Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
In our last Reading we encountered the topic of ‘magic,’ and realized the Qur’an defined it as ‘visual deception’ plus apprehension رهبة /rahbah.
This shows us the importance of COGNIZANCE (being cognizant both of the deception AND cognizant of the Arabic meaning of words).
COMMENTS:
PAGE 165:
1. Verses 117-120 (page 164) quite briefly describe what Moses did, and how Pharaoh and his chieftains were impacted, and the surprising reaction of the Magicians.
In just a few words we learn that Moses threw his staff and it swallowed up their ‘falsehoods/deceptions’ (Ali/Asad); that truth was ‘confirmed/established,’ and vain were their deeds; and that they were utterly vanquished and demeaned.
Then in only three, highly expressive words, we are told that the Magicians threw themselves to the ground, prostrating 79:2 (وألقي السحرة ساجدين)
And they said: “We have Faith (and Trust) in the Lord-Sustainer of the Worlds. The Lord-Sustainer of Moses and Aaron!” (Verses 120-121, page 165.)
What happened?
The Magicians immediately realized, as Asad says in note 89, that “the act of Moses was a genuine miracle, whereas that of the sorcerers was a feat of make-believe.”
2. Verses 123-126 narrate the exchange that subsequently took place between Pharaoh and the Magicians, and we note the gravity and splendor of the latter’s transformation into most ardent men of faith, exemplary in their fortitude and forbearance! They meet Pharaoh’s vow of dire consequences with a resigned, calm attitude of forbearance, announcing to everyone that they are turning back/reverting/returning to their Lord-Sustainer (God), in defiance of Pharaoh’s assertion that HE was their Highest Lord (HQ 79:24). This announcement that indeed to their Lord-Sustainer they are ‘munqaliboon/منقلبون’ is quite a literal spiritual return and a physical overturn,[1] which the Qur’an reaffirmed on their behalf in HQ26:50.
But this statement appears three times in the Qur’an: Twice as the words of the magicians as we noted above, and once as part of the prayer (Du’aa of Safar/Travel) which WE are taught to say (HQ43:13-14) whenever we get on board a vehicle or onto a mount to go somewhere.
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُون
“Subhaan-allathi sakh-khara lana haatha wama kunna lahu muqrineena wa inna ila Rabbina La-munqaliboon”
Our Lord-Sustainer is our true direction, no matter to which ‘direction’ we may seem to be facing!
To Him is our journey, towards Him it has always been, for it is He to Whom is all motivation, all TasbeeH, whether we Cognizant Humans realize this and do so willingly or unwillingly.
Such an announcement made willingly by our tongue and with full conviction of heart/mind serves to reassure us at the level of our FiTrah/natural, inborn disposition, maintaining the wellness of our complete Being, and putting us in sync with God’s Creation. Nothing is as rejuvenating as tapping into our pre-ageing, pre-natal, pre-worldly source!
They then inform Pharaoh that his eagerness to hurt them was simply because of his need to avenge himself seeing that -as soon as their Lord-Sustainer’s Signs appeared to them, they had faith and trust in them!
And they make a most beautiful supplication to their Lord, in anticipation of what they shall face of suffering and imminent death.
Their supplication is worth memorizing:
ربنا أفرغ علينا صبراً وتوفنا مسلمين
Rabbana afrigh ‘عalayna Sabran wa tawafana muslimeen…!
“Our Lord-Sustainer! Pour upon us patient Forbearance, and deliver us unto You, Muslims (pure in reverence)!
3. Verses 127-128 holds Pharaoh’s voiced plans against Moses and Bani Isra-eel, and Moses’ response as he encouraged his people to be patient and forbearing, informing them that the consequence/outcome عاقبة / عaaqibah is always FOR (the benefit of) the Aware.
Remember the distinction of the preposition ‘li’(ل) or ‘for,’ in front of the word, as discussed on Blog Post Day 65? It indicates something in someone’s favor- not against them. Put عاقبة in Tanzil– notice the contrary cases when there is no ‘li’/for! When we put the following together ل العاقبة in Tanzil you will find out for whom else, besides the Aware, the outcome will be. You will notice that it is: for no one else! The outcome always is- only is- for the Aware (3 times) and for Awareness (once)!
4. Verse 129 holds his people’s response, which Asad describes in note 93 as the “first hint of their inconstancy and weakness of faith..” to which Moses again ends his statement by prodding them, saying that God observes how they are performing/working.
Verse 130 mentions one scourge sent upon Pharaoh and his people: drought, and its aftermath.
5. Verses 131-132 relay the conversations of Pharaoh and his people, and their superstitious thoughts against Moses.
Notice the stubborn arrogance of Pharoah’s ‘people/ aal/ آل’ shown in their response to Moses, peace upon him, in Verse 132.
The word ‘Aal/آل’ is one we have seen in reference to Aal Imraan and Aal Ibraheem, which is about returning something to its first reference, as we mentioned on Day 80.[2]
Verse 133 lists 5 scourges sent against them, as part of the nine Signs God sent them (HQ17:101; 27:12).
In Verses 134-135, they tell Moses to ask HIS (!) Lord to lift the scourges, promising that if he did that, they would extend their faith and trust to him/laka (meaning they would believe him as Messenger of God),[3] AND would send Bani Isra-eel with him as well.
But when God lifted the scourges they went back on their word.
6. Verse 136 describes their drowning, citing two reasons for such an end:
Belying/denying God’s Signs AND remaining Heedless of them!
7. Verse 137 shows us how the people who were being downtrodden inherited the far reaches of the blessed land (blessed/mubaarak is that in which there is abiding benefit).[4]
And God’s word was fulfilled upon Bani Isra-eel for their patient forbearance. As for Pharaoh and his people, all that they had contrived/fabricated/constructed (صنع)[5] was destroyed together with all the buildings he and his people had raised (see Arabic definition يعرشون /ya’عrishoon from the root word ‘عarasha ’- see Blog Post Day 80).
Note: In order to keep to Contextual and linguistic definitions and understand the Qur’an with an open mind- we must not be influenced by any preconception or Biblical narratives. This is why we should not ‘spice up’ a Qur’anic narrative by what we have read elsewhere. When we do so, it can no longer be considered Qur’anic!
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ 7:138-147
Peace unto all!
Qalaba: To turn something away from its direction; change the direction in which it is facing.
To turn, turn back (return), turn around, turn over, turn from one side to the other. Also, turning something upside down; altering; changing.
قلب: القَلْبُ: تَحْويلُ الشيءِ عن وجهه.
قَلَبه يَقْلِـبُه قَلْباً.. وقد انْقَلَب، وقَلَبَ الشيءَ، وقَلَّبه: حَوَّله ظَهْراً لبَطْنٍ. وتَقَلَّبَ الشيءُ ظهراً لبَطْنٍ، كالـحَيَّةِ تَتَقَلَّبُ على الرَّمْضاءِ. وقَلَبْتُ الشيءَ فانْقَلَبَ أَي انْكَبَّ، وقَلَّبْتُه بيدي تَقْلِـيباً، وكلام مَقْلوبٌ، وقد قَلَبْتُه فانْقَلَب.
[2] The root verb is ‘awala/’ (as mentioned earlier).
[3] The term لَنُؤْمِنَنَّ لَكَ here is interesting, ‘we would have faith and trust FOR you/laka/ on your behalf [Moses]; this is about trusting someone to be speaking the truth; see other similar instances.
[4] ثابت الخير، ثبوت الماء في البركة
صنع: هو عملُ الشيء صُنْعَاً. والصَّنِيعة: ما اصطنعتَه مِنْ خير. والتصنُّع: حُسن السَّمْت. والمَصانع: ما يُصنَعُ من بئرٍ وغيْرِها للسَّقي. ومن الباب: المُصانَعة، وهي كالرِّشْوة.