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

The Four Stages of God's Puunishment (verse No. 16 - 17)

In the previous verse (NO.15) it was said that, God is not to punish His servants, unless he conveys some sort of warning or notice, through His Messengers, to the sinners and rebels. This is because through His Infinite Mercy, the compassionate Lord, gives every chance to the wicked to cease and return, but whenever evil overcomes all good, and the punishment is rendered inevitable, even then, Allah shows no haste! He will warn and give notice to the leaders of sin, and wealthy and powerful revellers of the town, who are plunged into merry making, and pleasure seeking, through their rank and wealth.

They are first warned and given notice, so as to forge excuses of

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ignorance and unawareness. Then God's wrath seizes them out of a sudden, and they will find no way to escape it.

If we study the above verse (NO.16) carefully; we find four sequential stages for God's punishment to afflict a people:ِ

1ِ Warning and notice.

2ِ Disobedience and debauchery.

3ِ Deserving punishment.

4ِ Punishing and perishing.

The high up revellers of the town, are warned and given notice before the punishment, because they are usually the main pivots of the society and population. Almost all the wealthy people are the sources of corruption in all the communities, for being plunged in sin, passions, and disobedience.

In the next verse the Flood of Noah has been marked as an epoch of punishing disbelievers. Then the ending of the verse (NO.17) teaches that the wicked should not think that, his wickedness is left unnoticed and he can escape the penalty. God is aware and sees whatever his servants do, and He is enough to witness that, and no other evidence is needed to prove the matter:ِ

``.... And enough is your Lord for being aware of, and seeing the sins of his servants.''

مَّنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَاءُ لِمَنْ نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلاَهَا مَذْمُوماً مَّدْحُوراً(( 18 ))

18- HE WHO WANTS THIS HASTY (WORLD), WE HASTEN FOR HIM THEREIN; GIVING WHAT WE WILL TO WHOM WE INTEND. THEN WE PREPARE THE HELL FOR HIM TO JOIN IT, REPROACHED AND REJECTED.

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وَمَنْ أَرَادَ الاْخِرَةَ وَسَعَى لَهَا سَعْيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُوْلَئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُمْ مَّشْكُوراً(( 19 ))

19- AND HE WHO INTENDS THE NEXT WORLD, AND STROVE HIS STRIFE FOR IT, BEING A BELIEVER, THEN THEY ARE THOSE WHOSE STRIFE SHALL BE THANKED.

كُلّاً نُّمِدُّ هَؤُلاَء وَهَؤُلاَءِ مِنْ عَطَاءِ رَبِّكَ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَاءُ رَبِّكَ مَحْظُوراً(( 20 ))

20- WE HELP ALL THESE AND ALL THOSE BY THE GIFT OF YOUR LORD. AND THE GIFT OF YOUR LORD HAS NOT BEEN PROHIBITED (FROM ANY ONE).

انظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْض وَلَلاَْخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَات وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلا (( 21 ))

21- SEE HOW HAVE WE MADE SOME OF THEM TO EXCEL SOME OTHER, AND FOR THE NEXT WORLD, GRADES ARE GREATER, AND SO ARE (THE DIVERSITY) OF ITS RANKS.

THE COMMENTARY

THE WAY OF THOSE WHO SEEK HERE AND HEREAFTER (VERSE NO. 18 - 21)

The first verse refers to those who are only after the enjoyments of this fast-moving mortal life, ignoring the life to come. They prefer the transient and temporary things here, over the permanent and everlasting thing in the Hereafter. God has infinite Mercy and Grace, and will not prevent them their wishes, as far as it is allowed by His universal plan.

In the whole existence, TIME is a relative matter, and eternity and infinite duration prevails. Therefore, transitory things of this life down here, in which we live on a probation, are of little worth and value. And worst of that; is, to abtain the fleeting enjoyments, and momentary [ 543 ]

pleasures, at the price of an eternal misery, and deprivation of God's Grace.

Besides the Hell, which is the abode of those who do their best to obtain the advantages of this quick-passing life; They shall also be reproached by their own conscience, and by all.

Contrary to the above verse (NO.18), is the next one which refers to those whose eyes are fixed upon the next world which is everlasting and of infinite duration:ِ

``And he who intends the life to come, and strives doing his best for it, being a believer, they are of those whose strife shall be thanked.''

They too shall have their share of God's Bounty in this life, and yet their endeavours which are aimed at the life to come, are all accepted by Allah.

They try hard, because they know that mere wish and sheer desire, is not enough to obtain salvation. They have to back up their intention with labour and strife.

It is worthy of note, that, the endeavour of the first secular group is said to lead them to Hell, while that of the second group will be thanked by God. In other word, our Merciful Lord will be thankful for the righteous deeds of the believers!

Of course, this world and its transitory things have not been reproached or undervalued by the Glorious Qura"n.

In the sight of Islam, this material world is as important as the physical and spiritual life to come; supposing that we use this world as a means and not as a goal. This world is a good instrument by which we may obtain the prosperity of the life to come. This world is a farm land for sowing seeds, and to harvest it in the next world. So those who choose the transient enjoyments of here, as their aims and not as a means; their loss shall be immense, because the temporary life here is not comparable with the everlasting life after death.

The verses also imply that Man's endeavours play a vital role in his life, both here and in hereafter. We all ought to know that, life gives nothing to mortals except through labour and strife. Labour is said to have a bitter root, but a sweet fruit, and work and endeavour is the mother of pleasure.

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The next verse (NO.20) implies that God's Grace and Favour is like the rain or such as the sunshine that showers down upon all His creatures:ِ

``We help all these and all those by the gift of your Lord, and the gift of your Lord has not been prevented from anyone.''

Those who deserve it, and those who deserve it not; will have their share of God's bounty, but the shares are not the same and equal in measure. There are so many grades here as well as in the Hereafter. But the grades are far greater in the world to come, and so are the diversity of the ranks there!

لاَ تَجْعَلْ مَعَ اللهِ إِلَهاً آخَرَ فَتَقْعُدَ مَذْمُوماً مَّخْذُولا(( 22 ))

22- DO NOT ASSOCIATE WITH ALLAH OTHER GOD, TO SIT DOWN REPROACHED, (AND) ABANDONED.

وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُوا إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَاناً إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلاَهُمَا فَلاَ تَقُلْ لَّهُمَا أُفّ وَلاَ تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَّهُمَا قَوْلا كَرِيماً(( 23 ))

23- AND YOUR LORD HAS DECREED, THAT, YOU WORSHIP NO ONE EXCEPT HIM; AND TO DO GOOD TO PARENTS. IF ONE OF THEM OR BOTH ATTAIN OLD AGE WITH YOU, DO NOT SAY TO THEM; ``FIE'' (i.e. EXPRESS NOT DISGUST), AND DO NOT SHOUT AT THEM, AND SAY TO THEM HONORABLE WORD.

وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنْ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُلْ رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيراً(( 24 ))

24- AND LOWER TO THEM WING OF HUMILITY OUT OF MERCY, AND SAY; ``MY LORD! HAVE MERCY ON THEM AS THEY NURTURED ME WHEN I WAS SMALL.''

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رَّبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِي نُفُوسِكُمْ إِنْ تَكُونُوا صَالِحِينَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ لِلْأَوَّابِينَ غَفُوراً(( 25 ))

25- YOUR LORD KNOWS BEST WHAT IS IN YOUR MINDS. IF YOU BECOME RIGHTEOUS THEN HE IS FORGIVING TO THOSE WHO TURN TO HIM. (IN REPENTANCE)

THE COMMENTARY

A SERIES OF ISLAMIC COMMANDMENTS

MONOTHEISM AND RESPECT OF PARENTS

VERSE NO. 22 - 25

The above verses are a prelude to a series of important Islamic Commandments. It begins with the MONOTHEISM, which is the main source of energy for all sorts of good actions and righteous deeds. It begins thus:ِ

``Do not associate with Allah other GOD, and sit down reproached and helpless.''

The verse implies that associating partners to God, will cause weakness and disgrace. It renders the polytheist blameworthy, and finally the true Lord God will leave his affairs to be disposed by his false gods; and will help him not, in his bad conditions and emergency cases.

No one is ever worthy of being worshipped except Allah, Who has created the whole universe without any partners. He is the Lord and Cherisher of all the creatures, Who maintains and sustains them all. If we foolishly turn to false objects of worship, we not only will be reproached by our conscience and innerself, but we shall have no support to answer our call in our emergency cases.

It is the heart and the secrets of our innerself, and our motives by which God will judge us; and not by the words that we have then on the tip of our tongue.

Then in the second verse (NO.23) we have a very important [ 546 ]

commandment in which Allah strictly enjoins us to respect our parents, and be kind to them always.

This is particularly when they attain old age with us. We must be careful not to shout at them. Not even utter a word of disgust such as, ``FIE''. We are enjoined to be humble to them, and pray to God to have His Mercy on them:ِ

``And lower the wing of humility out of Mercy and say; My Lord! Have Mercy on them, as they nurtured me when I was small.''

Father and mother deserve our humble respect and kindness, because they cherished us in childhood, and always loved us tenderly. It is therefore a must, to love them in response.

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WORSHIP GOD ALONE, AND RESPECT YOUR PARENT

(The two commandments that are issued in the above verses (22ِ23), are found among the ten commandments for which our Lord made a convenant at the Mount Sinai, with all the children of Israel:ِ

1- I am YAHOVAH the Lord your God. Worship no god but Me.

5- Respect your Father and Mother.

It is also written in O.T.DEUTERONOMY 27:16;

``God's curse on anyone who dishonours his mother or his father.''

And in the O.T.EXODUS 21:15 we read;

``Whoever hits his mother or his father is to be put to death.''

It is also written in the N.T.COLOSSIANS 3:20ِ21;

``O, children! It is your Christian duty to obey and respect your parent always, for that is what pleases God.''

So also in N.T.EPHESIANS 6:1ِ4, it is cited;

``O, children! It is your duty to obey your parent, for this is the right thing to do. (Respect your father and mother) is the first commandment which has a promise added to it; (so that all may go well with you and you may live long in the land)''

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE)

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وَآتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهُ وَالْمِسْكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَلاَ تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيراً(( 26 ))

26- AND GIVE TO THE NEAR KIN HIS DUE, AND ALSO TO THE NEEDY, AND WAYFARER, AND SQUANDER NOT LAVISHLY.

إِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوا إِخْوَانَ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُوراً(( 27 ))

27- VERILY THE SQUANDERERS WERE THE BROTHERS OF SATAN AND SATAN WAS UNGRATEFUL TO HIS LORD.

وَإِمَّا تُعْرِضَنَّ عَنْهُمُ ابْتِغَاءَ رَحْمَة مِنْ رَّبِّكَ تَرْجُوهَا فَقُلْ لَّهُمْ قَوْلا مَّيْسُوراً(( 28 ))

28- AND EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO TURN AWAY FROM THEM FOR SEEKING A MERCY FROM YOUR LORD WHICH YOU EXPECT IT; (i.e. AT THE MOMENT, YOU HAVE NOTHING HANDY TO PAY IN CHARITY, BUT YOU EXPECT TO RECEIVE SOON) THEN SPEAK TO THEM KINDLY.

وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ وَلاَ تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُوماً مَّحْسُوراً(( 29 ))

29- AND DO NOT MAKE YOUR HAND CHAINED TO YOUR NECK, NOR STRETCH IT IN FULL; (i.e BE NEITHER MISERLY NOR PRODIGAL) SO AS TO BE BLAMEWORTHY AND DESTITUTE.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرا بَصِيراً(( 30 ))

30- VERILY YOUR LORD EXPANDS THE SUSTENANCE FOR WHOM HE WILL, AND RESTRICTS IT, (FOR WHOM HE WILL) THAT HE IS AWARE OF HIS SERVANTS, SEEING THEM.

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THE COMMENTARY

OBSERVE MODERATION (VERSE NO. 26 - 30)

The above verses denote that our near kins, the poor and needy, and the wayfarer, all have a right to our help, when we can afford. So we must pay them their due.

The Arabic, ``TABZIR'' translated to ``squandering'' means to spend lavishly or wastefully. HAZRAT IMAM SADIQ (AS) has said:ِ

``He who spends anything out of the realm of God's obedience, is a squanderer.''

In the next verse (NO.27) the squanderers have been qualified as the, ``BROTHERS OF SATAN'' who was ingrateful to his Lord!

The assertion is indeed true; at least, in our own case. The extravagant expenses at wedding, funerals, feasts, and banquets, which are merely for ideal show has turned to a misfortune of our day. These are done in emulation and vying with one another, while we read in our holy book that in the sight of our Lord the squanderers are the brothers of Devil. God gave Satan extraordinary wisdom, faculties, and power, but he misused all that, and thus became thankless to his Lord.

Satan may have innumerable brothers among Man and Jinn; who follow him, and in their manner and deeds they are incarnation of devil. Each man may have a mate of devil when he forgets Allah.

The next verse (NO.28) points to some natural obstructions that may hinder man to pay his due alms and charitable gifts:ِ

``And even if you have to turn away from them....''

You may sometimes have to turn away from the poor and needy for not being able to pay them their rights. Your possibilities are not enough at the moment, but you expect to receive the wherewithal in near future. In such a case, you should at least speak kindly and hopefully to them giving good-news of near future:ِ

``When you have nothing handy to pay in charity, but you do expect to receive the wherewithal, then speak to them kindly.''

And finally there comes the injunction of being moderate in [ 549 ]

expenditure and generosity (V.NO.29):ِ

``And do not make your hand chained to your neck, nor stretch it in fool.... be neither miserly nor prodigal.''

In other word we should not be so lavish to spend all that we have in our purse to make ourself destitute and impoverished, nor to withhold our gracious hand from the just needs of those who have a right to our help. We should neither live miserly, nor be given to extravagant and reckless spending.

وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلاَدَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلاَق نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ إِنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْئاً كَبِيراً(( 31 ))

31- AND DO NOT KILL YOUR CHILDREN FOR FEAR OF POVERTY; WE SUSTAIN THEM AND YOURSELVES. VERILY KILLING THEM WAS A GREAT SIN.

وَلاَ تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَى إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلا(( 32 ))

32- AND DO NOT APPROACH FORNICATION, THAT IT IS INDECENCY AND SO BAD A WAY.

وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَمَنْ قُتِلَ مَظْلُوماً فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِ سُلْطَاناً فَلاَ يُسْرِفْ فِّي الْقَتْلِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مَنصُوراً(( 33 ))

33- AND DO NOT TAKE ANY LIFE THAT ALLAH HAS FORBIDDEN, EXCEPT FOR A RIGHT CAUSE. AND HE WHO IS KILLED UNJUSTLY, WE HAVE GIVEN HIS HEIR THE AUTHORITY (FOR RETALIATION); BUT HE SHOULD NOT EXCEED (THE LIMITS) IN KILLING, THAT HE WAS SUPPORTED.

وَلاَ تَقْرَبُوا مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلاَّ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَأَوْفُوا بِالْعَهْدِ إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْئُولا(( 34 ))

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34- AND DO NOT APPROACH THE PROPERTY OF THE ORPHAN, EXCEPT IN A MANNER WHICH IS THE BEST (FOR HIM) UNTIL HE OR SHE IS MATURED. AND BE FAITHFUL TO (YOUR) PROMISE, THAT PROMISE WILL BE QUESTIONED.

وَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ إِذَا كِلْتُمْ وَزِنُوا بِالْقِسْطَاسِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلا(( 35 ))

35- AND GIVE FULL MEASURE WHEN MEASURING; AND WEIGH WITH A STRAIGHT (CORRECT) BALANCE. THIS IS BETTER, AND THE BEST AT THE END.

THE COMMENTARY

SIX MORE COMMANDMENTS (VERSE NO. 31 - 35)

Here, by the above five verses, six more commandments have been issued, which are explained in an agreeable and beautiful language. These are as follows:ِ

1- A dreadful crime which is among the most heinous sins, was being committed by the Arabs of Pagan Era. They committed the extremely offensive crime of female infanticide before the advent of our prophet. In sight of the Pagan Arabs, son was a source of power and honour, but daughter was a source of shame and disgrace, particularly in the warfare. (PLEASE READ COMMENTS ON S16:56ِ60 ABOUT FEMALE INFANTICIDE)

Mohammad (AS) declared child infanticide strictly unlawful, and a cruel unjust act, and a great sin; and since then no report have we received of such criminals.

Among the Pagan Arabs were also some poor and ignorant people who slayed their children for fear of poverty. In the above verse, (NO.31) Allah has forbidden child infanticide in general, and particularly for economical reasons:ِ

``And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We sustain them and yourselves. Indeed killing your children is a great sin.''

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2- The second major sin that has been seriously forbidden by Islam; is fornication in general, and adultery in particular:ِ

``And do not approach fornication, that, it is indecency and so bad a way.''

The verse says; do not approach it, instead of saying do not do it. This is because gloating in the lust, nudeness, sexual pictures, and shows, are all means of pulling Man and Woman to fornication, and then to adultery. Adultery may open many new roads of evil to Man. It will spoil Man's self-respect, or his respect for others. It will shake and sometimes destruct, the bases and pillars of the family life; and if it become prevalent and common in a community, no father will feel any responsibility for any child, because he cannot make sure that he is the real father of the child!

Experiences have proved that fornication is the easiest way of transferring dangerous sexual diseases, such as; GONORRHOEA, SYPHLIS, and AIDS.

3- The third commandment is to respect the blood of Man, and to avoid taking the life of others without a rightful and just cause. In the verse S5:35 after narrating the story of Cane who killed his brother Abel; Allah has decreed:ِ

``.... On that account; We ordained for the children of Israel that; if anyone slew a person, unless it be for murder, or spreading corruption in the land; it would be as if he slew the whole population (all people). And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he has saved the life of the whole people.''

As a matter of fact, killing a person merely for keeping an idea, is to kill all the people who uphold that belief. Then there comes the matter of retaliation, the authority for which is in the hand of the deceased's heir. But he should not go to excess and extremes:ِ

``And he who is killed unjustly, we have given his heir the authority for retaliation, but he should not exceed.''

The heir is given the right to demand the life of his murdered, through the law of retaliation, and why should he exceed and go out of bound, when he is supported by the law!?

4- The next verse (NO.34) applies to the importance of protecting the properties of the orphans:ِ

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``And do not approach the properties of the orphans unless....''

Eating the orphan's property is to eat fire, and is spiritually very dangerous. If it should be approached at all, it should make it the best, or the better. Hard precautionary measures must be taken until the orphan is matured, and attains the full age of understanding.

5- The next commandment is to observe promises, which is no less important than the other commandments:ِ

``And be faithful to your promises, because the promises will be questioned.''

Most of the social, economical, and political affairs of Man turn about the pivot of promises and pledges. A promise is a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made a right, to expect, and claim the performance of the promised act. In other word, as the Qura"n has said; ``The promises will be questioned.''

Many a time the promise might be supported by oath, or affirmed by its form of expression. In any way, the promise is Man's word of faith. Nice a verse has William Shakespeare in this respect:ِ

``I will take thy word for faith, not ask thine oath;

Who shuns not to break one, will sure crack boath.''

6- And the last and sixth of these commandments, is to observe measure, and to use scale and balance justly. Giving right and correct measure, and observing justice in the weight will ultimately give the best of spiritual and material advantages to the person who gives it. For example; when the customers see that a shopkeeper is righteous in giving the rights of people, when he weigh or measures something, it serves to increase the trust of the customers, and will make up the seller's good salesmanship.

Qura"n has frequently attacked the use of short weight and dealing with fraud, or giving too little and taking too much. In S 83:1ِ4 we read:ِ

``Woe unto the stinter who deals in fraud! When they measure something to take it from people, they take full measure; but when they have to give by measure or scale to men, they give less than due! Do they not think that they will be called to account, on a day in which Man has to stand before the Lord of the worlds.''

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وَلاَ تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولا(( 36 ))

36- AND DO NOT FOLLOW THAT, OF WHICH YOU HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE. VERILY THE EAR, THE EYE, AND THE HEART, WILL ALL BE QUESTIONED OF IT.

وَلاَ تَمْشِ فِي الاَْرْضِ مَرَحاً إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَخْرِقَ الاَْرْضَ وَلَنْ تَبْلُغَ الْجِبَالَ طُولا(( 37 ))

37- AND DO NOT WALK ON THE EARTH PROUDLY, THAT, YOU WILL VEVER CLEAVE THE EARTH; NOR REACH THE MOUNTAINS IN HEIGHT.

كُلُّ ذَلِكَ كَانَ سَيِّئُهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ مَكْرُوهاً(( 38 ))

38- THE SIN OF ALL THOSE ARE HATEFUL IN THE SIGHT OF YOUR LORD.

ذَلِكَ مِمَّا أَوْحَى إِلَيْكَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ الْحِكْمَةِ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ مَعَ اللهِ إِلَهاً آخَرَ فَتُلْقَى فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَلُوماً مَّدْحُوراً(( 39 ))

39- THOSE (INJUNCTIONS) ARE A PART OF THE WISDOM THAT YOUR LORD HAS INSPIRED TO YOU. AND DO NOT ASSOCIATE WITH ALLAH OTHER GOD, LEST YOU SHOULD BE CAST INTO THE HELL, BLAMEWORTHY AND REJECTED.

أَفَأَصْفَاكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ بِالْبَنِينَ وَاتَّخَذَ مِنْ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ إِنَاثاً إِنَّكُمْ لَتَقُولُونَ قَوْلا عَظِيماً(( 40 ))

40- HAS YOUR LORD PREFERED FOR YOU SONS, AND TAKEN FROM AMONG THE ANGELS FEMALES (FOR HIMSELF AS DAUGHTERS)? INDEED YOU ARE SAYING A (SINFULLY) GREAT WORD!

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THE COMMENTARY

FOLLOW WITH KNOWLEDGE (VERSE NO. 36 - 40)

The moral precepts, and acts of directing, commanding, and prohibiting, as parts of Islamic wisdom are still continued here. The first verse (NO.36) implies:ِ

``Do not follow that which you know it not.'' In other word, follow things which you well, and you are sure of your knowledge about them, because the ear, the eye, and the mind are all responsible, and have to answer for what they do.

The prohibition of doing things without knowledge, has a vast meaning, and many fields of applications; such as in personal and social affairs, judgement, testification without enough knowledge of matter, and etc. Knowledge and enough information is the best means of taking the right and correct decision in any matter. What can we reason but from what we know? In the sight our prophet, a man without knowledge is comparable to the one that is dead. Knowledge is power and as Rumi has composed in a famous verse:

`` O, Brother! You are only what you know;

And for the rest, you are but bone and flesh.''

AN IMPORTANT LESSON FOR ESTABLISHING SOCIAL ORDER

The above instruction (V.NO.36) is so important that ignoring it, will result in social chaos and anarchy! If it observed well; so many difficulties which may arise out of gossips, and from much ado about nothing, hasty and early judgements, and baseless suppositions and suspicions, will all vanish from Man's life. Being without the necessary information, and following conjectures which is not based upon firm knowledge, will avail nothing of truth. Man is not allowed to utter all that comes to the tip of his tongue with lack of knowledge, that may [ 555 ]

even ruin the reputation of other people. Acting without enough knowledge, will slay the spirit of research and investigation in Man. It is in fact a source of pessimism, the effect of which may depress every one involved.

To make it short, we may end our discussion of knowledge by a beautiful Persian proverb, which is very meaningful too:ِ

He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, he is a fool, let him live in his double ignorance.

He who knows, and knows not that he knows, he is asleepِwake him up.

He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, deserves beatingِbeat him.

But he who knows, and knows that he knows, he is a wise manِget to know him.

DON'T BE PROUD

The next verse, (NO.37) is a fine touch to those who are arrogantly puffed up with pride:ِ

``Walk not in the earth with pride, that you won't cleave the earth, or reach the mountain in height.''

Pride is something rejected and blamed in the sight of all nations. It dines on vanity and sups on contempt, and as William Wordsworth has composed:ِ

Pride goes before destruction,

And an haughty spirit before a fall.

The verse has not directly pointed to pride and vanity, which is

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among the most evil characteristics of the unbelievers. It rather implies that the effects of pride will appear in the actions and behaviours of the proud and arrogant. It can be seen even in their manner and style of walking. Qura"n forbids Man to walk with pride, and wants him to be humble in all his physical and spiritual movements. When our prophet himself was riding a mount, he would never permit anyone of his disciples to walk besides him. He always sent them before, and then he rode after them. Hazrat Imam Ali (AS) too, swept the room himself, and carried water to his house!

The last verse objects the superstitious motives of the polytheists, who believed that the angels were the daughters of Allah, and this was when in their population daughters were considered as some sort of a disgrace, and even their lives were strictly under question!

وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِي هَذَا الْقُرْآنِ لِيَذَّكَّرُوا وَمَا يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلاَّ نُفُوراً(( 41 ))

41- WE HAVE USED VARIOUS WAYS (IN EXPLAINING MATTERS) IN THIS QURA"N, THAT THEY MAY TAKE ADMONITION; AND IT INCREASES THEM NOT, EXCEPT AVERSION!

قُلْ لَّوْ كَانَ مَعَهُ آلِهَةٌ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ إِذاً لاَبْتَغَوْا إِلَى ذِي الْعَرْشِ سَبِيلا(( 42 ))

42- SAY; ``IF THERE HAD BEEN (OTHER) GODS WITH HIM, AS THEY SAY; IN THAT CASE THEY WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE SOUGHT OUT A WAY TO THE LORD OF THE THRONE.

سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً(( 43 ))

43- GLORY BE TO HIM. HE IS HIGH ABOVE ALL THAT THEY SAY; GREAT A HEIGHT.

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تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالاَْرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَإِنْ مِّنْ شَيْء إِلاَّ يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلَكِنْ لاَّ تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيماً غَفُوراً(( 44 ))

44- GLORIFY HIM THE SEVEN HEAVENS AND THE EARTH, AND WHOEVER IS IN THEM. AND THERE IS NOT A THING THAT DOES NOT CELEBRATE HIS PRAISE, BUT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THEIR CELEBRATION. VERILY HE IS FORBEARING, MOST FORGIVING.