Monthly Archives: August 2025

Quran, listen ,read translation, understand & act

Surah Al-Mutaffifin, 83:1-28

Audio discussion of the summary:

https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/fff2e2c0-f857-4089-8fad-b21629c2707e/audio

وَيۡلٌ لِّلۡمُطَفِّفِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿83:1﴾ الَّذِيۡنَ اِذَا اكۡتَالُوۡا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسۡتَوۡفُوۡنَۖ‏ ﴿83:2﴾ وَاِذَا كَالُوۡهُمۡ اَوْ وَّزَنُوۡهُمۡ يُخۡسِرُوۡنَؕ‏ ﴿83:3﴾ اَلَا يَظُنُّ اُولٰٓـئِكَ اَنَّهُمۡ مَّبۡعُوۡثُوۡنَۙ‏ ﴿83:4﴾ لِيَوۡمٍ عَظِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿83:5﴾ يَّوۡمَ يَقُوۡمُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَؕ‏ ﴿83:6﴾ كَلَّاۤ اِنَّ كِتٰبَ الۡفُجَّارِ لَفِىۡ سِجِّيۡنٍؕ‏ ﴿83:7﴾ وَمَاۤ اَدۡرٰٮكَ مَا سِجِّيۡنٌؕ‏﴿83:8﴾ كِتٰبٌ مَّرۡقُوۡمٌؕ‏ ﴿83:9﴾ وَيۡلٌ يَّوۡمَـئِذٍ لِّلۡمُكَذِّبِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿83:10﴾ الَّذِيۡنَ يُكَذِّبُوۡنَ بِيَوۡمِ الدِّيۡنِؕ‏ ﴿83:11﴾ وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهٖۤ اِلَّا كُلُّ مُعۡتَدٍ اَثِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿83:12﴾ اِذَا تُتۡلٰى عَلَيۡهِ اٰيٰتُنَا قَالَ اَسَاطِيۡرُ الۡاَوَّلِيۡنَؕ‏ ﴿83:13﴾ كَلَّا​ بَلۡ رَانَ عَلٰى قُلُوۡبِهِمۡ مَّا كَانُوۡا يَكۡسِبُوۡنَ‏ ﴿83:14﴾ كَلَّاۤ اِنَّهُمۡ عَنۡ رَّبِّهِمۡ يَوۡمَـئِذٍ لَّمَحۡجُوۡبُوۡنَ​ؕ‏﴿83:15﴾ ثُمَّ اِنَّهُمۡ لَصَالُوا الۡجَحِيۡمِؕ‏ ﴿83:16﴾ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هٰذَا الَّذِىۡ كُنۡتُمۡ بِهٖ تُكَذِّبُوۡنَؕ‏﴿83:17﴾ كَلَّاۤ اِنَّ كِتٰبَ الۡاَبۡرَارِ لَفِىۡ عِلِّيِّيۡنَؕ‏﴿83:18﴾ وَمَاۤ اَدۡرٰٮكَ مَا عِلِّيُّوۡنَؕ‏ ﴿83:19﴾كِتٰبٌ مَّرۡقُوۡمٌۙ‏ ﴿83:20﴾ يَّشۡهَدُهُ الۡمُقَرَّبُوۡنَؕ‏﴿83:21﴾ اِنَّ الۡاَبۡرَارَ لَفِىۡ نَعِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿83:22﴾ عَلَى الۡاَرَآئِكِ يَنۡظُرُوۡنَۙ‏ ﴿83:23﴾ تَعۡرِفُ فِىۡ وُجُوۡهِهِمۡ نَضۡرَةَ النَّعِيۡمِ​ۚ‏ ﴿83:24﴾ يُسۡقَوۡنَ مِنۡ رَّحِيۡقٍ مَّخۡتُوۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿83:25﴾ خِتٰمُهٗ مِسۡكٌ ​ؕ وَفِىۡ ذٰلِكَ فَلۡيَتَنَافَسِ الۡمُتَنـَافِسُوۡنَؕ‏ ﴿83:26﴾وَ مِزَاجُهٗ مِنۡ تَسۡنِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿83:27﴾ عَيۡنًا يَّشۡرَبُ بِهَا الۡمُقَرَّبُوۡنَؕ‏ ﴿83:28﴾

(83:1) Woe to the stinters; 1 (83:2) those who, when they take from others by measure, take their full share; 2 (83:3) but who, when they measure or weigh for others, give less than their due. (83:4) Do they not realise that they will be raised to life (83:5) on a Great Day, 3 (83:6) a Day when mankind will stand before the Lord of the Universe? (83:7) No indeed!4 Verily the deeds of the wicked are in the Record locked up in the prison-house!5 (83:8) And how would you know what the Record of the prison-house is? (83:9) It is a Book inscribed. (83:10) Woe, then, to those that give the lie, (83:11) those that give the lie to the Day of Recompense. (83:12) Yet none gives the lie to it except the transgressor immersed in sin; (83:13) who, when Our verses are recited to him,6 says: “Mere tales of olden times!” (83:14) No indeed! The truth is that their hearts have become rusted on account of their evil deeds.7 (83:15) No indeed! On that Day they will be screened off from seeing their Lord,8 (83:16) and then they shall enter Hell, (83:17) whereafter they will be told: “This is what you used to give the lie to.” (83:18) No indeed!9 Verily, the deeds of the virtuous shall be in the record of the exalted ones. (83:19) And what do you know what the Record of the exalted ones is? (83:20) It is a Book inscribed, (83:21) which the angels placed near Allah to safeguard. (83:22) Verily the virtuous shall be in Bliss; (83:23) resting on couches, looking around. (83:24) You shall see upon their faces the glow of bliss. (83:25) They will be served a drink of the finest sealed wine,10 (83:26) whose seal is musk – so let all aspirants aspire after that – (83:27) a wine whose mixture is Tasnim,11 (83:28) a fountain at which the chosen ones shall drink. 

Notes

1. In the original the word mutaffifin has been used, which is derived from tatfif, a word used for an inferior and base thing in Arabic. Terminologically, tatfif is used for giving short weight and short measure fraudulently, for the person who acts thus while measuring or weighing, does not defraud another by any substantial amount, but skimps small amounts from what is due to every customer cleverly, and the poor customer does not know of what and of how much he is being deprived by the seller. 

2. At several places in the Quran, giving of short measure and weight has been condemned and measuring fully and weighing rightly has been stressed. In Surah Al-Anaam, it has been enjoined: You should use a full measure and a just balance. We charge one only with that much responsibility that one can bear. (verse 152). In Surah Bani Israil, it has been said: Give full measure when you measure and weigh with even scales. (verse 35). In Surah Ar-Rehman, it has been stressed: Do not upset the balance: weigh with equity and do not give short weight. (verses 8-9). The people of the Prophet Shuaib (peace be upon him) were punished for the reason that the evil of giving short measure and weight had become widespread among them and in spite of his counsel and advice they did not refrain from it. 

3. A Great Day: the Day of Resurrection when all men and jinn will be called to account together in the divine court and decisions of vital importance will be made pertaining to rewards and punishments. 

4. That is, these people are wrong in thinking that they will be let off without being called to account when they have committed such and such crimes in the world. .

5. The word sijjin in the original is derived from sijn (a prison) and the explanation of it that follows shows that it implies the general register in which the actions and deeds of the people worthy of punishment are being recorded.

6. Our verses: Those verses in which news of the Day of Recompense has been given. 

7. That is, they have no good reason for regarding the meting out of rewards and punishments as unreal. What has made them say is this: Is it that their hearts have become rusty because of their sins; therefore, a thing which is thoroughly reasonable appears unreal and unreasonable to them. The explanation of this rust as given by the Prophet (peace be upon him) is as follows: When a servant commits a sin, it marks a black stain on his heart. If he offers repentance, the stain is washed off, but if he persists in wrongdoing, it spreads over the entire heart. (Musnad Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Majah, Ibn Jarir, Hakim, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Hibban and others). 

8. That is, these people will remain deprived of the vision of Allah with which the righteous will be blessed. (For further explanation, see (E.N. 17 of Surah Al -Qiyamah). 

9. That is, they are wrong in thinking that there is going to be no meting out of rewards and punishments. 

10. One meaning of the words khtamu-hu-misk is that the vessels containing the wine will carry the seal of musk instead of clay or wax. Accordingly the verse means: This will be the choicest kind of wine, which will be superior to the wine flowing in the canals, and it will be served by the attendants of Paradise in vessels sealed with musk to the dwellers of Paradise. Another meaning can also be: When that wine will pass down the throat, its final effect will be of the flavor of musk. This state is contrary to the wines of the world which give out an offensive smell as soon as the bottle opens and one feels its horrid smell even while drinking and also when it passes down the throat. 

11. Tasneem means height. Thus, Tasnim will be a fountain flowing down from a height.

Quran, listen ,read translation, understand & act

Surah At-Takwir,81:15-29

Audio discussion of the summary:

https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/818b5668-7202-4cfe-b92d-012d7511dbd4/audio

فَلَاۤ اُقۡسِمُ بِالۡخُنَّسِۙ‏ ﴿81:15﴾ الۡجَوَارِ الۡكُنَّسِۙ‏ ﴿81:16﴾ وَالَّيۡلِ اِذَا عَسۡعَسَۙ‏ ﴿81:17﴾وَالصُّبۡحِ اِذَا تَنَفَّسَۙ‏ ﴿81:18﴾ اِنَّهٗ لَقَوۡلُ رَسُوۡلٍ كَرِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿81:19﴾ ذِىۡ قُوَّةٍ عِنۡدَ ذِى الۡعَرۡشِ مَكِيۡنٍۙ‏ ﴿81:20﴾ مُّطَاعٍ ثَمَّ اَمِيۡنٍؕ‏﴿81:21﴾ وَ مَا صَاحِبُكُمۡ بِمَجۡنُوۡنٍ​ۚ‏ ﴿81:22﴾وَلَقَدۡ رَاٰهُ بِالۡاُفُقِ الۡمُبِيۡنِ​ۚ‏ ﴿81:23﴾ وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى الۡغَيۡبِ بِضَنِيۡنٍ​ۚ‏ ﴿81:24﴾ وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوۡلِ شَيۡطٰنٍ رَّجِيۡمٍۙ‏ ﴿81:25﴾ فَاَيۡنَ تَذۡهَبُوۡنَؕ‏﴿81:26﴾ اِنۡ هُوَ اِلَّا ذِكۡرٌ لِّلۡعٰلَمِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿81:27﴾لِمَنۡ شَآءَ مِنۡكُمۡ اَنۡ يَّسۡتَقِيۡمَؕ‏ ﴿81:28﴾ وَمَا تَشَآءُوۡنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ يَّشَآءَ اللّٰهُ رَبُّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ‏﴿81:29﴾

(81:15) No indeed;12 I swear by the alternating stars (81:16) that hide, (81:17) and by the night as it recedes, (81:18) and the morn as it breathes.13 (81:19) Verily this is the word of a noble message-bearer;14 (81:20) one mighty15and held in honour with the Lord of the Throne;(81:21) there he is obeyed16 and held trustworthy.17 (81:22) (O people of Makkah), your companion18 is not mad; (81:23) he indeed saw the message-bearer on the clear horizon;19(81:24) nor does he grudge (conveying this knowledge about) the Unseen;20 (81:25) nor is it a word of an accursed Satan.21 (81:26) Where to are you then heading? (81:27) It is nothing but Good Counsel for everyone in the world, (81:28) for everyone of you who wishes to follow the Straight Way;22 (81:29) but your wishing will not avail unless Allah, the Lord of the Universe, so wishes.23

Notes

12. That is, you are not correct that what is being presented in the Quran is the bragging of an insane person, or the evil suggestion of a devil. 

13. That for which the oath has been sworn, has been stated in the following verses. The oath means: Muhammad (peace be upon him) has not seen a vision in darkness, but when the stars had disappeared, the night had departed and the bright morning had appeared, he had seen the Angel of God in the open sky. Therefore, what he tells you is based on his own personal observation and on the experience that he had in full senses in the full light of day. 

14. A noble messenger: the Angel who brought down revelation, as becomes explicit from the following verses. The word of a noble messenger does not mean that the Quran is the word of the Angel himself, but, as the context shows, of Him Who appointed him a messenger. In (Surah Al-Haaqqah, Ayat 40), likewise, the Quran has been called the word of Muhammad (peace be upon him), and there too it does not mean that it is the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) own composition, but describing it as the word of an honorable messenger, it has been made clear that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is presenting it in his capacity as the Messenger of God and not as Muhammad bin Abdullah (peace be upon him). At both places, the word has been attributed to the Angel and to Muhammad (peace be upon him) on the ground that the message of Allah was being delivered to Muhammad (peace be upon him) by the Angel and to the people by Muhammad (peace be upon him). (For further explanation, see (E.N. 22 of Surah Al- Haaqqah). 

15. (Surah An-Najm, Ayat 45) deals with the same theme, thus “It is but a revelation which is sent down to him. One, mighty in power, has taught him.” As to what is implied by the mighty powers of the Angel Gabriel is ambiguous. In any case it at least shows that he is distinguished even among the angels because of his extraordinary powers. In Muslim (kitab-al-iman) Aishah has reported the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) saying to the effect: I have twice seen Gabriel in his real shape and form: his glorious being was encompassing the whole space between the earth and the heavens. According to the tradition reported from Abdullah bin Masud in Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and Musnad Ahmad, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had seen Gabriel with his six hundred wings. From this one can have an idea of his mighty powers. 

16. That is, he is the chief of the angels and all angels work under his command.

17. That is, he is not one who would tamper with divine revelation, but is so trustworthy that he conveys intact whatever he receives from God. 

18. Your Companion: the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Here, making mention of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as the companion of the people of Makkah, they have been made to realize that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was no stranger for them. He was not an outsider but a man of their own clan and tribe; he had lived his whole life among them; even their children knew that he was a very wise man. They should not be so shameless as to call such a man a mad man. (For further explanation, see ( E.Ns 2, 3 of Surah An-Najm).

19. (In Surah An-Najm, Ayats 7-9), this observation of the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been described in greater detail, (For explanation, see (E.Ns 7. 8 of Surah An-Najm). 

20. That is, the Messenger (peace be upon him) of Allah does not conceal anything from you. Whatever of the unseen realities are made known to him by Allah, whether they relate to the essence and attributes of Allah, the angels, life-after death and Resurrection, or to the Hereafter, Heaven and Hell, he conveys everything to you without change. 

21. That is, you are wrong in thinking that some Satan comes and whispers these words into the ear of Muhammad (peace be upon him). It does not suit Satan that he should divert man from polytheism, idol worship, atheism and sin and turn him to God-worship and Tauhid, make man realize that he should live a life of responsibility and accountability to God instead of living an irresponsible, care-free life, should forbid man to adopt practices of ignorance, injustice, immorality and wickedness and lead him to a clean life of justice, piety and high morals. (For further explanation, see (Surah Ash-Shuara, Ayats 210-212 along with E.Ns 130 to 133), and (Ayats 221-223 along with E.Ns 140, 141). 

22. In other words, although this is an admonition for all mankind, only such a person can benefit by it, who is himself desirous of adopting piety and righteousness. Man’s being a seeker after truth and a lover of right is the foremost condition of his gaining any benefit from it. 

23. This theme has already occurred in (Surah Al- Muddaththir, Ayat 56) and (Surah Ad-Dahr, Ayat 20). For explanation, see( E.N. 41 of Surah Al-Muddaththir).

Quran, listen ,read translation, understand & act

Surah At-Takwir, 81:1-14

Audio discussion of the summary;

https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/2fcc0932-35fe-4686-b245-a0abd886dfca/audio

اِذَا الشَّمۡسُ كُوِّرَتۡۙ‏ ﴿81:1﴾ وَاِذَا النُّجُوۡمُ انْكَدَرَتۡۙ‏ ﴿81:2﴾ وَاِذَا الۡجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتۡۙ‏﴿81:3﴾ وَاِذَا الۡعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتۡۙ‏ ﴿81:4﴾ وَاِذَا الۡوُحُوۡشُ حُشِرَتۡۙ‏ ﴿81:5﴾ وَاِذَا الۡبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتۡۙ‏ ﴿81:6﴾ وَاِذَا النُّفُوۡسُ زُوِّجَتۡۙ‏﴿81:7﴾ وَاِذَا الۡمَوۡءٗدَةُ سُـئِلَتۡۙ‏ ﴿81:8﴾ بِاَىِّ ذَنۡۢبٍ قُتِلَتۡ​ۚ‏ ﴿81:9﴾ وَاِذَا الصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتۡۙ‏﴿81:10﴾ وَاِذَا السَّمَآءُ كُشِطَتۡۙ‏ ﴿81:11﴾وَاِذَا الۡجَحِيۡمُ سُعِّرَتۡۙ‏ ﴿81:12﴾ وَاِذَا الۡجَـنَّةُ اُزۡلِفَتۡۙ‏ ﴿81:13﴾ عَلِمَتۡ نَفۡسٌ مَّاۤ اَحۡضَرَتۡؕ‏ ﴿81:14﴾

(81:1) When the sun shall be folded up,1 (81:2) when the stars shall scatter away,2 (81:3) when the mountains shall be set in motion,3 (81:4) when the ten-months pregnant camels shall be abandoned,4 (81:5) when the savage beasts shall be brought together,5 (81:6) when the seas shall be set boiling,6 (81:7) when7 the souls shall be rejoined (with their bodies), 8 (81:8) and when the girl-child buried alive shall be asked: (81:9) for what offence was she killed?9 (81:10) and when the scrolls of (men’s) deeds shall be unfolded, (81:11) and when Heaven is laid bare;10 (81:12) and Hell is stoked, (81:13) and Paradise brought nigh:11 (81:14) then shall each person know what he has brought along. 

Notes

1. This is a matchless metaphor for causing the sun to lose its light. Takwir means to fold up; hence takwir al-amamah is used for folding up the turban on the head. Here, the light which radiates from the sun and spreads throughout the solar system has been likened to the turban and it has been said that on the Resurrection Day the turban will be folded up about the sun and its radiation will fade. 

2. That is, when the force which is keeping them in their orbits and positions is loosened and all the stars and planets will scatter in the universe. The word inkidar also indicates that they will not only scatter away but will also grow dark. 

3. In other words, the earth will also lose its force of gravity because of which the mountains have weight and are firmly set in the earth. Thus, when there is no more gravity the mountains will be uprooted from their places and becoming weightless will start moving and flying as the clouds move in the atmosphere.

4. This was by far the best way of giving an idea of the severities and horrors of Resurrection to the Arabs. Before the buses and trucks of the present day there was nothing more precious for the Arabs than the she-camel just about to give birth to her young. In this state she was most sedulously looked after and cared for, so that she is not lost, stolen, or harmed in any way. The people’s becoming heedless of such she-camels, in fact, meant that at that time they would be so stunned as to become unmindful of their most precious possessions.

5. When a general calamity befalls the world, all kinds of beasts and animals gather together in one place, then neither the snake bites, nor the tiger kills and devours. 

6. The word sujjirat as used in the original in passive voice from tasjir in the past tense. Tasjir means to kindle fire in the oven. Apparently it seems strange that on the Resurrection Day fire would blaze up in the oceans. But if the truth about water is kept in view, nothing would seem strange. It is a miracle of God that He combined oxygen and hydrogen, one of which helps kindle the fire and the other gets kindled of itself and by the combination of both He created a substance like water which is used to put out fire. A simple manifestation of Allah’s power is enough to change this composition of water so that the two gases are separated and begin to burn and help cause a blaze, which is their basic characteristic. 

7. From here begins mention of the second stage of Resurrection. 

8. That is, men will be resurrected precisely in the state as they lived in the world before death with body and soul together. 

9. The style of this verse reflects an intensity of rage and fury inconceivable in common life. The parents who buried their daughters alive, would be so contemptible in the sight of Allah that they would not be asked: Why did you kill the innocent infant? But disregarding them the innocent girl will be asked: For what crime were you slain? And she will tell her story how cruelly she had been treated by her barbarous parents and buried alive. Besides, two vast themes have been compressed into this brief verse, which though not expressed in words, are reflected by its style and tenor. First that in it the Arabs have been made to realize what depths of moral depravity they have touched because of their ignorance in that they buried their own children alive; yet they insist that they would persist in the same ignorance and would not accept the reform that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was trying to bring about in their corrupted society. Second, that an express argument has been given in it of the necessity and inevitability of the Hereafter. The case of the infant girl who was buried alive, should be decided and settled justly at some time, and there should necessarily be a time when the cruel people who committed this heinous crime, should be called to account for it, for there was none in the world to hear the cries of complaint raised by the poor soul. This act was looked upon with approval by the depraved society; neither the parents felt any remorse for it, nor anybody in the family censured them, nor the society took any notice of it. Then, should this monstrosity remain wholly unpunished in the Kingdom of God? 

This barbaric custom of burying the female infants alive had become widespread in ancient Arabia for different reasons. One reason was economic hardship because of which the people wanted to have fewer dependents so that they should not have to bear the burden of bringing up many children. Male offspring were brought up in the hope that they would later help in earning a living, but the female offspring were killed for the fear that they would have to be raised till they matured and then given away in marriage. Second, the widespread chaos because of which the male children were brought up in order to have more and more helpers and supporters; but daughters were killed because in tribal wars they had to be protected instead of being useful in any way for defense. Third, another aspect of the common chaos also was that when the hostile tribes raided each other and captured girls they would either keep them as slave-girls or sell them to others. For these reasons the practice that had become common in Arabia was that at childbirth a pit was kept dug out ready for use by the woman so that if a girl was born, she was immediately cast into it and buried alive. And if sometimes the mother was not inclined to act thus, or the people of the family disapproved of it, the father would raise her for some time half-heartedly, and then finding time would take her to the desert to be buried alive. This tyranny and hardheartedness was once described by a person before the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself. According to a Hadith related in the first chapter of Sunan Darimi, a man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and related this incident of his pre-Islamic days of ignorance: I had a daughter who was much attached to me. When I called her, she would come running to me. One day I called her and took her out with me. On the way we came across a well. Holding her by the hand I pushed her into the well. Her last words that I heard were: Oh father, oh father! Hearing this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) wept and tears started falling from his eyes. One of those present on the occasion said: O man, you have grieved the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Do not stop him, let him question about what he feels so strongly now. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him to narrate his story once again. When he narrated it again the Prophet (peace be upon him) wept so much that his beard became wet with tears. Then he said to the man: Allah has forgiven what you did in the days of ignorance: now turn to Him in repentance. 

It is not correct to think that the people of Arabia had no feeling of the harshness of this hideous, inhuman act. Obviously, no society, however corrupted it may be, can be utterly devoid of the feeling that such tyrannical acts are evil. That is why the Quran has not dwelt upon the vileness of this act, but has only referred to it in awe-inspiring words to the effect: A time will come when the girl who was buried alive, will be asked for what crime she was slain? The history of Arabia also shows that many people in the pre-Islamic days of ignorance had a feeling that the practice was vile and wicked. According to Tabarani, Sasaah bin Najiyah al-Mujashii, grandfather of the poet, Farazdaq, said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): O Messenger of Allah, during the days of ignorance I have also done some good works, among which one is that I saved 360 girls from being buried alive: I gave two camels each as ransom to save their lives. Shall I get any reward for this? The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: Yes, there is a reward for you, and it is this that Allah has blessed you with Islam. 

As a matter of fact, a great blessing of the blessings of Islam is that it not only did put an end to this inhuman practice in Arabia but even wiped out the concept that the birth of a daughter was in any way a calamity, which should be endured unwillingly. On the contrary, Islam taught that bringing up daughters, giving them good education and enabling them to become good housewives, is an act of great merit and virtue. The way the Prophet (peace be upon him) changed the common concept of the people in respect of girls can be judged from his many sayings which have been reported in the Hadith. As for example, we reproduce some of these below: 

The person who is put to a test because of the birth of the daughters and then he treats them generously, they will become a means of rescue for him from Hell. (Bukhari, Muslim). 

The one who brought up two girls till they attained their maturity, will appear along with me on the Resurrection Day. Saying this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) joined and raised his fingers. (Muslim). 

The one who brought up three daughters, or sisters, taught them good manners and treated them with kindness until they became self-sufficient, Allah will make Paradise obligatory for him. A man asked: what about two, O Messenger (peace be upon him) of Allah? The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: the same for two. Ibn Abbas, the reporter of the Hadith, says: Had the people at that time asked in respect of one daughter, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have also given the same reply about her. (Sharh as-Sunnh). 

The one who has a daughter born to him and he does not bury her alive, nor keeps her in disgrace, nor prefers his son to her, Allah will admit him to Paradise. (Abu Daud). 

The one who has three daughters born to him, and he is patient over them, and clothes them well according to his means, they will become a means of rescue for him from Hell. (Bukhari, Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ibn Majah). 

The Muslim who has two daughters and he looks after them well, they will lead him to Paradise. (Bukhari: Al- Adab al-Mufrad). 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Suraqah bin Jusham: Should I tell you what is the greatest charity (or said: one of the greatest charities)? He said: Kindly do tell, O Messenger of Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Your daughter who (after being divorced or widowed) returns to you and should have no other bread-winner. (Ibn Majah, Bukhari Al-Adab al-Mufrad). 

This is the teaching which completely changed the viewpoint of the people about girls not only in Arabia but among all the nations of the world, which later become blessed with Islam. 1

10. That is, everything which is hidden from view now will become visible. Now one can only see empty space, or the clouds, hanging dust, the moon, the sun or stars, but at that time the Kingdom of God will appear in full view before the people, without any veil in between, in its true reality. 

11. That is, in the Plain of Resurrection, when the hearing of the cases of the people will be in progress, the blazing fire of Hell will also be in full view, and Paradise with all its blessings will also be visible to all, so that the wicked would know what they are being deprived of and where they are going to be cast, and the righteous as well would know what they are being saved from and with what being blessed and honored.

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Surah Abasa, 80: 33-42

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فَاِذَا جَآءَتِ الصَّآخَّةُ‏ ﴿80:33﴾ يَوۡمَ يَفِرُّ الۡمَرۡءُ مِنۡ اَخِيۡهِۙ‏ ﴿80:34﴾ وَاُمِّهٖ وَاَبِيۡهِۙ‏﴿80:35﴾ وَصَاحِبَتِهٖ وَبَنِيۡهِؕ‏ ﴿80:36﴾ لِكُلِّ امۡرِیءٍ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَوۡمَـئِذٍ شَاۡنٌ يُّغۡنِيۡهِؕ‏ ﴿80:37﴾وُجُوۡهٌ يَّوۡمَـئِذٍ مُّسۡفِرَةٌ ۙ‏ ﴿80:38﴾ ضَاحِكَةٌ مُّسۡتَبۡشِرَةٌ ۚ‏ ﴿80:39﴾ وَوُجُوۡهٌ يَّوۡمَـئِذٍ عَلَيۡهَا غَبَرَةٌ ۙ‏ ﴿80:40﴾ تَرۡهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ ؕ‏ ﴿80:41﴾اُولٰٓـئِكَ هُمُ الۡكَفَرَةُ الۡفَجَرَةُ‏ ﴿80:42﴾

(80:33) But when the deafening cry shall be sounded21 (80:34) on the Day when each man shall flee from his brother, (80:35) and his mother and his father; (80:36) and his consort and his children;22 (80:37) on that Day each will be occupied with his own business, making him oblivious of all save himself.23 (80:38) Some faces on that Day shall be beaming with happiness, (80:39) and be cheerful and joyous. (80:40) Some faces on that Day shall be dust-ridden, (80:41) enveloped by darkness. (80:42) These will be the unbelievers, the wicked. 

Notes

21. The final terrible sounding of the Trumpet at which all dead men shall be resurrected to life. 

22. A theme closely resembling to this has already occurred in Surah Al-Maarij, Ayats 10-14. Fleeing may also mean that when he sees those nearest and dearest to him in the world, involved in distress, instead of rushing forth to help them, he will run away from them lest they should call out to him for help. And it may also mean that when they see the evil consequences of committing sin for the sake of one another and misleading one another, fearless of God and heedless of the Hereafter, in the world, each one would flee from the other lest the other should hold him responsible for his deviation and sin. Brother will fear brother, children their parents, husband his wife, and parents their children lest they should become witnesses in the case against them. 

23. A tradition has been reported in the Hadith by different methods and through different channels, saying that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: On the Day of Resurrection all men will rise up naked. One of his wives (according to some reporters, Aishah, according to others, Saudah, or a woman) asked in bewilderment: O Messenger of Allah, shall we (women) appear naked on that Day before the people. The prophet (peace be upon him) recited this very verse and explained that on that Day each one will have enough of his own troubles to occupy him, and will be wholly unmindful of others. (Nasai, Tirmidhi, Ibn Abi Hatim,

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Surah Abasa, 80:17-32

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قُتِلَ الۡاِنۡسَانُ مَاۤ اَكۡفَرَهٗؕ‏ ﴿80:17﴾ مِنۡ اَىِّ شَىۡءٍ خَلَقَهٗؕ‏ ﴿80:18﴾ مِنۡ نُّطۡفَةٍؕ خَلَقَهٗ فَقَدَّرَهٗ ۙ‏ ﴿80:19﴾ ثُمَّ السَّبِيۡلَ يَسَّرَهٗۙ‏ ﴿80:20﴾ثُمَّ اَمَاتَهٗ فَاَقۡبَرَهٗۙ‏ ﴿80:21﴾ ثُمَّ اِذَا شَآءَ اَنۡشَرَهٗؕ‏ ﴿80:22﴾ كَلَّا لَـمَّا يَقۡضِ مَاۤ اَمَرَهٗؕ‏﴿80:23﴾ فَلۡيَنۡظُرِ الۡاِنۡسَانُ اِلٰى طَعَامِهٖۤۙ‏﴿80:24﴾ اَنَّا صَبَبۡنَا الۡمَآءَ صَبًّا ۙ‏ ﴿80:25﴾ ثُمَّ شَقَقۡنَا الۡاَرۡضَ شَقًّا ۙ‏ ﴿80:26﴾ فَاَنۡۢبَتۡنَا فِيۡهَا حَبًّا ۙ‏ ﴿80:27﴾ وَّ عِنَبًا وَّقَضۡبًا ۙ‏ ﴿80:28﴾ وَّزَيۡتُوۡنًا وَّنَخۡلًا ؕ‏ ﴿80:29﴾ وَحَدَآئِقَ غُلۡبًا ۙ‏ ﴿80:30﴾وَّفَاكِهَةً وَّاَبًّا ۙ‏ ﴿80:31﴾ مَّتَاعًا لَّـكُمۡ وَلِاَنۡعَامِكُمۡؕ‏ ﴿80:32﴾

(80:17) Accursed8 be man!9, 10 How stubbornly he denies the Truth. (80:18) Out of what did Allah create him? (80:19) Out of a sperm-drop11 did He create him and then determined a measure for him,12 (80:20) and then made the course of life easy for him,13 (80:21) then He caused him to die and brought him to the grave,14 (80:22) and then, whenever He wishes, He will raise him back to life.15 (80:23) Nay, but man did not fulfil what Allah had enjoined upon him.16 (80:24) So let man just consider his food:17 (80:25) We poured water, pouring it in great abundance,18 (80:26) and cleaved the earth, cleaving it asunder;19 (80:27) then caused the grain to grow out of it, (80:28) together with grapes and vegetables, (80:29) and olives and palms, (80:30) and dense orchards, (80:31) and fruits and pastures – (80:32) all this as a provision for you and your cattle.20

Notes

8. From here the rebuke turns directly against the disbelievers, who were treating the message of the truth with scant attention. Before this, from the beginning of the Surah to verse 16, the address though apparently directed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), was actually meant to reprimand the disbelievers, as if to say: O Prophet (peace be upon him), why are you ignoring a seeker after truth and paying all your attention to those who are worthless from your mission’s point of view? They do not deserve that a great Prophet like you should present a sublime thing like the Quran before them. 

9. At all such places in the Quran, man does not imply every individual of the human race but the people whose evil traits of character are intended to be censured. At some places the word man is used because the evil traits are found in most of human beings, and at others for the reason that if the particular people are pin-pointed for censure, it engenders stubbornness. Therefore, admonition is given in general terms so as to be more effective. (For further explanation, see(E.N. 65 of Surah HaMim As- Sajdah); (E.N. 75 of Surah Ash-Shura). 

10. Another meaning can also be: What caused him to be inclined to kufr? Or, in other words: On what strength does he commit kufr. Kufr here means denial of the truth as well as ingratitude for the favors of one’s benefactor and also rebellious attitude against one’s Creator, Provider and Master. 

11. That is, let him first consider out of what he was created, where he was nourished and developed, by what way he came into the world, and from what helpless state he began his life in the world. Why does he forget his such beginning and becomes involved in conceit and haughtiness and why does he feel so puffed up as to resist his Creator and stand before Him as an adversary? (The same theme has been expressed in( Surah YaSeen, Ayats 77-78). 

12. That is, he was yet developing and taking shape in his mother’s womb when his destiny was set for him. It was determined what would be his sex, his color, his size; the extent and volume of his body, the extent to which his limbs would be sound or unsound, his appearance and voice, the degree of physical strength and mental endowments, what would be the land, the family, the conditions and environments in which he would take birth, develop and be molded into a specific person, what would be the hereditary influences and effects of the surroundings and the role and impact of his own self in the make-up of his personality, the part he would play in his life of the world, and how long he would be allowed to function on the earth. He cannot swerve even a hair-breadth from his destiny, nor can effect the slightest alteration in it. Then, how strange is his daring and stubbornness! He commits disbelief of the Creator before Whose destiny he is so helpless and powerless.

13. That is, He created all those means and provisions in the world, which he could utilize, otherwise all the capabilities of his body and mind would have remained useless, had not the Creator provided the means and created the possibilities on the earth to employ them. Furthermore, the Creator also gave him the opportunity to choose and adopt for himself whichever of the ways, good or evil, of gratitude or ingratitude, of obedience or disobedience that he pleased. He opened up both the ways before him and made each way smooth and easy so that he could follow any way that he liked. 

14. That is, not only in the matter of birth and destiny but also in the matter of death he is absolutely helpless before his Creator. Neither can he take birth by his choice nor die by his choice, nor can defer his death even by a moment. He dies precisely at the appointed time, in the appointed place, under the appointed circumstances that have been decreed for his death, and he is deposited in the type of grave destined for him whether it is the belly of the earth, the depths of the sea, a bonfire or the stomach of a beast. Nothing to say of the man. The whole world together cannot change the Creator’s decree in respect of any person. 

15. That is, he does not either have the power to refuse to rise up when the Creator may will to resurrect him after death. When he was first created, he was not consulted: he was not asked whether he wanted to be created or not. Even if he had refused, he would have been created. Likewise, his resurrection is also not dependent upon his will and assent that he may rise from death if he so likes, or refuse to rise if he does not like. In this matter, he is also absolutely helpless before the Creator’s will. Whenever He wills, He will resurrect him, and he will have to rise whether he likes it or not. 

16. He commanded him: Implies the duty that Allah has enjoined on every man in the form of natural guidance as well as the duty to which man’s own existence and every particle of the universe, from the earth to the heavens, and every manifestation of divine power are pointing, and also that duty which Allah has conveyed in every age through His Prophets and Books and disseminated through the righteous people of every period. (For explanation, see(E.N. 5 of Surah Ad-Dahr). In the present context the object is to express the meaning that on the basis of the truths stated in the above verses, it was man’s duty to have obeyed his Creator, but, contrary to this, he adopted the way of disobedience and did not fulfill the demand of his being His creature. 

17. That is, let him consider the food, which he regards as an ordinary thing, how it is created. Had God not provided the means for it, it was not in the power of man himself to have created the food on the earth in any way. 

18. This refers to rainwater. Water vapors are raised in vast quantities from the oceans by the heat of the sun, then they are turned into thick clouds, then the winds blow and spread them over different parts of the earth, then because of the coolness in the upper atmosphere the vapors turn back to water and fall as rain in every area in a particular measure. The water not only falls as rain directly on the earth but also collects underground in the shape of wells and fountains, flows in the form of rivers and streams, freezes on the mountains as snow and melts and flows into rivers in other seasons as well than the rainy season. Has man himself made all these arrangements? Had his Creator not arranged this for his sustenance, could man survive on the earth. 

19. Then We split the earth in clefts: Implies cleaving it in a way that the seeds, or seed-stones, or vegetable seedlings that man sows or plants in it, or which are deposited in it by winds or birds, or by some other means, should sprout up. Man can do nothing more than to dig the soil, or plough it, and bury in it the seeds that God has already created. Beyond this everything is done by God. It is He Who has created the seeds of countless species of vegetable; it is He Who has endowed these seeds with the quality that when they are sown in the soil, they should sprout up and from every seed, vegetable of its own particular species should grow. Again it is He Who has created in the earth the capability that in combination with water it should break open the seeds and develop and nourish every species of vegetable with the kind of food suitable for it. Had God not created the seeds with these qualities and the upper layers of the earth with these capabilities, man could not by himself have arranged any kind of food on the earth. 

20. That is, a means of sustenance not only for you but also for those animals from which you obtain items of food like meat, fat, milk, butter, etc. and which also perform countless other services for your living. You benefit by all this and yet you disbelieve in God Whose provisions sustain you.

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Surah Abasa, 80:1-16

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عَبَسَ وَتَوَلّٰٓىۙ‏ ﴿80:1﴾ اَنۡ جَآءَهُ الۡاَعۡمٰىؕ‏ ﴿80:2﴾وَمَا يُدۡرِيۡكَ لَعَلَّهٗ يَزَّكّٰٓىۙ‏ ﴿80:3﴾ اَوۡ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنۡفَعَهُ الذِّكۡرٰىؕ‏ ﴿80:4﴾ اَمَّا مَنِ اسۡتَغۡنٰىۙ‏﴿80:5﴾ فَاَنۡتَ لَهٗ تَصَدّٰىؕ‏ ﴿80:6﴾ وَمَا عَلَيۡكَ اَلَّا يَزَّكّٰٓىؕ‏ ﴿80:7﴾ وَاَمَّا مَنۡ جَآءَكَ يَسۡعٰىۙ‏﴿80:8﴾ وَهُوَ يَخۡشٰىۙ‏ ﴿80:9﴾ فَاَنۡتَ عَنۡهُ تَلَهّٰى​ۚ‏﴿80:10﴾ كَلَّاۤ اِنَّهَا تَذۡكِرَةٌ ۚ‏ ﴿80:11﴾ فَمَنۡ شَآءَ ذَكَرَهٗ​ۘ‏ ﴿80:12﴾ فِىۡ صُحُفٍ مُّكَرَّمَةٍۙ‏ ﴿80:13﴾مَّرۡفُوۡعَةٍ مُّطَهَّرَةٍ ۭۙ‏ ﴿80:14﴾ بِاَيۡدِىۡ سَفَرَةٍۙ‏﴿80:15﴾ كِرَامٍۢ بَرَرَةٍؕ‏ ﴿80:16﴾

(80:1) He frowned and turned away (80:2) that the blind man came to him.1 (80:3) How could you know? Perhaps he would cleanse himself, (80:4) or he might be mindful and good counsel might avail him. (80:5) Now he who waxes indifferent, (80:6) you attend to him, (80:7) though you are not to blame if he would not cleanse himself. (80:8) But he who comes to you running, (80:9) and fears (Allah), (80:10) you pay no heed to him.2 (80:11) No indeed;3this is only a Reminder.4 (80:12) So whoso wills may give heed to it. (80:13) It is contained in scrolls highly honoured, (80:14) most exalted and purified,5 (80:15) borne by the hands of scribes, (80:16) noble6 and purified.7

Notes

1. The style of this first sentence is elegant and subtle. Although in the following sentences the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been directly addressed, which by itself shows that the act of frowning and turning aside had issued forth from him, the discourse has been opened in a manner as though it was not him but someone else who had so acted. By this style the Prophet (peace be upon him), by a subtle method, has been made to realize that it was an act unseemly for him. Had somebody familiar with his high morals witnessed it, he would have thought that it was not him but some other person who had behaved in that manner. 

The blind man referred to here implies, as we have explained in the Introduction, the well-known companion, Ibn Umm Maktum. Hafiz Ibn Abdul Barr in Al-Istiab and Hafiz Ibn Hajar in Al-Isbah have stated that he was a first cousin of the Prophet’s wife, Khadijah. His mother, Umm Maktum, and Khadijah’s father, Khuwailid, were sister and brother to each other. After one knows his relationship with the Prophet (peace be upon him), there remains no room for the doubt that he had turned away from him regarding him as a poor man having a low station in life, and attended to the high-placed people, for he was the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) brother-in-law and a man of noble birth. The reason why the Prophet (peace be upon him) had shown disregard for him is indicated by the word aama (blind man), which Allah Himself has used as the cause of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) inattention. That is, the Prophet (peace be upon him) thought that even if a single man from among the people whom he was trying to bring to the right path, listened to him and was rightly guided, be could become a powerful means of strengthening Islam. On the contrary, Ibn Umm Maktum was a blind man, who could not prove to be so useful for Islam because of his disability as could one of the Quraish elders on becoming a Muslim. Therefore, he should not interrupt the conversation at that time; whatever he wanted to ask or learn, he could ask or learn at some later time. 

2. This is the real point which the Prophet (peace be upon him) had overlooked in the preaching of Islam on that occasion, and for teaching him the same Allah first reproved him on his treatment of Ibn Umm Maktum, and then told him what really deserved to occupy his attention as preacher of the truth and what did not. There is a man whose apparent state clearly shows that he is a seeker after truth: he fears lest he should follow falsehood and invite Allah’s wrath; therefore, he comes all the way in search of the knowledge of the true faith. There is another man, whose attitude clearly reflects that he has no desire for the truth; rather on the contrary, he regards himself as selfsufficient, having no desire to be guided to the right way. Between these two kinds of men one should not see whose becoming a Muslim would be of greater use for Islam and whose becoming a believer could not be of any use in its propagation. But one should see as to who was inclined to accept the guidance and reform himself, and who was least interested in this precious bargain. The first kind of man, whether he is blind, lame, crippled or an indigent mendicant, who might apparently seem incapable of rendering any useful service in the propagation of Islam, is in any case a valuable man for the preacher to the truth. To him therefore he should attend, for the real object of this invitation is to reform the people, and the apparent state of the person shows that if he was instructed he would accept guidance. As for the other kind of man, the preacher has no need to pursue him, no matter how influential he is in society. For his attitude and conduct openly proclaim that he has no desire for reform; therefore, any effort made to reform him would be mere waste of time. If he has no desire to reform himself, he may not, the loss would be his, the preacher would not at all be accountable for it. 

3. That is, you should never do so: do not give undue importance to those who have forgotten God and become proud of their high worldly position. The teaching of Islam is not such that it should be presented solicitously before him who spurns it, nor should a man like you try to invite these arrogant people to Islam in a way as may cause them the misunderstanding that you have a selfish motive connected with them, and that your mission would succeed only if they believed, otherwise not, whereas the fact is that the truth is as self-sufficient of them as they are of the truth. 

4. The allusion is to the Quran. 

5. Purified: free from all kinds of mixtures of false ideas and thoughts, and presenting nothing but the pure truth. There is no tinge whatever in these scrolls of the impurities with which the other religious books of the world have been polluted. They have been kept pure and secure from all kinds of human speculation and evil suggestions. 

6. This refers to the angels who were writing the scrolls of the Quran under the direct guidance of Allah, were guarding them and conveying them intact to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Two words have been used to qualify them: karim, i.e. noble, and barara, i.e. virtuous. The first word is meant to say that they are so honored and noble that it is not possible that such exalted beings would commit even the slightest dishonesty in the trust reposed in them. The second word has been used to tell that they carry out the responsibility entrusted to them of writing down the scrolls, guarding them and conveying them to the Messenger with perfect honesty and integrity. 

7. If the context in which these verses occur, is considered deeply, it becomes obvious that here the Quran has not been praised for the sake of its greatness and glory but to tell the arrogant people, who were repudiating its message with contempt, plainly: The glorious Quran is too holy and exalted a Book to be presented before you humbly with the request that you may kindly accept it if you so please. For it does not stand in need of you as you stand in need of it. If you really seek your well-being, you should clear your head of the evil thoughts and submit to its message humbly; otherwise you are not so self-sufficient of this Book as this Book is self-sufficient of you. Your treating it with scorn and contempt will not affect its glory and greatness at all, rather your own pride and arrogance will be ruined on account of it.

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Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:47-48

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يٰبَنِىۡٓ اِسۡرَآءِيۡلَ اذۡكُرُوۡا نِعۡمَتِىَ الَّتِىۡٓ اَنۡعَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَاَنِّىۡ فَضَّلۡتُكُمۡ عَلَى الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ‏ ﴿2:47﴾ وَاتَّقُوۡا يَوۡمًا لَّا تَجۡزِىۡ نَفۡسٌ عَنۡ نَّفۡسٍ شَيۡـئًـا وَّلَا يُقۡبَلُ مِنۡهَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَّلَا يُؤۡخَذُ مِنۡهَا عَدۡلٌ وَّلَا هُمۡ يُنۡصَرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:48﴾

(2:47) Children of Israel! Recall My favour which I bestowed upon you, exalting you above all nations.62 (2:48) Fear the Day when no one shall avail another, when no intercession will be accepted, when no one will be ransomed, and no criminal will receive any help.63

Notes

62. This refers to that period of human history when, of all nations, only the Children of Israel possessed that knowledge of Truth which comes from God alone. At that time they were entrusted with the task of directing the nations of the world to righteousness; they were expected to serve God and to invite the rest of the world to do the same. 

63. A major reason for the degeneration of the Israelites was the corruption of their beliefs about the After that since they were related to those venerable saints and pious men who had dedicated themselves entirely to the service of God in the past, the, would be forgiven by the grace of those great men. They believed that once they had bound themselves firmly to those men of God, it would become impossible for God to punish them. Such false reliance made them negligent of true religious piety and enmeshed them in a life of sin and wickedness. Hence, as well as reminding the Children of Israel of God’s favour upon them, it was necessary to refute all the false ideas which they cherished.

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Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:45-46

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وَاسۡتَعِيۡنُوۡا بِالصَّبۡرِ وَالصَّلٰوةِ ​ؕ وَاِنَّهَا لَكَبِيۡرَةٌ اِلَّا عَلَى الۡخٰشِعِيۡنَۙ‏ ﴿2:45﴾ الَّذِيۡنَ يَظُنُّوۡنَ اَنَّهُمۡ مُّلٰقُوۡا رَبِّهِمۡ وَاَنَّهُمۡ اِلَيۡهِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:46﴾

(2:45) And resort to patience and Prayer for help.60 Truly Prayer is burdensome for all except the devout, (2:46) who realize that ultimately they will have to meet their Lord and that to Him they are destined to return.61

Notes

60. That is, if they feel difficulty in keeping to righteousness, the remedy lies in resorting to Prayer and patience. From these two attributes they will derive the strength needed to follow their chosen course. 

The literal meaning of ‘sabr’ is to exercise restraint, to keep oneself tied down. It denotes the will-power, the firm resolve and the control over animal desires which enables man to advance along the path of his choice – the path that satisfies his heart and conscience – in utter disregard of the temptations within, and of all obstacles and oposition without. The purpose of this directive is to urge man to develop this quality and to reinforce it from the outside by means of Prayer. 

61. This means that Prayer is an insufferable encumbrance and affliction for the man who tends not to want to obey, God and to believe in the After-life. For the man who, of his own violation, has to stand before God after death, it is failure to perform the Prayer, rather than its performance, that becomes intolerable.

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Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:44-44

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اَتَاۡمُرُوۡنَ النَّاسَ بِالۡبِرِّ وَتَنۡسَوۡنَ اَنۡفُسَكُمۡ وَاَنۡتُمۡ تَتۡلُوۡنَ الۡكِتٰبَ​ؕ اَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:44﴾

(2:44) Do you enjoin righteousness on people and forget your own selves even though you recite the Scripture? Have you no sense? 

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Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:40-43

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يٰبَنِىۡٓ اِسۡرَآءِيۡلَ اذۡكُرُوۡا نِعۡمَتِىَ الَّتِىۡٓ اَنۡعَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَاَوۡفُوۡا بِعَهۡدِىۡٓ اُوۡفِ بِعَهۡدِكُمۡۚ وَاِيَّاىَ فَارۡهَبُوۡنِ‏ ﴿2:40﴾ وَاٰمِنُوۡا بِمَآ اَنۡزَلۡتُ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَكُمۡ وَلَا تَكُوۡنُوۡآ اَوَّلَ كَافِرٍۢ بِهٖ​ وَلَا تَشۡتَرُوۡا بِاٰيٰتِىۡ ثَمَنًا قَلِيۡلًا وَّاِيَّاىَ فَاتَّقُوۡنِ‏ ﴿2:41﴾ وَلَا تَلۡبِسُوا الۡحَـقَّ بِالۡبَاطِلِ وَتَكۡتُمُوا الۡحَـقَّ وَاَنۡتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:42﴾ وَاَقِيۡمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَ وَارۡكَعُوۡا مَعَ الرّٰكِعِيۡنَ‏ ﴿2:43﴾

(2:40) Children of Israel!56 Recall My favour which I had bestowed on you, and fulfil your covenant with Me and I shall fulfil My covenant with you, and fear Me alone. (2:41) And believe in the Book which I have revealed and which confirms the Scripture you already have, and be not foremost among its deniers. Do not sell My signs for a trifling gain, 57and beware of My wrath. (2:42) Do not confound Truth by overlaying it with falsehood, nor knowingly conceal the Truth.58 (2:43) Establish Prayer and dispense Zakah (the Purifying Alms)59 and bow in worship with those who bow. 

Notes

56. ‘Israel’ means the slave of God. This was the title conferred on Jacob (Ya’qub) by God Himself. He was the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham. His progeny are styled the ‘Children of Israel’. 

Turning to the Qur’anic text itself, it is noteworthy that the foregoing verses have been in the nature of introductory remarks addressed to all mankind. From the present section up to and including the fourteenth (verses 40 discourse, the reader should be particularly aware of the following purposes: 

The first purpose of this discourse is to invite those followers of the earlier Prophets who still had some element of righteousness and goodness to believe in the Truth preached by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) and to join hands in promoting the mission he championed. In these sections they are told that the Qur’an and the Prophet are bearers of the same message and mission preached by the earlier Prophets and Scriptures. 

The earlier communities were entrusted with the Truth in order that, as well as following it themselves, they might call others towards it and try to persuade them to follow it. But instead of directing the world in the light of this truth, they themselves failed to follow the Divine Guidance and sank into degeneracy. Their history and their contemporary religious and moral condition bore out this degeneration. 

They are also told that God has once again entrusted the same Truth to one of His servants and has appointed him to carry out the same mission as that of the earlier Prophets and their followers. What the Prophet has brought is, therefore, neither new nor foreign; it is their very own and they are asked to accept it as such. A fresh group of people has now arisen with the same mission they had, but which they failed to carry out. It is clearly their duty to support these people. 

The second purpose of this discourse is to leave no reasonable justification for the negative Jewish attitude towards Islam, and to expose fully the true state of the religious and moral life of the Jews. This discourse makes it clear that the religion preached by the Prophet was the same as that preached by the Prophets of Israel. So far as the fundamentals are concerned, nothing in the Qur’an differs from the teachings of the Torah. It is also established that the Jews failed glaringly to follow the guidance entrusted to them, even as they had failed to live up to the position of leadership in which they had been placed. This point is established by reference to events of irrefutable authenticity.

Moreover, the way in which the Jews resorted to conspiracies and underhand machinations designed to create doubts and misgivings, the mischievous manner in which they engaged in discussions, the acts of trickery in which they indulged in wilful opposition to the Truth, and the vile tactics which they employed in order to frustrate the mission of the Prophet, were all brought into sharp relief so as to establish that their formal, legalistic piety was a sham. What lay behind it was bigotry, chauvinism and self-aggrandizement rather than an honest search for and commitment to the Truth. The plain fact was that they did not want goodness to flourish.

This candid criticism of the Jews had several salutary effects. On the one hand, it made the situation clear to the good elements among the Jews. On the other, it destroyed the religious and moral standing of the Jews among the people of Madina, and among the pagans of Arabia as a whole. Moreover, it undermined the morale of the Jews to such an extent that from then on they could not oppose Islam with a firmness born of strong inner conviction. 

Third, the message addressed in the earlier sections to mankind as a whole is here elucidated with reference to a particular people. The example of the Jews is cited to show the tragic end that overtakes a people when it spurns Divine Guidance. The reason for choosing the Children of Israel as an example is that they alone, out of all the nations, constituted for four thousand years the continual embodiment of a tragedy from which many lessons could be learnt. The vicissitudes of fortune which visit a people, depending on whether they follow or refrain from following Divine Guidance, were all conspicuous in the history of this nation. 

Fourth, this discourse is designed to warn the followers of Muhammad (peace be on him) to avoid the same pitfalls as the followers of the earlier Prophets. While explaining the requirements of the true faith, it clearly specifies the moral weaknesses, the false concepts of religion, and the numerous errors in religious belief and practice which had made inroads among the Jews. The purpose is to enable Muslims to see their true path clearly and to avoid false ones. While studying the Qur’anic criticism of the Jews and Christians, Muslims should remember the Tradition from the Prophet in which he warned them that they would so closely follow the ways of the earlier religious communities that if the latter had entered a lizard’s burrow, so would the Muslims. The Prophet was asked: ‘Do you mean the Christians and Jews, O Messenger of God?’ The Prophet replied: ‘Who else?’ (See Bukhari, ‘Itisam’, 14; Muslim, “Ilm’, 6 – Ed.) This was not merely an expression of reproof. Thanks to the peculiar discernment and insight with which the Prophet was endowed, he knew the ways in which corruption encroaches upon the lives of the followers of the Prophets, and the different forms it assumes.

57. ‘Trifling gain’ refers to the worldly benefits for the sake of which they were rejecting God’s directives. Whatever one may gain in exchange for the Truth, be it all the treasure in the world, is trifling; the Truth is of supreme value. 

58. For the proper understanding of this verse we need to recall that in the time of the Prophet the Jews of Arabia were more learned than the Arabs. In fact, there were some Jewish scholars of Arabia whose fame had spread even beyond the confines of that land. For this reason the Arabs tended to be intellectually overawed by them. In addition, the influence of the Jews had become pervasive and profound by virtue of the pomp and pageantry of their religious rites, and the magical crafts and feats of exorcism for which they were famous. The people of Madina, in particular, were greatly under the spell of the Jews. These Jews made on them the sort of impression generally created on ignorant neighbours by a better educated, more refined and more conspicuously religious group.

It was natural in such circumstances that, when the Prophet began to preach his message, the ignorant Arabs should approach the Jews and ask their opinion of the Prophet and his teachings, particularly as the Jews also believed in Prophets and Scriptures. We find that this inquiry was often made by the Makkans, and continued to he addressed to the Jews after the Prophet arrived in Madina.

In reply to this query, however, the Jewish religious scholars never told the candid truth. It was impossible for them to say that the doctrine of monotheism preached by Muhammad was incorrect, that there was any error in his teachings regarding the Prophets, the Divine Scriptures, the angels and the Next Life and that there was any error in the principles of moral conduct which the Prophet propounded. At the same time, however, they were not prepared to make a straightforward affirmation of the truth of his teachings. In short, they neither categorically denied the Truth nor were prepared to accept it with open hearts. 

Instead, they tried to plant insidious doubts in the minds of everybody who enquired about the Prophet and his mission. They sought to create one misgiving after another, disseminated new slanders, and tried to engage people’s minds in all kinds of hypothetical problems so as to keep them in a state of doubt and uncertainty. They also tried to raise controversial issues which might keep people, including the followers of the Prophet, entangled in sterile debate. It is this attitude of the Jews to which the Qur’an alludes when it asks them not to overlay the truth with falsehood, not to suppress and conceal it by resorting to false propaganda and mischievous campaigns of slander, and not to attempt to deceive the world by mixing truth with falsehood. 

59. Prayer and Purifying Alms (Zakah) have always been among the most important pillars of the Islamic faith. Like other Prophets, the Prophets of Israel laid great stress upon them. The Jews had, however, become very negligent about these duties. Congregational Prayer had all but ceased among them; in fact, a great majority of the Jews did not perform Prayers even individually. They had also not only ceased to pay Purifying Alms, but some had even gone so far as to make their living out of interest.