p: 2

Introduction..........................16

Publisher's Note.........................27

Transliteration............................31

Sura Al-Fatiḥah (The Opening) No. 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Contents of the Sura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

The Tone of the Sura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Al-Fātiḥah, the Basis of the Qur'ān . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Al-Fātiḥah, Magnificent Honour of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) . . . . 34

The Importance of its Recitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

The Titles of the Sura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Sura Al-Fātiḥah, Arabic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

English Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Commentary: Verse 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Everything should Begin in His Holy Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Tradition and Narrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Is the Phrase ` Bism-il-lāh ' a Part of Each Sura ? . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Allah, the Most Inclusive Name of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Allah's General and Specific Mercy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Commentary: Verse 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

The World is Full of His Mercy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Virtue of the Verse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

The Word / rabb / . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

The Term / `ālamīn / . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Macrocosm and Microcosm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Commentary: Verse 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

The History of Slavery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

` Belief in Allah ' is the First Principle of Islam . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Commentary: Verse 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

` Faith in the Resurrection ' is the Second Principle . . . . . . . . . 49

p: 3

Allah's Ownership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Is not Allah the Absolute Owner of This World? . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Commentary: Verse 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Man in the Presence of Allah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Unity of Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Unity of Acts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Allah: the Only Site of Reliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

The Social Aspect of Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

We Ask Allah for Help in Confronting Forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Commentary: Verse 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Why must We Always Ask Allah for Guidance ? . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Human Beings Resemble an Electric Lamp (from One Point

of View) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

What is the ` Straight Path ' ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

The ` Belief ' Aspect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

The ` Practical ' Aspect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

` Divine Guidance ' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

` Religious Guidance ' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Commentary: Verse 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Two Paths of Deviation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Those upon Whom Allah has Bestowed His Bounties . . . . . . . . 62

Who are the Last two Groups in this Verse ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Commentary A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Commentary B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Commentary C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Supplication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Sura Al-Baqarah (The Cow) No. 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Contents of the Sura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Various Subjects Discussed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Virtue of Studying this Sura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

p: 4

Every Virtue Closely Corresponds with the Contents . . . . . . . . 68

Sura Al-Baqarah (The Cow) No. 2

Verse 1-5, Arabic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

English Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Commentary: Verse 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71-73

The Abbreviated Letters of the Qur'ān . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Commentary: Verse 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74-77

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

What is Guidance ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Divine Guidance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Characteristics of Two Groups Who Lack in Faith . . . . . 75

Religious Guidance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Why is Guidance Particular to the Pious Ones ? . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Piety in Lexicon and Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

The Stages of Piety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

First Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Second Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Third Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Commentary: Verse 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78-85

The Effects of Piety on Man's Spirit and Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

The Pious Ones, the First Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Faith in the Unseen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Relationship with Allah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

The Excellence and Importance of Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Words of the Late Ṣāḥib Jawāhir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Relationship with People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Commentary: Verse 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86-88

Belief in Divine Revelations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Certainty of the Hereafter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

This Life Likened to the Prenatal Period of a Foetus. . . . . . . . . 87

Profound Effect of Belief in the Hereafter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Commentary: Verse 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

p: 5

Both Guidance and Success Guaranteed to the Pious Ones

by Allah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Commentary: Verses 6-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90-92

Disbelievers, the Second Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Infidelity and its Meaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Infidelity, ` the Corrupt Tree ' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Faith, ` the Good Tree ' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Verses 8-16; Arabic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

English Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Commentary: Verses 8-16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95-102

Hypocrites the Third Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Hypocrisy, a Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Hypocrites, Claim to be ` Reformers ' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Hypocrites, Think Themselves Wise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Hypocrites, Change Colour Everyday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

The Appearance of Hypocrisy and its Roots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

The Necessity of Knowing the Hypocrite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

A Few of Their Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Verses 17-20, Arabic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

English Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Commentary: Verses 17-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104-107

Two Interesting Parables Illustrating the Hypocrite . . . . . . . . . 104

Commentary: Verses 21-22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108-116

Do Worship Allah! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

What is Servitude and Worship ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Some Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

The Sky and the Earth are Bounties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

The Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

The Gravity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

The Sky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

The Rain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Idolatry in Different Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

A Detailed Scientific Meaning of Atmosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

p: 6

Commentary: Verses 23-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117-122

Why is the Holy Qur'ān a Miracle and How ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Why do Prophets Need Miracles ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

The Holy Qur'ān, The Everlasting Miracle of the Prophet

of Islam (p.b.u.h.)! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

The Holy Qur'ān, Global and Eternal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Commentary : Verse 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123-128

The Specialties of the Bounties in Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Bountiful Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

The Fruits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Purified Spouses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Faith and Deeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Purified Spouses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

The Material and Spiritual Blessings in Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Commentary : Verse 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129-132

The Parable of the Gnat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Commentary : Verse 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133-134

The Real Losers! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Commentary: Verses 28-29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135-141

The Mysterious Bounty of Life! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

The Seven Firmaments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Verses 30-33; Arabic and English Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Commentary: Verses 30-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143-148

Man, Allah's Deputy on Earth! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Angels on Trial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Verses 34-36; Arabic and English Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Commentary: Verses 34-36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150-155

Adam in the Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

p:7

Why did Iblis Disobey ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Was the Prostration for Allah or for Adam ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Why was Adam and his Spouse Originally Placed in

the Garden ?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Realization of Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Limits of Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Understanding Repentance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Recognizing Friends and Enemies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

The Heavy Forfeit Paid By Adam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Comments by the Late Allamah Ṭabātabāie . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Commentary: Verses 37-39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156-159

Adam's Return to Allah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

The True Meaning of Repentance / taubah / . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

The ` Words ' Adam Learnt from the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Commentary: Verse 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160-164

The Remembrance of the Favours of Allah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Jews in Medina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

The Jews' Twelve Coventants with Allah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Allah will Fulfil His Covenant, too! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

Why are Jews Called the Children of Israel ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Commentary: Verses 41-43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165-167

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Islam, the Means of Discipline and Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

The Purpose of Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Commentary: Verses 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

Commentary: Verses 45-46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169-171

How to Overcome Difficulties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Patience and Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

What is ` Meeting with Allah ' ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

Commentary: Verses 47-48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172-177

The Vain Imaginations of the Jews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172

Intercession in the Qur'ān and Traditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

p:8

Commentary: Verse 49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178-180

The Greatest Bounty Bestowed on the Children of Israel . . . . 178

Slavery of Females, Past and Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Commentary: Verse 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181-185

The Rescue from Pharaoh! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

Detailed Account from the Bible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

Commentary: Verses 51-54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186-188

The Israelites' Greatest Deviation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

Their Punishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188

` You have Indeed Wronged Yourselves ' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188

Commentary: Verses 55-56 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189-191

An Unjust Demand! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Result of their Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

Resurrection from the Dead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

Biblical Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

Commentary: Verse 57 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192-193

Abundant Bounties! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Commentary: Verses 58-59 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194-195

The Israelites' Intensive Obstinacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

Refusal by Some to Repent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

Commentary: Verse 60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196-197

The Miracle of Water Gushing Forth in the Desert! . . . . . . . . 196

Commentary: Verse 61 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198-199

Demanding a Variety of Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Why were the Israelites Stamped with Abasement and

Humiliation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

Commentary: Verse 62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200-202

A General Principle for Salvation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200

Who are the Sabians? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

Who are the ` People of the Book ' ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

Commentary: Verses 63-64 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203-205

Hold the Signs of Allah Firmly! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

How was the Mountain Raised over the Israelites' Heads? . . . 204

Commentary: Verses 65-66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206-207

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Those Who Exceeded on the Sabbath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Divine Miracles of Moses (a.s.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

Verses 67-74; Arabic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

English Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

Commentary: Verses 67-74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210-213

The Story of the Israelites' Cow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

Verses 75-77 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215-216

A Futile Expectation! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215

` What Allah has Revealed to You ' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

Verses 78-79 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Commentary: Verses 78-79 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

The Jewish Learned Men's Plots of Oppression Against

The Laymen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

Commentary: Verses 80-82 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219-221

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

Earning Sin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

Verses 83-86; Arabic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222

English Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223

Commentary: Verses 83-86 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224-227

The Breachers of the Covenant! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

The Best Strategy for the Survival of Nations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

Commentary: Verses 87-88 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228-229

Their Covered Hearts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

Commentary: Verses 89-90 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230-231

A Religious Adherent and an Infidel ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

Verses 91-93 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

Commentary: Verses 91-93 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233-235

Racial Bigotries of the Jews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

Verses 94-101; Arabic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236

English Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237

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Commentary: Verses 94-101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238-242

The Jews' Claim on Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238

Allah Challenges the Jews' Claim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238

Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240

None Denies Divine Signs Save the Transgressors! . . . . . . . . . . . 241

Verses 102-103; Arabic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243

English Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244

Commentary: Verses 102-103 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245-247

Solomon (a.s.) and the Sorcerers in Babylon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

Solomon Accused of Being a Sorcerer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

The Story of the Two Angels, Hārūt and Mārūt . . . . . . . . . 246

The Spread of Sorcery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246

Sorcery A Whirlpool of Blasphemy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247

Verses 104-105 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248

Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248

Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249-251

Leave No Pretext for Enemies! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249

A Precise Meaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250

The Curtain Pulled Back on Enmity and Grudge . . . . . . . . . . . 251

Commentary: Verses 106-107 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252-253

The Purpose of Abrogation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

Verse 108 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254

Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254

Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254-255

Some Futile Pretexts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254

Commentary: Verses 109-110 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256-257

Envy and Obstinacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256

Prayer and Alms-giving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257

Commentary: Verses 111-112 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258-259

The Qur'ān Nullifies Racial Bigotry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259

Verse 113 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260

Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260

Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260-261

Exclusivity Originates from Ignorance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260

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Verse 114 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262

Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262

Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263-265

The Most Unjust Ones! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264

Mosques and the Ways of their Desolation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264

Supplication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265

Verse 115 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266

Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266

Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267-269

Allah, the Omnipresent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267

The Philosophy of the Qiblah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268

Three Authentic Traditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269

Commentary: Verses 116-117 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270-272

The Jews, Christians, and Pagans and their Superstitions . . . . 270

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271

Commentary: Verses 118-119 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273-276

Another Pretext . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273

The Prophet's (p.b.u.h.) Duty Defined in Regard

to their Pretext . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275

Their Hearts are All Alike! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275

Two Instructive Principles: Glad Tidings and Warning . . . . . . 275

Mistaken Belief in ` Ransom ' for Sins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275

Observing the Parallel between Encouragement and

Punishment for Training People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276

Verses 120-121 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277

The Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277

Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278-282

Two Unsatisfiable Groups! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279

Pleasing Enemies has its Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280

Allah's Guidance is the Only True Guidance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280

How Should the Book Be Read ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281

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Three Groups of Readers Defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281

Commentary: Verses 122-123 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283-284

Blessings Come with Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283

Intercession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284

Commentary: Verse 124 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285-295

Imāmate, the Climax of Abraham's (a.s.) Honour . . . . . . . . . . 285

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286

What does ` Words ' Mean ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286

Eligibility for Imāmate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287

Imām What Does it Mean ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287

Imāmate Bestowed on Abraham (a.s.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289

Prophethood, Messengership, Imāmate and their Differences 290

Imāmate, the Climactical Rank of Abraham (a.s.) . . . . . . . . . . 291

Who is Unjust ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292

An Imam, by Allah's Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293

Two Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294

The Distinguished Personality of Abraham (a.s.) . . . . . . . . . . . 295

Commentary: Verse 125 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296-299

The Magnificence of the Ka`bah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298

The Secure Refuge, its Social and Educational Effects . . . . . . 298

Why the ` House ' of Ka`bah ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299

Commentary: Verse 126 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300

Abraham's (a.s.) Petition to Allah! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300

Allah's Answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301

Commentary: Verses 127-129 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302-304

The Structure of the House of Ka`bah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302

The Ka`bah, Originally Built by Adam (a.s.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303

Abraham (a.s.) and Ismail's (a.s.) Invocations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304

Commentary: Verses 130-132 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305-307

Abraham (a.s.), a Human Prototype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305

Abraham's (a.s.) Submission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306

Worthiness, the Byproduct of Purity and Sincerity . . . . . . . . . . 306

Abraham's (a.s.) Bequest to His Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307

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Verses 133-134 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308

Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308

Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308-310

Everyone is Responsible for His Own Deeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308

Improve Your Own Faith and Deeds! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310

Verses 135-137 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311

Occasion of Revelation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311

Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312-316

Only Our Creed is True! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312

How to Recognize the Pure Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312

Accepting All Prophets of Allah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314

The Oneness of the Prophets' Invitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314

Who were ` Asbāt ' ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315

The Meaning of / ḥanīf / . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315

Verses 138-141; Arabic and English Translation . . . . . . . . . . . 317

Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318-320

The Baptism of Allah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318

Prophets before Moses (a.s.), neither Jews nor Christians . . . . 319

Thrive on Your Own Excellencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320

End of Part One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320

Beginning of Part Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321

Commentary: Verse 142 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321-323

Occasion of the Change of the Qiblah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321

Commentary: Verse 143 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324

An Ummat of Middle Standing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324

Commentary: Verse 144 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327-329

Turn Towards the Sacred Mosque . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327

Commentary: Verse 145 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330-332

They will Never be Content! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330

Commentary: Verses 146-147 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333-334

Characteristics of Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h.)

Contained in (Earlier) Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333

Commentary: Verse 148 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335-337

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Every Religion has a Qiblah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335

Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336

The Day When Imam Mahdi's (a.s.) Adherents Assemble . . . . 336

Commentary: Verses 149-150 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338-341

Turn Your Face Towards the Ka`bah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338

Some Points and Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339

1. Fulfilment of Prophecy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339

2. Reiterated to be Renewed and Settled in the Minds and

Hearts of People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339

Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341

Commentary: Verses 151-152 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342-344

Messengership of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342

Rank of Man Promoted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343

Explanation: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343

Descriptions and Messages Derived from These Verses . . . . . 343

Commentary: Verse 153 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345-347

Aid of Allah Requires Eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346

Patience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346

Commentary: Verse 154 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348-351

Purgatory Life for All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349

Martyrdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349

Sorts of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350

Allah, the Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351

Man's Life does not Perish after Death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351

References

Arabic, Persian Commentaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352

English Translations of the Qur'ān . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352

Supporting Technical References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353

Phraseological and Philological Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355

Important Commentary Books. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390

The List of Publications of the Library . . . . . . . . . . . 391

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In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

INTRODUCTION

" Verily this Qur'ān doth guide to that which is most right (or stable) (to run societies), and giveth the glad tidings to the Believers who work deeds of righteousness, that they shall have a magnificent reward " (Sura Al-'Asrā, No. 17, verse 9).

" We have sent down to thee the book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims," (Sura An-Naḥl, No. 16, verse 89).

" When those come to thee who believe in Our Signs, say: ` Peace be on you: Your Lord hath inscribed for Himself (the rule of) Mercy; verily, if any of you did evil in ignorance, and thereafter repented, and amended (his conduct), Lo! He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful ", (Sura Al-An`ām, No. 6, verse 54).

The collection of all the messages or revelations that Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) received is called Qur'ān. The Holy Qur'ān is the ` text-book ' of Islam. All the doctrines, principals, laws, commandments and prohibitions of Islam are enshrined in the Qur'ān. It was through the Qur'ān and Muhammad Mustafa (p.b.u.h.) that the message of Allah (s.w.t.) to mankind was completed, and through the inspired commentary of Ahlul-Bait, religion was perfected.

In this century of research and scientific progression of the computer, endeavours for the conquest of space, the finding of new stars and galaxies of even more than 50 million light years away from us by modern instruments and the efforts of astronomers, and the faster means of communication have set in motion such rapid conveyances of men and material, which were far beyond the imagination of the former generations of the human race and which causes a vital change and

exchange of thoughts and religious ideology, the light of the Qur'ān and

Islam is penetrating all curtains of every kind and is illuminating many individuals' hearts in nearly all parts of the world, inspite of heavy barriers and careful controls and religious interrogation exerted by not

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only many governments of non-Muslim nations, but also in some Muslim countries against their believing people, especially during the years after the Islamic Revolution of Iran.

The effective influence of the light of truth together with the speed in the movement of the Age has brought forth a more vital change and exchange of thought and religious ideology in connection with the Holy Qur'ān. In regard to this, we refer to what the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) has said about it: "...When afflictions surround you like the dark night, refer to the Qur'ān, because, it is an Intercessor whose intercession is accepted. It reports the evils (of people) which will be confirmed. It leads the person to Heaven who puts it in front of himself (follows it); and he who puts it behind himself (neglects it) will be driven to Hell. This very Qur'ān is the best guide to the best ways. It is a Book in which there are useful explanations, statements and gaining (of goals). It is the Separator (of right and wrong)...", (Usul-i-Kāfī, vol. 2, p. 599).

To recite the Qur'ān, obviously, those people whose language is not Arabic and know English, at first, refer to the Holy Book in English, because this is an international language and it is possible for all nations with any native language, to read and understand it in English. As far as we know, there are more than 50 different English translations of the Qur'ān available in Iran, alone, and, probably some others can be found, besides them, in libraries (and homes) throughout the world. This makes it easy for the lovers of truth to receive the knowledge of the Holy Qur'ān and Islamic ideology, through the medium of English,

which formerly was acquired only directly by the Arabic and Persian languages.

But, a fact should be mentioned here that although the Qur'ān is, on the whole, an easily understandable book in general, yet, not all of the words of Allah are easily understood by ordinary people and need explanatory commentary, ` Tafsīr '. Alongside this path, there are some problems that those eager to learn the Qur'ānic truth should know and be careful of. Hence, we deal, here, with some of the difficulties we recognized and were involved in when we were preparing this work; the fruit of our humble labour of more than three years, almost a pioneer service of its kind, was a translation of the commentary of over one part,

-Volumes 1 and 2, (of the 30 parts) of the Holy Qur'ān from different

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commentary sources.

The Persian-Arabic original work, compiled by a group of Muslim scholars who preferred their names to be mentioned in the next world instead of this world, is based especially upon popular commentaries mostly accepted by Muslim scholars of both schools of thought, with the consultation of some other books and present living scholars, learned in the Qur'ānic Sciences, as our investigative sources on the path of

producing this translated commentary in a simple standard of English easily understood by laymen. The style of writing, here, is a mixture of British-English and American-English,understandable by all the readers, even for those acquainted with only one of them; but excuse us for using some interchangable spellings. If both are used, from time to time, they are acceptable; i.e.: defenceless and defenseless, or favour and favor.

Not All English Versions of the Qur'ān Are Acceptable

Some of the Western translators of the Holy Qur'ān, not all of them of course, and some of the producers of the literature on Islam in the English language are the anti-Muslim elements which are busy distorting the facts about the faith to create disruption in the Islamic ideology.

These hostile minds have done the worst possible work which is for them to black-list the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and the religion of Islam, through their harsh, purposeful, and subtle mis-translations, mis-interpretations, mis-representations and distortion of the facts. The distortion and the misinterpretations are so strongly plastered with such attractive colors of their linguistic excellence and the delusive logic that the blind lovers of the English language, who are hardly or even totally

unaware of the actual Qur'ānic factors of faith, get caught in the falsehood tempered with the eloquence and they swallow the `sugar-coated poisonous pills of deceit ' and get themselves duly conditioned to serve the purpose of the publications of the hostile camps.

The current standing of Evil has always been against the Truth in the history of man, of course, or even before the recorded history, from when the sons of Adam (a.s.) came into existence.

When these antagonistic elements have sucessfully extended their

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active influence upon our own religion, ideology and social tradition, we are also bound in our duty to Allah, His Final Word, the Holy Qur'ān, the Faith, and to Islam, to do our best, at least, to present to every sincere seeker of it a selection of the proper translation of the verses of the Holy Qur'ān from among the best translations appropriate to the meaning of the original Arabic text, and the ` Tafsīr ', commentary, applied in this book.

By the way, we believe it is the essential belief of ` Shi`ah ' that the present Qur'ān, which is in our hands today, is the Holy Book of Allah, revealed to the holy Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h.), as arranged and compiled during his lifetime and was reread to him to assure accuracy and it contains nothing less or more than what was revealed. And it should be noted that, " Nay, but it is a Glorious Qur'ān, (inscribed)

in a tablet preserved." (85: 21,22), whose present arrangement is the order in which the various verses were assorted and arranged at the command of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), himself. This is the uncorrupted or undisturbed Word of Allah, the preservation of which has been guaranteed by Allah, Himself where He says: " We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption) ", (15: 9).

Furthermore, the English translations next to the Arabic text of the verses, in this book, besides the careful investigation and searching through different lexical and commentary sources together with the consultation of various authentic translations of English versions of the Holy Qur'ān (the names of which are listed at the end of this book under the title of ` References ') contain the most specific possible senses in Arabic and English languages. These have been considered and applied to produce the closest meaning to the Word of Allah and the commentary. The translator did his best to preserve this Divine Message and, in conveying the Qur'ānic facts in English, there has been some divine assistance bestowed (by Allah) through seeking help from the Messenger of Allah, the holy Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.), who brought this Message to light.

The translator of the current commentary, this writer, believes that the Word of Allah, the Holy Qur'ān, which is one of the two weights ` Thaqalayn ', is too magnificent for him to translate, because of

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the fear of Allah, and he needed a kind of permission from Him to change the original text from Arabic into another language which, somehow, was finally granted to him by the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) : " Verily this is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds ", " In the perspicuous Arabic tongue ", (26: 192 and 195).

What is a ` Commentary ' ?

A pure, correct, accurate translation of the Qur'ān is necessary,

but it is not sometimes enough for the readers of it to understand all of the apparent and hidden meanings that some verses bear, and, it is the duty of every Muslim, man or woman, to read, understand and contemplate on the Holy Qur'ān according to his own capacity: "...read you, therefore, of the Qur'ān as much as may be easy for you...", (73: 20).

This reading has to be done not only with the tongue, voice and eyes; a mere recitation, but with the best light that our intellect can supply, and even more, with the truest and purest light which our heart and conscience can provide us. But, as was mentioned earlier, it is not always possible to understand the Holy Book by itself, fully, as Allah says: " That is indeed a Qur'ān most honourable," " Which none shall touch but those who are purified ", (56: 77,79).

Thus, some additional information is needed. For example, it is sometimes necessary for the understanding of the text to refer to the particular occasion of the revelation of a particular verse; or to know the philological changes of a word used at the time of revelation or before it and the meaning that it has in Arabic, today. Or, the alphabetical symbols which evidently and undoubtedly are secrets, and especially the ambiguous / mutašābihāt /, the knowledge of which has been announced to be with the / rāsixūna fil `ilm /, ` those deeply established in knowledge ', with even the names of the hinted custodians of the knowledge to remain concealed. They are some things that only `the particular ones, the sinless ones ', besides the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), himself, the agency or the sources authorized by Allah and the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) viz, Ahlul-Bait who were connected to the knowledge of Allah, (as He says: " And whom We had taught knowledge from Our own Presence " (18: 65), ) knew about all the Qur'ānic facts and talked

about them in their traditions and narrations.

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For instance, the Apostle, himself, answered the questions which used to be asked by people as to the meaning of certain words in the verses revealed, or details of certain historical or spiritual matters on which they sought more enlightenment. These answers and explanations, or, in other words, the commentaries were gathered by some Companions / aṣḥāb / and were afterwards written down which are called ` Ḥadīth ' or ` traditions '. Of course, the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had openly declared in Hadīth-uth-Thaqalayn that the Qur'ān is with the Ahlul-Bait, and to avoid going astray, the Muslims should be attached to these two. Later, Ahlul-Bait's explanations and narrations, concerned with the matter, were added to them and, together with the effect of expert religious scholars in the past and present, brought up `Exegesis ' (explanation of the Qur'ān) which became a science in itself and was called ` Tafsīr ', commentary.

` Commentary ' shows how a group of verses or a particular verse was revealed to the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) for a particular occasion

which also has a general meaning. The particular occasion and the particular people concerned have passed away, but the general meaning and its application remain true for all time, to enlighten the world, thoroughly. This is also one of the miracles of this Divine Book that, with the help of `commentary ', the Qur'ān is always open and it is always new for those new generations to come.

The Current Commentary

As was mentioned earlier, the light of Islam is enlightening the corners everywhere in the world and seekers of truth, having referred to the translations of the Holy Qur'ān, find that they need ` Tafsīr ',

commentary.

Some of them, the Shi`ah believers in particular, have been led to this Center, Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.) Library, which received many letters requesting a clear, concise English Tafsīr, ` a commentary of the Holy Qur'ān '.

From the beginning of Islam until today (although many times the Holy Qur'ān has been translated into English and a few of them are published with brief, detailed commentary, as footnotes), there has rarely been, as far as we know, a fairly complete commentary in English

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sufficient for seekers of truth to find their answers. So, the decision was made to supply this commentary.

Ayatullah `Allamah Mujāhid Al-Hāj Sayyid Kamāl Faghīh Imānī, the founder and responsible party of this Islamic Scientific Research Center, approached and reported the need for the commentary in English to the concerning scholars and appropriate research societies. Then, 12 people, who had varying nationalities and educational backgrounds, especially from the point of English language and Islamic Theology, gathered. In their first gathering which was held on 28th Safar, 1412 (1370 H. and 1991), they concluded that the commentary of the whole Qur'ān which they intended to supply in English, would take many years of time for the translators to produce.

In order to quench the thirst of the lovers of Truth who had demanded it again and again, they decided to supply the translation of the commentary of the last section of the Qur'ān as a sample and after its publication and receiving the constructive comments of the readers, then, with better skillfulness, this writer (or writers), would continue the translation of the commentary from the beginning of the Holy Qur'ān to provide a complete one.

Therefore, they thought it would be better that the sample, entitled ` An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur'ān ', begin with Sura Insān, the end of the 29th Section, because the Qur'ān was revealed for the improvement of Man and this Sura is about Man and his creation from a lowly life-germ which can develop unto the highest points where no other creature can ascend.

But at the time of initiation, viz. when the translation of the commentary of the Qur'ān actually began, the number of the involved people dwindled down to two, the translator and the editor, who continued the endeavour until the English translation of the commentary of the thirtieth part of the Qur'ān was finished and then offered it to the truth seekers of the world in two volumes.

Thanks to Allah, the Gracious, in addition to the extraordinary abundant appreciations an encouragements of the dear readers of these books from different parts of the world in their thousands of letters, the first and the second volumes of this commentary not only were elected nationally as the best translated books in Iran (1995 AD,

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1416 / 1374 AH. and again in 1996 AD, 1417 / 1375 AH.) but, according to some eye witnesses and many letters from various universities and scientific religious centers in the world, they have also been considered, up to now, the newest, most unique outstanding pioneer works of their kind and are used as authentic reference books of Islamic theology based on the view points of Ahlul-Bait (a.s.). Furthermore, they have been selected to be taught as English text books in some universities and religious schools in different Eastern and Westerm countries, even in England. Therefore, we ought to be very thankful to Allah Who let the Light of His Word spread so brightly and effectively thereby. All of these favours, of course, were the best spiritual worldly reward for this mortal and a form of encouragement to begin the endeavour from the beginning of the Qur'ān as was previously designed and decided. By the help of Allah (s.w.t.), he, as a translator, finished the translation of the current volume by himself, as he did the former volumes. Also, the investigation of the materials and verification of the conformity of them with their original sources was another achievement for him added to the auspicious task of translation. Yet, he believes and usually murmers by himself: " And my success (in my task) can only come from Allah.

In Him do I trust, and unto Him do I look." (11: 88)

There have been, of course, some others such as the scholars, the editor, the library officials, the computer data entry operator and typist, those printing house-personell, etc. who sincerely had a share in the concerning activities until these published books became ready to be delivered to the dear readers.

Hence, we are completely grateful for their efforts and extend our thanks for their attempts as well as to those who financially or mentally and idealistically had any kind of involvement and cooperation in this work.

Attributes Needed for Working on This Kind of Commentary

This endeavour needed not only the knowledge and skillfulness in the English language, but also the knowledge of Arabic, Persian, and Islamic science and culture, because Tafsīr is an attempt to analyze and

explain the meaning of verses in the Holy Qur'ān. Moreover, Allah,

Himself, says: " We have sent down to thee the book explaining all things, a

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Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims ", (Sura Al-Naḥl, No. 16,

verse 89).

Then, it needs that those involved have sufficient understanding about almost all sciences and knowledge that human beings are concerned with when working with the commentary. Also, besides their structure, the phonetic sound systems of the two languages, English and Arabic, are different. Therefore, when an Arabic word from the Qur'ān is mentioned in the English text, to avoid using ` Arabic Script ' in the book, as far as possible, it is shown with the phonetic alphabet and in its special phonetical sign, i.e.: / /.

A transliteration table of the Arabic letters and sounds and the corresponding phonetic signs, applied in this book, is given at the beginning of the book, (p. 31).

The Problems in Translating

The translator has tried to avoid mixing up his own personal theories and conclusions with the interpretation of the text, itself, which is usually perfectly perspicuous as it claims to be. With the help of Allah, he did his best; at times asking for guidance from some learned clergymen, and using all the knowledge and experience he possessed in the service of the Holy Qur'ān for translating its commentary, hoping that Allah accepts it. But the nature of this sort of endeavour is so that, in the course of translation, some difficulties arise from various causes. For instance, cultures in the Arabic language and English language are different so that some of the words like / amrun bayn al amrayn / in the case of fatalism and freewill are nearly impossible to be translated into English; or because the concept is not found in English literature, it is sometimes rather difficult with, for example, what /sajdah/ ` prostration ' exactly means in Arabic. In such cases he selected the meaning of the words from among what the earlier commentators and philologists used and, also, where they were not unanimous, he used the ideas of the new writers who had reasonable advantages in their interpretations. Explanations, of course, are always helpful in conveying clear meanings, which he took benefit from, too.

It is noteworthy that there are some circumstances in the text, of the commentary, in which a verse or verses of the Qur'ān from other

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Suras rather than the Sura under discussion are mentioned as evidence or, thereby, for strengthening the idea. The text of these verses and, also, the traditions and narrations from the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) or

Ahlul-Bait (a.s.) are printed in English in bolder type than the running commentary in order to distinguish, at a glance, the substance from the shadow. Also, the mentioned verses are generally and subtly or roughly taken provisionally from A. Yusuf Ali's translation or other translations of the Qur'ān, the list of which is given at the end of the book. These verses should be changed or re-adjusted to those translations done by the writer in this book when the translation of the commentary of the Qur'ān ends.

It Was Only By His Merciful Will

The translator has interesting factual stories to tell of how the way of this endeavour was paved by Providence and how he was divinely led to be absorbed into this task, Alhamd-u-lillah. A few words given here, in this regard, are not to be misunderstood as a display of vanity for any pecular distinction; for there is none.

It is purely to attract the attention of the readers to a living instance of the Providential implementation of the divine plan and how man drifts to his assignment and how matters are automatically manipulated, though, they seem yet only to be circumstantial. " ... Our Lord is He Who gave to each (created) thing its form and nature and further gave (it) guidance." (20: 50)

For example, once, on a night, the writer of these lines, the translator, had seen in a dream that the Holy Qur'ān, was placed, honourably, on a high position, wide open, high above a very great crowd of people amongst whom he was standing, watching. The full name of his was clearly written in the midst of the writings on the right page of it with magnificent bold letters.

The dream was obviously a good one, but it did not have any particularly vivid meaning to him at that time.

It was approximately four years before he found out, in the course of translating the commentary of verses 11-16 from Sura `Abasa, No. 80, both the meaning of that true dream and the cause of later eventual

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changes in his career of twenty years, as a manager of a profitable Foreign Language Center, thanks to Allah. It is always true what the Qur'ān says: " You will not unless Allah wills, surely Allah is All-Knowing,

All-Wise." (76: 30)

By His graceful arrangement, this writer was separated from almost all his material gains, of this fleeting world, to be set toward the assured, perfect, pure, spiritual rewards of the next, everlasting world from Him, Allah Willing. When he began translating the commentary of the Qur'ān and entered this great Divine Ocean of Light, he found out that from earlier times such a success had been appointed and bestowed upon him by Allah. Therefore, all changes and graceful arrangements are directly from Him and it was His helpful Will that planned His graceful design and showered the ability and insight upon him to lead him to the present point. He is eagerly in hopes that He will help him and guide him in all cases to complete the task successfully so that He accepts it from him.

Now, Alhamd-u-lillah, that the translation of the commentary of this part of the Qur'ān has been completed and handed to you, the dear reader, you are, in advance, honourably asked to, firstly, forgive whatever mistakes or typographical errs you may find in it, and, secondly, inform them clearly, if any, to the publisher's address, with your evidence or point of view to be utilized and the material be corrected in later prints.

Finally, prayer is offered to Almighty Allah that He may endow the translator with life and strength enough to live to complete the series of this humble effort successfully under His Merciful confirmation and acceptance; and may He allow this book to go what small distance it can towards our ultimate salvation. Amin.

Was-salām

Sayyid Abbas Sadr-`āmelī

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the grand leader of the revolution, and the master of the affairs of Muslims, the Late Honorable Ayatullah-il-`Uzmā Al-Imam Khomeinī (s.a.), was informed of the immediate circumstance. He responded: "This idea ought to be put to action as soon as possible. The translation of the commentary of the Holy Qur'ān in English, as well as in other possible languages, should be made available to the knowledgable ones and lovers of Islam and the Qur'ān." He even continued by saying: " There is much to be done and so little time."

Imam Khomeinī (R.) was a man of knowledge, interested in study and research, a learned clergyman, a high ranking philosopher, and a grand unique politician who had attained his nourishment from the pure

Fountain of Monotheism, the Qur'ān, and Ahlul-Bait's (a.s.) doctrine.

He was truly a lover of Islam and the Qur'ān and a genuine follower of Ahlul-Bait's (a.s.) knowledge and teachings. The magnificence of his thought and his sincerity to the Qur'ān and Ahlul-Bait (a.s.) is apparent

in his statements contained in ` the Last Message ' which is his last politico-divine will and testament. In this remaining work of his, after a notable explanation about the well-known holy tradition from the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) who said: " I leave behind me two weighty (very worthy and important) things: the Book of Allah (i.e. the Qur'ān) and my progeny, my Ahlul-Bait. Never, never will these two get separated from each other until they meet me at the Haud of Kauthar (the Pond of Abundance). ..."

Imam Khomeinī adds:

" We are honored and our beloved nation, which is totally committed to Islam and Qur'ān, is honored t hat it wants to liberate the truths of the Qur'ān, which from end-to-end calls for the unity of Muslims and the entire humanity, from graveyards and cemeteries and present it as the greatest prescription for liberation from the chains which are wrapped around the hands, feet, hearts, and minds of human beings and drag them towards non-existence and destruction, slavery and subjugation to the Taqootis. We are honored that we are the followers of a madhab (school of religious law) whose founder, on Allah's direction, was Allah's prophet and Ameer ul- Mu'meneen 'Ali Ibn Abi Tālib, this servant of Allah who was himself liberated from all chains and was designated, in turn, as the liberator of mankind from all chains of slavery (to other than Allah).

We are honored that Nahjul Balagha, which after the Qur'ān is

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the greatest prescription for spiritual and material life, is the highest book for the liberation of mankind, and its spiritual and political prescriptions are the most valuable for liberation, is authored by our Ma'soom Imam.

We are honored that the Ma'soom Imams from 'Ali Ibn Abi Tālib to the Liberator of mankind (A.S.) who with the power of Allah is alive and supervises all affairs, are our Imams. We are honored that the supplications, which are called the ascending Qur'ān are from our Ma'soom Imams.

We are honored that the intimate prayers of Sha'banieya, the supplications of 'Arafat of Hossein Ibn 'Ali, Saheefa Sajjaddiya (this

Psalms of Āle Mohammad), and Saheefa Fatimah (which is an Allah-inspired book to Zahrāye Mardieya) are from us.

We are honored that Baqir ul 'Ulūm, who is the highest personality of history and no one, other than Allah Ta'ala and the Prophet (S.A.W.A.W.S.) and the Ma'soom Imams, has been or will ever be able to understand his station is from us. And we are honored that our madhab is Ja'afari and that our Fiqh which is an infinite sea (of knowledge) is one of his (Imam Ṣādiq a.s.) contributions. And we are

proud of all Ma'soom Imams (a.s.) and we are committed to following them.

We are honored that our Ma'soom Imams (a.s.) lived in prisons and exile because they tried to raise the status of the Deen of Islam and implement the (teachings) of the Holy Qur'ān, one of whose dimensions is the formation of the Just Government, and finally became martyrs in attempts to irradicate oppressive governments and Taqootis of their own time. Today we are honored that we want to implement the ideals of

the Qur'ān and Sunnah. For the sake of this magnanimous end, our people selflessly sacrifice their lives, properties, and loved ones in the Way of Allah.

We are honored that our women, young and old, big and small, weak and strong, are present and work, side by side or even better than our men, in raising the status of Islam and achieving the ideals of Islam in cultural, economic, and military fields. ..."

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Hence, according to our Islamic religious and social duty, we took action towards the publication of the English version of the commentary of the Qur'ān. After three years of effort and endeavour on the part of all who were involved in the completing of this work, the first print of the first and second volumes of this commentary consisting of the thirtieth part (Juz') of the Holy Qur'ān entitled: ` An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur'ān ' was urgently distributed throughout the world. These two volumes were so ardently and well received by the thirsty readers that over the following one and a half years we had to reprint them four times and, as a result, fortunately it happened that this Religious Research Center has been honoured to happily welcome more than four thousand letters received from various addresses all over the world, including those in European countries, different states of America, and many sites in Asia, Africa and Australia. The people of these locales, those busy in universities, research centers, and other similar institutes, or even in prisons, whose letters are all available in this library, frequently asked for these commentary books. They liked them very much and appreciated them abundantly, so much so that we cannot evaluate its depth or extent.

Now, by the might and strength of Allah, this most recent volume is presented to the lovers of Monotheism, the Qur'ān, and the Islamic theology hoping that it will be favourably accepted by Allah, the Merciful, and also be specifically regarded by His remaining emissary, the Expected Mahdī (May Allah hasten his glad advent) and, finally, be received by his true deputies, i.e., the grand ` marāji` taqlīd ' (sources of imitation) especially the great leader of the revolution and master of Muslims' affairs at the present time: Ayatullah-il-Uẓmā Sayyid Ali Khāminehee.

Sayyid Kamāl Faghīh Imānī

Researcher and Founder of the Scientific and Religious Research Center

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

Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran

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بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحیمْ

The Holy Qur'an

PART 1

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بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحیْم

the Psalms, nor even in the Qur'ān, and it is Umm-ul-Kitāb ";(1) which means that it is the basis and origin of all excellence.

In fact, besides referring to the Resurrection, this Sura presents facts concerning the Unity of the Divine Essence, Unity of Attributes, Unity of Divine Acts, and Unity of Worship. It is the essence of the whole meaning of the Qur'ān.

It is narrated from Hadrat Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.) that : " All secrets of Allah are in Divine Books; and the contents of all those Divine Books are comprised in the Qur'ān; and what is found in the Qur'ān is condensed in Sura Al-Fātiḥah, and what is in Al-Fātiḥah is gathered in /bismillāh /, and what is in / bismillāh / is concentrated in /b/, (the first letter of ` Bism-il-lāh ' )..." (2)

Based on the entirety of great commentators' statements, it is understood that this tradition indicates clearly the importance of both the Holy Qur'an and /bismillah-ir-rahman-ir-rahim / in which science and knowledge, from the beginning to the end, is comprised. The interpreter and elucidator of these sciences is the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), and after him there are his true vicegerents including Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.). (3)

Heaven) "? (1)

from any deviation. For this very reason, such a work will certainly be successful and blessed.

proclamation of Islam - perform this great task with the Name of Allah: Proclaim in the Name of your Lord...".( Sura Al-'Alaq, No.96. werse 1): and the words of Noah (a.s.) to his followers, at the time of the Flood are: "So he said: 'Embark ye on the Ark, in the Name of Allah, whether it moves or be at rest! ..." (Sura Hus, No.11, verse 41). Again. Soloman's letter to the Queen of Sheba begins, thus: " It is from Soloman, and is (as follows): 'In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful" (Sura An-Naml, No. 27. verse 30 ).

Based on the same principle, all of the Suras of the Holy Qur'an, (except Sura At-Taubah, No. 9) begin with / bism-il-lah /(1) in order to pursue the essential aim of guiding man and leading him to prosperity with success, far from getting a taste of defeat.

In any event, when we begin our work with reliance upon the Supreme Power of Allah, Whose Power is above all power, we feel, psychologically speaking, far more powerful; therefore, we may be more confident. We may try more, be more persevering, and more courageous in challenging with difficulties, more hopeful, and, similarly, our intentions and the essence of our actions may be more purified. At the time of beginning any affair, reciting the Name of Allah is the secret to its success.

To whatever extent we further explain this verse, it will still be seen insufficient, because, according to a narration, Hadrat Ali (a.s.), regarding the commentary of the verse, talked to Ibn-Abbas from the beginning of a night until the next morning, but it was only for the commentary of /b/, the first letter of / bism-il-lah-ir-rahman-ir-rahim/. (2)

***

Al-Fatihah and, also, of the other Suras of the Qur'an (exc At-Taubah, No. 9). In essence, the inclusion of /bism-il-lah/ at the beginning of all Suras of the Holy Qur'an, except the above mentioned one, is a vital piece of evidence bearing witness to this very fact, and the belief is so firm that no change has been made in the Qur'an and nothing has been added to it since it was revealed to the Prophet of Islam (p.b.ueh.).

Allah, the Most Inclusive Name of God

The term / ism / in the phrase / bism-il-lah /, as men of letters in Arabic literature say, is originally derived from / sumuww / with the meaning of 'height, elevation'. The reason why any 'noun' is called by

appellation is that after choosing to call a 'noun' by the particular given 'name' (ism), the hidden meaning of the expression appears, and The sense of the 'name' is elevated, therefore forsaking meaninglessness.

In the phrase / bism-il-lah /, the word Allah is the most complete and comprehensive name among the Lord's many names. This is because each of Allah's names, which are found in the Holy Qur'an, as well as in other Islamic sources, truly reflects one particular aspect of Allah's Attributes. In other words, the only name that refers to all of His Attributes of Glory and Beauty, is Allah. That is why other names are often used as modifiers for the word 'Allah'. For example, "Allah is oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful",(Sura Al-Baqarah, No. 2.verse 226), refers to Allah's forgiveness; "..Allah heareth and knoweth all things", (No.2, verse 227) shows His being well-acquainted with what is audible and what comes to pass, respectively; " And Allah sees well all that you do", (Sura Al-Hujurat, No. 49, verse is) states that He has information on everything that is done by anyone; "Surely Allah is He Who gives (all) sustenance, the Lord of Power, steadfast (for ever)", (Sura Ath-Thariyat, No. 51, verse 58) points to His giving sustenance to all creatures and, at the same time, discloses that He is powerful and firm in His actions.

And, finally, Sura Al-Hashr, No. 59, verses 23,24 reveals some other Attributes of Allah. The terms 'Creator' and 'Evolver ' are suggestive of His creativeness and inventiveness, and 'Bestower of Forms ' indicates His giving shapes: " Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god;-the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme (in creating all creatures)...." "He is Allah, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms, to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names...."

Another piece of evidence which is a clear indication that this Name, Allah is all-inclusive is that the acceptance of Faith, in Islam, is

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possible only by reciting the sentence: / la ilaha illalah/" There is no god but Allah"; and each of the other phrases such as: All-Knowing or Creator', or 'Bestower of Sustenance, and the like, alone is not sufficient enough to proclaim as evidence of Monotheism in Islam. And, that is why in religions other than Islam, the God of Muslims is referred to as 'Allah', because it is only Muslims who use ‘Allah’ to refer to what they do worship.

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to the believers." (1)

Therefore, at the moment that we initiate any action, when we begin with the Name of Allah, we must seek His Mercy, General and Specific Mercy, both.

It is interesting to note that this power, which has a broad concept much the same as gravitational pull, and has the ability to draw hearts closer together, is the very Attribute of Mercy. This Attribute of Mercy is the very means by which men can attain a close relationship with the Creator, also.

That is why true believers, when reciting the holy verse bism-il-lah-ir-raḥmān-ir-rahim/, at the beginning of their affairs, detach their hearts from everything else and rely only upon Allah, and seek help only from Him, because He is the only One Whose Mercy is "All-Encompassing' and no creature is deprived of it.

Another fact that can also be understood from / bism-il-lah / is that Allah's acts are based on Mercy, and, punishment has an exceptional aspect which will not be fulfilled unless there are some exact, clear reasons for it.

When we recite the supplication entitled, “Jaushan Kabir', Section 20 thus : " O'Lord, Whose Mercy surpasses His Wrath..." the above point becomes clear.

Human beings should attach importance to mercy and affection and behave accordingly in their daily lives and use violence and harshness only for those times when it is clearly warranted.

We conclude this discussion with a tradition, rich in meaning, from the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), who, when commenting on the many different kinds of His All-Encompassing Mercy, said: "Verily, there are one hundred mercies belonging to Allah, from which, He has sent down to the Earth only one and distributed that one among His creatures. All the mercy and affection they have, issue from it. He, the Merciful, withheld the other 99 for Himself to show mercy upon His servants on the Day of Resurrection".(2)

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الحمدلله رب العالمین

* (All) praise is (only) Allah's, the Lord of the Worlds

He is the Lord of the Worlds'.

This is one of the characteristics of Allah. In another occurrence, the Holy Qur'an says: "He Who has made every thing when He has created most good ...." (Sura As-Sajdah, No. 32, verse 7).

And again, in Sura Hus, No. 11. verse 6, it says: " There is no moving creature on the earth but its sustenance depends on Allah....

It is, also, clearly understood from the word /al-hamd/, ‘praise, used in this verse, that Allah has created all these bounties and benefits, basically, by His Choice and His Will.

It is interesting to note that by stating the phrase, '(All) praise (only) Allah's, it is not only helpful to use it for the commencement of affairs, but, as the Qur'an teaches us, it is also used as a conclusion, like in Sura Yunus, No.10, verse 10, about the good-doers in Heaven, it says: "(This will be) their cry therein: "Glory to Thee, O God!' And 'peace' will be their greeting therein! And the close of their cry will be: Surely, the Praise is Allah's, the Lord of the Worlds!'".

applied, in Arabic, for other than Him, it is certainly used in a possessive form, as / rabb-ud-dar / the owner of the house, or / rabb-us-safinab 'the owner of the ship! In any case, the word, itself, conveys the meaning of ‘training’.

There is another idea mentioned in Majma'-ul-Bayān that says: "/rabb/ means: 'an important person whose orders are obeyed." However, it is probable that both meanings refer to the same origin.

because, although the meaning of the term /'alamin/ is very vast, Man is the most significant being among all creatures of the world, so, he is sometimes especially considered the central point of them, and other creatures are dependent upon him and in his shadow. Therefore, when, in the tradition of the Imam (a.s.), the term is rendered into peoples, the reason is that the main purpose of creation, in this great gathering of beings, is Man.

would cause them to perish altogether.

In other words, this ownership is the consequence of His Creatorship and Divinity. He, Who creates beings, gives them life every moment and cherishes them, protects them and guides them, is the real master of all creatures. As a matter of fact, He is the only Ruler of all powers in the world of existence.

Emphasizing the Ownership of Allah on the Day of Judgement has this effect, too, that it stands against the disbelief of disbelievers in the Hereafter. It is understood from the verses of the Holy Qur'an that Faith in Allah has been a common belief even among disbelievers in the Age of Ignorance. Sura Luqman, No. 31, verse 25 says about them: " If thou ask them, who it is that created the heavens and the earth, they will certainly say: 'Allah...", while they did not accept the speech of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) about the Resurrection: " The Unbelievers say (in ridicule): 'Shall we point to you a man that will tell you, when ye are all scattered to pieces in disintegration, that ye shall (then be raised) in a New creation ?"" Has he invented a falsehood against Allah, or has a spirit (seized) him ?...", (Sura Saba, No. 34, verses 7,8).

A tradition from Imam Sajjad (a.s.) says: " When All-ibn-il-Husayn (a.s.) began reciting Master of the Day of Judgement', he repeated it so many times that he was at the point of losing his life".(1)

The phrase / yaum-id-din /, is repeated more than ten times in the Qur'an, exclusively with the meaning of the Hereafter': "And what makes you know what the Day of Reckoning is ? " " Again, what makes you know what the Day of Reckoning is ? " " The Day on which no soul shall have aught for (another) soul, and the command that Day shall be (wholly) Allah's " (Sura Al-Infitar, No. 82, verses 17-19).

The phrase yaum-id-din/ is used in the sense of the Day of Judgement', for "That Day' is the day of rewards; and /din/ in Arabic philology means: 'reward, recompensel. The most evident procedure fulfilled in the Hereafter is the procedure of paying rewards or inflicting punishments. On That Day, the curtains will be removed and the deeds of all will be reckoned, precisely, and everyone shall reap the fruit of his own actions, be they good or evil.

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said in a tradition that the Day of Judgement is The Reckoning Day!(2)

It is also noteworthy to mention that some commentators believe that 'Resurrection' is called /yaum-ud-din/ because on That Day, everyone is recompensed for his own religion, if he has followed it accordingly.

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ایاک نعبد وإیاک نستعین

"Thee (alone) do we worship and of Thee (only) do we seek help.

refuse the world of 'cause' and be neglectful of searching for the causes of things, but it means that we would believe that any effect from any cause is under His command. It is He Who has given heat to fire, light to the sun, and vivacity to water.

The outcome of this belief is that one relies on Allah alone, and knows that all authority and power are His only. In his view, other than Him is powerless, mortal and perishable.

Allah is the only Essence to be relied on and worshipped. It is only He Who is deserving of man's reliance for everything.

This kind of thought and belief sets man apart from anyone or any thing else and joins him only to Allah. He obeys Allah even when he pursues after the world of ways and means ', i.e. he sees the Power of Allah, the Cause of causes, in control of the means.

This belief elevates the soul of man so high and the scope of his thought so broad that it reaches eternity and becomes free from any limited circumstances, in so far as, Hadrat Amir-ul-Mu'mineen, the Master of the Virtuous, Ali (a.s.), regarding Allah, says: " I worship you neither for the fear of the Fire (of Your Hell) nor for the desire of Your Paradise, but I found You fit for worshipping and I worshipped You."(1)

****

destroy our worshipping and servitude totally. Then, in all affairs and activities, our full attention should be exclusively on Allah, the Exalted.

In other words, this, in itself, is one of the stages of monotheism, a high stage of it, which is rendered into 'monotheism in speculation'. That is, one should always and in all circumstances, think of Allah only. He should rely exclusively on Allah. He should fear nothing but Allah; and he should trust Allah only. He should see nothing save Allah; he should want nothing save Allah; and he should love none save Allah. As the Qur'an says: " Allah has not made for any man two hearts in his (one) body..." (Sura Al-Ahzab, No. 33, verse 4).

get up every morning and repeat the verse l'iyyaka na'budu wa 'iyyaka nasta'in / (Thee (alone) do we worship and of Thee (only) we seek help) to confess our servitude to Allah and to ask His Pure Essence help to make us successful in this great challenge. We do the same in the evening before we go to bed. We get up in the morning with His remembrance, and we go to bed in the evening with His remembrance, and each time we ask help from His Pure Essence. What an excellent state this is for the person who is in this stage of Faith! He never bows to any tyrant. He never loses himself for the attraction of material gain, and as the Qur'an reveals about the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.), saying: "... Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for the Cherisher of the Worlds" (Sura Al-An'am No. 6, verse 162).

Therefore, the recitation of this Holy Sura may provide the solution to all problems in our lives. It has plenty of properties which can bring us to safety. An example is from a narration cited by one of the companions of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). He said that in one of the battles, he was with the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.). When the fight became difficult, he (p.b.u.h.) lifted his head and said: " O'Master of the Day of Judgement! Thee (alone) do we worship and of Thee (only) we seek help". At that moment the army of enemies was defeated and many of them) were killed while the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and Muslims won.(1)

It is stated in another narration:" When a difficulty arises for a believing servant, and he recites this Holy verse, it will become easy for him".(2)

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اِهْ-دِن-َا الصِّ-راطَ الْمُسْتَقی-مْ

"Guide us (O Lord) in the straight path".

the state of worship, and asking for help from Him, the first thing that

the path of the the servant seeks is His guidance to the Straight Path righteous, the path of Justice, and the path of Faith and good deeds. So, he asks the Lord, Who has bestowed on him all of these bounties, to give him the bounty of guidance', too.

Such a man, in the above stated condition, is a believing one who is acquainted with the Lordship of his Lord, but it is possible, too, that suddenly he would cease to receive this bounty because of some component of wickedness, and, consequently, he would stray from the Right Path.

Therefore, he must ask his Lord, at least ten times a day, to protect him from any kind of aberration.

Moreover, this Straight Path', which is the very Divine creed, has some stages. All people are not on the same level of spiritual preparedness necessary for attaining these stages. Whatever stages a person attains, there are still some higher stages above them that a believing servant might ask Allah to guide him to reach.

to the lamp. Although it appears as a sustained being, it is, in fact, a continually renewed being that flows ceaselessly to us from the Original Being, the Bountiful Creator.

Therefore, as the continually new being reaches us, we need constant new guidance, too. It is natural that if something wrong or some barriers manifest themselves in our spiritual connective wires with

Allah; the vices, injustice, wrong doings, etc., will disrupt our connection with the Origin of guidance. At that moment, we may deviate from the Straight Path'.

We ask Allah that these barriers be removed and not obstruct our way that we may remain steadfast along the Straight Path'.

Secondly, receiving 'guidance' is the same as travelling the path of 'development' along which man can gradually promote from lower degrees to higher and higher ones.

We also know that the path of development is endless and continues towards 'infinity'.

So, it is no wonder that even the prophets and sinless Imams (p.b.u.th.) ask Allah to guide them to the 'Straight Path', because the Absolute Perfection is Allah and all of us, without any exception, are on the path of perfection, then it is acceptable that they, too, ask Him for higher promotions.

Do we not often send greetings to the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) by the special formula of Salawat'? Does Salawat' not have the meaning of requesting new blessings from Allah for Prophet Mohammad and his descendants (p.b.u.th.) ?

Is it not expressed in the Qur'an regarding the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) who used to say: "... O' my Lord ! advance me in knowledge ", (Sura Taha, No. 20, verse 114)?

Does the Holy Qur'an not say: " And Allah doth advance in guidance those who seek guidance...",(Sura Maryam, No.19, verse 19) ? And, again, does it not say: " But to those who receive guidance, He increases the light of) Guidance, and bestows on them their piety and restraint (from evil) (Sura Muhammad, No. 47, verse 17) ?

This explanation makes clear the answer to the question regarding the benediction which we recite for the Prophet and the sinless Imams (p.b.u.th.) by which we beseech Allah, in fact, for a higher and better

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position for them all (p.b.u.th.).

Here are two traditions which make the above idea clearer :

Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.) commenting on the verse 'Guide us (O'Lord) on the Straight Path', says: " It means: '(O'Lord) continue bestowing Your blessings on us as You did during the days passed by which we succeeded to obey You, so that we can obey You in the future of our lives,

too'.(1)

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has said about the verse: " It means: '(O'Lord) show us the way which ends in Your love, leads us to Your Paradise, and prevents us from following our destructive desires or our own wrong and destroying decisions".(2)

Path' is always only one way, not more than that, because the shortest distance between two points is always only one straight line.

Therefore, when the Qur'an says that the Straight Path' is the very true belief in the Divine religion with its moral and practical aspects, it is because it is the shortest route to a spiritual connection with Allah

And it is also for this same reason that 'the religion of truth' is not more than one:" The Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His Will....", (Sura 'Al-j-Imran, No. 6, verse 153).

Later it will be made evident that 'Islam' has a vast meaning which envelops all the monotheistic religions that were lawful at their own times but were nullified by the new one. Thus, it clarifies that all different commentaries that commentators have cited on the matter, i.e. the Straight Path', refer, indeed, to the same thing.

Islam, the Pure Unity, Qur'an, the Prophet, and his vicegerents (p.b.u.th.), are some explications that commentators have offered for the meaning of the Straight Path'. All of the stated explications refer to the Divine religion in the aspects of Faith' and practice!

Also all of the various narrations and traditions cited on the subject in the Islamic sources, each of which points to a separate dimension of the question, in substance, refer to one essence. Some examples are as follows:

It is narrated from the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) who has said: "The "Straight Path'is the path of prophets and they are those on whom Allah hath bestowed His Grace".(1)

Here are three traditions from Imam Sadiq (a.s.), who, when commenting on this verse, said: "It is the 'way' and the 'cognizance' of Imamate ".(2)

Again, in another tradition, he (a.s.) says : " By Allah, we (Ahlul-Bait) are the Straight Path' ".(3)

Another tradition from the same Imam (a.s.) says: "The Straight

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Path 'is Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.)".(1)

Ahmad-ibn-Mohammad-ibn-Ibrahim Al-Tha'labi, a Sunni scholar, has narrated from Abu-Buraydah Al-Aslami, who was one of the companions of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), that he said: " The Straight Path is the path of Mohammad and his descendants ".(2)

This means that their path is based on the doctrine of Islam which consists of the belief in: 'Oneness of Allah', 'Justice', 'Prophethood', 'Imamate', and the 'Hereafter'. There is no doubt that the path of Ahlul-Bait (p.b.u.th.) is the Straight Path', and that adhering to it causes prosperity and salvation, while pursuing other than that leads to loss and injury.

Ibn-il-Maqazisi has narrated from the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) who has said: "The example of my household (Ahlul-Bait) is similar to the Ark of Noah. He who embarked it was rescued (from drowning and destruction), but, he who refused it drowned (and perished)".(3)

Other traditions narrated from Ahlul-Bait (p.b.u.th.) also confirm the concept. In addition, the well-known tradition. Thaqalayn ' from the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), is another good clear witness to the matter, too. It says: " I leave behind me amidst you two Great things; should you be attached to these two, never, never shall you become astray: the Book of Allah (the Holy Quran) and my progeny, my Ahlul-Bait."(4)

As was previously stated, it is certain that the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), Hadrat Ali-ibn-Abitalib (a.s.) and all of the other infallible Imams (a.s.) invited people to the theistic religion of Allah, an invitation to Faith and practice in truth, which elevates Man to the climax of ability, guidance, dignity, and human excellences.

By the way, it should not be neglected that there are two kinds of guidance:Divine Guidance' and 'Religious Guidance'.

and wrong, gain and loss, felicity and wretchedness, virtue and vice, and so on. It is, in fact, the inner messenger of a person.

wars and martyrdom); not those who deserved His wrath because of their wrong doings, nor those who neglected the right path and went astray. "The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed Thy bounties, not (the path) of those inflicted with Thy wrath, nor (of those) gone astray."

In fact, we are not familiar with the method of guidance, so the Lord's command, in this verse, is that we ask for the path of the prophets, good doers and all of those to whom Allah has extended His bounties, blessings and favours.

It also warns us that there are two deviated paths in front of us: the path of those inflicted with His wrath, and the path of those gone astray.

The fruit of these struggles and devotions is yielded as the Righteous' with whom the society can be pure, efficient, and abounding with spirituality.

Therefore, in the Holy Sura Al-Fatihah (The Opening), we are encouraged to repeatedly ask Allah, during the day and night, that we be led on the path of these previously mentioned four groups, and, obviously at each time, we must emphasize with sincere effort and endeavour, on one of these four states more than the others in order to perform our duty and mission well.

Signs of Allah, and slew the Prophets in defiance of right; this because they rebelled and transgressed beyond bounds".

persons who obstruct the way of guidance of others and are mentioned in the Holy Qur'an as 'those who would hinder (men) from the Path of Allah. Sura Ash-Shura, No. 42. verse 16 says: " But those who dispute concerning Allah after He has been accepted, - futile is their dispute in the sight of their Lord: on them is Wrath,and for them will be Penalty terrible".

Other traditions have also been cited concerning the matter, including a narration from Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.). It says: "Everyone who has disbelieved in Allah, on him is Wrath, and he is astray

from His Path".(1)

In 'Ma'ani', a book of traditions, it is narrated from the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) who said: " Shi'ah (the followers) of Ali (a.s.) are those on whom Allah has bestowed the bounty of Wilāyat, love of Ali-ibn-Abutalib (a.s.); His Wrath is not on them, and they are not on the wrong path".(2)

Sura Al-Fatihah (The Opening)

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحیْم

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

related to varying subjects, such as : prayers, fasting, Holy War on the path of Allah, the pilgrimage to Mecca, the change of the Qiblah (the direction of prayer) from Jerusalem to Mecca, marriage and divorce,

commerce, debt, and a great many of the ordinances concerning usury. Donation for the sake of Allah, is abundantly discussed. The problem of retaliation, the banning of different kinds of forbidden meat, and also gambling and wine drinking are discussed, in addition to a few other ordinances related to the subjects of writing wills, testaments, and the like.

The appellation ` Al-Baqarah ' (the Cow), the title of this Sura, is taken from the story of the Israelites' Cow, mentioned in verses 67 to 73 of this Sura, whose description will be explained later in this very commentary (on pages 208 to 213).

with the last three verses of the Sura, will not meet any trouble in himself, in his family members, and in his wealth; and Satan will not approach him, and he (having paid attention to the Qur'ān in his life) will not forget the Qur'ān".(1)

Also, ` Ubayy-ibn-i-ka`b quotes from the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.)

thus : " He who recites this Sura (Al-Baqarah) will be encompassed by the bounties of Allah and His Mercy; and He will reward him as much as that of a person who has fought fearlessly on the path of Allah for one year". (2)

Then, the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) added that Muslims should study this Sura, know it, and do it accordingly in order to be benefited by the Mercy of Allah in this world and the next.

Imam Ja`far Ṣādiq (a.s.) is narrated to have said : " He who recites Al-Baqarah and 'Āl-i-`Imrān, these two Suras will come above his head on the Day of Judgement like two clouds similar to two umbrellas, (and will protect him from the heat of That Day) ".(3)

rumours and accusations about others; and, finally, the instruction on executing the punishment for fornication and adultery upon any perpetrators : be they men or women.

It is obvious that when the content of this Sura be observed by the members of a society or a family, the iniquity of adultery will not appear therein. It is the same concerning the verses of Sura Al-Baqarah,

mentioned above. They are all related to the subject of Monotheism, belief in ` Qayb ' (the Invisible), knowing Allah, and resisting evil temptations. So, if a person recites them and observes the instructions in them carefully and from the depths of his soul, he will certainly obtain those virtues.

It is certainly true, however, that the recitation of the Qur'ān deserves rewards, but, besides the original and essential rewards given by Allah, its effects on personal behavior will exist only when this

recitation is a premise for contemplation and action.

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In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحیْم

Sura Al-Baqarah

(The Cow)

"Ṭā. Sīn. These are verses of the Qur'ān, a Book that makes (things) clear." There are, also, many other examples, similar to this one, in the Qur'ān.

The abbreviated letters of the Holy Qur'ān have always been considered mysterious. In the words of scholars and commentators, the letters that are prefixes to some Suras, such as 'Alif `A', Lām `L', Mīm `M', and the like, are among the `metaphorical expressions' of the Qur'ān. They are secrets that none knows except the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and, after him, his successors (a.s.) who have left some traditions and narrations which testify to this very matter :

1. Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.) said : " Every book has an elite and the elite of this Book (The Qur'ān) is the `abbreviated letters'. "(1)

2. It is narrated from Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) who said : " 'Alif `A', Lām`L', Mīm `M', are the letters among the (whole) letters of the ` Exalted Name ' of Allah, which are separated and scattered in the Qur'ān and whenever the Prophet and the sinless Imams (p.b.u.th.) call Allah by that `Exalted Name', their prayer will be accepted."(2)

3. It is narrated from Imam Ali-ibn-il-Ḥusayn (a.s.), thus : " The Quraysh and the Jews refuted the Qur'ān and said: ` It is mere magic and he has made it by himself '. So, Allah said: ` 'Alif, Lām, Mīm. This is the (True) Book...', i.e. ` O' Muhammad, this Book that is sent down to you, is made up of the abbreviated letters and 'Alif, Lām, Mīm are among them. They are the same as the letters of the alphabet that you (people) use in your words. Bring similar to it if you are genuine '." (3)

4. It is narrated from Ibn-Abbas and `Akramah who have said that these letters are the `letters of oath', as well as `the Name of Allah', by which He (s.w.t.) has sworn.

The reason why Allah has sworn by these letters is, perhaps, for their importance and greatness through which the Glory and Highness of Allah and the secrets of the world of creation are stated. All sciences, from the beginning to the end, daily activities and arrangements of affairs in societies and their communications

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throughout the world, the development of industries, the trading and commercial activity between people, their marriages, the social laws, regulations, and the jurisprudence of the religions of human beings, all in all, depend on the letters of the alphabet. The transmission of ancient civilizations and cultures from old generations to the later ones has been possible only through transcribing and recording them essentially with the help of the bounty of alphabets. Even this very commentary book, which is the statement of the Divine laws and the description of the Qur'ānic concepts, is being published and distributed throughout the world in different languages including the English language, because of the existence of the letters of the alphabet. Furthermore, an oath is usually taken to an important and great subject. These abbreviated letters have such an importance and greatness. Hence, Allah, the Exalted, taking an oath to a letter of the alphabet, says : " Nūn. By the Pen and by the (Record) which (men) write," ( Sura

Al-Qalam, No. 68, verse 1 ).

However, there are more than one hundred other traditions on the abbreviated letters of the Qur'ān cited by Muslim scholars in many authentic commentary and tradition books. Another aspect is that some eminent men have said that these letters refer to the idea that this heavenly Book, with such splendour and reputation that it stirs wonder in the great speakers, both Arab and non-Arab, and that has made the men of letters and all others unable to challenge it, is composed of the sort of the very alphabetical letters that are within the reach of everyone. This fact shows that the Qur'ān has not been produced by the mind of Man, but it is an absolute revelation and, therefore, none can produce the like of it. Imam Ali-ibn-Musā-ar-Ridā (a.s.) is narrated to have said in a tradition : " Verily, Allah has sent down this Qur'ān narrated by the very letters that all Arabs apply ordinarily ". And, thus, Allah, Glory be to Him and Highly Exalted is He, says : " Say,`If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'ān, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and

support ", (Sura Al-Asrā' , No. 17, verse 88).

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ذلِکَ الْکِتابُ لا رَیْبَ فیهِ هُدًی لِلْمُتَّقینَ

" This is the (True) Book wherein is no doubt, a guidance

to the pious ones,"

lawfulness is vividly apparent. 2) Those that are clearly unlawful, whose unlawfulness is certain. 3) Some dubious things that are situated between these two. They are lawful but resemble the unlawful. The person who avoids even the dubious things will never approach the unlawful ones.(1)

Hadrat Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s) is narrated to have said : "A pious person is he whose deeds would not include anything shameful if they are put in a tray and displayed it around the world (to show them) ". (2)

الَّذینَ یُؤْمِنونَ بِالْغَیْبِ وَ یُقیمُونَ الصَّلوةَ وَ مِمّ-ا رَزَقْن-اهُمْ یُنْفِقُونَ

" Who believe in the Unseen and keep up prayer and spend

(in charity) of what We have provided them."

Resurrection Day.

towards man's development. Death is an opening to a broader and greater world. Whereas, a materialist believes that the world of being is restricted to what we can see. He says that natural science has proved that the rules of nature are a chain of obligatory rules by which, without any designs or special programs, this world has been fashioned. They believe productive power of the world has no intellect even as little as that of a child. And, Man is a part of nature, i.e., when he dies everything ends. His corpse is decomposed in a few days and joins with nature again as a natural component. They conclude that there is no life after death for Man, and there is no difference between Man and animal.

Are these two people with these two different methods of thinking comparable with each other ? Are their actions and behaviours in the society the same ?

The first one cannot ignore that which is right, just and benevolent, and helping other fellow members. But the second does not see any reason for any of these matters. He cares for only what is effective and beneficial in his physical life at present or in the future. That is why that, in the lives of truthful believing people, there is purity, brotherhood, mutual understanding, and cooperation; while in the lives governed by materialism, colonialism, exploitation, plunder and murder are seen. Therefore, the Holy Qur'ān, in the above mentioned verses, considers ` Faith in the Unseen ' the first stage of piety.

Opinions are divided among the commentators as to whether Faith in the Unseen, here, points to Faith in Monotheism, or to a vast meaning that covers Faith in the world of revelation, Resurrection, angels and, in general, what is beyond the external senses.

We already pointed out that Faith in ` the world of beyond the external senses ' is the first phase of separation of the believers from unbelievers. This makes it clear that the term ` Unseen ', here, contains the same vast meaning as the term that was pointed out. Moreover, the application of the word in this verse is absolute and unrestricted. There is nothing included in the verse that would confine its meaning to a specific one.

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In some traditions from Ahlul-Bait (a.s.) (1) , the term ` Unseen ', in the verse under discussion, is rendered to the `12th Imam (a.s.)', who, as we believe,is alive right now but is concealed from the eyes of people. This idea does not contrast with what was said in the above, because it is one of the aspects of ` Unseen ', too. And, in other words, ` Unseen ' is something which is not possible to be seen or heard by our external senses, such as sight or hearing or things outside the grasp of our other senses. The Existence of Allah is apparently hidden because of the limit of our external senses. The Hereafter, the status of the next world, is concealed from our eyes. In this gloomy time in which we live, the presence of prophets and our sinless Imams (p.b.u.th.) are necessary for us, but, even our Expected Imam (a.s.) whom we need to be our guide out in front of us, whose light of mastership, which would help us follow along this dim, murky, dangerous road that lies before us upon which we must travel until we reach the sound abode of ours, is absent from us. Apparently, he is out of our reach. Though, he, the esteemed one (a.s.), is never heedless of his true followers and he is always aware of their circumstances. (There will be a more comprehensive discussion concerning the ` 12th Imam (a.s.) ' later in the commentary.)

This statement shows that at this time, which is the worst of the ages, how high the position of the persons with complete Faith is! And, as it is narrated, there is reason for the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to say about them : " How much I am eager to see my brothers (who will come to being) in `the end of time'! ". (2)

We may consider that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), with such high rank and glory, has expressed his eagerness for seeing the true believers of this time, and has introduced them as his `brothers'.

believers in permanent and perpetual contact with that great Origin of Creation. They have found the way to the world beyond this world, viz, the world of the supernatural. They bow only to Allah and submit only to the Great Creator of the World of Being. That is why there is no place for submission or surrender to any tyrants and oppressors in their agenda.

Such a human feels that he has been promoted to a situation higher than that of all other creatures for that he has the honour of standing in front of Allah and is worthy of speaking directly with Him. This status is the greatest factor necessary for training.

The person who, with his whole heart and mind, stands in front of Allah, at least five times a day, and sincerely utters invocation, his thoughts, his actions and his speech altogether will become divine. How is it possible that a person like that could do anything against Allah's pleasure ?

progress. Just as the water of a stream washes away dirt from the body, prayer washes away the sins of believers; and, its repetition five times a day is similar to washing the body in that stream repeatedly. Allah told Jesus (a.s.), and other prophets (p.b.u.th.) as well, to pray throughout their lives ". " However, prayer is the basis of Islam and it is the best deed and the best subject (which is legislated by the religion). It is the standard and criterion of other deeds of people. Thus, when a person has performed the prayer completely, the reward of all other of his deeds is complete, because all of his good deeds are accepted. Therefore, prayer, comparing with other religious practices, even the religion itself, is considered as a pillar similar to the central pole of a tent. For this reason the first deed of a mortal, which will be questioned about in the next life and will be discussed, is `prayer'. If prayer is accepted from a person, other (good) deeds of his lifetime will be evaluated and accepted from him. But, if it is refused, his other deeds will not be looked at and will be refused and returned to him. So, regarding this, it is not surprising if an abandoner of prayer is called an ` unbeliever '. Yes, it is certainly so when the reason of its abandonment is especially for the scorning of the religion. Prayer is something that Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) did not know anything better or higher and more beloved than that with Allah. Even, he (a.s.) has said that these five daily canonical prayers are obligatory. He who establishes them and observes them at their proper times, will meet Allah on the Judgement Day, and He holds a covenant stating that because of this he will enter Paradise. But, he who does not keep up these obligatory prayers and does not observe them at their proper times, then, it will be up to Allah whether to forgive him or to punish him. And, the obligatory prayer is better than twenty Hajj-performances, each of which is better than a room full of gold that would completely be paid as donation in the way of Allah. Or, the obligatory prayer is better than one thousand Hajj-performances, every one of them being better than the whole world with all its contents. Verily, obedience to Allah is service to Him on the earth, and no service is comparable with prayer. That was why the angels called Zachariah (a.s.) while he was praying in his sanctuary. When a person is preparing for saying prayer, the Divine favours come down from heaven to him on the earth and some angels surround him. An angel proclaims that if this prayerful believer knew what existed in the prayer, he

would never neglect it ..."

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" Ḥadrat Ridā, the 8th holy Imam (a.s.), wrote as an answer to the problems of Muhammad-ibn-Sanān that the reason of (the importance of) prayer is that it is the confession to the Lordship of Allah, Almighty and Glorious, and lack of attributing partners to Him. Prayer means to stand in front of the Almighty, Glory be to His Majesty, in a manner of humility,

abasement and wretchness and to seek forgiveness for the sins committed. In prayer, a servant puts his head down on the soil several times a day in order to glorify Allah, Almighty and Glorious, and to furnish His remembrance all the time. To stand in the presence of Allah in prayer, causes a believing person to avoid evils, and it hinders him from all kinds of sin and corruption."(1)

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lungs, as well as other organs of the body, continually donate the vital results of their active functions. And, generally speaking, social life with the lack of donation is meaningless.

Sincere coherence with human beings is, in fact, coherence and attachment to Allah. A person who is attached to Allah, and knows that all bounties and sustenance proceed from Him, not from himself, will not be displeased with giving charity but will be happy to donate His gifts to His servants on His way, and, as a consequence, he gains the physical and spiritual merits for doing it for himself. (For the importance of charity and its effects, refer to later explanations concerning Sura

Al-Baqarah, No.2, verses 261-274 ). At any rate, this kind of thinking purifies the soul of man from miserliness and envy. It changes the world of ` struggle for existence ' to the world of ` humanity and civilization ', a world in which everybody bonds himself to sharing his bounties with all the needy in his environment and, like the sun, gives light to his surroundings without expecting any favor in return or recompense.

It is notable that on the meaning of the phrase : "(They) spend (in charity) of what We have provided them", a tradition from Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) says : " It means that they share (and teach to those who need) the knowledge and science Allah has taught them." (1)

It is obvious that this statement does not mean that donation is specific to knowledge but, since when speaking about charity almost all the attention is usually turned to monetary donations, Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.), by mentioning this kind of spiritual donation, wanted to clarify the broadness of the meaning of `donation'.

So therefore, this idea makes it very clear that the word `charity', referred to in the verse under discussion, is not restricted to the ` obligatory alms giving ' (Zakāt), but refers to alms in general, irrespective of obligatory or recommended ones; therefore, it has a vast meaning which includes any kind of help given gratuitously.

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وَالّذَینَ یُؤْمِنونَ بِمآ اُنْزِلَ اِلَیْکَ وَ مآ اُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِکَ وَبِالاْخِرهِ ِهُمْ یُوقِنُونَ

" And who believe in what has been revealed to you (Muhammad),

and what has been sent down (to other apostles) before

you; and of the Hereafter they are certain."

last quality in this series of qualities for the pious ones. (1) It says : "... and of the Hereafter they are certain ".

In the phrase /wa bil 'āxirati hum yūqinūn/ the word /yaqīn/ is the state of conviction and certainty reached through accepting undoubtable evidence or unquestionable proof in /muttaqīn/. One of the epithets of `the pious ones', / muttaqīn /, is having an unshakably firm conviction and certainty that the ultimate purpose of life here lies in the realm beyond it, in the direction towards the Absolute.

They are sure that Man is not created uselessly and purposelessly. The creation has defined a route for him which will never end with death, for, if everything came to a completion in this world, all of these statements and tremendous activities and movements in the universe would certainly be in vain if it was meant only for a brief temporary life.

He accepts that the Absolute Justice of Allah is waiting for all humankind and it is not so that our deeds in this world will be disregarded without having any reckoning and compensation.

This belief provides him with ease and tranquility. The stresses resulting from the fulfilment of responsibilities not only do not hurt him, but on the contrary he receives them willingly. He stands firmly in front of misfortunes. He does not resign to any unjust matter. He is sure that even the smallest action, good or evil, will be compensated; and, after death, he will be transferred to a more comprehensive world where no cruelty or oppression exists. But he will meet the infinite favour and Mercy of Allah, the Just.

foetus in the mother's womb. This period is not the purpose of the creation of man, of course, but it is an evolutional stage for the next period of life. Yet, if this foetus does not finish its course safely and without any defects or harm until the baby is born, it will not be happy and prosperous in its next life.

اُول-ئِ-کَ عَل-ی هُ-دًی مِ-نْ رَبِّهِ-مْ وَ اُول-ئِکَ همُ ُالْمُفْلِحُونَ

" They are on (true) guidance from their Lord; and they are

the ones who are the successful."

6 اِنَّ الَّذی-نَ کَفَ-رُوا سَ-واءٌ عَلَیْهِ-مْ ءَاَنْذَرْتَهُ-مْ اَمْ لَمْ تُنْذِرْهُ-مْ لا یُؤْمِنُ-ونَ

7 خَتَمَ اللّهُ عَل-ی قُلُوبِهِ-مْ وَ عَل-ی سَمْعِهِ-مْ وَ عَل-ی اَبْصارِهِمْ غِش-اوَةٌ وَلَهُ-مْ عَ-ذابٌ عَظی-مٌ

6. " Surely, (as for) those who reject Faith, it is the same to them

whether you have warned them or have not warned

them, they will not believe."

7. " Allah has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing,

and over their eyes is a covering, and there awaits

them a great punishment."

The second verse refers to the reason behind the existence of this bigotry and stubbornness. It indicates that they have sunk into impiety, infidelity, and enmity so deeply that they have lost their power of distinction. It says :

" Allah has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and over their eyes is a covering, ...".

And for that reason, a great penalty is appropriate for them as the consequence of their deeds, and they deserve it. As Allah warns: "... and there awaits them a great punishment ."

Thus, the eyes by which the pious ones see the signs of Allah, the ears through which they hear the words of right, and the hearts (and minds) wherein they conceive realities, are of no avail to the second group. They have minds, eyes, and ears but, when it comes to realities, they are not able to understand, to see, or to hear, indeed, because their disgraceful actions, their stubbornness, and their enmity, like curtains, have covered over these means of acknowledgement.

It is certain that man is worthy of being guided before he reaches this state, even if he is rather astray. But when he loses his sense of distinction, there will not be any way for him to attain felicity, because he does not have the means of acknowledgement. So, it is natural that `the great punishment awaits him'. This case is like the situation of a lazy student who, by his own mischoice, does not strive to study hard enough and consequently becomes involved in the torment of ignorance and lack of certification.

The important fact is that one should be careful of sins, and when he commits one, he should repent soon and wipe it out with doing good deeds, lest the sin will remain as a fast colour stain on his heart, that which would seal the heart (with sin). The turning of the mind and the heart from the ` real ' towards the `unreal', when it gets rigid is termed in the Holy Qur'ān as `sealing'.

A tradition from Imam Bāqir (a.s.) says : " There is not a believing servant but there is a white bright site on his heart. When he commits a sin, there appears a black dot in that site. If he repents, the black dot will disappear. But if he continues committing sins, that black dot enlarges until it covers the white bright site completely. When this site is covered (with blackness) the holder of this heart will never return back to doing good

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deeds. This is the meaning of the words of Allah, Almighty and Glorious, when He says : ` Nay! Rather what they used to do has put rust upon their hearts '.", (Sura Mutaffifīn, No 83, verse 14). (1)

distinction. In this state, impurity and impiety prevail as his second nature.

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They say to them that they are deceiving them and, actually, they are supporters of their fellow men whom they have taken friend with and, keep their secrets safe and hidden.

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Then, the Qur'ān, with a beating and decisive tone says:

" Allah shall pay them back for their mockery, and He leaves them alone in their inordinancy, blindly wandering on."

The concluding verse, on this subject, expresses their final fate which is a very grievous, inauspicious, and dark end, thus :

" These are they who have bought error (in exchange) for guidance, hence their transaction yields them no profit, nor are they guided (aright)."

For this very reason, their purchase not only is of no avail for them, but also they have lost even their investment.

recognize them and avoid them. They deceitfully imitate and join the faithful people and occupy some social positions in the rows of the pure, truthful believers. They sometimes attain the sensitive posts, even.

Until the time when the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) emigrated from Mecca to Medina, Muslims had not established a government. The prime essential basis of the Islamic government was founded when the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) arrived in Medina. This process was made more manifest with the occurrence of the triumph of Badr, viz., a small but progressive government was formally organized.

It was at that time that the profits of many authorities in Medina, particularly that of the Jews, who were respected by Arabs, were being threatened. The Jews were respected at that time, mostly because they were of ` the People of the Book '. (1) They were fairly learned, and they were economically advanced. It was they who, before the advent of the prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) used to give the good news of his coming.

There were others, too, who were aspiring for the leadership of the people of Medina and were disappointed due to the migration of the Messenger of Allah. The cruel, selfish chieves of Medina and their plunderous adherents saw that people, even their relatives, were tending to Islam and abundantly believing in the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). They, after resisting for a short time, understood that they could not help but to accept Islam, though only outwardly. They realized that if they had opposed and stood against the new process, besides the damages of war and economical problems, they would have faced the danger of destruction; particularly because the total power of the Arab was his tribe, but their tribes had separated from them for the most part.

For this reason, they had developed a grudge in their hearts against the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and his mission. So, they secretly planned to subvert Islam. Therefore, they selected a third way. They decided to accept the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) apparently, and to follow their own plots hiddenly.(2)

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In short, the appearance of hypocrisy in a society is usually the effect of one of these two causes. The first is the triumph and power of the existing revolutionary school of thought in the society. The second cause is the spiritual weakness and the lack of nobility and courage needed to challenge such a force.

a disease, ...". Which sickness can be worse than the sickness of duplicity of outward and inward character? What disease is more painful than the illness of self-aggrandizement or lack of courage for challenging the things that we do not believe in ?

However, the disease of hypocrisy, though it is hidden, is recognizeable by its different features. It is similar to heart disease which cannot be concealed wholly; although it is unseen, its signs and symptoms can be seen in one's face and limbs quite vividly.

Hypocrisy, in its specific meaning, is the condition of some faithless persons who are apparently counted among Muslims, but their hearts are actually pledged to infidelity. They are the most dangerous group, not only for Islam but also for any revolutionary progressive school of thought. The hypocrites penetrate into the communities of Muslims and misuse any chance or opportunity for hindering affairs. For this very hostile position that they have, they are the object of serious attacks in the Qur'ān. One complete Sura of the Qur'ān is revealed about their circumstances which is entitled ` Al-Munāfiqūn '. They have also been reproached and condemned very strongly in the narrations of Ahlul-Bait (a.s.).

To introduce the hypocrite, a tradition from Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) who has narrated from the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) says : "There are three specialities that when they are in a person, he/she is a hypocrite even the one who observes the fast, practices prayers and considers oneself a Muslim: he who is treacherous when he is trusted, when he speaks he tells lies, and when he promises he fails it". (1)

Here, we attract your attention to the noble words of Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.) about the hypocrites. He says :

" O' creatures of Allah! I advise you to fear, and I warn you against the hypocrites. They themselves are misguided and they will misguide you. They are lost in the labyrinth of sins and vices and will make you lose your straight path in that tortuous maze. They change their colours to suit their surroundings, and their words always have double meanings. To convert you to their views and to win your sympathies they will resort to every sort of fraud and pretence, will adopt varieties of artifices and

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pretexts and will apply all possible allurements and deceptions. They always lie in ambush to seduce you. They pretend to be sincere and honest but their hearts are full of hypocrisy and vileness. Their movements are very subtle. To mislead you they work so artfully and cunningly that you cannot easily find out their purpose. They poison your minds without your knowing it, like a disease spreading inside your body without your realizing the fact. They behave as if they are ministering cures to your ailments. They talk as if they really feel for your troubles, but the result of their activities and their persuasions will affect you like an incurable disease.

Happiness and prosperity of others make them jealous and unhappy. They will do their worst to drag others into difficulties, reverses, and troubles. They will exert themselves to convert hopes of others into disappointments and despairs. And they have their victims in every walk of life.

They know how to touch your heart and how to gain your ears. For your every sorrow they have crocodile tears to shed and for every pain they offer you a balm, ineffective or injurious. If they praise you, it is with the hope of getting louder praises out of you. If they want to get something out of you, they will pester you with their demands. If they wish to slander anybody they will expose him threadbare. If they pass judgments they always forsake equity and justice ".(1)

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Sura Al-Baqarah

(The Cow)

with a small little fire. But, it happens that suddenly a storm arrives, or a heavy rain falls, or their fuel runs out and the fire dies in coldness; so, they remain helpless, wandering in the terrible darkness.

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Then, it adds : "(They are) deaf, dumb, blind so they shall not return (to the right path)", because they no longer have the essential necessary means of grasping the truth in their possession.

Allah, the Exalted, stating the status of the hypocrites and unbelievers, informs His Messenger that they have totally lost their human innate potentialities. They, abusing it, have destroyed the talent which Allah has originally put in their created nature and they should revive it in order for it to be used correctly. They have entirely deprived themselves of the real function of the divine faculties of sight, hearing, and speech. These sense organs are practically left useless and ineffective.

2. In the second parable, the scene of their life is illustrated in another way.

It is a dark fearful night, full of terror and danger. The rain is heavily falling and lightning flashes in the corner of the horizon every now and then. The horrible crashes of thunder seem to tear the eardrums. A defenceless person, amazed at the situation in this vast dark dangerous plain, gains no benefit. For this frightened person, whose back is wet from the rain, there is neither a safe and secure shelter to take refuge, nor does the darkness let him step forth towards his destination.

The Holy Qur'ān, in a short sentence, explains the situation of such a wandering passenger, thus : " Or (their) likeness is as a rainstorm from heaven wherein is darkness, thunder and lightning. ..."

Then, it adds : "...They put their fingers in their ears against the thunderclaps, fearful of death; ..."

And, at the end of the verse, the Qur'ān points to a fact that wherever the disbelievers go, they are under the forceful control and watch of Allah. It says : "... thus Allah encompasses the infidels."

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In this situation lightning brightens the expanse of the sky again and again.

" The lightning well-nigh snatches away their sight, ..."

Whenever the lightning strikes and lightens the dark spread of the desert, they walk a few steps under that light, but, immediately after that, they find themselves in the same darkness they were in before :

"...whensoever it gives them light, they walk therein, and when it darkens over them they stand still. ..."

Every moment, they feel the danger in front of them because there is nothing in this desert, such as a mountain, a tree, or anything else for them to seek refuge in order to protect themselves from the danger of the flash of lightning and thunderblot. At any moment they may be seized by the lightning as its prey and be laid in ashes in a blink of an eye!

There is even the danger of the sound of thunder tearing their eardrums and the sharp flash of lightning blinding their eyes. Yes, it is true : "... Had Allah willed, He would have taken away their hearing and

their sight. Truly, Allah is All-powerful over all things."

At the time of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), the quick spread of Islam, like the lightning, dazzled their eyes, and the verses of the Qur'ān, which uncovered their secrets, surrounded them as quick as lightning. They thought that another verse might come down, too, and remove the curtains from some other secrets, so, they would become publicly more disgraced.

The Qur'ān also points to this very meaning where it says : " The Hypocrites are afraid lest a Sura should be sent down about them, showing them what is (really passing) in their hearts, say: `Mock you! But verily Allah will bring to light all that you fear (should be revealed)'." (Sura At-Taubah, No. 9, verse 64).

Again, the Qur'ān, verifying that the hypocrites were always in terror and fear that, with their secrets being manifested, Allah's command would come down for the Muslims to fight them, the worst

interior enemy of Islam, and destroy them, says : "Truly, if the Hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, and those who stir up sedition in the City, desist not, We shall certainly stir thee up against them: then will they not be able to stay in it as your neighbours for any length of time:" " They

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shall have a curse on them: wherever they are found, they shall be siezed and slain (without mercy)." (Sura Al-Aḥzāb, No. 33, verses 60 and 61).

In the Islamic literature, as was mentioned before, the traditions and data narrated about the hypocrite are abundant. One of them is the tradition that Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) quoted from his father and grandfathers who,in turn, had narrated from the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) who, addressing Hadrat Ali-ibn-Abītālib (a.s.), said : " There are three signs for a believer : prayer, fasting, and alms. There are also indications referring to a hypocrite : when he speaks he tells lies, when he promises, he breaks them,

and when he is entrusted with (something), he proves himself to be dishonest".(1)

Again, `Abdullāh `Umar narrates from the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) that there are four characteristics which are the signs of hypocrisy: lie in speech, excuse in promise, wickedness in enmity, and dishonesty in deposit. (2)

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21 یا اَیُّهَا النّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّکُمُ الَّذی خَلَقَکُمْ وَالَّذینَ مِنْ قَبْلِکُمْ لَعَلَّکُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

22 اَلَّذی جَعَلَ لَکُمُ الاَْرْضَ فِراش-ًا وَالسَّماءَ بِناءً وَاَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّماءِ ماءً فَاَخْرَجَ بِه مِنَ الثَّمَراتِ رِزْق-ًا لَکُمْ فَلا تَجْعَلُوا لِلّهِ اَنْدادًا وَاَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

21. " O'mankind! Worship your Lord Who created you, and those before you, so that you may guard yourselves (against evil),"

22. " Who has spread out the earth as a resting place for you, and has made heaven as a canopy, and has sent down water from heaven, wherewith He brings forth fruits for your sustenance; so do not set up rivals with Allah while you know."

It is a bounty that illustrates both the Power of Allah and His Knowledge, in addition to His `General Mercy' and `Specific Mercy', because in the creation of Man, the best creature in the world of existence, the signs of His infinite Knowledge and Power, together with His vastly distributed bounties, are clearly seen.

The reason that some do not bow before Allah and do not worship Him is mostly because they do not contemplate their own creation and the creation of those who came before them. They do not take into consideration that it is not right to attribute this magnificent creation to the blind and deaf causes of nature. We cannot think of these accurate, reliable and incomparable bounties, which are vividly seen in the body and the spirit of Man, from any origin except Allah, Who is the source of all knowledge and power. Therefore, the remembrance of these bounties is both a reason for theology and a stimulus for thankfulness and worshipping, along the path of Allah.

3. The fruit of this worshipping is piety and righteousness : "...so that you may guard yourselves (against evil),".

Thus, our worshippings and prayers do not add anything to the Dignity and Glory of Allah, just as the abandoning of them does not take anything from His Greatness and Beauty. These kinds of practices are some training classes to teach man piety, which is synonomous with having a sense of responsibility, and, the standard of measuring one's personality. Finally, it is worship that causes man to attain the epithet of being pious, a good mood in the spirit of man, that comes into being as a result of worship and servitude unto Allah.

4. The emphasis on the phrase : `Those before you', in the verse, may refer to the idea that if you agree with the custom of your ancestors that you should worship idols, Allah is the creator of both you and your ancestors. He is the Master and the Cherisher of you and your ancestors both. So, worshipping the idols, either done by you or by your ancestors, is not anything but aberration.

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Al-Anbiyā' , No. 21, verse 32).

This statement may seem amazing to some of those who are acquainted with the intrinsic structure of the heaven and earth from the point of modern astronomy. They may ask where and how this canopy is. Does this idea not call to mind the Ptolemaic Theory which indicated that planets are set over each other in the sky like the layers of an onion? The subject will be made clear when the following explanation is considered.

basic environmental influence on plant, animal, and human life.

One of the references which shows that one of meanings of the Arabic word /samā'/ as `the atmosphere of the earth', is a tradition cited by the sixth Imam, Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) describing the colour of the sky for one of his followers, Mufaddal. He said : "O Mufaddal! Contemplate the colour of the sky which Allah has created so that it seems blue, a colour that is the most appropriate for the eyes, and looking at it strengthens the vision."(1)

We all know today that the blue colour of the sky is nothing but the reflection of sunlight on the intense thick air around the earth. Therefore, the word /samā,/ `sky', here, refers to the very `atmosphere of the earth'.(2)

Sura An-Naḥl, No. 16, verse 29 says : " Do they not look at the birds held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? " Then it refers to rain, thus : "...and has sent down water from heaven,...".

But, what water! It is a life-giver, an essential producer of vital energy, and the origin of all inhabited regions containing many material blessings.

rainfall, in order to let it go down in the soil and saturate and fruits".(1)

Then, the Qur'ān refers to the kinds of fruits and nutritious foods that are produced because of rain and awarded to men as their sustenance. It says : "...wherewith He brings forth fruits for your sustenance;...".

This process of producing fruits is one of the most valuable proofs of His Existence. On one hand, it indicates the vast extent of Allah's Mercy unto all human creatures, and on the other hand, it specifies His Power by which, from colourless water, He can create thousands of colours in fruits and grains whose different properties are useful for men, as well as other living creatures. Hence, immediately after that, it adds :

"...so do not set up rivals with Allah while you know".

Verily, you know that these idols, or partners, which are the creations of your own fancy, have neither created you nor given you sustenance nor any of your bounties. Then, how do you go after those false gods? Do not adopt any equals for Allah and be devoted to Him to translate His Will into a practical life.

Explanation :

homogeneous atmosphere ' conveniently useful in certain physical computations.

The actual height of the atmosphere is somewhat difficult to determine since it becomes very tenuous at great heights. We may, however, infer its extent from three sources : (1) the duration of twilight which depends upon scattered sunlight from high atmospheric particles; (2) the height at which meteors become luminous; and (3) observation of auroral streamers. Twilight has been observed to exist until the sun is about 18 below the horizon, which, at a latitude of 45, indicates the existence of sufficient atmospheric particles to scatter sunlight at a height of over 60 kilometers (37 miles). Meteors have been observed to become luminous as high as 300 kilometers (186 miles). Auroral streamers have been seen to stretch upward to a height of 1100 kilometers (680 miles). It is very difficult to assign an upper limit to the earth's atmosphere. Atmospheric gases in an exceedingly tenuous condition probably extend hundreds if not thousands of miles above the earth's surface.

(This piece is extracted, here, from the Encyclopedia Americana, vol. 2, p. 508; and Encyclopedia International, vol. 2, p. 165).

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23 وَ اِنْ کُنْتُمْ فی رَیْبٍ مِمّا نَزَّلْنا عَلی عَبْدِنا فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِنْ مِثْلِه وَادْعُوا شُهَداءَ کُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللّهِ اِنْ کُنْتُمْ صادِقینَ

24 فَاِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَلَنْ تَفْعَلُوا فَاتَّقُوا النّارَ الَّتی وَقُودُهَا النّاسُ وَالْحِجارَةُ اُعِدَّتْ لِلْکافِرینَ

23. "And if you are in doubt of what We have sent down to Our (faithful) Servant (Muhammad), then bring forth one Sura the like thereof, and call your witnesses other than Allah, if you are truthful."

24. "And if you do not do so, and you will never do it, then fear the Fire whose fuel is People and Stones, prepared for the infidels."

with the combination of ordinary alphabetical letters, is not from Him and it is the word of a human, then since outwardly you are in the same state from the point of being a human as the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) is, you should be able to produce a Sura like that of the Qur'ān and call your own witnesses that are like you, the disbelievers of the Qur'ān. You would compare your evidence with one of the Suras of the Qur'ān, even if it be a small one such as Sura Kauthar and the like. If those two were similar in comparison in all their qualities, merits and privileges, you could rightfully reject the legitimacy of the Qur'ān.

The disbelievers and pagan Arabs, who were the masters of literature and eloquence, refrained from accepting this challenge despite their pride and haughtiness in eloquence and avoided the competition. Therefore, inevitably, they turned the literary contest into a bloody battle. Thus, getting killed was easier for them than being disgraced and defeated in a literary contest. The Arab literature became helpless and meagre against the challenge of the Qur'ān. Neither those who lived at the time of the Qur'ān's revelation, nor the people born in the centuries after that could bring anything like this Holy Book, or could do anything against it, inspite of trying with their utmost strength. They were thus forced to retreat after exerting utmost efforts.

be completed, he/she can find himself or herself convinced by it. Such extensive knowledge and such power of expression is beyond the limitations of human ability. Even of the literate Arab people,

as were previously referred to, especially at the time of the Qur'ān's revelation when the literature of the Arabic language had reached its climax, none dared to bring a Sura similar to even its shortest one. This very single point is the smallest miraculous aspect of the Qur'ān.

There is no doubt that if the Qur'ān were the word of a human and the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), himself, who was known to the world as an illiterate one, had produced it, they would bring many Qur'āns like

it and would prove that this is not the word of Allah revealed to him (p.b.u.h.). In that condition, the enemies of Islam would maintain their works which would be available everywhere and in any ages so that they could publish and distribute them, even now, to defame the one genuine Qur'ān, but there is none.

Apart from its inimitable literary excellence, the Holy Qur'ān with its other names such as `Furqān' and `Tibyān' referring to the abilities it has, presents to the human world definite prophecies fulfilled and yet to be fulfilled, and long after. It contains some facts about endowments in nature which the human knowledge of science as it progresses will have to understand, for its further advancement. The perfectness of such nature, naturally, will be the last word with regard to the ideas, religious and social laws, sciences, and many many other things that it contains and will remain for ever, until the Hereafter.

This universality of the truth expressed in the idea and beauty and the attractive force of the language is so divine that, as we said before, it is beyond the reach of the expressive power of any limited being. It is in this regard that the Holy Qur'ān claims to be not only the word of Allah, inimitable, but the Final Word in respect to truth and justice the better or even the like of it is impossible to be produced by any one. However, it is true to say simply and shortly that the Holy Qur'ān is a miracle with respect to its contents which is the source of all knowledge and science, as it itself says : " Say : If the sea were ink (wherewith to write out) for the words of my Lord, the sea would surely be consumed before the words of my Lord are exhausted, though We were to bring the like of that (sea) to add thereto for its aid", (Sura Al-Kahf,

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No. 18, verse 109).

Thus, this verse, by itself, is a vital piece of evidence regarding the correctness of the above stated claim.(1)

people. And we know that regarding the things that depend on time and place, the farther we move away from them correlatively the weaker they become. This is one of the properties of affairs related to time.

But, the Holy Qur'ān does not depend on time and place. Its brilliance and authority that illuminated the darkness of Arabia fourteen centuries ago continues unwaveringly to shine with its original splendor. Besides that, the passing of time, the advancement of science and the development of information have made it possible for us to understand it and take its advantages even more than the nations of former ages did. It is evident that what time and place cannot influence will continue to be everywhere in the world for eternity. It is also clear that a world-wide everlasting religion should have a world-wide everlasting document of legitimacy in its possession.

Then we can discuss the Holy Qur'ān :

from the point of modern science;

and the scientific explorations;

and the rotation of the Earth;

and reproduction in the plant kingdom;

and general reproduction in all the particles of the world;

and general gravity;

and the surrendering of the Sun and the Moon;

and the secrets of the creation of mountains;

and the advent of the world;

and the existence of life on other planets;

and the winds, the pollinator of plants;

and the question of the roundness of the Earth; (1)

And many other scientific facts and knowledge about the world

can be found in the Holy Qur'ān, too.

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25 وَ بَشِّرِ الَّذینَ امَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ اَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنّاتٍ تَجْری مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الاَْنْهارُ کُلَّما رُزِقُوا مِنْها مِنْ ثَمَرَةٍ رِزْقًا قالُوا هذَا الَّذی رُزِقْنا مِنْ قَبْلُ وِاُتُوا بِه مُتَشابِه-ًا وِ لَهُمْ فیها اَزْواجٌ مُطَهَّرَةٌ وَهُمْ فیها خالِدُونَ

25. " And (O' Muhammad) give glad tidings to those who have Faith and do good deeds that for them are gardens beneath which rivers flow.

Every time they are provided with fruits therefrom, they shall say : ` This is what we were provided with before! ' and they shall be given the like thereof, and there for them shall be spouses purified dwelling therein forever."

have such a condition.

Then to point out the numerous kinds of fruit in those gardens, it says: "...Every time they are provided with fruits therefrom, they shall say: `This is what we were provided with before ! '..."

The commentators have cited some rather different commentaries concerning this statement:

Some of them have said that the objective meaning of this statement is that these blessings are for the good deeds they did formerly in the world. It was those deeds that were previously sent before them and the path was paved for them in the Hereafter.

"... and there for them shall be spouses purified..."

The spouses are purified and are free from all the dirt and taints, bodily and spiritually, which they may have in this world.

One of the problems that man is confronted with, concerning the bounties in this world, is that at the same time that he possesses a bounty he thinks of its perdition and is worried about the time he is going to be in lack of it. For this very reason, the bounties in this world can never produce real tranquility for him. But the bounties in Heaven are eternal. They have no end and no perdition or discontinuation. They are full, complete, soothing and calming. So, to confirm this meaning, at the end of the verse, it says about the believers :

"... dwelling therein forever".

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If this occurs, the light of that brilliant lamp of Faith radiates from his eyes, ears, tongue, hands and feet.

Sura At-Ṭalāq, No. 65, verse 11 says: "... And those who believe in Allah and work righteousness, He will admit to Gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever..."

Also, Sura An-Nur, No. 24, verse 55 says: " Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power)..."

Fundamentally, `Faith' is as the root of a plant, and `good deeds' are its fruit. The existence of pleasant sweet fruit shows evidence to the soundness of the root which causes that useful fruit to be produced.

Some unbelieving persons may occasionally do some good deeds but that act will surely not be performed continuously. What is noble and certain to bring forth good deeds is the Faith that has penetrated the depths of man's soul and causes him/her to have a feeling of responsibility.

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who were also believers.

However, the women in Heaven, whether they are `houri' (angels) or `human creatures', are purified and clean both from the point of outward dirt such as : blood, urine, feces, semen, menstruation, postpartal bleeding, excessive menstruation, dirtiness, and the like; and from the point of inward dirt such as : bad qualities of character, evil dispositions like : rancour, grudges, envy, habitual frowning, and the like of them; and also from the point of some hideous behaviours like : adultery, fornication, and all kinds of similar vices. They, having the total aspects and conditions of purification, are clean from all sorts of corruption and possess purity in its entirity.

Sa`īd-ibn-`Āmir has narrated a tradition from the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) which says : " If one of the women of Heaven looks once towards the earth the whole world will be full of perfume of musk and the radiance of her light will prevail over the light of the sun and the moon". (1)

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And truly, if a person reaches the position that he feels his Lord is pleased with him and he is also pleased with Him, he will dismiss all other pleasures. He will attach only to Him and will think of none else. This is a spiritual pleasure that cannot be described with any words nor in any language.

Finally, since the Resurrection has both `spiritual' and `physical' aspects, the bounties in bliss have both of those aspects, too, in order that their comprehensiveness be established and everyone, according to his/her worthiness and eligibility, will enjoy them.

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26 اِنَّ اللّهَ لا یَسْتَحْی اَنْ یَضْرِبَ مَثَلاً ما بَعُوضَةً فَما فَوْقَها فَاَمَّا الَّذینَ امَنُوا فَیَعْلَمُونَ اَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَاَمَّا الَّذینَ کَفَرُوا فَیَقُولُونَ ماذا اَرادَ اللّهُ بِهذا مَثَلاً یُضِلُّ بِه کَثیراً وَ یَهْدی بِه کَثیراً وَ ما یُضِلُّ بِه اِلاَّ الْفاسِقینَ

26. " Allah does not disdain to set forth the parable even of a gnat, or anything greater than that. As for those who have Faith, they know that it is the truth from their Lord.

And for those who reject Faith, they ask : ` What does Allah mean by this parable? '

Thereby He leads many astray and guides many, and He leads none astray save the transgressors".

duties with such surprising harmony and regularity that it is as if they have formed a single unit to take part in a general service.

The term `gnat', in this verse, may refer to the greatness and fairness that is used in the creation of a gnat, this very small creature.

Concerning this meaning, there is a tradition from Imam Ṣādiq(a.s.) who said : " Verily, Allah (s.w.t.) has set forth a parable of a gnat because He has created `gnat', with that small size it has, consisting of all that He has created in `an elephant' with that bigness it possesses, and He has added two other limbs (for gnat) in order to stimulate (the attention of) the believers to notice the delicacy and frailness of His creation and His wonderful production." (1)

In another occurrence in the Qur'ān, He (s.w.t.) has said: " Do they not look at camels, how they are created ? ", (Sura Al-Qāshiyah, No. 88, verse 17).

Upon the importance of the intriguing creation of living creatures, Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.) in one of his sermons has said:

"...How could it be ? Even if all the animals of the earth whether birds or beasts, stabled cattle or pasturing ones, of different origins and species, dull people and sagacious men all jointly try to create (even) `a gnat' they are not able to bring it into being and do not understand what is the way to its creation. Their wits are bewildered and wandering. Their powers fall short and fail, and they return disappointed and tired, knowing that they are defeated and admitting their inability to produce it, also realizing that they are too weak (even) to destroy it. ..."

The verse continues saying :

"... As for those who have Faith, they know that it is the truth from their Lord. ..."

Those who have believed in Islam and accepted the Word of Allah know that these miraculous statements are issued from the Origin of revelation. They know quite well that these parables are vivid and appropriate and are revealed from their Lord. They conceive the fact in this way because their hearts are empty of envy,grudges and pride and their souls are the site of the light of illumination and knowledge.

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"...And for those who reject Faith, they ask : ` What does Allah mean by this parable? '..."

Those who have disbelieved and covered the light of Faith with the curtain of infidelity have ultimately blinded their own insight. They have made their ears, which were able to hearken to the Divine Words, deaf. They, ignorantly or mockingly, inquire that what was Allah's aim by giving this for a similitude that He causes many to err by it and many He leads aright.

In Tafsīr-ut-Tibyān, vol. 1, page 19, Shaykh Ṭūsī says : " It is like that a speaker asks what Allah means by this parable that thereby some may be led astray and some be guided. In answer to this question, Allah says that none will be led astray save the transgressors; but the way is open to the believers to reach the climax of understanding and conception with knowledge and true Faith."

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Divine Guidance voluntarily offered to him.

The Holy Qur'ān presents the justification to the frequent metaphorical expressions in the form of parables, to stimulate the human mind and heart. The result is obvious: that a healthy mind grasps the Truth whereas the perverted mind increases its doubts as to what Allah meant by the parable. Thus the one and the same expression has two opposite effects. The right impression is `guidance' /hidāyat/ which is assigned to ` the pious ' /muttaqīn/, and the wrong impression is /dalālat/ ` going astray ' which is allotted to the wrong-doers, and pointed out in the next verse. The two important characteristics of the wrong-doers are: the breach of the Covenant of Allah, after it has been confirmed and /qata`a mā amarallāh/ i.e., the severing of the relation or the connection with what Allah has commanded man to establish, and doing things subversive and harmful to the harmonious life on earth.

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27 اَلَّذینَ یَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ میثاقِه وَ یَقْطَعُونَ ما اَمَرَ اللّهُ بِه اَنْ یُوصَلَ وَیُفْسِدُونَ فِی الاَْرْضِ اُول-ئِکَ هُمُ الْخاسِرُونَ

27. " Those who break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation and cut asunder what Allah has commanded to be joined, and they make corruption on the Earth; they are the losers".

The third quality of the makers of corruption on the earth, which is lastly referred to in this verse, is : "...and they make corruption on the Earth; ..."

It is, of course, evident that they have neglected the path of Allah and disobeyed Him. These disbelievers, who do not observe mercy even towards their relatives, certainly treat others with cruelty. They pursue their own pleasures and personal interests. It does not matter to them where the society may be led. Their central aim is to increase their profit and to obtain their desires. They do not care if they must do any wrong or commit any offense to reach their goals. It is obvious how destructive the result of this kind of thinking and acting may be in the society.

The Qur'ān, at the end of this verse, says :

"... they are the losers."

Truly, it is so. What a greater loss than this that a man spends his entire physical and spiritual capital on the way to the destruction and disaster of his own life !

What fate can they have save this dreadful one when some people step out of the circle of obedience to Allah's Command to the extent of the meaning of the term /fisq/ ` mischief ' ?

`Mischief', in Islam, is one the most abhored crimes, as the Qur'ān says : " Mischief is more grievous than murder ", (2:217). This is one of the many indications that Islam stands for peace on earth and never tolerates anything which disturbs it.

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28 کَیْفَ تَکْفُرُونَ بِاللّهِ وَ کُنْتُمْ اَمْواتًا فَاَحْیاکُمْ ثُمَّ یُمیتُکُمْ ثُمَّ یُحْییکُمْ ثُمَّ اِلَیْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

29 هُوَ الَّذی خَلَقَ لَکُمْ ما فِی الاَْرْضِ جَمیعًا ثُمَّ اسْتَوی اِلَی السَّماءِ فَسَوّیهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمواتٍ وَ هُوَ بِکُلِّ شیْ ْءٍ عَلیمٌ

28. " How can you deny Allah and you were dead and He gave you life, then He will cause you to die, then again restore you to life, and unto Him you will be returned ? " (Therefore, neither your life nor your death is in your will; what you have is Allah's.)

29. " It is He Who created for you all that is in the earth; then turned (His Will) to heaven and fashioned it into seven heavens, for He is All-Knowing of all things."

and the most modern one, i.e. of proceeding from the concrete to the abstract.

At first it inquires : " How can you deny Allah and you were dead and He gave you life,..."

The Qur'ān reminds all individuals that formerly they were inanimate like the pieces of stone, wood, and the like of them. The water of life had not been poured on you and the breeze of vitality had not blown through the garden of your being to open the blossom of your lifetime in the realm of your entity.

Now, you are gifted with the bounty of life and you are actually living. Numerous organs and limbs, and various integral systems of sensing to form conceptions are bestowed upon you. Who has given you this very blessing of life and being ? Did you yourself give it to your own self ? It is clear that every rational person will unhesitately confess that this blessing is not from his own origin, but it has come from a

knowing, mighty source, the One Who knows all its secrets and its complicated arrangements; and Who is able to design it totally. In this case there will arise the question of why you deny the One Who has granted you life.

Today, it has been proven by the scientists of the world that there is not anything more complicated than the phenomenom of life. Man has surprisingly gained a great deal of successful progress in

the field of science, in general, and experimental natural science, in particular, but the secret of the riddle of life has not been uncovered yet. This subject is so mysterious that it has remained inexplicable for millions of learned individuals whose thoughts and efforts have been left fruitless in conceiving it. Possibly, in the future, under the light of further scientific development, man will gradually become more acquainted with the secrets of life. But the main question is : Can anybody ascribe such an extraordinarily delicate and precise phenomenom, which is full of mysteries and is in need of superior knowledge and power for itself, to the irrational nature, which itself does not have `life' from its own ?

That is why we say the phenomenom of life, in the world of nature, is the greatest evidence for the affirmation of the existence of Allah about which abundant books have been compiled. The

Qur'ān, in the above verse, emphasizes on the very matter, too.

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After the citation of this bounty, it refers to another vivid example, i.e., the phenomenom of death. It says :

"...then He will cause you to die, ..."

Everybody usually sees that his relatives, kinsfolk, acquaintances, companions, and friends die one after another, and their lifeless bodies are buried in the soil. This actual circumstance is also a station of contemplation : Who took their beings from them ? If their beings were theirs by themselves, they would be eternal. When it is taken from them, it is further proof that life is bestowed upon them by someone else.

True, the ` Bestower of life ' is the ` Bestower of death ', as the Qur'ān says : " He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed ...", (Sura Al-Mulk, No. 67, verse 2). The Qur'ān, after providing these two clear statements as proof for the Essence of Allah in order to make the soul of man disposed to grasp other problems, refers to the subject of Resurrection and being restored to life after death. It says : "...then again restore you to life, ..."

This phenomena of life after death, indeed, is not so surprising because it is not unfamiliar and man has formerly seen the same situation in nature. Therefore, regarding the first statement, viz. `the enlivening of the inanimate', the acceptance of raising the dead after the decomposition of the body, it is not so difficult, but it is easier than the first time He created man; (although the easiness and hardness is meaningless for the Essence Whose Power is infinite).

It is odd that there have been some people who have been doubtful about man's life after death. They believe that the first life has originated from some inanimate things.

It is interesting that the above verse has made everything, from the beginning to the end, manifest before the eyes of man. In a short argument, it has expressed the advent of life to its last point in this world, death, and then the Resurrection is illustrated for him.

The objective meaning of the phrase " Unto Him you will be returned " is returning to Allah's blessings; that is, you will return to the blessings of Allah in the Hereafter. The witness to this meaning is Sura Al-'An`am, No. 6, verse 36 which says : "... As to the dead, Allah will raise them up; then will they be turned unto Him".

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The objective of " Unto Him you will be returned " may be a reality more delicate and fragile than that. It is to say that : all creatures, in the process of development, begin from the station of non-existence, the zero point, and go forth towards `infinite', which is the Pure Essence of Allah. Thus, the path of development does not end with death, but, in the Hereafter, man will continue his life again, miserably, or prosperously with a higher standard of living to pave the path of his further development.

In this manner, it specifies the worthiness of the existence of man and his high mastership over all beings in the earth. It is just this very matter that clarifies for us that Allah has created Man for a very worthy and magnificent affair. It is so important, that everything in the world is created for him! What is he created for? Yes, he is the most excellent being in the world of existence and the worthiest of all. A partial explanation will also be provided when commenting on verses 30-33 of the current Sura.

It is not this verse alone that defines the majestic position of Man but there are also abundant verses in the Holy Qur'ān that reveal the same and introduce Man as the main goal of the whole world of creation; for example : " And He has subjected to you, as from Him, all that is in the heavens and on the earth : ...", (Sura Al-Jāthiyah, No. 45,verse 13).

Some further instances from the verses of the Holy Qur'ān are as follows :

"...Who hath made the ships subject to you, ...", (14: 32).

"...And the rivers (also) hath He made subject to you...", ( 14: 32).

"...And the Night and the Day hath He also made subject to you." (14: 33).

" It is Allah Who has subjected the sea to you, ...", (45: 12).

" And He hath made subject to you the sun and the moon, ...", (Sura Ebrahīm, No. 14, verse 33).

On this subject, we will have some explanations later, too, when commenting upon Sura Ar-Ra`d, No. 13, verse 2, and Sura Ebrāhīm No. 14, verses 32 and 33.

Again, it turns to the concept of monotheism and says : "...then turned (His Will) to heaven and fashioned it into seven heavens; for He is All-knowing of all things."

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powerful radars and specific means for the purpose, are utilized instead. What the great astronomical observatories and the modern equipment with the help of spacecrafts and scientific excavations have discovered, in the Arc of Descent, is a distance as far as about one thousand million (a billion) light years away from us wherein they have discovered innumerable solar systems other than ours. The astronomers themselves have confessed that this is just the beginning of the way of the world, not the end of it, and the discovery of further such systems is yet expected with the successful invention of or the enhanced structure of stronger telescopes or more advanced means of celestial excavations. Therefore, there is no doubt that, in the future, with the further progress in astronomy and science, other galaxies and firmaments, or the like, might be discovered.

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`khalīfah' (deputy) is the divine vicegerent on the earth, because the question which the angels asked later, saying that the human race may make mischief and shed blood on the earth while they (the angels) celebrate His Praise, reinforces this very meaning, that Allah's vicegerency on the earth is incompatible with these deeds.

Also, teaching the names to Adam, whose explanation you will read in the following verses, is good evidence supporting this claim. Again, the angels' humility and veneration before Adam is

another witness to this idea.

However, Allah was pleased to create a being above all the creatures of the universe, the best creation, appropriate for being a Divine vicegerent, Allah's Deputy on the Earth.

Commenting on these verses, Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) in a tradition has referred to the same meaning and said that the angels, after recognizing the position of Adam, realized that he and his children were deserving to be the deputies of Allah on the earth and serve as His guidance among peoples.(1)

Then, in the current verse, the angels put forth a question, in order to understand the reality and not to protest, as it says :

"...they said: `Will You place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood, ..." "...while we celebrate Your Praise and extol Your Holiness? '..." But, here in this verse, Allah's answer to them is a complicated reply whose details will be given in later verses. "...He said: ` Assuredly I know what you know not '."

As it is realized from their words, the angels had comprehended that this human was not a docile one : he makes mischief, sheds blood, does wrong, etc. But how did they know it?

It is sometimes said that Allah had previously told the angels the future of Man in brief, while some others have cited that maybe the angels had comprehended the idea themselves from the term /fil'ard/ (on the earth). They knew that Man would be created from soil; and, because of the complexity of `matter' , naturally it is the center of conflict and difficulties. For, this limited world of matter cannot satiate

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the avaricious nature of human beings, even if the whole world were given to a single one, he would not be satisfied. This status can sometimes be the main cause of mischief and bloodshed particularly when there is not enough sense of responsibility.

Some of the other commentators believe that the predication of the angels resulted from the fact that Adam was not the first human creature on the earth, but, before him, there had also been some other humans who had lived on the earth and had committed corruption and shed blood. This bad record caused the angels' suspicion about Adam and his descendants.

These three commentaries are not so contradictory to one another; viz, they, comprehensively, may have caused the attention of the angels to be attracted towards this subject. And, incidentally, this fact that they expressed was never denied by their Lord in His answer to them, but, besides this fact, He pointed out that there were some other more important facts about man and his capabilities that the angels did not know.

They thought that if the purpose were only for worshipping and servitude, they would be the best examples, because they were always praising Him and were the most appropriate ones for being the vicegerents! They did not consider that when lusts, wrath and various desires have no chance to influence on their behaviours and selves, their worshipping is different from the servitude and worshipping of Man whose lusts and desires have surrounded him and Satan's temptations attack him from every side. What a long distance there is between the obedience of this feeble being and the adoration of those holy and pure angels!

They did not know that in the seed of Adam there would come such great prophets as Mohammad (p.b.u.h.), Abraham (a.s.), Noah (a.s.), Moses (a.s.), Jesus (a.s.), and some Imams as the twelve sinless Imams (Ahlul-Bait) (a.s.) in addition to many pious believers, martyrs, and a great many men and women who lovingly donated the whole of their properties in the way of Allah. There would be some offsprings of Adam whose one hour of contemplation is equal to years of worshipping of the angels. It is noteworthy that the angels emphasized on three aspects

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about their characteristics: /tasbīḥ/ (glorification), /ḥamd/ (praise, eulogy) and /taqdīs/ (sanctification). Undoubtedly, both the first and the second mean : celebrating His Praises and knowing Him and His Glory absolutely pure and perfect, free from any impurity or imperfection or from anything derogatory. But what is the main objective meaning of /taqdīs/ `sanctification'? Some have considered it as the purification of Allah from any imperfection which is, in fact, an emphasis again on the very meaning of /tasbīḥ/ `glorification'.

Some others believe that the term /taqdīs/ is derived from the root /quds/ which means: ` to purify the earth from the wicked and corruptors', or ` to purify oneself from anything bad, evil and immoral in order to clarify the soul and body for the sake of Allah '. They have considered the term /laka/ (for you) in the phrase /nuqaddisu-laka/, ` we extol Your Holiness (for you) ', as its witness. The angels did not say: `we extol You', but they meant to say: `we purify ourselves and assist those who obey You, for You, or towards You'.

In fact, they wanted to say: if the purpose is obedience and servitude, they are obedient; and if it is worship, they are always busy doing it; and if the purpose is the purification of themselves or throughout the expanse of the earth, they are doing that too. But this matter-made human is both immoral, himself, and makes mischief on the earth.

To clarify the facts completely for the angels. He set them on trial in order that they themselves might confess that there was a great difference between them and Adam.

counted an honour for Adam. The aim is teaching the nature of these names and the concepts and the things that they refer to.

Of course, this acknowlegement of the nature and the facts of the world of creation and the secrets of the world of being with its different properties in different creatures, was a great honour for Adam.(1)

It is narrated in a tradition that Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) was asked about the meaning of this verse and he (a.s.) said: " The purpose (of names) is: lands, mountains, valleys, riverbeds (and on the whole, all things). Then he looked at the rug under him and said that even that rug was among the things He taught Adam."

Therefore `teaching names' has not been something like teaching words but it refers to the philosophy and secrets of the properties and qualities of things. He taught Adam this knowledge in order that he could use the merits and advantages of this world alongside the path of his development towards perfection.

He (s.w.t.) also taught him the capacity of language learning and the skill of writing with its proper application to be able to nominate objects and whenever he needs them, instead of showing them, he merely calls their names. This is a very great bounty of the Lord bestowed on man. We can comprehend the importance of this subject when we observe that what modern science and human beings have is under the shade of the existence of language and writing. All the scientific and cultural, historical ancient records have been kept and preserved as treasures in man's written collections generation after generation. If he could not use language and pen, it would be impossible for him to convey the knowledge and experimental data from old generations to the recent nations and the coming ones.

"...then He presented them before the angels, and said: `Tell Me the names of these if you are right'."

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But the angels, who were in lack of such knowledge, failed in that trial and could not pass the divine examination successfully. So, their response to Him was such:

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" They said: ` Glory be to You ! Of knowledge we have naught save what You have taught us. ..." "...Surely, You (alone) are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise".

They said that they did not know anything regarding this matter and their question was simply because of their lack of knowledge. They were unaware of the capacity and wonderful power of Adam (a.s.), his God-given endowment. It was a great privilege to him above the angels. They accepted that Adam (a.s.) really deserved to be the vicegerent of Allah on the earth and in the world of all beings, where without him, the whole creation would remain incomplete.

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Then, it was Adam's turn, by the command of Allah and in the presence of angels to speak and explain the names and secrets of beings in His creation along with the insight to the knowledge of the realities or the latent properties or the hidden native endowments in each of them.

" He said: ` O Adam, tell them their names '. ..."

"...And when he had told them their names, He said: `Did I not say unto you that I surely know the unseen things of heavens and the earth, and (that) I know what you reveal and what you were hiding ?' "

Allah, having the knowledge of all the hidden things of the heavens and the earth, knew also what the angels did hide in their imaginations, which was that they deemed themselves more deserving of the high office of being the Deputy of Allah among His creation. This belief of the angels made them inquire into the Divine Will about Adam's being the vicegerent.

But when Adam (a.s.) spoke and the angels observed that surprising glory in him, they respected Adam for the vast knowledge and immense information and worthiness that radiated from him. Thus, it was made clear for them that it was only Adam (a.s.) who was apt enough to be His Deputy on the Earth.

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verses of the Qur'ān, Iblīs was not of the same nature as the angels, but he was from a different genus i.e. of the Jinn, of the nature of matter, who had been assembled among the angels. One of the verses wherein Iblīs is spoken of as a Jinn is as follows :

" And when said We unto the angels: `Prostrate ye unto Adam': then they (all) prostrated but Iblis; he was of Jinn,...", (Sura Kahf, No. 18, verse 50).

His motive in this disobedience was pride and a special bigotry which had dominated his behaviour. He imagined that he was superior to Adam (a.s.) and he should not have been ordered to prostrate himself before him (a.s.). He thought Adam should prostrate before him. The explanation of this idea will be discussed later, in comments referring to Sura Al-A`rāf, No. 7, verse 12.

The cause of his blasphemy was also that he considered the wise command of Allah rather inappropriate. He not only disobeyed practically, but also protested theoretically. Thus, his pride and self-conceit annulled a life-time of his worshipping and rendered it worthless! Beware, pride has many effects of ` this kind ' !

The phrase: "...so he became one of the infidels" shows that before this command, too, he had changed his path from the path of angels and obeying the command of Allah, and had had ideas resulting from pride in mind. Perhaps, he had told himself that if the order of obeisance were given to him, he would certainly never obey it. The phrase: "...what you conceal", in verse 33, may hint to this meaning. This idea is also referred to in a tradition from Imam Hassan `Askarī, the eleventh Imam (a.s.), cited in Tafsīr-ul-Qummī.(1)

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(i.e. associating the object with Allah). Therefore, it is beyond doubt that the infallible beings like the angels prostrated themselves for Allah, but it was for the creation of such a splendid being, Adam, that they obeyed Him by prostrating. Or, if they prostrated for Adam, their prostration was a kind of `obeisance' not an act of worshipping.

In the book ` `Uyūn-ul-Akhbār ' by Shaykh Ṣadūq, it is cited that Imam Ali-ibn-Mūsa-r-Ridā (a.s.) said: " The angels' prostration was for the adoration of worshipping Allah, on one side, and for the obeisance and respect of Adam (a.s.), on the other side, because we (Ahlul-Bait) were in his seed."(1)

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Adam found himself in a position that it was best for him to follow the instruction of Allah about restraining from eating of the forbidden tree. The whisperer, Satan, had sworn to be busy whispering and making Adam (a.s.) and his children stray. As some other verses of the Qur'ān indicate, Satan assured Adam (a.s.) that if he and his wife ate from that tree they would become angels and would live in the Garden for ever. Satan even swore to them both that he was their sincere adviser: "...Most surely I am a sincere adviser to you", (Sura Al-A`rāf, No. 7, verse 21).

" But Satan caused them to fall therefrom, and brought them out from the state (of felicity) in which they had been. ..."

Yes, they were removed from the Garden where they had been in ease and tranquility, far from any pain and trouble. This event took place as the direct result of the effect of Satan's deceit.

Then the Qur'ān says: "...And We said: ` Get down all of you, and be enemies one of another,...". In this enmity, Satan was on one side, and Adam (a.s.) and his wife were on the other side.

"...and for you on the earth will be your dwelling place and

your means of livelihood for a time '."

It was at this time that Adam (a.s.) realized that he had really done injustice to himself, because he was removed from the Garden for his submission to the whispers of Satan, and was to sojourn in a place

full of pain, toil, and trouble. True that Adam (a.s.) was a prophet and was immaculate, but, as we will discuss later, if a prophet commits an err, Allah will react severely towards him as if an ordinary person had committed it. It is the same for the ordinary people when they commit sins.

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of advice, pointing out to them what was good for their own comfort; it did not have the force of an ordained law. Adam and his wife did wrong to themselves, because their disregard for that divine advice caused their removal from the Garden.

When a man commits a sin (i.e. offence, from the Sharī`ah point of view), he is given a punishment. Then if he repents and his repentance is accepted, the punishment is completely removed, and he is returned to his previous position as though he had not committed the sin at all. If Adam (a.s.) and his wife were guilty of such a sin, they should have been returned to their place in the Garden soon after their repentance was accepted. But it was not done. It clearly shows that the prohibition did not have the force of an ordained law; it was only advice. Even so, neglecting it had its natural effect on both of them and they had to leave the Garden. But this removal from the Garden was not a punishment for any sin or crime; it was the natural consequence of the wrong they had done against their own selves.(1)

For a more detailed explanation about the subject, an expressive narration from Ḥadrat Ridā, the eighth Imam (a.s.), mentioned in `Uyūn-ul-'Akhbār, p. 108 and 109 which is also referred to in Bihār-ul-Anwār, vol. 11, pp. 78 and 104, can be studied, as well as another one on p. 156 from Imam Bāqir (a.s.). Muhammad Jawād Muqniyyah, in his well-known commentary: At Tafsīr-ul-Kāshif, vol. 1, pp. 84-86 has also cited some considerable details upon the matter. All of these references can surely be helpful in clarification of the meaning.

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37 فَتَلَقّی ادَمُ مِنْ رَبِّه کَلِماتٍ فَتابَ عَلَیْهِ اِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوّابُ الرَّحیمُ

38 قُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا مِنْها جَمیعًا فَاِمّا یَأْتِیَنَّکُمْ مِنّی هُدًی فَمَنْ تَبِ-عَ هُدایَ فَلا خَوْفٌ عَلَیْهِمْ وَلاهُمْ یَحْزَنُونَ

39 وَالَّذینَ کَفَرُوا وَکَذَّبُوا بِایاتِنا اُولئِکَ اَصْحابُ النّارِهُمْ فیها خالِدُونَ

37. " Then Adam received (certain) words from his Lord. And He turned towards him (mercifully). Truly He is Oft-Pardoning, the Most Merciful."

38. " We said: ` Get you down from it, all together; until there shall come to you a guidance from Me, for whoever follows My guidance, no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve '."

39. " But those who reject Faith and deny Our Signs, they are the inhabitants of the Fire, dwelling therein forever."

"... And He turned towards him (mercifully). ..."

It did happen because: "...Truly He is Oft-Pardoning, the Most Merciful."

The term /taubah/ originally means: ` to return '. In the statements of the Qur'ān, it means: `to return from sin'. This meaning is applied when it refers to a sinful person. But, sometimes, the term is used when concerning Allah. In this case, it means ` to return to His Mercy '; that is, the mercy which a person was deprived of because of committing sin. When a sinful one returns to the path of obedience and worship, He returns that Mercy to him/her, too. That is why the Lord is attributed as ` Oft-Returning ', too.

from the use of the fruit of the prohibited tree which had a potential innate effect ultimately resulted in the form of his settlement on the earth. This consequence remained unchanged for the couple, as the above verses say:

" We said: ` Get you down from it, all together; until there shall come to you a guidance from Me, for whoever follows My guidance, no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve '. "

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" But those who reject Faith and deny Our Signs, they are the inhabitants of the Fire, dwelling therein forever."

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the fifth Imam. (1)

Some phrases similar to the above ones have occurred in the Qur'ān. For example, Jonah (Yūnus) (a.s.), asking Allah to forgive him, says: "...Glory to Thee: I was indeed wrong! ", (Sura Al-'Anbiyā , No. 21, verse 87). And, about Moses (a.s.), the Qur'ān says: "He prayed: ` O' my Lord! I have indeed wronged my soul! Do Thou then forgive me! ' So (Allah) forgave him...", (Sura Al-Qaṣaṣ, No. 28, verse 16).

Many Islamic traditions narrated from Ahlul-Bait (a.s.), such as Tafsīr-i-Durrul-Manthūr, denote that the objective meaning of the ` words ' taught to Adam (a.s.) by Allah was the holy names of the Holy Five; viz: the holy Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), his cousin and son-in-law Hadrat Ali, his daughter Fatimah, and his sons (i.e. grandsons) Hassan and Husayn (a.s.). Adam (a.s.) relied on these `words' and asked Him to forgive him. Then, Allah accepted it and forgave him.

These three commentaries do not contradict one another since the entirity of the `words' might have been taught to Adam (a.s.) in order that, through their (the ` words ') reality, depth, and innate nature, he could obtained a pure perfect spiritual change in his heart and soul totally so that Allah would shower him with His Grace and Guidance.

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40 یا بَنی اِسْرائیلَ اذْکُرُوا نِعْمَتِیَ الَّتی اَنْعَمْتُ عَلَیْکُمْ وَاَوْفُوا بِعَهْدی اُوفِ بِعَهْدِکُمْ وَ اِیّایَ فَارْهَبُونِ

40. " O' Children of Israel, remember My blessing wherewith I blessed you, and fulfil My covenant and I shall fulfil your covenant, and have awe of none but Me."

remember My blessing wherewith I blessed you, and fulfil My covenant and I shall fulfil your covenant, and have awe of none but Me."

Those three instructions (the remembrance of the great blessings of Allah, being loyal to His covenant, to be in awe of only Him) are, indeed, the basis of all Divine programs.

The remembrance of the blessings of the Lord leads Man to the knowledge of Allah, and provokes a sense of gratitude in him. Then, believing that those bounties are not given unconditionally and He has taken a covenant for them, makes man aware of his duties and responsibilities. After this, not having awe of anybody or any power in the way of performing the Divine duties, causes Man to remove all the barriers and obstructions from his way and fulfil faithfully his responsibilities and promises, for, having awe of this and that, is one of the greatest obstacles on this way, especially in the case of the Israelites who were under the control of Pharaonic goverments and, consequently, fear had become a part of their lives.

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against Islam.

It was at that time when the above verse and the verses after that were sent down which blamed them intensively and, by mentioning the sensitive aspects of their historical background, moved them so violently that those Jews, who had the least sense of justice and truth-seeking, awoke and accepted Islam. Besides that, this admonishment was a comprehensive lesson for all the Muslim believers, too.

In the discussions of the verses that will come later, we shall talk about some of the outstanding circumstances of these people such as their rescue from the grips of Pharaoh, the cleaving asunder of the sea and the drowning of Pharaoh and his horsemen, the appointing place of Moses (a.s.) on Mount Sinai (Toor), the calf (of gold) worshipped by the Israelites when Moses (a.s.) was not among them which caused them to receive the instruction of the bloody repentence and, thereafter, the special bounties of Allah were sent down for them, and some other events similar to these, each of which contains a lesson or lessons to be learnt by all.

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and you backslide (even now)."

" And (remember) when We made a covenant with you:

` You shall not shed your blood, nor expel one another from your

dwellings ', then you confirmed it while you bore witness."

These two verses, in fact, refer to the ten different covenants that Allah had taken from the Jews. When we consider, and add, the two other covenants of Sura Al-Mā'idah, No. 5, verse 12, which advises them to believe in the Divine prophets and help them respectfully, the fact is made clear that they had given numerous covenants to Allah for those great Divine blessings; and they had been promised by Allah to be settled in the Gardens of Heaven under whose trees and castles streams flow, if they would have kept their promises, thus:

" Allah did aforetime take a Covenant from the Children of Israel,... and Allah said: `I am with you: if ye (but) establish regular Prayers, practise regular Charity, believe in My apostles, honour and assist them,... And admit you to Gardens with rivers flowing beneath,..."

But, unfortunately, inspite of the long expectations of the Jews based upon the prophecies in their sacred scriptures, they, finally, observed none of those promises and they continued their most vehement and the most torturous opposition and persecution against Islam and Muslims not only at the advent of Islam but they have also been continuing it until the present time. The fruit of their evil actions was that they became vagrant, and this condition will always be seen in their lives till the time when they will be destroyed. If we see that, with the support of this or that, they flourish in their authorative existence for a short length of time, it cannot be counted a real reason for their final victory. We know it well that one day the true followers of Islam, free from any tribal or racial adherences, and only under the light of the Holy Qur'ān, will rise and put an end to all these vanities.

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of the phrase: `I shall fulfil your covenant', mentioned in this verse, is that Allah will fulfil His covenant in admitting them into Heaven.(1)

It is not surprising that, in this tradition, the belief in the mastership of Hadrat Ali (a.s.) is mentioned as a part of this covenant, because one of the items of the covenant of the Children of Israel was the acceptance of the prophecy of the Divine Apostles and the assisting of them. And it is evident that the acceptance of their vicegerents is also a part of the acceptance of that leadership and mastership, which should be established at any time appropriate with that age. At the time of Moses (a.s.), it was he who held that position; and at the time of Hadrat Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), he did, and thereafter Hadrat Ali (a.s.) continued it.

By the way, the phrase: "... and have awe of none but Me", referring to an awe of His punishment because of their disobedience of His command, is an emphasis on this subject that, in fulfilling their covenant with Allah, they should fear of no one and no circumstance.

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41 وَ امِنُوا بِما اَنْزَلْتُ مُصَدِّقًا لِما مَعَکُمْ وَلا تَکُونُوا اَوَّلَ کافِرٍ بِه وَلا تَشْتَرُوا بِایاتی ثَمَنًا قَلیلاً وَ اِیّایَ فَاتَّقُونِ

42 وَ لا تَلْبِسُوا الْحَقَّ بِالْب-اطِلِ وَتَکْتُمُوا الْحَقَّ وَ اَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

43 وَاَقیمُوا الصَّلوةَ وَ اتُوا الزَّکوةَ وَارْکَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاکِعینَ

41. " And believe in what I have revealed (the Qur'ān), confirming that (Scripture) which is with you, and be not the first to reject Faith therein, and sell not My Signs for a miserable price; and be in awe of none but Me."

42. " And confound not the truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth while you know (it)."

43. " And keep up the prayer, and pay the poor-rates (zakāt), and bow down in prayer with those who bow down (in congregation)."

rightfulness. When their scholars do not accept the truth, many others also follow them and reject it.

"...and sell not My Signs for a miserable price;..."

Some authentic narrations denote that many of the scholars and Rabbis of the Jews used to sell the verses and some features of Hadrat Muhammad, the promised Prophet (p.b.u.h.), mentioned in the Scripture of old, the Turah, to some of the rich Jews at that time and perverted the verses of the Turah in exchange for taking money from them. Here, Allah scorns them and forbids them from doing this abominable action and directs them not to corrupt the Scripture for that little sum of money. The money they used to take was, of course, a large sum, but, in comparison with what they committed, it was very little. Allah's Signs are worth more than all their paltry considerations, and changing and perverting those Divine Signs is a very great sin so that gold and silver, howsoever much they may be, or even high social positions, seem naught in comparison with it. So, He says:

"... and be in awe of none but Me."

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" And confound not the truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth while you know (it)."

This verse provides another emphasis on the above meaning. The Jewish scholars are told, here, not to mix up the truth with falsehood by perverting the verses of the Turah and hiding its revelations about the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.), when they are supposed to make them manifest, because they recognize them and, in connection to this, know the difference between right and wrong very well.

" And keep up the prayer, and pay the poor-rates (zakāt), and bow down in prayer with those who bow down (in congregation)."

In Islam, next to the belief in Allah, His Messenger, and the Resurrection, prayer and alms (zakāt) are the two essential pillars of Faith without which the establishment and endurance of Faith is impossible.

Prayer and poor-rates, as well as observing their proper times, are

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strictly and repeatedly emphasized in the concerning verses of the Holy Qur'ān and Islamic traditions and narrations. The excellence and importance of prayers are briefly pointed out in commenting on verse 3, the current Sura on pages 80-83 in this volume.

44 اَتَأْمُرُونَ النّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَ تَنْسَوْنَ اَنْفُسَکُمْ وَ اَنْتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْکِتابَ اَفَلا تَعْقِلُونَ

44. " Do you enjoin righteousness upon people while you forget your own selves (to practice it)? And you read the Scripture? Have you then no sense? "

45 وَاسْتَعینُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلوةِ وَاِنَّها لَکَبیرَةٌ اِلاّ عَلَی الْخاشِعینَ

46 اَلَّذینَ یَظُنُّونَ اَنَّهُمْ مُلاقُوا رَبِّهِمْ وَ اَنَّهُمْ اِلَیْهِ راجِعُونَ

45. " And seek you help (from Allah) through patience and prayer; and most surely it is a hard thing, save upon the humble,"

46. " Those who bear in mind the certainty that they will meet their Lord and that verily unto Him shall they return."

interest. This is essential to elevate it unto the heights of the spiritual realms. A religion merely consisting of some mere formal rituals and the offering of chanting or the recitation of some verbal prayers or charms without the demand on the individual for the practical control of the animal-self in him can hardly be worth anything. The truth endowed or the spiritual strength one gets through overcoming his selfish passions, is by itself a very vast subject to be dealt with in the brief notes meant to explain the particular aspects of the wordings of the Divine verses here. However, an Islamic tradition says that Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) was once asked about the meaning of the word /ṣabr/ `patience ', mentioned in this verse, when he said: " Patience means fasting." (1)

Again, commenting on this verse, the leading commentators have cited that whenever any difficulty confronted the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.), he used to resort to ` fasting ' and ` prayers ' to be helped with. (2) Also, Hadrat Ali (a.s.) did the same.(3)

It is also narrated from Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) who has said: " It does not matter that when one of you is involved in a grief out of the griefs of the world, you would make ablution and enter a mosque. Then, you would recite a prayer and offer a petition therein to Allah, because I know He has commanded: ` And seek you help (from Allah) through patience and prayer'."(4)

Yes, verily prayer connects Man to an everlasting Power, to Allah, for Whom all the hard problems and complicated difficulties are easy. This very feeling causes man to be calm, powerful, and steadfast against misadventures.

And with prayer, what else can ever be imaginably more effective or successful than any individual in his helplessness approaching the All-Merciful, Almighty through prayers for help ?

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In the verse following the above one, the Holy Qur'ān introduces the humble ones, thus :

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" Those who bear in mind the certainty that they will meet their Lord and that verily unto Him shall they return."

So, it is narrated from Amir-ul Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.) who has said that one of the characteristics of the humble ones who are the same as the believers, is knowledge and certainty about their meeting with Allah which will take place in the Hereafter. (1)

47 یا بَنی اِسْرائیلَ اذْکُرُوا نِعْمَتِیَ الَّتی اَنْعَمْتُ عَلَیْکُمْ وَ اَنّی فَضَّلْتُکُمْ عَلَی الْعالَمینَ

48 وَاتَّقُوا یَوْمًا لا تَجْزی نَفْسٌ عَنْ نَفْسٍ شَیْئًا وَلا یُقْبَلُ مِنْها شَفاعَةٌ وَلا یُؤْخَذُ مِنْها عَدْلٌ وَلاهُمْ یُنْصَرُونَ

47. " O' Children of Israel, call to mind My favour which I bestowed on you, and that I made you excel the nations (of that time)."

48. " And guard yourselves against a day when no one in the least shall avail another, nor shall intercession be accepted from any one, nor shall any ransom be taken from any one, nor shall they be helped (from outside)."

at that time and in their own locality, because in another occurrence the Qur'ān, addressing Muslims, says: " You are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, ..." (Sura 'Āli-`Imrān, No. 3, verse 110).

Another verse about the Israelites says: " And We made a people, considered weak (and of no account), inheritors of lands in both East and West ...", (Sura Al-'A`rāf, No. 7, verse 137). It is obvious that the Children of Israel did not inherit the world entirely at that time. So, it means that they inherited the east and the west of their own region. Therefore, their preference to other nations means preference to the other nations in their environment at that time.

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The Qur'ān rejects the vain considerations of the Jews. They thought that, on the Day of Judgement, their forefathers and ancestors, who were prophets of Allah, would make intercession for them; or they imagined that on that Day those prophets could give ransom for their sins the same as some of their people employ bribery in this world.

The Qur'ān says:

" And guard yourselves against a day when no one in the least shall

avail another ..."

"... nor shall intercession be accepted from any one..."

"... nor shall any ransom be taken from any one, ..."

"... nor shall they be helped (from outside)."

In brief, the ` Judge ' on that Day is He Who accepts, from the servants, only pure good actions done with true belief, as the Qur'ān says about it: " The Day whenon neither wealth nor sons will avail," " But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart ", (Sura Shu`arā, No. 26, verses 88 and 89).

The verse under discussion, in fact, is a hint to this reality that, in this world, saving a sinful person from punishment by applying all possible means is an ordinary custom. Sometimes someone undertakes the payment of another person's compensation and pays it. If this way fails, intercession may be resorted to and some respectable personalities who have power and influence may be brought forward to intercede for him. If intercession does not avail either, the person tries to save

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himself by paying for the fine. And, if this, too, provides no results, he asks his friends and fellow men to help him somehow, so that he can escape from the grips of punishment.

There are different ways of fleeing from punishment in this world, but the Qur'ān says that the chastisements in the Hereafter are completely different from those in this world and none of these behaviours are acceptable there. The only way of rescue is to refuge under the shade of Faith and righteousness, and to ask help from Allah, the Merciful.

Supplication:

O' Lord, the Creator, the Cherisher! We humbly ask You to guide us so that, at the end, You will be pleased with us and we can be prosperous."

In other words, intercession, in its proper meaning, exists for the preserving of this equilibrium. It is a means for the sinners and the wrong-doers to return from their present way to the path of obedience and servitude.

We may emphasize that the doctrine of intercession is quite natural, reasonable and logical. It is a natural, just, and merciful classification of souls according to the natural affinity and the bonds of love and sincere attachment which existed between the individual and the faithful servants of Allah, viz. the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and the holy Ahlul-Bait (a.s.) whose purity of spirit, flawlessness of conduct and character, selfless services and matchless sacrifices for the cause of truth, are universal factors and whose goodliness is unreservedly acknowledged by the Muslims and even by the non-Muslims as well.

However, as it was mentioned before, there are numerous verses in the Qur'ān concerning ` intercession '. To understand these verses completely and correctly, all of them should be studied carefully and considered as a whole to follow the unity of purpose they are meant for.

It is absolutely wrong that for proving our claim we take only one verse from amongst the numerous verses on intercession and neglect the others. The errs that have come into being upon the subject of intercession, as well as upon some other rational subjects, are the effect of such wrong and imperfect investigations. This method, in which we take a single verse and refuse or neglect other verses that can be elucidative and frames of reference for that particular verse, is far from the right manner of researching.

Then, firstly, besides all the other arguments of the various expositions on the validity of intercession based upon the other verses of the Qur'ān, as was mentioned formerly, and with further assurance by the traditions of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), it is a natural and logical conclusion, beyond all doubt, that on the Day of Judgement intercession cannot be but an undeniable fact. That is, Allah's regard for His holy and faithful servants is accepted as a natural and logical necessary factor.

Secondly, it is certain that the Holy Qur'ān in many places, some of which are mentioned below, asserts the effectiveness of intercession under some conditions, on the Day of Judgement, when those

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authorized by the Lord shall have the right to do it. The Qur'ān says:

" On that Day shall no intercession avail except for those for whom permission has been granted by (Allah) Most Gracious and whose word is acceptable to Him ", (Sura Ṭāhā, No. 20, verse 109).

" No intercession can avail in His Presence, except for those for whom He has granted permission...", (Sura Sabā, No. 34, verse 23).

" And those whom they invoke besides Allah have no power of intercession; only he who bears witness to the Truth, and they know (him)", (Sura Az-Zukhruf, No. 43, verse 86).

For further elucidation on the doctrine of intercession some of the verses which can also be referred to are: 26: 100, 2: 123 and 255, 74: 48, 21: 28, and 19: 87.

In the authentic literature of Muslims,both the Sunnite and Shī`ah schools, through some Islamic narrations, there are many implications to the existence of ` intercession ' in the Hearafter which are presented as explanatory statements for the aforementioned verses on intercession.

Some of these books are: Bihār-ul-Anwār, Majma`-ul-Bayān, Tafsīr-i-Almīzān, At-Tibyān fī Tafsīr-il-Qur'ān, Al-Burhān fī Tafsīr-il-Qur'ān, Al-Khiṣāl by Shaykh Ṣadūq, Usūl-i-Kāfī, Sunan-i-Ibn-Mājih, Musnad-i-Aḥmad, Muwatta'-i-Mālik, Sunan-i-Tarmazī, Sunan-i-Dārmī, Ṣaḥīḥ-i-Muslim, Ṣaḥiḥ-i-Bukhārī, ...

Out of the many traditions and narrations cited in the above mentioned books, a few of them have been chosen here:

1. The holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) has said: " I will be the first one who intercedes and the first one whose intercession will be accepted (by Allah)." (1)

2. Hadrat Ali (a.s.) said: "...We will intercede and those who love (and follow) us will do so, too. ..."(2)

3. The holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) also said: "...I have been bestowed on (five privileges: the first is) ` intercession ' which I have kept for my followers(Ummah). Intercession is (permitted) for the one who associates no partner with Allah ..."(3)

4. Again, the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) has said: "...The most

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prosperous people by my intercession on the Day of Judgement will be those who have sincerely said from their deep hearts (souls): there is no god except Allah (i.e. sincerely believe in Allah)."(1)

5. The holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) has also said: " My intercession is for all (true) Muslims."(2)

6. Firdous-ud-Diylamī, Abūhurayrah, narrates from the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) who has said: " The intercessors (in the Hereafter) are five: the Qur'ān, relationships, trust, your Messenger, and the people of the house (Ahlul-Bait) of your prophet."(3)

7. Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) is narrated to have said: " There is none of (the people of) ancient times and (those of) the later times but needs Muhammad's intercession (p.b.u.h.) on the Day of Judgement. "(4)

8. In Usūl-i-Kāfī, it is also cited that Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) has said in a tradition: " He who wishes to enjoy of intercession by the intercessors with Allah, should try to gain His pleasure." (5)

We hope that Allah, the Merciful, may bestow the success of obedience and servitude on His path upon all of us and may He save us from any err and sin in our deeds. May He deprive us not of the intercession of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and Ahlul-Bait (a.s.) on the Day of Reckoning. Amin, O' Lord of the Worlds !

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49 وَاِذْ نَجَّیْناکُمْ مِنْ الِ فِرْعَوْنَ یَسُومُونَکُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذابِ یُذَبِّحُ-ونَ اَبْناءَکُمْ وَ یَسْتَحْیُ-ونَ نِساءَکُ-مْ وَ فی ذلِکُمْ بَلاءٌ مِنْ رَبِّکُمْ عَظیمٌ

49. " And (remember) when We delivered you from the people of Pharaoh who had afflicted you with evil torment, slaughtering your sons and sparing your women-folk, and in that was a great trial from your Lord."

It is also probable that the term /balā'/ ` trial ', here, has been used with the meaning of ` punishment '. The reason is that before that event, Israelites had been enjoying an abundancy of bounties with great power and authority. But they became ungrateful and the Lord punished them.

Anyhow, the day when the Children of Israel were delivered from the tyrannical clutches of the Egyptian monarch, the Pharaoh, was a very important historical day in their lives on which the Holy Qur'ān has emphasized repeatedly.

the likes of them. Their actions are often even worst than what the Pharaohs of Egypt used to do.

Now, why did Pharaoh decide to kill the Israeli boys and let their women-folk live ? Some of the commentators believe that the reason for that murderous decision was the dream that Pharaoh dreamed. A more appropriate answer to this question will be discussed when commenting on Sura Al-Qaṣaṣ No. 28, verse 4. Therein, you will come to know that the reason for that murder was not only Pharaoh's dream, but he and his clique also stood in awe of the increasing number of the Children of Israel and that they might become powerful and destroy the government of Pharaoh. This factor helped them make that hostile decision.

Some details about the miserable lot of the Israelites under the bondage of Pharaoh and how they were rescued, are also explained in Exodus the opening chapter of the Bible i.e. Chapter 1.

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50 وَ اِذْ فَرَقْنا بِکُمُ الْبَحْرَ فَاَنْجَیْناکُمْ وَ اَغْرَقْنا الَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَاَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ

50. " And (remember) when We divided the sea for you, and delivered you and drowned Pharaoh's people while you were looking on."

was commissioned that he and the Children of Israel move from Egypt at midnight. But when he reached the seashore, he realized that Pharaoh and his horsemen were closely pursuing them. The Israelites were terribly afraid.

They had the frightful sea in front of them and at their heels the forceful army of the Pharaoh, whom they could not challenge, threatened them. At that time Moses (a.s.) was commanded to strike the water of the sea with his Rod and he obeyed. Then several dry paths appeared in the sea on which Moses (a.s.) and his people passed. When they crossed the sea from between the walls of water and arrived on the other side of the sea safely, Pharaoh and his army, who were following them, entered the same paths. They reached the midst of the sea when the walls of water came together and all of them drowned. Their corpses were floating over the sea water as the Children of Israel were watching them and witnessing how helpless their enemies were in front of their eyes.

That terrible anxiety and the horrible fear they had compared with this miraculous rescue both deserved to be contemplated, and demanded that they express thanksgiving to Allah.

In this manner, the Qur'ān tells the Jews that Allah has granted them His Mercy so that they could rid themselves of that anxiety and awe; then why do they repudiate the Prophet of Islam, Allah's Messenger, and do not accept Islam?

By the way, this verse teaches the human race to rely on Allah and trust in that everlasting Power in their lives. They ought to try hard and not stop in their endeavours and seek His help, because He helps them even in their most grievous moments.

the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

5. And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this that we have let Israel go from serving us ?

6. And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him.

7. And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt and captains over every one of them.

8. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.

9. But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon.

10. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.

11. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt ?

12. Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians ? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

13. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

14. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

15. And the LORD said unto Moses: Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.

16. But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

17. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they

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shall follow them: and I will get honour upon Pharaoh, upon all his host, upon his chariots and upon his horsemen.

18. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

19. And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

20. And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

21. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left.

23. And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24. And it came to pass that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of the fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians.

25. And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, let us flee from the face of Israel: for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

26. And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and upon their horsemen.

27. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD over-threw the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

28. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

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29. But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

30. Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.

31. And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

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The above text is exactly narrated from the Bible, published in London by the British and Foreign Bible Society, 146 Queen Victoria Street. Then, if some signs and punctuations are not the same as those used in the present style of English writing, it should not be taken as being wrong or misused, but it is because of the method of writing in the original English translated Bible that we observed carefully, without making any changes in the text. The case is also true for page 190 in this book.

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51 وَ اِذْ واعَدْنا مُوسی اَرْبَعینَ لَیْلَةً ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْتُمُ الْعِجْلَ مِنْ بَعْدِه وَاَنْتُمْ ظالِمُونَ

52 ثُمَّ عَفَوْنا عَنْکُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذلِکَ لَعَلَّکُمْ تَشْکُرُونَ

53 وَاِذْ اتَیْن-ا مُوسَ-ی الْکِت-ابَ وَالْفُ-رْق-انَ لَعَلَّکُ-مْ تَهْتَ-دُونَ

54 وِ اِذْ قالَ مُوسی لِقَوْمِه یا قَوْمِ اِنَّکُمْ ظَلَمْتُمْ اَنْفُسَکُمْ بِاتِّخاذِکُمُ الْعِجْلَ فَتُ-وبُ-وا اِل-ی بارِئِکُ-مْ فَاقْتُلُ-وا اَنْفُسَکُمْ ْذلِکُمْ خَیْرٌ لَکُ-مْ عِنْدَ بارِئِکُمْ فَتابَ عَلَیْکُمْ اِنَّهُ هُوَ الْتَّوّابُ الْرَّحیمُ

51. " And (remember) when We appointed forty nights for Moses, and you then took the Calf (for worship) after him, and you were unjust (to yourselves)."

52. " Then We pardoned you after that in order that you might be thankful."

53. " And (remember) when We gave Moses the Book as a Criterion(between right and wrong) so that you might be guided (aright)."

54. " And (remember) when Moses said to his people: ` O' my people, you have indeed wronged yourselves by worshipping the Calf; so turn (in repentance) to your Creator and slay yourselves (the wrong doers), that will be better for you with your Creator'. Then, He turned towards you (mercifully). Truly, He is the Oft-Pardoning, the Most Merciful."

history of their lives which was their aberration from the path of monotheism to the worshipping of the calf. The Qur'ān warns them that they had gone astray once in their history because of the temptations of the mischief makers. Now they should beware not to repeat that mistake. They should be attentive that the way of pure monotheism, viz. the way of Islam and the Qur'ān, is open to them.

They must not detach from it. First the verse says :

" And (remember) when We appointed forty nights for Moses, ..."

When he (Moses) departed from you and his thirty night appointment delayed for forty nights, "...and you then took the Calf (for worship) after him, and you were unjust to yourselves."

This event will be scrutinized when commenting on Sura Al-'A`rāf, No. 7, verse 142 and Sura Tāhā, No. 20, verses 86 on.

The story in brief is as follows:

After the deliverance of the Children of Israel from the tyrannical grips of Pharaoh and his men, who drowned in the sea, Moses (a.s.) was commanded to leave for Mount Sinai to stay there for thirty days and nights in order to receive the Law or the Turah on the Tablets from the Lord. Subsequently, the term was extended by ten more days and nights for the trial of the people. The delay in the return of Moses (a.s.) to his people at the end of thirty days, owing to the extension of the time by ten days and nights, was sufficient to create in the minds of the Israelites doubt about the authenticity of Moses (a.s.) as a true Prophet, on one hand, and for fallacious seducive Sameri to make a golden Calf possessing a special sound in order to deceive the Israelites, on the other hand. They, thereby, were deluded into calf-worship.

The majority of the Children of Israel joined him. Aaron (a.s.), the deputy and brother of Moses (a.s.) with a minority of people remained faithful to their monotheistic creed. They tried very much to restrain others from that great deviation, but they failed finally.

When Moses (a.s.) returned from the Mount and observed the circumstances, he became angry about it and scorned them severely. They understood that they had done wrong and decided to repent. Moses (a.s.) on Allah's command suggested to them an important repentance, whose explanation will be presented in future verses.

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In the next verse it says :

" Then We pardoned you after that in order that you might be thankful."

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Then, it continues mentioning the series of happenings that had occurred before, saying:

" And (remember) when We gave Moses the Book as a Criterion (between right and wrong) so that you might be guided (aright)."

" And (remember) when Moses said to his people: ` O' my people, you have indeed wronged yourselves by worshipping the Calf; ..."

"...so turn (in repentance) to your Creator..." your repentance should be fulfilled in this definite form: "...and slay yourselves (the wrong doers), ...", in which the righteous had to kill the wrong doers. Of course, those who had not worshipped the calf were not condemned to death, but they were commissioned to slay those calf-worshippers among themselves, be they their own kith and kin, i.e. their own fellow menwhom they loved the most because they had associated a partner, the Calf, to the Lord, the One True God.(1) "...that will be better for you with your Creator. ..."

"...Then, He turned toward you (mercifully). Truly, He is the

Oft-Pardoning, the Most Merciful."

55 وَ اِذْ قُلْتُمْ یا مُوسی لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَکَ حَتّی نَرَی اللّهَ جَهْرَةً فَاَخَذَتْکُمُ الصّاعِقَةُ وَ اَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ

56 ثُمَّ بَعَثْناکُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِکُمْ لَعَلَّکُمْ تَشْکُرُونَ

55. " And (remember) when you said: ` O' Moses! we will never believe in you until we see Allah manifestly', so the thunderbolt struck you while you looked on."

56. " Then We raised you up after your death in order that haply you might be thankful."

helpless predicament. So, they saw, instead, one of the creatures of Allah that they did not have the ability to look upon. This incident might have made them understand that the eyes of the head were not able to see even many of the creations of Allah, much less their ability to see His Pure Self, the Almighty. Then, a thunderbolt came down and struck the mountain. It issued an amazing light with a horrible sound and an awful earthquake so that everybody there, because of their intensive fear, fell down dead. So, the Qur'ān, following the above sentence says: "...so the thunderbolt struck you while you looked on."

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physical eyes. They said decisively that they would never believe in them unless their demand was actually performed. They insisted on their vain thoughts and put forth some new excuses even when they were faced with respective violent responses from the Lord. But, the Grace and Mercy of Allah assisted the prophets on their path, else it was impossible for them to resist and stand firm when receiving all those excuses.

This tendency of demanding extraordinary and silly manifestations as miracles had also been the habit of the opponents of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), (the Holy Qur'ān 4: 153, and 17: 90-96).

By the way, this verse is one of the verses that attests to the existence of the possibility of ` restoration of life ', in this world, because its occurrence in one respect is evidence of its possibility in other respects, too.

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57 وَظَلَّلْنا عَلَیْکُمُ الْغَمامَ وَاَنْزَلْنا عَلَیْکُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالْسَّلوی کُلُ-وا مِنْ طَیِّباتِ ما رَزَقْناکُ-مْ وَ ما ظَلَمُ-ون-ا وَلکِنْ کانُوا اَنْفُسَهُمْ یَظْلِمُونَ

57. " And We outspread the clouds to shade you, and We sent down ` manna ' and ` quail ' upon you, (saying): ` Eat of the good things We have provided for you '. (But they rebelled); to Us they did no harm, but they were putting themselves to destruction."

It is obvious how happy a wandering passenger, who has been walking under the hot sun in the desert that he has to pass through without any shelter from morning till evening, is when he receives the welcome shade of clouds !

True, it is probable that shady clouds sometimes appear in the sky of the deserts, but the verse clearly declares that the event was not an ordinary thing that occurred for the Children of Israel. It was the favour of Allah that often showered upon them and they enjoyed it.

At the same time, during that long span of time, the passengers in that hot dry desert needed food and sustenance. That problem was also solved for them by the Merciful Creator, as the verse continues saying:

"...and We sent down ` manna ' and ` quail ' upon you, ..."

"...(saying): ` Eat of the good things We have provided for you '...",

in order that you may enjoy of the pure delicious nutritious sustenance and not disobey Him. Yet, they were not thankful to Him.

"...(But they rebelled); to Us they did no harm, but they were putting themselves to destruction."

The terms ` manna ' and ` salwa ' are differently interpreted by different philologists and commentators. However, the fact is: ` manna ' and ` salwa ' refer to the heavenly provisions the Israelites were provided with, without any strain or burden on their part.

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58 وَ اِذْ قُلْنَا ادْخُلُوا هذِهِ الْقَرْیَةَ فَکُلُوا مِنْها حَیْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَداً وَادْخُلُوا الْبابَ سُجَّداً وَ قُولُوا حِطَّةٌ نَغْفِرْ لَکُمْ خَطایاکُمْ وَ سَنَزیدُ الْمُحْسِنینَ

59 فَبَدَّلَ الَّذینَ ظَلَمُوا قَوْلاً غَیْرَ الَّذی قیلَ لَهُمْ فَاَنْزَلْنا عَلَی الَّذینَ ظَلَمُوا رِجْزاً مِنَ السَّماءِ بِما کانُوا یَفْسُقُونَ

58. " And (remember) when We said, ` Enter this city (Jerusalem) and eat of the plentiful therein, wherever you desire, and enter the gate with humility and ask forgiveness, We shall forgive you your sins, and give more (the portion of) those who do good '."

59. " But those who were unjust substituted a saying other than that which had been spoken unto them, so We sent down upon those who were unjust a torment from heaven for what they used to pervert."

It should be noted that the term /ḥittah/ philologically means: ` a putting down ', and, here, it means: ` a petition for the putting down of a heavy burden of sin from them and asking Allah to forgive their faults.'

The Lord commanded the Israelites to say that phrase with their whole hearts and spirits for the purpose of asking, thereby, for the putting down of their heavy burdens from them, because they needed to be put down from them before entering the Holy Land. And, they were promised that they would be forgiven their sins if they did perform the command accordingly. Maybe, it is for the same reason that one of the doors of Heaven is entitled ` Bāb-ul-Ḥittah ' (the door of forgiveness). Abū Ḥayyān Andulusī says that the objective meaning of /bāb/, here, is one of the doors of Jerusalem which is known as ` Bāb-ul-Ḥittah '.(1)

The verse finally proclaims that as for the doers of good, besides forgiving their sins, there will be endowed some additional bounties and rewards upon them, too. It says:

"...and give more (the portion of) those who do good."

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60 وَاِذِ اسْتَسْقی مُوسی لِقَوْمِه فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبْ بِعَصاکَ الْحَجَرَ فَانْفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتا عَشْرَةَ عَیْنًا قَدْ عَلِمَ کُلُّ اُناسٍ مَشْرَبَهُمْ کُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا مِنْ رِزْقِ اللّهِ وَلا تَعْثَوْا فِی الاَْرْضِ مُفْسِدینَ

60. " And (remember) when Moses sought water for his people, so We said: ` Strike the rock with your staff. ' Then there gushed forth from it twelve springs. Each (group of) people knew their (respective) drinking-place. ` Eat and drink of Allah's provision, and commit you not evil in the earth, doing corruption'."

from the rock is not mentioned.

However, the Lord, on one hand, sent ` Manna ' and ` Salwa ' (quails) for them, and, on the other hand, provided them enough water, easily available, and told them: "...` Eat and drink of Allah's provision, and commit you not evil in the earth, doing corruption '."

In fact, the Lord advises them, as a showing of gratitude for these great bounties, that at least they should lay stubbornness and obstinacy aside and stop hurting prophets (a.s.).

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61 وَاِذْ قُلْتُمْ یا مُوسی لَنْ نَصْبِرَ عَلی طَعامٍ واحِدٍ فَادْعُ لَنا رَبَّکَ یُخْرِجْ لَنا مِمّا تُنْبِتُ الاَْرْضُ مِنْ بَقْلِها وَ قِثّائِها وَ فُومِها وَ عَدَسِها وَ بَصَلِها قالَ اَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ الَّذی هُوَ اَدْنی بِالَّذی هُوَ خَیْرٌ اِهْبِطُوا مِصْراً فَاِنَّ لَکُمْ ما سَاَلْتُمْ وَ ضُرِبَتْ عَلَیْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ وَالْمَسْکَنَةُ وَ باؤُ بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللّهِ ذلِکَ بِاَنَّهُمْ کانُوا یَکْفُرُونَ بِایاتِ اللّهِ وَ یَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِیّنَ بِغَیْرِ الْحَقِّ ذلِکَ بِما عَصَوْا وَ کانُوا یَعْتَدُونَ

61. " And (remember) when you said: ` O' Moses! never can we (always)

endure one sort of food, so beseech your Lord for us,

to produce for us of what the earth groweth, its pot-herbs, and

cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions '. He (Moses) said:

` Would you have in exchange what is worse for what is better?

Enter a city, thus you shall get that which you demanded! '

Abasement and humiliation were stamped upon them

and they incurred wrath from Allah;

that was because they went on rejecting Allah's Signs

and slaying the prophets unjustly.

That was because they disobeyed, and went on transgressing."

perhaps no people can be found in the history of the human race similar to them from the point of being ungrateful for Divine favours.

At first it says: " And (remember) when you said: ` O' Moses! never can we (always) endure one sort of food, ..."

"...so beseech your Lord for us, to produce for us of what the earth groweth, its pot-herbs, and cucumbers, garlic, lentils and onions'. ..."

But in reply to them: " He (Moses) said: ` Would you have in exchange what is worse for what is better?..."

Now that it is so: "... Enter a city, thus you shall get that which you demanded! '..."

Then, the Qur'ān adds that: "... Abasement and humiliation were stamped upon them, and they incurred wrath from Allah;..."

"...that was because they went on rejecting Allah's Signs and slaying the prophets unjustly. ..."

"...That was because they disobeyed, and went on transgressing."

62 اِنَّ الَّذینَ امَنُوا وَالَّذینَ هادُوا وَالنَّصاری وَالصّابِئینَ مَنْ امَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْیَوْمِ الاْخِرِ وَ عَمِلَ صالِح-ًا فَلَهُمْ اَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلا خَوْفٌ عَلَیْهِمْ وَلاهُمْ یَحْزَنُونَ

62. " Verily those who believed (in the Prophet of Islam), and those of Jews and Christians and Sabians, whoever believed (truly) in Allah and the Last Day, and worked righteousness for them is their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve. "

with the lack of doing good deeds, whether it proceeds from Muslims or Jews, Christians and Ṣabians, or the followers of any other religion, is worthless. Faith in Allah and the Last Day of Judgment is noted worthy by Allah when it is true, pure, and sincere, and accompanied with righteous deeds. Only this agendum deserves rewards and causes peace, security, and salvation for a believer.

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people, believing in one of the heavenly religions who believed in God and the Hereafter, too."

Some other commentators have said that the idea that some have called them pagans and star worshippers, or some others have considered them Zoroastrians, does not seem right, because Ṣabians believed that: first, the heavenly Holy Books were revealed to Adam (a.s.) and then to Noah (a.s.) and after him to Sām (a.s.), then to Rām (a.s.) and thereafter to Abraham (a.s.), then to Moses (a.s.) and after him to John (a.s.) the son of Zachariah, all of which were sent rightfully and Divinely.

63 وَاِذْ اَخَذْنا میثاقَکُمْ وَ رَفَعْنا فَوْقَکُمُ الطُّورَ خُذُوا ما اتَیْناکُمْ بِقُوَّةٍ وَاذْکُرُوا ما فیهِ لَعَلَّکُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

64 ثُمَّ تَوَلَّیْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذلِکَ فَلَوْلا فَضْلُ اللّهِ عَلَیْکُمْ وَ رَحْمَتُهُ لَکُنْتُمْ مِنَ الْخاسِرینَ

63. " And (remember) when We made a covenant with you, and raised the Tūr (Mountain) above you; (saying): ` Hold you fast that which We have given you with the strength, and remember all that is therein (to do accordingly); haply you shall guard yourselves (against evil)'."

64. " Thereafter, you turned back, and had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of Allah on you, you had certainly been among the losers."

The objective of the covenant, here, is the same that has been mentioned in verse 40 of the current Sura and what is in verse 83 and 84, which will be discussed later. The items of that covenant are: worshipping only Allah; treating parents, relations, orphans, and those in need with kindness; speaking to and treating people fairly; attending and being steadfast in ritual prayers, paying alms, avoiding shedding blood, the like of which had been mentioned in the Turah, too.

Sura Al-Mā'idah, No. 5, verse 12, also denotes that Allah had taken a covenant from the Children of Israel to believe in all of the Divine prophets and help them, and practice regular charity in the way of Allah. Then, at the end of the same verse, Allah promises that if they keep this covenant and actually do it, they will be allowed to abide in Paradise.

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repentance.

This very occurrence, with a little difference, is mentioned in verse 93 of the current Sura; and in Sura An-Nisā', No. 4, verse 104; and in Sura Al-A`rāf, No. 7, verse 171. It is necessary to note, here, that as for the suspending mountain and as to how it could stand high above as a covering overhead for the Israelites, some commentators believe that it was by the command of Allah that Tūr Mount was shaken and taken up from its place and, then, suspended above them as a canopy.(1) A more detailed explanation will be referred to when commenting on Sura Al-'A`rāf, No. 7, verse 171.

The above mentioned event as described in the Qur'ān was quite known by the Jews, who had these original statements in the Turah about it with them. Besides that, this event is also recorded in Talmud Aboda Sara. 1: 2 which says: ` I will cover you with the mountain like a roof '. Talmud.

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65 وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ الَّذینَ اعْتَدَوْا مِنْکُمْ فِی السَّبْتِ فَقُلْنا لَهُمْ کُونُوا قِرَدَةً خاسِئینَ

66 فَجَعَلْناها نَکالاً لِما بَیْنَ یَدَیْها وَما خَلْفَها وَ مَوْعِظَةً لِلْمُتَّقینَ

65. " And certainly you have known those among you who exceeded the limits on the Sabbath, so We said to them: ` Be you (as) apes despised and rejected '. "

66. " So We made it an exemplary punishment to those who witnessed it and to their posterity and an admonishment to the pious ones."

"...and an admonishment to the pious ones."

It is worthy to note that Imam Bāqir (a.s.) and Imam Ṣādiq (a.s.) are narrated from, who, on the meaning of this verse, have said: " The purpose of the phrase /mā bayna yadayha/ ` those who witnessed it ' is the generation of that time, and the objective of the phrase /mā xalfahā/ ` their posterity ' is about us Muslims."(1) . That is, that exemplary lesson was not exclusive to the Israelites alone, but it was meant for all of us, the Muslims, too; or, all who come after them until the Day of Judgement and who do the same as they did.

That is, causing division and mocking others are acts of the

ignorant and never is a prophet of Allah of such people.

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When the Israelites realized that it was not a mockery and the matter was serious, " They said : ` Ask your Lord for us to make it clear to us what she is,'..."

The phrase : ` Ask your Lord ' which is repeated several times in their demands, carries a kind of hidden impoliteness and ridicule in itself. It seems that they considered the Lord of Moses (a.s.) a different

Lord from their own Lord.

However, as a reply to their demand :

" ...Moses said : ` He says: Surely she is a cow neither old nor young, but of middle age; '..."

In order to stop them from prolonging the matter by bringing new excuses forth to postpone that fulfillment of the command of Allah, at the end of the statement, it has been added :

"... so do what you are commanded '."

But, they still continued their insistence and obstinacy.

" They said : ` Ask your Lord for us to make it clear to us what colour she should be.'..."

"... Moses replied : ` He says she should be a yellow cow, bright in colour, giving delight to the beholders '."

Anyhow, this cow should be very good and interesting in colour.

The colour should be so bright and beautiful that any beholder wonders and becomes delighted when looking at it.

It is amazing that they were not satisfied with that and went on seeking for excuses by which, every time, they made the fulfillment of their duty more difficult.

A tradition says that Imam Ridā (a.s.) has said that any cow would have been sufficient, but they imposed the particulars upon themselves, and the more they did so, the more did Allah impose the restrictions as a punishment for their persistent demands for unnecessary details. All

p:211

this, while Moses (a.s.) acting under inspiration, was driving them to purchase a particular cow belonging to a particular man who was very holy and pious and deserved to be favoured. They had to pay him an enormous price for this cow which was the only one then available.

Hence they were very near to not doing it. (1)

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" They said : ` Ask your Lord for us to make it clear to us what kind of a cow must it be,..."

"... for surely to us the cows are all alike, ..." "... and, if Allah wills, we shall surely be guided aright'."

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Again, "(Moses) said :` Verily, He says: Verily, she is a cow not (yet)

trained to till the soil or to water the fields; sound and without blemish.'..."

"... They said : ` Now you have brought the truth.'..." So, they tried with much effort to find that particular cow, and, finally,they found it.

"... Then they offered her in sacrifice, though they had not the mind to do (it)."

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After describing this story in detail, again the Qur'ān retells it briefly, and generally through the following two verses, thus :

" And (remember) when you killed a man and disputed thereon : but Allah was to bring forth what you were hiding."

" So, We said : ` Strike him (the corpse) with a part of it (the sacrificed cow).'..."

"... Thus, Allah gives life to the dead..."

"... and shows you of His signs, so that you might understand."

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In the last verse of the verses under discussion, the hardness of the hearts of the Israelites is referred to. It points out that after witnessing all these events and observing the Signs of Allah and the miraculous evidence that Moses (a.s.) prepared for them, yet their hearts became hard, even harder than stone, because, there are some rocks that bring forth water, or shatter and fall down for the fear of Allah. It says :

" Then your hearts hardened after that as stones or even worse in hardness; ..."

"... for verily, among stones there are some from which rivers gush forth,..."

"... and others that split asunder and water issues out of them,..."

"... and others tumble down through fear of Allah, ...".

So, your hearts are even harder than these rocks, because neither a spring of passion, love, or knowledge flows out of them nor tremble they from the fear of Allah. Then in the last sentence of the verse, it says :

"... and Allah is not heedless of what you do."

This is a subtle threat against this group of Israelites and all others who behave like them or do the same as they did.

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p:213

it before their Lord. Then this verse was revealed." (1)

hypocritical group. It says :

80 وَقالُوا لَنْ تَمَسَّنَا النّارُ اِلاّ اَیّام-ًا مَعْدُودَةً قُلْ اَتَّخَذْتُمْ عِنْدَاللّهِ عَهْداً فَلَنْ یُخْلِفَ اللّهُ عَهْدَهُ اَمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَی اللّهِ ما لا تَعْلَمُونَ

81 بَلی مَنْ کَسَبَ سَیِّئَةً وَ اَحاطَتْ بِه خَطیئَتُهُ فَاُولئِکَ اَصْحابُ النّارِهُمْ فیها خالِدُونَ

82 وَالَّذینَ امَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ اُول-ئِکَ اَصْحابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فیها خالِدُونَ

80. " And they said : ` The Fire shall not touch us but for a few days '. Say: ` Have you taken such a promise from Allah, for He never fails in His promise ? Or do you speak against Allah what you do not know ? ' "

81. " Yea! whoever earns evil and is encompassed by his sins, these are the inhabitants of the Fire, therein shall they abide forever."

82. " And those who have Faith and do deeds of righteousness they are the inhabitants of Paradise, therein shall they abide forever."

This claim of privileges is not logical in any aspect, because, before Allah, there is no difference between the members of the human race from the point of rewards or punishments for their deeds.

Can they support the expectation to their claim of being exceptional among nations and therefore receiving special treatment regarding the general law of penalties by describing something they have done to deserve it ?

However, the above verse with a logical statement, refuses their vain imaginations and denotes that their claims depict one of these two conditions : they should either have taken a particular promise from Allah on the matter that they have not or, they tell lies and calumniate against Him.

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The next verse expresses a common and universal law which is logical from any point of view. It says:

" Yea! whoever earns evil and is encompassed by his sins, these are the inhabitants of the Fire, therein shall they abide forever."

This is a general rule for the sinners belonging to any sect, nation, in any locality, and at any time.

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There is also a universal, general law for the pious believers, which the next verse announces :

" And those who have Faith and do deeds of righteousness they are the inhabitants of Paradise, therein shall they abide forever."

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and thus the conscience of the individual gradually becomes deadened until sinning becomes natural and normal for that person and he is totally abandoned to evil and attempts to justify his actions and to deny that he deserves eternal punishment. The law of cause and effect works in its natural order in the case of evil as in the case of virtue. Those who devote themselves wholly to evil, must naturally find themselves beset on every side by the consequent evil effects of the causative evil factors wrought by the individual. But those who struggle against evil, however long it may take for them to overcome it, the inclination towards the evil, cannot be considered equivalent to those who are out to earn evil. Those who struggle to overcome evil hate and detest it and the individual's earnest and sincere effort to overcome evil, naturally ends in the triumph of good in the human nature. With this endeavour of good against evil, the natural consequence of the struggle strengthens the nobility in the individual's personality. But, purposefully yeilding to evil with a selfish motive for any selfish gains, gradually erects a fortress of evil for the individual so that the access of good becomes more and more difficult and ultimately renders the individual's approach to any goodness as impossible. As the individual is totally lost, for all times, to evil, he convicts himself to the perpetual consequences of the evil all around him for ever.

These kind of people are those who are referred to, later, in Sura 2: 86 which says :

" Those are they who have bought the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter, for them the punishment shall not be lightened, nor shall they be helped."

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But you disregarded many of these aspects of your covenant with Allah.

" Yet you kill one another and expel a group of your people from their dwellings, ..."

"... helping others against them in sin and enmity, ..."

All of these deeds you did are a breach of the covenant you had taken with Allah.

"... and if they come to you as captives, you ransom them ..."

"... yet their very expulsion was forbidden for you. ..."

It is surprising that you, in paying ransom, and setting your captives free, comply with the ordinances of the Turah and the Divine Covenant:

"... Do you then believe in part of the Book, and disbelieve in (another) part ?..."

"... What shall be the recompense of those of you who do that, but disgrace, in the life of this world, ..."

"... and on the Day of Resurrection to be consigned to the most terrible punishment ?..."

"... And Allah is not heedless of what you do."

Then, He, the Just, will take all of them into account and will judge upon you according to your deeds in the Divine Court of Justice.

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The last of the verses under discussion, in fact, states their main motive for doing these contradictory actions. It says :

" Those are they who have bought the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter, ..."

For this reason : "... for them the punishment shall not be lightened, nor shall they be helped."

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Explanation

failure and defeat of nations, which finally leads to their destruction and abolishment, lies in the existence of hate and enmity between them and between the members inside each nation, i.e. being heedless to the above mentioned commandments. Such a nation will soon perish because of disregarding Allah's covenant by not relying on Him, by not respecting and helping their parents, family members, kindreds, neighbours, and all fellow men, by shedding blood and by not observing the rights of others by expelling them out of their houses or lands in order to occupy their properties :

"... You shall not shed your blood, nor expel one another from your dwellings, ..."

And, finally, one of the factors of the destruction of nations is unjust discrimination in the execution of laws, i.e. when they observe those laws which protect their personal profits but neglect what is beneficial for the society.

"... Do you then believe in part of the Book, and disbelieve in (another) part? ..."

And these are some of the causes of either the development or failure of nations from the view point of the Qur'ān.

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87 وَ لَقَدْ اتَیْنا مُوسَی الْکِتابَ وَ قَفَّیْنا مِنْ بَعْدِه بِالرُّسُلِ وَ اتَیْنا عیسَی ابْنَ مَرْیَمَ الْبَیِّناتِ وَ اَیَّدْناهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ اَفَکُلَّما جاءَکُمْ رَسُولٌ بِما لا تَهْوی اَنْفُسُکُمُ اسْتَکْبَرْتُمْ فَفَریق-ًا کَذَّبْتُمْ وَ فَریق-ًا تَقْتُلُونَ

88 وَ قالُوا قُلُوبُنا غُلْفٌ بَلْ لَعَنَهُمُ اللّهُ بِکُفْرِهِمْ فَقَلیلاً ما یُؤْمِنُونَ

87. "And We gave Moses the Book, and after him sent Messengers in succession; and We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear Signs, and confirmed him with the Holy Spirit. Is it that whensoever (thereafter) there came to you a Messenger, with what your selves desire not, you became arrogant ? Some you denied, and others you slay."

88. " And they said: ` Our hearts are covered '. Nay! Allah has cursed them for their disbelief. Little is that which they believe."

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"...Is it that whensoever (thereafter) there came to you a Messenger, with what your selves desire not, you became arrogant ? ..."

This domination of desire on you was so intense that from among those prophets:

"... Some you denied, and others you slay."

This verse makes a fact clear that the Divine apostles, when communicating their prophecies, on the path of Allah, were heedless of the oppositions of the materialists. And, it must be so, because a correct sincere leadership is not anything save that. If prophets tend to follow the unconditioned desires of people and adapt themselves to people's selfish inclinations, they will be the followers of ` the misled ' rather than being a divine leader for the followers of the path of truth.

" And they said: ` Our hearts are covered.'... "

"... Nay! Allah has cursed them for their disbelief. ..."

And it is for the same reason that: "... Little is that which they believe."

The above sentence may be about the Jews who either rejected the prophets (p.b.u.h.) or killed them. It is also probable that it refers to the Jews who were comtemporary with the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and used to inflexibly oppose him with obstinacy and enmity. However, it states the fact that Man, following his desires, may reach a point that he be cursed by Allah and be deprived of His Mercy. It is in this case that his heart is enclosed in a covering so tight that the truth can rarely penetrate into it.

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89 وَلَمّا جآءَهُمْ کِتابٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِما مَعَهُمْ وَ کانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ یَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَی الَّذینَ کَفَرُوا فَلَمّا جاءَهُمْ ما عَرَفُوا کَفَرُوا بِه فَلَعْنَةُ اللّهِ عَلَی الْکافِرینَ

90 بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْا بِه اَنْفُسَهُمْ اَنْ یَکْفُرُوا بِما اَنْزَلَ اللّهُ بَغْی-ًا اَنْ یُنَزِّلَ اللّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِه عَلی مَنْ یَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِه فَباؤُ بِغَضَبٍ عَلی غَضَبٍ وَ لِلْکافِرینَ عَذابٌ مُهینٌ

89. " When there came to them a Book from Allah, confirming what was with them and, from before, they had been praying for victory over those who rejected the Truth when there came to them that which they recognized (to be Truth), they disbelieved in it. So Allah's curse is on the disbelievers. "

90. " Evil is the thing they have sold themselves for, denying in what Allah has sent down, out of envy that Allah should send down of His grace on whomever He wills of His servants, and they have incurred Wrath upon Wrath, and for the disbelievers awaits a humiliating punishment."

Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and they hoped that his appearance would help them to be able to defeat their enemies. But when they received a Book from Allah, the Qur'ān, which contained the same message that the Jews had had with them, in the Turah, they rejected it.

" When there came to them a Book from Allah, confirming what was with them and, from before, they had been praying for victory over those who rejected the Truth when there came to them that which they recognized (to be Truth), they disbelieved in it. ..."

"... So Allah's curse is on the disbelievers."

Yet, it sometimes happens that a person eagerly pursues a certain fact, but when he reaches it and finds it opposite to his personal interests, he, being affected by his low desires, refuses it and abandons it, or even sometimes he stands against it.

In fact, the Jews have willingly acquired defeat. Those people who, with the purpose of accepting and following the promised Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had emigrated from their own homes and, with many difficulties, had settled in Medina in order to attain their goal, ultimately joined the camp of the pagans and hostile disbelievers. Therefore, the Qur'ān says:

" Evil is the thing they have sold themselves for,..."

"... denying what Allah has sent down, out of envy that Allah should send down of His grace on whomever He wills of His servants, ..."

It seemed they expected that the promised prophet (p.b.u.h.) would be one from among the Children of Israel. They were displeased of the Qur'ān having been sent down to someone else. Then they, surrendering themselves to infidelity and disbelief in the Truth, showed their envy to the holy Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.). Therefore, at the end of the verse, it says:

"... and they have incurred Wrath upon Wrath, and for the disbelievers awaits a humiliating punishment."

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what was sent down to us (before) ", is a clear deviation from the path of Monotheism, or, in other words, it is, in itself, blasphemy. This is a kind of arrogance and selfishness whether it be in the form of a personal issue or racial one.

The purpose of Monotheism is to eradicate these disgraceful habits from the unity of human beings so that they accept Allah's commandments merely because they are issued from that Origin.

In other words, if the acceptance of the Divine instructions is only on the condition that they be sent down to us, it is, in fact, ` disbelief ' rather than ` belief ', or it is infidelity rather than ` faithfulness ' in Islam. The acceptance of such instructions is not at all true evidence of Faith.

It is worthy to note that when the above verse says: " When it is said to them: ` Believe in what Allah has sent down,'... " it refers neither to Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) nor to Moses (a.s.) nor to Jesus (a.s.). It merely says:

" Believe in what Allah has sent down."

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To make their falsehood clearer, in the next verse, the Quraān provides further evidence against them. It says:

" And, also, Moses came to you with clear signs; yet you took to worship of the Calf after him (in his absence) and you were (willful) wrongdoers. "

The Qur'ān tells the Jews that if you are true and you believe in your prophet, why did you worship the Calf after those clear signs and that monotheistic evidence ? What kind of faith is it that when Moses (a.s.) goes to the Mount, in his absence, it escapes from your hearts and immediately infidelity is substituted therein; or the Calf takes the place of Monotheism ?

Yes, with this wrong action, you committed an injustice both to yourselves and your society, and to your coming generations.

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In the subsequent verse, the Holy Qur'ān cites another example

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proving the meagreness of their claim. It refers to the covenant of Mount Sinai and says:

" And (remember) when We made a covenant with you, and raised the Mount, above you, (saying):

` Hold you fast that which We have given you with the strength, and hear (Our commandments) '. They said:

` We hear and disobey '; ..."

"... and they were made to imbibe (the love of) the Calf into their hearts because of their disbelief. ..."

Yes, blasphemy and mammonism, whose symbol was the love of the golden Samaritan Calf, had influenced their hearts and took root throughout their souls. That was why they forgot their Lord.

Strange! What sort of Faith is it that condones both the slaying of prophets and the worshipping of the Calf, but neglects the observance of firm Divine Covenants ?

Yes, "... Say: ` Evil is what your faith bids you if you be, indeed, faithful '."

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the true sincerity towards Him is the desire of death. Then, here, to unvail the falsehood of the statement of the Jews, Allah announces that if they truly believe that the future abode with Allah is exclusively theirs and think that only they are those who are the favoured people of Allah, not any other people, they must invoke death with their tongues, hearts, and actions to reach Him without any natural barrier.

" Indeed, you will find them the greediest of people for life, even more than those who associate partners (to Allah);..."

But they never invoke death because they are the greediest of all people for the life of this world. They love the long life of this world even much more than pagans and idolators.

"... each one of them is covetous to live (even) a thousand years, ..."

Besides their hideous deeds and that they do not seek death in order to meet the Lord, each of them would like to live one thousand years.

The figure ` one thousand years ' metaphorically refers to the idea that they wish to live a long life. This is evidence to their lie and they know that neither the Last Abode with Allah is theirs, nor are they the friends of Allah. They arrogantly state these things, based on bigotry, in order to tell the Muslims that both the Jews and their ancestral religion are right, and Muslims are wrong and their religion is untrue.

Then Allah, by this clear evidence, made their falsehood manifest by stating that the friends of Allah are those who are desirous of death to attain their goal.

"... yet the prolongation of his life shall not remove him further away from the punishment. ..."

"... Allah sees what they do. "

That is, the Jews will never long for death, then how can they desire a long life when it does not save them from the punishment ? Yet, they are the greediest people for the low life of this world which can be a barrier obstructing entrance into the everlasting felicity of the life in the coming world. Furthermore, the members of this group having belief in the Hereafter and the life after death, are greedier for the life of this world than pagans and blasphemers, who wrongly believe that Man will be destroyed and perish after death.

" Say (O' Muhammad): ` Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel, ..."

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This statement is an indication to the meaning that these instances are not separable. The Essence of Allah, angels, all His Messengers, Gabriel and Michael or any other angels, from this point of view, are all the same and to have enmity with one of them is, in fact, having enmity with the others.

In other words, Allah's ordinances, which are helpful on the path to development of the human race, have been revealed from His Origin unto prophets (p.b.u.th.) by means of angels. And if there be any difference between their missions, it is a difference of the division of responsibilities, not a contrast in missions. They are all alongside the path of the same goal. So, being an enemy against one of them is showing enmity against Allah.

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Upon the occasion of revelation of verse 99, there is a narration from Ibn-Abbas who said: " Ibn-Ṣūriyā, a Jewish scholar, told the Prophet (p.b.u.h.): ` O Muhammad, you have not brought anything for us that we understand it, and also the Lord has not sent a clear sign to you so that we follow you thereby '. Then, Allah sent down this verse which was a frank vivid answer to that statement.(1)

as a result of committing sin. Thus, it is not surprising that transgressors and those who have stained themselves with sins by disobeying the commands of Allah, never believe in Islam.

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" What! Whenever they made a covenant, a group of them cast it aside?

Nay, most of them do not (truly) believe. "

With reference to the previous verses, this verse is also a protest against the Jews as to why some of these people neglect and breach their covenant that they make with Allah. They not only break their covenant but also have no faith at all. It may refer to this idea that if they believed in Allah and His prophets (a.s.), they would never break their covenant or never fail in their promise.

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" And when there came to them a Messenger from Allah, confirming what was with them, ... "

The purpose of the term ` Messenger ', here, may be the Last Prophet (p.b.u.h.), or it may refer to all those prophets (a.s.) who came after Moses (a.s.), because, according to the previous verses, the Qur'ān protests against the Jews for rejecting all of the great prophets after Moses (a.s.). These prophets (a.s.), with their Divine commissions, abrogated Moses' religion whereas, in the meantime, they confirmed the rightfulness of what the Jews had in their hands the Turah yet, some of them (the Jews) put the Book of Allah behind their backs:

"... a part of them who were given the Book cast the Book of Allah behind their backs, ..."

Some of the learned men of the Jews put the Book of Allah, the Turah, which attested to the prophethood of the Last Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), " behind their backs " and, by neglecting his specific description which was recorded in the Turah, they abandoned it totally:

"... as though they knew (it) not ! "

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followed ', may refer to the Jews contemporary with the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) or those contemporary with Solomon (a.s.) or all of them.

The objective meaning of the term /šayātīn/ may be the evil people, or devils of the Jinn, or both of them.

Then, after stating the above idea, the Qur'ān adds:

"... and Solomon disbelieved not, ..."

Solomon (a.s.) never did practice sorcery, and he did not take any advantage from it in attaining his goals:

"... but the Shaitans disbelieved by teaching people sorcery; ..."

"... and that which was sent down to the two angels, Hārūt and Mārūt, in Babylon. ..."

Yes, they stretched their hands toward sorcery from two sides :

one, from the side of sorcery which was taught by the Shaitans during the time of Solomon (a.s.); and the other side was the instructions that Hārūt and Mārūt taught people for the purpose of breaking the spells of sorcery.

"... Even though they (the two) never taught anyone without saying :

` We are only a trial for you, therefore do not disbelieve '. ..."

consequently, failed in keeping the right path, the true Faith.

"... So they learned from these two (magic spells) by which they might cause separation between a man and his wife, ..."

But the Power of Allah is above all these abilities.

"... though they cannot hurt anyone (thereby) but by Allah's leave. ..."

"... They learn what harms them and profits them not; ..."

Yes, they altered this divine constructive training. Instead of utilizing it on the path of improving their society and using it as a means of defense against the witchcraft of the sorcerers, they applied it to doing evil.

"... and they surely knew that the buyers of it would have no share of happiness in the Hereafter. ..."

"... And vile was the price for which they sold their own selves, had they but known (this)! "

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and make fun of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and the Muslims.

The first verse of the above verses was revealed to prevent this derisive usage of the word by the Jews. It commanded the believers to use /unẓurnā/ instead of /rā`inā/ which had the same meaning, but was plain and unambiguous. Thus, the enemies could not misuse it.

Some other commentators have said that the phrase /ra`inā/ was employed by some Jews in whose language it had an uncomplimentary meaning. They repeated it again and again.

Some others of the commentators have also said that the Jews pronounced /rā`īnā/ instead of saying /rā`inā/ and, addressing the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) with that term which meant ` our cattle-tender, shepherd ', ridiculed him.

These occasions of revelation do not contrast with each other, so that all of them may be right.

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words which sound complimentary to the ear but have a hidden barb in them.

When Islam is so meticulous that it does not let Muslims give their enemies pretext for these little things, the duty of Muslims is clear for greater and more important subjects, both concerning their interior affairs and international matters.

It is also noteworthy that the phrase /rā`inā/, besides what was stated before, is not free from impoliteness in meaning, because this term may also be derived from the word /murā`āt/, which means that `you should observe us and we will observe you likewise '. Then, the Qur'ān has bidden the Muslims not to use it anymore, since it contains a sense of impoliteness, besides the abusing of it by the Jews.

" No verse has Allah revealed with ` O' you who have Faith ' save that Ali is at its top and is its chief. "(1)

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106 ما نَنْسَخْ مِنْ ایَةٍ اَوْ نُنْسِها نَأْتِ بِخَیْرٍ مِنْها اَوْ مِثْلِها اَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ اَنَّ اللّهَ عَلی کُلِّ شیْ ْءٍ قَدیرٌ

107 اَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ اَنَّ اللّهَ لَهُ مُلْکُ السَّمواتِ وَالاَْرْضِ وَ ما لَکُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللّهِ مِنْ وَلِیٍّ وَ لا نَصیرٍ

106. " Whatever We abrogate of a verse or cause it to be forgotten, We bring a better or the like of it. Do you not know that Allah has power over all things ? "

107. " Do you not know that to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and that, besides Allah, you have neither guardian nor helper? "

" Whatever We abrogate of a verse or cause it to be forgotten, We bring a better or the like of it. ..."

And it is easy for Allah, of course:

"... Do you not know that Allah has power over all things ? "

" Do you not know that to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth..."

Allah has the right to change His ordinances in any form He pleases and He is the most knowledgable of all as to the welfare of His servants.

"... and that, besides Allah, you have neither guardian nor helper ? "

In fact, the first part of this verse denotes the absolute sovereignty of Allah in religious ordinances and that He is able to recognize and has the required knowledge to decide what is good for His creatures. Then, believers should not hearken to the vain words of some self-centered fellows who have doubt in the abrogations of the Divine Ordinances.

And the second part of the verse is a warning to those who choose refuge and support in other than Allah, because there is no real support in the world save Allah.

It should also be noted that the term /nasx/ ` abrogation ' in philology means: ` to abolish, destroy ', and from the point of view of religion it means: `to nullify a rule and substitute another in its place'. The detailed explanation about this subject will be discussed later.

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It was, perhaps, after the event of the change of the Qiblah that some of Muslims and pagans, affected by the temptations of the Jews, requested some vain and futile demands from the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), the examples of which were cited in the above. Allah, the Almighty, forbade them to ask such questions. The Qur'ān says:

" Or do you desire to question your Messenger (Muhammad) as Moses was questioned aforetime ? ..." But you have decided, indeed, to evade believing by the acceptance of these vain pretexts.

In view of the fact that this action is a way of exchanging Faith for blasphemy, at the end of the verse it adds:

"... And he who exchanges Faith for infidelity, he has surely strayed from the right way."

It should be noted that Islam has never prevented people from asking scientific or logical questions, as well as asking the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to perform miracles in order to prove the Divine rightfulness of his prophecy, because the means of gaining understanding and Faith are the same. But there were some people who asked some futile questions and demanded some irrational pretexts in order to shirk the invitation of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.).

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109 وَدَّ کَثیرٌ مِنْ اَهْلِ الْکِتابِ لَوْ یَرُدُّونَکُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ایمانِکُمْ کُفّاراً حَسَداً مِ-نْ عِنْ-دِ اَنْفُسِهِ-مْ مِ-نْ بَعْ-دِ ما تَبَیَّ-نَ لَهُ-مُ الْحَ-قُّ فَاعْفُوا وَاصْفَحُوا حَتّی یَأْتِ-یَ اللّهُ بِاَمْ-رِه اِنَّ اللّهَ عَلی کُلِّ شیْ ْءٍ قَدی-رٌ

110 وَاَقیمُوا الصَّلوةَ وَ اتُوا الزَّکوةَ وَ ما تُقَدِّمُوا لاَِنْفُسِکُمْ مِنْ خَیْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللّهِ اِنَّ اللّهَ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ بَصیرٌ

109. " Many of the people of the (earlier) Book wish they could turn you back to be infidels, after you have believed, out of their own envy, even after the truth was manifest to them.

(Nevertheless) forgive and overlook till Allah brings about His command, truly Allah has power over all things."

110. " And keep up the prayer, and pay the poor-rates; whatever good you shall forward for yourselves, you shall find it with Allah; surely Allah sees what you do. "

endeavours aiming at the destruction of Faith until Allah sends His command:

"... (Nevertheless) forgive and overlook till Allah brings about His command, truly Allah has power over all things."

This is, in fact, a tactical instruction given to Muslims that they should stand firm before the intense pressure of the enemies; and in this particular circumstance utilize the weapon of forgiveness while they focus their abilities upon constructing themselves and their Islamic society, and wait for the command of Allah.

As a great many of the commentators have said, the purpose of ` the command of Allah ', here, is ` the command for the Holy War ' which at that time had not been revealed yet. The reason for the delay may have been that their conditions were not completely appropriate for that command. That was why, according to many of the commentators, the idea in this verse was changed by the subsequent verses regarding ` the Holy War ', which will be referred to later.

111 وَ قالُوا لَنْ یَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ اِلاّ مَنْ کانَ هُوداً اَوْ نَصاری تِلْکَ اَمانِیُّهُمْ قُلْ هاتُوا بُرْهانَکُمْ اِنْ کُنْتُمْ صادِقینَ

112 بَلی مَنْ اَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلّهِ وَ هُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ اَجْرُهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّه وَلا خَوْفٌ عَلَیْهِمْ وَلاهُمْ یَحْزَنُونَ

111. " And they said: ` None shall enter Paradise except one who is a Jew or a Christian.' Such are their fancies. Say: ` Bring your proof, if you are truthful '."

112. " Yes! Whoever submits himself entirely to Allah, and he is a doer of good, his reward is with his Lord; no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve."

" Yes! Whoever submits himself entirely to Allah, and he is a doer of good, his reward is with his Lord; ..."

Therefore, "...no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve."

In short, the fact is that entering Paradise, the reward of Allah, and attaining felicity and salvation in the coming eternal life is exclusive to no tribe or particular race, but these merits belong to the ones who have the following two attributes:

The first attribute is that the person should submit himself wholly to the commands of Allah, and obey all of His commandments without considering any difference between this ordinance or that one. It should not be so that he accepts those commandments that are compatible with what he considers his benefit and puts aside those that are opposite to that which he desires. Yes, such ones are entirely submitted to Allah's Will.

The second attribute is that the effect of Faith is illustrated in their deeds in the form of good actions. These people are good to all human beings in all of their affairs.

under discussion indicates that when a proofless claim comes forth, it results in exclusivity and then leads to contradiction.

" The Jews said: ` The Christians rest on naught ' , and Christians said:

` The Jews rest on naught '; ..."

The phrase: ` rest on naught ' may mean that they have no rank and honour with Allah; or their belief is not a thing worthwhile.

Then, to complete the above idea, it adds:

"...yet they (both) recite the (same) Book. ..."

That is, with the Divine Book that they have in their hands which can guide them toward the right path concerning these problems, it is surprising that they say such words which originate from nowhere except prejudice and enmity.

Then the Qur'ān continues saying:

"...Even so, similar to their sayings, spoke those who know not."

(Although these are the People of the Book and those are pagans or idolaters.)

This verse introduces ignorance as the origin of bigotry and prejudice, because ignorant people are always shut in their own worlds and do not accept other than that which they know. They seriously believe only in the Faith that they have been acquainted with from their early childhood, even if it is false or superstitious. Therefore, they put aside everything other than that which they believe.

At the end of the verse, it says:

"...Allah will judge between them on the Day of Judgement in what they differ."

It is in the Hereafter where the facts will be entirely evident and the proof and references of all things will become perfectly manifest. None will be able to deny what is right and, thus, there will remain no dispute. Yes, one of the special characteristics of the Resurrection Day is that all disagreements will come to an end.

By the way, the above verse reminds Muslims that although the followers of these religions have stood against them and rejected Islam, therefore, they need not be worried because the Jews and Christians do not verify even themselves. Each of them nullifies the other and, in principle, ignorance is the origin of bigotry and bigotry is the source of exclusivity.

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(p.b.u.h.) from that City.(1)

There is no discrepancy in saying that all three of these occasions of revelation refer to their own individual incidents. Therefore, each of them illustrates one of the dimensions of the subject.

could be committed than that they strive to ruin the Monotheistic centers and prevent people from remembering the Name of their Providence, whose consequence would be the spread of polytheism and corruption in the society !

Then, the verse continues saying :

"... Such (people) might never enter them, save in fear. ..."

That is, Muslims and monotheists of the world should stand so firm against these transgressors that their hands be curtailed from these sacred sites so that none of them can freely and without fear enter therein.

In commenting on the above verse, a possible meaning is that these kind of unjust people with these kind of actions will never truly succeed in taking these Holy shrines and places of worship under their own control. The final circumstance will be such that they will not be able to enter them save in fear. They will be subject to just the same fate and fortune that the pagans of Mecca had regarding the Sacred Mosque.

Finally, through the concluding words of the verse and with a shocking statement, the Qur'ān has referred to the penalty of those transgressors both in the present world and the coming world. It says:

"... For them is disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a great punishment. "

And this is the end of those who want to separate servants from their Providence.

remembered and adored therein, will be faced with the same disgrace and great punishment which have been pointed out in this verse.

It is also necessary to pay attention to this fact that the prevention of worshippers from entering into the Sacred Mosque and the barring of the remembrance of the Name of Allah and His adoration along with striving for ruining it, does not only refer to the mosque being destroyed by shovel and pick, but involves any actions that cause mosques to be ruined or seem dull and lustreless.

As it will be explained when commenting on Sura Al-Taubah, No. 9, verse 18, the purpose of the Qur'ānic phrase /ya`muru masājid/, mentioned in the verse, according to the clear meanings of some Islamic narrations and traditions, is not merely ` to build or to mend the mosques '. Attending these holy shrines and remembering the Name of Allah and adoring Him therein not only is a means of maintaining them but also is counted as their most important form of maintenance.

Therefore, in the opposite case, whatever causes people to neglect the remembrance of the Name of Allah and keeps them apart from the mosques, is a very grand injustice.

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