The Light of the Holy Qur'an Interpretation of Sura Maryam (mary)

Commentary : Verse 54.55

54- وَاذْكُرْ فِى الْكِتَابِ إِسْماعِيلَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صَادِقَ الْوَعْدِ وَكَانَ رَسُولاً نَّبِيّاً

55- وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَكَانَ عِندَ رَبّـِهِ مَرْضِيّاً

  1. " And mention 'Isma'il in the Book, verily he was (ever) true to (his) promise, and he was an apostle, a prophet."

  2. " And he used to enjoin on his family prayer and almsgiving, and he was well pleased in the sight of his Lord."

Commentary:

The appellation Ism'il, mentioned in this holy verse, refers either to Abraham's son, or another prophet from the prophets of the Children of Israel, by the name of Isma'il-ibn-Hizqil (Ishmael the son of Ezekiel). The verse says:

" And mention Ismail in the Book, verily he was (ever) true to (his) promise, and he was an apostle, a prophet."

It has been narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) who says: "He (Isma'il) used to invite people to Monotheism. His people stood against him so hard that they scalped him out of his head and face. Allah made him optional for their punishment or forgiveness. Isma'il also left their affair to Allah whether He would punish them or forgive them. (Majma'-ul-Bayan, the Commentary)

All prophets were loyal in promise, but the appearance of this quality had been more manifest in Isma'il. Being true to promise is a Divine attribute. The Qur'an says: "Verily Allah never fails (His) promise",(1) because breach of promise is a sign of hypocrisy.

Some Islamic traditions indicate that there are three signs for hypocrite: abuse of confidence, falsehood in speech, and breach in promise.(2)

The second verse implies that, at last, Ismail enjoined his family, or his people, to perform prayer, almsgiving, night prayer, charity and fast, so that Allah was well pleased of his manner, because he did nothing but obeying Allah and never committed any vice. The verse says:

" And he used to enjoin on his family prayer and almsgiving, and he was well pleased in the sight of his Lord."

Some commentators have said that the term /mardiyy/, used in this verse, means: 'righteous, pious, and worthy'. It was for the sake of these very qualities that he gained a great honour with Allah, since the rank of Divine pleasure had been the greatest desire and goal of the prophets.

Some Islamic traditions denote that when the people of Paradise settle in Paradise, there comes a call saying: "Do you want anything else?" They will say: "Our Lord, we wish Your pleasure!' (The commentary of 'Atyab-ul-Bayan)

1- Sura 'Al-i-'Imran, No. 3, verse 9 2- Tafsir-i-Nur-uth-Thaqalayn

Commentary : Verse 54.55 56.57

56- وَاذْكُرْ فِى الْكِتَابِ إِدْرِيسَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صِدِّيقاً نَّبِيّاً

57- وَرَفَعْنَاهُ مَكَاناً عَلِيّاً

  1. " And mention Idris in the Book; verily he was a truthful one, a prophet."

  2. " And We raised him to a lofty station."

Commentary:

In the first holy verse of the abovementioned couple of verses, the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is addressed, saying:

" And mention Idris in the Book; verily he was a truthful one, a prophet."

The Qur'anic term /siddiq/ is used in the sense of 'a very truthful person who verifies the revelations of Allah and who is submitted to the truth'.

Then, in the second verse, Allah, referring to Idris' high rank, says:

" And We raised him to a lofty station."

The purpose of the Qur'anic phrase: 'a lofty station' is either a high spiritual rank, or the process of ascent to the heavens, because Allah took four prophets to the heavens: Idris, Jesus, Khidr, and Elias (Elija). (The Commentary of Atyab-ul-Bayan)

However, the Qur'anic arrangement of the words 'a truthful one, a prophet' in the verse, where the term 'a truthful one' has been preceeded to 'a prophet', denotes that 'truthfulness' is a sign of 'prophethood'.

The Feature of Idris (a.s.):

Hadrat Idris (a.s.) is one of the ancestors of Hadrat Noah (a.s.). He was named Idris, in Arabic, for the reason that he had been very busy with study,(1) or for the sake that he had been the first person who wrote with pen.(2) His holy appellation, Idris, has been mentioned in the Qur'an twice, and he has been glorified by the qualities of: /siddiq/ (truthful), /sabir/ (patient), and /nabiyy/ (prophet).

An Islamic tradition indicates that the house of 'Idris was in Sahlah Mosque, around Najaf in Iraq.(3)

The first person who knew astronomy and arithmetic was Idris,(4) and he was the first one who taught tailoring to men.(5)

Idris lived for 365 years, and then he was taken to heavens. He is alive now, and will appear at the time of the reappearance of Hadrat Mahdi (a.s.).(6)

By the way, upon the descent of Jesus (a.s.) to the earth at the time of the reappearance of Hadrat Mahdi (a.s.) and Messiah's keeping up prayer behind Hadrat Mahdi, there are recorded many traditions in the books of traditions by written the Sunnite and the Shi'ite, including:

Yanabi'-ul-Mawaddah, p. 422, Tathkirat-ul-Khawas, p.377, Sahib-i-Muslim, vol. 1, p. 63, published in Egypt, 1348Ah, the book:

Miftah-i-Kunuz-us-Sunnah, by Bukhari, Muslim; Nis?'i; Ahmad; Ibn-i-Majeh; Abi-Dawood; Altiyalisi; and the book: Al-Mahdi 'Inda-Ahlis-Sunnah; and Mutakhab-ul-Athar Fi-Imam-uth-Thani-'Ashar.

1- Al-Mizan, the Commentary 2- The commentary of Nem?nah, vol.13, p.102 3- Al-Mizan, the Commentary 4- Atyab-ul-Bayan, the Commentary 5- the Commentaryof Nem?nah, vol. 13, p.103 6- Atyab-ul-Bayan, the Commentary

Commentary : Verse 58

58- اُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِنَ النَّبِيّـِينَ مِن ذُرِّيَّةِ ءَادَمَ وَمِمَّنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وإِِسْرَآئِيلَ وَمِمَّنْ هَدَيْنَا وَاجْتَبَيْنَا إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَاتُ الرَّحْمَنِ خَرُّوا سُجَّداً وَبُكِيّاً

  1. " Those were some of the prophets on whom Allah showed favour of the seed of Adam, and of those We carried (in the Ark) with Noah, and of the seed of Abraham and Israel, and of those We guided and chose. When the revelations of the Beneficent (Allah) were recited unto them, they fell down prostrating and weeping."

Commentary:

Through the previous verse, the names of ten prophets were pointed out: Zakariyya (Zechariah), Yahya (John); 'I-sa (Jesus); 'Ibrahim (Abraham); Ishaq (Isaac); Jacob; Moses; Aaron; Ishmael; 'Idris (Enoch). Now, in this holy verse, the Qur'an, referring to them, says:

" Those were some of the prophets on whom Allah showed favour of the seed of Adam …"

This group of prophets are the same ones whose way we ask in our prayers ten times everyday from Allah to pave, not the way of those inflicted with the wrath of Allah and astray, when we say: "Guide us (O' Lord) on the Straight Path", "The path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your bounties, nor (the path) of those inflicted with Your wrath, nor (of those) gone astray."

The purpose of the phrase 'the seed of Adam' is Idris (Enoch); and the purpose of the phrase: 'of those We carried (in the Ark) with Noah' is Hadrat 'Ibrahim (Abraham) (a.s.) who is Noah's grandson, and the purpose of the phrase 'of the seed of Abraham' is Isaac, Ishmael and Jacob; and the purpose of the progeny of 'Israel' is Moses, Aaron, Zechariah, John, and Jesus (a.s.).(1) The verse continues saying:

"…Adam, and of those We carried (in the Ark) with Noah, and of the seed of Abraham and Israel, and of those We guided and chose. …"

Some Islamic traditions indicate that, at the time of the recitation of the Qur'an, believers ought to be in the state of grief and cry, or treat as if they are crying.(2) The holy verse continues saying:

" … When the revelations of the Beneficent (Allah) were recited unto them, they fell down prostrating and weeping."

This part of the verse means that from among those Allah guided and chose, there are some ones that when they hear the recitation of the revelations of Allah they fell down prostrating and weeping. Of course, the best referent of a concept of the divine chosen ones, who had long prostrations accompanied with tears, were the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) and his Immaculate Ahl-ul-Bayt (a.s.). There are some evidences for their abundant weeping in prostrations at the time of supplications in the month of Ramadan and in 'Arafah. It has been narrated from Hadrat Ali-ibn-il-Hussayn who said: "We are the objective-meaning of this verse."(3)

1- Majma'-ul-Bayan 2- Tafsir-us-Safi 3- The commentary of As-Safi, and Burhan

Yes, with all greatness and glory they had, they used to prostrate and weep for the remembrance of Allah, but the negligent and haughty people, with all pollutions they have, refrain from weeping.