Author: sftwr2020

2-62      Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good, they have their reward with their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.^a

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحً۬ا فَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ (٦٢)

2:62a هَادُواْ  – The meaning of ھَوۡد is to incline [to someone] with kindness (R). The meaning of ھدنا  in  إِنَّا هُدۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ (…for surely we turn to Thee) (7:156) is تبنا , that is, we repented. And the meaning of ھدفلان is that such a person adopted the way of the Jews.

ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ  – is the plural of نصرانی and this name is derived from Nazareth, the Arabic name of which is ناصرہ ,the native town of Jesus. Some have tried to link it to the Arabic root word نصر , but this is a far-fetched derivation.

ٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ – is the plural form of صابی which is derived from صباء  which means leaving one faith and joining another faith (T), and its literal meaning is manifested (R). It is for this reason that the infidels called the Holy Prophet صابی . Who are the Sabians? Various explanations are given. Some say that they worshipped angels, some say they worshipped stars, some say that they followed the faith of Noah, and some say that they were a sect intermediate between Christianity and Judaism. The Encyclopedia Britannica states that they were a semi-Christian sect who were very similar to the disciples of John the Baptist. This opinion is close to the last explanation and compatible with their mention with Christians and Jews.

Belief in Allah and the Last Day: The Quran makes belief in Allah and the Last Day synonymous with being a Muslim. See 2:8a. Towards the end of Surah Al-Mujadilah, where it is says that a people who believe in Allah and the latter day cannot love those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, it is stated: ڪَتَبَ فِى قُلُوبِہِمُ ٱلۡإِيمَـٰنَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ‌ۖ    (These are they into whose hearts He has impressed faith, and strengthened them with a Spirit from Himself) (58:22). This goes to show that this is a party of perfect believers, and this is further confirmed by stating: رَضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُ (Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him) (58:22) which is phraseology used only for perfect believers.

The expansiveness of Islam: At the end of the last section, it was stated that because of persistent disobedience, abasement and humiliation became the lot of Bani Israel and they incurred Allah’s wrath. This verse states that the doors of the mercy of Allah are never permanently shut for any people. Evil actions are punished, and the Jews can obtain salvation and gain distinction amongst nations provided they accept Islam. The real purport is to show to the Jews the way to Allah’s mercy, but it is put in the form of a generic principle here because the Jews believed that only they could receive salvation while all other nations were deprived of it. The general principle given here lays down that no nation is the sole custodian of salvation, and neither is any nation deprived of it. The tent of Islam is very expansive, and any nation can enter it. The necessary requisites are belief and righteous actions. By ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ (Those who believe) are meant those who only verbally confess to be Muslims and by associating them with Jews and Christians, it is clear that mere confession of faith is not very useful.

Perfect salvation is only in Islam: Islam does not deny that there is truth in other religions. However, this truth has been polluted with falsehoods. The full truth in its perfection is only found in Islam. Hence, the state of: لَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ  (…there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve), which gives a person the taste of heaven in this very life and grants him complete nearness to Allah, is specific only to Islam. To interpret this as meaning that one can remain a Christian, with a belief in Trinity and atonement, and still achieve salvation runs counter to the teachings of the Quran as stated in: إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمُ‌ۗ  (Surely the (true) religion with Allah is Islam) (3: 19) and وَمَن يَبۡتَغِ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمِ دِينً۬ا فَلَن يُقۡبَلَ مِنۡهُ (And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him…) (3:85). There are scores of verses in the Quran which require belief in the Holy Prophet to achieve complete salvation. No person can achieve nearness to Allah now without going through the Last of the Prophets, but it is possible to purify oneself to a certain extent from sin [by following other religions]. If it is argued that by belief in Allah is meant belief in the unity of Allah, then first this is not what is written here, and this constraint would have to be imported from some other place. If such a constraint must be imported from some other place, then why not impose the same constraint that the Quran has imposed, namely that by belief in Allah and the Day of Requital is meant a Muslim. Secondly, even so, just doing good deeds is not enough. There are millions of people who believe in the Trinity, or believe in Allah along with practicing idol worship, or deny a Supreme deity, like the Buddhists, or are atheists. Thus, nothing much is gained by taking belief in Allah to mean just the unity of Allah, and perforce one would have to go against what is said at some other places in the Quran where Islam is declared as the true religion and the real path for reaching Allah.

2-63      And when We made a covenant with you and raised the mountain above you: Hold fast that which We have given you, and bear in mind what is in it, so that you may guard against evil.^a

وَإِذۡ أَخَذۡنَا مِيثَـٰقَكُمۡ وَرَفَعۡنَا فَوۡقَكُمُ ٱلطُّورَ خُذُواْ مَآ ءَاتَيۡنَـٰكُم بِقُوَّةٍ۬ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ (٦٣)

2:63a رَفَعۡنَا  – Imam Raghib explains that رفع can be used in four different senses: i) for bodies when they are lifted up from their position ii) for a building when it is raised higher, as in: وَإِذۡ يَرۡفَعُ إِبۡرَٲهِـۧمُ ٱلۡقَوَاعِدَ   (And when Abraham raised the foundation…) (2:127) iii) about a reminder when it is given wide publicity iv) about the elevation of the status of a person. The meaning of رَفَعۡنَا فَوۡقَكُمُ ٱلطُّورَ (…raised the mountain above you:) is not that the mountain was lifted and raised from its position, but that you were at the foot of the mountain, and it was towering above you. In Bukhari’s Book of Al-Manaqab, the term فرفعت لنا صخرة is used, which is explained in Bihar al-Anwar as: ظھرت لابصارنا , that is, the rock appeared before our eyes, although its literal translation should have been, the rock was raised for us. In reality, the rock was not raised but its height became visible.

 طُّورَ – means a mountain. It is also the proper name of a mountain.

The meaning of raising the Tur mountain: It is totally against the teachings of Islam to consider that this verse means that the mountain was suspended over the heads of Bani Israel and they were threatened with it dropping on them if they did not agree to the given commands. When Allah commands us: لَآ إِكۡرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ  (There is no compulsion in religion) (2:256), then how can Allah use compulsion? Besides this, the Bani Israel could easily argue that they did not enter any covenant, and their agreement was obtained under duress. Such an agreement would not be admissible in a court of law. The real purport of the verse is to remind Bani Israel that when the commandments were revealed to Moses, the elders of Bani Israel were present at the foot of the mountain, so they should hold the commandments firmly, that is, to follow them. The wordings in the Torah are: “And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.” (Exodus 19:17). Also “And the Lord said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the Lord,…) (Exodus 19:24).

2-64      Then after that you turned back; and had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, you had certainly been among the losers.

ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيۡتُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ ذٰلِكَ‌‌ۚ فَلَوۡلَا فَضۡلُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَرَحۡمَتُهٗ لَـكُنۡتُمۡ مِّنَ الۡخٰسِرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿۶۴﴾

2-65      And indeed you know those among you who violated the Sabbath, so We said to them: Be (as) apes, despised and hated.^a

وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتُمُ الَّذِيۡنَ اعۡتَدَوۡا مِنۡكُمۡ فِىۡ السَّبۡتِ فَقُلۡنَا لَهُمۡ كُوۡنُوۡا قِرَدَةً خَاسِـِٔـيۡنَ ‌ۚ‏ ﴿۶۵﴾

  2:65a: اعۡتَدَوۡا – is derived from عدا and the meaning of عَدۡو is to transgress, that is, to go beyond the limit. And اعتدا is to violate the truth.

سبت  – Its meaning is to cut (R). In conventional phraseology, it is the name of a particular day. The Jews were required to abstain from work on Saturdays, and because they had to remain cut off from work on that day, the day came to be called sabbath. The meaning of اعتداء فی السبت is to break the command of Sabbath. One day a week was reserved for their Divine worship but when they failed to pay attention to God even on that day and chose to keep busy with worldly affairs, they slowly drifted away from moral excellence.       

قِرَدَةً – is the plural of قِرۡد and means apes.

خَاسِـِٔـيۡنَ – is derived from خساء  which means to go back after being disgraced (R). About the people of hell, it is stated: قَالَ اخۡسَـُٔـوۡا فِيۡهَا (He will say: Begone therein) (23:108), and in Surah Mulk, it is stated: يَنۡقَلِبۡ اِلَيۡكَ الۡبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا   (…thy look will return to thee confused) (67:4) where the meaning of خَاسِئًا is taken as متحیراً (confused).

The Bani Israel become like apes: كُوۡنُوۡا قِرَدَةً خَاسِـِٔـيۡنَ : Imam Mujahid gives the following commentary on this: قال مسخت قلوبہم و لم یمسخوا قردة , that is, it was their hearts, not their faces that were metamorphosed into apes. It is also stated in Mufradat: قیل بل جعل اخلاقہم کا خلاقھا, that is, their disposition became like that of apes. This interpretation is supported by other parts of the Quran. In Surah Al-Nisa, it is stated: اَوۡ نَلۡعَنَهُمۡ كَمَا لَعَنَّاۤ اَصۡحٰبَ السَّبۡتِ‌ؕ  (…or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers) (4:47). Now, the way in which the opponents of the Holy Prophet were cursed is the same as the way the Sabbath-breakers were cursed. The former were not metamorphosed into apes but were disgraced. Similarly, in another place, it is stated: جَعَلَ مِنۡهُمُ الۡقِرَدَةَ وَالۡخَـنَازِيۡرَ وَعَبَدَ الطَّاغُوۡتَ‌ ؕ اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا وَّاَضَلُّ عَنۡ سَوَآءِ السَّبِيۡلِ‏ (…and of whom He made apes and swine, and who serve the devil. These are in a worst plight and further astray from the straight path.) (5:60). Now, it is stated about those who became apes and swine that their plight is pitiable, and they have strayed far from the right path. This is a way to accuse a human not an animal. The Quran is replete with such idioms. Examples are given of some as donkeys: کمثل الحمار , some as dogs: کمثل الکلب. Apes are imitating animals, they copy the actions of humans but there is no realism behind their actions. The purport in calling them apes is that their actions are ritualistic and devoid of any veracity. Or they are likened to apes from the point of view of being disgraced as the word خَاسِـِٔـيۡنَ indicates. In the Arabic language, comparison to apes indicates an excess of debauchery: ازنی من قرد , and the Bible narrates excess of evil among the Jews: “In thee are men that … commit lewdness. In thee have they discovered their fathers’ nakedness: in thee have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution. And one hath committed abomination with his neighbor’s wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.” (Ezekiel 22:9-12). These examples indicate they had become apes.

2-66      So We made them an example to those who witnessed it and those who came after it and an admonition to those who guard against evil.^a

فَجَعَلۡنٰهَا نَكٰلاً لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهَا وَمَا خَلۡفَهَا وَمَوۡعِظَةً لِّلۡمُتَّقِيۡنَ‏ ﴿۶۶﴾

2:66a: نکال – Is an exemplary punishment because the meaning of نکل is to imprison (R). And نکال means a punishment that would stop others from doing a similar action (R).

مَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهَا means contemporary people.

مَا خَلۡفَهَا means the generations to come.

مَوۡعِظَة – وعظ is to stop an action with a warning, that is, to stop a bad action by pointing out its bad consequences or to recall good actions that touch the heart. مَوۡعِظَة is its noun form.

2-67      And when Moses said to his people: Surely Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow. They said: Dost thou ridicule us? He said: I seek refuge with Allah from being one of the ignorant.^a

وَاِذۡ قَالَ مُوۡسٰى لِقَوۡمِهٖۤ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَاۡمُرُكُمۡ اَنۡ تَذۡبَحُوۡا بَقَرَةً ‌ ؕ قَالُوۡآ اَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا ‌ؕ قَالَ اَعُوۡذُ بِاللّٰهِ اَنۡ اَكُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡجٰـهِلِيۡنَ‏ ﴿۶۷﴾

2:67a بَقَرَةً – Its plural is بقر and بَقَرَةً is a cow and ثَور is a bull. Another meaning of بقر is to tear or rip and the word باقر is used as a title [for a scholar] from the point of view of having the ability to rip open the finer points of knowledge.

     ھزوا is humor done secretly [i.e. behind someone’s back].

جٰـهِلِيۡنَ‏ – Imam Raghib explains جھل  is of three types: First, self-ignorance, that is not having knowledge of a thing. In the term: يَحۡسَبُهُمُ الۡجَاهِلُ اَغۡنِيَآءَ (the ignorant man thinks them to be rich) (2:273), the meaning of  جَاهِلُ is a person who is not aware of the circumstances. Second, to believe something about a thing that is contrary to its real condition. Third, to act in a way contrary to the right way to act. It is this third meaning that is meant here.

The command to slaughter the cow: Cow worship was a special kind of polytheism that was adopted by the Bani Israel. It was necessary to reform them. In the Mosaic dispensation, there were commands on special occasions to slaughter cows that were not used for ploughing (See Deuteronomy 21:1-9) “…shall take a heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke”. There is a command to slaughter such a cow to solve a murder. In Numbers 19:1-19, there is a command to slaughter three red cows “…without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke.” These general commands had the objective of doing away with cow worship. Do the wordings of the Quran here reference these general commands or is this a narration of some specific event? I prefer the second possibility because the ending words of the verse indicate that the command was for the slaughter of a specific cow. It appears that the reverence for a specific, beautiful cow had reached an extent that there was a real danger of cow worship. For this reason, Allah commanded them to slaughter the cow.

2-68      They said: Call on thy Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what she is. (Moses) said: He says, Surely she is a cow neither advanced in age nor too young, of middle age between these (two); so do what you are commanded.^a

قَالُوا ادۡعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنۡ لَّنَا مَا هِىَ‌ؕ قَالَ اِنَّهٗ يَقُوۡلُ اِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَّا فَارِضٌ وَّلَا بِكۡرٌؕ عَوَانٌۢ بَيۡنَ ذٰلِكَ‌ؕ فَافۡعَلُوۡا مَا تُؤۡمَرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿۶۸﴾

2:68a مَا هِىَ – The question asks for the attributes of the cow, that is, what is its description.

فَارِضٌ – is derived from فرض which means cutting a hard thing. In the context of commandments, فرض is an abrogated order. فَارِضٌ is an old cow which has lost the ability to bear calves by virtue of age (R).

بِكۡرٌؕ  – بُکۡرة – اول النھار  is the name of the first part of the day, and the first born is called بکر عَوَانٌۢ  and by بِكۡرٌؕ here is meant that which has not given birth previously.

  عَوَانٌۢ – The meaning of عون is to help, and عَوَانٌۢ as used in animals is one that has passed the half way point of life viz. neither too young nor too old.

2-69      They said: Call on thy Lord for our sake to make it clear to us what her color is. (Moses) said: He says, She is a yellow cow; her color is intensely yellow delighting the beholders.^a

قَالُوا ادۡعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنۡ لَّنَا مَا لَوۡنُهَا‌ؕ قَالَ اِنَّهٗ يَقُوۡلُ اِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفۡرَآءُۙ فَاقِعٌ لَّوۡنُهَا تَسُرُّ النّٰظِرِيۡنَ‏ ﴿۶۹﴾

2:69a   فَاقِعٌ- A dark yellow color is called اصفر فاقع  or  . صفراء فاقع. Thus, the word evidences the intensity of the yellow color. Similarly, a dark black color is called اسود حالك , dark red is called احمر قان , bright white is called ابیض ناصع and dark green is called اخضر ناضر .

2-70      They said: Call on thy Lord for our sake to make it clear to us what she is, for surely to us the cows are all alike, and if Allah please we shall surely be guided aright.

2-71      (Moses) said: He says: She is a cow not made submissive to plough the land, nor does she water the tilth, sound, without a blemish in her. They said: Now thou hast brought the truth. So they slaughtered her, though they had not the mind to do (it).^a

قَالُوا ادۡعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنۡ لَّنَا مَا هِىَۙ اِنَّ الۡبَقَرَ تَشٰبَهَ عَلَيۡنَا ؕ وَاِنَّـآ اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ لَمُهۡتَدُوۡنَ‏ ﴿۷۰﴾

  قَالَ اِنَّهٗ يَقُوۡلُ اِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَّا ذَلُوۡلٌ تُثِيۡرُ الۡاَرۡضَ وَلَا تَسۡقِى الۡحَـرۡثَ ‌ۚ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَّا شِيَةَ فِيۡهَا ‌ؕ قَالُوا الۡــٴٰــنَ جِئۡتَ بِالۡحَـقِّ‌ؕ فَذَبَحُوۡهَا وَمَا كَادُوۡا يَفۡعَلُوۡنَ‏‏ ﴿۷۱﴾

2:71a – ذَلُوۡلٌ – ذُلّ means oppressed and refers to a broken or tamed animal.

تُثِيۡرُ – ثار is used to describe the spreading out of a cloud or a dust cloud, and the meaning of اثار is to create a tumult or excitement. In agriculture, اثارة means turning over the soil (R), as in:وَّاَثَارُوا الۡاَرۡضَ  (dug up the earth) (30:9).

شِيَةَ –  the full form is وِشیة and وشی means to stain a thing in contrast to its original color.

 كَادُوۡا – کاد – is afal muqariba (verb of borderline action). It is borderline acceptance or rejection. From one point of view, its rejection is confirmation, and its confirmation is rejection. Thus, دیفعل means was about to do it but did not do it, and ماکا دیفعل means was near to not doing it but did it (R). But sometimes, the meaning of کاد is اراد  that is, he made an intention, and the examples given are: كَذٰلِكَ كِدۡنَا لِيُوۡسُفَ (Thus did We plan for the sake of Joseph). (12:76) and اَكَادُ اُخۡفِيۡهَا (I am about to make it manifest) (20:15). And in Arabic poetry, there is a verse: دت وکدت و تلك خیر ارادة where the meaning of کادت is he made an intention and the meaning of کدت is I made an intention (T).

This description shows that this was a special cow, and because of the reverence and love that people had in their hearts for this cow, they did not want to slaughter it. Their repeated questioning was an attempt to have the order rescinded. Some commentators have opined that this was not an ordinary cow but rather, it descended from heaven, although Allah states that: وَاَنۡزَلَ لَـكُمۡ مِّنَ الۡاَنۡعَامِ ثَمٰنِيَةَ اَزۡوَاجٍ‌ (And He sent down for you eight of the cattle in pairs) (39:6). All quadrupeds are sent down by God. So, just like all the other quadrupeds are sent down, this cow was also sent down, that is, was born on this earth.

2-60      And when Moses prayed for water for his people, We said: March on to the rock with thy staff. So there flowed from it twelve springs. Each tribe knew their drinking-place. Eat and drink of the provisions of Allah, and act not corruptly, making mischief in the land.^a

 وَإِذِ ٱسۡتَسۡقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوۡمِهِۦ فَقُلۡنَا ٱضۡرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلۡحَجَرَ‌ۖ فَٱنفَجَرَتۡ مِنۡهُ ٱثۡنَتَا عَشۡرَةَ عَيۡنً۬ا‌ۖ قَدۡ عَلِمَ ڪُلُّ أُنَاسٍ۬ مَّشۡرَبَهُمۡ‌ۖ ڪُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ مِن رِّزۡقِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعۡثَوۡاْ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُفۡسِدِينَ (٦٠)

2:60a: ٱضۡرِب – ضرب is the striking of one thing on another, and the meaning of ضرب فی الارض means to walk on the earth (R). In the Taj al-Arus, the meaning of ضرب is ذھب , that is, went or gone away. Thus, ضرب الغائط means, has gone to answer the call of nature. Another meaning of ضرب is beating.

عصا – Leading lexicographers give the meaning of عصا as an assembly and socializing (LA). In fact, Asmai states that عصا refers to a staff because the fingers of the hand meet together in clasping it (L). It is for this reason, that the dictionary defines عصا  as a party and عصوت as I gathered together. A statement about the Khawarij says: سقوا عصا المسلمین , that is, the Khawarij created a schism in the party of Muslims. Similarly, the meaning of ایّاك دقتیل العصا is beware of those who create a schism in the party of Muslims. So the meaning of عصا can be either staff or party.

Therefore, there can be three meanings ofٱضۡرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلۡحَجَر : strike your staff on the rock; march on to the rock with thy staff; and march on to the rock with thy party.

  ٱنفَجَرَت – It is from فَجر which means split asunder. And the break of dawn is called فَجر because the darkness of the night is split [with the light of the day] (R). The meanings ofتَفۡجِیر and انفجار are very expansive. In Surah Araf, the word used in the same context is: ٱنۢبَجَسَتۡ which means to flow out. However, it is spoken for the first trickle (which is small in amount) while تَفۡجِیر or انفجار is spoken when the flow increases, and surges out from its source. And فُجُور from which فَاجِر is derived means to tear the curtain of honesty (R).

عین – actually means eye, but a place from where water springs out is also called عین  because tears come out from the eyes. A spy is called عین because he looks at things very intensely. Gold is called عین because it is the best of metals for making jewelry, just as the eye is the best of organs. The substance or essence of a thing is also called عین (R).

أُنَاسٍ۬ – is another version of الناس . Sometimes, it is used for tribe or troupe (T). This is the meaning here. There were twelve tribes of Bani Israel. It can be gleaned from this that the twelve tribes had camped separately, one on each spring. The springs must have been at different locations and at some distance from each other.

  تَعۡثَوۡاْ – It is derived from عثیٰ and the meaning of both is strife (R), or its meaning is to exceed the limits, and later it refers to a strife that exceeds the limit.

Prayer in the early religions: In this verse, there is a mention of Bani Israel asking for water. In the next verse there is a mention of asking for food. In all early religions, prayers for food and water are found with great frequency, the most significant prayer of Jesus is for provision of daily bread.

The miracle of the twelve springs: The need for water in the wilderness was a dire necessity and the tribes could not settle without water. So Allah directed Moses to a mountain where they found twelve springs. Elim is a place where there are twelve springs (Exodus 15:25-27) and to this day, it is known as the عیون موسیٰ or the Springs of Moses (Bible Dictionary, Cambridge Press, Article: Wilderness). It is possible that this place or close to it is where Moses was asked to strike the rock with his staff and a spring burst forth which then became twelve springs. For a spring to burst forth when a rock is fractured is a common event, but for the twelve tribes to settle on the springs that were remote enough to accommodate each tribe is somewhat unlikely. So, instead of the common translation of strike the rock with thy staff, a better interpretation is to use the alternate meeting of عصا as people and interpret this part of the verse as strike a path to the rock with thy people. The narration by some that Moses kept a three-square yard rock with him and wherever he placed the rock in the wilderness and struck it with his staff, twelve springs would gush out, has no basis in the Quran or Hadith. The explanation given here is also more appropriate from the perspective that in the next verse, where mention is made of the demand for food, the direction given is to enter a city and cultivate. The juxtaposition of both events indicates that the nature of the two events is the same.

2-61      And when you said: O Moses, we cannot endure one food, so pray thy Lord on our behalf to bring forth for us out of what the earth grows, of its herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions.^a He said: Would you exchange that which is better for that which is worse? Enter a city, so you will have what you ask for.^b And abasement and humiliation were stamped upon them, and they incurred Allah’s wrath. That was so because they disbelieved in the messages of Allah and would kill the prophets unjustly. That was so because they disobeyed and exceeded the limits.^c

   وَإِذۡ قُلۡتُمۡ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ لَن نَّصۡبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ۬ وَٲحِدٍ۬ فَٱدۡعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخۡرِجۡ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ مِنۢ بَقۡلِهَا وَقِثَّآٮِٕهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِہَا وَبَصَلِهَا‌ۖ قَالَ أَتَسۡتَبۡدِلُونَ ٱلَّذِى هُوَ أَدۡنَىٰ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ خَيۡرٌ‌ۚ ٱهۡبِطُواْ مِصۡرً۬ا فَإِنَّ لَڪُم مَّا سَأَلۡتُمۡ‌ۗ وَضُرِبَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلذِّلَّةُ وَٱلۡمَسۡڪَنَةُ وَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ ذَٲلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ يَكۡفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقۡتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ بِغَيۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۗ ذَٲلِكَ بِمَا عَصَواْ وَّڪَانُواْ يَعۡتَدُونَ (٦١) 

2:61a: بقل – The meaning of بَقَل is became manifest. Everything that is part of the greenery on the earth is بقل but the purport here is all the good quality vegetables that people eat.

فوم –  Garlic is one of the meanings of فوم  and the other is wheat. The meaning here appears to be garlic. Ibn Masud interprets this as garlic and it suits the context.

Bani Israel’s habit of asking for favors without making any effort and Muslims: In the entire narration of Bani Israel, the thing of note is that they ask for things without putting in effort to get them. When they were commanded to fight, they excused themselves: فَٱذۡهَبۡ أَنتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَـٰتِلَآ إِنَّا هَـٰهُنَا قَـٰعِدُونَ (…go therefore thou and thy Lord, and fight; surely here we sit) (5:24). Whether it was victory or kingdom, they wanted it given to them on a silver platter. The same mentality prevails among the Muslims today. Whether it is temporal dominance, spiritual ascendancy, or affluence, they want the Imam Mehdi to come and hand it to them. Allah’s response to this attitude is the same as the one to Bani Israel, namely that these things can be theirs if they pursued them according to the rules made by Allah. This is the instruction given in: ٱهۡبِطُواْ مِصۡرً۬ا (Enter a city). See the next note.

2:61b: أَدۡنَىٰ  – is derived from دنو  meaning nearness or proximity. The purport of أَدۡنَىٰ  at times is اصغر meaning a smaller thing as compared to a bigger thing, and sometimes ارذل  meaning a worse thing as compared to a better thing, and sometimes اقرب meaning nearer as compared to further away (R). The comparison here is with خیر (better) so the meaning is: ارذل (worse).

مِصۡرً۬ا  – The actual meaning of مصر is boundary or limit, and for this reason every city with limits is called مصر . مصر (Egypt) is also the name of a well-known country. In this verse مصر is used as a common noun and hence the meaning is city.

 Comparison of cultivation with conquest of country: The comparison of better and worse here appears to be a comparison of better or worse condition. Bani Israel desired vegetables and farm produce, which require cultivation. A nation that is occupied with agriculture cannot become a conquering nation. Thus, they were advised that their present condition was better for the long run even though with it came dietary constraints. If they engaged with agriculture, victories would elude them. However, if a varied diet was their priority, then the way to have that was to enter a city and adopt cultivation as their occupation. They would thus be able to get their heart’s desire. Their natural inclination for agriculture was also because this was the kind of work they did in Egypt. The meaning of مصر is city and the reference here is not to Egypt. The purport here is to settle in a city.

2:61c: ضُرِبَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمُ  – This idiom has been taken from: ضَرَبَ الۡخَیۡمَةَ , that is, he pitched a tent. The purport is that disgrace encompassed him like a tent encompasses a person on whom it is pitched.

ٱلذِّلَّةُ  – The meaning of ذُل and ذِلّة   are the same, that is, the state of being disgraced or subjugated, and ذِلّ  is the state that follows difficulty (R).  ذِلّة  is a state of subjugation that has associated with it killing and pillage as mentioned by commentators while commenting on Surah Al-Amran verse 112 because that is the lowest state of ذِلّة .

ٱلۡمَسۡڪَنَةُ  – is derived from سکن which is a stationary state after being in motion (R), and the meaning of سَکَنٌ  is decline of domination (R). Included in it is bowing down, disgrace and abject condition. Sometimes مَسۡڪَنَةُ means weakness (N). Thus, the state of مَسۡڪَنَةُ is one where no vitality remains to rise to the state of a ruler. It is the nadir of subjugation.

بَآءُوا – بواء is the levelling of the ground in parts of the house. And باء بغضب من اللّٰه means that he alighted at a place where the wrath of Allah was with him (R). For this reason, among the meanings of یتبوأ  (making place) is یاباء which means اِحۡتَمَل as if he had become the site of that sin or wrath (T). And باء sometimes means came back .

يَقۡتُلُونَ  – The meaning of قتل  is explained in 2:54a. In Ruh al-Maani while commenting on فَرِيقً۬ا تَقۡتُلُونَ (…others you would slay) the meaning of قتل is interpreted in the following way: والمراد من القتل مباشرة الاسباب الموجبة لزوال الحیٰوة سواء مرتب علیه اَولا. Translated, it means that by قتل is meant obtaining the means to end a life whether the life is ended or not.

Killing as a hyperbole for an attempt to kill: It is a fact that sometimes an attempted action is named for the action itself. There are many examples of this in the Quran. For example, فَبَلَغۡنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ (…reach their prescribed time…) (2:231) where بلغ does not actually mean reach but when they are near to reaching. So, يَقۡتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ (kill the prophets) may mean that they sought to kill the prophets but could also mean that they killed the prophets.

ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ – is the plural of نبی  derived from نَبَاء meaning just news or news that contains information about a great benefit. It is a verbal noun but the hamzah has been left out. Hence نبئ اللّٰه is not correct and the correct way to write it is:نبی اللّٰه  as narrated in a hadith. According to some, نبی is derived from نَبُوَّة which means elevated or high and a prophet is called نبی because of his high status (R).  نَبُوَّة is ambassadorship (that is, delivering the message) of Allah to those of His creation possessing understanding (R). According to Al-Qamus, نبی (prophet) is the person who informs others about Allah, and this has been further detailed in Taj ul Arus as the person to whom Allah reveals information about His Oneness, reveals to him knowledge of the unknown and tells him that he is a prophet.

The literal meaning of نبی and its meaning in the terminology of the shariah: The literal meaning of نبی is just someone who gives news, but in the terminology of the shariah, the word is used for those exalted personalities who perform the duty of ambassadorship between Allah and humans, that is, who convey to humans the ways of seeking Allah’s pleasure and how to follow those ways. In its literal sense, the word نبی is used for people who have true dreams and for those who receive revelation.

A revealed Book is necessary for a نبی (Prophet): Because the word نبی (prophet) has a special meaning in the terminology of shariah, a person who has not been appointed to the role of ambassadorship cannot be called a نبی even if he has an abundance of revelations or true dreams. This is the reason why the Holy Prophet did not consider himself a prophet until he received the revelation “Read,” though he had an abundance of true dreams before that. The Divine commands that the prophet is appointed to convey to the people constitute his Book. Verse 2:213 states that Allah raises prophets as bearers of good news and as warners, and وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ (…and He revealed with them the Book) so that he may judge between people concerning that in which they differ. Hence, a prophet cannot be a prophet without a Book.

No prophet after the Holy Prophet: Because there is no need for a Book after the Quran, there is no prophet after the Holy Prophet.

The abasement and humiliation of Bani Israel: The abasement and humiliation of Bani Israel mentioned here relates to the prior narration of events to the extent that this was the ultimate result of their perverse ways. The mention does not mean that this necessarily happened during the time of Moses. In fact, this is a portrayal of their condition after the lapse of a long period of time. The reason for this is given not in the previous verse but in what follows, that is, they disbelieved in the messages of Allah and killed the prophets unjustly. They did not just disobey God but exceeded all limits in doing so.

Killing of prophets can also mean attempted killing or giving the lie to their messages: What is the meaning of killing the prophets? It appears from several references in the Bible that the Israelites literally killed some prophets. One of the meanings of قتل (killing) is giving the lie to their call, that is to cause their mission to fail. Accordingly, the narration: اذا بویع خلعفتیعن فاقتلو الٰاخر منھما  is explained by Ibn Kathir as: ای ابطلو دعوته و اجعلوہ کمن مات , that is, make his mission a failure and consider him to be like a person who has died. In Arabic, the word قتل is also used for a situation where all the factors come together that can cause death whether actual death occurs or not. The interpretation of the words of the Quran can be done in accordance with these two meanings, that is, frustrating the mission of prophets or attempting to murder them. According to the Ruh al-Maani, their (Bani Israel’s) condition was such that if there was no constraint, they would have killed the prophets. For further clarification see 2:53a and 2:73a.   

The Opening  : سُوْرَۃُ الْفَاتِحَةِ

1-0 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

1-1 Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds,

1-2 The Beneficent, the Merciful,

1-3 Master of the day of Requital.

1-4 Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.

1-5 Guide us on the right path,

1-6 The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favours,

1-7 Not those upon whom wrath is brought down, nor those who go astray.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (١)

 ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ (٢)

 مَـٰلِكِ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ (٣)

 إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ (٤)

 ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٲطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ (٥)

 صِرَٲطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ (٦)

 غَيۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ (٧)

Name: The best-known name of this surah is الفاتحة or فاتحة الکتاب. The names of the Quranic surahs by which they are known are mentioned in many authentic hadith containing the narrations of the Holy Prophet. Since the names are traceable back to the blessed tongue of the Holy Prophet, it follows that the surahs were named under Divine guidance. This surah is mentioned in the ahadith as الفاتحة and فاتحة الکتاب from whence it gets its name. The recitation of الفاتحة is an essential part of the daily prayers as is apparent from a hadith quoted both by Abu Daud and Tirmidzi which states:لا صلوۃ اِلّابقراۃ فاتحة الکتاب (there is no prayer without the Fatiha). Another hadith narrated by Ubaidah bin Samit and reported both in Bukhari and Muslim states: قال رسول اﷲ صلم ﻻصلوة لمن لّم یقراٌ بفاتحة الکتاب (The Messenger of Allah said, “Whoever does not recite the Fatihah has not said his prayer). There are other names of the Fatihah as well. In surah Hijar of the Quran, this surah is referred to as: من المثانی سبعًا meaning the seven oft repeated verses. In an authentic hadith, it has also been referred to as اُمّالقران or اُمّ الکتاب which means that this surah is the essence and summary of the Holy Quran. It has been called by other names as well such as الدعاء- الصلوۃ- الشفاء- الکنز- الحمد-  . Imam Al-Suyuti lists twenty-five names for this surah in his book Al-Itqan fi Ulum Al-Quran (The Perfect Guide to the Science of Quran).

Summary of the subject-matter

The four greatest attributes of Allah the Most High: There are a total of seven verses in this surah out of which the first three verses mention those perfect attributes of Allah which sustain the entire systems of this world. The first verse mentions the attribute of ربوبیت which means the nurturer unto perfection of the entire creation within the ambit of their assigned objectives. The second verse contains two attributes. The first of these is رحمٰنیت , which is the attribute of providing for creatures prior to their creation all necessary resources needed by them to reach their perfection, and the second is  رحیمیتwhich is the attribute of arranging the best results when the creatures use the provided resources. The third verse contains the attribute of مالکیت which is the attribute of requital when given resources are not put to good use or for transgressing the laws that are in place so that things may progress to perfection and the established order in the universe be maintained. The fourth verse is a declaration that only the Pure Being whose praise is enunciated in the first three verses is deserving of worship and that He is the only One from whom help is sought.

The two parts of Fatiha and their mutual relationship: The last three verses are a supplication for guidance on the right path and for the avoidance of extremes. The first three verses are only for extoling the praise of Allah and the last three verses only for the supplicant that he may be the recipient of the best rewards. The middle verse gives the connection between Allah, the Most High, and His servant and thus is common between the first and second parts of the Fatihah. The opening words of this middle verse اِیَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ (Thee do we serve) really connect with the first three verses because they make the Being whose laudable qualities have been stated in the first three verses to be the only one deserving of worship. Now since He is the only one deserving to be worshipped then perforce, He is the One from whom help should be sought. This connects the second part of the verseنَسْتَعِیْنُ  اِیَّاكَ with the first part of the verse while a natural connection exists with the last three verses of this chapter which explain the nature of the help that is sought. This is the meaning of the hadith which states that صَلٰوۃُ  meaning Fatihah is half and half between Me and My servant قال اﷲ قسمت الصٰوۃ بینی و بین عبدی نصفین ولعبدی ماسال۔ Tirmizi classifies this hadith as Hassan i.e. fairly reliable.

The rationale for keeping the Fatihah at the head of the Quran is its greatness: In an authentic(Sahi)hadith, the Fatihah has been calledاعظم السور فی القران  meaning the greatest surah of the Quran. Its greatness is apparent from the fact that prayer, which has been called the ascension of the believer, requires the recitation of the Fatihah in every rakah along with recitation from any other part of the Quran. It is the essence and summary of the Quran as is apparent from its name of اُمُّ اْلکِتاب۔. The real purpose of the Quran is to expound the praise of Allah and to guide men to their ultimate perfection. Accordingly, the first part of the surah explicates the basic laudable attributes of Allah and the latter part the achievement of man’s perfection. The start of the surah with the statement اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ  not only mentions Allah’s general attribute of nurturing but also sets the basis for the unity of mankind by the use of the word الْعَالَمِیْنَ which does away with all national differences. The purpose of religion, in summary, is to establish the lordship of God and the brotherhood of man and there can be no better rendering of this summary than the words:  اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ  i.e. All praise is for Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

The Fatihah refutes all false beliefs: The attributes of Allah mentioned in the Fatihah i.e. ربوبیت – رحمٰنیت – رحیمیت – مالکیت (Nurturer unto Perfection, Beneficent, Merciful, and Master) are the source or root from which all the other attributes of the Divine Being are derived. Another marvel of these attributes is that they refute the false beliefs of all the religions of the world. The attribute of ربوبیت (Nurturer unto Perfection) refutes the idea that anyone can partner or associate with Allah in His person or in His attributes. He is the Nurturer of the spirit and of matter, therefore they cannot be His associate in any attribute such as being eternal. Similarly, idolatry and all forms of polytheism is refuted because only a Being that nurtures others is worthy of praise and worship and that Being is only One. The attribute of رحمٰنیت (Beneficence) which connotes mercy without extracting recompense refutes the doctrine of atonement whose basis is that God cannot forgive without recompense and hence His son is made the recompense for the sins of mankind. But the dictates of رحمٰنیت (Beneficence) require that His mercy be exercised even without recompense as can be seen in His creation in which He makes provisions for men even before they are born. The attribute of رحیمیت (Mercy) means that He rewards abundantly for actions that are obedient to His laws. This refutes those beliefs that hold that man’s actions, which are necessarily limited in amount, can correspondingly only bring limited rewards, and therefore consider salvation to be only temporary. The attribute of مالکیت signifies that although Allah requites disobedience to His laws but His treatment with His creatures is that of a master with his servants. This refutes the creed of transmigration of the soul which holds that Allah cannot forgive any sin and therefore man must pass through many cycles of rebirth for the requital of sins.

Fatihah teaches moderation: Just as the first part of the Fatihah rebuts the false beliefs of other faiths, the second part of the Fatihah rebuts their extremist practices. All religions in their present condition except for Islam put special emphasis only on one aspect of human morality. Consequently, they have erroneously veered to one extreme or the other. Thus, they have put extreme emphasis on one branch and completely ignored the other. The summary of Islam’s teaching is here given as moderation which saves one from underindulgence and safeguards against overindulgence. Thus, the Surah Fatihah has the foundational teachings of the true principles of belief and actions and a rebuttal of that which is false.

The best supplication: The prayer that has been taught in this surah is of the highest excellence, the like of which is not met in any other religion. A comparison with the Lord’s prayer in Christianity exemplifies this statement. The Christians make tall claims about their Lord’s prayer, but it is nothing compared to the Fatihah. The Lord’s prayer supplicates for the daily bread while the Fatihah beseeches for the right path i.e. for the attainment of human perfection. This manifests the difference in the objectives of the two supplications. The Lord’s prayer pleads for the forgiveness of sins while the Fatihah expresses the desire to reach the station where one becomes free from committing sins and where there is no underindulgence or overindulgence in the fulfillment of rights. Thus, it is a prayer to become sinless or innocent. There is no supplication in the Torah or the Gospels which is a match for Fatihah in terms of teaching the right principles, in refuting the wrong beliefs, in eulogizing and praising Allah and for taking man to the highest pinnacle of perfection. Similarly, the relationship that has been created between Allah and His servant in the statement: اِیَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَ اِیَّاكَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ  (Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help) is without a parallel. Those who roam around seeking incantations (وظیفہ) for their spiritual uplift will find that they will obtain their objective much faster if they were to resort to the foremost of supplications i.e. the Fatihah. There is no better incantation than the surah Fatihah and it is an incantation that Allah, the Most High, has Himself taught to men.

Period of Revelation: There is unanimity of opinion that not only is this a Makkan revelation but that it belongs to the earliest period. This surah was recited in prayers from the beginning and prayers were regularly offered in Makkah. An incident is recorded from the fourth year of prophethood in which Saad was offering prayer with a group of Muslims in an open area near Makkah when an altercation took place with the unbelievers of Makkah, after which it was decided that prayers would be held in the house of Raqam. This incident shows that congregational prayers were offered prior to the fourth year of apostleship and hence surah Fatihah was recited in the prayers at that time. Its early revelation is not merely a matter of conjecture but there is evidence that it was the first complete surah to be revealed. According to one narration the Fatihah is: اوّل شئى انزل من القران  i.e. the first thing that was revealed from the Quran. This hadith has been narrated by Bayhaqi in دلاءل النبوّۃ (Dalayal Al-Nabuwat). The criticism against this has been that there is a consensus that اقرأ باسم ربّك was the first revelation. It appears that what is meant by اوّل شئى is that Fatihah was the first complete surah of the Quran that was revealed because only the first five verses of surah Al-Alaq (ال علق) were revealed in the first revelation and the rest of the surah was revealed later.

بِسْمِﷲِالرَّحْمٰنِالرَّحِیْمِ  : It is written before all the surahs of the Quran except for surah Al-Baraat (ال براۃ ). The revelation of this verse before every surah is proven by authentic ahadith. A hadith in Abu Dawud states that the Messenger of Allah did not recognize the separation of a surah until بِسْمِ ﷲِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ  was revealed to him. This proves that بِسْمِ ﷲِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ  was revealed at the start of every surah but the verse is not included amongst the verses of any surah including the Fatihah. It is reported in Ibn Kathir that Dauwd said it is a permanent verse at the beginning of each surah and not part of the surah. This is also the narrative from Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal and this was also the right belief of Imam Abu Hanifa.

بسمﷲ (Bismillah) is the summary of every surah: بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم is a permanent verse because just as surah Fatihah is the summary of the Quran, بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم is the summary of surah Fatihah and thus it too is a summary of the Quran. Because every surah of the Quran is a book in itself with its standalone subject, بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم has been kept at the beginning of each surah as a summary of the surah as well. That بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم is a summary of surah Fatihah is apparent from the fact that out of the four attributes in the Fatihah i.e.   ربوبیت-  رحمٰنیت- رحیمیت – مالکیت , which are the root for all the other Divine attributes, two attributes – رحمٰنیت – رحیمیت – have been selected here. The reason is that the affairs of the world depend upon these two attributes. A little reflection will show that the provision of resources, and the arranging of the rewards when those resources are utilized is the basic organizational principle of the world on which all affairs depend. All the resources provided by Allah that make life possible such as water, fire, sun, etcetera, and the laws under which these operate are a manifestation of His attribute of رحمٰنیت (Beneficence), while the outcomes that result when we harness these resources is a manifestation of His رحیمیت (Mercy). The spiritual system is also based onرحمٰنیت  (Beneficence) and رحیمیت (Mercy). It is really on these two attributes that our physical well-being depends. The same is the case with our spiritual welfare. It is under His attribute of رحمٰنیت (Beneficence) that He grants us knowledge of His Divine ordinances and laws. ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ عَلَّمَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ (The Beneficent Taught the Quran) and when we put these ordinances and laws into practice, He organizes the outcomes. In short, both the physical and spiritual systems are established on these two attributes. It is for this reason that some consider the greatest name of Allah as: ﷲ الرَّحْمٰنِ ۔ الرَّحِیْمِ (Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful) [Zarqani]. بسم ﷲ  contains not only the summary of Allah’s attributes but the other half of Surah Fatihah pertaining to men has been encapsulated in the word با because that portion begins with إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ  and here too the با is for seeking of help. In this way, بسم ﷲ is a practical lesson of Unity for a Muslim in his life.

بسمﷲ is the compliance of Allah’s order: It is also useful to remember that بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم is in reality the compliance of the first order that was given to the Holy Prophet. It is narrated in Bukhari that when the Holy Prophet, in accordance with his wont, was busy worshipping Allah in the Cave of Hira, the Angel came and said: اِقْرَاءُ i.e. “Read”. The Holy Prophet replied ما انا بقارئ i.e. “I am not one who can read”. The Angel again repeated the command and the Prophet repeated the same answer. This happened thrice. The fourth time, the Angel said: ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ i.e. “Read in the name of thy Lord who creates” (96:1). So, Allah Himself taught man how بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ is to be read. Accordingly, it appears from some narrations that the next revelation that came after this was: بِسْمِ ﷲِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ ۝ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ  up to the end of surah Fatihah. In other words, Allah Himself gave man the knowledge on how to ask Allah for help. The Prophet is reported in a hadith to have said: کل أمر لا یُبْد ءُ فیه بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم فھو اَجؐذم  i.e. “Every work that is not started with بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم is without blessings”. And certainly, a person who seeks helps from Allah in his work will receive His blessings. 

1-0a The با in بسم ﷲ is a plea for help, and its fuller exposition is, I read in the name of Allah seeking His help, and this is the compliance of the command ٱقۡرَأۡ i.e Read (96:1).

اسم is from سُمُوٌّ which means highness or eminence and so اسم is that by which the eminence of the one called upon is extolled and he is recognized by it (R). It is used for both a personal name and an attribute. Allah is the proper name and الرحمٰن الرحیم (Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim) are attributive names, and the implication is that the reader seeks help from Allah’s attributes of Beneficence and Mercy. Allah, the personal name of God, is His greatest name and comprehends all His attributive names. It is not derived from اَلَهَ and its root is notاِلٰه   because اِلٰه is used for deities other than Allah. Neither in the Islamic period nor in the Pre-Islamic period was the word ﷲ ever used for any other deity. It is also not an abbreviation of اَلْاِلٰه (meaning the God) because God is not addressed as یا الاله or یَا اَلرّحْمٰن. Hence اَلْ is not an extra word. There is no language of the world other than Arabic that has the personal name of God.

الرحمٰن الرحیم : Grammatically, both الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ are the superlative derivations from رَحِمَ (to have mercy upon, be merciful towards). One is on the measure of فَعْلان and the other on the measure of فعیل . The superlative form of فَعْلان means repletion and overwhelm, and denotes an abundance of an attribute. The superlative of فَعیل means to repeat and implies that the attribute is repeated (AH). Some have distinguished between الرحمٰن  and  الرَّحِیْمِ by stating that الرحمٰن  is an attribute which is inherent in the Being of Allah and الرَّحِیْمِ is the attribute that denotes the relationship that develops with the person on whom mercy is shown. So رحمٰن is the Being whose beneficence is so vast that He creates all the necessities even before a person is born and this attribute encompasses both the believers and the non-believers and رحیم is the Being whose mercy is repeated again and again, and this attribute is manifested based on the action of the person (and is manifested again and again for every action) to whom mercy is shown.

رحمٰن for this world and رحیم for the Hereafter: A hadith states that Allah is رحمٰن for this world and رحیم for the Hereafter because رحمٰن created all the necessities for a person before his birth merely out of an abundance of His beneficence and رحیم is the One who grants rewards for the righteous actions of an individual which will take place fully in the Hereafter. Thus, the One who endows the initial resources is رحمٰن and when a person expends effort to utilize these resources, the One who determines the outcomes is رحیم. The creation of the earth, water, fire etcetera is the demand of the attribute of beneficence (رحمانیت); by tilling, sowing a seed and irrigating, a person converts one seed into many and this is the demand of the attribute of mercy (رحیمیت). Similarly, the revelation of Divine laws (sharia) and the grant of prophethood is the demand of beneficence (رحمانیت). The success that results by adherence to these Divine laws takes place under the attribute of mercy (رحیمیت). It is for this reason that the teaching of the Quran to the Prophet is the work of الرحمٰن  and the verses ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ عَلَّمَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ  evidences this fact. رحمٰن is specific to Allah and is not used for any other, but رحیم is used for others as well. Thus, the word رحیم has been used for the Holy Prophet as in the verse:بِٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬  (9:128).

1-1a ال۔حمد: The اَلْ in ٱلۡحَمۡدُ isاستغراقی  and means all laudable qualities or all kinds of praise.حَمْد  is praise that is lavished because of excellence, that is for those qualities that totally captivate a person. In Arabic as in Urdu there are two close synonyms مدح and شکر for حمد from which it needs to be distinguished. مدح also means praise but it has a wider sense because the praise might be lavished because of authority or for excellent qualities. شکر is gratitude for receiving some blessing and is therefore much more confined in meaning.

رَبّ is a verbal noun or infinitive and means to nurture a thing from one condition to another condition until it reaches its stage of perfection (R). It is used here as a name. Hence رَبّ is the Being that takes a thing by stages to its perfection. This supports the theory of evolution which also propounds that everything has reached its stage of perfection through stages. A standalone رَبّ is only used for the Creator but in an attributive form it can also be used for others, as for example رَبّ الدّار meaning the owner of the house. Joseph’s statement may also be quoted: ٱذۡڪُرۡنِى عِندَ رَبِّكَ (Remember me with thy lord) (12:42). The plural of رَبّ is ارباب as used in: ءَأَرۡبَابٌ۬ مُّتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيۡرٌ  (…are sundry lords better…) (12:39).

عَالَمِیْنَ is the plural form of عَالَمۡ (world) which is derived from علم.(to know(of), have knowledge (of)) The entire creation or existing things are called عَالَمۡ because it is the instrument which gives knowledge of the Creator. Every kind of creation is also called عَالَمۡ. According to one narration, Allah’s creation is in excess of eighteen thousand (T). The entire humanity is also one عَالَم, and so is every nation an عَالَمۡ. In fact, every generation is an عَالَمۡ (IJ). Thus, wherever there is a mention that some people or nations were granted excellence over the عَالَمِیْن, the meaning is over the people of that generation. The plural form used in the verse is to include every kind of creation present.

الحمد is a lesson in accepting the decree of Allah with pleasure: Education about Islam must necessarily begin with ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ in which there is an excellent lesson to accept the decrees of Allah with pleasure. A Muslim reads the surah Fatihah many times in his five daily prayers and whether he is joyous or distressed, the only statement that escapes his lips is one of thankfulness and praise. It also tells us about the condition of the blessed heart of the Prophet on which it was revealed. His heart was so full of the praise of Allah that not even a momentary thought of complaint could enter his mind. Praise was always on his lips, praise in the morning when he got up, praise in the early afternoon, praise in the late afternoon, praise in the evening after sunset, praise at night before sleeping, and then waking up at night to praise some more. His bosom was filled with the praise of God. On account of this praise, in which he outdid all other prophets, his name became Ahmad (احمد) (One who praises), which is a name that had not been given to any person before him. Because he praised the Creator more than anyone else, so Allah, the Most High, ensured that His creatures would praise him more than anyone else, and that is how his name became Muhammad (محمد) (One who is praised)  may the peace and blessings of Allah be with him. 

The inclusiveness of Islamic teachings: The inclusiveness of Islamic teachings is evidenced by the fact that it begins with the nurturing unto perfection of the entire humanity and not of any one nation. This sentence: ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ  (Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds) not only extols the praise of Allah, but it also expresses the oneness of humanity. There is also an indication in the use of the word رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ that whereas the spiritual nurturing of the nations in the past had been done separately, now the nurturing of all nations would be done through only one Prophet. Hence words like ربکم (your Lord) or رب المسلمین (Lord of the Muslims) or any other such term has not been used to avoid any disagreement. There is also a clear indication in رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ for the need for Divine revelation because it is the demand of the name رب that every creature should be nurtured to perfection. A person’s real perfection is not only physical perfection but more importantly moral perfection. Just as رب has created the requisites in the physical world for a man’s perfection, it is necessary that there should be present external resource in the spiritual world to achieve moral perfection – this external resource is Divine revelation. This small phrase also teaches us the great lesson that merit is born from the worship of the Lord. Another great lesson is that only that person will be praiseworthy who serves other people, not just members of his household or family, or his nation but the whole of humanity, and even beyond that serves the whole creation.  

It is worthwhile remembering that whereas in other religions God is invoked by addressing Him as اَبْ or Father, the Quran has opted to use the word رَبّ in supplications because the relationship of رَبّ with His creation is far stronger than that of a father with his son. Most Quranic prayers begin withرَبَّنَا  (Our Lord) indicating thereby that the purpose of every prayer is to take a person to his perfection because رَبّ is the Being that guides everything to its perfection. But اَبْ does not take man to his perfection. Hence calling God as اَبْ is to grant Him a much lower status.

1-1b It is important to note the difference between مالك (Master) and مَلِك (King). The difference is that مَلِك (King) has control over only certain matters, the مالك has full control over his possessions. The increase of one alphabet between مَلِك and مالك creates a much greater strength in the meaning. Secondly, the word مَلِك is special to politics and means a person who can order the masses to do or not do certain things. The control in this case is limited and the person would be called مَلِكِ النَّاس or king of men. For the control of inanimate things and for یوم الدّین (Hereafter) the terminology would be مالك and not مَلِك.

یَوْم is generally taken to mean the time between sunrise and sunset, but frequently it is used to denote a period of time which could be very short or very long (R). Accordingly, in the verse كُلَّ يَوۡمٍ هُوَ فِى شَأۡنٍ۬ (55:29) یوم means ‘moment’, while in فِى يَوۡمٍ۬ كَانَ مِقۡدَارُهُ ۥ خَمۡسِينَ أَلۡفَ سَنَةٍ۬ (70:4), the یوم is stated to be five thousand years.

دِین The real meaning of دِین is requital (R). A narration in Bukhari states: الدین الجزاء فی الخیر و الشر and the meaning of دِین here is the recompense for doing good and evil. By way of metaphor, it is used for shariah because, so to speak, دِین is the name of obedience to shariah. 

So, the meaning of مَـٰلِكِ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ is Master of the day of Requital. One great time of requital is that which is construed as the day of Resurrection or Doomsday, but in a sense, requital is an ongoing process in this world as well. It appears from a reading of the Quran that the requital on the day of Resurrection will be an open manifestation of the results which in reality are born concomitantly with each action taken here but generally remain hidden to the human eye. Sometimes, by way of an example, they become manifest here as well. 

There is an indication in the use of the termمالکیت  (Master) that sins can be forgiven. The use of the word مالك (Master) instead of مَلِك (King) is adopted because مَلِك has only a limited authority commissioned for the purpose of doing justice between parties. He cannot pardon a criminal, but the مالك has the authority to forgive whoever He pleases. This concept rejects the principle of atonement and transmigration of soul because their essence is that God cannot forgive sins and is constrained to punish the guilty. This belief is totally contrary to reality. An employer, who is not really a master, can forgive an employee’s trespass but God who is the repository of all perfect attributes cannot forgive! If the desire for forgiveness is inherent in a person then why is it not present in the Creator? An attribute that is not in the Creator cannot be present in the created.

1-3a. نَعۡبُدُ :عَبُوْدِیَّة  is the manifestation of great humility and عِبادة is a much more eloquent form of it i.e. extreme humility and meekness. The only one having a right to such servitude must be a being whose excellence is of the highest order i.e. Allah, the Most High, besides whom, it is not permissible to worship anybody (R). Or عِبادة is the obedience with which there is خضوع i.e. humility (T). Thus, the essence of real worship is complete obedience to Allah, the Most High, with full humility. The objective of life is worship. It has been called the purpose of life: وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ  (And I have not created the Jinn and the men except that they should serve me) (51:56) because a person cannot reach his full potential unless he ensures all of his faculties are employed in complete obedience to Allah. Worship is for a person’s own betterment; Allah is self-sufficient. He neither benefits from anyone’s worship, nor does He sustain any loss if He is not worshipped.   

نَسۡتَعِينُ : استعانة is to seek aid i.e. to ask for help.

عبادت (veneration) is precursor to asking for help: When the perfect attributes of Allah are invoked, a person compulsively expresses that he puts all his faculties in obedience to such a Being and that he cannot accept humble obedience to any other. Along with this, a person’s soul admits its helplessness and beseeches: O Allah your help is needed to reach the desired goal; rectify our weaknesses and by holding our hand take us to our desired destination. Because the ability to worship is innate in the human soul, we say: إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ (Thee do we serve) and because practically we stand in need of help, we cry out وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ (and Thee do we ask for help). As long as a person does not worship and does not put his full faculties into use, he does not become deserving of help.

1-5a ٱهۡدِنَا : The meaning of ھدایة  (guidance) is: الرشاد والدلالة بلُطف الٰی مایُوصل الی المطلوب (To gracefully take and guide towards what is desired i.e. to take to the desired destination). Imam Raghib explains that guidance is of four types. The first type is instinctive guidance which is common, and Allah has given it to all creatures at the time of their creation أَعۡطَىٰ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ خَلۡقَهُ ۥ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ (…gives to everything its creation, then guides (it)) (20:50). Allah stated: وَٱلَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ (And Who measures, then guides) (87:3). This guidance is present in the nature of everything. The second type of guidance is the one that people get through prophets i.e. the calling by the prophets to truth: جَعَلۡنَا مِنۡہُمۡ أَٮِٕمَّةً۬ يَہۡدُونَ بِأَمۡرِنَا (And We made from among them leaders to guide by Our command…) (32:24). The prophets show a way: إِنَّا هَدَيۡنَـٰهُ ٱلسَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرً۬ا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا (We have truly shown him the way; he may be thankful or unthankful) (76:3). The third guidance is the divine help given specifically to a person who heeds the prophet’s guidance. This is available to all persons provided they heed the guidance and it is for this reason that the Quran is called: هُدً۬ى لِّلنَّاسِ)) (…a guidance to men…) (2:185). The Quran states: وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱهۡتَدَوۡاْ زَادَهُمۡ هُدً۬ى (And those who follow guidance, He increases them in guidance…) (47:17) and وَمَن يُؤۡمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ يَہۡدِ قَلۡبَهُ (…And whoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart…) (64:11). The fourth type of guidance is paradise i.e. the taking to the desired destination as is stated in: سَيَہۡدِيہِمۡ وَيُصۡلِحُ بَالَهُمۡ (He will guide them and improve their condition) (47:5) or as in ھدی للمتقین (guidance for the believers) as referenced from the Taj al-Arus in the beginning.

ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ is the path that is straight and even. It is an analogy for the path of righteousness (G).

 The purpose of the Fatihah prayer: A critic may state that the Fatihah supplication shows that the supplicant has been misguided up to that time. Such a critic has obviously not considered the prior words. The supplicant is a person who has recognized the perfect attributes of Allah, the Most High, and by saying إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ  is already using his faculties in full obedience to the commands of Allah and through إِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ is asking Allah to help him remove his weaknesses. And as the verse: وَأَنِ ٱعۡبُدُونِى‌ۚ هَـٰذَا صِرَٲطٌ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٌ۬ (And that you serve Me. This is the right way) (36:61), shows, the person who professes:إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ  is on the straight path. The prayer, therefore, is to remain steadfast on this path i.e. that Allah should always keep him on this path, never let him waver after he has found the right path, and that he should not slacken until he has reached his intended destination; this is what is meant by ھدایت (guidance). The real purpose of this supplication is to take a person to that lofty goal which is elucidated in what follows and which has been hinted at in رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِين (Lord of the worlds) and ٱهۡدِنَا (guide us) i.e. the accession of man to perfection. Thus, the real purpose of the supplication is to say: O God keep us walking on the straight path until we achieve the perfection which is the real desired destination of man’s progress.

The attainment of human perfection lies beyond the status of chastity: This supplication sets before man the highest status that he can reach. Most other religions confine their supplications just to the forgiveness of sins. Islam teaches not only to supplicate for the forgiveness of sins and protection from going astray, which is the status of chastity, but also to pray, as taught in this prayer, to reach beyond that to the status of perfection. There is no supplication comparable to surah Fatihah in any other heavenly book, and even among the supplications of the Quran, this prayer is unparalleled in excellence.

1-6a اِنعام means to grant favor to a person. It is not used for non-humans. For example, it cannot be said that I showed a favor (اِنعام) to my horse.(R).

Who are theأَنۡعَمۡتَعَلَيۡهِم )ones on whom favors were bestowed(? The Quran itself explains these people to be: ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡہِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّہَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ‌ (…those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors from among the prophets and the truthful and the faithful and the righteous) (4:69). This explanation has been adopted by Ibn Abbas and accepted by all commentators. This shows that the supplicant who supplicates for ٱهۡدِنَا (guidance) is desiring to ascend to the highest spiritual stage – the stage achieved by prophets, the truthful, the faithful and the righteous; it is this burning desire that every Muslim keeps within himself. In the famous Lord’s prayer of the Christians, there is a plea for forgiveness. But the Islamic prayer takes the votary to a whole new level because the Islamic prayer is not just to achieve the status where no sins are committed, but to reach the stage achieved by the great pious people of God. This is the superior status of those who rendered great services and achieved the most excellent perfection or, in other words, the highest stage that man can reach. It becomes obvious, therefore, that this is not a prayer for money, goods or worldly position but for spiritual perfection, wisdom and love.

أَنۡعَمۡتَعَلَيۡهِمۡ  is not a prayer for prophethood: Because the word prophets appears in the elucidation of who is included in أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ (those on whom favors were bestowed), some people have mistakenly concluded that prophethood itself can be achieved through this prayer and that every Muslim prays throughout the day to achieve it. This is a fundamental mistake because prophethood is merely a munificence and a person’s effort or striving has nothing to do with it. There are things that one gets as a munificence and things that one gets through striving. Prophethood belongs to the former as is also obvious from ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ عَلَّمَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ (The Beneficent taught the Quran). No person has ever become or will ever become a prophet by striving and supplicating to God, but Allah, the Most High, appoints whenever He wants and whoever He wants as a prophet in accordance with: ٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ حَيۡثُ يَجۡعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ   (Allah best knows where to place His message)(6:124). Finally, Allah made known His perfect guidance to the Holy Prophet and for all times to come made the stage of prophethood and apostleship peculiar with the name of this holy person. And by calling him by the name of النبی (the Prophet) and الرسول (the Messenger) made it clear that there would not be another prophet or messenger because if another prophet was to come then these words would become ambiguous. It is meaningless therefore to pray for prophethood and the idea can only be postulated by someone who is ignorant of the fundamentals of religion.

What kind of perfection is desired in this prayer: There are some people who think that this prayer is for attaining kingship because Allah has called kingship a favor from Him as in surah Al-Maidah (5:20). Others have widened the meanings further and called it a prayer for the ٱلصِّرَٲطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ  (straight path) in all worldly affairs. A little deliberation will show that such interpretations are far removed from the real purpose of the prayer. There is no doubt that kingship is a favor, and so is wealth and other assets but these are the favors that are shared both by good and evil persons. Kingship is a favor, but kingship is not an unmixed blessing for every king. Similarly, wealth is a favor, but wealth is not an unmixed blessing for every wealthy person. But here the mention is of the paths of those on whom blessings were bestowed and not of the demand for certain specific favors. Then against those on whom favors were bestowed are those on whom wrath was brought down, and those who go astray are not bereft of kingship or from accomplishing worldly affairs but are bereft of piety and high morals. The prayer is only for Divine help to walk in the ways that the pious people treaded; or in other words to walk in the footsteps of prophets, martyrs and virtuous persons. In comparison with this prayer, the desire for guidance in worldly affairs is a very inferior wish. 

If the prayer is to achieve prophethood then it must be admitted that the Muslim nation has been deprived of acceptance: If this prayer was to achieve prophethood then, at the very least, it should have been taught to Prophet Muhammad before he received the mantle of prophethood. The presence of this prayer in the Quran shows that it was taught to the Holy Prophet after he was awarded prophethood. The fact that this prayer was revealed after prophethood clearly shows that this prayer is not for achieving prophethood. If it is accepted that the prayer is for gaining prophethood, then it must be admitted that in the centuries since the birth of Islam, there has not been a single Muslim whose prayer was accepted even though there have been thousands of people who were close and beloved of God. It cannot be that God Himself teaches the prayer with the objective that the supplicant be granted prophethood, and the supplicating nation is one that is called خیر اُمة (the best of nations) and then for centuries all of them remain deprived of its objective including those who were given the certificate: رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡه (Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him) (9:100). This cannot be so.

1-7a. ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِم : The real meaning of غضب is: the boiling of blood at the idea of retribution (R). The Hadith lay stress on avoiding غضب (anger) and has called it an ember in the heart of the son of Adam. But God is not corporeal. The part of the definition that pertains to the bodily function, such as the boiling of blood or breathing, is not meant when such a word is spoken about Allah, but only the real purpose remains i.e. the intention to punish. This is the case with all the words when used with reference to Allah; the part of the word definition that has to do with the body is dropped when the word is being used for Allah. For details see 2:15a. So, ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِم are those people that God intends to punish.

1-7b. ٱلضَّآلِّينَ : ضالّ is the subject form of ضلال and its common meaning is to stray from the straight path intentionally or inadvertently (R). It is the opposite of ھدی (to guide) and so its meaning has also been expressed asسلوك طریق لا یوصل الی المطلوب  (T) i.e. treading a path that does not take to the desired destination. So ضالّین are people who have strayed from the straight path or who are walking on a path that will not take them to their desired destination. The other meanings of ضلال and اضلال will be discussed at the relevant parts of the text.

Who are the مَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِم and ضَّآلِّين ? Who are the people mentioned in this verse? It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that مَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِم are the Jews and ضَّآلِّين are the Christians. And in a hadith that Tirmizi has classed as حسن غریب the same meaning has been attributed to the Holy Prophet. The main characteristics of the Jews that have been mentioned in the Quran are that they disputed the veracity of the prophets i.e. they falsified the prophets and planned to kill them, and they disobeyed the Divine commandments (shariah) i.e. they did not act according to it. Accordingly, at the very outset of the mention of the Children of Israel in the Quran, it is stated: وَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ ذَٲلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ يَكۡفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقۡتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ بِغَيۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۗ ذَٲلِكَ بِمَا عَصَواْ وَّڪَانُواْ يَعۡتَدُونَ (…and they incurred Allah’s wrath. That was so because they disbelieved in the messages of Allah and would kill the prophets unjustly. That was so because they disobeyed and exceeded the limits) (2:61). So, the Jews followed the path of dissention by rejecting and falsifying their prophets and disobeying the commands of Allah and this brought the wrath of Allah on them, even though they were previously a nation on whom Allah had bestowed favors. When the Muslims are taught to pray for not treading the path of مَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِم (those with whom Allah was wroth), its meaning is that they should shun the path of discord. The predominant attributes of the Christians as a result of which they turned away from the straight path are described as undue exaggeration and excesses i.e. elevating a prophet to godhood as stated in: قُلۡ يَـٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغۡلُواْ فِى دِينِڪُمۡ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوٓاْ أَهۡوَآءَ قَوۡمٍ۬ قَدۡ ضَلُّواْ مِن قَبۡلُ وَأَضَلُّواْ ڪَثِيرً۬ا وَضَلُّواْ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ   (Say: O People of the Book, exaggerate not in the matter of your religion unjustly, and follow not the low desires of People who went astray before and led many astray, and went astray from the right path) (5:77). In other words, the prayer of a Muslim is: O Allah! Show us the right path, the path of those on whom you bestowed favors and save us from following the path of those who because of dissension came under your wrath and of those who because of excessive exaggeration went astray. In other words, make us walk on the straight path that is free from all excesses and deficiencies, falsifications and exaggerations. These meanings are in accordance with the Quran and Hadith. It should be remembered that there can be excesses and deficiencies in the discharge of all kinds of rights. If the rejection of a prophet is a deficiency in granting him his right and his elevation to godhood is granting him a right in excess of his due, then the rejection of any right or not discharging it appropriately is a deficiency, and exaggerating a right and emphasizing it so much as to cause the neglect of another right is an excess.

It is also correct that the Jews became disobedient in a practical sense i.e. they accepted the Divine law (shariah) but did not act on it and the Christians went astray in their knowledge and accepted a man as a god. The meaning of this prayer can also be: O God save us from the practical errors of the Jews and the errors of knowledge of the Christians. A man does not achieve real perfection unless both his actions and his knowledge are correct.

آمین: Saying آیمن after Surah Fatihah is evidenced from authentic hadith. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Holy Prophet said that when the Imam says: غَيۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ then you should say آمین (Bukhari). آمین is a subject and its meaning is اِستَجِبْ i.e. O Allah! Accept our prayer.

• Revealed at Makkah: 7 verses
• The following English translation of the Holy Quran is by Maulana Muhammad Ali.

The Opening  : سُوْرَۃُ الْفَاتِحَةِ

1-0        In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

1-1        Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds,

1-2        The Beneficent, the Merciful,

1-3        Master of the day of Requital.

1-4        Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.

1-5        Guide us on the right path,

1-6        The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favours,

1-7      Not those upon whom wrath is brought down, nor those who go astray.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (١)

 ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ (٢)

 مَـٰلِكِ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ (٣)

 إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ (٤)

 ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٲطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ (٥)

 صِرَٲطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ (٦)

 غَيۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ (٧)

Commentary

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• What follows next is the rendering (into the English language) by Dr. Hamid Rahman of the Commentary and Footnotes by Maulana Muhammad Ali which appear (in the Urdu language) and correspondingly accompany the Holy Quran.
• Note, too, that this is a DRAFT version.

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Name: The best-known name of this surah is الفاتحة or فاتحة الکتاب. The names of the Quranic surahs by which they are known are mentioned in many authentic hadith containing the narrations of the Holy Prophet. Since the names are traceable back to the blessed tongue of the Holy Prophet, it follows that the surahs were named under Divine guidance. This surah is mentioned in the ahadith as الفاتحة and فاتحة الکتاب from whence it gets its name. The recitation of الفاتحة is an essential part of the daily prayers as is apparent from a hadith quoted both by Abu Daud and Tirmidzi which states:لا صلوۃ اِلّابقراۃ فاتحة الکتاب       (there is no prayer without the Fatiha). Another hadith narrated by Ubaidah bin Samit and reported both in Bukhari and Muslim states: قال رسول اﷲ صلم ﻻصلوة لمن لّم یقراٌ بفاتحة الکتاب      (The Messenger of Allah said, “Whoever does not recite the Fatihah has not said his prayer). There are other names of the Fatihah as well. In surah Hijar of the Quran, this surah is referred to as: من المثانی سبعًا meaning the seven oft repeated verses. In an authentic hadith, it has also been referred to as اُمّالقران or اُمّ الکتاب which means that this surah is the essence and summary of the Holy Quran. It has been called by other names as well such as الدعاء- الصلوۃ- الشفاء- الکنز- الحمد-  . Imam Al-Suyuti lists twenty-five names for this surah in his book Al-Itqan fi Ulum Al-Quran (The Perfect Guide to the Science of Quran).

Summary of the subject-matter

The four greatest attributes of Allah the Most High: There are a total of seven verses in this surah out of which the first three verses mention those perfect attributes of Allah which sustain the entire systems of this world. The first verse mentions the attribute of ربوبیت which means the nurturer unto perfection of the entire creation within the ambit of their assigned objectives. The second verse contains two attributes. The first of these is رحمٰنیت , which is the attribute of providing for creatures prior to their creation all necessary resources needed by them to reach their perfection, and the second is  رحیمیتwhich is the attribute of arranging the best results when the creatures use the provided resources. The third verse contains the attribute of مالکیت which is the attribute of requital when given resources are not put to good use or for transgressing the laws that are in place so that things may progress to perfection and the established order in the universe be maintained. The fourth verse is a declaration that only the Pure Being whose praise is enunciated in the first three verses is deserving of worship and that He is the only One from whom help is sought.

The two parts of Fatiha and their mutual relationship: The last three verses are a supplication for guidance on the right path and for the avoidance of extremes. The first three verses are only for extoling the praise of Allah and the last three verses only for the supplicant that he may be the recipient of the best rewards. The middle verse gives the connection between Allah, the Most High, and His servant and thus is common between the first and second parts of the Fatihah. The opening words of this middle verse اِیَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ (Thee do we serve) really connect with the first three verses because they make the Being whose laudable qualities have been stated in the first three verses to be the only one deserving of worship. Now since He is the only one deserving to be worshipped then perforce, He is the One from whom help should be sought. This connects the second part of the verseنَسْتَعِیْنُ  اِیَّاكَ with the first part of the verse while a natural connection exists with the last three verses of this chapter which explain the nature of the help that is sought. This is the meaning of the hadith which states that صَلٰوۃُ  meaning Fatihah is half and half between Me and My servant قال اﷲ قسمت الصٰوۃ بینی و بین عبدی نصفین ولعبدی ماسال۔ Tirmizi classifies this hadith as Hassan i.e. fairly reliable.

The rationale for keeping the Fatihah at the head of the Quran is its greatness: In an authentic(Sahi)hadith, the Fatihah has been calledاعظم السور فی القران  meaning the greatest surah of the Quran. Its greatness is apparent from the fact that prayer, which has been called the ascension of the believer, requires the recitation of the Fatihah in every rakah along with recitation from any other part of the Quran. It is the essence and summary of the Quran as is apparent from its name of اُمُّ اْلکِتاب۔. The real purpose of the Quran is to expound the praise of Allah and to guide men to their ultimate perfection. Accordingly, the first part of the surah explicates the basic laudable attributes of Allah and the latter part the achievement of man’s perfection. The start of the surah with the statement اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ  not only mentions Allah’s general attribute of nurturing but also sets the basis for the unity of mankind by the use of the word الْعَالَمِیْنَ which does away with all national differences. The purpose of religion, in summary, is to establish the lordship of God and the brotherhood of man and there can be no better rendering of this summary than the words:  اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ  i.e. All praise is for Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

The Fatihah refutes all false beliefs: The attributes of Allah mentioned in the Fatihah i.e. ربوبیت – رحمٰنیت – رحیمیت – مالکیت (Nurturer unto Perfection, Beneficent, Merciful, and Master) are the source or root from which all the other attributes of the Divine Being are derived. Another marvel of these attributes is that they refute the false beliefs of all the religions of the world. The attribute of ربوبیت (Nurturer unto Perfection) refutes the idea that anyone can partner or associate with Allah in His person or in His attributes. He is the Nurturer of the spirit and of matter, therefore they cannot be His associate in any attribute such as being eternal. Similarly, idolatry and all forms of polytheism is refuted because only a Being that nurtures others is worthy of praise and worship and that Being is only One. The attribute of رحمٰنیت (Beneficence) which connotes mercy without extracting recompense refutes the doctrine of atonement whose basis is that God cannot forgive without recompense and hence His son is made the recompense for the sins of mankind. But the dictates of رحمٰنیت (Beneficence) require that His mercy be exercised even without recompense as can be seen in His creation in which He makes provisions for men even before they are born. The attribute of رحیمیت (Mercy) means that He rewards abundantly for actions that are obedient to His laws. This refutes those beliefs that hold that man’s actions, which are necessarily limited in amount, can correspondingly only bring limited rewards, and therefore consider salvation to be only temporary. The attribute of مالکیت signifies that although Allah requites disobedience to His laws but His treatment with His creatures is that of a master with his servants. This refutes the creed of transmigration of the soul which holds that Allah cannot forgive any sin and therefore man must pass through many cycles of rebirth for the requital of sins.

Fatihah teaches moderation: Just as the first part of the Fatihah rebuts the false beliefs of other faiths, the second part of the Fatihah rebuts their extremist practices. All religions in their present condition except for Islam put special emphasis only on one aspect of human morality. Consequently, they have erroneously veered to one extreme or the other. Thus, they have put extreme emphasis on one branch and completely ignored the other. The summary of Islam’s teaching is here given as moderation which saves one from underindulgence and safeguards against overindulgence. Thus, the Surah Fatihah has the foundational teachings of the true principles of belief and actions and a rebuttal of that which is false.

The best supplication: The prayer that has been taught in this surah is of the highest excellence, the like of which is not met in any other religion. A comparison with the Lord’s prayer in Christianity exemplifies this statement. The Christians make tall claims about their Lord’s prayer, but it is nothing compared to the Fatihah. The Lord’s prayer supplicates for the daily bread while the Fatihah beseeches for the right path i.e. for the attainment of human perfection. This manifests the difference in the objectives of the two supplications. The Lord’s prayer pleads for the forgiveness of sins while the Fatihah expresses the desire to reach the station where one becomes free from committing sins and where there is no underindulgence or overindulgence in the fulfillment of rights. Thus, it is a prayer to become sinless or innocent. There is no supplication in the Torah or the Gospels which is a match for Fatihah in terms of teaching the right principles, in refuting the wrong beliefs, in eulogizing and praising Allah and for taking man to the highest pinnacle of perfection. Similarly, the relationship that has been created between Allah and His servant in the statement: اِیَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَ اِیَّاكَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ  (Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help) is without a parallel. Those who roam around seeking incantations (وظیفہ) for their spiritual uplift will find that they will obtain their objective much faster if they were to resort to the foremost of supplications i.e. the Fatihah. There is no better incantation than the surah Fatihah and it is an incantation that Allah, the Most High, has Himself taught to men.

Period of Revelation: There is unanimity of opinion that not only is this a Makkan revelation but that it belongs to the earliest period. This surah was recited in prayers from the beginning and prayers were regularly offered in Makkah. An incident is recorded from the fourth year of prophethood in which Saad was offering prayer with a group of Muslims in an open area near Makkah when an altercation took place with the unbelievers of Makkah, after which it was decided that prayers would be held in the house of Raqam. This incident shows that congregational prayers were offered prior to the fourth year of apostleship and hence surah Fatihah was recited in the prayers at that time. Its early revelation is not merely a matter of conjecture but there is evidence that it was the first complete surah to be revealed. According to one narration the Fatihah is: اوّل شئى انزل من القران  i.e. the first thing that was revealed from the Quran. This hadith has been narrated by Bayhaqi in دلاءل النبوّۃ (Dalayal Al-Nabuwat). The criticism against this has been that there is a consensus that اقرأ باسم ربّك was the first revelation. It appears that what is meant by اوّل شئى is that Fatihah was the first complete surah of the Quran that was revealed because only the first five verses of surah Al-Alaq (ال علق) were revealed in the first revelation and the rest of the surah was revealed later.

بِسْمِ ﷲِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ  : It is written before all the surahs of the Quran except for surah Al-Baraat (ال براۃ ). The revelation of this verse before every surah is proven by authentic ahadith. A hadith in Abu Dawud states that the Messenger of Allah did not recognize the separation of a surah until بِسْمِ ﷲِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ  was revealed to him. This proves that بِسْمِ ﷲِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ  was revealed at the start of every surah but the verse is not included amongst the verses of any surah including the Fatihah. It is reported in Ibn Kathir that Dauwd said it is a permanent verse at the beginning of each surah and not part of the surah. This is also the narrative from Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal and this was also the right belief of Imam Abu Hanifa.

بسم ﷲ (Bismillah) is the summary of every surah: بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم is a permanent verse because just as surah Fatihah is the summary of the Quran, بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم is the summary of surah Fatihah and thus it too is a summary of the Quran. Because every surah of the Quran is a book in itself with its standalone subject, بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم has been kept at the beginning of each surah as a summary of the surah as well. That بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم is a summary of surah Fatihah is apparent from the fact that out of the four attributes in the Fatihah i.e.   ربوبیت-  رحمٰنیت- رحیمیت – مالکیت , which are the root for all the other Divine attributes, two attributes – رحمٰنیت – رحیمیت – have been selected here. The reason is that the affairs of the world depend upon these two attributes. A little reflection will show that the provision of resources, and the arranging of the rewards when those resources are utilized is the basic organizational principle of the world on which all affairs depend. All the resources provided by Allah that make life possible such as water, fire, sun, etcetera, and the laws under which these operate are a manifestation of His attribute of رحمٰنیت (Beneficence), while the outcomes that result when we harness these resources is a manifestation of His رحیمیت (Mercy). The spiritual system is also based onرحمٰنیت  (Beneficence) and رحیمیت (Mercy). It is really on these two attributes that our physical well-being depends. The same is the case with our spiritual welfare. It is under His attribute of رحمٰنیت (Beneficence) that He grants us knowledge of His Divine ordinances and laws. ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ عَلَّمَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ (The Beneficent Taught the Quran) and when we put these ordinances and laws into practice, He organizes the outcomes. In short, both the physical and spiritual systems are established on these two attributes. It is for this reason that some consider the greatest name of Allah as: ﷲ الرَّحْمٰنِ ۔ الرَّحِیْمِ (Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful) [Zarqani]. بسم ﷲ  contains not only the summary of Allah’s attributes but the other half of Surah Fatihah pertaining to men has been encapsulated in the word با because that portion begins with إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ  and here too the با is for seeking of help. In this way, بسم ﷲ is a practical lesson of Unity for a Muslim in his life.

بسم ﷲ is the compliance of Allah’s order: It is also useful to remember that بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم is in reality the compliance of the first order that was given to the Holy Prophet. It is narrated in Bukhari that when the Holy Prophet, in accordance with his wont, was busy worshipping Allah in the Cave of Hira, the Angel came and said: اِقْرَاءُ i.e. “Read”. The Holy Prophet replied ما انا بقارئ i.e. “I am not one who can read”. The Angel again repeated the command and the Prophet repeated the same answer. This happened thrice. The fourth time, the Angel said: ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ i.e. “Read in the name of thy Lord who creates” (96:1). So, Allah Himself taught man how بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ is to be read. Accordingly, it appears from some narrations that the next revelation that came after this was: بِسْمِ ﷲِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ ۝ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ  up to the end of surah Fatihah. In other words, Allah Himself gave man the knowledge on how to ask Allah for help. The Prophet is reported in a hadith to have said: کل أمر لا یُبْد ءُ فیه بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم فھو اَجؐذم  i.e. “Every work that is not started with بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم is without blessings”. And certainly, a person who seeks helps from Allah in his work will receive His blessings.

1-0a     The با in بسم ﷲ is a plea for help, and its fuller exposition is, I read in the name of Allah seeking His help, and this is the compliance of the command ٱقۡرَأۡ i.e Read (96:1).

            اسم is from سُمُوٌّ which means highness or eminence and so اسم is that by which the eminence of the one called upon is extolled and he is recognized by it (R). It is used for both a personal name and an attribute. Allah is the proper name and الرحمٰن الرحیم (Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim) are attributive names, and the implication is that the reader seeks help from Allah’s attributes of Beneficence and Mercy. Allah, the personal name of God, is His greatest name and comprehends all His attributive names. It is not derived from اَلَهَ and its root is notاِلٰه   because اِلٰه is used for deities other than Allah. Neither in the Islamic period nor in the Pre-Islamic period was the word ﷲ ever used for any other deity. It is also not an abbreviation of اَلْاِلٰه (meaning the God) because God is not addressed as یا الاله or یَا اَلرّحْمٰن. Hence اَلْ is not an extra word. There is no language of the world other than Arabic that has the personal name of God.

            الرحمٰن الرحیم : Grammatically, both الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ are the superlative derivations from رَحِمَ (to have mercy upon, be merciful towards). One is on the measure of فَعْلان and the other on the measure of فعیل   . The superlative form of فَعْلان means repletion and overwhelm, and denotes an abundance of an attribute. The superlative of فَعیل means to repeat and implies that the attribute is repeated (AH). Some have distinguished between الرحمٰن  and  الرَّحِیْمِ by stating that الرحمٰن  is an attribute which is inherent in the Being of Allah and الرَّحِیْمِ is the attribute that denotes the relationship that develops with the person on whom mercy is shown. So رحمٰن is the Being whose beneficence is so vast that He creates all the necessities even before a person is born and this attribute encompasses both the believers and the non-believers and رحیم is the Being whose mercy is repeated again and again, and this attribute is manifested based on the action of the person (and is manifested again and again for every action) to whom mercy is shown.

            رحمٰن for this world and رحیم for the Hereafter: A hadith states that Allah is رحمٰن for this world and رحیم for the Hereafter because رحمٰن created all the necessities for a person before his birth merely out of an abundance of His beneficence and رحیم is the One who grants rewards for the righteous actions of an individual which will take place fully in the Hereafter. Thus, the One who endows the initial resources is رحمٰن and when a person expends effort to utilize these resources, the One who determines the outcomes is رحیم. The creation of the earth, water, fire etcetera is the demand of the attribute of beneficence (رحمانیت); by tilling, sowing a seed and irrigating, a person converts one seed into many and this is the demand of the attribute of mercy (رحیمیت). Similarly, the revelation of Divine laws (sharia) and the grant of prophethood is the demand of beneficence (رحمانیت). The success that results by adherence to these Divine laws takes place under the attribute of mercy (رحیمیت). It is for this reason that the teaching of the Quran to the Prophet is the work of الرحمٰن  and the verses ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنُ عَلَّمَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ  evidences this fact. رحمٰن is specific to Allah and is not used for any other, but رحیم is used for others as well. Thus, the word رحیم has been used for the Holy Prophet as in the verse:بِٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬  (9:128).

2-47      O Children of Israel, call to mind My favour which I bestowed on you and that I made you excel the nations.^a

يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ ٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنۡعَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَأَنِّى فَضَّلۡتُكُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (٤٧)

2:47a: As shown in 1:1a, people of a particular era are called an عالم . So the meaning here is Bani Israel was given excellence over the nations of their time. As against this, the Quran states about the Muslims: كُنتُمۡ خَيۡرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخۡرِجَتۡ لِلنَّاسِ  (You are the best nation raised up for men) (3:110). Bani Israel is being addressed here for the second time. In the first address, they are reminded of the prophecies about the Holy Prophet that are found in their scriptures. In this second address, they are reminded of the favors that Allah bestowed on them.

2-48      And guard yourselves against a day when no soul will avail another in the least, neither will intercession be accepted on its behalf, nor will compensation be taken from it, nor will they be helped.^a

وَٱتَّقُواْ يَوۡمً۬ا لَّا تَجۡزِى نَفۡسٌ عَن نَّفۡسٍ۬ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَلَا يُقۡبَلُ مِنۡہَا شَفَـٰعَةٌ۬ وَلَا يُؤۡخَذُ مِنۡہَا عَدۡلٌ۬ وَلَا هُمۡ يُنصَرُونَ (٤٨) 

2:48a تَجۡزِى  – The actual meaning of جزا is to be useful, to be enough (R) or to pay or recompense (IJ). The purport here is that what is due from one, cannot be paid by another.

شَفَـٰعَةٌ۬  – شفع  is derived from جفت )mated with; coupled with). The actual meaning of شفع  is to unite a thing with a like thing (R), and the meaning of شَفَـٰعَةٌ۬  is to join with someone while helping him and asking his welfare. The common use of the word is for a situation where someone of high prestige and status associates with someone who is inferior. This forms the basis for the concept of intercession on the Day of Judgment (R).

The matter of intercession: The issue of intercession is universally recognized in the Islamic shariah. The essence of it is that certain sins may be forgiven as a result of a connection with holy people. The basic teaching of Islam is that a person cannot be responsible for the actions of another. Also, the responsibility of one cannot be discharged by another. The issue of intersession does not negate these basic premises, and it certainly does not mean that a strong recommendation will get a person salvation. The intercession will work similar to the way in which intercession works in this world. For example, those who kept company with the Holy Prophet cleansed themselves from their sins. This revolution was solely the result of the intercession, that is, the connection that they forged with the Holy Prophet and the supplications that he made for them. One can conjecture from this how intercession on the Day of Judgment will work. The truth is that a person’s salvation depends upon the mercy and blessing of Allah. This mercy and blessing is manifested in the first place as a result of the actions of the person. However, if such a person makes some mistakes, but with a good intention, or unwittingly commits an act through ignorance, but his heart keeps yearning to do good, Allah will have mercy on him because of his true connection with a holy person and their prayers. Then the mercy of Allah, Who is the Creator and Master, is showered upon the person more liberally. The hadith regarding intercession that appears both in Bukhari and Muslim validates this interpretation. That hadith is as follows: شفعت الملئکة و شفع النبیون و شفع المومنون و لم یبق الا ارحم الراحم الراحمین فیقبض قبضة من النار فیخرج منھا قومًا لم یعملو اخیراقط  (The angels have interceded and the prophets have interceded and the faithful have interceded and none remains but the Most Merciful of all merciful ones. So He will take out a handful from the fire and bring out a people who have never done any good) (Ms. 1:72). Three kinds of intercession are spoken of in this tradition – of the faithful, of the prophets and of the angels. The relationship of the angels is very widespread, that is with all those who do good deeds, the relationship of the prophets is to their respective followers, and that of the faithful is even more limited. So, the angels will intercede for all those who do good, prophets will intercede for their followers and the faithful for those who have a special relation to them. Those who have never done any good, that is they had no relation with any faithful, prophets or with angels, the mercy of Allah will be invoked on their behalf. The subject matter of intercession is explained in this hadith, namely that the real purpose of intercession is to have mercy on sinners for which God has provided one way or the other. This is not like the intercession of Jesus in which all those who believe in the crucifixion and atonement will be saved regardless of what their deeds were and as for the others, there would be no mercy for them regardless of how much good they may have done. Neither is this intercession a recommendation that a particular person can make. Rather it is the result of the overflowing mercy of the faithful, the prophets and the Creator of the worlds.

This verse draws the attention of Bani Israel to the fact that their disobedience reached such an extent that they are far removed from the mercy of God. The means of safety that men seek are to ally with someone useful, or someone who can recommend them, or to offer recompense, or for someone to take mercy and become a helper. The Bani Israel are told that they have deprived themselves of all these means. Today, the condition of the Muslims is similar, and they need to take a lesson from this.

2-49      And when We delivered you from Pharaoh’s people, who subjected you to severe torment, killing your sons and sparing your women, and in this there was a great trial from your Lord.^a

 وَإِذۡ نَجَّيۡنَـٰڪُم مِّنۡ ءَالِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ يَسُومُونَكُمۡ سُوٓءَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبۡنَآءَكُمۡ وَيَسۡتَحۡيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمۡ‌ۚ وَفِى ذَٲلِكُم بَلَآءٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ عَظِيمٌ۬ (٤٩)

2:49a: نجینا – The root word of نجات is نجو and نجوة means elevated land. So, the meaning of نجات is الارتفاع من الھلاك that is to elevate (save) oneself from destruction (T) or to be delivered from what one is afraid of. Raghib states that the real meaning of نجاء is to be separated from a thing. So, the meaning of نجات in Islam is to rise above the temptation to commit sin, as sinning results in destruction, or to avoid committing sin and ultimately be delivered from it.

اٰل – It is a changed form of اھل. The difference between اٰل and اھل is that اٰل is attributed only to a proper noun while اھل is general and can be attributed to a common noun, place or period and secondly, the word اٰل is attributed to distinguished and prominent people while اھل can be attributed to anyone. According to some, the use of اٰل is limited to a distinctive person whether by way of a close relationship or by way of friendship and connection.

آل محمد and اُمت محمد Hence the difference between آل محمد صلعم and   اُمت محمد صلعم is that all followers of the Holy Prophet are included in اُمت محمد صلعم but only those people would be included in his اٰل who have the distinction of being firm in faith and are resolute in actions (R).

فرعون رعمیس – Pharaoh is the title of the kings of Egypt and the particular Pharaoh mentioned here is Ramses II.

يَسُومُون – The actual meaning of سوم is to go out seeking something. It is also used just for going out (without seeking) and just for seeking something (without going out), and here it is used just for seeking (R). And among the meanings of سامه is that a hard task was put on him (RM).

یذبحون – The actual meaning of ذبح is to slaughter a live thing by cutting the throat, but it is also spoken just for cutting and also just for killing.

بَلَآءٌ۬ – It is derived from بلی which is used for a garment that has become old and the use of  بلی as meaning trial follows the logic that excessive trials makes a person old. Grief and difficulties are for the same reason called بَلَآءٌ۬. However, because difficulties from God are sometimes trials that bring joy and ease, reward is also called بَلَآءٌ۬. A saying of Hazrat Umar is: بُلِیۡنَا بِلضَّراءِ فَصَبَرۡنا و بُلِیۡنَا بالسَّرّاءِ فلم نَصۡبِرۡ (Be patient whether the trial is by ease or difficulty) and we also find in the Quran: ‌ وَنَبۡلُوكُم بِٱلشَّرِّ وَٱلۡخَيۡرِ فِتۡنَةً۬   (And We test you by evil and good by way of trial) (21:35). In this verse, بَلَآءٌ۬  may be a reference to the difficulties and distress mentioned in يُذَبِّحُونَ (killing) and the reward that is mentioned is in the deliverance from it.

Bani Israel forced to do degrading work: Details of سُوٓءَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ (severe torment) mentioned here can be found in the Bible: And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor (Exodus 1:13-14).

Killing of Bani Israeli boys: The order to kill the boys born to Israelite women was also given by the Pharaoh: And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, …and he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. (Exodus 1:15-16). Pharaoh and his people did not want another nation to grow strong in Egypt, so he degraded them by forced labor. The purpose of killing the boys and letting the girls live was to make the Israelite nation extinct because the Israelite women perforce would wed Egyptian men. Allah delivered the Israelites from all these afflictions through Moses.

2-50      And when We parted the sea for you, so We saved you and drowned the people of Pharaoh while you saw.^a

وَإِذۡ فَرَقۡنَا بِكُمُ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ فَأَنجَيۡنَـٰڪُمۡ وَأَغۡرَقۡنَآ ءَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَأَنتُمۡ تَنظُرُونَ (٥٠) 

2:50a: فَرَقۡنَا – فَرَقۡ  and فلق have the same meaning but فَرَقۡ is used when separation takes place by parting while فلق is used when separation takes place by bursting (R). By the parting of the sea, is meant the ebbing away of water. In the chapter Al-Shuara the word that is used is فَٱنفَلَقَ (So it parted) (26:63).

ٱلۡبَحۡرَ – بَحۡر is the name of a vast collection of water (R) and hence it is used to denote either a river or a sea, as in تَبَحُّر فی العلم (sea of knowledge). A horse that walks a lot is also called بحر , and the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, when he mounted a horse of Abu Talhah: انا وجدنه لَبَحۡرًا The meaning of بَحَرَ is mostly torn asunder. بَحِیرة is derived from it, mentioned later. Cities and habitations are also called بِحار ۔(N).

Bani Israel crosses the sea. Several places in the Quran the Bani Israel crossing the sea is mentioned, but there is no mention in the Quran or Hadith that twelve paths were made in the sea, or that there were walls of water standing on either side with windows in them. What is stated is: فَرَقۡنَا بِكُمُ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ , that is, the sea was separated from you. In two other places in the Quran, it is stated: وَجَـٰوَزۡنَا بِبَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ (And We took the Children of Israel across the sea) (7:138 and 10:90). In another place, it is stated:‌فَٱنفَلَقَ  (So it parted) (26:63). The meaning of the sea parting is that a dry path appeared. In another place, it is stated: فَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُمۡ طَرِيقً۬ا فِى ٱلۡبَحۡرِ يَبَسً۬ا  (then strike for them a dry path in the sea) (20:77), and in yet another: وَٱتۡرُكِ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ رَهۡوًا‌ۖ  (And leave the sea behind calm) (44:24). There is no mention of twelve paths, nor of the walls of water. The Quran does not state how the sea parted and the dry path emerged. The Bible states: And the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land,… (Exodus 14:21).

What is clear is that Moses took the Bani Israel out of Egypt and brought them into the desert of Sinai. Where was the sea that they crossed? The Bible and its commentators say that the crossing took place near the northern end of the Red Sea, a little above the city of Suez. Possibly at that time, there was a narrow stretch of sea in that area from which the strong east winds, mentioned in the Bible, drove the water out, or the tide may have ebbed and a dry path emerged. But likely the Pharaoh would not give the Bani Israel the time to go so far. So perhaps this occurrence may have a connection with the Nile River or some other river. Rivers can be fordable and then all of a sudden there is a dangerous flash flood. This is a frequent occurrence with rivers that originate in mountains. Possibly, in ancient times, the River Nile may not have been so wide and parts of it may have been fordable. In the heat of the chase to catch Bani Israel, the Pharaoh did not think about taking stock of the strength of the current. In any case, the conditions that Allah created for Bani Israel to pass and for Pharaoh to drown, whether ordinary or extraordinary, do not diminish the favor. If saving the Prophet while he was hiding in the cave and dispersing a besieging force from around Madinah by a strong wind are favors of Allah, then achieving a certain outcome, even within the realm of science does not diminish the size of the favor.

2-51      And when We appointed a time of forty nights with Moses,^a then you took the calf (for a god) after him, and you were unjust.^b

وَإِذۡ وَٲعَدۡنَا مُوسَىٰٓ أَرۡبَعِينَ لَيۡلَةً۬ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذۡتُمُ ٱلۡعِجۡلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمۡ ظَـٰلِمُونَ (٥١)

2:51a: وَٲعَدۡنَا   is of the measure of mufa’alah (verbal noun of the derived form III of the basic verb) from وعد because the command was from Allah and its acceptance was by Moses.

مُوسَىٰٓ – Musa is an Aramaic name. Our commentators explain that it is a compound word consisting of  ماءmeaning water and شئ meaning tree. Some say that it is the conjugated form of ماس یمیس in a nominative sentence. Bible commentators consider the name derived from ماشه (come out). Recent research claims that it is an Egyptian word that means a child or son. Moses was a resolute prophet from among the Israelites. He was born in Egypt and his father’s name was Amran. His sister Mariam was quite a bit older to him and his brother Aaron was three years older. The period in which he lived is generally considered to be 1500 years before Christ, but recent research shows that the period of his sojourn on earth was about 1300 years before Christ, because the reign of Ramses II, the Pharaoh whom Moses faced, is approximately 1350 before Christ. Moses’ greatest achievements were freeing the Bani Israel from the enslavement of Pharaoh, and giving a religious law (shariah) to his nation. There are many references to Moses in the Quran, because of his similarity with the Holy Prophet.

لَيۡلَةً۬ – It is generally spoken of the period from sunset to the break of dawn. Although forty days are included in the forty nights, the nights are mentioned probably because night is more suited for worship. In Surah Al-Araf, instead of forty, the period is given as thirty and ten: وَوَٲعَدۡنَا مُوسَىٰ ثَلَـٰثِينَ لَيۡلَةً۬ وَأَتۡمَمۡنَـٰهَا بِعَشۡرٍ۬ (And We appointed for Moses thirty nights, and completed them with ten…).

Revelation of Shariah to Moses: The forty days stay of Moses on the mountain is narrated in the Bible: And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights (Exodus 24:18). This period of solitude was when the commandments of the shariah were revealed to Moses. This event is post exodus from Egypt. The first work entrusted to Moses was to free the Bani Israel from the slavery of Pharaoh. Only after this was accomplished was shariah revealed to Moses.

  2:51b: ٱتَّخَذۡتُمُ – When there is an object of اتخاذ (to take, to make) then it is used in the sense of to make (Rz). So, the meaning is that they made a statue of a calf.

Bani Israel and calf worship: In Egypt, where the Bani Israel lived for four hundred years, cow worship was prevalent. It influenced the Bani Israel, just as many Hindu practices influence Muslims. Many customs and rituals of Hindus are now found among the Muslims. The current veneration of Pirs (sages), and graves is partly due to this influence. While Moses was absent for forty days in the mountain, the Bani Israel made a statue of a calf and started worshipping it. The details of this incident are given in Surah Ta Ha in the Quran and Exodus Chapter 32 in the Bible.

2-52      Then We pardoned you after that so that you might give thanks.^a

 ثُمَّ عَفَوۡنَا عَنكُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ ذَٲلِكَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ (٥٢)

2:52a: عَفَوۡنَا – The actual meaning of عفو is to form an intention to take a thing or to attempt to take a thing (R). Hence it is used in two diametrically opposite meanings, that is, to erase and to increase. In accordance with the second meaning the Holy Prophet is reported to have commanded: اعفاء اللحی which is interpreted by Ibn Kathir as: ھو ان یوفر شعرہ ولا یقص کالشوارب (The hair of the beard should be increased and not shortened like that of the moustache) (N). And the meaning of عفوت عنهis: I proceeded to remove his sins (R), that is, erased them.

تَشۡكُرُونَ – The meaning of شکر is to conceive or manifest a blessing (R). There are different kinds of شکر. One kind is to have gratitude in one’s heart as reflection of blessings, and hence it is conceptual. Another is to verbally thank someone as a way to praise the giver. Yet another is to express your gratitude with your body, by which is meant to repay the favor for a blessing according to its merit (R). Gratefulness for a blessing is the opposite of ungratefulness for a blessing, that is, to hide a blessing (R). For this reason, شکر is to recognize a blessing or a favor and to disseminate it (T). And Allah is شکور, that is, giving a large reward for paltry actions of goodness. (T). These are also the meanings of شاکر which is an attribute of Allah.

2-53      And when We gave Moses the Book and the Discrimination that you might walk aright.

وَإِذۡ ءَاتَيۡنَا مُوسَى ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَہۡتَدُونَ (٥٣) 

فُرۡقَانَ – Is that which separates right from wrong (R). The word فرق (to separate) is generic. The Battle of Badar is also called فُرۡقَانَ in the Quran:  يَوۡمَ ٱلۡفُرۡقَانِ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡتَقَى ٱلۡجَمۡعَانِ‌ۗ (…on the day of Discrimination, the day on which the two parties met…) (8:41). The Quran itself is called فُرۡقَانَ: تَبَارَكَ ٱلَّذِى نَزَّلَ ٱلۡفُرۡقَانَ عَلَىٰ عَبۡدِهِ (Blessed is He Who sent down the Discrimination upon His servant…) (25:1). The light that is granted to a righteous person to distinguish the truth from falsehood is also called فُرۡقَانَ : إِن تَتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ يَجۡعَل لَّكُمۡ فُرۡقَانً۬ا  (…if you keep your duty to Allah, He will grant you a distinction…) (8:29). Giving Moses the Discrimination can be taken in three ways: It can be the granting of miracles by which the enemies of Moses were destroyed; it can mean the Torah as it discriminates between the truth and falsehood; and it can also mean the light by which the prophets distinguish between truth and falsehood.

2-54      And when Moses said to his people: O my people, you have surely wronged yourselves by taking the calf (for a god), so turn to your Creator (penitently), and kill your passions.^a That is best for you with your Creator. So He turned to you (mercifully). Surely He is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.

وَإِذۡ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوۡمِهِۦ يَـٰقَوۡمِ إِنَّكُمۡ ظَلَمۡتُمۡ أَنفُسَڪُم بِٱتِّخَاذِكُمُ ٱلۡعِجۡلَ فَتُوبُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ بَارِٮِٕكُمۡ فَٱقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ ذَٲلِكُمۡ خَيۡرٌ۬ لَّكُمۡ عِندَ بَارِٮِٕكُمۡ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ (٥٤)

2:54a: قَوۡمِ – قام is from یقوم which means to stand up. It is a plural noun. In the Arabic language, the word قوم  (nation) is for a party of men where no women are included because only men were considered responsible for affairs– but the Quran includes both men and women in the word قوم (R). This fact shows the elevation of women’s status by the Quran.

بَارئ – البارئ is an attributive name of Allah and is derived from بَرَأَ which means created in a way for which there was no example or anything similar before (T).

 The difference between خلق and بَرَأَ : The difference between خلق and بَرَأَ is that خلق (to create) is general while بَرَأَ is specific to animals (LA). So that البارئ  is the creator of the spirit but at times it is also used for the maker of jewelry or writer of a petition (LA). Regarding disasters, the Quran states: مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن نَّبۡرَأَهَا (before We bring it into existence) (57:22).

ٱقۡتُلُوٓاْ: The actual meaning of قتل is to sever the soul from the body (R) or to cause to die by beating, stoning, poisoning or by some other means (T). But sometimes this is not the meaning as in a hadith: قتل اللّٰه سعدً . The meaning of this hadith according to Ibn al-Athir is: ای رفشع اللّٰه شرہ  , that is, may Allah rid us of his evil. According to one narration, Hazrat Umar is reported to have said: اقتلوا سعدا قتله اللّٰه  , that is, slay Saad, but the meaning was not to actually kill him but render him ineffective as though he was slain. In another hadith report that describes the pledging for a disputed succession of two caliphs, the following words are used: فاختلوا الٰاخر , literally, kill the other, but Ibn al-Athir relates it as: ابطلوا دعوته داجعلوہ کمن مات (Refuse his invitation and make him like one who is dead) (N). And the meaning of قتلت فلاناً is given as: ذَلَّلۡتُه (I made him obedient) (R).

The meaning of فَٱقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ : Imam Raghib accepts its meaning as: قیل عنی بقتل النفس اماطة الشھوات (kill or overcome your passions).

انفس : is the plural of نفس and means the soul, but is also spoken to describe the totality of a thing or its true reality (T) as in ظلمتم انفسکم , that is, were unjust to themselves. And it is also used in the sense of اَخ meaning kinsfolk or one’s own people, as in: فَسَلِّمُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ (…greet your people…) (24:61) and similarly in: ظَنَّ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتُ بِأَنفُسِہِمۡ خَيۡرً۬ا  (…think well of their own people…), where انفس means believers who are followers of the shariah. The meaning of فَٱقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ can be your kinsfolk and also your passions as is purported in ظَلَمۡتُمۡ أَنفُسَڪُم (wronged yourself).

Further elaboration of قتل نفس : The Torah states that Moses commanded the sons of Levi: “And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.” (Exodus 32:27-28). It is possible that this event actually happened and the Quran may be referring to it in: فَٱقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ , that is, to kill their own people who were the instigators of cow worship and instrumental in misleading the nation. But another meaning that Imam Raghib adopted is that by قتل نفس is meant: اماطة الشھوات (kill your passions) which seems more appropriate given the context. Firstly, because the wrong to yourself that is referred to in ظَلَمۡتُمۡ أَنفُسَڪُم is purported to be indulgence in sinful desires and secondly because there is a specific mention of repentance after this to emphasize that the repentance should be such that such a despicable action should never be repeated again. Hence the command is given to subdue and take full control of their passions. The following words, فَتَابَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ‌ۚ (then He turned to you mercifully) also points to this interpretation. Further, in Surah Al-Araf where this incident is narrated in greater detail, mention is made only of repentance (See 7:153). The second mention of this incident favors adopting the meaning given by Imam Raghib.

2-55      And when you said: O Moses, we will not believe in thee till we see Allah manifestly, so the punishment overtook you while you looked on.^a

    وَإِذۡ قُلۡتُمۡ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ لَن نُّؤۡمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى ٱللَّهَ جَهۡرَةً۬ فَأَخَذَتۡكُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ وَأَنتُمۡ تَنظُرُونَ (٥٥)

2:25a: Bani Israel’s demand to see Allah: The meaning of لَن نُّؤۡمِنَ لَكَ is that we are not convinced just by your word that God speaks to you, unless we see God ourselves. Not all the Bani Israel said this; it was the seventy selected men that Moses had chosen to accompany him to the mountain. This is stated in Surah Al-Araf: وَٱخۡتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوۡمَهُ ۥ سَبۡعِينَ رَجُلاً۬ لِّمِيقَـٰتِنَا‌ۖ  (And Moses chose of his people seventy men for Our appointment) (7:155). This میقات (appointment) and the agreementوَٲعَدۡنَا  (appointment) in 2:51 are the same. These seventy men accompanied Moses to Mount Tur and they said that unless we see God, we will not take you at your word

 Moses asks God to show Himself at their request: In the face of this insistence, Moses finally asked: رَبِّ أَرِنِىٓ أَنظُرۡ إِلَيۡكَ (My Lord, show me (Thyself) so that I may look at Thee) (7:143). This is similar to Jesus praying to the Lord to send down food from heaven although he was averse to making such a request as is clear from his words:  ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ إِن ڪُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ (Keep you duty to Allah if you are believers) (5:112). God manifested His glory to the mountain and an earthquake followed: جَعَلَهُ ۥ دَڪًّ۬ا   (He made it crumble) (7:143). Shown in this incident is that God is a Being we can only see by His works and marvelous powers, and not with the eyes.

صاعقه and رجفه are the same: What is called here as صاعقه (thunder or vehement cry or punishment) is called رجفه (earthquake) in Surah Al-Araf: فَلَمَّآ أَخَذَتۡہُمُ ٱلرَّجۡفَةُ (So when the earthquake overtook them…) (7:155). Similarly, the punishment that overtook Thamud is called ٱلرَّجۡفَةُ (earthquake) in one place:فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلرَّجۡفَةُ  (So the earthquake seized them) (7:78) and صَـٰعِقَةُ in another: فَأَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ (…so the punishment overtook them) (51:44). The primary meaning of صَـٰعِقَةُ is a vehement cry and a rumbling noise that often precedes an earthquake. For this reason, the earthquake is called صَـٰعِقَةُ or a vehement cry. The Bible too mentions the earthquake: …the whole mountain quaked greatly (Exodus: 19:18).

2-56      Then We raised you up after your stupor that you might give thanks.^a

ثُمَّ بَعَثۡنَـٰكُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ مَوۡتِكُمۡ لَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ (٥٦)

  2:56a: بعثنا – The word بعث is used both for raising up from dead and raising up from sleep (T). Similarly, it is used for raising up from a state of unconsciousness (Bd).

The different meanings of موت: Imam Raghib lists several meanings of موت . First the absence of the power of discrimination, as in:  يُحۡىِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِہَا (…gives life to the earth after its death) (57:17). Second, loss of power of sensation, as interpreted in: يَـٰلَيۡتَنِى مِتُّ قَبۡلَ هَـٰذَا  (Oh, would that I had died before this,…) (19:23). Third, the loss of intelligence, that is, illiteracy, as in أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيۡتً۬ا فَأَحۡيَيۡنَـٰهُ  (Is he who was dead, then We raised him to life…) (6:122). Fourth, a grief or sorrow that is sufficient to cause death, as in:وَيَأۡتِيهِ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ مِن ڪُلِّ مَكَانٍ۬  (…and death comes to him from every quarter…) (14:17). Fifth, it means sleep. Accordingly, sleep is called light death, and death is called, heavy sleep. The prayer for getting up from sleep in the hadith is: الحمد اللّٰه الذی احیانا بعد ما اماتنا (All praise is for Him who gave us life after giving us death). Both life and death are mentioned but the meaning here is just regaining consciousness and sleep. Fifth, the common meaning, that is the parting of the soul from the body. According to the Lisan al-Arab dictionary, the word death is used as a metaphor for a very trying state such as fear, distress, disgrace, old age, sinfulness etc. And the meaning of موت is also unconsciousness.

What is the meaning of Bani Israel’s life after death: It was mentioned in verse 55 that an earthquake occurred. However, the earthquake did not cause their death as is obvious from the statement: أَنتُمۡ تَنظُرُونَ (while you looked on) because they could not have looked on if dead. To solve this seeming contradiction, some commentators opine that half of the populace died while the other half looked on. Then those who had died came back to life and watched the other half die. This is not a fruitful line of inquiry. The meaning of death here is loss of senses. The severity of the earthquake sent them into a stupor from which Allah caused them to recover. Or the meaning can be that their demand to see God was so irrational that from an intellectual standpoint it could only be made by people who were cerebrally dead. God then took them out of this state of cerebral death and granted them the light of faith, as in: أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيۡتً۬ا فَأَحۡيَيۡنَـٰهُ وَجَعَلۡنَا لَهُ ۥ نُورً۬ا يَمۡشِى بِهِۦ فِى ٱلنَّاسِ  (Is he who was dead, then We raised him to life and made for him a light by which he walks among the people) (6:122). This verse refers to a dead person who is given life and he walks among the people with a light that God gave him. Thus, the grant of the light of faith is what gives life to a person. This meaning is also given in Ruh-al-Maani which notes that this is the meaning prevalent both in prose and poetry. A poetic verse is also quoted in support: اخوالعلم حی خالد بعد موته – واوصاله تحت التراب رمیم * وذو الجھل میت و ھو ماش علی الثریٰ – یظن من الا حیاء و ھو عدیم  . Further, regarding ثم بعثنٰکم , in the commentary by Ibn Jarir, the example is given of ثم بعثنٰکم انبیاء which means, prophets were raised from among you because the word بعث is also used for sending prophets.

2-57      And We made the clouds to give shade^a over you and We sent to you manna and quails.^b Eat of the good things that We have given you. And they did not do Us any harm, but they wronged their own souls.^c

وَظَلَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡڪُمُ ٱلۡغَمَامَ وَأَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلۡوَىٰ‌ۖ كُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقۡنَـٰكُمۡ‌ۖ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ يَظۡلِمُونَ (٥٧)

2:57a: ظَلَّلۡنَا – is derived from ظل which means shade. فَئ also means shade , but فَئ means only that shade that is protection from sunshine while ظل is more general and used for anywhere there is no sun and so one can speak of ظل الیل and ظل الجنة, that is, the shade of night and shade of garden respectively.

غَمَامَ – is the plural of غمامة and means clouds. It is derived from غمّ whose real meaning is to cover. Clouds cover the light of the sun (R). اَمۡرٌغمّة means doubtful or dark, as in ثُمَّ لَا يَكُنۡ أَمۡرُكُمۡ عَلَيۡكُمۡ غُمَّةً۬  (Then let not your course of action be dubious) (10:71).

Shade of cloud: After the exodus from Egypt, the Bani Israel had to cross the desert of Sinai where the temperatures are very high and dwelling in tents is unbearable. Getting a cloud cover during the hot part of the day in such wilderness is a great blessing. The Quran does not mention a strange cloud that gave shade during the day and light during the night.

2:57b: مَنّ – مَنّ is actually a well-known measure of weight. Hence, the word is used to describe a great blessing, as if a person is buried under the weight of a great grace. And مَنّ is also the name of a thing that alights on a tree like dew and is sweet (R) like turanjabin (Persian manna). A hadith in Bukhari states الکمأة من المن (truffles are like manna).

سَّلۡوَىٰ – Its root word is سلا and the actual meaning of سَّلۡوَىٰ is a thing that gives satisfaction to a person (R). And سَّلۡوَىٰ is a bird that resembles quail.

The sending of manna and quails: Raghib narrates a report that manna and salwa are the same thing. It is called manna because with it, a great favor was bestowed on the Israelites and salwa because with it great solace was provided to them. And he quotes Ibn Abbas under سلا that manna is that which comes down from above and salwa is a bird , and further notes that on the basis of this, some commentators believe Ibn Abbas indicates that by manna and salwa is meant the sustenance that Allah has provided to men of meat and vegetables by way of example.

2:57c: طَيِّبَـٰتِ – طیب (good, pleasant, agreeable, delicious, sweet) is a thing that gives pleasure to the senses and that gives pleasure to the soul. In Shariah food is طیب when taken in a manner that is lawful, and taken in a measure that is permissible, and taken from a place that is lawful (R). Putrefying and decaying things cannot be called طیب .

The command to consume things that are طیب : The Bible states that Bani Israel started hoarding things which would putrefy and spoil. The indication in the command to consume good food seems to be to this fact because طیب is that thing, which is not decaying, rotting or otherwise injurious to health. A general principle is explained here that transgression of Divine commandments do not harm Allah a whit because He is Self-Sufficient and it is only the transgressor who is harmed. Similarly, by obeying the Divine commandments, it is the person himself who benefits.

2-58      And when We said: Enter this city, then eat from it a plenteous (food) whence you wish,^a and enter the gate submissively,^b and make petition for forgiveness. We will forgive you your wrongs^c and increase the reward of those who do good (to others).

وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا ٱدۡخُلُواْ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةَ فَڪُلُواْ مِنۡهَا حَيۡثُ شِئۡتُمۡ رَغَدً۬ا وَٱدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡبَابَ سُجَّدً۬ا وَقُولُواْ حِطَّةٌ۬ نَّغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ خَطَـٰيَـٰكُمۡ‌ۚ وَسَنَزِيدُ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ (٥٨)

2:58a: ٱلۡقَرۡيَةَ – It is derived from قری which means to gather together, and قریة  is the place where people are gathered and includes the people themselves. But it can also mean just the place or just the gathered people (R).

هَـٰذِهِ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةَ –   The reference here can be to the well-known habitation of Jerusalem. In another place, there is a clear direction to enter it: يَـٰقَوۡمِ ٱدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ ٱلۡمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِى كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ (O my people, enter the Holy Land which Allah has ordained for you …) (5:20). The Bani Israel were told to conquer and enter the Holy Land. There is also an indication in, “…then eat from it a plenteous food whence you wish,” that they should enter as conquerors. The next verse indicates that they did not obey this command, and their refusal to obey it is also mentioned in Surah Maidah. Or the reference could be to Shittim (Numbers 25:1).

2:58b: Imam Raghib explains the meaning of سُجَّدً۬ا as متذللین منقا دین , that is, submissively and obediently or in compliance with the command. This is the correct meaning here. In agreement with this, it is stated in Surah Maidah: ٱدۡخُلُواْ عَلَيۡہِمُ ٱلۡبَابَ  (Enter upon them by the gate) (5:23). The meaning is not to enter it in prostration.

2:58c: حِطَّةٌ۬  : The meaning of  حطّ is taking down from above (R) and the meaning of حِطَّةٌ۬   is حُطّ عنا ذنوبنا (our wrongdoings be forgiven) (R). Almost similar meanings are given by Hassan and Qatada. Ibn Abbas gives the meaning as to seek protection. نَّغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ خَطَـٰيَـٰكُمۡ‌ۚ   (We will forgive your wrongs) is the response to the prayer for حِطَّةٌ۬ (seeking protection) and this provides support to protection being the meaning of حِطَّةٌ۬ .

2-59      But those who were unjust changed the word which had been spoken to them,^a for another saying, so We sent upon the wrongdoers a pestilence from heaven, because they transgressed.^b

فَبَدَّلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ قَوۡلاً غَيۡرَ ٱلَّذِى قِيلَ لَهُمۡ فَأَنزَلۡنَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ رِجۡزً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفۡسُقُونَ (٥٩)

2:59a: Refusal of Bani Israel to go into battle: The meaning of changed the word is that they did not accept. They refused to enter as conquerors. The details of this are given in Surah Maidah. They preferred instead to adopt agriculture so that they could get food to eat. Bukhari hadith narrates that they said حبة فی شعرة (the grain in the ear) instead of حِطَّةٌ۬ which is an indication of their preference for agriculture. This shows that the change that they sought was that instead of going into battle, they would go into agriculture, and they thus showed their dislike for fighting. (See 2:61b). In accordance with this, it is stated elsewhere: فَٱذۡهَبۡ أَنتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَـٰتِلَآ إِنَّا هَـٰهُنَا قَـٰعِدُونَ  (…go therefore thou and thy Lord, and fight; surely here we sit) (5:24).

2:59b: The real meaning of رِجۡزً۬  is restlessness and anxiety and the calamity that because of its severity creates sorrow and anxiety is called رِجۡزً۬ (T). And the action that produces such a calamity is also called رِجۡزً۬ . In a hadith in Nasai, plague has been called رِجۡزً۬ .

مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ : The indication in it came from above is that it was a firm decree from heaven. In Ruh al-Maani, it is stated that: اشارة الی الجھة التی یکون منہا القضاء او مبالغة فی علوہ بالقھر و الاستیلاء . That is, there is an indication in مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ  towards where decrees come from, or it is a hyperbolic statement which in its sublimity indicates the rage and overwhelming nature of the restlessness and anxiety caused by the punishment. In another place, it is stated that they will wander in the wilderness for forty years. This is the punishment that causes  sorrow and anxiety. If Shittim is taken to be the town meant by هَـٰذِهِ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةَ then the punishment is the plague that killed a large number of Israelites in that town (Numbers 25:9).

2-40      O Children of Israel, call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you^a and be faithful to (your) covenant with Me, I shall fulfil (My) covenant with you; and Me, Me alone, should you fear.^b

يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ ٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنۡعَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَأَوۡفُواْ بِعَہۡدِىٓ أُوفِ بِعَهۡدِكُمۡ وَإِيَّـٰىَ فَٱرۡهَبُونِ (٤٠)

2:40a:  بنی  – بَنُو – اَبۡنَاء is the plural of اِبۡن and this word is derived from بَناء which means a manufactured thing or in its verbal noun form it means to build a thing. Accordingly, it is stated in the Quran: وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بَنَيۡنَـٰهَا بِأَيۡيْدٍ۬ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ (And the heaven, We raised it high with power, and We are Makers of the vast extent (51:47), لَا يَزَالُ بُنۡيَـٰنُهُمُ ٱلَّذِى بَنَوۡاْ رِيبَةً۬ فِى قُلُوبِهِمۡ إِلَّآ أَن تَقَطَّعَ قُلُوبُهُمۡ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ  (The building which they have built will ever continue to be a source of disquiet in their hearts, unless their hearts be torn to pieces. And Allah is Knowing, Wise (9:110), قَالُواْ ٱبۡنُواْ لَهُ ۥ بُنۡيَـٰنً۬ا فَأَلۡقُوهُ فِى ٱلۡجَحِيمِ  (They said: Build for him a building, then cast him into the flaming fire) (37:97) and كَأَنَّهُم بُنۡيَـٰنٌ۬ مَّرۡصُوصٌ۬  (…as if they were a solid wall) (61:4). And a son is called اِبۡن because he is brought into existence by his father. Then everything whose identity is an integral part of an event, or instruction or covenant or an order, is called its اِبۡن (son) as for example ابن حرب (literarily son of war, but a warrior), ابن العلم (literarily son of knowledge, but in actuality, knowledgeable) etcetera. ابن سبیل is a traveler (R).

إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ – is Aramaic. إِسۡرَ means عَبۡد(servant). In Arabic, the meaning of إِسۡر is to imprison, from which we have the words اَسیر (prisoner), and its plurals اُسارٰی and اَسۡرٰی. And ٲٓءِيلَ is a name of Allah, the Most High, and it is the same name by which Jesus called out to God on the Cross. The literal meaning of إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ is the servant of Allah or Allah’s slave, and it is also the second name of Prophet Jacob.

Bani Israel and Bani Ishmael: After mentioning the Unity of Allah and the need for prophets, a nation is mentioned as an example. By Bani Israel is meant the nation that is the progeny of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham. The other branch of the progeny of Abraham is Bani Ishmael, that is, the children of Ishmael. Thus, Bani Israel, the nation addressed here, and Bani Ishmael, to which Prophet Muhammad belonged, are two brotherly nations. Bani Ishmael always inhabited Arabia, while Bani Israel, after initially dwelling in Canaan for about 150 years, went to Egypt in the time of Joseph. After staying there for about four hundred years, they came back with Moses to the Holy Land and conquered the it under the leadership of Joshua.  

The Jews in Arabia: Several hundred years before Prophet Muhammad, many Jews settled in Arabia– probably because the prophecies of the last prophet indicate his advent there. Three Jewish tribes settled in Madinah, namely Banu Nadir, Banu Qurayza, and Banu Qaynuqa. Jews also settled in Khyber, and they were the rulers there.

The purpose for the narrative of Bani Israel: Narrative about a person or nation in the Quran is not meant to be a tale but rather is to educate the Muslims. The narrative of Bani Israel comes before any others because they have a special connection with Bani Ishmael, and because they are the recipient of special favors from Allah. Prophets were raised among them for their spiritual excellence, and physical excellence was bestowed on them in the form of military conquests. Allah mentions these favors in another place:  ٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ جَعَلَ فِيكُمۡ أَنۢبِيَآءَ وَجَعَلَكُم مُّلُوكً۬ا (…remember the favor of Allah to you when He raised prophets among you and made you kings…) (5:20), that is, He bestowed on you the most excellent spiritual blessings and the most excellent physical blessings. Despite these blessings their misdeeds made them subject to God’s wrath. The same happened to the Muslims. It was as if the Muslims’ history is written by way of a prophecy in the narration of Bani Israel. This commentary should be considered as coming from the blessed tongue of Prophet Muhammad because in a unanimously accepted hadith of great authenticity, the Holy Prophet had remarked: لتتبعن سنن من قبلکم  (You will follow in the footsteps of the previous generations), and when he was asked: الیھود والنصاریٰ یا رسول اللّٰه (The Jews and Christians? O Messenger of Allah), he replied “Yes, who else”. Thus, Muslims are reminded in this verse of the most excellent spiritual and worldly favors once bestowed on them that they are deprived today. First, they deprived themselves of the spiritual blessings by their actions and then Allah imposed upon them others who deprived them of the worldly blessings.

2:40b: ٱرۡهَبُونِ – The meaning of رَھۡب is fear mixed with caution and anxiety (R) as in: لَأَنتُمۡ أَشَدُّ رَهۡبَةً۬  (Your fear is greater…) (59:13) and  تُرۡهِبُونَ بِهِۦ عَدُوَّ ٱللَّهِ (…to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah…) (8:60). تَرھَبُّ means worship and رَھۡبانِیَّة means excessive worshipping. فَٱرۡهَبُونِ is in reality فَٱرۡهَبُونی that is, me alone should you fear. And إِيَّـٰىَ is added as a restriction, that is, a fear the like of which is not felt from anything else.

The covenant of Bani Israel with God: Both the covenants are mentioned in Deuteronomy 26:17-19: “Thou hast vouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in His ways, and to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgments, and to hearken unto His voice: And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honor; and that thou mayest be a holy people unto the Lord thy God, as He hath spoken.” “Hearken unto His voice” means they would accept the Last Prophet.

The covenant with the Muslims: A similar covenant was made with the Muslims as well: إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱشۡتَرَىٰ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَأَمۡوَٲلَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ‌ۚ  (Surely Allah has bought from the believers their persons and their property – theirs (in return) is the Garden.) (9:111). Muslims are in violation of this covenant and that is the reason for the difficulties they face today as a nation.

2-41      And believe in that which I have revealed, verifying that which is with you, and be not the first to deny it;^a neither take a mean price for My messages; and keep your duty to Me, Me alone.^b

وَءَامِنُواْ بِمَآ أَنزَلۡتُ مُصَدِّقً۬ا لِّمَا مَعَكُمۡ وَلَا تَكُونُوٓاْ أَوَّلَ كَافِرِۭ بِهِۦ‌ۖ وَلَا تَشۡتَرُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِى ثَمَنً۬ا قَلِيلاً۬ وَإِيَّـٰىَ فَٱتَّقُونِ (٤١) 

 2:41a: مُصَدِّقً۬ا – It is from صدق (truth) and صدّقت فلانا means I assigned him to the side of truth. (R).

مُصَدِّقً۬ا لِّمَا مَعَكُمۡ means it verifies that which is with you. The verification is a declaration of its truth and the relative pronoun ل after the verification is to show that the verification is for the benefit of that which is being verified, that is the Jewish and Christian scriptures.

Quran as the verifier of all Scriptures and its significance: The Quran is the verifier of the scriptures of Bani Israel and it is also called the verifier of all revealed Books: مُصَدِّقً۬ا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ (…verifying that which is before it of the Book and a guardian over it). (5:48). The Quran is the only Book holds all the prophets of Bani Israel to be true and also makes it incumbent to believe in all the prophets, wherever they may have appeared in the world. Another significance of مُصَدِّقً۬ا لِّمَا مَعَكُمۡ in the commentary by Ibn Jarir is that they had prophecies of the advent of the Holy Prophet. So the Prohet’s advent proved these prophecies, otherwise, there would be doubt about their truthfullness.

The prophecy of being the “Like of Moses”: For example, consider the prophecy: “I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee”, (Deuteronomy 18:18). The spirit of this prophecy necessitates that a prophet should appear who is the like of Moses. The strange thing is that none of the Israelite prophets claimed to be the like of Moses, nor could any prophet of Bani Israel claim to be so because all of them were the caliphs or successors of Moses.

The wait for three prophets up to the time of Jesus: This is the reason the Bani Israel were waiting for this prophecy to be fulfilled till the time of Jesus,. Accordingly, when John claimed to be a prophet, people asked him: Are you the Messiah? He said, no; then they asked him, are you Elias? He said, no; then they asked him, are you that prophet? He said, no. (John 1:21). All versions of the Bible here cite Deuteronomy 18:18, that is the “like of Moses”, for the identity of “that prophet”. These questions show that up to the time of Jesus, the Bani Israel were awaiting the advent of three prophets. Of these, Jesus proclaimed John to be the fulfillment of the prophecy regarding the coming of Elias and claimed himself to be the Messiah, leaving only the advent of the prophet who was to be the like of Moses. There has been no prophet in Bani Israel after Jesus.

Irrefutable evidence against Jews and Christians: If the Holy Prophet had not appeared and claimed to be the “like of Moses”, the prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:18 would perforce be considered false. The advent of the Holy Prophet manifests the truth of this prophecy. Even in the very early revelations of the Holy Prophet he is said to be the like of Moses, as for example in Surah Al Muzzammil: كَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ رَسُولاً۬ (…as We sent a messenger to Pharaoh). (73:15). This early anointment of the Holy Prophet by revelation of being the like of Moses in line with the Biblical prophecy is powerful evidence of the truth of the Holy Prophet against the Jews and the Christians. There are similar prophecies whose authenticity was established by the appearance of the Holy Prophet, as none of the prophets of Bani Israel fulfilled the conditions of those prophecies. This verse particularly serves to ask [the Jews and Christians] what their objection is in not accepting this Prophet when he fulfills the prophecies found in their Books.

2:41b: ثَمَنً۬ا قَلِيلاً۬ means a small price and implies the benefits of earthly life. It is for these benefits that most men do not accept the truth. Allah, the Most High, states: قُلۡ مَتَـٰعُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا قَلِيلٌ۬ (Say: The enjoyment of this world is short) (4:77).

2-42      And mix not up truth with falsehood, nor hide the truth while you know.^a

 وَلَا تَلۡبِسُواْ ٱلۡحَقَّ بِٱلۡبَـٰطِلِ وَتَكۡتُمُواْ ٱلۡحَقَّ وَأَنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ (٤٢)

2:42a: تَلۡبِسُواْ – لَبۡس means wearing clothes or to conceal yourself with clothes. لباس (dress) is derived from it, for which see 2:187a. Then the meanings have switched from the literal to metaphorical andلَبَسۡت عَلَیۡه اَمَره  means concealed a matter from him (R).

الحق – Raghib states that the literal meaning of حَقَّ is conformity and suitability and it is used in many senses. An attribute of Allah is الحق because He creates things in conformity with the dictates of wisdom: ثُمَّ رُدُّوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَوۡلَٮٰهُمُ ٱلۡحَقِّ‌ (Then are they sent back to Allah, their Master, the True one) (6:62). The things created by God are called حق because they are created according to the dictates of wisdom. Every action and word is called حق if it is right, proportionate and timely (R). Among the many meanings of حق is alsoصدق  (truth). (T). حق is the opposite of باطل (false or untrue).

Mixing truth with falsehood: What is implied by حق here are the prophecies that could still be found in their Books, and by باطل is meant their own desires that caused them to deny the fulfilment of the prophecies. These prophecies are mentioned as hidden in another place in the following words:  قَالُوٓاْ أَتُحَدِّثُونَہُم بِمَا فَتَحَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ (…they say: Do you talk to them of what Allah has disclosed to you…) (2:76) .

2-43      And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and bow down with those who bow down.^a

وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱرۡكَعُواْ مَعَ ٱلرَّٲكِعِينَ (٤٣)

ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ – Is derived from زکا and is used in farming for verdant growth. زکوٰة also stems from it,  the wealth that is distributed to the needy, and it is called زکوٰة because in reality there is great blessing in it because a person’s wealth may increase or their soul is cleansed (R).

ٱرۡكَعُواْ – The literal meaning of رکوع is to bend and is used for complete obedience, symbolized by a person completely bowing to another. In the terminology of the shariah it is one of the postures assumed in prayer in which a person bows with his hands on his knees until the neck and back are in a level plane. Here the term is used in its original sense [of complete obedience].

Prayer and Zakat: The first invitation is to faith and now they are told that mere confession of faith is not enough. It is necessary to accept as a principle two things Islam has made a requirement for the purity or perfection of the of soul, that is to keep up prayer and to give charity. The former is for excellence of spiritual beauty and the latter for excellence in goodness because prayer is primarily concerned with acquiring those perfections that are most concerned with a person’s soul, and charity with doing good to others.

 وَٱرۡكَعُواْ – is used to state that a person must at all times bow in obedience before the commandments of Allah.

2-44      Do you enjoin men to be good and neglect your own souls while you read the Book? Have you then no sense?^a

 أَتَأۡمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلۡبِرِّ وَتَنسَوۡنَ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ تَتۡلُونَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ‌ۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ (٤٤)

2:44a: ٱلۡبِرِّ- بِرّ is extensive goodness or a great good deed (R) from بَرّ which is a vast tract of land.

تَنسَوۡنَ – نِسۡیَان is for a person not to restrain himself from a thing that is entrusted to him whether as a result of weakness, neglect or desire until he becomes oblivious to it (R). A person is accountable for the نِسۡیَان that is deliberate, as in فَذُوقُواْ بِمَا نَسِيتُمۡ لِقَآءَ يَوۡمِكُمۡ هَـٰذَآ (So taste, because you forgot the meeting of this Day of yours) (32:14). The نِسۡیَان meant here is one which is intentional because to not follow the advice one is dispensing to others shows clearly that the disregard is deliberate.

تَتۡلُونَ – The literal meaning of تلیٰ is to follow something completely whether bodily or by following an order (R), and تَلَاوَت is specific to the Books of Allah whether by recitation or by acting upon it (R). By making this word specific to the Books of Allah, it has been made clear that the real purpose of recitation is to act according to it.

 تَعۡقِلُونَ – The literal meaning of عَقۡل is to stop and catch, as in stopping the camel by the cord that binds the animal’s legs at the knees. (R). In a hadith, the term اعقل و توکل is used, where the meaning of اعقل is to tie the knees. Imam Raghib says that there are two uses of  عَقۡل. First, the power that prepares a man to accept knowledge is called عَقۡلand second, the knowledge that is acquired by this power is also called عَقۡل. He writes that wherever Allah, the Most High, has chided the unbelievers for lacking عَقۡل , it is in the sense of the second meaning. It is obvious that Allah provides every human the strength to acquire knowledge and only the person who does not use it is accountable.

 The need to practice what is preached: In particular, the religious scholars are addressed here, who advise others but do not reform themselves. If the address is taken to be to the learned of Bani Israel, then their attention is drawn to the prophecies regarding the Holy Prophet. But I am of the opinion that the Muslims are actually being addressed, who are given this knowledge so that they may not walk in the footsteps of the Israelite preachers. Unless the preacher practices what he preaches, his sermons will not influence the preached.

The need to use intelligence in religion: Phrases like أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ (Have you then no sense) are of frequent occurrence in the Quran. This shows that intellect is a great gift from Allah and without using it, it is neither possible to find the truth nor can one identify the true religion and the right path. There is a hadith in Mufradat (Dictionary of the Quran) which states: ما خلق اللٰۡه خلقا اکرم علیه من العقل  (There is no creation of Allah more honorable in His eyes than the one that has intelligence). It is intelligence that makes man superior to animals. To say that intelligence has no part in religion is completely against the teachings of the Quran. Allah admonishes those persons who do not use their intellect.

Intelligence and revelation: Revelation informs us about things that one cannot acquire knowledge of merely by the use of intelligence. However, that does not mean that intellect should not be used to determine the rationality of those things sent down by revelation. Revelation enlightens the inherent intelligence in the nature of a person. To make one the opposite of the other is to be ignorant of their respective characters.

2-45      And seek assistance through patience and prayer, and this is hard except for the humble ones,^a

وَٱسۡتَعِينُواْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ‌ۚ وَإِنَّہَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلۡخَـٰشِعِينَ (٤٥)

2:45a: ٱلصَّبۡر – صبرا is to show restraint in a time of need and remain restrainted for a thing that your intellect desires and the shariah allows (R). In other words, صبر is to remain devoted and to stay away from sinful acts. صبر is a common word and steadfastness in times of trouble, resoluteness in battle, and fasting is called صبر.

كَبِيرَةٌ – The actual meaning of كَبِير  is big, but كَبِيرَةٌ is also used for a thing that is difficult. کبر has been used in this sense in: وَإِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيۡكَ إِعۡرَاضُہُمۡ  (And if their turning away is hard on thee,…) (6:35).

خَـٰشِعِينَ – خشوع means humility, submissiveness (R), peace and obedience (T). this word is especially used for a respectful tone and downcast eyes. The Quran has خَشَعَتِ ٱلۡأَصۡوَاتُ (voices are low) (20:108) and خَـٰشِعَةً أَبۡصَـٰرُهُمۡ (Their looks cast down) (68:43).

Method of seeking help: The Quran prescribes patience and prayer for believers to seek help in times of distress. Patience is steadfast adherence to true principles and prayer is supplicating to Allah, the Most High. Patience in prayer requires that a person stands strong without caring for any opposition or hurdle. Even if the whole world turns against him, he should stand firm like a mountain and his steps should not falter. Prayer requires that he should fall before Allah with great humility and meekness. When one exhibits a high degree of firmness before people and a high degree of humbleness before Allah, then the way to success becomes easy.

The need to turn to Allah in times of distress: Some of the commentators have taken the pronoun إِنَّہَا (this is) to stand for seeking assistance, which makes the meaning: Seeking assistance with patience and prayer is hard for common folks. Others have taken it to stand for just prayer and in my opinion, this is correct as the context of the passage shows. To turn to Allah in a time of distress is only the habit of those who have a very strong belief in a meeting with Allah. Here, after giving the command to ask assistance with patience and prayer, the subject of prayer is continued because the context here is recognition of the prophet, or belief in him, and this objective is primarily achieved through prayer. Later in verse 153, after giving the same command, the subject is continued with patience as the emphasis because the context there is of war– prayer is no doubt necessary but the overriding need in that situation is for steadfastness.

2-46      Who know that they will meet their Lord and that to Him they will return.

 ٱلَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّہُم مُّلَـٰقُواْ رَبِّہِمۡ وَأَنَّهُمۡ إِلَيۡهِ رَٲجِعُونَ (٤٦)

 يَظُنُّونَ- ظن is a thing attained from signs. When the signs and the conclusions are strong, the thing becomes knowledge and when they are weak, it is no more than a superstition (R). ظن is used both for suspicion and certainty. When used in the context of certainty, it implies a certainty obtained with endeavor to understand, not by sight. When certainty is a result of sight, it is called knowledge (T). The use of ظن here is certainty and there is almost a consensus on this among the commentators.

  مُّلَـٰقُواْ – لقاء is used both for a thing coming in front and for obtaining it, but is also used for the two events taking place separately.

 رَٲجِعُونَ – رُجُوع is the return of a thing back to where it started or where it was decreed to have started with regard to the place, action or word (R).

 What is meant by a meeting with the Lord? This is mentioned again and again in the Quran and the unbelievers are accused of not believing in meeting with the Lord. إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرۡجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا وَرَضُواْ بِٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا (Those who expect not the meeting with Us, and are pleased with this world’s life…) (10:7) shows that considering the life of this world as the sole objective and purpose of life is akin to denying a meeting with the Lord. Towards the end of Surah Qaf, after describing those people who expend their power only for the life of this world, it is stated: أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلِقَآٮِٕهِۦ (Those are they who disbelieve in the messages of their Lord and meeting with Him,…) (18:105). In another place, it is stated:إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدۡحً۬ا فَمُلَـٰقِيهِ (…thou must strive a hard striving (to attain) to thy Lord, until thou meet Him) (84:6). Thus, what is meant by a meeting with the Lord is attaining the high [spiritual] life that is the lot of the believers in this world. Although the full manifestation of the meeting with the Lord will only take place after death, in the Hereafter. But those who achieve paradise in this world, that is, achieve the spiritual status where their soul is at rest (نفس مطمئنه ) live their worldly life in the presence of Allah. Thus, لقاء ٱللَّهُ   or to attain Allah is the highest objective of human life.

  إِلَيۡهِ رَٲجِعُونَ – رجوع الی ٱللَّهُ The return of every person to Allah after death has already been mentioned in verse 28. The meaning here is the presentation before Allah for requital.

2-30    And when thy Lord said to the angels, I am going to place a ruler in the earth,^a they said: Wilt Thou place in it such as make mischief in it and shed blood?^b And we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy holiness.^c He said: Surely I know what you know not.^d

وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ خَلِيفَةً۬‌ۖ قَالُوٓاْ أَتَجۡعَلُ فِيہَا مَن يُفۡسِدُ فِيہَا وَيَسۡفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحۡنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمۡدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ‌ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعۡلَمُ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (٣٠)

2-30a: قَالَ – قول  The Quran Dictionary states (Al-Mufradat fi Gharib al-Quran) that قول means speech i.e. the spoken word and also what is contemplated in the heart prior to its expression as in  وَيَقُولُونَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ لَوۡلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا ٱللَّهُ (…and say within themselves: Why does not Allah punish us for what we say?) (58:8). Further the word قول also means belief. Additionally, when a thing gives evidence, it is also called قول , as in the example: امتلاء الحوض و قال قطنی (the tank was full and it said ‘no more for me’.) A verse in the Quran states: قَالَتَآ أَتَيۡنَا طَآٮِٕعِينَ (They both said: We come willingly) (41:11). Raghib states that this occurred because of Allah’s control and not because of a spoken command. The same explanation applies to: قُلۡنَا يَـٰنَارُ كُونِى بَرۡدً۬ا وَسَلَـٰمًا عَلَىٰٓ إِبۡرَٲهِيمَ  (We said: O fire be coolness and peace for Abraham) (21:69). Ibn Kathir states that the word قول is used by Arabs for all kind of actions, even where there are no spoken words. Some examples of such use are: قال بیدہ (caught)  قال برجله  (left or went away) قالت له العینان  (the eyes signaled) قال بالماء علیٰ یده (poured water on the hands) قال بثوبهٖ (lifted the dress). In the Hadith, قال is used in the sense of rested, came forward, inclined towards, beat, and overcame.

Allah’s قول or command is different for humans, from angels, from animals and from the earth and heavenly objects. Even communication with men takes many different forms. Allah communicates by putting certain things in human’s nature as is His behest, while to another He provides guidance through the person’s intellect and that قول too is His قول . The revelation to Prophets is of a different hue. Sometimes, He commands through dreams and revelations. How He commands the rest of creation is beyond the understanding of men because it is outside of human experience. Likewise, the manner of their submissions to God defy human intellect.

مَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ : It is the plural of ملأك whose other form is ملك and its root is ألك and الوکة is in the meaning of messengership so that مَلَك is in the meaning of messenger or it is derived fromمِلك .

Existence of angels: Angels are ethereal beings that are invisible to the eyes, and act as Allah’s messengers, that is, as His intermediaries. Some Muslims have gravitated to the view that it is some force or power that is referred to as “angel,” and have gone to the extent of considering prophethood to be an angel or power named Gabriel. According to this creed, one would also believe that Divine revelation must be an internal voice of a person, and not an external phenomenon. Although, in the Quran, only one type of Divine revelation an idea put into the heart of a person by Allah. Another type is مِن وَرَآىِٕ حِجَابٍ (from behind a veil) (42:51) and a third form is the one in which Allah sends His messenger (Gabriel) to deliver His message. The idea that revelation is merely an inner voice is totally incompatible with this third form of communication. And if revelation is not an inner voice but an external phenomenon, then ملك or angel cannot be the name of a human force or a force of nature. The fact is that angels are those intermediaries that become the means of bringing the powers of nature or of humans into action. They control these forces to a certain extent. An analogy may help to clarify this role of the angels further. The physical powers of humans require an external medium to operate, without which they cannot function. For example, humans have eye for the power to see, but without light, this power does not work. Humans have the power to listen, but without air, this power does not function. Similarly, in the world that is concealed to the human eye (i.e. the spiritual world), there is a need for a concealed intermediary to activate the hidden powers. These intermediaries either prompt humans to goodness and are called angels ( ملك ) or incite the power of evil and are called devils (جنّ ) or Satan (شیاطین )۔   It is for this reason that the creation of angels (ملك) is said to be from light and that of the devil (جنّ) from fire. In addition to this, there is evidence from the greatest, righteous persons of this world that angels are distinct beings. Those who believe that there are prompters of acts of goodness, whom we call angels, are those in whom qualities of goodness take birth, while philosophers who do not believe so, do not benefit from the prompts of goodness. This phenomenon provides practical evidence to support the reasoning that angels are separate beings.

  خَلِيفَةً – is derived from خلف which means coming after. And خلافة means to be a vicegerent for someone, or to officiate on account of the absence of someone, or to succeed someone on account of his death or unfitness. Sometimes, the word viceregent is used just to honor a person. It is in this sense that Allah has called saintly persons who are near to Him as His vicegerents (R).

The progeny of Adam is vicegerent: Commentators have mostly preferred to interpret viceregent as meaning the progeny of Adam and not Adam himself. Firstly, because there is a mention of shedding blood in the text that follows and that points clearly to the human generation and not to Adam, and secondly because Quran refers to the human generation as viceregent: هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَڪُمۡ خَلَـٰٓٮِٕفَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ (He it is who made you successors in the land) (6:165) and وَيَجۡعَلُڪُمۡ خُلَفَآءَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ (…and will make you successors in the earth) (27:62). The viceregency of Allah is that man has been bestowed a portion from the knowledge and power of Allah.

The need for prophethood: This chapter mentions the eminence of mankind and indicates that physically man can achieve this premier position, but morally and spiritually he cannot achieve excellence without revelation from Allah. In this way, the eminence of mankind was made dependent on the institution of prophets.

The meaning of the viceregency of man: In the first part of the verse, Allah makes a statement to the angels. Because angels are the executors of Divine purpose, the object of the statement is to manifest Allah’s intention. The intention is that a creation of Allah should be His viceregent on earth. This creation is mankind as is mentioned later and as stated inإِنِّى خَـٰلِقُۢ بَشَرً۬ (I am going to create a mortal) (15:28). The meaning of man being a viceregent of Allah is that he will get a portion from the knowledge and power of Allah. Accordingly, these two things are mentioned in what follows. The grant of knowledge to man is stated in عَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءَ (He taught Adam all the names) (2:31) and secondly the grant of a portion of His power to man is manifested by commanding the angels to be submissive to Adam. In another portion of the Quran it is stated: سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعً۬ا مِّنۡهُ‌ (He has made subservient to you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth) (45:13). There are many powers in nature; they cannot dominate one another but man can rule all of them. This is the reason why man is even more eminent than angels.

2:30 b:  يَسۡفِكُ – سفك means spilling something that is fluid (R), and the word is generally used to describe spilling of blood or to shedding of tears (RM).

ٱلدِّمَآءَ – It is the plural of دَمۡ which means blood.

Angel’s mention of mischief: The mention of mischief by the angels is not by way of counsel because their role is not to counsel. God creates what He pleases as clearly stated in یخلق ما یشاء . It is also not by way of an objection as apparent from the Quranic statement: یفعلون ما یؤمرون (They do as they are commanded). The angels, therefore, can neither counsel nor object. They are how God’s commands are carried out. When God desires a thing to be done, the angels carry it out. What then is the meaning of their statement? The statement of the angels does not carry the same meaning as a similar statement by humans. The statement of the angels is merely meant to bring to light the reality that humans will cause mischief and bloodshed. An alternate meaning could be: Is a ruler required because there would be people on earth who would create mischief.

Two questions need to be addressed here:

1. Why did the angels say what they said? The answer is that the eminence of man was to manifest itself by degrees over time, but mischief and bloodshed would manifest much earlier.
2. How did the angels know about the bloodshed and mischief that humans will cause even before humans were created? If the alternate meaning is adopted [i.e. Is a ruler required because there would be people on earth who would create mischief. This response is in the form of a question.], then the question becomes invalid and does not warrant an answer. If the first meaning is adopted [i.e. the angels were simply stating a reality], then there are two explanations. Firstly, God has always been creating and [the angels may have experienced this from] some earlier creation that may have passed away. Secondly, the viceregent was to rule over opposing forces and this was not possible unless there were opposing forces in his nature. The natural consequence of the presence of opposing forces in a creation is bloodshed and mischief.

In any case, the dialog of the angels is meant to impress upon humans the eminent purpose of their creation, and how they are abandoning that objective by shedding blood and creating mischief.

2:30 c: نُسَبِّحُ – تسبیح is derived from سبح which means to pass swiftly through water and air as in: كُلٌّ۬ فِى فَلَكٍ۬ يَسۡبَحُونَ (…all float on in an orbit) (36:40). This word has also been used for going through an action swiftly as in: إِنَّ لَكَ فِى ٱلنَّہَارِ سَبۡحً۬ا طَوِيلاً۬ (Truly thou hast by day prolonged occupation) (73:7). تسبیح means to get through the worship of Allah swiftly i.e. purification by Allah (R) and to speak of purification from blemishes.   سُبۡحَانَ is derived from it and سبحانك means you are free from blemish.  بحمدك is added to state that His Being is not only free from blemishes, but is deserving of praise because of bestowing favors.

نُقَدِّسُ لَكَ‌ – قُدس means pure and holy, and تقدیس means purification (LA). Some have described the meaning of نُقَدِّسُ لَك as we keep ourselves and those who follow you pure for you (LA). But القدوس is one of the attributes of Allah.

The difference between تسبیح and تقدیس : تسبیح and تقدیس occur both with the relative pronoun ‘for’ (the Arabic ل ) and without it. The meaning is that we assign all purity to you. The تسبیح or glorification of Allah is for the perfection of His Being i.e. He is not confined by a body and there is none like Him and تقدیس is His perfection of attributes and actions. The use of تسبیح and تقدیس in the reply of the angels is meant to convey the fact that their response is not meant by way of an objection because His Being and His attributes are free of any defects or flaws.

2:30d: أَعۡلَمُ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ – means that humans have excellences whose knowledge has not been imparted to the angels and those excellences are yet to be manifested.

2-31    And He taught Adam all the names,^a then presented them to the angels; He said: Tell Me the names of those if you are right.^b

وَعَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَہُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنۢبِـُٔونِى بِأَسۡمَآءِ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِينَ (٣١)

2:31a : ادَمَ – is the proper name for the first man but sometimes the name of a remote ancestor is used to include not just him but also his progeny. It is humans that are meant here because knowledge was given not only to Adam but to the whole human race. Imam Raghib says that Adam means excellence and he was so called because he was bestowed with knowledge and wisdom, which is referred in another place as being the spirit (روح) and was given excellence over the rest of the creation. Another explanation for the name Adam is that man is a composite of many different factors and faculties and   اُدۡمَه has in its meaning تَخۡلیط which means to mix as in the Quranic words  أَمۡشَاجٍ۬ نَّبۡتَلِيهِ (…mixed, to try him) (76:2). In a hadith giving advice that plans should be examined, the reason given is یؤدم بینکم which has been explained by Ibn Kathir as meaning, “so that there should be love and harmony amongst you.”

ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءَ – is the plural of اسم for which see 1:1a. The commentary on this verse in the Hadith of Bukhari, cites the hadith of intercession, in which the term و علمك اسماء کل شئ that is, Allah taught Adam the names of everything, is used. So ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءَ كُلَّهَا means the names of everything, or the attributes of everything i.e. the qualities of everything. Imam Raghib states that by ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءَ here is meant words, simple and compound meanings. He then goes on to say that simply knowing the name of something in a language is not very helpful unless the mind simultaneously recalls with it the picture of that thing. So, knowing the name of a thing is just a sound unless one has real knowledge of it. Some have taken ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءَ كُلَّهَا to mean the names of the angels and some have taken it to mean the progeny of Adam (IJ).

The children of Adam and the knowledge of names: As has been mentioned above, Adam includes the children of Adam or mankind. It is obvious that in: خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ (٣) عَلَّمَهُ ٱلۡبَيَانَ  (He created man. Taught him expression) (55:3-4) the reference is to all humanity and not just Adam because expression has been taught to the whole of mankind. Hence the names of things and the knowledge of their properties has been imparted generally to everyone. This concept cannot be objected to on the grounds that knowledge of things is learnt gradually over time [because the knowledge is still being imparted by God].

Imparting of knowledge to man by God: The faculties that God has created within man to acquire knowledge is tantamount to teaching him that knowledge. The fact that Allah has imparted different properties to things and at the same time given man the ability to comprehend them, is giving knowledge, even if the need to strive for it remains. In an analogous manner, God’s provision of sustenance to man is that God has created the means to generate sustenance and given man the ability to exploit these means. In the Quran, the use of learning and knowledge has been used in this sense, as for example in the statement:عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ  (…taught by the pen) (96:4). The knowledge that is gained with use of the pen is learnt incrementally through striving, but Allah has imputed the imparting of that knowledge to Himself. Similarly, it is stated about the scribe that he should write: ڪَمَا عَلَّمَهُ ٱللَّهُ‌ (…as Allah has taught him) (2:282)– although the scribe learns to write as a result of his own effort. In the same vein, it is stated about the training given to hunting dogs: تُعَلِّمُونَہُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ‌ۖ  (…you teach them of what Allah has taught you) (5:4), that is, this training is part of the knowledge that Allah has given you. It is obvious from this example that the whole human race is included in: ادَمَ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءَ كُلَّهَا because Allah has created in them the ability to recognize the nature and properties of things.

Knowledge of the properties of things: The commentary of Baidawi states that Allah created man with a variety of abilities, including the ability to rationally investigate matters that require an understanding of things and ideas – plausible, or imaginary, and gave him the intelligence to understand the nature and property of matter, the competence to frame the rules of business and industry and the competence to make and run appliances.

2:31b: عَرَضَہُمۡ – The personal pronoun [them in presented them] refers to things as is obvious from the words that follow: بِأَسۡمَآءِ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ (the names of those). The personal pronoun is masculine because of politeness or because those with intelligence have a superiority among them (RM).

Presenting things to the angels: Presenting things to the angels means visualization of things in their heart or the expression is used as an example (RM).

 أَنۢبِـُٔونِى – انباء – is derived from نباء which means information that will result in great benefit; from which knowledge will be gained or a conjecture overcome (R). The use of this word denotes that the information about the names will lead to some great benefit.

The indication in أَنۢبِـُٔونِى: Allah’s saying, “Tell Me the names” is to show the submissiveness of the angels, and to show they lack knowledge of the attributes and properties of objects. Thus, the purpose is to manifest a particular state of affair, and the use of this form of dialog has been explained above.

إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِينَ: صدق (truth) is the opposite of کذب) ) falsehood. Being truthful here refers to a rightful response to the query indicated in “Tell me”.  Since the angels are not audacious enough to respond on the basis of conjectures, they must truthfully respond if they are familiar with the properties of things. Another interpretation is that if اِنۡ (if) is taken to mean اِذۡ (when) then the meaning can be, “When you only speak the truth and what is right, then tell Me whether you know about the peculiarities of these objects.” Ibn Abbas gives another interpretation of this statement, which is: The angels believed that Allah would not create another creation more knowledgeable and superior, so Allah informed them of the incorrectness of their thinking. And صدق can also be used to mean صَوَاب (right; correct) just like کذب (to lie) sometimes means خطا (error; mistake). The meaning can be: “If you are correct in your opinion that he will create mischief and shed blood, the purport is not to contradict this but to draw attention to his excellences”.

2-32      They said: Glory be to Thee! we have no knowledge but that which Thou hast taught us. Surely Thou art the Knowing, the Wise.^a

قَالُواْ سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ لَا عِلۡمَ لَنَآ إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمۡتَنَآ‌ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ (٣٢) 

2:32a. ٱلۡحَكِيمُ – حَکَم means to stop someone for reformation, and حِکمة when used for Allah means His infinite knowledge and His creation of things with a definite purpose. When used for humans, it means ability to understand and doing of good deeds (R). And among the attributes of Allah is الحکیم which means one with the most perfect wisdom.

Angels and knowledge of the properties of things: The angels admit that they do not know the properties of things. And سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ is repeated before the angel’s reply, to show that their statement is not an objection against Allah for not granting them this knowledge. Their reply ends with ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ to express that only Allah has perfect knowledge and He, in His wisdom, grants from His knowledge, to whomever He desires, whatever knowledge He wants. That angels, His intermediaries, are not granted knowledge of the properties of things is also part of His wisdom because as intermediaries, they do not require such knowledge.

2-33      He said: O Adam, inform them of their names. So when he informed them of their names, He said: Did I not say to you that I know what is unseen in the heavens and the earth? And I know what you manifest and what you hide.^a

 قَالَ يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ أَنۢبِئۡهُم بِأَسۡمَآٮِٕہِمۡ‌ۖ فَلَمَّآ أَنۢبَأَهُم بِأَسۡمَآٮِٕہِمۡ قَالَ أَلَمۡ أَقُل لَّكُمۡ إِنِّىٓ أَعۡلَمُ غَيۡبَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَأَعۡلَمُ مَا تُبۡدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡتُمُونَ (٣٣) 

2:33a Adam informing the angels of names does not mean that Adam is giving the angels knowledge that Allah had not. Imparting knowledge is through a human being’s actions. Human beings use of materials (for work and to manipulate the environment) manifests knowledge over things because it is only with knowledge of the qualities of materials that they can be put to use.

 مَا تُبۡدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡتُمُونَ – کَتَمَ means to hide but کَتۡم is also spoken for a thing not clearly apparent through actions. Thus, in the context of stingy people, the Quran states:  وَيَڪۡتُمُونَ مَآ ءَاتَٮٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِ (…and hide that which Allah has given them out of His grace.) (4:37)– this is explained by Imam Raghib as being ungrateful for the favors of Allah. Similarly, in another place the Quran states: لَا يَكۡتُمُونَ ٱللَّهَ حَدِيثً۬ا  (…they can hide no fact from Allah) (4:42) where the meaning of “they cannot hide” is that they will be exposed practically. So, مَا تُبۡدُونَ are those things that the angels manifested i.e. the commitment of mischief and bloodshed by men.

What is meant by what the angels hide? By وَمَا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡتُمُونَ  (…and what you hide) is meant the fact that was hidden from the angels—the knowledge human’s have, their excellences, and that gaining this knowledge ewas their purpose. This is the answer to أَتَجۡعَلُ فِيہَا (Wilt Thou place in it…) which effectively asked for the wisdom of creating man and placing him on earth.

The rational for giving man authority over the forces of nature: This subject is emphasized to clarify that man has been granted more knowledge and excellence than the beings who are given control over the forces of nature, that is, the angels. Man should not, therefore, bow to the forces of nature but instead should try to control them.

2-34      And when We said to the angels, Be submissive to Adam, they submitted, but Iblis (did not).^b He refused and was proud, and he was one of the disbelievers.^c

وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأَدَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ ( ٣٤ )

2-34a Submission and control: سَجَدَ  – ٱسۡجُدُواْ – The meaning of سُجُود is to bow and be submissive and it is used in the sense of humility and worship of Allah. This submission takes place in two ways. Firstly, by prostration, which is specific to humans, and secondly by the submission to the creator of every created thing, including humans, animals, and vegetables (R). Imam Raghib has explained the meaning of  ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأَدَمَ in two ways. First, that Adam was positioned towards the Qibla and the command was given to prostrate to Allah. Second, that the angels were commanded to be obedient to Adam and to motivate him and his progeny to virtuous deeds.

The literary meaning of سجدہ: In religious terminology, سجدہ is the name of that special position in worship when the forehead is placed on the ground. It is not permissible to prostrate to anyone but God. In this verse, the word سجدہ has been used in its literary sense, that is, in the sense of obedience or submission as in the following verse of a poet: قلنا له اسجد للیلی د

The meaning of submission by the angels: The knowledge of names, or, ability to learn and gain knowledge is the first excellence of Adam (man). The second excellence of Adam is that the angels are commanded to be submissive to Adam. Because angels are the beings that control the forces of nature, the submission of angels means authority over the world. In the same vein, it is stated in another place: وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعً۬ا مِّنۡهُ‌ (And He has made subservient to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, all from Himself (45:13). The meaning here is also that man is endowed the ability to harness all the forces of nature for his benefit. This is the same meaning that Badawi has written. اوالتذ لیل والا نقیاد بالسعی فی تحصیل ما ینوط به معاشہم و یتم به کما لہم , which means that the angels bow down and  become obedient, and humans, by striving can achieve things necessary for survival and further for the excellence  [for which he was created]. The use of the plural form indicates that Adam includes the progeny of Adam as in: وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَـٰڪُمۡ ثُمَّ صَوَّرۡنَـٰكُمۡ ثُمَّ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ ٱسۡجُدُو  اْ لِأَدَمَ  (And We indeed created you, then We fashioned you, then We said to the angels: Make submission to Adam. (7:11). Thus, for every human it is as it was for the first human.

2:34b: إِلَّآ  – إِلَّآ  in some cases disunites that from which the exception is made, and the statement which follows is, therefore, a new statement altogether cut off from the first. The real purpose of the word is to make a distinction between the statement preceding the word, and the statement that follows.

إِبۡلِيسَ – It is derived from بلس and ابلاس is that grief i.e. sorrow that is born out of despair (R) as in: يُبۡلِسُ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ  (the guilty will despair) (30:12). Iblis is called Iblis because he despairs of the mercy of God. One of the hadith states: الم ترالجن و ابلاسھا. The Quran states that Iblis is not from elevated beings of light but he is from the jinn, or the beings of fire as stated in: كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ (he was of the jinn (18:50). There are many tales that have found their way into some Quranic commentaries based on hearsay from Jewish sources. One tale is that Iblis was from the angels and dominated the other angels in his knowledge, and what he did with the countenance of Adam. Ibn Kathir points out one such tale and states that many Israeli tales have been woven into this that are not the narrations of the Prophet’s companions.

Iblis and Satan: Iblis has also been called Satan. As long as he despairs of the mercy of God, he is called Iblis and when he allures others to do things which remove them further off from Divine mercy, he is called Satan. This distinction is in accordance with the literary meanings because Iblis is he who despairs of the mercy of Allah for himself and Satan or شیطان is derived from شطن meaning بُعد (remote) i.e. one who drives others further from the mercy of Allah.

Iblis and evil impulses: Some people have taken Iblis to mean evil impulses. Sir Syed was a proponent of this view. In support of this view, he cites the statement of a sage from Sharah Fusus [a book by Shaykh Muhuyyud Din ibn Arabi] tha tin the opinion of some people Iblis is the name of a ubiquitous evil power that pervades the universe and the evil impulses generated in the brain of a person are a component of it. In our opinion, just as it is wrong to consider angels as merely universal forces or a force in an individual, it is erroneous to consider Iblis and his offspring as merely a human force. In fact, just as angels are a being, Iblis and his offspring are also a separate beings and they have been called jinn because they are hidden from the eye. In summary, there is associated with every individual two beings, one that we call angles who motivate higher forces or the inclination to do good [and for the other see below].

Devils are the motivators of evil: The other that we call jinn or devils (شیاطین) who are associated with animal passions and motivate evil inclinations. There is a set of desires in a person that are called base or inferior desires because they are associated with the inferior worldly life and another set that is associated with morals and spirituality and which raise a person to a higher level. It necessary for both these desires to be present in man. The inferior desires are required because the earthly life is the gauntlet in which the development of a human must occur but the angelic desires are needed for the initiation of this development.

Why was Satan created: To question why God created Satan is tantamount to asking why God gave this earthly life to man. It is only through animal (physical) life that man can develop spiritual life. For this reason a hadith states: ان الشیطان یجری من بنی اٰدم مجری الدم (Satan flows through the human being like the flowing of blood). That is, Satan is associated with a human’s animal life.

Creation from light and creation from fire: The creation of angels from light and jinn from fire is a pointer towards the same philosophy. By following the prompting of the angels, humans develop spiritual light. ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ يُخۡرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ‌ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ أَوۡلِيَآؤُهُمُ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتُ يُخۡرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ ٱلنُّورِ إِلَى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ (Allah is the friend of those who believe – He brings them out of darkness into light. And those who disbelieve, their friends are the devils who take them out of light into darkness) (2:257). The fire that has no light is just smoke and smoke stands for darkness.

2:34c: أَبَىٰ – اِباء is an emphatic prohibition, that is, to strictly prohibit or to strictly reject (R).

ٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ – Is derived from کِبۡر and is that condition of a person where he is very proud of himself and considers himself superior to others. The most significant اتِکَبُّر (pride) is to refrain from accepting the truth. اسۡتِکۡبَار (Pride) is of two types. The first is when a person resolves and desires to make himself better and if he does that at a time and place that is appropriate, it is praiseworthy and a good thing. The second is when a person develops a superiority complex and pretends to be what he is not; then it is blameworthy. It is in this second sense that this word is used in the Quran. (R). And تَکَبُّر  is also been used in two ways. First, when the good qualities of someone far exceed those of others; it is in this sense that المُتَکَبّر is one of the attributes of Allah. The second is acts superior to appear important, and this is blameworthy. (R).

If the command given was to the angels to be submissive, how does Iblis factor into it? The ability to discriminate between good and bad requires that humans be endowed with two kinds of powers, a superior angelic power, and an inferior animal power.

Command to Satan to submit: Just as the angels motivate a human’s superior angelic powers, similarly devils are the motivators of the inferior animal powers. When the superior beings were commanded to submit to man, the inferior beings automatically fall within the ambit of this order. Satan has not been ordered directly anywhere in the Quran to submit but in one place the word used to address Satan is إِذۡ أَمَرۡتُكَ‌ (when I commanded thee) (7:12) which shows that by virtue of being an inferior being, he was included in the command given to the superior beings.

Iblis’ refusal to submit: Most commentators concede the submission of angels to mean they will assist in the development of human beings’ souls. Similarly, the refusal of Iblis to submit means that he will be a hindrance in a person’s development; he does so by instigating the animal instincts or the evil commanding self (nafs-e-ammara). This instigation does not stop until a person makes his soul completely obedient, and his animal instincts are moderated so that he never uses them in any inopportune way.

Submission of Iblis: When the Holy Prophet remarked that Satan flows through the human being like the flowing of blood [Sahih Muslim], the Companions asked him: O Messenger of Allah, in you too? He replied: yes, but Allah helped me with him, and he became obedient to me. The first stage of a person’s excellence is when he makes Satan submit to him, so that his animal self and his evil commanding soul do not become a hindrance in his development. Satan has been called من الکافرین (of the disbelievers) because he attempts to hides the blessings of the angelic attributes that Allah has bestowed upon man. One of the meaning of کفر is to cover, hide, conceal.

2-35      And We said: O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in the garden, and eat from it a plenteous (food) wherever you wish,^a and approach not this tree, lest you be of the unjust.^b

وَقُلۡنَا يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسۡكُنۡ أَنتَ وَزَوۡجُكَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنۡهَا رَغَدًا حَيۡثُ شِئۡتُمَا وَلَا تَقۡرَبَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (٣٥) 

2:35a: ٱسۡكُنۡ – The dictionary meaning of سُکوُن is to lose the ability to move, or for motion to cease, and it is a declaration (T). Accordingly, mental peace from an absence of mental agitation is also spoken of as سُکوُن .

The third stage in the creation of Adam: In the first stage, Adam is given knowledge, in the second stage he is given power by the angels submitting to him, and the third stage is for him to receive the garden, that is, a life of comfort and ease. At this stage, Adam’s wife is also included with him, which tells us that although knowledge and power can be obtained singlehandedly, a life of ease and comfort cannot be obtained as a single being.

Spouses in paradise: Accordingly, in another place in the Quran it is stated: خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٲجً۬ا لِّتَسۡكُنُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهَا  (He created mates for you from yourselves that you might find quiet of mind in them) (30:21). This is the reason why there is also a mention of spouses in the garden of the Hereafter. Contending this idea implies that there will not be quite of mind there.

First garden of Adam: Is the first garden the paradise which is promised as the result of righteous actions? It is obvious that it is not, because the paradise granted after death is one from which one is never expelled. وَمَا هُم مِّنۡہَا بِمُخۡرَجِينَ  (nor will they be ejected therefrom) (15:48). Adam, however, was expelled from the garden mentioned in this verse. This garden, therefore, is a garden of this life. Commentators accept this idea. The description of the first garden as given here is: And eat from it a plenteous (food) wherever you wish. The description is further expounded in Surah Ta-Ha: Surely it is granted to thee therein that thou art not hungry, nor naked. And that thou art not thirsty therein, nor exposed to the sun’s heat. (20:118-119). From a physical standpoint, this garden is given to a person in the form of resources that Allah creates which enable him to fulfill his need for food, drink, water, and shelter. These are the four necessities that become available to man through striving. The meaning is therefore clear. The resources are made available in the earth and a human is endowed with the power to use them to fulfill his needs, or in other words makes the angels submit to him. As his knowledge increases, so does his power, and with it there is an incremental increase in the sources of his pleasure.

The garden of spiritual peace: It is obvious that food, drink, clothes, and shelter are not enough to give comfort, pleasure, and peace. Spiritual peace is also required, and in fact that is the real paradise. Even if one has all the provisions of food and drink but one’s heart is not at peace, then these provisions give no pleasure. If one’s heart is at peace, he can bear deprivation of food and drink, and other difficulties joyfully. Undoubtedly, food and drink are also required and there is mention providing these as well, but the real garden in this life where one finds peace is a spiritual garden i.e. a heart that is at rest. It is obvious that spiritual peace or a heart at rest can only exist if a person does not commit sin. The moment sin is committed, contentment and peace disappear. Thus, the spiritual garden is for a person to remain in a state of sinlessness. Allah has granted this state to everyone as all babies are born sinless. Therefore, He has given the garden to everyone and cautioned not to waste it. وَمَنۡ أَعۡرَضَ عَن ذِڪۡرِى فَإِنَّ لَهُ ۥ مَعِيشَةً۬ ضَنكً۬ا (And whoever turns away from My reminder, for him is surely a straitened life) (20:124). The straitened life here refers to the loss of spiritual peace. Can one say this narration is taken from Christianity when the foundation of this narration rests on the nature of humans being sinless? The same incident in Christian belief is evidence that a human is born a sinner.

2:35b: ٱلشَّجَرَةَ – شَجَر or شَجَرَۃ is a vegetation that has a stem (R), that is a tree. And شَجار (Past tense شَجَرَ ) and مُشَاجَرَۃ and تَشَاجُر  mean contention and disagreement. Some people have taken شَجَرَۃ to mean dispute which is not based in the lexicon.

ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ – The meaning of ظُلۡم according to the lexicon is: وضع الشَیۡءِ فیِ غَیۡرِ مَوۡضِعِه الۡمُخۡتَصِّ به  (Changing a thing from its designated place, time or occasion to another) (R). The change may be by effected by reducing it, increasing it, or moving it in time or space. For this reason, the meaning of ظُلَمۡتُ الۡاَرۡد is that it was dug up in a place which was not a place to dig. And transgressing from the truth is also ظُلۡم regardless of whether the transgression is small or big (R). ظُلۡم if of three types: the first is between a person and Allah, the Most High, and the most significant examples of this are disbelief and associating another with Allah. The second is ظُلۡم against people and the third is ظُلۡم against your self. The meaning of ظُلۡم in this verse is in the sense of doing ظُلۡم to your own self. (R) that is, harming yourself in some manner.

Which tree is meant by هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ: Commentators have variously interpreted the tree to be wheat, dates, camphor, fig, wild gourd, and several other types. But what is the sense in the context of this verse? The word هَـٰذِهِ indicates nearness of the thing. So, that thing was mentioned before and is mentioned in this immediate context. The most recent thing mentioned is أَبَىٰ  (refused) and ٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ  (proud). These are the biggest evils as a result of which Satan is led astray. More details of this incident are mentioned later in Surah Al-Araf verses 11 to 19 where Satan refuses to submit and is commanded out of this state. Satan answers that he will turn the human race from the right path by coming at them from all directions; and most of them will not remain thankful, that is they will indulge in evil. After this, Adam is commanded: ٱسۡكُنۡ أَنتَ وَزَوۡجُكَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ فَكُلَا مِنۡ حَيۡثُ شِئۡتُمَا وَلَا تَقۡرَبَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ (…dwell thou and thy wife in the garden, so eat from whence you desire, but go not near this tree,) (7:19) This clearly shows that  هَـٰذِهِ indicates the incitement of Satan who wants to be an impediment in the [spiritual] development of humans. Thus, the meaning of هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَة is simply evil. The same mention of leading humans astray after Satan refused to submit is found in other places of the Quran in Suras Al-Hijar (15:39-40), Bani Israel (17:62) and Saad (38-82-83). The Quran itself compares evil to a tree: مَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ۬ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ  (…the parable of an evil word is as an evil tree…) (14:26). It is obvious that that the tree that Adam was prohibited from going near must be the same tree the progeny of Adam is also prohibited; and the progeny of Adam is warned: لَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلۡفَوَٲحِشَ (…draw not nigh to indecencies) (6:151).

The command of لَا تَقۡرَبَا (do not approach) is to the nature of man: This verse describes the condition and nature of man. The command لَا تَقۡرَبَا is a command to the nature of man. It is neither a revelation nor an inspiration because revelation and inspiration treat the violation of this command as mentioned further on. Further, this is a command to both husband and wife. Where the mention of revelation comes, the term فَتَلَقَّىٰٓ ءَادَمُ is used, that is, then Adam received (revealed) words from his Lord; therefore this is a command to the nature of man. In 2:27a we see that a command to the nature of man is also a covenant with Allah. But man is weak, and a reminder (ذکر ) is needed to fortify the command to his nature which is given in the form of revelation from Allah.

The Bible’s mistake corrected: The Bible calls هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ (this tree) the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Forbidding Adam to go near it would then mean that God did not give him the ability to distinguish between good and evil. How is Adam then superior to other animals? It would follow that man was forcefully able to acquire the marvelous skill that makes man superior to animals (the knowledge of good and evil) by disobeying the command of Allah. Such an idea is absurd. The Quran contradicts this idea.

The consequence of violating the nature commanded by Allah is that the violator is unjust to his soul, that is he loses the peace of mind and the spiritual joy that nature granted him. How this is lost is narrated in Surah Araaf.

2-36      But the devil made them slip from it, and caused them to depart from the state in which they were. And We said: Go forth, some of you are the enemies of others. And there is for you in the earth an abode and a provision for a time.^a

فَأَزَلَّهُمَا ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ عَنۡہَا فَأَخۡرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ‌ۖ وَقُلۡنَا ٱهۡبِطُواْ بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ۬‌ۖ وَلَكُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُسۡتَقَرٌّ۬ وَمَتَـٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬ (٣٦) 

2:36a: ازلّ – is from زلّ which means: اِسۡتِر سَالُ الرِّجۡلِ مِنۡ غَیۡرِ قَصۡدٍ (Involuntary staggering) (R). Hence زَلَّةٌ is a fault committed unintentionally (R). So, أَزَلَّهُمَا means they were made to commit زَلَّة  (an unintentional fault), that is, at the instigation of Satan, Adam and his wife unintentionally and without resolve committed a fault.

عَنۡہَا- The personal pronoun may stand for the tree (شجرۃ), that is, the tree was the bait that was used to make them slip, and it could also stand for the garden, in which case, the meaning would be that that they were made to make such a grievous slip that caused them to be ejected from the garden.

ٱهۡبِطُواْ – ھَبَطَ means the same as نَزِلَ (F). It can also mean falling from above, as in: ہۡبِطُ مِنۡ خَشۡيَةِ ٱللَّهِ  (…fall down from the fear of Allah) (2:74). Another use is to alight or descend in a place as in: ٱهۡبِطُواْ مِصۡرً۬ا  (enter a city) (2:61). Imam Raghib distinguishes between ھبط and نزل by noting that ھبوط is used in the sense of disdain and نزول in the sense of deference. One hadith states: اللّٰھم غَبٓطًا لا ھَبۡطًا which is explained by Ibn al-Athir as: we beseech Thee for a goodly condition and ask your protection from disgrace and degradation. This shows that besides a change in place, it also means a change of condition. ھبط also means loss. Accordingly, the meaning of ھبط القوم has been explained as: their condition became inferior and they suffered a loss (T). Ruh al-Maani also states that ھبط is used to mean a fall into an inferior condition.

The evil suggestion of the devil: Quran commentators includ here many stories from the Israelites in which Satan is made to enter the garden morphed as a serpent or quadruped. The Quran, however, states clearly that the work of Satan was by way of evil suggestion: فَوَسۡوَسَ لَهُمَا ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ  (But the devil made an evil suggestion) (7:20). Satan works by whispering evil suggestions in the heart of every man: يُوَسۡوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ (whispers into the hearts of men) (114:5). The garden Adam dwelled in was a garden of peace and contentment of the soul. It was not the everlasting garden of the Hereafter that is granted as a reward for righteous actions; Satan cannot enter in the everlasting garden. Hence there can be no objection [to this interpretation]. Although natural sinlessness is a state of peace of the soul, it is not a state of perfect satisfaction in which Satan cannot make evil suggestions. It is Divine revelation that guides man to this latter state as is mentioned in what follows.

Adam’s slip: The choice of word used here ازلّ or ازَلَّة shows that Adams action was inadvertent. This is further substantiated by, فَنَسِىَ وَلَمۡ نَجِدۡ لَهُ ۥ عَزۡمً۬ا  (We found in him no resolve (to disobey)) (20:115). Illustrated here is that with natural sinlessness is attached natural weakness. A person can stumble unless the special connection with Allah that is born from Divine revelation is forged.

مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ‌ۖ means they were taken out of the garden or serenity of the soul because that peace disappears when sin enters.

What is meant by ھبوط of Adam: وَقُلۡنَا ٱهۡبِطُوا is because of the condition created, that is the action is taken because of the slip that had occurred. Because the result is decreed by Allah, the word used is قُلۡنَا (We said). See 2:30a for the meaning of قول . The personal pronoun in ٱهۡبِطُواْ is plural and hence the address is to Adam and all of his progeny i.e., the whole of humanity as Fara has said (RM). This is a statement and not a revelation made to Adam, Eve, or generally to the people and so قُلۡنَا  (We said) is used in the sense of manifesting a state. This is a state of loss so the word ھبط(loss) is used.

بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ :is not a mention of Satan’s enmity because the warning of his enmity is given before:  إِنَّ هَـٰذَا عَدُوٌّ۬ لَّكَ وَلِزَوۡجِكَ (…this is an enemy to thee and to thy wife) (20:117). This reference is to mutual enmity among men because when the natural state is abandoned people become enemies of one another and يَسۡفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ (shed blood) (2:30) or …

Man’s soul and Satan: Or the meaning is that every man has two kinds of motive forces: one elevates him to a higher status and another that propels him down. So in a manner of speaking, one part of a person becomes the enemy of the other part. This interpretation does not contradict the existence of Satan because just as a man’s mind makes evil suggestions:  وَنَعۡلَمُ مَا تُوَسۡوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفۡسُهُ  (We know what his mind suggests to him) (50:16), so too does Satan makes evil suggestions: ٱلَّذِى يُوَسۡوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ (٥) مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ (٦) (Who whispers into the hearts of men, from among the jinn and the men) (114:5-6). The mind also commands evil: إِنَّ ٱلنَّفۡسَ لَأَمَّارَةُۢ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ (Surely (man’s) self is wont to command evil) (12:53) and Satan too commands man to evil: وَلَأَمُرَنَّہُمۡ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلۡقَ ٱللَّهِ (…and bid them so that they alter Allah’s creation) (4:119). Similarly, Satan is the enemy of man, as has been repeatedly stated in the Quran and man’s self is also his enemy to which a hadith bears testimony: اعدا   عدوك نفسك التی بین جنبیك (Your biggest enemy is your own self which is between your two flanks. Satan’s relationship is with the animal soul (نفس امارہ ) of man which it stimulates.

2-37      Then Adam received (revealed) words from his Lord, and He turned to him (mercifully). Surely He is Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.^a

فَتَلَقَّىٰٓ ءَادَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ كَلِمَـٰتٍ۬ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡهِ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ (٣٧)

2-37a    تَلَقَّىٰٓ is from لقی and the meaning of لقاء is for a thing to come forward and to obtain it (R). The meaning of تَلَقَّىٰٓ الشیٔ is لَقِیه‘ that is, he got it, or in other words, he welcomed it by receiving it, accepting it and acting on it.

 كَلِمَـٰتٍ۬ is the plural of کلمة and کلم is the effect associated with any of the two senses, that is, speech for the sense of hearing and کلَم or زخم for the sense of sight (R). And by کلمة is not meant just a single word, but also speech as in: كَبُرَتۡ ڪَلِمَة (Grievous is the word…) (18:5).

تاب is from توب which means to return and when it is used for humans it means to return to Allah, to bow down and to revert (T). It does not necessarily mean that the return is from a bad state to a good one; rather a reversion from a good state to a better state is also توب. When a God worshipper turns to God with even greater obedience and humility, that is his توبہ . When the word is used for Allah, it means to return to man with forgiveness (T). From this, تواب which is a superlative form of the word is an attribute of Allah.

The remedy for natural weakness: When Adam receives words from his Lord, Allah turns to him mercifully. This clarifies that whatever shortcoming he had was removed. So his natural weaknesses was remedied with Divine revelation.

Divine revelation is external: This verse also shows that revelation is not an inner voice of man as Sir Syed has mistakenly assumed because if it is a part of a person’s nature, how can the voice of nature remedy the weakness of nature? The remedy can only be external, and the remedy is by God’s revelation. This verse is particularly mentions Adam, because he received the words. How can other people receive guidance? This subject is taken up further on.

2-38      We said: Go forth from this (state) all.^a Surely there will come to you a guidance from Me, then whoever follows My guidance, no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve.^b

قُلۡنَا ٱهۡبِطُواْ مِنۡہَا جَمِيعً۬ا‌ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأۡتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدً۬ى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ (٣٨)

 2:38a – Fall of Adam’s progeny and its remedy: The order to go forth is given earlier as well, so why is it repeated here? Earlier, Adam and his progeny had been mentioned jointly, but after: فَتَلَقَّىٰٓ ءَادَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ كَلِمَـٰتٍ۬ (Then Adam received (revealed) words from His Lord) (2:37), the narration about Adam was separated and made specific. Adam, the father of humankind, received revelation, but after him, not every person is granted revelation. Instead, the law is laid down for later generations that guidance from Allah will be given from time to time as a remedy for the fallen state of man. By following this guidance, people will be able to regain that lost garden, the high spiritual status, joy and peace from which they will not be expelled.

2:38b – إِمَّا is a compound word that is an amalgam of اِنۡ ,a conditional conjunction, with ما for emphasis and is generally followed by an emphatic form of a verb.

For the meaning of ھدی see 1:5e. The guidance that is meant here is the one that Allah sends into this world through prophets.

تَبِعَ – means to follow in the footsteps, which happens sometimes by acting on commands as in this instance (R).

خَوۡفٌ – is the expectation that something bad will happen as against رجاء which is the expectation of something good happening. خَوۡفٌ is the opposite of امن (peace).

يَحۡزَنُونَ – حُزۡن and حَزَن is the presence of hardness in the earth. Then it is spoken for the hardness that is caused by sorrow in the heart (R).

The law of revelation to mankind: With the mention of revelation to Adam, a rule is given for revelation to the progeny of Adam: not every person will receive revelation but periodically, some guidance will come to mankind from Allah. In another place it is stated:  إِمَّا يَأۡتِيَنَّكُمۡ رُسُلٌ۬ مِّنكُمۡ (…if messengers come to you from among you…) (7:35). The guidance of Divine revelation that will be given to human beings throughout time via messengers of Allah will be such that by following it, any person can achieve a state in which they are firmly treading on the right path and need not fear slipping because of the evil suggestions of Satan.  (The word تَبِعَ (obey) is noteworthy because belief alone is not sufficient. The requirement is to obey the guidance). 

Natural sinlessness and complete chastity: The initial nature of sinlessness is not the state of peace in which Satan was incapable of launching an attack. It is by obeying revelation, a volitional relationship is created with Allah so that a person never slips, as is stated in: إِنَّ عِبَادِى لَيۡسَ لَكَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ سُلۡطَـٰنٌ  (As regards My servants, thou hast no authority over them…) (15:42). The nature in which a person is born is also a state of sinlessness but because a relationship with Allah has not been forged there is fear of a Satan attacking. It is the strength of the relationship with Allah that is a remedy against human weaknesses and prevents expulsion from the garden.

The need for revelation: The state of peace and satisfaction one reaches by following the revelation is secure from the attack of Satan. This is the reason for the need for revelation in the world. The natural weaknesses of man can only be remedied by the mighty hand of Allah. Only that person is safe from falling who is in the protection of Allah (by their own free will or choice). لَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ (…no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve) is the state of perfect salvation, about which it is stated elsewhere: يَـٰٓأَيَّتُہَا ٱلنَّفۡسُ ٱلۡمُطۡمَٮِٕنَّةُ ٱرۡجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً۬ مَّرۡضِيَّةً۬ فَٱدۡخُلِى فِى عِبَـٰدِى وَٱدۡخُلِى جَنَّتِى  (O soul that art at rest, return to thy Lord, well-pleased, well-pleasing; so enter among My servants, and enter My Garden) (89:27-30).

2-39      And (as to) those who disbelieve in and reject Our messages, they are the companions of the Fire; in it they will abide.^a

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَكَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَآ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ‌ۖ هُمۡ فِيہَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (٣٩)

2-39a: كَذَّبُواْ – is from کذب . کَذبته means I attributed falsehood to him, that is, I said that you lie (R).

اٰیات is the plural of اٰیة and is derived from تأَیّی which means to be steadfast about a certain thing, and اٰیة means a plain sign. Hence, a tall building is also called اٰیة as in: تَبۡنُونَ بِكُلِّ رِيعٍ ءَايَةً۬ (Do you build on every height a monument?) (26:128). Divine message is also called اٰیة; it is used in the sense of proof and sign (T) and this is the meaning which fits the context in most cases. Hence some commentators have taken اٰیات to mean revealed books (RM). Every sentence of the Quran that gives the rationale for a commandment is called an اٰیة whether it is a surah (chapter) or many sections or just one section (R). According to some, the reason for calling it an اٰیة is that the meaning of اٰیة is a congregation and in every اٰیة there is a congregation of words and letters or that the meaning of اٰیة is a sign and the miraculous اٰیات of the Divine message are a sign.

أَصۡحَـٰبُ is the plural of صَاحِبۡ which means مُلازِم that is, an attachment– whether it is to the afflictions of the body, or favors or to courage (R).

أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّار are the people who have a connection with the fire, that is, they are connected to fire all the time. It is this connection that assumes a palpable form in the next world.

The hellfire of this life: The objective is to show human beings the path that leads to their perfection. Subsequently, mention is made of the people who oppose this objective. Not only do these people reject the Divine message when it comes to them, but they also call it a fabrication. Such people stumble at every step in words and actions. In lieu of the peace and satisfaction of those who follow the Divine messages (لَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡہِمۡ) they attach to the fire. They are filled with jealousy, anxiety, and restlessness. This is their condition in this world and in the Hereafter. The garden and fire in them will assume a palpable shape.

2-21    O men, serve your Lord Who created you and those before you, so that you may guard against evil,^a

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱعۡبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ (٢١)

2-21a   خَلَقَ – The actual meaning of خلق is التقدیر المستقیم , that is, correct measure, and its use is in two ways: اول فی ابداع الشَّیءِ من غیر اصل و ﻻ احتداء i.e. to originate something the like of which does not exist, as in خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ  (Created the heaven and earth) (6:1). In another place, it is stated: بَدِيعُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۖ  (Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth!) (6:101), which shows that He is the Creator who is not in need of matter or tools as He brings into existence from non-existence. Its second use is to bring into existence a thing from another thing, as in خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ مِن نُّطۡفَة (He created man from a small life germ) (16:4). The خلق (creation) which is used in terms of ابْداع (origination) i.e. to bring into existence from nothingness is specific only to Allah, the Most High (R). It follows, therefore, that the word خلق is used in two ways in the Arabic language i.e. for an original creation and for reproduction. Allah calls Himself خَـٰلِقُ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬‌ (Creator of all things) (39:62). So, if one went far enough back tracing what was created from what, it would end up with Allah being the ultimate source of creation of everything, including man himself, because He is the One Who brings things into existence from nothingness.

This ruku (section) chronicles the Unity of Allah and His greatness and contains a commandment to bow before His greatness. The next ruku recounts the premier position of humans and the domination they have over other creatures. It is stated that by submitting to Allah, man rules the creation.

Difference between worship and obedience: The first commandment given in the Quran is to worship Allah, that is, to obediently use all of one’s faculties in the service of Allah in a state of great humility. Humility is not necessary for obedience, but it is for worship.  Hence, one can be obedient to others in addition to Allah but worship of any other besides Allah is not allowed. Then all actions of a person that are motivated by obedience to Allah becomes part of worship. The wars for the defense of their faith that the Companions undertook are included as part of their worship.

Evidence from creation of Divine Unity: Worship should only be for the Creator and for none other. All faiths agree that Allah, the Most High, is the Creator. This is evidence for the Oneness of God.

Worship leads to perfection: Worship your رب (Lord). رب is He who guides a person to real perfection and shepherds him until he reaches the objective of his creation. There is an indication in the command to serve Him that without His worship one cannot achieve perfection, and that only worship of Allah is the path to reach perfection. Hence the result of this service is described as تَتَّقُونَ and اتقاء means to save oneself from harmful things or to safeguard rights. Those who do not serve Allah cannot even safeguard human rights leave alone reach human perfection. Why are the western nations today trampling on the human rights of half of the world’s population? It is because they do not serve God but instead worship wealth and power.

 2-22   Who made the earth a resting-place for you and the heaven a structure,^a and sends down rain from the clouds then brings forth with it fruits for your sustenance;^b so do not set up rivals to Allah while you know.^c

ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِرَٰشً۬ا وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءً۬ وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً۬ فَأَخۡرَجَ بِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ رِزۡقً۬ا لَّكُمۡ‌ۖ فَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ لِلَّهِ أَندَادً۬ا وَأَنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ (٢٢)

2-22a   The meaning of فِراش is carpeted or a thing that is spread out because the meaning of فرش is to expand or to spread out. Raghib states that the purport is that the earth was made such that a person is stable on it.

بِنَآءً۬ means مَبْنی or made up thing (R), that is a structure. The use of a common noun is to show its grandeur.

Evidence from creation: If the creation of humans gives evidence about the greatness of Allah, the structure of the earth and the heavens magnifies and creates a further sense of that greatness. Some have interpreted بِنَآءً۬ to mean a temporary dwelling or camp. In this case, it is the similarity between the temporary nature of life and the short stay in a camp that is implied. The import of calling the heaven a structure is that space is an organized system much like a building that is carefully planned. This provides evidence that its creator is a wise and intelligent planner. Further there is no evidence in the statement that the earth is spread out or made a resting place that goes against the spherical shape of earth.

2-22b  Human disposition explained by similes from natural events: The example of the rain falling from heaven and causing the flowers to grow in the earth is to show how the earth, which is a manifestation of  lowliness and the heavens which are a manifestation of height, benefits from the rain. In a like manner, when a person humbles himself in worship, the grace of Allah descends on him and his hidden capabilities flower. Thus, there is similarity between the phenomena of physical nature and human nature. There is also an indication in this example that unless the hidden powers within a person are aided by heavenly water, a symbol for revelation, they will remain latent. In this connection the next verse speaks about revelation.

2-22c   أَندَادً۬ا is the plural of نِدّ  and نِدّ is that which is a partner in a thing’s essence or substance (R) or its resemblance and its opposite (T).

Partnership in worship is partnership with person:  Associating others with Allah in worship or in other matters is giving them an equivalence and partnership with the Being of Allah. Once a person said in front of the Holy Prophet: ماشاء ﷲ و شٔت (What Allah wills and you will). The Holy Prophet replied: اجعلتنی للّٰه نداً (Do you make me a partner with Allah?) and then proceeded to say that it was sufficient to just say: ماشاء ﷲ because Allah’s will supersedes the will of all others. The statement while you know means that you know that the Creator of the heavens and earth is Allah, the Most High, and not the idols but still you partner the idols with Allah and thereby go against a principle that you accept.

2-23    And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it and call on your helpers besides Allah if you are truthful.^a

وَإِن ڪُنتُمۡ فِى رَيۡبٍ۬ مِّمَّا نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَىٰ عَبۡدِنَا فَأۡتُواْ بِسُورَةٍ۬ مِّن مِّثۡلِهِۦ وَٱدۡعُواْ شُهَدَآءَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِينَ (٢٣)

 2-23a:   سُورَةٍ۬ : In actuality, a high building or an elevated station is called a  سورة (R), and the protective wall around a city is called سور . A verse of the Quran is called a سورة either because of its elevated status or because it encompasses the subjects under discussion like a city wall encompasses the city (R). And every سورة (chapter) is by itself a complete book and an integral part of the Quran. Each chapter is distinguished from the other chapters by بسم ﷲ . There are a total of 114 chapters in the Quran. It is from the same root that the word اساور in the sense of bracelets and تسوّروا in the sense of they scaled the wall are used elsewhere in the Quran.

            شُهَدَآءَ : It is the plural of شھید and شھادت means to be present visibly either with the physical eye or spiritual insight, and sometimes it is used for mere presence.

 شھید as an attribute of Allah: The word شھید has been used in several ways, and شھید is also one of the attributes of Allah and denotes His perfection i.e. that nothing is hidden from His knowledge (T) or He is العلیم  by virtue of His knowledge and الخبیر with reference to matters hidden and الشھید with reference to matters visible.

Who is a شھید (Shaheed): The prophets have been called شھید (witness) for their communities because the higher the excellence of a person, the greater is his suitability for being a witness. Those who obey Allah and His prophet are also called شھید , and lastly those who lay down their life in the way of Allah are called شھید. In the Hadith, the word has been used to describe a person who is burned, or suffering from an intestinal ailment, or has drowned as شھید. There are different interpretations for the use of شُهَدَآءَ in this verse. Some have taken it to mean false deities, some authoritative linguists and still other leaders.

Revelation has disclosed the actual meaning of Unity: Divine revelation has disclosed the real meaning of the Unity of the Divine Being. After a brief reference to Divine revelation in the last verse, mention is made of the perfect revelation bestowed upon Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, that has shown the path of real Unity to the world. This verse gives evidence of the Divine origin of the Quran and that this is a peerless book whose like cannot be authored by anyone.

Demand to produce the like of the Quran: This challenge has been issued in many places in the Quran. Sometimes in the form of demanding the production of a book like the Quran, sometimes in the form of producing only ten chapters like those in the Quran and finally to at least produce one chapter like that in the Quran. The Quran itself does not elucidate in what way the production should be the like of the Quran, but there are three aspects to likeness which makes a book peerless:

1. In its linguistic excellence and composition
2. In the excellence and completeness of the material
3. In the impact that it produces among its followers

Eloquence and rhetoric: The incomparable eloquence and rhetoric of the Quran is obvious from the fact that its eloquence and rhetoric is considered the standard for the Arabic language, though it was revealed at a time when prose was not traditionally used in the Arabic literature. The perfection of the material is shown by the fact that it rebuts the false beliefs of other religions, openly, clearly explains religious principles, and provides the basic rules for a society’s culture, economics and politics. Further, the Quran provides reasoned arguments for the claims it makes.

Excellence and completeness: The comprehensiveness of the subjects is such that even the smallest chapter of the Quran has the distinction that it takes the subject under discussion to its perfection and provides an authoritative commentary on it.

Impact on followers: The best standard to judge its matchlessness is that the transformation wrought by this book has not been brought about by any other book. Because this chapter began with the claim that this book is a guidance, it challenges its detractors to bring any other book or chapter that is a source of guidance for the world like the Quran has become. It is universally admitted that the reformation that the Quran brought about, and the way that it elevated a nation from the depths of degeneration to the pinnacle of perfection is unrivaled by any other book.

2-24    But if you do (it) not — and you can never do (it) — then be on your guard against the fire whose fuel is men and stones; it is prepared for the disbelievers.^a

فَإِن لَّمۡ تَفۡعَلُواْ وَلَن تَفۡعَلُواْ فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱلنَّارَ ٱلَّتِى وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلۡحِجَارَةُ‌ۖ أُعِدَّتۡ لِلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ (٢٤)

2.24a   It is prophesied here that no one will ever be able to produce a book like the Quran, and the truth of this prophecy has withstood, and will continue to withstand, the test of time. In the light of such strong testimony, the final destination of anyone who strays away from monotheism and adopts idol worship is the fire of hell. The fuel of hell fire is here mentioned to be men and stones, that is, this fire is born out of idol worship or creating partners with Allah as all sins are the ramifications of polytheism, just as the root of all good deeds is monotheism.

In what respect are stones the fuel of hell: By stones are here meant false deities or as Imam Raghib states the meaning is those persons whose hearts are hard as stone in accepting the truth. There is also an indication of this in the Quranic verse: فَهِىَ كَٱلۡحِجَارَةِ أَوۡ أَشَدُّ قَسۡوَةً۬‌ۚ   (…so that they were like rocks, rather worse in hardness) (2:74). In the Arabic language, an intimidating person is also called حجر who is impervious to reasoning. Thus, it is possible that by ٱلۡحِجَارَةُ‌ is implied hardhearted men who are the subject of the verse: خَتَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ  (Allah has sealed their hearts) (2:7) and by ٱلنَّاسُ are meant ordinary men. The fact that the fuel of fire is called men tells us that hell is the outcome of the actions of humans so that the fuel that fires hell is none other than humans themselves .

            أُعِدَّتۡ لِلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ (it is prepared for the disbelievers) discloses that hell is prepared by a person’s unbelief. Hell for a person is proportionate to the person’s unbelief.

Hell is finite: This is the reason why the Companions and the generation that followed believed that hell has a finite life. Ibn Taymiyyah has quoted a consensus opinion: Because traditions clearly show that a time will come when no one is left in hell, so when there is no person left in it and its fuel is spent then the fire will be extinguished. A more detailed discussion on the subject will follow in Surah Hud.

  2-25  And give good news to those who believe and do good deeds, that for them are Gardens in which rivers flow.^a Whenever they are given a portion of the fruit thereof, they will say: This is what was given to us before; and they are given the like of it. And for them therein are pure companions and therein they will abide.^b

وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ‌ۖ ڪُلَّمَا رُزِقُواْ مِنۡہَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ۬ رِّزۡقً۬ا‌ۙ قَالُواْ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى رُزِقۡنَا مِن قَبۡلُ‌ۖ وَأُتُواْ بِهِۦ مُتَشَـٰبِهً۬ا‌ۖ وَلَهُمۡ فِيهَآ أَزۡوَٲجٌ۬ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ۬‌ۖ وَهُمۡ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (٢٥)

2-25a   جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ – It is the plural of جنَّة which is derived from جَنّ which means keeping something hidden from the external senses (R) and a garden whose trees cover the ground is called جنَّة (R). The word جنّت has been used in the Quran in the sense of a garden and also paradise has been called جنَّة, either because it has been likened to the earthly gardens (R) – the description of paradise given in the Quran is a parable as is clear from the Quranic verse: مَّثَلُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى وُعِدَ ٱلۡمُتَّقُونَ‌ۖ (A parable of the Garden which is promised to those who keep their duty) (13:35 and 15:47) – or because the blessings of paradise have been kept hidden from the physical senses of humans (R). This latter interpretation accords with the literal meaning of جنّت and finds further support from the Quran itself in the verse: فَلَا تَعۡلَمُ نَفۡسٌ۬ مَّآ أُخۡفِىَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعۡيُنٍ۬  (So no soul knows what refreshment of the eyes is hidden for them) (32:17).

ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰر – It is the plural of نہر , that is, a place from which water flows copiously. Imam Raghib says that Allah states this parable to depict what the people in paradise would get in abundance from Allah’s beneficence and grace, and this is what is meant, according to him by تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ‌  (in which rivers flow) and انّ المتقین فی جنّات و نھر (for the righteous are gardens and rivers).

Connection: After mentioning the fire and stating that it has been prepared for the unbelievers, mention is made of the believers and their future condition and it is stated that by worshiping Allah and obeying His commandments gardens and rivers are formed instead of fire.

The gardens and rivers of paradise: The Quran portrays the heavenly life many times as the righteous being in gardens below which rivers flow or by stating that they will be in gardens and rivers. What is meant by this? The first thing to remember is that whatever is mentioned in the Quran about the next life is a parable as is clearly stated in: مَّثَلُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ  ٱلَّتِى وُعِدَ ٱلۡمُتَّقُونَ‌ۖ  (A parable of the Garden which is promised to those who keep their duty) (13:35 and 15:47). : مَّثَلُ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى وُعِدَ ٱلۡمُتَّقُونَ‌ۖ  (A parable of the Garden which is promised to those who keep their duty) (13:35 and 15:47). Ibn Kathir quotes a narration from Ibn Abbas: لا یشبه شیءٌ مما فی الجنة ما فی الدنیا اِلافی الاسماء (The things that are in Paradise do not resemble anything that is on earth except in name). Another thing to remember is that the blessings of Paradise have been kept hidden from the eyes and other physical senses of humans. This statement is borne out first in the meaning of the word جنّت as explained above, and then the Quran very clearly mentions: فَلَا تَعۡلَمُ نَفۡسٌ۬ مَّآ أُخۡفِىَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعۡيُنٍ۬  (So no soul knows what refreshment of the eyes is hidden for them) (32:17). This explanation has been further expanded in an authentic hadith in which the Holy Prophet commented about this verse: یا قال ﷲ اعددت لعبادی الصّالحین ما لا عین رأت و لا اذن سمعت و لا خطر علٰی قلب بشر  (I have prepared for my righteous servants that no eye has seen, nor any ear has heard and that no heart has ever conceived) (Bukhari). It is important to remember both these things wherever the blessings of Paradise are mentioned. It is clear from this that the Heavenly Gardens are not like the gardens on this earth and the rivers mentioned are not like the rivers of water on the earth. So what are they? This will only become known in the next world.

2-25b  مُتَشَـٰبِهً۬ا – This is fromشبه  and its meaning is similar.

 أَزۡوَٲجٌ۬- It is the plural of زوج. Where pairs exist in the animate world, every individual of the pair is the زوج (spouse) of the other. In the inanimate world, and also in the animate world, anything that has an associate (قرین) is called the زوج of the other (R). Accordingly in: ٱحۡشُرُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزۡوَٲجَهُمۡ (Gather together those who did wrong and their associates) (37;22) and هُمۡ وَأَزۡوَٲجُهُمۡ فِى ظِلَـٰلٍ (They and their wives are in shade…) (36:56), Imam Raghib has taken ازواج to mean their companions who followed their example.

  مُّطَهَّرَةٌ۬‌ – طھارة means purity and purity has two aspects one bodily and the other spiritually (R). Accordingly, Imam Raghib has explained the meaning as: cleansed from worldly filth and impurities or cleansed of immoralities. Qatada interprets this as cleansed of sins and suffering (IJ).

خَـٰلِدُونَ – Is from خلد and خلود means to stay free from any decay and to continue in the same state as at present (R). And خلود فی الجنة , according to Imam Raghib, is for things to continue in the state in which they are without decay. In other words, there is no decay, as is the case in this world, and it is only figuratively that it means forever. According to the Ruh al-Maani, خلود is interpreted by the Motazilah [a rationalist sect of Muslim dissenters; non-conformists] to mean continuance until perpetuity or everlasting that will never be terminated. But according to Ahl-e-Sunnat, it means continuance for a long time and there may or may not be a termination.

Fruits of Paradise: What is meant by the statement that the fruits of paradise are what was given to us before? It cannot mean the physical worldly fruits because not all believers are given such fruits in this world. So what is meant is the fruits of good deeds which believers receive spiritually in this world as well. And what is meant by the like of it is that although the fruits of heaven would be different, they would be like the good deeds done. Just like the punishment of evil is its like, similarly the fruits of good deeds are like the good actions performed.

Spouses in Paradise: The spouses will also be in Paradise. The clear meaning of ازواج is associates as in: ٱحۡشُرُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ وَأَزۡوَٲجَهُم (Gather together those who did wrong and their associates…) (37:22). And both men and women are included in ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ‌ (those who believe and do good deeds). Both of them will have the blessings of Paradise, both will have gardens and rivers and for both there should be pious companions. Even if we take ازواج to mean wives, still there is nothing objectionable in their presence in Paradise. Allah has created pairs of everything as is stated in: وَمِن ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَا زَوۡجَيۡنِ (And of everything we have created pairs…) (51:49). Although one of the purposes for creating pairs is procreation, there are other purposes as well in having a man and a woman as a pair. They are a source of comfort and joy for each other, and they complete each other. No sensible person can object to these pure relationships in Paradise. In any case, it is accepted by everyone that the reality of the blessings of Paradise is not the same as in this world though the nomenclature is the same, and by adding the word pure with ازواج (spouses), it is conveyed that this companionship is free from any impurity. Objecting to such pious companionship is only the work of impious persons.

2-26    Surely Allah disdains not to set forth any parable — a gnat or anything above that.^a Then as for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord; and as for those who disbelieve, they say: What is it that Allah means by this parable? Many He leaves in error by it and many He leads aright by it. And He leaves in error by it only the transgressors,^b

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَسۡتَحۡىِۦۤ أَن يَضۡرِبَ مَثَلاً۬ مَّا بَعُوضَةً۬ فَمَا فَوۡقَهَا‌ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فَيَعۡلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡ‌ۖ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَـٰذَا مَثَلاً۬‌ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ ڪَثِيرً۬ا وَيَهۡدِى بِهِۦ كَثِيرً۬ا‌ۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦۤ إِلَّا ٱلۡفَـٰسِقِينَ (٢٦)

2-26a   يَسۡتَحۡىِ – Its root is حیی from which the word حیاة is also derived meaning life. And the real significance of حیاء is to abstain from and abandon bad things. This is the meaning of استحیاء as well (R). This is the reason why it is said that حیا (modesty) is born from belief because modesty stops one from bad things i.e. evil. Stopping from doing good deeds is not حیا.

 بَعُوضَةً۬ – Is derived fromبعض  . It is called بَعُوضَةً because its body is small compared to other animate creatures (R). In the Arabic language, an extremely weak thing is likened to a gnat as in اضعف من بعوضة (weaker than a gnat).

Parable of the gnat: The actual topic of the ruku (section) is the Unity of Allah and His majesty. In support of this, proof is presented that the Quran is the word of God. This is the subject in the beginning and end of the ruku. The analogy of false deities to gnats and spiders in the various parables given in the Quran is the truth, and Allah does not stop from stating the truth. In Surah Ankabut, a parable is given of those who take guardians besides Allah being like the spider that makes for itself a house, but the spider’s web is very frail, and breaks at the slightest provocation. In Surah Al-Hajj there is the parable of the fly. It is stated there that all the false deities cannot create even a fly and if the fly were to take something away from them, they would be unable to get it back. The unbelievers resented these parables about their gods. It is therefore stated that the example of the weakest possible thing, even to the extent of the weakest creature- a gnat, is appropriate to exemplify the helplessness of the false deities. Another possible rationale is that since there is mention of the Paradise above, and its description too is a parable, to explain these blessings, there is no harm in creating parables with things of this world.

2-26b  يُضِلُّ – Imam Raghib writes that اضلال (error) has a two-fold significance. One meaning of اضلال is finding one as erring. For example, if someone’s camel gets lost, he will say: اضللت البعیر. This does not mean that I led the camel astray, but the meaning is that I found that my camel had gone astray i.e. I have lost the camel. Similarly, if it is said about somebody that he has strayed, even then it would be said اضللته  as in the poetic verse:

فما زال شربی الراح حتی

اضلّنی صدیقی و ساءنی بعض ذٰلك

(I kept on drinking wine until my friend pronounced me to be in error). Although the word اضلّٰ has been used, the meaning is not led astray but pronounced astray. The other significance of اضلال is that اضلال results in going astray, that is, persistence in trying to lead someone astray until that someone goes astray. For example, by describing something bad in a very appealing manner, a person can be led astray. The question is, when اضلال is attributed to Allah, is it being used in the first significance or the second significance. The use of اضلال for Allah in the second sense would mean that God portrays evil things in an appealing manner and as a result, people go astray. This is absurd that Allah expounds good deeds in an attractive manner and invites people to do these deeds. It follows, therefore, that the word اضلال when attributed to Allah can only be taken in the second sense. The meaning would then be that on finding some people in error, Allah leaves them with their ways or pronounces them in error. These are people whose erroneous ways have led them so far astray that by way of punishment, Allah pronounces them amiss. The dictionary of Hadith also states that the meaning of اضللته has the same kind of significance. Sometimes as for example احمدته means I found him praiseworthy and ابخلته means I found him parsimonious or avaricious. Similarly, اضللته means I found him astray. Accordingly, there is a hadith that states: ان النبی صلم اتٰی قوماً فاضلھم  ,which means that the Prophet came to a people and found them to have gone astray and not that he led them astray (N).

ٱلۡفَـٰسِقِينَ – فاسق is from فَسَقَ which means stepping out of the bounds of shariah, that is, to make a covenant and then to repudiate, the acceptance of shariah being an agreement. And فسق includes and is used both for minor and major sins, but in common parlance is used for someone who sins abundantly, that is, when someone transgresses shariah abundantly and persistently, the person is called a فاسق (transgressor). The unbelievers have been called فاسق because they sin repeatedly and thereby break the covenant that is inherent in the nature of man (R). This term is a technical one used in Islamic jurisprudence. This word was not used in the Arabic language to describe the quality of a person (R). In the use of the term here: مَا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦۤ إِلَّا ٱلۡفَـٰسِقِينَ it has been made clear that the meaning of اضلال is to find in error or to leave in error because the فاسق (transgressor) is already in error. By definition, a فاسق is one who has already transgressed the limits of shariah or law, so such a person has already gone astray. This is the second reason why the meaning of اضلال here is pronounced in error or leave in error.

2-27    Who break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation and cut asunder what Allah has ordered to be joined, and make mischief in the land. These it is that are the losers.^a

ٱلَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهۡدَ ٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مِيثَـٰقِهِۦ وَيَقۡطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦۤ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفۡسِدُونَ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرُونَ (٢٧)

 2-27a  عَهۡدَ ٱللَّهِ- عھد is a firm covenant that must be safeguarded. Imam Raghib writes that Allah’s covenant is sometimes that Allah has entrusted something to our mind and sometimes that His Messenger gives a command from the Book and sunnah. (A third aspect of a covenant he has mentioned is one where a person imposes a particular imperative on himself which is called نزر (offering)). An example of the first type is أَلَسۡتُ بِرَبِّكُمۡ‌ۖ قَالُواْ بَلَىٰ‌ۛ (Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes:…) (7:172). The Quran itself has called this a covenant. This is the most significant covenant of Allah which has been kept in the nature of every man that he should worship his Creator.

 میثاق عھد: مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مِيثَـٰقِهِ – The personal pronoun in مِيثَـٰقِهِ may stand either for covenant or Allah. The making firm of Allah’s covenant is either that the covenant itself is strong, as is evidenced by rationality which provides convincing testimony or that when a commandment is given through the Messengers, it is strengthened by signs and arguments. And by مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مِيثَـٰقِهِ can also mean a person who breaks the covenant after accepting it as the hypocrites did.

قطع ما یوصل : يَقۡطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦۤ أَن يُوصَلَ means to cut asunder those things that Allah has commanded to join i.e. not performing the obligations that Allah has enjoined. These obligations includes all the rights of creation as well as not acting mercifully. Thus, not fulfilling the rights of the creation is also فسق or a transgression. These rights may be those due to relatives, friends, tribesmen, fellow citizens or of other nations and nationalities.

فساد فی اﻻرض : يُفۡسِدُونَ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ – They not only break the covenant of Allah, shun His worship and fail to discharge their obligations to fellow humans but they also transgress beyond that and spread mischief in the earth and act tyrannically. The non-fulfillment of Allah’s obligations and obligations of fellow humans results in mischief in the land which ultimately becomes manifest. The end result of such a nation is هُمُ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرُونَ i.e. they suffer great loss in this world as well.

خاسرون – خُسر and خُسْران is the loss of capital and it is used mostly for the loss of wealth or status in life but in the Quran it is mostly used for the loss of intellect, faith, and loss of reward for good deeds (R).

2-28  How can you deny Allah and you were without life and He gave you life? Again, He will cause you to die and again bring you to life, then you shall be brought back to Him.^a

كَيۡفَ تَكۡفُرُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَڪُنتُمۡ أَمۡوَٲتً۬ا فَأَحۡيَـٰڪُمۡ‌ۖ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمۡ ثُمَّ يُحۡيِيكُمۡ ثُمَّ إِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ (٢٨)

2-28a   There are two deaths and two births mentioned in this verse. The first death refers to a person’s non-existence i.e. the period before one is brought into existence from nothingness, as is mentioned elsewhere in the Quran: هَلۡ أَتَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنِ حِينٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱلدَّهۡرِ لَمۡ يَكُن شَيۡـٴً۬ـا مَّذۡكُورًا (Surely there came over man a time when he was nothing that could be mentioned) (76:1). Both Ibn Masud and Ibn Abbas support this interpretation.

Bringing into existence from a state of non-existence is evidence of a Creator: The evidence given here for the Being of Allah is that He brought you into existence from non-existence. If it is believed, as do the Hindu Aryas, that birth is merely a transformation from one state to another and there is no creation from nothingness, then the evidence for a Superior Being is vitiated.

 ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمۡ ثُمَّ يُحۡيِيكُمۡ – This is not by way of evidence but is a prophecy that after death He will again grant you another life.

Return to Allah: The objective of this second life is explained by: ثُمَّ إِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ to be brought back to Allah. The ultimate end of everyone is a return to Allah.

2-29    He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. And He directed Himself to the heaven, so He made them complete seven heavens; and He is Knower of all things.^a

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعً۬ا ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَسَوَّٮٰهُنَّ سَبۡعَ سَمَـٰوَٲتٍ۬‌ۚ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٢٩)

2-29a   ثُمَّ – Chronological order is not a condition in the use of ثم (Mughni). Sometimes ثم is used in the meaning of the Arabic ف which contains the meanings then, and thereupon. This meaning is the one applied here because elsewhere it is clearly stated:  وَالْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ دَحَاهَا (And the earth, He cast it after that) (79:30) i.e. the earth was created afterwards.

ٱسۡتَوَىٰٓ إِلَى – ٱسۡتَوَىٰ – When it has two subjects, the meaning is equal or level as in لا یستون (not equal), and when it has only one subject, it evidences moderation or evenness in the nature of the thing as in:  ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَاسْتَوَى (The Lord of Strength. So, he attained to perfection) (53:6). And when its relative pronoun is الٰی, as it is here, then its meaning is to reach something either by oneself or by some plan (R).

ٱلسَّمَآءِ – The dictionary hasاعلاہ  سماء کل شیءٍ . Everything above a thing is its سماء (sky) and anything below it is its ارض (earth). Thus, the same object can be the سماء for the thing below it and ارض for the thing above it (R).

سَبۡعَ – Literally seven but is used figuratively to denote many. In Lisan al-Arab, it is stated that the Arabs use seven, seventy and seven hundred to mean a large number. Ibn Kathir has also written the same thing and gives the following examples  كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنۢبَتَتۡ سَبۡعَ سَنَابِلَ (…is as the parable of a grain growing seven ears) (2:261) and the reference to seven ears really means many ears, and تَسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ سَبۡعِينَ مَرَّةً۬ (Even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times…) (9:80) and by seventy is meant many times.

سوّیٰ -تسویة سَوَّٮٰهُنَّ means to make something perfectly or make it just right balancing all the needs, or make it wisely (R). This is the meaning in: خَلَقَكَ فَسَوَّٮٰكَ (Who created you, then made you complete) (82:7) and this is the meaning here as well.

 عَلِيم– Is from علم which means to find the reality of a thing (R). And عالم (knower of what is), علیم (knower of what preceded) and علّام (Knower of what will be) are attributes of Allah, and His knowledge encompasses everything, what is manifest and what is hidden, and what is small and what is big (T).

Everything on earth is for the benefit of man: Everything on earth has been created for the benefit of man. This last verse of the ruku, indicates the subject of the following two rukus which deal with the greatness of the Creator and the high status of man for whose benefit these things were created. The ruku was started with the statement that Allah has created man, and ended with the statement that everything has been created in the earth for the benefit of man. The lesson imparted in this is that man should learn to use these things for his benefit.

Heaven: What is سماء and what is meant by سَبۡعَ سَمَـٰوَٲتٍ۬‌ (seven heavens). According to the dictionary, سماء only means high. The meaning here is that He turned to what we see above the earth and what is that?

The firmament is دخان (smoke, fume, vapor): The Quran states: ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَهِىَ دُخَانٌ۬ (Then He directed Himself to the heaven and it was a vapor) (41:11). So سماء is not a solid thing but merely vapor or emptiness in which there are planets and stars.

Seven heavens: It is possible that seven indicates multiplicity i.e. many heavens. One of the things that we see in the space above us is our solar system in which there are seven large planets besides earth. Since we see these seven planets above us, so with reference to the earth, they are سماء and elsewhere in the Quran, they are called سَبۡعَ طَرَآٮِٕقَ (seven ways). In كُلٌّ۬ فِى فَلَكٍ۬ يَسۡبَحُونَ (…all float on in an orbit) (36:40) it is further revealed that the planets travel in their orbits. So, one interpretation of سَبۡعَ سَمَـٰوَٲتٍ۬ (seven heavens) can be our solar system, and another interpretation can be the entire stellar system that we see. Based upon the stellar system that we can see with the naked eye, scientists have categorized the stars into seven groups based on their size. It is possible that in the future as the knowledge of astronomy increases some other seven categorizations may emerge. Sometimes it has taken centuries for the truths of the statements in the Quran to be proven true. For example, the Quran states: وَجَعَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلۡمَآءِ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ حَىٍّ‌ (And We made from water everything living) (21:30) and that everything living, animals and vegetables, have been created in pairs. The scientists did not know these things initially.

Attributes of Knowledge and Omnipotence: This ruku mentioned the Omnipotence of Allah and the ruku ended with His Omniscience because All-Powerful and All-Knowledgeable are two attributes that function in tandem. Believing in these attributes is fundamental to avoiding sin. When Allah has perfect knowledge, then regardless of how stealthily an act of sin is committed, Allah is aware of it. Further He has the power to punish or reward as the case may be.

2-8      And there are some people who say: We believe in Allah and the Last Day; and they are not believers.

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَبِٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤۡمِنِينَ (٨)

2-8a Belief in Allah and the Hereafter stands for being a Muslim: Here belief inAllah and the Hereafter is made synonymous with being a Muslim because it is only the Quran that has clearly expounded the attributes of Allah and the issue of the Hereafter. Furthermore, in the first section, the first principle out of the principles that were established in the first section was belief in Allah and the last principle was belief in the Hereafter. So, the mention of the first and the last principles contains the entire array of the principles from the first section. The meaning of ایمان بِٱللَّهِ وَبِٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ  (Belief in Allah and the Hereafter) is further evidenced here as synonymous with a Muslim because the narration from here on is about the hypocrites, called so because they professed faith in Islam by words not actions..

Two classes of people are mentioned in the first section – those who believe completely and  those who reject categorically. A third class is mentioned here, those who avow belief verbally but do not believe in their heart. When the Holy Prophet migrated to Madinah, Abdullah bin Ubayy, an important chief of the Khazraj tribe, was on the verge of being made the king of Madinah. With the Prophet’s advent, the situation changed and all the tribes of Madinah including the Jews accepted the Prophet as the  arbitrator of all their disputes. This threw cold water on the ambition of Abdullah bin Ubayy.

Internal enemies of Islam: In addition to those who openly opposed Islam, Abdullah bin Ubayy gathered around him a group who secretly opposed Islam. This group had nothing to do with Islam except that they pretended to be Muslims for purpose of show while doing everything in their power to uproot Islam. Allah, the Most High, protected Islam in all situations and thereby showed that no enemy external or internal could harm Islam because the hand of God was assisting Islam.

Hypocrites in the present time: Even in the current time, there are those among the Muslims who collaborate with the enemies of Islam and spare no effort to harm Islam. Although they are called Muslims, they are more like the hypocrites in the time of the Holy Prophet.

Hypocrites in practice: additionally, there are a number of Muslims who confess to belief in the Quran but when it comes to act, they follow their customs and desires, throwing the Quran behind their back. They are hypocrites in practice and the result of this practical hypocrisy can be seen in the misfortunes and afflictions of the Muslim ummah in present times.    

2-9      They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, and they deceive only themselves and they perceive not.^a

يُخَـٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَمَا يَخۡدَعُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَمَا يَشۡعُرُونَ (٩)

2-9a     The root word of يُخَـٰدِعُونَ  is خدع  which means to deceive i.e. to show one thing but to have quite another in one’s heart for the purpose of harming someone. خادع  is also used when there is the intention to deceive someone (T). This is the intended meaning here. The verb form of مفاعلتہ (reaction) is sometimes used for a single individual as well, as in عاقبت اللص.(punished the thief). So the meaning of يُخَـٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ is they try to deceive Allah.

يَشۡعُرُونَ: شعر means hair and its plural is اشعار as in و اشعارها (see 16:80) and شَعَرْتُ means gaining such minute knowledge as to be knowledgeable about even a hair. And شِعر is also in reality used for minute knowledge (R). Thus, شعور is more intensive than just knowledge as it implies knowing every little thing about a subject.

The deception of the hypocrites: The reason for the hypocrisy was to deceive the Muslims into thinking that they (the hypocrites) were helpers and sympathizers. In a manner of speaking this was like trying to deceive God. Ultimately, it was the hypocrites who suffered, and the Muslims were not harmed by their deception. This is what is meant by they deceive themselves.

2-10    In their hearts is a disease, so Allah increased their disease,^a and for them is a painful chastisement because they lie.^b

فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ۬ فَزَادَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَرَضً۬ا‌ۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمُۢ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡذِبُونَ (١٠)

 2-10a  مَّرَضٌ۬: مرض is a loss in the state of temperance specific to human beings. This can happen in two ways. One is physical as in: عَلَى ٱلۡمَرِيضِ حَرَجٌ۬ (blame on the sick) (24:61).

Spiritual disease: The other meaning of مَّرَضٌ۬ is baseness, such as ignorance, dastardliness, miserliness, hypocrisy etcetera, i.e. moral diseases (R). This is the intended meaning here, and مَّرَضٌ۬ has frequently been used in this sense throughout the Quran. Moral baseness is called a disease because it is a hindrance in attaining excellence as is disease.

The disease of the hypocrites: Their disease is hypocrisy i.e. they have no belief in what they say and for this reason a painful chastisement (عَذَابٌ أَلِيمُۢ) is the result of their falsehood. Or this disease is their enmity towards Islam which they keep hidden and Allah’s worsening their disease is the progressive strength and splendor granted to Islam while their hypocrisy and enmity kept on increasing.

How does God increase the disease: The worsening of disease is ascribed to Allah because it is His punishment or because the events that led to the growing disease are decreed by Allah. If they wanted, they could have received guidance from these events. Thus, in the Quran Prophet Noah says: فَلَمۡ يَزِدۡهُمۡ دُعَآءِىٓ إِلَّا فِرَارً۬ا (But my call has only made them flee the more) (71:6). The purpose of the call was to summon them, not to make them flee. But the more he called them, the more they distanced themselves. Hence their distancing themselves was ascribed to Noah’s call although that was not the object of the call.

2-10b. يَكۡذِبُونَ – کزب (to lie) is the opposite of صدق (truth) and like صدق is used with reference to both words as well as actions (R). One never feels any comfort after telling a lie.

Lying is the hallmark of hypocrites: There are four characteristics of a hypocrite as noted in the Hadith. The most important of these is: اذا ھدث کذب (when he speaks, he lies). This disease is rampant among the Muslims of present times. In their conversation they lie, bear false witness, make false promises, and lie to please their bosses. A nation loses respect when there is a proliferation of such people in it.

No probability of falsehood in the narration of a Companion: In contrast, a glance at the Companions of the Holy Prophet shows that intentional lying was non-existent in their lives. So much so that if a hadith narration can be reliably traced to a Companion there is no probability of it being fabricated.

2-11    And when it is said to them, Make not mischief in the land, they say: We are but peacemakers.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ لَا تُفۡسِدُواْ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ مُصۡلِحُونَ (١١)

2-12    Now surely they are the mischief-makers, but they perceive not.^a

أَلَآ إِنَّهُمۡ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدُونَ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا يَشۡعُرُونَ (١٢)

 2-12a  تُفۡسِدُواْ – فساد is a deviation, whether small or large, from moderation. It is used for the soul, the body, or a thing that has deviated from moderation. Its antonym is صلاح (goodness) (R).

ٱلۡأَرۡضِ – الارض the meaning of the word is sourced from الرِعْده (to tremble) or الدّوار (to rotate) (t). The earth is called ارْض and thus the name itself contains a hint that the earth rotates. A particular area of the earth or a particular country may also be called ارْض . In the dictionary of technical terms (مفردات (, it is stated that the bottom of anything may be called the ارْض of that thing, just as the top of a thing may be called its سماء (sky). A mat, the area below the legs of a horse or other animal, the bottom of the sole of a shoe that touches the ground may all be called the ارْض of that thing, and a in a figurative sense the heart of the human soul (قلب) may also be called ارْض (R).

What is meant by the mischief of hypocrites and their claim to be peacemakers: The hypocrites are here stated to be mischief makers because of their secret relationships and conspiracies to destroy Islam or because internal disbelief itself is mischief. Their claim to be peacemakers is based on the notion that they have a peaceful relationship with both parties. Allah has warned the Muslims here of their mischief and informed them that in reality the hypocrites are the mischief makers. They may not consider themselves to be so because such people often find some excuse to justify their actions and satisfy their conscience. They undermine the interests of others and justify their actions as a means of reforming them. Or they may not consider themselves to be so because they do not realize that their hypocrisy may become known to others or because they will tell others that the actions they are taking are meant to be reformative in nature. Hence, they act mischievously but do not consider their actions to be so.

2-13    And when it is said to them, Believe as the people believe, they say: Shall we believe as the fools^a believe? Now surely they are the fools, but they know not.

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ ءَامِنُواْ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلنَّاسُ قَالُوٓاْ أَنُؤۡمِنُ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ‌ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُمۡ هُمُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا يَعۡلَمُونَ (١٣)

2-13a   ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ‌ – It is the plural of سفیه. The actual meaning of سفه is light whether in weight, color or character. Since a deficiency of intellect makes a person an intellectual light weight, a foolish or idiotic person is called سفه. Those who do not have the intellectual ability to spend their money properly have also been called سفیه in the Quran (4:5).

The reason why the hypocrites called Muslims foolish: The hypocrites considered Muslims to be foolish because they had given up their wealth, homes and relationships to follow one person. The hypocrites thought that the unbelievers would crush them in the very near future.

2-14     And when they meet those who believe, they say, We believe; and when they are alone with their devils, they say: Surely we are with you, we were only mocking.^a

وَإِذَا لَقُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ شَيَـٰطِينِهِمۡ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا مَعَكُمۡ إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ مُسۡتَہۡزِءُونَ (١٤)

2-14a  خَلَوۡاْ – خلا is used both for time and place. In respect of time, its meaning is مضیٰ وَذَهَبَ i.e.  passed or gone. This is the meaning of the word in the following examples: تِلۡكَ أُمَّةٌ۬ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ‌ۖ (These are a people that have passed away) (2:134) and قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُ‌ۚ (messengers have already passed away before him) (3:143). And خلا الیه or خلا فلان بفلان means to be alone with another person. This is the meaning here.

شَیْطٰان – Its root word is شطن which means distanced. So شیطان (devil) is that being who is distanced from the mercy of Allah. Some have said it has been derived from شاط (یشیط) which means burned in envy. شیطان according to the Quran has been created from fire.

Use of the word شیطان for humans: Persons given to bouts of extreme anger are also called شیطان. Abu Ubaidah says that شیطان is the name of every rebellious being whether belonging to the genre of jinn, humans, or animals. In a verse of the Quran, it is stated: شَيَـٰطِينَ ٱلۡإِنسِ وَٱلۡجِنِّ (the devils from among men and jinn) (6:112) which shows that there are شیطان even among humans (T).

Use of the word شیطان for moral failings: Imam Raghib says that any kind of moral failing can also be called شیطان. It is stated in the Hadith that envy is a شیطان and also that anger is a شیطان.

The coursing of شیطان through humans like blood: In one hadith, it is stated that the شیطان courses through humans like their blood. The Companions inquired from the Prophet, “O Messenger of Allah, in you too?” The Holy Prophet replied: الا ان ﷲ اعانی علیه فاسلم  (The only difference is that Allah helped me against him and so he became obedient). This goes to show that the شیطان is not given dominance over humans, but humans are given dominance over the شیطان.

شیطان is the instigator of evil: شیطان is the being that uses great finesse in instigating evil. Similarly, humans that instigate evil are also شیطان. It is mentioned that this is the excuse that wrongdoers will put forward on the Day of Judgment that their leaders had started them on an evil path. The meaning of the statement in the Hadith الراکب شیطان is only that when a person sets forth alone, he puts himself in perdition.

Humans with the attributes of شیطان: The شَيَـٰطِينَ mentioned in this verse, according to almost all commentators, refers to humans with devilish attributes. According to Imam Mujahid, the شَيَـٰطِينَ of this verse refer to hypocritical and polytheist friends. Ibn Abbas states that these are: رؤساۂم فی الکفران (the chiefs of the unbelievers). In verse 76 of this surah instead of: خَلَوۡاْ إِلَىٰ شَيَـٰطِينِهِم the phrase used is: خَلَا بَعۡضُهُمۡ إِلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ۬  (…apart one with another…) which goes to show that the reference here is to humans with devilish attributes.

2-15    Allah will pay them back their mockery,^a and He leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.^b

ٱللَّهُ يَسۡتَہۡزِئُ بِہِمۡ وَيَمُدُّهُمۡ فِى طُغۡيَـٰنِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ (١٥)

2-15a   اِسْتَهْزِاء – Kishaf has defined استهزاء as انزال الهوان و الحقارہ i.e. to bestow indignity and scorn with the purpose of showing contempt for another. Ar Ruh al-Maani states that metaphorically استهزاء means to insult and humiliate. Imam Ghazali says that استهزاء is to humiliate a person in a manner that evokes laughter. In the Quran commentary by Baydawi, it is stated that the root of استهزاء is ھزا which means disgrace, indignity, humiliation. Thus, the real significance of استهزاء is to mock another, and sniggering is way to do so. Laughter without a purpose of mocking is not called استهزاء.

Different connotations when the same word is spoken for Allah and for humans: It is important to remember the same word may be used when an action or event is attributed to Allah as when it is attributed to humans, but there is an important difference. In every action, humans are dependent on instruments and resources, but God is not, and so the instrument or resource that is required is not attributable to Allah. It is only the final objective that is meant when the word is used for Allah. For example, humans are dependent on eyes and light to see, but when it is said that Allah sees, eyes and light are not purported though the objective achieved is seeing. Similarly, humans depend on ears and air to hear, but in the case of Allah, these resources are dispensed with and only the object obtained from hearing is meant. In the same manner, mercy or anger in humans is the result of emotions created within the human heart, but God’s mercy and anger are only the names of the ultimate outcome.

استهزاء (mockery) of Allah: The same is the case when mockery is attributed to Allah. Sniggering which is a way of mocking is not applicable in the case of Allah, and what is left is just humiliation. Thus, Allah’s mockery is synonymous with bringing about shame and humiliation without any associated laughter.

The mention of punishment for an action in the same words: It is a rule in the Arabic language that the punishment given for an action should be expressed in the same words as the punishable action. Ibn Jarir says that when a sentence is a reply, what is meant is not the action but rather the punishment for that action by another person. There are examples of this in the Quran. جَزَٲٓؤُاْ سَيِّئَةٍ۬ سَيِّئَةٌ۬ مِّثۡلُهَا‌ (the recompense of evil is evil like it) (42:40). The recompense for the evil is not evil but the punishment for that evil. فَمَنِ ٱعۡتَدَىٰ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَٱعۡتَدُواْ عَلَيۡهِ  (literally: Whoever then acts aggressively against you, act aggressively against him) (2:194), although by the second اعتداء is meant just punishment and not aggression. Imam Raghib has also supported this meaning and the same is to be found in Lissan al-Arab.

The philosophy of punishment: In the use of the same word for punishment, there is an indication that there are situations which make punishment permissible. So another meaning of Allah “paying back their mockery” can be that Allah will punish them for their mockery.

2-15b  يَمُدُّ   – the actual meaning of مِدّ is جرّ i.e. to pull (R) or بسط i.e. to spread (T) as in: لَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيۡنَيۡكَ (Strain not thine eyes) (15:88) and كَيۡفَ مَدَّ ٱلظِّلَّ (how the shade extends) (25:45). It is also used to mean امھال i.e. to give respite (T) and also to render help. The first meaning is meant here. When a person rebels, Allah leaves the person in that condition just as He does if a person apostatizes, He lets the person have his way. Allah does not force anyone. This is the meaning adopted by Ibn Masud and the Companions, and the historical evidence also supports this meaning because the hypocrites were only punished during the last period of the Prophet’s life after the expedition to Tabuk.

 ظُغْیَان – It is derived from طغی and its meaning is to exceed all limits when transgressing. (R)

يَعۡمَهُونَ – عمه means to be confused about a matter due to astonishment.

The difference between عمه and عمی: عمه is used only in relation to an opinion or a viewpoint while عمی i.e. blindness is used both for physical blindness as well as blindness to a viewpoint.

2-16    These are they who buy error for guidance, so their bargain brings no gain, nor are they guided.

أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشۡتَرَوُاْ ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةَ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَـٰرَتُهُمۡ وَمَا كَانُواْ مُهۡتَدِينَ (١٦)

2-16a   ٱشۡتَراء  -ٱشۡتَروا – Is derived from شری. Generally, شِرء means to buy and بیع means to sell. The former means to pay the price and take the thing while the latter means to give the thing and take the money. However, in a barter transaction, the two words are used interchangeably. Hence ٱشۡتَراء  can be used regarding any matter from which some gain can be obtained. (R).

The fate of hypocrites: To buy error from guidance is to reject the guidance that had come and instead to adopt waywardness. This is then termed a trade and it is stated: فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَـٰرَتُهُمۡ. The profit from a trade is called ربح. The profit the hypocrites had in mind was worldly gain, but they ended up with neither worldly gain nor as stated in وَمَا كَانُواْ مُهۡتَدِينَ did they get guidance. In other words, they were losers in this world as well as in their religion. It was prophesied that they would be unsuccessful in this world for which they were abandoning faith, and so it happened.

2-17    Their parable is as the parable of one who kindles a fire, but when it illumines all around him, Allah takes away their light, and leaves them in darkness — they cannot see.^a

مَثَلُهُمۡ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى ٱسۡتَوۡقَدَ نَارً۬ا فَلَمَّآ أَضَآءَتۡ مَا حَوۡلَهُ ۥ ذَهَبَ ٱللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمۡ وَتَرَكَهُمۡ فِى ظُلُمَـٰتٍ۬ لَّا يُبۡصِرُونَ (١٧)

2-17a: مَثَل means making a statement about a thing that is similar to another thing so that the one may clarify the other. (R).

ظُلُمَـٰتٍ۬ – Is the plural of ظلمة which is the absence of light. This word is generally used in the plural because darkness is of many types, for example, the darkness of ignorance, the darkness of superstition etcetera. Or the meaning may be intense darkness.

The parable of the fire: Two parables are narrated, one in this verse and another in verse 19. Both the parables are general, that is, the kindler of the fire is not a hypocrite but is the Messenger, just as in the second parable, the similarity with the rain is not with hypocrisy, but with Divine revelation. And it is narrated in the Bukhari that the Holy Prophet said: مثلی کمثل رجل استو قد نارا (My parable is the parable of a person who lights a fire). The essence of this parable is that the Messenger lit a fire whose light made it possible to see things. But the condition of the hypocrites is such that they have lost the power with which one sees things because both things are necessary to see – the spiritual light within a person and the external light. So, when their internal light died, the external light the Messenger lit did not benefit them. Light can only be profitable for a person who has spiritual light within him.

2-18  Deaf, dumb, (and) blind, so they return not:^a

صُمُّۢ بُكۡمٌ عُمۡىٌ۬ فَهُمۡ لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ (١٨)

2-18a  صُمُّ is the plural of اَصَمٌّ and means deaf. بُكۡم is the plural of اَبْکم and means dumb. عُمۡىٌ۬ is the plural of اَعْمیٰ and means blind. The terms are used in a metaphorical sense. They neither listen to the call of truth nor do they speak it, nor do they see the signs of truth. Their extreme enmity has deprived them of the ability to hear or see the truth, or they are the leaders of the hypocrites and those mentioned in the earlier verse are their followers or those who are with the enemies merely because of their cowardice and weakness.

2-19    Or like abundant rain from the cloud in which is darkness, and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder-peal, for fear of death. And Allah encompasses the disbelievers.

أَوۡ كَصَيِّبٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَـٰتٌ۬ وَرَعۡدٌ۬ وَبَرۡقٌ۬ يَجۡعَلُونَ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمۡ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِہِم مِّنَ ٱلصَّوَٲعِقِ حَذَرَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ مُحِيطُۢ بِٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ (١٩)

2-19a   صَيِّبٍ۬ is derived from صوب. صَواب meaning that affair which is intrinsically likable. And صَوْب or صیّب means rain when it comes down in a way that is beneficial, and a cloud that bears such rain is also called صیّب (R).

ٱلسَّمَآءِ – سماء  is the upper part of anything (R) and so the word is also used for loftiness. سماء is also spoken of rain before it reaches the earth, and سماء also means سحاب i.e. clouds as in السماء السحاب (LA)

ٱلصَّوَٲعِقِ is the plural of صاعقة which is derived from صعق and صاعقة is that frightening sound that is created by thunder. It also sometimes refers to death or punishment, but Imam Raghib maintains that these things are among its effects. So, its real meaning is a frightening noise, and the word has been used in the Quran for the frightening sound that accompanies an earthquake or a storm.

The example of rain: In this allegory, صیّب or the blessed rain refers to divine revelation, and the darkness refers to the difficulties attendant upon accepting the revelation. Thunder refers to certain frightening events, as for example, the military attacks that frighten the weak of heart. By lightening is meant those successes that light up the horizon. The reference here is to the second class of hypocrites who have not completely lost their inner light, but who have some weaknesses. When confronted with difficulties, they panic; when they see the enemy about to attack, they think that this is the end. In another place in the Quran, it is stated: يَحۡسَبُونَ كُلَّ صَيۡحَةٍ عَلَيۡہِمۡ‌ۚ  (They think every cry to be against them) (63:4). The statement that Allah encompasses the disbelievers, is meant to manifest that the disbelievers would not be able to do any harm to the Muslims.

2-20    The lightning almost takes away their sight. Whenever it shines on them, they walk in it, and when it becomes dark to them, they stand still. And if Allah had pleased, He would have taken away their hearing and their sight. Surely Allah is Possessor of power over all things.^a

يَكَادُ ٱلۡبَرۡقُ يَخۡطَفُ أَبۡصَـٰرَهُمۡ‌ۖ كُلَّمَآ أَضَآءَ لَهُم مَّشَوۡاْ فِيهِ وَإِذَآ أَظۡلَمَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ قَامُواْ‌ۚ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمۡعِهِمۡ وَأَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬ (٢٠)

2-20a   لَو – It is sometimes used as a conditional conjunction. Here too, it is used in the sense of if.

شَآءَ – According to some, مشیٔت and شَآءَ are the same, but others hold that مشیٔت is the term used for creating something and Allah’s مشیٔت is a created thing and human مشیٔت is: اصابة الشی i.e. synonymous with intention. It is in accordance with this meaning that it is correct to say: ما شاء ﷲ کان (What Allah intends, happens). So, Allah’s مشیٔت requires the existence of a thing (R).

شیءٌ – According to some, شیءٌ is that thing which is known and about which information is imparted (RM) and شیءٌ is actually the infinitive mood of شَآءَ which is the object i.e. the thing that is desired.

قَدِيرٌ is from قدرة and when it is the attribute of a human it means a state of affairs in which a person has the power to do a thing. When it is an attribute of Allah, it is a negation of any kind of helplessness. Besides Allah the phrase absolute power cannot be said of any other. For humans, it can only be said that a person has power over a particular affair. The meaning of قدیر is الفاعل لمایشاء علی قدر ما تقتضی الحکمة لا زاءدا علیه و لا ناقصا عنه (He does what he desires in the precise measure that wisdom demands – neither more than that nor less than that) (R).

In the last verse, it was stated that the disbelievers will not be able to harm Islam a whit and that Islam will be successful. Here it is stated that it will be a dazzling success.

Weak-hearted hypocrites: The condition of the weak hearted hypocrites is that when they see success, they take a few steps forward but when they perceive difficulties, they stop. Historical evidence substantiates this condition of the hypocrites. When they perceived success, they would manifest unity with Muslims, but when they saw difficulties, they started badmouthing Islam. However, their internal light was not completely extinguished as was the case with the hypocrites in the first example. So, in the end they were able to find their way to the right path.

Distinction between the perfect Divine attributes and the imperfect human attributes: It should be remembered that all the attributes of Allah are also to be found in his creation. However, the created can never partner with Allah in the perfection of His attributes because perfect partnership results in polytheism. The created have the attributes in imperfect form while the Creator’s attributes are perfect. For example, both humans and Allah have the attribute of hearing and seeing but there is no comparison between the hearing and seeing of God and that of the humans.

The will of God predominates over the will of humans: Humans have power, but it is insignificant before the power of Allah. Humans have desires but Allah’s intentions predominate human intentions. Human attributes function in a narrow and restricted sphere but Allah’s attributes have no boundaries or constraints. This is a principle that is very helpful in understanding the attributes of Allah. Just as we are subordinate to the power of Allah so are we subordinate to His will. If we were not subordinate to the will of Allah, our will would be perfect and such an association is akin to polytheism.

Proof of Oneness and objection to absolute power and its rebuttal: Allah has power over everything. The Arya Samaj countered this concept by raising two objections. First, is it possible then for Him to make another similar God with absolute powers? And second, can He banish anyone from His kingdom? These actions are contrary to His perfect attributes, and hence He does not do them. The question of power only arises over things that are not against His attributes. By way of explanation, if it is said that a certain person is so rich that he can eat what he wants and he can dress himself as he wants, then it would be foolish to question whether he can eat filth or dress in rags. In addition, by using the word شئ the Quran indicates that His power is over things that He desires i.e. things that are not against the dictates of His attributes. It is obvious that the existence of another all-powerful god or the presence of another kingdom outside His kingdom is against the demands of His attributes and hence the application of شئ does not arise. An even more important thing is that many centuries ago when there was not even a hint of these objections, the linguists described the meaning of قدیر as the doer of a thing that He wishes and in a measure that precisely fits the dictates of wisdom. Hence, the lexicon itself is sufficient to render judgment on these objections.     

2-1         I, Allah, am the best Knower.

2-2         This Book, there is no doubt in it,

               is a guide to those who keep their duty,

الٓمٓ

ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيۡبَ‌ۛ فِيه

هُدً۬ى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ

2-1       الٓمٓ These letters that come at the beginning of certain surahs are called مقطّعات (maqtaat; literal meaning, parts, portions or pieces). There are twenty-nine surahs that begin with such letters. Very often, the Quranic translations do not give their meanings although there is evidence dating back to the Companions of the Holy Prophet that these letters have meanings. These letters stand for words; abbreviation of words by letters is in vogue in many languages. It is particularly common in the English language. This was the custom in Arabia as well. For example, in the hemistich: قلت لھا قفی قالت قاف the meaning of ق is قد و قفت i.e. I (female) stopped. There are many other examples as well but there was no standardization of Arabic abbreviations that a letter always stands for the same word. The meaning of the Arabic abbreviations had to be understood with reference to the context. Accordingly, in the Quran, it is not necessary that the meaning of a letter adopted in one place would be the same when the letter appears in another place. However, if there is a sequence of letters and the same sequence is repeated in other places then the meaning of the letters in the sequence is always the same. Thus, the sequence of الٓمٓ occurs at the beginning of five other surahs besides this one. These are: اٰل عمران which immediately follows البقرہ and العَنکبوت – الرُّوم – لقمَان – السَّجدَة. The last four named surahs are from the Makkah period and follow one another in the Quranic arrangement, being surahs number 29, 30, 31 and 32. This makes a total of six surahs that begin with الٓم.  

            The meaning of الٓمٓ are stated by Ibn Abbas as انا ﷲ اعلم  i.e. I, Allah, am the best knower.

2-2a     ذَٲلِكَ This word is normally used to indicate a remote thing (that) but is also used to indicate the greatness of a near thing in the sense of “this.” Here it has been used to indicate the greatness of the Book. In other places, the word ھزا (this) has also been used to indicate the Book, as for example: هَـٰذَا كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ مُبَارَك (…this is a Book We have revealed, full of blessings) (6:155). It can also be that ذَٲلِكَ is used in its usual sense of indicating a remote thing i.e. that promised book, in which case, the meaning would be that Book which was promised to Moses and Jesus (RM).

            ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبُ       – کتاب  is a verbal noun (مصدر) which is derived from کتب whose real meaning is to join one thing to another or to gather things and is also used for writing, because in writing the words are joined together and کتاب is a revealed book along with what is written in it (R). The communication of Allah is called کتاب whether it is written or not (R). This word has also been used for  the Quran (as in the present context) for a surah, for previous religious laws, for the revelation of every prophet, and for referring to the combined revelation of all prophets.

            رَيۡبَ is doubt that casts an aspersion (T).

The negation of رَيۡبَ (doubt) and its proof: Any doubt with regards to this Book is dispelled  here and the evidence for this claim is later stated as: وَإِن ڪُنتُمۡ فِى رَيۡبٍ۬ مِّمَّا نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَىٰ عَبۡدِنَا فَأۡتُواْ بِسُورَةٍ۬ مِّن مِّثۡلِهِۦ (And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a chapter like it…) (2:23).  No opponent, to this day, has been able to produce a book like the Qur’an.. So, this claim stands proven and true.

2-2b    هُدً۬ى here means ھَدِیْ (guide) i.e. it is the pilot on the path that leads to the desired destination. Also see note 1: 5a

            مُتَّقِينَ (plural) مُتَّقِیْ (singular) is the nominative form (اِسْمُ فاعِل) of the verb اِتَّقَی (to guard against) and اِتَّقَی was originally اِوْتقٰی which is a verbal noun derived from the root وقَّی (to preserve, guard, shield) and the meaning of the infinitive form وِقَایَة is:مما یُؤزیه و یضُرّهٗ حفظ الشىٔ (guarding a thing from that which harms or injures) (R). The literal meaning of تقویٰ (taqwa) is: جَعْلُ النَّفْسِ فیِ وِقَایَةٍ مِمَّا یُخَاف (To safeguard against what one is afraid of) (R),  Subsequently, its meaning is sometimes taken to be “fear” and in the terminology of the shariah تقویٰ  (taqwa) is to save oneself from falling into sin حِفْظ النَّفْس عَمَّا یُؤثَمُ (R). According to a hadith, the Holy Prophet said: لا یبلغ العبد ان یکون من المتقین حتی یدع ما لا باس به حذرا ممّا به باس (A person does not become a muttaqi unless he gives up those things which are not evil so he can save himself from things that are evil . In another hadith, the word توقه is used with نفس (self or soul) and Ibn Kathir has explained that as meaning: Do not present your soul for spiritual ruin;  guard it against all dangers. According to Taj al-Arus the meanings of توقی and اتقی are the same. The question now is: What is تقوی ﷲ ? And what is meant by اتقوا ﷲ ? because a متقی can only be one who adopts تقوی ﷲ . It is obvious that Allah is not a fearful Being who a person needs to evade, or from whom he must save or protect himself.  On the contrary, obtaining nearness to Allah is the objective of life. The Quran states in the beginning of Surah Nisa وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهٖ وَٱلۡأَرۡحَامَ‌ (And keep your duty to Allah by Whom you demand one of another (your rights), and (to) the ties of relationship) (4:1). By putting these two words (ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ) together, Allah has cast light on the meaning of تقوی ﷲ . The meaning of taqwa of relationships is to safeguard the rights of relationships. تقوی ﷲ is therefore, safeguarding rights and a مُتَّقِیْ is one who guards rights. So, the meaning of اتقوا ﷲ is to safeguard the rights of Allah and مُتَّقِیْ is one who safeguards rights. Consider  that the meaning given by Imam Raghib is the same, because the only way of avoiding falling into sin is to safeguard rights and to ensure that no right is usurped. The same meaning is found in Hadith because the Holy Prophet calls that person مُتَّقِیْ who safeguards himself from evils  to the extent that for the sake of saving oneself from vice, a person will even forsake a thing which in itself is not a sin (the connotation of evil here is the usurpation of rights). Thus, مُتَّقِیْ is a person who safeguards himself from sin and usurpation of rights and the meaning of اتقوا ﷲ is to safeguard the rights of Allah. Because all types of rights have been made the responsibility of man by Allah, the Most High, تقوی ﷲ includes the safeguarding of all rights. Even if the meaning of  تقوی ﷲ is taken as fear, then the fear or dread of God is the fear of the calamity or punishment that is a consequence of sin. Thus, the true significance is to safeguard against sin, where sin signifies  squandering the rights of Allah or the rights of men.

How is the Quran a guide for مُتَّقِينَ (those who keep their duty)? The Quran is here called هُدً۬ى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ (a guide for those who keep their duty) and, in another place, it is  called هُدً۬ى لِّلنَّاسِ (a guide for men) (2:185). Based on the different meanings of ہدایت (guidance) both the statements are correct (See 1-5). It is a guide for all in that it shows the way for all people without exclusion, and people are free to adopt the way or not. It is a guide for those who keep their duty  مُتَّقِينَ in that it guides them to their desired destination.

Guidance for the righteous: It is absurd to say (as some do) that a righteous person does not require guidance. A righteous (مُتَّقِی) person is one who is just and guards against harmful and sinful things. However, they  need to be informed about their obligations, things that are harmful, and about the way to reach perfection. Without guidance from Allah, no man can achieve perfection merely through his own striving because his knowledge is limited. Allah’s light and guidance is needed  as manifested in هُدً۬ى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ (a guide for those who keep their duty). Human endeavor is required which is born from taqwa and Divine light is needed for guidance to reach the desired destination. Just as the person who says: ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds) and then declares: إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ (Thee do we serve) is dependent on: ٱهۡدِنَا (Guide us), in the same way a muttaqi who believes in Allah and avoids harmful things, is still dependent on the light of this Book to reach his desired destination.

Unlimited progress for the muttaqi (مُتَّقِی): Further, we are  informed that regardless of how far a person has progressed in righteousness, this Book will continue to illuminate a path for further development. There is no stage of spiritual progress at which a person will find that this Book has become incapable of providing guidance for further progress. Just as human spiritual progress is unlimited, in the same way the light of this Book just keeps on illuminating.

Taqwa is the first step on the staircase to perfection: It is true that even in taqwa there are stages and a person who steps on the first rung desiring to seek guidance from this Book can ultimately progress to its final stage here called فلاح (success) and elsewhere called the station of صدیقیت (truthfulness) and شھید (witness). But taqwa or avoiding affliction is not the perfection of man. It is only the first step on the ladder  to perfection. Against these are people who act without fear of distress and suffering. They are mentioned in verse 6.

2-3       Who believe in the Unseen

and keep up prayer

and spend out of what We have given them

ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ

وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ

وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ (٣)

2-3a     يُؤۡمِنُونَ – ایمان is from امن and اٰمن is used in two ways. As a transitive verb as in اٰمنتة which means I made him secure and accordingly one of the names of Allah is المؤمن  (Al-Momin) i.e. one who grants security, peace and tranquility to His worshippers. Its second use is as an intransitive verb, where آمن will have the meaning, he became secure. In common parlance, it is sometimes used for a verbal confession of faith i.e. the declaration of belief in Muhammad as the messenger of Allah, as in إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ (Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews) (2:62) and يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ ءَامِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ (O you who believe, believe in Allah and His Messenger…) (4:136). And sometimes it means to affirm the truth by becoming fully obedient to it, and this requires three things to be present i.e. to affirm verbally, to firmly believe in one’s heart that it is the truth, and to have all of one’s being acting according to it, as in وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦۤ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلصِّدِّيقُونَ‌ۖ وَٱلشُّہَدَآءُ (And those who believe in Allah and His messengers, they are the truthful and the faithful ones…)(57:19). It has subsequently also become applicable to belief, and to truthful speech and righteous actions (R).

The meaning of Iman (ایمان or belief) in the light of the Hadith: This meaning of Iman is further substantiated by some hadith of the Holy Prophet where Iman refers sometimes just to belief, sometimes just to righteous actions and sometimes to both together. The use of Iman as belief is obvious. Examples of the uses in the other senses are to be found in the prophet’s sayings as in ‘modesty is from Iman,’ and ‘Iman has more than sixty branches,’ and similarly other actions have also been made part of Iman. The truth is that confession with the tongue is the seed of Iman but its nurturing and completion cannot take place without righteous actions.

The meaning of Iman specific to Islam: The meaning of Iman in Islam is not the same as in other religions. In Christianity, for example, Iman is merely the declaration of belief in atonement. Iman in Islam has a meaning that requires action. Belief in Allah requires the believer to mold his disposition in the virtues of Allah, to consider gaining His love and knowledge as the real purpose of life; belief in the Angels is accepting  their virtuous suggestions; belief in Messengers is to follow in their footsteps; belief in the scriptures is to act according to them; belief in the Hereafter is that every action has a causative effect and a person should not consider any action to be absurd; and so on.

2-3b    اَلۡغَيۡبِ is an infinitive i.e. verbal noun. Anything that is hidden from a person’s eye is called غاب. Similarly, those things that are hidden from the physical senses are called غیب and a thing will be called غاءب with reference to certain persons. Allah is عَـٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَۃ‌ meaning that He knows things that humans cannot see and the things that they can see. اَلۡغَيۡبِ here refers to those matters that are not within the ambit of the five senses and are not on the authority of human guidance but knowledge of which is given by the Prophets (R). Some commentators have taken اَلۡغَيۡبِ to refer here to the Quran (IJ) although the Quran has been mentioned separately in مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ (…that which has been revealed to thee…), some have taken it to mean belief in Allah, angels and Messengers (F) and some only Allah (RM-F) from the fact that the Allah is the most deeply concealed, hidden and distant Being. This seems to be the correct interpretation. The angels though can also be included in the meaning.

The reality of belief in the Unseen: Why has the word اَلۡغَيۡبِ (Unseen) been used in the beginning of the Book instead of belief in Allah? Firstly, because knowledge of His attributes is gained only through the prophets, and secondly because all progress is dependent on belief in the unseen. In every discipline, one moves forward based on certain assumptions and the subsequent results provide evidence for the veracity of these assumptions. No person can gain the full knowledge about Allah on day one, because that Being is deeply concealed. But when a person moves ahead with a firm belief in the Unseen, he can ultimately get full knowledge of Allah and can even communicate with Him. It can, therefore, be said that the Quran can take a person from belief in the Unseen to becoming a witness of the Unseen.

            فلاح (success) Out of the five principles that are mentioned in this surah for religious and worldly success, the first one is Belief in the Unseen i.e. Belief in Allah.

2-3c     يُقِيمُونَ The root of اقام is قوم and the meaning of اقام الامر is kept the work in the right condition.

The meaning of اقامت صلٰوۃ (keep up prayer): Wherever صلٰوۃ is mentioned in the Quran either in the sense of praise or urging, the word اقام, or its derivative, is used with it– as in أَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ – يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ – المقیمین ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ . اقام (keep up) has been specially mentioned with صلٰوۃ (prayer) in order to caution that the purpose is to fulfill all the rights and conditions of prayers, not just perform the ritual. Thus, there is a narration which states: there will be many who pray (مصلّی) but few who will keep up prayer (R). It is for this reason, that under conditions of censure the word مصلّی is used rather than مقیم ٱلصَّلَوة as in: فَوَيۡلٌ۬ لِّلۡمُصَلِّينَ (So woe to the praying ones) (107:4). The conditions for what constitutes keeping up the prayer are specified in the Quran and these are:

1. Cleanliness such as wudu or a full bath, etcetera (5:6).
2. Praying at the specified times for each prayer: كَانَتۡ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ كِتَـٰبً۬ا مَّوۡقُوتً۬ا (Prayer indeed has been enjoined on the believers at fixed times 4:103).
3. Constancy in prayers i.e. to offer all the prayers and not to offer some and miss others: عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِہِمۡ دَآٮِٕمُونَ (Who are constant at their prayer70:23).
4. Safeguarding the prayers i.e. not missing a prayer regardless of whether one is in a journey, or sick, or in a battle or in any other kind of difficulty: عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِہِمۡ يُحَافِظُونَ (…those who keep a guard on their prayer) (70:34).
5. Mindfulness of the real spirit of the prayer: صَلَاتِہِمۡ سَاهُونَ (So woe to the praying ones, Who are unmindful of their prayer) (107:4,5).
6. Prayer that is not offered for show (to be seen by others): ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ يُرَآءُونَ (Who do (good) to be seen) (107:6).
7. Prayer offered without laziness. The Quran states about the hypocrites: لَا يَأۡتُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ إِلَّا وَهُمۡ ڪُسَالَىٰ (…they come not to prayer except as lazy people…) (9:54). A hadith narration states that the Holy Prophet felt great pleasure in prayer.
8. Prayer should be offered in congregation: وَٱرۡكَعُواْ مَعَ ٱلرَّٲكِعِينَ (…and bow down with those who bow down.) (2:43).
9. Fear of God and humility should be present in prayer: ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ فِى صَلَاتِہِمۡ خَـٰشِعُونَ (Who are humble in their prayers) (23:2).
10. Prayer should lead to an abandonment of evil and indecency: إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ تَنۡهَىٰ عَنِ ِ‌ ٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنكَر (Surely prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil) (29:45).

2-3c     ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ  – صلّی is spoken both with reference to lighting a fire and entering a fire as in: يَصۡلَى ٱلنَّارَ ٱلۡكُبۡرَىٰ (…will burn in the great fire) (87:12) and يَصۡلَوۡنَ سَعِيرً۬ا (…will burn in blazing fire) (4:10). And صلٰوۃ is a quasi-infinitive noun of صلّی and signifies prayer, supplication or petition (LL) and blessings. Accordingly, the meaning of صلیت علیہ is stated to be دعوت له i.e. I prayed for him. And a poet says: وصلّی علٰی دَنِّھَا وَارْتَسَمْ I kept praying and petitioning on her water-skin. A few examples from the Quran showing the use of the word in this sense are: وَصَلِّ عَلَيۡهِمۡ‌ۖ إِنَّ صَلَوٰتَكَ سَكَنٌ۬ لَّهُمۡ‌ۗ (and pray for them. Surely thy prayer is a relief to them) (9:103), إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَتَهُ ۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِى  (Surely Allah and His angels bless the Prophet) (33:56) and أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ صَلَوَٲتٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِم (Those are they on whom are blessings from their Lord) (2:157). The place of worship is also called صلٰوۃ as in لَّهُدِّمَتۡ صَوَٲمِعُ وَبِيَعٌ۬ وَصَلَوَٲت (…and churches, and synagogues, and mosques would have been pulled down) (22:40). صلٰوۃ also means the specific prayer that the Holy Prophet taught the Muslims, and when it is prefixed by اقامت , this form specifically just refers to the Muslim prayer (R) i.e. اقامت صلٰوۃ means saying the Muslim prayer.

Details about the prayer: The Quran does state that it is required that prayers should be offered at the prescribed time ( كِتَـٰبً۬ا مَّوۡقُوتا). However, the details about how many times prayers should be offered during a day, the timing of prayers, the number of rakahs in each prayer, the components of each rakah, their arrangement within a rakah, and the number of recitals of the phrases of glorification are not mentioned in the Quran in any one place. It is a different matter that some may conjecture about these details based on indications they observe in certain definitive verses of the Quran.

Islamic consensus about the components and timings of prayers: Surprisingly, there is largely consensus about these matters in the Islamic world. Sunnis, Shias, Khawarij, Muqallid (conformists), Ghair-muqallids (non-conformists) and those sects who have always remained at loggerhead with each other, from the east to the west, and from the beginning to the present, have said their prayers in the same manner and continue to do so. In China or in the jungles of Africa, in the islands of the Indian ocean or in the far-flung areas of Russia, wherever one goes, one finds the same timing of prayers, the same number of rakahs in each prayer, and the same arrangement of components of the prayer. Just as Allah in one, the Prophet is one, the Kiblah is one, in the same way, the form of prayer is one. This conformity exists because the first practitioner of the prayer, Prophet Muhammad, on him be peace and blessings,always said the prayer in the same way, his companions followed his example, and each subsequent generation learned from, and followed the example of the previous generation. It is this prayer that the righteous are commanded to keep up.

The relation between ‘Belief in the Unseen’ and prayer (صلٰوۃ):  Prayer is the sole channel to achieve nearness to Allah. For this reason, the mention of ‘belief in the Unseen’ is immediately followed by the mention of prayer.Thus the importance of action is stressed by linking belief to action in the foundational principles of Islam. Belief in Allah would have remained merely lip service if the means by which a relationship could be forged with this deeply hidden Being had not been provided. This information also provides the method for a person to reach his highest perfection. Prayer is synonymous with humbly submitting to Allah. The more a person submits to Allah the more he gets colored in the virtues of Allah and the greater the fulfillment of the real objective of belief in the Unseen. Prayer is the second of the five foundational principles of Islam, and the first principle requiring practical action in a person’s life.

2-3d    رَزَقۡنَـٰهُم – The word رزق is sometimes used for a continuing favor in this world or the Hereafter, sometimes it is used for a share or a portion and sometimes for food (R). Hence it is not only wealth that is included here in مِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰهُم but also station in life and knowledge (R). In fact, any kind of power that a person is endowed with is included in it.

2-3e     يُنفِقُونَ – انفاق is from نفق which means that a thing has passed. A tunnel is called نَفَقَ because it passes into the earth. نفاق is derived from نَفَقَand means to enter faith one way and leave from another (R)  اَنْفَقَ when it is an intransitive verb means the diminishing of wealth as in: إِذً۬ا لَّأَمۡسَكۡتُمۡ خَشۡيَةَ ٱلۡإِنفَاق (…then you will withhold them for fear of squandering it) (17:100) where the meaning of انفاق is squandered. And if it is a transitive verb, the meaning is to spend (T).

The meaning of spending in the way of Allah: This is the third foundational principle and the second rule of action without which success cannot be achieved. The sum and substance of it is to devote all of one’s powers, wealth and knowledge in the way of Allah i.e. for the betterment of humanity. Payment of zakat is  one part of it. Its mention after prayer is in natural order because a person who has a connection with the Creator can best serve humanity. The way to forge a connection with the Creator is through prayer. Through prayer, one develops a relationship with God and becomes colored in His virtues, the foremost of which is that He is the nourisher unto perfection. The service of humanity, then, becomes an essential imperative; because if the desire to serve humanity does not arise after establishing a relationship with God through prayer then it would be as though the purpose of prayer is invalid.

 The wisdom of mentioning zakat and salat (prayer) together: This is the reason why the mention of keeping up prayer in the Quran is always followed by zakat or service to humanity and why the Quran classes those who fail to undertake even small acts of kindness to humanity as being ignorant of the true purpose of prayer, and says that they pray only to be seen: ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ يُرَآءُونَ  وَيَمۡنَعُونَ ٱلۡمَاعُونَ  (Who do (good) to be seen; and refrain from acts of kindness) (107:6-7)

Hassan (حسن) and Ahsan (احسان) or Good and Favor: In the practical sense, there are only two facets for the development of a person’s soul – to bow before God and to serve God’s creation. One facet may be called Hassan (good) and the other Ahsan (favor). When prayer creates Hassan (goodness), then the next step is to do favors to humanity which the Quran teaches through مِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰهُم.

2-4       And who believe in that which has been revealed to thee and that which was revealed before thee, and of the Hereafter they are sure.

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبۡلِك وَبِٱلۡأَخِرَةِ هُمۡ يُوقِنُون (٤)   

2-4a     أُنزِلَ – The actual meaning of نزول is to come down from on high to low, but in practice the coming down from high to low is not an essential element in its meaning. انزال is absolutely ایصال و ابلاغ i.e. to deliver a certain thing (R). Certain statements from the Quran to illustrate this are: أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ لِبَاسً۬ا يُوَٲرِى سَوۡءَٲتِكُم (sent down to you clothing to cover your shame) (7:26), وَأَنزَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ ثَمَـٰنِيَةَ (He sent down for you eight of the cattle in pairs) (39:6), and أَنزَلۡنَا ٱلۡحَدِيدَ (We sent down iron) (57:25). It is obvious that clothing , cattle and iron do not descend from above.

The نزول (sending) of Messengers and revelation: The word تنزیل or انزال has been used only for the revelation of Messengers. In fact, the word نزل has been used to explain why the Holy Prophet was sent: قَدۡ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيۡكُمۡ ذِكۡرً۬ا () رَّسُولا (Allah has indeed sent down to you a Reminder – A Messenger…) (65:10-11). Imam Raghib, in his commentary of this verse explains that the Holy Prophet here has been named ذکر (the Reminder) just as Jesus was named کلمة (the Word) and writes that انزال ذکر means the advent of the Holy Prophet.

Belief in Divine revelation: A fourth principle is expounded here for a righteous person to act on. This principle is belief in what was revealed to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah and what was revealed before him. This is the second principle of belief, the first being belief in Allah, and the second being belief in Divine revelation. Belief in Allah cannot be born unless there is belief in revelation. Divine revelation creates a true bond between the Creator and the created. Perfect belief in Allah is born only from revelation and cannot be born just by looking at beautiful natural wonders. A wondrous sight may indeed provoke a thought that there must be a Creator, but belief that causes the power to act is born out of establishing the ties which in reality exist between the Creator and the created and the sole means to achieve that is Divine revelation. This relationship is also indicated by the word الغیب.

The wisdom of belief in previous revelation: The need for belief in Divine revelation has not been limited here just to belief in the Quran. Divine revelation to previous prophets has also been made an element of belief. This establishes that there is nothing novel in the matter of Muhammad and that this relationship between the Creator and the created has always existed. Another reason why it is necessary to make مَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ part of the belief system is because the revelation of the Quran was for the whole of humanity, and all the nations of the world had to be gathered together by it. Hence it was necessary to mention the previous revelations. Belief in what was revealed before created a magnificent basis for unity that showed that just as Allah was the physical nourisher of all humanity, His spiritual nourishment was also for all nations. An unlettered Arab taught this principle to the world,  a principle even the greatest philosophers had not discerned. Whereas it is incumbent to act on مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ  i.e. the Quran, there is no need to act on the previous revelations. The Quran itself narrates that these Books have been altered and therefore they cannot be acted upon (in total). Additionally, the teachings in these Books were given to meet the specific needs of a people in a specific locale– so portions of the Books are redundant and unactionable. The portions of the previous scriptures that contained teachings of eternal value aree gathered together in a comprehensive form in the Quran as stated in: فِيہَا كُتُبٌ۬ قَيِّمَة (Wherein are (all) right books) (98:3). Hence, only the Quran need be acted on because by acting on the Quran, one follows the eternal teachings of all the books.

2-4b    ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ – اٰخِرٌ (last) is the opposite of اوّل (first) and اٰخَر (another; one more) is distinct  from واحد (one, unique). And الدار الاٰخرۃ means النشاۃ الثانیة i.e. the second life or Hereafter. Sometimes the word الدار is dropped and only الاٰخرۃ is used in place of الدار الاٰخرۃ (R). This is the dictionary meaning. If the Quran is examined, then other than the places where الاٰخرۃ occurs as belief in the Hereafter or denial of Hereafter, the word الاٰخرۃ is used in eighteen places and these all mean  النشاۃ الثانیة. For verification see: (6:92,113,150), (7:45), (11:19), (12:37), (16:22,60), (17:45), (23:74), (27:3,4), (31:4), (34:8,21), (39:45), (41:7), (53:27). Hence, to consider ٱلۡأَخِرَة to mean الوحی الاٰخرۃ and conclude from this that some other revelation will come, belief in which will be necessary, is totally antithetical to the Quran.

2-4c     يُوقِنُونَ – یقین is the attribute of knowledge that is beyond just awareness and scholarship etcetera (R).

The meaning of belief in the Hereafter: Belief in the Hereafter is the fifth principle of religion enunciated here. الاٰخرۃ (Hereafter) or النشاۃ الثانیة (the second life) is the life which is the consequence of actions done in this worldly life. Belief in that life means a firm belief that actions have consequences by way of reward and punishment. When a person considers a particular action to be harmful, he normally does not commit that action and when he considers an action to be good, he attempts to do it. If there are some immediate benefits from an action but its long-term consequences are detrimental, then an intelligent person will avoid it.A child who does not know better, likes play and sport, but a wise person keeps in mind the consequences that come ten, twenty years or even hundred years ahead. The stratagems of the European statesmen during the last century were an evil use of this otherwise good trait. The further a person scans the future the greater is the ability to avoid unpleasant consequences.

The real purpose of religion: Religion teaches a person that the consequences of actions are not just confined to this human life, or to twenty or a hundred years, but continue for thousands of years and cast their influence on the person even after the life of this world is over. In fact, just as in this world the immediate benefit of a particular action may appear good, but the ultimate consequence may be bad, similarly, an action may appear to have good consequences in this world but its consequences for the next world may be very bad. Hence an action that is intrinsically bad should be avoided even if worldly benefits from it may appear great. Vice versa, an action that is intrinsically good is worth undertaking even if its immediate consequence in this world may be troublesome. Hence the responsibility for an action should be understood in terms of the intrinsic good or bad nature of the act and not based on the consequences that could possibly arise in this world. For example, a person may be able to take the property of another person by resorting to falsehood and may also be able to avoid punishment, or a nation may use its overwhelming military superiority to act cruelly towards another nation without fear of any retaliation. But a righteous person acts only based on whether the action is good or bad.

Surety of reward and punishment saves one from sin: The use of the word یقین (sure) with اٰخرۃ (Hereafter) shows that unless there is full surety of reward and punishment in the Hereafter, a person cannot save himself from sin. There are many people who claim to believe in the Hereafter but because they do not have certainty in their hearts about it, they live their life in the servitude of sin. A person who is certain that there is a snake in a burrow will not put his hand in it, likewise, how can he go against the commandments of God if he is certain of requital.

2-5         These are on a right course from their Lord and these it is that are successful.^a

أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَىٰ هُدً۬ى مِّن رَّبِّهِم

وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ (٥)

2-5a     ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ – The literal  meaning of فلح is شق i.e. to split, cleave or fissure. This word is also used for plowing the earth. For this reason, a farmer is called فلّاح and the meaning of فَلاح is ظفر وادراك (R) i.e. success and the achievement of the desired objective. Just as plowing brings up the latent powers and talent of the earth, the same is the case with human potentialities which lie latent until they are brought out, and this is success. The meaning of فلّاح is not just worldly success but the manifestation of the hidden human potentialities. The mere earning of wealth or gaining kingship is not فلّاح (success) and such a person cannot be called مفلح (successful). The meaning of فلّاح is الفوزوالخیر which combines both secular and religious success. Accordingly, it is stated in Taj al-Arus that there is a consensus among linguistic scholars that there is no word in the Arabic language that more comprehensively incorporates both secular and religious good actions than فلّاح.

Who is a مفلح i.e. a successful person? It is stated here that those who accept these five principles and make the Quran the basis of their actions are rightly guided. The evidence for their right guidance is furnished by the fact that they will achieve فلّاح or success both in this world and the Hereafter, and their physical and spiritual powers will be nourished in the best manner. The companions of the Holy Prophet have furnished the best evidence of this to the world. In other words, “These are on the right course” is the claim and “these it is that are successful” is the proof.

2-6            Those who disbelieve^a —it being alike to them whether thou warn them^b or warn them not —they will not believe.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَوَآءٌ عَلَيۡهِم ءَأَنذَرۡتَهُمۡ أَمۡ لَمۡ تُنذِرۡهُم لَا يُؤۡمِنُون (٦)

2-6a     کفٰر – کافر: کفروا –کُفْر (kufr) the dictionary meaning is: سَتْرالشَّیِٔ i.e. to cover a thing. Accordingly, the night is referred to as کافر and so is a farmer because he covers the seed with earth in the ground. کُفْر is ungratefulness for a favor because not expressing gratitude for it is tantamount to hiding it. And the greatest کُفْر (ungratefulness) is denial of Oneness of God, or shariah or prophethood (R).

Every contemptible act is included in kufr; basic and subsidiary kufr:  Just as every praiseworthy action is part of Iman (belief), every blameworthy action is kufr (unbelief) (R). Ibn Kathir has written that kufr is of two types. One is disbelief in the basic principles ofiman (faith) and opposition to it, and the second is disbelief in some subsidiary aspect of Islam which does not expel a person from being a believer. Accordingly a citation from Azhari is quoted: قد یقول المسلم کفرا . Hence in religious terminology the rejection of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet is kufr, but some subsidiary actions arising out of it that have been labelled as kufr such as: سباب المسلم فسوق و قتاله کفر or من رغب عن ابیه فقد کفر are merely actions that are kufr of the off-shoots of iman and do not expel a person from the pale of Islam. The actual meaning is expansive [and prohibits people from excommunicating other Muslims from Islam for minor infractions].

2-6b    انذرت – Is from نذر which means making something incumbent on oneself (R). The literal meaning of اَنْذَرَ or اَنْذَار in the dictionary is اَعْلَمَ i.e. knowledge about the matter was given to him (T) and it has also been said that اَنْذَار is to give knowledge about a matter with a view to caution and frighten. The real meaning of اَنْذَار is اَعْلَمَ i.e. to give knowledge about a matter (T) and it has also been said that مُنْذِر is a person providing knowledge who cautions the nation about dangers as for example from enemies. Hence the real meaning of اَنْذَار is not to threaten but to provide knowledge and, in particular, knowledge that informs of an impending danger.

Mention of opposing scenarios: The style of the Quran is such that it compares opposing scenarios in order to highlight the major objectives. After mentioning the righteous persons and their success i.e. the achievement of their real perfection, mention is made of people who, when they are told that their actions are evil and would have detrimental consequences, take no heed. The righteous person is one who saves himself from all unrighteous acts and quite the opposite is the person who when informed that the matter is sinful, does not care. In addition, a question arises whether the term هُدً۬ى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ (guide to those who keep their duty) in  a Book meant for the whole of humanity means that a section of people would be left bereft from its guidance. The answer is given that only those would be left bereft who do not care.

Those not heeding the warning: سَوَآءٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَأَنذَرۡتَهُمۡ أَمۡ لَمۡ تُنذِرۡهُم (it being alike to them whether thou warn them or warn them not) is a fault-finding phrase that explains the condition of إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ. Bahr al-Muhit and Ruh al-Maani agree with the correctness of this sentence structure. If it is not taken as a phrase of objection, the sentence would become meaningless. If it is taken to be information about إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ then the meaning would be that it is useless for you to warn the kafir because the result would be the same whether you warn them or not, and this is against the objective reality and one cannot accept a Quranic interpretation that is against reality. The fact is that the Holy Prophet kept on warning the kafirs and the Quran too has repeated commands to warn the kafirs. As a result, conversions to Islam from the kafirs continued. Thus, the real meaning is that those who reject the truth and reject it with such vehemence that it makes no difference to them whether they are warned or not warned are the ones who would not accept. It is a truism, that a person who does not care about the warnings is not able to benefit. However, if he changes the condition of his heart, then he too would be able to benefit. This order is a general statement and is not directed at a specific person.

2-7         Allah has sealed their hearts^a

              and their hearing;

              and there is a covering on their eyes^b,

              and for them is a grievous chastisement.^c

خَتَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِم

وَعَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِم

وَعَلَىٰٓ أَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡ غِشَـٰوَة

وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِيم (٧)

 2-7a  خَتَمَ – The dictionary meaning of خَتَمَ and طبع are the same i.e. to cover a thing and to tie the cover so strongly that no other thing can enter it (T).

The meaning of sealing the heart: Imam Raghib in his book Al-Mufradat has interpreted the sealing of hearts by stating that when a person becomes exceedingly remiss in evil beliefs or the commission of sins such that he pays no attention to the truth he will become habituated to think of evil as good and, so to say, the person’s heart is sealed by this condition. Imam Raghib  further writes that this is a metaphor just like: وَجَعَلۡنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِہِمۡ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفۡقَهُوهُ (We have cast veils over their hearts so that they understand it not) (6:25) and جَعَلۡنَا قُلُوبَهُمۡ قَـٰسِيَةً۬‌ (We hardened their hearts) (5:13).

2-7b     غِشَـٰوَةٌ‌ – The root word is غشی whose meaning is to cover and غِشَـٰوَة is that with which a thing is covered. There are many derivatives from this in the Quran such as: غَشِی – یَغْشیٰ – تَغْشیٰ –  غاشیة – مغشی – اِسْتَغْشَوا – غشاوة – غشی.

God’s sealing is a result of a person’s actions: This verse refers to the same people referred to in the previous verse. The personal pronoun ھم (their) in عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ (their hearts) does not refer to the ordinary unbelievers, but only to those unbelievers who have reached the most extreme stage of unbelief, and about whom it is said that it is the same for them whether they are warned. The sealing of the heart is not a condition they are predisposed to at birth. God does not cause some people to be born with seals on their hearts. The sealing of the hearts is a consequence of their actions. When a person does not reflect and contemplate, their power to do so is lost  in much the same way that the hand of a person becomes useless if it is not used for a long time. Further, just as physical strength can be restored with proper treatment, the seal on the heart can also be broken. The Quran is the treatment for this as it is: شفاء لما فی الصدور (healing for what is in the chest). But the treatment is only for those who wish to be treated.

The testimony of the Quran and Hadith that shows the effect of evil takes place concurrently: The idea of the seal being a consequence is verified by the Quran which states in another place: بَلۡۜ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِہِم مَّا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ  (Rather, what they earned is rust on their heart) (83:14). Just as a person’s actions build rust on the heart, they also seal it. The buildup of the rust is the first stage and the seal is the last stage. It is narrated in a hadith by Tirmidhi that when a person commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart; if the person repents, his heart becomes clean again (by heart here is meant the spiritual heart); but if the person keeps on sinning the blackness keeps on growing and he becomes an example of : رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِہِم . So the light that God has placed within him becomes fully subdued. This shows that rusting and sealing of the heart is not specific to unbelievers. Even a Muslim who habitually sins  can have a seal put on his heart. This verse  shows that the effect of evil on the soul takes place concurrently with its commission.

Not using intellect is a seal on the heart: What is meant by seal on the heart? Commenting on خَتَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ وَعَلَىٰ سَمۡعِهِم Ibn Masud and some other Companions explain its meaning as: لا یعقلون و لا یسمعون (they neither use their intellect nor do they hear). The Quran too gives the same explanation: وَمِنۡہُم مَّن يَسۡتَمِعُ إِلَيۡكَ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا خَرَجُواْ مِنۡ عِندِكَ قَالُواْ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ مَاذَا قَالَ ءَانِفًا‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ طَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِہِم (And there are those of them who seek to listen to thee, till, when they go forth from thee, they say to those who have been given knowledge: What was it that he said just now? These are they whose hearts Allah has sealed…) (47:16). In other words, sealing is a state where one listens but does not understand. In another place, the Quran states: لَهُمۡ  قُلُوبٌ۬ لَّا يَفۡقَهُونَ بِہَا وَلَهُمۡ أَعۡيُنٌ۬ لَّا يُبۡصِرُونَ بِہَا وَلَهُمۡ ءَاذَانٌ۬ لَّا يَسۡمَعُونَ بِہَآ‌ۚ  (…they have hearts wherewith they understand not, and they have eyes wherewith they see not, they have ears wherewith they hear not…) (7:179).

Considering evil actions to be good is a seal on the heart: When an evil act is committed repeatedly, the outlook about the act gradually changes until the evil act begins to look like a virtue. This is a seal on the heart because then one even ceases to reflect that the action being committed is evil.

Attributing the sealing to Allah: The sealing of the heart is attributed to Allah because the result of every action done by a person is produced under the laws created by Allah. For example, it can be said that when a person closes all the doors of his house, Allah leaves him in darkness, or when a person stops using his hand, Allah atrophies his hand. In the same way, when a person is warned of the evil consequences of an action but instead of heeding the warning, he keeps on increasing his evil actions then Allah seals his heart.

Zoroastrian belief contradicted : This idea contradicts  the Zoroastrian belief that light is from God and darkness is from Satan. Islam considers God to be the causer of all outcomes.

2-7c     عَذَابٌ – Its root word is عذب and sweet and high quality water is called مَاءٌ عَذْبٔ . The Quran states in another place: هَـٰذَا عَذۡبٌ۬ فُرَاتٌ۬ (…the one sweet, very sweet…) (25:53). Extreme suffering is called عذاب, the reason for this is that the meaning of عَذَبَ الرَّجُلُ is he stopped eating and drinking. Thus, تعذیب actually is to deprive a person from food, water and sleep. Some consider تعذیب to be the nullification ofعذب  i.e. to be removed from the good things of life, similar to تَمْرِیض (removal of illness) being the nullification of مرض (illness). Thus, being deprived of good things is عذاب.

Use of عذابin the Quran: The Quran has used this word for any kind of punishment or affliction. When the owners of an orchard did not get the benefit of their labor, the Quran described it as كَذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡعَذَابُ‌ (Such is the chastisement) (68:33). The destruction and suffering of nations in this world is also called عذاب. The punishment for a crime is also called عذاب as in وَلۡيَشۡہَدۡ عَذَابَہُمَا (witness their chastisement) (24:2)The chastisement of the Hereafter is also called عذاب. The pain that the heart feels after committing an evil deed is also عذاب.

Grievous chastisement (عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ) and painful chastisement (الیم عَذَابٌ): In the Quran chastisement (عذاب) is sometimes referred to as grievous (عَظِيم) based on the external difficulties  of the chastisement and sometimes as painful (الیم ) based on the internal pain that one suffers. In accordance with this distinction, the chastisement that was going to be inflicted on the unbelievers is called grievous because of the manifest nature of this punishment, while later in the chapter the chastisement of the hypocrites is described as painful.