SURAH (21) AL-ANBIYAA (AYA 61 to 80)
قَالُوا فَأْتُوا بِهِ عَلَىٰ أَعْيُنِ النَّاسِ
لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْهَدُونَ {21:61}
[Q21:61] Qaaloo
faatoo bihee 'alaaa a'yunin naasi la'allahum yash hadoon.
[Q21:61] Said they: Then bring him before the eyes of the people, perhaps they may bear witness.
[Q21:61] Said they: Then bring him before the eyes of the people, perhaps they may bear witness.
[Q21:61] (Ketua-ketua) mereka berkata:
Jika demikian, bawalah dia di hadapan orang ramai supaya mereka menyaksikan
(tindakan mengenainya).
(see commentary for verse 51)
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(21:61) At this, they said, ''Then seize him, and bring
him here before the people so that they may witness (how severely he is dealt
with)". *59
*59 This was
exactly what Prophet Abraham expected to happen. He wished that the matter
should not remain confined to the priests and the attendants but the common
people also should be present there to witness that their deities were helpless
and their priests were deluding them about their powers. The priests committed
the same folly as was later committed by Pharaoh when he arranged an encounter
between Prophet Moses and the magicians in the open in front of the multitudes
of the common people, and the former got an opportunity to show publicly the
miracle of the staff which shattered the illusory, magical tricks of the
magicians.
قَالُوا أَأَنْتَ فَعَلْتَ هَٰذَا بِآلِهَتِنَا يَا
إِبْرَاهِيمُ {21:62}
[Q21:62] Qaalooo
'a-anta fa'alta haazaa bi aalihatinaa yaaa Ibraaheem
[Q21:62] They said: Have you done this to our gods, O Ibrahim?
[Q21:62] They said: Have you done this to our gods, O Ibrahim?
[Q21:62] (Setelah dia dibawa ke situ)
mereka bertanya: Engkaukah yang melakukan demikian kepada tuhan-tuhan kami, hai
Ibrahim?
(see commentary for verse 51)
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(21:62) (When Abraham came there,> they asked,
"O Abraham, have you done this to our gods?"
قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَٰذَا
فَاسْأَلُوهُمْ إِنْ كَانُوا يَنْطِقُونَ {21:63}
[Q21:63] Qaala
bal fa'alahoo kabeeruhum haazaa fas'aloohum in kaanoo yantiqoon.
[Q21:63] He said: Surely (some doer) has done it; the chief of them is this, therefore ask them, if they can speak.
[Q21:63] He said: Surely (some doer) has done it; the chief of them is this, therefore ask them, if they can speak.
[Q21:63] Dia menjawab: (Tidak) bahkan
yang melakukannya ialah (berhala) yang besar di antara mereka ini! Maka
bertanyalah kamu kepada mereka kalau-kalau mereka dapat berkata-kata.
When Ibrahim was asked if it was he who broke the
idols--- Ibrahim replied, ‘Why do ye not ask the chief (of the idols) who is
standing there safe. Perhaps he has done it, i.e., if your idol-gods can speak, ask them as to who broke them. When they were unable to ask their idol-gods, nothing but the
confession of their own folly, was the alternative left to them.
v NOTE that Ibrahim did not utter any lie denying what he had done. He only wanted
the people to first ask their own idols as to who had done it. It must be noted that what Ibrahim did with the idols, needed a godly
courage, for Nimrod the powerful king of the idolaters was a tyrant concerning opposition
to idolatry, which was his creed. THIS IS WHAT HUSAIN, in
the seed of Ibrahim, the Ibrahim of
Karbala, did in upholding Islam against Yazeed,
the Nimrod of his age. There is no falsehood in Ibrahim’s statement as his accusation of the ‘Big’ one of the idols
were conditional, i.e., if
the idols speak the chief has done it and it may also mean that Ibrahim meant by ‘Kabeer’, the one who had the hold on them, i.e., himself. He wanted to pave the way for another argument that if the Big One of
the idols had no hold on them, then he would not be the one who had broken the
others.
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(21:63) He
answered, "Nay, all this has been done by their chief; you may ask them,
if they can speak" *60
*60 The very
sentence, "You may ask them, if they can speak", is a clear proof
that it was not a lie when Prophet Abraham said, "All this has been done
by their chief." What he intended by this was to make them realize and
confess that their idols were helpless because they could do nothing to protect
themselves, and could not even speak. It is clear that when a person poses an
unreal question for the sake of argument in order to bring home the fact that
the position taken by the other party is untenable, it cannot be considered as
a lie; firstly, because the speaker himself never intended it to be a lie, and
secondly, because the addressees also knew that it was not a lie.
The foregoing remarks have been necessitated because of a "tradition" that Prophet Abraham told three "lies" in his life, of which one is the abovementioned event. The second "lie" is contained in XXXVII: 89: "I am indisposed", and the third "lie" is not contained in the Qur'an but in the Bible that he declared his wife to be his sister. (Gen. 12:12,13, 18;19). It is a pity that this "tradition" has given rise to two divergent opinions. The orthodox traditionalists actually believe that Prophet Abraham told these lies just because an "authentic tradition" says so. They do not consider that it is far better to discard the "tradition" according to which a Prophet is accused of being a "liar". On the other hand, those who are against the Traditions, discard all of them just because this solitary tradition, which has been reported as authentic by Bukhari and Muslim, is unreliable on the very face of it. Obviously it needs no elaborate arguments to prove that all the traditions cannot be discarded just because one or a few of them are unreliable. As regards the upholders of the first opinion, they have gone to the other extreme and think that a tradition can be discarded in spite of the authenticity of its reporters for cogent reasons. They do this without reference to the contents of the tradition itself. But if the text of the tradition itself clearly shows that such a thing could not have been said by the Holy Prophet, there is no reason to insist that it should be accepted as authentic merely because its reporters are authentic.
This, tradition is unreliable for other reasons also. As has already been shown, the first "lie" is no lie at all. As regards the second "lie", ("I am indisposed"); it cannot be considered as a lie unless it is proved beyond doubt that Prophet Abraham was perfectly healthy at that time, and the text does not testify this. As regards the third "lie", the event stated in the Bible in chapter 12 of Genesis is absurd on the face of it. When Prophet Abraham went to Egypt with his wife Sarah, he was, according to the Bible itself, 75 years old and his wife was 65. Therefore the very age of Sarah is a clear proof that she could not be a "fair woman to look upon" to force Prophet Abraham to pose that she was his sister in order to save his life. The tradition under discussion, which accuses Prophet Abraham to be guilty of telling a lie, has accordingly no basis at all and cannot be taken as reliable in spite of its authentic reporters.
The foregoing remarks have been necessitated because of a "tradition" that Prophet Abraham told three "lies" in his life, of which one is the abovementioned event. The second "lie" is contained in XXXVII: 89: "I am indisposed", and the third "lie" is not contained in the Qur'an but in the Bible that he declared his wife to be his sister. (Gen. 12:12,13, 18;19). It is a pity that this "tradition" has given rise to two divergent opinions. The orthodox traditionalists actually believe that Prophet Abraham told these lies just because an "authentic tradition" says so. They do not consider that it is far better to discard the "tradition" according to which a Prophet is accused of being a "liar". On the other hand, those who are against the Traditions, discard all of them just because this solitary tradition, which has been reported as authentic by Bukhari and Muslim, is unreliable on the very face of it. Obviously it needs no elaborate arguments to prove that all the traditions cannot be discarded just because one or a few of them are unreliable. As regards the upholders of the first opinion, they have gone to the other extreme and think that a tradition can be discarded in spite of the authenticity of its reporters for cogent reasons. They do this without reference to the contents of the tradition itself. But if the text of the tradition itself clearly shows that such a thing could not have been said by the Holy Prophet, there is no reason to insist that it should be accepted as authentic merely because its reporters are authentic.
This, tradition is unreliable for other reasons also. As has already been shown, the first "lie" is no lie at all. As regards the second "lie", ("I am indisposed"); it cannot be considered as a lie unless it is proved beyond doubt that Prophet Abraham was perfectly healthy at that time, and the text does not testify this. As regards the third "lie", the event stated in the Bible in chapter 12 of Genesis is absurd on the face of it. When Prophet Abraham went to Egypt with his wife Sarah, he was, according to the Bible itself, 75 years old and his wife was 65. Therefore the very age of Sarah is a clear proof that she could not be a "fair woman to look upon" to force Prophet Abraham to pose that she was his sister in order to save his life. The tradition under discussion, which accuses Prophet Abraham to be guilty of telling a lie, has accordingly no basis at all and cannot be taken as reliable in spite of its authentic reporters.
فَرَجَعُوا إِلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ فَقَالُوا إِنَّكُمْ
أَنْتُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ {21:64}
[Q21:64] Faraja'ooo
ilaaa anfusihim faqaalooo innakum antumuz zaalimoon.
[Q21:64] Then they turned to themselves and said: Surely you yourselves are the unjust;
[Q21:64] Then they turned to themselves and said: Surely you yourselves are the unjust;
[Q21:64] Maka mereka (penyembah berhala)
kembali kepada diri mereka (memikirkan hal itu) lalu berkata (sesama sendiri):
Sesungguhnya kamulah sendiri orang-orang yang zalim.
The idolaters being
ashamed of the well-proved fallacy of their creed and getting convinced of the
truth preached by Ibrahim condemned
themselves. SIMILARLY
after the great even of Karbala,
Yazeed and the Yardians stood self-condemned and condemned for ever also by the
human world for all times. Also for verse 65.
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(21:64) This turned them to (search)
their own conscience, and they said (to themselves), "Surely you
yourselves are in the wrong".
ثُمَّ نُكِسُوا عَلَىٰ رُءُوسِهِمْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ
مَا هَٰؤُلَاءِ يَنْطِقُونَ {21:65}
[Q21:65] Summa
nukisoo 'alaa ru'oosihim laqad 'alimta maa haaa'ulaaa'i yantiqoon.
[Q21:65] Then they were made to hang down their heads: Certainly you know that they do not speak.
[Q21:65] Then they were made to hang down their heads: Certainly you know that they do not speak.
[Q21:65] Kemudian mereka terbalik
fikirannya kepada kesesatan, lalu berkata: Sesungguhnya engkau (hai Ibrahim),
telah sedia mengetahui bahawa berhala-berhala itu tidak dapat berkata-kata
(maka betapa engkau menyuruh kami bertanya kepadanya)?
(see commentary for verse 51)
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(21:65) But soon after this their minds became
perverse, *61 and they said, "You know that they cannot
speak".
*61 Literally
the original Text means: "They were turned down upon their heads."
Some commentators have interpreted it to mean: "They hung down their heads
with shame". But this dces not fit in the context and the wording of the
Text. The right interpretation would be: "When they considered the answer
of Prophet Abraham, they realized that they themselves were in the wrong,
because they had set up helpless idols as deities, which could not even speak a
word as to who had broken them. But soon after this, they were overpowered by
obduracy and ignorance which perverted their minds and they again relapsed into
crookedness."
قَالَ أَفَتَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا
يَنْفَعُكُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَضُرُّكُمْ {21:66}
[Q21:66] Qaala
afata'budoona min doonil laahi maa laa yanfa'ukum shai'anw wa laa yadurrukum.
[Q21:66] He said: What! Do you then serve besides ALLAH (SWT) what brings you not any benefit at all, nor does it harm you?
[Q21:66] He said: What! Do you then serve besides ALLAH (SWT) what brings you not any benefit at all, nor does it harm you?
[Q21:66] Nabi Ibrahim berkata: Jika
demikian, patutkah kamu menyembah yang lain dari ALLAH (SwT) sesuatu yang tidak
dapat mendatangkan faedah sedikitpun kepada kamu dan juga tidak dapat
mendatangkan mudarat kepada kamu?
This is what Ibrahim told addressing the shamed idolaters. COMPARE
this to Husain’s sermon at Karbala, “O’
people! I say unto you! Guard ye against evil! Fear the wrath of the Lord!”
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(21:66) At this Abraham said, "Do
you even then discard Allah and worship these things which are unable to do any
good or harm to you?
أُفٍّ لَكُمْ وَلِمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ
ۖ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ {21:67}
[Q21:67] Uffil
lakum wa limaa ta'budoona min doonil laah; afalaa ta'qiloon.
[Q21:67] Fie on you and on what you serve besides ALLAH (SWT); what! Do you not then understand?
[Q21:67] Fie on you and on what you serve besides ALLAH (SWT); what! Do you not then understand?
[Q21:67] Jijik perasaanku terhadap kamu
dan apa yang kamu sembah selain ALLAH (SwT)! Maka mengapa kamu tidak mahu
menggunakan akal fikiran kamu?
(see commentary for verse 51)
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(21:67) Fie upon you and the deities you worship
instead of Allah! What! Have you got no sense at all?"
قَالُوا حَرِّقُوهُ وَانْصُرُوا آلِهَتَكُمْ إِنْ
كُنْتُمْ فَاعِلِينَ {21:68}
[Q21:68] Qaaloo
harriqooho wansurooo aalihatakum in kuntum faa'ileen.
[Q21:68] They said: Burn him and help your gods, if you are going to do (anything).
[Q21:68] They said: Burn him and help your gods, if you are going to do (anything).
[Q21:68] (Setelah tidak dapat berhujah
lagi, ketua-ketua) mereka berkata: Bakarlah dia dan belalah tuhan-tuhan kamu,
jika betul kamu mahu bertindak membelanya!
HAVING BEEN
TOTALLY DEFEATED BY THE ARGUMENTS OF IBRAHIM,
and recovering from the shame against their inability to talk to the idols and
ask them as to who it was that had broken them to pieces, the people shouted in
their anger to one another to burn Ibrahim
in defense of their gods who had already been destroyed by Ibrahim. THIS IS WHAT the enemies of the
Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his Ahlul Bayt did when they could not face
the truth from these holy ones. They killed the holy ones after another and
persecuted their devotees and also killed them.
» It is said that a huge
furnace was specially constructed and an enormously huge quantity of firework
was lit and Ibrahim in chains and
fetters was placed into a sling and thrown into the fire. Before he was thrown, several of the
leadings angels asked the permission of the Lord to go to rescue Ibrahim from being burnt. A voice said:
“Go ye and help Ibrahim if Ibrahim seeks your
help.” Several of the angels one after another, came to Ibrahim offering their help and to
everyone of them Ibrahim said: “It is a matter between my Lord and myself, I do
not want anybody’s help to intervene in the Will of the Lord being done.”
At last Gabriel told Ibrahim to ask ALLAH (SWT)’s (SWT) help.
Ibrahim replied: “My Lord known whatever befalls me.” THUS Ibrahim was so wholly and
perfectly resigned to ALLAH (SWT)’s (SWT) Will.
» BUT the Bible says that when Jesus was to be crucified, his first prayer was to pass away the
cup, and when the prayer was not heard, his protesting exclamation was: “And he went a little further, and fell on his
face, and prayed, saying, ‘O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass
from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” (Math. 26:39) And upon the ninth
hour Jesus cried with a loud voice,
saying, “Eli Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My ALLAH (SWT), my ALLAH (SWT), why
hast thou forsaken me?” (Math.
27:46) This could never be
true of Jesus. It could be
from the man who was crucified in his stead.
The
Third Holy Imam Husain ibne Ali--- the Kings of Martyrs of the well-known Tragedy of Karbala who was a direct
descendant of Ibrahim, when at last
was lying on the burning sand under the scorching heat of the Arabian sun at
the meridian--- wounded from head to foot--- in the hunger and the thirst of
three continuous days and nights--- several angels offered their help BUT he gave the same reply to them
which Ibrahim had given them. At
last came the voice from the Lord “O My Beloved
One! I am here to help thee” Husain replied, “I
seek Thy help in remaining steadfast in the hour of service to Thee to the
extent that Thou be pleased.”
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(21:68) They
said, "Burn him alive and avenge your gods, if you want to take any
action".
قُلْنَا يَا نَارُ كُونِي بَرْدًا وَسَلَامًا عَلَىٰ
إِبْرَاهِيمَ {21:69}
[Q21:69] Qulnaa
yaa naaru koonee bardanw wa salaaman 'alaaa Ibraaheem.
[Q21:69] We said: O fire! Be a comfort and peace to Ibrahim;
[Q21:69] We said: O fire! Be a comfort and peace to Ibrahim;
When Ibrahim
was being actually thrown into the fire through the sling, ALLAH (SWT) Will the fire to get cooled to the degree of
becoming a comfort to Ibrahim. AND IF
the command from ALLAH (SWT) had not been qualified by “Salaaman”, i.e., Comfort or Safety--- the fire would have frozen Ibrahim to death as it would
have otherwise burnt him to ashes.
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(21:69) At
this, We commanded, O fire! be cool and become safe for Abraham" . *62
*62 'Though this
is one of those miracles which have been clearly stated in the Qur'an, there
are people who try to "prove" that there was no such miracle at all.
According to this passage (vv. 68-70), Prophet Abraham was actually threatened
to be burnt alive and he was accordingly thrown into the burning fire; but
Allah ordered the fire to become cool and harmless for him. In the face of the
clear words of the Qur'an, these people deny this miracle because according to
them it is impossible even for Allah to go beyond the routine of the physical
laws. They say that miracles cannot appeal to the rationalists of the modern
age, and therefore these should be interpreted in accordance with physical
laws. They forget that according to the Qur'an, Allah is able to do everything,
and He dces extraordinary and unusual things which cannot be explained by
"science". Therefore they should accept the Qur'an as it is or
discard it, but they should not twist it to suit their so-called
rationalism.
وَأَرَادُوا بِهِ كَيْدًا فَجَعَلْنَاهُمُ
الْأَخْسَرِينَ {21:70}
[Q21:70] Wa
araadoo bihee kaidan faja'alnaahumul akhsareen.
[Q21:70] And they desired a war on him, but We made them the greatest losers.
[Q21:70] And they desired a war on him, but We made them the greatest losers.
[Q21:70] Dan mereka (dengan perbuatan
membakarnya itu) hendak melakukan angkara yang menyakitinya, lalu Kami jadikan
mereka orang-orang yang amat rugi, (kalah dengan hinanya).
VERSES 70 & 71. THUS those who desired to be cruel to Ibrahim, their
plans were frustrated and they were the losers and the sufferers too far, a host of mosquitoes was sent down and they ate away the
flesh and drank the blood and the people suffered a very painful death AND a mosquito entered
the nostrils of Nimrod and passed on
to his brain and the heathen met a miserable end (see verse 29:24). COMPARE this to the miserable end
the devilish despot of Damascus met after enacting the gruesome massacre of Husain and his holy band at Karbala.
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(21:70) They
intended to do some harm to Abraham, but We frustrated them in their evil
design.
وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَلُوطًا إِلَى الْأَرْضِ الَّتِي
بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا لِلْعَالَمِينَ {21:71}
[Q21:71] Wa
najjainaahu wa Lootan ilal ardil latee baaraknaa feehaa lil 'aalameen.
[Q21:71] And We delivered him as well as Lut (removing them) to the land which We had blessed for all people.
[Q21:71] And We delivered him as well as Lut (removing them) to the land which We had blessed for all people.
[Q21:71] Dan Kami selamatkan dia dan
(sepupunya) Nabi Lut ke negeri yang Kami limpahkan berkat padanya untuk umat
manusia.
(see commentary for verse 51)
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(21:71) Then We brought him and Lot *63 safely
to the land, which We have made blessed for all the people of the world. *64
*63 According to
the Bible, Prophet Abraham had two brothers, Nahor and Haran; Prophet Lot was
the son of Haran (Gen. 11:26), and he was the only person to believe in Prophet
Abraham. (XXIX: 26).
*64 The "blessed land" refers to Syria and Palestine, which contains both material and spiritual blessings. It is one of the most fertile regions in the world; moreover, it was blessed for two thousand years with more Prophets than any other region of the world.
*64 The "blessed land" refers to Syria and Palestine, which contains both material and spiritual blessings. It is one of the most fertile regions in the world; moreover, it was blessed for two thousand years with more Prophets than any other region of the world.
وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ إِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ نَافِلَةً ۖ
وَكُلًّا جَعَلْنَا صَالِحِينَ {21:72}
[Q21:72] Wa
wahabnaa lahooo Ishaaq; wa Ya'qooba naafilah; wa kullan ja'alnaa saaliheen.
[Q21:72] And We gave him Ishaq and Yaqoub, a son's son, and We made (them) all good.
[Q21:72] And We gave him Ishaq and Yaqoub, a son's son, and We made (them) all good.
[Q21:72] Dan Kami kurniakan kepadanya:
Ishak (anaknya) dan Yaakub (cucunya) sebagai tambahan dan tiap-tiap seorang
(dari mereka) Kami jadikan orang yang soleh.
(see commentary for verse 51)
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(21:72) Then We bestowed on him Isaac and added Jacob
to him, *65 and We made each of them righteous.
*65 That is,
"We made his son a Prophet and his grandson too".
وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا
وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِمْ فِعْلَ الْخَيْرَاتِ وَإِقَامَ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءَ
الزَّكَاةِ ۖ وَكَانُوا لَنَا عَابِدِينَ {21:73}
[Q21:73] Wa
ja'alnaahum a'immatany yahdoona bi amrinaa wa awhainaaa ilaihim fi'lal
khairaati wa iqaamas Salaati wa eetaaa'az Zakaati wa kaanoo lanaa 'aabideen.
[Q21:73] And We made them Imams who guided (people) by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of the alms, and Us (alone) did they serve;
[Q21:73] And We made them Imams who guided (people) by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of the alms, and Us (alone) did they serve;
[Q21:73] Dan Kami jadikan mereka ketua-ketua
ikutan, yang memimpin (manusia ke jalan yang benar) dengan perintah Kami dan
Kami wahyukan kepada mereka mengerjakan kebaikan dan mendirikan sembahyang,
serta memberi zakat dan mereka pula sentiasa beribadat kepada Kami.
(see commentary for verse 51)
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(21:73) We appointed them leaders who guided others by
Our Command. We also enjoined them by Revelation to do righteous deeds and
establish Salat and pay Zakat dues, and they all worshipped Us. *66
*66 This
important event of the life of Prophet Abraham has found no mention whatever in
the Bible. In fact nothing about his life
in `Iraq -his conflict with Nimrod, his father and the community at large, his
efforts to eradicate idolatry, the incident of his being cast into the fire,
which ultimately led to his forced exile from the country-is mentioned anywhere
in the Bible. The Bible merely mentions his migration, and that too, in a
manner as if a family was migrating from one country to another in search of
livelihood. There is another interesting difference between the Qur'an and the
Bible. According to the Qur'an, the father of Abraham, who was a mushrik, was foremost
in tyrannizing over his son, BUT the Bible gives a different account, which is
as follows:
"Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. But Sarai was barren; she had no child. And Terah took Abram 'his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and settled there. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran." (Gen. 11:27-32).
"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Gen. 12: 1-3).
The Talmud, however, gives quite a few details about the life of Prophet Abraham about the period of his stay in `Iraq, which are generally the same as given in the Qur'an, but there is a glaring discrepancy in some of the important events. In fact, one can clearly feel that the account given in the Talmud is full of heterogeneous and hypothetical things while the one given in the Qur'an is most clear and contains nothing unworthy of Prophet Abraham. We reproduce below the account as given in the Talmud so that the reader may know the difference between the Quranic and Jewish versions. This will also remove the misunderstanding of those who think that the Qur'an has borrowed stories from the Bible or Jewish literature.
According to the Talmud, "The wise men saw a large star in the sky on the night Abram was born and they advised Nimrod to kill the child born in the house of Terah. The King decided to kill the child but Terah hid his child and had a servant's son killed in exchange. Terah thereupon hid his wife and child in a cave where they lived for ten years. In the 11th year Abram was taken by Terah to Noah, where he lived under the guidance of Noah and his son Shem for 39 years. During the same period Abram married his niece Sarai, who was 42 years his junior. (The Bible does not mention that Sarai was the niece of Abram; moreover, the difference in their ages is mentioned as ten years). (Gen. 11: 29, 17: 17).
The Talmud then says, "Abram left Noah at the age of 50 and came back to his father. Here he found that his father was an idolatry and had twelve idols in the house according to the twelve months of the year. He tried to preach to his father against idolatry but when the latter did not listen to him, Abram one day broke all the idols in the house. Seeing this Terah went straight to Nimrod and complained that the son who was born in his house 50 years ago had misbehaved and broken the idols. He wanted the King's verdict on this. Nimrod sununoned Abram for interrogation, but the replies given by Abram were straight, terse and clear. Nimrod sent him to jail and then referred the matter to the Council for a decision. The Council decided that Abram should be burnt to death. A fire was accordingly prepared and Abram was cast into it. His brother and father-in-law Haran was also similarly cast into the fire. Haran was punished because Nimrod enquired of Terah as to why he had another child killed in place of Abram when he wanted to kill Abram on the day of his birth. Terah replied that this was done at the instigation of Haran. Nimrod accordingly let off Terah but threw Haran into the fire along with Abram. Haran was burnt to death instantly but people saw that Abram was walking unhurt through the flames. When Nimrod was informed of it, he witnessed it with his own eyes and cried out: `O man of the God of Heaven, come out of the fire and stand before me'. Thereupon, Abram came out and Nimrod became one of his .believers and gave him many costly presents. After this, according to the Talmud, Abram stayed in `Iraq for two more years when Nimrod saw a dreadful dream and the astrologers told him that the destruction of his empire .would come through Abram and that he should, therefore, put him to death. Nimrod sent people to kill Abram but Abram came to know of the plot before-hand through Eleazar, a slave presented to him by Nimrod himself. Abram accordingly fled and took refuge with Noah where Terah also met him off and on secretly. The father and the son at last decided to leave the country and Noah and his son Shem also approved of their plan. Accordingly, Terah along with his son Abram and his grandson Lot and his grand-daughter and son's wife Sarai, left U: and went to Haran." (H. Polano: The Talmud Selections, London, pp. 30-42).
Can a reasonable person after reading this account of the Talmud ever imagine that this could be a source book for the story as given in the Qur'an?
"Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. But Sarai was barren; she had no child. And Terah took Abram 'his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and settled there. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran." (Gen. 11:27-32).
"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Gen. 12: 1-3).
The Talmud, however, gives quite a few details about the life of Prophet Abraham about the period of his stay in `Iraq, which are generally the same as given in the Qur'an, but there is a glaring discrepancy in some of the important events. In fact, one can clearly feel that the account given in the Talmud is full of heterogeneous and hypothetical things while the one given in the Qur'an is most clear and contains nothing unworthy of Prophet Abraham. We reproduce below the account as given in the Talmud so that the reader may know the difference between the Quranic and Jewish versions. This will also remove the misunderstanding of those who think that the Qur'an has borrowed stories from the Bible or Jewish literature.
According to the Talmud, "The wise men saw a large star in the sky on the night Abram was born and they advised Nimrod to kill the child born in the house of Terah. The King decided to kill the child but Terah hid his child and had a servant's son killed in exchange. Terah thereupon hid his wife and child in a cave where they lived for ten years. In the 11th year Abram was taken by Terah to Noah, where he lived under the guidance of Noah and his son Shem for 39 years. During the same period Abram married his niece Sarai, who was 42 years his junior. (The Bible does not mention that Sarai was the niece of Abram; moreover, the difference in their ages is mentioned as ten years). (Gen. 11: 29, 17: 17).
The Talmud then says, "Abram left Noah at the age of 50 and came back to his father. Here he found that his father was an idolatry and had twelve idols in the house according to the twelve months of the year. He tried to preach to his father against idolatry but when the latter did not listen to him, Abram one day broke all the idols in the house. Seeing this Terah went straight to Nimrod and complained that the son who was born in his house 50 years ago had misbehaved and broken the idols. He wanted the King's verdict on this. Nimrod sununoned Abram for interrogation, but the replies given by Abram were straight, terse and clear. Nimrod sent him to jail and then referred the matter to the Council for a decision. The Council decided that Abram should be burnt to death. A fire was accordingly prepared and Abram was cast into it. His brother and father-in-law Haran was also similarly cast into the fire. Haran was punished because Nimrod enquired of Terah as to why he had another child killed in place of Abram when he wanted to kill Abram on the day of his birth. Terah replied that this was done at the instigation of Haran. Nimrod accordingly let off Terah but threw Haran into the fire along with Abram. Haran was burnt to death instantly but people saw that Abram was walking unhurt through the flames. When Nimrod was informed of it, he witnessed it with his own eyes and cried out: `O man of the God of Heaven, come out of the fire and stand before me'. Thereupon, Abram came out and Nimrod became one of his .believers and gave him many costly presents. After this, according to the Talmud, Abram stayed in `Iraq for two more years when Nimrod saw a dreadful dream and the astrologers told him that the destruction of his empire .would come through Abram and that he should, therefore, put him to death. Nimrod sent people to kill Abram but Abram came to know of the plot before-hand through Eleazar, a slave presented to him by Nimrod himself. Abram accordingly fled and took refuge with Noah where Terah also met him off and on secretly. The father and the son at last decided to leave the country and Noah and his son Shem also approved of their plan. Accordingly, Terah along with his son Abram and his grandson Lot and his grand-daughter and son's wife Sarai, left U: and went to Haran." (H. Polano: The Talmud Selections, London, pp. 30-42).
Can a reasonable person after reading this account of the Talmud ever imagine that this could be a source book for the story as given in the Qur'an?
وَلُوطًا آتَيْنَاهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا
وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تَعْمَلُ الْخَبَائِثَ ۗ
إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمَ سَوْءٍ فَاسِقِينَ {21:74}
[Q21:74] Wa
Lootan aatainaahu hukmanw wa 'ilmanw wa najjainaahu minal qaryatil latee kaanat
ta'malul khabaaa'is; innahum kaanoo qawma saw'in faasiqeen.
[Q21:74] And (as for) Lut, We gave him wisdom and knowledge, and We delivered him from the town which wrought abominations; surely they were an evil people, transgressors;
[Q21:74] And (as for) Lut, We gave him wisdom and knowledge, and We delivered him from the town which wrought abominations; surely they were an evil people, transgressors;
[Q21:74] Dan kepada Nabi Lut, Kami
berikan hikmah kebijaksanaan dan ilmu dan Kami selamatkan dia dari bandar yang
penduduknya selalu melakukan perkara-perkara yang keji; sesungguhnya mereka itu
adalah kaum jahat, yang fasik, derhaka.
Refer to the commentary
of Araf 7:80
to 84; Hud 11:77 to 82 and Hijr 16:61 to 74
for prophet Lut.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(21:74) And We bestowed judgment and knowledge *67 on
Lot, and delivered him from that habitation which committed indecent deeds.
Indeed, they were a very wicked, perverse and disobedient people.
*67 The original
Arabic word hukm is very comprehensive. It means judgment, wisdom and
discretion, and authority from Allah. `Ilm stands for the revealed knowledge of
the Truth. Thus, "We bestowed hukm and `ilm on Lot": "We
appointed Lot as a Prophet". (For the story of Lot, see VII: 80-84; Xl:
7083; XV: 57-74 and the E.N.'s there of).
وَأَدْخَلْنَاهُ فِي رَحْمَتِنَا ۖ إِنَّهُ مِنَ
الصَّالِحِينَ {21:75}
[Q21:75] Wa
adkhalnaahu fee rahmatinaa innahoo minas saalihee.
[Q21:75] And We took him into Our mercy; surely he was of the good.
[Q21:75] And We took him into Our mercy; surely he was of the good.
[Q21:75] Dan Kami masukkan Nabi Lut
dalam (kumpulan mereka yang dilimpahi) rahmat Kami; sesungguhnya dia dari
orang-orang yang soleh.
(see commentary for verse 74)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(21:75) And We admitted him into Our Mercy: he was,
indeed, of the righteous people.
SECTION
6
The
Apostles of God delivered and blessed
Noah
delivered – The Bounties of God and His Blessings upon David, Solomon, Job,
Ishmeal, Idris, Zulkifli, Johan, Zachariah and Mary – The religion of mankind
as a whole is one Religion ‘Islam’ and man should worshipnone but the only True
God.
وَنُوحًا إِذْ نَادَىٰ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَاسْتَجَبْنَا
لَهُ فَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَأَهْلَهُ مِنَ الْكَرْبِ الْعَظِيمِ {21:76}
[Q21:76] Wa
noohan iz naadaa min qablu fastajabnaa lahoo fanajjainaahu wa ahlahoo minal
karbil 'azeem.
[Q21:76] And Nuh, when he cried aforetime, so We answered him, and delivered him and his followers from the great calamity.
[Q21:76] And Nuh, when he cried aforetime, so We answered him, and delivered him and his followers from the great calamity.
[Q21:76] Dan (sebutkanlah peristiwa)
Nabi Nuh, ketika dia menyeru (berdoa kepada Kami) sebelum (Nabi-nabi yang
tersebut) itu, lalu Kami perkenankan doanya serta Kami selamatkan dia dan
pengikut-pengikutnya dari kesusahan yang besar.
Refer to the commentary
of Araf 7:59
to 64; Yunus 10:71 to 73 and Hud 11:25 to 48
for prophet Nuh.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(21:76) And We blessed Noah with the same favour;
remember that he had invoked Us *68 before those Prophets; We heard
his prayer and delivered him and the people of his house from the great
calamity *69
*68 This refers
to Prophet Noah's prayer which he at last made after having tried his utmost to
reform his people: "Lord, help me for I have been overpowered". (LIV:
10), and "Lord, do not leave even a single disbeliever on the earth."
(LXXIx 26).
*69 "Great calamity" may either refer to living a miserable life among the wicked people, or to the Flood. (For the story of Prophet Noah, see VII: 59-64; X: 72-74; X1: 25-48, and XVII: 3 and the E.N.'s thereof).
*69 "Great calamity" may either refer to living a miserable life among the wicked people, or to the Flood. (For the story of Prophet Noah, see VII: 59-64; X: 72-74; X1: 25-48, and XVII: 3 and the E.N.'s thereof).
وَنَصَرْنَاهُ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا
بِآيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمَ سَوْءٍ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ
أَجْمَعِينَ {21:77}
[Q21:77] Wa
nasarnaahu minal qawmil lazeena kazzaboo bi Aayaatinaa; innahum kkaanoo qawma
saw'in fa-aghraq naahum ajma'een.
[Q21:77] And We helped him against the people who rejected Our communications; surely they were an evil people, so We drowned them all.
[Q21:77] And We helped him against the people who rejected Our communications; surely they were an evil people, so We drowned them all.
[Q21:77] Dan Kami membelanya dari
angkara kaum yang mendustakan ayat-ayat Kami; sesungguhnya adalah mereka kaum
yang jahat; lalu Kami tenggelamkan mereka semuanya (sehingga mati lemas dengan
taufan).
(see commentary for verse 76)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(21:77) and helped him against those who had treated
Our Revelations as false. They were indeed a very wicked people, so We drowned
them all together.
وَدَاوُودَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ إِذْ يَحْكُمَانِ فِي
الْحَرْثِ إِذْ نَفَشَتْ فِيهِ غَنَمُ الْقَوْمِ وَكُنَّا لِحُكْمِهِمْ
شَاهِدِينَ {21:78}
[Q21:78] Wa
Daawooda wa Sulaimaana iz yahkumaani fil harsi iz nafashat feehi ghanamul qawmi
wa kunnaa lihukmihim shaahideen.
[Q21:78] And Dawood and Sulaiman when they gave judgment concerning the field when the people's sheep pastured therein by night, and We were bearers of witness to their judgment.
[Q21:78] And Dawood and Sulaiman when they gave judgment concerning the field when the people's sheep pastured therein by night, and We were bearers of witness to their judgment.
[Q21:78] Dan (sebutkanlah peristiwa)
Nabi Daud dengan Nabi Sulaiman, ketika mereka berdua menghukum mengenai
tanaman-tanaman semasa ia dirosakkan oleh kambing kaumnya pada waktu malam dan
sememangnya Kamilah yang memerhati dan mengesahkan hukuman mereka.
It is reported that a flock of sheep, on account of
the negligence of John the shepherd,
got into the cultivated field of Elia
by night and ate up the plants and fruits. Both of
them came to prophet Dawud for
equitable settlement. Dawud awarded Elia,
the owner of the cultivated field, the flock of sheep belonging to John in
compensation for the loss he suffered. Prophet Sulayman son of Dawud was a mere boy of eleven, but he
thought of a better decision, where the penalty would better fit the offence. Sulayman's
suggestion was that John should cultivate Elia's field and return it to Elia
when it was fully restored to the condition before eaten up by his herd; and in
the meantime Elia should take possession of John's sheep and use only their
milk and wool and return them to John when he gave him back his field duly
cultivated. This is because ALLAH
(SWT) is present every where and having witnessed the whole affair He inspired
Sulayman to arrive at the true judgement. AS
PROPHETS OF ALLAH (SWT) NEITHER SPOKE NOR ACTED EXCEPT AS DIRECTED BY ALLAH
(SWT) BOTH THE DECISIONS WERE ANNOUNCED AS INSPIRED BY ALLAH (SWT).
The decision of Dawud was based upon the law current at
that time. Dawud had many sons. It was ALLAH
(SWT)'s will that Sulayman should be
given the prophethood. SO
AFTER THIS CASE IN WHICH THE YOUNG SULAYMAN
WAS INSPIRED TO ANNOUNCE A NEW JUDGEMENT, SUPERSEDING THE CURRENT LAW, DAWUD, UNDER ALLAH (SWT)'S COMMAND,
MADE SULAYMAN HIS HEIR, and after Dawud, Sulayman was appointed by ALLAH (SWT) as
His prophet.
v As also said in Saba 34:10- "O mountains! Sing the
praises of ALLAH (SWT) with him (Dawud), and you birds (also)" -the mountains and birds, animate and inanimate
beings, are subservient to the chosen representatives of ALLAH (SWT).
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(21:78) And
We bestowed the same favour upon David and Solomon: Remember the occasion when
the two were judging a case regarding a field into which the goats of other
people had strayed at night, and We Ourself were watching their conduct of the
case.
فَفَهَّمْنَاهَا سُلَيْمَانَ ۚ وَكُلًّا آتَيْنَا
حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا ۚ وَسَخَّرْنَا مَعَ دَاوُودَ الْجِبَالَ يُسَبِّحْنَ
وَالطَّيْرَ ۚ وَكُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ {21:79}
[Q21:79] Fafahhamnaahaa
sulaimaan; wa kullan aatainaa hukmanw wa'ilmanw wa sakh kharnaa ma'a Daawoodal
jibaala yusabbihna wattayr; wa kunnaa faa'ileen.
[Q21:79] So We made Sulaiman to understand it; and to each one We gave wisdom and knowledge; and We made the mountains, and the birds to celebrate Our praise with Dawood; and We were the doers.
[Q21:79] So We made Sulaiman to understand it; and to each one We gave wisdom and knowledge; and We made the mountains, and the birds to celebrate Our praise with Dawood; and We were the doers.
[Q21:79] Maka Kami beri Nabi Sulaiman
memahami hukum yang lebih tepat bagi masalah itu dan masing-masing (dari mereka
berdua) Kami berikan hikmat kebijaksanaan dan ilmu (yang banyak) dan Kami
mudahkan gunung-ganang dan unggas memuji Kami bersama-sama dengan Nabi Daud dan
adalah Kami berkuasa melakukan semuanya itu.
This
verse refer to the revelation which Sulaiman got about the better judgment he suggested in the case, for the
apostles of ALLAH (SWT) neither speak nor act BUT according to the revelation they receive from the Lord; BUT what David (Dawud) had degree was also the revelation which was given
before to David which was only superseded by the one now given to Solomon
(Sulaiman). Both the apostles had
acted only upon the revelation that was given to them obviously it was a plan
to prove the wisdom granted to apostles even in young age. It is said that
when the Apostle David used to recite the Holy Scripture revealed to him, the
verse glorifying the Lord was heard repeated from the mountains and the birds
around him recited the same. (see verse 34:10).
For David see verses 2:251; 4:163;
5:78; 6:85; 27:15-16; 34:17-30 AND for Solomon see verses 2:102; 4:163; 6:85;
27:36-44; 28:30-40 and 34:12-14.
Ø This indicates that the praising of the mountains, birds and the animate
and the inanimate objects--- is subservient to the
praising of the perfect man.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(21:79) At
that time We guided Solomon to the right decision, though We had bestowed
wisdom and knowledge upon both of them. *70
*70 There is no
mention of this event in the Bible nor in the Jewish literature. According to
the Muslim commentators, it happened like this: The goats of one person entered
into the field of another person at night. The latter brought his complaint to
Prophet David who decided that the strayed goats should be given to the owner
of the field. Prophet Solomon, however, differed with this and opined that the goats
should remain with the owner of the field up to the time that the former tilled
and prepared the field as before. In regard to this Allah says, "We led
Solomon to the right decision". As regards the legal aspect of the matter
we cannot say with certainty what is the Islamic law in such a case nor is
there any Tradition of the Holy Prophet to explain or support it. That is why
the jurists have differed about it.
It should, however, be noted that in this context, the incident has been cited to show that the Prophets were after all human beings in spite of their Godgiven powers and abilities. In this case, Prophet David committed an error of judgment because he was not guided by AIIah as was Prophet Solomon, though both of them were Prophets. In the succeeding passage the wonderful powers of both have been mentioned to show that they were God-given and did not snake anyone a god.
Incidentally, we learn froth this verse that if two judges give different decisions about one and the same case, both of them will be regarded as righteous, though the decision of only one of them will be correct, provided that both are duly qualified for sitting in judgement on the case. The Holy Prophet has stated the same principle more elaborately. In a Tradition of Bukhari, he is reported by 'Amar bin 'As to have said, "If a judge does his very best to arrive at the right decision, he will get a double reward in case of a right judgment and a single reward if his judgment is wrong." According to another Tradition, cited by Abu Da'ud and Ibn Majah, on the authority of Buraidah, he is reported to have said, "Judges are of three kinds and only one of them will go to Paradise: the one who recognizes the Truth and decides according to it. On the other hand, the one who recognizes the Truth but gives his decision against it, will go to Hell, and he too, who sits in judgment on a case without the necessary knowledge (and competence). "
It should, however, be noted that in this context, the incident has been cited to show that the Prophets were after all human beings in spite of their Godgiven powers and abilities. In this case, Prophet David committed an error of judgment because he was not guided by AIIah as was Prophet Solomon, though both of them were Prophets. In the succeeding passage the wonderful powers of both have been mentioned to show that they were God-given and did not snake anyone a god.
Incidentally, we learn froth this verse that if two judges give different decisions about one and the same case, both of them will be regarded as righteous, though the decision of only one of them will be correct, provided that both are duly qualified for sitting in judgement on the case. The Holy Prophet has stated the same principle more elaborately. In a Tradition of Bukhari, he is reported by 'Amar bin 'As to have said, "If a judge does his very best to arrive at the right decision, he will get a double reward in case of a right judgment and a single reward if his judgment is wrong." According to another Tradition, cited by Abu Da'ud and Ibn Majah, on the authority of Buraidah, he is reported to have said, "Judges are of three kinds and only one of them will go to Paradise: the one who recognizes the Truth and decides according to it. On the other hand, the one who recognizes the Truth but gives his decision against it, will go to Hell, and he too, who sits in judgment on a case without the necessary knowledge (and competence). "
وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ صَنْعَةَ لَبُوسٍ لَكُمْ
لِتُحْصِنَكُمْ مِنْ بَأْسِكُمْ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ شَاكِرُونَ {21:80}
[Q21:80] Wa
'allamanaahu san'ata laboosil lakum lituhsinakum mim baasikum fahal antum
shaakiroon.
[Q21:80] And We taught him the making of coats of mail for you, that they might protect you in your wars; will you then be grateful?
[Q21:80] And We taught him the making of coats of mail for you, that they might protect you in your wars; will you then be grateful?
[Q21:80] Dan Kami
mengajar Nabi Daud membuat baju-baju besi untuk kamu, untuk menjaga keselamatan
kamu dalam mana-mana peperangan kamu, maka adakah kamu sentiasa bersyukur?
ALLAH (SWT) taught Dawud
the making of coats of mail which is a defensive armour, therefore is
associated with righteousness in Saba 34:10 and 11 (wherein it is also said that
ALLAH (SWT) made the iron soft for Dawud) in contrast with the deadly weapons which man invents for
offensive purposes. ALL FIGHTING
UNLESS IN DEFENCE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS MERE VIOLENCE.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(21:80) We had subdued to David the mountains and the
birds which joined with him in Our praise: *71 It was We Who had done all this.
And We taught him for your benefit the armourer's craft so that you might
protect yourselves from each other's violence. *72 Are you, then, grateful? *73
*71 From the
wording of the Text, it is clear that "the mountains and the birds"
were not subjected to Prophet David but were joined with him in glorifying
AIIah. This is also supported by XXXVIII: I9: "We had subdued the mountains
by Our Conmmand so that they praised Us with him (David) in the morning and
evening, and the birds too, which gathered together and repeated Our praise
with him". And, according to XXXIV: 10: "We commanded the mountains
to repeat Our praise with him and also the birds to do the same." We are
of the opinion that it means this: "When Prophet David sang hymns of
Allah's praise and glory, in his rich and sweet voice, the mountains echoed
back his melodies and the birds gathered round him and the whole scene became
charming." Our interpretation is supported by this Tradition:
"Once when Hadrat Abu Musa Ash`ari, who had an extremely sweet voice, was reciting the Holy Qur'an, the Holy Prophet, who was passing by, stood and listened to him for a long time. When he finished the recital, the Holy Prophet remarked: 'This man has been granted a portion of the melody of David'."
*72 According to XXXIV: 10-11, it was like this: "....And We made the iron soft for him (and commanded him): `Make coats of mail complete in every way, and arrange the plates properly...."'. This shows that Allah had made Prophet David an expert in the use of iron, and had especially taught him the art of an amourer for defence purposes. This fact is confirmed by archaeological and historical researches, for according to these the iron-age in the world started between 1200 and 1000 BC and this was precisely the period of Prophet David. At tirst the Hittites in Syria and Asia Minor, who flourished between 2000 and 1200 BC, discovered a method of melting and moulding iron, but they guarded it as a close secret from the world, and it could not be put to common use. Later on, the Philistines came to know of it, but they too guarded it as a secret. The incessant defeats suffered by the Israelites at the hands of the Hittites and the Philistines before King Saul, were due mainly to the use of chariots of iron in their wars by the latter. (Joshua, 17:16; Judges, 1: 19, 4: 2-3). In 1020 BC when Saul became ruler over the Israelites by Allah's Command, he subdued the Canaanites and recaptured most of Palestine. After him Prophet David (1004-965 BC) not only annexed the whole of Palestine and Jordan to the Israeli kingdom but a major portion of Syria as well. This was the time when the secret of armour making closely guarded by the Hittites and the Philistines, became well known and cheaper articles of daily use began to be made. The recent archaeological excavations conducted in Edom, to the south of Palestine, which is rich in iron ore, have brought to light furnaces for melting and moulding iron. The furnace excavated near Ezion-geber, a port on the Gulf of `Aqabah, in the time of Prophet Solomon, seems to have been built on the principles which are used in the modern blast furnaces. It is therefore natural that Prophet David must have first of all utilized this discovery for war purposes, because a little earlier the hostile Canaanites around his kingdom had made life really difficult for his people. The Bible also says that Prophet David was an expert in the art of melting and using iron for war purposes. (See Joshua, 17: 16; Judges, 1:19 and 4: 2-3).
*73 For further details about Prophet David, please see II: 251 and XVII: 55 and the E.N.'s thereof.
"Once when Hadrat Abu Musa Ash`ari, who had an extremely sweet voice, was reciting the Holy Qur'an, the Holy Prophet, who was passing by, stood and listened to him for a long time. When he finished the recital, the Holy Prophet remarked: 'This man has been granted a portion of the melody of David'."
*72 According to XXXIV: 10-11, it was like this: "....And We made the iron soft for him (and commanded him): `Make coats of mail complete in every way, and arrange the plates properly...."'. This shows that Allah had made Prophet David an expert in the use of iron, and had especially taught him the art of an amourer for defence purposes. This fact is confirmed by archaeological and historical researches, for according to these the iron-age in the world started between 1200 and 1000 BC and this was precisely the period of Prophet David. At tirst the Hittites in Syria and Asia Minor, who flourished between 2000 and 1200 BC, discovered a method of melting and moulding iron, but they guarded it as a close secret from the world, and it could not be put to common use. Later on, the Philistines came to know of it, but they too guarded it as a secret. The incessant defeats suffered by the Israelites at the hands of the Hittites and the Philistines before King Saul, were due mainly to the use of chariots of iron in their wars by the latter. (Joshua, 17:16; Judges, 1: 19, 4: 2-3). In 1020 BC when Saul became ruler over the Israelites by Allah's Command, he subdued the Canaanites and recaptured most of Palestine. After him Prophet David (1004-965 BC) not only annexed the whole of Palestine and Jordan to the Israeli kingdom but a major portion of Syria as well. This was the time when the secret of armour making closely guarded by the Hittites and the Philistines, became well known and cheaper articles of daily use began to be made. The recent archaeological excavations conducted in Edom, to the south of Palestine, which is rich in iron ore, have brought to light furnaces for melting and moulding iron. The furnace excavated near Ezion-geber, a port on the Gulf of `Aqabah, in the time of Prophet Solomon, seems to have been built on the principles which are used in the modern blast furnaces. It is therefore natural that Prophet David must have first of all utilized this discovery for war purposes, because a little earlier the hostile Canaanites around his kingdom had made life really difficult for his people. The Bible also says that Prophet David was an expert in the art of melting and using iron for war purposes. (See Joshua, 17: 16; Judges, 1:19 and 4: 2-3).
*73 For further details about Prophet David, please see II: 251 and XVII: 55 and the E.N.'s thereof.
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