The Holy Quran Text. Translation & Commentary(the Example Commentary in Brief)(volume Four)

Moses in the Court of Pharoah

VERSE NO.36-37

We are now in the 8th stage of this great adventure that we are following. Moses returns back to the king's palace, but this time very differently.

Moses was promoted to the high rank of prophethood in which his brother was his minister. Both of them were sent to Pharaoh, and with many obstructions, they finally got a time to visit the king who was then surrounded by his courtiers.

Moses conveyed the Message of God to the king and showed him the signs of our Lord miraculously.

When Moses went to Pharaoh, he was anxious of being accused of lying and falsehood; and that, actually came to pass. When he showed to the king and his chiefs the signs that had come to him from God, they all belied him and said:-

``This is nothing but sorcery that you have forged, and what you say about the worship of only one God is a thing that our ancestors had it not among their creed.''

The arm that they took up against Moses, was the same weapon that the tyrants and cruel dictators have always used. He lowered Moses, the Arch Prophet of God to the rank of a sorcerer and to the level of a liar!! The man who may forge a lie, to make a ladder for material progress!

To answer them, Moses appealed to God, and made a mention of the end and final abode of the disbelievers and other oppressors who will not prosper. He said to the king:-

``My Lord knows best that, who is guided by Him, and who is misguided by falsehood; and that, what will be the end of those who are right, and those who are wrong. It is a mere fact that oppressors will not prosper.''

[ 568 ]

وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُمْ مِّنْ إِلَـه غَيْرِى فَأَوْقِدْ لِى يَا هَامَانُ عَلَى الطِّينِ فَاجْعَل لِى صَرْحاً لَّعَلِّى أَطَّلِعُ إِلَى إِلَـهِ مُوسَى وَإِنِّى لاََظُنُّهُ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ(( 38 ))

38- AND PHARAOH SAID:- ``O, CHIEFS! I KNOW NOT ANY GOD FOR YOU OTHER THAN MYSELF. SO, KINDLE ME A FIRE, O, HA"MA"N, UPON CLAY AND BUILD ME A HIGH TOWER, THAT I MAY BE INFORMED OF THE GOD OF MOSES, THOUGH I THINK HIM TO BE OF THE LIARS.''

وَاسْتَكْبَرَ هُوَ وَجُنُودُهُ فِى الاَْرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْنَا لاَ يُرْجَعُونَ(( 39 ))

39- AND HE AND HIS HOST WERE UNRIGHTLY PROUD IN THE LAND, AND THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD NOT RETURN TO US.

فَأَخَذْنَاهُ وَجُنُودَهُ فَنَبَذْنَاهُمْ فِى الْيَمِّ فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الظَّالِمِينَ(( 40 ))

40- THEREFORE WE SEIZED HIM AND HIS HOSTS AND CAST THEM INTO THE SEA. THEN SEE HOW WAS THE END OF THE OPPRESSORS.

وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لاَ يُنصَرُونَ(( 41 ))

41- AND WE MADE THEM LEADERS WHO CALL (PEOPLE) TO THE FIRE, AND IN THE DAY OF RESURRECTION THEY ARE NOT HELPED.

وَأَتْبَعْنَاهُمْ فِى هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا لَعْنَةً وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ هُمْ مِّنَ الْمَقْبُوحِينَ(( 42 ))

42- AND WE FOLLOWED THEM IN THIS WORLD BY A CURSE, AND IN THE DAY OF RESURRECTION THEY ARE OF THE DETESTEBLES.

[ 569 ]

THE COMMENTARY LOOK AT THE OPPRESSOR'S END

VERSE NO.38ِ42

We are now on the ninth stage of the adventurous enterprises, and meanwhile the story is full of useful lessons to be learned if any one is willing. We know that when some important event happens against the interests of a veteran politician, an old trick is to create a new scenery, in order to focus the general attentions towards the new one, and pervert the minds from the old. This was the case with building a huge tower to deviate the attentions from Moses and his miraculous and wonderful God. So the construction of a tower began which was a building very abnormal. It seems to us that the construction of that great tower was after the clear victory of Moses over the sorcerers. When that wonderful victory of the Messenger of God became a general topic of conversation throughout Egypt, it gave a great shock to the foundation of Pharaoh's kingship and godship.

Therefore in a meeting with his chieftains, he said:-

``As to the earth, no one should doubt that I am the greatests of rulers, and your only god that deserves your worship. As for the God of Moses who lives in the heavens, there are no reasons that he really exists! Although I think Moses to be of the liars, I still shall verify the matter. Ha"ma"n has to make me a tower, high enough to get some informations about the God of Moses, Whom he claims to be the Lord of the heaven and the earth.''

So far, bricks were unknown to the Egyptians, and seems to have been the first time when building material made by molding clay into blocks, while moist was hardening them in the fire was going to be used in the construction of buildings.

[ 570 ]

Some commentators like, Fakhr Razi, have doubted Pharaoh to have built the said tower or such that high building. They reason that Pharaoh and his people could have gone on the top a mountain, and see whatever they could see from the top of that tower. Such commentators have forgotten that Egypt is not a mountainous land, and they have ignored how arrogant and blown with pride Pharaoh was, and how simple mindeded and illiterate fools, his subjects were.

Just have a look at the pride and vanity of Pharaoh, who was in fact nothing more than a weak mortal. He said to his chiefs and courtiers, and also to Moses and Aaron, that:-

``I am your god and your only god! So you all will have to worship me alone.'' And Pharaoh said:- ``O, chiefs! I know not any god for you other than myself.'' How ridiculous such an assertion can be, particularly when it is uttered by a mortal who might be slayed by a microbe. So also his next assertion or order will prove how foolish the king was, if he really was serious in what he said:- ``....So kindle me a fire, O, Ha"ma"n upon clay and build me a high tower, that I may be informed of the God of Moses, though I think him to be of the liars!''

If not so, and he was not a fool himself, he was making fools of his followers, and subjects. If they were not fools, how dare of him to make them to worship him for their god, and to go upon a tower to see the Lord of heavens and earth.

This has always been the creed of the tyrants and cruel dictators, to do their best to keep their followers unaware, and in a deep ignorance, so as to follow them blindly.

Anyhow; some historians have narrated that; Ha"ma"n engaged more than fifty thousands of skilled and unskilled labourers in that construction business. He opened the doors of public purse, and spent [ 571 ]

a great amount of money for the tower's construction, which was no less important than the Pyramids. The tower went up higher and higher, perhaps as high as the Eafell tower in Paris, but not as high as the Empire State of New York city. It was built easy to climb, and its spiral and wide stairs were so that one could ascend the tower by riding a horse!

The tower was completed, and Pharaoh in a glorious ceremony inaugurated it officially. He then went up the tower and looked at the starry sky, but nothing seemed to be different from what he could see from, the bottom earth. But he was not that sort of a man to leave demagogism. He shot an arrow out of his bow towards the sky, in order to kill the God of Moses! The arrow turned back to him stained with blood-Perhaps the blood of a bird and he pretended to have killed the heavenly Lord of Moses who was up in the skies, and announced that there was no more god other than himself.

It was in such awfully low creed and cult that Pharaoh and his hosts were drowned. They could not believe that there would be a Resurrection Day, and a final Judgement. They could not understand that every deed, bad or good, whatever, will have its due consequences. And so they lost the chances of repentance, and being guided by the two great Divine Teachers. They incurred the wrath of God through their arrogance and evil deeds, and therefore God cast them in the sea and drowned them. The water which is the main source of life, for them, turned to the real cause of death:- ``Therefore, We seized him and his hosts, and cast them into the sea. Then behold how was the end of the oppressors.''

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا أَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ الاُْولَى بَصَائِرَ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدىً وَرَحْمَةً لَّعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ(( 43 ))

43- AND VERILY WE GAVE MOSES THE BOOK (TORAH), AFTER [ 572 ]

WE DESTROYED THE EARLIER GENERATIONS; AS DISCERNMENTS FOR PEOPLE AND GUIDANCE AND MERCY, THAT THEY MIGHT BE MINDFUL. وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِىِّ إِذْ قَضَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى الاَْمْرَ وَمَا كُنتَ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ(( 44 ))

44- AND YOU WERE NOT IN THE WESTERN SIDE, WHEN WE DECREED TO MOSES THE COMMANDMENT, AND YOU WERE NOT OF THE WITNESSES. (WHEN WE ARMED HIM WITH THE MIRACLES)

وَلَكِنَّا أَنشَأْنَا قُرُوناً فَتَطَاوَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْعُمُرُ وَمَا كُنتَ ثَاوِياً فِى أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ تَتْلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِنَا وَلَكِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ(( 45 ))

45- BUT WE CREATED GENERATIONS WHOSE LIVES WE PROLONGED, (AND THE TRACES OF THE PROPHETS WERE EFFACED, SO WE SENT YOU WITH YOUR DIVINE BOOK), AND YOU WERE NOT A DWELLER AMONG THE MIDIANITES TO RECITE TO THEM (THE PRONOUN THEM REFERS TO THE IDOLATERS OF MECCA) OUR SIGNS, BUT WE WERE SENDING MESSENGERS.

وَمَا كُنتَ بِجَانِبِ الطُّورِ إِذْ نَادَيْنَا وَلَكِنْ رَّحْمَةً مِّنْ رَّبِّكَ لِتُنذِرَ قَوْماً مَّا أَتَاهُمْ مِّنْ نَّذِير مِّنْ قَبْلِكَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ(( 46 ))

46- AND YOU WERE NOT AT THE MOUNTAIN-SIDE, WHEN WE CALLED (MOSES). BUT AS A MERCY FROM YOUR LORD (WE INSPIRED YOU WITH OUR MESSAGE) TO WARN A PEOPLE TO WHOM NO WARNER HAD COME BEFORE YOU, PERHAPS THEY BE MINDFUL.

[ 573 ]

THE COMMENTARY ONLY GOD SHOWS YOU SUCH UNSEEN

VERSE NO.43ِ46

We now have reached the end of our story which is the disclosure of the Law and Divine Book of Towrat, which was sent down to Moses:- ``And verily We gave Moses the Book, after We destroyed the earlier generations, as discernments for people, and a guidance and mercy; that they might be mindful.''

Allah overwhelmed the tyrannies of many generations before the advent of Moses, and began new ages one after another until the turn was given to Pharaoh. The generations that were destroyed included the people of Noah, Aad and Thamud, whose prophet's law, instructions, scriptures, and even their traces have effaced and been destroyed by elapse of ages. Pharaoh too, did not do what he should have done, and preferred evil over good, and ignored the light of truth that came to him through the Messenger of God; and followed his own caprices. What a misfortune that he left aside the eternal light of God and went deep into darknesses of devil. He could have received God's forgiveness and Mercy, had he followed guidance of Moses; but he deliberately closed his eyes and went on blindly until he fell into a pit of Fire.

By Western Side (V.NO.44), it may mean the western side of the valley of TUWA" wherein stays the mount Tour, from where Moses received his prophetic mission.

وَلَوْلاَ أَنْ تُصِيبَهُمْ مُّصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُوا رَبَّنَا لَوْلاَ أَرْسَلْتَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولا فَنَتَّبِعَ آيَاتِكَ وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(( 47 ))

[ 574 ]

47- WHENEVER AN AFFLICTION AFFLICTED THEM DUE TO WHAT THEIR HANDS HAD SENT FORTH, THEY WOULD SAY:- ``OUR LORD! WHY DID YOU NOT SEND A MESSENGER TO US, SO THAT WE COULD FOLLOW YOUR SIGNS AND BECOME OF THE BELIEVERS.''

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ عِنْدِنَا قَالُوا لَوْلاَ أُوتِىَ مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِىَ مُوسَى أَوَلَمْ يَكْفُرُوا بِمَا أُوتِىَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْلُ قَالُوا سِحْرَانِ تَظَاهَرَا وَقَالُوا إِنَّا بِكُلّ كَافِرُونَ(( 48 ))

48- THEN WHEN THE TRUTH CAME TO THEM FROM US, THEY SAID:- ``WHY IS HE NOT GIVEN THE LIKE OF WHAT WAS GIVEN TO MOSES?'' DO THEY NOT DISBELIEVE IN WHAT CAME TO MOSES AFORETIME (OF THE ADVENT OF OTHER PROPHETS LIKE JESUS AND MOHAMMAD FORETOLD IN THE SCRIPTURES) THEY SAID:- (MOSES AND AARON ARE) TWO SORCERERS HELPING EACH OTHER, AND SAID WE DISBELIEVE ALL.

قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِكِتَاب مِّنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ هُوَ أَهْدَى مِنْهُمَا أَتَّبِعْهُ إِنْ كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ(( 49 ))

49- SAY:- ``(IF YOU THINK THAT QURA"N AND TOWRA"T ARE NOT FROM GOD) THEN BRING A BOOK FROM ALLAH TO BE A BETTER GUIDE THAN THESE TWO, THAT I MAY FOLLOW IT, IF YOU ARE TRUTHFULS.''

فَإِنْ لَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكَ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدىً مِّنَ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ(( 50 ))

[ 575 ]

50- THEN IF THEY DO NOT ANSWER YOU, KNOW THAT THEY ONLY FOLLOW THEIR CAPRICES. AND WHO IS MORE ASTRAY THAN HE WHO FOLLOWS HIS CAPRICE, WITHOUT A GUIDANCE FROM ALLAH? THAT ALLAH WILL NOT GUIDE A PEOPLE WHO ARE OPPRESSORS.

THE COMMENTARY THEY ESCAPE THE TRUTH BY EXCUSES

VERSE NO.47-50

Then first of the above verses (NO.47) implies that the path of truth is direct and clear, and any one with a common sense will condemn polytheism, evil, and idolatry. Even without the prophets, idolatries, and evil deeds are remorseful and blameworthy for mankind, and deserve a severe punishment. But even so, Allah, the Compassionate has sent His wise and knowing Messengers from the way of Mercy and Grace to His servants, so that no one may say; had a warner come to us we would not be punished for what we should not have it done. If a misfortune afflicts Man, instead of knowing that it is the inevitable result of his deeds, he may put the blame on the shoulder of providence and say:-

``Our Lord! Why did you not send an apostle to guide us, so as to follow your signs, and become believers?'' Even though an Arch Prophet such as Mohammad (SA), has been sent with authority, manifest signs, and perspicuous Book, to them; who was all knowledge and all wisdom, they still went astray and preferred falsehood over truth, and followed their caprices. With Mohammad no one has any excuse to say; ``I did not know, or I was not warned and so and so.''

[ 576 ]

The argument then goes on, about the excuses and objections that the non-believers made, merely because they wanted to continue with their perverted way of life. When our prophet came to them with so many undeniable evidences they said:- ``Why is he not like Moses,'' or ``why does he not do what Moses did with his rod and white hand.''

They did not want to admit that the time in which Moses lived was different from the time of Mohammad (SA). On the other hand, Mohammad (SA), was the last and the seal of prophets, and his miracles had to endure for ever. Therefore his Qura"n is a miracle very different to those given to Moses, and more lasting than the rod and shining white hand. So their requests were all flimsy pretexts. Did they believe in Moses or did Moses tell them to worship a piece of carved stone, instead of the Lord God, Who created them and the whole universe? The idolaters of Mecca and Pharaoh and his hosts were of the same idea in calling their prophet as sorcerers.

Now the revelation which is sent down to us; in the form of the Glorious Qura"n, is the best of guides. It is the remedy for our spiritual, physical, and social diseases throughout ages. We prefer to follow our caprices and make objections and excuses, to escape duties that are incumbent upon us, and which are for our own good! How can a man who escapes the facts and truths, and follows his caprices and lusts, be guided, even by such a Book as Qura"n?

In the other verse above (NO.49), Man has been challenged to bring something better than Qura"n for guidance. Elsewhere in the Qura"n is cited:- ``If Man thinks that it is not a revelation from God, then let him produce a book the like of it, or even one chapter the like of one of the 114 SUREHS of the Glorious Qura"n.'' So far, which is a period of 15 centuries, no one has ever answered or satisfied the challenge although hundreds have tried.

[ 577 ]

وَلَقَدْ وَصَّلْنَا لَهُمُ الْقَوْلَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ(( 51 ))

51- AND VERILY WE HAVE RELATED TO THEM THE WORD, (QURA"NIC VERSES) PERHAPS THEY BE MINDFUL.

الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ هُمْ بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ(( 52 ))

52- THOSE TO WHOM WE GAVE THE BOOK BEFORE IT, THEY BELIEVE IN IT.

وَإِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِهِ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَّبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مُسْلِمِينَ(( 53 ))

53- AND WHEN IT IS RECITED TO THEM, THEY SAY:- ``WE BELIEVE IN IT, THAT IT IS THE TRUTH FROM OUR LORD. WE WERE SUBMITTERS BEFORE IT. (WAS REVEALED)''

أُوْلَئِكَ يُؤْتَوْنَ أَجْرَهُمْ مَّرَّتَيْنِ بِمَا صَبَرُوا وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ(( 54 ))

54- THEY WILL BE GIVEN THEIR REWARD TWICE, FOR BEING PATIENT, AND THEY AVERT EVIL WITH GOOD DEEDS, AND OF THE SUSTENANCE WHICH WE HAVE GIVEN THEM THEY SPEND (SOME) FOR CHARITY.

وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا اللَّغْوَ أَعْرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ سَلاَمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ لاَ نَبْتَغِى الْجَاهِلِينَ(( 55 ))

55- AND WHEN THEY HEARD VAIN TALKS, THEY TURNED AWAY FROM IT AND SAID:- ``OURS IS OUR DEEDS AND YOURS IS YOUR DEEDS. PEACE BE UPON YOU. WE ARE NOT FOND OF IGNORANTS.

[ 578 ]

THE COMMENTARY OCCASION OF REVELATION

VERSE NO.51-55

SAEED-IBN-JOBAIR has narrated that the above verses were sent down on the occasion that the Nighsh of Abyssinia, who was a truthful Christian, sent a group of seventy priests to Medina to study what sort of religion Islam was; and that, what was the Message which Mohammad had to convey. When they visited our prophet, he rehearsed to them the SUREH, YA"-SIN of Qura"n. They all wept and shed tears for the love of God, and converted saying:- ``....We believe in this. It is a truth from our Lord. We were submitters to the will of God before this.'' This verse is an evidence that a group of the people of the Book were converted when a part of the Holy Qura"n was rehearsed to them.

COMMENTS

The verses of Qura"n came down to the Arabs successively and one after another, in a joined train of meaningful words; in order to make them think and be mindful. But the blinded hearts did not apprehend, and rejected the truth. The word of God that was sent before in other languages, then was reaching Quraish in their own language, through a man who was of them, and of the same race and tribe, and they knew him and his ancestor. What excuse did they have then to reject faith and deny the facts except paganism zeal. And this was while others who had studied their scriptures, believed in him and in the Book that was given him:- ``Those to whom We gave the Book before it, they believe it.''

Besides the above occasion of revelation which has its historical basis, this verse is also a general one, and even in our time it applies well, because we have seen so many Christians and also Jews, who have known our prophet through their own scriptures and have sincerely accepted the religion of Islam. This is because a truthful adherent to [ 579 ] Moses and Jesus will soon find himself to be a Muslim too, and the converse is also true.

Finally, reference is made to one of the important qualifications of those people of the Book, who heard the word of God and recognized it, and believed it, and adhered to it. They do not mingle with roving ramblers, who pass their time in vain talks:- ``And when they heard vain talks they turned away from it and said:- ``Ours is our deeds and yours is your deeds. Peace on you, we are not fond of ignorants.''

They were so because a righteous believer will have no spare time to sit down and listen to vain talk and rubbish arguments. On the other hand, they are gentle and polite by nature. Therefore when they find themselves fallen among a company who are talkative, and driven to rambling in arguments, they do not waste their time with them, and instead of arguing to defend their deeds they politely get up and go away, and meanwhile saying:- ``....Ours is our deeds and yours is yours. All of us will have to taste the inevitable consequences of our deeds. Peace on you.''

إِنَّكَ لاَ تَهْدِى مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ يَهْدِى مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ(( 56 ))

56- YOU CANNOT GUIDE WHOEVER YOU LIKE. BUT ALLAH GUIDES WHOEVER HE WILL, AND HE KNOWS BEST THOSE WHO ARE GUIDED.

وَقَالُوا إِنْ نَّتَّبِعِ الْهُدَى مَعَكَ نُتَخَطَّفْ مِنْ أَرْضِنَا أَوَلَمْ نُمَكِّنْ لَّهُمْ حَرَماً آمِناً يُجْبَى إِلَيْهِ ثَمَرَاتُ كُلِّ شَىْء رِّزْقاً مِّنْ لَّدُنَّا وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ(( 57 ))

57- AND THEY SAID:- ``IF WE FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE WITH YOU, WE SHALL BE DRIVEN FROM OUR LAND.'' HAVE WE NOT ESTABLISHED FOR THEM A SECURE SANCTUARY TO WHICH IS BROUGHT THE FRUITS OF EVERYTHING, AS A SUSTENANCE FROM US, BUT MOST OF THEM KNOW NOT.

[ 580 ]

THE COMMENTARY GOD WILL GUIDE WHOM HE WILL

VERSE NO.56ِ57

The aforesaid verses pointed to two group of people: The first group of them were the pagan Arabs and particularly Quraish, who were from the same race and family that the prophet himself was. It is evident that the prophet was most desirous to guide them, but they obstinately stood firm against our prophet who loved so tenderly to lead them, and remained non-believers. On the other hand, there were a second group of whom we made a mention in the previous passages. They were the group of Christians who came from Abyssina and without causing any trouble converted, and hence the verse (NO.56), in its general sense of meaning:- ``You cannot guide whoever you like. It rather is Allah Who guides whom He will.''

Here the word ``guidance'' does not mean to show some one the right way, because such a guidance is a part of the duties of all the apostles. ``GUIDANCE'' here will rather mean to join somebody to his desired object, and this is only the work of God, who can sow the seed of faith and fidelity, in the field of those hearts that have the necessary merits. In other word, we must know that all those whom we love tenderly, do not necessarily share our ideas about everything. God alone knows the inner nature and the hidden motives of all His servants, and therefore He will guide whom He will. So, by the verse; the prophet is consoled not to grieve if he could not improve the spiritual conditions of his dear citizens, because this matter is for God to decide upon.

As to the next verse, it has been narrated that HARITH-IBN-NUFELL a chief of the tribes, came to the prophet and said:- ``We do believe that what you say is mere truth, but if we disclose our belief in you, the pagans will [ 581 ] attack us, and drive us out of our land, and will compel us to leave our home and hearth and go away, and we have not enough power to resist them.''

They said so because they were not aware enough of the Infinite power of the All-mighty Lord. They had not enough faith that Allah would easily vanquish His enemies and raise up those whom He will. The All-mighty who established for them such a secure sanctuary as Mecca, to which is brought the fruits of everything as a sustenance from Him.

THE FAITH OF HAZRAT ABUTALIB

All the Muslims have unanimously testified that, HAZRAT ABUTALIB, the prophet's uncle, was his most sincere supporter, most faithful protector, and more loving him than any father could love his son. Why then some of the narrators have tried to present him as a faithless and even non-Muslim. And this is while they are so tolerant and careless about others who played no effective role in the scenery of Islam and yet they pulled themselves to the top of affairs without any right. This will lead us to know that the head of such dangerous strings of political play was in the hand of the rivals and antagonists of Hazrat Imam Ali (AS). They have always insisted to deny his natural and religious virtues and instead of that, forge some weak points for him.

Certainly, the Ommayids nasty dynasty did their best in this regard, and came no short; and such traditions that we still hear them, are nothing but the traces of their dirty worldly endeavours in this respect.

The above phrase (you cannot guide whoever you like) has [ 582 ] therefore nothing to do with HAZRAT ABUTALIB, and as we said; was revealed on the occasion of a group of pagan Arabs who stubbornly rejected the Message of God, and contrary to them, a group of Christians who studied deeply and by FREE WILL accepted and supported the Message.

It also is worthy of note that the fanatic Sonni commentator, (FAKHR-RAZI) who has narrated the said occasion of revelation with successive witnesses, has also stipulated that the verse has nothing to do with ABUTALIB.

The only reason that Sonni expounders of Qura"n have used to prove that Abutalib died non-Muslim, is what they have called it, the collective opinion of all Muslims; while this proof is not true, and there has not ever been a consensus of opinion on this issue among all sects of Muslims.

Another important Sonni commentator is A"LOSI, who has written in his famous ROOH-AL-MAANI, that, those who have said there is a broad consensus of opinion on this issue are wrong, because Muslims do differ widely on this respect, among whom we may name are all the Shiites and also the infallible Imams.

The most important narrator of this tradition is said to have been ABUHORAIREH. They say he has personally witnessed Abutalib's death bed, when Mohammad (SA) said to his uncle; testify that there is no god save Allah, and the uncle answered; if Quraish would not reproach me and accuse me of having testified by fear, I would announce my faith in Monotheism to please you!!!

This is while we are sure that ABUHORAIREH declared to be a Muslim at the conquest of KHAIBAR. This event was seven years after Emigration, while Abutalib died several years before Emigration (HIJRAT). And if you say ABUHORAIREH was not present at Abutalib's death bed, but might have heard that from some one else, the question then shall be:- ``Who the some one else was?''

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[ 583 ]

81- THEN WE MADE THE EARTH TO SWALLOW HIM AND HIS HOUSE; AND THERE WAS NOT ANY HOST FOR HIM TO HELP HIM APART FROM ALLAH, NOR WAS HE OF THOSE WHO COULD HELP THEMSELVES.

وَأَصْبَحَ الَّذِينَ تَمَنَّوْا مَكَانَهُ بِالاَْمْسِ يَقُولُونَ وَيْكَأَنَّ اللهَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُ لَوْلاَ أَنْ مَّنَّ اللهُ عَلَيْنَا لَخَسَفَ بِنَا وَيْكَأَنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الْكَافِرُونَ(( 82 ))

82- AND NEXT MORNING, THOSE WHO WERE DESIROUS TO HAVE HIS POSITION YESTERDAY, WERE SAYING:- ``WOE UPON US! IT IS ALLAH WHO EXPANDS THE SUSTENANCE FOR WHOEVER OF HIS SERVANTS HE WILLS, AND RESTRICTS.'' (IT FOR WHOM HE LIKES)

HAD ALLAH NOT OBLIGED US, HE WOULD HAVE US SWALLOWED (BY THE EARTH) TOO. WOE UPON US! IT IS AS IF THE NON-BELIEVERS DO NOT PROSPER.