ٱلْحَقَّ

3:72.

2:147, 160; 6:92.

Important Words:

لاتلبسوا (confound) is derived from لبس which means, he put on a clothing. And as a clothing serves to cover or hide the body of the person clothed, the word has also come to mean, to cover up or to hide or to confound or to make a thing mixed up or doubtful (Aqrab).

الباطل (falsehood) is derived from بطل which means: (1) it became corrupt, or (2) it became inoperative, or (3) it went waste and served no useful purpose. The Arabs use the expression بطل دمه of a murdered person whose blood is not avenged. The word باطل means: (1) anything opposed to حق (truth) i.e. falsehood; (2) anything that goes waste and serves no useful purpose; (3) an obsolete edict or commandment which is no longer operative (Aqrab & Mufradat).

Commentary:

Here the Jews are forbidden (1) to mingle the true with the false, by quoting verses from their Scriptures and putting wrong interpretations on them; and (2) to suppress or hide the truth i.e. suppress such prophecies in their Scriptures as refer to the Promised Prophet.

6:21.

2:175; 5:16; 6:92.

Important Words:

یعرفون (recognise) is derived from عرف which means, he knew or recognized or perceived a thing. Though the word is also used of such knowledge as is derived through the senses, it is particularly used of such knowledge as is obtained by thinking and meditating (Mufradat & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The pronoun hu (him or it) occurring in the clause "recognise him or it" may be taken as referring either to the change of Qiblah or to the Holy Prophet. The clause means that the People of the Book know, on the basis of the prophecies found in their Scriptures, that a Prophet would appear among the Arabs and that he would be connected with the Ka‘bah.

The sentence, some of them conceal the truth knowingly, refers to the learned men of the Jews who were well versed in their scriptures and knew the prophecies relating to the advent of the Holy Prophet of Islam but deliberately suppressed those prophecies in order to conceal them from the people.

4:42; 16:85.

2:43.

See 2:43.

Commentary:

By means of the signs mentioned in their scriptures about the Holy Prophet, the People of the Book could easily know that Muhammad was indeed the Promised Prophet, yet because of enmity and jealousy they would not recognize him and insisted on mixing up truth with falsehood rather than accept the truth in its unalloyed purity.

5:78.

58:23.

5:74.

2:117; 10:69; 17:112; 18:5; 112:4, 5.

Important Words:

کلمته (His word). کلمة has been used in the Quran in different senses:(1) good tiding (e.g. 37:171, 172); (2) warning of coming punishment (e.g. 39:20); (3) a thing or being created without the instrumentality of any physical means, i.e. by the Will of God expressed by saying "Be" (e.g. 3:46-48); (4) a Sign (e.g. 18:110); (5) a message (e.g. 3:65); (6) a design; (e.g.9:40); (7) a word or saying (e.g. 23:101). See also 3:46.

روح (mercy) is derived from راح i.e. it became cool and pleasant; he was brisk, lively, active, prompt or quick. روح means, soul or spirit; the subtle substance in man which is the principle of vitality and of sensation and of voluntary motion; the breath which a man breathes and which pervades the whole body, after the exit of which he ceases to breathe; Divine revelation or inspiration; the Quran; angel; joy and happiness; mercy (Lane).

Commentary:

From the above-mentioned different meanings of روح and کلمة becomes clear that no higher spiritual status can be assigned to Jesus than to the other Prophets, on account of the word روح or کلمة having been used about him in the Quran. These and similar expressions have been used in the Quran about other Prophets also and even about persons who were not Prophets, such as Mary and the children of Adam (see 58:23; 15:30; 32:10; 21:92). It may be noted here that the words روح منه (mercy from Him) do not mean that the روح formed a part of the Divine Being but that it was only a gift of God. The expression منه (from Him) has been used in the Quran in this sense in 45:14.

In fact, the Quran uses these words about Jesus because foul charges were brought against him and his mother, Mary, by the Jews. These words are thus meant to exculpate and exonerate him from those charges and not to deify him. The Quranlends no support whatsoever to the absurd and unfounded view that Jesus was anything higher than a human being. He was human and of the earth, and yet a Messenger of God (e.g. 43:60; 19:31).

The verse refers to the three alleged persons of the Trinity, i.e. the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, and condemns Trinity, declaring Allah alone to be the one true God, and the Messiah and the Holy Spirit as only the servants of God and in no way sharers in Godhead.

11:64; 12:109.

12:41, 68.

Commentary:

The verse calls upon the Holy Prophet to say to disbelievers what may be expressed as follows: "You are perversely sticking to your errors while I have clear evidence with me. You say, 'If we are in error, why does not God visit us with punishment?’ You must remember that it does not lie in my power to bring down punishment. It is God alone Who sends down punishment on whomsoever and at whatever time He wills and He is the Best of judges. He will justly decide the matter between you and me."

Important Words:

تظاھرون (keep away by calling them mothers). ظاھر من امرأته means, he separated from his wife, calling her his mother. ظھارand مظاھرة are infinitive nouns from this root (Lane & Aqrab).

ادعیاء کم (your adopted sons). ادعیاء is the plural of دعی (da‘iyyun) which is derived from دعا which means, he called. ادعاہmeans, he made him to assert his relationship as a son. ادعی الی غیر ابیه means, he claimed as his father one who was not his father. دعی means one invited to a repast; one who is claimed as a son by a person who is not his father; adopted son; one whose origin or lineage or parentage is doubted; a bastard (one who attributes his descent to other than his father) (Aqrab & Lane).

Commentary:

The verse seeks to abolish two very deep-seated and wide-spread customs of the Arabs in the Holy Prophet’s time. The more obnoxious of these two was that of Zihar. A husband, in a fit of anger, would call his wife his mother. The poor woman was deprived of her conjugal rights and yet remained tied to him without the right of marrying another man. Islam, a great champion of women’s rights, could not tolerate such a savage custom. The other custom was that of adopting the son of another man as one’s own. This custom, apart from being calculated to cause complications in blood relationships was also puerile and foolish. The reason for the abolition of both these customs is implied in the words, "Allah has not made for any man two hearts in his breast." Human heart is understood to be the seat of emotions and feelings. It can entertain only one kind of emotion at one time. Contradictory emotions cannot possibly be entertained by it at the same time. Moreover, different human relations evoke different emotions. Hence merely calling one’s wife one’s mother or calling a stranger one’s son cannot evoke the corresponding emotions in one’s heart. A wife can never become a mother nor a stranger a real son. Mere words of mouth cannot change the state of mind of the one who utters those words, nor can they alter hard facts of physical relationship. So it is foolish on the part of a person to call one’s wife one’s mother or to call another a son who is not one’s real son.

20:48; 26:18.

Important Words:

حقیق (it is meet) is derived from حق meaning, it was or became suitable to the requirements of wisdom, justice, truth and right; or it was or became just, proper, correct, valid, established or confirmed as a truth or fact; or it became necessary, unavoidable, obligatory or due. They say یحق علیك ان تفعل کذا i.e. it is incumbent upon thee, or it behoves thee, or it is meet for thee, that thou shouldst do such a thing. Thus حقیق means, adapted, disposed, apt, meet, fit or worthy. The expression حقیق علیان لااقول would thus mean, I am disposed not to say; or it is binding or obligatory or incumbent on me that I should not say; or, as some render the expression, I am vehemently desirous that I should not say (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

Taking the word حقیق in the sense of "desirous", the opening sentence of the verse would mean, "I am desirous that I should speak of God nothing but the truth". These words are put in the mouth of Moses as a reply also to those who accused the Holy Prophet of lying. The Prophets of God are, as it were, represented as saying that, far from speaking a lie, they are but too anxious, and desire nothing but to speak pure and unadulterated truth. Other meanings of حقیق are also equally applicable here.

When Moses went to Pharaoh, his object was not so much the preaching of his message to him as to call upon him to let the Israelites go with him, though ordinarily he would preach to him also. As a matter of fact, the message of Moses was meant primarily for the Israelites, but as long as the Israelites remained mixed up with the natives of Egypt, Moses had to preach to them both. When the Israelites left the land, he had no concern with the Egyptians and confined his attention to his own kith and kin to whom he had been sent.

19:60.

6:33; 12:110.

Important Words:

خلف (an evil generation) is a substantive from خلف (khalafa) meaning, he came after, succeeded or remained after another. خلف means, the location or quarter that is behind; the time past; the side corresponding to the front; one who remains after another, or persons remaining after others; a remnant of people; a generation after a generation; a bad son; an evil generation; one or more persons in whom there is no good; a thing in which there is no good (Lane & Aqrab). See also 2:31; 7:70.

عرض (paltry goods) is derived from عرض. They say عرض له الشیء i.e. he presented, showed or offered the thing to him. عرضmeans, a thing that befalls or happens to a man, such as disease, misfortune and the like; a thing that is not permanent; the paltry goods of the present world; worldly goods or commodities; booty or spoil; an object of desire; an eager desire or covetousness (Lane & Aqrab).

درسوا (they have studied) is from درس i.e. (1) he read or studied a book; (2) it became effaced, erased or obliterated; (3) he effaced, erased or obliterated something (Lane). See also 6:106.

Commentary:

The Book spoken of in this verse is the Bible and the expression, who inherited the Book, means who received the Book as a sacred trust from God through the Prophets, or through those gone before them.

The words درسوا ما فیه (they have studied what is therein) may also be rendered as "they have obliterated or effaced what is therein", meaning that they were taught the Divine Book, but they forgot it and rendered it as something effaced and obliterated.

Important Words:

الشوکة (sting) is derived from شاك. They say شاکنی الشوك i.e. the thorn hurt or wounded me or it pierced my body. الشوکة is both the noun-infinitive from شاك and the singular of الشوك (thorns, spines, etc.). الشوکة means, thorn; sting; point of a spear, etc.; any weapon or weapons; sharpness of weapons; strength or might or vehemence thereof in war and fighting (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The "two parties" mentioned in the verse refer to (1) the Meccan army that had come forth to fight the Muslims, and (2) the Meccan caravan that was returning from the north and proceeding home. The former, besides being much larger in number, was heavily armed and very well-equipped; while the caravan was only lightly armed. Both belonged to Mecca and were equally hostile to Islam.

The verse signifies that as Allah had already made a promise to the Holy Prophet that He would give victory to Muslims over one of the two Meccan parties, viz. the caravan or the army, so against all hope He granted them victory in fulfilment of His promise. This shows that while yet at Medina, the Holy Prophet had been informed by God of the possible attack by the Meccan army, for without this Allah could not refer to "one of the two parties," but that the Holy Prophet kept the matter secret. The words, thy Lord Who rightfully brought thee forth from thy house, while a party of the believers were averse (8:6 above), also show that at Medina the Holy Prophet had undoubtedly received Divine revelation informing him of the coming attack by the enemy and that it was God Who had ordered the Holy Prophet to come forth. The above-quoted words also hint that the Holy Prophet kept this information secret, revealing it to only a few of his chosen comrades.

The words غیر ذات الشوکة (without sting) imply that the Muslims wanted to meet the party that was without sting, (i.e. the caravan) which they could easily overcome but that God desired to bring about an encounter with the army which could not be easily conquered, and His object in doing so was to establish the truth by His words and to cut off the root of the disbelievers, so that the prophecies with regard to the destruction of the enemy might be fulfilled that day, and their fulfilment against all hope might become the means of establishing the truth of Islam. For a more detailed account of the Battle of Badr see notes on 3:14 & 8:42-45.

10:83.

Commentary:

The words, establish the truth, used in the preceding verse have been repeated here for the sake of emphasis and for vividly contrasting the idea contained in these words with that of those that follow, i.e. bring to naught that which is false.

Commentary:

This was the prayer which Abu Jahl, the leader of the disbelievers, offered to God at Badr and it was accepted. He prayed on that memorable day that God might destroy him and his party if the Prophet was in the right (Bukhari, ch. on Tafsir). Strange to say, not only were Abu Jahl and his companions punished at Badr by God but, as prayed for by Abu Jahl, even stones were rained down upon them; for, when at the throwing of a handful of pebbles by the Holy Prophet (8:18), there arose a strong wind, it literally rained upon the disbelieving host hard pebbles from the desert.

8:9.

Commentary:

The "words of God" include both "glad tidings" and "warning," and it is by means of these two that God establishes the truth. Moses has expressed a great truth in this verse. He says that God does not need deceit and falsehood for the propagation of His religion but causes it to be spread and established by His immutable decree and command. These words embody a great moral truth that the goodness of a right cause does not justify the use of dishonest means for its propagation. The popular saying that the end justifies the means has never been the dictum of God’s Prophets and their true followers. Truth spreads and triumphs by its own inherent strength and not by falsehood.

39:22.

Important Words:

جفاء (rubbish) is derived from جفأ (jafa’a) which means, it (valley flowing with water) cast forth froth or foam or particles of rubbish or refuse. جفت القدر means, the cooking-pot cast forth its froth or foam in boiling. Hence جفاء means, what is cast forth in the form of froth or foam or scum or rubbish by a torrent or a cooking-pot. Figuratively, the word also means, anything that is worthless or useless (Lane).

Commentary:

The verse has used two very apt illustrations. First, it says that when rain falls and water begins to flow in various directions, then so much foam and froth appears on the surface of the water in places which are quite clean that it seems to cover it altogether.

But soon the foam subsides and the water is seen rushing along. In the second illustration froth is referred to as appearing on the surface of gold or silver or any other metal when the smith melts it to make ornaments or utensils, but the smith removes the scum and then only pure metal remains behind.

In the first illustration, truth is compared to water and falsehood to foam which, in the beginning seems to prevail over truth, but in the end it is carried away even as rubbish is swept away by a powerful current of water. In the second illustration, truth is likened to gold or silver which, when melted, brings forth a foamy excretion which is cast away, leaving behind the unmixed metal, pure and bright.

The parable implies that before the mighty onrush of Islam the foam and froth of false beliefs and practices will disappear. The parable also means that through the Prophets of God a great awakening in the nature of man causes a conflict between his good inclinations and the evil customs and usages to which he has subjected himself. Those whose inner nature is good emerge from this conflict with their wrong ideas and beliefs replaced by right ones.

The words, so that valleys flow according to their measure, mean that different people benefit by the truth according to their respective capacities for assimilation.

13:20; 22: 55; 35:32; 47:3; 56:96.

2:256; 20:110; 78:39.

Important Words:

فزع (relieved of fear) is derived from فزع (fazi‘a) which means, he feared, or became afraid of. فزعه (fazza‘-hu) means, he frightened him. فزعه عنه means, he removed fear or fright from him (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The verse signifies that when punishment is decreed for a people on account of their evil deeds, no intercession can avail them.

The words "their hearts" may signify "the hearts of the intercessors" and the pronoun "they" in the words "they would say" refers to the sinful people who will be punished, and the second "they" in the expression "they will answer, 'the truth'" to the intercessors or to the Messengers of God. Or the words "their hearts" may refer to the hearts of disbelievers and the pronoun "they" to them in both the sentences. In such a case the verse would mean that when the curtain will be lifted from the eyes of disbelievers and reality will dawn on them in its naked form, they will say to themselves that what God had said through His Messengers was true.

2:214; 4:166; 6:49; 17:106.

Important Words:

لید حضوا (that they may rebut) is derived from دحض . They say دحضت رجله i.e. his foot slipped. دحضت حجته means, his argument, plea, allegation or evidence was or became null or void. ادحض means, he rendered null and void an argument, etc.; he rebutted it. The Quranic words لیدحضوا به الحق mean, that they might rebut thereby the truth (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The verse means to say that signs are shown to disbelievers that they may benefit by them and by accepting truth save themselves from Divine punishment. But they mock at them and treat them as vagaries of superstitious and ignorant people and reject them with contempt. They accept, however, as holy writ the half-baked theories of their own philosophers and social thinkers. These verses describe the mental attitude of western nations towards spiritual matters.

18:16; 23:118; 27:65.

Commentary:

The verse gives another argument about the Unity of God. The Holy Prophet here is enjoined to ask his people to go through the Quran and other revealed Scriptures and then tell him whether they find in them any deferential reference to polytheism or to permission to worship other gods besides the One True God. "This is the constant doctrine of all the sacred Books," says Sale in his "Introduction to the Quran," "not only the Quran, but also those Scriptures which were revealed in former ages, all of them bear witness to the great and fundamental truth of the Unity of God."

Taking ذکر in the sense of honour, eminence etc. (see 15:7), the verse would mean that the Quran is a source of honour for those with the Holy Prophet and for those before him i.e. it will raise its followers from depths of degradation to great heights of honour and eminence, and it has cleared Divine Prophets and other righteous servants of God of the charges and accusations that were imputed to them in former Scriptures.

20:115; 22:63; 23:117.

Important Words:

دینھم (their due). دین is derived from دان. See 1:4.

Commentary:

All truth is relative. A thing may be true from one angle or one point of view but false from another angle. It is God alone Who is Absolute Truth.

6:35; 22:43; 35:26; 54:10.

Commentary:

The verse gives an illustration of the great power and wealth which disbelievers, in the time of Noah and the Prophets who came after him, possessed. Just as disbelievers were seized with Divine punishment because they rejected and opposed their Prophets, so will the enemies of the Holy Prophet be punished.

13:40.

Commentary:

The verse seems to administer a rebuke to disbelievers by saying to the Holy Prophet, "Do disbelievers have the hardihood to say that you are a liar and an impostor? Do they not look at your life and your work? Is the great work that you are doing the work of an impostor? Invention of lies against God is a deadly poison which causes moral death of the inventor and brings about his complete destruction. But your noble efforts in the cause of truth are producing excellent results. Moreover, the hearts of liars and forgers are sealed, but your heart has been opened (94:2) and you have scaled the highest peaks of spiritual eminence. All this shows that you are not an impostor but a true Prophet of God and are under His care and protection."

The verse may also mean: "If God has willed that your enemies should have been punished for calling you a liar and a forger, He would have sealed your heart i.e. He would have made your heart devoid of all mercy and solicitude for them, so that instead of being solicitous for their spiritual well-being, you would have invoked God’s curses upon them, but He has chosen not to do so." In fact, the Holy Prophet’s heart was full of the milk of human kindness ever for his bitterest enemies and he never prayed against them as Prophets Moses and Noah had prayed (11:89 & 71:27).

The words, But Allah is blotting out falsehood through thee and is establishing the truth by His words, may signify: Why should God make the Prophet’s heart devoid of sympathy for his opponents when He has decreed that falsehood shall be vanquished and truth shall triumph and the Prophet’s erstwhile enemies shall become his devoted followers; and why should the Prophet make use of forgery for the propagation of his ideals when disbelievers will certainly accept Islam by seeing divine prophecies being fulfilled before their very eyes.