What do we learn from the fate of the disgraced (like Pharaoh) who remain alive in corridors of history

Anyone or any nation or civilization that disobeys the Divine Orders and ridicule His prophets and messengers, are bound to doom and ultimately perish. But their remains remain alive as sign of wrath of Allah for those who defy Him and such signs continue to "live" in the corridors of history as a sign of warning for all posterity.

We share today the 92nd verse of Surah 10 Yunus which is about the drowning and then saving of his body on Divine orders as a warning for all future generations, that anyone who even thinks of defying the Divine orders should think twice before taking any act of perfidiousness, disobedience and disloyalty to the Master of the universe.

Although the verse being shared is about the fate of the mighty Pharaoh, it applies equally to all demagogues of the world today who think a little power in their hands can let them dominate the meek and weak. In recent history, we remember Hitler for the so called genocide of the Jews, and we condemn it from every muscle in our body, yet we keep our eyes closed when the same people of Israelites who were saved by Allah, wage a far torturous genocide of the Palestinians, a people who allowed Jews into the lands presently occupied by Israel. Do we forget what is still echoing in the corridors of history?

Before our readers move on to read our selected post, it may be added here that in all history books before Islam, it is said that Pharaoh drowned when the sea met again after the safe exit of the Israelites, the mention of Pharaoh in Qur'an differs and it is clearly said that though Pharaoh drowned, his body was expelled by sea to be preserved as a sign of warning for all posterity that Allah will never spare the disobeying and merciless worldly gods and will have their names echoing forever as long as the world lives.

* Scroll down for the lessons we should learn from the fate of the disgraced

فَالۡيَوۡمَ نُـنَجِّيۡكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُوۡنَ لِمَنۡ خَلۡفَكَ اٰيَةً  ؕ وَاِنَّ كَثِيۡرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ عَنۡ اٰيٰتِنَا لَغٰفِلُوۡنَ

(10:92) We shall now save your corpse that you may serve as a sign of warning for all posterity, although many men are heedless of Our signs.

Explanation Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi:

Even today the place, where the dead body of Pharaoh was found floating, is pointed out by the inhabitants of that region. It lies on the western coast of the Sinai Peninsula and is now known by the name of Jabl-i-Fir`aun (Pharaoh's Mount). There is also near it a hot spring called Hammam-i-Fir`aun (Pharaoh's Bath), which is situated at a distance of a few miles from Abu Zenimah, where, they say, Pharaoh's dead body was found lying.

If the Pharaoh who was drowned was Mineptah, who ruled over Egypt when Prophet Moses was sent to him, his embalmed dead body is still lying in the Cairo Museum. When Sir Grafton E. Smith removed the bandages from his mummy, a layer of salt was found on the body, which was a clear proof that he was drowned in the sea.

That is, "We show Signs to the people over and over again so that these should serve as warnings and be the means of teaching them lessons, but it is a pity that they do not learn lessons even from such Signs as the dead body of Pharaoh."

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(So this day We shall deliver your (dead) body (out from the sea) that you may be a sign to those who come after you!) Ibn 'Abbas and others from among the Salaf have said: "Some of the Children of Israel doubted the death of Fir'awn so Allah commanded the sea to throw his body – whole, without a soul – with his known armor plate. The body was thrown to a high place on the land so that the Children of Israel could confirm his death and destruction." 

That is why Allah said, ("So this day We shall deliver your..") meaning that We will put your body on a high place on the earth. Mujahid said, (your (dead) body) means, 'your physical body. "

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

These words of God became true word for word and the corpse of the Pharaoh was not accepted by the sea after he had drowned in it. It was expelled by it as an exemplary sign of God’s scourge. Later the corpse was spotted by people and they saw with their very eyes the fate of those who show rebelliousness against God. On the western coast of the Sinai desert the sites of the “Mount of the Pharaoh” and the “Bath of the Pharaoh” are memorials of this incident. Even today people living in the area which is a few kilometers up north of Abū Zanīmah point out the place where the corpse was found. In current times, among the mummified bodies discovered in Egypt it is generally believed that one of them is that of the Merneptah Pharaoh. This dead body is preserved in a museum in Cairo and invites every eye to learn a lesson from it.

… The experts of archeology may differ about the corpse whether it is of the same Pharaoh or some other one yet this fourteen century old statement of the Qur’ān about the corpse is much more trustworthy than their conjectures. In this way, God made his dead body an exemplary sign for even the Pharaohs of today but this needs eyes for observation and there is nothing more rare in this world than eyes which have insight. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 4, 84)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

His body would remain intact, uneaten by sharks or other sea creatures. It would not be allowed to drift with the waves, but would be saved so that his end would be known to all and sundry. It may be that when others see your body they will take heed and realize that defying God and His warnings brings certain doom. They do not turn to them with open hearts and minds, nor do they consider their significance, be they evident in the great universe or within their own selves.

Having gone through the historical perspective and mentioning the narration as given out in Qur'an, let us see what can we learn from this episode:

Pharaoh's refusal to heed the warnings of Moses (in fact the Divine Warnings conveyed to Pharaoh through Prophet Musa) and his stubbornness in holding onto power despite the plagues sent by God are often seen as examples of arrogance and hubris. This can serve as a lesson about the dangers of pride and the consequences of refusing to acknowledge one's mistakes.

The drowning of Pharaoh (and later expulsion of his body from the sea) and his army serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of oppression and injustice. It underscores the idea that those who oppress others will ultimately face their own downfall.  

The story highlights the power of faith and obedience to Allah. Moses and the Israelites trusted in promise of Allah and His deliverance, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. This can be seen as a lesson in the importance of trust and obedience in one's spiritual journey.

The event is often interpreted as an act of divine justice. Pharaoh's oppression of the Israelites and his refusal to release them from slavery led to his downfall, illustrating the idea that ultimately, justice will prevail. 

 Today we see people of Kashmir and Palestine being denied justice and are forcibly being subjugated, tortured, denied of all human rights, to an extent of robbing them of their homes and denying food and water, even the much needed medical facilities for those who are victims of brute force and merciless bombing and inhuman treatment. 

The Exodus story serves as a symbol of liberation and redemption. The drowning of Pharaoh and the subsequent freedom of the Israelites represent the triumph of good over evil and the possibility of liberation from oppression. This should serve as a cue for those struggling for independence from the clutches of inhuman masters to continue to strive for their freedom, for one day all bondages are let loose, if one has faith in Allah and His promise of deliverance.

Let us then, sister and brothers in Islam, be faithful to Allah and do not extend our stature longer than ours and be always thankful to Allah, lest any act that smacks of disobedience or disloyalty have us stumbled to live in disgrace. 

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Resource Reference: ChatGPT

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Can a faithful child Disobey his parents?

Parents in Islam assume a very exclusive and elevated status in Islam. Both parents, specially the mothers, are to be respected and never to be disobeyed, for it is the mother who carries her offspring for nine months in her womb and endures extreme discomfort during these nine months and undergoes extreme pain during the childbirth. She then feeds her offspring and raise her with her best love and care to a standing youth. The father too works hard and undergoes extreme hardships to make arrangements for the raising of his offspring at the cost of his discomfort and extreme body limits.

It is for this reason of bearing a child, raising him and educating him to be a good Muslim and valuable human being, that Allah has sent down many a instruction for being kind to one's parents. Likewise Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has on many a occasion directed his companions to be kind and respectful to their parents. 

*We have already written a number of posts on the subject which can be accessed from links  given below:

• Why Islam stresses on respect of parents
• Be good to your parents
• How should children honour their parents after their death (Hadith)

While so much is said about respect, kindness and obeying of one's parents, can their be an eventuality whereby a child could disobey his parents? This is a difficult question, but Allah gives out the answer to this question in the 8th verse of Surah 29 Al Ankabut being shared today:

وَوَصَّيۡنَا الۡاِنۡسَانَ بِوَالِدَيۡهِ حُسۡنًا​ ؕ وَاِنۡ جَاهَدٰكَ لِتُشۡرِكَ بِىۡ مَا لَـيۡسَ لَـكَ بِهٖ عِلۡمٌ فَلَا تُطِعۡهُمَا ؕ اِلَىَّ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ فَاُنَبِّئُكُمۡ بِمَا كُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ‏ 

We have conjoined man to do good to his parents, but if they force you to associate with Me another (deity) whom you do not know (as such), you should not obey them." You have all to return to Me: then I shall tell you what you had been doing

Shirk, associating an deity with Allah or labelling someone as His son or His associate, is one of the biggest and unforgettable crime in the eyes of our Creator, the sole and unchallenged Master of the universe. He alone has created the entire universe, living creatures including man, and innumerous means of sustenance for everything that lives above and below the earth. Therefore, if someone adds any deity to His Lordship, He is utterly annoyed and displeased. Those who do so will be specially dealt with on the day of the Judgements and will be unpardonable no matter how good otherwise they have been in their earthly life.

Let us examine this verse in detail as explained by some of the eminent scholars and exegetes of Qur'an:

Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi:  

According to Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Abu Da'ud and Nasa`i, this verse was Sent down in respect of Hadrat Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas. He was 18 or 19 years old when he embraced Islam. When his mother, Hamnah, daughter of Sufyan bin Umayyah (neice of Abu Sufyan), came to know that her son had become a Muslim, she said, "I will neither eat nor drink nor sit in shade unless you disown Muhammad. The rights of the mother are supermost even according to Allah's Command. Therefore if you disobey me, you will be disobeying Allah too." Hadrat Sa'd was perplexed and came before the Holy Prophet and told his whole story. At this, this verse was revealed. Possibly other young men who embraced Islam in the initial stage at Makkah were also confronted with similar situations. Therefore, the same theme has been repeated forcefully in Surah Luqman: 15 also.

What the verse means to impress is this: The rights of the parents, among the creation of Allah, are to be held as the supreme, but even if the parents force a person to adopt shirk, they should not be obeyed. The words, "If both of them force you to associate..." imply that a lesser pressure, or a pressure by either of them, deserves to be set aside much more promptly. The next sentence, ".... whom you do not know (as such)," is also noteworthy. This gives a sound reason for not obeying the parents in this regard. The parents certainly have the right that the children should serve them, respect them, and obey them in lawful things. But they do not have the right that one should obey them blindly against one's knowledge of the reality. Therefore, there is no reason why a person should go on following his parents' religion just because it is their religion. If the children come to know that their parents are following a false religion, they should give it up and adopt the right religion. and should not follow the wrong way whose falsehood has become clear to them even if the parents use every kind of pressure for it. When this is so in the case of even the parents, it should be so with every other person, too. No one deserves to be followed and obeyed unless one is sure that the person being followed is on the right path.  

"You have all to return to Me: then I shall tell you what you had been doing": That is, "The relationships of the world and their obligations are confined to the world. At last, the parents as well as the children have to return to their Creator, and before Him everybody will be held answerable only on the basis of his personal responsibility. If the parents have misled the children, they will be called to account . If the children have accepted deviation for the sake of the parents, they will be punished. And if the children adopted the right way, and showed no slackness in rendering the parents' lawful rights either, but the parents ill-treated them only for the reason that they did not join them in their deviation, they will not be able to escape Allah's punishment."

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: The Command to be Good and Dutiful to Parents 

Allah commands His servants to be dutiful to parents, after urging them to adhere to belief in His Tawhid, because a person's parents are the cause of his existence. So he must treat them with the utmost kindness and respect, his father for spending on him and his mother because of her compassion for him. 

Allah says: (And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them, but address them in terms of honor. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.") (17:23-24) 

Although Allah orders us to show kindness, mercy and respect towards them in return for their previous kindness, He says: (but if they strive to make associate with Me, which you have no knowledge of, then obey them not.) meaning, if they are idolaters, and they try to make you follow them in their religion, then beware of them, and do not obey them in that, for you will be brought back to Me on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will reward you for your kindness towards them and your patience in adhering to your religion. It is Allah Who will gather you with the group of the righteous, not with the group of your parents, even though you were the closest of people to them in the world. For a person will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection with those whom he loves, meaning, religious love. 

Allah says: (And for those who believe and do righteous good deeds, surely, We shall make them enter with the righteous.) In his Tafsir of this Ayah, At-Tirmidhi recorded that Sa'd said: "Four Ayat were revealed concerning me – and he told his story. He said: "Umm Sa'd said: 'Did Allah not command you to honor your parents? By Allah, I will not eat or drink anything until I die or you renounce Islam.' When they wanted to feed her, they would force her mouth open. 

Then this Ayah was revealed: (And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful to his parents; but if they strive to make you associate with Me, of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not.)" This Hadith was also recorded by Imam Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

"[None has a greater right than God.] We have directed human beings to treat their parents with kindness but [at the same time clarified that] if they force you to associate someone with Me of which you have no knowledge": This an argument in favour of refutation of polytheism. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

The word علم here means “argument” and “proof.” As far as one God is concerned, it is an obvious reality that even a polytheist acknowledges. As far as His associates are concerned, it is the responsibility of those who regard them to be His associates to present a proof of this. In the absence of any such proof, it is not permissible for any reasonable person to become their servant by regarding them to be God’s partners. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 6, 19)

"Then do not obey them": Among the trials mentioned earlier, a big trial was that at times parents forced their children to obey them in matters of religion. Those who accepted the call of Muḥammad (sws) must have faced this trial as well. Thus the Qur’ān has made it evident that though the right of parents is an obvious fact, God has not granted them the right that they be obeyed in matters of religion without any reasoning or they compel their children in matters of religion.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

The sūrah then refers to a type of test which we have already mentioned: that of ties and bonds with family and loved ones. It gives clear and decisive guidance in such a difficult situation. Parents are the closest of all relatives. They give much to their children. Hence, to be kind to one’s parents is a duty required of everyone. Indeed parents must be treated with love, respect, and care. Yet when it comes to one’s duty towards God, they cannot be obeyed in opposition to Him. The paramount bond is that with God. Hence, if one’s parents are unbelievers, they should be treated with care and kindness, but must not be obeyed or followed. Once this present life is over, all return to God.

So my dear sisters and brothers in Islam, despite the status of parents in Islam and the respect and obedience due to them, Oneness of Allah cannot be denied and anything tangent to this reality is not to be accepted at all. If parents pressurize their children for not accepting Islam, they can be disobeyed as per the Divine Directive above. However, even after entering the fold of Islam, one should never abandon one's parents and continue to respect them and be kind to them.

Remember, as mentioned in Qur'an, even Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham, peace be upon him) was admonished for praying in favour of his father who was a polytheist and refused to enter fold of Islam and continued to worship the idols. Likewise, when Prophet Nuh (Noah, peace be upon him) was onboard his ship, his arrogant son refused to come onboard and was drowning in the flood. Prophet Nuh wanted to save his son despite his disobedience to enter into the fold of Islam and was let to drown. So much is the punishment of not accepting Oneness of Allah.

And it is heartening to note that more and more non-Muslims, specially Christians, are entering the fold of Islam in huge number all over the world. The false concept of Trinity is finally crumbling and new reverts are finding message of Qur'an more logical than man made concept of the 4th century. In many cases, parents which were hostile to reversion of their offspring to Islam, later too reverted to Islam when they felt the strong ambiance of Divine faith from their offspring. 

Please read the revert experiences of some of the reverts as given in our reference page: Entering the fold of Islam - The revert experiences.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎)  help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Compiled verses from Qur'an on specific subjects: Religion

You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to:

• Compiled verses from Qur'an on specific subjects: Life
• Faith in Allah 

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Not their eyes but hearts that are blinded (selected verses from Qur'an)

Accepting and bowing to the truth has always been contested since time immemorial. No one wants to deviate what one knows or what one's ancestors have passed down to the coming generations. The arrogance of being superior has always tried to overshadowed the humility which one attains when truth dawns upon them. 

And this has been so when it comes to accepting the Divine truth that has been revealed to the messengers and prophets. The history is replete with such denials of truth right from the Prophet Nuh (Noah) to all the following prophets including Ibraheem (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Eesa (Jesus) and the last of the prophets Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. That is why it is said in Qur'an: O Muhammad, "you are not the only one being denied, all Prophets were denied before you."

When it comes to believing, one can see the truth from one's naked eye, like all the Divine creations all around us, proving to us that such creations are even beyond the comprehension of a human being, for how can a creation can create something. Yet their hearts do not accept the truth and the remain oblivious and blinded of the truth that prophets and messengers of Allah have tried to bring home to them.

This is the very theme of the 46th verse of Surah 22. Al Hajj that we share today and see how eminent Muslim scholars have explained this very thought provoking verse:

اَفَلَمۡ يَسِيۡرُوۡا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ فَتَكُوۡنَ لَهُمۡ قُلُوۡبٌ يَّعۡقِلُوۡنَ بِهَاۤ اَوۡ اٰذَانٌ يَّسۡمَعُوۡنَ بِهَا​ ۚ فَاِنَّهَا لَا تَعۡمَى الۡاَبۡصَارُ وَلٰـكِنۡ تَعۡمَى الۡـقُلُوۡبُ الَّتِىۡ فِى الصُّدُوۡرِ‏ 

(22:46) So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts.

The words “blinded are the hearts” have been used in the metaphorical and not in the literal sense. Since the heart is regarded as the center of emotions, feelings and of mental and moral qualities, these words have been used to imply that their obduracy has inhibited them from feeling and acting rationally.

The word for "heart" in Arabic speech imports both the seat of intelligent faculties and understanding as well as the seat of affections and emotions. Those who reject Allah's Message may have their physical eyes and ears, but their hearts are blind and deaf. If their faculties of understanding were active, would they not see the Signs of Allah's Providence and Allah's Wrath in nature around them and in the cities and ruins if they travel intelligently?

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ Have they not traveled through the land,) means, have they not traveled in the physical sense and also used their minds to ponder? 

That is sufficient, as Ibn Abi Ad-Dunya said in his book At-Tafakkur wal-I'tibar, "Some of the wise people said, 'Give life to your heart with lessons, illuminate it with thought, kill it with asceticism, strengthen it with certain faith, remind it of its mortality, make it aware of the calamities of this world, warn it of the disasters that life may bring, show it how things may suddenly change with the passing of days, tell it the stories of the people of the past, and remind it what happened to those who came before.'" 

Walk through their ruins, see what they did and what became of them, meaning, look at the punishments and divine wrath that struck the nations of the past who belied,

(فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَا أَوْ آذَانٌ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا and have they hearts wherewith to understand and ears wherewith to hear) meaning, let them learn a lesson from that.

(فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْأَبْصَارُ وَلَٰكِن تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي الصُّدُورِ Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind.) means, the blind person is not the one whose eyes cannot see, but rather the one who has no insight. Even if the physical eyes are sound, they still cannot learn the lesson.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Since the hearts are qualified by blindness, it shows that the eyes are qualified by words to the effect: “of the face.” It has been expressed in the translation. The Qur’ān is couched in literary Arabic; its language is not that of science. In literary Arabic, most actions of the mind are ascribed to the heart. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

Here since people who lack insight are being described, it was essential that the heart be portrayed with respect to its locus: real blindness is the blindness of the heart and the rejecters of the messenger are inflicted by this blindness. People should not think that they can see if the eyes on their face are open because the radiance of insight in the eyes comes from the heart and the eyes of their hearts are totally blind. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 5, 265)

Qur'an Wiki Explanation:

Here, Allah poses yet another rhetorical question about their effects on unbelievers: Have they never journeyed through the lands, letting their hearts gain wisdom, and their ears hear? It is not eyes that go blind; but blind indeed become the hearts that are in people’s breasts. (Verse 46) Emphasis is here placed on the location of hearts in people’s bodies, which serves to amplify the blindness of those hearts in particular. Had those hearts been able to reflect on the scenes portrayed, they would have remembered and people’s eyes would have been tearful. They would have moved towards faith, at least as a result of fearing an end like the ones that befell other communities.

My readers may ask why I  have selected this verse today? Well, it is a message for all those, specially atheists, who see the truth and creations which are simple mind blogging, yet their hearts fail to acknowledge the truth and they remain adamant to respond to the truth they see, and thus remain ignorant forever.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: The Utter Losers (in worldly life and the Hereafter) in the light of Qur'an

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Men of understanding! Know that good and bad cannot be equal, though bad often pleases you

All our life is spent playing the tug of war game - pushing and pulling the bad away and pulling the good. Yet the evil is so powerful that often get pulled away to the evil camp for evil is always pleasing, tempting and inciting. However, state keeps us feeling guilty much too often, for as long as the light of truth keeps burning in our hearts. Those who continue to be pulled away from the righteous path, one day become so burdensome with the evil that it becomes difficult for them to turn back.

And this phenomenon is not restricted to evil and good. This happens in every sphere of life: Deceit remains tempting and a top priority for many, by harming others for own pleasures. No Divine Faith encourages adopting the evil or the bad. Yet we always get carried away for evil  

With this premise, now let us read the 100th verse of Surah 3. Al Maidah, in which Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has been asked to warn the people to sway away from bad and do good, for these two cannot be equated, even though the former looks pleasing:

قُلْ لَّا يَسۡتَوِى الۡخَبِيۡثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ وَلَوۡ اَعۡجَبَكَ كَثۡرَةُ الۡخَبِيۡثِ​ ۚ فَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ يٰۤاُولِى الۡاَ لۡبَابِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ

(5:100) (O Messenger!) Say to them: "The bad things and the good things are not equal, even though the abundance of the bad things might make you pleased with them. Men of understanding, beware of disobeying Allah; then maybe you will attain true success.'

This verse sets up a new standard of values, which is quite different from the standard of those who look only at the outward aspect of things. Such people usually judge things by their quantity and not by their quality. For instance, one hundred rupees are always considered greater in value than five rupees by one who does not attach any value to the means by which these might have been obtained. But contrary to this evaluation, this verse declares that if these one hundred rupees have been obtained by unfair means and those five rupees earned by fair means, then the former are less in worth because of their impurity than the latter because of their purity. According to this standard, it is not the number or the quantity of a thing that increases or decreases its true worth but the question whether it has been obtained by fair means or foul. Obviously, a drop of rose scent has greater value than a heap of filth and a cup of pure water is tar greater in worth than a cistern full of impure urine. Therefore one who is really wise will always remain content with the lawful, though it may appear to be very insignificant and worthless, and will never try to grab the unlawful, though it might appear to be very alluring and grand.

Tafsir Ibn e Kathir: Tayyab and Khabeeth are Not Equal

In this ayah, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala commands the Prophet salAllahu aalyhi wa sallam to convey us that there is no comparison between the pure and the impure. We may be surrounded by the impure but this abundance doesn’t make it lawful for consumption.

He says: (قُل لاَّ يَسْتَوِى الْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ كَثْرَةُ الْخَبِيثِ فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ يأُوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ - “Say: ‘Not equal are the bad things and the good things, even though the abundance of the bad may please you.’ So have Taqwa of Allah, O men of understanding in order that you may be successful.”

The word yastawa يَسْتَوِى is from the root letters seen-wau-ya which means equivalent.

The word tayyab طَّيِّب  refers to that which is pure while khabeeth خَبِيثُ is impure or bad. It is the Law of Allah that decides what is impure and what is pure. For example, apparently a thing may seem clean but it will spiritually impure. Similarly, we may see a dirty object but spiritually it may be clean. So, this includes both spiritual purity and spiritual impurity as well as physically purity and physical impurity.

A spiritually impure person will be one who has hypocrisy in his heart. He does shirk or his akhlaq is awful. He may be physically clean though. On the other hand, there is a person who doesn’t appear physically clean but he is a sincere believer with good akhlaq.

Physical impurity can include an action that’s bad such as yelling at someone, giving someone a dirty look, not doing something in time, disobeying and hurting others.

Remembering Allah, doing dhikr can never be equal to backbiting. Reciting Qur’an and reading that which arouses sexual desire cannot be same. Tayyab food is that which is halal while khabeeth is that which is haram and unclean.

Therefore, tayyab and khabeeth can never be same even if there is abundance of evil and impurity. For example, everyone is uttering a bad word, we tell our nafs, “It’s okay to say it because everyone else is doing so.” We are surrounded by alcohol. We see a lot of variety. Yet we cannot opt for it. It is khabeeth for us.

If we have Taqwa of Allah, His fear and consciousness we will stay away from the khabeeth even if everyone is running after it. People of Taqwa have sound minds. They avoid and abandon the impermissible, and let the permissible be sufficient for them.

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

People often judge by quantity rather than quality. They are dazzled by numbers: their hearts are captured by what they see everywhere around them. But the man of understanding and discrimination judges by a different standard. He knows that good and bad things are not to be lumped together, and carefully chooses the best, which may be the scarcest, and avoids the bad, though evil may meet him at every step.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

This style of an admonition after another is meant to explain that God knows everything and people should be aware that none of their deeds are hidden from Him, and just as He is Forgiving and Merciful, He is also stern in retribution. The Prophet of God has explained this fact to them. It is now their responsibility. They should remember that God is absolute good and an embodiment of truth and justice. He cannot deal with good and evil in the same manner. It is possible that the abundance of evil attract people, but this abundance carries no weight before God. He only accepts what is pure, and only those who adopt piety and virtue will succeed before Him. In His sight, contaminated concepts and deeds and impure things will result in nothing but Hell.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

At the concluding part of this passage God provides us with a standard so that we may give correct judgement of all things. In these scales, only what is good and wholesome is weighty, while that which is foul and evil carries no weight. This prevents a Muslim from being deceived when he finds that the foul is plentiful and the evil too numerous. Evil and good are mentioned here within the context of elaborating which food and game are permissible and which are forbidden. What is forbidden is evil, while everything that is permissible is good. Certainly the good and the evil cannot be equal, even though the evil may come in such plenty that it attracts and tempts people. That which is good provides enjoyment that is not followed by foul consequences, such as regret, waste, pain or disease. The pleasure gained out of evil things cannot be matched even by a modicum of the good things in life. What is more is that with the good things, man enjoys safety in this life and in the life to come. When the human mind is free of the shackles of desire as a result of its being God-fearing and when it has attained a keen watchfulness, it will inevitably prefer good to evil. This is bound to end in success and triumph, both in this world and in the Hereafter: “Have fear of God, you who are endowed with understanding, so that you may triumph.” This verse especially suits the present occasion, but it has a much wider implication. It looks to a broad horizon, encompassing life in its totality.

LESSONS from this verse:

• Tayyab and Khabeeth are not the same in the Sight of Allah and in the sight of those who have aqal. When people know pure and impure are not the same, only then we are going to stay away from the khabeeth. Otherwise yelling at someone and speaking politely will become equal. We need to develop in ourselves the knowledge that good and bad cannot be equal.
• Since Tayyab and Khabeeth are not the same, we should like the Tayyab and leave the Khabeeth. Generally, we choose whatever is “in” or famous even if it goes against the Deen. We wear clothing which is in trend even if it doesn’t cover the aura. When it comes to clothing, eating and talking we do that which is common. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala tells us don’t go for Khabeeth even if you are surrounded by it. Khabeeth makes us negligent of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.
• We are taught our focus should not be on the “quantity” but the quality. For example, we go to the grocery and we see a box of strawberries which is being offered at a discounted price but has fungus growing over it, are we going to buy it? No. Then why when it comes to the Deen we don’t look at the Tayyab but blindly follow the crowd.

We learn from a hadeeth when a person gives something as small as a date earned from halal income it has more value than a mountain of wealth earned from haram means.

• When sisters adopt the Hijab they wear it in such a manner that it doesn’t cover the aura. A fancy headscarf with tight-fitted garment is not hijab. Similarly, brothers have invented their own “designs” of beard that is not the Sunnah of the Prophet salAllahu aalyhi wa sallam.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says in Surah Sa’d ayah 28, “Or should we treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like corrupters in the land? Or should We treat those who fear Allah like the wicked?”

People of intellect do not follow the crowd. They don’t look at Hijab “models” and see how they are dressed up. They don’t look at different “designs” of beard and adopt them. They study the Shariah and follow it.

Abdullah ibn Mubarak said, “Keeping myself clean from consuming a doubtful dirham is more charitable to me than giving 100,000 dirhams in charity.” 

• The abundance and variety of the Khabeeth is also a test. We see haram everywhere and we become desensitize. People are not particular about what they are watching on TV or the Internet, what kind of books or literature they are reading, what kind of food they are consuming. This is a test from Allah to determine who fears Him without seeing Him.
• Fear of Allah is in our hearts. A person cannot stay away from the evil unless he has dislike for it in his heart. If he likes something he will accept it even if it means going against the commands of Allah. Are we that impressed with the Khabeeth?
• People who have intellect they will differentiate between the Tayyab and Khabeeth that is the key to their success.

In the light of the above quoted verse, let us be armed with adequate wisdom and understanding to fight back when evil seems to be overpower us or when worldly things start to please us more than the life of the Hereafter. Those who have form faith, do not let their hearts waver and continue to follow the Siraat al Mustaqeem.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Compiled verses from Qur'an on specific subjects: Life

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 

Read details of this verse in Part IV of the Tafsir of Surah Al Maidah

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

How to be Ungrateful

The caption of the post today may surprise many for we always talk of positivities, and not negativities. But if we look around, we often find people ungrateful, people who instead of being grateful and thanking for what they have, keep lamenting for what they don't have.

“He is ungrateful who denies that he has received a kindness which has been bestowed upon him; he is ungrateful who conceals it; he is ungrateful who makes no return for it; most ungrateful of all is he who forgets it.”

In fact, it is lot easier to be ungrateful than being grateful. We come across such who are always complaining and seldom appreciate the efforts of others and fail to express gratitude for the things they receive. Such individuals can exhibit toxic behaviour and drain the positivity out of any situation, and at times it falls on us whether we want to preserve our sanity or deal with them. And when it comes to being ungrateful to our Creator, things get serious. We have atheists who despite knowing the truth of a Divine Deity,  deny it and express no thankfulness for the means of sustenance provided for our living. The ungrateful have never visited places where people do not have access to even one small meal a day or clean drinking water. While the people suffer, there are people who live a thriving lie yet remain ungrateful. Instead they are always seen criticizing and not showing thanks or for being unkind to someone who has helped them or done them a favor. Such are the ungrateful!!

Instead of going to explaining our viewpoint further, let us share the 23rd verse of Chapter / Surah 67. Surah Al Mulk (The Kingdom), in which our Creator, the unchallenged Lord of the World, exactly points towards those who despite being blessed with the best of the blessings, remain ungrateful and often complaining and lamenting for not having enough.

But before you scroll down for the verse being discussed, let me quote here a personal example. I have been blessed by Allah all along my life so profusely and abundantly. Yet I was had not been truly grateful to Allah for His blessings. I realized the hard way for being ungrateful. A few years back, I started to feel that I could not understand people around me when in a conversation, meaning by I was losing my hearing.  Slowing and gradually the hearing loss became intense and it was then I realised how ungrateful I have been all along my life for not thanking Allah enough for the blessings I had. And then I bought a hearing aid. And suddenly my life changed. For the first time in years I heard the birds chirping around and even buzzing of a bee. Now without my hearing device, I cannot hear anything. This loss teaches me how easy it was to be ungrateful when I had every system of my body working perfectly. It is the loss of my hearing that made me grateful to Allah for His countless blessings that we otherwise do not notice and take these for granted.

قُلۡ هُوَ الَّذِىۡۤ اَنۡشَاَكُمۡ وَجَعَلَ لَـكُمُ السَّمۡعَ وَالۡاَبۡصَارَ وَ الۡاَفۡـئِدَةَ ​ ؕ قَلِيۡلًا مَّا تَشۡكُرُوۡنَ‏ 

( 23 )   Say, "It is He who has produced you and made for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful."

That is, Allah had made you men, not cattle. You were not meant to follow blindly whatever error and deviation you found prevailing in the world, without considering for a moment whether the way you had adopted was right or wrong. You have not been given these ears that you may refuse to listen to the one who tries to distinguish the right from the wrong for you, and may persist in whatever false notions you already had in your mind. You have not been given these eyes that you may follow others like the blind and may not bother to see whether the signs scattered around you in the world testified to the unity of God, which the Messenger (peace be upon him) of God is preaching, or whether the system of the universe is Godless, or is being run by many gods simultaneously. 

Likewise, you have also not been given this knowledge and intelligence that you may give up thinking and understanding to others and may adopt every crooked way that was enforced by somebody in the world, and may not use your own intellect to see whether it was right or wrong. Allah has blessed you with knowledge and intelligence, sight and hearing, so that you may recognize the truth, but you are being ungrateful to Him in that you are employing these faculties for every other object than the one for which these had been granted. (For further information, see explanation of verses (59-60 of Surah An- Naml); (80 of Surah Al-Mominoon); (9 of Surah As-Sajdah); (26 of Surah Al-Ahqaf).

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: The Prophet is asked to draw constant attention to Allah, the source of all growth and development, the Giver of the faculties by which we can judge and attain to higher and higher spiritual dignity. And yet, such is our self-will, we use our faculties for wrong purposes and thus show our ingratitude to Allah.

For anshaa " اَنۡشَاَ " please read its explanation as given in explanation to vi. 98. Reproduced below:

Produced: ansha-a= made you grow, increase, develop, reach maturity: another of the processes of creation. This supplements ii. 916 and vi. 94. It is one of the wonders of God's Creation, that from one person we have grown to be so many, and each individual has so many faculties and capacities, and yet we are all one. In the next verse we have the allegory of grapes and other fruits: all grapes may be similar to look at, yet each variety has a distinctive flavour and other distinctive qualities, and each individual grape may have its own special qualities. So for man.

Muhammad Asad Explanation: I.e., with the faculty of feeling as well as of rational thinking.

Explanation Qur'an Wiki:

The truth that man was originated by God presses hard on the human mind. It affirms itself in a way that is hard to refute. Man exists in a world in which he is the highest and noblest species known to him. Among all creatures, mankind are equipped with the highest knowledge and the most extensive abilities. Man has not created himself. There must be, then, someone higher, nobler, more able and more knowledgeable than him who brought him into existence. Man must inevitably acknowledge this truth: his very existence puts it before his eyes. To continue trying to deny it is both unworthy and futile.

Hearing and sight are two great miracles about which we have learnt some remarkable aspects. 'Heart' is often used in the Qur'an in reference to the faculty of knowledge acquisition and understanding. This is an even greater and more remarkable miracle about which we only know very little. It is one of God's secrets in man's creation.

`Heart', which is often used in the Qur'an interchangeably with `mind', is the quality that makes man what he is. It denotes the faculty of understanding, distinction and knowledge which qualifies man to take charge of the earth and to shoulder the great trust. This is the trust that the heavens, the earth and the mountains feared to bear. It is to believe by choice and to discern guidance by self motivation. It signifies the diligent observance, by will and choice, of the code God has laid down. No one knows the nature of this faculty, or its centre, or whether it is inside or outside the human body. It is a secret God has not given anyone.

Man should feel ashamed of himself when he is thus reminded. He does not thank God for all the blessings He has favoured him with. Had man devoted all his life to expressing gratitude to God, it still would not thank Him enough.

Verse By Verse Quran Study Circle Explanation: meaning He initiated your creation and endowed you with intellect and power of reasoning. How little you use these abilities that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has blessed you with to obey Him, to act according to His commandments, and avoid His prohibitions.

We are human beings and not cattle. We were not meant to follow blindly whatever error and deviation we found prevailing in the world, without considering for a moment whether the way we have adopted was right or wrong. We had not been given the sense of hearing that we may refuse to listen to the one who tries to distinguish the right from the wrong, and may persist in whatever false notions we already have in our mind. We had not been given eyesight that we may follow others like the blind and may not bother to see whether the signs scattered around us testified to the Unity of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, which the Messenger of God preached about, or whether the system of the universe is Godless, or is being run by many, gods simultaneously. Likewise, we had also not been given this knowledge and intelligence that we may give up thinking and understanding to others and may adopt every crooked way that was enforced by somebody in the world, and may not use our own intellect to see whether it was right or wrong. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has blessed us with knowledge and intelligence, sight and hearing, so that we may recognize the truth, but we are being ungrateful to Him in that we are employing these faculties for every other object than the one for which these had been granted.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

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