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Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
Today we shall understand more clearly the definition of ‘sayyi’aat’ سيئات… or ‘wrongs/ injuries committed against others,’ even as we begin to realize our worth to God and to Creation!
Creation has indeed been manifested…. for us Cognizant Humans.
And the Day/ Term of Account is something we should be constantly aware of!
Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view.
COMMENTS:
Yesterday we learnt that ‘The Arch-Bearers’ are in constant appeal for the well-being of ‘Those who attained Faith.’
We heard their appeal, as explained by Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Asad, who translated ‘sayyi’aat سيئات-’ as ‘ills’ and ‘evil deeds’.
Today we shall try to better understand what they are asking God for.
They are constantly asking God the following:
1. FORGIVE/ PARDON all those who repented and followed Your path.
2. PROTECT them from the suffering of Hell.
3. ADMIT them into the Everlasting Gardens, together with all Doers of Good from among their parents, spouses, and progeny.
4. PROTECT them from committing ‘sayyi’aat,’ wrongs/ injuries…and whomever You protect from committing wrongs/injuries, You have indeed been Merciful to, and that is the supreme Salvation/ Deliverance (فوز).
Here, dear Reader, we note that:
· It is the ‘sayyi’aat’ –the wrongs/injuries committed against others- which they are asking God to protect the Believers from.
· Such protection is in itself Mercy from Him.
· The supreme Salvation of Believers is measured by their success in REFRAINING from committing wrongs injuries against others!
Don’t we feel grateful to God for having helped us differentiate between the two words ‘thanb’ and ‘sayyi’ah,’ which most scholars have used interchangeably?
(We previously explained ‘sayyi’ah’ as ‘misdeed’ .. but perhaps ‘injury’ is best as it shows that our deed has someone else as its ‘object.’ Let me know what you think, dear Reader.
New Readers: See footnote[i], and put ‘thanb’ in ‘Search this Site.’ Put ‘misdeed’ in ‘Search this Site.’
1. In Verses 10-12 we ‘listen’ to an exchange which seems to be taking place in the Hereafter.
It is announced to the Deniers that their constant denial/refusal of the Invitation to Faith in God Alone, whilst associating ‘partners’ to Him, is of more ‘extreme dislike’ or ‘loathing’ ([ii]مقت) to God than the loathing they now feel for their own Selves. This, while all Judgment is to Him, Most High and Most Great.
Notice in Tanzil which of human deeds are considered ‘loathsome.’
(Dear Reader:
We must beware of promoting ourselves by presenting any merits we do not possess. This is considered ‘loathsome’ by God even if, or perhaps especially when coming from a person of Faith!)
2. Meanwhile, the Deniers ask to be released (from their predicament), admitting to their ‘thunoob,’ ذنوب)- the wrongs which begin between them and God) as they mention that God brought them to ‘death’ twice and to ‘life’ twice.
It is interesting to note that there are those who believe that such verses allude to ‘reincarnation,’ which is NOT supported by Qur’anic evidence.
The Qur’an tells us that:
· ‘Death’ is the initial stage we started out from before life (كنتم أمواتا فأحياكم).
· After Life, we shall be brought to death, and to life again (which is why we may be considered ‘twice’ dead/dying and ‘twice’ alive/living).
Although the sequence mentioned in the Qur’an is that we are first ‘brought to life’ and then ‘to death’ (يحيي ويميت), it is absolutely clear that we are accountable for our life on earth الحياة الدنيا….for THIS one immediate /lowly Life - هذه الحياة الدنيا – and no other.
3. Verse 13 mentions God’s sustenance, which causes Remembrance in Those who wholeheartedly Return to God – may we be among them.. (put ‘muneeb’ in ‘Search this Site’).
In Verse 14 we are told to call upon God, PURIFYING our Accountability to Him مخلصين له الدين. This concept of being accountable to God Alone, is one which the Deniers are averse to… and is also one which many of us today do not fully grasp (put ‘pure accountability’ in ‘Search this Site’).
Please see our Posting of Oct 24th where we discussed this important concept, and note the ten times it appears in the Qur’an (as worshipping God Alone 4 times, and calling on God Alone 6 times).
· ‘Rafee’ul darajaat رفيع الدرجات-:’
As we said earlier, Commentators have not explained the word ‘daraja’ well, mistranslating it as ‘rank.’ If the concept of ‘rank’ did not make sense in other verses, here it makes even less sense:
How can God be of ‘high ranks’? Why is ‘ranks’ plural, and in comparison to whose ranks are His considered… ‘high’…? (May God forgive us!)
However, the truth is that Daraja denotes motion in Arabic, as in ‘to step’ or proceed forward or upward (see definition below[iii]).
This makes perfect sense, as we certainly would expect God to ‘elevate’ those who ‘step up’ and move forward in life- (see رفع درج) … and that He would allow them to achieve the progress they seek.
But here, in this verse, we learn more, as He also Is:
His Being The One Who ‘possesses’ the ‘Arch/structure of Creation, literally: “(He) of the ‘Arch”… it follows that He Is ‘Rafee’ul darajaat/ HIGH/ ELEVATED’ in putting ALL its ‘processes’ in motion!
Therefore, we might understand from these verses that God, the Structure of Creation being His Alone, also Is The One Who puts into motion all its processes, and ‘casts’ the ‘Spirit’ of His Command upon whomever of His worshippers He wills, so as to warn of the Day/Time of mutual ‘Encounter.’
5. Note that the ‘day/ term’ of Account is also called the ‘day/ term’ of ‘Mutual Meeting/ Encounter يوم التلاق--’ (‘mutual,’ as in several parties meeting one another).
Since we are not specifically told ‘who/ what’ we are to meet/ encounter (nor ‘who /what’ shall meet/ encounter us)… it is important to check the Qur’an, where we discover that the ‘meeting’ shall take place between:
· Us -who are Accountable.
· God/ Our Lord- Who holds us to Account.
· The Compilation of our Deeds, for which we are accountable to God, and shall encounter displayed (‘manshoor’ منشور as in a ‘spread-sheet’)!
THAT is something we were warned of AND should be aware of, throughout life!
On that Day/ At that time (ie. the Day of Account), everyone shall be exposed before God, to Whom belongs all Dominion, the One, the Irresistible… and every Self shall be recompensed for its earnings; none shall be wronged. Indeed God is swift of Account.
PAGE 469 Arabic Qur’an.
6. In Verse 18, the Messenger is told to warn people of the ‘Yawmil Aazifahيوم الآزفة- ’ – which gives us yet another attribute of the ‘day/ term’ of Account. Here it is called: ‘The Impending Day’ (see HQ 53:57).
On that day, the Wrong-doers’ hearts/ minds will be (caught) in the larynx (حناجر see HQ 33:10) –while they are ‘holding it in’- (no sound will come out) nor shall they have any intimate, or intercessor.
Verses 19-20 continue to describe people’s helplessness at the time of Accountability (together with the impotence of whatever they were worshipping in life) versus God’s Justice …AND His knowledge of every stolen glance خائنة and hidden thought, for He is The All-Hearing and All-Hearing.
As we see, the ‘consequences’ which befell our predecessors are obvious to those who travel the Earth. These predecessors were taken by God, from Whom they had none to shield them, together with their misdeeds and repercussions after having denied the Messengers who were coming to them with Evidence.
God is exacting in meting out Consequence.
Notice that Earth is ‘Aerd’ أرض in Arabic.
Check other European languages, such as German ‘Erde.’
Check its etymology[iv] and note how other languages are mentioned as origin, all EXCEPT Arabic, at a time when Arabic was the language of Science…. Now isn’t that strange?
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ 40:23-46.
Peace unto all!
[i] ‘Thanb’ usually takes place between our Selves and God: It could be the failure to perform a duty, or the commitment of an unfavorable act which harms us first and foremost. When we commit a ‘Thanb’ (on its own) it means we have done something that does not infringe upon other people’s liberties or rights. It remains a ‘private affair,’ between us and God until it affects someone else, in which event it couples with a ‘sayyi’ah.’
[ii]معجم المقاييس:
مقت: كلمةٌ تدل على شَناءةٍ وقُبْح.ومَقَته مَقْتاً فهو مَقِيتٌ وممقوت.
لسان العرب:
المَقْتُ أَشَدُّ الإِبْغاضِ.مَقُتَ مَقاتَةً، ومَقَتَه مَقْتاً: أَبْغضه، فهو مَمْقُوتٌ ومَقِيتٌ، وقال قتادة في قوله: لمَقْتُ اللهِ أَكْبر من مَقْتِكم أَنْفُسَكم؛ قال: يقول لمَقْتُ اللهِ إِياكم حين دُعِيتُم إِلى الإِيمان فلم تؤْمنوا، أَكبرُ من مَقْتكْم أَنفسَكم حين رأَيتم العذاب.
الراغب الأصفهاني:
المقت: البغض الشديد لمن تراه تعاطى القبيح. يقال: مقت مقاتة فهو مقيت، ومقته فهو مقيت وممقوت. قال تعالى: }إنه كان فاحشة ومقتا وساء سبيلا{ [النساء/22] وكان يسمى تزوج الرجل امرأة أبيه نكاح المقت..
[iii] درج:
معجم المقاييس: يدلُّ على مُضِيِّ الشّيءِ والمُضيِّ في الشّيء. من ذلك قولُهم دَرَجَ الشّيءُ، إذا مَضَى لسبيله. ورجَع فُلانٌ أدراجَه، إذا رَجع في الطّريق الذي جاء منه. ودَرَج الصَّبيُّ، إذا مَشَى مِشْيته.
لسان العرب: دَرَجُ البناءِ ودُرَّجُه، بالتثقيل: مَراتِبُ بعضها فوق بعض. والدَّرَجَةُ واحدةُ الدَّرَجات، وهي الطبقات من المراتب. والدَّرَجَةُ: المنزلة، والجمع دَرَجٌ. ودَرَجاتُ الجنة: منازلُ أَرفعُ من مَنازِلَ. والدَّرَجانُ: مِشْيَةُ الشيخ والصبي. ويقال للصبي إِذا دَبَّ وأَخذ في الحركة: دَرَجَ. ودَرَج الشيخ والصبي يَدْرُجُ دَرْجاً ودَرَجاناً ودَرِيجاً، فهو دارج.
[iv] O.E. eorþe "ground, soil, dry land," also used (along with middangeard) for "the (material) world" (as opposed to the heavens or the underworld), from P.Gmc. *ertho (cf. O.Fris. erthe "earth," O.S. ertha, O.N. jörð, M.Du. eerde, Du. aarde, O.H.G. erda, Ger. Erde, Goth. airþa), from PIE base *er- "earth, ground" (cf. M.Ir. -ert "earth"). The earth considered as a planet was so called from c.1400.
