اُمِّ
Appears 16 times in Quran
Derived Words (12)
Words derived from the stem "اُمِّ".
- mother
- the mother town
- then his mother
- then his mother shall have
- and my mother
- and to the unlearned
- thy mother
- illiterate
- his mother
- the Immaculate one
- the Immaculate one
- the unlearned
- the Unlettered people
- And from his mother
Occurrences in Quran
Found 16 verses containing "اُمِّ".
وَاَوۡحَیۡنَاۤ اِلٰۤی اُمِّ مُوۡسٰۤی اَنۡ اَرۡضِعِیۡہِ ۖ فَاِذَا خِفۡتِ عَلَیۡہِ فَاَلۡقِیۡہِ فِی الۡیَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِیۡ وَلَا تَحۡزَنِیۡۤ ۖ اِنَّا رَآدُّوۡہُ اِلَیۡکِ وَجَاعِلُوۡہُ مِنَ الۡمُرۡسَلِیۡنَ
20:39.
20:39.
20:39.
Commentary:
The preceding seven verses had spoken of Moses’ mission and by implication had referred to the mission of the Holy Prophet and in fact to the mission of every Prophet of God. From this verse, however, begins the actual story of Moses.
Whereas Moses was cast into the river by his mother to escape being killed by the people of Pharaoh, the Holy Prophet’s mother had to entrust him, while yet a child, to the care of a poor wet-nurse, to whom all the well-to-do families of Mecca had refused to entrust their babies on account of her poverty.
b
20:39.
a
20:39.
2882
Commentary:
The preceding seven verses had spoken of Moses’ mission and by implication had referred to the mission of the Holy Prophet and in fact to the mission of every Prophet of God. From this verse, however, begins the actual story of Moses.
Whereas Moses was cast into the river by his mother to escape being killed by the people of Pharaoh, the Holy Prophet’s mother had to entrust him, while yet a child, to the care of a poor wet-nurse, to whom all the well-to-do families of Mecca had refused to entrust their babies on account of her poverty.
b
20:39.
وَاَصۡبَحَ فُؤَادُ اُمِّ مُوۡسٰی فٰرِغًا ۖ اِنۡ کَادَتۡ لَتُبۡدِیۡ بِہٖ لَوۡلَاۤ اَنۡ رَّبَطۡنَا عَلٰی قَلۡبِہَا لِتَکُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ
Moses’s mother was so much pleased with Moses having been restored to her that out of extreme joy she was on the point of declaring that the child belonged to her. If God had not restrained her, she almost had told people about the whole affair—how she had received a Divine revelation and how in pursuance of it she had put the child into the river and so on.
Important Words:
فارغا (free from anxiety) is derived from فرغ which means, it was or became empty, void, devoid; he died. فرغ له means, he made him or it the object to which he directed himself. فارغ means, vacant, devoid of or free from care or anxiety or disquietude (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
The heart of Moses’ mother became free from care or anxiety because of the consolation and assurance given to her by Divine revelation referred to in v. 8 above. The pronoun ہ in به may refer either to Moses or to the matter concerned. In the first case the expression ان کادت لتبدی به would mean that Moses’ mother was so much pleased with Moses having been restored to her that out of joy she was on the point of declaring that the child belonged to her. In the second case the meaning would be that if God had not restrained her, she almost had told people about the whole affair—how she had received a Divine revelation and how in pursuance of it she had put the child into the river and so on.
2885
Important Words:
فارغا (free from anxiety) is derived from فرغ which means, it was or became empty, void, devoid; he died. فرغ له means, he made him or it the object to which he directed himself. فارغ means, vacant, devoid of or free from care or anxiety or disquietude (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
The heart of Moses’ mother became free from care or anxiety because of the consolation and assurance given to her by Divine revelation referred to in v. 8 above. The pronoun ہ in به may refer either to Moses or to the matter concerned. In the first case the expression ان کادت لتبدی به would mean that Moses’ mother was so much pleased with Moses having been restored to her that out of joy she was on the point of declaring that the child belonged to her. In the second case the meaning would be that if God had not restrained her, she almost had told people about the whole affair—how she had received a Divine revelation and how in pursuance of it she had put the child into the river and so on.
2202
Moses’s mother was so much pleased with Moses having been restored to her that out of extreme joy she was on the point of declaring that the child belonged to her. If God had not restrained her, she almost had told people about the whole affair—how she had received a Divine revelation and how in pursuance of it she had put the child into the river and so on.
فَرَدَدۡنٰہُ اِلٰۤی اُمِّہٖ کَیۡ تَقَرَّ عَیۡنُہَا وَلَا تَحۡزَنَ وَلِتَعۡلَمَ اَنَّ وَعۡدَ اللّٰہِ حَقٌّ وَّلٰکِنَّ اَکۡثَرَہُمۡ لَا یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ
وَمِنۡہُمۡ اُمِّیُّوۡنَ لَا یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ الۡکِتٰبَ اِلَّاۤ اَمَانِیَّ وَاِنۡ ہُمۡ اِلَّا یَظُنُّوۡنَ
Ummiyyun signifies those who follow no revealed Book. The word is plural of Ummiyy which means, one who cannot read or write.
Important Words:
امیون (illiterate persons) is the plural of امی which means, one who can neither write nor read. The word is said to have been derived from ام (mother), for an امی (illiterate person) continues, as it were, the same as when born of his mother (Aqrab). امیalso signifies: (1) one not having a revealed Scripture; (2) one belonging to the Arab nation (Lane).
امانی (false notions) derived from منی is the plural of امنیة meaning: (1) a desire; (2) an object of desire; (3) falsehood; (4) reading or recitation (Aqrab).
Commentary:
There is yet a third class among the Jews who have no knowledge of the Book at all. They have only their own false notions or desires, and, instead of trying to understand the Book and basing their faith on conviction, they depend upon their own whims. Their knowledge is not based on God’s Book. They rather twist the Book according to their own vain desires and false notions. It is a case of the wish being father to the thought. As the word also means, reading or recitation, the verse in this sense would mean that the Jews only know the letter of the Law and have lost all contact with its spirit. They read the Book but do not understand it.
85
Important Words:
امیون (illiterate persons) is the plural of امی which means, one who can neither write nor read. The word is said to have been derived from ام (mother), for an امی (illiterate person) continues, as it were, the same as when born of his mother (Aqrab). امیalso signifies: (1) one not having a revealed Scripture; (2) one belonging to the Arab nation (Lane).
امانی (false notions) derived from منی is the plural of امنیة meaning: (1) a desire; (2) an object of desire; (3) falsehood; (4) reading or recitation (Aqrab).
Commentary:
There is yet a third class among the Jews who have no knowledge of the Book at all. They have only their own false notions or desires, and, instead of trying to understand the Book and basing their faith on conviction, they depend upon their own whims. Their knowledge is not based on God’s Book. They rather twist the Book according to their own vain desires and false notions. It is a case of the wish being father to the thought. As the word also means, reading or recitation, the verse in this sense would mean that the Jews only know the letter of the Law and have lost all contact with its spirit. They read the Book but do not understand it.
113A
Ummiyyun signifies those who follow no revealed Book. The word is plural of Ummiyy which means, one who cannot read or write.
وَمَا کَانَ رَبُّکَ مُہۡلِکَ الۡقُرٰی حَتّٰی یَبۡعَثَ فِیۡۤ اُمِّہَا رَسُوۡلًا یَّتۡلُوۡا عَلَیۡہِمۡ اٰیٰتِنَا ۚ وَمَا کُنَّا مُہۡلِکِی الۡقُرٰۤی اِلَّا وَاَہۡلُہَا ظٰلِمُوۡنَ
اردو میں بستی کی جمع بستیاں بغیر خاص ضرورت کے نہیں آتی اور عربی میں بستیوں سے مراد ملک ہوتا ہے۔
6:132; 11:118; 20:135; 26:209.
The unusual frequency and universality of natural calamities in the form of famines, wars, earthquakes and epidemics during the last five or six decades call for the appearance of a Divine Reformer in the present time.
6:132; 11:118; 20:135; 26:209.
Commentary:
Two laws have been enunciated in this verse: (1) No people are punished until God has first raised among them a Messenger who warns them of the impending punishment and exhorts them to repent and give up their evil ways. (2) No people are punished unless they have given themselves up to sin and iniquity and have completely closed the doors of repentance upon themselves.
The unusual frequency and universality of natural calamities in the form of famines, wars, earthquakes and epidemics during the last five or six decades call for the appearance of a Divine Messenger in the present time. That Divine Messenger appeared in the fullness of time in the person of Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement.
a
6:132; 11:118; 20:135; 26:209.
965
最近五六十年中, 饥馑、战争、地震和瘟疫等天然灾难异乎寻常地频繁和普遍发生, 正呼求着一个现代宗教复兴者的出现。
3
اردو میں بستی کی جمع بستیاں بغیر خاص ضرورت کے نہیں آتی اور عربی میں بستیوں سے مراد ملک ہوتا ہے۔
c
6:132; 11:118; 20:135; 26:209.
2920
Commentary:
Two laws have been enunciated in this verse: (1) No people are punished until God has first raised among them a Messenger who warns them of the impending punishment and exhorts them to repent and give up their evil ways. (2) No people are punished unless they have given themselves up to sin and iniquity and have completely closed the doors of repentance upon themselves.
The unusual frequency and universality of natural calamities in the form of famines, wars, earthquakes and epidemics during the last five or six decades call for the appearance of a Divine Messenger in the present time. That Divine Messenger appeared in the fullness of time in the person of Ahmad, the Promised Messiah and Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement.
a
6:132; 11:118; 20:135; 26:209.
2226
The unusual frequency and universality of natural calamities in the form of famines, wars, earthquakes and epidemics during the last five or six decades call for the appearance of a Divine Reformer in the present time.
فَاِنۡ حَآجُّوۡکَ فَقُلۡ اَسۡلَمۡتُ وَجۡہِیَ لِلّٰہِ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِ ۗ وَقُل لِّلَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡکِتٰبَ وَالۡاُمِّیّٖنَ ءَاَسۡلَمۡتُمۡ ۚ فَاِنۡ اَسۡلَمُوۡا فَقَدِ اہۡتَدَوۡا ۖ وَّاِنۡ تَوَلَّوۡا فَاِنَّمَا عَلَیۡکَ الۡبَلٰغُ ۗ وَاللّٰہُ بَصِیۡرٌۢ بِالۡعِبَادِ
4:126.
5:93, 100; 13:41; 16:83.
People of the Book and Ummiyyin (those who follow no revealed Book) comprise the whole of mankind.
See {113A} and {1058}.
If the People of the Book and those who follow no revealed Scripture were to surrender themselves to God, they would surely accept the Holy Prophet and be rightly guided, the former because clear prophecies are found in their Scriptures regarding him and the latter because of the combined testimony of nature, human conscience and common sense.
4:126.
5:93, 100; 13:41; 16:83.
Important Words:
امیین (the unlearned), see 2:79.
الذین اوتوا الکتاب (those who have been given the Book), i.e. the People of the Book. The two expressions, i.e. امیین and الذین اوتوا الکتاب comprise the whole of mankind. الذین اوتوا الکتاب are those people who possess and profess to follow a revealed scripture; and امیون are those who accept and follow no such Book.
Commentary:
If the People of the Book and those who follow no revealed Scripture were to submit to God, they would surely accept the Holy Prophet and be rightly guided, the former because clear prophecies are found in their Scriptures regarding him and the latter because of the combined testimony of nature, human conscience and common sense. Submission to God is the source of all true guidance. One stumbles and loses the right path only when one deviates from the course of submission, bowing to authorities other than God.
a
4:126.
b
5:93, 100; 13:41; 16:83.
a
4:126.
b
5:93, 100; 13:41; 16:83.
312
Important Words:
امیین (the unlearned), see 2:79.
الذین اوتوا الکتاب (those who have been given the Book), i.e. the People of the Book. The two expressions, i.e. امیین and الذین اوتوا الکتاب comprise the whole of mankind. الذین اوتوا الکتاب are those people who possess and profess to follow a revealed scripture; and امیون are those who accept and follow no such Book.
Commentary:
If the People of the Book and those who follow no revealed Scripture were to submit to God, they would surely accept the Holy Prophet and be rightly guided, the former because clear prophecies are found in their Scriptures regarding him and the latter because of the combined testimony of nature, human conscience and common sense. Submission to God is the source of all true guidance. One stumbles and loses the right path only when one deviates from the course of submission, bowing to authorities other than God.
a
4:126.
b
5:93, 100; 13:41; 16:83.
384
People of the Book and Ummiyyin (those who follow no revealed Book) comprise the whole of mankind.
385
See {113A} and {1058}.
386
If the People of the Book and those who follow no revealed Scripture were to surrender themselves to God, they would surely accept the Holy Prophet and be rightly guided, the former because clear prophecies are found in their Scriptures regarding him and the latter because of the combined testimony of nature, human conscience and common sense.
۞ وَمِنۡ اَہۡلِ الۡکِتٰبِ مَنۡ اِنۡ تَاۡمَنۡہُ بِقِنۡطَارٍ یُّؤَدِّہٖۤ اِلَیۡکَ وَمِنۡہُمۡ مَّنۡ اِنۡ تَاۡمَنۡہُ بِدِیۡنَارٍ لَّا یُؤَدِّہٖۤ اِلَیۡکَ اِلَّا مَا دُمۡتَ عَلَیۡہِ قَآئِمًا ۗ ذٰلِکَ بِاَنَّہُمۡ قَالُوۡا لَیۡسَ عَلَیۡنَا فِی الۡاُمِّیّٖنَ سَبِیۡلٌ وَّیَقُوۡلُوۡنَ عَلَی اللّٰہِ الۡکَذِبَ وَہُمۡ یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ
ڈھیر قِنْطَار کا ترجمہ ہے مگر اردو میں ڈھیر نہیں کہتے۔ بلکہ کسی چیز کا ڈھیر کہتے ہیں اس لئے ہم نے مال کا لفظ زائد کر دیا ہے اور اسے بریکٹ میں رکھا ہے کیونکہ اس کے بغیر صحیح معنے ظاہر نہ ہوتے تھے۔
In the time of the Holy Prophet the idea had gained ground among the Jews that it was no sin to rob a Gentile (non-Jew) Arab of his possession and property because the latter followed a false religion. Possibly, the idea had its origin in the Jewish law of usury, which makes an invidious distinction between a Jew and a non-Jew regarding the giving and taking of interest (Exod. 22: 25; Lev. 25: 36, 37; Deut. 23: 20).
Commentary:
The words, We are not liable to blame in the matter of the unlearned, refer to a notion prevalent among Jews in the time of the Holy Prophet that it was no sin to rob the gentile Arabs of their possessions, because the latter followed a false religion. The Jews believed that they were at liberty to do as they liked concerning Muslims and would not be called to account for it. Possibly, they deduced this queer doctrine from the Jewish law of usury, which makes an invidious distinction between a Jew and a non-Jew regarding the giving and taking of interest (Exod. 22:25; Lev. 25:36, 37; Deut. 23:20, 21).
Another meaning of this verse is obtained if we take the words "trust", "treasure", "dinar", etc., in a figurative sense. The Bible contains not only prophecies about the Holy Prophet of Islam, but also clear injunctions to the People of the Book to accept him when he made his appearance. This was in the nature of a "trust" with them. But when the Promised Prophet appeared, they refused to surrender that trust, except a few of them who accepted Islam. These it is that are spoken of as returning the treasure they are trusted with, whereas those who not only rejected the Holy Prophet but even refused to admit that their scriptures contained any prophecies about him are likened to such as would not even return a "dinar" entrusted to them unless you keep standing over them, i.e. unless you force them in argument to admit the truth.
3
ڈھیر قِنْطَار کا ترجمہ ہے مگر اردو میں ڈھیر نہیں کہتے۔ بلکہ کسی چیز کا ڈھیر کہتے ہیں اس لئے ہم نے مال کا لفظ زائد کر دیا ہے اور اسے بریکٹ میں رکھا ہے کیونکہ اس کے بغیر صحیح معنے ظاہر نہ ہوتے تھے۔
364
Commentary:
The words, We are not liable to blame in the matter of the unlearned, refer to a notion prevalent among Jews in the time of the Holy Prophet that it was no sin to rob the gentile Arabs of their possessions, because the latter followed a false religion. The Jews believed that they were at liberty to do as they liked concerning Muslims and would not be called to account for it. Possibly, they deduced this queer doctrine from the Jewish law of usury, which makes an invidious distinction between a Jew and a non-Jew regarding the giving and taking of interest (Exod. 22:25; Lev. 25:36, 37; Deut. 23:20, 21).
Another meaning of this verse is obtained if we take the words "trust", "treasure", "dinar", etc., in a figurative sense. The Bible contains not only prophecies about the Holy Prophet of Islam, but also clear injunctions to the People of the Book to accept him when he made his appearance. This was in the nature of a "trust" with them. But when the Promised Prophet appeared, they refused to surrender that trust, except a few of them who accepted Islam. These it is that are spoken of as returning the treasure they are trusted with, whereas those who not only rejected the Holy Prophet but even refused to admit that their scriptures contained any prophecies about him are likened to such as would not even return a "dinar" entrusted to them unless you keep standing over them, i.e. unless you force them in argument to admit the truth.
429
In the time of the Holy Prophet the idea had gained ground among the Jews that it was no sin to rob a Gentile (non-Jew) Arab of his possession and property because the latter followed a false religion. Possibly, the idea had its origin in the Jewish law of usury, which makes an invidious distinction between a Jew and a non-Jew regarding the giving and taking of interest (Exod. 22: 25; Lev. 25: 36, 37; Deut. 23: 20).
یُوۡصِیۡکُمُ اللّٰہُ فِیۡۤ اَوۡلٰدِکُمۡ ۖ لِلذَّکَرِ مِثۡلُ حَظِّ الۡاُنۡثَیَیۡنِ ۚ فَاِنۡ کُنَّ نِسَآءً فَوۡقَ اثۡنَتَیۡنِ فَلَہُنَّ ثُلُثَا مَا تَرَکَ ۖ وَاِنۡ کَانَتۡ وٰحِدَۃً فَلَہَا النِّصۡفُ ۚ وَلِاَبَوَیۡہِ لِکُلِّ وٰحِدٍ مِّنۡہُمَا السُّدُسُ مِمَّا تَرَکَ اِنۡ کَانَ لَہٗ وَلَدٌ ۚ فَاِنۡ لَّمۡ یَکُنۡ لَّہٗ وَلَدٌ وَّوَرِثَہٗۤ اَبَوَاہُ فَلِاُمِّہِ الثُّلُثُ ۚ فَاِنۡ کَانَ لَہٗۤ اِخۡوَۃٌ فَلِاُمِّہِ السُّدُسُ ۚ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ وَصِیَّۃٍ یُّوۡصِیۡ بِہَاۤ اَوۡ دَیۡنٍ ۗ اٰبَآؤُکُمۡ وَاَبۡنَآؤُکُمۡ لَا تَدۡرُوۡنَ اَیُّہُمۡ اَقۡرَبُ لَکُمۡ نَفۡعًا ۚ فَرِیۡضَۃً مِّنَ اللّٰہِ ۗ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ کَانَ عَلِیۡمًا حَکِیۡمًا
4:177.
这节经文规定一个死者的近亲不论男女或出生的先后应得他遗产的份额。儿女、双亲、丈夫与妻子是主要继承人, 如果他们活着, 不论在什么情况下应得自己的一份, 其他有名份的亲戚只能在特殊情况下得到他们的一份。男的比女的应得的份额要多一倍, 因为他们负责维持家计 (مَعَانِی, Ma‘ani, ii.P.32)。这节经文开始时制定关于子女所得份额的比例的一般法则。一个儿子应得等于两个女儿的份额。因此, 凡是儿子和女儿都有的情况下, 就按这一法则办事。如果只有女儿而没有儿子, 经文规定把遗产的三分之二分给两个以上的女儿; 把二分之一给独生女。如果是两个女儿那应该分得多少, 经文没明确说明。但此句中用一个连接词 ف (fa, 但是), “但是如果有两个以上的女儿”, 这清楚地指出两个女儿已包括在前面 “两个女儿” 这几个字中。而且两个女人应得的份数可以在这节经文开始时所说的男女应得份数的比例中推想出来。按照那个比例, 一个儿子可得两个女儿的份数。因此, 如果有一个儿子和一个女儿, 那个儿子可得三分之二的遗产。可是, 由于一个儿子可得等于 “两个女儿” 的份额, 因此没有儿子而有两个女儿的情况下可得三分之二, 即等于经文明确说明给三个女儿相同的份额。因此, 这节经文的结构表明, 如果死者有两个女儿而没有儿子, 她们像有三个女儿的情况那样也可得三分之二的遗产。假如 «古兰经» 的这一句并不指两个女儿应得的份额, 那么, 这句用字就应该像这样, “一个男人应得一个女人两倍的份额”, 而不是像现在那样的句子。关于双亲的份额经文中谈了三种情况: (1) 如果一个人死了留下一个或几个儿女, 那么, 父母亲中每个人应得六分之一。(2) 如果一个人死后无儿女, 他的父母是惟一继承人 (死者没有妻子或丈夫), 那么, 母亲应得三分之一的财产, 其馀的三分之二归父亲所有。(3) 还有第三种情况, 实际上是第二种情况的例外。一个人死后无嗣, 他的父母亲是惟一的继承人, 但他有兄弟姐妹, 那么, 虽然他的兄弟姐妹不能继承他的财产, 但他们的存在会影响他父母亲的份额, 因为, 在这种情况下, 母亲将得六分之一 (不是像第二种情况那样得三份之一), 其余的六分之五归父亲所有。父亲在这种情况下被授予较大的份额的理由是, 父亲还要负担死者兄弟姐妹的生活。关于继承权的这一论题, 在随后的经文中继续谈下去。
4:177.
Father and mother both (Lane).
Walad means, (1) a child, son, daughter or a young one; (2) children, sons, daughters, offspring or young ones. The word is used both as singular and plural, feminine and masculine (Lane).
The verse prescribes suitable shares for all near relatives in the property of a deceased person without distinction of sex or order of birth. Children, parents, husbands and wives are the principal heirs who, if alive, get suitable shares in all circumstances, other relations having a title only in special cases. A male has been given double the share of a female because he has been made responsible for the maintenance of his family (Ma‘ani, ii. p.32). The verse begins by laying down a general rule as to the proportion of shares between sons and daughters. A son is to have as much as two daughters. So, wherever there are both sons and daughters, this rule will come in force. When, however, there are only daughters and no son, the verse allots two- thirds of the legacy to the daughters, if there are more than two of them; and one-half if there is only one. The share of daughters in case there are two is not expressly stated. But the use of the conjunction fa’ (but) in the clause, but if there be
4:177.
Important Words:
ابویه (his parents) is really ابوینه, the letter ن being dropped owing to اضافة. The word ابوین is the genitive of ابوان which is the dual form of اب which is originally ابو meaning, father or grandfather or any male ancestor or paternal uncle. ابوانliterally meaning "two fathers" signifies "father and mother" (Lane).
ولد (child) is very general in its significance meaning: (1) a child, son, daughter or a young one; (2) children, sons, daughters, offspring or young ones. Thus the word is used both as singular and plural, feminine and masculine (Lane).
Commentary:
This and the succeeding verse combined with the last verse of the Surah give the Islamic law of inheritance in a nutshell.
Islam prescribes suitable shares for all near relatives in the property of a deceased person without distinction of sex or order of birth. Children, parents, husbands and wives are the principal heirs who, if alive, get suitable shares in all circumstances, other relations having a title only in special cases. A male has been given double the share of a female because he has been made responsible for the maintenance of the family (Ma‘ani, vol. ii, p. 32).
The Islamic law of inheritance is perfect and it safeguards against all evils that result from laws prescribed by, or in vogue in, other faiths and communities. It aims at a fair distribution of wealth and equal chances of progress for all. To give the property of a deceased parent to the firstborn son only or to exclude the female members from inheritance or to disinherit parents in the presence of children has proved a veritable curse for society in many ways—moral, social and economic. The Islamic law of inheritance, reinforced by the system of Zakah (prescribed alms) and by the injunction prohibiting the giving and taking of interest, provides a golden mean between capitalism and communism—the two evil extremes of the present-day economic system.
The verse begins by laying down a general rule as to the proportion of shares between sons and daughters. A son is to have as much as two daughters. So wherever there are both sons and daughters, this rule will come in force. When, however, there are only daughters and no son, the verse allots two-thirds of the legacy to the daughters if there are more than two of them, and one-half if there is only one. The share of daughters, in case there are two, is not expressly stated. But the use of the conjunction فا (but) in the clause, but if there be females only, numbering more than two, clearly points to the fact that the share of two females has been referred to in the preceding words "two females". Moreover, the share of two females can be gathered from what has already been said in the beginning of the verse about the ratio between the shares of the males and the females. According to that ratio, a son is to get as much as two daughters. Thus, if there be one son and one daughter, the son will have two-thirds. But as the share of one son has been made equal to that of "two daughters", the latter, in case there is no son, will have two-thirds, viz., the same share as has been expressly fixed for three daughters. Thus, the very construction of the verse shows that if there be two daughters and no son, they too, as in the case of three daughters, will get two-thirds. If it had not been the object of the Quran to point to the share of two daughters in the clause, it would have been something like this, "a male shall have twice as much as a female", and not as it is now.
The above meaning is corroborated by a saying of the Holy Prophet himself. It is related that when a Companion of the Holy Prophet named Sa‘d bin Rabi‘ah died in the Battle of Uhud, leaving two daughters and one widow, his brother took away the whole property, leaving nothing for the two daughters. Thereupon the widow of Sa‘d went to the Holy Prophet and said, "Here are the two daughters of Sa‘d. Their uncle has taken the whole of his property and has left nothing for them." The Holy Prophet told her to wait till God should decide the matter. Then this verse was revealed and the Prophet called upon Sa‘d’s brother to give two-thirds of Sa‘d’s property to his two daughters and one-eighth to their mother and keep the rest for himself (Tirmidhi & Dawud).
The verse speaks of three cases as regards the share of the parents: (1) If a person dies leaving one or more children, then each of his parents shall have one-sixth; (2) If a person dies issueless and his parents are the sole heirs (there being no wife or husband of the deceased person), then the mother will have one-third of the property and the remaining two-thirds will go to the father; (3) There is a third case, which is really an exception to the second case. A man dies without issue and his parents are his sole heirs, but he has brothers or sisters. Then, although his brother or sisters will not inherit from him, yet their presence will affect the share of the parents, for, in this case, the mother will have one-sixth (instead of one-third, as in the second case) and the remaining five-sixths will go to the father. The reason why the father is awarded a larger share in this case is that the father has also to support the brothers or sisters of the deceased. The subject of inheritance is continued in the succeeding verse.
b
4:177.
314
这节经文规定一个死者的近亲不论男女或出生的先后应得他遗产的份额。儿女、双亲、丈夫与妻子是主要继承人, 如果他们活着, 不论在什么情况下应得自己的一份, 其他有名份的亲戚只能在特殊情况下得到他们的一份。男的比女的应得的份额要多一倍, 因为他们负责维持家计 (مَعَانِی, Ma‘ani, ii.P.32)。这节经文开始时制定关于子女所得份额的比例的一般法则。一个儿子应得等于两个女儿的份额。因此, 凡是儿子和女儿都有的情况下, 就按这一法则办事。如果只有女儿而没有儿子, 经文规定把遗产的三分之二分给两个以上的女儿; 把二分之一给独生女。如果是两个女儿那应该分得多少, 经文没明确说明。但此句中用一个连接词 ف (fa, 但是), “但是如果有两个以上的女儿”, 这清楚地指出两个女儿已包括在前面 “两个女儿” 这几个字中。而且两个女人应得的份数可以在这节经文开始时所说的男女应得份数的比例中推想出来。按照那个比例, 一个儿子可得两个女儿的份数。因此, 如果有一个儿子和一个女儿, 那个儿子可得三分之二的遗产。可是, 由于一个儿子可得等于 “两个女儿” 的份额, 因此没有儿子而有两个女儿的情况下可得三分之二, 即等于经文明确说明给三个女儿相同的份额。因此, 这节经文的结构表明, 如果死者有两个女儿而没有儿子, 她们像有三个女儿的情况那样也可得三分之二的遗产。假如 «古兰经» 的这一句并不指两个女儿应得的份额, 那么, 这句用字就应该像这样, “一个男人应得一个女人两倍的份额”, 而不是像现在那样的句子。关于双亲的份额经文中谈了三种情况: (1) 如果一个人死了留下一个或几个儿女, 那么, 父母亲中每个人应得六分之一。(2) 如果一个人死后无儿女, 他的父母是惟一继承人 (死者没有妻子或丈夫), 那么, 母亲应得三分之一的财产, 其馀的三分之二归父亲所有。(3) 还有第三种情况, 实际上是第二种情况的例外。一个人死后无嗣, 他的父母亲是惟一的继承人, 但他有兄弟姐妹, 那么, 虽然他的兄弟姐妹不能继承他的财产, 但他们的存在会影响他父母亲的份额, 因为, 在这种情况下, 母亲将得六分之一 (不是像第二种情况那样得三份之一), 其余的六分之五归父亲所有。父亲在这种情况下被授予较大的份额的理由是, 父亲还要负担死者兄弟姐妹的生活。关于继承权的这一论题, 在随后的经文中继续谈下去。
b
4:177.
494
Important Words:
ابویه (his parents) is really ابوینه, the letter ن being dropped owing to اضافة. The word ابوین is the genitive of ابوان which is the dual form of اب which is originally ابو meaning, father or grandfather or any male ancestor or paternal uncle. ابوانliterally meaning "two fathers" signifies "father and mother" (Lane).
ولد (child) is very general in its significance meaning: (1) a child, son, daughter or a young one; (2) children, sons, daughters, offspring or young ones. Thus the word is used both as singular and plural, feminine and masculine (Lane).
Commentary:
This and the succeeding verse combined with the last verse of the Surah give the Islamic law of inheritance in a nutshell.
Islam prescribes suitable shares for all near relatives in the property of a deceased person without distinction of sex or order of birth. Children, parents, husbands and wives are the principal heirs who, if alive, get suitable shares in all circumstances, other relations having a title only in special cases. A male has been given double the share of a female because he has been made responsible for the maintenance of the family (Ma‘ani, vol. ii, p. 32).
The Islamic law of inheritance is perfect and it safeguards against all evils that result from laws prescribed by, or in vogue in, other faiths and communities. It aims at a fair distribution of wealth and equal chances of progress for all. To give the property of a deceased parent to the firstborn son only or to exclude the female members from inheritance or to disinherit parents in the presence of children has proved a veritable curse for society in many ways—moral, social and economic. The Islamic law of inheritance, reinforced by the system of Zakah (prescribed alms) and by the injunction prohibiting the giving and taking of interest, provides a golden mean between capitalism and communism—the two evil extremes of the present-day economic system.
The verse begins by laying down a general rule as to the proportion of shares between sons and daughters. A son is to have as much as two daughters. So wherever there are both sons and daughters, this rule will come in force. When, however, there are only daughters and no son, the verse allots two-thirds of the legacy to the daughters if there are more than two of them, and one-half if there is only one. The share of daughters, in case there are two, is not expressly stated. But the use of the conjunction فا (but) in the clause, but if there be females only, numbering more than two, clearly points to the fact that the share of two females has been referred to in the preceding words "two females". Moreover, the share of two females can be gathered from what has already been said in the beginning of the verse about the ratio between the shares of the males and the females. According to that ratio, a son is to get as much as two daughters. Thus, if there be one son and one daughter, the son will have two-thirds. But as the share of one son has been made equal to that of "two daughters", the latter, in case there is no son, will have two-thirds, viz., the same share as has been expressly fixed for three daughters. Thus, the very construction of the verse shows that if there be two daughters and no son, they too, as in the case of three daughters, will get two-thirds. If it had not been the object of the Quran to point to the share of two daughters in the clause, it would have been something like this, "a male shall have twice as much as a female", and not as it is now.
The above meaning is corroborated by a saying of the Holy Prophet himself. It is related that when a Companion of the Holy Prophet named Sa‘d bin Rabi‘ah died in the Battle of Uhud, leaving two daughters and one widow, his brother took away the whole property, leaving nothing for the two daughters. Thereupon the widow of Sa‘d went to the Holy Prophet and said, "Here are the two daughters of Sa‘d. Their uncle has taken the whole of his property and has left nothing for them." The Holy Prophet told her to wait till God should decide the matter. Then this verse was revealed and the Prophet called upon Sa‘d’s brother to give two-thirds of Sa‘d’s property to his two daughters and one-eighth to their mother and keep the rest for himself (Tirmidhi & Dawud).
The verse speaks of three cases as regards the share of the parents: (1) If a person dies leaving one or more children, then each of his parents shall have one-sixth; (2) If a person dies issueless and his parents are the sole heirs (there being no wife or husband of the deceased person), then the mother will have one-third of the property and the remaining two-thirds will go to the father; (3) There is a third case, which is really an exception to the second case. A man dies without issue and his parents are his sole heirs, but he has brothers or sisters. Then, although his brother or sisters will not inherit from him, yet their presence will affect the share of the parents, for, in this case, the mother will have one-sixth (instead of one-third, as in the second case) and the remaining five-sixths will go to the father. The reason why the father is awarded a larger share in this case is that the father has also to support the brothers or sisters of the deceased. The subject of inheritance is continued in the succeeding verse.
b
4:177.
573
Father and mother both (Lane).
574
Walad means, (1) a child, son, daughter or a young one; (2) children, sons, daughters, offspring or young ones. The word is used both as singular and plural, feminine and masculine (Lane).
574A
The verse prescribes suitable shares for all near relatives in the property of a deceased person without distinction of sex or order of birth. Children, parents, husbands and wives are the principal heirs who, if alive, get suitable shares in all circumstances, other relations having a title only in special cases. A male has been given double the share of a female because he has been made responsible for the maintenance of his family (Ma‘ani, ii. p.32). The verse begins by laying down a general rule as to the proportion of shares between sons and daughters. A son is to have as much as two daughters. So, wherever there are both sons and daughters, this rule will come in force. When, however, there are only daughters and no son, the verse allots two- thirds of the legacy to the daughters, if there are more than two of them; and one-half if there is only one. The share of daughters in case there are two is not expressly stated. But the use of the conjunction fa’ (but) in the clause, but if there be
وَاِذۡ قَالَ اللّٰہُ یٰعِیۡسَی ابۡنَ مَرۡیَمَ ءَاَنۡتَ قُلۡتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُوۡنِیۡ وَاُمِّیَ اِلٰہَیۡنِ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰہِ ۖ قَالَ سُبۡحٰنَکَ مَا یَکُوۡنُ لِیۡۤ اَنۡ اَقُوۡلَ مَا لَیۡسَ لِیۡ بِحَقٍّ ۚ اِنۡ کُنۡتُ قُلۡتُہٗ فَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتَہٗ ۚ تَعۡلَمُ مَا فِیۡ نَفۡسِیۡ وَلَاۤ اَعۡلَمُ مَا فِیۡ نَفۡسِکَ ۚ اِنَّکَ اَنۡتَ عَلّٰمُ الۡغُیُوۡبِ
قَالَ ماضی ہے لیکن اس سے مراد قیامت کا دن ہے۔ یعنی اللہ تعالیٰ اس دن کہے گا۔ اس کی دلیل یہ ہے کہ مسیحیوں نے مسیحؑ اور اس کی ماں کو مسیح کے مرنے کے بہت بعد خدا بنایا ہے۔
5:110; 9:78; 34:49.
The verse refers to the practice of the Christian Church to ascribe Divine powers to Mary. Mary’s help is invoked in Litany, and in Catechism of the Roman Church the doctrine that she is the mother of God is inculcated. Church Fathers in the past have regarded her as Divine and only a few years ago Pope Pius XII incorporated the bodily ascension of Mary in the doctrine of the Church. All this amounts to raising her to the pedestal of Divinity and this is what Protestants denounce as Mariolatry.
The Arabic expression in the text which is translated as "I could never" may also be interpreted as: It did not behove me; or it was impossible for me; or I had no right; to do so, etc.
5:110; 9:78; 34:49.
Important Words:
The words ما یکون لی (I could not) may be interpreted in various ways, such as, it was not fitting or proper for me to do so; or it did not behove me; or it was beyond my power or position; or it was impossible for me; or I had no right to do so, etc. See also 3:80.
نفس (mind) means, among other things, knowledge; purpose or intention (Lane). See also 3:29.
Commentary:
The expression, Holy art Thou, besides hinting that it is only God Who is free from error, embodies a beautiful reply on the part of Jesus to the question put to him by God in the words, didst thou say to men, 'Take me and my mother for two gods', which seemed to imply a sort of reproach and an expression of displeasure. The reply of Jesus appears to be something like this: "I was only a humble Messenger, O God, therefore I could not ask men to take me and my mother as gods beside Thee, for if I had done so, that would have been a reflection on Thee that Thou didst choose as Thy Messenger a person who turned faithless to Thee and asked his followers to take him and his mother as gods beside Thee. But Thy choice, o God, cannot be wrong; hence it was impossible that I, a Messenger of Thine, should have bidden men take me and my mother as gods, and Thine own all-embracing knowledge, o God, is a testimony of my innocence."
The word نفس (mind) when used about God implies "intention." Thus the last sentence of the verse would mean, "I do not know what Thou meanest by this question. Thou, being All-Knowing, well knowest that I did not say so; hence, I fail to understand the object or purpose of Thy ques-tion." This reply of Jesus shows that in his heart he was afraid that some shortcoming in the execution of his duty might have displeased the Almighty.
a
5:110; 9:78; 34:49.
406
经文中的阿拉伯习用语被译成 “我永不能说”, 也可以被译成: 我不应该 (说); 或我不可能 (说); 或无权(说); 这样做, 等等。
3
قَالَ ماضی ہے لیکن اس سے مراد قیامت کا دن ہے۔ یعنی اللہ تعالیٰ اس دن کہے گا۔ اس کی دلیل یہ ہے کہ مسیحیوں نے مسیحؑ اور اس کی ماں کو مسیح کے مرنے کے بہت بعد خدا بنایا ہے۔
a
5:110; 9:78; 34:49.
744
Important Words:
The words ما یکون لی (I could not) may be interpreted in various ways, such as, it was not fitting or proper for me to do so; or it did not behove me; or it was beyond my power or position; or it was impossible for me; or I had no right to do so, etc. See also 3:80.
نفس (mind) means, among other things, knowledge; purpose or intention (Lane). See also 3:29.
Commentary:
The expression, Holy art Thou, besides hinting that it is only God Who is free from error, embodies a beautiful reply on the part of Jesus to the question put to him by God in the words, didst thou say to men, 'Take me and my mother for two gods', which seemed to imply a sort of reproach and an expression of displeasure. The reply of Jesus appears to be something like this: "I was only a humble Messenger, O God, therefore I could not ask men to take me and my mother as gods beside Thee, for if I had done so, that would have been a reflection on Thee that Thou didst choose as Thy Messenger a person who turned faithless to Thee and asked his followers to take him and his mother as gods beside Thee. But Thy choice, o God, cannot be wrong; hence it was impossible that I, a Messenger of Thine, should have bidden men take me and my mother as gods, and Thine own all-embracing knowledge, o God, is a testimony of my innocence."
The word نفس (mind) when used about God implies "intention." Thus the last sentence of the verse would mean, "I do not know what Thou meanest by this question. Thou, being All-Knowing, well knowest that I did not say so; hence, I fail to understand the object or purpose of Thy ques-tion." This reply of Jesus shows that in his heart he was afraid that some shortcoming in the execution of his duty might have displeased the Almighty.
a
5:110; 9:78; 34:49.
811
The verse refers to the practice of the Christian Church to ascribe Divine powers to Mary. Mary’s help is invoked in Litany, and in Catechism of the Roman Church the doctrine that she is the mother of God is inculcated. Church Fathers in the past have regarded her as Divine and only a few years ago Pope Pius XII incorporated the bodily ascension of Mary in the doctrine of the Church. All this amounts to raising her to the pedestal of Divinity and this is what Protestants denounce as Mariolatry.
812
The Arabic expression in the text which is translated as "I could never" may also be interpreted as: It did not behove me; or it was impossible for me; or I had no right; to do so, etc.
اَلَّذِیۡنَ یَتَّبِعُوۡنَ الرَّسُوۡلَ النَّبِیَّ الۡاُمِّیَّ الَّذِیۡ یَجِدُوۡنَہٗ مَکۡتُوۡبًا عِنۡدَہُمۡ فِی التَّوۡرٰٮۃِ وَالۡاِنۡجِیۡلِ یَاۡمُرُہُمۡ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِ وَیَنۡہٰٮہُمۡ عَنِ الۡمُنۡکَرِ وَیُحِلُّ لَہُمُ الطَّیِّبٰتِ وَیُحَرِّمُ عَلَیۡہِمُ الۡخَبٰٓئِثَ وَیَضَعُ عَنۡہُمۡ اِصۡرَہُمۡ وَالۡاَغۡلٰلَ الَّتِیۡ کَانَتۡ عَلَیۡہِمۡ ۚ فَالَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا بِہٖ وَعَزَّرُوۡہُ وَنَصَرُوۡہُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّوۡرَ الَّذِیۡۤ اُنۡزِلَ مَعَہٗۤ ۙ اُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡمُفۡلِحُوۡنَ
48:30.
3:105.
29:49; 42:53; 62:3.
اُمِّی (Ummi) 的意思是, 属于或附属于母亲的, 也就是说, 像婴孩那样的天真无知; 没有启示的经典的人, 尤其是一个阿拉伯人; 不知道如何看书或写字的人;属于麦加的人, 它叫 اُمُّ الْقُرَى (Ummul-Qura), 即各城市之母。如果 Ummi 这个单词的意思作 “不识字的” 解释, 那么, 这节经文意示: 虽然穆圣没有受过任何教育而且是不大识字的; 但安拉赐给他如此丰富的知识使他能把光明和引导给予甚至大家认为是学识和启发最高超的那些人。有些基督教作者假装怀疑穆圣不能看书写字的这一事实。牧师先生惠利 (Wherry) 在他的 «古兰经» 注释中说, “他和阿里在一起应该在同一家庭中受过训练, 阿里既知道看书又知道写字, 而他却没有受到相似的教育, 这是可能的吗? 他进行一种重要的商业好几年而没有文字的一些知识, 这是可能的吗? 在较后的年月里他肯定能看书写字。传说告诉我们, 他对他的一个书记员穆阿威亚 (مُعَاوِيَة, Mu‘awiyah) 说, 把 ب (ba’) 画得要直, 把 س (sin) 分得要确当’, 等等, 而且在他的最后时刻他叫人拿写字的东西给他。他用抄写员并不妨碍他知道书写的方法, 因为在那个时代, 这样地用抄写员是平常的事, 即使最有学问的人中间也有这样做的。” 这种论据是太可怜了: 因为穆圣 “和阿里在一个屋里受训练, 阿里既能看书又能写字”, 因此他也学会了读书写字。这只是暴露了这位牧师先生对穆圣的一生的许多主要事实的无知。阿里与穆圣不可能在一起受训练和长大, 他们的年龄相差许多岁数。穆圣比阿里大二十九岁之多。且不说他们两人年龄相差之大明显地排除了穆圣和阿里在一起受教育和训练的可能性, 而且阿里就是在穆圣亲自的养护和训练之下在他家里受训练的 (هِشَامْ, Hisham,希沙姆)。阿布塔利布 (اَبُوْ طَالِبْ, Abu Talib) 是一个非常贫穷的人, 穆圣在他家里长大, 他意识不到学问和知识的价值, 掌握知识和学问在他那时候也不认为是一种财富和收获。穆圣因此在他家里一直是不识字的。可是, 阿里是在穆圣自己的家里长大的, 穆圣与一个极有名望的富有女子卡迪贾 (خَدِيْجَة, Khadijah) 结婚, 使他可支配极丰富的财产。他也充份认识到良好的教育是一件无价的东西。因此, 在他慈祥的关怀和崇高的影响之下, 用那时的标准来判断, 阿里自然长成一个受有良好教育的青年。
惠里 (Wherry) 的第二个不同意见是, 假如穆圣是文盲, 他不知道如何看书写字的话, 他就不能成为像他实际上那样的一个成功的商人。这一个不同意见是由于对穆圣时代的一个好的和成功的阿拉伯商人的错误概念而产生的。假如惠里知道在亚洲, 即使在现在二十世纪, 还有许多非常成功的商人, 他们甚至连初等教育都没有受过的话, 那么, 他就不会有这种反对意见。穆圣时代的麦加, 教育并不很受欢迎。几乎没有几个人能看书写字, 却有许多人的生意做得非常成功和兴旺。那时在阿拉伯, 教育并不是一个好商人绝对必要的东西。而且, 事实是卡迪贾给了穆圣一个叫梅萨拉 (مَيْسَرَة, Maisarah) 的奴隶。这个奴隶会看书写字并且总是在穆圣做买卖的旅途上陪着他。这就有力驳斥了惠利的反对意见。
传说, 穆圣有一次要穆阿威亚把字母 ب(ba’) 和 س(sin) 写对, 这一件事看来并不十分可靠。在阿巴斯王朝时期, 贬抑伍麦叶王朝的许多传说都是假造出来的。这一传说力图突出尊贵的伍麦亚家族中的一个杰出人员穆阿威亚, 把他说是一个几乎没有受过教育的人, 连像 ب (ba’) 和 س (sin) 这样一些简单的字母都不能写对, 虽然如此, 即使这一传说证明是可靠的, 它也不能说明穆圣是识字的。因为他已习惯于口授 «古兰经», 对他说来已经熟悉了字母的一般形状并对其中一个写错的字作了指点, 这不是不可能的。
穆圣在他生命的最后时刻叫人去拿笔和纸, 也不能证实惠利的假设。每当要启示任何一节经文时, 穆圣常常叫人拿笔和纸来, 然后口授给他的书记员中的一个人, 要他写下向他启示的内容, 这是历史上的既成事实。仅仅叫人去拿笔和纸这件事, 因此也不能证明穆圣自己知道读书和写字。惠利用来支持他的论点的这句话: “奉你养主之名而宣读吧” 也证明不了什么东西。اِقْرَأ (Iqra’) (读) 这个阿拉伯单词用于96:2经文中, 它不仅意味着一份写出来的东西, 而且也意味着重复和背诵 (复述) 一个人听到别人讲过的东西。而且, 圣训证实了这一个事实: 第一次启示时, 吉布里尔天使讲出 اِقْرَأ (Iqra’) 读吧这句话时, 穆圣面前事实上没有放着什么写出来的东西可读。不过叫他口头复述天使正在对他朗诵的内容。还有, 有些基督教作者声称, 穆圣不能读书写字源出于一种误解, 即他反复说自己是一个 “不识字的先知”。这一种话是既无根据又不可思议。那些和穆圣长年来日夜相处并看见他看书写字的人居然看不出穆圣是不识字而仅仅听他反复说自己不识字就会误信他不识字, 岂不令人惊异。至于 “他 (穆圣) 用抄写员并不妨碍他知道书写的方法, 因为在那个时代, 这样用抄写员是平常的事, 即使最有学问的人中间也有这样做的”, 这一论点暴露出惠利对阿拉伯和伊斯兰教历史的无知。事实是, 在穆圣那个时代, 阿拉伯人中间还没有 عُلَمَاء (Ulama’), 即现在这个单词被理解的意义--------学者, 他们也不会经常雇用抄写员或文书。没有阿拉伯人雇用过抄写员的事例记录。学者们的意见完全一致, 认定穆圣在启示开始对他降示以前, 是既不能看书又不能写字的人。«古兰经» 对这点是十分清楚地阐明了的: 穆圣至少在声称自己为安拉的使者以前是不识字的。(29:49) 但是在他接近后半生时他学会辩认少数几个单词。
«圣经» 上几处有关穆圣的预言, 见 «马太» 23:39; «约翰» 14:16, 26; 16:7-14; «申命记» 18:18和 33:2; «以赛亚书» 21:13-17和20:62; «雅歌» 1:5-6; «哈巴谷书» 3:3-7。
یعنی محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم۔
یہود اور نصاریٰ کی طرف ضمیر جاتی ہے۔
See 3:105.
29:49; 42:53; 62:3.
48:30.
Ummi means, belonging to or pertaining to the mother, i.e. as innocent as a child at the breast of its mother; one not having a revealed Scripture, particularly an Arab; one who does not know how to read or write; one belonging to Mecca which was known as Ummul-Qura, i.e. the mother of towns. If the word Ummi be taken in the sense of "unlettered," the verse would signify that although the Holy Prophet had received no education whatever and was quite unread, yet God vouchsafed to him such knowledge as would impart light and guidance even to those who are considered to be most advanced in learning and enlightenment. Some Christian writers have pretended to doubt the fact that the Holy Prophet could not read or write. Says Reverend Wherry in his 'Commentary of the Qur’an'—. "Is it likely that he should have been trained in the same household with ‘Ali, who knew both how to read and write and not have received similar instruction? Could he have conducted an important mercantile busin
For some of the prophecies of the Bible about the Holy Prophet see Matt. 23: 39: John, 14: 16, 26; 16: 7-14; Deut. 18: 18 and 33: 2; Isa. 21: 13-17 and 62: 2, Song of Solomon, 1: 5, 6; Habakkuk 3-7.
29:49; 42:53; 62:3.
48:30.
See 3:105.
Important Words:
امی (Immaculate One) is derived from ام. They say امه i.e. he repaired to it; or he aimed at or sought after it; or he endeavoured to get it. ماکنت اما ولقد اممت means, thou wast not a mother, but thou hast come to be sought like a mother. امیmeans, belonging to or pertaining to the mother, i.e. as innocent as a child at the breast of its mother. The word also means, one not having a revealed Scripture, parti-cularly an Arab; one who does not know the art of reading or writing; one belonging to Mecca which was known as ام القری i.e. the mother of towns. See also 3:21.
اغلال (shackles) is the plural of غل (ghullun) which is derived from غل (ghalla). They say غل فلانا i.e. he put upon the neck or the hand of such a one a collar or a manacle, etc. غل, therefore, means, a ring or collar of iron put upon the neck; a shackle for the neck or the hand; a pinion or manacle for the hand; a shackle of iron collecting together the two hands to the neck; a difficult and fatiguing work. The Arabs say ھذاغل فی عنقك i.e. this is tied to your neck, meaning, it is inseparable from you and the punishment of it will stick to you (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
This verse qualifies and explains the last sentence of the previous verse, viz. those who believe in Our Signs.
The verse puts the words "Messenger" and "Prophet" side by side which may lead some to think that one may be a Messenger without being a Prophet or vice versa. But this is not so. A رسول (Messenger) of God is also a نبی (Prophet) of God. The former epithet is applied to him in his relation to God from Whom he brings a message, while the latter is applied to him in his relation to men to whom he conveys that message, the word نبی (Prophet) meaning, one who prophesies, or makes known hidden secrets.
The word امی (Ummi) literally means "belonging to the mother", i.e. as innocent as a newborn child. The Promised Prophet, who is none other than the Holy Prophet of Islam, has been called امی because he was to be innocent like a child at the breast of its mother. The word has also been translated as "illiterate" or "one belonging to Mecca" or "an Arab", but "innocent" or "immaculate" is a preferable rendering, inasmuch as it is in keeping with the sense of the prophecy contained in Deut. 18:18-22 to which this verse particularly refers and wherein truthfulness has been mentioned as a distinctive feature of the Promised Prophet. For some of the prophecies of the Bible about the Holy Prophet see under 2:42 and also Matt. 23:39; John 14:16, 26; 16:7-14; Acts 3:21-24.
If the word امی be taken in the sense of "unlettered", the verse would signify that although the Prophet had received no education whatever and was quite unread and illiterate, yet God vouchsafed to him such knowledge as can impart light and guidance even to those who are considered to be most advanced in learning and enlightenment.
The illiteracy (امیة) of the Holy Prophet, mentioned in this verse and believed to have also been hinted at in 10:17, has been subjected to much hostile criticism. George Sale, a well-known Christian commentator of the Quran, writes as follows: "For so old was Muhammad before he took upon him to be a Prophet, during which time his fellow-citizens well knew that he had not applied himself to learning of any sort, nor frequented learned men, nor had ever exercised himself in composing verses or orations, whereby he might acquire the art of rhetoric or elegance of speech" (Prelim. Disc, Section II).
Referring to this view of Sale, another Christian commentator of the Quran, the Rev. E. M. Wherry, says:
"This view, however, does not agree with what is recorded of his previous career. Is it likely that he should have been trained in the same household with ‘Ali, who knew both how to read and write, and not have received similar instruction? Could he have conducted an important mercantile business for years without some knowledge of letters? That he could read and write in later years is certain. Tradition tells us, he said to Mu‘awiyah, one of his secretaries: 'Draw the ب straight, divide the س properly', etc., and that in his last moments he called for writing materials. The question arises, when did he acquire this art? The commentators say that God gave him the power, as he did his inspiration, and they quote chap. xcvi. 4, one of the earliest verses of the Quran, in proof. Certainly that verse seems to teach clearly that he could write as well as read, though it by no means teaches that he had not received the knowledge of both beforehand, or that he did not receive it in the ordinary way. His use of amanuenses does not militate against his knowledge of the art of writing, for such use of amanuenses was common in that age, even among the most learned. But still there remains the testimony of many traditions and the almost universal belief of Muhammadans. How account for this? I am inclined to think it originated with a misunderstanding of Muhammad’s repeated claim that he was the "Illiterate Prophet", or rather the "Prophet of the Illiterate", the term "illiterate" being generally applied by the Jews to the Arabs. See notes on chap. v. 85, 86. This misunderstanding turned out to the furtherance of Muhammad’s claims, inasmuch as the miracle of the matchless style of the Quran was enhanced by the consideration that the Prophet was illiterate. On the whole, we think there is very good reason for believing Muhammad to have been acquainted with the art of both reading and writing from an early period in his life" (Commentary of the Quran, ii. 326).
The above constitutes the gist of Wherry’s criticism of the generally accepted view that the Holy Prophet was امی or illiterate. But this contention seems to possess no substance. It is indeed a poor argument to say that because the Prophet "had been trained in the same house with ‘Ali, who knew both how to read and write", therefore he should also have learnt reading and writing. It only betrays ignorance of elementary facts of the Holy Prophet’s life on the part of the reverend gentleman. Even a desultory acquaintance with the life history of the Holy Prophet should make one know that ‘Ali and the Holy Prophet could not be brought up together. There was a great difference between the ages of the two. The Prophet was no less than 29 years older than ‘Ali; therefore, it was impossible for the two to be trained and brought up together.
Those whom prejudice against the Holy Prophet has not blinded to the patent facts of history know that, let alone the Prophet being educated and trained together with ‘Ali, which the great disparity in their ages evidently obviated, it was ‘Ali who got his training in the house and under the fostering care of the Holy Prophet (Hisham). Abu Talib in whose house the Holy Prophet was brought up was a man of very meagre means. He did not know the value of learning and knowledge nor was their possession regarded as an asset and acquisition in his time. The Holy Prophet, therefore, remained illiterate in his house. But ‘Ali was brought up in the house of the Holy Prophet himself, whose marriage with Khadijah, a wealthy lady of great repute, had placed ample means at his disposal. The Prophet also fully realized how priceless a thing good education was. So under his benign care and ennobling influence, ‘Ali, judged by the standards of that time, naturally grew up to be a young man of good education.
Wherry’s second objection is that if the Holy Prophet had been illiterate and did not know how to read and write, he could not have proved such a successful business man as he actually was. This objection is born of the mistaken concept of a good and successful Arab business man of the Prophet’s time. Judging by the present European standards of a successful business man, Wherry thought that lack of education and success in business could not go together. He would not have made this objection if he had known that in Asia even in the present twentieth century, highly successful business men are to be found who have not received even elementary education. In Mecca, in the Holy Prophet’s time, education was not much in favour. There were very few persons there who could read and write, though hundreds carried on most successful and flourishing business. Education was not at that time regarded in Arabia as the sine qua non of a good business man. Moreover, the fact that Khadijah had given the Prophet, a slave named Maisara who knew reading and writing and who always accompanied him on his trade journeys, knocks the bottom out of Wherry’s objection.
The tradition which says that the Holy Prophet had once asked Mu‘awiyah to write correctly the letters ب and س does not seem to be quite reliable. In the ‘Abbasid period many traditions derogatory to the Umayyads were forged. This tradition seeks to show off Mu‘awiyah, a prominent member of the distinguished House of Umayyah, as a man of very poor education who could not even write properly such simple letters as ب and س. Even, however, if this tradition be proved to be reliable, it does not show that the Holy Prophet was literate, because he had become so used to dictating the Quran that it was not impossible for him to have become familiar with the general form of letters and to give instruction regarding an improperly written word. It is also possible that someone, while rehearsing some portion of the Quran to the Prophet, might have stopped at a certain place, not being able to decipher the writing, and the Holy Prophet having asked the cause of stopping, the reader might have replied that the delay was due to the letters ب and سnot having been written properly or legibly. This might have led the Holy Prophet to instruct Mu‘awiyah to see that the letters were written correctly.
The fact that the Holy Prophet sent for pen and paper in the last moments of his life also lends no support to Wherry’s assumption. It is an established fact of history that whenever any verse was revealed, the Holy Prophet used to send for pen and paper and dictate to one of his scribes what had been revealed to him. The mere sending for pen and paper cannot, therefore, prove that the Holy Prophet himself knew how to read and write.
Nor do the words, referred to by Wherry in support of his contention viz. "read in the name of thy Lord", prove anything. The Arabic word اقرء (read) used in the verse referred to above not only means the reading of a written thing, but also repeating and rehearsing what one hears from another person. Again, the words ھویحسن القراءة (i.e. he recites well) occurring in a tradition can be spoken of even of a blind man who can recite the Quran properly and well. Moreover, the Hadith establishes the fact that when, at the time of the first revelation, the angel Gabriel said to the Prophet اقرء(read), no writing was actually placed before him to read. He was simply asked to repeat orally what the angel was reciting to him. The word قراءة not only means to read a writing but to repeat orally or recite or rehearse what another man has uttered.
Wherry’s inference that the idea that the Holy Prophet could not read or write originated with a misunderstanding of his repeated claim that he was the "Illiterate Prophet", is as strange as it is ill-based. It is really very surprising to say that those with whom he had lived day and night for years could not find out that he was illiterate but were misled into this belief only by his own repeated claim that he was امی (illiterate). Only a man of Wherry’s hostile attitude could come to such a conclusion. The question is whether it was the Prophet’s own contempor-aries who suffered from this misunderstanding or those who came afterwards. If it were the former, then the question would naturally arise how those, who saw him daily with their own eyes reading and writing, could possibly fall victims to the glaring misunderstanding that he was illiterate. If it were the latter class, even then the whole theory of misunderstanding advanced by Wherry looks frivolous, because the argument put forward by him is that because the Holy Prophet was considered to be illiterate, therefore, the matchless style of the Quran was regarded as a miracle. This inference is both foolish and flimsy, inasmuch as Muslims and other contemporaries of the Prophet, who were fully aware that he knew quite well how to read and write, could never believe in such a miracle.
Wherry’s last argument in support of his contention, that "his (the Holy Prophet’s) use of amanuenses does not militate against his knowledge of the art of writing, for such use of amanuenses was common in that age, even among the most learned," betrays his ignorance of Arab and Islamic history. The fact is that there were no ulema or learned men among the Arabs in the time of the Holy Prophet in the sense in which this word is understood now, nor were they used to keeping amanuenses and scribes. There is no instance on record of an amanuensis having been kept by an Arab. We know of only one learned man among the Meccans in the Prophet’s time, viz. Waraqah bin Naufal, and he was his own secretary. It is a pity that in their zeal for misrepresenting Islam, some Christian writers do not even hesitate to invent historical facts.
The words, and remove from them their burden and shackles, occurring in the latter part of the verse, contain a hint that by accepting the Promised Prophet Christians will get rid of the curse of the original sin of Adam and Eve and of the punishment thereof which, according to them, has dogged their footsteps through no fault of theirs.
a
48:30.
b
3:105.
f
29:49; 42:53; 62:3.
521
اُمِّی (Ummi) 的意思是, 属于或附属于母亲的, 也就是说, 像婴孩那样的天真无知; 没有启示的经典的人, 尤其是一个阿拉伯人; 不知道如何看书或写字的人;属于麦加的人, 它叫 اُمُّ الْقُرَى (Ummul-Qura), 即各城市之母。如果 Ummi 这个单词的意思作 “不识字的” 解释, 那么, 这节经文意示: 虽然穆圣没有受过任何教育而且是不大识字的; 但安拉赐给他如此丰富的知识使他能把光明和引导给予甚至大家认为是学识和启发最高超的那些人。有些基督教作者假装怀疑穆圣不能看书写字的这一事实。牧师先生惠利 (Wherry) 在他的 «古兰经» 注释中说, “他和阿里在一起应该在同一家庭中受过训练, 阿里既知道看书又知道写字, 而他却没有受到相似的教育, 这是可能的吗? 他进行一种重要的商业好几年而没有文字的一些知识, 这是可能的吗? 在较后的年月里他肯定能看书写字。传说告诉我们, 他对他的一个书记员穆阿威亚 (مُعَاوِيَة, Mu‘awiyah) 说, 把 ب (ba’) 画得要直, 把 س (sin) 分得要确当’, 等等, 而且在他的最后时刻他叫人拿写字的东西给他。他用抄写员并不妨碍他知道书写的方法, 因为在那个时代, 这样地用抄写员是平常的事, 即使最有学问的人中间也有这样做的。” 这种论据是太可怜了: 因为穆圣 “和阿里在一个屋里受训练, 阿里既能看书又能写字”, 因此他也学会了读书写字。这只是暴露了这位牧师先生对穆圣的一生的许多主要事实的无知。阿里与穆圣不可能在一起受训练和长大, 他们的年龄相差许多岁数。穆圣比阿里大二十九岁之多。且不说他们两人年龄相差之大明显地排除了穆圣和阿里在一起受教育和训练的可能性, 而且阿里就是在穆圣亲自的养护和训练之下在他家里受训练的 (هِشَامْ, Hisham,希沙姆)。阿布塔利布 (اَبُوْ طَالِبْ, Abu Talib) 是一个非常贫穷的人, 穆圣在他家里长大, 他意识不到学问和知识的价值, 掌握知识和学问在他那时候也不认为是一种财富和收获。穆圣因此在他家里一直是不识字的。可是, 阿里是在穆圣自己的家里长大的, 穆圣与一个极有名望的富有女子卡迪贾 (خَدِيْجَة, Khadijah) 结婚, 使他可支配极丰富的财产。他也充份认识到良好的教育是一件无价的东西。因此, 在他慈祥的关怀和崇高的影响之下, 用那时的标准来判断, 阿里自然长成一个受有良好教育的青年。
惠里 (Wherry) 的第二个不同意见是, 假如穆圣是文盲, 他不知道如何看书写字的话, 他就不能成为像他实际上那样的一个成功的商人。这一个不同意见是由于对穆圣时代的一个好的和成功的阿拉伯商人的错误概念而产生的。假如惠里知道在亚洲, 即使在现在二十世纪, 还有许多非常成功的商人, 他们甚至连初等教育都没有受过的话, 那么, 他就不会有这种反对意见。穆圣时代的麦加, 教育并不很受欢迎。几乎没有几个人能看书写字, 却有许多人的生意做得非常成功和兴旺。那时在阿拉伯, 教育并不是一个好商人绝对必要的东西。而且, 事实是卡迪贾给了穆圣一个叫梅萨拉 (مَيْسَرَة, Maisarah) 的奴隶。这个奴隶会看书写字并且总是在穆圣做买卖的旅途上陪着他。这就有力驳斥了惠利的反对意见。
传说, 穆圣有一次要穆阿威亚把字母 ب(ba’) 和 س(sin) 写对, 这一件事看来并不十分可靠。在阿巴斯王朝时期, 贬抑伍麦叶王朝的许多传说都是假造出来的。这一传说力图突出尊贵的伍麦亚家族中的一个杰出人员穆阿威亚, 把他说是一个几乎没有受过教育的人, 连像 ب (ba’) 和 س (sin) 这样一些简单的字母都不能写对, 虽然如此, 即使这一传说证明是可靠的, 它也不能说明穆圣是识字的。因为他已习惯于口授 «古兰经», 对他说来已经熟悉了字母的一般形状并对其中一个写错的字作了指点, 这不是不可能的。
穆圣在他生命的最后时刻叫人去拿笔和纸, 也不能证实惠利的假设。每当要启示任何一节经文时, 穆圣常常叫人拿笔和纸来, 然后口授给他的书记员中的一个人, 要他写下向他启示的内容, 这是历史上的既成事实。仅仅叫人去拿笔和纸这件事, 因此也不能证明穆圣自己知道读书和写字。惠利用来支持他的论点的这句话: “奉你养主之名而宣读吧” 也证明不了什么东西。اِقْرَأ (Iqra’) (读) 这个阿拉伯单词用于96:2经文中, 它不仅意味着一份写出来的东西, 而且也意味着重复和背诵 (复述) 一个人听到别人讲过的东西。而且, 圣训证实了这一个事实: 第一次启示时, 吉布里尔天使讲出 اِقْرَأ (Iqra’) 读吧这句话时, 穆圣面前事实上没有放着什么写出来的东西可读。不过叫他口头复述天使正在对他朗诵的内容。还有, 有些基督教作者声称, 穆圣不能读书写字源出于一种误解, 即他反复说自己是一个 “不识字的先知”。这一种话是既无根据又不可思议。那些和穆圣长年来日夜相处并看见他看书写字的人居然看不出穆圣是不识字而仅仅听他反复说自己不识字就会误信他不识字, 岂不令人惊异。至于 “他 (穆圣) 用抄写员并不妨碍他知道书写的方法, 因为在那个时代, 这样用抄写员是平常的事, 即使最有学问的人中间也有这样做的”, 这一论点暴露出惠利对阿拉伯和伊斯兰教历史的无知。事实是, 在穆圣那个时代, 阿拉伯人中间还没有 عُلَمَاء (Ulama’), 即现在这个单词被理解的意义--------学者, 他们也不会经常雇用抄写员或文书。没有阿拉伯人雇用过抄写员的事例记录。学者们的意见完全一致, 认定穆圣在启示开始对他降示以前, 是既不能看书又不能写字的人。«古兰经» 对这点是十分清楚地阐明了的: 穆圣至少在声称自己为安拉的使者以前是不识字的。(29:49) 但是在他接近后半生时他学会辩认少数几个单词。
522
«圣经» 上几处有关穆圣的预言, 见 «马太» 23:39; «约翰» 14:16, 26; 16:7-14; «申命记» 18:18和 33:2; «以赛亚书» 21:13-17和20:62; «雅歌» 1:5-6; «哈巴谷书» 3:3-7。
1
یعنی محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم۔
2
یہود اور نصاریٰ کی طرف ضمیر جاتی ہے۔
d
29:49; 42:53; 62:3.
e
48:30.
f
See 3:105.
1047
Important Words:
امی (Immaculate One) is derived from ام. They say امه i.e. he repaired to it; or he aimed at or sought after it; or he endeavoured to get it. ماکنت اما ولقد اممت means, thou wast not a mother, but thou hast come to be sought like a mother. امیmeans, belonging to or pertaining to the mother, i.e. as innocent as a child at the breast of its mother. The word also means, one not having a revealed Scripture, parti-cularly an Arab; one who does not know the art of reading or writing; one belonging to Mecca which was known as ام القری i.e. the mother of towns. See also 3:21.
اغلال (shackles) is the plural of غل (ghullun) which is derived from غل (ghalla). They say غل فلانا i.e. he put upon the neck or the hand of such a one a collar or a manacle, etc. غل, therefore, means, a ring or collar of iron put upon the neck; a shackle for the neck or the hand; a pinion or manacle for the hand; a shackle of iron collecting together the two hands to the neck; a difficult and fatiguing work. The Arabs say ھذاغل فی عنقك i.e. this is tied to your neck, meaning, it is inseparable from you and the punishment of it will stick to you (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
This verse qualifies and explains the last sentence of the previous verse, viz. those who believe in Our Signs.
The verse puts the words "Messenger" and "Prophet" side by side which may lead some to think that one may be a Messenger without being a Prophet or vice versa. But this is not so. A رسول (Messenger) of God is also a نبی (Prophet) of God. The former epithet is applied to him in his relation to God from Whom he brings a message, while the latter is applied to him in his relation to men to whom he conveys that message, the word نبی (Prophet) meaning, one who prophesies, or makes known hidden secrets.
The word امی (Ummi) literally means "belonging to the mother", i.e. as innocent as a newborn child. The Promised Prophet, who is none other than the Holy Prophet of Islam, has been called امی because he was to be innocent like a child at the breast of its mother. The word has also been translated as "illiterate" or "one belonging to Mecca" or "an Arab", but "innocent" or "immaculate" is a preferable rendering, inasmuch as it is in keeping with the sense of the prophecy contained in Deut. 18:18-22 to which this verse particularly refers and wherein truthfulness has been mentioned as a distinctive feature of the Promised Prophet. For some of the prophecies of the Bible about the Holy Prophet see under 2:42 and also Matt. 23:39; John 14:16, 26; 16:7-14; Acts 3:21-24.
If the word امی be taken in the sense of "unlettered", the verse would signify that although the Prophet had received no education whatever and was quite unread and illiterate, yet God vouchsafed to him such knowledge as can impart light and guidance even to those who are considered to be most advanced in learning and enlightenment.
The illiteracy (امیة) of the Holy Prophet, mentioned in this verse and believed to have also been hinted at in 10:17, has been subjected to much hostile criticism. George Sale, a well-known Christian commentator of the Quran, writes as follows: "For so old was Muhammad before he took upon him to be a Prophet, during which time his fellow-citizens well knew that he had not applied himself to learning of any sort, nor frequented learned men, nor had ever exercised himself in composing verses or orations, whereby he might acquire the art of rhetoric or elegance of speech" (Prelim. Disc, Section II).
Referring to this view of Sale, another Christian commentator of the Quran, the Rev. E. M. Wherry, says:
"This view, however, does not agree with what is recorded of his previous career. Is it likely that he should have been trained in the same household with ‘Ali, who knew both how to read and write, and not have received similar instruction? Could he have conducted an important mercantile business for years without some knowledge of letters? That he could read and write in later years is certain. Tradition tells us, he said to Mu‘awiyah, one of his secretaries: 'Draw the ب straight, divide the س properly', etc., and that in his last moments he called for writing materials. The question arises, when did he acquire this art? The commentators say that God gave him the power, as he did his inspiration, and they quote chap. xcvi. 4, one of the earliest verses of the Quran, in proof. Certainly that verse seems to teach clearly that he could write as well as read, though it by no means teaches that he had not received the knowledge of both beforehand, or that he did not receive it in the ordinary way. His use of amanuenses does not militate against his knowledge of the art of writing, for such use of amanuenses was common in that age, even among the most learned. But still there remains the testimony of many traditions and the almost universal belief of Muhammadans. How account for this? I am inclined to think it originated with a misunderstanding of Muhammad’s repeated claim that he was the "Illiterate Prophet", or rather the "Prophet of the Illiterate", the term "illiterate" being generally applied by the Jews to the Arabs. See notes on chap. v. 85, 86. This misunderstanding turned out to the furtherance of Muhammad’s claims, inasmuch as the miracle of the matchless style of the Quran was enhanced by the consideration that the Prophet was illiterate. On the whole, we think there is very good reason for believing Muhammad to have been acquainted with the art of both reading and writing from an early period in his life" (Commentary of the Quran, ii. 326).
The above constitutes the gist of Wherry’s criticism of the generally accepted view that the Holy Prophet was امی or illiterate. But this contention seems to possess no substance. It is indeed a poor argument to say that because the Prophet "had been trained in the same house with ‘Ali, who knew both how to read and write", therefore he should also have learnt reading and writing. It only betrays ignorance of elementary facts of the Holy Prophet’s life on the part of the reverend gentleman. Even a desultory acquaintance with the life history of the Holy Prophet should make one know that ‘Ali and the Holy Prophet could not be brought up together. There was a great difference between the ages of the two. The Prophet was no less than 29 years older than ‘Ali; therefore, it was impossible for the two to be trained and brought up together.
Those whom prejudice against the Holy Prophet has not blinded to the patent facts of history know that, let alone the Prophet being educated and trained together with ‘Ali, which the great disparity in their ages evidently obviated, it was ‘Ali who got his training in the house and under the fostering care of the Holy Prophet (Hisham). Abu Talib in whose house the Holy Prophet was brought up was a man of very meagre means. He did not know the value of learning and knowledge nor was their possession regarded as an asset and acquisition in his time. The Holy Prophet, therefore, remained illiterate in his house. But ‘Ali was brought up in the house of the Holy Prophet himself, whose marriage with Khadijah, a wealthy lady of great repute, had placed ample means at his disposal. The Prophet also fully realized how priceless a thing good education was. So under his benign care and ennobling influence, ‘Ali, judged by the standards of that time, naturally grew up to be a young man of good education.
Wherry’s second objection is that if the Holy Prophet had been illiterate and did not know how to read and write, he could not have proved such a successful business man as he actually was. This objection is born of the mistaken concept of a good and successful Arab business man of the Prophet’s time. Judging by the present European standards of a successful business man, Wherry thought that lack of education and success in business could not go together. He would not have made this objection if he had known that in Asia even in the present twentieth century, highly successful business men are to be found who have not received even elementary education. In Mecca, in the Holy Prophet’s time, education was not much in favour. There were very few persons there who could read and write, though hundreds carried on most successful and flourishing business. Education was not at that time regarded in Arabia as the sine qua non of a good business man. Moreover, the fact that Khadijah had given the Prophet, a slave named Maisara who knew reading and writing and who always accompanied him on his trade journeys, knocks the bottom out of Wherry’s objection.
The tradition which says that the Holy Prophet had once asked Mu‘awiyah to write correctly the letters ب and س does not seem to be quite reliable. In the ‘Abbasid period many traditions derogatory to the Umayyads were forged. This tradition seeks to show off Mu‘awiyah, a prominent member of the distinguished House of Umayyah, as a man of very poor education who could not even write properly such simple letters as ب and س. Even, however, if this tradition be proved to be reliable, it does not show that the Holy Prophet was literate, because he had become so used to dictating the Quran that it was not impossible for him to have become familiar with the general form of letters and to give instruction regarding an improperly written word. It is also possible that someone, while rehearsing some portion of the Quran to the Prophet, might have stopped at a certain place, not being able to decipher the writing, and the Holy Prophet having asked the cause of stopping, the reader might have replied that the delay was due to the letters ب and سnot having been written properly or legibly. This might have led the Holy Prophet to instruct Mu‘awiyah to see that the letters were written correctly.
The fact that the Holy Prophet sent for pen and paper in the last moments of his life also lends no support to Wherry’s assumption. It is an established fact of history that whenever any verse was revealed, the Holy Prophet used to send for pen and paper and dictate to one of his scribes what had been revealed to him. The mere sending for pen and paper cannot, therefore, prove that the Holy Prophet himself knew how to read and write.
Nor do the words, referred to by Wherry in support of his contention viz. "read in the name of thy Lord", prove anything. The Arabic word اقرء (read) used in the verse referred to above not only means the reading of a written thing, but also repeating and rehearsing what one hears from another person. Again, the words ھویحسن القراءة (i.e. he recites well) occurring in a tradition can be spoken of even of a blind man who can recite the Quran properly and well. Moreover, the Hadith establishes the fact that when, at the time of the first revelation, the angel Gabriel said to the Prophet اقرء(read), no writing was actually placed before him to read. He was simply asked to repeat orally what the angel was reciting to him. The word قراءة not only means to read a writing but to repeat orally or recite or rehearse what another man has uttered.
Wherry’s inference that the idea that the Holy Prophet could not read or write originated with a misunderstanding of his repeated claim that he was the "Illiterate Prophet", is as strange as it is ill-based. It is really very surprising to say that those with whom he had lived day and night for years could not find out that he was illiterate but were misled into this belief only by his own repeated claim that he was امی (illiterate). Only a man of Wherry’s hostile attitude could come to such a conclusion. The question is whether it was the Prophet’s own contempor-aries who suffered from this misunderstanding or those who came afterwards. If it were the former, then the question would naturally arise how those, who saw him daily with their own eyes reading and writing, could possibly fall victims to the glaring misunderstanding that he was illiterate. If it were the latter class, even then the whole theory of misunderstanding advanced by Wherry looks frivolous, because the argument put forward by him is that because the Holy Prophet was considered to be illiterate, therefore, the matchless style of the Quran was regarded as a miracle. This inference is both foolish and flimsy, inasmuch as Muslims and other contemporaries of the Prophet, who were fully aware that he knew quite well how to read and write, could never believe in such a miracle.
Wherry’s last argument in support of his contention, that "his (the Holy Prophet’s) use of amanuenses does not militate against his knowledge of the art of writing, for such use of amanuenses was common in that age, even among the most learned," betrays his ignorance of Arab and Islamic history. The fact is that there were no ulema or learned men among the Arabs in the time of the Holy Prophet in the sense in which this word is understood now, nor were they used to keeping amanuenses and scribes. There is no instance on record of an amanuensis having been kept by an Arab. We know of only one learned man among the Meccans in the Prophet’s time, viz. Waraqah bin Naufal, and he was his own secretary. It is a pity that in their zeal for misrepresenting Islam, some Christian writers do not even hesitate to invent historical facts.
The words, and remove from them their burden and shackles, occurring in the latter part of the verse, contain a hint that by accepting the Promised Prophet Christians will get rid of the curse of the original sin of Adam and Eve and of the punishment thereof which, according to them, has dogged their footsteps through no fault of theirs.
a
See 3:105.
d
29:49; 42:53; 62:3.
e
48:30.
1058
Ummi means, belonging to or pertaining to the mother, i.e. as innocent as a child at the breast of its mother; one not having a revealed Scripture, particularly an Arab; one who does not know how to read or write; one belonging to Mecca which was known as Ummul-Qura, i.e. the mother of towns. If the word Ummi be taken in the sense of "unlettered," the verse would signify that although the Holy Prophet had received no education whatever and was quite unread, yet God vouchsafed to him such knowledge as would impart light and guidance even to those who are considered to be most advanced in learning and enlightenment. Some Christian writers have pretended to doubt the fact that the Holy Prophet could not read or write. Says Reverend Wherry in his 'Commentary of the Qur’an'—. "Is it likely that he should have been trained in the same household with ‘Ali, who knew both how to read and write and not have received similar instruction? Could he have conducted an important mercantile busin
1059
For some of the prophecies of the Bible about the Holy Prophet see Matt. 23: 39: John, 14: 16, 26; 16: 7-14; Deut. 18: 18 and 33: 2; Isa. 21: 13-17 and 62: 2, Song of Solomon, 1: 5, 6; Habakkuk 3-7.