Book ID

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

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

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 Sadr-‘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-Furqan (No. 26), Part 19

Section 3: The Qur'an was reveled gradually ..............17

The Arabic-English text of verse 21 .......................17

Commentary, verse 21............. 18-20

Pagans demanded the Prophet to see Allah...............19

Commentary, verse 22 .............................. 21-23

Commentary, verse 23 .............. 24-26

Righteous deeds must be protected from hypocrisy, proud,................. 25

Commentary, verse 24 ............................ 27

Commentary, verses 25-26 .............28-31

On a day, skies will be exploded and a cloud is created..... 29

Occasion of Revelation ....... 32-33

Commentary, verses 27-29.........33-36

That Day is the day of anguish....... 34

The Role of friend in man's destiny ................. 36-37

Some traditions about friendship in Islam ........... 37-39

Commentary, verse 30 ......40-41

Some points ........................41-43

Commentary, verse 31..........44

Commentary, verse 32.................. 45-46

Explanations.............................46

Slowly and distinctly reading of the Qur'an (Tartil). 46-47

Commentary, verse 33 ...... 48

Explanations......... 48

Commentary, verse 34... 49-51

Section 4: What happened to the disbeliever people in the past ............52

Commentary, verse 35.................52

Commentary, verse 36 ....................53

Commentary, verse 37 ..................54

Commentary, verses 38-39..............55-57

Commentary, verse 40...............58

Commentary, verse 41................59

Commentary, verse 42................60-61

Commentary, verse 43.............62-63

Note .............63-67

Commentary, verse 44............68-69

Section 5: The guidance man gets from the working of nature ...................... 70

Commentary, verses 45-46 ............70-73

Commentary, verse 47 .....74-76

Commentary, verses 48-49 .... 77-78

Some points .......79-80

Commentary, verse 50..........81-82

Commentary, verses 51-52.................83-84

Commentary, verse 53.................85-87

Commentary, verse 54.............88-91

Commentary, verse 55................92-93

Commentary, verse 56 .............94

Commentary, verse 57...........95-96

Commentary, verse 58 ...............97-98

Whom must we trust?...................98

Some traditions on trust ............................98-99

Commentary, verse 59 ..............100-102

Commentary, verse 60................. 103-104

Section 6: Repentance, belief and good deeds ............. 105

Commentary, verse 61................. 105-107

Commentary, verse 62 .................................... 108-109

Conclusion.............................. 109-110

Commentary, verses 63-64 .............................. 111-114

Some traditions on Humbleness and Night Prayer 114-116

Commentary, verses 65-66 .......117-118

Commentary, verse 67............119-120

Commentary, verse 68...........121-123

Commentary, verses 69-70..............124-125

Questions...............125-126

Changing evil deeds to good deeds.................. 127-128

Commentary, verse 71...............129

Some traditions on repentance ......................... 129-130

Commentary, verse 72....................131-133

Commentary, verses 73-74..............134-137

Commentary, verses 75-76 ...........................138-140

Commentary, verse 77.................141-143

Some traditions on praying .....................144-146

Some traditions on patience...................146-149

The End of Sura Al-Furqan

Sura Ash-Shu'ara' (the Poets), No. 26 .................150

The Feature of the Sura ................. 150-151

The virtue of the Sura .............151

Section 1: Qur'ān, the Book Manifest ......................152

Arabic-English text, verses 1-3 ......152

Commentary, verses 1-3......... 153-154

29 verses of the Qur'an contain abbreviated letters ..... 153

Commentary, verses 4-6 ....155-158

People began scoffing at the revelation .................157

Commentary, verses 7-9 ........................159-161

Studying the beauties of the universe is the best way of knowing Allah........................... 159

Section 2: Moses and Aaron sent towards Pharaoh ...... 162

Commentary, verses 10-12 .............................. 162-164

There are the life story of 7 prophets in this Sura ....... 162

Commentary, verses 13-15 ............................... 165-168

Moses struck the Coptic with his first and he died ...... 165

Commentary, verses 16-19 ........169-171

Allah's friends do not get bound by ties of hospitality. 169 Commentary,verse20..........172-173

Commentary, verse 21............ 174-175

The reason of Moses' escape after that event ............ 174

Commentary, verse 22................176-177

Commentary, verses 23-26 .............178-181

Commentary, verses 27-30..............182-183

A Persian poem says .....................183-184

The rest of the commentary ................... 184-185

Commentary, verse 31 ..........186

Commentary, verses 32-33......187-188

Section 3: Pharaoh's sorcerers embrance the truth ...... 189

Commentary, verses 34-35 ............................... 189-191

Commentary, verses 36-37 ........................... 192-193

Commentary, verses 38-39.............194-195

Commentary, verses 40-42..............196-198

Commentary, verses 43-44...............199-200

Commentary, verses 45-48...............201-203

Commentary, verses 49-51 ...............204-208

Section 4: Moses rescues the Children of Israel...........209

Commentary, verses 52-53...........209-211

Commentary, verses 54-56 ....................212-213

Commentary, verses 57-60 ...................214-216

Commentary, verses 61-62 .................217-218

Commentary, verses 63-64............219-220

Commentary, verses 65-66 ...........221-222

Commentary, verses 67-68 .........223-224

Section 5: Abraham exhorts his father, 'Athar to discard idolatry........225

Commentary, verses 69-71......225-227

Commentary, verses 72-73..............228-229

Commentary, verses 74-76 ............230-231

Commentary, verse 77 ............232-233

Commentary, verses 78-82 .......................... 234-237

Commentary, verse 83 ................238-239

Commentary, verses 84-86................80 ............................. 240-242

Commentary, verses 87-89..............243-245

Commentary, verses 90-92...............246-247

Commentary, verses 93-95 ..........................248-249

Commentary, verses 96-99................250-251

Commentary, verses 100-102..............252-253

Some traditions upon intercession .................. 253-254

Commentary, verses 103-104 .......................... 255

Section 6: Noah exhorts his people to worship the Only True God .......................... 256

Commentary, verses 105-108 ........................... 256-258

Commentary, verses 109-111 ...................... 259-260

Commentary, verses 112-113 ........................... 261-262

Commentary, verses 114-115..............263-264

Commentary, verses 116-118..............265-267

Commentary, verses 119-122..............268-270 Section 7: Hod exhorts his people to guard themselves against evil .............. 271

Commentary, verses 123-127 ......................... 271-273

Commentary, verses 128-131 ........................... 274-277

Commentary, verses 132-135 ..................278-280

A tradition ..................280

Commentary, verse 136..................281

Commentary, verses 137-140................282-283

Section 8: Salih preaches righteousness to the people of Thamud ..............284

Commentary, verses 141-144 .........................284-286

Commentary, verses 145-150 .................287-288

Commentary, verses 151-152 ................. 289-291

Some traditions upon extravagance and corruption 291-292

Commentary, verses 153-154............293-294

Commentary, verses 155-157.............295-297

Commentary, verses 158-159................298-299

None can defeat the Power of Allah..............299

Section 9: Lüt admonishes his people.................300

Commentary, verses 160-164.............300-302

Commentary, verses 165-167 ............................303-305

Some traditions..............305-306

The odour of Paradise will never reach the one who is catamite ................ 305

The Act of sodomy is nights infidelity ................... 305

Its punishment is death.............306

Commentary, verses 168-172 ..................... 307-309

Commentary, verses 173-175 ..................... 310-311

Lut's people were punished with rain of pebbles ........310

Section 10: Shu'ayb's Mission to the dwellers of Forest 312

Commentary, verses 176-180............ 313-315

Commentary, verses 181-183......................... 316-319

Commentary, verses 184-186.............320-321

Commentary, verses 187-191............322-325

Section 11: The Spirit-Faithful, descended with the Holy Qur'an .................... 326

Commentary, verses 192-196..............326-330

A few tradition upon the Qur'an.................330-331

Commentary, verses 197-199............332-334

The Children of Israel were aware of the truthfulness of the Qur'ān...332

They said that the Prophet's name was mentioned in their book A tradition ...........334

Aus and Khazraj, two Jew is tribe believed in Islam ... 332

Commentary, verses 200-202.............335-336

A few traditions upon bigotry ......................... 337-338

Commentary, verses 203-206 ........................339-340

Death and Divine punishment comes all of a sudden ... 339

Commentary, verses 207-209 ................... 341-343

No town was destroyed but they were warned............ 342

Commentary, verses 210-212........................... 344-346

Allah is the guardian of the Qur'ān ........................ 344

Commentary, verse 213 ...................... 347

Commentary, verses 214-217 ...........348-352

Commentary, verses 218-220.............353-354

Commentary, verses 221-223............... 355-356

Commentary, verses 224-227...........357-363

Some poems are wisdom .....359

The End of Sura Ash-Shu'ara'

References ........................ 364

Index .............. 367

A presentation to Muslims ............ 530

The List of Publications of the Library .................534

Introduction

In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

In the introduction of the previous volumes concerning title translation of the commentary of the verses of Part 18 of the Qur’ān, it was said that each of these current volumes will be contained of the translation of the commentary of one part of the Qur’ān, and now this volume yields nearly the translation of the commentary of the verses of part 19, too.

Again here we mention that for being familiar with more information about the source and purpose of providing this endeavour, and that how the dear reader or readers of it can utilize the text of this commentary best, we may recommend you to study the introduction detailed at the beginning of book No. one (part one) which will surely be helpful.

As usual, again and again we ask Allah, the Almighty, to help us, as ever before, and to 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

«بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِیمِ (1)»

In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

Sura Al-Furqān, No. 25

Point

(The Distinction)

(Revealed in Mecca)

77 verses in 6 sections

Part 19

Section 3: The Qur’ān Was Revealed Gradually

Point

The Day of punishment to the wicked - The Day the Kingdom will be of Allah alone-

The wicked shall repent for not having adopted the Right Way along with the Apostle.

Muhammad - The Qur’ān revealed gradually

«وَقَالَ الَّذِینَ لَا یَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا لَوْلَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَیْنَا الْمَلَائِکَةُ أَوْ نَرَی رَبَّنَا لَقَدِ اسْتَکْبَرُوا فِی أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَعَتَوْا عُتُوًّا کَبِیرًا (21)»

21.“ And those who do not hope to meet Us (for Judgment) say: ‘Why are not the angels sent down to us, or (why) do

we not see our Lord?’ Certainly they are too proud of themselves and have revolted in great revolt.”

Commentary, verse: 21

Point

The Arabic word /‘utuww/ means the worst kind of oppression.⁽¹⁾The day of Resurrection is called the day of /liqā’/ (meeting), because in that day all ignorance, negligence and obstacles will be removed fully and people can see Allah’s magnificence. (“... and they will know that Allah, He is the (very) Manifest Truth.”)⁽²⁾

In order to relinquish duties and responsibilities that believing in Allah and Resurrection would put on polytheists’ shoulder, they stated some pretexts, one of which was why the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) eats like us and walks in markets, which we read its answer in the former verses.

The concerned verse completes two other parts of their pretexts and answers them. It first says:

“And those who do not hope to meet Us (for Judgment)

say: ‘Why are not the angels sent down to us, or (why) do we not see our Lord?’ ...”

Their statement means that suppose it is accepted that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) can have a common life like other people, but it is not accepted that the bringer of revelation comes only to him and that it cannot be seen by other people. What is the problem if the angel appears and certifies his prophethood or retells some of his revelation while people are present?

What is the matter if man sees Allah by his own eye? If this happens, no doubt remains for him. These are the arouse questions which prevent them accepting the call of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.).

It is important that the holy Qur’ān introduces these pretext-seeking persons as “... those who do not expect the meeting with Us ...”.⁽¹⁾

This shows that these baseless words originate from unbelief in resurrection and also the lack of undertaking responsibility to Allah.

In verse 7 of Sura Al-Hijr, No. 15 we read words like this, where they said: “If you are of the truthful ones, why do you not bring to us the angels?” In the beginning of this Sura also we read: “... Why is not an angel been sent down to him, to be a warner with him?”⁽²⁾

But a person who seeks truth only demands reason for proving a matter and he does not care about the sort of reason whatever kind it may be. When by performing miracles, including the holy Qur’ān itself, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) has proved that his call and invitation is right, what do these pretexts mean?

The best reason that these words were not uttered for the sake of researching on the prophethood of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is that they asked to see Allah and by this demand they reduced Him to a visible object. This groundless demand was asked by the Children of Israel and its decisive answer has been given them in the Qur’ān which is explained in Sura Al-’A‘rāf, No. 7, verse 143.

Pagans demanded the Prophet to see Allah

Thus, the Holy Qur'an answers these demands in this way:

“... Certainly they are too proud highly of themselves and have revolted in great revolt.”

The Arabic word /‘utuww/ means to restrain to obey an order stubbornly and with enmity. The Qur’ānic phrase /fī ’anfusihim/ may mean that they were proud of themselves and

were also self-conceited, or it may mean that they concealed their conceit and pride in their own heart and proposed such demands and pretexts.

In our age there are also some persons who repeat the logic of former polytheists and say that they do not believe in Allah unless they see Allah in their laboratory and experiment the soul with Himself in surgery operation. The source of both is one thing: arrogance and delusion.

Basically, all the persons who know sense and experience as the only means of recognition implicitly repeat this very matter. All materialists and the money-minded ones do have the same opinion, while our sense can perceive only a small part of this world.

Anyway, all materialists count everything unspiritual and

earthy and they try to see Allah with their own physical eyes and this is their great mistake.

«یَوْمَ یَرَوْنَ الْمَلَائِکَةَ لَا بُشْرَی یَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُجْرِمِینَ وَیَقُولُونَ حِجْرًا مَحْجُورًا (22)»

totally prohibited’.”

Commentary, verse: 22

In the previous verse the arrogant that had no hope of resurrection and expected to see angels were mentioned, and the concerned verse wants to say that the angels will come to them but instead of conveying the light of revelation, they declare the severest threats to them. That day, as Imam Bāqir (a.s.) says, is the day of their death and Allah orders the Angel

of death to take their life and when their soul is going to leave their body, some angels hit their back and face. Then Imam Bāqir (a.s.) recited this verse.⁽¹⁾The verse says:

“ On the day when they shall see the angels,...”

Therefore, in this noble verse the Qur’ān implies as a threat that they want to see the angels and finally they will see them, but as the verse says:

“...there shall be no glad tidings that day for the guilty,...”

Yes, on that day they do not get happy, but since they see the signs of punishment along with them, they fear so much that they will utter the same sentence that they used to say at

the time of danger in this world: “Grant grace to us and exempt us!”⁽¹⁾

Certainly neither this sentence nor other sentences will have any effect on their doomed fate, for the fire they have started by themselves will burn them, and the evil deeds which they have done will be materialized then before them, The consequences of their misdeeds eventually come home to roost.

The verse continues saying:

“... and they (the angels) shall say: ‘It (Paradise) is a forbidden (thing), totally prohibited’.”

The Arabic word /hijr/ originally means an area that is furnished with stones and it becomes forbidden to enter. If we see that ‘Hijr-i-Ismā‘īl’ is called /hijr/ it is because it prevents man from some evil actions, thus we read in verse 5 of Sura Al-Fajr, No. 89: “Is there (not) in this an oath for those who have sense?”

Also the companions of Hijr whose name is mentioned in Qur’ān (Sura Al-Hijr, No. 15, verse 80), has been used for the name of the people of Sālih (a.s.) who used to make fortified stone houses for themselves in mountains and were protected by these houses.

But the Qur’ānic phrase /hijran mahjūrā/ (A forbidding

ban) is an expression that was used by Arabs when they met a person whom they feared. They used to say it for protecting themselves.

Specially it was Arab’s tradition that in the sacred months that war was forbidden when they confronted someone and this tradition might get unobserved they repeated this phrase in order to be protected. By hearing this phrase that person

protected them and made them calm. Thus the meaning of this

holy phrase is that: “I seek protection, which is stable and unchanging.”

Meanwhile, it is understood from the above words that the persons who said these words are criminal. The proportion of existing verbs in the verse, the course of history, and the background of this phrase among Arabs demand this, though some say that it is possible that the speaker of these words will be the angels and their aim is to prevent polytheists from Allah’s mercy.

Some have also said that these words are said by criminals to each other, but apparently the first meaning is correct, for many commentators have accepted it or have mentioned it as the first commentary.⁽¹⁾

But what day do wrongdoers meet angels? Some of the

commentators say that it is at the time of death that man sees the angel of death, as Sura An-Nisā’, No. 4, verse 97 says: “Verily (as for) those whom the angels cause to die while they are unjust to their own selves, ...”

Some other commentators say that its purpose is the day of Resurrection when wrongdoers encounter the Divine angels of punishment and observe them.

The second commentary seems more appropriate with regard to the next verses that talk about resurrection and especially with the word /yauma’iǒin/ that refers to it.

«وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَی مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاءً مَنْثُورًا (23)»

deeds, so We shall render them as scattered floating dust.”

Commentary, verse: 23

Point

The Arabic word /habā’/ means ‘fine dust’ and the word ‘Manthūr’ means ‘scattered’.

In this noble verse the condition of wrongdoers’ actions in Hereafter is imagined. It says:

“And We will proceed to what they have done of deeds, so We shall render them as scattered floating dust.”

The Arabic word /‘amal/, as Rāqib in Mufradāt says, in this verse means: every work or job done by intention. But the word /fi‘l/ ‘verb’ is general and is applied to both jobs and works that are done whether intentionally or unintentionally.

The Qur’ānic word /qadimnā/ is derived from the word /qudūm/, which means to enter or to turn unto something. Here, this word is for putting emphasis on the matter, that is to say they have certainly done all their actions intentionally and on purpose, though their deeds are apparently right and good. Thus, for their polytheism and paganism Allah shall turn unto the work they did and make it scattered motes.

In narrations the extension of those whose deeds will be naught is the persons who perform ritual prayer and fast but do not refrain from unlawful food, or do hate and have enmity against Imam Ali-ibn-Abītālib (a.s.) and his Shiites.

By the way, the Arabic word /habā’/ means some very tiny

particles of dust that can not be seen in a natural way, unless sun light comes inside a dark room from an opening, so that

these particles are clear and visible and, in this way, we can see them.

This sentence shows that their deeds will be so worthless

and ineffective that it seems there were not any deeds at all, though they have tried and attempted many years.

This verse is like verse 18 of Sura ’Ibrāhīm No. 14, which says: “... their deeds are as ashes on which the wind blows severely on a stormy day; ...”

Its logical reason is also clear, for what gives meaning and

sense to man’s deed is proper intention, motivation, and the final aim of that action. Faithful persons go after doing things with Divine motives and seek for pure sacred aims, and some sound and correct programs, while unfaithful persons are mostly proud, affecter, deceiver, and self-conceited, therefore, their deeds will be of no value.

As an example, there are mosques that have been built hundreds years before and the past of centuries of time had the least effect on them. On the contrary, we see some houses that after one month or year there appear some defects in them. The former was built strongly and with the best construction materials and foreseeing all future events, because it had divine motivation, but as for the latter one, attention was paid only to the colour and appearance of it, for its aim was acquiring wealth and money by means of deception and counterfeit.

Righteous deeds must be protected from hypocrisy, proud,..

Basically, according to Islam logic, righteous deeds have got some pests which must be definitely protected. Sometimes it is wrong from the beginning, like the deed which is done hypocritically.

Sometimes man will get proud, self-conceited and self-admired while he is performing a deed and his deed will be worthless because of it.

And sometimes after doing a deed, its worth and value will get abolished because its doer does some actions that are contradictory and opposing to it, like a generous action or prodigality that is followed by reproach, or the righteous deeds that are followed by paganism and apostasy.

Even, according to some Islamic narrations, sometimes

committing sins before doing a good deed will affect it, as about the person who drinks alcoholic drink we read that his righteous deeds done during 40 days will not be accepted by Allah⁽¹⁾.

Anyway, Islam has got a very strict, calculated and precise

program about attributes of righteous deeds.

Imam Bāqir (a.s.) says: “On the day of Resurrection Allah brings a group of people while there is a light in front of them, like brightening and white garments, (this is the light of their deeds). Then Allah orders those deeds to be scattered particles of dust. (Then all of them will disappear). These are those who used to perform ritual prayer and fast, but when they were given something unlawful, they would take it; and when it was said something of the virtues of Imam Ali (a.s.) to them they denied it.”⁽²⁾

«أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ یَوْمَئِذٍ خَیْرٌ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَأَحْسَنُ مَقِیلًا (24)»

Commentary, verse: 24

There must be a kind of good tidings and encouragement along with warning and advice. Therefore, the holy Qur’ān usually sets good and bad beside each other, so that by comparing, their situations will be clear. This verse speaks

about the situation of those who live in the Paradise. The verse says:

“ The companions of the Garden (Paradise) that day shall be in a better abode and a better resting-place.”

This verse does not imply that Hell-dwellers are in a good situation, and dwellers of Paradise are in a better situation. For example, we read in Sura Fussilat, No. 41, verse 40: “... Is he who is hurled into the Fire better, or he who comes secure on the Day of Resurrection ...”

The Arabic word /mustaqarr/ means ‘residence’ and the Qur’ānic word /muqīl/ means ‘the pace of rest in the midday’. (It is derived from the word /qaylūlah/ that means ‘midday sleep’.) Ibn Abbās said that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “When

Allah created the Paradise, He put things in it that no one has seen and no mind has imagined. Then He ordered the Paradise to speak. The Paradise began speaking and said: ‘Successful indeed are the believers’.”⁽¹⁾

«وَیَوْمَ تَشَقَّقُ السَّمَاءُ بِالْغَمَامِ وَنُزِّلَ الْمَلَائِکَةُ تَنْزِیلًا (25)»

«الْمُلْکُ یَوْمَئِذٍ الْحَقُّ لِلرَّحْمَنِ وَکَانَ یَوْمًا عَلَی الْکَافِرِینَ عَسِیرًا (26)»

Beneficent Lord, and a hard day shall it be for the unbelievers.”

Commentary, verses: 25-26

Point

Again, the discussion of Resurrection and the destiny of

wrongdoers on that day continues where it says:

“And on the day when the heaven shall burst asunder with the clouds and the angels shall be sent down descending

(in ranks).”

The Arabic word /qamām/ is derived from the word /qam/

that means to cover something. Because cloud covers sun, it is called ‘Qamām’. Also the sorrow that covers heart is called ‘Qam’.

This noble verse is in fact an answer to the polytheists’ demand and one of their pretexts, for they expected that Allah and the angles who are among clouds, according to the old fables and legends, come to them to invite them to the Truth. In the Jews’ myths we also read that Allah sometimes appears among clouds.⁽¹⁾

The holy Qur’ān answers them, implying that a day (in which wrongdoers are punished and their meaningless words are finished) the angels (not Allah) will be sent down to them.

Now, what is the purpose of separation of the sky and heaven? Some say that it means intuition, rising of curtail of ignorance, and showing of the invisible world. That is on that day, man is bestowed a perceiving and viewing capacity that is different from today’s. He sees angels who are descending from the above world.

On a day, skies will be exploded and a cloud is created

Another commentary is that the sky and heaven means celestial bodies that explode one after the other one. The cloud that is created by these explosions and bursting of mountains, covers the sky. Thus the celestial bodies will burst asunder and in the same time their resulting clouds are with them.

Many verses of the holy Qur’ān, especially those of the short Suras that are at the end of the Qur’ān, express this truth that on the threshold of resurrection some great changes and a strange revolution and transformation happen throughout the universe; mountains will burst and scatter in air like dust, sun and stars will lose their light, even the existing distance between moon and sun will abolish, and a strange shake and earthquake will happen throughout the earth.

Yes, on such a day the bursting of heaven (celestial bodies)

and covering sky with a dense cloud is a natural matter.

This very commentary can be said in another way:

The intensity of changes and explosion of stars and planets

cause that the sky can be covered with a dense cloud, but there are sometimes some openings inside this cloud. Thus, the sky that in the ordinary state is seen with the natural eye will be separated with these clouds of great explosion.

Then one of the clearest characteristics of that day is referred to through the next verse, where it says:

“ The dominion that day in truth shall belong to the Beneficent Lord, ...”

Even those who have some kind of transient, mortal limited, virtual sovereignty in this world will leave their apparent government, and sovereignty will belong to His pure essence from every aspect and dimension, and because of this, as the Qur’ān says:

“... and a hard day shall it be for the unbelievers.”

Yes, on that day that virtual powers will completely diminish and sovereignty will be particular to Allah, the disbelievers’ shelters will be destructed, and the tyrannical powers will disappear, though they were also naught in this world before His Will, but here they were apparently powerful and important. But in resurrection, where the fact will manifest and unfaithful persons’ imaginations and dreams will blow out, to what they can resort when they face divine punishments. That is why that day will be very difficult for them, while believers will have an easy and comfortable day.

’Abū Sa‘īd Khidrī says that when the Prophet (p.b.u.h)

was reciting the verse saying: “... in a Day whereof the span is fifty thousand years”,⁽¹⁾

which shows that the day of Resurrection is equal to 50 thousand years, he said: “What a strange long day it is!” The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “I swear by The One in Whose hand my life is, that that Day will become light for the believer as short as the time is spent for performing one ritual prayer in this world.”⁽²⁾

Carefully studying other verses of the holy Qur’ān shows why

that day is hard for pagans. On one side, we read in Sura AlBaqarah, No. 2, verse 166: “(On the day) when those who were followed disown those who followed (them), and they would see the torment, and their ties (between them) are cut asunder.”

On the other side, we read in Sura AL-Lahab, No. 111, verse 2: “His wealth avails him not, neither what he had earned.”

And also we read in Sura Ad-Dukhān, No. 44, verse 41: “The

day on which a friend shall not avail (his) friend aught, nor shall they be helped.”

Even intercession that is the only way of salvation is for

those sinners that have some relationship with Allah and His friend: “... Who is it that can intercede with Him save by His leave?...”⁽¹⁾

Also they will not be allowed to apologize on that day, let

alone to the acceptance of their unreasonable excuses: “Nor will it be open to them to put forth excuses.”⁽²⁾

«وَیَوْمَ یَعَضُّ الظَّالِمُ عَلَی یَدَیْهِ یَقُولُ یَا لَیْتَنِی اتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ الرَّسُولِ سَبِیلًا (27)»

«یَا وَیْلَتَی لَیْتَنِی لَمْ أَتَّخِذْ فُلَانًا خَلِیلًا (28)»

«لَقَدْ أَضَلَّنِی عَنِ الذِّکْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَنِی وَکَانَ الشَّیْطَانُ لِلْإِنْسَانِ خَذُولًا (29)»

hands, saying: ‘Oh! Would that I had taken a way alone with the Messenger’!”

Occasion of Revelation, verses: 27-29

Commentators have narrated an occasion of revelation for

these verses that we mention a summary of it:

At the time of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), there were two friends

named ‘Uqbah and ’Ubayy among polytheists. Whenever ‘Uqbah returned from a journey, he prepared some food and invited wealthy people of his tribe to a party. Meanwhile, he liked to go to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and to be with him for a while, though he had not accepted Islam. One day he prepared some food as usual and invited his friends as well as the Prophet (p.b.u.h.).

When food was ready to be served, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) told ‘Uqbah: “I will not eat your food unless you testify to

unity of Allah and my mission.” ‘Uqbah testified that there is no god besides Allah and testified that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah.

’Ubayy heard this news. He said to his friend: “You have

deviated from your religion O’ ‘Uqbah!” His friend said: “No, by God I did not. But a man came to me who did not eat my food unless I testified to Allah’s unity and his mission. I was ashamed that he was about to leave my home without eating any food, so I testified.”

’Ubayy said: “I will not be happy with you, unless you stand before him and insult him.” ‘Uqbah did this action and apostatized. Finally he was killed with other pagans in the Battle of Badr. His friend ’Ubayy was also killed in the Battle of ‘Uhud.⁽¹⁾

The above holy verses were sent down and explained the destiny of the man who had a deviated friend and he caused him to go astray.

We have repeatedly said that though the occasions of revelation are particular and especial, they never limit the concept of holy verses and its generality includes all similar persons.

Commentary, verses: 27-29

A Bad Friend Deviated Me!

The day of Resurrection has strange scenes, some of which

are mentioned in the previous holy verses and in the concerned verses, here, another part is brought up, and that issue is the extraordinary regret of oppressors about their past. It first says:

“And on the day when the unjust one shall bite his hands, saying: ‘Oh! Would that I had taken a way alone with the Messenger’!”

The Arabic word /ya‘add/ is derived from the word /‘add/ that means grip with teeth. This is usually used about the persons who are upset because of regret and sorrow, as in a Persian proverb it is said that that person grips finger of regret with teeth. But in the Arabic language, instead of finger, hand is used, and perhaps it is more expressive, for man in such situations does not bite his finger, but he bites the back of his hand. In the Arabic language it is seen many times such as this verse that both hands are referred. In this way the intensity of regret and sorrow is expressed better.

This is perhaps for this matter that when such persons review their past and see that they themselves are responsible and guilty, they decide to revenge themselves so that they can somehow get calm and soothed.

Verily that Day must be called ‘the Day of anguish’, as in the holy Qur’ān the day of Resurrection is called by this name⁽¹⁾, for wrongdoers see a perpetual life with the worst conditions before them, while they could change it to a happy and honorable life with some days of patience, struggling with appetitive soul, holy war and donation.

Even for doers of good deeds it is the day of regret. They will regret why they did not do more good deeds!

Then, in the next verse this oppressor, who is completely regretful, says:

“ Oh woe is me! Would that I had not taken such a one for a friend!”

It is clear that the purpose of ‘such a one’ is the same person, whether an aberrant kinsman, or Satan or a deviated friend such as ’Ubayy, who deviated ‘Uqbah, mentioned in the occasion of revelation.

In fact this verse and the previous verse set two positions of negation and verification against each other. In a verse it says: “Oh woe is me! Would that I had not taken such a one for a friend!” (For all my misery is for leaving the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and choosing this deviated person as a friend.) Again in this verse it is continued:

“ He indeed led me astray from the Message after it had come to me,...”

If he were very far away from perpetual happiness and faith, he would not regret so much, but he had been near it, there was only one step for being ever after happy. But that stubborn, biased, dark-hearted friend returned him thirsty from the spring of life water and took him to the whirlpool of misery.

The Qur’ānic word /ǒikr/ has got an extensive meaning in this verse and it includes all divine verses that are in the heavenly books. Moreover, it includes any thing that makes man awaken, alert, and informed.

In the end of the verse the Qur’ān says:

“... and the Satan fails to aid man.”

For Satan misleads man and leads him to dangerous places.

Then leaving him wandered, Satan goes after his own job.

We must note that the Arabic word /xaǒūl/ is an amplification form which means: 'The one who abundantly fails someone when most needed’, and the reality of /xiǒlān/ (desertion) is that someone hopes for another person’s help, but he deserts him just in the very sensitive moments.

Whether this last sentence of the verse saying: “... and the Stan fails to aid man” is said by Allah as a warning for all oppressors and the deviated persons, or it is the rest of the statement said by those who regret in the day of Resurrection, commentators have mentioned two commentaries, both of which are in line with the meaning of the verse, but being Allah’s words is more consistent.

The Role of Friend in Man’s Destiny

Undoubtedly the factors that form man’s personality are different including his will and decision, and most importantly his friend and companion, for man is desirably or undesirably impressionable. Most of his thoughts and moral attributes are formed through his friends. This fact has scientifically and experimentally been proved.

From the view of Islam this impressionability is logical so much that we read in Islamic narrations that Solomon (a.s.) has said: “Do not judge someone, unless you see who are his friends, for man is known by his companions, friends, and fellows.”⁽¹⁾

Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “When you are doubtful about someone and you do not know his religion, find out who are his friends. If they are believers, he is a believer, too, and if they are not believers of the religion of Allah, he may be an unbeliever, too.”⁽²⁾

Verily the role that a friend plays in happiness and misery of a person is sometimes more important than any other factors. Sometime a friend leads him to destruction and death and sometimes a friend leads him to the climax of success and prosperity.

The concerned verses and their occasion of revelation show well that how possibly man can approach happiness, but a devil temptation by a friend takes him back to darkness and prepares him a deadly fate so that he bites both of his hands on the day of Resurrection and cries: “Oh Woe is me!”

In the book Al-‘Ishrah (Roles of Association), there are many narrations about this matter. This shows how precise and exact Islam is in selecting a friend.

We finish this discussion with narrating two traditions. Those who want to read more, please refer to Bihār-ul-’ Anwār, Vol. 74.

Imam Muhammad Taqī, Al-Jawād (a.s.) said: “Avoid a bad

companion, for he is like an unsheathed sword whose appearance is beautiful and whose effect is very ugly.”⁽¹⁾

The holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “There are four things that bring death to man’s heart: repetition of sin... and association with the dead.” A person asked him: “Who are the dead?” The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “The wealthy people who are indulging in luxury.”⁽²⁾

Some Traditions about Friendship in Islam:

1.Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “A man’s friend is the sign of his intellect and his speech is the sign of his virtue.”⁽³⁾

2.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Anyone who dies while he is a friend of the family of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) has died as a martyr.”⁽⁴⁾⁽⁵⁾

3.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “The happiest man is one who associates with respected and dignified people.”⁽⁶⁾

4.Imam Sādiq (a.s.) said: “The most favoured brothers of mine are those who present me my defects (and to warn me of them).⁽¹⁾

5.Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “The best friend of yours is the one who makes you fond of the Hereafter and indifferent to the world and helps you in obeying Allah.”⁽²⁾

6.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Avoid associating with bad companion, for you are known by him.”⁽³⁾

7.Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Associating with bad people causes mistrust unto good people.”⁽⁴⁾

8.Imam Sādiq (a.s.) said: “Whenever Imam Ali (a.s.) climbed the pulpit, he said: “It is deserved that a Muslim avoids friendship of three persons: the impudent dissolute person, imbecile, and liar.”⁽⁵⁾

9.Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Be kind towards your friend, though he disobeys you and have relationship with him, though he treats you harshly.”⁽⁶⁾

10.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was once asked about the best companion. He said: “The best one is the person whose meeting reminds Allah to you, and his words increases your knowledge, and his behaviour makes you remember the Hereafter.”⁽⁷⁾

Islam has got many pieces of advice about friendship and selecting a friend. Islam encourages having friendship with some persons and prohibits friendship of some other persons,

and this needs a special separate discussion. Some subtitles of the subject of ‘friend and friendship’ are as follows: the ways of knowing a friend, boundaries of friendship, continuity of friendship, termination of friendship, proper motivations of friendship, and rules of association with friends and rights of friend, that for each of them there are a lot of verses and narrations. We have only mentioned some part of it.

Also Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Good friend is the best relative.” (Qurar-ul-Hikam)

There is a tradition that says test your friend with money, anger, wealth and journey. If he is successful in them, he is a good one.

In poems there are also a great deal of references about friend and friendship and it is recommended to associate with good friends. Also association with bad friends is reproached. Bad companion is likened to a beautiful snake that has a very deadly poison. As Persian poet says:

Escape bad companion as you can,

Bad companion is worse than a poisonous snake.

Poisonous snake threats only your life,

But bad companion threats your, life as well as your faith.

Or, bad friend is likened to a dark cloud that covers the magnificent sun:

Associate less with bad persons,

For bad persons’ words make you impure, though you are pure.

Sun that is so great and huge,

Goes out of sight with a piece of cloud.

«وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ یَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِی اتَّخَذُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا (30)»

30.“And the Messenger will say (that Day): ‘O my Lord! Verily my people treated this Qur’ān with neglect.”

Commentary, verse: 30

Point

Oh Allah! People have deserted the holy Qur’ān.

Since the previous verses mentioned the different kinds of

pretext-seeking of some stubborn polytheists and unbelievers, this holy verse mentions complain and annoyance of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) about the incorrect behaviour of this group with the Qur’ān, where it says:

“And the Messenger will say: ‘O my Lord! Verily my people treated this Qur’ān with neglect.”

This complain of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is still heard. He complains to Allah even about a large group of Muslims who have neglected the holy Qur’ān which is the secret of life, means of salvation, the factor of victory, development and movement, and full of life programs. They have neglected this

book and have begged others for their civil and criminal laws!

Now if you study the situation of the people of Islamic countries, especially those who are culturally under the control of Western and Eastern countries, you see that the holy Qur’ān is changed into a ceremonial book among them. Only its words are nicely broadcasted by a few speakers and are seen on glazed tiles of mosques as architecture. It is used for making new house blissful, or for protecting a traveler and healing patients, or at most it is recited for its reward.

Even when some persons argue by using the holy Qur’ān, their aim is to prove their prejudgments by the help of its

verses and their interpretation is according to their personal opinion.

In some Islamic countries, there are great schools that are named ‘Schools of Memorization of the Holy Qur’ān’. In these schools girls and boys are memorizing the Qur’ān, while their thoughts are sometimes influenced by Western and Eastern countries and their laws are borrowed from some none-Islamic countries and the Qur’ān is applied only for covering their wrong actions.

Yes, today the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) also cries: “O my Lord! Verily my people treated this Qur’ān with neglect.”

It is neglected from the aspects of content, thought, and reforming programs.

Some points:

1.This noble verse refers to the complaint of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and, because he is ‘mercy for both worlds’, he does not cast curse.

2.Imam Ridā (a.s.) said: “The reason that we read the holy Qur’ān in ritual prayers is for paying attention to the Qur’ān.”

3.An Islamic narration recommends to read 50 verses of the Qur’ān everyday and your aim must not be reaching the end of Sura. Read slowly and strike your heart with reading the Qur’engulfed you, resort to the Qur’ān. Whenever you are surrounded by temptations, as night ān.⁽¹⁾

4.It seems proper to mention a few confessions of some great

persons about the holy Qur’ān how it is neglected:

A) Mulla Sadrā (may his spirit be sanctified!) says in the Verse 30⁽²⁾

introduction of Sura Al-Wāqi‘ah: I read books of many philosophers so that I thought I knew all things and I became

an important man, but when I began to perceive a little of the true nature of situations, I found out that I knew no real and true knowledge. At the end of my lifetime, I embarked on pondering the Holy Qur’ān and the narrations of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and his family. I became certain that what I had done up to then was baseless, for during my life I was standing in shadow instead of being under light. I became wholeheartedly sorrowful, and, then divine favour was bestowed on me and I became familiar with the secrets of the holy Qur’ān and I began to comment on and ponder the Qur’ān. I knocked the door of revelation until curtains were taken away and doors were opened and I saw that angels say to me: “...Peace be unto you! You are good, therefore enter it to dwell therein (forever) 1.”⁽¹⁾

B) Fiyz-i-Kāshānī (may his spirit be sanctified!) says: I wrote books and treatises and I researched, but none of them was remedy for my pain and no water I found to quench my thirst. I got worried about myself, and I resorted to Allah and repented so that Allah led me by means of pondering the

Qur’ān and Islamic traditions.⁽²⁾

C) Imam Khumiynī (may his spirit be sanctified!) says that he regrets that he has not spend all of his life for the holy Qur’ān and he advised the students of universities and the students of seminaries to set the Qur’ān and its various dimensions as ultimate aim in all courses, lest in the end of life they do not regret for youth days.⁽³⁾

D) The relationship of man and the heavenly book must be perpetual and in all aspects, for the word ‘Hijr’ is used when

there is relationship between man and that thing. (Mufradāt by Rāqib) So, we must try our best to pay attention to the holy Qur’ān and set it our scientific and practical base in all dimensions of life so that the dear Prophet (p.b.u.h.) gets satisfied.

F) Abandoning reading the Qur’ān, preferring other books to the holy Qur’ān, not setting it as pivot, not pondering it, not teaching it to others, and not applying it in practice are extensions of negligence of the Qur’ān. Even one who learns the Qur’ān, but does not pay attention to it, does not look at it, and does not feel responsible for it, has neglected the Qur’ān.⁽¹⁾

«وَکَذَلِکَ جَعَلْنَا لِکُلِّ نَبِیٍّ عَدُوًّا مِنَ الْمُجْرِمِینَ وَکَفَی بِرَبِّکَ هَادِیًا وَنَصِیرًا (31)»

31 “ And thus We appointed for every prophet an enemy from among the sinners, and sufficient is your Lord as a Guide and a Helper.”

Commentary, verse: 31

The call that expresses and seeks truth has always been faced with opponents. In struggles of truth with falsehood, man needs two things; guidance and power. Of course, guidance and help are of dignities of Allah’s Lordship. So in this noble verse, for sympathizing with the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), who faced atrocious position of enemies, the Qur’ān says:

“ And thus We appointed for every prophet an enemy from among the sinners, ...”

(It is not only you who have faced severe animosity of this group, all prophets were in such positions that a group of wrongdoers stood against them.)

But the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is not alone and without supporter; as the verse continues saying:

“... and sufficient is your Lord as a Guide and a Helper.” Neither can their temptations mislead the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), for Allah guides him, nor their conspiracies can defeat him, for Allah is his supporter and helper, He Whose knowledge is the supreme and His power is above all others’.

In brief we must say:

If thousands of enemy intend to kill me,

I fear not enemy, for You are my Friend.

«وَقَالَ الَّذِینَ کَفَرُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ عَلَیْهِ الْقُرْآنُ جُمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً کَذَلِکَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِ فُؤَادَکَ وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِیلًا (32)»

32.“ And those who disbelieve say: ‘Why has not the

Qur’ān been sent down upon him all at once? Thus (is it revealed), that We may strengthen your heart by it and We have rehearsed it to you in slow, well-arranged stages, gradually’.”

Commentary, verse: 32

Point

Pretext-seekers found new pretexts every moment. They sometimes said: Why is not revelation made to us? Sometimes they said: Why do not we see angel of revelation? Why does not the Prophet have money, palace, and gold? And sometimes they said: “Why is not the Qur’ān revealed to him all at once?”

The Qur’ān has got two kinds of revelation: A) Instant revelation on the heart of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) that occurred in the night of Power, when all of the Qur’ān was sent down to the Prophet’s heart. B) Gradual revelation that the Qur’ān was sent down on special occasions during 23 years.

Any way, the word ‘Kaǒālika’ (thus) is the answer of them, that is, the advantage and wisdom of gradual revelation of the Qur’ān is to make the heart of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) stronger and to make memorization and keeping of the Qur’ān easier. Moreover, there are abrogating and abrogated verses in the Qur’ān and every answer must be exactly for a question and these are not consistent with instant revelation of the Qur’ān. In addition, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was illiterate and he did not know writing and reading, so to make him understand

the revelation, the Qur’ān was sent down gradually, while Moses and Christ knew writing and reading.

Explanations:

1.Gradual revelation of the Qur’ān is the factor of continual and permanent relation of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) with the source of revelation and it makes him stable in his way. It

shows that prophethood is not a temporal matter.

2.A religion that is comprehensive and enlivened has a strong relation with events and occasions. And events and occasions occur gradually, not instantly.

3.To obey all orders and to avoid prohibitions instantly was difficult for common people and it caused them distress and constriction.

4.Since each Sura and verse of the Qur’ān was by itself, a

miracle, its gradual revelation was as a continual miracle and each miracle soothed the heart of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) against enemies’ oppression.

5.There is much difference between revelation of each

verse according to special position and instant revelation of all verses regardless of situations.

6.Some verses are the answers of people’s questions. Therefore, a question must first be raised and then its answer be given. Some verses and judgments were descended for a certain period; so a verse must be sent down to annul them.

Slowly and Distinctly Reading of the Qur’ān (Tartīl):

The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Tartīl is to recite the Qur’ān

distinctly (not like reading poem and prose). When you reach its wits, you stop and purify your Heart and spirit. Your aim of recitation must not be reaching the end of Sura.”⁽¹⁾

Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “The purpose of Tartīl is to stop when

it needs full stop and articulation of letters.”⁽¹⁾

Imam Sādiq (a.s.) said: “Tartīl is to recite the Qur’ān beautifully and slowly. It is to stop and to resort to Allah, when reciting the verses that are about the Fire and punishment. It is to pray and to ask Allah the Heaven, when verses about the Paradise are read.”⁽²⁾

In the end, it is understood from all narrations and the words of commentators that Tartīl is to recite the holy Qur’ān slowly and in proper order.

Reading must be done verse by verse and they must not be mixed, so that the verses can enter the conscience of society and used by next generations. Therefore the future ages can use the light of its guidance and make dark places of their life lighted by it

«وَلَا یَأْتُونَکَ بِمَثَلٍ إِلَّا جِئْنَاکَ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَحْسَنَ تَفْسِیرًا (33)»

33.“And they shall not bring to you any similitude, but

We bring to you the truth and the best explanation (of it).”

Commentary, verse: 33

Point

Addressing the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), the Qur’ān implies that whether the words of the opponents are false so Allah presents true words to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), or their words are true then Allah brings some better and more comprehensive words of the truth for the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). To put more emphasis on this answer, the Qur’ān implies that they bring no similitude to him, or they mention no words to weaken his call, but Allah brings the Truth as against it, and better than their similitude as argument. The verse says:

“ And they shall not bring to you any similitude, but We bring to you the truth and the best explanation (of it).”

Explanations:

1.The Qur’ān is a comprehensive book which answers all

faults that are found with it by the opponents.

2.Prophets were struggling with opponents and prophets

treated them by means of reasonable argumentation.

3.Others’ words and complains are to be answered with

some better words.

«الَّذِینَ یُحْشَرُونَ عَلَی وُجُوهِهِمْ إِلَی جَهَنَّمَ أُولَئِکَ شَرٌّ مَکَانًا وَأَضَلُّ سَبِیلًا (34)»

34.“Those who shall be mustered upon their faces unto

Hell, they are in a worse place and as to path,most astray.”

Commentary, verse: 34

The most misled person is the one who finds faults with

prophets and makes difficulty for them. Therefore, in this noble verse, it is implied that after their finding faults, stubborn and biased foes had made inference that Muhammad and his followers, with this book and these programs, were the worst people of Allah (we seek Allah's protection!). Since saying this matter was not consistent with the eloquent and decorous words of the Qur’ān, Allah answers this without mentioning the matter. It says:

“ Those who shall be mustered upon their faces unto Hell, they are in a worse place and as to path, most astray.”

Yes, the result of men’s programs and deeds will be shown in the Hereafter; when some persons are as tall as cedar and their faces shine like moon. They go toward the Paradise with long steps and fast. On the contrary, there are persons who are lying on the ground and angels of punishment are dragging them to the Hell. This different destiny shows who had been misled and evil and who had been guided and happy!

Moreover, commentators are of different opinions about

the purpose of the Qur’ānic phrase which says: ‘... shall be mustered upon their faces ...’:

Some commentators have rendered as the verse means

literally. They have said that the angels of punishment drag

them to the Hell while their faces will be on the ground. On one hand, it shows how abject and wretched they are, for in the world they were very self-conceited and proud and they considered themselves better than other people. On the other hand, it is an embodiment of their aberration in this world, for such a person that is dragged in this way can never see ahead and is unaware of what is happing around him.

But some other commentators have taken it with its ironical meaning; sometimes they say that this sentence ironically implies their inner longing for this world, that is, for the sake that their heart still longs for this world, they are dragged toward Hell.

1.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) in a tradition said: “On the day of Resurrection, Fire speaks with three persons: ruler, singer, and the rich. It says to the ruler that Allah had bestowed you palace and sovereignty and you did not judge rightly and then the Fire swallows him as a bird swallows the sesame. It says to the singer that you adorned yourself for people and struggled against Allah by committing sin and disobeying Him, and then it swallows him. It says to the rich that Allah had bestowed you a lot of blessings and wealth, and you did not lend poor and needy people who wanted a little money and then it swallows him, too.”⁽¹⁾

2.Imam Sādiq (a.s.) has narrated from his ancestors that Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “In the Hell there is a mill that crushes five things into flour. Do not you ask what is its flour?” Then he was asked what its flour was. He said: “It is the corrupted and evil scientists, evil and vice singers, tyrannical rulers, treacherous ministers, and lying Gnostics. Verily in the Hell there is a city that is called ‘Hasīnah’. Do not you ask me what

is in that city?” Someone asked: “What is there in it O’ Amir- al-Mu’minīn?” He said: “There are hands of those who broke an oath of allegiance.”⁽¹⁾

2.Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Fear the Fire whose heat is severe and it is very deep. Its adornment is iron and its beverage is pus.”⁽²⁾

Section 4: What happened to the disbeliever people in the past

Point

The fate of the disbeliever people in the past - Most of the disbelievers are worse than the cattle

«وَلَقَدْ آتَیْنَا مُوسَی الْکِتَابَ وَجَعَلْنَا مَعَهُ أَخَاهُ هَارُونَ وَزِیرًا (35)»

35.“ And indeed We gave Moses the Book and We appointed His brother Aaron with him (as his) assistant.”

Commentary, verse: 35

This noble verse sympathizes on one hand with the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and the believers, and on the other hand it threats pretext-seeking polytheists the kind of whose words were somehow mentioned in the previous verses. It also refers to the history of previous nations and their gloomy destiny and it specially puts emphasis on six nations (Pharaohs, Noah’s nation, the people of ‘Ād and Thamūd, the people of Lūt, and the people of the Ditch). It concisely expresses lessons from the destiny of these nations.

It says:

“And indeed We gave Moses the Book and We appointed

His brother Aaron with him (as his) assistant.”

For these two had a difficult and important duty on their shoulder for struggling with Pharaoh people and they had to do this revolutionary job with the help of each other.

«فَقُلْنَا اذْهَبَا إِلَی الْقَوْمِ الَّذِینَ کَذَّبُوا بِآیَاتِنَا فَدَمَّرْنَاهُمْ تَدْمِیرًا (36)»

36.“And We said: ‘Go you both unto the people who have rejected Our signs!’ so We destroyed them with utter

destruction.”

Commentary, verse: 36

Narrating the history and the explanation of the destiny of former pagans and the statement of their destruction, works as warning for today pagans and prohibiting them from what is unlawful. Therefore, in this noble verse, Allah says:

“ And We said: ‘Go you both unto the people who have rejected Our signs!’...”

On one hand, they practically denied divine revelations and Allah’s signs which exist in macrocosm and microcosm and the entire universe, and began to worship idols and to be polytheist. On the other hand, they neglected the teachings of the previous prophets and denied them.

In spite of Moses and his brother’s attempts, and struggles and great and various miracles they observed, they stuck to their paganism and denial of the Truth, so they were destroyed.

The verse continues saying:

“... so We destroyed them with utter destruction.”

«وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ لَمَّا کَذَّبُوا الرُّسُلَ أَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ آیَةً وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِینَ عَذَابًا أَلِیمًا (37)»

37.“ And the people of Noah, when they rejected the

messengers, We drowned them and made them a sign for mankind; and We have prepared for the unjust a painful chastisement.”

Commentary, verse: 37

The Qur’ān implies that when the people of Noah denied the Divine messengers Allah drowned them and made their fate as a lesson for human beings. The verse says

“ And the people of Noah, when they rejected the messengers, We drowned them and made them a sign for mankind; ...”

It is interesting that the Holy Qur’ān says: “... they rejected the messengers (not only one messenger) ...” For, there is not any difference in principles between the call of messengers and prophets of Allah. If one of them is denied, it means that all of them are denied. Moreover, those people were basically against the call of all divine prophets and they denied all religions. Anyway, the denial of prophets has got both worldly chastisement and the Hereafter punishment. The holy verse continues saying:

“... and We have prepared for the unjust a painful chastisement.”

«وَعَادًا وَثَمُودَ وَأَصْحَابَ الرَّسِّ وَقُرُونًا بَیْنَ ذَلِکَ کَثِیرًا (38)»

«وَکُلًّا ضَرَبْنَا لَهُ الْأَمْثَالَ وَکُلًّا تَبَّرْنَا تَتْبِیرًا (39)»

38.“ And the (tribes of) ‘Ād and Thamūd and the men of Ar-Rass, and many generations between them.”

38.“ And unto each of them We did give examples, and every one (of them) We did destroy with utter extermination.”

Commentary, verses: 38-39

The Arabic word /qurūn/ is the plural form of the word /qarn/ that, in fact, means a group of people who live together in a certain time. Also it is applied to 40 years up to 100 years. The Qur’ānic word /tatbīr/ means to lose dignity and respect and to get overthrown in a way that it leads to destruction.⁽¹⁾

So, in this verse, it says:

“ And the (tribes of) ’Ād and Thamūd and the men of Ar- Rass, and many generations between them.”

The tribe of ‘Ād is the people of Hūd, the Divine prophet, who

was appointed in the land of ’Ahqāf, (Yemen). The tribe of Thamūd is the people of Sālih, the Divine prophet, who was appointed in the land of Wād-il-Qurā, a place between Medina and Damascus.

There are many things cited about the people of Ar-Rass in commentaries: they are people of Shuayb (Jethro). Ar Rass is a city in Yamameh. Or it is a place in ’Antākiyah, Al-Zakākīh,

or Aras River in Iran. But in the book ‘Uyūn-i-Akhbār ur-Ridā we read: Imam Ridā (a.s.) said: “A person asked Imam Ali (a.s.) about them. And Imam Ali (a.s.) said: ‘After Noah Flood, a tree named ‘Shāh Drakht’ (King Tree) was planted.

People counted this tree holy and built 12 hamlets around it. The names of these hamlets were the names of Iranian months:

Farwardīn, Ordībihisht, Khordād, Tīr, Murdād, Shahrīwar, Mihr, ’Ābān, ’Āzar, Day, Bahman, Isfand. Each month they held festival in one of them. Of course the festival in hamlet of ’Isfand was more splendorous and more people gathered. In that festival, they put fire to a tree and when its smoke went up into air, they began to cry and shed tear. Allah sent them a prophet who guided and advised them, but they denied him. Their prophet cast curse on them and that holy tree got dried.

Then they dug a deep well and threw Allah’s prophet into it, and in this way he was martyred. ⁽¹⁾

But it is understood from the 180th sermon of Nahj-ul- Balāqah that they did not have only one prophet, for the Imam (a.s.) said: “Where are the people of the cities of Ar-Rass who killed the prophets and suspended the traditions

of the Divine messengers and revived the traditions of the despots? ...”

The next verse implies that Allah did not punish them astonishingly: but it says:

“ And unto each of them We did give examples, ...”

Allah answered their criticisms as was done about the criticisms upon the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). Allah made divine ordinances clear for them and explained the truths of the

religion. Allah warned them and retold them the stories and destiny of the former nations.

But when none of these was effective the status was as the

verse says: “... and every one (of them) We did destroy with utter extermination.”

Yes the divine way of treatment is to send messengers for guiding people and to destruct their rejecters.

p: 59

«وَلَقَدْ أَتَوْا عَلَی الْقَرْیَةِ الَّتِی أُمْطِرَتْ مَطَرَ السَّوْءِ أَفَلَمْ یَکُونُوا یَرَوْنَهَا بَلْ کَانُوا لَا یَرْجُونَ نُشُورًا (40)»

40.“ And indeed they have passed by the town on which

was rained an evil rain, did they not then see it? Nay! They did not hope to be raised again.”

Commentary, verse: 40

The purpose of ‘the township whereon was rained the evil

rain’ is the town of the people of Lūt on which stone rained.

As Imam BSadūm⁽¹⁾.

Therefore, ancient places can provide people lesson āqir (a.s.) says, it was an area that was called (and narration of history and retelling the story of misled; persons can be a ground for propagation, training and prohibition of doing evil).

Finally ruins of cities of Lūt nation that have been on the way of people going from Hijāz to Damascus are mentioned in this verse. It is a live tableau that describes the painful destiny of these misled persons and polytheists. It says:

“ And indeed they have passed by the town on which was rained an evil rain, did they not then see it? Nay! They did not hope to be raised again.”

They count death as the end of this life. If even they believe in the life after death, their belief will be so weak and baseless that it has no effect on their soul, and also, no effect on their life programs. Therefore, they belittle everything and think about nothing but passing their low desires.

«وَإِذَا رَأَوْکَ إِنْ یَتَّخِذُونَکَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا أَهَذَا الَّذِی بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولًا (41)»

41.“And when they see you, they take you for aught but a mockery; (saying:) ‘Is this the one whom Allah has sent us a messenger?’”

Commentary, verse: 41

Ridiculing and belittling prophets is the permanent method of pagans. One who is stubborn and conceited does not accept the Truth.

The verses under discussion mention another example of polytheists’ logic and the quality of their treatment with the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) and his true call.

It first says:

“ And when they see you, they take you for aught but a

mockery; (saying:) ‘Is this the one whom Allah has sent us a messenger?’”

Polytheists say: what a great claim he makes! What strange

words he says! It is really ridiculous.

But it must not be forgotten that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was

the person who had lived for forty years among them before he was appointed as prophet. He was famous for his intelligence in sight, trustworthiness, frankness and truthfulness, but when the chiefs of polytheists saw that their interests were

threatened, they forgot all of them. They ridiculed the call of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and even they accused him of insanity, though he presented them clear reasons and evidences.

«إِنْ کَادَ لَیُضِلُّنَا عَنْ آلِهَتِنَا لَوْلَا أَنْ صَبَرْنَا عَلَیْهَا وَسَوْفَ یَعْلَمُونَ حِینَ یَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ مَنْ أَضَلُّ سَبِیلًا (42)»

42.“ ‘He would have led us astray from our gods if we had not been staunch to them!’ And soon they will know, when they see the chastisement, who is it that is most misled in path.”

Commentary, verse: 42

Patience and resistance is not always a value and merit. Sometimes it is stubbornness and obstinacy such as resistance and patience in being misled and deviation. So the Qur’ān mentions the rest of pagans’ words in this way:

“ ‘He would have led us astray from our gods if we had not been staunch to them!’ ...”

But the Holy Qur’ān answers them in some ways. It first answers this group of people, who were not logical, with, a striking sentence:

“... And soon they will know, when they see the chastisement, who is it that is most misled in path.”

This doom may refer to the punishment of the Hereafter, as some commentators, such as Tabarsī in Majma‘ ul-Bayān, say. Or it is the punishment of this world, such as the defeat in Badr war and such like, as Qurtabī in his famous commentary says. It also may refer to both of them.

It is interesting that this group of misled people presented contradictory words. On one hand, they ridiculed the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and his call. They wanted to say that the claim of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was so baseless that it did not deserve strict handling. On the other hand, they believed that if they did not

stick to the traditions and religion of their ancestors, it would be possible that the words of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) deviated them from it. This shows that they counted the Prophet’s words very effective, calculated, and serious. It is not impossible that those bewildered and obstinate people spoke so disturbingly.

Moreover, it has been seen many times that when deniers of the Truth confront divine leaders’ logic, they use mockery as a technique for belittling them while innerly they do not have such a belief. And sometimes they count it serious and struggle with it by their soul and body. Therefore Allah, the Mighty, says in this noble verse: “... therefore let those who go against His order beware lest a trial afflicts them or a painful punishment befalls them.”⁽¹⁾

In another verse He says: “This is guidance. And those who disbelieve in the revelations of their Lord, for them there is a painful doom of wrath.”2 Somewhere else He says: “...and visited those who did wrong with dreadful punishment because they used to make mischief.”3

The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) says: “One who oppresses people more in this world, will be punished before Allah (s.w.t.) more severely and harshly than any other person on the day of Resurrection.”⁽²⁾

«أَرَأَیْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَهَهُ هَوَاهُ أَفَأَنْتَ تَکُونُ عَلَیْهِ وَکِیلًا (43)»

43.“Have you seen him who takes his low desires for his god? Would you then be a guardian over him?”

Commentary, verse: 43

Point

Any god other than Allah is called ‘Hawa’ (low desire).⁽¹⁾The main root of idol-worshipping is doing low desires, too. Therefore, Allah says in this noble verse:

“ Have you seen him who takes his low desires for his god?

Would you then be a guardian over him?”

It means that if they ridiculed, stood against, and denied the call of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), it was not because that his logic was weak, his reasons were not conceiving and his religion could not be doubted, but it was because they did not obey intellect and reason, and their god was their low desires. Then, would he expect that such persons accept his call, or that he can affect them?

Great commentators have cited various opinions about the sentence “Have you seen him who takes his low desires for his god?”

Some say, as was mentioned in above, they have one idol and that idol is their low desires from which all their deeds originate.

However, some believe that they do not observe any logic in choosing idols, but whenever they see a piece of stone and an interesting tree or something that motivates their low desire, they select it as their god, bow down before it, make sacrifice for it, and ask it to solve their problems.

There is a narration in the occasion of revelation of this holy verse, which confirms this meaning: one year, in Mecca, it happened that Quraysh were in a tight corner and they scattered here and there. As soon as some of them saw a beautiful tree or an interesting stone, they worshipped it and if

it was stone, they named it ‘Stone of Happiness’. They made sacrifice for it and poured the blood of sacrifice on it. Even they asked it heal of their animals’ maladies.

One day an Arab came and wanted to rub his camels against that stone and so to be blessed. But the camels did stampede and scattered in the desert. Then he said a poem whose content is that I came to ‘Stone of Happiness’ to unify our dispersion, but it scattered our .gathering. Then he said that what this Stone of Happiness is. It is only a piece of stone of that land. It neither leads nor misleads man.

Another Arab saw one of these pieces of stone, while a fox was discharging urine on it, he said: “Is it a god on which a fox discharges urine? Certainly the one on which foxes discharge urine is abject.”⁽¹⁾

These two commentaries are consistent with each other. The principle of idol-worshipping that is generated from some superstitions is a kind of worshipping low desires. Selecting various idols without any logic is also another branch of low desires.

Note:

Undoubtedly there are various instincts and desires in man, all

of which are necessary for continuance of his life: anger, fury, self-loving, being fond of wealth and earthy life, and

such like.

Certainly system of creation has created all of them for the sake of perfection.

What is important is that sometimes they do not cut their coat according to their cloth and exceed the limit. And they will be no longer the controlled means that are in the hand of mind and they begin to rebel and revolt. They imprison intellect and rule the whole entity of man and take him under their control.

This is the same thing that is called ‘worshipping low desires’ or ‘sensuality’, which is more dangerous than all kinds of idol-worshipping. Even idol-worshipping is also generated from it.

This is why the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) has counted idol of low desire as the worst and supreme idol. He says: “Under the sun and before Allah there is no greater idol than low desire that is worshipped.”⁽¹⁾

There is another tradition that says: “The most disliked idol that is worshipped in the earth is the idol of low desire.”

If we think well about this sentence, we find out that worshipping low desire is the source of unawareness and ignorance, as the holy Qur’ān says: “... and do not obey him whose heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance, and he follows his own low desire and whose affair has become all excess.”⁽²⁾

On the other hand worshipping low desires (sensuality) is the source of paganism and faithlessness, as the holy Qur’ān says: “Therefore, let him who believes not in it and follows his own vain desires turn you away from it, lest you perish.”⁽³⁾

Moreover, worshipping low desires is the worst kind of misleading, as the holy Qur’ān says: “.., And who goes farther astray than he who follows his lust without guidance from

Allah. ... ”⁽¹⁾

Another matter is that worshipping low desires is the opposite of Truth-seeking and it deviates man from the path of Allah, as the Holy Qur’ān says: “... therefore judge between mankind with justice, and do not follow desire lest it should lead you astray from the way of Allah... ”⁽²⁾

Furthermore, worshipping low desires prevents justice and pursuit of fairness, as the holy Qur’ān says: “... therefore do not follow any passion so that, you can deal justly ... ”⁽³⁾

Finally, if the system of heavens and the earth could be

based on man’s low desires, the1 entire universe would be corrupted: “And if the Truth had followed their low desires, certainly the heavens and the earth and whoever therein would have perished! ...”⁽⁴⁾

In Islamic narrations we see some striking sentences about

this matter, too.

Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Miserable is he who is deceived by his own low desires and pride.”⁽⁵⁾

Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Worshipping low desires is the enemy of intellect.”⁽⁶⁾

Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Worshipping low desires is the source of pains.”⁽⁷⁾

Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Neither religion nor intellect can be along with worshipping low desires.”⁽¹⁾

In brief, when worshipping of low desires rules, there is neither religion nor intellect but pain, disaster and misery. There will be only wretchedness, corruption and barbarity there.

Phenomena of our life and bitter experiences that we have about others and ourselves are live evidence of all points that were mentioned about worshipping of low desires in above holy verses and narrations. We see persons who suffer the consequences of one hour of worshipping low desires until, the end of their life.

We see young people who, as a result of following their low desires, have become addicted to drugs and have got sexually and morally deviated and so they have changed into a miserable worthless and disable creature. They have lost all their power and capitals.

In current age and past ages both, we see persons who slaughtered thousands and even millions of people out of their low desires and their shameful names will be remembered infamously up to the end of the world.

There is no exception to this principle. Even scientists and famous worshippers of Allah such as Bal‘am Bā‘ūrā who were stripped of humane magnificence because of following low desires, and the Holy Qur’ān says about them: they are like a dog which pants in any case.⁽²⁾

Therefore, it is not surprising that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and Amir-ul-Mu’minīn Ali (a.s.) said: “The most perilous precipice which is on the way of your happiness is

worshipping low desires and ambitions, for following low desires prevents you from the truth and ambitions make man forget the Hereafter.”⁽¹⁾

What are said in narrations and verses about not paying attention to low desires also show the importance of this issue in the viewpoint of Islam: so far that it considers being in awe of Allah and standing against the low desires as the key of Paradise. The Qur’ān says: “But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his soul from lust, verily the Garden will be his abode.”⁽²⁾

Imam Ali (a.s.) says: “The bravest person is one who

overcomes his (or her) wishes.”⁽³⁾

There are many stories that are mentioned about spiritual state of some great men and the friends of Allah, who because of abandoning the low desires achieved spiritually high ranks which can not be achieved by usual ways.

«أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَکْثَرَهُمْ یَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ یَعْقِلُونَ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا کَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِیلًا (44)»

44.“ Do you think that most of them do hear or

understand? They are (nothing) but like the cattle; nay they are farther astray from the path.”

Commentary, verse: 44

Criticizing pagans, the holy Qur’ān uses the word ‘Akhtar’ (most) to differentiate those who will be guided from others.

The verse says:

“Do you think that most of them do hear or understand? ...”

An animal has got no intellect to know goodness, badness,

falsehood and truth, but deviated men act according to their low desires and do not follow intellect, although they have intellect.

To show the importance of the matter, this holy verse says:

“... They are (nothing) but like the cattle; nay, but they are farther astray from the path !”

Something like this meaning is mentioned in verse 179 of Sura Al-’A‘rāf No. 7, which is about hell-dwellers who have got such a fate because of not using their eye, ear and intellect.

It says: “... These are as the cattle, rather they are more astray...”

Though it is, in short, clear that they have gone astray,

commentators have said interesting matters about this subject:

1.The reason that beasts can not know anything and do not

have a heedful ear and a clear-sighted eye, is that they do not have such abilities, but man is more miserable than them, for he has been bestowed the essence of all talents. Allah has

offered him so much talent that he can be His vicegerent on the earth, but he will reach a state that he will be reduced to the level of a beast. He has wasted all his merits and is reduced from the rank of being prostrated by the angels down to the abject rank of evils. This is really painful and it is a clear misleading.

2.Beasts will somehow not be reckoned and will not be divinely punished, while misled men must take the burden of all their deeds on their shoulder and be punished without any reduction.

3.Beasts provide men many services and do various jobs, but mutinous and disobedient men provide no services and even so they cause many disasters and destructions.

4.Beasts do not pose anyone threat and if they do, it is limited. But arrogant, wistful, and faithless man begins a war in which millions of people are murdered.

5.If beasts do not have any program and law, they follow the path that creation has determined for their instincts and they go that way only. But obstinate and disobedient men respect neither laws of creation nor divine legislation and count their wishes and desires as the ruler of everything.

Beasts never justify their actions. If they do a wrong action, it is a wrong action and if they follow their own way, that they do, it is the natural way. But it happens many times

1.that an arrogant, tyrannical and wistful man justifies all his

crimes as though he has done his humane and divine duties!

Therefore, no creature is more dangerous and harmful than

a wistful, disobedient, faithless man, and because of this such a man is named ‘the worst of beasts’ in Sura Al-’Anfāl, No.8, verse 22. What a proper name! So man, who is the vicegerent of Allah, will be worse than beast if he neglects his nature.

Section 5: The Guidance Man gets from the working of Nature

Point

The signs in the working of Nature which lead to the knowledge about the Existence of the Unity of the One True God - The Apostle Muhammad sent as the Bearer of glad

tidings and of the All-Enveloping Mercy of the Lord toward everyone who turns to

Him, and as the Warner against His wrath to those who disbelieve in Him and

transgress the limits fixed by Him. The Apostle’s recompense for his prophetic services - Believers to depend upon the Ever-living-God - The arrogance of the disbelievers

«أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَی رَبِّکَ کَیْفَ مَدَّ الظِّلَّ وَلَوْ شَاءَ لَجَعَلَهُ سَاکِنًا ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا الشَّمْسَ عَلَیْهِ دَلِیلًا (45)»

«ثُمَّ قَبَضْنَاهُ إِلَیْنَا قَبْضًا یَسِیرًا (46)»

45.“ Have you not seen (the might of) your Lord, how He extends the shadow? And if He had pleased He would

certainly have made it stationary, then We have made the sun an indication of it;”

46.“ Then We draw it in towards Ourselves, by an easy

(gradual) contraction.”

Commentary, verses: 45-46

The best way of knowing Allah for all is to ponder the phenomena of existence, which are created according to divine wisdom. The rotation of the earth around itself and around the sun is not accidental. It is wisely and prudently.

Imam Bāqir (a.s.) said: “The purpose of the extension of shadow in the verse is the shade that is between the dawn and

rising of sun.”⁽¹⁾

Although some count the shade as the shade of night or afternoon, but with regard to the next sentence which says: “... then We have made the sun an indication of it”, what Imam says is accepted.

Anyway, these two noble verses mention some of the main parts of divine blessings as the secrets of monotheism and knowledge of Allah. Deliberating on these affairs helps us to be more familiar with our Creator. It first says:

“ Have you not seen (the might of) your Lord, how He extends the shadow? And if He had pleased He would certainly have made it stationary,...”

Certainly, this part of the verse refers to the importance of the blessing of vast and moving shades. These shades do not stay still but they move. Commentators have various opinions about the purpose of the shade or which shade is meant by the verse:

Some say that this spread and vast shade is that one which covers the earth between the dawn and the rising of the sun which is the most pleasant shade and hours of the day. This pale shading light begins from the dawn and at the rising of the sun, sun’s brightness replaces it.

Some have said that its purpose is all shade of night that begins from evening and ends with the rising of the sun, for we know that night is in fact the shade of the hemisphere of the earth that is in front of the sun. This shade is conical that expands in space in opposite side. That conical shade always moves. It ends in an area with the rising of the sun and it begins in another area.

Some others have also said that it is the shade of objects that forms in afternoon and it gradually expands.

Of course, if there were not the next sentences, we would understand an extensive meaning from this sentence that includes all shades, but other indications that have come later show that the first commentary is more proper, for the verse continues:

“... then We have made the sun an indication of it;”

This refers to the fact that if there was not the sun, the concept of shade would not be clear. Basically, shade is formed by rays of the sun, for shade is usually partial darkness that happens for objects. It happens when light is cast on an impassible object and in front of it a shade will be formed. Therefore, we must not only know shade by light according to the law ‘know objects by their opposites’, but also .the existence of shade is caused by light.

In the next verse, Allah says:

“Then We draw it in towards Ourselves,...”

We know that when sun rises, shades are gradually taken away until noontime that there will be no shade in some areas for the sun is above every creature, and in other areas it will be in its minimum size. Therefore, shades neither appear instantly nor are taken away instantly. This is one of the wisdoms of Allah, for if this changing of light and darkness happened immediately, it would surely be harmful for all creatures. This gradual system of changing is in a way that it has the most benefits for all creatures without having any harm.

The Arabic word /yasīrā/ (gradual) refers to the gradual withdrawal of shades, or it refers to this matter that special system of light and darkness is a simple and easy thing comparing with the might of Allah. The Qur’ānic word /’ilaynā/ also emphasizes this divine might. The holy verse continues saying:

“... by an easy (gradual) contraction.”

Anyway, there is no doubt that as man needs light in his

life, he needs shade for modification and prevention of intense light. Continual light makes life deranged, as stable and permanent shade is fatal.

In the first case, all creatures would be burnt and in the second case all creatures would be frozen. This alternative system of light and shade makes life pleasant and possible for man.

«وَهُوَ الَّذِی جَعَلَ لَکُمُ اللَّیْلَ لِبَاسًا وَالنَّوْمَ سُبَاتًا وَجَعَلَ النَّهَارَ نُشُورًا (47)»

47.“ And He it is Who appointed the night for you to be a covering, and sleep as a rest, and He appointed the day a rising.”

Commentary, verse: 47

Alternation of day and night, calmness in the night and working in the day are the signs of Allah’s lordship. Therefore, after mentioning the blessing of shades, the holy Qur’ān brings up two other blessings that are very appropriate with it. In this way, a little of the secrets of the universe, which indicates the existence of the Essence of Allah, is mentioned. It says:

“ And He it is Who appointed the night for you to be a covering, ...”

What a beautiful and interesting sentence ‘appointed the night

for you to be a covering’! This dark curtain covers not only men but also all creatures of the earth. Like garment it protects them. It wraps man like a cover that he uses at the time of sleep for creating darkness and rest.

Then, it refers to the blessing of sleep when it continues

saying:

“... and sleep as a rest, ...”

The Arabic word /subāt/ is derived from the word /sabt/

that means ‘to terminate’. Then it was used to mean to stop working for taking rest. That Saturday is called in Arabic language /yaum-us-sabt/ is because its appellation is taken from schedule of the Jews who set Saturday their holiday.

In fact, this word refers to the termination of all physical activities at the time of sleep, for we know that at the time of sleep most of the activities of body are terminated, and some other parts, such as heart and lung, lessen their usual work and continue more slowly so that tiredness will be removed and power will be back.

Well-timed and measured sleep revives all powers of body and it brings happiness and might. It is the best means for calming the nerves. On the contrary, termination of sleep for a long time is very harmful and even fatal. Therefore, one of the main tortures that torturers use is to terminate the sleep program and so to break man’s resistance very soon.

In the end of the verse, the blessing of day is mentioned. It says:

“... and He appointed the day a rising.”

The Qur’ānic word /nušūr/ is derived from the word /našr/ that means: ‘to spread’, which is the opposite of folding. This may refer to spreading of soul throughout the body when man awakes. It is like reviving after death. It may refer to men’s participation in social activities and movement for various

works of life on the earth.

It is narrated that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) used to state this sentence every morning: “Praise belongs to Allah Who brings us to life after death and (finally) we will return to Him.”⁽¹⁾

Verily, the brightness of day causes movement in man bodily and spiritually, as darkness brings sleep and calmness.

In nature, the first ray of the sun brings great movement and ferment in all creatures. A resurrection happens among them and each of them follows its own program. Even plants grow when light is cast on them. When the sun sets and night

comes, reveille is warbled throughout the entire universe: birds return to their nests and living creatures sleep and take rest. Even plants go to some kind of sleep.

In the end, in the holy Qur’ān, there are several things that are mentioned as garment:

Night: “... appointed the night for you to be a covering ... ”⁽¹⁾

Spouse: “... They are a garment for you and you are a

garment for them... ”⁽²⁾

Piety: “... and the raiment of piety, that is the best... ”⁽³⁾

«وَهُوَ الَّذِی أَرْسَلَ الرِّیَاحَ بُشْرًا بَیْنَ یَدَیْ رَحْمَتِهِ وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً طَهُورًا (48)»

«لِنُحْیِیَ بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَیْتًا وَنُسْقِیَهُ مِمَّا خَلَقْنَا أَنْعَامًا وَأَنَاسِیَّ کَثِیرًا (49)»

48.“And He it is Who sends the winds as heralds of glad

tidings going before His Mercy (rain), and We send down pure water from the sky.”

49.“That thereby We may give life to a dead land, and We give many beasts and men that We have created to drink thereof.”

Commentary, verses: 48-49

Point

After mentioning these great blessings in the pervious holy verses, which are as the main principles of man’s life, now another important blessing is mentioned. It says:

“ And He it is Who sends the winds as heralds of glad

tidings going before His Mercy (rain), and We send down pure water from the sky.”

The function of winds as herald of descending of divine blessing is not concealed to anyone, for if they did not exist, a drop of rain would never fall on dry land. It is true that the shining of the sun evaporates water of the seas and the condensing of vapors in cold layer of atmosphere forms rain clouds. But if winds do not move these rain clouds from oceans to dry lands, once more clouds change into rain and falls on the seas.

In short, these heralds of blessing that move continually throughout the earth quench the thirst of dry lands, brings the

enlivening rain, forms streams, springs, wells, and grows various kinds of plant.

Always some of these winds, that move in font of clouds and are mixed with mild moisture, create a pleasant breeze which emits the smell of rain. They are like givers of glad tidings that announce the coming of a dear traveler.

Using the Qur’ānic word /riyāh/ (winds) may refer to the various kinds of wind: some of them flow from the north, some flow from the south, some flow from east to west, and some flow from west to east. Consequently they spread clouds in all areas of the earth.

It is worth-considering that here the adjective ‘pure’ is attributed to ‘water’. This is overstatement, therefore, its meaning is being pure and to purify. It means that water is both essentially clean and can purify defiled things. In addition to water, there are many objects that are clean, but they can never purify a defile object.

Anyway, besides being enlivener, water can purify. If there were not water, all of our life, body and soul would be defiled and dirty. Though water cannot kill microbes, it can dissolve and wash microbes. In this way, it is an effective help to man’s health and it fights against many diseases.

Moreover, we know that for purification of soul we also perform ritual bathing and ablution. So this enlivening liquid purifies both soul and body.

However, this purifying characteristic of water is in the second rank, though it is important. Therefore, in this noble verse, Allah adds:

“That thereby We may give life to a dead land, and We give many beasts and men that We have created to drink thereof.”

Some points:

1.In this verse, ‘many beasts and men’ are mentioned, though all of animals and men use rainwater.

This is because it wants to refer to those who dwell in desert and nomads who do not have permanent water and use rainwater directly. They perceive this important blessing more than other people do. When a piece of cloud appears in the sky and the rain falls, pits will be filled with clean water. Then their animals drink water from them and they themselves also use that water. They will perceive life and movement in themselves and their domestic animals.

2.The Arabic word /nusqīh/ is derived from the word /’isqā’/. As Rāqib, in Mufradāt, and other commentators say, its difference from the word /saqiya/ is in that /’isqā’/ means to prepare water and to let man to drink it whenever he likes, while the word /saqiya/ means to give someone a container of water for drinking. In other words, the word /’isqā’/ has got more extensive meaning.

3.In this verse ‘dead land’ is mentioned first and then beasts and after that men are brought up. This is because when dead lands are not enlivened by rain, beasts do not have food and when beasts are not fed, men cannot use them as food.

4.Mentioning enlivenment of water after the issue of

purification may refer to their close relationship. (We have spoken in detail about the effects of water enlivenment in Sura

Al-Anbiyā, No. 21, verse 30.)

5.The Qur’ānic word /tahūr/ is applied to something that is

both very pure and purifier.

6.The Arabic word /bilād/ means land, whether it is city or village or farm, for the verse of Sura Al-’A‘rāf, No. 7, verse 58 says: “And the good land, its vegetation comes forth (in

abundance) by the leave of its Lord ...” It is clear that the growth of plant is not limited to city.

7.The Arabic word /’anāsī/ is the plural form of the word /’insī/ which means man.

8.Since the meaning of the Arabic word ‘Balad’ is the

same as the word ‘Baldah, instead of the word ‘Maytatan’, the word ‘Maytan’ is used to describe it.⁽¹⁾

9.In using water, agriculture ranks first, then there is the rank of animals, and then men are the last. Therefore, in the verse, first agriculture and revivification of land, then animals and finally men are mentioned.

10.Winds have got many benefits such as fining of weather, transferring of clouds, lessening of heat, and fecundation of plants.

p: 81

«وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَاهُ بَیْنَهُمْ لِیَذَّکَّرُوا فَأَبَی أَکْثَرُ النَّاسِ إِلَّا کُفُورًا (50)»

50.“ And indeed We have distributed it amongst them so that they may remember (Allah), but most of mankind are averse (to aught) save ingratitude.”

Commentary, verse: 50

Remembrance of Divine blessings is to express gratitude

for them and negligence of them is to express ingratitude and rejection for them.

In this noble verse, Allah refers to the holy Qur’ān and says:

“ And indeed We have distributed it amongst them so that they may remember (Allah), but most of mankind are averse (to aught) save ingratitude.”

Although many of commentators such as the deceased Tabarsī and Shiykh Tūsī in Tibyān, and ’Allāmah Tabātabā’ī in Al-Mīzān have said that the pronoun of the word ‘Sarrafnāh’ refers to rain, that in this case its concept is that Allah sends drops of rain in various directions and places and divides them among people for the sake of remembrance of this great blessing of Allah, but it is right to say that this pronoun refers to the Qur’ān and its verses, for this kind of structure (past tense and present continuous tense) is used 10 times in the holy Qur’ān and 9 of them explicitly refer to the verses of the Qur’ān. And in many cases the Qur’ānic phrase /liyazzakkarū/ (that they may remember) is placed before them and so it seems impossible that only in this holy verse this phrase has got a different meaning.

Basically the Arabic word /tasrīf/, which means to change and transform, is not very consistent with sending down

rainwater, while it is more consistent with the verses of the Qur’ān which are presented in various forms, sometimes in the form of promise, sometimes in the form of threat of punishment, sometimes in the form of prohibition, sometimes in the form of enjoinment order, and sometimes in the form of the life story of ancient people.

«وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَبَعَثْنَا فِی کُلِّ قَرْیَةٍ نَذِیرًا (51)»

«فَلَا تُطِعِ الْکَافِرِینَ وَجَاهِدْهُمْ بِهِ جِهَادًا کَبِیرًا (52)»

51.“ And if We had pleased certainly We would have raised up a warner in every town.”

52.“ So do not follow the infidels, and strive against them with it (the Qur’ān) a strenuous strife.”

Commentary, verses: 51-52

This verse somehow speaks about the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) as the

seal of prophets and about the comprehensiveness of his religion, for it implies that no prophet was appointed anywhere with him, since he can control the entire society and no body else is needed. He has such a rank and state that prophethood is closed with his existence.

It is also possible that some polytheists used this pretext along with other ones that it was better that Allah appointed a prophet in every village and city. But, in answer to them, the Qur’ān says: “ And if We had pleased certainly We would have raised up a warner in every town.”

Anyway, this verse is a reason for magnificence of the Prophet’s rank and it shows also the necessity of unity of leadership and heaviness of his duty.

For this reason, in the next holy verse, two important commandments that are the main programs of prophets are stated. So, addressing the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), it says:

“ So do not follow the infidels, ...”

Do not conciliate with the deviated persons in any step you take, for conciliation with them is the malady of the call to

Allah. Stand fast against them and try to reform them, but be careful not to yield to their low desires and superstitions.

The second commandment is as follows:

“... and strive against them with it (the Qur’ān) a strenuous strife.”

That is, his strife must be like magnificence of his mission and the magnificence of all former prophets’ endeavour, an endeavour that includes all dimensions of people’s soul and intellect, and it includes all spiritual and materialistic aspects.

Undoubtedly the purpose of Jihad (strife), here, is only intellectual, cultural, and propagation endeavour. Its purpose is not Holy war with weapon, for this Sura is a Meccan Sura and we know that the command of armed war was not issued in Mecca.

As the deceased Tabarsī says in Majma‘ ul-Bayān, this verse is a clear reason for this fact that the intellectual effort and the struggle of propagation against temptations of the deviated people and the enemies of the Truth is of the greatest Jihād (strife). Even it is possible that the famous tradition of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) refers to this Jihad and the magnificence of the learned and scientists’ job in propagation of religion, when he (p.b.u.h.) says: “We returned from small Jihād to the greater Jihād.”

This shows the greatness of the rank of the Qur’ān, too, for it is a means for the greater warfare and it is an effective weapon whose power of explanation and argumentation, deep effect and attraction is beyond men's imagination and power.

It is an effective means that is as shining as the sun, as brightening as the day, as canning as curtains of night, as motion-imparting as winds, as great as clouds, and as enlivening as drops of rain, the qualities of which were referred to in the previous verses.

«وَهُوَ الَّذِی مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَیْنِ هَذَا عَذْبٌ فُرَاتٌ وَهَذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌ وَجَعَلَ بَیْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخًا وَحِجْرًا مَحْجُورًا (53)»

53.“ And He it is Who had made the two seas join and flow together, one palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; and between the two He has made a barrier and inviolable obstruction.”

Commentary, verse: 53

Again this noble verse argues on Allah’s magnificence by mentioning His blessings in the system of creation. Consisting with mentioning descending of enlivening drops of rain in the previous verses, it refers to not mixing of sweet waters and salty ones, and says:

“ And He it is Who had made the two seas join and flow together, one palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; and between the two He has made a barrier and inviolable obstruction.”

The Qur’ānic word /maraja/ is derived from the word /maraj/ that means ‘to mix or to send and to deliver free’, and here it means to set salty water and sweet water beside each other.

The Arabic word /‘aǒb/ means wholesome, pure and cool. And the word /furāt/ means sweet and delicious. The Arabic word /milh/ means ‘salty’, and the word /’ujāj/ means ‘bitter and warm’. So /‘aǒb/ and /furāt/ are opposite in meaning with /milh/ and /’ujāj/. The word ‘Barzakh’ means a bar and partition between two things.

But the phrase ‘Hijran Mahjurā’ (inviolable obstruction), as was said in the 22nd verse of the current Sura, is an

expression that was used by Arabs when they met a person whom they feared. They said it for protecting themselves. They wanted to say, ‘excuse and protect us and be away from us!’

Anyway, this noble verse depicts one of the wonderful manifestations of Allah's might in the world of creation, how an invisible veil and an undetectable bar is set between salty and sweet seas and it does not allow them to get mixed.

Of course, today we know that this undetectable bar is ‘the density difference of sweet and salty water’ or it is so-called ‘specific gravity’ of theirs which causes them not to be mixed for a long time.

Some commentators have tried to find out where such two salty and sweet seas are located on the earth that they do not mix. But this problem has been solved for us, for we know that all great sweet rivers that empty into seas form a sea of sweet water in seashore and send salty water back and this situation continues for a long time. For the different degree of their density, they avoid mixing with each other and say to each other: ‘Hijran Mahjurā’

It is interesting that because of flow and ebb, water of seas comes up and goes down two times a day as the result of the moon’s gravitation. This sweet water, which forms a sea, goes forth into the land at the estuary of the same rivers and, the places around there. Since ancient times, men have taken this matter into consideration and have dug canals in such places of sea and farmed many lands irrigated by this sweet water that spreads in vast areas by means of flow and ebb.

Just now, there are millions of palm trees in the south of Iran, which are irrigated in this way. They are located very far from the sea. When rain falls less, and the water

of great rivers that empties into the sea decreases, and sometimes salty water increases, local farmers get worried, for they fear that it harms their farming.

Usually this is not so. This ‘pleasant and sweet’ water which is placed besides ‘salty and warm’ water does mix with it, and this is a great capital for them.

It needs not mentioning that the existence of natural reasons in such issues does not devaluate them. What is nature? It is nothing except Allah’s will and intention that has bestowed such attributes to these creatures.

It is interesting that whenever man flies over them with airplane, it is clearly seen that these two waters have got various colours and do not get mixed. This makes man remember this Qur’ānic point.

Moreover, locating this verse among the verses that are about ‘faith’ and ‘faithlessness’ may refer to this matter that sometimes in a society or city, or even in a home, there are faithful persons who are like sweet and pleasant water along with unfaithful persons who are like salty and warm water. They have two various ideas and opinions and they have pure deeds and impure deeds, but they do not get mixed.

«وَهُوَ الَّذِی خَلَقَ مِنَ الْمَاءِ بَشَرًا فَجَعَلَهُ نَسَبًا وَصِهْرًا وَکَانَ رَبُّکَ قَدِیرًا (54)»

54.“ And He it is Who has created man from water, then He made him related in blood and in wedlock; and your Lord is ever Powerful.”

Commentary, verse: 54

The purpose of ‘water’ in this noble verse is the sperm of man, and the evidence of it is found in the following two verses:

“Did We not create you from a base fluid” (Sura Al-Mursalāt, verse 20)

“He is created from a gushing fluid.” (Sura At-Tāriq, verse 6)

Since the previous verses talked about the falling of rain as well as the locating of the salty and sweet waters besides each other, now this verse mentions the creation of man from water, It says:

“And He it is Who has created man from water ...”

Verily carving on water and shaping such a novel figure on water is the reason for omnipotence of Allah. In fact, the former verses talked about the growth of plants because of rain water, but here it speaks about a higher level that is the creation of man from water.

Therefore, commentators say that the purpose of water here is sperm from which all men are generated by Allah’s might. By sexual intercourse, man's sperm, which is floating in water, joins woman's ovum and the first blossom of man’s life, that is the first living cell of man, will be created.

If man carefully studies the various phases of forming sperm from the beginning up to the end of fetal period, he sees a lot of signs of Allah’s might and magnificence so that they will be enough to know His Pure Essence.

This commentary will be proved by the sentence that follows the verse and we will explain it.

Moreover, undoubtedly most of man’s body consists of water; therefore we can say that the main material of every man is water. Consequently, man can very scarcely resist lack of water, while he can survive many days and weeks without eating food.

Of course, it is also possible that all of these meanings are

included in the concept of the verse. That is, both the first man is created from water, and all human beings are created from (seaman) water, and water is the most important material of man’s body. Water is the simplest material of the world, but how has it become the source of such wonderful creation? This is the reason for His might.

After mentioning the creation of man, the increase of generations is brought up. It says:

“... then He made him related in blood and wedlock; ...”

The purpose of the Arabic word ‘Nasab’ (blood) is the relationship that is between men by way of reproductions and births, such as the relationship between father and offspring or relationship between brothers. The purpose of the Qur’ānic word /sihr/ (wedlock), which originally means ‘groom’, is the relationship that occurs through marriage between two families, such as the relation of man with the close relatives of his wife which is created in this way. These two are what Islamic jurists say as ‘the indirect cause’ and ‘lineage’ in the subject of marriage.

In Sura An-Nisā’, No. 4, seven of the unmarriageable ones (mother, daughter, sister of mother, sister of father, daughter of brother, and daughter of sister) that are created by lineage or parentage, and four cases of the indirect cause (daughter of wife, mother of wife, wife of issue, and wife of father) are mentioned.

Of course, there are other opinions about this sentence stated by commentators, but this one is stronger and clearer, including this one: some say that the word ‘Nasab’ means ‘male offspring’ and the word /sihr/ means ‘female offspring’, for blood relationships traditionally are counted depending on fathers not mothers.

But as we said in the commentary of the 61st verse of Sura ’Āl-i-‘Imrān, it is a big mistake that is originated from customs and traditions that were before Islam. They thought that blood relationship has been originated only from father, and mother has no role. But as it is specified by Islamic jurisprudence and all the Islam learned persons, all ordinances that are about lineally being unmarriageable are from both the father side and mother side.

It is interesting that there is a famous tradition which is recorded in Shi‘ite and Sunni books. According to this tradition, this verse is sent down about the Prophet (p.b.u.li.) and Imam Ali (a.s.), for the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) married his daughter, Fātimah (a.s.), off to Ali (a.s.), therefore, Ali (a.s.) was both the cousin of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and spouse of his daughter. This is the meaning of the Qur’ānic phrase ‘Nasaban Wa Sehran’ (related in blood and in wedlock).⁽¹⁾

As we have repeatedly said, these narrations are some clear extensions of the verse and they do not prevent generality of the meaning of the verse. This verse includes any relationship that is created by the way of blood and marriage and one of its clear extensions is the bilateral relationship of Ali (a.s.) and Prophet (p.b.u.h.).

At the end of the verse, in order to put emphasis on the former issues, the Qur’ān says:

“... And your Lord is ever Powerful.”

«وَیَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا یَنْفَعُهُمْ وَلَا یَضُرُّهُمْ وَکَانَ الْکَافِرُ عَلَی رَبِّهِ ظَهِیرًا (55)»

55.“ And they worship besides Allah (things) which neither profit them nor harm them; and the infidel is a helper (of aberration) against his Lord.”

Commentary, verse: 55

No reason and logic polytheists have got for worshipping their idols. Harm and benefit is only in the hand of Allah, not others.

Finally, in the above verse, the deviation of polytheists from the principle of monotheism, which is comparing the power of idols with Allah’s power and some of which are mentioned in the previous verses, is brought up. The Holy Qur’ān says:

“ And they worship besides Allah (things) which neither profit them nor harm them; ...”

It is certain that benefit and harm can not be the only criterion of worshipping, but by mentioning this the Qur’ān intends to say that they have no pretext for worshiping idols, for idols are some objects that have no value, no positive and negative effect.

At the end of the verse, the Qur’ān adds:

“... and the infidel is a helper (of aberration) against his Lord.”

They are not alone in their deviated path and they certainly help each other. The powers which must be mobilized for the

sake of Allah, are organized against Allah, His Prophet (p.b.u.h.), and the true believers.

If we see that some of commentators have interpreted the Qur’ānic word /kāfir/ (disbeliever) here as ’Abū Jahl, they want to mention a clear extension, otherwise, the Arabic word /kāfir/ has got extensive meaning everywhere which includes all disbelievers.

«وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاکَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِیرًا (56)»

56.“ And We did not sent you but a bearer of glad tidings and a warner.”

Commentary, verse: 56

In this short verse, both monotheism: ‘’Arsalnā’ (We have sent), and prophethood: ‘Ka’ (you, O’ Muhammad!) and Resurrection (a bearer of glad tidings and a warner) are referred to.

Since the previous verses spoke about idol-worshippers’

insistence on worshipping idols that had no benefit and harm, in this holy verse the duty of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to stubborn disbelievers is mentioned. It says:

“ And We did not sent you but a bearer of glad tidings and a warner.”

If they do not accept the call of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), there is no fault and responsibility on him; because he has done his duty that is to give good tidings and to warn, and he has called receptive persons to Allah.

This verse both specifies the duty of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.)

and sympathizes with him, and it is a kind of threat and heedlessness to these deviated persons.

«قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ إِلَّا مَنْ شَاءَ أَنْ یَتَّخِذَ إِلَی رَبِّهِ سَبِیلًا (57)»

57.“Say: ‘I do not ask you a wage for it (my ministry) except for him who wishes to choose a way unto his Lord’.”

Commentary, verse: 57

A successful leader is one who declares to people that he does not expect anything. Man gets the rank of sincerity when he does not want or demand any physical, positional, and verbal reward.

Thus, Allah commands the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to tell the people: he does not ask of them any reward for this Qur’ān and conveying this heavenly religion, save that people will may choose a way unto their Lord. The verse says:

“ Say: ‘I do not ask you a wage for it (my ministry) except for him who wishes to choose a way unto his Lord’.” It implies that the only reward and compensation of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is people's guidance that has happened intentionally and willfully in them and not reluctantly and compulsorily. This is an interesting phrase that shows the maximum of kindness and benevolence of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) towards his followers, for he counts their happiness and bliss as his reward.

It is clear that guidance of the nation (Ummah) has got an extraordinarily spiritual reward for the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), because whoever leads people to a good deed is like the one who does this deed.

There are also other possibilities about the commentary of this verse. Some say that the verse implies that the Prophet

(p.b.u.h.) does not want any reward from people, except they give some of their wealth to the poor for the sake of Allah, of course, if they will.

But the first commentary is more near to the meaning of the verse.

It is understood from what have been said above that the pronoun of the Qur’ānic word /‘alayh/ (for this) refers to the Qur’ān and propagation of Islam religion, for it speaks about not wanting reward and compensation for this call.

This sentence both stops the pretexts of pagans and makes clear that acceptance of this divine call is easy and simple for anybody without any trouble and expenditure.

This testifies to truthfulness of the Prophet’s call and purification of his thought and program, for false claimers do this certainly for the sake of some indirect or direct reward.

«وَتَوَکَّلْ عَلَی الْحَیِّ الَّذِی لَا یَمُوتُ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِهِ وَکَفَی بِهِ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِیرًا (58)»

58.“ And rely on the (Ever) living One Who dies not, and celebrate with His praise, and sufficient is He as being aware of the faults of His servants,”

Commentary, verse: 58

Point

The Arabic word /tawakkul/ as well as its derivatives are mentioned 70 times in the Qur’ān. It means to rely on Allah and to use Him as lawyer in all affairs.

In the previous verse the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was commanded to tell people he would not demand reward from them. And now this verse implies that religious leaders do not expect anything from people for their own life and they must trust Allah. Therefore, in this verse, the main reliance of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is made clear; it says:

“ And rely on the (Ever) living One Who dies not, ...”

By having such a Trust, Sanctuary, and Guardian Who is always alive and will be alive, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) does not need their reward and does not fear harm, hurt, and their conspiracy. Now that this is so, ‘hymn His praise’, do glorify Him and praise Him for all His perfect Attributes. The verse says:

In fact, this sentence can be counted as the etiology of the “... and celebrate with His praise, ...” former sentence, for when He has no fault and weakness and has got all good things and is perfect, such a One is deserved to be trusted. Then it is added: implying that he (p.b.u.h.) should not be worried of the enemies’ conspiracies for He

suffices as the Knower of His bondmen’s sins, and He reckons them when its time comes. The verse continues saying:

“... and sufficient is He as being aware of the faults of His servants,”

Whom must we trust?

In the above verse, when the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is ordered to forget all creatures and to rely on the pure nature of Allah, He mentions some attributes for this pure nature, which are, in fact, the main qualifications of One Who can be the real and sure trust of people.

First, he must be alive, for a dead and unbeneficial creature, such as idols, cannot be someone’s trust.

Second, he must be immortal, so that, those who trust him do not get worried and irresolute about his death.

Third, he must be omniscient. He must know both all the

needs of those who trust in him and the plots and plans of foes.

Forth, he must be omnipotent. He must have no weakness and

disability that weakens this reliance.

Fifth, he must manage and control all affairs. And we

know that these attributes are only found in the pure nature of Allah, thus, He is the only One Whom can be trusted and does not have instability in all events and disasters.

Some Traditions on Trust

1.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “One who wants to be the

most pious person of people has to trust Allah.”⁽¹⁾

2.Imam Sādiq (a.s.) said: “Fearing only Allah and not fearing other than Allah is reliance.”⁽²⁾

3.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “The best servants with Allah

are those who trust Allah more and obey His commandments.”⁽¹⁾

4.Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “This is sufficient for your trust that

you know no one as your sustainer but Allah, the Glorious.”2

5.Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Oh people! Trust and have confidence in Allah, for He will be sufficient for the affairs of those who trust (in Him).”⁽²⁾

6.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “If one trusts Allah, He provides his provisions and livelihood from some ways that he has not thought. And Allah makes the world the trust of one who pins all his hopes on the world.”⁽³⁾

«الَّذِی خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَیْنَهُمَا فِی سِتَّةِ أَیَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَی عَلَی الْعَرْشِ الرَّحْمَنُ فَاسْأَلْ بِهِ خَبِیرًا (59)»

59.“(He) Who created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six Days, then He established Himself on ‘Arsh (the Throne of authority) the Beneficent (God)!

Ask then (what you need) from Him Who is aware (of every thing).”

Commentary, verse: 59

This noble verse states the power of Allah in the entire universe and describes this assured trust in another way. It says:

“ (He) Who created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six Days, then He established Himself on ‘Arsh (the Throne of authority)...”

One who has such omnipotence can protect those trust Him from every danger and disaster. He both has created the world and the management, leadership and administration of it are in His authority.

Moreover, gradual creation of the world shows that Allah does not hurry in any job. If He does not punish wrongdoers very quickly, it is because He wants to give them opportunity and respite to improve them. Furthermore, someone who fears for the passage of time hurries, and this is not true about Allah, the Mighty.

In the commentary of the 54th verse of the Sura Al-’A‘rāf we talked about the creation of the universe in six days and we said that the purpose of ‘days’ in such cases is periods that each of which may last millions or milliards years. We mentioned the evidences of this matter from Arabic literature and other languages. Also we specified all these 6 periods. The Qur’ānic word /‘arš/ has also been explained there.

In the end of the verse it is added:

“... the Beneficent (God)! ...”

He is the One Whose encompassing mercy includes all creatures, and everyone who obeys Him, or everyone who disobeys Him, believers and disbelievers all enjoy His unconditional generosity.

Now that man has such a mighty and generous Lord, he must ask Him whatever he needs or he must ask Him Who knows everything. The verse says:

“... Ask then (what you need) from Him Who is aware (of every thing).”

As a matter of fact this sentence is the result of the former discussion; it implies that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) must declare that he does not want any reward from them and they must trust Allah Who has all these attributes, that is. He is both the Powerful, the Beneficent, and All-merciful, and All-aware, and the Omniscient. Thus man must ask Him whatever he wants.

Commentators have other opinions about this sentence and mostly they have interpreted the Qur’ānic word /fas’al/ (ask),

here, as to ask question or to question not to demand, and they say that the concept of this sentence is that if man wants to ask

question about the creation and the power of Allah, he must ask Allah Himself, for He knows everything.

Some have not only interpreted 'ask' as ask question or to

question, but also they say that the purpose of the Qur’ānic word ‘Khabīr’ is Gabriel or the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.), that, is if anyone has question about Allah's attributes, he must ask them.

Of course, the last commentary seems very unlikely and the commentary that is before the last one is not very consistent with the former verses, Thus, the meaning which says, to ask Allah whatever someone wants, seems more

probable.

«وَإِذَا قِیلَ لَهُمُ اسْجُدُوا لِلرَّحْمَنِ قَالُوا وَمَا الرَّحْمَنُ أَنَسْجُدُ لِمَا تَأْمُرُنَا وَزَادَهُمْ نُفُورًا (60)»

60.“ And when it is said to them: ‘Prostrate you to Rahmān (The Beneficent Allah), they say: ‘And what is Rahmān (the Beneficent Allah)? Shall we prostrate to what you bid us?’ And it increases them in aversion.”

Commentary, verse: 60

In this verse the Arabic word /ma/ (what), which is use for inanimate and solid bodies, is repeated two times. The pagans used this word to scorn the Holy Divine Essence. Therefore, instead of saying ‘Wa Man ir-Rahmān’ (and who is the Beneficent?), they said: ‘Wa-Mar-Rahmān’ (And what is the Beneficent?), and instead of saying ‘Liman Ta’murunā’ (to whom you bid us), they said ‘Lima Ta’murunā’ (to what you bid us).

Since the previous verses spoke about both the might and magnificence of Allah and His encompassing mercy, this verse implies that when they are told adore the Beneficent Allah, Whose mercy encompasses soul and body of yours, they say out of pride and conceit, or for redacting, what the Beneficent Allah is. The verse says:

“ And when it is said to them: ‘Prostrate you to Rahmān

(The Beneficent Allah), they say: ‘And what is Rahmān

(the Beneficent Allah)? ...”

They said that they did not basically know Rahmān and

his word had no clear sense for them. They continued saying:

“... Shall we prostrate to what you bid us?’...”

We will not submit anybody and we are not the follower of the command of this and that.

They say this statement and, consequently, their hate and their distance from Allah will be increased.

Certainly the most proper name of Allah’s names for calling people to adoration and worship in His presence is ‘Rahmān’ (the Beneficent) with its extensive meaning of His mercy, but because of blind-heartedness and stubbornness they not only presented no flexibility for this invitation, but also they embarked on scorning and mocking and they mockingly said: “... what is Rahmān (the Beneficent Allah)?” As Pharaoh said in the opposition of Moses (a.s.): “And what is the Lord of the Worlds?”⁽¹⁾, they did not even say: ‘and who is...?’

However, the root and the form of this word, ‘Rahmān’ is Arabic, and the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) always, at the beginning of each Sura of the Qur’ān, said this name for them by the phrase: ‘Bismillāh ir-Rahmān ir-Rahīm’ (In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful). Therefore, their aim was nothing but mocking and pretext-seeking.

The next sentence also testifies to this fact, for they say implicitly: ‘Are we to adore whatever you (Muhammad) bid us and prostrate by your command?’

But as a matter of fact, the propagation of divine leaders only has effect on those persons whose hearts are receptive and the blind-hearted stubborn persons not only do not enjoy it, but also their hatefumess increases, for the verses of the Qur’ān are like enlivening drops of rain that grows flower and meadow in gardens and grows thorn in the brackish lands. So it is not surprisingly that it says:

“... And it increases them in aversion.”

Section 6: Repentance, belief and good deeds

Point

The faithful servants of Allah behave meekly and offer peace even to the ignorant ones when they even insult them - Punishment for joining others with Allah and slaying people unjustly, for adultery and the reward for the Faithful

«تَبَارَکَ الَّذِی جَعَلَ فِی السَّمَاءِ بُرُوجًا وَجَعَلَ فِیهَا سِرَاجًا وَقَمَرًا مُنِیرًا (61)»

61.“ Blessed is He Who has set in heaven constellations, and has set therein a lamp (the sun) and the moonilluminating.”

Commentary, verse: 61

The Qur’ānic word /tabāraka/ is used only in past tense and it is repeated thee times in this Sura (in verses 1, 10, and 61). As it was said before, it is derived from whether the word ‘Baraka’ (stable and constant), or from the word ‘Barakat’ (abundant goodness).

This noble verse is in fact the answer of those who said what ‘the Beneficent’ is. Though they present this question mockingly, the Holy Qur’ān answers them seriously. It says:

“Blessed is He Who has set in the heaven constellations,...”

The Arabic word /burūj/ is the plural form of the word ‘Burj’ which originally means ‘appearance’, therefore, that part of the wall that is around a city or camp of an army and is taller and more remarkable is called ‘Burj’. Also when a

woman shows her adornment, it will be said: “Tabarrajat ilMar’ah’. This word is applied to tall palaces, too.

Anyway, heavenly mansions refer to special constellations before which each season and each time of year the sun and the moon pass, for example, it is said that the sun is in Aries-, which means the sun is in front of the constellation of Aries,: Or the moon is in Scorpios, that is the moon is in front of the constellation of Scorpios. (A constellation is a collection of stars ⁽¹⁾

which seems to us a special form.)

Thus, the verse refers to the heavenly places of the sun and the

moon and it says:

“... and has set therein a lamp (the sun) and the moon illuminating.”

As a matter of fact, this verse states how precise and fixed the Orbits of the sun and the moon are in heaven. (Of course, these changes are in fact resulted from the movement of the earth around the sun). It is a precise system that rules them for millions of year so that astronomers can forecast hundreds of year later. This system that rules over these great celestial bodies testifies to the existence of a Lord Who is the manager and administrator of the great universe.

Do not they (disbelievers) know Him with such clear signs and with such exact places of the sun and the moon and then they say what the Beneficent is?

Why is the sun called ‘Sirāj’? And why is the adjective ‘Munīr’ used for the moon? It is probably because the word ‘Sirāj’ means light and the lamp from which light comes out and this is consistent with the nature of the sun that according to scientific researches the light of the sun belongs to itself. On the contrary, the light of the moon does not belong to itself and it comes from the sun, therefore, the adjective ‘Munīr’ (giving light) is used for the moon, though its light is borrowed from somewhere else.

(Of course, we talked about this in detail in Sura Yūnus, No. 10, verses 5 and 6.)

«وَهُوَ الَّذِی جَعَلَ اللَّیْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ خِلْفَةً لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ یَذَّکَّرَ أَوْ أَرَادَ شُکُورًا (62)»

62.“ And He it is Who has made the night and the day to

succeed each other for him who desires to reflect or desires to be thankful.”

Commentary, verse: 62

Point

This noble verse still continues to introduce the Lord of the

universe and states another part of the system of the existence.

It says:

“ And He it is Who has made the night and the day to succeed each other for him who desires to reflect or desires to be thankful.”

It is the regular system that rules the day and the night which alternatively substitute each other. This system is in work for millions of year. It is the system that if does not exist the life of man will be destroyed by intensity of heat and light or darkness, and this is an attractive reason for those who want to know Allah.

We know that the system of day and night is generated from the movement of the earth around itself. Its gradual and regular changes, that is continually the duration of one of them increases and the other one decreases, is because of its axle slope in regard to its orbit, which, during a year, causes the four seasons.

If the earth rotated faster or slower than its usual speed, in one case the nights would get so longer that all things would be frozen, and in other case the days would be so long that the sun would burn everything. Moreover, the centrifugal force

could be so intense that the earthly creatures would be thrown out into the space.

In brief, on one hand, the study of this system awakes the theology nature in man. (Perhaps the application of the phrase ‘desires to reflect’ refers to this fact), and on the other hand, it awakes the thanking spirit in man and the phrase ‘desires to be thankful’ may refer to this matter.

It is worth-mentioning that in a narration whether belongs to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) or Infallible Imams (a.s.) we read: “Coming day and night in succession is for the matter that if man does dereliction of his duties in one of them, he recompenses it in another one.” This meaning may be the second commentary for the verse and, since the verses of the Qur’ān has got levels of meaning, it is not inconsistent with the first commentary either.

Imam Sādiq (a.s.) in a tradition says: “Any worship and

obedience that you missed to do in the night make up for it in the day, for Allah, the Mighty and the Blessed, says: ‘Man must compensate the undone duties of night in day and compensate those of day in night.’⁽¹⁾

The same thing is narrated by Fakhr-i-Rāzī from the Prophet (p.b.u.h.).

Conclusion:

To learn lessons from 'the system ruling the universe’ depends on our will. How a lot are persons who spend their life for a phenomenon, but since they do not will to learn lesson, they do not profit by the example! These persons are like one who sells mirror, the one who always looks at mirror,

but does not straighten his garments, while a passenger may straight his collar by just one careful glance at mirror.

Therefore, a mere glance is not enough, but the will for reformation also is necessary. With this matter mentioned, it gets clear why some scientists do not know Allah, while they have spent their life for researching the nature, for they do not do anything for knowing Allah, as a carpenter makes many ladders, but he does not will to climb one of them.

«وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ الَّذِینَ یَمْشُونَ عَلَی الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا (63)»

«وَالَّذِینَ یَبِیتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِیَامًا (64)»

63.“ And the servants of the Beneficent (Allah) are those who walk on the earth humbly; and when the ignorant address them, they answer; ‘Peace’.

64.“ And those who spend the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing.”

Commentary, verses: 63-64

Point

The behaviour of each person shows his personality and character. The supreme reward and medal for man is the medal of servitude of Allah: (‘The servants of the Beneficent (Allah)’). For being related to infinity makes man exalted.

Form this holy verse on, an interesting and comprehensive discussion about the attributes of Allah’s special slaves is brought up under the title of ‘The servants of the Beneficent (Allah)’. It, in fact, completes the former verses in which there has been mentioned that the obstinate polytheists said out of conceit and ridicule when the name of Allah, the Beneficent, has been mentioned: “...what is the Beneficent?” We saw that the holy Qur’ān introduced Allah, the Beneficent, to them in two verses. Now it is time for introducing the Beneficent Allah to the special servants. When His servants are so dignified and lofty, the magnificence of Allah, the Beneficent, will be understood better.

In these two verses and the next verses, more than 10 attributes of theirs are mentioned, some of which are related to

the creedal aspects, some are moral, some are social, some are personal, and some are collective. On the whole they are of the supreme humane values.

It first says:

“ And the servants of the Beneficent (Allah) are those who walk on the earth humbly;...”

In fact the first attribute introduced for ‘The servants of the Beneficent (Allah)’ is denial and negation of conceit, pride and self-admiration, which is seen in all deeds of man, even in his way of walking, for moral habits will appear in man’s deeds, speech, and gestures, so that by studying the way of walking of a person we can find out many things about his morality.

Yes, they are humble and the key of faith is humbleness, while the key of unfaithfulness is conceit and pride. We have seen many times in everyday life and we have also read frequently in the holy Qur’ān that the conceited arrogant have not been willing even to listen to the words of the divine leaders, and they have ridiculed the truths. They do not see further than the end of their own nose. Is it possible to acquire faith with such mood of conceitedness?

Yes, these faithful persons are the servants of Allah, the Beneficent. The first sign of servitude is that humbleness, which penetrates all particles of their entity and even it can be detected in their way of walking.

Since the spirit of faith is humbleness, we see that one of the main commandments given to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) by Allah is: “And do not walk around exultantly on the earth; certainly you will never rend the earth, nor attain the mountains in height.”⁽¹⁾

Verily if man knows himself and the universe minimally,

he knows how small he is comparing with this great universe! Even if his neck gets as long as mountains, the highest mountains are less than the peel swells of sour orange in regard to the hugeness of the earth which is itself just a tiny particle in these great galaxies.

After all, is not pride and conceit the reason of absolute ignorance and lack of knowledge?

It is narrated that one day the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was passing through a lane where he saw some of people had gathered in a place. He asked them its reason. They said that a mad person was doing some mocking actions and people were therefore attracted by him. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) called them and told them: “Do you want to introduce you the real mad man?” All people were silent and were listening to him carefully. He said: “A person who walks conceitedly, and he continually looks around himself. He moves his sides along with his shoulder, (he sees no one but himself and thinks about no one save himself). A person whom people expect no goodness and a person from whose mischief people are not safe. This is the real mad man. The person whom you saw is a patient.” (Safīnat-ul-Bihār, Vol. 1, P. 191)

The second attribute of theirs is patience and forbearance, as the holy Qur’ān says in this verse:

“... and when the ignorant address them, they answer:

‘Peace’;”

This ‘peace’ is the sign of heedlessness which is along with nobility and greatness, and it is not because of weakness. It is the ‘peace’ that is the reason of lack of retaliation against the ignorant. It is to say farewell to their senseless words. This ‘peace’ is not a greeting which is the sign of kindness and

friendship. It is the ‘peace’ that is the sign of patient and greatness.

Yes, one of the great spiritual phenomena of theirs is patience and forbearance, without which no man can pave the fluctuating path of Allah’s servitude and bondage, especially in the societies in which there are a lot of corrupted, ignorant and wicked persons.

In the second verse, the third attribute of theirs, that is the sincere worshipping of Allah, is mentioned. It says:

“And those who spend the night prostrating themselves before their Lord, and standing,”

In the darkness of night, when the eyes of the ignorant are sleeping and there is no place for hypocrisy and feigning, a believer deprives himself of pleasant sleep and does what is more pleasant, that is the remembrance of Allah and prostrating and standing before Him, the Magnificent. He spends some part of night supplicating Him and illuminates his heart and soul with His name and remembrance.

Though the Qur’ānic phrase /yabītūna/ (‘who spend the night’) indicates that they spend the night prostrating and standing before Him, it is clear that its purpose is considerable part of the night or if its purpose is all the night, sometimes it is so.

Meanwhile, coming the word ‘prostrating’ before the word ‘standing’ is because of its importance, though in prayer (salāt) prostrating is practically after standing.

Some Traditions on Humbleness and Night Prayer:

1.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Why do not I see the sweetness of worshipping in you?” One said: “What is the sweetness of worshipping?” He said: “Humility.”⁽¹⁾

2.Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Be humble and modest, for it is one of the greatest worships.”⁽¹⁾

3.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Verily Allah revealed to me to be humble so that no one boasts anyone and no one oppresses anyone.” ⁽²⁾

4.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Humbleness and modesty increases the rank and dignity of one who is humble, then be humble so that Allah exalts you.”⁽³⁾

5.Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “No dignity and greatness is like humbleness, and no nobility is like knowledge and knowing.”⁽⁴⁾

6.Imam Ali (a.s.) once said: “The fruit of knowledge is humility.”⁽⁵⁾

7.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Performing two rak‘ats of prayer in the midnight is better than the world and what is in it.

Verily, if it were not difficult for my nation, I would make this prayer compulsory for them.”⁽⁶⁾

8.Imam Sādiq (a.s.) said: “The dignity of a believer depends on his night prayer, and his greatness and glory depends on avoiding bothering people.”⁽⁷⁾

9.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “When man gets out of his pleasant bed and while his eyes are drowsy he tries to make his Lord pleased and happy by his night prayer, Allah takes pride in him and says: “Do not you see My servant who gets out of his pleasant bed for a prayer that I did not make it a must on him? Be witness that I forgive him.”⁽⁸⁾

10.Imam Sādiq (a.s.) said: “One who does not perform night prayer is not of our Shiites.”⁽¹⁾(Sheikh Mufīd says: its purpose is that he is not of sincere Shiites, or it may mean that if he does not believe in night prayer, he is not of Shiites.)

11.Imam Ridā (a.s.) said: “Do perform night prayer. There is no servant who gets up at the end of night and performs 8 rak‘ats night prayer, 2 rak‘ats even prayer, one rak‘at odd prayer and asks pardon of Allah 70 times in personal prayer (qunūt), unless Allah protects him from the chastisement of grave and the chastisement of Fire, and prolongs his life and gives him his provisions generously.” Then Imam continues: “Verily the homes in which night prayer is performed its light illuminates before the inhabitants of the heaven as stars glow for the people of the earth.”⁽²⁾

12.Imam Sādiq (a.s.) said: “Night prayer makes man’s face beautiful and fine, makes him morally good and agreeable and makes him smell pleasantly. It increases sustenance, causes the debt to be paid, takes sorrow away and makes man’s vision strong.”⁽³⁾

«وَالَّذِینَ یَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا کَانَ غَرَامًا (65)»

«إِنَّهَا سَاءَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا (66)»

65.“ And those who say: ‘O’ our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell, verily the torment of it is a lasting affliction;”

66.“Verily it is an evil abode and (an evil) station.”

Commentary, verses: 65-66

There are two ways for getting released from the Fire;

worshipping and doing good deeds

When Imam Ali (a.s.) dedicated some properties to Allah, he wrote in act for the establishment: “I dedicated this for saving myself from the Fire as well as getting the Fire away from me.”⁽¹⁾In this noble verse, the fourth attribute of ‘the servants of the Beneficent’, which is the fear of divine chastisement, is mentioned. It says:

“ And those who say: ‘O’ our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell, verily the torment of it is a lasting affliction;”

The Arabic word /qarām/ originally means: intense disaster and sorrow which always afflicts man. If creditor in Arabic is called /qarīm/, it is because he is always following man for getting his money. The love and motivation that makes man do a job is also called /qarām/. This word has been applied to the

Hell since the chastisement of the Hell is very grievous, lasting, and permanent.

Therefore, in the next verse it is said:

“Verily it is an evil abode and (an evil) station.”

Although these servants of the Beneficent remember and worship Allah in the midnight and do their duties in the day, their heart is still full of the fear that their duties to be done rightly. It is that fear that is the powerful factor of doing duties more and better. It functions as an inward powerful police that controls man and man does his duties in the best way, while no one observes and controls him and he still thinks that he is guilty before Allah.

The difference between the Arabic word /mustaqarr/ (abode) and the word /muqām/ (station) is that the Hell is a perpetual home for pagans and it is a temporal place for believers. So, to both groups who enter the Hell reference is made.

It is obvious that the Hell is a bad place and residence. How can one be calm in the blazing Fire? Is there comfortableness and easiness in the killing flames?

It is also possible that both these words, ‘Mustaqarr’ (abode) and ‘Muqām’ (station), mean the same and they are for more emphasis on the perpetuity of the Hell chastisement. It is the opposite of the Paradise about which we read in this Sura, verse 76: “Abiding therein, how excellent the abode, and the resting-place.”

Anyway, the special servants of Allah fear the Fire of the Hell

more than that they desire the Paradise.

«وَالَّذِینَ إِذَا أَنْفَقُوا لَمْ یُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ یَقْتُرُوا وَکَانَ بَیْنَ ذَلِکَ قَوَامًا (67)»

67.“ And those who when they spend, are neither

extravagant nor niggardly, and are stationed between the two (extremes).”

Commentary, verse: 67

The Arabic word /qawām/ means moderation and the word /qiwām/ means something as a help for standing. Imam Ridā (a.s.) announced that moderate prodigality and expenditure is the famous criterion that is mentioned in Sura Al-Baqarah, No.

2, verse 236: “...the rich according to his means, and the straitened according to his means, a provision in a fair manner.”⁽¹⁾

Imam Sādiq (a.s.) in a tradition said: “To spend for the sake of the falsehood is extravagance (though it is a little), and to be stingy in the path of the Truth is thrifty and frugal (/’iqtār/).”⁽²⁾

There is another verse that says: “And do not make your hand to be shackled to your neck nor stretch it to the utmost (limit) of its stretching, so that you should sit down blamed, empty-handed.”⁽³⁾

In this holy verse, the fifth attribute of the servants of the Beneficent, which is moderation and avoiding any excess and defect in jobs and affairs, especially the issue of alms-giving, is mentioned. It says:

“And those who when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, and are stationed between the two (extremes).”

It is interesting that this verse speaks in a way that it takes the issue of spending something which is certain and exists, so that it does not need mentioning, for it is one of the given duties of any man. Thus it talks about the way and manner of the spending. It indicates that they have a just spending and are neither prodigal nor grudging. They neither spend so much that their wife and offspring gets hungry, nor they are so economical that other persons do not get help from them, and there is ever a firm station between the two.

Commentators have various opinions about the Qur’ānic words /’isrāf/ (extravagance) and /’iqtār/ (to be economical). All these opinions say one matter that /’isrāf/ is to spend too much, undue, and for the sake of none-Allah, and /’iqtār/ is to be less than what is necessary and right.

«وَالَّذِینَ لَا یَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلَا یَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِی حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا یَزْنُونَ وَمَنْ یَفْعَلْ ذَلِکَ یَلْقَ أَثَامًا (68)»

68.“ And those who do not call with Allah any other god, and do not slay the soul which Allah has forbidden except for just cause, nor commit fornication, and whosoever does this shall find a requital of the sin.”

Commentary, verse: 128

In this verse, polytheism, murder, and adultery, which are

of the greatest sins in narrations, are mentioned.⁽¹⁾

Homicide is of the greater sins, but the holy phrase ‘’Illā Bilhaqq’ (‘except for just cause’) says that sometimes murder is necessary and right, including: 1. retaliation of homicide 2. incest 3. adultery of a pagan with a Muslim woman 4. the adultery of the one who has spouse 5. one who claims prophethood 6. vilifying and insulting the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and the immaculate Imams (a.s.) 7. the adulterer who forces woman to do fornication 8. Muslim sorcerer 9. corrupter and combatant who uses weapon for frightening people 10. apostate 11. one who stands against and fights with just Imam of time 12. polytheist

Anyway, the sixth attribute of the true servants of the Beneficent (Allah), that is mentioned in the verse under discussion, is sincere monotheism which is free from any polytheism and multi-worshipping. It says:

“ And those who do not call with Allah any other god,...”

The light of monotheism has illuminated all of their heart and their personal social life, and the darkness and gloom of polytheism is no longer in the thought and soul of theirs.

Their seventh attribute is that they do not murder any innocent. It says:

“... and do not slay the soul which Allah has forbidden except for just cause, ...”

It is understood from this noble verse that all humans are basically honorable and respected. It is forbidden to murder them, unless a phenomenon occurs that overshadows this natural respect and provides permission of murder.

The 8th attribute of theirs is that their realm of chastity never gets pollute. The verse says about them:

“... nor commit fornication,...”

They choose faith when they face dilemma of faith and paganism, they choose security when they face dilemma of security and insecurity, they select purity when they face dilemma of purity and defilement, and they struggle to make an environment which is free from polytheism, insecurity, immodesty, and impurity.

In the end of the verse, to show more emphasis, it adds:

“...and whosoever does this shall find a requital of the sin.”

The Arabic words /’iθm/ and /’aθām/ originally means deeds that prevent man from achieving reward, then they have been applied to any sin, but here it means the punishment of wrong action. Some say that the word ‘’Ithm’ means sin and the word

If we see that some of commentators say that it means ‘desert’ or ‘mountain’ or ‘a deep well in the Hell’, these are, in fact, to state the kind of its extensions. In Sura ’Isrā’, No. 17,

verse 33, we talked about the philosophy of prohibition of adultery in detail.

It is interesting that the above holy verse first talks about polytheism, then about homicide, and finally about adultery. It is understood from some narrations that the importance of these three sins is as they are mentioned sequentially in the verse.

Ibn Mas‘ūd asked the Prophet (p.b.u.h.): “Which sin is greater than other sins?” The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “To consider a match for Allah while it is He Who has created you.” Then he asked the Prophet (p.b.u.h.): “Which sin comes next?” He said: “To kill your child for fearing that he may eat food with you.” Again he asked him (p.b.u.h.): “Which sin comes next?” He said: “To betray the spouse of your neighbour, and Allah sent down its confirmation in this verse by saying: “ And those who do not call with Allah any other god, and do not slay the soul which Allah has forbidden except for just cause, nor commit fornication, and whosoever does this shall find a requital of the sin.”⁽¹⁾

Though this narration speaks about a special kind of fornication and murder, with regard to generality of the concept of the verse, this ordinance is about all kinds of them, and this narration is a clear extension of it. Anyway, the command of the holy Qur’ān about avoiding polytheism, adultery, and homicide is not only a sermon, it is a rule that if it is disobeyed, severe chastisement will be its compensation. Divine chastisements do not have any exception; anyone who commits wrong action will be punished.

«یُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَةِ وَیَخْلُدْ فِیهِ مُهَانًا (69)»

«إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَئِکَ یُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَیِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَکَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِیمًا (70)»

69.“ On the Day of Judgment, the chastisement will be 70. “ Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous

doubled to him, and he shall abide therein in abasement.”

deeds, then these are they who, Allah changes their evil

deeds to good ones, And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”

Commentary, verses: 69-70

Point

Multiplication of wrongdoers’ punishment which is cited in the phrase ‘will be doubled’ is not against divine justice, for double punishment happens when sin or wrong action has got multiplied evil and gloomy effects. For example, an adulterer not only commits sin, but also he forces other one to commit sin, and an illegitimate issue may get born, who has negative tendencies. In homicide, a murderer kills someone, but some persons will get bereaved, orphaned and he makes society insecure. Each of the above items has individually a separate punishment, as one who forms and creates a bad tradition or custom in society will be punished each time that someone practices this custom during the course of history and its fonder has a share of its sin. Since all commentators believe that fornication by itself brings no perpetuity of chastisement in the Hell, therefore, only those polytheists who commit adultery will remain in the Hell forever. Yes, false and true belief and paganism and polytheism have effect on punishments. Since these three sins (polytheism, homicide,

and adultery) are extremely important, again this verse puts emphasis on them and says;

“ On the Day of Judgment, the chastisement will be doubled to him, and he shall abide therein in abasement.”

Questions:

Here, there arise a few questions: Why is the punishment of theirs doubled? Why are not they punished as much as they have committed sin? Is this consistent with the principles of justice?

Another matter is that the verse speaks about perpetuity of

chastisement and abiding in the Hell, while we know that abiding in the Hell is only for pagans. Only the first sin of three sins mentioned in the verse is paganism, and murder and adultery cannot bring perpetual chastisement.

About the first question, commentators have discussed a lot and what seems more correct is that the purpose of doubling of chastisement is that for each of these three sins there are separate punishments that on the whole the

punishment gets doubled. Moreover, sometimes a sin will be the source of other sins, such as paganism that causes the obligations to be left and commitment of illegal things to be done, and this makes the Divine punishment double.

Therefore, some of commentators say that this verse is the reason of this famous principle which says: “As pagans are responsible for fundamentals of religion, they are responsible for positive laws, too.”⁽¹⁾

About the second question, we can say that some of sins are so great and bad that cause a person to die while having no

faith, as we said about homicide in verse 93 of Sura An-Nisā’. It may also be true about fornication especially when it is adultery.

Another possibility is that the Qur’ānic word /xulūd/ (abide for ever) is about persons who commit all of these three sins (polytheism, homicide, fornication) together. The next verse testifies to this meaning. It says:

“Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds,..”

Thus there will be no problem. Some of commentators say that ‘khulūd’ here means to abide for a long time not perpetually, but the first and the second commentaries seem more correct.

It is interesting mat in addition to the issue of common and general punishment, there is another punishment which is to get offended and insulted and this is psychological. It also can be a commentary on the issue of punishment to be double, for they have both physical and spiritual punishments.

But, in view of the fact that the holy Qur’ān does not close the

path of return to the wrongdoers and invites and encourages them to repent their sins, it says in the next verse:

“Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds,

then these are they who, Allah changes their evil deeds to good ones, And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”

As we said, three sins of the greatest sins were mentioned in the previous verse and opportunity is provided for returning and repenting of these persons, for every regretful wrongdoer can return to Allah on the condition that his repentance is real and its sign is doing righteous deeds which is brought up in the verse, otherwise, to merely repent verbally or having passing regret in the heart is not the reason of repentance.

The important issue about the above verse is how Allah changes their sins to good deeds.

Changing Evil Deeds to Good Deeds:

Here are a few commentaries all of which can be acceptable:

1.When man repents and acquires faith in Allah, deep transformation happens throughout his whole entity. And because of this inward revolution, later all his evil deeds will change to good deeds. If formerly he committed homicide in future defending the oppressed and fighting with oppressors would take its place. If he was adulterer, he would later become pure and modest. This divine aid and success is achieved under the light of faith and repentance.

2.Allah removes all his evil deeds out of His grace, favour, and bestowal, and replaces them by good deeds. ’Abūthar narrated that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said that on the day of Resurrection some persons are called to come and Allah commands to remind him his small sins and to hide his greater sins. It is said to him that he has done such and such small sin that day. He will confess to it and his heart is frightened and shakes because of greater sins. Here, if Allah wants to do him a favour, He commands to give him a good deed, in stead of each evil deed and he will say that he has some important sins which he does not see. Abūzar says that at this time the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) smiled in a way that his teeth appeared.

Then he recited this verse: “... Allah changes their evil deeds to good ones ...”⁽¹⁾

3.The third commentary is that the purpose of evil deeds is

not the nature of deeds man does, but it is the gloomy effects that they have on the soul and spirit of man. When man repents and believes, these gloomy effects will be removed from his soul and they will be changed to good effects. This is the meaning of changing evil deeds to good deeds.

Of course, these three commentaries are not inconsistent and it is likely that all of them are included in the concept of the verse.

Imam Ridā (a.s.) said that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was told that that person was a miserable man, for he had done many sins. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “It is not at all as you say, but he has been freed and his destiny has become good, his sins are vanished and changed to good deeds. For when he was passing a way, he saw a believer whose pudendum was visible but he was not aware of it, (it seems that he was sleeping). This person covered that believer’s body and, for not making him ashamed, he did not tell him about this matter. When the believer found out, he prayed for him in this way: ‘May Allah bestow you a lot of reward and make your resurrection peaceful and get easy with your reckoning!’ Allah fulfilled his prayer about that person and made his destiny good.”

When this good tiding of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) came to that wrongdoer, he repented of all his sins and became a worshipper of Allah. After one week a group of Islam enemies attacked Medina and the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) issued the command of defense. That person went with other Muslims to holy war and when fighting he got martyred and his destiny became good and happy.⁽¹⁾

Yes, real repentance changes man’s deeds and reforms his improper behaviour. As in the world of creation Allah creates flowers from soil and manure, He changes man’s evil deeds to good deeds.

«وَمَنْ تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَإِنَّهُ یَتُوبُ إِلَی اللَّهِ مَتَابًا (71)»

71.“ And whoever repents and does good, he verily repents toward Allah with true repentance.”

Commentary, verse: 71

Point

Real repentance happens when it is along with good deeds. This noble verse explains the manner of correct repentance. It says:

“ And whoever repents and does good, he verily repents toward Allah with true repentance.” (And gets his reward from Him).”

It means that not only repentance and abandonment of sin must be because of evilness of sin, but also its motivation must be to make intention sincere and to return to Allah. Therefore, for example, although stopping drinking wine or stopping lie for the harms that they have is good, the value of this stopping is when it has divine motivation.

Anyway, anyone who really and earnestly repents of his sins returns to Allah and to His countless rewards.

Some Traditions on Repentance:

1.On a Friday the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) delivered a sermon and said: “O People! Before, you die, return to Allah and repent of your evil behaviour. And before you get involved in affairs of life, do righteous and good deeds and amend the affairs that are between you and Allah so that you get successful and happy. And pay alms a lot so that you are provided provisions.”⁽¹⁾

2.The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Anyone who does not repent of the sin he has done is not believer and will not be interceded.”⁽¹⁾

3.Imam Ridā (a.s.) said that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “The parable of a faithful person before Allah, is like the parable of a favorite angel, and the believer is really more preferred than this angel in the view of Allah. And before Allah nothing is more preferred and liked than a man or a woman who repents.”⁽²⁾

4.Imam Bāqir (a.s.) said: “Although believer returns to Allah while he asks Allah forgiveness and repentance, Allah bestows repentance and forgives his sins, for Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. He accepts repentance and He forgives sins (and evil

deeds), so be aware that you do not make believers

hopeless of Allah’s Mercy (and forgiveness).”⁽³⁾

5.Imam Sādiq (a.s.) said: “Allah gets happy when His faithful servant repents and returns to Him, as one of you gets happy when he finds something he has lost.”4

«وَالَّذِینَ لَا یَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا کِرَامًا (72)»

72.“ And those who witness no falsehood, and when they pass by what is vain, they pass by nobly.”

Commentary, verse: 72

Not only committing sin is unlawful, but also attending a sinful gathering and viewing a sin is forbidden. To avoid attending a sinful gathering and being disrespectful to sinners is a kind of prohibition of sin.

Following the previous holy verses in which some of the attributes of the servant of the Beneficent are mentioned, this verse explains the 9th outstanding attribute of theirs and says:

“ And those who witness no falsehood,...”

Great commentators have cited two various commentaries on this verse: some say that the witness of (‘Zūr’) means ‘false testifying’, for the word ‘Zūr’ means deviation and inclination, and since lie, falsehood and oppression are some deviated affairs, they are called ‘Zūr’.

This phrase (Shahādat-uz-Zūr) is mentioned in the book ‘Shahādāt’ of our jurisprudence. It is prohibited in various narrations, though in those narrations this verse has not been taken as an evidence.

Another commentary is that the purpose of ‘Shuhūd’ is ‘attending’ and ‘participation’, which means that the special servants of Allah do not attend false gatherings and parties.

In some narrations of Imams (a.s.) this word has been interpreted as parties of profane singing, in which frivolous and deviating singers as well as playing musical instruments take place.

Undoubtedly the purpose of these narrations is not to limit the extensive concept of the Qur’ānic word ‘Zūr’ to profane singing, but one of the clear extensions of it is profane singing. It also includes all gatherings and parties in which wine is drunk, lie is told, backbiting happens, and such like.

Another possibility that does not seem unlikely is that both commentaries are truly applied to the meaning of the verse. Thus, special servants of Allah, or the special servants of the Beneficent, neither bear false witness nor attend sinful and vain parties, for attending such parties is both confirming sin and preparation to defilement of soul and heart.

Then, the 10th attribute of theirs, which is having positive aim in life, is mentioned. It continues saying:

“... and when they pass by what is vain, they pass by nobly.”

In fact, they neither attend false and vain parties, nor do they get defiled with vanity and falseness.

With regard to the matter that the Qur’ānic word /laqw/ includes any job that has no rational aim, it is clear that they have always a rational, useful, and good aim in their life and they dislike those who are after vain and futile matters. If they face such vain affairs in their life, they avoid them in a way that their negligence shows that they are inwardly discontented with such deeds. They are so magnanimous that such defiled environments never affect them.

No doubt being heedless to such deeds happens when there is no better way to prohibit evil deeds and to struggle with corruption, otherwise they certainly stand against them and do their duties to the end.

Imam Sādiq (a.s.) in a tradition says that the purpose of the Qur’ānic word ‘Zūr’ in phrase: ‘Lā Yashhadūn az-Zūr’ is profane singing.⁽¹⁾

In tafsīr-i-Majma‘-ul-Bayān, we read that ‘passing by nobly’ is when such believers are helpless to mention the name of an evil thing, they say it ironically, as we read in a narration by Imam Bāqir (a.s.) that when they want to say pudendum, they say it implicitly. Of course, this is one of the extensions of dignified behaviour. Imam Sādiq (a.s.) said that Allah enjoined ear to avoid any unlawful things and then he (a.s.) recited this verse.⁽²⁾