Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
After the closing verses of our last Reading (HQ7:157-158), I feel that I must begin by saluting all our dear Brothers and Sisters who made the leap of faith, not from one ‘religion’ to another (we now know that the concept of different ‘religions’ is flawed) but the leap to a higher level of awareness in their own inborn, intuitive, God-given, Standard of Accountability -‘دين’ /Deen.
If only more of us realized this and lived up to the Standard of Islam; we would be partners at peace with each other in Pure Reverence to God.
As Muhammad Asad said:
“Islam appears to me like a perfect work of architecture. All its parts are harmoniously conceived to complement and support each other; nothing is superfluous and nothing lacking; and the result is a structure of absolute balance and solid composure.”
Yusuf Ali’s Translation of this Chapter.
Muhammad Asad’s Translation of this Chapter.
COMMENTS:
1. Our Reading today starts with Verse 159 (of the previous page), in which we find that, OF مِن /min Moses’ followers there were indeed such people who guided others in the Truth and acted justly in light of it.
2. Verse 160 takes us back to the narrative of Prophet Moses, peace upon him, and his people, who were divided into twelve tribes. Such narratives bore lessons for the early Faithful, as Yusuf Ali tells us:
“We now come to some incidents in Jewish history, which have been referred to in Q2:57-60. Here they have special reference to their bearing on the times when early Islam was preached. The Twelve Tribes and the parable drawn from them have been explained in Q2:60.”
Asad tells us that these verses return us to the ‘MORAL HISTORY’ of Bani Isra-eel (Verse 160 explained by Asad.
Verses 161-162 tell us of God’s bounteous offerings, with the command that they enter the gate humbly/ in prostration, but they did not respond to that command, doing something else instead. They were ‘transgressors/those who were bent on wrongdoing’ (Ali/Asad).
3. Verse 163 begins another narrative, telling Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, to ask the Jews about a famous story which took place in a town by the sea, on a day of rest and stillness (see HQ2:65). ‘Sabt,’ سبت which in Arabic means ‘rest and stillness [1]’ also means Saturday when indicating a day of the week (still used in Arabic); in English it is the ‘Sabbath.’
Explained by Asad in full, here is an excerpt from his commentary:
“Since the Qur’ān does not mention the name of the town nor give any indication as to the historical period in which those offences were committed, it may be assumed that the story of the Sabbath-breakers (alluded to in several places in the Qur’ān) is a general illustration of the tendency, so often manifested by the children of Israel, to offend against their religious laws in pursuit of their passions or for the sake of worldly gain. Although, according to the teachings of Islam, the Mosaic dispensation has since been abrogated, the Qur’ān frequently points out its great role in the history of man’s monotheistic beliefs, and stresses again and again its (time-bound) importance as a means of enforcing spiritual discipline on the children of Israel.”
It is interesting to note that the word ‘Hoot’ from the verb ‘Hawata’ is about agitation and tilting/turning, and the lack of stability, as our lexicon tells us. [2] A Hoot is a big sea-creature/fish which is always moving and doesn’t stand still. The Arabs say: That person ‘haawatani’ meaning he outmaneuvered me.[3]
4. Verses 164-166 continue the narrative, which ends with the words as explained by Ali/Asad : ‘…and we said to them: Be ye apes despised and rejected/Be as apes despicable.’
We may remember that when the story was first mentioned in 2:265 and 5:60 that both our commentators consider the ‘qiradah’ (‘apes) to be metaphorical. Others said it was literal. For me the importance is in the story itself and its aftermath where: Each deed gets its consequence in kind.
However, doing IQRA! we would be remiss if we don’t look to the linguistic root ‘qarada’ and its meaning wherein -as always- lies the truth. Here we are in for a surprise:
The earlier lexicon of Ibn Faris doesn’t speak of ‘apes’ at all, [4] but rather of the verb ‘qarada’ being about something intermittently gathered, someone fearful and humiliated, and also of tricking other people to benefit from their misfortune.
Each of these is very interesting!
The word ‘qiradah’ in the Qur’an is followed by ‘khaasi’een’[5] which refers to banishment, leading me to understand that God is declaring them to break apart and be humiliated, and God knows best.
It is interesting to note that a century after Ibn Faris, the first meaning in Al Isfahani’s lexicon is that of apes, listed even before the linguistic meaning of the root-verb.
5. Referring back to verses 157-158 which were speaking about the Messenger, and telling him to announce himself:
Some might have considered these verses to be ‘an interpolation’- a change of subject- in the middle of all the on Moses and his followers.. but no!
I think these narratives are directly related to the fact that this Qur’anic Message and its Messenger, are here to ‘relieve the burden and release the shackles’ borne by those who had been THE Faithful on this earth, prior to its arrival! We may think that these stories only serve as timeless warnings… but perhaps we should also see them as invitations!
Isn’t God speaking here to people whose burdens were great, whether by their inherited laws (such as the Jews) or by their inherited beliefs (such as the Christians who believe in original sin where even a newborn is damned)?
In commanding His Messenger to ask the Jews of such stories, and then actually giving them details even they did not know of… wasn’t God showing them the Truth of this Message AND its purpose as a route to their deliverance?
We can see that more clearly when we realize, that PUNISHMENT for breach of the Sabbath was DEATH under Mosaic Law, as explained by Yusuf Ali:
“The punishment for breach of the Sabbath under the Mosaic law was death. “Every one that defieth it (the Sabbath) shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.” (Exod. xxxi. 14).
6. Verses 167-168 take us to even later generations, among whom were the goodly/virtuous/principled people and those less so. (Here we find ourselves on familiar ground; this could be a description of us…) Both were tried with prosperity and adversity, which actually were opportunities for them to return to God!
7. Then Verse 169 tells us of those who ‘inherited the Compilation..’ (we must disregard Ali’s word in brackets: ‘evil.’ Inheriting anything, in itself, makes us take it for granted!).
Indeed, if we saw the timelessness of these verses, we would NOT limit them to the tribes they mention alone, but would see much resemblance in ourselves today. WE have literally inherited the Compilation… and are now going the same way, despite having read, and studied, and pledged ourselves to what it holds. Amongst us are those who consider themselves beyond reproach, to be forgiven because of our ‘heritage’– each to our specific sect, of course! The ending says it all: the Home of the Hereafter is best for the AWARE- do we not secure comprehension??!!
Let us be of ‘those who cling fast to the Compilation and uphold the Communion’ (with God and His creation).
God does not allow, to be lost, any rewards of those who do ISlaah; the MuSliHeen/ Rectifiers/Ameliorators.’
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ 7: 171-187
Have a Blessed Weekend!
Peace unto all!
سبت: يدلُّ على راحةٍ وسكون. يقال للسَّير السهل اللّين. سَبْتٌ [1]
[2] That may be why some would consider ‘Heetaanuhum/حيتانهم /THEIR Heetaan (plural of Hoot) to be their fishing boats, and not their fish: The word ‘Heetanuhum’ clearly indicates the Heetaan were theirs but since the fish in the ocean belong to no one and cannot be designated as ‘theirs,’ then -as they say- it’s about the fishing-boats which are bobbing about in the sea.
This narrative is ‘gheyb’ to us and cannot be proven one way or the other. Let us simply learn from the lesson it gives us, for God knows best.
[3] حَوَتَ: مِنَ الِاضْطِرَابِ وَالرَّوَغَانِ، فَالْحُوتُ الْعَظِيمُ مِنَ السَّمَكِ، وَهُوَ مُضْطَرِبٌ أَبَدًا غَيْرُ مُسْتَقِرٍّ. وَالْعَرَبُ تَقُولُ: حَاوَتَنِي فُلَانٌ، إِذَا رَاوَغَنِي.
[4] قَرَدَ: أَصْلٌ صَحِيحٌ يَدُلُّ عَلَى تَجَمُّعٍ فِي شَيْءٍ مَعَ تَقَطُّعٍ. مِنْ ذَلِكَ السَّحَابُ الْقَرِدُ: الْمُتَقَطِّعُ فِي أَقْطَارِ السَّمَاءِ يَرْكَبُ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضًا. وَالصُّوفُ الْقَرِدُ: الْمُتَدَاخِلُ بَعْضُهُ فِي بَعْضٍ. وَكُلُّ هَذَا قِيَاسُهُ وَاحِدٌ. وَمِمَّا يَشْتَقُّونَهُ مِنْ لَفْظِ الْقُرَادِ: أَقْرَدَ الرَّجُلُ: لَصِقَ بِالْأَرْضِ مِنْ فَزَعٍ أَوْ ذُلٍّ. وَقَرِدَ: سَكَتَ. وَمِنْهُ قَرَّدْتُ الرَّجُلَ تَقْرِيدًا، إِذَا خَدَعْتَهُ لِتُوقِعَهُ فِي مَكْرُوهٍ.
Qarada: About something that is intermittently gathered. From that we get the ‘qarid’ clouds, tufts broken apart in places across the sky, wool that is ‘qarid’ is matted wool… all these words revert to one meaning. If a person ‘aqrada’ it means he clung to the ground in fear or in humiliation. If he ‘qarida’ it means he fell silent, and if someone ‘qarada’ someone else it means that he tricked him so he’s fall into misfortune.
[5] خَسَأَ: يَدُلُّ عَلَى الْإِبْعَادِ. يُقَالُ خَسَأْتُ الْكَلْبَ. وَفِي الْقُرْآنِ: {قَالَ اخْسَئُوا فِيهَا وَلَا تُكَلِّمُونِ} [المؤمنون: 108] ، كَمَا يُقَالُ ابْعُدُوا.