Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
Dear Readers, congratulations are in order! We have now studied together 1/4th of the Qur’an!
Today we will attempt to arrive at an understanding of several important concepts, so do wear your ‘thinking caps!’
COMMENTS:
1. In today’s Reading, Verses 143-144 ridicule other superstitions and customs among the idol-worshipping tribes of the time, related to what they allege that God has forbidden them to eat of their livestock. The latter part of verse 144 asks them whether they were witnesses to God enjoining that, and states – by way of a question- that no one could be more of a wrong-doer than someone who fabricates a lie, attributing it to God, so as to misguide people without knowledge. Indeed, God does not guide the People who are Wrongdoers!
These verses are interesting in that they discuss self-imposed food restrictions which are falsely attributed to God. This is something to remember when we speak of ‘halal and haram.’[1]
2. In Verse 145 the Messenger Muhammad, peace upon him, is commanded to say that he has NOT FOUND among all the information/revelation imparted to him ANYTHING FORBIDDEN to a consumer to consume, OTHER THAN carrion, spilled blood, and the flesh of swine; for it is indeed turmoil (rijs; consuming it causes one’s turmoil, or it is in itself a sign of one’s turmoil) OR it is desertion/betrayal (fisq; a breach of faith) slaughtered in the name of other than God (as in HQ6:121).
However, whoever partakes (of any of these 4 forbidden items) out of necessity, with no self-inclination or indulgence, God is Forgiving and Unceasingly Merciful.
Rijs: Taking the word ‘rijs/رجس’ in context – and cross-referencing it in Tanzil- we find it appears 9 times, and indicates an opposition to, or a Disconnect in, Faith and Trust, as in HQ10:100 and in our ‘scientific marvel’ 6:125 …That is how God brings about Turmoil upon those who do not have Faith and Trust.” Remember when we discussed earlier, that abstention from the ‘forbidden’ is a Non-negotiable Act of Worship?
Notice that what is considered ‘turmoil’ are the first three, which we are forbidden from, but might find anywhere. As for animal sacrifices to deities/idols, these are NOT readily available, but are slaughtered at certain times/places with specific rituals involved. If anyone were to willingly consume something known to be dedicated to other than God, it would not be turmoil, but a straightforward Breach/ Desertion/Betrayal of Faith and Trust ‘fisq’ فسق -which would denote that person’s point of no return (see fisq فسق in Tanzil; note the difference between ‘rijs’ and ‘fisq.’ ‘Fisq’ describes Iblees’ point of no return in HQ18:50 and the Deniers point of no return in HQ10:33)!
It is important for us, as people of Faith, not to ask ‘why’ regarding these prohibitions in our diet. We could seek justification in all kinds of ‘proven’ scientific data, but none of that would give us a timeless, conclusive answer;[2] final justification lies simply in WORSHIP.
Ibaadah/.عبادة
Being a sincere ‘Abd means:
Acknowledgement and Acquiescence.
Remember what we said in earlier postings, that a faithful person will not need -nor will the Qur’an provide- ANY grounds to justify WHY these foods were forbidden (unlike the explanations provided for intoxicants which offer leeway for the use of medicinal drugs, see Blog Post Day 18 Posting Jan. 20, 21).
3. Although, today, offerings to deities do not concern us, for Those Who had Attained Faith in Mecca, these were staples of the idolatrous life they were born into, often placing them in life or death situations: A mere refusal to eat of a sacrificial animal PUBLICIZED their faith, at a time when the chieftains of Mecca were vicious in their attempt to nip it in the bud. It was dangerous for the vulnerable people of Faith (women, slaves, servants) to show themselves, which is why most of those who followed the Messenger had not gone open about this, yet. Nevertheless, it was a STANCE that had to be taken: A Faithful person can only conduct his/her life in God’s Name.
4. Verse 146 mentions some of the foods that became forbidden to “Those Who Haadoo/ Allatheena Haadoo/[3]الذين هادوا (a term we usually translate simply as ‘the Jews,’ without specifying the different terminology between that, and another term, ‘Al Yahood/ ‘…اليهود).[4]
This verse tells us that the reason behind this additional charge put upon them was in recompense for their wrongdoing ‘beghi/بغي’[5]
Muhammad Asad refers readers to the Old Testament, Leviticus vii, 23.
5. Verse 147 concludes the ‘Forbidden Foods’ section of this entire Chapter Al An’aam, telling the Messenger that even if they (the people mentioned in previous verses) belied him (calling him a liar), he should say: “Your Lord is of Mercy All-Inclusive/All-embracing, yet His “Ba’ss/” بأس hard-hitting, dire recompense[6] can never be averted from the Evil-Earners-‘mujrims’ (see Blog Day 54 and Blog Day 67 for definition of Mujrim).
6. Verses 148-149 hold a statement made by Those who Shirk God, in which they said, “If God had shaa’/شاء/willed it, we would not have shirked Him (by associating partners with him)…”[7]
This verse is important in that it shows us how unacceptable their statement is, indicating that their lack of faith is not their choice, arguing that God could have made them people of faith.
But isn’t this what so many believe, often avoiding responsibility for failures by saying: “It is/was God’s will … not mine..”
Verse 150 shows us TO WHOM belongs the final ‘argument/evidence’ (Ali/Asad): It is God’s.
It is best to read the two explanations and their commentaries to get the viewpoints of Ali and Asad on this very important discussion of ‘free will:’ How free are we, really?
The way I see this today, after my attempts at understanding is:
Just as God is Limitless in His attributes, He is also limitless in what He offers Humanity as possibilities.
Whenever we have a few possibilities to choose from, the choice we make becomes a reality which opens up another set of possibilities. So our choices are NOT predestined, but rather, they are Defined; in other words, the EXISTENCE of each choice is DEPENDENT on all the choices we made before it.
We have in the famous incident between Omar Ibn al Khattab and Abu Ubaydah Ibn al Jarrah the best example. This ‘hadeeth’ was narrated by Bukhari:
“Umar ibn al-Khattab set out for Al Shaam (Syria) and when he was at Sargh, near Tabuk, the army commander, Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah and his companions, met him, and told him that the plague had broken out in Al Shaam.
Ibn Abbas related, “Umar ibn al-Khattab said, ‘call first the Emigrants/Muhaajireen unto me.’
He assembled them and asked them for advice, informing them that the plague had broken out in Al Shaam. Their opinions differed.
Some said, ‘You have set out for something, and we do not think that you should leave it.’
Others said, ‘You have the companions of the Prophet, peace upon him, and the rest of the people with you, and we do not think that you should send them towards this plague.’
Umar said, ‘Leave me.’ Then he said, ‘Summon the Ansaar/ Helpers/Supporters to me.’
They were summoned and he asked them for advice. They offered similar arguments to the Ansaar.
He said, ‘Leave me.’ “Then he said, ‘Summon to me whoever is here of the aged men of Qureysh from the Muhajireen.’
He summoned them and not one of them differed.
They said, ‘We think that you should withdraw the people and not send them towards the plague.’
Umar called out to the people, ‘I am leaving by camel in the morning,’ so they set out.
Abu Ubayda said, ‘Is it flight from the Qadar of God?’
Umar said, ‘Better that someone other than you had said that, Abu Ubayda.
Yes. We flee from the Qadar of God to the Qadar of God!
What would you think if these camels had gone down into a valley which had two slopes, one of them fertile, and the other barren. If you pastured in the fertile part, wouldn’t you pasture them by the Qadar of God? If you pastured them in the barren part, wouldn’t you pasture them by the Qadar of God?’[8]
That is how I see this issue:
BOTH ‘pastures’ are in God’s ‘Qadar,’ but the CHOICE of pasture is OURS.
The possibilities God offers us are limitless.
In this lowly, immediate life we collectively taste much of the consequences of human action and inaction, although God causes much of what should befall us to dissipate without harm as in HQ 42:30 (our bodies, flora and fauna, the earth itself and its resources.. everything in God’s Creation is programmed to mend itself, and so it does unless interrupted).
We all have possibilities to choose from, each choice opening up another set of choices. Our choices are not predestined, but rather, the sequence which follows each choice is defined by its own nature, following God’s Sunna of Creation.
In short, everything we do conforms to realities of cause, effect, and consequence, but the choices are ours.
This is what individuals who evade responsibility must understand!
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ6:151-165
Peace unto all!
[1] See Blog Day 54, where we read about what is ‘halaal/unbound/permissible’ for consumption, where the Messenger peace upon him is to tell people that everything wholesome is allowed, and that God’s name should be mentioned upon what one eats, and to be aware of God, for He is swift in keeping count, and renders to each their account-record!
[2] We know today that pig-meat, pork -which had always been deemed not very healthy to eat due to fat content and other issues- is now processed, produced and promoted as the ‘other white meat,’ approved health-wise, but INVIOLABLE to us nevertheless.
[3] Al Qurtubi says that ‘Allatheen Haadoo’ are those who became ‘Yahood,’ related to Yahootha, the eldest son of Jacob, peace upon him.
Al Tabari says that the word ‘haadoo’ means ‘repented,’ and refers to the statement they made in HQ 7:96 where they said: “…. We have ‘hudnaa/repented/ turned’ unto You…”
القرطبي في تفسير قوله تعالى {والذين هادوا}:
“معناه صاروا يهوداً، نسبوا إلى يهوذا وهو أكبر ولد يعقوب عليه السلام…”
الطبري:
“وأما ” الذين هادوا ” فهم اليهود. ومعنى: ” هادوا “، تابوا. يقال منه: ” هاد القوم يهودون هودا وهادة “. وقيل: إنما سميت اليهود ” يهود “، من أجل قولهم: إِنَّا هُدْنَا إِلَيْكَ. [سورة الأعراف: 156].
[4] The Qur’an differentiates between different groups of people by giving them different ‘titles;’ we should try to at least observe the existence of these distinctions although it is hard for us to note the difference between, for example:
Bani Isra’eel/ بني إسرائيل… versus Al Yahood/ اليهود…. versus Allatheena Hadoo/ الذين هادوا
For now, let’s just start by acknowledging the distinction which exists in the Arabic, and try not to lose it by simply saying ‘Jews.’
[5] The root-verb ‘baghaya’ has two denotations, the first is to seek and ask for something -as in to ‘want after it’- regardless of whether it is good or bad (the Qur’an has instances of both, ‘wanting after’ something positive or something negative).
The second denotation is negative, indicating a kind of corruption -as in wrongdoing, oppression, and harlotry. Anything leading to corruption can be called ‘beghi,’ as in a wound that doesn’t heal, or even rain when it becomes excessive and causes damage.
بغَيَ: أَصْلَانِ: أَحَدُهُمَا طَلَبُ الشَّيْءِ، وَالثَّانِي جِنْسٌ مِنَ الْفَسَادِ.
فَمِنَ الْأَوَّلِ بَغَيْتُ الشَّيْءَ أَبْغِيهِ: إِذَا طَلَبْتَهُ….وَالْبُغْيَةُ وَالْبِغْيَةُ الْحَاجَةُ. وَتَقُولُ: مَا يَنْبَغِي لَكَ أَنْ تَفْعَلَ كَذَا.
وَالْأَصْلُ الثَّانِي: قَوْلُهُمْ بَغَى الْجُرْحُ: إِذَا تَرَامَى إِلَى فَسَادٍ، ثُمَّ يُشْتَقُّ مِنْ هَذَا مَا بَعْدَهُ.
-فَالْبَغِيُّ الْفَاجِرَةُ، تَقُولُ بَغَتْ تَبْغِي بِغَاءً، وَهِيَ بَغِيٌّ.
-وَمِنْهُ أَنْ يَبْغِيَ الْإِنْسَانُ عَلَى آخَرَ.
-وَمِنْهُ بَغْيُ الْمَطَرِ، وَهُوَ شِدَّتُهُ وَمُعْظَمُهُ… وَإِذَا كَانَ ذَا بَغْيٍ فَلَا بُدَّ أَنْ يَقَعَ مِنْهُ فَسَادٌ.
وَالْبَغْيُ: الظُّلْمُ.
[6] Ba’ss is not primarily about dire recompense, but that’s the way to read it here. Ba’ss is primarily about hard-hitting experiences such as war and need. When it is ‘sent by God,’ it is about dire recompense for those who deserve it. See what Al Ragheb Al Isfahani says:
البُؤْسُ والبَأْسُ والبَأْسَاءُ: الشدة والمكروه، إلا أنّ البؤس في الفقر والحرب أكثر، والبأس والبأساء في النكاية، نحو: وَاللَّهُ أَشَدُّ بَأْساً وَأَشَدُّ تَنْكِيلًا [النساء/ 84] ، فَأَخَذْناهُمْ بِالْبَأْساءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ [الأنعام/ 42] ، وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْساءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ [البقرة/ 177] ، وقال تعالى:
بَأْسُهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ شَدِيدٌ [الحشر/ 14]
[7] We spoke on Day 72 about the TWO different Arabic words which we translate as ‘God’s Will’:
What God ‘yashaa2/يشاء’ versus what God ‘yureed/ يريد ’ and said we’ll just point out to them for now.
[8] نَعَمْ نَفِرُّ مِنْ قَدَرِ اللَّهِ إِلَى قَدَرِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ ، أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ كَانَ لَكَ إِبِلٌ فَهَبَطَتْ وَادِيًا لَهُ عُدْوَتَانِ إِحْدَاهُمَا خَصْبَةٌ وَالأُخْرَى جَدْبَةٌ أَلَيْسَ إِنْ رَعَيْتَ الْخَصْبَةَ رَعَيْتَهَا بِقَدَرِ اللَّهِ ؟