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Al-Bayan, Discourses on the Qur'an
Javed Ahmad Ghamidi
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Surah al Baqarah
Aayaat 55-61
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[Javed Ahmed Ghamidi] Gratitude is only
for God, the Lord of the Cosmos,
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and may His peace and mercy
be on Muhammad, the trustworthy.
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I seek refuge with God
from the accursed Devil.
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In the Name of God, the Most Gracious,
the Ever Merciful.
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
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We shall begin this lecture from
Aayah 55 of Surah Baqarah.
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The same discourse continues
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in which the Israelites are reminded
of many events from their history
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to make them understand
the impartiality of God's Law,
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and call on them to show upright behaviour
while they have the opportunity to do so.
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In this way, God is conclusively
making the truth clear to them.
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This is called Itmam al-Hujjah,
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that we shall witness until Surah Ma'idah,
and on the basis of which
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the punishment is pronounced
on them in Surah Tawbah.
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The Almighty says
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wa idh qul'tum yaa moosaa lan nu'mina laka
hattaa naraa l laha jahratan
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fa akhadhatkumu l saaʿiqatu
wa antum tanzuroon (2:55)
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And recall when you said to Moses:
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“We will never believe in you until
we see God with our own eyes.”
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This is also a serious instance
of their rebelliousness.
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They had witnessed such glorious
manifestations of God's attributes,
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that was witnessed by no other nation
or community on the face of this earth.
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And yet they took this stance
(demanding to see God).
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Had this been a request
similar to that of Moses (pbuh),
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who desired to have a glimpse of His God,
they would not have been taken to task.
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But, their position was that "We
would never believe you (Moses)" ...
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It is also not similar to
the case of Abraham (pbuh),
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a little ahead in this Surah,
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when he wished to have a glimpse
of the resurrection to satisfy his heart.
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When asked whether he did not believe,
he replied affirming his belief.
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balaa walaakin liyatma inna qalbee
(2:260)
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“Yes, but just to reassure my heart,”
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A request of this kind is not condemnable.
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However, this was not the case with the
Israelites, according to the Qur'an.
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They said to Moses:
“We will never believe in you
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until we see God with our own eyes.”
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I have written,
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If the desire to see the Almighty is to
obtain realization of truth,
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or inner satisfaction, then
it cannot be objected to.
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However, the demand of the Israelites
to see the Almighty
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was just an expression of their
scepticism and disbelief
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and an excuse to reject and deny
Allah.
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This attitude of theirs made
their demand blameworthy.
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Nothing could make them believe that God
spoke and communicated to Moses (pbuh).
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Hence, they were punished
for this attitude.
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Obviously, Moses stood before them
claiming that God had spoken to him,
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given him His Guidance and appointed him
to complete a mission by His Command.
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This was the claim based on which
he was carrying out his mission.
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These people were unwilling to
accept this claim of Moses (pbuh).
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Hence, their demand to see God
with their own eyes.
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So, what happened next?
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The Qur'an says,
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fa akhadhatkumu l saa'iqatu
wa antum tanzuroon
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Then a thunderbolt struck you while
you were helplessly looking on.
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In other words, God's Wrath was kindled.
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I have written,
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The actual word is: saa'iqah.
"fa akhadhatkumu l saa'iqah"
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It means both “roar and thunder”
and “thunderbolt.”
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In Aayah 154 of Surah al-A‘raf,
this incident has been referred to
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in the words
falammaa akhadhathumu l rajfah.
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The word rajfah means “earthquake.”
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It is evident from these words
that God's splendour manifested
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in the form of a saa'iqah ...
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i.e. in response to their demand, God
reprimanded them, showed displeasure also,
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and made it clear that not even
the mountains could bear its brunt.
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Thus, their desire was impossible.
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It is evident from these words
that God's splendour manifested
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in the form of a saa'iqah,
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which shook the mountain of Tur
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to such an extent that the Israelites were
knocked down in utter bewilderment.
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The Qur'an has stated this in the words,
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Then a thunderbolt struck you while you
were helplessly looking on.
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fa akhadhatkumu l saa'iqatu
wa antum tanzuroon
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thumma baʿathnaakum min baʿdi mawtikum
laʿallakum tashkuroon (2:53)
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Then We revived you after this death of
yours so that you might become grateful.
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The expression "after this death
of yours", raises the question
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whether all of them died a worldly death
and were then brought to life?
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I have stated my point of view
in the footnote to this passage.
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In the Arabic language, the word 'maut'
also means “sleep” and “unconsciousness”
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if some indication of this exists.
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For example, we say about a person
in deep slumber that he is lying dead.
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Hence, in a way, it is a metaphorical use
of the word, which is well-known.
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The way it is used here and the instance
it has been used in clearly show
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that it refers to their
state of unconsciousness.
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That is why I have translated it as
"after THIS DEATH of yours",
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i.e. after this type of death,
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as if they had died,
it looked like they had died.
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So, it is used here
in the sense of fainting.
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Although the Israelites did not deserve
to be revived from this state
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because of their arrogance, ...
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i.e., this state of unconsciousness
could've become an actual death for them.
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However, the Almighty showed mercy.
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It is evident from Surah Aaraf 7:155
that they were forgiven for this crime
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when Moses (pbuh) earnestly pleaded
with the Almighty to forgive them.
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That is, God forgave them because of
a prophet's intercession,
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and again gave them life by bringing them
out of this state.
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They were then appointed
to carry out their former responsibility.
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The next part explains the reason for this
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laʿallakum tashkuroon
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so that you might become grateful.
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Implicit in these words is the fact that
they always remained ungrateful.
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wazallalnaa 'alaykumu l ghamaama
wa anzalnaa 'alaykumu l mana wa l salwaa
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If we look back, we see that they were
punished for worshipping the calf,
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and also for putting forward
this unreasonable demand.
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Now, the Almighty says:
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wazallalnaa 'alaykumu l ghamaama
wa anzalnaa 'alaykumu l mana wa l salwaa
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And We made the clouds
draw their shadow over you ...
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The area they entered after their exodus
had no place to provide any shade.
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Only a vast desert, through which
they had to pass.
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It was God's special favour on them
that the clouds were to provide shade
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for their entire encampment.
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wazallalnaa 'alaykumu l ghamaama
wa anzalnaa 'alaykumu l mana wa l salwaa
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And We made the clouds
draw their shadow over you
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and sent down upon you manna and salwa.
(2:57)
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What is this Manna and Salwa?
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Manna was something akin to dew,
which would descend on the earth
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and then freeze like hail.
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The Israelites would gather it before
the heat of the sun could melt it.
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The sun's heat would melt it.
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This was its characteristic.
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In a barren desert, without any
means of subsistence
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this was indeed a great favour
for the Israelites.
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In this barren desert, where they had
no shade, the clouds gave them shade;
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there was no food for the large number
of people who migrated with Moses (pbuh).
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How could the arrangements be made?
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God granted them this great favour.
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... this was indeed a great favour
for the Israelites,
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which they were blessed with
without any toil
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merely because they had migrated
with Moses (pbuh) at God's behest.
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That is, because of migrating with
God's prophet for a specific mission,
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He bestowed these blessings on them.
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The word Manna means
“favour and blessing.”
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Since this food was no less than
a favour on them, it was named Manna.
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It seems that due to this very reason
these edibles were named Manna.
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The Bible gives us the following details
in this regard:
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And in the morning there was
a layer of dew around the camp.
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When the dew was gone, they observed
that thin flakes, like frost on the ground
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appeared on the desert floor.
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When the Israelites saw it,
they said to each other, "Mann".
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i.e. blessing and favour.
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For they did not know what it was.
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Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread
the LORD has given you to eat.
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... each morning everyone gathered
as much as he needed,
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and when the sun grew hot,
it melted away. (Exodus; 16:13-21)
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This was one arrangement
God made for them.
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The second was that
He sent down the Salwa.
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I have written,
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Salwa refers to the birds, which
the Almighty sent upon the Israelites
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in the desert of Sinai.
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They resembled the quails and like them
were easy to hunt down.
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The Bible says in Exodus 16:
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The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we
had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt!
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There we sat around pots of meat and
ate all the food we wanted, ...
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Strange was the condition of this nation!
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They started complaining thus in the
presence of God's prophet!
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... but you have brought us out
into this desert
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to starve this entire assembly to death.’
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They said this to Prophet Moses (pbuh).
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The Qur'an has mentioned that they
troubled Moses (pbuh) a lot.
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How will that nation be blessed that
makes life difficult for its own prophet?
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… The LORD said to Moses, ‘I have heard
the grumbling of the Israelites.
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Tell them, “At twilight,
you will eat meat,
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and in the morning
you will be filled with bread.
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Then you will know that
I am the LORD your God.”
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That evening quail came
and covered the camp. (Exodus 16:3-11)
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Thus, God arranged the quails
so that they can have meat.
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The Almighty says,
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And We made the clouds
draw their shadow over you
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and sent down upon you
mann and salwa.
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kuloo min tayyibaati maa razaqnaakum
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wamaa zalamoonaa walaakin kaanoo
anfusahum yazlimoon
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“Eat these pure things
We have provided you.”
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These words reflect the situation.
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I have written
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The implication is that these favours by
their very existence urge the Israelites
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to benefit from them and
remain thankful to the Almighty.
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In other words, the situation
that developed was saying all this.
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"Eat these pure things
We have provided you.”
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But what did the Israelites do?
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[Alas! Those on whom We bestowed
this favour disregarded it].
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and [in this way], they did not
harm Us at all,
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but kept being unjust to their own selves.
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maa zalamoonaa walaakin
kaanoo anfusahum yazlimoon.
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Given the structure of the sentences
and the shift in the discourse,
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I had to introduce a few sentences
to make it coherent for an Urdu speaker.
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[Alas! Those on whom We bestowed
this favour disregarded it]
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and [in this way], they did not
harm Us at all,
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but kept being unjust to their own selves.
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I have written:
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This final sentence of the discourse has
not been uttered while addressing the Jews
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as was the case in the previous ones.
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God did not say, "You were unjust
to your selves"
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or "you harmed yourselves."
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This sentence has not been uttered
while addressing the Jews directly.
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It has been uttered in the passive voice,
while turning away from them.
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There is a shift in the discourse.
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Earlier, the address was direct.
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wazallalnaa 'alaykumu l ghamaam
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We made the clouds draw
their shadow over you
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wa anzalnaa 'alaykumu l mana wal salwaa
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sent down upon you mann and salwa.
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But, towards the end, God turns away from
them and addresses them indirectly.
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In Balaghah (Arabic rhetoric),
it is called iltifaat.
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Such a shift normally occurs in the Qur’an
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when the speaker wants to express
his disgust for the addressees.
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In other words, seeing their attitude,
the Almighty commented on it
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in a way, that the style adopted and
the shift in the discourse
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demonstrated the extent of God's disgust.
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wa idh qul'naa ud'khuloo haadhihil qaryata
fakuloo min'haa haythu shi'tum raghadan
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wa ud'khulu l baaba sujjadan
waqooloo hittatun
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naghfir lakum khataayaakum
wasanaziidu l muh'sineen (2:58)
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And recall ...
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The same style continues here,
reminding them of the important events.
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And recall when we said: “Enter this city;
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"this city" -
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Again we see that a reference is made
to a well-known event in their history.
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Hence, no explanation is required.
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The actual word is: al-qariyah.
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As I write in Al-Bayaan,
"The actual word is: al-qariyah.
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A study of its usage in
the Arabic language reveals
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that just as it is used for tiny villages,
it is also used to connote large cities."
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Here it refers to a certain
city in Palestine.
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Even if we cannot ascertain the identity
of this city, it won't affect the purport.
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However, the description of the land
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fakuloo min'haa haythu shi'tum raghadan
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If we take a look at the account
of their journey at that time,
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keeping the geography in mind, then
these words fit the description
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of a city in Palestine."
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Here it refers to a certain
city in Palestine,
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since the words used later on,
fakuloo min'haa haythu shi'tum raghadan
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seem to be appropriate
for this land alone.
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That is, these words could've been used
for such a city alone,
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keeping all the aforementioned
blessings in mind.
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They are not suitable for a location or a
settlement in the Sinai desert.
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So, God said, “Enter this city;
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then eat from it from wherever
you want, to your hearts’ content.
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fakuloo min'haa haythu shi'tum raghadan
wa-ud'khuloo l-baaba sujjadan
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and [take heed] ...
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These words are not written in the Aayah.
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But to make the implication clear,
they must be opened up.
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"its gate" i.e. the city gate.
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sujjadan - enter it while bowing down
your heads
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implying "with humility",
"with lowliness", "with obedience".
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The Almighty has bestowed this place
on you by helping you conquer it.
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This is similar to when Prophet Muhammad
entered Makka as a conqueror.
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His head was in a bowing position
such that it was touching his saddle.
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Here, the Almighty told them to
enter the city in the specified manner,
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because the greatest expectation of God
after bestowing a blessing on his servant
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is that the person doesn't show arrogance
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or consider it to be
a personal entitlement.
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Rather, he must think that
it is God's blessing alone
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and be grateful towards Him,
while bowing before his Lord,
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and consider himself
as God's humble servant,
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on whom God has shown favour.
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Here, the Israelites were
given this directive.
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... enter its gate bowing down
your heads [in humility]
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The actual words are: wa-ud'khuloo
l-baaba sujjada
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The way the word al-Baab
occurs after al-Qariyah,
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linguistic considerations show that
it refers to the door of the city.
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Earlier the words are
qul'naa ud'khuloo haadhihi l qaryah
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And here the words are
wa ud'khuloo l-baaba
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Obviously, it can only refer to
Baab al-qariyah (the door of the city).
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and cannot be taken to mean
the “door of the tabernacle,"
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as Ustaz Imam Islahi has done.
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There is no indication in the text to
consider it the door of the tabernacle.
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wa ud'khuloo l-baaba sujjada
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The word 'sujjadan' connotes
the bowing down of the head.
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I have written,
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It is clear that here it refers to
the bowing down of the head.
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In fact, this verse
contains conclusive evidence
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that other than the general meaning
of placing one’s forehead on the ground,
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the verb sajadah also means
“merely bending the head.”
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Obviously, this word
couldn't have been used
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in the sense of moving through the door
while prostrating onto the ground.
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So, it is used simply in the sense of
bending one's head,
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because that is all we can do
while walking ahead.
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It is not possible to put
the forehead on the ground.
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Had the directive meant fully
falling prostrate on the ground,
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then it could have been expressed by
wa ud'khuloo l-baaba sujjada
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Thus, both these points make it clear
that in the Arabic language
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the word Sajdah can also have the sense
of simply bending one's head reverently.
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waqooloo hittatun naghfir lakum
khaataayaakum wasanazeedu l-muh'sineen
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and pray: ‘[O Lord!] Forgive our sins;’
We shall forgive your sins
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and [those among you] who adopt
a befitting attitude,
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We shall bestow more favour on them."
(2:58)
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The Arabic expression wa qooloo hittatun
is rendered as "Forgive our sins."
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The actual words are: qooloo hittah.
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The word 'hittah' has come in place
of a whole sentence.
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to the effect 'mas'alatunaa hittah'.
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This is the actual construction.
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People having a good taste of Arabic,
can appreciate this here.
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The Mubtada (subject) is omitted.
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The word 'hittah' is from the verb
'hatta yahuttu', meaning “to brush away.”
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Here it implies brushing away one's sins.
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Since Arabic and Hebrew
have similar sources,
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one can deduce analogously
that in Hebrew also
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it would have meant brushing away
and forgiving sins.
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It seems that the way in which
this word 'hitta' is used,
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the original Hebrew expression
has been employed in the Qur'an.
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I have tried to explain
its structure.
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In this way they were asked to pray:
‘[O Lord!] Forgive our sins;
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’We shall forgive your sins
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and [those among you] who adopt
a befitting attitude,
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We shall bestow more favour on them.”
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sanazeedu l muh'sineen
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This guidance was given to them while they
were entering that city as victors.
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They were told to enter its gate bowing
their heads [in humility and obedience]
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and ask forgiveness for their sins.
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But what actually happened?
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fabaddala alladheena zalamoo qawlan
ghayra alladhee qeela lahum (2:59)
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The direction they were given ...
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i.e. they were asked to enter the city
while seeking forgiveness.
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But the unjust replaced the word
they were given, with something else.
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Al-Bayaan has a note on it:`
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Some wretched people among the Israelites
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replaced 'hittatun', a word
seeking forgiveness,
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by one which had
an entirely different meaning.
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Just like ruffians
tend to do sometimes,
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or like some people who tend
to make fun of everything.
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Their sense of humour is related
only to genuinely serious things.
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Specimens of such work
can be seen in our poetry,
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for instance, in the work of Mirza Ghalib.
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These Israelites did the same thing.
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They replaced a fine word
with something that sounded derisive.
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When the verb 'baddala', mentioned here
is used such that it takes two objects,
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it means “to replace something
with another.”
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If this aspect is kept in consideration,
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the word cannot be taken to mean
a mere change in attitude.
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It can only mean that they had
replaced this word with another.
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The words 'fabaddala alladheena zalamoo
qawlan ghayra alladhee qeela lahum',
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But the unjust replaced that, which they
were told with other words.
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These words may imply a mere
change of attitude,
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such that they used the prescribed word,
but with a derisive intent.
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In other words, they altered the meaning
or the spirit of the word.
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This is one possible meaning.
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However, I have submitted that
the words used in the Qur'an
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convey that they substituted it
with another word.
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Thus, they derided God's directive
with their actions,
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as well as by replacing the
prescribed word with another word.
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So, God said:
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fa anzalnaa 'alaa alladheena zalamoo
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rij'zan mina l-samaai
bimaa kaanoo yafsuqoon (2:59)
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So, We let loose on these unjust people
a punishment from the heavens
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because of the disobedience
they were [guilty of].
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Please notice the common theme,
the central theme of this discourse,
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embodying God's conclusive proof.
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The mistaken idea of the Israelite nation
as being something special,
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is refuted here.
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They considered the blessings they
received to be their entitlement.
-
However, all these were
merely God's favors on them
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In other words, how could they even think
that the fire of hell won't touch them.
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How could they think that after trying to
take Jesus (pbuh) to the crucifix,
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and rejecting the Prophethood
of Muhammad (pbuh),
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God will continue to hold them
as his treasured nation.
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Certainly not.
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The punishments that have afflicted
them in the past because of their sins,
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will afflict them again.
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This is the discourse presented
in these passages.
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So, God says:
-
So, We let loose on these unjust people
a punishment from the heavens
-
because of the disobedience
they were [guilty of].
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rij'zan mina l samaai
bimaa kaanoo yafsuqoon.
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Al-Bayaan has
the following note on it:
-
This punishment has been called
“a punishment from the heavens”
-
rij'zan mina l samaa
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This punishment has been called
“a punishment from the heavens”
-
in the same way as a great calamity is
referred to as a “heavenly punishment.”
-
Most probably, the Israelites faced this
punishment in Shittim, a Palestinian city.
-
This may be postulated through a study
of Israelite history in the Bible.
-
Therefore, I have used the words
'most probably'.
-
The Bible says that the Israelites were
guilty of sexual misconduct
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with Maobite women,
-
became involved in polytheistic sacrifices
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and thus became indirectly incriminated
with worshipping their deity Baal Peor.
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Earlier they had worshipped the calf,
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and then moving ahead when they reached
Shittim, they again fell in these sins.
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In retribution of these crimes, God
sent upon them an epidemic,
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which killed twenty-four thousand
of their men and women.
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Thus, again God inflicted
a harsh punishment on them.
-
So, the sequence can be understood
as follows:
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an event happens, God shows His favor,
bestows his blessings on them,
-
they become guilty of
an inappropriate attitude
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for which they are
subsequently punished.
-
God describes this here.
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wa-idhi is'tasqaa moosaa liqawmihi
faqul'naa id'rib biʿasaaka l-hajara
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And recall when Moses prayed
for water for his people; (2:60)
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Earlier, when they had nothing to eat,
God sent Mann and Salwa on them.
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Now, Moses (pbuh) prays for water.
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faqul'naa - So, We said to him
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id'rib biʿasaaka l-hajar
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“Strike this rock with your staff.”
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i.e. a rock, a boulder, was specified
and God asked him to strike it.
-
Obviously, he struck it.
-
fa-infajarat min'hu
ith'nataa 'ashrata 'aynan
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[He struck the rock and] thereupon
twelve springs gushed from it.
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qad 'alima kullu unaasin mashrabahum
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such that each tribe ascertained
its drinking-place.
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kuloo wa-ish'raboo min riz'qi llahi
walaa taʿthaw fee l-ardi muf'sideen
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“Eat and drink of the sustenance,
which God has provided [O Israelites]
-
and do not embark upon
spreading disorder in the land.”
-
I have explained the things
mentioned in this Aayah.
-
Firstly, Moses (pbuh) prayed for water
for his people.
-
He was asked to strike
a rock with his staff,
-
upon which the Israelites
witnessed another great miracle.
-
Out of this rock, gushed forth
twelve springs.
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[Al-Bayaan note]
It is evident from the Bible
-
that this incident of water gushing forth
from a rock happened in the Sinai desert.
-
From the historical details
mentioned in the Bible,
-
it seems that this happened
in the Zin desert.
-
i.e. the twelve springs gushed forth.
-
We read in the book of Numbers:
-
In the first month, the whole Israelite
community arrived at the Desert of Zin,
-
and they stayed at Kadesh.
-
i.e. they reached this place after
their exodus from Egypt.
-
All these names are very old and we would
not find most of them in modern maps.
-
But scholars have produced many works
on the geography of the Bible
-
and we can find all these names in them.
-
Now there was no water for the community,
-
and the people gathered in opposition
to Moses and Aaron.
-
Again these people displayed
their rebellious attitude.
-
They quarrelled with Moses and said,
-
‘If only we had died when our brothers
fell dead before the LORD!
-
Why did you bring the LORD’s community
into this desert,
-
that we and our livestock should die here?
-
Why did you bring us out of Egypt
and into this terrible place?
-
This land has no grain or figs,
grapevines or pomegranates.
-
When they were informed about their
exodus from Egypt,
-
they were told that
the promised land of Palestine
-
around the city of Jerusalem
-
is a fertile land, amenable to farming,
-
with gardens full of grain and figs,
grapevines and pomegranates.
-
Here, they are referring to
the same description.
-
It has no grain or figs,
grapevines or pomegranates.
-
And there is no water to drink!’
-
Moses and Aaron went from the assembly
to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting
-
and fell facedown,
-
We can imagine how much they
must've troubled Moses and Aaron,
-
such that they had no choice left
but to fall facedown before the Amighty.
-
Then the glory of the LORD
appeared to them.
-
The LORD said to Moses,
-
‘Take the staff, and you and your brother
Aaron gather the assembly together.
-
Speak to that rock right before their eyes
and it will pour out its water.
-
You will bring water out of the rock
for the community
-
so they and their livestock can drink.’
-
So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s
presence, just as he commanded him.
-
He and Aaron gathered the assembly
together in front of the rock
-
and Moses said to them,
‘Listen, you rebels, ...
-
He called them rebels on account
their rebellious attitude.
-
‘Listen, you rebels, must we bring you
water out of this rock?’
-
Then Moses raised his arm and
struck the rock twice with his staff.
-
Water gushed out, and the community and
their livestock drank. (Numbers, 20:1-12)
-
Hence, they witnessed God's extraordinary
miracle,
-
when they were suffering from thirst
-
Thereafter, God says that twelve springs
gushed forth from that rock.
-
So, the water did not just gush forth from
the rock as a spring,
-
but twelve separate springs gushed forth.
-
qad 'alima kullu unaasin mashrabahum
-
such that each tribe ascertained
its own drinking-place.
-
Basically, the Israelite nation was
composed of the twelve tribes.
-
Thus when twelve springs gushed forth,
-
each tribe fixed its own
drinking place over them.
-
So, twelve springs gushed forth
according to the number of tribes.
-
and thus, there remained no apprehension
-
that any fight would ensue
among them regarding the water.
-
This is the ultimate expression
of God's favors and blessings.
-
So, God caused the twelves springs to flow
to stop any chance of tribal infighting.
-
Let every tribe take one spring
and drink from it.
-
kuloo wa-ish'raboo min riz'qi llahi
walaa taʿthaw fee l ardi muf'sideen
-
“Eat and drink of that which God
has provided [O Israelites]
-
and do not embark upon
spreading disorder in the land.” (2:60)
-
Please note that when the Manna and Salwa
were mentioned earlier,
-
God said, "Eat (Kuloo)"
-
Here, He said, "Kuloo wa ish'raboo"
(Eat and drink).
-
Here this subtle point needs to be kept
in consideration that earlier on
-
after a mention of Mann and Salwa
only the word kuloo (eat) had been used
-
because at that time only food
could have been arranged for.
-
Once, plentiful water
was also made available,
-
the words used are kuloo wa ish'raboo
(eat and drink).
-
That is how God bestowed his favor on them
when they were bothered by thirst.
-
Further, God says,
-
wa-idh qul'tum yaa moosaa
lan nasbira 'alaa ta'aamin waahidin
-
And recall when you said: “Moses we shall
never be content with one type of food;
-
Here we see more rebellious behaviour.
-
Human nature does crave variety,
even after eating the Mann and Salwa.
-
They approach Moses (pbuh)
with another complaint.
-
We shall never be content
with one type of food;
-
fa-ud'u lanaa rabbaka yukh'rij lanaa
mimmaa tunbitu l-ardu min baqlihaa
-
waqithaaihaa wafoomihaa
wa'adasihaa wabasalihaa
-
so, call on your Lord to bring forth
for us some green herbs,
-
cucumbers, garlic, lentils and onions,
which the earth produces.
-
Now, they demanded ingredients for a
variety of gourmet meals.
-
The word used here
for garlic is 'foom'.
-
I have written
-
The actual word is 'foom'.
It is the same as 'soom'.
-
So common is this word for garlic
-
that it cannot be taken to mean
bread, wheat or corn.
-
It happens sometimes that letters in a
word tend to change places by overuse.
-
Because of this, people
have changed its meaning.
-
There is no need for that.
It refers to the same garlic.
-
About this demand of the Israelites to not
stay patient on one type of food alone,
-
I have written:
-
What they meant was that they cannot eat
Mann and Salwa every day.
-
Human taste requires variety and something
should be done to quench this yearning
-
for variety even in this desert
they are wandering in.
-
In response, God asked them to see the
kind of petty things they were demanding
-
instead of exalted things.
-
qaala atastabdiloona alladhee huwa
adnaa bi-alladhee huwa khayr
-
He answered: “Would you exchange that
which is better for what is inferior?
-
There are a few notes
on this in Al-Bayaan,
-
which we shall go through
in the next session.
-
Right now, let us go through
the plain translation of these Aayaat.
-
And recall when you said to Moses:
-
“We will never believe in you
until we see God with our own eyes.
-
”Then a thunderbolt struck you
while you were helplessly looking on.
-
Then We revived you from this death of
yours so that you might become grateful.
-
And We made the clouds
draw their shadow over you
-
and sent down upon you mann and salwa.
-
“Eat these pure things
We have provided you.”
-
[Alas! Those on whom We bestowed
this favour disregarded it]
-
and [in this way], they did not
harm Us in any way,
-
but kept being unjust to their own souls.
-
And recall when we said:
“Enter this city;
-
then eat from it from wherever you want
to your hearts’ content
-
and [take heed] that enter its gate
bowing down your heads [in humility]
-
and pray: ‘[O Lord!] Forgive our sins;
’We shall forgive your sins
-
and [those among you] who adopt
a befitting attitude,
-
We shall bestow more favour on them.”
-
But the unjust replaced that which they
were told with other words.
-
So, We let loose on these unjust people
a punishment from the heavens
-
because of the disobedience
they were [guilty of].
-
And recall when Moses prayed
for water for his people;
-
so, We said to him:
“Strike this rock with your staff.”
-
[He struck the rock and] thereupon
twelve springs gushed from it
-
such that each tribe
ascertained its drinking-place.
-
“Eat and drink of that which
God has provided [O Israelites]
-
and do not embark upon
spreading disorder in the land.”
-
And recall when you said:
-
“Moses we shall never be
content with one type of food;
-
so, call on your Lord to bring forth
for us some green herbs,
-
cucumbers, garlic, lentils and onions,
which the earth produces.
-
”He answered: “Would you exchange
that which is better for what is inferior?
-
(2:55-61)