From: http://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=28
Towards Understanding the QuranWith kind permission: Islamic Foundation UK
English ◄ Chapter 28. Al-Qasas ► Intro. ◄ Verse 1-13 of 88 ► View Ar En Nt ► █ Font Email
طٰسٓمٓ ﴿28:1﴾ تِلۡكَ اٰيٰتُ الۡـكِتٰبِ الۡمُبِيۡنِ ﴿28:2﴾ نَـتۡلُوۡا عَلَيۡكَ مِنۡ نَّبَاِ مُوۡسٰى وَفِرۡعَوۡنَ بِالۡحَـقِّ لِقَوۡمٍ يُّؤۡمِنُوۡنَ ﴿28:3﴾ اِنَّ فِرۡعَوۡنَ عَلَا فِىۡ الۡاَرۡضِ وَجَعَلَ اَهۡلَهَا شِيَـعًا يَّسۡتَضۡعِفُ طَآٮِٕفَةً مِّنۡهُمۡ يُذَبِّحُ اَبۡنَآءَهُمۡ وَيَسۡتَحۡىٖ نِسَآءَهُمۡؕ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ مِنَ الۡمُفۡسِدِيۡنَ ﴿28:4﴾ وَنُرِيۡدُ اَنۡ نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِيۡنَ اسۡتُضۡعِفُوۡا فِىۡ الۡاَرۡضِ وَنَجۡعَلَهُمۡ اَٮِٕمَّةً وَّنَجۡعَلَهُمُ الۡوٰرِثِيۡنَۙ ﴿28:5﴾ وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمۡ فِىۡ الۡاَرۡضِ وَنُرِىَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَهَامٰنَ وَجُنُوۡدَهُمَا مِنۡهُمۡ مَّا كَانُوۡا يَحۡذَرُوۡنَ ﴿28:6﴾ وَاَوۡحَيۡنَاۤ اِلٰٓى اُمِّ مُوۡسٰٓى اَنۡ اَرۡضِعِيۡهِۚ فَاِذَا خِفۡتِ عَلَيۡهِ فَاَلۡقِيۡهِ فِىۡ الۡيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِىۡ وَلَا تَحۡزَنِىۡۚ اِنَّا رَآدُّوۡهُ اِلَيۡكِ وَجَاعِالُوۡهُ مِنَ الۡمُرۡسَلِيۡنَ ﴿28:7﴾ فَالۡتَقَطَهٗۤ اٰلُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ لِيَكُوۡنَ لَهُمۡ عَدُوًّا وَّحَزَنًا ؕ اِنَّ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَهَامٰنَ وَجُنُوۡدَهُمَا كَانُوۡا خٰطِــِٕيۡنَ ﴿28:8﴾ وَقَالَتِ امۡرَاَتُ فِرۡعَوۡنَ قُرَّتُ عَيۡنٍ لِّىۡ وَلَكَؕ لَا تَقۡتُلُوۡهُ ۖ عَسٰٓى اَنۡ يَّـنۡفَعَنَاۤ اَوۡ نَـتَّخِذَهٗ وَلَدًا وَّهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُوۡنَ ﴿28:9﴾ وَاَصۡبَحَ فُؤَادُ اُمِّ مُوۡسٰى فٰرِغًاؕ اِنۡ كَادَتۡ لَـتُبۡدِىۡ بِهٖ لَوۡلَاۤ اَنۡ رَّبَطۡنَا عَلٰى قَلۡبِهَا لِتَكُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ ﴿28:10﴾ وَقَالَتۡ لِاُخۡتِهٖ قُصِّيۡهِ فَبَصُرَتۡ بِهٖ عَنۡ جُنُبٍ وَّهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُوۡنَۙ ﴿28:11﴾ وَحَرَّمۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ الۡمَرَاضِعَ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ فَقَالَتۡ هَلۡ اَدُلُّـكُمۡ عَلٰٓى اَهۡلِ بَيۡتٍ يَّكۡفُلُوۡنَهٗ لَـكُمۡ وَهُمۡ لَهٗ نٰصِحُوۡنَ ﴿28:12﴾ فَرَدَدۡنٰهُ اِلٰٓى اُمِّهٖ كَىۡ تَقَرَّ عَيۡنُهَا وَلَا تَحۡزَنَ وَلِتَعۡلَمَ اَنَّ وَعۡدَ اللّٰهِ حَقٌّ وَّلٰـكِنَّ اَكۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿28:13﴾
(28:1) Ta'. Sin. Mim
(28:2) These are the verses of the Clear Book.
(28:3) We recount to you with truth some parts of the story of Moses and Pharaoh1 for the benefit of those who believe.2
*1 For comparison, see Al-Baqarah: 47-59, AI-A'raf: 100-141, Yunus: 75-92. Hud: 96-109, Bani Isra'il: 101-111, Maryam: 51-53. Ta Ha: 1-89, Al- Mu'minun: 45-49, Ash-Shu`araa: 10-68, An-Naml: 7-14, Al-`Ankabut: 39-40, Al-Mu'min: 23-50, Az-Zukhruf: 46-56, Ad-Dukhan: 1 7-33, Adh-Dhariyat: 38-40, An-Naziyat: 1 5-26.
*2 That is, "For the benefit of those who are not obstinate and stubborn, for it would be useless to address those who are not at all inclined to listen to you.
(28:4) Indeed Pharaoh transgressed in the land3 and divided its people into sections.4 One group of them he humiliated, and slew their sons and spared their daughters.5 Truly he was among the mischief-makers.
*3 The words ala fil-ard in the Text are comprehensive and mean that he adopted a rebellious attitude in the land, assumed independence and godhead and superiority instead of behaving like a servant and a subordinate, and started oppressing his subjects like a tyrannical and haughty ruler.
*4 That is, "He did not rule his subjects with an even hand giving equal rights to all of them, but he had adopted the polity of dividing them into groups. He bestowed privileges and preferential rights on some to be made the ruling class and reduced others to serfs to be oppressed and exploited."
*5 The Bible elucidates this as follows:
(28:5) We wanted to bestow favour on those who were oppressed in the land. We wanted to make them leaders and heirs6
*6 That is, "Make them leaders and guides of the people in the world."
(28:6) and to grant them power in the land,7 and make Pharaoh and Haman8 and their hosts see what they had feared.
*7 That is, "Bestow on them inheritance of the land so that they should be rulers over it.
*8 The Western orientalists have been very critical of this. They say that Haman was a courtier of the Persian King Xerxes, who reigned hundreds of years after the Prophet Moses, from 486 to 465 B.C., but the Qur'an has made him a minister of Pharaoh in Egypt. This is nothing but an instance of sheer prejudice. After all, what historical evidence have these orientalists got to prove that there never lived any other person called Haman before Xerxes' courtier Haman? If an orientalist has been able to discover, through authentic means, a complete list of all the ministers and chiefs and courtiers of the Pharaoh under discussion which dues not contain the name of Haman he should make it public, or publish a photostat of it, because there could be no better or more effective instrument than this c f the refutation of the Our'an.
(28:7) We9 inspired the mother of Moses: "Suckle your child, but when you fear for his life cast him into the river and be not fearful nor grieve, for We shall restore him to you and make him one of the Messengers."10
*9 That a son was born in the same period to an Israelite parents who was later known by the name of Moses to the world, has been omitted. According to the Bible and the Talmud, the family descended from Levi, a son of the Prophet Jacob, and the name of the Prophet Moses' father was Amram, which has been pronounced as Imran by the Qur'an. They already had two children before Moses, the elder a daughter, named Miriam, and the younger her brother, Aaron. Probably the proclamation that every male child born in an Israelite home would be killed, had not yet been issued when the Prophet Aaron was born; therefore, he was saved. The third child was born when the proclamation was in full force.
*10 That is, "She was not commanded to cast the child into the river immediately after birth, but to suckle it till she felt a real danger for it. For instance, if she felt that the secret had been exposed and the enemies had come to know of the child's birth through some means, or through some wretched informer from among the Israelites themselves, she should place the child in a box and cast it into the river, without any hesitation. According to the Bible, the Prophet Moses' mother kept him hidden for three months after his birth. The Talmud adds that the Pharaoh's government had appointed Egyptian women who carried infants into the Israelite homes, and would make these babies cry, so as to make any hidden Israelite infants also cry and be thus discovered. This new method of spying worried Moses' mother and in order to save her child's life, she cast him into the river three months after his birth. Upto this point the version given by these Books is the same as the Qur'an's, and the event of casting the box into the river has also been described just as the Qur'an has described it. In Surah Ta Ha it has been said: Put this child in a box and place the box in the river." (v.39). The same has been said by the Bible and the Talmud. According to these, the Prophet Moses' mother made a basket of reeds and covered it with slime (tar) and with pitch to make it watertight. Then she laid the child in it and placed it in the river Nile. But the most important thing, which the Qur'an mentions, has found no mention anywhere in the Israelite traditions, that is, that the Prophet Moses' mother had done all this according to an inspiration from Allah, and Allah had already assured her that by following that device not only would her child remain safe and secure but the child would ultimately be restored to her, and that her child would become Allah's Messenger in the future.
(28:8) Then Pharaoh's household picked him up (from the river) that he may be their adversary and be a cause of sorrow to them.11 Surely Pharaoh and Haman and their hosts erred (in their scheming).
*11 This was not their aim, but the ultimate destiny of their act. They picked up the child through whom they were to be destroyed in the end.
(28:9) The wife of Pharaoh said: "Here is a delight of the eye to me and to you. Do not kill him. Maybe he will prove useful for us, or we may adopt him as a son."12 They were unaware of the end of it all.
*12 What one understands from this is briefly so: "When the ark or the basket was carried by the river to the place where Pharaoh's palaces were situated, the servants of Pharaoh picked it up and took it before the king and the queen. It is just possible that the king and the queen were at that time strolling along the river bank and might have noticed the basket and ordered it to be picked up. When they saw a child in it, they could easily guess that it belonged to an Israelite family. For it came from the quarters inhabited by the Israelites, whose sons were being put to death in those days. It was understood that somebody had hidden the child for some time but when it could not be hidden any longer, it was cast to the river in the hope that it might be picked up and rescued from death. With this in view the most obedient servants. submitted that the king order the child to be killed forthwith, for it might prove dangerous for him. But the Pharaoh's wife was a woman and might even be childless. Then it was a lovely child, as Allah has reminded Moses in Ta Ha: 39, thus: "I had cast on you love from Myself." That is "I had made you such a lovely child that the beholders could not help regarding you with love." Therefore, the woman could not help feeling for him, and said to the king, "Do not kill him, but let us adopt him. When he grows up in our house as our son, he will not know that he was an Israelite: he will rather think he is one of Pharaoh's own kinsfolk, and he will be useful for us as against the Israelites."
(28:10) On the other hand, the heart of Moses' mother was sorely distressed. Had We not strengthened her heart that she might have full faith (in Our promise), she would have disclosed the secret.
(28:11) She told the sister of Moses: "Follow him." So she kept watch over him unperceived (by the enemies).13
*13 That is, the girl walked along and watched the floating basket in such a manner that the enemies could not know that she had anything to do with the child in it. According to the Israelite traditions, this sister of the Prophet Moses was 10 to 12 years old. She followed up her brother intelligently and cleverly and ascertained that he had been picked up by the Pharaoh's household.
(28:12) And We had already forbidden the breasts of the nurses for the child.14 (So seeing the girl) said: "Shall I direct you to the people of a household that will rear him with utter sincerity?"15
*14 That is, "The child would not take to any nurse whom the queen would call for suckling him."
*15 This shows that the sister did not go and sit back at home when she found that her brother had reached Pharaoh's palace, but cleverly hung about the palace to watch every new development. Then, when she found that the child was not taking to any nurse, and the queen was anxious to get a nurse who would suit it, the intelligent girl went straight into the palace, and said, "I can tell you the whereabouts of a nurse, who will bring him up with great affection." Here it should be borne in mind that in old days the well-to-do and noble families of these countries generally used to entrust their children to nurses for bringing up. We know that in the time of the Holy Prophet also nurses from the suburbs used to visit Makkah from time to time in order to get infants from the well-to-do families for suckling and nursing on rich wages. The Holy Prophet himself was brought up by Halimah Sa diyah in the desert. The same custom was prevalent in Egypt. that is why the Prophet Moses' sister did not say that she would bring a suitable nurse, but said that she would tell them of a house whose people would take up the responsibility of bringing him up with care and affection.
(28:13) Thus did We restore Moses16 to his mother that her eyes might be comforted and she might not grieve, and realise that the promise of Allah was true.17 But most people are unaware of this.
*16 According to the Bible and the Talmud, the child was named "Moses" in Pharaoh's house. It is not a Hebrew but a Coptic word, which means, "I drew him out of the water", for in Coptic mo meant water and oshe rescued.
*17 Another good thing that resulted from this wise device by Allah was that the Prophet Moses could not become a real prince in Pharaoh's house, but grew up among his own people and became fully aware of his family and community traditions and his ancestral religion. Thus, instead of growing up as a member of Pharaoh's class and people he arose sentimentally and intellectually as a full-fledged Israelite.
English ◄ Chapter 28. Al-Qasas ► Intro. ◄ Verse 1-13 of 88 ► View Ar En Nt Recite Font Email
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Towards Understanding the Quran
From: http://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=25
Towards Understanding the QuranWith kind permission: Islamic Foundation UK
English ◄ Chapter 10. Yunus ► Intro. ◄ Verse 1-10 of 109 ► View Ar En Nt ► █ Font Email
الٓر تِلۡكَ اٰيٰتُ الۡكِتٰبِ الۡحَكِيۡمِ ﴿10:1﴾ اَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا اَنۡ اَوۡحَيۡنَاۤ اِلٰى رَجُلٍ مِّنۡهُمۡ اَنۡ اَنۡذِرِ النَّاسَ وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اَنَّ لَهُمۡ قَدَمَ صِدۡقٍ عِنۡدَ رَبِّهِمۡ ؕ قَالَ الۡكٰفِرُوۡنَ اِنَّ هٰذَا لَسٰحِرٌ مُّبِيۡنٌ ﴿10:2﴾ اِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللّٰهُ الَّذِىۡ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ فِىۡ سِتَّةِ اَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسۡتَوٰى عَلَى الۡعَرۡشِ يُدَبِّرُ الۡاَمۡرَؕ مَا مِنۡ شَفِيۡعٍ اِلَّا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ اِذۡنِهٖؕ ذٰلِكُمُ اللّٰهُ رَبُّكُمۡ فَاعۡبُدُوۡهُؕ اَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُوۡنَ ﴿10:3﴾ اِلَيۡهِ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ جَمِيۡعًا ؕ وَعۡدَ اللّٰهِ حَقًّا ؕ اِنَّهٗ يَـبۡدَؤُا الۡخَـلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيۡدُهٗ لِيَجۡزِىَ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ بِالۡقِسۡطِؕ وَالَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا لَهُمۡ شَرَابٌ مِّنۡ حَمِيۡمٍ وَّعَذَابٌ اَلِيۡمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوۡا يَكۡفُرُوۡنَ ﴿10:4﴾ هُوَ الَّذِىۡ جَعَلَ الشَّمۡسَ ضِيَآءً وَّالۡقَمَرَ نُوۡرًا وَّقَدَّرَهٗ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعۡلَمُوۡا عَدَدَ السِّنِيۡنَ وَالۡحِسَابَؕ مَا خَلَقَ اللّٰهُ ذٰلِكَ اِلَّا بِالۡحَـقِّۚ يُفَصِّلُ الۡاٰيٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ يَّعۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿10:5﴾ اِنَّ فِىۡ اخۡتِلَافِ الَّيۡلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَمَا خَلَقَ اللّٰهُ فِىۡ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ لَاَيٰتٍ لِّـقَوۡمٍ يَّتَّقُوۡنَ ﴿10:6﴾ اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ لَا يَرۡجُوۡنَ لِقَآءَنَا وَرَضُوۡا بِالۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا وَاطۡمَاَنُّوۡا بِهَا وَالَّذِيۡنَ هُمۡ عَنۡ اٰيٰتِنَا غٰفِلُوۡنَۙ ﴿10:7﴾ اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ مَاۡوٰٮهُمُ النَّارُ بِمَا كَانُوۡا يَكۡسِبُوۡنَ ﴿10:8﴾ اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ يَهۡدِيۡهِمۡ رَبُّهُمۡ بِاِيۡمَانِهِمۡۚ تَجۡرِىۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِهِمُ الۡاَنۡهٰرُ فِىۡ جَنّٰتِ النَّعِيۡمِ ﴿10:9﴾ دَعۡوٰٮهُمۡ فِيۡهَا سُبۡحٰنَكَ اللّٰهُمَّ وَ تَحِيَّـتُهُمۡ فِيۡهَا سَلٰمٌۚ وَاٰخِرُ دَعۡوٰٮهُمۡ اَنِ الۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ ﴿10:10﴾
(10:1) Alif. Lam. Ra. These are the verses of the Book overflowing with wisdom.1
*1. This introductory statement carries a subtle note of warning. For the unbelievers, out of their sheer stupidity looked upon the Qur'an which was presented to them by the Prophet (peace be on him) as merely a literary masterpiece, an embodiment of spellbinding poetic imagination, a fascinating discourse on a very sublime, illusive plane in the manner of soothsayers. The unbelievers are told that such notions are pure misconceptions. On the contrary, the Qur'anic verses are part of a Book which abounds in wisdom. Hence, if they disregard the Qur'an, they are merely depriving themselves of a treasure-house of wisdom.
(10:2) Does it seem strange to people that We should have revealed to a man from among themselves, directing him to warn the people (who lie engrossed in heedlessness); and to give good news to the believers that they shall enjoy true honour and an exalted status with their Lord?2 (Is this so strange that) the deniers of the truth should say: 'This man is indeed an evident sorcerer'?3
*2. The unbelievers are asked why they are astonished that a human being has been designated to warn other human beings. Would it have been reasonable to designate some angel Jinn or animal rather than a human being to warn other human beings? Similarly, is there anything weird or exotic about the appointment of a Prophet? For if people are found engrossed in error and are oblivious to the truth, what then is truly strange: that their Creator and Lord should make arrangements to guide them or let them continue stumbling in their error? And if Divine Guidance is made available to human beings, does it not stand to reason that it is those who follow, rather than those who reject it, that deserve to be held in honour and esteem? Those who express their astonishment at this should reconsider what it is that truly merits astonishment.
*3. The unbelievers' allegation that the Prophet (peace be on him) is a sorcerer is devoid of even an iota of truth. The mere fact that a person, by dint of his capacity to express himself effectively, influences people and captivates their hearts and minds does not warrant being called a sorcerer. What is worth considering is the purpose for which he employs his oratorical skill, and the kind of influence that his oration has on the audience. Any orator who uses his skill for an evil purpose will naturally be considered a demagogue, an unbridled and irresponsible speaker. For his only interest lies in casting a spell over his audience, even if he might have to resort to making false and exaggerated statements or saying things that are altogether unjust. The discourse of such speakers is bereft of all wisdom. For all it aims to do is to hoodwink and bamboozle the gullible masses. Such speakers have no coherent set of ideas to offer. What they say is full of contradiction and incoherence. Such speakers lack moderation and lean towards extremism. For their purpose is to prove their capacity to spellbind their audiences by verbal flamboyance or to intoxicate them with inflammatory eloquence in order to pit one group against another. Such oratory is not conducive to moral improvement, and the lives of the audience are by no means reformed. Neither does the eloquence of such speakers bring about any healthy change in the outlook of the audience nor in the quality of their lives. In fact, such eloquence may even have an evil and corrupting influence. In sharp contrast to all this, the Prophet's oration is characterized by wisdom and coherence, balance and moderation of the highest order, and strict adherence to the truth. Each word of the Prophet (peace be on him) is pregnant with purposiveness and manifests a keen sense of proportion. In addition, all his oration is directed to just on e purpose - to guide and reform mankind. In all that he says there is no trace of any concern for worldly interests - personal, familial or national. He only warns people against the evil consequences of their heedlessness and invites them to something that would lead to their own well-being. Furthermore, the effect of the Prophet's oration on his audience is radically different from that of sorcerers. For, all those who accept the Prophet's message undergo a change for the better; their moral conduct improves, and all in all they become oriented to righteousness and benevolence. It was, therefore, for the Prophet's detractors to consider whether sorcerers achieve such results and whether their professional skills are directed towards such noble purposes.
(10:3) Surely your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself on the Throne (of His Dominion), governing all affairs of the universe.4 None may intercede with Him except after obtaining His leave.5 Such is Allah, your Lord; do therefore serve Him.6 Will you not take heed?7
*4. There is no reason to believe that after having created everything God chose to consign Himself to the limbo of unconcern. On the contrary, after His great act of creation He established Himself on the Throne and holds the reins of the entire universe so that He not only reigns but in fact also effectively rules over the universe. The Qur'an considers it a colossal error - an error to which the ignorant have succumbed - to believe that after creating the universe God either left it to run on its own, or entrusted its affairs to others to govern it as they please. On the contrary, the Qur'an emphasizes that it is God Who is directing all the affairs of His creation; that all power effectively rests with Him alone. The Qur'an constantly drives home the point that God alone has all authority so that all that takes place in the universe or in any part of it takes place by His command or His leave. God's relationship with the universe is not simply that He created it; rather the reins of the universe are with Him and He is in effective and continual control of its affairs. It is He alone Who keeps the universe in existence and it is He alone Who directs it as He pleases. {See Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. III, al-A'raf, nn. 41-2, pp. 33-4.)
*5. No one is in a position to interfere with God in His governance of the universe, or has the power to effectively intercede with God on anyone else's behalf and to prevail upon Him to change any of His decisions. Nor is anyone in such a position of power with God that his intercession would make or unmake anyone else's destiny. The utmost that a person can do is to pray to God. However, the acceptance or non-acceptance of such prayers rests solely with Him. No one is so powerful that his desire will, of necessity, always prevail with God, nor does anyone's intercession bind God to act according to the former's desire.
*6. After emphasizing the given fact of God's lordship in the first part of the verse, man is now informed of its logical consequences. Since all authority rests solely with God, it is incumbent upon man to serve Him exclusively. God's lordship embraces the three-fold attributes of His being (i) the Sustainer, (ii) the Master, and (iii) the Sovereign. In like manner, the term 'ibadah embraces the three-fold corresponding implications that man should (i)worship, (ii) serve, and (iii) obey God.
*7. Since man has been informed of the fundamental truths and has been shown the right way, there is no justification for him to remain engrossed in those false conceptions which have caused him to act in a manner altogether inconsistent with the reality.
(10:4) To Him is your return.8 This is Allah's promise that will certainly come true. Surely it is He Who brings about the creation of all and He will repeat it9 so that He may justly reward those who believe and do righteous deeds; and that those who disbelieve may have a draught of boiling water and suffer a painful chastisement for their denying the truth.10
*8. The Prophet's teachings comprise two fundamental doctrines: (i) that God alone is man's Lord and hence man should worship Him, and (ii) that man is bound to return to his Lord in the Next Life wherein he will be made to render an account to his Lord. This particular verse focuses on the second of these two doctrines.
*9. This Qur'anic statement combines the enunciation of a basic doctrine with its supporting argument. The doctrine that is being enunciated here is that God will resurrect man. This is supported by the argument that it is God Who brought about the creation in the first place. All those who believe that the original creation was an act of God can neither consider it impossible nor
*10. The present verse sets forth the rationale of resurrection. The preceding verses had conclusively established that resurrection is possible, that there is no reasonable ground to dub it as a far-fetched idea. Drawing upon the above, the verse under consideration points out that the requirements of justice and reason can only be fulfilled by resurrection, and that this calls for a repetition of the original act of creation by God. The point that is being made here is that those who accept God as their One and the Only Lord and truly live in service and devotion to Him deserve to be fully rewarded for their righteous conduct. Likewise, those who reject the truth and act according to their own whim deserve to be duly punished for their unrighteous conduct. The present life is so constituted that reward and punishment are not being meted out and cannot be meted out in the manner described above. This is a plain fact, and one which is evident to all except those who are obstinate, This being the case, reason and justice demand fresh creation in order that such reward and punishment be meted out. (For further
(10:5) He it is Who gave the sun radiance and the moon light, and determined the stages (for the waxing and waning of the moon) that you may learn the calculation of years and the reckoning of time. Allah has created all this with a rightful purpose (rather than out of play). He expounds His signs for the people who know.
(10:6) Surely in the alternation of the night and the day and in all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth there are signs for the people who seek to avoid (error of outlook and conduct).11
*11. This provides yet another argument in support of the doctrine of the Hereafter. The argument is derived from the orderly nature of the universe. This vast universe - the handiwork of God - is spread out before our eyes. It is full of signs of God's power and wisdom such as those which underlie the sun and the moon and the alternation of night and day. Even a superficial glance at the universe is enough to convince one that the Creator of this enormous universe is not at all like a child who creates something to play with and after enjoying it for a while whimsically destroys it. For it is quite evident that every act of the Creator is characterized by order and wisdom, and that a strong purposiveness underlies everything, even a speck of dust. Now, since the Creator is All-Wise - as is evident from His creation - it is absurd to assume that He Who has also invested man with reason, moral consciousness and free-will, will not call man to account for his conduct; that He will altogether disregard the need for retribution arising from man's responsibility which in turn stems from his inherent rational and moral endowments. Apart from expounding the doctrine of the Hereafter, the above verses also adduce the following three arguments in support of that doctrine: First, a persuasive case is made out in support of the possibility of a second life. The basis of the argument is that the creation of man in the first instance is indicative of God's creative power. (There is no reason to believe that God has become bereft of that power of creation, and hence would be unable to create man afresh - Ed.) Second, the Next Life is needed in order that man might be rewarded or punished in consideration of his performance, whether good or bad. Both justice and reason seem to call for a new life wherein everyone would be able to see, in a fair manner, the consequence of his deeds. Third, that the Next Life, which is a requirement of justice and reason, will certainly come to pass. This is because the Creator, Who created man and the universe, is All-Wise, and it is inconceivable that such a Being will not respond to an unmistakable requirement of justice and reason. After careful consideration it appears that the above are the only possible arguments that might be adduced and they suffice to establish that there is life after death. The only possible question that remains, after having established that the Next Life is demanded by both reason and justice, and also that it is a requisite of God's wisdom, is whether it is possible to visually observe the Next Life in the manner in which people observe other objects. Now it should he clearly understood that this inability will remain during the present phase of existence. The reason for it is that God asks man to believe in cerium truths and such a demand in respect of objects which can be observed with human eyes would be utterly meaningless. The test to which man has been put consists precisely of this; whether man can affirm certain truths which belong to the suprasensory realm by the use of his rational faculties. Another point which has been stated in this context also deserves serious consideration. This is embodied in the following Qur'anic statement: 'He expounds His signs for the people who know' (Yunus 10: 5);'. . . and in all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth there are signs for the people who seek to avoid (error of outlook and conduct)' (Yunus 10: 6). This means that God in His infinite wisdom has seen to it that in the multifarious phenomena of existence there should be plenty of signs which betoken the hidden realities underlying that phenomena. However, not all men will be able to benefit from those signs. Those who will be able to benefit are those (i) who liberate themselves from prejudices and seek knowledge with the help of the natural endowments bestowed upon them by God. and (ii) those who are Keen not to fall into error and who earnestly seek to adhere to the right way.
(10:7) Surely those who do not expect to meet Us, who are gratified with the life of the world and content with it, and are heedless of Our signs,
(10:8) their abode shall be the Fire in return for their misdeeds,12
*12. Here again a doctrine has been put forth along with its supporting argument. (For another such instance seen. 9 above-Ed.)The statement that is being made here is that rejection of the doctrine of the Hereafter necessarily entails the punishment of Hell, and the argument that is being proffered in support of it is that those who are oblivious to the Hereafter commit, because of their disbelief in it, evil deeds which can only lead to them suffering the torments of Hell. This argument is corroborated by the entire record of man's past. It is quite clear that the lives of those who do not believe that they, will not be held to account by God for their deeds; who work on the assumption that life is merely confined to the span of worldly existence; who measure human success or failure only in terms of the extent of material comfort, fame and power that a person is able to enjoy: who under the influence of such materialistic notions do not even care to pay attention to those signs of God which point to reality, assume an altogether wrong direction with the result that their life is vitiated. Hence they live a totally unbridled life, develop the worst possible character traits, and fill God's earth with injustice and corruption, with sin and transgression, and ultimately end up meriting the punishment of Hell. It will be seen that whereas the three arguments mentioned earlier were of a theoretical nature the above argument about the Hereafter is drawn from. human experience itself. Although in the present verse the argument is found only in an implicit form, it is spelt out at several other places in the Qur'an. The argument essentially is that unless man's character rests on the consciousness and conviction that he will have to render an account for all his deeds to God, both man's individual and collective behaviour will fail to have sound basis and direction. It would seem, therefore, to be worth asking: why is this so? Why is it that once this consciousness and conviction are altogether ended or greatly enfeebled, the human character turns to iniquity and corruption? Had affirmation of the Hereafter not been in conformity with reality, and conversely, had its denial not been opposed to it, then the evil consequences flowing from the denial of the Hereafter would not have been found with such unfailing regularity. If adherence to a proposition invariably leads to good results, and failure to adhere to it invariably leads to evil consequences, then this definitely proves the proposition to be true. In an attempt to refute the above argument it is sometimes contended that even atheists who reject the Hereafter and follow a materialistic approach to life often lead lives that are on the whole good and decent, that they hold themselves free from corruption and injustice. Not only that but also that their actual conduct is characterized by righteousness and benevolence. However, only a little reflection will make apparent the fallacy underlying this argument. For if one were to examine any atheistic or materialistic philosophy or ideology one will not find in them any basis for righteous behaviour which draws such lavish praise from so-called 'righteous' atheists. Nor can it be established by logical reasoning that an atheistic philosophy of life provides any incentive to embrace such virtues as truthfulness, trustworthiness, honesty, faithfulness to one's commitment, benevolence, generosity, preferring the interests of others to one's own, self-restraint, chastity, recognition of the rights of others, and fulfilment of one's obligations. The fact is that once God and the Hereafter are relegated to oblivion, the only practicable course left for man is to anchor his morality on utilitarianism. All other philosophical ideas which are expounded are merely theoretical embellishments and have no relevance for man's practical life. As for utilitarian morality - no matter how hard we might try to broaden its scope - it does not go beyond teaching man that he ought to do that which will yield to him or to his society some worldly benefit. Now since utility is the criterion of all acts, such a philosophy tends to make man cynical, with the result that in order to derive benefits, he will not differentiate between truth and lie; between trustworthiness and treachery; between honesty and dishonesty; between loyalty and perfidy; between observing justice and committing wrong. In short, a person under the spell of utilitarian ideas will be ready to do a thing or its opposite, depending on what serves his interests best. The conduct of the British is illustrative of this stance. It is sometimes contended that though the British have a materialistic outlook on life and generally do not believe in the Hereafter, they are more truthful, fairer, and more straightforward and faithful to their commitment. The fact, however, is that the tenuous character of moral values under a utilitarian moral philosophy is amply illustrated by the character of the British. For their actual conduct clearly shows that they do not consider moral values to have any intrinsic worth. This is evident from the fact that even those values which are held by the British to be good in their individual lives are brazenly flouted when they act as a nation. Had the qualities of truthfulness, justice, honesty and faithfulness to one's committed word been regarded as intrinsic virtues, it would have been altogether out of the question for the elected rulers of Britain to cynically violate all moral principles in governmental and international affairs and yet continue to retain the confidence of the British people. Does such a behaviour of a people who do not take the Hereafter seriously prove that they do not believe in absolute moral values? Does it also not prove that, guided by concern for material interests, such people are capable of following mutually opposed views simultaneously? Nevertheless, if we do find some people who, in spite of their not believing in God and the Hereafter, consistently adhere to some moral virtues and abstain from evil, there should be no mistaking that their righteous conduct and piety represents the continuing influence which religious ideas and practices have over them - even if unconsciously - rather than their subscription to a materialistic philosophy of life. If they possess any portion of the wealth of morality, there can be no doubt that it was stolen from the treasure-house of religion. It is ironical that such persons are now using the same wealth derived from religious sources, to promote an irreligious way of life. We consider this an act of theft because irreligiousness and materialism are altogether bereft of morality.
(10:9) Surely those who believe (in the truths revealed in the Book) and do righteous deeds their Lord will guide them aright because of their faith. Rivers shall flow beneath them in the Gardens of Bliss.13
*13. This Qur'anic statement calls for serious reflection. The sequence of ideas presented here is also quite significant because answers have been systematically provided to a number of highly relevant basic questions. Let us look at these answers in their sequence. Why will the righteous enter Paradise? The answer is: because they have followed the straight way in their worldly life. That is, in all matters and in every walk of life, in all affairs relating to the personal or collective life they have been righteous and have abstained from false ways. This gives rise to another question: how were the righteous able to obtain a criterion that would enable them to distinguish, at every turn and crossroad of life, between right and wrong, between good and evil, between fair and unfair? And how did they come to have the strength to adhere to what is right and avoid what is wrong? All this, of course, came from their Lord Who bestowed upon them both the guidance which they needed to know the right way and the succour required to follow it. In answer to why their Lord bestowed upon them this guidance and succour, we are reminded that all this was in consideration for their faith. It is also made clear that this reward is not in lieu of merely a verbal profession to faith, a profession that is no more than a formal acceptance of certain propositions. Rather, the reward is in consideration for a faith that became the moving spirit of a believer's character and personality, the force that led him lo righteous deeds and conduct. We can observe in our own physical lives that a person's survival, state of health, level of energy, and joy of living all depend upon sustenance from the right kind of food. This food, once digested, provides blood to the veins and arteries, provides energy to the whole body and enables the different limbs to function properly. The same holds true of man's success in the moral domain. It is sound beliefs which ensure that he will have the correct outlook, sound orientation and right behaviour that will ultimately lead to his success. Such results, however, do not ensue from that kind of believing which either consists of a mere profession to faith, or is confined to some obscure corner of man's head or heart. The wholesome results mentioned above can only be produced by a faith which deeply permeates man's entire being, shaping his mental outlook, even becoming his instinct; a faith which is fully reflected in his character, conduct and outlook on life. We have just noted the importance of food. We know that the person who, in spite of eating remains like one who has not partaken of any food, would not be able to enjoy the healthy results that are the lot of the person who has fully assimilated what he ate. How can it be conceived that it would be different in the moral domain of human life? How can it be that he who remains, even after believing, like the one who does not believe, will derive the benefit and receive the reward meant for those whose believing leads to righteous living?
(10:10) Their call in it will be: 'Glory be to You, Our Lord!', and their greeting: 'Peace!'; and their call will always end with: 'All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe.14
*14. This should remove any misconceptions about Paradise which seem to have been formed by some people of frail understanding. Subtly, the verse suggests that when people are admitted to Paradise, they will not instantly pounce upon the objects of their desire as the starved and hungry are wont to do when they observe food. Nor will they frantically go about giving vent to their lusts, impatiently demanding their cherished objects of enjoyment - beautiful women, wine, dissolute singing and music. The fact is that the men of faith and righteousness who are admitted to Paradise will be those who, during their life in the world, have embellished their lives with sublime ideas and noble deeds, who have refined their emotions, who have oriented their desires in the right direction, and who have purified their conduct and character. Thus, the nobility which they have developed in their personalities will shine in even greater splendour when they set their feet in the pure and clean environment of Paradise. Those same traits which characterized their behaviour in the world will appear with even greater lustre. The favourite occupation of such people in Paradise will be the same as during their life on the earth - to celebrate the praise of God. Likewise, their relationships in Paradise will be imbued with feelings of mutual harmony and concern for each other's well-being as had been the case in this world.
English ◄ Chapter 10. Yunus ► Intro. ◄ Verse 1-10 of 109 ► View Ar En Nt Recite Font Email
Towards Understanding the QuranWith kind permission: Islamic Foundation UK
English ◄ Chapter 10. Yunus ► Intro. ◄ Verse 1-10 of 109 ► View Ar En Nt ► █ Font Email
الٓر تِلۡكَ اٰيٰتُ الۡكِتٰبِ الۡحَكِيۡمِ ﴿10:1﴾ اَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا اَنۡ اَوۡحَيۡنَاۤ اِلٰى رَجُلٍ مِّنۡهُمۡ اَنۡ اَنۡذِرِ النَّاسَ وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اَنَّ لَهُمۡ قَدَمَ صِدۡقٍ عِنۡدَ رَبِّهِمۡ ؕ قَالَ الۡكٰفِرُوۡنَ اِنَّ هٰذَا لَسٰحِرٌ مُّبِيۡنٌ ﴿10:2﴾ اِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللّٰهُ الَّذِىۡ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ فِىۡ سِتَّةِ اَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسۡتَوٰى عَلَى الۡعَرۡشِ يُدَبِّرُ الۡاَمۡرَؕ مَا مِنۡ شَفِيۡعٍ اِلَّا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ اِذۡنِهٖؕ ذٰلِكُمُ اللّٰهُ رَبُّكُمۡ فَاعۡبُدُوۡهُؕ اَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُوۡنَ ﴿10:3﴾ اِلَيۡهِ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ جَمِيۡعًا ؕ وَعۡدَ اللّٰهِ حَقًّا ؕ اِنَّهٗ يَـبۡدَؤُا الۡخَـلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيۡدُهٗ لِيَجۡزِىَ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ بِالۡقِسۡطِؕ وَالَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا لَهُمۡ شَرَابٌ مِّنۡ حَمِيۡمٍ وَّعَذَابٌ اَلِيۡمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوۡا يَكۡفُرُوۡنَ ﴿10:4﴾ هُوَ الَّذِىۡ جَعَلَ الشَّمۡسَ ضِيَآءً وَّالۡقَمَرَ نُوۡرًا وَّقَدَّرَهٗ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعۡلَمُوۡا عَدَدَ السِّنِيۡنَ وَالۡحِسَابَؕ مَا خَلَقَ اللّٰهُ ذٰلِكَ اِلَّا بِالۡحَـقِّۚ يُفَصِّلُ الۡاٰيٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ يَّعۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿10:5﴾ اِنَّ فِىۡ اخۡتِلَافِ الَّيۡلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَمَا خَلَقَ اللّٰهُ فِىۡ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ لَاَيٰتٍ لِّـقَوۡمٍ يَّتَّقُوۡنَ ﴿10:6﴾ اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ لَا يَرۡجُوۡنَ لِقَآءَنَا وَرَضُوۡا بِالۡحَيٰوةِ الدُّنۡيَا وَاطۡمَاَنُّوۡا بِهَا وَالَّذِيۡنَ هُمۡ عَنۡ اٰيٰتِنَا غٰفِلُوۡنَۙ ﴿10:7﴾ اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ مَاۡوٰٮهُمُ النَّارُ بِمَا كَانُوۡا يَكۡسِبُوۡنَ ﴿10:8﴾ اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ يَهۡدِيۡهِمۡ رَبُّهُمۡ بِاِيۡمَانِهِمۡۚ تَجۡرِىۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِهِمُ الۡاَنۡهٰرُ فِىۡ جَنّٰتِ النَّعِيۡمِ ﴿10:9﴾ دَعۡوٰٮهُمۡ فِيۡهَا سُبۡحٰنَكَ اللّٰهُمَّ وَ تَحِيَّـتُهُمۡ فِيۡهَا سَلٰمٌۚ وَاٰخِرُ دَعۡوٰٮهُمۡ اَنِ الۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ ﴿10:10﴾
(10:1) Alif. Lam. Ra. These are the verses of the Book overflowing with wisdom.1
*1. This introductory statement carries a subtle note of warning. For the unbelievers, out of their sheer stupidity looked upon the Qur'an which was presented to them by the Prophet (peace be on him) as merely a literary masterpiece, an embodiment of spellbinding poetic imagination, a fascinating discourse on a very sublime, illusive plane in the manner of soothsayers. The unbelievers are told that such notions are pure misconceptions. On the contrary, the Qur'anic verses are part of a Book which abounds in wisdom. Hence, if they disregard the Qur'an, they are merely depriving themselves of a treasure-house of wisdom.
(10:2) Does it seem strange to people that We should have revealed to a man from among themselves, directing him to warn the people (who lie engrossed in heedlessness); and to give good news to the believers that they shall enjoy true honour and an exalted status with their Lord?2 (Is this so strange that) the deniers of the truth should say: 'This man is indeed an evident sorcerer'?3
*2. The unbelievers are asked why they are astonished that a human being has been designated to warn other human beings. Would it have been reasonable to designate some angel Jinn or animal rather than a human being to warn other human beings? Similarly, is there anything weird or exotic about the appointment of a Prophet? For if people are found engrossed in error and are oblivious to the truth, what then is truly strange: that their Creator and Lord should make arrangements to guide them or let them continue stumbling in their error? And if Divine Guidance is made available to human beings, does it not stand to reason that it is those who follow, rather than those who reject it, that deserve to be held in honour and esteem? Those who express their astonishment at this should reconsider what it is that truly merits astonishment.
*3. The unbelievers' allegation that the Prophet (peace be on him) is a sorcerer is devoid of even an iota of truth. The mere fact that a person, by dint of his capacity to express himself effectively, influences people and captivates their hearts and minds does not warrant being called a sorcerer. What is worth considering is the purpose for which he employs his oratorical skill, and the kind of influence that his oration has on the audience. Any orator who uses his skill for an evil purpose will naturally be considered a demagogue, an unbridled and irresponsible speaker. For his only interest lies in casting a spell over his audience, even if he might have to resort to making false and exaggerated statements or saying things that are altogether unjust. The discourse of such speakers is bereft of all wisdom. For all it aims to do is to hoodwink and bamboozle the gullible masses. Such speakers have no coherent set of ideas to offer. What they say is full of contradiction and incoherence. Such speakers lack moderation and lean towards extremism. For their purpose is to prove their capacity to spellbind their audiences by verbal flamboyance or to intoxicate them with inflammatory eloquence in order to pit one group against another. Such oratory is not conducive to moral improvement, and the lives of the audience are by no means reformed. Neither does the eloquence of such speakers bring about any healthy change in the outlook of the audience nor in the quality of their lives. In fact, such eloquence may even have an evil and corrupting influence. In sharp contrast to all this, the Prophet's oration is characterized by wisdom and coherence, balance and moderation of the highest order, and strict adherence to the truth. Each word of the Prophet (peace be on him) is pregnant with purposiveness and manifests a keen sense of proportion. In addition, all his oration is directed to just on e purpose - to guide and reform mankind. In all that he says there is no trace of any concern for worldly interests - personal, familial or national. He only warns people against the evil consequences of their heedlessness and invites them to something that would lead to their own well-being. Furthermore, the effect of the Prophet's oration on his audience is radically different from that of sorcerers. For, all those who accept the Prophet's message undergo a change for the better; their moral conduct improves, and all in all they become oriented to righteousness and benevolence. It was, therefore, for the Prophet's detractors to consider whether sorcerers achieve such results and whether their professional skills are directed towards such noble purposes.
(10:3) Surely your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself on the Throne (of His Dominion), governing all affairs of the universe.4 None may intercede with Him except after obtaining His leave.5 Such is Allah, your Lord; do therefore serve Him.6 Will you not take heed?7
*4. There is no reason to believe that after having created everything God chose to consign Himself to the limbo of unconcern. On the contrary, after His great act of creation He established Himself on the Throne and holds the reins of the entire universe so that He not only reigns but in fact also effectively rules over the universe. The Qur'an considers it a colossal error - an error to which the ignorant have succumbed - to believe that after creating the universe God either left it to run on its own, or entrusted its affairs to others to govern it as they please. On the contrary, the Qur'an emphasizes that it is God Who is directing all the affairs of His creation; that all power effectively rests with Him alone. The Qur'an constantly drives home the point that God alone has all authority so that all that takes place in the universe or in any part of it takes place by His command or His leave. God's relationship with the universe is not simply that He created it; rather the reins of the universe are with Him and He is in effective and continual control of its affairs. It is He alone Who keeps the universe in existence and it is He alone Who directs it as He pleases. {See Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. III, al-A'raf, nn. 41-2, pp. 33-4.)
*5. No one is in a position to interfere with God in His governance of the universe, or has the power to effectively intercede with God on anyone else's behalf and to prevail upon Him to change any of His decisions. Nor is anyone in such a position of power with God that his intercession would make or unmake anyone else's destiny. The utmost that a person can do is to pray to God. However, the acceptance or non-acceptance of such prayers rests solely with Him. No one is so powerful that his desire will, of necessity, always prevail with God, nor does anyone's intercession bind God to act according to the former's desire.
*6. After emphasizing the given fact of God's lordship in the first part of the verse, man is now informed of its logical consequences. Since all authority rests solely with God, it is incumbent upon man to serve Him exclusively. God's lordship embraces the three-fold attributes of His being (i) the Sustainer, (ii) the Master, and (iii) the Sovereign. In like manner, the term 'ibadah embraces the three-fold corresponding implications that man should (i)worship, (ii) serve, and (iii) obey God.
*7. Since man has been informed of the fundamental truths and has been shown the right way, there is no justification for him to remain engrossed in those false conceptions which have caused him to act in a manner altogether inconsistent with the reality.
(10:4) To Him is your return.8 This is Allah's promise that will certainly come true. Surely it is He Who brings about the creation of all and He will repeat it9 so that He may justly reward those who believe and do righteous deeds; and that those who disbelieve may have a draught of boiling water and suffer a painful chastisement for their denying the truth.10
*8. The Prophet's teachings comprise two fundamental doctrines: (i) that God alone is man's Lord and hence man should worship Him, and (ii) that man is bound to return to his Lord in the Next Life wherein he will be made to render an account to his Lord. This particular verse focuses on the second of these two doctrines.
*9. This Qur'anic statement combines the enunciation of a basic doctrine with its supporting argument. The doctrine that is being enunciated here is that God will resurrect man. This is supported by the argument that it is God Who brought about the creation in the first place. All those who believe that the original creation was an act of God can neither consider it impossible nor
*10. The present verse sets forth the rationale of resurrection. The preceding verses had conclusively established that resurrection is possible, that there is no reasonable ground to dub it as a far-fetched idea. Drawing upon the above, the verse under consideration points out that the requirements of justice and reason can only be fulfilled by resurrection, and that this calls for a repetition of the original act of creation by God. The point that is being made here is that those who accept God as their One and the Only Lord and truly live in service and devotion to Him deserve to be fully rewarded for their righteous conduct. Likewise, those who reject the truth and act according to their own whim deserve to be duly punished for their unrighteous conduct. The present life is so constituted that reward and punishment are not being meted out and cannot be meted out in the manner described above. This is a plain fact, and one which is evident to all except those who are obstinate, This being the case, reason and justice demand fresh creation in order that such reward and punishment be meted out. (For further
(10:5) He it is Who gave the sun radiance and the moon light, and determined the stages (for the waxing and waning of the moon) that you may learn the calculation of years and the reckoning of time. Allah has created all this with a rightful purpose (rather than out of play). He expounds His signs for the people who know.
(10:6) Surely in the alternation of the night and the day and in all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth there are signs for the people who seek to avoid (error of outlook and conduct).11
*11. This provides yet another argument in support of the doctrine of the Hereafter. The argument is derived from the orderly nature of the universe. This vast universe - the handiwork of God - is spread out before our eyes. It is full of signs of God's power and wisdom such as those which underlie the sun and the moon and the alternation of night and day. Even a superficial glance at the universe is enough to convince one that the Creator of this enormous universe is not at all like a child who creates something to play with and after enjoying it for a while whimsically destroys it. For it is quite evident that every act of the Creator is characterized by order and wisdom, and that a strong purposiveness underlies everything, even a speck of dust. Now, since the Creator is All-Wise - as is evident from His creation - it is absurd to assume that He Who has also invested man with reason, moral consciousness and free-will, will not call man to account for his conduct; that He will altogether disregard the need for retribution arising from man's responsibility which in turn stems from his inherent rational and moral endowments. Apart from expounding the doctrine of the Hereafter, the above verses also adduce the following three arguments in support of that doctrine: First, a persuasive case is made out in support of the possibility of a second life. The basis of the argument is that the creation of man in the first instance is indicative of God's creative power. (There is no reason to believe that God has become bereft of that power of creation, and hence would be unable to create man afresh - Ed.) Second, the Next Life is needed in order that man might be rewarded or punished in consideration of his performance, whether good or bad. Both justice and reason seem to call for a new life wherein everyone would be able to see, in a fair manner, the consequence of his deeds. Third, that the Next Life, which is a requirement of justice and reason, will certainly come to pass. This is because the Creator, Who created man and the universe, is All-Wise, and it is inconceivable that such a Being will not respond to an unmistakable requirement of justice and reason. After careful consideration it appears that the above are the only possible arguments that might be adduced and they suffice to establish that there is life after death. The only possible question that remains, after having established that the Next Life is demanded by both reason and justice, and also that it is a requisite of God's wisdom, is whether it is possible to visually observe the Next Life in the manner in which people observe other objects. Now it should he clearly understood that this inability will remain during the present phase of existence. The reason for it is that God asks man to believe in cerium truths and such a demand in respect of objects which can be observed with human eyes would be utterly meaningless. The test to which man has been put consists precisely of this; whether man can affirm certain truths which belong to the suprasensory realm by the use of his rational faculties. Another point which has been stated in this context also deserves serious consideration. This is embodied in the following Qur'anic statement: 'He expounds His signs for the people who know' (Yunus 10: 5);'. . . and in all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth there are signs for the people who seek to avoid (error of outlook and conduct)' (Yunus 10: 6). This means that God in His infinite wisdom has seen to it that in the multifarious phenomena of existence there should be plenty of signs which betoken the hidden realities underlying that phenomena. However, not all men will be able to benefit from those signs. Those who will be able to benefit are those (i) who liberate themselves from prejudices and seek knowledge with the help of the natural endowments bestowed upon them by God. and (ii) those who are Keen not to fall into error and who earnestly seek to adhere to the right way.
(10:7) Surely those who do not expect to meet Us, who are gratified with the life of the world and content with it, and are heedless of Our signs,
(10:8) their abode shall be the Fire in return for their misdeeds,12
*12. Here again a doctrine has been put forth along with its supporting argument. (For another such instance seen. 9 above-Ed.)The statement that is being made here is that rejection of the doctrine of the Hereafter necessarily entails the punishment of Hell, and the argument that is being proffered in support of it is that those who are oblivious to the Hereafter commit, because of their disbelief in it, evil deeds which can only lead to them suffering the torments of Hell. This argument is corroborated by the entire record of man's past. It is quite clear that the lives of those who do not believe that they, will not be held to account by God for their deeds; who work on the assumption that life is merely confined to the span of worldly existence; who measure human success or failure only in terms of the extent of material comfort, fame and power that a person is able to enjoy: who under the influence of such materialistic notions do not even care to pay attention to those signs of God which point to reality, assume an altogether wrong direction with the result that their life is vitiated. Hence they live a totally unbridled life, develop the worst possible character traits, and fill God's earth with injustice and corruption, with sin and transgression, and ultimately end up meriting the punishment of Hell. It will be seen that whereas the three arguments mentioned earlier were of a theoretical nature the above argument about the Hereafter is drawn from. human experience itself. Although in the present verse the argument is found only in an implicit form, it is spelt out at several other places in the Qur'an. The argument essentially is that unless man's character rests on the consciousness and conviction that he will have to render an account for all his deeds to God, both man's individual and collective behaviour will fail to have sound basis and direction. It would seem, therefore, to be worth asking: why is this so? Why is it that once this consciousness and conviction are altogether ended or greatly enfeebled, the human character turns to iniquity and corruption? Had affirmation of the Hereafter not been in conformity with reality, and conversely, had its denial not been opposed to it, then the evil consequences flowing from the denial of the Hereafter would not have been found with such unfailing regularity. If adherence to a proposition invariably leads to good results, and failure to adhere to it invariably leads to evil consequences, then this definitely proves the proposition to be true. In an attempt to refute the above argument it is sometimes contended that even atheists who reject the Hereafter and follow a materialistic approach to life often lead lives that are on the whole good and decent, that they hold themselves free from corruption and injustice. Not only that but also that their actual conduct is characterized by righteousness and benevolence. However, only a little reflection will make apparent the fallacy underlying this argument. For if one were to examine any atheistic or materialistic philosophy or ideology one will not find in them any basis for righteous behaviour which draws such lavish praise from so-called 'righteous' atheists. Nor can it be established by logical reasoning that an atheistic philosophy of life provides any incentive to embrace such virtues as truthfulness, trustworthiness, honesty, faithfulness to one's commitment, benevolence, generosity, preferring the interests of others to one's own, self-restraint, chastity, recognition of the rights of others, and fulfilment of one's obligations. The fact is that once God and the Hereafter are relegated to oblivion, the only practicable course left for man is to anchor his morality on utilitarianism. All other philosophical ideas which are expounded are merely theoretical embellishments and have no relevance for man's practical life. As for utilitarian morality - no matter how hard we might try to broaden its scope - it does not go beyond teaching man that he ought to do that which will yield to him or to his society some worldly benefit. Now since utility is the criterion of all acts, such a philosophy tends to make man cynical, with the result that in order to derive benefits, he will not differentiate between truth and lie; between trustworthiness and treachery; between honesty and dishonesty; between loyalty and perfidy; between observing justice and committing wrong. In short, a person under the spell of utilitarian ideas will be ready to do a thing or its opposite, depending on what serves his interests best. The conduct of the British is illustrative of this stance. It is sometimes contended that though the British have a materialistic outlook on life and generally do not believe in the Hereafter, they are more truthful, fairer, and more straightforward and faithful to their commitment. The fact, however, is that the tenuous character of moral values under a utilitarian moral philosophy is amply illustrated by the character of the British. For their actual conduct clearly shows that they do not consider moral values to have any intrinsic worth. This is evident from the fact that even those values which are held by the British to be good in their individual lives are brazenly flouted when they act as a nation. Had the qualities of truthfulness, justice, honesty and faithfulness to one's committed word been regarded as intrinsic virtues, it would have been altogether out of the question for the elected rulers of Britain to cynically violate all moral principles in governmental and international affairs and yet continue to retain the confidence of the British people. Does such a behaviour of a people who do not take the Hereafter seriously prove that they do not believe in absolute moral values? Does it also not prove that, guided by concern for material interests, such people are capable of following mutually opposed views simultaneously? Nevertheless, if we do find some people who, in spite of their not believing in God and the Hereafter, consistently adhere to some moral virtues and abstain from evil, there should be no mistaking that their righteous conduct and piety represents the continuing influence which religious ideas and practices have over them - even if unconsciously - rather than their subscription to a materialistic philosophy of life. If they possess any portion of the wealth of morality, there can be no doubt that it was stolen from the treasure-house of religion. It is ironical that such persons are now using the same wealth derived from religious sources, to promote an irreligious way of life. We consider this an act of theft because irreligiousness and materialism are altogether bereft of morality.
(10:9) Surely those who believe (in the truths revealed in the Book) and do righteous deeds their Lord will guide them aright because of their faith. Rivers shall flow beneath them in the Gardens of Bliss.13
*13. This Qur'anic statement calls for serious reflection. The sequence of ideas presented here is also quite significant because answers have been systematically provided to a number of highly relevant basic questions. Let us look at these answers in their sequence. Why will the righteous enter Paradise? The answer is: because they have followed the straight way in their worldly life. That is, in all matters and in every walk of life, in all affairs relating to the personal or collective life they have been righteous and have abstained from false ways. This gives rise to another question: how were the righteous able to obtain a criterion that would enable them to distinguish, at every turn and crossroad of life, between right and wrong, between good and evil, between fair and unfair? And how did they come to have the strength to adhere to what is right and avoid what is wrong? All this, of course, came from their Lord Who bestowed upon them both the guidance which they needed to know the right way and the succour required to follow it. In answer to why their Lord bestowed upon them this guidance and succour, we are reminded that all this was in consideration for their faith. It is also made clear that this reward is not in lieu of merely a verbal profession to faith, a profession that is no more than a formal acceptance of certain propositions. Rather, the reward is in consideration for a faith that became the moving spirit of a believer's character and personality, the force that led him lo righteous deeds and conduct. We can observe in our own physical lives that a person's survival, state of health, level of energy, and joy of living all depend upon sustenance from the right kind of food. This food, once digested, provides blood to the veins and arteries, provides energy to the whole body and enables the different limbs to function properly. The same holds true of man's success in the moral domain. It is sound beliefs which ensure that he will have the correct outlook, sound orientation and right behaviour that will ultimately lead to his success. Such results, however, do not ensue from that kind of believing which either consists of a mere profession to faith, or is confined to some obscure corner of man's head or heart. The wholesome results mentioned above can only be produced by a faith which deeply permeates man's entire being, shaping his mental outlook, even becoming his instinct; a faith which is fully reflected in his character, conduct and outlook on life. We have just noted the importance of food. We know that the person who, in spite of eating remains like one who has not partaken of any food, would not be able to enjoy the healthy results that are the lot of the person who has fully assimilated what he ate. How can it be conceived that it would be different in the moral domain of human life? How can it be that he who remains, even after believing, like the one who does not believe, will derive the benefit and receive the reward meant for those whose believing leads to righteous living?
(10:10) Their call in it will be: 'Glory be to You, Our Lord!', and their greeting: 'Peace!'; and their call will always end with: 'All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe.14
*14. This should remove any misconceptions about Paradise which seem to have been formed by some people of frail understanding. Subtly, the verse suggests that when people are admitted to Paradise, they will not instantly pounce upon the objects of their desire as the starved and hungry are wont to do when they observe food. Nor will they frantically go about giving vent to their lusts, impatiently demanding their cherished objects of enjoyment - beautiful women, wine, dissolute singing and music. The fact is that the men of faith and righteousness who are admitted to Paradise will be those who, during their life in the world, have embellished their lives with sublime ideas and noble deeds, who have refined their emotions, who have oriented their desires in the right direction, and who have purified their conduct and character. Thus, the nobility which they have developed in their personalities will shine in even greater splendour when they set their feet in the pure and clean environment of Paradise. Those same traits which characterized their behaviour in the world will appear with even greater lustre. The favourite occupation of such people in Paradise will be the same as during their life on the earth - to celebrate the praise of God. Likewise, their relationships in Paradise will be imbued with feelings of mutual harmony and concern for each other's well-being as had been the case in this world.
English ◄ Chapter 10. Yunus ► Intro. ◄ Verse 1-10 of 109 ► View Ar En Nt Recite Font Email
Towards Understanding the Quran
From: http://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=25
Towards Understanding the Quran
With kind permission: Islamic Foundation UK
English ◄ Chapter 25. Al-Furqan ► Intro. ◄ Verse 1-9 of 77 ► View Ar En Nt ► █ Font Email
تَبٰرَكَ الَّذِىۡ نَزَّلَ الۡـفُرۡقَانَ عَلٰى عَبۡدِهٖ لِيَكُوۡنَ لِلۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ نَذِيۡرَ ۨ اۙ ﴿25:1﴾ الَّذِىۡ لَهٗ مُلۡكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ وَلَمۡ يَتَّخِذۡ وَلَدًا وَّلَمۡ يَكُنۡ لَّهٗ شَرِيۡكٌ فِىۡ الۡمُلۡكِ وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ فَقَدَّرَهٗ تَقۡدِيۡرًا ﴿25:2﴾ وَاتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِهٖۤ اٰلِهَةً لَّا يَخۡلُقُوۡنَ شَيۡـًٔـا وَّهُمۡ يُخۡلَقُوۡنَ وَلَا يَمۡلِكُوۡنَ لِاَنۡفُسِهِمۡ ضَرًّا وَّلَا نَفۡعًا وَّلَا يَمۡلِكُوۡنَ مَوۡتًا وَّلَا حَيٰوةً وَّلَا نُشُوۡرًا ﴿25:3﴾ وَقَالَ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡۤا اِنۡ هٰذَاۤ اِلَّاۤ اِفۡكٌ ۨافۡتَرٰٮهُ وَاَعَانَهٗ عَلَيۡهِ قَوۡمٌ اٰخَرُوۡنَ ۛۚ فَقَدۡ جَآءُوۡ ظُلۡمًا وَّزُوۡرًا ۛۚ ﴿25:4﴾ وَقَالُوۡۤا اَسَاطِيۡرُ الۡاَوَّلِيۡنَ اكۡتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمۡلٰى عَلَيۡهِ بُكۡرَةً وَّاَصِيۡلاً ﴿25:5﴾ قُلۡ اَنۡزَلَهُ الَّذِىۡ يَعۡلَمُ السِّرَّ فِىۡ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِؕ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ غَفُوۡرًا رَّحِيۡمًا ﴿25:6﴾ وَقَالُوۡا مَالِ هٰذَا الرَّسُوۡلِ يَاۡكُلُ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمۡشِىۡ فِىۡ الۡاَسۡوَاقِؕ لَوۡلَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَيۡهِ مَلَكٌ فَيَكُوۡنَ مَعَهٗ نَذِيۡرًاۙ ﴿25:7﴾ اَوۡ يُلۡقٰٓى اِلَيۡهِ كَنۡزٌ اَوۡ تَكُوۡنُ لَهٗ جَنَّةٌ يَّاۡكُلُ مِنۡهَاؕ وَقَالَ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ اِنۡ تَتَّبِعُوۡنَ اِلَّا رَجُلاً مَّسۡحُوۡرًا ﴿25:8﴾ اُنْظُرۡ كَيۡفَ ضَرَبُوۡا لَـكَ الۡاَمۡثَالَ فَضَلُّوۡا فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيۡعُوۡنَ سَبِيۡلاً ﴿25:9﴾
(25:1) Highly blessed1 is He, Who has sent down Al-Furqan (Quran)2 ,3 to His servant so that it may be a warner to all mankind :4
*1 The Arabic word tabaraka is very comprehensive, and cannot be understood fully and completely by "highly blessed", not even by a sentence. However, its meanings may be grasped by keeping in view the remaining portion
*2 Al-Furqan: The Criterion. The Qur'an has been called Al-Furqan because it is the Criterion for judging right and wrong virtue and vice, truth and falsehood.
*3 The word nazzala implies revelation of the Qur'an piecemeal by degrees. The wisdom of this introductory remark will be explained in the study of verse 32, where the objection of the disbelievers of Makkah -as to why the Qur'an has not been sent down all at once-has been dealt with
*4 “..... warner to all mankind": To warn all mankind of the evil consequences of their heedlessness and deviation. The warner may be AI-Furgan or the Holy Prophet to whom it was revealed. In fact, both were the warners because they were both sent for one and the same purpose. The message of the Qur'an and Prophethood of Muhammad (Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) were not meant for any particular country but for the whole world; and not for their own time, but for all times to come. This has been stated at several places in the Qur'an; for instance: "O Muhammad, say, O mankind, I am a Messenger to all of you from Allah ....." (Al-A`raf: 158); "..... and this Qur'an has been revealed to me so that I should thereby warn you all and whom it may reach." (Al An'am: 19); "We have sent you only as a bearer of good news and as a warner to all mankind." (Saba: 28); and "We have sent you as a mercy to all mankind." (Al Anbiya': 107) The Holy Prophet himself has stated this clearly in the Hadith; for instance, he said: "I have been sent to all men-the red and the black." "Before me a Prophet was sent only to his own people, but 1 have been sent to all mankind." (Bukhari, Muslim). "I have been sent to all mankind, and I am the Last of the Prophets." (Muslim).
(25:2) He to Whom belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth:5 Who has begotten no son:6 Who has no partner in His Sovereignty:7 Who created each and every thing and then ordained its destiny.8
*5 Another translation may be: "To Him belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth." That is, He alone has an exclusive right to it, and no one else has any right to it nor any share in it.
*6 That is, "He has neither any relation of direct parenthood to anyone, nor has He taken anyone as a son. Therefore, none else in the universe is entitled to worship. He is Unique and there can be no partner in His Godhead. Thus all those who associate with Him angels or jinns or saints as His offspring, are ignorant. Likewise, those who believe that some one, is His "son", are also ignorant. They have no true conception of the Greatness of Allah and consider Him to be weak and needy like human beings, who require some one to become their inheritor. It is sheer ignorance and folly." For further details, see E.N.'s 66 to G8 of Surah Yunus .
*7 The Arabic word mulk means Sovereignty, Supreme Authority, and Kingship. Thus the sentence will mean: "Allah is the Absolute Ruler of the whole universe and there is none other who may have any right to authority; therefore He alone is God." For whenever a man takes anything else as his lord, he does so under the presumption that his deity has the power to do good or bring harm and make or mar his fortune; nobody will like to worship a powerless deity. Now when it is recognized that none but Allah has the real power and authority in the universe, nobody will bow before anyone other than Him in worship, nor will sing anybody else's hymns, nor commit the folly of bowing in worship before any thing else except his real God, or recognize any other as his ruler, because "To Allah belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and to Him alone."
*8 There may be other translations of this also: "He has ordained it in due proportion"; or "He has appointed an exact measure for everything." But no translation can convey its real meaning, which is: "Allah has not only created everything in the universe but also determined its shape, size, potentialities, characteristics, term of existence, the limitations and extent of its development and all other things concerning it. Then, He has created the means and provisions to enable it to function properly in its own separate sphere."
(25:3) Yet the people have set up, besides Him, deities, who do not create anything but are themselves created :9 who can neither harm nor help even themselves: who have no power over life or death, nor can they raise up the dead.10
*9 The words are comprehensive and cover all the false gods whom the mushriks worship whether they are angels, jinns, Prophets, saints, the sun, the moon, the stars, trees, rivers, animals etc., which have been created by Allah, or those which have been created by man, as the idols of stone, wood, etc.
*10 That is, "Allah has sent down Al-Furqan on His servant so that he may invite the people to the Truth, which they have forsaken due to heedlessness and waywardness, and warn them of the evil consequences of their folly. The Furqan is being revealed piecemeal so that he may distinguish right from wrong and the genuine from the counterfeit."
(25:4) Those who have rejected the Message of the Prophet, say, "This (A1-Furgan) is a forgery which this man himself has devised, and some others have helped him at it. " What a cruel injustice11 and an impudent lie!
*11 Another translation may be: "a great injustice."
(25:5) They say, "These things are the writings of the ancients which he has got copied down for himself, and then these are recited to him in the morning and evening.''
(25:6) O Muhammad, say to them, "This has been sent down by Him, Who knows the secret of the heavens and the earth."12 The fact is that He is very Forgiving and Merciful.13
*12 This is the same objection which the modern orientalists have raised against the Qur'an, but strange as it may seem, no contemporary of the Holy Prophet ever raised such an objection against him. Nobody, for instance, ever said that Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) as a boy had met Buhairah, the monk, and had attained religious knowledge from him, nor did anybody claim that he had obtained all that information from the Christian monks and Jewish rabbis during the trade journeys in his youth. In fact, they knew that he had never traveled alone but in the caravans and if they said such a thing, it would be refuted by hundreds of their own people from the city.
*13 "... He is very Forgiving and Merciful" is very meaningful here. It means that Allah is giving full respite to the enemies of the Truth, for He is "Forgiving and Merciful"; otherwise He would have sent down a scourge to annihilate them because of the false charges they were bringing against the Messenger. It also contains an admonition, as if to say, "O unjust people! if even now you give up your enmity and obduracy and accept the Truth, We shall forgive your previous misdeeds. "
(25:7) They say, "What sort of a Messenger is he that he eats food and moves about in the streets?14 Why has not an angel been sent down to accompany him and threaten (the disbelievers)?15
*14 That is, "He cannot be a Messenger of Allah because he is a human being like us. Had Allah willed to send a Messenger, He would have sent an angel, and f at all a human being was to be sent, he should have been a king or a millionaire, who would have resided in a castle and been guarded by attendants. A Messenger could not be an ordinary person who has to move about in the market places like the common people, for it is obvious that such a human Messenger cannot attract the attention of the people. In other words, they thought that a Messenger was not meant to guide the people to the right path but to coerce them to obedience by show of worldly power and grandeur. For further details, see E.N. 26 of Al-Mu'minun.
*15 That is, "If a human being was to be sent as a Messenger, an angel should have been appointed to accompany him to proclaim: `If you do not believe in him, 1 will scourge you." But what son of a Messenger is he, who has to suffer from abuse and persecution?"
(25:8) Or why has not at least a treasure been sent down for him or a garden given to him for (easy) sustenance?"16 And the wicked people say, "You are following a man bewitched."17
*16 That is, "If nothing else, Allah should at least have made extraordinary arrangements for his livelihood. But this man has no treasure and no gardens; yet he claims to be a Messenger of the Lord of the universe."
*17 The disbelievers of Makkah made the false propaganda against the Holy Prophet that he had been bewitched by some jinn or by the sorcery of an enemy or by the curse of some god or goddess for his insolence. But it is strange that they also admitted that he was a clever man who could make use of extracts from the ancient writings for the sake of his "prophethood", could practice sorcery and was also a poet.
(25:9) Just see what strange arguments they bring forward with regard to you! They have gone so far astray that they cannot charge any thing against you.18
*18 As these objections were frivolous and meaningless like others, the Qur'an has ignored them, saying, "Your objections are irrelevant, unreasonable and void of sense. You bring no sound argument to prove your doctrine of shirk, or to refute the Doctrine of Tauhid put forward by him, whereas the Messenger gives such proofs of the Doctrine of Tauhid that you cannot refute them except by saying, 'He is bewitched'. The same is true of the doctrine of the life-after-death and of the moral system of the Qur'an, which has produced men of high character. You cannot deny these things; you reject them, saying, "He is a human being like us, etc.”
English ◄ Chapter 25. Al-Furqan ► Intro. ◄ Verse 1-9 of 77 ► View Ar En Nt Recite Font Email
Blogger Comment:
The same accusation of God to those who denied the prophethood to Muhammad (PBUH) is the same like it is today. They try to use every argument they can, which in many times the arguments contradict themselves. Thus they go in different directions and do not have only one clear way or direction to say he is not a prophet because of that, since they will have the right answer against each argument as was clear from the Quran. Nothing new under the sun, most prophets found very high resistance from humans second to envy, fear of loose of power, love of domination and so on.
Towards Understanding the Quran
With kind permission: Islamic Foundation UK
English ◄ Chapter 25. Al-Furqan ► Intro. ◄ Verse 1-9 of 77 ► View Ar En Nt ► █ Font Email
تَبٰرَكَ الَّذِىۡ نَزَّلَ الۡـفُرۡقَانَ عَلٰى عَبۡدِهٖ لِيَكُوۡنَ لِلۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ نَذِيۡرَ ۨ اۙ ﴿25:1﴾ الَّذِىۡ لَهٗ مُلۡكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ وَلَمۡ يَتَّخِذۡ وَلَدًا وَّلَمۡ يَكُنۡ لَّهٗ شَرِيۡكٌ فِىۡ الۡمُلۡكِ وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ فَقَدَّرَهٗ تَقۡدِيۡرًا ﴿25:2﴾ وَاتَّخَذُوۡا مِنۡ دُوۡنِهٖۤ اٰلِهَةً لَّا يَخۡلُقُوۡنَ شَيۡـًٔـا وَّهُمۡ يُخۡلَقُوۡنَ وَلَا يَمۡلِكُوۡنَ لِاَنۡفُسِهِمۡ ضَرًّا وَّلَا نَفۡعًا وَّلَا يَمۡلِكُوۡنَ مَوۡتًا وَّلَا حَيٰوةً وَّلَا نُشُوۡرًا ﴿25:3﴾ وَقَالَ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡۤا اِنۡ هٰذَاۤ اِلَّاۤ اِفۡكٌ ۨافۡتَرٰٮهُ وَاَعَانَهٗ عَلَيۡهِ قَوۡمٌ اٰخَرُوۡنَ ۛۚ فَقَدۡ جَآءُوۡ ظُلۡمًا وَّزُوۡرًا ۛۚ ﴿25:4﴾ وَقَالُوۡۤا اَسَاطِيۡرُ الۡاَوَّلِيۡنَ اكۡتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمۡلٰى عَلَيۡهِ بُكۡرَةً وَّاَصِيۡلاً ﴿25:5﴾ قُلۡ اَنۡزَلَهُ الَّذِىۡ يَعۡلَمُ السِّرَّ فِىۡ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِؕ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ غَفُوۡرًا رَّحِيۡمًا ﴿25:6﴾ وَقَالُوۡا مَالِ هٰذَا الرَّسُوۡلِ يَاۡكُلُ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمۡشِىۡ فِىۡ الۡاَسۡوَاقِؕ لَوۡلَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَيۡهِ مَلَكٌ فَيَكُوۡنَ مَعَهٗ نَذِيۡرًاۙ ﴿25:7﴾ اَوۡ يُلۡقٰٓى اِلَيۡهِ كَنۡزٌ اَوۡ تَكُوۡنُ لَهٗ جَنَّةٌ يَّاۡكُلُ مِنۡهَاؕ وَقَالَ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ اِنۡ تَتَّبِعُوۡنَ اِلَّا رَجُلاً مَّسۡحُوۡرًا ﴿25:8﴾ اُنْظُرۡ كَيۡفَ ضَرَبُوۡا لَـكَ الۡاَمۡثَالَ فَضَلُّوۡا فَلَا يَسۡتَطِيۡعُوۡنَ سَبِيۡلاً ﴿25:9﴾
(25:1) Highly blessed1 is He, Who has sent down Al-Furqan (Quran)2 ,3 to His servant so that it may be a warner to all mankind :4
*1 The Arabic word tabaraka is very comprehensive, and cannot be understood fully and completely by "highly blessed", not even by a sentence. However, its meanings may be grasped by keeping in view the remaining portion
*2 Al-Furqan: The Criterion. The Qur'an has been called Al-Furqan because it is the Criterion for judging right and wrong virtue and vice, truth and falsehood.
*3 The word nazzala implies revelation of the Qur'an piecemeal by degrees. The wisdom of this introductory remark will be explained in the study of verse 32, where the objection of the disbelievers of Makkah -as to why the Qur'an has not been sent down all at once-has been dealt with
*4 “..... warner to all mankind": To warn all mankind of the evil consequences of their heedlessness and deviation. The warner may be AI-Furgan or the Holy Prophet to whom it was revealed. In fact, both were the warners because they were both sent for one and the same purpose. The message of the Qur'an and Prophethood of Muhammad (Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) were not meant for any particular country but for the whole world; and not for their own time, but for all times to come. This has been stated at several places in the Qur'an; for instance: "O Muhammad, say, O mankind, I am a Messenger to all of you from Allah ....." (Al-A`raf: 158); "..... and this Qur'an has been revealed to me so that I should thereby warn you all and whom it may reach." (Al An'am: 19); "We have sent you only as a bearer of good news and as a warner to all mankind." (Saba: 28); and "We have sent you as a mercy to all mankind." (Al Anbiya': 107) The Holy Prophet himself has stated this clearly in the Hadith; for instance, he said: "I have been sent to all men-the red and the black." "Before me a Prophet was sent only to his own people, but 1 have been sent to all mankind." (Bukhari, Muslim). "I have been sent to all mankind, and I am the Last of the Prophets." (Muslim).
(25:2) He to Whom belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth:5 Who has begotten no son:6 Who has no partner in His Sovereignty:7 Who created each and every thing and then ordained its destiny.8
*5 Another translation may be: "To Him belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth." That is, He alone has an exclusive right to it, and no one else has any right to it nor any share in it.
*6 That is, "He has neither any relation of direct parenthood to anyone, nor has He taken anyone as a son. Therefore, none else in the universe is entitled to worship. He is Unique and there can be no partner in His Godhead. Thus all those who associate with Him angels or jinns or saints as His offspring, are ignorant. Likewise, those who believe that some one, is His "son", are also ignorant. They have no true conception of the Greatness of Allah and consider Him to be weak and needy like human beings, who require some one to become their inheritor. It is sheer ignorance and folly." For further details, see E.N.'s 66 to G8 of Surah Yunus .
*7 The Arabic word mulk means Sovereignty, Supreme Authority, and Kingship. Thus the sentence will mean: "Allah is the Absolute Ruler of the whole universe and there is none other who may have any right to authority; therefore He alone is God." For whenever a man takes anything else as his lord, he does so under the presumption that his deity has the power to do good or bring harm and make or mar his fortune; nobody will like to worship a powerless deity. Now when it is recognized that none but Allah has the real power and authority in the universe, nobody will bow before anyone other than Him in worship, nor will sing anybody else's hymns, nor commit the folly of bowing in worship before any thing else except his real God, or recognize any other as his ruler, because "To Allah belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and to Him alone."
*8 There may be other translations of this also: "He has ordained it in due proportion"; or "He has appointed an exact measure for everything." But no translation can convey its real meaning, which is: "Allah has not only created everything in the universe but also determined its shape, size, potentialities, characteristics, term of existence, the limitations and extent of its development and all other things concerning it. Then, He has created the means and provisions to enable it to function properly in its own separate sphere."
(25:3) Yet the people have set up, besides Him, deities, who do not create anything but are themselves created :9 who can neither harm nor help even themselves: who have no power over life or death, nor can they raise up the dead.10
*9 The words are comprehensive and cover all the false gods whom the mushriks worship whether they are angels, jinns, Prophets, saints, the sun, the moon, the stars, trees, rivers, animals etc., which have been created by Allah, or those which have been created by man, as the idols of stone, wood, etc.
*10 That is, "Allah has sent down Al-Furqan on His servant so that he may invite the people to the Truth, which they have forsaken due to heedlessness and waywardness, and warn them of the evil consequences of their folly. The Furqan is being revealed piecemeal so that he may distinguish right from wrong and the genuine from the counterfeit."
(25:4) Those who have rejected the Message of the Prophet, say, "This (A1-Furgan) is a forgery which this man himself has devised, and some others have helped him at it. " What a cruel injustice11 and an impudent lie!
*11 Another translation may be: "a great injustice."
(25:5) They say, "These things are the writings of the ancients which he has got copied down for himself, and then these are recited to him in the morning and evening.''
(25:6) O Muhammad, say to them, "This has been sent down by Him, Who knows the secret of the heavens and the earth."12 The fact is that He is very Forgiving and Merciful.13
*12 This is the same objection which the modern orientalists have raised against the Qur'an, but strange as it may seem, no contemporary of the Holy Prophet ever raised such an objection against him. Nobody, for instance, ever said that Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) as a boy had met Buhairah, the monk, and had attained religious knowledge from him, nor did anybody claim that he had obtained all that information from the Christian monks and Jewish rabbis during the trade journeys in his youth. In fact, they knew that he had never traveled alone but in the caravans and if they said such a thing, it would be refuted by hundreds of their own people from the city.
*13 "... He is very Forgiving and Merciful" is very meaningful here. It means that Allah is giving full respite to the enemies of the Truth, for He is "Forgiving and Merciful"; otherwise He would have sent down a scourge to annihilate them because of the false charges they were bringing against the Messenger. It also contains an admonition, as if to say, "O unjust people! if even now you give up your enmity and obduracy and accept the Truth, We shall forgive your previous misdeeds. "
(25:7) They say, "What sort of a Messenger is he that he eats food and moves about in the streets?14 Why has not an angel been sent down to accompany him and threaten (the disbelievers)?15
*14 That is, "He cannot be a Messenger of Allah because he is a human being like us. Had Allah willed to send a Messenger, He would have sent an angel, and f at all a human being was to be sent, he should have been a king or a millionaire, who would have resided in a castle and been guarded by attendants. A Messenger could not be an ordinary person who has to move about in the market places like the common people, for it is obvious that such a human Messenger cannot attract the attention of the people. In other words, they thought that a Messenger was not meant to guide the people to the right path but to coerce them to obedience by show of worldly power and grandeur. For further details, see E.N. 26 of Al-Mu'minun.
*15 That is, "If a human being was to be sent as a Messenger, an angel should have been appointed to accompany him to proclaim: `If you do not believe in him, 1 will scourge you." But what son of a Messenger is he, who has to suffer from abuse and persecution?"
(25:8) Or why has not at least a treasure been sent down for him or a garden given to him for (easy) sustenance?"16 And the wicked people say, "You are following a man bewitched."17
*16 That is, "If nothing else, Allah should at least have made extraordinary arrangements for his livelihood. But this man has no treasure and no gardens; yet he claims to be a Messenger of the Lord of the universe."
*17 The disbelievers of Makkah made the false propaganda against the Holy Prophet that he had been bewitched by some jinn or by the sorcery of an enemy or by the curse of some god or goddess for his insolence. But it is strange that they also admitted that he was a clever man who could make use of extracts from the ancient writings for the sake of his "prophethood", could practice sorcery and was also a poet.
(25:9) Just see what strange arguments they bring forward with regard to you! They have gone so far astray that they cannot charge any thing against you.18
*18 As these objections were frivolous and meaningless like others, the Qur'an has ignored them, saying, "Your objections are irrelevant, unreasonable and void of sense. You bring no sound argument to prove your doctrine of shirk, or to refute the Doctrine of Tauhid put forward by him, whereas the Messenger gives such proofs of the Doctrine of Tauhid that you cannot refute them except by saying, 'He is bewitched'. The same is true of the doctrine of the life-after-death and of the moral system of the Qur'an, which has produced men of high character. You cannot deny these things; you reject them, saying, "He is a human being like us, etc.”
English ◄ Chapter 25. Al-Furqan ► Intro. ◄ Verse 1-9 of 77 ► View Ar En Nt Recite Font Email
Blogger Comment:
The same accusation of God to those who denied the prophethood to Muhammad (PBUH) is the same like it is today. They try to use every argument they can, which in many times the arguments contradict themselves. Thus they go in different directions and do not have only one clear way or direction to say he is not a prophet because of that, since they will have the right answer against each argument as was clear from the Quran. Nothing new under the sun, most prophets found very high resistance from humans second to envy, fear of loose of power, love of domination and so on.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Heart-Mind Relationship in the Holy Qur'an
From:
By Hassan Ali El-Najjar
For the Muharram 29, 1429 (February 7, 2008) Friday Khutba
Introduction
The Holy Qur’an refers to the heart as a processor of information, particularly concerning emotions. This reference to the heart as such attracts attention to the relationship between the mind and the heart.
This article starts by listing down the verses that deal with the heart and explaining them, in order to sort out the mind-heart connection. Then, few academic articles about the subject will be reviewed in order to explore this relationship further, from a scientific perspective.
Verses mentioning the heart in the Holy Qur’an
Upon checking the Holy Qur’an index in Arabic,[1] this author found that there were about 132 verses in which the heart was mentioned in singular and plural forms. Here are some of them.
The following translations of the meanings of the verses are Yusuf Ali’s except those in parentheses, which are by this author.
ۖ
وَلَوۡ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلۡقَلۡبِ لَٱنفَضُّواْ مِنۡ حَوۡلِكَۖ فَٱعۡفُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ وَشَاوِرۡهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَمۡرِۖ
Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted they would have broken away from about thee; so pass over (their faults), and ask for (Allah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in affairs (of moment).
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-E-Imran (Chapter 3), Verse 159)
إِلَّا مَنۡ أَتَى ٱللَّهَ بِقَلۡبٍ۬ سَلِيمٍ۬
But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Shu’ara (Chapter 26), Verse 89)
مَّنۡ خَشِىَ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنَ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَجَآءَ بِقَلۡبٍ۬ مُّنِيبٍ
Who feared (Allah) Most Gracious unseen, and brought a heart turned in devotion (to Him)
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Qaf (Chapter 50), Verse 33)
وَيُشۡهِدُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا فِى قَلۡبِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ ٱلۡخِصَامِ
and he calls Allah to witness about what is in his heart; yet is he the most contentious of enemies
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Baqara (Chapter 2), Verse 204)
وَلَا تَكۡتُمُواْ ٱلشَّهَـٰدَةَۚ وَمَن يَڪۡتُمۡهَا فَإِنَّهُ ۥۤ ءَاثِمٌ۬ قَلۡبُهُ
Conceal not evidence (and testimony); for whoever conceals it his heart is tainted with sin. And Allah knoweth all that ye do
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Baqara (Chapter 2), Verse 283)
وَقَلۡبُهُ ۥ مُطۡمَٮِٕنُّۢ بِٱلۡإِيمَـٰنِ
his heart remaining firm in Faith
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Nahl (Chapter 16), Verse 106)
فَيَطۡمَعَ ٱلَّذِى فِى قَلۡبِهِۦ مَرَضٌ۬
lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Ahzab (Chapter 33), Verse 32)
وَمَن يُؤۡمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ يَہۡدِ قَلۡبَهُ
and if anyone believes in Allah, (Allah) guides his heart
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Taghabun (Chapter 64), Verse 11)
قَالَ أَوَلَمۡ تُؤۡمِنۖ قَالَ بَلَىٰ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَطۡمَٮِٕنَّ قَلۡبِى
"Dost thou not then believe?" He said: "Yea! but to satisfy my own understanding."
(My translation: He said: Haven’t you believed yet? He (Ibrahim) said: “Yes,” but to assure my heart).
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Baqara (Chapter 2), Verse 260)
مَّا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِرَجُلٍ۬ مِّن قَلۡبَيۡنِ فِى جَوۡفِهِۦۚ
Allah has not made for any man two hearts in his (one) body
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Ahzab (Chapter 33), Verse 4)
سَنُلۡقِى فِى قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ٱلرُّعۡبَ
Soon shall We cast (great fear) into the hearts of the unbelievers
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-E-Imran (Chapter 3), Verse 151)
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَطۡمَٮِٕنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَا بِذِڪۡرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطۡمَٮِٕنُّ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ
Those who believe, and whose hearts find (assurance, peace, and) satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find assurance, peace, and) satisfaction.
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Ra’ad (Chapter 13), Verse 28)
وَمَن يُعَظِّمۡ شَعَـٰٓٮِٕرَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقۡوَى ٱلۡقُلُوبِ
and whoever holds in honour the Symbols of Allah, (in the sacrifice of animals), such (honour) should come truly from piety of heart.
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Hajj (Chapter 22), Verse 32)
أَفَلَمۡ يَسِيرُواْ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمۡ قُلُوبٌ۬ يَعۡقِلُونَ بِہَآ أَوۡ ءَاذَانٌ۬ يَسۡمَعُونَ بِہَاۖ فَإِنَّہَا لَا تَعۡمَى ٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرُ وَلَـٰكِن تَعۡمَى ٱلۡقُلُوبُ ٱلَّتِى فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ
Yusuf Ali’s translation:
Do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts (and mind) may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts which are in their breasts.
This author’s translation:
Do not travel throughout the Earth, which enables their hearts to reason, and enable their ears to hear? Truly it is not the eyes that become blind, but it is the hearts which are in the chests.
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Hajj (Chapter 22), Verse 46)
Meanings associated with the heart, according to the above verses
The above verses provide us with a number of meanings associated with the heart. These include severity and harshness in dealing with people, soundness, repentance, rivalry, sinfulness, faith, sickness and trouble, guidance, assurance and peace, love, fear, thankfulness for positive surroundings, and reasoning.
Basically, the heart reacts notably to issues related to goodness and evil.
Exploring the relationship between the heart and the mind
Upon asking Yahoo search engine about the relationship between the heart and the mind, it gave me about 58,900,000 entries about the two terms, but not necessarily about the relationship between them. However, the relationship has been explored in many articles or works, as readers can find. Here are some information from few of them, by no means this is a survey or a review of the literature. The idea here is conveying to readers that the relationship between the mind and the heart has been studied and researched away from any references to the Holy Qur'an.
“While not all negative thoughts and feelings are bad for health, specific emotional states (mental), especially stress and depression, have now been linked to heart troubles of all kinds. Evidence is overwhelming that the heart takes a beating after psychic trauma, but lesser insults may do us in as well. A bad marriage, an angry or abusive boss, a mugging in the park—all increase risk of heart disease, a bounty of evidence shows. Personality factors like extroversion and optimism can positively impact the cardiovascular system and the health of the heart, while anger and stress can damage the heart and the mind. Some forms of heart disease even trigger the same chemistry found in depression and stress.” [2]
“At HeartMath we’ve spent the last 15 years diligently studying the “heart” physically, emotionally and spiritually. Our researchers have been mapping the communication pathways between the heart, the brain and the rest of body while also studying the effects of positive emotions on health and performance. What we’ve learned is that the heart is the master controller in the human system capable of sending powerful, healing commands throughout the entire body. These signals from the heart have a dynamic impact on the nervous, hormonal and immune systems. They also influence brain function and have the ability to improve cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, psychological problems and more. In essence our old friend the heart may be the best healer of all.” [3]
“The key to harnessing the heart’s amazing power lies in our ability to consciously generate positive emotional states like appreciation, care and love. With stress increasing—personally, interpersonally and socially—many people have lost this ability only experiencing these regenerative emotions occasionally.” [4]
The relationship of our emotions and psyche (mind) to heart disease is intriguing. There is evidence linking cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric disorders and the possible mechanisms and pathophysiology of this association. There is also a possible role of using mood enhancing therapies (mainly antidepressants) and their safety in patients with cardiovascular disorders. [5]
“There is a plausible biological basis for the association between psychiatric morbidity (mind) and cardiovascular (heart) disease. Anxiety, panic disorder, and depression are common in patients with coronary heart disease and hypertension.” [6]
Conclusion
There is a very close and a reactive relationship between the mind and the heart, particularly regarding the issues of emotions as well as issues related to good and evil.
People with optimistic and good life style enjoy peace of the mind and calmness of the heart. However, pessimism and wrong doing may be associated with mental and cardiac disorders.
Thus, basic good characteristics of love, appreciation, care, tolerance, sharing, understanding, helping others, and observing God’s teachings not only are rewarded in the hereafter but also bring peace of the mind and soundness of the heart during your life on Earth, making it better and more enjoyable.
Notes and References
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[1] Pages 549-551 of the Holy Qur’an Index in Arabic by Muhammed Fuad Abdul Baqi. Cairo: Dar Al-Fikr. 1406 (1986). The Arabic Title of the index is: “Al-Mu’ajam Al-Mufahras Li Alfadh Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem.”
[2] The High Price of a Broken Heart Yes, you can die from heartbreak. In fact, even mild forms of the blues can put you at risk By PsychologyToday.com: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/depression/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100170423
[3] Understanding the Relationship Between Heart, Mind & Body By Howard Martin: http://www.inlighttimes.com/archives/2006/03/heart-body-mind.htm
[4] Understanding the Relationship Between Heart, Mind & Body By Howard Martin: http://www.inlighttimes.com/archives/2006/03/heart-body-mind.htm
[5] Heart and mind: (1) relationship between cardiovascular and psychiatric conditions By S U Shah, A White, S White, W A Littler: http://pmj.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/80/950/683
[6] Heart and mind: (2) psychotropic and cardiovascular therapeutics By S U Shah, Z Iqbal, A White, S White: http://pmj.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/81/951/33
By Hassan Ali El-Najjar
For the Muharram 29, 1429 (February 7, 2008) Friday Khutba
Introduction
The Holy Qur’an refers to the heart as a processor of information, particularly concerning emotions. This reference to the heart as such attracts attention to the relationship between the mind and the heart.
This article starts by listing down the verses that deal with the heart and explaining them, in order to sort out the mind-heart connection. Then, few academic articles about the subject will be reviewed in order to explore this relationship further, from a scientific perspective.
Verses mentioning the heart in the Holy Qur’an
Upon checking the Holy Qur’an index in Arabic,[1] this author found that there were about 132 verses in which the heart was mentioned in singular and plural forms. Here are some of them.
The following translations of the meanings of the verses are Yusuf Ali’s except those in parentheses, which are by this author.
ۖ
وَلَوۡ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلۡقَلۡبِ لَٱنفَضُّواْ مِنۡ حَوۡلِكَۖ فَٱعۡفُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ وَشَاوِرۡهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَمۡرِۖ
Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted they would have broken away from about thee; so pass over (their faults), and ask for (Allah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in affairs (of moment).
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-E-Imran (Chapter 3), Verse 159)
إِلَّا مَنۡ أَتَى ٱللَّهَ بِقَلۡبٍ۬ سَلِيمٍ۬
But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Shu’ara (Chapter 26), Verse 89)
مَّنۡ خَشِىَ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنَ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَجَآءَ بِقَلۡبٍ۬ مُّنِيبٍ
Who feared (Allah) Most Gracious unseen, and brought a heart turned in devotion (to Him)
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Qaf (Chapter 50), Verse 33)
وَيُشۡهِدُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا فِى قَلۡبِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ ٱلۡخِصَامِ
and he calls Allah to witness about what is in his heart; yet is he the most contentious of enemies
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Baqara (Chapter 2), Verse 204)
وَلَا تَكۡتُمُواْ ٱلشَّهَـٰدَةَۚ وَمَن يَڪۡتُمۡهَا فَإِنَّهُ ۥۤ ءَاثِمٌ۬ قَلۡبُهُ
Conceal not evidence (and testimony); for whoever conceals it his heart is tainted with sin. And Allah knoweth all that ye do
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Baqara (Chapter 2), Verse 283)
وَقَلۡبُهُ ۥ مُطۡمَٮِٕنُّۢ بِٱلۡإِيمَـٰنِ
his heart remaining firm in Faith
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Nahl (Chapter 16), Verse 106)
فَيَطۡمَعَ ٱلَّذِى فِى قَلۡبِهِۦ مَرَضٌ۬
lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Ahzab (Chapter 33), Verse 32)
وَمَن يُؤۡمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ يَہۡدِ قَلۡبَهُ
and if anyone believes in Allah, (Allah) guides his heart
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Taghabun (Chapter 64), Verse 11)
قَالَ أَوَلَمۡ تُؤۡمِنۖ قَالَ بَلَىٰ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَطۡمَٮِٕنَّ قَلۡبِى
"Dost thou not then believe?" He said: "Yea! but to satisfy my own understanding."
(My translation: He said: Haven’t you believed yet? He (Ibrahim) said: “Yes,” but to assure my heart).
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Baqara (Chapter 2), Verse 260)
مَّا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِرَجُلٍ۬ مِّن قَلۡبَيۡنِ فِى جَوۡفِهِۦۚ
Allah has not made for any man two hearts in his (one) body
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Ahzab (Chapter 33), Verse 4)
سَنُلۡقِى فِى قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ٱلرُّعۡبَ
Soon shall We cast (great fear) into the hearts of the unbelievers
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-E-Imran (Chapter 3), Verse 151)
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَطۡمَٮِٕنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَا بِذِڪۡرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطۡمَٮِٕنُّ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ
Those who believe, and whose hearts find (assurance, peace, and) satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find assurance, peace, and) satisfaction.
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Ra’ad (Chapter 13), Verse 28)
وَمَن يُعَظِّمۡ شَعَـٰٓٮِٕرَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقۡوَى ٱلۡقُلُوبِ
and whoever holds in honour the Symbols of Allah, (in the sacrifice of animals), such (honour) should come truly from piety of heart.
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Hajj (Chapter 22), Verse 32)
أَفَلَمۡ يَسِيرُواْ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمۡ قُلُوبٌ۬ يَعۡقِلُونَ بِہَآ أَوۡ ءَاذَانٌ۬ يَسۡمَعُونَ بِہَاۖ فَإِنَّہَا لَا تَعۡمَى ٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرُ وَلَـٰكِن تَعۡمَى ٱلۡقُلُوبُ ٱلَّتِى فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ
Yusuf Ali’s translation:
Do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts (and mind) may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts which are in their breasts.
This author’s translation:
Do not travel throughout the Earth, which enables their hearts to reason, and enable their ears to hear? Truly it is not the eyes that become blind, but it is the hearts which are in the chests.
(Yusuf Ali’s translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Hajj (Chapter 22), Verse 46)
Meanings associated with the heart, according to the above verses
The above verses provide us with a number of meanings associated with the heart. These include severity and harshness in dealing with people, soundness, repentance, rivalry, sinfulness, faith, sickness and trouble, guidance, assurance and peace, love, fear, thankfulness for positive surroundings, and reasoning.
Basically, the heart reacts notably to issues related to goodness and evil.
Exploring the relationship between the heart and the mind
Upon asking Yahoo search engine about the relationship between the heart and the mind, it gave me about 58,900,000 entries about the two terms, but not necessarily about the relationship between them. However, the relationship has been explored in many articles or works, as readers can find. Here are some information from few of them, by no means this is a survey or a review of the literature. The idea here is conveying to readers that the relationship between the mind and the heart has been studied and researched away from any references to the Holy Qur'an.
“While not all negative thoughts and feelings are bad for health, specific emotional states (mental), especially stress and depression, have now been linked to heart troubles of all kinds. Evidence is overwhelming that the heart takes a beating after psychic trauma, but lesser insults may do us in as well. A bad marriage, an angry or abusive boss, a mugging in the park—all increase risk of heart disease, a bounty of evidence shows. Personality factors like extroversion and optimism can positively impact the cardiovascular system and the health of the heart, while anger and stress can damage the heart and the mind. Some forms of heart disease even trigger the same chemistry found in depression and stress.” [2]
“At HeartMath we’ve spent the last 15 years diligently studying the “heart” physically, emotionally and spiritually. Our researchers have been mapping the communication pathways between the heart, the brain and the rest of body while also studying the effects of positive emotions on health and performance. What we’ve learned is that the heart is the master controller in the human system capable of sending powerful, healing commands throughout the entire body. These signals from the heart have a dynamic impact on the nervous, hormonal and immune systems. They also influence brain function and have the ability to improve cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, psychological problems and more. In essence our old friend the heart may be the best healer of all.” [3]
“The key to harnessing the heart’s amazing power lies in our ability to consciously generate positive emotional states like appreciation, care and love. With stress increasing—personally, interpersonally and socially—many people have lost this ability only experiencing these regenerative emotions occasionally.” [4]
The relationship of our emotions and psyche (mind) to heart disease is intriguing. There is evidence linking cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric disorders and the possible mechanisms and pathophysiology of this association. There is also a possible role of using mood enhancing therapies (mainly antidepressants) and their safety in patients with cardiovascular disorders. [5]
“There is a plausible biological basis for the association between psychiatric morbidity (mind) and cardiovascular (heart) disease. Anxiety, panic disorder, and depression are common in patients with coronary heart disease and hypertension.” [6]
Conclusion
There is a very close and a reactive relationship between the mind and the heart, particularly regarding the issues of emotions as well as issues related to good and evil.
People with optimistic and good life style enjoy peace of the mind and calmness of the heart. However, pessimism and wrong doing may be associated with mental and cardiac disorders.
Thus, basic good characteristics of love, appreciation, care, tolerance, sharing, understanding, helping others, and observing God’s teachings not only are rewarded in the hereafter but also bring peace of the mind and soundness of the heart during your life on Earth, making it better and more enjoyable.
Notes and References
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[1] Pages 549-551 of the Holy Qur’an Index in Arabic by Muhammed Fuad Abdul Baqi. Cairo: Dar Al-Fikr. 1406 (1986). The Arabic Title of the index is: “Al-Mu’ajam Al-Mufahras Li Alfadh Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem.”
[2] The High Price of a Broken Heart Yes, you can die from heartbreak. In fact, even mild forms of the blues can put you at risk By PsychologyToday.com: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/depression/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100170423
[3] Understanding the Relationship Between Heart, Mind & Body By Howard Martin: http://www.inlighttimes.com/archives/2006/03/heart-body-mind.htm
[4] Understanding the Relationship Between Heart, Mind & Body By Howard Martin: http://www.inlighttimes.com/archives/2006/03/heart-body-mind.htm
[5] Heart and mind: (1) relationship between cardiovascular and psychiatric conditions By S U Shah, A White, S White, W A Littler: http://pmj.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/80/950/683
[6] Heart and mind: (2) psychotropic and cardiovascular therapeutics By S U Shah, Z Iqbal, A White, S White: http://pmj.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/81/951/33
How the Quran brings unity to all of those who believe in the One God
From: www.islamhouse.com
The Approach of the Quran
The Quran (revealed during the period from 610 to 632) is the only book in the world that starts with the statement: In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Such a statement of the source is evidence of how universal the message of the Quran is. The following verses convey a sense of the unity that not only includes Muslims but reaches out to humanity at large with faith in the One God and moral purposefulness:
1- Unity of the Beginning:
{{Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and earth were of one piece, then we split them asunder, and We made every living thing of water? Will they not, then, begin to believe?}} (Quran, 21: 30)
2- Unity of God (Allah):
{{Say, "He is Allah, [Who is] One,
Allah, the Eternal Refuge,
He neither begets nor is born,
Nor is there to Him any equivalent."}} (Qur'an, 112: 1-4)
3- Unity of humanity and the centrality of moral conduct:
{{O mankind! Indeed, We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Indeed, Allah is Knower, Aware.}} (Quran, 49:13)
4- Unity of Prophethood:
{{The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction (they say) between any of His messengers." And they say: "We hear and we obey; (We seek) Your forgiveness, Our Lord, and to You is the ultimate return."}} (Quran, 2:285)
5-Unity of all the believers:
{{Indeed! Those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee), and those who are Jews, and the supporters (of Jesus), and Sabaeans, whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right, surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.}} (Quran, 2:62)
The essence of Islam lies in the moral character it tries to infuse in the individual daily life. The following is an example from the Quran:
{{Say: Come, I will recite that which your Lord has forbidden to you:
Do not ascribe divinity, in any way, to aught beside Him; and that you do good to your parents; and that ye slay not your children because of poverty--We provide for you and for them--; and that you draw not near to shameful deeds, whether open or concealed. And that you slay not the life which Allah hath made sacred, save in the course of justice. This He hath commanded you, in order that ye may discern. And approach not the wealth of the orphan save with that which is better; till he reach maturity. Give full measure and full weight, in justice.
We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability; and when you speak, then be just though it be (against) a relative, and fulfill Allah's covenant; this He has enjoined you with that you may be mindful; And (know) that this is My path, the right one therefore follow it, and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way; this He has enjoined you with that you may guard (against evil).}} (Quran, 6:151 to 153)
Source: http://www.islamictools.com/
The Approach of the Quran
The Quran (revealed during the period from 610 to 632) is the only book in the world that starts with the statement: In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Such a statement of the source is evidence of how universal the message of the Quran is. The following verses convey a sense of the unity that not only includes Muslims but reaches out to humanity at large with faith in the One God and moral purposefulness:
1- Unity of the Beginning:
{{Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and earth were of one piece, then we split them asunder, and We made every living thing of water? Will they not, then, begin to believe?}} (Quran, 21: 30)
2- Unity of God (Allah):
{{Say, "He is Allah, [Who is] One,
Allah, the Eternal Refuge,
He neither begets nor is born,
Nor is there to Him any equivalent."}} (Qur'an, 112: 1-4)
3- Unity of humanity and the centrality of moral conduct:
{{O mankind! Indeed, We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Indeed, Allah is Knower, Aware.}} (Quran, 49:13)
4- Unity of Prophethood:
{{The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction (they say) between any of His messengers." And they say: "We hear and we obey; (We seek) Your forgiveness, Our Lord, and to You is the ultimate return."}} (Quran, 2:285)
5-Unity of all the believers:
{{Indeed! Those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee), and those who are Jews, and the supporters (of Jesus), and Sabaeans, whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right, surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.}} (Quran, 2:62)
The essence of Islam lies in the moral character it tries to infuse in the individual daily life. The following is an example from the Quran:
{{Say: Come, I will recite that which your Lord has forbidden to you:
Do not ascribe divinity, in any way, to aught beside Him; and that you do good to your parents; and that ye slay not your children because of poverty--We provide for you and for them--; and that you draw not near to shameful deeds, whether open or concealed. And that you slay not the life which Allah hath made sacred, save in the course of justice. This He hath commanded you, in order that ye may discern. And approach not the wealth of the orphan save with that which is better; till he reach maturity. Give full measure and full weight, in justice.
We do not impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of its ability; and when you speak, then be just though it be (against) a relative, and fulfill Allah's covenant; this He has enjoined you with that you may be mindful; And (know) that this is My path, the right one therefore follow it, and follow not (other) ways, for they will lead you away from His way; this He has enjoined you with that you may guard (against evil).}} (Quran, 6:151 to 153)
Source: http://www.islamictools.com/
Life After Death
By World Assembly of Muslim Youth1
How Do Muslims View Death?
Muslims believe that the present life is a trial in preparation for the next realm of existence. When a Muslim dies, he or she is washed and wrapped in a clean, white cloth (usually by a family member) and buried after a special prayer, preferably the same day. Muslims consider this a final service that they can do for their relatives and an opportunity to remember that their own existence here on earth is brief.
The question of whether there is life after death does not fall under the jurisdiction of science, as science is concerned only with classification and analysis of sense data. Moreover, man has been busy with scientific inquiries and research, in the modern sense of the term, only for the last few centuries, while he has been familiar with the concept of life after death since time immemorial.
All the Prophets of God called their people to worship God and to believe in life after death. They laid so much emphasis on the belief in life after death that even a slight doubt in it meant denying God and made all other beliefs meaningless.
The very fact that all the Prophets of God have dealt with this metaphysical question of life after death so confidently and so uniformly - the gap between their ages in some cases, being thousands of years - goes to prove that the source of their knowledge of life after death as proclaimed by them all, was the same, i.e. Divine revelation.
We also know that these Prophets of God were greatly opposed by their people, mainly on the issue of life after death, as their people thought it impossible. But in spite of opposition, the Prophets won many sincere followers.
The question arises: what made those followers forsake the established beliefs, traditions and customs of their forefathers, notwithstanding the risk of being totally alienated from their own community? The simple answer is: they made use of their faculties of mind and heart and realized the truth.
Did they realize the truth through perceptual consciousness? They couldn’t, as perceptual experience of life after death is impossible. God has given man besides perceptual consciousness, rational, aesthetic and moral consciousness too. It is this consciousness that guides man regarding realities that cannot be verified through sensory data. That is why all the Prophets of God while calling people to believe in God and life after death, appeal to the aesthetic, moral and rational consciousness of man.
For example, when the idolaters of Makkah denied even the possibility of life after death, the Quran exposed the weakness of their stand by advancing very logical and rational arguments in support of it:
And he (i.e. man) presents for Us an example (i.e. attempting to establish the finality of death) and forgets his [own] creation. He says, “Who will give life to bones while they are disintegrated?” Say, “He will give them life who produced them the first time; and He is, of all creation, Knowing.” [It is] He who made for you from the green tree, fire, and then from it you ignite. Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the likes of them? Yes, [it is so]; and He is the Knowing Creator. (Quran, 36:78-81)
On another occasion, the Quran very clearly says that the disbelievers have no sound basis for their denial of life after death. It is based on pure conjecture:
And they say, “There is not but our worldly life; we die and live (i.e. some people die and others live, replacing them) and nothing destroys us except time.” And they have of that no knowledge; they are only assuming. And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their argument is only that they say, “Bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful.” Say, “God causes you to live, then causes you to die; then He will assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt,” but most of the people do not know. (Quran, 45:24-26)
Surely God will raise all the dead. But God has His own plan of things. A day will come when the whole universe will be destroyed and then the dead will be resurrected to stand before God. That day will be the beginning of a life that will never end, and on that day every person will be rewarded by God according to his or her good or evil deeds.
The explanation that the Quran gives about the necessity of life after death is what the moral consciousness of man demands. Actually, if there is no life after death, the very belief in God becomes meaningless or even if one believes in God, it would be n unjust and indifferent God, having once created man and now not being concerned with his fate.
Surely, God is just. He will punish the tyrants, whose crimes are beyond count - having tortured and killed hundreds or thousands of innocent people, created great corruption in society, enslaved numerous persons to serve their whims, etc., because man has a very short life span in this world and because numerous individuals are affected by one’s actions, adequate punishments and rewards are not possible in this life. The Quran very emphatically states that the Day of Judgment must come and that God will decide the fate of each soul according to his or her record of deeds:
But those who disbelieve say, “The Hour (i.e. the Day of Judgment) will not come to us.” Say, “Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you. [God is] the Knower of the unseen.” Not absent from Him is an atom’s weight within the heavens or within the earth or [what is] smaller than that or greater, except that it is in a clear register - That He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds. Those will have forgiveness and noble provision. But those who strive against Our verses [seeking] to cause failure (i.e. to undermine their credibility) - for them will be a painful punishment of foul nature. (Quran, 34:3-5)
The Day of Resurrection will be the Day when God’s attributes of Justice and Mercy will be in full manifestation. God will shower His mercy on those who suffered for His sake in the worldly life, believing that an eternal bliss was awaiting them. But those who abused the bounties of God, caring nothing for the life to come, will be in the most miserable state. Drawing a comparison between them, the Quran says:
Then is he whom We have promised a good promise which he will meet [i.e. obtain] like he for whom We provided enjoyment of worldly life [but] then he is, on the Day of Resurrection, among those presented [for punishment in Hell]? (Quran, 28:61)
The Quran also states that this worldly life is a preparation for the eternal life after death. But those who deny it become slaves of their passions and desires, making fun of virtuous and God-conscious persons.
Such persons realize their folly only at the time of their death and wish to be given a further chance in the world but in vain. Their miserable state at the time of death, and the horror of the Day of Judgment, and the eternal bliss guaranteed to the sincere believers are very clearly and beautifully mentioned in the following verses of the Quran:
[For such is the state of the disbelievers], until, when death comes to one of them, he says, “My Lord, send me back that I might do righteousness in that which I left behind (i.e. in that which I neglected).” No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected. So when the Horn is blown, no relationship will there be among them that Day, nor will they ask about one another. And those whose scales are heavy [with good deeds] - it is they who are the successful. But those whose scales are light - those are the ones who have lost their souls, [being] in Hell, abiding eternally. The Fire will sear their faces, and they therein will have taut smiles (i.e. their lips having been contracted by scorching until the teeth are exposed). (Quran, 23:99-104)
The belief in life after death not only guarantees success in the Hereafter but also makes this world full of peace and happiness by making individuals most responsible and dutiful in their activities.
Think of the people of Arabia before the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad . Gambling, wine, tribal feuds, plundering and murdering were their main traits when they had no belief in life after death. But as soon as they accepted the belief in the One God and life after death they became the most disciplined nation of the world. They gave up their vices, helped each other in hours of need, and settled all their disputes on the basis of justice and equality. Similarly the denial of life after death has its consequences not only in the Hereafter but also in this world. When a nation as a whole denies it, all kinds of evils and corruption become rampant in that society and ultimately it is destroyed.
The Quran mentions the terrible end of Aad, Thamud and the Pharaoh in some detail:
[The tribes of] Thamud and Aad denied the Striking Calamity [i.e. the Resurrection]. So as for Thamud, they were destroyed by the overpowering [blast]. And as for Aad, they were destroyed by a screaming, violent wind which He [i.e. God] imposed upon them for seven nights and eight days in succession, so you would see the people therein fallen as if they were hollow trunks of palm trees. Then do you see of them any remains? And there came Pharaoh and those before him and the overturned cities (i.e. those to which Lot was sent) with sin. And they disobeyed the messenger of their Lord, so He seized them with a seizure exceeding [in severity]. Indeed, when the water overflowed, We carried you [i.e. your ancestors] in the sailing ship (i.e. which was constructed by Noah). That We might make it for you a reminder and [that] a conscious ear would be conscious of it. (Quran, 69:4-12)
Events of the Day of Judgment
God states in the Quran about the events of the Day of Judgment:
Then when the Horn is blown with one blast, and the earth and the mountains are lifted and leveled with one blow [i.e. stroke] - Then on that Day, the Occurrence [i.e. Resurrection] will occur, And the heaven will split [open], for that Day it is infirm (i.e. weak, enfeebled and unstable). And the angels are at its edges. And there will bear the Throne of your Lord above them, that Day, eight [of them]. That Day, you will be exhibited [for judgment]; not hidden among you is anything concealed (i.e. any person or any secret you might attempt to conceal). So as for he who is given his record in his right hand, he will say, “Here, read my record! Indeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account.” So he will be in a pleasant life - In an elevated Garden, Its [fruit] to be picked hanging near. [They will be told], “Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you put forth (i.e. literally, advanced in anticipation of reward in the Hereafter) in the days past.” But as for he who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, “Oh, I wish I had not been given my record, and had not known what is my account. I wish it [i.e. my death] had been the decisive one (i.e. ending life rather than being the gateway to eternal life). My wealth has not availed me. Gone from me is my authority.” [God will say], “Seize him and shackle him. Then into Hellfire drive him. Then into a chain whose length is seventy cubits insert him.” Indeed, he did not used to believe in God, the Most Great. (Quran, 69:13-33)
The Prophet Muhammad taught that three things continue to benefit a [believing] person even after death - charity which he had given (which continues to benefit others), beneficial knowledge which he had left behind (i.e. authored or taught), and supplication on his behalf by a righteous child (Narrated by Saheeh Muslim).
Thus, there are very convincing reasons to believe in life after death:
1) All the Prophets of God have called their people to believe in it.
2) Whenever a human society is built on the basis of this belief, it has been the most ideal and peaceful society, free of social and moral evils.
3) History bears witness that whenever this belief is rejected collectively by a group of people in spite of the repeated warning of the Prophet, the group as a whole has been punished by God even in this world.
4) Moral, aesthetic and rational faculties of man endorse the possibility of the life after death.
5) God’s attributes of Justice and Mercy have no meaning if there is no life after death.
(To go back close this window)
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) Revised Edition.
How Do Muslims View Death?
Muslims believe that the present life is a trial in preparation for the next realm of existence. When a Muslim dies, he or she is washed and wrapped in a clean, white cloth (usually by a family member) and buried after a special prayer, preferably the same day. Muslims consider this a final service that they can do for their relatives and an opportunity to remember that their own existence here on earth is brief.
The question of whether there is life after death does not fall under the jurisdiction of science, as science is concerned only with classification and analysis of sense data. Moreover, man has been busy with scientific inquiries and research, in the modern sense of the term, only for the last few centuries, while he has been familiar with the concept of life after death since time immemorial.
All the Prophets of God called their people to worship God and to believe in life after death. They laid so much emphasis on the belief in life after death that even a slight doubt in it meant denying God and made all other beliefs meaningless.
The very fact that all the Prophets of God have dealt with this metaphysical question of life after death so confidently and so uniformly - the gap between their ages in some cases, being thousands of years - goes to prove that the source of their knowledge of life after death as proclaimed by them all, was the same, i.e. Divine revelation.
We also know that these Prophets of God were greatly opposed by their people, mainly on the issue of life after death, as their people thought it impossible. But in spite of opposition, the Prophets won many sincere followers.
The question arises: what made those followers forsake the established beliefs, traditions and customs of their forefathers, notwithstanding the risk of being totally alienated from their own community? The simple answer is: they made use of their faculties of mind and heart and realized the truth.
Did they realize the truth through perceptual consciousness? They couldn’t, as perceptual experience of life after death is impossible. God has given man besides perceptual consciousness, rational, aesthetic and moral consciousness too. It is this consciousness that guides man regarding realities that cannot be verified through sensory data. That is why all the Prophets of God while calling people to believe in God and life after death, appeal to the aesthetic, moral and rational consciousness of man.
For example, when the idolaters of Makkah denied even the possibility of life after death, the Quran exposed the weakness of their stand by advancing very logical and rational arguments in support of it:
And he (i.e. man) presents for Us an example (i.e. attempting to establish the finality of death) and forgets his [own] creation. He says, “Who will give life to bones while they are disintegrated?” Say, “He will give them life who produced them the first time; and He is, of all creation, Knowing.” [It is] He who made for you from the green tree, fire, and then from it you ignite. Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the likes of them? Yes, [it is so]; and He is the Knowing Creator. (Quran, 36:78-81)
On another occasion, the Quran very clearly says that the disbelievers have no sound basis for their denial of life after death. It is based on pure conjecture:
And they say, “There is not but our worldly life; we die and live (i.e. some people die and others live, replacing them) and nothing destroys us except time.” And they have of that no knowledge; they are only assuming. And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their argument is only that they say, “Bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful.” Say, “God causes you to live, then causes you to die; then He will assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt,” but most of the people do not know. (Quran, 45:24-26)
Surely God will raise all the dead. But God has His own plan of things. A day will come when the whole universe will be destroyed and then the dead will be resurrected to stand before God. That day will be the beginning of a life that will never end, and on that day every person will be rewarded by God according to his or her good or evil deeds.
The explanation that the Quran gives about the necessity of life after death is what the moral consciousness of man demands. Actually, if there is no life after death, the very belief in God becomes meaningless or even if one believes in God, it would be n unjust and indifferent God, having once created man and now not being concerned with his fate.
Surely, God is just. He will punish the tyrants, whose crimes are beyond count - having tortured and killed hundreds or thousands of innocent people, created great corruption in society, enslaved numerous persons to serve their whims, etc., because man has a very short life span in this world and because numerous individuals are affected by one’s actions, adequate punishments and rewards are not possible in this life. The Quran very emphatically states that the Day of Judgment must come and that God will decide the fate of each soul according to his or her record of deeds:
But those who disbelieve say, “The Hour (i.e. the Day of Judgment) will not come to us.” Say, “Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you. [God is] the Knower of the unseen.” Not absent from Him is an atom’s weight within the heavens or within the earth or [what is] smaller than that or greater, except that it is in a clear register - That He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds. Those will have forgiveness and noble provision. But those who strive against Our verses [seeking] to cause failure (i.e. to undermine their credibility) - for them will be a painful punishment of foul nature. (Quran, 34:3-5)
The Day of Resurrection will be the Day when God’s attributes of Justice and Mercy will be in full manifestation. God will shower His mercy on those who suffered for His sake in the worldly life, believing that an eternal bliss was awaiting them. But those who abused the bounties of God, caring nothing for the life to come, will be in the most miserable state. Drawing a comparison between them, the Quran says:
Then is he whom We have promised a good promise which he will meet [i.e. obtain] like he for whom We provided enjoyment of worldly life [but] then he is, on the Day of Resurrection, among those presented [for punishment in Hell]? (Quran, 28:61)
The Quran also states that this worldly life is a preparation for the eternal life after death. But those who deny it become slaves of their passions and desires, making fun of virtuous and God-conscious persons.
Such persons realize their folly only at the time of their death and wish to be given a further chance in the world but in vain. Their miserable state at the time of death, and the horror of the Day of Judgment, and the eternal bliss guaranteed to the sincere believers are very clearly and beautifully mentioned in the following verses of the Quran:
[For such is the state of the disbelievers], until, when death comes to one of them, he says, “My Lord, send me back that I might do righteousness in that which I left behind (i.e. in that which I neglected).” No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected. So when the Horn is blown, no relationship will there be among them that Day, nor will they ask about one another. And those whose scales are heavy [with good deeds] - it is they who are the successful. But those whose scales are light - those are the ones who have lost their souls, [being] in Hell, abiding eternally. The Fire will sear their faces, and they therein will have taut smiles (i.e. their lips having been contracted by scorching until the teeth are exposed). (Quran, 23:99-104)
The belief in life after death not only guarantees success in the Hereafter but also makes this world full of peace and happiness by making individuals most responsible and dutiful in their activities.
Think of the people of Arabia before the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad . Gambling, wine, tribal feuds, plundering and murdering were their main traits when they had no belief in life after death. But as soon as they accepted the belief in the One God and life after death they became the most disciplined nation of the world. They gave up their vices, helped each other in hours of need, and settled all their disputes on the basis of justice and equality. Similarly the denial of life after death has its consequences not only in the Hereafter but also in this world. When a nation as a whole denies it, all kinds of evils and corruption become rampant in that society and ultimately it is destroyed.
The Quran mentions the terrible end of Aad, Thamud and the Pharaoh in some detail:
[The tribes of] Thamud and Aad denied the Striking Calamity [i.e. the Resurrection]. So as for Thamud, they were destroyed by the overpowering [blast]. And as for Aad, they were destroyed by a screaming, violent wind which He [i.e. God] imposed upon them for seven nights and eight days in succession, so you would see the people therein fallen as if they were hollow trunks of palm trees. Then do you see of them any remains? And there came Pharaoh and those before him and the overturned cities (i.e. those to which Lot was sent) with sin. And they disobeyed the messenger of their Lord, so He seized them with a seizure exceeding [in severity]. Indeed, when the water overflowed, We carried you [i.e. your ancestors] in the sailing ship (i.e. which was constructed by Noah). That We might make it for you a reminder and [that] a conscious ear would be conscious of it. (Quran, 69:4-12)
Events of the Day of Judgment
God states in the Quran about the events of the Day of Judgment:
Then when the Horn is blown with one blast, and the earth and the mountains are lifted and leveled with one blow [i.e. stroke] - Then on that Day, the Occurrence [i.e. Resurrection] will occur, And the heaven will split [open], for that Day it is infirm (i.e. weak, enfeebled and unstable). And the angels are at its edges. And there will bear the Throne of your Lord above them, that Day, eight [of them]. That Day, you will be exhibited [for judgment]; not hidden among you is anything concealed (i.e. any person or any secret you might attempt to conceal). So as for he who is given his record in his right hand, he will say, “Here, read my record! Indeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account.” So he will be in a pleasant life - In an elevated Garden, Its [fruit] to be picked hanging near. [They will be told], “Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you put forth (i.e. literally, advanced in anticipation of reward in the Hereafter) in the days past.” But as for he who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, “Oh, I wish I had not been given my record, and had not known what is my account. I wish it [i.e. my death] had been the decisive one (i.e. ending life rather than being the gateway to eternal life). My wealth has not availed me. Gone from me is my authority.” [God will say], “Seize him and shackle him. Then into Hellfire drive him. Then into a chain whose length is seventy cubits insert him.” Indeed, he did not used to believe in God, the Most Great. (Quran, 69:13-33)
The Prophet Muhammad taught that three things continue to benefit a [believing] person even after death - charity which he had given (which continues to benefit others), beneficial knowledge which he had left behind (i.e. authored or taught), and supplication on his behalf by a righteous child (Narrated by Saheeh Muslim).
Thus, there are very convincing reasons to believe in life after death:
1) All the Prophets of God have called their people to believe in it.
2) Whenever a human society is built on the basis of this belief, it has been the most ideal and peaceful society, free of social and moral evils.
3) History bears witness that whenever this belief is rejected collectively by a group of people in spite of the repeated warning of the Prophet, the group as a whole has been punished by God even in this world.
4) Moral, aesthetic and rational faculties of man endorse the possibility of the life after death.
5) God’s attributes of Justice and Mercy have no meaning if there is no life after death.
(To go back close this window)
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) Revised Edition.
Some Remarkable Aspects of the Holy Qur'an
From: www.load-islam.com
By : Malik Bin Nab
It is clear that the Holy Qur'an, through its scriptural and psychological characteristics, is definitely independent of the subjective consciousness. Here, we shall examine some verses which further underscore the Qur'an's independence from human genius.
The Anticipations:
The general characteristic of the Holy Qur'an is an entity ordered and foreseen flowing from a pre-established plan. This fact is particularly evident in the case of the anticipations concerning the subsequent course of the Holy Qur'an. To anticipate is to foresee and one could not imagine oneself performing such a psychological act without the conscious contribution of a subjective consciousness which foresees.
Early in the dramatic blossoming of the Qur'anic phenomenon, when moral crises and doubt were resolving themselves within Muhammad, he received this remarkable revelations:"Surely We shall charge thee with a weighty word." (Holy Qur'an 73:5)
What is the weight of the message? This message is the whole of the Holy Qur'an, to have been completed 23 years later It is the weight of religious thought, of the moral experience and the fervor of a quarter of the world's present population.
Certainly this is a significant anticipation, not only concerning whose influence is felt even today, but also concerning the course of the revelation itself. Subconscious? Premonition? Foresight - reflected or voluntary? These are meaningless words, when we are confronted with data gathered regarding the subjective consciousness of Muhammad on the one hand, and on the other with the "weighty message" of the Holy Qur'an.
Surely in an anticipation so general one could perhaps see a simple wish of an "I" which projects into the future. And yet some of the anticipations are quite precise. We shall consider at least two such anticipations which treat a definite objective. Here is the first: "We narrate to thee the best of narratives, in that We have revealed to thee this Qur'an, though before this thou wast of those unaware." (Holy Qur'an 12:3)This verse forms part of a preface to the story of Joseph (Yusuf). The preliminary assertion has been confirmed by historical criticism. Muhammad was completely unaware of the narrative in question before the revelation of the Holy Qur'an. Moreover, this unawareness was an essential datum required for the personal conviction of the Prophet. Hence, there is an indisputable anticipation concerning the course of the revelation as well as a specific objective: that of the story of Joseph, previously unknown to Muhammad.
In fact, one can distinguish two facts regarding the unawareness of the Prophet on this point:
1. From the historical point of view, there was no trace of the story of Joseph in the consciousness of Muhammad before this revelation.
2. From the psychological point of view, the consciousness of Muhammad did not intervene in the revelation and in particular did not take part in its final course. As for his subconscious, it could not by itself generate such a complex theme. Moreover, this anticipation concerning the course of the phenomenon remains doubly inexplicable, if restricted to an interpretation by the subjective consciousness of Muhammad.
A second example is furnished by the initial verse of chapter 24: "(This is) a chapter which We have revealed and made obligatory and wherein We have revealed clear messages that you may be mindful."We see in this verse, which consists of "clear messages", the appearance of the schematic plan of the Surah to come, and yet already foreseeing these signs as the ultimate objective of the revelation. It appears that there is an intelligence which foresees these and a will which consigns them to our reflection: such intelligence was never compatible with the subjective consciousness of Muhammad generally, and certainly would have been impossible in his condition of receptivity.
The Inconceivables:
Twenty-nine Surahs do not begin with an intelligible word but rather with simple alphabetical symbols. Classical commentators gave them different interpretations, and depending on the mentality of the period, some even looked for enigmatic allusions to distant episodes in human history. In any case, their meaning remains mysterious. The letters cannot be interpreted as remnants of dead words since the Prophet himself recited them separately, that is to say, every letter was distinctly vocalized.
By : Malik Bin Nab
It is clear that the Holy Qur'an, through its scriptural and psychological characteristics, is definitely independent of the subjective consciousness. Here, we shall examine some verses which further underscore the Qur'an's independence from human genius.
The Anticipations:
The general characteristic of the Holy Qur'an is an entity ordered and foreseen flowing from a pre-established plan. This fact is particularly evident in the case of the anticipations concerning the subsequent course of the Holy Qur'an. To anticipate is to foresee and one could not imagine oneself performing such a psychological act without the conscious contribution of a subjective consciousness which foresees.
Early in the dramatic blossoming of the Qur'anic phenomenon, when moral crises and doubt were resolving themselves within Muhammad, he received this remarkable revelations:"Surely We shall charge thee with a weighty word." (Holy Qur'an 73:5)
What is the weight of the message? This message is the whole of the Holy Qur'an, to have been completed 23 years later It is the weight of religious thought, of the moral experience and the fervor of a quarter of the world's present population.
Certainly this is a significant anticipation, not only concerning whose influence is felt even today, but also concerning the course of the revelation itself. Subconscious? Premonition? Foresight - reflected or voluntary? These are meaningless words, when we are confronted with data gathered regarding the subjective consciousness of Muhammad on the one hand, and on the other with the "weighty message" of the Holy Qur'an.
Surely in an anticipation so general one could perhaps see a simple wish of an "I" which projects into the future. And yet some of the anticipations are quite precise. We shall consider at least two such anticipations which treat a definite objective. Here is the first: "We narrate to thee the best of narratives, in that We have revealed to thee this Qur'an, though before this thou wast of those unaware." (Holy Qur'an 12:3)This verse forms part of a preface to the story of Joseph (Yusuf). The preliminary assertion has been confirmed by historical criticism. Muhammad was completely unaware of the narrative in question before the revelation of the Holy Qur'an. Moreover, this unawareness was an essential datum required for the personal conviction of the Prophet. Hence, there is an indisputable anticipation concerning the course of the revelation as well as a specific objective: that of the story of Joseph, previously unknown to Muhammad.
In fact, one can distinguish two facts regarding the unawareness of the Prophet on this point:
1. From the historical point of view, there was no trace of the story of Joseph in the consciousness of Muhammad before this revelation.
2. From the psychological point of view, the consciousness of Muhammad did not intervene in the revelation and in particular did not take part in its final course. As for his subconscious, it could not by itself generate such a complex theme. Moreover, this anticipation concerning the course of the phenomenon remains doubly inexplicable, if restricted to an interpretation by the subjective consciousness of Muhammad.
A second example is furnished by the initial verse of chapter 24: "(This is) a chapter which We have revealed and made obligatory and wherein We have revealed clear messages that you may be mindful."We see in this verse, which consists of "clear messages", the appearance of the schematic plan of the Surah to come, and yet already foreseeing these signs as the ultimate objective of the revelation. It appears that there is an intelligence which foresees these and a will which consigns them to our reflection: such intelligence was never compatible with the subjective consciousness of Muhammad generally, and certainly would have been impossible in his condition of receptivity.
The Inconceivables:
Twenty-nine Surahs do not begin with an intelligible word but rather with simple alphabetical symbols. Classical commentators gave them different interpretations, and depending on the mentality of the period, some even looked for enigmatic allusions to distant episodes in human history. In any case, their meaning remains mysterious. The letters cannot be interpreted as remnants of dead words since the Prophet himself recited them separately, that is to say, every letter was distinctly vocalized.
Alleged Internal Contradictions in the Qur'an
From: www.load-islam.com
By : Ansar Al-'Adl
Throughout the history of humanity, we see a continued pattern. Our Lord and Creator created us out of love, and placed us on this planet as His Viceroy, to enjoin what is good and to forbidwhat is evil. We maintain our loving connection with God through sincere worship to Him. Humanity is being tested through this life on earth. Those of us who believe in God and do righteous deeds will be rewarded in the next life. But those who persist in evil, even after recieving warnings, will be punished in the next life.Man has continually deviated from the true path of righteousness, to become enslaved by his personal desires.
Thus, God appoints Prophets and Messengers among humanity, who recieve divine revelation, to call people back to the path of truth, the path of loving submission to Our Creator. God's Messengers recieved the word of God, His message and commandments for humanity.Muslims believe all of God's Messenger preached the same message of Islam (submission to the One God). This includes Prophet Adam, Prophet Noah, Prophet Abraham, Prophet Moses, Prophet Jesus, and God's final messenger Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of God be upon them all.
The Qur'an is God's last revelation to humanity, revealed to Prophet Muhammad pbuh, and is the spoken words of God, which He has vowed to preserve throughout time. All previous messages including the Torah and the Injeel were only intended for their respective nations and served as test for their respective nation to preseve the message. Unfortunately, this test was not succesfully completed and the previous messages have become corrupted, tampered and mixed with the work of human beings. This is why God has sent the Qur'an to confirm the truth, but reject all deviation that has crept in. It is a criterion. The test of the Qur'an is not its preservation, but in spreading the message to all nations.
Much has been said about the Qur'an, and both Muslims and Non-Muslims have praised it for its perfection and beauty. One may read about what has been said about the Qur'an, here.The question arises, how can one be assured that a book is from God?There are a number of reasons and much evidence which proves that the Qur'an is the word of God. These have been explored in many books, and on many websites, including here. For the purpose of this article, we will examine one of those reasons - consistency.
We must remember that the Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad pbuh over a period of 23 years. During that time, he passed through widely diverse periods of struggle and peace. It is inconceivable that any human being would be able to remain consistent in their teachings and thoughts during this period of time. All human beings go through development and evolution in their thoughts and works. It is natural to obsevre such changes, and we would expect to see even greater changes in the teachings of a man through periods of persecution, peace, migration, success, suffering, unity, support, opposition, etc.Yet the Qur'an is free of all such human defficiencies and inconsistencies. And the only reason is because it is a revelation from Our Creator, Most Merciful.
20:4 A revelation from Him Who created the earth and the heavens on high.
69:41-43 It is not the word of a poet: little it is ye believe! Nor is it the word of a soothsayer: little admonition it is ye receive. (This is) a Message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds.
The Qur'an, itself, provides us with this criteria to use in evalutating its claim of divine origin:
4:82 Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other Than Allah, they would surely have found therein Much discrepancy/inconsistency.
This criteria is acknowledged in previous revelations as well.
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace...."
God is perfect, and therefore we should expect inerrancy and perfection in His words. This article will demonstrate, God willingly, that the Qur'an is free of such inconsistencies and human deficiencies, and therefore can only be the word of God, Glorified and Exalted.Often, we will see that there are multiple interpretations and explanations of certain verses. Consequently, we shall frequently present more than one explanation, each being sufficient to refute the allegation on its own.
The Inheritance Law
The Number of Angels Speaking to Mary
On The Length of God's Days
The Number of Gardens in Paradise
The Number of Groups on Judgement Day
Who Takes the Soul at Death
The Number of Wings on Angels
The Number of Days Taken to Create the Universe
Was Creation Quick or Slow
Which was created first: the Heavens or Earth ?
'Called Together' or 'Ripped Apart'?
The Time Taken to Destroy the 'Aad
What was Man Created from?
Where is Allah
On the Origin of Calamity
The Mercy and Guidance of Allah
Will there be Inquiry in Paradise?
Are Angels Protectors
Is Everything Devoutly Obedient to Allah?
Does Allah Forgive Shirk?
Did Abraham Commit Shirk?
Worshipping the Same or a Different God?
The Sequence of Events in the Calf-worship of the Children of Israel
Guilt of Aaron in the Calf-Worship?
Was Jonah Cast on the Desert Shore?
The Reference to the Injeel at the time of Moses
Concerning the Food for the Inhabitants of Hell
Forgiveness for Slander of Chaste Women
How the Disbelievers will Recieve their Record on Judgement Day
Can Angels Disobey - the case of Iblis
Can Angels Disobey - the case of Harut and Marut
Angel Gabriel and the 'Holy Spirit'
Confirming the Old Revelation or Substituting it?
The Qur'an's Pure Arabic and the Presence of Foreign Words
The Qur'an Being Contained in Previous Revelations
Lot's Wife Being Called 'an Old Woman'
The Response of Lot's Nation
Is the Punishment and Mercy of Allah Arbitrary?
The Fate of Noah's Family
Was Noah Driven Out?
Regarding Pharoah's Fate
Pharoah's Repentance
Abrogation and the Unalterable Word of God
Whom Allah Guides
Salvation for Non-Muslims
By : Ansar Al-'Adl
Throughout the history of humanity, we see a continued pattern. Our Lord and Creator created us out of love, and placed us on this planet as His Viceroy, to enjoin what is good and to forbidwhat is evil. We maintain our loving connection with God through sincere worship to Him. Humanity is being tested through this life on earth. Those of us who believe in God and do righteous deeds will be rewarded in the next life. But those who persist in evil, even after recieving warnings, will be punished in the next life.Man has continually deviated from the true path of righteousness, to become enslaved by his personal desires.
Thus, God appoints Prophets and Messengers among humanity, who recieve divine revelation, to call people back to the path of truth, the path of loving submission to Our Creator. God's Messengers recieved the word of God, His message and commandments for humanity.Muslims believe all of God's Messenger preached the same message of Islam (submission to the One God). This includes Prophet Adam, Prophet Noah, Prophet Abraham, Prophet Moses, Prophet Jesus, and God's final messenger Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of God be upon them all.
The Qur'an is God's last revelation to humanity, revealed to Prophet Muhammad pbuh, and is the spoken words of God, which He has vowed to preserve throughout time. All previous messages including the Torah and the Injeel were only intended for their respective nations and served as test for their respective nation to preseve the message. Unfortunately, this test was not succesfully completed and the previous messages have become corrupted, tampered and mixed with the work of human beings. This is why God has sent the Qur'an to confirm the truth, but reject all deviation that has crept in. It is a criterion. The test of the Qur'an is not its preservation, but in spreading the message to all nations.
Much has been said about the Qur'an, and both Muslims and Non-Muslims have praised it for its perfection and beauty. One may read about what has been said about the Qur'an, here.The question arises, how can one be assured that a book is from God?There are a number of reasons and much evidence which proves that the Qur'an is the word of God. These have been explored in many books, and on many websites, including here. For the purpose of this article, we will examine one of those reasons - consistency.
We must remember that the Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad pbuh over a period of 23 years. During that time, he passed through widely diverse periods of struggle and peace. It is inconceivable that any human being would be able to remain consistent in their teachings and thoughts during this period of time. All human beings go through development and evolution in their thoughts and works. It is natural to obsevre such changes, and we would expect to see even greater changes in the teachings of a man through periods of persecution, peace, migration, success, suffering, unity, support, opposition, etc.Yet the Qur'an is free of all such human defficiencies and inconsistencies. And the only reason is because it is a revelation from Our Creator, Most Merciful.
20:4 A revelation from Him Who created the earth and the heavens on high.
69:41-43 It is not the word of a poet: little it is ye believe! Nor is it the word of a soothsayer: little admonition it is ye receive. (This is) a Message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds.
The Qur'an, itself, provides us with this criteria to use in evalutating its claim of divine origin:
4:82 Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other Than Allah, they would surely have found therein Much discrepancy/inconsistency.
This criteria is acknowledged in previous revelations as well.
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace...."
God is perfect, and therefore we should expect inerrancy and perfection in His words. This article will demonstrate, God willingly, that the Qur'an is free of such inconsistencies and human deficiencies, and therefore can only be the word of God, Glorified and Exalted.Often, we will see that there are multiple interpretations and explanations of certain verses. Consequently, we shall frequently present more than one explanation, each being sufficient to refute the allegation on its own.
The Inheritance Law
The Number of Angels Speaking to Mary
On The Length of God's Days
The Number of Gardens in Paradise
The Number of Groups on Judgement Day
Who Takes the Soul at Death
The Number of Wings on Angels
The Number of Days Taken to Create the Universe
Was Creation Quick or Slow
Which was created first: the Heavens or Earth ?
'Called Together' or 'Ripped Apart'?
The Time Taken to Destroy the 'Aad
What was Man Created from?
Where is Allah
On the Origin of Calamity
The Mercy and Guidance of Allah
Will there be Inquiry in Paradise?
Are Angels Protectors
Is Everything Devoutly Obedient to Allah?
Does Allah Forgive Shirk?
Did Abraham Commit Shirk?
Worshipping the Same or a Different God?
The Sequence of Events in the Calf-worship of the Children of Israel
Guilt of Aaron in the Calf-Worship?
Was Jonah Cast on the Desert Shore?
The Reference to the Injeel at the time of Moses
Concerning the Food for the Inhabitants of Hell
Forgiveness for Slander of Chaste Women
How the Disbelievers will Recieve their Record on Judgement Day
Can Angels Disobey - the case of Iblis
Can Angels Disobey - the case of Harut and Marut
Angel Gabriel and the 'Holy Spirit'
Confirming the Old Revelation or Substituting it?
The Qur'an's Pure Arabic and the Presence of Foreign Words
The Qur'an Being Contained in Previous Revelations
Lot's Wife Being Called 'an Old Woman'
The Response of Lot's Nation
Is the Punishment and Mercy of Allah Arbitrary?
The Fate of Noah's Family
Was Noah Driven Out?
Regarding Pharoah's Fate
Pharoah's Repentance
Abrogation and the Unalterable Word of God
Whom Allah Guides
Salvation for Non-Muslims
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