Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
COMMENTS:
- In revisiting the topic of Qiblah, we understand in Verse 177 that the direction of prayer has nothing to do with forthcoming genuineness(‘Birr.’ Muhammad Asad calls it ‘Piety,’ while Yusuf Ali calls it ‘Righteousness.’ ‘Birr’ from the root-verb ‘barra’ means being genuine, forthcoming, true to oneself and others).[1]
And then the verse continues, telling us EXACTLY what Forthcoming Genuineness entails; listing beliefs, acts of benevolence and worship, character traits such as trustworthiness and perseverance …ending with the statement that SUCH are the those who indeed proved themselves true, and such are the Aware.
It is important that we look closely at this list and try to make ‘Birr’ our way of life.
- M. Asad’s note 146 is important, about freeing a person from ‘bondage.’ The words ‘fil riqaab’ denotes a yoke around one’s neck, which means that we should help to free others from the yokes which impede their full functioning, including debts.
- Verses 178-179 call upon the Faithful to seek justice in retribution. M. Asad’s explanation (foot-notes 147,148) are lengthy but worth reading as he offers a non-traditional explanation. Since this is the first time we discuss ‘human bondage,’ it might be a good idea to stress the fact that slavery was a historical reality all over the world at the time.[2] The Old Testament discusses this in many verses, among which are Leviticus 25:44, 46 (King James Version):
“Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids. And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever…” end quote from Old Testament.
At any rate, Faith is built on freedom, dignity, and the betterment of society which necessitates ensuring the well-being of all its members. The Qur’anic Message as well as its Messenger, peace upon him, encouraged people to free ‘abeed’ or ‘slaves,’ rather than to own them, and several ways were put forth to do so, even as cautionary measures were put in place to create a conflict between ownership and morality, until this abhorrent practice gradually disappeared. Nevertheless, it is important to always be vigilant about this issue; there still are other forms of human-trafficking taking place around the world.
- Verse 180-182 discuss Death, and the necessity (‘Kutiba aleykum’ means it’s an obligation) for those who have wealth, to bequeath a Will/WaSiyyah for the benefit of parents and the next of kin.
- In Verses 183 the Faithful are called upon to fast (notice here also the obligation ‘kutiba aleykum’), ‘just as those before you were ordained to do, so that you might be Aware.’ This indicates that fasting has always been an act of worship, its purpose being to enhance a worshipper’s awareness. The Qur’an mentions the fasting of Mary in HQ: 19:26, which God instructed her to do after the birth of Jesus, both as an act of worship and a defense-strategy. When she indicated she was fasting and did not respond to her people’s questions regarding the newborn, it was the infant Jesus who announced himself, thus absolving his mother of blame, and ensuring people’s acceptance of his miraculous birth and future mission as Messenger of God:
“So eat and drink and comfort yourself )cool your eye). And if you were to see any among mankind/bashar after that say, ‘I have vowed a fast to The Creator and will not speak today with any Cognizant Human/Insaan.”
Fasting is prescribed only for healthy, post-puberty individuals who are not travelling. Travelers and anyone with a temporary health setback must not fast, but should make up for the days they’ve missed when possible. There are several explanations to 185; read Muhammad Asad’s comments 156, 157.
- Verse 185 has so much that can be discussed, but we cannot do any verse justice in our brief study here together. All we can do is highlight a few words/concepts/statements/verses and ask Readers to continue on their own.
Please note the word ‘Iddah/Iddat,’ mentioned twice in this verse, which is about a ‘tally.’ People who are fasting must tally/count the days when they were unable to fast, to make up for them later. This ‘enumeration/tally’ will help us understand future verses where the same word ‘Iddah’ is mentioned.
This verse is all about the month of Ramadan which is to be fasted in honor of it being the time when the Qur’an was sent for the benefit of Cognizant Humans, to provide them with Guidance and Evidence, and the Standard by which truth and falsehood are to be judged.
It is believed that the entire Qur’an was delivered into Being, from its Divine Source, its Pure Origin, in Ramadan. This delivery into Being rendered it an ‘Arabi’ Qur’an, fit to be transported to, and understood by, Humanity HQ:43:1-3:
“Ha-Mim (1) By the Compilation that makes things clear (2) Verily We have rendered it an Arabi Qur’an[3] so that you may secure knowledge/comprehension. (3) And verily, it is in the Source of the Compilation, with Us, high in esteem and wisdom.”
It is also believed that the first verses ‘Iqra’!’ were revealed to the Messenger Muhammad peace upon him, in Ramadan 610 A.D. Thereafter, the Qur’an was revealed little by little, in verses/ayaat and chapters/Suras, during a period of 23 years until the Message was complete.
- Verse 186 is a beautiful statement in which God begins by telling His Messenger: “And if my worshippers[4] (Ibaad) ask you about me: I am indeed near…” Commentators have pointed out that God’s closeness to us forgoes His mentioning of the words ‘tell them I am near..,” and in fact, He tells us Himself. Let us read it, respond to Him, and follow the right way.
Enough said!
Our next reading is from verse 187-196.
Peace unto all.
[1] Like a fast steed, true to its name.
برّ: الصدق: صدَق فلانٌ وبَرَّ، وبَرَّتْ يمينُه صدَقت، وأَبَرَّها أمضاها على الصِّدق. ومن هذا الباب قولهم: هو يَبَرُّ ذا قرَابته، وأصله الصِّدق في المحبّة. يقال رجل بَرٌّ وبارٌّ. وبرِرْت والدي وبرِرْتُ في يميني. قال ابنُ الأعرابيّ: سألتُ أعرابيّاً: هل تعرفُ الجوادَ المُبِرّ من البطيء …..؟
[2] It is interesting to note that the word ‘slave,’ shortened from the Old French ‘esclave,’ is an eponym of the word ‘Slav,’ referring to the Slavonic people who were reduced to a servile state and held in bondage by the Byzantines (the western Roman Empire). As the Roman empire collapsed, the landowners/lords gradually replaced slavery with serfdom. Serfs were also unfree; they were in bondage as laborers, tied to the land. Human history is often shameful.
[3] The Quran – as mentioned of in its verses – is ‘Arabi/ عربي’ (HQ.12:2). ‘Arabi is unrelated to ethnicity, and is not what we would call ‘Arabic.’ ‘Arabi’ literally means ‘eloquently self-expressive,’ and is about articulate eloquence as opposed to inarticulate, A’jami. Little children are inarticulate; also animals: ‘ajmaa/عجماء’.
The Arabi Qur’an alone is the Divine Compilation to Muslims, and no translation or exegesis could ever take its place no matter how esteemed its exegete.
[4] ‘Ibaad’ is not the same as ‘abeed.’ Ibaad means worshippers, Abeed means slave/servants. God never calls us His slave-servants in the Qur’an. The only case in which ‘abeed’ is mentioned in the Qur’an refers to wrongdoers in the Hereafter, when they shall be ‘shackled’ to their own wrongs, forced to face the consequences of their deeds.