Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
COMMENTS:
1. As we have already noticed, this Chapter, ‘the Repast,’ addresses in most part the Followers of (earlier) Compilation, both directly and indirectly, reminding them of their OWN obligations and their responsibility in upholding what had originally been Revealed to them. This is yet another indication that this Final Compilation was revealed for the benefit of all Humanity.
In today’s Reading, Verses 65-66 the Qur’an starts out by addressing them indirectly, saying:
“Had the People of (earlier) Compilation attained Faith (and trust) and been Aware, We would have covered (for them; erased) their misdeeds and entered them into Gardens of Bliss. Had they upheld the Torah and the Evangel, and what was revealed/made to descend unto them from their Lord, they would have partaken (of the blessings extended to them) from above them and from beneath their feet; Among them is a community which pursues a median course, and (as to) many of them, dire is what they are doing.
2. Then, the Messenger is addressed directly in Verses 67, and told to ‘proclaim/ announce’ what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and cautioned that if “… you did not (in fact) do so, you would, indeed, not have delivered His Message!…” Then the verse continues, as it directs him to proceed, assuring him that God shields him (as Messenger) from people (who would obstruct his delivery), and that God does not guide those who are Deniers.
Why the cautioning and the assurance? The Messenger knew his duty very well and would not have shirked the responsibility he was given, despite the dangers, but nevertheless: It probably felt uncomfortable to be the bearer of God’s ultimatums to the People of (earlier) Compilation who behaved as though they owned the truth, and more importantly, it must have been quite worrying that everyone’s aggression would stand in the way of him delivering it!
A note here: Remember when we said that there are verses in the Qur’an where the ‘voice’ of God is easily identifiable- dutifully received by His Messenger and then transmitted to the world?
These are such verses, where God warns, and His Messenger dutifully delivers despite being the object of such warning.
Verse 68 tells the Messenger to say: ‘..O People of the Compilation! You are (standing) on nothing, until you uphold the Torah and the Evangel and what was revealed to you/descended to you from your Lord..” and then continues to inform him, that what was revealed to him/descended to him from his Lord only increases them in tyranny and denial, and that he should not feel sorrow/assaa/أسى over the Denying People.[1]
Yusuf Ali tells tells us in his note that Moses was told the same thing, while Muhammad Asad tells us in his note that this indicates the necessity that they uphold what was in their original Compilation, including the prophecies of the Old Testament that related to the advent of Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him.
Narratives about earlier Messengers must have been very helpful to Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him: Among other things, they exposed truths and offered arguments to
support his Message, and offered guidance regarding experiences often similar or more difficult than his. They also provided him with comfort and solace.
3. Verse 69 is similar to HQ2:62, to which Muhamad Asad’s comment was that it recurs in the Qur’an several times and layd down a fundamental doctrine of Islam: “With a breadth of vision unparalleled in any other religious faith, the idea of “salvation” is here made conditional upon three elements only: belief in God, belief in the Day of Judgment, and righteous action in life.”
Verse 70 again mentions the ‘covenant/ solemn pledge’ (Ali/Asad) taken from Bani Isra’eel (as in HQ2:83; 2:84; 2:93- 3:187; 4:154; 4:155- 5:7; 5:12; 5:13), and that whenever they received Messengers whose instructions went against their desires, they either belied them (called them imposters), or killed them (as in HQ2:61; 3:21). And, thinking that ‘that there would be no trial (or punishment)/ no harm would befall them’ (Ali/Asad), they acted blind and deaf, then after God accepted their repentance, many of them acted blind and deaf, and God sees all that they do.
The ‘trial/harm’ mentioned here by Ali and Asad is the ‘Fitnah,’ trial by fire, which we spoke about on Day 15. Such a trial is one which distinguishes people by bringing out their inner truth.
4. The next few verses are highly significant in their definition of the role of Jesus, peace upon him, as Messenger of God, and their refutation of the claim of his later followers that ‘God is Christ the son of Mary’, or that God was in a Trinity.
Verse 72 begins, as did verse 17:
“Indeed, they have denied, those who said that God is Jesus son of Mary …”
The verse then goes on to state quite plainly that Jesus himself addressed Bani Isra’eel by name, telling them to “..worship God, my Lord and yours…” and then the verse asserts that whoever associates partners with God, unto him will God forbid the Garden, and his abode shall be the Fire, with none to support/help.
The next two verses (73-74) are just as powerful:
“Indeed, they have denied, those who said that God is the third of a Trinity, while there is no God except One God, and if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will indeed befall those who Denied among them a painful suffering! (73)
Will they not turn to God in repentance and ask His forgiveness, and God is Oft-Forgiving, Unceasingly Merciful?” (74)
5. Note: It is important here to remember two points which will reflect upon our understanding of Verse 91.
- the word ‘desist’ –‘yantahu’ ينتهوا in Verse 73.
- the interrogation in Verse 74
6. Verse 75 is interesting in that it mentions the daily needs of Jesus and Mary, peace upon them, implying that they were not ‘Heavenly Beings,’ since such beings would not require sustenance (see HQ11:70 about the angels who came to Abraham and wouldn’t eat):
“The Christ, son of Mary, was but a Messenger before whom had passed away other Messengers, and his mother a Siddeeqah/Woman of Truth, they both used to eat food, behold how we make our signs clear to them, then behold how they are deluded.”
7. Our Reading today ends with God telling Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Verse 76 to do the following, asking them an important question:
“Say, ‘Do you worship other than God, what neither has power to harm or to benefit you, while God is The All-Hearing, The All-Knowing ?”
Today’s reading should make us think about ourselves, rather than judging others. We might even ask ourselves:
Have WE been doing or saying anything similar to what God told us was said or done by people before us? Isn’t one reason why such verses are mentioned in the Qur’an so that we would be aware and not fall into any kind of ‘shirk?’ Let us try to rethink what we do and say.
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ5: 77-89
Peace unto all!
[1] It is interesting to ponder on the meaning of ‘assaa/أسى’ and compare it to Day 58’s ‘Huzn/حُزن’. Although they’re both about sorrow, the first is more of a difficult challenge, being related to rough terrain to be traversed. The second is related both to sorrow/assaa/أسى as well as to offering solace/consolation, muwaassaah/مواساة. Another difference which some linguists have cited, is that although the first may be tougher to traverse, it could eventually be overcome like any challenge, while the second might be more lagging. But reflecting on the second, one might also think that consolation helps overcome it.
Twice in this Sura (in 5:26 and now in 5:68), we heard of a Messenger of God’s feeling ‘assaa/sadness’ over his people; earlier it was Moses, and now it is Muhammad peace upon both.