ID book

Author(s): Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabataba and 039;i

Translator(s): Allamah Sayyid Sa and 039;eed Akhtar Rizvi

Publisher(s): World Organization for Islamic Services (WOFIS)

Category: Qur’an Commentaries

Topic Tags: Exegesis Tafsir

Person Tags: Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabatabai

ISBN: ج.۱۳:978-964-6521-46-9 ؛ دوره 964-6521-13-5 :

Congress Classification: BP۹۸/ط۲۵م ۹۰۴۹۵۲ ۱۳۹۴

Dewey Classification: ۲۹۷/۱۷۲۶

National bibliography numbers: ۳۸۲۱۵۷۸

---

عنوان و نام پدیدآور : Al-Mizan : an exegesis of the Qur'an/ Muhammad Husayn at- Tabataba'i; Translated by Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi.

وضعیت ویراست : 1st ed.

مشخصات نشر : Tehran: World Organization for Islamic Services, 19= 13 -

مشخصات ظاهری : ج.

وضعیت فهرست نویسی : در انتظار فهرستنویسی (اطلاعات ثبت)

یادداشت : فهرست نویسی بر اساس جلد پنجم، ۱۳۶۲=۱۹۸۳.

شماره کتابشناسی ملی : ۴۰۱۸۶۸۷

point

Suratul Baqarah (2), from Verse 94 to Verse 182The second volume of the renowned commentary on the Holy Qur'an written by one of its greatest modern commentators. This volume contains exegesis of Suratul Baqarah (2) from verse 94 to verse 182. Translated by Sayyid Sa'eed Akhtar Rizvi.

Foreword

al-'Allamah as-Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabataba'i (1321/1904 - 1402/1981) - may Allah have mercy upon him - was a famous scholar, thinker and the most celebrated con-temporary Islamic philosopher. We have introduced him briefly in the first volume of the English translation of al-Mizan.

al-'Allamah at-Tabataba'i is well-known for a number of his works of which the most important is his great exegesis al Mizan fi Tafsiri ‘l-Qur’an which is rightly counted as the funda­mental pillar of scholarly work which the 'Allamah has achieved in the Islamic world.

We felt the necessity of publishing an exegesis of the Holy Qur'an in English. After a thorough consultation, we came to choose al-Mizan because we found that it contained in itself, to a considerable extent, the points which should necessarily be expounded in a perfect exegesis of the Holy Qur'an and the points which appeal to the mind of the contemporary Muslim reader.

Therefore, we proposed to al-tistadh al-'Allamah as-Sayyid Sa’id Akhtar ar-Radawi to undertake this task because we were familiar with

his intellectual ability to understand the Arabic text of al-Mizan and his literary capability in expression and translation. So we relied on him for this work and consider him responsible for the English translation as al-'Allamah at-Taba­taba'i was responsible for the Arabic text of al-Mizan and its discussions.

We have now undertaken the publication of the second volume of the English translation of al-Mizan. This volume corre­sponds with the second half of the first volume of the Arabic text. With the help of Allah, the Exalted, we hope to provide the com­plete translation and publication of this voluminous work.

In the first volume, the reader will find two more appendixes included apart from the two which are to appear in all volumes of the English translation of al-Mizan: One for the authors and the other for the books cited throughout this work.

We implore upon Allah to effect our work purely for His pleasure, and to help us to complete this work which we have started. May Allah guide us in this step which we have taken and in the future steps, for He is the best Master and the best Helper.

World Organization For Islamic Services

(Board of Writing, Translation and Publication)

20/6/1404 24/3/1984

Tehran - IRAN.

Suratul Baqarah: Verses 94 − 99

point

(٩٤) قُلۡ إِن کَانَتۡ لکُمُ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلأَخِرَةُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَالِصَةً۬ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُاْ ٱلمَوۡتَ إِن کنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِینَ

(٩٥) وَلَن یَتَمَنَّوۡهُ أَبَدَۢا بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَیدِیهِمۡ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِیمُۢ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِینَ

(٩٦) وَلَتَجِدَنّهمۡ أَحرَصَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَیٰ حَیَوٰةٍ۬ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِینَ أَشرَکُواْ ۚ یَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمۡ لَوۡ یُعَمَّرُ أَلفَ سَنَةٍ۬ وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحزِحِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ أَن یُعَمَّرَ ۗ

وَٱللَّهُ بَصِیرُۢ بِمَا یَعمَلُونَ

(٩٧) قُلۡ مَن کَانَ عَدُوًّ۬ا لِّجِبرِیلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَیٰ قَلبِکَ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَینَ یَدَیهِ وَهُدً۬ی وَبُشرَیٰ لِلمُؤۡمِنِینَ

(٩٨) مَن کَانَ عَدُوًّ۬ا لِّلَّهِ وَمَلَـْٰئْکَتِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَجِبرِیلَ وَمِیکَٰالَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَدُوٌّ۬ لِّلکَـٰفِرِینَ

(٩٩) وَلَقَدۡ أَنزَلنَآ إِلَیکَ ءَایَـٰتِۭ بَیِّنَـٰتٍ۬ ۖ وَمَا یَکفُرُ بِهَآ إِلَّا ٱلفَـٰسِقُونَ

Say: “If the future abode with Allah is purely for you to the exclusion of the people then invoke death if you are truthful” (94).

And they will never invoke it on account of what their hands have sent before, and Allah knows the unjust ones (95).

And you will most certainly find them the greediest of men for life, and (greedier) than even those who are polytheists; every one of them loves that he should be granted a life of a thousand years, and his being granted a long life will in no way remove him further off from the chastisement, and Allah sees what they do (96).

Say: “Whoever is the enemy of Gabriel - for surely he revealed it to your heart by Allah's Com­mand, verifying that which is before it, and guidance and good news for the believers (97).

Whoever is the enemy of Allah and His angels and His apostles and Gabriel and Michael - so surely Allah is the enemy of the unbelievers” (98).

And certainly We have revealed to you clear signs, and none disbelieve in them except the transgressors (99).

Commentary

Qur’an: Say: “If the future abode... ”: The Jews claimed, “Fire shall not touch us but for a few days” (2:80). When they were

told to believe in what Allah had revealed, they declared:

“We believe in that which was revealed to us” (2:91).

All this implied that only they would be saved on the Day of Resurrection to the exclusion of all the others; that their deliverance and hap­piness in the next world would be unmarred by any unpleasant experience as the Fire shall not touch them but for a few days - equal in number to the day they worshipped the calf. To remove that self-delusion and conceit, Allah put a challenge to them, to show them their true face, to make them realize that their claims were without any substance.

He (Allah) told His Apostle to say to them: “If the future abode... is for you...” The “future abode” points to the felicity and happiness of that abode; the owner of a house arranges and manages it in the best possible way, and decorates it according to his taste and liking “with Allah”, that is, firmly established with Allah, by His order and His permission; the phrase has the same import here as in the verse:

Surely the religion with Allah is Islam (3:19).

“purely”, that is, unmixed with punishment or humiliation - utmost that you think possible is a punishment of just a few days. “to the exclusion of the people”, because you presume that all religions, except your own, are false. If you really think so, “then invoke death if you are truthful”.

This challenge is similar to the one given in verse:

Say: “O you

who are Jews, if you think that you are the friends of Allah to the exclusion of other people, then invoke death if you are truthful” (62:6).

The argument is very clear about which nobody can have any doubt whatsoever. Any man (nay! even an animal having a limited perception and sensitivity), if given total freedom to choose between comfort and discomfort, will at once opt for the comfort, without any hesitation, without any contemplation.

Put before him a life polluted with trouble and turmoil and another clean and pure, and tell him to take hold of any one; naturally, and without any doubt, he will grab at the pure one. If for any reason he is prevented from the life of his choice, he will always dream of it, and will remain looking for any opportunity to lay his hands upon it.

If the Jews are truthful in their claim that the other world's pure happiness belongs to them to the exclusion of others, then they must yearn for it with their hearts, words and deeds.

“And they will never invoke it on account of what their hands have sent before”, for example, the killings of the prophets, the disbelief in Musa (a.s.) and breaking of the covenants, “and Allah knows the unjust ones”.

Qur’an: on account of what their hands have sent before: It is a metaphorical reference to the “deeds”. Most of the external deeds are done by hands; then the finished product is sent to the one who wants it or

may benefit from it.

The sentence has two allegorical allusions: it counts every deed as having been done by hands; and it ascribes the action of “sending” to the hands while in fact it is the man who sends his deeds before.

Actions of a man, and especially those done regularly, are a clear mirror of his unconscious and sub-conscious personality. Evil deeds expose the evil nature of the doer - and such a nature does not like meeting its Lord or staying in the abode of His friends.

Qur’an: And you will most certainly find them the greediest of men for life: It is an explanation of the divine word, “And they will never invoke it...” They do not yearn for death because they are greediest of all men for the life of this world. It is this greed and avid craving to remain in this world which prevents them from looking forward to the next abode.

The word, “life”, is used in this verse as a common noun - it is to show how insignificant and trifling this life is; Allah has said:

And this life of the world is nothing but a sport and a play, and as for the next abode, that most surely is life - did they but know (29:64).

Qur’an: and (greedier) that even those who are polytheists: Apparently the conjunctive, “and”, joins this clause to the word, “men”, that is, you will find them greedier than even the polytheists for life.

Qur’an: and his being granted a long life

will in no way remove him further off from the chastisement: The verse's literal translation: and it is not a remover of him from the chastisement his being granted a long life.

“ma” (ما = not, no, particle of negation); the pronoun “it” is that of sha'n⁽¹⁾and qissah (ضَمیرُ الشّأن و القصّة) “his being granted a long life” is the subject preceded by the predicate, that is, “is not a remover of him...”

The sentence may also be syntactically analysed in another way: the pronoun, “it”, may refer to the love each of them had of being granted a life of a thousand years. It would accordingly mean that that love of theirs would not ward off the Divine Chastisement from them; in this case, the clause, “his being granted a long life” will be a description of that love.

Anyhow, what the verse says is this: They shall never invoke the death, and I swear that you will most certainly find them the greediest of men for this base and insignificant life which prevents them from the happy and good life of the next abode; you will find them greedier than even the polytheists for this life, although the latter do not believe in the Resurrection and the Day of Judg­ment, and consequently their love for this life should be un­paralleled; every one of them loves that he should be granted the longest life, but even the longest life cannot remove him further off from the Divine Chastisement, because life, no

matter how long it is, is limited and has to come to an end.

Qur’an: every one of them loves that he should be granted a life of a thousand years: that is, the longest life. “a thousand” is used to denote numerousness. In Arabic, it is the highest de-nomination which is described by a single word. Higher denomi­nations are shown by repetition and combination, for example, ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a thousand thousand (i.e., a million).

Qur’an: And Allah sees what you do: “al-Basir” (البَصیرُ ) is one of the beautiful names of Allah; it signifies that although He does not have a body or an eye, He is fully cognizant of all things which we perceive with our eyes. It shows a facet of the name, al-'Alim (العَلیْمُ = the Knowing).

Qur’an: Say: “Whoever is the enemy of Gabriel - for surely he revealed it to your heart by Allah's Command: Apparently the verse was revealed as a reply to something the Jews had said - they arrogantly refused to believe in what was revealed to the Apostle of Allah (S), on the pretext that they were enemies of Gabriel who had the charge of bringing the revelation to Muhammad (S).

Allah replied to them in two verses - concerning the Qur'an and Gabriel both. Also the traditions giving the background of the verses confirm it. The verses contain four replies to their arrogance in denial of the Qur'an.

First: Gabriel has revealed the Qur'an to your heart by Allah's Command, not

by his own wish. Therefore, even if they feel enmity towards Gabriel, it should not prevent them from believing in a revelation sent down by Allah's Command.

Second: The Qur'an verifies the Divine Book which was revealed before it and which they have in their hands. How can they believe in a book and deny another which verifies it?

Third: The Qur'an is a guidance for those who believe in it.

Fourth: It is also a good news for the believers. How can a sane person turn his face away from guidance and good news, even if it is brought to him by a supposed enemy of his?

So far as their professed enmity towards Gabriel was con­cerned, they were replied as follows:

Gabriel is one of the angels of Allah; he has no authority except to follow and obey the Divine Command - just like Michael and other angels. They are honoured servants of Allah; they do not disobey His command, and they do as they are told.

Likewise, the apostles of Allah have no authority except by Allah and from Allah. To have enmity towards them, to harbour hatred for them is enmity and hatred towards Allah Himself. Therefore, whoever is the enemy of Allah and His angels and His apostles and Gabriel and Michael, so surely Allah is his enemy.

All these replies are clearly given in these two verses.

Qur’an: for surely he revealed it to your heart by Allah's Command: Apparently, it should have been “to my heart”; instead, it says, “to your

heart”. The pronoun has been changed from the first to the second person to draw attention to an im­portant factor:

So far as the revelation of the Qur'an is concerned, neither Gabriel has any choice or authority of his own in bringing it down (he is subject to the Divine command, which he faith-fully carries out) nor the Apostle of Allah (s. a.w. a.) has any choice or authority of his own in receiving it and conveying it to his ummah; his heart is the receptacle of revelation, on which he has no control at all and which he is bound to convey to his people.

The Jews have been mentioned in these verses sometimes in the second person, and sometimes in the third. Their admoni­tion and condemnation has continued for a long time; and the Speaker wants to show that they do not deserve the honour of being addressed by Him.

That is why He frequently changes the styles, again and again going from the second to the third person pronouns. The audience gets the impression that the Speaker does not like to speak to them - because of their heedlessness and depravity, but at the same time does not like to leave them as they are without pronouncing His judgment against them.

Qur’an: the enemy of the unbelievers: Instead of saying, “their enemy”, the verse uses the word, “enemy of the un­believers”; it serves to show also the reason of that enmity. Allah is their enemy, because they are unbelievers, and Allah

is the enemy of the unbelievers.

Qur’an: and none disbelieve in them except the transgressors: It explains the cause of their disbelief; they disbelieve because they are transgressors. Or, may be the definite article ”the”, in “the transgressors” refers to the group mentioned in the beginning of the chapter:

But He does not cause to err by it (any) except the transgressors, who break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation... (2:26-27)

As for Gabriel and how he brought the revelation to the heart of the Apostle of Allah (s. a.w. a.), we shall explain it, God willing, in another place; the same applies to Michael and other angels.

Traditions

Ibn ''Abbas explained the reason of the revelation of the verse, Say: “Whoever is the enemy of Gabriel...”, in these words: “When the Prophet came to Medina, Ibn Suriya and some Jews of Fadak asked him (some questions). They said: 'O Muhammad! How do you sleep? Because we have been told about the sleep of the Prophet who would come in the last days?'

He said: 'My eyes sleep while my heart is awake.' They said: 'You are right, O Muhammad! Now tell us about the child whether it is from the man or from the woman?' He said: 'As for the bones, the nerves and the veins, they are from the man; and as for the flesh, the blood, the nails and the hairs, they are from the woman.'

They said: 'You are right, O Muhammad! Then why is it that sometimes the child resembles his

paternal uncles, without having a least likeness of his maternal uncles? And sometimes he resembles his maternal uncles without having any likeness at all to his paternal uncles?' He replied: 'He resembles to that parent's (side) whose fluid dominates the other's.' They said: 'You spoke the truth, O Muhammad! Now, tell us about your Lord, what is He?' Then Allah revealed (the Chapter 112):

Say: “He, Allah is One...”

Then Ibn Suriya said: 'One (more) thing; if you tell (us) about it, I shall believe in you and follow you. Which angel is it that brings to you that which Allah reveals to you?' He said: 'Gabriel.' (Ibn Suriya) said:

'He is our enemy; he brings the (order of) fighting, hard-ship and war. And Michael brings comfort and happiness. Had it been Michael who came to you (with revelation) we would have believed in you.' ”

The author says: Very many traditions (nearly mutawatir in number) have been narrated by both Sunni and Shi'ah narrators, that (when) the Apostle of Allah (s. a.w. a.) (slept) his eyes used to sleep but his heart kept awake.

Sleep did not make him unaware of himself; when asleep, he was well aware that he was asleep; when he dreamt he knew that he was dreaming. Not too often, this happens to some other good persons too when their souls are clean and they keep in touch with the Divine sublimity.

When the soul rises to that level, it can never be oblivious of the various changes occurring to itself

in its worldly life, nor can it forget its relation to its Lord. At this stage, it may look at the world and its life taking the whole spectrum at one glance, as a man looks at a tree and perceives it all at once. In this detached manner, it observes that all human beings are asleep - not only those who are manifestly asleep, but those too who are thought to be awake.

Almost all men have taken shelter under sensual perception; have bound themselves to the fetters of materialism. They are in fact asleep, even when they think they are awake. 'Ali (a.s.) has said: “The people are asleep; when they die they will wake up...”

This topic will be further explained in other place; other sentences of this tradition too will be explained later

Suratul Baqarah: Verses 100 ―101

point

(١٠٠) أَوَکلَّمَا عَـٰهَدُواْ عَهدً۬ا نَّبَذَهُ ۥفَرِیقٌ۬ مِّنهُم ۚ بَلۡ أَکثَرُهُمۡ لَا یُؤۡمِنُون

(١٠١) وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمۡ رَسُولٌ۬ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ۬ لِّمَا مَعَهُمۡ نَبَذَ فَرِیقٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِینَ أُوتُواْ ٱلکِتَـٰبَ کِتَـٰبَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمۡ کَأَنَّهُمۡ لَا یَعلَمُونَ

What! whenever they make a covenant, a party of them cast it aside? Nay, most of them do not believe (100).

And when there came to them an Apostle from Allah verifying that which they have, a party of those who were given the Book threw the Book of Allah behind their backs as if they knew nothing (101).

Commentary

Qur’an: cast it aside: “an-Nabdh” ( النـَبْذ ) to throw away, to renounce).

Qur’an: And when there came to them an Apostle from Allah...: The word,

“an Apostle”, definitely means the Apostle of Allah, Muhammad (S); it does not refer to any other apostle who might have come “verifying that which they have”, because “when there came” does not mean “whenever there came”; in other words, it does not signify a recurring incidence, but an event that happened once only.

The verse points to the Jews' adverse attitude towards the truth: they were so steeped in falsehood that they concealed the foretellings of the Torah about the Prophet of Islam, and refused to believe in the Qur'an which verified that which they hod in their hands.The verse points to the Jews' adverse attitude towards the truth: they were so steeped in falsehood that they concealed the foretellings of the Torah about the Prophet of Islam, and refused to believe in the Qur'an which verified that which they hod in their hands.

Suratul Baqarah: Verses 102 ― 103

point

(١٠٢) وَٱتَّبَعُواْ مَا تَتلُواْ ٱلشَّیَـٰطِینُ عَلَیٰ مُلکِ سُلَیمَـٰنَ ۖ وَمَا کفَرَ سُلَیمَـٰنُ وَلَـٰکِنَّ ٱلشَّیَـٰطِینَ کَفَرُواْ یُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ ٱلسِّحرَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَی ٱلمَلَکَینِ بِبَابِلَ هَـٰرُوتَ وَمَـٰرُوتَ ۚ وَمَا یُعَلِّمَانِ مِنۡ أَحَدٍ حَتَّیٰ یَقُولَآ إِنَّمَا نَحنُ فِتنَةٌ۬ فَلَا تَکفُرۡ ۖ فَیَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنهُمَا مَا یُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِۦ بَینَ ٱلمَرۡءِ وَزَوۡجِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّینَ بِهِۦ مِنۡ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَیَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا یَضُرُّهُمۡ وَلَا یَنفَعُهُمۡ ۚ وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمُواْ لَمَنِ ٱشتَرٰهُ مَا لَهُ فِی ٱلأَخِرَةِ مِنۡ خَلَـٰقٍ۬ ۚ وَلَبِئسَ مَا شَرَوۡاْ بِهِۦۤ أَنفُسَهُمۡ ۚ لَوۡ کَانُواْ یَعلَمُونَ

(١٠٣) وَلَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱتَّقَوۡاْ لَمَثُوبَةٌ۬ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ خَیرٌ۬ ۖ لَّوۡ کَانُواْ یَعلَمُونَ

And they followed what the satans chanted (of sorcery) against the kingdom of Sulayman; and Sulayman was not an

unbeliever, but the satans disbelieved; they taught men sorcery and what was sent down to the two angels at Baby­lon, Harut and Marut. Yet these two taught no one until they had said: “Surely we are only a trial, therefore do not be a disbeliever.” Even then men learned from these two, that by which they might cause a separation between a man and his wife; and they cannot hurt with it any one except with Allah's permission; and they learned what harmed them and did not profit them; and certainly they knew that he who bought it should have no share (of good) in the hereafter, and vile was the price for which they sold their souls; had they but known (this) (102).

And if they had believed and guarded themselves (against evil), reward from Allah would certainly have been better; had they but known (this) (103).

Commentary

Qur’an: And they followed what the satans chanted... The exegetes have disputed among themselves about each and every aspect of this verse; so much so that the resulting picture of the differences is almost unparalleled in the whole Qur'an. A list of the differences is given below:

“they followed ”: Does the pronoun, “they”, refer to the Jews of the Sulayman's time, or to those at the time of the Prophet, or to all?

“chanted”: The Arabic word is “tatlu” ( تَتْلوْا ) which may be translated as “chanted”, “recited”, “told a lie about”, “faked” or “followed and acted according to”. In which sense the word

is used here? Every meaning has some supporters.

“satans”: Does it refer to the satans of jinn? Or to those among the human beings? Or to both?

“about”: The Arabic participle is ” 'ala ” (عَلی) = against, on, about, upon). Does the phrase mean, about the kingdom of Sulayman? Or, during the reign of Sulayman? Or, against his kingdom? Or, on his reign?

“the satans disbelieved”: Some say, they disbelieved because they published the sorcery among the people. Others say, they disbelieved because they ascribed the sorcery to Sulayman. Still others say, the disbelief, as mentioned here, actually means sorcery.

“they taught men sorcery”: It means they instructed them as a teacher instructs his students. No! it means that they buried the chants under Sulayman's chair, and then directed the men to it who brought it out and learnt it.

“and what was sent down”: The word translated here as “what” is “ma” (مَا ) which is a relative pronoun (“what”); also, it is a particle of negation (“not”). “And” is mostly used as a conjunctive; but not infrequently, it is also used to begin a new sentence. A group says that “ma” means “what”, and the conjunctive joins it to “what the satans chanted” (the Jews followed what was sent down).

Another party is of the opinion that the conjunctive joins it to “sorcery” (the satans taught them sorcery and that which was sent down). A third group thinks that “ma” means “not”, and the word “and” begins a new sentence (And sorcery was

not sent down to the two angels, contrary to what the Jews claimed).

“sent down”: Was it sent down from the heavens? Or from the highlands?

“the two angels”: They were the angels from the heaven. No! They were two good men, or men who feigned to be good. No! It is not “al-malakayn” (المَلَکَیْنِ = two angels); it is “al-malikayn” (المَلِکَیْنِ = two kings).

“Babylon”: It is the famous ancient city of Iraq. No! It is a city in Damawand (Iran); Wrong! It is the land between Nasibayn (Turkey) and Ra'sul 'Ayn.

“these two taught no one”: Teaching is used in its common meaning of instruction. No! It means, these two apprised no one.

“do not be a disbeliever”: By learning sorcery? Or, by practising it? Or, by both?

“the men learned from these two”: The “two” refers to the two angels. No! It means, they learned from the two subjects, sorcery and disbelief. Wrong! They learned the practice of sorcery, in place of the advice given by the angels.

“that by which they might cause a separation between a man and his wife”: Some exegetes say that they caused love or hate between the couple with the help of their sorcery. Others think that they misled one of the spouses to disbelief and polytheism, and the apostasy caused the separation mentioned here. A third group say that they created hatred and enmity between the couple with their calumny and slander.

This, in short, gives a glimpse of the differences of opinions concerning the explanations of the

words and clauses of the verse. There are still more differences about the event referred to - whether it narrates an actual happening or is just a parable; and so on and so forth. Compute the differences mentioned above and you will get nearly one million and two hundred sixty thousand possible explanations (4 x 3 9 x 2 4)!!

It seems an astounding quality of the Qur'an, that a verse that is subjected to so many divergent interpretations, still maintains its highest standard of eloquence; that in spite of all these vagaries of the exegetes, its meaning is not disjointed, nor its beauty marred.

A similar treatment has been meted out to the verse:

Is he then who has with him clear proof from his Lord, and a witness from him recites it and before it (is) the Book of Musa, a guide and a mercy (11:17).

However, it appears from the context that this verse deals with a hitherto unmentioned affair of the Jews, that is, their wide-spread use of sorcery. They based this practice on one or two stories, which were very popular among them.

The Jews were addicted to making alterations and inter­polations in, and omissions from, their Divine books, let alone the historical narrations. They used to change their books and records fitting them to the prevalent moods of their times. A story narrated by them was not to be relied upon. But this Qur'anic admonition is based on their own belief, because it was they who used to narrate

these stories.

The verse proves that the practice of sorcery was prevalent among the Jews, and that they ascribed it to Sulayman (a.s.). They presumed that Sulayman (a.s.) got the kingdom and sub­jugated the jinn, the human beings, the animals and the birds - all with the help of sorcery; and all the supernatural miraculous events related to him depended on witchcraft.

And they claimed that some of the enchantments in their hands had come down to them from him. The remaining portion was attributed to the two angels at Babylon, named Harut and Marut.

The Qur'an refutes the stories, saying that the prophet Sulayman (a.s.) never indulged in witchcraft and sorcery. How could he, when sorcery was nothing but disbelief in Allah? Sulayman (a.s.) could not be an unbeliever as he was a sinless, innocent prophet. All this is clearly seen from the words of Allah:

“and Sulayman was not an unbeliever, but the satans disbelieved, they taught men sorcery”; “and certainly they knew that he who bought it should have no share (of good) in the hereafter”. Sulayman's position was too distinguished, his rank too high, and his name too sacred to be associated with disbelief and sorcery.

He was the prophet whose outstanding position has been eulogized in several places in the chapters of Meccan period, long before this Chapter of the Cow was revealed. See, for example, the chapters of the Cattle (6th), the Prophets (21st), the Ant (27th) and Sad (38th).

You shall find therein that Sulayman (a.s.) was an excellent

servant of Allah, a prophet and an apostle; Allah gave him the knowledge and the wisdom; and granted him a kingdom which was not fit for any one after him.

Obviously, Sulayman could not indulge in sorcery; it was just a mythical story invented by the satans, which they dictated to their human friends; and it was the satans who disbelieved because they misguided the men by teaching them sorcery.

As for the story of the two angels at Babylon, the Qur'anic stand is as follows:

The two angels, Harut and Maria, were certainly given some sorcery as a means of test and trial for the human beings - and no objection could be raised against that; after all, Allah has taught the human nature the ways of evil too in order that He may test them with it.

Likewise, sorcery was sent down to the two angels; but they did not teach it to anyone until they had said to him: Surely we are only a trial, therefore do not become a disbeliever by using it for wrongful purposes; you must use it only to nullify the effect of witchcraft, to expose the viles of the sorcerers and things like that.

But the men learned from them that by which they might destroy the domestic peace and turn the love between husband and wife - the best of the things ingrained in human nature - into hatred, causing a separation between them. Also they learned what harmed them and did not benefit them.

The verse

therefore may be explained as follows:

And they (i.e., the Jews coming after the reign of Sulayman - every generation passing on the legacy to the later one) followed what the satans from among the jinn faked and lied about the kingdom of Sulayman.

“Tatlu” تـَتْلـُوْا) = translated here as recited or chanted) actually has the connotation of “lied about ” or “faked about”, because it is followed by the preposition ” 'ala ”عَلیٰ ) = on) which has changed its semantic value.

Why do we say that the satans were from the jinn? The following two verses read together provide the answer to this question:

And of the satans there were those who dived for him and did other work beside that, and We kept guard over them (21:82);

and when he fell down, the jinn came to know plainly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have tarried in abasing torment (34:14).

The first verse shows that the satans were reduced to subjection by Sulayman (a.s.) who kept them away from mischief by assigning to them very heavy task; and the second verse refers to the same slavish group as the jinn.

Qur’an: and Sulayman was not an unbeliever: “and” is used here in the meaning of “while”. Sulayman did not indulge in sorcery; therefore, it was not he who disbelieved; rather it was the satans who disbelieved, because they misled the people by teaching them sorcery.

Qur’an: and what was sent down: The Jews followed that which was sent down - through

inspiration - to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. Yet these two did not teach any one any thing of the sorcery, without warning him not to practice it.

They admonished every one who wanted to learn sorcery: Surely we are only a trial for you. What we teach you is but a means of test for you. Beware! Don't become an unbeliever by practising sorcery.

Qur’an: Even then men learned from these two: that is, from the two angels, Harut and Maria. “that by which they might cause a separation”, that is, the sorcery which caused separation “between a man and his wife”.

Qur’an: and they cannot hurt with it any one except with Allah's permission: It is a parenthetic sentence, to remove a possible misunderstanding: One could assume, on hearing that the sorcerers caused separation between a husband and his wife, that the sorcerers were powerful enough to disturb the divinely ordained arrangement of the world; that they could undo the Divine Decree and change the system created by Allah.

This sen­tence clears the air and emphasizes the fact that sorcery draws its strength from the Divine Decree; it cannot affect any thing but with the permission of Allah. Therefore, the sorcerers act within the framework of the system designed by Allah.

This sentence was placed where it is because only the preceding sentence (that by which they might cause a separation...) mentions the effect of sorcery. Therefore, it was explained that whatever effect it had was based on the permission

of Allah.

The following clause (and they learned what harmed them and did not profit them) is not concerned with this aspect of sorcery, and the above-mentioned clarifying parenthetic sentence, if placed after it, would have looked out of place.

Qur’an: and certainly they knew that he who bought it should have no share (of good) in the hereafter: They knew it because their reason and intellect told them that the sorcery was the most wicked source of disorder in the society. Also, they were made aware of it by Musa (a.s.) when he had said:

and the magician shall not be successful wheresoever he may come from (20:69).

Qur’an: and vile was the price for which they sold their souls; had they but known (this): They knew that sorcery was bad for them and ruinous for their future abode; yet it was as though they did not know it - because they did not act according to their knowledge. If a knowledge fails to lead the knower to the straight path, then it is not knowledge; it is ignorance.

Allah says:

Have you then seen him who takes his low desire for his god, and Allah has made him err in spite of (his) knowledge... (45:23).

Therefore, it was completely in order to wish for them know-ledge and guidance, even if they had had the knowledge before.

Qur’an: And if they had believed and guarded themselves....: If they had followed the dictates of belief and piety, instead of following the satans' yarns and practising sorcery which is

nothing short of disbelief, they would have got its reward from Allah.

This verse indicates that the disbelief emanating from sorcery is a disbelief within the sphere of action, like that which results from withholding zakat; it is not a disbelief within the sphere of faith. Had the sorcery been a disbelief within the sphere of faith, Allah would have only said, “And if they believed”, with-out adding “and guarded themselves (against evil)”.

The Jews had believed, no doubt; but they did not guard themselves against evil and did not desist from the things forbidden by Allah; therefore, Allah did not attach any importance, any value, to their belief, and they were called the disbelievers.

Qur’an: reward from Allah would certainly have been better; had they but known (this): that is, better than the rewards and profits they seek through sorcery and amass through disbelief.

Traditions

al Baqir (a.s.) said, inter alia, explaining the words of Allah, And they followed what the satans chanted (of sorcery) against the kingdom of Sulayman...: “When Sulayman died, Iblis invented sorcery and wrote it in a book; then folding it, wrote on its back: 'This is the valuable treasure of knowledge which Asif ibn Barkhiya produced for the king Sulayman ibn Dawud. Whoever wanted such and such thing, should do so and so.'

Then he buried it under his throne. Thereafter, he unearthed it for the Jews and recited it (before them). The disbelievers said: 'Sulayman had not gained supremacy over us but because of this.' And the believers said:

'Nay!

He was a servant of Allah and His prophet.' Thus Allah, Great is His remembrance! said: And they followed what the satans chanted (of sorcery) against the kingdom of Sulayman.” (at-Tafsir, al-'Ayyashi, al-Qummi ).

The author says: This tradition says that it was the Satan, that is, Iblis, who invented sorcery and wrote and recited it. There is no discrepancy between this statement and the verse under discussion which ascribes these things to the satans from among the jinn.

Even their deeds are ultimately attributed to the Iblis, because he is the source of all evil; it is he who instigates his friends to wickedness and evil. Such usage is common in the traditions.

It appears from this tradition that the verb, “tatlu” in this verse is derived from “at tilawah” (التـِّلاوَةُ = to recite, to chant). It not in conflict with the interpretation given by us in the Commentary that it gives the meaning of “lied about” or “faked about”; because, as we said there, this connotation emerges from the preposition, ” 'ala ” which has changed its semantic value.

The sentence, therefore, may be interpreted as follows: The satans chanted the sorcery, reciting it, and faking it, lying about the kingdom of Sulayman.

Etymologically, tala, yatlu, tilawatan ( تَلا ، یَتلوا ، تِلاوَةً ) returns to waliya, yali, wilayatan ( وَلِی ، یَلِی ، ولایَةً ) which has the semantic value of being near to, governing and following; one owns a thing gradually, one part following the other - reciting is called at-tilawah

simply because in recitation one word follows the other.

A fuller discourse of this subject will be given under the verse:

Verily, your guardian is only Allah and His Apostle and those who believe, those who establish prayer and pay zakat while they bow down (5:58).

ar-Rida (a.s.) said, inter alia, in his discussion with al‑ Ma'mun: “And as for Harut and Marut, they were two angels; they taught sorcery to the people in order that they could protect themselves from the enchantments of the sorcerers, and could nullify their devices. And they did not teach any one any (en­chantment) until they had said to him:

'Surely we are only a trial, therefore do not be a disbeliever.'

But a group became dis­believers by practising what they were warned against; and they caused a separation between a man and his wife with their practice (of sorcery). Allah has said: and they cannot hurt with it any one except with Allah's permission.” ('Uyunu 'l-akhbar).

On Some Spurious Traditions

Ibn Jarir has narrated from Ibn ''Abbas that he said: “When-ever Sulayman wanted to enter the toilet or to attend to some of his affairs, he gave his ring to al-Jaradah, his wife. When Allah decided to test Sulayman in the way He tested him, one day Sulayman gave his ring (as usual) to al-Jaradah. Then Satan came to her in the likeness of Sulayman and said:

'Give me my ring.' So he took it and put it on. As soon as he did so, the satans (from the jinn and the human beings)

came under his control. Then came Sulayman and said to her: 'Give me my ring.' She said: 'You are a liar; you are not Sulayman.' So Sulayman knew that it was a trial to test him.

The satans got a free hand, and wrote, in those very days, some books containing enchantments and disbelief, and buried them under the chair of Sulayman. Thereafter they unearthed them and recited them before the people.

And they said: 'It was because of these books that Sulayman dominated over the people.' Thus the people avoided Sulayman and accused him of disbelief. (It continued) until Allah sent Muhammad (S) and revealed to him: and Sulayman was not an unbeliever, but the satans disbelieved.” (ad-Durru '1-manthur)

The author says: This story is found in other traditions too. It is a long story forming a part of a multitude purporting to show the supposed sins and mistakes of the prophets.

Said ibn Jarir and al-Khatib (in his at-Tarikh) have quoted Nafi' as saying: “I went on a journey with Ibn 'Umar. When the night was coming to its end, he said: 'O Nafi'! Look at the red star⁽¹⁾, has it risen?' Twice or thrice I said: 'No.' Then I said: 'It has risen.' He said: 'No welcome to it!' I said: 'Praise the Lord! (It is but) a star, subjugated, obedient (and) submissive!'

He said: 'I have not told you except that which I heard the Apostle of Allah (S) saying. He said: “The angels (once) said: 'O Lord! How doest Thou

bear with the mistakes and sins of the children of Adam?' (Allah) said:

'I have put them to trial and given them some dispensation.' They said: 'If we were in their place, we would not have disobeyed Thee.' He said: 'Then select (for trial) two angels from among yourselves.'

They spared no effort in the selection and (finally) selected Harut and Marut. They came down (to the earth); and Allah created in them the lust.” (At this juncture, Nafi' said: 'And what is lust?' He said: 'Sexual urge.') ”Then there came a woman, az-Zuhrah (i.e., Venus) by name, and both felt attracted towards her, each con­cealing his feeling from his companion.

Then one of them asked the other: 'Do you feel in your heart what I do in mine?' The other said: 'Yes!' Thereupon, they asked her for themselves. She said: 'I will not give you power (over myself) until you teach me the name by which you ascend to, and descend from, the heaven.' They refused to do so. Then they asked her again; and again she refused. At last they did (teach her the name).

When she flew (to the heaven), Allah effaced her into a star and cut her wings. Then the (two angels) sought pardon from Allah; and He gave them an option, saying: 'If it is your wish, I shall let you return to the position you held before, and then you shall be punished on the Day of Resurrection.

Or, if you wish, I shall chastise you in this

world, and when the Day of Resurrection comes you shall be reinstated to your previously held position.' So one of them said to the other: 'The punish­ment of this world will come to an end and will be short-lived.'

Therefore, they opted for this world's chastisement against the punishment of the next world. And Allah revealed to them to go to Babylon. They went there and the earth swallowed them up; they are hanging upside-down between the heaven and the earth, undergoing punishment up to the Day of Resurrection.” ' ” (ad-Durru 'l-manthur)

The author says: Something like this has been narrated in some Shi'ah books too from al-Baqir (a.s.). as-Suyuti, the Sunni traditionalist, has narrated more than twenty traditions of the same theme about Harut, Marut and the Venus; some of those traditions have been confirmed as having “correct” chains of narrators; and the chains end on various companions, like Ibn ''Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, 'Ali, Abud-Darda', 'Umar, 'A'ishah and Ibn 'Umar.

These are fictitious stories, which collectively ascribe to the angels of Allah the worst type of polytheism and the most heinous sins, that is, idol-worship, murder, fornication and liquor-drinking. Could the angels indulge in such sins, when they are known to be the honoured servants of Allah who are purified from all sins and mistakes?

And they accuse the planet Venus to be a woman of loose character, who was transformed into a luminary body - have you ever heard of such a punishment!! - while it is known to be a

heavenly body, free from any defect in its creation or any flaw in its system; a planet by which Allah swears in the Qur'an:

But nay! I swear by the stars that run their course (and) hide themselves... (81:15-16).

Moreover, the astronomy has today unveiled its reality, and found out in detail the elements it is made of, as well as their quantity and combination - in short all matters related to it.

This story, like that given earlier (about Sulayman and his ring), is in complete agreement with the legends popular among the Jews. They remind one of the Greek mythology related to the stars and the planets.

A discerning reader will agree that these traditions, like those slandering and defaming the prophets and apostles, are but a few samples of the intrigues and machinations of the Jews.

Their prevalence in the Muslims' books of traditions is a living proof of the hold they held on the Muslims' minds in the early days of Islam. The Jews toyed with the Muslim traditions in any way they liked; and the Muslim traditionalists were their willing partners in these interpolations.

But Allah has kept His Book under His Own protection. The enemies of truth cannot play with it. Whenever one of their satans tries to steal a hearing he is chased away by a visible flame. Allah has said:

Surely We have revealed the Reminder and We will most certainly be its guardian (15:9);

and most surely it is a Mighty Book: Falsehood shall not come to it from

before it nor from behind it; a revelation from the Wise, the Praised One (41:41- 42);

And We reveal of the Qur'an that which is a healing and mercy to the believers, and it adds only to the perdition of the unjust (17:82).

The promise given in these verses is uncon­ditional. Every interpolation, every alteration is repulsed by the Qur'an. The Book of Allah unmasks the true face of the inter­polators, adding to their perdition. Also, the Apostle of Allah (S) has said:

“Whatever is in conformity with the Book of Allah, take it; and whatever is against it, leave it.” The ummah has been given this frame of reference; it is this yardstick with which all the traditions attributed to the Prophet and his Ahlu 'l-bayt are to be measured.

The Qur'an removes every falsehood and exposes every deception. Allah says:

Nay! We cast the truth against falsehood, so that it breaks its head, and lo! it vanishes (21:18);

and Allah desired to manifest the truth of what was true by His words... that He may manifest the truth of what was true and show the falsehood of what was false, even though the guilty ones disliked (8:7-8).

Allah confirms the truth and erases the falsehood by showing the true faces of both.

Some people, and especially those with materialistic out-look, who are overawed by the western civilization, have used the above-mentioned historical fact as a pretext to throw away all the traditions attributed to the Prophet.

They looked at some traditionalists and al-Haruriyyah and found that they

accepted every tradition - without any scrutiny whatsoever. They reacted to it by going to the other extreme and rejecting every tradition - without any scrutiny whatsoever.

It needs not much intelligence to realize that the total acceptance of the traditions is as bad as its total rejection.

Its unconditional acceptance nullifies the standard laid down for the purpose of differentiating between the truth and the falsehood; and encourages one to ascribe lies to the Prophet. Likewise, its indiscriminate rejection casts aside the said standard and leads one to the rejection of the Book of Allah itself - the Mighty Book that falsehood does not come to it from before it nor from behind it.

Allah has said in this Book: and whatever the Apostle gives you, take it; and from whatever he forbids you, keep back (59:7);

And We did not send any apostle but that he should be obeyed by Allah's permission (4:64).

If the sayings of the Prophet had no authority, or if his words - reported to his contemporaries who were absent from his gathering or to the generations coming after his time - had no validity then nothing of the religion could survive at all.

Man by his instinct relies and accepts the reports brought by others - he cannot survive without it. As for the alterations and interpolations, it is not a disease peculiar to the traditions of the Prophet.

The society depends on the reported news and information; and the motives to tell lies, to make changes and alterations to

suit one's purpose, to twist the words and to quote them out of context, are much more stronger in the case of the worldly affairs.

So, what do we do? Do we reject all reports and information? No! We scrutinize every report with the help of some well-established and relevant standard; what passes the test, is accepted as truth; and that which fails is thrown aside as falsehood; and if no clear result emerges from the test, if we are unable to decide whether the report was true or not, we reserve our judgment - as our nature tells us to do in such cases.

The above procedure is applied regarding the subjects we have some expertise about. As for a subject outside our specialty, the common practice is to refer it to the specialists in that field and accept their judgment.

This is, in short, the dictate of human nature for the smooth running of the society. The self same system is adhered to in religion for distinguishing truth from falsehood. The litmus-paper of this test is the Book of Allah - if a tradition conforms to it, its truth is confirmed; if it clearly goes against it, its false-hood is known; and if no definite stand may be taken because of some ambiguities, then the judgment is reserved.

This system has been explained in the mutawatir traditions of the Prophet and the Imams (of the Ahlu 'l-bayt - a.s.). It applies to all the tradi­tions that are not concerned with jurisprudence; as

for those dealing with the law and jurisprudence, they are governed by the Principles of Jurisprudence.

A Philosophical Discourse on Sorcery and Witchcraft

It is a common knowledge that many unusual events do take place which are outside the frame of the established natural system. It is difficult to find someone who has not seen, or heard about, some abnormal or seemingly supernatural events.

But we find after scrutiny that most of them are not enigmatic and mysterious at all; rather they arise from normal and natural causes. Often they result from practice and training, for example, eating poison, lifting heavy load, walking or dancing on tight-rope etc.

Some are based on natural causes that are not known to the general public, for example, a man walks into flaming fire without coming to any harm, (he applies some chemicals like talc to his body); or sends a sheet of blank paper and the addressee understands the message it contains.

(He writes with an invisible ink which becomes visible if heated by fire or treated with some chemicals.) A third set depends on the sleight of hand like jug­glery. All these seemingly abnormal feats actually emanate from the normal causes, although the causes remain hidden from a common man's eyes; they may even be beyond his ability.

Yet there are other strange happenings that cannot be attri­buted to any normal physical cause. For example, giving infor­mation of the unseen, and particularly foretelling the future events; the charms for love and hate, the spells harmfully or beneficially affecting man's virility; hypnotism; mesmerism; spiri­tualism; telekinesis

and so on.

It is known that such events do take place from time to time; we have seen some demonstrations ourselves; and similar reports were brought to us by reliable sources. Today there are many people in India, Iran and the western countries, who demonstrate such extraordinary feats - and their authenticity is beyond doubt.

It appears from close investigation of their methods and regimen that these feats spring from the will-power of the doer, and from his unshakable confidence in effectiveness of his work. The will-power emanates from the confidence, which in its turn arises from the knowledge.

Sometimes the will acts independently and sometimes it needs some help: for example, writing a certain charm with a certain ink in a certain place at a certain time (for the amulets of love or hate); or fixing a mirror before a certain child (in the seances of spiritualism); or chanting a certain incan­tation a certain number of times, and so on and so forth. When the conditions are fulfilled the will is strengthened to bring the desired effect into being.

When the knowledge becomes one with the knower, it influences his senses to such an extent that he sees the end product, that is, the desired effect, with his eyes. You may verify this statement yourself. Just tell yourself that a certain person is present before you and that you are looking at him; then put your imagination to work to bring his form before your eyes; this should be raised to such

a high level of certainty that you become oblivious of all contrary thoughts and ideas.

And then you will actually see him standing before you - as you had imagined. Many is a doctor who, acting on this principle, restored to health his incurable patients - simply by creating in them the confidence that they would soon get their health back.

Taking this principle a step further, if someone's will-power is extraordinarily strong, it might create an impression on other's psyche too - as it had created on his own self in the foregoing example. That impression might, or might not, depend on fulfillment of some conditions, as indicated earlier.

From the above discourse, we may deduce the following three principles:

First: The appearance of such extraordinary events depends on the firm “knowledge” and strong conviction of the doer. But it is irrelevant whether that “knowledge” is true to the fact or not. That explains why the conjurations of the priests of the sun-god and the moon-goddess etc. seemed to work - although they believed that the heavenly bodies had souls, which they claimed to bring under their control by their magic.

Probably the same applies to the angels and satans whose names are “discovered” and invoked by many practitioners of the magic art. The same is true for spiritualism and its séance and spirit communication - and the spiritualists' belief that the spirits attend their sittings.

Utmost that may be claimed re­garding those sessions, is that the spirit appears in their imagi­nation or, let us

say, before their senses - and this “perception” emanates from their firm belief in their art. But it can never be said that the spirit actually presents itself at those sittings - otherwise all the participants in the sitting should have perceived its presence, because everyone of them has the same senses as the medium has.

By accepting this principle, we may solve many problems related to the séance and spirit communication. For example:

1 - Sometimes the spirit of a living man is called to present itself at a séance, and supposedly it comes there. But at that very moment, that man is busy attending to his affairs, and he never feels his spirit leaving him even for an instant. The question is: As a man has only one spirit, how was it possible that his spirit presented itself to that séance without his being aware of it?

2 - The spirit is an immaterial essence which has no relation whatsoever with space and time. How can it present itself at a certain place at a certain time?

3 - Why is it that often a single spirit appears before different mediums in different forms?

4 - Why is it that sometimes when the spirits are called to a séance, they tell lies and give wrong answers? And why do the various spirits sometimes contradict each other?

All these problems will be solved if the principle is accepted that it is not any spirit that presents itself to the séance; it is only the firm

belief and conviction of the spiritualist and his medium that is at work, making the medium see, hear and feel the spirit. It is all a play of his imagination and will; and nothing more.

Second: Some of the people, holding the strong and effec­tive will-power, rely on their own power and their own being, in bringing about the desired effect, the intended super-natural events. Such events are bound to be limited in strength, confined in their scope - in their own imagination as well as in reality.

On the other side, there are some persons, like the prophets and the friends of Allah who, in spite of their most effective will-power, totally rely on their Lord. They truly worship Him and have full trust in Him.

They do not wish any thing but from their Lord, and by His permission. Theirs is a pure and clear will, untainted by any personal feeling of their own. It does not depend except on Allah. This is a Divine Will - not limited in any way, nor restricted in any manner.

The super-natural events that are brought into being by the first group may be of many kinds: If they are based on enquiry of, or help from, a jinn or a spirit etc., then it is called “al-kihanah” (اَلکـِهَانـَة ُ ) = divination, sooth-saying, fortune-telling); and if it comes about by means of a charm, amulet, telesm or other such instruments or portions, then it is called magic.

The super-natural events shown by the prophets and

friends of Allah are also of many kinds: If it is produced as a challenge, in order to prove the truth of the claim of prophethood, then it is called miracle; and if it is not offered as a challenge, then it is named “al-karamah ( اَلکـَرامَة ُ ) which literally means nobility, mark of honour; and in Islamic terminology is used for a miraculous event shown without a challenge; and if it happens as a result of the prayer to Allah, then it is called, “answer to the prayer.”

Third: As the whole thing depends on the will-power of the doer, its strength varies according to the strength (or weakness) of the will. That is why some of them may nullify the others, as, for example, the miracle annihilates the sorcery.

Also, a weak agent fails to impose his will on a stronger psyche, as is often seen at the sessions of mesmerism, hypnot­ism and seances.

We shall further explain this subject somewhere else.

An Academic Description of Various Kinds of Magic

There are many fields of study dealing with various awe-striking feats and extraordinary deeds; and it is very difficult to classify them so as not to leave any thing out. However, we give here a list of the more commonly used branches of this art:

as-Simiya': It deals with the ways of combining the will-power with particular physical and material forces for ma­nipulating the natural order and, thus, producing extraordinary effects. Under this head comes the manipulation of thought, also known as the eye-enchantment.

It is the most deserving candidate for

the title of magic.

al-Limiya': It teaches how one may establish a connec­tion between his psyche and the higher and stronger spirits, in order that one may bring them under one's control, for example, the spirits of the stars, or the jinn, etc. It is also called the knowledge of subjugation of the spirits.

al-Himiya': It explains how the powers of the higher spiritual world may be combined with the base elements of this world to produce awe-inspiring effects. It is also called talisman. The stars and their configuration have some relation to the ma­terial happenings of this world, in the same way as the elements and compounds and their physical qualities affect those phenom­ena.

Supposedly if the heavenly forms, pertaining to a certain event, for example, A's life or B's death, could be combined with the relevant material forms, the desired effect would take place without fail.

ar-Rimiya': It trains one how to control and manipulate the qualities of various things, to produce seemingly super-natural effects. It is also called “ash-Sha'badhah” ( اَلشـَّعْبَذَة ُ) = sleight of hand, jugglery, magic).

These four fields of knowledge, together with the fifth, called “al-Kimiya'” ( اَلکـِیمیاءُُُ ) = alchemy, the forerunner of chemistry, primarily the attempt to transmute base metals into gold or silver) formed what the ancients called the five secrets, mysterious branches of knowledge.

Ash-Shaykh al-Baha'i has said: “The best book written on these subjects was the one I saw in Harat, 'Kulah-e sar' (the head's cap) by name. Its name was an acronym, made of

the first letters of the five subjects, that is, al-Kimiya', al Limiya', al-Himiya', as-Simiya' and ar-Rimiya'”.

The- standard books of these subjects are the epitome of the books of Minds, Rasa'il, al-Khusraw Shahi, adh-Dhakhirah, al-Iskandariyyah, as-Sirru 'l-maktum (by ar-Razi), at-Taskhirat (by as-Sakkaki) and A'malu 'l-kawakib as-Sab'ah (by al-Hakim Tamtam al-Hindi).

Supplementary to the above are the following subjects:

The knowledge of numbers (numerology): It shows the relation of numbers and letters with the desired effect. The relevant letters or numbers are filled in a magic square or triangle etc. in a particular sequence.

al-Khafiyah: ( اَلخَافـِیَة ُ) = the hidden knowledge): It breaks down the name of the desired effect or other relevant names, and finds out the names of the angels or the satans managing the said effect; and then composes the invocations made of those names.

The books written by ash-Shaykh Abul-'Abbas al-Buni and as-Sayyid Husayn al-Akhlati are the standard works of the above two subjects.

Then there are various modern arts covering this field, which have gained wide currency nowadays; for example, mesmerism, hypnotism and spirit communication. As described earlier, these are based on the impression created on the im­agination by the will-power. There are numerous well-known books and magazines dealing with these subjects.

We have given all this detail here, so that it may be ascer­tained which of them could be classified as magic or sorcery

Suratul Baqarah: Verses 104 - 105

point

(١٠٤) یَـٰٓأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَقُولُواْ رَٲعِنَا وَقُولُواْ ٱنظُرۡنَا وَٱسمَعُواْ ۗ وَلِلکـٰفِرِینَ عَذَابٌ أَلِیمٌ

(١٠٥) مَّا یَوَدُّ ٱلَّذِینَ کَفَرُواْ مِنۡ أَهلِ ٱلکِتَـٰبِ وَلَا ٱلمُشرِکِینَ أَن یُنَزَّلَ عَلَیکُم مِّنۡ

خَیرٍ۬ مِّن رَّبِّکُمۡ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ یَختَصُّ بِرَحمَتِهِۦ مَن یَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلفَضلِ ٱلعَظِیمِ

O you who believe! do not say, “Have regard for us”, and say, “Wait for us”; and listen; and for the unbelievers there is a painful chastisement (104).

Those who disbelieve from among the People of the Book do not like, nor do the poly-theists, that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord; and Allah chooses especially whom He pleases for His mercy, and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace (105).

Commentary

Qur’an: O you who believe!: It is the first place in the Qur'an where the believers have been addressed in this way, “O you who believe!” This mode of address has been used in some eighty-five places in the Qur'an.⁽¹⁾

Addressing the believers as “O you who believe!”, or describing them as “those who believe”, is a special distinction accorded to this ummah. Otherwise, the previous nations are variously described as “the people” (e.g., “the People of Nuh, and, “the People of Hud”; 'He said: 'O my people! have you considered if I have a clear proof from my Lord... ' ” [11: 88]); and “the dwellers” (e.g., “the dwellers of Madyan”, “the dwellers of the Rass”); and “the children” (e.g., “the Children of Israel”, ''O Children of Israel!”). The epithet, “those who believe”, is, therefore, a mark of honour awarded to the believers of this ummah.

It appears from deep meditation of the Qur'an that the import of the words, “those who believe”, is somewhat differ­ent

from that of the words, “the believers”. (For an example of the latter, see the verse:

and turn to Allah all of you, O be­lievers! [24:31]).

Allah says in the Qur'an:

Those who bear the throne and those around it celebrate the praise of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who believe: “Our Lord! Thou embracest all things in mercy and knowledge, therefore grant forgiveness to those who turn (to Thee) and follow Thy way, and save them from the punishment of the hell. Our Lord! and make them enter the gardens of perpetuity which Thou hast promised to them and those who do good of their fathers and their wives and their offsprings, surely Thou are the Mighty, the Wise” (40:7-8).

It shows that the angels and the bearers of the throne ask forgiveness for “those who believe”; then the same group has been referred to as “those who turn (to Thee) and follow Thy way”. (“turn” actually means, return.) The prayer continues to “make them (i.e., those who believe) enter the garden” and then joins to them the doers of good from among “their fathers and their wives and their offspring.”

If the epithet, “those who believe”, were to include all those who believed in the Apostle of Allah (S) irrespective of the quality of their belief, then it would have covered their fathers, wives and children as well (who do good); and there would have been no need to mention

them separately; all would have equally benefited from

the prayer for those who believe.

Also, have a look at the verse:

And (as for) those who believe and their offspring follow them in faith, We will unite with them their offspring and We will not diminish to them aught of their work; every man is responsible for what he has wrought (52:21):

If the offspring who followed them in faith, were included in the epithet, “those who believe”, there would be no sense in saying that the offspring would be united with them.

Even if we were to say that the verse refers to the generation after generation of the believers, that every succeeding generation will be united to the preceding one (provided both believed in the Apostle of Allah - S), the meaning would not seem very proper in the context. If that were the import of the verse, then why this “uniting”?

Also, what purpose would be served by the sentence, “and We will not diminish to them aught of their work”? Such an inter­pretation may prove correct for one generation only, that is, the last one before the Day of Resurrection - that they would be united with the preceding generation. But nobody has suggested this meaning as it goes clearly against the context. What such an interpretation would boil down to is as follows:

All the believers are united, one of them being from another; all of them are of one rank; none has any excellence over the others; nor has an earlier believer any superiority over the later ones;

their main qualification is the true belief, and all of them are equal in it.

Such a meaning would not fit the word­ing of the verse which clearly shows that the preceding believers have a sort of superiority over their offspring, who would be raised to the rank of their progenitor as a token of honour to the latter.

The phrase, “and their offspring follow them in faith”, proves that the preceding word, “those who believe” refers to a particular group of the believers - the foremost and the first of the Emigrants and the Helpers who followed the Apostle in the hour of straitness. The epithet, those who believe, is a title of honour bestowed on that distinguished group.

Other two verses too point to this fact:

(It is) for the poor who fled... and those who made their abode in the city and in the faith before them... and those who came after them say: “Our Lord! forgive us and those of our brethren who had precedence of us in faith, and do not create any spite in our hearts towards those who believe; our Lord! surely Thou art Kind, Merciful” (59:8-10).

This verse uses two phrases, “who had precedence of us in faith”, and “those who believe”. If the import of both were the same, a pronoun would have looked better in place of the second phrase. By not using a pronoun, Allah has made it clear that each phrase has its own significance.

Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah; and those with

him are severe against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves, you will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves, seeking grace from Allah and pleasure;... Allah has promised those among them who believe and do good, forgiveness and a great reward (48:29).

All this shows that the phrase, “those who believe”, is a title of honour, reserved for the first and foremost of the believers. Most probably, the opposite phrase, “those who disbelieve”, has the contrasting significance, and refers to the polytheists of Mecca and others who were the first and foremost of those who disbelieved in the Apostle of Allah (S). For example,

Surely those who disbelieve alike is to them whether you warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe. (2:6)

Objection: This interpretation means that when the Qur'an says, “O you who believe! ”, it addresses a special group that was present in the Prophet's time, to the exclusion of all other believers. But all the Muslims agree that such verses are general in their import and that what is said therein applies to all the believers, whether they were present in the Prophet's days or not; and that this mode of address includes all the believers - in reality, not metaphorically.

Reply: Yes! It is a title of honour, reserved for a selected few. But it does not mean that what is said in those verses is in any way restricted to those few. Whatever order or prohibition is given in such verses is general and applies to all

the believers. The matter of legislation - whether a given order is general or exclusive - is quite different from that of a speech - whether it is addressed to all the believers or to a few of them.

Also, it makes no difference whether a verse ordaining a law is addressed to the believers (O you who believe!) or to the Prophet in person (O Prophet!; O Apostle!), or is revealed without any address at all.

The ordained law in all these cases is applicable to all the Muslims, and covers all the believers; although the verse may be addressed to the Prophet or to those who believe as a mark of respect to him or them.

Nevertheless, one should not indiscriminately interpret the phrase, “O you who believe!” and “those who believe”, as referring to the first and foremost believers of the Prophet's time; rather one should look at the context, before deciding the true connotation of these phrases in a given verse.

For example, look at the verse:

Surely (as for) those who believe then disbelieve, again believe and disbelieve, then increase in disbelief, Allah will not forgive them nor guide them in the (right) path (4:137);

and the verse which quotes Nuh (a. s.) as saying:

and I am not going to drive away those who believe; surely they shall meet their Lord (11:129).

Obviously, the phrase, those who believe, used in the above verses cannot refer to the above-mentioned group.

Qur’an: do not say, “Have regard for us”, and say, “Wait for us”; and

listen: That is, use the phrase, Wait for us, instead of saying, Have regard for us. And if you failed to comply with this command, it would be tantamount to disbelief, and for the disbelievers there is a painful chastisement. It is a very strong admonition against saying, “ra'ina” ( راعـِنا ) = Have regard for us).

This phrase has also been mentioned in another verse, which gives an indication of its connotation:

Of those who are Jews (there are those who) alter words from their places and say: “We have heard and we disobey”; and: “Hear, may you not be made to hear!” and ”ra'ina”, distorting (the word) with their tongues and taunting about religion (4:46).

Obviously, the Jews used the phrase, “Ra'ina” for something similar to the phrase, “Hear, may you not be made to hear!” And that is why such a mode of addressing the Prophet was prohibited. This explanation agrees with what the tradition says: When the Prophet talked with the Muslims, they used to tell him: “Ra'ina (have regard for us)

O Apostle of Allah!” - that is, wait for us, so that we may properly understand what you are saying.⁽¹⁾

But this word carried a connotation of abuse in the Jews' language. The Jews seized upon this opportunity, addressing the Prophet with this phrase, pretending to show respect to him while their intention was nothing short of abuse. And in their usage it meant, “Hear, may you not be made to hear”.

Thereupon, Allah revealed:

Of those who are Jews (there

are those who) alter words from their places and say: “We have heard and we disobey”; and: “Hear, may you not be made to hear!” and: “ra'ina ”, distorting (the word) with their tongues and taunting about religion; and if they had said (instead): “We have heard and we obey”, and “hearken”, and “onzurna” (wait for us), it would have been better for them and more upright (4:46).

The believers too were told not to use this phrase and say instead, “onzurna ”; the Qur'an guided them: “do not say, 'Have regard for us', and say, 'Wait for us' ”.

Qur’an: and for the unbelievers there is a painful chastisement: that is, for those who disobey this rule. It is one of the occasions when disobedience of a law of religion has been termed as disbelief.

Qur’an: Those who disbelieve from among the People of the Book...: Obviously, the phrase, “the People of the Book”, refers here exclusively to the Jews, because the preceding verses too dealt with them. If so, then the phrase would serve as a pointer to the cause why they did not like that any good should be sent down to the believers from their Lord.

The Jews were given a Book before and they were not happy when the Qur'an was sent down to the Muslims, as it deprived them of their dis­tinction as being the People of the Book. They showed avarice about a thing they did not own; they wanted to stand against Allah when He bestowed

His mercy and grace on His servants; “and Allah chooses especially whom He pleases for His mercy; and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace”.

On the other hand the phrase, as used in this verse, may include all the People of the Book - the Jews and the Christians both. If so, then the verse would serve to widen the scope of the admonition; it would be a generalization after exclusiveness. Both groups shared many characteristics - and especially their enmity to Islam. Some verses coming afterwards strengthen this interpretation. For example:

And they say: “None shall enter the garden except he who is a Jew or a Christian” (2:111);

And the Jews say, ”The Christians do not follow anything (good)”, and the Christians say, ”The Jews do not follow any-thing (good)”... (2:113)

Traditions

Abu Nu'aym has narrated in Hilyatu 'l-awliya' from Ibn 'Abbas that he said: “The Apostle of Allah (S) said: 'Allah has not revealed any verse (beginning) with, “O you who believe!” but that 'Ali is its head and leader.' ” (ad-Durru 'l-manthur)

The author says: This tradition supports what we shall be quoting in various places that a certain verse was revealed about 'Ali (a.s.) or Ahlu 'l-bayt; for example:

You are the best of the nations raised for (the benefit of) men (3:110);

... that you may be witnesses over the people... (2:143);

... and be with the true ones (9:119).

Suratul Baqarah: Verses 106 ― 107

point

(١٠٦) مَا نَنسَخۡ مِنۡ ءَایَةٍ أَوۡ نُنسِهَا نَأۡتِ بِخَیرٍ۬ مِّنهَآ أَوۡ مِثلِهَآ ۗ أَلَمۡ تَعلَمۡ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَیٰ کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ۬ قَدِیرٌ

(١٠٧)

أَلَمۡ تَعلَمۡ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَهُ ۥمُلکُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلأَرۡضِ ۗ وَمَا لَکُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِیٍّ۬ وَلَا نَصِیرٍ

Whatever signs We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it or like it. Do you not know that Allah has power over all things? (106).

Do you not know that Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and that besides Allah you have no guardian or helper? (107).

Commentary

The verses deal with the subject of abrogation. The word, abrogation, when used as a term of Islamic fiqh, means as follows: To show that the time of an order has come to its end; that it is no more valid, is no longer in force. This definition is based on the above verse; and is one of the manifestations of its connotations.

Qur’an: Whatever signs We abrogate...: “an-Naskh”( ( النـَّسْخُ is removal, to remove, to annul. The Arabs say: Nasakhati 'sh-shamsu 'z-zilla ( نـَسَخَتِ الشَّمْسُ الظـِّلَّ ) = the sun removed the shadow). Allah says:

And We did not send before you any apostle or prophet, but when he desired, the Satan made a suggestion respecting his desire; but Allah annuls that which the Satan casts, then does Allah establish His signs; and Allah is Knowing, Wise (22:52).

Also, they say: Nasakhtu 'l-kitab ( نـَسَخْتُ الکِتابَ ) = I copied the book); it is as though the writing was removed and its place changed. That is why another verse uses the word “at-tabdil” ( التـَّبْدیلُ ) = to change) in place of

abrogation:

And when We change (one) sign for (another) sign, and Allah knows best what He reveals, they say: “You are a forger”. Nay, most of them do not know (16:101).

Abrogation, however, does not entail obliteration of a verse, turning it into a non-being. Its only effect is the cancellation of the order which the verse had promulgated. It should be noted that the Qur'anic verse has been described as a “sign”, that is, a mark that points to another thing - a verse is a sign pointing to a Divine Command.

The second verse, “Do you not know that Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth...”, gives the reason as to why Allah abrogates some Qur' anic verses.

All these factors indicate that abrogation removes a verse as far as its quality as a sign, as a symbol, is concerned. When abrogated, the verse remains in existence as before, but loses its quality as a sign - no longer does it point to an order, as the order is now cancelled.

The next phrase, “or cause to be forgotten”, clearly supports the foregoing explanation. “al-Insa' ” ( اَلإنْسَاءُ ) is to make one forget, to erase out of memory, to eradicate from knowledge. By putting the two phrases side by side, the Qur'an makes it clear that abrogation entails erasure of a verse's effect, while “al-insa'” causes eradication of the verse itself from the memory.

Symbolism - the quality of being a sign of something - varies with various signs having

various aspects and directions. The Qur'anic verses are the signs of Allah because the jinn and the men are jointly and severally unable to bring its like; the rules ordained by Allah are His signs inasmuch as they create piety in man and bring him nearer to his Lord; every created thing is His sign, because it, by its existence, proves the exist­ence of its Creator, and by the qualities of its being, leads to His attributes and names; the prophets and the friends of Allah are His signs inasmuch as they, with their words and deeds, call the humanity to Allah, and so on and so forth. Consequently, a sign may be great or small, strong or weak; that is why Allah says:

Certainly he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord (53:18).

Also, a sign may contain only one aspect of symbolism, and another may comprise of various such aspects. The former, when abrogated, is obliterated in its entirety, is completely destroyed. But in the case of the latter, it is possible to abrogate only one aspect of its symbolism, leaving the other ones intact; for example, a Qur'anic verse could be abrogated as far as its law was concerned, and yet continue as a Divine Sign because of its eloquence and miraculous qualities.

This generalized meaning of abrogation has been inferred from the reasoning given in the second verse: “Do you not know that Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth...” There are only two objections

possible against the factuality of abrogation; or, as the reports say, these were the two arguments advanced by the Jews against it.

First: A sign given by Allah contains an actual benefit which cannot be obtained from any other thing. If that sign is abrogated, its inherent benefit would be lost; nothing could take its place to preserve that benefit. Allah is not like His creatures, nor is His knowledge like theirs. His knowledge does not change with the changes in external factors.

It is not that one day He knew one thing and issued an order according to that knowledge; then next day the knowledge changed and He became aware of another factor which He did not know before, and therefore He had to cancel the previous order, replacing it with a fresh one.

Such inconsistency is not worthy of Divine Sublimity. Of course, it is all right for us mortals, because we cannot comprehend all the aspects of an affair; and as a result of this incomplete knowledge, our decisions are frequently changed and amended. But we should not compare Divine Knowledge without limited and defective perception.

Here it is necessary to point out that such an objection arises from a notion that the power of Allah is neither comprehensive and all-encompassing nor unrestricted and unconditional.

Second: Accepted that the Divine Power is all-encompassing and limitless. But once a thing is created it goes beyond the sphere of that power, and cannot be changed. Even in our case, we have power to do

or not to do a certain work - so long as we have not done it; but once we have done it, it becomes an essential being, and goes beyond the limits of our power.

This argument is based on the rejection of the all-encom­passing ownership of Allah; it presupposes that once Allah has managed a certain affair in a certain way, He cannot change that arrangement in another way. This Jewish belief is portrayed in the verse:

And the Jews say: “The hand of Allah is tied up” (5:64).

Allah replies to the first objection with the question: “Do you not know that Allah has power over all things?” He certainly has power over all things. Therefore, He may replace a sign with an equally good or even a better sign.

The second objection is dealt with by the next question: “Do you not know that Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and that besides Allah you have no guardian or helper?”

Allah is the Owner of the heavens and the earth; He can do whatever He likes with His property. No one besides Him owns any thing; otherwise, that owner could interfere in the management of Allah or put restric­tion on His authority and control.

None else owns any thing - neither in his own rights nor even when Allah gives to him a partial ownership. When we transfer the ownership of a property to another person, the transferee gets all the rights which we had in that property, and

our rights are rendered null and void.

But when Allah gives a property into someone's possession, Allah's ownership of the property is not disturbed in any way - it does not come to an end, is not even diminished. He con­tinues to be the real Owner and Controller of the property which He has given to others. His is the unrestricted ownership and unconditional management.

If we look at what He has put under our ownership - with-out our having any independent authority over it - then He is our Guardian. And if we look at the apparent independenceenjoyed by us, with His grace - although it is a poverty in the shape of plenty, a dependence disguised as independence - then too we cannot manage our affairs without His help; and He is our Helper.

The above explanation is based on the sequence and style of the two verses. First, there is the exclusivity of the declaration: “Allah's is the kingdom...” Then there is the sequence: “Do you not know that Allah has power over all things?

Do you not know that Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth...?” The two sentences have not been joined with any con­junctive, a sure indication that each is independent of the other, and that the first sentence deals with one objection and the second with another.

The last sentence, “and that besides Allah you have no guardian or helper”, gives a finishing touch to the above replies: Even if you are oblivious of Allah's

all-encom­passing power and ownership, and are looking at this nominal ownership of yours, you will know that it is not a permanent or independent ownership; you cannot manage it independently; you need a guardian to look after your interests - and Allah is that guardian. He can and does manage your affairs and your property as He likes.

On the other hand, if your eyes are so fixed on this pos­session as to make you forget your dependence; if you think that you are the independent and absolute owner of your property, even then you will have to admit that you cannot manage your own affairs, cannot obtain the results you want, without the help and assistance of a super power.

And Allah is your real Helper; it is He who manages your affairs and your property for you. From whatever angle you look at this matter, Allah's power over all things and His ownership of every thing remain unchallenged and undisputed. “and that besides Allah you have no guardian or helper”: Apparently it should have been 'besides Him.'

Then why did the Qur'an use the noun instead of the pronoun? It was to indicate that the foregoing sentences contain the complete replies, and this sentence is not their integral part; rather it is an independent declaration to stengthen those replies.

This discourse leads us to the following conclusions:

First: Abrogation is not a thing confined to only the relig­ious laws; it holds its place in the sphere of creation too.

Second: Abrogation cannot take place

without two sides: (i) The abrogated thing or verse, (ii) the abrogative, that is, the thing or verse that abrogates.

Third: The abrogative contains all the benefits and the perfection that was found in the abrogated thing.

Fourth: Although the abrogative differs from the abrogated in its form, both have one thing in common - the perfection and the benefit. When a prophet dies and another is sent in his place - and both of them are the signs of Allah, one abrogating the other - it takes place in total conformity with the natural system. Life, death, sustenance and other such things often replace each other, the succeeding factors abrogating the preceding ones.

It all depends on the varying needs of the society's welfare, on ever-changing level of the man's perfection. Like-wise, when a religious law is replaced by another, the abrogating one has the same power as the abrogated one had, to lead to the spiritual and temporal well-being of the individual and the society; each perfectly suitable for the time it was, or is, in force; each more beneficial in the context of its time.

For example, the order to “forgive” in the beginning of the call when the Muslims had neither the manpower nor the armaments, and the command to “fight” when Islam had gained some strength, when the Mus­lims had gathered enough force and the disbelievers and the polytheists were frightened of them. However, seldom is an abrogated verse devoid of some phrase showing that it was a transitory

order which would be abrogated in due course.

For example: The verse:

But pardon and forgive (them) until Allah should bring about His command (2:109),

which was abrogated by the verse of fighting; and:

... confine them until death takes them away or Allah makes some way for them (4:15),

which was abrogated by the verse of flogging. The phrases, “until Allah should bring about His command”, and, “or Allah makes some way for them”, give clear indication that the order given therein was temporary and transitory which would soon be abrogated.

Fifth: The relation between the abrogative and the abro­gated is quite different from that which is found between a general statement and a particular, between an unconditional clause and a conditional, or between an unspecified proposition and a specified.

What removes the apparent contradiction between the abrogative and the abrogated, is the society's and the individual's good and well-being which is found in both of them. But the apparent contradiction between a general statement and a par­ticular, between an unconditional clause and a conditional, or between an unspecified proposition and a specified, emanates from the strong (or weak) manifestation of the intended meaning.

The true intention of the speaker is reflected much more strongly and clearly in a particularized statement, a conditional clause and a specified proposition; and that strength and clarity removes the above-mentioned apparent contradiction - by explaining the general in the light of the particular, the unconditional with the help of the conditional and the unspecified in the frame of the specified.

These things

are the subject of the Principles of Jurisprudence. The same applies to the decisive and the ambiguous verses, as we shall explain under the verse:

... of it there- are some verses decisive, they, are the basis of the Book, and others are ambiguous... (3:7)

Qur’an: or cause to be forgotten: “Nunsiha” ( نُنْسِهَا ) is derived from “al-insa' ” (to cause to be forgotten; to erase from memory or knowledge), as we have described earlier. It is a general and unconditional statement.

It is not restricted to the Apostle of Allah (S); nay, it does not include him at all. Allah had said about him:

We will make you recite so you shall not forget, except what Allah pleases (87:6 -7).

It is a Meccan verse, while the verse of abrogation is of Medina period. Obviously the Apostle could not forget anything after the promise of Allah, “so you shall not forget”.

Question: This claim is untenable because the promise has the proviso, “except what Allah pleases”. It means that the Apostle (S) could forget what Allah was pleased to make him forget.

Reply: Such exceptional clauses serve only to emphasize the power of Allah; they do not necessarily mean that the thing mentioned in that clause would actually take place. Look for example at the verse:

... they shall be in the garden, abiding in it as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord pleases... (11:108).

t just shows that Allah does have power to change the arrangement made; but all the

Muslims agree that the people of the paradise will never be taken out of it. The same is the import of the exceptional clause, “except what Allah pleases”, in this verse.

Moreover, if the said clause were to prove that the Proph­et (S) could actually forget the things taught by Allah, depending on the pleasure of Allah, there would be no sense in putting him under obligation by promising him, “you shall not forget”.

Any human being who remembers any thing, or forgets it, does so by the pleasure of Allah. The same is true about the animals who remember and forget by His pleasure and decree. And the Prophet too, before this promised grace of Allah, remem­bered by the pleasure of Allah, and forgot by the pleasure of Allah.

What new grace was added here if the promise meant only a quality which the Prophet had already had? If that promise were to make any sense, it would have to mean that the Prophet could never forget anything, although Allah had full power to make him forget.

Some people have recited the word as “nansa'aha” ( نَنْسَأهَا ), derived from “an-nas' ” ( اَلنـَّسْأ ) = to delay). According to this recitation, the meaning would be as follows: Whatever signs We abrogate by nullifying it, or put it off by delaying its appearance, We bring one better than it or like it, and the Divine management in advancing something or putting it off, does not diminish its perfection or benefit.

The fact that the

Divine Management always brings out a thing's perfection and benefit, is inferred from the clause, “We bring one better than it or like it”. The goodness emanates from the perfection of a thing or benefit of a laid down rule.

The abrogated thing or rule was surely good; and the abrogating thing or rule too is at least as good, if not better. So, every Divine Management is the ideal of goodness, perfection and benefit.

Traditions

Innumerable traditions have been narrated by both sects, from the Prophet (S), his companions, and the Imams of his Ahlu 'l-bayt, that there are abrogated and abrogating verses in the Qur'an.

The Commander of the faithful ('Ali - a.s.) said, after enumerating various abrogated and abrogating verses: “And the word of Allah:

And I did not create the jinn and the human beings except that they should worship Me (51:56)

was abro­gated by His word:

and they shall continue to differ, except those on whom your Lord has mercy; and for this did He create them (11:118 - 119),

that is, for the mercy did He create them.” (at-Tafsir, an-Nu'mani).

The author says: In this tradition the Imam has used the word, abrogation, in a wider sense than its terminological meaning. The latter verse mentions a reality which restricts the reality described by the former. The first verse affirms the Divine Wor­ship as the purpose of creation.

While doing a work, Allah keeps a purpose in view; and He cannot be defeated in His purpose. On the other hand, he has decreed that they

should choose their own path, and consequently some of them progress on the right path, while others go astray.

Those who by their own choice choose the path of guidance are covered by the mercy of Allah, and it is for this mercy that He has created them. In this way, the second verse affirms another purpose for the creation: The mercy which accompanies the worship and guidance.

This goal is reached by only a selected few, while the first verse had affirmed a goal for all the jinn and the men, and that is the Divine Worship. Some people are created for some others, and those others for yet others; this chain continues till it reaches the group which sincerely worships Allah.

Looking from this point of view, it is easy to understand why all the jinn and men have been said to be created for the worship. We plant a garden and nurse the trees for their fruits. The real purpose is the fruits, but the trees and their branches and leaves are planted, protected and looked after because they are the means to get the fruits. And it will be quite right to say that the garden's purpose was its fruits.

In the same way, the second verse “abrogates” the generality of the first verse, focusing its sight on the true worshippers who are the recipients of the mercy of Allah.

The same book narrates from the same Imam that he said: “And the word of Allah:

And there is not one of

you but shall come down to it; this is a decided decree of your Lord (19:71),

was abrogated by His word:

Surely (as for) those whom the good has already gone forth from Us, they shall be kept far off from it; they will not hear its faintest sound, and they shall abide in that which their souls long for. The great fearful event shall not grieve them (21:101-103).”

The author says: It must be noted that the relation between these two verses is not that found between a general declaration and a particular one. The first verse says that it is a decided and unavoidable decree of Allah; and such a decree cannot be rendered null and void, it cannot be cancelled. What the “abrogation” mentioned in this tradition means will be explained, God willing, in the exegesis of the verse 21:101, mentioned above.

al-Baqir (a.s.) said: “Among the (various types of) abro­gation is ”al-bada' ”⁽¹⁾

When the time comes when the angel, Prophet or Imam concerned thinks that the plan of work is coming to its end, a new development extends the plan or brings it to an unexpected end. The saving of the People of Yunus and the intended sacrifice of Isma'il are among its examples. (tr.)

( اَلبَدآءُ ) contained in the word of Allah: Allah effaces what He pleases and establishes (likewise), and with Him is the basis of the Book (13:39); and (demonstrated in) the saving of the People of Yunus.” (al 'Ayyashi)

The author says: Its reason is clear. Some traditions of the Imams of the Ahlu 'l-bayt (a.s.) count the death of an Imam and his being succeeded by another Imam as an example of the abrogation.

The author says: We have already explained this matter. The number of the traditions containing this theme reaches to nearly mutawatir.

'Abd ibn Hamid, Abu

Dawud (in his an-Nasikh wa 'l-man­sukh) and Ibn Jarir have narrated from Qatadah that he said: ”(During the lifetime of the Prophet) a verse used to abrogate (another) verse; and the Prophet of Allah used to recite a verse, and a chapter, and as much as Allah wished of a chapter, then it was raised (i.e. erased) and Allah caused His Prophet to forget it.

So, Allah said narrating it to His Prophet: Whatever signs We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it; He says: There is (some) ease in it, some allowance in it, some order in it, (and) some prohibition in it.” (ad-Durru '1-manthur)

The author says: The same book quotes numerous traditions on the theme of “causing to be forgotten”; but all of them have to be discarded because they go against the teaching of the Book of Allah, as we have explained in the meaning of this word.

Suratul Baqarah: Verses 108 ― 115

point

(١٠٨) أَمۡ تُرِیدُونَ أَن تَسـَألُواْ رَسُولَکُمۡ کَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَیٰ مِن قَبلُ ۗ وَمَن یَتَبَدَّلِ ٱلکُفرَ بِٱلإِیمَـٰنِ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِیلِ

(١٠٩) وَدَّ کَثِیرٌ۬ مِّنۡ أَهلِ ٱلکِتَـٰبِ لَوۡ یَرُدُّونَکُم مِّنۢ بَعدِ إِیمَـٰنِکُمۡ کُفَّارًا حَسَدً۬ا مِّنۡ عِندِ أَنفُسِهِم مِّنۢ

بَعدِ مَا تَبَیَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡحَقُّ ۖ فَٱعفُواْ وَٱصفَحُواْ حَتَّیٰ یَأۡتِیَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَمرِهِۦۤ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَیٰ کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ۬ قَدِیرٌ

(١١٠) وَأَقِیمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُواْ ٱلزَّکَوٰةَ ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُواْ لِأَنفُسِکُم مِّنۡ خَیرٍ۬ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعمَلُونَ بَصِیرٌ۬

(١١١) وَقَالُواْ لَن یَدۡخُلَ ٱلجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَن کَانَ هُودًا أَوۡ نَصَـٰرَیٰ ۗ تِلکَ أَمَانِیُّهُمۡ ۗ قُلۡ هَاتُواْ بُرۡهَـٰنَکُمۡ إِن کُنتُمۡ صَـٰدِقِینَ

(١١٢) بَلَیٰ مَنۡ أَسلَمَ وَجهَهُ ۥ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحسِنٌ۬

فَلَهُ ۥۤ أَجرُهُ ۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَیهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ یَحزَنُونَ

(١١٣) وَقَالَتِ ٱلیَهُودُ لَیسَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَیٰ عَلَیٰ شَیۡءٍ۬ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَیٰ لَیسَتِ ٱلیَهُودُ عَلَیٰ شَیۡءٍ۬ وَهُمۡ یَتلُونَ ٱلکِتَـٰبَ ۗ کَذَٲلِکَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِینَ لَا یَعلَمُونَ مِثلَ قَوۡلِهِمۡ ۚ فَٱللَّهُ یَحکُمُ بَینَهُمۡ یَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِیَـٰمَةِ فِیمَا کَانُواْ فِیهِ یَختَلِفُونَ

(١١٤) وَمَنۡ أَظلَمُ مِمَّن مَّنَعَ مَسَـٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ أَن یُذۡکَرَ فِیهَا ٱسمُهُ ۥ وَسَعَیٰ فِی خَرَابِهَآ ۚ أُوْلَـٰئِکَ مَا کَانَ لَهُمۡ

أَن یَدۡخُلُوهَآ إِلَّا خَآئِفِینَ ۚ لَهُمۡ فِی ٱلدُّنیَا خِزۡیٌ۬ وَلَهُمۡ فِی ٱلأَخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِیمٌ۬

(١١٥) وَلِلَّهِ ٱلمَشرِقُ وَٱلمَغرِبُ ۚ فَأَینَمَا تُوَلُّواْ فَثَمَّ وَجهُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَٲسِعٌ عَلِیمٌ

Or, do you wish to put questions to your Apostle, as Musa was questioned before? And whoever adopts unbelief instead of faith, he indeed has lost the right way (108).

Many of the People of the Book wish that they could turn you back into unbelievers after your faith, out of envy on their part, (even) after the truth has become manifest to them. But pardon and forgive (them) until Allah should bring about His command. Surely Allah has power over all things (109).

And keep up prayer and pay the zakat, and whatever good you send before for yourselves you shall find it with Allah; surely Allah sees what you do (110).

And they say: “None shall enter the garden except he who is a Jew or a Christian ”. These are their vain desires. Say: “Bring your proof if you are truthful” (111).

Yes! whoever submits his self entirely to Allah and he is the doer of good, he has his reward with his Lord, and there is

no fear for them nor shall they grieve (112).

And the Jews say: “The Christians do not follow anything (good) ”, and the Christians say: “The Jews do not follow anything (good) ”, while they recite the Book. Even thus say those who have no knowledge, like to what they say; so Allah shall judge between them on the Day of Resurrection in what they differ (113).

And who is more unjust than he who prevents (men from) the mosques of Allah, that His name shall not be remembered in them, and strives to ruin them? (As for) those, it was not for them that they should have entered them except in fear; they shall meet with disgrace in this world, and they shall have great chastisement in the hereafter (114).

And Allah's is the East and the West; therefore, whither you turn, thither is Allah's face; surely Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing (115).

Commentary

Qur’an: Or, do you wish to put questions to your Apostle...: It appears from this sentence that some of the Muslims – although believing in the Prophet (S) - had put some questions to him not unlike the questions put to Musa (a.s.) by the Jews. That is why they have been placed here in line with the Jews for admonition.

The tradition too supports this interpretation.

Qur’an: the right way: that is, the straight path.

Qur’an: Many of the People of the Book wish...: Reportedly it refers to Huyayy ibn al-Akhtab and other Jews who were with him.

Qur’an: But pardon and forgive (them):

According to the exegetes this order was abrogated by the verse of fighting.

Qur’an: until Allah should bring about His command: As indicated above, this clause alludes to a command that was to be revealed in not too distant a time about the Jews. The case is similar to the verse:

(As for) those, it was not for them that they should have entered them except in fear (2:115),

when read together with the verse:

the idolaters are nothing but un­clean, so they shall not approach the Sacred Mosque after this (very) year... (9:29).

The clause, “except in fear”, had hinted to the intended ban that was promulgated later.

We shall explain the meaning of “al-amr” ( اَلأمْرُ ) = com­mand) under the verse:

And they ask you about the soul. Say: “The soul is from the command of My Lord” (17:85).

Qur’an: And they say: “None shall enter the garden except he who is a Jew or a Christian”: The verse explicitly joins the Christians with the Jews; from now on the sins and crimes of both will be enumerated together.

Qur’an: Yes! whoever submits his self entirely to Allah and he is the doer of good, he has his reward with his Lord: It reiterates for the third time the basic principle that the spiritual felicity does not depend on name or nomenclature, that no one can get honour with Allah except by true faith in, and total surrender to, Him.

The first declaration was in the verse:

Surely those who believe and those who are Jews, and the

Christians, and the Sabaens, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good, they shall have their reward... (2:62);

the second one was in the verse:

Yea! whoever earns evil... And (as for) those who believe and do good deeds, these are the dwellers of the garden... (2:81-82);

the third is this verse under discussion.

A comparison of this verse with the previous two shows that the true belief entails submitting one's self entirely to Allah; and “al- ihsan” ( اَلإحْسَانُ ) = to do good) is synonymous to the good deeds.

Qur’an: while they recite the Book: that is, while they follow the Book revealed to them. They should not say such things because they have the Book with them and it clearly shows them where the truth is.

This explanation is supported by the next sentence, “Even thus say those who have no knowledge, like to what they say”. The word, “those who have no knowledge”, refers to the un­believers (other than the People of the Book) and the polytheists of Arabia. They used to say, “The Muslims do not follow any-thing good”, or “The People of the Book do not follow anything good”.

Qur’an: And who is more unjust than he who prevents. Apparently it refers to the unbelievers and polytheists of Mecca. These two verses were revealed not long after the Apostle of Allah (S) emigrated to Medina.

Qur’an: it was not for them that they should have entered them except in fear: The verb, “was”, shows that the sentence describes a

past event. It perfectly fits the pagans of Mecca and their misdeeds.

The traditions say that “he who prevents” refers to the unbelievers of Mecca, it was they who prevented the Muslims from praying in the Sacred Mosque (Masjidu 'l-Haram ) and in other mosques within the precinct of the Ka'bah.

Qur’an: And Allah's is the East and the West: The east and the west - any direction, whatsoever - really belong to Allah. His is the true mastership that cannot be altered or transferred; it is not like the possession known to us in our society's framework.

Allah's ownership permeates the possessed thing itself as well as its benefits and effects, unlike our ownership that covers only the benefits and effects, and not the thing itself.

A property, possession, per se, cannot stand except with its owner. Therefore, the east and the west, nay, all the directions whatsoever, exist because of Allah - the Owner. Allah preserves and manages the directions, and encompasses them. Anyone turning to any of the directions, turns in reality to Allah.

The east and the west are relative terms. They cover al-most all the directions, except the two imaginary points of the true north and the true south. That is why Allah left the clause, “whither you turn”, unconditional, and did not say, 'whither you turn of these two directions'.

To whatever direction one turns one's face, it is bound to be either east or west. The sen­tence, “And Allah's is the East and the West”, therefore, implies that all

the directions belong to Allah.

The east and the west were selected for special mention because man fixes the directions with the help of rising and setting of the sun and other heavenly bodies.

Qur’an: therefore, whither you turn, thither is Allah's face: It puts the cause in place of the effect. What the sentence implies is as follows: To whichever direction you turn, it is allowed to you, because Allah's face is in that directions too.

The concluding clause, “surely Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing”, supports this interpretation.“al-Wasi' ” ( اَلوَاسعُ ) = translated here as “ample-giving”) literally means extensive, abounding, far-reaching. It implies that Allah's ownership is extensive and all-pervading and every direction belongs to Him.

He is All-knowing too; therefore, He knows what your aim and intention is, no matter whichever direction you turn your face to. He is not like human beings or other creatures - if we want to see some physical object, we have to turn to a particular direction in order to bring it into focus. But Allah is not confined to a particular direction; turn to any direction, you are turning to Allah, and Allah knows it.

The verse gives a latitude about the qiblah, as far as its directions is concerned, but not apropos its location as may be inferred from the clause, “And Allah's is the East and the West”, inasmuch as it mentions the directions only.

Traditions

Muhammad ibn al-Husayn said: “It was written to al-'Abdu 's-Salih: 'A man prays in a cloudy day in an open

space and he does not know the (direction of) qiblah, he prays; and when he has finished his prayer, the sun appears and (he finds that) he had prayed against qiblah. Should he regard his prayer (as valid) or should he repeat it?'

He wrote: 'He should repeat it if the time (of prayer) is not over. Does he not know that Allah says - and His word is true: therefore, whither you turn, thither is Allah's face?'” (at-Tahdhib)

al-Baqir (a.s.) said about the word of Allah: And Allah's is the East and the West...: “Allah has revealed this verse especially for the voluntary prayer; therefore, whither you turn, thither is Allah's face; surely Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing.

And the Apostle of Allah prayed on his camel by making gestures (for the actions of the prayer) wherever it turned to, when he proceeded to Khaybar, and also when he returned from Mecca - and the Ka'bah was behind his back.” (al-'Ayyashi )

The author says: al-'Ayyashi has narrated another tradition of nearly the same meaning through Zurarah from as-Sadiq (a.s.); and so have done al-Qummi and ash-Shaykh from Abu 'l-Hasan (a.s.) and as-Saduq from as-Sadiq (a.s.).

If you study the traditions of the Imams of the Ahlu 'l-bayt, related to the exegesis of the Qur'anic verses - the general and the particular; the unconditional and the conditional - you will see that often they infer one rule from the general verse, and another rule from the same when read together with the particular one.

For example,

the general verse implies a voluntary rule; but read with the particular one it promulgates an obligatory law. The same applies to the cases of disliked and forbidden things. And so on.

The above is a key factor in understanding the traditions narrated from the Imams; and on it depends the knowledge of a multitude of their traditions.

You may infer from it two important principles of the Qur'anic knowledge:

First: Every Qur'anic clause or sentence, taken alone, describes an established reality or rule; when it is joined to another revealed qualifying clause, it indicates another reality or rule; add to it another qualification or condition and you get a third set of confirmed reality or law; and so on. For example, look at the verse:

Say: “Allah; then leave them sporting in their vain dis­courses” (6:91).

It indicates four separate meanings depending on the word we stop at: First, “Say: Allah”; second, “Say: Allah; then leave them”; third, “Say: Allah; then leave them in their vain discourses”; fourth, “Say: Allah, then leave them sporting in their vain discourses”. Many such examples may be found in the Qur'an.

Second: If two stories or two themes are joined in one sentence or clause, both of them must be having a common base.

These two esoteric principles of exegesis open the way to many Qur'anic secrets - and Allah is the true Guide.

Suratul Baqarah: Verses 116 ― 117

point

(١١٦) وَقَالُواْ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدً۬ا ۗ سُبحَـٰنَهُ ۥ ۖ بَل لَّهُ ۥ مَا فِی ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلأَرۡضِ ۖ کُلٌّ۬ لَّهُ ۥقَـٰنِتُونَ

(١١٧) بَدِیعُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلأَرۡضِ ۖ وَإِذَا قَضَیٰٓ أَمرً۬ا فَإِنَّمَا یَقُولُ

لَهُ ۥ کُن فَیَکُونُ

And they say: “Allah has taken to himself a son”. Glory be to Him; rather, whatever is in the heavens and the earth is His; all are obedient to Him (116).

The Originator of the heavens and the earth; and when He decrees an affair, He only says to it, “Be”, and it is (117).

Commentary

Qur’an: And they say: 'Allah has taken to himself a son ”: Obviously the pronoun ”they” refers to the Jews and the Chris­tians; the former said that 'Uzayr was the son of God; the latter claimed the same thing for Jesus Christ. The verse takes the admonition of the People of the Book a step further.

The People of the Book initially used the phrase, son of God, for their prophets etc. as a mark of respect for them - in the same way as they used the words, sons of God and His chosen people, for themselves. Gradually, the metaphorical sense gave way to the real one, and 'Uzayr and Jesus Christ were believed to be the sons of God in the real sense of the word.

Allah refuted their claim in these two verses. They contain two proofs against them.

The first proof is given in the words: “whatever is in the heavens and the earth is His; all are obedient to Him.” How does one beget a son? A physical being removes some of his parts from himself and develops and nurtures it into another member of the species, similar to himself.

Now, nothing can

be similar to Allah; He is far above such things; whatever is in the heavens and in the earth belongs to Him, is His property; every thing is made existent by Him, is managed by Him; it is by nature obedient to Him, subservient to Him. Things being as they are how can any thing be similar to Allah? Does God belong to a species? How can He beget someone of the same “species”?

The second proof is given in the second verse: “The Origin­ator of the heavens and the earth; and when He decrees an affair, He only says to it, 'Be', and it is.” “al-Badi' ” ( اَلبَدِیْعُ ) = trans­lated here as the Originator) is used for the one who invents and originates a thing without any previous model, without any exist­ing blue-print. Only Allah is the Originator in the true sense of the word.

He originates every thing; no creature of His resembles any fellow creature. His creation is not like others' production inasmuch as He does not make any thing by imitation; He does not create gradually, nor with the help of the secondary causes; when He decides an affair, He only says to it, “Be”, and it is - without any need of any previous model or gradual development.

How can such an Originator be said to take to himself a son? After all, begetting a son entails gradual development.

These are the two incontestable proofs which expose the fallacy of the belief that God has begotten a

son. The verses also prove the following two facts:

First: The command to obey Allah and to worship Him is all-pervading; it is binding to all that is in the heavens and in the earth.

Second: The actions of Allah are not gradual. It follows that every thing that comes into being gradually, must have another non-gradual existence which emanates from the Divine Command. Allah says:

His command, when He intends any-thing, is only that He says to it, 'Be”, and it is (36:82).

And Our command is but one, as the twinkling of an eye (54:50).

A detailed discussion of this Qur'anic reality will be given, God willing, under the verse 36:82, quoted just above.

Qur’an: Glory be to Him: “subhan” ( سُبْحَانَ ) is an infinitive verb, synonymous to “at-tasbih” ( اَلتـََّسْبِیْحُُ ) = glorification of God). It is always used as a first member of genitive construction - the second member always being the name, 'Allah' (or a pro-noun referring to Him).

Grammatically it is in accusative case pointing to a deleted verb. Originally it was, sabbahtuhu tasbihan (سَبَّحْتـُهُ تـَسْبیْحاًَ = I glorified Him as He should be glorified); but the verb was deleted and the infinitive verb was joined to the pronoun 'Him' in genitive construction, to stand in place of the verb.

By using this phrase here, Allah has taught the believers the manner of declaring His glory whenever something unworthy of His sacred name is ascribed to Him.

Qur’an: all are obedient to Him: “al-Qunut” ( اَلقـُنُوْتُُ) = to worship; self-abasement).

Qur’an: The Originator

of the heavens...: Originating implies that the thing so created is not like any other thing.

Qur’an: and it is: The sentence branches out from the word, “Be”. The preceding clause is not a conditional one; that is why this verb is not in apocopate form, that is, its last vowel has not been cut off.

Traditions

Sudayr as-Sayrafi said: “I heard Humran ibn A'yan asking Abu Ja'far (a.s.) about the word of Allah: The Originator of the heavens and the earth. Abu Ja'far (a.s.) said: 'Verily Allah, Mighty and Great is He!, originated all things by His (Own) Knowledge, without there being any previous model. So, He originated the heavens and the earth, and there were no heavens or earth before them. Do you not listen to His word, and His throne was on the water?' ” (al-Kafi; Basa'iru 'd-darajat)

The author says: The tradition points to yet another fine point. It shows that “the water”, mentioned in this verse, is something different from the water known to us. The Imam has quoted this verse to prove that Allah's creation is based on originality.

And the Divine authority and power, before the creation of these heavens and this earth, was firm on the water. Obviously, the water mentioned here was not the water of this earth, or like this earthly water. We shall explain it further under the verse:

and His throne was on the water (12:7).

An Academic and Philosophical Discourse on the Originality of the Creation

The experience as well as the philosophical argument proves that any two things are different from each other in

their respective particulars even if they are united in their common and general characteristics.

Even if the two are so alike as to make it difficult for the senses to discern any dis­similarity between them, when seen or tested with the help of scientific instruments clear differences come before the eyes. It means that every creation is unique and original; no two things are made of one model.

Now we should look at this matter from the philosophical point of view. Let us take any two things sand see why they are distinct from each other. If the basis of distinction is not a thing within their own selves, then it must be an outside factor.

In that case, their selves must be absolute and indivisible entities. But an absolute and indivisible entity cannot be duplicated nor re­peated. In other words, the two distinct entities would become one and the same. And it is a contradiction in terms.

Therefore, we have to admit that every being is different in its own self from all other beings. It follows that every thing is unique; and does not have any similarity or likeness to any other thing. And it is Allah who has given every thing its uniqueness, distinction and originality, as He is the Originator of the heavens and of the earth.

Suratul Baqarah: Verses 118 − 119

point

(١١٨)وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِینَ لَا یَعلَمُونَ لَوۡلَا یُکَلِّمُنَا ٱللَّهُ أَوۡ تَأۡتِینَآ ءَایَةٌ۬ ۗ کَذَٲلِکَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبلِهِم مِّثلَ قَوۡلِهِمۡ ۘ تَشَـٰبَهَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡ ۗ قَدۡ بَیَّنَّا ٱلأَیَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ۬ یُوقِنُونَ

(١١٩) إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلنَـٰکَ بِٱلحَقِّ بَشِیرً۬ا وَنَذِیرً۬ا ۖ وَلَا تُسـأَلُ عَنۡ

أَصحَـٰبِ ٱلجَحِیمِ

And those who have no knowledge say: “Why does not Allah speak to us or a sign come to us?” Even thus said those before them, the like of what they say; their hearts are all alike. Indeed We have made the signs clear for a people who are sure (118).

Surely, We have sent you with the truth as a bearer of good news and as a warner, and you shall not be questioned as to the companions of the flaming fire (119).

Commentary

Qur’an: And those who have no knowledge say: It refers to the polytheists and the unbelievers other than the People of the Book. It is set in contrast with the verse 113:

And the Jews say, “The Christians do not follow anything (good)”, and the Christians say, “The Jews do not follow anything (good)', while they recite the Book. Even thus say those who have no knowledge, like to what they say.

In this verse, the People of the Book were joined to the polytheists and unbelievers of Arabia; and the verse under discussion joins those polytheists and unbelievers to the People of the Book: “And those who have no knowledge say: '

Why does not Allah speak to us or a sign come to us?' Even thus said those before them (i.e., the People of the Book, including the Jews) the like of what they say”, because the Jews had disputed with their prophet, Musa (a.s.) and demanded from him the like of what these pagans say.

The People of

the Book and the pagans of Arabia are alike in their way of thinking; the former say the like of what the latter say, and vice versa: their hearts are all alike.

Qur’an: Indeed We have made the signs clear for a people who are sure: It is the rebuttal of the demand of those who have no knowledge. The signs they are demanding have already come to them, already been made clear to them. But they cannot benefit from them because only those who are sure of those signs may get their benefit.

As for these people who have no knowledge, their hearts are submerged into ignorance, sick with the disease of prejudice and envy. That is why they have lost the ability to benefit from the signs sent by Allah.

The above explanation makes it clear why they have been described as “those who have no knowledge”.

After exposing the falsity of their demand, Allah directs His speech to the Apostle, declaring in clear terms that he has surely been sent by Allah “with the truth as a bearer of good news and as a warner”. The verse was meant to bring comfort to the Prophet's heart and to make him realize that these adver­saries were the people of the Fire, and they would not come to the path of guidance.

Qur’an: and you shall not be questioned as the companions of the flaming fire: Its import is similar to that of the verse: Surely those who disbelieve alike is to them whether

you warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe (2:6).

Suratul Baqarah: Verses 120 − 123

point

(١٢٠) وَلَن تَرۡضَیٰ عَنکَ ٱلیهُودُ وَلَا ٱلنَّصَـٰرَیٰ حَتَّیٰ تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتُهمۡ ۗ قُلۡ إِنَّ هُدَی ٱللَّهِ هُوَ ٱلهُدَیٰ ۗ وَلئنِ ٱتَّبَعتَ أَهوَآءَهُم بَعدَ ٱلَّذِی جَآءَکَ مِنَ ٱلعِلمِ ۙ مَا لَکَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِیٍّ۬ وَلَا نَصِیرٍ

(١٢١) ٱلَّذِینَ ءَاتَینَـٰهُمُ ٱلکِتَـٰبَ یَتلُونَهُ ۥ حَقَّ تِلَاوَتِهِۦۤ أُوْلَـئِکَ یُؤۡمِنُونَ بِهِۦ ۗ وَمَن یَکفُرۡ بِهِۦ فَأُوْلَـٰئکَ هُمُ ٱلخَـٰسِرُونَ

(١٢٢) یَـٰبَنِیٓ إِسرَٲٓءیلَ ٱذۡکُرُواْ نِعمَتِیَ ٱلَّتِیٓ أَنعَمتُ عَلَیکُمۡ وَأَنِّی فَضَّلتُکُمۡ عَلَی ٱلعَـٰلَمِینَ

(١٢٣) وَٱتَّقُواْ یَوۡمًا لَّا تَجزِی نَفسٌ عَن نَّفسٍ۬ شَیـئا وَلَا یُقبَلُ مِنَا عَدۡلٌ۬ وَلَا تَنفَعُهَا شَفَـٰعَةٌ۬ وَلَا هُمۡ یُنصَرُونَ

And the Jews will not be pleased with you, nor the Christians until you follow their religion. Say; “Surely Allah's guidance, that is the (true) guidance”. And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have no guardian from Allah, nor any helper (120).

Those to whom We have given the Book read it as it aught to be read. These (it is who) believe in it; and whoever disbelieves in it, these it is that are the losers (121).

O Children of Israel, call to mind My bounty which I bestowed on you and that I made you excel the nations (122).

And be on your guard against a day when no soul shall avail another in the least neither shall any compensation be accepted from it, nor shall intercession profit it nor shall they be helped (123).

Commentary

Qur’an: And the Jews will not be pleased with you, nor the Christians...: The Speaker turns again

to the two groups, after a cursory glance at the others. These two verses give the sum and substance of the foregoing talk.

After all those admoni­tions and reprimands of the Jews and the Christians, Allah turns to His Apostle and says: They will never be pleased with you until you follow their religion which they have invented according to their desires, composed of their own opinions.

Then He orders him to confute their views and tell them: “Surely Allah's guid­ance, that is the (true) guidance”. Why should a man follow the other for guidance? And the only guidance is the guidance of Allah; that is the truth which must be followed.

There is no guidance in any thing else; and certainly not in your religion. And what is that religion? Just an amalgam of your desires glorified as religion.

“Allah's guidance” stands for the Qur'an - revealed by Allah and, therefore, attributed to Him. The sentence, “Surely Allah's guidance is the (true) guidance”, restricts the guidance to that of Allah. Conversely, it means' that their religion is devoid of guidance; in other words, it is just a set of their desires.

It follows that what the Prophet has got is knowledge, and what they hold in their hands is ignorance. Therefore, Allah says to the Prophet: “And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have no guardian from Allah, nor any helper.”

One cannot help admiring this verse:

How logical, solid and well-grounded is the argument it offers;

how many fine points of eloquence it holds, in spite of its brevity; how lovely is the language and how clear is the style!!

Qur’an: Those to whom We have given the Book...: The restriction of the clause, “These (it is who) believe in it”, gives rise to the belief that this verse is a reply to an unspoken question. The preceding words, “And the Jews will not be pleased with you, nor the Christians...”, gave an indication that there was no hope of their believing in the Prophet.

If so, then how any of them could be expected to believe? Was it not in vain to invite them to Islam? This verse clears the air, and says: Those to whom We have given the Book (i.e., the Torah or the Injil) and who read it as it aught to be read, these it is who truly believe in their Book and as such they shall believe in you.⁽¹⁾

Or that, they believe in a revealed book; and therefore shall believe in any other book revealed by Allah. Or that, these it is who shall believe in the Qur'an. (According to some of the above interpretations, the pro-noun, 'it', in the phrase, “believe in it”, would stand for more than one noun by turns.)

The phrase, “Those to whom We have given the Book”, refers to a group of the Jews and the Christians, who did not follow their desires, who wanted to follow the truth. “the Book” refers to the Torah and the

Injil.

Another possible explanation: “the Book” might be re­ferring to the Qur'an, and, “Those to whom We have given the Book”, to the believers. In that case the meaning would be as follows: Those to whom We have given the Qur'an and who read it as it should be read, these it is who believe in the Qur'an, and not the Jews and the Christians who follow their desires. The restriction, in this case, would give a converted pro-position.

Qur’an: O Children of Israel!... nor shall they be helped: These two verses are almost similar to the verses 47 and 48. Here the present talk with the Children of Israel comes to its end. The Qur'an, by repeating the prologue in the epilogue neatly ties the two ends together.

Traditions

as-Sadiq (a.s.) said, explaining the word of Allah, Those to whom We have given the Book read it as it aught to be read: “They recite its verses slowly, and understand it, and act accord­ing to its orders, and hope for its promise, and are afraid of its threat, and take lesson from its stories, and obey its command­ments, and desist from what it prohibits. By God, it does not mean memorizing its verses, and studying its letters, and reciting its chapters, and learning its one-tenths and one-fifths.

They remembered its words and neglected its boundaries. And what it means is meditating on its verses and acting according to its orders. Allah, the High, has said:

(It is) a Book We have sent down to

you abounding in good, so that they may ponder over its verses” (38:29).

(Irshadu 'l-qulub, ad-Daylami). as-Sadiq (a.s.) said about the word of Allah, read it as it aught to be read, that: ”(It is) stopping at (the description of) the Garden and the Fire.” (al-'Ayyashi)

The author says: What the Imam means is the meditation on the Qur'an.

The same Imam said about the verse, Those to whom We have given the Book..., that: “They are the Imams.” (al-Kafi )

The author says: This explanation is based on the principle of the “flow of the Qur'an”, and gives the best example of those to whom Allah has given the Book.

Suratul Baqarah: Verse 124

point

)١٢٤ ( وَإِذِ ٱبتَلَیٰٓ إِبرَٲهِـمَ رَبُّهُ ۥ بِکَلِمَـٰتٍ۬ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّی جَاعِلُکَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَاما ۖ قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّیَّتِی ۖ قَالَ لَا یَنَالُ عَهدِی ٱلظَّـٰلِمِینَ

And (remember) when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, then he fulfilled them: He said: “Surely I am going to make you an Imam for men.” (Ibrahim) said: “And of my offspring?” He said: ”My covenant will not include the unjust” (124).

Commentary

Beginning with this verse, the Qur'an throws light on some aspects of the life of Ibrahim (a.s.); these verses prepare the minds for the ones promulgating the change of al-qiblah (اَلقِبْلـَة ُ = direction of prayer) as well as the rules of the hajj.

These stories also explain the reality of the pure Islamic religion - with its dif­ferent grades and levels - looking at its fundamental beliefs, moral teachings and some rules of the shari'ah; among other things

they show how Allah bestowed on him al-Imamah (اَلإمـَامَة ُ = leadership) of the people, how he built the Ka'bah, and how he prayed to Allah to send an Apostle among them.

Qur’an: And (remember) when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, then he fulfilled them: It refers to the occasion when Ibrahim (a.s.) was given the Imamah. It had happened during the end period of his life; it was the time when he had become very old, after Isma'il and Ishaq both had been born, and he had brought Isma'il and his mother to reside in Mecca, as some other exegetes also have taken note of this fact.

This timing is clearly pointed at by his words, “And of my offspring? ”, when Allah told him: “I am going to make you an Imam for men.” Obviously he did not know, nor did he even expect, that he would get any offspring, until the angels brought to him the good tidings of Isma'il and Ishaq.

Even when the angels told him that he was to get children, he responded to those tidings in such words as could apparently be construed to have sprung from despair and pessimism. Allah says:

And inform them of the guests of Ibrahim: When they entered upon him, they said: “Peace” He said: “Surely we are afraid of you.”; They said: “Be not afraid, surely we give you the good news of a boy, possessing knowledge. “He said:” Do you give me good news (of a son) when

old age has come upon me? - of what then do you give me good news!” They said: ”We give you good news with truth; therefore, be not of the despairing” (15:51-55).

The same was the reaction of his wife when she was given that good news, as Allah says:

And his wife was standing (by), so she laughed; then We gave her the good news of Ishaq, and after Ishaq, of (a son's son) Ya'qub. She said: “O woe to me! Shall I bear a son when I am an (extremely) old (woman) and this my husband an (extremely) old (man)? Most surely this is an amazing thing.” They said: ”Do you wonder at the decree of Allah? The mercy of Allah and His blessings be on you, O people of the house, surely He is Praised, Glorious” (11:71-73).

As you see, the talks of both Ibrahim and his wife show that by that time they had lost all hope of getting any child. That is why the angels replied to them in those words to give them hope and make them happy.

Clearly neither he nor his wife knew before that time that they would be given any off-spring. But on this occasion, we see that as soon as Allah told him, “I am going to make you an Imam for men”, he pleaded, ”And of my offspring?”

This prayer brings before our eyes the image of a man who is sure of having an offspring. How can a man, and particularly one

like Ibrahim, the friend of Allah (who very well knew the nuances of the language), speak before his Lord about a thing he knew nothing about?

If he had uttered these words before getting any children, it would have been necessary for him to add some proviso, like “if Thou givest me any offspring”. This event, therefore, must have taken place in the end period of Ibrahim's life some time after he had been given the good news.

Moreover, the words, “And (remember) when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, then he fulfilled them. He said: 'Surely I am going to make you an Imam for men' ”, show that his Imamah was bestowed to him after Allah had tried him with certain trials.

These consisted of various sufferings and tests which Ibrahim (a.s.) underwent in his life. And according to the Qur'an, the clearest and hardest of all was the trial of the sacrifice of Isma'il. Allah says:

And when he reached (the age of) working with him, he said: “O my son! surely I am seeing in dream that I am sacrificing you; consider then what you see.” He said: “O my father! do what you are commanded; if Allah please, you will surely find me of the patient ones.” So when they both submitted and he threw him down upon his forehead, and We called out to him (saying): “O Ibrahim! You have indeed proved the vision true; surely thus We reward the doers of good. Most surely this is

a manifest trial” (37:102-106).

This manifest trial had taken place in the extreme old age of Ibrahim, because even the birth of Isma'il had taken place when Ibrahim had become very old, as Allah quotes him as saying:

“Praise be to Allah, Who gave me in old age Isma'il and Ishaq; most surely my Lord is the Hearer of prayer” (14:39).

And the imamah was given to him after these trials.

Now we come back to the verse under discussion:

“And (remember) when his Lord tried Ibrahim”: “al-Ibtila'” ( اَلإبْتـِلآء ُُ ) and “al-bala'” ( البَلآءُ ) both have the same meaning: to try, to put to test. You give someone an order, or put him in a difficult situation, in order to find out his inner strength, his spiritual sublimity; thus you bring out his hidden qualities like obedience, bravery, generosity, chastity, knowledge, faithfulness (or their opposite traits); it is only then that you may say, “I have tested him”, “I have put him to trial”.

One cannot be tested except through action; it is the action which brings out the hidden qualities of a man, and not the word; words may lie but not the actions. Allah says:

Surely We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden... (68:17);

... Surely Allah will try you with a stream... (2:249).

Now Allah says that He tried Ibrahim with certain words. This sentence looks at the “words” inasmuch as they are re­lated to actions - they are the vehicles to carry the commands of the speaker

to the listerner. For example, Allah says:

... and speak to men good (words)... (2:83),

that is, behave with them properly.

“With certain words, then he fulfilled them”: “al-Kalimat” (اَلکـَلِماتُُ) is plural of al-kalimah اَلکـَلِمَةُ) = word). Of course, the word, “word”, has sometimes been used in the Qur'an for a substance, a corporeal being (instead of a talk or speech) as Allah says:

... a Word from Him whose name is the Messiah, 'Isa son of Maryam... (3:45).

But this usage is based on the fact that 'Isa, like Adam, was created by a word from Allah as the Qur'an says:

Surely the likeness of 'Isa is with Allah as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: “Be”, and he was (3:59).

Otherwise, whenever the Qur'an attributes the “word” to Allah, it means speech and saying. For example:

and there is none to change the words of Allah (6:34).

there is no changing the words of Allah (10:64).

and Allah desired to manifest the truth of what was true by His words (8:7).

Surely those against whom the word of your Lord has proved true will not believe (10:96).

But the word of punishment proved true against the un­believers (39:71).

And thus did the word of your Lord prove true against those who disbelieved that they are the inmates of the Fire (40:6).

and had not a word gone forth from your Lord till an ap­pointed time, certainly affair would have been decided between them (42:14).

and the word of Allah, that is the highest (9:41).

He said: “The

truth then (it) is and the truth do I speak” (38:84).

Our word for a thing when We intend it, is only that We say to it: “Be”, and it is (16:40).

These and similar verses use “word” in the meaning of “talk” because the talk conveys to the hearer the proposition which the speaker intends to communicate, or the command which he wants him to obey. It is for this reason that sometimes the Qur'an describes the “word” as being complete! It is as though a “word” emanating from the speaker remains incomplete until it is implemented, and then it becomes complete, is proved true. Allah says:

And the word of your Lord has been accom­plished (completed) truly and justly; there is none to change His words (6:115); and the good word of your Lord was fulfilled (completed) in the Children of Israel (7:137).

The above explanation does not go against the fact that Allah's word is Allah's action. His word and His action are not two different things, they are one and the same. Realities and facts have their own rules, and literary demands and semantic values are governed by other rules.

Whatever realities Allah wishes to disclose to one of His prophets or other servants, and whatever command He wants to impose on someone, it is His talk and speech, inasmuch as it fulfils the same purpose which a talk or speech does - it conveys information, and proposition as well as His order and prohibition.

Not frequently, the word, “word”, is used

for ideas, intentions and actions if they have the same import as “word” has. We say: “I will surely do this because I have already said so, and have given my word.”

In fact, you have never before uttered a single word about it; all that your “given word” actually means is that you do have a firm intention to do it, without any wavering will, without listening to any intercessor.

The Arab poet, 'Antarah, said: “And (it was) my word (to my soul) whenever it was in turmoil or excitement: Be at ease; you will either earn the accol­ade or will go to (final) rest.” Obviously, he had not talked with his soul or spirit; what he means by “word” is that he had made up his mind to fight bravely, and to face the enemy without retreating from his stand; because if he was victorious, his people would sing his praise, and if he was killed, he would get the rest and tranquility.

In this light it is easy to see that the phrase, “when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words”, refers to the difficult situations he had to face, and the Divine covenants he had entered into, for example, his conflict with his people regarding the stars and the idols, his test by fire and emigration, his supreme trial of sacrificing his son, and other such things.

Allah has not specified which tests those “certain words” refer to, because this information had no-thing to do with the theme of the

verse. But one thing is certain: As it was only after the fulfillment of those words that Allah said to him, “Surely I am going to make you an Imam for men”, the words must have been such as to prove his capability for the status of the Imamah.

This much about the “words”. Now comes the next phrase: “then he fulfilled them”. If the pronoun “he” refers to Ibrahim (a.s.), then it would mean that he fulfilled the task which was expected of him, he obediently did what he was told to do.

If on the other hand the pronoun refers to the Lord (as it obviously does) then it would mean that his Lord helped him to do what was expected of him.

Somebody has said that the phrase, “certain words”, refers to the Divine Speech, “Surely I am going to make you an Imam for men... My covenant will not include the unjust.” But it is an explanation which does not carry any weight, because nowhere in the Qur'an the word “words” has been used for “sentences”.

Qur’an: “Surely I am going to make you an Imam for men”: That is, I am going to make you a leader for men; they will adhere to you and follow in your footsteps, in words and deeds. al-Imam اَلإمـَام ُ ) = leader) is the one whom the people follow.

That is why many exegetes have said that al-Imamah اَلإمـَامَة ُ ) = leadership) in this verse means prophethood, because a prophet is followed

and obeyed by his ummah in their religion; Allah has said:

And We did not send any apostle but that he should be obeyed by Allah's permission (4:64).

But this interpretation has no leg to stand upon. Because:‑

First: The word Imaman (اِمـَامـاً = Imam, leader) is the second accusative of the causative ja'iluka (جَاعِلـُکَ = literally, maker of you; translated here as “going to make you”), which is a nomen agentis; and a nomen agentis is never used in place of a past tense; if used in place of a verb it always gives the mean­ing of present or future tense.

When Allah used these words in His talk with Ibrahim (a.s.), He in effect gave him a promise to make him an Imam in future - in other words, to give him a status which he did not have at that time. And Ibrahim (a.s.) was already a prophet: Remember that this talk itself was a revelation sent to him in his capacity as a prophet.

He was a prophet long before he was given the status of the Imamah. There-fore, the Imamah in this verse cannot mean prophethood. (This reply is given by another exegete.)

Second: We have described earlier that Ibrahim (a.s.) was given the Imamah in his later days after setting the good news that he would be given offspring, Ishaq and Isma'il; and the angels had given him that news while they were on their way to destroy the ummah of Lilt; and Ibrahim at that time was a prophet

and an apostle. He was a prophet and apostle before he got the Imamah; therefore, his Imamah was different from his prophethood and apostleship.

Why are such interpretations offered by exegetes from time to time? The reason lies in the banality - because of repeated use during all these centuries - which has degraded the sublime meanings of the Qur'anic words in people's minds.

The word, Imamah, has been debased in similar way. Some people say that it means prophethood, precedence, being in authority; others interpret it as al-khilafah ( اَلخِلافَة = successorship), al-wisayah (اَلوصَایَة = regency) or headship in spiritual and temporal affairs.

But all this is wrong. “Prophethood” means receiving news from Allah; “messengership” means conveying that message to people; “authority” implies that others have to follow one's example and obey one's orders.

Now this authority is a concomitant of prophethood and messengership; khilafah and wisayah both mean successorship to a prophet; likewise, headship in spiritual and temporal affairs is a sort of the above-mentioned authority; and all of it is different from the correct meaning of the Imamah.

The imamah implies that a man has an intrinsic quality because of which people should follow him faithfully, making their words and deeds to conform with his words and deeds; but none of the above-mentioned interpretations brings out this meaning.

Ibrahim (a.s.) was already a prophet whose obedience was obligatory for all men. What would be the sense in telling him that Allah was going to make him a prophet for men?

Or, to make his

obedience compulsory in all that he said and did? Or, a head of his ummah to order or forbid in matters of religion? Or, a successor? Or, a khalifah in the earth to decide between the people by the order of Allah?

The difference between the Imamah and all the above-mentioned words is not only verbal; it is the realities behind those words that differ from one another. When a man is given prophethood, it becomes obligatory for the people to obey him.

Therefore, it would be wrong to say to that prophet, “I am going to make your obedience compulsory for men although I have already made it compulsory”. Nor will it be correct to convey the same idea in other words, because the same problem will arise again.

When Allah gives someone some status, he does not get merely a new title or name; bounties of Allah are not empty words; there are real things behind those words. Therefore, the imamah has its own reality, different from other words' realities.

We find in the Qur'an that whenever it mentions Imamah it puts guidance side by side - it looks as though Allah was using the latter to explain the former. Allah says in the story of Ibrahim:

And We gave him Ishaq and Ya'qub as a further gift; and We made (them) all righteous ones; and We made them Imams, to guide (people) by Our command... (21:72 - 73);

and He says in another place:

And We made of them Imams to guide by Our

com­mand as they were patient, and they were certain of Our signs (32:24).

Here the imamah is explained, or rather defined, in terms of guidance, and then further qualified with the proviso, “by Our command”. Clearly, the Imamah does not mean any type of guidance; it is a guidance which emanates from the command of Allah.

And the reality of that command is described in these words:

His command, when He intends anything, is only that He says to it: “Be”, and it is. Therefore glory be to Him in Whose hand is the kingdom of every thing... (36:82-83);

And Our command is but one, as the twinkling of an eye (54:50).

We shall explain, when writing about these verses, that the Divine Command (which the former verse also calls “the Kingdom”) is the sublime side of the creation, with which they face towards Allah; it is pure, free from fetters of time and space, and un­touched by change and variation. It is also the real meaning of the word “Be”, because the Divine Command “Be”, is nothing other than the actual existence of the thing concerned.

This “command” is in contrast to al-khalq اَلخَلـْق ُُ ) = creation) which is the other side of the things - it is subject to changes and vari­ations; it grows by and by and deteriorates in the same way; it works within the framework of time and space. (We shall fully explain this theme in its proper place, Allah willing.)

To sum it up, Imam is a leader who guides

by a Divine Command which is closely associated with him. The Imamah, in its esoteric sense, is al-wilayah = اَلوِلایَـة ُُ ) guardianship, auth-ority) over the people in their actions and activities; and its guid­ance entails conveying them to the final destination by the com­mand of Allah.

It is different from that guidance which only shows the way - and which is usually done by the prophets and messen­gers of Allah as well as by other believers who guide the people towards Allah with sincere exhortation and good advice. This second type of guidance is mentioned in the following verses:

And We did not send any apostle but with the language of his people, so that he might explain to them clearly; then Allah makes whom He pleases err and He guides whom He pleases... (14:4).

And he who believed (i.e., the believer from the family of Pharaoh) said: “O my people! follow me, I will guide you to the right course” (40:38).

Why should not then a company from every party from among them go forth that they may acquire (proper) understanding in religion, and that they may warn their people when they come back to them, so that they may be cautious? (9:122)

(We shall further explain it later on.)

Then Allah describes the reason why He gave them the Imamah, in these words, as they were patient, and they were certain of Our signs. (See 32:24, quoted above.) The criteria, therefore, are patience and absolute certainty. They were steadfast and patient in the

cause of Allah. Patience, in this verse, is uncondi­tional; therefore it means remaining patient and steadfast in all matters and all conditions with which Allah may choose to test the submission and servitude of a servant.

And they possessed highest degree of certainty. Going through the stories of Ibrahim (a.s.), we find the following words of Allah in the Qur'an:

And thus did We show Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and so that he might be of those who are sure (6:75).

The verse clearly indicates that showing of the kingdom to Ibrahim was the prelude to the bestowal of absolute certainty on him. It proves that certainty is an inseparable concomitant of looking at the kingdom. This is also the theme of the following verses:

Nay! if you had known with a knowledge of certainty, you should most certainly have seen the hell (102:5 - 6).

Nay! rather, what they used to do has become (like) rust upon their hearts. Nay! most surely they shall on that day be shut out away from their Lord.... Nay! most surely the record of the righteous shall be in the 'Illiyyin. And what will make you know what 'illiyyin is? It is a written book; see it those who are near (to Allah) (83:14 - 15; 18-21).

These verses prove that the “near ones” are those who are not shut out away from their Lord; on their hearts there are no rust or coverings of sin, ignorance and doubt; they are the ones who

have absolute certainty about Allah, and they see the 'illiyyin as they see the hell.

In short, it is essential for an Imam to be a man of absolute certainty, who sees the world of the “kingdom” of Allah which is based on the “words” of Allah. And we have explained earlier that the kingdom is the command of Allah, which, in its turn, is the esoteric side of the universe.

Now let us have a fresh look at the verse 21:73 (and 32:24) quoted earlier. “And We made them Imams, to guide (people) by Our command:” it very clearly proves that whatever is the subject of guidance (i.e., the hearts and the deeds), the Imam has its inner reality; he is constantly in touch with its another side - the side of the command, which is never hidden from him.

It is known that the hearts and the deeds, like any other thing, have two sides, one of the “command” and the other of the “creation”; therefore, the reality of the deeds of the men - both good and bad - is always within the vision of the Imam, always under his observation; and he has authority over both ways - the one of happiness and bliss and the other of unhappiness and distress. Also, Allah has said:

(Remember) the day when We will call every people with their Imam (17:71).

(We shall explain when writing about this verse that the “Imam” here means the true leader, and not the scroll of deeds, as

some people think.) There-fore, the Imam is the one who shall lead the people to Allah on the day when hidden things shall be tried, as he leads them to Him in the manifest and esoteric lives of this world.

The last quoted verse also shows that there cannot be a single period, a single moment, without an Imam, because Allah says, “every people”. (The detailed proof of this statement will be given under that verse.)

The Imamah is such an exalted and sublime position that it cannot be given except to one who is extremely virtuous by his own self. If someone's soul is polluted, even in a minute degree, by any injustice or sin, then he needs someone else to guide him back to the right way. And Allah has said:

Is he then who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed, or he who himself does not go right unless he is guided? (10:35).

Here Allah puts two groups opposite to each other: one is that which guides to the truth; and the other, that which does not go right unless guided by someone else, in other words, the one which needs a helping hand to be guided aright. This contrast means that the one who guides to the truth, is rightly guided by himself; conversely, the one rightly guided by another person cannot guide to the truth.

It follows from the above discourse that:‑

First: The Imam must be al-ma'sum اَلمَعْصُوْم ) = sinless; protected from error and sin). Otherwise,

he would not be rightly guided by himself, as explained above. Also, the following verse

proves their al-'ismah اَلعِصْمَة ) = sinlessness):

And We made them Imams to guide (people) by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good (deeds) and the establishing of prayer and the giving of zakat, and Us (alone) did they worship (21:73).

According to this verse, all the deeds of the Imam are good, he is guided to them, not by any other person, but on his own by Divine help. The phrase translated above as “the doing of good (deeds)” is fi'la 'l-khayrat فِعْلَ الخَیْراتِ ) = to do good deeds); it is al-masdar اَلمَصْدَر ) = roughly translated as infinitive verb), used as the first construct of a genitive construction; and such a masdar proves that the action has surely taken place. Let us explain it in another way:

If Allah would have said, 'We revealed to them: Do good deeds', it would not have shown that they actually obeyed the command and did good; but when He says, We revealed to them the doing of good, it means that whatever they did was good and it was by Divine inspiration and heavenly help.

Second: Conversely, whoever is not ma'sum, can never be an Imam, a guide to the truth.

Now, it is clear that the adjective, “the unjust”, (in the Divine declaration, “My covenant will not include the unjust”) covers everyone who might have done any injustice, for example, polytheism, idol-worship or any other sin,

in any period of his life, even if he may have repented and been good afterwards.

One of our teachers (may Allah have mercy on him!) was asked as to how this verse could prove that the Imam must be ma'sum. He replied:

Logically, we may divide mankind into four groups: (1) One who remains unjust throughout his life; (2) One who was never unjust in any period of his life; (3) One who was unjust

in the beginning, but became just later on; and (4) One who was just in the beginning, but became unjust afterwards, Ibrahim was too sublime in position to ask for the Imamah for the first or the fourth group.

This leaves two groups (the second and the third) which could be included in his prayer. And Allah rejected one of them - the one who was unjust in the beginning but became just later on. Now, there remains only one group who could be given the Imamah - the one who was never unjust in any period of his life; that is, who was ma'sum.⁽¹⁾

To sum it up, the verse shows that:

First: Imamah is a Divinely-made status.

Second: The Imam must be ma'sum, by Divine 'ismah; in other words, he must be protected by Allah from sins and errors.

Third: The earth cannot remain without a rightful Imam, as long as there is a man on it.

Fourth: It is essential for an Imam to be supported by the Divine help.

Fifth: The deeds of the people are not hidden from the

Imam.

Sixth: The Imam must have knowledge of all that is needed by the people for their good in this world and the next.

Seventh: It is impossible for any other person to surpass the Imam in any virtue.

These seven are among the basic factors of the Imamah, and this verse, read with other relevant verses, leads us to them, and Allah is our Guide.

Objection: As the Imamah means to guide by the command of Allah, and as that guiding to the truth is concomitant with the Imam's being rightly guided by Allah (as has been inferred from the verse: Is he then who guides to truth more worthy to be followed...), then all the prophets should certainly be called Imams.

Obviously, prophethood of a prophet comes into being only when he is rightly guided by Allah through revelation; a prophet is not guided by any other person through teaching or advice etc.

Therefore, bestowal of prophethood would be synony­mous with that of the Imamah. And the objection you had put against the interpretation of the Imamah with prophethood would be turned in toto against your explanation.

Reply: What we have inferred from the foregoing description is that if one guides to Allah by His command, he must be guided aright not by any other person but by Allah Himself. But the Qur'anic verses have not shown that its contrary proposition is also true, that is, it has not been proved that whoever is rightly guided by Allah should also be a guide to Allah.

Therefore, it is not necessary that every prophet should be called an Imam. In one place, Allah declares about various prophets that they were rightly guided by Him, and yet does not join it with the statement that they guided their people to the truth.

He says:

And We gave to him (i.e., Ibrahim) Ishaq and Ya'qub; each did We guide, and Nuh did We guide before, and of his descendants, Dawud and Sulayman and Ayyub and Yusuf and Harun; and thus do We reward those who do good; and Zakariyya and Yahya and 'Isa and Ryas; every one was of the righteous (ones) and Isma'il and Ilyasa ' and Yunus and Lut; and every one We did exalt over the worlds; and from among their fathers and their descendants and their brethren; and We chose them and guided them to the straight path. This is Allah's guidance, He guides thereby whom He pleases of His servants; and if they had set up others (with Him), certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them. These are they to whom We gave the book and the wisdom and the prophethood; therefore if these disbelieve in it, We have (already) entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it. These are they whom Allah guided, therefore follow their guidance. Say: “I do not ask you for any reward for it; it is but a reminder to the worlds” (6:86 -90).⁽¹⁾

The context of the above verses shows that this Divine Guidance

is an unalterable firm decree; it will continue in this ummah even after the Messenger of Allah (S), and will remain confined within the progeny of Ibrahim (a.s.), as the verses 43:26 - 28 prove:

And when Ibrahim said to his father and his people: “Surely, I am clear of what you worship; (I wor­ship) but (only) Him Who created me, for surely He will guide me.” And He made it a word to continue in his posterity, so that they may return (to God).

When Ibrahim (a.s.) declared to his people that he was clear of what they worshipped and that he worshipped only Him Who had created him, he had already achieved that guidance which contemplation and logical reasoning can produce.

Then he told them of his expectation that Allah would surely guide him. This subsequent guidance was obviously different from the earlier one; it was a guidance by the command of Allah.

Thereafter, Allah says that He made this Divine Guidance ”a word to continue” in Ibrahim's posterity. This is one of those verses in which “word” has been used not for speech but for a substance - it refers to the guidance as “a word”. The same is the interpretation of “word of piety” in the verse:

and made them keep the word of piety, and well were they entitled to it and worthy of it (48:26).

The above explanation makes it clear that the Imamah after Ibrahim (a.s.), is confined to his descendants. The sentences, ”(Ibrahim) said: 'And of my offspring?'

He said: 'My covenant will not include unjust'”, point to this fact.

Obviously, Ibrahim (a.s.) had asked for the imamah not for all but only for some of his descendants, and he was told that it would not be given to the unjust of his descendants. Needless to say that not all of his de­scendants were unjust; therefore, this reply disqualifies only one group and not all. In other words, it grants the request for a se­lected group of his offspring and further sanctifies it as a covenant, and on that basis it says that the covenant of Allah will not in­clude the unjust ones.

Qur’an: “My covenant will not include the unjust”: This ex­pression shows how far removed are the unjust from the circle of the Divine Covenant ⁽¹⁾

The present sentences does not leave room for any such misunderstanding; it clearly shows that getting the imamah is not within human jurisdiction, it is exclusively in the hand of Allah and He gives to whom He pleases. (tr.)

; therefore, it is an example of isti'arah bi 'l-kinayah.

Traditions

Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “Verily Allah (to Whom belong Might and Majesty) accepted Ibrahim as a servant before making him a prophet; and verily Allah made him a prophet before appointing him as a messenger; and verily Allah appointed him as a messenger before taking him as a friend; and verily Allah took him as a friend before making him an Imam.

When He combined for him all (the above-mentioned) things, He said, 'Surely I am going to make you an Imam for men.'” The Imam further said: “It was because of the greatness of it (i.e., Imamah) in the eyes of Ibrahim (a.s.) that he said: 'And of my offspring?' He said: 'My covenant

will not include the unjust.'” The Imam explained: “A fool will not be Imam of a pious.” (al-Kafi )

The author says: The same meaning has been narrated from the same Imam through another chain of narrators, and from al-Baqir (a.s.) through yet other chain; and al-Mufid has narrated it from as- Sadiq (a.s.).

The Imam has said that Allah accepted Ibrahim as a servant before making him a prophet. This theme is inferred from the Qur'anic verse:

And certainly We gave to Ibrahim his rectitude before, and We knew him fully well. When he said to his father and his people: “What are these images to which you (as devotees) cleave?” They said: “We found our fathers worshipping them.” He said: “Certainly you have been (both) you and your fathers, in manifest error.” They said: “Have you brought to us the truth, or are you one of the triflers?” He said: “Nay! your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who brought them into exist­ence, and I am of those who bear witness to this” (21:51 - 56).

This story shows how Allah took Ibrahim (a.s.) as a servant in the beginning of his spiritual journey.

It is one thing that someone is a slave or servant of Allah, and a quite different thing that he is taken or accepted by Allah as His slave. Being a slave of Allah is a concomitant of existence and creation; anyone who is created and has perceiving faculties is inescapably a slave of Allah;

this servitude does not depend on Divine acceptance.

Man, for example, owes his existence to his Lord, is created and made by Him; he may behave in his personal life according to this servitude's dictates by surrendering himself to his Lord the Almighty, or he may act rebelliously, but his submission or rebellion does not alter the fact that he is a born slave of Allah. Allah says in the Qur'an:

There is no one in the heavens and the earth but will come to the Beneficent Allah as a servant (19:93).

But if he does not act as a slave should do, if he behaves in the earth with arrogance and rebellion, then he does not deserve to be called a slave or servant of Allah, because he does not fulfill the conditions of servitude.

A servant surrenders himself to his Lord, and leaves all his affairs in his Master's hands. Therefore, only he deserves to be called a servant of Allah who is His slave in his person as well as in his action - only such a man can truly be called a slave of Allah.

Allah says: And the servants of the Beneficent God are they who walk on the earth in humbleness... (25:63).

Accordingly, when Allah accepts a.man as His servant, He takes masterly interest in that servant's affairs; in other words, Allah becomes his waliyy and guardian, and takes all his affairs in His Own hands. Such a servitude is the key to al-wilayah اَلوِلایَـة ُُ ) = guardianship).

The verse

7:196 points to this reality:

“Surely my guardian is Allah, Who revealed the Book, and He takes in hand (the affairs of) the good.”

The adjective “good”, refers to those who are worthy of Divine guardianship and friendship. Allah has referred to the Prophet in several places in the Qur'an as His servant, for example,

... Who revealed the Book to His servant... (18:1);

... Who sends down clear signs upon His servant... (57: 9);

... when the servant of Allah stood up calling upon Him... (72:19).

In short, to say that Allah accepted someone as His servant, is another way of saying that Allah took him under His wilayah and guardianship.

The Imam said: ”... and verily Allah made him a prophet before appointing him as a messenger”. The difference between a prophet and a messenger, as shown by the traditions narrated from the Imams of the Ahlu 'l-bayt, is as follows:

A prophet sees in his dream what Allah intends to reveal to him; and a messenger sees the angel and talks to him.

The same gradual progress is seen in the history of Ibrahim (a.s.). Allah says:

And mention Ibrahim in the Book; surely he was a truthful (man), a prophet, when he said to his father: “O my father! why do you worship what neither hears nor sees, nor does it avail you in the least” (19:41 - 42).

The verse shows that he was a prophet when he said this to his father. It was a confirmation of what he had told his people as soon

as he arrived among them:

“Surely I am clear of what you worship; (I wor­ship) but (only) Him Who created me, for surely He will guide me” (43:26 - 27).

Then we read the verse 11:69 which says:

And certainly Our messengers (i.e., angels) came to Ibrahim with good news. They said: “Peace.” “Peace,” said he.

This event, in which Ibrahim saw the angels and talked to them, had taken place in his old age long after he had left his father and his nation.

The Imam said: “And verily Allah appointed him as a mess­enger before taking him as a friend.” It is inferred from the words of Allah:

And who is better in religion than he who... follows the faith of Ibrahim, the upright one? And Allah took Ibrahimas a friend (4:125).

Apparently it shows that Allah took him as a friend because of the same upright faith and religion which he had promulgated by the command of his Lord; the theme of this verse is to describe the distinction and excellence of that upright religion which so much raised the status of Ibrahim that he was taken as a friend of Allah.

al-Khalil ( اَلخَلیْلُ ) is more exclusive than as-Sadiq ( اَلصَّدیْقُ ), although both are generally translated as “friend”. When a friend is sincere and truthful (as-Sadiq) in his dealings with the other friend, he is called as-Sadiq; thereafter, if he turns away from all else, confining his needs and requirements to that friend only, he is called al-khalil, because al-khullah ( اَلخُلـَّةُ

) means need and requirement.

The meaning of the Imam's sentence, “and verily Allah took him as a friend before making him an Imam,” may be understood from the foregoing commentary. The words of the Imam: “A fool will not be Imam of a pious,” point to the verse 2:130 - 131:

And who forsakes the religion of Ibrahim but he who makes himself a fool, and most certainly We chose him in this world, and in the hereafter he is most surely among the righteous. When his Lord said to him, Submit (yourself), he said: “I submit myself to the Lord of the worlds.”

In this verse Allah says that whoever turns away from the religion of Ibrahim - in other words, whoever is unjust - is a fool; then he contrasts this foolishness with Divine selection - a selection which has been explained in the next sentences as “Islam” or submission to God. (Ponder on the clause, When his Lord said to him, Submit yourself).

Then we see that al-Islam ( اَلإسْلامُُ ) = submission) and at-taqwa ( اَلتَّقْوی) = piety, fear of Allah) have been made one, or applicable to one meaning, in the verse:

O you who believe! fear Allah as is due to Him, and do not die but as Muslims (3:102).

(Think deeply on it.)

al-Mufid has narrated from Durust and Hisham from the Imams (of the Ahlu 'l-bayt): “Ibrahim was a prophet, and he was not an Imam until Allah, Blessed and High is He, said (to him): “Surely I

am going to make you an Imam for men.” (Ibrahim) said: “And of my offspirng?” Then Allah, Blessed and High is He, said: “My covenant will not include the unjust.” Whoever had (ever) worshipped an idol or a sculpture or an image, cannot be an Imam.”

The author says: Its meaning is clear from the above explanations.

It is narrated in al-Amali of at-Tusi (with complete chain of narrators) and in al-Manaqib of Ibn al-Maghazili (as a marfu' tradition) from Ibn Mas'ud from the Prophet that he said (ex­plaining the words of Allah to Ibrahim in this verse):

“Whoever prostrated before an idol, leaving me, I will not make him an Imam.” Then the Prophet said: “And that prayer was fulfilled in me and my brother Ali; neither of us ever prostrated before any idol.”

Waki' and Ibn Marduwayh have narrated from 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) that the Prophet said (in explanation of the words of Allah, My covenant will not include the unjust): “There is no obedience except in good.” (ad-Durru 'l-manthur)

'Abd ibn Hamid narrated from 'Imran ibn Husayn that he said: “I heard the Prophet saying: 'There is no obedience of a creature in disobedience of Allah (i.e., a man should not be obeyed if he tells you to disobey Allah).'” (ibid.)

The author says: The meanings of those traditions are easily understood from the earlier explanations. al-'Ayyashi has narrated in his Tafsir, through several chains, from Safwan the camel-driver, that he said:

“We were at Mecca; and the talk gradually reached the

words of Allah, And (remem­ber) when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, then he fulfilled them.” (The Imam) said: “That is, he completed them with Muhammad and 'Ali and the Imams from the descendants of 'Ali, as Allah says: Offspring, one from the other” (3:34).

The authour says: This tradition takes the “word” in the meaning of the Imamah; a similar explanation is given to “word” in the verses:... for surely He will guide me. And He made it a word to continue in his posterity... (43: 27 - 28).

According to this tradition, the verse would mean as follows: And remember when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, that is, his own imamah, and that of Ishaq and his progeny; then He completed it with the imamah of Muhammad and of the Imams from his family members, who were from the progeny of Isma'il; then Allah made it known to Ibrahim telling him:

“Surely lam going to make you an Imam for men.” Ibrahim said: “And of my offspirng?” Allah said: “My covenant will not include the unjust.”

Suratul Baqarah: Verses 125 − 129

point

(١٢٥) وَإِذۡ جَعَلنَا ٱلبَیتَ مَثَابَةً۬ لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمنًا وَٱتَّخِذُواْ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبرَٲهِـمَ مُصَلّی ۖ وَعَهِدۡنَآ إِلَیٰٓ إِبرَٲهِـمَ وَإِسمَـٰعِیلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَیتِیَ لِلطَّائِفِینَ وَٱلعَـٰکِفِینَ وَٱلرُّکعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ

(١٢٦) وَإِذۡ قَالَ إِبرَٲهِـمُ رَبِّ ٱجعَلۡ هَـٰذَا بَلَدًا ءَامِنًا وَٱرۡزُقۡ أهلَهُ ۥ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ مِنُهم بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلیَوۡمِ ٱلأَخِرِ ۖ قَالَ وَمَن کَفَرَ فَأُمَتِّعُهُ ۥ قَلِیلاً۬ ثُمَّ أَضطَرُّهُ ۥۤ إِلَیٰ عَذَابِ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ وَبِئسَ ٱلمَصِیرُ

(١٢٧) وَإِذۡ یَرۡفَعُ إِبرَٲهِـمُ ٱلقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ ٱلبَیتِ وَإِسمَـٰعِیلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلۡ مِنَّآ ۖ إِنَّکَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِیعُ ٱلعَلِیمُ

(١٢٨)

رَبَّنَا وَٱجعَلنَا مُسلِمَینِ لَکَ وَمِن ذُرِّیَّتِنَآ أُمَّةً۬ مُّسلِمَةً۬ لَّکَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِکَنَا وَتُبۡ عَلَینَآ ۖ إِنَّکَ أَنتَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِیمُ

(١٢٩) رَبَّنَا وَٱبعَثۡ فِیهِمۡ رَسُولاً۬ مِّنُهمۡ یَتلُواْ عَلَیهِمۡ ءَایَـٰتِکَ وَیُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلکِتَـٰبَ وَٱلحِکمَةَ وَیُزَکِّیِهمۡ ۚ إِنَّکَ أَنتَ ٱلعَزِیزُ ٱلحَکِیمُ

And (remember) when We made the House a rendezvous for men and a (place of) security, and take (for yourselves) a place of prayer on the standing-place of Ibrahim. And We enjoined Ibrahim and Isma'il (saying): “Purify (you two) My House for those who make circuit and those who abide (in it for devotion) and those who bow down (and) those who prostrate themselves” (125).

And (remember) when Ibrahim said. “My Lord! make it a secure town and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the last day” He said: “And whoever disbelieves, I will grant him enjoyment for a short while, then I will drive him to the chastisement of the Fire; and it is an evil desti­nation” (126).

And (remember) when Ibrahim and Isma'il were raising the foundations of the House: “Our Lord! accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing (127).

Our Lord! and make us both submissive to Thee and (raise) from our offspring a group submitting to Thee, and show us our ways of devotion and turn to us (merci­fully), surely Thou art the Oft-returning (with mercy), the Merciful (128).

Our Lord! and raise up in them an Apostle from among themselves who shall recite to them Thy com­munications and teach them the Book and the wisdom, and purify

them; surely Thou art the Mighty, the Wise” (129).

Commentary

Qur’an: And (remember) when We made the House a rendez­vous for men and a (place of) security: It refers to the legislation of the hajj and the sanctuary offered by the House. ”al-Mathabah” اَلمَثابََـة ُُ ) = rendezvous; a place to which one returns) is derived from thaba, yathubu ثـَابَ ، یَثــُوبَُ ) = he returned, he will return).

Qur’an: and take (for yourselves) a place of prayer on the standing-place of Ibrahim: The conjunctive “and” joins this order with the preceding sentence turning that also into order.

In that case the complete sentence would have the following con-notation: And when We told the people, return to, and do the hajj of the House and take (for yourself) a place of prayer... Other alternative, suggested by some exegetes, is to imply a deleted word “We said”.

Accordingly, the meaning would be: and We said, take (for yourselves) a place of prayer... al-Musalla ( اَلمُصَلـّی ) is deverbal noun of place, derived from as-salah (( اَلصَّلوةُ ) = to pray, to invoke); the sentence means: take (for yourselves) a place of prayer and invocation at the place where Ibrahim (a.s.) had stood.

Apparently, the preceding sentence is a sort of introduction, pointing to the reason why prayer in that place was prescribed; that is why this sentence does not put emphasis on “prayer” - in other words, it does not say, and pray in the standing-place of Ibrahim; it literally says, and take on the standing-place of

Ibrahim (a.s.) a place of prayer.

Qur’an: And We enjoined Ibrahim and Isma'il (saying): “Purify (you two) My House...”: al-'Ahd اَلعَهْدُ ) = to enjoin, to obli­gate). The order to purify the House may mean to keep it exclu­sively reserved for the worship by those who go around it making circuits, those who abide in it for devotion, and those who pray in it.

In this sense, it would be an isti'arah bi 'l-kinaya, and would imply: keep My House exclusively reserved for My wor­ship. Alternatively, the order may be to keep it clean; to be on guard lest it is dirtied by careless people.

ar-Rukka'( اَلرُّکَّعُ ) and as-sujud ( اَلسُّجُودُ ) are plurals of ar-raki' ( اَلرَّاکِعُ ) = one who bows down) and as-sajid ( اَلسَّّاجـِدُُ ) = one who prostrates, one who does sajdah) respectively, the phrase refers to those who pray.

Qur’an: And (remember) when Ibrahim said: “My Lord! make it a secure town... ”: In this way Ibrahim (a. s.) called on his Lord to bestow security and safety as well as sustenance on the residents of Mecca; and the prayer was granted.

Far be it from Allah to quote in His speech an unaccepted prayer without hint­ing at its rejection; if He were to do so, His talk would amount to a vain ridicule - far beneath the sublime dignity of His truth­ful speech. He says:

... and the truth do I speak (38:83);

Most surely it is a decisive word, and it is no a jest (86:13 -

14).

The Qur'an has quoted numerous prayers which this great prophet had pleaded before his Lord for; for example, his prayer for himself in the beginning of his life; his prayer at the time of his emigration to Syria; his invocation to keep his good name alive; his prayer for himself, for his progeny and parents, and for the believing men and women; his invocation, after building the House, for the residents of Mecca; his prayer and pleading for a Prophet to be sent from among his progeny.

His prayers and the favours he asked from Allah are a canvas which graphi­cally shows his hopes and expectations, creates before our eyes a clear picture of his endeavours and efforts in the way of Allah, and provides a glimpse of his sublime spiritual virtues.

In short, these prayers show his status before Allah and his nearness to Him. One may write a detailed history of his life, basing it on his stories and the laudatory phrases used for him in the Qur'an; and we shall write something on these lines in Chapter 6 (The Cattle).

Qur’an: such of them as believe: Ibrahim (a. s.) asked his Lord to give the residents of Mecca security and provide them with fruits. At the same time he realized that not all of the residents would be believers, that some of them would be unbelievers; also he understood that his prayer for their sustenance was general - it covered the believers as well as the unbelievers; and he was

aware that he had already declared himself to be separate from the unbelievers and their idols (as Allah says about him:

But when it became clear to him that he, that is, his father, was an enemy of Allah, he declared himself to be clear of him [9:114].

Here Allah bears witness that Ibrahim [a.s.] had declared his separation from every enemy of Allah, not expecting even his father). In this background, as soon as he realized that his prayer included both the believers and the unbelievers, he added the proviso, “such of them as believe...”, although he was well aware that, according to the social structure of this world, sustenance could not be given only to the believing group, to the exclusion of the unbelievers; yet he qualified his prayer.

Even so, Allah knows better how He should decide about His creatures and what He should decree concerning them. Therefore, Ibrahim's prayer was granted for the believers, and was extended to cover the unbelievers also.

The reply given to Ibrahim (a.s.) implies that Allah would give them sustenance according to the system He has created in this world; in other words, believers and unbelievers both would be given their livelihood, because restricting it to the believers would entail unnecessarily breaking the usual and established system.

Ibrahim (a.s.) could have said: and provide the believers of this town with fruits; but he did not, because what he wanted to ask was an attraction, a dignity, for the town which would be centred around the Sacred

House of Allah.

That House was built in a valley devoid of every agricultural produce; and if it were not provided with fruits and food-stuff, nobody would settle in it, and the place would remain uninhabited.

Qur’an: “And whoever disbelieves, I will grant him enjoy­ment for a short while: The word translated, “I will grant him enjoyment”, has been read umti'uhu ( اُمْتِعُهُُُ ) and umatti'uhu ( اُمَتـِِّعُهُُُ ) from the verbal noun's paradigms al-if'al ( اَلإفعْالُُ ) and at-taf-'il(اَلتَّفْعِیلُ) respectively. Meaning of both readings is the same.

Qur’an: then I will drive him to the chastisement... ”: It further shows the great dignity of the House and is meant to give even more pleasure to Ibrahim (a.s.). The import of the verse is as follows:

I have granted your prayer (to increase this House's honour by giving sustenance to its believing residents) and have decided to include even the unbelievers in that livelihood; but the unbelievers should not be deluded by that; they should not think that the sustenance comes to them because they have got any honour in the eyes of Allah; it is actually in honour of this town, because I have accepted your prayer and given you more than you had asked. As for the unbeliever, I will surely drive him to the chastisement of the Fire and it is an evil destination.

Qur’an: And (remember) when Ibrahim and Isma'il were raising the foundations of the House: al-Qawa'id ((اَلقَوَاعِدُ is plural of al-ga'idah (اَلقَاعِدَةُ) which literally means that part of building

which “sits” in the earth'; hence it has been translated as foun­dation, upon which the rest of the building is raised.

“Raising the foundations” is an allegorical expression, it counts the walls (which were raised upon foundations) as a part of the foundation; another allegorical aspect is to ascribe the rise to the foundations alone without mentioning the walls, although it were the walls which were raised. The words “of the House”, point to the intended allegory.

Qur’an: “Our. Lord! accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing: The prayer comes direct from Ibrahim and Isma'il, without any introductory clause like “They said” or “They prayed”; such a clause is not even implied here.

When we read the words, “when Ibrahim and Isma'il were raising the foundations of the House”, the scene is flashed before our eyes; it is as though we see them busy building the walls, and then we dramatically hear their voices and their prayer directly from them - there is no need of any intermediary to report to us what they said or did.

Such dramatic presentation is often used in the Qur'an, and it is among its most beautiful styles - and all its styles are beautiful. It presents the story in the most effective way, bringing it within the purview of our senses. It is a style which surpasses all manners of narration and reporting.

Ibrahim and Isma'il did not mention the thing or action which they prayed to Allah to accept, that is, they did not

say, accept from us this construction' of Thy House. It shows their humbleness and humility before their Lord; they thought that it was a very insignificant work on their part and was not worthy of their Lord.

This omission of the object has given the following connotation to their prayer: Our Lord! accept from us this in-significant deed, although it is not worthy of Thy name; surely Thou art hearing our prayers, knowing our intentions.

Qur’an: Our Lord! And make us both submissive to thee and (raise) from our offspring a group submitting to Thee. The words translated here as submissive and submitting are muslim (مُسْلِم) and its feminine muslimah (مُسْلِمَة), respectively.

Obviously, the definition of Islam, with which we are familiar, and which comes to our minds as soon as we hear the word, Islam, is just the elementary grade of servitude; it distinguishes a professed convert from the one who openly rejects the faith. This elemen­tary Islam means professing the matters of faith and doing necessary deeds, no matter whether it is done with true belief or hypo-critically.

Now, Ibrahim (a.s.) was a prophet, a messenger and one of the five ulu 'l-'azm apostles, who gave us the upright faith. It is unthinkable that such a great prophet had not attained, at the time when he was praying, this most elementary grade of Islam.

Likewise, his son, Isma'il (a.s.), was a messenger of Allah and had been offered as sacrifice in His way. Can it be said that they had got that much

Islam but were unaware of it? Or that, although they were aware of having attained to that Islam but wanted to continue on it?

Just look at the context of the prayer: Those who prayed were so near to Allah; they were praying while build­ing His Sacred House; they knew whom they were praying to, and who He was and how great His splendour is.

Could they, in that position, ask for such a trivial grade from the Lord Almighty? Moreover, this grade of Islam is among those things which are within the power of man himself; and that is why man can be ordered to accept it; as Allah says:

When his Lord said to him: “Be a Muslim”, he said: “I submit myself to the Lord of the worlds” (2:131).

Obviously, such a quality or action cannot be attributed to Allah; likewise, it is meaningless to ask from Allah to do a work which has been placed within the power of the man himself. (Of course, it may be done if there is some special condition which makes Divine interference justifiable.)

Therefore, the Islam they had asked for was not that Islam whose definition we are familiar with. Islam has many grades, as may be see in the verse quoted above:

When his Lord said to him (i.e., Ibrahim): “Be a Muslim”, he said: “I submit myself to the Lord of the worlds” (2:131).

Ibrahim (a.s.) was ordered to be a Muslim at a time when he was already a Muslim. Clearly, the Islam which

he was told to attain was other than the Islam he had already attained. There are many such examples in the Qur'an.

This sublime grade of Islam - which we shall explain in detail later on - means total servitude, unconditional surrender of all a servant has got to his Master. No doubt it is within a man's power to prepare the conditions facilitating its attainment.

Yet, when we look at an average man and the usual condition of his heart and mind, such a high standard seems beyond his power to attain. In other words, it is not possible for him - in the con­ditions surrounding him - to get to that sublime Islam.

From this point of view, that Islam is not different from other positions of al-wilayah اَلوِلایَةُ) = friendship of Allah) and its lofty stages, or from other grades of perfection - all of them are beyond the reach of an average man, because he cannot fulfil their necessary conditions.

In this sense, it is possible to count that Islam as a Divine gift which is beyond a man's power to attain by himself. Consequently, it is perfectly right for a man to pray to Allah to bestow on him that sublime quality and make him a Muslim of that high rank.

Moreover, there is another deeper connotations: It is only actions which are attributed to man and emanate from his free will and power; as for his attributes and deep-rooted traits (which are etched on his psyche by repeated actions),

they are in fact beyond his power.

Therefore, they may be - or let us say, should be - attributed to Allah, especially if they are good and virtuous attributes which should better be attributed to Allah rather than to man. This observation is based on the style used in the Qur'an. For example:

“My Lord! make me keep up prayer, and from my off-spring (too) ” (14:40);

“... and join me with the good ones” (26:83);

“My Lord! grant me that I should be grateful for Thy bounty which Thou has bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I should do good such as Thou art pleased with, and make me enter, by Thy mercy, into Thy servants, the good ones” (27:19);

“Our Lord! and make us both submissive to Thee and (raise) from our offspring a group submitting to Thee (2:128).

It is now clear that the Islam which Ibrahim and Isma'il had asked for was something different from the Islam to which the verse 49:14 refers:

The dwellers of the desert say: “We believe.” Say: “You do not believe but say: 'We submit (we accept Islam)'; and faith has not yet entered into your hearts.”

The Islam they prayed for was of a high rank and sublime grade which we shall explain later on.

Qur’an: and show us our ways of devotion and turn to us (mercifully), surely Thou art the Oft-returning (with mercy), the Merciful: This also points to the sublime meaning of Islam, just referred to al-manasik اَلمَناسِکُ) = translated here as

ways of devotion) is plural of al-mansak (اَلمَنسَکُ) which means “wor­ship” or “act of worship”, as Allah says:

And to every nation We appointed (acts of) worship... (22:34).

It is a masdar used as the first construct of a genitive case. We have explained earlier that a masdar used in this way proves the existence of that work or action. Therefore, the phrase, “our ways of devotion”, refers to those acts of worship which they were doing or had already done; it does not refer to any action which they intended to do in future.

In this context, the phrase “show us” does not mean “teach us” or “help us to do”; rather it means “strengthen us by showing us the realities of our acts of worship”, as we pointed out earlier while writing the verse:

and We revealed to them the doing of good (deeds) and the establishing of prayer and the giving of zakat (21:73).

And later on we shall explain that the revelation mentioned in this verse means to strengthen the doer of that deed; it does not mean teaching them their responsibilities and obligations. Probably, it is to this reality that the verses 38: 45 - 46 refer:

And remember Our servants, Ibrahim and Ishaq and Ya'qub, men of strength and insight. Surely We purified them by a pure quality, the remembering of the (final) abode.

The above explanation makes it clear that this prayer was for an Islam and an insight into worship completely different from ordinary meanings of these terms. The

same is the case with their prayer, tub 'alayna تُبْ عَلَیْنا) = usually translated as, forgive us);

Ibrahim and Isma'il both were prophets, protected by Allah from every error and sin; they could not make any mistake or error; they did not need Allah's forgiveness and pardon as we do when we commit sins, (that is why we have translated it in literal way: turn to us mercifully).

Question: It is all right to interpret Islam, showing the ways of devotion and forgiveness in the way you have done maintaining the dignity of Ibrahim and Isma'il (peace be on them both). But it is not necessary to apply the same meanings when these words are used for their offspring. Ibrahim (a.s.) did not include his offspring with himself and Isma'il, except in the prayer for Islam, and that also in a separate sentence.

They did not say: Make us and a group of our offspring submissive to Thee; instead they prayed for themselves, and after that separately pleaded for their offspring, saying, ”and (raise) from our offspring a group sub­mitting to Thee”.

There should be no difficulty in believing that what they had in mind was Islam in its general meaning covering all its ranks and grades - even the most elementary one. Even this elementary grade of Islam gives good results and is instrumental in creating good environment in the society.

It would not be wrong if Ibrahim (a.s.) asked his Lord for this Islam; even the Prophet invited people to just that type

of Islam - if they testified that there was none to be worshipped except Allah and Muhammad (S) was His Messenger, they were accepted as Muslims, their lives were protected, marriage with them was allowed and they became entitled to inherit from their Muslim relatives.

Therefore, it should be perfectly right to say that the two sentences refer to two separate ranks of Islam: “Our Lord! and make us both submissive to Thee”, would mean the highest rank of Islam in conformity with the prestige of Ibrahim and Isma'il;

“and (raise) from our offspring a group submitting to Thee”, would refer to the elementary grade of Islam befitting a nation which included hypocrites and people of weak faith as well as those with firm belief - and all are called Muslims.

Reply: Position of legislation for the guidance of people is totally different from the position of praying to Allah, and each has its own rules; what is valid on one plane is not necess­arily good on the other.

The Prophet prescribed a minimum stan­dard for his ummah, that is, to utter the two testimonies of the Oneness of Allah, and his own prophethood; it was done with a view to widen the circle of Islam and to protect the healthy religious system - that manifest Islam protected the essence of Islam as a shell protects the kernel.

But the plane of invocation and prayer to Allah is much higher than that. At this level, appearances loose their value; it is the reality that matters

here; the objective here is actuality and truth, and the desire is for nearness to Allah. At this level, the prophets are not influenced by appearance. It was not because of any worldly love of his offspring that Ibrahim (a.s.) prayed for his progeny.

Had it been so, he would have prayed first of all for his father and would not have declared his separation from him as soon as he came to know that he was an enemy of Allah. Also, if he would have been concerned with appearances, he would not have prayed in the following words:

And disgrace me not on the day when they are raised, the day on which neither property will avail, nor sons, except him who comes to Allah with a heart submissive (26:87 - 89);

nor would have he said: And make for me a truthful tongue among the posterity (26:84),

instead he would have said, make for me a remembering tongue among the posterity.

Keeping all this in view, it is easy to understand that when he asked from his Lord to raise a Muslim group from among his offspring, he did not mean the elementary rank of Islam; he wanted for them the reality of Islam.

The Qur'anic words, “a group submitting to Thee”, support this interpretation. If he wanted only the appearance of Islam and not its essence, it was enough to say, “a group submitting”, there was no need to add, “to Thee”. (Ponder on this point.)

Qur’an: Our Lord! and raise up in them

an Apostle from among themselves...: He was praying for the Prophet; and the Prophet used to say: “I am the prayer of Ibrahim”.

Traditions

al-Kattani said: “I asked Abu Abdillah (a.s.) about a man who forgot to pray two rak'ahs near the standing-place of Ibrahim, in at-tawaf اَلطـَّوَافُ) = circuit, circumambulation) of the hajj and 'umrah. He (a.s.) said:

'If he is still in the town (Mecca), he should pray the two rak'ahs near the standing-place of Ibrahim, because verily Allah says: and take (for yourselves) a place of prayer on the standing-place of Ibrahim; and if he has departed (from it) then I will not order him to return.' ” (al-Kafi)

The author says: Almost similar traditions have been nar­rated by ash-Shaykh in at-Tahdhib and by al-'Ayyashi in his at-Tafsir with several asnad (i.e., chains of narrators). Particulars of this rule (i.e., prayer should be offered near or behind the standing-place - as is narrated in some traditions that:

“No-one should pray the two rak'ahs of at-tawaf except behind the stand­ing-place...”) are inferred from the word min (مِنَْ = from; here translated as on) used in the order, and take... a place of prayer on (or, from) the standing-place...

as-Sadiq (a.s.) said explaining the words of Allah: Purify (you two) My House...: “Keep the polytheists away from it.” (at-Tafsir, al-Qummi)

as-Sadiq (a.s.) said: ” Verily Allah, Mighty and Great is He! says in His Book:

'Purify (you two) My House for those who make circuit and those who abide (in it for devotion) and those who bow

down (and) those who prostrate themselves.'

Therefore, it is proper for a servant not to enter Mecca except that he is clean, (and) has washed away his sweat and dirt and has purified himself.”

The author says: This meaning has been narrated in other traditions also. The idea, that if the place of arrival is clean then the one who arrives should make himself clean, may be inferred from other verses too. See, for example, the verse:

and the good things are for good ones and the good ones are for good things (24:26).

Ibn ''Abbas said: “When Ibrahim brought Isma'il and Hajar, he settled them at Mecca; and a time passed; and the people of (the tribe of) Jurhum came to settle there and Isma'il married a woman from that tribe; and Hajar died; and Ibrahim asked per-mission of Sarah (to visit Isma'il); so she allowed him but imposed a condition on him that he would not come down (from his riding animal).

Thus Ibrahim arrived (at Mecca) and Hajar had died, so he went to the house of Isma'il; and he asked his wife: 'Where is your husband?' She told him: 'He is not here, he has gone hunting.' And Isma'il used to go outside al-Haram (اَلحَرَم = the bound­ary) to hunt and then return. Ibrahim said to her: 'Do you have anything to entertain a guest?'

She said: 'I have nothing and there is nobody with me.' Then Ibrahim said to her: 'When your husband comes, tell him (my) salam and tell him

to change the threshold of his door.' And Ibrahim went away. Then Isma'il came and felt the scent of his father.

So he asked his wife: 'Had anyone come to you?' She said: 'An old man had come to me with such and such features (describing him scornfully).' (Isma'il) said: 'Then what did he say to you?' She said: 'He said to me to give you (his) salam and to tell you to change the threshold of your door.' So, Isma'il divorced her and married another (woman).

Thereafter, Ibrahim remained (at his place) as long as Allah wished him to remain (there). Then he asked permission of Sarah to visit Isma'il; and she allowed him, but (again) imposed the (same) condition that he should not come down (from his riding animal). Then Ibrahim came until he reached the door of Isma'il.

And he asked his wife: 'Where is your husband?' She said: 'He has gone for hunting and, Allah willing, he will come back just now; you come down, may Allah have mercy upon you!' He asked her: 'Do you have anyting to entertain a guest?'

She said: 'Yes.' Then she brought milk and meat. (Ibrahim) thereupon prayed and blessed her. Had she brought on that day bread, wheat, barley or date, (Mecca) would have become the most plentiful of all the world in wheat, barley or date. Then she said to him: '(Please) come down so that I may wash your head.'

But he did not come down. So she brought (the stone which

thereafter was known as) the standing-place (of Ibrahim) and put it on his (right) side, and he put his foot on it, and his footmark was impressed on it; (in this way) she washed the right side of his head; then she shifted the stone to his left side and washed the left side of his head, and (again) his footmark was imprinted on it.

Thereupon (Ibrahim) said to her: 'When your husband comes, give him (my) salam and tell him that the threshold of his door is now in order.'

When Isma'il (a.s.) came back, he felt the scent of his father, and asked his wife: 'Had anyone come to you?' She replied: 'Yes, a venerable (old) man, of loveliest features and most pleasant fra­grance; he said to me this and this and I told him this and this; and I washed his head and this is the imprint of his feet on (his) standing-place.' (Hearing this), Isma'il said to her: 'That was Ibrahim.'' ”(Majma'u 'l-bayan )

The author says: al-Qummi has narrated in his at-Tafsir a nearly similar tradition.

as-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “Verily, Ibrahim settled in a valley of Syria. When he got his son Isma'il from Hajar, Sarah was extreme­ly grieved because she hereself had no child. And she used to hurt Ibrahim and make him unhappy with respect to Hajar.

So Ibrahim complained to Allah about it, and Allah sent a revelation to him: 'The likeness of woman is like the curved rib; if you leave it (as it is), you

will benefit from it, but if you (try to) make it straight, you will break it.' Thereafter, (Allah) ordered him to remove Isma'il and his mother (from that place).

He said: 'O Lord! to which place?' (Allah) said: 'To My holy place, and My sanctuary, and the part of the earth which I created first (of all the earth); and it is Mecca.' Then Allah sent Jibril down to him with al-Buraq⁽¹⁾; and (Jibril) made Hajar, Isma'il and Ibrahim ride on it.

And whenever Ibrahim passed a good place with trees, cultivation and date-palms, he used to say: 'O Jibril! here? here?' And Jibril used to reply: 'No, go on, go on.' (It continued) until they reached Mecca and (Jibril) made them alight in the place where the House is.

And Ibrahim had given Sarah a promise that he would not come down until he came back to her. When they alighted in that place, there was a tree there; Hajar spread on that tree a sheet she had with her, and thus they found a shade under it.

When Ibrahim arranged their affairs and settled them there, he wished to leave them to return to Sarah. Hajar said to him: 'O Ibrahim! Are you leaving us in a place where there is neither human being to keep company nor water nor cultivation?' Ibrahim said: 'Allah, Who has ordered me to settle you in this place, will suffice you.'

Then he took leave of them. When he reached Kada' (a mountain in Dhu Tuwa), Ibrahim

turned around and said:

“O our Lord! surely I have settled a part of my offspring in a valley uncultivable near Thy Sacred House, our Lord!, that they may establish prayer; therefore make the hearts of some people yearn towards them and provide them with fruits, haply they may be grateful” (14:37).

Then he went away, and Hajar remained (there). When the sun rose high, Isma'il became thirsty; Hajar stood at the running-place⁽¹⁾, and she ascended the Safa, and mirage glittered before her in the valley and she thought that it was water; so she descended to the valley and ran (to it).

When she reached Marwah, she could not see Isma'il, therefore, she returned until she reached Safa and again she looked (around, with the same effect); until she did likewise seven times. When she was on Marwah, in the seventh round, she looked at Isma'il and lo! water had appeared from under his feet.

She returned and gathered sand around the water - the water was flowing and she “reined” (Arabic: زَمَّتَْْ = zammat) it with (the sand) which she put around it, and that is why it was called zamzam.

And the (tribe of) Jurhum had come down at Dhu 'l-majaz and Arafat. When water appeared at Mecca, the birds and wild animals gathered around it; the Jurhum saw this gathering of the birds and animals at that place and followed them until they found a woman and a child settled there - they were sitting in the shade of the tree

and the water had appeared for them.

They said to Hajar: 'Who are you? And what is the matter with you and this child?' She said: 'I am the mother of the son of Ibrahim, the friend of Allah, and this is his son; Allah has ordered him to settle us here.'

They asked her: 'Would you allow us to remain near you?' She told them: 'Until Ibrahim comes.' When Ibrahim came to visit them the third day, Hajar said: 'O friend of Allah! there are some people of Jurhum here; they request you to allow them to settle near us; so will you allow them?' Ibrahim said: 'Yes.'

Then Hajar allowed them and they settled near them, and erected their tents. In this way Hajar and Isma'il got on friendly terms with them. When Ibrahim came to see them the second time, he looked at the large number of people around them, and he was extremely happy.

When Isma'il grew up - and each one of the Jurhum had presented one or two goats to Isma'il - so Hajar and Isma'il supported themselves with them. When Isma'il came of age, Allah ordered Ibrahim to build the House... When Allah ordered Ibrahim to build the House, he did not know where to build it; so Allah sent Jibril and he drew a line at the site of the House...

So, Ibrahim built the House and shifted Isma'il from Dhu Tuwa. And he raised (the House) nine hands in height. Then (Jibril) led him to the

place of the (Black) Stone, and Ibrahim took it out and fixed it in the place where it is at present.

When he built it, he made two doors for it, one in the east and the other in the west; and the door that was in the west is (now) called al-Mustajar. Then he put on it tree (-trunks) and al-adhkhar اَلأذْخَرْ ) = a sweet smelling grass) (as roof). And Hajar put on the door a sheet she had with her and under which they used to sit. When he built and completed it, Ibrahim and Isma'il performed their hajj.

Jibril came to them on the day of at-tarwiyah, that is, 8th Dhu 'l-hijjah, and said: 'O Ibrahim! stand up and quench your thirst from water' (because there was no water in Mina or 'Arafat); that is why it was named the day of at-tarwiyah اَلتـَّروِیَةُ) = to quench thirst).

Then (Jibril) took him out to Mina and he stayed there in the night, and Jibril did with Ibrahim what he had done with Adam. Thus, when Ibrahim completed the construction of the House, he said: 'My Lord! make it a secure town and provide its people with fruits, such of themas believe in Allah...' ”

The Imam explained the fruits as the fruits of the hearts, that is, make people love them, so that they may befriend them and return to them (year after year). (at-Tafsir, al-Qummi)

The author says: This is the gist of this story, and it covers many of

the traditions narrated about this subject. Some other traditions say that there had happened many miraculous things in the history of the House.

For example, some traditions say that the House in the very beginning was a dome of light; it had descended on Adam and settled in the place where in later days Ibrahim built the Ka'bah; and that dome remained in the place till the deluge of Nuh; when the earth was submerged in water, Allah took that dome up; and its site was not submerged, that is why the Ka'bah is called the Ancient House.

Other traditions say that Allah sent the foundation of the House down from the Garden.

Yet others say that the Black Stone came down from the Garden - and it was whiter than snow - then it turned black when it was touched by the unbelievers.

Also it is narrated from al-Baqir or as-Sadiq (a.s.) that he said: “Verily Allah ordered Ibrahim to build the Ka'bah and to raise its walls and to show the people their ways of devotion (i.e., hajj).

Thereupon, Ibrahim and Isma'il built the House, every day (the height of) a knee until it reached the place of the Black Stone.” And al-Baqir (a.s.) said: “Then the (mountain) Abu Qubays called to him: 'I have something in trust for you;' and it gave him the (Black) Stone, and he put it in its place.” (al-Kafi)

ath-Thawri says: “I asked Abu Ja'far (a.s.) about the Stone. He said: 'Three stones came down from the Garden:

the Black Stone which was put in place by Ibrahim, and the Standing-place of Ibrahim, and the stone of the Israelites.' ” (al-'Ayyashi)

And a tradition says that the Black Stone was an angel.

The author says: There are very many such traditions nar­rated by both the Shi'ah and the Sunni narrators; and although these traditions are ahad and do not reach, in words or meanings, the standard required for a mutawatir narration, still they are not unique in the field of religious descriptions, nor is there any reason to discard them altogether.

As for the narration that the dome was sent down to Adam or that Ibrahim rode al-Buraq for his journey to Mecca and other such miraculous happenings which have a super-natural character, there is no reason to say that they were impossible. Moreover, Allah had given His prophets many such miracles and super-natural signs, and the Qur'an mentions many such events.

So far as the coming down of the foundations of the House, the Black Stone and the Standing Stone (which is said to be fixed in the structure now known as the Standing-place of Ibrahim) and other such things are concerned, there are many such ex­amples found in the Qur'an and hadith. Many vegetables and fruits etc. are said to be from the Garden, or from the Fire and its out-burst.

Of the same genre are the traditions of “substance” saying that the substance of the good people is from the Garden and that of the evil ones is from the

Fire; or that they are from al-'illiyyin اَلعِلـِّیِینُ) = lofty place; the Book of the deeds of the virtuous) and as-sijjin اَلسِـّجِِینُ) =prison; the Book of the deeds of the evil ones), respecttively.

Of similar nature are the traditions to the effect that the Garden of al-barzakh (the period between death and the Day of Judgment) is in some specified place on this earth, and the Fire of al-barzakh in some other place in it; and that the grave is either a section of the Garden's or a pit of the Fire's.

There are many such informations which one is sure to come upon while studying the traditions. And, as we said earlier, they are so huge in number that the whole lot cannot be discarded, nor is it possible to question its authenticity.

They are parts of the Divine realities expounded by the Qur'an and followed by the traditions. The fact is that all the things seen in this material world have been sent down by Allah; whatsoever is good and lovely, or is a means to or a receptacle of good, has come down from the Garden and will return to it; and whatsoever is bad and evil, or is a means to or a receptacle of evil, has come down from the Fire and will return to it.

Allah says:

And there is not a thing but with Us are the treasures of it, and We do not send it down but in a known measure (15:21).

It shows that everything exists with

Allah, and it is an existence without any limit or measure; when it is sent down - a gradual descent - then it becomes subject to limits and measures.

This verse describes the descent of all things in general. But there are also in the Qur'an specific examples of this descent. Allah says:

... and He has sent down for you eight of the cattle in pairs... (39:6);

... and We have sent down the iron... (57:25);

And in the heaven is your sustenance, and what you are promised (51:22).

We shall further explain the meanings of these verses in their proper places, Allah willing. They however prove that every thing descends to this world from Allah. Other verses show that they are also to return to him, as He says:

And that to your Lord is the end goal (53:42);

Surely to your Lord is the return (96:8);

... to Him is the eventual coming (40:3);

... now surely to Allah do all affairs eventually come (42:53).

There are many verses in the Qur'an of the same connotation.

Also, Allah has made it clear that every thing - and all things presently are in middle of their journey - follows a course demanded by its origin, and that origin has some effect on its suc­cess and failure, its good and evil, as the Qur'an says:

Say: “Every one acts according to his own manner...” (17:84);

And every one has a direction to which he should turn... (2:148).

We shall explain all these verses in their places; here they have been quoted just to

complete the picture, and make the subject of our dis­cussion clearer.

What these verses prove is this: There is reason to believe that the traditions which say about a material thing that it came down from the Garden or from the Fire (when that thing has some connection with the next life's happiness or un­happiness) are on the whole correct, because they are, generally speaking, in conformity with the Qur'anic principles - although it does not mean that each and every such tradition is correct or trustworthy. Ponder on this point.

Someone has said: “The Divine words: And (remember) when Ibrahim and Isma'il were raising the foundations of the House..., manifestly show that the two prophets built this House for the worship of Allah in that country of the idol-wor­shippers.

But the story-tellers and those exegetes who followed them have embroidered what Allah had said. They have added a lot of fanciful details, as, for example, that the House was from the very beginning and Adam did its hajj; that it was taken to the heaven during Null's flood; that the Black Stone was one of the stones of the Garden.

Their main purpose was to present the religion in an attractive garment, adorning it with fascinating narratives. Such myths may impress the masses; but the people who have knowledge and wisdom know that spiritual excellence depends on Divine bestowal - it is Allah Who makes one thing to excel the others.

The Ka'bah has excellence because it is the House of Allah, that is,

attributed to Him; the Black Stone is excellent because people have been ordered to kiss it - in this respect it represents the hand of Allah. It has no bearing on its excellence whether originally it was a ruby or a pearl or some other rock; nor do such tales add to its real glory.

In reality it makes no difference in the eyes of Allah whether a stone is black or white. The Ka'bah has got its distinction and honour because Allah has called it His House, and has appointed it as the centre for various acts of worship which cannot be performed in any other place - its glory does not lie in the fact that its stones are more valuable than other stones, or that its site is the most attractive of all, or that it was sent down from the lofty heavens.

Likewise, the excellence of the prophets is not based on any distinctive feature of their bodies nor on the quality of their apparel. They got excellence because Allah chose them especially, and selected them for His prophethood which is a spiritual thing; otherwise many people in the world were far superior to them in their adornments and enjoyed greater worldly bounties.”

He continues to say: “These traditions are untrustworthy because they contradict each other and some are self-contradic­tory; they are unauthentic because their chains of narrators are not correct; they are unacceptable because they go against the apparent meaning of the Qur'an.”

He further says: “These traditions are

Israelite myths, propa­gated among the Muslims by unbelieving Jews to make Islam look ridiculous, in order to keep the People of the Book away from it.”

The author says: There is a grain of truth in some things he has said: But he has gone far beyond the limit in disputation, and consequently has lost his bearings and arrived at a hypothesis much more atrocious and repugnant, Let us have a critical look at his arguments:

Objection: “These traditions are untrustworthy and unacceptable because they contradict each other and are against the Qur'an.”

Reply: The fact that some of them contradict the others could be a matter of worry if we were to accept them one by one as separate independent units. But when we accept the whole in their collective capacity (i.e., when we say that the whole lot should not be discarded because, taken all together, they do not tell us anything that is against reason or against the Qur'an or accepted traditions), then it is of no importance if there some minor discrepancies between individual traditions.

But one point must be made clear here: What we have said just now, con­cerns the traditions narrated from the infallible sources like the Prophet and his sinless family members. So far as other exegetes among the Companions and their disciples are concerned, they, in this respect, are just like any other people; for us it makes no difference whether their talk is free from contradiction or riddled with it.

In short, there is no justification

to discard a tradition, or a group of traditions, unless it goes against the Qur'an or other authentic traditions, or the marks of forgery and lie are stamped on it. (However, when it comes to the basic religious knowledge and fundamental beliefs, the only thing accepted as proof is the Book of Allah and the authentic traditions of the Prophet and his sinless progeny; nothing else counts in this area.)

It is now clear that there are some things which must be accepted, that is, the Qur'an and the authentic traditions; and there are others which must be rejected, that is, all that goes against the Qur'an and the authentic traditions.

Then there is a third group: the traditions concerning which there is neither any proof compelling us to reject it, nor forcing us to accept it. These are the traditions which are neither impossible in reason nor un­acceptable according to the Qur'an and authentic traditions - and there is no reason why they should be discarded altogether.

Objection: These traditions are unauthentic according to their chains of narrators.

Reply: The above given explanation also dispels this doubt, because weakness of the chains of narrators does not oblige us to reject the whole group, unless it is against the reason, the Qur'an or the authentic traditions.

Objection: They are against the words of Allah; And (remember) when Ibrahim and Isma'il were raising the foun­dation of the House...

Reply: I wish I knew how this verse proves that the Black Stone was not from the Garden! Or,

that the dome did not come down to that place in Adam's time (and there was, therefore, no question of its being taken up at the time of the flood)! The only thing the verse says is that this construction, made of stone and mud, was built by Ibrahim.

What has this got to do - either for or against - the traditions mentioned earlier. The only difficulty with those traditions is that the objector does not like them. And this dislike is based, not on the principles of religion, but on his biased views.

He does not believe that the prophets had any spiritual realities within them; he does not think that the exoteric side of religion is based on its esoteric aspect; he unconsciously is so much over-awed by today's natural sciences that he tries to find a material cause not only for material happenings but even for spiritual things - if they have even a slight connection with matter. For him, the matter rules over all happenings, not excepting the sociological principles.

This man should have pondered on this point: The natural sciences deal with the matter; its properties and its various compounds; they look at the relationship of a natural effect with its cause. Likewise, the various sociological disciplines study the social relationships among various event taking place in society.

But the natural and sociological sciences have no concern at all with the realities which are beyond the sphere of matter, outside its field of action; they have no jurisdiction

even over immaterial connections existing between a material thing and an event taking place in the visible world.

The natural sciences and disciplines have no authority or right to confirm or reject these immaterial realities. It is within the jurisdiction of natural science to say that construction of a house depends on things like mud, stone and mason; it may explain how black stones may take the shape of a room.

Likewise, sociological disciplines may describe the factors which led to the building of the Ka'bah - it may explain a part of Ibrahim's biography, Hajar's life, Isma'il's story, history of Tahamah, arrival of the tribe of Jur­hum and things like that.

But these sciences and disciplines have no right to discuss what was the relation between a certain stone on one hand and the Garden or the Fire on the other; nor have these branches of knowledge any right to express any affirmative or negative opinion about such narratives.

And you have seen that the Qur'an clearly says that even material and physical things have been sent down from the trea­sure which is with Allah, and that they would ultimately return to Him - either to the Garden or to the Fire.

Also, the Qur'an says that the deeds and actions - which are but physical move­ments and positions - ascend to Allah acid arrive at His presence:

To Him do ascend the good words, and the good deed lifts them up (35:10);

again it says:

to Him reaches the piety on your part (22:37),

and piety is

but action or a characteristic acquired through repeated actions. It is essential for a student of religion to meditate on these verses and to understand that the religious realities do not have any relationship with material or sociological matters per se; they depend on the facts which are beyond the reach of material disciplines.

Objection: The excellence of the prophets, and the things attributed to them like the Ka'bah or the Black Stone, is not based on a material quality; it is a spiritual excellence bestowed by the Divine Grace.

Reply: What he says is right. But he should understand what is the real meaning of what he says. What is that spiritual reality which creates excellence? Is it a mentally posited abstract idea created by social needs, like the designations and offices found in every nation, for example, presidency, leadership of the party, the high price of gold and silver, respect of the parents, sanctity of the laws of the land?

All these are subjective and imaginative abstract forms which the societies have laid down to meet their own needs; but they have no existence outside the imagination, beyond subjective consideration.

Such honours and distinctions cannot be found outside the social life which created them to fulfil its needs; and Allah is too sublime for such needs to reach His presence. Therefore, such social distinc­tions have no relevance to an excellence given by Allah to any of His creatures.

If the objector thinks that the excellence of the prophets is just like the above-mentioned

imaginary and unreal honours, then why should a house or a stone be denied a similar excel­lence? And if he believes that an excellence given by Allah is the real one, as is found in light vis-à-vis darkness, in knowledge vis-à-vis ignorance, and in wisdom vis-à-vis idiocy, then of course it would be a real and actual excellence.

In that case, the quiddity of the existence of a prophet would be different from the quiddity of other human beings - even if our senses are unable to grasp it.

And such real excellence and distinction is in keeping with the sublimity and sanctity of the Divine actions and wisdom. Allah says:

And We did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them in sport. We did not create them both but with the truth, but most of them do not know (44:38 - 39).

Such a distinction is real, spiritual, metaphysical and beyond the reach of physical nature. And if such real excellence may be given to the prophets, why can it not be bestowed on some other things, like the Ka'bah and the Black Stone etc.? And, may be, it is this real immaterial excellence which has been described in such words that the people could easily understand.

Would that I knew what would such people do about those Qur'anic verses which say that the people of the Garden will be given cups, ornaments and dresses of gold and silver. These two metals have no inherent excellence except that their

price remains high because of their scarcity.

If so, then why should they be used for exalting the people of the Garden? What wealth will they represent in the Garden? After all, the economics of this world will not be valid there!

These and other such Divine words and exoteric expressions are the curtains which hide the esoteric realities; they are the veils covering Divine secrets. And if such expressions are accept-able for the realities of the next world, they can as easily be used for some facts of this one.

az-Zubayri says: “I said to Abu 'Abdillah (a.s.): 'Tell me about the ummah of Muhammad (S), who are they?' He said: 'The ummah of Muhammad (S) are the Children of Hashim in particular.' I said: 'And what is the proof that the ummah of Muhammad are his family members you have men­tioned, to the exclusion of the others?'

He said: '(It is) the words of Allah: And (remember) when Ibrahim and Isma'il were raising the foundations of the House: “Our Lord! accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing. Our Lord! and make us both submissive to Thee and (raise) from our offspring a group (um­mah) submitting to Thee, and show us our ways of devotion and turn to us (mercifully), surely Thou art the Oft-returning (with mercy), the Merciful.”

When Allah answered the prayer of Ibrahim and Isma'il and did (promise to) raise from their offspring a submissive ummah and raised up in them an Apostle from among themselves, that is,

from among that ummah itself, to recite to them His communications, and to teach them the Book and the wisdom, Ibrahim beseeched Allah for another bounty; and asked for that ummah purity from polytheism and idol-worship in order that the affair of that Apostle might remain firm and strong among them and they might not need to follow anyone other than themselves.

That is why Ibrahim said:

“and save me and my sons from worshipping idols: My Lord! Surely they have led many men astray; then whoever follows me, he is surely of me, and whoever disobeys me, Thou surely art Forgiving, Merciful” (14:35 - 36).

It proves that the Imams, and the submissive ummah in which Muhammad (s. a. w. a.) was raised, cannot be except from the offspring of Ibrahim (a.s.), because he had said: “save me and my sons from worshipping idols” ' ”. (al-'Ayyashi )

The author says: The argument of the Imam is absolutely clear. Ibrahim (a. s.) had asked this submissive ummah to be from his offspring in particular; and the next sentence, “Our Lord! and raise up in them an Apostle from among themselves...”, show that the same submissive group is the ummah of Muhammad (S) - and the word, ummah, as used here, does not refer to the people whom Muhammad (S) was sent to; nor to those who answered his call and believed in his prophethood, because that ummah is not confined to the offspring of Ibrahim and Isma'il; the word in the present context

refers to a particular submissive ummah from the offspring of Ibrahim (a.s.).

Thereafter, Ibrahim (a.s.) prayed to his Lord to protect him and his sons from idol-worship, to keep them away from polytheism and error - and this Divine protection is 'ismah (infallibility; sinlessness).

Also we know that there were a lot of people among the offspring of Ibrahim and Isma'il - the Arabs of the Mudar, or particularly the Quraysh - who had gone astray and worshipped idols. It proves that when Ibrahim (a.s.) prayed for his ”sons” to be protected from idol-worship, he did not mean all his sons; he was praying only for his infallible offspring, that is, the Prophet and his purified progeny.

These, then, are the ummah of Muham­mad (S) in the prayer of Ibrahim (a.s.). Probably, it was for this fine distinction that Ibrahim (a.s.) changed the word, “offspring”, to “sons”; this view is strengthened by the phrases following this prayer,

“then whoever follows me, he is surely of me, and whoever disobeys me, Thou surely art Forgiving, Merciful”.

Note the opening word, “then”, which shows that what follows is based on what has preceded; thereafter, he confirms that those who would follow him would be from him, a part of him; but then he stops and does not say anything about the opposite group, as though he does not recognize them, they are strangers to him. (Think it over.)

The Imam said that Ibrahim (a.s.) “asked for that ummah purity from polytheism and idol-worship”. Actually, he had asked protection

only from worshipping the idols; but then he mentioned why he had asked for that protection: surely the idols have led many men astray.

In this way, the original prayer for protection from idol-worship became an all-encompassing prayer for protection from all types of straying and error, ranging from idol-worship to small sins - because every sin is a sort of polytheism, as we have already explained under the verse:

The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favours... (1:7).

The Imam said: “It proves that the Imams, and the sub-missive ummah in which Muhammad (s. a. w. a.) was raised, cannot be except from _ the offspring of Ibrahim (a.s.).” That is the Imams are the submissive ummah, and they are from the off-spring of Ibrahim (a.s.), as explained above.

Objection: You say that the word, ummah, in this verse refers to a small group of the Muslims, and not to the whole nation; you use the same interpretation in some other verses, for example, You are the best nation raised up for (the benefit of) men... (3:110).

But this obliges us to interpret the word in a metaphorical way - without any justifiable reason. Moreover, the Qur'an addresses itself to the whole ummah who believed in the Prophet; it is a self-evident fact which does not need any proof.

Reply: It was long after the revelation of the Qur'an and the spread of Islam that the phrase, ummah of Muhammad, was popularly used for “all those who believe in his prophethood”. It is

a later usage.

The original meaning of this word is “people”, “nation”, “group”, as Allah says: and blessing on you and the people (umam = plural of ummah) from among those who are with you; and there shall be people (umam)... (11:48). This word is sometimes used even for one person;

Surely Ibrahim was a “people” (devoutly) obedient to Allah (16:120).

Therefore, it is the context or the intention of the speaker which decides how big or small a circle this word describes in a sentence. Now the words, Our Lord! and make us both submissive to Thee and (raise) from our offspring a group submitting to Thee, were spoken in prayer, and as explained earlier, they could refer to only a selected group out of the multitude who believe in the Prophet.

Likewise, the verse, You are the best nation raised up for (the benefit of) men, was revealed to show the favour of Allah on the people thus addressed; its import is to increase their prestige and enhance their dignity.

Surely, these words could be addressed to the whole ummah who call themselves Muslims. How could it apply to the Pharaohs and Dajjals of this ummah who did not leave any vestige of the religion without destroying, and who did not come across any religious virtue without crushing it?

(We shall explain it in detail when writing on this verse.) In short, this verse is like the talk of Allah with the Children of Israel:

and that I made you excel the nations (2:47);

we should