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Tafsiri Guide to the Quran
Surah AN'AAM; Surah AA'RAAF
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Surah AN’AAM
(Consists of 20 Ruku)
(MK-9; came in total at single descent)
AN’AAM-The First Ruku
1. All praise is due to Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth and made the darkness and the light; yet those who disbelieve set up equals with their Lord.
2. He it is Who created you from clay, then He decreed a term; and there is a term named with Him; still you doubt.
3. And He is Allah in the heavens and in the earth; He knows your secret (thoughts) and your open (words), and He knows what you earn.
4. And there does not come to them any AAYAT of the AAYAAT of their Lord but they turn aside from it
5. So they have indeed rejected the truth when it came to them; therefore the truth of what they mocked at will shine upon them.
6. Do they not consider how many a generation We have destroyed before them, whom We had established in the earth as We have not established you, and We sent the clouds pouring rain on them in abundance, and We made the rivers to flow beneath them, then We destroyed them on account of their faults and raised up after them another generation.
7. And if We had sent to you writing on a paper, then they had touched it with their hands, certainly those who disbelieve would have said: This is nothing but clear enchantment.
8. And they say: Why has not an angel been sent down to him? And had We sent down an angel, the matter would have certainly been decided and then they would not have been respited.
9. And if We had made him angel, We would certainly have made him a man, and We would certainly have made confused to them what they make confused.
10. And certainly apostles before you were mocked at, but that which they mocked at encompassed the scoffers among them.
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The Surah commences by the words “Al-Hamdu Lillah” and it is notable that all Surah that start by AL-Hamdu Lillah present uniformly at the Quran; it was the beginning of Surah FATIHA, then this Surah starts with it, then Surah KAHF and then Surah SABA and Surah FAATIR; there is nearly the same space in text between these SURAH (though SABA and FAATIR are successive as they are the thirty-fourth and the thirty-fifth Surah yet there is nearly the same space between them and the last of the Quran); note also that the first three Ruku of this Surah comprise of ten AAYAAT each and then each couple of Ruku (that are Ruku-4 & 5 and Ruku-6 & 7) have twenty AAYAAT and ten AAYAAT respectively; Ruku-8, 9 & 10 comprise of thirty AAYAAT together and Ruku-11, 12 & 13 have twenty AAYAAT together; Ruku-14, 15, 16 have thirty AAYAAT together and Ruku-17 & 18 have ten AAYAAT together while the last pair (where we have the Ten Commandments) comprise of fifteen AAYAAT together; the Surah has 20 Ruku and 165 AAYAAT in total; the first AAYAT of the first Ruku reads, “all praise is due to Allah who created the heavens and the earth and made all darkness and the light; yet those who disbelieve set up equals with their Lord”; note that for the heavens and the earth, the word used is “KHALAQA” (He created) while for the all darkness and the light, it is “JA’ALA” (He made) so the verbs here come by respect to the tangible and the intangible; note also that the AAYAT mentions all darkness in plural while it mentions the light in singular; this tells that the shades of disbelief (i.e. all darkness) are many but the Truth (the light) is only one from ever to ever (see also BAQARAH-257); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the mention of heavens is in plural too as the Quran tells us that they are seven in all (see also BAQARAH-29); the last part of the AAYAT tells that even with such clear signs to see, there are many such people who take others as equal to Allah who is their true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the second AAYAT tells here that “He has created you from clay, and then decreed a stated term (for you); and there is another determined term in His knowledge; yet (many of) you doubt”; this tells that Allah created Adam-AS from clay and there are other AAYAAT of the Quran that also present this (as the AAYAAT explain other of AAYAAT at the Quran); Surah HIJR says at AAYAT-26, “We created man from the sounding clay, from mud molded into shape” and Surah MOMEN says at the beginning of AAYAT-67, “He has created you from dust”; so Allah changed it to clay by water (and it took the form as Allah willed for it) and with that, he created Adam; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT indicates that Allah has determined the time of death for each of persons (that someone might become aware of for his own self) yet there is another determined time for all the world to end (i.e. its last day) that He only knows; yet the disbelievers doubt in its occurrence; the third AAYAT ahead reads, “He is Allah in the heavens and in the earth; He knows both your secret and your utterance, and He knows what you earn”; He has created all and so all other than Him is His creation; He certainly knows the belief of every person and He certainly knows if he/she is presenting the self as he/she is inside; with all that, He certainly knows what deeds they are earning; and He certainly would call every person to account at AKHIRAT; that would be for his/her belief (and his/her utterance to manifest it) and all deeds that he/she had committed at the worldly life; the Man must care that now when Allah has created him, He wants his complete surrender to Him as the worldly life is an examination; so he must be careful for what he believes in, how he presents it and what deeds does he commit here; certainly, he must have the righteous true Belief and he must commit the virtuous deeds in accordance with that as that only would bring him the true success; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the three AAYAT ahead read, “but never did a single one of the signs of their Lord reach them, but they turned away therefrom; and they denied the truth when it came unto them; but there will come unto them the tidings of that which they used to deride; do they not consider how many a generation We have destroyed before them, whom We had established in the earth as We have not established you, and We sent the clouds pouring rain on them in abundance, and We made the rivers to flow beneath them, then We destroyed them on account of their faults and raised up after them another generation”; Allah provides here in the most royal manner the message that this Surah takes-up ahead and the whole Surah elaborates on this; note that the disbelievers among the chiefs at Makkah were asking the Prophet PBUH for miracles but Allah had declared that He would not provide any such signs i.e. miracles now as the disbelievers had always rejected those signs that He had provided before Muhammad PBUH, the last Messenger of Allah; now He intends to provide the space to all peoples of the world to accept the message of Islam by observation of the Quran (that would remain the only miracle that He sends to Muhammad PBUH who is His last Messenger) and the other of amazing things that happened upon his hands were not miracles in the strict meaning of the term (please read my writing “The expressions of Quran” that is available at the net); note that when Allah provides any miracle to any of His Messengers and the disbelievers reject that, He gives no space for them to live on at the world then for even a small period of time and completely destroys them by His direct command; He is AZIZ which means that He is able to provide for such happenings that keep the world to His will by His authoritative measures so no one becomes able to cause such deviation at the world that leads it away from His set manner for it or become such threat that causes FASAD (high difficulties to work upon Islamic teachings) for some high length of period; note that this Surah AN’AAM says ahead, “And if their turning away is hard on you, then if you can seek an opening (to go down) into the earth or a ladder (to ascend up) to heaven so that you should bring them an AAYAT (a sign; a miracle) and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have gathered them all on guidance, therefore be not of the ignorant” (AN’AAM-35); Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah tells these chiefs that they are denying the Quran and asking for miracles (other than it) so for now, He would give them the space but very soon, they would see what befalls on them if they do not come to accept it; they do not realize that Allah has destroyed many such peoples who were even more established at earth at their times with all abundance of worldly things in the set-up of those times than they are now at the current set-up even if they think that they are invincible; with all the set-up in the favor of those peoples, Allah did destroy them as they challenged His commands and took-up heinous sins; then He raised another of peoples to see if they realize by the history of the Man that their true Lord is Allah and to Him only, they must surrender; the Surah discusses TAUHID, AKHIRAT and RISALAT (see the note at the fifth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH for the explanation of these fundamental matters of belief); it tells all peoples that they need not miracles to come to the Truth but they must observe the universe around and observe their own-selves as these even would lead them to understand in essence the message of Islam that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord of all (Al-Hamdu Lillah RABBEL-AALAMIN); it tells all peoples that they should not take AKHIRAT (the Day of Judgment) lightly as it would prove very dreadful for them if they do not comply to the message of Islam; it tells all peoples that Allah has provided the Messengers time and again to all peoples of the world so that when they address them, the realization of the Truth that is at their insides answers them and now He has sent the Quran so they ought to accept the message of Islam that is the same from ever fundamentally; note that the Surah provides the Ten Commandments (in its last but one Ruku minus the command of Sabbath as the Muslims have Friday as their most sacred day in the week) that the Muslims also value for their practice upon Islam; the four remaining AAYAAT of the Ruku refute their claim that if they get few specific miracles by Muhammad PBUH, they would accept him as the Messenger of Allah; these AAYAAT clearly state that even with miracles provided to them, they would still disbelieve; the AAYAAT read, --- “if We had sent unto you (O Muhammad PBUH) written (message) on parchment, so that they could touch it with their hands, these disbelievers would have been sure to say that -this is nothing but obvious magic; they ask -why is not an angel sent down to him?- if we did send down an angel, the matter would be settled at once, and no respite would be granted to them; if We made it an angel, We should have sent him as a man, and We should certainly have caused them (more) confusion in the matter which they have already covered with confusion; mocked were (many) Messengers before you (O Muhammad PBUH); but their scoffers were hemmed in by the thing that they mocked”; these AAYAAT clearly tell that they would never come to Islam with their demand of miracles and here, Allah mentions that He would not send any angel to them; if He had done so, that would be as one of the mankind as He has to take the examination of the Man and the Truth (the fundamental matters of the Islamic belief) must remain in GHAYB; so their objection to the Truth would still have remained the same; certainly, the rejection of miracles leads to the immediate severe punishment to the disbelievers at the world as Allah ends their space of time to accept the Truth but even if they deny the Messengers of Allah (when the Messengers had not provided the disbelievers any of miracles) and with that denial, they even mock the Messengers upon his righteous teachings (that he provides to them as his liability), then also Allah destroys them at the world; note that the miracles are the works of Allah and though they happen manifestly by the Messengers of Allah (to prove their claim that they are the Messengers of Allah) yet they certainly are not their works; so Allah certainly does not bear any disrespect that the disbelievers show to His Messengers and He punishes all such disbelievers even at their worldly life with most severe chastisement; He certainly is totally Mighty and most certainly, He would punish them at AKHIRAT too; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Second Ruku
11. Say: Travel in the land then see what the end was of the rejecters.
12. Say: To whom belongs what is in the heavens and the earth? Say: To Allah; He has ordained mercy on Himself; most certainly He will gather you on the resurrection day-- there is no doubt about it. (As for) those who have lost their souls, they will not believe.
13. And to Him belongs whatever dwells in the night and the day; and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
14. Say: Shall I take guardian besides Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, and He feeds (others) and is not (Himself) fed. Say: I am commanded to be the first who submits himself, and you should not be of the polytheists.
15. Say: Surely I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the chastisement of a grievous day.
16. He from whom it is averted on that day, Allah indeed has shown mercy to him; and this is manifest achievement.
17. And if Allah touches you with affliction, there is none to take it off but He; and if He visit you with good, then He has power over all things.
18. And He is the Supreme, above His servants; and He is the Wise, the Aware.
19. Say: What thing is the weightiest in testimony? Say: Allah is witness between you and me; and this Quran has been revealed to me that with it I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches. Do you really bear witness that there are other gods with Allah? Say: I do not bear witness. Say: He is only one Allah, and surely I am clear of that which you set up (with Him).
20. Those whom We have given the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons; (as for) those who have lost their souls, they will not believe.
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The opening AYAT of this Ruku asks the Prophet PBUH to tell the disbelievers to travel through the land and see what ultimately happened to the rejecters of the Truth so that they accept the fundamental teachings of Islam and do not challenge Allah; note that they used to see the ruins of THAMUD en-route to TABUK and the ruins of AAD at the southern part of the Arabian peninsula when they traveled at that route; note that all of this Ruku tells directly about the power that Allah has over all His creation and warns most explicitly all those who challenge Him; the next AAYAT asks the Prophet PBUH to ask these disbelievers to answer to whom belongs whatever is in all the heavens and in the earth and then he must tell them that this all belongs to Allah; note here that generally the disbelievers at Makkah took Allah as the Creator of the heavens and the earth but they did not truly accept that He is managing His creation by His authority all the time as they had doubts at His attributes and also, they did not accept that He is their true Lord so they must obey Him as they are bound to His commands, the disobedience of which would certainly lead them to utmost disaster at the world and at AKHIRAT; their erroneous concepts had led them to take angels as involved with the authority of Allah in managing the worldly affairs (whom they most erroneously took as the daughters of Allah) and to take their idols (mostly in the shape of the female that their ancestors worshipped and whom they worshipped in their following) as able to save them at the Day of Judgment (while some of them did not truly believe in Resurrection and the Day of Judgment); note that angels only do what Allah commands them to do (see NAHAL-49 & 50) and idols do not have any authority for anything whatsoever; we would read about the most erroneous respect that the disbelievers gave to their idols without ever reflecting on their idiotic behavior in the narration that this Surah presents relating to Abraham-AS at Ruku-9 insha-Allah; Allah tells all of them that He has decided Mercy for Himself (so He gives the necessary space to all peoples to accept the Truth); He certainly would gather all peoples of the world at the Day of Judgment that is most sure to come but those who have ruined their selves, they do not believe; the AAYAT ahead reads, “And to Him belongs whatever dwells in the night and the day; and He certainly is Most Hearing and Most Knowing”; so as night is always present at the earth somewhere (as is the day), He takes care of everything that He has created whether nocturnal or active by day; one of AAYAAT at Surah RAHMAAN says, “All that are in the heavens and the earth entreat Him; every day He exercises His Power” (RAHMAAN-29); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next six AAYAAT (14 to 19) in this Ruku present the Islamic teachings that the Prophet PBUH believes in and has provided to the peoples (but AAYAAT-17 & 18 are the statements that Allah has given here to elucidate the teachings); these AAYAAT read; “say -shall I choose for a protecting friend other than Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth who feeds and is never fed?- say -I am ordered to be the first to surrender (unto Him) and be never (O listener) among the polytheists; say that -surely I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the chastisement of a grievous day - he from whom it is averted on that day, Allah indeed has shown mercy to him - and this is the manifest achievement- (AAYAAT-14, 15 & 16); and if Allah touches you with any affliction, there is none to take it off but He; and if He visits you with the virtuous touch so he does have the Power over all things; and He is Supreme, above all His servants; and He is Most Wise and Well-Aware (AAYAAT-17 & 18); say -what thing is most weighty in evidence?-; say -Allah is witness between me and you (O disbelievers); this Qur'an has been revealed to me by inspiration, that I may warn you and all whom it reaches; do you really bear witness that there are other gods with Allah?-; say -nay! I cannot bear witness-; say -but in truth He is one Allah, and I truly am innocent of (your blasphemy of) joining others with Him-” (AAYAT-19); Al-Hamdu Lillah; these AAYAAT tell most explicitly that all authority actually belongs to Allah and if He intends then He is Able to make people believe in the Truth even by force but He intends their examination by the free-will that He has provided to them; all the peoples of the world must understand that Allah has created this whole universe and the earth and whatever is between them so He only is the Creator of all the creation and he never loses any of His attributes (i.e. He always has all of His QADEEM, ASL, LA-MEHDUD attributes totally so His authority is Absolute); and He only is the true Lord of all the creation; Al-Hamdu Lillah; those persons who get the favorable results there at AKHIRAT, they are truly successful as the success at the world is nothing of value for certain unless the person uses all his resources for the fulfillment of the commands of Allah; the Messenger would only provide the message of Allah with its necessary explanation as that only his liability but he is not liable to see that he is accepted by all the peoples he provides the message to so everyone would face the Day of Judgment alone; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the Ruku tells that “those to whom We have given the Book know this as they know their own sons; those who have ruined their selves, they do not believe”; previously at this Ruku, AAYAT-12 addressed the disbelievers that were the polytheists by the statement that “those who have ruined their selves, they do not believe” and here, AAYAT-20 that is the last AAYAT of the Ruku addresses the disbelievers among the peoples of the book by the same statement; the note on the last couple of AAYAAT at the seventeenth Ruku of BAQARAH provide well to understand this AAYAT and that are, “Allah tells that those whom Allah has provided the Book (Torah) recognize this (Quran) as they recognize their children; and there is a faction in them (of their learned persons) who conceal the Truth on purpose (so that Muslims remain unaware of the true knowledge and they, the Christians and the Jews, might claim supremacy in the sphere of knowledge) though they certainly know the Truth well”; note that even at these current times, they have given-in to this notion of becoming high among the peoples of the world though now, it remains on the basis of the know-how of the deadly weapons they have introduced just for the destruction of the world; when the spiritual knowledge is not the guard to the physical knowledge then it defies the actual status of the Man that is of the KHALIFAH at the world; may Allah provide wisdom to all peoples of the world before it is too late; Al-Hamdu Lillah; certainly, the Truth is from Allah (so no one is able to change it); the Quran guides all Muslims by addressing Muhammad PBUH that you all must not have any doubts in its acceptance; and you all must not have any reservation in its necessary application; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Third Ruku
21. And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah or (he who) gives the lie to His AAYAAT; surely the unjust will not be successful.
22. And on the day when We shall gather them all together, then shall We say to those who associated others (with Allah): Where are your associates whom you asserted?
23. Then their excuse would be nothing but that they would say: By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists.
24. See how they lie against their own souls, and that which they forged has passed away from them.
25. And of them is he who hearkens to you, and We have cast veils over their hearts lest they understand it and a heaviness into their ears; and even if they see every sign they will not believe in it; so much so that when they come to you they only dispute with you; those who disbelieve say: This is naught but the stories of the ancients.
26. And they prohibit (others) from it and go far away from it, and they only bring destruction upon their own souls while they do not perceive.
27. And could you see when they are made to stand before the fire, then they shall say: Would that we were sent back, and we would not reject the AAYAAT of our Lord and we would be of the believers.
28. Nay, what they concealed before shall become manifest to them; and if they were sent back, they would certainly go back to that which they are forbidden, and most surely they are liars.
29. And they say: There is nothing but our life of this world, and we shall not be raised.
30. And could you see when they are made to stand before their Lord. He will say: Is not this the truth? They will say: Yea - by our Lord. He will say: Taste then the chastisement because you disbelieved.
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The first AAYAT states that those persons are the most unjust who forge lies against Allah or deny His AAYAAT that He has provided to them in the Quran and before that in the Torah; by these AAYAAT, Allah had asked these disbelievers to believe Him as the only Creator of all Who has attributes that express His total authority and to believe that He only is the true Lord but at this, the disbelievers used to say that their idols would provide them relief against the wrath of Allah as this is what they have learnt from their ancestors; so these extreme unjust persons would never get the true success at AKHIRAT; note that all the AAYAAT ahead in this Ruku tell about the Day of Judgment and the state of affairs of the disbelievers at the world and there at that first day of AKHIRAT; the Ruku tells that they would lie against themselves at the Day of HASHR when they would see those things that they denied at the world; but that would not save them from the extreme punishment that their disbelief and all the wrong-doings would have brought upon them; the couple of AAYAAT ahead (that are 25 & 26) explain further that they are at such state where they would never accept the Truth; this is because they do not even understand it so their listening to it would not do any good to them; they would not come to the Truth even if they see the miracles they ask for as they argued that these only are the ancient tales that the Prophet PBUH have received and he is preaching that; they do not understand that by stopping others and themselves from accepting the Truth, they are putting the destruction upon their own selves and they would see that at AKHIRAT; the last four AAYAAT of the Ruku attend again to the situation of the disbelievers at AKHIRAT; these AAYAAT tell that the disbelievers knew at heart even at the world that the Resurrection is true where they would face their destiny alone yet due to their attachment to the world and the fear of loss of their status, they denied the Truth and so Allah would not grant them their extreme wish to return to the world (that is the place of examination for all); the last of AAYAT-28 tells clearly that they are such recognized liars that they would do the same all over again that has been prohibited upon them, even if they are sent back to the world; note here that generally the disbelievers at Makkah took Allah as the Creator of the heavens and the earth but they did not truly accept that He is their true Lord so they must obey Him as they are bound to His commands, the disobedience of which would certainly lead them to utmost disaster at the world and at AKHIRAT; they also generally believed in Resurrection (as they had some distorted concept that they have to answer for their lives that they spend at the world when they would be given life again) but here, they had the erroneous concept that their idols would provide them certain relief against the wrath of Allah at that time as this is what they have learnt from their ancestors; with all this, note this also that there were some persons among them who disbelieved in the Resurrection and AAYAT-29 addresses such persons too; it tells that they would have no option there at AKHIRAT but to believe when they see the hell-fire in front of them that everybody would face the physical outcome to their lives that they had spent at the world; Allah certainly would bring every person to life again and He certainly would provide then every person what he/she deserves according to his/her belief (and deeds) as He certainly is totally Able to do all this most easily; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Fourth Ruku
31. They are losers indeed who reject the meeting of Allah; until when the hour comes upon them all of a sudden they shall say: O our grief for our neglecting it - and they shall bear their burdens on their backs; now surely evil is that which they bear.
32. And this world's life is naught but a play and an idle sport and certainly the abode of the hereafter is better for those who guard (against evil); do you not then understand?
33. We know indeed that what they say certainly grieves you, but surely they do not call you a liar; but the unjust deny the AAYAAT of Allah.
34. And certainly apostles before you were rejected, but they were patient on being rejected and persecuted until Our help came to them; and there is none to change the words of Allah, and certainly there has come to you some information about the apostles.
35. And if their turning away is hard on you, then if you can seek an opening (to go down) into the earth or a ladder (to ascend up) to heaven so that you should bring them a sign and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have gathered them all on guidance, therefore be not of the ignorant.
36. Only those accept who listen; and (as to) the dead, Allah will raise them, then to Him they shall be returned.
37. And they say: Why has not a sign been sent down to him from his Lord? Say: Surely Allah is able to send down a sign, but most of them do not know.
38. And there is no animal that walks upon the earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but (they are) genera like yourselves (O mankind); We have not neglected anything in the Book, then to their Lord shall they be gathered.
39. And those who reject Our AAYAAT, are deaf and dumb, in utter darkness; whoever Allah pleases He causes to err and whoever He pleases He puts on the right way.
40. Say: Tell me if the chastisement of Allah should overtake you or the hour should come upon you, will you call (on others) besides Allah, if you are truthful?
41. Nay, Him you call upon, so He clears away that for which you pray if He pleases and you forget what you set up (with Him).
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The Ruku continues with the description of the disbelievers at AKHIRAT in AAYAAT-31 & 32; then in AAYAAT-33 to 36, Allah addresses the Prophet PBUH and soothes him not to worry about the things that the disbelievers say as they have nothing of the true knowledge and their observation in getting the matters of Islam is extremely faulty; the last five AAYAAT (that are AAYAAT-37, 38, 39, 40, 41) imply that the disbelievers should observe the world around and their owns selves if they really intend to get some AAYAAT as even this observation would provide those to them undoubtedly; the AAYAAT at the beginning read, “they are the losers indeed who reject the meeting of Allah, until when the hour comes upon them all of a sudden they shall say -O our grief for our neglecting it- and they shall bear their burdens on their backs and surely evil is that which they bear; and this world's life is naught but a play and an idle sport and certainly the abode of the hereafter is better for those who are most righteous; do you not then understand?”; note that the meeting of Allah means when they would stand before Him to get the document of their doings at the first day of AKHIRAT; they would be most grievous there on their extreme foolish attitude that they had shown to this Day as they would be the extreme losers there for all times ahead when they physically pick up the load of their wrongs at their backs there; the worldly life is nothing but a plaything unless the person applies it to the righteous belief with all his attention towards Allah and does the righteous deeds according to it so such persons only would achieve the true success there; the AAYAT asks the disbelievers to their meeting of Allah why they don’t see that this true success certainly is totally better than the most grievous situation there so they ought to believe and work for it; may Allah save all the good Muslims from all such grievous situation; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the four AAYAAT ahead read, “We know indeed the grief which their words do cause to you (O Muhammad PBUH) but it is not you they reject, it is the signs of Allah, which the wicked contemn; so rejected were the Messengers before you (too) so patiently they bore their being rejected and being persecuted, until Our aid did reach them and there is none that can alter the words (the decrees) of Allah; already you have received some account of those Messengers; and if their turning away is hard on you, then if you can seek an opening (to go down) into the earth or a ladder (to ascend up) to the heaven so that you should bring them an AAYAT (a sign; a miracle) and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have gathered them all on guidance, therefore be not of the ignorant; only those accept who listen and (as to) the dead, Allah will raise them, then to Him they shall be returned”; Allah tells the Prophet PBUH by these AAYAAT that the Prophet PBUH only has to provide the message of Allah and the disbelievers are rejecting the Word of Allah actually (to which Allah certainly would punish them most severely); the Messengers that came previously were also rejected and troubled much but as they showed patience, the last of Messengers i.e. Muhammad also has to show patience on rejection and troubles he faces until the help of Allah comes; note here that there is the mention of previous of Messengers only as the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is the last of Prophets and the last of Messengers; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT tells that Allah did help them but He knows when to send it so the Prophet PBUH has to be patient; Al-Hamdu Lillah; when the help of Allah comes to the Messengers then no one is able to stop it from saving the Messengers and from punishing the unjust persons; they were destroyed totally as the revelation has already told the Prophet PBUH; AAYAT-35 is explicit that Allah would not send any miracles that the disbelievers ask for even if their words are grievous to the Prophet PBUH; these disbelievers would face extreme grief at the Day of Judgment but before that, Allah intends to give them ample space to believe in the Truth that the Quran has presented to them most explicitly; note that Allah only, provides the miracles by His power and it is not the Prophet who does; that is why the AAYAT addresses the Prophet PBUH in such manner that he gets the final decision of Allah in this matter that Allah would not send any miracles now; he would bear their adverse speech against him and he would not worry to bring them to Islam (which is not his liability); if Allah had intended, He would have gathered all upon the Truth so he must leave them on their own and not get into the anger of proving the Truth; those who do comply to the teachings of Islam are those who understand that well by their inclination to it; Allah certainly would raise the dead and they certainly have to return to Him at the Day of Judgment where He would provide all persons their respective accounts; Allah certainly is Able to do all this without any of difficulties in this matter; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last five AAYAAT of the Ruku read, “and they say –why has not a sign been sent down to him from his Lord?, say -surely Allah is Able to send down a sign- but most of them do not know; and there is no animal that walks upon the earth nor a bird that flies with its two wings but (they are) genera like yourselves (O mankind); We have not neglected anything in the Book, then to their Lord shall they be gathered; and they who reject Our AAYAAT (around them) are deaf and dumb, in utter darkness; whom Allah pleases He causes to err and whom He pleases He puts on the right way; say -tell me if the chastisement of Allah should overtake you or the hour should come upon you, will you call (on others) besides Allah, if you are truthful? nay, Him only you would call upon, so He clears away that for which you pray if He pleases and you forget whatever partners you ascribed unto Him”; note that Allah replies to the persistence of the disbelievers (that they be showed the miracles they ask) that Allah does have the power to show that yet they do not know that Allah has cared for them by not showing any of them as they would but reject them; that is their certain destruction even in the world as then Allah would not give them any space to live on; if they need AAYAAT to believe in the Truth, they must observe the AAYAAT that are readily available to them; they must observe the animals of the land how beautifully they scatter at the earth (in their own communities at their own habitat) and the birds above them how beautifully they fly with their wings (in their own flocks at the environment they are capable to adopt); these are genera like the mankind; Allah has not left anything unwritten in the Book (that is the LAUHE-MAHFUZ, that contains the destiny of everyone and everything); then at the Day of HASHR, these disbelievers would certainly be gathered in front of their Lord; those persons who deny Our AAYAAT (that they find around them), are actually deaf and dumb as they are not using their ability to learn the Truth so they are lost in the utter darkness of disbelief; Allah sends astray whom he wills and He guides to the right path whom He wills; also, they must observe their attitude when some calamity falls upon them as at that crucial time, they would call Allah only as they know that their idols are totally unable to help them and besides Allah, there is nobody who has any control on anything; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so the response to their demand for miracles is that they would see the signs at AAFAAQ (the environment that is around them) and at their own selves (their attitudes at times) so that they tell them about Allah as these are the AAYAAT that have the capability to guide them to the right path; note that AAYAT-55 at the sixth Ruku of BAQARAH tells that when the seventy persons who went with Moses-AS to the mount insisted to see Allah openly, He gave death to these seventy persons and at their death, they were watching the thunderbolt that killed them; so even if they did not see Allah, they did see the thunderbolt that Allah sent upon them; this implies that to believe in the authority of Allah, even the observation of the creation around does provide the necessary reasoning; so the AAYAAT here tell clearly that it is Allah only Who has the power to provide even the disbelievers the necessary safety that they need most; they must reflect on this and accept that undoubtedly all safety is in Islam, the whole Truth; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Fifth Ruku
42. And certainly We sent (apostles) to nations before you then We seized them with distress and affliction in order that they might humble themselves.
43. Yet why did they not, when Our punishment came to them, humble themselves? But their hearts hardened and the Satan made what they did fair-seeming to them.
44. But when they neglected that with which they had been admonished, We opened for them the doors of all things, until when they rejoiced in what they were given We seized them suddenly; then lo - they were in utter despair.
45. So the roots of the people who were unjust were cut off; and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
46. Say: Have you considered that if Allah takes away your hearing and your sight and sets a seal on your hearts, who is the god besides Allah that can bring it to you? See how We repeat the AAYAAT, yet they turn away.
47. Say: Have you considered if the chastisement of Allah should overtake you suddenly or openly, will any be destroyed but the unjust people?
48. And We send not apostles but as announcers of good news and givers of warning, then whoever believes and acts aright, they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.
49. And (as for) those who reject Our AAYAAT, chastisement shall afflict them because they transgressed.
50. Say: I do not say to you, I have with me the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel; I do not follow aught save that which is revealed to me. Say: Are the blind and the seeing one alike? Do you not then reflect?
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The Ruku continues to tell the consequence that the disbelievers faced at the rejection of the miracles (and the Messengers of Allah); Allah had sent to them the Messengers from among them whom they rejected and He afflicted them by suffering (by shortage of foods) and by disasters (that caused fear to them to lose their lives) so that they might humble themselves in front of Allah; why then did they not learn humility (and seek forgiveness) when Allah afflicted them to shake them on their obsession with the worldly lives; but their hearts hardened and the Satan made their deeds seem to them as most worthy to adhere to; when they became totally oblivious of the message that they had been provided, Allah gave them all the worldly things (to rejoice and fully involve themselves at the worldly issues); when they became most satisfied of their status that they have no shortage of foods and they have no threat to their lives so nothing would get them then Allah seized them suddenly; then they were in utter despair; so their roots were cut that these unjust persons never rise again; and the ultimate result that came at fore was that all the praise be to Allah, the true Lord of the worlds; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT asks the Prophet PBUH to enquire of them how it would be if Allah takes their hearing and their seeing and puts the seal over their hearts; this means that if Allah intends, He is Able to end the space that they still have to accept the Truth by incapacitating them to see it or hear it and if that happens, there would be no one who could bring them to the righteous guidance; they must see the importance of accepting the Truth so they must reflect on how Allah is providing them the signs (revelations) unto them rather than ask for miracles; they must show gratitude as Allah only provides ease in the worldly life if He wills for it and He only provides the hardship if He wills for it, so nothing actually is co-incidence; yet still they turn away from the righteous guidance; O Prophet PBUH; ask them don’t they see that if the punishment from Allah falls upon them unawares or openly, who would perish except for the unjust persons; the answer is obvious that certainly Allah would save the believers if they had provided His message well to them and destroy only the unjust persons; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last three AAYAAT of the Ruku ahead (that are AAYAAT-48, 49 & 50) present the point to note that Allah sends His Messengers to give good news and to warn for which they don’t need to show miracles; the AAYAAT read, “We send the Messengers only to give good news (to the righteous persons) and to warn (the sinful persons) so those who believe and mend (their lives), upon them shall be no fear (at AKHIRAT), nor shall they grieve (at the worldly life); but as for those who deny Our revelations, torment will afflict them for that they used to disobey; say -I do not say to you, I have with me the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel, I do not follow aught save that which is revealed to me-, say –are the blind (to the Truth) and the seeing one (of the Truth) alike? Do you not then reflect?-“; these AAYAT explain the task that Allah assigns to the Messengers and explicitly tell that they are not liable to provide miracles for their task (and they are not liable to see that the persons they address, do accept the Truth that they present); they are the most ordinary persons (yet highly virtuous) living their lives most righteously and Allah certainly provides them with the Guidance to the right path by WAHI (His revelations) and He gives them this highest honor of AKHIRAT due to their highest of virtuousness that they adhere to by the blessing of Allah at their worldly lives; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-50 that is the last AAYAT of this Ruku is notable due to its feature that it answers the queries that the disbelievers presented to the Prophet PBUH; note that there are three such things which the AAYAT asks the Prophet PBUH to clarify; so these three are that he does not have the treasures of Allah; that he does not know the unseen; that he is not an angel; these three statements are answers that are provided to the disbelievers on their demand of miracles; the argument in general here is that the Prophet PBUH has claimed that he is the Messenger of Allah and the demand of the disbelievers to him to present miracles to them is not in accordance to that claim; also, their demand to him to provide them with some worldly benefits is baseless too for the same reason that the Messenger asks to make things better at AKHIRAT by the righteous true Belief and by the good deeds that complement it and he does not care to make things better at the worldly life; the first Ruku of AALE-IMRAN tells us that the disbelievers have demanded from him to provide the written message on some parchment that might provide them the awareness of unseen (worldly) matters and an angel should have accompanied him or the Messenger himself should have been an angel; the next Ruku here also tell that they had this erroneous notion too that the Messenger ought to care for the status of the rich persons (so he must not ask the chiefs at Makkah to sit with the poor); see the note on the next Ruku and see also Surah ZUKHRUF-the third Ruku; so the AAYAT-50 presents clearly the answers to them by the argument in general that the Prophet PBUH has claimed that he is the Messenger of Allah and your demand to him for miracles is not in accordance to that claim and it is not necessary for the Messenger to be one of the richest persons but he certainly would be the most virtuous persons among them all; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the AAYAT implies that whatever of the unseen the Prophet PBUH has told, it is what Allah has given him by the Quran and it certainly is not by his own knowledge; the Messenger remains the first among men at some given time and place to get the GHAYB by WAHI from Allah and he understands it to height so that gives him the prominence among them; note that Prophet Muhammad PBUH was the last of Messengers of Allah and there is no Prophet and no Messenger after him; the issue that the Prophet PBUH knows the GHAYB (the unseen) or not, sometimes becomes one of the burning issues at the subcontinent among the argumentative Muslim persons who do not much incline towards the refined facts of the issue; note also that all the attributes of Allah, Who only is the Creator of all the creation, are QADEEM (from ever to ever), ASL (His own) and LA-MEHDUD (without any limitation) so this denotes His authority that is Absolute and all of mankind must accept Him as their true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; all of mankind (including the Prophet PBUH) are created and their attributes are provided by Allah as He willed and they certainly are limited by time and space; every Muslim knows and believes in this restriction well about the Prophet PBUH that he also is one among the mankind and so his knowledge also has limits yet the unnecessary argument to decide how much he knew makes the problem; however, it is fair to say that his knowledge of Islam was at the most refined level (and his SUNNAH is “Islam in practice” that is one of the sources to the Islamic commands so when the Muslim person practices the clear directions in the SUNNAH, he practices the commands of Allah); with that, it certainly is much better to avoid all such unnecessary arguments that lead to nothing but do waste the precious time; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Sixth Ruku
51. And warn with it those who fear that they shall be gathered to their Lord-- there is no guardian for them, nor any intercessor besides Him-- that they may guard (against evil).
52. And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, they desire only His favor; neither are you answerable for any reckoning of theirs, nor are they answerable for any reckoning of yours, so that you should drive them away and thus be of the unjust.
53. And thus do We try some of them by others so that they say: Are these they upon whom Allah has conferred benefit from among us? Does not Allah best know the grateful?
54. And when those who believe in Our AAYAAT come to you, say: Peace be on you, your Lord has ordained mercy on Himself, (so) that if any one of you does evil in ignorance, then turns after that and acts aright, then He is Forgiving, Merciful.
55. And thus do We make distinct the AAYAAT and so that the way of the guilty may become clear.
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This Ruku has five AAYAAT and they are related to guide the Prophet PBUH to keep the company of those who are sincere to Islam (even if they are poor) rather than care for such wealthy chiefs (who have not yet accepted Islam), who intend to come at his TABLIGH (the teachings of Islam) on their own terms; the first two AAYAAT guide the Prophet PBUH to warn those Muslim persons who do fear that they would be gathered (at the Day of HASHR) in front of Allah, their true Lord, where except for Him, they will have no guardian nor any intercessor, so that they may develop TAQWA; and not to send away those who call their Lord morning and evening so that they may get His pleasure; the Prophet PBUH is not liable for those who think their selves too high to sit among the poor Muslim persons and they too are not liable to provide him their respective accounts of doings so if he opts for them leaving those who already are Muslims then it would be highly unjust on his part; these AAYAAT address the situation when the wealthy chiefs of Makkah had asked the Prophet PBUH that they are ready to come at his sermons but he would send the poor that have accepted Islam out at their gathering; note that AN’AAM is MAKKI Surah where the Muslims needed some manifest strength so the Prophet PBUH was considering the matter but the AAYAAT asked him not to do so but go on providing the message of Allah to those poor persons who have already accepted Islam without any care to those wealthy chiefs who have not yet taken up Islam and they intend to hear about Islam on their own condition; AAYAT-53 ahead tells about the attitude of the disbelievers among the chiefs that Allah has put them at such trial by each other that they retort upon the poor Muslims on their true Belief -are these persons those that Allah has favored from amongst us?; does not Allah know best those who are grateful?- this statement was extreme disrespect to Allah but here Allah guides the Prophet PBUH to ignore them and whenever the Muslims who do believe in the AAYAAT of Allah come to him, he would say to them that peace be on them and their Lord has inscribed for Himself (the rule of) mercy; if anyone of them did some wrong in ignorance and then he repented and made his conduct better, Allah certainly is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT here tells that this is the manner that Allah has set in such situation that those who are poor (yet true believers in Allah and the Day of Judgment) are most preferable upon those who do have the worldly possessions yet they do not have the true Belief; so by this, the attitude of the disbelievers comes at fore that they prefer the worldly achievements most highly upon the true success at AKHIRAT; may Allah save all the good Muslims from such erroneous preference; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Seventh Ruku
56. Say: I am forbidden to serve those whom you call upon besides Allah. Say: I do not follow your low desires; for then indeed I should have gone astray and I should not be of those who go aright.
57. Say: Surely I have manifest proof from my Lord and you call it a lie; I have not with me that which you would hasten; the judgment is only Allah's; He relates the truth and He is the best of deciders.
58. Say: If that which you desire to hasten were with me, the matter would have certainly been decided between you and me; and Allah best knows the unjust.
59. And with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures-- none knows them but He; and He knows what is in the land and the sea, and there falls not a leaf but He knows it, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything green nor dry but (it is all) in a clear book.
60. And He it is Who takes your souls at night (in sleep), and He knows what you acquire in the day, then He raises you up therein that an appointed term may be fulfilled; then to Him is your return, then He will inform you of what you were doing.
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The Ruku tells that all the persons must care to follow the right path instead of asking for destruction; the Prophet PBUH does not have the power to bring that upon them but Allah certainly has the power to bring that upon them; they must avail the space they have to accept the Islamic fundamental teachings; Allah is recording their status of belief and their deeds and to Him is their return so then He will inform all persons what they were doing; the first two AAYAT read, “say O Prophet PBUH -I am forbidden to serve those whom you call upon besides Allah- say -I do not follow your low desires (O disbelievers) as then indeed I should have gone astray and I should not be of those who go aright-; say -surely I have manifest proof from my Lord and you call it a lie, I have not with me that which you hasten for, the judgment is only of Allah, He relates the truth and He is the best of deciders-”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the disbelievers at Makkah intended that the Prophet PBUH strike some kind of truce with them on the matter of belief and soften his attitude towards their idols, to which the AAYAT told him to clarify that he would never take those that they worship as partners to Allah (and would never be soft towards them); Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord; they worship their idols taking them as partners to Allah just by their low desires that have led them astray into the evil; the AAYAT told the Prophet PBUH to tell them that he had manifest proof (i.e. the Quran) from Allah that he believes in but they take that as lies; if he had that which they were asking for (that is chastisement from Allah) on their disbelief, he would have put it on them but Allah is the only judge when to put it upon the disbelievers if He does intend to put it on them; He has provided them the Truth through the Prophet PBUH and now He has all authority to decide about His chastisement to them; it was sheer foolishness of the disbelievers that when Allah did not provide the miracles to them, they demanded that the destruction comes to them as they were the rejecters of the Truth; this again was the extreme disrespect to Allah near to the statement that they had made before -does not Allah know best those who are grateful?- and we have studied this in the previous Ruku; the AAYAT asks the Prophet PBUH to tell them categorically that if he had the authority to put their punishment upon them, he would have already done so but Allah knows who the unjust persons are and when He would finish them off; whenever He intends, their total destruction would take no time for certain; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-59 reads, “and with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures - none knows them but He; and He knows what is in the land and the sea, and there falls not a leaf but He knows it, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything green (wet) nor dry but (it is all) in a clear book”; this AAYAT tells that the knowledge of Allah is Absolute and He knows each and everything of His creation with total perfection; Surah HIJR tells us about His unseen treasures “and there is not a thing but with Us are the treasures of it, and We do not send it down but in a known measure” (Surah HIJR-21); and He knows all the creation at the land and even at the sea (though for us, these both creatures would seem uncountable); but even more amazing of His knowledge is that He knows all falling leaves all the time at all places and all the seeds that are at inside the ground and all the grains; the simple fact is that He knows all the wet things (that have life in them) and all the dry things (that are lifeless) in total that He has recorded in the Book that clearly mentions all things explicitly, that is named as LAUHE-MAHFUZ (it was mentioned at AAYAT-38 too of this Surah); the last AAYAT of the Ruku tells the manner in which Allah records the belief and deeds of each and every person; it reads, “And He it is Who takes you fully at night (in sleep), and He knows what you acquire in the day, then He raises you up therein that an appointed term may be fulfilled; then to Him is your return, then He will inform you of what you were doing”; note that taking fully here is denoted by the term “YATAWAFFAKUM” and this is relevant where we had studied how Allah had taken up Jesus Christ-AS above to heavens with physique, spirit and consciousness as modifications of this term occur at the places where we find the mention of his ascent (see MA’EDAH-117 and AALE-IMRAN-55); thus, the term provides the meaning that the departure of the great man Jesus Christ who was one of the most respectful Messengers of Allah from the world was also as amazing as his coming to the world; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT here tells that Allah takes fully the person at sleep (i.e. his consciousness) and updates his document of deeds according to what he has been doing at the day while he sleeps on and then He raises him from the sleep to complete his term of life; at his death, He takes fully his spirit too with his consciousness and then at the Day of Judgment, He would raise all the dead to life again and every one of them would be brought to Him and He would tell all of them about what they had been doing at the world; this implies that not only dreams occur at sleep but there is updating of the record too for every person at sleep; even the dreams might become the directions for the good persons to view where they need to address their issues that might better their document of deeds and Allah knows better; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Eighth Ruku
61. And He is the Supreme, above His servants, and He sends keepers over you; until when death comes to one of you, Our apostles cause him to die, and they are not remiss.
62. Then are they sent back to Allah, their Master, the True one; now surely His is the judgment and He is swiftest in taking account.
63. Say: Who is it that delivers you from the dangers of the land and the sea (when) you call upon Him (openly) humiliating yourselves, and in secret: If He delivers us from this, we should certainly be of the grateful ones.
64. Say: Allah delivers you from them and from every distress, but again you set up others (with Him).
65. Say: He has the power that He should send on you a chastisement from above you or from beneath your feet, or that He should throw you into confusion, (making you) of different parties; and make some of you taste the fighting of others. See how We repeat the AAYAAT that they may understand.
66. And your people call it a lie and it is the very truth. Say: I am not placed in charge of you.
67. For every prophecy is a term, and you will come to know (it).
68. And when you see those who enter into false discourses about Our AAYAAT, withdraw from them until they enter into some other discourse, and if the Satan causes you to forget, then do not sit after recollection with the unjust people.
69. And naught of the reckoning of their (deeds) shall be against those who guard (against evil), but (theirs) is only to remind, haply they may guard.
70. And leave those who have taken their religion for a play and an idle sport, and whom this world's life has deceived, and remind (them) thereby lest a soul should be given up to destruction for what it has earned; it shall not have besides Allah any guardian nor an intercessor, and if it should seek to give every compensation, it shall not be accepted from it; these are they who shall be given up to destruction for what they earned; they shall have a drink of boiling water and a painful chastisement because they disbelieved.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku states that Allah has all control of all the peoples and because He has given them the worldly life to examine them, He has appointed angels with the command to protect the Man (see Surah RA’AD-11) and angels that write on his deeds and attitudes (see Surah QAAF-18); there are other angels too that do whatever Allah commands them to do (see Surah NAHL-50) as the AAYAT at study reports ahead that at the time of the death of someone, some of the angels take away his life and they do not commit any oversight; the AAYAT ahead says that they all then would be gathered in front of Allah, the true Benefactor; only He truly is Rightful to rule; and He would take all persons to account most swiftly; AAYAT-63 asks the disbelievers that who saves them when they are at extreme agony in the darkness of the land and the sea when they call Him most humbly and in secret; here darkness means when they see no way out of the issue that causes them extreme agony; tell them that it is Allah only Who saves them from that agony and all distresses but then they do SHERK (i.e. they attribute partners unto Him); if they have any doubts that once saved, now they would not face any such desperate situation, they must know well that Allah is fully Capable to send punishment to them from above of them (most heavy rainstorms or the fall of heavy stones) or from beneath their feet (the most deadly earthquake or drowning into waters) or throw them into confusion by extreme dissension among them so that they taste the most distressful situation by combats to each other; observe how Allah provides His directions by different manners so that they get to all aspects of awareness; but O Prophet PBUH; your peoples still disbelieve in the Quran so tell such persons that you are not their in-charge (guardian); the AAYAT ahead again tells them about their asking for punishment that how foolish such demand is; AAYAT-67 says, “for every message is a limit of time, and soon shall you know it”; they did know how the punishment of Allah comes when they faced extreme distress by losing ground against the Muslims that occurred after HIJRAH; the Muslims even conquered Makkah in due time; the last three AAYAAT of this Ruku tell that to avoid the impression of the disbelievers, it is most necessary for the Muslims to avoid the physical proximity to them; the couple of them read, “and when you see those who enter into false discourses about Our AAYAAT, withdraw from them until they enter into some other discourse, and if the Satan causes you to forget, then do not sit with the unjust people after recollection; on their account no responsibility falls on the righteous, but (their duty) is to remind them, that they may (learn to) fear Allah”; this implies that the Muslim persons would not come close to those of disbelievers who are engaged in the disrespect of Islam in any manner (in fact, they would even ask them to keep away from the Muslims); the problem in this avoidance is that the Muslims have to give the message of Islam to all the peoples of the world and that is difficult if the Muslims do not get some closeness to them; however, in today’s scenario, it is possible that the Muslims provide them the message of Islam by the media that is available at hand and as such, the Muslims would not remain liable to develop any proximity to the disbelievers; it is very sad that many of the Muslims care to reside at such countries where the practice on Islam is extremely difficult as the people in general there do not appreciate the practice at Islam and their misunderstanding about Islam contributes highly to this difficulty; as the situation stands, those who show preference to their economic stability rather than firmness upon Islam, they would have to incline fully towards one thing or other sooner or later; may Allah give the wisdom to all the Muslims who really care to live upon Islam, to see the righteous preference; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT at the Ruku sums up the matter categorically that the best thing in such situation (where there is the company of those who care but little about Islam), is to keep totally away from such company and guide the attention totally towards Allah, the true Lord; it reads, “And leave those who have taken their religion for a play and an idle sport, and whom this world's life has deceived, and remind thereby lest a soul should be given up to destruction for what it has earned; it shall not have besides Allah any true protector nor intercessor, and if it should seek to give every compensation, it shall not be accepted from it; these are they who shall be given up to destruction for what they earned; they shall have a drink of boiling water and a painful chastisement because they disbelieved”; the conclusive point here is that the Muslims have no other option but to keep away from all such disbelievers who never were (and it seems who never would be except for whom Allah wills) respectful to the Islamic teachings; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Ninth Ruku
71. Say: Shall we call on that besides Allah, which does not benefit us nor harm us, and shall we be returned back on our heels after Allah has guided us, like him whom the Satans have made to fall down perplexed in the earth? He has companions who call him to the right way, (saying): Come to us. Say: Surely the guidance of Allah, that is the (true) guidance, and we are commanded that we should submit to the Lord of the worlds.
72. And that you should keep up prayer and be careful of (your duty to) Him; and He it is to Whom you shall be gathered.
73. And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth with truth, and on the day He says: Be, it is. His word is the truth, and His is the kingdom on the day when the trumpet shall be blown; the Knower of the unseen and the seen; and He is truly Wise, Most Well-Aware.
74. And when Ibrahim said to his sire, AZAR: Do you take idols for gods? Surely I see you and your people in manifest error.
75. And thus did We show Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and that he might be of those who are sure.
76. So when the night over-shadowed him, he saw a star; said he: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: I do not love the setting ones.
77. Then when he saw the moon rising, he said: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: If my Lord had not guided me I should certainly be of the erring people.
78. Then when he saw the sun rising, he said: Is this my Lord? Is this the greatest? So when it set, he said: O my people - surely I am clear of what you set up (with Allah).
79. Surely I have turned myself, being upright, wholly to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am not of the polytheists.
80. And his people disputed with him. He said: Do you dispute with me respecting Allah? And He has guided me indeed; and I do not fear in any way those that you set up with Him, unless my Lord pleases; my Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge; will you not then mind?
81. And how should I fear what you have set up (with Him), while you do not fear that you have set up with Allah that for which He has not sent down to you any authority; which then of the two parties is surer of security, if you know?
82. Those who believe and do not mix up their faith with iniquity, those are they who shall have the security and they are those who go aright.
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The seventh Ruku had told us that the disbelievers at Makkah intended that the Prophet PBUH strike some kind of truce with them on the matter of belief and soften his attitude towards their idols, to which the AAYAT there had told him to clarify that he would never incline towards them and he would never be soft towards them; AAYAT-71 here takes up the matter as it tells the Prophet PBUH to ask them to consider what idiocy they are calling to; the earth here means the wild area and the AAYAT tells that the Satan tries to mislead the believer by leading him to doubts due to his lack of knowledge and then causes him to lose the way by misunderstanding; note that avoidance of the bad company is appreciable yet the person must adhere to the good company that would try to lead him to leave the baseless doubts and adhere firmly to the right path that is the true guidance that Allah has given; all persons are commanded to adhere to it only; with the righteousness in the concept, it is necessary to read SALAH that would lead to the development of TAQWA to Allah if the Muslim person adds sacrifice of the worldly possessions in it and takes them only for necessity; He only is the true Lord in front of Whom, all persons would be gathered so the Muslim person ought to have his attention to that Day; He only is the Creator of the heavens and the earth; and to bring the last day of the world when He would say ‘BE, it would take place certainly; the speaking of His word is enough to bring it forth; and then at the Day of Judgment that would manifest when the trumpet is blown, He only would have all the authority (that He has even now yet it would totally manifest at that time); He knows the unseen and knows whatever is manifest; and He is truly Wise and Most Well-Aware; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that He is truly Wise (HAKEEM) means that He is able to provide for such happenings that keep the world to His will by His authoritative measures so no one becomes able to cause such deviation at the world that leads it away from His set manner for it or become such threat that causes FASAD (situation of high difficulties to work upon Islamic teachings) for high length of period and it is so manifest that everybody sees that by observation; He destroyed by events that we name as natural calamities many such nations that had challenged His authority and were causing FASAD at the world and we would study that ancient history at the next Surah insha-Allah (by the will of Allah); note also that Most Well-Aware (KHABEER) means that He knows what actions of the peoples of the world cause what effects to matters at hand and He keeps all the matters of life according to His will by adjustments by His authoritative measures and He knows how to lead on the world to the destination that He intends; certainly, He knows the unseen (that is not manifest to us as for Him, everything is manifest and nothing is unseen) and He knows well whatever is manifest (to us); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next AAYAAT tell a notable event of Abraham-AS where he refuted the belief of his nation at Babylon; he was born at the city of UR and the people there worshipped idols and took stars even as objects to worship; their king asked unconditional obedience from them and demanded to consider him even like their idols to worship; Abraham challenged these aspects of their belief at different occasions as we find the mention at BAQARAH-258; at ANBIYA-the fifth Ruku and here at the Ruku at study from AAYAT-74 to AAYAT-83; it mentions that once Abraham asked his father AZAR why does he carve idols and took them as objects to worship; Abraham added boldly that he finds him and his nation in the manifest error; note that the Quran does not go into detail that is not relevant to the guidance of the Man yet here it has recorded the name of the father of Abraham as an exception to its manner of expression; it might be due to correcting his name at Pentateuch (in Genesis) that records the name of his father as TERAH; or AZAR might be the actual name while TERAH could be another of his names as it was not unusual then to have different names; the narration goes on that Allah showed Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth so that he becomes firm on his true Belief; he argued by them to guide his nation towards TAUHID of Allah (that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord); Al-Hamdu Lillah; when the night fell upon him, he saw one of the bright stars (or it might be one of the bright planets that are Jupiter and Venus shining as the evening star); looking at it, he said that this is my Lord (Who has created this); note that the Quran asked those disbelievers that demanded miracles at AYAT-38 of this Surah that they must observe the animals of the land how beautifully they scatter at the earth (in their own communities at their own habitat) and the birds above them how beautifully they fly with their wings (in their own flocks at the environment they are capable to adopt); these are genera like the mankind; we have seen that AAYAT-55 at the sixth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH tells that when the seventy persons who went with Moses-AS to the mount insisted to see Allah openly, He gave death to these seventy persons and at their death, they were watching the thunderbolt that killed them; this implies that to believe in the true authority of Allah, even the observation of the creation around does provide the necessary reasoning; so Abraham mentioned the observation from his side that this beautiful star even (that you people of UR worship) lead to the true Belief in Allah (while to them it seemed compliance to their belief); this is called TAURIAH (to state something that has more than one meaning and the person who states it take it in the righteous meaning while the listeners might take it in other meanings); Abraham took-up a form of TAURIAH even when he broke the idols putting the axe on the larger of them that he did not break and then he told his people (when they asked him about this all) that this larger one seems to have caused this destruction so do ask him about it to see if he informs (see Surah ANBIYA-62 & 63); then as the star set, Abraham-AS said that he does not appreciate those that set away of sight so he wisely stated his disapproval yet did not challenge their belief directly; then he saw the Moon (not necessarily at that very night) shining well and said that this is my Lord (Who has created this); then as it set, he said that -unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray-; here he discarded some of the care in words but it seems that the people who heard them, ignored those taking it some deviation from the general stance that the youth may show; then as he saw the Sun and it shone well, he said that this is my Lord (Who has created this); then as it set, he said in clear terms that denoted his true Belief that -O my people; surely I am clear of what you set up as partners (with Allah); he said explicitly -for me, I have set my face firmly towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, being upright, and never shall I be of the polytheists- Al-Hamdu Lillah; this led his people to argue with him to which he told them do you argue with me in TAUHID of Allah while He has provided me the Guidance to the right path; I do not fear those that you people take as partners to Him that they would cause any trouble to me except for what Allah wills; Allah has all things in His knowledge (and under His control); so why don’t you O my people become mindful to it; and why should I fear those that you people take as partners to Him when you people do not have any fear of Allah that you take them as His partners without any reason that He may have provided you; so reflect on this matter in this manner who is more worthy of security if you people really have some knowledge (of attitudes); take my word for it that those who do believe in Allah righteously and do not mix it up with the heavy injustice (SHERK), then for those only is the security as they certainly have the true guidance; only that true guidance has the worth to lead to security at AKHIRAT which for certain, is the true success; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Tenth Ruku
83. And this was Our argument which we gave to Ibrahim against his people; We exalt in dignity whoever We please; surely your Lord is Wise, Knowing.
84. And We gave to him Isaac and Jacob; each did We guide, and Noah did We guide before, and of his descendants, David and Solomon and AYUB and Yusuf and Musa and Haroon; and thus do We reward those who do good (to others).
85. And Zechariah and YAHYA (John) and Isa and ILYAS; everyone was of the good;
86. And Ismail and Al-YASHA and YOUNUS and Lot; and every one We made to excel (in) the worlds:
87. And from among their fathers and their descendants and their brethren, and We chose them and guided them into the right way.
88. This is Allah's guidance, He guides thereby whom He pleases of His servants; and if they had set up others (with Him), certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them.
89. These are they to whom We gave the book and the wisdom and the prophecy; therefore if these disbelieve in it We have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it.
90. These are they whom Allah guided, therefore follow their guidance. Say: I do not ask you for any reward for it; it is nothing but a reminder to the nations.
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The first AAYAT continues to conclude the narration of the event related to Abraham-AS and the other AAYAAT at the Ruku mention the other of Messengers of Allah after him; AAYAT-83 states, “And this was Our argument which We gave to Ibrahim (Abraham) against his people - We exalt in dignity whom We please - surely your Lord is Most Wise and Most Knowing”; this tells clearly that Ibrahim-AS played this whole episode by the permission of Allah and He was totally attentive to Allah only; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the notable point here is that many of Messengers came in the lineage of Ibrahim-AS from his second son Isaac-AS (who also was the Messenger of Allah) except for Muhammad PBUH (the last of them) who was the descendant of Ishmael-AS, the elder son of Ibrahim (who also was the Messenger of Allah); Muhammad PBUH was the only Messenger of Allah that came from the lineage of Ishmael and there is a gap of nearly 2500 years between them; the Ruku mentions seventeen of Messengers besides Ibrahim-AS that include Noah-AS, Lot-AS, Ishmael-AS and Isaac-AS; the five AAYAAT ahead (from AAYAT-84 to AAYAT-88) mention them (Salam on all of them) and they read, “We gave him Isaac and Jacob - all guided - and before him, We guided Noah, and among his progeny, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron - thus do We reward those who do good; and Zachariah and John, and Jesus and Elias - all in the ranks of the righteous; and Ishmael and Elisha, and Jonas, and Lot - and to all We gave favor above the nations; and to their fathers, and progeny and brethren - We chose them, and we guided them to the right path; this is the guidance of Allah - He gives that guidance to whom He pleases, of His true slaves - if they were to join other gods with Him, all that they did would be vain for them even”; the AAYAT ahead declares that Allah gave them His commands by written Scriptures and the wisdom to all to put those in practice and the liability of being the Prophets of Allah; Allah guided them to the right path and kept them onto it; so if these people at Makkah disbelieve in it O Prophet PBUH, you do not worry as We have already entrusted with it those people who are not disbelievers in it; at the last of it, Allah directs Muhammad PBUH to keep firm on the fundamental teachings of Islam to which Allah had guided all His Messengers; it is the liability of the Prophet PBUH to provide the message of Allah to all the peoples of the world that reminds them of the word that they had given to Allah, the true Lord, that they would take Him only as their true Lord (see Surah AARAAF-172); note well that after Muhammad PBUH, the last Messenger of Allah, we all Muslims have that liability to provide that message to all peoples of the world as best as we can in this given scenario; may Allah help us all in the fulfillment of our liability; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Eleventh Ruku
91. And they do not assign to Allah the attributes due to Him when they say: Allah has not revealed anything to a mortal. Say: Who revealed the Book which Musa brought, light and guidance to men, which you make into scattered writings which you show while you conceal much? And you were taught what you did not know, (neither) you nor your fathers. Say: Allah then leave them sporting in their vain discourses.
92. And this is a Book We have revealed, blessed, verifying that which is before it, and that you may warn the metropolis and those around her; and those who believe in the hereafter believe in it, and they attend to their prayers constantly.
93. And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah, or says: It has been revealed to me; while nothing has been revealed to him, and he who says that I can reveal the like of what Allah has revealed? and if you had seen when the unjust shall be in the agonies of death and the angels shall spread forth their hands: Give up your souls; today shall you be recompensed with an ignominious chastisement because you spoke against Allah other than the truth and (because) you showed pride against His AAYAAT.
94. And certainly you have come to Us alone as We created you at first, and you have left behind your backs the things which We gave you, and We do not see with you your intercessors about whom you asserted that they were (Allah's) associates in respect to you; certainly the ties between you are now cut off and what you asserted is gone from you.
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After telling about how the message of Allah remained available to the peoples of the world from the ancient times (especially from the times of Abraham-AS), this Ruku tells four things relevant to its four AAYAAT that the Bani-Israel did not give Torah the respect they should have given to it though it had provided the message of Allah explicitly in its five books to them; they went so far away in their disrespect that there were such persons among them who even remarked that Allah did not descend anything on any of mankind; O Muhammad PBUH, ask them Who revealed the Book that Moses brought which was the light and the true guidance to the mankind; tell them that they have put it into different sheets so as to decide what they present at fore and what they hide (that is much of it); they and their forefathers were taught the Truth by it that they did not know; O Muhammad PBUH, tell them that Allah had descended that and then leave them in their mocking obsession; the second AAYAT of the Ruku tells that now Allah has provided this Quran as the blessing to all peoples of the world that verifies the Truth that Torah had presented before it so that O Muhammad PBUH you start your work of TABLIGH (providing the message of Islam) to warn the dwellers of Makkah and the peoples around it; and so those who truly believe in AKHIRAT (that they show by their preference to it against the worldly things) do believe in it and they highly keep to practicing of SALAH; the third AAYAT states that who would be more unjust than that person who forges lie against Allah (by trying to distort the message of Allah) or who says that Allah directs him by WAHI while he does not receive any such directions – and such person is also among the most unjust persons who says that he would also present directions like what Allah has descended (that would challenge what He has provided by WAHI to His Messengers); this AAYAT also tells that the death of such persons would be extremely harsh when the angels of death would most severely take their life out of them with the information to them that today, they would receive the most unpleasant punishment as they used to say fibs against the message of Allah and used to belittle it as much as they could; the last AAYAT states explicitly that all persons would certainly come to Allah alone as He created them at first (naked and helpless), and Allah would address them that they have left behind their backs (at the world) the worldly things which Allah had given them and Allah would indicate that their intercessors are nowhere to be seen whom they asserted that these intercessors were associates to Allah for their safety; certainly the ties between them and those that they took as their intercessors are now cut off and what they asserted are lost away from them; thus, the Ruku tells that Allah has truly provided His message at all times by many of His Messengers so that the Man takes it without any reservation or any inclination towards the worldly matters; he must develop the true Belief and do the good deeds according to it as he has to answer for his worldly life totally alone at AKHIRAT and he must never forget this at any time of his life; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Twelfth Ruku
95. Surely Allah causes the grain and the stone to germinate; He brings forth the living from the dead and He is the bringer forth of the dead from the living; that is Allah - how are you then turned away.
96. He causes the dawn to break; and He has made the night for rest, and the sun and the moon for reckoning; this is an arrangement of the Mighty, the Knowing.
97. And He it is Who has made the stars for you that you might follow the right way thereby in the darkness of the land and the sea; truly We have made plain the AAYAAT for the people who know.
98. And He it is Who has brought you into being from a single soul, then there is (for you) a resting-place and a depository; indeed We have made plain the AAYAAT for a people who understand.
99. And He it is Who sends down water from the cloud, then We bring forth with it buds of all (plants), then We bring forth from it green (foliage) from which We produce grain piled up (in the ear); and of the palm-tree, of the sheaths of it, come forth clusters (of dates) within reach, and gardens of grapes and olives and pomegranates, alike and unlike; behold the fruit of it when it yields the fruit and the ripening of it; most surely there are signs in this for the people who believe.
100. And they make the jinn associates with Allah, while He created them, and they falsely attribute to Him sons and daughters without knowledge; glory be to Him, and highly exalted is He above what they ascribe to Him.
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The Previous Ruku asks to note that Allah provided the Guidance to the right path to the Man by descending the Holy Books for him; this Ruku tells that the Man would get the basic true Guidance even by pondering over whatever Allah has created around him and over his own self; the three opening AAYAAT (that are 95, 96 & 97) of the Ruku tell that if the Man considers the creation around him with observation, he would see that they manifest many of the Islamic teachings by different aspects (especially TAUHID as there is order in their working and no clash with each other); the next couple of AAYAAT tell that if the Man considers his own self with observation, he would see that it manifests many of the Islamic teachings (especially AKHIRAT); note that the AAYAAT indicate that the Man sees that many people are living on at the world and many have gone to graves so life is going towards some destination as the spirit of the person does not die; if he observes the rain, he would see that it brings forth from the earth different fruits and flowers that are similar to and vary with each other; just as they bloom out of the earth amazingly by the rain so the dead would rise from their graves and that would be the Day of Judgment; the last AAYAT states about the disbelievers at Makkah (and such polytheists), “and they make the JINN associates with Allah, while He created them, and they falsely attribute to Him sons and daughters without knowledge; glory be to Him, and highly exalted is He, most above what they ascribe to Him”; note that these polytheists took JINN as having powers to affect the worldly matters unconditionally so they took them as partners to Allah in the management of many of the worldly affairs; AAYAT-06 of Surah JINN tells, “and that persons from among men used to seek refuge with persons from among JINN, so they increased those JINN in their conceit”; and they also took angels as daughters of Allah so their belief depended on their whims only; may Allah save all Muslims from SHERK, the biggest in the major sins; the true Belief is that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Thirteenth Ruku
101. Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth - How could He have a son when He has no consort and He created everything and He is the Knower of everything.
102. That is Allah, your Lord, there is no god but He; the Creator of all things, therefore serve Him, and He has charge of all things.
103. Vision comprehends Him not, and He comprehends (all) vision; and He is the Knower of subtleties, the Aware.
104. Indeed there have come to you clear proofs from your Lord; whoever will therefore see, it is for his own soul and whoever will be blind, it shall be against himself and I am not a keeper over you.
105. And thus do We repeat the AAYAAT (by different aspects), and that they may say: you have read; and that We may make it clear to people who know.
106. Follow what is revealed to you from your Lord; there is no god but He; and withdraw from the polytheists.
107. And if Allah had pleased, they would not have set up others (with Him) and We have not appointed you a keeper over them, and you are not placed in charge of them.
108. And do not abuse those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest exceeding the limits they should abuse Allah out of ignorance. Thus have We made fair seeming to every people their deeds; then to their Lord shall be their return, so He will inform them of what they did.
109. And they swear by Allah with the strongest of their oaths, that if a sign came to them they would most certainly believe in it. Say: Signs are only with Allah; and what should make you know that when it comes they will not believe?
110. And We will turn their hearts and their sights, even as they did not believe in it the first time, and We will leave them in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.
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This Ruku of Surah AN’AAM (that comprises of ten AAYAAT) tells about the authority of Allah and asks the Prophet PBUH (and all the Muslims) to remain firm upon Islam; the first four AAYAAT are explicit that Allah is Most Powerful and if He does not punish the disbelievers immediately, it is His mercy so that the disbelievers avail the opportunity to take-up Islam; AAYAAT ahead explain these AAYAAT that Allah certainly is Able to make the disbelievers believe by force yet Allah has given this worldly life for the examination to all persons (and so he has provided them the free-will and also provided the Guidance to the right path to all persons); so the Prophet PBUH does have the liability to provide the Truth to all peoples yet he is not responsible to see that they do accept Islam; the three AAYAAT that come ahead clarify that there are two kind of persons among these polytheists who are called towards the AAYAAT of the Quran - one of them say that the Prophet PBUH has learnt these AAYAAT from other people while the persons that have capability to reflect upon them, they do accept them – the Prophet PBUH must not care for those who do not accept these AAYAAT but he would go on spreading them and follow the guidance that they provide – he is not responsible when he does justice to his task of providing the teachings of Islam; he would keep away from the polytheists once he has provided them the message of Islam as he certainly would not take any of worldly benefits from them; this tells the important thing that the Muslims would try their best to keep away from all disbelievers once they provide the message of Islam to them as their concern to them is that these disbelievers save their-selves from the agony of the hell-fire by the acceptance of Islam at AKHIRAT but they must not ask any of worldly benefits from them; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next AAYAT tells the Muslims not to abuse those that they take as partners to Allah in His creation as then they would abuse Allah in enmity without any reason; this tells that the Muslims must not do any such thing at surroundings that might lead the persons therein to mock Islam or take such things in practice that Islam strictly asks to refrain from; when such persons become slaves to their whims, their deeds seem most admirable to them yet when they would return to their true Lord, He would explicitly tell them of their doings; they take oaths on their statement that if the miracle appears to them, they would most undoubtedly believe in that (and then they would accept Islam); the AAYAT says that O Prophet PBUH – tell them that only Allah has the authority to show them any of miracles and they do not know that even if any miracle appears to them, they would still not believe; Allah would cause their hearts and even their observation to turn away from the acceptance of the Truth now (without providing any of miracles) just like they had disbelieved the Truth at the first place when the Messenger of Allah had explicitly presented that to them so Allah would leave them in the state of bewilderment; note that when the disbelievers reject the Messengers of Allah in final terms, that disrespect does cause the certain destruction to fall upon them; there is the point up-to where elasticity does apply and to there, the person might leave his wrongs and become right by taking up the fundamental teachings of Islam; but when some wrongful person passes that limit by his wrongs then that is the point of no return for him where Allah seals his ability to get to the Truth and he is destined to fall into the hell-fire; Allah cares most highly for His respectable Messengers and so He punishes the disbelievers to them in most severe manner; certainly, Allah only is truly Powerful; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Fourteenth Ruku
111. And even if We had sent down to them the angels and the dead had spoken to them and We had brought together all things before them, they would not believe unless Allah pleases, but most of them are ignorant.
112. And thus did We make for every prophet an enemy, the Satans from among men and jinn, some of them suggesting to others varnished falsehood to deceive (them), and had your Lord pleased they would not have done it, therefore leave them and that which they forge.
113. And that the hearts of those who do not believe in the hereafter may incline to it and that they may be well pleased with it and that they may earn what they are going to earn (of evil).
114. Shall I then seek any judge other than Allah? And He it is Who has revealed to you the Book (which is) made plain; and those whom We have given the Book know that it is revealed by your Lord with truth, therefore you should not be of the disputers.
115. And the word of your Lord has been accomplished truly and justly; there is none who can change His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
116. And if you obey most of those in the earth, they will lead you astray from Allah's way; they follow but conjecture and they only lie.
117. Surely your Lord-- He best knows who goes astray from His way, and He best knows those who follow the right course.
118. Therefore eat of that on which Allah's name has been mentioned if you are believers in His AAYAAT.
119. And what reason have you that you should not eat of that on which Allah's name has been mentioned, and He has already made plain to you what He has forbidden to you-- excepting what you are compelled to; and most surely many would lead (people) astray by their low desires out of ignorance; surely your Lord-- He best knows those who exceed the limits.
120. And abandon open and secret sin; surely they who earn sin shall be recompensed with what they earned.
121. And do not eat of that on which Allah's name has not been mentioned, and that is most surely a transgression; and most surely the Satans suggest to their friends that they should contend with you; and if you obey them, you shall most surely be polytheists.
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The Ruku starts by addressing the issue of the demand of the disbelievers to provide miracles to them; note that the Quran has the manner of expression that it puts emphasis on its teachings by repetition to bring them to light by their different aspects; we have studied in the previous Ruku at AAYAT-105, -“and thus do We repeat the AAYAAT (by different aspects) and that they may say that you have read - and that We may make it clear to people who know”- so this manner of expression examines the persons fairly and their inner position comes at fore clearly; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the opening AAYAT clarifies that the true Belief does not need miracles for it (but on the contrary, the demand for them might become hindrance for the person to accept the Truth) but it comes when the person guides his attention towards Allah as then Allah would help him by saving him from the satanic influences and by guiding him to the right path; the AAYAT implies that the disbelievers must ask Allah for the righteous guidance rather than demand miracles; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next AAYAT tells that Allah has allowed the satanic persons among the human beings and among the JINN to show their enmity to every Messenger of Allah that they did by putting evil thoughts into each other by deception; if Allah had not allowed them to do so, they would not have done so; so leave them and whatever forgery that they devise; note that Allah has allowed even the satanic persons to work against the Truth in whatever manner they intend and had granted them the ability to mislead each other by putting evil thoughts inside each other; He intends to take the examination of all persons (His Messengers included) and so He has given the satanic persons necessary liberty to do their evil work yet it does have its limit that He certainly decides perfectly well; Al-Hamdu Lillah; these satanic persons are unable to force anything to anyone but they do try to make the wrongs look beautiful and take-up arguments that seem to have some validity yet they are based on play of words; they try to promote the wrongful concept that takes something from the rightful concept and conceal some other from it to make their point; the spirit of the Man does not conform to any wrongs so they try to deceive all they address by their manner of speech; that is why the AAYAT mentions their manner as deception which they take-up among their colleagues; the next AAYAT clarifies that they take-up such arguments so that such hearers to them who do not have their belief strong upon AKHIRAT, do incline to them and get into earning of activities that bind them to all wrongs; the next couple of AAYAAT tell the Prophet PBUH (and all Muslims) to adhere fast to the Quran and tell clearly all such persons (who try to mislead all by their speech) that it is most unfeasible to take anyone besides Allah as the true Lord; He has given us all the Quran that clarifies the Truth most explicitly and those who have received this Book with the ability to reflect on its teachings, know totally well that this Book is undoubtedly from Allah as it is the Truth in itself; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so no-one of the Muslims would become doubtful to it; the speech of Allah actually is the whole Truth that fully leads to the Justice; nobody is able to change the principles that the true speech of Allah has set; He certainly is the Most Hearing and the Most Knowing (so the Muslims would keep attentive to Him so that He cares for them that they are impressed not by anything but Islam); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next six AAYAAT tell about the manner the wrong persons misguide the persons that have believed righteously and try to work their deeds in accordance to it; they tell that if you O Prophet PBUH (and O Muslims), hear to the majority of persons in the set matters, they would undoubtedly mislead you as they follow their base whims and in them, they engage their guesswork; Allah certainly knows well who stray away from His right path and He certainly knows those also who keep steadfast on that; this implies as we have studied that He let all the persons incline to wherever they intend so that everyone brings his colors inside at fore; He would end the impression of those that follow wrongs as He would eliminate it from the world and he would punish at AKHIRAT most severely all those persons who lived upon it at their worldly lives; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note here that the disbelievers had devised an argument to mislead the Muslims as they asked them that why is it that the Muslims do not eat the animal valid to eat that Allah has killed while they eat what they kill (slaughter); the Quran tells about this manner in their speech that they argue to show the wrong stance as beautiful to take so they play with words without any righteous basis to their stance and the Quran presents this as an example to their manner of speech; they had mentioned such animal that dies by some extreme natural hit or dies by falling from some height that is disallowed to eat for Muslims (as we have studied at the first Ruku of MA’EDAH); the Quran does not even care to refute such idiocy and by AAYAT-118 asks the Muslims to go on eating of the HALAAL (allowed to eat) animal without any worry when that had been slaughtered properly and on which the name of Allah had been taken at the slaughter without any care to disbelievers; note that to leave the name of Allah at such time on purpose disrespectfully disallows its use in any manner; the AAYAT tells the Muslims that there is no reason that you do not eat from the HALAAL animal when the name of Allah is recited on it at its slaughter while Allah has clearly mentioned those animals that you are disallowed to eat and at the situation of IDHTIRAR (the situation of utmost necessity) you might even eat from them to save your lives up-to necessity; you Muslims must remain aware that there are many such persons who misguide on the basis of their whims without any knowledge; Allah certainly has given them some liberty to do their evil work yet it has its limit; many of them go beyond that limit and Allah knows such persons (and He would punish them most severely); the Muslims would leave the sin, manifest or not so manifest, that relate to the eating of animals; those who commit such sin, they would get the return to their commitment to wrong; the Muslims would not eat from any such animal on which the name of Allah is not taken as that is highly wrong (AAYAT-138 at Ruku-16 ahead clarifies this); but the evil ones pursue their companions by putting evil thoughts in them so that they dispute with the Muslims by base arguments; if any of Muslims obey their whims, they too would become polytheists; may Allah save all Muslims from such extreme wrongs; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Fifteenth Ruku
122. Is he who was dead then We raised him to life and made for him a light by which he walks among the people, like him whose likeness is that of one in utter darkness whence he cannot come forth? Thus what they did was made fair seeming to the disbelievers.
123. And thus have We made in every town the great ones to be its guilty ones, that they may plan therein; and they do not plan but against their own souls, and they do not perceive.
124. And when some AAYAT comes to them they say: we will not believe till we are given the like of what Allah's apostles are given. Allah best knows where He places His message. There shall befall those who are guilty, humiliation from Allah and severe chastisement because of what they planned.
125. Therefore (for) whomsoever Allah intends that He would guide him aright, He expands his inside for Islam, and (for) whomsoever He intends that He should cause him to err, He makes his inside strait and narrow as though he were ascending upwards; thus does Allah lay uncleanness on those who do not believe.
126. And this is the path of your Lord, the right (path); indeed We have made the AAYAAT clear for the people who mind.
127. They shall have the abode of peace with their Lord, and He is their guardian because of what they did.
128. And on the day when He shall gather them all together: O assembly of jinn - you took away a great part of mankind. And their friends from among the men shall say: our Lord - some of us profited by others and we have reached our appointed term which You did appoint for us. He shall say: The fire is your abode, to abide in it, except as Allah is pleased; surely your Lord is Wise, Knowing.
129. And thus do We make some of the iniquitous to befriend others on account of what they earned.
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The Ruku clarifies about when Allah sends His wrath to some nation after they reject His message; it tells about the peace that the righteous persons have inside them and the tension that the sinful persons have to bear at their insides (it is as if someone goes on climbing high where he feels his inside constricted); it tells about the righteous ones and those who become companions to the evil ones that are among JINN; so it tells all to accept the teachings of Islam before it is too late and work for the betterment of own and for all persons around; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the first AAYAT states about the person whom Allah has given life (brought to the true Belief after disbelief) and given the light (of the true guidance) inside which he carries among all persons that how could he be like that person who is in utter darkness (of disbelief) and there seems no chance that he would get out of it; this is because the wrongs of the disbelievers are adorned (by base arguments) in such manner to them; that is the punishment of the wrongs of the disbeliever at the world that he becomes totally negligent to the righteous teachings of Islam but when Allah intends to punish some nation for its sinful lifestyle, then He makes the prominent people in it extremely negligent to the righteous teachings of Islam so that they conspire against each other (by the desire to gain more of the worldly things) without care to Islam; they actually are conspiring against their own selves and the outcome to it would be their total destruction; note that the destruction of an individual is that he falls into the sinful manner of living as the end-result when he becomes firm in rejection of the teachings of Islam and the destruction of a nation begins when their prominent persons reject the teachings of Islam openly; among these prominent sinful persons, there are such persons who (if they care to hear about the message of Islam) say that they are liable to receive this directly from Allah if this is the right path and if they are to accept it; the AAYAT says that Allah knows better where to send His message so He chooses His Messengers as He wills; note that as Muhammad PBUH was the last of them, there are no Messengers after him and certainly the Quran has provided the Guidance to the right path totally well; Al-Hamdu Lillah; soon these prominent sinful persons would get extreme disgrace in front of Allah at AKHIRAT and utmost wrath from Allah even in this worldly life because of their conspiracies by abuse of the status they have achieved; Allah opens the inside for Islam for every such person whom He intends to keep on the true guidance (due to their firmness on righteousness) and He constricts the inside of every such person to extreme constriction whom He intends to keep on the misguidance (due to their firmness on sinful manners) as if someone climbs above at heights (where the breathing becomes extremely difficult); this denotes that the sinful lifestyle causes the individual to get more and more oblivious to the Islamic teachings and he gets nearer to the death inside living in such darkness where he is unable to distinguish the right from the wrong; that is how ignominy falls on the disbelievers (that disgraces them in their own view); and Islam only is the right path that leads the Muslims to Allah; Allah has given the AAYAAT in detail for those who really intend to take heed; these persons would receive DAR-US-SALAM (the residence of peace i.e. JANNAT) in front of their Lord and He is the true Friend to them due to their righteous deeds; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that when the Ruku mentioned the prominent sinful persons (AAYAT-124), it said that soon these prominent sinful persons would get extreme disgrace in front of Allah; but here for those Muslims who really take heed, AAYAT-127 says that these persons would receive DAR-US-SALAM in front of “their Lord”; this difference of terms shows that the Muslims believe that Allah is their true Lord Who leads them to the true peace inside at the worldly life and to the residence of peace at AKHIRAT when they obey Him totally; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last couple of AAYAAT of the Ruku say, “and on the Day (of HASHR) when He shall gather them all together -O assembly of JINN - you took away a great part of mankind-, and their friends from among the men shall say -our Lord - some of us profited by others and we have reached our appointed term which You appointed for us- He shall say –the fire is your abode, to abide in it, except as Allah is pleased; surely your Lord is Wise, Knowing-; and thus do We make some of the iniquitous to befriend others on account of what they earned”; the last AAYAT here tells the concept that is named as TOFIQ which means that the good deeds of the believer leads him to more good deeds and the evil deeds of the disbeliever leads him to more evil deeds; this would clearly show at the Day of HASHR when all persons would be grouped according to their deeds and among them also, would be sub-groups by deeds; note that whenever the JINN turn malicious, they are termed as satanic beings and the Satan that challenged Adam-AS was one among the JINN (see Surah KAHF-50); with time, he has got the assistance of many other JINN (and even human beings) in his evil work; these satanic beings have misled many of persons among the human beings by putting evil thoughts inside each other and by forming doubts inside; however, as he also is the creation of Allah, he had asked for an extremely long life when Allah disgraced him (and Allah granted him that though not up-to the last day of the world as he intended); see the note at the fourth Ruku of BAQARAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Sixteenth Ruku
130. O assembly of jinn and men - did there not come to you apostles from among you, relating to you My AAYAAT and warning you of the meeting of this day of yours? They shall say: we bear witness against ourselves; and this world's life deceived them, and they shall bear witness against their own souls that they were disbelievers.
131. This is because your Lord would not destroy towns unjustly while their people were negligent.
132. And all have degrees according to what they do; and your Lord is not heedless of what they do.
133. And your Lord is the Self-sufficient one, the Lord of mercy; if He pleases, He may take you off, and make whom He pleases successors after you, even as He raised you up from the seed of another people.
134. Surely what you are threatened with must come to pass and you cannot escape (it).
135. Say: O my people - act according to your ability; I too am acting; so you will soon come to know, for whom (of us) will be the (good) end of the abode; surely the unjust shall not be successful.
136. And they set apart a portion for Allah out of what He has created of tilth and cattle, and say: This is for Allah-- so they assert-- and this for our associates; then what is for their associates, it reaches not to Allah, and whatever is (set apart) for Allah, it reaches to their associates; evil is that which they judge.
137. And thus their associates have made fair seeming to most of the polytheists the killing of their children that they may cause them to perish and obscure for them their religion; and if Allah had pleased, they would not have done it, therefore leave them and that which they forge.
138. And they say: These are cattle and tilth prohibited, none shall eat them except such as We please-- so they assert-- and cattle whose backs are forbidden, and cattle on which they would not mention Allah's name-- forging a lie against Him; He shall requite them for what they forged.
139. And they say: What is in the wombs of these cattle is specially for our males, and forbidden to our wives, and if it be stillborn, then they are all partners in it; He will reward them for their attributing (falsehood to Allah); surely He is Wise, Knowing.
140. They are lost indeed who kill their children foolishly without knowledge, and forbid what Allah has given to them forging a lie against Allah; they have indeed gone astray, and they are not the followers of the right course.
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The Ruku continues telling about the JINN and the human beings at AKHIRAT and Allah would remind them that He had provided His message through His Messengers that this Day of Judgment would certainly take place; the Ruku relates to this subject that the Messengers of Allah guided the peoples to care about AKHIRAT whereas its last five AAYAAT indicate the erroneous rulings that the disbelievers had invented about AN’AAM (cattle) which also has relevance to this subject as the Quran explicitly tells that whatever the person eats or drinks, that does affect him spiritually; Allah would ask the JNN and the human if His Messengers did not come to them who gave them His message and warn them about this Day when they would meet Allah; they would witness against their-selves as they would consider that such witness might give them some relief because in the world, acceptance of the crime unconditionally affects the punishment positively for the person who committed the crime yet there, this attitude is nothing but idiocy that arises from the adherence to worldly manners; note that these JINN and these persons from the mankind that would be their companions, would be such disbelievers who had totally become oblivious to AKHIRAT and note also that it is disallowed for any person among the man to try to control any of JINN by his spiritual power and it is disallowed for any of JINN to try to control any of the mankind by his physical power; this world is the place of examination and AKHIRAT is the place of getting the results; Allah would remind them that He sent His Messengers so everybody remains aware that He does not destroy any place while its residents are not aware of the consequence of their erroneous belief and their sinful deeds; every group (and the sub-groups each have) would have its own status and Allah certainly is not unaware of whatever they used to do; note that there would be those who would not accept their erroneous belief (see Surah AN’AAM-23) and there would even be those who would need their own parts of the body to witness against them (see Surah YA-SEEN-65); Allah is GHANI (i.e. not in need of praise from the JINN or the mankind though they all must praise Him and obey Him as their true Lord by their own free-will as other of His creation does by their natural set-up) and He also has REHMAT (merciful care) towards the JINN and the mankind so He provides them the space to accept the Islamic teachings and work in accordance to them; He is fully Able to finish off the peoples (that inhabit some place now) and bring others whom He wills after them as he had brought them from the peoples that were living before them at the place; that which has been promised to all (i.e. the Day of Judgment) would certainly come and certainly, when Allah has decided for it to come then no one is able to stop it occurring; AAYAT-135 tells the Prophet PBUH to tell all the people he is sent to, that they do whatever they can and he will do whatever he must (at his part): soon will they know who it is whose end will be the best in AKHIRAT: it is most certain that the unjust wrong-doers do not prosper (but they live in mental anguish at the worldly life and they would face certain dreadful punishment at AKHIRAT) while the righteous Believers would find peace at the worldly life and the residence of peace at AKHIRAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAAT ahead discuss the erroneous rulings of the disbelievers, specially about AN’AAM (cattle); note that though the making of pottery and clothing were given their share at the ancient world yet it had most of its paid professions besides armed ventures, much related to crops and cattle (and this position stayed to about some 150 years back or so until inventions of different items came about and the industry in general made high impressions at the living manner of the Man); we have learnt by our study at MA’EDAH-02 that the commands about foods that it mentions were the last of commands in the Quran according to IBNE-ABBAS-RA (one of the foremost SAHABA that had prominence in TAFSIR); so it is notable that the first AAYAAT that had descended twenty-two years back had commanded to read (accept, understand, apply and spread the teachings of the Quran) while this last of commands had asked to refrain from impure foods; these two are the basic necessities for the spirit and the body respectively so the former must receive the Quran for its actual safety while the latter must avoid filth in all manner that might in turn, affect the spirit adversely; Al-Hamdu Lillah; we have also learnt by our study at AAYAT-87 & 88 at the twelfth Ruku of MA’EDAH that the Muslims would only incline to foods that are HALAAL (allowed to eat) and TAYYIBAH (pure to eat); the lack of even one of these properties (that are HALAAL and TAYYIBAH in something seemingly edible) prohibits the intake of it so the AAYAAT tell all the peoples of the world to eat only that Allah has allowed them (HALAAL) and that which they understand to have purity (TAYYIBAH) according to the SUNNAH of the Prophet PBUH; this statement is interesting in the sense that the food taken-in does affect the conduct of the person (his awareness of the good moral values); so the Quran does indicate that the intake of anything affects the Man even in the spiritual sense; note that Allah had commanded Adam & Eve to keep away from going near even to the tree that had the prohibited fruit for them on it but the Satan pursued this first couple of the mankind to eat the prohibited fruit to affect them adversely so undoubtedly, he is the enemy of the mankind; AAYAT-88 there also tells that the Muslims must have TAQWA to Allah whom they truly believe and this implies that the eating of any such thing that is unlawful and/or impure affects TAQWA to Allah adversely that is the highest of the spiritual values for the true Muslim; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the four AAYAAT ahead read, “and they set apart a portion for Allah out of what He has created of tilth and cattle, and say -this is for Allah - so they assert - and this for our associates- then what is for their associates, it reaches not to Allah, and whatever is (set apart) for Allah, it reaches to their associates - evil is that which they judge; and thus their associates have made fair-seeming to most of the polytheists the killing of their children, that they may cause them to perish and obscure for them their religion - and if Allah had pleased, they would not have done it, therefore leave them and that which they forge; and they say -these are cattle and tilth prohibited, none shall eat them except such as we please - so they assert - and cattle whose backs are forbidden, and cattle on which they would not mention Allah's name - forging a lie against Him - He shall requite them for what they forged; and they say -what is in the wombs of these cattle is specially for our males, and forbidden to our wives-, and if it be stillborn, then they are all partners in it; He will reward them for their attributing (falsehood to Allah); surely He is Wise, Knowing”; these four AAYAAT present the erroneous rulings of the disbelievers specially about the cattle and in sequence of AAYAAT, the first of them was that they set portions from the crops and cattle aside for Allah and for their idols and then they merged both in the name of their idols with the argument that Allah does not need anything from these; the second was that they killed their children that was because there were such persons among them who thought it shame to father the female child and the other reason was that they took it as an economic burden upon them; the third was that they specified some of the cattle and crops that these would not be consumed except for whom they allow and they specified some of cattle that they disallowed riding or putting loads upon, and specified other of them upon which they prohibited to recite the name of Allah at slaughter, only because they needed to challenge Allah (and we have just studied that the Quran commands not to eat such slaughtered animal at the last AAYAT of Ruku-14 of AN’AAM); the fourth was that if at the slaughter of an animal, its calf came out alive from it, they would slaughter it too and allow its consumption for men only, but if it came out still, they allowed both men and women to eat from it; these erroneous rulings that they had formulated by their whims challenged Allah so the last AAYAT that is AAYAT-140 of the Ruku tells clearly that these disbelievers have strayed totally away from the right path and they have lost all the opportunity to become the righteous men; it reads, “they are extreme losers indeed who kill their children foolishly without any knowledge, and forbid the foods that Allah has allowed to them forging a lie against Allah - they have indeed gone astray, and they undoubtedly are not the followers of the right path”; may Allah keep all the good Muslims most determined onto the right path of Islam; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Seventeenth Ruku
141. And He it is Who produces gardens (of vine), trellised and un-trellised, and palms and seed-produce of which the fruits are of various sorts, and olives and pomegranates, like and unlike; eat of its fruit when it bears fruit, and pay the due of it on the day of its reaping, and do not act extravagantly; surely He does not love the extravagant.
142. And of cattle (He created) beasts of burden and those which are fit for slaughter only; eat of what Allah has given you and do not follow the footsteps of the Satan; surely he is your open enemy.
143. Eight in pairs-- two of sheep and two of goats. Say: Has He forbidden the two males or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful.
144. And two of camels and two of cows. Say: Has He forbidden the two males or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Or were you witnesses when Allah enjoined you this? Who, then, is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah that he should lead astray men without knowledge? Surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.
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This Ruku provides the righteous manner in which the Muslims would consume the crops and the cattle and provide from that to the poor too; the Ruku starts by the statement that Allah has produced gardens with trellises (as few of the fruits do need them) and without (most of the fruits are of such manner), and He has produced the date-palm, and crops of diverse flavor, and the olive and the pomegranate that are like and unlike (this quality is found in all fruits that each of their stocks looks alike or even somewhat different but their taste though basically near to each other, varies slightly) so when the produce is ready then the Muslims would eat from it and give from it as due on the day of its harvest but they would not waste the produce (by unworthy distribution giving not to the needy or providing him from them what seems lesser in quality or providing him so much of them that the owner himself is left with very small quantity of it or eating them in extreme) because Allah does not appreciate such wasters; note that this AAYAT had descended at Makkah where Allah had not commanded for the payment of ZAKAH (and so it was valid to pay by will whatever quantity suited the owner), yet after the command for ZAKAH, the Muslims have to pay it according to that and that is named as USHR whenever they take it on harvest; AAYAT-142 tells that the cattle has two main categories which are those that stand high above the ground (as camels and even cows) while the other is much near to the ground in their built (sheep and goat); the Muslims might eat from them as Allah has provided them to the Muslims for this too but they must not eat any of things that are disallowed or impure because they must not follow the steps of Satan who had misguided Adam and Eve when they ate the prohibited fruit; Satan is indeed the enemy of the Man evidently; the cattle are divided into eight as pairs (male and female) so there are two among the sheep and two among the goat; note that the foolish rulings of the disbelievers about the cattle were so out of place that the AAYAT ahead tells the Prophet PBUH to ask them if the respective males of them are prohibited or if that is the respective females of them or if that is what the wombs of the respective females contain; then the Prophet PBUH would ask them to relate the validity of their response with reasoning if they do have any and if they are truthful in their rulings; this was hit on them to reflect what rulings they were taking in their practice and how foolish these rulings were as they certainly have no basis to them; the AYAT ahead tells that there are two among the camel and two among the cow; it tells the Prophet PBUH to ask about them too if the respective males of them are prohibited or if that is the respective females of them or if that is what the wombs of the respective females contain; this time Allah hits them by asking them were they present when Allah had commanded this ruling to them; and who would be more unjust than that person who ascribes such lie to Allah with the sinful intention to mislead all the people without any knowledge; Allah certainly does not guide such unjust gathering of disbelievers (because He certainly is helpful to the most righteous persons who care to follow only His commands at their worldly lives); Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Eighteenth Ruku
145. Say: I do not find in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden for an eater to eat of except that it be what has died of itself, or blood poured forth, or flesh of swine-- for that surely is unclean-- or that which is a transgression, other than (the name of) Allah having been invoked on it; but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring nor exceeding the limit, then surely your Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.
146. And to those who were Jews We made unlawful every animal having claws, and of oxen and sheep We made unlawful to them the fat of both, except such as was on their backs or the entrails or what was mixed with bones: this was a punishment We gave them on account of their rebellion, and We are surely Truthful.
147. But if they give you the lie, then say: your Lord is the Lord of All-encompassing mercy; and His punishment cannot be averted from the guilty people.
148. Those who are polytheists will say: If Allah had pleased we would not have associated (aught with Him) nor our fathers, nor would we have forbidden (to ourselves) anything; even so did those before them reject until they tasted Our punishment. Say: Have you any knowledge with you so you should bring it forth to us? You only follow a conjecture and you only tell lies.
149. Say: Then Allah's is the conclusive argument; so if He please, He would certainly guide you all.
150. Say: Bring your witnesses who should bear witness that Allah has forbidden this, then if they bear witness, do not bear witness with them; and follow not the low desires of those who reject Our AAYAAT and of those who do not believe in the hereafter, and they make (others) equal to their Lord.
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At this Ruku, AAYAAT present those things explicitly that are disallowed to consume and the answer to the irrelevant excuses that the disbelievers took-up to justify their doings; the opening AAYAT names the things that the Muslims are disallowed to eat; these include the carrion and the flowing blood and the meat of swine (in-fact, every part of swine as it is mentioned as filthy here) and all such animal (or such bird) that has been sacrificed for someone other than Allah; however, at the extreme necessity (the situation of IDHTIRAR), Allah allows the Muslims to eat from any of these things that only are filth but then that only must be up-to necessity; note that IDHTIRAR allows the consumption of some filth to necessity for the time being to save the life yet it does not allow to disrespect any such thing that Islam has provided sanctity; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that we have studied at the first Ruku of MAE’DAH that the carrion are those animals that are MUNKHANIQA (its death is by suffocation intentionally or unintentionally) and MAUQUDHA (its death is by some extreme hit or beating; also included here is its death from the stone, from the gun-shot or from the collision with some vehicle as these all are extreme hit) and MUTARADDIYA (its death is by some fall from height) and NATHIHA (its death is by goring of horns of other animals); AYAT-146 tells of the additional animals that Allah had prohibited upon the Jews that were those that have claws; Allah also prohibited their fat except such as was on their backs or the entrails or what was mixed with bones; this was their punishment that Allah provided to them due to their rebellion against Allah; Allah certainly is the Most Truthful; O Prophet PBUH – if they deny to accept you as Prophet then tell them that Allah is full of Mercy that extends to all His creation and that is why they are still getting the space to accept the Islamic teachings; but His wrath will never be withdrawn from the guilty persons; the next two AAYAAT (that are 148 & 149) tell about the excuses that the polytheists make even if they do not voice it most openly or just say it half-heartedly; some of them would say that openly soon that had Allah willed, they would not have ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had their fathers, nor had they forbidden anything (upon their-selves); by such excuses, those also disbelieved who were before them until they had some taste of the wrath of Allah; ask them if they have any reasoning to their statement and if so, they should present it; the fact is this that they follow their conjectures and so they engage their-selves only in extreme fibs; note that the disbelievers tried to reason for their wrongs by TAQDIR (the destiny that is the will of Allah) and AAYAT-149 answers it; it implies that Allah certainly has all authority to do as He wills and all the universe is working perfectly in accordance to His guidance; however, no person is allowed to reason for his deeds by the concept of TAQDIR as He has given the free-will to all persons that is manifest to all; nobody knows His will (and all have to believe it) but everyone would understand His pleasure by the Quran (and all have to do all tasks to achieve that) so Allah asks to care for His commands by the free-will He has provided to all persons among the mankind and the JINN rather than reason by TAQDIR; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the Ruku tells the Prophet PBUH to ask them to bring forward their witnesses to prove that Allah forbid so and so; and if they do bring such (untrue) witness then you would not accept such witness; the AAYAT ends by the direction to the Prophet PBUH (and all the Muslims) that he would not follow the whims of the disbelievers who deny the AAYAAT of Allah and do not truly believe in AKHIRAT; they are such persons who deem (others) equal with their Lord; may Allah, the true Lord, save all good Muslims from SHERK; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Nineteenth Ruku
151. Say: Come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you-- (remember) that you do not associate anything with Him and show kindness to your parents, and do not slay your children for (fear of) poverty-- We provide for you and for them-- and do not draw nigh to indecencies, those of them which are apparent and those which are concealed, and do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except for the requirements of justice; this He has enjoined you with that you may understand.
152. And do not approach the property of the orphan except in the best manner until he attains his maturity, and give full measure and weight with justice-- We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability; and when you speak, then be just though it be (against) a relative, and fulfill Allah's covenant; this He has enjoined you with that you may be mindful;
153. And (know) that this is My path, the right one therefore follow it, and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way; this He has enjoined you with that you may guard (against evil).
154. Again, We gave the Book to Musa to complete (Our blessings) on him who would do good (to others), and making plain all things and guidance and mercy, so that they should believe in the meeting of their Lord.
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This Ruku provides the Ten Commandments that Allah gave to Moses in Torah (Chapter-20 of Exodus); Allah has provided these Commandments to the Muslims too (leaving Sabbath) so they would take them by the Quran only; it reads, “say O Prophet PBUH -come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you- (remember) that you do not associate anything with Him (this covers the First, Second and the Third Commandments) and show EHSAAN (kindness) to your parents (the Fifth Commandment) and do not slay your children for (fear of) poverty, We provide for you and for them (the Sixth Commandment in part) and do not draw nigh to indecencies, those of them which are apparent and those which are concealed (the Seventh Commandment) and do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except for the requirements of justice (the Sixth Commandment), this He has enjoined you with that you may understand (end of AAYAT 151); and do not approach the property of the orphan except in the best manner until he attains his maturity (the Eighth Commandment in part; this asks to avoid the unjust taking of any property especially of the weaker persons in a given society) and give full measure and weight with justice - We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability (the Eighth Commandment and the Tenth Commandment and note that giving the full measure and weight also means to care about the rights of others that they have on the person including especially his relatives, neighbors and all people in touch in the best possible way according to its Tafsir); and when you speak, then be just though it be (against) a relative (the Ninth Commandment) and fulfill Allah's covenant (these Commandments); this He has enjoined you with that you may be aware (of righteous deeds)- (end of AAYAT 152)”; note that the fourth commandment has not been included here; for one thing that Friday is the holy-day by Islamic teachings and not Saturday while the Muslims are bound to fulfill the guidance provided here in these AAYAAT; for the other, here the prohibitions only have been stated as the beginning tells that “say -come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you-”, and as such does not include the command for Friday here; the other positive command of taking-up EHSAAN for the parents is seemingly an exception here but the notable thing is that if the parents command something against the command of Allah, the Muslim person would not obey them though he would still take the attitude of EHSAAN for them (that is why the Quran has asked for EHSAAN to them at different places and not to obey them as that is not unconditional); Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the Muslims would obey these Commandments by the Quran only as this Ruku has presented it clearly though even Torah asks for it; however, please note that the Muslims are bound to obey Allah by the Quran and by the SUNNAH of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, the last Messenger of Allah, as these are Islam in theory and Islam in practice respectively; so we Muslims understand totally well that these Commandments are related directly to us Muslims and we would care to practice them as the Islamic Commands only; the last two AAYAAT of the Ruku read, “verily, this is My way, leading straight (so) follow it and do not follow other of paths as they will scatter you about from His straight path, thus does He command you so that you may be righteous by TAQWA; then We gave Moses the Book (Torah), completing it to those who would do right, and explaining all things in detail and guide and mercy so that they might believe in the meeting with their Lord”; note the change of pronouns at the AAYAAT (which is named as ITIFAAT) and this change frequently occurs at the AAYAAT where the person has to understand the indication by his wise deductions and that is not difficult once the person acquaints himself with the expressions of the Quran though he would remain always attentive to Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAAT tell us that these Commandments provide the righteous deeds that Allah asks from His true slaves as herein lies His pleasure; the practice of these good Islamic Commandments would lead His true slaves to achieve and to remain to TAQWA; the AAYAT implies that He had provided them to Moses too and had given him whole of Torah (the Pentateuch) so that those who do intend to live upon the righteousness, find the good manner to live upon it by the detail of these Commandments in it and it guided them to remain to the right path and it provided mercy to them from Allah, the true Lord; this would certainly lead them to the true Belief upon Him and upon the Day of Judgment where they would meet Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Last Ruku
155. And this is a Book We have revealed, blessed; therefore follow it and guard (against evil) that mercy may be shown to you.
156. Lest you say that the Book was only revealed to two parties before us and We were truly unaware of what they read.
157. Or lest you should say: If the Book had been revealed to us, we would certainly have been better guided than they, so indeed there has come to you clear proof from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. Who then is more unjust than he who rejects Allah's AAYAAT and turns away from them? We will reward those who turn away from Our AAYAAT with an evil chastisement because they turned away.
158. They do not wait aught but that the angels should come to them, or that your Lord should come, or that some of the signs of your Lord should come. On the day when some of the signs of your Lord shall come, its faith shall not profit a soul which did not believe before, or earn good through its faith. Say: Wait; we too are waiting.
159. Surely they who divided their religion into parts and became sects, you have no concern with them; their affair is only with Allah, then He will inform them of what they did.
160. Whoever brings a good deed, he shall have ten like it, and whoever brings an evil deed, he shall be recompensed only with the like of it, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.
161. Say: Surely, (as for) me, my Lord has guided me to the right path; (to) the most right religion, the faith of Ibrahim the upright one, and he was not of the polytheists.
162. Say. Surely my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Lord of the worlds;
163. No associate has He; and this am I commanded, and I am the first of those who submit.
164. Say: What - shall I seek a Lord other than Allah? And He is the Lord of all things; and no soul earns (evil) but against itself, and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another; then to your Lord is your return, so He will inform you of that in which you differed.
165. And He it is Who has made you successors in the land and raised some of you above others by (various) grades, that He might try you by what He has given you; surely your Lord is quick to requite (evil), and He is most surely the Forgiving, the Merciful.
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The Ruku starts by the statement that this Quran that Allah has provided (to the Man through Muhammad PBUH, His last Messenger), is the blessing to all peoples of the world; they must follow its teachings and especially the Commandments recited to them (in the previous Ruku) so that they achieve TAQWA to Allah and that would lead them to achieve mercy from Allah; to provide His message, Allah sent His Messengers and He sent Torah to Moses-AS to provide that; but as it was amongst the descendants of Isaac (and they did not keep to it as they should have) so now, Allah had sent the Holy Book Quran upon Muhammad PBUH, the last of His Messengers to provide His message to all the peoples of the world for all times to come and at all places ahead; Allah provided the Quran so that the descendants of Ishmael do not state that the two sects (Jews and Christians) before them did get the Book (Torah) and they remained unaware of its content; and the descendants of Ishmael do not state that if they had received the Book from Allah, they would have proved themselves better in accepting its true guidance so now there has come to them the Quran that is the Proof of the righteous teachings from their Lord (for those who challenge Islam), and the Guidance to the right path (for those who ask for it by its acceptance) and the Mercy from Allah (for those who put it into their practice); who would then be more unjust than that person who rejects the AAYAAT of Allah and turns away from them?; Allah would certainly provide those who turn away from His AAYAAT an evil chastisement because their turning away from the blessing of Allah would show their extreme disrespect to Allah that He would punish even in the world; AAYAAT-158 to 165 (the last of the Surah) mention the matters that are related to AKHIRAT and they guide that the Man must not forget that he would face the Day where all persons would see the outcome of their belief and the deeds they did at the worldly life; Allah has sent the Messengers and descended the holy Books upon them so that all the persons accept the righteous teachings of Islam and do their deeds accordingly; so whatever space of time the Man does have, he should use it most positively for the true success at AKHIRAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the certain of the signs mentioned here indicate towards the most strange animal (DAABBATUL-ARDH) that would come out from inside the earth at Makkah and it is one of the most amazing signs that would prove upon all persons at that time that the last day of the world is extremely near; note that the Quran has told miraculous occurrences at different places related to birds, animals, reptiles and even fish that present the fact that Allah is Able to provide his directions well even by these of His creation too; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah would not accept the repentance after that of those who repent on their disbelief or sinful deeds (see Surah NAML-82 with some authentic Tafsir); the AAYAAT elucidate that Allah had presented the righteous path to every person at the times of Abraham-AS but after that many persons (who claimed to respect Abraham most highly, claimed to take the teachings of Abraham as their belief and claimed to strictly follow the path of Abraham) strayed away from the righteousness and formed their own sects with their own respective sets of belief (see the note on the sixteenth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH); O Prophet PBUH; you would not be concerned with what they believe (but you would remain steadfast upon Islam); note that the infidels at Makkah and Bani-Israel and Christians all held Abraham-AS in most high esteem yet they were not adhering to his true guidance that even Torah has presented to them; if they develop the true Belief (i.e. they accept Islam), Allah would write the goodness of the true Belief ten-fold for them but if they remain to their own respective manners then their punishment would be equivalent to whatever they present in their belief and their deeds; O Prophet PBUH; tell them plainly that my Lord has guided me unto the right path, the righteous religion that brings me onto the community of Abraham, the upright, who was no idolater; note that this statement relates to all true Muslims but in the Surah that descended at Makkah, Allah does advise the Prophet PBUH to say such statements individually that relate to all Muslims too in general and that the Muslim person would easily deduct by some observation; at the Surah that descended at Madinah, Allah provides the commands even directly to Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-162 tells that the Belief and the deeds of the Prophet PBUH were totally based on the attention towards Allah; the AAYAT also implies that to keep the life beautifully to Islam and even the death, it is necessary for the Muslim person to keep to his SALAH and remain prepared to sacrifice the worldly pleasures as much as possible for Allah, the true Lord; this in brief, is the introduction to Islam as SALAH and NUSUK keep the Muslim person steadfast at the right path of Islam; Al-Hamdu Lillah; we have learnt this important teaching of the Quran at BAQARAH-153 (Ruku-19) where the AAYAT says, “O you who believe; seek assistance through SABR (patience) and SALAH (prayer); surely Allah is with the patient”; the term NUSUK here at AAYAT at study is related to SABR; by these, the Muslim person would surely prove that Allah has no partner; He only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the person must recognize Him only as the true Lord (RABB) and do according to His commands; he has to answer for his belief and his deeds at the Day of Judgment at the ground of HASHR which would be established at this very earth; all persons would return to their true Lord and then Allah, their true Lord, would judge everything amongst all of the peoples there; it is for that Day that Allah has provided this worldly life and settle peoples one after another; He has given status to some over some as that is how He asks their test at the world by whatever status and possession He has provided to the peoples; they must see well what they strive for because He, the true Lord, certainly is swift in providing the punishment and He certainly is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
“Tafsiri-Guide to the Quran” by:
Muhammad Saleem Dada
Here our study of AN’AAM ends; Al-Hamdu Lillah
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Surah AARAAF
(Consists of 24 Ruku)
(MK-4; MK-5)
AARAAF-The First Ruku
1. Alif-Lam-Mim-Suad.
2. A Book revealed to you-- so let there be no strait at your inside on account of it-- that you may warn thereby, and a reminder close to the believers.
3. Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow guardians besides Him, how little do you mind.
4. And how many a town that We destroyed, so Our punishment came to it by night or while they slept at midday.
5. Yet their cry, when Our punishment came to them, was nothing but that they said: Surely we were unjust.
6. Most certainly then We will question those to whom (the apostles) were sent, and most certainly We will also question the apostles;
7. Then most certainly We will relate to them with knowledge, and We were not absent.
8. And the measuring out on that day will be just; then as for him whose measure (of good deeds) is heavy, those are they who shall be successful;
9. And as for him whose measure (of good deeds) is light those are they who have made their souls suffer loss because they disbelieved in Our AAYAAT.
10. And certainly We have established you in the earth and made in it means of livelihood for you; little it is that you give thanks.
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The Surah starts by MUQATTA’AAT (that means the 14 of disjointed letters that are among the Arabic alphabet, that come at the commencement of 29 SURAH in specific combinations; the meanings of these are not evident but they are not necessary to know in the understanding of the Quran); just after the disjointed letters that form the first of its AAYAAT, the Surah tells the matter it concerns with; note that when the term “book” occurs inside any Surah (as we find here at AAYAT-2) that has some volume then it means that very Surah; rather, this whole Ruku indicates the subject-matter of this Surah as the Surah narrates the events related to many of the Messengers of Allah and it tells how Allah destroyed nations when they did not comply to the Message of Allah but He saved the believers from the destruction; it also tells about AKHIRAT where every person would get whatever he deserves according to his belief and deeds as Allah has set the world for the examination of all peoples of the world and seeing the wrath of Allah that fell upon the disbelievers, all persons must care to live their lives in the most righteous manner; Al-Hamdu Lillah; at the next five AAYAAT (from AAYAT-3 to AAYAT-7), the points to note are that Allah only is the true Lord so the Muslims must obey His commands only; the second notable point here is that by the phrase “how little do you mind”, Allah guides the attention of the Muslims to those who were destroyed that how relaxed they were when the Message of Allah had reached them ignoring that with no care to the consequence that their ignorance might bring upon them; the third notable point is that when Allah decided for their destruction, they were unable to stop it in any manner and their destruction related to the times when they were most relaxed of all times; the fourth notable point is that at that time of destruction, their repentance on their wrong-doings and their confession to them did not help them a bit; the fifth notable point is that though Allah would question them upon their wrong-doings yet He would ask those Messengers too about their liability whether they had provided the message of Allah and about wrong-doings of their respective peoples to whom they were sent (the Messengers had the liability to provide the message of Allah to their peoples which they did and that was because no peoples plead ignorance there); the sixth notable point is that though Allah would call the Messengers to witness upon them yet Allah knows all what they had been doing as He always watched over them and they would remain unable there too to save themselves from the most severe punishment of the hell-fire; so this Ruku emphatically relates to TAUHID (Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord); AKHIRAT (Allah would judge all peoples of the world at the Day of Judgment); RISALAT (Allah had sent His Messengers to the world to provide the Guidance to the right path); note that when the nations rejected the message of Allah, He saved His Messengers that He had sent to them and all the believers with them and He destroyed the disbelievers completely so this we would see explicitly at this Surah; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next couple of AAYAAT present AKHIRAT where the scales would be brought that would weigh the belief and deeds of all persons; so they would be such scales that would be able to weigh even the belief of any person (the last Ruku at Surah MOMINOON is clear on this); if the scales show favorable result by being heavy, such person would attain the salvation; and if the scales show unfavorable result by being light, they would be such persons who have put the most heavy loss upon their selves as their attitude to the AAYAAT of Allah was most unjust in their worldly lives; the last AAYAT states that now, Allah has provided you people (O dwellers of the land) that very place at earth where some other persons than you people used to live recently and there He has provided you people the sustenance to life; the AAYAT subtly warns that if you people (O dwellers of the land) do live the same way denying the Guidance to the right path, the same fate awaits you people too; the AAYAT states the fact plainly that the care that Allah had always shown to the mankind asked for the most high obedience of them to Allah but the peoples at the world showed very little of gratitude to Allah as mostly they have been highly disobedient to Him; may Allah give TOFIQ to all good persons of the world to accept the fundamental teachings of Islam and to show their righteous gratitude to Allah only, Who is the only true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Second Ruku
11. And certainly We created you, then We fashioned you, then We said to the angels: Prostrate to Adam. So they did prostrate except IBLIS; he was not of those who prostrated.
12. He said: What hindered you so that you did not prostrate when I commanded you? He said: I am better than he: You have created me of fire, while him You did create of dust.
13. He said: Then get forth from this (state), for it does not befit you to behave proudly therein. Go forth therefore surely you are of the abject ones.
14. He said: Respite me until the day when they are raised up.
15. He said: Surely you are of the respited ones.
16. He said: As You have caused me to remain disappointed I will certainly lie in wait for them in Your straight path.
17. Then I will certainly come to them from before them and from behind them, and from their right-hand side and from their left-hand side; and You shall not find most of them thankful.
18. He said: Get out of this (state), despised, driven away; whoever of them will follow you then I will certainly fill hell with you all.
19. And (We said): O Adam - Dwell you and your wife in the garden; so eat from where you desire, but do not go near this tree, for then you will be of the unjust.
20. But the Satan made an evil suggestion to them that he manifests to them what had been hidden from them of their evil inclinations, and he said: your Lord has not forbidden you this tree except that you may not both become two angels or that you may (not) become of the immortals.
21. And he swore to them both: Most surely I am a sincere adviser to you.
22. Then he caused them to fall by deceit; so when they tasted of the tree, their evil inclinations became manifest to them, and they both began to cover themselves with the leaves of the garden; and their Lord called out to them: Did I not forbid you both from that tree and say to you that the Satan is your open enemy?
23. They said: our Lord - We have been unjust to ourselves, and if You forgive us not, and have (not) mercy on us, we shall certainly be of the losers.
24. He said: Get forth, some of you, the enemies of others, and there is for you in the earth an abode and a provision for a time.
25. He (also) said: Therein shall you live, and therein shall you die, and from it shall you be raised.
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The second Ruku of this Surah relates the event of Adam and Eve that has occurred seven times in the Quran and we all have studied it at the fourth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH too so this is the second time that it occurs here in Surah AARAAF; the other five places are Surah HIJR-28 onwards, Surah Bani-Israel-61 onwards, Surah KAHF-50, Surah TA’HA-116 onwards and Surah SUAD-71 onwards; the first AAYAT of this Ruku reads, “and certainly We created you all, then We fashioned you all, then We said to the angels - Prostrate to Adam”; Allah speaks in plural for Himself to indicate the royal manner of speech and here this speech indicates that Allah certainly knew all that were to come till the last day of the world; note also that the object of the sentence is all of the mankind so it denotes that as Adam was the first one of the mankind whom Allah created so his descendants too (that come to the world by the union of the male and the female) are in actual the creation of Allah only; only Jesus Christ was an exception to this rule (though he also was among the creation of Allah) for whom the AAYAT at AALE-IMRAN says, “the likeness of Jesus in the sight of Allah is as the likeness of Adam; He created him of dust then He said unto him – Be - and he is” (Surah AALE-IMRAN-59); note that as the Quran relates the event of creation of Adam very clearly at this particular Ruku, I, MSD, would present the whole event in detail at the supplementary note ahead here that would insha-Allah clarify this whole Ruku just by reading it; in fact, it would insha-Allah provide Tafsir of the event wherever the Quran relates it; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
Supplementary note on AAYAT-11 of AARAAF
The Quran has narrated the event of Adam-AS at different places that include Surah BAQARAH, Surah AARAAF, Surah HIJR and other places; it relates that when Allah created Adam (Salam on him) He ordered the angels to give regards to him and to prostrate in front of him; now, angels never disobey Allah and they do whatever He orders, so they fell to fulfill the order given; there was a Jinn among them (as Surah KAHF tells explicitly) who did not obey this order; he was named as IBLIS and he was allowed to be in angels due to his obedience and worship of Allah but at this time, when with angels he also was included in this command, he showed extreme pride and refused to obey; Allah asked him why he did not obey (so Allah gave him the chance so that he may ask for mercy & obey); in reply, IBLIS said that he was better as Allah had created him by fire and Adam, Allah had created by mud; this was the reason he gave and refused to obey; on this answer, Allah canceled the permission He had given to him to stay in the angels and He put His verdict on him for JAHANNUM (the hell-fire); hearing that verdict, IBLIS the Satan, got very angry and finding himself totally incapable of challenging Allah, the true Lord, he turned his anger towards Adam (the cause for his extreme insult there) and for his degraded position for which he himself was to be blamed, he became the sworn enemy of the Man; this tells us an important thing that when the satanic person does wrong by his own doing, he puts the blame on someone else and tries to take his revenge due to his psyche of “I” and “me” from that person when that person seems to him lesser in power than him; he asked for the extension in time of his life that it may become a very long one so that he can misguide the people and make them also get the same verdict which he had received for his own self; however, Allah did not allow him to live at the worldly life up-to the day of the Resurrection as he had asked but allowed him his life up-to the day of the appointed time (see Surah HIJR-36, 37, 38) and this provides the hope that he would die much before the last day of the world insha-Allah; at that time, he had said that he would try to take the mankind that Allah had created for His worship only, to the hell-fire; he knew that they have physical needs and if he guides them to physical pleasures at height, he would be able to pursue them towards their base desires (to remain obsessed in seeking the pleasures of the worldly life mostly with the wishful thinking that they already have achieved salvation at the Day of Judgment because they believe in such persons that would provide them their salvation at the Day of Judgment); Allah gave him that extension but also told him that those who take My shelter for safety, you will not be able to misguide them but whoever takes your way, they will all go with you in the hell-fire; after this, Allah gave Eve, Salam on her, to Adam, Salam on him, as his companion and put them both into JANNAH; they were allowed to live there as they wish and eat & drink whatever they like but a certain fruit was not allowed for them and that is why they were not even allowed to go near its tree; the Satan somehow entered the place and he with his power of speech persuaded them to eat the prohibited fruit; note that he is not visible to the human eye as the evil JINN (that are also termed as Satans) have the power to remain hidden and then blow suggestions to the inside of the human beings as they find the opportunity (the term used here is WASWASA that implies that he blew suggestions to both Adam and Eve i.e. to their insides); as the angels protect the human beings by the command of Allah, the JINN do not find ease in attacking them and the Prophet PBUH used to ask the protection of Allah as he attended the wash room; see also the note at the fourth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note also that AAYAT-20 at AARAAF provides the reason that the Satan had for this persuasion that he intended to bring the hidden parts of their respective bodies in front of the view of each other as he knew that this would be the initiative that would lead them to many wrongs ahead; this reason needs such elucidation that might take many of pages yet at these brief notes, I, MSD, would only state briefly about this highly important issue; note that when the person takes-up Islam and avoids SHERK then there are two categories of major sins that he has to avoid necessarily (Allah forgives the minor sins of the true Muslim even by WUDHU and even by SALAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah); these two categories are the injustice (in which the biggest of sins is to intentionally kill someone unjustly) and the shameful attitudes (in which the biggest of sins is to commit adultery/fornication); note here that Allah has shaped the circumstances in such manner that Islam is the only challenger today to all the injustice (mostly initiated by the wrongful men so they have more of liability to become better and to see that no injustice takes place) and to all the shameful attitude (mostly initiated by the wrongful women so they have more liability to become better and to see that nothing of shameful wrongs takes place) and when the person asks Allah to help him in all adverse situations then only he would be able to avoid all major sins; note also that Allah gave the respect to the Man due to the spirit he had blown inside him and the Satan intends to make him oblivious of its beauty and to plunge him into such of his base desires that lead him to care for the physical pleasures only; that was the reason that he wanted them to eat the prohibited fruit so that in-turn leads them to see their hidden parts (before that they did not need to take-off their beautiful clothes of JANNAH and their respective private parts remained hidden but the prohibited fruit had the feature inside it that led both of them to take-off their clothes); they lost their clothes of JANNAH and needed to cover themselves by the leaves of the JANNAH; note that when the male and the female persons among the mankind disregard the command of HEJAB (the attitude of reservation that the Muslim women have to take with respect to all men), it leads to extreme shameful attitudes gradually and that is why Islam asks to keep away from all such things too that have much high potential to lead to such attitudes; the Muslims would not eat anything impure or/and prohibited as it affects the inside adversely (and that is why Allah prohibited proximity even, to Adam and Eve to that tree that had the prohibited fruit and eating of which caused their respective private parts to come into the view of the other); the Muslim men would not talk without some necessity at the Islamic living-manner to unrelated women (and those women also would care to talk to them by necessity only and in some strict manner); the Muslim women would not leave their homes without some necessity and would return as they have attended to that and they would never wear such dresses that Islam takes as the most indecent clothing for them at any time and at any place (though at leaving their homes, they would see to it particularly) so they would not take any such attitude that Islam takes shameful at any time anywhere for them; please note well that Islam asks Muslim women to take HEJAB (that Allah has commanded for them at Surah NOOR and Surah AHZAAB by asking the Prophet PBUH to give that message to them, besides other places where the command of HEJAB is indirectly implied by the AAYAAT) and this term has three aspects to it; the first aspect is that a Muslim woman must not leave her home except for some necessity (the decision about necessity would be hers, when she does care in practice about the basic teachings of Islam); the second aspect is that when she goes out of her home at some necessity and the environment is such that in general, the men care not to trouble her in any way then she might go out with her face, hands up-to wrist and feet up-to ankles uncovered though even then she would cover the whole body plus hair necessarily but if the environment is otherwise, then she would take care to cover her face too except for eyes; the third aspect is connected to the first that as soon as the necessity ends, she would return to her home without any waste of time as the basic place for her activity is her home for sure; please note well that the Satan works to this ultimate outcome that the Man takes himself as an animal only in all manners and he even swears deceivingly again and again that he wants to make his attitudes better; he wants that the man and the woman come to such living of animals that they view their respective private parts at ease as that is the biggest of his achievements against the Man; that undoubtedly would lead them to many of extreme wrongs ahead so please note that only the tie of marriage justifies the most specific intimate relation of the man and the woman and no other; note that though Adam and Eve were husband and wife yet they were unaware of their hidden private parts and Allah had prohibited the specific fruit so that they remain in this status of unawareness to it; may Allah save all of the Muslims and even all of the mankind from such situation where the Satan puts them to the slavery of their most adverse desires; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-22 at the second Ruku of AARAAF tells us that they fell for his talk and ate the fruit so at this, Allah addressed them that why did they eat it when they were ordered not to do so, only because of the argument that the Satan presented to misguide them; Allah had clearly warned them that the Satan was their open enemy; Adam & Eve both asked for His forgiveness and asked for His blessing to them so Allah forgave them but told them that they would only get His blessing when they pass an examination at the world; they would have the true Belief and the righteous deeds according to that true Belief so that is how they would get their dwelling place JANNAH again; they all would be obedient to Allah and must remember that IBLIS, the Satan, is their open enemy; so this is how Adam & Eve came to the earth and this is how the life of the Man commenced here; note that the idea of evolution is totally against the Islamic teachings and the known history does not support it in any way; the clash of the good & the evil has been taking place in all the history of the Man in which the good always came out as the winner and the Satan who presented the evil in many different colors time and again, always lost his challenge to the Man; Surah AARAAF explicitly proves this statement by the narrations of the Messengers of Allah that it has presented in it in much detail; though today, it seems that the Satan is near to having things his way yet in truth, the matter is heading towards the complete win for the good and as such, the complete loss for the evil as the clash has achieved an international character; it needs TAUBAH (the true repentance of the Man towards Allah) to save himself from the main attack of the Satan and that insha-Allah would lead ultimately to the death of the Satan; let us now view some of the salient features of this event of creation besides the important teaching that it provides for the necessary concealment of the respective private parts from the opposite gender; the first thing to note is that "the beginning of the man's life was in the light of knowledge and not in the darkness of illiteracy" so it is the awareness inside of all of the mankind that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord who helps us in every difficulty when our attention is only towards Him and the total light of Guidance to the right path is only from Him indeed; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the second thing to note is that "every person, man or woman, is going through an examination in which he or she has to fulfill the duties laid for him or her according to Islam and that is to get back the true living place of the Man i.e. JANNAH; if they fail to be obedient to Allah, then like Satan, they will be in the hell-fire"; note that Allah gave the command to Adam & Eve to go down from the most beautiful garden twice and when some matter is repeated by similar text near to it in the Quran, it denotes some difference in both of them in some particular manner; here there is the mention of acceptance of their asking for forgiveness in between the repeated command of Allah to go down; so Allah gave the command at first as punishment to both yet He changed the designation of the command (without changing the command itself) to become examination for both of them and their offspring at the world, where the righteous persons would not actually be enemies to each other but they would guide all towards the right path; so we find ahead that Allah told Adam that He would provide His Guidance to the right path to all the peoples of the world (through His Messengers and after the last of them i.e. Muhammad PBUH, by the Muslims at the world that have the knowledge of the Quran); the Muslims need to develop TAQWA inside which means that they would fear that nothing from their side leads to the displeasure of Allah and they would hope that Allah would save them from the satanic manners of living; those who accept the true guidance, they would neither fear about anything of the future (that might cause the anxiety), nor they would have to grieve upon anything of the past (that might cause the depression); but upon those who reject it, His wrath would certainly fall and as they rise from dead, they certainly would abide at the hell-fire as the inmates therein; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the third thing to note is that "the difference between the Man and the Satan is not that one does not make mistakes and the other does but in fact, the difference lies in the fact that INSAN (the human being) accepts where he is wrong and the Satan (IBLIS; the devil) does not, even when his mistake is clearly indicated to him so that it becomes quite obvious; he rather defends himself at such occasions"; may Allah save all the good Muslims from this satanic attitude; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the fourth thing is that "the Satan asked for a very long life to mislead the people so this tells that to influence people, it is necessary to have the permission by Allah”; note that he asked permission to mislead the people but the Holy Book Quran clarifies that His permission is necessary also for guiding the people towards the Truth (See Surah AALE-IMRAN-152, Surah IBRAHIM-1, Surah ASH-SHURA-51); note also that the Satan can encourage to cause evil but he is unable to force a person to commit any wrong as he does not have the power to make a person accept or reject something by force though he does have a persuading ability; everybody must see to his own to save himself/herself from all evils but always with the true Belief in Allah, the true Lord, asking Him for safety as this is the only way to remain safe from all evils; Allah did not allow him to live at the worldly life up-to the day of the Resurrection as he had asked but allowed him his life up-to the day of the appointed time so insha-Allah, he would die much before the end of the world; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the fifth thing is that "there must be hope towards Allah and the Muslim person must not lose hope or feel such depression that prevents him/her from asking the mercy of Allah as the loss of hope will certainly cause the loss of the right path indeed as no person is immune from sins, light or heavy"; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the sixth thing is that “though it seems that Satanic argument had some weight at face that Allah created him by fire and He created Adam by mud so why he bow to such lower creature but his argument was completely based on misunderstanding”; note that when Allah had created Adam, He had blown such spirit in Adam that he qualified for KHILAFAT & had given him the great knowledge of surroundings (but with the spiritual purity to enforce His law) so there was no way to disobey for IBLIS but he only saw the physical things and totally disregarded the spiritual side; now, he wants the Man to disregard his spiritual side as the Satan did then, so that the huge number of the mankind follows him to the hell-fire; note well that it is most impossible for a person to get to the Truth, neglecting the spiritual side totally; as the satanic objection was much disrespect to Allah that denoted his idiocy, He ignored it and put His wrath upon him on such haughty behavior; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the seventh thing is that “Adam knew issues related to the physical side of the life (as Allah had already taught him that) yet when he needed to ask Allah for forgiveness and for mercy, he had to get such words from Allah by which he could ask the needed (we find these words at Surah AARAAF-23)”; so for all the Guidance to the right path, the person needs WAHI (the direction of Allah towards the right path and that Allah has provided to all explicitly in the Quran) but he certainly would ask Allah for it though Allah might give him the understanding of the physical side of the life if He wills with whatever efforts he does by his own; the Man needs the spiritual purity even more than the physical ability for the status of KHILAFAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; there still are so many other points to note in this beautiful event of the creation of Adam and Eve so the good observant Muslim person needs to ponder over it most deeply for certain to get them with all his attention towards Allah only; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Third Ruku
26. O children of Adam - We have indeed sent down to you clothing to cover your shame, and (clothing) for beauty; and the clothing that guards (against evil), that is the best. This is of the AAYAAT of Allah that they may be mindful.
27. O children of Adam - let not the Satan cause you to fall into affliction as he expelled your parents from the garden, pulling off from them both their clothing that he might show them their evil inclinations, he surely sees you, he as well as his host, from whence you cannot see them; surely We have made the Satans to be the guardians of those who do not believe.
28. And when they commit an indecency they say: We found our fathers doing this, and Allah has enjoined it on us. Say: Surely Allah does not enjoin indecency; do you say against Allah what you do not know?
29. Say: My Lord has enjoined justice, and set upright your faces at every time of prayer and call on Him, being sincere to Him in obedience; as He brought you forth in the beginning, so shall you also return.
30. A part has He guided aright and (as for another) part, error is justly their due, surely they took the Satans for guardians beside Allah, and they think that they are followers of the right.
31. O children of Adam - attend to your adornments at every time of prayer, and eat and drink, and do not be extravagant; surely He does not love the extravagant.
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The Ruku asks all the peoples of the world to care for the necessary covering to the body; note that Islam takes the SATAR (the parts of body necessary to cover by some garment) for the man as from the belly to the knees, both parts included, all round; for the woman, it is all her body except for the face, hands up-to wrists and feet up-to ankles; so her SATAR is the same as her HEJAB in the Islamic environment though HEJAB asks her to take some additional clothes too upon her and it also denotes her attitude of reservation towards the men-folk while it gets highly strict at the environment that challenges the practice of Islam where she would cover her face too except for her eyes to fulfill the demands of HEJAB; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the opening AAYAT tells that every person of the world needs to take the necessary clothing upon him/her and that would be at-least according to the SATAR; the AAYAT provides the reason for the clothing that it is the covering to the body for the mankind and it also brings beauty to the mankind; there are such persons who have taken up the manners of the Satan so much that though they accept the clothing as adornment to the body yet they do not give it the credit that it conceals the SATAR which is its primary task; due to such views, they care but little about concealing of SATAR and their views relate much to make space for the women-folk to manifest their physique in the most shameful manner; may Allah save all the Muslim persons totally from such satanic views; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT also tells that the clothing of TAQWA is the best so it means that the person would take it well to fulfill its principal task (the concealment of SATAR) and would keep all the attention towards the fulfillment of all the commands of Allah to the best of his/her ability; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last part of the AAYAT that reads that “this is of the AAYAAT of Allah that they may be mindful” implies that the uncaring attitude towards the concealment of SATAR leads to ignore the most important commands of Allah including SALAH; the next AAYAT explains the last part of the previous AAYAT that all the peoples of the world would care that the Satan does not put them into extreme trouble as he was able to expel Adam and Eve from the beautiful JANNAH where he made such situation that they needed to take-off their clothes where their respective private parts came in view of each other; the Satan and all of his tribesmen see the mankind remaining hidden from them; this means that he has got the assistance of many of his evil followers among the JINN (and even among the human-beings) in misguiding the mankind; it is necessary that all persons take the shelter of Allah Who is the true authority for safety from the evil ideas that Satan and his tribesmen put into the inside; Allah has made these SHAYATIN (the plural of Satan) as friends to the disbelievers so they listen to the ideas that these put inside of them and get misguided and then misguide others; so whenever these disbelieves commit any shameful wrong, they say that their forefathers had done it and Allah had asked them for it; note that with other of their shameful crimes, this specially relates to the practice they used to take-up at HAJJ that many of their men used to circumambulate the KA’BAH naked at that occasion as they thought it to be more virtuous; tell them O Prophet PBUH, that Allah never commands for shameful things; do the disbelievers say such things against Allah for which they do not have any knowledge at all; tell them that Allah only asks for the just issues and this tells that Allah provides His commands against all the injustice and against all the shameful practice (as these two enfold all the major sins besides the greatest of sins that is SHERK though that also actually is related to extreme injustice); all of the peoples must worship Allah only and at all occasions of worship especially at SALAH at the mosques, they should care that their attention remain towards Allah as to worship Him being naked is not something virtuous but the inside of the person needs to remain attentive to Allah; this would happen that all persons would rise from dead as Allah had created them at the first place (i.e. they would be naked and weak yet matured in age but every person would be extremely concerned about his own account there); note that Allah would provide the clothes only to those good believers in Allah who had lived as virtuous persons at the world caring to their SATAR in the most committed manner; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-30 ahead reads, “A part has He guided aright and (as for another) part, error is justly their due, surely they took the Satans for guardians beside Allah, and they think that they are followers of the right”; note that when Allah speaks of the guidance, He takes it as the act that He has done yet where the mention is of the disbelief of the disbelievers, He tells that this wrong came upon them as they had taken SHAYATIN as their friends who made their wrongs seem as righteous to them so that they take their-selves as the guided persons; at AAYAT-27 of this Ruku, Allah had told us that He has made these SHAYATIN (the plural of Satan) as friends to the disbelievers and this AAYAT explains it; when they had left care to Allah and had committed wrongs continuously, Allah did not give them TOFIQ that they get better and at such situation, the SHAYATIN got the chance to mislead such persons and remaining near to them, they put wrong ideas into their insides to which they ultimately gave-in and became firm on their disbelief; note that Allah does not misguide or does not put any trouble to anyone as punishment unless he/she asks for such from Him by their committing of major sins time and again specially of the most shameful nature; so then He stops His blessing from them due to which they become susceptible to the sinful ideas that the SHAYATIN get the chance to blow into their insides; the last AAYAT tells all the peoples that they would take their adornment (one of their clean dresses) at the time they read SALAH at the mosques and they would eat that is lawful and pure to eat, and drink that is lawful and pure to drink; the AAYAT tells that they would not become extravagant in eating or drinking anything so this also implies that their eating and their drinking not only would remain according to the Islamic teachings but also would not become much more than their genuine needs; they would avoid all the unlawful and all the impure things totally; this is interesting in the sense that it tells that the food taken-in does affect the conduct of the person (his awareness of the good moral values); the Quran does indicate that the intake of anything affects the Man even in the spiritual sense; note that Allah had commanded Adam & Eve to keep away from going near even to the tree that had the prohibited fruit for them on it but the Satan pursued this first couple of the mankind to eat the prohibited fruit to affect them adversely so undoubtedly, he is the enemy of the mankind; the Muslims must have TAQWA to Allah whom they truly believe and the eating or the drinking of any such thing that is unlawful and/or impure affects TAQWA to Allah adversely that is the highest of the spiritual values for the true Muslim; all the Muslims would certainly avoid all the unlawful and all the impure things totally; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Fourth Ruku
32. Say: Who has prohibited the embellishment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants and the good provisions? Say: These are for the believers in the life of this world, purely (theirs) on the resurrection day; thus do We make the AAYAAT clear for a people who know.
33. Say: My Lord has only prohibited indecencies, those of them that are apparent as well as those that are concealed, and sin and rebellion without justice, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down any authority, and that you say against Allah what you do not know.
34. And for every nation there is a doom, so when their doom is come they shall not remain behind the least while, nor shall they go before.
35. O children of Adam - if there come to you apostles from among you relating to you My AAYAAT, then whoever shall guard (against evil) and act aright-- they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve.
36. And (as for) those who reject Our AAYAAT and turn away from them haughtily-- these are the inmates of the fire they shall abide in it.
37. Who is then more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah or rejects His AAYAAT? (As for) those, their portion of the Book shall reach them, until when Our apostles come to them causing them to die, they shall say: Where is that which you used to call upon besides Allah? They would say: They are gone away from us; and they shall bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers
38. He will say: Enter into fire among the nations that have passed away before you from among jinn and men; whenever a nation shall enter, it shall curse its sister, until when they have all come up with one another into it; the last of them shall say with regard to the foremost of them: Our Lord - these led us astray therefore give them a double chastisement of the fire. He will say: Every one shall have double but you do not know.
39. And the foremost of them will say to the last of them: So you have no preference over us; therefore taste the chastisement for what you earned.
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The first AAYAT of this Ruku inquires who has prohibited the clothes that adorn the mankind which Allah has brought out to all persons (which they get with little of efforts by the silkworm, by the crops, by the animals etc.) - and it also inquires who has prohibited the pure and lawful provisions of foods; the AYAT notes that these all actually are for the believers in the life of this world (though others do take their custody unjustly) and they would be assigned purely to them only on the resurrection day as there all would clearly see the actual ruling about them; note that those who are entered in the hell-fire, would get most filthy things to eat and drink there (see Surah SAAFFAAT-62 to 68); according to Islam, the man does not need to leave the things that he requires for the ordinary living of his life so he would take lawful and pure foods and wear necessary clothes to conceal the SATAR without care to saying that “clothes make the man”; his necessary clothes would also save him from the adversity of the weather and would also be an adornment to him though he must not wear such clothes that incline to showing-off; please note that Islam asks to eat and drink well from the lawful and pure foods, to wear necessary simple and clean clothes and to show gratitude to Allah living in the most simple manner; that leads to the virtuous character and not tortures to the physique as that is ingratitude to what Allah has provided for the mankind; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT ends by the statement to the effect that this is how Allah states the facts for those who are truly able for the good judgment of matters; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the three major categories in which all the sins fall are SHERK, injustice and most shameful things; the Quran has told to avoid all these major sins at different places together and among these places were the AAYAAT-168 & 169 that we have read at the twenty-first Ruku of BAQARAH and still ahead is AAYAT-90 at the thirteenth Ruku of NAHL, the sixteenth Surah; one of such places is AAYAT-33 at this Ruku in our study currently; it reads, “Say that my Lord has only prohibited indecencies (FAWAHISH), those of them that are apparent as well as those that are concealed, and sin (ITHM) and rebellion (BAGHYUN) without justice; and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down any authority, and that you say against Allah what you do not know”; note that any rebellion against Allah is always without justice and so the AAYAT clarifies the term BAGHYUN by two ways “and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down any authority, and that you say against Allah what you do not know”; it is to challenge His authority and to disregard him as the true Lord while the Islam tells that the true Muslim would obey any of the creation only when he does not give any command against the commands of Allah and so he must understand Islam, the right path of Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that FAWAHISH include all major sins that relate to the most shameful deeds and the biggest of them is adultery/fornication; note also that ITHM include all such major sins that relate to abuse of authority that is provided by Allah and the biggest of them is to kill someone unjustly; may Allah save all from SHERK, FAWAHISH and ITHM; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT ahead tells that every nation has its appointed term and as it comes, the disbelievers become unable to save their-selves from it even for an hour and that falls on them at its most due time; AAYAT-35 tells about the promise that all of the persons that were to come at the world at any time and any place had made with Allah at the world of spirits when He had told them that whenever any Messenger comes to them from amongst them, who provides them the AAYAAT of Allah, (they would accept him) so whoever takes TAQWA to Allah and makes himself better, he would have no fear and would have no suffering; note that AAYAAT mean commands of Allah here; Al-Hamdu Lillah; and whoever rejects the AAYAAT of Allah and takes haughty attitude to them, they would be inmates of hell-fire where they would remain forever; AAYAT-37 implies that no-one is more unjust than such persons who forge lies against Allah and reject the true meanings of His AAYAAT; they lie for the benefits of the worldly life so the AAYAT tells them explicitly that whatever they would receive, though that be ease in life from Allah or be troubles in life due to their own wrongs from Allah, that is predestined; until the appointed time to the end of their lives comes and the angels come to take their lives from them, then they realize that those whom they had trusted at their lives that they would get them to safety have no authority and they would have to accept that they were disbelievers; note that many of hidden things become manifest at the time of death and that is the reason that the belief of the person at that time is futile in saving the person; at the day of HASHR too, the disbelievers would admit their disbelief totally but everything that is hidden now, would be manifest there so that admittance would be futile in saving them; at that day, Allah would command them to enter into the hell-fire among the nations that have passed away before them from among the JINN and the mankind; whenever a nation would enter there, it would curse those that were its ancestors at the world that because of their misguidance, they had come to this extreme punishment; note that AAYAT-28 told us that whenever they committed an indecency they said that they had found their fathers doing this, and Allah has enjoined it on all of them; there we see that Allah tells them through the Prophet PBUH to tell them that surely Allah does not enjoin any indecency (such extreme shameful attitudes); the AAYAT had told us that they are saying against Allah just by their whim, such things for which they have no knowledge; here at AAYAT-38, we see that as all those enter the hell-fire and find their ancestors there, they would curse them that they had set the rulings to which they followed and as the result to it, they had came to the hell-fire likewise; when they all gather there, these descendants coming later to the hell-fire would ask Allah to give their ancestors the punishment two-fold as they are responsible for their plight; though Allah would not even talk to these inmates of the hell-fire yet at this time, when they had just entered and had given the reason to their plea, Allah would answer them that every group of them has the punishment two-fold; this answer means that if their ancestors had misled them by their wrong rulings, they also as the next group of their people, did so by taking those wrongs and passing it on-to their descendants; they had to consider what they are receiving from their elders as they had their judgment of things (whereas the Messengers have guided them) and if they followed their erroneous ancestors on whatever they received from them most religiously, they themselves are fully responsible to it; on the rejection of the plea of this next group, their ancestors would remark to rejoice upon their sorrow as the last AAYAT of the Ruku tells us, “and the foremost of them will say to the last of them - so you have no preference over us; therefore taste the chastisement for what you earned”; the fact of the matter is this that the near-relations at the world where the evil persons show their high care to each other, even those also would turn to become most biting to each other at AKHIRAT and that is how Allah punishes the evil persons; may Allah save all the good Muslims from the grievous loss at AKHIRAT and bring all the good-natured persons to Islam, the right path of Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Fifth Ruku
40. Surely (as for) those who reject Our AAYAAT and turn away from them haughtily, the doors of heaven shall not be opened for them, nor shall they enter the garden until the camel pass through the eye of the needle; and thus do We reward the guilty.
41. They shall have a bed of hell-fire and from above them coverings (of it); and thus do We reward the unjust.
42. And (as for) those who believe and do good We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability-- they are the dwellers of the garden; in it they shall abide.
43. And We will remove whatever of ill-feeling is in their breasts; the rivers shall flow beneath them and they shall say: All praise is due to Allah Who guided us to this, and we would not have found the way had it not been that Allah had guided us; certainly the apostles of our Lord brought the truth; and it shall be cried out to them that this is the garden of which you are made heirs for what you did.
44. And the dwellers of the garden will call out to the inmates of the fire: Surely we have found what our Lord promised us to be true; have you too found what your Lord promised to be true? They will say: Yes. Then a crier will cry out among them that the curse of Allah is on the unjust.
45. Who hinder (people) from Allah's way and seek to make it crooked, and they are disbelievers in the hereafter.
46. And between the two there shall be a veil, and on the most elevated places there shall be men who know all by their marks, and they shall call out to the dwellers of the garden: Peace be on you; they shall not have yet entered it, though they hope.
47. And when their eyes shall be turned towards the inmates of the fire, they shall say: Our Lord - place us not with the unjust.
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The Ruku starts by telling the end-result of all such disbelievers who had rejected the AAYAAT of Allah and had turned away from them haughtily that the doors of the heavens would not be opened for them and they would not enter JANNAH until a camel passes the needle’s eye; this tells that they would never enter JANNAH and another thing that this implies is that JANNAH is somewhere above in the heavens; Allah punishes such sinful persons in this strict manner; they would have the bed of the hell-fire and their covering above too would be of it so the hell-fire would be all around them; Allah punishes such unjust persons in this strict manner; as for the believers who had done the good deeds sincerely to the extent of their ability, they would be the dwellers of JANNAH at AKHIRAT where they would abide forever; if some of them had grudges with each other at the world, Allah would remove all such ill-feelings from their insides towards each others as at JANNAH, there would be no enmity; this tells that it is possible that such people that have grudges to each other, many of them find some place at JANNAH; there is an indication in Ahadith that if some disbeliever killed one of the good Muslims and then Allah gave him TOFIQ to accept Islam where he does all the good deeds sincerely, they both would receive JANNAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah; beneath which flow the beautiful streams and there, they would say that - all praise is to Allah Who had led us to this blessed placement as we were not able to get the true guidance by our own; so this blessing is the result of His tremendous kindness to us; He sent His Messengers to us and we accepted the message of Allah; these dwellers of JANNAH would be called that this is the JANNAH of which they are made heirs for what they did; so when they show all their gratitude to Allah that He provided them the clear opportunity to accept the Truth, Allah would let them know that their virtuous deeds also count for the good destination that they have received; Al-Hamdu Lillah; and it would happen that the dwellers of JANNAH would call-out to the inmates of the hell-fire that they have found the blessing that Allah had promised them so what about the inmates of the hell-fire; they would answer in affirmative that they also have found the severe punishment that Allah had promised them; there a caller (from among the angels) would call that the curse of Allah is on the unjust persons (of the hell-fire); those were the persons who used to keep away from the right path of Allah and used to seek ways to present it in the negative manner to stop others too to accept it; and they disbelieved in AKHIRAT; note that their disbelief in AKHIRAT had different aspects as some of them denied it outright, some of them thought that they have such intercessors who would save them from the wrath of Allah, some of them claimed that they were the chosen persons of Allah and if the hell-fire touches them, it would only be for some of days and some of them had other notions to relax their-selves that AKHIRAT would cause them no troubles in any manner whatsoever; AAYAT-46 tells that between JANNAH and the hell-fire, there would be the veil (i.e. named as AARAAF); this is such place from where the view of both JANNAH and the hell-fire is possible and it has the quality that it does not let the effect of JANNAH pass to the hell-fire and it also bars the effect of the hell-fire to pass to JANNAH without taking any effect from any of them upon it; there at AARAAF, would be many persons who would recognize all persons by their looks and they would call the dwellers of JANNAH whom they would present SALAM from them; so this AAYAT tells that all persons would be easy to recognize there as the looks of the dwellers of JANNAH would be most pleasing while the recognition of the inmates of the hell-fire would be through their evil marks on them; though the people at AARAAF would avoid looking at the inmates of the hell-fire yet whenever their view would fall to them unintentionally, they would pray to Allah that He does not put them with these unjust persons; note that they would associate their-selves to the dwellers of JANNAH because of their good expectation that they would enter it soon; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note also that due to some reason, these persons at AARAAF would not be put into the hell-fire and they would not be fully qualified to enter the JANNAH but they would have hopes to get it soon (and AAYAT-49 ahead tells that Allah would allow them to enter JANNAH); though speculations to them are possible yet as there is nothing much in their mention at the KITAB (the Quran) and the SUNNAH about their identity so the better thing is to take silence here; note that Allah has given the remark for them at AAYAT-49 that- “are these they about whom you (O inmates of the hell-fire) swore that Allah will not bestow mercy on them?” -but this statement does not disclose their identity though it does tell that they ultimately would get JANNAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Sixth Ruku
48. And the dwellers of the most elevated places shall call out to men whom they will recognize by their marks saying: Of no avail were to you your amassing and your behaving haughtily:
49. Are these they about whom you swore that Allah will not bestow mercy on them? Enter the garden; you shall have no fear, nor shall you grieve.
50. And the inmates of the fire shall call out to the dwellers of the garden, saying: Pour on us some water or of that which Allah has given you. They shall say: Surely Allah has prohibited them both to the disbelievers.
51. Who take their religion for an idle sport and a play and this life's world deceives them; so today We forsake them, as they neglected the meeting of this day of theirs and as they denied Our AAYAAT.
52. And certainly We have brought them a Book which We have made clear with knowledge, guidance and mercy for the people who believe.
53. Do they wait for aught but its final sequel? On the day when its final sequel comes about, those who neglected it before will say: Indeed the apostles of our Lord brought the truth; are there for us then any intercessors so that they should intercede on our behalf? Or could we be sent back so that we should do (deeds) other than those which we did? Indeed they have lost their souls and that which they forged has gone away from them.
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The first AAYAT states that the persons at the elevated places (AARAAF) would call the inmates of the hell-fire whom they would recognize by their marks that their amassing of wealth was of no use to them and their behaving haughtily to the message of Allah too was of no use to them; at the AAYAT ahead, Allah asks the inmates of the hell-fire that - are these they about whom the inmates of the hell-fire swore that Allah will never bestow mercy on them? – He would tell all the persons at AARAAF to enter JANNAH where they would have no fear and where they would never grieve; and the inmates of the hell-fire would call-out to the dwellers of JANNAH to pour some water to them but they would reply that Allah had prohibited that upon the disbelievers who had taken their path of life as a sport and as a plaything and the worldly life had engaged their attention to it by deception; note that AAYAT-32 had asked the Prophet PBUH to tell all the peoples about the lawful and the decent clothes and about the lawful and the pure foods that “these are for the believers in the life of this world, purely (theirs) on the resurrection day”; so AYAT-32 had noted that these all actually are for the believers in the life of this world (though others do take their custody unjustly) and they would be assigned purely to them only, on the resurrection day as there all would clearly see the actual ruling about them; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so Allah would ignore them as they had neglected the meeting of this day of theirs and as they had denied the AAYAAT of Allah; AAYAT-52 gives the message that Allah has provided the Quran to the benefit of the true believers with clarity to the knowledge of the Islamic teachings so that they take it in practice as the Guidance to the right path and achieve the mercy of Allah by their commitment to it; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the Quran says at Surah YOUNUS, “O men- there has come to you indeed WARNING from your Lord and HEALING for what is at the insides and GUIDANCE and BLESSING for the believers; say that in the Grace of Allah and in His Blessing, in that they should rejoice; it is better than that which they gather (of wealth)” (YOUNUS-57 & 58); so according to benefits that the people get from the Holy Book Quran when they do turn their attention towards it, there are four of them; one is that it is WARNING to those who live being oblivious to the Truth in their concepts and practice, second is that it is HEALING of spiritual diseases to those who live challenging the Truth by their concepts and practice, third is that it is GUIDANCE to those who intend to live upon the Truth in their concepts and practice and fourth is that it is BLESSING (and mercy) to those who live understanding totally the reason to their lives and so live totally to that viewpoint accepting the Truth well in their Belief and practice; these last couple of persons are the good recipients of the highest benefit from the Quran and these good recipients are at focus here at AAYAT-52 of AARAAF; they must rejoice that Allah has provided for them the Truth in such manner that they do respect Muhammad PBUH truly who is the last Messenger of Allah and who is the Grace of Allah to them, and they do have the true recognition of the Blessing that is the Holy Book Quran; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the RUKU asks them if they await the final outcome but when that comes, on that day all such persons who had ignored it in their worldly lives, would exclaim that the Messengers of the true Lord did come to them with the Truth and now, either they get some such intercessor who does stand by them to save them or either they are sent back to the worldly life so that they do other of deeds that they used to do there; they undoubtedly have lost their souls (so now there is no return to the worldly life) and that which they forged has gone away from them (so they would get no intercessors to save them from the hell-fire); certainly Allah is the true Lord Who has set everything in the most beautiful order; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Seventh Ruku
54. Surely your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods of time, and He rose firm at ARSH; He throws the veil of night over the day, which it pursues incessantly; and (He created) the sun and the moon and the stars, made subservient by His command; surely His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
55. Call on your Lord humbly and secretly; surely He does not love those who exceed the limits.
56. And do not make mischief in the earth after its reformation, and call on Him fearing and hoping; surely the mercy of Allah is nigh to those who do the good (to others).
57. And He it is Who sends forth the winds bearing good news before His mercy, until, when they bring up a laden cloud, We drive it to a dead land, then We send down water on it, then bring forth with it of fruits of all kinds; thus shall We bring forth the dead that you may be mindful.
58. And as for the good land, its vegetation springs forth (abundantly) by the permission of its Lord, and (as for) that which is inferior (its herbage) comes forth but scantily; thus do We repeat the AAYAAT for the people who give thanks.
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The first AAYAT of this Ruku tells about the creation of the heavens and the earth that Allah created them in six periods; Allah knows better about the longevity of each period but note here that these are not the earthly days and in these periods, He created all things that are between them; He created Adam at the last of these periods; Al-Hamdu Lillah; then He rose to ARSH (i.e. the Throne) about which no-one knows what that is and how He rose to it so we all would say to it that “we Muslims believe in it and Allah knows better”; He covers the day by the night in such manner that it continuously follows it so the night falls as the day ends at different places covering it delicately; and the Sun and the Moon and the stars all are bound to His command; Al-Hamdu Lillah; I, MSD, would take the advantage of the mention here of the heavenly bodies to present the ruling that relates to astrology; please note that if someone takes-up astrology and learns it well to understand the character of persons (which it does tell as I, MSD, have gathered by reading it much) and does not ask any financial benefits from it but uses it to assist Psychology then, with his belief that everything takes place only by the will of Allah, it is not questionable; if Allah wills, He would provide the future insight from this even, to the virtuous person, yet such virtuous persons must keep away from its study by their own intention who are unable to resist the study of future from it as it would lead them to wishful thinking or it would lead them to some unplaced fear; please note also that many of ULAMA do not appreciate the study of astrology as those who study it, they relate it to the future; the Islamic teachings tell clearly that whatever happens, it happens by the will of Allah that is TAQDIR so the most notable thing about astrology is that it too is bound to TAQDIR without being its reason in any way as nothing of creation of Allah is able to affect Allah Who only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-54 here says that “and (He created) the sun and the moon and the stars, made subservient by His command; surely His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds”; and Surah SAAFFAAT-88 & 89 read, “then did he (i.e. Abraham-AS) cast a glance at the stars; and he said that I am indeed sick“; these AAYAAT guide well that the person who is aware of astrology might understand the issues of his own self that relate to the present when he is truly attentive to Allah; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah; please note also this important thing here that the human beings do not need to conquer any of things around as Allah has already put them to serve the human beings but they have to understand their benefits to them and put them to their service keeping to the commands of Allah; the virtuous persons would certainly show all their gratitude to Allah sincerely for all His blessings upon them; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT tells that “surely His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that this tells most explicitly that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah RABBEL-AALAMIN; so this tells that not only has He created all things but He also has assigned the specific task to each of it by His authority, for which He has created it; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so it also tells that there are two worlds, one of which is this physical world and that is KHALQ (the creation) which exists by His will while the other is the world of spirits and that is AMR (the command) which also exists by His will; He only is the Lord of all the worlds; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the first one is bound to time while the other is not, so the angels rise and descend to & from the heavens in no time as they are one of those that relate to the world of spirits (see NAHL-102) and the pure spirit of the Man that Allah has blown unto him, also relates to it (see Bani-Israel-85); Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAAT-55 & 56 ahead relate to the manner of supplicating to Allah and guide the Muslims to take the virtuous manner in all their deeds; they read, “call on your Lord humbly and secretly; surely He does not love those who exceed the limits; and do not make mischief in the earth after its reformation, and call on Him fearing and hoping; surely the mercy of Allah is nigh to those who do the good (to others)”; DUA (the supplication to Allah) needs asking it humbly to Allah, secretly with all attention towards Allah, fearing that Allah might not accept it and hoping that He would certainly make things easy when the person cares for the fellow-beings; Al-Hamdu Lillah; it is most necessary that person lives in the virtuous manner as Ahadith have told this clearly that whoever takes-in unlawful and impure things habitually, Allah would not accept his plea; this also is notable that whoever asks Allah for worldly things much more than his genuine necessities or asks Allah for such status that He would not provide to anyone now (as asking Him that He makes him one of His Messengers) or asks for safety of AKHIRAT without keeping to the commands of Allah by whatever free-will he has in his given situation, then he is one of the transgressors and Allah would not accept his plea; the blessing of Allah is for those who are truly virtuous as they do not ask for FASAD (the situation where to care for Islam in deeds becomes extremely difficult) just to impose their authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last couple of AAYAAT provide the example of the good Muslim persons in contrast to all the evil persons; they read, “and He it is Who sends forth the winds bearing good news before His mercy, until, when they bring up a laden cloud, We drive it to a dead land, then We send down water on it, then bring forth with it of fruits of all kinds; thus shall We bring forth the dead that you may be mindful; and as for the good land, its vegetation springs forth (abundantly) by the permission of its Lord, and (as for) that which is inferior (its herbage) comes forth but scantily; thus do We repeat the AAYAAT for the people who give thanks”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the Quran has taken the land in examples for the resurrection of the dead at different places and one of these is this at our study; the notable point is that the water in the normal body is nearly the same as in the earth i.e. 71.11% and the Holy Book Quran gives the example of the dead land that is resurrected by the rainfall indicating that the dead bodies would be resurrected in such way so those have been mentioned with reference to the dead land (see also ROUM-50 and HA-MEEM AS-SAJDAH-39); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT points-out that the good land (that is the good person who has the true Belief), provides the abundant vegetation (i.e. does many of good virtuous deeds so he is liable to safety at AKHIRAT) by the will of Allah as He actually decides for everything; Al-Hamdu Lillah; and the land that is bad (the evil person), produces herbage that is totally useless (i.e. does such deeds that only cause FASAD around and that are completely futile for him too, as they are not able to save him at AKHIRAT); this is how Allah repeats the AAYAAT for those who are aware that they certainly have to give thanks to Allah, the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Eighth Ruku
59. Certainly, We sent Noah to his people, so he said: O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; surely I fear for you the chastisement of a grievous day.
60. The chiefs of his people said: Most surely we see you in clear error.
61. He said: O my people - there is no error in me, but I am an apostle from the Lord of the worlds.
62. I deliver to you the messages of my Lord, and I offer you good advice and I know from Allah what you do not know.
63. What - do you wonder that a reminder has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you, that he might warn you and that you might guard (against evil) and so that mercy may be shown to you?
64. But they called him a liar, so We delivered him and those with him in the ark, and We drowned those who rejected Our AAYAAT; surely they were a blind people.
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From here, the Surah tells us the narratives of the Messengers; it tells us how they gave their nations the message of Allah and how their nations were punished even at the world when they rejected that message; note that after sending any of the Messengers to some nation, Allah appoints such time where they would ultimately accept the fundamental Islamic teachings or face certain death; we all have studied at the Surah in its second Ruku about Adam & Eve and that is explicit that the worldly life is an examination to the mankind so all persons must keep to the three fundamental teachings of Islam that all the Messengers of Allah have guided to; the five of these narratives in sequence are of Noah, HOODH, SALEH, LOT and SHOAIB (SALAM on all the Messenger of Allah) and they all gave the same message that are TAUHID (Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord) and AKHIRAT (Allah would judge all peoples of the world at the Day of Judgment) and RISALAT (Allah had sent His Messengers to the world to provide the Guidance to the right path); note that Al-FATIHA, the opening Surah of the Quran, guides to all these three fundamental teachings of Islam; Al-Hamdu Lillah; in Surah SHUA’RAA, these narratives of the Messengers are repeated in the same sequence as here from the sixth Ruku; it tells clearly that the message that all of these Messengers of Allah gave, has this repeatedly that “I am a faithful messenger unto you so keep your duty to Allah, and obey me”; so all the Messengers did try their best to guide their nations as Allah has asked them; however, their nations did not comply and so Allah destroyed them completely at the world and they certainly would be among the severely punished peoples at AKHIRAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; this eighth Ruku of AARAAF tells us that Noah-AS told his nation who were idolaters that “O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him”; he told them that he is the Messenger of Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, and he does care for their safety at AKHIRAT; note that his nation lived at Southern Iraq not much far from where the city of KUFAH is situated today; they had made idols of the persons that had passed in them and they thought that their worship would save them from the wrath of Allah; Noah guided them that they must worship Allah only and if they do not take Him as the only One to worship, they would get the most severe punishment at the Day of Judgment (and even at the world); he asked them to worship Allah only as they believed in idols that challenged the worship of Allah so he guided them that He only is the true Creator of all the creation with all His good attributes and all peoples must worship Him only; he did not ask them to obey the commands of Allah at first but he told them to obey him (as Surah SHUA’RAA tells explicitly) because he knew that as he guides them to the Truth then his obedience would cause them to obey the commands of Allah, once they accept Him as the only One to worship; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the Ruku tells that the nation of Noah took him as in clear error and the result of their rejection to him was that except for the believers with him, they all were drowned; the last AAYAT of the Ruku reads, “But they called him a liar, so We delivered him and those with him in the ark, and We drowned those who rejected Our AAYAAT; surely they were blind people (that they did not see that Noah was plainly speaking the truth)”; we see at Surah HOODH-44 that the ark of Noah stopped at the mount JUDI (that faces Ibn-UMAR island at the junction of Syrian and Turkish borders, on the eastern bank of Tigris River); from thence, human beings spread all over the world; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Ninth Ruku
65. And to AAD (We sent) their brother HOODH. He said: O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; will you not then guard (against evil)?
66. The chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said: Most surely we see you in folly, and most surely we think you to be of the liars.
67. He said: O my people - there is no folly in me, but I am an apostle of the Lord of the worlds.
68. I deliver to you the messages of my Lord and I am a faithful adviser to you:
69. What - do you wonder that a reminder has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you that he might warn you? And remember when He made you successors after Noah's people and increased you in excellence in respect of make (in physique); therefore remember the benefits from Allah, that you may be successful.
70. They said: Have you come to us that we may serve Allah alone and give up what our fathers used to serve? Then bring to us what you threaten us with, if you are of the truthful ones.
71. He said: Indeed uncleanness and wrath from your Lord have lighted upon you; what - do you dispute with me about names which you and your fathers have given? Allah has not sent any authority for them; wait then, I too with you will be of those who wait.
72. So We delivered him and those with him by mercy from Us, and We cut off the last of those who rejected Our AAYAAT and were not believers.
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The second narrative of these Messengers presented at AARAAF is of HOODH-AS; his nation was named as AAD and he gave them the same message as Noah has given to his nation; this ninth Ruku of AARAAF tells us that HOODH told his nation who were idolaters that “O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him”; he told them that he is the Messenger of Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, and he does care for their safety at AKHIRAT; note that his nation lived in the area of curved sand-hills in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula; they were very strong in physique and had handsome height and looks; their total preference was for the worldly life so HOODH told them that they must show gratitude to Allah; in Surah SHUA’RAA, the AAYAAT read that HOODH told his nation that "I am to you a messenger worthy of all trust; so keep your duty to Allah and obey me; and I do not ask you any reward for it; surely my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds; do you build a landmark on every high place to amuse yourselves? -and seek you out strongholds, that haply you may last forever? - and when you lay hands (on men) you lay hands as tyrants -rather keep your duty to Allah, and obey me” (SHUA’RAA-125 to 131); AAYAT-69 here tells the statement of HOODH in answer to them, “what - do you wonder that a reminder has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you that he might warn you? and remember when He made you successors after Noah's people and increased you in excellence in respect of make (in physique); therefore remember the benefits from Allah, that you may be successful”; the Ruku tells that the nation of HOODH took him as in grave folly and the result of their rejection to him was that except for the believers with him, they all were destroyed; the last couple of AAYAAT of the Ruku read, “HOODH said - indeed uncleanness and wrath from your Lord have lighted upon you; what -do you dispute with me about names which you and your fathers have given? Allah has not sent any authority for them; wait then, I too with you will be of those who wait-; so We delivered him and those with him by mercy from Us, and We cut off the last of those who rejected Our AAYAAT and were not believers”; note that they had given their idols different names and had become such idolaters that they did not bear anything against them; they were punished by furious violent wind that stayed upon them for seven nights and eight days as the wrath of Allah upon them; Surah-HAQQAAH says that this punishment was such “which Allah imposed on them for seven nights and eight days so that (O listener) you might have seen men lying overthrown, as they were hollow trunks of palm-trees” (HAQQAAH-7); certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Tenth Ruku
73. And to THAMUD (We sent) their brother SALEH. He said: O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; clear proof indeed has come to you from your Lord; this is (as) Allah's she-camel for you-- a sign, therefore leave her alone to pasture on Allah's earth, and do not touch her with any harm, otherwise painful chastisement will overtake you.
74. And remember when He made you successors after AAD and settled you in the land-- you make mansions on its plains and hew out houses in the mountains-- remember therefore benefits from Allah and do not act corruptly in the land, making mischief.
75. The chief of those who behaved proudly among his people said to those who were considered weak, to those who believed from among them: Do you know that SALEH is sent by his Lord? They said: Surely we are believers in what he has been sent with
76. Those who were haughty said: Surely we are deniers of what you believe in.
77. So they slew the she-camel and revolted against their Lord's commandment, and they said: O SALEH - bring us what you threatened us with, if you are one of the apostles.
78. Then the earthquake overtook them, so they became motionless bodies in their abode.
79. Then he turned away from them and said: O my people I did certainly deliver to you the message of my Lord, and I gave you good advice, but you do not love those who give good advice.
80. And (We sent) Lot when he said to his people: What - do you commit an indecency which anyone in the world has not done before you?
81. Most surely you come to males in lust besides females; nay you are an extravagant people.
82. And the answer of his people was no other than that they said: Turn them out of your town - surely they are a people who seek to purify (themselves).
83. So We delivered him and his followers, except his wife; she was of those who remained behind.
84. And We rained upon them a rain; consider then what the end was of the guilty.
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The tenth Ruku narrates the events of SALEH-AS and Lot-AS; it tells that SALEH gave his nation that is named as THAMUD, the same message as Noah & HOODH had given to their nations; they were polytheists and gave total preference to the worldly life; they used to build mansions at plains and carved houses at the mounts; it tells us that SALEH told them that “O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him”; note that his nation lived between HIJAZ and Syria in the south-eastern part of MADYAN (that is at the east of Gulf of AQABAH) and their stone dwellings are still preserved; note also that these five Messengers that Allah has mentioned here had their dwelling places near to each other with difference of their periods at the world as Noah, HOODH and SALEH were before Abraham-AS while Lot was his nephew and SHOAIB was among his descendants from his third wife within three hundred years of his time; Allah gave the nation of SALEH a she-camel as miracle so that they believe in Allah as the only One to worship and prefer AKHIRAT over the worldly life; Allah commanded them not to trouble it so that she might easily eat from wherever she intends; if they do otherwise, they would receive extreme punishment even at the world; AAYAT-74 reads, “(SALEH said) and remember when He made you successors after AAD and settled you in the land - you make mansions on its plains and hew out houses in the mountains - remember therefore benefits from Allah and do not act corruptly in the land, making mischief”; their ruling elite rejected his message and asked others too to reject it; some of their youth killed the she-camel and that was the clearest disobedience to Allah; they even asked for the punishment from which SALEH had warned them if they disrespect the she-camel; the last couple of AAYAAT for this narration here read, “then the earthquake overtook them, so they became motionless bodies in their abode; then SALEH turned away from them and said - O my people - I did certainly deliver to you the message of my Lord, and I gave you good advice - but you do not love those who give good advice”; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; after this narration, the Ruku provides us the narrative of Lot-AS who had been sent to the peoples living at Sodom and Gomorrah at south of the dead sea; they were extremely filthy persons who used to commit the heinous sin of sodomy among the men; Lot who actually did not belong to that nation but had been sent to them as the Messenger of Allah tried his best to reform them of this heinous sin but to no avail; in fact, they intended to expel him from their city just because he challenged their filth; AAYAAT-80 to 84 tell the narrative, “and (We sent) Lot when he said to his people - what - do you commit an indecency which anyone in the world has not done before you?; most surely you come to males in lust besides females; nay you are an extravagant people; and the answer of his people was no other than that they said - turn them out of your town - surely they are people who seek to purify (themselves); so We delivered him and his followers, except his wife; she was of those who remained behind; and We rained upon them a rain (of stones); consider then what the end was of the guilty”; note that he had taken his wife from amongst that nation and she did not disapprove of their heinous sin so she was most disobedient to Lot and so she was punished too with that extremely sinful nation; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Eleventh Ruku
85. And to Madyan (We sent) their brother SHOAIB. He said: O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; clear proof indeed has come to you from your Lord, therefore give full measure and weight and do not diminish to men their things, and do not make mischief in the land after its reform; this is better for you if you are believers:
86. And do not lie in wait in every path, threatening and turning away from Allah's way him who believes in Him and seeking to make it crooked; and remember when you were few then He multiplied you, and consider what was the end of the mischief-makers.
87. And if there is a party of you who believe in that with which I am sent, and another party who do not believe, then wait patiently until Allah judges between us; and He is the best of Judges.
88. The chiefs, those who were proud from among his people said: We will most certainly turn you out, O SHOAIB, and (also; those who believe with you, from our town, or you shall come back to our faith. He said – What - though we dislike (it)?
89. Indeed we shall have forged a lie against Allah if we go back to your religion after Allah has delivered us from it, and it befits us not that we should go back to it, except if Allah our Lord please - Our Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge; in Allah do we trust: Our Lord - decide between us and our people with truth; and You are the best of deciders.
90. And the chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said - if you follow SHOAIB, you shall then most surely be losers
91. Then the earthquake overtook them, so they became motionless bodies in their abode.
92. Those who called SHOAIB a liar were as though they had never dwelt therein; those who called SHOAIB a liar, they were the losers.
93. So he turned away from them and said: O my people - certainly I delivered to you the messages of my Lord and I gave you the good advice; how shall I then be sorry for an unbelieving people?
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The last narrative in the narratives of the five Messengers is of SHOAIB-AS; he gave his nation at MADYAN the same message as Noah & other Messengers had given to their nations; they were polytheists and they also gave their total preference to the worldly life and did not care to obey the commands of Allah; they did not have any concern for the rights of their fellow-beings and tried to gain more worldly profits by trying to give lesser returns to the amounts of the buyer; they mismanaged their measures and weights just to get these unfair profits and the AAYAT implies that this wrongful attitude leads to FASAD at the surroundings that means to live upon Islamic teachings most difficult; note that if a person abuses his authority without any care to the commands of Allah at any level where he is at the business of life, he makes the living on the Islamic teachings difficult by his attitude at that level; the first three AAYAAT of the Ruku say, “and to Madyan (We sent) their brother SHOAIB; he said - O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; clear proof indeed has come to you from your Lord, therefore give full measure and weight and do not diminish to men their things, and do not make mischief (FASAD) in the land after its reform; this is better for you if you are believers; and do not lie in wait in every path, threatening and turning away from the way of Allah him who believes in Him and seeking to make it crooked; and remember when you were few then He multiplied you, and consider what was the end of the mischief-makers; and if there is a party of you who believe in that with which I am sent, and another party who do not believe, then wait patiently until Allah judges between us; and He is the best of Judges”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; it confused the persons at his nation that they have to care for the commands of Allah at the material profits they make at the market as they took the belief as something that relates to the concepts of the individual at the spiritual level with no impression at the collective living of the peoples that live in huge number together; note here that the Islamic teachings challenge the concept of secularism head-on and the statement of these disbelievers in the nation of SHOAIB, is mentioned at Surah HOODH that “they said - O SHOAIB - does your SALAH enjoin you that we should forsake what our fathers worshipped or that we should not do what we please with regard to our property?; you are undoubtedly the forbearing, the right-directing one” (HOODH-87); note that they did credit SHOAIB as one of the most intelligent persons among them yet they did not accept his message and that led to their destruction; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note also that THAMUD also took SALEH as an intelligent person yet they also had not accepted his message that challenged their erroneous belief and that had led to their destruction; the statement of these disbelievers in the nation of SALEH, is mentioned at Surah HOODH that “they said: O SALEH - surely you were one amongst us in whom great expectations were placed before this; do you (now) forbid us from worshipping what our fathers worshipped?; and as to that which you call us to, most surely we are in disquieting doubt” (HOODH-62); the conceited ruling elite of the nation of SHOAIB told him that they would turn him and the believers with him out by force if they do not come to their concepts of living; SHOAIB who was good at speech, told them that it would certainly be extreme injustice when they disapprove of their concepts clearly and they would not take them; Al-Hamdu Lillah; he told them that it would be as if he and his companions had said lies about Allah after He has provided them the true guidance if they return to their concepts of living; it certainly is unsuitable to them that they return to their concepts except if Allah wills; Allah certainly has the knowledge of all things which He has in His complete control; but we do have TAWAKKUL (complete trust) in Him that He would keep us to the right path; note here that SHOAIB did not show any pride on his own self but mentioned the power of Allah that He only is able to bring and keep to the true guidance; confidence on the self would come only after the TAWAKKUL in Him; SHOAIB then asked Allah to decide between them and their nation providing each side what it deserves rightly and He certainly is the best of deciders; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the ruling elite that had disbelieved told the peoples that following the path of SHOAIB means that they are complete losers; the last three AAYAAT tell the result of their disbelief to them that read, “then the earthquake overtook them, so they became motionless bodies in their abode; those who called SHOAIB a liar, were as though they had never dwelt therein; those who called SHOAIB a liar, they were the losers; so he turned away from them and said - O my people - certainly I delivered to you the messages of my Lord and I gave you the good advice; how shall I then be sorry for an unbelieving people?”; so with all said and done, the good preacher of the Truth has to bear such calamity to the sinful persons whom he has preached that for a long time; note that Noah had tried to bring his nation to righteousness for 950 years as Surah ANKABUT notes, “and verily we sent Noah (as Our messenger) unto his people, and he continued with them for a thousand years save fifty years; and the flood engulfed them, for they were wrong-doers” (ANKABUT-14); the Quran gives the message most explicitly that those who challenge Allah are doomed to destruction; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Twelfth Ruku
94. And We did not send a prophet in a town but We overtook its people with distress and affliction in order that they might humble themselves.
95. Then We gave them good in the place of evil until they became many and said that distress and happiness did indeed befall our fathers. Then We took them by surprise while they did not perceive.
96. And if the people of the towns had believed and guarded (against evil) We would certainly have opened up for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they rejected, so We overtook them for what they had earned.
97. What - do the people of the towns then feel secure from Our punishment coming to them by night while they sleep?
98. What - do the people of the towns feel secure from Our punishment coming to them in the morning while they play?
99. What - do they then feel secure from Allah's plan? But none feels secure from Allah's plan except the people who shall perish.
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This Ruku tells about the sequence of events for such towns where Allah sent His Messengers and the dwellers there generally rejected that message; the AAYAAT narrate that whenever Allah sent any of His Messengers to a town, He examined them by trials putting them in distress by the need of resources to fulfill the necessities and by physical afflictions of different sort so that they understand that these are the results to their wrong-doings and turn their attention to Allah, the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; but when they did not change their selves to better, Allah gave them ease in their lives by change of their troublesome situation and this implies that they got more than enough for their necessities and they turned immune to many of their physical afflictions; note that the ease in living with extreme resources to manage at hand might also be the manner of trial from Allah, the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; such ease they had in their worldly lives that they boasted that distress and happiness did indeed befall their fathers (but they have managed to live at happiness only); so Allah suddenly caught them unawares but if they had believed and they had developed TAQWA inside them towards Allah, then Allah would have opened the BARAKAAT (the blessings) upon them of the heaven and of the earth but they disbelieved the Prophets so Allah put on them the most severe punishments due to their wrong-doings (because Allah does not put troubles to any person unless he asks for that by his own wrong-doings though He provides His blessings even without any counts to whom He wills); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last three AAYAAT of the Ruku imply that all the persons must fear Allah if they choose the sinful path for their lives because when the punishment of Allah gets them, it would be either at night when they would be at sleep or either at the morning hours when they would be at their playful activities relating totally to their worldly lives; so they chose to remain oblivious of the plan of Allah, but none feels secure from Allah's plan except the people who shall perish; note that Allah is AZIZ that means that He provides for such happenings that keep the world to His will by His authoritative measures so no one becomes able to cause such deviation at the world that leads it to complete FASAD and He also is HAKEEM that means that He shapes all things towards the way He intends even by the works of the Man and when some nation challenges His will by working against His commands, that displeases Him and that is where the destruction strikes that nation; its adverse impression ends from the world and that elimination of its adverse impression causes the peoples of the world to get the good space then and there to repent on their wrongs and to become better by accepting the true fundamental teachings of Islam, the right path to Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Thirteenth Ruku
100. Is it not totally clear to those who inherit the earth after its (former) residents that if We please We would afflict them on account of their faults and set a seal on their hearts, so they would not hear.
101. These towns-- We relate to you some of their stories, and certainly their apostles came to them with clear arguments, but they would not believe in what they had rejected at first; thus does Allah set a seal over the hearts of the disbelievers.
102. And We did not find in most of them any (faithfulness to) covenant, and We found most of them to be certainly transgressors.
103. Then we raised after them Musa with Our AAYAAT to Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they disbelieved in them; consider then what the end was of the mischief makers.
104. And Musa said: O Pharaoh - surely I am an apostle from the Lord of the worlds:
105. (I am) worthy of not saying anything about Allah except the truth: I have come to you indeed with clear proof from your Lord therefore send with me the children of Israel.
106. He said: If you have come with a sign, then bring it, if you are of the truthful ones.
107. So he threw his rod, then lo - it was a clear serpent.
108. And he drew forth his hand, and lo - it was white to the beholders.
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The Ruku commences by the query if it still is unclear to those who have inherited these places of the previous nations that were severely punished that Allah would punish them too on their wrongs if He wills; and He would seal their hearts (if they persist on their wrongs) so that they become incapable to accept the fundamental teachings of Islam; these are the narratives of the towns that Allah has told you O Muhammad PBUH; their Messengers did come to them with all signs that what they are telling them is clearly the Truth but they did not accept it when they had initially rejected it so they did not reflect on that message after they had disbelieved in it; that is how Allah seals the hearts when the disbelievers persist on their wrongs; Allah did not find any care in them for the oath they had taken at the world of spirits to believe in Allah only as their RABB i.e. the true Lord (see AARAAF-172) and He only saw them totally sinful i.e. most disobedient to His commands to them; AAYAAT ahead narrate the events related to the life of Moses-AS who was one of the most prominent Messengers of Allah; the last six AAYAAT of the Ruku tell that Allah sent him after the five Messengers that He has mentioned before and there is the gap of around 540 years between Abraham-AS and Moses-AS; note that Moses was raised up from amongst the Bani Israel at Egypt where on the command of Allah, he asked the Pharaoh to release the Bani-Israel from captivity so that they all leave Egypt with him (and Aaron-AS); Moses told Pharaoh that he was the Messenger of Allah and as such, he would never say anything except the truth about Allah; so he has come with such clear sign that tells that whatever he is saying is clearly the Truth; Pharaoh told him to prove his words by some manifest reasoning so he put his staff at the floor where it became the most obvious large snake; and he drew forth his hand that glowed in whiteness for the onlookers; these were among the nine signs that proved that Moses was the Messenger of Allah but as Pharaoh and his followers did not accept the truth, they were drowned (see the sixteenth Ruku ahead in Surah AARAAF that insha-Allah, we all would study soon); certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Fourteenth Ruku
109. The chiefs of Pharaoh's people said: most surely this is an enchanter possessed of knowledge:
110. He intends to turn you out of your land. What counsel do you then give?
111. They said: Put him off and his brother, and send collectors into the cities:
112. That they may bring to you every enchanter possessed of knowledge.
113. And the enchanters came to Pharaoh (and) said: We must surely have a reward if we are the prevailing ones.
114. He said: Yes, and you shall certainly be of those who are near (to me).
115. They said: O Musa - will you cast, or shall we be the first to cast?
116. He said: Cast. So when they cast, they deceived the people's eyes and frightened them, and they produced a mighty enchantment.
117. And We revealed to Musa, saying: Cast your rod; then lo - it devoured the lies they told.
118. So the truth was established, and what they did became null.
119. Thus they were vanquished there, and they went back abased.
120. And the enchanters were thrown down, prostrating (themselves).
121. They said: We believe in the Lord of the worlds,
122. The Lord of Musa and Haroon.
123. Pharaoh said: Do you believe in Him before I have given you permission? Surely this is a plot which you have secretly devised in this city that you may turn out of it its people, but you shall know:
124. I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides then will I crucify you all together.
125. They said: Surely to our Lord shall we go back:
126. And you do not take revenge on us except because we have believed in the AAYAAT of our Lord when they came to us - Our Lord: Pour out upon us patience and cause us to die in submission.
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The Ruku tells that when Pharaoh and his courtiers saw the two amazing miracles, those courtiers among the nation of Pharaoh consulted the prominent persons (at the Bani-Israel) to advise them about the course of action to take against Moses by telling them that he is the most adept magician who intends to take the Bani-Israel out of their lands; they advised them to send some official collectors to different cities from whence they would bring every such magician who is adept in his magic (so when they compete with Moses in magic, they would show that it only is the spell of magic with which he intends to enchant all persons to accept his demand); the collectors informed the skilled magicians to attend the gathering at the specific day of celebration to challenge Moses and they did so at the presence of Pharaoh; they were so confident of their win that they asked Pharaoh if they would get their due prize if they win; Pharaoh assured them of that and also told them that they would be among his near ones getting high respect among the people; they had said that Pharaoh would get more of honor as they win (and it automatically implied that he would get most high disrespect if they lose) and then they asked Moses who among them would begin the contest; he asked them to open the show so they threw their ropes and canes that seemed as the wriggling serpents to the onlookers; it certainly was the most skillful demonstration of their spell of magic; but Allah commanded Moses to put his staff at the ground and as he did so, it turned into the huge serpent that swallowed up all the falsehood that they faked; so the Truth manifested and their doings became vain so they were vanquished there and Pharaoh and his courtiers became lower; the skillful magicians gathered there fell to ground in prostration to Allah and said that they believe in the Lord of the worlds Who is the Lord of Moses and Aaron; note that they totally clarified that by the Lord they mean Allah whom Moses and Aaron believe so that Pharaoh and his people have no doubts about their words as Pharaoh presented his own self as the lord to the people; note also that the reason to their immediate belief was their view that the huge serpent ate up their doings which they knew clearly would not be any magic in any manner as they were most skillful at spells of magic; it plainly was the most amazing miracle that Moses had presented so this led them to believe in the words of Moses then and there; Pharaoh changed his stance at once that they have believed in the miracle before Pharaoh has allowed them to believe; note his arrogance that he wanted the people under his authority to believe only that which he intends that they should; he blamed them of being associates of Moses as the face-saving statement for him amongst the people and told the people that they all have united as they intend to expel the people set at their lands out of that; he told the magicians that he would punish them severely by cutting off one of their hands and one of their legs (opposite sides) and then he would crucify them all; their answer plainly was that they would surely return to their true Lord and what else the Pharaoh had found in them except that they had believed in the miracle from Allah when it has come to them; they made DUA to Allah, the true Lord, to pour out upon them patience and to cause them to die in submission to Him only; Al-Hamdu Lillah; their statement tells that when the person guides the asking of goodness in his self to the righteous direction, that even does lead him to the right path as just a little while back, they were asking the worldly benefits from Pharaoh but when they saw that the true benefits is where Moses is calling them to, they did not take any time to accept it and to become firm on it; they had consulted each other well when Moses had advised them to leave their stance and to accept the righteousness, before the contest and then only they had taken-up his challenge (see Surah TA-HA-61 to 64); certainly, Allah guides whom He wills and He only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Fifteenth Ruku
127. And the chiefs of Pharaoh's people said: Do you leave Musa and his people to make mischief in the land and to forsake you and your gods? He said: We will slay their sons and spare their women, and surely we are masters over them.
128. Musa said to his people: Ask help from Allah and be patient; surely the land is Allah's; He causes such of His servants to inherit it as He pleases, and the end is for those who guard (against evil).
129. They said: We have been persecuted before you came to us and since you have come to us. He said: It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you rulers in the land then He will see how you act.
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This Ruku tells that Pharaoh intended to apply the same treatment to the Bani-Israel as the previous Pharaoh (presumably his grandfather) had done i.e. to kill their male children and let their female children live-on (though it seems that this scheme did not materialize this time); Moses assured the Bani-Israel that they only need to ask help from Allah (especially by SALAH remaining firm upon the Truth) and must remain patient on troubles that they face without any care to the worldly possessions; the land belongs to Allah and He gives the authority at it to whom He wills from among His creation (but He does not let them cross such limit where they are able to cause the people under them to lose all space to accept the Truth); so the final success is only for the MUTTAQIN; they replied to Moses that they were troubled even before his coming (that is before his birth when the Pharaoh of the time ruled to kill their male children leaving their daughters alive) and even now they are troubled, as it seems that would be handled by the same ruling, when he has come as the Messenger of Allah for them; Moses told them that it would happen that their true Lord Allah would destroy their enemy and He would provide them authority over the land and then He would note how they do their deeds; so when someone gets wealth, knowledge, authority, good skills or/and high status among the people by the will of Allah, these things do not mean in themselves that Allah is pleased with such persons who have them but when such persons use them in the way of Allah sincerely according to His commands, then they achieve the pleasure of Allah; so all the things that are assets to some person denote the will of Allah but His pleasure is in living in accordance to His commands only that we all know by the Quran and the SUNNAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the Bani-Israel failed miserably in this test and due to their failure, Allah disqualified them from the status of the chosen people to spread the Truth among the peoples of the world; we have studied this at Surah BAQARAH and it gives the account of their disrespect to the commands of Allah explicitly; it was two thousand years after Moses-AS that Allah gave the Muslims the status to spread the teachings of Islam to all the peoples of the world by the Holy Book Quran that He had sent to His last Messenger Muhammad PBUH; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
Supplementary note on AAYAT-129 of AARAAF
Before proceeding ahead, it is better that we all view the significant events in the life of Moses briefly as that knowledge would enable us to understand the AAYAAT about him at the Quran much better insha-Allah; please see also the note at the sixth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah; when Moses was born, it was the time of trial for the Bani-Israel as the Pharaoh Thutmose- II, the weak Pharaoh, had ordered to kill all the male children born that year at Bani-Israel so as to reduce their large population and so at the birth of Moses, his mother put him in some crib and put him with measures that the crib floats on the water of Nile (and it was his wife Hatshepsut known as AASIYAH in the literature of Muslims, who had saved Moses-AS when he was floating at the waters in his crib); it happened that Moses did not take the milk of any women so his sister (MARIAM) who knew that Moses has been saved by the royal family, told the staff there that she knows a woman who is able to feed the child; so the mother of Moses was appointed to feed him; Surah QASAS states that “and We ordained that he refused to suck any foster mother before, so she (his sister) said: shall I point-out to you the people of the house who will take care of him for you, and they will be benevolent to him?; so We gave him back to his mother that her eye might be refreshed, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true, but most of them do not know” (QASAS-12 & 13); note also that seemingly the grandson of Thutmose- II (that was Amenhotep-II) was the “Pharaoh of the Exodus”; his reign was but for a few years only (against what normally is assumed and I, MSD, have commented on that at “Pentateuch by the Islamic view”) and he died by drowning when he followed Moses and his people with the army he had, in his youth around 24 years of age; there was yet another Pharaoh, the son of Thutmose-II (and the father of Amenhotep-II), in between these two and he was the one who had played with Moses at childhood; he had come about 1500 BC at the throne and ruled for about 50 years to 1450 BC (the first 22 years or so of which, his step-mother Hatshepsut shared his rule up-to her death as when he came to authority, he was too young to manage the matters of the state); so there were three Pharaoh that Moses-AS encountered though he had little to do with the first who died when he was at his childhood and the second was not much hostile to him as they had been playful mates at the royal palace of the Pharaoh at childhood; it was the third Pharaoh (Amenhotep-II) to whom Moses presented the message of Allah when He made him His Messenger to the Pharaoh and he was the Pharaoh who drowned with his army; please see also my writing “Pentateuch by the Islamic view” available at www.saleemdada.weebly.com; this is how I, MSD, deduct the issue of timing as calculated guess yet keeping to the safe side, please note that this timing might be incorrect and certainly, Allah knows better; it happened that Moses-AS attached himself to the Bani-Israel in whom he belonged when he came at his adolescence; it happened that once he saw one of the Egyptian persons beating one of the persons of Bani-Israel and as the man called him for help, he punched the Egyptian person so hard that he died by that blow on the spot and he regretted that at that very time; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the second and the third Ruku of Surah QASAS narrate the incident that the next day, the same man from the Bani-Israel was calling him to help him against another person from amongst the Egyptians; Moses scolded him by harsh words and as he advanced to hold the Egyptian back, the man from the Bani-Israel said to him that it seems that Moses does not intend to become someone to better things; this is because he thought that as Moses has scolded him, he would now take him to task and not the Egyptian; the secret came into open that it was Moses who had accidentally killed the Egyptian the previous day and the news reached the palace; before the end of the day, a man sincere to Moses having access at the court of Pharaoh came hurriedly to Moses and told him that the courtiers are consulting to kill him so he must depart from there fast; note that he did not state that the Pharaoh also was included in this consultation and this gives the hint that this was the one who had played with Moses at their childhood; he then left for Madyan fearful and vigilant and his plea to Allah tells how severe the Egyptians were to those persons among the Bani-Israel who acted harshly against someone of them (while Moses had killed one of them though that was an accident); he had asked Allah “O my Lord - deliver me from the unjust folk” (Surah QASAS-21); he did reach Madyan and there it happened that he found the place to settle; Al-Hamdu Lillah; when Moses reached Madyan, he saw two young girls with their sheep who were standing away from the crowd that was providing their cattle and animals water to drink from the well; he asked them about their-selves and they said that they wait till these farmers provide water to their cattle then they advance and give the drinks to their sheep; and their father is a very old man; this answer gives some clue to the living manner of the household of those ladies; the first is that they were so refined as not to mingle with the men at such gathering where they had to attend; second is that they had such natural care to HEJAB that they did not begin talks with any unrelated man unless they were spoken to or unless they found it totally necessary; third is that their answer is brief yet comprehensive and they had the understanding that Moses need to know why no man from their household has attended to this task rather than these two ladies; fourth is that their answer clarifies that there was only their father as their caretaker and he is extremely old so with the state of morals of these farmers, the best thing was that they take the task of providing the waters to their cattle to their own selves; fifth is that they did not ask Moses to do the task for them yet Moses had the etiquette to water their cattle when they did need it (and they did appreciate it as the AAYAT ahead implies that they had mentioned him to their father in good terms); the old man called him through one of his two daughters and she gave him his message with necessary care to HEJAB; when Moses told the old man about his plight, he soothed him that he is out of troubles with him insha-Allah; note that this old man was one of the believers in the true guidance he had received from SHOAIB-AS who had long passed away; the other of his daughters told her father to keep him at service because he is QAVI (capable to do the necessary tasks needed) and AMIN (trustworthy with honesty); note here how sharp her observation was about Moses and the Quran relates the words of ZELIKHA at Surah YOUSUF (AAYAT-53) and the words of the Queen of Sheba at Surah NAML (AYAT-34) that denote the high understanding of the human nature which both of these women had in their own respective manner; note also that for the Muslim person, these two qualities are the basis to the service that is asked from him as when he is capable to serve according to his liability, he would honestly put that capability to the best use; Surah NAML-39 also tells the need for these two qualities as the JINN who offered to bring the throne of the Queen of Sheba for Solomon-AS mentioned these two that he is capable to do the job and he is so trustworthy that he would bring it directly to him for sure; now, her father accepted her request and asked Moses to serve them for eight years if he finds it well in return of which he would marry one of his daughters to him; and if he would serve for two more years, that would be good by his own will; so Moses accepted the deal and served him for ten years at the place; he might have stayed for few more years at MADYAN by his own intention but the Quran has kept silence on that; then, he took his family and intended for some other place to reside when on the route, he saw some light as fire at the side of the Mount TOOR; those were the cold nights and he told his family that he had seen some fire so they would wait as he brings some news of the way and better still, some brand of fire that they might be able to get warmth for themselves; when he got near to that place, he heard the voice of Allah, the true Lord, that “O Moses – I am Allah, the true Lord of all the worlds”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; there he got the two significant signs from Allah that his staff changed to the huge serpent as he put it down and became his staff as he picked it up and when he put his hand inside his bosom and pulled it out, it lighted without any affliction; Allah told him to draw his hand near to him if he fears anything so that would soothe him; with these signs, Allah sent him to Pharaoh and his people and on his request, his brother Aaron was also appointed as one of the Prophets with him (as Moses had the issue of stutter); Allah told him that Pharaoh and his people would be unable to harm any of them even though he had accidentally killed one of their men; the Quran tells clearly that the Pharaoh and his people did not believe in the message of Allah that Moses and Aaron brought to them and they rather mocked him; he showed them the two amazing miracles but they took it as plain magic and rejected the message; even though they brought the skilled magicians of the time against him, they lost the contest and in fact, they accepted the message of Moses and Aaron as they saw plainly that what they have just encountered is miracle and certainly not magic; note that one of the men from among the family members of Pharaoh at the court (who had become the true Muslim and until now, had concealed his belief) had defended Moses at the court when there was an advice to kill him and he even cited the punishments that had come upon the nation of Noah and AAD and THAMUD; he even reminded them that Yusuf-AS (Joseph) had guided them to the Truth and they had ignored his guidance; when Yusuf died, they thought with pleasure that there would be no one to guide them to the right path again; now when Moses is providing the message of Allah to them and asking them to free the Bani-Israel from captivity, they are reluctant to do it; this is the most lengthy speech of this good person that the Quran has recorded at Surah MOMEN (that means the true believer) from its fourth Ruku onwards; Al-Hamdu Lillah; there were nine of signs that Allah showed Pharaoh and his people yet they did not accept the fundamental teachings of Islam; besides his staff that changed to the huge serpent and the shining hand, there were (iii) draughts (shortage of crops), (iv) diminution of fruits (this also means lesser returns to efforts) (v) TOOFAAN (hail-storm), (vi) locusts, (vii) lice, (viii) frogs and (ix) blood; the sixteenth Ruku of AARAAF provides this clearly; Al-Hamdu Lillah; as they persisted on the disbelief, Allah told Moses to lead the Bani-Israel to safety and they crossed the Red Sea that gave way to them all when Moses struck the waters there with his staff by the command of Allah; but the Pharaoh and his army that followed them were drowned there while the Bani-Israel looked on to it; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah had commanded Moses to lead them to Canaan but fearing the strong persons there, the Bani-Israel refused to challenge them and asked Moses to fight them for the Bani-Israel; they had seen how amazingly Allah had rescued them by the staff of Moses and wanted him to get the land for them so he became very sad and he said to Allah, the true Lord, that he has power only over himself and his brother so now Allah separates them from the rebellious people; Allah told him that the land would remain forbidden to them for forty years and they would wander about at earth (see Surah MA’EDAH-25 & 26); they made their base at Sinai and their generation grew there that had not seen slavery who conquered the lands in the command of Joshua-AS as Aaron and Moses had died there during this period; at Sinai, Allah told Moses to hit his ASA (Staff) upon the huge specific stone there and by that strike, twelve springs gushed out of that (see the note at the seventh Ruku of Surah BAQARAH); it is interesting to note that when Moses was leading Bani-Israel to safety when the Pharaoh and his army were following them, it was this ASA the strike of which produced the way at the river so it parted the waters then; now the strike of the same at the huge stone brought forth the twelve springs of the fresh water from it; Al-Hamdu Lillah; there were twelve tribes of Bani-Israel (as Israel-AS had twelve sons and the descendants of each one became a tribe of Bani-Israel) so each of the tribes assigned one of the springs to them; Allah asked them to eat the MANN (the sweet that manifested there) and SALWA (the small birds that used to come there) and drink from the springs; that would keep them safe from making such mischief that might lead to FASAD so the taking-in of these wonderful edibles and the miraculous water certainly had some blessing from Allah in them that these would have kept them away from all such mischief by the permission of Allah; so the intake of anything affects the Man even in the spiritual sense and the Quran asks at places to take care about what he eats; Moses hurried to the Mount TOOR to meet Allah leaving the charge of Bani-Israel to Aaron where Allah provided him the Ten Commandments at tablets about which we have studied at the Nineteenth Ruku of Surah AN’AAM; he said to Allah that he wants to see Him but Allah told him that it is not possible; He told him to look at the mountain, if it remains firm in its place, then he would see Him; but when Allah, the true Lord, manifested His glory to the mountain, He made it crumble and Moses fell down in a swoon; when he recovered, he praised Allah and said that he was the first of the believers; Allah told him that the Bani-Israel had taken a calf that the magician SAMIRI had made for them (using ornaments in it) as something to worship and he returned to them in anger and grief; he asked Aaron about the event and he told him that he tried his best to stop them but they would not listen and came near to killing him; Moses told SAMIRI that he would be wandering about asking people not to touch him (so it seems that he was affected by some affliction in which any touch to his physique gave him pain) and then Moses destroyed the calf (see Surah TA-HA-90 to 98); after that, he taught the Bani-Israel the Ten Commandments that they were reluctant to accept as the word of Allah at first and only accepted them when seventy of their men vouched for them; it was here at Sinai that Moses had gone away for some period of time to meet the man whom Allah had given the knowledge of some future events and who was one of the Prophets (called as KHIDR with differences in spelling and pronunciation); the incidents that took place at their meeting are reported at Surah KAHF; Bani-Israel certainly were highly difficult people to guide yet Moses (& Aaron) did their best in providing them the true guidance though Moses undoubtedly had temper against their wrongs; he lived for about 120 years (and Aaron had died even before him) and it was only after his death at Sinai that the Bani-Israel managed to fight the enemy to conquer them after residing there for the period of forty years; we have studied much about the wrongs of Bani-Israel at Surah BAQARAH and now we need to keep the significant events in the life of Moses in view where the AAYAAT relate to them as that would make their Tafsir insha-Allah most convenient; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Sixteenth Ruku
130. And certainly We overtook Pharaoh's people with droughts and diminution of fruits that they may be mindful.
131. But when good befell them they said: This is due to us; and when evil afflicted them, they attributed it to the ill-luck of Musa and those with him; surely their evil fortune is only from Allah but most of them do not know.
132. And they said: Whatever sign you may bring to us to charm us with it-- we will not believe in you.
133. Therefore We sent upon them the flood, and the locusts and the lice and the frog and the blood, clear signs; but they behaved haughtily and they were a guilty people.
134. And when the plague fell upon them, they said: O Musa - pray for us to your Lord as He has promised with you, if you remove the plague from us, we will certainly believe in you and we will certainly send away with you the children of Israel.
135. But when We removed the plague from them till a term which they should attain lo - they broke (the promise).
136. Therefore We inflicted retribution on them and drowned them in the sea because they rejected Our signs and were heedless of them.
137. And We made the people who were deemed weak to inherit the eastern lands and the western ones which We had blessed; and the good word of your Lord was fulfilled in the children of Israel because they bore up (sufferings) patiently; and We utterly destroyed what Pharaoh and his people had wrought and what they built.
138. And We made the children of Israel to pass the sea; then they came upon a people who kept to the worship of their idols, they said: O Musa - make for us a god as they have (their) gods He said: Surely you are a people acting ignorantly:
139. (As to) these, surely that about which they are shall be brought to naught and that which they do is vain.
140. He said: What - shall I seek for you a god other than Allah while He has made you excel (all) created things?
141. And when We delivered you from Pharaoh's people who subjected you to severe torment, killing your sons and sparing your women, and in this there was a great trial from your Lord.
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This Ruku tells about the seven other signs besides his staff that changed to the huge serpent and the shining hand, that Allah showed to Pharaoh and his people and their reaction to it; they took it all the effect of the spell of magic that they thought Moses was putting on them and said this openly that whenever Moses enchants them, they would not believe in him; when they found anything good to them, they claimed that they are rightful to it and when some affliction took them over, they attributed its responsibility to Moses; this was the trend of the disbelievers that they blamed Messengers on their afflictions and there were such disbelievers even at the times of Muhammad PBUH who took him responsible for their afflictions (see Surah NISAA-78); we have learnt at the narrative of Adam-AS that the Satan blamed Adam for his fall; the seven other signs that Allah showed to them were draughts (extreme shortage of crops), diminution of fruits (scarcity of fruits and this also means lesser returns to efforts),TOOFAAN (hail-storm that killed them in most high numbers), locusts (that attacked their crops), lice (that attacked their cattle and infected them), frogs (that were all over their place in hundreds) and blood (that manifested at their drinking water); though they had mentioned that they would never believe in Moses yet at each of their afflictions, they asked Moses to ask Allah to remove this trouble and they would not only believe in him but they would also send the Bani-Israel with him; but whenever Allah removed their affliction till the time they had to reach (to attain their destruction by drowning), they broke their promise; so Allah drowned them all that were following Moses and the Bani-Israel because they had rejected many of His signs with most uncaring attitude to them; then He provided the people who were deemed weak to inherit the eastern lands and the western ones which He had blessed (that was at Syria); and His good word proved fulfilled for the Bani-Israel because they bore up all the sufferings patiently (though it was after their stay at SINAI for forty years); and He utterly destroyed what Pharaoh and his people had wrought (to keep the Bani-Israel in their slavery) and (their benefits of) whatever huge towers they had built; and Allah brought the Bani-Israel across the sea, and they came unto a people who were worshipping the idols which they had; they asked Moses to make for them a god as they have these idols as gods; he told the Bani-Israel that they still were such people who took even the sober matters ignorantly; for these idolaters, note well that Allah would destroy their way and so whatever that they are doing is totally in vain; he told them clearly that it is complete disbelief in Allah if he asks them to worship any other than Allah and they must remember that He has made them excel all the peoples of the world so it is most sinful for them to ask for such idiocy; Allah reminded them that He had rescued them from the Pharaoh and his people who had put such affliction to them that they slew their male children and let their female children survive; that period was the most trying time when Allah, the true Lord, tested their endurance; after such times of extreme slavery, now when they are free to set their lives by the true guidance with Moses-AS and Aaron-AS among them, they must remain attached to the directions of these Messengers of Allah without any care to their base desires that would only lead them to the total disgrace at the worldly life and to the most severe punishment at the Day of Judgment; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Seventeenth Ruku
142. And We appointed with Musa a time of thirty nights and completed them with ten (more), so the appointed time of his Lord was complete forty nights, and Musa said to his brother Aaron: Take my place among my people, and act well and do not follow the way of the mischief-makers.
143. And when Musa came at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said: My Lord - show me (Thyself), so that I may look upon You. He said: You cannot (bear to) see Me but look at the mountain, if it remains firm in its place, then will you see Me; but when his Lord manifested His glory to the mountain He made it crumble and Musa fell down in a swoon; then when he recovered, he said: Glory be to You, I turn to You, and I am the first of the believers.
144. He said: O Musa - surely I have chosen you above the people with My messages and with My words, therefore take hold of what I give to you and be of the grateful ones.
145. And We ordained for him in the tablets admonition of every kind and clear explanation of all things; so take hold of them with firmness and enjoin your people to take hold of what is best thereof; I will show you the abode of the transgressors.
146. I will turn away from My AAYAAT those who are unjustly proud in the earth; and if they see every sign they will not believe in it; and if they see the way of rectitude they do not take it for a way, and if they see the way of error, they take it for a way; this is because they rejected Our AAYAAT and were heedless of them.
147. And (as to) those who reject Our AAYAAT and the meeting of the hereafter, their deeds are null. Shall they be rewarded except for what they have done?
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The AAYAAT tell that Moses hurried to TOOR as Allah had taken the promise from him to be there for thirty days and Allah gave him the Ten Commandments at that time; he stayed there for thirty days and then Allah asked him to stay for ten more days so it became forty days; note that forty days and forty years is such period that is often mentioned by the ULAMA of Islam as significant for the spread of Islamic teachings because it has some latent capability to purify the self when the person is attentive to Allah; the Quran tells us, “and We have enjoined on the Man doing of good to his parents; with trouble did his mother bear him and with trouble did she bring him forth; and the bearing of him and the weaning of him was thirty months; until when he attains his maturity and reaches forty years, he says: My Lord! grant me that I may give thanks for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do good which pleases Thee and do good to me in respect of my offspring; surely I turn to Thee and surely I am of those who submit” (Surah AHQAAF-15); Al-Hamdu Lillah; note also that it is forty centuries at these current times that have passed since Abraham-AS taught the fundamental teachings of Islam at the ancient Babylon; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT tells that Moses had appointed Aaron to care for the Bani-Israel so he was not worried about them; however, from the times they had seen the idolaters worship their idols, many of them had developed some love for idols and that led them to take the calf that SAMIRI magician built for them as an object to worship in the absence of Moses and the Ruku ahead presents their most unjust attitude at its first AAYAT; this Ruku at study tells us that Moses asked Allah to show His presence to Moses and to that request, Allah told him that he is unable to see Him; note that nobody is able to see Allah at the worldly life and He is such that our perception is not able to perceive Him; the Quran says, “no vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision - He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things” (Surah AN’AAM-103); it is only at AKHIRAT that the persons that have received JANNAH would see Him and that is the best of His blessings there and He only knows how that would take place; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah told him to see the mount so if it would hold then he would be able to see Him; as Allah manifested His glory to that place at the mount, it crumbled and Moses fell in swoon; when he recovered, he praised Allah and said that he was the first of the believers that it is not possible to see Him at the worldly life (it is the place of examination where the true Muslim person has to believe in the GHAYB); to believe in the GHAYB means to believe in the fundamental teachings of Islam that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord; and the Day of Judgment would come most certainly; and all the Messengers of Allah have given this same message and Muhammad PBUH, the last of Messengers, has provided it for all persons that come at the world from his time to ahead and at any of places there; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah told him that He has chosen him over all the persons by giving him the status of one of the Messengers and by speaking to him directly so he would take whatever is given to him and would be grateful to Allah (so when the person remains firm in the fulfillment of the commands of Allah, he would see Him); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT ahead tells that Allah wrote (or asked Moses to write) Torah at the tablets which had the ten Commandments that were necessary advises and elucidation to all the necessary commands of Allah; He asked Moses to remain most committed to these Commandments and ask his nation too to remain committed to it in practice; if they remain committed, AYAT-145 tells that “Allah will show them the abode of the sinful persons” (that means He would provide authority to them at that abode ultimately); it took them forty years to get authority there at that particular area in the ancient Syria and the AAYAAT present the matter in such manner that for those that were with Moses at that time did come near to seeing that land but for their descendants, it meant that they would get their authority there; Allah told him that He would turn all such persons away from understanding of His AAYAAT (signs, miracles, the true guidance) who have extreme arrogance (as they adhere to disbelief) for which they have no right, so whenever they would see any sign that leads clearly to Allah, they would not believe it and whenever they would see the true guidance, they would not make it their way; but whenever they see such manners that lead them to challenge the commands of Allah, they would take that wrongful manners as their way to follow; that is because they adhered with extreme adherence to the disbelief of the AAYAAT of Allah and ignored its application totally; note that we get the concept of TOFIQ here that whoever remains committed to the AAYAAT of Allah, he would achieve total relevance to the true guidance; but whoever adheres totally to disbelief and has the arrogance to state that he undoubtedly is on the right, he would come to that position inside where he would become totally unable to see the right path and would become totally unable to make his deeds right; so the Muslim person who believes in all Islamic concepts truly and he really wants to achieve firmness in the world of knowledge, he would keep to those concepts and he would state humbly about his own observations that this he reckons fair and Allah knows better; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the Ruku plainly puts the matter that those who disbelieve in AAYAAT of Allah and on the Day of Judgment, their seemingly good deeds would go to waste; shall they be rewarded except for what they have done?; the worldly life is an examination where the person has to show that he certainly is worthy of getting JANNAH that certainly is his actual dwelling place; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Eighteenth Ruku
148. And Musa's people made of their ornaments a calf after him, a (mere) body, which gave a mooing sound. What - could they not see that it did not speak to them nor guide them in the way? They took it (for worship) and they were unjust.
149. And when they repented and saw that they had gone astray, they said: If our Lord show not mercy to us and forgive us we shall certainly be of the losers.
150. And when Musa returned to his people, wrathful (and) in violent grief, he said: Evil is it that you have done after me; did you turn away from the bidding of your Lord? And he threw down the tablets and seized his brother by the head, dragging him towards him. He said: Son of my mother - surely the people reckoned me weak and had well-nigh slain me, therefore make not the enemies to rejoice over me and count me not among the unjust people.
151. He said: My Lord - forgive me and my brother and cause us to enter into Your mercy, and You are the most Merciful of the merciful ones.
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This Ruku relates about the extreme wrong of those persons amongst the Bani-Israel who took the calf that SAMIRI magician had made by the ornaments in their possession; it was only a body that made a mooing sound that meant nothing, so obviously it neither spoke to them nor guided them to the right path; they took it only because they were most unjust persons but when they realized that they had made an extremely idiotic mistake and have undoubtedly gone astray from the right path, they asked Allah for mercy and forgiveness as without them, they knew that they would become extreme losers at AKHIRAT; Allah ordered that their near ones would execute them by death as that certainly would be better for them (see AAYAT-54 of BAQARAH at its sixth Ruku); when Moses returned towards them angry and grieved that the idiotic mistake that they had committed behind him, shows that they had not awaited the command of Allah that would have kept them to the right path; so in his anger, he put the tablets at one side and he took Aaron by head dragging him to himself; he told him that he tried his best to guide them to the right path but they considered him as naught and came near to killing him (and he feared that Moses would consider him as the cause of division amongst the Bani-Israel if he left them and followed to Moses) so he should not make those persons rejoice over him who had taken enmity to him just because he told them clearly to leave all of their extreme wrong-doing; they would undoubtedly rejoice that they had belittled him in the eyes of his brother; therefore, Moses should not count him amongst these most unjust persons that were involved in this extreme idiocy; note that even when Aaron saw that Moses was in the state of anger and grief, he gave his valid reasoning to his calculated stance in plain words and Moses accepted it without any more complaints; both certainly were the most honorable Messengers of Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT states the plea of Moses to Allah, “he said - O my Lord - forgive me and my brother and cause us to enter into Your mercy, and You are the most Merciful of the merciful ones”; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Nineteenth Ruku
152. (As for) those who took the calf (for a god), surely wrath from their Lord and disgrace in this world's life shall overtake them, and thus do We recompense the devisers of lies.
153. And (as to) those who do evil deeds, then repent after that and believe, your Lord after that is most surely Forgiving, Merciful.
154. And when Musa's anger calmed down he took up the tablets, and in the writing thereof was guidance and mercy for those who fear for the sake of their Lord.
155. And Musa chose out of his people seventy men for Our appointment; so when the earthquake overtook them, he said: My Lord - if You had pleased, You had destroyed them before and myself (too); will You destroy us for what the fools among us have done? It is naught but Your trial, You make err with it whom You please and guide whom You please: You are our Guardian, therefore forgive us and have mercy on us, and You are the best of the forgivers.
156. And ordain for us good in this world's life and in the hereafter, for surely we turn to You. He said: (As for) My chastisement, I will afflict with it whom I please, and My mercy encompasses all things; so I will ordain it (specially) for those who guard (against evil) and pay the poor-rate, and those who believe in Our AAYAAT.
157. Those who follow the Apostle-Prophet, the UMMI whom they find written down with them in the Torah and the INJIL (who) enjoins them good and forbids them evil, and makes lawful to them the good things and makes unlawful to them impure things, and removes from them their burden and the shackles which were upon them; so (as for) those who believe in him and honor him and help him, and follow the light which has been sent down with him, these it is that are the successful.
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The Ruku continues the narration of those persons among the Bani-Israel who worshipped the calf; Allah put His wrath upon them (that He commanded their execution to death) and they were disgraced (by the humiliation of submission to death for their unjust doing); so this is how Allah punishes those who devise extreme lies; and Allah, the true Lord, forgives those (at AKHIRAT) who repent truly after they had committed extreme wrongs and come to the true belief because after its commitment and TAUBAH (repentance), Allah certainly is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-154 tells that when the anger of Moses calmed down, he picked up the tablets and in its written text, were the Guidance to the right path and the blessing of Allah for those who truly feared their Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next AAYAT tells the incident when Moses took seventy of men from Bani-Israel by the permission of Allah so that they might conform going with him to TOOR that the tablets truly have the message of Allah in them; see also the note at the sixth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH where we had studied this; Moses asked Allah to write for all of them the goodness of the worldly life (that they get their necessities easily) and the goodness of AKHIRAT (that is JANNAH which is the true success) when they are attentive only to Allah; He told Moses that His wrath gets those only whom He wills but His blessing is on everything; He also told Moses that it would only be written for those persons who have TAQWA to Allah and they give SADAQAH (the charity to the poor and to the needy in the way of Allah) and they truly believe in His AAYAAT (so they care for their SALAH and show patience where that is needed); Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-157 tells that whoever from the people of the Book, believe and follow the last Messenger Muhammad PBUH, they certainly would receive the success at AKHIRAT; the last Prophet Muhammad PBUH is introduced here by some significant qualities; the first of them is that he is that Messenger (RASUL) who is the Prophet (NABI) that is unable to read or write; note the difference between RASUL and NABI that RASUL is sent to some nation specifically to provide them the message of Allah emphatically (that is the same in essence that all Messengers of Allah had provided) while NABI provides more elucidation to that message that the RASUL had provided to that nation (and as RASUL is NABI also so he conforms the previous RASUL too by the message of Allah that he gives); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the second of them is that they find him written in Torah and mentioned in INJIL; note the verses of Deuteronomy that say, “and the Lord said to me (O Moses), they have well [spoken that] which they have spoken; I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren (from the descendants of the brother of Isaac) like you (note that there is much similarity between Moses-AS and Muhammad PBUH), and will put My words in his mouth (he used to repeat the words of the Quran as they descended on him); and he will speak to them all that I will command him (in the Quran) - (Deuteronomy 18 - 17&18); another of verses say, “and this [is] the blessing, whereby Moses, the man of God, blessed the Children of Israel before his death; And he said that the Lord came from Sinai (where He revealed Torah to Moses-AS), and rose up from Seir to them (where He provided the wisdom of INJIL to Jesus-AS); He shined forth from Mount Paran (QARAN at al-Hijaz) and He came with ten thousands of saints (that was at Makkah where Muhammad PBUH entered at its conquest with ten thousand of SAHABA), from His right hand [went] a fiery law for them (Deuteronomy 33 – 1&2); Jesus Christ-AS too had given such statements that according to us Muslims refer to Muhammad PBUH (please see also my writings “the Expressions of Quran” and “Pentateuch – the Islamic View”); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the third of them is that he instructs them to the good deeds and prohibits them from the bad deeds; so he guides those who accept the Truth towards the right path and stops them from going away from it by asking them to keep away from all wrongs; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the fourth of them is that he makes the pure things (in edibles) lawful to them and impure things unlawful; note that the Muslims would not eat anything impure or/and prohibited (by the Quran and the SUNNAH) as it affects the inside adversely (and that is why Allah prohibited proximity even, to Adam and Eve to that tree that had the prohibited fruit and eating of which caused their respective private parts to come into the view of the other); so by accepting Muhammad PBUH as the last Messenger of Allah, they would take-in only the pure things and not any impure things inside; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the fifth of them is that he removes from them their burden and the shackles which were upon them; this fact is highly significant to note that when the person lives with such manner that is affected by the disregard to the practice of the Islamic manner of living, then Allah puts different troubles on such living-manner (and even such environment) as there the rule applies that only the “might is right”; so there are troubles to get even the necessities of living fair due to the policies of the administration there and even due to the dealings that the individuals take-up with each other; the observant person would see that documentation that asks for the registration of properties, the registration of different assets, the registration of businesses, the registration of the off-spring and the registration for the person of his own self even, at the Government institutions due to the law of the land does prove very burdensome to the common man; this is because the teachings of Islam are given value but little in practice there and this certainly is most significant to note well that Islam does not ask or even appreciate such documentation; the teachings of Islam that the last Messenger Muhammad PBUH taught all the peoples of the world provide the most convenience in keeping the life to normal manner rather than bound to such useless burdens and futile shackles that trouble the life; may Allah give some good understanding to the peoples of the world for the true betterment of the whole of the world; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT culminates into the statement that those who believe in him truly and honor him highly (by standing by him in most difficult times) and help him with all things that they do have (tangible or intangible), and follow the light (i.e. the Quran) which has been sent down with him, these it is that are truly successful (and this certainly would manifest at the Day of Judgment); Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Twentieth Ruku
158. Say: O people - surely I am the Apostle of Allah to you all, of Him Whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth there is no god but He; He brings to life and causes to die therefore believe in Allah and His apostle, the UMMI Prophet who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him so that you may walk in the right path.
159. And of Musa's people was a party who guided (people) with the truth, and thereby did they do justice.
160. And We divided them into twelve tribes, as nations; and We revealed to Musa when his people asked him for water: Strike the rock with your staff, so out came from it twelve springs; each tribe knew its drinking place; and We made the clouds to give shade over them and We sent to them manna and quails: Eat of the good things We have given you. And they did not do Us any harm, but they did injustice to their own souls.
161. And when it was said to them: Reside in this town and eat from it wherever you wish, and say, Put down from us our heavy burdens: and enter the gate making obeisance, We will forgive you your wrongs: We will give more to those who do good (to others).
162. But those who were unjust among them changed it for a saying other than that which had been spoken to them; so We sent upon them a pestilence from heaven because they were unjust.
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The Ruku starts by asking the last of Messengers of Allah that is Muhammad PBUH to state plainly for all peoples of the world that he is the Messenger of Allah to all of them; Allah sent other of His Messengers to their specific nations but Muhammad PBUH is His last Messenger to all peoples of the world as there would be no one else to come now and the Quran is His final message to the world that Muhammad PBUH has defined well by his SUNNAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah is the true Lord Whose kingdom is the heavens and the earth (and all that is between them); there is no god but He; He brings every living thing to life and causes it to die therefore believe in Allah and His Prophet, who is UMMI (i.e. unable to read and write) who believes in Allah and His words (so Allah has blessed him with highest of wisdom), and follow him so that you may walk in the right path; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT states that there certainly are some of the persons in the people of Moses who have followed the Truth and have taken commands according to it only; the AAYAT notes them by the term “the people of Moses” rather than by the term “Bani-Israel” here and this indicates that the true followers of Moses are those who have adhered to the Truth; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the three AAYAAT ahead tell that Allah divided them into twelve tribes and He commanded Moses to hit the rock by his staff that provided twelve springs for them to drink water, each of them for each of their tribes; Allah reminds them now of the shade of the cloud that He provided them at the desert and the MANN (the sweetmeat that manifested in the mornings at the trees) and the SALWA (the small edible bird that came in the evenings near to the area where they resided) that He provided them to eat there; these were the pure edibles that Allah gave them but they asked for different vegetables that they used to take-in at Egypt so in a way, they rejected what Allah has provided for them and that was injustice to their own self; they cared for the worldly life more than AKHIRAT and when at the times of Joshua-AS, Allah commanded them to enter the land of ARIHA with the most humble attitude and say words to the effect that denoted their plea for the forgiveness of their wrongs, they mocked the command to take up the humble attitude by posing some disgraceful manner to enter the gates of it and instead of the plea for forgiveness, they uttered such words that showed their total inclination to get the produce of the land; at this attitude, Allah put His wrath on them and many thousands of them died at the place that they took over, due to the deadly plague sent over them which they encountered there; it was the city that they conquered before the conquest of Jerusalem (that also occurred in the command of Joshua); if they had spoken the term that denoted that they repent on their wrongs, then Allah would have forgiven their wrongs and had given them more of His mercy yet they chose to become sinful and so Allah sent the punishment of the deadly plague over them; we all have studied this before and so these AAYAAT are most clear that tell that Allah chose them to remain firm on His message and to spread it well, yet they chose to be most sinful to Him, Who is the true Lord, and that ultimately led to their extreme disgrace; Allah removed them from their prominent status and provided the task of keeping to the Truth with firmness and of providing the message of Allah to the whole world, to the Muslims at the times of the last Prophet Muhammad PBUH; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Twenty-First Ruku
163. And ask them about the town which stood by the sea; when they exceeded the limits of the Sabbath, when their fish came to them on the day of their Sabbath, appearing on the surface of the water, and on the day on which they did not keep the Sabbath they did not come to them; thus did We try them because they transgressed.
164. And when a party of them said: Why do you admonish with a severe chastisement? They said: To be free from blame before your Lord, and that haply they may guard (against evil).
165. So when they neglected what they had been reminded of, We delivered those who forbade evil and We overtook those who were unjust with an evil chastisement because they transgressed.
166. Therefore when they revoltingly persisted in what they had been forbidden, We said to them: Be (as) apes, despised and hated.
167. And when your Lord announced that He would certainly send against them to the day of resurrection those who would subject them to severe torment; most surely your Lord is quick to requite (evil) and most surely He is Forgiving, Merciful.
168. And We cut them up on the earth into parties, (some) of them being righteous and (others) of them falling short of that, and We tried them with blessings and misfortunes that they might turn.
169. Then there came after them an evil posterity who inherited the Book, taking only the frail good of this low life and saying: It will be forgiven us. And if the like good came to them, they would take it (too). Was not a promise taken from them in the Book that they would not speak anything about Allah but the truth, and they have read what is in it; and the abode of the hereafter is better for those who guard (against evil). Do you not then understand?
170. And (as for) those who hold fast by the Book and keep up prayer, surely We do not waste the reward of the right doers.
171. And when We shook the mountain over them as if it were a covering overhead, and they thought that it was going to fall down upon them: Take hold of what We have given you with firmness, and be mindful of what is in it, so that you may guard (against evil).
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This Ruku tells about the inclination of the nation of Moses towards the worldly life and uncaring attitude towards the AKHIRAT in different ways; it commences with the incident that took place among a faction of them which had resided in a town near ARIHA that was near waters; as Sabbath (Saturday) was the holy day for them in which they did not take up any works for the worldly finances so they were disallowed to catch fish at Sabbath; now it happened that the fish used to come in plenty at the water near to them on that day and refrained from the site at other days; they saw this obvious issue every Sabbath and this annoyed them and many of them devised some plan to get the fish on that day even though prohibited; the plan generally was that they made channels to deep ditches that they had dug at other days than Sabbath and opened the way to it on Fridays; this led the fish to come with the waves to their ditches at that day from which they were unable to escape; on Sundays, they collected those fish and so they disobeyed the commandment to them yet acted as if they are most obedient to it; the other of those among them who had not participated in such act of atrocity, divided in two groups with respect to them of which one guided them that this excuse that they have devised is worthless and would bring the wrath of Allah upon them and the other felt secure in taking silence upon it (in fact, they were dissatisfied of the guidance that the former provided to the wrong-doers whom also they wanted to remain silent upon it); the latter told them that Allah would bring death to them or punish them in some other way severely so why do they worry but they replied that they do guide them to the right attitude because it would bring on record that they did what was obligatory on them and also, the wrong-doers might see the light and repent on their doing; Allah did put His wrath upon them when they got totally involved in their wrong-doing but saved those who guided them to the right attitude; Allah turned them to disgraced monkeys not only in manners but also by looks (with no connection to actual apes as they all died within 3 days); they were unable to speak yet they were conscious of their condition; Allah designated this remarkable event as lesson to all such persons of Bani-Israel that were present at that time and even to all of them that came afterwards that needed the warning; for others, it was something to remember to remain steadfast as MUTTAQIN (persons that have TAQWA); Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the AAYAAT do not state the fate of the group that kept silent on their wrong-doings so mostly the comment for them is that Allah gave them the space to better themselves and speak out the righteousness where necessary; though it does seem that they got the safety from the severe punishment that got the wrong-doers yet they only were liable to it because there were some very good persons in them who were providing the guidance in this issue quite well; in absence of that, Allah would certainly have punished them too most severely; certainly, He only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-167 foretells their fate to which their history bears the testimony; it says, “and when your Lord announced that He would certainly send against them to the day of resurrection those who would subject them to severe torment; most surely your Lord is quick to requite (evil) and most surely He is Forgiving (to those among them who do show adherence to the Truth) and Merciful (to those good persons who are not of them but who have some dealings with them so He would keep them safe from their evil)”; Allah settled this as their constant punishment at the worldly life because they highly disobeyed the commands of Allah and highly disrespected the Prophets that came into them; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah divided them into sects wherein there were good persons and also otherwise and Allah examined them by the good effect of their good deeds and the bad effect of their evil deeds so that they might reflect on their doings; but ultimately their descendants gave-in to the pleasure of the worldly life and though they did inherit the teachings of Torah yet they changed some of its teachings to their benefits in the worldly life and replied to any doubt that was raised to that attitude that they would undoubtedly be forgiven; and in them, there are such persons too that if they get the total of worldly amounts in exchange to the total of teachings of Torah, they would take it without any remorse; they all were bound to the covenant by the command of Allah in it that they would never even speak about something that it is the word of Allah except what is true and they did read it well; Allah had clarified to them that the abode of the hereafter is better for those who keep to TAQWA; but their doings show clearly that they do not understand the consequence of their wrong-doing; but for those who really did keep to the teachings of the book (Torah) and remain attentive to Allah by SALAH, Allah is not going to waste their good deeds and He would provide the total good returns to all such persons who did try their best to better the people near to them up-to their ability; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the Ruku relates the event when Allah placed some light earthquake at their site that caused fear to them as that shook some portion of the Mount of TOOR which they thought, might fall upon them; thereby, He bound them by the covenant to obey Torah with all vigor and to spread its teachings far and wide so that they do achieve TAQWA to Allah and do get the true success at AKHIRAT; there certainly is no compulsion to accept the true guidance and everyone would face the consequence of what he/she believes and does at the worldly life as all would see at AKHIRAT yet the notable point here is that Allah imposed this forced agreement to them because they already had accepted to fulfill the commands of Allah but had stepped back due to the hardship they caused to them; certainly, Allah is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Twenty-Second Ruku
172. And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their backs, their descendants, and made them bear witness against their own souls: Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes - we bear witness. Lest you should say on the day of resurrection: Surely we were heedless of this.
173. Or you should say: Only our fathers associated others (with Allah) before, and we were an offspring after them: Will You then destroy us for what the vain doers did?
174. And thus do We make clear the AAYAAT, and that haply they might return.
175. And recite to them the narrative of him to whom We give Our AAYAAT, but he withdraws himself from them, so the Satan overtakes him, so he is of those who go astray.
176. And if We had pleased, We would certainly have exalted him thereby; but he clung to the earth and followed his low desire, so his parable is as the parable of the dog; if you attack him he lolls out his tongue; and if you leave him alone he lolls out his tongue; this is the parable of the people who reject Our AAYAAT; therefore relate the narrative that they may reflect.
177. Evil is the likeness of the people who reject Our AAYAAT and are unjust to their own souls.
178. Whomsoever Allah guides, he is the one who follows the right way; and whomsoever He causes to err, these are the losers.
179. And certainly We have created for hell many of the jinn and the men; they have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear; they are as cattle, nay, they are in worse errors; these are the heedless ones.
180. And Allah's are the best names, therefore call on Him thereby, and leave alone those who violate the sanctity of His names; they shall be recompensed for what they did.
181. And of those whom We have created are a people who guide with the truth and thereby they do justice.
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The first three AAYAAT of the RUKU relate to the oath that all persons among the mankind took in front of Allah; when He asked them, “Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes - we bear witness”; Allah took this oath at the world of spirits and the AAYAT provides the reason explicitly that Allah took this oath so that there remains no excuse for any person that he had no awareness towards this most important issue; all persons have this awareness at their inside that is named as FITHRAT in the Islamic teachings; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so the actual path for the Man is the virtuous path of Islam and he certainly has the inclination to this Truth inside that the whole of creation manifests that Allah only is the true Lord; so if he ponders upon the universe outside and upon his inside asking Allah for the Guidance to the right path, he would insha-Allah achieve it; Surah HA-MEEM AS-SAJDAH indicates this by the AAYAT-53 that says, “We shall show them Our signs in the horizons and in themselves until it would become manifest unto them that this only is the Truth; does not your Lord suffice, since He is Witness over all things?”; though there is huge advancement in the awareness of matters that relate to science yet the peoples of the world have ignored much of the moral values that ask to keep the usage of the scientific gadgets to their specific sphere in practice; as this huge advancement took place at Europe initially where they cared for the Islamic teachings but little, it needs now at these current times, the good power of observation especially at the fields of astronomy, medicine and psychology to take the needed from the huge advancement and to discard what challenges the Islamic moral values due to SADDE-ZARA’E (the stopping of means that have the high potential to lead to the major sins); the Muslims need to remain cautious about what to take and what to leave here as there are attitudes and acceptance of attitudes in these three fields that Islam does not appreciate; note that much of the teachings of Islam are ignored at such astronomical ventures in the name of learning that use-up much huge resources whereas they could have been employed at the betterment of the grave economic conditions of the needy persons at the world; note also that much of the teachings of Islam are ignored at the health-care at hospitals due to its management by the male and the female staff there together; note also that much of the Islamic teachings are ignored at the study of the attitudes of the humankind in the name of psychology where there is no respect given to the fact that there is the natural inclination inside all men (and women) towards the fundamental teachings of Islam as the physique has the natural tendency to its homeostasis; with adverse attitudes, we find amazingly deadly weapons just due to the desire to rule and be at the head of things (and what foolishness this attitude is), that has put all the peoples of the world into an unplaced fear so apart from atrocities in the fields of astronomy, medicine and psychology that clearly denote moral deterioration, there are other fields too that show this negativity due to this fact that the students to those have shaped themselves in the name of secularism to give-in to attitudes that undoubtedly ignore the commands of Allah, the true Lord and have shaped themselves by taking the humankind as among the kinds of animals to give in to attitudes that undoubtedly lead to the living-manner of animals only; these both attitudes lead to extreme injustice and to extreme shameful manner of living the worldly life respectively; may Allah provide the good sense to all the peoples of the world to see the Truth as it is; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next four AAYAAT from 175 to 178 state plainly that the good righteous person needs to keep his attention to Allah that keeps that person steadfast on the righteousness as when the Satan affects him adversely at some moment, Allah saves him from the Satan totally; Al-Hamdu Lillah; they present the example of such person who had knowledge of the commands of Allah and he was leading his life on them but then it happened that his love for the worldly status, finances and say among his people led him to avoid those commands and he became as one of the greedy dogs that pursue only the worldly pursuits; some of the ULAMA of Tafsir have mentioned that the name of this person was BAL’AM bin BA’URA who was attached to the righteous teachings in practice but by taking of bribes from his people to curse the Bani-Israel at the command of Joshua-AS that have challenged them at the battlefield (whereas he knew that Joshua was the Prophet of Allah), he lost all his spiritual standing and then he went on to live away from the righteous teachings, in the pursuit of the worldly status; however, note that the AAYAAT relate to all such people that practice the commands of Allah yet have little attention to ask Allah for their safety from the practice of satanic whims that the Satan blows into them; AAYAT-178 states clearly that “whomsoever Allah guides, he is the one who follows the right way; and whomsoever He causes to err, these are the losers”; Allah leads the whole universe and even all the works of the human by His will as only Allah is the true Lord and undoubtedly, all of the virtuous persons need to attach themselves totally to Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last three AAYAAT of the Ruku state that the Man and the Jinn are in the most urgent need to attain the true success at AKHIRAT to save themselves from the hell-fire; Allah had sent His Messengers to guide towards the fundamental teachings of Islam but many of them disbelieved by ignoring their teachings so such disbelieving persons have such eyes that they do not use to see the Truth and such ears that they do not use to hear about it; that is why their hearts do not attach to it and they live on with such attitudes that denote that are completely oblivious to it; so they are like the cattle in animals that go on eating their provisions without much care to observe the surroundings that might lead them to understand the dangers that might fall upon them; in fact, they are even more oblivious as the cattle do raise their heads while they ruminate while these disbelievers go on with their pursuit of the worldly things without care to see the right path for their true success; AAYAT-180 states that Allah has many of good names and the Muslim person would call Him by any of them as he undoubtedly would call Him only; one of the Ahadith tells that “Allah has 99 names and whoever memorizes them, shall enter JANNAH” (BUKHARI); so this means that whoever among the good Muslims attaches himself to Allah by calling Him by different of His names asking Him for safety from the satanic whims, would certainly enter JANNAH though all such persons who call Him by many of His names yet do not care to ask Him for the safety of their selves from the Satan, they would see the punishment of their doings very soon; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the persons who as one group, do attach their selves to Allah truly, Allah gives them the TOFIQ to spread the teachings of Islam and they always live-on their lives by deciding all issues of the life only by the commands of Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Twenty-Third Ruku
182. And (as to) those who reject Our AAYAAT, We draw them near (to destruction) by degrees from whence they know not.
183. And I grant them respite; surely My scheme is effective.
184. Do they not reflect that their companion has not unsoundness in mind; he is only a plain warner.
185. Do they not consider the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever things Allah has created, and that may be their doom shall have drawn nigh; what announcement would they then believe in after this?
186. Whomsoever Allah causes to err, there is no guide for him; and He leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.
187. They ask you about the hour, when will be its taking place? Say: The knowledge of it is only with my Lord; none but He shall manifest it at its time; it will be momentous in the heavens and the earth; it will not come on you but of a sudden. They ask you as if you were solicitous about it. Say that its knowledge is only with Allah, but most people do not know.
188. Say: I do not control any benefit or harm for my own soul except as Allah please; and had I known the unseen I would have had much of good and no harm would have touched me; I am nothing but a warner and the giver of good news to a people who believe.
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The Ruku tells about those persons who disrespect Muhammad PBUH, the Last of Messengers, in any manner; it starts by the statement that those who reject the AAYAAT of the Quran, Allah would take them gradually to destruction in such way that they would never be aware of it till they face it; it happens that the most sinful persons receive wealth, status and even authority at times and they become proud that they undoubtedly are so deserving of these all; but this happens only because Allah takes them to such state where all the doors to betterment close on them; they live by ignorance of the Islamic teachings and even with all their wrongs, sometimes even claim that as everything is so positive towards them, Allah is most pleased with them; Allah gives them the space to commit to wrongs totally and so punishes them in this manner; it is only when the calamity hits them head-on that they understand the adverse effect of their wrongs upon them but then it is too late; they never did reflect on the matter that the Messenger PBUH had no touch of lunacy and he was plainly providing them the warning of severe punishment to them if they did not leave their disbelief; also, they never pondered upon the kingdom of the heavens and the earth (that they see about them at outside) and whatever things Allah has created (for them at inside), and that their doom (i.e. their death) shall have drawn nigh; what announcement would they then believe in after this (when they are seeing that everything faces death yet they do not care that they would die too and then they would face the effect of their doings too)?; when Allah misguides someone due to his wrongs then there remains no one to guide them to the right path and He leaves them in that in such manner that they remain most committed to their wrongs; Allah certainly is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah; there were such disbelievers who could not see the reason for the occurrence of the last day of the world and therefore they asked the Prophet PBUH when it would occur; note that the last day of the world and the first day of AKHIRAT both are often mentioned as QIYAMAT (though it actually is the first day of AKHIRAT i.e. the Day of Judgment); the Holy Book Quran uses other terms for QIYAMAT in the former meaning that are SAA‘AH (the Hour), HAAQQAAH (the Certain Happening), WAAQIAH (the True Event), GHAASHIAH (the Overwhelming Calamity), QAARIAH (the Knocking Calamity) and others; the terms that the Holy Book Quran uses in the latter meaning of QIYAMAT (i.e. the Day of Judgment), are expressed by the addition of YAUM (DAY) as YAUM UD-DIN (the Day of Result with Justice), YAUM UL-AAKHIR (the Last Day which means the first day of AKHIRAT), YAUM UT-TAGHABUN (the Day of Gain & Loss), YAUM UL-HISAAB (the Day of Account), YAUM UL-QIYAMAT (the Day of QIYAMAT) and others; Allah only knows when the last day of the world (i.e. SAA’AH) would occur and He only knows the gap between the last day of the world and the YAUM UL-QIYAMAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah asks the Prophet PBUH to tell the disbelievers that only Allah, the true Lord, knows when it would occur; only Allah would bring it at fore when its time does come and it would become most heavy upon the heavens and upon the earth; it would occur in the most sudden manner on all the peoples at that time; they ask you O Muhammad PBUH as if you could be well-aware of its time of occurrence so tell them that its knowledge is only with Allah; the notable point is that most people do not understand that they need to believe in Allah, the true Lord, and they need to fulfill the commands of Allah as all persons have to stand in front of Him at the Day of Judgment and they need to worry about that; O Muhammad PBUH – tell them that you do not control any benefit or harm for yourself except as Allah wills; and tell them that if you did know the unseen then you surely would have gathered even much more of the benefits at AKHIRAT and nothing harmful would have ever touched you at the worldly life; tell them that you actually are the warner to the bad persons and the giver of the good news to the good persons who believe; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Last Ruku
189. He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate, that he might incline to her; --- so when he covered her she bore a light burden, then moved about with it; but when it grew heavy, they both called upon Allah, their Lord: If You give us a good one, we shall certainly be of the grateful ones.
190. But when He gave them a good one, they set up with Him associates in what He had given them; but high is Allah above what they associate (with Him).
191. What - they associate (with Him) that which does not create anything, while they are themselves created!
192. And they have no power to give them help, nor can they help themselves.
193. And if you invite them to the guidance, they will not follow you; it is the same to you whether you invite them or you are silent.
194. Surely those whom you call on besides Allah are in a state of subjugation like yourselves; therefore call on them, then let them answer you if you are truthful.
195. Have they feet with which they walk, or have they hands with which they hold, or have they eyes with which they see, or have they ears with which they hear? Say: Call your associates, then make a struggle (to prevail) against me and give me no respite.
196. Surely my guardian is Allah, Who revealed the Book, and He befriends the good.
197. And those whom you call upon besides Him are not able to help you, nor can they help themselves.
198. And if you invite them to guidance, they do not hear; and you see them looking towards you, yet they do not see.
199. Take to forgiveness and enjoin good and turn aside from the ignorant.
200. And if some false imputation from the Satan afflicts you, seek refuge in Allah; surely He is Hearing, Knowing.
201. Surely those who guard (against evil), when a visitation from the Satan afflicts them they become mindful, then lo - they see.
202. And their brethren increase them in error, then they cease not.
203. And when you bring them not some revelation they say: Why do you not forge it? Say: I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord; these are clear proofs from your Lord and guidance and mercy for the people who believe.
204. And when the Quran is recited, then listen to it and remain silent, that mercy may be shown to you.
205. And remember your Lord within yourself humbly and fearing and in a voice not loud in the morning and the evening and be not of the heedless ones.
206. Surely those who are near to your Lord are not too proud to serve Him, and they declare His glory and prostrate in humility before Him.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku has two parts according to its meaning whereas the first part of it goes to “that he might incline to her” and the second part goes to the last; note that the AAYAT opens by telling about the creation of Adam-AS and Eve-AS that Allah created them both in other manners than how the person gets his/her life and then it relates to how their descendants got it; we studied at the first AAYAT of Surah NISAA about the creation of the mankind where we found the mention of three types in that creation; first that Allah created Adam by clay and then He created Eve from the rib of Adam; afterwards He spread on all the persons, male and female, at the world by the reproduction process that He has allowed to the mankind (except for Jesus-AS who also was among the mankind yet whose arrival to the world and even departure from the world was most exceptional); the first part here also implies that the woman (Eve-AS) was such virtuous companion to her husband (Adam-AS) in whom he found solace so she was one of the most virtuous gifts of Allah to him; note that we need to relate the other part to any such couple in their descendants who committed SHERK when the woman conceived a child and felt it, because Adam and Eve were never ever involved in SHERK; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so the interpretation needs utmost care at this place which accepts such gap here among the parts that changes the persons that this AAYAT addresses; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the Ruku continues the narration that “but when He gives them a pleasant child (in physique and in looks and even in spiritual traits), they ascribe to others a share in the gift they have received but Allah is exalted high above the partners they ascribe to Him”; these polytheists should realize the extreme idiocy of SHERK so the Ruku tells them by the three AAYAAT ahead - “do they indeed ascribe to Him as partners things that can create nothing and they even are created? (AAYAT-191)- nothing of aid can they give them, nor they can aid themselves (AAYAT-192)- and if you invite them to the guidance, they will not follow you; it remains the same for you whether you invite them or you are silent (AAYAT-193)”; so the first of these AAYAAT tell that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and no other; the second of these tell that Allah always has all His attributes so He only would provide help to the distressed person if He wills and no other is capable of providing any help to anyone or even to his own self; the third of these tell that if the true Muslims call them towards the true guidance that Allah only is the true Lord Whom they shall obey in all walks of life, they would not follow the guidance of the Muslims; note that it is wrong to give-in to desperation when most of the people do not care to get the true guidance but the Muslim person must always have the hope towards Allah that He would bring such persons at fore who would work-on for Him and change the world for the better; also it is wrong for someone to despair because of the number of sins he has committed; Surah ZUMAR says, “say - O My servants - who have acted extravagantly against their own souls - do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives all sins; surely He is the Forgiving, the Merciful” (Zumar-53); so when they truly repent with all attention towards Allah, He would not only forgive all their sins but He would also give them TOFIQ to bring others too towards the righteousness; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-194 here tells that those whom the disbelievers call to help them in troubles, they themselves are among the creation of Allah and are not immune from troubles themselves so their call to them to end their troubles is totally useless; the AAYAT ahead tells that as for the idols that the idolaters worship, they only are carved by stones so they are unable to walk anywhere by their feet and unable to hold anything by their hands and unable to see or hear anything; ask them O Prophet PBUH to call their associates and do whatever they intend against you and tell them not to give any respite to you as they undoubtedly would get the severe setback and the harsh punishment to their own selves by such thing; Allah, Who has sent the Holy Book Quran to you, is the true Friend to you O Prophet PBUH; and He certainly befriends the righteous persons; Al-Hamdu Lillah; these idolaters should realize that those whom they call upon besides Him are not able to help them in any manner, nor can they help themselves; Al-Hamdu Lillah; these also are like other such persons who commit SHERK and if the true Muslims call them towards the true guidance that Allah only is the true Lord Whom they must obey in all walks of life, they would not follow the guidance of the Muslims; sometimes, it would seem that they are paying attention to the guidance that the Prophet PBUH provides to them but that does not touch their hearts; they see and hear yet their hearts do not grasp the true guidance; the next four AAYAAT here provide the manner to get safety from the satanic persons and even from the Satan; they ask Muhammad PBUH and all the Muslims to keep their cool at the troublesome situation they face without any physical challenge to the disbelievers (note that AARAAF is one of the MAKKI Surah); they read “keep to forgiveness, and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant (the AAYAT asks to take the attitude of avoiding such persons without any care to them who are totally uncaring to the message of the Quran); and if a slander from the Satan wound you, then seek refuge in Allah; He is Hearer, Knower (the AAYAT asks to seek the shelter of Allah from the Satan that is necessary so that the person stays firm on the right path); those who have TAQWA to Allah, when a thought of evil from Satan assaults them, they remember Allah, then they see aright (so even when the Satan tries to mislead them by blowing some delusion inside them, they become aware of his wrongful pursuit by the blessing of Allah and then Allah provides them safety as they ask for it by remembering Him much); and their brethren increase them in error, then they cease not (so all the Satanic persons near to those who commit SHERK mislead them and take them much far away from the right path where they become totally unable to respond positively to the message of Islam); may Allah save all the good Muslims from all the major sins; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-203 states, “and when you bring them not some revelation they say: Why do you not forge it? Say: I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord; these are clear proofs from your Lord and guidance and mercy for the people who believe”; so the Quran is the only miracle of Muhammad PBUH and the peoples of the world need to come to the Islamic teachings by that only; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the chiefs at Makkah asked the Prophet PBUH to provide miracles as (according to them) his claim needed that and if he is one of Prophets then he would choose any of miracles and provide that; they had asked for miracles and we have studied at AN’AAM-35 that Allah had told clearly that He would not send any of miracles now and they have to accept the teachings of Islam without asking for miracles but only by the teachings of the Holy Book Quran; the AAYAT reads, “and if their turning away is hard on you, then if you can seek an opening (to go down) into the earth or a ladder (to ascend up) to heaven so that you should bring them a sign (a miracle) and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have gathered them all on guidance, therefore be not of the ignorant”; note that the miracle is never the work of the Messenger of Allah but it is something that Allah only provides from Him for His Messenger so that the people around him accept him as His Messenger; the last one among the Messengers of Allah, was Muhammad PBUH whom Allah sent to all peoples of the world and after him, the Muslims carry-on the work as his UMMAH that they would spread the teachings of Islam by the Holy Book Quran to all peoples of the world; Al-Hamdu Lillah; though there are persons that have the notion that the Messenger would necessarily provide the miracles yet that notion is incorrect; AN’AAM-50 reads “say that I do not say to you, I have with me the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel; I do not follow aught save that which is revealed to me; say -are the blind and the seeing one alike? Do you not then reflect?”- Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last three AAYAAT of the Ruku and of the Surah relate to the recitation of the praise of Allah; the first of them reads, “and when the Quran is recited, then listen to it and remain silent, that mercy may be shown to you”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the Muslim needs five things to take towards the Holy Book Quran; he would believe in it, he would recite it, he would understand it by Tafsir, study and consideration, he would apply it in his life and he would call all the peoples of the world towards it; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so when the Muslim person reads the Quran, he would ponder upon its AAYAAT and ask Allah to provide him its better understanding so as to apply it better to his life and to call towards it; Al-Hamdu Lillah; that needs total attention towards its recitation when he recites it himself or some good Muslim recites it and he is among those good Muslims who hear its recitation; Allah would provide His mercy to all such good persons and take them more towards the righteousness; Al-Hamdu Lillah; and every good Muslim must remember Allah when he recites the Quran, with care humbly that he is totally weak in front of Allah and with care in reverence that he is totally weak in front of Allah keeping his voice low in this recitation instead of keeping it loud at the mornings and at the evenings so that he does not become one of the heedless persons; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the last Ruku of Surah AARAAF states that “surely those who are near to your Lord (i.e. the angels) are not too proud to serve Him (by recitation of His good name), and they declare His glory (as He only is the true authority) and prostrate in humility before Him (as they know that they are totally weak in front of Allah)”; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
“Tafsiri-Guide to the Quran” by:
Muhammad Saleem Dada
Here our study of AARAAF ends; Al-Hamdu Lillah
www.m-saleemdada.com/
Surah AN’AAM
(Consists of 20 Ruku)
(MK-9; came in total at single descent)
AN’AAM-The First Ruku
1. All praise is due to Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth and made the darkness and the light; yet those who disbelieve set up equals with their Lord.
2. He it is Who created you from clay, then He decreed a term; and there is a term named with Him; still you doubt.
3. And He is Allah in the heavens and in the earth; He knows your secret (thoughts) and your open (words), and He knows what you earn.
4. And there does not come to them any AAYAT of the AAYAAT of their Lord but they turn aside from it
5. So they have indeed rejected the truth when it came to them; therefore the truth of what they mocked at will shine upon them.
6. Do they not consider how many a generation We have destroyed before them, whom We had established in the earth as We have not established you, and We sent the clouds pouring rain on them in abundance, and We made the rivers to flow beneath them, then We destroyed them on account of their faults and raised up after them another generation.
7. And if We had sent to you writing on a paper, then they had touched it with their hands, certainly those who disbelieve would have said: This is nothing but clear enchantment.
8. And they say: Why has not an angel been sent down to him? And had We sent down an angel, the matter would have certainly been decided and then they would not have been respited.
9. And if We had made him angel, We would certainly have made him a man, and We would certainly have made confused to them what they make confused.
10. And certainly apostles before you were mocked at, but that which they mocked at encompassed the scoffers among them.
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The Surah commences by the words “Al-Hamdu Lillah” and it is notable that all Surah that start by AL-Hamdu Lillah present uniformly at the Quran; it was the beginning of Surah FATIHA, then this Surah starts with it, then Surah KAHF and then Surah SABA and Surah FAATIR; there is nearly the same space in text between these SURAH (though SABA and FAATIR are successive as they are the thirty-fourth and the thirty-fifth Surah yet there is nearly the same space between them and the last of the Quran); note also that the first three Ruku of this Surah comprise of ten AAYAAT each and then each couple of Ruku (that are Ruku-4 & 5 and Ruku-6 & 7) have twenty AAYAAT and ten AAYAAT respectively; Ruku-8, 9 & 10 comprise of thirty AAYAAT together and Ruku-11, 12 & 13 have twenty AAYAAT together; Ruku-14, 15, 16 have thirty AAYAAT together and Ruku-17 & 18 have ten AAYAAT together while the last pair (where we have the Ten Commandments) comprise of fifteen AAYAAT together; the Surah has 20 Ruku and 165 AAYAAT in total; the first AAYAT of the first Ruku reads, “all praise is due to Allah who created the heavens and the earth and made all darkness and the light; yet those who disbelieve set up equals with their Lord”; note that for the heavens and the earth, the word used is “KHALAQA” (He created) while for the all darkness and the light, it is “JA’ALA” (He made) so the verbs here come by respect to the tangible and the intangible; note also that the AAYAT mentions all darkness in plural while it mentions the light in singular; this tells that the shades of disbelief (i.e. all darkness) are many but the Truth (the light) is only one from ever to ever (see also BAQARAH-257); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the mention of heavens is in plural too as the Quran tells us that they are seven in all (see also BAQARAH-29); the last part of the AAYAT tells that even with such clear signs to see, there are many such people who take others as equal to Allah who is their true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the second AAYAT tells here that “He has created you from clay, and then decreed a stated term (for you); and there is another determined term in His knowledge; yet (many of) you doubt”; this tells that Allah created Adam-AS from clay and there are other AAYAAT of the Quran that also present this (as the AAYAAT explain other of AAYAAT at the Quran); Surah HIJR says at AAYAT-26, “We created man from the sounding clay, from mud molded into shape” and Surah MOMEN says at the beginning of AAYAT-67, “He has created you from dust”; so Allah changed it to clay by water (and it took the form as Allah willed for it) and with that, he created Adam; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT indicates that Allah has determined the time of death for each of persons (that someone might become aware of for his own self) yet there is another determined time for all the world to end (i.e. its last day) that He only knows; yet the disbelievers doubt in its occurrence; the third AAYAT ahead reads, “He is Allah in the heavens and in the earth; He knows both your secret and your utterance, and He knows what you earn”; He has created all and so all other than Him is His creation; He certainly knows the belief of every person and He certainly knows if he/she is presenting the self as he/she is inside; with all that, He certainly knows what deeds they are earning; and He certainly would call every person to account at AKHIRAT; that would be for his/her belief (and his/her utterance to manifest it) and all deeds that he/she had committed at the worldly life; the Man must care that now when Allah has created him, He wants his complete surrender to Him as the worldly life is an examination; so he must be careful for what he believes in, how he presents it and what deeds does he commit here; certainly, he must have the righteous true Belief and he must commit the virtuous deeds in accordance with that as that only would bring him the true success; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the three AAYAT ahead read, “but never did a single one of the signs of their Lord reach them, but they turned away therefrom; and they denied the truth when it came unto them; but there will come unto them the tidings of that which they used to deride; do they not consider how many a generation We have destroyed before them, whom We had established in the earth as We have not established you, and We sent the clouds pouring rain on them in abundance, and We made the rivers to flow beneath them, then We destroyed them on account of their faults and raised up after them another generation”; Allah provides here in the most royal manner the message that this Surah takes-up ahead and the whole Surah elaborates on this; note that the disbelievers among the chiefs at Makkah were asking the Prophet PBUH for miracles but Allah had declared that He would not provide any such signs i.e. miracles now as the disbelievers had always rejected those signs that He had provided before Muhammad PBUH, the last Messenger of Allah; now He intends to provide the space to all peoples of the world to accept the message of Islam by observation of the Quran (that would remain the only miracle that He sends to Muhammad PBUH who is His last Messenger) and the other of amazing things that happened upon his hands were not miracles in the strict meaning of the term (please read my writing “The expressions of Quran” that is available at the net); note that when Allah provides any miracle to any of His Messengers and the disbelievers reject that, He gives no space for them to live on at the world then for even a small period of time and completely destroys them by His direct command; He is AZIZ which means that He is able to provide for such happenings that keep the world to His will by His authoritative measures so no one becomes able to cause such deviation at the world that leads it away from His set manner for it or become such threat that causes FASAD (high difficulties to work upon Islamic teachings) for some high length of period; note that this Surah AN’AAM says ahead, “And if their turning away is hard on you, then if you can seek an opening (to go down) into the earth or a ladder (to ascend up) to heaven so that you should bring them an AAYAT (a sign; a miracle) and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have gathered them all on guidance, therefore be not of the ignorant” (AN’AAM-35); Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah tells these chiefs that they are denying the Quran and asking for miracles (other than it) so for now, He would give them the space but very soon, they would see what befalls on them if they do not come to accept it; they do not realize that Allah has destroyed many such peoples who were even more established at earth at their times with all abundance of worldly things in the set-up of those times than they are now at the current set-up even if they think that they are invincible; with all the set-up in the favor of those peoples, Allah did destroy them as they challenged His commands and took-up heinous sins; then He raised another of peoples to see if they realize by the history of the Man that their true Lord is Allah and to Him only, they must surrender; the Surah discusses TAUHID, AKHIRAT and RISALAT (see the note at the fifth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH for the explanation of these fundamental matters of belief); it tells all peoples that they need not miracles to come to the Truth but they must observe the universe around and observe their own-selves as these even would lead them to understand in essence the message of Islam that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord of all (Al-Hamdu Lillah RABBEL-AALAMIN); it tells all peoples that they should not take AKHIRAT (the Day of Judgment) lightly as it would prove very dreadful for them if they do not comply to the message of Islam; it tells all peoples that Allah has provided the Messengers time and again to all peoples of the world so that when they address them, the realization of the Truth that is at their insides answers them and now He has sent the Quran so they ought to accept the message of Islam that is the same from ever fundamentally; note that the Surah provides the Ten Commandments (in its last but one Ruku minus the command of Sabbath as the Muslims have Friday as their most sacred day in the week) that the Muslims also value for their practice upon Islam; the four remaining AAYAAT of the Ruku refute their claim that if they get few specific miracles by Muhammad PBUH, they would accept him as the Messenger of Allah; these AAYAAT clearly state that even with miracles provided to them, they would still disbelieve; the AAYAAT read, --- “if We had sent unto you (O Muhammad PBUH) written (message) on parchment, so that they could touch it with their hands, these disbelievers would have been sure to say that -this is nothing but obvious magic; they ask -why is not an angel sent down to him?- if we did send down an angel, the matter would be settled at once, and no respite would be granted to them; if We made it an angel, We should have sent him as a man, and We should certainly have caused them (more) confusion in the matter which they have already covered with confusion; mocked were (many) Messengers before you (O Muhammad PBUH); but their scoffers were hemmed in by the thing that they mocked”; these AAYAAT clearly tell that they would never come to Islam with their demand of miracles and here, Allah mentions that He would not send any angel to them; if He had done so, that would be as one of the mankind as He has to take the examination of the Man and the Truth (the fundamental matters of the Islamic belief) must remain in GHAYB; so their objection to the Truth would still have remained the same; certainly, the rejection of miracles leads to the immediate severe punishment to the disbelievers at the world as Allah ends their space of time to accept the Truth but even if they deny the Messengers of Allah (when the Messengers had not provided the disbelievers any of miracles) and with that denial, they even mock the Messengers upon his righteous teachings (that he provides to them as his liability), then also Allah destroys them at the world; note that the miracles are the works of Allah and though they happen manifestly by the Messengers of Allah (to prove their claim that they are the Messengers of Allah) yet they certainly are not their works; so Allah certainly does not bear any disrespect that the disbelievers show to His Messengers and He punishes all such disbelievers even at their worldly life with most severe chastisement; He certainly is totally Mighty and most certainly, He would punish them at AKHIRAT too; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Second Ruku
11. Say: Travel in the land then see what the end was of the rejecters.
12. Say: To whom belongs what is in the heavens and the earth? Say: To Allah; He has ordained mercy on Himself; most certainly He will gather you on the resurrection day-- there is no doubt about it. (As for) those who have lost their souls, they will not believe.
13. And to Him belongs whatever dwells in the night and the day; and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
14. Say: Shall I take guardian besides Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, and He feeds (others) and is not (Himself) fed. Say: I am commanded to be the first who submits himself, and you should not be of the polytheists.
15. Say: Surely I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the chastisement of a grievous day.
16. He from whom it is averted on that day, Allah indeed has shown mercy to him; and this is manifest achievement.
17. And if Allah touches you with affliction, there is none to take it off but He; and if He visit you with good, then He has power over all things.
18. And He is the Supreme, above His servants; and He is the Wise, the Aware.
19. Say: What thing is the weightiest in testimony? Say: Allah is witness between you and me; and this Quran has been revealed to me that with it I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches. Do you really bear witness that there are other gods with Allah? Say: I do not bear witness. Say: He is only one Allah, and surely I am clear of that which you set up (with Him).
20. Those whom We have given the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons; (as for) those who have lost their souls, they will not believe.
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The opening AYAT of this Ruku asks the Prophet PBUH to tell the disbelievers to travel through the land and see what ultimately happened to the rejecters of the Truth so that they accept the fundamental teachings of Islam and do not challenge Allah; note that they used to see the ruins of THAMUD en-route to TABUK and the ruins of AAD at the southern part of the Arabian peninsula when they traveled at that route; note that all of this Ruku tells directly about the power that Allah has over all His creation and warns most explicitly all those who challenge Him; the next AAYAT asks the Prophet PBUH to ask these disbelievers to answer to whom belongs whatever is in all the heavens and in the earth and then he must tell them that this all belongs to Allah; note here that generally the disbelievers at Makkah took Allah as the Creator of the heavens and the earth but they did not truly accept that He is managing His creation by His authority all the time as they had doubts at His attributes and also, they did not accept that He is their true Lord so they must obey Him as they are bound to His commands, the disobedience of which would certainly lead them to utmost disaster at the world and at AKHIRAT; their erroneous concepts had led them to take angels as involved with the authority of Allah in managing the worldly affairs (whom they most erroneously took as the daughters of Allah) and to take their idols (mostly in the shape of the female that their ancestors worshipped and whom they worshipped in their following) as able to save them at the Day of Judgment (while some of them did not truly believe in Resurrection and the Day of Judgment); note that angels only do what Allah commands them to do (see NAHAL-49 & 50) and idols do not have any authority for anything whatsoever; we would read about the most erroneous respect that the disbelievers gave to their idols without ever reflecting on their idiotic behavior in the narration that this Surah presents relating to Abraham-AS at Ruku-9 insha-Allah; Allah tells all of them that He has decided Mercy for Himself (so He gives the necessary space to all peoples to accept the Truth); He certainly would gather all peoples of the world at the Day of Judgment that is most sure to come but those who have ruined their selves, they do not believe; the AAYAT ahead reads, “And to Him belongs whatever dwells in the night and the day; and He certainly is Most Hearing and Most Knowing”; so as night is always present at the earth somewhere (as is the day), He takes care of everything that He has created whether nocturnal or active by day; one of AAYAAT at Surah RAHMAAN says, “All that are in the heavens and the earth entreat Him; every day He exercises His Power” (RAHMAAN-29); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next six AAYAAT (14 to 19) in this Ruku present the Islamic teachings that the Prophet PBUH believes in and has provided to the peoples (but AAYAAT-17 & 18 are the statements that Allah has given here to elucidate the teachings); these AAYAAT read; “say -shall I choose for a protecting friend other than Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth who feeds and is never fed?- say -I am ordered to be the first to surrender (unto Him) and be never (O listener) among the polytheists; say that -surely I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the chastisement of a grievous day - he from whom it is averted on that day, Allah indeed has shown mercy to him - and this is the manifest achievement- (AAYAAT-14, 15 & 16); and if Allah touches you with any affliction, there is none to take it off but He; and if He visits you with the virtuous touch so he does have the Power over all things; and He is Supreme, above all His servants; and He is Most Wise and Well-Aware (AAYAAT-17 & 18); say -what thing is most weighty in evidence?-; say -Allah is witness between me and you (O disbelievers); this Qur'an has been revealed to me by inspiration, that I may warn you and all whom it reaches; do you really bear witness that there are other gods with Allah?-; say -nay! I cannot bear witness-; say -but in truth He is one Allah, and I truly am innocent of (your blasphemy of) joining others with Him-” (AAYAT-19); Al-Hamdu Lillah; these AAYAAT tell most explicitly that all authority actually belongs to Allah and if He intends then He is Able to make people believe in the Truth even by force but He intends their examination by the free-will that He has provided to them; all the peoples of the world must understand that Allah has created this whole universe and the earth and whatever is between them so He only is the Creator of all the creation and he never loses any of His attributes (i.e. He always has all of His QADEEM, ASL, LA-MEHDUD attributes totally so His authority is Absolute); and He only is the true Lord of all the creation; Al-Hamdu Lillah; those persons who get the favorable results there at AKHIRAT, they are truly successful as the success at the world is nothing of value for certain unless the person uses all his resources for the fulfillment of the commands of Allah; the Messenger would only provide the message of Allah with its necessary explanation as that only his liability but he is not liable to see that he is accepted by all the peoples he provides the message to so everyone would face the Day of Judgment alone; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the Ruku tells that “those to whom We have given the Book know this as they know their own sons; those who have ruined their selves, they do not believe”; previously at this Ruku, AAYAT-12 addressed the disbelievers that were the polytheists by the statement that “those who have ruined their selves, they do not believe” and here, AAYAT-20 that is the last AAYAT of the Ruku addresses the disbelievers among the peoples of the book by the same statement; the note on the last couple of AAYAAT at the seventeenth Ruku of BAQARAH provide well to understand this AAYAT and that are, “Allah tells that those whom Allah has provided the Book (Torah) recognize this (Quran) as they recognize their children; and there is a faction in them (of their learned persons) who conceal the Truth on purpose (so that Muslims remain unaware of the true knowledge and they, the Christians and the Jews, might claim supremacy in the sphere of knowledge) though they certainly know the Truth well”; note that even at these current times, they have given-in to this notion of becoming high among the peoples of the world though now, it remains on the basis of the know-how of the deadly weapons they have introduced just for the destruction of the world; when the spiritual knowledge is not the guard to the physical knowledge then it defies the actual status of the Man that is of the KHALIFAH at the world; may Allah provide wisdom to all peoples of the world before it is too late; Al-Hamdu Lillah; certainly, the Truth is from Allah (so no one is able to change it); the Quran guides all Muslims by addressing Muhammad PBUH that you all must not have any doubts in its acceptance; and you all must not have any reservation in its necessary application; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Third Ruku
21. And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah or (he who) gives the lie to His AAYAAT; surely the unjust will not be successful.
22. And on the day when We shall gather them all together, then shall We say to those who associated others (with Allah): Where are your associates whom you asserted?
23. Then their excuse would be nothing but that they would say: By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists.
24. See how they lie against their own souls, and that which they forged has passed away from them.
25. And of them is he who hearkens to you, and We have cast veils over their hearts lest they understand it and a heaviness into their ears; and even if they see every sign they will not believe in it; so much so that when they come to you they only dispute with you; those who disbelieve say: This is naught but the stories of the ancients.
26. And they prohibit (others) from it and go far away from it, and they only bring destruction upon their own souls while they do not perceive.
27. And could you see when they are made to stand before the fire, then they shall say: Would that we were sent back, and we would not reject the AAYAAT of our Lord and we would be of the believers.
28. Nay, what they concealed before shall become manifest to them; and if they were sent back, they would certainly go back to that which they are forbidden, and most surely they are liars.
29. And they say: There is nothing but our life of this world, and we shall not be raised.
30. And could you see when they are made to stand before their Lord. He will say: Is not this the truth? They will say: Yea - by our Lord. He will say: Taste then the chastisement because you disbelieved.
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The first AAYAT states that those persons are the most unjust who forge lies against Allah or deny His AAYAAT that He has provided to them in the Quran and before that in the Torah; by these AAYAAT, Allah had asked these disbelievers to believe Him as the only Creator of all Who has attributes that express His total authority and to believe that He only is the true Lord but at this, the disbelievers used to say that their idols would provide them relief against the wrath of Allah as this is what they have learnt from their ancestors; so these extreme unjust persons would never get the true success at AKHIRAT; note that all the AAYAAT ahead in this Ruku tell about the Day of Judgment and the state of affairs of the disbelievers at the world and there at that first day of AKHIRAT; the Ruku tells that they would lie against themselves at the Day of HASHR when they would see those things that they denied at the world; but that would not save them from the extreme punishment that their disbelief and all the wrong-doings would have brought upon them; the couple of AAYAAT ahead (that are 25 & 26) explain further that they are at such state where they would never accept the Truth; this is because they do not even understand it so their listening to it would not do any good to them; they would not come to the Truth even if they see the miracles they ask for as they argued that these only are the ancient tales that the Prophet PBUH have received and he is preaching that; they do not understand that by stopping others and themselves from accepting the Truth, they are putting the destruction upon their own selves and they would see that at AKHIRAT; the last four AAYAAT of the Ruku attend again to the situation of the disbelievers at AKHIRAT; these AAYAAT tell that the disbelievers knew at heart even at the world that the Resurrection is true where they would face their destiny alone yet due to their attachment to the world and the fear of loss of their status, they denied the Truth and so Allah would not grant them their extreme wish to return to the world (that is the place of examination for all); the last of AAYAT-28 tells clearly that they are such recognized liars that they would do the same all over again that has been prohibited upon them, even if they are sent back to the world; note here that generally the disbelievers at Makkah took Allah as the Creator of the heavens and the earth but they did not truly accept that He is their true Lord so they must obey Him as they are bound to His commands, the disobedience of which would certainly lead them to utmost disaster at the world and at AKHIRAT; they also generally believed in Resurrection (as they had some distorted concept that they have to answer for their lives that they spend at the world when they would be given life again) but here, they had the erroneous concept that their idols would provide them certain relief against the wrath of Allah at that time as this is what they have learnt from their ancestors; with all this, note this also that there were some persons among them who disbelieved in the Resurrection and AAYAT-29 addresses such persons too; it tells that they would have no option there at AKHIRAT but to believe when they see the hell-fire in front of them that everybody would face the physical outcome to their lives that they had spent at the world; Allah certainly would bring every person to life again and He certainly would provide then every person what he/she deserves according to his/her belief (and deeds) as He certainly is totally Able to do all this most easily; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Fourth Ruku
31. They are losers indeed who reject the meeting of Allah; until when the hour comes upon them all of a sudden they shall say: O our grief for our neglecting it - and they shall bear their burdens on their backs; now surely evil is that which they bear.
32. And this world's life is naught but a play and an idle sport and certainly the abode of the hereafter is better for those who guard (against evil); do you not then understand?
33. We know indeed that what they say certainly grieves you, but surely they do not call you a liar; but the unjust deny the AAYAAT of Allah.
34. And certainly apostles before you were rejected, but they were patient on being rejected and persecuted until Our help came to them; and there is none to change the words of Allah, and certainly there has come to you some information about the apostles.
35. And if their turning away is hard on you, then if you can seek an opening (to go down) into the earth or a ladder (to ascend up) to heaven so that you should bring them a sign and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have gathered them all on guidance, therefore be not of the ignorant.
36. Only those accept who listen; and (as to) the dead, Allah will raise them, then to Him they shall be returned.
37. And they say: Why has not a sign been sent down to him from his Lord? Say: Surely Allah is able to send down a sign, but most of them do not know.
38. And there is no animal that walks upon the earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but (they are) genera like yourselves (O mankind); We have not neglected anything in the Book, then to their Lord shall they be gathered.
39. And those who reject Our AAYAAT, are deaf and dumb, in utter darkness; whoever Allah pleases He causes to err and whoever He pleases He puts on the right way.
40. Say: Tell me if the chastisement of Allah should overtake you or the hour should come upon you, will you call (on others) besides Allah, if you are truthful?
41. Nay, Him you call upon, so He clears away that for which you pray if He pleases and you forget what you set up (with Him).
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The Ruku continues with the description of the disbelievers at AKHIRAT in AAYAAT-31 & 32; then in AAYAAT-33 to 36, Allah addresses the Prophet PBUH and soothes him not to worry about the things that the disbelievers say as they have nothing of the true knowledge and their observation in getting the matters of Islam is extremely faulty; the last five AAYAAT (that are AAYAAT-37, 38, 39, 40, 41) imply that the disbelievers should observe the world around and their owns selves if they really intend to get some AAYAAT as even this observation would provide those to them undoubtedly; the AAYAAT at the beginning read, “they are the losers indeed who reject the meeting of Allah, until when the hour comes upon them all of a sudden they shall say -O our grief for our neglecting it- and they shall bear their burdens on their backs and surely evil is that which they bear; and this world's life is naught but a play and an idle sport and certainly the abode of the hereafter is better for those who are most righteous; do you not then understand?”; note that the meeting of Allah means when they would stand before Him to get the document of their doings at the first day of AKHIRAT; they would be most grievous there on their extreme foolish attitude that they had shown to this Day as they would be the extreme losers there for all times ahead when they physically pick up the load of their wrongs at their backs there; the worldly life is nothing but a plaything unless the person applies it to the righteous belief with all his attention towards Allah and does the righteous deeds according to it so such persons only would achieve the true success there; the AAYAT asks the disbelievers to their meeting of Allah why they don’t see that this true success certainly is totally better than the most grievous situation there so they ought to believe and work for it; may Allah save all the good Muslims from all such grievous situation; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the four AAYAAT ahead read, “We know indeed the grief which their words do cause to you (O Muhammad PBUH) but it is not you they reject, it is the signs of Allah, which the wicked contemn; so rejected were the Messengers before you (too) so patiently they bore their being rejected and being persecuted, until Our aid did reach them and there is none that can alter the words (the decrees) of Allah; already you have received some account of those Messengers; and if their turning away is hard on you, then if you can seek an opening (to go down) into the earth or a ladder (to ascend up) to the heaven so that you should bring them an AAYAT (a sign; a miracle) and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have gathered them all on guidance, therefore be not of the ignorant; only those accept who listen and (as to) the dead, Allah will raise them, then to Him they shall be returned”; Allah tells the Prophet PBUH by these AAYAAT that the Prophet PBUH only has to provide the message of Allah and the disbelievers are rejecting the Word of Allah actually (to which Allah certainly would punish them most severely); the Messengers that came previously were also rejected and troubled much but as they showed patience, the last of Messengers i.e. Muhammad also has to show patience on rejection and troubles he faces until the help of Allah comes; note here that there is the mention of previous of Messengers only as the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is the last of Prophets and the last of Messengers; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT tells that Allah did help them but He knows when to send it so the Prophet PBUH has to be patient; Al-Hamdu Lillah; when the help of Allah comes to the Messengers then no one is able to stop it from saving the Messengers and from punishing the unjust persons; they were destroyed totally as the revelation has already told the Prophet PBUH; AAYAT-35 is explicit that Allah would not send any miracles that the disbelievers ask for even if their words are grievous to the Prophet PBUH; these disbelievers would face extreme grief at the Day of Judgment but before that, Allah intends to give them ample space to believe in the Truth that the Quran has presented to them most explicitly; note that Allah only, provides the miracles by His power and it is not the Prophet who does; that is why the AAYAT addresses the Prophet PBUH in such manner that he gets the final decision of Allah in this matter that Allah would not send any miracles now; he would bear their adverse speech against him and he would not worry to bring them to Islam (which is not his liability); if Allah had intended, He would have gathered all upon the Truth so he must leave them on their own and not get into the anger of proving the Truth; those who do comply to the teachings of Islam are those who understand that well by their inclination to it; Allah certainly would raise the dead and they certainly have to return to Him at the Day of Judgment where He would provide all persons their respective accounts; Allah certainly is Able to do all this without any of difficulties in this matter; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last five AAYAAT of the Ruku read, “and they say –why has not a sign been sent down to him from his Lord?, say -surely Allah is Able to send down a sign- but most of them do not know; and there is no animal that walks upon the earth nor a bird that flies with its two wings but (they are) genera like yourselves (O mankind); We have not neglected anything in the Book, then to their Lord shall they be gathered; and they who reject Our AAYAAT (around them) are deaf and dumb, in utter darkness; whom Allah pleases He causes to err and whom He pleases He puts on the right way; say -tell me if the chastisement of Allah should overtake you or the hour should come upon you, will you call (on others) besides Allah, if you are truthful? nay, Him only you would call upon, so He clears away that for which you pray if He pleases and you forget whatever partners you ascribed unto Him”; note that Allah replies to the persistence of the disbelievers (that they be showed the miracles they ask) that Allah does have the power to show that yet they do not know that Allah has cared for them by not showing any of them as they would but reject them; that is their certain destruction even in the world as then Allah would not give them any space to live on; if they need AAYAAT to believe in the Truth, they must observe the AAYAAT that are readily available to them; they must observe the animals of the land how beautifully they scatter at the earth (in their own communities at their own habitat) and the birds above them how beautifully they fly with their wings (in their own flocks at the environment they are capable to adopt); these are genera like the mankind; Allah has not left anything unwritten in the Book (that is the LAUHE-MAHFUZ, that contains the destiny of everyone and everything); then at the Day of HASHR, these disbelievers would certainly be gathered in front of their Lord; those persons who deny Our AAYAAT (that they find around them), are actually deaf and dumb as they are not using their ability to learn the Truth so they are lost in the utter darkness of disbelief; Allah sends astray whom he wills and He guides to the right path whom He wills; also, they must observe their attitude when some calamity falls upon them as at that crucial time, they would call Allah only as they know that their idols are totally unable to help them and besides Allah, there is nobody who has any control on anything; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so the response to their demand for miracles is that they would see the signs at AAFAAQ (the environment that is around them) and at their own selves (their attitudes at times) so that they tell them about Allah as these are the AAYAAT that have the capability to guide them to the right path; note that AAYAT-55 at the sixth Ruku of BAQARAH tells that when the seventy persons who went with Moses-AS to the mount insisted to see Allah openly, He gave death to these seventy persons and at their death, they were watching the thunderbolt that killed them; so even if they did not see Allah, they did see the thunderbolt that Allah sent upon them; this implies that to believe in the authority of Allah, even the observation of the creation around does provide the necessary reasoning; so the AAYAAT here tell clearly that it is Allah only Who has the power to provide even the disbelievers the necessary safety that they need most; they must reflect on this and accept that undoubtedly all safety is in Islam, the whole Truth; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Fifth Ruku
42. And certainly We sent (apostles) to nations before you then We seized them with distress and affliction in order that they might humble themselves.
43. Yet why did they not, when Our punishment came to them, humble themselves? But their hearts hardened and the Satan made what they did fair-seeming to them.
44. But when they neglected that with which they had been admonished, We opened for them the doors of all things, until when they rejoiced in what they were given We seized them suddenly; then lo - they were in utter despair.
45. So the roots of the people who were unjust were cut off; and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
46. Say: Have you considered that if Allah takes away your hearing and your sight and sets a seal on your hearts, who is the god besides Allah that can bring it to you? See how We repeat the AAYAAT, yet they turn away.
47. Say: Have you considered if the chastisement of Allah should overtake you suddenly or openly, will any be destroyed but the unjust people?
48. And We send not apostles but as announcers of good news and givers of warning, then whoever believes and acts aright, they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.
49. And (as for) those who reject Our AAYAAT, chastisement shall afflict them because they transgressed.
50. Say: I do not say to you, I have with me the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel; I do not follow aught save that which is revealed to me. Say: Are the blind and the seeing one alike? Do you not then reflect?
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The Ruku continues to tell the consequence that the disbelievers faced at the rejection of the miracles (and the Messengers of Allah); Allah had sent to them the Messengers from among them whom they rejected and He afflicted them by suffering (by shortage of foods) and by disasters (that caused fear to them to lose their lives) so that they might humble themselves in front of Allah; why then did they not learn humility (and seek forgiveness) when Allah afflicted them to shake them on their obsession with the worldly lives; but their hearts hardened and the Satan made their deeds seem to them as most worthy to adhere to; when they became totally oblivious of the message that they had been provided, Allah gave them all the worldly things (to rejoice and fully involve themselves at the worldly issues); when they became most satisfied of their status that they have no shortage of foods and they have no threat to their lives so nothing would get them then Allah seized them suddenly; then they were in utter despair; so their roots were cut that these unjust persons never rise again; and the ultimate result that came at fore was that all the praise be to Allah, the true Lord of the worlds; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT asks the Prophet PBUH to enquire of them how it would be if Allah takes their hearing and their seeing and puts the seal over their hearts; this means that if Allah intends, He is Able to end the space that they still have to accept the Truth by incapacitating them to see it or hear it and if that happens, there would be no one who could bring them to the righteous guidance; they must see the importance of accepting the Truth so they must reflect on how Allah is providing them the signs (revelations) unto them rather than ask for miracles; they must show gratitude as Allah only provides ease in the worldly life if He wills for it and He only provides the hardship if He wills for it, so nothing actually is co-incidence; yet still they turn away from the righteous guidance; O Prophet PBUH; ask them don’t they see that if the punishment from Allah falls upon them unawares or openly, who would perish except for the unjust persons; the answer is obvious that certainly Allah would save the believers if they had provided His message well to them and destroy only the unjust persons; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last three AAYAAT of the Ruku ahead (that are AAYAAT-48, 49 & 50) present the point to note that Allah sends His Messengers to give good news and to warn for which they don’t need to show miracles; the AAYAAT read, “We send the Messengers only to give good news (to the righteous persons) and to warn (the sinful persons) so those who believe and mend (their lives), upon them shall be no fear (at AKHIRAT), nor shall they grieve (at the worldly life); but as for those who deny Our revelations, torment will afflict them for that they used to disobey; say -I do not say to you, I have with me the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel, I do not follow aught save that which is revealed to me-, say –are the blind (to the Truth) and the seeing one (of the Truth) alike? Do you not then reflect?-“; these AAYAT explain the task that Allah assigns to the Messengers and explicitly tell that they are not liable to provide miracles for their task (and they are not liable to see that the persons they address, do accept the Truth that they present); they are the most ordinary persons (yet highly virtuous) living their lives most righteously and Allah certainly provides them with the Guidance to the right path by WAHI (His revelations) and He gives them this highest honor of AKHIRAT due to their highest of virtuousness that they adhere to by the blessing of Allah at their worldly lives; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-50 that is the last AAYAT of this Ruku is notable due to its feature that it answers the queries that the disbelievers presented to the Prophet PBUH; note that there are three such things which the AAYAT asks the Prophet PBUH to clarify; so these three are that he does not have the treasures of Allah; that he does not know the unseen; that he is not an angel; these three statements are answers that are provided to the disbelievers on their demand of miracles; the argument in general here is that the Prophet PBUH has claimed that he is the Messenger of Allah and the demand of the disbelievers to him to present miracles to them is not in accordance to that claim; also, their demand to him to provide them with some worldly benefits is baseless too for the same reason that the Messenger asks to make things better at AKHIRAT by the righteous true Belief and by the good deeds that complement it and he does not care to make things better at the worldly life; the first Ruku of AALE-IMRAN tells us that the disbelievers have demanded from him to provide the written message on some parchment that might provide them the awareness of unseen (worldly) matters and an angel should have accompanied him or the Messenger himself should have been an angel; the next Ruku here also tell that they had this erroneous notion too that the Messenger ought to care for the status of the rich persons (so he must not ask the chiefs at Makkah to sit with the poor); see the note on the next Ruku and see also Surah ZUKHRUF-the third Ruku; so the AAYAT-50 presents clearly the answers to them by the argument in general that the Prophet PBUH has claimed that he is the Messenger of Allah and your demand to him for miracles is not in accordance to that claim and it is not necessary for the Messenger to be one of the richest persons but he certainly would be the most virtuous persons among them all; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the AAYAT implies that whatever of the unseen the Prophet PBUH has told, it is what Allah has given him by the Quran and it certainly is not by his own knowledge; the Messenger remains the first among men at some given time and place to get the GHAYB by WAHI from Allah and he understands it to height so that gives him the prominence among them; note that Prophet Muhammad PBUH was the last of Messengers of Allah and there is no Prophet and no Messenger after him; the issue that the Prophet PBUH knows the GHAYB (the unseen) or not, sometimes becomes one of the burning issues at the subcontinent among the argumentative Muslim persons who do not much incline towards the refined facts of the issue; note also that all the attributes of Allah, Who only is the Creator of all the creation, are QADEEM (from ever to ever), ASL (His own) and LA-MEHDUD (without any limitation) so this denotes His authority that is Absolute and all of mankind must accept Him as their true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; all of mankind (including the Prophet PBUH) are created and their attributes are provided by Allah as He willed and they certainly are limited by time and space; every Muslim knows and believes in this restriction well about the Prophet PBUH that he also is one among the mankind and so his knowledge also has limits yet the unnecessary argument to decide how much he knew makes the problem; however, it is fair to say that his knowledge of Islam was at the most refined level (and his SUNNAH is “Islam in practice” that is one of the sources to the Islamic commands so when the Muslim person practices the clear directions in the SUNNAH, he practices the commands of Allah); with that, it certainly is much better to avoid all such unnecessary arguments that lead to nothing but do waste the precious time; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Sixth Ruku
51. And warn with it those who fear that they shall be gathered to their Lord-- there is no guardian for them, nor any intercessor besides Him-- that they may guard (against evil).
52. And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, they desire only His favor; neither are you answerable for any reckoning of theirs, nor are they answerable for any reckoning of yours, so that you should drive them away and thus be of the unjust.
53. And thus do We try some of them by others so that they say: Are these they upon whom Allah has conferred benefit from among us? Does not Allah best know the grateful?
54. And when those who believe in Our AAYAAT come to you, say: Peace be on you, your Lord has ordained mercy on Himself, (so) that if any one of you does evil in ignorance, then turns after that and acts aright, then He is Forgiving, Merciful.
55. And thus do We make distinct the AAYAAT and so that the way of the guilty may become clear.
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This Ruku has five AAYAAT and they are related to guide the Prophet PBUH to keep the company of those who are sincere to Islam (even if they are poor) rather than care for such wealthy chiefs (who have not yet accepted Islam), who intend to come at his TABLIGH (the teachings of Islam) on their own terms; the first two AAYAAT guide the Prophet PBUH to warn those Muslim persons who do fear that they would be gathered (at the Day of HASHR) in front of Allah, their true Lord, where except for Him, they will have no guardian nor any intercessor, so that they may develop TAQWA; and not to send away those who call their Lord morning and evening so that they may get His pleasure; the Prophet PBUH is not liable for those who think their selves too high to sit among the poor Muslim persons and they too are not liable to provide him their respective accounts of doings so if he opts for them leaving those who already are Muslims then it would be highly unjust on his part; these AAYAAT address the situation when the wealthy chiefs of Makkah had asked the Prophet PBUH that they are ready to come at his sermons but he would send the poor that have accepted Islam out at their gathering; note that AN’AAM is MAKKI Surah where the Muslims needed some manifest strength so the Prophet PBUH was considering the matter but the AAYAAT asked him not to do so but go on providing the message of Allah to those poor persons who have already accepted Islam without any care to those wealthy chiefs who have not yet taken up Islam and they intend to hear about Islam on their own condition; AAYAT-53 ahead tells about the attitude of the disbelievers among the chiefs that Allah has put them at such trial by each other that they retort upon the poor Muslims on their true Belief -are these persons those that Allah has favored from amongst us?; does not Allah know best those who are grateful?- this statement was extreme disrespect to Allah but here Allah guides the Prophet PBUH to ignore them and whenever the Muslims who do believe in the AAYAAT of Allah come to him, he would say to them that peace be on them and their Lord has inscribed for Himself (the rule of) mercy; if anyone of them did some wrong in ignorance and then he repented and made his conduct better, Allah certainly is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT here tells that this is the manner that Allah has set in such situation that those who are poor (yet true believers in Allah and the Day of Judgment) are most preferable upon those who do have the worldly possessions yet they do not have the true Belief; so by this, the attitude of the disbelievers comes at fore that they prefer the worldly achievements most highly upon the true success at AKHIRAT; may Allah save all the good Muslims from such erroneous preference; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Seventh Ruku
56. Say: I am forbidden to serve those whom you call upon besides Allah. Say: I do not follow your low desires; for then indeed I should have gone astray and I should not be of those who go aright.
57. Say: Surely I have manifest proof from my Lord and you call it a lie; I have not with me that which you would hasten; the judgment is only Allah's; He relates the truth and He is the best of deciders.
58. Say: If that which you desire to hasten were with me, the matter would have certainly been decided between you and me; and Allah best knows the unjust.
59. And with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures-- none knows them but He; and He knows what is in the land and the sea, and there falls not a leaf but He knows it, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything green nor dry but (it is all) in a clear book.
60. And He it is Who takes your souls at night (in sleep), and He knows what you acquire in the day, then He raises you up therein that an appointed term may be fulfilled; then to Him is your return, then He will inform you of what you were doing.
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The Ruku tells that all the persons must care to follow the right path instead of asking for destruction; the Prophet PBUH does not have the power to bring that upon them but Allah certainly has the power to bring that upon them; they must avail the space they have to accept the Islamic fundamental teachings; Allah is recording their status of belief and their deeds and to Him is their return so then He will inform all persons what they were doing; the first two AAYAT read, “say O Prophet PBUH -I am forbidden to serve those whom you call upon besides Allah- say -I do not follow your low desires (O disbelievers) as then indeed I should have gone astray and I should not be of those who go aright-; say -surely I have manifest proof from my Lord and you call it a lie, I have not with me that which you hasten for, the judgment is only of Allah, He relates the truth and He is the best of deciders-”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the disbelievers at Makkah intended that the Prophet PBUH strike some kind of truce with them on the matter of belief and soften his attitude towards their idols, to which the AAYAT told him to clarify that he would never take those that they worship as partners to Allah (and would never be soft towards them); Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord; they worship their idols taking them as partners to Allah just by their low desires that have led them astray into the evil; the AAYAT told the Prophet PBUH to tell them that he had manifest proof (i.e. the Quran) from Allah that he believes in but they take that as lies; if he had that which they were asking for (that is chastisement from Allah) on their disbelief, he would have put it on them but Allah is the only judge when to put it upon the disbelievers if He does intend to put it on them; He has provided them the Truth through the Prophet PBUH and now He has all authority to decide about His chastisement to them; it was sheer foolishness of the disbelievers that when Allah did not provide the miracles to them, they demanded that the destruction comes to them as they were the rejecters of the Truth; this again was the extreme disrespect to Allah near to the statement that they had made before -does not Allah know best those who are grateful?- and we have studied this in the previous Ruku; the AAYAT asks the Prophet PBUH to tell them categorically that if he had the authority to put their punishment upon them, he would have already done so but Allah knows who the unjust persons are and when He would finish them off; whenever He intends, their total destruction would take no time for certain; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-59 reads, “and with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures - none knows them but He; and He knows what is in the land and the sea, and there falls not a leaf but He knows it, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything green (wet) nor dry but (it is all) in a clear book”; this AAYAT tells that the knowledge of Allah is Absolute and He knows each and everything of His creation with total perfection; Surah HIJR tells us about His unseen treasures “and there is not a thing but with Us are the treasures of it, and We do not send it down but in a known measure” (Surah HIJR-21); and He knows all the creation at the land and even at the sea (though for us, these both creatures would seem uncountable); but even more amazing of His knowledge is that He knows all falling leaves all the time at all places and all the seeds that are at inside the ground and all the grains; the simple fact is that He knows all the wet things (that have life in them) and all the dry things (that are lifeless) in total that He has recorded in the Book that clearly mentions all things explicitly, that is named as LAUHE-MAHFUZ (it was mentioned at AAYAT-38 too of this Surah); the last AAYAT of the Ruku tells the manner in which Allah records the belief and deeds of each and every person; it reads, “And He it is Who takes you fully at night (in sleep), and He knows what you acquire in the day, then He raises you up therein that an appointed term may be fulfilled; then to Him is your return, then He will inform you of what you were doing”; note that taking fully here is denoted by the term “YATAWAFFAKUM” and this is relevant where we had studied how Allah had taken up Jesus Christ-AS above to heavens with physique, spirit and consciousness as modifications of this term occur at the places where we find the mention of his ascent (see MA’EDAH-117 and AALE-IMRAN-55); thus, the term provides the meaning that the departure of the great man Jesus Christ who was one of the most respectful Messengers of Allah from the world was also as amazing as his coming to the world; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT here tells that Allah takes fully the person at sleep (i.e. his consciousness) and updates his document of deeds according to what he has been doing at the day while he sleeps on and then He raises him from the sleep to complete his term of life; at his death, He takes fully his spirit too with his consciousness and then at the Day of Judgment, He would raise all the dead to life again and every one of them would be brought to Him and He would tell all of them about what they had been doing at the world; this implies that not only dreams occur at sleep but there is updating of the record too for every person at sleep; even the dreams might become the directions for the good persons to view where they need to address their issues that might better their document of deeds and Allah knows better; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Eighth Ruku
61. And He is the Supreme, above His servants, and He sends keepers over you; until when death comes to one of you, Our apostles cause him to die, and they are not remiss.
62. Then are they sent back to Allah, their Master, the True one; now surely His is the judgment and He is swiftest in taking account.
63. Say: Who is it that delivers you from the dangers of the land and the sea (when) you call upon Him (openly) humiliating yourselves, and in secret: If He delivers us from this, we should certainly be of the grateful ones.
64. Say: Allah delivers you from them and from every distress, but again you set up others (with Him).
65. Say: He has the power that He should send on you a chastisement from above you or from beneath your feet, or that He should throw you into confusion, (making you) of different parties; and make some of you taste the fighting of others. See how We repeat the AAYAAT that they may understand.
66. And your people call it a lie and it is the very truth. Say: I am not placed in charge of you.
67. For every prophecy is a term, and you will come to know (it).
68. And when you see those who enter into false discourses about Our AAYAAT, withdraw from them until they enter into some other discourse, and if the Satan causes you to forget, then do not sit after recollection with the unjust people.
69. And naught of the reckoning of their (deeds) shall be against those who guard (against evil), but (theirs) is only to remind, haply they may guard.
70. And leave those who have taken their religion for a play and an idle sport, and whom this world's life has deceived, and remind (them) thereby lest a soul should be given up to destruction for what it has earned; it shall not have besides Allah any guardian nor an intercessor, and if it should seek to give every compensation, it shall not be accepted from it; these are they who shall be given up to destruction for what they earned; they shall have a drink of boiling water and a painful chastisement because they disbelieved.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku states that Allah has all control of all the peoples and because He has given them the worldly life to examine them, He has appointed angels with the command to protect the Man (see Surah RA’AD-11) and angels that write on his deeds and attitudes (see Surah QAAF-18); there are other angels too that do whatever Allah commands them to do (see Surah NAHL-50) as the AAYAT at study reports ahead that at the time of the death of someone, some of the angels take away his life and they do not commit any oversight; the AAYAT ahead says that they all then would be gathered in front of Allah, the true Benefactor; only He truly is Rightful to rule; and He would take all persons to account most swiftly; AAYAT-63 asks the disbelievers that who saves them when they are at extreme agony in the darkness of the land and the sea when they call Him most humbly and in secret; here darkness means when they see no way out of the issue that causes them extreme agony; tell them that it is Allah only Who saves them from that agony and all distresses but then they do SHERK (i.e. they attribute partners unto Him); if they have any doubts that once saved, now they would not face any such desperate situation, they must know well that Allah is fully Capable to send punishment to them from above of them (most heavy rainstorms or the fall of heavy stones) or from beneath their feet (the most deadly earthquake or drowning into waters) or throw them into confusion by extreme dissension among them so that they taste the most distressful situation by combats to each other; observe how Allah provides His directions by different manners so that they get to all aspects of awareness; but O Prophet PBUH; your peoples still disbelieve in the Quran so tell such persons that you are not their in-charge (guardian); the AAYAT ahead again tells them about their asking for punishment that how foolish such demand is; AAYAT-67 says, “for every message is a limit of time, and soon shall you know it”; they did know how the punishment of Allah comes when they faced extreme distress by losing ground against the Muslims that occurred after HIJRAH; the Muslims even conquered Makkah in due time; the last three AAYAAT of this Ruku tell that to avoid the impression of the disbelievers, it is most necessary for the Muslims to avoid the physical proximity to them; the couple of them read, “and when you see those who enter into false discourses about Our AAYAAT, withdraw from them until they enter into some other discourse, and if the Satan causes you to forget, then do not sit with the unjust people after recollection; on their account no responsibility falls on the righteous, but (their duty) is to remind them, that they may (learn to) fear Allah”; this implies that the Muslim persons would not come close to those of disbelievers who are engaged in the disrespect of Islam in any manner (in fact, they would even ask them to keep away from the Muslims); the problem in this avoidance is that the Muslims have to give the message of Islam to all the peoples of the world and that is difficult if the Muslims do not get some closeness to them; however, in today’s scenario, it is possible that the Muslims provide them the message of Islam by the media that is available at hand and as such, the Muslims would not remain liable to develop any proximity to the disbelievers; it is very sad that many of the Muslims care to reside at such countries where the practice on Islam is extremely difficult as the people in general there do not appreciate the practice at Islam and their misunderstanding about Islam contributes highly to this difficulty; as the situation stands, those who show preference to their economic stability rather than firmness upon Islam, they would have to incline fully towards one thing or other sooner or later; may Allah give the wisdom to all the Muslims who really care to live upon Islam, to see the righteous preference; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT at the Ruku sums up the matter categorically that the best thing in such situation (where there is the company of those who care but little about Islam), is to keep totally away from such company and guide the attention totally towards Allah, the true Lord; it reads, “And leave those who have taken their religion for a play and an idle sport, and whom this world's life has deceived, and remind thereby lest a soul should be given up to destruction for what it has earned; it shall not have besides Allah any true protector nor intercessor, and if it should seek to give every compensation, it shall not be accepted from it; these are they who shall be given up to destruction for what they earned; they shall have a drink of boiling water and a painful chastisement because they disbelieved”; the conclusive point here is that the Muslims have no other option but to keep away from all such disbelievers who never were (and it seems who never would be except for whom Allah wills) respectful to the Islamic teachings; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Ninth Ruku
71. Say: Shall we call on that besides Allah, which does not benefit us nor harm us, and shall we be returned back on our heels after Allah has guided us, like him whom the Satans have made to fall down perplexed in the earth? He has companions who call him to the right way, (saying): Come to us. Say: Surely the guidance of Allah, that is the (true) guidance, and we are commanded that we should submit to the Lord of the worlds.
72. And that you should keep up prayer and be careful of (your duty to) Him; and He it is to Whom you shall be gathered.
73. And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth with truth, and on the day He says: Be, it is. His word is the truth, and His is the kingdom on the day when the trumpet shall be blown; the Knower of the unseen and the seen; and He is truly Wise, Most Well-Aware.
74. And when Ibrahim said to his sire, AZAR: Do you take idols for gods? Surely I see you and your people in manifest error.
75. And thus did We show Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and that he might be of those who are sure.
76. So when the night over-shadowed him, he saw a star; said he: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: I do not love the setting ones.
77. Then when he saw the moon rising, he said: Is this my Lord? So when it set, he said: If my Lord had not guided me I should certainly be of the erring people.
78. Then when he saw the sun rising, he said: Is this my Lord? Is this the greatest? So when it set, he said: O my people - surely I am clear of what you set up (with Allah).
79. Surely I have turned myself, being upright, wholly to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am not of the polytheists.
80. And his people disputed with him. He said: Do you dispute with me respecting Allah? And He has guided me indeed; and I do not fear in any way those that you set up with Him, unless my Lord pleases; my Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge; will you not then mind?
81. And how should I fear what you have set up (with Him), while you do not fear that you have set up with Allah that for which He has not sent down to you any authority; which then of the two parties is surer of security, if you know?
82. Those who believe and do not mix up their faith with iniquity, those are they who shall have the security and they are those who go aright.
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The seventh Ruku had told us that the disbelievers at Makkah intended that the Prophet PBUH strike some kind of truce with them on the matter of belief and soften his attitude towards their idols, to which the AAYAT there had told him to clarify that he would never incline towards them and he would never be soft towards them; AAYAT-71 here takes up the matter as it tells the Prophet PBUH to ask them to consider what idiocy they are calling to; the earth here means the wild area and the AAYAT tells that the Satan tries to mislead the believer by leading him to doubts due to his lack of knowledge and then causes him to lose the way by misunderstanding; note that avoidance of the bad company is appreciable yet the person must adhere to the good company that would try to lead him to leave the baseless doubts and adhere firmly to the right path that is the true guidance that Allah has given; all persons are commanded to adhere to it only; with the righteousness in the concept, it is necessary to read SALAH that would lead to the development of TAQWA to Allah if the Muslim person adds sacrifice of the worldly possessions in it and takes them only for necessity; He only is the true Lord in front of Whom, all persons would be gathered so the Muslim person ought to have his attention to that Day; He only is the Creator of the heavens and the earth; and to bring the last day of the world when He would say ‘BE, it would take place certainly; the speaking of His word is enough to bring it forth; and then at the Day of Judgment that would manifest when the trumpet is blown, He only would have all the authority (that He has even now yet it would totally manifest at that time); He knows the unseen and knows whatever is manifest; and He is truly Wise and Most Well-Aware; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that He is truly Wise (HAKEEM) means that He is able to provide for such happenings that keep the world to His will by His authoritative measures so no one becomes able to cause such deviation at the world that leads it away from His set manner for it or become such threat that causes FASAD (situation of high difficulties to work upon Islamic teachings) for high length of period and it is so manifest that everybody sees that by observation; He destroyed by events that we name as natural calamities many such nations that had challenged His authority and were causing FASAD at the world and we would study that ancient history at the next Surah insha-Allah (by the will of Allah); note also that Most Well-Aware (KHABEER) means that He knows what actions of the peoples of the world cause what effects to matters at hand and He keeps all the matters of life according to His will by adjustments by His authoritative measures and He knows how to lead on the world to the destination that He intends; certainly, He knows the unseen (that is not manifest to us as for Him, everything is manifest and nothing is unseen) and He knows well whatever is manifest (to us); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next AAYAAT tell a notable event of Abraham-AS where he refuted the belief of his nation at Babylon; he was born at the city of UR and the people there worshipped idols and took stars even as objects to worship; their king asked unconditional obedience from them and demanded to consider him even like their idols to worship; Abraham challenged these aspects of their belief at different occasions as we find the mention at BAQARAH-258; at ANBIYA-the fifth Ruku and here at the Ruku at study from AAYAT-74 to AAYAT-83; it mentions that once Abraham asked his father AZAR why does he carve idols and took them as objects to worship; Abraham added boldly that he finds him and his nation in the manifest error; note that the Quran does not go into detail that is not relevant to the guidance of the Man yet here it has recorded the name of the father of Abraham as an exception to its manner of expression; it might be due to correcting his name at Pentateuch (in Genesis) that records the name of his father as TERAH; or AZAR might be the actual name while TERAH could be another of his names as it was not unusual then to have different names; the narration goes on that Allah showed Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and the earth so that he becomes firm on his true Belief; he argued by them to guide his nation towards TAUHID of Allah (that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord); Al-Hamdu Lillah; when the night fell upon him, he saw one of the bright stars (or it might be one of the bright planets that are Jupiter and Venus shining as the evening star); looking at it, he said that this is my Lord (Who has created this); note that the Quran asked those disbelievers that demanded miracles at AYAT-38 of this Surah that they must observe the animals of the land how beautifully they scatter at the earth (in their own communities at their own habitat) and the birds above them how beautifully they fly with their wings (in their own flocks at the environment they are capable to adopt); these are genera like the mankind; we have seen that AAYAT-55 at the sixth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH tells that when the seventy persons who went with Moses-AS to the mount insisted to see Allah openly, He gave death to these seventy persons and at their death, they were watching the thunderbolt that killed them; this implies that to believe in the true authority of Allah, even the observation of the creation around does provide the necessary reasoning; so Abraham mentioned the observation from his side that this beautiful star even (that you people of UR worship) lead to the true Belief in Allah (while to them it seemed compliance to their belief); this is called TAURIAH (to state something that has more than one meaning and the person who states it take it in the righteous meaning while the listeners might take it in other meanings); Abraham took-up a form of TAURIAH even when he broke the idols putting the axe on the larger of them that he did not break and then he told his people (when they asked him about this all) that this larger one seems to have caused this destruction so do ask him about it to see if he informs (see Surah ANBIYA-62 & 63); then as the star set, Abraham-AS said that he does not appreciate those that set away of sight so he wisely stated his disapproval yet did not challenge their belief directly; then he saw the Moon (not necessarily at that very night) shining well and said that this is my Lord (Who has created this); then as it set, he said that -unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray-; here he discarded some of the care in words but it seems that the people who heard them, ignored those taking it some deviation from the general stance that the youth may show; then as he saw the Sun and it shone well, he said that this is my Lord (Who has created this); then as it set, he said in clear terms that denoted his true Belief that -O my people; surely I am clear of what you set up as partners (with Allah); he said explicitly -for me, I have set my face firmly towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, being upright, and never shall I be of the polytheists- Al-Hamdu Lillah; this led his people to argue with him to which he told them do you argue with me in TAUHID of Allah while He has provided me the Guidance to the right path; I do not fear those that you people take as partners to Him that they would cause any trouble to me except for what Allah wills; Allah has all things in His knowledge (and under His control); so why don’t you O my people become mindful to it; and why should I fear those that you people take as partners to Him when you people do not have any fear of Allah that you take them as His partners without any reason that He may have provided you; so reflect on this matter in this manner who is more worthy of security if you people really have some knowledge (of attitudes); take my word for it that those who do believe in Allah righteously and do not mix it up with the heavy injustice (SHERK), then for those only is the security as they certainly have the true guidance; only that true guidance has the worth to lead to security at AKHIRAT which for certain, is the true success; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Tenth Ruku
83. And this was Our argument which we gave to Ibrahim against his people; We exalt in dignity whoever We please; surely your Lord is Wise, Knowing.
84. And We gave to him Isaac and Jacob; each did We guide, and Noah did We guide before, and of his descendants, David and Solomon and AYUB and Yusuf and Musa and Haroon; and thus do We reward those who do good (to others).
85. And Zechariah and YAHYA (John) and Isa and ILYAS; everyone was of the good;
86. And Ismail and Al-YASHA and YOUNUS and Lot; and every one We made to excel (in) the worlds:
87. And from among their fathers and their descendants and their brethren, and We chose them and guided them into the right way.
88. This is Allah's guidance, He guides thereby whom He pleases of His servants; and if they had set up others (with Him), certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them.
89. These are they to whom We gave the book and the wisdom and the prophecy; therefore if these disbelieve in it We have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it.
90. These are they whom Allah guided, therefore follow their guidance. Say: I do not ask you for any reward for it; it is nothing but a reminder to the nations.
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The first AAYAT continues to conclude the narration of the event related to Abraham-AS and the other AAYAAT at the Ruku mention the other of Messengers of Allah after him; AAYAT-83 states, “And this was Our argument which We gave to Ibrahim (Abraham) against his people - We exalt in dignity whom We please - surely your Lord is Most Wise and Most Knowing”; this tells clearly that Ibrahim-AS played this whole episode by the permission of Allah and He was totally attentive to Allah only; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the notable point here is that many of Messengers came in the lineage of Ibrahim-AS from his second son Isaac-AS (who also was the Messenger of Allah) except for Muhammad PBUH (the last of them) who was the descendant of Ishmael-AS, the elder son of Ibrahim (who also was the Messenger of Allah); Muhammad PBUH was the only Messenger of Allah that came from the lineage of Ishmael and there is a gap of nearly 2500 years between them; the Ruku mentions seventeen of Messengers besides Ibrahim-AS that include Noah-AS, Lot-AS, Ishmael-AS and Isaac-AS; the five AAYAAT ahead (from AAYAT-84 to AAYAT-88) mention them (Salam on all of them) and they read, “We gave him Isaac and Jacob - all guided - and before him, We guided Noah, and among his progeny, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron - thus do We reward those who do good; and Zachariah and John, and Jesus and Elias - all in the ranks of the righteous; and Ishmael and Elisha, and Jonas, and Lot - and to all We gave favor above the nations; and to their fathers, and progeny and brethren - We chose them, and we guided them to the right path; this is the guidance of Allah - He gives that guidance to whom He pleases, of His true slaves - if they were to join other gods with Him, all that they did would be vain for them even”; the AAYAT ahead declares that Allah gave them His commands by written Scriptures and the wisdom to all to put those in practice and the liability of being the Prophets of Allah; Allah guided them to the right path and kept them onto it; so if these people at Makkah disbelieve in it O Prophet PBUH, you do not worry as We have already entrusted with it those people who are not disbelievers in it; at the last of it, Allah directs Muhammad PBUH to keep firm on the fundamental teachings of Islam to which Allah had guided all His Messengers; it is the liability of the Prophet PBUH to provide the message of Allah to all the peoples of the world that reminds them of the word that they had given to Allah, the true Lord, that they would take Him only as their true Lord (see Surah AARAAF-172); note well that after Muhammad PBUH, the last Messenger of Allah, we all Muslims have that liability to provide that message to all peoples of the world as best as we can in this given scenario; may Allah help us all in the fulfillment of our liability; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Eleventh Ruku
91. And they do not assign to Allah the attributes due to Him when they say: Allah has not revealed anything to a mortal. Say: Who revealed the Book which Musa brought, light and guidance to men, which you make into scattered writings which you show while you conceal much? And you were taught what you did not know, (neither) you nor your fathers. Say: Allah then leave them sporting in their vain discourses.
92. And this is a Book We have revealed, blessed, verifying that which is before it, and that you may warn the metropolis and those around her; and those who believe in the hereafter believe in it, and they attend to their prayers constantly.
93. And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah, or says: It has been revealed to me; while nothing has been revealed to him, and he who says that I can reveal the like of what Allah has revealed? and if you had seen when the unjust shall be in the agonies of death and the angels shall spread forth their hands: Give up your souls; today shall you be recompensed with an ignominious chastisement because you spoke against Allah other than the truth and (because) you showed pride against His AAYAAT.
94. And certainly you have come to Us alone as We created you at first, and you have left behind your backs the things which We gave you, and We do not see with you your intercessors about whom you asserted that they were (Allah's) associates in respect to you; certainly the ties between you are now cut off and what you asserted is gone from you.
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After telling about how the message of Allah remained available to the peoples of the world from the ancient times (especially from the times of Abraham-AS), this Ruku tells four things relevant to its four AAYAAT that the Bani-Israel did not give Torah the respect they should have given to it though it had provided the message of Allah explicitly in its five books to them; they went so far away in their disrespect that there were such persons among them who even remarked that Allah did not descend anything on any of mankind; O Muhammad PBUH, ask them Who revealed the Book that Moses brought which was the light and the true guidance to the mankind; tell them that they have put it into different sheets so as to decide what they present at fore and what they hide (that is much of it); they and their forefathers were taught the Truth by it that they did not know; O Muhammad PBUH, tell them that Allah had descended that and then leave them in their mocking obsession; the second AAYAT of the Ruku tells that now Allah has provided this Quran as the blessing to all peoples of the world that verifies the Truth that Torah had presented before it so that O Muhammad PBUH you start your work of TABLIGH (providing the message of Islam) to warn the dwellers of Makkah and the peoples around it; and so those who truly believe in AKHIRAT (that they show by their preference to it against the worldly things) do believe in it and they highly keep to practicing of SALAH; the third AAYAT states that who would be more unjust than that person who forges lie against Allah (by trying to distort the message of Allah) or who says that Allah directs him by WAHI while he does not receive any such directions – and such person is also among the most unjust persons who says that he would also present directions like what Allah has descended (that would challenge what He has provided by WAHI to His Messengers); this AAYAT also tells that the death of such persons would be extremely harsh when the angels of death would most severely take their life out of them with the information to them that today, they would receive the most unpleasant punishment as they used to say fibs against the message of Allah and used to belittle it as much as they could; the last AAYAT states explicitly that all persons would certainly come to Allah alone as He created them at first (naked and helpless), and Allah would address them that they have left behind their backs (at the world) the worldly things which Allah had given them and Allah would indicate that their intercessors are nowhere to be seen whom they asserted that these intercessors were associates to Allah for their safety; certainly the ties between them and those that they took as their intercessors are now cut off and what they asserted are lost away from them; thus, the Ruku tells that Allah has truly provided His message at all times by many of His Messengers so that the Man takes it without any reservation or any inclination towards the worldly matters; he must develop the true Belief and do the good deeds according to it as he has to answer for his worldly life totally alone at AKHIRAT and he must never forget this at any time of his life; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Twelfth Ruku
95. Surely Allah causes the grain and the stone to germinate; He brings forth the living from the dead and He is the bringer forth of the dead from the living; that is Allah - how are you then turned away.
96. He causes the dawn to break; and He has made the night for rest, and the sun and the moon for reckoning; this is an arrangement of the Mighty, the Knowing.
97. And He it is Who has made the stars for you that you might follow the right way thereby in the darkness of the land and the sea; truly We have made plain the AAYAAT for the people who know.
98. And He it is Who has brought you into being from a single soul, then there is (for you) a resting-place and a depository; indeed We have made plain the AAYAAT for a people who understand.
99. And He it is Who sends down water from the cloud, then We bring forth with it buds of all (plants), then We bring forth from it green (foliage) from which We produce grain piled up (in the ear); and of the palm-tree, of the sheaths of it, come forth clusters (of dates) within reach, and gardens of grapes and olives and pomegranates, alike and unlike; behold the fruit of it when it yields the fruit and the ripening of it; most surely there are signs in this for the people who believe.
100. And they make the jinn associates with Allah, while He created them, and they falsely attribute to Him sons and daughters without knowledge; glory be to Him, and highly exalted is He above what they ascribe to Him.
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The Previous Ruku asks to note that Allah provided the Guidance to the right path to the Man by descending the Holy Books for him; this Ruku tells that the Man would get the basic true Guidance even by pondering over whatever Allah has created around him and over his own self; the three opening AAYAAT (that are 95, 96 & 97) of the Ruku tell that if the Man considers the creation around him with observation, he would see that they manifest many of the Islamic teachings by different aspects (especially TAUHID as there is order in their working and no clash with each other); the next couple of AAYAAT tell that if the Man considers his own self with observation, he would see that it manifests many of the Islamic teachings (especially AKHIRAT); note that the AAYAAT indicate that the Man sees that many people are living on at the world and many have gone to graves so life is going towards some destination as the spirit of the person does not die; if he observes the rain, he would see that it brings forth from the earth different fruits and flowers that are similar to and vary with each other; just as they bloom out of the earth amazingly by the rain so the dead would rise from their graves and that would be the Day of Judgment; the last AAYAT states about the disbelievers at Makkah (and such polytheists), “and they make the JINN associates with Allah, while He created them, and they falsely attribute to Him sons and daughters without knowledge; glory be to Him, and highly exalted is He, most above what they ascribe to Him”; note that these polytheists took JINN as having powers to affect the worldly matters unconditionally so they took them as partners to Allah in the management of many of the worldly affairs; AAYAT-06 of Surah JINN tells, “and that persons from among men used to seek refuge with persons from among JINN, so they increased those JINN in their conceit”; and they also took angels as daughters of Allah so their belief depended on their whims only; may Allah save all Muslims from SHERK, the biggest in the major sins; the true Belief is that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Thirteenth Ruku
101. Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth - How could He have a son when He has no consort and He created everything and He is the Knower of everything.
102. That is Allah, your Lord, there is no god but He; the Creator of all things, therefore serve Him, and He has charge of all things.
103. Vision comprehends Him not, and He comprehends (all) vision; and He is the Knower of subtleties, the Aware.
104. Indeed there have come to you clear proofs from your Lord; whoever will therefore see, it is for his own soul and whoever will be blind, it shall be against himself and I am not a keeper over you.
105. And thus do We repeat the AAYAAT (by different aspects), and that they may say: you have read; and that We may make it clear to people who know.
106. Follow what is revealed to you from your Lord; there is no god but He; and withdraw from the polytheists.
107. And if Allah had pleased, they would not have set up others (with Him) and We have not appointed you a keeper over them, and you are not placed in charge of them.
108. And do not abuse those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest exceeding the limits they should abuse Allah out of ignorance. Thus have We made fair seeming to every people their deeds; then to their Lord shall be their return, so He will inform them of what they did.
109. And they swear by Allah with the strongest of their oaths, that if a sign came to them they would most certainly believe in it. Say: Signs are only with Allah; and what should make you know that when it comes they will not believe?
110. And We will turn their hearts and their sights, even as they did not believe in it the first time, and We will leave them in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.
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This Ruku of Surah AN’AAM (that comprises of ten AAYAAT) tells about the authority of Allah and asks the Prophet PBUH (and all the Muslims) to remain firm upon Islam; the first four AAYAAT are explicit that Allah is Most Powerful and if He does not punish the disbelievers immediately, it is His mercy so that the disbelievers avail the opportunity to take-up Islam; AAYAAT ahead explain these AAYAAT that Allah certainly is Able to make the disbelievers believe by force yet Allah has given this worldly life for the examination to all persons (and so he has provided them the free-will and also provided the Guidance to the right path to all persons); so the Prophet PBUH does have the liability to provide the Truth to all peoples yet he is not responsible to see that they do accept Islam; the three AAYAAT that come ahead clarify that there are two kind of persons among these polytheists who are called towards the AAYAAT of the Quran - one of them say that the Prophet PBUH has learnt these AAYAAT from other people while the persons that have capability to reflect upon them, they do accept them – the Prophet PBUH must not care for those who do not accept these AAYAAT but he would go on spreading them and follow the guidance that they provide – he is not responsible when he does justice to his task of providing the teachings of Islam; he would keep away from the polytheists once he has provided them the message of Islam as he certainly would not take any of worldly benefits from them; this tells the important thing that the Muslims would try their best to keep away from all disbelievers once they provide the message of Islam to them as their concern to them is that these disbelievers save their-selves from the agony of the hell-fire by the acceptance of Islam at AKHIRAT but they must not ask any of worldly benefits from them; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next AAYAT tells the Muslims not to abuse those that they take as partners to Allah in His creation as then they would abuse Allah in enmity without any reason; this tells that the Muslims must not do any such thing at surroundings that might lead the persons therein to mock Islam or take such things in practice that Islam strictly asks to refrain from; when such persons become slaves to their whims, their deeds seem most admirable to them yet when they would return to their true Lord, He would explicitly tell them of their doings; they take oaths on their statement that if the miracle appears to them, they would most undoubtedly believe in that (and then they would accept Islam); the AAYAT says that O Prophet PBUH – tell them that only Allah has the authority to show them any of miracles and they do not know that even if any miracle appears to them, they would still not believe; Allah would cause their hearts and even their observation to turn away from the acceptance of the Truth now (without providing any of miracles) just like they had disbelieved the Truth at the first place when the Messenger of Allah had explicitly presented that to them so Allah would leave them in the state of bewilderment; note that when the disbelievers reject the Messengers of Allah in final terms, that disrespect does cause the certain destruction to fall upon them; there is the point up-to where elasticity does apply and to there, the person might leave his wrongs and become right by taking up the fundamental teachings of Islam; but when some wrongful person passes that limit by his wrongs then that is the point of no return for him where Allah seals his ability to get to the Truth and he is destined to fall into the hell-fire; Allah cares most highly for His respectable Messengers and so He punishes the disbelievers to them in most severe manner; certainly, Allah only is truly Powerful; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Fourteenth Ruku
111. And even if We had sent down to them the angels and the dead had spoken to them and We had brought together all things before them, they would not believe unless Allah pleases, but most of them are ignorant.
112. And thus did We make for every prophet an enemy, the Satans from among men and jinn, some of them suggesting to others varnished falsehood to deceive (them), and had your Lord pleased they would not have done it, therefore leave them and that which they forge.
113. And that the hearts of those who do not believe in the hereafter may incline to it and that they may be well pleased with it and that they may earn what they are going to earn (of evil).
114. Shall I then seek any judge other than Allah? And He it is Who has revealed to you the Book (which is) made plain; and those whom We have given the Book know that it is revealed by your Lord with truth, therefore you should not be of the disputers.
115. And the word of your Lord has been accomplished truly and justly; there is none who can change His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
116. And if you obey most of those in the earth, they will lead you astray from Allah's way; they follow but conjecture and they only lie.
117. Surely your Lord-- He best knows who goes astray from His way, and He best knows those who follow the right course.
118. Therefore eat of that on which Allah's name has been mentioned if you are believers in His AAYAAT.
119. And what reason have you that you should not eat of that on which Allah's name has been mentioned, and He has already made plain to you what He has forbidden to you-- excepting what you are compelled to; and most surely many would lead (people) astray by their low desires out of ignorance; surely your Lord-- He best knows those who exceed the limits.
120. And abandon open and secret sin; surely they who earn sin shall be recompensed with what they earned.
121. And do not eat of that on which Allah's name has not been mentioned, and that is most surely a transgression; and most surely the Satans suggest to their friends that they should contend with you; and if you obey them, you shall most surely be polytheists.
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The Ruku starts by addressing the issue of the demand of the disbelievers to provide miracles to them; note that the Quran has the manner of expression that it puts emphasis on its teachings by repetition to bring them to light by their different aspects; we have studied in the previous Ruku at AAYAT-105, -“and thus do We repeat the AAYAAT (by different aspects) and that they may say that you have read - and that We may make it clear to people who know”- so this manner of expression examines the persons fairly and their inner position comes at fore clearly; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the opening AAYAT clarifies that the true Belief does not need miracles for it (but on the contrary, the demand for them might become hindrance for the person to accept the Truth) but it comes when the person guides his attention towards Allah as then Allah would help him by saving him from the satanic influences and by guiding him to the right path; the AAYAT implies that the disbelievers must ask Allah for the righteous guidance rather than demand miracles; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next AAYAT tells that Allah has allowed the satanic persons among the human beings and among the JINN to show their enmity to every Messenger of Allah that they did by putting evil thoughts into each other by deception; if Allah had not allowed them to do so, they would not have done so; so leave them and whatever forgery that they devise; note that Allah has allowed even the satanic persons to work against the Truth in whatever manner they intend and had granted them the ability to mislead each other by putting evil thoughts inside each other; He intends to take the examination of all persons (His Messengers included) and so He has given the satanic persons necessary liberty to do their evil work yet it does have its limit that He certainly decides perfectly well; Al-Hamdu Lillah; these satanic persons are unable to force anything to anyone but they do try to make the wrongs look beautiful and take-up arguments that seem to have some validity yet they are based on play of words; they try to promote the wrongful concept that takes something from the rightful concept and conceal some other from it to make their point; the spirit of the Man does not conform to any wrongs so they try to deceive all they address by their manner of speech; that is why the AAYAT mentions their manner as deception which they take-up among their colleagues; the next AAYAT clarifies that they take-up such arguments so that such hearers to them who do not have their belief strong upon AKHIRAT, do incline to them and get into earning of activities that bind them to all wrongs; the next couple of AAYAAT tell the Prophet PBUH (and all Muslims) to adhere fast to the Quran and tell clearly all such persons (who try to mislead all by their speech) that it is most unfeasible to take anyone besides Allah as the true Lord; He has given us all the Quran that clarifies the Truth most explicitly and those who have received this Book with the ability to reflect on its teachings, know totally well that this Book is undoubtedly from Allah as it is the Truth in itself; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so no-one of the Muslims would become doubtful to it; the speech of Allah actually is the whole Truth that fully leads to the Justice; nobody is able to change the principles that the true speech of Allah has set; He certainly is the Most Hearing and the Most Knowing (so the Muslims would keep attentive to Him so that He cares for them that they are impressed not by anything but Islam); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next six AAYAAT tell about the manner the wrong persons misguide the persons that have believed righteously and try to work their deeds in accordance to it; they tell that if you O Prophet PBUH (and O Muslims), hear to the majority of persons in the set matters, they would undoubtedly mislead you as they follow their base whims and in them, they engage their guesswork; Allah certainly knows well who stray away from His right path and He certainly knows those also who keep steadfast on that; this implies as we have studied that He let all the persons incline to wherever they intend so that everyone brings his colors inside at fore; He would end the impression of those that follow wrongs as He would eliminate it from the world and he would punish at AKHIRAT most severely all those persons who lived upon it at their worldly lives; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note here that the disbelievers had devised an argument to mislead the Muslims as they asked them that why is it that the Muslims do not eat the animal valid to eat that Allah has killed while they eat what they kill (slaughter); the Quran tells about this manner in their speech that they argue to show the wrong stance as beautiful to take so they play with words without any righteous basis to their stance and the Quran presents this as an example to their manner of speech; they had mentioned such animal that dies by some extreme natural hit or dies by falling from some height that is disallowed to eat for Muslims (as we have studied at the first Ruku of MA’EDAH); the Quran does not even care to refute such idiocy and by AAYAT-118 asks the Muslims to go on eating of the HALAAL (allowed to eat) animal without any worry when that had been slaughtered properly and on which the name of Allah had been taken at the slaughter without any care to disbelievers; note that to leave the name of Allah at such time on purpose disrespectfully disallows its use in any manner; the AAYAT tells the Muslims that there is no reason that you do not eat from the HALAAL animal when the name of Allah is recited on it at its slaughter while Allah has clearly mentioned those animals that you are disallowed to eat and at the situation of IDHTIRAR (the situation of utmost necessity) you might even eat from them to save your lives up-to necessity; you Muslims must remain aware that there are many such persons who misguide on the basis of their whims without any knowledge; Allah certainly has given them some liberty to do their evil work yet it has its limit; many of them go beyond that limit and Allah knows such persons (and He would punish them most severely); the Muslims would leave the sin, manifest or not so manifest, that relate to the eating of animals; those who commit such sin, they would get the return to their commitment to wrong; the Muslims would not eat from any such animal on which the name of Allah is not taken as that is highly wrong (AAYAT-138 at Ruku-16 ahead clarifies this); but the evil ones pursue their companions by putting evil thoughts in them so that they dispute with the Muslims by base arguments; if any of Muslims obey their whims, they too would become polytheists; may Allah save all Muslims from such extreme wrongs; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Fifteenth Ruku
122. Is he who was dead then We raised him to life and made for him a light by which he walks among the people, like him whose likeness is that of one in utter darkness whence he cannot come forth? Thus what they did was made fair seeming to the disbelievers.
123. And thus have We made in every town the great ones to be its guilty ones, that they may plan therein; and they do not plan but against their own souls, and they do not perceive.
124. And when some AAYAT comes to them they say: we will not believe till we are given the like of what Allah's apostles are given. Allah best knows where He places His message. There shall befall those who are guilty, humiliation from Allah and severe chastisement because of what they planned.
125. Therefore (for) whomsoever Allah intends that He would guide him aright, He expands his inside for Islam, and (for) whomsoever He intends that He should cause him to err, He makes his inside strait and narrow as though he were ascending upwards; thus does Allah lay uncleanness on those who do not believe.
126. And this is the path of your Lord, the right (path); indeed We have made the AAYAAT clear for the people who mind.
127. They shall have the abode of peace with their Lord, and He is their guardian because of what they did.
128. And on the day when He shall gather them all together: O assembly of jinn - you took away a great part of mankind. And their friends from among the men shall say: our Lord - some of us profited by others and we have reached our appointed term which You did appoint for us. He shall say: The fire is your abode, to abide in it, except as Allah is pleased; surely your Lord is Wise, Knowing.
129. And thus do We make some of the iniquitous to befriend others on account of what they earned.
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The Ruku clarifies about when Allah sends His wrath to some nation after they reject His message; it tells about the peace that the righteous persons have inside them and the tension that the sinful persons have to bear at their insides (it is as if someone goes on climbing high where he feels his inside constricted); it tells about the righteous ones and those who become companions to the evil ones that are among JINN; so it tells all to accept the teachings of Islam before it is too late and work for the betterment of own and for all persons around; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the first AAYAT states about the person whom Allah has given life (brought to the true Belief after disbelief) and given the light (of the true guidance) inside which he carries among all persons that how could he be like that person who is in utter darkness (of disbelief) and there seems no chance that he would get out of it; this is because the wrongs of the disbelievers are adorned (by base arguments) in such manner to them; that is the punishment of the wrongs of the disbeliever at the world that he becomes totally negligent to the righteous teachings of Islam but when Allah intends to punish some nation for its sinful lifestyle, then He makes the prominent people in it extremely negligent to the righteous teachings of Islam so that they conspire against each other (by the desire to gain more of the worldly things) without care to Islam; they actually are conspiring against their own selves and the outcome to it would be their total destruction; note that the destruction of an individual is that he falls into the sinful manner of living as the end-result when he becomes firm in rejection of the teachings of Islam and the destruction of a nation begins when their prominent persons reject the teachings of Islam openly; among these prominent sinful persons, there are such persons who (if they care to hear about the message of Islam) say that they are liable to receive this directly from Allah if this is the right path and if they are to accept it; the AAYAT says that Allah knows better where to send His message so He chooses His Messengers as He wills; note that as Muhammad PBUH was the last of them, there are no Messengers after him and certainly the Quran has provided the Guidance to the right path totally well; Al-Hamdu Lillah; soon these prominent sinful persons would get extreme disgrace in front of Allah at AKHIRAT and utmost wrath from Allah even in this worldly life because of their conspiracies by abuse of the status they have achieved; Allah opens the inside for Islam for every such person whom He intends to keep on the true guidance (due to their firmness on righteousness) and He constricts the inside of every such person to extreme constriction whom He intends to keep on the misguidance (due to their firmness on sinful manners) as if someone climbs above at heights (where the breathing becomes extremely difficult); this denotes that the sinful lifestyle causes the individual to get more and more oblivious to the Islamic teachings and he gets nearer to the death inside living in such darkness where he is unable to distinguish the right from the wrong; that is how ignominy falls on the disbelievers (that disgraces them in their own view); and Islam only is the right path that leads the Muslims to Allah; Allah has given the AAYAAT in detail for those who really intend to take heed; these persons would receive DAR-US-SALAM (the residence of peace i.e. JANNAT) in front of their Lord and He is the true Friend to them due to their righteous deeds; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that when the Ruku mentioned the prominent sinful persons (AAYAT-124), it said that soon these prominent sinful persons would get extreme disgrace in front of Allah; but here for those Muslims who really take heed, AAYAT-127 says that these persons would receive DAR-US-SALAM in front of “their Lord”; this difference of terms shows that the Muslims believe that Allah is their true Lord Who leads them to the true peace inside at the worldly life and to the residence of peace at AKHIRAT when they obey Him totally; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last couple of AAYAAT of the Ruku say, “and on the Day (of HASHR) when He shall gather them all together -O assembly of JINN - you took away a great part of mankind-, and their friends from among the men shall say -our Lord - some of us profited by others and we have reached our appointed term which You appointed for us- He shall say –the fire is your abode, to abide in it, except as Allah is pleased; surely your Lord is Wise, Knowing-; and thus do We make some of the iniquitous to befriend others on account of what they earned”; the last AAYAT here tells the concept that is named as TOFIQ which means that the good deeds of the believer leads him to more good deeds and the evil deeds of the disbeliever leads him to more evil deeds; this would clearly show at the Day of HASHR when all persons would be grouped according to their deeds and among them also, would be sub-groups by deeds; note that whenever the JINN turn malicious, they are termed as satanic beings and the Satan that challenged Adam-AS was one among the JINN (see Surah KAHF-50); with time, he has got the assistance of many other JINN (and even human beings) in his evil work; these satanic beings have misled many of persons among the human beings by putting evil thoughts inside each other and by forming doubts inside; however, as he also is the creation of Allah, he had asked for an extremely long life when Allah disgraced him (and Allah granted him that though not up-to the last day of the world as he intended); see the note at the fourth Ruku of BAQARAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Sixteenth Ruku
130. O assembly of jinn and men - did there not come to you apostles from among you, relating to you My AAYAAT and warning you of the meeting of this day of yours? They shall say: we bear witness against ourselves; and this world's life deceived them, and they shall bear witness against their own souls that they were disbelievers.
131. This is because your Lord would not destroy towns unjustly while their people were negligent.
132. And all have degrees according to what they do; and your Lord is not heedless of what they do.
133. And your Lord is the Self-sufficient one, the Lord of mercy; if He pleases, He may take you off, and make whom He pleases successors after you, even as He raised you up from the seed of another people.
134. Surely what you are threatened with must come to pass and you cannot escape (it).
135. Say: O my people - act according to your ability; I too am acting; so you will soon come to know, for whom (of us) will be the (good) end of the abode; surely the unjust shall not be successful.
136. And they set apart a portion for Allah out of what He has created of tilth and cattle, and say: This is for Allah-- so they assert-- and this for our associates; then what is for their associates, it reaches not to Allah, and whatever is (set apart) for Allah, it reaches to their associates; evil is that which they judge.
137. And thus their associates have made fair seeming to most of the polytheists the killing of their children that they may cause them to perish and obscure for them their religion; and if Allah had pleased, they would not have done it, therefore leave them and that which they forge.
138. And they say: These are cattle and tilth prohibited, none shall eat them except such as We please-- so they assert-- and cattle whose backs are forbidden, and cattle on which they would not mention Allah's name-- forging a lie against Him; He shall requite them for what they forged.
139. And they say: What is in the wombs of these cattle is specially for our males, and forbidden to our wives, and if it be stillborn, then they are all partners in it; He will reward them for their attributing (falsehood to Allah); surely He is Wise, Knowing.
140. They are lost indeed who kill their children foolishly without knowledge, and forbid what Allah has given to them forging a lie against Allah; they have indeed gone astray, and they are not the followers of the right course.
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The Ruku continues telling about the JINN and the human beings at AKHIRAT and Allah would remind them that He had provided His message through His Messengers that this Day of Judgment would certainly take place; the Ruku relates to this subject that the Messengers of Allah guided the peoples to care about AKHIRAT whereas its last five AAYAAT indicate the erroneous rulings that the disbelievers had invented about AN’AAM (cattle) which also has relevance to this subject as the Quran explicitly tells that whatever the person eats or drinks, that does affect him spiritually; Allah would ask the JNN and the human if His Messengers did not come to them who gave them His message and warn them about this Day when they would meet Allah; they would witness against their-selves as they would consider that such witness might give them some relief because in the world, acceptance of the crime unconditionally affects the punishment positively for the person who committed the crime yet there, this attitude is nothing but idiocy that arises from the adherence to worldly manners; note that these JINN and these persons from the mankind that would be their companions, would be such disbelievers who had totally become oblivious to AKHIRAT and note also that it is disallowed for any person among the man to try to control any of JINN by his spiritual power and it is disallowed for any of JINN to try to control any of the mankind by his physical power; this world is the place of examination and AKHIRAT is the place of getting the results; Allah would remind them that He sent His Messengers so everybody remains aware that He does not destroy any place while its residents are not aware of the consequence of their erroneous belief and their sinful deeds; every group (and the sub-groups each have) would have its own status and Allah certainly is not unaware of whatever they used to do; note that there would be those who would not accept their erroneous belief (see Surah AN’AAM-23) and there would even be those who would need their own parts of the body to witness against them (see Surah YA-SEEN-65); Allah is GHANI (i.e. not in need of praise from the JINN or the mankind though they all must praise Him and obey Him as their true Lord by their own free-will as other of His creation does by their natural set-up) and He also has REHMAT (merciful care) towards the JINN and the mankind so He provides them the space to accept the Islamic teachings and work in accordance to them; He is fully Able to finish off the peoples (that inhabit some place now) and bring others whom He wills after them as he had brought them from the peoples that were living before them at the place; that which has been promised to all (i.e. the Day of Judgment) would certainly come and certainly, when Allah has decided for it to come then no one is able to stop it occurring; AAYAT-135 tells the Prophet PBUH to tell all the people he is sent to, that they do whatever they can and he will do whatever he must (at his part): soon will they know who it is whose end will be the best in AKHIRAT: it is most certain that the unjust wrong-doers do not prosper (but they live in mental anguish at the worldly life and they would face certain dreadful punishment at AKHIRAT) while the righteous Believers would find peace at the worldly life and the residence of peace at AKHIRAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAAT ahead discuss the erroneous rulings of the disbelievers, specially about AN’AAM (cattle); note that though the making of pottery and clothing were given their share at the ancient world yet it had most of its paid professions besides armed ventures, much related to crops and cattle (and this position stayed to about some 150 years back or so until inventions of different items came about and the industry in general made high impressions at the living manner of the Man); we have learnt by our study at MA’EDAH-02 that the commands about foods that it mentions were the last of commands in the Quran according to IBNE-ABBAS-RA (one of the foremost SAHABA that had prominence in TAFSIR); so it is notable that the first AAYAAT that had descended twenty-two years back had commanded to read (accept, understand, apply and spread the teachings of the Quran) while this last of commands had asked to refrain from impure foods; these two are the basic necessities for the spirit and the body respectively so the former must receive the Quran for its actual safety while the latter must avoid filth in all manner that might in turn, affect the spirit adversely; Al-Hamdu Lillah; we have also learnt by our study at AAYAT-87 & 88 at the twelfth Ruku of MA’EDAH that the Muslims would only incline to foods that are HALAAL (allowed to eat) and TAYYIBAH (pure to eat); the lack of even one of these properties (that are HALAAL and TAYYIBAH in something seemingly edible) prohibits the intake of it so the AAYAAT tell all the peoples of the world to eat only that Allah has allowed them (HALAAL) and that which they understand to have purity (TAYYIBAH) according to the SUNNAH of the Prophet PBUH; this statement is interesting in the sense that the food taken-in does affect the conduct of the person (his awareness of the good moral values); so the Quran does indicate that the intake of anything affects the Man even in the spiritual sense; note that Allah had commanded Adam & Eve to keep away from going near even to the tree that had the prohibited fruit for them on it but the Satan pursued this first couple of the mankind to eat the prohibited fruit to affect them adversely so undoubtedly, he is the enemy of the mankind; AAYAT-88 there also tells that the Muslims must have TAQWA to Allah whom they truly believe and this implies that the eating of any such thing that is unlawful and/or impure affects TAQWA to Allah adversely that is the highest of the spiritual values for the true Muslim; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the four AAYAAT ahead read, “and they set apart a portion for Allah out of what He has created of tilth and cattle, and say -this is for Allah - so they assert - and this for our associates- then what is for their associates, it reaches not to Allah, and whatever is (set apart) for Allah, it reaches to their associates - evil is that which they judge; and thus their associates have made fair-seeming to most of the polytheists the killing of their children, that they may cause them to perish and obscure for them their religion - and if Allah had pleased, they would not have done it, therefore leave them and that which they forge; and they say -these are cattle and tilth prohibited, none shall eat them except such as we please - so they assert - and cattle whose backs are forbidden, and cattle on which they would not mention Allah's name - forging a lie against Him - He shall requite them for what they forged; and they say -what is in the wombs of these cattle is specially for our males, and forbidden to our wives-, and if it be stillborn, then they are all partners in it; He will reward them for their attributing (falsehood to Allah); surely He is Wise, Knowing”; these four AAYAAT present the erroneous rulings of the disbelievers specially about the cattle and in sequence of AAYAAT, the first of them was that they set portions from the crops and cattle aside for Allah and for their idols and then they merged both in the name of their idols with the argument that Allah does not need anything from these; the second was that they killed their children that was because there were such persons among them who thought it shame to father the female child and the other reason was that they took it as an economic burden upon them; the third was that they specified some of the cattle and crops that these would not be consumed except for whom they allow and they specified some of cattle that they disallowed riding or putting loads upon, and specified other of them upon which they prohibited to recite the name of Allah at slaughter, only because they needed to challenge Allah (and we have just studied that the Quran commands not to eat such slaughtered animal at the last AAYAT of Ruku-14 of AN’AAM); the fourth was that if at the slaughter of an animal, its calf came out alive from it, they would slaughter it too and allow its consumption for men only, but if it came out still, they allowed both men and women to eat from it; these erroneous rulings that they had formulated by their whims challenged Allah so the last AAYAT that is AAYAT-140 of the Ruku tells clearly that these disbelievers have strayed totally away from the right path and they have lost all the opportunity to become the righteous men; it reads, “they are extreme losers indeed who kill their children foolishly without any knowledge, and forbid the foods that Allah has allowed to them forging a lie against Allah - they have indeed gone astray, and they undoubtedly are not the followers of the right path”; may Allah keep all the good Muslims most determined onto the right path of Islam; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Seventeenth Ruku
141. And He it is Who produces gardens (of vine), trellised and un-trellised, and palms and seed-produce of which the fruits are of various sorts, and olives and pomegranates, like and unlike; eat of its fruit when it bears fruit, and pay the due of it on the day of its reaping, and do not act extravagantly; surely He does not love the extravagant.
142. And of cattle (He created) beasts of burden and those which are fit for slaughter only; eat of what Allah has given you and do not follow the footsteps of the Satan; surely he is your open enemy.
143. Eight in pairs-- two of sheep and two of goats. Say: Has He forbidden the two males or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful.
144. And two of camels and two of cows. Say: Has He forbidden the two males or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Or were you witnesses when Allah enjoined you this? Who, then, is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah that he should lead astray men without knowledge? Surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.
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This Ruku provides the righteous manner in which the Muslims would consume the crops and the cattle and provide from that to the poor too; the Ruku starts by the statement that Allah has produced gardens with trellises (as few of the fruits do need them) and without (most of the fruits are of such manner), and He has produced the date-palm, and crops of diverse flavor, and the olive and the pomegranate that are like and unlike (this quality is found in all fruits that each of their stocks looks alike or even somewhat different but their taste though basically near to each other, varies slightly) so when the produce is ready then the Muslims would eat from it and give from it as due on the day of its harvest but they would not waste the produce (by unworthy distribution giving not to the needy or providing him from them what seems lesser in quality or providing him so much of them that the owner himself is left with very small quantity of it or eating them in extreme) because Allah does not appreciate such wasters; note that this AAYAT had descended at Makkah where Allah had not commanded for the payment of ZAKAH (and so it was valid to pay by will whatever quantity suited the owner), yet after the command for ZAKAH, the Muslims have to pay it according to that and that is named as USHR whenever they take it on harvest; AAYAT-142 tells that the cattle has two main categories which are those that stand high above the ground (as camels and even cows) while the other is much near to the ground in their built (sheep and goat); the Muslims might eat from them as Allah has provided them to the Muslims for this too but they must not eat any of things that are disallowed or impure because they must not follow the steps of Satan who had misguided Adam and Eve when they ate the prohibited fruit; Satan is indeed the enemy of the Man evidently; the cattle are divided into eight as pairs (male and female) so there are two among the sheep and two among the goat; note that the foolish rulings of the disbelievers about the cattle were so out of place that the AAYAT ahead tells the Prophet PBUH to ask them if the respective males of them are prohibited or if that is the respective females of them or if that is what the wombs of the respective females contain; then the Prophet PBUH would ask them to relate the validity of their response with reasoning if they do have any and if they are truthful in their rulings; this was hit on them to reflect what rulings they were taking in their practice and how foolish these rulings were as they certainly have no basis to them; the AYAT ahead tells that there are two among the camel and two among the cow; it tells the Prophet PBUH to ask about them too if the respective males of them are prohibited or if that is the respective females of them or if that is what the wombs of the respective females contain; this time Allah hits them by asking them were they present when Allah had commanded this ruling to them; and who would be more unjust than that person who ascribes such lie to Allah with the sinful intention to mislead all the people without any knowledge; Allah certainly does not guide such unjust gathering of disbelievers (because He certainly is helpful to the most righteous persons who care to follow only His commands at their worldly lives); Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Eighteenth Ruku
145. Say: I do not find in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden for an eater to eat of except that it be what has died of itself, or blood poured forth, or flesh of swine-- for that surely is unclean-- or that which is a transgression, other than (the name of) Allah having been invoked on it; but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring nor exceeding the limit, then surely your Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.
146. And to those who were Jews We made unlawful every animal having claws, and of oxen and sheep We made unlawful to them the fat of both, except such as was on their backs or the entrails or what was mixed with bones: this was a punishment We gave them on account of their rebellion, and We are surely Truthful.
147. But if they give you the lie, then say: your Lord is the Lord of All-encompassing mercy; and His punishment cannot be averted from the guilty people.
148. Those who are polytheists will say: If Allah had pleased we would not have associated (aught with Him) nor our fathers, nor would we have forbidden (to ourselves) anything; even so did those before them reject until they tasted Our punishment. Say: Have you any knowledge with you so you should bring it forth to us? You only follow a conjecture and you only tell lies.
149. Say: Then Allah's is the conclusive argument; so if He please, He would certainly guide you all.
150. Say: Bring your witnesses who should bear witness that Allah has forbidden this, then if they bear witness, do not bear witness with them; and follow not the low desires of those who reject Our AAYAAT and of those who do not believe in the hereafter, and they make (others) equal to their Lord.
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At this Ruku, AAYAAT present those things explicitly that are disallowed to consume and the answer to the irrelevant excuses that the disbelievers took-up to justify their doings; the opening AAYAT names the things that the Muslims are disallowed to eat; these include the carrion and the flowing blood and the meat of swine (in-fact, every part of swine as it is mentioned as filthy here) and all such animal (or such bird) that has been sacrificed for someone other than Allah; however, at the extreme necessity (the situation of IDHTIRAR), Allah allows the Muslims to eat from any of these things that only are filth but then that only must be up-to necessity; note that IDHTIRAR allows the consumption of some filth to necessity for the time being to save the life yet it does not allow to disrespect any such thing that Islam has provided sanctity; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that we have studied at the first Ruku of MAE’DAH that the carrion are those animals that are MUNKHANIQA (its death is by suffocation intentionally or unintentionally) and MAUQUDHA (its death is by some extreme hit or beating; also included here is its death from the stone, from the gun-shot or from the collision with some vehicle as these all are extreme hit) and MUTARADDIYA (its death is by some fall from height) and NATHIHA (its death is by goring of horns of other animals); AYAT-146 tells of the additional animals that Allah had prohibited upon the Jews that were those that have claws; Allah also prohibited their fat except such as was on their backs or the entrails or what was mixed with bones; this was their punishment that Allah provided to them due to their rebellion against Allah; Allah certainly is the Most Truthful; O Prophet PBUH – if they deny to accept you as Prophet then tell them that Allah is full of Mercy that extends to all His creation and that is why they are still getting the space to accept the Islamic teachings; but His wrath will never be withdrawn from the guilty persons; the next two AAYAAT (that are 148 & 149) tell about the excuses that the polytheists make even if they do not voice it most openly or just say it half-heartedly; some of them would say that openly soon that had Allah willed, they would not have ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had their fathers, nor had they forbidden anything (upon their-selves); by such excuses, those also disbelieved who were before them until they had some taste of the wrath of Allah; ask them if they have any reasoning to their statement and if so, they should present it; the fact is this that they follow their conjectures and so they engage their-selves only in extreme fibs; note that the disbelievers tried to reason for their wrongs by TAQDIR (the destiny that is the will of Allah) and AAYAT-149 answers it; it implies that Allah certainly has all authority to do as He wills and all the universe is working perfectly in accordance to His guidance; however, no person is allowed to reason for his deeds by the concept of TAQDIR as He has given the free-will to all persons that is manifest to all; nobody knows His will (and all have to believe it) but everyone would understand His pleasure by the Quran (and all have to do all tasks to achieve that) so Allah asks to care for His commands by the free-will He has provided to all persons among the mankind and the JINN rather than reason by TAQDIR; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the Ruku tells the Prophet PBUH to ask them to bring forward their witnesses to prove that Allah forbid so and so; and if they do bring such (untrue) witness then you would not accept such witness; the AAYAT ends by the direction to the Prophet PBUH (and all the Muslims) that he would not follow the whims of the disbelievers who deny the AAYAAT of Allah and do not truly believe in AKHIRAT; they are such persons who deem (others) equal with their Lord; may Allah, the true Lord, save all good Muslims from SHERK; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Nineteenth Ruku
151. Say: Come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you-- (remember) that you do not associate anything with Him and show kindness to your parents, and do not slay your children for (fear of) poverty-- We provide for you and for them-- and do not draw nigh to indecencies, those of them which are apparent and those which are concealed, and do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except for the requirements of justice; this He has enjoined you with that you may understand.
152. And do not approach the property of the orphan except in the best manner until he attains his maturity, and give full measure and weight with justice-- We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability; and when you speak, then be just though it be (against) a relative, and fulfill Allah's covenant; this He has enjoined you with that you may be mindful;
153. And (know) that this is My path, the right one therefore follow it, and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way; this He has enjoined you with that you may guard (against evil).
154. Again, We gave the Book to Musa to complete (Our blessings) on him who would do good (to others), and making plain all things and guidance and mercy, so that they should believe in the meeting of their Lord.
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This Ruku provides the Ten Commandments that Allah gave to Moses in Torah (Chapter-20 of Exodus); Allah has provided these Commandments to the Muslims too (leaving Sabbath) so they would take them by the Quran only; it reads, “say O Prophet PBUH -come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you- (remember) that you do not associate anything with Him (this covers the First, Second and the Third Commandments) and show EHSAAN (kindness) to your parents (the Fifth Commandment) and do not slay your children for (fear of) poverty, We provide for you and for them (the Sixth Commandment in part) and do not draw nigh to indecencies, those of them which are apparent and those which are concealed (the Seventh Commandment) and do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except for the requirements of justice (the Sixth Commandment), this He has enjoined you with that you may understand (end of AAYAT 151); and do not approach the property of the orphan except in the best manner until he attains his maturity (the Eighth Commandment in part; this asks to avoid the unjust taking of any property especially of the weaker persons in a given society) and give full measure and weight with justice - We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability (the Eighth Commandment and the Tenth Commandment and note that giving the full measure and weight also means to care about the rights of others that they have on the person including especially his relatives, neighbors and all people in touch in the best possible way according to its Tafsir); and when you speak, then be just though it be (against) a relative (the Ninth Commandment) and fulfill Allah's covenant (these Commandments); this He has enjoined you with that you may be aware (of righteous deeds)- (end of AAYAT 152)”; note that the fourth commandment has not been included here; for one thing that Friday is the holy-day by Islamic teachings and not Saturday while the Muslims are bound to fulfill the guidance provided here in these AAYAAT; for the other, here the prohibitions only have been stated as the beginning tells that “say -come I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you-”, and as such does not include the command for Friday here; the other positive command of taking-up EHSAAN for the parents is seemingly an exception here but the notable thing is that if the parents command something against the command of Allah, the Muslim person would not obey them though he would still take the attitude of EHSAAN for them (that is why the Quran has asked for EHSAAN to them at different places and not to obey them as that is not unconditional); Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the Muslims would obey these Commandments by the Quran only as this Ruku has presented it clearly though even Torah asks for it; however, please note that the Muslims are bound to obey Allah by the Quran and by the SUNNAH of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, the last Messenger of Allah, as these are Islam in theory and Islam in practice respectively; so we Muslims understand totally well that these Commandments are related directly to us Muslims and we would care to practice them as the Islamic Commands only; the last two AAYAAT of the Ruku read, “verily, this is My way, leading straight (so) follow it and do not follow other of paths as they will scatter you about from His straight path, thus does He command you so that you may be righteous by TAQWA; then We gave Moses the Book (Torah), completing it to those who would do right, and explaining all things in detail and guide and mercy so that they might believe in the meeting with their Lord”; note the change of pronouns at the AAYAAT (which is named as ITIFAAT) and this change frequently occurs at the AAYAAT where the person has to understand the indication by his wise deductions and that is not difficult once the person acquaints himself with the expressions of the Quran though he would remain always attentive to Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAAT tell us that these Commandments provide the righteous deeds that Allah asks from His true slaves as herein lies His pleasure; the practice of these good Islamic Commandments would lead His true slaves to achieve and to remain to TAQWA; the AAYAT implies that He had provided them to Moses too and had given him whole of Torah (the Pentateuch) so that those who do intend to live upon the righteousness, find the good manner to live upon it by the detail of these Commandments in it and it guided them to remain to the right path and it provided mercy to them from Allah, the true Lord; this would certainly lead them to the true Belief upon Him and upon the Day of Judgment where they would meet Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AN’AAM-The Last Ruku
155. And this is a Book We have revealed, blessed; therefore follow it and guard (against evil) that mercy may be shown to you.
156. Lest you say that the Book was only revealed to two parties before us and We were truly unaware of what they read.
157. Or lest you should say: If the Book had been revealed to us, we would certainly have been better guided than they, so indeed there has come to you clear proof from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. Who then is more unjust than he who rejects Allah's AAYAAT and turns away from them? We will reward those who turn away from Our AAYAAT with an evil chastisement because they turned away.
158. They do not wait aught but that the angels should come to them, or that your Lord should come, or that some of the signs of your Lord should come. On the day when some of the signs of your Lord shall come, its faith shall not profit a soul which did not believe before, or earn good through its faith. Say: Wait; we too are waiting.
159. Surely they who divided their religion into parts and became sects, you have no concern with them; their affair is only with Allah, then He will inform them of what they did.
160. Whoever brings a good deed, he shall have ten like it, and whoever brings an evil deed, he shall be recompensed only with the like of it, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.
161. Say: Surely, (as for) me, my Lord has guided me to the right path; (to) the most right religion, the faith of Ibrahim the upright one, and he was not of the polytheists.
162. Say. Surely my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Lord of the worlds;
163. No associate has He; and this am I commanded, and I am the first of those who submit.
164. Say: What - shall I seek a Lord other than Allah? And He is the Lord of all things; and no soul earns (evil) but against itself, and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another; then to your Lord is your return, so He will inform you of that in which you differed.
165. And He it is Who has made you successors in the land and raised some of you above others by (various) grades, that He might try you by what He has given you; surely your Lord is quick to requite (evil), and He is most surely the Forgiving, the Merciful.
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The Ruku starts by the statement that this Quran that Allah has provided (to the Man through Muhammad PBUH, His last Messenger), is the blessing to all peoples of the world; they must follow its teachings and especially the Commandments recited to them (in the previous Ruku) so that they achieve TAQWA to Allah and that would lead them to achieve mercy from Allah; to provide His message, Allah sent His Messengers and He sent Torah to Moses-AS to provide that; but as it was amongst the descendants of Isaac (and they did not keep to it as they should have) so now, Allah had sent the Holy Book Quran upon Muhammad PBUH, the last of His Messengers to provide His message to all the peoples of the world for all times to come and at all places ahead; Allah provided the Quran so that the descendants of Ishmael do not state that the two sects (Jews and Christians) before them did get the Book (Torah) and they remained unaware of its content; and the descendants of Ishmael do not state that if they had received the Book from Allah, they would have proved themselves better in accepting its true guidance so now there has come to them the Quran that is the Proof of the righteous teachings from their Lord (for those who challenge Islam), and the Guidance to the right path (for those who ask for it by its acceptance) and the Mercy from Allah (for those who put it into their practice); who would then be more unjust than that person who rejects the AAYAAT of Allah and turns away from them?; Allah would certainly provide those who turn away from His AAYAAT an evil chastisement because their turning away from the blessing of Allah would show their extreme disrespect to Allah that He would punish even in the world; AAYAAT-158 to 165 (the last of the Surah) mention the matters that are related to AKHIRAT and they guide that the Man must not forget that he would face the Day where all persons would see the outcome of their belief and the deeds they did at the worldly life; Allah has sent the Messengers and descended the holy Books upon them so that all the persons accept the righteous teachings of Islam and do their deeds accordingly; so whatever space of time the Man does have, he should use it most positively for the true success at AKHIRAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the certain of the signs mentioned here indicate towards the most strange animal (DAABBATUL-ARDH) that would come out from inside the earth at Makkah and it is one of the most amazing signs that would prove upon all persons at that time that the last day of the world is extremely near; note that the Quran has told miraculous occurrences at different places related to birds, animals, reptiles and even fish that present the fact that Allah is Able to provide his directions well even by these of His creation too; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah would not accept the repentance after that of those who repent on their disbelief or sinful deeds (see Surah NAML-82 with some authentic Tafsir); the AAYAAT elucidate that Allah had presented the righteous path to every person at the times of Abraham-AS but after that many persons (who claimed to respect Abraham most highly, claimed to take the teachings of Abraham as their belief and claimed to strictly follow the path of Abraham) strayed away from the righteousness and formed their own sects with their own respective sets of belief (see the note on the sixteenth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH); O Prophet PBUH; you would not be concerned with what they believe (but you would remain steadfast upon Islam); note that the infidels at Makkah and Bani-Israel and Christians all held Abraham-AS in most high esteem yet they were not adhering to his true guidance that even Torah has presented to them; if they develop the true Belief (i.e. they accept Islam), Allah would write the goodness of the true Belief ten-fold for them but if they remain to their own respective manners then their punishment would be equivalent to whatever they present in their belief and their deeds; O Prophet PBUH; tell them plainly that my Lord has guided me unto the right path, the righteous religion that brings me onto the community of Abraham, the upright, who was no idolater; note that this statement relates to all true Muslims but in the Surah that descended at Makkah, Allah does advise the Prophet PBUH to say such statements individually that relate to all Muslims too in general and that the Muslim person would easily deduct by some observation; at the Surah that descended at Madinah, Allah provides the commands even directly to Muslims; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-162 tells that the Belief and the deeds of the Prophet PBUH were totally based on the attention towards Allah; the AAYAT also implies that to keep the life beautifully to Islam and even the death, it is necessary for the Muslim person to keep to his SALAH and remain prepared to sacrifice the worldly pleasures as much as possible for Allah, the true Lord; this in brief, is the introduction to Islam as SALAH and NUSUK keep the Muslim person steadfast at the right path of Islam; Al-Hamdu Lillah; we have learnt this important teaching of the Quran at BAQARAH-153 (Ruku-19) where the AAYAT says, “O you who believe; seek assistance through SABR (patience) and SALAH (prayer); surely Allah is with the patient”; the term NUSUK here at AAYAT at study is related to SABR; by these, the Muslim person would surely prove that Allah has no partner; He only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the person must recognize Him only as the true Lord (RABB) and do according to His commands; he has to answer for his belief and his deeds at the Day of Judgment at the ground of HASHR which would be established at this very earth; all persons would return to their true Lord and then Allah, their true Lord, would judge everything amongst all of the peoples there; it is for that Day that Allah has provided this worldly life and settle peoples one after another; He has given status to some over some as that is how He asks their test at the world by whatever status and possession He has provided to the peoples; they must see well what they strive for because He, the true Lord, certainly is swift in providing the punishment and He certainly is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
“Tafsiri-Guide to the Quran” by:
Muhammad Saleem Dada
Here our study of AN’AAM ends; Al-Hamdu Lillah
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Surah AARAAF
(Consists of 24 Ruku)
(MK-4; MK-5)
AARAAF-The First Ruku
1. Alif-Lam-Mim-Suad.
2. A Book revealed to you-- so let there be no strait at your inside on account of it-- that you may warn thereby, and a reminder close to the believers.
3. Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow guardians besides Him, how little do you mind.
4. And how many a town that We destroyed, so Our punishment came to it by night or while they slept at midday.
5. Yet their cry, when Our punishment came to them, was nothing but that they said: Surely we were unjust.
6. Most certainly then We will question those to whom (the apostles) were sent, and most certainly We will also question the apostles;
7. Then most certainly We will relate to them with knowledge, and We were not absent.
8. And the measuring out on that day will be just; then as for him whose measure (of good deeds) is heavy, those are they who shall be successful;
9. And as for him whose measure (of good deeds) is light those are they who have made their souls suffer loss because they disbelieved in Our AAYAAT.
10. And certainly We have established you in the earth and made in it means of livelihood for you; little it is that you give thanks.
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The Surah starts by MUQATTA’AAT (that means the 14 of disjointed letters that are among the Arabic alphabet, that come at the commencement of 29 SURAH in specific combinations; the meanings of these are not evident but they are not necessary to know in the understanding of the Quran); just after the disjointed letters that form the first of its AAYAAT, the Surah tells the matter it concerns with; note that when the term “book” occurs inside any Surah (as we find here at AAYAT-2) that has some volume then it means that very Surah; rather, this whole Ruku indicates the subject-matter of this Surah as the Surah narrates the events related to many of the Messengers of Allah and it tells how Allah destroyed nations when they did not comply to the Message of Allah but He saved the believers from the destruction; it also tells about AKHIRAT where every person would get whatever he deserves according to his belief and deeds as Allah has set the world for the examination of all peoples of the world and seeing the wrath of Allah that fell upon the disbelievers, all persons must care to live their lives in the most righteous manner; Al-Hamdu Lillah; at the next five AAYAAT (from AAYAT-3 to AAYAT-7), the points to note are that Allah only is the true Lord so the Muslims must obey His commands only; the second notable point here is that by the phrase “how little do you mind”, Allah guides the attention of the Muslims to those who were destroyed that how relaxed they were when the Message of Allah had reached them ignoring that with no care to the consequence that their ignorance might bring upon them; the third notable point is that when Allah decided for their destruction, they were unable to stop it in any manner and their destruction related to the times when they were most relaxed of all times; the fourth notable point is that at that time of destruction, their repentance on their wrong-doings and their confession to them did not help them a bit; the fifth notable point is that though Allah would question them upon their wrong-doings yet He would ask those Messengers too about their liability whether they had provided the message of Allah and about wrong-doings of their respective peoples to whom they were sent (the Messengers had the liability to provide the message of Allah to their peoples which they did and that was because no peoples plead ignorance there); the sixth notable point is that though Allah would call the Messengers to witness upon them yet Allah knows all what they had been doing as He always watched over them and they would remain unable there too to save themselves from the most severe punishment of the hell-fire; so this Ruku emphatically relates to TAUHID (Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord); AKHIRAT (Allah would judge all peoples of the world at the Day of Judgment); RISALAT (Allah had sent His Messengers to the world to provide the Guidance to the right path); note that when the nations rejected the message of Allah, He saved His Messengers that He had sent to them and all the believers with them and He destroyed the disbelievers completely so this we would see explicitly at this Surah; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next couple of AAYAAT present AKHIRAT where the scales would be brought that would weigh the belief and deeds of all persons; so they would be such scales that would be able to weigh even the belief of any person (the last Ruku at Surah MOMINOON is clear on this); if the scales show favorable result by being heavy, such person would attain the salvation; and if the scales show unfavorable result by being light, they would be such persons who have put the most heavy loss upon their selves as their attitude to the AAYAAT of Allah was most unjust in their worldly lives; the last AAYAT states that now, Allah has provided you people (O dwellers of the land) that very place at earth where some other persons than you people used to live recently and there He has provided you people the sustenance to life; the AAYAT subtly warns that if you people (O dwellers of the land) do live the same way denying the Guidance to the right path, the same fate awaits you people too; the AAYAT states the fact plainly that the care that Allah had always shown to the mankind asked for the most high obedience of them to Allah but the peoples at the world showed very little of gratitude to Allah as mostly they have been highly disobedient to Him; may Allah give TOFIQ to all good persons of the world to accept the fundamental teachings of Islam and to show their righteous gratitude to Allah only, Who is the only true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Second Ruku
11. And certainly We created you, then We fashioned you, then We said to the angels: Prostrate to Adam. So they did prostrate except IBLIS; he was not of those who prostrated.
12. He said: What hindered you so that you did not prostrate when I commanded you? He said: I am better than he: You have created me of fire, while him You did create of dust.
13. He said: Then get forth from this (state), for it does not befit you to behave proudly therein. Go forth therefore surely you are of the abject ones.
14. He said: Respite me until the day when they are raised up.
15. He said: Surely you are of the respited ones.
16. He said: As You have caused me to remain disappointed I will certainly lie in wait for them in Your straight path.
17. Then I will certainly come to them from before them and from behind them, and from their right-hand side and from their left-hand side; and You shall not find most of them thankful.
18. He said: Get out of this (state), despised, driven away; whoever of them will follow you then I will certainly fill hell with you all.
19. And (We said): O Adam - Dwell you and your wife in the garden; so eat from where you desire, but do not go near this tree, for then you will be of the unjust.
20. But the Satan made an evil suggestion to them that he manifests to them what had been hidden from them of their evil inclinations, and he said: your Lord has not forbidden you this tree except that you may not both become two angels or that you may (not) become of the immortals.
21. And he swore to them both: Most surely I am a sincere adviser to you.
22. Then he caused them to fall by deceit; so when they tasted of the tree, their evil inclinations became manifest to them, and they both began to cover themselves with the leaves of the garden; and their Lord called out to them: Did I not forbid you both from that tree and say to you that the Satan is your open enemy?
23. They said: our Lord - We have been unjust to ourselves, and if You forgive us not, and have (not) mercy on us, we shall certainly be of the losers.
24. He said: Get forth, some of you, the enemies of others, and there is for you in the earth an abode and a provision for a time.
25. He (also) said: Therein shall you live, and therein shall you die, and from it shall you be raised.
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The second Ruku of this Surah relates the event of Adam and Eve that has occurred seven times in the Quran and we all have studied it at the fourth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH too so this is the second time that it occurs here in Surah AARAAF; the other five places are Surah HIJR-28 onwards, Surah Bani-Israel-61 onwards, Surah KAHF-50, Surah TA’HA-116 onwards and Surah SUAD-71 onwards; the first AAYAT of this Ruku reads, “and certainly We created you all, then We fashioned you all, then We said to the angels - Prostrate to Adam”; Allah speaks in plural for Himself to indicate the royal manner of speech and here this speech indicates that Allah certainly knew all that were to come till the last day of the world; note also that the object of the sentence is all of the mankind so it denotes that as Adam was the first one of the mankind whom Allah created so his descendants too (that come to the world by the union of the male and the female) are in actual the creation of Allah only; only Jesus Christ was an exception to this rule (though he also was among the creation of Allah) for whom the AAYAT at AALE-IMRAN says, “the likeness of Jesus in the sight of Allah is as the likeness of Adam; He created him of dust then He said unto him – Be - and he is” (Surah AALE-IMRAN-59); note that as the Quran relates the event of creation of Adam very clearly at this particular Ruku, I, MSD, would present the whole event in detail at the supplementary note ahead here that would insha-Allah clarify this whole Ruku just by reading it; in fact, it would insha-Allah provide Tafsir of the event wherever the Quran relates it; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
Supplementary note on AAYAT-11 of AARAAF
The Quran has narrated the event of Adam-AS at different places that include Surah BAQARAH, Surah AARAAF, Surah HIJR and other places; it relates that when Allah created Adam (Salam on him) He ordered the angels to give regards to him and to prostrate in front of him; now, angels never disobey Allah and they do whatever He orders, so they fell to fulfill the order given; there was a Jinn among them (as Surah KAHF tells explicitly) who did not obey this order; he was named as IBLIS and he was allowed to be in angels due to his obedience and worship of Allah but at this time, when with angels he also was included in this command, he showed extreme pride and refused to obey; Allah asked him why he did not obey (so Allah gave him the chance so that he may ask for mercy & obey); in reply, IBLIS said that he was better as Allah had created him by fire and Adam, Allah had created by mud; this was the reason he gave and refused to obey; on this answer, Allah canceled the permission He had given to him to stay in the angels and He put His verdict on him for JAHANNUM (the hell-fire); hearing that verdict, IBLIS the Satan, got very angry and finding himself totally incapable of challenging Allah, the true Lord, he turned his anger towards Adam (the cause for his extreme insult there) and for his degraded position for which he himself was to be blamed, he became the sworn enemy of the Man; this tells us an important thing that when the satanic person does wrong by his own doing, he puts the blame on someone else and tries to take his revenge due to his psyche of “I” and “me” from that person when that person seems to him lesser in power than him; he asked for the extension in time of his life that it may become a very long one so that he can misguide the people and make them also get the same verdict which he had received for his own self; however, Allah did not allow him to live at the worldly life up-to the day of the Resurrection as he had asked but allowed him his life up-to the day of the appointed time (see Surah HIJR-36, 37, 38) and this provides the hope that he would die much before the last day of the world insha-Allah; at that time, he had said that he would try to take the mankind that Allah had created for His worship only, to the hell-fire; he knew that they have physical needs and if he guides them to physical pleasures at height, he would be able to pursue them towards their base desires (to remain obsessed in seeking the pleasures of the worldly life mostly with the wishful thinking that they already have achieved salvation at the Day of Judgment because they believe in such persons that would provide them their salvation at the Day of Judgment); Allah gave him that extension but also told him that those who take My shelter for safety, you will not be able to misguide them but whoever takes your way, they will all go with you in the hell-fire; after this, Allah gave Eve, Salam on her, to Adam, Salam on him, as his companion and put them both into JANNAH; they were allowed to live there as they wish and eat & drink whatever they like but a certain fruit was not allowed for them and that is why they were not even allowed to go near its tree; the Satan somehow entered the place and he with his power of speech persuaded them to eat the prohibited fruit; note that he is not visible to the human eye as the evil JINN (that are also termed as Satans) have the power to remain hidden and then blow suggestions to the inside of the human beings as they find the opportunity (the term used here is WASWASA that implies that he blew suggestions to both Adam and Eve i.e. to their insides); as the angels protect the human beings by the command of Allah, the JINN do not find ease in attacking them and the Prophet PBUH used to ask the protection of Allah as he attended the wash room; see also the note at the fourth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note also that AAYAT-20 at AARAAF provides the reason that the Satan had for this persuasion that he intended to bring the hidden parts of their respective bodies in front of the view of each other as he knew that this would be the initiative that would lead them to many wrongs ahead; this reason needs such elucidation that might take many of pages yet at these brief notes, I, MSD, would only state briefly about this highly important issue; note that when the person takes-up Islam and avoids SHERK then there are two categories of major sins that he has to avoid necessarily (Allah forgives the minor sins of the true Muslim even by WUDHU and even by SALAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah); these two categories are the injustice (in which the biggest of sins is to intentionally kill someone unjustly) and the shameful attitudes (in which the biggest of sins is to commit adultery/fornication); note here that Allah has shaped the circumstances in such manner that Islam is the only challenger today to all the injustice (mostly initiated by the wrongful men so they have more of liability to become better and to see that no injustice takes place) and to all the shameful attitude (mostly initiated by the wrongful women so they have more liability to become better and to see that nothing of shameful wrongs takes place) and when the person asks Allah to help him in all adverse situations then only he would be able to avoid all major sins; note also that Allah gave the respect to the Man due to the spirit he had blown inside him and the Satan intends to make him oblivious of its beauty and to plunge him into such of his base desires that lead him to care for the physical pleasures only; that was the reason that he wanted them to eat the prohibited fruit so that in-turn leads them to see their hidden parts (before that they did not need to take-off their beautiful clothes of JANNAH and their respective private parts remained hidden but the prohibited fruit had the feature inside it that led both of them to take-off their clothes); they lost their clothes of JANNAH and needed to cover themselves by the leaves of the JANNAH; note that when the male and the female persons among the mankind disregard the command of HEJAB (the attitude of reservation that the Muslim women have to take with respect to all men), it leads to extreme shameful attitudes gradually and that is why Islam asks to keep away from all such things too that have much high potential to lead to such attitudes; the Muslims would not eat anything impure or/and prohibited as it affects the inside adversely (and that is why Allah prohibited proximity even, to Adam and Eve to that tree that had the prohibited fruit and eating of which caused their respective private parts to come into the view of the other); the Muslim men would not talk without some necessity at the Islamic living-manner to unrelated women (and those women also would care to talk to them by necessity only and in some strict manner); the Muslim women would not leave their homes without some necessity and would return as they have attended to that and they would never wear such dresses that Islam takes as the most indecent clothing for them at any time and at any place (though at leaving their homes, they would see to it particularly) so they would not take any such attitude that Islam takes shameful at any time anywhere for them; please note well that Islam asks Muslim women to take HEJAB (that Allah has commanded for them at Surah NOOR and Surah AHZAAB by asking the Prophet PBUH to give that message to them, besides other places where the command of HEJAB is indirectly implied by the AAYAAT) and this term has three aspects to it; the first aspect is that a Muslim woman must not leave her home except for some necessity (the decision about necessity would be hers, when she does care in practice about the basic teachings of Islam); the second aspect is that when she goes out of her home at some necessity and the environment is such that in general, the men care not to trouble her in any way then she might go out with her face, hands up-to wrist and feet up-to ankles uncovered though even then she would cover the whole body plus hair necessarily but if the environment is otherwise, then she would take care to cover her face too except for eyes; the third aspect is connected to the first that as soon as the necessity ends, she would return to her home without any waste of time as the basic place for her activity is her home for sure; please note well that the Satan works to this ultimate outcome that the Man takes himself as an animal only in all manners and he even swears deceivingly again and again that he wants to make his attitudes better; he wants that the man and the woman come to such living of animals that they view their respective private parts at ease as that is the biggest of his achievements against the Man; that undoubtedly would lead them to many of extreme wrongs ahead so please note that only the tie of marriage justifies the most specific intimate relation of the man and the woman and no other; note that though Adam and Eve were husband and wife yet they were unaware of their hidden private parts and Allah had prohibited the specific fruit so that they remain in this status of unawareness to it; may Allah save all of the Muslims and even all of the mankind from such situation where the Satan puts them to the slavery of their most adverse desires; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-22 at the second Ruku of AARAAF tells us that they fell for his talk and ate the fruit so at this, Allah addressed them that why did they eat it when they were ordered not to do so, only because of the argument that the Satan presented to misguide them; Allah had clearly warned them that the Satan was their open enemy; Adam & Eve both asked for His forgiveness and asked for His blessing to them so Allah forgave them but told them that they would only get His blessing when they pass an examination at the world; they would have the true Belief and the righteous deeds according to that true Belief so that is how they would get their dwelling place JANNAH again; they all would be obedient to Allah and must remember that IBLIS, the Satan, is their open enemy; so this is how Adam & Eve came to the earth and this is how the life of the Man commenced here; note that the idea of evolution is totally against the Islamic teachings and the known history does not support it in any way; the clash of the good & the evil has been taking place in all the history of the Man in which the good always came out as the winner and the Satan who presented the evil in many different colors time and again, always lost his challenge to the Man; Surah AARAAF explicitly proves this statement by the narrations of the Messengers of Allah that it has presented in it in much detail; though today, it seems that the Satan is near to having things his way yet in truth, the matter is heading towards the complete win for the good and as such, the complete loss for the evil as the clash has achieved an international character; it needs TAUBAH (the true repentance of the Man towards Allah) to save himself from the main attack of the Satan and that insha-Allah would lead ultimately to the death of the Satan; let us now view some of the salient features of this event of creation besides the important teaching that it provides for the necessary concealment of the respective private parts from the opposite gender; the first thing to note is that "the beginning of the man's life was in the light of knowledge and not in the darkness of illiteracy" so it is the awareness inside of all of the mankind that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord who helps us in every difficulty when our attention is only towards Him and the total light of Guidance to the right path is only from Him indeed; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the second thing to note is that "every person, man or woman, is going through an examination in which he or she has to fulfill the duties laid for him or her according to Islam and that is to get back the true living place of the Man i.e. JANNAH; if they fail to be obedient to Allah, then like Satan, they will be in the hell-fire"; note that Allah gave the command to Adam & Eve to go down from the most beautiful garden twice and when some matter is repeated by similar text near to it in the Quran, it denotes some difference in both of them in some particular manner; here there is the mention of acceptance of their asking for forgiveness in between the repeated command of Allah to go down; so Allah gave the command at first as punishment to both yet He changed the designation of the command (without changing the command itself) to become examination for both of them and their offspring at the world, where the righteous persons would not actually be enemies to each other but they would guide all towards the right path; so we find ahead that Allah told Adam that He would provide His Guidance to the right path to all the peoples of the world (through His Messengers and after the last of them i.e. Muhammad PBUH, by the Muslims at the world that have the knowledge of the Quran); the Muslims need to develop TAQWA inside which means that they would fear that nothing from their side leads to the displeasure of Allah and they would hope that Allah would save them from the satanic manners of living; those who accept the true guidance, they would neither fear about anything of the future (that might cause the anxiety), nor they would have to grieve upon anything of the past (that might cause the depression); but upon those who reject it, His wrath would certainly fall and as they rise from dead, they certainly would abide at the hell-fire as the inmates therein; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the third thing to note is that "the difference between the Man and the Satan is not that one does not make mistakes and the other does but in fact, the difference lies in the fact that INSAN (the human being) accepts where he is wrong and the Satan (IBLIS; the devil) does not, even when his mistake is clearly indicated to him so that it becomes quite obvious; he rather defends himself at such occasions"; may Allah save all the good Muslims from this satanic attitude; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the fourth thing is that "the Satan asked for a very long life to mislead the people so this tells that to influence people, it is necessary to have the permission by Allah”; note that he asked permission to mislead the people but the Holy Book Quran clarifies that His permission is necessary also for guiding the people towards the Truth (See Surah AALE-IMRAN-152, Surah IBRAHIM-1, Surah ASH-SHURA-51); note also that the Satan can encourage to cause evil but he is unable to force a person to commit any wrong as he does not have the power to make a person accept or reject something by force though he does have a persuading ability; everybody must see to his own to save himself/herself from all evils but always with the true Belief in Allah, the true Lord, asking Him for safety as this is the only way to remain safe from all evils; Allah did not allow him to live at the worldly life up-to the day of the Resurrection as he had asked but allowed him his life up-to the day of the appointed time so insha-Allah, he would die much before the end of the world; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the fifth thing is that "there must be hope towards Allah and the Muslim person must not lose hope or feel such depression that prevents him/her from asking the mercy of Allah as the loss of hope will certainly cause the loss of the right path indeed as no person is immune from sins, light or heavy"; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the sixth thing is that “though it seems that Satanic argument had some weight at face that Allah created him by fire and He created Adam by mud so why he bow to such lower creature but his argument was completely based on misunderstanding”; note that when Allah had created Adam, He had blown such spirit in Adam that he qualified for KHILAFAT & had given him the great knowledge of surroundings (but with the spiritual purity to enforce His law) so there was no way to disobey for IBLIS but he only saw the physical things and totally disregarded the spiritual side; now, he wants the Man to disregard his spiritual side as the Satan did then, so that the huge number of the mankind follows him to the hell-fire; note well that it is most impossible for a person to get to the Truth, neglecting the spiritual side totally; as the satanic objection was much disrespect to Allah that denoted his idiocy, He ignored it and put His wrath upon him on such haughty behavior; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the seventh thing is that “Adam knew issues related to the physical side of the life (as Allah had already taught him that) yet when he needed to ask Allah for forgiveness and for mercy, he had to get such words from Allah by which he could ask the needed (we find these words at Surah AARAAF-23)”; so for all the Guidance to the right path, the person needs WAHI (the direction of Allah towards the right path and that Allah has provided to all explicitly in the Quran) but he certainly would ask Allah for it though Allah might give him the understanding of the physical side of the life if He wills with whatever efforts he does by his own; the Man needs the spiritual purity even more than the physical ability for the status of KHILAFAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; there still are so many other points to note in this beautiful event of the creation of Adam and Eve so the good observant Muslim person needs to ponder over it most deeply for certain to get them with all his attention towards Allah only; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Third Ruku
26. O children of Adam - We have indeed sent down to you clothing to cover your shame, and (clothing) for beauty; and the clothing that guards (against evil), that is the best. This is of the AAYAAT of Allah that they may be mindful.
27. O children of Adam - let not the Satan cause you to fall into affliction as he expelled your parents from the garden, pulling off from them both their clothing that he might show them their evil inclinations, he surely sees you, he as well as his host, from whence you cannot see them; surely We have made the Satans to be the guardians of those who do not believe.
28. And when they commit an indecency they say: We found our fathers doing this, and Allah has enjoined it on us. Say: Surely Allah does not enjoin indecency; do you say against Allah what you do not know?
29. Say: My Lord has enjoined justice, and set upright your faces at every time of prayer and call on Him, being sincere to Him in obedience; as He brought you forth in the beginning, so shall you also return.
30. A part has He guided aright and (as for another) part, error is justly their due, surely they took the Satans for guardians beside Allah, and they think that they are followers of the right.
31. O children of Adam - attend to your adornments at every time of prayer, and eat and drink, and do not be extravagant; surely He does not love the extravagant.
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The Ruku asks all the peoples of the world to care for the necessary covering to the body; note that Islam takes the SATAR (the parts of body necessary to cover by some garment) for the man as from the belly to the knees, both parts included, all round; for the woman, it is all her body except for the face, hands up-to wrists and feet up-to ankles; so her SATAR is the same as her HEJAB in the Islamic environment though HEJAB asks her to take some additional clothes too upon her and it also denotes her attitude of reservation towards the men-folk while it gets highly strict at the environment that challenges the practice of Islam where she would cover her face too except for her eyes to fulfill the demands of HEJAB; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the opening AAYAT tells that every person of the world needs to take the necessary clothing upon him/her and that would be at-least according to the SATAR; the AAYAT provides the reason for the clothing that it is the covering to the body for the mankind and it also brings beauty to the mankind; there are such persons who have taken up the manners of the Satan so much that though they accept the clothing as adornment to the body yet they do not give it the credit that it conceals the SATAR which is its primary task; due to such views, they care but little about concealing of SATAR and their views relate much to make space for the women-folk to manifest their physique in the most shameful manner; may Allah save all the Muslim persons totally from such satanic views; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT also tells that the clothing of TAQWA is the best so it means that the person would take it well to fulfill its principal task (the concealment of SATAR) and would keep all the attention towards the fulfillment of all the commands of Allah to the best of his/her ability; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last part of the AAYAT that reads that “this is of the AAYAAT of Allah that they may be mindful” implies that the uncaring attitude towards the concealment of SATAR leads to ignore the most important commands of Allah including SALAH; the next AAYAT explains the last part of the previous AAYAT that all the peoples of the world would care that the Satan does not put them into extreme trouble as he was able to expel Adam and Eve from the beautiful JANNAH where he made such situation that they needed to take-off their clothes where their respective private parts came in view of each other; the Satan and all of his tribesmen see the mankind remaining hidden from them; this means that he has got the assistance of many of his evil followers among the JINN (and even among the human-beings) in misguiding the mankind; it is necessary that all persons take the shelter of Allah Who is the true authority for safety from the evil ideas that Satan and his tribesmen put into the inside; Allah has made these SHAYATIN (the plural of Satan) as friends to the disbelievers so they listen to the ideas that these put inside of them and get misguided and then misguide others; so whenever these disbelieves commit any shameful wrong, they say that their forefathers had done it and Allah had asked them for it; note that with other of their shameful crimes, this specially relates to the practice they used to take-up at HAJJ that many of their men used to circumambulate the KA’BAH naked at that occasion as they thought it to be more virtuous; tell them O Prophet PBUH, that Allah never commands for shameful things; do the disbelievers say such things against Allah for which they do not have any knowledge at all; tell them that Allah only asks for the just issues and this tells that Allah provides His commands against all the injustice and against all the shameful practice (as these two enfold all the major sins besides the greatest of sins that is SHERK though that also actually is related to extreme injustice); all of the peoples must worship Allah only and at all occasions of worship especially at SALAH at the mosques, they should care that their attention remain towards Allah as to worship Him being naked is not something virtuous but the inside of the person needs to remain attentive to Allah; this would happen that all persons would rise from dead as Allah had created them at the first place (i.e. they would be naked and weak yet matured in age but every person would be extremely concerned about his own account there); note that Allah would provide the clothes only to those good believers in Allah who had lived as virtuous persons at the world caring to their SATAR in the most committed manner; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-30 ahead reads, “A part has He guided aright and (as for another) part, error is justly their due, surely they took the Satans for guardians beside Allah, and they think that they are followers of the right”; note that when Allah speaks of the guidance, He takes it as the act that He has done yet where the mention is of the disbelief of the disbelievers, He tells that this wrong came upon them as they had taken SHAYATIN as their friends who made their wrongs seem as righteous to them so that they take their-selves as the guided persons; at AAYAT-27 of this Ruku, Allah had told us that He has made these SHAYATIN (the plural of Satan) as friends to the disbelievers and this AAYAT explains it; when they had left care to Allah and had committed wrongs continuously, Allah did not give them TOFIQ that they get better and at such situation, the SHAYATIN got the chance to mislead such persons and remaining near to them, they put wrong ideas into their insides to which they ultimately gave-in and became firm on their disbelief; note that Allah does not misguide or does not put any trouble to anyone as punishment unless he/she asks for such from Him by their committing of major sins time and again specially of the most shameful nature; so then He stops His blessing from them due to which they become susceptible to the sinful ideas that the SHAYATIN get the chance to blow into their insides; the last AAYAT tells all the peoples that they would take their adornment (one of their clean dresses) at the time they read SALAH at the mosques and they would eat that is lawful and pure to eat, and drink that is lawful and pure to drink; the AAYAT tells that they would not become extravagant in eating or drinking anything so this also implies that their eating and their drinking not only would remain according to the Islamic teachings but also would not become much more than their genuine needs; they would avoid all the unlawful and all the impure things totally; this is interesting in the sense that it tells that the food taken-in does affect the conduct of the person (his awareness of the good moral values); the Quran does indicate that the intake of anything affects the Man even in the spiritual sense; note that Allah had commanded Adam & Eve to keep away from going near even to the tree that had the prohibited fruit for them on it but the Satan pursued this first couple of the mankind to eat the prohibited fruit to affect them adversely so undoubtedly, he is the enemy of the mankind; the Muslims must have TAQWA to Allah whom they truly believe and the eating or the drinking of any such thing that is unlawful and/or impure affects TAQWA to Allah adversely that is the highest of the spiritual values for the true Muslim; all the Muslims would certainly avoid all the unlawful and all the impure things totally; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Fourth Ruku
32. Say: Who has prohibited the embellishment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants and the good provisions? Say: These are for the believers in the life of this world, purely (theirs) on the resurrection day; thus do We make the AAYAAT clear for a people who know.
33. Say: My Lord has only prohibited indecencies, those of them that are apparent as well as those that are concealed, and sin and rebellion without justice, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down any authority, and that you say against Allah what you do not know.
34. And for every nation there is a doom, so when their doom is come they shall not remain behind the least while, nor shall they go before.
35. O children of Adam - if there come to you apostles from among you relating to you My AAYAAT, then whoever shall guard (against evil) and act aright-- they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve.
36. And (as for) those who reject Our AAYAAT and turn away from them haughtily-- these are the inmates of the fire they shall abide in it.
37. Who is then more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah or rejects His AAYAAT? (As for) those, their portion of the Book shall reach them, until when Our apostles come to them causing them to die, they shall say: Where is that which you used to call upon besides Allah? They would say: They are gone away from us; and they shall bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers
38. He will say: Enter into fire among the nations that have passed away before you from among jinn and men; whenever a nation shall enter, it shall curse its sister, until when they have all come up with one another into it; the last of them shall say with regard to the foremost of them: Our Lord - these led us astray therefore give them a double chastisement of the fire. He will say: Every one shall have double but you do not know.
39. And the foremost of them will say to the last of them: So you have no preference over us; therefore taste the chastisement for what you earned.
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The first AAYAT of this Ruku inquires who has prohibited the clothes that adorn the mankind which Allah has brought out to all persons (which they get with little of efforts by the silkworm, by the crops, by the animals etc.) - and it also inquires who has prohibited the pure and lawful provisions of foods; the AYAT notes that these all actually are for the believers in the life of this world (though others do take their custody unjustly) and they would be assigned purely to them only on the resurrection day as there all would clearly see the actual ruling about them; note that those who are entered in the hell-fire, would get most filthy things to eat and drink there (see Surah SAAFFAAT-62 to 68); according to Islam, the man does not need to leave the things that he requires for the ordinary living of his life so he would take lawful and pure foods and wear necessary clothes to conceal the SATAR without care to saying that “clothes make the man”; his necessary clothes would also save him from the adversity of the weather and would also be an adornment to him though he must not wear such clothes that incline to showing-off; please note that Islam asks to eat and drink well from the lawful and pure foods, to wear necessary simple and clean clothes and to show gratitude to Allah living in the most simple manner; that leads to the virtuous character and not tortures to the physique as that is ingratitude to what Allah has provided for the mankind; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT ends by the statement to the effect that this is how Allah states the facts for those who are truly able for the good judgment of matters; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the three major categories in which all the sins fall are SHERK, injustice and most shameful things; the Quran has told to avoid all these major sins at different places together and among these places were the AAYAAT-168 & 169 that we have read at the twenty-first Ruku of BAQARAH and still ahead is AAYAT-90 at the thirteenth Ruku of NAHL, the sixteenth Surah; one of such places is AAYAT-33 at this Ruku in our study currently; it reads, “Say that my Lord has only prohibited indecencies (FAWAHISH), those of them that are apparent as well as those that are concealed, and sin (ITHM) and rebellion (BAGHYUN) without justice; and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down any authority, and that you say against Allah what you do not know”; note that any rebellion against Allah is always without justice and so the AAYAT clarifies the term BAGHYUN by two ways “and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down any authority, and that you say against Allah what you do not know”; it is to challenge His authority and to disregard him as the true Lord while the Islam tells that the true Muslim would obey any of the creation only when he does not give any command against the commands of Allah and so he must understand Islam, the right path of Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that FAWAHISH include all major sins that relate to the most shameful deeds and the biggest of them is adultery/fornication; note also that ITHM include all such major sins that relate to abuse of authority that is provided by Allah and the biggest of them is to kill someone unjustly; may Allah save all from SHERK, FAWAHISH and ITHM; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT ahead tells that every nation has its appointed term and as it comes, the disbelievers become unable to save their-selves from it even for an hour and that falls on them at its most due time; AAYAT-35 tells about the promise that all of the persons that were to come at the world at any time and any place had made with Allah at the world of spirits when He had told them that whenever any Messenger comes to them from amongst them, who provides them the AAYAAT of Allah, (they would accept him) so whoever takes TAQWA to Allah and makes himself better, he would have no fear and would have no suffering; note that AAYAAT mean commands of Allah here; Al-Hamdu Lillah; and whoever rejects the AAYAAT of Allah and takes haughty attitude to them, they would be inmates of hell-fire where they would remain forever; AAYAT-37 implies that no-one is more unjust than such persons who forge lies against Allah and reject the true meanings of His AAYAAT; they lie for the benefits of the worldly life so the AAYAT tells them explicitly that whatever they would receive, though that be ease in life from Allah or be troubles in life due to their own wrongs from Allah, that is predestined; until the appointed time to the end of their lives comes and the angels come to take their lives from them, then they realize that those whom they had trusted at their lives that they would get them to safety have no authority and they would have to accept that they were disbelievers; note that many of hidden things become manifest at the time of death and that is the reason that the belief of the person at that time is futile in saving the person; at the day of HASHR too, the disbelievers would admit their disbelief totally but everything that is hidden now, would be manifest there so that admittance would be futile in saving them; at that day, Allah would command them to enter into the hell-fire among the nations that have passed away before them from among the JINN and the mankind; whenever a nation would enter there, it would curse those that were its ancestors at the world that because of their misguidance, they had come to this extreme punishment; note that AAYAT-28 told us that whenever they committed an indecency they said that they had found their fathers doing this, and Allah has enjoined it on all of them; there we see that Allah tells them through the Prophet PBUH to tell them that surely Allah does not enjoin any indecency (such extreme shameful attitudes); the AAYAT had told us that they are saying against Allah just by their whim, such things for which they have no knowledge; here at AAYAT-38, we see that as all those enter the hell-fire and find their ancestors there, they would curse them that they had set the rulings to which they followed and as the result to it, they had came to the hell-fire likewise; when they all gather there, these descendants coming later to the hell-fire would ask Allah to give their ancestors the punishment two-fold as they are responsible for their plight; though Allah would not even talk to these inmates of the hell-fire yet at this time, when they had just entered and had given the reason to their plea, Allah would answer them that every group of them has the punishment two-fold; this answer means that if their ancestors had misled them by their wrong rulings, they also as the next group of their people, did so by taking those wrongs and passing it on-to their descendants; they had to consider what they are receiving from their elders as they had their judgment of things (whereas the Messengers have guided them) and if they followed their erroneous ancestors on whatever they received from them most religiously, they themselves are fully responsible to it; on the rejection of the plea of this next group, their ancestors would remark to rejoice upon their sorrow as the last AAYAT of the Ruku tells us, “and the foremost of them will say to the last of them - so you have no preference over us; therefore taste the chastisement for what you earned”; the fact of the matter is this that the near-relations at the world where the evil persons show their high care to each other, even those also would turn to become most biting to each other at AKHIRAT and that is how Allah punishes the evil persons; may Allah save all the good Muslims from the grievous loss at AKHIRAT and bring all the good-natured persons to Islam, the right path of Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Fifth Ruku
40. Surely (as for) those who reject Our AAYAAT and turn away from them haughtily, the doors of heaven shall not be opened for them, nor shall they enter the garden until the camel pass through the eye of the needle; and thus do We reward the guilty.
41. They shall have a bed of hell-fire and from above them coverings (of it); and thus do We reward the unjust.
42. And (as for) those who believe and do good We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability-- they are the dwellers of the garden; in it they shall abide.
43. And We will remove whatever of ill-feeling is in their breasts; the rivers shall flow beneath them and they shall say: All praise is due to Allah Who guided us to this, and we would not have found the way had it not been that Allah had guided us; certainly the apostles of our Lord brought the truth; and it shall be cried out to them that this is the garden of which you are made heirs for what you did.
44. And the dwellers of the garden will call out to the inmates of the fire: Surely we have found what our Lord promised us to be true; have you too found what your Lord promised to be true? They will say: Yes. Then a crier will cry out among them that the curse of Allah is on the unjust.
45. Who hinder (people) from Allah's way and seek to make it crooked, and they are disbelievers in the hereafter.
46. And between the two there shall be a veil, and on the most elevated places there shall be men who know all by their marks, and they shall call out to the dwellers of the garden: Peace be on you; they shall not have yet entered it, though they hope.
47. And when their eyes shall be turned towards the inmates of the fire, they shall say: Our Lord - place us not with the unjust.
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The Ruku starts by telling the end-result of all such disbelievers who had rejected the AAYAAT of Allah and had turned away from them haughtily that the doors of the heavens would not be opened for them and they would not enter JANNAH until a camel passes the needle’s eye; this tells that they would never enter JANNAH and another thing that this implies is that JANNAH is somewhere above in the heavens; Allah punishes such sinful persons in this strict manner; they would have the bed of the hell-fire and their covering above too would be of it so the hell-fire would be all around them; Allah punishes such unjust persons in this strict manner; as for the believers who had done the good deeds sincerely to the extent of their ability, they would be the dwellers of JANNAH at AKHIRAT where they would abide forever; if some of them had grudges with each other at the world, Allah would remove all such ill-feelings from their insides towards each others as at JANNAH, there would be no enmity; this tells that it is possible that such people that have grudges to each other, many of them find some place at JANNAH; there is an indication in Ahadith that if some disbeliever killed one of the good Muslims and then Allah gave him TOFIQ to accept Islam where he does all the good deeds sincerely, they both would receive JANNAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah; beneath which flow the beautiful streams and there, they would say that - all praise is to Allah Who had led us to this blessed placement as we were not able to get the true guidance by our own; so this blessing is the result of His tremendous kindness to us; He sent His Messengers to us and we accepted the message of Allah; these dwellers of JANNAH would be called that this is the JANNAH of which they are made heirs for what they did; so when they show all their gratitude to Allah that He provided them the clear opportunity to accept the Truth, Allah would let them know that their virtuous deeds also count for the good destination that they have received; Al-Hamdu Lillah; and it would happen that the dwellers of JANNAH would call-out to the inmates of the hell-fire that they have found the blessing that Allah had promised them so what about the inmates of the hell-fire; they would answer in affirmative that they also have found the severe punishment that Allah had promised them; there a caller (from among the angels) would call that the curse of Allah is on the unjust persons (of the hell-fire); those were the persons who used to keep away from the right path of Allah and used to seek ways to present it in the negative manner to stop others too to accept it; and they disbelieved in AKHIRAT; note that their disbelief in AKHIRAT had different aspects as some of them denied it outright, some of them thought that they have such intercessors who would save them from the wrath of Allah, some of them claimed that they were the chosen persons of Allah and if the hell-fire touches them, it would only be for some of days and some of them had other notions to relax their-selves that AKHIRAT would cause them no troubles in any manner whatsoever; AAYAT-46 tells that between JANNAH and the hell-fire, there would be the veil (i.e. named as AARAAF); this is such place from where the view of both JANNAH and the hell-fire is possible and it has the quality that it does not let the effect of JANNAH pass to the hell-fire and it also bars the effect of the hell-fire to pass to JANNAH without taking any effect from any of them upon it; there at AARAAF, would be many persons who would recognize all persons by their looks and they would call the dwellers of JANNAH whom they would present SALAM from them; so this AAYAT tells that all persons would be easy to recognize there as the looks of the dwellers of JANNAH would be most pleasing while the recognition of the inmates of the hell-fire would be through their evil marks on them; though the people at AARAAF would avoid looking at the inmates of the hell-fire yet whenever their view would fall to them unintentionally, they would pray to Allah that He does not put them with these unjust persons; note that they would associate their-selves to the dwellers of JANNAH because of their good expectation that they would enter it soon; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note also that due to some reason, these persons at AARAAF would not be put into the hell-fire and they would not be fully qualified to enter the JANNAH but they would have hopes to get it soon (and AAYAT-49 ahead tells that Allah would allow them to enter JANNAH); though speculations to them are possible yet as there is nothing much in their mention at the KITAB (the Quran) and the SUNNAH about their identity so the better thing is to take silence here; note that Allah has given the remark for them at AAYAT-49 that- “are these they about whom you (O inmates of the hell-fire) swore that Allah will not bestow mercy on them?” -but this statement does not disclose their identity though it does tell that they ultimately would get JANNAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Sixth Ruku
48. And the dwellers of the most elevated places shall call out to men whom they will recognize by their marks saying: Of no avail were to you your amassing and your behaving haughtily:
49. Are these they about whom you swore that Allah will not bestow mercy on them? Enter the garden; you shall have no fear, nor shall you grieve.
50. And the inmates of the fire shall call out to the dwellers of the garden, saying: Pour on us some water or of that which Allah has given you. They shall say: Surely Allah has prohibited them both to the disbelievers.
51. Who take their religion for an idle sport and a play and this life's world deceives them; so today We forsake them, as they neglected the meeting of this day of theirs and as they denied Our AAYAAT.
52. And certainly We have brought them a Book which We have made clear with knowledge, guidance and mercy for the people who believe.
53. Do they wait for aught but its final sequel? On the day when its final sequel comes about, those who neglected it before will say: Indeed the apostles of our Lord brought the truth; are there for us then any intercessors so that they should intercede on our behalf? Or could we be sent back so that we should do (deeds) other than those which we did? Indeed they have lost their souls and that which they forged has gone away from them.
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The first AAYAT states that the persons at the elevated places (AARAAF) would call the inmates of the hell-fire whom they would recognize by their marks that their amassing of wealth was of no use to them and their behaving haughtily to the message of Allah too was of no use to them; at the AAYAT ahead, Allah asks the inmates of the hell-fire that - are these they about whom the inmates of the hell-fire swore that Allah will never bestow mercy on them? – He would tell all the persons at AARAAF to enter JANNAH where they would have no fear and where they would never grieve; and the inmates of the hell-fire would call-out to the dwellers of JANNAH to pour some water to them but they would reply that Allah had prohibited that upon the disbelievers who had taken their path of life as a sport and as a plaything and the worldly life had engaged their attention to it by deception; note that AAYAT-32 had asked the Prophet PBUH to tell all the peoples about the lawful and the decent clothes and about the lawful and the pure foods that “these are for the believers in the life of this world, purely (theirs) on the resurrection day”; so AYAT-32 had noted that these all actually are for the believers in the life of this world (though others do take their custody unjustly) and they would be assigned purely to them only, on the resurrection day as there all would clearly see the actual ruling about them; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so Allah would ignore them as they had neglected the meeting of this day of theirs and as they had denied the AAYAAT of Allah; AAYAT-52 gives the message that Allah has provided the Quran to the benefit of the true believers with clarity to the knowledge of the Islamic teachings so that they take it in practice as the Guidance to the right path and achieve the mercy of Allah by their commitment to it; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the Quran says at Surah YOUNUS, “O men- there has come to you indeed WARNING from your Lord and HEALING for what is at the insides and GUIDANCE and BLESSING for the believers; say that in the Grace of Allah and in His Blessing, in that they should rejoice; it is better than that which they gather (of wealth)” (YOUNUS-57 & 58); so according to benefits that the people get from the Holy Book Quran when they do turn their attention towards it, there are four of them; one is that it is WARNING to those who live being oblivious to the Truth in their concepts and practice, second is that it is HEALING of spiritual diseases to those who live challenging the Truth by their concepts and practice, third is that it is GUIDANCE to those who intend to live upon the Truth in their concepts and practice and fourth is that it is BLESSING (and mercy) to those who live understanding totally the reason to their lives and so live totally to that viewpoint accepting the Truth well in their Belief and practice; these last couple of persons are the good recipients of the highest benefit from the Quran and these good recipients are at focus here at AAYAT-52 of AARAAF; they must rejoice that Allah has provided for them the Truth in such manner that they do respect Muhammad PBUH truly who is the last Messenger of Allah and who is the Grace of Allah to them, and they do have the true recognition of the Blessing that is the Holy Book Quran; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the RUKU asks them if they await the final outcome but when that comes, on that day all such persons who had ignored it in their worldly lives, would exclaim that the Messengers of the true Lord did come to them with the Truth and now, either they get some such intercessor who does stand by them to save them or either they are sent back to the worldly life so that they do other of deeds that they used to do there; they undoubtedly have lost their souls (so now there is no return to the worldly life) and that which they forged has gone away from them (so they would get no intercessors to save them from the hell-fire); certainly Allah is the true Lord Who has set everything in the most beautiful order; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Seventh Ruku
54. Surely your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods of time, and He rose firm at ARSH; He throws the veil of night over the day, which it pursues incessantly; and (He created) the sun and the moon and the stars, made subservient by His command; surely His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
55. Call on your Lord humbly and secretly; surely He does not love those who exceed the limits.
56. And do not make mischief in the earth after its reformation, and call on Him fearing and hoping; surely the mercy of Allah is nigh to those who do the good (to others).
57. And He it is Who sends forth the winds bearing good news before His mercy, until, when they bring up a laden cloud, We drive it to a dead land, then We send down water on it, then bring forth with it of fruits of all kinds; thus shall We bring forth the dead that you may be mindful.
58. And as for the good land, its vegetation springs forth (abundantly) by the permission of its Lord, and (as for) that which is inferior (its herbage) comes forth but scantily; thus do We repeat the AAYAAT for the people who give thanks.
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The first AAYAT of this Ruku tells about the creation of the heavens and the earth that Allah created them in six periods; Allah knows better about the longevity of each period but note here that these are not the earthly days and in these periods, He created all things that are between them; He created Adam at the last of these periods; Al-Hamdu Lillah; then He rose to ARSH (i.e. the Throne) about which no-one knows what that is and how He rose to it so we all would say to it that “we Muslims believe in it and Allah knows better”; He covers the day by the night in such manner that it continuously follows it so the night falls as the day ends at different places covering it delicately; and the Sun and the Moon and the stars all are bound to His command; Al-Hamdu Lillah; I, MSD, would take the advantage of the mention here of the heavenly bodies to present the ruling that relates to astrology; please note that if someone takes-up astrology and learns it well to understand the character of persons (which it does tell as I, MSD, have gathered by reading it much) and does not ask any financial benefits from it but uses it to assist Psychology then, with his belief that everything takes place only by the will of Allah, it is not questionable; if Allah wills, He would provide the future insight from this even, to the virtuous person, yet such virtuous persons must keep away from its study by their own intention who are unable to resist the study of future from it as it would lead them to wishful thinking or it would lead them to some unplaced fear; please note also that many of ULAMA do not appreciate the study of astrology as those who study it, they relate it to the future; the Islamic teachings tell clearly that whatever happens, it happens by the will of Allah that is TAQDIR so the most notable thing about astrology is that it too is bound to TAQDIR without being its reason in any way as nothing of creation of Allah is able to affect Allah Who only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-54 here says that “and (He created) the sun and the moon and the stars, made subservient by His command; surely His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds”; and Surah SAAFFAAT-88 & 89 read, “then did he (i.e. Abraham-AS) cast a glance at the stars; and he said that I am indeed sick“; these AAYAAT guide well that the person who is aware of astrology might understand the issues of his own self that relate to the present when he is truly attentive to Allah; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah; please note also this important thing here that the human beings do not need to conquer any of things around as Allah has already put them to serve the human beings but they have to understand their benefits to them and put them to their service keeping to the commands of Allah; the virtuous persons would certainly show all their gratitude to Allah sincerely for all His blessings upon them; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT tells that “surely His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that this tells most explicitly that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah RABBEL-AALAMIN; so this tells that not only has He created all things but He also has assigned the specific task to each of it by His authority, for which He has created it; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so it also tells that there are two worlds, one of which is this physical world and that is KHALQ (the creation) which exists by His will while the other is the world of spirits and that is AMR (the command) which also exists by His will; He only is the Lord of all the worlds; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the first one is bound to time while the other is not, so the angels rise and descend to & from the heavens in no time as they are one of those that relate to the world of spirits (see NAHL-102) and the pure spirit of the Man that Allah has blown unto him, also relates to it (see Bani-Israel-85); Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAAT-55 & 56 ahead relate to the manner of supplicating to Allah and guide the Muslims to take the virtuous manner in all their deeds; they read, “call on your Lord humbly and secretly; surely He does not love those who exceed the limits; and do not make mischief in the earth after its reformation, and call on Him fearing and hoping; surely the mercy of Allah is nigh to those who do the good (to others)”; DUA (the supplication to Allah) needs asking it humbly to Allah, secretly with all attention towards Allah, fearing that Allah might not accept it and hoping that He would certainly make things easy when the person cares for the fellow-beings; Al-Hamdu Lillah; it is most necessary that person lives in the virtuous manner as Ahadith have told this clearly that whoever takes-in unlawful and impure things habitually, Allah would not accept his plea; this also is notable that whoever asks Allah for worldly things much more than his genuine necessities or asks Allah for such status that He would not provide to anyone now (as asking Him that He makes him one of His Messengers) or asks for safety of AKHIRAT without keeping to the commands of Allah by whatever free-will he has in his given situation, then he is one of the transgressors and Allah would not accept his plea; the blessing of Allah is for those who are truly virtuous as they do not ask for FASAD (the situation where to care for Islam in deeds becomes extremely difficult) just to impose their authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last couple of AAYAAT provide the example of the good Muslim persons in contrast to all the evil persons; they read, “and He it is Who sends forth the winds bearing good news before His mercy, until, when they bring up a laden cloud, We drive it to a dead land, then We send down water on it, then bring forth with it of fruits of all kinds; thus shall We bring forth the dead that you may be mindful; and as for the good land, its vegetation springs forth (abundantly) by the permission of its Lord, and (as for) that which is inferior (its herbage) comes forth but scantily; thus do We repeat the AAYAAT for the people who give thanks”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the Quran has taken the land in examples for the resurrection of the dead at different places and one of these is this at our study; the notable point is that the water in the normal body is nearly the same as in the earth i.e. 71.11% and the Holy Book Quran gives the example of the dead land that is resurrected by the rainfall indicating that the dead bodies would be resurrected in such way so those have been mentioned with reference to the dead land (see also ROUM-50 and HA-MEEM AS-SAJDAH-39); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT points-out that the good land (that is the good person who has the true Belief), provides the abundant vegetation (i.e. does many of good virtuous deeds so he is liable to safety at AKHIRAT) by the will of Allah as He actually decides for everything; Al-Hamdu Lillah; and the land that is bad (the evil person), produces herbage that is totally useless (i.e. does such deeds that only cause FASAD around and that are completely futile for him too, as they are not able to save him at AKHIRAT); this is how Allah repeats the AAYAAT for those who are aware that they certainly have to give thanks to Allah, the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Eighth Ruku
59. Certainly, We sent Noah to his people, so he said: O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; surely I fear for you the chastisement of a grievous day.
60. The chiefs of his people said: Most surely we see you in clear error.
61. He said: O my people - there is no error in me, but I am an apostle from the Lord of the worlds.
62. I deliver to you the messages of my Lord, and I offer you good advice and I know from Allah what you do not know.
63. What - do you wonder that a reminder has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you, that he might warn you and that you might guard (against evil) and so that mercy may be shown to you?
64. But they called him a liar, so We delivered him and those with him in the ark, and We drowned those who rejected Our AAYAAT; surely they were a blind people.
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From here, the Surah tells us the narratives of the Messengers; it tells us how they gave their nations the message of Allah and how their nations were punished even at the world when they rejected that message; note that after sending any of the Messengers to some nation, Allah appoints such time where they would ultimately accept the fundamental Islamic teachings or face certain death; we all have studied at the Surah in its second Ruku about Adam & Eve and that is explicit that the worldly life is an examination to the mankind so all persons must keep to the three fundamental teachings of Islam that all the Messengers of Allah have guided to; the five of these narratives in sequence are of Noah, HOODH, SALEH, LOT and SHOAIB (SALAM on all the Messenger of Allah) and they all gave the same message that are TAUHID (Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord) and AKHIRAT (Allah would judge all peoples of the world at the Day of Judgment) and RISALAT (Allah had sent His Messengers to the world to provide the Guidance to the right path); note that Al-FATIHA, the opening Surah of the Quran, guides to all these three fundamental teachings of Islam; Al-Hamdu Lillah; in Surah SHUA’RAA, these narratives of the Messengers are repeated in the same sequence as here from the sixth Ruku; it tells clearly that the message that all of these Messengers of Allah gave, has this repeatedly that “I am a faithful messenger unto you so keep your duty to Allah, and obey me”; so all the Messengers did try their best to guide their nations as Allah has asked them; however, their nations did not comply and so Allah destroyed them completely at the world and they certainly would be among the severely punished peoples at AKHIRAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; this eighth Ruku of AARAAF tells us that Noah-AS told his nation who were idolaters that “O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him”; he told them that he is the Messenger of Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, and he does care for their safety at AKHIRAT; note that his nation lived at Southern Iraq not much far from where the city of KUFAH is situated today; they had made idols of the persons that had passed in them and they thought that their worship would save them from the wrath of Allah; Noah guided them that they must worship Allah only and if they do not take Him as the only One to worship, they would get the most severe punishment at the Day of Judgment (and even at the world); he asked them to worship Allah only as they believed in idols that challenged the worship of Allah so he guided them that He only is the true Creator of all the creation with all His good attributes and all peoples must worship Him only; he did not ask them to obey the commands of Allah at first but he told them to obey him (as Surah SHUA’RAA tells explicitly) because he knew that as he guides them to the Truth then his obedience would cause them to obey the commands of Allah, once they accept Him as the only One to worship; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the Ruku tells that the nation of Noah took him as in clear error and the result of their rejection to him was that except for the believers with him, they all were drowned; the last AAYAT of the Ruku reads, “But they called him a liar, so We delivered him and those with him in the ark, and We drowned those who rejected Our AAYAAT; surely they were blind people (that they did not see that Noah was plainly speaking the truth)”; we see at Surah HOODH-44 that the ark of Noah stopped at the mount JUDI (that faces Ibn-UMAR island at the junction of Syrian and Turkish borders, on the eastern bank of Tigris River); from thence, human beings spread all over the world; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Ninth Ruku
65. And to AAD (We sent) their brother HOODH. He said: O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; will you not then guard (against evil)?
66. The chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said: Most surely we see you in folly, and most surely we think you to be of the liars.
67. He said: O my people - there is no folly in me, but I am an apostle of the Lord of the worlds.
68. I deliver to you the messages of my Lord and I am a faithful adviser to you:
69. What - do you wonder that a reminder has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you that he might warn you? And remember when He made you successors after Noah's people and increased you in excellence in respect of make (in physique); therefore remember the benefits from Allah, that you may be successful.
70. They said: Have you come to us that we may serve Allah alone and give up what our fathers used to serve? Then bring to us what you threaten us with, if you are of the truthful ones.
71. He said: Indeed uncleanness and wrath from your Lord have lighted upon you; what - do you dispute with me about names which you and your fathers have given? Allah has not sent any authority for them; wait then, I too with you will be of those who wait.
72. So We delivered him and those with him by mercy from Us, and We cut off the last of those who rejected Our AAYAAT and were not believers.
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The second narrative of these Messengers presented at AARAAF is of HOODH-AS; his nation was named as AAD and he gave them the same message as Noah has given to his nation; this ninth Ruku of AARAAF tells us that HOODH told his nation who were idolaters that “O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him”; he told them that he is the Messenger of Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, and he does care for their safety at AKHIRAT; note that his nation lived in the area of curved sand-hills in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula; they were very strong in physique and had handsome height and looks; their total preference was for the worldly life so HOODH told them that they must show gratitude to Allah; in Surah SHUA’RAA, the AAYAAT read that HOODH told his nation that "I am to you a messenger worthy of all trust; so keep your duty to Allah and obey me; and I do not ask you any reward for it; surely my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds; do you build a landmark on every high place to amuse yourselves? -and seek you out strongholds, that haply you may last forever? - and when you lay hands (on men) you lay hands as tyrants -rather keep your duty to Allah, and obey me” (SHUA’RAA-125 to 131); AAYAT-69 here tells the statement of HOODH in answer to them, “what - do you wonder that a reminder has come to you from your Lord through a man from among you that he might warn you? and remember when He made you successors after Noah's people and increased you in excellence in respect of make (in physique); therefore remember the benefits from Allah, that you may be successful”; the Ruku tells that the nation of HOODH took him as in grave folly and the result of their rejection to him was that except for the believers with him, they all were destroyed; the last couple of AAYAAT of the Ruku read, “HOODH said - indeed uncleanness and wrath from your Lord have lighted upon you; what -do you dispute with me about names which you and your fathers have given? Allah has not sent any authority for them; wait then, I too with you will be of those who wait-; so We delivered him and those with him by mercy from Us, and We cut off the last of those who rejected Our AAYAAT and were not believers”; note that they had given their idols different names and had become such idolaters that they did not bear anything against them; they were punished by furious violent wind that stayed upon them for seven nights and eight days as the wrath of Allah upon them; Surah-HAQQAAH says that this punishment was such “which Allah imposed on them for seven nights and eight days so that (O listener) you might have seen men lying overthrown, as they were hollow trunks of palm-trees” (HAQQAAH-7); certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Tenth Ruku
73. And to THAMUD (We sent) their brother SALEH. He said: O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; clear proof indeed has come to you from your Lord; this is (as) Allah's she-camel for you-- a sign, therefore leave her alone to pasture on Allah's earth, and do not touch her with any harm, otherwise painful chastisement will overtake you.
74. And remember when He made you successors after AAD and settled you in the land-- you make mansions on its plains and hew out houses in the mountains-- remember therefore benefits from Allah and do not act corruptly in the land, making mischief.
75. The chief of those who behaved proudly among his people said to those who were considered weak, to those who believed from among them: Do you know that SALEH is sent by his Lord? They said: Surely we are believers in what he has been sent with
76. Those who were haughty said: Surely we are deniers of what you believe in.
77. So they slew the she-camel and revolted against their Lord's commandment, and they said: O SALEH - bring us what you threatened us with, if you are one of the apostles.
78. Then the earthquake overtook them, so they became motionless bodies in their abode.
79. Then he turned away from them and said: O my people I did certainly deliver to you the message of my Lord, and I gave you good advice, but you do not love those who give good advice.
80. And (We sent) Lot when he said to his people: What - do you commit an indecency which anyone in the world has not done before you?
81. Most surely you come to males in lust besides females; nay you are an extravagant people.
82. And the answer of his people was no other than that they said: Turn them out of your town - surely they are a people who seek to purify (themselves).
83. So We delivered him and his followers, except his wife; she was of those who remained behind.
84. And We rained upon them a rain; consider then what the end was of the guilty.
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The tenth Ruku narrates the events of SALEH-AS and Lot-AS; it tells that SALEH gave his nation that is named as THAMUD, the same message as Noah & HOODH had given to their nations; they were polytheists and gave total preference to the worldly life; they used to build mansions at plains and carved houses at the mounts; it tells us that SALEH told them that “O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him”; note that his nation lived between HIJAZ and Syria in the south-eastern part of MADYAN (that is at the east of Gulf of AQABAH) and their stone dwellings are still preserved; note also that these five Messengers that Allah has mentioned here had their dwelling places near to each other with difference of their periods at the world as Noah, HOODH and SALEH were before Abraham-AS while Lot was his nephew and SHOAIB was among his descendants from his third wife within three hundred years of his time; Allah gave the nation of SALEH a she-camel as miracle so that they believe in Allah as the only One to worship and prefer AKHIRAT over the worldly life; Allah commanded them not to trouble it so that she might easily eat from wherever she intends; if they do otherwise, they would receive extreme punishment even at the world; AAYAT-74 reads, “(SALEH said) and remember when He made you successors after AAD and settled you in the land - you make mansions on its plains and hew out houses in the mountains - remember therefore benefits from Allah and do not act corruptly in the land, making mischief”; their ruling elite rejected his message and asked others too to reject it; some of their youth killed the she-camel and that was the clearest disobedience to Allah; they even asked for the punishment from which SALEH had warned them if they disrespect the she-camel; the last couple of AAYAAT for this narration here read, “then the earthquake overtook them, so they became motionless bodies in their abode; then SALEH turned away from them and said - O my people - I did certainly deliver to you the message of my Lord, and I gave you good advice - but you do not love those who give good advice”; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; after this narration, the Ruku provides us the narrative of Lot-AS who had been sent to the peoples living at Sodom and Gomorrah at south of the dead sea; they were extremely filthy persons who used to commit the heinous sin of sodomy among the men; Lot who actually did not belong to that nation but had been sent to them as the Messenger of Allah tried his best to reform them of this heinous sin but to no avail; in fact, they intended to expel him from their city just because he challenged their filth; AAYAAT-80 to 84 tell the narrative, “and (We sent) Lot when he said to his people - what - do you commit an indecency which anyone in the world has not done before you?; most surely you come to males in lust besides females; nay you are an extravagant people; and the answer of his people was no other than that they said - turn them out of your town - surely they are people who seek to purify (themselves); so We delivered him and his followers, except his wife; she was of those who remained behind; and We rained upon them a rain (of stones); consider then what the end was of the guilty”; note that he had taken his wife from amongst that nation and she did not disapprove of their heinous sin so she was most disobedient to Lot and so she was punished too with that extremely sinful nation; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Eleventh Ruku
85. And to Madyan (We sent) their brother SHOAIB. He said: O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; clear proof indeed has come to you from your Lord, therefore give full measure and weight and do not diminish to men their things, and do not make mischief in the land after its reform; this is better for you if you are believers:
86. And do not lie in wait in every path, threatening and turning away from Allah's way him who believes in Him and seeking to make it crooked; and remember when you were few then He multiplied you, and consider what was the end of the mischief-makers.
87. And if there is a party of you who believe in that with which I am sent, and another party who do not believe, then wait patiently until Allah judges between us; and He is the best of Judges.
88. The chiefs, those who were proud from among his people said: We will most certainly turn you out, O SHOAIB, and (also; those who believe with you, from our town, or you shall come back to our faith. He said – What - though we dislike (it)?
89. Indeed we shall have forged a lie against Allah if we go back to your religion after Allah has delivered us from it, and it befits us not that we should go back to it, except if Allah our Lord please - Our Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge; in Allah do we trust: Our Lord - decide between us and our people with truth; and You are the best of deciders.
90. And the chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said - if you follow SHOAIB, you shall then most surely be losers
91. Then the earthquake overtook them, so they became motionless bodies in their abode.
92. Those who called SHOAIB a liar were as though they had never dwelt therein; those who called SHOAIB a liar, they were the losers.
93. So he turned away from them and said: O my people - certainly I delivered to you the messages of my Lord and I gave you the good advice; how shall I then be sorry for an unbelieving people?
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The last narrative in the narratives of the five Messengers is of SHOAIB-AS; he gave his nation at MADYAN the same message as Noah & other Messengers had given to their nations; they were polytheists and they also gave their total preference to the worldly life and did not care to obey the commands of Allah; they did not have any concern for the rights of their fellow-beings and tried to gain more worldly profits by trying to give lesser returns to the amounts of the buyer; they mismanaged their measures and weights just to get these unfair profits and the AAYAT implies that this wrongful attitude leads to FASAD at the surroundings that means to live upon Islamic teachings most difficult; note that if a person abuses his authority without any care to the commands of Allah at any level where he is at the business of life, he makes the living on the Islamic teachings difficult by his attitude at that level; the first three AAYAAT of the Ruku say, “and to Madyan (We sent) their brother SHOAIB; he said - O my people - serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; clear proof indeed has come to you from your Lord, therefore give full measure and weight and do not diminish to men their things, and do not make mischief (FASAD) in the land after its reform; this is better for you if you are believers; and do not lie in wait in every path, threatening and turning away from the way of Allah him who believes in Him and seeking to make it crooked; and remember when you were few then He multiplied you, and consider what was the end of the mischief-makers; and if there is a party of you who believe in that with which I am sent, and another party who do not believe, then wait patiently until Allah judges between us; and He is the best of Judges”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; it confused the persons at his nation that they have to care for the commands of Allah at the material profits they make at the market as they took the belief as something that relates to the concepts of the individual at the spiritual level with no impression at the collective living of the peoples that live in huge number together; note here that the Islamic teachings challenge the concept of secularism head-on and the statement of these disbelievers in the nation of SHOAIB, is mentioned at Surah HOODH that “they said - O SHOAIB - does your SALAH enjoin you that we should forsake what our fathers worshipped or that we should not do what we please with regard to our property?; you are undoubtedly the forbearing, the right-directing one” (HOODH-87); note that they did credit SHOAIB as one of the most intelligent persons among them yet they did not accept his message and that led to their destruction; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note also that THAMUD also took SALEH as an intelligent person yet they also had not accepted his message that challenged their erroneous belief and that had led to their destruction; the statement of these disbelievers in the nation of SALEH, is mentioned at Surah HOODH that “they said: O SALEH - surely you were one amongst us in whom great expectations were placed before this; do you (now) forbid us from worshipping what our fathers worshipped?; and as to that which you call us to, most surely we are in disquieting doubt” (HOODH-62); the conceited ruling elite of the nation of SHOAIB told him that they would turn him and the believers with him out by force if they do not come to their concepts of living; SHOAIB who was good at speech, told them that it would certainly be extreme injustice when they disapprove of their concepts clearly and they would not take them; Al-Hamdu Lillah; he told them that it would be as if he and his companions had said lies about Allah after He has provided them the true guidance if they return to their concepts of living; it certainly is unsuitable to them that they return to their concepts except if Allah wills; Allah certainly has the knowledge of all things which He has in His complete control; but we do have TAWAKKUL (complete trust) in Him that He would keep us to the right path; note here that SHOAIB did not show any pride on his own self but mentioned the power of Allah that He only is able to bring and keep to the true guidance; confidence on the self would come only after the TAWAKKUL in Him; SHOAIB then asked Allah to decide between them and their nation providing each side what it deserves rightly and He certainly is the best of deciders; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the ruling elite that had disbelieved told the peoples that following the path of SHOAIB means that they are complete losers; the last three AAYAAT tell the result of their disbelief to them that read, “then the earthquake overtook them, so they became motionless bodies in their abode; those who called SHOAIB a liar, were as though they had never dwelt therein; those who called SHOAIB a liar, they were the losers; so he turned away from them and said - O my people - certainly I delivered to you the messages of my Lord and I gave you the good advice; how shall I then be sorry for an unbelieving people?”; so with all said and done, the good preacher of the Truth has to bear such calamity to the sinful persons whom he has preached that for a long time; note that Noah had tried to bring his nation to righteousness for 950 years as Surah ANKABUT notes, “and verily we sent Noah (as Our messenger) unto his people, and he continued with them for a thousand years save fifty years; and the flood engulfed them, for they were wrong-doers” (ANKABUT-14); the Quran gives the message most explicitly that those who challenge Allah are doomed to destruction; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Twelfth Ruku
94. And We did not send a prophet in a town but We overtook its people with distress and affliction in order that they might humble themselves.
95. Then We gave them good in the place of evil until they became many and said that distress and happiness did indeed befall our fathers. Then We took them by surprise while they did not perceive.
96. And if the people of the towns had believed and guarded (against evil) We would certainly have opened up for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they rejected, so We overtook them for what they had earned.
97. What - do the people of the towns then feel secure from Our punishment coming to them by night while they sleep?
98. What - do the people of the towns feel secure from Our punishment coming to them in the morning while they play?
99. What - do they then feel secure from Allah's plan? But none feels secure from Allah's plan except the people who shall perish.
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This Ruku tells about the sequence of events for such towns where Allah sent His Messengers and the dwellers there generally rejected that message; the AAYAAT narrate that whenever Allah sent any of His Messengers to a town, He examined them by trials putting them in distress by the need of resources to fulfill the necessities and by physical afflictions of different sort so that they understand that these are the results to their wrong-doings and turn their attention to Allah, the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; but when they did not change their selves to better, Allah gave them ease in their lives by change of their troublesome situation and this implies that they got more than enough for their necessities and they turned immune to many of their physical afflictions; note that the ease in living with extreme resources to manage at hand might also be the manner of trial from Allah, the true Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; such ease they had in their worldly lives that they boasted that distress and happiness did indeed befall their fathers (but they have managed to live at happiness only); so Allah suddenly caught them unawares but if they had believed and they had developed TAQWA inside them towards Allah, then Allah would have opened the BARAKAAT (the blessings) upon them of the heaven and of the earth but they disbelieved the Prophets so Allah put on them the most severe punishments due to their wrong-doings (because Allah does not put troubles to any person unless he asks for that by his own wrong-doings though He provides His blessings even without any counts to whom He wills); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last three AAYAAT of the Ruku imply that all the persons must fear Allah if they choose the sinful path for their lives because when the punishment of Allah gets them, it would be either at night when they would be at sleep or either at the morning hours when they would be at their playful activities relating totally to their worldly lives; so they chose to remain oblivious of the plan of Allah, but none feels secure from Allah's plan except the people who shall perish; note that Allah is AZIZ that means that He provides for such happenings that keep the world to His will by His authoritative measures so no one becomes able to cause such deviation at the world that leads it to complete FASAD and He also is HAKEEM that means that He shapes all things towards the way He intends even by the works of the Man and when some nation challenges His will by working against His commands, that displeases Him and that is where the destruction strikes that nation; its adverse impression ends from the world and that elimination of its adverse impression causes the peoples of the world to get the good space then and there to repent on their wrongs and to become better by accepting the true fundamental teachings of Islam, the right path to Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Thirteenth Ruku
100. Is it not totally clear to those who inherit the earth after its (former) residents that if We please We would afflict them on account of their faults and set a seal on their hearts, so they would not hear.
101. These towns-- We relate to you some of their stories, and certainly their apostles came to them with clear arguments, but they would not believe in what they had rejected at first; thus does Allah set a seal over the hearts of the disbelievers.
102. And We did not find in most of them any (faithfulness to) covenant, and We found most of them to be certainly transgressors.
103. Then we raised after them Musa with Our AAYAAT to Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they disbelieved in them; consider then what the end was of the mischief makers.
104. And Musa said: O Pharaoh - surely I am an apostle from the Lord of the worlds:
105. (I am) worthy of not saying anything about Allah except the truth: I have come to you indeed with clear proof from your Lord therefore send with me the children of Israel.
106. He said: If you have come with a sign, then bring it, if you are of the truthful ones.
107. So he threw his rod, then lo - it was a clear serpent.
108. And he drew forth his hand, and lo - it was white to the beholders.
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The Ruku commences by the query if it still is unclear to those who have inherited these places of the previous nations that were severely punished that Allah would punish them too on their wrongs if He wills; and He would seal their hearts (if they persist on their wrongs) so that they become incapable to accept the fundamental teachings of Islam; these are the narratives of the towns that Allah has told you O Muhammad PBUH; their Messengers did come to them with all signs that what they are telling them is clearly the Truth but they did not accept it when they had initially rejected it so they did not reflect on that message after they had disbelieved in it; that is how Allah seals the hearts when the disbelievers persist on their wrongs; Allah did not find any care in them for the oath they had taken at the world of spirits to believe in Allah only as their RABB i.e. the true Lord (see AARAAF-172) and He only saw them totally sinful i.e. most disobedient to His commands to them; AAYAAT ahead narrate the events related to the life of Moses-AS who was one of the most prominent Messengers of Allah; the last six AAYAAT of the Ruku tell that Allah sent him after the five Messengers that He has mentioned before and there is the gap of around 540 years between Abraham-AS and Moses-AS; note that Moses was raised up from amongst the Bani Israel at Egypt where on the command of Allah, he asked the Pharaoh to release the Bani-Israel from captivity so that they all leave Egypt with him (and Aaron-AS); Moses told Pharaoh that he was the Messenger of Allah and as such, he would never say anything except the truth about Allah; so he has come with such clear sign that tells that whatever he is saying is clearly the Truth; Pharaoh told him to prove his words by some manifest reasoning so he put his staff at the floor where it became the most obvious large snake; and he drew forth his hand that glowed in whiteness for the onlookers; these were among the nine signs that proved that Moses was the Messenger of Allah but as Pharaoh and his followers did not accept the truth, they were drowned (see the sixteenth Ruku ahead in Surah AARAAF that insha-Allah, we all would study soon); certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Fourteenth Ruku
109. The chiefs of Pharaoh's people said: most surely this is an enchanter possessed of knowledge:
110. He intends to turn you out of your land. What counsel do you then give?
111. They said: Put him off and his brother, and send collectors into the cities:
112. That they may bring to you every enchanter possessed of knowledge.
113. And the enchanters came to Pharaoh (and) said: We must surely have a reward if we are the prevailing ones.
114. He said: Yes, and you shall certainly be of those who are near (to me).
115. They said: O Musa - will you cast, or shall we be the first to cast?
116. He said: Cast. So when they cast, they deceived the people's eyes and frightened them, and they produced a mighty enchantment.
117. And We revealed to Musa, saying: Cast your rod; then lo - it devoured the lies they told.
118. So the truth was established, and what they did became null.
119. Thus they were vanquished there, and they went back abased.
120. And the enchanters were thrown down, prostrating (themselves).
121. They said: We believe in the Lord of the worlds,
122. The Lord of Musa and Haroon.
123. Pharaoh said: Do you believe in Him before I have given you permission? Surely this is a plot which you have secretly devised in this city that you may turn out of it its people, but you shall know:
124. I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides then will I crucify you all together.
125. They said: Surely to our Lord shall we go back:
126. And you do not take revenge on us except because we have believed in the AAYAAT of our Lord when they came to us - Our Lord: Pour out upon us patience and cause us to die in submission.
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The Ruku tells that when Pharaoh and his courtiers saw the two amazing miracles, those courtiers among the nation of Pharaoh consulted the prominent persons (at the Bani-Israel) to advise them about the course of action to take against Moses by telling them that he is the most adept magician who intends to take the Bani-Israel out of their lands; they advised them to send some official collectors to different cities from whence they would bring every such magician who is adept in his magic (so when they compete with Moses in magic, they would show that it only is the spell of magic with which he intends to enchant all persons to accept his demand); the collectors informed the skilled magicians to attend the gathering at the specific day of celebration to challenge Moses and they did so at the presence of Pharaoh; they were so confident of their win that they asked Pharaoh if they would get their due prize if they win; Pharaoh assured them of that and also told them that they would be among his near ones getting high respect among the people; they had said that Pharaoh would get more of honor as they win (and it automatically implied that he would get most high disrespect if they lose) and then they asked Moses who among them would begin the contest; he asked them to open the show so they threw their ropes and canes that seemed as the wriggling serpents to the onlookers; it certainly was the most skillful demonstration of their spell of magic; but Allah commanded Moses to put his staff at the ground and as he did so, it turned into the huge serpent that swallowed up all the falsehood that they faked; so the Truth manifested and their doings became vain so they were vanquished there and Pharaoh and his courtiers became lower; the skillful magicians gathered there fell to ground in prostration to Allah and said that they believe in the Lord of the worlds Who is the Lord of Moses and Aaron; note that they totally clarified that by the Lord they mean Allah whom Moses and Aaron believe so that Pharaoh and his people have no doubts about their words as Pharaoh presented his own self as the lord to the people; note also that the reason to their immediate belief was their view that the huge serpent ate up their doings which they knew clearly would not be any magic in any manner as they were most skillful at spells of magic; it plainly was the most amazing miracle that Moses had presented so this led them to believe in the words of Moses then and there; Pharaoh changed his stance at once that they have believed in the miracle before Pharaoh has allowed them to believe; note his arrogance that he wanted the people under his authority to believe only that which he intends that they should; he blamed them of being associates of Moses as the face-saving statement for him amongst the people and told the people that they all have united as they intend to expel the people set at their lands out of that; he told the magicians that he would punish them severely by cutting off one of their hands and one of their legs (opposite sides) and then he would crucify them all; their answer plainly was that they would surely return to their true Lord and what else the Pharaoh had found in them except that they had believed in the miracle from Allah when it has come to them; they made DUA to Allah, the true Lord, to pour out upon them patience and to cause them to die in submission to Him only; Al-Hamdu Lillah; their statement tells that when the person guides the asking of goodness in his self to the righteous direction, that even does lead him to the right path as just a little while back, they were asking the worldly benefits from Pharaoh but when they saw that the true benefits is where Moses is calling them to, they did not take any time to accept it and to become firm on it; they had consulted each other well when Moses had advised them to leave their stance and to accept the righteousness, before the contest and then only they had taken-up his challenge (see Surah TA-HA-61 to 64); certainly, Allah guides whom He wills and He only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Fifteenth Ruku
127. And the chiefs of Pharaoh's people said: Do you leave Musa and his people to make mischief in the land and to forsake you and your gods? He said: We will slay their sons and spare their women, and surely we are masters over them.
128. Musa said to his people: Ask help from Allah and be patient; surely the land is Allah's; He causes such of His servants to inherit it as He pleases, and the end is for those who guard (against evil).
129. They said: We have been persecuted before you came to us and since you have come to us. He said: It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you rulers in the land then He will see how you act.
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This Ruku tells that Pharaoh intended to apply the same treatment to the Bani-Israel as the previous Pharaoh (presumably his grandfather) had done i.e. to kill their male children and let their female children live-on (though it seems that this scheme did not materialize this time); Moses assured the Bani-Israel that they only need to ask help from Allah (especially by SALAH remaining firm upon the Truth) and must remain patient on troubles that they face without any care to the worldly possessions; the land belongs to Allah and He gives the authority at it to whom He wills from among His creation (but He does not let them cross such limit where they are able to cause the people under them to lose all space to accept the Truth); so the final success is only for the MUTTAQIN; they replied to Moses that they were troubled even before his coming (that is before his birth when the Pharaoh of the time ruled to kill their male children leaving their daughters alive) and even now they are troubled, as it seems that would be handled by the same ruling, when he has come as the Messenger of Allah for them; Moses told them that it would happen that their true Lord Allah would destroy their enemy and He would provide them authority over the land and then He would note how they do their deeds; so when someone gets wealth, knowledge, authority, good skills or/and high status among the people by the will of Allah, these things do not mean in themselves that Allah is pleased with such persons who have them but when such persons use them in the way of Allah sincerely according to His commands, then they achieve the pleasure of Allah; so all the things that are assets to some person denote the will of Allah but His pleasure is in living in accordance to His commands only that we all know by the Quran and the SUNNAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the Bani-Israel failed miserably in this test and due to their failure, Allah disqualified them from the status of the chosen people to spread the Truth among the peoples of the world; we have studied this at Surah BAQARAH and it gives the account of their disrespect to the commands of Allah explicitly; it was two thousand years after Moses-AS that Allah gave the Muslims the status to spread the teachings of Islam to all the peoples of the world by the Holy Book Quran that He had sent to His last Messenger Muhammad PBUH; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
Supplementary note on AAYAT-129 of AARAAF
Before proceeding ahead, it is better that we all view the significant events in the life of Moses briefly as that knowledge would enable us to understand the AAYAAT about him at the Quran much better insha-Allah; please see also the note at the sixth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah; when Moses was born, it was the time of trial for the Bani-Israel as the Pharaoh Thutmose- II, the weak Pharaoh, had ordered to kill all the male children born that year at Bani-Israel so as to reduce their large population and so at the birth of Moses, his mother put him in some crib and put him with measures that the crib floats on the water of Nile (and it was his wife Hatshepsut known as AASIYAH in the literature of Muslims, who had saved Moses-AS when he was floating at the waters in his crib); it happened that Moses did not take the milk of any women so his sister (MARIAM) who knew that Moses has been saved by the royal family, told the staff there that she knows a woman who is able to feed the child; so the mother of Moses was appointed to feed him; Surah QASAS states that “and We ordained that he refused to suck any foster mother before, so she (his sister) said: shall I point-out to you the people of the house who will take care of him for you, and they will be benevolent to him?; so We gave him back to his mother that her eye might be refreshed, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true, but most of them do not know” (QASAS-12 & 13); note also that seemingly the grandson of Thutmose- II (that was Amenhotep-II) was the “Pharaoh of the Exodus”; his reign was but for a few years only (against what normally is assumed and I, MSD, have commented on that at “Pentateuch by the Islamic view”) and he died by drowning when he followed Moses and his people with the army he had, in his youth around 24 years of age; there was yet another Pharaoh, the son of Thutmose-II (and the father of Amenhotep-II), in between these two and he was the one who had played with Moses at childhood; he had come about 1500 BC at the throne and ruled for about 50 years to 1450 BC (the first 22 years or so of which, his step-mother Hatshepsut shared his rule up-to her death as when he came to authority, he was too young to manage the matters of the state); so there were three Pharaoh that Moses-AS encountered though he had little to do with the first who died when he was at his childhood and the second was not much hostile to him as they had been playful mates at the royal palace of the Pharaoh at childhood; it was the third Pharaoh (Amenhotep-II) to whom Moses presented the message of Allah when He made him His Messenger to the Pharaoh and he was the Pharaoh who drowned with his army; please see also my writing “Pentateuch by the Islamic view” available at www.saleemdada.weebly.com; this is how I, MSD, deduct the issue of timing as calculated guess yet keeping to the safe side, please note that this timing might be incorrect and certainly, Allah knows better; it happened that Moses-AS attached himself to the Bani-Israel in whom he belonged when he came at his adolescence; it happened that once he saw one of the Egyptian persons beating one of the persons of Bani-Israel and as the man called him for help, he punched the Egyptian person so hard that he died by that blow on the spot and he regretted that at that very time; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the second and the third Ruku of Surah QASAS narrate the incident that the next day, the same man from the Bani-Israel was calling him to help him against another person from amongst the Egyptians; Moses scolded him by harsh words and as he advanced to hold the Egyptian back, the man from the Bani-Israel said to him that it seems that Moses does not intend to become someone to better things; this is because he thought that as Moses has scolded him, he would now take him to task and not the Egyptian; the secret came into open that it was Moses who had accidentally killed the Egyptian the previous day and the news reached the palace; before the end of the day, a man sincere to Moses having access at the court of Pharaoh came hurriedly to Moses and told him that the courtiers are consulting to kill him so he must depart from there fast; note that he did not state that the Pharaoh also was included in this consultation and this gives the hint that this was the one who had played with Moses at their childhood; he then left for Madyan fearful and vigilant and his plea to Allah tells how severe the Egyptians were to those persons among the Bani-Israel who acted harshly against someone of them (while Moses had killed one of them though that was an accident); he had asked Allah “O my Lord - deliver me from the unjust folk” (Surah QASAS-21); he did reach Madyan and there it happened that he found the place to settle; Al-Hamdu Lillah; when Moses reached Madyan, he saw two young girls with their sheep who were standing away from the crowd that was providing their cattle and animals water to drink from the well; he asked them about their-selves and they said that they wait till these farmers provide water to their cattle then they advance and give the drinks to their sheep; and their father is a very old man; this answer gives some clue to the living manner of the household of those ladies; the first is that they were so refined as not to mingle with the men at such gathering where they had to attend; second is that they had such natural care to HEJAB that they did not begin talks with any unrelated man unless they were spoken to or unless they found it totally necessary; third is that their answer is brief yet comprehensive and they had the understanding that Moses need to know why no man from their household has attended to this task rather than these two ladies; fourth is that their answer clarifies that there was only their father as their caretaker and he is extremely old so with the state of morals of these farmers, the best thing was that they take the task of providing the waters to their cattle to their own selves; fifth is that they did not ask Moses to do the task for them yet Moses had the etiquette to water their cattle when they did need it (and they did appreciate it as the AAYAT ahead implies that they had mentioned him to their father in good terms); the old man called him through one of his two daughters and she gave him his message with necessary care to HEJAB; when Moses told the old man about his plight, he soothed him that he is out of troubles with him insha-Allah; note that this old man was one of the believers in the true guidance he had received from SHOAIB-AS who had long passed away; the other of his daughters told her father to keep him at service because he is QAVI (capable to do the necessary tasks needed) and AMIN (trustworthy with honesty); note here how sharp her observation was about Moses and the Quran relates the words of ZELIKHA at Surah YOUSUF (AAYAT-53) and the words of the Queen of Sheba at Surah NAML (AYAT-34) that denote the high understanding of the human nature which both of these women had in their own respective manner; note also that for the Muslim person, these two qualities are the basis to the service that is asked from him as when he is capable to serve according to his liability, he would honestly put that capability to the best use; Surah NAML-39 also tells the need for these two qualities as the JINN who offered to bring the throne of the Queen of Sheba for Solomon-AS mentioned these two that he is capable to do the job and he is so trustworthy that he would bring it directly to him for sure; now, her father accepted her request and asked Moses to serve them for eight years if he finds it well in return of which he would marry one of his daughters to him; and if he would serve for two more years, that would be good by his own will; so Moses accepted the deal and served him for ten years at the place; he might have stayed for few more years at MADYAN by his own intention but the Quran has kept silence on that; then, he took his family and intended for some other place to reside when on the route, he saw some light as fire at the side of the Mount TOOR; those were the cold nights and he told his family that he had seen some fire so they would wait as he brings some news of the way and better still, some brand of fire that they might be able to get warmth for themselves; when he got near to that place, he heard the voice of Allah, the true Lord, that “O Moses – I am Allah, the true Lord of all the worlds”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; there he got the two significant signs from Allah that his staff changed to the huge serpent as he put it down and became his staff as he picked it up and when he put his hand inside his bosom and pulled it out, it lighted without any affliction; Allah told him to draw his hand near to him if he fears anything so that would soothe him; with these signs, Allah sent him to Pharaoh and his people and on his request, his brother Aaron was also appointed as one of the Prophets with him (as Moses had the issue of stutter); Allah told him that Pharaoh and his people would be unable to harm any of them even though he had accidentally killed one of their men; the Quran tells clearly that the Pharaoh and his people did not believe in the message of Allah that Moses and Aaron brought to them and they rather mocked him; he showed them the two amazing miracles but they took it as plain magic and rejected the message; even though they brought the skilled magicians of the time against him, they lost the contest and in fact, they accepted the message of Moses and Aaron as they saw plainly that what they have just encountered is miracle and certainly not magic; note that one of the men from among the family members of Pharaoh at the court (who had become the true Muslim and until now, had concealed his belief) had defended Moses at the court when there was an advice to kill him and he even cited the punishments that had come upon the nation of Noah and AAD and THAMUD; he even reminded them that Yusuf-AS (Joseph) had guided them to the Truth and they had ignored his guidance; when Yusuf died, they thought with pleasure that there would be no one to guide them to the right path again; now when Moses is providing the message of Allah to them and asking them to free the Bani-Israel from captivity, they are reluctant to do it; this is the most lengthy speech of this good person that the Quran has recorded at Surah MOMEN (that means the true believer) from its fourth Ruku onwards; Al-Hamdu Lillah; there were nine of signs that Allah showed Pharaoh and his people yet they did not accept the fundamental teachings of Islam; besides his staff that changed to the huge serpent and the shining hand, there were (iii) draughts (shortage of crops), (iv) diminution of fruits (this also means lesser returns to efforts) (v) TOOFAAN (hail-storm), (vi) locusts, (vii) lice, (viii) frogs and (ix) blood; the sixteenth Ruku of AARAAF provides this clearly; Al-Hamdu Lillah; as they persisted on the disbelief, Allah told Moses to lead the Bani-Israel to safety and they crossed the Red Sea that gave way to them all when Moses struck the waters there with his staff by the command of Allah; but the Pharaoh and his army that followed them were drowned there while the Bani-Israel looked on to it; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah had commanded Moses to lead them to Canaan but fearing the strong persons there, the Bani-Israel refused to challenge them and asked Moses to fight them for the Bani-Israel; they had seen how amazingly Allah had rescued them by the staff of Moses and wanted him to get the land for them so he became very sad and he said to Allah, the true Lord, that he has power only over himself and his brother so now Allah separates them from the rebellious people; Allah told him that the land would remain forbidden to them for forty years and they would wander about at earth (see Surah MA’EDAH-25 & 26); they made their base at Sinai and their generation grew there that had not seen slavery who conquered the lands in the command of Joshua-AS as Aaron and Moses had died there during this period; at Sinai, Allah told Moses to hit his ASA (Staff) upon the huge specific stone there and by that strike, twelve springs gushed out of that (see the note at the seventh Ruku of Surah BAQARAH); it is interesting to note that when Moses was leading Bani-Israel to safety when the Pharaoh and his army were following them, it was this ASA the strike of which produced the way at the river so it parted the waters then; now the strike of the same at the huge stone brought forth the twelve springs of the fresh water from it; Al-Hamdu Lillah; there were twelve tribes of Bani-Israel (as Israel-AS had twelve sons and the descendants of each one became a tribe of Bani-Israel) so each of the tribes assigned one of the springs to them; Allah asked them to eat the MANN (the sweet that manifested there) and SALWA (the small birds that used to come there) and drink from the springs; that would keep them safe from making such mischief that might lead to FASAD so the taking-in of these wonderful edibles and the miraculous water certainly had some blessing from Allah in them that these would have kept them away from all such mischief by the permission of Allah; so the intake of anything affects the Man even in the spiritual sense and the Quran asks at places to take care about what he eats; Moses hurried to the Mount TOOR to meet Allah leaving the charge of Bani-Israel to Aaron where Allah provided him the Ten Commandments at tablets about which we have studied at the Nineteenth Ruku of Surah AN’AAM; he said to Allah that he wants to see Him but Allah told him that it is not possible; He told him to look at the mountain, if it remains firm in its place, then he would see Him; but when Allah, the true Lord, manifested His glory to the mountain, He made it crumble and Moses fell down in a swoon; when he recovered, he praised Allah and said that he was the first of the believers; Allah told him that the Bani-Israel had taken a calf that the magician SAMIRI had made for them (using ornaments in it) as something to worship and he returned to them in anger and grief; he asked Aaron about the event and he told him that he tried his best to stop them but they would not listen and came near to killing him; Moses told SAMIRI that he would be wandering about asking people not to touch him (so it seems that he was affected by some affliction in which any touch to his physique gave him pain) and then Moses destroyed the calf (see Surah TA-HA-90 to 98); after that, he taught the Bani-Israel the Ten Commandments that they were reluctant to accept as the word of Allah at first and only accepted them when seventy of their men vouched for them; it was here at Sinai that Moses had gone away for some period of time to meet the man whom Allah had given the knowledge of some future events and who was one of the Prophets (called as KHIDR with differences in spelling and pronunciation); the incidents that took place at their meeting are reported at Surah KAHF; Bani-Israel certainly were highly difficult people to guide yet Moses (& Aaron) did their best in providing them the true guidance though Moses undoubtedly had temper against their wrongs; he lived for about 120 years (and Aaron had died even before him) and it was only after his death at Sinai that the Bani-Israel managed to fight the enemy to conquer them after residing there for the period of forty years; we have studied much about the wrongs of Bani-Israel at Surah BAQARAH and now we need to keep the significant events in the life of Moses in view where the AAYAAT relate to them as that would make their Tafsir insha-Allah most convenient; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Sixteenth Ruku
130. And certainly We overtook Pharaoh's people with droughts and diminution of fruits that they may be mindful.
131. But when good befell them they said: This is due to us; and when evil afflicted them, they attributed it to the ill-luck of Musa and those with him; surely their evil fortune is only from Allah but most of them do not know.
132. And they said: Whatever sign you may bring to us to charm us with it-- we will not believe in you.
133. Therefore We sent upon them the flood, and the locusts and the lice and the frog and the blood, clear signs; but they behaved haughtily and they were a guilty people.
134. And when the plague fell upon them, they said: O Musa - pray for us to your Lord as He has promised with you, if you remove the plague from us, we will certainly believe in you and we will certainly send away with you the children of Israel.
135. But when We removed the plague from them till a term which they should attain lo - they broke (the promise).
136. Therefore We inflicted retribution on them and drowned them in the sea because they rejected Our signs and were heedless of them.
137. And We made the people who were deemed weak to inherit the eastern lands and the western ones which We had blessed; and the good word of your Lord was fulfilled in the children of Israel because they bore up (sufferings) patiently; and We utterly destroyed what Pharaoh and his people had wrought and what they built.
138. And We made the children of Israel to pass the sea; then they came upon a people who kept to the worship of their idols, they said: O Musa - make for us a god as they have (their) gods He said: Surely you are a people acting ignorantly:
139. (As to) these, surely that about which they are shall be brought to naught and that which they do is vain.
140. He said: What - shall I seek for you a god other than Allah while He has made you excel (all) created things?
141. And when We delivered you from Pharaoh's people who subjected you to severe torment, killing your sons and sparing your women, and in this there was a great trial from your Lord.
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This Ruku tells about the seven other signs besides his staff that changed to the huge serpent and the shining hand, that Allah showed to Pharaoh and his people and their reaction to it; they took it all the effect of the spell of magic that they thought Moses was putting on them and said this openly that whenever Moses enchants them, they would not believe in him; when they found anything good to them, they claimed that they are rightful to it and when some affliction took them over, they attributed its responsibility to Moses; this was the trend of the disbelievers that they blamed Messengers on their afflictions and there were such disbelievers even at the times of Muhammad PBUH who took him responsible for their afflictions (see Surah NISAA-78); we have learnt at the narrative of Adam-AS that the Satan blamed Adam for his fall; the seven other signs that Allah showed to them were draughts (extreme shortage of crops), diminution of fruits (scarcity of fruits and this also means lesser returns to efforts),TOOFAAN (hail-storm that killed them in most high numbers), locusts (that attacked their crops), lice (that attacked their cattle and infected them), frogs (that were all over their place in hundreds) and blood (that manifested at their drinking water); though they had mentioned that they would never believe in Moses yet at each of their afflictions, they asked Moses to ask Allah to remove this trouble and they would not only believe in him but they would also send the Bani-Israel with him; but whenever Allah removed their affliction till the time they had to reach (to attain their destruction by drowning), they broke their promise; so Allah drowned them all that were following Moses and the Bani-Israel because they had rejected many of His signs with most uncaring attitude to them; then He provided the people who were deemed weak to inherit the eastern lands and the western ones which He had blessed (that was at Syria); and His good word proved fulfilled for the Bani-Israel because they bore up all the sufferings patiently (though it was after their stay at SINAI for forty years); and He utterly destroyed what Pharaoh and his people had wrought (to keep the Bani-Israel in their slavery) and (their benefits of) whatever huge towers they had built; and Allah brought the Bani-Israel across the sea, and they came unto a people who were worshipping the idols which they had; they asked Moses to make for them a god as they have these idols as gods; he told the Bani-Israel that they still were such people who took even the sober matters ignorantly; for these idolaters, note well that Allah would destroy their way and so whatever that they are doing is totally in vain; he told them clearly that it is complete disbelief in Allah if he asks them to worship any other than Allah and they must remember that He has made them excel all the peoples of the world so it is most sinful for them to ask for such idiocy; Allah reminded them that He had rescued them from the Pharaoh and his people who had put such affliction to them that they slew their male children and let their female children survive; that period was the most trying time when Allah, the true Lord, tested their endurance; after such times of extreme slavery, now when they are free to set their lives by the true guidance with Moses-AS and Aaron-AS among them, they must remain attached to the directions of these Messengers of Allah without any care to their base desires that would only lead them to the total disgrace at the worldly life and to the most severe punishment at the Day of Judgment; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Seventeenth Ruku
142. And We appointed with Musa a time of thirty nights and completed them with ten (more), so the appointed time of his Lord was complete forty nights, and Musa said to his brother Aaron: Take my place among my people, and act well and do not follow the way of the mischief-makers.
143. And when Musa came at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said: My Lord - show me (Thyself), so that I may look upon You. He said: You cannot (bear to) see Me but look at the mountain, if it remains firm in its place, then will you see Me; but when his Lord manifested His glory to the mountain He made it crumble and Musa fell down in a swoon; then when he recovered, he said: Glory be to You, I turn to You, and I am the first of the believers.
144. He said: O Musa - surely I have chosen you above the people with My messages and with My words, therefore take hold of what I give to you and be of the grateful ones.
145. And We ordained for him in the tablets admonition of every kind and clear explanation of all things; so take hold of them with firmness and enjoin your people to take hold of what is best thereof; I will show you the abode of the transgressors.
146. I will turn away from My AAYAAT those who are unjustly proud in the earth; and if they see every sign they will not believe in it; and if they see the way of rectitude they do not take it for a way, and if they see the way of error, they take it for a way; this is because they rejected Our AAYAAT and were heedless of them.
147. And (as to) those who reject Our AAYAAT and the meeting of the hereafter, their deeds are null. Shall they be rewarded except for what they have done?
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The AAYAAT tell that Moses hurried to TOOR as Allah had taken the promise from him to be there for thirty days and Allah gave him the Ten Commandments at that time; he stayed there for thirty days and then Allah asked him to stay for ten more days so it became forty days; note that forty days and forty years is such period that is often mentioned by the ULAMA of Islam as significant for the spread of Islamic teachings because it has some latent capability to purify the self when the person is attentive to Allah; the Quran tells us, “and We have enjoined on the Man doing of good to his parents; with trouble did his mother bear him and with trouble did she bring him forth; and the bearing of him and the weaning of him was thirty months; until when he attains his maturity and reaches forty years, he says: My Lord! grant me that I may give thanks for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do good which pleases Thee and do good to me in respect of my offspring; surely I turn to Thee and surely I am of those who submit” (Surah AHQAAF-15); Al-Hamdu Lillah; note also that it is forty centuries at these current times that have passed since Abraham-AS taught the fundamental teachings of Islam at the ancient Babylon; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT tells that Moses had appointed Aaron to care for the Bani-Israel so he was not worried about them; however, from the times they had seen the idolaters worship their idols, many of them had developed some love for idols and that led them to take the calf that SAMIRI magician built for them as an object to worship in the absence of Moses and the Ruku ahead presents their most unjust attitude at its first AAYAT; this Ruku at study tells us that Moses asked Allah to show His presence to Moses and to that request, Allah told him that he is unable to see Him; note that nobody is able to see Allah at the worldly life and He is such that our perception is not able to perceive Him; the Quran says, “no vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision - He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things” (Surah AN’AAM-103); it is only at AKHIRAT that the persons that have received JANNAH would see Him and that is the best of His blessings there and He only knows how that would take place; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah told him to see the mount so if it would hold then he would be able to see Him; as Allah manifested His glory to that place at the mount, it crumbled and Moses fell in swoon; when he recovered, he praised Allah and said that he was the first of the believers that it is not possible to see Him at the worldly life (it is the place of examination where the true Muslim person has to believe in the GHAYB); to believe in the GHAYB means to believe in the fundamental teachings of Islam that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and He always has all His attributes and He only is the true Lord; and the Day of Judgment would come most certainly; and all the Messengers of Allah have given this same message and Muhammad PBUH, the last of Messengers, has provided it for all persons that come at the world from his time to ahead and at any of places there; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah told him that He has chosen him over all the persons by giving him the status of one of the Messengers and by speaking to him directly so he would take whatever is given to him and would be grateful to Allah (so when the person remains firm in the fulfillment of the commands of Allah, he would see Him); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT ahead tells that Allah wrote (or asked Moses to write) Torah at the tablets which had the ten Commandments that were necessary advises and elucidation to all the necessary commands of Allah; He asked Moses to remain most committed to these Commandments and ask his nation too to remain committed to it in practice; if they remain committed, AYAT-145 tells that “Allah will show them the abode of the sinful persons” (that means He would provide authority to them at that abode ultimately); it took them forty years to get authority there at that particular area in the ancient Syria and the AAYAAT present the matter in such manner that for those that were with Moses at that time did come near to seeing that land but for their descendants, it meant that they would get their authority there; Allah told him that He would turn all such persons away from understanding of His AAYAAT (signs, miracles, the true guidance) who have extreme arrogance (as they adhere to disbelief) for which they have no right, so whenever they would see any sign that leads clearly to Allah, they would not believe it and whenever they would see the true guidance, they would not make it their way; but whenever they see such manners that lead them to challenge the commands of Allah, they would take that wrongful manners as their way to follow; that is because they adhered with extreme adherence to the disbelief of the AAYAAT of Allah and ignored its application totally; note that we get the concept of TOFIQ here that whoever remains committed to the AAYAAT of Allah, he would achieve total relevance to the true guidance; but whoever adheres totally to disbelief and has the arrogance to state that he undoubtedly is on the right, he would come to that position inside where he would become totally unable to see the right path and would become totally unable to make his deeds right; so the Muslim person who believes in all Islamic concepts truly and he really wants to achieve firmness in the world of knowledge, he would keep to those concepts and he would state humbly about his own observations that this he reckons fair and Allah knows better; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the Ruku plainly puts the matter that those who disbelieve in AAYAAT of Allah and on the Day of Judgment, their seemingly good deeds would go to waste; shall they be rewarded except for what they have done?; the worldly life is an examination where the person has to show that he certainly is worthy of getting JANNAH that certainly is his actual dwelling place; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Eighteenth Ruku
148. And Musa's people made of their ornaments a calf after him, a (mere) body, which gave a mooing sound. What - could they not see that it did not speak to them nor guide them in the way? They took it (for worship) and they were unjust.
149. And when they repented and saw that they had gone astray, they said: If our Lord show not mercy to us and forgive us we shall certainly be of the losers.
150. And when Musa returned to his people, wrathful (and) in violent grief, he said: Evil is it that you have done after me; did you turn away from the bidding of your Lord? And he threw down the tablets and seized his brother by the head, dragging him towards him. He said: Son of my mother - surely the people reckoned me weak and had well-nigh slain me, therefore make not the enemies to rejoice over me and count me not among the unjust people.
151. He said: My Lord - forgive me and my brother and cause us to enter into Your mercy, and You are the most Merciful of the merciful ones.
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This Ruku relates about the extreme wrong of those persons amongst the Bani-Israel who took the calf that SAMIRI magician had made by the ornaments in their possession; it was only a body that made a mooing sound that meant nothing, so obviously it neither spoke to them nor guided them to the right path; they took it only because they were most unjust persons but when they realized that they had made an extremely idiotic mistake and have undoubtedly gone astray from the right path, they asked Allah for mercy and forgiveness as without them, they knew that they would become extreme losers at AKHIRAT; Allah ordered that their near ones would execute them by death as that certainly would be better for them (see AAYAT-54 of BAQARAH at its sixth Ruku); when Moses returned towards them angry and grieved that the idiotic mistake that they had committed behind him, shows that they had not awaited the command of Allah that would have kept them to the right path; so in his anger, he put the tablets at one side and he took Aaron by head dragging him to himself; he told him that he tried his best to guide them to the right path but they considered him as naught and came near to killing him (and he feared that Moses would consider him as the cause of division amongst the Bani-Israel if he left them and followed to Moses) so he should not make those persons rejoice over him who had taken enmity to him just because he told them clearly to leave all of their extreme wrong-doing; they would undoubtedly rejoice that they had belittled him in the eyes of his brother; therefore, Moses should not count him amongst these most unjust persons that were involved in this extreme idiocy; note that even when Aaron saw that Moses was in the state of anger and grief, he gave his valid reasoning to his calculated stance in plain words and Moses accepted it without any more complaints; both certainly were the most honorable Messengers of Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT states the plea of Moses to Allah, “he said - O my Lord - forgive me and my brother and cause us to enter into Your mercy, and You are the most Merciful of the merciful ones”; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Nineteenth Ruku
152. (As for) those who took the calf (for a god), surely wrath from their Lord and disgrace in this world's life shall overtake them, and thus do We recompense the devisers of lies.
153. And (as to) those who do evil deeds, then repent after that and believe, your Lord after that is most surely Forgiving, Merciful.
154. And when Musa's anger calmed down he took up the tablets, and in the writing thereof was guidance and mercy for those who fear for the sake of their Lord.
155. And Musa chose out of his people seventy men for Our appointment; so when the earthquake overtook them, he said: My Lord - if You had pleased, You had destroyed them before and myself (too); will You destroy us for what the fools among us have done? It is naught but Your trial, You make err with it whom You please and guide whom You please: You are our Guardian, therefore forgive us and have mercy on us, and You are the best of the forgivers.
156. And ordain for us good in this world's life and in the hereafter, for surely we turn to You. He said: (As for) My chastisement, I will afflict with it whom I please, and My mercy encompasses all things; so I will ordain it (specially) for those who guard (against evil) and pay the poor-rate, and those who believe in Our AAYAAT.
157. Those who follow the Apostle-Prophet, the UMMI whom they find written down with them in the Torah and the INJIL (who) enjoins them good and forbids them evil, and makes lawful to them the good things and makes unlawful to them impure things, and removes from them their burden and the shackles which were upon them; so (as for) those who believe in him and honor him and help him, and follow the light which has been sent down with him, these it is that are the successful.
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The Ruku continues the narration of those persons among the Bani-Israel who worshipped the calf; Allah put His wrath upon them (that He commanded their execution to death) and they were disgraced (by the humiliation of submission to death for their unjust doing); so this is how Allah punishes those who devise extreme lies; and Allah, the true Lord, forgives those (at AKHIRAT) who repent truly after they had committed extreme wrongs and come to the true belief because after its commitment and TAUBAH (repentance), Allah certainly is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-154 tells that when the anger of Moses calmed down, he picked up the tablets and in its written text, were the Guidance to the right path and the blessing of Allah for those who truly feared their Lord; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next AAYAT tells the incident when Moses took seventy of men from Bani-Israel by the permission of Allah so that they might conform going with him to TOOR that the tablets truly have the message of Allah in them; see also the note at the sixth Ruku of Surah BAQARAH where we had studied this; Moses asked Allah to write for all of them the goodness of the worldly life (that they get their necessities easily) and the goodness of AKHIRAT (that is JANNAH which is the true success) when they are attentive only to Allah; He told Moses that His wrath gets those only whom He wills but His blessing is on everything; He also told Moses that it would only be written for those persons who have TAQWA to Allah and they give SADAQAH (the charity to the poor and to the needy in the way of Allah) and they truly believe in His AAYAAT (so they care for their SALAH and show patience where that is needed); Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-157 tells that whoever from the people of the Book, believe and follow the last Messenger Muhammad PBUH, they certainly would receive the success at AKHIRAT; the last Prophet Muhammad PBUH is introduced here by some significant qualities; the first of them is that he is that Messenger (RASUL) who is the Prophet (NABI) that is unable to read or write; note the difference between RASUL and NABI that RASUL is sent to some nation specifically to provide them the message of Allah emphatically (that is the same in essence that all Messengers of Allah had provided) while NABI provides more elucidation to that message that the RASUL had provided to that nation (and as RASUL is NABI also so he conforms the previous RASUL too by the message of Allah that he gives); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the second of them is that they find him written in Torah and mentioned in INJIL; note the verses of Deuteronomy that say, “and the Lord said to me (O Moses), they have well [spoken that] which they have spoken; I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren (from the descendants of the brother of Isaac) like you (note that there is much similarity between Moses-AS and Muhammad PBUH), and will put My words in his mouth (he used to repeat the words of the Quran as they descended on him); and he will speak to them all that I will command him (in the Quran) - (Deuteronomy 18 - 17&18); another of verses say, “and this [is] the blessing, whereby Moses, the man of God, blessed the Children of Israel before his death; And he said that the Lord came from Sinai (where He revealed Torah to Moses-AS), and rose up from Seir to them (where He provided the wisdom of INJIL to Jesus-AS); He shined forth from Mount Paran (QARAN at al-Hijaz) and He came with ten thousands of saints (that was at Makkah where Muhammad PBUH entered at its conquest with ten thousand of SAHABA), from His right hand [went] a fiery law for them (Deuteronomy 33 – 1&2); Jesus Christ-AS too had given such statements that according to us Muslims refer to Muhammad PBUH (please see also my writings “the Expressions of Quran” and “Pentateuch – the Islamic View”); Al-Hamdu Lillah; the third of them is that he instructs them to the good deeds and prohibits them from the bad deeds; so he guides those who accept the Truth towards the right path and stops them from going away from it by asking them to keep away from all wrongs; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the fourth of them is that he makes the pure things (in edibles) lawful to them and impure things unlawful; note that the Muslims would not eat anything impure or/and prohibited (by the Quran and the SUNNAH) as it affects the inside adversely (and that is why Allah prohibited proximity even, to Adam and Eve to that tree that had the prohibited fruit and eating of which caused their respective private parts to come into the view of the other); so by accepting Muhammad PBUH as the last Messenger of Allah, they would take-in only the pure things and not any impure things inside; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the fifth of them is that he removes from them their burden and the shackles which were upon them; this fact is highly significant to note that when the person lives with such manner that is affected by the disregard to the practice of the Islamic manner of living, then Allah puts different troubles on such living-manner (and even such environment) as there the rule applies that only the “might is right”; so there are troubles to get even the necessities of living fair due to the policies of the administration there and even due to the dealings that the individuals take-up with each other; the observant person would see that documentation that asks for the registration of properties, the registration of different assets, the registration of businesses, the registration of the off-spring and the registration for the person of his own self even, at the Government institutions due to the law of the land does prove very burdensome to the common man; this is because the teachings of Islam are given value but little in practice there and this certainly is most significant to note well that Islam does not ask or even appreciate such documentation; the teachings of Islam that the last Messenger Muhammad PBUH taught all the peoples of the world provide the most convenience in keeping the life to normal manner rather than bound to such useless burdens and futile shackles that trouble the life; may Allah give some good understanding to the peoples of the world for the true betterment of the whole of the world; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT culminates into the statement that those who believe in him truly and honor him highly (by standing by him in most difficult times) and help him with all things that they do have (tangible or intangible), and follow the light (i.e. the Quran) which has been sent down with him, these it is that are truly successful (and this certainly would manifest at the Day of Judgment); Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Twentieth Ruku
158. Say: O people - surely I am the Apostle of Allah to you all, of Him Whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth there is no god but He; He brings to life and causes to die therefore believe in Allah and His apostle, the UMMI Prophet who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him so that you may walk in the right path.
159. And of Musa's people was a party who guided (people) with the truth, and thereby did they do justice.
160. And We divided them into twelve tribes, as nations; and We revealed to Musa when his people asked him for water: Strike the rock with your staff, so out came from it twelve springs; each tribe knew its drinking place; and We made the clouds to give shade over them and We sent to them manna and quails: Eat of the good things We have given you. And they did not do Us any harm, but they did injustice to their own souls.
161. And when it was said to them: Reside in this town and eat from it wherever you wish, and say, Put down from us our heavy burdens: and enter the gate making obeisance, We will forgive you your wrongs: We will give more to those who do good (to others).
162. But those who were unjust among them changed it for a saying other than that which had been spoken to them; so We sent upon them a pestilence from heaven because they were unjust.
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The Ruku starts by asking the last of Messengers of Allah that is Muhammad PBUH to state plainly for all peoples of the world that he is the Messenger of Allah to all of them; Allah sent other of His Messengers to their specific nations but Muhammad PBUH is His last Messenger to all peoples of the world as there would be no one else to come now and the Quran is His final message to the world that Muhammad PBUH has defined well by his SUNNAH; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah is the true Lord Whose kingdom is the heavens and the earth (and all that is between them); there is no god but He; He brings every living thing to life and causes it to die therefore believe in Allah and His Prophet, who is UMMI (i.e. unable to read and write) who believes in Allah and His words (so Allah has blessed him with highest of wisdom), and follow him so that you may walk in the right path; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the AAYAT states that there certainly are some of the persons in the people of Moses who have followed the Truth and have taken commands according to it only; the AAYAT notes them by the term “the people of Moses” rather than by the term “Bani-Israel” here and this indicates that the true followers of Moses are those who have adhered to the Truth; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the three AAYAAT ahead tell that Allah divided them into twelve tribes and He commanded Moses to hit the rock by his staff that provided twelve springs for them to drink water, each of them for each of their tribes; Allah reminds them now of the shade of the cloud that He provided them at the desert and the MANN (the sweetmeat that manifested in the mornings at the trees) and the SALWA (the small edible bird that came in the evenings near to the area where they resided) that He provided them to eat there; these were the pure edibles that Allah gave them but they asked for different vegetables that they used to take-in at Egypt so in a way, they rejected what Allah has provided for them and that was injustice to their own self; they cared for the worldly life more than AKHIRAT and when at the times of Joshua-AS, Allah commanded them to enter the land of ARIHA with the most humble attitude and say words to the effect that denoted their plea for the forgiveness of their wrongs, they mocked the command to take up the humble attitude by posing some disgraceful manner to enter the gates of it and instead of the plea for forgiveness, they uttered such words that showed their total inclination to get the produce of the land; at this attitude, Allah put His wrath on them and many thousands of them died at the place that they took over, due to the deadly plague sent over them which they encountered there; it was the city that they conquered before the conquest of Jerusalem (that also occurred in the command of Joshua); if they had spoken the term that denoted that they repent on their wrongs, then Allah would have forgiven their wrongs and had given them more of His mercy yet they chose to become sinful and so Allah sent the punishment of the deadly plague over them; we all have studied this before and so these AAYAAT are most clear that tell that Allah chose them to remain firm on His message and to spread it well, yet they chose to be most sinful to Him, Who is the true Lord, and that ultimately led to their extreme disgrace; Allah removed them from their prominent status and provided the task of keeping to the Truth with firmness and of providing the message of Allah to the whole world, to the Muslims at the times of the last Prophet Muhammad PBUH; certainly, Allah only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Twenty-First Ruku
163. And ask them about the town which stood by the sea; when they exceeded the limits of the Sabbath, when their fish came to them on the day of their Sabbath, appearing on the surface of the water, and on the day on which they did not keep the Sabbath they did not come to them; thus did We try them because they transgressed.
164. And when a party of them said: Why do you admonish with a severe chastisement? They said: To be free from blame before your Lord, and that haply they may guard (against evil).
165. So when they neglected what they had been reminded of, We delivered those who forbade evil and We overtook those who were unjust with an evil chastisement because they transgressed.
166. Therefore when they revoltingly persisted in what they had been forbidden, We said to them: Be (as) apes, despised and hated.
167. And when your Lord announced that He would certainly send against them to the day of resurrection those who would subject them to severe torment; most surely your Lord is quick to requite (evil) and most surely He is Forgiving, Merciful.
168. And We cut them up on the earth into parties, (some) of them being righteous and (others) of them falling short of that, and We tried them with blessings and misfortunes that they might turn.
169. Then there came after them an evil posterity who inherited the Book, taking only the frail good of this low life and saying: It will be forgiven us. And if the like good came to them, they would take it (too). Was not a promise taken from them in the Book that they would not speak anything about Allah but the truth, and they have read what is in it; and the abode of the hereafter is better for those who guard (against evil). Do you not then understand?
170. And (as for) those who hold fast by the Book and keep up prayer, surely We do not waste the reward of the right doers.
171. And when We shook the mountain over them as if it were a covering overhead, and they thought that it was going to fall down upon them: Take hold of what We have given you with firmness, and be mindful of what is in it, so that you may guard (against evil).
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This Ruku tells about the inclination of the nation of Moses towards the worldly life and uncaring attitude towards the AKHIRAT in different ways; it commences with the incident that took place among a faction of them which had resided in a town near ARIHA that was near waters; as Sabbath (Saturday) was the holy day for them in which they did not take up any works for the worldly finances so they were disallowed to catch fish at Sabbath; now it happened that the fish used to come in plenty at the water near to them on that day and refrained from the site at other days; they saw this obvious issue every Sabbath and this annoyed them and many of them devised some plan to get the fish on that day even though prohibited; the plan generally was that they made channels to deep ditches that they had dug at other days than Sabbath and opened the way to it on Fridays; this led the fish to come with the waves to their ditches at that day from which they were unable to escape; on Sundays, they collected those fish and so they disobeyed the commandment to them yet acted as if they are most obedient to it; the other of those among them who had not participated in such act of atrocity, divided in two groups with respect to them of which one guided them that this excuse that they have devised is worthless and would bring the wrath of Allah upon them and the other felt secure in taking silence upon it (in fact, they were dissatisfied of the guidance that the former provided to the wrong-doers whom also they wanted to remain silent upon it); the latter told them that Allah would bring death to them or punish them in some other way severely so why do they worry but they replied that they do guide them to the right attitude because it would bring on record that they did what was obligatory on them and also, the wrong-doers might see the light and repent on their doing; Allah did put His wrath upon them when they got totally involved in their wrong-doing but saved those who guided them to the right attitude; Allah turned them to disgraced monkeys not only in manners but also by looks (with no connection to actual apes as they all died within 3 days); they were unable to speak yet they were conscious of their condition; Allah designated this remarkable event as lesson to all such persons of Bani-Israel that were present at that time and even to all of them that came afterwards that needed the warning; for others, it was something to remember to remain steadfast as MUTTAQIN (persons that have TAQWA); Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the AAYAAT do not state the fate of the group that kept silent on their wrong-doings so mostly the comment for them is that Allah gave them the space to better themselves and speak out the righteousness where necessary; though it does seem that they got the safety from the severe punishment that got the wrong-doers yet they only were liable to it because there were some very good persons in them who were providing the guidance in this issue quite well; in absence of that, Allah would certainly have punished them too most severely; certainly, He only is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-167 foretells their fate to which their history bears the testimony; it says, “and when your Lord announced that He would certainly send against them to the day of resurrection those who would subject them to severe torment; most surely your Lord is quick to requite (evil) and most surely He is Forgiving (to those among them who do show adherence to the Truth) and Merciful (to those good persons who are not of them but who have some dealings with them so He would keep them safe from their evil)”; Allah settled this as their constant punishment at the worldly life because they highly disobeyed the commands of Allah and highly disrespected the Prophets that came into them; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah divided them into sects wherein there were good persons and also otherwise and Allah examined them by the good effect of their good deeds and the bad effect of their evil deeds so that they might reflect on their doings; but ultimately their descendants gave-in to the pleasure of the worldly life and though they did inherit the teachings of Torah yet they changed some of its teachings to their benefits in the worldly life and replied to any doubt that was raised to that attitude that they would undoubtedly be forgiven; and in them, there are such persons too that if they get the total of worldly amounts in exchange to the total of teachings of Torah, they would take it without any remorse; they all were bound to the covenant by the command of Allah in it that they would never even speak about something that it is the word of Allah except what is true and they did read it well; Allah had clarified to them that the abode of the hereafter is better for those who keep to TAQWA; but their doings show clearly that they do not understand the consequence of their wrong-doing; but for those who really did keep to the teachings of the book (Torah) and remain attentive to Allah by SALAH, Allah is not going to waste their good deeds and He would provide the total good returns to all such persons who did try their best to better the people near to them up-to their ability; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the Ruku relates the event when Allah placed some light earthquake at their site that caused fear to them as that shook some portion of the Mount of TOOR which they thought, might fall upon them; thereby, He bound them by the covenant to obey Torah with all vigor and to spread its teachings far and wide so that they do achieve TAQWA to Allah and do get the true success at AKHIRAT; there certainly is no compulsion to accept the true guidance and everyone would face the consequence of what he/she believes and does at the worldly life as all would see at AKHIRAT yet the notable point here is that Allah imposed this forced agreement to them because they already had accepted to fulfill the commands of Allah but had stepped back due to the hardship they caused to them; certainly, Allah is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Twenty-Second Ruku
172. And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their backs, their descendants, and made them bear witness against their own souls: Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes - we bear witness. Lest you should say on the day of resurrection: Surely we were heedless of this.
173. Or you should say: Only our fathers associated others (with Allah) before, and we were an offspring after them: Will You then destroy us for what the vain doers did?
174. And thus do We make clear the AAYAAT, and that haply they might return.
175. And recite to them the narrative of him to whom We give Our AAYAAT, but he withdraws himself from them, so the Satan overtakes him, so he is of those who go astray.
176. And if We had pleased, We would certainly have exalted him thereby; but he clung to the earth and followed his low desire, so his parable is as the parable of the dog; if you attack him he lolls out his tongue; and if you leave him alone he lolls out his tongue; this is the parable of the people who reject Our AAYAAT; therefore relate the narrative that they may reflect.
177. Evil is the likeness of the people who reject Our AAYAAT and are unjust to their own souls.
178. Whomsoever Allah guides, he is the one who follows the right way; and whomsoever He causes to err, these are the losers.
179. And certainly We have created for hell many of the jinn and the men; they have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear; they are as cattle, nay, they are in worse errors; these are the heedless ones.
180. And Allah's are the best names, therefore call on Him thereby, and leave alone those who violate the sanctity of His names; they shall be recompensed for what they did.
181. And of those whom We have created are a people who guide with the truth and thereby they do justice.
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The first three AAYAAT of the RUKU relate to the oath that all persons among the mankind took in front of Allah; when He asked them, “Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes - we bear witness”; Allah took this oath at the world of spirits and the AAYAT provides the reason explicitly that Allah took this oath so that there remains no excuse for any person that he had no awareness towards this most important issue; all persons have this awareness at their inside that is named as FITHRAT in the Islamic teachings; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so the actual path for the Man is the virtuous path of Islam and he certainly has the inclination to this Truth inside that the whole of creation manifests that Allah only is the true Lord; so if he ponders upon the universe outside and upon his inside asking Allah for the Guidance to the right path, he would insha-Allah achieve it; Surah HA-MEEM AS-SAJDAH indicates this by the AAYAT-53 that says, “We shall show them Our signs in the horizons and in themselves until it would become manifest unto them that this only is the Truth; does not your Lord suffice, since He is Witness over all things?”; though there is huge advancement in the awareness of matters that relate to science yet the peoples of the world have ignored much of the moral values that ask to keep the usage of the scientific gadgets to their specific sphere in practice; as this huge advancement took place at Europe initially where they cared for the Islamic teachings but little, it needs now at these current times, the good power of observation especially at the fields of astronomy, medicine and psychology to take the needed from the huge advancement and to discard what challenges the Islamic moral values due to SADDE-ZARA’E (the stopping of means that have the high potential to lead to the major sins); the Muslims need to remain cautious about what to take and what to leave here as there are attitudes and acceptance of attitudes in these three fields that Islam does not appreciate; note that much of the teachings of Islam are ignored at such astronomical ventures in the name of learning that use-up much huge resources whereas they could have been employed at the betterment of the grave economic conditions of the needy persons at the world; note also that much of the teachings of Islam are ignored at the health-care at hospitals due to its management by the male and the female staff there together; note also that much of the Islamic teachings are ignored at the study of the attitudes of the humankind in the name of psychology where there is no respect given to the fact that there is the natural inclination inside all men (and women) towards the fundamental teachings of Islam as the physique has the natural tendency to its homeostasis; with adverse attitudes, we find amazingly deadly weapons just due to the desire to rule and be at the head of things (and what foolishness this attitude is), that has put all the peoples of the world into an unplaced fear so apart from atrocities in the fields of astronomy, medicine and psychology that clearly denote moral deterioration, there are other fields too that show this negativity due to this fact that the students to those have shaped themselves in the name of secularism to give-in to attitudes that undoubtedly ignore the commands of Allah, the true Lord and have shaped themselves by taking the humankind as among the kinds of animals to give in to attitudes that undoubtedly lead to the living-manner of animals only; these both attitudes lead to extreme injustice and to extreme shameful manner of living the worldly life respectively; may Allah provide the good sense to all the peoples of the world to see the Truth as it is; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the next four AAYAAT from 175 to 178 state plainly that the good righteous person needs to keep his attention to Allah that keeps that person steadfast on the righteousness as when the Satan affects him adversely at some moment, Allah saves him from the Satan totally; Al-Hamdu Lillah; they present the example of such person who had knowledge of the commands of Allah and he was leading his life on them but then it happened that his love for the worldly status, finances and say among his people led him to avoid those commands and he became as one of the greedy dogs that pursue only the worldly pursuits; some of the ULAMA of Tafsir have mentioned that the name of this person was BAL’AM bin BA’URA who was attached to the righteous teachings in practice but by taking of bribes from his people to curse the Bani-Israel at the command of Joshua-AS that have challenged them at the battlefield (whereas he knew that Joshua was the Prophet of Allah), he lost all his spiritual standing and then he went on to live away from the righteous teachings, in the pursuit of the worldly status; however, note that the AAYAAT relate to all such people that practice the commands of Allah yet have little attention to ask Allah for their safety from the practice of satanic whims that the Satan blows into them; AAYAT-178 states clearly that “whomsoever Allah guides, he is the one who follows the right way; and whomsoever He causes to err, these are the losers”; Allah leads the whole universe and even all the works of the human by His will as only Allah is the true Lord and undoubtedly, all of the virtuous persons need to attach themselves totally to Him; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last three AAYAAT of the Ruku state that the Man and the Jinn are in the most urgent need to attain the true success at AKHIRAT to save themselves from the hell-fire; Allah had sent His Messengers to guide towards the fundamental teachings of Islam but many of them disbelieved by ignoring their teachings so such disbelieving persons have such eyes that they do not use to see the Truth and such ears that they do not use to hear about it; that is why their hearts do not attach to it and they live on with such attitudes that denote that are completely oblivious to it; so they are like the cattle in animals that go on eating their provisions without much care to observe the surroundings that might lead them to understand the dangers that might fall upon them; in fact, they are even more oblivious as the cattle do raise their heads while they ruminate while these disbelievers go on with their pursuit of the worldly things without care to see the right path for their true success; AAYAT-180 states that Allah has many of good names and the Muslim person would call Him by any of them as he undoubtedly would call Him only; one of the Ahadith tells that “Allah has 99 names and whoever memorizes them, shall enter JANNAH” (BUKHARI); so this means that whoever among the good Muslims attaches himself to Allah by calling Him by different of His names asking Him for safety from the satanic whims, would certainly enter JANNAH though all such persons who call Him by many of His names yet do not care to ask Him for the safety of their selves from the Satan, they would see the punishment of their doings very soon; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the persons who as one group, do attach their selves to Allah truly, Allah gives them the TOFIQ to spread the teachings of Islam and they always live-on their lives by deciding all issues of the life only by the commands of Allah; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Twenty-Third Ruku
182. And (as to) those who reject Our AAYAAT, We draw them near (to destruction) by degrees from whence they know not.
183. And I grant them respite; surely My scheme is effective.
184. Do they not reflect that their companion has not unsoundness in mind; he is only a plain warner.
185. Do they not consider the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever things Allah has created, and that may be their doom shall have drawn nigh; what announcement would they then believe in after this?
186. Whomsoever Allah causes to err, there is no guide for him; and He leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.
187. They ask you about the hour, when will be its taking place? Say: The knowledge of it is only with my Lord; none but He shall manifest it at its time; it will be momentous in the heavens and the earth; it will not come on you but of a sudden. They ask you as if you were solicitous about it. Say that its knowledge is only with Allah, but most people do not know.
188. Say: I do not control any benefit or harm for my own soul except as Allah please; and had I known the unseen I would have had much of good and no harm would have touched me; I am nothing but a warner and the giver of good news to a people who believe.
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The Ruku tells about those persons who disrespect Muhammad PBUH, the Last of Messengers, in any manner; it starts by the statement that those who reject the AAYAAT of the Quran, Allah would take them gradually to destruction in such way that they would never be aware of it till they face it; it happens that the most sinful persons receive wealth, status and even authority at times and they become proud that they undoubtedly are so deserving of these all; but this happens only because Allah takes them to such state where all the doors to betterment close on them; they live by ignorance of the Islamic teachings and even with all their wrongs, sometimes even claim that as everything is so positive towards them, Allah is most pleased with them; Allah gives them the space to commit to wrongs totally and so punishes them in this manner; it is only when the calamity hits them head-on that they understand the adverse effect of their wrongs upon them but then it is too late; they never did reflect on the matter that the Messenger PBUH had no touch of lunacy and he was plainly providing them the warning of severe punishment to them if they did not leave their disbelief; also, they never pondered upon the kingdom of the heavens and the earth (that they see about them at outside) and whatever things Allah has created (for them at inside), and that their doom (i.e. their death) shall have drawn nigh; what announcement would they then believe in after this (when they are seeing that everything faces death yet they do not care that they would die too and then they would face the effect of their doings too)?; when Allah misguides someone due to his wrongs then there remains no one to guide them to the right path and He leaves them in that in such manner that they remain most committed to their wrongs; Allah certainly is the true authority; Al-Hamdu Lillah; there were such disbelievers who could not see the reason for the occurrence of the last day of the world and therefore they asked the Prophet PBUH when it would occur; note that the last day of the world and the first day of AKHIRAT both are often mentioned as QIYAMAT (though it actually is the first day of AKHIRAT i.e. the Day of Judgment); the Holy Book Quran uses other terms for QIYAMAT in the former meaning that are SAA‘AH (the Hour), HAAQQAAH (the Certain Happening), WAAQIAH (the True Event), GHAASHIAH (the Overwhelming Calamity), QAARIAH (the Knocking Calamity) and others; the terms that the Holy Book Quran uses in the latter meaning of QIYAMAT (i.e. the Day of Judgment), are expressed by the addition of YAUM (DAY) as YAUM UD-DIN (the Day of Result with Justice), YAUM UL-AAKHIR (the Last Day which means the first day of AKHIRAT), YAUM UT-TAGHABUN (the Day of Gain & Loss), YAUM UL-HISAAB (the Day of Account), YAUM UL-QIYAMAT (the Day of QIYAMAT) and others; Allah only knows when the last day of the world (i.e. SAA’AH) would occur and He only knows the gap between the last day of the world and the YAUM UL-QIYAMAT; Al-Hamdu Lillah; Allah asks the Prophet PBUH to tell the disbelievers that only Allah, the true Lord, knows when it would occur; only Allah would bring it at fore when its time does come and it would become most heavy upon the heavens and upon the earth; it would occur in the most sudden manner on all the peoples at that time; they ask you O Muhammad PBUH as if you could be well-aware of its time of occurrence so tell them that its knowledge is only with Allah; the notable point is that most people do not understand that they need to believe in Allah, the true Lord, and they need to fulfill the commands of Allah as all persons have to stand in front of Him at the Day of Judgment and they need to worry about that; O Muhammad PBUH – tell them that you do not control any benefit or harm for yourself except as Allah wills; and tell them that if you did know the unseen then you surely would have gathered even much more of the benefits at AKHIRAT and nothing harmful would have ever touched you at the worldly life; tell them that you actually are the warner to the bad persons and the giver of the good news to the good persons who believe; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
AARAAF-The Last Ruku
189. He it is Who created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate, that he might incline to her; --- so when he covered her she bore a light burden, then moved about with it; but when it grew heavy, they both called upon Allah, their Lord: If You give us a good one, we shall certainly be of the grateful ones.
190. But when He gave them a good one, they set up with Him associates in what He had given them; but high is Allah above what they associate (with Him).
191. What - they associate (with Him) that which does not create anything, while they are themselves created!
192. And they have no power to give them help, nor can they help themselves.
193. And if you invite them to the guidance, they will not follow you; it is the same to you whether you invite them or you are silent.
194. Surely those whom you call on besides Allah are in a state of subjugation like yourselves; therefore call on them, then let them answer you if you are truthful.
195. Have they feet with which they walk, or have they hands with which they hold, or have they eyes with which they see, or have they ears with which they hear? Say: Call your associates, then make a struggle (to prevail) against me and give me no respite.
196. Surely my guardian is Allah, Who revealed the Book, and He befriends the good.
197. And those whom you call upon besides Him are not able to help you, nor can they help themselves.
198. And if you invite them to guidance, they do not hear; and you see them looking towards you, yet they do not see.
199. Take to forgiveness and enjoin good and turn aside from the ignorant.
200. And if some false imputation from the Satan afflicts you, seek refuge in Allah; surely He is Hearing, Knowing.
201. Surely those who guard (against evil), when a visitation from the Satan afflicts them they become mindful, then lo - they see.
202. And their brethren increase them in error, then they cease not.
203. And when you bring them not some revelation they say: Why do you not forge it? Say: I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord; these are clear proofs from your Lord and guidance and mercy for the people who believe.
204. And when the Quran is recited, then listen to it and remain silent, that mercy may be shown to you.
205. And remember your Lord within yourself humbly and fearing and in a voice not loud in the morning and the evening and be not of the heedless ones.
206. Surely those who are near to your Lord are not too proud to serve Him, and they declare His glory and prostrate in humility before Him.
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The first AAYAT of the Ruku has two parts according to its meaning whereas the first part of it goes to “that he might incline to her” and the second part goes to the last; note that the AAYAT opens by telling about the creation of Adam-AS and Eve-AS that Allah created them both in other manners than how the person gets his/her life and then it relates to how their descendants got it; we studied at the first AAYAT of Surah NISAA about the creation of the mankind where we found the mention of three types in that creation; first that Allah created Adam by clay and then He created Eve from the rib of Adam; afterwards He spread on all the persons, male and female, at the world by the reproduction process that He has allowed to the mankind (except for Jesus-AS who also was among the mankind yet whose arrival to the world and even departure from the world was most exceptional); the first part here also implies that the woman (Eve-AS) was such virtuous companion to her husband (Adam-AS) in whom he found solace so she was one of the most virtuous gifts of Allah to him; note that we need to relate the other part to any such couple in their descendants who committed SHERK when the woman conceived a child and felt it, because Adam and Eve were never ever involved in SHERK; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so the interpretation needs utmost care at this place which accepts such gap here among the parts that changes the persons that this AAYAT addresses; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the Ruku continues the narration that “but when He gives them a pleasant child (in physique and in looks and even in spiritual traits), they ascribe to others a share in the gift they have received but Allah is exalted high above the partners they ascribe to Him”; these polytheists should realize the extreme idiocy of SHERK so the Ruku tells them by the three AAYAAT ahead - “do they indeed ascribe to Him as partners things that can create nothing and they even are created? (AAYAT-191)- nothing of aid can they give them, nor they can aid themselves (AAYAT-192)- and if you invite them to the guidance, they will not follow you; it remains the same for you whether you invite them or you are silent (AAYAT-193)”; so the first of these AAYAAT tell that Allah only is the Creator of all the creation and no other; the second of these tell that Allah always has all His attributes so He only would provide help to the distressed person if He wills and no other is capable of providing any help to anyone or even to his own self; the third of these tell that if the true Muslims call them towards the true guidance that Allah only is the true Lord Whom they shall obey in all walks of life, they would not follow the guidance of the Muslims; note that it is wrong to give-in to desperation when most of the people do not care to get the true guidance but the Muslim person must always have the hope towards Allah that He would bring such persons at fore who would work-on for Him and change the world for the better; also it is wrong for someone to despair because of the number of sins he has committed; Surah ZUMAR says, “say - O My servants - who have acted extravagantly against their own souls - do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives all sins; surely He is the Forgiving, the Merciful” (Zumar-53); so when they truly repent with all attention towards Allah, He would not only forgive all their sins but He would also give them TOFIQ to bring others too towards the righteousness; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-194 here tells that those whom the disbelievers call to help them in troubles, they themselves are among the creation of Allah and are not immune from troubles themselves so their call to them to end their troubles is totally useless; the AAYAT ahead tells that as for the idols that the idolaters worship, they only are carved by stones so they are unable to walk anywhere by their feet and unable to hold anything by their hands and unable to see or hear anything; ask them O Prophet PBUH to call their associates and do whatever they intend against you and tell them not to give any respite to you as they undoubtedly would get the severe setback and the harsh punishment to their own selves by such thing; Allah, Who has sent the Holy Book Quran to you, is the true Friend to you O Prophet PBUH; and He certainly befriends the righteous persons; Al-Hamdu Lillah; these idolaters should realize that those whom they call upon besides Him are not able to help them in any manner, nor can they help themselves; Al-Hamdu Lillah; these also are like other such persons who commit SHERK and if the true Muslims call them towards the true guidance that Allah only is the true Lord Whom they must obey in all walks of life, they would not follow the guidance of the Muslims; sometimes, it would seem that they are paying attention to the guidance that the Prophet PBUH provides to them but that does not touch their hearts; they see and hear yet their hearts do not grasp the true guidance; the next four AAYAAT here provide the manner to get safety from the satanic persons and even from the Satan; they ask Muhammad PBUH and all the Muslims to keep their cool at the troublesome situation they face without any physical challenge to the disbelievers (note that AARAAF is one of the MAKKI Surah); they read “keep to forgiveness, and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant (the AAYAT asks to take the attitude of avoiding such persons without any care to them who are totally uncaring to the message of the Quran); and if a slander from the Satan wound you, then seek refuge in Allah; He is Hearer, Knower (the AAYAT asks to seek the shelter of Allah from the Satan that is necessary so that the person stays firm on the right path); those who have TAQWA to Allah, when a thought of evil from Satan assaults them, they remember Allah, then they see aright (so even when the Satan tries to mislead them by blowing some delusion inside them, they become aware of his wrongful pursuit by the blessing of Allah and then Allah provides them safety as they ask for it by remembering Him much); and their brethren increase them in error, then they cease not (so all the Satanic persons near to those who commit SHERK mislead them and take them much far away from the right path where they become totally unable to respond positively to the message of Islam); may Allah save all the good Muslims from all the major sins; Al-Hamdu Lillah; AAYAT-203 states, “and when you bring them not some revelation they say: Why do you not forge it? Say: I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord; these are clear proofs from your Lord and guidance and mercy for the people who believe”; so the Quran is the only miracle of Muhammad PBUH and the peoples of the world need to come to the Islamic teachings by that only; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the chiefs at Makkah asked the Prophet PBUH to provide miracles as (according to them) his claim needed that and if he is one of Prophets then he would choose any of miracles and provide that; they had asked for miracles and we have studied at AN’AAM-35 that Allah had told clearly that He would not send any of miracles now and they have to accept the teachings of Islam without asking for miracles but only by the teachings of the Holy Book Quran; the AAYAT reads, “and if their turning away is hard on you, then if you can seek an opening (to go down) into the earth or a ladder (to ascend up) to heaven so that you should bring them a sign (a miracle) and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have gathered them all on guidance, therefore be not of the ignorant”; note that the miracle is never the work of the Messenger of Allah but it is something that Allah only provides from Him for His Messenger so that the people around him accept him as His Messenger; the last one among the Messengers of Allah, was Muhammad PBUH whom Allah sent to all peoples of the world and after him, the Muslims carry-on the work as his UMMAH that they would spread the teachings of Islam by the Holy Book Quran to all peoples of the world; Al-Hamdu Lillah; though there are persons that have the notion that the Messenger would necessarily provide the miracles yet that notion is incorrect; AN’AAM-50 reads “say that I do not say to you, I have with me the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel; I do not follow aught save that which is revealed to me; say -are the blind and the seeing one alike? Do you not then reflect?”- Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last three AAYAAT of the Ruku and of the Surah relate to the recitation of the praise of Allah; the first of them reads, “and when the Quran is recited, then listen to it and remain silent, that mercy may be shown to you”; Al-Hamdu Lillah; note that the Muslim needs five things to take towards the Holy Book Quran; he would believe in it, he would recite it, he would understand it by Tafsir, study and consideration, he would apply it in his life and he would call all the peoples of the world towards it; Al-Hamdu Lillah; so when the Muslim person reads the Quran, he would ponder upon its AAYAAT and ask Allah to provide him its better understanding so as to apply it better to his life and to call towards it; Al-Hamdu Lillah; that needs total attention towards its recitation when he recites it himself or some good Muslim recites it and he is among those good Muslims who hear its recitation; Allah would provide His mercy to all such good persons and take them more towards the righteousness; Al-Hamdu Lillah; and every good Muslim must remember Allah when he recites the Quran, with care humbly that he is totally weak in front of Allah and with care in reverence that he is totally weak in front of Allah keeping his voice low in this recitation instead of keeping it loud at the mornings and at the evenings so that he does not become one of the heedless persons; Al-Hamdu Lillah; the last AAYAT of the last Ruku of Surah AARAAF states that “surely those who are near to your Lord (i.e. the angels) are not too proud to serve Him (by recitation of His good name), and they declare His glory (as He only is the true authority) and prostrate in humility before Him (as they know that they are totally weak in front of Allah)”; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
“Tafsiri-Guide to the Quran” by:
Muhammad Saleem Dada
Here our study of AARAAF ends; Al-Hamdu Lillah