Day 297; Qur’an 90: 1-20 page 594

Welcome Friends:  Ahlan wa sahlan!

Yusuf Ali’s explanation of this Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’s explanation of this Chapter.

Laleh Bakhtiar’s explanation of this Chapter.

سورة البلد

'The Town’

 

From Introduction of Yusuf Ali:

"This is an early Makkan revelation, and refers to the mystic relation (by divine sanction) of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) with the city of Makkah.'

From Introduction of Muhammad Asad:

"ALTHOUGH Suyuti places this surah in the middle of the Mecca period (after surah 50), it is most probable

that it belongs to the earliest years of Muhammad's prophethood."

COMMENTS:

This Chapter shows us what the TRUE hurdles of Life are!

Please read verses in Yusuf Ali's explanation as you refer to my comments.

PAGE 594 Arabic Qur’an

 

1. This Chapter begins with THREE vows.

Firstly, God vows by 'this Town,' then by 'your' residing/ 'Hillحلّ (ⁱ) in this town, and thirdly 'by (every) birth-parent and what s/he has given birth to.

From another verse, HQ 31: 33, we realize that this parent-child relationship was not mentioned here only in relation to this town and to the Prophet's belonging to it, but also to the 'Day/ Time' (of Resurrection) when neither the parent shall avail the child nor the child the parent; a time when the strongest of life's bonds shall be broken, just as Qureish are breaking that very same bond now with their own child, Muhammad..!!!

I don't agree with Muhammad Asad's opinion that the word 'this town' does not necessarily refer to Mecca, but "warrants a wider, more general interpretation." Check it out, and see how the Qur'an calls it 'this town' four times; twice given this term by Prophet Abraham himself, peace upon him.

2. Verses 4-5 give us the all-important OBJECT of the oath, which is that indeed, 'We" (God) created the Cognizant Human (to be) in 'strain/كبد' (ⁱⁱ-which seems to highlight the strenuousness which characterizes our entire life), and he (the human) imagines that no one can overpower him.

3. Verses 8-10 mention our sight and speech, and our being guided by God to the two 'uphill routes,' which we heard of in HQ 76: 3, 91:9-10. We notice in all these verses that we have a choice, which of these two life-journeys to take.

4. Verses 11- 17 speak of this arrogant human who, although he seems have full physical strength, yet he does not use it to traverse the true hurdles of life which lead to the best recompense. These 'hurdles' are:
   
   
   – 'Fakk raqabah,' which literally means 'untying a neck from the yoke,' indicating the need for every one of us to help liberate people from all forms of human subjugation and exploitation, beginning with debt, and going on to socio-economic bondage. This is SO IMPORTANT, especially today when we see how politicians and governments preach freedom, yet underhandedly exchange one form of human bondage for another of higher profit to themselves!
   
   
   – Feeding -during famine- an orphan near us or an incapacitated poor person.
   
   
   – After all that is accomplished, such a person would continue, attempting to be of those who have attained Faith, and enjoin upon each other Forbearance and Compassion.

What a combination...!

5. The Chapter ends with beautiful Persuasion and Dissuasion, as it declares that such persons are 'Those of the Right side,' whereas The Deniers are of the 'left,' upon whom the fire shall be firmly clamped!

May we be among Those of the Right! Amen.

Peace unto all!

_______

i

  .حل: لـه فروع كثيرة ومسائلُ، وأصلها كلُّها عندي فَتْح الشيء، لا يشذُّ عنه شيء

  يقال حلَلْتُ العُقدةَ أحُلُّها حَلاًّ. ويقول العرب: "يا عاقِدُ اذكُرْ حَلاًّ". والحلال: ضِدُّ الحرام، وهو من الأصل الذي ذكرناهُ، كأنه من حَلَلْتُ الشيء، إذا أبحْتَه وأوسعته لأمرٍ فيه

  وحَلَّ: نزل. وهو من هذا الباب لأن المسافر يشُدّ ويَعقِد، فإذا نزلَ حَلّ؛ يقال حَلَلْتُ بالقوم. وحليل المرأة: بعلها؛ وحليلة المرء: زوجُه. وسُمِّيا بذلك لأن كلّ واحدٍ منهما يَحُلُّ عند صاحبه.

  قال أبو عبيد: كل من نازَلَكَ وجاوَرَك فهو حَليل

  والحُلّة معروفة، وهي لا تكون إلا ثوبَين

  ومن الباب الإحليل، وهو مَخرج البَول، ومَخرج اللَّبن من الضَّرْع.

  ومن الباب تحلحل عن مكانه، إذا زال

  والمَحَلَّة: المكانُ ينزِل به القومُ. وحيٌّ حِلاَلٌ نازلون.

والحِلُّ ما جاوزَ الحرم. ورجلٌ مُحِلٌّ من الإحلال، ومُحرِم من الإحرام. وحِلٌّ وحَلالٌ بمعنى؛ وكذلك في مقابلته حِرْم وحَرَام.

  وهو من الباب. وحَلّلْتُ اليمينَ أحَلِّلُها تحليلا. وفعلتُ هذا تَحِلَّةَ القسَم، أي لم أفعل إلا بقدْرِ ما حَلَّلْتُ به قَسَمي أنْ أفعله ولم أبالِغْ. ومنه

ii

كبد: يدلُّ على شِدّة في شيء وقُوّة. من ذلك الكَبَد، وهي المشقّة. يقال: لَقِيَ فلانٌ من هذا الأمر كَبَداً، أي مشَقة. قال تعالى: {لَقَدْ خَلقْنَا الإنسانَ في كَبَدٍ} [البلد 4]. وكابدتُ الأمر: قاسيتُه في مشقّة. ومن الباب الكَبِد، وهي معروفة، سمِّيت كَبِداً لتكبُّدِها...ومن الاستعارة: كَبِد السَّماء: وسطها. ويقولون: كُبَيْدَاء السَّماء، كأنَّهُم صغّروها.. ويقال: تكبَّدَتِ الشّمس، إذا صارت في كَبِد السماء.