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Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view
COMMENTS:
1. Our Reading today begins with (Verses 77- 78- 79) Moses receiving ‘wahi وحي-’ as God conveys to him to depart by night, WITH His Worshippers. Notice how he is commanded to ‘hit/strike’ for them a firm passage through the sea, without fearing anything (and certainly without fear of Pharaoh catching-up with them).
Pharaoh and his soldiers DO follow, and are overcome by the waters; Pharaoh is announced to have been someone who misguided his people; someone who, in fact, FAILED to guide his people, as should have been the duty of a true Leader!
(Remember HQ 11:96-99: Just as Pharaoh led his people to Denial and Death in Life, so shall he lead them into the Fire on Resurrection Day! Leadership is a HUGE responsibility.)
2. In the following verses (80- 81- 82), God speaks to Bani Isra-eel directly, offering them His Bounty even as He warns them not to transgress, for anyone who transgresses will earn God’s Condemnation… and anyone who earns God’s Condemnation will plummet (towards their own destruction).
Notice the beauty of Verse 82:
God is Oft-forgiving to someone who:
· Repents,
· and Attains Faith,
· and Works good Deeds,
· after which (thummaثم- ) s/he is Guided!
Here we have the 3 steps to Guidance, and the 4 steps that merit Oft-Forgiveness. What we also understand from this, dear Reader, is that people who are ‘guided’ will still make mistakes. Their mistakes however, are short-lived: No sooner do they make them, than they realize what they have done, and they go through the cycle:
Repentance, Reaffirmation of Faith, Rectifying the wrongs committed, and Returning to the path of Guidance.
This is part of the Standard by which God holds us ALL accountable; well-detailed and explained by all God’s Messengers, peace upon them.
3. In Verses 83- 84- 85 we listen-in on an exchange between God and Moses, and we notice how Moses was asked why he had hastened away from his people. Moses’ response was that he had hastened to his Lord, seeking His Acceptance. This shows us how driven he must have felt towards his Lord, especially since he had an ‘audience’ with him unlike any other Messenger!
4. In Verses 86- 91 we are told how the ‘calf-worship’ came about, as Moses’ people explain themselves to him. We notice how they did not listen to Aaron who reminded them of their Lord, Al Rahmaan, The Creator.
Then in Verse 92- 94 we see Moses’ angry exchange with his brother, who explains that during Moses’ absence, his focus was on the command he had given him: To maintain the unity of Bani Isra-eel.
The next verses (95- 97) discuss the issue of the Saamiri السامري who was the instigator of the entire ‘calf-worship’ episode.
The Saamiri may have been their ‘Story-Teller,’ from the root-verb ‘samaraسمر- ’- which means ‘to gather for friendly conversation after dark.’ The Saamiri seems to have understood all too well the Messenger (Moses’) teachings, and perhaps realized what a loss (to him) this new Faith would cause, and felt inclined to discard the most important part of the Messenger’s teachings: The belief in the One, Unseen, God.
To us today, this is Gheyb and if we elaborate, we will have to speculate:
Elaboration is Deviance, so we might as well stop here. Anyway, read Asad’s comments on Verse 96.
Verse 98 reaffirms the Faith.
5. In Verse 99 the Qur’an readdresses Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, telling him that these are the narratives of the Past.
As Yusuf Ali indicates: THIS is not second-hand information (as other narratives might be), but one delivered directly from God.
Then we notice in Verses 100- 101 that anyone who turns away from this Reminder shall bear the burden, the responsibility, of doing so… at the time of Resurrection.
6. Verses 102- 107 describe Resurrection- when there is a ‘quickening نفخ-’ of Events… when Evil-earners are gathered together- confused as to the length of their earthly sojourn… when the mountains collapse. Yusuf Ali calls this a ‘Rude Awakening.’
Verses 108- 109 show us how, on that Day, everyone will follow the Summons to final Judgment… when all voices are subdued before Al Rahmaan, The Creator… and none can intercede unless The Creator allows and accepts.
Verses 110- 111- 112 tell us that, at that time, there shall be only One Direction; all are directed towards Him: The Living, The Self-Subsistent Fount of all being!
7. Verses 113- 114 tell us that this Qur’an is Arabi. It is Eloquently Self-Expressive, wherein God has forewarned in detail so that people could be Aware, and so that Remembrance –Thikr- could take place.
Exalted is God, the Sovereign, the Truth…
Finally, the Messenger is told not to hasten in the Qur’an before it has been conveyed to him in full. This offers us yet another indication as to the meaning of the word ‘Qur’an,’ and might indicate the need to proceed slowly through the 6 components of IQRA.
Reminder:
The SIX components to the root verb ‘qara’a قرأ-’- (as found in our 1,000 year-old Arabic lexicon (summarized here):
1. Gathering the information.
2. Carrying it (retaining it).
3. Proceeding with purpose.
4. Bearing witness to it.
5. Being timely.
6. Being hospitable.
And if anyone needs further proof, please note that this beautiful verse, which begins by glorifying God the True Sovereign, goes on to mention the Qur'an and the need for the Messenger not to hasten through it, and then ends with the command to ask his Lord to increase his Knowledge...وقل ربِّ زدني علما.. Information processing- full circle!
(For detailed information on Kitaab versus Qur'an, put 'static' in 'Search this Site.' For IQRA put 'components iqra.')
Enough said!
(For detailed information on Kitaab versus Qur'an, put 'static' in 'Search this Site.' For IQRA put 'components iqra.')
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ 20: 115-135 End of Chapter.
Peace unto all!
