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Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
I hope you are enjoying these Readings, dear Friends.
We ended our last Reading noting that those who eventually ‘inherit The Garden,’ are The Worshippers of God who were Aware/ Conscious (in life).
May we all be among them!
Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view
COMMENTS:
1. Verse 64 offers Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, a statement regarding the Unseen Forces that descend by his Lord’s authority.
‘…therefore worship Him, and maintain Forbearance and Steadfastness towards His worship..’
The verse ends by asking Prophet Muhammad whether anyone has similar attributes to his Lord.
It is important to remember that this is a Meccan Chapter, and that the Prophet’s (and Believers’) Forbearance and Steadfastness were called upon, in face of both physical/mental suffering and weakness of position.
2. Verses 66-72 present to the Deniers of Resurrection a powerful response:
Next, in Verse 68, they are warned and promised of dreadful humiliation, together with all Transgressors.
In 69-70 the ‘leaders’ or ‘heads’ of transgression are pulled out of the rest, so as to be fully recompensed for their deeds, according to God’s Knowledge.
Verses 71-72 bring this scene to a close, but not before everyone seems to be included in the ‘passage’ by Hell. As The Aware/Conscious pass it by, safely, the Wrongdoers are left in it, on their knees.
3. Verses 73- 74 describe the ‘illogic’ of those to whom God’s clear Signs have been conveyed, and illustrate their ‘lack of observation’ in that they have learnt nothing from previous generations, who were stronger and more prosperous.
Verse 75 shows us how Al Rahmaan, The Creator, extends to the Wrongdoers all worldly means so as to make the nature of their deeds even more obvious to all (and perhaps to grant more chance for repentance which, whenever missed, will only generate deeper Regret!). Also read Ali’s explanation.
The name ‘Al Rahmaan’ here is noteworthy, especially since the next verse (76) states that Those who are Guided will receive more Guidance from ‘Allah/ God.’ We read here again of الباقيت الصالحات- the enduring Good Deeds spoken of in HQ 18:46.
Remember that this Chapter on its own has almost 1/3 of all the recurrences of ‘Al Rahmaan’ in the entire Qur’an (put it in ‘Search this Site’ to see its importance).
4. Verses 77- 78- 79- 80 again highlight how certain people’s material outlook has blinded them to God’s Signs. No matter what support a person had in life, each shall be recompensed according to their deeds, and shall appear before The Creator: Unaccompanied. Solo. Alone.
Read Verse 80 in Ali’s explanation.
5. Verses 81- 82 point to the disillusionment of ALL ‘worshippers’, except the Worshippers of God, with whatever they had spent their entire lives worshipping. After having imagined their deities to be sources of strength, they shall all deny their own deities on Judgment Day.
Verse 83 takes us back to the origin of their predicament: Denial. Reflect, dear Reader, on the following, which relates to our lives (and our children’s, especially teenagers) in so many ways:
In Life, a person’s Denial of God (and His Final Judgment) makes him/her an ‘Open Receptacle’ to all deviances (shayaateen شياطين- plural of ‘deviant/ Sheytaan’). Such persons become easy targets of Deviance, whether in the form of persons, or of unseen inner ‘prodding.’
After directing Prophet Muhammad’s attention to the predicament of Deniers, Verse 84 tells him not to be hasty in his expectation of observable results. Unlike previous Messengers, Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, was not granted ‘miracles’ (other than the evidence of the Qur’an itself) and the Deniers of his time were not given a definite ultimatum (other than their own lifespan).
The Aware/ Conscious are gathered to Al- Rahmaan, the Creator, as a group of honored guests (wafd-(وفد , whereas the Evil-earners (who had cut out for themselves the rights of others) are driven to Hell (like cattle driven down to water), with none to intercede on their behalf unless…
In 87 we find that there might be hope ONLY for someone who, in life, had acknowledged The Creator (Al Rahmaan)!
Verses 88- 95 are self-explanatory, but do try to listen to them; they are a powerful ending to the Chapter of Mary.
Read them in Asad’s interpretation (I have only replaced Asad’s ‘Most Gracious’ with ‘The Creator,’ and his ‘servant’ with ‘worshipper’-all in CAPITALS):
[19:88]
As it is, some assert, "The CREATOR has taken unto Himself a son"! (See Asad’s notes)
[19:89]
Indeed, [by this assertion] you have brought forth something monstrous,
[19:90]
whereat the heavens might well-nigh be rent into fragments, and the earth be split asunder, and the mountains fall down in ruins!
[19:91]
That men should ascribe a son to The CREATOR,
[19:92]
although it is inconceivable that The CREATOR should take unto Himself a son! (See Asad’s notes.)
[19:93]
Not one of all [the beings] that are in the heavens or on earth appears before The CREATOR other than as a WORSHIPPER:
[19:94]
indeed, He has full cognizance of them, and has numbered them with [unfailing] numbering;
[19:95]
and every one of them will appear before Him on Resurrection Day in a lonely state.
As it is, some assert, "The CREATOR has taken unto Himself a son"! (See Asad’s notes)
[19:89]
Indeed, [by this assertion] you have brought forth something monstrous,
[19:90]
whereat the heavens might well-nigh be rent into fragments, and the earth be split asunder, and the mountains fall down in ruins!
[19:91]
That men should ascribe a son to The CREATOR,
[19:92]
although it is inconceivable that The CREATOR should take unto Himself a son! (See Asad’s notes.)
[19:93]
Not one of all [the beings] that are in the heavens or on earth appears before The CREATOR other than as a WORSHIPPER:
[19:94]
indeed, He has full cognizance of them, and has numbered them with [unfailing] numbering;
[19:95]
and every one of them will appear before Him on Resurrection Day in a lonely state.
7. Verse 96 is a promise to all who have Attained Faith and done Good deeds, that The Creator –Al Rahmaan- shall indeed render for them: LOVE!
Since there is no further elaboration, this ‘Love’ (ود) remains Open… all Inclusive… Undefined!
Remember that one of God’s Beautiful Attributes is ‘LOVING’- ‘Wadood’- ودود- as in:
· HQ 85:14: ‘The Oft-Forgiving and Loving الغفور الودود)).’
· HQ 11:90: ‘Unceasingly Compassionate and Loving (رحيم ودود).
And this beautiful chapter ends with Verses 97- 98, in a direct address to the Messenger, telling him that the delivery of the Message was straightforward, easy (for all to understand) in his own tongue, so that he could deliver glad tidings and warning to the living, as the final verse points to bygone generations, nowhere to be felt or heard!
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ 20:1-47.
Peace unto all!
