'IQRA': The Challenge

OVERVIEW

2012-01-01T17:10:00.001Z

Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!

It is 2012.

I've been working on this project for two years now, and it's not done; Qur'anic research is so much tougher than I had ever imagined!

Do not focus on 'dates' and what seem like 'outdated' posts. Actually, the later posts were put up quite recently (under the heading of 2010 ) so as to maintain the concept of a ‘One year Qur'an Study Project’ for Readers!

So, dear Readers:

If you'd like to obtain an understanding of the Qur'an as close to the time of Revelation as possible, begin with the first post, and continue with me as I go along.

Read each Post, and send in your comments and we’ll get to discussing important issues together, God-willing.

But keep in mind:
Objectivity is near-impossible in explaining anything!
There is only one original Arabic Qur'an, and countless interpretations/explanations of its meanings, each explanation reflecting that particular scholar's knowledge, mind-set, and era. Although this applies to my explanation/interpretation as well, I am hoping that it would be less subjective and closer to the original than most, aided by a reliance on the oldest Arabic Lexicons, supported by Qur'anic context and cross-reference, enriched by wide travel and world-view, and well-delivered in English which happens to be one of this Researchers two 'mother-tongues.'

Peace unto all!

Randa Hamwi Duwaji

Day 255; Qur’an 48:16-29; page 513-514

2010-11-25T09:36:00.000Z

Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan

Our last Reading wasfull of surprises!

Remember,dear Reader, that this project is not a intended as a ‘stand-alone’ Reading,but rather as commentary and explanation of certain Arabic words and concepts ‘asrevealed’ more than 1,000 years ago. Ideally,we would be reading both from this page AND the Qur’anic compilation (originalArabic or explained English).

Yusuf Ali’s Translationof this Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’sTranslation of this Chapter.

Their commentaries can only be read inverse by verse view.

COMMENTS:

PAGE 513 Arabic Qur’an.

1. After Verse 15 had exposed the words and intentionsof ‘Those who lagged behind,’ Verse 16 tells the Messenger to inform them of anupcoming occasion where they shall be forced to make a decisive move: At that point in time, they can either ‘willinglycomply’ to his call to them, to fight a mighty people (and earn the rewards),or they can turn away, repeating their past history (and earning painfulsuffering).

Note, dear Reader,that this is a warning as well as a CHANCE to wipe their slate clean; it is anINVITATION to Forgiveness and a promise of rewards, to top it off! It is Dissuasion AND Persuasion combined.

Verse 17 then addressesothers who might be afraid of being counted amongst those who turn away:

It addresses theincapacitated, telling them that there is no pressure upon any of them (to heeda call to battle when it arises). Notehow the verse addresses the singular; the blind, the lame, the unwell, removing‘Hharaj حرج-’[i]or ‘pressure/constraint’ from each.

Note, dearReader:

Each of us isaccountable ONLY for what is within our capacity; there are no constraints uponthe incapacitated.

The verse concludes byassuring those who are ‘willingly compliant’ of the Gardens they shall enter,beneath which rivers flow, and warning those who ‘turn away’ of painfulsuffering.

2. In Verses 18- 20 we get a glimpse into the historicoccasion known today as the ‘Bey’a’ /Purchase/ Pledge’ of RiDdwaan which tookplace after the Faithful/ Believers were barred by the idol-worshippers fromproceeding to the Inviolable Mosque (Ka’ba) in pilgrimage, and had alsoreceived news that Qureish had killed their emissary!

Note, dear Reader, that this was unheard of at the time, and went against allknown agreements:

Pilgrims were never barred because being a pilgrim meant that one was in astate of ‘ihraam’ in which ALL negative acts were forbidden, especially the useof arms. Taking life, even huntinganimals, was out of the question for any pilgrim, and Qureish understood perfectlythat the Faithful were coming in peace.

Therefore, it was in utter sorrow and disappointment that the Faithfulapproached the Messenger, especially since he had told them of his vision inwhich they all were performing the Pilgrimage. Remember, many of them were Meccans who hadlong YEARNED to see the Ka’ba again and worship God freely in its vicinity.

That was how their faith was tested, as we understand from their story andhow they refrained from concluding their ‘ihraam’ until the Prophet himself hadconcluded his… and they had placed their lost hopes upon what the Treaty hadallowed for, which was that they could return the following year.

Note that the Qur’an here addressesthe Messenger, announcing God’s ‘acceptance of and pleasure in’ this group, whohad obviously earned the title ‘The Faithful/Believers.’

(See all 5 رضي الله عن.. inQur’an.)

To understand the history, please seeMartin Lings’ book and read previous post discussing The Peace Treaty ofHudaybiyya.

Note the connection between God’s ‘riDdwaan’ (acceptance of/ ‘pleasure’ in someone) and His sending them Tranquility ‘sakeena’ (see ‘SsakhaTt # riDdwaan’ mentioned earlier).

New Readers:

Put ‘sakeena’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Read the previous Post and put ‘peace’ in ‘Search this Site.’

We must pause here to mention an interesting linguistic feature of theArabic word ‘bey-3’ "بيع"… This word is one of the few Arabic words which can bear eitherof two opposing connotations هي من الأضداد which in this caseare ‘to sell’ and ‘to buy’ (one has tolet go of something to acquire another, so whenever we ‘buy’ we also ‘sell’).

Some of you, dear Readers, may have guessed what comes next:

‘Buy’ means "بيع" literally; the Arabic and English words beingidentical in meaning and almost identical in pronunciation. Furthermore, when we check English Etymology we find that ‘buy’is ‘of unknown origin,’ just like so many other words which I am now certainARE OF ARABIC ORIGIN. Put ‘Etymology’ in‘Search this Site.’

Dear Reader:

When I started this ‘iqrathechallenge’ project, I had no idea that itwould lead to such a HUGE discovery:

So many European words are of Arabic origin, dating back to the time whenArabic was the dominant language of science and innovation, much like Englishis today. It would be wonderful if this buried issue could be brought to theforefront today as one way to convey justice and build Peace for the benefit offuture generations:

Let us, as people of conscience, show our children how intermingled theprevious generations were on the human level. Let them see that much of what we enjoy today is owed to other cultures,prominent among which is the ‘Arab-Muslim’ culture which is now being unjustly malignedfor political reasons. Let themunderstand that the torch of knowledge was, is, and shall always be transportedaround the world, with different cultures and communities having the honor, fora moment in history, of holding it up to enlighten humanity.

Now back to our verses!

In Verse 20, we notice the great bounty/ gain promised to the Faithful, andthe statement that THIS specific ‘gain’ was expedited… it was a ‘Sign’ for them…and that God guided/gifted them a Path set Straight… and also that they hadearned something else towards which they had not directed their efforts, but which God had ‘encompassed.’

Referring to the ‘Peace Treaty,’ this speaks of its foreseen andunforeseen benefits (among which was peaceful interaction and the spreadingof faith).

New Readers: Put ‘straight path’ and also ‘siraat’ in ‘Search this Site.’

3. It is interesting to note how verses20-25 are addressed to the Messenger AND the Faithful/Believers.

Verses 22-23 tell them/us about the ‘sunna([ii])'of God, His Modus Operandi/ His Way which never changes:

Here we note that, with regard toMUTUAL combat/fighting between The Faithful and Those who Deny:

Deniers cannot stand their ground infront of the Faithful; they shall turn on their heels and find none to assistthem.

Before we begin questioning the truthof this general rule, or compare it with real life and groups we might consider‘Believers,’ please note that this verse is specific to a group of persons whohave EACH earned the label in accordance with the definition of ‘The Faithful’ inHQ 23:1: ‘The Faithful have indeedsucceeded. Those who…. قد أفلح المؤمنون* الذين هم....-’ (see earlierpost).

Furthermore, in this case, theiradvantage over the Deniers is ascertained due to a Messenger of God being presentamong them, in line with the statement HQ 58:21:

‘God hascompiled: I shall of a certaintyovercome, I and my Messengers. Indeed God is Strong, Invincible.’

كَتَبَ اللَّـهُ لَأَغْلِبَنَّ أَنَا وَرُ‌سُلِي إِنَّ اللَّـهَ قَوِيٌّعَزِيزٌ ﴿المجادلة: ٢١﴾

But successis always ours for the taking without a Messenger in our midst, as longas we follow specific steps in ‘TheFormula for Success’ which God gave us. Our Regular Readers will remember how one Qur’anicverse showed us where we went wrong and why success has so far been eludingus.

PAGE 514 Arabic Qur’an.

4. For Verses 24-26 see Ali/Asad,and note that in Verse 24, despite the Believers upper hand, God held bothparties back, ‘staying their hands’ from each other. Then in Verse 25the Meccans are accused of denying and barring the Believers from visiting theInviolable Mosque or sending their offerings, yet we are presented with the REASONbehind God preventing the Believers’ march upon Mecca at that point:

Thisprevention was so that ‘whoever wills/ whomever God wills’ can enter His Mercyin time, due to having averted the possibility that the Believers mightinadvertently injure men and women in Mecca who had secretly embraced the faith. Such a deed would discredit the Believers and‘deal them a lingering blow of disgrace on account of such persons’ فتصيبكممنهم معرّة-([iii])…and then the verse ends by telling us that, had they been differentiated/ setapart (and been safe from harm), the Deniers would have seen painful suffering.

5. Verse 26 continues, showing us the vastdiscrepancy between the two parties: ‘Those who Denied,’ in whose hearts/minds was the ‘turbulent passion/biasof ignorance’ (حمية الجاهلية - ‘jahl’ -[iv])on one hand… and the Messengerand ‘The Faithful,’ upon whom God had sent Tranquility ‘sakeena,’ on the other. The verse then tells us that God had caused the latter to adhere/‘alzama’ ([v])to the word of ‘Awareness’ to which ‘they were most entitled…’

Dear Reader:

What an honorto have been labeled ‘the Faithful/ Believers’ by God!

What a rewardto have received entitlement to Awareness!

What achallenge to have to continue at such high standards!

What ahumble, heart-felt request we should ask at this time:

‘Dear God: Grant us their company in the Hereafter….’

6. Verse 27 speaks of the VISION رؤيا theMessenger had had earlier, where he saw himself entering the Inviolable Mosquein pilgrimage… and ends by telling the Faithful that God had rendered for them,before that was to take place, a closer, sooner ‘Fat-Hh,’ which was the Treaty ofHudaybiyya, a crucial turning point in the history of the Faith.

(Remember, ‘Fat-H’means ‘Opening,’ ‘break,’ and referred to the OPPORTUNITY to spread theMessage, thanks to the Peace Treaty.)

7. Verse 28 contains an assurance -with God ‘sufficing as Witness’- that the Messenger (Muhammad) was sent withGuidance and the ‘Just/ True’ standard of Accountability which shall prevailover all accountability.

NewReaders: Please put ‘accountability’ in ‘Searchthis Site’ and note that in the old Arabic Lexicon, ‘deen’ has no plural since eachof us has only one accountability, and God only accepts one, which is ‘pure’and free of all faults… ‘unflawed.’

RegularReaders already know that all Messengers (Abraham, Moses, Jesus..) deliveredthe same standard of accountability to their people, which leads us to the finalverse in this chapter, which should be read in its entirety (Ali/Asad).

Verse29 not only presents us with the beautiful characteristics of theMessenger and his Companions, but also says that they have been EXEMPLIFIED INTHE TORAH, and then describes their example in THE EVANGEL…

Thisparticular reference to both previous renderings of God’s Message delivered by ProphetsMoses and Jesus, peace upon them, is worthy of our attention!

Thechapter then concludes by promising absolution and great reward to those ofthem who have attained Faith and performed good deeds.

Enough said!

Our next Reading is from HQ 49: 1-18;a NEW Chapter!

Peace unto all!

[i] حرج: تجمُّع الشيء وضِيقُه. فمنه الحَرَج جمع حَرَجة، وهي مجتمعشجرٍ. ويقال في الجمع حَرَجات. ويقال حِراجٌ أيضاً.

[ii] Mentioned5 times in Qur’an (سنة الله/لسنة الله).

Note that in matters of Faith and moral behavior we find a statementwithin the same verse asserting that this is ‘His way which never changes,’while in the matter of the Prophet’s marriage to more than one wife (HQ 33:38)we do NOT find this statement, but rather we are told that this is ‘God’s way’with PREVIOUSLY BYGONE peoples, whichmeans that this ‘sunna’ was the Prophet’s alone at the time of Revelation (noneof his companions have license to marry as he did), and this ‘sunna’ is relevant to the past (notto the future). See earlier post.

[iii] العُرَّة. وإنماسُمِّيَ بذلك لأنّه كأنَّه لطْخٌ بالجسَد. قال ابنُ الأعرابيّ: العَرُّ الجَرَب.والعُرّ: تسلّخ جلد البعير. وإنما يُكوَى من العَرّ لا من العُرّ.

[iv] جهل: أصلان: أحدهما خِلاف العِلْم، والآخر الخِفّة وخِلاف الطُّمَأْنِينة.

فالأوّلالجَهْل نقيض العِلْم. ويقال للمفازة التي لا عَلَمَ بها مَجْهَلٌ.

والثاني قولهمللخشبة التي يحرك بها الجَمْرُ مِجْهَل ويقال استجهلت الرِّيحُ الغُصْنَ، إذاحرّكَتْه فاضطَرَب.

[v]لزم: أصلٌ واحد صحيح، يدلُّ على مصاحَبة الشّيءبالشيء دائماً. يقال: لَزِمه الشَّيءُ يَلْزَمُه.

Day 254; Qur’an 48: 3-15; page 511-512

2010-11-24T05:30:00.001Z

Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan

With the CRUCIAL first two verses of this chapter explained, it is now possible for us to continue… but be ready for a few surprises!

Yusuf Ali’s Translation of this Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’s Translation of this Chapter.

Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view.

COMMENTS:

PAGE 511 Arabic Qur’an.

1. Our last Reading on the first two verses of this Chapter, was about God informing the Messenger of the great importance of the ‘Opening’ which had just taken place, comforting him by absolving him of any entailment (from shortcoming which may have taken place between him and God), and assuring him of fulfilling His Favor upon him and guiding him to a Straightened Path.

We also spoke about Peace, and recognized it as the perfect setting which opens the way for positive dialogue and interaction.

Today, Verse 3 continues, assuring the Messenger of what is to come:

God shall grant him an Achievement/نصراً which is ‘secure, solid/ invincible’ عزيزا/ [i].

Yes, dear Reader! I am as surprised as you are. Because of our current usage of the word, I had always thought that ‘NaSsr’ meant ‘triumph’ or ‘victory,’ but as our Lexicon shows us, the word borrows that meaning when it has an object, as in someone having ‘naSsr’ over (‘alaa-على) someone else. Without an object, it is not about ‘triumph’ at all.

As you can see in below definition, the word simply means ‘begetting or dispersing goodness,’ which is why rain used to be called ‘naSsr’ at the time of Revelation! Amazing. This shows us yet again how important it is to try to understand the Qur’an as revealed.

2. After these assurances to the Messenger, Verse 4 begins to reassure the Faithful!

Here we learn of the the ‘calmness/tranquility/ sakeena’ which God had sent down upon the hearts/ minds of the Faithful, so that they would increase in Faith unto their own Faith, and the verse ends by stating that to God belong the gathered ‘agents/ forces’ (junood) of the Exalted Expanses and the Earth, and He is the Knowing, the Wise.

Notice the honor of being labeled ‘the Faithful’ by God! Also, this verse shows us that Faith DOES increase, and that ‘sakeena’ is its perfect setting.

IMPORTANT:

Plural noun ‘Junood,’ from Verb ‘janada’:

As we can see below ([ii]) in our more than 1,000 year old Arabic Lexicon the verb ‘janada’ is about gathering/ meeting and helping to serve a purpose.

(It is also related to ‘land’ -as in the five ‘ajnaad’ of ‘Shaam/ Greater Syria’ which are Damascus, Emesa/Homs, Qinsireen near Aleppo, Jordan, and Palestine).

Etymology:

If you are interested in the Etymology of English words, check this out. See for yourself two words on this list: Agenda,’ which is explained as ‘things to be done in a meeting,’ and ‘Hacienda,’ which is about a ‘landed estate, plantation,’ AND originated from ‘agenda’ /things to be done!

When we reread the Arabic definition above we realize that it is almost identical in meaning and pronunciation. In Arabic the verbs are pronounced ‘janada’ and ‘ajnada,’ while the nouns are ‘jund,’ ‘junood,’ ‘ajnaad,’ and could also have the ‘al’ definite article as a prefix.

English Etymology tells us that both ‘agenda’ and ‘hacienda’ are less than 400 years old, and that they have one origin. What we are NOT told, is that they originated in an Arabic word, still found in a Lexicon which is more than 1,000 years old!

Put ‘Etymology’ in ‘Search this Site’ for more Arabic words which migrated into Europe during the period when Arabic was the language of information, innovation, architecture, science, and art… when Arabic was the 'Lingua Franca,’ much as English is today.

3. Then, Verse 5 presents Persuasion, stating that this is ‘so that /li/ ل’ He would enter the Faithful (masc. pl. AND fem. pl.) gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they shall be completely ‘inclined/ nestled’ AND He would cover their misdeeds which, according to God, is a great Deliverance/Salvation (fawz).

Note the difference between the assurance given to the Messenger and that given to the Faithful:

Remember that the former was a private issue, while this relates to people doing wrong against others, and is not a private matter between them and God.

That is why, in the first case, God absolves the ‘thanb’ whereas here He ‘covers /kafara’ the ‘sayyi’aat.’ (TWO completely different situations, which should have been reflected in translation -[iii]). Here, absolution is granted AFTER the wronged person accepts reparation from God, who ‘covers’ for the repentant Faithful person. This shows us that when a person earns the title of ‘Faithful,’ God Himself acts on his/her behalf! That is, indeed, a great Deliverance/Salvation.

New Readers:

Put ‘label’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Put ‘khaalid’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Put ‘fawz’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Put ‘sakeena’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Put ‘Imaan Islaam’ in ‘Search this Site’ to see the important difference between ‘Faith/ Imaan’ and ‘Islaam.’

Put ‘cover kafar' in ‘Search this Site’ to see the etymological connection.

Verse 6 indicates (with the conjunction ‘and’) that this verse, as well as verse 5 are both linked to Verse 4. Here however we have ‘Dissuasion,’ in contrast to the beautiful ‘Persuasion’ of Verse 5, and we see what suffering awaits the ‘Hypocrites/ Munaafiqeen’ and the ‘Associat-ers/ Mushrikeen,’ THE PRESUMERS of adverse/ ‘bad’ presumptions about God: Upon them shall be (shall revolve) the ‘Circle of Adversityدائرة السوء-’ ([iv]), as well as God’s ‘Severity and Strength,’ and He has banished them (from His Favor) and prepared Hell for them, an adverse destination indeed.

Note, dear Reader, that any adverse, ill-feeling and negative presumption we might have with regard to God is, IN ITSELF, what hems us in and suppresses us upon this earth, and what literally encircles us in the end. When we are the source of adversity, broadcasting bad thoughts and ill-feeling, it is only natural and rightful that the culmination of it all shall be upon us. Think how bad things can become for us when our bad thoughts and wrongful presumptions are focused on the SOURCE of all Goodness, and we end up VOIDING it, in our minds?

Regular Readers will recall that we are told to avoid presumption in HQ 49: 12, and that often, presumptions are Hindrance.

Let us all take a good look at our ‘presumptions’ regarding God, and make it a point from now on to replace any negativity by thinking the BEST about God, no matter what might occur in our lives. I think this should become our priority today.

Note:

Mistranslations have not helped us form positive presumptions about God!

Regular Readers will remember that God does NOT ‘get angry/ wrathful,’ and certainly does NOT ‘curse’ anyone.

New Readers:

Put ‘la'ana’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Put ‘ghaDdab' in ‘Search this Site.’

Verse 7 reiterates that to God belong the gathered ‘agents/ forces’ (junood) of the Exalted Expanses and the Earth, ending by saying that He is Invincible, Wise.

4. Verse 8 addresses Muhammad, peace upon him (‘you’ masculine singular), announcing that he was sent as Witness, Bearer of Glad Tidings, and Warner (similar to HQ 33:45).

Then Verse 9 continues (see Ali/ Asad), but here it is addressing the general population: so that YOU (plural) would have faith in God and His Messenger, and (عزر[v]) revere Him/ assist him, exalt Him, and be in constant ‘tasbeeh/ motion/ motivation’ in celebration of His Praise. We mentioned earlier that, according to our Lexicon, ‘tasbeeh’ is related to motion, most similar to ‘swimming in water.’ Arabs have traditionally used this word to describe the fluidity of camels upon the mirage of desert sands, the galloping of horses, the churning of ships through the waves, and people going about their different chores.

So, dear Reader, while we do everything we do throughout the day, we celebrate God’s praise, starting at the earliest part of the day (bukra) until after dark (aSseel -[vi]).

Q. How?

A. Before we go about our daily chores, we wash, then meditate in our ‘pre-sunrise’ prayer to God. After that, throughout the day, we fulfill our duties and do whatever else we do, while feeling that God is our Witness (not simply remembering Him on and off), and trying to do our best, for the love of Him. And as we help lift spirits and try to make this world a better place, we pause three more times (at intervals related to the earth’s motion) to wash and meditate in prayer. Finally, when our day is done, we wash and face God in ritual prayer for the last time in that one day, addressing Him Who was WITH us every moment, hoping that our worship was good enough to offer.

Q. And which part of all that is considered ‘worship?’

A. All of it, even the details, such as the bite we ate or the nap we took. The washing and prayers at minimum would take up altogether around half an hour out of 24. They are what keeps us in focus, and are the bare minimum of our daily acts of worship. Indeed, EVERYTHING we do is an act of worship when we intend it in God’s Direction (wajh Allah وجه الله-).

Q. And to whose benefit is all that ‘worship?’…

A. All I can say is, try it and you’ll find out…

PAGE 512 Arabic Qur’an.

5. Verse 10 speaks of the pledge of allegiance which took place at Hudaybiyyah. Muhammad Asad’s explanation is good, except for the words ‘the hand of God.’ Put ‘yad’ in ‘Search this Site,’ and note that the Arabic word ‘aid’ is about ‘assistance,’ power and ability, and certainly NOT about a limb!

Dear Reader:

If you don’t know much about the history, please check the online PDF version of Martin Lings’ book “Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources.” You can also read the comments of Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Asad, as they explain the background to such verses.

Verse 11 (Ali/ Asad) anticipates what ‘Those who had lagged behind’ of the Bedouin-Arabs would say to the Prophet upon his return to Medina (put ‘lagged behind’ in ‘Search this Site’). Notice that they would allege that it was their businesses and their families which kept them too busy to join him, and then they’d ask him to pray for their forgiveness!

Aren’t these the very same double excuses we still present today when we don’t feel like doing something?

‘Mukhallaf’ مخلّف is not a title any of us would like to earn!

In Verse 12, God Himself responds to them, presenting the REAL reason behind their inaction. Here we hear the ‘voice of God’ clearly, as He reveals their thoughts!

The real reason was that they presumed that the Messenger and the Faithful would never return back to their families! They presumed the adverse presumption (we spoke about that above) and were a ‘purposeless/ unproductive/ barren’ people (بورا).

Dear Reader:

English Etymology tells us that the word ‘barren’ is ‘of obscure derivation.’

Not any more: ‘Barren’ is of Arabic origin; ‘booran’ is not only very similar in pronunciation, but it is also IDENTICAL in meaning.

Put ‘etymology’ in ‘Search this Site.’

6. Then, after revealing their true intentions, Verse 13 follows with dissuasion regarding ‘Those who had no faith’ in God or His Messenger, while Verse 14 states that everything is God’s and it is He Who absolves/ forgives or gives suffering, and He is the Absolver/ Forgiver, the Unceasingly Compassionate.

7. Verse 15 (Ali/ Asad) further exposes the words and intentions of ‘Those who Lagged behind:’ They would actually beg to follow when the Faithful are out to gain something (literally: ‘…when you set out to take procurement..[vii]-غنم). They are then informed that, having lagged behind, they are from then on, forbidden to go out with the Faithful, to which their response shows once again how far they truly are from understanding.

Enough said!

Our next Reading is from HQ 48:16-28

Peace unto all!

[i] نصر: يدلُّ على إتيان خَيرٍ وإيتائه. ونَصَر اللهُ المسلمين: آتاهمُ الظّفرَ على عدوِّهم، ينصرهم نَصْراً.

وأمَّا الإتيانُ فالعرب تقول: نصرت بَلَدَ كذا، إذا أتيتَه.

ولذلك يسمَّى المطرُ نَصْراً. ونُصِرت الأرضُ، فهي منصورة. والنَّصْر: العَطاء.

[ii]جند: يدلُّ على التجمّع والنُّصرة. يقال هم جُنده، أي أعوانه ونُصّاره.

والأجناد: أجناد الشّام وهي خمسة: دمشق، وحِمْصٌ، وقِنَّسْرِينُ، والأُردُنّ، وفِلَسطين. يقال لكلِّ واحدةٍ من هذه جُنْدٌ. وجَنَدٌ: بلدٌ.

[iii] Unfortunately, commentators usually translate ALL these Arabic words(إثم -سيئة -ذنب -خطأ-خطيئة -معصية) as ‘sin,’ and also ALL these words (عفو-مغفرة -تكفير -تجاوز) as ‘forgiveness.’ Each of these words is different!

[iv] (دائرة )

The word appears three times in the Qur’an.

دور: يدلُّ على إحداق الشيء بالشيء من حوالَيه. يقال دارَ يدُور دَوَراناً. والدّوَّارِيُّ: الدَّهر؛ لأنَّه يَدُور بالنَّاس أحوالاً.

والدُّوَار، مثقَّل ومخفّف: حَجَرٌ كان يُؤخذ من الحرم إلى ناحيةٍ ويُطافُ به،ويقولون: هو من جِوار الكعبة التي يُطافُ بها.

والدُّوَار في الرأس هو من الباب، يقال دِير به وأُدِير به، فهو مَدُورٌ به ومُدَار به. والدَّائرة في حَلْق الفرس: شُعَيرات تدور؛ وهي معروفة. ويقال دارت بهم الدوائر، أي الحالات المكروهة أحدقت بهم. والدار أصلها الواو. والدار: القبيلة. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: "ألاَ أُنَبِّئكم بخَيْر دُورِ الأنصار؟". أراد بذلك القبائلَ. ومن ذلك الحديث الآخَر: "فلم تَبْقَ دارٌ إلاّ بُنِي فيها مَسجد". أي لم تَبق قبيلةٌ. والدّارِيُّ: العطّار. قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: "مَثَلُ الجليسِ الصَّالحِ كَمثل الدّارِيّ إِنْ لم يُحْذِك مِن عِطره عَلِقَكَ مِن ريحه".أراد العَطَّار. وإنَّما سُمِّي داريّاً من الدّار، أي هو يسكن الدّار. والدّارِيّ: الرجُل المقيم في داره لا يَكاد يَبْرَح.

والدَّارة: أرضٌ سَهلٌة تدور بها جِبال، وفي بِلاد العرب منها داراتٌ كثيرة. وأصل الدار دَارةٌ.

[v] عزر: كلمتان: إحداهما التَّعظيم والنَّصر، والكلمة الأخرى جنسٌ من الضَّرب.

فالأولى النَّصر والتوقير، كقوله تعالى: {وَتُعَزِّرُوهُ وَتُوَقِّرُوهُ} [الفتح 9].

[vi] ‘ASseel’ stands in opposition to ‘bukraبكرة- ’- at the two points of our ‘day:’ At the very earliest, when we wake up and before we go about our chores… and then after dark, when we get ready to settle at home to rest.

The verb ‘sabaha’ as we discussed earlier, is related to motion.

The plural noun (‘aaSsaal’) stands in opposition to ‘ghuduwغدوّ- ’ in the Qur’an… interesting.

[vii] The verb ‘ghanama’ is about ‘procuring’ something, as seen below in our 1,000 year old Lexicon, but has been narrowly translated as ‘war-booty.’

(غنم) الغين والنون والميم أصلٌ صحيح واحد يدلُّ على إفادة شيء لم يُملَك من قبل، ثم يختصّ به ما أُخِذ من مال المشركين بقَهْرٍ وغَلَبة. قال الله تعالى: {وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَيءٍ فَأَنَّ للهِ خُمُسَهُ وَلِلرَّسُولِ} [الأنفال 41]. ويقولون: غُنَامَاكَ أنْ تفعل كذا، أي غايتُك والأمر الذي تتغنَّمه. وغَنْمٌ: قبيلة. ولعلَّ اشتقاقَ الغَنَم من هذا، وليس ببعيد.

Day 253; Qur’an 48:1-3; page 511

2010-11-23T08:28:00.000Z

Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan

Welcome to the Chapter titled ‘Al Fat-H’ or ‘The Opening.’

I consider the explanation of this word VERY important, and do hope that you will agree. Please read this post carefully, and notice how dangerous it is to mis-translate. One misstep always leads to another, and we stray farther and farther from Qur’anic intent!

Yusuf Ali’s Translation of our new Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’s Translation of our new Chapter.

Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view.

سورة الفتح

The Opening/ ‘The Victory’

From Yusuf Ali’s Introduction:

“This is the second of the group of three Madinah Surahs... Its date is fixed by the mention of Treaty of Hudaybiyah, Dhu al Qadah A.H. 6 i.e. February 628.”

From Muhammad Asad’s Introduction:

“In the consensus of all the authorities, the surah commemorating this victory was revealed during the Prophet's return march from Hudaybiyyah to Medina.”

COMMENTS:

Al Fat-Hh; a word SO misunderstood! Al Fat-Hh literally means ‘The Opening.’

‘Al Fat-Hh’ was revealed in the 6^th year after Emigration to Medina, right after the Treaty of Hudaybiyya between ‘Those who had attained Faith’ and the ‘Idolaters of Mecca’ had taken place. This treaty was a crucial turning point in the history of the Faith.

This verse was so titled because it discussed the ‘Opening,’ the ‘break,’ the OPPORTUNITY to spread the Message, thanks to the Peace Treaty.

See Commentator’s notes in footnote below ([i]) and connotations of the word ‘opening’ in English thesaurus (‘opening’ indicates ‘opportunity’ in any language!).

PAGE 511 Arabic Qur’an.

1. The words ‘We have opened for you a manifest/evident Opening..’ might be explained today by saying that God had ‘occasioned’ for the Messenger a ‘great opportunity.’ Anyone who knows the story of the Prophet’s Life, peace upon him, can easily see the historical context of this verse and grasp the importance of this occasion.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT:

From the Notes of Yusuf Ali:

“This is best referred to the Treaty of Hudaibiya, for which see the Introduction to this Sura. By this Treaty the Makkan Quraish, after many years of unrelenting conflict with Islam, at length recognised Islam as (what they thought) an equal power with themselves. In reality the door was then opened for the free spread of Islam throughout Arabia and thence through the world.”

From the Notes of Muhammad Asad:

“Namely, the moral victory achieved by the Truce of Hudaybiyyah, which opened the doors to the subsequent triumph of Islam in Arabia (see introductory note, which explains many allusions to this historic event found in the subsequent verses).”

But although the Qur’an does contain documented history, it is not to be considered an outdated ‘historical document.’ The Qur’an is for all Time, which is why we have to understand its words based on Qur’anic Context as well as Linguistic Definition.

DEFINITION:

Our more than 1,000 year old Lexicon tells us that there is only one meaning to the verb ‘fataHha فَتَحَ-’ which is simply the opposite of ‘ighlaaq إغلاق- or to close/ shut’ as we can see in our 1,000 year old Lexicon ([ii]). The noun would be ‘fat-Hh’ or ‘opening,’

Dear Reader:

The chapter at the beginning of the Qur’an is the ‘faatiHha/ the OpenER’ -and this chapter is the OpenING.

However, translators who had already used the word ‘Opening’ as a title for the first chapter, used the word ‘Victory’ for this chapter (‘victory’ is a secondary connotation of the word ‘fat-Hh’ as we see in the Lexicon).

QUR’ANIC CONTEXT:

VERB:

Although the verb ‘fataHhnaa فتحنا-’ appears six times in the Qur’an, it is only this once that it appears in a positive sense, using (li-ل-) as in ‘lakaلك-’: ‘We have opened FOR you…’ while elsewhere it is followed by ('ala على- ) as in ‘aleyhimعليهم- ’: ‘We have opened UPON/ AGAINST them...’

Why this difference?

Because here it is addressing the Messenger, assuring him of the positive conclusion to this ‘opening’ (unlike when it is about us, and being dependent on our deeds, could bring us either a negative or positive conclusion).

Regular Readers will remember our discussion about the difference between ‘kataba li’ and ‘kataba ala.’

NOUN:

The noun ‘Al Fat-Hh’ is also mentioned six times in the Qur’an, always as THE ‘Opening’ which favors ‘Those who had Attained Faith.’

Read these verses and note how the word seems mostly to indicate the final ‘Opening’ of Mecca’s gates to the Faithful, which was promised to them in HQ 61: 13 and which eventually took place with hardly any fighting.

The precursor to THE ‘Opening’ (of Mecca) was the evident/ manifest ‘Opening’ we are discussing today; ie. the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.

MIS-TRANSLATION:

The ‘Opening’ ‘Al Fat-H’ is NOT about ‘Conquest!’

Unfortunately however, that is how the word Fat’H has come to be commonly misinterpreted and misapplied.

Take a look for yourself, dear Reader: The word ‘conquest’ is NOT found in any of these TEN side-by-side translations (click ‘Translations’ tab). However, it HAS been translated as ‘conquest’ in the 1997 publication by Sahih International, Riyadh!

2. The question is:

Why did the word ‘conquest’ suddenly appear in a ‘reputable’ translation?

Why, at that particular point in time?

Was this radical concept portraying existing mentality, or were such concepts the cause for the change of mentality? After 9/11, Muslims were branded as ‘jihaadists’ and ‘glorifiers of conquest.’ Was that just a perception, or were we actually going in that direction? Today, extremist rhetoric and action are still on the rise, on all sides. The mindless prattle is unbelievable. Sadly, many people believe it.

How much of what is taking place today is due to gross mis-explanation of the Qur’an?

We ‘Muslims’ often say that ‘religious’ people of other faiths have ‘strayed’ from their original scriptures, but so have we. Indeed, our ‘straying’ is less understandable, simply because the ORIGINAL Arabic Compilation exists in every one of our homes and mosques, and is recited by us day and night.

The fact is that that things will continue to get worse, until we begin to understand the Qur’an as revealed, and NOT as explained.

Think statistics, dear Reader:

By 2020, one out of FOUR people on this earth will be Muslim.

By 2075, one out of THREE people on this earth will be Muslim.

Shouldn’t it be a priority for ALL seekers of Peace and Prosperity, to help the next generation of Humanity breach the gross discrepancy that exists between the original Arabic Qur’an, and the defective understanding of it?

Building a just Peace should be our highest civic duty ([iii]).

We’ve digressed enough. Now back to our verses.

3. After the first verse announces a ‘manifest/evident Opening..’ the second verse begins by informing the Prophet directly that this is so that God would absolve him of any prior and later Repercussion/ thanb (he had entailed).

As we mentioned earlier, the word ‘thanb’ does not mean ‘sin.’ It is a private shortcoming, between us and God, where we wrong our own selves and entail repercussion in life.

Note: This is literal: ‘thanab’ means ‘tail!’

When we commit a ‘Thanb’ (on its own) it means we have done (or failed to do) something that does not infringe upon other people’s liberties or rights. It remains a private affair between us and God, absolved by Him when we sincerely seek absolution. However, when a ‘thanb’ couples with a ‘sayyi’ah’ ([iv]) affecting someone else, absolution becomes conditional: the wronged person has to forgive us first!

So this is not about any ‘wrongdoing’ on the Prophet’s part, but rather about any ‘repercussion’ he might have entailed.

Check 10 side-by-side translations and note:

Some say ‘thanb’ are ‘faults’ (Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Asad included).

Others say they are sins.

STRANGEST however, is what M. H. Shakir wrote:

“That Allah may forgive your community their past faults and those to follow and complete His favor to you and keep you on a right way, (M. H. Shakir)

Your ‘COMMUNITY? THEIR faults? There are no such words in the Arabic, nor are they gleaned from the context.

I suspect that this interpreter could not conceive of the Prophet having any ‘faults’ or ‘committing any sins,’ hence the intrusive words. But he should have put them between brackets, rather than state that God said them.

Dear Reader: Mistakes will be made no matter how careful we are, so PLEASE point out to me any of mine which you verify (after your own research). I’d be eternally grateful to you.

4. ‘We have opened for you a manifest/evident Opening.

So that God would absolve you of any prior and later Repercussion, and fulfill upon you His Favor, and guide /gift you a Straightened path. ([v])

The Peace Treaty was of supreme importance. It was the setting in which hearts and minds began to open. In time, it facilitated the fulfillment of God’s Favor/Bounty… and set people on the guided course towards the Straightened Path.

Peace should never be lost sight of. Peace should be a Believer’s goal, upheld at all times, with dignity and justice.

Peace is at the core of productivity, growth, abundance, love, happiness, awareness, and wellbeing.

Peace is our greeting to the world: ‘Salaamul- Lahi aleykum,’ ‘May God’s Peace be upon you all!’

Enough said!

Our next Reading is from HQ 48:4-16.

Peace unto all!

[i] Yusuf Ali tells us about it here.

From Muhammad Asad:

“The Truce of Hudaybiyyah was to prove of the greatest importance to the future of Islam. For the first time in six years peaceful contacts were established between Mecca and Medina, and thus the way was opened to the penetration of Islamic ideas into the citadel of Arabian paganism. The Meccans who had occasion to visit the Muslim camp at Hudaybiyyah returned deeply impressed by the spirit and the unity of Muhammad's followers, and many of them began to waver in their hostility towards the faith preached by him. As soon as the perennial warfare came to an end and people of both sides could meet freely, new converts rallied around the Prophet, first in tens, then in hundreds, then in thousands - so much so that when the pagan Quraysh broke the truce two years after its Conclusion, the Prophet could and did occupy Mecca almost without resistance. Thus, in fact if not in appearance, the Truce of Hudaybiyyah ushered in the moral and political victory of Islam over all Arabia.”

See full PDF- scroll down to ‘Forty-Eighth Sura… it’s VERY interesting!

[ii] فـتح: يدلُّ على خلافِ الإغلاق.

يقال: فتحت البابَ وغيرَه فتحاً. ثمَّ يحمل على هذا سائرُ ما في هذا البناء.

والفَتح: الماء يَخرُج من عينٍ أو غيرها. والفَتْح. النَّصر والإظفار. واستفتحت: استَنْصَرت.

[iii]

PEACE is CRUCIAL for GROWTH.

We have already discussed Awareness, which is our highest inner goal. Without Tranquility/ Sakeenah there can be no growth in Awareness. Indeed, as we have mentioned earlier, the opposite of Awareness is NOT ‘unawareness.’

So how can we grow in ‘awareness’ when there is no peace?

The opposite of Awareness is Aggression. One can only be present in the absence of the other.

Regular Readers: Remember the story of the two sons of Adam, ‘Cain and Abel,’ the Aggressor and the Aware.

New Readers: Put ‘taqwa udwaan’ in ‘Search this Site.’

There is so much resentment in the world today, and all sides feel ‘wronged,’ while in reality we are all wronging ourselves. I agree with the saying that goes:

‘Resentment is the poison you drink, while hoping it will kill your enemy.’

And then there are so many lies! People are lying left and right about the Qur’an and about each other. I feel sorry for such persons. In a prejudicial state a person can never grow in Awareness. People’s lies show where they stand, not only as Cognizant Humans, but also as proponents of their own Faith which upholds Truth and addresses the Creator in any language.

Dear Reader: No matter how enthusiastic a ‘Peace-Builder’ feels, s/he cannot successfully address divisive issues without understanding the Qur’an… which makes Iqrathechallenge of PARAMOUNT importance today.

[iv] A ‘sayyi’ah’ is a bad ‘deed’ committed against others.

[v] Please see our earlier post for crucial information regarding the following verse:

“…At this point in time/this day the Deniers have despaired of your Standard of Accountability دينكم (seeing its prevalence and yours), so do not hold them in awe, but stand in awe of Me; on this day I have brought to completion* for you, your Standard of Accountability, and I have fulfilled upon you, my Favor, and I have approved, for you, Purity in Reverence/ Islam as a Standard of Accountability…”

Day 252; Qur’an 47: 20-28; page 509-510

2010-11-22T17:09:00.000Z

Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan

Today’s Reading was tough!

In our last Reading, I explained the final verses saying: “….for God Alone -knows your movement and your repose..” … without looking into the definition of the word ‘taqallubتقلّب- ’ (see footnote [i]). As it turns out, ‘taqallub’ is not simply about the physical, but also about all our mental shifts of position! Think, dear Reader, how much more this verse now tells us about God: He knows all the workings of our minds, each subtle ‘change of mind/heart’ we feel… and where we, AND our minds/hearts eventually find ‘lodging مثوى…!

The more we interact with the Qur’an, the more we get out of it!

Yusuf Ali’s Translation of this Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’s Translation of this Chapter.

Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view.

COMMENTS:

PAGE 509 Arabic Qur’an.

1. We already discussed Verse 19 in our last Reading; see Verses 19- 22 in Asad’s explanation. I will just add a few comments.

Verse 19 then, is about God knowing ALL our shifts of position, including the ‘mental.’ We notice that in Verses 20-30 which speak to ‘Those who had attained Faith,’ telling them/us about ‘Those in whose hearts/minds is an Affliction/Impairment- الذين في قلوبهم مرض…’

This group is so labeled eleven times in the Qur’an, and is traditionally considered to be the same as ‘Munaafiq/[ii] Hypocrites,’ but as we can see in these three verses, they were mentioned separately and certified as ‘impaired.’

Why the distinction between the two? It seems that although the characteristics of the ‘Hypocrites’ and ‘Those of Impaired Hearts/ minds’ do meet, and the individuals who belong to these two groups do overlap, they are not identical. The Qur’an is true and precise, hence the distinction.

The three most apparent characteristics of ‘Those in Whose heart/mind is an Impairment,’ are that they are ‘fearful’ (HQ 5:52), and are in ever-increasing ‘confusion/turmoil/rijs’ (HQ 9: 125) probably due to their inner ‘Ddagheenah’ or Prejudice /[iii] (HQ 47: 29). (‘Ddagheenah’ is NOT ‘hatred/vengefulness,’ as is traditionally explained- see footnote-[iv].)

In other words, their ‘Impaired Judgment’ is caused by Prejudice.

Wow.

The Qur’an condemns prejudice, and calls it an ‘impairment/ maraDd’ of the hearts/minds.

In Verse 21 we find that, when Decisiveness ‘in the matter’ is called for (عزم الأمر), these ‘Prejudicial’ persons are not ‘True to God,’ and therefore not empowered.

Remember: Being ‘true/ truthful’ means being ‘empowered.’ There is nothing more powerful than Truth. That is the full meaning of ‘Ssadaqa’ صدق!! See definition ([v]).

ASIDE:

Dear Reader:

The Qur’an shows us that ending up in a state of ‘wailing’ ‘wailالويل- ’ is reserved for Those Who FALSELY represent Truths… those who lie to others, belie God’s Words, and defraud each other.

And if Prejudicial people are in a state of IMPAIRMENT, caused mainly by being false to God and themselves, what does that say about many of us who use our so-called ‘religions’ and ‘scriptures’ to justify prejudice against one another?

May Our Lord forgive us, enlighten us, and help us fulfill our best potential on this earth.

2. In Verse 23, New Readers should note that, although it may seem that God has ‘enforced’ a state of ‘deafness’ and ‘blindness’ upon such persons, it is actually far from it. We do have a freedom of choice, and ample chance to exercise our free will. Put ‘free choice will’ in ‘Search this Site.’

See our earlier post where we read HQ 6:39 in Ali’s interpretation- with his commentary regarding man’s stubborn refusal to listen:

‘Those who reject our signs are deaf and dumb,- in the midst of darkness profound: whom God willeth, He leaveth to wander: whom He willeth, He placeth on the way that is straight (HQ 6:39).

We commented at the time:

“It is interesting to note that, as humans we are free, both to listen to sound advice, and to follow through. Following through IS the crucial part. Following through is proof that we have fully understood what is best for us. HQ 8:23 tells us that, if God had forced such persons to listen, they would still NOT have followed through! On that basis, the basis of human FREEDOM to listen to advice and to follow through, HQ; 8:24 calls on the Faithful once again, telling them/us very clearly (all in plural), to respond to God and the Messenger when invited to THAT WHICH GIVES US LIFE.

‘That which gives us life’ is this Qur’an, the Message of the Creator and Sustainer of Life.”

3. Verse 24 poses a question and presents a statement of fact:

Do they not then ‘recognize the full implications’ of the Qur’an? Or are, upon certain hearts/minds, their locks (clamping them shut)?

This is similar to HQ 4:82 (see both):

Do they not then ‘recognize the full implications’ of the Qur’an? For had it been from any (source) other than God they would have found in it much discrepancy.

New Readers: Put ‘Qur’aan kitaab’ in ‘Search this Site.’

We discussed the word ‘tadabbaara’ earlier and said:

“We should be fully aware of the significance of the word ‘tadabbara’ تدبّر, which means to ‘follow through to the end result,’ realizing the consequences and full implications of something.”

4. Verses 25 – 28 are about those who literally ‘reverse direction, turning on their heels’ after Guidance is made clear to them; well-explained by both Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Asad, except for the explanation of the word ‘SsakhaTta.’

I prefer Asad’s ‘condemn’ to Ali’s ‘wrath;’ God is NEVER angry/ wrathful (see footnote [vi])!

Refer to our earlier post which discussed Death as it approaches Wrong-doers: Being reluctant to depart this earth, their consciousness/ spirit clings tight to their bodies as they literally sink into the depths of ‘mawt,’ their physical death, and need to be taken forcefully.

We find reference again -in Verse 29-30 to ‘Those Whose hearts/minds are Impaired.’ They do not realize that God shall ‘bring out and expose’ their Prejudice. In fact (no matter how they try to hide it), their impairment is betrayed by their ‘slant’ of speech and warped behavior!

PAGE 510 Arabic Qur’an.

5. In Verse 31 (as I understand it), God assures listeners/us (in the first person plural ‘you’) that ‘We’ shall indeed try ‘you’ until We ‘mark out’ the ‘high strivers/ mujaahideen’ amongst ‘you,’ and the ‘Ssabireen/ patiently persevering,’ and We shall (also) try/test your mettle/your records.

How aptly it connects to Verse 30 which ends with ‘…and God knows your works!’

‘Exerting oneself’ so as to accomplish something is ‘jihaad,’ a word which has -for too long- been wrongly explained as ‘Holy War’ (the Arabic equivalent to ‘Holy War’ would be ‘Hharb muqaddassahحرب مقدسة’ which is unknown).

The command ‘Jaahidu,’ as we can see in the 17 instances where this word is mentioned in Qur’an, is mostly about exerting oneself financially and physically, which could be in an ‘armed struggle,’ but that would be only one manner of ‘jihaad.’

‘Khabar’ has two connotations, related to having knowledge or ‘record’ of something, OR to one’s ‘mettle’ (literally, land or vegetation that is made supple -see definition [vii]).

Verse 32 tells us that ‘Those who had Denied and Barred from the path of God, and broken apart from the Messenger "شق" after Guidance had become clear to them, will not ‘afflict/disadvantage’ God in the least, and their works will be voided.

(For more on them see إن الذين كفروا صدوا)

Verse 33 speaks directly to Those who had attained Faith, calling upon them/us to obey God, obey His Messenger, and not to invalidate, or void, their deeds/ works.

Verse 34 informs them that ‘Those who Denied and Barred from the path of God’ then (eventually) died as Deniers, God shall never absolve them. This ties in with verse 32, and shows us that, as long as such persons are alive, they have a chance to seek forgiveness!

Verse 35 instructs the Faithful (while at war) not to be humbled (‘هون’) and call for a truce/ peace when they are ‘prevailing,’ and God is with them, and He won’t separate them from their deeds.

(الأعلون-: the superior/ the uppermost)

6. Then Verses 36-38 speak of this lesser, immediate life and show us how biased we are towards our worldly assets, and how our ‘prejudice’ becomes obvious when we are asked to give any of it away! This proves once again that our perpetual ‘jihaad’ is in extending ourselves physically and financially, spending on others and on rightful causes.

The chapter actually ends on a note of warning to Those Who had attained Faith…. and we understand that Truth will prevail, with or without us.

If we were to turn back, we automatically become dispensable: Other people shall take our place and they will not be the likes of us!

Read these beautiful verses in Ali or Asad’s explanations.

Here are Yusuf Ali’s beautiful comments:

“Complete self-sacrifice, if voluntarily offered, has a meaning: it means that the persons devotion is exclusively and completely for the Cause. But no law or rule can demand it. And a mere offer to kill yourself has no meaning. You should be ready to take risks to your life in fighting for the Cause, but you should aim at life, not death. If you live, you should be ready to place your substance and your acquisitions at the disposal of the Cause.”

“Here the case of the special devotee and of the average man with his human foibles are distinguished. Stinginess is not a virtue: it hurts more the finer-nature of the individual practising it that it hurts the Cause. God is free of all wants and independent of any need that we can meet. His Cause is similarly independent of human aid. But it uses human agency for our own human advancement. The need to be able to serve God’s cause is ours. We are the needy beggars who should claim the privilege before the Lord of Bounties unbounded.

If we desert the Cause, the Cause will not fail. Better men than we will uphold the flag. But we should fall, and others will take our place, who are not so timid, half- hearted, or stingy.”

Enough said!

Our next Reading is from HQ 48: 1-15; a new Chapter!

Peace unto all!

[i]‘Taqallub’ comes from the root-verb ‘qalaba’ قلب

‘Qalaba’قلب ([i]), as defined earlier, bears two connotations:

· The purest, most esteemed part of a Cognizant Human (or of anything).

· A turnover (from one side to another, or inside-out).

But different verb-forms express different meanings:

· فعل – faعala: To ‘do or act.’

· انفعل – infaعala: To ‘react’ in response to something ([i]).

· تفعّل -tafaع عala: To ‘repetitively/insistently do or act.’

Taqallaba follows the third verb-pattern, and is mentioned 9 times in the Qur’an.

Any act involving ‘taqallub’ usually means a change, usually from one side to the other or back and forth. We use this word when the weather is ‘variable’ (طقس متقلّب) and when we find ourselves ‘tossing and turning’ in bed. We also use it for changes of mood, and say that some people are ‘mutaqallib’ by nature; ‘moody,’ or often changing their minds.

[ii] We defined ‘munaafiq’ from ‘nafaqa[ii]’ in an earlier post where we said;

The verb ‘anfaqa-أنفق’ means to spend, while ‘nafaqa-نفق’ means to die.

The noun ‘nafaq’ is an outlet or tunnel, while ‘nafqaa-نفقاء ’ is the hidden exit to a rodent’s burrow, camouflaged from the outside. When escaping, the rodent hits against it with its head, and exits.

All these connotations combine to describe the Hypocrites. They have exited the state of Faith and Reverence to God. Their true beliefs burrow deep inside them, where no one can hold them accountable. They are masters of quick escape from duty and responsibility, having camouflaged ‘exits’ everywhere.

[iii] ضغن: يدلُّ على تغطية شيءٍ في ميل واعوِجاج، ولا يدلُّ على خَير. من ذلك الضِّغْن والضَّغْن: الحِقْد. وفرسٌ ضاغن، إِذا كان لا يُعطِي ما عندهُ من الجري إلاّ بالضَّرب. ويقال ضَغِنَ صَدرُ فلانٍ ضِغْنَاً وضَغَناً. وقناةٌ ضَغِنةٌ: عَوجاء.

ويقال ضَغَنَ فلانٌ إلى الدُّنيا: ركَنَ ومالَ. وضِغْنِي إلى فلانٍ، أي ميلي إِليه. والذي دلَّ على ما ذكرناهُ من تغطية الشيء قولُهم إنَّ الاضطغانَ الاشتمالُ بالثَّوب.

[iv] ‘Ddagheenah,’ as we can see in our more than 1,000 year old Lexicon, is always a detrimental biased state which a person privately ‘leans to,’ best translated in English as ‘Prejudice.’

[v] We encountered the definition of ‘Ssidq’ earlier, where were amazed to find that it was about the POWER of Truth.

من معجم المقاييس: (صدق) يدلُّ على قوّةٍ في الشيء قولاً وغيرَه. من ذلك الصِّدْق: خلاف الكَذِبَ، سمِّيَ لقوّته في نفسه، ولأنَّ الكذِبَ لا قُوَّة له، هو باطلٌ. وأصل هذا من قولهم شيءٌ صَدْقٌ، أي صُلْب. ورُمْح صَدْقٌ.. والصِّدِّيق: الملازم للصِّدْق. والصَّدَاق: صَدَاقَ المرأة، سُمِّيَ بذلك لقوّته وأنَّه حقٌّ يَلزمُ. ويقال صَدَاقٌ وصُدْقة وصَدُقة. قال الله تعالى: {وَآتُوا النِّسَاءَ صَدُقَاتهنَّ نِحْلَةً} [النساء 4]. و[من] الباب الصَّدَقة: ما يتصدَّق به المرءُ عن نفسه وماله.

عن الراغب الأصفهاني: والصدق: مطابقة القول الضمير والمخبر عنه معا، والصدقة: ما يخرجه الإنسان من ماله على وجه القربة كالزكاة، لكن الصدقة في الأصل تقال للمتطوع به، والزكاة للواجب، وقد يسمى الواجب صدقة إذا تحرى صاحبها الصدق في فعله. قال: }خذ من أموالهم صدقة{ [التوبة/103]، وقال: }إنما الصدقات للفقراء{ [التوبة/60].

[vi] ‘SsakhaTt- سخط/ is the opposite of ‘riDdwaanرضى- / …as we can see in Tanzil. I found the concept difficult to explain because it is about God, and should not denote ‘sentiment.’ The closest words to explain the concept are ‘disapproval of and displeasure in someone,’ versus ‘approval of and pleasure in someone.’ Let me know if you find something better, dear Reader.

[vii] خبر: أصلان: فالأول العِلم، والثاني يدل على لينٍ ورَخاوة وغُزْرٍ.

فالأول الخُبْر: العِلْم بالشَّيءِ. تقول: لي بفلان خِبْرَةٌ وخُبْرٌ. والله تعالى الخَبير، أي العالِم بكلِّ شيء. وقال اللهُ تعالى: {وَلاَ يُنَبِّئكَ مِثْلُ خبِيرٍ} [فاطر 14].

والأصل الثاني: الخَبْراء، وهي الأرض الليِّنة. والخَبِير: الأكّار، وهو مِن هذا، لأنّه يُصْلِح الأرضَ ويُدَمِّثُها ويلَيِّنها. وعلى هذا يجري هذا البابُ كلُّه؛ فإنهم يقولون: الخبير الأكّار، لأنه يخابر الأرض، أي يؤاكِرُها. و[من] الذي ذكرناه من اللِّين تسميتُهم الزَّبَدَ خبِيراً. والخَبير: النَّبات الليِّن.

Day 251; Qur’an 47:1-19; page 507-508

2010-11-21T23:47:00.000Z

Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan

This Chapter is so beautiful! Its verses are clear and direct, with Persuasion and Dissuasion taking turns at pulling our heartstrings… in a breathtaking cadence.

Yusuf Ali’s Translation of our new Chapter.

Muhammad Asad’s Translation of our new Chapter.

Their commentaries can only be read in verse by verse view.

سورة محمد

Muhammad

From the Introduction of Yusuf Ali:

“We have now finished more than five-sixth of the Quran. The remaining sixth consists of short Surahs, but these are again grouped according to subject matter.

We begin the first of such groups with a group of three Surahs (47 to 49), which deal with the organisation of the Muslim Ummah or community both for external defence and in internal relations. The present Surah deals with the necessity of defence against external foes by courage and strenuous fighting, and dates from about the first year of the Hijrah, when the Muslims were under threat of extinction by invasion from Makkah.”

From the Introduction of Muhammad Asad::

“MEDINA PERIOD

THIS IS undoubtedly one of the earliest revelations - perhaps the earliest - of the Medina period; as pointed out in the note on verse 13 below, may have been revealed during the Prophet’s hijrah. The view of Ad-Dahhak and Said ibn Jubayr (cited by Zamakhshari) that it is a Meccan surah lacks both internal and external evidence, and cannot be accepted. The title is based on the mention of the name of the Prophet Muhammad in verse 2; but since the surah deals prominently with various aspects of fighting (qital) in God’s cause, it was often designated by the Prophet’s Companions and their immediate successors as Surat al-Qital.

COMMENTS:

Before we begin, I’d like to make 3 comments for the benefit of New Readers:

Firstly, that this chapter is named ‘Muhammad,’ after the Messenger, peace upon him. As we may have noted, five other Qur’anic chapters are named after Messengers: Noah, Hud, Jonah, Abraham, Joseph.

We discussed something similar earlier and said:

The Qur’an mentions ‘Muhammad’ by name 4 times only, and once as ‘Ahmad.’

As for Moses and Jesus, peace upon them, the Qur’an discusses their lives and beautiful teachings in many, many verses, PLUS it:

· Mentions Moses by name - with reverence- no less than 136 times.

· Mentions Jesus by name - with reverence- 25 times.

The second comment I’d like to make, is about the first part of Verse 4, which led this Chapter to be dubbed by some ‘the Chapter of Qitaal,’ or ‘Battle/ Mutual fighting.’ I don’t think that this Chapter deserves to be so dubbed; the rest of its 38 verses are not about ‘combat’ at all!

Anyway, Verse 4 seems to have been among the first to give the ‘green-light’ to the Faithful, allowing them to put up a fight when assaulted by Those Who Denied, especially in battle.

Thirdly, many of these verses seem to have been revealed at a time of great difficulty with calls for steadfastness as some contemplated desertion, which leads to the conclusion that they were probably revealed very early-on, in Yathrib/ Medina. But it is also true that the subject-matter of certain verses might be expected of something revealed during the three years of ‘the Ban,’ when the Believers were put virtually under siege and not allowed to buy provision or interact with anyone, so much so that their state was one of famine (see the verses that speak of the life of this lowly/immediate world, contrasting it with Heaven and its bountiful ‘rivers of water, milk, and honey). This uncertainty stems from the fact that only one generation would know for sure what was revealed where and when, while subsequent generations are NOT supposed to think of Qur’an as ‘Meccan versus Medenite’ verses, but as one unit -contemporary for all time- revealed for its own benefit.

PAGE 507 Arabic Qur’an.

1. The verses begin by contrasting Those who had Denied and barred people from the path of God, on one hand, with Those who Attained Faith, performed good deeds, and had faith in what was sent down upon Muhammad, on the other.

‘Those who had Denied’ eventually end up with ‘lost’ works, while ‘Those Who had attained Faith’ end up with their misdeeds ‘covered’ by their Lord, and their concerns بال[i] put aright.

Verse 3 informs us what each category had been doing, telling us that this is how God ‘strikes,’ for Cognizant Humans, their examples.

Note:

Actually, ‘Those who had Denied and barred people from the path of God’ are mentioned 5 times in the Qur’an, three times here, in this chapter alone, الذين كفروا وصدوا ةعن سبيل الله see Verses 32 and 34.

2. Verse 4 begins by stating that (in a war scenario -as it says later), when ‘you do encounter Those who Denied, then 'the striking/restraining/falling upon the necks' until when you have DISARMED them, tighten the bond, after which there is either generosity or ransom (for captives) until the war has released its burden…’ Isn’t it interesting that the connotation of ‘disarming’ has never been mentioned by any commentator, although this is one important meaning of the word 'thakhana'? See [ii] ثخن below…. this falls in with other connotations of the word 'Ddaraba' (see entire page about this word), where we realize that 'Ddarb al riqaab' is a NOUN, indicating a measure or an action to be taken whereby one gains the upper hand and has the enemy 'by the neck.' What commentators have overlooked is that there is NO VERB (as in 'strike') and no SUBJECT (as in 'you') and NO OBJECT (as in 'them'). This gives us an entirely different perspective on the issue, where it is left up to the defenders/fighters themselves, to decide how best to enact that measure, and how best to overpower their enemy! THIS IS SO MUCH DIFFERENT than both Ali and Asad's explanation, where they make it into a direct command: 'Smite (at) their necks!' Readers who know Arabic would translate such words as: اضربوا رقابهم -iDdribu riqaabahum- which the Qur'an does NOT say, but rather leaves the 'the striking/restraining/falling upon the necks' as a term which includes the full spectrum of actions taken in one-to-one combat, with the intention of overpowering and disarming the enemy, and NOT annihilating them.

3. The last part of Verse 4, together with Verses 5-6, show us the recompense of Those who are killed in the path of God. I find it interesting that when the Qur’an says that God will ‘yahdeehim' commentators have explained this as ‘God will guide them…’ which seems strange for someone who has already departed this life! But the definition of the word, as we stated earlier, is not just about 'guiding’ but about 'gifting, and granting' us… as in a ‘hediyyahهدية- .’

Then the verses challenge Those Who Denied, to travel the earth and see the consequence which befell their predecessors, upon whom was destruction and loss because they spurned/disliked what God had sent down.

4. Then come the verses which always strike at my heart-strings, Verses 7-11, which call upon Those who had Attained Faith, asking them/us to succor/ make successful the cause of God, promising them/us success if they/we did that. … asking Those Who Denied to travel the earth and see the consequence which befell their predecessors. These beautiful verses end with:

ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّـهَ مَوْلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَأَنَّ الْكَافِرِ‌ينَ لَا مَوْلَىٰ لَهُمْ ﴿١١﴾

“That is because God is Protector of Those who have attained Faith,

and The Deniers have no Protector.”

PAGE 508 Arabic Qur’an.

5. Verse 12, on its own, has beautiful Persuasion and dismaying Dissuasion, comparing Those Who Denied to ‘cattle grazing!’

Verses 13-14 draw yet further comparison, and mention ‘your town which evicted you.’ Speaking to prophet Muhammad, this township was ‘Mecca.’

6. Verse 15 is beautifully Persuasive, telling us about ‘Jannah’ the Garden, letting us know that this information is only a ‘likeness’ (mathal مثل-), and then it get Dissuasive, telling us about the lot of those snug in the Fire, those who are drinking a fiery liquid which cuts, again and again, at their bowels!

7. Verses 16 and 18 inform the Messenger about those who come to listen to him, then leave him, wondering at what they had heard… (and they actually don’t seem to get the Message) because they continue to ‘follow their plummeting desires.’ They are asked whether they are ‘awaiting the Hour which comes suddenly upon them’…?

Verse 17 gives us a wonderful statement regarding Those who are Guided; God shall increase their guidance/ gift and bring them their Awareness. This is VERY important as it shows us how guidance can only evolve into further guidance, begetting us the most precious gift of all: ‘Awareness!’

But this cannot happen unless we start out upon the right path.

New Readers: Put ‘taqwa awareness’ in ‘Search this Site,’ and note how ‘awareness’ is the opposite of ‘aggression.’ This is quite fitting, in a Chapter which gives the Faithful ‘the green light’ to take up arms: Fight those who fight you, but without being the Aggressors!

In the final verse to today’s Reading, we clearly hear the ‘voice of God’ as He speaks to the Messenger, telling him to ‘know’ that there is no God but God. He tells him to ask God to forgive his misdeed, as well as the misdeeds of the Believers, men and women…. but then God addresses us all in the first person plural as He says”…for God Alone knows ‘your’ movement, and your’ repose.

Put the ‘voice of God’ in ‘Search this Site.’

Finally, dear Readers, do try to listen to this Chapter. Although its full impact can only be felt by those who understand Arabic, listening to it while reading the interpretation is also powerful.

How to do that:

Click Tanzil here, go down to ‘Recitation’ and highlight Al-Afasy, go down to ‘Translation’ and choose Muhammad Asad, then go back to ‘Recitation’ and click to begin listening, hovering your mouse over the Arabic highlighted verses to get the English interpretation.

Fantastic.

P.S.

Yusuf Ali’s interpretation is also good, but I am upset by the fact that certain governments, when reprinting his work, have taken the liberty of supplanting Ali’s choice of wording - ‘God’ -with their choice of wording- ‘Allah.’ This single act is the main reason for the wedge driven between the Qur’an and non-Arabic speakers!

Enough said!

Our next Reading is from HQ 47: 20-28.

Peace unto all!

[i] وأما الأصل الثاني فالبَال: بالُ النفس. ويقال ما خَطَر بِبالي، أي ما أُلْقِيَ في رُوعي. فإنْ قال قائل: فإنَّ الخليلَ ذكَرَ أنّ بال النَّفْس هو الاكتراث، ومنه اشتقَّ ما باليتُ، ولم يخْطِر ببالي. قيل له: هو المعنى الذي ذكرناه، ومعنى الاكتراث أن يَكْرُثَه ما وقعَ في نفسه، فهو راجعٌ إلى ما قلناه. والمصدر البَاَلةُ والمبالاةُ. ويقولون: لم أُبَال ولم أُبَلْ، على القصر.

وممّا حُمِل على هذا: البال، وهو رَخَاء العَيْش؛ يقال إنه لَرَاخي البال وناعِمُ البال.

[1] [ii] ثخن: يدلُّ على رَزَانة الشيءِ في ثِقَل. تقول ثَخُنَ الشيءُ ثَخَانَةً. والرّجُل الحليمُ الرّزِين ثَخِين. وقد أثْخَنْته أي أثْقَلْته، قال الله تعالى: {حَتَّى يُثْخِنَ في الأَرْضِ} [الأنفال 67] وذلك أنّ القتيلَ قد أُثْقِل حتى لا حَرَاكَ به. وتركتُه مُثْخَناً، أي وَقِيذاً. وقال قومٌ: يقال للأعزل الذي لا سِلاحَ معه: ثخين؛ وهو قياسُ الباب، لأنّ حركتَه تَقِلُّ، خوفاً على نَفْسه