- Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
- Yusuf Ali’s Translation of this Chapter.
- Muhammad Asad’s Translation of this Chapter.
COMMENTS:
1. In Verses 187-188, the Messenger Muhammad, peace upon him, was asked a question about the ‘Hour,’ to which he was told to relay a very important concept: That its knowledge is with His Lord-Sustainer, with God; that he (the Messenger) has no power to benefit or harm his own self except that which God has Willed; that –had he known the Unseen- he would have amassed for himself all good fortune and would not have even been touched by misfortune; that he was no more than a Warner AND a Bearer of glad tidings to people who have Faith and Trust. Well-explained by Muhammad Asad, these verses illustrate the Prophet’s ‘humanness.’ A similar argument appeared in HQ 6: 50.
2. Verse 189-190 follow up, after having mentioned that God Alone knows the ‘gheyb/unseen,’ by telling us (here explained/translated literally):
“It is He who created you [all] from one ‘Self/Nafs,’ and from her[1] He rendered her zawj/mate, so that he would find ‘tranquility/sakan/sakeenah’[2] next to her, and then when he recurrently ‘covered’ her, she carried/conceived a light burden and moved easily with it. Then, when she grew heavy they both called unto God, their Lord-Sustainer, “If You grant us a goodly (child) we shall most certainly be among the Appreciating!” (189) Then when He gave them a goodly (child) they both ascribed partners to Him regarding that which He had given them, Exalted is He beyond what they (all) ascribe/shirk.”
This concept of mates providing ‘sakan/sakeenah’ for each other is so beautiful, but being ‘gheyb/unseen’ we can only understand it as presented.
Would this narrative sound familiar to parents who in early parenthood prayed humbly to God- with a promise of appreciation, and after getting what they had been praying for, tended to forget, allowing the Deviant SheyTaan to sidetrack them with regard to their children?
A troubling thought which shows how hearts might change after one gets what one yearns for!
3. Verses 191-195 continue on the absurdity and uselessness of shirking God and calling upon any other, when all other than Him are powerless, unable to do the most basic of actions. These verses are well-explained by both Ali and Asad, except for the meaning of ‘Ibaad’ عباد which is ‘worshippers,’ not ‘servant/slaves.’
The latter in Arabic would have been ‘abeed’ عبيد . See Blog Post Day 14 for a reminder on the meaning of Ibaad.
Verse 196 is a statement of commitment to be made by any who repeat it (the Messenger ﷺ was the first), as well as a promise from God that He is Protector and shall protect the SaaliHeen/goodly/virtuous/principled…!!
Verses 197-198 offer further examples of the absurdity and uselessness of shirk, ending with the statement that ‘you see them looking at you and they do not discern;’[3] three words in one verse related to eyesight. Some exegetes think that ‘they’ refers to the idolators while others think that reference is to the idols.
4. Verse 199 is a beautiful command to Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, AND guidance to us all. See it in both interpretations of Ali and Asad.
5. Verses 200-201 are very helpful for anyone who wants to hold the Deviant/ SheyTaan at bay! These verses tell us that all we need to do is recall the most powerful invocation, which also happens to be the simplest: أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم… ‘a3oothu bil-Lah….’
Furthermore, we learn here that those who have Taqwa/ Awareness – when touched by a Taa’if/ recurring insinuation[4] of SheyTaan- would recall/remember, and by recalling/remembering would immediately discern: Discernment is the ‘default’ of people of Taqwa/ Awareness!
Since we’re doing IQRA!, let us look at similar verses about seeking protection in God/ isti3aathah bil-Lah:
Verse 200 is similar to HQ 41: 36, and is one of several instances in the Qur’an where the Prophet is told to seek refuge in God (استعذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم). To understand the circumstances that necessitate him/us to seek refuge in God, we must look to the CONTEXT of these verses. Reading them without their specific context robs them of their full meaning and allows biased and subjective NON-QUR’ANIC applications.
Here, the context is clear: It is to strengthen oneself in God’s refuge, so as to enable the self-restraint and motivation required to fulfill the commands in Verse 199, which end with ‘turning away from the ignorant!’
How about HQ 23:97? The context there is clear as well: It is addressed to Prophet Muhammad who was constantly harassed by certain chieftains (shayaateen) who wanted him to accept tenets which were important to them. He dreaded their approach HQ 23:98 (وأعوذ بك رب أن يحضرون) and was told to seek refuge in God so as to elicit the self-restraint and motivation required to keep repelling their false narratives ما يصفون) /ma yaSifoon) with that which is best ‘بالتي هي أحسن’ similar to HQ 40:56 where he has to strengthen himself up to bearing their questioning doubts and arrogance.
How about HQ 41:36? This is also similar, seeking refuge in God (to elicit self-restraint and maintain motivation) but with the final result of converting previous ‘enemies’ into intimate friends!
Now we can better understand verses 201-202, and realize how seeking refuge in God will bring us back to Awareness and the proper channel of conduct, even after having been touched by a tendency to Deviate (Ali). Their brethren ‘ikhwaanahum’ mentioned in 202 is taken by most to mean people who help promote SheyTaan’s plans. Check out the six instances of إخوانهم in the Qur’an which show this.
Now, the only time we are commanded to seek refuge in God, and it is NOT related to the challenge of dealing with the negativity of other people, is in HQ 16:98. There, the purpose is to do IQRA of the Qur’an as God had commanded. For us who have limited knowledge and are influenced by preconception, the challenge would be to understand Qur’anic words and concepts as they were intended, and not to read into them what isn’t there.
6. Verses 203 is addressed to the Prophet, peace upon him, giving us an idea of what he had to go through with the public, telling him how to respond- that this (revelation) is -what we might call today ‘an eye-opener’ for everyone to discern its truth, and it is -for those who have faith and trust- both huda/gifted guidance and raHmah/mercy.
Verse 204 telling everyone that when the Qur’an is recited, they should not only listen, but also be completely quiet and focus on what they hear so as to grasp its meanings, perchance they will receive Mercy.
Verse 205 speaks to the Messenger and to us all, telling us to remember/bring mention to God within our own self in taDharru3/complete compliance and dependence,[5] and in trepidation, without raising our voices, both mornings and evenings. These times are most special, as we can see here.
Verse 206 ends this Sura/Chapter with mention of ‘those who are near/with/in the custody of’ your Lord-Sustainer, never above worshipping Him, constant in their tasbeeH of Him, prostrating only to Him.
Commentators have traditionally taken this verse to be a description of the Custodian-Angels, but both Ali and Asad have broadened the concept to include special categories of humans who are high in spiritual attainment, thus near to their Lord (see Ali and Asad).
Enough said!
Our next Reading is from HQ 8: 1-16. A new Sura/Chapter!
Peace unto all!
[1] ‘Nafs’ is a feminine noun, which is taken usually to mean the ‘nafs’ of Adam. We must remember that there is no ‘it’ pronoun in Arabic; nouns are either feminine or masculine.
There are three verses who speak similarly of the first ‘Nafs’ and ‘her/its’ mate.
This verse however speaks not only of creation but also of procreation, which offers us a perspective which wouldn’t confuse us if we thought of creation as a process, unrelated to our preconceptions. Being a matter of ‘gheyb,’ we do not delve into it.
[2] The word sakan/sakeenah is about tranquility and stillness, settling, residing; home with family.
سَكَنَ: أَصْلٌ وَاحِدٌ مُطَّرِدٌ، يَدُلُّ عَلَى خِلَافِ الِاضْطِرَابِ وَالْحَرَكَةِ. يُقَالُ سَكَنَ الشَّيْءُ يَسْكُنُ سُكُونًا فَهُوَ سَاكِنٌ. وَالسَّكْنُ: الْأَهْلُ الَّذِينَ يَسْكُنُونَ الدَّارَ.
[3] Here is an attempt at grasping the difference:
نَظَرَ: أَصْلٌ صَحِيحٌ يَرْجِعُ فُرُوعُهُ إِلَى مَعْنًى وَاحِدٍ وَهُوَ تَأَمُّلُ الشَّيْءِ وَمُعَايَنَتُهُ.
Nathara: to consider or view
بَصَرَ: الْعِلْمُ بِالشَّيْءِ; يُقَالُ: هُوَ بَصِيرٌ بِهِ. وَمِنْ هَذِهِ الْبَصِيرَةُ
BaSara: to discern; to be acquainted
رَأَى: أَصْلٌ يَدُلُّ عَلَى نَظَرٍ وَإِبْصَارٍ بِعَيْنٍ أَوْ بَصِيرَةٍ. فَالرَّأْيُ: مَا يَرَاهُ الْإِنْسَانُ فِي الْأَمْرِ، وَجَمْعُهُ الْآرَاءُ.
Ra’aa: to see, to look
[4] We know that the Deviant/ SheyTaan insinuates, whispers, suggests something very subtly to us so as to distract or misguide us. Here -since what he touches us with has been called a ‘Taa’if’- (doing ‘Tawaaf’) perhaps we might understand that it constantly returns, and reoccurs.
[5] Remember that worshippers in a state of ‘taDharru3/تضرُّع’ are at their most compliant and vulnerable dependence, realizing their absolute need for God, having nothing/no one other than Him on their minds and in their hearts (like a baby with its mother).