'IQRA': The Challenge

OVERVIEW

2012-01-01T17:10:00.001Z

Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!

It is 2012.

I've been working on this project for two years now, and it's not done; Qur'anic research is so much tougher than I had ever imagined!

Do not focus on 'dates' and what seem like 'outdated' posts. Actually, the later posts were put up quite recently (under the heading of 2010 ) so as to maintain the concept of a ‘One year Qur'an Study Project’ for Readers!

So, dear Readers:

If you'd like to obtain an understanding of the Qur'an as close to the time of Revelation as possible, begin with the first post, and continue with me as I go along.

Read each Post, and send in your comments and we’ll get to discussing important issues together, God-willing.

But keep in mind:
Objectivity is near-impossible in explaining anything!
There is only one original Arabic Qur'an, and countless interpretations/explanations of its meanings, each explanation reflecting that particular scholar's knowledge, mind-set, and era. Although this applies to my explanation/interpretation as well, I am hoping that it would be less subjective and closer to the original than most, aided by a reliance on the oldest Arabic Lexicons, supported by Qur'anic context and cross-reference, enriched by wide travel and world-view, and well-delivered in English which happens to be one of this Researchers two 'mother-tongues.'

Peace unto all!

Randa Hamwi Duwaji

Day 256; Qur’an 49: 1-18; page 515-516

2011-11-26T09:40:00.000Z

Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan

Yusuf Ali’s Translationof this Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’sTranslation of this Chapter.

Their commentaries can only be read inverse by verse view.

سورةالحجرات

The Chambers

From the Introduction ofYusuf Ali:

“This is the third of the group ofthree Madinah Surahs, which began with Surah 47.

Its subject matter is the manners tobe observed by the members of the rapidly-growing Muslim community, amongthemselves and towards its Leader. The keyword"Hujurat" (Chambers) occurs in verse 4.

Its date is referred to the Year ofDeputations, A.H. 9, when a large number of deputations of all kind visitedMadinah to offer their allegiance to Islam.”

From the Introduction of MuhammadAsad:

“REVEALED, inthe consensus of most of the authorities, in the year 9 H., this surah deals predominantlywith social ethics. Beginning with the reverence due to the Prophet and – by implication- to the righteous leaders of the community after him, the discourse culminatesin the principle of the brotherhood of all believers (verse 10) and, in itswidest sense, the brotherhood of all mankind (verse 13). The concluding passage(verses 14 ff.) points out the difference between true faith and a mere outwardobservance of religious formalities.

The title isderived from the mention of the word al-hujurat in verse 4.”

COMMENTS:

What a Chapter, dear Reader!

This chapter begins with two verses, each calling upon ‘Those who haveattained Faith’ with injunctions NOT to behave in a certain way. Indeed, many verses in this chapter do thesame, and as we proceed we feel that there is a list of behaviors which shouldnot – or simply CANNOT- be part of the record of anyone working to earn thelabel ‘Faithful.’

(New Readers: Put ‘label faithful’ in ‘Search this Site.’)

It is not only one of the threeQur’anic chapters (Ch:5, 49, 60) which begin with the direct address: ‘O you who haveattained faith!’ but the address is also most concentrated .. 5 times in 3 pages ([i]).

How difficult it must have been for some ‘rugged’ individuals to changetheir habits and learn civilized manners, especially when speaking to theProphet: They actually had to be toldnot to raise their voices above his, and not to holler to get him out of hishome to meet them!

Aside:

Dear Reader, if you happen to have had a western upbringing, thefollowing may help you understand why some ‘Muslims’ revere their scholars tothe point of adulation:

When we begin reading we get the impression that the people addressedare only those who were interacting with the Prophet at the time, which isperhaps one reason why scholars -to extend these injunctions to ALL times- havepostulated that people should respect and treat their ‘religious scholars,’‘imams’ and ‘sheikhs’ just as if they were the Prophet himself.

Note that Muhammad Asad (above) said : “….by implication - to therighteous leaders of the community after him…” Extending byimplication this particular command from the Messenger to all ‘righteousleaders’ has added to peoples’ natural tendency to revere those in higherposition, and has made the questioning of an elder unlikely. Another reason for such adulation is that, withrelation to a reported ‘Hadeeth/ saying of the Prophet’ ([ii]),scholars have narrowed the interpretation of the word ‘al-ulamaa’ which means ‘theLearned/ the Knowledgeable/ the Scientists’ as ‘heirs to Prophets’….making itapply solely to individuals who are adept at ‘religious sciences.’ That is why in recent times only ‘religiousscholars’ were revered, while other sciences were considered inferior and evenat times, unnecessary or ‘unlawful!’ This is so sad, especially when we think farther back to the Middle Ageswhen, in order to be recognized as a scholar in Europe, one would have had tograduate first from an ‘Islamic university,’ and would have returned home wearingthe ‘abaya’ and the ‘fez’... STILL proudly donned today (with tassle !) ingraduation ceremonies all around the world.

Therefore, I do agree that we should pay due respect to our elders andour teachers, and it certainly is true that (in a way similar to Prophets) certain peopleof learning/knowledge/ science have positively impacted humanity, bringing us informationwhich has raised our standard of Awareness. ..but I do not agree that whatever the Qur’an mentionsas specific to the Prophet or his wives should apply to anyone else.

(Examples: I do not agree that any woman other than the Prophet’s wifeshould never remarry, or remain in her home while her outdoor errands are run by others, or that a barrier/screen shouldbe imposed upon men who wish to speak toher in her home.. [iii]. And I do not agree that any woman otherthan the Prophet’s wife should think that she has such a heightenedresponsibility and heightened reward that in case she might ever commit a 4-personwitnessed-adultery, her suffering should be double that of other women -meaning200 lashes instead of 100- or that her reward for good deeds would automaticallybe double that of other women.. see HQ 33:30-34: Doesn’t the Qur’an clearlytell the Prophet’s wives ‘YOU ARE UNLIKE ANY OTHER WOMEN?’).

And the Prophet too was unlike any other man, so his specificallysanctioned multi-marriages after the age of fifty did not apply to others (HQ 33: 50). Also, as we see in today’schapter, the fact that a person would bring upon oneself a PAINFUL VOIDING ofone’s deeds by raising one’s voice above the Prophet’s or interrupting him doesnot apply to anyone raising their voice or interrupting another person, nomatter how high that person happens to be in the hierarchy of knowledge: We owe people of knowledge due respect butnone of them is the Prophet, and we certainly can (and sometimes should)question them, correct them, and hold them responsible to the point ofcondemnation, judgment, and stripping off of their titles and degrees if that happensto be what they deserve (the only people on earth who should feel immune fromour contempt are our own elderly parents. Put ‘elderly parent’ in ‘Search this Site.’)

Back to our verses:

This must have been such an‘ethically-enlightening’ chapter to the earliest of Those who attained Faith(may we be counted among them).

PAGE 515 Arabic Qur’an.

1. This Chapter seems to present us with a list of behaviors which cannotbe part of our record IF we wish to earn the label ‘Faithful.

Beginning with two verses, eachcalling upon ‘Those who have attained Faith’ we get the impression that thepeople addressed are only those who were interacting with the Prophet at thetime, but that is not necessarily so for two reasons:

· Ethicalconduct is timeless.

· Although personalcontact with any Prophet can only take place when someone is living in thatProphet’s proximity, yet we find certain verses speaking of the ‘Messenger ofGod,’ which relate to his bearing of this Living Message, the Qur’an. At this ‘frequency’ (God à Messenger withMessage àRecipient) we have direct contact with the Message and indirect contact withthe Messenger ([iv]).

New Readers: Please put ‘difference between prophetmessenger’ in ‘Search this Site.’ Also check out ‘every messenger is prophet.’

That is why I see Verse 1 asapplying to ALL Those who have attained Faith, past and present, telling us NOTto seek precedence over what has already preceded from God and His Messenger,and to be aware of God, for indeed God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

Indeed, whenever we hear thecall: “O you whohave attained faith” we should listen carefully: Itis either something beneficial we are told to pursue, or something detrimentalwe are told to avoid ([v]).

And then Verse 2 switches from calling him ‘Messenger of God’ to callinghim ‘Prophet,’ by which we understand that this is about his every-day life,and that those around him were raising their voices above his and interruptinghim as he conversed and instructed, and NOT while he was reciting Qur’an (theMessage. Indeed, none could have “raisedtheir voice above the Messenger’s…” as that would indicate the failingof both Message and Messenger!).

Whenever I wish to myself that I had known the Prophet personally, Iremember such verses and think of the great responsibility his companions werebearing: Being impulsive around himmight bring upon oneself a PAINFUL VOIDING ([vi]حبط) of deeds!

Verse 3 mentions the best of his companions: They are the ones who speak softly([vii]غض) when in the company of the Messenger of God;it is they whose hearts/minds God has ‘tried for Awareness’ and who have earnedabsolution and great reward.

Compare them to others mentioned in Verses 4, who holler to him frombehind the private quarters (of his home): Most of them ‘lack understanding/ donot use their reason’ (Ali/Asad. ‘Aqala actually means to use one’s intellectso as to secure knowledge.)

Then Verse 5 says that it wouldhave been better for them had they been patient and waited for him to come outto them, concluding with the statement that God is indeed Forgiving andUnceasingly Compassionate: This indicatesthat their outward behavior stemmed from a lack of discernment and knowledge, ratherthan a lack of faith.

2. Verse6 again calls upon Those who attained Faith, presentingthem/us with a general rule:

To always verify any news brought by adeserter (faasiq). Without verification,one could inadvertently strike an ‘irreparable blow’ at a people, and then endup regretting what one had done (put ‘ssawaba’ in ‘Searchthis Site’).

Verse 7 tells Those who attained Faithto ‘mark/ impress upon themselves/ know’ that in their midst is the Messengerof God (!) and that if he were to obey them in many a matter, they would be in hardship, but that God has endeared the faith to them and adorned it intheir hearts/ minds, and has made detestable to them Denial, Desertion, andDisobedience, and that it is they who are the ‘Rashidoon/ well-directed’ (literally:those who are steady on thepath straight to destination). Thisverse shows us that the Prophet used to consult with his companions, but also wentahead with what he thought was best.

Verse 8 elaborates by saying that (all) that is a ‘bounty/faDdl’ from God and is a ‘grace/ advantage/ privilege/ ni’mah.’

Verse 9 gives us another rule, onewhich is of paramount importance:

If two ‘operating groups/ actionteams’ were to fight each other, and we know them both to be ‘trustworthy/faithful,’ our duty is to arbitrate between them and bring them to accord. Butif one were to wrongfully assault the other, then we should fight the wrongfulassailants until they return to God’s command. (God’s command ما أمَرَ الله is about NOT breaking our bond with God, our ties to each other, orcorrupting the earth). The rest of theverse tells us what to do after the assailant has returned to God’s command. Well- explained by both Aliand Asad(I found what Yusuf Ali said about the United Nations interesting).

Verse 10 gives us a statement (alsosee YusufAli’s note):

“Indeed The Faithful are but brothers,so reconcile between both your brothers; and be aware of God, that you mayreceive Mercy.”

What an important concept, which served to make the ‘Faithful’ throughoutthe centuries feel kinship to each other, despite our different tongues, color,and the distances that separate us in life! Anyone who goes to Mecca for Pilgrimage feels this quite distinctly:

“There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all overthe world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinnedAfricans. But we were all participating in the same ritual displaying a spiritof unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believenever could exist between the white an d the non-white...America needs tounderstand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its societythe race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talkedto, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered white-- but the "white" attitude was removed from their minds by thereligion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhoodpracticed by all colors together, irrespective of their color.”

(Malcolm X/ El-Hajj Malik al-Shabazz)

3. Verse 11 again calls upon ‘Thosewho have attained Faith’ with another directive, telling them/ us NOT to ridicule anyone; the persons ridiculed may actuallybe better than ourselves… and not to defame, insult, or call each othernames. What an important directive! Then the verse-ending prods towardsrepentance without which they would be ‘wrong-doers,’ and also indicates that whenwe defame others we replace ‘Faith’ with ‘Desertion;’ an offensive name/characteristic indeed!

Herewe recall HQ:14: 24- 27 which we readearlier discussingthe difference between a wholesome and an unwholesome word.

PAGE 516 517 Arabic Qur’an.

4. Verse 12 is anoft-quoted verse. It calls on Those whohave attained Faith and bids them/us:

· To avoid much of presumption,indeed certain PRESUMPTION IS HINDRANCE.

· Not to spy on others; covertly/subtlyprobe into others’ affairs.

· Not to speak ill of each other inabsentia. ‘…Would any of you be tempted to eat a dead brother’s flesh? Youwould find that odious!’

· To be Aware of God, indeed God isOft-Returning, Unceasingly Compassionate.

Whatbeautiful moral principles!

Canyou imagine, dear Reader, how much more healthy and relaxed your life would beif every person you knew were to abstain from negative presumption, spying, meddling,and back-biting … holding themselves accountable to God in the awareness thatHe knows and sees all?

Think,dear Reader: These are the standards whichthe Faithful hold themselves up to, and which we should too, IF we aim to be intheir number. Self-restraint is requiredhere, and more of it from those who had not been raised since childhood on suchcharacteristics. But what I said in theprevious paragraph is not entirely accurate: These standards in others alonewould not make your life more healthy and relaxed… it is these standards in yourselfalone that can do that!

TheQur’an is ALL about guiding us to happiness and fulfillment, in this lifebefore the Hereafter. It has beencalling upon Believers and guiding them for the past 1400 years… but only abouta decade ago has parts of its instruction been ‘discovered’ by modernpsychology as a path to happiness and fulfillment. This new branch of the discipline is called:POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY.

Asdescribed by Positive Psychology Centerat Pennsylvania University:

“Positive Psychologyhas three central concerns: positive emotions, positive individual traits, andpositive institutions. Understanding positive emotions entails the study ofcontentment with the past, happiness in the present, and hope for the future.Understanding positive individual traits consists of the study of the strengthsand virtues, such as the capacity for love and work, courage, compassion,resilience, creativity, curiosity, integrity, self-knowledge, moderation,self-control, and wisdom. Understanding positive institutions entails the studyof the strengths that foster better communities, such as justice,responsibility, civility, parenting, nurturance, work ethic, leadership,teamwork, purpose, and tolerance.”

Note, dear Reader:

This Wikipediaarticle acknowledges the ‘historical roots’ for Positive Psychology found inall ‘religions’ … yet fails to mention ‘Islam.’ What ignorance or bias on their part as ‘researchers’ and what‘inefficiency’ on our part as ‘Muslims!’

Prejudice still rules every aspect of our lives, including education(see ‘Settingthe Record Straight’).

Backto our verses:

Presumption(thann) is the opposite of certainty (yaqeen). We spoke earlierabout negative presumption/ conjecture and how it ‘hinders’ us. Put ‘Thann’ in ‘search this Site.’ When we presume something to becorrect we do so without evidence, and when we spend our energy and timefollowing it we end up wasting both, and losing the opportunity to do the rightthing. BIG hindrance! The Qur’anshows us how those who follow presumption/ conjecture end up being misguided.

5. Verse 13 is another oft-quotedverse. While the previous verse dealtwith the smaller scale of society, this verse deals with our entire world-view!

Firstof all, it calls upon Cognizant Humans, telling us that God has indeed createdus from male and female and rendered us peoples and tribes for one reason: SO THAT (li) we may ‘mutually acknowledge,recognize, and find comfort in one another!’ (see definition of ‘arafa’below (عرف[viii].

Wow. So our diversity (male and female, differentcultures, peoples, and tribes) is all part of our learning and growing process,and should give us pleasure in life. Diversity is to be acknowledged, learnt about, recognized and enjoyed!

Weread something about that before in (HQ 35: 27-28), where wewere told that all creatures, including Cognizant Humans, ARE OF DIFFERENT FEATURES [ix] لون)) andthat indeed, thosewho are in awe of God ARE the Knowledgeable! … may we be among them…

لون

(Youmight be wondering, dear Reader of Arabic, how that explanation just cameabout: Well, I just looked up thedefinition of ‘la-wn/لون’ in our more than 1,000 year old Lexicon whereas before, I hadrelied on common knowledge just like everyone else, and thought that it meant color…but no: It turned out to be about ALL distinguishingfeatures, color included! But I shouldhave known better: We constantly askeach other: ‘sh-la-wn-ak’ meaning ‘How are you?’ and we call each dish we cooka ‘la-wn…’ Just to show us once again how familiarity influences intellect!)

Secondly(after telling us that God had created us from male and female and rendered uspeoples and tribes so that we may ‘mutually acknowledge, recognize, and findcomfort in one another), it follows up by the statement that indeed, the mostEMINENT among us are the most AWARE. So our awareness of this fact, that diversity is a gift from God and alearning-opportunity which we can truly enjoy, adds to our eminence asCognizant Humans.

Aside:

Whata sad state we are in: If Awareness isour goal, why are we not seeking positive stimulus? Why do so many of us claim our love for Godand our desire to help mankind, yet huddle in familiarity, and end up dimmingour senses?

NewReaders: Put ‘awareness’ in ‘Search thisSite.’

Finally,the verse ends by telling us that indeed God is All-Knowing, Fully- Acquainted withthe subtleties (‘Khabeer.. [x]’). So whatever we hide… He has full-knowledgeof.

6. Verse 14 (onwards) relates to theBedouin Arabs’ assertion that they had ‘attained Faith,’ and the Prophet’sresponse that while they could assert that they have attained ‘Pure Reverence’(of God)…..Faith had NOT YET ([xi])entered their hearts/ minds. This clearly shows us the more advanced state of‘Imaan’ (Belief/Faith/Trust) and what should precede it, ‘Islaam’ (PureReverence to God):

RegularReaders already know that:

‘Imaan/Attaining faith/trust ’إيمان is a description of the heart/ mind (qalb) which believes inGod, has faith in Him, and therefore fully TRUSTS Him and feels SECURE in Hiscare. It is a status following thestatus of ‘Islaam,’ which is about purely revering God. In other words, Islaam is the basic belief of ‘Pure Reverence to God,’ in NOT associatingHim with anything or anyone. That‘pureness’ either is, or it isn’t: Islaam can be present, or Islaam can be absent, but it neitherfluctuates nor grows.

Upon Islaam’s sturdy foundation, Imaanis built.

Imaan/Faith/ trust DOES fluctuate, and itcertainly does grow when we consciously observe the measures God has set for us(to the benefit of all Creation), and we hearken to His guidance.

Asad: ‘…its meaning extends to all people, at all times,who think that their mere profession of faith and outward adherence to itsformalities makes them “believers.”

Verse 15 gives us a definition of who THE honest/truthful Faithfulare: They are those who had completeFaith and Trust in God and His Messenger AND SUBSEQUENTLY NEVER DOUBTED, andexerted themselves both financially and personally (literally: in ‘their wealthand themselves’) in the path of God/ for God’s ‘sake’… The verse ends bypointing out that it is they who are Truthful.

It is heartwarming to note, dear Reader, that this verse could be aboutus, IF we had the above characteristics… in which case we would be similar inour Truthfulness/ Honesty to those early Believers who emigrated from Meccaseeking to uphold the word of God!! (Maywe be with them! See أولئك هم الصادقون)

To see more characteristics of the Faithful, check the Chapter by thatname ‘Al Mu’minoon’ and the recurrencesin Qur’an of إنما المؤمنون.

7. Verse 16 asks (the Bedouin Arabsand others like them) whether it is they who would be ‘impressing upon’ Godtheir ‘standard of accountability/ deen,’ while it is He who knows everythingin the exalted expanses and in the earth and is of everything All-Knowing?

(NewReaders: Put ‘Deen’ in ‘Search thisSite.’)

Itseems that the Bedouin Arabs might have argued with the Prophet when he toldthem that they had not yet attained Faith because Verse 17 informs theMessenger of their feelings:

Theywere looking upon their ‘Islam’ as a favor to him, which they thought heshould feel beholden to them for! Inthis verse he is told to respond by telling them not to see their Islam as afavor to him, but rather to know that it is God who is granting them Hisfavor by guiding them to ‘Imaan/ Faith’ IF they were indeed Truthful!

Thisalso shows us that Truthfulness is the condition:

Beingtruthful in ‘Islam’ leads to ‘Iman.’

The final verse informs us that God knows everything that is beyondperception (gheyb) in the exalted expanses and the earth, and that He seeseverything that we do.

Enoughsaid!

Our next Reading is from HQ 45:1-45.

Peace unto all!

[i] Actuallythe Chapter in which this address appears most is Chapter 5, the‘Repast/Table-spread,’ where ‘O you who have attained Faith’ appears 16times. As I write this I realize that weshould put all these verses and the directions they give in a list… study them,and consider it incumbent upon ourselves to respond to what the Qur’an iscalling us to…IF- If -if we consider ourselves among ‘Those who have attainedFaith!’

Remind me, dear Reader, to post such a list when this project is done.

[ii] TheProphet, peace upon him, is reported to have said in a ‘Hadeeth’ proddingpeople to partake of Knowledge- that ‘the Knowledgeable/ the Scientists’ arethe ‘heirs of Prophets’ and that whoever follows a path seeking knowledge, Godshall ‘easen’ for him a path to the Garden / ‘Paradise.’

".....الْعُلَمَاءَهُمْ وَرَثَةُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَرَّثُوا الْعِلْمَ مَنْ أَخَذَهُ أَخَذَ بِحَظٍّوَافِرٍ وَمَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَطْلُبُ بِهِ عِلْمًا سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُطَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ...."

[iii] Excerpt from our earlier post:

Many meetings took place in theProphet’s quarters, and many meals were cooked and consumed there. The Prophet’s wives bore the brunt of theinconvenience. The ‘hijaab’ –which was akind of indoor partition like a screen or curtain, was placed as a divider sothat each of them could move about freely inside her home, knowing thatvisitors would never trespass even if they needed something from within (theycould still talk through the screen). Contrary to what one might suppose, this indoor Hijaab was imposedupon the visitors, and not upon the lady of the house! Read the verse again, and note that theentire responsibility is delegated to visiting Believers.

Today, we mistakenly use the word‘hijab’ to describe the head-cover. Byusing the connotation of a ‘barrier/ partition’ for something which should inreality have remained a ‘khimar/ cover,’ we have made this yard of clothinto something it isn’t.

Certainly, there areMuslim women in certain parts who are forced either to put it on, or to take itoff (see quoted article and revisit our important discussion of Aug 24^th, where we mourned forthe girls forced back into the burning building).

But as many of usknow: Most Muslim women are free todo with their hair what they want. Westerners should realize that the head-cover is ultimately a personal choice,and incidentally, many women would agree that:

Wearing it is adeclaration of independence!

[iv] Asfor God, we are always in direct contact with Him at all ‘frequencies:’

· Creator àCreature.

· Source of allBeing àBeing.

· Giver àDependent.

· Etc…… we cango on an on…

HOWEVER it is only at the above ‘frequency’ –through the Message- thatwe can receive His actual Words.

[v] قال ابن مسعود وغيره منالسلف: إذا سمعت الله تعالى يقول في القرآن { يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَآمَنُوا } فأوعها سمعك فإنه خير ما يأمر به أو شر ينهى عنه.

[vi] حبط: أصلٌ واحدٌ يدلُّ علىبطلانٍ أو ألَمٍ.

يقال: أحبط اللهُ عملَ الكافر، أي أبطله.

وأمّا الألَم فالحَبَط: أن تأكل الدَّابةُحَتَّى تُنْفَخ لذلك بطنُها. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: "إنّمما يُنبِت الرَّبيعُ ما يقتُل حَبَطاً أو يُلِمّ".

[vii] غض: أصلانِ صحيحانِ، يدلُّ أحدُهما علىكفٍّ ونَقْص، والآخر على طراوة.

فالأوّل الغَضّ: غضُّ البصر. وكلُّ شيءٍ كففتَه فقدغَضَضْته. ومنه قولهم: تلحقُه في ذلك غَضَاضةٌ، أي أمر يَغُضُّ لـه بصرَه.والغَضْغَضة: النُّقْصان. وفي الحديث: "لقد مرَّ من الدُّنيا بِبطنته لميُغَضْغَض". ويقولون: هو بحرٌ لا يُغَضْغَض.

وغَضْغَضْت السِّقَاءَ: نقصتُه. وكذلك الحقّ.

والأصل الآخر: الغَضُّ: الطريُّ من كلِّ شيء. ويقالللطَّلْع حين يطلُعُ: غَضيض.

[viii] عرف)أصلان، يدلُّ أحدُهما على تتابُع الشيء متَّصلاً بعضُه ببعض، والآخر على السكونوالطُّمَأنينة. · فالأوّل العُرْف: عُرْف الفَرَس. وسمِّي بذلك لتتابُع الشَّعرعليه. ومن الباب: العُرْفة وجمعها عُرَف، وهي أرضٌ منقادة مرتفِعة بين سَهْلتينتنبت، ...

عرف) السكون والطُّمَأنينة. المعَرِفةوالعِرفان. تقول: عَرَف فلانٌ فلاناً عِرفاناً ومَعرِفة. وهذا أمر معروف. وهذايدلُّ على ما قلناه من سُكونه إليه، لأنَّ مَن أنكر شيئاً توحَّشَ منه ونَبَاعنْه. والعُرْف: المعروف، وسمِّي بذلك لأنَّ النفوس تسكُن إليه. (نكر) خلافالمعرفة

[ix] لون:اللام والواو والنون كلمةٌ واحدة، وهي سَحْنَة الشَّيء: من ذلك اللَّون:لونُ الشَّيء، كالحمرة والسواد، ويقال: تلوَّن فلانٌ: اختلفت أخلاقُه.

[x] خبر: أصلان: فالأول العِلم، والثاني يدل على لينٍ ورَخاوةوغُزْرٍ.

فالأول الخُبْر: العِلْمبالشَّيءِ. تقول: لي بفلان خِبْرَةٌ وخُبْرٌ. والله تعالى الخَبير، أي العالِمبكلِّ شيء. وقال اللهُ تعالى: {وَلاَ يُنَبِّئكَ مِثْلُ خبِيرٍ} [فاطر 14].

والأصل الثاني: الخَبْراء، وهي الأرض الليِّنة. والخَبِير: الأكّار،وهو مِن هذا، لأنّه يُصْلِح الأرضَ ويُدَمِّثُها ويلَيِّنها. وعلى هذا يجري هذاالبابُ كلُّه؛ فإنهم يقولون: الخبير الأكّار، لأنه يخابر الأرض، أي يؤاكِرُها. و[من] الذي ذكرناه من اللِّين تسميتُهم الزَّبَدَ خبِيراً. والخَبير: النَّباتالليِّن.

[xi] ‘Lamma’ means ‘not yet.’

Note that the verses do not say ‘lam’ which means ‘not,’ nor do they say‘lan’ which means ‘never.’ They say ‘lamma’meaning ‘not YET,’ showing them that they are only steps away from theirdestination!

Day 255; Qur’an 48:16-29; page 513-514

2010-11-25T09:36:00.000Z

Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan

Our last Reading wasfull of surprises!

Remember,dear Reader, that this project is not a intended as a ‘stand-alone’ Reading,but rather as commentary and explanation of certain Arabic words and concepts ‘asrevealed’ more than 1,000 years ago. Ideally,we would be reading both from this page AND the Qur’anic compilation (originalArabic or explained English).

Yusuf Ali’s Translationof this Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’sTranslation of this Chapter.

Their commentaries can only be read inverse by verse view.

COMMENTS:

PAGE 513 Arabic Qur’an.

1. After Verse 15 had exposed the words and intentionsof ‘Those who lagged behind,’ Verse 16 tells the Messenger to inform them of anupcoming occasion where they shall be forced to make a decisive move: At that point in time, they can either ‘willinglycomply’ to his call to them, to fight a mighty people (and earn the rewards),or they can turn away, repeating their past history (and earning painfulsuffering).

Note, dear Reader,that this is a warning as well as a CHANCE to wipe their slate clean; it is anINVITATION to Forgiveness and a promise of rewards, to top it off! It is Dissuasion AND Persuasion combined.

Verse 17 then addressesothers who might be afraid of being counted amongst those who turn away:

It addresses theincapacitated, telling them that there is no pressure upon any of them (to heeda call to battle when it arises). Notehow the verse addresses the singular; the blind, the lame, the unwell, removing‘Hharaj حرج-’[i]or ‘pressure/constraint’ from each.

Note, dearReader:

Each of us isaccountable ONLY for what is within our capacity; there are no constraints uponthe incapacitated.

The verse concludes byassuring those who are ‘willingly compliant’ of the Gardens they shall enter,beneath which rivers flow, and warning those who ‘turn away’ of painfulsuffering.

2. In Verses 18- 20 we get a glimpse into the historicoccasion known today as the ‘Bey’a’ /Purchase/ Pledge’ of RiDdwaan which tookplace after the Faithful/ Believers were barred by the idol-worshippers fromproceeding to the Inviolable Mosque (Ka’ba) in pilgrimage, and had alsoreceived news that Qureish had killed their emissary!

Note, dear Reader, that this was unheard of at the time, and went against allknown agreements:

Pilgrims were never barred because being a pilgrim meant that one was in astate of ‘ihraam’ in which ALL negative acts were forbidden, especially the useof arms. Taking life, even huntinganimals, was out of the question for any pilgrim, and Qureish understood perfectlythat the Faithful were coming in peace.

Therefore, it was in utter sorrow and disappointment that the Faithfulapproached the Messenger, especially since he had told them of his vision inwhich they all were performing the Pilgrimage. Remember, many of them were Meccans who hadlong YEARNED to see the Ka’ba again and worship God freely in its vicinity.

That was how their faith was tested, as we understand from their story andhow they refrained from concluding their ‘ihraam’ until the Prophet himself hadconcluded his… and they had placed their lost hopes upon what the Treaty hadallowed for, which was that they could return the following year.

Note that the Qur’an here addressesthe Messenger, announcing God’s ‘acceptance of and pleasure in’ this group, whohad obviously earned the title ‘The Faithful/Believers.’

(See all 5 رضي الله عن.. inQur’an.)

To understand the history, please seeMartin Lings’ book and read previous post discussing The Peace Treaty ofHudaybiyya.

Note the connection between God’s ‘riDdwaan’ (acceptance of/ ‘pleasure’ in someone) and His sending them Tranquility ‘sakeena’ (see ‘SsakhaTt # riDdwaan’ mentioned earlier).

New Readers:

Put ‘sakeena’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Read the previous Post and put ‘peace’ in ‘Search this Site.’

We must pause here to mention an interesting linguistic feature of theArabic word ‘bey-3’ "بيع"… This word is one of the few Arabic words which can bear eitherof two opposing connotations هي من الأضداد which in this caseare ‘to sell’ and ‘to buy’ (one has tolet go of something to acquire another, so whenever we ‘buy’ we also ‘sell’).

Some of you, dear Readers, may have guessed what comes next:

‘Buy’ means "بيع" literally; the Arabic and English words beingidentical in meaning and almost identical in pronunciation. Furthermore, when we check English Etymology we find that ‘buy’is ‘of unknown origin,’ just like so many other words which I am now certainARE OF ARABIC ORIGIN. Put ‘Etymology’ in‘Search this Site.’

Dear Reader:

When I started this ‘iqrathechallenge’ project, I had no idea that itwould lead to such a HUGE discovery:

So many European words are of Arabic origin, dating back to the time whenArabic was the dominant language of science and innovation, much like Englishis today. It would be wonderful if this buried issue could be brought to theforefront today as one way to convey justice and build Peace for the benefit offuture generations:

Let us, as people of conscience, show our children how intermingled theprevious generations were on the human level. Let them see that much of what we enjoy today is owed to other cultures,prominent among which is the ‘Arab-Muslim’ culture which is now being unjustly malignedfor political reasons. Let themunderstand that the torch of knowledge was, is, and shall always be transportedaround the world, with different cultures and communities having the honor, fora moment in history, of holding it up to enlighten humanity.

Now back to our verses!

In Verse 20, we notice the great bounty/ gain promised to the Faithful, andthe statement that THIS specific ‘gain’ was expedited… it was a ‘Sign’ for them…and that God guided/gifted them a Path set Straight… and also that they hadearned something else towards which they had not directed their efforts, but which God had ‘encompassed.’

Referring to the ‘Peace Treaty,’ this speaks of its foreseen andunforeseen benefits (among which was peaceful interaction and the spreadingof faith).

New Readers: Put ‘straight path’ and also ‘siraat’ in ‘Search this Site.’

3. It is interesting to note how verses20-25 are addressed to the Messenger AND the Faithful/Believers.

Verses 22-23 tell them/us about the ‘sunna([ii])'of God, His Modus Operandi/ His Way which never changes:

Here we note that, with regard toMUTUAL combat/fighting between The Faithful and Those who Deny:

Deniers cannot stand their ground infront of the Faithful; they shall turn on their heels and find none to assistthem.

Before we begin questioning the truthof this general rule, or compare it with real life and groups we might consider‘Believers,’ please note that this verse is specific to a group of persons whohave EACH earned the label in accordance with the definition of ‘The Faithful’ inHQ 23:1: ‘The Faithful have indeedsucceeded. Those who…. قد أفلح المؤمنون* الذين هم....-’ (see earlierpost).

Furthermore, in this case, theiradvantage over the Deniers is ascertained due to a Messenger of God being presentamong them, in line with the statement HQ 58:21:

‘God hascompiled: I shall of a certaintyovercome, I and my Messengers. Indeed God is Strong, Invincible.’

كَتَبَ اللَّـهُ لَأَغْلِبَنَّ أَنَا وَرُ‌سُلِي إِنَّ اللَّـهَ قَوِيٌّعَزِيزٌ ﴿المجادلة: ٢١﴾

But successis always ours for the taking without a Messenger in our midst, as longas we follow specific steps in ‘TheFormula for Success’ which God gave us. Our Regular Readers will remember how one Qur’anicverse showed us where we went wrong and why success has so far been eludingus.

PAGE 514 Arabic Qur’an.

4. For Verses 24-26 see Ali/Asad,and note that in Verse 24, despite the Believers upper hand, God held bothparties back, ‘staying their hands’ from each other. Then in Verse 25the Meccans are accused of denying and barring the Believers from visiting theInviolable Mosque or sending their offerings, yet we are presented with the REASONbehind God preventing the Believers’ march upon Mecca at that point:

Thisprevention was so that ‘whoever wills/ whomever God wills’ can enter His Mercyin time, due to having averted the possibility that the Believers mightinadvertently injure men and women in Mecca who had secretly embraced the faith. Such a deed would discredit the Believers and‘deal them a lingering blow of disgrace on account of such persons’ فتصيبكممنهم معرّة-([iii])…and then the verse ends by telling us that, had they been differentiated/ setapart (and been safe from harm), the Deniers would have seen painful suffering.

5. Verse 26 continues, showing us the vastdiscrepancy between the two parties: ‘Those who Denied,’ in whose hearts/minds was the ‘turbulent passion/biasof ignorance’ (حمية الجاهلية - ‘jahl’ -[iv])on one hand… and the Messengerand ‘The Faithful,’ upon whom God had sent Tranquility ‘sakeena,’ on the other. The verse then tells us that God had caused the latter to adhere/‘alzama’ ([v])to the word of ‘Awareness’ to which ‘they were most entitled…’

Dear Reader:

What an honorto have been labeled ‘the Faithful/ Believers’ by God!

What a rewardto have received entitlement to Awareness!

What achallenge to have to continue at such high standards!

What ahumble, heart-felt request we should ask at this time:

‘Dear God: Grant us their company in the Hereafter….’

6. Verse 27 speaks of the VISION رؤيا theMessenger had had earlier, where he saw himself entering the Inviolable Mosquein pilgrimage… and ends by telling the Faithful that God had rendered for them,before that was to take place, a closer, sooner ‘Fat-Hh,’ which was the Treaty ofHudaybiyya, a crucial turning point in the history of the Faith.

(Remember, ‘Fat-H’means ‘Opening,’ ‘break,’ and referred to the OPPORTUNITY to spread theMessage, thanks to the Peace Treaty.)

7. Verse 28 contains an assurance -with God ‘sufficing as Witness’- that the Messenger (Muhammad) was sent withGuidance and the ‘Just/ True’ standard of Accountability which shall prevailover all accountability.

NewReaders: Please put ‘accountability’ in ‘Searchthis Site’ and note that in the old Arabic Lexicon, ‘deen’ has no plural since eachof us has only one accountability, and God only accepts one, which is ‘pure’and free of all faults… ‘unflawed.’

RegularReaders already know that all Messengers (Abraham, Moses, Jesus..) deliveredthe same standard of accountability to their people, which leads us to the finalverse in this chapter, which should be read in its entirety (Ali/Asad).

Verse29 not only presents us with the beautiful characteristics of theMessenger and his Companions, but also says that they have been EXEMPLIFIED INTHE TORAH, and then describes their example in THE EVANGEL…

Thisparticular reference to both previous renderings of God’s Message delivered by ProphetsMoses and Jesus, peace upon them, is worthy of our attention!

Thechapter then concludes by promising absolution and great reward to those ofthem who have attained Faith and performed good deeds.

Enough said!

Our next Reading is from HQ 49: 1-18;a NEW Chapter!

Peace unto all!

[i] حرج: تجمُّع الشيء وضِيقُه. فمنه الحَرَج جمع حَرَجة، وهي مجتمعشجرٍ. ويقال في الجمع حَرَجات. ويقال حِراجٌ أيضاً.

[ii] Mentioned5 times in Qur’an (سنة الله/لسنة الله).

Note that in matters of Faith and moral behavior we find a statementwithin the same verse asserting that this is ‘His way which never changes,’while in the matter of the Prophet’s marriage to more than one wife (HQ 33:38)we do NOT find this statement, but rather we are told that this is ‘God’s way’with PREVIOUSLY BYGONE peoples, whichmeans that this ‘sunna’ was the Prophet’s alone at the time of Revelation (noneof his companions have license to marry as he did), and this ‘sunna’ is relevant to the past (notto the future). See earlier post.

[iii] العُرَّة. وإنماسُمِّيَ بذلك لأنّه كأنَّه لطْخٌ بالجسَد. قال ابنُ الأعرابيّ: العَرُّ الجَرَب.والعُرّ: تسلّخ جلد البعير. وإنما يُكوَى من العَرّ لا من العُرّ.

[iv] جهل: أصلان: أحدهما خِلاف العِلْم، والآخر الخِفّة وخِلاف الطُّمَأْنِينة.

فالأوّلالجَهْل نقيض العِلْم. ويقال للمفازة التي لا عَلَمَ بها مَجْهَلٌ.

والثاني قولهمللخشبة التي يحرك بها الجَمْرُ مِجْهَل ويقال استجهلت الرِّيحُ الغُصْنَ، إذاحرّكَتْه فاضطَرَب.

[v]لزم: أصلٌ واحد صحيح، يدلُّ على مصاحَبة الشّيءبالشيء دائماً. يقال: لَزِمه الشَّيءُ يَلْزَمُه.

Day 254; Qur’an 48: 3-15; page 511-512

2010-11-24T05:30:00.001Z

Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan

With the CRUCIAL first two verses of this chapter explained, it is now possible for us to continue… but be ready for a few surprises!

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:

PAGE 511 Arabic Qur’an.

1. Our last Reading on the first two verses of this Chapter, was about God informing the Messenger of the great importance of the ‘Opening’ which had just taken place, comforting him by absolving him of any entailment (from shortcoming which may have taken place between him and God), and assuring him of fulfilling His Favor upon him and guiding him to a Straightened Path.

We also spoke about Peace, and recognized it as the perfect setting which opens the way for positive dialogue and interaction.

Today, Verse 3 continues, assuring the Messenger of what is to come:

God shall grant him an Achievement/نصراً which is ‘secure, solid/ invincible’ عزيزا/ [i].

Yes, dear Reader! I am as surprised as you are. Because of our current usage of the word, I had always thought that ‘NaSsr’ meant ‘triumph’ or ‘victory,’ but as our Lexicon shows us, the word borrows that meaning when it has an object, as in someone having ‘naSsr’ over (‘alaa-على) someone else. Without an object, it is not about ‘triumph’ at all.

As you can see in below definition, the word simply means ‘begetting or dispersing goodness,’ which is why rain used to be called ‘naSsr’ at the time of Revelation! Amazing. This shows us yet again how important it is to try to understand the Qur’an as revealed.

2. After these assurances to the Messenger, Verse 4 begins to reassure the Faithful!

Here we learn of the the ‘calmness/tranquility/ sakeena’ which God had sent down upon the hearts/ minds of the Faithful, so that they would increase in Faith unto their own Faith, and the verse ends by stating that to God belong the gathered ‘agents/ forces’ (junood) of the Exalted Expanses and the Earth, and He is the Knowing, the Wise.

Notice the honor of being labeled ‘the Faithful’ by God! Also, this verse shows us that Faith DOES increase, and that ‘sakeena’ is its perfect setting.

IMPORTANT:

Plural noun ‘Junood,’ from Verb ‘janada’:

As we can see below ([ii]) in our more than 1,000 year old Arabic Lexicon the verb ‘janada’ is about gathering/ meeting and helping to serve a purpose.

(It is also related to ‘land’ -as in the five ‘ajnaad’ of ‘Shaam/ Greater Syria’ which are Damascus, Emesa/Homs, Qinsireen near Aleppo, Jordan, and Palestine).

Etymology:

If you are interested in the Etymology of English words, check this out. See for yourself two words on this list: Agenda,’ which is explained as ‘things to be done in a meeting,’ and ‘Hacienda,’ which is about a ‘landed estate, plantation,’ AND originated from ‘agenda’ /things to be done!

When we reread the Arabic definition above we realize that it is almost identical in meaning and pronunciation. In Arabic the verbs are pronounced ‘janada’ and ‘ajnada,’ while the nouns are ‘jund,’ ‘junood,’ ‘ajnaad,’ and could also have the ‘al’ definite article as a prefix.

English Etymology tells us that both ‘agenda’ and ‘hacienda’ are less than 400 years old, and that they have one origin. What we are NOT told, is that they originated in an Arabic word, still found in a Lexicon which is more than 1,000 years old!

Put ‘Etymology’ in ‘Search this Site’ for more Arabic words which migrated into Europe during the period when Arabic was the language of information, innovation, architecture, science, and art… when Arabic was the 'Lingua Franca,’ much as English is today.

3. Then, Verse 5 presents Persuasion, stating that this is ‘so that /li/ ل’ He would enter the Faithful (masc. pl. AND fem. pl.) gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they shall be completely ‘inclined/ nestled’ AND He would cover their misdeeds which, according to God, is a great Deliverance/Salvation (fawz).

Note the difference between the assurance given to the Messenger and that given to the Faithful:

Remember that the former was a private issue, while this relates to people doing wrong against others, and is not a private matter between them and God.

That is why, in the first case, God absolves the ‘thanb’ whereas here He ‘covers /kafara’ the ‘sayyi’aat.’ (TWO completely different situations, which should have been reflected in translation -[iii]). Here, absolution is granted AFTER the wronged person accepts reparation from God, who ‘covers’ for the repentant Faithful person. This shows us that when a person earns the title of ‘Faithful,’ God Himself acts on his/her behalf! That is, indeed, a great Deliverance/Salvation.

New Readers:

Put ‘label’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Put ‘khaalid’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Put ‘fawz’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Put ‘sakeena’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Put ‘Imaan Islaam’ in ‘Search this Site’ to see the important difference between ‘Faith/ Imaan’ and ‘Islaam.’

Put ‘cover kafar' in ‘Search this Site’ to see the etymological connection.

Verse 6 indicates (with the conjunction ‘and’) that this verse, as well as verse 5 are both linked to Verse 4. Here however we have ‘Dissuasion,’ in contrast to the beautiful ‘Persuasion’ of Verse 5, and we see what suffering awaits the ‘Hypocrites/ Munaafiqeen’ and the ‘Associat-ers/ Mushrikeen,’ THE PRESUMERS of adverse/ ‘bad’ presumptions about God: Upon them shall be (shall revolve) the ‘Circle of Adversityدائرة السوء-’ ([iv]), as well as God’s ‘Severity and Strength,’ and He has banished them (from His Favor) and prepared Hell for them, an adverse destination indeed.

Note, dear Reader, that any adverse, ill-feeling and negative presumption we might have with regard to God is, IN ITSELF, what hems us in and suppresses us upon this earth, and what literally encircles us in the end. When we are the source of adversity, broadcasting bad thoughts and ill-feeling, it is only natural and rightful that the culmination of it all shall be upon us. Think how bad things can become for us when our bad thoughts and wrongful presumptions are focused on the SOURCE of all Goodness, and we end up VOIDING it, in our minds?

Regular Readers will recall that we are told to avoid presumption in HQ 49: 12, and that often, presumptions are Hindrance.

Let us all take a good look at our ‘presumptions’ regarding God, and make it a point from now on to replace any negativity by thinking the BEST about God, no matter what might occur in our lives. I think this should become our priority today.

Note:

Mistranslations have not helped us form positive presumptions about God!

Regular Readers will remember that God does NOT ‘get angry/ wrathful,’ and certainly does NOT ‘curse’ anyone.

New Readers:

Put ‘la'ana’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Put ‘ghaDdab' in ‘Search this Site.’

Verse 7 reiterates that to God belong the gathered ‘agents/ forces’ (junood) of the Exalted Expanses and the Earth, ending by saying that He is Invincible, Wise.

4. Verse 8 addresses Muhammad, peace upon him (‘you’ masculine singular), announcing that he was sent as Witness, Bearer of Glad Tidings, and Warner (similar to HQ 33:45).

Then Verse 9 continues (see Ali/ Asad), but here it is addressing the general population: so that YOU (plural) would have faith in God and His Messenger, and (عزر[v]) revere Him/ assist him, exalt Him, and be in constant ‘tasbeeh/ motion/ motivation’ in celebration of His Praise. We mentioned earlier that, according to our Lexicon, ‘tasbeeh’ is related to motion, most similar to ‘swimming in water.’ Arabs have traditionally used this word to describe the fluidity of camels upon the mirage of desert sands, the galloping of horses, the churning of ships through the waves, and people going about their different chores.

So, dear Reader, while we do everything we do throughout the day, we celebrate God’s praise, starting at the earliest part of the day (bukra) until after dark (aSseel -[vi]).

Q. How?

A. Before we go about our daily chores, we wash, then meditate in our ‘pre-sunrise’ prayer to God. After that, throughout the day, we fulfill our duties and do whatever else we do, while feeling that God is our Witness (not simply remembering Him on and off), and trying to do our best, for the love of Him. And as we help lift spirits and try to make this world a better place, we pause three more times (at intervals related to the earth’s motion) to wash and meditate in prayer. Finally, when our day is done, we wash and face God in ritual prayer for the last time in that one day, addressing Him Who was WITH us every moment, hoping that our worship was good enough to offer.

Q. And which part of all that is considered ‘worship?’

A. All of it, even the details, such as the bite we ate or the nap we took. The washing and prayers at minimum would take up altogether around half an hour out of 24. They are what keeps us in focus, and are the bare minimum of our daily acts of worship. Indeed, EVERYTHING we do is an act of worship when we intend it in God’s Direction (wajh Allah وجه الله-).

Q. And to whose benefit is all that ‘worship?’…

A. All I can say is, try it and you’ll find out…

PAGE 512 Arabic Qur’an.

5. Verse 10 speaks of the pledge of allegiance which took place at Hudaybiyyah. Muhammad Asad’s explanation is good, except for the words ‘the hand of God.’ Put ‘yad’ in ‘Search this Site,’ and note that the Arabic word ‘aid’ is about ‘assistance,’ power and ability, and certainly NOT about a limb!

Dear Reader:

If you don’t know much about the history, please check the online PDF version of Martin Lings’ book “Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources.” You can also read the comments of Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Asad, as they explain the background to such verses.

Verse 11 (Ali/ Asad) anticipates what ‘Those who had lagged behind’ of the Bedouin-Arabs would say to the Prophet upon his return to Medina (put ‘lagged behind’ in ‘Search this Site’). Notice that they would allege that it was their businesses and their families which kept them too busy to join him, and then they’d ask him to pray for their forgiveness!

Aren’t these the very same double excuses we still present today when we don’t feel like doing something?

‘Mukhallaf’ مخلّف is not a title any of us would like to earn!

In Verse 12, God Himself responds to them, presenting the REAL reason behind their inaction. Here we hear the ‘voice of God’ clearly, as He reveals their thoughts!

The real reason was that they presumed that the Messenger and the Faithful would never return back to their families! They presumed the adverse presumption (we spoke about that above) and were a ‘purposeless/ unproductive/ barren’ people (بورا).

Dear Reader:

English Etymology tells us that the word ‘barren’ is ‘of obscure derivation.’

Not any more: ‘Barren’ is of Arabic origin; ‘booran’ is not only very similar in pronunciation, but it is also IDENTICAL in meaning.

Put ‘etymology’ in ‘Search this Site.’

6. Then, after revealing their true intentions, Verse 13 follows with dissuasion regarding ‘Those who had no faith’ in God or His Messenger, while Verse 14 states that everything is God’s and it is He Who absolves/ forgives or gives suffering, and He is the Absolver/ Forgiver, the Unceasingly Compassionate.

7. Verse 15 (Ali/ Asad) further exposes the words and intentions of ‘Those who Lagged behind:’ They would actually beg to follow when the Faithful are out to gain something (literally: ‘…when you set out to take procurement..[vii]-غنم). They are then informed that, having lagged behind, they are from then on, forbidden to go out with the Faithful, to which their response shows once again how far they truly are from understanding.

Enough said!

Our next Reading is from HQ 48:16-28

Peace unto all!

[i] نصر: يدلُّ على إتيان خَيرٍ وإيتائه. ونَصَر اللهُ المسلمين: آتاهمُ الظّفرَ على عدوِّهم، ينصرهم نَصْراً.

وأمَّا الإتيانُ فالعرب تقول: نصرت بَلَدَ كذا، إذا أتيتَه.

ولذلك يسمَّى المطرُ نَصْراً. ونُصِرت الأرضُ، فهي منصورة. والنَّصْر: العَطاء.

[ii]جند: يدلُّ على التجمّع والنُّصرة. يقال هم جُنده، أي أعوانه ونُصّاره.

والأجناد: أجناد الشّام وهي خمسة: دمشق، وحِمْصٌ، وقِنَّسْرِينُ، والأُردُنّ، وفِلَسطين. يقال لكلِّ واحدةٍ من هذه جُنْدٌ. وجَنَدٌ: بلدٌ.

[iii] Unfortunately, commentators usually translate ALL these Arabic words(إثم -سيئة -ذنب -خطأ-خطيئة -معصية) as ‘sin,’ and also ALL these words (عفو-مغفرة -تكفير -تجاوز) as ‘forgiveness.’ Each of these words is different!

[iv] (دائرة )

The word appears three times in the Qur’an.

دور: يدلُّ على إحداق الشيء بالشيء من حوالَيه. يقال دارَ يدُور دَوَراناً. والدّوَّارِيُّ: الدَّهر؛ لأنَّه يَدُور بالنَّاس أحوالاً.

والدُّوَار، مثقَّل ومخفّف: حَجَرٌ كان يُؤخذ من الحرم إلى ناحيةٍ ويُطافُ به،ويقولون: هو من جِوار الكعبة التي يُطافُ بها.

والدُّوَار في الرأس هو من الباب، يقال دِير به وأُدِير به، فهو مَدُورٌ به ومُدَار به. والدَّائرة في حَلْق الفرس: شُعَيرات تدور؛ وهي معروفة. ويقال دارت بهم الدوائر، أي الحالات المكروهة أحدقت بهم. والدار أصلها الواو. والدار: القبيلة. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: "ألاَ أُنَبِّئكم بخَيْر دُورِ الأنصار؟". أراد بذلك القبائلَ. ومن ذلك الحديث الآخَر: "فلم تَبْقَ دارٌ إلاّ بُنِي فيها مَسجد". أي لم تَبق قبيلةٌ. والدّارِيُّ: العطّار. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: "مَثَلُ الجليسِ الصَّالحِ كَمثل الدّارِيّ إِنْ لم يُحْذِك مِن عِطره عَلِقَكَ مِن ريحه".أراد العَطَّار. وإنَّما سُمِّي داريّاً من الدّار، أي هو يسكن الدّار. والدّارِيّ: الرجُل المقيم في داره لا يَكاد يَبْرَح.

والدَّارة: أرضٌ سَهلٌة تدور بها جِبال، وفي بِلاد العرب منها داراتٌ كثيرة. وأصل الدار دَارةٌ.

[v] عزر: كلمتان: إحداهما التَّعظيم والنَّصر، والكلمة الأخرى جنسٌ من الضَّرب.

فالأولى النَّصر والتوقير، كقوله تعالى: {وَتُعَزِّرُوهُ وَتُوَقِّرُوهُ} [الفتح 9].

[vi] ‘ASseel’ stands in opposition to ‘bukraبكرة- ’- at the two points of our ‘day:’ At the very earliest, when we wake up and before we go about our chores… and then after dark, when we get ready to settle at home to rest.

The verb ‘sabaha’ as we discussed earlier, is related to motion.

The plural noun (‘aaSsaal’) stands in opposition to ‘ghuduwغدوّ- ’ in the Qur’an… interesting.

[vii] The verb ‘ghanama’ is about ‘procuring’ something, as seen below in our 1,000 year old Lexicon, but has been narrowly translated as ‘war-booty.’

(غنم) الغين والنون والميم أصلٌ صحيح واحد يدلُّ على إفادة شيء لم يُملَك من قبل، ثم يختصّ به ما أُخِذ من مال المشركين بقَهْرٍ وغَلَبة. قال الله تعالى: {وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَيءٍ فَأَنَّ للهِ خُمُسَهُ وَلِلرَّسُولِ} [الأنفال 41]. ويقولون: غُنَامَاكَ أنْ تفعل كذا، أي غايتُك والأمر الذي تتغنَّمه. وغَنْمٌ: قبيلة. ولعلَّ اشتقاقَ الغَنَم من هذا، وليس ببعيد.

Day 253; Qur’an 48:1-3; page 511

2010-11-23T08:28:00.000Z

Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan

Welcome to the Chapter titled ‘Al Fat-H’ or ‘The Opening.’

I consider the explanation of this word VERY important, and do hope that you will agree. Please read this post carefully, and notice how dangerous it is to mis-translate. One misstep always leads to another, and we stray farther and farther from Qur’anic intent!

Yusuf Ali’s Translation of our new Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’s Translation of our new Chapter.

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

سورة الفتح

The Opening/ ‘The Victory’

From Yusuf Ali’s Introduction:

“This is the second of the group of three Madinah Surahs... Its date is fixed by the mention of Treaty of Hudaybiyah, Dhu al Qadah A.H. 6 i.e. February 628.”

From Muhammad Asad’s Introduction:

“In the consensus of all the authorities, the surah commemorating this victory was revealed during the Prophet's return march from Hudaybiyyah to Medina.”

COMMENTS:

Al Fat-Hh; a word SO misunderstood! Al Fat-Hh literally means ‘The Opening.’

‘Al Fat-Hh’ was revealed in the 6^th year after Emigration to Medina, right after the Treaty of Hudaybiyya between ‘Those who had attained Faith’ and the ‘Idolaters of Mecca’ had taken place. This treaty was a crucial turning point in the history of the Faith.

This verse was so titled because it discussed the ‘Opening,’ the ‘break,’ the OPPORTUNITY to spread the Message, thanks to the Peace Treaty.

See Commentator’s notes in footnote below ([i]) and connotations of the word ‘opening’ in English thesaurus (‘opening’ indicates ‘opportunity’ in any language!).

PAGE 511 Arabic Qur’an.

1. The words ‘We have opened for you a manifest/evident Opening..’ might be explained today by saying that God had ‘occasioned’ for the Messenger a ‘great opportunity.’ Anyone who knows the story of the Prophet’s Life, peace upon him, can easily see the historical context of this verse and grasp the importance of this occasion.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT:

From the Notes of Yusuf Ali:

“This is best referred to the Treaty of Hudaibiya, for which see the Introduction to this Sura. By this Treaty the Makkan Quraish, after many years of unrelenting conflict with Islam, at length recognised Islam as (what they thought) an equal power with themselves. In reality the door was then opened for the free spread of Islam throughout Arabia and thence through the world.”

From the Notes of Muhammad Asad:

“Namely, the moral victory achieved by the Truce of Hudaybiyyah, which opened the doors to the subsequent triumph of Islam in Arabia (see introductory note, which explains many allusions to this historic event found in the subsequent verses).”

But although the Qur’an does contain documented history, it is not to be considered an outdated ‘historical document.’ The Qur’an is for all Time, which is why we have to understand its words based on Qur’anic Context as well as Linguistic Definition.

DEFINITION:

Our more than 1,000 year old Lexicon tells us that there is only one meaning to the verb ‘fataHha فَتَحَ-’ which is simply the opposite of ‘ighlaaq إغلاق- or to close/ shut’ as we can see in our 1,000 year old Lexicon ([ii]). The noun would be ‘fat-Hh’ or ‘opening,’

Dear Reader:

The chapter at the beginning of the Qur’an is the ‘faatiHha/ the OpenER’ -and this chapter is the OpenING.

However, translators who had already used the word ‘Opening’ as a title for the first chapter, used the word ‘Victory’ for this chapter (‘victory’ is a secondary connotation of the word ‘fat-Hh’ as we see in the Lexicon).

QUR’ANIC CONTEXT:

VERB:

Although the verb ‘fataHhnaa فتحنا-’ appears six times in the Qur’an, it is only this once that it appears in a positive sense, using (li-ل-) as in ‘lakaلك-’: ‘We have opened FOR you…’ while elsewhere it is followed by ('ala على- ) as in ‘aleyhimعليهم- ’: ‘We have opened UPON/ AGAINST them...’

Why this difference?

Because here it is addressing the Messenger, assuring him of the positive conclusion to this ‘opening’ (unlike when it is about us, and being dependent on our deeds, could bring us either a negative or positive conclusion).

Regular Readers will remember our discussion about the difference between ‘kataba li’ and ‘kataba ala.’

NOUN:

The noun ‘Al Fat-Hh’ is also mentioned six times in the Qur’an, always as THE ‘Opening’ which favors ‘Those who had Attained Faith.’

Read these verses and note how the word seems mostly to indicate the final ‘Opening’ of Mecca’s gates to the Faithful, which was promised to them in HQ 61: 13 and which eventually took place with hardly any fighting.

The precursor to THE ‘Opening’ (of Mecca) was the evident/ manifest ‘Opening’ we are discussing today; ie. the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.

MIS-TRANSLATION:

The ‘Opening’ ‘Al Fat-H’ is NOT about ‘Conquest!’

Unfortunately however, that is how the word Fat’H has come to be commonly misinterpreted and misapplied.

Take a look for yourself, dear Reader: The word ‘conquest’ is NOT found in any of these TEN side-by-side translations (click ‘Translations’ tab). However, it HAS been translated as ‘conquest’ in the 1997 publication by Sahih International, Riyadh!

2. The question is:

Why did the word ‘conquest’ suddenly appear in a ‘reputable’ translation?

Why, at that particular point in time?

Was this radical concept portraying existing mentality, or were such concepts the cause for the change of mentality? After 9/11, Muslims were branded as ‘jihaadists’ and ‘glorifiers of conquest.’ Was that just a perception, or were we actually going in that direction? Today, extremist rhetoric and action are still on the rise, on all sides. The mindless prattle is unbelievable. Sadly, many people believe it.

How much of what is taking place today is due to gross mis-explanation of the Qur’an?

We ‘Muslims’ often say that ‘religious’ people of other faiths have ‘strayed’ from their original scriptures, but so have we. Indeed, our ‘straying’ is less understandable, simply because the ORIGINAL Arabic Compilation exists in every one of our homes and mosques, and is recited by us day and night.

The fact is that that things will continue to get worse, until we begin to understand the Qur’an as revealed, and NOT as explained.

Think statistics, dear Reader:

By 2020, one out of FOUR people on this earth will be Muslim.

By 2075, one out of THREE people on this earth will be Muslim.

Shouldn’t it be a priority for ALL seekers of Peace and Prosperity, to help the next generation of Humanity breach the gross discrepancy that exists between the original Arabic Qur’an, and the defective understanding of it?

Building a just Peace should be our highest civic duty ([iii]).

We’ve digressed enough. Now back to our verses.

3. After the first verse announces a ‘manifest/evident Opening..’ the second verse begins by informing the Prophet directly that this is so that God would absolve him of any prior and later Repercussion/ thanb (he had entailed).

As we mentioned earlier, the word ‘thanb’ does not mean ‘sin.’ It is a private shortcoming, between us and God, where we wrong our own selves and entail repercussion in life.

Note: This is literal: ‘thanab’ means ‘tail!’

When we commit a ‘Thanb’ (on its own) it means we have done (or failed to do) something that does not infringe upon other people’s liberties or rights. It remains a private affair between us and God, absolved by Him when we sincerely seek absolution. However, when a ‘thanb’ couples with a ‘sayyi’ah’ ([iv]) affecting someone else, absolution becomes conditional: the wronged person has to forgive us first!

So this is not about any ‘wrongdoing’ on the Prophet’s part, but rather about any ‘repercussion’ he might have entailed.

Check 10 side-by-side translations and note:

Some say ‘thanb’ are ‘faults’ (Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Asad included).

Others say they are sins.

STRANGEST however, is what M. H. Shakir wrote:

“That Allah may forgive your community their past faults and those to follow and complete His favor to you and keep you on a right way, (M. H. Shakir)

Your ‘COMMUNITY? THEIR faults? There are no such words in the Arabic, nor are they gleaned from the context.

I suspect that this interpreter could not conceive of the Prophet having any ‘faults’ or ‘committing any sins,’ hence the intrusive words. But he should have put them between brackets, rather than state that God said them.

Dear Reader: Mistakes will be made no matter how careful we are, so PLEASE point out to me any of mine which you verify (after your own research). I’d be eternally grateful to you.

4. ‘We have opened for you a manifest/evident Opening.

So that God would absolve you of any prior and later Repercussion, and fulfill upon you His Favor, and guide /gift you a Straightened path. ([v])

The Peace Treaty was of supreme importance. It was the setting in which hearts and minds began to open. In time, it facilitated the fulfillment of God’s Favor/Bounty… and set people on the guided course towards the Straightened Path.

Peace should never be lost sight of. Peace should be a Believer’s goal, upheld at all times, with dignity and justice.

Peace is at the core of productivity, growth, abundance, love, happiness, awareness, and wellbeing.

Peace is our greeting to the world: ‘Salaamul- Lahi aleykum,’ ‘May God’s Peace be upon you all!’

Enough said!

Our next Reading is from HQ 48:4-16.

Peace unto all!

[i] Yusuf Ali tells us about it here.

From Muhammad Asad:

“The Truce of Hudaybiyyah was to prove of the greatest importance to the future of Islam. For the first time in six years peaceful contacts were established between Mecca and Medina, and thus the way was opened to the penetration of Islamic ideas into the citadel of Arabian paganism. The Meccans who had occasion to visit the Muslim camp at Hudaybiyyah returned deeply impressed by the spirit and the unity of Muhammad's followers, and many of them began to waver in their hostility towards the faith preached by him. As soon as the perennial warfare came to an end and people of both sides could meet freely, new converts rallied around the Prophet, first in tens, then in hundreds, then in thousands - so much so that when the pagan Quraysh broke the truce two years after its Conclusion, the Prophet could and did occupy Mecca almost without resistance. Thus, in fact if not in appearance, the Truce of Hudaybiyyah ushered in the moral and political victory of Islam over all Arabia.”

See full PDF- scroll down to ‘Forty-Eighth Sura… it’s VERY interesting!

[ii] فـتح: يدلُّ على خلافِ الإغلاق.

يقال: فتحت البابَ وغيرَه فتحاً. ثمَّ يحمل على هذا سائرُ ما في هذا البناء.

والفَتح: الماء يَخرُج من عينٍ أو غيرها. والفَتْح. النَّصر والإظفار. واستفتحت: استَنْصَرت.

[iii]

PEACE is CRUCIAL for GROWTH.

We have already discussed Awareness, which is our highest inner goal. Without Tranquility/ Sakeenah there can be no growth in Awareness. Indeed, as we have mentioned earlier, the opposite of Awareness is NOT ‘unawareness.’

So how can we grow in ‘awareness’ when there is no peace?

The opposite of Awareness is Aggression. One can only be present in the absence of the other.

Regular Readers: Remember the story of the two sons of Adam, ‘Cain and Abel,’ the Aggressor and the Aware.

New Readers: Put ‘taqwa udwaan’ in ‘Search this Site.’

There is so much resentment in the world today, and all sides feel ‘wronged,’ while in reality we are all wronging ourselves. I agree with the saying that goes:

‘Resentment is the poison you drink, while hoping it will kill your enemy.’

And then there are so many lies! People are lying left and right about the Qur’an and about each other. I feel sorry for such persons. In a prejudicial state a person can never grow in Awareness. People’s lies show where they stand, not only as Cognizant Humans, but also as proponents of their own Faith which upholds Truth and addresses the Creator in any language.

Dear Reader: No matter how enthusiastic a ‘Peace-Builder’ feels, s/he cannot successfully address divisive issues without understanding the Qur’an… which makes Iqrathechallenge of PARAMOUNT importance today.

[iv] A ‘sayyi’ah’ is a bad ‘deed’ committed against others.

[v] Please see our earlier post for crucial information regarding the following verse:

“…At this point in time/this day the Deniers have despaired of your Standard of Accountability دينكم (seeing its prevalence and yours), so do not hold them in awe, but stand in awe of Me; on this day I have brought to completion* for you, your Standard of Accountability, and I have fulfilled upon you, my Favor, and I have approved, for you, Purity in Reverence/ Islam as a Standard of Accountability…”