Islam stresses much on the family life and respect of one's parents. Parents assume the foremost importance in the hierarchy of all relations for it is they who endure all the hardships to rear their children and raise them as best as they can to make them a respectable and honourable citizens when they finally grow up and commence their own family lives. The mothers carry their babies for nine grueling months and undergo the severe birth pains when babies are born. From then on for at least two to three years the new borns are completely dependent on their parents, mostly mothers, before they are able to stand on their feel.
"We enjoined upon man to be dutiful to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning lasted two years. (We, therefore, enjoined upon him): “Give thanks to Me and to your parents. To Me is your ultimate return." (Surah 31 Luqman:14) Thereafter begins a joint struggle of both parents for next two decades to help us in our studies to finally be able to find a reasonable job and commence our practical lives. But in the process, the parents have worked hard to provide the best of the education, comfort and love so that we are not deprived of our schooling and meaningful upbringing. This wears them out and as their babies become young adults, silver hair start to appears on the parents heads. From then on, it is they who need our love and care so that they may live a comfortable live and seeing us settling down with our families, as they did and underwent the cycle of life years ago. It is for this life long struggle that Allah places respect of parents as the top priority for the children:
"Your Lord has decreed: (i) Do not worship any but Him; (ii) Be good to your parents; and should both or any one of them attain old age with you, do not say to them even "fie" neither chide them, but speak to them with respect"
(Surah 17. Al-Israa / Bani Israel: 23)
This commandment is very comprehensive. It prohibits not only the worship of anyone except Allah but also implies that one should obey and serve and submit to Allah alone without question. One should accept His commandments and law alone to be worthy of obedience and His authority to be supreme above all. This was not merely an instruction confined to a religious creed and individual practice but it served as the foundation of the moral, cultural, and political system which was practically established in Al-Madinah by the Prophet (peace be upon him). Its first and foremost principle was that Allah alone is the Master, Sovereign and Law-giver. This verse enjoins that after Allah’s right, the greatest of all the human rights is the right of parents. Therefore, the children should obey and serve and respect their parents. The collective morality of society should make it incumbent on children to be grateful and respectful to their parents, they should serve them as they nursed and brought them up in their childhood. Above all, this verse is not merely a moral recommendation but is the basis of the rights and powers of parents the details of which we find in the Books of Hadith and Fiqh. Moreover, respectful behavior and obedience to and observance of the rights of parents comprise the most important element of the material education and moral training in the Islamic society and civilization. Incidentally, all these things have determined forever the principle that the Islamic state shall make the family life sound and secure by laws, administrative regulations and educational policy and prevent its disintegration. Yusuf Ali Explains this verse in following words:
The spiritual and moral duties are now brought into juxtaposition. We are to worship none but Allah, because none but Allah is worthy of worship, not because "the Lord thy God is a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me" (Exod. xx. 5). Note that the act of worship may be collective as well as individual; hence the plural ta'buda. The kindness to parents is an individual act of piety; hence the singular taqul, qul, etc. And right in the next verse, children are commanded not only to be humble to their parents but also to pray for their parents:
"And out of kindness lower to them the wing of humility and say: "My Lord! bestow on them Thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood."
(Surah 17. Al-Israa / Bani Israel: 24)
Yusuf Ali Explains that the metaphor is that of a high-flying bird which lowers her wing out of tenderness to her offspring. There is a double aptness. (1) When the parent was strong and the child was helpless, parental affection was showered on the child: when the child grows up and is strong, and the parent is helpless, can he do less than bestow similar tender care on the parent? (2) But more: he must approach the matter with gentle humility: for does not parental love, remind him of the great love with which Allah cherishes His creatures? There is something here more than simple human gratitude; it goes up into the highest spiritual region.
Note that we are asked to honour our father and mother, not "that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Exod. xx. 12), but upon much higher and more universal grounds, such as befit a perfected revelation. In the first place, not merely respect, but cherishing kindness, and humility to parents, are commanded. In the second place, this command is bracketed with the command to worship the One True God. Parental love should be to us a type of divine love: nothing that we can do can ever really compensate for that which we have received. In the third place (see next verse) our spiritual advancement is tested by this: we cannot expect Allah's forgiveness if we are rude or unkind to those who unselfishly brought us up.
However, having emphasized the need to take care of one's parents, there is a caution here too from Allah. And that is when it comes to choosing between Him and one's parents:
"But if they press you to associate others with Me in My Divinity, (to associate) those regarding whom you have no knowledge (that they are My associates), do not obey them. And yet treat them well in this world, and follow the way of him who turns to Me in devotion. Eventually it is to Me that all of you shall return, and I shall then tell you all that you did.” (Surah 31 Luqman::15)
According to Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Abu Daud and Nasai, this verse was sent down in respect of Saad bin Abi Waqqas. He was 18 or 19 years old when he embraced Islam. When his mother, Hamnah, daughter of Sufyan bin Umayyah (niece 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 superior even according to Allah’s command. Therefore if you disobey me, you will be disobeying Allah too.” Saad was perplexed and came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and told this entire story. At that, this verse was revealed. Possibly other young men who embraced Islam in the initial stage at Makkah were also confronted with similar situations.
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, “And if they strive with you to make you join with Me” imply that a lesser pressure, or a pressure by either of them, deserves to be set aside much more promptly. The next sentence, “Of which you have no knowledge (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. However, one should still continue to honour one's parents with compassion and due consideration and should not abandon them just because they do not profess to the divinity and Oneness of Allah, and continue to accompany the parents in life with kindness. Herein under, we are sharing a beautiful commentary on the respect of parents in Islam by Nouman Ali Khan:
May Allah help us understand Qur'an and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. and also help us to take care of our aging parents and look after them for as long as they are with us and Aameen.
Reading the Holy Quran 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 Sūrahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:
The plain translation has been taken from the Holy Quran officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The exegesis of the chapters of the Holy 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:
Exegesis by Maulana Mufti Muhammad Sharif, revised by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani
In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given in each page. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.
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Al-Ḥayy " ٱلْحَىُّ " - The Ever Living is one of the most powerful attributes of Allah. That is the One who has a continuous life with no beginning or end. Ayat ul Qursi, the most powerful verse of the Qur'an, begins with this equally very powerful attribute of Allah:
"Allah, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting ... " - 2:255
This means that irrespective of the number of gods or objects of worship set up by ignorant people, the fact remains that godhead in its entirety, belongs exclusively to the Eternal Being, Who is indebted to no one for His existence. In fact, He is not only self-existent, but upon Him rests the entire order of the universe. He alone wields all sovereign authority over His dominion. None shares either His attributes or His power and might, and no one has the same claims against the creatures as He. Hence, if anywhere in the heavens or the earth someone sets up anything or anybody as an object of worship and service (ilah) either instead of or in addition to the One True God this amounts to declaring war on reality. Allah is Alive and Deathless. That is the One Who is Everlasting. The One who animates all life and who makes each living thing different and distinct. Al Hayy takes its root from haa-yaa-yaa, which points to four main meanings. The first meaning is to live. The second main meaning is to become apparent or distinct. The third is to revive, vitalize and call into being and the fourth main meaning is to be sound, or whole. This root appears 184 times in the Quran in 12 derived forms. Examples of these forms are yuhyee (“grants life”), hayyan (“alive”) and al hayaatu (” the life”).
"And rely on the ever-Living Who never dies..." (Quran, 25:58)
His Life with all His Attributes are perfect end there is no end to His existence. He was before all else, so shall He remain throughout endless time. Allah calls Himself Al-Hayy on five occasions in the Quran. Here reference from second verse of Surah 3 Al i Imran not given as it is the same as 2:255 mentioned above. Herein under are the remaining two references from the Qur'an about this attribute of Allah:
(Surah 20 Ta Ha:111) All faces shall be humbled before the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting Lord, and he who bears the burden of iniquity will have failed;
(Surah 25 Al Furqan: 58) (O Muhammad), put your trust in Him Who is Ever-Living, Who will never die, and glorify Him with His praise. He suffices as the Knower of the sins of His servants.
Anas ibn Malik has said, "I was once sitting with the Messenger of Allah in our circle when a man was still performing his prayers. After having bowed down, prostrated and made the tashahhud, he supplicated to his Lord saying, `Lord! I plead to You by the very fact that to You is all Praise due; there is no god but You; You are the One Who gives without reminding the takers, Who created the heavens and the earth; O You Who has all the Honor and all the Glory! O ever-Living One, O Sustainer! I plead to You...' whereupon the Prophet said, `He surely has invoked Allah by His Greatest Attribute: He answers favorably when He is asked thereby, and He gives when invoked.'"
Abu Hurairah reported that whenever the Prophet, peace be upon him, was faced with a serious difficulty, he would raise his head to the sky and supplicate, "Subhan-Allah al-'Azim (glory be to Allah, the Mighty)." And when he implored seriously and strongly, he would say "Ya Hayyu, Ya Qayyum (O Ever-Living One, O Self-Existing One)." (Hadith of Tirmidhi)
Al-Hayy is most often combined with the Name Al-Qayyūm " ٱلْقَيُّومُ ", the Sustainer. This is a beautiful combination of the perfection of Allah’s Attributes and His Actions. Al-Hayy means the One who possesses the perfect living and so all His attributes are perfect: His hearing, His sight, His Beauty etc. Man’s life is imperfect from all sides: our hearing, sight, speech and actions are all imperfect. All the attributes of Allah are perfect, because any deficiency in attributes would come from weakness of life and His life is perfect! The Al Hayy attributes is best expressed in verses 26-27 of Surah 55 Ar Rahman:
(55:26) All that is on earth will perish, (55:27) only the Person of your Lord, full of majesty and splendour, will endure.
And yet again in Surah 28 Al Qasas: 88: Everything will perish save His Face.
Allah is thus ascribed with a life that is self-sustaining. It has no external source, unlike the lives of creatures that have been granted to them by the Creator. As He was, together with His attributes, before all else, so shall He remain throughout endless time.
You may refer to our post "99 Attributes of Allāh" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran
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Sürah Al i Imran (ʾĀl ʿImrān "آل عِمْرَان " The Family of Imran) is the 3rd sürah with 200 ayahs with twenty rukus, part of the 3rd and 4th Juzʼ of the Holy Qur'an. The Sürah takes its name from 33rd verse. This Sürah is cognate to Sürah II Al Baqarah. but the matter is here treated from a different point of view, The references to Badr (Ramadân. H. 2) and Uhud Shawwal. H. 3.) give a clue to the dates of those passages. Like Sürah II. it takes a general view of the religious history of mankind, special reference to the People of the Book, proceeds to explain the birth 4 he new People of Islam and their ordinances, insists on the need of struggle and fighting in the cause of Truth, and exhorts those who have been blessed with Islam to remain constant in Faith, pray for guidance, and maintain their with hope for the Future. The new points of view developed are: (1) The emphasis is here laid on the duty of the Christians to accept the new light: the Christians are here specially appealed to, as the Jews were specially appealed to in the last Sürah: (2) the lessons of the battles of Badr and Uhud are set out for the Muslim community; and (3) the responsibilities of that community are insisted on both internally and in their relations to those outside. As already explained in the Overview, the exegesis of the Sürah has been divided into parts owing to the length of the Sürah, which is 200 verses long. The exegesis will be presented in following parts according to the subject matter:
Part VI: Verses 175 - 189. This part also includes the concluding verses of the Sürah (190-200), which are not directly connected with the verses immediately preceding it but with the theme of the Surah as a whole.
Let us now read the translation and exegesis / tafseer of last part, i.e, Part VI of the Sürah. This part covers Verses 175 - 189. From here the main theme of the verses 109 - 120 has been resumed to reassure and encourage the Muslims against the dangerous plots of their enemies. This part also includes the concluding verses of the Sürah (190-200), which are not directly connected with the verses immediately preceding it but with the theme of the Surah as a whole. For Arabic Text and recitation in Arabic with English subtitles, please scroll down for the video at the end of the exegesis of this part:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"
Ruku / Section 18 [Verses 173-180] We have already presented explanation of verses 173-176 as these formed part of the discourse being discussed in Ruku 17. We now resume Ruku 18 from verses 176-178, which deal with Punishment for bartering belief for unbelief:
( 176 ) And do not be grieved, [O Muhammad], by those who hasten into disbelief. Indeed, they will never harm Allah at all. Allah intends that He should give them no share in the Hereafter, and for them is a great punishment.
( 178 ) And let not those who disbelieve ever think that [because] We extend their time [of enjoyment] it is better for them. We only extend it for them so that they may increase in sin, and for them is a humiliating punishment.
Yusuf Ali Explanation:
That the cup of their iniquity may be full. The appetite for sin grows with what it feeds on. The natural result is that the sinner sinks deeper into sin. If there is any freedom of will, this naturally follows, though Allah's Grace is always ready for the repentant. If the Grace is rejected, the increase of iniquity makes the nature of iniquity plainer to those who might otherwise be attracted by its glitter. The working of Allah's Law is therefore both just and merciful. See also the next verse.
Verse 179 Adverse conditions are a test from Allah:
( 179 ) Allah would not leave the believers in that [state] you are in [presently] until He separates the evil from the good. Nor would Allah reveal to you the unseen. But [instead], Allah chooses of His messengers whom He wills, so believe in Allah and His messengers. And if you believe and fear Him, then for you is a great reward.
That is, God does not want to see the Muslim community in a hotch-potch condition with the true men of faith indistinguishable from the hypocrites.
This means that God does not resort to revelation to provide information as to whether specific individuals are true men of faith or hypocrites. God creates, instead, certain situations in which the faith of those who profess to believe is severely tested. The result is that the man of faith stands out clearly from the hypocrite.
Yusuf Ali Explanation:
The testing of good men by calamities and evil men by leaving them in the enjoyment of good things is part of the trials of Allah, in which some freedom of choice is left to man. The psychological and subjective test is unfailing, and the separation is effected partly by the operation of the human wills, to which some freedom is allowed. But it must be effected, if only in the interests of the good.
Man in his weak state would be most miserable if he could see the secrets of the Future or the secrets of the Unseen. But things are revealed to him from time to time as may be expedient for him, by Messengers chosen for the purpose. Our duty is to hold fast by faith and lead a good life.
( 180 ) And let not those who [greedily] withhold what Allah has given them of His bounty ever think that it is better for them. Rather, it is worse for them. Their necks will be encircled by what they withheld on the Day of Resurrection. And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth. And Allah, with what you do, is [fully] Acquainted.
Everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to God alone. Hence the possession and use of anything by man is purely transient. For everyone will be dispossessed of his temporary belongings, and everything will ultimately return to and abide with God. If anyone therefore spends openheartedly in the way of God out of his temporary possessions he does so from property which, ultimately, belongs to God alone. Anyone who hoards his possessions and fails to spend them in the way of God is indeed stupid.
Yusuf Ali Explanation:
The gifts are of all kinds: material gifts, such as wealth, property, strength of limbs, etc., or intangible gifts, such as influence, birth in a given set, intellect, skill, insight, etc., or spiritual gifts of the highest kind. The spending of all these things (apart from what is necessary for ourselves) for those who need them, is charity, and purifies our own character. The withholding of them (apart from our needs) is similarly greed and selfishness, and is strongly condemned.
By an apt metaphor the miser is told that his wealth or the other gifts which he hoarded will cling round his neck and do him no good. He will wish he could get rid of them, but he will not be able to do so. According to the Biblical phrase in another connection they will hang like a millstone round his neck (Matt. xviii. 6). The metaphor here is fuller. He hugged his wealth or his gifts about him. They will become like a heavy collar, the badge of slavery, round his neck. They will be tied tight and twisted, and they will give him pain and anguish instead of pleasure. Cf. also xvii. 13.
Another metaphor is now introduced. Material wealth or property is only called ours during our short life here. So all gifts are ours in trust only; they ultimately revert to Allah, to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens or on earth.
Ruku / Section 19 [Verses 181-187] Verses 181-184 Jews insulted Allah and uttered a lie against Him:
( 181 ) Allah has certainly heard the statement of those [Jews] who said, "Indeed, Allah is poor, while we are rich." We will record what they said and their killing of the prophets without right and will say, "Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire.
This statement was made by the Jews. On the revelation of the Qur'anic verse (2: 245): 'Who of you will lend Allah a goodly loan?', the Jews began to ridicule it and said: 'Look, God has now gone bankrupt and has begun to beg of His creatures for loans.' (For this statement made by the Jews see the Tradition mentioned by Ibn Kathir in his comments on this verse - Ed.)
Yusuf Ali Explanation:
In ii. 245 we read: "Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful loan?" In other places charity or spending in the way of Allah is metaphorically described as giving to Allah. The Holy Prophet often used that expression in appealing for funds to be spent in the way of Allah. The scoffers mocked and said: "So Allah is indigent and we are rich!" This blasphemy was of a piece with all their conduct in history, in slaying the Prophets and men of God.
For the expression "slaying in defiance of right," Cf. iii. 21, and iii. 112.
Explanation of Professor Ghamidi:
This is a mention of how the Hypocrites would ridicule the calls of the Qur’an to spend for the cause of God. When the Qur’an would ask them to lend money to God, they would make fun of this by saying that God is very poor these days and thus asking for money from these rich people.
The actual words are: سَنَکۡتُبُ مَا قَالُوۡا. This is a very subtle admonition. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi, while explaining its subtlety, writes:
… Those who are aware of the art of eloquence very well know that our limited power of expression can in no way fully express the anger and wrath hidden in these words. Even more subtle is the fact that the expression وَ قَتۡلَہُمُ الۡاَنۡۢبِیَآءَ بِغَیۡرِ حَقٍّ (and their slaying of the prophets unjustly) was co-ordinated to it implying that God is also recording their unjust killings of the prophets. Obviously, it was the Jews who were guilty of this crime. Mentioning a statement of the Hypocrites together with an act of the Jews in a single category in this manner and using the same pronoun for both bears witness to two things: after saying such a grave thing these Hypocrites have once again entered the fraternity of the Jews which they had earlier left to put up a false display of being Muslims. Secondly, this making fun by the Hypocrites and this practice of the Jews are such grave crimes that God will never forget them; He too will one day tell them: taste this punishment of God. The punishment would be commensurate with their deeds because God is not unjust in any way to His people. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 2, 219)
( 183 ) [They are] those who said, "Indeed, Allah has taken our promise not to believe any messenger until he brings us an offering which fire [from heaven] will consume." Say, "There have already come to you messengers before me with clear proofs and [even] that of which you speak. So why did you kill them, if you should be truthful?"
The Bible mentions at several places that the token of Divine acceptance of a person's sacrificial offering was the appearance of a mysterious fire which consumed the offering. (See Judges 6: 20-1 and 13: 19-20; 2 Chronicles 7: 1-2.) The Bible does not state, however, that the consuming fire was an indispensable token of prophethood and that anyone not endowed with that miracle could not be a Prophet. The Jews in discussing the claim of Muhammad (peace be on him) to be a Messenger of God brought up the question of this miraculous sign, and used it as a pretext for denying that claim. There was even clearer evidence of the Jews' hostility to Truth: they had not hesitated to murder a number of Prophets who had been endowed with the miracle of consuming fire. The Bible mentions, for example, the Prophet Elijah who had challenged the worshipers of Ba'l to sacrifice a bull, promising that he too would sacrifice a bull. He stated that the offering of the one who was truthful would be consumed by the miraculous fire. The confrontation took place before a large crowd and it was Elijah's sacrifice which was consumed by the fire. This so antagonized the Ba'1-worshiping Queen that the henpecked King decided to put the Prophet Elijah to death. Elijah was forced to leave his homeland and take refuge in the mountains of Sinai. (See 1 Kings 18 and 19.) The Jews are told in effect: 'How dare you ask for the miracle of the consuming fire when in the past you have not even refrained from murdering Prophets who performed that miracle?'
Yusuf Ali Explanation:
Burn sacrifices figured in the Mosaic Law, and in the religious ceremonies long before Moses, but it is not true that the Mosaic Law laid down a fire from heavens on a burnt sacrifice as a test of the credentials of Prophets. Even if it had been so, did the Jews obey the Prophets who showed this Sign? In Leviticus ix. 23-24, we are told a burnt offering prepared by Moses and Aaron: "and there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat." Yet the people rebelled frequently against Moses. Abel's offering (sacrifice) was probably a burnt offering: it was accepted by Allah, and he was killed by Cain out of jealousy: Gen. iv. 3-8. Mosaic sacrifices were no longer needed by the people of Jesus or the people of Muhammad.
Explanation of Professor Ghamidi:
Earlier on, with a mention of the Hypocrites the matter of the Jews was brought up. Hence, one of their pranks is cited here and they too are refuted. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes:
The prank of the Jews alluded to is that in order to silence the Muslims they would say that they had been directed by God to not believe in any person’s claim to prophethood until he works a certain miracle; as per this miracle, he should make an offering of an animal which should be consumed by a fire that descends from the heavens to indicate that it had been accepted. The Jews would say only this as a prank. It is mentioned in the Torah that certain prophets worked this miracle. For example in Kings (18:37-38), it is attributed to the Prophet Elia (sws) and in History (7:1), it is attributed to the Prophet Solomon (sws); however, at no place is it stated that this miracle is a pre-requisite or a corollary of prophethood and unless a prophet works this miracle his claim to prophethood will not even be considered. In particular, in the case of the last prophet the predictions found in their scriptures are absolutely devoid of such stipulations. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 2, 220)
( 184 ) Then if they deny you, [O Muhammad] - so were messengers denied before you, who brought clear proofs and written ordinances and the enlightening Scripture.
Yusuf Ali Explanation:ِ
The three things mentioned in the Text are: (1) Clear Signs (baiyinat); (2) zubur, and (3) kitab-il-Munir. The signification of (1) I have explained in the note to iii. 62, as far as they relate to Jesus. In a more general sense, it means the clear evidence which Allah's dealings furnish about a Messenger of Allah having a true mission: e.g., Moses in relation to Pharaoh. (2) The word Zubur has been translated as scriptures. It comes from the root Zabara which implies something hard. The commentators are not agreed, but the prophetic writings which seemed to contemporaries difficult to understand may well be meant here. David's psalms (Zabur, iv. 163) may also come under this description. As to (3), there is no doubt about the literal meaning of the words, "the Book of Enlightenment". But what does it precisely refer to? I take it to mean the fundamental guide to conduct,-the clear rules laid down in all Dispensations to help men to lead good lives.
Explanation of Professor Ghamidi:
The Qur’an mentions three things here: bayyinat, zubr, kitab-i munir. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi explains them thus:
The word bayyinat means “clear and obvious.” This word generally qualifies the signs of God. Wherever this word is mentioned in the Qur’an without qualifying a noun, it is used in two meanings: clear and silencing arguments or miracles that can be felt by the senses.
The word zubr is the plural of zabur. It means “a piece, portion and scripture.” It is very commonly used for the Psalms of David. Here it refers to those scriptures of the prophets which are included in the Bible.
The words kitab-i munir refer to the Torah. In the books which were revealed before the Qur’an, it is only the Torah which can be referred to by this expression. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 2, 221)
( 185 ) Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.
Whoever considers the effects of his actions in this earthly life to be of crucial significance, and sees in them the criteria of right and wrong, the criteria of that which leads either to one's ultimate salvation or to one's doom, falls prey to a serious misconception. The fact that a person is outstandingly successful in life does not necessarily prove that he is either not prove that he has either strayed from the right way or is out of favour with God. The earthly results of a man's actions are often quite different from the ones he will see in the Next Life. What is of true importance is what will happen in that eternal life rather than in this transient one.
Yusuf Ali Explanation:ِ
The death of the body will give a taste of death to the soul when the soul separates from the body. The soul will then know that this life was but a probation. And seeming inequalities will be adjusted finally on the Day of Judgment.
Cf. Longfellow's Psalm of Life: "All this world's a fleeting show. For man's illusion given". The only reality will be when we have attained our final goal.
( 186 ) You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allah much abuse. But if you are patient and fear Allah - indeed, that is of the matters [worthy] of determination.
Muslims should not lose their self-control in the face of the Jews' invidious taunts and slander. The Jews' accusations, debased talk and false propaganda should not provoke the Muslims into adopting a posture either inconsistent with truth and justice or with the dignity, decorum and high standards of moral conduct that become men of faith.
Yusuf Ali Explanation:ِ
Not wealth and possessions only (or want of them), are the means of our trial. All our personal talents, knowledge, opportunities, and their opposites,-in fact everything that happens to us and makes up our personality is a means of our testing. So is our Faith: we shall have to put up for it many insults from those who do not share it.
Explanation of Professor Ghamidi:
This is a reference to those tests and trials that are necessarily faced by the companions of a messenger through his adversaries in order to isolate and demarcate the latter before divine punishment descends on them.
Verses 187-189 Punishment for claiming credit for some thing you have not done:
( 187 ) And [mention, O Muhammad], when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, [saying], "You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it." But they threw it away behind their backs and exchanged it for a small price. And wretched is that which they purchased.
Although the Jews remembered that some Prophets had been endowed with the miracle of consuming fire, they conveniently forgot their covenant with God at the time they were entrusted with the Scripture, and their mission as the bearers of the Scripture. The 'covenant' to which this verse alludes is mentioned at several places in the Bible. In the last sermon of Moses, cited in Deuteronomy, he again and again calls the attention of Israel to the covenant in the following words:
'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might. And these words which I command shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.' (Deuteronomy 6: 4-9.)
Then, in his last testament Moses said:
'And on the day you pass over the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall set up large stones, and plaster them with plaster and you shall write upon them all the words of this law, when you pass over to enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you. And when you have passed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, concerning which I command you this day, on Mount Ebal, and you shall plaster them with plaster.' (Deuteronomy 27: 2-4.)
When the Levites were handed a copy of the Torah, they were instructed to gather men, women and children every seventh year on the occasion of the Feast of Tabernacles and to recite the entire text to them. But their indifference to the Book of God grew to such a point that seven hundred years later even the priests of the Temple of Solomon and the Jewish ruler of Jerusalem did not know that they had the Book of God with them. (See 2 Kings 22: 8-13.)
Yusuf Ali Explanation:ِ
Truth-Allah's Message-comes to any man or nation as a matter of sacred trust. It should be broadcast and published and taught and made clear to all within reach. Privileged priesthood at once erects a barrier. But worse,-when such priesthood tampers with the truth, taking what suits it and ignoring the rest, it has sold Allah's gift for a miserable ephemeral profit; how miserable, it will learn when retributive justice comes.
Explanation of Professor Ghamidi:
Ie., they do remember that certain prophets did make such an offering which was consumed by a heavenly fire but they do not remember what they had pledged with the Almighty when they were receiving the Book from Him. They should be reminded that this pledge is even now found in their Books. Thus, it is written in Deuteronomy:
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates. (11:18-20)
Similarly, in the Gospels too, this is written in very effective styles. The words in Matthew are:
What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. (10:27)
Ie., even after cheaply selling the covenant of God to gain personal objectives they desire that they be called the People of the Book and be regarded as the chosen ummah of God and considered themselves as the sole worthy recipients of God’s favours and gifts – both in this world and in the next.
( 188 ) And never think that those who rejoice in what they have perpetrated and like to be praised for what they did not do - never think them [to be] in safety from the punishment, and for them is a painful punishment.
Such people expected praises to be lavished upon them for being God-fearing, devout and pious, for being sincere servants of the true faith, for being defenders of God's Law and for having reformed and purified the lives of people, even though none of this might be true. They wanted people to go about trumpeting that such and such a person had made great sacrifices in the cause of God and had sincerely guided people to the right way even though the facts might be the reverse of what they claimed.
Yusuf Ali Explanation:ِ
A searching picture of the wordily wise! They may cause mischief and misery to others, but gloat over any glory it may bring them! They may trample down Allah's truths, and enthrone false standards of worship. They may take credit for virtues they do not possess and seeming successes that come in spite of their despicable deceptions.
( 189 ) And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is over all things competent.
The Concluding Verses: This section constitutes the conclusion of the present surah. It is related not so much to the verses which immediately precede it as to the entire surah. In order to grasp its significance one should particularly bear in mind our introductory remarks to this surah. Verses 190-194 Signs from Nature and Supplication of the believers:
( 190 ) Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.
Yusuf Ali Explanation:ِ
See ii. 164. The two items mentioned here are just brief symbols recalling the six or seven mentioned in the other passage. And those too are but brief symbols and reminders of the glorious majesty of Allah and His goodness to man.
( 191 ) Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
This means that with the help of those signs one can easily arrive at the Truth, provided one is not indifferent to God and looks at the phenomenon of the universe thoughtfully.
When people look carefully at the order of the universe, it becomes clear to them that it is an order permeated by wisdom and intelligent purpose. It is altogether inconsistent with wisdom that the man endowed with moral consciousness and freedom of choice, the man gifted with reason and discretion, should not be held answerable for his deeds. This kind of reflection leads people to develop a strong conviction that the After-life is a reality. Thanks to this conviction, they begin to seek God's refuge from His punishment.
Yusuf Ali Explanation:ِ
That is, in all postures, which again is symbolical of all circumstances, personal, social, economic, historical and other.
It is the thought of Salvation that connects all these glories with man. Otherwise man would be a miserable, contemptible creature in these beauties and wonders of Nature. With his high destiny of Salvation he can be lifted even higher than these glories!
Explanation of Professor Ghamidi:
It is evident from this that men of vision and intellect are those who, while reflecting on this world, are led to keep God and the Hereafter in remembrance and under reflection. It is further evident from this that remembering God is required at all times and just as this remembrance, reflection and deliberation are also required because through reflection does one have conviction of the Hereafter. In its absence, remembering God becomes a mere exercise of the tongue; it has no status beyond this.
With great eloquence, the Qur’an has explained in these verses how true men of vision and intellect when they remember God and deliberate on the creation of the heavens and the earth are led to the right conclusion. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes:
…This remembrance and reflection itself leads him to the conclusion that this great Universe cannot be purposeless, and when this is not so it is essential that it should not end just like this; it is essential that a day come when the righteous and the wrongdoers both are rewarded and punished respectively for their deeds and in this way the immense wisdom that is concealed in the creation of this world manifest itself.
Only a brief allusion is made here to the signs found in the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of day and night. The details are spread in the whole corpus of the Qur’an. With great detail, the Qur’an has elaborated upon those signs in this universe which bear witness that not only is there great authority behind this universe, but also great wisdom; there is not only immense power but also unfathomable mercy and affection; there is not only enormous diversity, there is also amazing harmony and poise. This shows that the creation of this world is not a chance happening nor a place of amusement for a merry maker; it is in fact created by a powerful and wise, authoritative and merciful, all-knowing and all-hearing being. Hence it is against His nature that this world go on and end without any distinction being made in dealing between good and evil, virtue and vice. If this happens, it will mean that either this world has no Creator or Master; it has been created of its own accord and will continue in this manner or its Creator has made it for His amusement and is watching a show by making some rich and some poor, some oppressors and others oppressed. Obviously, both these postulates are against God’s power and wisdom – power and wisdom to which every nook and corner of this universe bears witness. It is absolutely against the majesty of knowledge and wisdom of such a knowledgeable and wise being that He do something imprudent.
A person who in this manner reflects on the power and wisdom behind this universe himself automatically reaches not only to an acknowledgement of God but also to an acknowledgement of the Hereafter. And obviously, a person whose mind makes this journey will tremble with fear at the conception of reward and punishment and he will have a great urge to seek refuge with God from the torment and humiliation ordained for people who regarded this universe to be a place of amusement and in this manner spent all their lives in defiance. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 2, 227)
If one deliberates on the last sentence of this verse, one comes to the conclusion that it has been very clearly set out in it that on the Day of Judgement, humiliation is ordained for those who are relying on false intercessions. Thus it was said that on that day they will have no supporters and helpers.
( 193 ) Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], 'Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous.
Many eras have passed before you. Go about, then, in the land and behold the end of those who gave the lie to (the directives and ordinances of Allah).
Explanation of Professor Ghamidi:
Ie., we did not demand miracles nor did we insist on silly arguments and in fact the mere person of the prophet was no less than a miracle in our eyes; so when we saw that this call of professing faith in God and the Hereafter is the call of our own hearts and our inner self bears witness to it and knowledge and intellect also demand it, we accepted it without any hesitation.
( 194 ) Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in [Your] promise."
Explanation of Professor Ghamidi:
The actual words are: مَا وَعَدۡتَّنَا عَلٰی رُسُلِکَ. Here, as per linguistic principles, the mudaf (governing noun) has been suppressed ie. عَلٰی اَلْسِنَةِ رُسُلِكَ.
Instead of showing vanity on their faith, these men of vision here are seen submitting before their Lord in utter humility. They are imploring Him to forgive their sins and ease out for them the way they tread for His cause just as He has granted them the urge to accept the truth.
( 195 ) And their Lord responded to them, "Never will I allow to be lost the work of [any] worker among you, whether male or female; you are of one another. So those who emigrated or were evicted from their homes or were harmed in My cause or fought or were killed - I will surely remove from them their misdeeds, and I will surely admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow as reward from Allah, and Allah has with Him the best reward."
Explanation of Professor Ghamidi:
This, in very subtle words, is an expression of acceptance of the prayer. It is as if it was answered by God as soon as it was uttered.
This is an encouragement to all the believers who passed through the phases of migration and jihad for the cause of God and suffered horrific persecution at the hands of the opponents of Islam. Women have been specially mentioned here because the persecution and oppression women of those times were inflicted with will cause our hair to rise on its ends even today. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes:
… These words bring the discourse in line with the actual situation. Who else could have known that these two words would have assured the oppressed women who suffered many wrongs and injustices merely because they had embraced Islam. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 2, 231)
Here the reason because of which the deeds of men and women are equal in status in the eyes of the Almighty is cited. A little deliberation will show that through this the Qur’an has refuted all those views of the age of jahiliyyah which regarded women to be inferior to men.
The actual words are: ثَوَابًا مِّنۡ عِنۡدِ اللّٰہِ The word ثَوَابًاis a verbal noun and refers to the consequence which is received in response to an action by its doer. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi, while explaining its subtlety, writes:
… By calling the everlasting rewards which the Almighty will award the believers for their trivial deeds as thawab, the Almighty has elevated the value of the deeds of people otherwise what is the relation between a speck and a mountain? The words ثَوَابًا مِّنۡ عِنۡدِ اللّٰہِ وَ اللّٰہُ عِنۡدَہٗ حُسۡنُ الثَّوَابِ actually dispense with this distance. Though this is a recompense of their own deeds yet it is from God Who has treasures of rewards with Him. His great generosity induces Him to give to whomsoever He wants to and everything is found in great numbers and quantity with Him. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 2, 231)
Verses 196-200 Do not be deceived by the unbelievers and Be patient and excel in patience:
( 198 ) But those who feared their Lord will have gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein, as accommodation from Allah. And that which is with Allah is best for the righteous.
( 199 ) And indeed, among the People of the Scripture are those who believe in Allah and what was revealed to you and what was revealed to them, [being] humbly submissive to Allah. They do not exchange the verses of Allah for a small price. Those will have their reward with their Lord. Indeed, Allah is swift in account.
( 200 ) O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.
The original Arabic word is " sabiru". This has two possible meanings. One is that whenever they are in confrontation with unbelievers, the believers should endure even greater hardships for their cause, and display a higher degree of fortitude than the unbelievers. The other is that the believers should try to excel one another in facing the opposition and hostility of unbelievers with courage and fortitude.
Yusuf Ali Explanation:ِ
The full meaning of Sabr is to be understood here, viz.: Patience, perseverance, constancy, self-restraint, refusing to be cowed down. These virtues we are to exercise for ourselves and in relation to others; we are to set an example, so that others may vie with us, and we are to vie with them, lest we fall short; in this way we strengthen each other and bind our mutual relations closer, in our common service to Allah.
Prosperity (falah here and in other passages is to be understood in a wide sense, including prosperity in our mundane affairs as well as in spiritual progress. In both cases it implies happiness and the attainment of our wishes, purified by the love of Allah.
You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sürah Al i Imran with English subtitles:
You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary / exegesis of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th Juzʼ / Part backwards for chapters in 30th Juzʼ / Part are shorter and easier to understand).
You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Reading the Holy Quran 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 Holy Qur'an from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:
The plain translation has been taken from the Holy Quran officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
The exegesis of the chapters of the Holy 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. [2]
In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources:
Exegesis by Maulana Mufti Muhammad Sharif, revised by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani
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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Allah is Al Ḥakam " ٱلْحَكَمُ " - The Sole Possessor of Authority of Decisions and Judgment, The Judge, Arbitrator, Arbiter, All-Decree. The following verse of Surah 6. Al-An'am was revealed on Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as an answer to the disbelievers of Makkah who questioned why it was that they had openly rejected a Prophet sent by God, but had not been struck down by God's wrath? They said that the fact of his appointment by God meant that anyone who either disbelieved or insulted him would, at once, be either plunged into the earth or struck by lightning. And yet, they pointed out, the Messenger of God and his followers faced new sufferings and humiliations whereas those who abused and persecuted him enjoyed prosperity.
"Say: 'I take stand upon a clear evidence from my Lord and it is that which you have given the lie to. That which you desire to be hastened is not within my power. Judgement lies with Allah alone. He declares the Truth, and He is the best judge.'" This verse clearly shows that although Allah is the Sole Possessor of Decisions and Judgement, He does not use this authority in haste to punish those who disbelieve in Him or reject His commandments. For had it been so, most of the world populace would be immensely suffering and the world would become a place of chaos. In fact Allah judges and makes decisions without an prejudice and awards and rewards and punishes with disregard to who obeys Him and who doesn't. The words hakam and hakīm (Al Hakīm " ٱلْحَكِيمُ" , yet another attribute of Allah) both arise from the same h-k-m root, but hakam is a verbal noun which emphasizes the delivery of justice, while hakīm is a noun which indicates the essential nature of the possessor of wisdom. Both words stem from the root h-k-m ح ک مwhich mean: (1) to be wise, knowing the true nature of things, (2) to pass judgment, to decide, pass a verdict, (3) to judge and pass sentence, (4) to prevent or restrain from wrongdoing or corruption, (5) to turn someone back from wrongdoing or ignorance. Thus Al Hakīm is the One who gives the Decision and declares Judgement. He is the One who always delivers justice, in every situation, to everyone. Though it may seem injustice to some when wrath of Allah befalls on someone or a community or a nation, yet Al-Ḥakam never wrongs anyone and is never oppressive, He is the only true judge; no one can overturn His judgment and no one can ever appeal His decree! He alone is the One that distinguishes between the truth and falsehood, the wrong and the true and makes decisions accordingly before falsehood and wrong prevails out of limits and harms those who believe in Him and awaits His decree and Justice. In Surat al-Ana`m, we read: "Shall I then seek a judge other than Allah? He it is who has revealed to you the Book (which is) made clear" (Quran, 6:114). In Surat Younus we read: "Follow what is revealed to you and persevere till Allah gives His judgment, and He is the best of judges" (Quran, 10:109). So beware of the Justice when it comes to be delivered by Allah and seek forgiveness from that day when He will decide what and who was wrong and what and who were otherwise:
"Allah will judge among you on the Day of Resurrection concerning matters about which you disagreed." (Surah 22. Al-Hajj: 69) You may watch the video below wherein Shaykh Faraz Rabbani explains the two attributes of Allah: Al Ḥakam and Al-'Adil, both standing for dispensation of Justice:
You may refer to our post "99 Attributes of Allāh" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran
Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.
