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Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
COMMENTS:
1. Verse 66-68 continues in its discussion of the Hypocrites saying that, HAD they done what they were advised, they would have felt steadier and would have been indeed guided to a Straight Path. Yusuf Ali’s note 585 mentions that the Qur’an offers four advantages of obedience to God, given in the order in which they would appeal to a ‘beginner’ in Faith: Firstly, that it is for one’s own benefit, secondly that it would strengthen one’s Faith, thirdly it would grant them a mighty reward, and finally, it would guide them to a straight path.
2. Verse 69:
"And whoever obeys God and the Messenger, such people shall be with those upon whom God has bestowed His Blessings: of the Prophets, the Truthful, the Witnesses, and the Righteous, and how goodly are such for company!"
Note: The word translated here as ‘Truthful’ is ‘Siddeeqeen’ صدّيقين – and we know one of them mentioned in another verse; she is the Mother of Jesus, called a ‘Siddeeqa’ (HQ5:75).
Verses 69-70 show us the reward of obeying God and His Messenger, and that it is a bounty of God.
3. Verse 71 tells the Faithful to ready be fully prepared against danger (here meaning war).
Verses 72-73 describe those whose hearts remain tied up in the commodities of this world, while verse 74 invites those who have chosen the Hereafter, to fight in God’s cause , telling them that, whether killed or victorious, theirs will be a great reward.
4. Verse 75starts off with the question, “And what is amiss with you that you do not fight..?” indicating ‘no moral excuse for such a refusal,’ especially since there are helpless people who are suffering and depending on someone to bring them relief! This part is heart-wrenching. Verse 76 shows the difference between 2 causes and tells believers to fight the friends of Satan for his guile is weak indeed. According to Muhammad Asad (note 90):
“Thus the Qur’an implies that evil is not an independent, esoteric factor of life but rather a result of man’s succumbing to the temptations arising from his own moral weakness and thereby ‘denying the truth.’ In other words the power of the negative principle symbolized by Satan has no intrinsic reality…”
5. Verse 77 shows us how people prove their worth under pressure, and how the Hypocrites fear/stand in awe of people even more than they fear/stand in awe of God (Ali/Asad). Regardless, Death will catch up with them wherever they may be (read Yusuf Ali’s note 597).
6. The Hypocrites (verses 78-79) blame others for their own misfortunes, and forget that people tend to suffer the consequence of the choices which they –and other humans- make!
Well-explained by Muhammad Asad in note 94.
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ4:80-91.
Peace unto all!
