أَلَكُمُ الذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ الْأُنْثَىٰ {53:21}
[Q53:21] A-lakumuz
zakaru wa lahul unsaa
[Q53:21] What! For you the males and for Him the females!
[Q53:21] What! For you the males and for Him the females!
[Q53:21] Patutkah kamu membahagi untuk
diri kamu sendiri anak lelaki (yang kamu sukai), dan untuk ALLAH (SwT) anak
perempuan (yang kamu benci)?
See commentary of Nahl 16:57, 58, Zukhruf 43:16,
17 and Tur 52:39.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:21) Shall you have the male issues, and He the
female issues? *16
*16 That is,
"You held these goddesses as daughters of Allah, Lord of the worlds, and
did not consider while inventing this absurd creed that as for yourselves you
regarded the birth of a daughter as disgraceful, and desired to have only male
children, but as for Allah you assign w Him only daughters!"
تِلْكَ إِذًا قِسْمَةٌ ضِيزَىٰ {53:22}
[Q53:22] Tilka izan qismatun deezaa
[Q53:22] This indeed is an unjust division!
[Q53:22] This indeed is an unjust division!
(see commentary for verse 21)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:22) That is indeed an unfair division!
إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنْتُمْ
وَآبَاؤُكُمْ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ ۚ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ
إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الْأَنْفُسُ ۖ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمُ
الْهُدَىٰ {53:23}
[Q53:23] In
hiya illaaa asmaaa'un sammaitumoohaaa antum wa aabaaa'ukum maaa anzalaL Laahu
bihaa min sultaan; inyyattabi'oona illaz zanna wa maa tahwal anfusu wa laqad
jaaa'ahum mir Rabbihimul Hudaa
[Q53:23] They are naught but names which you have named, you and your fathers; ALLAH (SWT) has not sent for them any authority. They follow naught but conjecture and the low desires which (their) souls incline to; and certainly the guidance has come to them from their Lord.
[Q53:23] They are naught but names which you have named, you and your fathers; ALLAH (SWT) has not sent for them any authority. They follow naught but conjecture and the low desires which (their) souls incline to; and certainly the guidance has come to them from their Lord.
[Q53:23] Benda-benda yang kamu sembah
itu tidak lain hanyalah nama-nama yang kamu dan datuk nenek kamu menamakannya. ALLAH
(SwT) tidak sekali-kali menurunkan sebarang bukti yang membenarkannya. Mereka
yang berbuat demikian, tidak menurut melainkan sangkaan-sangkaan dan apa yang
diingini oleh hawa nafsunya. Padahal demi sesungguhnya telah datang kepada
mereka petunjuk dari Tuhan mereka.
Refer to Araf 7: 71 and
Yusuf 12:40.
The false gods the idolaters worship are nothing but names they
give to sticks or stones, ideas or men living or dead.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:23) These are nothing but names that you and your
forefathers have invented, for which Allah has sent down no authority. *17 They
are merely following
their conjectures and their carnal desires *18 although
guidance has come to them from their Lord. *19
*17 That is,
"Those whom you call gods and goddesses are neither gods nor goddesses,
nor do they possess any attribute of divinity, nor any share whatever in the
powers of Godhead. You have of your own whim made them children of God and
deities and associates in Godhead. Allah has sent down no authority which you may,
produce as a proof in support of your presumptions. "
*18 In other words, the basic causes of their deviation are two: First, that they do not feel any need for the knowledge of reality for the purpose of adopting a creed and religion, but make a supposition on the basis of a mere conjecture and then put belief in it as though it were the reality, Second, that they have, in fact, adopted this attitude in order to follow the lusts of their souls: they desire that they should have such a deity as should help them attain their aims and objects in the world, and if at aII there is to be a Hereafter, it should take the responsibility to have them granted forgiveness there too, But it should not impose any restriction of the lawful and the unlawfirl on them nor should bind them in any discipline of morality. That is why they do not feel inclined to worship One God as taught by the Prophets, and only like to worship these invented gods and goddesses.
*19 That is, in every age the Prophets appointed by Allah have been guiding these wicked people to the Truth, and now Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) has come to tell them as to whom belongs Godhead in reality in the Universe.
*18 In other words, the basic causes of their deviation are two: First, that they do not feel any need for the knowledge of reality for the purpose of adopting a creed and religion, but make a supposition on the basis of a mere conjecture and then put belief in it as though it were the reality, Second, that they have, in fact, adopted this attitude in order to follow the lusts of their souls: they desire that they should have such a deity as should help them attain their aims and objects in the world, and if at aII there is to be a Hereafter, it should take the responsibility to have them granted forgiveness there too, But it should not impose any restriction of the lawful and the unlawfirl on them nor should bind them in any discipline of morality. That is why they do not feel inclined to worship One God as taught by the Prophets, and only like to worship these invented gods and goddesses.
*19 That is, in every age the Prophets appointed by Allah have been guiding these wicked people to the Truth, and now Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) has come to tell them as to whom belongs Godhead in reality in the Universe.
أَمْ لِلْإِنْسَانِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ {53:24}
[Q53:24] Am lil insaani maa tamannaa.
[Q53:24] Or shall man have what he wishes?
[Q53:24] Or shall man have what he wishes?
MAN'S DESIRES ARE DICTATED BY HIS WHIMS AND FANCIES, so he worships false gods and ideas and generates evil and
disorder. The true source of guidance and light is ALLAH (SWT). He is the
ultimate goal to which all persons and things (all existence) return. SOVEREIGNTY,
FROM BEGINNINGS TO END, EXCLUSIVELY BELONGS TO ALLAH (SWT).
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:24) Does man imagine that whatever he wishes for is
right for him? *20
*20 Another
meaning of this verse can be: "Is man entitled to take anyone he pleases
as his god?" Still another meaning can be: "Can the desire of man to
have his prayers answered by these gods ever be fulfilled?"
فَلِلَّهِ الْآخِرَةُ وَالْأُولَىٰ {53:23}
[Q53:25] FaliLLaahil
aakhiratu wal oolaa
[Q53:25] Nay! For ALLAH (SWT) is the hereafter and the former (life).
[Q53:25] Nay! For ALLAH (SWT) is the hereafter and the former (life).
THE KINGDOM, i.e., the Authority, from the beginning to the end is
exclusively ALLAH (SWT) and of none else.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:25) To Allah belong both the Next World and the
present.
SECTION
2
Intercession
of angels
Even the angels in the
heavens shall not intercede but with ALLAH (SWT)’s permission---Those who set
imaginary gods for themselves follow only their own conjectures---Good and evil
shall be duly recompensed.
وَكَمْ مِنْ مَلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي
شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ
وَيَرْضَىٰ {53:26}
[Q53:26] Wa
kam mim malakin fissamaawaati laa tughnee shafaa'atuhum shai'an illaa mim ba'di
anyyaazanaL Laahu limany yashaaa'u wa yardaa.
[Q53:26] And how many an angel is there in the heavens whose intercession does not avail at all except after ALLAH (SWT) has given permission to whom He pleases and chooses.
[Q53:26] And how many an angel is there in the heavens whose intercession does not avail at all except after ALLAH (SWT) has given permission to whom He pleases and chooses.
[Q53:26] (Golongan yang musyrik
mengharapkan pertolongan benda-benda yang mereka sembah itu) padahal berapa
banyak malaikat di langit, syafaat mereka tidak dapat mendatangkan sebarang
faedah, kecuali sesudah ALLAH (SwT) mengizinkan bagi sesiapa yang
dikehendakiNya dan diredhaiNya.
THERE WILL BE NO INTERCESSION AVAILABLE TO THE DISBELIEVERS, BUT ALLAH (SWT) has given permission to the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa
ala ali Muhammad) and his Ahlul Bayt to intercede and advocate on behalf of the
believers. Refer to the commentary of Baqarah 2:48.
µ There
are several verses in the Qur’an in which it is clearly stated that ALLAH (SWT)
gives permission of intercession to whom He pleases. So the theory of "no intercession at
all" is un-Qura’nic and contrary to the will of ALLAH (SWT).
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:26) Numerous are the angels in the heavens; yet
their intercession shall be of no avail, except in regard to those whom He
grants the leave of intercession and whose plea He is pleased to accept. *21
*21 That is,
"Even if all the angels together intercede for a person, it cannot be
beneficial for him not to speak of the intercession by these invented deities
of yours, which can do no one any good. AlI the powers of Godhead rest with
AIIah. Even the angels cannot dare intercede for somebody before Him unless He
permits it and is pleased to hear their intercession in his behalf."
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ
لَيُسَمُّونَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ الْأُنْثَىٰ {53:27}
[Q53:27] innal
lazeena laa yu'minoona bil aakhirati la yusammoonal malaaa'ikata tasmiyatal unsaa
[Q53:27] Most surely they who do not believe in the hereafter name the angels with female names.
[Q53:27] Most surely they who do not believe in the hereafter name the angels with female names.
[Q53:27] Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang
tidak beriman kepada hari akhirat sahajalah, yang tergamak menamakan malaikat
itu dengan nama perempuan,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:27) Those
who do not believe in the Hereafter give angels the names of females, *22
*22 That
is, "Their first folly is that they have taken these powerless angels who
cannot even intercede for anyone before AIIah as their deities; their second
folly is that they regard them as female and daughters of Allah. The basic
reason for these errors is that they do not believe in the Hereafter. For had they
been believers in the Hereafter, they would never have behaved so irrationally
and irresponsibly. Their denial of the Hereafter has made them heedless of
their end, and they think that believing or disbelieving in God, or believing
in a thousand gods, dces not make any difference, for none of these creeds
seems to entail any good or bad result in the present life of the world.
Whether the people are deniers of God, or believers in many gods, or in One
God, their crops ripen as well as fail, they fall iII as well as recover from
illness, and they pass through all kinds of circumstances, good as well as bad.
Therefore it is not at aII an important and serious matter for them that man
should or should not take some one as a deity, or should take as many deities
or of any kind as he likes of his choice. When according to them the decision
as to what is truth and what is falsehood is to take place in this very world,
depending on the results thereof appearing here, obviously the results here do
not decide absolutely that one creed is true and another false. Therefore, the
adoption of one creed and rejection of another is a matter of men whim with
these people."
وَمَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ
إِلَّا الظَّنَّ ۖ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا {53:28}
[Q53:28] Wa
maa lahum bihee min 'ilmin iny yattabi'oona illaz zanna wa innaz zanna laa
yughnee minal haqqi shai’aa
[Q53:28] And they have no knowledge of it; they do not follow anything but conjecture, and surely conjecture does not avail against the truth at all.
[Q53:28] And they have no knowledge of it; they do not follow anything but conjecture, and surely conjecture does not avail against the truth at all.
[Q53:28] Sedang mereka tidak mempunyai
sebarang pengetahuan mengenainya. Mereka tidak lain hanyalah mengikut sangkaan
semata-mata, padahal sesungguhnya sangkaan itu tidak dapat memenuhi kehendak
menentukan sesuatu dari kebenaran (iktiqad).
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:28) although
they have no knowledge regarding that. They only follow their conjecture *23 and conjecture can never take the
place of the Truth.
*23 That
is, "They have not adopted this creed about the angels on the ground that
they had found through some means of knowledge that they were females and
daughters of God, but they have presumed this on mere conjecture and have set
up these shrines at which they pray for fulfillment of desires, make offerings
and pay tributes."
فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْ مَنْ تَوَلَّىٰ عَنْ ذِكْرِنَا
وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلَّا الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا {53:29}
[Q53:29] Fa
a'rid 'am man tawallaa 'an zikrinaa wa lam yurid illal hayaatad dunyaa.
[Q53:29] Therefore turn aside from him who turns his back upon Our reminder and does not desire anything but this world's life.
[Q53:29] Therefore turn aside from him who turns his back upon Our reminder and does not desire anything but this world's life.
[Q53:29] Oleh itu, janganlah engkau
(wahai Muhammad) hiraukan orang yang berpaling dari pengajaran Kami dan tidak
mahu melainkan kehidupan dunia semata-mata.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:29) So
leave alone those who turn away from the remembrance of Us *24 and who seek nothing but the life
of the world *25 –
*24 Dhikr
here may imply the Qur'an as well as mere admonition; it may also mean that he
does not like that even God be mentioned before him.
*25 That is, "You should not waste your time in making him understand the truth, for such a person will never be inclined to accept any invitation which is based on God-worship, which calls to objects and values higher than the material benefits of the world, and according to which the real aim of life may be the eternal success and well-being of the Hereafter. Instead of expending your time and energy on such a materialistic and ungodly person, you should devote attention to the people who arc inclined to heed the remembrance of Allah and arc not involved in the worship of the world. "
*25 That is, "You should not waste your time in making him understand the truth, for such a person will never be inclined to accept any invitation which is based on God-worship, which calls to objects and values higher than the material benefits of the world, and according to which the real aim of life may be the eternal success and well-being of the Hereafter. Instead of expending your time and energy on such a materialistic and ungodly person, you should devote attention to the people who arc inclined to heed the remembrance of Allah and arc not involved in the worship of the world. "
ذَٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ
هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ
اهْتَدَىٰ {53:30}
[Q53:30] Zalika
mablaghuhum minal 'ilm; inna rabbaka huwa a'lamu biman dalla 'an sabee lihee wa
huwa a'lamu bimanih tadaa.
[Q53:30] That is their goal of knowledge; surely your Lord knows best him who goes astray from His path and He knows best him who follows the right direction.
[Q53:30] That is their goal of knowledge; surely your Lord knows best him who goes astray from His path and He knows best him who follows the right direction.
[Q53:30] (Kepentingan dunia) itulah
sahaja tujuan terakhir dari pengetahuan yang dicapai oleh mereka. Sesungguhnya
Tuhanmu, Dialah jua yang lebih mengetahui akan orang yang sesat dari jalanNya
dan Dialah jua yang lebih mengetahui akan orang yang mendapat hidayat petunjuk.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:30) that *26 being
the utmost of their knowledge. *27 Surely your Lord fully knows those
who have strayed away from His Path and He also fully knows those who are
rightly guided.
*26 This is a parenthetical sentence which has been
inserted here as an explanation of the preceding verse.
*27 That is, "These people neither know nor can think anything beyond the world and its immediate gains; therefore, it is futile merely to expend time and energy on them."
*27 That is, "These people neither know nor can think anything beyond the world and its immediate gains; therefore, it is futile merely to expend time and energy on them."
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ
لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا
بِالْحُسْنَى {53:31}
[Q53:31] Wa liLLaahi
maa fis samaawaati wa maa fil ardi liyajziyal lazeena asaaa'oo bimaa 'amiloo wa
yajziyal lazeena ahsanoo bilhusnaa.
[Q53:31] And ALLAH (SWT)'s is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, that He may reward those who do evil according to what they do, and (that) He may reward those who do good with goodness.
[Q53:31] And ALLAH (SWT)'s is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, that He may reward those who do evil according to what they do, and (that) He may reward those who do good with goodness.
[Q53:31] Dan ALLAH (SwT) jualah yang
memiliki segala yang ada di langit dan yang ada di bumi; (diciptakan semuanya
itu) untuk membalas orang-orang yang berbuat jahat menurut apa yang mereka
lakukan dan membalas orang-orang yang berbuat baik dengan balasan yang
sebaik-baiknya.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:31) To
Allah alone belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. *28 He will *29 requite the evil-doers for their
deeds and bestow a goodly reward on those who have done good,
*28 In
other words, neither the question whether a person is gone astray or is on
right guidance, is to be decided in this world, nor has its decision been left
to the judgement of the people of the world; the decision rests with Allah. He
alone is the Master of the earth and heavens and He alone knows which way out
of the different ways being followed by the people of the world, is the way of
guidance and which of error and deviation. Therefore, you should least bother
if the polytheistic Arabs and the Makkan disbelievers think you are deluded and
misguided and regard their own ignorance as truth and guidance. Leave them
alone if they wish to remain lost in their falsehood. You need not waste your
time in disputing with them.
*29 The theme is resumed here and connected as a continuous whole with verse 29. Without the parenthesis, it would read: 'Leave him alone so that AIlah may requite the evildoers for their evil deeds."
*29 The theme is resumed here and connected as a continuous whole with verse 29. Without the parenthesis, it would read: 'Leave him alone so that AIlah may requite the evildoers for their evil deeds."
الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَائِرَ الْإِثْمِ
وَالْفَوَاحِشَ إِلَّا اللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَاسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ هُوَ
أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنْشَأَكُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنْتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِي
بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ
اتَّقَىٰ {53:32}
[Q53:32] Allazeena
yajtaniboona kabaaa'iral ismi walfawaa hisha illal lamam; inna rabbaka waasi'ul
maghfirah; huwa a'lamu bikum iz ansha akum minal ardi wa iz antum ajinnatun fee
butooni umma haatikum falaa tuzakkooo anfusakum huwa a'lamu bimanit taqaa.
[Q53:32] Those who keep aloof from the great sins and the indecencies but the passing idea; surely your Lord is liberal in forgiving. He knows you best when He brings you forth from the earth and when you are embryos in the wombs of your mothers; therefore do not attribute purity to your souls; He knows him best who guards (against evil).
[Q53:32] Those who keep aloof from the great sins and the indecencies but the passing idea; surely your Lord is liberal in forgiving. He knows you best when He brings you forth from the earth and when you are embryos in the wombs of your mothers; therefore do not attribute purity to your souls; He knows him best who guards (against evil).
[Q53:32] (Iaitu) orang-orang yang
menjauhi dosa-dosa besar serta perbuatan-perbuatan yang keji, kecuali salah
silap yang kecil-kecil (yang mereka terlanjur melakukannya, maka itu
dimaafkan). Sesungguhnya Tuhanmu Maha Luas keampunanNya. Dia lebih mengetahui
akan keadaan kamu semenjak Dia mencipta kamu (berasal) dari tanah dan semasa
kamu berupa anak yang sedang melalui berbagai peringkat kejadian dalam perut
ibu kamu; maka janganlah kamu memuji-muji diri kamu (bahawa kamu suci bersih
dari dosa). Dialah sahaja yang lebih mengetahui akan orang-orang yang bertakwa.
‘Lamam’ stands for [*] the intention (to sin) AND [*] the
sins committed before coming into the fold of Islam, most likely to be forgiven after repentance
and amended conduct. ALLAH (SWT)'S ATTRIBUTES OF MERCY AND FORGIVENESS ARE
UNLIMITED. They come into action without our
asking if we surrender our wills to him. Our prayer helps us to surrender
our wills to him.
AS ALLAH (SWT) KNOWS OUR INMOST BEING, IT IS
ABSURD TO JUSTIFY OURSELVES, EITHER BY PRETENDING THAT WE ARE BETTER THAN WE
ARE, OR by
finding excuses for our misconduct. If we try to safeguard ourselves against
evil with full awareness of the laws made by Him He will appreciate our
striving and may forgive us.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:32) on those who avoid grave sins *30 and
shameful deeds, *31 even if they may sometimes stumble into lesser
offences. *32 Surely your Lord is abounding in His
Forgiveness. *33 Very well is He aware of you since He produced
you from the earth, and while you were still in your mothers’ wombs and not yet
born. So do not boastfully claim yourselves to be purified. He fully knows
those that are truly Godfearing.
*30 For
explanation, see E.N. 53 of An-Nisa.
*31 For explanation, sec E.N. 130 of AI-An'am and E.N. 89 of An-Nahl.
*32 The word lamam as found in the original is used for a small quantity of something, or its slight effect, or its mere closeness, or its existence for a short time. This word is used to express the sense that a person did not commit an act but was very near to committing it.
On the basis of its usages some commentators have taken the word lamam in the meaning of minor sins. Some others have taken it in the meaning that a person should practically reach very near a grave sin but -should desist from actually committing it. Still others take it in the sense of a person's remaining involved in a sin temporarily and then desisting from it. And according to some it implies that a person should think of, or wish, or intend to commit a sin but should rake no practical steps towards it. In this regard, the views of the Companions and their immediate followers are as follows:
Zaid bin Aslam and Ibn Zaid opine, and a saying of Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas also is to the same effect, that it signifies those sins which the people had committed in the pre-Islamic days of ignorance, then alter embracing Islam they refrained from them.'
Another view of Ibn `Abbas is, and the same is also the view of Hadrat Abu Hurairah, Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin 'As, Mujahid, Hasan Basri and Abu Salih, that it implies a person's being involved in a grave sin or indecency temporarily, or occasionally, and then giving it up.
Hadrat 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Masruq and Sha'bi say, and the same also has been reported from Hadrat Abu Hurairah and Hadrat 'Abdullah bin `Abbas in authentic traditions, that this implies a person's approaching the very point of a grave sin and crossing alI its preliminaries but then restraining himself at the final stage, e.g. a person goes out with the intention of stealing but refrains from it in the end, or has colse association with other women, but refrains from committing adultery. Hadrat 'Abdullah bin Zubair, `Ikrimah, Qatadah and Dahhak say that this signifies those minor sins for which no punishment has been prescribed in the world nor any threat of punishment held out in the Hereafter. Said bin al-Musayyab says that this implies one's thinking of a sin in the mind but restraining oneself from committing it practically.
These are the different explanations which have been reported in the traditions from the Companions and their immediate followers. The majority of the later commentators and doctors of law and jurists are of the opinion that this verse and verse 31 of Surah An-Nisa classify sins into two main kinds: the major sins and the minor sins, and these two verses give man the hope that if he abstains from the major sins and open indecencies, AIlah will overlook his minor errors. Although some distinguished scholars have also opined that no sin is minor and the disobedience of Allah is by itself a major sin, yet as stated by Imam Ghazali the distinction between the major and the minor sins is something which cannot be denied, for the sources of knowledge of the Shari'ah values and injunctions aII point to this.
As for the question, what is the distinction between the major and the minor sins, and what kinds of sins are major and what kinds of them minor we are satisfied that: "Every such act is a major sin which has been forbidden by a clear ordinance of the Divine Book and the Shari'ah of the Prophet, or for which AIIah and His Messenger have prescribed a punishment in the world, or have held out a threat of punishment in the Hereafter, or have cursed the one guilty of committing it, or given the news of infliction of punishment on those guilty of committing it. " Apart from this class of sins all other acts which are disapproved by the Shari'ah, come under the definition of minor sins. Likewise, the mere desire for a major sin, or an intention to commit it, also is not a major sin but a minor sin; so much so that even crossing all the preliminaries of a major sin does not constitute a major sin unless one has actually committed it. However, even a minor sin becomes a major sin in case it is committed with a feeling of contempt for religion and of arrogance against Allah, and the one guilty of it does not consider the Shari`ah that has declared it an evil worthy of any attention and reverence.
*33 That is, "The forgiveness for the one guilty of minor sins is not for the reason that a minor sin is no sin, but for the reason that AIIah Almighty does not treat His servants narrow-mindedly and does not seize them on trifling faults; if the servants adopt piety and abstain from major sins and indecencies, He will not seize them for their minor errors and will forgive them magnanimously on account of His infinite mercy."
*31 For explanation, sec E.N. 130 of AI-An'am and E.N. 89 of An-Nahl.
*32 The word lamam as found in the original is used for a small quantity of something, or its slight effect, or its mere closeness, or its existence for a short time. This word is used to express the sense that a person did not commit an act but was very near to committing it.
On the basis of its usages some commentators have taken the word lamam in the meaning of minor sins. Some others have taken it in the meaning that a person should practically reach very near a grave sin but -should desist from actually committing it. Still others take it in the sense of a person's remaining involved in a sin temporarily and then desisting from it. And according to some it implies that a person should think of, or wish, or intend to commit a sin but should rake no practical steps towards it. In this regard, the views of the Companions and their immediate followers are as follows:
Zaid bin Aslam and Ibn Zaid opine, and a saying of Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas also is to the same effect, that it signifies those sins which the people had committed in the pre-Islamic days of ignorance, then alter embracing Islam they refrained from them.'
Another view of Ibn `Abbas is, and the same is also the view of Hadrat Abu Hurairah, Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin 'As, Mujahid, Hasan Basri and Abu Salih, that it implies a person's being involved in a grave sin or indecency temporarily, or occasionally, and then giving it up.
Hadrat 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Masruq and Sha'bi say, and the same also has been reported from Hadrat Abu Hurairah and Hadrat 'Abdullah bin `Abbas in authentic traditions, that this implies a person's approaching the very point of a grave sin and crossing alI its preliminaries but then restraining himself at the final stage, e.g. a person goes out with the intention of stealing but refrains from it in the end, or has colse association with other women, but refrains from committing adultery. Hadrat 'Abdullah bin Zubair, `Ikrimah, Qatadah and Dahhak say that this signifies those minor sins for which no punishment has been prescribed in the world nor any threat of punishment held out in the Hereafter. Said bin al-Musayyab says that this implies one's thinking of a sin in the mind but restraining oneself from committing it practically.
These are the different explanations which have been reported in the traditions from the Companions and their immediate followers. The majority of the later commentators and doctors of law and jurists are of the opinion that this verse and verse 31 of Surah An-Nisa classify sins into two main kinds: the major sins and the minor sins, and these two verses give man the hope that if he abstains from the major sins and open indecencies, AIlah will overlook his minor errors. Although some distinguished scholars have also opined that no sin is minor and the disobedience of Allah is by itself a major sin, yet as stated by Imam Ghazali the distinction between the major and the minor sins is something which cannot be denied, for the sources of knowledge of the Shari'ah values and injunctions aII point to this.
As for the question, what is the distinction between the major and the minor sins, and what kinds of sins are major and what kinds of them minor we are satisfied that: "Every such act is a major sin which has been forbidden by a clear ordinance of the Divine Book and the Shari'ah of the Prophet, or for which AIIah and His Messenger have prescribed a punishment in the world, or have held out a threat of punishment in the Hereafter, or have cursed the one guilty of committing it, or given the news of infliction of punishment on those guilty of committing it. " Apart from this class of sins all other acts which are disapproved by the Shari'ah, come under the definition of minor sins. Likewise, the mere desire for a major sin, or an intention to commit it, also is not a major sin but a minor sin; so much so that even crossing all the preliminaries of a major sin does not constitute a major sin unless one has actually committed it. However, even a minor sin becomes a major sin in case it is committed with a feeling of contempt for religion and of arrogance against Allah, and the one guilty of it does not consider the Shari`ah that has declared it an evil worthy of any attention and reverence.
*33 That is, "The forgiveness for the one guilty of minor sins is not for the reason that a minor sin is no sin, but for the reason that AIIah Almighty does not treat His servants narrow-mindedly and does not seize them on trifling faults; if the servants adopt piety and abstain from major sins and indecencies, He will not seize them for their minor errors and will forgive them magnanimously on account of His infinite mercy."
SECTION 3
The Omnipotence of ALLAH (SWT)
None shall bear the burden of the other---ALLAH (SWT) (alone) is the
ultimate end of everyone---The Omnipotence of ALLAH (SWT)---Reference to the
fate of the people of the previous peophets for their disbelief ---All shall
prostrate in obeisance to ALLAH (SWT) the Lord of everything, of the whole
Universe.
أَفَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ {53:33}
[Q53:33] Afara‘aytal lazee tawallaa.
[Q53:33] Have you then seen him who turns his back?
[Q53:33] Have you then seen him who turns his back?
[Q53:33] Adakah engkau mengetahui
(keburukan) orang yang berpaling (dari menurut kebenaran kerana dia
dihasut)?
"He who turns back" REFERS TO THOSE WHO
FORSAKE THE FAITH LIKE THOSE WHO LEFT THE HOLY PROPHET
(ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI
MUHAMMAD) IN THE MIDST OF DANGER AND RAN AWAY
FROM THE BATTLES OF UHAD AND HUNAYN.
©
According to Minhajul Sadiqin, Uthman
bargained with Abdullah bin Ubay for
a camel load of merchandise if Abdullah would take upon himself the sins of
Uthman. After giving the merchandise Uthman put a stop to alms giving relying
upon Abdullah's undertaking. Then these verses were revealed.
If we accept Islam, we must accept it whole-heartedly and not look back
to pagan superstitions. NO MAN CAN BARGAIN
ABOUT SPIRITUAL MATTERS, FOR HE CANNOT SEE WHAT HIS END WILL BE IN THE
HEREAFTER. IT IS THE UNCHANGEABLE LAW OF ALLAH (SWT) IN EVERY AGE
THAT NO BEARER OF BURDEN CAN BEAR THE BURDEN OF ANOTHER. See
commentary of Baqarah
2:48, 123, 254; An-am 6:165; Bani Israil 17:15 ; Fatir 35:18 and other such
verses.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:33) (O Prophet), did you see him who
turned away (from the Path of Allah),
وَأَعْطَىٰ قَلِيلًا وَأَكْدَىٰ {53:34}
[Q53:34] Waa a’taa qaleelanw wa akdaa
[Q53:34] And gives a little and (then) withholds.
[Q53:34] And gives a little and (then) withholds.
[Q53:34] Dan setelah dia memberi sedikit
pemberiannya, dia memutuskannya (kerana menurut hawa nafsunya)?
(see commentary for verse 33)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:34) who gave a little, and then stopped? *34
*34 The
reference is to Walid bin Mughirah who was one of the prominent chiefs of the
Quraish. According to Ibn Jarir Tabari, this person had first become inclined
to accept the invitation of the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace), but when a
polytheist friend of his came to know of his intention to become a Muslim, he
counselled him not to give up his ancestral faith, and asked him that if he was
afraid of the punishment of the Hereafter, he should pay him a certain amount
of money and he would take the responsibility to suffer the punishment on his
behalf. Walid accepted the offer and turned away from Allah's way. Then he paid
only a little of the amount that he had promised to pay his polytheist friend
and withheld the rest. The allusion to this incident was meant to toll the
disbelievers of Makkah what kind of errors and follies they were involved in
because of their heedlessness of the Hereafter and their ignorance of the
Divine Religion. "
أَعِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰ {53:35}
[Q53:35] A'indahoo
'ilmul ghaibi fahuwa yaraa
[Q53:35] Has he the knowledge of the unseen so that he can see?
[Q53:35] Has he the knowledge of the unseen so that he can see?
[Q53:35] Adakah dia mempunyai
pengetahuan mengenai perkara yang ghaib sehingga dia dapat mengetahui (bahawa
orang lain boleh menghalang gantinya dari apa yang akan menimpanya pada hari
akhirat)?
(see commentary for verse 33)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:35) Does he have any knowledge of the world beyond
the ken of sense-perception, and therefore, clearly sees (the Truth)? *35
*35 That is,
°Does he know that this conduct is in any way beneficial for him? Does he know
that a person can save himself even in this way from the punishment of the
Hereafter?"
أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ {53:36}
[Q53:36] Am
lam yunabbaa bimaa fee suhuhfi Moosaa
[Q53:36] Or, has he not been informed of what is in the scriptures of Musa?
[Q53:36] Or, has he not been informed of what is in the scriptures of Musa?
[Q53:36] Atau belumkah dia diberitahu
akan apa yang terkandung dalam Kitab-kitab Nabi Musa;
(see commentary for verse 33)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:36) Has he not been informed of what is in the
Scrolls of Moses,
وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّىٰ {53:37}
[Q53:37] Wa Ibraaheemal lazee waffaa
[Q53:37] And (of) Ibrahim who fulfilled (the commandments):
[Q53:37] And (of) Ibrahim who fulfilled (the commandments):
[Q53:37] Dan juga (dalam Kitab-kitab)
Nabi Ibrahim yang memenuhi dengan sempurnanya (segala yang diperintahkan
kepadanya)?
(see commentary for verse 33)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:37) and of Abraham, who lived up to the trust? *36
*36 In the
following verses a resume is being given of the teachings sent down in the
Books of the Prophets Abraham and Moses. The Books of Moses signify the Torah.
As for the Books of the Prophet Abraham they have become extinct and no mention
of them is found even in the holy scriptures of the Jews and Christians. Only
in the Qur'an at two places have some parts of the teachings contained in the
Books of the Prophet Abraham been cited, here and in the concluding verses of
Surah AI-A`la.
أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ {53:38}
[Q53:38] Allaa taziru waaziratunw wizra ukhraa;
[Q53:38] That no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another-
[Q53:38] That no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another-
[Q53:38] (Dalam Kitab-kitab itu
ditegaskan): Bahawa sesungguhnya seseorang yang boleh memikul tidak akan
memikul dosa perbuatan orang lain (bahkan dosa usahanya sahaja);
(see commentary for verse 33)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:38) “That no bearer of a burden shall bear the
burden of another, *37
*37 From this
verse three cardinal principles are derived: (1) That
every person is himself responsible for what he does; (2) that
the responsibility of one man's act cannot be transferred to another unless he
has a share in the commission of the act; and (3) that even if
a person wishes he cannot take on himself the responsibility of another man's
act, nor can the actual culprit be Iet off on the ground that another person is
willing to suffer the punishment on his behalf.
وَأَنْ لَيْسَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ {53:39}
[Q53:39] Wa al
laisa lil insaani illaa maa sa’aa.
[Q53:39] And that man shall have nothing but what he strives for-
[Q53:39] And that man shall have nothing but what he strives for-
[Q53:39] Dan bahawa sesungguhnya tidak
ada (balasan) bagi seseorang melainkan (balasan) apa yang diusahakannya;
(see commentary for verse 33)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:39) and that man shall have nothing but what he has
striven for, *38
*38 From this
verse also three important principles are derived: (1) That every
person will get only the fruit of his own deeds; (2) that
the fruit of one man's deeds cannot be given to another unless he has a share
in that deed, and (3) that none
can attain anything without striving for it.
Some people wrongly apply these three principles to the economic problems of the world and conclude that no person can become the lawful owner of anything except of his own earned income. But this conclusion clashes with several laws and injunctions given by the Qur'an itself, e.g. the law of inheritance, according to which many individuals inherit a person and are regarded as his lawful heirs, whereas the heritage is not their earned income. As for a suckling for instance, it cannot be proved by any stretch of imagination that its labour had any share in the wealth left by its father. Likewise, there are the injunctions about the zakat and voluntary charities according to which the wealth of one man is transferred to others only on the basis of their legal and moral entitlement and they become its lawful owners, whereas in the production of this wealth they did not make any contribution at aII. Thus, it is against the intention of the Qur'an to take a verse of it and derive from it such conclusions as clash with the other teachings of the Qur'an itself.
Some other people regard these principles as concerning the Hereafter and raise the question whether, according to these principles, the deeds of one man can in some way be also beneficial for the other person, and whether the deeds of a person which he does for another person, or on his behalf, can be accepted from him, and whether it is also possible that a person may transfer the reward of his act to another. If the answer to these questions be in the negative the sending of spiritual rewards (isal thawab) for the dead and performing Hajj on behalf of another, would be inadmissible; even the prayer of forgiveness for the other person would be meaningless, for this prayer also is not the concerned person's own act and deed. However, this extreme point of view has been adopted by none among the followers of Islam except the Mu`tazilites. Only they take this verse in the meaning that one man's acts and deeds can in no case be beneficial for the other. On the contrary, the followers of the Sunnah are unanimous that the prayer of one man is beneficial for the other because it is confirmed by the Qur'an; however, they differ only in details, and not in principles, as to whether the sending of spiritual rewards for another and doing a good work on behalf of another is beneficial or not.
(1) The term isal thawab MEANS THAT AFTER A PERSON HAS PERFORMED A GOOD ACT, HE MAY PRAY TO ALLAH TO GRANT ITS REWARDS TO ANOTHER. In this regard, Imam MALIK AND IMAM SHAFE'I have expressed the opinion that the rewards of the pure bodily acts of worship, e.g, the Prayer, the Fasting and recitals of the Qur'an, etc. cannot reach the other person; however, the rewards of one's monetary acts of worship, e.g. charities, or Hajj, which is a combination of the monetary and bodily worships, can reach the other, for the principle is that one man's act should not be beneficial for the other. But since according to authentic Ahadith the rewards of charities can be conveyed and Hajj on behalf of another also can be performed, they admit the permissibility of conveying of rewards to the extent of this kind of the acts of worship only. On the contrary, the HANAFI VIEWPOINT is that a man can send the reward of each of his virtuous acts as a gift to the other, whether it is the Prayer, or the Fast, or the recitation of the Qur'an, or remembrance of Allah, or charity, or Hajj and `Umrah. The argument is that just as a man after carrying out a piece of work can tell the master to pay the wages to such and such other person instead of him, so after performing a good deed also he can pray to Allah to grant its rewards to such and such other person instead of him. In this there is no rational ground for making exception of some kinds of virtues and keeping it restricted to some other kinds of virtues. The same is confirmed by a large number of the traditions: A Tradition, on the unanimous **authority of Hadrat 'A'ishah, Hadrat Abu Hurairah, Hadrat Jabir bin 'Abdullah. Hadrat Abu Rafi', Hadrat Abu Talhah Ansari and Hudhaifah bin Usaid al-Ghifari has been reported in Bukhari, Muslim. Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Tabari (in Awsat, Musradrik and Ibn Abi Shaibah saying that the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) got two rams and sacrificed one on behalf of himself and his family and the other on behalf of his, Ummah. Muslim, Bukhari, Musnad Ahmad, Abu Da'ud and Nasa'i have related a Tradition from Hadrat 'A'ishah to the effect that a person said to the Holy Prophet: "My mother has died suddenly. I think if she had a chance to speak, she would have asked me giving away something in charity. Now, if I give away something in charity on her behalf, will she get a reward for it?" The Holy Prophet replied: "Yes, she will." **In Musnad Ahmad there is a Tradition from Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin 'As to the effect that his grandfather, `As bin Wail, had vowed in the preIslamic days of ignorance to sacrifice 100 camels. His uncle, Hisham bin 'As, sacrificed fifty camels of his own share. Hadrat 'Amr bin 'As, asked the Holy Prophet as to what he should do. The Holy Prophet replied: "If your father had affirmed faith in the Oneness of God, you may observe fasts on his behalf or give something in charity: this would be beneficial for him." A Tradition has been reported in Musnad Ahmad, Abu Da'ud, Nasa'i and Ibn Majah, on the authority of Hadrat Hasan Basri, to the effect that Hadrat Sa'd bin 'Ubadah asked the Holy Prophet: "My mother has died. Should I give something in charity on her behalf?" The Holy Prophet replied in the affirmative. Several other traditions bearing on the same subject also have been related in Bukhari, Muslim, Musnad Ahmad, Nasa'i, Tirmidhi, Abu Da'ud, Ibn Majah, etc. on the authority of Hadrat 'A'ishah, Hadrat Abu Hurairah and Hadrat Ibn 'Abbas, According to which the Holy Prophet permitted giving away of something in charity on behalf of the deceased person describing it as beneficial for him. According to Daraqutni a person said to the Holy Prophet: ''I have been serving my parents while they were alive; what should I do now when they are dead?" The Holy Prophet replied; "This would also be their service if you offered the Prayer on their behalf along with your own Prayers, and observed the Fast on their behalf along with your own Fast." Another tradition in Daraqutni has been related from Hadrat `Ali according to which the Holy Prophet said: "If a person passing by the graveyard recites "Qul huwallah-u ahad" eleven times and gives away its reward for the dead, all the dead ones will be granted their due shares of the rewards. " This large number of the traditions which support one another explicitly state that the transfer of the spiritual rewards is not only possible but rewards of aII kinds of acts of worship and virtuous deeds can be sent and conveyed and in it there is no specification of any particular kind of acts and deeds. In this connection, however, four things should be understood well:
First, that the reward of that act only can be transferred, which may have been performed purely for the sake of Allah and according to the Shari'ah injunctions; otherwise obviously an act which is performed for the sake of another than Allah, or in contravention of the Shari 'ah injunctions, cannot even entitle its doer himself to any reward, nothing to say of its transfer to another person. Secondly, the gift of the rewards will certainly reach those righteous persons who are staying as guests with AIIah, but no rewards are expected to reach those culprits who are placed in confinement there. The gift can reach the guests of AIlah but the criminals of Allah cannot be expected to receive it. If a person sends his rewards to him because of a misunderstanding, it will not go waste but instead of reaching the culprit it will return to the actual worker himself just like the money-order which returns to the sender in case it does not reach the one to whom it has been sent. Thirdly, the transfer of the reward is possible BUT not the transfer of punishment. That is, it is possible that one may do a good deed and may willingly transfer its reward to the other and it reaches him, BUT it is not possible that one may commit a sin and transfer its punishment to the other and it reaches him, The fourth thing is that a virtuous acts beneficial in two ways: First, on account of its those results which accrue to the soul and morality of the doer himself because of which he becomes worthy of a reward in the sight of Allah; second, on account of the reward which Allah grants him as a gift and favour. The transfer of the spiritual reward does not concern the first but only the second. This can be understood by an example. A person tries to attain proficiency in the art of wrestling by constant practice. The strength and skill thus gained is in any way specially meant for his own self; it cannot be transferred to another. Similarly, if he is attached to a royal court, and there is a stipend fixed for him as a wrestler, he alone will receive it and no one else. However, in respect of the prizes and gifts that his patron may like to grant him as an appreciation for his creditable performance, he may request that they may be given to his coach, or parents, or some other benefactor, on his behalf. The same is the case with the virtuous deeds: their spiritual benefits are not transferable and their rewards also cannot be transferred to another, but as for their rewards and gifts he can pray to AIIah that these may be granted to a near and dear one, or a benefactor of his. That is why it is termed as isal thawab (conveying of spiritual rewards) and not as isal jaza' (conveying of material reward).
(2) Another form of a person's work being beneficial for another is that one should either do a virtuous deed on the desire or beckoning of another, or without his desire or beckoning, on his behalf, which, in fact, was obligatory for him to carry out, but which he was unable to carry out himself. In this regard, THE HANAFI JURISTS say that the acts of worship are of three kinds: purely physical, e.g. the Prayer; purely monetary, e.g. the zakat; and the compound acts of bodily and monetary worship, e.g. Hajj. As for the first kind, nobody can act as an agent of another. As for the second kind, one can act as an agent of the other, e.g. the husband can pay the zakat due on the ornaments of the wife. As for the third kind, one can act as an agent of the other only in case the actual person on whose behalf the act is being performed, is permanently, and not just temporarily, unfit to carry out his obligation himself. For example, Hajj can be performed on behalf of another only in case the person concerned is unable to go for Hajj himself nor-may have the hope that he would ever be able to perform it himself. THE MALIKIS AND THE SHAFE is also concur on, this, However, IMAM MALIK lays down the condition that if the father has willed that his son should perform Hajj after him, on his behalf, the son can perform Hajj on his father's behalf, otherwise not, But the traditions in this regard are very explicit. Whether the father has expressed the desire, or made a will or not, the son can perform Hajj on his behalf.
**Ibn 'Abbas has related that a woman from the tribe of Khath'am said to the Holy Prophet: "The command for Hajj has reached my father at a time when he has become very old: he cannot even sit on the camel's back." The Holy Prophet replied: "You then may perform Hajj on his behalf." (Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidi, Nasa'i). A tradition bearing on the same subject has also been related by Hadrat 'AIi. (Ahmad, Tirmidhi). **Hadrat 'Abdullah bin Zabair has made mention of a man of the same tribe of Khath'am, who also put a similar question to the Holy Prophet concerning his aged father. The Holy Prophet asked: 'Are you his eldest son?" He answered in the affirmative. Thereupon the Holy Prophet said "If your father had left behind a debt and you paid it off, would it stand paid on his behalf?" He replied that it would. The Holy Prophet said: "Then you should likewise perform Hajj also on his behalf." (Ahmad, Nasa'i). **Ibn 'Abbas relates that a woman from the tribe of Juhainah came to the Holy Prophet and said: "My mother had vowed to perform Hajj but she died before performing her vow. Now, can I perform Hajj on her behalf?" The Holy Prophet replied: "If your mother had left behind a debt, would you not have paid it? Likewise, you should also discharge the vow made to Allah, and Allah has a greater right that the vows made to Him be performed." (Bukhari, Nasa'i). Bukhari and Musnad Ahmad contain another tradition to the effect that a man came and put the same question to the Holy Prophet concerning his sister as has been mentioned above, and the Holy Prophet gave him also the same answer.
These traditions provide a clear proof that so far as the compound acts of bodily and monetary worships are concerned, one can act on behalf of another. AS FOR the purely bodily acts of worship, there are some Ahadith which prove the permissibility of acting on behalf of another in this kind of worship as well. For example, **Ibn 'Abbas has related that a woman from the tribe of Juhainah asked the Holy Prophet: 'My mother had vowed to observe the Fast and she died without performing her vow. Now, can I observe the Fast on her behalf?" The Holy Prophet replied: "Observe the Fast on her behalf." (Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Da'ud). And **Hadrat Buraidah's tradition that a woman asked concerning her mother: "She had one month's (according to another tradition two months') Fasts to observe; can I observe those Fasts on her behalf?" The Holy Prophet said that she could." (Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Da'ud). And **Hadrat 'A'ishah's tradition that the Holy Prophet said: °If a person dies and he had some Fasts to observe, his guardian should observe those Fasts on his behalf." (Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad). In the tradition related by Bazzar the Holy Prophet's words are to the effect: "If his guardian may so like, he may observe those Fasts on his behalf)." On the basis of these very traditions the Ashab al- Hadith and Imam Auza'i and the Zahiris have formed the view that one is permitted to perform bodily acts of worship also on behalf of the other. BUT IMAM ABU HANIFAH, IMAM MALIK, SHAFE'I AND IMAM ZAID BIN 'ALI have given the ruling that a fast cannot be observed on behalf of a dead person, and Imam Ahmad, Imam Laith and Ishaq bin Rahawaih opine that this can be done only in case the deceased person might have so vowed but might not have been able to perform his vow. Those who oppose this give the argument that the reporters of the Ahadith, which prove its permissibility, have themselves given their rulings against it. Ibn 'Abbas's ruling has been related by Nasa'i, thus: "No one should offer a Prayer or observe a Fast on behalf of another." And Hadrat 'A'ishah's ruling, according to 'Abdur Razzaq, is: "Do not observe the Fast on behalf of your dead ones; feed (the needy) instead." The same has been related from Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Umar also by 'Abdur Razzaq that the Fast should not be observed on behalf of the deceased person. This shows that in the beginning it was permissible to perform acts of bodily worship on behalf of others, but the practice that became established in the end was that it was not permissible to do so; otherwise it was not possible that those who have reported these Ahadith from the Holy Prophet, should have themselves given rulings against them.
IN THIS CONNECTION, it should be understood well that fulfilment of an obligation on behalf of another can be beneficial only to those people who have themselves been keen and desirous of fulfilling their obligations and might have been unable to do so being rendered helpless by circumstances. But a person who deliberately shirked going for Hajj although he had the necessary means for it and had no feeling whatever of this obligation in his heart either, cannot be benefited even if several Hajj be performed on his behalf afterwards. This would be analogous to the case of a person who deliberately avoided paying his debts and had no intention to pay them till the last. Afterwards even if every penny is paid off on his behalf, he would remain a debtor in the sight of AIIah. The payment of the debts by another can relieve only such a person who in his lifetime was desirous of paying off his debts but was unable to do so due to straitened circumstances.
Some people wrongly apply these three principles to the economic problems of the world and conclude that no person can become the lawful owner of anything except of his own earned income. But this conclusion clashes with several laws and injunctions given by the Qur'an itself, e.g. the law of inheritance, according to which many individuals inherit a person and are regarded as his lawful heirs, whereas the heritage is not their earned income. As for a suckling for instance, it cannot be proved by any stretch of imagination that its labour had any share in the wealth left by its father. Likewise, there are the injunctions about the zakat and voluntary charities according to which the wealth of one man is transferred to others only on the basis of their legal and moral entitlement and they become its lawful owners, whereas in the production of this wealth they did not make any contribution at aII. Thus, it is against the intention of the Qur'an to take a verse of it and derive from it such conclusions as clash with the other teachings of the Qur'an itself.
Some other people regard these principles as concerning the Hereafter and raise the question whether, according to these principles, the deeds of one man can in some way be also beneficial for the other person, and whether the deeds of a person which he does for another person, or on his behalf, can be accepted from him, and whether it is also possible that a person may transfer the reward of his act to another. If the answer to these questions be in the negative the sending of spiritual rewards (isal thawab) for the dead and performing Hajj on behalf of another, would be inadmissible; even the prayer of forgiveness for the other person would be meaningless, for this prayer also is not the concerned person's own act and deed. However, this extreme point of view has been adopted by none among the followers of Islam except the Mu`tazilites. Only they take this verse in the meaning that one man's acts and deeds can in no case be beneficial for the other. On the contrary, the followers of the Sunnah are unanimous that the prayer of one man is beneficial for the other because it is confirmed by the Qur'an; however, they differ only in details, and not in principles, as to whether the sending of spiritual rewards for another and doing a good work on behalf of another is beneficial or not.
(1) The term isal thawab MEANS THAT AFTER A PERSON HAS PERFORMED A GOOD ACT, HE MAY PRAY TO ALLAH TO GRANT ITS REWARDS TO ANOTHER. In this regard, Imam MALIK AND IMAM SHAFE'I have expressed the opinion that the rewards of the pure bodily acts of worship, e.g, the Prayer, the Fasting and recitals of the Qur'an, etc. cannot reach the other person; however, the rewards of one's monetary acts of worship, e.g. charities, or Hajj, which is a combination of the monetary and bodily worships, can reach the other, for the principle is that one man's act should not be beneficial for the other. But since according to authentic Ahadith the rewards of charities can be conveyed and Hajj on behalf of another also can be performed, they admit the permissibility of conveying of rewards to the extent of this kind of the acts of worship only. On the contrary, the HANAFI VIEWPOINT is that a man can send the reward of each of his virtuous acts as a gift to the other, whether it is the Prayer, or the Fast, or the recitation of the Qur'an, or remembrance of Allah, or charity, or Hajj and `Umrah. The argument is that just as a man after carrying out a piece of work can tell the master to pay the wages to such and such other person instead of him, so after performing a good deed also he can pray to Allah to grant its rewards to such and such other person instead of him. In this there is no rational ground for making exception of some kinds of virtues and keeping it restricted to some other kinds of virtues. The same is confirmed by a large number of the traditions: A Tradition, on the unanimous **authority of Hadrat 'A'ishah, Hadrat Abu Hurairah, Hadrat Jabir bin 'Abdullah. Hadrat Abu Rafi', Hadrat Abu Talhah Ansari and Hudhaifah bin Usaid al-Ghifari has been reported in Bukhari, Muslim. Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Tabari (in Awsat, Musradrik and Ibn Abi Shaibah saying that the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) got two rams and sacrificed one on behalf of himself and his family and the other on behalf of his, Ummah. Muslim, Bukhari, Musnad Ahmad, Abu Da'ud and Nasa'i have related a Tradition from Hadrat 'A'ishah to the effect that a person said to the Holy Prophet: "My mother has died suddenly. I think if she had a chance to speak, she would have asked me giving away something in charity. Now, if I give away something in charity on her behalf, will she get a reward for it?" The Holy Prophet replied: "Yes, she will." **In Musnad Ahmad there is a Tradition from Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin 'As to the effect that his grandfather, `As bin Wail, had vowed in the preIslamic days of ignorance to sacrifice 100 camels. His uncle, Hisham bin 'As, sacrificed fifty camels of his own share. Hadrat 'Amr bin 'As, asked the Holy Prophet as to what he should do. The Holy Prophet replied: "If your father had affirmed faith in the Oneness of God, you may observe fasts on his behalf or give something in charity: this would be beneficial for him." A Tradition has been reported in Musnad Ahmad, Abu Da'ud, Nasa'i and Ibn Majah, on the authority of Hadrat Hasan Basri, to the effect that Hadrat Sa'd bin 'Ubadah asked the Holy Prophet: "My mother has died. Should I give something in charity on her behalf?" The Holy Prophet replied in the affirmative. Several other traditions bearing on the same subject also have been related in Bukhari, Muslim, Musnad Ahmad, Nasa'i, Tirmidhi, Abu Da'ud, Ibn Majah, etc. on the authority of Hadrat 'A'ishah, Hadrat Abu Hurairah and Hadrat Ibn 'Abbas, According to which the Holy Prophet permitted giving away of something in charity on behalf of the deceased person describing it as beneficial for him. According to Daraqutni a person said to the Holy Prophet: ''I have been serving my parents while they were alive; what should I do now when they are dead?" The Holy Prophet replied; "This would also be their service if you offered the Prayer on their behalf along with your own Prayers, and observed the Fast on their behalf along with your own Fast." Another tradition in Daraqutni has been related from Hadrat `Ali according to which the Holy Prophet said: "If a person passing by the graveyard recites "Qul huwallah-u ahad" eleven times and gives away its reward for the dead, all the dead ones will be granted their due shares of the rewards. " This large number of the traditions which support one another explicitly state that the transfer of the spiritual rewards is not only possible but rewards of aII kinds of acts of worship and virtuous deeds can be sent and conveyed and in it there is no specification of any particular kind of acts and deeds. In this connection, however, four things should be understood well:
First, that the reward of that act only can be transferred, which may have been performed purely for the sake of Allah and according to the Shari'ah injunctions; otherwise obviously an act which is performed for the sake of another than Allah, or in contravention of the Shari 'ah injunctions, cannot even entitle its doer himself to any reward, nothing to say of its transfer to another person. Secondly, the gift of the rewards will certainly reach those righteous persons who are staying as guests with AIIah, but no rewards are expected to reach those culprits who are placed in confinement there. The gift can reach the guests of AIlah but the criminals of Allah cannot be expected to receive it. If a person sends his rewards to him because of a misunderstanding, it will not go waste but instead of reaching the culprit it will return to the actual worker himself just like the money-order which returns to the sender in case it does not reach the one to whom it has been sent. Thirdly, the transfer of the reward is possible BUT not the transfer of punishment. That is, it is possible that one may do a good deed and may willingly transfer its reward to the other and it reaches him, BUT it is not possible that one may commit a sin and transfer its punishment to the other and it reaches him, The fourth thing is that a virtuous acts beneficial in two ways: First, on account of its those results which accrue to the soul and morality of the doer himself because of which he becomes worthy of a reward in the sight of Allah; second, on account of the reward which Allah grants him as a gift and favour. The transfer of the spiritual reward does not concern the first but only the second. This can be understood by an example. A person tries to attain proficiency in the art of wrestling by constant practice. The strength and skill thus gained is in any way specially meant for his own self; it cannot be transferred to another. Similarly, if he is attached to a royal court, and there is a stipend fixed for him as a wrestler, he alone will receive it and no one else. However, in respect of the prizes and gifts that his patron may like to grant him as an appreciation for his creditable performance, he may request that they may be given to his coach, or parents, or some other benefactor, on his behalf. The same is the case with the virtuous deeds: their spiritual benefits are not transferable and their rewards also cannot be transferred to another, but as for their rewards and gifts he can pray to AIIah that these may be granted to a near and dear one, or a benefactor of his. That is why it is termed as isal thawab (conveying of spiritual rewards) and not as isal jaza' (conveying of material reward).
(2) Another form of a person's work being beneficial for another is that one should either do a virtuous deed on the desire or beckoning of another, or without his desire or beckoning, on his behalf, which, in fact, was obligatory for him to carry out, but which he was unable to carry out himself. In this regard, THE HANAFI JURISTS say that the acts of worship are of three kinds: purely physical, e.g. the Prayer; purely monetary, e.g. the zakat; and the compound acts of bodily and monetary worship, e.g. Hajj. As for the first kind, nobody can act as an agent of another. As for the second kind, one can act as an agent of the other, e.g. the husband can pay the zakat due on the ornaments of the wife. As for the third kind, one can act as an agent of the other only in case the actual person on whose behalf the act is being performed, is permanently, and not just temporarily, unfit to carry out his obligation himself. For example, Hajj can be performed on behalf of another only in case the person concerned is unable to go for Hajj himself nor-may have the hope that he would ever be able to perform it himself. THE MALIKIS AND THE SHAFE is also concur on, this, However, IMAM MALIK lays down the condition that if the father has willed that his son should perform Hajj after him, on his behalf, the son can perform Hajj on his father's behalf, otherwise not, But the traditions in this regard are very explicit. Whether the father has expressed the desire, or made a will or not, the son can perform Hajj on his behalf.
**Ibn 'Abbas has related that a woman from the tribe of Khath'am said to the Holy Prophet: "The command for Hajj has reached my father at a time when he has become very old: he cannot even sit on the camel's back." The Holy Prophet replied: "You then may perform Hajj on his behalf." (Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidi, Nasa'i). A tradition bearing on the same subject has also been related by Hadrat 'AIi. (Ahmad, Tirmidhi). **Hadrat 'Abdullah bin Zabair has made mention of a man of the same tribe of Khath'am, who also put a similar question to the Holy Prophet concerning his aged father. The Holy Prophet asked: 'Are you his eldest son?" He answered in the affirmative. Thereupon the Holy Prophet said "If your father had left behind a debt and you paid it off, would it stand paid on his behalf?" He replied that it would. The Holy Prophet said: "Then you should likewise perform Hajj also on his behalf." (Ahmad, Nasa'i). **Ibn 'Abbas relates that a woman from the tribe of Juhainah came to the Holy Prophet and said: "My mother had vowed to perform Hajj but she died before performing her vow. Now, can I perform Hajj on her behalf?" The Holy Prophet replied: "If your mother had left behind a debt, would you not have paid it? Likewise, you should also discharge the vow made to Allah, and Allah has a greater right that the vows made to Him be performed." (Bukhari, Nasa'i). Bukhari and Musnad Ahmad contain another tradition to the effect that a man came and put the same question to the Holy Prophet concerning his sister as has been mentioned above, and the Holy Prophet gave him also the same answer.
These traditions provide a clear proof that so far as the compound acts of bodily and monetary worships are concerned, one can act on behalf of another. AS FOR the purely bodily acts of worship, there are some Ahadith which prove the permissibility of acting on behalf of another in this kind of worship as well. For example, **Ibn 'Abbas has related that a woman from the tribe of Juhainah asked the Holy Prophet: 'My mother had vowed to observe the Fast and she died without performing her vow. Now, can I observe the Fast on her behalf?" The Holy Prophet replied: "Observe the Fast on her behalf." (Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Abu Da'ud). And **Hadrat Buraidah's tradition that a woman asked concerning her mother: "She had one month's (according to another tradition two months') Fasts to observe; can I observe those Fasts on her behalf?" The Holy Prophet said that she could." (Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Da'ud). And **Hadrat 'A'ishah's tradition that the Holy Prophet said: °If a person dies and he had some Fasts to observe, his guardian should observe those Fasts on his behalf." (Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad). In the tradition related by Bazzar the Holy Prophet's words are to the effect: "If his guardian may so like, he may observe those Fasts on his behalf)." On the basis of these very traditions the Ashab al- Hadith and Imam Auza'i and the Zahiris have formed the view that one is permitted to perform bodily acts of worship also on behalf of the other. BUT IMAM ABU HANIFAH, IMAM MALIK, SHAFE'I AND IMAM ZAID BIN 'ALI have given the ruling that a fast cannot be observed on behalf of a dead person, and Imam Ahmad, Imam Laith and Ishaq bin Rahawaih opine that this can be done only in case the deceased person might have so vowed but might not have been able to perform his vow. Those who oppose this give the argument that the reporters of the Ahadith, which prove its permissibility, have themselves given their rulings against it. Ibn 'Abbas's ruling has been related by Nasa'i, thus: "No one should offer a Prayer or observe a Fast on behalf of another." And Hadrat 'A'ishah's ruling, according to 'Abdur Razzaq, is: "Do not observe the Fast on behalf of your dead ones; feed (the needy) instead." The same has been related from Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Umar also by 'Abdur Razzaq that the Fast should not be observed on behalf of the deceased person. This shows that in the beginning it was permissible to perform acts of bodily worship on behalf of others, but the practice that became established in the end was that it was not permissible to do so; otherwise it was not possible that those who have reported these Ahadith from the Holy Prophet, should have themselves given rulings against them.
IN THIS CONNECTION, it should be understood well that fulfilment of an obligation on behalf of another can be beneficial only to those people who have themselves been keen and desirous of fulfilling their obligations and might have been unable to do so being rendered helpless by circumstances. But a person who deliberately shirked going for Hajj although he had the necessary means for it and had no feeling whatever of this obligation in his heart either, cannot be benefited even if several Hajj be performed on his behalf afterwards. This would be analogous to the case of a person who deliberately avoided paying his debts and had no intention to pay them till the last. Afterwards even if every penny is paid off on his behalf, he would remain a debtor in the sight of AIIah. The payment of the debts by another can relieve only such a person who in his lifetime was desirous of paying off his debts but was unable to do so due to straitened circumstances.
وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ {53:40}
[Q53:40] Wa anna sa’yahoo sawfa yuraa
[Q53:40] And that his striving shall soon be seen-
[Q53:40] And that his striving shall soon be seen-
[Q53:40] Dan bahawa sesungguhnya
usahanya itu akan diperlihatkan (kepadanya, pada hari kiamat kelak);
(see commentary for verse 33)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(53:40) and that (the result of) his striving shall
soon be seen, *39
*39 That is, °
In the Hereafter the people's deeds shall be examined and judged in order to
see what provisions they have brought with them. " As this sentence occurs
immediately after the preceding sentence, it by itself indicates that the
preceding sentence relates to the rewards and punishments of the Hereafter, and
the view of those who present it as an economic principle relating to this
world is not correct. TO INTERPRET A VERSE OF THE QUR'AN IN A WAY AS IS
IRRELEVANT TO THE CONTEXT AS WELL AS CLASHES WITH THE OTHER ORDINANCES OF THE
QUR'AN CANNOT BE RIGHT.
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