Surah 7,
Al-Araaf (The Heights), Verses 88-206 & Surah 8, al-Anfaal (Spoils of War),
Verses 1-40
Continuing with Surah Al-Araaf
and the remaining 12 sections.
Surah 7, Al-Araaf (The Heights)
Section 12: Warning against
punishment, verses 94-99
"And We sent no prophet unto any
township but We did afflict its folk with tribulation and adversity that haply
they might grow humble." (Verse 94)
"And if the people of the
townships had believed and kept from evil, surely We should have opened for
them blessings from the sky and from the earth. But (unto every messenger) they
gave the lie, and so We seized them on account of what they used to earn." (Verse 96)
The Prophets of Allah were sent to eradicate corruption and evil. Allah gave
enough rope to the people, but neither affluence nor suffering taught them
patience, humility, gratitude and kindness to others because they belied the
signs of Allah and rejected belief and guidance preached to them by the
messengers of Allah. They thought such things happened in all ages, but they
were helpless when the wrath of Allah seized them in the midst of their
obstinate infidelity. The Prophets who were rejected by their own people stood
firm on Allah's message, and were able to convince a few to believe in Allah
and His message.
Sections 13 & 14: The
Ministry of Moses & Pharaoh and his magicians defeated, verses 100-126
"Then, after them, We sent Moses
with our tokens unto Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they repelled them. Now, see
the nature of the consequence for the corrupters!" (Verse 104)
"(Pharaoh) said: If thou comest
with a token, then produce it, if thou art of those who speak the truth. Then
he flung down his staff and lo! it was a serpent manifest; And he drew forth
his hand (from his bosom), and lo! it was white for the beholders." (Verses 106-108)
"They said (unto Pharaoh): Put
him off (a while) - him and his brother - and send into the cities summoners,
To bring each knowing wizard unto thee." (Verses 111-112)
"They said: O Moses! Either throw
(first) or let us be the first throwers? He said: Throw! And when they threw
they cast a spell upon the people's eyes, and overawed them, and produced a
mighty spell. And We inspired Moses (saying): Throw thy staff! And lo! it
swallowed up their lying show." (Verses 115-117)
"And the wizards fell down
prostrate, Crying: We believe in the Lord of the Worlds, The Lord of Moses and
Aaron." (Verses 120-122)
"Pharaoh said: Ye believe in Him
before I give you leave! Lo! this is the plot that ye have plotted in the city
that ye may drive its people hence. But ye shall come to know! Surely I shall
have your hands and feet cut off upon alternate sides. Then I shall crucify you
every one. They said: Lo! We are about to return unto our Lord! Thou takest
vengeance on us only forasmuch as we believed the tokens of our Lord when they
came unto us. Our Lord! Vouchsafe unto us steadfastness and make us die as men
who have surrendered (unto Thee)." (Verses 123-126)
The story of Prophet Musa is
covered in some detail throughout the Quran. These particular sections discuss
his deceleration to the Pharaoh as a Prophet of Allah. After arriving
in the court of the Pharaoh, he asked the Pharaoh for permission to take the
people of Israel because he came with a clear sign. He then threw down his staff
turning it into a serpent and pulled out his hand from under his clothes to
reveal a bright, white light.
The Pharaoh, unconvinced,
invited some of his own magicians to try and show up Prophet Musa as a fraud.
They threw down ropes which turned into snakes, and then once again Musa threw
down his staff which promptly swallowed the snakes. The magicians turned
towards Musa and accepted him as the Prophet of God and in his anger, the
Pharaoh killed them.
Sections 15 & 16:
Persecution of the Israelites & Delivery of the Israelites, verses 127-141
"And we straitened Pharaoh's folk
with famine and dearth of fruits, that peradventure they might heed. But
whenever good befell them, they said: This is ours; and whenever evil smote
them they ascribed it to the evil auspices of Moses and those with him. Surely
their evil auspice was only with Allah. But most of them knew not." (Verses 130-131)
"And when the terror fell on them
they cried: O Moses! Pray for us unto thy Lord, because He hath a covenant with
thee. If thou removest the terror from us we verily will trust thee and will
let the Children of Israel go with thee. But when We did remove from them the
terror for a term which they must reach, behold! they broke their covenant.
Therefore We took retribution from them; therefore We drowned them in the sea:
because they denied Our revelations and were heedless of them." (Verses 134-136)
"And We brought the Children of
Israel across the sea, and they came unto a people who were given up to idols
which they had. They said: O Moses! Make for us a god even as they have gods.
He said: Lo! ye are a folk who know not." (Verse 138)
"He said: Shall I seek for you a
god other than Allah when He hath favoured you above (all) creatures?" (Verse 140)
The story of Prophet Musa
continues in the next 2 sections. The people of Egypt under the Pharaoh were
tested with famine, drought, locusts and more and still refused to heed the
warnings of Prophet Musa.
Prophet Musa then left with his
followers and crossed the Red Sea. The Pharaoh was drowned in pursuit as the
Red Sea closed in on him and his army. The Israelites met idol-worshippers and
asked Prophet Musa to fashion a new idol for them. When Allah exalted them
above all other nations across the world why would they still want to seek a
god other than Allah?
Sections 17 & 18 & 19:
The physical eyes can never see God & The Israelites started calf worship,
verses 142-156
"And when We did appoint for
Moses thirty nights (of solitude), and added to them ten, and he completed the
whole time appointed by his Lord of forty nights; and Moses said unto his
brother, Aaron: Take my place among the people. Do right, and follow not the
way of mischief-makers. And when Moses came to Our appointed tryst and his Lord
had spoken unto him, he said: My Lord! Show me (Thy Self), that I may gaze upon
Thee. He said: Thou wilt not see Me, but gaze upon the mountain! If it stand
still in its place, then thou wilt see Me. And when his Lord revealed (His)
glory to the mountain He sent it crashing down. And Moses fell down senseless.
And when he woke he said: Glory unto Thee! I turn unto Thee repentant, and I am
the first of (true) believers." (Verses 142-143)
"And We wrote for him, upon the
tablets, the lesson to be drawn from all things and the explanation of all
things, then (bade him): Hold it fast; and command thy people (saying): Take
the better (course made clear) therein. I shall show thee the abode of evil-livers." (Verse 145)
"And the folk of Moses, after (he
left them), chose a calf (for worship), (made) out of their ornaments, of
saffron hue, which gave a lowing sound. Saw they not that it spake not unto
them nor guided them to any way? They chose it, and became wrong-doers." (Verse 148)
"And when Moses returned unto his
people, angry and grieved, he said: Evil is that (course) which ye took after I
had left you. Would ye hasten on the judgment of your Lord? And he cast down
the tablets, and he seized his brother by the head, dragging him toward him. He
said: Son of my mother! Lo! the folk did judge me weak and almost killed me. Oh,
make not mine enemies to triumph over me and place me not among the evil-doers.
He said: My Lord! Have mercy on me and on my brother; bring us into Thy mercy,
Thou the Most Merciful of all who show mercy." (Verses 150-151)
"Then, when the anger of Moses
abated, he took up the tablets, and in their inscription there was guidance and
mercy for all those who fear their Lord." (Verse 154)
The story of Musa concludes in
this particular Surah by discussing his meeting with Allah for 40 days. In his
place he left his brother, Prophet Harun in charge of the Israelites. Whilst
away, he spoke to Allah and asked to see him, but no man is able to withstand
the sight of Allah, it would be far too powerful. Prophet Musa was then sent a
tablet of instructions (the so-called Ten Commandments)
from Allah on how to behave.
Upon his return to the people
after a mere 40 days, he found that they had resorted to worshiping a
golden calf in his absence. Despite witnessing the miracle of the Red Sea
and travelled with Prophet Musa for months, they still turned to
idols. Although Prophet Musa turns his brother in anger, he realises that it
was not his fault that the people had been led astray. After the people sought
forgiveness, Prophet Musa revealed his tablet as a guidance and mercy from
Allah and guided the people through the laws written on them.
Section 20: The Holy Prophet,
the apostle unto the whole mankind, verses 157-162
"Those who follow the messenger,
the Prophet who can neither read nor write, whom they will find described in
the Torah and the Gospel (which are) with them. He will enjoin on them that
which is right and forbid them that which is wrong. He will make lawful for
them all good things and prohibit for them only the foul; and he will relieve
them of their burden and the fetters that they used to wear. Then those who
believe in him, and honour him, and help him, and follow the light which is
sent down with him: they are the successful." (Verse 157)
"Say (O Muhammad): O mankind! Lo!
I am the messenger of Allah to you all - (the messenger of) Him unto Whom
belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. There is no Allah save
Him. He quickeneth and He giveth death. So believe in Allah and His messenger,
the Prophet who can neither read nor write, who believeth in Allah and in His
Words, and follow him that haply ye may be led aright." (Verse 158)
"And of Moses' folk there is a
community who lead with truth and establish justice therewith. We divided them
into twelve tribes, nations; and We inspired Moses, when his people asked him
for water, saying: Smite with thy staff the rock! And there gushed forth
therefrom twelve springs, so that each tribe knew their drinking-place. And we
caused the white cloud to overshadow them and sent down for them the manna and
the quails (saying): Eat of the good things wherewith we have provided you.
They wronged Us not, but they were wont to wrong themselves." (Verses 159-160)
Verses 159-162 go back to Prophet Musa and describe
the time when he produced 12 springs of water from a rock for the 12 tribes of
Bani Israel at a time of heavy drought.
Section 21: Punishment for
transgressing the limits, verses 163-171
"Ask them (O Muhammad) of the
township that was by the sea, how they did break the Sabbath, how their big
fish came unto them visibly upon their Sabbath day and on a day when they did
not keep Sabbath came they not unto them. Thus did We try them for that they
were evil-livers." (Verse 163)
"And We have sundered them in the
earth as (separate) nations. Some of them are righteous, and some far from
that. And We have tried them with good things and evil things that haply they
might return." (Verse 168)
"And as for those who make (men)
keep the Scripture, and establish worship - lo! We squander not the wages of
reformers." (Verse 170)
The deniers of the signs of Allah and the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet, in
spite of clear prophecies in their book, among the Jews, are an accursed group
whom Allah shall continue to punish till the day of resurrection in this world,
and a painful torment awaits them in the hereafter.
Section 22: The progeny of Adam
will bear witness against itself, verses 172-181
"And (remember) when thy Lord
brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their reins, their seed, and made
them testify of themselves, (saying): Am I not your Lord? They said: Yea,
verily. We testify. (That was) lest ye should say at the Day of Resurrection:
Lo! of this we were unaware." (Verse 172)
"And had We willed We could have
raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust.
Therefor his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if thou attackest him he
panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue
out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto
them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may take thought." (Verse 176)
"Already have We urged unto hell
many of the jinn and humankind, having hearts wherewith they understand not,
and having eyes wherewith they see not, and having ears wherewith they hear
not. These are as the cattle - nay, but they are worse! These are the neglectful." (Verse 179)
"Allah's are the fairest names.
Invoke Him by them. And leave the company of those who blaspheme His names.
They will be requited what they do." (Verse 180)
The true meaning of verse 176 is that Allah brings forth from every
human being his offspring and makes each one aware of one's self or soul when
one reaches maturity; and at that stage of full consciousness he knows that
there is a (supreme and uncaused) creator who has brought him into existence.
This acknowledgement is the result of an inherent awareness in every human
being, which makes him responsible for his belief or disbelief, his good deeds
or evil deeds. At this stage each individual becomes free from the blind
influence of others.
Those who do not use the faculties, given to them, which can help them to find
out the truth, have been referred in verse 179. Those who
misuse or neglect the faculties, which can make them real human beings,
superior to all created beings, finally deteriorate to the animal state.
Excellent or most beautiful names of Allah are those which give us the idea of
His infinite attributes, such as rahman
and rahim, rabbul alamin and maliki
yawmiddin. There are people who use His names profanely- which suggest
things derogatory to His unity and infiniteness-such as calling Him the father
of Isa. Violating the sanctity of His Holy names, assigning to Him attributes
which negate His absoluteness & omnipotence, or calling others with names
exclusively owned by Him, is polytheism.
Section 23: The resurrection,
verses 182-188
"They ask thee of the (destined)
Hour, when will it come to port. Say: Knowledge thereof is with my Lord only.
He alone will manifest it at its proper time. It is heavy in the heavens and
the earth. It cometh not to you save unawares. They question thee as if thou
couldst be well informed thereof. Say: Knowledge thereof is with Allah only,
but most of mankind know not." (Verse 187)
"Say: For myself I have no power
to benefit, nor power to hurt, save that which Allah willeth. Had I knowledge
of the Unseen, I should have abundance of wealth, and adversity would not touch
me. I am but a warner, and a bearer of good tidings unto folk who believe." (Verse 188)
The Holy Prophet had to pronounce these words in verse 188, lest his
followers may deify him as the followers of Isa made him god or son of God. It
should be remembered that he was the last Prophet of Allah, so he could not
leave behind the slightest possibility of this nature.
Section 24: The conclusive
warnings against polytheism, verses 189-206
"He it is Who did create you from
a single soul, and therefrom did make his mate that he might take rest in her.
And when he covered her she bore a light burden, and she passed (unnoticed)
with it, but when it became heavy they cried unto Allah, their Lord, saying: If
thou givest unto us aright we shall be of the thankful." (Verse 189)
"Attribute they as partners to
Allah those who created naught, but are themselves created, And cannot give
them help, nor can they help themselves? And if ye call them to the Guidance,
they follow you not. Whether ye call them or are silent is all one for you." (Verses 191-193)
"Keep to forgiveness (O
Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant. And if a
slander from the devil wound thee, then seek refuge in Allah. Lo! He is Hearer,
Knower. Lo! those who ward off (evil), when a glamour from the devil troubleth
them, they do but remember (Allah's Guidance) and behold them seers!" (Verses 199-201)
"Lo! those who are with thy Lord
are not too proud to do Him service, but they praise Him and prostrate before
Him." (Verse 206)
Verse 189 is a general reference to the creation
of man, whether male or female, from a single source. They must live in peace
and harmony with love and affection for each other. When a child is born to a
mother, the parents vow to make the child a true servant of Allah if He gives
them a goodly child, but neglect their duties when the child begins to grow.
That is how polytheism took root in human society.
To celebrate His praises after the prayers; and then to prostrate oneself in
adoration before Allah is said to be the sunnah of the Holy Prophet and when
reciting verse 206 it is sunnat to do so in sajdah. With that, Surah Al-Araaf
ends and we move on to the 8th Surah of the Holy Quran.
Surah Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of
War) was revealed at Mecca. It contains 75 verses in 10 sections. Chapter 8
includes five sections.
Surah 8, Al-Anfaal (The Spoils
Of War)
Section 1 & 2: The Battle of Badr,
verses 1-19
"They ask thee (O Muhammad) of
the spoils of war. Say: The spoils of war belong to Allah and the messenger, so
keep your duty to Allah, and adjust the matter of your difference, and obey
Allah and His messenger, if ye are (true) believers." (Verse
1)
"Even as thy Lord caused thee
(Muhammad) to go forth from thy home with the Truth, and lo! a party of the
believers were averse (to it). Disputing with thee of the Truth after it had
been made manifest, as if they were being driven to death visible." (Verses 5-6)
"When thy Lord inspired the
angels, (saying): I am with you. So make those who believe stand firm. I will
throw fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Then smite the necks and
smite of them each finger. That is because they opposed Allah and His
messenger. Whoso opposeth Allah and His messenger, (for him) lo! Allah is
severe in punishment." (Verse 12-13)
"O ye who believe! When ye meet
those who disbelieve in battle, turn not your backs to them." (Verse 15)
"(O Qureysh!) If ye sought a
judgment, now hath the judgment come unto you. And if ye cease (from
persecuting the believers) it will be better for you, but if ye return (to the
attack) We also shall return. And your host will avail you naught, however
numerous it be, and (know) that Allah is with the believers (in His Guidance)." (Verse 19)
The Battle of Badr has been
described in some detail in the first 2 sections of this Surah. Verse 1 was revealed when those who
participated in the battle claimed the enemies properties as their own. The
spoils actually belong to Allah and the Holy Prophet, who is free to distribute
as he pleases.
The Qurayshi army came to
attack the Muslims in Madina. At the time when the Holy Prophet was commanded
by Allah to lead his army out to battle, many Muslims of weak faith were
reluctant to join him. It Allah's first test of the messenger and his followers.
To help the Muslims in battle,
Allah instilled fear in the hearts of the disbelievers and sent angels to fight
alongside the 313 Muslims of the Holy Prophet's army. Whoever opposed the Holy
Prophet would be severely punished in the hereafter.
As aggressive as verse 15 sounds and is often used by Islamists
who try to justify their outrageous attacks on the innocent across the world,
the verse refers to a battle when the Muslims were being attacked by the
Qurayshis and had to respond in self-defence. Once the Qurayshi army was
defeated Allah goes on to warn them in verse 20 about the futilities of another
attack.
Section 3: Obedience to God and
his apostle, verses 20-28
"O ye who believe! Obey Allah,
and the messenger when He calleth you to that which quickeneth you, and know
that Allah cometh in between the man and his own heart, and that He it is unto
Whom ye will be gathered. And guard yourselves against a chastisement which
cannot fall exclusively on those of you who are wrong-doers, and know that
Allah is severe in punishment." (Verses 24-25)
"And know that your possessions
and your children are a test, and that with Allah is immense reward." (Verse 28)
Every person responds to the
call of his desires, but when he submits to the call of Allah or the Holy
Prophet his act of submission is due to "Allah
cometh in between the man and his own heart," and
thus he is prevented from going astray on account of the dictates of his vain
desires.
In verse 25 it is made clear that the consequences of
social, political and religious deviation will not only harm those who have
done injustice to themselves but also equally jeopardise the well-being of
those who have done no wrong, therefore all the believers should safeguard
themselves against evil by observing the laws made by Allah.
Section 4: Guardianship of the
sacred mosque, verses 29-37
"O ye who believe! If ye keep
your duty to Allah, He will give you discrimination (between right and wrong)
and will rid you of your evil thoughts and deeds, and will forgive you. Allah
is of Infinite Bounty." (Verse 29)
"And when Our revelations are
recited unto them they say: We have heard. If we wish we can speak the like of
this. Lo! this is naught but fables of the men of old. And when they said: O
Allah! If this be indeed the truth from Thee, then rain down stones on us or
bring on us some painful doom!" (Verses 31-32)
"Lo! those who disbelieve spend
their wealth in order that they may debar (men) from the way of Allah. They
will spend it, then it will become an anguish for them, then they will be
conquered. And those who disbelieve will be gathered unto hell, That Allah may
separate the wicked from the good, The wicked will He place piece upon piece,
and heap them all together, and consign them unto hell. Such verily are the
losers." (Verses 36-37)
Those who safeguard themselves against evil with full awareness of divine laws
receive guidance from Allah to distinguish between good and evil, so that they
may follow the right path-the path of deliverance. Then, even if they have
sinned but turn repentant unto Allah sincerely, Allah forgives them their sins.
Verses 31-32 refers to the time when a disbeliever
Numan bin Harith returned from Iran with stories of so-called Prophets and
claimed that he had written stories similar to the Holy Quran. When challenged
about the authenticity of these stories by the Holy Prophet, Numan invited
Allah to shower stones on him if Muhammed is the truthful. Numan was killed in
the battle of Badr by an avalanche of stones.
Allah did not want to keep the believers mixed with the hypocrites, therefore,
by means of repeated trials and tribulations He separated the impure from the
pure, the wicked from the good.
Section 5: The Battle of Badr
as a proof of the apostle's truthfulness, verses 38-44
"Tell those who disbelieve that
if they cease (from persecution of believers) that which is past will be
forgiven them; but if they return (thereto) then the example of the men of old
hath already gone (before them, for a warning)." (Verse 38)
"And know that whatever ye take
as spoils of war, lo! a fifth thereof is for Allah, and for the messenger and
for the kinsman (who hath need) and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if
ye believe in Allah and that which We revealed unto Our slave on the Day of
Discrimination, the day when the two armies met. And Allah is Able to do all
things." (Verse 41)
"When Allah showed them unto thee
(O Muhammad) in thy dream as few in number, and if He had shown them to thee as
many, ye (Muslims) would have faltered and would have quarrelled over the
affair. But Allah saved (you). Lo! He knoweth what is in the breasts (of
men)." (Verse 43)
Allah is oft-forgiving and
merciful, and the Holy Prophet is "the
mercy unto the worlds", therefore, verse 38 says that even those who persecuted and
opposed the Holy Prophet tooth and nail may receive Allah's pardon if they
sincerely accept Islam, forsake polytheism and hostility against the Holy
Prophet and his mission.
Although discussing spoils of
war, one fifth refers to the concept of Khums in Islam. Khums needs to be paid on
all profits one makes - 20% is for Allah and the Holy Prophet.
In verse 43, Allah showed
the Meccans to be few in the eyes of the Muslims, because if their real number
and strength in equipment were made known to the Muslims they would have never
agreed to go with the Holy Prophet for the decisive battle of Badr; and the Muslims
were made to appear fewer in the eyes of the Meccan so that they might not lose
courage and run away. It was done because Allah had decided to make the battle
of Badr a landmark and a criterion for the believers as well as the
disbelievers. The pagans of Mecca came to know after the battle of Badr that
Allah was on the side of the truth, the believers, otherwise a handful of
poorly equipped men could never overpower a large army of formidable strength.
That concludes Chapter 9 and
tomorrow inshallah we discuss the rest of Surah 8, before moving on to Surah 9.
Thanks for reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment