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

Ten Important Moral Instructions (verse No. 125 - 128)

This SUREH (NO.16) ends in ten commandments to instruct how should we deal with our enemies, and how should we preach and call people to the way of God. Here are the ten principles of good preaching and good behaviour:ِ

1- Call to the way of your Lord by wisdom,

2- And with fine preaching,

3- And dispute in a manner which is the best.

The principles of good religious teaching and preaching is cited here which can be used everywhere and in all ages. We must invite Mankind to follow the way of God, by teaching His universal will and plan. But we must know that there is no compulsion in the religion of God. Man's Free-Will must always be respected and considered. [ 525 ]

Therefore in our preaching we must use wisdom, discretion, knowledge and reasoning, and as Qura"n wants, in a manner which is the best. We must always be kind, gentle, and considerate to God's servants. Our words should not be dogmatic and dictatorial. Our motive in every action must be the love of God and the love of Man.

4- And if you punished; then punish the like of what you have been punished.

We are not entitled to give a heavier blow than we have received. It is even far better for us to restrain ourself and be patient;

5- And if you be patient and forgiving it is the best.

This verse (NO.126) is said to have been revealed in the occasion of Ohud in which HAZRAT HAMZIH was martyred, and then mutilated. When so; our prophet came to the point where his beloved uncle who is titled the, LION OF GOD, and also the, MASTER OF THE MARTYRES was mutilated. When the Messenger of God saw his faithful uncle so wildly torn into pieces, he was filled with anger and said:ِ

``I have not ever met with such a disaster in my life. Gabriel told me that HAMZIH is scrolled in the heavens as the lion of God. If I get power over the pagans, I shall have thirty of them mutilated like that.''

When the prophet said so, the above (NO.126) revealed. And when it came down, the prophet changed his mind:ِ

``And if you punished, then punish the like of what you have been punished. And if you be patient (forgiving) it is better for you.''

He therefore addressed Muslims saying:ِ

``None of you should ever mutilate anyone, for it is unlawful in the sight of God.''

6- To be always patient and forgiving

Patience, which is indeed bitter must be only for the sake of God; if it is to bear sweet fruit. And almost in all cases it is very hard or not possible, to be patient unless we seek God's help.

Forgiveness too, which is the twin-brother of patience must be for the sake of God, or else saying:ِ ``I can forgive but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying I can't forgive.''

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7- When all the endeavours and strifes in the way of Allah give not the expected results, a Muslim should not lose hope and courage, nor should he grieve on that and say what is the use of teaching these stubborn people. They give no ear to my preaching and warnings. A Muslim should never yield to such thoughts. He who does his duty should not worry about the results. Who knows how the seed of the word of God may grow into a huge tree and bear sweet fruit!?

8- Don't worry about their conspiracy because Allah looks after you.

9- Of course the stubborn enemy will not yield that easy, and may continue obstinately with his plots and plans against the man of God. So the godly should not be distressed of the intrigues, and meanwhile should be careful on that.

10- Being pious and good-doer.

The ending of the SUREH gives the consolation of thinking that God is always with the pious who avoid evil and with those who do good deeds. Therefore the believers should go on with constancy, doing good for the sake of God to all His servants and even to all His creatures.

THE END OF SUREH BEE (16)

THE END OF PART ِ 14

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ASRA" (THE NIGHT JOURNEY)

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MERCIFUL, THE COMPASSIONATE

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الاَْقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّه هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ(( 1 ))

1- GLORY BE TO HIM WHO TOOK HIS SERVANT IN A NIGHT FROM THE HOLY MOSQUE (WHICH IS IN MECCA) TO THE FARTHEST MOSQUE (WHICH IS IN JERUSALEM), THE ENVIRONMENT OF WHICH WE HAVE BLESSED; IN ORDER TO SHOW HIM SOME OF OUR SIGNS, THAT HE IS THE ALL-HEARING, ALL-SEEING.

THE COMMENTARY

THE ASCENSION OF THE HOLY PROPHET (VERSE NO. 1)

The reference here is to the famous night journey of Mohammad (AS) who was taken from Mecca to Jerusalem; and from there to the [ 528 ]

heavens, while the whole journey took place in one night!

By the journey, Allah intended to show his prophet and faithful servant, some of His signs to show His greatness.

Almost all Muslim scholars have understood that the journey was not a vision, nor a dream, and neither a spiritual passage from here to there. It rather was a proper bodily journey in wakefulness. In his ascension the prophet saw GABRIEL for the second time in his real form and how he really is! (S53: 13ِ18)

The Christians too, believe in the ascension of Jesus-Christ. They say the occasion was 40 days after his Resurrection, when Jesus parted from his disciples, and a cloud received him out of their sight. (ACTS 1:9) So the Ascension Day is accordingly celebrated annually on the sixth thursday after Easter.

Superstitious ideas have mingled with that of the prophet's ascension; particularly in the books written by the Western writers who do not care much about the truth. As an instance GIVERGIVE in his famous book about Mohammad has written:ِ

``In his ascension Mohammad reached a place where he could hear the voice of God's Pen, and could see that God was busy in registering the services of people? We Muslims do not know from where has he taken his information about God's Pen, which must be wooden in order to make noise when moving upon God's paper! This is where we Muslims believe that, Allah is far beyond space and time, and material pen and paper has no meaning in Him. Allah is far beyond the qualifications that Man attributes to Him.

Of course the ascension has taken place with special means to overcome the natural resistances, gravity, and attractions and repulsions. There has been provided special vehicles and facilities of transport by the Omnipotent and All-mighty Lord of Mohammad. Man may come to know the secrets of the ascension gradually and in time.

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[ 529 ] THE HOLY TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM

(The Holy Temple of Jerusalem is the greatest problem of our age that has now-a-days (FEBRUARY 2002), turned to a bloody and dreadful conflict between the Jews and Muslims. So it is worthy to cast a look in brief, in the historical events of the place, which follows:ِ

The Temple is said to have been built at first by the instigation of SOLOMON (AS), throughout the reign of whom it served as the central sanctuary for the whole Israelite nation. After Solomon's death, when the kingdom had split in two parts, it was used only by the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Then the Temple was plundered and damaged once or twice by the enemies, but it stood until 445 B.C., when the Babylonian's army under NEBUCHADNEZZAR burnt down Jerusalem and also its Temple. In the Bible; 2 KINGSِ25 the incident has been written thus:ِ

``In the reign of king Nebuchadnezzar, his advisor and commander of his army, NEBUZARADAN, attacked Jerusalem and burnt down the Holy Temple, the place, and houses of all important people in Jerusalem, and his soldiers ruined the city walls. They took with them to Babylonia those skilled workmen who were not killed, and left in Judah some of the poorest people who owned no property; putting them to work in the vineyards and fields.

The Babylonians broke in the bronze column and the carts that were in the temple, together with the large bronze tank and took the pieces of bronze with them. They also took away everything that was made of Gold and silver, as well as the bronze objects that king SOLOMON had made for the Temple.''

The Temple was then rebuilt under NEHEMIAH and EZRA as per order of the Persian King ARTAXERXES between 515 and 250 B.C. Nehemiah was then in SUSA the capital city of Iran. He lived among the courtiers of the king and was respected by his majesty.

Reports came to Nehemiah that those who had returned to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylonia lived in a great misfortune and difficulty, and that the walls of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple were still ruined.

Nehemiah was a true man of God and a Jewish official at the Persian court. When he heard of the bad situation of his home town; [ 530 ]

he sat in supplication and praying to God, the Lord of Abraham, for several days, asking Allah to forgive the Israelites and also to make the heart of the King of Persian Merciful to him. So his prayer was answered, and soon after he was sent by the king as governor to Jerusalem with all the needed support. There with the help of EZRA, another religious leader he revived the Jewish community and established biblical Law as the constitution. (O.T. NEHEMIAH, 1ِ4)

In 167 B.C. the Temple was turned into a heathen idol temple by ANTIOCHUS, one of Alexander's successors. In 63ِB.C., POMPEY THE GREAT forced his way into the Temple but he took no plunder.

In 19 B.C. HEROD THE GREAT decided to rebuilt the Temple without interrupting the services of worship and did well. This Temple stood so, until 70 A.D., when the Roman troops under general TITUS destroyed it by fire at the end of his war with the Jews.

Throughout the centuries after Christ, Jerusalem was one of the sieges and conquests, by many foreign powers, like, Arabs, crusaders, Turks and British.

In 132 A.D. a Jewish revolt led by Simon Barkokhba, the Jews captured the town, along with the whole of Judae, and held it until 135 A.D., when, the Romans killed Barkokhba and suppressed the revolt. On the ruins of Jerusalem, Romans built a new colony, and Jews were forbidden to enter the Town and Temple. This ban was enforced upto 324 A.D.

In the 4th century under Emperor Constantine, Jerusalem reassumed its ancient name and its religious importance. In the midِ5th century, through the efforts of the Roman Empires EUDOCIA, wife of Theodosius the second, the Jews were officially permitted to resettle in Jerusalem.

In the 7th century the Persians supported by the Jews waged a war against the Romans in the Palestine. The Jews were allowed for a time to re-establish a government making Jerusalem their religious center in 614 A.D.

The Persians captured the city, destroyed much including the Holy Temple. Shortly after they granted the control of Jerusalem to the Christians.

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There has revealed a Sureh in the Qura"n, named, RUM or Ruman Empire, the immediate reference of which is said to have been the said event of Persians in Jerusalem. The beginning of the Sureh is as follows:ِ

``The Roman have been defeated; In a land nearby. (i.e. in Palestine). But soon after this defeat of theirs the Romans will be victoriousِwithin a few years. With Allah was the decision of past and future. On that Day (in which Roman gain victory) the believers will rejoice.''

The Roman Rule over Jerusalem was restored for a brief time in 629 A.D. When Emperor Heraclius defeated the Persians and the Jews, as it is foretold in the above S 30:1ِ4

So exhausted were both the Roman and Persian armies by this war, that, in 638 A.D. they were both defeated by the Muslims during the reign of UMAR the second Caliph.

UMAR did not disturb the Christian churches, and also permitted a number of Jews to return.

In 661 A.D. the Muslim Caliph ABD-AL-MALAK built the Doom of the Rock.

In the first Crusade, led by Godfery of Bouillon in 1099 A.D. Jerusalem was captured and Muslims were put to sword, and Jews were burnt in their synagogus!

In 1187 A.D. the crusaders were defeated by SULTAN SALAH-AL-DIN-AYYUBI, and Muslims recaptured Jerusalem.

In 1229 the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick-2 leading the sixth crusade, procured all Jerusalem except the Temple area from the reigning AYYUBIDS SULTAN, and for more than a decade both Muslims and Christians worshipped in the city.

In 1244, Jerusalem was captured by the TURKISH KHA"RAZMIANS, and put an end to Christian rule for about 675 years.

Throughout this era which Jerusalem was in the hands of Muslims, Christian shrines were respected, and the Jews exiled in Europe were allowed to return, in order to escape persecution.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE)

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وَآتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلْنَاهُ هُدىً لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَلاَّ تَتَّخِذُوا مِنْ دُونِي وَكِيلا(( 2 ))

2-AND WE GAVE MOSES THE BOOK, (TOWRA"T) AND MADE IT A GUID TO THE ISRAELITES THAT RELY ON NO ONE OTHER THAN ME.

ذُرِّيَّةَ مَنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوح إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَبْداً شَكُوراً(( 3 ))

3- (O, YOU WHO ARE THE) OFFSPRING OF THOSE WHOM WE CARRIED WITH NOAH! (KNOW THEN THAT) HE WAS A THANKFUL SERVANT.

وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَى بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الاَْرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً(( 4 ))

4- AND WE MADE KNOWN TO THE ISRAELITES IN THE BOOK, THAT, TWICE SHALL YOU DO CORRUPTION IN THE LAND AND YOU WILL TRANSGRESS A GREAT TRANSGRESSION.

فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولاَهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَاداً لَّنَا أُولِي بَأْس شَدِيد فَجَاسُوا خِلاَلَ الدِّيَارِ وَكَانَ وَعْداً مَّفْعُولا(( 5 ))

5- THEN WHEN THERE CAME TO PASS ONE OF THE TWO PROMISES, WE RAISED AGAINST YOU SERVANTS OF US (WHO WERE) VIGOROUS WARRIORS, AND THEY SEARCHED THE HOUSES; AND IT WAS A DEFINITE PROMISE.

ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمْ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُمْ بِأَمْوَال وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيراً (( 6 ))6- THEN WE PASSED TO YOU THE TURN (TO PREVAIL) OVER THEM. (THE HIGH TIDE BECAME YOURS) AND WE AIDED YOU WITH PROPERTIES AND CHILDREN, AND WE MADE YOU A MORE NUMEROUS PEOPLE.

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إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لاَِنفُسِكُمْ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الاْخِرَةِ لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّة وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيراً (( 7 ))7- IF YOU DID WELL, YOU DID WELL FOR YOURSELF, AND IF YOU HAVE DONE EVIL, (IT TOO) WAS FOR YOURSELF.

THEN WHEN THE NEXT PROMISE CAME TO PASS, SO AS TO SADDEN YOUR FACES (AGAIN), AND THEY TO ENTER THE HOLY TEMPLE AS THEY ENTERED IT (VIOLENTLY) AT THE FIRST TIME; AND TO DESTROY WHAT WOULD FALL IN THEIR POWER WITH UTTER DESTRUCTION!

عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يَرْحَمَكُمْ وَإِنْ عُدْتُمْ عُدْنَا وَجَعَلْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ حَصِيراً(( 8 ))

8- IT MAY BE THAT YOUR LORD WILL HAVE MERCY ON YOU, BUT IF YOU RETURN, WE (TOO) SHALL RETURN; AND WE HAVE MADE THE HELL A PRISON FOR THE UNBELIEVERS.

THE COMMENTARY

TWO GREAT STORMS (VERSE NO. 2 - 8)

Following the prophet's night journey to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the argument once again turns to the Israelites bad behaviours, and miserable fate.

God gave them the TOWRA"T, as a book of guidance through their prophet Moses, and said to them not to rely on any other power other than that of their Lord, with whom they had made a covenant; but they ignored God's favour, and broke their promises and became thankless and disobedient! As a matter of fact, they were the offspring of those [ 534 ]

who were carried in the ARK, with NOAH (AS). Therefore they had every reason to be thankful and godly, if they would only think; but they followed their own passions and caprices, and plunged to ingratitude, idolatry, and sin. They even forgot the sincere devotion of NOAH, and their own godly and virtuous forefathers like; ABRAHAM. JACOB, ISAAC, MOSES and AARON.

Then in the next verse (NO.4) Allah reminds them of two dreadful historical events, which were the outcomes of their own deeds, and afflicted them for their sins and disobedience.

Perhaps the two occasions referred to, are the destruction of the Holy Temple by NEBUCHADNEZZAR, the king of Babylonia; when the Jews were carried into captivity; and when, GENERAL TITUS in 70 A.D. destroyed the Temple by fire at the end of his fearful and bloody war with the Jews. For more information, please refer to translator's note on page 518 of volume 3, of this book.

As to the clause of the verse NO.5; ``We raised against you servants of us'' usually in Qura"n the word SERVANTS applies to both, believers and unbelievers. Therefore it might be that they were called here the servants of God in the sense that they were means by which Allah poured His wrath upon the Jews.

In the next verse, NO.6, it is said that Allah had His Mercy on the Jews and turned the tide to their benefit by aiding them with children, wealth, an making them numerous.

This might have been their return from captivity about 520 B.C. and rebuilt of the Holy Temple. It was when a truthful religious leader of them called NEHEMIAH, could attract the attention and support of Persian King, Artaxerxes; who appointed him as the governor of Jerusalem, with all the needed support and supply. There in Jerusalem; with the help of Ezra, another Jewish high priest, he revived the Jewish community, and established the Biblical Law as the constitution.

The last verse implies that God is needless of our worship and prayer, or whatever we may do good deeds:ِ

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``If you did well it is to your own benefit, and if you did evil it is to your own loss.''

If anyone does a good deed it will result to his own benefit; Similarly evil deed will bring evil result. God will never oppress His servants the least. He who does something good will have a good reward, tenfold of that, and he who does something bad will have an equally bad reward for that, and no more than that! We read in the S6:160:ِ

``He who does good, will have ten time as much to his credit. But he who does evil will not be recompensed except the like of it, and they will not be oppressed.''

Our Good Gracious God, rewards a good deed of man by a multiplication of ten times which is far above merits, but to the evil the punishment is no more than the evil, while the doors of repentance and pardon too is always open!

إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْراً كَبِيراً(( 9 ))

9- VERILY THIS QURA"N GUIDES TO THAT (WAY) WHICH IS THE MOST UPRIGHT, AND GIVES GLAD-TIDINGS TO THE BELIEVERS; THOSE WHO DO RIGHTEOUS DEEDS, THAT FOR THEM AWAITS A GREAT REWARD.

وَأَنَّ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالاْخِرَةِ أَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَاباً أَلِيماً(( 10 ))

10- AND THAT, THOSE WHO BELIEVE NOT IN THE WORLD TO COME, WE HAVE PREPARED FOR THEM A PAINFUL PUNISHMENT.

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وَيَدْعُ الاِْنسَانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعَاءَهُ بِالْخَيْرِ وَكَانَ الاِْنسَانُ عَجُولا(( 11 ))

11- AND MAN PRAYS FOR EVIL, AS HE PRAYS FOR GOOD, AND MAN IS HASTY.

وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ آيَتَيْنِ فَمَحَوْنَا آيَةَ اللَّيْلِ وَجَعَلْنَا آيَةَ النَّهَارِ مُبْصِرَةً لِتَبْتَغُوا فَضْلا مِّنْ رَّبِّكُمْ وَلِتَعْلَمُوا عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ وَكُلَّ شَيْء فَصَّلْنَاهُ تَفْصِيلا(( 12 ))

12- AND WE HAVE MADE THE NIGHT AND DAY AS TWO SIGNS. THEN WE CAUSED THE SIGN OF NIGHT TO DISAPPEAR, AND MADE THE SIGN OF DAY VISIBLE, SO THAT YOU MAY SEEK GRACE FROM YOUR LORD, AND TO KNOW THE NUMBER OF THE YEARS AND RECKONING. AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE EXPLAINED IT IN DETAIL.

THE COMMENTARY

THE MOST UPRIGHT WAY TO PROSPERITY (VERSE NO. 9 - 12)

The aformentioned verses were about the Israelites who were given the Book, ``TOWRA"T'' in which was light and guidance, as well as glad-tidings; but the Jews left it unattended, or altered its words so as to conform with their caprices, and trifling advantages; and thus they were perverted from the straight path of truth.

Here in the above verses, the reference is to the Holy Qura"n which guides man to a way which is the most upright to prosperity. The way through which Qura"n leads Man to his Merciful Lord, and originator in creation is very straight, plain, evident, the shortest, and very reasonable. QURA"N'S social and political programmes cover all aspects of Man's physical and spiritual life, by being moderate and avoiding the extremes. Its instruction and laws are everlasting and the [ 537 ]

best, because it is the last and seal of the Divine Books.

The next verse (NO.11) implies that Man is very hasty by nature. He is usually impatient and has quick temper, while patience in the religion, is similar in position to the head in a body. In this respect Shakespeare has a beautiful verse, saying:ِ

``How poor are they that have no patience!

What wound did ever heal, but by degree.''

Then let us not be so hasty as to pray for evil as pray for good. We better rejoice in what has been given us and be not so hasty about things which Allah in His wisdom and Universal Plan, has thought it better to withhold from us. HAZRAT IMAM SADIQ (AS) has said:ِ

``Know the way to your rescue and peril, lest you ask God for something that will bring you destruction; while you may think that your rescue is in it.'' This is because Allah has said in His Book; ``Man prays for evill as he prays for good, and he is hasty.''

The next verse (NO.12) refers to the importance of Day and Night, as two different signs of God's Grace and Mercy. Darkness and light; shadow and sunshine are both, very important signs of God, that alternately one appears when the other disappears. Night and Day are both gifts of God; one for rest and repose, and the other for work and study. The regular sun rise and sun set gives us the possibility of reckoning the week, month, and year:ِ

``And We have made the night and day as two signs.... so that you may seek Grace from your Lord, and to know the number of the years and reckoning.''

وَكُلَّ إِنسَان أَلْزَمْنَاهُ طَائِرَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كِتَاباً يَلْقَاهُ مَنشُوراً(( 13 ))

13- AND WE HAVE BOUND THE FATE (FORTUNE) OF EACH MAN ABOUT HIS NECK. (HIS LIFE IS WHAT HE MAKES IT) AND WE TAKE OUT FOR HIM, IN THE RESURRECTION DAY, A BOOK WHICH HE FINDS IT WIDE OPEN.

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اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيباً(( 14 ))

14- READ OUT YOUR BOOK (WHICH IS A RECORD OF YOUR DEEDS). YOU ARE SUFFICIENT TO-DAY, BEING A RECKONER AGAINST YOURSELF.

مَّنِ اهْتَدَى فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِي لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولا (( 15 ))

15- HE WHO IS GUIDED, HE IS ONLY GUIDED FOR (THE BENEFIT OF) HIMSELF; AND HE WHO IS STRAYED, HE ONLY STRAYS AGAINST HIMSELF. AND NO CARRIER WILL CARRY THE BURDEN (OF THE SINS) OF ANOTHER. AND WE WERE NOT TO PUNISH UNTIL WE RAISE A MESSENGER.

THE COMMENTARY

FOUR IMPORTANT ISLAMIC PRINCIPLES (VERSE NO. 13 - 15)

Here the immediate reference is to Man's deeds, the result of which is attached to his neck, so that he cannot get rid of it; and will see it openly in the Day of final Judgement.

In the other verse (NO.15) four important Islamic Principles have been put forward which are as follows:ِ

1- He who accepts guidance, is guided to his own benefit.

2- He who is strayed, he only strays against himself.

3- No carrier will carry the heavy load of sins of some one else.

4- God will not punish His servant until He explains to him and gives him a warning through His Messengers.

The Arabic, ``TAIR'' literally means, ``BIRD'' but it also connotes fate, bad omen, fortune, and also the results of Man's deeds.

To the Arabs, when a bird approached them from the left or [ 539 ]

from the right, his approach was of good or bad omen.

``Even to-day when an owl sings on our roof, in the sight of some of my towns folk, the bird has a bad news! TRANSLATOR''

This is when all such superstitious ideas are strictly rejected by Islam, enjoining that, Man should always put his trust on God.

In fact; our fate, to a larg extent, depends on our intention and endeavour; and our life is what our hand has made it. Our deeds that fly out of us like birds, are all recorded on a scroll, and fastened to our neck. In the Day of God's Judgement, the scroll will be opened for us to read it and judge for ourself.

About omen and augury from the stand point of Islam, enough detail has been given in commenting S7:131 volume 2 of this book.

The last of the above verses (NO.15) of which we extracted the said four Islamic principles, includes the basis of ethics too:ِ

``He who is guided he is only guided for the benefit of himself, and he who is strayed, he only strays against himself.''

In other word; whatever of good or bad you do, you do it to yourself. So, the basis of ethics is the reflection of deeds and the reaction of all actions, that turn back to the doer.

This verse in another way condemns the doctrine of vicarious atonement:ِ

This is to say; a wicked cannot be bought, to escape his punishment at the price of punishing an innocent. It is indeed far from justice for a man to bear the sinful load of another man.

The verse (NO.15) ends in that; God never punishes anyone unless due warning is some how conveyed to him, because punishment without explanation is out of justice.

Not knowing a law perfectly, differs with, knowing and rejecting it. Similarly, negligence due to ignorance is different from disobedience.

Of course we ought to know that; in the universal plan of creation there is a natural reaction for every action. This universal law is prevalent, and is every where and every time effective.

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وَإِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَنْ نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُوا فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيراً(( 16 ))

16- AND WHEN WE INTENDED TO PERISH A TOWN, WE (FIRST OF ALL) WARNED THOSE REVELERS IN IT; BUT THEY DEBAUCHED THERE IN (REJECTED THE NOTICE), AND DESERVED THE WORD (OF PUNISHMENT), THEN WE DESTROYED IT UTTERLY.

وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِنْ بَعْدِ نُوح وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيراً بَصِيراً(( 17 ))

17- AND HOW MANY OF GENERATIONS WE DESTROYED AFTER NOAH. AND ENOUGH IS YOUR LORD FOR BEING AWARE OF, AND SEEING THE SINS OF HIS SERVANTS.