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

Commentary : Verse 64

64- وَمَا نَتَنَزَّلُ إِلاَّ بِاَمْرِ رَبّـِكَ لَهُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِينَا وَمَا خَلْفَنَا وَمَا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ نَسِيّاً

  1. " And we (angels) do not descend but by the command of your Lord; to Him belongs whatever is before us and whatever is behind us and whatever is between these (two)! And your Lord is not forgetful."

Occasions of Revelation:

Upon the preceding verse, a group of commentators have said that the descent of the revelations of Allah was discontinued for a few days, Gabriel, the harbinger of divine revelation, did not come to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) . After this period, when Gabriel came to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) he asked him why he delayed and he (the Prophet) was anxious to see him. Gabriel said: "I am more anxious (to see you), but I am a commissioned servant. When I am commanded to come, I come; and when I am not commanded, I restrain (to come)."(1)

Commentary:

For these verses, of course, there is a particular occasion of revelation, which was referred to in the above, but this matter does not hinder that there be a logical connection and relation between them and the former verses. This is an emphasis on

1- The Commentary of Qurtabi, vol. 6, p.4168, and Majma'-ul-Bayan

the fact that whatever verses Gabriel has brought are utterly from the side of Allah and nothing is said from himself.

The first verse, from the tongue of the harbinger of revelation, says:

" And we (angels) do not descend but by the command of your Lord; …"

Every thing belongs to Him and we (angels) are some servants all submitted, because:

"… to Him belongs whatever is before us and whatever is behind us and whatever is between these (two)! …"

In short, the future and the past and present, here and there and everywhere, this world and Hereafter and the intermediate world all belong to the Pure Essence of Allah.

And, you should also do know that your Lord has not been, and is not, forgetful. The verse says:

"…And your Lord is not forgetful."

Commentary : Verse 65

65- رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فَاعْبُدْهُ وَاصْطَبِرْ لِعِبَادَتِهِ هَلْ تَعْلَمُ لَهُ سَمِيّاً

  1. " The Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them; so worship Him (alone), and be steadfast in His worship! Do you know any one equal to Him?"

Commentary:

This Qur'anic phrase which says whether you know any one equal to Him, means whether you know any god, except Allah, who can be the Lord, the creator, the sustainer, the life giver, the one who causes to die, and is able to give retribution and reward, so that you worship him. If you do not know any one except Him, then worship Him, and do not abandon His adoration.

This interrogation is in the sense of negation, i.e., you do not know any one who can be called Allah.

The verse says:

" The Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them; so worship Him (alone), and be steadfast in His worship! Do you know any one equal to Him?"

Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.), in a tradition Upon the meaning of this phrase, said: "None has been named by the appellation of Allah".(1)

However, there have been recorded several meanings for the Arabic term /samiyy/, including: 'partner', 'similar', 'namesake', and 'offspring'.

1- Tauhid, by Sadugh, p. 263

The existence of the term /rabbika/ (your Lord) in the previous verse, and the term /rabb-us-samawat-i-wal-'ard/ (the Lord of the heavens and the earth) in this verse is an indication to the Unity of administrationship in running the life of man with the whole universal being.