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

The Third Stage of Combat Between Moses and the Tyrant of Egypt (verse No. 83 - 86)

The commentators are of two kinds of opinion regarding the pronoun, ``HIS'' in the phrase, ``HIS PEOPLE.'' Some have taken it to PHARAOH, because the majority of the Egyptions refused to believe. Only a few of Pharaoh's folk believed in Moses and his message among whom we may name the sorcerers, A"SIYEH,the wife to pharaoh who nursed and brought up Moses as a child, and the famous courtier Qura"n has called, ``the believer of pharaoh's folk.'' Pharaoh himself too, ultimately believed when he was drowning, but too late to be accepted. The second group of commentators have taken the pronoun, ``HIS'' to refer to Moses:ِ They understand that the first and primeval believers to Moses, were a small group of youngsters from among the Israelites, and then gradually all his people believed, though most of them proved not to be sincere and pure in their faith.

The first lesson that Moses taught the believers; was to put their trust in Allah and rely entirely on Him:ِ ``And Moses said:ِ O, MY PEOPLE! If you have believed in Allah, then on HIM put your trust.'' Putting trust in Allah is not to sit in solitude and in a remote from the society, doing nothing and waiting for God to do everything for you, and say that I have relied on my Lord, and have all confidence in HIM.

To put trust in God is rather to work harder as far as possible and meanwhile ask for His help too. The Arabic, ``FITNAT'' which we have translated to, ``trial'' has various shades of meaning. Its root meaning is, ``TEMPTATION'' and other shades are, trialِpunishmentِtumultِoppressionِdiscordِ seditionِand also civil war.

The Israelites here in their prayer, ``MAKE US NOT AN OBJECT OF

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TRIALS'' may have meant:ِ ``Do not make us the object of punishment and oppression at the hand of our powerful enemies.''

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى وَأَخِيهِ أَنْ تَبَوَّأَا لِقَوْمِكُمَا بِمِصْرَ بُيُوتاً وَاجْعَلُوا بُيُوتَكُمْ قِبْلَةً وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاَةَ وَبَشِّرْ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(( 87 ))

87- AND WE INSPIRED MOSES AND HIS BROTHER TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR PEOPLE HOUSE IN EGYPT, AND MAKE YOUR HOMES CLOSE AND OPPOSITE TO EACH OTHER, AND PERFORM THE PRAYER, AND GIVE GLAD TIDINGS TO THE BELIEVERS.

وَقَالَ مُوسَى رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ آتَيْتَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَأَهُ زِينَةً وَأَمْوَالا فِى الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا رَبَّنَا لِيُضِلُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِكَ رَبَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَى أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَاشْدُدْ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى يَرَوْا الْعَذَابَ الاَْلِيمَ(( 88 ))

88- AND MOSES SAID:ِ ``OUR LORD! YOU HAVE GIVEN PHARAOH AND HIS CHIEFS SPLENDOUR AND POSSESSIONS IN WORLD'S LIFE. OUR LORD! SO THEY MISLEAD (people) FROM YOUR WAY. OUR LORD! DESTROY THEIR WEALTH AND HARDEN THEIR HEARTS, THAT THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE UNTIL THEY SEE A PAINFUL PUNISHMENT.''

قَالَ قَدْ أُجِيبَتْ دَعْوَتُكُمَا فَاسْتَقِيمَا وَلاَ تَتَّبِعَانِّ سَبِيلَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ(( 89 ))

89- HE SAID:ِ YOUR PRAYER IS ANSWERED, SO BE YOU STEADFAST AND FOLLOW NOT THE WAY OF THOSE WHO KNOW NOT.

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THE COMMENTARY THE CONSTRUCTING PERIOD FOR REVOLUTION (VERSE NO. 87 - 89)

Moses and his brother are commanded to provide houses close and opposite to one another, in order to facilitate their union, and solve their social problems more easily. This order implies that the Israelites had been scattered here and there, throughout the land, and every now and then, they could have been attacked or arrested by the king's police without the others knowing it. Moses had to remain in Egypt for a while, so as to teach his doctrine to the Israelites, and prepare them to leave there and make for the promised land. This intention was strictly against the interest of Pharaoh and his chiefs who had enslaved the minority of people for their hard works and difficult and base services. Besides that; after his victory over the sorcerers, his Message had to have enough time to work out, that there had appeared signs of victory by the conversion of the sorcerers, and even A"SIYEH the wife to Pharaoh and some of her maid servants.

Then the verses allude to the main causes of Pharaoh and his courtiers rebellion and trespass:ِ And Moses said:ِ ``Our Lord! You have given Pharaoh and his chief splendour and wealth in this life so that they mislead people from your way! Our Lord! Then destroy their wealth and harden their hearts, that they won't believe unless they are afflicted with painful punishment.''

Through the glory and glitter of their wealth and luxurious houses they had puffed up with pride and vanity, so much so that they mislead themselves and the others from the way of truth. Moses in his prayer asked God to destroy their possessions in such a way that instead of being the object of desire and pleasure for them, they become the object of disgust and detestation.

Moses and his brother, also asked their Lord, to harden the hearts of Pharaoh and his chiefs. They prayed their hearts which was

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supposed to be the seat of affection and Mercy and the seat of joy and hope to become a seat for sorrow and regret and a seat of grief and despair; and this is exactly the fruit of unbelief when it serves to harden the heart of man. The owners of such a hardened heart will believe not until they taste a painful punishment to wake them up!

وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْبَحْرَ فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُ بَغْياً وَعَدْواً حَتَّى إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْغَرَقُ قَالَ آمَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُوا إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَنَا مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ(( 90 ))

90- AND WE PASSED THE ISRAELITES OVER THE SEA. THEN PHARAOH AND HIS HOSTS PURSUED THEM WITH INSOLENCE AND ENMITY, UNTIL WHEN DROWNING OVERTOOK HIM. HE SAID; I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO GOD EXCEPT HE IN WHOM THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BELIEVE, AND I AM OF THOSE WHO HAVE SUBMITTED. (TO ALLAH, AND ARE MUSLIMS)

أَالاْنَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ وَكُنْتَ مِنْ الْمُفْسِدِينَ(( 91 ))

91- NOW!? AND YOU HAVE REBELLED BEFORE AND WERE OF THE CORRUPTORS.

فَالْيَوْمَ نُنَجِّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُونَ لِمَنْ خَلْفَكَ آيَةً وَإِنَّ كَثِيراً مِّنْ النَّاسِ عَنْ آيَاتِنَا لَغَافِلُونَ(( 92 ))

92- SO, TO-DAY WE SHALL SAVE YOUR (DEAD) BODY (FROM THE SEA), SO AS TO BE A SIGN FOR THOSE WHO COME AFTER YOU, THOUGH, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HEEDLESS TO OUR SIGNS.

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وَلَقَدْ بَوَّأْنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مُبَوَّأَ صِدْق وَرَزَقْنَاهُمْ مِنْ الطَّيِّبَاتِ فَمَا اخْتَلَفُوا حَتَّى جَاءَهُمْ الْعِلْمُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِي بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ(( 93 ))

93- AND WE SETTLED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL IN A RIGHT SETTLEMENT, AND GAVE THEM SUSTENANCE OF CLEAN THINGS. THEY DIFFERED NOT UNTIL KNOWLEDGE CAME TO THEM.

VERILY YOUR LORD WILL JUDGE BETWEEN THEM IN THE RESURRECTION DAY CONCERNING THEIR DIFFERENCES.

THE COMMENTARY THE FINAL STAGE OF THE COMBAT (VERSE NO. 90 - 93)

Here the final stage of the combat with Pharaoh and his hosts is described in brief, but clear and subtle:ِ ``We passed the children of Israel over the sea, when pharaoh and his hosts pursued them with insolence and enmity, until drowning over took him.'' How was the pass over, and what sort of a miracle saved these, and drowned those; is to be explained in detail in S 2b:63, if God speeds us. However, pharaoh found himself like a leaf of straw floating upon the sea water with God's wrath all round him! He therefore, cried loudly:ِ ``I believe that there is no god except He in whom the children of Israel have believed, and I have submitted.'' This was, infact, a death bed repentance, forced by terror, and would not be accepted. The repentance of those who continue with evil deeds until death faces them, is not a real repentance and therefore Allah will not accept it. The answer to him when declaring faith, was therefore:ِ ``Now!? And you have rebelled before and were a corruptor! So, to-day we

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shall deliever your dead body to the land to make it a sign of our justice for those who come after you; that they may take lesson of your fate, although a lot of people pay no heed to our signs!'' If pharaoh's body was not thrown up, out of the water by the sea waves, the laymen would compose fairy tales, and many fictions about him, and introducing him as a god or deify him, for not believing that he was really drowned! So, as per order of God, the waves threw up his fat and big body, and according to Egyption custom he was embalmed and mummified with preservatives for burial. At present a couple of mummified bodies of the Egyptian Pharaohs are preserved and exhibited in the British and Egyption museums; but we are not sure enough if the pharaoh who was contemporary to Moses is among them or not.

Pharaoh and his hosts were thus vanquished, and their land and possessions fell in the hands of the Hebrews, who lived there in Egypt for a period before the OXODUS.

فَإِنْ كُنْتَ فِي شَكّ مِّمَّا أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ فَسْئَلِ الَّذِينَ يَقْرَءُونَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَقَدْ جَاءَكَ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنْ المُمْتَرِينَ(( 94 ))

94- THEN IF ARE IN DOUBT REGARDING WHAT WE HAVE SENT DOWN TO YOU, (LIKE THE ABOVE STORY OF PHARAOH AND HIS HOSTS) ASK THOSE WHO WERE READING THE BOOK BEFORE YOU.

VERILY THE TRUTH HAS COME TO YOU FROM YOUR LORD. SO BE NOT OF THE DOUBTERS.

وَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنْ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِ اللهِ فَتَكُونَ مِنْ الْخَاسِرِينَ(( 95 ))

95- AND DO NOT BE OF THOSE WHO BELIED THE SIGNS OF ALLAH, FOR YOU SHALL BE OF THE LOSERS.

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إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ(( 96 ))

96- THOSE AGAINST WHOM THE WORD OF YOUR LORD HAS PROVED TRUE WILL NOT BELIEVE.

وَلَوْ جَاءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ آيَة حَتَّى يَرَوْا الْعَذَابَ الاَْلِيمَ(( 97 ))

97- EVEN IF ALL THE SIGNS COME TO THEM (THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE) UNTIL THEY SEE A PAINFUL PUNISHMENT.

THE COMMENTARY DON'T GIVE WAY TO DOUBTS (VERSE NO. 94 - 97)

These verses ask Muslims to refer to the Scriptures, if they are in doubt about that which has been inspired to their prophet Mohammad, regarding Moses and the fate of pharaoh, and other historical incidents. Some may ask here; was the prophet himself in any doubt about what he narrated of ancient stories? The answer is definitely, ``none at all''. He always proved in his acts and deeds, and it is confirmed by Qura"n too, that he was unique in the belief that,whatever he said was truth and from God. We read in the Holy Qura"nِS 53:3ِ4, that he said nothing of his own desire, and that whatever he said was an inspiration, inspired to him. He was indeed sure of that. therefore this commandment:ِ ``REFER TO THE SCRIPTURES IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT'' is addressed in the form, to Mohammad (AS), but in substance, it is addressed to the Muslims.

Then the following verse (NO.96) implies that there were, and still there are, some contumacious and stubborn people against whom the word of Allah has proved true that, they will never believe until they taste a painful punishment that they deserve! So no one should expect such a one to give up resistance and opposition to the truth, inspite of

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the hardened heart and the metamorphosed nature that they have earned:ِ Even if all the signs come to them they will not believe until they taste a painful punishment. This pronounced change in nature, or better to say against the nature of man, is effected by their own evil deeds in a long period of their life, which they earned with their own hands and in their Free-Will.

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THE PASSOVER IN THE BIBLE

In the above verse (NO.94) Muslims are commanded that if they are in doubt regarding what Allah has sent to them, like the PASSOVER and other incidents of ancient, refer to the Scriptures that has been revealed before the Holy Qura"n. We therefore have quoted here for our dear readers, a passage of the old Testament which refers to the PASSOVER in the Book of EXODUSِ14 as follows.

CROSSING THE RED SEA

Then the Lord said to Moses:ِ ``Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of PI HAHIROTH, between Migdol and Red sea near BAALZEPHON. The king, (PHARAOH) will think that the Israelites are wandering about in the country and are closed in by the desert. I will make them stubborn, and he will pursue you, and my victory over the king and his army will bring me honour. Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.'' The Israelites did as they were told.

When the king of Egypt was told the people had escaped, he and his officials changed their minds and said:ِ ``We have let the Israelites escape, and we have lost them as our slaves!'' He set out with all his chariots, including the six hundred finest, commanded by their officers. The Egyption army, with all the horses, chariots, and drivers, pursued them and caught up with them where they were camped by the Red Sea.

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10ِWhen the Israelites saw the king and army marching against them, they were terrified and cried out to the Lord for help. They said to Moses:ِ ``Weren't there any graves in Egypt!? Did you have to bring us out here in the desert to die? We told you to leave us alone and let us go on being slaves of the Egyptians.'' Moses answered:ِ ``Don't be afraid. Stand your ground and you will see what the Lord will do to save you to-day.'' The Lord said to Moses:ِ ``Why are you crying for help? Tell the people to move forward. Lift up your stick and hold it out over the sea. The water will divide, and the Israelites will be able to walk through the sea on dry ground.'' 21ِMoses held out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind. It blew all night and turned the sea into dry land. The water was divided and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground with walls of water on both sides. The Egyptians pursued them and went after them into the sea with all their horses, chariots, and drivers.

26ِThe Lord said to Moses:ِ ``Hold out your hand over the sea, and the water will come back over the Egyptions and their chariots and drivers.'' So Moses held out his hand over the sea and at day break the water returned to its normal level. The Egyptian tried to escape from the water, but the Lord threw them into the sea. 28ِThe water returned and covered the chariots, the drivers, and all the Egyptian army that had followed the Israelites into the sea: no one of them was left. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both side. 30ِOn that day the Lord saved the people of Israel from the Egyptians, and the Israelites saw them lying dead on the seashore. When the Israelites saw Egyptians, they feared the Lord; and they had faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses. EXODUSِ14

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE)

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فَلَوْلاَ كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ آمَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَا إِيمَانُهَا إِلاَّ قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّا آمَنُوا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ الْخِزْىِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَى حِين(( 98 ))

98- WHY WAS THERE NOT A CITY THAT BELIEVED SO THAT THEIR FAITH SHOULD HAVE PROFITED THEM, EXCEPT THE PEOPLE OF JONAH. WHEN THEY BELIEVED WE REMOVED FROM THEM THE DEBASING TORMENT IN THIS WORLD'S LIFE, AND LET THEM ENJOY THEMSELVES FOR THE TIME BEING.

THE COMMENTARY ONLY ONE GROUP BELIEVED IN TIME! (VERSE NO. 98)

The verse implies that no group of ancient people, who were warned by their prophets showed positive reaction to warning in time and before it was too late, except the people of JONAH. They repented collectively and believed all together and at once, and their sincere faith entitled them to God's Mercy and forgiveness:ِ ``Why was there not a city that believed so that their faith should have profited them, except the people of Jonah.'' When Jonah who was sent to the people of Nineveh, was rejected by the people there; he abandoned to despair, and cursed his people by the advice of a fanatic monk. Contrary to that, there was another learned Monk in Nineveh who advised Jonah to be patient and strive with constancy and perseverance. He said:ِ``O, Jonah! Through your prayer ask our Lord to forgive these people and have Mercy on them perhaps they might be guided.''

However JONAH cursed his people and left them. He ran away and sailed by a ship fully laden, and met with furious waves. The superstitious sailors wanted to know who was responsible for their

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illِluck. So, to know that, they cast lots, and the Lot fell on Jonah, and he was thrown into the sea, and soon after he was swallowed by a whale or a huge fish. There in that awful darknesses he repented and glorified Allah. If not so he would certainly have remaind inside the fish till the Day of Resurrection. But Allah forgave him and cast him out in the seaِshore sick and exhausted. After him, his people were admonished by the said learned monk. He encouraged them to fear God and repent. Meanwhile the signs and symptoms of God's punishment was appearing to them more or less. So they repented and went out to pray for God's forgiveness. Their prayer was answered and God forgave them:ِ ``When they believed We removed from them the debasing torment in this world's life and let them enjoy themselves for the time being.'' Soon after their repentance, their prophet too, joined them and all of them escaped an inevitable punishment through repentance and turning in time to their Gracious God.

The incident shows that, how effective an aware and compassionate leader can be among his people. Here two monks or priests are put on the carpet. One of them is a unidirectional fanatic man who is crusty and governed by too great enthusiasm on religious subjects. He urges the Apostle Jonah to curse his people and insist not upon their guidance. The second one is a learned compassionate priest with good insight and deep understanding, who encourages the Apostle Jonah to be patient and strive with constancy and perseverance. Comparing these two sorts of religious leader, one can judge which kind of a leader should he follow. The story of JONAH is told in S 37:139ِ148 in more detail. There is also a book named JONAH in the old Testament. So we shall give further comments about this wonderful apostle of God when we reach chapter 37 of Qura"nِa more appropriate place for this purpose.

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NINEVEH

The people to whom apostle JONAH was sent were the inhabitants of Nineveh. It was an ancient Assyrian city on the east bank of the TIGRIS, opposite to the modern City of Mosul in Iraq.

NINEVEH began as a NEOLITHIC settlement more than 5000 years ago. Its earliest settlers with primitive stone tools and crude pottery were culturally related to the contemporary people of northern Mosopotamia whose racial identity is uncertain. It was king Sennacherib (705ِ681 B.C.) who expanded the city and made it the capital, and it is from his records that we have our best picture of the city. King Sennachrib doubled the size of the city and beautified it. He built some 8 miles of walls around the town, 45ft. thick and 75 feet high, made chiefly of limestone and protected with many towers. A water moat extended more than 100 ft in front of the wall. An outer double wall with the moat in between offered further protections. Fifteen gates, each with its own name led into the city. An elaborate canal and aqueduct brought fresh water from the hills.

A large part of the city was occupied by official building, temples, and great governmental armour. Another feature of the city was a park with strange flora and fauna, gathered from distant parts of the world by the ruler. ASHURBANIPAL, the last great ruler of Assyria (668ِ630 B.C.) built himself a palace in NINEVEH. The fall of Nineveh and of the Assyria Empire occured in the summer of 612 B.C. through the united efforts of the Medes and Babylonians under the leadership of their respective kings; CYAXARES and NABOPOLASSAR.

Modern archeological investigation of the site consisting of two mounds, called KUYUNJIC and NABI UNUS began in the middle of 19th century with Layard's and Rassam's work. In 1854, Rassam uncovered the remains of an immense library, estimated at 22000 uniform tablets. The varied contents of these tablets from the library of ASHURBANIPAL, now in British Museum, give a brilliant introduction to the complex culture and history of ancient Babylonia and Assyria.

BY:ِ ENCYCLOPEDIA INTERNATIONAL TRANSLATOR'S NOTE)

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وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لاَمَنَ مَنْ فِي الاَْرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعاً أَفَأَنْتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ(( 99 ))

99- AND IF YOUR LORD HAD WILLED, WHOEVER IS IN THE EARTH WOULD HAVE BELIEVEDِALL OF THEMِALL TOGETHER. BUT WOULD YOU THEN FORCE PEOPLE (AGAINST THEIR WILL) TO BECOME BELIEVERS!?

وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفْس أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللهِ وَيَجْعَلُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ(( 100 ))

100- NO SOUL CAN BELIEVE EXCEPT BY THE PERMISSION OF ALLAH. AND HE LAYS FILTH UPON THOSE WHO DON'T USE THEIR FACULTY OF UNDERSTANDING.

**THE COMMENTARY

FORCED FAITH IS NO FAITH (VERSE NO. 99 - 100)**

We have already read in the previous verses that forced faith is no faith, and any compulsory belief is void of value:ِ ``And if your Lord had willed, every one on the earth would have believed.'' This is an integral part of Man's Free-Will, that some of them become faithful, and some others faithless:ِ ``Do you want to enforce people to have faith!?''

This limited amount of free will that God has granted to man, is connected with God's universal law that governs the universe. If it was not so, he would have created all mankind alike and with faith. But due to his Free-Will, man has to strive and explore, and bring himself into harmony with God's universal laws that govern the universe. Therefore, faith becomes a moral achievement, and is not a compulsory matter.

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Inspite of the above verses, and many others, which are in this scale; it is not only unjust, but a deadly sin too, if any body accuses Islam of being, ``THE RELIGION OF SWORD'', to have been imposed on others by force. When Mohammad (AS) began his sacred mission and Divine Doctrine, THE SWORD was in the hands of Persian kings, and Roman Emperors. Muslims through their faith, piety, and virtue, took the sword out of their hands, and the promise of God to them was fulfilled who had said in Qura"n:ِ ``It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, so as to prevail it over all religions; even though the polytheists dislike it.''

We Muslims believe that neither FreeِWill nor Fatalism can be the absolute governor of our affairs, but something in between. This is because Man's Free-Will is limited and all important attainments depend on Man's struggle and endeavour, as well as God's Will and Grace which is not without account and considerations. The world is not in a state of confusion and anarchy that one may do whatever he wants without question and reckoning. There is a law, an order, and recorded account, for every movement, and also an appropriate result and reaction for every action.

قُلِ انْظُرُوا مَاذَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضِ وَمَا تُغْنِي الاْيَاتُ وَالنُّذُرُ عَنْ قَوْم لاَّ يُؤْمِنُونَ(( 101 ))

101- SAY:ِBEHOLD WHAT IS IT, THAT IS IN THE HEAVENS AND EARTH. AND NEITHER SIGNS NOR WARNERS WILL ENRICH (FREE FROM WANT) A PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE NOT.

فَهَلْ يَنْتَظِرُونَ إِلاَّ مِثْلَ أَيَّامِ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ قُلْ فَانْتَظِرُوا إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ مِّنْ الْمُنْتَظِرِينَ(( 102 ))

102- SO, DO THEY EXPECT (ANYTHING TO HAPPEN) EXCEPT THE

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LIKE OF THE DAYS OF THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE THEM?

SAY:ِ THEN WAIT AND WATCH. I TOO, WILL WAIT WITH YOU.

ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كَذَلِكَ حَقّاً عَلَيْنَا نُنْجِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(( 103 ))

103- THEN WE SHALL SAVE OUR MESSENGERS AND THOSE WHO BELIEVED.

THUS IT IS AN OBLIGATION UPON US TO SAVE BELIEVERS.

THE COMMENTARY TRAINING AND ADVICE (VERSE NO. 101 - 103)

In the aforementioned verses it was shown that forced faith is no faith, and Man should believe whatever he believes through his Free-Will. Now we may learn from the above verses that how can we obtain faith by studying God's signs which are abundant in the heavens and earth:ِ ``Behold what is it, that exists in the heavens and in the earth.'' This verse, wants we to observe and study the heavens and the earth, and the things that exist therein. So let us have a glanceِa quick lookِupon the starry sky which lays above us or beneath us!

We cast a look, Lo! We may see billions of heavenly bodies wandering about, and as if in search of a precious thing that they have lost it! They are wanderers that follow an amazing order. With our naked eye or with the aid of our optical telescope we see countless heavenly bodiesِbut we only see those bodies that shineِsuch as the

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stars that are suns like our sun, and shine by their own light.

The average person looking at the sky can see some four thousand stars at one time; but the astronomer with his powerful telescope can see countless stars, and also star groups that are not visible to the naked eye. The star with which we are most familiar is our sun in the center of our solar system, and which provides light and heat that are essential for life upon the earth. Our sun is only an average star in size and brightness compared to other huge stars that we can not see them even with our telescopes.

Our earth travels through the universe in company with nine other planets. They all move in elliptical orbits around the sun. All the planets except URANUSِNEPTUNE and PLUTO, are at certain times visible to the naked eye. Our earth has a moon orbiting around it while JUPITER has 12 known moons, and SATURN has nine, URANUS five, Neptund and Mars, each have two. At various times of the year, our earth in its journey around the sun, passes through large crowds of meteoric particles, and thousands of, ``SHOOTING STARS'' stab the blackness of the night with their quick sudden trials of light. Our Merciful, Allِknowing Lord through his infinite knowledge and power protects us from the deadly hazards of shooting stars.

``And We have made the sky (OVERHEAD) a protected roof and they pay no heed to its signs.'' QURA"NِS 21:32 This verse indirectly alludes to METEORITES which encounter the earth's atmosphere, where they are heated to incandescence by friction and air resistance. Most of them are soon consumed, leaving momentary luminous trails or shooting stars in the sky. It has been estimated that 90 millions meteor trails are bright enough to be seen

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during any 24 hour period over all the earth. These meteors are regarded as debris of disintegrating comets. Some of the meteors have survived its flight through the air and has fallen to ground. These great masses of material are called METEORITES. The largestِknown stony meteorite, weighing more than a ton, fell on Feb.18,1948 in Furnas county Nebraska. When a meteorites falls on the ground it makes great craters and dangerously disturbs the air, creating extraordinary powerful winds. If one such meteorite fall upon a crowded town like London or Tehran, its bad consequences is no less than an atomic bomb:ِ

and we have made the sky (over your head) a protected roof and they pay no heed to its signs. Yet out, and beyond our miniature universe of suns and planets; lies the MILKY WAYِ a majestically beautiful path way of light girdling the heaven. Although it appears to be cloudy, it is actually composed of thousand of suns like our sun. All the individual stars in our night sky also belongs to the Milky way system.

All the stars like our sun, appear to rise in the east and set in the west, but all the bodies are not actually moving that way. This is an optical illusion caused by the rotation of our earth which rotates from West to East. The verse also implies that all God's signs in His creation, or in spoken words which comes through inspiration to the apostles, will not result in faith if the people themselves do not want to believe, and intend not to understand. Signs, warnings, and teachings will not be useful enough when there is no ground for acceptance of faith in a heart.

Then the verses end in a warning that if you follow the unbelievers who lived before you, then you should not expect anything to happen except the like of the fate of those who have gone before you. They all perished and our Messenger and those who followed them were savedِKnow that dry and wet do not burn together, and it is an obligation upon us to save the believers.

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قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ فِي شَكّ مِّنْ دِينِي فَلاَ أَعْبُدُ الَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ وَلَكِنْ أَعْبُدُ اللهَ الَّذِي يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنْ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(( 104 ))

104- SAY:ِ ``O, PEOPLE! IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT CONCERNING MY RELIGION; THEN I WORSHIP NOT THOSE WHOM YOU WORSHIP APART FROM ALLAH. BUT I DO WORSHIP ALLAH. HE WHO TAKES YOUR SOUL, (CAUSE YOU TO DIE) AND I AM COMMANDED TO BE OF THE BELIEVERS.''

وَأَنْ أَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفاً وَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ(( 105 ))

105- AND SET YOUR FACE TO THE RELIGION PURELY (FAR FROM ANY COMPEER) AND DO NOT BE OF THE POLYTHEISTS.

وَلاَ تَدْعُ مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ مَا لاَ يَنْفَعُكَ وَلاَ يَضُرُّكَ فَإِنْ فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذاً مِّنْ الظَّالِمِينَ(( 106 ))

106- AND DO NOT PRAY TO (ANYONE) OTHER THAN ALLAH, WHICH WILL NEITHER PROFIT, NOR HURT YOU. IF YOU DO THAT, THEN YOU WILL BECOME OF THE OPPRESSORS.

وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللهُ بِضُرّ فَلاَ كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَإِنْ يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْر فَلاَ رَادَّ لِفَضْلِهِ يُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ(( 107 ))

107- AND IF ALLAH TOUCHES YOU WITH A LOSS, THERE IS NO ONE TO REMOVE IT, EXCEPT HIMSELF. AND IF HE INTENDS SOMETHING GOOD FOR YOU, NO ONE CAN REPEL HIS GRACE. HE WILL REACH IT TO ANY OF HIS SERVANTS WHOM HE WILL, AND HE IS ALLِFORGIVING THE COMPASSIONATE.

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