Day 241; Qur’an 42: 44- 53, page 488

Thinking about our last post: 

I find it absolutely wonderful that, after we focus on our beliefs, intentions, and words; after we have attained Faith and become aware of God, and then hopefully taken it upon ourselves to say only what is just and true... … that God Himself will ‘set aright’ our deeds! 

But what this also means, is that whenever our deeds do NOT eventually set ‘themselves’ aright, there is an existing obstacle in our flawed Faith, in our Awareness, or in our spoken word.

Hmmmm… food for thought…      

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.

New Readers:  Please make use of ‘Search this Site’ for any unfamiliar word!

COMMENTS:

PAGE 488 Arabic Qur’an.

1.    Contrasted with the beautiful description of people forbearing and forgiving in the previous verses, Verses 44-47 inform us that any person who has constantly chosen to ‘stray,’ and deserves to be left in that state (which is the Qur’anic connotation of the term يضلل) will find no Protector after having refused God as Protector.

 

“Have you (sing.) observed the person who took his Desire as his Deity, and whom God [thereupon] let stray despite (his) knowledge, and sealed-over his hearing and heart/mind and rendered upon his sight a veil?  Who then can guide him, (of all who are) lesser than God? Will you not (pl.) then, think back and bring to mind? (HQ 45:23)

Such Wrongdoers will be asking for a second chance when they see the suffering, and are displayed before it.  Humble in abasement, they can only steal furtive glances, at a time when Those who have attained Faith make an important statement:

“Indeed, the Losers are those who have lost themselves and their families upon Resurrection!”

It seems that Believers, especially at that time, can well define what it is to be a Loser!

(It is also interesting to note that both sides will be aware of each other’s fate.)

And the final statements are that the Wrongdoers’ suffering is abiding; and that they have no protectors to defend them other than God, for whomever God lets stray has no open road (out of the predicament). 

    

2. After that dire picture, Verse 47 seems to recap previous arguments by calling out to us all:

“Respond to your Lord before…”…!

Indeed, this chapter mentions the central issue of ‘responding to God/ to our Lord’ no less than FOUR times (Verses 16, 26, 38, 47), with the most eloquent persuasion and dissuasion.

3. Then, Verse 48 (as in so many other verses) absolves the Messenger of responsibility for people’s reactions to the Message, asserting that his duty is limited to its full delivery (see ‘balaagh’). 

We know that we are responsible for our own deeds, but we tend to justify our actions, even when wrong!  The next part of this verse tells us about the nature of an ‘Insaan/ a Cognizant Human’ (see HQ 30:36).  Note that the ills which befall us are brought forward- into prevalence -by our own ‘abilities/ hands,’ as so many verses assert.

(New Readers: Search this site for ‘anasa; insaan’ and for ‘yad; aid’…يد- أيد)

4.  Verses 49- 50 reiterate that to God belongs the Dominion of Heavens and Earth, after which we are told that everything in Creation is by His Leave.  It is by His leave that some of us are granted offspring, female or male, and others are mated together male and female, only to be rendered ‘sterile’… He is the Knowing, the Capable/ Qadeer.

According to Yusuf Ali:

“The root qadara not only implies power, ability, strength, but two other ideas which it is difficult to convey in a single word, viz., the act and power of estimating the true value of a thing or persons, as in vi. 91; and the act and power of regulating something so as to bring it into correspondence with something. "Judgment of values" I think sums up these finer shades of meaning. ...”

Here we realize that these statements are mentioning God’s ‘Leave’ مشيئة  -and must not be confused with God’s ‘Will’ or God’s ‘Plan ’ إرادة.

·God’s Will:

When He Wills something to come into being, it IS. 

In other words, His Will for it to BE is manifested by its actual existence: ‘Araada’ أراد.

Example:  HQ 19: 34-35, where this concept is best illustrated in the beautiful story of Jesus, peace upon him.

·God’s Plan:

What He has planned in general, which we could take advantage of if we chose to: also ‘Araada’ أراد.

Well-illustrated in HQ 4:26-27, and explained by Yusuf Ali as ‘God does wish’:

“God does wish to make clear to you and to show you the ordinances of those before you and He does wish to turn to you (in Mercy) and God is All-Knowing, Wise.” (4:26)

·God’s Leave: 

It is by His Leave that one issue prevails instead of another, and a possibility becomes a reality. 

We usually translate that as, ‘when He permits’: ‘Sha’a’شاء . 

Example:  HQ18:23-24, which is why we always say, ‘Insha-Allah; God-permitting.’

But remember, dear Reader what we just said above:

WE are the ones who are responsible for advancing (‘taqdeem’[i]) one possibility over another!

At any rate, today’s verses are not about God’s ‘Will’ (which has already taken place), but about God’s ‘Leave,’ when one possibility is allowed to prevail over another, both of which are influenced by OUR ‘leave.’ وما تشاءون إلا أن يشاء الله

5. Our final verses today, Verses 51- 53, address the Messenger, peace upon him.  In Verse 51 we learn of the three approaches in which God ‘speaks’ to a human Messenger:

·     Direct ‘transmission’ of exclusive information (‘wahi’).

·     Or (speaking to him) from behind a ‘barrier/ hijaab.’

·  Or by way of a (angelic) Messenger who transmits the exclusive information.  

We know that Prophet Muhammad received Qur’an at times by direct ‘wahi’ and at times through the angelic Messenger Gabriel.  Similarly, we do not know of anyone other than Prophet Moses, peace upon him, who was actually spoken to verbally.  As we said on March 3^rd:

“The word ‘takleema’ after the verb ‘kallama’ (HQ 4:164) serves to indicate that this is NOT a figurative matter; it is literal: God spoke to Moses BY WAY OF SPEECH.”

 

6.  Verse 52 continues on the topic of Divine communication and command (see ‘Rooh روح + Amr أمر ’), highlighting that Muhammad, prior to the Message, had not determined درى[ii] what was the Compilation, nor what was Conviction. (peace of heart and confidence).

Readers will find this explanation differing from most, including Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Asad. 

Here is why:

Firstly, many commentators have traditionally explained the word ‘daraa’ as ‘know’ -considering it synonymous with ‘alama-علم’ –while as we see in footnote, what it actually means is ‘to pursue something so as to determine it’  (since you and I have just found this out ourselves, dear Reader, we’ll have to correct all our mistaken renderings of this word!).

Secondly, tradition has also limited the meaning of ‘imaan’ to ‘faith in God.’

This is why we find commentators attempting to work around this verse which according to that explanation, would clearly state that “..you did not know what was faith.”

See definition of أمن[iii] below, and remember the word ‘mu’min’ which we explained in two instances (HQ 4:93; 12:17) as ‘Trusting,'/ worthy of confidence’ (meaning that it is NOT referring to one’s ‘religious’ beliefs!).  Also see discussion Feb 24^th.  In these instances it is quite clear that ‘mu’min’ is not about having attained faith in God, but rather about having attained security, confidence, and ‘peace of heart.’

Remember how the narrow explanation of ‘mu’min’ (as ‘Faithful/ Muslim’) had led to traditional misunderstanding of HQ 4:93? 

Back to our verse: 

We know that Muhammad, prior to the Message, knew what was ‘faith in God.’  He had never worshipped the idols of his people, and was known to have secluded himself in contemplation and in the worship God Alone.  In fact, he was one of the ‘hunafaa-حنفاء’- the followers of a self-correcting monotheism which was carefully handed down by generation after generation of Prophet Abraham’s descendants, peace upon all God’s Messengers.  In fact, it took place as ‘instruction carried forth’ /‘waSsiyah’ by Prophet Abraham to his children and his grandchild Jacob, and then, in turn, by Prophet Jacob to his children from his deathbed (see HQ 2: 132- 133).  Regular Readers will remember that our Lexicon defines the word ‘waSsaa’ as to link or connect,[iv]  so that there is no break.  In this instance, it is about instruction on worshipping God Alone, to be carried forth, linking one generation to the next. 

New Readers:  Put ‘haneef’ in ‘Search this Site’ and see ‘hanafaحنف- ’ in Qur’an.   

Therefore, the definitions in our 1,000 year old Lexicon offer us a more accurate explanation of this verse, telling the Messenger that before receiving this Message, he ‘…had neither determined what was the Compilation, nor what was Conviction (peace of heart and confidence)’. 

7.  Then the verse continues, telling him that God had rendered it Light to guide those of His Worshippers who by His leave are guided, and that he (Muhammad) indeed guides/ is guided to the ‘Straight Path’ (see HQ 5: 15-16).

Verse 53 ends this chapter by telling us that this path is the Path of God, to Whom belongs all that is in the skies/ the heavens (‘samawaat:’ the ‘exalted expanses/ the highest elevations..) and all that is in earth… indeed unto God do all matters conclude.

     

Enough said!

Our next Reading is from HQ 43: 1-22; a new Chapter!

Peace unto all!

---

[i] قدم:  يدلُّ على سَبْق ورَعْف ثم يفرَّع منه ما يقاربُه: يقولون: القِدَم: خلاف الحُدوث. ويقال: شيءٌ قديم، إذا كان زمانُهُ سالفاً. وأصله قولُهم: مضَى فُلاَنٌ قُدُماً: لم يعرِّج ولم ينْثَنِ….ولفلانٍ قدمُ صدقٍ، أي شيءٌ متقدِّم من أثَر حسَن.

ومن الباب: قَدِم من سفره قُدوماً، وأقْدَم على الشيء إقداماً.

ومُقدِّمَة الجيش: أوّله..

فقال قوم: القُدَّام: الملك. وهذا قياسٌ صحيح، لأنَّ الملِك هو المُقدَّم. ويقال: القُدَّام: القادمون من سَفَر. وقَدَمُ الإنسان معروفةٌ، ولعلَّها سمِّيت بذلك لأنَّها آلة للتقدُّم والسَّبْق.

ومما شذَّ عن هذا الأصل القَدُوم: الحديدة يُنحَتُ بها، وهي معروفة.

[ii] دري :أصلان: أحدهما قَصْد الشيء واعتمادُهُ طلَباً، والآخَر حِدَّةٌ تكون في الشَّيء. وأمّا المهموز فأصلٌ واحد، وهو دَفْع الشَّيء.

فالأول قولُهم: ادّرَى بنُو فلانٍ مكانَ كذا، أي اعتمدوه بغَزْوٍ أو غارة

 والدّرِيَّة: الدّابّة التي يَستَتِرُ بها الذي يَرمِي الصَّيدَ ليصيده. يقال منه دَرَيت وادَّرَيْت.

  قال ابنُ الأعرابيّ: تدرَّيت الصّيدَ، إذا نظرْتَ أين هُوَ ولم تَرَهُ بَعدُ. ودريتُه: ختَلْتُه. فأمّا قوله تدرَّيت أي تعلَّمت لدريته أين هو، والقياسُ واحد. يقال دَرَيتُ الشَّيءَ، والله تعالى أدرانيهِ. قال الله تعالى: {قُلْ لَوْ شَاءَ اللهُ ما تَلَوْتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلاَ أَدْرَاكُمْ بِهِ} [يونس 16]، وفلانٌ حَسَنُ الدِّرْيَة، كقولك حسن الفِطْنة.

  وأما المهموز قولهم دَرَأْتُ الشَّيءَ: دفعتُه. قال الله تعالى: {وَيَدْرَأُ عَنْها الْعَذَابَ} [النور 8].  يقال: جاء السَّيل دَرْءًا، إذا جاءَ من بلدٍ بعيد. وفلان ذُو تُدْرَأٍ، أي قويٌّ على دفْع أعدائه عن نفْسه.

  ودَرَأَ فلانٌ، إذا طَلَع مفاجَأةً، وهو من الباب، كأنّه اندرَأ بنفسه، أي اندفع. ومنه دارأْتُ فلاناً، إذا دافَعْتَه. وإذا ليّنْت الهمزة كان بمعنى الخَتْل والخِداع.

الراغب الأصفهاني:

الدراية: المعرفة المدركة بضرب من الحيل، يقال: دريته، ودريت به، درية، نحو: فطنة، وشعرة، وادريت.

[iii] أمن: أصلان متقاربان: أحدهما الأمانة التي هي ضدّ الخيانة، ومعناها سُكون القلب، والآخر التصديق.

[iv] وصي: يدلُّ على وَصلِ شيءٍ بشيء. ووَصَيْتُ الشَّيءَ: وصَلْتُه.