Day 68; HQ6: 59-73, pages 135+136

Welcome Friends:  Ahlan wa sahlan!

In our last Reading the Qur’an clearly indicated that only God knows the Unseen ‘gheyb’ الغيب)).  Today’s Reading begins with a most beautiful illustration of that fact, mentioning what some understand as ‘keys’ to the Unseen  مفاتح الغيب)[i]), the singular ‘maftah, not miftaah’(مَفتح)  also explained by some scholars as the Reserves themselves )God’s ‘Resources’), which is why Yusuf Ali added the word ‘treasures.’  It is also interesting to note that -لا رطب ولا يابس   literally means neither hydrated nor dehydrated, and is taken to mean the living or the dead.  I have tried to offer a literal explanation of verses 59-60 below.

We must bear in mind that these Timeless Verses were also intended for the idol-worshippers of Qureish.

COMMENTS:

1.     Verses 59-60:

“And with Him are the Reserves of the Unperceivable, none knows them but He.  And He knows what is in the land and the sea. And not a single leaf falls but he knows it, nor a seed in the darkness-es of the earth, nor anything tender or stiff but is in an Evident Compilation.”

In this verse, we not only see a most beautiful illustration of His Knowledge, but also the Harmony in the Compilation of ‘Life and Death,’ presented in concepts we can easily relate to! 

Since the beginning of Creation till its end, He knows the landing-site of every dead leaf that blows off every tree… where it fertilizes the earth, and then coaxes, far below it, a tiny seed hidden from all but God….which at that moment is splitting open to release a tender shoot, which still must push through the depths of darkness to reach light.  

His are the Resources of all that is Imperceptible and, as their Creator WHO KNOWS their every flutter and murmur… their every need, He will grant them of these reserves!

Who, other than Our Creator, can sustain our tender shoots during the dry patches of life?  After all, it is HE who compiled Mercy as a responsibility upon Himself as Our Protector and Sustainer! 

Dear Reader:  Think of this verse whenever you are in distress or feeling abandoned; I find it works wonders! 

Before continuing onto Verse 60, please read Posting of March 19^th which shows the important difference between the two words, ‘wafaat’ and ‘mawt’ (وفاة- موت), both usually translated as ‘Death.’  Muslim scholars have dubbed human sleep a ‘minor Death/waffaat sughraa,’ the ‘major Death الوفاة الكبرى’ being that in which the spirit/consciousness is fully delivered unto its Creator.

“And it is He Who delivers you (unto Him) by night and knows what you earn by day, then He rouses you  [ii](بعث)within it in fulfillment of a designated term, then to Him is your return when He will inform you as to what you had been doing. ”

2.     Verses 61-62 continue along the same lines, as the Qur’an declares 4 things, and we notice the full circle of Life, in which God Is Dominant Protector:

·That He is Dominant over His worshippers…

· ..and He sends upon them guardians…

·…until when Death (mawt) arrives to one of you, Our Messengers deliver (tawaffaa) the spirit/consciousness, without omission…

· ..after which they are returned to God, their Rightful Protector, to Whom belongs The Judgment, and Who Is the Swiftest of all reckoners.

It is interesting to note the differences in Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Asad’s explanations (ie. that God is ‘Irresistible/holds sway’, and that he sends ‘guardians/heavenly forces’ - Ali/Asad).  The guardians are understood to be angels (who are unlike what we see in old paintings or picture in our minds!  In fact, angels have other positive duties that relate to humans, and we'll find out about that as we go along.) 

3.  Verse 63 is related to prayers for deliverance from the dangers of land and sea, and to a promise of ‘working in gratitude’ while Verse 64 is related to deliverance from ALL distress (كل كرب), after which Those who Associate partners with God, return to their ways!

4.  In Verses 65-67 we find the idolaters being warned of suffering and splitting into groups that would fight each other.  We also find reference to them as ‘your people’ (قومك), in an address to the Prophet, peace upon him, indicating how they belied him.  What does this say about them, when they, as ‘his people’ already had a lifetime of evidence to his honesty, and had even called him ‘al Ameen’ before Revelation?

5. Verse 68 is somewhat similar to Verse HQ4:140, discussed in Posting of March 1^st (Comment 7), while Verse 70 is somewhat similar to HQ5:57-58, discussed in Posting of March 13^th   (Comment 5).

6. Verse 71 is about the misdirection of Reverence, illustrating the powerlessness of human senses under the influence of desire: Although such a person might be lost and bewildered, s/he will continue on the path which promises desire rather than heed the call of friends who lead to safety.  God’s Guidance is obtained when we have Pure Reverence (Islaam إسلام-) for the Lord of the diverse Worlds (رب العالمين).

"Say: "Would we call, besides God, what can neither benefit us, nor harm us, and turn on our heels after having received guidance from God, like one whom the deviant ones have enticed with desire, making him blunder bewildered through the earth? He has friends calling him to Guidance: “Come to us!” (But no avail.)  Say: "God’s guidance is The Guidance, and we have been commanded to be Pure in our Reverence to the Lord of the diverse worlds!”

7. Verse 72 gives a clear command to establish a relationship with God, as in prayer, and to be aware of Him, for unto Him shall all be gathered.

Verse 73, is somewhat similar to HQ2:117; it discusses the concept of God’s Word being Reality.  He 'pronounces': ‘Be!’ and it is.  Also that He is Knower of the Unseen and the Witnessed.

Important Note:

In this verse we find a term which relates to the Day of Resurrection: The Arabic term ‘nufikha fisSoor-(نفخ في الصور)  appears in ten verses of the Qur’an (copy paste Arabic in Tanzil).

Translated by both Ali and Asad as the day when ‘the trumpet shall be blown,  it reflects the common scholarly understanding and interpretation of this verse.  But such an interpretation was a result of ‘Biblical’ influences (see below) and is so far from the Linguistic interpretation, it will make us cry!

“1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
End Bible Quote.

But we've had a lot to reflect on today, so we’ll do these 2 words tomorrow, God-willing, as for now:

Enough said!

Our next Reading is from HQ6:74- HQ 6:90

Peace unto all!

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  [i] الزمخشري: قيل مفاتح جمع مفتح بفتح الميم وهو المخزن.

[ii] (بعث)  وهو الإثارة. ويقال بعثْتُ النّاقةَ إذا أثَرْتَها.

Day 67; HQ6:46-58 pages 133+134

Welcome Friends:  Ahlan wa sahlan!

We ended yesterday’s Reading with verses 45 and 45, which may have seemed surprising to some, in that God opened wide the gates of Worldly Pleasures to these Heedless persons, who indulged in these pleasures, only to be taken suddenly ‘to account/to task,’ then becoming dumbstruck and plunging into despair.  (Those of us who read Muhammad Asad’s account would have noted that the last word in verse 44 (mublisoon – (مبلسون shares the same root-verb as the term ‘Iblees’ (إبليس), see Asad’s note 34, and my Comment 7 below.)

This turn of events is quite natural, explained in Asad’s note 35 as a historical phenomenon in the inevitability “of social and moral disintegration of communities that have lost sight of spiritual truths.”  Also, God gives us many chances to initiate change for the better as He allows for BOTH the suppression and release of the earth’s bounties.  Perhaps we now realize why verse 45 ended with:  “… praise be to God, Lord of the diverse Worlds!”

COMMENTS:

1.  Today’s Reading holds seven “Say!” commands, as well as other verses directing the Messenger, peace upon him, on how to deal with his Denying tribe on one hand, and ‘Those who have Faith in God’s Signs’ on the other.  We must bear in mind that, when these verses were revealed, the Faithful group consisted mostly of the down-trodden in the Meccan community; young people, many of whom were slaves and servants, and immigrants with no financial or tribal backing.  They were the Messenger’s ‘company’ at all times, a matter which caused the arrogant persons of ‘higher breeding’ to distance themselves from his company, and to ask him to send away the ‘lower class’ when they arrived, or else they would not stay.

In verses 46-47 The Messenger is told to ask them 2 questions that focus on God as Creator and Provider (of their sensory and cognitive organs, and of their general well-being and freedom from suffering).  

2. Verses 48-49 are statements indicating the reason behind sending Messengers and the result of denying/belying those Divine Messages.

3. Verse 50 is a very important verse to remember:  This is where the Messenger is told to explain his mortality, making it clear that he possesses neither material treasures nor supernatural powers; he does not know the ‘gheyb,’ the Unseen, what is beyond human perception. 

Actually, there is a clear statement in HQ27:65, telling us that no one, whether in the heavens or on earth, knows the ‘gheyb’ Unseen EXCEPT GOD.

Despite that, we will find Muslims who say that the Prophet, peace upon him, did know the Unseen ‘gheyb,’ in stark contradiction to three clear Qur’anic statements in which he plainly says, as commanded by God: “…I do not know the Unseen…” (HQ6:50; 11:31) and, “….if I had known the Unseen….” (HQ7:188).

In this verse the Messenger explains that he only follows what Divine information/revelation is delivered to him (wahi وحي), and asks, “…are the blind and the sighted equal, do you not then ‘consider/take thought’?” (Ali/Asad)

Verse 51 tells him to warn -by means of this revelation- all those who fear being gathered to their Lord, none else do they have as Intercessor or Protector.. perchance they would be Aware.

4.  Verse 52 begins with the command to the Messenger, NOT to send away those who call unto their Lord morning and evening seeking his direction (intending Him as their direction of focus ‘wajh’- (وجه.  What a beautiful description is given of these early men and women of Faith, and what love God shows for them! (Commentators, such as Zamakhshari, say that ‘morning and evening’ indicates daylong continuity.)  

The verse then shows that each person (whether Deliverer or Recipient of the Message) is accountable for oneself, and that, were the Messenger to ask them to leave (when the arrogant persons arrived), he would become one of the wrongdoers.

Verse 53 shows us how God tries us humans by way of each other (also HQ6:165)- and He Best Knows those of who are productive even with little means الشاكرين! (See definition of ‘shukr- (شكر.

Verse 54 is amazing in the ‘three- points-delivered-as-one,’ which God commands His Messenger to say to these vulnerable Believers- many of whom were being punished on a daily basis by the arrogant slave-owners and ‘higher-class:’

·  When those who have Faith in His Signs approached him, he should:  Wish them Peace (from their Lord?) and touch their hearts and strengthen their spirits immediately with the rest of the verse without any ands or buts.. it’s amazing, look at it!)

·  God has compiled UPON Himself all Mercy (as a responsibility to be granted)

·  that Whomever of them commits a misdeed unknowingly, then repents and repairs his wrongs.. (such persons will find).. that He is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Unceasingly Compassionate.

What a strong endorsement from God Himself!  How rewarding it must have been to these humble persons (whom we call ‘the Sahaaba’- Companions) to hear this, as testimony of God’s love and support!

And the next verse concludes by showing how it is through His signs that the path of ‘the sinners/those lost in sin’ is clearly distinguished (Ali/Asad).

5. Verse 56 is a loud ‘Disclaimer,’ in which the Messenger is told to announce to Qureish that he had been forbidden from worshipping those whom they call upon- other than God- and that he does not follow their desires, and that if he did he would have gone astray and would not be among the Guided!  

6. Verses 57-58 are in response to Qureish’s demand for proof (Signs or Punishment) to which the Messenger says that he stands on clear evidence which they deny, and that what they ask for is not his to impart; judgment is God’s Alone and He is the best to distinguish (and identify people by their intentions and deeds: fasala- [i](فصل

7.  As mentioned above, the last word in verse 44 (mublisoon – (مبلسون shares the same root-verb as the term ‘Iblees’ (إبليس).  A study of the root-verb ‘balasa’[ii]   (بلس) helps us understand the two main characteristics of Iblees (before he became the Deviant/Sheytaan).  The Arabic definition indicates ‘immobility; being dumbstruck, and also in despair.’  Again, this is all ‘gheyb’ Unseen but we might deduce that he had first been uncommunicative as to the limits of his obedience to God AND his resentment when Adam was created.  After that, he might have despaired of himself, or any other creature gaining superiority over Cognizant Humans.  That seems to be the point in time when he became the Deviant/Sheytaan whose sole mission is to make subtle, inaudible suggestions (wiswaas- ([iii] وسواس  to urge as many Humans as he possibly could, to their own self- destruction.  But as we learnt in HQ4:76, he has no power over us; his guile is indeed weak (Posting Feb 22^nd).

Enough said!

Our next Reading is from HQ6:59- 73

Peace unto all!

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[i] (فصل) تمييز الشَّيء من الشَّيء وإبانته عنه. يقال: فَصَلْتُ الشَّيءَ فَصْلاً. والفَيْصل: الحاكم. والفَصِيل: ولدُ النَّاقةِ إذا افتُصِلَ عن أُمِّه. والمِفْصَل: اللِّسان، لأنَّ به تُفصَل الأمور وتميَّز. والمفاصل: مَفاصل العِظام. والمَفْصِل: ما بين الجبلَيْن، والجمع مَفاصل.

 [ii](بلس) أصله اليَأْسُ، يقال أبْلَسَ إذا يَئِسَ. قال الله تعالى: إذَا هُمْ فِيهِ مُبْلِسُونَ [المؤمنون 77]، وأبْلَسَ الرجُلُ سَكَت، ومنه أبْلَسَتِ النّاقة، وهي مِبْلاَسٌ، إذا لم تَرْغُ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الضَّبَعَة. فيقال إنَّ البَلَسَ الواجم.

[iii]  (وس) كلمةٌ تدلُّ على صوتٍ غير رفيع. يقال لصوت الحَلْي: وَسْوَاسٌ. وهَمْسُ الصَّائِد وَسواسٌ. وإغواء الشّيطان ابنَ آدم وسواس.