.jpg)
Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view.
COMMENTS:
1. Verses 55- 57 mention the Deniers who continue to doubt God’s Signs until the Hour is suddenly upon them, or until their Suffering on a barren Day… ‘when all Dominion is God’s Alone’…
After that we have dissuasion and persuasion, as we see the consequences for those who attained Faith and did good deeds, versus those who Denied and belied God’s Signs.
2. Verses 58- 59 are about the beautiful rewards of those who, after having emigrated in the way of God, were slain or simply died (‘Haleemحليم- ’which is one of God’s Attributes does NOT mean ‘forbearing’.
Verse 60 is about ‘retaliation,’ and is well-explained by Asad, whose notes on HQ 16:126 should also be read.
Then, the next six verses present listeners with Signs of creation around them, ending each verse with God’s Attributes (from Muhammad Assad’s explanation, except for mine in red).
These are powerful verses, about Night and Day penetrating each other, about Truth and Falsehood, Rain and Vegetation, Heavens and Earth, Terra firma and Ocean… each verse ending with Gods Attributes:
.. for, verily, God – He alone – is the Best of Providers;
.. for, verily, God is All-knowing, Immune to haste (or reactionary response[i]).
.. for, behold, God is indeed An Absolver of sins, Much-Forgiving.
.. because God is All-hearing, All-seeing.
.. because God alone is Exalted, Great!
.. Verily, God is Unfathomable [in His wisdom], all-aware.
.. and, verily, God – He alone – is Self sufficient, the One to Whom all praise is due.
.. Verily, God is Gracious[ii] towards Humans, Unceasingly Compassionate.
.. for, verily, God is All-knowing, Immune to haste (or reactionary response[i]).
.. for, behold, God is indeed An Absolver of sins, Much-Forgiving.
.. because God is All-hearing, All-seeing.
.. because God alone is Exalted, Great!
.. Verily, God is Unfathomable [in His wisdom], all-aware.
.. and, verily, God – He alone – is Self sufficient, the One to Whom all praise is due.
.. Verily, God is Gracious[ii] towards Humans, Unceasingly Compassionate.
3. Actually, ALL the verses in this section (Verses 58- 65), end with God’s Attributes, and are beautiful to read or listen to in Arabic.
Think of their impact:
Eight eloquent verses AND fifteen of God’s Beautiful Attributes standing-in stark contrast- to the following statement (Verse 66):
“And it is He Who gave you (all) Life, then shall cause you (all) to die; indeed the (unaware) Human is a Denier!”
‘Indeed, the (unheedful) Human is a Denier..’ what a contrast, and what an attribute for most Humans!
4. As Regular Readers know, it is up to us to fall into this category or not, as we do have a choice to make, between ‘shukr’ (accepting what is little and making the most of it until it achieves abundance) and ‘kufr’ (covering the benefit/ denying what we are given).
[76:1]
HAS THERE [not] been an endless span of time before man [appeared – a time] when he was not yet a thing to be thought of?
[76:2]
Verily, it is We who have created man out of a drop of sperm intermingled, so that We might try him [in his later life]: and therefore We made him a Being endowed with hearing and sight.
[76:3]
Verily, We have shown him the way: [and it rests with him to prove himself] either a ‘shakir’ (Productive acceptor of bounties), or a ‘kafoor’ Denier.
HAS THERE [not] been an endless span of time before man [appeared – a time] when he was not yet a thing to be thought of?
[76:2]
Verily, it is We who have created man out of a drop of sperm intermingled, so that We might try him [in his later life]: and therefore We made him a Being endowed with hearing and sight.
[76:3]
Verily, We have shown him the way: [and it rests with him to prove himself] either a ‘shakir’ (Productive acceptor of bounties), or a ‘kafoor’ Denier.
5. Verse 67 mentions the different rites which God has rendered to different communities… which are NOT supposed to be reason for discord. The verse also commands the Messenger to invite people to His Lord, and tells him that he is on Guidance, Straight
In Verses 68- 69- 70 he is told how to respond to their ‘jadal,’ with God’s Knowledge of their deeds and His Judgment between them on the Day of Resurrection, and the assurance given him that God knows everything in the Heavens and on Earth, all of which is in a Compilation, all of which is ‘easy,’
6. Verses 71-72 describe their worship of ‘other than God,’ and their denial upon hearing God’s Evident Signs, to which the Messenger is told to warn them with Hellfire and a most unpleasant destination/journey’s end (Ali/Asad).
7. Dear Readers:
Did you notice the Ramadan Calendar posted today?
“Ramadan is not simply the ‘Month of Muslim Fast.’
It is ‘Mubarak,’ of Abiding Benefit, to those who make full use of it:
Ramadan is a time of Re-evaluation, Refocus, Rebirth, and Re-growth!”
Ramadan
(1)
Ramadan is the month of Fasting for those who seek atonement and purification, as well as self-growth and actualization. By abstaining from food, drink, and marital relations during the daytime hours, and curbing negative thoughts and deeds throughout the month, our emphasis is shifted from our physical to our mental/spiritual Self. This exercise in decisively ignoring our physical tendencies and willfully suppressing their earthbound ‘chatter’ allows us to hear the higher Selves we had drowned out… a dimension to our Potential which not only yearns for its Source, but also has the ability to reach Him.
Fasting is not unique to believers in the Qur’an, but was prescribed to believers in previous Compilations:
“O you who believe:
Fasting has been prescribed to you as it had been prescribed to those before you so that you may gain Awareness.”
HQ 2:183
Self-restraint is the most important ASSET, born of Awareness.
It is the Restraint of our Lesser Selves which allows our Higher Selves to gain Independence.
Ramadan is about recognizing our Complete Selves.
Ramadan is about gaining Awareness and Independence.
Enough said!
Our Ramadan discussion is to be continued, God-willing.
Do join in, dear Readers!
Our next Reading is from HQ 22:73-78, 23:1-17; a new Chapter!
Peace unto all!
[i] Muhamad Asad translated ‘Haleem’ as ‘Forbearing,’ but I find it has nothing to do with ‘forbearance’ which is an exemplary trait in humans facing stress. ‘Hilm’ is related to being immune to Haste or Reaction.
حلم: أصولٌ ثلاثة: الأول ترك العَجَلة، والثاني تثقُّب الشيء، والثالث رُؤية الشيء في المنام. وهي متباينةٌ جدَّاً.
فالأوّل: الحِلْم خلافُ الطَّيش. يقال حَلُمْتُ عنه أحلُم، فأنا حليمٌ.
والأصل الثاني: قولهم حَلِمَ الأَديمُ إذا تثَقَّبَ وفسَدَ؛ وذلك أنْ يقع فيه دوابُّ تفسدُه.
والثالث قد حَلَمَ في نومه حُلْماً وحُلُماً.
[ii] ‘Ra’oof’ denotes gentleness, graciousness…I found it difficult to explain ‘Ra’oof and Raheem’ together, as both denote compassion, with a difference. This needs further thought. Perhaps the only way we can show the subtleties is by using compound words.
رأف: تدلُّ على رِقّة ورحمة، وهي الرّأفة. يقال رَؤُفَ يَرْؤُف رأْفةً ورآفة، على فَعْلةٍ وفَعَالة. قال الله جلّ وعلا:{وَلاَ تَأْخُذْكُمْ بِهِما رَأْفَةٌ فِي دِينِ اللهِ} [النور 2]، وقرئت: {رَآفَةٌ}، ورجل رؤوف على فَعُول، ورَؤُف [على] فَعُل.
