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

How Is Resurrection Possible (verse No. 98 - 100)

Disbelievers look at the incident of the Resurrection Day as something incredible, and impossible to happen; while Qura"n gives clear proofs, and perspicuous answer, saying; he who can create something for the first time, will have no difficulty to create the same thing for a second or third time. But usually the unbelievers are obstinate enough to insist upon their assertion of denial, so as to follow their own evil way, and do what their vain desires and caprices bid them. They don't want to admit that, the end of persisting in evil is nothing except evil. So they blasphemed, and rejected the true information that the prophet gave them about their life here, and their life to come. They disbelieve God's power of creation and recreation, inspite of seeing millions of creatures of various kinds that He has created throughout the universe:ِ

``DO they not think that, Allah Who created the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them; is able to create the like of them in another spring of creation; or revive them with memories of their past life by with-holding their souls?''

The next verse (NO.100) attacks the niggardly who lives miserably to increase his hoard. Such people wish to have an exclusive control of [ 606 ]

God's universal Message, by making use of race, or false claim of being the elect of God:ِ ``Say:ِ Even if you owned the infinite treasures of God's Mercy, in that case too, you would with hold charitable spending for the fear of being poor!''

God's Message like His Mercy is a universal one, and a certain race like the Jews, or any other kind and culture cannot claim to be the only custodians of God's Message. Some people are so covetous and grasping, that, they even want to monopolize the custody and conveyance of what they call it the true religion, and God's Message, for themselves and for their heirs, after them. They pretend to have special permission for that which has reached them through successive channel of their forefathers! In their proper channel, the son will succeed the religious position of his father!!

The above verses clearly prove that in the sight of Islam, the Resurrection of Man is corporeal, and not spiritual alone, as some have claimed. In the above verses and many others, stress is put on the revival of the bones and other materials of the body that have turned to scattered dusts.

The verse (NO.99) implies that God Who has created the heavens and earth and whatever is in them, is able to create them, or the like of them once again. That the Resurrection Day to be sooner or later, depends on God's universal law that has a timing or term for everything. Existence has proved to be stage by stage, and every stage of the existence has a certain term which is fixed.

Here, the principle reason against the disbelievers is God's Power and Knowledge, which is infinite. We do not say that God has power, or God has knowledge, so as to differentiate between Him and His power, or between His power and His knowledge. We rather say that our Lord is All-mighty, All-knowing, and there is no limit in the prefix, ``ALL'' in God's Attributes.

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وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى تِسْعَ آيَات بَيِّنَات فَسْئَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ فِرْعَوْنُ إِنِّي لاََظُنُّكَ يَا مُوسَى مَسْحُوراً(( 101 ))

101- AND TO MOSES WE GAVE NINE CLEAR SIGNS. SO ASK THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WHEN (THE SAID SIGNS) CAME TO THEM. THEN PHARAOH SAID TO HIM; ``O, MOSES I THINK OF YOU TO HAVE BEEN FASCINATED.''

قَالَ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا أَنزَلَ هَؤُلاَء إِلاَّ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضِ بَصَائِرَ وَإِنِّي لاََظُنُّكَ يَا فِرْعَوْنُ مَثْبُوراً(( 102 ))

102- HE SAID:ِ``VERILY YOU HAVE KNOWN THAT, NO ONE HAS SENT DOWN THESE (NINE MIRACLES), EXCEPT THE LORD OF THE HEAVENS AND EARTH; AS EVIDENCES AND I THINK YOU, O, PHARAOH, TO BE PERISHING.''

فَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَسْتَفِزَّهُمْ مِّنَ الاَْرْضِ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُ وَمَنْ مَّعَهُ جَمِيعاً(( 103 ))

103- THEN HE DECIDED TO UPROOT THEM FROM THE LAND, SO WE DROWNED HIM AND THOSE (WHO WERE) WITH HIM ALL TOGETHER.

وَقُلْنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اسْكُنُوا الاَْرْضَ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الاْخِرَةِ جِئْنَا بِكُمْ لَفِيفاً(( 104 ))

104- AND AFTER HIM WE SAID TO THE ISRAELITES:ِ ``DWELL IN THE LAND. THEN WHEN THE PROMISE OF THE HEREAFTER COMES TO PASS, WE WILL BRING YOU ALL TOGETHER.'' (FOR THE FINAL JUDGEMENT)

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THE COMMENTARY

INSPITE OF ALL CLEAR SIGNS THEY BELIEVED NOT! (VERSE NO. 101 - 104)

Here the reference goes back to the past nations who did the same that was done to our prophet Mohammad (AS). As an instance Moses went to Pharaoh with nine clear signs, but eventually Pharaoh said to Moses:ِ

``O, Moses! I think of you to have been fascinated!''

Pharaoh and his chief accused Moses to have been well versed in sorcery and magic. They also called him to be mad! But Moses tried to convince them that he was brought up in Pharaoh's court in all the learning of the Egyptians. How then could he be mad, and when did he learn Egyptian magic inspite of being under the strict observance of Pharaoh's courtiers. On the other hand, what he showed as his nine miracles was far beyond the realm of magic and magician. What has magic to do with divine miracles!?

He therefore warned Pharaoh not to resist faith in God, or he would be doomed to perdition.

WHAT WERE THE 9 MIRACLES OF MOSES?

The said nine miracles that Moses showed to Pharaoh and his people were as follows, according to QURA"N and the BIBLE:ِ

1ِ THE SNAKE

It is written in the QURA"NِS 20:10ِ21, that when Moses went towards the sacred flame in the bush, he heard the word of God. Allah said to him:ِ

``What is that in your right hand, O, Moses!?'' ``It is my stick'' answered Moses. ``On it I lean, with it I beat down fodder for my flocks, and in it I find other uses.''

Allah said to Moses:ِ ``Cast it down'', and when he cast it down; LO! It became a huge snake, active and in motion! Allah said:, ``Seize it and fear not, for We shall return it to its former condition.''

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So do we read in the BIBLE, in EXODUSِ3ِ4:ِ

``The Lord said to Moses:ِ ``What are you holding in your hand?''

``This is my stick my Lord.'' answered Moses. The Lord said:ِ ``Throw it on the ground.'' When Moses threw the stick on the ground, it turned into a snake, and Moses ran away from it! Then the Lord said:ِ ``Don't be afraid. Bend down and pick it up from the tail.'' So did Moses; and the snake became a stick again!

2ِ THE WHITE SHINING HAND

The second of the greater miracles shown to Moses was the WHITE SHINING HAND, which in the QURA"N S 20:22 is:ِ

``The Lord said to Moses, ``Now put your hand in your arm-pit. It shall come out shining and white without any harm or disease!''

So do we read in the BIBLEِEXODUS 3ِ4

``Once again YAHOVAH spoke to Moses and said; put your hand inside your robe. Moses did so, and when he took his hand out, it was covered with white spots like snow!

3ِ7

In Qura"n S 7:13 five of the miracles are pointed to as follows:ِ

``And we sent against them, typhoon, locusts, lice, frogs and blood: Signs of self-explanatory, but they reacted proudly, and were a people given up to sin.''

The storm calamity brought on them wholesale death and destruction. Innumerable locusts attacked their farms and crops. Lice in the form of fatal epidemic disease and destructive insects spoiled their product. Frogs raised out of the Nile and increased so wonderfully that endangered their life! And the Water in Nile turned to something blood-like, which could neither be used for drink, nor irrigation!

The detail of the above miracles can be found in various passages of the Holy Qura"n, and also in the BIBLE.

The following is some quotation from the Bible, that may explain in a good detail, the incidents or miracles mentioned above:ِ

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EXODUSِ 8: 17 = GNATS

Moses struck the ground with his stick, and all the dust in Egypt was turned into gnats, which covered the people and their animals. There were gnats everywhere and the magicians told the king that God has done this. But the king was stubborn, and again did not listen to Moses!

EXODUS ِ 8 : 6= THE FROG

God ordered Moses and he held his stick over the river, and FROGS came out in millions, and covered the land of Egypt!

The king called Moses and said:ِ ``Pray to the Lord of Israel to take away these frogs, and I will let your people go with you.'' Then Moses prayed to the Lord to take away the frog, and the frogs died away! But again the king became stubborn and did not listen to Moses.

EXODUS ِ 7: 20= THE BLOOD

....In the presence of the king Moses raised his stick and struck the surface of the river, and all the water in it was turned into BLOOD, and the fish in the river died. And the water smelt so bad that Egyptian could not drink; but still the king refused to listen to Moses and Aaron!

8ِ THE PASSِOVER

The incident of the pass over in the QURA"NِS 2:50 has been written thus:ِ

``And when We parted the sea for you, and saved you, and drowned pharaoh's folk, while you were watching.''

The incident of PASS-OVER and RESCUE has been mentioned through many verses in different chapters of Qura"n such as S 7:136ِS 8:103ِS 42:55ِand S 44:17

We can also read the PASS-OVER in the BIBLE as follows:ِ

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EXODUSِ12:37 THE PASSOVER

....The Israelites set out on foot from RAMSES for SUKKOTH. They were about six hundred thousands of Man, not counting the women and children. The Israelites had lived in Egypt for 430 years.

When Pharaoh, the king of Egypt was told that the Israelites had all gone and we have lost them as our slaves, he and his officials changed their minds, and then the king got his war chariots and armed forces to pursue and arrest the Israelites who were now leaving truimphantly, and under the protection of their Lord. When the Israelites saw the king and his forces in pursuit, they were terrified and cried out to God for help. Moses said to them:ِ

``Don't be afraid! The Lord is with us, stand your ground and you will see what our Lord will do to save you to-day.'' Then Moses held out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind. The sea path was turned to a dry land and the water was divided in two parts. The Israelites passed the sea with walls of water on both sides.

When the king and his army pursued them, the Lord said to Moses hold out your hand over the sea. Moses did so and the water returned to its normal levels. All the Egyptions in pursuit were drowned, not one of them left alive!

9ِ MANNA & QUAIL

The nineth miracle of Moses might have been the Manna and Quails, that was sent to the Israelites for food. About these two kind of food we read in QURA"NِS 2:57:ِ

``And We the cloud to overshadow you, and sent down to you Manna and Quails, and said; eat of the good things that We have provided for you....''

Some commentators understand MANNA to be some sort of a natural honey that the Israelites could find in bulk in that extensive desert. This idea is in agreement with what some expounders of the Scripture have written. (please refer to V.1ِ P:82 of this book)

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As to the Quail it is said to have been a small kind of BIRD like pigeon that were found in abundance in that desert. What the BIBLE says about Manna and Quail is as follows:ِ

EXODUSِ16:1ِ20 MANNA AND QUAIL

The Lord then said to Moses: I have heard the complaint of the Israelites. Tell them that at twilight they will have meat to eat, and in the morning they will have all the bread they want.

Moses said to the Israelites:ِ ``In this evening a large flock of Quails flew in; enough to cover the camp, and in the morning there was dew all round the camp, then when the dew evaportated, there remaind something thin and flaky on the surface of the desert.'' It was as delicate as frost. They did not know what it was. Moses said:ِ ``This is the food that Lord has given you to eat.'' The people of Israelites called the food Manna. It was like small white seed, and tasted like biscuits made with honey.

وَبِالْحَقِّ أَنزَلْنَاهُ وَبِالْحَقِّ نَزَلَ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلاَّ مُبَشِّراً وَنَذِيراً(( 105 ))

105- WITH THE TRUTH WE HAVE SENT IT DOWN, AND WITH TRUTH HAS IT COME DOWN. AND WE HAVE NOT SENT YOU, EXCEPT AS A BEARER OF GLAD-TIDING AND WARNER.

وَقُرْآناً فَرَقْنَاهُ لِتَقْرَأَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ عَلَى مُكْث وَنَزَّلْنَاهُ تَنزِيلا(( 106 ))

106- AND (IT IS) A QURA"N THAT WE HAVE DIVIDED IT (INTO CHAPTERS AND SECTION) SO THAT YOU RECITE IT TO PEOPLE WITH PAUSE, AND WE SENT IT GRADUALLY.

قُلْ آمِنُوا بِهِ أَوْ لاَ تُؤْمِنُوا إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ إِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ يَخِرُّونَ لِلاَْذْقَانِ سُجَّداً(1)(( 107 ))

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107- SAY:ِ ``BELIEVE IN IT OR BELIEVE NOT; VERILY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN KNOWLEDGE BEFORE IT, WHEN IT IS RECITED TO THEM, THEY FALL DOWN ON THEIR FACES PROSTRATING.

وَيَقُولُونَ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنْ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولا(( 108 ))

108- AND THEY SAY:ِ ``GLORY BE TO OUR LORD! THAT THE PROMISE OF OUR LORD HAS ALWAYS BEEN FULFILLED.''

وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعاً(( 109 ))

109- AND THEY FALL DOWN ON THEIR FACES WEEPING; AND IT INCREASES THEM HUMILITY.

THE COMMENTARY

THE LOVERS OF TRUTH (VERSE NO. 105 - 109)

The first verse here implies that the content of Qura"n, and its essential meaning is all truth. Its object and fruit is truth too. Allah sent the truth down in truth, and the prophet conveyed the truth to Man with the highest of fidelity, so the book was truth itself, and was promulgated with truth too. In other word; it was truly sent by God, and was not forged by anyone. No corruption occured in communicating it to Mohammad, nor from Mohammad to Mankind. It is in fact a clean, clear, crystalline water of inspiration, which from the advent of Mohammad, and up to the Resurrection Day will remain clean, untouched, and not contaminated. This glorious Divine Light was sent down in a period of 23 years at different time and place and at various circumstances, but following the same aim and object.

The next verse (NO.107) states that belief or disbelief of some [ 614 ]

foolish pagans and ignorant heathens will not affect the Glory of God's light and revelation, because the learned, and men of wisdom and knowledge who can apprehend the meaning of the verses are humble and faithful to it.

Here in these verses, those who have been given knowledge before Qura"n include those who had received the form Scriptures and had kept themselves away from evil ideas. They find in Qura"n the promises of God fulfilled. The verse also implies that there is a strong relation between faith and knowledge, and these two factors of salvation are not separable from each other.

قُلْ ادْعُوا اللهَ أَوْ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمَنَِ أَيّاً مَّا تَدْعُوا فَلَهُ الاَْسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاَتِكَ وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلا(( 110 ))

110- SAY:ِ ``CALL ON ALLAH OR CALL ON THE MERCIFUL, (IT WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE) WHICHEVER YOU CALL (IS THE ONLY ONE ESSENCE) TO WHOM BELONGS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL NAMES.''

AND RECITE NOT YOUR PRAYER TOO LOUD, OR TOO LOW, AND TAKE A WAY IN BETWEEN.

وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ للهِِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَداً وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ وَلِىٌّ مِّنَ الذُّلِّ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرا(( 111 ))

111- AND SAY:ِ ``PRAISE BELONGS TO ALLAH WHO WILL NOT TAKE A CHILD, AND NO PARTNER CAN BE HIS IN THE KINGDOM; AND NO PROTECTOR WILL HE HAVE DUE TO WANT (OF POWER), AND PROCLAIM GREATLY HIS GREATNESS.

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THE COMMENTARY

THE LAST EXCUSE (VERSE NO. 110 - 111)

God; whose existence, power, knowledge and work is infinite, and who is the source of all accomplishments and bounties, and who is the principle motive and object of all movements, Has various names and Attributes, each of which points to one of His wonderful fields of action and work. No one can know the Infinite Essence of God with one or two names, when the names which we apply to Him, is as limited our knowledge.

Even our prophet who was the whole wisdom and knowledge, said in this regard, addressing Allah:ِ ``We could't know you as we should have known!''

In other word, God, is an indivisible Sacred Essence, and His great many beautiful names and Attributes are not something other than His Sacred Essence. Allah, is a name that includes all the Attributes of God. Other names of Him may imply the Attributes by which we try to explain his nature by our weak and limited knowledge. These beautiful names of God are counted to 99 by the language of Muslims. All the 99 names are the Attributes of the same Essence, and the only one reality whom we know Him to be our Lord God. If for every name there was one separate, Essence, then we would have 99 gods, and this is absurd, and non-sense.

These sacred names are found among the prayers, supplications, and hymns. Meanwhile we must clear our mind from such falsehood, that; God has taken a child, or He may have a partner, or he is dependent some how on the power of His creature. We have to realize that our Lord is the only one God, and far from any partner.

The ending of the verse (NO.110) is an instruction on account of the recital of the prayers:ِ

``.... And recite not your prayer too loud, or too low and take a way in between.''

That which is the most important in prayer is being present [ 616 ]

spiritually and physically, in front of our Lord in a humble manner. Therefore to pronounce the prayer too loud or too low may render the supplicant absent minded. Of course that part of the prayer which is called, ``AZA"N'' must be uttered in a loud voice, because the object here is to call people, near or far, to the congregational prayer.

There is an important point here to be considered that Allah has told us:ِ ``Recite not your prayer too loudly.''

The verse teaches us to perform our prayer so that the critics, and disbelievers, may have not an excuse to scoff at us, and at our religion and worship. It must be performed politely, quietly, reasonably, and not injurious to other people.

Now-a-days, in the places of worship we see sometimes that when people are having their rest and repose, the powerful loud speakers that are installed upon the high minarets of the mosque, very loudly radiate the recital of the prayer, or the speech of the preacher! Those who wish to transmit the voice of Islam, like that, with noise and uproar, and as loud as possible; should know that they are very wrong! Their kind of propaganda and preaching, will repel people from Islam, instead of attracting them. No Muslim should ever go beyond the extremes in anything; even those which seem to be good and are said to be incumbent upon him.

Another point which is worthy of more consideration here, is the slogan; ``ALLAH-AKBAR'' which means, Allah is Greater.

A Muslim said Allah-Akbar in the presence of Hazrat Imam Sadiq (AS). Hazrat Imam asked him:ِ ``Of what is Allah Greater?'' The Muslim answered:ِ``From everything!'' Hazrat Imam said to him:ِ ``If you think so you have confined Allah by comparing Him with His creatures.''

The Muslim asked:ِ ``What should I say then?'' Hazrat Imam told him:ِ ``Say:ِ Allah is Greater to be qualified (i.e Allah is INDESCRIBABLE).

THE END OF SUREH ASRA" (17)

(THE NIGHT JOURNEY)

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THE CAVE

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MERCIFUL, THE COMPASSIONATE

الْحَمْدُ للهِِ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ الْكِتَابَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ لَّهُ عِوَجَا(( 1 ))

1- PRAISE BELONGS TO ALLAH WHO SENT DOWN UPON HIS SERVANT THE BOOK, AND WILL NOT CAUSE DEVIATION IN IT.

قَيِّماً لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْساً شَدِيداً مِنْ لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْراً حَسَناً(( 2 ))

2- UNSWERVING (FROM THE TRUTH), SO AS TO WARN A SEVERE PUNISHMENT FROM HIM, AND TO GIVE GLAD-TIDINGS TO THE BELIEVERS WHO DO RIGHTEOUS DEEDS, THAT THEIRS SHALL BE A NICE REWARD.

مّاكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَداً(( 3 ))

3- WHEREIN THEY SHALL REMAIN FOR EVER

وَيُنذِرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللهُ وَلَداً(( 4 ))

4- AND TO WARN THOSE WHO SAID ALLAH HAS TAKEN A CHILD.

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مَّا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْم وَلاِبَائِهِمْ كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ إِنْ يَقُولُونَ إِلاَّ كَذِباً(( 5 ))

5- THEY HAVE NOT ANY KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING IT, NOR THEIR FATHERS HAD. GREAT IS THE WORD (OF BLASPHEMY) THAT COMES OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS. THEY SAY ONLY A LIE.

THE COMMENTARY

BEGINNING WITH ALLAH AND QURA"N (VERSE NO. 1 - 5)

Allah is praiseworthy for His Infinite Attributes of power, Mercy, and Grace; but here, the immediate connection of His Praise is with the Glorious Qura"n that He has sent it down to His Messenger in order to guide his servants.

The verses here, imply that, Qura"n is not a book of mysteries, dark points, and ambiguous expressions. It is a Book upright, with clear cut explanations, easy to be understood and unswerving from the truth. The way that Qura"n leads Man to, is a straight path and without any crookedness. It does not mystify people because God's purpose is to give a clear warning of physical and spiritual dangers through His Book and Messenger so as to lead His obedient servants to Salvation and prosperity, by a reward that is beyond the limits of time and space.

As to the Praiseworthiness of God, we should have in our minds that; God's Greatness and Glory are above anything that we may conceive. But we must glorify Him and praise His greatness, by using our highest possible spiritual idea and knowledge, realising that He is worthy of all praises

Then in the next verse (NO.3) one of the objects of the Book is said

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to have been the warning of the Christians, or those who say Allah has taken a child, be he a male like Jesus Christ, and OZAIR, or a female, as some pagan Arabs thought that the angels are the daughters of God!

Those who claim a child for God, have not the least amount of knowledge to support their idea or assertion. They indifferently utter a sinful and monestrous idea without consideing its evil effects! A word that may help to prove physical body, carnal desires, and sexual needs, for God! What a great blasphemy is it to say that God has a child; either a son or a daughter!?

Elsewhere in the Qura"n (S 19:88ِ92) we read:ِ

``They say the Merciful God Has begotten a son. Indeed you have put forth a thing shockingly wrong! The skies are likely to burst out at hearing that, and the earth would fain to split asunder, and the mountains to fall down; that, they should invoke a son for the Merciful. All those who live in the heavens and in the earth come to the Merciful as a servant.''

فَلَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ إِنْ لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفاً(( 6 ))

6- YOU MAY DESTROY YOURSELF WITH SORROWING OVER THEM, THAT, THEY BELIEVE NOT IN THIS (DIVINE) NARRATION.

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى الاَْرْضِ زِينَةً لَهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلا(( 7 ))

7- WE HAVE MADE WHATEVER IS ON THE EARTH AN EMBELLISHMENT FOR IT, (THE EARTH WAS BEAUTIFIED TO ENHANCE THE INTERESTS FANCIFULLY) IN ORDER TO TEST THEM, WHICH ONE IS BETTER IN CONDUCT.

وَإِنَّا لَجَاعِلُونَ مَا عَلَيْهَا صَعِيداً جُرُزاً(( 8 ))

8- AND WE WILL MAKE WHATEVER IS ON IT BARREN DUST.

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THE COMMENTARY

DON'T WORRY! THE WORLD IS A TESTING FIELD. (VERSE NO. 6 - 8)

``You may want to destroy yourself with sorrowing over them, that, they believe not in this Divine Narration.''(QURA"N)

The history books, and the Holy Qura"n, show that the Divine Leaders (The apostles) were all upset and sorrowful for those who were astray among their people, and felt very happy to find them faithful and with righteous deeds. They sincerely prayed to God for their guidance, and worked hardly in day and night so as to lead them to the right and direct path of truth. They preached, advised, warned, admonished, and gave glad-tidings, to their people in day and night, in public and private, asking them to repent; to return and to amend. Sometimes our prophet felt so sad his misled people, that his life was in danger of the grief.

As we all may know, our prophet in conveyance of his Message, was encountered with a great deal of oppositions. He was so very eager to lead Man to Salvation, and a permanent prosperity; but he received abuse, ill treatment, and persecution. He was doing his best to rescue his people from the idols and false gods, superstitions, and oppression; but the more he tried, the less a positive answer he received from the pagans!

Here in this verse (NO.6), Allah has consoled His Messenger and has told him not to destroy himself with grieving over the unbelievers. Enough was for him to pronounce his Message frankly, so boldly, and clearly. This is because, truth is self-explanatory and like the stream of water it will find out its way and moves on and on up to its destination. The prophet had only to sow the seed of truth, a duty which he fulfilled sincerely, and with courage. Then God made the seed [ 621 ]

to germinate and grow, although its development was invisible at the beginning.

The next verse is an illustration of this world as a field of trial:ِ

``We have made whatever is on the earth an embellishment for it, to enhance the interests fancifully, in order to test them to make known who is better in conduct.''

All that exists on the earth and serves to increase its beauty and attraction, is only a temporary show of embellishments, which sooner or later will fade away and turn into dusts and wastes.

With the wordly goods, such as strength, wealth, rank and position, we cannot show a man's real value. Man's faith and good conduct are two important standards by which his success can be judged.

The good of this world can be real good, if we use them as a means of progress, and not as our goal and object of life. Consider our present machinery that man has invented for his own welfare, and serve him; but Man himself has turned to be the slave of his machine!

أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْكَهْفِ وَالرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا مِنْ آيَاتِنَا عَجَباً(( 9 ))

9- HAVE YOU THOUGHT THAT, THE COMPANIONS OF THE CAVE (THE SEVEN SLEEPERS) AND AL-RAGHIM, WERE (SOMETHING) STRANGE AMONG OUR SIGNS?

إِذْ أَوَى الْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى الْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئىْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَداً(( 10 ))

10- WHEN THE YOUTHS TOOK REFUGE IN THE CAVE, AND SAID:ِ ``OUR LORD! HAVE OF YOUR MERCY ON US, AND GUIDE US IN OUR AFFAIR.''

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فَضَرَبْنَا عَلَى آذَانِهِمْ فِي الْكَهْفِ سِنِينَ عَدَداً(( 11 ))

11- THEN WE PREVENTED THEIR EARS (FROM HEARING) IN THE CAVE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاهُمْ لِنَعْلَمَ أَىُّ الْحِزْبَيْنِ أَحْصَى لِمَا لَبِثُوا أَمَداً(( 12 ))

12- WE THEN RAISED THEM UP TO MAKE KNOWN WHICH ONE OF THE TWO PARTIES WOULD BETTER CALCULATE THE PERIOD OF THEIR STAY.

THE COMMENTARY