Surah
17, Al-Israa (The Night Journey), 111 Verses & Surah 18, Al-Kahf (The
Cave), Verses 1-74
For the second chapter in
succession, the start coincides with the start of a Surah. Surah 17, al-Israa
(The Night Journey) was revealed at Mecca. It has 111 verses in 12 sections.
Surah 17, Al-Israa (The Night
Journey)
Section 1: The apostle
Muhammed's visit to heaven, verses 1-10
"Glorified be He Who carried His
servant by night from the Inviolable Place of Worship to the Far distant place
of worship the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, that We might show him of
Our tokens! Lo! He, only He, is the Hearer, the Seer." (Verse 1)
"(Saying): If ye do good, ye do
good for your own souls, and if ye do evil, it is for them (in like manner).
So, when the time for the second (of the judgments) came (We roused against you
others of Our slaves) to ravage you, and to enter the Temple even as they
entered it the first time, and to lay waste all that they conquered with an
utter wasting." (Verse 7)
Verse 1 speaks of the Holy
Prophet's physical ascension to the highest station in heaven, believed to have
taken place on the 27th of Rajab, year before hijrah.
He was taken by angel Jibrail from the Holy Kaaba to the farthest mosque in the
heavens. Allah's purpose was to show the Holy Prophet the wonders of His
kingdom.
Verses 2-10 then discuss the fate of the
Israelites before and up to the time of Prophet Musa. It refers to the
destruction of the Jews in 586 BC by the Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon as
punishment for their defiance, and then their subsequent revival under the
guidance of Prophet Uzayr. A second destruction then followed when they
rejected the message of Prophet Isa. Verse 7 is mentioned above because it
highlights the main principle of Islam - man has full freedom and
responsibility for his actions, good or bad.
Section 2: None shall bear the
burden of another, verses 11-22
"And We appoint the night and the
day two portents. Then We make dark the portent of the night, and We make the
portent of the day sight-giving, that ye may seek bounty from your Lord, and
that ye may know the computation of the years, and the reckoning; and
everything have We expounded with a clear expounding." (Verse 12)
"And every man's augury have We
fastened to his own neck, and We shall bring forth for him on the Day of
Resurrection a book which he will find wide open. (And it will be said unto
him): Read thy Book. Thy soul sufficeth as reckoner against thee this
day." (Verses 13-14)
"Whosoever goeth right, it is
only for (the good of) his own soul that he goeth right, and whosoever erreth,
erreth only to its hurt. No laden soul can bear another's load, We never punish
until we have sent a messenger." (Verse 15)
"And whoso desireth the Hereafter
and striveth for it with the effort necessary, being a believer; for such,
their effort findeth favour (with their Lord). Each do We supply, both these
and those, from the bounty of thy Lord. And the bounty of thy Lord can never be
walled up. See how We prefer one of them above another, and verily the
Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in preferment." (Verses 19-21)
Once again Allah highlights how
every individual is responsible for their own actions. Everyone is guided by
Allah but go astray out of their own choice. Every nation will have a
messenger, only then can they be punished should they choose to reject his
message. But, whoever strives towards Allah, a great reward lies for them in
the hereafter.
Section 3: Goodness &
submission to parents ordained, verses 23-30
"Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye
worship none save Him, and (that ye show) kindness to parents. If one of them
or both of them attain old age with thee, say not "Fie" unto them nor
repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word." (Verse 23)
"Give the kinsman his due, and
the needy, and the wayfarer, and squander not (thy wealth) in wantonness." (Verse 26)
"And let not thy hand be chained
to thy neck nor open it with a complete opening, lest thou sit down rebuked,
denuded. Lo! thy Lord enlargeth the provision for whom He will, and straiteneth
(it for whom He will). Lo, He was ever Knower, Seer of His slaves." (Verses 29-30)
Allah commands us to obey and
honour our parents. Our spiritual belief is tested by our behaviour towards our
parents. We cannot expect Allah's forgiveness if we are rude to those who
brought us up.
After verse 26 was revealed, the Holy Prophet
immediately gave the land of Fadak, obtained after battle with the Jews in
Khaybar, to his daughter Bibi Fatima (as). The Holy Prophet was commanded by
Allah to distribute the land after the battle and Bibi Fatima (as) was awarded
Fadak in fulfilment of her share as a muhajir.
The land was later seized by the first caliph, Abu Bakr after the Holy
Prophet's death, much to the anger of Bibi Fatima (as).
Verses 29-30 recommend humilty and modesty for
mankind. It is not right for a true believer to keep back what Allah has
given him from those who have a right to his/her help.
Section 4: Moral conduct,
verses 31-40
"Slay not your children, fearing
a fall to poverty, We shall provide for them and for you. Lo! the slaying of
them is great sin. And come not near unto adultery. Lo! it is an abomination
and an evil way. And slay not the life which Allah hath forbidden save with
right. Whoso is slain wrongfully, We have given power unto his heir, but let
him not commit excess in slaying. Lo! he will be helped." (Verses 31-33)
"(O man), follow not that whereof
thou hast no knowledge. Lo! the hearing and the sight and the heart - of each
of these it will be asked. And walk not in the earth exultant. Lo! thou canst
not rend the earth, nor canst thou stretch to the height of the hills." (Verses 36-37)
"This is (part) of that wisdom
wherewith thy Lord hath inspired thee (O Muhammad). And set not up with Allah
any other god, lest thou be cast into hell, reproved, abandoned." (Verse 40)
Three great sins are condemned
and forbidden, infanticide, adultery and murder. In fact, murder can only be
forgiven by the next of kin of the victim, but it is advised not to commit
excess in revenge.
Verses 36-37 speak of idle curiousity and gossip
which have been criticised. We shall be held to account for every action
carried out by the faculties that Allah has provided us with, so make sure it
is put to good use. In addition, arrogance or insolence are also not
recommended as they are the first steps to evil.
Section 5: Everything in the
Heavens and the Earth glorifies God, verses 41-52
"The seven heavens and the earth
and all that is therein praise Him, and there is not a thing but hymneth His
praise; but ye understand not their praise. Lo! He is ever Clement,
Forgiving." (Verse 44)
"We are Best Aware of what they
wish to hear when they give ear to thee and when they take secret counsel, when
the evil-doers say: Ye follow but a man bewitched. See what similitudes they
coin for thee, and thus are all astray, and cannot find a road!" (Verses 47-48)
"And they say: When we are bones
and fragments, shall we forsooth, be raised up as a new creation? Say: Be ye
stones or iron Or some created thing that is yet greater in your thoughts! Then
they will say: Who shall bring us back (to life). Say: He Who created you at
the first. Then will they shake their heads at thee, and say: When will it be?
Say: It will perhaps be soon; A day when He will call you and ye will answer
with His praise, and ye will think that ye have tarried but a little
while." (Verses 49-52)
All creation, animate and
inanimate, sings Allah's praises and celebrates His glory. All nature bears
witness to His unity, sovereignty, wisdom, justice and goodness. "But ye
understand not their praise," implies
that there is something which is beyond the grasp of every being, apart from
the Holy Prophet and the Ahlul-Bayt.
The disbelievers at the time of
the Holy Prophet became so exasperated by the force of his words and deeds,
that in helplessness they began to describe him as a man bewitched. They were
unable to cope with the excellence of his character and the revelations
revealed to him.
Every one, whether believer or disbeliever, will glorify Allah on the day of
resurrection. The Pharaoh at the time of Prophet Musa, in his last moments,
engulfed by the mounting waves of the Red Sea, said: "I believe that there is no
God but He, in whom the children of Israel believe, and I am of the
Muslims." It was of no
avail. He was punished. Likewise the disbelievers shall praise Allah on the day
of resurrection but will be punished.
Section 6: Gentleness in
dealings enjoined, verses 53-60
"Tell My bondmen to speak that
which is kindlier. Lo! the devil soweth discord among them. Lo! the devil is
for man an open foe. Your Lord is Best Aware of you. If He will, He will have
mercy on you, or if He will, He will punish you. We have not sent thee (O
Muhammad) as a warden over them." (Verses 53-54)
"And thy Lord is Best Aware of
all who are in the heavens and the earth. And we preferred some of the prophets
above others, and unto David We gave the Psalms." (Verse 55)
"Say: Cry unto those (saints and
angels) whom ye assume (to be gods) beside Him, yet they have no power to rid
you of misfortune nor to change. Those unto whom they cry seek the way of
approach to their Lord, which of them shall be the nearest; they hope for His
mercy and they fear His doom. Lo! the doom of thy Lord is to be shunned." (Verses 56-57)
It has been recommended by
Allah to speak gently at all times and seek protection from Shaitan. Although
the Holy Prophet worried about his people, Allah reminds him in verse 54 that he was sent as a messenger, to
invite people to the right path. What they did after was upto them and they
shall be judged accordingly.
From verse 55, the five most
distinguished Prophets of Allah are Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammed (SAW).
People used to worship angels as daughters of God and of course Prophet Isa as
son of God, but in verse 57, Allah
highlights the futility of such actions, because even they seek means of
approach towards Allah.
Section 7: Satan's pride
against man, verses 61-70
"He said: Seest Thou this
(creature) whom Thou hast honoured above me, if Thou give me grace until the
Day of Resurrection I verily will seize his seed, save but a few. He said: Go,
and whosoever of them followeth thee - lo! hell will be your payment, ample
payment." (Verse 62-63)
"Lo! My (faithful) bondmen - over
them thou hast no power, and thy Lord sufficeth as (their) guardian. (O
mankind), your Lord is He Who driveth for you the ship upon the sea that ye may
seek of His bounty. Lo! He was ever Merciful toward you. And when harm toucheth
you upon the sea, all unto whom ye cry (for succour) fail save Him (alone), but
when He bringeth you safe to land, ye turn away, for man was ever
thankless." (Verses 65-67)
"Verily we have honoured the
Children of Adam. We carry them on the land and the sea, and have made
provision of good things for them, and have preferred them above many of those
whom We created with a marked preferment." (Verse 70)
Once again, the story of
Shaitan is re-told - how he defied Allah's command and then requested respite
till the Day of Judgement to attempt to lead mankind astray. There will always
be those over whom Shaitan will have no influence - the true believers.
In verses 66-67 man is safe neither on land nor at sea
except by the grace and mercy of Allah. After the Day of Resurrection, when the
judgement is passed, His grace and mercy will not shelter the wicked; therefore
those who disbelieved in Allah and worked as the agents of Shaitan will find no
escape from His wrath. In this world also if He wills He overpowers the
evil-doers with chastisement wherever they are.
Section 8: Every people will be
summoned with their own Imam, verses 71-77
"Then think of the Day We shall
summon every community with its leader. Those who are given their Record in
their right hand shall read the Record of their deeds and shall not be wronged
a whit." (Verse
71)
"And they indeed strove hard to
beguile thee (Muhammad) away from that wherewith We have inspired thee, that
thou shouldst invent other than it against Us; and then would they have
accepted thee as a friend. And if We had not made thee wholly firm thou
mightest almost have inclined unto them a little." (Verses 73-74)
Verse 71 is
a crucial verse in confirming the Shia concept of Imamat. On the Day of
Judgement every man/woman will appear with their Imam to give account of their
deeds and faith. The record is the Book of Deeds that every individual will
carry with him/her on the Day of Judgement.
Verses 73-74 refer to certain pagans who tried to
bribe the Holy Prophet to award certain privileges to them and to forsake his
mission. The Holy Prophet said: "If
you put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand I will not give
up my mission, even if you threaten to kill me, or really kill me, until the
truth prevails."
Section 9: Times of prayer and
the midnight prayer, verses 78-84
"Establish worship at the going
down of the sun until the dark of night, and (the recital of) the Qur'an at
dawn. Lo! (the recital of) the Qur'an at dawn is ever witnessed. And some part
of the night awake for it, a largess for thee. It may be that thy Lord will
raise thee to a praised estate." (Verses 78-79)
"And say: Truth hath come and
falsehood hath vanished away. Lo! falsehood is ever bound to vanish. And We
reveal of the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy for believers though
it increase the evil-doers in naught save ruin." (Verses 81-82)
In verses 78-79, contains the
command for the five obligatory prayers and also refers to the tahajjud prayers, highly
recommended after midnight and before dawn. The "praised estate" is
where the Holy Prophet will reside on the Day of Judgement.
Section 10: Quran inimitable,
verses 85-93
"And if We willed We could
withdraw that which We have revealed unto thee, then wouldst thou find no
guardian for thee against Us in respect thereof. (It is naught) save mercy from
thy Lord. Lo! His kindness unto thee was ever great." (Verses 86-87)
"Say: Verily, though mankind and
the jinn should assemble to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not
produce the like thereof though they were helpers one of another. And verily We
have displayed for mankind in this Qur'an all kind of similitudes, but most of
mankind refuse aught save disbelief." (Verses 88-89)
The Holy Quran has been sent as
a mercy from Allah to provide us with help and guidance. Allah extends the
challenge to mankind about the ability to produce something like the Quran, to
the jinns as well - it is simply not possible.
Section 11: No cause for anyone
to disbelieve any Apostle of God, verses 94-100
"And naught prevented mankind
from believing when the guidance came unto them save that they said: Hath Allah
sent a mortal as (His) messenger?" (Verse 94)
"Say: Allah sufficeth for a
witness between me and you. Lo! He is Knower, Seer of His slaves." (Verse 96)
"And he whom Allah guideth, he is
led aright; while, as for him whom He sendeth astray, for them thou wilt find
no protecting friends beside Him, and We shall assemble them on the Day of
Resurrection on their faces, blind, dumb and deaf; their habitation will be
hell; whenever it abateth, We increase the flame for them. That is their reward
because they disbelieved Our revelations and said: When we are bones and
fragments shall we, forsooth, be raised up as a new creation? Have they not
seen that Allah Who created the heavens and the earth is Able to create the
like of them, and hath appointed for them an end whereof there is no doubt? But
the wrong-doers refuse aught save disbelief." (Verses 97-99)
Section 12: The Ministry of
Moses and those gifted with knowledge, verses 101-111
"And We said unto the Children of
Israel after him: Dwell in the land; but when the promise of the Hereafter
cometh to pass We shall bring you as a crowd gathered out of various
nations." (Verse 104)
"And (it is) a Qur'an that We
have divided, that thou mayst recite it unto mankind at intervals, and We have
revealed it by (successive) revelation. Say: Believe therein or believe not,
lo! those who were given knowledge before it, when it is read unto them, fall
down prostrate on their faces, adoring, Saying: Glory to our Lord! Verily the
promise of our Lord must be fulfilled." (Verses 106-108)
"And say: Praise be to Allah, Who
hath not taken unto Himself a son, and Who hath no partner in the Sovereignty,
nor hath He any protecting friend through dependence. And magnify Him with all
magnificence." (Verse 111)
We reach the end of Surah Al-Israa
and move on to Surah 18, Al-Kahf (The Cave). Revealed at Mecca, it contains 110
verses in 12 sections. Chapter 15 has the first 10 sections.
Surah 18, Al-Kahf (The Cave)
Section 1: Warning against the
belief that God has taken a son, verses 1-8
"And to warn those who say: Allah
hath chosen a son, (A thing) whereof they have no knowledge, nor (had) their
fathers, Dreadful is the word that cometh out of their mouths. They speak
naught but a lie." (Verses 4-5)
"Lo! We have placed all that is
on the earth as an ornament thereof that We may try them: which of them is best
in conduct." (Verse 7)
Again Allah denies the concept
of him having a son. It is an outright lie. From verse 7, the forests, the
mountains, the rivers, the oceans, the valleys and all other natural resources
created by Allah are useful for man, but He has placed the human beings on the
earth amid these bounties so that He may try them to see which of them is best
in deeds. Those who scramble for these bounties as if they shall have them for
ever must know that one day the earth will become dust and waste, bare and
barren.
Sections 2 & 3 & 4: The
companions of the Cave & The sure coming of the resurrection proved &
To always depend on God's will, verses 9-31
"When the young men fled for
refuge to the Cave and said: Our Lord! Give us mercy from Thy presence, and
shape for us right conduct in our plight. Then We sealed up their hearing in
the Cave for a number of years. And afterward We raised them up that We might
know which of the two parties would best calculate the time that they had
tarried." (Verses 10-12)
"These, our people, have chosen
(other) gods beside Him though they bring no clear warrant (vouchsafed) to
them. And who doth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie concerning Allah?
And when ye withdraw from them and that which they worship except Allah, then
seek refuge in the Cave; your Lord will spread for you of His mercy and will
prepare for you a pillow in your plight." (Verses 15-16)
"And in like manner We awakened
them that they might question one another. A speaker from among them said: How
long have ye tarried? They said: We have tarried a day or some part of a day,
(Others) said: Your Lord best knoweth what ye have tarried. Now send one of you
with this your silver coin unto the city, and let him see what food is purest
there and bring you a supply thereof. Let him be courteous and let no man know
of you." (Verse 19)
"And in like manner We disclosed
them (to the people of the city) that they might know that the promise of Allah
is true, and that, as for the Hour, there is no doubt concerning it. When (the
people of the city) disputed of their case among themselves, they said: Build
over them a building; their Lord knoweth best concerning them. Those who won
their point said: We verily shall build a place of worship over them." (Verse 21)
"(Some) will say: They were three,
their dog the fourth, and (some) say: Five, their dog the sixth, guessing at
random; and (some) say: Seven, and their dog the eighth. Say (O Muhammad): My
Lord is Best Aware of their number. None knoweth them save a few. So contend
not concerning them except with an outward contending, and ask not any of them
to pronounce concerning them." (Verse 22)
"And (it is said) they tarried in
their Cave three hundred years and add nine. Say: Allah is Best Aware how long
they tarried. His is the Invisible of the heavens and the earth. How clear of
sight is He and keen of hearing! They have no protecting friend beside Him, and
He maketh none to share in His government." (Verses 25-26)
"And recite that which hath
been revealed unto thee of the Scripture of thy Lord. There is none who can
change His words, and thou wilt find no refuge beside Him." (Verse 27)
"Restrain thyself along with
those who cry unto their Lord at morn and evening, seeking His Countenance; and
let not thine eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp of the life of the world;
and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, who
followeth his own lust and whose case hath been abandoned." (Verse 28)
"Lo! as for those who believe and
do good works - Lo! We suffer not the reward of one whose work is goodly to be
lost. As for such, theirs will be Gardens of Eden, wherein rivers flow beneath
them; therein they will be given armlets of gold and will wear green robes of
finest silk and gold embroidery, reclining upon throne therein. Blest the
reward, and fair the resting-place!" (Verses 30-31)
The story of the people of the
cave has been eloquently relayed in these 3 sections. The ashab-ul-kahf (dwellers of
the cave) were between 3-8 young Christians (verse 22) who whilst
followers of Prophet Isa and believers in one God, were living in a corrupt,
idolatrous society. They were forced to worship idols by the tyrant ruler. They
decided to leave the city and seek refuge elsewhere. They went towards the
hills where they were joined by a dog and found a cave. They prayed to Allah
and He put them to sleep for approximately 300 years (verse 25).
When they awoke, the long
period seemed as if only a day or two had passed and they only realised the
time lapse when they tried to use their ancient coins in the local village.
Soon, they returned to the cave and were put back to sleep by God.
Subsequently, the town dwellers built a mosque over the site of the cave which
is in present day Damascus (verse 21). The actual
site of the young men has been hidden by God and it is believed that they are
still sleeping to this very day.
In verse 28, the true
servants of Allah are those whose hearts are turned to Him morning, noon and
night, and who do not seek worldly gains, but desire only Allah's grace and His
presence. Verse 31 has a more detailed description of heaven for the true
believers.
Section 5: The parable of an
ungrateful man and a grateful man, verses 32-44
"Coin for them a similitude: Two
men, unto one of whom We had assigned two gardens of grapes, and We had
surrounded both with date-palms and had put between them tillage. Each of the
gardens gave its fruit and withheld naught thereof. And We caused a river to
gush forth therein." (Verses 32-33)
"And he had fruit. And he said
unto his comrade, when he spake with him: I am more than thee in wealth, and
stronger in respect of men. And he went into his garden, while he (thus)
wronged himself. He said: I think not that all this will ever perish." (Verses 34-35)
"His comrade, when he (thus)
spake with him, exclaimed: Disbelievest thou in Him Who created thee of dust,
then of a drop (of seed), and then fashioned thee a man? But He is Allah, my
Lord, and I ascribe unto my Lord no partner." (Verses 37-38)
"And his fruit was beset (with
destruction). Then began he to wring his hands for all that he had spent upon
it, when (now) it was all ruined on its trellises, and to say: Would that I had
ascribed no partner to my Lord! And he had no troop of men to help him as
against Allah, nor could he save himself. In this case is protection only from
Allah, the True, He is Best for reward, and best for consequence." (Verses 42-44)
This section tells the parable
of contract between two men. One had much wealth from the gardens and
plantations he owned. All this wealth made him very arrogant and proud. The
other had nothing, his trust was in Allah. The worldly wealth of the first was
destroyed because he had forgotten Allah who gave him the physical strength and
intelligence to exploit the land and animals for his own advantage. The second
was happier in the end because he believed that Allah was his Lord, and did not
associate any one with his Lord.
It was not wealth that ruined
the wealthy man, but the attitude of his mind. In his love of the material
possessions he forgot the spiritual share and openly defied the bestower of all
bounties. The poor man remonstrates against the proud man who denied Allah.
From his own spiritual experience he tells the proud man that Allah is good and
the better way of enjoying His bounties is to remember Him and give thanks to
Him. He warns him of the fleeting nature of worldly possessions and of the
certainty of Allah's punishment for inordinate vanity.
Section 6: Wealth &
children, only passing shows, verses 45-49
"And coin for them the similitude
of the life of the world as water which We send down from the sky, and the
vegetation of the earth mingleth with it and then becometh dry twigs that the
winds scatter. Allah is able to do all things. Wealth and children are an
ornament of the life of the world. But the good deeds which endure are better
in thy Lord's sight for reward, and better in respect of hope." (Verses 45-46)
The rain-water is soon absorbed in the earth, and produces grain, grass and
vegetation for a time. The produce of the earth is consumed by men and animals
and when the summer comes the water disappears as if it was a dry straw which
the winds scatter around. Such is the life of this world- temporary and
consumable. Allah is the only enduring power we can look to, supreme over all.
Material possessions, if spent in the way of Allah, for the overall welfare of
the society, become the source of good deeds which not only earn rewards but
also give us confidence that we shall receive His mercy in both the worlds.
Sections 7 & 8: Satan and
his tribe - open enemies of mankind & God is forgiving, the Lord of mercy,
verses 50-59
"And (remember) when We said unto
the angels: Fall prostrate before Adam, and they fell prostrate, all save
Iblis. He was of the jinn, so he rebelled against his Lord's command. Will ye
choose him and his seed for your protecting friends instead of Me, when they
are an enemy unto you? Calamitous is the exchange for evil-doers." (Verse 50)
"We send not the messengers save
as bearers of good news and warners. Those who disbelieve contend with falsehood
in order to refute the Truth thereby. And they take Our revelations and that
wherewith they are threatened as a jest. And who doth greater wrong than he who
hath been reminded of the revelations of his Lord, yet turneth away from them
and forgetteth what his hands send forward (to the Judgment)? Lo! on their
hearts We have placed coverings so that they understand not, and in their ears
a deafness. And though thou call them to the guidance, in that case they can
never be led aright." (Verses 56-57)
"Thy Lord is the Forgiver, Full
of Mercy. If He took them to task (now) for what they earn, He would hasten on
the doom for them; but theirs is an appointed term from which they will find no
escape." (Verse 58)
Sections 9 & 10: Moses'
search for higher knowledge & Moses following the one gifted with knowledge
of God, verses 60-82
"Then found they one of Our
slaves, unto whom We had given mercy from Us, and had taught him knowledge from
Our presence. Moses said unto him: May I follow thee, to the end that thou
mayst teach me right conduct of that which thou hast been taught?" (Verses 65-66)
"He said: Well, if thou go with
me, ask me not concerning aught till I myself make mention of it unto
thee." (Verse 70)
"So they twain set out till, when
they were in the ship, he made a hole therein. (Moses) said: Hast thou made a
hole therein to drown the folk thereof? Thou verily hast done a dreadful
thing." (Verse 71)
"So they twain journeyed on till,
when they met a lad, he slew him. (Moses) said: What! Hast thou slain an
innocent soul who hath slain no man? Verily thou hast done a horrid
thing." (Verse 74)
"So they twain journeyed on till,
when they came unto the folk of a certain township, they asked its folk for
food, but they refused to make them guests. And they found therein a wall upon
the point of falling into ruin, and he repaired it. (Moses) said: If thou hadst
wished, thou couldst have taken payment for it." (Verse 77)
"As for the ship, it belonged to
poor people working on the river, and I wished to mar it, for there was a king
behind them who is taking every ship by force. And as for the lad, his parents
were believers and we feared lest he should oppress them by rebellion and
disbelief. And we intended that their Lord should change him for them for one
better in purity and nearer to mercy. And as for the wall, it belonged to two
orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure belonging to them,
and their father had been righteous, and thy Lord intended that they should
come to their full strength and should bring forth their treasure as a mercy
from their Lord; and I did it not upon my own command. Such is the
interpretation of that wherewith thou couldst not bear." (Verses 79-82)
These final 2 sections of
Chapter 15 tell the story of Prophet Musa's meeting with Khizr who possessed
the knowledge of God. The actions of Khizr baffled Prophet Musa during their
onward journey and forced him to question Khizr at each event. This was in
spite of the warning Khizr gave him in the beginning, that he would not be able
to bear patiently with the events he could not comprehend at the time. Each
event was then explained to him, and Prophet Musa learnt that the mysteries of
life are diverse and countless.
That concludes Chapter 15 and
subanallah, we have reached the half way point of the Holy Quran. In that time
we have covered almost 18 Surahs and there are still 96 Surahs to cover in the
second half. We finish Surah 18 tomorrow and then move on to Surah 19 and 20
inshallah.
Thank you for reading.
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