Day 116; Qur’an 11:61-83, page 229 + 230

Welcome Friends:  Ahlan wa sahlan!

Isn’t it interesting to note how the path to God becomes ‘straightened,’ by each consecutive Divine Message, as Awareness is raised to higher levels?   

When we pay attention to detail, we notice that the earlier Messengers only asked their followers for the basics, such as to believe in God, and do good deeds.  In other words, they were commanded to fulfil part -not all- the Commandments on the 'Straight Path' (which we are full accountable for, as revealed in HQ 6: 151-153).  When we compare that to later Messengers, we see the difference. 

Each Messenger was sent to raise the level of Human Awareness and Advancement, relative to Human Knowledge at the time.

Regular Readers will remember that the word ‘mustaqeem’ in Arabic does not mean ‘straight,’ but rather ‘straightened, ‘ as the path humanity was guided to, by God’s Messengers, was ‘straightened’ for them, generation after generation.  Actually, ‘straight’ in Arabic is ‘qiyamقِيَم- ’ as seen in ‘deenan qiyamanديناً قِيَماً-’ which refers to a Standard of Accountability which is upright/straight and free of fault (HQ 6:161).  Remember our beautiful Posting of April 5^th? 

REMINDER: The ‘Deen,’ or Standard of Accountability which all God’s Messengers called for, is ‘Islam,’ which simply means Pure Reverence to God.  This Standard is upright/straight, and free of fault, and a person with pure reverence to God is ‘Muslim,’ as are all His Messengers.  

Yusuf Ali’s Translation of this Chapter

Muhammad Asad’s Translation of this Chapter.

Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view.

COMMENTS:

1.  Our Reading today begins with Verse 61-62 (from page 228), and its reference to the tribe of Thamood/Thamud, and their Prophet Saleh, peace upon him, whom we mentioned earlier in Posting of April 10^th. 

Notice what he asks of them, and God’s bounties of which he reminds them. 

As for them, they show their reluctance at forsaking what their forefathers worship!

PAGE 229 Arabic Qur’an.

2.  Prophet Saleh continues to present his case to his people in Verses 63-64, but they pay no heed to him, and defiantly kill the camel.  In Verses 65-66 he pronounces the ultimatum of three days, a truthful promise.  When it comes to pass, Saleh is saved with those who believed with him, as the others receive what they had denied (Verse 67).  

And after they had gone (Verse 68), it was as if they had never been!  

Isn’t that something to think of, especially since each of us naturally sees oneself as the ‘center of the universe’?   

3.  We begin Prophet Abraham’s narrative, peace upon him, in Verse 69.  As we mentioned earlier, each repetition adds value, usually in the form of new information. 

Read these verses carefully, they are absolutely beautiful! 

The Messengers come to Abraham with greetings of ‘Peace!’ to which he responds, and thereupon offers them a roasted calf.  But when they do not extend their hands to eat (70), he becomes fearful of them, which is when they tell him that (as God’s angelic messengers) their mission is directed at the people of Lot.  His wife appears/laughs (71), to which they give her glad tidings of Isaac (a son) after whom there will also be Jacob (a grandson).  Another explanation for the word 'dahik-ضحك' is 'to appear,' which is in fact the original connotation of the Arabic word, after which it came to denote laughter (see 1,000 year old definition in footnote).

IMPORTANT NOTE: This verse offers Qur’anic evidence that Isaac is NOT the son whom Abraham was commanded to sacrifice!

PAGE 230 Arabic Qur’an.

4.   Verse 72 shows us her response, where she refers to her husband as her “ba’lبعل- ” and in Verse 73 the messengers reassure her of God’s command.  

We mentioned the difference between the word “ba’l” and “zawj” on March 1^st, and here is an excerpt:

“The difference between the two seems to be related to the ‘zawj’ being a literal ‘mate,’ one of a couple where there is no other woman for him, whereas the “ba’l” is a companion-in-marriage (who may have other wives -OR- as some have postulated- whose sexual relationship with his wife is inactive due to old age or to being in the midst of a divorce).” 

5.  Verses 74- 75- 76 tell us that, when Abraham realized what their mission was, he pleaded with them with regard to Lot’s people (perhaps to grant Lot, peace upon him, more time to convince them).  But it seems that the time was up for Lot’s people (AND they were about to prove that beyond any doubt, as we shall soon see!). We also remember what we had discussed on April 12, of which is this excerpt:

The ‘people of Lot- قوم لوط’ were violating one of the Inviolables
of the Straight path (commandment number 4),
and seem to have been the first group ever

to regularly and openly practice
homosexual acts ‘in open assemblies’ (HQ 29:29).

6.  Verses 77- 78- 79 continue to add detail to an unbelievable scene:  The contrast between Lot’s fear for his handsome guests, contrasted to his people’s frenzied sexual desire in them!  We can almost hear them pounding at his door as he shields them with futile argument, feeling the shame of exposing his noble visitors to such treatment… until he prays for support (80).  That’s when he finds out that those whom he was trying to shield WERE the support he was praying for, as they tell him who they are, and what their mission is (81).  Here we learn that Lot’s wife was doomed for not supporting Lot, and perhaps agreeing with what had been going on in town. 

7.  Verses 82- 83 describe the end of Lot’s people.

Wasn’t it interesting to note how, those perceived as being ‘most vulnerable,’ turned out to be the strongest support?

Also, that morning seems such a long way off when under severe pressure! 

Enough said! 

Our next Reading is from HQ 11:84-100.

Peace unto all!

ضحك: دليل الانكشاف والبروز. من ذلك الضَّحِك ضَحِك الإنسان. ويقال أيضاً الضَّحْك، والأوَّل أفصح. والضَّاحكة: كل سنٍّ تبدو من مُقَدَّم الأسنان والأضراس عند الضَّحِك. قال ابنُ الأعرابيّ: الضَّاحِك من السَّحاب مثلُ العارض، إلاَّ أنَّه إِذا بَرَقَ يقال فيه ضَحِك. والضَّحُوك: الطَّريق الواضح. ويقال أَضْحَكْتَ حوضَك، إِذا ملأتَه حتى يفيض.