Day 132; Qur’an 14: 11-23, page 257 + 258

Welcome Friends:  Ahlan wa sahlan!

In our last Reading, we were listening to the arguments between Messengers and their people: 

Those who Deny are ALWAYS reluctant to forsake the traditions of their forefathers, so they find fault in the Messengers, blaming them for being ‘human,’ and asking them for ‘miracles’ as proof of their mission. 

Isn’t it strange to find Cognizant Humans looking-up to, AND expecting, the supernatural to validate something REAL?  It isn’t because such humans are not ‘cognizant,’ but probably that they have been deafened, and blinded, by Conditioning.

This is something we ALL are affected by.  Pride in our Heritage is one thing, and the indiscriminate adoption of Ancestral values is another.  Some of us will not recognize the difference, and will follow forefathers even when evidence indicates otherwise. 

Muslims are as guilty of this as anyone else.  Many of us will continue to argue a point and state references from Scholars and Forefathers, despite the Qur’an’s contrary evidence.  Uneducated people may have Ignorance as their excuse.  What is ours?

‘Following forefathers’ is always considered a DISCREDIT in the Qur’an; it is no less than Intellectual ‘khamr,’ a ‘veil’ upon human minds, a Hindrance to one’s Freedom of Thought.

Freedom of Thought is a prerequisite to Freedom of Faith.

Yusuf Ali’s Translation of this Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’s Translation of this Chapter.

Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view.

COMMENTS:

PAGE 257 Arabic Qur’an.

 

1.    In Verses 11 - 12 we hear the Messengers’ response to their people’s demands, and both verses end with ‘putting trust in/ relying on’ God, Read their beautiful argument, and notice their endearing plea ‘on behalf of’ God, Who is calling on these people, inviting them to …. Forgiveness!  

We also notice how the Messengers announce their forbearance, in response to their people harming them.

 

In Verse 13 the people warn their Messengers, but God responds.  At the center of verse is the word ‘millaمِلَّة- ’ which Yusuf Ali translates as ‘religion’ and Muhammad Asad as ‘ways.’  I prefer Arberry’s ‘creed.’

2.   Verses 14- 15 give us the results to the conflict.  See 15 in Asad’s explanation, followed by Verses 16- 17 which portray a most horrendous scene of Hell.  This is Dissuasion, and is quite effective.  (Notice how ‘Dissuasionترهيب- ’ continues in several verses, punctuated at the end with only one verse of ‘Persuasionترغيب- ’.)

3.     In Verse 18 we find a parable, illustrating how the assets of the Deniers will not serve them in the Hereafter.  This is because they, themselves, did not WANT it that way to start with, so they got exactly what they wanted. 

All they had worked for in life, was intended FOR Life, because they were in denial of God and the Hereafter.

PAGE 258 Arabic Qur’an.

 

4.    Verses 19- 20 tell us to observe how God has created the Heavens and Earth in ‘al Haq,’ which might be explained as ‘Truth/Just Balance.’  The problem is that ANY English word is an imprecise rendering of ‘Haq!’ 

When we copy + paste خلق السماوات الأرض بالحق in Tanzil we notice that this concept is mentioned 10 times.

These verses inform the Deniers that, had God willed, He could replace those who deny Him with other creation (presumably other humans who wouldn’t deny Him), but this is not His will!  Understanding this, should make us all MORE accepting of each other.  Had so-called ‘believers’ in one faith or another, been truly compliant with God’s Will, they would never have resorted to ethnic/ideological cleansing or discrimination!

Perhaps Zealots from all faiths should hear the following announcement:  

God Himself gives people freedom to believe as they wish, and does NOT replace those who Deny Him with Believers, so how can any of us even entertain such a plan? 

5.     In Verse 21 we are given a glimpse into another argument, one that takes place in the Hereafter, between those who were Dominated and those who were Domineering.  There we find the Dominated appealing to the Domineering, who brush off their responsibility… and blame their misguidance on God!  But they do acknowledge that nothing they do now would avail them; the predicament they face has no exits.

6.    Verse 22 is VERY interesting; it is the argument offered by ‘the Deviant/Sheytaan,’ to Mankind, also in the Hereafter, which Yusuf Ali calls “… frank, cynical and brutal.” Muhammad Asad says: “It must be stressed, in this connection, that the Qur’anic expression shaytān is often used as a metaphor for every human impulse that is intrinsically immoral and, therefore, contrary to man’s best – i.e., spiritual – interests.”

Here is the Deviant/Shetaan’s argument:

·    He acknowledges the Truth of God’s Promise.

·    He acknowledges that he had made deceptive promises to Mankind.

·    He acknowledges that he never had any power over them; all he had done was invite them. 

·    He insists that those who accepted his invitation, have ONLY THEMSELVES to blame.

·    He acknowledges that none can help the other.

·    He announces his faith in God in his Denial of any partnership they had ascribed to him (when, in life, they had considered him or his deception a ‘partner’ to God).

·    He announces that wrongdoers would eventually suffer grievously.

Dear Reader:

These verses shed light on what we call ‘the Deviant/Sheytaan,’ and help us understand ourselves- as well as the LIMITS of his effect on us.  Anyone who ascribes to the Deviant further powers, beyond ‘invitation/suggestion,’ is committing ‘Shirk.’  This is the Qur’an speaking to us!  Research this argument on your own, and do not rely solely on the explanations offered here.

It is time for us to shed certain concepts that pervade our societies and hold sway over our beliefs.  Let us make sure NOW, before it is too late, that we do not end up being among the ‘Dominated’ in the Hereafter, arguing with our Domineering ‘parents-scholars-peers’ and inevitably suffering with them the consequences of our actions!

7.    We end our Reading today with Verse 23- a beautiful verse of Persuasion!  Those who have Attained Faith AND done good deeds are entered into Gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide eternally, by God’s Will, their greeting therein is: PEACE.

What a contrast!

We’ll stop here, as there is a lot to think about today:

Enough said!

 

Our next Reading is from HQ 14: 24- 41.

Peace unto all!

Day 131; Qur’an 14: 1-10, page 255 + 256

Welcome Friends:  Ahlan wa sahlan!

I’d like to applaud our Friends who have been learning the important Qur’anic definitions we’re presenting here, at The Iqra Challenge! 

My hope is to supply you with a ‘Table of Definitions,’ but in the meantime, keep up the great work, and thank you for telling us what you’ve been doing!  Your comments mean a lot to Author AND Readers of this Blog, so do write.

Yusuf Ali’s Translation of our new Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’s Translation of our new Chapter.

Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view.

سورة إبراهيم

COMMENTS:

Yusuf Ali says in his introduction:

“The subject-matter of this Sura is a continuation of the concluding portion of the last Sura, which explained how God’s revelation gains ground in spite of selfish man’s opposition.  Here illustrations are given from the story of Moses and Abraham, and Abraham’s Prayer for Mecca forms the core of the Sura.”

Muhammad Asad says in his introduction:

“ALL AUTHORITIES agree that this surah belongs to the last group of Meccan revelations; in the Itqan it is placed immediately after surah 71 (Nuh), and we have no reason to question this chronology. The title is based on Abraham's prayer in verses 35-41; its relevance to the rest of the surah has been explained in note 48.”

PAGE 255 Arabic Qur’an.

 

1.  The first verse of this Chapter also begins with the ‘sounds’ (written as disjointed letters) which refer to the alphabet (discussed April 6^th):

“Alif Lam Ra. A Compilation We have sent down to you, to deliver Cognizant Humans from the Darknesses to the Light by leave of their Lord, to the Path of The All-Mighty, The Worthy of all Praise.”

We notice that, as usual, these sounds inevitably introduce the Compilation!  Their value should not be underestimated- perhaps we’ll have time one day to study them specifically.  Meanwhile, Readers can refer to ‘Classical Arabic: Unique Human Communication” and check out the table at the end, which gives us the meanings of sounds.

We also notice that Darkness is always plural ظلمات – ‘Darknesses,’ whereas Light is always One.  Why is that so?  Perhaps because there is One Truth, and many, many Falsehoods; One Correct Direction to follow, and many, many Mis-directions?

2.  Actually, Verses 1  2- 3 should be read together, as each leads up to the next with important statements. 

In Verse 3 we notice THREE characteristics to Those who Denied Godالذين كفروا- :

·  They prefer this immediate, lowly Life to the Hereafter.

·  They impede others from following the path to God.

·  They seek to distort and bend the path.   

How true!

Verse 4 is tied to the first verse.  After we read the important preceding statements, we learn how, as Cognizant Humans, each Messenger’s People were given ample chance to deliver themselves from the Darknesses to the Light, seeing that THE MESSAGE WAS DELIVERED IN THEIR OWN TONGUE.

3.  After this important introduction, Verse 5 mentions the story of Prophet Moses, peace upon him.  His story offers very important lessons, and is a recurrent theme in the Qur’an (if we copy + paste "موسى" in Tanzil we’ll find his name mentioned 129 times.).  Here it is mentioned as an example of Guidance from Darknesses to Light

PAGE 256 Arabic Qur’an.

4.  In Verse 6 we hear Moses reminding his people of God’s Blessing in delivering them from Pharaoh’s people, and of what they had suffered at their hands.

5. Verse 7 is an oft-quoted verse:

 وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ

“And your Lord declared: "If you work in Appreciation, I shall indeed augment you, but if you Deny, My chastisement is surely severe."’

We already know (Jan 13^th) thatشكر-  ‘Shukr’ means accepting what is little and making the most of it until it achieves abundance.

 

This is a statement of FACT.

 

When we work, we enhance the value of what we are working with, and it increases further in value.  ‘Appreciate’ here is not simply about thankfulness, but is the opposite of ‘depreciate,’ or ‘to lose value’.

Unfortunately, many Muslims of recent generations have taken ‘shukr’ to mean ‘thankfulness by word of mouth,’ as in saying ‘al Hamdulil-Lah.’  This misinterpreted word – on its own- has set us back 1,000 years.  Another statement of fact!

6.  Verse 8 takes us back to Prophet Moses, who tells his people that God is in NO NEED of anyone’s faith.  Here we encounter the word ‘ghaniغني- ’ as one of God’s attributes. Readers might remember that this word in Arabic means Self-Sufficient (but when attributed to us, is misunderstood as ‘wealthy’).  See Posting of April 26^th.

7.  Verses 9- 10 illustrate the familiar arguments between God’s Messengers (NOT ‘apostles’) and those who disbelieve them. 

Notice, in Yusuf Ali’s footnotes, his correct translation of ‘nabaنبأ- ’ as ‘news’ and his valuable indication as to the difference between doubt /‘shakشك- ’ and suspicion /‘reybريب- .’

Enough said!

 

Our next Reading is from HQ 14: 11- 24.

Peace unto all!