وَيَوْمَ

25:18; 67:9.

Commentary:

The main subject dealt with in the Surah is life after death and by implication the great spiritual revolution that was to be brought about by the Holy Prophet. The appeal of the Holy Prophet to the Quraish naturally split his people into two camps—the Faithful and the disbelievers. The present and the next few verses deal with the rejecters of the Prophet’s message and the fate that was in store for them. Life after death is another subject dealt with in these verses.

18:100; 20:103; 36:52; 78:19.

Commentary:

The words "when the trumpet will be blown" besides referring to the Day of Resurrection, refer to the New Order that was ushered in by the Holy Prophet as if by the blowing of a trumpet. As a result of this New Order and the great revolution that the Holy Prophet brought about in the Arabian society, those disbelievers who were regarded as their leaders and chiefs were humbled and humiliated.

11:99.

11:61,100.

Important Words:

مقبوحین (deprived of good) is the plural of مقبوح which is passive participle from قبح (qabaha). They say قبحه اللّٰه (qabbaha) i.e. God removed him or may God remove him far from good or prosperity or from all that is good, or God rendered him or may God render him foul, unseemly, unsightly, ugly or hideous or despised. مقبوح means, removed far from good or prosperity or from all that is good or from success or the attainment of that which he desires or seeks, or driven away like a dog or despised or rendered foul, unseemly, ugly or hideous. قبح (qabuha) which is intransitive form means, it was or became bad, abominable, ugly or hideous. قبیح which means, bad, ugly, abominable, etc. is formed from this verb (Lane & Aqrab).

See under 2:87.

28:75; 41:48.

5:110; 7:7.

16:28; 18:53; 28:63; 41:48.

Commentary:

After a brief mention about the powers and favours of God, made in the preceding few verses, the present verse reverts to the subject of the futility of idol worship and puts forth these Divine powers and favours as an argument in support of the Unity of God.

6:45.

Important Words:

For یبلس (seized with despair) see 2:35.

Commentary:

Taking the word الساعة (Hour) as referring to the day of the Battle of Badr, the word یبلس portrays the mental anguish of the Quraish on that day. It says that they were simply dumbfounded. They had not the faintest idea of the crushing defeat they suffered at the hands of the poor, almost unarmed, and ill-provisioned, handful of Muslims, whom they had expelled from their hearths and homes hardly a year ago. Their idols and associate-gods, as is mentioned in the next verse, did not and could not come to their help.

5:118.

Important Words:

The pronoun "it" in the clause, believe in it, stands for the false belief (referred to in the preceding verses) that Jesus met his death on the cross. So the verse signifies that both Jews and Christians will continue to believe in the supposed crucifixion of Jesus till the time of their death, when the veil will be lifted and everything will become clear. They are indeed bound to believe in the alleged death of Jesus on the cross. If the Jews do not do so, his truth becomes established and their whole position becomes indefensible. Similarly, if the Christians do not believe in it, the doctrine of Atonement becomes untenable and the entire fabric of Christianity crashes to pieces. So both these peoples go on sticking to this absurd and unfounded belief in the face of all reason and all established facts of history.

The attempts to make the words لیؤمنن به قبل موته (will believe in it before his death) mean "will believe in him (Jesus) before his (Jesus’) death" is simply ridiculous. The context spurns the idea, as does the second reading of the expression موته (his death) viz. موتھم (their death) reported by Ubayy (Jarir, vi. 13).

10:46; 46:36.

Commentary:

The verse means to say that when the hour of the triumph of Islam arrives and disbelief suffers defeat, the disbelievers will realize to their mortification and sorrow that the time of their prosperity and glory was indeed very short. It was but an hour!

10:29.

Commentary:

The verb تزعمون (you used to assert) has always been used in the Quran with regard to falsehood. It signifies an assertion of which one is not sure. Thus کنتم تزعمون (you used to assert) would mean, "you asserted with your tongues, while you had doubts in your minds".

14:20; 16:4; 29:45.

27:88; 39:69.

9:94; 13:10; 23:93; 39:47; 59:23.

Commentary:

The word کن (be) really denotes a simple command intended to bring about a change. When the word is used concerning a thing which does not exist, it naturally signifies the bringing into being something which God has willed. When, however, the word is used concerning a thing which already exists, then it generally means that the thing will come to nought when God so wills. Thus the sentence, He it is Who created…and the day He says, 'Be', it will be, signifies that everything is in the power of God; so when God issues a command concerning the breaking-up of the power of disbelievers, it will surely come to nought.

The expression, His word is the truth, means that the prophecy mentioned above is a true one and must come to pass and nothing can stop it. See the meaning of حق under 2:148 & 3:4.

The words, His will be the kingdom on the day when the trumpet will be blown, mean that the visible kingdom of God will be established when Islam triumphs and false and idolatrous beliefs and practices vanish. A Prophet of God is indeed a trumpet, through whom the voice of God is heard, and the sounding of the trumpet is a symbol for the wide publication and establishment of the teachings brought by him. Thus, the verse means that when the teachings of the Holy Prophet are widely published and accepted in the world and when Islam flourishes and triumphs, then the kingdom of God will be visibly established on the earth and on that day will idols be broken to pieces.

7:39-40; 10:29; 34:32.

Important Words:

معشر (company) is derived from عشر. They say عشر المال i.e. he took one-tenth of the property. عشرھم means, he took one from among them, they being ten. عشرة and عشر mean, ten. معشر means, a company; a collective body; a community; a family. It is so called because a company or community consists of many individuals, the word عشرة (ten) being that large and perfect number after which there is no number but what is composed of the units comprised in it (Lane).

الجن (jinn) is derived from جن (janna). They say جنه i.e. he veiled, concealed, hid, covered or protected him or it. That is the primary significance which is retained in all the derivations of the word. Thus a garden is known as جنة (jannat) because its trees cover or conceal the ground. A child in its mother’s womb is known as جنن because it lies concealed in the womb. The heart is known as جنان because it lies concealed in the bosom. A grave is known as جنن because it conceals the dead body. The piece of cloth worn by a woman is known as جنة (junnah) because it covers her head and bosom. A shield is known مجنة as because it covers and protects the fighter. Madness or insanity is known as جنون because it obscures and, as it were, veils the faculty of reason. A serpent is known as جان because it generally lies concealed in holes or dark corners. Similarly, جن (jinn) are so called because they are considered to be invisible bodies concealed from human sight. جن also means the prime or first part of a thing, probably because it covers or conceals the main body that follows (Lisan & Taj). For a fuller discussion of the word and an explanation of the jinn see note on 15:28. See also 6:101.

استکثرتم (you sought to make subservient to yourselves a great many) is derived from کثر which means, it was or became much or abundant or many or numerous. استکثر من الشیء means, he desired or wished much of the thing; or he reckoned it much, abundant or many (Lane). استکثرتم منھم signifies, you have misled many of them; or you have made many of them follow you; or you have made them subservient to yourselves (Kashshaf).

مثوی (abode) is derived from ثوی. They say ثوی بالمکان i.e. he remained, stayed, or abode in the place; or he stayed or dwelt long in it; he settled in the place; he alighted at the place. So مثوی means, a place where one remains, stays, dwells or abides; an abode or a dwelling; a place of alighting (Lane).

Commentary:

The verse definitely proves that at least here the Quran does not use the word jinn to signify a species other than mankind. The very words and the only possible signification of the verse contradict that sense. The word as used in this verse, which thus holds a sort of key position, cannot but mean great and powerful men as opposed to the weak and poor classes. The word جن as shown under Important Words is derived from a root which means to hide or conceal. As the beings properly known as jinn are hidden from the eyes of men, therefore, they have been called جن. The great men have also been called jinn because they very rarely mix with the general public and remain, as it were, hidden from them.

The sentence قد استکثرتم من الانس (you have sought to make subservient to yourselves a great many from among men) has two meanings: (1) you have taken to yourselves many from among the masses, i.e. you have won them over to your side and made them follow you and have thus misled them; (2) you have reckoned the masses to be many (as against God), i.e. you have attached more importance to the masses than to God; you did not accept the truth out of fear of the masses, lest they should desert you and cease to hold you in honour. It is indeed strange that just as the weak do not sometimes accept the truth out of fear of the great, lest they should inflict loss or pain on them, similarly the great are sometimes afraid of their humbler followers and do not accept the truth, fearing lest the latter should turn away from them and desert them. Heraclius, for instance, was convinced of the truth of the Holy Prophet but did not openly acknowledge it out of the fear of his subjects who, he thought, were bitterly opposed to Islam and would rebel against him, if he declared his faith (Bukhari).

The words, we profited from one another, imply that the friendships of disbelievers are also transitory and that they will fall out among themselves on the Day of Judgement. The poor will say: "We led lives of humiliation in subjection to the big ones who derived profit from us. So, o Lord, inflict upon them a double punishment." This also shows that the word jinn, here, does not refer to any creatures separate from human beings but to a special class of men; for if taken in that sense the above-quoted words cannot apply to them, for human beings do not profit from the genii nor the genii from human beings. It is only one class of man that profits by the other, i.e. the great profit by the poor and vice versa.

The words, The Fire is your abode, are addressed to the humble class of people who pleaded that they were merely tools in the hands of the great. They are told that no pleading can do them any good now, and that they must enter the Fire and remain there until God is pleased to deliver them therefrom. Both the big and the poor are alike guilty.

2:66; 4:14, 155

7:169.

Important Words:

شرعا (appearing on the surface) is the plural of شارع which is active participle from شرع. They say شرع فی الامر i.e. he entered upon or began or commenced the affair. شرع المنزل means, the dwelling had its door opening upon a thoroughfare, or the door of the house opened on the road. شرع الشیء means, he raised or elevated the thing much. شارع of which the plural is شرع(shurra‘un) means, entering into water or entering into an affair; appearing on the surface of water; situated on a main road; having its door opening on a road; a main road or thoroughfare; a legislator or announcer of the law. حیتان شرع means, fishes raising their heads above water; or fishes directing themselves from the deep water to the bank; or fishes appearing upon the surface of the water (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The قریة (town) referred to in this verse is said to be Aila (Elath) on the Red Sea. It was situated on the N. E. arm of the Red Sea, in the Atlantic Gulf (which has derived its name from the place itself) and is mentioned as one of the last stages of the Israelites during their wanderings. It is mentioned also in 1 Kings 9:26 and 2 Chron. 8:17. In Solomon’s time the city came into the possession of the Israelites but afterward it was probably taken from them. Later Uzziah reconquered it, but under Ahaz it was again lost (Enc. Bib. and Jew. Enc.).

As no fish were caught on the Sabbath day, they had instinctively come to know the time when they were safe and, therefore, this instinctive feeling of security made them appear on the surface or approach near the coast in great numbers on the Sabbath day. This fact proved too strong a temptation for the Jews, and they began to make arrangements to catch them on the Sabbath day. The cause of evasion was not far to seek. The Israelites had the fish caught by the non-Israelite people and then purchased them from the latter and in this way sought to evade the commandment, although it was forbidden to them even to make purchases on that day. It was to stop this mean practice that Nehemiah stationed his servants at the gates of Jerusalem to see that no loads were brought in on the Sabbath day (Neh. 13:19).

3:124.

Important Words:

مواطن (battlefields) is the plural of موطن which is derived from وطن. They say وطن بالمکان i.e. he dwelt or resided or settled in the place. الوطن means, the place of one’s abode or residence; place of permanent residence; home; place where cattle are tied or kept. موطن means, place of residence; a scene of battle or a battlefield (Aqrab).

حنین (Hunain), scene of an important battle between the Holy Prophet and certain pagan tribes of Arabia in 8 AH. The place lies to the south east of Mecca about 18 miles from it.

In this battle a number of the newly subdued disbelievers of Mecca took part on the side of the Muslims.

Commentary:

Muslims are here reminded of the great truth that mere numbers do not count much and that they should not think that the presence of disbelievers would contribute to their strength or prosperity. Their attention is drawn to their temporary reverse at the battlefield of Hunain which was due to the presence of 2,000 Meccans who, though professing to be Muslims, were but newly converted and were not yet well established in faith, 80 of them actually being idolaters. (Zurqani, iii. 6).

After the Fall of Mecca, the powerful tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif, fearing lest Islam should become established in the Hijaz, joined forces and advanced to attack the Muslims. The Holy Prophet met them at Hunain, 18 miles from Mecca. He was accompanied by 12,000 men, among whom were 2,000 new converts mentioned above, who had joined the army at Mecca. Contrary to the practice of the Holy Prophet, these men hastened to attack the enemy, 20,000 strong, but were quickly repulsed and fled from the battlefield in great confusion, throwing into disorder the advancing Muslim force which was passing through a narrow gorge and which was consequently forced to flee. In the stampede that followed the Holy Prophet, who stuck to his place like a rock, was left on the battlefield with only 100 men around him. Arrows from the archers of the enemy fell thick and fast all round him. It was a moment of extreme danger but the Prophet, urging his mule towards the enemy, advanced undaunted, shouting at the top of his voice: انا النبی لاکذب انا ابن عبدالمطلب i.e. "I am indeed the Prophet of God. There is no untruth about it. I am the son of ‘Abdul-Muttalib". ‘Abbas, an uncle of the Prophet, who possessed a stentorian voice, called out to the fleeing Muslims to stop and return to their Master who wanted them. This clarion call roused the Muslims as the trumpet call of the Day of Judgement will rouse the dead from their graves and, rallying with a giant effort they rushed back to their beloved Master and attacked the enemy with such vehemence as put terror in his heart and made him flee in utter confusion. Thus the scales were turned and the day ended in a signal victory for the Muslims, and no less than 6,000 disbelievers were taken prisoner (Tabari and Hisham).

6:23; 46:7.

16:87; 28:64.

Important Words:

مکانکم (Stand back in your places). See 6:136. شرکاءکم (your partners). This expression does not mean, "those who share your attributes or your power or wealth." It simply means, "the partners or deities you associate with God." So is the case with the expression شرکاء ھم (their partners).

زیلنا (We shall separate them widely) is from زال. They say زاله or ازاله i.e. he put it or set it apart or away; he removed or separated it. ما زال زید قائما means, Zaid ceased not or continued to be standing. زیل (zayyala) gives the same meaning as زالbut in a more intensified sense. زیله means, he separated it (a party or company of men, etc.) much or greatly or widely (Lane).

Commentary:

The verse speaks of those alleged "partners" whom people set up as equals to God without their knowledge or desire or sanction, e.g., the angels, or Prophets or saints such as Rama, Jesus, etc. The next verse supports this inference in which it is clearly stated that these "partners" will call God to witness that they were utterly ignorant of the fact that they had been set up as equals to, or co-partners with Him. The verse further points out that idolaters possessed no evidence for the allegation that the Prophets and saints of the past favoured their deification.

30:56; 46:36.

6:32; 30:9; 32:11.

Commentary:

Disbelievers have been several times spoken of in the Quran as having stayed in the world only for an hour of a day. In all such verses it is not the actual time of their staying in the world that is meant. It is only their being engrossed in worldly affairs and idle pursuits that is implied. The day is primarily meant for work and, inasmuch as disbelievers spend most of their time in earning the paltry goods of the world or pass their time in hunting after enjoyment and do not make any effort to win the pleasure of God, it may be rightly said of them that they have lived in the world only for a day, even though they may have actually lived for thousands of years, for they do not benefit by their lives and do not put their days to the right use for which they are meant. If it had been meant to give the actual period of time for which disbelievers stayed on earth, there was no need of specifying the time of the day, for time can be measured by night also.

The words, who deny the meeting with Allah, supply the reason why disbelievers pass their life in negligence. It was due to their lack of faith in meeting with God, which indeed is a great incentive to good works. Both those who obey through fear and those who obey from motives of love are prompted to do good works because they know that one day they will stand before God when they will have to render an account of their deeds. When this faith is wanting, negligence is the natural consequence.

28:43.

Important Words:

اتبعوا (was made to follow) literally means, they were made to follow. تبعه means, he followed him. اتبعه means, he followed and overtook him. اتبعه also means, he made him follow another (Lane).

Commentary:

The word لعنة (curse) when ascribed to God means "removing to a distance" or "casting away from mercy." In this sense the first sentence of the verse would mean that God will remove or cast away disbelievers from His mercy and they will not attain His nearness nor see Him on the Day of Resurrection.

The words, the tribe of ‘Ad behaved ungratefully to their Lord, comprise an extremely touching sentence and indicate how perverse and ungrateful were the ‘Ad that they refused to listen to the voice of their رب (Lord), Who brought them into being and then nourished and sustained them. Nobility of character demanded that they should have been grateful to Him, but by rejecting His Message, they set the seal not only on their ingratitude but also on their folly, because they consigned to oblivion the patent fact that He Who gave them greatness and glory could also degrade and debase them.

28:43.

Important Words:

رفد (gift) and المرفود (which will be given them) are both derived from رفد (rafada). They say رفدہ i.e. he gave him, or he gave him a gift; he aided, helped or assisted him; he aided or assisted him by a gift or by a good saying or by some other thing. رفد الحائط means, he propped up or supported the wall. رفد means, a gift or a gratuity; aid, help or assistance by a gift, etc.; a lot, share or portion. رافد means, giver of a gift; aider or helper. مرفود which is the passive participle from this root, means, he who is given a gift, etc.; or that which is given as a gift, etc. (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The word لعنة (curse) is not used here as a term of abuse, but in its original sense of "driving away" or "casting away by way of punishment" (Mufradat). The verse would therefore mean that, as these people remained away from God in the present life, so, as a punishment, they will be kept away from Him in the life to come. The moral of the verse is that by following in the footsteps of a wicked man, one is disgraced both in this life and the next.

The word رفد (lit. gift or support or aid) may also refer to Pharaoh. In this case the verse would mean that Pharaoh whom his people took as their means of support against God proved an evil support for them; for he not only landed them into Hell, but himself went into the Fire with them.

4:42; 16:85.

10:38; 12:112.

Commentary:

This verse brings to completion the theme of the preceding verses and purports to say that when on the Day of Judgement various Prophets will present their own examples to establish the guilt of disbelievers, the Holy Prophet also will be presented as a witness against the latter. Disbelievers will be told that when the Holy Prophet who was like them and was one of them eschewed all idolatrous practices and succeeded not only himself in winning the pleasure of God but also led many others to the goal of their life, why could not they benefit by his example? Was this not due to his belief in the Divine teaching which was revealed to him and their rejection of that teaching and their refusal even to recognize its need?

The verse then proceeds to describe the eminent qualities of the Quran and says that it contains an exposition of all the spiritual needs of man and of the means which attract the Grace and Mercy of God.

The words کل شیء (everything) should not be understood to mean everything absolutely, but only all those things that pertain to the spiritual needs of man. So the verse means to say that all fundamental and basic principles which are necessary for the moral and spiritual development of man are embodied in the Quran. The fact that the exposition and explanation of some injunctions and principles is to be found in the Hadith may not be understood to contradict this claim of the Quran. The Hadith contains only explanations and expositions of the Quranic teaching and nothing over and above it or in opposition to it. The Holy Prophet was the greatest exponent of the Quran and so what he said in explanation of a certain injunction of the Quran was perfectly in harmony with it and was free from the possibility of error. This view is also corroborated by the Quran itself (53:4). Indeed they are in grievous error who say that the Prophet was an ordinary mortal like them and therefore they were not bound by all the interpretations, expositions and explanations of the Quranic verses given by him and that they could explain and interpret the Quran as well as he.

6:129; 10:29; 17:98; 19:69.

7:194.

Commentary:

The verse further dwells upon the complete failure of the forces of evil to arrest the progress of Islam. It says that the idols of idol worshippers will prove entirely powerless and useless against the onward march of Islam.

The reference in the words, "the One Who is All-Aware," as the translation of the text shows, is to God. It may also be to the Holy Prophet when the word would mean, well-aware.

Important Words:

اثاثا (household goods) is derived from the word which means, it was or became much in quantity; abundant or numerous and great or large.

اث النبات means, the herbage was or became abundant or plenteous and tangled or luxuriant.اثاث means, goods; or utensils and furniture of a house or tent; household goods; all property consisting of camels, and sheep or goats and slaves and utensils and furniture or household goods or abundant property (Lane).

Commentary:

Disbelievers are told here not to excite the displeasure of God by rejecting His Prophet and thus deprive themselves of His great blessings and boons.

4:42; 16:90.

30:58; 41:25.

Commentary:

After mentioning the ingratitude and iniquities of disbelievers in the preceding verses, the present verse again reverts to the subject of the life after death. This is done to warn disbelievers that not only will they be punished in this life for their disbelief and misdeeds, but will also receive a heavier punishment in the life to come. The fact that all the peoples who ever lived on this earth will be present to see their humiliation on the Day of Judgement will intensify their shame and agony. All the Prophets will also be there to bear witness against them. See also 4:42-43.

The verse constitutes yet one more testimony to the truth of the Quran. It says that Messengers were sent to all peoples and nations of the world. This is a claim in which the Quran stands alone among all the revealed Scriptures. The truth of this claim has now begun to dawn upon mankind. It was revealed to the world about fourteen hundred years ago by the Quran.

The expression لایوذن (shall not be permitted) does not mean, as wrongly understood by some commentators, that disbelievers shall not be permitted to speak to God, because in several verses of the Quran we are told that on the Day of Judgement disbelievers will confess their guilt and in its extenuation will proffer various kinds of excuses before God. The expression either means that disbelievers shall not be permitted to enter Heaven or that permission shall not be granted to anyone to intercede with God on their behalf. The latter meaning is supported by vv. 2:256; 10:4; 20:110; 34:24; 53:27; wherein it is stated that intercession is only possible after Divine permission. V 77:37 contains another interpretation of the words لایوذن viz. that disbelievers shall not be allowed to make excuses.

The words, We shall raise up a witness, may also mean that the Prophets will bear witness against the disbelievers by their personal example. The Prophets would, as it were, say to disbelievers that when they (the Prophets) could spiritually rise so high by acting upon Divine teaching why could not they (the disbelievers)? The verse thus implies that every Prophet by his personal example serves as a living example of the great moral and spiritual reformation which his teaching is capable of effecting. This is why no religious teaching has ever been revealed except through a Prophet.

52:11; 78:21; 81:4.

Commentary:

Taking the word جبال in the sense of "chiefs", the verse purports to say that the prophecy about the complete destruction of the forces of evil—of Gog and Magog—mentioned in the few preceding verses will be fulfilled when great rulers and leaders of nations begin to fight among themselves, or in the words of the Bible when "nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be famines, and pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places" (Matt. 24:7).

Taking the word الارض in the sense of "poor people" or "people belonging to the lower strata of society," the verse would mean that the world will become divided into two hostile camps, representing two distinct and conflicting ideologies i.e. between Capitalism and Communism, and a war to the finish will take place between these two camps.

The expression وحشرناھم means that they would be gathered in battle array, facing each other, and would fight to the bitter end. This is how God would punish them for their evil deeds.

16:28; 28:63, 75; 41:48.

Important Words:

موبقا (barrier) is derived from وبق i.e. he was ruined. اوبقه means, he destroyed him; disgraced him or imprisoned him. They say فلان یرکب الموبقات او یفعل الموبقات i.e. such a one rides destruction or commits sins which ruin him. موبق means, a place of destruction; a place of danger; prison; a barrier between two things (Aqrab).

Commentary:

The word موبق as shown under Important Words means, (a) a barrier between two things; (b) destruction. According to the first meaning of the word, the Arabic expression, وجعلنا بینھم موبقا would mean that these nations will set up high tariff walls or iron curtains and impose economic boycott upon one another, and according to the second it means that they would become involved in deadly wars which would ruin them.

If the expression بینھم (between them) be taken as referring to the false-gods and their votaries, the verse would mean that a barrier would be set up between the two so that the false gods would not be able to hear the entreaties and supplications of their votaries for intercession when the latter find themselves face to face with Divine punishment.

19:34.

Commentary:

During the first few centuries of its life Islam made very rapid progress. Large numbers of people from every religion—especially from Christianity, entered its fold. They brought with them some very erroneous beliefs about Jesus Christ. As they had not imbibed fully the true spirit of Islamic teachings, their false ideas and beliefs subsequently found their way into Muslim religious literature with the result that they came to form part of the beliefs of Muslims. All these beliefs had been invented to invest Jesus with an extraordinary personality—a personality much above human level. It is these foolish beliefs about Jesus that the Quran seeks to demolish in the present Surah. By instituting a comparison between Yahya, who was a Prophet of an ordinary spiritual stature, and Jesus, it means to suggest that there was nothing in Jesus which distinguished him from other Divine Messengers. We give below some of the spiritual qualities and characteristics of both these Prophets as given in the Quran to establish the above fact.

About Jesus it is said that:

1. He was a Prophet of God (3:50).

2. He was of the righteous (3:47).

3. God taught him the Book and the wisdom (3:49).

4. He talked to people as a child i.e. in rather early age (3:47).

5. He was granted nearness to God (3:46).

6. He was kind and dutiful to his mother (19:33).

7. He was kind of heart and compassionate (5:119).

8. He was not haughty and unblessed (19:33).

9. He was blessed by God and was strengthened with the Spirit of Holiness (2:254; 19:32).

10. Divine peace enveloped him (19:34).

11. His name Messiah was given to him by God (3:46).

About Yahya it is said that:

1. He was a Prophet (3:40).

2. He was noble, chaste and a Prophet from among the righteous (3:40).

3. God gave him the Book and granted him wisdom (19:13).

4. God gave him wisdom while yet a child (19:13).

5. God was well pleased with him (19:7).

6. He was kind and dutiful to his parents (19:15).

7. He was kind-hearted, pure and pious (19:14).

8. He was not haughty and rebellious (19:15).

9. God was pleased with him and he was unequalled in some respects (19:7-8).

10. Divine peace enveloped him (19:16).

11. His name Yahya was given to him by God (19:8).

By instituting this comparison we should not be understood to mean that Jesus and John were of absolutely equal spiritual standing and there was nothing to distinguish one from the other. Jesus did indeed possess a higher spiritual status than John. What the Quran wants to make clear is the fact that there was nothing in Jesus which should raise him to the pedestal of Divinity. He was no doubt a great Prophet of God and was immune from sin but so were all other Divine Messengers, John being one of them. About him Jesus says: "For I say unto you, among those that are born of woman there is not a greater prophet than John, the Baptist" (Luke 7:28).

The verse should not be understood to signify that Prophet Yahya was not murdered but died a natural death, a view mistakenly held in certain quarters, because it runs counter to an established fact of history. The words "peace was on him" used in the verse seem to have given rise to this manifestly wrong view but they lend no support to it. The word "peace" has not been used in a physical but a spiritual sense. In fact the verse refers to three periods or states of man’s life. The first state begins with his birth and ends with his death. The second state which is called برزخ (Barzakh), literally meaning 'the period of earning merit or demerit is over', commences with death and continues till doom. The third state has been called "The Day of Resurrection" in the Quran. It is the day of the complete manifestation of God’s glory. It is these three states or periods of man’s existence to which the present verse refers and in all of which, it says, Yahya will enjoy spiritual peace.

19:16.

Commentary:

The words, and peace there will be on me the day I shall die, show that Jesus did not die on the cross, for death on the cross, according to the Bible, is an accursed death (Deut. 21:23; Gal. 3:13). It cannot be said about a person who died an accursed death that he died a blessed and peaceful death. But the mere fact of a person being put on the cross or meeting a violent end does not conflict with the idea of peace and blessedness to which this verse refers. It is an accepted fact of history that the Prophet Yahya was murdered while in jail but the words "peace was on him the day he died" have also been used about him in v. 16 above. So these words have been used about Jesus and Yahya to show that both these Prophets succeeded in their missions, and a person who succeeds in his mission and whose work is carried on after his death and who is remembered with love and respect cannot be said to have suffered death or to have been deprived of "peace". Jesus has left behind him a large community of followers and Yahya’s name is remembered with love and respect. Thus both Jesus and Yahya died a blessed death and enjoy everlasting peace.

The words, peace was on me the day I was born may also be understood as containing a hint that the birth of Jesus was out of the ordinary. These words have also been used about Yahya in verse 16 above because his birth, too, took place in extraordinary circumstances. He was born when his father had reached an extremely old age and his mother was barren.

The expression, the day I shall be raised up to life again, may also imply: "The day when I shall be raised again in the form of another Prophet who will testify to my truth." The implied reference may be to the Holy Prophet who bore witness to the truth of Jesus.