Please note the Internet Site Address

For the English Commentary of the Light of the Holy Qur’ān

www.maaref-foundation.com/light.htm

All rights reserved by the Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.) Library

ISBN: شابک:

Book Specifications:

Title: An English Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur’ān

Compiler: A Group of Muslim Scholars and " Copyright 1998 Kamal Faghih Imani "

Translator: Mr. Sayyid ‘Abbās Sadr-‘āmelī

Published by: The Scientific and Religious Research Center

Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.) Public Library, under the direction of

Ayatullah Allamah Mujāhid Al-Haj Sayyid Kamāl Faghīh Īmānī.

Address: Shekar Shekan Crossroads, Ahmadabad Street, Post Ofice Box 81465/5151

Esfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Telephone: 2281000, 2282000, 2296478

Fax: 98-311-2297028

Number of Copies in this Print: 6,000

First Edition: 2004 A.D. , 1383 / 1425 A.H.

p: 2

Commentary, verse 21 .....……………………….…... 50-51

Commentary, verse 22 .....……………………….…... 52-53

Commentary, verse 23 .....……………………….…….... 54

Commentary, verse 24 .....……………………….…... 55-56

Commentary, verse 25 .....……………………….…….... 57

Commentary, verse 26 .....……………………….…... 58-59

Commentary, verse 27 .....……………………….…... 60-61

Commentary, verse 28 .....……………………….…... 62-63

Commentary, verse 29 .....……………………….…….... 64

Commentary, verse 30 .....……………………….…….... 65

Section 4: The Divine Gifts ……………………...………. 66

Commentary, verse 31.....……………………….…... 66-68

Commentary, verse 32 .....……………………….…….... 69

Commentary, verse 33 .....……………………….…….... 70

Commentary, verse 34 .....……………………….…….... 71

Commentary, verse 35 .....……………………….…….... 72

Commentary, verse 36 .....……………………….…….... 73

Commentary, verse 37 .....……………………….…….... 74

Commentary, verse 38 .....……………………….…... 75-77

Commentary, verse 39 .....……………………….…….... 78

Commentary, verse 40 .....……………………….…….... 79

Section 5: Every people had an Apostle from Allah …... 80

Commentary, verse 41 .....……………………….…….... 80

Commentary, verse 42 .....……………………….…….... 81

Commentary, verse 43 .....……………………….…….... 82

Commentary, verse 44 .....……………………….…….... 83

Commentary, verse 45 .....……………………….…….... 84

Commentary, verse 46 .....……………………….…….... 85

Commentary, verse 47 .....……………………….…….... 86

Commentary, verse 48 .....……………………….…….... 87

Commentary, verse 49 .....……………………….…... 88-89

p: 4

Commentary, verse 50 .....……………………….…….... 90

Commentary, verse 51 .....……………………….…….... 91

Commentary, verse 52 .....……………………….…….... 92

Commentary, verse 53 .....……………………….…….... 93

Section 6: The Divine Mercy precede the Wrath ……… 94

Commentary, verse 54 .....……………………….…... 94-95

Commentary, verse 55 .....……………………….…….... 96

Commentary, verse 56 .....……………………….…….... 97

Commentary, verse 57 .....……………………….…... 98-99

Commentary, verse 58 .....………………………… 100-101

Commentary, verse 59 ....……………………….……... 102

Commentary, verse 60 ....……………………….……... 103

Section 7: No fear or grief for the friends of Allah …... 104

Commentary, verse 61 .....………………………… 104-105

Commentary, verses 62-64 ..……………………… 106-107

Commentary, verse 65 .....………………………… 108-109

Commentary, verse 66 .....………………………… 110-111

Commentary, verse 67 ....……………………….……... 112

Commentary, verse 68 .....………………………… 113-114

Commentary, verses 69-70 ..…………………….……... 115

Section 8: The Ministries of Noah and Moses referred to 116

Commentary, verse 71 .....………………………… 116-117

Commentary, verse 72 ....……………………….……... 108

Commentary, verse 73 ....……………………….……... 120

Commentary, verse 74 .....………………………… 121-122

Commentary, verse 75 ....……………………….……... 123

Commentary, verse 76 ....……………………….……... 124

Commentary, verse 77 ....……………………….……... 125

Commentary, verse 78 .....………………………… 126-127

Commentary, verse 79 ....……………………….……... 128

Commentary, verse 80 ....……………………….……... 129

Commentary, verses 81-82 .....………………………… 130

p: 5

Section 9: Moses Takes away the Children of Israel .... 131

Commentary, verse 83 .....………………………… 131-132

Commentary, verse 84 ....……………………….……... 133

Commentary, verse 85 ....……………………….……... 134

Commentary, verse 86 ....……………………….……... 135

Commentary, verse 87 ....……………………….……... 136

Commentary, verse 88 .....………………………… 137-138

Commentary, verse 89 ....……………………….……... 139

Commentary, verse 90 .....………………………… 140-141

Commentary, verse 91 ....……………………….……... 142

Commentary, verse 92 ....……………………….……... 143

Section 10: Jonah’s People ………...………………….. 144

Commentary, verse 93 .....………………………… 144-145

Commentary, verse 94 .....………………………… 146-148

Commentary, verse 95 ....……………………….……... 149

Commentary, verses 96-97 .…………………….……... 150

Commentary, verse 98 .....………………………… 151-152

Commentary, verse 99 ....……………………….……... 153

Commentary, verse 100 ..……………………….……... 154

Commentary, verse 101 ..……………………….……... 155

Commentary, verse 102 ..……………………….……... 156

Commentary, verse 103 ..……………………….……... 157

Section 11: Profit or loss caused by Allah unavoidable by

anyone …………………………………………………… 158

Commentary, verse 104 ...………………………… 158-159

Commentary, verses 105-106 .……………………. 160-161

Commentary, verse 107 ..……………………….……... 162

Commentary, verse 108 ...………………………… 163-164

Commentary, verse 109 ..……………………….……... 165

p: 6

Sura Hūd, No. 11 (123 verses), The contents of ….. 166

Section 1: Repentance earns pardon and Divine bounties

Commentary, verse 1 .....………………………….. 168-169

Commentary, verse 2 ....……………………….…….… 170

Commentary, verse 3 .....………………………….. 171-172

Commentary, verse 4 ....……………………….…….… 173

Commentary, verse 5 ......…………………………. 174-175

Commentary, verse 6 .......………………………… 176-178

Commentary, verse 7 .…..………………………… 179-180

Commentary, verse 8 ...…………………………… 181-182

Section 2: Patience and good deeds earn pardon from Allah

Commentary, verse 9 ......……………………….……... 183

Commentary, verse 10 ....……………………….……... 184

Commentary, verse 11 ....……………………….……... 185

Commentary, verse 12 .....………………………… 186-187

Commentary, verse 13 .....………………………… 188-189

Commentary, verse 14 ....……………………….……... 190

Commentary, verses 15-16 ..……………………… 191-192

Commentary, verse 17 .....………………………… 193-195

Commentary, verse 18 .....………………………… 196-198

Commentary, verse 19 ....……………………….……... 199

Commentary, verse 20 ....……………………….……... 200

Commentary, verses 21-22 ..…………………….……... 201

Commentary, verse 23 ....……………………….……... 202

Commentary, verse 24 ....……………………….……... 203

Section 3: The Ministry of Noah …………….………… 204

Commentary, verses 25-26 ...………………………204-205

Commentary, verse 27 ……………………………. 206-207

Commentary, verse 28 ……………………………. 208-209

Commentary, verse 29 …………………………….… 210

Commentary, verse 30 …………………………….… 211

Commentary, verse 31 .....………………………… 212-215

p: 7

Commentary, verse 32 ....……………………….……... 216

Commentary, verse 33 ....……………………….……... 217

Commentary, verse 34 ....……………………….……... 218

Commentary, verse 35 ....……………………….……... 219

Section 4: The fate of those who disbelieved Noah …… 220

Commentary, verse 36 .....………………………… 220-221

Commentary, verse 37 ....……………………….……... 222

Commentary, verse 38 .....………………………… 223-224

Commentary, verse 39 ....……………………….……... 225

Noah’s Ark ..…………………………………… 225-226

Commentary, verse 40 .....………………………… 227-228

Commentary, verse 41 ....……………………….……... 229

Commentary, verse 42 ....……………………….……... 230

Commentary, verse 43 ....……………………….……... 231

The educational implications of Noah’s Flood ..… 232-234

Commentary, verse 44 .....………………………… 235-236

Commentary, verse 45 ....……………………….……... 237

Commentary, verse 46 .....………………………… 238-239

Commentary, verse 47 ....……………………….……... 240

Commentary, verse 48 .....………………………… 241-242

Commentary, verse 49 .....………………………… 243-245

Section 5: The Ministry of Hūd …….………………….. 246

Commentary, verse 50 .....………………………… 246-247

Commentary, verse 51 ....……………………….……... 248

Commentary, verse 52 .....………………………… 249-250

Commentary, verse 53 ....……………………….……... 251

Commentary, verse 54 ....……………………….……... 252

Commentary, verse 55 ....……………………….……... 253

Commentary, verse 56 ....……………………….……... 254

Commentary, verse 57 .....………………………… 255-256

Commentary, verse 58 ....……………………….……... 257

Commentary, verse 59 ....……………………….……... 258

p: 8

Commentary, verse 60 .....………………………… 259-260

Section 6: The Ministry of Sālih .……………………… 261

Commentary, verse 61 .....………………………… 261-262

Commentary, verse 62 .....………………………… 263-264

Commentary, verse 63 ....……………………….……... 265

Commentary, verse 64 ....……………………….……... 266

Commentary, verse 65 ....……………………….……... 267

Commentary, verse 66 ....……………………….……... 268

Commentary, verses 67-68 ..……………………… 269-270

Section 7: Ministry of Lot ……………………………… 271

Commentary, verse 69 .....………………………… 271-272

Commentary, verse 70 ....……………………….……... 273

Commentary, verse 71 ....……………………….……... 274

Commentary, verse 72 ....……………………….……... 275

Commentary, verse 73 .....………………………… 276-277

Commentary, verse 74 ....……………………….……... 278

Commentary, verses 75-76 ..……………………… 279-280

Commentary, verse 77 .....………………………… 281-282

Commentary, verse 78 .....………………………… 283-284

Commentary, verses 79-80 ..…………………….……... 285

The sin of Sodomy in the Qur’ān and Traditions ...… 286

Commentary, verse 81 .....………………………… 287-288

Commentary, verses 82-83 ..……………………… 289-290

Section 8: The Ministry of Shu‘ayb …………………… 291

Commentary, verse 84 .....………………………… 291-292

Commentary, verse 85 .....………………………… 293-294

Commentary, verse 86 ....……………………….……... 295

Commentary, verse 87 .....………………………… 296-297

Commentary, verse 88 .....………………………… 298-299

Commentary, verse 89 ....……………………….……... 300

Commentary, verse 90 ....……………………….……... 301

Commentary, verse 91 .....………………………… 302-303

p: 9

Commentary, verse 92 ....……………………….……... 304

Commentary, verse 93 ....……………………….……... 305

Commentary, verse 94 .....………………………… 306-307

Section 9: The Ministry of Moses ...…………………… 308

Commentary, verses 96-97 ..……………………… 308-309

Commentary, verse 98 ....……………………….……... 310

Commentary, verse 99 ....……………………….……... 311

Commentary, verse 100 ..……………………….……... 312

Commentary, verse 101 ..……………………….……... 313

Commentary, verse 102 ..……………………….……... 314

Commentary, verses 103-104 ..…………………… 315-316

Commentary, verses 105-107 ..…………………… 317-319

Commentary, verse 108 ...………………………… 320-323

The means of happiness and wretchedness ……... 320-323

Commentary, verse 109 ...………………………… 324-325

Section 10: Exhortation to shun evil ...………………… 326

Commentary, verse 110 ...………………………… 326-327

Commentary, verse 111 ..……………………….……... 328

Commentary, verse 112 ...………………………… 329-330

The command of stead fastness ………….……... 329-330

Commentary, verse 113 ...………………………… 331-333

Reliance upon the unjust ..……………….…….... 331-332

Explanations ..…………………...…………….. 332-333

Commentary, verses 114-115 ..…………………… 334-338

Commentary, verse 116 ...………………………… 339-341

Commentary, verse 117 ..……………………….……... 342

Commentary, verse 118 ...………………………… 343-344

Commentary, verse 119 ..……………………….……... 345

Commentary, verse 120 ...………………………… 346-347

Commentary, verses 121-122 ..………………….……... 348

Commentary, verse 123 ...………………………… 349-350

p: 10

Sura Yusuf, No. 12 (111 verses) ..……………………… 351

The Magnitude and Glory of the Qur’ān ……… 351-352

The Content of the Sura ...………………………. 353-356

Section 1: Yusuf suffers …………………………..……. 357

Commentary, verse 1 ..…..……………………….…..... 358

Commentary, verse 2 .....…………………….…..... 359-360

Commentary, verse 3 .....…………………….…..... 361-363

Commentary, verse 4 ....…………………….…...... 364-368

Commentary, verse 5 ....…………………….…...... 369-370

Commentary, verse 6 ....…………………….…..... 371-372

Section 2: Yusuf suffers the treatment of his brothers . 373

Commentary, verse 7 ....…………………….…..... 373-375

Commentary, verse 8 ....…………………….…..... 376-377

Commentary, verse 9 ....…………………….…..... 378-380

Commentary, verse 10 ...…………………….…..... 381-384

Commentary, verses 11-12 ………………….…..... 385-386

Commentary, verses 13-14 ………………….…..... 387-389

Commentary, verse 15 ...…………………….…..... 390-391

Commentary, verse 16 ...…………………….…..... 392-393

Commentary, verse 17 ...…………………….…..... 394-396

Commentary, verse 18 ...…………………….…..... 397-399

Commentary, verse 19 ...…………………….…..... 400-401

Commentary, verse 20 …......…………………….…..... 402

Section 3: Yusuf’s firmness in piety against the temptation

Commentary, verse 21 ...…………………….…..... 403-404

Commentary, verse 22 ...…………………….…..... 405-406

Commentary, verse 23 ...…………………….…..... 407-410

Commentary, verse 24 ...…………………….…..... 411-413

Commentary, verse 25 ...…………………….…..... 414-415

Commentary, verse 26 ...…………………….…..... 416-417

Commentary, verse 27 …......…………………….…..... 418

Commentary, verse 28 ...…………………….…..... 419-420

p: 11

Commentary, verse 29 ...…………………….…..... 421-422

Section 4: Yusuf prefers prison against the temptation 423

Commentary, verse 30 ...…………………….…..... 423-424

Commentary, verse 31 ...…………………….…..... 425-426

Commentary, verse 32 ...…………………….…..... 427-428

Commentary, verse 33 ...…………………….…..... 429-434

Commentary, verse 34 …......…………………….…..... 435

Commentary, verse 35 ...…………………….…..... 436-437

Section 5: Yusuf preaches Unity of Allah in the prison 438

Commentary, verse 36 ...…………………….…..... 438-439

Commentary, verse 37 ...…………………….…..... 440-442

Commentary, verse 38 ...…………………….…..... 443-445

Commentary, verse 39 ...…………………….…..... 446-447

Commentary, verse 40 ...…………………….…..... 448-449

Commentary, verse 41 ...…………………….…..... 450-451

Commentary, verse 42 ...…………………….…..... 453-455

Section 6: the King’s dream, Yusuf’s interpretation … 456

Commentary, verse 43 ...…………………….…..... 456-458

Commentary, verse 44 ...…………………….…..... 459-460

Commentary, verse 45 …......…………………….…..... 461

Commentary, verse 46 …......…………………….…..... 462

Commentary, verse 47 ...…………………….…..... 463-464

Commentary, verses 48-49 ………………….…..... 465-466

Section 7: Yusuf cleared of the false charge ………….. 467

Commentary, verse 50 ...…………………….…..... 467-469

Commentary, verse 51 ...…………………….…..... 470-471

Commentary, verse 52 ...…………………….…..... 472-473

Commentary, verse 53 ...…………………….…..... 474-475

Commentary, verse 54 ...…………………….…..... 476-477

Commentary, verse 55 ...…………………….…..... 478-483

Commentary, verses 56-57 ………………….…..... 484-485

p: 12

Section 8: Yusuf measures out corn to his brothers ….. 486

Commentary, verse 58 ...…………………….…..... 486-487

Commentary, verse 59 ...…………………….…..... 488-489

Commentary, verse 60 …......…………………….…..... 490

Commentary, verse 61 …......…………………….…..... 491

Commentary, verse 62 ...…………………….…..... 492-493

Commentary, verse 63 …......…………………….…..... 494

Commentary, verse 64 …......…………………….…..... 495

Commentary, verse 65 ...…………………….…..... 496-497

Commentary, verse 66 ...…………………….…..... 498-499

Commentary, verse 67 …......…………………….…..... 500

Commentary, verse 68 ...…………………….…..... 501-502

Section 9: Yusuf meets his brother ……………………. 503

Commentary, verse 69 ...…………………….…..... 503-504

Commentary, verse 70 ...…………………….…..... 505-506

Commentary, verses 71-72 .........…………………….… 507

Commentary, verse 73 ...…………………….…..... 508-509

Commentary, verse 74 …......…………………….…..... 510

Commentary, verse 75 …......…………………….…..... 511

Commentary, verse 76 ...…………………….…..... 512-513

Commentary, verse 77 …......…………………….…..... 514

Commentary, verse 78 …......…………………….…..... 515

Commentary, verse 79 …......…………………….…..... 516

Section 10: Yusuf discloses his identity ……………….. 517

Commentary, verse 80 ...…………………….…..... 517-519

Commentary, verse 81 …......…………………….…..... 520

Commentary, verse 82 ...…………………….…..... 521-522

Commentary, verse 83 ...…………………….…..... 523-525

Commentary, verse 84 ...…………………….…..... 526-527

Commentary, verse 85 …......…………………….…..... 528

Commentary, verse 86 ...…………………….…..... 529-530

Commentary, verse 87 ...…………………….…..... 531-532

p: 13

Commentary, verse 88 ...…………………….…..... 533-534

Commentary, verse 89 …......…………………….…..... 535

Commentary, verse 90 ...…………………….…..... 536-537

Commentary, verse 91 …......…………………….…..... 538

Commentary, verse 92 ...…………………….…..... 539-540

Commentary, verse 93 ...…………………….…..... 541-543

Section 11: Jacob goes to Yusuf ..……………………… 544

Commentary, verse 94 ...…………………….…..... 544-545

Commentary, verse 95 …......…………………….…..... 546

Commentary, verse 96 ...…………………….…..... 547-548

Commentary, verse 97 …......…………………….…..... 549

Commentary, verse 98 ...…………………….…..... 550-551

Commentary, verse 99 ...…………………….…..... 552-554

Commentary, verse 100 .…………………….…..... 555-557

Commentary, verse 101 .…………………….…..... 558-562

Commentary, verse 102 .....…………………….…...…. 563

Commentary, verse 103 .....…………………….…...…. 564

Commentary, verse 104 .....…………………….…...…. 565

Section 12: Histories of ancient people serve as a lesson

Commentary, verse 105 .…………………….…..... 566-567

Commentary, verse 106 .…………………….…..... 568-570

Commentary, verse 107 .....…………………….…...…. 571

Commentary, verse 108 .…………………….…..... 572-573

Commentary, verse 109 .…………………….…..... 574-576

Commentary, verse 110 .…………………….…..... 577-578

Commentary, verse 111 .…………………….…..... 579-582

References …………………….……………… 583-585

Index …………………….…………………………... 586

The list of Publications of the Library …… 599

p: 14

In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

Introduction

This book contains the English translation of the verses and commentary of three Suras of the Holy Qur’ān: Yūnus, Hūd, and Yūsuf. They insist of nearly parts eleven and twelve, out of thirty parts, of the Qur’ān.

There has occurred a delay in the translation, publication, and distribution of this book, No. 7, which fortunately has been removed, and the current book is available for you after the publication of book No. 9. By the help of Allah, book No. 8, will also be offered you soon, so that the gap between books No. 6 and 9 might be auspiciously filled, Allah willing.

It is noteworthy to be mentioned here that the main introductory of this endeavour has been explained in details at the beginning of the first part of the commentary of the Qur’ān. Those dear readers who desire to know more about the sourse of the commentary of the Qur’ān and be familiar with some essential data towards the aim of this holy effort, may refer to it. It must be helpful along the way of studying this book, too.

As usual, again and again we ask Allah, the Exalted, that He helps us, as ever before, and assists us to complete this sacred endeavour successfully.

May He (s.w.t.) guide and assist all of us by the light of the Qur’ān to pave its Straight Path further and further, for we are always in need of His favours.

The Scientific and Religious Research Center

Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.) Public Library

Sayyid ‘Abbās Sadr-‘Āmilī

The Translator

p: 15

Sura Yūnus (Jonah)

No. 10 (Revealed in Mecca)

109 verses in 11 sections

things which have been explained at the beginning of Sura Al-Baqarah.

The Arabic word /tilka/ refers to the verses that are found in this Sura.

The objective meaning of the Qur’ānic phrase /al kitāb il hakīm/ is the “Protected Tablet” or the Qur’ān. Since it contains wisdom and teaches by means of wisdom, it is therefore Wise.

In other words; the Qur’ān has a high rank, because the Holy Book itself is Wise. Simultaneously, while it contains both teachings of wisdom and is wise in content, it is a judge and an arbitrator as well. It remains intact from hostile elements and history and the passage of time can leave no impact upon it. It is “the Book of Wisdom”.

****

p: 19

﴿2﴾ أَکَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَباً أَنْ أَوْحَیْنَآ إِلَی رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ أَنذِرِ النَّاسَ وَبَشّرِ الَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا أَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ عِنْدَ رَبّهِمْ قَالَ الْکَافِرُونَ إِنَّ هَذَا لَسَاحِرٌ مُبِینٌ

2. “Was it a wonder to the people that We revealed to a man from among themselves that he should warn mankind and give good tidings to those who believe that they have before their Lord the rank of Truth? (While)

the unbelievers say: ‘This is indeed an evident sorcerer!’”

mankind and give good tidings to those who believe that they have before their Lord the rank of Truth?…”

The idolaters, however, said that “this man” (meaning the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), must have obviously been a sorcerer and a magician since he brought something that could not be brought by others. The verse continues saying:

“… (While) the unbelievers say: ‘This is indeed an evident sorcerer!’”

The disbelievers considered prophecy as sorcery and, because of their short sightedness, dark heartedness, and lack of understanding, they could mostly not grasp the truth and distinguish the difference between miracles and the work of magicians.

****

p: 21

﴿3﴾ إِنَّ رَبَّکُمُ اللّهُ الَّذِی خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِی سِتَّةِ أَیَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَی عَلَی الْعَرْشِ یُدَبِّرُ الاَمْرَ مَا مِن شَفِیعٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ بَعْدِ إِذْنِهِ ذَلِکُمُ اللّهُ رَبُّکُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ أَفَلاَ تَذَکَّرُونَ

3. “Verily, your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the Earth in six Days. Then He established Himself on ‘Arsh (the Throne), directing the affair. No intercessor can there be except after (obtaining) His leave. This is Allah your Lord; Him therefore worship you: will you not remember?”

Messages:

1. Acquiring knowledge about Allah (s.w.t.) should precede worshipping Him.

2. Worship must be kept exclusively for Him Who has the power to create and administer all the affairs of creation and to no one else.

3. The creation of the world has been accomplished according to a plan and an arranged program, (in six days). When there are pre-ordaining plans for all beings in the system of creation, how can one think of human beings, who are the outstanding achievements of the creative process, to be without any planned destiny? The verse says:

“Verily, your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the Earth in six Days. Then He established Himself on ‘Arsh (the Throne), directing the affair. …”

4. Allah has created the entire existence and is in full command, administering it with wisdom while leaving no one in charge of any part without His prior approval.

5. Any effort at mediation by any being must meet with His approval. Thus one, such as idols, cannot be unduly appointed as an intercessor. The verse says:

“… No intercessor can there be except after (obtaining) His leave. …”

6. Extremists might try to introduce the Creator as Allah, nevertheless they consider themselves as competent policy-makers and able to separate religion from politics. It says:

“…This is Allah your Lord; Him therefore worship you:…”

Man believes in his Creator. He only needs to be reminded.

The verse concludes:

“… will you not remember?”

7. Deity is not separate from Lordship.

p: 23

﴿4﴾ إِلَیْهِ مَرْجِعُکُمْ جَمِیعاً وَعْدَ اللّهِ حَقّاً إِنَّهُ یَبْدَؤُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ یُعِیدُهُ لِیَجْزِیَ الَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ بِالْقِسْطِ وَالَّذِینَ کَفَرُوا لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِنْ حَمِیمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِیمٌ بِمَا کَانُوا یَکْفُرُونَ

4. “To Him will be your return, all together. The promise of Allah is true. Verily He originates the (process of) creation, then He causes it to return, that He may reward with justice those who believe and do righteous deeds; but those who disbelieve, for them shall be a drink from the boiling fluids and a painful chastisement for what they used to reject.”

﴿5﴾ هُوَ الَّذِی جَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ ضِیَآءً وَالْقَمَرَ نُوراً وَقَدَّرَهُ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُوا عَدَدَ السّنِینَ وَالْحِسَابَ مَا خَلَقَ اللّهُ ذَلِکَ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ یُفَصِّلُ الاَیَاتِ

لِقَوْمٍ یَعْلَمُونَ

5. “He it is Who made the sun a radiation and the moon a light, and determined it by stations, that you might know the number of years and the reckoning (of time). Allah did not create that save in truth. (Thus) does He explain the Signs in detail, for a people who know.”

light at nighttime over the earth, residing temporarily in its different stages: as the full moon, as a crescent and occasionally disappearing altogether. Through observing the regularity of these changes mankind can keep track of their days, months and years, organize their work and make plans with a schedule. That is, it is an accurate natural calendar that can benefit both the sage and the illiterate for keeping track of the rhythm of their work in their daily-lives. This privilege of the moon is besides the light that it gives us. The verse says:

“He it is Who made the sun a radiation and the moon a light, and determined it by stations, that you might know the number of years and the reckoning (of time). …”

Then the Qur’ān implies that this process of creation and the revolution and rotation of the sun and the moon are not to be dismissed as trivial matters. The verse continues saying:

“… Allah did not create that save in truth. …”

The cloud and the wind, the moon and the sun move in the sky that you may earn your bread, and you should not eat it without being aware of your Provider.

At the end of the verse, the Qur’ān emphasizes that Allah explains His verses for those who comprehend them although those who are ill-sighted and unaware overlook all these verses, not understanding the slightest thing from them. It says:

“… (Thus) does He explain the Signs in detail, for a people who know.”

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p: 26

﴿6﴾ إِنَّ فِی اخْتِلاَفِ الَّیْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَمَا خَلَقَ اللّهُ فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لاَیَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ یَتَّقُونَ

6. “ Verily, in the alternation of night and day, and all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth, surely there are signs for a people who keep from evil.”

B. Night is pre-ordained for tranquility and the day for the hustle and bustle of struggle. Allah says:

“And We made the night as a covering,” “And We made the day for (seeking) livelihood.”(1)

C. The decrease and increase in the number of daylight hours in the different seasons of the year.

D. The change in the hours of the day and the night in various regions of the world. The verse says:

“ Verily, in the alternation of night and day, and all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth, surely there are signs for a people who keep from evil.”

Question: Why is it that some scientists are atheists?

Answer: In itself, science is not sufficient. The approach to truth must stem from intentional and purposeful people and the motive must originate from those who honestly seek the truth and reality. Thus sins and pollutions from sin leave a negative impact upon one’s analysis and cognition.

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p: 28

﴿7﴾ إِنَّ الَّذِینَ لاَ یَرْجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا وَرَضُوا بِالْحَیَاةِ الدُّنْیَا وَاطْمَاَنُّوا بِهَا وَالَّذِینَ هُمْ عَنْ ءَایَاتِنَا غَافِلُونَ

﴿8﴾ اُوْلَئِکَ مَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ بِمَا کَانُوا یَکْسِبُونَ

7. “ Verily those who do not expect the meeting with Us, but are pleased with the life of this world and are satisfied with it, and those who are neglectful of Our Signs,”

8. “ These! Their abode is the Fire for what they used to earn.”

In fact, the direct result of the lack of belief in the Resurrection is this very love unto this limited life, of worldly position and a confidence and reliance upon it.

Also, negligence from the revelations of Allah, is the origin of separation from Allah which in turn is the origin of the lack of sympathy and, consequently, falling into pollution, mischief, and sin whose ultimate result cannot be aught but Fire.

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p: 30

﴿9﴾ إِنَّ الَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ یَهْدِیهِمْ رَبُّهُم بِإِیمَانِهِمْ

تَجْرِی مِن تَحْتِهِمُ الاَنْهَارُ فِی جَنَّاتِ النَّعِیمِ

9. “ Verily those who believe and do righteous deeds, their Lord will guide them by their Faith: beneath them rivers flow in gardens of bliss.”

﴿10﴾ دَعْوَاهُمْ فِیهَا سُبْحَانَکَ اللَّهُمَّ وَتَحِیَّتُهُمْ فِیهَا سَلاَمٌ وءَاخِرُ دَعْوَاهُمْ أَنِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبّ الْعَالَمِینَ

10. “Their cry therein (will be): ‘Glory be to You, O Allah!’ and ‘Peace’ will be their greeting therein. And the close of their cry (will be): ‘(All) praise is (only) Allah’s, the Lord of the Worlds’.”

word from a Merciful Lord”(1), and which comes from the angels saying: “Peace be upon you, you shall be happy;”(2). It also is uttered by all those who reside in Paradise. “Only the saying: ‘Peace, Peace’.”(3)

The holy phrase “(All) praise is (only) Allah’s” is the saying of the prophets and saints.

Hadrat Noah (a.s.), after being released from the unjust people uttered these words, and ’Ibrāhīm (a.s.) also, saying them, thanked Allah in his old age for He had bestowed him Ishmael and Ishāq.

Some Islamic tradition indicate that the People of Paradise, by uttering /subhaanaka ’allahumma/ will call up the hosts of Paradise, who in turn show up immediately and fulfill their wishes. (Manhaj-us-Sādiqīn, the Commentary)

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does not hasten on their punishment lest they wake-up and repent and be lead straight.

At the end of the verse, He says that punishment is for those who do not believe in the Resurrection and the Meeting with Him; they are left alone so that they may stray and remain in confusion, not knowing the truth from “untruth” and the right path from the wrong. The verse says:

“… But We leave those who do not expect the meeting with Us, in their contumacy, wandering blindly.”

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p: 35

﴿12﴾ وَإِذَا مَسَّ الإِنْسَانَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنْبِهِ أَوْ قَاعِداً أَوْ قَآئِماً فَلَمَّا کَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ مَرَّ کَأَن لَمْ یَدْعُنَآ إِلَی ضُرّ ٍ مَسَّهُ کَذَلِکَ زُیِّنَ لِلْمُسْرِفِینَ مَا کَانُوا یَعْمَلُونَ

12. “ And when an affliction touches a man, he calls Us (while reclining) on his side, or sitting, or standing. But when We remove from him his affliction, he passes on, as if he never called Us to an affliction that touched him. Thus is made fair seeming to the extravagant that which they have been doing.”

“… But when We remove from him his affliction, he passes on, as if he never called Us to an affliction that touched him. Thus is made fair seeming to the extravagant that which they have been doing.”

It is this very ingratitude and negligence that has made the indecent acts of the mischief makers seemingly beautiful for them.

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p: 37

﴿13﴾ وَلَقَدْ أَهْلَکْنَا الْقُرُونَ مِن قَبْلِکُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا وَجَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِالبَیِّنَاتِ وَمَا کَانُوا لِیُؤْمِنُوا کَذَلِکَ نَجْزِی الْقَوْمَ الْمُ-جْرِمِینَ

13. “ And certainly We destroyed the generations before you when they were unjust, and their messengers came to them with clear arguments and they would not believe. Thus do We recompense the guilty people. ”

﴿14﴾ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاکُمْ خَلآئِفَ فِی الأَرْضِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ لِنَنْظُرَ کَیْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ

14. “ Then We made you successors in the earth after them to see how you behave.”

﴿15﴾ وإِذَا تُتْلَی عَلَیْهِمْ ءَایَاتُنَا بَیِّنَاتٍ قَالَ الَّذِینَ لاَ یَرْجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا ائْتِ بِقُرْءَانٍ غَیْرِ هَذَآ أَوْ بَدِّ لْهُ قُلْ مَایَکُونُ لِی أَنْ اُبَدِّ لَهُ مِن تِلْقَآئِ نَفْسِی

إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا یُوحَی إِلَیَّ

إِنّی أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَیْتُ رَبّی عَذَابَ یَوْمٍ عَظِیمٍ

15. “ And when Our Clear Signs are recited unto them, those who do not expect the meeting with Us, say: ‘Bring us a Qur’ān other than this, or alter it.’ Say: ‘It is not for me to alter it of my own accord, I follow naught but what is revealed unto me; verily, I fear, if I were to disobey my Lord the Penalty of a Great Day (to come).’”

The Occasion of the Revelation:

This holy verse and the next two verses had been revealed concerning several idol-worshippers when they came to the Prophet (p.b.u.h) and said: “Whatever this Qur’ān says about abandoning the worship of our great idols namely Lāt, Uzzā, Manāt, Hubal and its disrespect of them is not acceptable and bearable to us. If you want us to follow you, get us another Qur’ān which is free of this criticism, or, at least change such ideas in this present Qur’ān.”

“ And when Our Clear Signs are recited unto them, those who do not expect the meeting with Us, say: ‘Bring us a Qur’ān other than this, or alter it.’ …”

These ignorant people did not want the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to guide them as a leader; they rather invited him to follow in the footsteps of their own superstitious conjectures.

The Qur’ān explicitly enlightens them regarding their grave mistake, ordering the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to tell them that it is impossible for him to alter the Divine revelation by himself. The verse says:

“… Say: ‘It is not for me to alter it of my own accord, …”

Then, to articulate further, he should add that he would only follow what was revealed to him, and that not only he could not make any alterations in that heavenly Revelation, but, also he feared the punishment of that Great Day (Resurrection) if he would disobey the Command of the Lord.

The holy verse says:

“… I follow naught but what is revealed unto me; verily, I fear, if I were to disobey my Lord the Penalty of a Great Day (to come).’”

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﴿16﴾ قُل لَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَا تَلَوْتُهُ عَلَیْکُمْ وَلآ أَدْرَاکُمْ بِهِ فَقَدْ لَبِثْتُ فِیکُمْ عُمُراً مِن قَبْلِهِ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ

16. “ Say: ‘Had Allah so willed, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have taught it to you. Indeed I have lived amongst you a lifetime before it. Have you then no sense?’”

﴿17﴾ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَی عَلَی اللَّهِ کَذِباً أَوْ کَذَّبَ بِایَاتِهِ إِنَّهُ لا یُفْلِحُ الْمُ-جْرِمُونَ

17. “Who is then more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah, or belies His Signs? Verily the guilty ones will never prosper.”

﴿18﴾ وَیَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لا یَضُرُّهُمْ وَلا یَنفَعُهُمْ وَیَقُولُونَ هَؤُلآءِ شُفَعَآؤُنَا عِندَ اللَّهِ قُلْ اَتُنَبِّؤُنَ اللَّهَ بِمَا لا یَعلَمُ فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلا فِی الأَرْضِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَی عَمَّا یُشْرِکُونَ

18. “ And they worship, besides Allah, what can neither hurt them nor profit them, and they say: ‘These are our intercessors with Allah.’ Say: ‘Will you inform Allah of what He knows not either in the heavens or in the earth?’ Glory be to Him! High be He exalted above what they associate (with Him).”

The Qur’ān, in response to such a way of thinking, tells the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to ask them a question, as follows:

“…Say: ‘Will you inform Allah of what He knows not either in the heavens or in the earth?’ …”

Allusion is here made to the fact that if the Almighty had such mediators who would protect them, and wherever on the earth or in the skies they might have existed, He would have been well aware of their existence.

At the end of the verse it stresses emphatically on the fact that Allah is pure and superior to those partners whom they envisage for Him. The verse says:

“…Glory be to Him! High be He exalted above what they associate (with Him).”

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p: 45

﴿19﴾ وَمَا کَانَ النَّاسُ

إِلآَّ اُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَاخْتَلَفُوا وَلَوْلاَ کَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبّکَ

لَقُضِیَ بَیْنَهُمْ فِیمَا فِیهِ یَخْتَلِفُونَ

19. “ And mankind were only one community, then they differed, and had not a Word already gone forth from your Lord, their differences would have been judged between them.”

One might raise the issue at this point as to why the Almighty does not hasten to eradicate the origin of such differences by the speedy punishment of the polytheists?

The Qur’ān immediately gives an answer to this question implying that if Allah’s command in regard to the absence of their speedy punishment had not been already issued, arbitration would have been administered and their differences would have been judged, then all of them would meet their painful fate. The verse says:

“… and had not a Word already gone forth from your Lord, their differences would have been judged between them.”

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p: 47

﴿20﴾ وَیَقُولُونَ لَوْلآ اُنزِلَ عَلَیْهِ ءَایَةٌ مِن رَبِّهِ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا الْغَیْبُ لِلَّهِ فَانتَظِرُوا إِنّی مَعَکُم مِنَ الْمُنْتَظِرِینَ

20. “ And they say: ‘Why is not a Sign sent down to him from his Lord?’ Say then: ‘ Verily the Unseen is only for Allah (to know). Wait you then, verily I, also with you, will be of those who wait’.”

Therefore the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) should tell them he could not perform miracles according to their wishes, which they would later deny and which would not convince them to become believers. In the final analysis, they refrained from believing regardless of the pretext.

At the end of the verse, from his tongue, the Qur’ān, in a threatening tone implies that if they did not stop being obstinate, they should expect divine punishment whilst, on the other hand, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) should expect victory. The verse says:

“… Wait you then, verily I, also with you, will be of those who wait’.”

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p: 49

for the rain was because of the idols. (The commentary of As-Sāfī, Fī-Zalāl-il-Qur’ān and Fakhr-i-Rāzī)

One of the measures and tricky devices employed by his enemies was character assassination of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), ridiculing the divine verses, and degrading the blessings of Allah. At any rate, man misuses God-given blessings and makes mischief instead of giving thanks and we must know that he who plays dirty tricks, will ultimately be involved with the device and the punishment of Allah. The verse says:

“… Say: ‘Allah is quicker at devising. …”

Then, He warns them not to think that such conspiracies and plans will be forgotten. His messengers, (that is, His angels responsible for recording human actions) will take note of all those plans which disbelievers arrange for extinguishing the light of the truth. And they must prepare themselves for the Judgment and the punishment in the world here-after. The verse says:

“… Verily, Our messengers record what you devise’.””

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p: 51

﴿22﴾ هُوَ الَّذِی یُسَیّرُکُمْ فِی الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ حَتَّی إِذَا کُنتُمْ فِی الْفُلْکِ وَجَرَیْنَ بِهِم بِرِیحٍ طَیّبَةٍ وَفَرِحُوا بِهَا جَآءَتْهَا رِیحٌ عَاصِفٌ وَجَآءَهُمُ الْمَوْجُ مِن کُلِّ مَکَانٍ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ اُحِیطَ بِهِمْ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِینَ لَهُ الدّینَ لَئِنْ أَنجَیْتَنَا مِنْ هَذِهِ لَنَکُونَنّ َمِنَ الشَّاکِرِینَ

22. “ He it is Who enables you to traverse through land and sea; so that you are in the ships, and they sail with them with a favourable wind, and they rejoice thereat. Then there comes upon them a stormy wind and the waves come on them from all sides, and they think that they are encompassed therewith, they call upon Allah, making their faith pure for Him, (saying): ‘If You deliver us from this, we shall surely be of the grateful ones’.”

“ He it is Who enables you to traverse through land and sea; so that you are in the ships, and they sail with them with a favourable wind, and they rejoice thereat. Then there comes upon them a stormy wind and the waves come on them from all sides, and they think that they are encompassed therewith, …”

At just about that time, they are reminded of Allah and call upon Him sincerely, their thoughts stripped of all sorts of polytheism and idol worship. The verse continues saying:

“… they call upon Allah, making their faith pure for Him,…”

They start praying at this time, saying that if Allah save them from this plight, they will thank Him while they shall neither oppress others nor turn to others for help save Him. The verse says:

“… (saying): ‘If You deliver us from this, we shall surely be of the grateful ones’.”

Although this temporary awakening will often have no remarkable educational effect upon extraordinarily wicked people, yet He completes the process of reasoning to the end to them, and it will serve as their eventual condemnation.

In such incidents, those individuals, who are only slightly polluted, are usually awakened and tend to reform themselves.

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﴿23﴾ فَلَمَّآ أَنجَاهُمْ إِذَا هُمْ یَبْغُونَ فِی الاَرْضِ بِغَیْرِ الْحَقّ یَآ أَیُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا بَغْیُکُمْ عَلَی أَنفُسِکُم مَتَاعَ الْحَیَاةِ الدُّنْیَا ثُمَّ إِلَیْنَا مَرجِعُکُمْ

فَنُنَبّئُکُم بِمَا کُنتُم تَعْمَلُونَ

23. “ But when He delivers them, behold! They rebel in the earth unjustly. O mankind! Your rebellion is against your own selves, an enjoyment of the life of this world.

Then to Us is your return, and We shall inform you of what you used to do.”

﴿24﴾ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْحَیَاةِ الدُّنْیَا کَمَآءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الاَرْضِ مِمَّا یَأْکُلُ النَّاسُ وَالاَنْعَامُ حَتَّی إِذَآ أَخَذَتِ الأَرْضُ زُخْرُفَهَا وَازَّیَّنَتْ وَظَنَّ أَهْلُهَآ أَنَّهُمْ قَادِرُونَ عَلَیْهَآ أَتَاهَآ أَمْرُنَا لَیْلاً أَوْ نَهَاراً فَجَعَلْنَاهَا حَصِیداً کَاَن لَمْ تَغْنَ بِالاَمْسِ کَذَلِکَ نُفَصِّلُ الاَیَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ یَتَفَکَّرُونَ

24. “ The likeness of the life of this world is just as the water which We send down from the sky, and the plants of the earth mingle with it whereof men and cattle eat, till when the earth takes its ornament and is embellished, and its people imagine that they have power over it, (but suddenly) Our command reaches it by night or by day, and We make it stubble, as if it had not flourished the day before! Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for a people who reflect.

“… and the plants of the earth mingle with it whereof men and cattle eat, …”

These plants, besides the nutritional qualities that they contain for living creatures, cover the earth’s surface and decorate it so that the earth finds its utmost beauty in it.

It is at this time that the blossoms decorate the branches and the flowers bloom. Nutritious grains and fruits show up gradually, dramatically depicting the full meaning of the scene of life, thus rendering people’s hearts hopeful and their eyes full of joy. This is done to the extent that people on the earth become certain that they can benefit from the blessings of the plants and fruits as well as from their life-inducing grains.

The verse says:

“… till when the earth takes its ornament and is embellished, and its people imagine that they have power over it, …”

All of a sudden, Allah’s command reaches them, ordering excessive cold, unexpected heavy rains or strong thunderstorms to overwhelm and eradicate them all as if they never existed. The verse continues saying:

“… (but suddenly) Our command reaches it by night or by day, and We make it stubble, as if it had not flourished the day before! …”

Towards the end of the verse, in order to emphasize further, Allah declares:

“… Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for a people who reflect.

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﴿25﴾ وَاللَّهُ یَدْعُواْ إِلَی دَارِ السَّلاَمِ وَیَهْدِی مَن یَشَآءُ إِلَی صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِیمٍ

25. “ And Allah doth call mankind to the Abode of Peace and He guides whomever He Pleases unto the Straight path.”

﴿26﴾ لِلَّذِینَ أَحْسَنُوا الْحُسْنَی وَزِیَادَةٌ وَلاَ یَرْهَقُ وُجُوهَهُمْ قَتَرٌ وَلاَ ذِلَّةٌ اُوْلَئِکَ

أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِیهَا خَالِدُونَ

26. “ For those who do good, is a goodly (reward), and more (than this). Neither dust nor abasement shall over spread their faces. They are Companions of the Garden; they will abide therein forever.”

Imam Sādiq (a.s.) declares: “Every thing has its own system of measurement except tears, a drop of which

extinguishes fires”. Then he (a.s.) said: “He who sheds tears for the sake of Allah, his face will never confront darkness and humiliation,” and he recited: “Neither dust nor abasement shall overspread their face.”(1)

Fadīl-bin-Yasār, has narrated from Imam Bāqir (a.s.) who said that the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) declared; “There are no eyes which are soaked with tears for the fear of Allah except that Allah forbids that body to be in the Fire of Hell. Were he to shed tears, his face would not be covered by the dust and abasement”.(2)

At any rate, those who turn to other than Allah, have no excuses to make as Allah (s.w.t.) simultaneously extends His invitation to man and, at the same time, leads him; He not only rewards but also rewards more and more. The verse says:

“ For those who do good, is a goodly (reward), and more (than this). Neither dust nor abasement shall over spread their faces. They are Companions of the Garden; they will abide therein forever.”

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p: 59

﴿27﴾ وَالَّذِینَ کَسَبُوا السَّیِّئَاتِ جَزَآءُ سَیِّئَةٍ بِمِثْلِهَا وَتَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ مَا لَهُم مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ عَاصِمٍ کَأَنَّمَآ اُغْشِیَتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ قِطَعاً مِنَ الَّیْلِ مَظْلِماً اُوْلَئِکَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِیهَا خَالِدُونَ

27. “ And those who have earned evil will have a reward of like evil; and the dust of ignominy will cover them. No defender will they have from (the wrath of) Allah: as if their faces had been covered with pieces from the darkness of night. They are Companions of the Fire: they will abide therein forever!”

Then the verse implies that there are no guards and obstacles to hinder the punishment of Allah from them. It says:

“… No defender will they have from (the wrath of) Allah:…”

The obscurity reflected on their faces would be to such an extent that one would imagine that parts of the darkness of the night had cast their shadow, one after another, over them.

The verse says:

“… as if their faces had been covered with pieces from the darkness of night. …”

They shall be coupled with the Hell Fire and will eternally remain within its flames. The verse concludes saying:

“… They are Companions of the Fire: they will abide therein forever!”

****

p: 61

﴿28﴾ وَیَوْمَ

نَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِیعاً ثُمَّ نَقُولُ لِلَّذِینَ أَشْرَکُوا مَکَانَکُمْ أَنتُمْ وَشُرَکَآؤُکُمْ فَزَیَّلْنَا بَیْنَهُمْ وَقَالَ شُرَکَآؤُهُم مَّا کُنتُمْ إِیَّانَا تَعْبُدُونَ

28. “ And the Day We shall muster them all, then We shall say to those who associated others (with Us): ‘Get you to your place! You and your associates’, then We shall set a space between them, and their associates shall say: ‘It was not us (indeed) that you used to worship!’ ”

Allah may ask the idol-worshippers why they worshipped idols along with Allah (s.w.t.), and He will also ask the idols why they permitted such an act to occur, that they allowed the polytheists to worship them.

It is at this time that those things that were worshipped as idols will speak, saying to them that they never worshipped idols. In actual fact, they worshipped the creation of their own imaginations, whims and passions. The verse says:

“… and their associates shall say: ‘It was not us (indeed) that you used to worship!’ ”

****

p: 63

﴿29﴾ فَکَفَی بِاللَّهِ شَهِیداً بَیْنَنَا وَبَیْنَکُمْ إِن کُنَّا عَنْ عِبَادَتِکُمْ لَغَافِلِینَ

29. “ Allah is a sufficient witness between us and you: we certainly were Unaware of your worship (of us).”

﴿30﴾ هُنَالِکَ تَبْلُوا کُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَآ أَسْلَفَتْ وَرُدُّوا إِلَی اللَّهِ مَوْلاَهُمُ الْحَقّ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَا کَانُوا یَفْتَرُونَ

30. “ There will every soul realize (the reward of) the deeds it sent aforetime, and they will be brought back to Allah, their true Lord, and that which they used to fabricate (the false deities) will vanish (away) from them.”

At first, the holy Qur’ān addresses the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) implying to tell those polytheists and idol-worshippers, that who are going astray, who is it that provides nourishment for you in the sky and on the earth?

The verse says:

“ Say: “Who provides you (sustenance) from the sky and from the earth? …”

Definitely, the earth provides nourishment for the roots of plants by means of its nutritious substances. It is probably for this reason that the above verse refers to the nourishing substances coming from the sky and later from the earth.

Later, the verse refers to two of man’s most important senses, namely seeing and hearing, without which man’s acquisition of knowledge would have been impossible. It tells him to ask them who is He Who is the Creator of their eyes and ears and reinforces these two senses of theirs. The verse says:

“… Or who possesses hearing and sight? …”

Then it brings up the two phenomena of death and life which are the most peculiar ones in the realm of creation. It says:

“…And who brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the deed from the living? …”

This is the very issue confronted by scientists and the learned men of the natural sciences as well as biologists, amazing them that how living creatures spring from inanimate objects.

The meaning of the above verse includes material as well as spiritual death and life, for one can see intelligent, honest and faithful men sometimes born to parents who are corrupt and faithless, and vice versa.

Then it adds implying that Who is He who rules and regulates all worldly affairs? The verse says:

“…And, who administrates (every) affair? …”

p: 67

In fact, the verse at first talks about the creation of the blessings and then it speaks about the guardian and administrator of these blessings.

After putting forth these three questions, the holy Qur’ān immediately declares that they will soon answer in reply that it is Allah. The verse says:

“… They will soon say: ‘Allah’. …”

One may infer from the above sentence that even the polytheists, infidels and idol-worshippers during the “Age of Ignorance” considered Allah as the sole Creator, Sustainer, Giver of Life as well as the Administrator and Maintainer of the world of existence.

And at the end of the verse the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) has been commanded to ask them: why they did not take the path of virtue. It says:

“… Then, say: ‘Will you not then keep from evil?’ ”

****

p: 68

﴿32﴾ فَذَلِکُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّکُمُ الْحَقُّ فَمَاذَا بَعْدَ الْحَقِّ إِلاَّ الضَّلاَلُ

فَاَنَّی تُصْرَفُونَ

32. “ Such then is Allah, your true Lord; and what is apart from the Truth but error? How then are you turned away?”

﴿33﴾ کَذَلِکَ حَقَّتْ کَلِمَتُ رَبِّکَ عَلَی الَّذِینَ فَسَقُوا أَنَّهُمْ لا یُؤْمِنُونَ

33. “ Thus is the Word of your Lord proved true against those who did wrong, that they will not believe.”

﴿34﴾ قُلْ هَلْ مِن شُرَکَآئِکُم مَن یَبْدَؤُا الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ یُعِیدُهُ

قُلِ اللَّهُ یَبْدَؤُا الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ یُعِیدُهُ

فَاَنَّی تُؤْفَکُونَ

34. “ Say: ‘Is there any of your partners (whom you ascribe unto Allah) one (that) can originate creation, then bring it back again?’ Say: ‘(Only) Allah originates creation, then brings it back again; then how are you turned away (from the Truth)?’”

﴿35﴾ قلْ هَلْ مِن شُرَکَآئِکُم مَن یَهْدِی إِلَی الْحَقِّ قُلِ اللَّهُ یَهْدِی لِلْحَقِّ أَفَمَن یَهْدِی إِلَی الْحَقِّ أَحَقُّ أَن یُتَّبَعَ أَمْ مَن لاَّ یَهِدّی إِلآَّ أَن یُهْدَی فَمَا لَکُمْ کَیْفَ تَحْکُمُونَ

35. “ Say: ‘Is there any of your partners (whom you ascribe unto Allah) one that leads towards the Truth? Say: ‘(Only) Allah leads unto the Truth. Is then He Who leads unto the Truth more worthy to be followed, or he who does not go aright (himself) unless he is guided? What then is the matter with you? How do you judge?’ ”

﴿36﴾ وَمَا یَتَّبِعُ أَکْثَرُهُمْ إِلاَّ ظَنّاً إِنَّ الظَّنَّ لا یُغْنِی مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَیْئاً إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِیمٌ بِمَا یَفْعَلُونَ

36. “ And most of them follow nothing but conjecture: truly, conjecture can be of no avail against the Truth. Verily Allah is well aware of what they do.”

﴿37﴾ وَمَا کَانَ هَذَا الْقُرْءَانُ أَن یُفْتَرَی مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَکِن تَصْدِیقَ الَّذِی بَیْنَ یَدَیْهِ وَتَفْصِیلَ الْکِتَابِ لاَ رَیْبَ فِیهِ مِن رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ

37. “ And this Qur’ān is not such as to be produced by other than Allah; but it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a (clear) explanation of the Book, wherein there is no doubt, from the Lord of the Worlds.”

﴿38﴾ أَمْ یَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِثْلِهِ وَادْعُوا مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِن کُنتُمْ صَادِقِینَ

38. “ Or they say, ‘He has forged it.’ Say: ‘Bring then a Sura like unto it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can, besides Allah, if you are truthful!’”

gnat. It says: “… verily those whom you call upon besides Allah cannot create a gnat. …”(1)

2. Its profundity and the sweetness of words do not render it monotonous even if it may be read over and again for more than thousand times; on the contrary, each time it is studied it presents new messages.

3. Its harmony of words is especially outstanding and if a Qur’ānic verse is placed among other Arabic texts or passages it can be easily distinguished from them.

4. The comprehensive nature of the Qur’ān: It includes reasoning and demonstration to citing examples from worldly affairs to the life in hereafter, and also the facts concerning family problems, legal, political, military, ethical, historical teachings etc.

5. Its realism: Its contents are not based upon conjecture; even its stories are documented and real.

6. The universal and all-embracing nature of the Qur’ān: All people will benefit from it at all levels and in all places regardless of whenever or wherever they are; it is not a Book particular to a special time, place, or people.

7. The eternal effect of the Qur’ān: The older the age of humanity and the more the sciences progress the more of its secrets are discovered.

8. Its ever-increasing and its everlasting development: Despite having an increasing number of enemies and the growing number of attacks launched against it during its history, it has not only survived but also it has secured the highest station.

p: 76

9. It is an ever-existing miracle by itself. A miracle that is available to all and is composed of the kind of words that put it at everyone’s disposal.

10. It is both a miracle and a Book of commandments and legal codes.

11. It is a token from an illiterate man from a region deprived of literacy.

12. Nothing has been added to it or deducted from it and it has been kept intact from distortion. The Qur’ān puts forth the simplest challenge, of calling people to present a Sura like it, to prove its being miraculous. It declares:

“ Or they say, ‘He has forged it.’ Say: ‘Bring then a Sura like unto it, …”

The Qur’ān is a miracle not only in its entirety but also every one of its suras proves the same. This challenge of the Qur’ān is not confined to a specific time and place. It will stand unanswered all over the globe until the end of the life of mankind and the Day of Resurrection. The Qur’ān’s challenge is not only issued to the common people, on the contrary, it is issued to all of mankind, including: jurisconsults, men of letters, and geniuses. It continues saying:

“… and call (to your aid) anyone you can, besides Allah,

if you are truthful!’”

****

p: 77

﴿39﴾ بَلْ کَذَّبُوا بِمَا لَمْ یُحِیطُوا بِعِلْمِهِ وَلَمَّا یَأْتِهِمْ تَأْوِیلُهُ کَذَلِکَ کَذَّبَ الَّذِینَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَانظُرْ کَیْفَ کَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الظَّالِمِینَ

39. “ Nay, they belied that which they comprehended not with the knowledge of it, which whose interpretation has not yet come to them. Even thus did belie those before them, see then what was the end of the unjust ones.”

﴿40﴾ وَمِنْهُم مَّن یُؤْمِنُ بِهِ وَمِنْهُم مَن لا یُؤْمِنُ بِهِ وَرَبُّکَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُفْسِدِینَ

40. “ And some of them believe in it and some of them do not believe in it; and your Lord knows best the mischief makers.”

﴿42﴾ وَمِنْهُم مَن یَسْتَمِعُونَ إِلَیْکَ أَفَاَنتَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ وَلَوْ کَانُوا لا یَعْقِلُونَ

42. “ And (when you recite the Qur’ān) some of them (pretend to) listen to you, but can you make the deaf to hear, even though they are without understanding?”

﴿43﴾ وَمِنْهُم مَن یَنظُرُ إِلَیْکَ أَفَاَنتَ تَهْدِی الْعُمیَ وَلَوْ کَانُوا لا یُبْصِرُونَ

43. “ And some of them look at you, but can you guide the blind even though they will not see (inwardly)?”

﴿44﴾ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ یَظْلِمُ النَّاسَ شَیْئاً وَلَکِنَّ النَّاسَ أَنفُسَهُمْ یَظْلِمُونَ

44. “ Verily Allah does not any injustice to people but people to their own selves do injustice.”

﴿45﴾ وَیَوْمَ یَحْشُرُهُمْ کأَن لَمْ یَلْبَثُوا إلاَّ سَاعَةً مِنَ النَّهَارِ یَتَعَارَفُونَ بَیْنَهُمْ قَدْ خَسِرَ الَّذِینَ کَذَّبُوا بِلِقَآءِ اللَّهِ وَمَا کَانُوا مُهْتَدِینَ

45. “ And on the Day He will muster them, as if they had tarried but an hour of the day, they will recognize each other. Those will verily have perished who denied the meeting with Allah and were not guided a right.”

﴿46﴾ وإِمَّا نُرِیَنَّکَ بَعْضَ الَّذِی نَعِدُهُمْ أَوْ نَتَوَفَّیَنَّکَ فَإِلَیْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ اللَّهُ شَهِیدٌ عَلَی مَا یَفْعَلُونَ

46. “ Whether We show you (realized in your lifetime) some part of what We promise them, or We take your soul, to Us is their return. Then Allah is witness to (all) what they do.”

﴿47﴾ وَلِکُلّ اُمَّةٍ رَسُولٌ فَإِذَا جَآءَ رَسُولُهُمْ قُضِی بَیْنَهُم بِالْقِسْطِ وَهُمْ لاَ یُظْلَمُونَ

47. “ And for every people there is a Messenger. Then when their Messenger comes, (on the Day of Judgment), the matter will be judged between them with justice, and they will not be dealt with unjustly.”

﴿48﴾ وَیَقُولُونَ مَتَی هَذَا الْوَعْدُ إِن کُنتُمْ صَادِقِینَ

48. “ They say: ‘When will this promise be, if you are truthful?’”

﴿49﴾ قُل لآ أَمْلِکُ لِنَفْسِی ضَرّاً وَلا نَفْعاً إِلاَّ مَا شَآءَ اللَّهُ لِکُلِّ اُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَلاَ یَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلایَسْتَقْدِمُونَ

49. “ Say: ‘I do not possess any harm or profit for myself except as Allah wills. To every people is a term appointed. When their term comes, then they shall neither put (it) off an hour, nor hasten (it).’”

death and a point of its termination, which, when it comes, there will be no delay or advancement in its occurrence. The verse continues saying:

“… To every people is a term appointed. When their term comes, then they shall neither put (it) off an hour, nor hasten (it).’”

In fact, the Qur’ān warns the polytheists not to hasten and jump unduly to conclusions. When the timing of their death comes no delays or advances will happen.

****

p: 89

﴿50﴾ قُلْ أَرَأَیْتُمْ إِنْ أَتَاکُمْ عَذَابُهُ بَیَاتاً أَوْ نَهَاراً مَاذَا یَسْتَعْجِلُ مِنْهُ الْمُ-جْرِمُونَ

50. “ Say: ‘Have you considered? If His punishment comes upon you by night or by day, what portion of it will the sinners wish to hasten?’”

﴿51﴾ أَثُمَّ إِذَا مَا وَقَعَ ءَامَنتُم بِهِ ءَآلاَنَ وَقَدْ کُنتُم بِهِ تَستَعْجِلُونَ

51. “ Is it when it (the punishment) comes to pass, you will believe in it? Ah! Now? And you wanted (aforetime) to hasten it on?”

﴿52﴾ ثُمَّ قِیلَ لِلَّذِینَ ظَلَمُوا ذُوقُوا عَذَابَ الْخُلْدِ هَلْ تُجْزَوْنَ إِلاَّ بِمَا کُنتُمْ تَکْسِبُونَ

52. “ Then it will be said to those who were unjust: ‘Taste you the enduring punishment! Are you requited aught save what you used to earn?’”

﴿53﴾ وَیَسْتَنْبِئُونَکَ أَحَقٌّ هُوَ قُلْ إِی وَرَبّی إِنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِینَ

53. “ And they ask you to inform them saying: ‘Is that true?’ Say: ‘You! by my Lord! Verily it is the truth; and you cannot frustrate (Him)’.”

and to diminish the slightest possible portion of His punishment. However, it will never be accepted from them.

Some of these Divine punishments are particularly spiritual in nature; that is, when they behold the punishment, they would declare their regret(1). The verse continues saying:

“… and they declare (their) remorse when they see the Penalty. …”

Then the Qur’ān stresses that despite everything, justice will prevail and will be administered fairly among them and no oppression will be inflicted upon them. The verse says:

“… But the judgment between them will be with justice, and they will not be dealt with unjustly.”

****

p: 95

﴿55﴾ أَلآ إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ والأَرْضِ أَلآ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَکِنَّ أَکْثَرَهُمْ لاَ یَعْلَمُونَ

55. “ Behold!

Verily to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Behold!

Verily, Allah’s promise is true, but most of them do not know.”

﴿56﴾ هُوَ یُحْیِی وَیُمِیتُ وإِلَیْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

56. “ He (it is Who) gives life and causes to die, and to Him you shall be returned.”

﴿57﴾ یَآ أیُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَتْکُم مَوْعِظَةٌ مِن رَبِّکُمْ وَشِفَآءٌ لِمَا فِی الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًی وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِینَ

57. “ O mankind! There hath come to you an admonition from your Lord and a healing for what is in your hearts, and a guidance and a mercy for the believers.”

Finally, the cure for all pains must be sought after in the school of the Qur’ān; not from the schools of the East and West. “… and a healing for what is in your hearts, …”

This is the reason why, Allah’s Prophet (p.b.u.h.) in a tradition states:

“When afflictions, like a dark and terrible night, invade you, seek refuge in the Qur’ān.” It is simultaneously full of preaching as well as being a remedy, a source of illumination and blessing all at the same time.”

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p: 99

﴿58﴾ قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِکَ فَلْیَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَیْرٌ مِّمَّا یَجْمَعُونَ

58. “ Say: ‘In the grace of Allah, and in His mercy – in that let them rejoice; it is better than that which they hoard’.”

guards against Satan, and favourably balances one’s acts during the Day of Judgment”(1)

Incidentally, ‘grace’ and ‘mercy’ mentioned in the Qur’ān have been interpreted as prophethood and Imamate.(2)

Also the former has sometimes been interpreted as the general divine blessings and the latter has been interpreted as His specific blessings. According to an Islamic tradition, divine grace has been pointed out as Islam and His mercy is the Qur’ān. Imam Bāqir (a.s.) said: “Divine grace consists of /salawāt/ and His mercy is Ali-ibn-Abitalib (a.s.).”(3)

The verse says:

“ Say: ‘In the grace of Allah, and in His mercy, …”

Finally, we must be happy for all the divine blessings, especially the fact that He has blessed us with prophethood of Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) and Imamate of the Immaculate Imams (a.s.) and we must know that spiritual blessings are superior to all the material ones. The verse continues saying:

“… in that let them rejoice, it is better than that which they hoard’.”

****

p: 101

﴿59﴾ قُلْ أَرَأَیْتُم مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ لَکُم مِن رِزْقٍ فَجَعَلْتُمْ مِنْهُ حَرَاماً وَحَلاَلاً قُلْ ءَآللَّهُ أَذِنَ لَکُمْ أَمْ عَلَی اللَّهِ تَفْتَرُونَ

59. “ Say: ‘Have you considered what (things) Allah has sent down for you of sustenance, then you made some of it unlawful, and (some of it) lawful?’ Say: ‘Has Allah permitted you, or do you forge a lie against Allah?’”

﴿60﴾ وَمَا ظَنُّ الَّذِینَ یَفْتَرُونَ عَلَی اللَّهِ الْکَذِبَ یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَی النَّاسِ وَلَکِنَّ أَکْثَرَهُمْ لاَ یَشْکُرُونَ

60. “ And what imagine those who forge lies against Allah, on the Day of Resurrection? Verily Allah is the Lord of bounty to mankind, but most of them are not thankful.”

be in, whatever part of the Qur’ān you might be engaged in reciting, and whatever action you begin, you can do nothing which cannot be seen or noticed by Allah when you start it. The verse says:

“ And you are not (engaged) in any affair, nor do you recite any part from the Qur’ān, and nor any deed you (mankind) may be doing, but We are Witnesses over you when you enter into it. …”

Then more emphatically, it continues by saying that not slightest thing in the heavens and on earth, even that of an insignificant particle or greater than it can be hidden from Allah. All of these are recorded and registered in the Preserved Tablet and in the Open Book of Allah. It continues saying:

“… Nor is there hidden from your Lord (so much as) the weight of an atom on the earth or in the heaven, not anything lesser than that or greater but are (recorded) in a Clear Book.”

All Muslims are taught a great lesson by this verse, which can place them on the right track, leading them toward the Truth and preventing them from going astray.

It calls our attention to the fact that not only does the Almighty comprehend our every thought, word and deed, but His angels are also carefully watching every step we take, every word we utter, every thought we entertain in our heads, wherever we cast our eyes, and in whatever state we are in.

It is not without proper grounds that Imam Sādiq (a.s) said: “The Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h) whenever reading this verse, used to weep greatly”. If the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.), with all his sincerity and gratitude, with all the services he had rendered human beings, and with all his unparalleled worship of the Creator could be so concerned about his imperfections before Allah, how then, can we determine our state?

p: 105

﴿62﴾ أَلآ إِنَّ أَوْلِیَآءَ اللَّهِ لاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَیْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ یَحْزَنُونَ

﴿63﴾

الَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا وَکَانُوا یَتَّقُونَ

﴿64﴾ لَهُمُ الْبُشْرَی فِی الْحَیَاةِ الدُّنْیَا وَفِی الاَخِرَةِ لا تَبْدِیلَ لِکَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ ذَلِکَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِیمُ

62. “ Behold! Verily no fear shall be upon the friends of Allah, nor shall they grieve;”

63. “ Those who believe and constantly keep from evil.”

64. “ For them are Glad Tidings in this world’s life and in the Hereafter. There is no change in the Words of Allah. That is the great success.”

connotations, which help in man’s perfection and development.

This is quite contrary to the fear and sorrow that have a material basis and is the source of degradation and deviations.

The friends of Allah are those whose position requires no boundaries between them and their Lord and they are not distant from Him. Their hearts are open and unveiled and they see Him with all their hearts through the light of knowledge, faith, and good deeds which leaves them with perfect sincerity. It is because of such an acquaintance with Allah that, in their views, anything else other than Him is insignificant, of little value, and ephemeral. The verse says:

“ Those who believe and constantly keep from evil.”

They are those who have become believers, continuously strive after virtue and make continence their habit. For them there is good news both in this world and in the Hereafter, because there are no changes in the Divine words and promises, for Allah always fulfils the promises He has made to His friends. This is a great victory and happiness for the person concerned. The verse says:

“ For them are Glad Tidings in this world’s life and in the Hereafter. There is no change in the Words of Allah. That is the great success.”

****

p: 107

﴿65﴾ وَلا یَحْزُنْکَ قَوْلُهُمْ إِنَّ الْعِزَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِیعاً هُوَ السَّمِیعُ الْعَلِیمُ

65. “ And let not their speech grieve you. Verily the glory is wholly Allah’s; He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”

world while the others do not believe in its lack of permanence. …”(1)

It is also narrated from Imam Bāqir (a.s.) who said that it is written in Imam Sajjād’s (a.s.), book concerning the friends of Allah that they are those who accomplish their religious obligations, and act according to the practice of Allah’s Messenger (p.b.u.h.). They are those who abstain from all that is forbidden, and have let the transient world go by, while they are only interested in what is dear to Allah. They make a living in accordance with the laws which consider these ways of earning a livelihood lawful. They abhor arrogance, shun the hoarding of wealth and pay all the obligatory religious dues. Allah has blessed them all for what they earn, and He has also fixed a great reward for what they have saved in advance for their life in Hereafter.

****

p: 109

﴿66﴾ أَلا إِنَّ لِلّهِ مَن فِی السَّمَاوَات وَمَن فِی الأَرْضِ وَمَا یَتَّبِعُ الَّذِینَ یَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ شُرَکَاء إِن یَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ الظَّنَّ

وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلاَّ یَخْرُصُونَ

66. “ Behold! Verily to Allah belongs whoever is in the heavens and whoever is in the earth, and they do not follow any associates, who call on others besides Allah, they do not follow (anything) but conjectures,

and they only lie.”

Those who select partners for Allah, follow nothing but their own conjectures simply following their forefathers in this case or it is because of mistake they have made thinking that they approach Allah therewith. If they think they can elevate themselves and approach Allah in this way, they do nothing but lie. The verse says:

“… they do not follow (anything) but conjectures, and they only lie.”

****

p: 111

﴿67﴾ هُوَ الَّذِی جَعَلَ لَکُمُ الَّیْلَ لِتَسْکُنُوا فِیهِ وَالنَّهَارَ مُبْصِراً إِنَّ فِی ذَلِکَ لاَیَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ یَسْمَعُونَ

67. “ He it is Who appointed for you the night that you rest in it, and the day giving light.

Verily there are signs in it for people who hearken.”

﴿68﴾ قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ وَلَداً سُبْحَانَهُ هُوَ الْغَنِیُ لَهُ مَا فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِی الأَرْضِ إِنْ عَندَکُم مِن سُلْطَانٍ بِهَذَآ أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَی اللَّهِ

مَا لا تَعْلَمُونَ

68. “ They say, ‘Allah has begotten a son!’ Glory be to Him! He is Self-Sufficient! His is whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth! No warrant have you for this! Do you say about Allah what you do not know?’”

Thus He absolutely does not need to have a son, for begetting offspring is to relieve oneself from one’s lack of ability and weakness or to enrich oneself and get rid of poverty, but Allah is free from all this. If it is impossible for Him to have a real son, it is also impossible for Him to adopt a stepson and there are no reasons to support the authenticity of this claim. It says:

“… No warrant have you for this! Do you say about Allah what you do not know?’”

If one wants to know about Allah, these words are to be regarded as blame, a censure and a threat from Allah, the Magnificent, to those who have made these unsanctioned and atrocious claims.

****

p: 114

﴿69﴾ قُلْ إِنَّ الَّذِینَ یَفْتَرُونَ عَلَی اللَّهِ الْکَذِبَ لا یُفْلِحُونَ

﴿70﴾ مَتَاعٌ فِی الدُّنْیَا ثُمَّ إِلَیْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ ثُمَّ نُذِیقُهُمُ الْعَذَابَ الشَّدِیدَ بِمَا کَانُوا یَکْفُرُونَ

69. “ Say: ‘Verily those who forge a lie against Allah will not prosper.’”

70. “(They have) a little enjoyment in this world, then to Us will be their return, then shall We make them taste the severe penalty because they used to disbelieve.”

hopes and trust in Allah, in which case, he will leave his fate in His will, with the conviction that He will save him from their wickedness and vice. The verse says:

“ And recite to them the story of Noah when he said to his people: ‘O my people! if my stay (with you) and my reminding you of the Signs of Allah is grievous to you, yet I have put my trust in Allah, …”

Hadrat Noah then threw out a powerful challenge saying that they should collect their thoughts and invite their idols to participate in their decision-making so that nothing should be left hidden from them, there should be no ambiguity remaining in their plans, they should make the appropriate decisions and come up with the best stratagem concerning him. The verse continues saying:

“… so resolve on your affair, with your partners, so that your affair be not dubious to you. …”

Noah (a.s.) added telling them if they were able, they should go ahead and put an end to his life, and not spare him a single moment. Here is his statement:

“… Then make decision on me, and give me no respite.’”

It has been narrated that before noon on the Day of Ashura Imam Hussein (a.s.) also recited this very verse to the Kufan army.

This is a lesson for all Islamic leaders who might feel daunted when confronted by a multitude of enemies, rather; they must, by taking recourse to Allah and appealing to Him, with utmost decisiveness challenge them and humiliate them their power which would reinforce the morale of their followers and lower that of their enemies.

p: 117

****

﴿72﴾ فإِن تَوَلَّیْتُمْ فَمَا سَاَلْتُکُم مِنْ أَجْرٍ إِنْ أَجْرِیَ إِلاَّ عَلَی اللَّهِ وَاُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَکُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِینَ

72. “ But if you turn back, I have not asked you for any recompense, my recompense is only upon Allah, and I am commanded to be of those (who) surrender (unto Him).”

And Allah, the Gracious, had commissioned Noah (a.s.) to be among those who had submitted themselves to His commandments for, indeed, the best of what the servants of Allah can practice is to obey and submit to Him. The verse continues as follows:

“… and I am commanded to be of those (who) surrender (unto Him).”

****

p: 119

﴿73﴾ فَکَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّیْنَاهُ وَمَن مَعَهُ فِی الْفُلْکِ وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ خَلآئِفَ وَأَغْرَقْنَا الَّذِینَ کَذَّبُوا بِاَیَاتِنَا فَانظُرْ کَیْفَ کَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُنذَرِینَ

73. “ But they rejected him (Noah), So We delivered him and those with him, in the Ark, and We made them successors (in the earth), and We overwhelmed those who rejected Our Signs. Then see what was the end of the warned ones.”

﴿74﴾ ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِ رُسُلاً إِلَی قَوْمِهِمْ فَجَآءُوهُم بِالْبَیِّنَاتِ فَمَا کَانُوا لِیُؤْمِنُوا بِمَا کَذَّبُوا بِهِ مِن قَبْلُ کَذَلِکَ نَطْبَعُ عَلَی قُلُوبِ الْمُعْتَدِینَ

74. “ Then, after him, We sent messengers to their people; they brought them the clear evidences, but they would not believe in what they had already rejected beforehand. Thus do We seal up the hearts of the transgressors.”

themselves and violate the Divine limits and laws laid down by the Almighty, so that they become condemned to reprimand, and are recognized by the angels. The verse says:

“… Thus do We seal up the hearts of the transgressors.”

****

p: 122

﴿75﴾ ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِم مُوسَی وَهَارُونَ إِلَی فِرْعَوْنَ وَملإِیْهِ بِاَیَاتِنَا فَاسْتَکْبَرُوا وَکَانُوا قَوْماً مُجْرِمِینَ

75. “ Then, after them, We sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his chiefs with Our Signs, but they were arrogant, and they were a guilty people.”

﴿76﴾ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُوا إِنَّ هَذَا لَسِحْرٌ مُبِینٌ

76. “ So when the truth came to them from Us, they said: ‘Verily, this is a manifest sorcery.’”

﴿77﴾ قَالَ مُوسَی أَتَقُولُونَ لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَآءَکُمْ أَسِحْرٌ هَذَا وَلاَ یُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُونَ

77. “ Said Moses: ‘Do you say (this) about the Truth when it hath actually reached you? Is this sorcery? But sorcerers do not prosper.’”

﴿78﴾ قَالُوا أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَلْفِتَنَا عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَیْهِ ءَابآءَنَا وَتَکُونَ لَکُمَا الْکِبْرِیَآءُ فِی الأَرْضِ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَکُمَا بِمُؤْمِنِینَ

78. “ They said: ‘(O’ Moses) have you come to turn us away from what we found our fathers upon, and that the greatness in the land may be for you two? But we shall not believe you two.”

For this reason they said that they were never going to believe in Moses for they thought his message and proofs were only but the act of sorcery in the service of a wider scheme for political aggrandizement. This was the first stage of their struggle against Moses (a.s.). The verse continues saying:

“… But we shall not believe you two.”

****

p: 127

﴿79﴾ وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ ائْتُونِی بِکُلِّ سَاحِرٍ عَلِیمٍ

79. “ And Pharaoh said: ‘Bring unto me every knowing (expert) sorcerer’.”

﴿80﴾ فَلَمَّا جَآءَ السَّحَرَةُ قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَی ألْقُوا مَآ أَنتُم مُلْقُونَ

80. “ When the sorcerers came, Moses said to them: ‘Throw what you have to throw!’”

﴿81﴾ فَلَمَّآ أَلْقَوْا قَالَ مُوسَی مَا جِئْتُم بِهِ السِّحْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَیُبْطِلُهُ

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا یُصْلِحُ عَمَلَ الْمُفْسِدِینَ

﴿82﴾ وَیُحِقُّ اللَّهُ الْحَقَّ بِکَلِمَاتِهِ وَلَوْ کَرِهَ الْمُ-جْرِمُونَ

81. “ So when they had thrown, Moses said: ‘What you have brought is sorcery. Allah will surely make it naught, verily Allah does not set right the work of mischief makers.”

82. “ And Allah proves the Truth by His Words though the sinners be averse (to it).”

Pharaoh was an arrogant man in that land, indulgent and violent, and he recognized no boundaries and limits. The verse continues saying:

“… and verily, Pharaoh was mighty on the earth, and verily, he was of the extravagant.”

****

p: 132

﴿84﴾ وَقَالَ مُوسَی یَاقَوْمِ إِن کُنتُمْ ءَامَنتُم بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَیْهِ تَوَکَّلُوا إِن کُنتُم مُسْلِمِینَ

84. “ And Moses said: “O my people! If you have (really) believed in Allah, then put trust in Him (alone) if you have surrendered (unto Him).”

﴿85﴾ فَقَالُوا عَلَی اللَّهِ تَوَکَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا لا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِینَ

85. “ Then they said: ‘In Allah (alone) we have put our trust. ‘Our Lord! Make us not (subject) to a trial for the unjust people’.”

﴿86﴾ وَنَجِّنَا بِرَحْمَتِکَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الْکَافِرِینَ

86. “And deliver us by your Mercy from the disbelieving people.”

﴿87﴾ وَأَوْحَیْنَآ إِلَی مُوسَی وَأَخِیهِ أَن تَبَوَّءَا لِقَوْمِکُمَا بِمِصْرَ بُیُوتاً وَاجْعَلُوا بُیُوتَکُمْ قِبْلَةً وَأَقِیمُوا الصَّلاَةَ وَبَشّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ

87. “ And We revealed to Moses and his brother, saying: ‘Provide houses for your people in Egypt, make your houses into places of worship, and keep up prayer: and give glad tidings to the believers’.”

﴿88﴾ وَقَالَ مُوسَی رَبَّنَآ إِنَّکَ ءَاتَیْتَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلأَهُ زِینَةً وَأَمْوَالاً فِی الْحَیَاةِ الدُّنْیَا رَبَّنَا لِیُضِلُّوا عَن سَبِیلِکَ رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَی أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَاشْدُدْ عَلَی قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلا یُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّی یَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الاَلِیمَ

88. “ And Moses said: ‘Our Lord! Verily You have given to Pharaoh and his chiefs adornment and wealth in the life of this world, Our Lord! so that they mislead (men) from Your Path. Our Lord! Destroy their wealth, and harden their hearts, so they will not believe until they see the painful penalty’.”

By losing these two capitals, they would quickly degenerate and move a step closer to annihilation, thus making it more possible for the Children of Israel to inflict the last blow upon them. This prayer was not because of revenge or retaliation but it was because they did not have the slightest preparedness for accepting faith. The verse says:

“… so they will not believe until they see the painful penalty’.”

****

p: 138

﴿89﴾ قَالَ قَدْ اُجِیبَتْ دَعْوَتُکُمَا فَاسْتَقِیمَا وَلاَ تَتَّبِعَآنِّ سَبِیلَ الَّذِینَ لا یَعْلَمُونَ

89. “ He (Allah) said: ‘The prayer of you both has been accepted, so stand straight and follow not the path of those who know not’.”

﴿90﴾ وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِی إِسْرَآئِیلَ الْبَحْرَ فَاَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُ بَغْیاً وَعَدْواً حَتَّی إِذَآ أَدْرَکَهُ الْغَرَقُ قَالَ ءَامَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لآ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الَّذِی ءَامَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُوا إِسْرَآئِیلَ وَأَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِینَ

90. “ And We made the Children of Israel to pass through the sea; then Pharaoh and his hosts chased them in insolence and hostility, until when the drowning overtook him, he said: ‘I believe that there is no Allah but He in Whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of those that surrender’.”

blindness, arrogance and unconsciousness came to an end and the innate light of monotheism started shining. He shouted he believed in Him Whom the Children of Israel believed in, and he confessed that there is no one to be worshipped except Him and he resigned himself to Him. The verse says:

“… he said: ‘I believe that there is no Allah but He in Whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of those that surrender’.”

In fact when the prophecies of Moses proved to be true one after another, and Pharaoh realized the truthfulness of the words of this great prophet over and again, on witnessing this final power, he had no excuse but to believe, maybe hoping that the Lord of the Children of Israel would save him the same way He had saved the Children of Israel from the mountainous waves.

Obviously, such a faith which is attained in the face of calamities, when one is caught in the jaws of death, is in fact a kind of “faith for emergencies”, which every criminal claims when he is captured, and is of no value.

****

p: 141

﴿91﴾ ءَآلاَنَ وَقَدْ عَصَیْتَ قَبْلُ وَکُنْتَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِینَ

91. “ What! Now! (when facing death?) while hitherto you have rebelled and been of the mischief-makers?”

﴿92﴾ فَالْیَوْمَ نُنَجّیکَ بِبَدَنِکَ لِتَکُونَ لِمَنْ خَلْفَکَ ءَایَةً وَإِنَّ کَثِیراً مِنَ النَّاسِ عَنْ ءَایَاتِنَا لَغَافِلُونَ

92. “ So this day We shall save you in your body, that you may be a Sign to those after you! But verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs.”

this blessing. Contrarily, they sowed the seeds of discord and quarreled with each other, and this they did not until the knowledge was made available to them. The verse says:

“… and provided them with good things, so they did not differ but after the knowledge came to them, …”

Eventually, Allah will arbitrate among them as to what they disagreed upon on the Day of Resurrection. If they do not experience the punishment for their discord today, they will experience it in the future. The verse continues saying:

“… Verily your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Judgment concerning that in which they used to differ.”

****

p: 145

﴿94﴾ فَإِن کُنْتَ فِی شَکّ ٍ مِمَّآ أَنْزَلْنَآ إِلَیْکَ فَسْأَلِ الَّذِینَ یَقْرَءُونَ الْکِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِکَ لَقَدْ جَآءَکَ الْحَقُّ مِن رَبِّکَ

فَلاَ تَکُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِینَ

94. “ So if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed unto you, then ask those who read the book (sent) before you. The Truth hath indeed come to you from your Lord, so be not of the doubters.”

addressees are people other than the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) as well. The verse says:

“ So if you are in doubt as to what We have revealed unto you, then ask those who read the book (sent) before

you. …”

Incidentally, some of the great commentators of the Qur’ān have stated that this doubt is of the type which is based upon supposition and probability and not upon certainty and through defining rules, like the verse which says: “If the Beneficent (Allah) had a son, …”(1).

Although the verse, “He begets not, nor is He begotten…”, categorically rules out the issue of Allah having a child. This proposition is in fact a conditional proposition. That is, were you to have the slightest doubt in this respect, you should ask those knowledgeable People of the Book, because they are sure that you tell the Truth.

Imam Sādiq (a.s.) is narrated who said that Hadrat Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) never doubted and never asked the People of the Book.

And finally, besides the explanation offered in the above, the verse demonstrates the fact that the reasons for the appointment of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and whatever is revealed to him are not confined to his call to prophecy and his offering of miracles. There are allusions made to him in the Books of the preceding prophets and though those books are misrepresented and their authenticity questionable, there are numerous tidings here and there, amounting to sixty cases which are available to the People of the Book.

The holy sentence which says: “…The Truth has indeed come to you from your Lord, …” signifies: by means of the revelations and exhaustive proofs it has been proved to you

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that what has been passed to you is an authentic and genuine truth which leaves no room for any sort of skepticism. Thus, be firm in your beliefs in which case you should have no doubts, not refuting and denying the Divine verses, and continue your course.

The verse continues saying:

“… The Truth hath indeed come to you from your Lord, so be not of the doubters.”

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﴿95﴾ وَلاَ تَکُونَنَّ مِنَ الَّذِینَ کَذَّبُوا بِاَیَاتِ اللَّهِ فَتَکُونَ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِینَ

95. “ Nor be of those who belied the Signs of Allah, (for) then you shall be of the losers.”

﴿96﴾ إِنَّ الَّذِینَ حَقَّتْ عَلَیْهِمْ کَلِمَتُ رَبِّکَ لا یُؤْمِنُونَ

﴿97﴾ وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُم کُلُّ ءَایَةٍ حَتَّی یَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الاَلِیمَ

96. “ Verily those against whom the Word of your Lord has proved true will not believe,”

97. “ Even if every Sign come unto them, until they see the painful chastisement.”

﴿98﴾ فَلَوْلاَ کَانَتْ قَرْیَةٌ ءَامَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهآ إِیمَانُهَآ إِلاَّ قَوْمَ یُونُسَ لَمَّآ ءَامَنُوا کَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ الْخِزْی فِی الْحَیَاةِ الدُّنْیَا وَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَی حِینٍ

98. “ Why was there not a township which believed, so that their belief should have profited them, except the people of Jonah (Yūnus)? When they believed, We removed from them the Penalty of Ignominy in the life of the world, and gave them enjoyment for a while.”

According to Hadrat Sādiq (a.s.), Hadrat Jonah (a.s.) had been preaching for 33 years, starting at the age of 30 until the age of 63. However, he only was successful in converting two people to the religion of monotheism. He then cursed the people for their recalcitrance. One of these two believers was a sage and philosopher. When he noticed the prophet’s cursing the people and his departure, he went up to them and warned them in a loud voice. The people who were impressed, under his guidance, left the town distancing themselves from their children, and they cried and repented before Allah until they were forgiven. On his return, Jonah (a.s.) had noticed that township had not been annihilated. He asked the reason and was told the story: (Majma‘-ul-Bayān, and As-Sāfī).

Therefore, faith and repentance in sufficient time removes Divine Punishment, while prayer and supplication both removes the Punishment and generates success and happiness. (Regarding the occasion of revelation)

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﴿99﴾ وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّکَ لأَمَنَ مَنْ فِی الأَرْضِ کُلُّهُمْ جَمیعاً أَفَاَنْتَ تُکْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّی یَکُونُوا مُؤْمِنِینَ

99. “ And if your Lord had willed, whoever is on the earth would have believed, all of them, all together. Will thou then compel the people till they become believers?”

﴿100﴾ وَمَا کَانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَیَجْعَلُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَی الَّذِینَ لاَ یَعْقِلُونَ

100. “ And it is not for a soul to believe except by the Will of Allah, and He appoints uncleanness (of infidelity) on those who do not ponder.”

﴿101﴾ قُلِ انْظُرُوا مَاذَا فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا تُغْنِی الاَیَاتُ وَالنُّذُرُ عَن قَوْمٍ لاَّ یُؤْمِنُونَ

101. “ Say: ‘Observe you what is in the heavens and the earth! But neither Signs nor warnings avail a people who do not believe’.”

﴿102﴾ فَهَلْ یَنْتَظِرُونَ إِلاَّ مِثْلَ أَیَّامِ الَّذِینَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِهِمْ قُلْ فَانْتَظِرُوا إِنّی مَعَکُم مِنَ الْمُنتَظِرِینَ

102. “ Do they then expect (anything) but the like of the days of those who passed away before them? Say: ‘Wait you then, verily I also with you, will be of those who wait’.”

﴿103﴾ ثُمَّ نُنَجّی رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا کَذَلِکَ حَقّاً عَلَیْنَا نُنْجِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ

103. “ Then (when Our wrath fell) We deliver Our messengers and those who believe. Thus it is binding on Us (that) We deliver the believers.”

extension, the believers have been commanded to be faithful and testify to monotheism. The verse says:

“ Say: “O you people! If you are in doubt as to my religion, then (know that) I do not worship those whom you worship other than Allah! But I worship Allah Who causes you to die and I have been commanded that I should be of the believers’.”

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﴿105﴾ وَأَنْ أَقِمْ وَجْهَکَ لِلدّینِ حَنِیفاً وَلاَ تَکُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِکِینَ

﴿106﴾ وَلا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لاَ یَنفَعُکَ وَلاَ یَضُرُّکَ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّکَ إِذاً مِنَ الظَّالِمِینَ

105. “ And (I have also been commanded) that ‘Set your face towards the Religion uprightly, and never be of the polytheists.’”

106. “ And do not call other than Allah on that which will neither profit you nor hurt you: for if you do, then verily you will on that case be of the unjust.”

“ And do not call other than Allah on that which will neither profit you nor hurt you: for if you do, then verily you will on that case be of the unjust.”

Man’s submission to idols and those manufactured deities he has made as partners with the Creator, is injustice to himself. If he does this, he will lose his identity which is one of the most precious endowments he is blessed with, and if he tries to persuade others to follow this road this can also be considered as oppressing the people by misleading them in their thinking.

Though this speech is addressed to the Prophet, in reality it is targeted at the people.

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﴿107﴾ وَإِن یَمْسَسْکَ اللَّهُ بِضُرّ ٍ فَلاَ کَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَإِن یُرِدْکَ بِخَیْرٍ فَلاَ رَآدَّ لِفَضْلِهِ یُصِیبُ بِهِ مَن یَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِیمُ

107. “ And if Allah afflicts you with any hurt, none can remove it but Him. And if He intends any good for you, none can repel His favor. He causes it to reach whomsoever of His servants He pleases, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

﴿108﴾ قُلْ یَآ أَیُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَکُمُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَبّکُمْ فَمَنِ اهْتَدَی فإِنَّمَا یَهْتَدِی لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا یَضِلُّ عَلَیْهَا

وَمَآ أَنَاْ عَلَیْکُم بِوَکِیلٍ

108. “ Say: ‘O mankind! (Now) the Truth has come to you from your Lord. Therefore, whoever is guided, he is guided for (the good of) his own self, and whoever strays, he strays only against it; and I am not a warden over you’.”

“… Therefore, whoever is guided, he is guided for (the good of) his own self, and whoever strays he strays only against it; …”

The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is instructed to say that he is not their agent; he does not act on their behalf as an advocate, nor is he their guardian. The verse says:

“… and I am not a warden over you’.”

That is, neither is he commissioned to force them to accept the truth for accepting faith under compulsion is meaningless not could he save them from the Divine Punishment in case they did not accept the Truth. His duty is to call them to Islam, to bring Allah’s message to them, to guide them on the Straight Path, to lead them, and to serve them as their leader.

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﴿109﴾ وَاتَّبِعْ مَا یُوحَی إِلَیْکَ وَاصْبِرْ حَتَّی یَحْکُمَ اللَّهُ وَهُوَ خَیْرُ الْحَاکِمِینَ

109. “ And follow (only) what is revealed unto you, and be patient till Allah judges, and He is the best of the judges.”

In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful.

society, and society’s destiny depends entirely upon people’s religion and way of life.

The name of Hadrat Hūd (a.s.) has been repeated five times in this Sura which equals the number of its recurrence throughout the rest of the Qur’ān.

As for the virtues implied in this Sura, there is a tradition narrated from the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) who has said: “He who recites this Sura, will reap rewards, the size of which would equal the number of all those who believed in Hūd and the other prophets as well as those who refuted them, and he will be elevated in rank equal to those of the martyrs on the Day of Resurrection, and thus everything would be easy for him.”

Obviously, a mere cursory reading of the Sura would have not such a result; rather reading, meditating upon it and later combining it with practice, would place man along with the former believers and distance him from the rejecters of the prophets.

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Sura Hūd No. 11

(Revealed in Mecca)

123 verses in 10 sections

are some further explanations about the abbreviated letters mentioned at the beginning of Sura Al-Baqarah, No. 2 which need not to be repeated here.

The Qur’ān is a decisive Book, containing one fundamental spirit; that is, the spirit of monotheism; besides all its stories, exhortations, Divine commandments, and its verses are the explanations of this very line.

The Qur’ān is a decisive book which has not been distorted nor is it to be doubted.

It is not based on conjecture and presupposition, and so all its contents are irrevocable with sound foundations.

The foundations of the Qur’ān are decisively firm and nothing will be able to penetrate or cause disruption in it. The further science advances, the more the secrets of this book are revealed and discovered.

The Qur’ān is both demonstrative and irrevocable, while at the same time, encompassing all the dimensions of this worldly life and the life hereafter. The Qur’ān has been revealed to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) in its totality, after which, it has been extensively explained. And as Allah is Wise, His Book is decisive, and as He is All-Aware, He has dealt with the details of all needs. The verse says:

“ ’Alif ‘A’, Lām ‘L’, Rā ‘R’. (This is) a Book whose verses are set firmly, then explained in detail, from One

All-Wise, All-Aware.”

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﴿2﴾ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُوا إِلاَّ اللَّهَ إِنَّنِی لَکُم مِنْهُ نَذِیرٌ وَبَشِیرٌ

2. “ (It teaches) that you should worship none but Allah. Verily, I am for you from Him, a warner and a bearer of glad tidings.”

﴿3﴾ وَأَنِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّکُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَیْهِ یُمَتّعْکُم مَتَاعاً حَسَناً إِلَی أَجَلٍ مُسَمّیً وَیُؤْتِ کُلَّ ذِی فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ وَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنّی أَخَافُ عَلَیْکُمْ عَذَابَ یَوْمٍ کَبِیرٍ

3. “And that you seek the forgiveness of Allah and turn unto Him in repentance so that He may provide you with a goodly provision to an appointed term, and bestow His abounding grace on everyone endowed with grace.

But if you turn away (from serving Him), then

I fear for you the Penalty of a Great Day.”

“And that you seek the forgiveness of Allah and turn unto Him in repentance so that He may provide you with a goodly provision to an appointed term, …”

Therefore, before enabling one to reap the fruits of his deeds in the After-Life, religion and religious ideologies tend to produce their fruits in this world. Moreover, the fact that everyone is rewarded according to his deeds in this world, and people’s individual differences are never overlooked, it is amazing how they can all act in accordance with those four principles mentioned above. Allah measures each in his virtue and every individual’s merit for whatever He bestows upon him. The verse continues saying:

“… and bestow His abounding grace on everyone endowed with grace. …”

However, if you turn against these principles, disobeying these ideological and practical commandments, I fear for you the punishment of a Great Day, when you must stand in that great court of Justice for the Divine Judgment. The verse says:

“… But if you turn away (from serving Him), then I fear for you the Penalty of a Great Day.”

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﴿4﴾ إِلَی اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُکُمْ وَهُوَ عَلَی کُلِّ شَیْءٍ قَدِیرٌ

4. “ To Allah is your return and He is All-Powerful over everything.”

﴿5﴾ أَلآ إِنَّهُمْ یَثْنُونَ صُدُورَهُمْ لِیَسْتَخْفُوا مِنْهُ أَلا حِینَ یَستَغْشُونَ ثِیَابَهُمْ یَعْلَمُ مَا یُسِرُّونَ وَمَا یُعْلِنُونَ إِنَّهُ عَلِیمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ

5. “ Behold! They fold up their breasts to hide them from him (the Prophet)! Behold! Even when they cover themselves with their garments, He knows what they conceal and what they reveal: Verily He is aware of what is in the hearts.”

and conspiracies against the prophets or that they bear grudges against them.

Therefore, the holy Qur’ān hastens to add that we should beware of those who conceal themselves in their places, however they are not hidden from Allah as He has knowledge of all secrets whether open or hidden. The verse also says:

“… Behold! Even when they cover themselves with their garments, He knows what they conceal and what they reveal: Verily He is aware of what is in the hearts.”

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﴿6﴾ وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِی الاَرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَی اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَیَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا کُلٌّ فِی کِتَابٍ مُبِینٍ

6. “ And there is no moving creature on the earth but its sustenance is on Allah, and He knows its resting place and its depository. All is (recorded) in a clear Book.”

sunlight and rain, or whether it be a potentiality in man such as intelligence and memory.”

Thus, the verse does not tell us to sit around and wait for food to descend from Heaven; rather it tells us to struggle and to endeavor, as well as to consider whatever we obtain as Allah-given and is a bestowal from Him. He takes care of all creatures which necessitates the existence of a very accurate system to be permanently at work so as to keep track of all allotted portions and needs. That is, He must be aware of the numbers and places of all men, animals, marine animals, birds, and desert animals as well as creatures great or small with their various specifications and needs. The verse says:

“ And there is no moving creature on the earth but its sustenance is on Allah, and He knows its resting place and its depository. All is (recorded) in a clear Book.”

If all knowledge is contained in the Holy Book, it follows that he who has a good command of the Book knows everything. We recite in the last verse of Sura Ar-Ra‘d: “…Say: ‘Allah is sufficient as a witness between me and you and the one with whom is the knowledge of the Book.”(1)

Both Shī‘ah and the Sunni quotations reaffirm the fact that the man in question in the foregoing sentence is Hadrat Ali (a.s.).

Concerning the provision bestowed upon the creatures, Allah’s way of treatment is of two kinds. One is providing them directly with those necessities for their existence and the other is providing for them through making the means and devices available which would enable them to meet their needs. Thus, obtaining one’s share is not incompatible with the laws governing one’s endeavor in obtaining what he needs.

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In other words, one must not rely upon others for his needs, abandoning his own struggle. At the same time we must admit that our share is in Allah’s control, for He has made available to us both the resources of our provisions as well as the reasons and means for the exploitation, discovery, and acquisition of those resources.

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﴿7﴾ وَهُوَ الَّذِی خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِی سِتَّةِ أَیَّامٍ وَکَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَی الْمَآءِ لِیَبْلُوَکُمْ اَیُّکُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً وَلَئِن قُلْتَ إِنَّکُم مَبْعُوثُونَ مِن بَعْدِ الْمَوْتِ لَیَقُولَنَّ الَّذِینَ کَفَرُوا إِنْ هَذَآ إِلا سِحْرٌ مُبِینٌ

7. “ And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth within Six Days (periods), and His Throne was over the water so that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct. And, if you were to say to them: ‘Verily you shall be raised up after death’, the unbelievers would surely say: ‘This is (not) but a manifest sorcery’.”

separated off which, finally, formed the stars and germs of the systems in the sky.

Therefore, the world of existence, maybe, at first was located on this great material, the liquid like.

The second issue hinted at in this verse, is the objective of the creation of the cosmos, the main aim of which refers to the supreme fruit of the process of creation, namely man.

Man who must be subjected to educational processes, thus evolving and approaching the Almighty even further. It says:

“… so that He might try you which of you is best in conduct. …”

Imam Sādiq (a.s.) says: “Good conduct refers to that kind of conduct which is coupled with knowledge, sincerity and virtue, not a mere action which is practiced in abundance. Therefore, the heavens and the earth have been created for good deeds and not for the sake of happiness, pleasure-seeking, and negligence.”

Definitely, those who deny the Day of Resurrection have no reasoning for their claim and they only take recourse to accusations of sorcery and hallucinations. The verse says:

“… And, if you were to say to them: ‘Verily you shall be raised up after death’, the unbelievers would surely say: ‘This is (not) but a manifest sorcery’.”

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﴿8﴾ وَلَئِنْ أَخَّرْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِلَی اُمَّةٍ مَعْدُودَةٍ لَیَقُولُنَّ مَا یَحْبِسُهُ أَلاَ یَوْمَ یَأْتِیهِمْ لَیْسَ مَصْرُوفاً عَنْهُمْ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَاکَانُوا بِهِ یَسْتَهْزِءُونَ

8. “ And if We postpone the penalty from them until a limited period of time, they will surely say: ‘What prevents it?’ Beware! On the day it will come to them it shall not be turned aside from them, and they will be encompassed by that which they used to mock at.”

turned aside from them, and they will be encompassed by that which they used to mock at.”

Explanations:

1- The postponement of the Divine punishment has a number of implications, namely, providing a chance for the sinners to repent, the birth of faithful children from deviant parents, etc. Moreover, the existence of honest people and their prayers also delay the occurrence of Divine punishment.

2- Imam Bāqir (a.s.) and Imam Sādiq (a.s.) have been quoted in a tradition as saying that the holy phrase: /’ummatin ma‘dūdah/ in the verse refers to a limited group of like minded people, alludes to the friends of Hadrat Mahdī (a.s.), whose number equals no more than 313, equivalent in size to the circle of Companions at Badr, who assembled like autumn clouds over the sea.

3- Other interpretations have been made for the phrase /’ummatin ma‘dūdah/ with documentations from the Qur’ānic verses and the sayings of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (a.s.) which also exist in Sunni interpretations and we will not deal with them here for the sake of brevity.

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﴿10﴾ وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَاهُ نَعْمَآءَ بَعْدَ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَیَقُولَنَّ ذَهَبَ السَّیّئَاتُ عَنّی إِنَّهُ لَفَرِحٌ فَخُورٌ

10. “ And if We make him taste (Our) favors after adversity has afflicted him, he will say, ‘The evils have departed from me’. Verily he is joyous, boastful.”

﴿11﴾ إِلاَّ الَّذِینَ صَبَرُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ اُوْلَئِکَ لَهُم مَغْفِرَةٌ

وَأَجْرٌ کَبِیرٌ

11. “ Except those who are patient and constant, and do deeds of righteousness; for them is forgiveness and a great reward.”

﴿12﴾ فَلَعَلَّکَ تَارِکُ بَعْضَ مَا یُوحَی إِلَیْکَ وَضَآئِقُ بِهِ صَدْرُکَ أَن یَقُولُوا لَوْلآ اُنْزِلَ عَلَیْهِ کَنْزٌ أَوْ جَآءَ مَعَهُ مَلَکٌ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ نَذیرٌ وَاللَّهُ عَلَی کُلّ شَیْءٍ وَکِیلٌ

12. “ So perhaps you may (be inclined) to give up a part of what is revealed unto thee, and your breast becomes straitened by it lest they say, ‘Why has not a treasure been sent down unto him or an angel not come with him?’ Verily you are only a warner, and Allah is custodian over everything.”

straitened by it lest they say, ‘Why has not a treasure been sent down unto him or an angel not come with him?’ …”

Perhaps, the delay in conveying the revelations had been confined solely to a few obstinate people, of whose guidance the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had despaired. However, Allah ordered that although they might not become believers, it was the duty of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) not to abandon them. The verse continues saying:

“… Verily you are only a warner, and Allah is custodian over everything.”

Therefore, a leader and an authority in propagating the message of Islam must be always decisive in propagating and conveying the word of Allah, remaining undaunted by the people’s words and pretexts, for Allah is the guarantor of a prophet’s duty and prophets are not responsible for the consequences. They must act according to their duty and leave the rest to the Almighty.

The unbelievers used to put pressure upon the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) under various pretexts. It was in addition to the physical tortures that they used to inflict upon him.

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﴿13﴾ أَمْ یَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِثْلِهِ مُفْتَرَیَاتٍ وَادْعُوا مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتُم مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ إن کُنتُمْ صَادِقِینَ

13. “ Or do they say: ‘He has forged it’? Say, ‘Bring you then ten suras forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever you can, other than Allah, if you are truthful!’”

throughout the ages free of all distortions, changes, and of becoming out-dated and forgotten.

Despite making it easy for them and all these challenges, mankind is still rendered impotent. The Qur’ān elsewhere says: “…to bring the like of this Qur’ān…”.(1) In the verse under discussion, it says: “Bring you then ten suras forged like unto it”. In another place it makes it even easier by saying: “… then bring one Sura the like thereof …”.(2) In addition to this, the Qur’ān issues thought-provoking challenges. Elsewhere it says: “Were men and jinn to combine together to bring the like of this Qur’ān.”(3)

Elsewhere it implies that if they call on all the think-tanks of the whole globe; they cannot produce anything like the Qur’ān. Here is the text: “… they could not bring the like of it, though some of them were aiders of others.”(4)

History has also clearly proven that enemies have waged numerous wars against Islam, they have planned conspiracies and yet they have never been able to produce even one Sura like that of the Qur’ān. Can any miracle performed be better than this?

However, instead of using their reason, the unbelievers, accused the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) of fabricating the Qur’ān, saying that it is not the word of Allah, while the Qur’ān is the eternal miracle of history. The verse says:

“ Or do they say: ‘He has forged it’? Say, ‘Bring you then ten suras forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever you can, other than Allah, if you are truthful!’”

p: 189

﴿14﴾ فإن لَّمْ یَسْتَجِیبُوا لَکُمْ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَآ اُنزِلَ بِعِلمِ اللَّهِ وَأَن لآ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُسْلِمُونَ

14. “If then they do not answer your (call), know that it is sent down by the knowledge of Allah, and that there is no Allah but He! Will you then submit (to Islam)?”

﴿15﴾ مَن کَانَ یُرِیدُ الْحَیَاةَ الدُّنْیَا وَزِینَتَهَا نُوَفّ إِلَیْهِمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فِیهَا وَهُمْ فِیهَا لا یُبْخَسُونَ

﴿16﴾ اُوْلَئِکَ الَّذِینَ لَیْسَ لَهُمْ فِی الأَخِرَةِ إِلاَّ النَّارُ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُوا فِیهَا وَبَاطِلٌ مَا کَانُوا یَعْمَلُونَ

15. “ Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornment, We shall pay them in full (the recompense for) their deeds therein, and they will not be defrauded therein.”

16. “ (But) these are they for whom there is naught in the hereafter but the Fire: and what they have wrought in it shall fail, and vain shall be what they were doing.”

After the truth has been well-expounded and made crystal clear, some people abstain from submitting to it for their own material benefits. The Qur’ān refers to the fate of such people in this verse and in the one following by saying that those whose aims are simply to have a good and luxurious life are given their complete reward in this world without losing anything.

However, if their intention is to please Allah, they will be rewarded abundantly both in this world and in the next.

One could easily find examples of the above facts in his environment. The Western world, in its unceasing efforts, has split the unknown secrets of many sciences, thus controlling and dominating various forces in nature. It has attained affluence as a result of its unity and its continuous struggle and resistance against difficulties.

Thus, they will evidently reap the fruits of their labor and attain the fruits of victory. However, as their aim is solely confined to the worldly life, the natural consequences of such acts will be only limited to the provisions of this material world.

Therefore, in this verse the Qur’ān explicitly states that whatever they have done in this world (which are rewarded here) will be obliterated in the next world and they will get no rewards for whatever they have performed for all they have done for other than Allah will become null and void. The verse says:

“ (But) these are they for whom there is naught in the hereafter but the Fire: and what they have wrought in it shall fail, and vain shall be what they were doing.”

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p: 192

﴿17﴾ أَفَمَن کَانَ عَلَی بَیّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبّهِ وَیَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِنْهُ وَمِن قَبْلِهِ کِتَابُ مُوسَی إِمَاماً وَرَحْمَةً اُوْلَئِکَ یُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَمَن یَکْفُرْبِهِ مِنَ الاَحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ فَلا تَکُ فِی مِرْیَةٍ مِنْهُ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَبّکَ وَلَکِنَّ أَکْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ یُؤْمِنُونَ

17. “ Is he then (like unto him) who has a clear proof from his Lord and follows him a witness from Him, and before it (is) the Book of Moses, a guide and a mercy (testifying it)? These believe in it; but whoever of the (different) parties disbelieves in it, the (Hell) Fire is the promised place; so be you not in doubt of it; verily it (the Qur’ān) is the truth from your Lord, but most of the people do not believe.”

“ Is he then (like unto him) who has a clear proof from his Lord and follows him a witness from Him, and before it (is) the Book of Moses, a guide and a mercy

(testifying it)?…”

He is no one but the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) and /bayyinah/ or the clear evidence he offers, is the glorious Qur’ān, and his witness, who testifies as to the truthfulness of his prophecy amongst the believers is none other than that righteous believer, Ali (a.s.), whose signs and characteristics had been depicted in the Torah long before his historical appearance. Therefore, the authenticity of his mission has been verified in three ways:

First, the Qur’ān which is a clear evidence in his hands.

Secondly, the previous holy Books which have precisely explained his signs, and whose adherents were very familiar with those signs during the era of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.).

Thirdly, faithful followers, the leading figure of whom is Ali-ibn-Abi-Tālib (as.) who testifies as to the truthfulness of his call and his words.

Can one still doubt the authenticity of his call or compare him with others who claim to be ‘prophets’?

Then, it makes an allusion to truth-seeking individuals and calls on them to become believers, telling them to adhere to such a prophet who carries so many clear proofs. It says:

“… These believe in it; …”

Following this statement, the Qur’ān mentions the fate of the unbelievers saying whichever of the various groups denies him, will meet the Fire of the Inferno, as there is its meeting place. It continues saying:

p: 194

“… but whoever of the (different) parties disbelieves in it, the (Hell) Fire is the promised place; …”

As is the case with the style of the holy Qur’ān in most situations, it addresses the people through addressing the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), at the end of the verse as a general lesson it teaches that since the circumstances are as such and the authenticity of his call has been confirmed by so many witnesses, there should not be the least shadow of doubt cast as far as his mission is concerned, for this is a truthful word on the part of Allah though many people, because of their ignorance, fanaticism and ego-centrism would remain unbelievers in his mission. The verse says:

“… so be you not in doubt of it; verily it (the Qur’ān) is the truth from your Lord, but most of the people do not believe.”

In summary, the verse refers to the privileges of Islam and the Muslims, the righteous ones, and their reliance upon sound reasoning for choosing this divine school of thought, while, simultaneously, it also explains the wicked and evil destiny of the arrogant unbelievers.

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p: 195

﴿18﴾ وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَی عَلَی اللَّهِ کَذِباً اُوْلَئِکَ یُعْرَضُونَ عَلَی رَبّهِمْ وَیَقُولُ الاَشْهَادُ هَؤُلآءِ الَّذِین کَذَبُوا عَلَی رَبّهِمْ أَلاَ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَی الظَّالِمِینَ

18. “ And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah? (On the Day of Resurrection) these will be presented before their Lord and the witnesses (the prophets and angels) will say: ‘These are those who lied against their Lord!’ Beware! the curse of Allah is on the unjust.”

D) The Angels, “And every soul shall come forth, with each will be a driver, and a witness.” (1)

On the Day of Resurrection every person will be accompanied with two angels; one of them drives him and the other is a witness over him.

E) The Earth: “On that Day, she (the earth) will recount (all) her news.”(2)

F) Conscience: “Read your book; your own self is sufficient as a reckoner against you this Day.”(3)

G) One’s Bodily Organs: “On the Day (of Resurrection), their tongue, and their hands, and their feet shall bear witness against them as to what they used to do.” (4)

H) Time: Imam Sajjād (a.s.) states in the sixth prayer of the Sahifa that:

“Today (on the Day of Resurrection) is a new day which will testify as to the kind of conduct we have had.”

I) Performance: “…and what they had done they shall find present (there),…”(5)

Question: The Qur’ān has employed the word /’azlamu/ when referring to many sins while the utmost oppression must be one and not more than one. Why is it so?

Answer: This inference is used in 15 cases, all of which are concerned with spiritual mental deviations irrespective of polytheism, false accusations, covering up the truth and withholding it, and obstruction of the way and of the remembrance of Allah. Therefore, the most important of the oppressions is intellectual, cultural, and ideological.

p: 197

The Qur’ān in this verse, as well as in a few verses which come later, explains the situation, profile, and the fate of those who falsely accuse Allah as follows: The most oppressive individual is he who is deprived of Divine favors, denies the Day of Resurrection, distorts facts, obstructs the way of Allah and is neither able to escape Allah’s domination in this world nor to seek assistance on the Day of Resurrection.

He is the one whose punishment is multi-fold, his life has gone with the wind, his endeavors have become null and void, and his life and soul have become lost.

Therefore, false accusations against Allah are the greatest of the unjust. Writers and preachers of religion must be on guard against wrong words and their writings and keep in mind the fact that there are many witnesses who will testify as to what they have said and written on the Day of Resurrection. The verse says:

“ And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah? (On the Day of Resurrection) these will be presented before their Lord and the witnesses (the prophets and angels) will say: ‘These are those who lied against their Lord!’ Beware! the curse of Allah is on the unjust.”

****

p: 198

﴿19﴾ الَّذِینَ یَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِیلِ اللَّهِ وَیَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجاً وَهُمْ بِالأَخِرَةِ هُمْ کَافِرُونَ

19. “ Those who hinder (people) from the path of Allah and seek to make it crooked, and they are themselves unbelievers as to the hereafter.”

﴿20﴾ اُوْلَئِکَ لَمْ یَکُونُوا مُعْجِزِینَ فِی الاَرْضِ وَمَا کَانَ لَهُمْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِیَآءَ یُضَاعَفُ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ مَا کَانُوا یَسْتَطِیعُونَ السَّمْعَ وَمَا کَانُوا یُبْصِرُونَ

20. “ They will in no wise frustrate (His design) on the earth, nor shall there be for them any protectors besides Allah! The penalty will be doubled for them. They could not bear to hear (the truth), and they used not to see (it).”

﴿21﴾ اُوْلَئِکَ الَّذِینَ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَا کَانُوا یَفْتَرُونَ

﴿22﴾ لا جَرَمَ أَنَّهُمْ فِی الاَخِرَةِ هُمُ الاَخْسَرُونَ

21. “ These are they who have lost their own selves, and that which they used to invent has failed them.”

22. “ Assuredly, they will be the greatest losers in the Hereafter.”

﴿23﴾ إنَّ الَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَأَخْبَتُوا إِلَی رَبّهِمْ اُوْلَئِکَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِیهَا خَالِدُونَ

23. “ Verily those who believe and work righteousness, and humble themselves before their Lord, they will be Companions of the Garden, (paradise), they will abide therein for ever.”

﴿24﴾ مَثَلُ الْفَرِیقَیْنِ کَالاَعْمَی وَالاَصَمّ وَالْبَصیرِ وَالسَّمِیعِ هَلْ یَسْتَوِیَانِ مَثَلاً أَفَلا تَذَکَّرُونَ

24. “ The similitude the two parties is like the blind and the deaf, and the seeing (ones) and the hearing (ones). Are they equal in likeness? Will you not then admonish?”

“ And verily, We sent Noah to his people, (saying:) ‘I am a plain warner for you’.”

He started His call in a sincere manner inviting them to accept monotheism because it was the most supreme ideal, for no other act of worship would be accepted before the All-knowing Allah, the sole and only Creator of the world. The verse says:

“ That you serve none but Allah; verily, I do fear for you the penalty of a painful day.”

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p: 205

﴿27﴾ فَقَالَ الْمَلأُ الَّذِینَ کَفَرُوا مِن قَوْمِهِ مَا نَرَاکَ إِلاَّ بَشَراً مِثْلَنَا وَمَا نَرَاکَ اتَّبَعَکَ إِلاَّ الَّذِینَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِیَ الرَّأْیِ وَمَا نَرَی لَکُمْ عَلَیْنَا مِن فَضْلٍ بَلْ نَظُنُّکُمْ کَاذِبِینَ

27. “ Then the chiefs of those who disbelieved among his people said: ‘We do not see (in) you but a man like ourselves, nor do we see that any follow you but those who are the meanest among us, at first thought, nor do we see (in) you any excellence over us; nay, we think you are liars!’”

“… nor do we see (in) you any excellence over us; nay, we think you are liars!’”

Arrogant people often detest being equal with the masses, especially with those who are deprived. Usually, the aristocrats have always allied themselves with the opponents of the prophets but those who take less interest in worldly affairs, become believers more quickly and are more decent.

Therefore, the opponents of the prophets lack reasoning and whatever they claim is based on conjecture, speculation and on hallucinations.

****

p: 207

﴿28﴾ قَالَ یَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَیْتُمْ إِن کُنْتُ عَلَی بَیّنَةٍ مِن رَبّی وءَاتَانِی رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِندِهِ فَعُمّیَتْ عَلَیْکُمْ أَنُلْزِمُکُمُوهَا وَأَنتُمْ لَهَا کَارِهُونَ

28. “ He said: “O my People! Bethink you, if I be upon a clear proof from my Lord, and He has grant me mercy from His Presence, but has been obscured for you; shall we compel you to (accept) it while you are averse to it?”

withhold people from exercising their free choice. Once they stick to their beliefs, they will prosper and once they refuse to do so they will be tormented. There is no compulsion in that. The verse says:

“ He said: “O my People! Bethink you, if I be upon a clear proof from my Lord, and He has grant me mercy from His Presence, but has been obscured for you; shall we compel you to (accept) it while you are averse to it?”

****

p: 209

﴿29﴾ وَیَا قَوْمِ لآ أَسْأَلُکُم عَلَیْهِ مَالاً إِنْ أَجْرِیَ إِلاَّ عَلَی اللَّهِ وَمَا أَنَاْ بِطَارِدِ الَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا إِنَّهُم مُلاَقُوا رَبّهِمْ وَلَکِنّی أَرَاکُمْ قَوْماً تَجْهَلُونَ

29. “ And O’ my People! I ask you no wealth for it. My reward is only upon Allah, and I will not drive away those who believe, (for) verily they shall meet their Lord, but I see you are an ignorant people.”

﴿30﴾ وَیَا قَوْمِ مَن یَنصُرُنِی مِنَ اللَّهِ إِن طَرَدتُّهُمْ أَفَلاَ تَذَکَّرُونَ

30. “ And O my people! Who will help me against Allah if I drove them away? Will you not then reflect?”

﴿31﴾ وَلآ أَقُولُ لَکُمْ عِندِی خَزَآئِنُ اللَّهِ وَلآ أَعْلَمُ الْغَیْبَ وَلآ أَقُولُ إِنّی مَلَکٌ وَلآ أَقُولُ لِلَّذِینَ تَزْدَرِی أَعْیُنُکُمْ لَن یُؤْتِیَهُمُ اللَّهُ خَیْراً اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِی أَنفُسِهِمْ إِنّی إِذاً لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِینَ

31. “And I do not say to you (that) Allah’s treasures are with me; nor do I know the Unseen, nor do I claim to be an angel; nor do I say, about those whom your eyes do despise, (that) Allah will never grant them any good. Allah is well aware of what is in their hearts; (for) verily then I should be of the unjust.”

that He is knowledgeable about the invisible world, and no one is aware of this knowledge of the invisible except those whom He has selected from among His prophets.

Not only the knowledge of the invisible world is His own prerogative but the power to perform extraordinary works also rests with Him, though Allah can and will bestow something of whatever aspect of His power which He deems worthy upon anyone He chooses and to the extent that He wishes. For example, it is mentioned in the Qur’ān that death and life are in His Power: “Verily, it is He who makes one die and live”.(1)

However, the Qur’ān also says that Hadrat ‘Isā (a.s.) made the dead live with His permission “I make the dead live with His permission.”(2) Although Allah takes lives “Allah takes the souls…”(3)

yet angels take lives with His permission: “The angel of death shall cause you to die, …”(4) And although He is the sole Creator of all, “Allah is the Creator of every thing …”(5),

But Hadrat ‘Isā creates, however, with His permission: “…and when you did make of clay a thing like the shape of a bird, by My leave, …”(6)

Theological research has shown that no one individual existing among the jinn and mankind can have access to the science of the invisible world apart from a limited amount of it which depends upon their potentialities. This type of knowledge in relation to them is not a science of the invisible after it is bestowed on them although it might be so for others. On the other hand, Allah has made the prophets and the Imams

p: 213

knowledgeable about the invisible world and aware of the past and future. For example, the blessed Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had foretold the news of the ‘Imamat’ of twelve persons, the sufferings inflicted on them, the intentional disappearance of Hadrat Mahdī (a.s.) and his reappearance, the events occurring during the last days, the establishment of his government, and the resurrection of the dead on the Day of Judgment, other similar matters have also been passed down to us from the other Imams (a.s.). Without doubt whatever has not been given to us in this respect is due to the lack of capacity on the part of the average man or has been withheld for reasons known only to Allah.(1)

At the end of the verse, the Qur’ān goes back to the subject of oppressed believers, emphasizing that the prophet cannot say that those whom the disbelievers despise will not be rewarded by Allah. On the contrary, the blessings of this world and those of the next belong to the oppressed even though they are empty handed in this world. It is the wrongdoers who in their infatuation with the world consider goodness to be confined to wealth, position, youth, and the like, demonstrating their lack of knowledge of the truth and its true meaning. Even if one assumes that the oppressors are right and that the oppressed are indeed wretches, still Allah is more aware than us of what is in their minds, for we know nothing about them except what is indicative of their good faith and sincerity, and thus we are obliged to accept them. I am only required to judge and relate with men based on their outward

p: 214

behavior, judging a man on the basis of his inward nature belongs to Allah alone, and if I act otherwise, I will certainly be among the oppressors. The verse says:

“And I do not say to you (that) Allah’s treasures are with me; nor do I know the Unseen, nor do I claim to be an angel; nor do I say, about those whom your eyes do despise, (that) Allah will never grant them any good. Allah is well aware of what is in their hearts; (for) verily then I should be of the unjust.”

****

p: 215

﴿32﴾ قَالُوا یَانُوحُ قَدْ جَادَلْتَنَا فَاَکْثَرْتَ جِدَالَنَا فَأْتِنَا بِمَا تِعِدُنَآ إِن کُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِینَ

32. “ They said: ‘O’ Noah! You have disputed with us and multiplied disputation with us. Bring us then what you have promised us (of divine punishment), if you are truthful.’”

﴿33﴾ قَالَ إِنَّمَا یَأْتِیکُم بِهِ اللَّهُ إِن شَآءَ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِینَ

33. “ He said: ‘Verily Allah will bring it to you, if He wills, and you will not be able to frustrate (it).’”

﴿34﴾ وَلاَ یَنفَعُکُمْ نُصْحِی إِنْ أَرَدْتُّ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَکُمْ إِن کَانَ اللَّهُ یُرِیدُ أَن یُغْوِیَکُمْ هُوَ رَبُّکُمْ وَإِلَیْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

34. “ And my advice will not profit you, should I intend to give you advice, if Allah wills to lead you astray. He is your Lord and unto Him you will be returned.”

﴿35﴾ أَمْ یَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ قُلْ إِنِ افْتَرَیْتُهُ فَعَلَیَّ إِجْرَامِی وَأَنَاْ بَرِیءٌ مِمَّا تُجْرِمُونَ

35. “Or they say: ‘He has forged it.’ Say: ‘If I have forged it, upon me is my sin, and I am quit of the sins you commit’.”

reformation would have been useful, hence a state of readiness for the upheaval and the purge must be declared.

Towards the end of the verse, consoling Noah, the Qur’ān implies that he should not despair at all despite whatever wrongful deeds they used to do. The verse says:

“… so do not grieve as to what they used to do’.”

In the meantime, one can infer from this verse that Allah made those aspects of the knowledge of the secrets of the Unseen that He had deemed necessary, accessible so that His prophet should know.

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p: 221

﴿37﴾ وَاصْنَعِ الْفُلْکَ بِاَعْیُنِنَا وَوَحْیِنَا وَلا تُخَاطِبْنِی فِی الَّذینَ ظَلَمُوا إِنَّهُم مُّغْرَقُونَ

37. “ And make you the Ark under Our eyes, and as We reveal; and address Me not about those who are unjust; verily they shall be drowned.”

﴿38﴾ وَیَصْنَعُ الْفُلْکَ وَکُلَّمَا مَرَّ عَلَیْهِ مَلأٌ مِن قَوْمِهِ سَخِرُوا مِنْهُ قَالَ إِن تَسْخَرُوا مِنَّا فَإِنَّا نَسْخَرُ مِنکُم کَمَا تَسْخَرُونَ

38. “ And he began making the Ark; and whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him they scoffed at him. He said: ‘If you scoff at us, we (too) shall surely scoff at you, as you scoff ’.”

soon, the day when you are caught, lost and wandering in the storm, terrified, running in all directions with no shelter, crying in the midst of the waves, begging for mercy, the believers then and there will laugh at your negligence, and ignorance.” The verse says:

“… He said: ‘If you scoff at us, we (too) shall surely scoff at you, as you scoff ’.”

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﴿39﴾ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن یَأْتِیهِ عَذَابٌ یُخزِیهِ وَیَحِلُّ عَلَیْهِ عَذَابٌ مُقِیمٌ

39. “ So you shall know soon to whom a Penalty (that) will confound him comes, and upon whom there shall fall a lasting Penalty.”

animals which was unprecedented for that time. In particular, this ship had to be safely navigated through a sea that covered the entire world with mountain-sized waves and still remain intact. In their commentaries, some Qur’ān commentators have expressed their admiration for the magnitude of the ship. Refer to the comments of Majma‘-ul-Bayān for further information.

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﴿40﴾ حَتَّی إِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ قُلْنَا احْمِلْ فِیهَا مِن کُلّ ٍ زَوْجَیْنِ اثْنَیْنِ وَأَهْلَکَ إِلاَّ مَن سَبَقَ عَلَیْهِ الْقَوْلُ وَمَنْ ءَامَنَ وَمَآ ءَامَنَ مَعَهُ إِلاَّ قَلِیلٌ

40. “ (Thus it was) till, when Our Command came, and the oven gushed forth (water)! We said: “Embark therein, of each kind a pair, and your family (apart from your wife and a son) – except for those him against whom the Word has already passed – and whoever believed. But there believed not with him but a few.”

attention to it at all to see if a cataclysm was about to occur, and maybe to at least entertain the possibility that Noah’s warnings might be real.

At this time, the Command was issued to Noah that he should put a pair of each animal on the Ark so that they would not be exterminated in the flood. And that he, his family, except those for whom word had already had been marked for their punishment, and the believers should board the Ark of Salvation. However few were those who had believed in him. The verse says:

“… We said: “Embark therein, of each kind a pair, and your family (apart from your wife and a son) – except for those him against whom the Word has already passed - and whoever believed. But there believed not with him but a few.”

This verse, on the one hand, refers to the wife of Noah and his son ‘Kan’an’, who, deviating from the path of belief and being in collaboration with the sinners, had broken off their relationship with Noah and were not entitled to embark on the Ark.

On the other hand, it refers to the limited success that Noah (a.s.) had had in persuading people to follow his way of life during his long years of continuous struggle that had resulted in getting only a small number of believers.

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﴿41﴾ وَقَالَ ارْکَبُوا فِیهَا بِسْمِ اللَّهِ مَجْریهَا وَمُرْسَاهَا إِنَّ رَبّی لَغَفُورٌ رَحِیمٌ

41. “ And he (Noah) said: ‘Embark in it! In Allah’s Name shall be its sailing and its berthing. Verily my Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful.’”

﴿42﴾ وَهِیَ تَجْرِی بِهِمْ فِی مَوْجٍ کَالْجِبَالِ وَنَادَی نوحٌ ابْنَهُ وَکَانَ فِی مَعْزِلٍ یَا بُنَیَّ ارْکَبْ مَعَنَا وَلاَ تَکُن مَعَ الکَافِرِینَ

42. “ So, it sailed with them amid waves like mountains. And Noah called out to his son and he was aloof: ‘O my son! Embark with us and be not with the unbelievers.’”

﴿43﴾ قَالَ سَاَوِی إِلَی جَبَلٍ یَعْصِمُنی مِنَ الْمَآءِ قَالَ لاَ عَاصِمَ الْیَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ مَن رَحِمَ وَحَالَ بَیْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ فَکَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَقِینَ

43. “ He said: ‘I will take refuge in a mountain; it will save me from the water.’ Said he (Noah): ‘Today, there is no protector from Allah’s decree but (of whom) He has mercy.’ And the waves came between them, and he was among the drowned.”

oppressed nations, would be eventually used for their own destruction.

3- Unreliable shelters of straw. It is usual for everyone to take shelter to something when in need. Some take refuge in their wealth, some find shelter in their position, some rely upon their bodily strength, and finally, some rely upon their power of thinking. However, as the above verses show, and as history has demonstrated for us, none of these can resist the command of the Almighty, and they will easily disappear just like a spider’s web standing in the storms.

The ignorant and stiff-necked son of the prophet Noah committed the same fault. He thought that the mountains could protect him from Allah’s Wrath. But, what a grave mistake! The sweep of a wave put an end to his life.

4- The Ark of Salvation. As it has been quoted from the blessed Prophet (p.b.u.h.) which is found in Shī‘ah and Sunni books, the Prophet’s family, which are the Imams and Ahl-ul-Bayt (a.s.), as well as the content of the school of Islam, have been designated as ‘the Ark of Salvation’. That is, when tremendous changes occur in the mental, ideological, and social spheres of the Islamic community, the only means of salvation is to take refuge in the School of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (a.s.).

The tradition which talks about this ‘Ark of Salvation’, the tradition of /safīnah/ (ship) has been generally accepted by the consensus of the Imamiah scholars and by more than 100 Sunni scholars as well. It has been narrated as follows: “Abūthar, the great companion of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), while holding the knob of the door of the Ka‘bah, said with a loud voice: ‘O you people! I heard the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) saying with my own ears, that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said ‘The similitude of my Ahl-ul-Bayt (family) is like Noah’s Ark; he who embarks upon it is rescued, and he who distances himself

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from it, will perish.’ Certainly, other great personalities at the dawn of Islam like Abū Sa‘īd Khedri, Ibn Abbas, Abdullah-Ibn Zubayr, and Anas Ibn-Mālik have also quoted this tradition of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) which has been mentioned in the known books of the Ahl al Sunna.(1)

If we place this sequential ‘Hadith” (tradition) alongside another sequential ‘Hadith’ which says: “The Muslims will be divided into 73 sects, out of which only one will be saved,” it would become evident that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) himself considered this sect to be the one that follows the Ahl-ul-Bayt, (a.s.) and where he says ‘He who embarks upon it will be saved,’ he means the same term /nājiyah/ (saved).

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﴿44﴾ وَقِیلَ یَآ أَرْضُ ابْلَعِی مَآءَکِ وَیَا سَمَآءُ أَقْلِعِی وَغِیضَ الْمَآءُ وَقُضِیَ الأَمْرُ وَاسْتَوَتْ عَلی الْجُودِیّ وَقِیلَ بُعْداً لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِینَ

44. “ And it was said: ‘O earth! Swallow down your water, and O sky! Withhold (your rain)!’ And the water abated, and the matter was ended, and it (the Ark) rested on the (Mount) Judi, and it was said: ‘Away with the unjust people!’”

“ And it was said: ‘O earth! Swallow down your water, and O sky! Withhold (your rain)!’ And the water abated, and the matter was ended, …”

The ship came to rest on the slopes of Mount Judi, which is a famous mountain near Mosul and it was at this time that it was proclaimed that off with the oppressors! The verse says:

“… and it (the Ark) rested on the (Mount) Judi, and it was said: ‘Away with the unjust people!’”

According to a number of Arab men of knowledge this verse is counted as the most eloquent and the most fluent of the Qur’ānic verses. According to the narrations and the books of Islamic history it is said that some unbelievers of the Quraysh, starting a campaign against the Qur’ān, decided to fabricate verses like those of the Holy Book. Their supporters provided them with the best food and drink for forty days including the kernel of a particular type of wheat, mutton, and old wine, so that their minds would be free of every kind of anxiety in order to compose the verses. However, when they arrived at the above verse, they were so moved by it that they gazed at one another in surprise, saying: “These are words unsurpassed and unequalled by all means, and they do not resemble those made by human beings.” Saying this, they abandoned their decision and dispersed in despair.

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﴿45﴾ وَنَادَی نُوحٌ رَبَّهُ فَقَالَ رَبّ إِنَّ ابْنِی مِنْ أَهْلِی وَإِنَّ وَعْدَکَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْکَمُ الْحَاکِمِینَ

45. “ And Noah called unto his Lord, and said: “O my Lord! Verily, my son is of my family, and certainly Your promise is true and You are the Most just of Judges.”

﴿46﴾ قَالَ یَا نُوحُ إِنَّهُ لَیْسَ مِنْ أَهْلِکَ إِنَّهُ عَمَلٌ غَیْرُ صَالِحٍ فَلا تَسْأَلْنِی مَا لَیْسَ لَکَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنّی أَعِظُکَ أَن تَکُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِینَ

46. “ He (Allah) said: ‘O’ Noah! Verily he is not of your family. Verily he is (of) conduct other than righteous.

So do not ask of Me that of which you have no knowledge! I admonish you, lest you should be among the ignorant.’”

that is, Kan‘ān was not his real son.” The Imam (a.s.) said: “No it is not so, he was his real son, though Allah refused him his kinship when he committed sins and disobeyed, leading himself astray. Those who also belong to our school but refuse to obey Allah should not be considered as of us.”

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﴿47﴾ قَالَ رَبّ إِنّی أَعُوذُ بِکَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَکَ مَا لَیْسَ لِی بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَإِلاَّ تَغْفِرْ لِی وَتَرْحَمْنِی أَکُن مِنَ الْخَاسِرِینَ

47. “ He (Noah) said: ‘O my Lord! Verily I seek refuge in You, lest I should ask You (for) that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have Mercy on me I should be of the losers’.”

﴿48﴾ قِیلَ یَا نُوحُ اهْبِطْ بِسَلاَمٍ مِنَّا وَبَرَکَاتٍ عَلَیْکَ وَعَلَی اُمَمٍ مِمَّن مَعَکَ وَاُمَمٌ سَنُمَتّعُهُمْ ثُمَّ یَمَسُّهُم مِنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِیمٌ

48. “ It was said: ‘O Noah! Debark in peace from Us, and blessings upon you and on the nations of those with you; and nations whom We shall afford provision, then there shall afflict them from Us a painful chastisement’.”

Then it adds that there would descend from this faithful group, nations of people on whom We Allah would bestow different kinds of Blessings although some of them would become arrogant and negligent, and consequently a grave punishment would be inflicted upon them. The verse says:

“… and nations whom We shall afford provision, then there shall afflict them from Us a painful chastisement’.”

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﴿49﴾ تِلْکَ مِنْ أَنبَآءِ الْغَیْبِ نُوحِیهآ إِلَیْکَ مَا کُنتَ تَعْلَمُهَآ أَنتَ وَلاَ قَوْمُکَ مِن قَبْلِ هَذَا فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ الْعَاقِبَةَ لِلْمُتَّقِینَ

49. “ (O Prophet!) these are of the tidings of the Unseen which We reveal unto you. Before this, neither you nor your people knew them. Therefore, be you patient, verily the end is for the pious ones.”

We shall now leave the story of Noah at this point, despite all the wonders and didactic lessons that can be drawn from it, and take up another great prophet, that is Hūd, in whose name this Sura has been entitled.

The feature of Noah in the Qur’ān:

The story of Noah (a.s.) is mentioned in six of the suras of the Qur’ān: Al-A‘rāf, Hūd, Mu‘minūn, Shu‘arā, Qamar, and Nūh but, it is most extensively discussed in the current Sura, Hūd. The appointment of Noah to prophecy was made after Adam (a.s.) and during the time of the spread of unbelief, idol worship and oppression, his agenda consisted of enforcing and spreading monotheism and the daily prayers, encouraging people to decent conduct, dissuading them from committing the forbidden, and preaching justice, honesty and remaining faithful to one’s own words.

The duration of Noah’s prophecy extended for 950 years. When, at the end of his period, Allah told him that no one would accept his faith, he was discouraged and cursed the people. As a result, his wife and son, who did not belong to his school of thought, were drowned along with the other unbelievers.

He was the first prophet with a universal mission, a Book and a sharī‘ah (a specific religious law). The story of Noah (a.s.) has also been mentioned in the Torah, as well in the Books of the Chaldeans, the Hindus, the Chinese, the Greeks and the Zoroastrians. They have all regarded the Flood of Noah as a sign of Allah’s anger because of people’s oppression and corruption.

Noah’s mission was universal. As the planet earth cannot remain without a savior, the drowning of all the people was due to Noah’s (a.s.) curse when he said: “… My Lord! Leave not upon the earth any dweller from among the unbelievers.” (1).

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The holy Qur’ān testifies to the fact that the flood did occur. On the other hand, if that great man’s mission had been regional and the area where the flood occurred was also limited to that region, there would have been no need for putting a pair of each animal onto the Ark in order to preserve generations of the animal kingdom on the earth.

The Story of Noah (a.s.): Noah’s story is that of a life spanning a one thousand year history embodying the story of a world-devastating flood, the account of the extermination of an entire generation of man and the beginning of a new chapter in human history on this earth. It reflects the victory of truth against ‘untruth’ and Allah’s acceptance of the prophets’ curses. It is an example of how the relationship between a father and son can be broken for ideological reasons and it is a sign of the submission of existence in its entirety with respect to Allah’s command. It shows the importance of the conservation and preservation of animal life and also indicates the extent to which man may be so despicable that he may not be moved by the admonitions of the prophets, on the contrary, he can disrespect their followers as villains, and think he could escape Allah’s wrath by taking refuge in physical structures like mountains.

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Hūd’s first call was like that of all the other prophets, it was the call to monotheism and the negation of idol worship in all its respects. Hūd called inviting them to worship Allah since there is no other worth worshipping except Him. The verse says:

“… he said: ‘O my people! Worship Allah! You have no god other than He. …”

He told them that in worshipping the idols and believing in them, they were wrong. They only attributed falsity to Allah and claimed that those idols were His partners.

The verse continues saying:

“… You are only forgers (of calumnies)’.”

These idols should neither have been considered His partners nor could they have been sources of good or evil. They were of no use. No false accusation could have been more humiliating than considering such worthless things as significant!

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﴿51﴾ یَاقَوْمِ لآ أَسْأَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِنْ أَجْرِیَ إِلاَّ عَلَی الَّذِی فَطَرَنِی أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ

51. “ (Hūd said) ‘O’ my people! I ask you no reward for it. My reward is only upon Him Who created me. Have you then no sense?”

﴿52﴾ وَیَاقَوْمِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّکُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَیْهِ یُرْسِلِ السَّمَآءَ عَلَیْکُم مِدْرَاراً وَیَزِدْکُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَی قُوَّتِکُمْ وَلا تَتَوَلَّوْا مُجْرِمِینَ

52. “ And O my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn unto Him repentant. He will send you the sky pouring abundant rain, increasing you strength unto your strength; and do not you turn back (from the Truth) as sinners.”

Imam Hasan (a.s.) has been quoted as saying that he once went to Mu‘awiyah. On his return, one of Mu‘awiyah’s gatemen told him that he had a great deal of wealth but he could not father a son. Then he asked the Imam to instruct him in a prayer so that He might enable him to have a child. The Imam (a.s.) answered: “Make repentance one of your primary goals.” That man repented over and over again, sometimes repenting seven hundred times a day. Then Allah bestowed upon him a son. On hearing the news, Mu‘awiyah asked the man why he had not asked the Imam as to why repentance carries such a tremendous influence. The next time he encountered the Imam, he thus made this query to which the Imam (a.s.) responded: “Have you not heard that Allah says in the story of Hūd “… and increasing strength upon your strength, …”

The Qur’ānic term /quwwah/ has been interpreted as property (wealth), children, and energy. In the story of Noah, verse 12, the Qur’ān implies that if you repent and apologize, He will add to your prestige with children and property.

One should not think that faith in Allah and focusing on Him signifies distancing oneself from wealth and property.

Were we to accept the faith, not only we would not lose anything, but also our wealth and property will be multiplied. If the Islamic state aspires towards economic expansion, it must seek a strategy for expanding the spiritual state of its society.

At any rate, turning away from the prophets and neglecting them is a grave sin.

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﴿53﴾ قَالُوا یَا هُودُ مَا جِئْتَنَا بِبَیّنَةٍ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِکِی ءَالِهَتِنَا عَن قَوْلِکَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَکَ بِمُؤْمِنِینَ

53. “ They said: ‘O Hūd! You have brought us no clear proof, and we shall not abandon our gods for your word, nor are we believers in you!’”

﴿54﴾ إِن نَقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاکَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنّی اُشْهِدُ اللَّهَ وَاشْهَدُوا أَنّی بَرِیءٌ مِمَّا تُشْرِکُونَ

54. “ We say nothing but that some of our gods have smitten you with evil. He said: ‘Verily I call Allah to witness and bear you (also) witness that I am quit of what you associate (with Allah).”

﴿55﴾ مِن دُونِهِ فَکِیدُونِی جَمیعاً ثُمَّ لا تُنْظِرُونِ

55. “ Besides Him, (I am quit of everything you worship), therefore, scheme (your worst) against me, all together, and give me no respite.”

﴿56﴾ إِنّی تَوَکَّلْتُ عَلَی اللَّهِ رَبّی وَرَبّکُم مَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ ءَاخِذُ بِنَاصِیَتِهَآ إِنَّ رَبّی عَلَی صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِیمٍ

56. “ Verily, I have put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! (For) there is no moving creature but He holds it (in His control) by its forelock. Verily my Lord is on a Straight Path.”

﴿57﴾ فإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُکُم مَآ اُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ إِلَیْکُمْ وَیَسْتَخْلِفُ رَبّی قَوْماً غَیْرَکُمْ وَلا تَضُرُّونَهُ شَیْئاً إِنَّ رَبّی عَلَی کُلّ شَیْءٍ حَفِیظٌ

57. “ But if you turn away (from my call), I have conveyed the Message with which I was sent to you and my Lord will make another People to succeed you, and you will not harm Him in the least. Verily my Lord is Guardian over everything.”

Also, they should beware, that Allah is the Guardian of everything and keeps a record of all accounts. He never misses a chance, He never forgets nor does He leave the prophets and His friends in the sea of oblivion. On the contrary, He is aware of everything and is in full command. The verse says:

“… Verily my Lord is Guardian over everything.”

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﴿58﴾ وَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّیْنَا هُوداً وَالَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنَّا وَنَجَّیْنَاهُم مِنْ عَذَابٍ غَلِیظٍ

58. “ And when Our decree came, We saved Hūd and those who believed with him, by a Mercy from Us and delivered them from a harsh chastisement.”

﴿59﴾ وَتِلْکَ عَادٌ جَحَدُوا بِایَاتِ رَبّهِمْ وَعَصَوْا رُسُلَهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا أَمْرَ کُلّ جَبَّارٍ عَنید

59. “ And this was (the people of) ‘Ād; they rejected the Signs of their Lord, and disobeyed His Messengers, and followed the command of every obstinate tyrant.”

﴿60﴾ وَاُتْبِعُوا فِی هَذِهِ الدُّنْیَا لَعْنَةً وَیَوْمَ الْقِیَامَةِ أَلآ إِنَّ عَاداً کَفَرُوا رَبَّهُمْ أَلاَ بُعْداً لِعَادٍ قَوْمِ هُودٍ

60. “ And they were pursued by a curse in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection. Behold! the ‘Ād disbelieved in their Lord: so away with ‘Ād, the people of Hūd.”

people is not mentioned in the present Torah. They were a people who enjoyed a high standard of living and lived in the magnificent towns according to the suras Al-Qamar, Al Hāqqa, Al-A‘rāf, Al-Sajdah, and Ash-Shu‘arā those people were tall, vigorous and had a unique civilization.

As far as their system of belief was concerned, they worshipped idols and followed tyrants. Hūd invited them to worship the One and only God, and become monotheist. However, they did not submit and met their doom with Allah’s anger which was manifested in the form of furious, burning storms. The people of ‘Ād consisted of two groups; the first ‘Ād and the second ‘Ād. The latter used to live in Ahqāf (a region in the Hijāz) or in the Yemen until seven hundred B.C.

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The verse also continues:

“… He said: ‘O my people! Worship Allah! You have no god other than He. …”

Afterwards, in order to elevate their sense of appreciation and their sense of gratitude, he refers to an example of Allah’s favor which, from the point of view of their existence itself, they would not able to deny, he says:

“… It is He Who produced you from the earth …”

After referring to the blessings of creation, the verse reminds them of all the favors which Allah had bestowed upon them in being enriched in the earth, and implies that Allah is He who has left the development of the earth to you and has empowered you with the means of its exploitation. The verse says:

“… and settled you therein: …”

It is to be noted here that the Qur’ān does not claim that Allah developed the earth and made it available to them, on the contrary, it says that He left the development of the earth to them. Allusion is here made to the fact that all the means of exploitation had been readily available from all points of view, however, it is up to men to develop the land with their own toil, and obtain its resources. And they would not be able to claim any share of it without working and making the required effort.

Since such is the case, they should seek repentance from their sins and return to Him for Allah is always near to His subjects and accepts their requests. The verse concludes:

“… so ask forgiveness of Him, and turn unto Him in repentance: surely my Lord is Nigh, Responsive’.”

p: 262

﴿62﴾ قَالُوا یَا صَالِحُ قَدْ کُنتَ فِینَا مَرْجُوّاً قَبْلَ هَذَآ أَتَنْهَانَآ أَن نَعْبُدَ مَا یَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَإِنَّنَا لَفِی شَکّ ٍ مِمَّا تَدْعُونَآ إِلَیْه مُرِیبٍ

62. “ They said: ‘O Salih! You have hitherto been a source of hope among us. Do you (now) forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped? Truly we are in disquieting doubt as to that unto which you invite us’.”

“… Do you (now) forbid us to worship what our fathers worshipped? …”

The fact of the matter is that we are in doubt as to the way of life to which you are calling us (that is monotheism) and, at the same time, we are also pessimistic about it. They said:

“… Truly we are in disquieting doubt as to that unto which you invite us’.”

****

p: 264

﴿63﴾ قَالَ یَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَیْتُمْ إِن کُنتُ عَلَی بَیّنَةٍ مِن رَبّی وءَاتَانِی مِنْهُ رَحْمَةً فَمَن یَنْصُرُنِی مِنَ اللَّهِ إِنْ عَصَیْتُهُ فَمَا تَزِیدُونَنِی غَیْرَ تَخْسِیرٍ

63. “ He (Salih) said: ‘O’ my people! Bethink you if I be upon a clear proof from my Lord and He hath sent Mercy unto me from Himself, who will then help me against Allah if I (were to) disobey Him? So you do not add to me other than loss.”

﴿64﴾ وَیَا قَوْمِ هَذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللَّهِ لَکُمْ ءَایَةً فَذَرُوهَا تَأْکُلْ فِی أَرْضِ اللَّهِ وَلا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوءٍ فَیَاْخُذَکُمْ عَذَابٌ قَرِیبٌ

64. “ O my People! This she – camel of Allah is a Sign for you. So leave her alone to graze in Allah’s earth, and do not touch her with any harm, lest a swift chastisement will seize you!”

﴿65﴾ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَقَالَ تَمَتَّعُوا فِی دَارِکُمْ ثَلاَثَةَ أَیَّامٍ ذَلِکَ وَعْدٌ غَیْرُ مَکْذُوبٍ

65. “ So they hamstrung her. Then he said: ‘Enjoy yourselves in your abode for three days, (then will be your ruin). That is a promise not to be belied.””

﴿66﴾ فَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّیْنَا صَالِحاً وَالَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنَّا وَمِنْ خِزْیِ یَوْمِئِذٍ إِنَّ رَبَّکَ هُوَ الْقَوِیُّ الْعَزِیرُ

66. “ And when Our Decree came (to pass), We saved Salih and those who believed with him by a Mercy from Us, and (delivered them) from the ignominy of that day. Verily, your Lord is the All-strong, the All-mighty.”

﴿67﴾ وَأَخَذَ الَّذیِنَ ظَلَمُوا الصَّیْحَةُ فَاَصْبَحُوا فِی دِیَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِینَ

﴿68﴾ کَاَن لَمْ یَغْنَوْا فِیهَآ أَلآ إِنَّ ثَمُودَ کَفَرُوا رَبَّهُمْ أَلاَ بُعْداً لِثَ-مُودَ

67. “ And the (mighty) Blast overtook those who were unjust, so they became motionless corpses in their abodes.”

68. “ As if they had never dwelt there. Behold! Verily Thamūd rejected their Lord. Behold! away with Thamūd!”

“ And the (mighty) Blast overtook those who were unjust, so they became motionless corpses in their abodes.”

The end of time will also be associated with a Divine mighty blast which will exterminate everything.

Sura Yāsīn, No. 36, verse 49 says: “They will not have to wait for anything but a single Blast: it will seize them while they are yet disputing (among themselves).” Again, Sura Yāsīn, No. 36, verses 29, 32, say: “It was naught but a single (mighty) Blast, and behold! They were (like ashes) quenched and silent.” “And all of them shall surely be brought before Us.” The raising up of the dead on the Day of Resurrection will also be made manifest in the same way.

However, the Divine punishment inflicted upon the oppressors takes a similar course as a result of their injustice and cruelty. It must be noted that Allah’s retributions are not given only in the Hereafter, but injustice and cruelty will be rewarded even in this very world, too. The verse says:

“ As if they had never dwelt there. Behold! Verily Thamūd rejected their Lord. Behold! away with Thamūd!”

****

p: 270

Secondly, Abraham, who was tired of the unruliness and corruption of the people of Lot, became happy on hearing of the mission of the angels to destroy them.

When the messengers arrived they gave him the greetings of ‘Peace’ and he answered them likewise. Before long he had brought them a roasted calf. The verse says:

“… They said ‘Peace!’ He answered ‘Peace!’ and he did not delay to bring a roasted calf.”

The inference drawn from the sentence is that one of the rules of hosting a guest is that a meal should be prepared for him at the earliest possible time, after his arrival, for he can be both tired and hungry, especially when he is a traveler.

****

p: 272

﴿70﴾ فَلَمَّا رَءَآ أَیْدِیَهُمْ لاَ تَصِلُ إِلَیْهِ نَکِرَهُمْ وَأَوْجَسَ مِنْهُمْ خِیفَةً قَالُوا لا تَخَفْ إِنَّآ اُرْسِلْنَآ إِلَی قَوْمِ لُوطٍ

70. “ But when he saw their hands extended not towards it, he mistrusted them, and conceived a fear of them. They said: ‘Fear not; we have been sent against the people of Lot’.”

﴿71﴾ وَامْرَأَتُهُ قَآئِمَةٌ فَضَحِکَتْ فَبَشَّرْنَاهَا بإِسْحَاقَ وَمِن وَرَآءِ إِسْحَاقَ یَعْقُوبَ

71. “ And his wife was standing (by) and she laughed when We gave her the glad tidings (of the birth) of Isaac, and after Isaac, of Jacob.”

﴿72﴾ قَالَتْ یَا وَیْلَتَی ءَأَلِدُ وَأَنَاْ عَجُوزٌ وَهَذَا بَعْلِی شَیْخاً إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَیْءٌ عَجِیبٌ

72. “ She said: ‘Voe is me! Shall I bear a child when I am an old woman, and this my husband is an old man? Verily this is a wonderful thing!’”

﴿73﴾ قَالُوا أَتَعْجَبِینَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَکَاتُهُ عَلَیْکُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَیْتِ إِنَّهُ حَمِیدٌ مَجِیدٌ

73. “ They said: “Do you wonder at Allah’s decree? The grace of Allah and His blessings on you, O people of the House! Verily He is Praise worthy, Glorious. ”

to one’s wife. However, we have firm grounds regarding the fact that someone can be excluded from this denotation even when normally they would be included in its purview, like in the verse saying: “Verily he is not of your household”(1) where Noah’s son is not counted as a member in Noah’s household. Sometimes it also happens that there could be a reason to include someone who would normally not be considered as a member of the household, as has been said of Salmān: “Salmān belongs to our household (Ahl-ul-Bayt)”

There are numerous narrations concerning the verse of Tathīr which say that the blessed Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had taken certain people under his cloak calling them his Ahl-ul-Bayt, while he did not allow his wife, the pious Umm-us-Salamah, to enter.

This Divine favor and blessings were not confined to that time and place. It has continued in this family, too. What Divine blessing can be superior to that bestowed upon the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and the Immaculate Imams (a.s.) who have emerged from this household?

****

p: 277

﴿74﴾ فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِیمَ الرَّوْعُ وَجَآءَتْهُ الْبُشْرَی یُجَادِلُنَا فِی قَوْمِ لُوطٍ

74. “ So when fear had passed from Abraham and the glad tidings reached him, he began disputing with Us concerning the people of Lot.”

﴿75﴾ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِیمَ لَحَلِیمٌ أَوَّاهٌ مُنِیبٌ

﴿76﴾ یَآ إِبْرَاهِیمُ أَعْرِضْ عَنْ هَذَآ إِنَّهُ قَدْ جَآءَ أَمْرُ رَبّکَ وَإِنَّهُمْ ءَاتِیِهمْ عَذَابٌ غَیْرُ مَرْدُودٍ

75. “ Verily Abraham was indeed for bearing, tender-hearted, penitent.”

76. “ O Abraham! Forsake this! Indeed the decree of your Lord has come to pass and surely there is coming (upon) them an irreversible chastisement.”

concentrating on Allah, for Abraham appealed to Him to forgive and not to condemn the people of Lot. However, Allah, the Blissful and Glorious, is so perfectly patient, forgiving, indulgent and compassionate that His servants can not even remotely conceive its extent. The crucial determining factor in all this, however, is that it all depends upon the suitability of the servant in point, which, when lacking in suitability sparing them is of no avail. Once the limits are exceeded, the mercy changes to rigor and this must be so of necessity, for mercy from the point of view of the sharp teeth that Allah gave to a panther is the other side of oppression from the point of view of the sheep in its jaws.

The people of Lot had no more potential to be guided, and if they were left to continue, their evil acts would have permeated other spheres as well, just like a corrupt organ which, if not excised, would affect other organs, thus spreading the infection further. Therefore, in response, the angels said:

“ O Abraham! Forsake this! Indeed the decree of your Lord has come to pass and surely there is coming (upon) them an irreversible chastisement.”

At that point Abraham realized that there was no more room for mercy, he gave up pleading for them and the angels of death went forth to do their work executing the Divine order and exterminating the people of Lot.

****

p: 280

﴿77﴾ وَلَمَّا جَآءَتْ رُسُلُنَا لُوطاً سِیءَ بِهِمْ وَضَاقَ بِهِمْ ذَرْعاً وَقَالَ هَذَا یَوْمٌ عَصِیبٌ

77. “ And when Our messengers (the angels) came to Lot, he was grieved for them and felt straitened to protect them. He said: ‘This is a distressful day’.”

about it. She climbed up on the roof of the house and lit a fire.

When the evil people of the town came, she told them that there were some very handsome young men in the house.

Lot was at his wits end trying to find a way to get rid of these people, to save his guests from being the objects of their evil intentions and to protect his honor. He was having a hard time, because he was in a quandary as to what he should do. He murmured: “This is a very difficult day.” On the one hand, how could he protect his guests from the wretchedness and evil of those people? On the other hand, how could he eradicate the evil that they had caused? And finally, what should he do about the spy on the inside, his wife, who was willing to reveal anything secret in his house to the enemy outside? As the Qur’ān says: “Allah sets forth an example to the Unbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous servants, but they acted treacherously towards them so they availed them nothing before Allah on their account, but were told: ‘Enter you both the Fire along with (others) that enter!’”(1)

****

p: 282

﴿78﴾ وَجَآءَهُ قَوْمُهُ یُهْرَعُونَ إِلَیْهِ وَمِن قَبْلُ کَانُوا یَعْمَلُونَ السَّیّئاتِ قَالَ یَاقَوْمِ هَؤُلآءِ بَنَاتی هُنَّ أَطْهَرُ لَکُمْ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلاتُخْزُونِ فِی ضَیْفِی أَلَیْسَ مِنکُمْ رَجُلٌ رَشِیدٌ

78. “ And his people came rushing towards him, And aforetime they had been practicing abominations. He said: ‘O my people, here are my daughters they are purer for you. So fear Allah, and do no degrade me with my guests! Is there not among you one upright man?’”

you. So fear Allah, and do no degrade me with my guests! Is there not among you one upright man?’”

Question: Why would a prophet propose his daughter for marriage to an unbelieving idol worshipper?

Answer: Perhaps he might suggest that conversion be a condition for the marriage so that the marriage could facilitate and strengthen the belief in Allah. Maybe the meaning of the term /banātī’/ is ‘people’s daughters’ as the prophet is considered the father of the nation and is speaking on their behalf. Or maybe, at that time, such marriages were common for the sake of convenience and expediency.

Explanations:

1-Sometimes the norms of human society degenerate to such an extent that people hasten towards committing sins being seduced by their unruly lower selves.

2- To prevent people from doing what is forbidden, we must at first open up and show the true path to them so that they do not seek pleasure by committing sins.

3- The meaning of the term ‘chastity’ is not isolation. On the contrary, it means purity in normal social intercourse.

4- Marriage is the sole and only correct context for sexual gratification, other methods are unclean and sinful.

5- Considering sin as a commonplace matter does not exempt man from his responsibility in dissuading others from performing forbidden acts.

6- Showing hospitality is such an important matter that the noblest of men have tolerated a tremendous degree of suffering for its sake.

7- Homosexuality has been forbidden, considered abominable, and has been rejected in previous religions and is incompatible with one’s manliness, development and chastity.

p: 284

﴿79﴾ قَالُوا لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَالَنَا فِی بَنَاتِکَ مِنْ حَقّ ٍ وَإِنَّکَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا نُرِیدُ

﴿80﴾ قَالَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِی بِکُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ ءَاوِی إِلَی رُکْنٍ شَدِیدٍ

79. “ They said: ‘You know we have no right to your daughters, and verily you know well what we desire’.”

80. “ He said: ‘Would that I had the power against you or I might take refuge in a strong support’.”

“ He said: ‘Would that I had the power against you or I might take refuge in a strong support’.”

﴿81﴾ قَالُوا یَا لُوطُ إِنَّا رُسُلُ رَبّکَ لَن یَصِلُوا إِلَیْکَ فَاَسْرِ بِاَهْلِکَ بِقِطْعٍ مِنَ الَّیْلِ وَلا یَلْتَفِتْ مِنکُمْ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ امْرَأَتَکَ إِنَّهُ مُصِیبُهَا مَآ أَصَابَهُمْ إِنَّ مَوْعِدَهُمُ الصُّبْحُ أَلَیْسَ الصُّبْحُ بِقَرِیبٍ

81. “ They (the guests) said: ‘O Lot! Verily we are messengers of your Lord! Never shall they reach you! So travel with your family in a part of the night, and let none of you look back, but your wife. Surely she shall be smitten by that which smites them. Verily their appointed time is the morning: Is not the morning nigh?’”

“ They (the guests) said: ‘O Lot! Verily we are messengers of your Lord! Never shall they reach you ! …”

Becoming aware as to who his guests were and what their mission was, provided him with the utmost comfort and ease of mind, he then realized that his time of troubles was about to be over and he would be free from association with the depravity of this vicious and scandalous tribe, the time for rejoicing was at hand.

The guests ordered Lot to take his family that night and leave that land immediately, for good. However, they were told to be careful not to look back. The only person who violated this order was Lot’s wife, who, guilty of inclination towards the corrupt ones disregarded the order and was dealt the same punishment as the Sodomites. The verse says:

“… So travel with your family in a part of the night, and let none of you look back, but your wife. Surely she shall be smitten by that which smites them. …”

The angels last words to him were that the time for imposing the penalty will be in the morning. As the last hours of the night approached, they told them to get up and depart from the town as soon as they can, because the morning time was near. The verse says:

“… Verily their appointed time is the morning: Is not the morning nigh?’”

****

p: 288

﴿82﴾ فَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا جَعَلْنَا عَالِیَهَا سَافِلَهَا وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَیْهَا حِجَارَةً مِن سِجّیلٍ مَنْضُود

﴿83﴾ مُسَوَّمَةً عِندَ رَبّکَ وَمَا هِیَ مِنَ الظَّالِمِینَ بِبَعِیدٍ

82. “ When Our command came, We turned it (their township) upside down, and rained on it stones of baked clay, layer on layer.”

83. “ Marked with your Lord, and it is not far off from the unjust ones.”

expulsion if he did not stop preaching.(1)

Thereafter the angels of Divine punishment and death came down and after informing Abraham and Lot (a.s.), completed their mission turning the land of this corrupt tribe upside down.

According to verse 13 of the Sura Al-Hijr, a blast occurred and overwhelmed the people of Lot. Perhaps, it was this horrible blast which turned the region upside down, stones were thrown out from within the earth and fell upon their heads similar to volcanic eruptions and the subsequent explosions which occur.(2)

Explanations:

1. The punishment of those who go against human nature is the overturning of their cities and environment. The verse says:

“ When Our command came, We turned it (their township) upside down, …”

2. Oppressive people cannot escape Divine punishment as Allah’s anger can turn rain into stones and pelt them to death. The verse says:

“… and rained on it stones of baked clay, layer on layer.”

Those nations who have a permissive attitude towards homosexuality such as is found in the West, must expect Allah’s punishment and the upturning of the region where this corruption takes place. The verse says:

“ Marked with your Lord, and it is not far off from the unjust ones.”

****

p: 290

measuring less and claiming to deliver the value of the goods exactly as their clients had ordered.

In keeping with the ways of the other prophets (a.s.), this compassionate and brotherly prophet at first called them to believe in monotheism, the Unity of Allah, the most fundamental pillar of religion, exhorting his people to worship the one and only God. The verse says:

“ And to (the people of) Madyan (We sent) their brother Shu‘ayb. He said: ‘O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Allah than He. …”

Then he turned his attention to the economic corruption of the people whose roots were found in the idol worship itself which was prevalent among the people of Madyan at the time. He said that they should not weigh out their goods less than their value by using the wrong scales in their commercial transactions. The verse says:

“… And do not give short measure and weight. …”

This great prophet’s words can be interpreted as two reasons for them. At first he seems to be saying that by accepting this advice the gates of commerce will develop, prices will deflate, and peace and tranquility will prevail which will attract Allah’s grace upon the community. It is also possible to interpret this sentence to mean that Shu‘ayb sees them having affluence and tremendous wealth; thus, there is no reason for them to infringe upon people’s rights, by selling them less goods and charging them the same price. The second matter is that he also fears their insistence upon idol worship, and abusing Allah’s blessings will lead to their punishment on the Day of Judgment. The verse continues saying:

“… Verily I see you in prosperity and I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing Day’.”

p: 292

﴿85﴾ وَیَا قَوْمِ أَوْفُوا الْمِکْیَالَ وَالْمِیزَانَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلا تَبْخَسُوا النَّاسَ

أَشْیَآءَهُمْ وَلا تَعْثَوْا فِی الأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِینَ

85. “ And O my people! Fill up the measure and the balance in justice, and do not diminish the people their things: and do not mischief in the land, working corruption.”

“… and do not diminish the people their things: …”

Towards the end of the verse, going even further, he added that they should not corrupt the earth by committing mischief. It says:

“… and do not mischief in the land, working corruption.”

The above two verses strongly indicate that next to the belief in monotheism, a healthy economy is of primary importance. It also shows that anarchy in an economic system can be a major source of corruption in any society.

****

p: 294

﴿86﴾ بَقِیَّتُ اللَّهِ خَیْرٌ لَکُمْ إِن کُنتُم مُؤْمِنِینَ وَمَآ أَنَاْ عَلَیْکُمْ بِحَفِیظٍ

86. “ (The lawful wealth) which is left by Allah is better for you, if you be believers. And I am not a guardian over you.”

﴿87﴾ قَالُوا یَا شُعَیْبُ أَصَلاتُکَ تَأْمُرُکَ أَن نَتْرُکَ مَا یَعْبُدُ ابَآؤُنَآ أَوْ أَن نَفْعَلَ فِی أَمْوَالِنَا مَا نَشَآءُ إِنَّکَ لاَنتَ الْحَلِیمُ الرَّشِیدُ

87. “ They said: ‘O Shu‘ayb! Does your prayer command you that we should leave off that our fathers worshipped, or we (should forsake to do) what we like with our property? Truly you are the forbearing, the right minded’.”

They wanted to know how could such a forbearing, patient and understanding man, have said such a thing. They said:

“… Truly you are the forbearing, the right minded’.”

Perhaps they thought that the particular movements and words of prayer would have had a negative effect on them, but if they truly meditated they would have found that prayer enlivens man’s sense of responsibility, virtue, abstinence, piety, and gratitude, and makes him remember Allah and His Court of Justice. For these reasons, man would be kept away from idol worship, blind obedience, short selling goods, and all types of fraud under the light of prayer.

****

p: 297

﴿88﴾ قَالَ یَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَیْتُمْ إِن کُنتُ عَلَی بَیّنَةٍ مِن رَبّی وَرَزَقَنِی مِنْهُ رِزْقاً حَسَناً وَمَآ اُرِیدُ أَنْ اُخَالِفَکُمْ إِلَی مَآ أَنْهَاکُمْ عَنْهُ إِنْ اُرِیدُ إِلاَّ الإِصْلاَحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ وَمَا تَوْفِیقِی إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ عَلَیْهِ تَوَکَّلْتُ وَإِلَیْهِ اُنِیبُ

88. “ He said: ‘O My people! Bethink you’ If I be upon a clear proof from my Lord, and He has provided me with fair sustenance from Him? And I desire not, in opposition to you, to do that which I forbid you from it. I desire naught save reform so far as I am able. My success is only with Allah. On Him do I rely and unto Him I turn (repentant)’.”

decent life without being polluted by these sins. We must keep in mind that he who commands others to what is good and dissuades others from what is bad must be a man of practice himself. The prophets themselves were not only planners and leaders; they themselves were the best examples of men of practice. Shu‘ayb continues saying:

“… My success is only with Allah. On Him do I rely and unto Him I turn (repentant)’.”

****

p: 299

﴿89﴾ وَیَا قَوْمِ لاَ یَجْرِمَنَّکُمْ شِقَاقِی أَن یُصِیبَکُم مِثْلُ مَآ أَصَابَ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ هُودٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ صَالِحٍ وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِنکُم بِبَعِیدٍ

89. “ And O My people! Let not (your) breach with me cause you to sin, lest befalls you the like of what befell the people of Noah, or the people of Hūd or the people of Sālih; and the people of Lot are not far off from you.”

﴿90﴾ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّکُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَیْهِ إِنَّ رَبّی رَحِیمٌ وَدُودٌ

90. “ (Then come) and ask forgiveness of your Lord, and turn unto Him (in repentance): Verily my Lord is Merciful, Loving.”

﴿91﴾ قَالُوا یَا شُعَیْبُ مَا نَفْقَهُ کَثِیراً مِمَّا تَقُولُ وَإِنَّا لَنَرَاکَ فِینَا ضَعِیفاً وَلَوْلاَ رَهْطُکَ لَرَجَمْنَاکَ وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَیْنَا بِعَزِیزٍ

91. “ They said: ‘O Shu‘ayb! We do not understand much of what you say; and most surely we see you weak among us. Were it not for your family, we would certainly stone you; and you are not mighty against us’.”

4- I intend to reform the society. “I desire naught save reform …”

5- I struggle with all my might. “… so far as I am able…”

6- I put all my hopes and trust in Allah. “… On Him do I rely …”

7- I warn you of the consequences at the end of time and the actions of past generations. “… The like of what befell the people of Noah, …”

****

p: 303

﴿92﴾ قَالَ یَا قَوْمِ أَرَهْطِی أَعَزُّ عَلَیْکُم مِنَ اللَّهِ وَاتَّخَذْتُمُوهُ وَرَآءَکُمْ ظِهْرِیّاً إِنَّ رَبّی بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ مُحِیطٌ

92. “ He said: ‘O my people! Is then my family more esteemed with you than Allah? And you cast Him behind your back, with neglect. Verily my Lord encompasses what you do’.”

﴿93﴾ وَیَا قَوْمِ اعْمَلُوا عَلَی مَکَانَتِکُمْ إِنّی عَامِلٌ سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن یَأْتِیهِ عَذَابٌ یُخْزِیهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ کَاذِبٌ وَارْتَقِبُوا إِنّی مَعَکُمْ رَقِیبٌ

93. “ And O my people! Act according to your ability. I will do (my part). Soon you will know on whom comes the Penalty disgracing him, and who it is a liar. And watch you; Verily I (too) am watching with you.”

﴿94﴾ وَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّیْنَا شُعَیْباً وَالَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنَّا وَأَخَذَتِ الَّذِینَ ظَلَمُوا الصَّیْحَةُ فَاَصْبَحُوا فِی دِیَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِینَ

﴿95﴾ کَاَن لَمْ یَغْنَوْا فِیهَآ أَلاَ بُعْداً لِمَدْیَنَ کَمَا بَعِدَتْ ثَمُودُ

94. “ And when Our Command came, We saved Shu‘ayb and those who believed with him by a mercy from Us, and the (heavenly) Blast overtook those who were unjust, so they become motionless corpses in their abodes.”

95. “ As if they had never dwelt there. Behold! Away with (people of) Madyan, even as were cast away (the people of) Thamūd.”

“… so they become motionless corpses in their abodes.”

The Divine outrage is far superior in destruction than any other form of devastation, in the case of bombardment, for example, some people may have the chance to escape more or less unharmed, and some would remain alive after the event. However, when the time for Allah’s anger and punishment comes, it wipes the evildoers away in such a way that it is as if no one had ever lived there. The verse says:

“ As if they had never dwelt there. …”

Eventually, as was explained at the end of the stories of the peoples of ‘Ād and Thamūd, Allah’s favor and blessings were removed from the people of Madyan as they had been removed from the people of Thamūd. It says:

“… Behold! Away with (people of) Madyan, even as were cast away (the people of) Thamūd.”

****

p: 307

people, Moses, apart from campaigning against them, also had to fight against the Pharaonic system, the oppressive, as well.

However, we must keep in mind that in this part of the story, we focus on one aspect of Moses’ story, which, though small, yet carries an important lesson for all mankind.

At first, the verse implies that Allah (s.w.t.) sent Moses (a.s.) empowering him with the performance of miracles and endowing him with a powerful argument. The verse says:

“ And indeed We sent Moses with Our Signs and a manifest authority,”

Moses was sent armed with impressive miracles and a powerful argument to Pharaoh and his people. However, the followers of Pharaoh, who felt that their illegitimate interests were being jeopardized, were not ready to submit themselves to him, and accept his miracles and his logic. Thus, they followed Pharaoh’s command. However, Pharaoh’s command could never have guaranteed their happiness and was not conducive to their development and their salvation. The verse says:

“ Unto Pharaoh and his chiefs; but they followed the command of Pharaoh, and the command of Pharaoh was not rightly guided.”

****

p: 309

﴿98﴾ یَقْدُمُ قَوْمَهُ یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَةِ فَاَوْرَدَهُمُ النَّارَ وَبِئْسَ الْوِرْدُ الْمَوْرُودُ

98. “ He shall go before his people on the Day of Resurrection and lead them into the Fire, and evil is the place (they will be) led to.”

﴿99﴾ وَاُتْبِعُوا فِی هَذِهِ لَعْنَةً وَیَوْمَ الْقِیَامَةِ بِئْسَ الرّفْدُ الْمَرْفُودُ

99. “ And they are followed by a curse in this world and on the Day of Judgment, and woeful is the gift which shall be given (them).”

﴿100﴾ ذَلِکَ مِنْ أَنْبَآءِ الْقُرَی نَقُصُّهُ عَلَیْکَ مِنْهَا قَآئِمٌ وَحَصِیدٌ

100. “ (O’ Our Apostle!) This is of the tidings of the towns (which) We relate to you; some of them are still standing and some have been mown down.”

﴿101﴾ وَمَا ظَلَمْنَاهُمْ وَلَکِن ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ فَمَآ أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ ءَالِهَتُهُمُ الَّتی یَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِن شَیْءٍ لَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُ رَبّکَ وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَیْرَ تَتْبِیبٍ

101. “ And We did no injustice unto them, but they were unjust unto themselves. When the decree of your Lord came, their gods, whom they invoked other than Allah, availed them not anything and they increased them naught but perdition.”

﴿102﴾ وَکَذَلِکَ أَخْذُ رَبّکَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَی وَهِیَ ظَالِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِیمٌ شَدِیدٌ

102. “ And such is the grasp (of punishment) of your Lord when He grasps the townships that are unjust. Verily His grasp (punishment) is painful, severe.”

﴿103﴾ إِنَّ فِی ذَلِکَ لاَیَةً لِمَنْ خَافَ عَذَابَ الأَخِرَةِ ذَلِکَ یَوْمٌ مَجْمُوعٌ لَهُ النَّاسُ وَذَلِکَ یَوْمٌ مَشْهُودٌ

﴿104﴾ وَمَا نُؤَخّرُهُ إِلاَّ لأَجَلٍ مَعْدُودٍ

103. “ Surely in that is a sign for him who fears the chastisement in the Hereafter, that is a Day (when) mankind are to be gathered to, and that Day witnessed (by all).”

104. “ And We do not postpone it, but to an appointed term.”

the Day which is going to be witnessed by all, in such a way

that all human beings will be present and see it for themselves. The verse says:

“… that is a Day (when) mankind are to be gathered to, and that Day witnessed (by all).”

****

In view of the fact that some persons may claim that such a Day is a remote probability and it is not clear as to when it will arrive, so the Qur’ān hastens to add that that Day will not be postponed except for a limited amount of time. This will be only done for the sake of expediency so that the people of the world may apprehend those scenes elucidated in the Qur’ān for their education and that the programs of the prophets can be implemented as far as possible. The verse says:

“ And We do not postpone it, but to an appointed term.”

****

p: 316

﴿105﴾ یَوْمَ یَأْتِ لا تَکَلَّمُ نَفْسٌ إِلاَّ بإِذْنِهِ فَمِنْهُمْ شَقِیٌّ وَسَعِیدٌ

﴿106﴾ فَاَمَّا الَّذِینَ شَقُوا فَفِی النَّارِ لَهُمْ فِیهَا زَفِیرٌ وَشَهِیقٌ

﴿107﴾ خَالِدِینَ فِیهَا مَا دَامَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرْضُ إِلاَّ مَا شَآءَ رَبُّکَ إِنَّ رَبَّکَ فَعَّالٌ لِمَا یُرِیدُ

105. “ The day (when) it comes, no soul shall speak but by His leave. Then some of them shall be wretched, and some happy.”

106. “ Then as for those who are wretched (they) shall be in the Fire, for them therein will be moaning and sighing.”

107. “ They will abide therein so long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord pleases. Verily your Lord is the (Mighty) Doer of what He intends.”

are to be asked, even our mouths will remain shut, only those organs which have been involved and have been imprinted by the performance of their owners would bear testimony by a mute tonge. However, in other stages, the silence imposed upon the mouths would be removed and mankind will start speaking with Allah’s permission, confessing their sins. The guilty will blame each other, and try to attribute their own sins to others, holding them responsible for their deeds.

Towards the end of the verse, the Qur’ān divides all people into two categories, saying that some people are stone hearted and some are soft hearted, some are happy while others are unhappy. The verse continues saying:

“…Then some of them shall be wretched, and some happy.”

This toughness and stone heartedness, on the one hand, and the contentment and happiness on the other, are no more than the consequences of individual behaviors, words, deeds and intentions in this world.

****

It then expounds upon the state of the wicked, stone hearted and vicious as well as the state of those prosperous and happy individuals in a concise, self explanatory sentence by saying that those who became wicked and stone hearted will be in agony, moaning and crying all the time. These reflect the conditions of those who are deeply regretful, the kind of crying which saturates them to the point that shows their utmost discomfort because of the severity of their punishment. The verse says:

“ Then as for those who are wretched (they) shall be in the Fire, for them therein will be moaning and sighing.”

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p: 318

It adds further that they will permanently stay in the Hell Fire until the heavens and the earth endure or unless Allah wishes otherwise, for Allah does whatever He wishes.

The verse says:

“ They will abide therein so long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord pleases. Verily your Lord is the (Mighty) Doer of what He intends.”

****

p: 319

﴿108﴾ وَأَمَّا الَّذِینَ سُعِدُوا فَفِی الْجَنَّةِ خَالِدِینَ فِیهَا مَا دَامَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرْضُ إِلاَّ ما شَآءَ رَبُّکَ عَطَآءً غَیْرَ مَجْذُوذٍ

108. “ And as for those who are happy, they shall be in Paradise, abiding therein, so long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord pleases: a gift without a break.(1)”

principle of man’s free will and take a deterministic approach in our attitude towards him, we will have to consider his happiness and wretchedness as inherent in him or as the effects of determinism which is definitely condemned in the literature of the prophets as well as in the school of rationalism.

Interestingly, in narrations attributed to the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and the Imams of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (a.s.), one reads that the means which provide grounds for one’s happiness or wretchedness have been indicated. The study of these Islamic narrations leads man to contemplate the Islamic way of thinking about this important problem, and gives him guidelines to help him seek objective realities and the true means of happiness instead of taking recourse in superstitious beliefs and wrong traditions.

Imam Sādiq (a.s.), quoting his great grandfather, Amir-ul-Mu’mineen (a.s.) says: “The truth of the matter regarding prosperity is that the last stage of man’s life ends with righteous deeds, and the fact of the matter concerning wretchedness is that the last stage of one’s life comes to an end with a vicious act.”(1)

And again the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) declares: “Four conditions, if fulfilled, result in happiness and four conditions pave the way for wretchedness. The former consists of a wife with decent conduct, a spacious home, a worthy neighbor, and a good horse, while wretchedness consists of an evil doing wife, a bad neighbor, an awfully small house and a bad horse.”(2)

The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: “Perfect happiness comes about when one’s whole life is spent serving Allah.”(3)

p: 321

Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.) said: “The faithful who are wise are the happiest ones (on the earth).”(1)

The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) said: “The most fortunate of people are those who associate with brave godly men.(2)

Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.) said: “A good temper is one of the prime sources of one’s happiness.”(3)

Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.) remarks that one’s happiness lies in his attaining religion and the practice of it for the Hereafter.(4)

The Prophet of Allah (p.b.u.h.) says:

“Verily a Muslim man’s happiness lies in his child resembling him, having a beautiful and God-fearing wife, a large house and a good horse (to ride).”(5)

As for wretchedness, Imam Ridā (a.s.) in a tradition says: “Allah has allocated wretchedness for liars and culprits.”(6)

Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (a.s.) once was asked: “Who is the worst villain and the most vicious person?” To which he answered: “He who exchanges his religion for another person’s worldly life.”(7)

The holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Shall I not tell you who the most vicious villain is?”

They answered: “Yes, O’ Prophet of Allah!”. He said: “He who is empty handed in this world together with the punishment of the Hereafter.”(8)

p: 322

We would like to take refuge in Allah from such a villain age.

Comparing the paths shown towards one’s happiness and wretchedness in the above quotations and their objectivity, with the superstitious beliefs which still attract large numbers of people in this era of the atom and space travel, one is led right away to the reality that Islamic instructions are quite logical and extremely well calculated. And what a great number of people have there been who have become entangled in the complications arising from such superstitions preventing them from effectively living their daily lives bringing them only misfortune and pain.

Regarding happiness and wretchedness, Islam obliterates all superstitious beliefs, and guides us in everything that we do strengthening and clarifying our ethical responsibilities, attitudes, conduct, and way of thinking.

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p: 323

﴿109﴾ فَلا تَکُ فِی مِرْیَةٍ مِمَّا یَعْبُدُ هَؤُلآءِ مَا یَعْبُدُونَ إِلاَّ کَمَا یَعْبُدُ ءَابآؤُهُم مِن قَبْلُ وَإِنَّا لَمُوَفُّوهُمْ نَصِیبَهُمْ غَیْرَ مَنقُوصٍ

109. “ So be not then in doubt as to what these (men) worship. They worship nothing but what their fathers worshipped before (them), and verily We shall pay them back (in full) their portion undiminished.”

generations. They constitute eternal examples for all men, past, present, and future, though they may take place in different circumstances and with different forms.

In the meantime, though this sublime verse is addressed to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), it targets the people so that they may not be in doubt or be hesitant.

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p: 325

preordained for the Prophet in this respect did not require further delays, judgment would have been passed upon them and the punishment would have been inflicted upon them. Nevertheless, they had not yet believed in the Truth, everything about which they entertained with suspicion and viewed with pessimism. The verse continues saying:

“… and had not a Word gone forth before from your Lord, the matter would have been decided between them: but they are in grave doubt concerning it.”

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p: 327

﴿111﴾ وَإِنَّ کُلاًّ لَمَّا لَیُوَفّیَنَّهُمْ رَبُّکَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ إِنَّهُ بِمَا یَعْمَلُونَ خَبِیرٌ

111. “And certainly, to all will your Lord recompense them their deeds in full; verily He is aware of what they do.”

﴿112﴾ فَاسْتَقِمْ کَمَآ اُمِرْتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَکَ وَلاَ تَطْغَوْا إِنَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِیرٌ

112. “ Therefore stand firm (O Prophet) as you are commanded, and (also) he who has turned (unto Allah) with you, and (O’ men) do not transgress (from the Path); verily He sees well what you do.”

“… and (also) he who has turned (unto Allah) with you,…”

The Qur’ān advises the kind of persistence which avoids both extremes, neither more nor less, and the order not to be unruly, signifies the kind of persistence which avoids all kinds of transgression, for Allah is well aware of every action which we do. No cessation of movement or pause, and word or schedule remains hidden from Him. It says:

“… and (O’ men) do not transgress (from the Path); verily He sees well what you do.”

This is a sensitive yet disturbing verse. There is a hadith from Ibn Abbās which says: “There is no verse revealed more severe and more difficult for the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) than this verse. Therefore, when the companions of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) asked him why his hair had turned gray so soon, and the signs of age prematurely appeared on his face, he said: “The Sura Al-Wāqi‘ah and the Sura Hūd made me age.”

Some other traditions indicate that when the above verse was revealed, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Fasten your belts! Fasten your belts (as it is time for struggling and working)”; and since that time, he was never seen smiling.

The reason is clear, for there are four commands in this verse, each of which imposes a heavy duty upon man.

Today, our responsibilities as Muslim leaders can also be summarized as: persistence, sincerity, leadership of the believers, abstinence from unruliness, and non-violence. Victory over our enemies, who have been surrounding us from all sides, exploiting us in all cultural, political, economic, social, and military spheres, might not be possible without the implementation of the four principles mentioned above.

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p: 330

﴿113﴾ وَلاَ تَرْکَنُوا إِلَی الَّذِینَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّکُمْ النَّارُ وَمَا لَکُم مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِیَآءَ ثُمَّ لاَ تُنصَرُونَ

113. “ And do not incline to those who are unjust, lest the Fire will touch you; and you have no protectors other than Allah, nor shall you be helped.

of protecting Muslim interests and independence as well as their security is not unprecedented in the history of Islam nor is it forbidden in Islam and it does not fit into the meaning of seeking assistance from the oppressors. During the era of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and after him such relationships with non Muslims had also existed. However, one must not, at the same time, obey the oppressors or put his hope in them, for we read in the narrations that friendship with the unjust and obedience to them are examples of submission to tyranny. In a narration, it has been said: “Do not put your hope in an oppressor even if he is a member of your family or a friend.”

In Al-Kāfī, there is also a narration which says: “Allah has forbidden you to spare even one minute when an oppressor is to be hanged, for, in such a case, you would have supported him.” Refer to Tafsīr al Burhān-As-Sāfī, Usul Al-Kāfī, and the Bihār-ul-’Anwār for further information.

Explanation:

1- Every kind of dependence on internal and external oppressors is prohibited.

2- Oppression and assisting the oppressors or even relying upon them constitute capital sins and those affiliated with it are subversives. (Every sin which Allah has spoken of as being punishable with the Fire is considered as a capital sin)

3- Relying upon and trusting the oppressor will lead to Allah’s Hell. Therefore, how is the situation of the oppressor himself going to be?

4- Instead of taking recourse to the unjust, put your trust in Allah.

5- The result of relying upon tyrants is isolation and estrangement.

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6- As the obedience from /ulul-’amr/ (the political and religions chiefs appointed to issue decrees on behalf of Allah), is obligatory and, on the other hand, since relying upon and seeking the support of the unjust is forbidden, therefore the /ulul-’amr/ cannot be unjust, they must necessarily be “immaculate”, too, because sin is considered an example of injustice. (And do not incline to those who are unjust, …)

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p: 333

﴿114﴾ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ طَرَفَیِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفاً مِنَ اللَّیْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ یُذْهِبْنَ السَّیّئاتِ ذَلِکَ ذِکْرَی لِلذ َّاکِرِینَ

﴿115﴾ وَاصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ یُضِیعُ أَجْرَ الْمُ-حْسِنِینَ

114. “ And establish the prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night; verily the good deeds remove evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful.”

115. “ And be patient (and steadfast); for verily Allah does not waste the reward of the righteous (ones).”

performance of good deeds in general, it declares that good conduct nullifies evil acts. The verse continues saying:

“… verily the good deeds remove evil deeds. …”

This is a reminder for those who try to lend ears to such matters. It says:

“… That is a reminder for the mindful.”

The above verse, like some other Qur’ānic verses, illustrates the influence of good deeds in removing the evil effect of evil deeds. Good deeds, which have their origin in Divine motives, bestow purity and beauty upon the human spirit which may wipe out the effects of sin from it, turning the darkness of sins into light.

The Extraordinary Importance of Prayers:

In the numerous narrations from the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and the immaculate Imams (a.s.) which concern the above verse, one easily finds interpretations which unveil the extraordinary importance of prayers in Islam.

Ali (a.s.) is quoted as saying: “The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and I were waiting for our prayers inside the mosque when a man stood up saying: “O Messenger of Allah! I have committed a sin.” The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) turned his face away from him. When the prayers ended, the same man stood up and repeated the same sentence. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “Have you not joined us in prayer? And have you not done your ablutions well for it ?”

The man answered: “Yes”. He said: “This is an atonement for your sin.”(1)

The sublime Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “At the times of prayer, an angel is certain to say: ‘O people! Stand up and put out the Fire you have lit (against your selves), by means of your prayers.’”(2)

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And the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) also said: “The five daily prayers are like a stream running in front of your houses. Once you wash yourselves five times a day in that stream, you will be clean of all pollution. (It is the same as cleaning your soul from all kinds of pollution by establishing your five daily prayers.)” (1)

Ali ibn Abi Tālib (a.s.) said: “Whenever man is in the state of prayer, his body, clothes, and whatever is found around him engage in giving glory of Allah.”(2)

However, prayer insures man who has committed sinful acts, by wiping his heart clean of the dust of sin.

Prayer enables one’s potentialities to flourish in the depths of his soul. It also strengthens one’s will, purifies his heart and cleans up his spirit.

Prayer in this way can be a superior school of education, provided that it is not just treated as a series of rituals in form without substance.

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Following the human shaping schedule of prayer, and the description concerning the impact of the virtues upon the vices, the Qur’ān commands perseverance in this verse, saying that we should stay patient, for Allah does not spoil the rewards of those who act with righteousness. The verse says:

“ And be patient (and steadfast); for verily Allah does not waste the reward of the righteous (ones).”

All of this means that performing decent acts is not possible without patience and perseverance.

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The Qur’ānic term /sabr/ includes all aspects of forbearance against difficulties, oppositions, harms, emotions, outrage and disasters.

Patience and perseverance is a fundamental general principle which is sometimes coupled in the Qur’ān with prayers. It is perhaps for the reason that prayer enables man to move and it ordains him to have patience and perseverance. And these two, that is ‘movement’ and resistance, when coupled with each other, are the main factors for victory. Finally, let us focus upon the most hopeful of the verses of the Qur’ān: Hadrat Ali (a.s.) coming upon a group in discussion asked them: “Do you know which is the most hopeful of the verses of the Qur’ān?” In response, everyone named one verse which suited his own mood.

Some suggested the verse, which says: “Verily Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and forgives what is besides that, …”(1) means that Allah forgives all sins except idol worship.

Others were of the opinion that the verse in question is the one which says: “And whoever does evil or acts unjustly to his own self, then seeks forgiveness of Allah, shall find Allah forgiving, Merciful”(2). This verse means that he who is a wrongdoer and a tyrant, if he asks for forgiveness, and apologizes, he will find Allah compassionate and merciful.

Still others cited the holy verse declaring: “Say: ‘O My servants who have acted extravagantly against their own selves! Do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”(3)

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Others were of the opinion that it was the verse saying: “And those who, when they commit an indecency or do injustice to their selves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins – and who forgives the sins except Allah? – And they (the pious) do not knowingly persist in what they have committed.”(1) Meaning that those who have committed an evil act, oppressing themselves, think of Allah and ask forgiveness from Him, and who is there to forgive sins except Allah?

After hearing all those views, Hadrat Ali said: “I heard from my dear one, the Prophet of Allah (p.b.u.h.), who said: “I hope to a verse in the Book of Allah, which says: “ And establish the prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night; verily the good deeds remove evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful.” Then the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) continued: ‘O Ali! By the One Who appointed me as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner towards people. Whenever a person makes ablution for prayer, his sins will fall off; and when he turns toward Qiblah he will become purified. O’ Ali! The example of the daily prayers resembles one who washes himself in a stream in front of his house, fives times every day.”(2)

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﴿116﴾ فَلَوْلاَ کَانَ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن قَبْلِکُمْ اُولُواْ بَقِیَّةٍ یَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْفَسَادِ فِی الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ قَلِیلاً مِمَّنْ أَنْجَیْنَا مِنْهُمْ وَاتَّبَعَ الَّذِینَ ظَلَمُوا مَآ اُتْرِفُوا فِیهِ وَکَانُوا مُجْرِمِینَ

116. “ But why were there not, among the generations before you, persons possessed understanding (and authority), prohibiting (people) from mischief in the earth, except a few whom We saved from among them? And those who were unjust pursued what they were made to enjoy and they were guilty.”

awareness of the people, that society will not suffer from self-destruction.

But, when indifference and silence is the rule of the game everywhere, and then society is made defenseless against the elements of corruption, self-destruction will surely be its eventual outcome.

Therefore, while referring to the previous peoples which had been the target of all kinds of disasters, the Qur’ān asks why it is that in the previous centuries, there were no righteous people of knowledge and power to prevent all kinds of corruption on the earth. The verse says:

“ But why were there not, among the generations before you, persons possessed understanding (and authority), prohibiting (people) from mischief in the earth, …”

The role of /’ūlū baqiyyah/ (those possessed understanding and authority) in the survival of society, is so sensitive that one must say that without them the right of societies to survive will be removed from them. This is what the above verse implies.

To make an exception to this rule, the Qur’ān says:

“… except a few whom We saved from among them? …”

Despite the fact that this small group observed the rules of persuading others to perform what was good and dissuading them from what was evil, their number was so limited that they could not have any success in reforming the society. This is reflected in examples like Lot and his small family, Noah and his limited number of believers, Salih and his few followers. The oppressors of these societies, who constituted the majority, pursued their extravagant way of life and were so proud and saturated with pleasures that they committed all kinds of sin. The verse says:

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“… And those who were unjust pursued what they were made to enjoy and they were guilty.”

Such unrestricted affluence and hedonism are the sources of all kinds of deviations and usually originate among affluent families, as their carefree state hinders them from comprehending social realities and covers them with sin, leaving them no chance for becoming familiar with real human values.

Whereas verse 114 deals with prayers, this verse is concerned with dissuading others from doing evil deeds. It is appropriate to mention here some of the verses of the Glorious Qur’ān which deal with the subject of prayers together with persuading others to engage in decent acts and dissuading others from committing evil deeds. Such verses are as follows:

A. “… Verily prayer restrains from indecency and evil…”(1)

B. “… Verily the good deeds remove the evil deeds,...”(2)

C. “… Keep up prayer, enjoin the good and forbid evil,…”(3)

D. Those who, should We establish them in the land, will keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, and enjoin the right and forbid the wrong; …”(4)

The utmost responsibility thus lies with those who are knowledgeable and powerful, and the result of reformers’ sympathy and reformation in society is salvation from Allah’s anger and benefiting from His compassion. The key to the downfall of former generations has been their indifference and failure to dissuade others from doing wrong, hedonism, and criminal activity, the vicious triangle of destruction.

We hope that Allah may save us, our children, and our coming generations from these dangers and deviations.

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﴿117﴾ وَمَا کَانَ رَبُّکَ لِیُهْلِکَ الْقُرَی بِظُلْمٍ وَأَهْلُهَا مُصْلِحُونَ

117. “ Nor would your Lord destroy the townships unjustly while their people acted well.”

﴿118﴾ وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّکَ لَجَعَلَ النَّاسَ اُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلا یَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِینَ

118. “ And had your Lord willed, He would have made mankind a single people: yet they cease not differing.”

The Qur’ān remarks that if Allah wanted He could have created a single nation out of mankind (but He did not do such a thing) and human beings have always had differences to settle. This is emphasized in order to show that His insistence for obeying His commands does not reflect a lack of ability to put everyone on one track and on one predetermined path. It stands to reason that such a faith would be of no use. Nor would such a homogeneous, unified and compulsory faith based upon involuntary motives lead anywhere, it would reflect no personality distinctions, no means of development and growth, and have no basis for rewarding the good.

Man’s supreme value essentially lies in his freedom of will which differentiates him from other existing beings. Different tastes, different ways of thinking, indeed, differences of personality and intellectual makeup all form parts of one society, providing multiple aspects of those dimensions that make man who he is and it is that which gives him a distinct status.

It is also natural that once freedom of will comes in the scene, differences regarding ideas and schools of thought must exist.

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﴿119﴾ إِلاَّ مَن رَحِمَ رَبُّکَ وَلِذَلِکَ خَلَقَهُمْ وَتَمَّتْ کَلِمَةُ رَبّکَ لأَمْلأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِینَ

119. “ Except those on whom your Lord has Mercy; and for that (mercy) did He create them. And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled: ‘Certainly I will fill Hell with jinn and the mankind together’.”

﴿120﴾ وَکُلاًّ نَقُصُّ عَلَیْکَ مِنْ أَنبَآءِ الرُّسُلِ مَا نُثَبّتُ بِهِ فُؤَادَکَ وَجَآءَکَ فِی هَذِهِ الْحَقُّ وَمَوْعِظَةٌ وَذِکْرَی لِلْمُؤْمِنِینَ

120. “ And all that We relate to you of the account of the messengers is something in order that with it We make firm your heart and in this there has come to you the Truth, and an admonition and a reminder to the believers.”

“… and in this there has come to you the Truth, …”

The third and the fourth consequences are that they provide the faithful with exhortations, and reminders of the results of good or bad conduct. It says:

“… and an admonition and a reminder to the believers.”

This verse stresses once again that the historical facts which have been revealed by the Qur’ān must not be taken lightly or used for amusing audiences, for they form the best instructional guidelines in all aspects of life for all people in all times.

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﴿121﴾ وَقُل لِلَّذِینَ لاَ یُؤْمِنُونَ اعْمَلُوا عَلَی مَکَانَتِکُمْ إِنَّا عَامِلُونَ

﴿122﴾ وَانْتَظِرُوا إِنَّا مُنْتَظِرُونَ

121. “ And say to those who do not believe: ‘Act according to your ability; we shall do (our part)’;”

122. “ And wait you! We too are surely waiting.”

﴿123﴾ وَلِلَّهِ غَیْبُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَإِلَیْهِ یُرْجَعُ الأَمْرُ کُلُّهُ فَاعْبُدْهُ وَتَوَکَّلْ عَلَیْهِ وَمَا رَبُّکَ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

123. “ And to Allah (alone) belong the Unseen of the heavens and the earth, and to Him the whole affairs will be returned; Then worship Him, and put (all) your trust in Him, and your Lord is not heedless of what you do.”

acts, and all things will be returned to Him. It continues saying:

“… and to Him the whole affairs will be returned; …”

The third point is said as a conclusion to these statements which is that unlimited knowledge and endless power belong solely to Him and everything will eventually return to Him, therefore we should worship Him alone and trust only in Him. It says:

“…Then worship Him, and put (all) your trust in Him, …”

This stage of monotheism is the stage of worship and abstinence from all unruly behaviour, misconduct, rebellion, and sin, for Allah is not unaware of all that we do. It continues saying:

“… and your Lord is not heedless of what you do.”

The End of Sura Hūd

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بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِیمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful.

wearisome and its repetitions often convey a wide variety of meanings. The Qur’ān can be used as a criterion for verifying the words of the men of Allah. We have been told that whenever we hear words attributed to those holy men we should compare them to the Qur’ān and if they do not conform to it, then we should reject them.

The Qur’ān is considered as the “Greater Weighty Thing” and the Ahl-ul-Bayt (a.s.) are considered by the believers as “The Lesser Weighty Thing”. In this regard, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) reiterated several times: “I have left two great gifts amongst you (Muslims) which will never be separated until the Day of Resurrection when they will join me at the Pool of Kauthar.”

Even now the Ahl-ul-Bayt, in the person of Hadrat Mahdī, (may Allah hasten his advent) is still coupled with the Book of Allah, and any commentary written on the Qur’ān which ignores well documented narrations that originate from them are invalid and misguiding, for the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: “If you take recourse to these two; the Book and my Ahl-ul-Bayt, you will never lose your way.” Certainly, taking recourse to the one and neglecting the other will lead to misguidance.

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The Content of the Sura

Before beginning our discussion of the verses of this Sura, it is necessary to point out a number of points:

1 - All of the verses of this Sura, except a few, concern the beautiful, instructive biography of Hadrat Yusuf (a.s.) and this is the reason why this Sura is called “Yusuf”. And, it is also for this reason that out of the 27 times that the name of Yusuf has been mentioned in the Qur’ān, 25 of them are found in this Sura. The other two suras in which his name has been mentioned are in verse 34 of Sura Al-Ghāfir, and in verse 84 of Sura Al-’An‘ām.

The content of this Sura is well integrated in one reading and it presents different highlights of a single story expressed in ten sections through an extraordinarily fluent, concise, interesting, and attractive manner.

Ignorant story tellers or those who have questionable objectives in mind, have sought to present this story as an exciting love story for the whimsical, they try to change everything around sexuality and present it as if it was a Hollywood romance, providing a distorted picture of the true Yusuf and his real biography.

The Qur’ān, whose everything is paradigm, narrates the story revealing sublime lessons in chastity, abstemiousness, virtue, faith, and domination over individual selfishness. This has been so carefully arranged that if someone was to read it several times, he would still be involuntarily drawn by its powerful attraction. It is for this reason that the Qur’ān has called it the Best of Stories /ahsanul qasas/ and the Sura has presented instructive lessons for contemplation.

2 – Focusing our attention on the verses of this Sura reveals the fact that the holy Qur’ān is a miracle in all its

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dimensions, and the champions it presents in its stories are real, not imaginary and unique in their class.

There is Abraham, the iconoclastic champion who, with his sublime and unconquerable spirit stood alone opposing powerful despots.

There is Moses, the hero who taught an obstinate people to go against a recalcitrant oppressor.

And then there is Yusuf (Joseph) (a.s.), the champion who embodied righteousness, purity and virtue versus a passionate, beautiful and conniving woman.

On reading this Sura we cannot help but be struck with wonderment at the revelation of the Qur’ān and its ability to relate a story of such subtlety and profundity.

Among the many subjects covered by this Sura, the story of Yusuf also deals with the sensitive issue of love, the Qur’ān does not overlook or bypass these issues, indeed, it speaks of them in great detail but in such a way that no undesirable or negative effect would be left on the reader.

It delves deeply into every issue and proposition but one would find that powerful rays of virtue may dominate the discussion at all times.

3 – The story of Yusuf before and after Islam:

Undoubtedly, the story of Yusuf had been known before Islam.

This story has been extensively mentioned in 14 chapters (37 to 50) in the Book of Genesis. A careful reading of these 14 chapters shows that what is found in the Torah is quite different from what is in the Qur’ān. A comparison of the two accounts reveals the extent to which the Qur’ānic version is void of all the superstitions found in the Torah. And the fact that the Qur’ān says to the Prophet: “Before this, thou too was among those who knew it not”, is a reference made to the Prophet’s lack of prior awareness of the story and the sheer

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truth of this instructive biography. Indeed, whatever the prophets possess is God-given.

After the dawn of Islam, historians also wrote accounts and interpretations of the story. In Persian poetry and literature, the first story told about Yusuf and Zulaykha is ascribed to Ferdowsī. Then the poems composed by Shahābuddīn ‘Am‘aq and Mas‘ūdī Ghomī, and later, we find the famous poetry entitled ‘Yusuf and Zulaykha’ composed by ‘Abdurahmān Jāmī, the famous poet of the 9th century A.H.

4- Why is the story of Yusuf, unlike that of the other prophets, expounded in one place? One of the characteristics of this story is that, unlike the story of the other prophets, it is discussed as a whole in one format. This is different from that of the stories of the other prophet which have been recounted in separate sections in various suras of the Qur’ān. The reason for this is that separation of the climaxes of this story destroys its integrity and in order to arrive at the proper and necessary conclusions, it must be offered as an integrated whole.

Another specification of this holy Sura is that whereas the stories of the other prophets recounted in the Qur’ān, usually deal with the issue of their struggles and campaigns against unruly and rebellious peoples, but the story of Yusuf makes no mention of such matters. On the contrary, it revolves around the life of Yusuf himself and his passage through difficult stages of life which eventually culminates with him becoming a powerful man in the Egyptian government.

5- The virtues of Sura Yusuf:

The Islamic narrations cite numerous virtues for reciting this Sura, among which one can find a tradition by Imam Sādiq (a.s.) saying: “Whoever recites this Sura every day or every night, Allah will enable him to be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection having a beauty equal to that of the beauty of

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Yusuf, he will have no difficulties on that Day and he will be among the righteous subjects of Allah.”

We have already pointed out repeatedly that the narrations that have come down to us concerning the virtues of reading the suras of the Qur’ān do not mean a superficial reading of the text without meditating and acting upon them. On the contrary, it means a careful reading that would encourage one to think and in turn lead to a practical application of the text.

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Sura Yusuf (Joseph)

(Revealed in Mecca)

111 Verses in 12 Sections

could not have overcome the difficulties of the life which had confronted them.

﴿2﴾ إِنَّآ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ قُرءَْاناً عَرَبِیّاً لَعَلَّکُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

2. “ Verily We have sent it down - an Arabic Qur’ān - that you may understand. ”

a non Arab and that its content was an imported way of thinking, and not a revelation originated from Allah.

In the meantime, all Muslims must try to learn Arabic as a second language, for it is the language of Divine revelation and the key to understanding the holy Qur’ān and Islamic knowledge.

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﴿3﴾ نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَیْکَ أَحْسَنَ الْقَصَصِ بِمَآ أَوْحَیْنَآ إِلَیْکَ هَذَا الْقُرْءَانَ وَإِن کُنْتَ مِن قَبْلِهِ لَمِنَ الْغَافِلِینَ

3. “ We relate unto you the best of stories, by that We have revealed to you this Qur’ān; though before this, you were of those who did it not know.”

the Qur’ān, that the Qur’ān is the best among all the Holy Books, and the story of Yusuf is the best among the stories of the Qur’ān.

At any rate, the story of Hadrat Yusuf is the best of stories for the following reasons:

A) It is the most relevant to our experience.

B) It deals with the struggle against one’s innermost self which is the greatest of struggles.

C) The hero of the story is Hadrat Yusuf, a youth who possesses all human virtues in himself (patience, faith, piety, modesty, wisdom, trustfulness, forgiveness and kindness).

D) All persons of the story have a happy ending. For example Yusuf attains a high political position, the brothers repent, his father regains his lost sight, the famine stricken country is saved; complains and envies are converted into the full gratification of love.

There are a number of opposites juxtaposed in this story: Departure and reunion, sorrow and joy, famine and plenty, loyalty and disloyalty, proprietor and tenant; palace and hovel, poverty and needlessness or wealth, servitude and domination; blindness and sight, chastity and making false accusations.

In conclusion, these points illustrate that the Qur’ān, as far as telling stories and historical narratives, has utilized the best manner to educate man. Not only the Divine stories, but all the things of Allah are also the best /ahsan/, because:

1 – He is the Best Creator.

2 – He has sent down the Best of Books.

3 – He has produced the best of features.

4 – He has the best of religions.

5 – He provides the best of rewards.

6 – And finally, having such a background, He has demanded the best of actions from man.

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Thus, ignorance is mentioned in the Qur’ān signified by three forms:

A- The disagreeable ignorance, like what the verse says: “But verily many among mankind are heedless of Our Signs.”(1)

B- The bearable type of ignorance and unawareness which has been referred to here: “Verily those who accuse chaste believing women unaware (of the evil) are cursed in this world and the Hereafter…”(2)

Meaning: Those who accuse pure and innocent women, who are unaware of fornication or adultery, are damned in this world and the next.

C- Natural ignorance like being uninformed about something, for example in this verse: the Qur’ān says:

“… though before this, you were of those who did it not know.”

Meaning that before We told you this story, you were not informed about it nor had you heard it from anyone.(3) Or, similar to the verse which says: “… You did not know what the Book was, nor (what) the Faith (was)…”(4)

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﴿4﴾ إِذْ قَالَ یُوسُفُ لأَبِیهِ یَآ أبَتِ إنّی رَأَیْتُ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ کَوْکَباً وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ رَأَیْتُهُمْ لِی سَاجِدِینَ

4. “ When, Yusuf said to his father: ‘O my father! Verily I did see (dreamt) eleven stars and the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrating themselves unto me’.”

It is evident, of course, that the objective meaning of ‘prostration’ here is ‘humility and modesty’, else, prostration of people in the ordinary form unto sun and moon and stars is meaningless.

According to the Late ‘Allāmah Tabātabā’ī in Al-Mīzān, his commentary of the Qur’ān, the story of Yusuf begins with a dream which brings him good tidings and gives him hope about the future, thus enabling him to pursue a divine course with patience and perseverance.

Yusuf is the eleventh child of Hadrat Ya‘qūb born after Benjamin. With the exception of Benjamin, his other brothers were born from a different mother. Hadrat Ya‘qūb was the son of ’Is-hāq who was the son of ’Ibrāhīm. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) has been narrated who said: “Al-karīm ibn-il-karīm-ibn-il-karīm, Yusuf ibn Ya‘qūb-ibn-’Ishāq-ibn-’Ibrāhīm.” This is: ‘A noble man, the son of a noble man; Yusuf the son of Ya‘qūb, the son of ’Is-hāq, the son of ’Ibrāhīm.’

The dreams of the men of Allah are of different types. Sometimes they require interpretation, like that of Hadrat Yusuf, and at other times they require no interpretation being identical with reality, like the dream of Hadrat ’Ibrāhīm who was ordered to sacrifice ’Ismā‘īl.

The sublime Prophet (p.b.u.h.) says about dreams and dreaming:

“Dreams are of three types: They are either tidings from Allah or they are sorrows from Satan, or they are composed of the daily concerns that man dreams about.”

The Late ‘Allamah in his Tafsīr Al-Mīzān says that there are three worlds: The natural or physical world, the world of symbols or ideas, and the intellectual world.

The human spirit, because of its subjective and non material nature, can communicate with the two other worlds in

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the dream and, according to the level of its capacity and potentiality, it may perceive some facts. If the spirit is perfected, it comprehends reality in a pure and translucent context.

If it has not reached the final stages of perfection, the reality would present itself to soul’s consciousness clothed in different forms. For example a lion would come to symbolize courage, a fox would mean fraudulence and a mountain could mean exaltedness in our dreams, knowledge would be presented as a light, marriage in the form of clothing and ignorance as darkness. Those who see things in their dream are divided into three groups:

The first group comprises those who possess perfected souls which are completely detached from the material world and, after their physical senses go to sleep, they enter a relationship with the world of the intellect where they apprehend realities which they perceive from the other world. (A somewhat relevant example is like that of a television whose antennae receive broadcast signals from far distant places from atop mountains and hills). Such dreams are received directly and are not clothed in symbolism, thus they require no interpretation.

The second group are those who are in an intermediate spiritual state, their dreams also depict reality, but they are accompanied by imagined accumulations and resemblances which require a commentator to explain and clarify the subject of the dream.

The dreams of the third group are the dreams of those whose souls are so upset and unstable that their dreams make no sense.

Such dreams cannot be interpreted, for they have no relationship with reality. In the Qur’ān, such dreams are regarded as /adqāθu ’ahlām/ ‘confused dreams’.

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The Qur’ān has named some dreams as those which have proven to be true and became fulfilled; as follow:

A- The dream of Hadrat Yusuf (a.s.) regarding the prostration of eleven stars, the sun and the moon which was interpreted as his rise to power and the reverence with which his brothers and his parents would treat him.

B- The dream of the two prisoners who were companion inmates with Yusuf, that later one of whom was freed and the other was executed.

C- The dream of the Egyptian king of a fat cow being eaten by a thin one which was interpreted as the occurrence of famine and drought after affluence.

D- The dream of the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) about the small number of pagans in the Battle of Badr which was interpreted as the defeat of the pagans at the hands of the Islamic army. The Qur’ān in this regard says:

“(Remember) when Allah showed them to you as few in your dream …”(1)

E- The dream of the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) about the entry of the Muslims into the Masjid ul Harām with shaved heads, which was interpreted as the conquest of Mecca by the Muslims and their pilgrimage to the House of Allah. Concerning it, the Qur’ān says: “Certainly Allah had shown to his Apostle the dream with truth;…”(2)

F- The dream of the mother of Hadrat Moses who had placed her infant in a box and cast it into the water. The Qur’ān says: “When We revealed to your mother what was

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revealed;” “Saying: ‘put him into a chest, then cast it into the river,…”(1)

The Islamic quotations confirm the view that the word ‘revelation’ in this verse signifies “dream”.

G- Hadrat ’Ibrāhīm’s dream of sacrificing of his son ’Ismā‘īl (mentioned in Sura As-Safāt, No. 37, verse 102). Which says: “… he said: ‘O my son! Verily I have seen in a dream that I should sacrifice you, …”

So, as was mentioned earlier, the Qur’ān begins the story of Yusuf by narrating his extraordinary and meaningful dream, for this wonderful dream is considered the first highlight of his adventurous life.

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﴿5﴾ قَالَ یَابُنَیَّ لاَ تَقْصُصْ رُؤْیَاکَ عَلَی إِخْوَتِکَ فَیَکِیدُوا لَکَ کَیْداً إِنَّ الشَّیْطَانَ لِلإِنسَانِ عَدُوٌّ مُبِینٌ

5. “ He (Jacob) said: ‘O my (little) son! Do not relate your vision to your brothers, lest they devise a plot against you: for Satan is to man a manifest enemy’.”

rank and position that celestial beings will be subservient to him. It was a fantastic, fabulous, and interesting dream!

Therefore with a mixed feeling of anxiety and happiness, he responded his son not to tell his brothers about his dream for they would scheme dangerous stratagems against him. The verse says:

“ He (Jacob) said: ‘O my (little) son! Do not relate your vision to your brothers, lest they devise a plot against you: for Satan is to man a manifest enemy’.”

I know that Satan is an open enemy to man. He is looking for a pretext to start playing his dirty tricks to win him over, inciting him to envy and avarice and even entangle brothers in quarrels.”

Explanations:

1. It is necessary that parents be knowledgeable about the likes and dislikes as well as attitudes of their children so that they may be able to guide them effectively.

2. In order to make a sound prediction about cases, which have significant problems or sensitivities, voicing one’s suspicions or fears or unveiling certain characteristics, may prove useful.

All data and information must be categorized and confidential data should be separated from none confidential ones. Do not tell everyone everything. Do not provide grounds for envy, for the envy of the brothers prepared the way for the realization of Satan’s hostility towards Yusuf.

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﴿6﴾ وَکَذَلِکَ یَجْتَبیکَ رَبُّکَ وَیُعَلّمُکَ مِن تَأْوِیلِ الاَحَادِیثِ وَیُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَیْکَ وَعَلَی ءَالِ یَعْقُوبَ کَمَآ أَتَمَّهَا عَلَی أَبَوَیْکَ مِن قَبْلُ إِبْرَاهِیمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ إِنَّ رَبَّکَ عَلِیمٌ حَکِیمٌ

6. “ And thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of sayings (dreams), and perfect His favor to you and to the posterity of Jacob, even as He perfected it to your fathers Abraham and Isaac aforetime! Verily your Lord is All-knowing, All-wise.”

“ And thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of sayings (dreams), and perfect His favor to you and to the posterity of Jacob, even as He perfected it to your fathers Abraham and Isaac aforetime! Verily your Lord is All-knowing, All-wise.”

Among the lessons drawn from these verses is the lesson concerning keeping particular secrets which must be observed even sometimes against brothers. There are always instances of secrets in man’s life which, when unveiled, may disrupt his future or endanger his society.

Therefore, refraining from divulging secrets is one of the signs of fortitude and will power of a person. In a tradition attributed to Imam Sādiq (a.s.) we read: “Your secrets are just like your blood which must only be circulated within your own veins.”

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