اَبَا

3106

Important Words:

خاتم النبیین (Seal of the Prophets). خاتم (Khatam) is derived from ختم. They say ختم الشیء او ختم علیه i.e. he sealed, stamped, impressed or imprinted the thing or he put the seal on it. This is the primary signification of this word. Or the primary signification of ختم (khatmun) is the act of covering over the thing. It also signifies the protecting of what is in a writing by marking or stamping a piece of clay upon it, or by means of a seal of any kind. ختم الشیء also means, he reached the end of the thing. ختم القرآن means, he recited the whole of the Quran. This is the secondary meaning of the word. Thus خاتم(khatam) means, a signet-ring; a seal or stamp and a mark; the end or last part or portion and result or issue of a thing; the hollow of the back of the neck. The words ختم (khatmun) and خاتم (khatim and khatam) are almost synonymous and mean a signet. خاتم (khatam) also signifies, embellishment or ornament, the best and most perfect (Lane, Aqrab, Mufradat, Fath & Zurqani). So the expression خاتم النبیین would mean, the Seal of the Prophets; the best and most perfect of the Prophets; the embellishment and ornament of the Prophets. Secondarily, the expression may also mean, the last of the Prophets.

Commentary:

Much confusion and misunderstanding seems to prevail as to what is the real spiritual status and position of the Holy Prophet as indicated by the expression خاتم النبیین i.e. the Seal of the Prophets. A careful study of the context, however, removes the prevalent misconception. At Mecca when all the Holy Prophet’s male children died in their childhood, his enemies taunted him with being أبتر (one who has no male issue), meaning that in the absence of male heirs to succeed him his movement would sooner or later come to an end (Muhit). In answer to this taunt of disbelievers it was emphatically declared in Surah Al-Kausar (الکوثر) that not the Holy Prophet but his enemies would remain issueless. After the revelation of Surah Al-Kausar the idea naturally found favour with the early Muslims that the Holy Prophet would be blessed with sons who would live to an adult age. The verse under comment removed that misconception inasmuch as it declared that the Prophet is not, never was, nor will ever be the father of any grownup young men (رجالmeaning grown-up young men). The verse under comment while appearing to be in conflict with Surah Al-Kausar in which not the Holy Prophet but his enemies have been threatened with being issueless, in reality seeks to set at rest doubts and misgivings to which this seeming contradiction gives rise. It says that the Holy Prophet is رسول الله i.e. the spiritual father of a whole Ummat and he is also خاتم النبیین signifying that he is the spiritual father of all the past and future Prophets. So when he is the spiritual father of all the believers and all Prophets, how can he be said to be أبتر i.e. issueless. But if the expression be taken to mean that the Holy Prophet is the last of the Prophets and that no Prophet will come after him, then the verse appears to be out of tune with the context and instead of refuting the objection of disbelievers that the Holy Prophet was issueless, supports and reinforces it.

Briefly, according to the meaning of the word خاتم the expression خاتم النبیین can have four possible meanings:

(1) That the Holy Prophet was the Seal of the Prophets, i.e. no Prophet, past or future, can be regarded as true unless his prophethood bears the seal of the Holy Prophet. The prophethood of every past Prophet must be confirmed and testified to by the Holy Prophet and nobody can attain to prophethood after him except by being his أمتی (follower). All claims to prophethood must be judged and tested by reference to the revelation received by the Holy Prophet and to his teachings.

(2) That the Holy Prophet was the best, the noblest and the most perfect of all the Prophets and that he was also a source of embellishment for them (Zurqani, Sharah Mawahibul-Ladunniyya).

(3) That the Holy Prophet was the last of the Law-bearing Prophets. This interpretation has been accepted by many eminent Muslim theologians, saints and savants such as Ibn ‘Arabi, Shah Wali-Allah, Imam ‘AliQari, Mujaddid Alif Thani, etc. According to these great scholars and saints، no Prophet can come after the Holy Prophet who should abrogate his Millah or should not be in his Ummah (Futuhat, Tafhimat, Mukatabat & Yawaqit wal Jawahir). ‘A’ishah, the talented spouse of the Holy Prophet, has removed all ambiguity about the meaning of the expression خاتم النبیین. She is reported to have said: قولوا انه خاتم النبیین ولا تقولوا لا نبی بعدہ i.e. Say that he (the Holy Prophet) is خاتم النبیین but do not say that there will be no Prophet after him (Manthur). This saying of ‘A’ishah makes it quite clear that the expression خاتم النبیین and لانبی بعدہ were considered by her to be contradictory to each other in meaning and significance.

(4) That the Holy Prophet was the last of the Prophets, but only in this sense that all the qualities and attributes of prophethood found their most perfect and complete consummation and expression in him; خاتم in the sense of being the last word in excellence and perfection is of common use.

Moreover, the Quran clearly speaks of the advent of Prophets after the Holy Prophet. The following two verses leave no ambiguity on this point:

And whoso obeys Allah and this Messenger of His shall be among those on whom Allah has bestowed His blessings, namely, the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs and the Righteous. And excellent companions are these (4:70).

O children of Adam! if Messengers come to you from among yourselves, rehearsing My Signs come unto you, then whoso shall fear God and do good deeds, on them shall come no fear nor shall they grieve (7:36).

The Holy Prophet himself was clear in his mind as to the continuity of prophethood after him. He is reported to have said: "If Abraham (his son) had lived long, he would have been a Prophet" (Majah, Kitabul-Janai’z), and, "Abu Bakr is best of men after me, except that a Prophet should appear" (Kanzul-‘Ummal).

1597

Commentary:

One good action leads to another. When Joseph pardoned his brothers, the weight of sin to some extent became lifted from their hearts. They repented of their sins and, as this verse shows, they no longer thought their own repentance to be sufficient. So they also requested their father to pray to God to forgive them. They now realized that man’s anger was nothing compared with God’s wrath; therefore they thought it necessary first of all to make peace with God and to ask His forgiveness through their father. This request implied Jacob’s pardon, for he could not have prayed for them, as he promised in the following verse, unless he had himself forgiven them.

1513

Important Words:

عصبة (a strong party) is derived from عصب which means, he twisted a thing or wound it round or he folded it tightly; he bound or tied a thing. عصبة means, party or company of men who league together to defend one another, generally from ten to forty in number; a company of men absolutely. عصبیة (‘asabiyyat) means, zeal in the cause of one’s party; a strong attachment which holds several persons closely united by the same interests or the same opinion and which causes them to defend one another; partisanship or party spirit (Lane).

Commentary:

The verse under comment contains the fifth resemblance of the Holy Prophet with Joseph. Joseph’s brothers were annoyed that instead of them, who, as they thought, were superior to him in every respect, he had won the affection of their father and had become the centre of his attention. In the same way it is on record that when some Arab chiefs were asked what they thought of the Prophet’s claims, they answered that if God had intended to raise a Prophet it was they who deserved this honour."

The Meccans also seemed to hold the view that the Quran ought to have been revealed to one of the great men of Mecca or Ta’if (43:32). They looked upon the Holy Prophet as too small a person to be selected for the exalted office of a Prophet.

1516

Commentary:

This verse points to another difference with the Biblical version; for, whereas in this verse we are told that the brothers of Joseph asked their father to send him with them, the Bible tells us that Jacob himself sent Joseph to his brothers (Gen. 37:13, 14). But the Bible seems to contradict itself in this respect for in Gen. 37:4 we are told that Joseph was hated by his brothers because Jacob loved him more than he loved them and that Jacob was aware of this hatred. How could Jacob, knowing that his brothers hated him, send Joseph to them?

Moreover, Joseph appears to be only eleven or twelve years old at the time when this incident took place, because it is only for a boy of this tender age that the language used by Joseph’s brothers about him can be used. The Bible, however, places Joseph’s age at that time at seventeen or eighteen, which is evidently wrong.

1520

Important Words:

عشاء (in the evening). عشاء (‘isha’) means, the time of nightfall or the first or beginning of the darkness of night; also the time from the declining of the sun (from the meridian) to the rising of the dawn (Lane).

1521

Commentary:

This verse also indicates that when Joseph was cast into a well he was a mere lad of eleven or twelve, otherwise his brothers would not have said that they made him take care of their things while they were playing. A young man of seventeen or eighteen is not entrusted with work of this kind. He himself can take part in all kinds of sports. Nor is he, when armed, likely to be attacked by a wolf, unless there be a pack of wolves, and Palestine is not a land where wolves roam in packs.

The words, thou wilt not believe us even if we speak the truth, show that Joseph’s brethren were not habitual criminals, otherwise they would not have uttered words which bespoke nervousness and betrayed their offence.

1563

Commentary:

The expression سنراودعنه اباه literally means, we will endeavour to turn his father from him by blandishment or artifice or we will endeavour to beguile his father (Lane). One sin leads to another. They committed one sin by their evil treatment of Joseph. Now they stoop to another. They declare insolently—and that to none other than Joseph himself—that they will beguile his (Benjamin’s) father. First, they speak of the Prophet Jacob not as our father, but as his (Benjamin’s) father and, secondly, they express their intention of making a fool of him.

1565

Commentary:

Mark the audacity of Joseph’s brothers revealed in the words, we will surely be able to take care of him. The former spirit of boastfulness still seems to cling to them.

1567

Important Words:

نمیر (we shall bring provision) is derived from مار. They say مار اھله i.e. he brought or conveyed wheat or other corn or provision of any kind to or for his family or his household (Lane).

یسیر (easy to obtain) is derived from یسر (yassara) which is again derived from یسر (yasara) which means, he was or became gentle, tractable, submissive, manageable or easy. یسرہ means, he made it easy; he facilitated it. یسر means, little or small in quantity; petty; paltry; of no weight or worth; easy to get; easy and gentle in tractableness, submissiveness or manageableness (Lane). See also 2:220.

Commentary:

Although the Quran does not clearly mention what conveyance was used by Joseph’s brethren in their journey; the words, the measure of a camel-load, used here as well as in 12:73 apparently lead to the inference that they made their journey on camels. But the Bible says that the journey was made on asses; for we read in Gen. 43:24, "And he gave their asses provender." The question which of the two statements is correct can best be answered by finding out which conveyance the Prophet Jacob and his family generally used on their journeys. The Bible itself tells us that the animal which they usually used was the camel (Gen. 31:17).

Moreover, the long and difficult nature of the journey also favours the inference that it was performed on camels. It must, however, be noted that the words "a camel-load" may not necessarily mean a load put on a camel’s back, but may denote only the load which a camel can ordinarily carry, though it may be loaded on asses. In this case the difference between the statements of the Bible and the Quran about the form of conveyance disappears.

1580

Important Words:

خلصوا (they retired) is derived from خلص which means: (1) it was or became clear or pure or unmixed. They say خلص من القومi.e. he retired or withdrew or went away from the people. The Quranic expression خلصوا نجیا means, they retired, conferring privately together (Lane).

نجیا (conferring together in private). نجى is derived from نجا and means: (1) a secret; (2) one to whom a secret is confided; (3) one who confers with another in private; (4) the act of conferring in private (Aqrab).

کبیر (leader) means, great in body or rank or nobility; big or full-grown; learned or most knowing; teacher or master; lord or chief; old or advanced in age, etc. (Lane). See also 11:4.

Commentary:

Christian critics of the Quran accuse it of being ignorant of even well-known facts of history, basing their criticism on the fact that it was Judah, the fourth among the brothers, and not Reuben, the eldest of them—as they take the word کبیر(leader) to mean—who declared that he would not go back to his father without Benjamin. It is strange that, whenever these self-styled judges of the Quran happen to come across any difference between the narrative of the Quran and that of the Bible, they complacently assume the Bible to be right, as if it is altogether free from anachronism and misstatements, while the fact is that it has been shown even by Christian writers themselves to occupy a very low place among reliable books of history. To doubt the authenticity of an historical fact related by the Quran merely on the basis that it does not agree with the Bible is, to say the least, simply capricious. But even assuming the present Biblical account to be correct, the Quranic account cannot be found fault with. The word which the Quran has used with respect to the brother who refused to go is کبیر which means, "big" or "elder" and not اکبر which means "the eldest." Judah, being the fourth son of Jacob, was indeed one of the big or elder brothers of Joseph.

Again, کبیر does not always mean "big" or "elder" but, as shown under Important Words, it also means "leader" and "great in estimation, rank or dignity," and it is in this sense that the word has been used here and applies to Judah and not to Reuben. For, according to the Bible, the misconduct of Judah’s three elder brothers had resulted in his taking precedence over them (Gen. 49:3-8). Of him Jacob said, "Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise…thy father’s children shall bow down before thee." (Gen. 49:8). That Judah was greater than Reuben in the eyes of Jacob is also apparent from the fact that, when Reuben offered his two sons as hostages for Benjamin, Jacob refused to send Benjamin (Gen. 42:37, 38), but when Judah said, "I will be surety for him," Jacob gave his consent (Gen. 43:9-10).

Jacob’s prediction of Judah’s superiority started the long feud which later separated Judah and Israel.