خَٰسِرِينَ

Important Words:

فضل (grace) is derived from the verb فضل meaning: (1) it remained, the expression being used when a portion remains out of a larger number or quantity, the rest being given away or consumed; (2) it was in excess, or it was over and above a certain measure. Thus the noun فضل means: (1) something that is in excess or additional; (2) abundance; (3) a free gift, the giving of which is not obligatory on the giver; (4) a favour or grace or bounty (Aqrab & Lane). The word فضل is generally, though not always, spoken of such favours as pertain to temporal or worldly things (e.g. 62:11). See also the word رحمةbelow.

رحمة (mercy) is derived from رحم meaning (1) he showed mercy or compassion; (2) he was kind or tender; (3) he was beneficent; (4) he forgave. Thus رحمة means, mercy or compassion or kindness or tenderness or beneficence or forgiveness or inclination to show one of these. As رحم (rihm) means the womb of a woman, the word رحمة would further give the significance of tenderness or compassion as shown by a mother (Lane). رحمة in contrast to فضل (for which see above) is generally spoken of such acts of God’s kindness or mercy as relate to religious or spiritual matters. This is why the Holy Prophet has instructed his followers to ask for God’s رحمة when entering a mosque for Prayers, and for His فضل when coming out of it after Prayers (Tirmidhi).

Commentary:

After receiving God’s commandments on the Mount, the Israelites, instead of strengthening their connection with the Lord, showed laxity and carelessness in observing His behests (Num. 11:1); but as God wanted to uplift them and bestow His grace and mercy on them in matters temporal as well as spiritual, He forgave them their sins and saved them from being the losers.

3:20; 5:4.

Commentary:

The Jews and Christians used to say that they were not bound to accept Islam because it was the Quran that verified the Torah and the Gospel, and not the Torah and the Gospel that verified the Quran. Apart from the fact that the Quran does not "verify" the previous scriptures in the sense in which they understood it, their sense of false security has been shattered in this verse and it has been declared unequivocally that Islam is now the only religion acceptable to God. Even if the word اسلام (Islam) is here taken to signify not "the Religion of Islam" but "submission and resignation to the will of God", the present verse makes it binding on the People of the Book to accept Islam as it alone now represents the will of the Supreme Being.

2:110; 3:101.

Commentary:

It should be noted that Muslims are not enjoined here to have no dealings with non-Muslims; they are only warned against following such disbelievers as are enemies of Islam. They should remain on the alert against these, though they need not fear them, because God is on their side, as pointed out in the next verse.

Commentary:

Instead of directly and briefly saying that "he killed his brother", the verse expresses the same idea in a somewhat longer sentence, viz. his mind induced him to kill his brother, so he killed him. This is done to point to the great truth that it is man’s own نفس or mind, or more properly his own "self" which often becomes the source of evil for him.

Important Words:

For the meaning of the word محصنین (contracting valid marriage) and مسافحین (committing fornication) and اخدان (secret paramours). See 4:25, 26.

Commentary:

The verse declares that if a person from among the People of the Book invites a Muslim to dinner, it is lawful for the latter to accept the invitation and partake of the food of the former, provided, of course, the food does not include anything forbidden by Islam. Similarly, a Muslim is allowed to invite the People of the Book to dinner.

Some commentators have taken the word طعام (food) in the clause, the food of the People of the Book is lawful for you, in the sense of "flesh of animals used as food." In this sense, the verse would signify that Muslims are allowed to partake of the flesh of an animal slaughtered by one from among the People of the Book, provided, of course, the name of God has been pronounced on the slaughtered animal.

The words, And lawful for you are chaste believing women and chaste women from among those who were given the Book before you, are intended to hint that whereas Islam permits marriage of Muslim men with non-Muslim women from among the People of the Book, it certainly prefers that Muslim men should ordinarily marry only Muslim women.

The words یکفر بالایمان rendered as "rejects the faith" may either mean "turns apostate" which is its primary significance; or it may mean "is ungrateful respecting faith". For the meaning of the particle با see 1:1.

2:38.

Commentary:

Adam did not long remain in error. He soon realized his mistake and hastened to turn to God in repentance.

Commentary:

The disbelievers had threatened Shu‘aib with expulsion from their town, if he did not return to their religion (7:89). They forgot that it was not their but God’s town and He would allow whomsoever He pleased to dwell therein. So, in order to demonstrate that it was not they but God Who was the Master of the land, He so utterly destroyed them, and all signs of their habitations and dwellings were so completely effaced that it appeared as if they had never dwelt therein. That was indeed a fitting punishment for those who proudly called God’s land their own and threatened to drive God’s Messenger away therefrom.

The words, Those who accused Shu‘aib of lying, have been repeated in the second part of the verse to add further emphasis to the exemplary destruction of the rejecters of Shu‘aib. The concluding words of the verse, i.e. it was they who were the losers, contain a dreadful allusion to the words of the disbelieving chiefs who spoke of the followers of Shu‘aib as the losers (7:9 above), and point out that it is they, and not the followers of Shu‘aib, who are lost.

Important Words:

سقط فی ایدیھم –– suqita (they were smitten with remorse). The word سقط (saqata) means, he or it fell down; or dropped down from a higher to a lower place. They say سقط فی کلامه i.e. he committed a mistake in his speech. سقط فلان عن عینی means, such a one fell from the place he held in my regard. سقط فی یدہ means, he repented of what he had done; or he grieved for, and regretted, an act of inadvertence done by him; or he became confounded or perplexed and unable to see his right course. So فلماسقط فی ایدیھم means, when they repented; or when they struck their hands upon their hands by reason of repentance; or when they repented greatly. The expression has also been read as سقط فی ایدیھم (saqata) meaning, سقط الندم فی ایدیھم i.e. shame and repentance fell into their hands (viz. their shame and repentance became apparent). The word سقط is intransitive but it is used in the verse as if it were transitive. Such apparently transitive use of the word is permissible in rare cases as in the expression تمرة مسقوطة i.e. a fallen date (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

A party of those who had taken the calf for worship repented and felt ashamed of their deed before Moses returned, and, therefore, they were saved. The other party did not repent and, therefore, perished. They are here spoken of as "losers".