Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
COMMENTS:
1. These verses relate to some among the People of (earlier) Compilation, not all. Such persons did not take their entire compilation to heart, but rather, took only the self-serving parts of it. Muhammad Asad points out in note 66 that this is because they considered themselves God’s ‘Chosen.’
But these verses must stand for all time, and will fit ANY who take only the self-serving parts of their Compilation and ignore- or wrongfully interpret -the other parts.
Yusuf Ali tells us in note 570: “The sanctimonious or self-sanctified people are the farthest from sanctity or purity, which can only proceed from God.”
2. Verses 51-55 are about such persons, who received ‘a portion of the Compilation’ نصيبا من الكتاب- and who believe in “sorcery and evil/baseless mysteries and the powers of evil” (Y. Ali/M. Asad). Asad puts it in today’s terminology, saying “الجبت” could be fanciful ideas (delusions أوهام – دجل) while “طاغوت” could be ‘Superstition,’ as in omens, foretelling the future, etc.
Frankly speaking dear Reader, I fear that many of us who call ourselves ‘Muslim’ are being taken that way, as one can tell by the promulgation of satellite channels that discuss Magic and Genies, as well as what one editor told me about the types of books that are best-selling amongst Muslims, many of whom do not realize that a ‘jinn’ in Arabic is any unseen thing,[1] even nighttime is ‘jan,’ and that certain Prophetic sayings (such as cover your food from ‘jinns,’ or do not urinate in a hole in the ground) were referring to unseen, yet stealthy and dangerous creatures, such as bacteria and snakes!
How many of us know that the word ‘Jannah’ (Garden-Paradise) is so named because it is ‘enclosed’ from view? Or that God did indeed name Moses’ staff (which became a serpent) a ‘Jaan,’ جان not once, but twice (HQ27:10; 28:31), or that Muslims were the first to build Psychiatric Hospitals stating that people suspected of being ‘touched or possessed by jinn’ needed mental care?[2]
Aren’t we in fact, Cognizant Humans?
Despite that, do we give anyone but God power to benefit or harm us?
Is there any ‘Shirk’ in our worship of Him?
I will leave the answer to your judgment; I will only say this:
God’s verses are for us; they caution us in everything that matters, and we must heed them.
Back to our verses:
Is a share of God’s Dominion theirs alone? If indeed it was, they would be so tightfisted that they would not part with any amount, even if small enough to be measured by the groove of a date-pit نقيرا. What an eloquent similitude.
3. Verses 56-57 contrast the ultimate fate of those who had spent their worldly life in Denial (and misdeeds against others as understood from context), and those who had spent it in Faith and trust and good deeds. The first Fateful picture paints the worst horror your mind could ever imagine. We know that the pain experienced by burn victims is among the worst known to man, and even superficial burns, which are un-blistered (commonly called first-degree burns), are painful. In a second-degree burn, which is a partial-thickness burn, the outermost skin layer (the epidermis), and the uppermost part of the dermis are damaged, and peripheral nerve endings become exposed in the damaged dermal layer. That is extremely painful.
Then, in verse 57 we get the contrasting picture; one of Heavenly Bliss! And what is Heaven without someone close to share it with? Such verses are described in Arabic commentaries as ‘Tarheeb/ Dissuasion’ versus ‘Targheeb/Persuasion,’ and we often see such verses following one another in the Qur’an.
Blending the explanations of Y. Ali and M. Asad:
“But those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds We shall bring into gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide beyond the count of time; there shall they have purified companions: and We shall admit them to cool shade ever deepening (happiness increasing).”
4. Verse 58 is a most beautiful COMMAND, oft-quoted but unfortunately NOT oft-practiced! The importance of Trusts, and Ruling with Justice, which God Himself says is ‘the best of instruction!’ Read Asad’s note 75.
5. Verse 59 is a call to Those Who Attained Faith to obey God and to obey His Messenger and people of authority from amongst themselves. It is understood from the last part that the authority we should obey is one we have chosen (probably by consultation –shura شورى HQ42:38) from amongst ourselves and whom we have authorized. Institutions, legislations… all authorities we set up to serve us deserve our full compliance.
Does that apply to the laws of ANY country?
We must use our higher judgment as Cognizant Humans:
· A person of faith would naturally obey the law of the land they deem fit to reside in.
· A person of faith is someone who best models their Faith, someone who is always AN ASSET, never a liability.
6. Verses 60-63 are about hypocrites, as is much of this Chapter. Here is where we first hear the word ‘Hypocrites’ or ‘Munaafiqeen,’ منافقين– منافقون (although they were well-described in HQ2:8-20, 3:167-168).
Hypocrites are called ‘munaafiqeen,’ from the root-verb ‘nafaqa’ which denotes two things, the second being the one we are looking at.[3] This so well-describes hypocrites:
A ‘nafaq’ is an outlet or tunnel; a ‘nafqaa-نفقاء ’ is the hidden exit to a rodent’s burrow, camouflaged from the outside, when exiting or entering, the rodent hits against it with its head, and jumps in or out!
Isn’t Arabic beautiful?
The Munafiqeen scurry in and out between light and darkness (HQ2:20), having turned away from Faith and Trust in God, while pretending they haven’t. Their true beliefs lie deep inside their burrows, and when out in the open, they must be masters of deception so as to escape from duty and responsibility. Their conveniently camouflaged tunnels ‘anfaaq’ enable them to do that, and they dive into the closest burrow whenever needed!
Verse 63 tells us how the Messenger, peace upon him, was told to deal with them; the tolerance here is remarkable! In fact, this is what true tolerance is:
Knowing with certainty the dangers these underground enemies pose, yet advising them and telling them in clear terms that he knows what is going on, yet turning away from them and letting them be!
Verse 64 calls for an obedience that these Hypocrites owe to the Messenger, illustrating his high esteem with regard to God. No matter what wrong one had committed against oneself, having the Messenger in their midst was a chance for forgiveness not to be missed.
Verse 65 vows that they shall never be people of Faith and Trust until they consider the Messenger:
– “…judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against his decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction” (Y. Ali).
– “ …a judge of all on which they disagree among themselves, and then find in their hearts no bar to an acceptance of thy decision and give themselves up [to it] in utter self-surrender” (M. Asad)..
Each of them is required to ‘yussallim/give in,’ in utter ‘tassleem/submission.’[4]
No wonder that those of them who missed that chance and physically attempted to harm him and the Faithful were warned of the torment of Hellfire!
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ4:66-79.
Peace unto all!
[1] جن: السَّتْر والتستُّر. فالجنَّة ما يصير إليه المسلمون في الآخرة، وهو ثواب مستورٌ عنهم اليومَ. والجَنّة البستان، وهو ذاك لأنّ الشجر بِوَرَقه يَستُر. والجنين: الولد في بطن أُمّه. والجنين: المقبور. والجَنَان: القَلْب. والمِجَنُّ: الترسُ. وكلُّ ما استُتر به من السِّلاح فهو جُنَّة. والجِنّة: الجنون؛ وذلك أنّه يغطِّي العقل. وجَنَانُ الليل: سوادُه وسَتْرُه الأشياءَ. والجنُّ سُمُّوا بذلك لأنهم متستِّرون عن أعيُنِ الخَلْق. قال الله تعالى: {إِنَّهُ يَرَاكُمْ هُوَ وَقَبِيلُهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا تَرَوْنَهُمْ} [الأعراف 27].
[2] “Inspired by fact that the Qur’an decreed the necessity of providing humane treatment for the insane, the first specialist institutions for the care of the mad appeared in Islamic regions. These hospitals, called maristans, were well regarded with European travellers reporting back on their wonder at the care and kindness shown to lunatics. The first such documented hospital for the insane was built in Cairo by Ahmad ibn Tulun in 872.”
[3] نفق: يدلُّ على انقطاعِ شيءٍ وذَهابه، وإخفاءِ شيءٍ وإغماضِه.
فالأوَّل: نَفَقَت الدّابةُ نُفوقاً: ماتت، ونفَق الشيءُ: فني. .. والنَّفَقة لأنَّها تمضي لوجهها. وأنْفَق الرّجُل: افتَقَر، أي ذهب ما عِندَه. قال ابنُ الأعرابي: ومنه قوله تعالى: {إذاً لأَمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ الإنْفَاقِ} [الإسراء 100].
الآخر النَّفَق: سَرَبٌ في الأرض لـه مَخْلَصٌ إلى مكان. والنَّافقاء: موضِعٌ يرقِّقه اليَربوعُ من جُحْرِه فإذا أُتِيَ من قِبَل القاصعاء ضَرَب النَّافقاءَ برأسه فانتفَقَ، أي خرج. ومنه اشتقاق النِّفاق، لأن صاحبَه يكتُم خلافَ ما يُظهِر، فكأن الإيمان يَخرُج منه، أو يخرج هو من الإيمانِ في خفاء. ويمكن أنَّ الأصلَ في الباب واحد، وهو الخُرُوجُ. والنَّفَق: المَسلك النَّافذ الذي يُمكن الخروجُ منه.
[4] Hypocrites allege to be Muslims of Those Who Attained Faith, hence they were not asked to ‘yusslim/become Muslim’ and enter ‘Islam.’ They were asked to ‘yussallim/submit’ in utter ‘tassleem/submission.’ This is a good way to recognize the distinction between these two concepts, especially since Islam, having become known these days as ‘Submission,’ seems to have lost an integral part of its definition related to purity from fault.
Asad’s note here: “This verse lays down in an unequivocal manner the obligation of every Muslim to submit to the ordinances which the Prophet, under divine inspiration, promulgated with a view to exemplifying the message of the Qur’ān and enabling the believers to apply it to actual situations. These ordinances constitute what is described as the sunnah (lit., “way”) of the Prophet Muhammad, and have (whenever they are authenticated beyond any possibility of doubt) full legal force side by side with the Qur’ān: see verse 80 of this sūrah.