Surah
5, Al-Maaida (The Table), Verses 83-120 & Surah 6, Al-Anaam (The Cattle),
Verses 1-110
Chapter 7 sees the conclusion
of Surah al-Maaida with the last 5 sections.
Surah 5, Al-Maaida (The Table)
Section 12: Intoxication and
games of chance prohibited, verses 87-93
"O ye who believe! Strong drink
and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan's
handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed. Satan seeketh only to
cast among you enmity and hatred by means of strong drink and games of chance,
and to turn you from remembrance of Allah and from (His) worship. Will ye then
have done?" (Verses 90-91)
"There shall be no sin (imputed)
unto those who believe and do good works for what they may have eaten (in the
past). So be mindful of your duty (to Allah), and believe, and do good works;
and again: be mindful of your duty, and believe; and once again: be mindful of
your duty, and do right. Allah loveth the good." (Verse 93)
Verses 90-91 clearly describe drinking and gambling
as Shaitan led acts. The interesting point about verse 93 is that believing in Allah, doing good
and safeguarding against evil are repeated three times by God. This is to
achieve the point that we should always be striving to attain perfection
in piety and should not be content at any stage. Never be content that what we
are doing is enough.
Section 13: Security of the
Kaaba inviolable, verses 94-100
"Allah hath appointed the Ka'bah,
the Sacred House, a standard for mankind, and the Sacred Month and the
offerings and the garlands. That is so that ye may know that Allah knoweth
whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and that Allah is
Knower of all things." (Verse 97)
"The duty of the messenger is
only to convey (the message). Allah knoweth what ye proclaim and what ye hide.
Say: The evil and the good are not alike even though the plenty of the evil
attract thee. So be mindful of your duty to Allah, O men of understanding, that
ye may succeed." (Verses 99-100)
The Holy Prophet had performed his mission of delivering Allah's message to the
full. Allah knows what his followers disclose by words and deeds and what their
secret thoughts and inner feelings are. The accursed and the unclean are in
abundance, therefore, do not follow the majority or join the crowd which is
going in the direction of Shaitan.
Section 14: All polytheistic
traditions denounced, verses 101-108
"O ye who believe! Ask not of
things which, if they were made unto you, would trouble you; but if ye ask of
them when the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be made known unto you. Allah
pardoneth this, for Allah is Forgiving, Clement." (Verse 101)
"And when it is said unto them:
Come unto that which Allah hath revealed and unto the messenger, they say:
Enough for us is that wherein we found our fathers. What! Even though their
fathers had no knowledge whatsoever, and no guidance? O ye who believe! Ye have
charge of your own souls. He who erreth cannot injure you if ye are rightly
guided. Unto Allah ye will all return; and then He will inform you of what ye
used to do." (Verses 104-105)
Verse 101 admonishes the companions who used to
ask the Holy Prophet frivolous questions about irrelevant the unseen usually
out of idle curiosity. As the Holy Prophet often highlighted, there was enough
to be dealing with in the real world.
Verses 104-105 makes it clear that each individual is
in charge of his/her own soul. Our foremost duty is to save our own self and to
follow the right guidance. Verses 106-108 go on to discuss the rules of using
witnesses in transactions and debts.
Sections 15 & 16:
Covetousness of this worldy life & Teachings of Jesus corrupted after his
departure, verses 109-120
"When Allah saith: O Jesus, son
of Mary! Remember My favour unto thee and unto thy mother; how I strengthened
thee with the holy Spirit, so that thou spakest unto mankind in the cradle as
in maturity; and how I taught thee the Scripture and Wisdom and the Torah and
the Gospel; and how thou didst shape of clay as it were the likeness of a bird
by My permission, and didst blow upon it and it was a bird by My permission,
and thou didst heal him who was born blind and the leper by My permission; and
how thou didst raise the dead by My permission; and how I restrained the
Children of Israel from (harming) thee when thou camest unto them with clear
proofs, and those of them who disbelieved exclaimed: This is naught else than
mere magic; And when I inspired the disciples, (saying): Believe in Me and in
My messenger, they said: We believe. Bear witness that we have surrendered
(unto Thee) "we are muslims"." (Verses 110-111)
"And when Allah saith: O Jesus,
son of Mary! Didst thou say unto mankind: Take me and my mother for two gods
beside Allah? he saith: Be glorified! It was not mine to utter that to which I
had no right. If I used to say it, then Thou knewest it. Thou knowest what is
in my mind, and I know not what is in Thy Mind. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the
Knower of Things Hidden? I spake unto them only that which Thou commandedst me,
(saying): Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. I was a witness of them while I
dwelt among them, and when Thou tookest me Thou wast the Watcher over them.
Thou art Witness over all things. If Thou punish them, lo! they are Thy slaves,
and if Thou forgive them (lo! they are Thy slaves). Lo! Thou, only Thou, art
the Mighty, the Wise." (Verses 116-118)
Along with a clear description
of the miracles of Prophet Isa, verses 112-115 describe the so-called Last Supper as
a miracle of God when Allah provided the food for Prophet Isa and his 12
disciples. Prophet Isa goes on to deny that he ever claimed he was "Son of
God" and invites Allah as the true judge of his followers actions after
his departure from this world.
We now move on to the 6th Surah
of the Holy Quran, Surah al-Anaam (The Cattle). This Surah was revealed at
Mecca, contains 165 verses with 20 sections. The rest of Chapter 7 has 13 of
those sections.
Surah 6, Al-Anaam (The Cattle)
Section 1: The ultimate triumph
of the truth, verses 1-10
"He it is Who hath created you
from clay, and hath decreed a term for you. A term is fixed with Him. Yet still
ye doubt!" (Verse
2)
"Messengers (of Allah) have been
derided before thee, but that whereat they scoffed surrounded such of them as
did deride." (Verse 10)
Allah created Adam from clay, and through him He brought into being the whole
mankind. The first term, life in this world till death is a period of
probation; and the second term leads up to the time of resurrection, known to
Allah alone.
Many Prophets (Noah, Lot and Thamud), before the Holy Prophet, were also mocked
at, but the scoffers were subdued and destroyed by the thing that they mocked
at.
Section 2: God has ordained
mercy on Himself, verse 11-20
"Say: Unto whom belongeth
whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth? Say: Unto Allah. He hath prescribed
for Himself mercy, that He may bring you all together to the Day of
Resurrection whereof there is no doubt. Those who ruin their souls will not
believe." (Verse 12)
"If Allah touch thee with
affliction, there is none that can relieve therefrom save Him, and if He touch
thee with good fortune (there is none that can impair it); for He is Able to do
all things." (Verse 17)
"Say (O Muhammad): What thing is
of most weight in testimony? Say: Allah is Witness between me and you. And this
Qur'an hath been inspired in me, that I may warn therewith you and whomsoever
it may reach. Do ye in sooth bear witness that there are gods beside Allah?
Say: I bear no such witness. Say: He is only One Allah. Lo! I am innocent of
that which ye associate (with Him)." (Verse 19)
All that exists in the universe belongs to Allah. Without His mercy man would
have lost his soul and destroyed himself completely. He mercifully deals with
those who repent sincerely, adopt piety and avoid evil. Those who have
destroyed their souls by refusing to listen to the Holy Prophet shall be
punished on the Day of Resurrection, because they did not exercise their will
to believe in Allah and His last Prophet and obey them, in spite of his clear
warnings.
The disbelievers worship false gods out of fear that they would harm them, or
hope that they would confer some benefits on them. These false gods can do
neither. All power, all goodness, is in the hands of one true God. All else is
pretence or illusion.
Verse 19 confirms the mission of the Holy
Prophet was universal. The Holy Prophet was sent to the whole mankind as a
messenger for all times. The Quran, revealed to him, is a divine evidence of
his Prophethood.
Section 3: Polytheists shall
themselves confess their guilt, verses 21-30
"Who doth greater wrong than he
who inventeth a lie against Allah or denieth His revelations? Lo! the
wrongdoers will not be successful. And on the day We gather them together We
shall say unto those who ascribed partners (unto Allah): Where are (now) those
partners of your make-believe? Then will they have no contention save that they
will say: By Allah, our Lord, we never were idolaters. See how they lie against
themselves, and (how) the thing which they devised hath failed them!" (Verse 21-24)
"If thou couldst see when they
are set before their Lord! He will say: Is not this real? They will say: Yea, verily,
by our Lord! He will say: Taste now the retribution for that ye used to
disbelieve." (Verse 30)
Their refusal to believe was not due to want of knowledge, but on account of
perversity and selfishness. In their hearts was a disease, therefore neither
their understanding, nor their ears, nor their eyes wanted to accept. They
twist what they see, hear, or are taught, and go deeper and deeper into the
mire. The deceptions which they used to practise on their people will, on the
day of reckoning, become clear to their own eyes (verse 30).
Section 4: Those who disbelieve
the meeting of God are losers, verses 31-41
"Naught is the life of the world
save a pastime and a spot. Better far is the abode of the Hereafter for those
who keep their duty (to Allah). Have ye then no sense?" (Verse 32)
"And if their aversion is
grievous unto thee, then, if thou canst, seek a way down into the earth or a
ladder unto the sky that thou mayst bring unto them a portent (to convince them
all)! - If Allah willed, He could have brought them all together to the
guidance - So be not thou among the foolish ones." (Verse 35)
"Say: Can ye see yourselves, if
the punishment of Allah come upon you or the Hour come upon you, (calling upon
other than Allah)? Do ye then call (for help) to any other than Allah? (Answer
that) if ye are truthful. Nay, but unto Him ye call, and He removeth that
because of which ye call unto Him, if He will, and ye forget whatever partners
ye ascribed unto Him." (Verses 40-41)
This life is a preparation for
the hereafter to which we are going, it is important to always focus on that
rather than concentrate on the transient pleasures of this world.
The Holy Prophet sent as a
"mercy unto the worlds" sincerely wanted to save all the people from
the degradation of polytheism. He provided several signs and evidence about the
true message but was still ignored by many. Allah's plan is that only those who
seek it shall find guidance.
The pagans, who believe in false gods, must call upon the imaginary deities
whom they worship, but at the extreme time of need they cry out to Allah in
moments of extreme helplessness, danger and affliction. In utter helplessness,
the inner self of every human being naturally turns to omnipotent Allah.
Section 5: Distress of the
disbelievers, verses 42-50
"Then, when they forgot that
whereof they had been reminded, We opened unto them the gates of all things
till, even as they were rejoicing in that which they were given, We seized them
unawares, and lo! they were dumbfounded." (Verse 44)
"We send not the messengers save
as bearers of good news and warners. Whoso believeth and doeth right, there
shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. But as for those who
deny Our revelations, torment will afflict them for that they used to
disobey." (Verses 48-49)
"Say (O Muhammad, to the
disbelievers): I say not unto you (that) I possess the treasures of Allah, nor
that I have knowledge of the Unseen; and I say not unto you: Lo! I am an angel.
I follow only that which is inspired in me. Say: Are the blind man and the seer
equal? Will ye not then take thought?" (Verse 50)
The Holy Prophet said: "When you see a man, more and
more blessed with bounties of Allah, in spite of his repeated sinfulness, then
be sure that he is enjoying a respite, either to repent and walk on the right
path, or be prepared for a sudden affliction from Allah."
The Holy Prophet was not sent
as a soothsayer, to pretend to reveal hidden treasures, or see into the future,
or claim to be masters who control everything. In a wider sense the Holy
Prophet dealt out great treasures of truth, given to him by Allah; he had
received Allah's inspiration to know all about everything, and always made
clear to the people that his power, his wisdom and his glory reached the
highest position by Allah's permission. "Will ye
not then take thought?" indicates
that Islam invites man to use his intellect and power of reasoning for arriving
at a rational conclusion.
Sections 6, 7 & 8:
Belivers will be rewarded & The judgement, verses 51-70
"And when those who believe in
Our revelations come unto thee, say: Peace be unto you! Your Lord hath
prescribed for Himself mercy, that whoso of you doeth evil through ignorance
and repenteth afterward thereof and doeth right, (for him) lo! He is Forgiving,
Merciful." (Verse 54)
"And with Him are the keys of the
Invisible. None but He knoweth them. And He knoweth what is in the land and the
sea. Not a leaf falleth but He knoweth it, not a grain amid the darkness of the
earth, naught of wet or dry but (it is noted) in a clear record." (Verse 59)
"Say: Who delivereth you from the
darkness of the land and the sea? Ye call upon Him humbly and in secret,
(saying): If we are delivered from this (fear) we truly will be of the
thankful." (Verse 63)
"And forsake those who take their
religion for a pastime and a jest, and whom the life of the world beguileth.
Remind (mankind) hereby lest a soul be destroyed by what it earneth. It hath
beside Allah no protecting ally nor intercessor, and though it offer every
compensation it will not be accepted from it. Those are they who perish by
their own deserts. For them is drink of boiling water and a painful doom,
because they disbelieved." (Verse 70)
When one is blessed with the mercy of Allah, his sins are wiped out. God wipes
out what He pleases, and He even changes the sins of some people into goodness,
provided the inadvertent sinner turns repentant to Him and amends.
Everything seen and unseen is ordered and regulated by the laws made by Allah;
the fresh and the withered, the living and the dead - nothing is outside the
plan of His creation. Allah knows that which takes place, manifest or hidden,
because it is an effect of His supreme will.
Calling upon Allah in times of danger shows that in the depths of their hearts
people feel His need. Allah's providence saves them, and yet they ungratefully
run after false gods. Only faith in Allah can save people from all types of
calamities.
Worldly people are deceived by the allurement of this life and the illusion of
vicarious atonements. Every soul delivers itself to ruin by its own act. They
do not profit by admonition and pay no heed to the voice of reason. Verse 70
has a clear description of the punishment that awaits them.
Section 9: Submission to God,
Abraham's arguments, verses 71-82
"He it is Who created the heavens
and the earth in truth. In the day when He saith: Be! it is. His Word is the
Truth, and His will be the Sovereignty on the day when the trumpet is blown.
Knower of the Invisible and the Visible, He is the Wise, the Aware." (Verse 73)
Allah's questioning on the Day
of Judgement when the trumpet sounds for the last day and His judgement will
establish the dominion of right and reality. Verses 74-82 discuss Prophet Abraham's reasoning
for the unity of God. Allah showed him the spiritual glories behind the
magnificent powers and laws of the physical universe. When he saw the waning of
the stars, the moon and the sun, he saw through the folly of idol-worship and
the futility of worshipping distant beautiful things that shine, to which the
ignorant ascribe a power which is not in them. They rise and set according to
laws whose author is Allah. Its worship is therefore futile. It is a folly to
worship created things and beings when the author and the creator is there.
Section 10: The other apostles
following Abraham's footsteps, verses 83-90
"And We bestowed upon him Isaac
and Jacob; each of them We guided; and Noah did We guide aforetime; and of his
seed (We guided) David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus
do We reward the good. And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias. Each one (of
them) was of the righteous. And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one
(of them) did We prefer above (Our) creatures,With some of their forefathers
and their offspring and their brethren; and We chose them and guided them unto
a straight path." (Verses 84-87)
"Those are they whom Allah
guideth, so follow their guidance. Say (O Muhammad, unto mankind): I ask of you
no fee for it. Lo! it is naught but a Reminder to (His) creatures." (Verse 90)
All the Prophets mentioned in verses 84-87 were the descendants of Prophet
Abraham. All of them followed the religion of Abraham, Islam. All the prophets
were commanded by Allah not to seek from the people any recompense for their
service except the Holy Prophet who was directed by Allah to announce "No reward do I ask of you for it
save the love of (my) relatives" (Surah 46, Verse 23).
Sections 11 & 12: The
Divine revelation & The trumph of the truth, verses 91-100
"And this is a blessed Scripture
which We have revealed, confirming that which (was revealed) before it, that
thou mayst warn the Mother of Villages and those around her. Those who believe
in the Hereafter believe herein, and they are careful of their worship." (Verse 92)
"Lo! Allah (it is) Who splitteth
the grain of corn and the date-stone (for sprouting). He bringeth forth the
living from the dead, and is the bringer-forth of the dead from the living.
Such is Allah. How then are ye perverted?" (Verse 95)
"He it is Who sendeth down water
from the sky, and therewith We bring forth buds of every kind; We bring forth
the green blade from which We bring forth the thick-clustered grain; and from
the date-palm, from the pollen thereof, spring pendant bunches; and (We bring
forth) gardens of grapes, and the olive and the pomegranate, alike and unlike.
Look upon the fruit thereof, when they bear fruit, and upon its ripening. Lo!
herein verily are portents for a people who believe." (Verse 99)
"Yet they ascribe as partners
unto Him the jinn, although He did create them, and impute falsely, without
knowledge, sons and daughters unto Him. Glorified be He and High Exalted above
(all) that they ascribe (unto Him)." (Verse 100)
In verse 92, "Mother of Villages," refers
to the Holy Kaaba, classified as the centre of the Earth. The Holy Quran is a
book for all ages, confirming what had come before it and the word can spread
throughout the Earth from the Holy Kaaba.
Verse 99 describes the benefits of water, from
one source so many diverse products can grow. Despite all the benefits bestowed
by Allah on us all, people continue to attribute other beings in association
with him. The polytheists will be punished.
Section 13: God the Creator
& Knower of everything, verses 101-110
"Proofs have come unto you from
your Lord, so whoso seeth, it is for his own good, and whoso is blind is blind
to his own hurt. And I am not a keeper over you." (Verse 104)
"Had Allah willed, they had not
been idolatrous. We have not set thee as a keeper over them, nor art thou
responsible for them. Revile not those unto whom they pray beside Allah lest
they wrongfully revile Allah through ignorance. Thus unto every nation have We
made their deed seem fair. Then unto their Lord is their return, and He will
tell them what they used to do." (Verses 107-108)
"And they swear a solemn oath by
Allah that if there come unto them a portent they will believe therein. Say;
Portents are with Allah and (so is) that which telleth you that if such came
unto them they would not believe." (Verse 109)
There is no compulsion in religion. Islam has given complete freedom of thought
and action to man so that he may use his intellect and reason and follow the
right course, shown by the Holy Prophet and his Ahlul-Bayt. If he wanders in
the wilderness of ignorance and superstition he shall surely come to a sad end.
The purpose of life: Allah's
plan is to let man use his will and reason to find out the truth, follow it,
and preserve it. Allah can destroy evil, but He has given complete freedom to
man to distinguish between right and wrong. The Holy Prophet was sent only to
preach, to guide and show the right path.
Some of the disbelievers assured the Holy Prophet that if he could, like
Prophet Musa and Isa, display a miracle they would believe in Allah and him.
However, Islam is a religion based upon reason; intelligence and knowledge of
the laws of creation, miracles displayed in the days of ignorance of earlier
Prophets had been discontinued.
Chapter 7 comes to a close
there. Tomorrow, moving on the Chapter 8, inshallah finish Surah 6 and move on
to the pretty lengthy Surah 7.
Thanks for reading.
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