the baseless superstitious notions of the idol worshippers manifest to them. He decided to make them understand that those soulless pieces of stone and wood were so feeble that they could not say even

a sentence in order to ask help from their worshippers, much less they wanted them to solve their problems.

In our daily sayings there are many instances similar to this meaning when, in order to nullify the speech of the opposite party and to condemn him, we put his indisputable affairs in front of him in the form of an imperative, declarative, or interrogative sentence, and this is not a lie at all. A lie is something that has not a frame of reference with it.

There has been cited a tradition in the book of Kāfī narrated from Imam Sādiq (a.s.) who said: “He (Abraham) said this: ‘Nay, it was done by this, the chief of them’ for he intended to improve their thoughts and to tell them the idols could not do such an action.” Then the Imam added: “By Allah, the idols had not done it nor did Abraham tell a lie.”⁽¹⁾

However, some commentators also think that probably Abraham (a.s.) uttered this subject in the form of a conditional sentence, implying that if the idols can speak, they have done such an action. Certainly the meaning was not contrary to the actuality, because neither did the idols speak, nor had they done such a job.

There is also a tradition close to this very commentary cited in Burhān, Sāfī, and Nūr-uth-Thaqalayn.

64 فَرَجَعُوا إِلَی أَنفُسِهِمْ فَقَالُوا إِنَّکُمْ أَنتُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ 65 ثُمَّ نُکِسُوا عَلَی رُؤُوسِهِمْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا هَؤُلآءِ یَنطِقُونَ 64. “ So they turned to themselves and said: ‘Verily, you yourselves are the unjust’.”

Commentary: verses 64-65

The words of Abraham moved the idol worshippers

Arousing the inner senses, self finding, returning to one’s self, and heeding the natural disposition of people are among the main aims of the divine prophets (a.s.).

Therefore, the words of Abraham (a.s.) moved the idol worshippers and aroused their sleeping conscience. As a storm which takes the abundant ash from over the flames of fire and makes its brightness clear, Abraham made manifest their monotheistic nature from behind the curtains of their bigotry and ignorance.

During a short and fleeting time, they awoke from that deep and death-like sleep and returned to their conscience and nature and told themselves that they were truly unjust to themselves. They were unjust not only to themselves, but also to the society to which they belonged, and also to the holy presence of Allah, the Bestower of the blessings.⁽¹⁾The verse says:

“ So they turned to themselves and said: ‘Verily, you yourselves are the unjust’.”

But, the amount of the rust of their ignorance, bigotry and blindly imitation was more than that it could be completely wiped out and burnished by the call of this Champion of Monotheism.

Alas! That holy spiritual awakening state did not last long, and there appeared an opposition against this monotheistic light from the side of the evil powers, and because of ignorance existed in their dark polluted innate, everything returned to its first state. What a beautiful and narrow sense the Qur’ān has, where it says:

“ Then they were made to hang down their heads, …”

So, in order to bring an excuse for their deaf and dumb gods, they announced:

“… (saying:) ‘Very well indeed you know these (idols) do not speak’.”

They wanted to say that their idols are always silent and they never break the dignity of silence.

The idol worshippers, in fact, wanted to hide the weakness, vileness and abasement of the idols by this hollow excuse.

66 قَالَ أَفَتَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَالاَ یَنفَعُکُمْ شَیْئاً وَلاَ یَضُرُّکُمْ 67 اُفٍّ لَّکُمْ وَلِمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ 68 قَالُوا حِرّ ِقُوهُ وَانصُرُوا ءَالِهَتَکُمْ إِن کُنتُمْ فَاعِلِینَ 66. “ (Abraham) said: ‘Do you then worship, besides Allah, that which profits you nothing, neither hurts you?”

Commentary: verses 66-68

An ocean of fire was provided for Abraham

The godly men generally always pursue their holy aims in whatever condition they may be, and they do not stop even for a while, although their struggles may seem to be fulfilled in different shapes.

Along the way of his messengership, at first, Abraham (a.s.) goes toward his own uncle and relatives and invites them unto monotheism and Unity, but when he does not gain any positive result, for the second stage, he hastens to the idols and breaks them all. After that, addressing their innate disposition, he tries to awaken them, and, finally, next to his advice and reprimand, he makes them contemplate. He attacks them using his most violent words, and puts their minds under the frequent logical awakening blames, as the verse says:

“ (Abraham) said: ‘Do you then worship, besides Allah, that which profits you nothing, neither hurts you?”

Again, this teacher of monotheism goes on his own speech further than that, and by striking the whips of scorn upon their painless souls, he said to them:

“ Fie on you and on what you worship besides Allah! Have you then no sense?”

However, in blaming and scorning them, Abraham did not leave clemency, lest they would become more obstinate.

Thus, by the practical and logical reasoning of Abraham, all of the idol worshippers were condemned, but their intense obstinacy and bigotry hindered them to accept the Truth, and that was why they made a very harsh and dangerous decision about Abraham (a.s.). As for the reaction of the crowd, the Qur’ān says:

“ They said: ‘If you would do aught, burn him, and help your gods’.”

Similar to that, they said many vain things about Abraham, and they incited people to revolt against him in a way that, instead of a few loads of wood which could be sufficient to burn several persons, the inhabitants piled thousands of loads of wood over there which made a mountainous heap of wood, and, consequently, an ocean of fire was provided.

69 قُلْنَا یَانَارُ کُونِی بَرْداً وَسَلاَماً عَلَی إِبْرَاهِیمَ 70 وَأَرَادُوا بِهِ کَیْداً فَجَعَلْنَاهُمُ الاَخْسَرِینَ 69. “ We said: ‘O fire! Be you cold and safety for Abraham!’”

Commentary: verses 69-70

Abraham remained safe in the midst of the fire

The men of Allah are so steadfast in their divine aims that they are ready to devote their souls. Burning alive a person is the most terrible kind of slaughter.

There are many matters cited in commentaries about the event of throwing of Abraham (a.s.) into fire, among which is that: the polytheists, with the help and guidance of Satan, made a mangonel. Abraham, with his matchless trust to Allah, did not ask any help from any of the angels, even from Gabriel, and, at that time, he was busy praying to Allah in solitude and supplicating to Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) and his Ahl-ul-Bayt (a.s.).

At last, with cries of exultation of people and while they were shouting applauding, Abraham was thrown into the horrible flames of the prepared fire by means of a mangonel. They were shouting so happily that as if the breaker of the idols was destroyed for ever and turned to ash.

But Allah, Whose command is obeyed by everything, and Who had even taught the quality of burning to fire, and Who had taught the secret of love to mothers, decided to keep safe this sincere believing servant in the ocean of fire, and to add another proof to the evidences of his honour, as the Qur’ān here says:

“ We said: ‘O fire! Be you cold and safety for Abraham!’”

Undoubtedly, the command of Allah (s.w.t.) was a genetic command, the same command that, in the world of existence, He issues for the sun, the moon, the earth, the heaven, the water, the fire, the plants, the birds and everything, and without that command no effect comes forth from any cause.

Imam Sādiq (a.s.) said: “When Allah commanded the fire, saying: ‘Be you cold …’, because of the extreme cold (in the midst of Namrūd’s fire), the teeth of Abraham were shivering and hitting against each other, until the time it was told: ‘… and safety’ when its coldness disappeared and caused safety for him.”⁽¹⁾

Then, to draw a conclusion, the Holy Qur’ān, in a short sentence, concisely implies that the polytheists had decided to annihilate Abraham (a.s.) by this evil plan, but Allah made them the worse losers of people. The verse says:

“ And they intended a device against him, but We made them the worse losers.”

It is evident that by remaining Abraham safe in the middle of that fire, the scene changed entirely, the cries of joy fell down, and the mouths were wide open out of surprise, but still bigotry and obstinacy hindered them to accept the truth perfectly, although the alert hearts (minds) got their interest from this event and their faith unto the Lord of Abraham was increased.

However, the Arabic word /’axsarīn/ has been applied in the Qur’ān for those who do an indecent action while they think that their action is good, and therefore, they usually do not comprehend their loss to try to compensate it.

71 وَنَجَّیْنَاهُ وَلُوطاً إِلَی الاَرْضِ الَّتِی بَارَکْنَا فِیهَا لِلْعَالَمِینَ 71. “ And we delivered him, and Lot, unto the land which We have blessed for (all) peoples.”

Commentary: verse 71

He migrated to Syria after he had done his mission

The enemy wanted to destroy Abraham (a.s.): “… they intended a device against him”⁽¹⁾, but Allah not only saved him but also endowed on him a blessed generation and made also all of them from among the righteous and eligible ones: “…and We made them all righteous.”⁽²⁾

The event of burning Abraham alive in the fire and the miraculous safety of his life from this dangerous stage caused the chiefs of the government of Namrūd tremble. They thought if he, in that state, remained in that city and in that country, with that eloquent language, that powerful logic, and his matchless manliness, certainly he was a source of danger for that tyrannical egoistic government.

On the other hand, Abraham, in fact, had done his mission in that region and had sown the seed of faith and awareness in that land.

He ought to migrate into another part of the land and declare his call there. Therefore, he decided to migrate from that country towards Sham (Syria) accompanied with Lūt, (his brother’s son), Sārah (his wife), and probably with a small group of the believers. Thus, the Qur’ān says:

“ And we delivered him, and Lot, unto the land which We have blessed for (all) peoples.”

72 وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَیَعْقُوبَ نَافِلَةً وَکُلاًّ جَعَلْنَا صَالِحِینَ 72. “ And We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob as a further gift, and We made them all righteous.”

Commentary: verse 72

Isaac was born of a barren mother, Sarah

This holy verse points to one of the most important merits that Allah had endowed upon Abraham (a.s.). He (a.s.) was having got not only a righteous child but also a fruitful and worthy generation. The Qur’ān says:

“ And We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob as a further gift, …”

Then the holy verse adds that Allah made all of them some righteous, worthy, and useful men. The verse says:

“… and We made them all righteous.”

In this verse, the name of Isaac (a.s.) was mentioned while the name of Ishmael (a.s.), who was the first child of Abraham (a.s.), was not referred to. It is, perhaps, for the attracting of the attentions to the extraordinary and wonderful birth of Isaac who, by the will of Allah, was born of a barren mother, i.e., Sarah, in her old age.

By the way, a child is a gift of Allah, but what is more important than a child is his being righteous.

73 وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً یَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا وَأَوْحَیْنَآ إِلَیْهِمْ فِعْلَ الْخَیْرَاتِ وَإِقَامَ الصَّلاَةِ وَإِیتَآءَ الزَّکَاةِ وَکَانُوا لَنَا عَابِدِینَ 73. “ And We made them leaders guiding (the people) by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good deeds, and the establishing prayer, and the giving of alms, and they were worshippers of Us (alone).”

Commentary: verse 73

Ali (a.s.) is the successor of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.)

This verse in a general sense refers to the rank of Imamate and Leadership of these great prophets as well as a part of their important and valuable programs.

Here, on the whole, six specialties of these qualities are mentioned, to which if we add the specialty of being righteous, which was referred to in the previous verse, they will totally be seven specialties. At first, it says:

“ And We made them leaders …”

This means that, in addition to the rank of prophethood and messengership, Allah gave them the rank of Imamate, too. As it was also mentioned before, divine Imamate is the last stage of development course of man which means the absolute leadership of people; whether: material and spiritual, exoteric and esoteric, physical and mental.

The difference of prophethood and messengership with Imamate lies in this fact that the divine prophets in the rank of prophethood and messengership only receive the command of Allah and inform people of it in order to convey it to them, and this communication is often accompanied with glad tidings and warning. While in the stage of Imamate, they put these divine programs into action, whether it is done by formation of just

programs into action, whether it is done by formation of just government or without it. In this stage they are trainees and they carry the Divine ordinances and programs into effect, and they foster men so that they provide a clean environment for them.

In fact, the rank of Imamate is the rank of proving all the Divine programs to true. In other words, it is the remittance of the quest as well as both the religious guidance and Divine guidance.

From this point of view, it is just like the sun which fosters the living creatures by its rays.

Then, next to that stage, the Qur’ān reiterates the actuality and consequence of this rank. It continues saying:

“… guiding (the people) by Our command, …”

This guidance is not only in the sense of leading and showing the way, which exist in the rank of prophethood and messengership, but also in the sense of succour and gaining the aim (for those who are receptive and have competency, of courser).

There can be drawn a conclusion from the last part of the verse that Imam (the immaculate absolute leader of people) must be appointed from the side of Allah, because, firstly, Imamate is a kind of Divine covenant, and it is evident that such a person should be assigned by Allah Who is a side of the covenant.

Secondly: those who have somehow been unjust, and there is a dark point of injustice in their life, irrespective of injustice to themselves or injustice to others, or being idol worshipers even for a while, are not eligible for the rank of Imamate. In other words, Imam should have been Immaculate in his whole lifetime.

Can any one, save Allah, be aware of the existence of such an epithet in a person?

So, if we intend to choose the successor of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) through this criterion there can be none but Amir-ul-Mumineen Ali (a.s.).

It is interesting that the writer of Al-Manār narrates from Abī-Hanīfah that he believed that caliphate was exclusively eligible to Alawites, and for that reason he thought rebellion against the contemporary government of that time, (Mansūr-i-Abbasī), was permissible, therefore, he did not agree to accept the job of judgment in the government of Abbasides.

Then, the writer of Al-Manār adds that the four leaders of the Sunnites were totally antagonist to the governments of their times and did not assume them as eligible for leadership of the Muslims since they were some unjust cruel men.⁽¹⁾

But it is wonderful that a great deal of our contemporary Sunnite scholars approve and support some unjust tyrannical governments whose communication with the enemies of Islam is certain and decisive, and whose injustice and mischief is not concealed to anyone, and they easily consider them as ‘the people in authority’ and ‘those to be obeyed’.

Explanations:

“… and We revealed to them the doing of good deeds, and the establishing prayer, and the giving of alms, and they were worshippers of Us (alone).”

74 وَلُوطاً ءَاتَیْنَاهُ حُکْماً وَعِلْماً وَنَجَّیْنَاهُ مِنَ الْقَرْیَةِ الَّتِی کَانَتْ تَعْمَلُ الْخَبَآئِثَ إِنَّهُمْ کَانُوا قَوْمَ سَوْءٍ فَاسِقِینَ 75 وَأَدْخَلْنَاهُ فِی رَحْمَتِنَآ إِنَّهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِینَ 74. “ And Lot, We gave him wisdom and knowledge, and We delivered him from the town which were doing abominations. Verily they were evil people, perverse,”

Commentary: verses 74-75

The favours endowed upon Lūt are referred to

In view of the fact that Lūt was one of the close relatives of Abraham and was among the first persons who believed in him, next to the story of Abraham (a.s.), the Qur’ān refers to a part of the efforts and endeavours of Lūt (a.s.) in the way of conveying his prophethood and Allah’s favours unto him. The verse says:

“ And Lot, We gave him wisdom and knowledge, …”

Hadrat Lūt was a great prophet who was contemporary with Abraham and who, accompanying him, migrated from Babylon to Palestine, and later, he separated from Abraham and went to Sodom, a city. The people of this region were completely polluted with vice and sin, especially with sexual deviations and pollutions. He did his best and struggled very much to guide this aberrant group, but it affected the least on those blind-hearted people.

At last, the intensive Wrath and Punishment of Allah, seized them all, except Lūt’s family, with the exception of his wife, and destroyed them utterly.

Therefore, in the continuation of the holy verse, the Qur’ān points to this favour which Allah bestowed on Lūt when it says:

“… and We delivered him from the town which were doing abominations. …”

The reason of the punishment of those people is mentioned as that they were some bad people and had gone out of the circle of the obedience of Allah’s command. It continues saying:

“… Verily they were evil people, perverse,”

Then the Qur’ān refers to the last Divine favour from this group of favours which were given to Lūt, by saying:

“ And We admitted him into Our mercy; verily he was of the righteous.”

Thus, in this holy verse, four important favours of Allah, which were endowed on Lūt (a.s.), are pointed out. They are: wisdom, knowledge, deliverance and admitting him into Allah’s mercy.

Section 6:The Apostle of Allah delivered and blessed

Point

Noah delivered – The Bounties of Allah and His Blessings upon David, Solomon, Job, Ishmael, Idris, Zulkifl, Jonah, Zechariah, and Mary – The Religion of mankind as a whole is the one Religion ‘Islam’ and men should worship none but the only True God.

76 وَنُوحاً إِذْ نَادَی مِن قَبْلُ فَاستَجَبْنَا لَهُ فَنَجَّیْنَاهُ وَأَهْلَهُ مِنَ الْکَرْبِ الْعَظِیمِ 77 وَنَصَرْنَاهُ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِینَ کَذَّبُوا بِایَاتِنَآ إِنَّهُمْ کَانُوا قَوْمَ سَوْءٍ فَاَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ أَجْمَعِینَ 76. “ And (remember) Noah, when he called (his Lord) before, then We answered him, and delivered him and his family from the great calamity.”

Commentary: verses 76-77

Allah’s punishments are never as vengeanc

In this holy verse, after mentioning a part of the story of Abraham and Lūt, the Qur’ān refers to some explanations of the life of another great prophet, i.e., Noah (a.s.). It says:

“ And (remember) Noah, when he called

(his Lord) before, …”

Noah asked Him to deliver him from the grips of those deluded disbelievers.

This call of Noah is apparently a hint to the curse which has been stated in Sura Noah, No. 71, verses 26 and 27 where the Qur’ān declares: “And Noah said: ‘My Lord! Leave not upon the land any dweller from among the unbelievers’;” “For verily if You leave them they will lead astray Your servants, and will not beget any but immoral, ungrateful (children)’.”

Then, the verse continues saying:

“… Then We answered him, and delivered him and his family from the great calamity.”

The Qur’ānic word /’ahl/ has a vast meaning here which envelops both Noah’s believing relatives and his special true friends.

And, in the next verse, the Qur’ān also adds:

“ And We helped him against the people who rejected Our signs; verily they were an evil people, so We drowned them all together.”

This very last sentence is another emphasis on this fact that the Divine punishments are never done to be taken vengeance, but they are on the basis of choosing the better. In another sense, the right of life and using its blessings is for those who are on the line of development and journey to Allah (s.w.t.), or if one day they went astray, they would repent and improve themselves later.

78 وَدَاوُدَ وَسُلَیْمَ-انَ إِذْ یَحْکُمَانِ فِی الْحَرْثِ إِذْ نَفَشَتْ فِیهِ غَنَمُ الْقَوْمِ وَکُنَّا لِحُکْمِهِمْ شَاهِدِینَ 79 فَفَهَّمْنَاهَا سُلَیْمانَ وَکُلاًّ ءَاتَیْنَا حُکْماً وَعِلْماً وَسَخَّرْنَا مَعَ دَاوُدَ الْجِبَالَ یُسَبّ-ِحْنَ وَالطَّیْرَ وَکُنَّا فَاعِلِینَ 78. “ And (remember) David and Solomon when they gave judgment concerning the field, when the sheep of the people pastured in it by night, and We were witnesses to their judgment.”

Commentary: verses 78-79

All beings are often busy glorifying Allah

It is understood fairly well from some Islamic narrations and interpretations about the event which is mentioned in this holy verse that: it happens that one night some sheep go into someone’s vineyard and ruin it. The owner of the vine trees lodges a complaint to David (a.s.). In order to compensate the damage, David judges that all these sheep should be delivered to the owner of that garden. But his son, Solomon (a.s.) suggests another way of solution for the problem to his father, saying that the sheep have to be given to the complainant so that he can take their benefits and the garden should be delivered to the owner of the sheep in order to amend it, and

after compensating the damage caused by the sheep, each of the owners takes back his original property.⁽¹⁾The verse says:

“ And (remember) David and Solomon when they gave judgment concerning the field, when the sheep of the people pastured in it by night, and We were witnesses to their judgment.”

Evidently both of the Divine prophets tried to find a way to compensate the loss, but the father (David (a.s.)) thought in the deliverance of the sheep, while the son (Solomon (a.s.)) intended to provide it by means of the benefits of the sheep. Allah in this verse says:

“ So We made Solomon to understand it, and unto each (of them) We gave wisdom and knowledge. …”

Meaning that though Allah gave both of them knowledge and wisdom but, in this case, the judgment of Solomon was better.

Then the Qur’ān points to another merit and honour that Allah had bestowed on David, by saying:

“… And with David We subdued the mountains to give glory, and the birds, …”

This sentence means that these deeds are not so important comparing Allah’s power, and He says:

“… and We were the doers (thereof).”

However, an Islamic tradition indicates that whenever David (a.s.) was busy reciting the heavenly Book (Zabūr), there was no stone, mountain, and bird but, by hearing his voice, it also sang with him. (The commentaries of Sāfī and Nūr-uth-Thaqalayn) The reason of this is that all beings, including mountains and birds, have got a kind of perception that they are often busy glorifying Allah.

80 وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ صَنْعَةَ لَبُوسٍ لَکُمْ لِتُحْصِنَکُم مِن بَأْسِکُمْ فَهَلْ أَنتُمْ شَاکِرُونَ 81 وَلِسُلَیْمانَ الرّ ِیحَ عَاصِفَةً تَجْرِی بِاَمْرِهِ إِلَی الاَرْضِ الَّتِی بَارَکْنَا فِیهَا وَکُنَّا بِکُلّ ِ شَیْءٍ عَالِمِینَ 80. “ And We taught him the art of making the coat of mail for you to protect you in your wars. Are you then thankful?”

Commentary: verses 80-81

Everything is humble before the knowledge of Allah

In the last verse of this group of verses, the Qur’ān again points to one of the merits that Allah had granted to this great prophet. It says:

“ And We taught him the art of making the coat of mail for you to protect you in your wars. Are you then thankful?”

As the Late Tabarsī cites in Majma‘-ul-Bayān, the Arabic word /labūs/ means any kind of defensive and offensive weapon, such as: mail, sword, and spear.⁽¹⁾

But, the frames of references which exist in the Qur’ān show that the Qur’ānic word /labūs/, mentioned in this verse, means ‘the coat of mail’ which had been used as a means of protection in the battles.

The explanation of the fact that how Allah made iron as a soft and pulpy material for David, and taught him the art of

making mail, will be said later under the verses 10 and 11 of Sura Saba’, No. 34, Allah willing.

Then, in the next verse, the Qur’ān refers to a violent wind which used to blow in the holy land of Syria; but, as it is understood from Sura Sād, No. 38, verse 36, Hadrat Sulaymān (Solomon) (a.s.) had gotten the power of domination and commanding upon the slow winds in other regions, too, where it says: “Then We made the wind subservient to him; it made his command to run gently whenever he desired.”

Sura Saba’, No. 34, verse 12 refers to the length of the time and the distance that Solomon (a.s.) could travel by the wind, where it says: “And (We made) the wind (subservient) to Sulaymān, which made a month’s journey in the morning and a month’s journey in the evening, …”. It can be deduced from these matters that the friends of Allah are able to cause alteration in nature by Allah’s leave; and that the winds have perception, too, and they perceive and execute the command of Allah and the commands of the friends of Allah.

However, in this holy verse, Allah says:

“And for Solomon We (subdued) the wind blowing violent, that ran at his command unto the land where We had blessed; …”

And this is not wonderful, because Allah is the knower of all things. The verse continues saying:

“… and of everything We are aware.”

He is aware of not only the secrets of the world of existence and the rules and systems governing them, and knows how to make them subservient but also of the result and the end of this job, and, however, everything is humble and submissive before the Knowledge and Power of Allah.

82 وَمِنَ الشَّیَاطِینِ مَن یَغُوصُونَ لَهُ وَیَعْمَلُونَ عَمَلاً دُونَ ذَلِکَ وَکُنَّا لَهُمْ حَافِظِینَ 82. “ And some of the Satans dived for him and did (also) other work besides that, and We were watching over them.”

Commentary: verse 82

The Qur’ān says some facts about Solomon

This verse reiterates another one of the exclusive merits of Solomon (a.s.). It indicates that Allah made some Satans subservient to him to dive into the sea and bring out jewels and other precious things for him; they would do some deeds for him other than these. He (s.w.t.) caused them not to disobey Solomon’s command. The verse says:

“ And some of the Satans dived for him and did (also) other work besides that, and We were watching over them.”

Whatever is referred to in this verse as ‘Satan’ has been stated is Sura Saba’, No. 34, verses 12 and, 19, as ‘jinn’, and it is clear that these two verses do not contradict each other, for we know that ‘Satans’ are also of the kind of ‘jinn’.

However, as it has been mentioned previously, jinn is a creature that possesses wisdom, sensation, talent and duty. We do not see jinn and that is why it is called by this name, meaning (concealed). As it is understood from the verses of Sura Jinn, No. 72, Jinns are divided, as human beings, into two groups: righteous believers, and arrogant disbelievers. We have no evidence for the negation of their existence and, since the true informer (the Qur’ān) has informed us of them, we accept it as a fact.

It is well understood from Sura Sād, No. 38, and Sura Saba’, No. 34, as well as the verse under discussion, that this group of jinn, who were under the command of Solomon, were some intelligent, active, ingenious and skilled ones in different arts.

The sentence which says: “…and did (also) other work besides that …” is an epitome of what is widely explained in Sura Saba’, No. 34, which indicates that they made some very beautiful, splendid sanctuaries and temples for him as well as various appliance of life and utensil including pots, cauldrons, very large plates, and the like of them.

Some other verses of the Qur’ān, relating to Solomon (a.s.) denote that there were some arrogant disobedient Satans, too, whom he (a.s.) had made bound together in fetters and in chain, for the Qur’ān says: “And others fettered in chain.”⁽¹⁾And, maybe the sentence “… and We were watching over them” also points to this fact that He restrained that group of servants of Solomon (a.s.) from arrogance and disobedience. Further explanation in this field will be discussed in the commentary detailed upon Sura Saba’, No. 34, and Sura Sād, No. 38, Allah willing.

However, it seems necessary to be mentioned that there are many false or doubtful mythological matters about the life of Solomon and his forces which should never be mixed with what is stated in the Holy Qur’ān, for they may become some pretexts for those who seek excuse.

83 وَأَیُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَی رَبَّهُ أَنّ-ِی مَسَّنِیَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِینَ 84 فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ فَکَشَفْنَا مَا بِهِ مِن ضُرٍّ وءَاتَیْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِندِنَا وَذِکْرَی لِلْعَابِدِینَ 83. “ And (remember) Job when he called unto his Lord (saying:) ‘Verily distress has touched me, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful ones’.”

Commentary: verses 83-84

Allah accepted Job’s invocation and prayer

These two holy verses speak about one of other great prophets of Allah and his instructive biography, i.e. Job. He has a sad biography but, in the meantime, it is splendid and full of dignity. His patience was very wonderful, specially for bearing the unpleasant events, in a form that ‘Job’s patience’ is an old proverb.

Through the verses under discussion, the Holy Qur’ān particularly points to the stage of Job’s rescue and overcoming the difficulties when he regains his lost merits, so that it may be a lesson for all the believers in any time and any place who involve in difficulties, and the Muslim believers of Mecca, in particular, who were seriously in the siege of the enemy at the time of the revelation of these verses. The verse, addressing the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), implies that he should remember Job when he called his Lord, saying: distress, pain, sickness and

miseries had surrounded him, and that He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones. The verse says:

“ And (remember) Job when he called unto his Lord (saying:) ‘Verily distress has touched me, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful ones’.”

The Arabic word /durr/, upon the rhythm of /hurr/, is applied to any calamity that visits the man’s spirit or body, as well as mutilation, loss of wealth, the death of the dear persons, spoiling of prestige, and the like. As we will explain later, Job visited many of these calamities.

As other prophets, at the time of invocation for the removal of his exhausting difficulties, Job was very polite and humble before Allah. He did not say anything to be even like complaint. He only said that He might solve his problem because he knew that He is the Great and aware of the way of it.

Then in the next verse, the Qur’ān implies that after Job’s invocation, Allah accepted his prayer and removed his pain and calamity. The verse says:

“ So We responded to him (his prayer) and We removed the distress that was upon him, …”

Then, it continues saying that He returned his family to him, and added to them the like of them, in order that it would be both a mercy from Him to them and a remembrance for all those who worship Allah. The verse says:

“… and We restored his family to him, and the like of them with them; a mercy from Us and a reminder for the worshippers.”

This fact has been stated here in order that the Muslims know that how plenty the difficulties are and how much the calamities may be, and how intense the enemies can be and their forces may be abundant, yet with a slight mercy of Allah

all of these can be removed. It is so that not only the losses will be amended, but also sometimes, as a reward for the steadfast patient, He adds to it the like of what has been lost. This is a lesson for all Muslims in general and particularly for the Muslims who were in the siege of the enemy and had so many problems at the time of the revelation of these verses.

A Few Points about Job (a.s.):

In order that this event was an evidence for all the followers of the path of the truth, Allah gave this permission to him. Iblis came and destroyed his wealth and children one after another, but, not only these painful events did not decrease the state of thankfulness of Job, but his gratitude was increased.

Satan asked Allah that he would also dominate over his sheep and farming. This permission was given him. Then he burnt Job’s farming utterly and destroyed his sheep, too. Again the thankfulness of Job was increased.

Finally, Satan asked Allah to dominate over the body of Job, and to cause him a terrible sickness. This happened in a

manner that Job could not move because of intense of disease and suppuration, without the existence of the least infection in his intelligence and understanding.

Precisely speaking, the favours of Job were taken one after another, but parallel with it the rank of gratitude increased in him.

It happened that a group of monks came to visit him. They asked him what kind of great sin he had committed that he was in too much calamity. Thus, the scorn of people began and this case tolerated too much for Job. He answered them that, by the Lord, he had never consumed a morsel but an orphan or a poor person was sitting at his food table; and there had came no worship of Allah to him but he had chosen its hardest form.

It was at this time that Job had passed successfully all his examinations in the rank of patience and gratitude. He began supplicating and, with a very polite manner, and free from any complaint, he asked his Lord to help him mercifully for solving his problems, (verse 83). It was then when the doors of the Divine mercy started to be opened and very soon his difficulties swiftly disappeared and the divine favours came back to him more than what there were before. (Al-Mīzān, narrated from Tafsīr-i-Qummī)

Yes, the thoughts and programs of men of Allah do not change with the change of favours. When they are in welfare or distress, freedom or prison, safety or sickness, power or weakness, and, on the whole, in all circumstances their attentions are toward Allah and the alterations of life do not create any change in them. Their soul is similar to the Pacific Ocean, the peach of which remains still even with the storms.

Also, they never lose hope because of bitter events. They stand firm and persevere until the doors of the Divine mercy would be opened. They do know that hard incidents are

originally the Divine examinations that sometimes He provides them for some of His particular servants in order to make them more experience.

Some commentators believe that Allah probably gave some new offspring and grand children to Job and they filled the empty place of the children whom he had lost.

However, Ayyūb (Job) is a prophet who has been honoured with the sign of patience in the Qur’ān, where it says: “… verily We found him patient; most excellent the servant! Surely he was frequent in returning (to Allah).”⁽²⁾

85 وإِسْماعِیلَ وَإِدْرِیسَ وَذَا الْکِفْلِ کُلٌّ مِنَ الصَّابِرِینَ 86 وَأَدْخَلْنَاهُمْ فِی رَحْمَتِنَآ إِنَّهُم مِنَ الصَّالِحِینَ 85. “ And (remember) Ishmael and Idrīs, and Zul-kifl;

all were of the patient.”

Commentary: verses 85-86

Enoch invited people for 365 years but none believed

Following to the instructive biography of Job (a.s.) and his patience against the storm of calamities, these current verses refer to the rank of the patience of three other persons from among the divine prophets, where the Qur’ān says:

“ And (remember) Ishmael and Idrīs, and Zul-kifl;

all were of the patient.”

Every one of them patiently persevered before the enemies and laborious difficulties they had throughout their lifetime, and never kneed for those events, so that each of them was an example of steadfastness and perseverance.

Then the Holy Qur’ān points to the greatest favour of Allah which came to them as a result of their patience and perseverance. It states:

“ And We admitted them into Our Mercy; verily they were of the righteous.”

It is interesting that the Holy Qur’ān does not say Allah bestowed His mercy upon them, but it says He admitted them into His Mercy. As if they had dived into the Mercy of Allah with their whole body and soul in the same manner that they had dived into the ocean of difficulties aforetime.

As was explained before, ’Idrīs, the great prophet of Allah, according to many commentators, had been the ancestor of Noah. Enoch is the name which used in the Turah while in Arabic it is ’Idrīs, and some considered that it is derived from the Arabic word /dars/ because he was the first person who wrote by pen.

Besides having the rank of prophecy, Enoch (a.s.) knew astronomy and arithmetic as well as configuration of elements, and it is said that he was the first one who taught tailoring to human beings.⁽¹⁾

It is known among the commentators that Zul-kifl has been one of the Divine prophets, though some believe that he was one of the righteous men. (Commentary, by Fakhr-i-Rāzī). The apparent meaning of the verses of the Qur’ān, in which he is mentioned in the row of the great prophets, indicate that he is one of the prophets, too, and it also seems that he had been one of the prophets of the Children of Israel. (The Commentary of Fī-Zilāl)

In Tafsīr-i-Majma‘-ul-Bayān, it is narrated from ‘Abdul-‘Azīm Hasanī who narrates from Imam Jawād (the ninth Imam) (a.s.) that Allah has appointed one hundred and twenty four thousand prophets for guiding humankind among whom one hundred and thirteen are messengers and Zul-Kifl was one of those messengers.

The opinions are divided concerning the reason of naming Zul-Kifl by this appellation in regard that the Arabic word Kifl, (upon the rhythm of /fikr/), has been used in the meaning of both ‘share’ and ‘surety’. Some have said that since Allah had given him a great portion of rewards and mercy for the

abundant good deeds and worships that he used to do he has been named as Zul-Kifl (meaning the possessor of much interest). Some others have said since he had pledged to get up for worship by nights and to be fast on days, and never he was angry at the time of judgment, and he fulfilled his promise until the end, he was called Zul-Kifl.

Some also believe that ‘Zul-Kifl’ is the nickname of Elijah, Similar to ‘Israel’, which was the nickname of Jacob, and ‘Massiah’ as the nickname of Jesus, and Zannūn the nickname of Yūnus. (The commentary of Fakhr-i-Rāzī under the current verse, and the history of Kāmil-i-Ibn-i-’Athīr, vol. 1, p. 1036)

By the way, Hadrat ‘Ismā’īl, for the command of Allah saying that he must be killed by his father, was patient, and Hadrat Enoch also invited people to the religion of truth for 365 years but no one believed in him.⁽¹⁾

87 وَذَا النُّونِ اِذْ ذَهَبَ مُغَاضِباً فَظَنَّ أَن لَن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَیْهِ فَنَادَی فِی الظُّلُمَاتِ أَن لآ إِلَهَ إِلآَّ أَنتَ سُبْحَانَکَ إِنّ-ِی کُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِینَ 88 فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجَّیْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمّ ِ وَکَذَلِکَ نُنْجِی الْمُؤْمِنِینَ 87. “ And (remember) Zan-Nūn (Jonah) when he departed (his people) in anger and imagined that We would not straiten him; so he called out in the darkness: ‘There is no god but You (O my Lord!). Glory be to You! Verily I was of the unjust ones’!”

Commentary: verses 87-88

Allah delivers the believers of grief

These two holy verses are also about the life of Yūnus (a.s.), the great prophet of Allah. At first, it implies that you should remember Jonah when he went out angrily from among his people who were idolater and disobedient. The verse says:

“ And (remember) Zan-Nūn (Jonah) when he departed

(his people) in anger …”

The Arabic word /nūn/ philologically means a huge fish, or, in another sense, it is a crocodile. Thus, the word Zan-Nūn means ‘the possessor of a crocodile’. Taking this name for Yūnus is for the event which will be referred to later, Allah willing.

However, he thought Allah would not straiten the life for him. He imagined he had fulfilled his prophetic mission fully among his disobedient people and had not even left any better in this field. So, now that he left them to themselves and went

out from among them, there was nothing to him; while he would rather remain more than that among them and showed patience and perseverance haply they might be aware and turn toward Allah. The verse says:

“… and imagined that We would not straiten him; …”

At last, for that very leaving the better, he was put in straits and a huge crocodile swallowed him when in that darkness he called Allah, his Lord, saying that he was unjust both to himself and to his people, because he should suffer the miseries and difficulties more than that and that he should accept all tortures so that they might improve themselves. The verse continues saying:

“… so he called out in the darkness: ‘There is no god but You (O my Lord!). Glory be to You! Verily I was of the unjust ones’!”

Finally, Allah accepted his prayer and made him free from affliction and grief. In such a way He, the Almighty, delivers the believers. The verse says:

“ So We responded to him (his prayer) and delivered him from the grief; and thus do We deliver the believers.”

This program was not allocated to Yūnus alone but every one of the believers who asks forgiveness from Allah for his shortcomings and asks Him for help and mercy Allah accepts his prayer, and his grief will be removed.

Some Explanations about the Life of Yūnus:

and, leaving that place, went to the shore of the sea. He embarked a ship there, but in the way the sea became so wavy that it was about that all the people in the ship to be drowned. The captain of the ship, addressing the passengers, said he thought there was a runaway slave among them whom had to be thrown into the sea. (Or he said the ship was too heavy and by drawing lots, one passenger should he thrown into the sea.) However, they cast lots for several times and every time Yūnus was elected by lots. Yūnus understood that there was a secret concealed in that, so he resigned himself to the events. When he was thrown into the sea, a huge crocodile swallowed him, and Allah miraculously kept him alive.

When he finally realized that he had done a ‘leaving the better’, he turned to Allah and confessed his shortcoming and negligence. Allah accepted his prayer, too, and delivered him from that strait.⁽¹⁾

There may be thought that this event, from the point of science, is impossible, but undoubtedly this matter is a supernatural event and not an intellective impossibility. It is like the dead being quickened, which is considered but a supernatural event, and it is not impossible. In other words, the fulfilment of such a thing in ordinary ways is not possible, but, by asking the help and infinite power of Allah, there is no problem in it.

What Darkness Means Here?

This darkness may refer to the darkness of the sea and the depth of water there, or the darkness of the belly of the huge

fish, or the darkness of the night. A tradition narrated from Imam Baqir (a.s.) also verifies this meaning.⁽¹⁾

What was Yūnus’ Leaving the Better?

No doubt the application of the Qur’ānic phrase ‘in anger’ refers to the anger of Yūnus due to his faithless people, and such an anger and inconvenience in that condition, that a sympathetic divine prophet tries hard during years for guiding a misguided people but they never respond him positively, is completely natural.

On the other side, in view of the fact that Yūnus knew that the Divine punishment was coming over them, leaving that city and locality had not been a sin, but for a great prophet such as Yūnus, it was better he remained there until the last moment after which the Divine punishment might come. For this very reason and for this haste, as a leaving the better, Yūnus was taken to task from the side of Allah.

An Instructive Lesson

The Qur’ānic sentence: “… and thus do We deliver the believers” shows that Yūnus’ calamity and deliverance was not only a decree particular to him (a.s.), but, observing the hierarchical order, it has a common and general state.

Many of the sad events, miseries and calamities are the consequences of our own sins. They are whips for awakening our unaware souls, or they are furnaces to purify the material of the man’s soul. When a man notices the same three points that Yūnus noticed, his deliverance will be certain. 1- Noting the reality of Monotheism, and that there is no god and no

refuge but Allah. 2- Glorification and purification of Allah from any defect, deficiency, injustice, cruelty and any wrong imagination about His Pure Essence. 3- Confession to one’s own fault.

The witness to this statement is the tradition which has been cited in Durr-ul-Manthūr, narrated from the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), who said: “One of the names of Allah by which whoever calls Him he will be answered and whenever he asks something by it He will give him that thing, is the prayer of Yūnus.”

Once someone asked the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) whether that was particular to Yūnus alone or it can be used by all Muslim people. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) answered it was related to both Yūnus and all the believers when they call Allah by it. Then he said whether that person had not heard the word of Allah in the Qur’ān where He says: “… and thus do We deliver the believers.” This is a reference that whoever invokes such a prayer Allah has guaranteed its acceptance. (Durr-ul-Manthūr, according to the narration of Al-Mīzān below the verses under discussion)

It does not need to be mentioned that the purpose of calling Him is not only pronouncing the mere words, but its reality must be reflected on the inside and the man’s soul; i.e. while reciting these words, the whole entity of man must be filled with their meanings in his practice.

This is also necessary to be mentioned here that the Divine punishments are of two kinds. One of them is the punishment of /’istīsāl/, viz. the Divine punishment which comes for the incorrigible people to annihilate them to which no prayer is beneficial at this time, because after vanishing the storm of the affliction, the same vices will be repeated.

The other kind of punishments is the punishments which are for training aspects. At these times and in these cases, as soon as the punishment affects and the concerning person comes out of his negligence, it will quickly disappear.

This fact makes it clear that one of the philosophies of the miseries, calamities, and inconvenient events is the same effect of vigilance and training.

The event of Yūnus also warns all the leaders of the path of Truth in different fields that they should never consider that their mission has ended, nor do they think that any effort and endeavour is small in this way, since their responsibility is very grievous and heavy.

89 وَزَکَرِیَّآ إِذْ نَادَی رَبَّهُ رَبّ ِ لاَ تَذَرْنِی فَرْداً وَأَنتَ خَیْرُ الْوَارِثِینَ 90 فَاسْتَجَبْنا لَهُ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ یَحْیَی وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ إِنَّهُمْ کَانُوا یُسَارِعُونَ فِی الْخَیْرَاتِ وَیَدْعُونَنَا رَغَباً وَرَهَباً وَکَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِینَ 89. “ And (remember) Zechariah, when he called unto his Lord: ‘O my Lord! Leave me not alone (without a child); and You are the best of inheritors’.”

Commentary: verses 89-90

The proper meanings of two words of the verse

In these two verses the Holy Qur’ān states a part of the biography of the personality of other two great prophets of Allah, Zachariah akarriyā and Yahyā (John). At first, it says:

“ And (remember) Zechariah, when he called unto his Lord: ‘O my Lord! Leave me not alone (without a child); and You are the best of inheritors’.”

There came many years to the age of Zechariah, and the snow of senescence covered his head, but he had no child yet. On the other hand he had a barren wife.

He (a.s.) longed for a child who could pursue his divine programs. Then he heartily turned to the Lord and asked for a righteous and fruitful child.

Allah accepted this sincere invocation which was full of love to the Truth, and granted him what he desired, as He says:

“ So We responded to him (his prayer) and bestowed upon him Yahyā (John), …”

Then the verse implies that: in order that he (a.s.) reaches this aim of his, Allah set the barrenness of wife right for him. It says:

“… and We set his wife right (of her barrenness)

for him; …”

Next to that, the Holy Qur’ān points to three outstanding qualities of this family, when it says:

“… verily they used to vie one with the other, hastening to good deeds, and called upon Us in yearning and awe; and were humbled before Us.”

They were always humble and that humility was mixed with respect, politeness, and awe, accompanied with the sense of responsibility.

The mentioning of these three qualities may be a hint to the fact that they did not become neglectful and proud at the time of reaching bounties. These are the epithets of the incapacious person and those people whose faith is weak when they gain some affluence.

However, Imam Sādiq (a.s.), concerning the meaning of the Qur’ānic words: /raqaban/ and /rahaban/ said that /raqbat/ (yearning) is that in which you set the palms of the hands towards the sky, and /rahbat/ (awe) is that in which you set the back of the hands toward the sky.⁽¹⁾Therefore, the speediness in doing good and benevolent deeds and prayer, accompanied with hope and awe, can be effective in the acceptance of supplication.

91 وَالَّتِی أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِیهَا مِن رُّوحِنَا وَجَعَلْنَاهَا وَابْنَهَآ ءَایَةً لّ-ِلْعَالَمِینَ 91. “ And (remember) her (Mary) who guarded her chastity so We breathed unto her from Our spirit and We appointed her and her son a sign for (all) people.”

Commentary: verse 91

Mary was mentioned in the row of prophets

The main thing in the statement of the Qur’ānic matters is the introduction of the human virtues and their examples. In this connection, there is no difference between the virtue of man and woman.

Chastity is one of the most outstanding virtues of a woman, and the chastity of mother can often promote both her and her children to the highest ranks.

The rank of a woman reaches a point where Allah praises her in the row of prophets and sets her as His sign among mankind, “… We appointed her and her son a sign for (all) people.”

So, in this verse, He has pointed to the rank, grandeur, and respect of Mary and her son, Hadrat Messiah (a.s.).

Mentioning Mary in the row of the discussions about great prophets is either for the sake of her son, Hadrat Messiah, or for that her birth, from some points of view, was like the birth of Yahyā the offspring of Zechariah, the explanation of which was described in the commentary of the holy verses of Sura Maryam, No. 19.

Or, it is for the sake that it makes clear that the grandeur of that rank is not limited only to the great men, but there have been some great women, too, whose history is the sign of their

greatness, and they have been taken as examples and good patterns for the women of the worlds. The verse says:

“ And (remember) her (Mary) who guarded

her chastity …”

Then, Allah blew into her from His Own spirit and made her and her son a sign for all human beings. The holy verse continues saying:

“… so We breathed unto her from Our spirit and We appointed her and her son a sign for (all) people.”

A Few Points about This Verse:

In other more clear words, if we want to actually render the metaphorical meaning properly, the equivalent meaning of the Qur’ānic phrase: /’ahsanat farjahā/ is ‘she kept her chastity safely’, and thus this meaning is not sharp or biting in this context.

It is better to say, as some believe, there is not any word in the Arabic language to be used for the explicit meaning of genital organ or sexual association. Whatever is found of this kind has a metaphorical aspect. For sexual association, for instance, there are some words such as: ‘to touch’, ‘to enter’, ‘to cover’, and ‘to go to the spouse’ that have been used in

different verses of the Qur’ān in this sense, and all of them are in the metaphorical forms.

However, for commenting upon this kind of words, which are mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān, the essential and original meaning of those words should be noted, in order that the metaphorical aspects of them can be recognized and any ambiguity be dismissed.

It is also necessary to be mentioned that the apparent sate of the abovementioned verse indicates that Mary protected her chastity from any sort of pollution. But some commentators have offered another meaning for the holy verse saying that probably she restrained from any kind of assoiciation with a man (whether of the lawful or unlawful one). (Tafsīr-i-Fakhr-i-Rāzī). This is the same thing which Sura Maryam, No. 19, verse 20 refers to. It says: “She said: ‘How shall there be for me a son while no man has touched me, neither have I been unchaste!’” This holy statement is, in fact, a preparation for proving the miraculous birth of Jesus (a.s.) and that his birth was a sign for humankind.