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Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view.
COMMENTS:
PAGE 213 Arabic Qur’an.
1. Today we continue the serious topic of ‘shirk,' regarding those who ‘associate partners with God,’ as the verses present people with a challenge, asking them to use their own minds to evaluate:
Who is indeed worthy of being worshipped?
This section is full of interactive questions, and the Qureish/listeners often find the arguments clinched by what Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, is told to say. Many of today’s verses are addressed to him.
(Although Verse 34 is well-translated by both Asad and Ali -and we DO love their commentaries- Asad has added the word ‘minds’ which is not in the Arabic).
2. Verse 36 states a fact, telling us that misguided people are actually following nothing but presumption or conjecture (copy + paste تبع إلا الظن in Tanzil). We already encountered something similar in HQ 6:116, 148.
"Thann- "ظن is the opposite of ‘yaqeen- يقين’ which means ‘certainty.’ The word appears 8 times in the Qur’an (copy + paste all these words together يقين -صديق –فريق in Tanzil).
There is a powerful Chapter called ‘al Haaqah الحاقَّة-’ (the Implementer of Truth) where the verses start out by asking us whether we realize what the ‘Implementer of Truth is, and then pounds out of our memories the fates of bygone Deniers, until we find out that the ‘Implementer of Truth’ is Judgment Day. On that day Truth and Reality shall be implemented for all to behold and experience. Read the following and notice, at the end, what THE TRUE CERTAINTY is:
[69:38-52] according to Asad:
BUT NAY! I call to witness all that you can see * as well as all that you cannot see! * Behold, this [Qur’ān] is indeed the [inspired] word of a noble apostle, * and is not – however little you may [be prepared to] believe it – the word of a poet; * and neither is it – however little you may [be prepared to] take it to heart – the word of a soothsayer:* [it is] a revelation from the Sustainer of all the worlds.* Now if he [whom We have entrusted with it] had dared to attribute some [of his own] sayings unto Us, * We would indeed have seized him by his right hand, * and would indeed have cut his life-vein, * and none of you could have saved him! * And, verily, this [Qur’ān] is a reminder to all the God-conscious. * And, behold, well do We know that among you are such as will give the lie to it: * yet, behold, this [rejection] will indeed become a source of bitter regret for all who deny the truth [of God’s revelation]* for, verily, it is truth absolute! * Extol, then, the limitless glory of thy Sustainer’s mighty name!
3. Verse 37 is very important in that it helps us differentiate between the Compilation- ‘kitaab’ and the Qur’an, and brings us closer to defining ‘Qur’an’ (please take note of this, as we are beginning to build on what we already know.)
This verse adds more information, telling us that the Qur’an is:
· A Confirmation of what had earlier appeared.
· A Defining Exposition تفصيل to the Compilation.
–فصل ‘fasala [i]’ means to distinguish one part from another. There is more in HQ 11:1; 41:3.
As we already know, the Qur’an and the Kitaab are not synonymous; the Qur’an defines and distinguishes what the Kitaab contains. See Posting of March 21st.
Verse 39 tells us WHY PEOPLE DENY OR BELIE the Qur’an (or any truth!). They do so because they have not understood it, and its implication has not come across to them!
This highlights our responsibility, as Believers, to make the Qur’an both desirable and accessible. Desirable, in that people would seek it because of the good they see in us. Accessible, in that we welcome all those who approach it.
But we cannot understand it, nor get its implication, without Arabic…
This emphasizes the responsibility of Muslim educators AND parents to whom Childhood offers a fleeting opportunity: Every Muslim child should be taught Arabic, even if parents themselves do not know it.
As for those of us who do know Arabic: WE are entrusted to carry Qur’anic implication across to others. I cannot imagine a bigger responsibility, placed on our shoulders in this verse and made even graver at the end:
“..therefore observe the end-result of those who wronged themselves!”
Yet, some do believe/will believe and some don’t/won’t- it is God who knows the corrupters well (verse 40).
The Messenger, peace upon him, is told in verse 41 to openly revoke the deeds of the idol-worshippers; each is responsible for his own.
PAGE 214 Arabic Qur’an.
5. Verse 42 shows us the relationship between a ‘deaf’ ear and a closed mind.
Verse 43 shows us the relationship between a ‘blind’ eye and lack of perception.
After mentioning those who have ‘closed their ears and eyes’ (to the Messenger himself), verse 44 assures us that it is not God who wrongs people in the least, but it is people who wrong their own selves. They do NOT realize this, until too late, when their entire life, in hind-sight, seems like a single hour in a day (Verse 45).
6. Verses 46-47-48-49 are addressed to Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, as well as his people who are asking when God’s warning shall come to pass. Here we clearly hear God’s ‘voice’ as He mentions the possible death of His Messenger, and tells him to explain his inability at controlling his own harm or good fortune! Verses such as these have convinced many a skeptic that the Qur’an is not of human origin.
7. Verses 50-51-52-53 continue the dialogue, with commands such as ‘Say!’ and questions such as ‘…what do they rush?’ and ‘What....? NOW?” as well as forewarning scenes and words, which can be avoided by awareness, such as ‘..Taste everlasting suffering!”
Our Reading today ends with Qureish’s question about the Hereafter, ‘Is it indeed True?’ to which the Messenger is told to respond:
“Yes, indeed, by My Lord! It is true and you will not escape it!”
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ 10: 54-70.
Peace unto all!
[i] (فصل) تمييز الشَّيء. من الشَّيء وإبانته عنه. يقال: فَصَلْتُ الشَّيءَ فَصْلاً. والفَيْصل: الحاكم. والفَصِيل: ولدُ النَّاقةِ إذا افتُصِلَ عن أُمِّه. والمِفْصَل: اللِّسان، لأنَّ به تُفصَل الأمور وتميَّز. والمفاصل: مَفاصل العِظام. والمَفْصِل: ما بين الجبلَيْن، والجمع مَفاصل. والفَصِيل: حائطٌ دونَ سُور المدينة.
