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

Occasion of the Revelation (verse No. 9 - 12)

Commentators have narrated; a group of the chief and officials of Mecca went to Medina, and paid a visit to the Jewish elders, rabbis, and learned men. They asked the Jews questions about Mohammad and his claim of being the Messenger of God or prophet. They asked to know, if at all there could be something as a prophet or the Messenger of God. and if yes; What signs and symptom, the claimant should have?

In answer to the Meccan, the Jews said:ِ

``You should ask Mohammad of three questions. If he did answer you correctly, know him to be the truthful Messenger of God, as he claims; but if he failed to answer, you must consider him as liar.'' The questions were as follows:ِ

1ِ Who were the youth of the ancient who departed from their people?

2ِ Who was the Man who went all round the world and who reached the East and the West of the earth?

3ِWhat is the truth about Man's spirit?

The Meccan returned home and asked the prophet to answer them the above questions. The prophet said to the questioners that, he would give them the answer next day, while he had forgotten to add, ``IF [ 623 ]

GOD SPEED'' For this mistake he was not inspired for a couple of weeks; and this made the prophet very anxious! He waited for some 15 days, when at last he was forgiven and GABRIEL appeared again, and brought down the answers. The one concerning the spirit was inserted among the verses of the chapter of ASRA"ِS 17:84. The next two questions were answered in the chapter of CAVE=18

THE SEVEN SLEEPERS OF EPHESUS

Now the wonderful story of the seven sleepers has been narrated, in which some knowledge of the Relativity of Time; and Resurrection Day, can be obtained. Of course the story might be wonderful in our sight, but not in the sight of God; who is All-mighty, and Omnipotent:ِ

``Have you thought that the event of the Companions of the Cave and Al-Raghim was something wonderful among our signs?''

Qura"n narrates the story of the seven sleepers in brief, through the above four verses; and then gives more detail about the incident, in the verses that follow. Here the sleepers are called the Companions of the Cave and also Al-Raghim, which might be the name of the mountain in which the cave was, or their written name which was inscribed on a monument.

Their story in brief is as follows:ِ

When the Roman Emperors were persecuting the Christians for their belief, some young Christian believers, of the townsfolk of Ephesus, left their home and hearth, and took refuge in a cave in the near by mountains. The youths put their trusts entirely on God, and there in the cave, in a fervent prayer gave over their whole affair to God to dispose, saying:ِ

``Our Lord! Have of Your Mercy on us, and guide us in our affair.''

Allah answered them and sealed their ear, so that they sunk in a deep long sleep, not knowing what was going on outside the cave! After a few centuries, Allah raised them up from their long sleep while they thought to have slept a few hours!:ِ

``We then raised them up to make known which one of the two group would better calculate the period of their stay.''

[ 624 ] EPHESUS

(In this commentary HAZRAT AYATULLAH-AL-OZMA MAKA"RIM'S VIEW is that the sleepers were the citizens of Ephesus. Hence the following is some information about the said city, which I have quoted from the International Encyclopedia:ِ

Ephesus was the ancient Greek city on the West cost of Asia Minor, the richest in IONIA. It was founded by Androcles, son of Codrus, king of Athens. In the 550 B.C. the Temple of Artemis was built in the Ephesus which was one of the seven wonders of the world. Ephesus became subject in turn to Lydia, Persia, and Athens, from which it revolted in 415 B.C. In the 4th century once again it became subject to Persia, governed by a local Oligarchy. Alexander liberated Ephesus in 334. In the night of Alexander's birth in 356 B.C. the Artemis Temple was burnt by a mad and lunatic man. Then a new Ionic Temple was built to replace it. In the 3rd century the city became flooded through the silting of the Cayster mouth, and was moved to a higher ground. Then the site of the original town remained unknown. The city is said to have had 200,000 population. St. PAUL visited Ephesus (55ِ58 A.D.) when the Artemis cult still flourished and the church founded there prospered.

Ephesus was traditionally the last home of the Virgin Mary. City and the Temple were destroyed by the goths in 262 A.D. and the town declined thereafter.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE)

نَّحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ نَبَأَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَاهُمْ هُدىً(( 13 ))

13- WE RELATE TO YOU THEIR STORY WITH TRUTH:ِ THEY WERE YOUTHS WHO BELIEVED IN THEIR LORD, AND WE INCREASED THEM IN GUIDANCE.

[ 625 ]

وَرَبَطْنَا عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ إِذْ قَامُوا فَقَالُوا رَبُّنَا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضِ لَنْ نَدْعُوَا مِنْ دُونِهِ إِلاَهاً لَقَدْ قُلْنَا إِذاً شَطَطاً(( 14 ))

14- AND WE STRENGTHENED THEIR HEARTS WHEN THEY GOT UP, AND SAID:ِ ``OUR LORD IS THE LORD OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH, WE WILL NEVER CALL UPON ANY GOD APART FROM HIM. (IF WE CALL) IN THAT CASE WE HAVE SAID SOMETHING EXTRAVAGANT.''

هَؤُلاَءِ قَوْمُنَا اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ آلِهَةً لَّوْلاَ يَأْتُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِسُلْطَان بَيِّن فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللهِ كَذِباً(( 15 ))

15- THESE OUR PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN APART FROM HIM A GOD; WHY DO THEY NOT BRING A CLEAR AUTHORITY REGARDING THEM? THEN WHO IS THE GREATEST OPPRESSOR THAN HE WHO FORGES A LIE AGAINST ALLAH.

وَإِذِ اعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلاَّ اللهَ فَأْؤُا إِلَى الْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ مِّنْ رَحْمَتِهِ وَيُهَيّىءْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مِّرفَقاً(( 16 ))

16- SO WHEN YOU LEFT THEM AND WHAT THEY WORSHIP EXCEPT ALLAH, THEN TAKE REFUGE IN THE CAVE; YOUR LORD WILL HAVE HIS MERCY SHOWERED ON YOU; AND SHALL PROVIDE COMFORT AND EASE FOR YOU IN YOUR AFFAIR.

[ 626 ]

THE COMMENTARY

THE STORY OF THE SLEEPERS IN MORE DETAIL (VERSE NO. 13 - 16)

After the preceding abstract or prelude; the story of the Sleepers is followed with more detail, beginning with the verse NO.13:ِ

``We relate to you their story with truth. They were youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.''

Historical evidence prove that the youths lived in a time and space that, idolatry and evil dominated all over their land; which was ruled by a cruel dictator tyrant. These young men came to know the evil end that awaited their country and people for their false and blasphemous Creed. They therefore, disapproved of it and declared their opposition. Their sincere faith in God and the Final Judgement, served to promote them in their way to truth, and spiritual development. God strengthened their hearts, and made them firm and steadfast in their belief. They became brave enough to recant, and announce their faith in oneness of God which was amazing in the sight of their tyrant ruler who is called DAGHIYANUS by Islamic historians.

The phrase; ``WHEN THEY GOT UP'' in the above verse (NO.16) implies that they must have expressed their vigorous dissent and refusal, concerning the cult and creed of their king and people.

The next verse (NO.16) implies that the youths must have taken a counsel among themselves with the conclusion that:ِ ``Let us not be afraid of anyone, and leave our affairs entirely in the hands of God, with the hope that He will solve our problems, and remove our difficulties.''

Meanwhile they must have known that their refusals and their recantation had endangered their social life, and they had either to be martyred, or they would return them to their previous creed of idolatry and polytheism, which was something impossible for them to accept. They therefore decided to hide themselves in a cave in the round about mountains, which they knew it to be safe and secure; and wait there for God's decree to be issued:ِ

[ 627 ]

``.... So let us take refuge in the cave. Your Lord will have his Mercy on you, and He shall provide you with comfort and ease.''

وَتَرَى الشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَتْ تَتَزَاوَرُ عَنْ كَهْفِهِمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَتْ تَّقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ وَهُمْ فِي فَجْوَة مِنْهُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللهِ مَنْ يَهْدِ اللهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيّاً مُّرْشِداً(( 17 ))

17- AND YOU WOULD SEE THE SUN WHEN IT ROSE, INCLINING FROM THEIR CAVE TOWARDS THE RIGHT, AND WHEN IT SET, PASSING THEM BY THE LEFT; WHILE THEY WERE IN THE WIDER SPACE OF THE CAVE. THAT WAS OF THE SIGNS OF ALLAH. HE WHOM ALLAH GUIDES HE IS RIGHTLY GUIDED, AND HE WHOM ALLAH LEAVES TO STRAY, YOU WILL NEVER FIND FOR HIM A FRIENDLY LEADER.

وَتَحْسَبُهُمْ أَيْقَاظاً وَهُمْ رُقُودٌ وَنُقَلِّبُهُمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ وَكَلْبُهُمْ بَاسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ بِالْوَصِيدِ لَوِ اطَّلَعْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَوَلَّيْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِرَاراً وَلَمُلِئْتَ مِنْهُمْ رُعْباً (( 18 ))

18- AND YOU WILL THINK THEM TO BE AWAKE, WHILE THEY ARE ASLEEP, AND (EVERY NOW AND THEN) WE TURN THEM ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND ON THE LEFT SIDE.

AND THEIR DOG HAS ITS HANDS STRETCHED AT THE CAVE'S ENTRANCE. WOULD YOU OBSERVE THEM (IN THEIR CONDITION) YOU WOULD TURN AWAY FROM THEM IN FLIGHT WITH DREAD!

[ 628 ]

THE COMMENTARY

THE EXACT POSITION OF THE SLEEPERS (VERSE NO. 17 - 18)

The two above verses apply to the minuteness of the position of the sleepers and their cave, disclosing some of its details. In this regard, six points are mentioned which are as follows:ِ

1ِ The entrance of the cave opens towards the North, and the cave being in the Northern Hemisphere of the earth, the sun rays cannot shine directly in the cave, but may penetrate indirectly therein. Therefore, you will find the sun when it rises, inclining from their cave towards the right, and when it sets passing them by on the left.

So, also the Northern Breeze could easily enter the cave to change the climate there, making it healthy.

2ِ They were in the wider part of the cave which is the center, and far from the entrance, so that they could not be seen from outside

3ِ Their sleep was not the ordinary sleep, because if you would see them, you would think that they were awake. Their eyes must have been open! A condition which was frightening the observer, and prevent animal botherations!

4ِ Allah turned them to their left and right side when necessary to preserve their body from decay and corruption.

5ِ They had a dog, who had its hands stretched out at the cave's entrance as if the dog was on watch and ready to attack any intruder

This implies that every lover of God can take steps toward seeing their beloved Lord; be they kings, ministers, shepherds, or dogs. This door is not the door of despair. It is always open for acceptance and reception of those who return.

6ِ If you could see them in their sleeping state, you would be seized by fear and dread, and run away:ِ

[ 629 ]

``And their dog has its hands stretched out at the entrance of the cave. Would you observe them in that condition in which they were asleep, you would turn away from them in flight with dread!''

وَكَذَلِكَ بَعَثْنَاهُمْ لِيَتَسَاءَلُوا بَيْنَهُمْ قَالَ قَائِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ قَالُوا لَبِثْنَا يَوْماً أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْم قَالُوا رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْ فَابْعَثُوا أَحَدَكُمْ بِوَرِقِكُمْ هَذِهِ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فَلْيَنظُرْ أَيُّهَا أَزْكَى طَعَاماً فَلْيَأْتِكُمْ بِرِزْق مِّنْهُ وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ وَلاَ يُشْعِرَنَّ بِكُمْ أَحَداً(( 19 ))

19- AND SO DID WE RAISE THEM UP IN ORDER TO ASK ONE ANOTHER.

ONE OF THEM SAID:ِ ``HOW LONG HAVE YOU TARRIED?'' THEY SAID:ِ ``WE HAVE TARRIED A DAY, OR PART OF A DAY.''THEY SAID:ِ ``YOUR LORD KNOWS BEST HOW LONG HAVE YOU TARRIED.'' NOW SEND OUT ONE OF YOU TO THE TOWN WITH THE COIN OF YOURS, TO FIND OUT WHICH ONE HAS A CLEANER FOOD, SO AS TO BRING YOU SOME SUSTENANCE OF IT. AND HE MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO MAKE ANY ONE AWARE OF YOU.

إِنَّهُمْ إِنْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ يَرْجُمُوكُمْ أَوْ يُعِيدُوكُمْ فِي مِلَّتِهِمْ وَلَنْ تُفْلِحُوا إِذاً أَبَداً(( 20 ))

20- FOR, IF THEY GET ACCESS TO YOU, THEY WILL EITHER STONE YOU (TO DEATH), OR FORCE YOU BACK TO THEIR CREED; AND THEN YOU WILL NEVER PROSPER.

[ 630 ]

THE COMMENTARY

WAKEFULNESS AFTER A LONG SLEEP (VERSE NO. 19 - 20)

We shall soon come to read that they slept for a period of 309 years, and so their sleep was some how like a death. Then Allah wakened them up so as to ask one another. They thought to have slept one day or less, because they had entered the cave in a morning, and had been raised in the evening. But when they considered their long hair and nail, and the condition of their clothes, they thought otherwise and said:ِ

``Our Lord knows best how long have we tarried here. Now let us find something clean and lawful to eat.''

The money they had was the coins of king Daghiyanus who persecuted Monotheists in favour of idolaters and their false gods.

They sent one of them to buy some clean lawful food for them and emphasized keeping it confidential because they thought that the fierce persecution they knew, was still going on, and they had to pay their life to their faith.

وَكَذَلِكَ أَعْثَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ وَعْدَ اللهِ حَقٌّ وَأَنَّ السَّاعَةَ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهَا إِذْ يَتَنَازَعُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَمْرَهُمْ فَقَالُوا ابْنُوا عَلَيْهِمْ بُنْيَاناً رَّبُّهُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِهِمْ قَالَ الَّذِينَ غَلَبُوا عَلَى أَمْرِهِمْ لَنَتَّخِذَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ مَّسْجِداً(( 21 ))

21- AND SO DID WE DISCLOSE THEM TO PEOPLE, THAT THEY MAY KNOW ALLAH'S PROMISE IS TRUE, AND THAT THERE IS NO DOUBT IN THE HOUR (RESURRECTION AND FINAL JUDGEMENT).

WHEN PEOPLE WERE DISPUTTING AMONG THEMSELVES [ 631 ]

ABOUT THEM: THEN THEY SAID:ِ ``BUILD A BUILDING (OF MONUMENT) UPON THEM. THEIR LORD KNOWS THEM BEST (THAT WHO ARE THEY). BUT THOSE WHO PREVAILED ON THEIR MATTER SAID:ِ ``WE WILL BUILD A MOSQUE OVER THEM.

سَيَقُولُونَ ثَلاَثَةٌ رَّابِعُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ خَمْسَةٌ سَادِسُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ رَجْماً بِالْغَيْبِ وَيَقُولُونَ سَبْعَةٌ وَثَامِنُهُمْ كَلْبُهُمْ قُلْ رَبِّي أَعْلَمُ بِعِدَّتِهِمْ مَّا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ فَلاَ تُمَارِ فِيهِمْ إِلاَّ مِرَاءً ظَاهِراً وَلاَ تَسْتَفْتِ فِيهِمْ مِّنْهُمْ أَحَداً(( 22 ))

22- SOON THEY WILL SAY; ``THEY WERE THREE, AND THEIR DOG WAS THE FOURTH OF THEM. AND (SOME OTHER) WILL SAY:ِ ``THEY WERE FIVE, AND THE SIXTH OF THEM WAS THEIR DOG.'' A CASTING STONE AT THE UNSEEN. (SHOOTING IN THE DARK) AND OTHERS SAY; SEVEN, AND THEIR DOG WAS THE EIGHT OF THEM.

SAY:ِ ``MY LORD KNOWS BEST THEIR NUMBER. NO ONE KNOWS THEM EXCEPT A FEW. SO, DO NOT DISCUSS ABOUT THEM EXCEPT WITH EVIDENCE (i.e.THAT WHICH IS REVEALED TO YOU), AND ASK NO ONE (LIKE THE JEWS AND CHRISTIANS) ABOUT THEM.

وَلاَ تَقُولَنَّ لِشَاْىْء إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَلِكَ غَداً(( 23 ))

23- AND DO NOT SAY OF ANYTHING; I WILL DO IT TO-MORROW.

[ 632 ]

إِلاَّ أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللهُ وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ وَقُلْ عَسَى أَنْ يَهْدِيَنِ رَبِّي لاَِقْرَبَ مِنْ هَذَا رَشَداً(( 24 ))

24- EXCEPT, (ADDING) ``IF ALLAH WILLS=IF GOD SPEEDS'' AND WHEN YOU FORGOT (SAYING THAT), REMEMBER YOUR LORD, AND SAY:ِ ``MAY MY LORD GUIDE ME TO SOMETHING NEARER THAN THIS, TO RECTITUDE.

THE COMMENTARY

THE END OF THE SLEEPERS EVENT (VERSE NO. 21 - 24)

Soon after, the incident of the God-fearing sleepers, tingled in the ears and became a general topic of conversation in the whole area!

When the one who was out to buy food, saw the form and feature of the town, after a period of three hundred years, he was struck with astonishment! For an instant which seemed to him long enough he thought that he was asleep, and that he was dreaming! But he rubbed his eyes, and made sure that he was awake, but everything in the town had suddenly changed!

On the other hand his own form and feature was ridiculous in the sight of the townsfolk. His clothes, and the material of which it was sewed, the style of his hair, and astonished and astonishing countenance, were all amazing in the eyes of the citizens! Some men, women, and children pursued him to know what sort of a creature was he!

When he bought some food in a shop and paid the coin the shop manager gazed at him with wonder, seeing the coin with the marks of Daghyanus engraved on itِ a coin of three hundred years past! Here the youth came to know how long he and his fellow sleepers have slept. [ 633 ]

Their news exploded in the town the explosion of an atomic bomb! The sleeper hastened back to the cave and informed his fellows of what really had happened to them, and they all became intoxicated with wonder! When they came to themselves and knew that all their kith and kin had been died hundreds of years past, they found no use to live any longer. They therefore prayed to God to have them dead once again. When the townsfolk rushed to visit them, they found them all dead!

Some historians have related that, a just, kind, democrat, ruler was governing the people in that time, but people did not believe in the Corporeal Resurrection of Man after death. But now everything about the Resurrection Day was made clear through the raise of the sleepers:ِ

``And so did We disclose them to the people to know that Allah's promise is true and there is no doubt in the hour of Resurrection and Final Judgement.''

The youths could not judge about the duration of their stay in the cave. The townsfolk too, did not apprehend the importance of the incident, and argued about the monument that they wanted to build upon their cave, and finally they agreed to construct a Mosque there.

See that, instead of considering the spiritual dignity and veneration of the matter, the argument went on about their number plus their dog, while the real point here is the spiritual lesson that should be taken of them:ِ

``.... Remember when the people were disputing among themselves about them, then they said; build a building of monument upon them.... But those who prevailed on the matter said; we will build a mosque over them.''

وَلَبِثُوا فِي كَهْفِهِمْ ثَلاَثَ مِائَة سِنِينَ وَازْدَادُوا تِسْعاً(( 25 ))

25- AND THEY TARRIED IN THEIR CAVE FOR THREE HUNDRED YEARS, AND (TO THAT) THEY ADDED NINE.

[ 634 ]

قُلِ اللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُوا لَهُ غَيْبُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضِ أَبْصِرْ بِهِ وَأَسْمِعْ مَا لَهُمْ مِّنْ دُونِهِ مِنْ وَلِىّ وَلاَ يُشْرِكُ فِي حُكْمِهِ أَحَداً(( 26 ))

26- SAY:ِ ``ALLAH KNOWS BEST HOW LONG THEY TARRIED. TO HIM BELONGS THE UNSEEN OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. HOW WELL HE SEES AND HOW WELL HE HEARS. THERE IS NO GUARDIAN FOR THEM, APART FROM HIM, AND HE ALLOWS NO ONE TO SHARE HIS COMMAND.''

وَاتْلُ مَا أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ كِتَابِ رَبِّكَ لاَ مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَلَنْ تَجِدَ مِنْ دُونِهِ مُلْتَحَداً(( 27 ))

27- AND RECITE WHAT HAS BEEN INSPIRED TO YOU OF THE BOOK OF YOUR LORD. NO ONE CAN CHANGE HIS WORDS, AND YOU WILL NEVER FIND ANY REFUGE OTHER THAN HIM.

THE COMMENTARY

THE SLEEP OF THE COMPANIONS OF THE CAVE (VERSE NO. 25 - 27)

Now, every one may want to know how long did the youths sleep in the cave? The above verse (NO.25) reveals the truth in this regard:ِ

``And they tarried in their cave for three hundred years and to that they added nine.''

According to the above verse, their duration in the cave in round numbers was 300 years in the Solar Calendar, and would amount to 309 in the Lunar Calendar.

There are also other numbers mentioned by other writers like 200, 250, and 450 years; but because Allah knows best how long they tarried; we Muslims take the 309 years to be the right number for the period, and we won't listen to this and that.

[ 635 ]

The lessons that we may learn from the story of the companions of the cave are many; some of which are as follows:ِ

Aِ Breaking the obstacle and obstruction of imitation, and leaving behind a corrupted society. As a matter of fact Man should be the maker of his environment, and not merely compatible with it.

Bِ The second lesson is that of Emigration. Departure from a place of abode, when it has been entirely corrupted and filled up with evil and mischief, is an action becoming, and admirable.

Cِ The third lesson to be taken from here is, DISSEMBLANCE.

The companions of the cave strictly observed the precautionary dissimulation; not to lose their life for nothing, or to be returned to the false creed of idolatry by force-majeure.

Dِ Equality in one line, is another lesson that we may learn from their incident. The companions of the cave included a minister, a shepherd, and even a guardian dog. They all were on their way of emigration to God, and the material privileges had not the least effect to separated their line and their way of living!

The story of the Sleepers is not found in the Bible and in the Gospel, because the incident has happened in the centuries after the advent of Jesus Christ.

For the first time the story of the Sleepers was written by a Christian scholar, whose name was JACK, in the fifth century. He was the high priest of the Syrian church. Then another man named Goghious translated the story to Latin, with the name; ``THE GLORY OF THE MARTYRS''. These are evidences that the story was well known to the Christians a couple of centuries before the advent of Mohammad. (AS)

وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاوَةِ وَالْعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ وَلاَ تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَلاَ تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَنْ ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطاً(( 28 ))

[ 636 ]

28- AND KEEP YOURSELF PATIENT WITH THOSE WHO CALL ON THEIR LORD IN THE MORNING AND EVENING; SEEKING HIS PRESENCE, AND DO NOT TURN YOUR EYES AWAY FROM THEM IN QUEST OF THE ADORNMENT OF THE PRESENT LIFE. AND OBEY NOT HIM WHOSE HEART HAVE WE MADE NEGLIGENT OF OUR REMEMBERANCE, AND HE FOLLOWED HIS CARNAL DESIRES, AND HIS AFFAIR WAS EXTRAVAGANT.

وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَّبِّكُمْ فَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِنْ وَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ نَاراً أَحَاطَ بِهِمْ سُرَادِقُهَا وَإِنْ يَسْتَغِيثُوا يُغَاثُوا بِمَاء كَالْمُهْلِ يَشْوِي الْوُجُوهَ بِئْسَ الشَّرَابُ وَسَاءَتْ مُرْتَفَقاً(( 29 ))

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ إِنَّا لاَ نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلا(( 30 ))

30- AS TO THOSE WHO BELIEVED AND DID RIGHTEOUS DEEDS, WE DO NOT WASTE THE REWARD OF HIM WHOSE CONDUCT IS FAIR.

[ 637 ]

أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْن تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهِمْ الاَْنْهَارُ يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِنْ ذَهَب وَيَلْبَسُونَ ثِيَاباً خُضْراً مِّنْ سُندُس وَإِسْتَبْرَق مُتَّكِئِينَ فِيهَا عَلَى الاَْرَائِكِ نِعْمَ الثَّوَابُ وَحَسُنَتْ مُرْتَفَقاً(( 31 ))

31- FOR THEM IS THE GARDENS OF ETERNITY THAT STREAMS FLOW FROM BENEATH THEM. THEY ARE ADORNED IN IT WITH BRACELETS OF GOLD, AND WEAR CLOTHES OF FINE AND COARSE GREEN SILK; RECLINING THERE UPON COACHES. WHAT A GOOD REWARD, AND WHAT A NICE RESTING PLACE.

THE COMMENTARY