Indeed, Most of the People are in Utter Ignorance

We have been talking of traits of Most of the people in our previous posts who despite knowing the truth and available signs, indications, substance and guidance, refuse to believe what real truth is and mock those who try to lead them to truth. This happens when one clings to whatever knowledge one may have and does not want to develop more to the knowledge base and in fact is adamant to face the realities emerging out of signs around.

One of the major causes of such stubborn and uncompromising behaviour is utter ignorance. The ignorance to accept reality that is contained in the Divine Scriptures and its explanation by prophets and messengers of Allah keeps most of the people away from the truth. For such people, no matter how much explanation is given, or how many signs are shown, the realities remain obscured because of their indifferent attitude to accept the truth.

We share today the 111th verse of Surah 6. Al An'am (The cattle) which talks of such people who are in utter ignorance state and even Allah makes no effort to put them back to the right track, for Allah only guides those who accept their state of ignorance and want to make amends and seek knowledge that leads them to path chosen by the Lord of the worlds.

However, the good thing is that many of the most are now heading toward the Divine Truth and coming under the fold of Islam. This is so because people have shunned ignorance and are looking for the truth that was obscured by the veil of ignorance and prejudices.

وَلَوۡ اَنَّـنَا نَزَّلۡنَاۤ اِلَيۡهِمُ الۡمَلٰٓـئِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الۡمَوۡتٰى وَ حَشَرۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ قُبُلًا مَّا كَانُوۡا لِيُؤۡمِنُوۡۤا اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ يَّشَآءَ اللّٰهُ وَلٰـكِنَّ اَكۡثَرَهُمۡ يَجۡهَلُوۡنَ‏ 

(6:111) Even if We had sent angels down to them and the dead had spoken to them, and even if We had assembled before them all the things, face to face, they would still not believe unless it be Allah's will that they believe. Most of them behave in utter ignorance.

That is, "As they are not going to reject falsehood and accept the Truth by making a free and deliberate choice, the only alternative left for making them follow it is that Allah should force it upon them: He should change their nature so as to deprive them of the freedom of thought and action like other species which have not been made responsible for what they do. But this is against the wisdom of the object for which Allah has created man. You should not, therefore, expect that Allah would make them believers by His supernatural intervention." 

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

Allah says: `Had We accepted what the disbelievers asked for,' that is -- those who swore their strongest oaths by Allah that if a miracle came to them, they would believe in it -- `had We sent down angels, ' to convey to them Allah's Message, in order to support the truth of the Messengers, as they asked, when they said:

• (Or you bring Allah and the angels before (us) face to face.) [17:92]
• (They said: "We shall not believe until we receive the like of that which the Messengers of Allah had received.') [6:124] and,
• (And those who expect not a meeting with Us said: "Why are not the angels sent down to us, or why do we not see our Lord" Indeed they think too highly of themselves, and are scornful with great pride.) [25:21] 

Allah said: (and the dead had spoken unto them,) This is, to inform them of the truth of what the Messengers brought them;

(And We had gathered together all things before them,) before their eyes, as `Ali bin Abi Talhah and Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas. This is the view of Qatadah and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. This Ayah means, if all nations were gathered before them, one after the other, and each one testifies to the truth of what the Messengers came with, (they would not have believed, unless Allah willed,) for guidance is with Allah not with them. Certainly, Allah guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills, and He does what He wills.

(He cannot be questioned about what He does, while they will be questioned.) [21:23], This is due to His knowledge, wisdom, power, supreme authority and irresistibility. 

Similarly, Allah said: (Truly, those, against whom the Word (wrath) of your Lord has been justified, will not believe. Even if every sign should come to them, until they see the painful torment.) [10:96-97]

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

The most stupendous miracles even according to their ideas would not have convinced them. If the whole pageant of the spiritual world were brought before them, they would not have believed, because they -of their own choice and will -refuse knowledge and faith.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The implication is that God guides to faith only those who are true seekers of the truth. The nature of ignorance which afflicts them and the conditions they impose instead of deciding on the basis of knowledge and arguments will never induce them to seek guidance.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

Al-Tabari, a famous scholar and commentator on the Qur’an says of this verse: “God says to His Messenger (peace be upon him): Muhammad, you should give up any hope of success for those who equate idols with their Lord and who claim that they would believe if they are given a sign. Even though We would send the angels down to them so that they may see them with their own eyes, and if we cause the dead to come back to life and speak to them supporting you and confirming your prophethood and assuring them that your message is the truth, and even if we would range everything in front of them testifying to your message, they would still refuse to believe in you and would continue to deny your message, unless God wills otherwise. Most of those unbelievers are ignorant of this fact. They think that accepting the faith or denying it is their prerogative. This is not true. It is all within My power. Only those I guide to success accept the faith, and those I turn away deny it.”

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 our previous posts about Most of the People, please visit our post: Let us be of the few who are grateful

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.

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

Leave those who deluded by worldly life take amusement and diversion as their religion

There are number of verses / Ayats in Qur'an that caution man from living and wasting away their lives in amusement and lewdness for these are diversionary means that Satan uses to take believers away from the path that would ensure an entry ticket into the paradise / Jannah. Yet man is too engrossed in the so-called liveliness and amusement of life that he really doesn't care for such cautions, especially when he is young and his lustful desires are at their best. It is only when one's youth starts to drift by and rationale takes over emotions, one comes to know the true reality of worldly life. It is then he comes to know that this life was but a life of tough tests and trials. Those who controlled their emotions and desires and lived to pass the tests and trials given to them by their Lord, would be the ones who would be among the successful. 

The Prophet, and indeed every Muslim, is commanded to ignore, by word and deed, those who treat religion as a pastime and as idle play. This description applies to anyone who does not give his faith respect by making it the basis of all aspects of his life: worship, beliefs, practices, moral values, and a legal code. It also applies to anyone who describes the principles and legislations of this faith in derogatory terms, such as those who ridicule the concept of believing in the world beyond the reach of human perception, which is an essential part of the Islamic faith. [4]

And such are the people who despite being told the harsh realities of life and the need to cling to their firm faith in Allah, just shy away from such efforts and continue to live a life that pleases them, and not the life that pleases their Lord. 

For such people, the 70th verse of Surah 6. Al An An'am should serve as a warning. Please read the verse below and its explanation by some of the eminent Muslim scholars of all times:

وَذَرِ الَّذِيۡنَ اتَّخَذُوۡا دِيۡنَهُمۡ لَعِبًا وَّلَهۡوًا وَّغَرَّتۡهُمُ الۡحَيٰوةُ الدُّنۡيَا​ وَ ذَكِّرۡ بِهٖۤ اَنۡ تُبۡسَلَ نَفۡسٌ ۢ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ​ۖ لَـيۡسَ لَهَا مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ وَلِىٌّ وَّلَا شَفِيۡعٌ​ ۚ وَاِنۡ تَعۡدِلۡ كُلَّ عَدۡلٍ لَّا يُؤۡخَذۡ مِنۡهَا​ ؕ اُولٰٓـئِكَ الَّذِيۡنَ اُبۡسِلُوۡا بِمَا كَسَبُوۡا​ ۚ لَهُمۡ شَرَابٌ مِّنۡ حَمِيۡمٍ وَّعَذَابٌ اَ لِيۡمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوۡا يَكۡفُرُوۡنَ

(6:70) Leave alone those who have made a sport and a pastime of their religion and whom the life of the world has beguiled. But continue to admonish them (with the Qur'an) lest a man should be caught for what he has himself earned for there shall neither be any protector nor intercessor apart from Allah; and though he may offer any conceivable ransom it shall not be accepted from him, for such people have been caught for the deeds that they have themselves earned. Boiling water to drink and a painful chastisement to suffer for their unbelief is what awaits them.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(And leave alone those who take their religion as play and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world.) The Ayah commands such people to leave, ignore them and give them respite, for soon, they will taste a tremendous torment.

This is why Allah said, (But remind with it) meaning, remind the people with this Qur'an and warn them against Allah's revenge and painful torment on the Day of Resurrection. 

Allah said; (lest a soul Tubsal for that which one has earned,) meaning, so that it is not Tubsal. Ad-Dahhak from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan and As-Suddi said that Tubsal means, be submissive. Al-Walibi said that Ibn `Abbas said that Tubsal means, `be exposed'. Qatadah said that Tubsal means, `be prevented', Murrah and Ibn Zayd said that it means, `be recompensed', Al-Kalbi said, `be reckoned'. All these statements and expressions are similar, for they all mean exposure to destruction, being kept away from all that is good, and being restrained from attaining what is desired. 

Allah also said; (Every person is restrained by what he has earned. Except those on the Right.) [74:38-39], and (when he will find for himself no protector or intercessor besides Allah,) and,(and even if he offers every ransom, it will not be accepted from him.) meaning, whatever the ransom such people offer, it will not be accepted from them. 

Allah said in a similar statement, (Verily, those who disbelieved, and died while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth full of gold will not be accepted from anyone of them.) [3:91] 

Allah said here, (Such are they who are given up to destruction because of that which they have earned. For them it will be a drink of boiling water and a painful torment because they used to disbelieve. )

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

(And leave to themselves all those who, beguiled by the life of this world, have made play and passing delights their religion;) The phrase attakhadhu dinahum la'iban wa-lahwan can be understood in either of two ways: (l) "they have made their religion [an object of] play and fun", or (2) "they have made play and fun [or "passing delights"] their religion" - i.e., the main goal of their lives. To my mind, the latter reading is definitely preferable inasmuch as it brings out the fact that many of those who are "beguiled by the life of this world" devote themselves to the pursuit of what the Qur'an describes as "passing delights" - including the pleasures which money and power can provide - with something akin to religious fervour: an attitude of mind which causes them to lose sight of all spiritual and moral values.

(but remind [them] herewith that [in the life to come] every human being shall be held in pledge for whatever wrong he has done, and shall have none to protect him from God, and none to intercede for him; and though he offers any conceivable ransom,) Lit., "though he might [try to] ransom himself with all ransom" - i.e., though he might proffer, after resurrection, any atonement whatever for his past sins.

(it shall not be accepted by him. It is [people such as] these that shall be held in pledge for the wrong they have done; for them there is [in the life to come] a draught of burning despair,) Among the various meanings attributable to the word hamim are the concepts of intense heat as well as of painful cold (Qamus, Taj al-'Arus). In the eschatology of the Qur'an, it invariably refers to the suffering of the sinners in the life to come, and since all Qur'anic references to life after death are, necessarily, allegorical, the term hamim may be rendered as "burning despair".

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

Cf. vi 32. where we are told that the life of this world is mere play and amusement, and Religion and the Hereafter are the serious things that require our attention. Worldly people reverse this because they are deceived by the allurements of this life. But their own acts will find them out.

We must never forget our own personal responsibility for all we do, or deceive ourselves by the illusion of vicarious atonement.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Stated here is the real reason of their mischief. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

... Their real misconception is that since they are leading a successful life, then their attitude must definitely be correct. They give the life of this world the status of the life to come. This world is not governed by the principle of reward and punishment; on the contrary, it is governed by the principle of trial and test. Here the Almighty has given respite to evil as well together with the truth. To realize their desires, they have regarded evil as their religion and think that this life is all there is and that the attitude they have adopted is correct. They further think that the fate of which the Qur’ān has warned them is a far-fetched threat. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 3, 80)

The actual words are: اَنْ تُبْسَلَ نَفْسٌۣ. A word to the effect مخافة (lest) is suppressed beforeاَنۡ in accordance with linguistic principles.

The actual words are: لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيْمٍ وَّعَذَابٌ اَلِيْمٌۣ. In other words, their first feast will be boiling water and then they will be consigned to a severe torment. This has been specified by the Qur’ān in verse 93 of Sūrah al-Wāqi‘ah.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

This verse re-emphasizes the distinction between the two communities, making several important points.

The Prophet, and indeed every Muslim, is commanded to ignore, by word and deed, those who treat religion as a pastime and as idle play. This description applies to anyone who does not give his faith respect by making it the basis of all aspects of his life: worship, beliefs, practices, moral values, and a legal code. It also applies to anyone who describes the principles and legislations of this faith in derogatory terms, such as those who ridicule the concept of believing in the world beyond the reach of human perception, which is an essential part of the Islamic faith. The same is the case with people who talk disrespectfully of zakat which is one of the pillars upon which the structure of Islam is built, or describe morality and chastity as the values of rural and feudal societies, and those who speak disapprovingly of the Islamic rules of marriage, or describe as fetters the sort of guarantees God has given to Muslim women to help them maintain their chastity. It applies above all to those who deny God’s absolute sovereignty and His authority to legislate for human life in political, social, economic and legal fields, claiming that human beings may legislate for themselves without reference to God’s law. All those are included as ones who `take their religion for a pastime and a sport’. Every Muslim is commanded to stay away from them except to remind them of their duty towards God. They are among the wrongdoers and unbelievers described in this verse as ones who are held in pledge for what they have done’. They are threatened with having to drink boiling water and having to endure painful suffering for their disbelief.

The Prophet, and indeed every Muslim is further instructed to remind these people of God and warn them against being held in pledge and destroyed in consequence of what they have done. They are to be reminded that they cannot enjoy any support against God, and no one can intercede with Him on their behalf. No ransom will be accepted from them. The Qur’anic style here is exceedingly beautiful and effective: “Remind them with this (Qur’an), lest every human being should be held in pledge for whatever he has done, when he shall have none to protect him from God, and none to intercede for him. If he were to offer any conceivable ransom, it shall not be accepted from him.” Every single soul will have to account for itself, without support, and when no ransom is of any use.

As for those who have taken their religion in jest and been beguiled by the life of this world, they are already held in pledge for what they have done. Their doom is sealed: “Those are the ones who are held in pledge for what they have done. Scalding water shall they drink, and grievous suffering awaits them because they were unbelievers.” The scalding water, which boils in their throats and stomachs, and the painful suffering which ensues are a fitting recompense for their ridicule of faith.

Speaking of the unbelievers, God describes them as "Those who take their religion for a pastime and a sport". Is it truly their religion? This description fits perfectly those who declared their acceptance of Islam and then treated their religion as an object of ridicule. There were some people like that to whom the appellation `hypocrites’ was given, but they were in Madinah. Can the same statement apply to unbelievers who did not embrace Islam in the first place? Well, Islam is the religion of all mankind, including those who do not believe in it, since it is the only faith God accepts from human beings ever since the revelation of the message preached by the Prophet Muhammad, the last of all messengers. Hence, anyone who rejects it actually rejects his own faith.

Hence, it is significant that the possessive pronoun is used in the beginning of this verse: “Stay away from those who take their religion for a pastime and a sport.” It is most probably, and God knows best, a reference to the fact that Islam is a religion for all mankind. Whoever makes fun of it, even though he may be an idolater, actually makes fun of his own religion. We probably still need to explain who are meant by the term `idolaters. They are those who claim that any being has a share of God’s attributes. This may take the form of believing in the existence of deities other than God, or offering worship and performing rituals to anyone other than God, or acknowledging the authority to legislate to anyone besides God. Needless to say, the term idolaters also include those who claim for themselves any of these, however strongly they may profess to be Muslims. We should then be clear about who belongs to our faith.

The last point concerns the limits within which it is permissible to sit with the wrongdoers, or idolaters, and those who take religion as an object of fun and ridicule. As we have already mentioned, this is permissible only when it is done to remind them of divine faith and to warn them against disobeying God. It can have no other purpose. Once we realize that they engage in idle talk about God’s revelations or treat them as an object of ridicule we must leave their company immediately. In commenting on this verse, al-Qurtubi explains the rulings mentioned in the Qur’an: “This verse provides an answer in God’s Book to anyone who claims that high standing Imams and their followers may have social contacts with wrongdoers, or may try to protect themselves by pretending to accept their views as correct.”

Our view is that the Qur’anic verse allows mixing with the wrongdoers in order to admonish and warn them, and to correct their erring views. Mixing with them and keeping quiet about what they say and do in order to protect ourselves is unacceptable, because it imparts an impression of accepting falsehood and rejecting the truth. In addition, it deceives people and degrades the divine faith and its advocates. Such a situation is totally unacceptable.

Now you may listen to the following short clipped video to explanation of the aforesaid Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

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 | 

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.

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

Wishes and Hopes Will Not Help When One would see the Torment of Hell

There is a parable I often find in the social media about an dialogue between an believer and a dis-believer. The athiest is found telling the believer that what if after his death he finds that there was no Resurrection, no accountablity and no Paradise or Hell. How lost would you fell for having shied away from the colourful life full of lewdness and merrymaking. The believer is found answering: I know I am not wrong and know that there would be day when everyone will appear before God and will made to be accountable for one's deeds. And I am sure I will be among those who would be likely to be spared the torment of hell. But what would you do if all this turns out to be true? Who will be the loser. Just ponder over it.

The 27th verse from Surah 6. Al An'am basically hinges on the theme of the parable cited above. And on that day when the reality would unveil, atheists and non believers would find them on a point of no return. That fateful day they would be standing on the brink of the blazing fire of the hell and just before being thrown into it, they would repent and wish that if another chance was given to them to go back to the worldly life, they will make good their presence and would not follow the evil. But that day, Wishes and hopes will not help them when they would see the Torment of Hell:

وَلَوۡ تَرٰٓى اِذۡ وُقِفُوۡا عَلَى النَّارِ فَقَالُوۡا يٰلَيۡتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِاٰيٰتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ‏ 

(6:27) If you could but see when they shall be made to stand by the Fire! They will plead: 'Would that we were brought back to life? Then we would not give the lie to the signs of our Lord and would be among the believers.'

Explaining the aforesaid verse / Ayat, Ibn e Kathir notes that Allah mentions the condition of the disbelievers when they are made to stand before the Fire on the Day of Resurrection and witness its chains and restraints, along with seeing the horrible, momentous conditions in the Fire with their own eyes. 

This is when the disbelievers will say, ("Would that we were but sent back (to the world)! Then we would not deny the Ayat of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!'') They wish that they would be sent back to the life of the world so that they could perform righteous deeds, refrain from disbelieving in the Ayat of their Lord and be among the believers. 

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The actual words are: وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ (we do not deny). This is the light indefinite tense (muḍāri‘ khafīf), but is not the answer to the desire expressed in the first part of the sentence. Its accusative form evidences the fact that the answer to the desire that is coordinated to it is suppressed here. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

A very obvious answer to the desire was فنصدق (we attest) or a similar one. Hence it was suppressed and this suppression was indicated through the particle of co-ordination in وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ. The eloquence in this expression is very telling: not only does longing exude from it, but their confession is also evident from it. In other words, today these people are showing arrogance and regarding the Qur’ān to be a tale of the ancients; however, on the day of judgement they will long to come back in this world to testify to the revelations of their Lord and not deny them. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 3, 36)

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

If we want to know the ultimate end of their efforts, we need only look at the result: “If you could but see them when they will be made to stand before the Fire! They will say: ‘Would that we could return! Then we would not deny our Lord’s revelations, but would be among the believers.’“ 

 

This is the scene which contrasts with their situation in this life. Now they are in a state of regret, humility and total loss. This is compared with their attitude when they turned away from guidance, using their power to force others to also turn away, and boasting about their own strength and influence.

 

“If you could but see them when they will be made to stand before the Fire!” Now they cannot turn away, use their argumentation, or repeat their falsehoods. If we were to see them ourselves in such a position, we would be sure to see something fearful. Their dearest wish would be: “Would that we could return! Then we would not deny our Lord’s revelations, but would be among the believers.” They know that the Qur’ān is God’s revelation, and their desire to return to earth is such that they may have a second chance when they no longer deny these revelations. They claim that they would make sure that they would be among the believers.

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 life 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 to make 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 | 

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 following sources: 

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

In addition the 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.

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

Beware! Following the majority may mislead from path of Allah

New ideas and concepts are always hard to digest and are generally shot down the moment these are offered to the world. If we look back many scholars and men of literature had to face extreme resistance when they floated new ideas. Likewise all Divine religions too were heavily and harshly contested by the followers of the previous religions or those following the traditions and culture of their ancestors. The prophets sent in by Allah really had to wade their way through to convince their people to the ultimate straight path as professed by them based on Divine Commandments.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ too was no exception and he and his few followers had to endure extreme physical and mental torture, yet he never gave in to the voice of the majority and the world later witnessed how a small community of believers expanded and today ranks as the second biggest religion of the world.

Even today, the dominating majority is extremely aggressive and every effort is being made to tarnish the image of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ by way of speech and caricatures and creating hurdles in the way of progression of expansion of Islam. Yet Muslim scholars, men of pen and even ordinary Muslims are not giving in and continuing to extend invitation to the non Muslims to come under the fold of Islam. The following 116th verse of Surah 6. Al An'am is one of the many verses from Qur'an which is the driving force behind the Muslims to never give in to the voice of the majority of the people of the world and continue unabated in their efforts to invite people to Islam:

وَاِنۡ تُطِعۡ اَكۡثَرَ مَنۡ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ يُضِلُّوۡكَ عَنۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ​ؕ اِنۡ يَّتَّبِعُوۡنَ اِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَاِنۡ هُمۡ اِلَّا يَخۡرُصُوۡنَ‏ (6:116) (O Muhammad!) if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's path. They follow nothing but conjecture, and they do nothing but lie.

The right thing for a seeker-after-truth is not to consider what way the majority of the people are following because that is based on guess-work instead of knowledge. Their beliefs, theories, philosophies, principles of life and laws are the result of guess-work and are, therefore, sure to mislead. In contrast to that, the way of life with which Allah is pleased, can only be the Way which Allah Himself has taught. Therefore, the seeker-after-truth should adopt that way and steadfastly follow it, even though he is left alone on it. 

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

Most People are Misguided - Allah states that most of the people of the earth, are misguided. 

Allah said in other Ayat:

(And indeed most of the men of old went astray before them.) [37:71]  and,

(And most of mankind will not believe even if you eagerly desire it.) [12:103] 

That is they are misguided, yet they have doubts about their way, and they rely on wishful thinking and delusions. and (They follow nothing but conjecture, and they do nothing but lie.) Thus, they fulfill Allah's decree and decision concerning them,

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

I.e., regarding the true nature of human life and its ultimate destiny, the problem of revelation, the relationship between God and man, the meaning of good and evil, etc. Apart from leading man astray from spiritual truths, such guesswork gives rise to the arbitrary rules of conduct and self-imposed inhibitions to which the Qur'an alludes, by way of example, in verses {118} and {119}.

Qur'an Wiki:

Having stated that the truth is simply what is contained in the Book revealed by God, the surah states that what human beings legislate is the result of following conjecture which is devoid of all certainty. To follow it leads to one clear outcome: error. It also explains that human beings cannot be certain of the truth and cannot follow it unless they receive it from its only source. The surah also warns God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) against obeying people in what they say or advocate, no matter how great their number may be. Ignorance remains the same even though it gathers a very large following: 

At the time when the Qur’an was revealed, most people on earth belonged to the world of jahiliyyah (period of ignorance), as is certainly the case today. They did not refer to God for judgement in all their affairs. Nor did they make the divine law contained in His revealed Book the law which they implemented. Nor did they derive their concepts, ideas, thoughts and code of living from God’s guidance. Hence, they followed the way of ignorance, as they certainly do today. They could not formulate any opinion or advocate any ruling based on the truth, and they could not lead anyone who followed them except into error. Just as people do today, they abandoned certitude in order to follow conjecture and guesswork. Hence, God warns His Messenger and his followers against obeying them so that they do not stray from His path. This warning has a general import, although it is given in connection with the prohibition of certain types of slaughtered animals and permitting others, as is later explained.

Please listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

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

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

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.

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 following sources: 

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

In addition the 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.

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

Divine Commandments in Qur'an

All Divine Religions have been given out to man to guide them and to give out a framework to them to obey God and establish harmonious societies based on ethics and social justice. The famous Ten Commandments given to Prophet Musa (Moses, may peace be upon him) are the famous set of ten principles which were to govern the lives of children of Israelites and play fundamental role in Judaism and Christianity.

However, scholars disagree about when the Ten Commandments were written and by whom, with some modern scholars suggesting that they were likely modeled on Hittite and Mesopotamian laws and treaties. According to the book of Exodus in the Torah, the Ten Commandments were revealed to Moses at Mount Sinai and inscribed by the finger of God on two tablets of stone kept in the Ark of the Covenant. (Wikipedia)

In case of Qur'an, however, there have been listed Nine Commandments in verses 151st and 152nd of Surah 6. Al An' Am which have been directly conveyed from Allah to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through Angel Jibraeel (Gabriel). And as every word of Qur'an is the word of God which has remained unchanged since its revelation more than 1400 years ago, there is no doubt about their source. The nine principles provide a framework of life for the mankind, whether Muslims or otherwise for the source of such commandments is the same as for all the Divine religions.

Herein under we list down these Nine Commandments as mentioned in the Qur'an. In the verse 151 Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has been directed to tell the believers and others to recite to them what God has laid down for them. These are:

• (i) that you associate nothing with Him;
• (ii) and do good to your parents;
• (iii) and do not slay your children out of fear of poverty. We provide you and will likewise provide them with sustenance; 
• (iv) and do not even draw to things shameful - be they open or secret; 
• (v) and do not slay the soul santified by Allah except in just cause; this He has enjoined upon you so that you may understand;

Continuing in the verse 152, the remaining four commandments are:

• (vi) and do not even draw near to the property of the orphan in his minority except in the best manner;
• (vii) and give full measures and weight with justice; We do not burden anyone beyond his capacity;1
• (viii) When you speak, be just, even though it concerns a near of kin; 
• (ix) and fulfil the covenant of Allah. That is what He has enjoined upon you so that you may take heed.

For details of above listed commandments, please refer to two of our earlier posts:

• Forbidden and preferred acts - Part I (Surah 6. Al An'am: 151)
• Forbidden and preferred acts - Part II (Surah 6. Al An'am: 152)

In addition to the above listed commandments, there are many commandments of Allah that we find throughout the Qur'an. Some of these are given herein under while more will be added:

• Two foundational aspects of Islamic ethics:  Monotheism and filial piety (Surah 17. Al Israa: 23)

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 for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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.

| Photo | 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

Forbidden and Preferred Acts - Part II (selected verses from Qur'an)

Qur'an is full of Divine cautions and warnings to provide guidance to the believers and keep them on the straight path of ultimate salvation. The forbidden and preferred acts are repeated at many a places in the Qur'an to keep reminding the believers not to deviate from the straight path by being lured in by the Satan and his associates and also spell out the preferred accts for them so that they are counted among the blessed and not among the oppressors and evil doers.

In one of earlier posts on the same subject, we shared the 151st verse from Surah 6. Al-An'am, we mentioned six preferred and forbidden acts as spelt out for the believers by Allah. Thes are summed up as under just to recapitulate:

Say to them (O Muhammad!): 'Come, let me recite what your Lord has laid down to you: (i) that you associate nothing with Allah; (ii) and do good to your parents; (iii) and do not slay your children out of fear of poverty. We provide you and will likewise provide them with sustenance; (iv) and do not even draw to things shameful - be they open or secret; (v) and do not slay the soul santified by Allah except in just cause; this He has enjoined upon you so that you may understand;

We now take the next verse that is 152nd verse in continuation of the 151st verse from Surah 6. Al-An'am in which four more preferred and forbidden acts have been commanded.

وَلَا تَقۡرَبُوۡا مَالَ الۡيَتِيۡمِ اِلَّا بِالَّتِىۡ هِىَ اَحۡسَنُ حَتّٰى يَبۡلُغَ اَشُدَّهٗ​ ۚ وَاَوۡفُوۡا الۡكَيۡلَ وَالۡمِيۡزَانَ بِالۡقِسۡطِ​ ۚ لَا نُـكَلِّفُ نَفۡسًا اِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا​ ۚ وَاِذَا قُلۡتُمۡ فَاعۡدِلُوۡا وَلَوۡ كَانَ ذَا قُرۡبٰى​​ ۚ وَبِعَهۡدِ اللّٰهِ اَوۡفُوۡا​ ؕ ذٰ لِكُمۡ وَصّٰٮكُمۡ بِهٖ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُوۡنَ ۙ‏ 

(6:152) and do not even draw near to the property of the orphan in his minority except in the best manner; and give full measures and weight with justice; We do not burden anyone beyond his capacity; When you speak, be just, even though it concern a near of kin; and fulfil the covenant of Allah. That is what He has enjoined upon you so that you may take heed.

The best way" will be the one which is based on selflessness, good intentions and the welfare of the concerned orphan, and which is not objectionable in the sight of God or man.  

( Give full measures and weight with justice ) "You shall use full measure and a just balance,'' is a fundamental principle of the Divine Law: Allah has added, "We charge one.....one can bear," to assure people that whoever tries his very best to be just and right in measuring, weighing and carrying out other trade transactions, will be absolved from his responsibility and will not be taken to account, if in spite of his best efforts, there happens to be an unintentional error. 

"Covenant with Allah" is: (i) The solemn agreement which man makes with Allah, (i!) the solemn pledge which he makes with another man in the name of Allah, and (iii) the natural compact that comes into force as soon as one is born in the human society on Allah's earth.

The first two kinds of covenants are intentional and optional, but the third one is a moral and natural obligation. Though man has no option in the choice of the third compact, yet it is as binding as the first two and should be honored as 'much. This is because Allah has given him life with extraordinary physical and mental faculties and furnished the earth for his habitation and provided nourishment, and limitless resources etc., for him. Naturally all this entails some rights of Allah on him. Likewise it entails some, rights of the mother who gives birth to and nourishes him and of the father who brings him up and of the society that affords him many kinds of facilities and opportunities. All these rights become, by their very nature, obligatory on him in varying degrees. It is true that this "Covenant" of man with God and society has not been written in any statute book, nevertheless it has been ingrained by Nature in each and every particle of his body, which itself owes its very existence to this Covenant. A reference to this has been made in Al-Baqarah, ti: 27: "....who break Allah's Covenant after ratifying it: who cut asunder what Allah has ordered to be joined and who produce chaos on the earth." It has again been mentioned in Al-A'raf, VII: 172 to this effect: At the time of the creation of Adam, Allah brought forth all his would-be descendants up to the Last Day, from the loins of mankind, and trade them stand witnesses to the Covenant that He is their Lord.  

Asad Ali  Explanation:

( and do not touch the substance of an orphan - save to improve it - before he comes of age." ) I.e., after the orphan in one's charge has come of age, the former guardian may "touch" his property, legally, by borrowing from it or otherwise utilizing it with the owner's consent. The phrase rendered by me as "save to improve it" reads, literally, "in a manner that is best", which implies the intent of bettering it.

( And [in all your dealings] give full measure and weight, ) This refers metonymically to all dealings between men and not only to commercial transactions: hence my interpolation of "in all your dealings".

( We do not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear; ) The meaning is that God does not expect man to behave with "mathematical" equity - which, in view of the many intangible factors involved, is rarely attainable in human dealings - but expects him to do his best towards achieving this ideal.

( be just, even though it be [against] one near of kin. ) According to Razi, the phrase "when you voice an opinion" (lit., "when you speak") applies to expressing an opinion on any subject, whether it concerns one personally or not; but the subsequent reference to one's "near of kin" makes it probable that the above injunction relates, in particular, to the giving of evidence in cases under dispute.

( And [always] observe your bond with God: ) The "bond with God" (conventionally translated as "God's covenant") apparently refers here to man's moral obligation to use his inborn gifts - intellectual as well as physical - in the way intended for them by God. The "establishment" of this bond arises from the faculty of reason which, if properly used, must lead man to a realization of his own weakness and dependence on a causative power and, thus, to a gradual cognition of God's will with reference to his own behaviour. This interpretation of the "bond with God" seems to be indicated by the fact that there is no mention of any specific "covenant" in either the preceding or the subsequent verses of the passage under consideration. The deliberate omission of any explanatory reference in this connection suggests that the expression "bond with God" stands for something that is rooted in the human situation as such, and can, therefore, be perceived instinctively as well as through conscious experience: namely, that innate relationship with God which makes Him "closer to man than his neck-vein" ( 50:16 ). For an explanation of the subsequent reference to "what God has bidden to be joined", 

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

( And that do not go near the wealth of an orphan except in the way that is better [for him] until he reaches maturity) The words in which this directive is given are the same as the one above in which people were forbidden from vulgarities. It is said that they should not even go near the wealth of orphans except for their welfare and betterment; they should bear in mind that only that spending from their wealth is lawful which is meant for their protection and development. And this spending too should be done until the time they reach maturity when they themselves are in a position to become responsible for their wealth. 

(And weigh with honesty and full measure.) This is a great commandment and in its essence a corrollary of the scale of justice on which this world exists. Thus if anyone deviates from this, it means that his concept of justice and fairness has become contaminated and the fact that God is just has been forgotten. Obviously, after this, the whole socio-economic system is uprooted and the fabric of the society is totally decimated. The blessings of weighing with full measure are referred to in verse 35 of Sūrah Banī Isrā’īl. It is said that this is the right attitude with regard to its consequences and carries great blessings for the people as well. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

... The blessings of this conduct in the Hereafter are evident. In this world also, with regard to the consequences ... this attitude will reap benefit for people for the prosperity of their livelihood, economic activity, business, trade and a just society. Nations who are dishonest have neither prospered in this world nor will they ever do so. This evil is not a singular evil. It is actually a sign of the existence of many other evils. A nation fraught with this evil is devoid of the concept of justice and fairness. For this reason, it is not only devoid of the ability to create a healthy society, it also sows seeds of disorder in God’s earth. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 3, 202) 

(We do not burden a soul with more than it can bear.) This is an on the spot warning. The implication is that whatever directives have been given by God are not beyond the capacity of people. He has given them while fully regarding their abilities and natures. Hence, nothing should be subtracted from them by determining one’s own capacity nor should these be crossed in the name of precaution.

( And when you speak, speak the truth, even if the matter is about your relatives.) This is precisely the same directive that is called qiyām bi al-qisṭ (adherence to justice) in verse 135 of Sūrah al-Nisā’ and verse 8 of Sūrah al-Mā’idah. The implication is that believers should not only adhere to truth and justice, but also whenever they are required to bear witness to these, they must necessarily do so. Relations, emotions and desires should never be a hindrance to this. 

(And fulfil God’s promise.) This is a comprehensive statement. Whether a promise is made to God or to people or is understood, it is in fact a promise to God. This is because people will be held accountable for their promises to Him.

( These are the things God directs you to so that you receive a reminder. ) The actual words are: لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُوْنَ. Earlier the word تَعْقِلُوْنَ and later the word تَتَّقُوۡنَ occurs in the same context. Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī writes:

… There is a very deep meaningful relationship between تَعَقُّل , تَذَكُّر and تَقْوى. When a person frees himself from blind following and resolves to seriously reflect on something, then this is تَعَقُّل. Through this تَعَقُّل facts found in human nature are revealed to him but are veiled because of a person’s indifference. Revealing of these facts is تَذَكُّر. This تَذَكُّر guides a person to the destination of تَقْوى which epitomizes education and self-purification as well as religion and sharī‘ah … For this reason, as far as the basics and fundamentals of religion are concerned, they do not come from an external source; they are divulged from human nature on the condition that a person after being reminded by God does تَذَكُّر. The sharī‘ah is a treasury that has been extracted from our nature and has been consigned to us, on the condition that we give due regard to it. (Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, vol. 3, 204)

Qur'an Wiki Explanation:

“Do not touch the property of an orphan before he comes of age, except to improve it.” Every orphan feels weak within the community because he has lost his father who is supposed to bring him up well and protect him. His weakness, then, imposes a duty on the Muslim community, on the basis of the principle of mutual social solidarity which is central to the Islamic social system. An orphan used to find himself in total loss in pre-Islamic Arabian society. The frequent and varied Qur’anic directives concerning the care that should be taken of orphans, and the stern warning occasionally added to these directives give us an impression of how orphans used to be badly treated in society. This continued to be the case until God selected an honoured orphan from that community to entrust him with the most noble task of all. He made that orphan, Muhammad (peace be upon him), the bearer of His final message to mankind. He also made taking proper care of orphans one of the practices encouraged by Islam which gives its followers this kind of directive. Therefore, anyone who is looking after an orphan must not touch that orphan’s property except in a way which is certain to bring a good return to the orphan. He must protect that property and try to improve it until the orphan comes of age and becomes physically and mentally able to receive his property and make good use of it. Thus, the community adds to its ranks a useful member who obtains his full rights.

“Give just weight and full measure. We do not charge a soul with more than it can bear.” (Verse 152) This clearly applies to commercial transactions and requires people to do their best to ensure that everyone gets what is due to them. The surah provides a direct link between these transactions and faith, because this is the Islamic attitude. It is God who gives this directive and who urges people to give just weight and full measure.

“When you speak, be just, even though it be against one of your close relatives.” Here the Qur’an elevates the human conscience, already refined through a sense of watching God, to the even higher level of being guided by belief in God and the need to fulfil His commandments. Within the context of blood relations there lies a human weakness. People tend to think that family relations dictate mutual support in all situations. A human being knows that he himself is weak and lives only a limited period of time. With his relatives he finds strength. The wider his relations extend, the more firmly established is his existence. It is through his relations that his presence in this world is extended to future generations. For all this, a man is weak when it comes to testifying for or against his relatives or to making a judgement between them and other people. Hence, the Qur’an provides the necessary support so that a Muslim’s conscience prompts him to say words of truth and justice, thinking only of his relationship with God and watching Him alone. This gives him the strength which outweighs by far any support he may have from his relatives, as he places his obligation towards God above his duties to his relatives.

Again this particular instruction seeks to remind people of their covenant with God: “Be true to your covenant with God.” It is part of that covenant that people should speak the truth, even when it affects their relatives. This covenant also requires people to give just weight and full measure and that they do not come near the property of an orphan except to improve it, and to treat human life as sacred, killing no one except in the course of justice. But before all this, the covenant which exists between human beings and God dictates that they must associate no partners with Him. This is a pledge made by them and is strongly impressed on their nature by its very constitution. It is God who has made human nature firmly related to its Creator, feeling His presence through the laws that cover its own existence and the existence of the universe.

The Qur’anic comment on all these directives is a most appropriate one: “This He has enjoined upon you so that you may bear it in mind.” They must always remember this covenant with God in all its details and its binding duties.

These basic rules are made crystal clear. They also provide a summary of the Islamic faith and its social legislation. They start with God’s oneness and they conclude with the mention of man’s covenant with God. They were preceded by a long discourse on sovereignty and the fact that it belongs to God alone.

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

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

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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.

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 following sources: 

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

In addition the 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.

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