SURAH (18) AL-KAHF (AYA 31 to 60)
أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ
تَحْتِهِمُ الْأَنْهَارُ يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ
وَيَلْبَسُونَ ثِيَابًا خُضْرًا مِنْ سُنْدُسٍ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٍ مُتَّكِئِينَ فِيهَا
عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ ۚ نِعْمَ الثَّوَابُ وَحَسُنَتْ مُرْتَفَقًا {31}
[Q18:31] Ulaaa'ika
lahum Jannaatu 'Adnin tajree min tahtihimul anhaaru yuhallawna feehaa min
asaawira min zahabinw wa yalbasoona siyaaban khudram min sundusinw wa
istabraqim muttaki'eena feehaa 'alal araaa'ik; ni'mas sawaab; wa hasunat
murtafaqaa.
[Q18:31] These it is for whom are gardens of perpetuity beneath which rivers flow, ornaments shall be given to them therein of bracelets of gold, and they shall wear green robes of fine silk and thick silk brocade interwoven with gold, reclining therein on raised couches; excellent the recompense and goodly the resting place.
[Q18:31] These it is for whom are gardens of perpetuity beneath which rivers flow, ornaments shall be given to them therein of bracelets of gold, and they shall wear green robes of fine silk and thick silk brocade interwoven with gold, reclining therein on raised couches; excellent the recompense and goodly the resting place.
[Q18:31] Mereka itu, disediakan baginya
Syurga yang kekal, yang mengalir di bawahnya beberapa sungai; mereka dihiaskan
di dalamnya dengan gelang-gelang tangan emas dan memakai pakaian hijau dari
sutera yang nipis dan sutera tebal yang bersulam; mereka berehat di dalamnya
dengan berbaring di atas pelamin-pelamin (yang berhias). Demikian itulah
balasan yang sebaik-baiknya dan demikian itulah Syurga tempat berehat yang
semolek-moleknya.
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(18:31) As
regards those, who accept it and do righteous deeds, they should rest assured
that We do not let go waste the reward of such people: they will have evergreen
gardens with canals flowing beneath them: they will be adorned with
bracelets *34 of gold and will wear green coloured robes of silk
and rich brocade and will be reclining upon raised thrones. *35 What
an excellent reward and what an
excellent abode!
*34 The
dwellers of Paradise will be adorned with bracelets of gold like the kings of
ancient times. This will be to show that they will be adorned like the kings of
this world, whereas an unbeliever and wicked king will be disgraced
there.
*35 The Arabic word ~~~~ (ara aik) is plural of arikah which is that kind of throne that is covered with an umbrella. This is also to show that in Paradise the Believers will sit on thrones like the kings of this world.
*35 The Arabic word ~~~~ (ara aik) is plural of arikah which is that kind of throne that is covered with an umbrella. This is also to show that in Paradise the Believers will sit on thrones like the kings of this world.
SECTION
5
The
parable of an ungrateful and a greatful man
How
ingratitude draws the deprivation of the blessings of God and how the gratitude
increases the bounties of the Lord.
وَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ مَثَلًا رَجُلَيْنِ جَعَلْنَا
لِأَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيْنِ مِنْ أَعْنَابٍ وَحَفَفْنَاهُمَا بِنَخْلٍ وَجَعَلْنَا
بَيْنَهُمَا زَرْعًا {18:32}
[Q18:32] Wadrib lahum masalar rajulaini
ja'alnaa li ahadihimaa jannataini min a'naabinw wa hafafnaahumaa binakhilinw wa
ja'alnaa bainahumaa zar'aa.
[Q18:32] And set forth to them a parable of two men; for one of them We made two gardens of grape vines, and We surrounded them both with palms, and in the midst of them We made cornfields.
[Q18:32] And set forth to them a parable of two men; for one of them We made two gardens of grape vines, and We surrounded them both with palms, and in the midst of them We made cornfields.
[Q18:32] Dan berikanlah kepada mereka
satu contoh: Dua orang lelaki, Kami adakan bagi salah seorang di antaranya, dua
buah kebun anggur dan Kami kelilingi kebun-kebun itu dengan pohon-pohon tamar,
serta Kami jadikan di antara keduanya, jenis-jenis tanaman yang lain.
THIS VERSE AND THE FOLLOWING SIX VERSES comprise the parable of the *one puffed
up with his possessions, his sources of wealth, *large
family and *his public status and *position, WHILE THE
OTHER **humble and **modest one who is **mindful of the ultimate end of man, and all authority, glory and praise being
exclusively of ALLAH (SWT).
Here is a parable of the contrast between two men.
·
ONE
had much wealth from the gardens and plantations he owned. All this wealth made
him very arrogant and proud. The other had nothing.
His trust was in ALLAH (SWT). The worldly wealth
of the first was destroyed because he had forgotten ALLAH (SWT) who gave him the physical strength and intelligence to
exploit the land and animals for his own advantage. The second was happier in the end because he
believed that ALLAH (SWT) was his Lord, and
did not associate any one with his Lord.
·
IT
WAS NOT WEALTH THAT RUINED THE WEALTHY MAN, BUT
THE ATTITUDE OF HIS MIND. In his love of the material possessions he forgot the spiritual
share and openly defied the bestower of all bounties. The poor man remonstrates against the proud man who denied ALLAH (SWT).
From his own spiritual experience he tells the proud man that ALLAH (SWT) is
good and the better way of enjoying His bounties is to remember Him and give
thanks to Him. He warns him of the
fleeting nature of worldly possessions and of the certainty of ALLAH (SWT)'s
punishment for inordinate vanity.
MAN SHOULD ALWAYS SAFEGUARD HIMSELF AGAINST THE ARROGANCE HE BUILDS UP
WITHIN HIS CONSCIOUS SOUL WHEN HE ENJOYS PROSPERITY AND AUTHORITY
OVER LESS FORTUNATE FELLOW-BEINGS, BECAUSE WHAT THE
ALMIGHTY LORD HAS GIVEN HIM CAN BE TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM IN A FLASH OF AN EYELID.
Those who safeguard themselves
against evil with full awareness of the laws made by ALLAH (SWT) never yield to
the lure of wealth, pomp and power. They shall abide in the land of eternal
bliss for ever.
Those who surrender
to evil, wickedness and pride shall have nothing but torment of the fire, after
the Day of Judgement, forever and ever.
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(18:32) O Muhammad, present a parable *36 before
them. There were two persons; to one of those We gave two gardens of vine and
surrounded them with a fence of date-palm trees and We kept a piece of land
between them for cultivation.
*36 In order to
understand the significance of this parable we should keep in view v. 28 in
which arrogant chiefs of Makkah were told that the poor Companions of the Holy
Prophet would not be discarded to please them.
كِلْتَا الْجَنَّتَيْنِ آتَتْ أُكُلَهَا وَلَمْ
تَظْلِمْ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا ۚ وَفَجَّرْنَا خِلَالَهُمَا نَهَرًا {18:33}
[Q18:33] Kiltal jannataini aatat ukulahaa
wa lam tazlim minhu shai'anw wa fajjarnaa khi laalahumaa naharaa.
[Q18:33] Both these gardens yielded their fruits, and failed not aught thereof, and We caused a river to gush forth in their midst,
[Q18:33] Both these gardens yielded their fruits, and failed not aught thereof, and We caused a river to gush forth in their midst,
[Q18:33] Kedua-dua kebun itu
mengeluarkan hasilnya dan tiada mengurangi sedikitpun dari hasil itu dan kami
juga mengalirkan di antara keduanya sebatang sungai.
(see commentary for verse 32)
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(18:33) Both of the vine-yards yielded abundant fruit
and did not fail anywise in bringing forth their produce, and We caused a canal
to flow in their midst.
وَكَانَ لَهُ ثَمَرٌ فَقَالَ لِصَاحِبِهِ وَهُوَ
يُحَاوِرُهُ أَنَا أَكْثَرُ مِنْكَ مَالًا وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرًا {18:34}
[Q18:34] Wa kaana lahoo samarun faqaala
lisaahibihee wa huwa yuhaawiruhoo ana aksaru minka maalanw wa a'azzu nafaraa.
[Q18:34] And he possessed much wealth; so he said to his companion, while he disputed with him: I have greater wealth than you, and am mightier in followers.
[Q18:34] And he possessed much wealth; so he said to his companion, while he disputed with him: I have greater wealth than you, and am mightier in followers.
[Q18:34] Tuan kebun itu pula ada
mempunyai harta (yang lain); lalu berkatalah dia kepada rakannya, semasa dia
berbincang dengannya: Aku lebih banyak harta daripadamu, dan lebih berpengaruh
dengan pengikut-pengikutku yang ramai.
(see commentary for verse 32)
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(18:34) And the owner of the gardens got much benefit.
In spite of all this, while conversing with his neighbor, he said, "I have
more of wealth than you and have mightier men at my service."
وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِنَفْسِهِ قَالَ
مَا أَظُنُّ أَنْ تَبِيدَ هَٰذِهِ أَبَدًا {18:35}
[Q18:35] Wa dakhala jannatahoo wa huwa
zaalimul linafsihee qaala maaa azunnu an tabeeda haaziheee abadaa.
[Q18:35] And he entered his garden while he was unjust to himself. He said: I do not think that this will ever perish.
[Q18:35] And he entered his garden while he was unjust to himself. He said: I do not think that this will ever perish.
[Q18:35] Dan dia pun masuk ke kebunnya
(bersama-sama rakannya), sedang dia berlaku zalim kepada dirinya sendiri
(dengan sebab kufurnya), sambil dia berkata: Aku tidak fikir, kebun ini akan
binasa selama-lamanya.
(see commentary for verse 32)
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(18:35) Then he entered his "Paradise", *37 while
he was unjust to himself, and said, "I don't think that this wealth of
mine will ever perish,
*37 He
considered his gardens to be "Paradise". Thus he behaved like those
mean persons, who, when rise to power and wealth, are always involved in the
misunderstanding that they are enjoying "Paradise" in this world;
therefore they do not stand in need of any other Paradise.
وَمَا أَظُنُّ السَّاعَةَ قَائِمَةً وَلَئِنْ
رُدِدْتُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِنْهَا مُنْقَلَبًا {18:36}
[Q18:36] Wa maaa azunnus Saa'ata
qaaa'imatanw wa la'ir rudittu ilaa Rabbee la ajidanna khairam minhaa munqalabaa.
[Q18:36] And I do not think the hour will come, and even if I am returned to my Lord I will most certainly find a returning place better than this.
[Q18:36] And I do not think the hour will come, and even if I am returned to my Lord I will most certainly find a returning place better than this.
[Q18:36] Dan aku tidak fikir, hari kiamat
akan berlaku dan kalaulah aku dikembalikan kepada Tuhanku (sebagaimana
kepercayaanmu), tentulah aku akan mendapat tempat kembali yang lebih baik
daripada ini.
(see commentary for verse 32)
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(18:36) and I do not believe that the Hour of
Resurrection will ever come. Anyhow if ever I am returned to my Lord, I will
get even a grander place than this." *38
*38 That ‘s,
"I don't think there is any life-after-death, but supposing there be one, I
shall fare even better there than in my present life, for my prosperity is a
clear proof that I am a favourite of God."
قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ أَكَفَرْتَ
بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ
رَجُلًا {18:37}
[Q18:37] Qaala lahoo saahibuhoo wa huwa
yuhaawiruhooo akafarta billazee khalaqaka min turaabin summa min nutfatin summa
sawwaaka rajulaa.
[Q18:37] His companion said to him while disputing with him: Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you from dust, then from a small seed, then He made you a perfect man?
[Q18:37] His companion said to him while disputing with him: Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you from dust, then from a small seed, then He made you a perfect man?
[Q18:37] berkatalah rakannya kepadanya,
semasa dia berbincang dengannya: Patutkah engkau kufur ingkar kepada ALLAH
(SwT) yang menciptakan engkau dari tanah, kemudian dari air benih, kemudian Dia
membentukmu dengan sempurna sebagai seorang lelaki?
(see commentary for verse 32)
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(18:37) His neighbour rebuked him during the
conversation, saying, "What! Do you disbelieve in the Being Who has
created you from clay, then from sperm drop and shaped you as a perfect
man *39?
*39 This shows
that "unbelief" in Allah is not confined to the denial of the
existence of God in so many words, but arrogance, pride, vanity and the denial
of the Hereafter are also kufr. Although that person did not deny the existence
of Allah, may be he professed it as is apparent from his words ("If ever I
am returned to my Lord-"), yet in spite of his profession, his neighbour
charged him with unbelief in Allah. This is because the person, who considers
his wealth and his grandeur etc., to be the fruits of his own power and
capability and not the favours of Allah, and who thinks that they are
everlasting and none can take than away from hint and that he is not
accountable to anyone, is guilty of "unbelief in AIIah", even though
he might profess belief in Him, for he acknowledges Allah as a Being and 'not
as his Master, Owner and Sovereign. In fact, belief in Allah demands not merely
the profession of His existence but also the acknowledgment of His Sovereignty,
Mastery, Rule and the like.
لَٰكِنَّا هُوَ اللَّهُ رَبِّي وَلَا أُشْرِكُ
بِرَبِّي أَحَدًا {18:38}
[Q18:38] Laakinaa Huwal laahu Rabbee wa
laa ushriku bi Rabbeee ahadaa.
[Q18:38] But as for me, He, ALLAH (SWT), is my Lord, and I do not associate anyone with my Lord.
[Q18:38] But as for me, He, ALLAH (SWT), is my Lord, and I do not associate anyone with my Lord.
[Q18:38] Tetapi aku sendiri percaya dan
yakin dengan sepenuhnya bahawa Dialah ALLAH (SwT), Tuhanku dan aku tidak
sekutukan sesuatu pun dengan Tuhanku.
(see commentary for verse 32)
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(18:38) As for myself; Allah alone is my Lord and I set
up no partners with Him.
وَلَوْلَا إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلْتَ مَا شَاءَ
اللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ ۚ إِنْ تَرَنِ أَنَا أَقَلَّ مِنْكَ مَالًا
وَوَلَدًا {18:39}
[Q18:39] Wa law laaa iz dakhalta
jannataka qulta maa shaaa'al laahu laa quwwata illaa billaah; in tarani ana
aqalla minka maalanw wa waladaa.
[Q18:39] And wherefore did you not say when you entered your garden: It is as ALLAH (SWT) has pleased, there is no power save in ALLAH (SWT)? If you consider me to be inferior to you in wealth and children,
[Q18:39] And wherefore did you not say when you entered your garden: It is as ALLAH (SWT) has pleased, there is no power save in ALLAH (SWT)? If you consider me to be inferior to you in wealth and children,
[Q18:39] Dan sepatutnya semasa engkau
masuk ke kebunmu, berkata: (Semuanya ialah barang yang dikehendaki ALLAH (SwT))!
(tiada daya dan upaya melainkan dengan pertolongan ALLAH (SwT))? Kalau engkau
memandang aku sangat kurang tentang harta dan anak berbanding denganmu.
(see commentary for verse 32)
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(18:39) And when you were entering your garden, why
didn't you say, `Only that shall happen what He will: neither I nor any one
else has any power. *40
*40 That is,
"If we are able to do anything, it is by the help and support of Allah alone."
فَعَسَىٰ رَبِّي أَنْ يُؤْتِيَنِ خَيْرًا مِنْ
جَنَّتِكَ وَيُرْسِلَ عَلَيْهَا حُسْبَانًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَتُصْبِحَ صَعِيدًا
زَلَقًا {18:40}
[Q18:40] Fa'asaa Rabeee any yu'tiyani
khairam min jannatika wa yursila 'alaihaa husbaanam minas samaaa'i fatusbiha
sa'eedan zalaqaa.
[Q18:40] Then maybe my Lord will give me what is better than your garden, and send on it a thunderbolt from heaven so that it shall become even ground without plant,
[Q18:40] Then maybe my Lord will give me what is better than your garden, and send on it a thunderbolt from heaven so that it shall become even ground without plant,
[Q18:40] Maka mudah-mudahan Tuhanku akan
mengurniakan daku lebih baik daripada kebunmu, dan (aku bimbang) Dia akan
menimpakannya dengan bala, bencana dari langit, sehinggalah menjadilah kebunmu
itu tanah yang licin tandus.
(see commentary for verse 32)
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(18:40) If you find me now less in wealth and offspring
than you, my Lord may bestow on me a better garden than yours and send from
heaven on your garden a catastrophe that might turn it into a barren plain,
أَوْ يُصْبِحَ مَاؤُهَا غَوْرًا فَلَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ
لَهُ طَلَبًا {18:41}
[Q18:41] Aw yusbiha maaa'uhaaa ghawran
falan tastatee'a lahoo talabaa.
[Q18:41] Or its waters should sink down into the ground so that you are unable to find it.
[Q18:41] Or its waters should sink down into the ground so that you are unable to find it.
[Q18:41] Ataupun air kebun itu akan
menjadi kering ditelan bumi, maka dengan yang demikian, engkau tidak akan dapat
mencarinya lagi.
(see commentary for verse 32)
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(18:41) or its water might sink into the earth and you
may not be able to bring it out in any way."
وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيْهِ
عَلَىٰ مَا أَنْفَقَ فِيهَا وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَيَقُولُ يَا
لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أُشْرِكْ بِرَبِّي أَحَدًا{18:42}
[Q18:42] Wa uheeta bisamarihee faasbaha
yuqallibu kaffaihi 'alaa maaa anfaqa feehaa wa hiya khaawiyatun 'alaa
'urooshihaa wa yaqoolu yaalaitanee lam ushrik bi Rabbeee ahadaa.
[Q18:42]
And his wealth was destroyed; so he began to wring his hands for what he had
spent on it, while it lay, having fallen down upon its roofs, and he said: Ah
me! Would that I had not associated anyone with my Lord.
[Q18:42] Dan segala tanaman serta hartabendanya itupun dibinasakan, lalu jadilah dia membalik-balikkan kedua tapak tangannya (kerana menyesal) terhadap segala perbelanjaan yang telah dibelanjakannya pada kebun-kebunnya, sedang kebun-kebun itu runtuh junjung-junjung tanamannya; sambil dia berkata: Alangkah baiknya kalau aku tidak sekutukan sesuatupun dengan Tuhanku!
[Q18:42] Dan segala tanaman serta hartabendanya itupun dibinasakan, lalu jadilah dia membalik-balikkan kedua tapak tangannya (kerana menyesal) terhadap segala perbelanjaan yang telah dibelanjakannya pada kebun-kebunnya, sedang kebun-kebun itu runtuh junjung-junjung tanamannya; sambil dia berkata: Alangkah baiknya kalau aku tidak sekutukan sesuatupun dengan Tuhanku!
(see commentary for verse 32)
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(18:42) At last (it so happened that) all his fruit
produce was destroyed and, seeing his vines overturned on the trellises, he
began to wring his hands at the loss of what he had spent on it, saying,
"I wish I had not associated a partner with my Lord! "
وَلَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُ فِئَةٌ يَنْصُرُونَهُ مِنْ دُونِ
اللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مُنْتَصِرًا {18:43}
[Q18:43] Wa lam takul lahoo fi'atuny
yansuroonahoo min doonil laahi wa maa kaana muntasiraa.
[Q18:43] And he had no host to help him besides ALLAH (SWT) nor could he defend himself.
[Q18:43] And he had no host to help him besides ALLAH (SWT) nor could he defend himself.
[Q18:43] Dan dia tidak mendapat sebarang
golongan yang boleh menolongnya, selain dari ALLAH (SwT) dan dia pula tidak
dapat membela dirinya sendiri.
(see commentary for verse 32)
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(18:43) He was so helpless that neither could he find
any host to help him against Allah, nor was himself able to avert that catastrophe
هُنَالِكَ الْوَلَايَةُ لِلَّهِ الْحَقِّ ۚ هُوَ
خَيْرٌ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ عُقْبًا {18:44}
[Q18:44] Hunaalikal walaayatu lillaahil
haqq; huwa khairun sawaabanw wa khairun 'uqbaa.
[Q18:44] Here is protection only ALLAH (SWT)'s, the True One; He is best in (the giving of) reward and best in requiting.
[Q18:44] Here is protection only ALLAH (SWT)'s, the True One; He is best in (the giving of) reward and best in requiting.
[Q18:44] Pada saat yang sedemikian itu
kekuasaan memberi pertolongan hanya tertentu bagi ALLAH (SwT), Tuhan yang
sebenar-benarnya; Dialah sebaik-baik pemberi pahala, dan sebaik-baik pemberi
kesudahan yang berbahagia (kepada hamba-hambaNya yang taat).
(see commentary for verse 32)
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(18:44) It was then that he realized that all the power
of helping rests with Allah, the True One. That reward is the best Which He
bestows and that end is the-best to which He leads.
SECTION
6
Wealth
and children, only passing show
Wealth
and children are only a transitory adornment of the life of this world and are
only a passing show, but good deeds are the Best and Lasting assets.
وَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ مَثَلَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا
كَمَاءٍ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الْأَرْضِ
فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
مُقْتَدِرًا {18:45}
[Q18:45] Wadrib lahum masalal hayaatid
dunyaa kamaaa'in anzalnaahu minas samaaa'i fakhtalata bihee nabaatul ardi fa
asbaha hasheeman tazroo hur riyaah; wa kaanal laahu 'alaa kulli shai'im muqtadiraa.
[Q18:45] And set forth to them parable of the life of this world: like water which We send down from the cloud so the herbage of the earth becomes tangled on account of it, then it becomes dry broken into pieces which the winds scatter; and ALLAH (SWT) is the holder of power over all things.
[Q18:45] And set forth to them parable of the life of this world: like water which We send down from the cloud so the herbage of the earth becomes tangled on account of it, then it becomes dry broken into pieces which the winds scatter; and ALLAH (SWT) is the holder of power over all things.
[Q18:45] Dan kemukakanlah kepada mereka
misal perbandingan: Kehidupan dunia ini samalah seperti air yang Kami turunkan
dari langit, lalu bercampur aduklah tanaman di bumi antara satu sama lain (dan
kembang suburlah ia) disebabkan air itu; kemudian menjadilah ia kering hancur
ditiup angin dan (ingatlah) adalah ALLAH (SwT) Maha Kuasa atas tiap-tiap
sesuatu.
The rain-water is soon
absorbed in the earth, and produces grain, grass and vegetation for a time. The
produce of the earth is consumed by men and animals and when the summer comes
the water disappears as if it was a dry straw which the winds scatter around.
Ù SUCH IS THE LIFE OF THIS WORLD - TEMPORARY AND CONSUMABLE. ALLAH (SWT) IS THE
ONLY ENDURING POWER WE CAN LOOK TO, SUPREME OVER ALL.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:45) And O Prophet, bring home to them the reality
of this worldly life by a parable. It is like the vegetation of the earth that
flourished luxuriantly when We sent down rain water from the sky, but
afterwards the same vegetation was turned into chaff, which is blown away by
the wind: Allah has power over everything. *41
*41 "Allah
has power over everything": He gives life and also death: He causes the
rise and the downfall: It is by His conunand that the seasons change.
Therefore, O disbelievers, if you are enjoying prosperity today, you should be
under no delusion that this condition will remain for ever. That God, by Whose
conunand these things have been bestowed on you, has the power to snatch away
all this by another conunand.
الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا
ۖ وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ
أَمَلًا {18:46}
[Q18:46] Almaalu walbanoona zeenatul
hayaatid dunya wal baaqiyaatus saalihaatu khairun 'inda Rabbika sawaabanw wa
khairun amalaa.
[Q18:46] Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world; and the ever-abiding, the good works, are better with your Lord in reward and better in expectation.
[Q18:46] Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world; and the ever-abiding, the good works, are better with your Lord in reward and better in expectation.
[Q18:46] Harta benda dan anak pinak itu,
ialah perhiasan hidup di dunia dan amal-amal soleh yang kekal faedahnya itu
lebih baik pada sisi Tuhanmu sebagai pahala balasan, dan lebih baik sebagai
asas yang memberi harapan.
Material possessions, if spent in the way of ALLAH (SWT), for the
overall welfare of the society, become the source of good deeds which not only
earn rewards but also give us confidence that we shall receive His mercy in
both the worlds.
v The
Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)
said:
"There are people who do not desire to own much material
possessions. They earn only what is sufficient for their livelihood. They are
those for whom "there is no fear,
nor shall they grieve." (Ahqaf 46:13)
Those who
earn wealth through lawful means and spend it to do good to others shall be examined
in view of their mode of earning and spending, so that they may be rewarded for
their good deeds and reprimanded for any
non-performance or miscarriage of duties (laid down by ALLAH (SWT) for people whom He gives large means).
Ì THOSE WHO AMASS WEALTH THROUGH 1. unfair and unlawful means, 2. usurping
the rights of other people, AND [a] do
not spend in the way of ALLAH (SWT), [b] do
not even pay the prescribed share to the poor, AND [c] use
it to indulge in unlawful pleasure, shall be thrown in
the fire where they shall abide for ever.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:46) Likewise this wealth and the
offspring are mere transitory adornment of worldly life: in fact the abiding
good deeds are best in the sight of your Lord in regard to their end, and hold
out for you greater hopes.
وَيَوْمَ نُسَيِّرُ الْجِبَالَ وَتَرَى الْأَرْضَ
بَارِزَةً وَحَشَرْنَاهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا {18:47}
[Q18:47] Wa yawma nusaiyirul jibaala wa
taral arda baariza tanw wa hasharnaahum falam nughaadir minhum ahadaa.
[Q18:47] And the day on which We will cause the mountains to pass away and you will see the earth a levelled plain and We will gather them and leave not any one of them behind.
[Q18:47] And the day on which We will cause the mountains to pass away and you will see the earth a levelled plain and We will gather them and leave not any one of them behind.
[Q18:47] Dan (ingatkanlah) hari Kami
bongkar dan terbangkan gunung-ganang dan engkau akan melihat (seluruh) muka
bumi terdedah nyata dan Kami himpunkan mereka (di padang Mahsyar) sehingga Kami
tidak akan tinggalkan seorangpun dari mereka.
On the day of judgement none of our present landmarks will remain. We shall stand as we were created before the Lord with our
record of deeds. Expressed in the forms of this world it will be a clear
statement of all we did in this life. Refer to Bani Israil 17:13 and 14.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:47) The only thing, for which you should prepare,
is the Day when We will set the mountains in motion, *42 and
when you will find the Earth quite naked, *43 and We will muster together all
human beings in a way as to leave none at all behind, *44
*42 The
mountains will begin to move about like clouds when the gravitation of the
earth shall be brought to an end. The Qur'an has described the same thing in
XXVII: 88 in this way: "When you see the mountains, you consider them to
be firmly fixed, but they shall be floating about like clouds at that
time."
*43 "You will find the Earth quite naked": You will find no vegetation and no building on it and it will become a barren plain. It is the same thing that has been stated in v. 8 of this Chapter.
*44 That is, "We will muster together every human being from the first Man, Adam, to the last one born in the last moment of the Day of Resurrection: even that child which had breathed the first breath after its birth, shall be resurrected and all shall be mustered at one and the same tune."
*43 "You will find the Earth quite naked": You will find no vegetation and no building on it and it will become a barren plain. It is the same thing that has been stated in v. 8 of this Chapter.
*44 That is, "We will muster together every human being from the first Man, Adam, to the last one born in the last moment of the Day of Resurrection: even that child which had breathed the first breath after its birth, shall be resurrected and all shall be mustered at one and the same tune."
وَعُرِضُوا عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ صَفًّا لَقَدْ
جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۚ بَلْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَلَّنْ
نَجْعَلَ لَكُمْ مَوْعِدًا {18:48}
[Q18:48] Wa 'uridoo 'alaa Rabbika saffaa,
laqad ji'tumoonaa kamaa khalaqnaakum awala marrah; bal za'amtum allannaj'ala
lakum maw'idaa;
[Q18:48] And they shall be brought before your Lord, standing in ranks: Now certainly you have come to Us as We created you at first. Nay, you thought that We had not appointed to you a time of the fulfillment of the promise.
[Q18:48] And they shall be brought before your Lord, standing in ranks: Now certainly you have come to Us as We created you at first. Nay, you thought that We had not appointed to you a time of the fulfillment of the promise.
[Q18:48] Dan mereka tetap akan dibawa
mengadap Tuhanmu dengan berbaris teratur, (sambil dikatakan kepada mereka):
Kamu sekarang telah datang kepada Kami (berseorangan) sebagaimana Kami telah
jadikan kamu pada mulanya; bahkan kamu dahulu menyangka, bahawa kami tidak akan
menjadikan bagi kamu masa yang tertentu (untuk melaksanakan apa yang Kami telah
janjikan).
(see commentary for verse 47)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:48) and all shall be presented before your Lord in
rows-Well! You may see that you have come before Us in the same condition in
which We created you at first *45: You were under the delusion that
We had not fixed any time of appointment with you
*45 This thing
will be addressed to those who denied the Hereafter, as if to say, "Well,
now you see that the information given by the Prophets has come out to be true.
They told you that Allah would bring you to life again as He first brought you
out from the wombs of your mothers but you disbelieved in it. Now say whether
you have been brought to life for the second time or not."
وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ
مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَا وَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَٰذَا الْكِتَابِ
لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّا أَحْصَاهَا ۚ وَوَجَدُوا مَا
عَمِلُوا حَاضِرًا ۗ وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا {18:49}
[Q18:49] Wa wudi'al kitaabu fataral
mujrimeena mushfiqeena mimmaa feehi wa yaqooloona yaa wailatanaa maa lihaazal
kitaabi laa yughaadiru saghee ratanw wa laa kabeeratan illaaa ahsaahaa; wa
wajadoo maa 'amiloo haadiraa; wa laa yazlimu Rabbuka ahadaa.
[Q18:49] And the Book shall be placed, then you will see the guilty fearing from what is in it, and they will say: Ah! Woe to us! What a book is this! It does not omit a small one nor a great one, but numbers them (all); and what they had done they shall find present (there); and your Lord does not deal unjustly with anyone.
[Q18:49] And the Book shall be placed, then you will see the guilty fearing from what is in it, and they will say: Ah! Woe to us! What a book is this! It does not omit a small one nor a great one, but numbers them (all); and what they had done they shall find present (there); and your Lord does not deal unjustly with anyone.
[Q18:49] Dan Kitab-kitab Amal juga tetap
akan dibentangkan, maka engkau akan melihat orang-orang yang berdosa itu,
merasa takut akan apa yang tersurat di dalamnya dan mereka akan berkata: Aduhai
celakanya kami, mengapa kitab ini demikian keadaannya? Ia tidak meninggalkan
yang kecil atau yang besar, melainkan semua dihitungnya dan mereka dapati segala
yang mereka kerjakan itu sedia (tertulis di dalamnya) dan (ingatlah) Tuhanmu
tidak berlaku zalim kepada seseorangpun.
The record of the deeds
is complete as the same referred to in verses 17:13 & 14. THE FACT IS THAT
WHATEVER GOOD OR EVIL AN INDIVIDUAL
DOES HERE, IS GETTING IMPRESSED FAITHFULLY WHICH SHALL APPEAR IN A PALPABLE
FORM OF A WRITTEN RECORD ACCORDING TO THE NATURE OF THE DEEDS. One would see all his deeds in their fullness in the visible
form and thus own the position in relation to the reward or punishment the
deeds will justly award. (see commentary for verse 47 of this Surah)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:49) Then the record of deeds shall be set before
them. At that time you will see that the criminals will be afraid of the record
of their book of life and will say, "Woe to us! What sort of a book this
is! It has left nothing unrecorded of our doings, small or great." They
will see before them everything, whatsoever they had done, and your Lord will
not be unjust to anyone in the least. *46
*46 "Your
Lord will not be unjust to anyone in the least": Neither will an evil deed
not committed by someone have been recorded in his Conduct Register, nor shall
anyone be punished more than one deserved for his crime, nor shall an innocent
person be punished at all.
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ
فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِ ۗ
أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِنْ دُونِي وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ
ۚ بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ بَدَلًا {18:50}
[Q18:50] Wa iz qulnaa lilma laaa'ikatis
judoo li Aadama fasajadooo illaaa Ibleesa kaana minal jinni fafasaqa 'an amri
Rabbih; afatattakhizoonahoo wa zurriyatahooo awliyaaa'a min doonee wa hum lakum
'aduww; bi'sa lizzaalimeena badalaa.
[Q18:50] And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam; they made obeisance but Iblis (did it not). He was of the jinn, so he transgressed the commandment of his Lord. What! Would you then take him and his offspring for friends rather than Me, and they are your enemies? Evil is (this) change for the unjust.
[Q18:50] And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam; they made obeisance but Iblis (did it not). He was of the jinn, so he transgressed the commandment of his Lord. What! Would you then take him and his offspring for friends rather than Me, and they are your enemies? Evil is (this) change for the unjust.
[Q18:50] Dan (ingatkanlah peristiwa)
ketika Kami berfirman kepada malaikat: Sujudlah kamu kepada Adam; lalu mereka
sujud melainkan iblis; dia adalah berasal dari golongan jin, lalu dia
menderhaka terhadap perintah Tuhannya. Oleh itu, patutkah kamu hendak
menjadikan iblis dan keturunannya sebagai sahabat-sahabat karib yang menjadi
pemimpin selain daripadaku? Sedang mereka itu ialah musuh bagi kamu. Amatlah
buruknya bagi orang-orang yang zalim: Pengganti yang mereka pilih itu.
Refer
to the commentary of al Baqarah 2:34; Hijr 15:28 to 31 and Bani Israil 17:61.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:50) Remember!
When We said to the angels, "Bow down before Adam". They bowed down
but Iblis did not. *47 He
was one of the jinns, so he chose the way of disobedience to his Lord's
Command. *48 What,
would you then discard Me and make him and his offspring your patrons, though
they are your enemies? What a bad substitute it is that these workers of
iniquity are taking!
*47 The
reference to the story of Adam and Iblis has been made here to warn the erring
people of their folly. It is an obvious folly that people should discard their
Prophets, who were their well-wishers, and get entangled in the snare set by
their eternal enemy, Iblis, who has been jealous of man ever since he refused
to bow down before Adam and became accursed.
*48 It was possible for Iblis to disobey Allah because he was not one of the angels but one of the jinns. It must be noted that the Qur'an is very explicit that the angels are inherently obedient:
(1) "They do not show arrogance; they fear their Lord Who is above them, and do whatever they are bidden." (XVI: 50)
(2) "..... They do not disobey the Command that is given to them by their Lord and do whatever they are bidden to do." (LXVI: 6)
In contrast to the angels, the jinns have been, like human beings, given the option to obey or not to obey. Therefore they have been given the power to believe or disbelieve, to obey or not to obey. This thing has been made explicit here by saying that Iblis was one of the jinns, so he deliberately chose the way of disobedience. Incidentally, this verse removes all those misunderstandings that are generally found among the common people that Iblis was one of the angels and not an ordinary angel but the instructor of the angels. As regards the difficulty that arises because of this statement of the Qur'an, "When We said to the angels, `Bow down before Adam. They bowed down but Iblis did not'," it should be noted that the Command to the angels was meant for all those on the Earth who were under the administration of the angels so that they should also be made submissive to man. Accordingly all these creatures bowed along with the angels but Iblis refused to bow down along with them.
*48 It was possible for Iblis to disobey Allah because he was not one of the angels but one of the jinns. It must be noted that the Qur'an is very explicit that the angels are inherently obedient:
(1) "They do not show arrogance; they fear their Lord Who is above them, and do whatever they are bidden." (XVI: 50)
(2) "..... They do not disobey the Command that is given to them by their Lord and do whatever they are bidden to do." (LXVI: 6)
In contrast to the angels, the jinns have been, like human beings, given the option to obey or not to obey. Therefore they have been given the power to believe or disbelieve, to obey or not to obey. This thing has been made explicit here by saying that Iblis was one of the jinns, so he deliberately chose the way of disobedience. Incidentally, this verse removes all those misunderstandings that are generally found among the common people that Iblis was one of the angels and not an ordinary angel but the instructor of the angels. As regards the difficulty that arises because of this statement of the Qur'an, "When We said to the angels, `Bow down before Adam. They bowed down but Iblis did not'," it should be noted that the Command to the angels was meant for all those on the Earth who were under the administration of the angels so that they should also be made submissive to man. Accordingly all these creatures bowed along with the angels but Iblis refused to bow down along with them.
مَا أَشْهَدْتُهُمْ خَلْقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
وَلَا خَلْقَ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَمَا كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذَ الْمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدًا {18:51}
[Q18:51] Maaa ash hattuhum khalqas
samaawaati wal ardi wa laa khalqa anfusihim wa maa kuntu muttakizal mudilleena
'adudaa.
[Q18:51] I did not make them witnesses of the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor of the creation of their own souls; nor could I take those who lead (others) astray for aiders.
[Q18:51] I did not make them witnesses of the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor of the creation of their own souls; nor could I take those who lead (others) astray for aiders.
[Q18:51] Aku tidak memanggil mereka
menyaksi atau membantuKu menciptakan langit dan bumi, dan tidak juga meminta
bantuan setengahnya untuk menciptakan setengahnya yang lain dan tidak
sepatutnya Aku mengambil makhluk-makhluk yang menyesatkan itu sebagai pembantu.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:51) I
did not call them to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth nor did
I associate them in their own creation. *49 It is not for Me to make My
supporters those who lead others astray.
*49 This
thing has been asserted to impress on the disbelievers that the satans were not
entitled to their submission and worship, for they had no share at all in the
creation of the heavens and the earth, nay, they themselves were the creation
of Allah: therefore Allah alone was worthy of worship.
وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ نَادُوا شُرَكَائِيَ الَّذِينَ
زَعَمْتُمْ فَدَعَوْهُمْ فَلَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ
مَوْبِقًا {18:52}
[Q18:52] Wa Yawma yaqoolu naadoo
shurakaaa'i yal lazeena za'amtum fada'awhum falam yastajeeboo lahum wa ja'alnaa
bainahum maw biqaa.
[Q18:52] And on the day when He shall say: Call on those whom you considered to be My associates. So they shall call on them, but they shall not answer them, and We will cause a separation between them.
[Q18:52] And on the day when He shall say: Call on those whom you considered to be My associates. So they shall call on them, but they shall not answer them, and We will cause a separation between them.
[Q18:52] Dan (ingatkanlah) masa ALLAH
(SwT) berfirman: Panggilah sekutu-sekutuKu yang kamu katakan itu (untuk
menolong kamu); lalu mereka memanggilnya, tetapi sia-sia sahaja, kerana
makhluk-makhluk itu tidak menyahut seruan mereka dan kami jadikan untuk mereka
bersama sebuah tempat azab yang membinasakan.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:52) What
they will do on the Day when their Lord will say to them: "Now call all
those whom you considered to be My partners." *50 They will call them but they will
not respond and come to their help, and We will set a gulf of perdition common
between them. *51
*50 This
theme has already been stated at several places in the Qur'an. This is to
impress that it is shirk to discard the commandments and the guidance of Allah
and to follow the orders and guidance of any other than Allah, though one may
not be professing with one's tongue that there is any partner of Allah: nay, if
one might be cursing others but at the same time following their orders instead
of Divine Commandments, even then that one shall be guilty of shirk. For
instance, we see that everyone in this world curses satans but still follows
them. According to the Qur'an, in spite of cursing them, if people follow
satans, they shall be guilty of setting up satans as partners with Allah.
Though this will not be shirk in so many words, it will be tantamount to the
practice of shirk and the Qur'an denounces this as shirk.
*51 Generally the commentators have assigned two meanings to this. The one is the same that we have adopted in our translation and the other is this: "We will cause enmity between them." That is, "Their friendship in this world shall be turned into bitter enmity in the Hereafter."
*51 Generally the commentators have assigned two meanings to this. The one is the same that we have adopted in our translation and the other is this: "We will cause enmity between them." That is, "Their friendship in this world shall be turned into bitter enmity in the Hereafter."
وَرَأَى الْمُجْرِمُونَ النَّارَ فَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ
مُوَاقِعُوهَا وَلَمْ يَجِدُوا عَنْهَا مَصْرِفًا {18:53}
[Q18:53] Wa ra al mujrimoonan Naara
fazannooo annahum muwaaqi'oohaa wa lam yajidoo 'anhaa masrifaa.
[Q18:53] And the guilty shall see the fire, then they shall know that they are going to fall into it, and they shall not find a place to which to turn away from it.
[Q18:53] And the guilty shall see the fire, then they shall know that they are going to fall into it, and they shall not find a place to which to turn away from it.
[Q18:53] Dan orang-orang yang berdosa
itu tetap akan melihat Neraka, maka yakinlah mereka, bahawa mereka akan jatuh
ke dalamnya dan mereka tidak akan mendapati sebarang jalan untuk mengelakkan
diri daripadanya.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:53) All
the criminals will see the Fire on that Day and will have a foreboding that
they are going to fall into it, but will not find any place of escape.
SECTION
8
God is
Forgiving and the Lord of Mercy
God is
Forgivng – The Lord of Mecy who never hastens to requite for the evils of men –
but defers punishment.
وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِي هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ لِلنَّاسِ
مِنْ كُلِّ مَثَلٍ ۚ وَكَانَ الْإِنْسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلًا {18:54}
[Q18:54] Wa laqad sarrafnaa fee haazal
quraani linnaasi min kulli masal; wa kaanal insaanu aksara shai'in jadalaa.
[Q18:54] And certainly We have explained in this Qur’an every kind of example, and man is most of all given to contention.
[Q18:54] And certainly We have explained in this Qur’an every kind of example, and man is most of all given to contention.
[Q18:54] Dan demi sesungguhnya Kami
telah huraikan dengan berbagai-bagai cara di dalam Al-Quran ini untuk umat
manusia, dari segala jenis contoh bandingan dan sememangnya manusia itu,
sejenis makhluk yang banyak sekali bantahannya.
Refer to the commentary of Bani Israil 17:41.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:54) We have devised different ways in the Qur'an to
make the people understand its Message, but man is by nature very contentious.
وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا إِذْ
جَاءَهُمُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمْ سُنَّةُ
الْأَوَّلِينَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ قُبُلًا {18:55}
[Q18:55] Wa maa mana'an naasa any
yu'minooo iz jaaa'ahumul hudaa wa yastaghfiroo Rabbahum illaaa an taatiyahum
sunnatul awwaleena aw yaatiyahumul 'azaabu qubulaa.
[Q18:55] And nothing prevents men from believing when the guidance comes to them, and from asking forgiveness of their Lord, except that what happened to the ancients should overtake them, or that the chastisement should come face to face with them.
[Q18:55] And nothing prevents men from believing when the guidance comes to them, and from asking forgiveness of their Lord, except that what happened to the ancients should overtake them, or that the chastisement should come face to face with them.
[Q18:55] Dan tiada yang menghalang
manusia daripada beriman, ketika datang petunjuk Al-Quran kepada mereka dan
daripada memohon ampun kepada Tuhan mereka, melainkan (kerana kedegilan mereka
dan kerana mereka) menunggu didatangi azab yang memusnahkan yang telah menimpa
orang-orang dahulu atau di datangi azab yang dilihat dan dihadapi.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:55) (The
question is) what kept them back from accepting guidance when it came before
them and from asking the forgiveness of their Lord? It is nothing more than
this that they are waiting for the same thing to happen to them that visited
the former communities; or that they should see the scourge of Allah coming
before them! *52
*52 This
is to warn the people that the Qur'an has left no stone unturned in making the
Truth plain. It has employed all kinds of arguments, parables, similitudes and
used all the possible effective ways to appeal to the heart and the mind of
man, and adopted the best possible style. In short, nothing has been left that
could persuade the people to accept the Truth. If, in spite of this, they do
not accept the truth, it is obvious that they are waiting for God's scourge
like the one that visited the former communities to make them realize their
error.
وَمَا نُرْسِلُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ
وَمُنْذِرِينَ ۚ وَيُجَادِلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ
الْحَقَّ ۖ وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَمَا أُنْذِرُوا هُزُوًا {18:56}
[Q18:56] Wa maa nursilul mursaleena illaa
mubashshireena wa munzireen; wa yujaadilul lazeena kafaroo bilbaatili
liyudhidoo bihil haqqa wattakhazooo Aayaatee wa maaa unziroo huzuwaa.
[Q18:56] And We do not send messengers but as givers of good news and warning, and those who disbelieve make a false contention that they may render null thereby the truth, and they take My communications and that with which they are warned for a mockery.
[Q18:56] And We do not send messengers but as givers of good news and warning, and those who disbelieve make a false contention that they may render null thereby the truth, and they take My communications and that with which they are warned for a mockery.
[Q18:56] Dan tidak Kami mengutus Rasul-rasul,
melainkan sebagai pemberi berita gembira dan pemberi amaran dan orang-orang
yang kafir membantah dengan alasan yang salah untuk menghapuskan kebenaran
dengan bantahan itu dan mereka jadikan ayat-ayatku, dan amaran yang diberikan
kepada mereka sebagai ejek-ejekan.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:56) The
only mission for which We send the Messengers is to convey good news and stern warning, *53 but the disbelievers employ
weaponsof falsehood to defeat the Truth, and they hold up to ridicule My
servants and the warnings that have been sent to them.
*53 This
verse has two meanings:
(1) We send Our Messengers to forewarn the people before the coming of the judgment of the good results of obedience and the evil consequences of disobedience. But these foolish people are not taking advantage of these forewarnings and insist on seeing the same evil end from which the Messengers desire to save them.
(2) It' they insist on meeting with the scourge, they should not demand this from the Messenger because the Messenger is sent not to bring a scourge but to warn the people beforehand to escape from it.
(1) We send Our Messengers to forewarn the people before the coming of the judgment of the good results of obedience and the evil consequences of disobedience. But these foolish people are not taking advantage of these forewarnings and insist on seeing the same evil end from which the Messengers desire to save them.
(2) It' they insist on meeting with the scourge, they should not demand this from the Messenger because the Messenger is sent not to bring a scourge but to warn the people beforehand to escape from it.
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ ذُكِّرَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ
فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِيَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ
قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَنْ يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا ۖ وَإِنْ
تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَىٰ فَلَنْ يَهْتَدُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا {18:57}
[Q18:57] Wa man azlamu mimman zukkira bi
ayaati Rabbihee fa-a'rada 'anhaa wa nasiya maa qaddamat yadaah; innaa ja'alnaa
'alaa quloobihim akinnatan any yafqahoohu wa feee aazaanihim waqraa; wa in
tad'uhum ilal hudaa falany yahtadooo izan abadaa.
[Q18:57] And who is more unjust than he who is reminded of the communications of his Lord, then he turns away from them and forgets what his two hands have sent before? Surely We have placed veils over their hearts lest they should understand it and a heaviness in their ears; and if you call them to the guidance, they will not ever follow the right course in that case.
[Q18:57] And who is more unjust than he who is reminded of the communications of his Lord, then he turns away from them and forgets what his two hands have sent before? Surely We have placed veils over their hearts lest they should understand it and a heaviness in their ears; and if you call them to the guidance, they will not ever follow the right course in that case.
[Q18:57] Dan tidaklah ada yang lebih
zalim daripada orang yang diberi ingat dengan ayat-ayat Tuhannya, lalu dia
berpaling daripadanya dan lupa akan apa yang telah dilakukan oleh kedua
tangannya; sesungguhnya (disebabkan bawaan mereka yang buruk itu) Kami jadikan
tutupan berlapis-lapis atas hati mereka, menghalang mereka daripada memahaminya
dan (Kami jadikan) pada telinga mereka penyumbat (yang menyebabkan mereka
pekak) dan jika engkau menyeru mereka kepada petunjuk, maka dengan keadaan yang
demikian, mereka tidak sekali-kali akan beroleh hidayat petunjuk
selama-lamanya.
Refer to the commentary
of Araf 7:179;
Nahl 16:108 and Bani Israil 17:45.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:57) Now, who can be more unjust than the person before
whom his Lord's Revelations are recited to admonish him, and he turns away from
them and forgets the evil end to which he has paved the way with his own hands?
As regards those people, who have adopted such an attitude, We have put
coverings over their hearts which do not let them listen to the Qur'an, and We
have produced heaviness in their ears. While in this state, they will never be
guided aright howsoever you may invite them to the Guidance. *54
*54 ALLAH PUTS A
COVERING OVER THE HEART OF A PERSON AND MAKES HIS EARS HARD OF HEARING THE
TRUTH when he adopts the attitude of contention, dispute, wrangling and
argumentation towards the admonition of a well-wisher and tries to defeat the
truth with the weapons of falsehood and cunning. Naturally this attitude
produces in him obduracy and obstinacy so that he turns a deaf ear towards
guidance, and is unwilling to realize his error before seeing his evil end. For
such people pay no heed to admonition and warning and insist on falling into
the abyss of perdition: then and then alone they are convinced that it was
perdition towards which they were rushing headlong.
وَرَبُّكَ الْغَفُورُ ذُو الرَّحْمَةِ ۖ لَوْ
يُؤَاخِذُهُمْ بِمَا كَسَبُوا لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابَ ۚ بَلْ لَهُمْ مَوْعِدٌ
لَنْ يَجِدُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ مَوْئِلًا {18:58}
[Q18:58] Wa Rabbukal Ghafooru zur rahmati
law yu'aakhi zuhum bimaa kasaboo la'ajala lahumul 'azaab; bal lahum maw'idul
lany yajidoo min doonihee maw'ilaa.
[Q18:58] And your Lord is Forgiving, the Lord of Mercy; were He to punish them for what they earn, He would certainly have hastened the chastisement for them; but for them there is an appointed time from which they shall not find a refuge.
[Q18:58] And your Lord is Forgiving, the Lord of Mercy; were He to punish them for what they earn, He would certainly have hastened the chastisement for them; but for them there is an appointed time from which they shall not find a refuge.
[Q18:58] Dan Tuhanmu Maha Pengampun,
lagi melimpah-limpah rahmatnya. Jika Dia mahu menyeksa mereka (di dunia)
disebabkan apa yang mereka telah usahakan, tentulah Dia akan menyegerakan azab
itu menimpa mereka; (tetapi Dia tidak berbuat demikian) bahkan ditentukan bagi
mereka satu masa yang mereka tidak sekali-kali akan dapat sebarang tempat
perlindungan, yang ialah daripadanya.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:58) Your
Lord is very Forgiving and very Merciful: Had He willed to seize them for their
evil deeds, He would have sent immediately a scourge on them but He has
appointed a time for its fulfilment, and they will find no way out to escape
from it. *55
*55 This
is to warn the foolish people that they should not be deluded by the respite
that is given to them and presume that they will never be taken to task
whatever they may go on doing. They forget that Allah gives them respite because
He is Forgiving and Forbearing and does not punish the evil-doers on the spot,
for His Mercy demands that the evil-doers should be given respite so that they
may mend their ways.
وَتِلْكَ الْقُرَىٰ أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا
وَجَعَلْنَا لِمَهْلِكِهِمْ مَوْعِدًا {18:59}
[Q18:59] Wa tikal quraaa ahlak nahum
lammaa zulamoo wa ja'alnaa limahlikihim maw'idaa.
[Q18:59] And (as for) these towns, We destroyed them when they acted unjustly, and We have appointed a time for their destruction.
[Q18:59] And (as for) these towns, We destroyed them when they acted unjustly, and We have appointed a time for their destruction.
[Q18:59] Dan penduduk negeri-negeri
(yang derhaka) itu Kami telah binasakan ketika mereka melakukan kezaliman dan
Kami telah tetapkan satu masa yang tertentu bagi kebinasaan mereka.
Refer to the commentary
of verses pertaining to the destruction of cities in surah Al Araf and Hud.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:59) These habitations which were stricken with the
scourge are before you: *56 when they committed iniquity We annihilated
them, and We had appointed a term for their annihilation.
*56 The ruined
habitations were of Saba, Thamud, Midian and the people of Prophet Lot, which
were visited by the Quraish during their trade journeys, and which were quite
well known to other Arabs also.
SECTION
9
Moses’
search for higher knowledge
Moses
travel with his servants seeking higher knowledge – He meets the one who had
been gifted with knowledge by God and seek to follow him requeting him to teach
him what God had taught him.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَاهُ لَا أَبْرَحُ حَتَّىٰ
أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا {18:60}
[Q18:60] Wa iz qaalaa Moosaa lifataahu
laaa abrahu hattaaa ablugha majma'al bahrayni aw amdiya huqubaa.
[Q18:60] And when Musa said to his servant: I will not cease until I reach the junction of the two rivers or I will go on for years.
[Q18:60] And when Musa said to his servant: I will not cease until I reach the junction of the two rivers or I will go on for years.
[Q18:60] Dan (ingatkanlah peristiwa)
ketika Nabi Musa berkata kepada temannya: Aku tidak akan berhenti berjalan
sehingga aku sampai di tempat pertemuan dua laut itu atau aku berjalan terus
bertahun-tahun.
In
these verses THE
QUR’AN DESCRIBES THE MEETING WHICH TOOK PLACE BETWEEN MUSA AND A CHOSEN SERVANT OF ALLAH (SWT), WHOSE NAME, AS PER
ISLAMIC TRADITIONS, WAS KHIZR.
ALLAH (SWT) told Musa that if he wanted to see a more
knowledgeable person then he should go to meet him at the place where the two
seas come together. The sign for that meeting-place was that a fish
would disappear in the water.
Musa was the
most learned man of his times, BUT EVEN his wisdom did not comprehend
everything. THEREFORE he was commanded by ALLAH (SWT) to go in search of Khizr who would impart to him such knowledge as even he did not
possess.
°
To meet him Musa had to reach
the junction of the two seas where he lived. The distance was very long. “Huquba” means a
long space of time, sometimes it is limited to 80 years. Musa took Yusha, his
attendant, with him.
°
When they reached the junction of the two seas where
the two arms of the Red Sea join together viz.,
the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez, they stopped and took rest. Yusha put the cooked fish on a nearby
rock. While Yusha was looking on,
the fish took its way into the sea in a strange manner.
°
When they had passed the meeting-place, Musa felt hungry and asked Yusha
to bring the fish. Then Yusha cursed
the avowed enemy of man, Shaytan, who made him forget the mentioning of it to Musa. So they immediately turned back
retracing their tracks and reached the meeting place where they found Khizr, a servant from among the
servants of ALLAH (SWT) , whom He had granted mercy and whom He had taught
knowledge from Himself.
Verses 66 to 77 describe the actions of Khizr, during their onward journey,
which baffled Musa and forced him to
question Khizr inspite of the
warning Khizr gave to him in the
beginning that he would not be able to bear patiently with the events he could
not comprehend. In verses 79 to 82
Khizr explains to Musa the interpretation of his actions
which he could not bear with patience.
MUSA
LEARNED FROM KHIZR THAT THE MYSTERIES OF LIFE ARE DIVERSE AND COUNTLESS.
» The finite mind cannot easily disentangle the web
of secrets UNLESS
the all-wise Lord shows the way to have a glimpse of the unknown;
» that patience is essential to face the vicissitudes
of life and to
know the inner meanings of the external manifestations;
» that the working of the divine plan always
brings good in the end;
» that in the larger interest of the human society the loss of a few lives is
not a loss at all; and
» that good deeds should be done for the sake of good not for immediate return in
terms of material gain.
In verse 79 Khizr says: "I intended to damage it
(the boat)"; in verse 81 he says: "We intended that their
Lord would give them in exchange (a son) better in purity"; and in verse 82 he says: "So your Lord intended that they should
attain their maturity." In the end he
says: "I did it not of my own
accord."
§ The reason for
taking the responsibility of damaging the boat in verse
79,
is not to attribute such an act to ALLAH (SWT) as a matter of courtesy.
§ In verse 81 the slaying of the boy deprived him of
his life but it was a service to his parents, therefore "we" is used.
The deprivation refers to Khizr and
the advantage refers to ALLAH (SWT).
§ The act referred
to in verse 82 is purely good,
so it has been attributed to ALLAH (SWT) exclusively.
KHIZR'S
STATEMENT IS BASED UPON THE FACT THAT EVERY MANIFESTATION HAS A CAUSE IN THE
FINAL ANALYSIS.
·
In verse 79 he refers to
himself as the causative agent;
·
in verse 81 he takes the apparent and the real causes
into consideration; and
·
in verse 82 by stating that "he
did not do anything" he discards human
or any created agency and points
towards the real author of all events.
WHATEVER TAKES
PLACE IS A DIVINE BLESSING IN DISGUISE EVEN IF THE MANIFESTATION IS APPARENTLY NOT FAVOURABLE TO AN
INDIVIDUAL OR A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS. The knowledge of even those who
have received divine revelation is not all-encompassing, and is limited
according to the excellence ALLAH (SWT) bestowed on them as mentioned in verse 2:253 al
Baqarah and explained in the
commentary of Bani
Israil 17:1.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(18:60) (Now
relate to them the event regarding Moses,) when Moses said to his attendant,
"I will not bring my journey to an end until I reach the confluence of the
two rivers: otherwise I will continue my journey for years." *57
*57 Though this
story was told in answer to the question of the disbelievers, it has been used
to impress a very important truth on the minds of both the disbelievers and the
believers. It is this: THOSE PEOPLE WHO DRAW THEIR CONCLUSIONS ONLY FROM THE
SEEMING ASPECTS OF EVENTS, MAKE A VERY SERIOUS ERROR IN THEIR DEDUCTIONS, FOR
THEY ONLY SEE WHAT IS APPARENT AND DO NOT GO DEEP INTO THE DIVINE WISDOM THAT
UNDERLIES THEM. When they daily see the prosperity of the tyrants and the
afflictions of the innocent people, the affluence of the disobedient people and
the indigence of the obedient people, the enjoyments of the wicked people and
the adversity of the virtuous people, they get involved in mental conflicts,
nay, they become victims of
misunderstandings because they do not comprehend the wisdom behind them. The
disbelievers and the tyrants conclude from this that the world is functioning
without any moral laws and has no sovereign, and, if there is one, he must be
senseless and unjust: therefore
one may do whatever one desires for there is none to whom one shall be
accountable. On the other hand, when the believers see those things, they
become so frustrated and disheartened that sometimes their faiths are put to the
very hard trial. It was to unravel the wisdom behind this mystery that Allah
slightly lifted the curtain from the Reality governing His factory, so that
Moses might see the wisdom behind the events that are happening day and night
and how their seeming aspect is quite different from the Reality.
Now let us consider the question: when and where did this event take place? The Qur'an says nothing about this. There is a tradition related by 'Aufi in which he cites a saying of Ibn 'Abbas to this effect: "This event happened after the destruction of Pharaoh when Prophet Moses had settled his people in Egypt". But this is not supported by other more authentic traditions from Ibn 'Abbas which have been cited in the collection of Bukhari and other books of Traditions, nor is there any other source which may prove that Prophet Moses ever settled in Egypt after the destruction of Pharaoh. On the contrary, the Qur'an says explicitly that Prophet Moses passed the whole of his life after Exodus from Egypt in the desert (Sinai and At-Tilt). Therefore the tradition from 'Aufi cannot be accepted. However, if we consider the details of this story, two things are quite obvious: (1) These things would have been demonstrated to Prophet Moses in the earlier period of his Prophethood because such things are needed in the beginning of Prophethood for the teaching and training of the Prophets. (2) As this story has been cited to comfort the Believers of Makkah, it can be reasonably concluded that these demonstrations would have been shown to Prophet Moses, when the Israelites were encountering the same conditions as the Muslims of Makkah did at the time of the revelation of this Surah. On the basis of these two things, we are of the opinion (and correct Knowledge is with Allah alone) that this event relates to the period, when the persecution of the Israelites by Pharaoh was at its height and, like the chiefs of the Quraish, Pharaoh and his courtiers were deluded by delay in the scourge that there was no power above them to take them to task, and like the persecuted Muslims of Makkah, the persecuted Muslims of Egypt were crying in their agony, as if to say, "Our Lord! How long will the prosperity of these tyrants and our adversity continue?" So much so that Prophet Moses himself cried out: ".... Our Lord, Thou hast bestowed on Pharaoh and his nobles splendour and possessions in the worldly life; O our Lord, hast Thou done this drat they might lead astray the people from Thy Way? ..." (X: 88)
If our conjecture is correct, then it may be concluded that probably this event took place during Prophet Moses' journey to Sudan, and by the confluence of the rivers is meant the site of the present city of Khartum where the Blue Nile and the White Nile meet together.
The Bible does not say anything about this event but the Talmud does relate this though it assigns it to Rabbi Jochanan, the son of Levi, instead of to Prophet Moses, and according to it the other person was Elijah who had been taken up alive to heaven and joined with the angels for the purpose of the administration of the world. (The Talmud Selections by H. Polano, pp. 313-16).
It is just possible that like the events, which happened before the Exodus this event also might not have remained intact but during the passage of centuries changes and alterations might have been made in it. But it is a pity that some Muslims have beenso influenced by the Talmud that they opine that in this story Moses does not refer to Prophet Moses but to some other person bearing the same name. They forget that every tradition of the Talmud is not necessarily correct, nor have we any reason to suppose that the Qur'an has related the story concerning some unknown person bearing the name "Moses". Above all, when we learn from an authentic Tradition related by Ubayy-bin-Ka`ab that the Holy Prophet himself made it clear that in this story, by Moses is meant Prophet Moses, there is absolutely no reason why any Muslim should consider any statement of the Talmud at all.
The Orientalists have, as usual, tried to make a "research" into the "sources" of this story and have pointed out that "The Quranic story may be traced back to three main sources:'(1) The Gilgamesh Epic, (2) The Alexander Romance and (3) The Jewish Legend of Elijah and Rabbi Joshua hen Levi (Encyclopaedia of Islam new edition and Shorter Erlcyclopaedia of Islam under the heading AIKhadir). This is because these malicious "scholars" decide beforehand that their "scientific research" must lead to the conclusion that the Qur'an is not a revealed book: therefore they have, anyhow or other, to produce a proof that whatever Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) has presented as Revelation, has been plagiarized from such and such "sources". In this these people brazenfacedly use "facts" and "quotations" so cunningly and cleverly as to achieve their mean end and one begins to have nausea at their "research". If that is research what these bigoted forgers make, then one is compelled to curse their "knowledge and research".
We ask them to answer our questions in order to expose their "research":
(I) What proof have you got to make the claim that the Qur'an has based a certain statement on the contents of a couple of ancient books? Obviously it will not be "research" to build this claim on the scant basis that a certain statement trade in the Quran is similar to the one found in these books.
(2) Do you possess any knowledge that at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an there was a library at Makkah from which the Holy Prophet collected material for the Qur'an? This question is pertinent because if a list were to be trade of the numerous books in different languages, which you allege were sources of the stories and statements contained in the Qur'an, it will become long enough for a big library. Have you got any proof that Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) had arranged for such translators as translated into Arabic those books from different languages for his use? If it is not so and your allegation is based on a couple of journeys which the Holy Prophet made outside Arabia, a question arises: How many books did the Holy Prophet copy or commit to memory during these trade journeys before his Prophethood? And how is it that even a day before he claimed to be a Prophet, no sign at all was displayed in. his conversation that he had gathered such information as was revealed in the Qur'an afterwards?
(3) How is it then that the contemporary disbelievers of Makkah and the Jews and the Christians, who like you, were always in search of such a proof, could not put forward even a single instance of plagiarism? They had a goad reason to produce an instance of this because they were being challenged over and over again to refute the claim that the Qur'an was a revealed book and it had no other source than Divine Knowledge and that if they said that it was a human work, they were to prove this by bringing the like of it. Though this challenge had broken the back of the contemporary opponents of Islam, they could not point out even a single plausible source that might prove reasonably that the Qur'an was based on it. In the light of these facts one may ask, "Why had the contemporaries of the Holy Prophet failed in their research and how have the opponents of Islam succeeded in their attempt today after the passage of more than a thousand years?"
(4) The last and the most important question is: Does it not show that it is bigotry and malice that has misled the opponents of Islam to discard the possibility that the Qur'an may be a revealed book of Allah and to concentrate all their efforts to prove that it is not so at all ? The tact that its stories are similar to those contained in the former books, could be considered equally in this light that the Qur'an was a revealed book and was relating them in order to correct those errors that had crept into them during the passage of time. Why should their research be confined to prove that those books are the real source of the stories of the Qur'an and not to consider the other possibility that the Qur'an itself was a revealed book?
An impartial person who will consider these questions will inevitably arrive at the conclusion that the "research" which the orientalists have presented in the name of "knowledge" is not worth any serious consideration.
Now let us consider the question: when and where did this event take place? The Qur'an says nothing about this. There is a tradition related by 'Aufi in which he cites a saying of Ibn 'Abbas to this effect: "This event happened after the destruction of Pharaoh when Prophet Moses had settled his people in Egypt". But this is not supported by other more authentic traditions from Ibn 'Abbas which have been cited in the collection of Bukhari and other books of Traditions, nor is there any other source which may prove that Prophet Moses ever settled in Egypt after the destruction of Pharaoh. On the contrary, the Qur'an says explicitly that Prophet Moses passed the whole of his life after Exodus from Egypt in the desert (Sinai and At-Tilt). Therefore the tradition from 'Aufi cannot be accepted. However, if we consider the details of this story, two things are quite obvious: (1) These things would have been demonstrated to Prophet Moses in the earlier period of his Prophethood because such things are needed in the beginning of Prophethood for the teaching and training of the Prophets. (2) As this story has been cited to comfort the Believers of Makkah, it can be reasonably concluded that these demonstrations would have been shown to Prophet Moses, when the Israelites were encountering the same conditions as the Muslims of Makkah did at the time of the revelation of this Surah. On the basis of these two things, we are of the opinion (and correct Knowledge is with Allah alone) that this event relates to the period, when the persecution of the Israelites by Pharaoh was at its height and, like the chiefs of the Quraish, Pharaoh and his courtiers were deluded by delay in the scourge that there was no power above them to take them to task, and like the persecuted Muslims of Makkah, the persecuted Muslims of Egypt were crying in their agony, as if to say, "Our Lord! How long will the prosperity of these tyrants and our adversity continue?" So much so that Prophet Moses himself cried out: ".... Our Lord, Thou hast bestowed on Pharaoh and his nobles splendour and possessions in the worldly life; O our Lord, hast Thou done this drat they might lead astray the people from Thy Way? ..." (X: 88)
If our conjecture is correct, then it may be concluded that probably this event took place during Prophet Moses' journey to Sudan, and by the confluence of the rivers is meant the site of the present city of Khartum where the Blue Nile and the White Nile meet together.
The Bible does not say anything about this event but the Talmud does relate this though it assigns it to Rabbi Jochanan, the son of Levi, instead of to Prophet Moses, and according to it the other person was Elijah who had been taken up alive to heaven and joined with the angels for the purpose of the administration of the world. (The Talmud Selections by H. Polano, pp. 313-16).
It is just possible that like the events, which happened before the Exodus this event also might not have remained intact but during the passage of centuries changes and alterations might have been made in it. But it is a pity that some Muslims have beenso influenced by the Talmud that they opine that in this story Moses does not refer to Prophet Moses but to some other person bearing the same name. They forget that every tradition of the Talmud is not necessarily correct, nor have we any reason to suppose that the Qur'an has related the story concerning some unknown person bearing the name "Moses". Above all, when we learn from an authentic Tradition related by Ubayy-bin-Ka`ab that the Holy Prophet himself made it clear that in this story, by Moses is meant Prophet Moses, there is absolutely no reason why any Muslim should consider any statement of the Talmud at all.
The Orientalists have, as usual, tried to make a "research" into the "sources" of this story and have pointed out that "The Quranic story may be traced back to three main sources:'(1) The Gilgamesh Epic, (2) The Alexander Romance and (3) The Jewish Legend of Elijah and Rabbi Joshua hen Levi (Encyclopaedia of Islam new edition and Shorter Erlcyclopaedia of Islam under the heading AIKhadir). This is because these malicious "scholars" decide beforehand that their "scientific research" must lead to the conclusion that the Qur'an is not a revealed book: therefore they have, anyhow or other, to produce a proof that whatever Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) has presented as Revelation, has been plagiarized from such and such "sources". In this these people brazenfacedly use "facts" and "quotations" so cunningly and cleverly as to achieve their mean end and one begins to have nausea at their "research". If that is research what these bigoted forgers make, then one is compelled to curse their "knowledge and research".
We ask them to answer our questions in order to expose their "research":
(I) What proof have you got to make the claim that the Qur'an has based a certain statement on the contents of a couple of ancient books? Obviously it will not be "research" to build this claim on the scant basis that a certain statement trade in the Quran is similar to the one found in these books.
(2) Do you possess any knowledge that at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an there was a library at Makkah from which the Holy Prophet collected material for the Qur'an? This question is pertinent because if a list were to be trade of the numerous books in different languages, which you allege were sources of the stories and statements contained in the Qur'an, it will become long enough for a big library. Have you got any proof that Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) had arranged for such translators as translated into Arabic those books from different languages for his use? If it is not so and your allegation is based on a couple of journeys which the Holy Prophet made outside Arabia, a question arises: How many books did the Holy Prophet copy or commit to memory during these trade journeys before his Prophethood? And how is it that even a day before he claimed to be a Prophet, no sign at all was displayed in. his conversation that he had gathered such information as was revealed in the Qur'an afterwards?
(3) How is it then that the contemporary disbelievers of Makkah and the Jews and the Christians, who like you, were always in search of such a proof, could not put forward even a single instance of plagiarism? They had a goad reason to produce an instance of this because they were being challenged over and over again to refute the claim that the Qur'an was a revealed book and it had no other source than Divine Knowledge and that if they said that it was a human work, they were to prove this by bringing the like of it. Though this challenge had broken the back of the contemporary opponents of Islam, they could not point out even a single plausible source that might prove reasonably that the Qur'an was based on it. In the light of these facts one may ask, "Why had the contemporaries of the Holy Prophet failed in their research and how have the opponents of Islam succeeded in their attempt today after the passage of more than a thousand years?"
(4) The last and the most important question is: Does it not show that it is bigotry and malice that has misled the opponents of Islam to discard the possibility that the Qur'an may be a revealed book of Allah and to concentrate all their efforts to prove that it is not so at all ? The tact that its stories are similar to those contained in the former books, could be considered equally in this light that the Qur'an was a revealed book and was relating them in order to correct those errors that had crept into them during the passage of time. Why should their research be confined to prove that those books are the real source of the stories of the Qur'an and not to consider the other possibility that the Qur'an itself was a revealed book?
An impartial person who will consider these questions will inevitably arrive at the conclusion that the "research" which the orientalists have presented in the name of "knowledge" is not worth any serious consideration.
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