Tafsseer understandings

We understand Quran in the light of Quran only, it’s the ultimate light we don’t use other sources such
as traditions, science, philosophy or mysticism to understand it because Quran should illuminate these
areas rather than these areas trying to explain Quran.

According to Imam as Sadiq (A.s) Quran has one Zahir meaning and 7 internal meanings. The interior is
as important as the exterior. The two can also not contradict each other, the hidden cannot go against
the manifest meaning, traditions sometimes help us understand the significance, meaning of the self-
evident meanings.

Traditionalists use the words of companion, which is not reliable because of the inconsistency in the
words narrated.

Theologians used it to support their cause, sect, tribe and prejudice.

The literalists: Take the meaning of Quran as the literal meaning.

Sufis take the meaning of Quran as only the Batin one, the hidden ignoring the manifested self-evident
meaning, taking a tunnel vision to only the poetic aspect of it and building castles in the air.

Scientists use the sense of hearing, listening, seeing and smell to make observations, and the
understanding of physical matter. It cannot explain the metaphysical aspect of the Quran, divinity and
spirituality. They do believe that Quran should explain Quran except where science can, and places
where science can, in turn becomes adaptation and not an interpretation hence taking manifest
meaning as allegorical and thus sacrificing the manifest meaning. For e.g. holding on to the rope of god.

Philosophers who follow the Aristotelian school of thought that has four parts, Mathematic, natural
sciences, divinity, civics and they use reason (Ashari) anything that couldn’t fit this would be explained
away. Like genesis creationism out of body experience. After all philosophy was only theories.

Also, there is not a single verse (out of more than six thousand) which is enigmatic, obscure or abstruse
in its import; nor is there a single sentence that keeps the mind wandering in search of its meaning.

Since man is limited by metrics, symbols, and language a lot of things like pen, the throne seem
ambiguous. Rather than the object we should focus more on the function. It was this reality that
convinced many people that they should not explain the Qur’anic words by identifying them with their
usual and common meanings. Going a step further, they sought the help of logical and philosophical
arguments to avoid wrong deductions. This gave a foot-hold to academic reasoning in explaining the
Qur’an and identifying the individual person or thing meant by a word. Such discussions can be of two
kinds:

i) The exegete takes a problem emanating from a Qur’ãnic statement, looks at it from academic and
philosophical point of view.

2) The exegete explains the verse with the help of other relevant verses, meditating on them together —
and meditation has been forcefully urged upon by the Qur’ãn itself — and identifies the individual
person or thing by its particulars and attributes mentioned in the verse.
Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) is appointed by god to make it plain, clarify, and teach it as pointed by
many verses in the holy Quran. And he appointed his Ahlebait to carry it after him. As mentioned by
Sahih Muslim hadith e thaqlain.

Ali (A.S.) said, inter alia, speaking about the Qur’an in sermon: “it’s one part speaks with the other, and
one portion testifies about the other."

Tafseer of Bi ismillah ar Rahman ar Rahim

God has one name, Allah, short form of al illah, derived from alaha (he worshiped) aliha or waliha (He
was bewildered) this. Object- Noun (Al maluh become al illah). Al maluh meaning he who is worshiped
and bewilders minds Rahman is general mercy for believers and non-believers while Rahim I mercy for
only believers. Bismillah is as important as the surah

Tafseer of Al-Hamd

Hamd belongs to one who created, since none of the things in this world came to being on heir own all
of their good attributes, their credit belongs to god.

Rab used in a sense of ownership that one has over their body not their cars or objects, complete
ownership. And their sustenance and matters of maintenance belong to the owner then. Alamin refers
to worlds such as the Arab world or the Muslim world or animal kingdoms or galaxies. In short cosmos
Rahman and Rahim is mentioned earlier.

Malik in youm id din is used as “the king” as mentioned in other Qur’anic verses. The king is the one who
has the authority to manage his nation’s affairs; nevertheless he does not own the nation or the country.
But here actual ownership belongs to him.

“Thee do we worship and thee do we turn for help “

The word Thee is used as the object before verb and unconditional worship is used. This is talking about
the exclusivity or mastership in complete unconditional ownership and exclusive servitude where
there’s no other master and their attention is undivided. The purity of worship directed towards god
that nothing in this world is to be seen with keeping him in perspective. Even the prayer without god’s
presence in mind is polytheism, seeing things independent of God is not pure worship, seeing things
dependent of god is the exclusive servitude that is mentioned. True worship is the one where the
worship and worshipper both are present fully and that is why the perspective changes from third to 2 nd
person to show that the worshiper is actively present rather than passively saying it. And it did not go as
far as to put the person in first person and use I as to get rid of individuality, because the slave doesn’t
have one.

The do we turn for help is on the same template it means: “We ascribe the worship to ourselves and
make this claim only with Thy help; we are never independent of Thee. In other words, the complete
verse, “Thee do we worship and Thee do we beseech for help”, gives a single meaning, and that is
“worship with purity of intention”. Probably, that is why both sentences have the same style; otherwise,
It could be said, ‘Thee do we worship; help us and guide us . . .’ the style has been changed in the next
verse, “guide us . . .” and its reason will be explained later.

“Guide us to the straight path upon which you’ve blessed your people not on the path of those who
have angered you or of those who have gone astray”: There are clearly three path, the straight one to
God Almighty (displacement). There is one that is astray. Then the one forsaken by the god. The straight
path refers to the path of monotheism and justice. The essence of both accepted belief and deeds. God
will exalt those on the straight path and make them reach the destination. The one of polytheism and
injustice is the one who have angered god and will be smitten down.

Apart from straight path there are many ways to god. Path is the soul and ways are the body. Different
guidance’s have brought different ways, each differing in its ease, length, smoothness. There are various
ways to Allah, each differing with others in perfection, easiness and smoothness. It all depends on its
nearness or remoteness from the basic reality, from the straight path, like the way of submission, of
faith, of worship, of purity of intention or of humility before Allah. Each way is according to one’s belief
and ability, “valleys flow according to their measure” . . . (13:17) the way that’s of polytheism cannot
exist on the straight path

Guidance, in reality, is reserved for Allah, and He guides His servants by creating such causes that point
the destination to them and lead them to their spiritual goal. Allah creates in the heart an aptitude by
which it initiates, accepts, inclines towards and becomes serene in the remembrance of Allah. There are
levels of those faiths and qualities and God exalts us from one way to a way of higher degree if we pray
over and over again. We are on the right path but not on the best way as yet although those ways are
one with the straight path there’s still room for improvement.

Islam is better out of all in its creation, the essence and the closeness to reality and the creation of the
Prophet s.a.w.a and the merit of the prophet s.a.w.a not on its functional extra edition of a certain
law. .We do not simply ask Allah to make us follow the path of the people before us just because they
preceded us on the same course but because they were on the higher degree of the ways. People of the
higher paths are on the degree not because of their deeds but knowledge and maarifat

Traditions: Imam as Sadiq a.s and Imam Ali a.s have mentioned that worship is of three kinds the one of
a trader, one of the slave and the other of the person who loves Allah. The love and gratitude is the
most noble.

In explanation of thee do we worship: Imam as Sadiq a.s has mentioned that it means we ask for you
from you and we do not worship you by substitute and replacement. Imam as sadiq said that worshiping
of Allah’s attributes in isolation is an absent worship, Worship of one who worships attribute and person
separately has nullified monotheism because he see’s attribute as separate from the person. He who
tries to befit the person on the attribute belittles the almighty.

In explanation to Guide us to the straight path imam as sadiq has mentioned the straight path is that of
love for Allah Almighty and guidance to stay away from straying, Hazrat Ali a.s has mentioned that it
means asking for the same help that you bestowed upon us in worshipping you is the past days, guide us
with the same help that we continue it in days to come as well.
In explanation of guide us to the path of those whom you have bestowed with favors Imam Ali (a.s) says
that by favors it means favor of thy obedience and religion, not in the meaning of favor of wealth and
health because such things are given to disbelievers as well.

Al Baqra 1 to 5

The pious ones are the ones who believe in the god, pray, spend in the way of god, believe in the day of
judgement and follow the guidance and prophets sent to them. The guidance comes in two folds, one
when the person needs to acquire the traits of piety, has a healthy psychology ( as mentioned above
Allah creates in the heart an aptitude by which it initiates, accepts ,inclines towards and becomes serene
in the remembrance of Allah) He thinks of the cycle of dependencies and then think of someone who
doesn’t exist in this cycle, he then thinks that if there is someone who has designed us in such intricate
details surely the detailing doesn’t mean that he has created us for nothing and just to wander, then he
thinks that there is surely an end destination, if the destination exists surely there will be a guide to that
destination, this is how he acquires belief in the God, his prophet and the day of judgement. Once his
faith in these fundamentals is complete he shows servitude in actions by spending in the way of Allah
and praying. thus attaining all five virtues . When all five of the virtues is attained he is blessed with
another guidance that is mentioned in the starting of this surah. This Holy book. Thus the believer is
guided by two guidance’s one precedes piety, the other follows it. Believing in the unseen is the
opposite of perceiving, in different grades the belief differs. Quran discourages the person in depending
completely on the perception and invites the reader to use healthy reasoning within the confines of
Quran. Believing in the hereafter is an important reminder for us to not go astray, not only are we asked
to believe we are asked to be sure of it. If a man is sure of the hereafter that man doesn’t astray, the
guidance is always from the god.

Traditions: Imam as Sadiq a.s has also mentioned a deeper meaning of unseen that is the existence of
Imam Mehdi a.s and he has mentioned spending benevolently in a wider sense as spending knowledge
to the others.

Al Baqra 6 – 7

It is mentioned that those “who do not believe” were the earlier Quraishites and “those who believed”
were the earlier Muslims, they will not believe regardless of any guidance. This doesn’t mean that this is
for all the disbelievers but it’s specific to those who waged war over and over again. Similarly as
mentioned in next surahs, the disbelievers fall between two errors. One by the god that is the seal of
their hearts and one by them that is the covering of their eyes.

Imam as Sadiq a.s mentioned that disbelievers are of many types, the ones who deny (there are two
more types to this), one who Neglects Allah’s command, Disowns, ingratitude. In denial there are two
categories, that of the atheist who say that “nothing destroys us but time” (45:24). And as for the
second one the deniers who deny God even though they believe in god. They are with the right but the
time comes when the guidance is sent to them they oppose it. .”And aforetime they used to pray for
victory against those who disbelieved, but when there came to them that which they did recognize (i.e.
The Prophet) they disbelieved in him; so Allah’s curse is on the unbelievers (2:89)” For the one who
show ingratitude they’re not thankful, for the ones who do neglect Allah’s command they believe in one
part of the book and don not follow through properly on the other things, and ones who disavowal.

Al Baqra 8- 20

Similarly the Quran mentions the Hypocrites. They are also stuck between two errors like the
disbelievers were stuck between two errors and believers between two guidance’s. “There is a disease
in their hearts, so Allah added to their disease (verse 10). One is a step from their side and one is the
step from Allahs side. The hypocrites choose error over guidance and this bargain does not bring them
any good. They have a desire to deceive. Their example is that of the one who kindled fire but Allah
took away the light. This is fit for a hypocrite as they accepted Islam, got temporary advantage of it in
life time but on the death bed when they needed the advantage the most, the light is taken away by
god. Allah takes away the light, nullifies his deeds and leaves him in utter darkness in which he cannot
see at all. Thus he falls between two darkness — his original one and the one he added with his dark
deeds. Another example is that of a man stuck in darkness, scared by the rain, frightened by thunder.
He only takes a step forward when the thunder shines momentarily and then is left in darkness again. A
hypocrite Because of this discrepancy his path is not illuminated as it should have been. The result is
that he gropes about aimlessly and stumbles every now and then; he walks a little and then stops. Thus
Allah punishes him with disgrace; and had He wished so, He would have taken away his sight and
hearing, thereby disgracing him on the very first day.

Al Baqra 21- 25

In this surah according to the three main divisions between the types of people who exist, the believers,
the disbelievers and the hypocrites this verse is urging us to be with the believers and not with the
disbelievers, the one who practice piety i.e. believe in the unseen, what was and is revealed to the
apostles, pray and worship, spend in the way of god, and on the day of judgment. And you worship him
so that you may join those who guard against evil. He has created you so that you may guard against evil
which is followed by description of the structure phenomenon if rain and the overall process of growing
fruits. Allah has now mentioned that anyone who has even the slightest knowledge of ecosystem will
not credit it to anyone else and he should know that Allah manages the system.

“And if you are in doubt …produce a chapter like this”

In this ayat it’s a clear and open challenge to anyone to produce a book of its kind by someone like the
prophet s.a.w.a someone who hasn’t gotten any formal education, has not picked up a pen. Bring
someone of likeness to him and produce something of the likeness to that of Quran. By this chapter it
doesn’t simply mean the chapter of the cow but overall. This brings us to two points, one that Miracles
do exist and Quran is a miracle. If the second point is confirmed the first one will be confirmed
automatically. A miracle is something that defies the deep rooted understanding of cause and effect.
Its challenge in many other verses extends to people beyond the Arab world of that era, it includes Jins
as well and people of all kinds learned and unlearned. Since everyone deciphers things according to
their intellect and their benchmark a challenge is extended for them to compare it with their bench
mark of knowledge and book and then drive a meaning out of it. And for people who don’t have any
benchmark they follow the former people who have understood it.

Miracles of Quran

In terms of legislation can any human being devise legislative laws that are comprehensive, adhering to
monotheistic laws and for all the human activities without falling into discrepancies, this too coming
from a man who was born in a society where everyone was either plundering or raiding and marrying
their others and killing daughters and were enslaved by all dynasties? And if it is in fact written by a man
will he dare include in it the knowledge of the unseen, the universe and the future and the past? The
science. And what will be your judgment if nothing of these is proven wrong?

And since the world is constantly changing a human being changes as well how come there is no gradual
change seen in the way it’s written in the span of 23 years, and more so any word that follows another
even if it’s done after a break of many years sprouts from the same roots that were given many years
earlier. No man can remain unchanged during the lifetime and the fact that Quran has remain
unchanged in terms of its tonality during these 23 years is also an evidence of it being a miracle.

The fact that all other miracles were confined to the moment it happened to a specific set of witnesses
belonging to a specific community of a specific cast. Quran however transcends time, community, class
and even human race till the end of time throughout ages and class.

First Challenge

Quran has put its attention to all big and small topics relevant to divine knowledge, moral virtues and
religious laws— covering worship, mutual dealings, social regulations, penal code, and, in short,
everything that affects life and character. All this is based on the foundation of human nature and
monotheism. Analyze the details and you will find monotheism as their basis; combine the basis with
relevant principles and you will get the details. Then it has declared that all this knowledge will remain
valid to the end of the world; will continue to guide mankind and will always be relevant to human
needs and environment

Sociologists are of the opinion that Society marches ahead and changes with time how can it be stuck
with one specific set rules of sharia and not march ahead. Islam declares that legislation should grow
from the seed of creation and existence while the sociologists focus more on the material change of the
society and forget the spiritual aspect of monotheism. The spiritual aspect of monotheism and the
spiritual need Is consistent through time what changes is the way of making sure that spiritual aspect is
fulfilled while staying within the limits of monotheism .

2nd challenge

According to many the prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a has forged Quran, This is nullified by the fact that
Muhammad P.B.U.H never had a degree in literature, never had any formal education, never had any
exposure to eloquent speeches and one day he returns back with words that beat down the best of
literary eloquent speakers and make them seem like pigmies?

Some say he learned it from Salman the Persian, who accepted Islam in Medina, what of those verses
and most of those verses revealed in Mecca. Some say he learned it from a Roman Blacksmith. To which
Quran says his language was that of barbarous and this is clear Arabic.

3rd challenge is that of the knowledge of unseen

Quran has mentioned things and talked about prophets from the past in which the narrative is different
from biblical narratives. He wasn’t present at that time and he knew about prophet Isa a.s, Prophet
Yusuf a.s and Bibi Maryam a.s. Secondly of the Predictions of the Byzantine winning over Sasanian,
Muslims returning back to Mecca and entering the holy Mosque and, then secondly the scientific
realities of the mountains and the earth and that earth is always moving, and finally the disorders of the
Islamic world are predicted.

Eloquence of Quran

Answer to objection that its grammar is manmade, how can anything be higher standard of one who
created it. Also Quran says one things in two ways. Which one is the highest?

Eloquence is based not simply base on grammar, vocabulary and syntax. It’s based on three factors, the
words, the meaning and it’s validation with the fact. The words should be harmonious to the meaning in
their sequence or order they follow, it should sync with the meaning. The meaning needs to be judged
on the quality of the intended meaning and it should reflect a fact that is an unchangeable reality.

A speech attains the highest standard of eloquence when its words are sweet, its style free-flowing, its
meaning fitting the occasion and its conveyed proposition based on true facts. Such a talk, based as it is
on reality, can never differ. Such a talk, based as it is on reality, can never differ with other realities, can
never disagree with other truths. Truth and reality is a non-divisible entity. Truth cannot refute another
truth; reality cannot oppose another reality. Lie, on the other hand, may be in opposition to another lie
as it surely is against the truth. One truth will lead to the other, one reality will guide to the other; thus,
one part of the Qur’an confirms the others, one sentence testifies for the others.

Miracles according to Quran

The rule of cause and effect, everything that happens within the set understandable measure of cause
and effect is normal anything that defies this is miracle. Miracles happen through a series of natural
events only but in such a manner that it seems too specific and calculated in the result that it achieves

“Allah indeed has made a measure for everything.” This sentence shows that every effect, whether it is
in accordance with the normal causality or not, has a measure appointed by Allah, is related to other
beings, has a connection with other things; Allah may bring that effect into existence through any other
related thing, even if the normal cause is absent. What should not be forgotten is the basic fact that it is
Allah Who has bestowed causality on a cause; this relation of cause and effect is not independent of
Allah
All natural things are governed by god as well:

Allah has created causal relation between various things. He can attain His purpose through any way He
wishes. The causes do have the causality because Allah has given it to them. They have got it, but are
not independent of Allah. It is this factor that has been described in above verses as “inter-cession” and
“permission”. Permission means that there was an impediment which, but for this permission would
have hindered the now-authorized agent from interfering in this affair. In short, every cause has been
given the power to create the relevant effect; but the real authority is yet in the hands of Allah..

Magic also happens through natural causes or through a person but doesn’t go out of the will of Allah or
his judiciary Things, affairs and events may be either natural or super-natural; and the super-natural may
be either on the side of good, like miracle, or on that of evil, like magic and soothsaying. But all of them
come into being through natural causes, and at the same time they depend on the will of Allah. In other
words, they cannot come into being unless the natural cause coincides, or becomes one, with the
permission and command of Allah.

All things are equal in this respect; but when a prophet brings about a miracle, or a good servant of
Allãh prays to Him for a thing, an additional factor, that is, the decisive command of Allah, is added
thereto; and the desired effect or event unfailingly comes into being. Allah says :Allah has written down:
I will most certainly prevail, I and My apostles(58:21);I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls
on Me. . . (2:186). See also other such verses quoted in. Miracles by the prophet have no way of losing
the argument they are invincible

Miracles are here to validate prophet hood and not god or the message of god. Also what prophets feel
in revelation is beyond our rational understanding and thinking

Al Baqra 24 - 25

The chapter starts with three groups now it’s divided into two groups “o men” because hypocrites are
counted in the first group while they believe in the second group. The end of both the groups is
explained. As for ones who are believers will go to paradise wherein they will get the reward of what
they have done in the world where as disbelievers will burn in the fire to which their own bodies along
with the material idols they worshipped will be the fuel to it. While the believers will have mates purer
than what they had in this world free from excrement, body impurity or personality impurity.

Al Baqra 26- 27

“Surely Allah is not ashamed to set forth any parable — (that of) a gnat or anything above that; then as
for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord, and as for those who disbelieve,
they say: “What is it that Allah means by this parable?”

This verse clearly makes a distinction again of the ones who are believers and the disbelievers and the
use of parables to, and mentioned in surah’s later of chapter 3 that believers will be under Allahs
guardianship and will see the world in his light and as mentioned in this surah they’ll be able to see the
truth in the parable because of this light and guardianship provided by Allah.

Where as in other places its written that the disbelievers will err because they will be blind, head turned
to their backs, veil put on them, a blocked in front of them and at their backs. They will not be able to
see the meaning of the parable. The veil will be removed after their deaths when everything will be very
clear to them. It means that a man lives 2 lives, one that is hidden the other that is obvious to his eyes.
He’ll be aware of the hidden life when the veil of secrecy is removed after the death.

Furthermore it’s proven by Quran that a man has three lives. One before the physical life, physical life
and one after physical life that is the hereafter. The hereafter is proven by the verses that clearly explain
the principal of decompensation and embodiment of deeds along the premises of you reap what you
sow.

“He causes many to err by it and many He leads aright by it, but He does not cause to err by it (any)
except the transgressor” (26) who break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation and cut asunder
what Allah has ordered to be joined, and make mischief in the land; these it is that are the losers (27).

Transgressors transgress first and then Allah causes them to err

The adjectives of transgressors and breaking of the covenant is an interesting observation that fasiq
comes from fisq e tamiriay (date that breaks the outer rind) the choice of the word “break” along with
fasiq or transgressor is not just a cheap epithet but a calculated eloquent use of vocabulary. Also it is
mentioned that they are losers. The must own something to lose it first. Quran clearly mentions in later
surah’s that: “Surely the losers are they who have lost themselves and their people on the resurrection
day (42:45”). . .

Human Will, divine decree and

He causes no one to err by it except the transgressors means that once a person choses the wrong path
by their will, Allah doesn’t do much to bring him back. He might bring the person back if the person
repents or if he pleases.

On the topic of the divine decree of Allah, the human will and delegation and compulsion there are
certain things that we need to keep in mind. Firstly everything is created by Allah, the good in this world
and the evil in this world. The human has complete free choice to choose the route. It may choose evil
but it doesn’t mean that the evil is attributed to Allah, it’s attributed to the doer. In the same way the
person might choose the right path and his good deed will be attributed to him. Hence the concept of
reward and punishment.

Complete compulsion would mean that human being is a mere tool in god’s plan and has no merit what
so ever and is only guided by Allah Almighty. Human being is not simply a tool controlled by god
because then all the evil would be attributed to God and so will all the good deeds. There will be no
reward or punishment and no merit in actions for human beings. (Mujabirah)

Completely believing in delegation means that the person over powers gods’ degree which nullifies the
major attributes of god that nothing happens in this world apart from his decree. (Mutazilites)

The right understanding is The divine will decrees that a certain action be done by Zayd — not
unconditionally, but on the condition that it is done by Zayd's free will, at a certain time and a certain
place. Therefore, its relation to the divine will itself demands that it should be an action of a free agent,
done by his own freewill and choice.
the human and the divine; they do not run parallel to each other; the divine will comes after and above
the human will — they are in a vertical, and not a horizontal position to each other. Therefore, there is
no competition or collision between the two wills.

As mentioned by Imam Reza a.s in at tawhid an Uyun al akhbar: “Verily Allah is not obeyed through
compulsion, nor is He disobeyed by overpowering; and He did not leave the servants remiss in His
kingdom; He (still) owns what He has given into their possession, and has power on what He has put into
their power. Now, if the servants decided to obey Him, He would not prevent them from it, nor would
he put any obstruction to it; and if they decided to disobey Him, then if He pleased to bar their way to it
He would do so, and if He did not hinder it and they committed it, then it was not He Who led them into
that (sin).” Then the Imam said: “Whoever would accurately delineate the boundaries of this speech
would surely overcome his adversary.

For deeds and Doers- evil and good, indecency and decency –

Also capability of a person.

The deed in isolation is neither good nor bad, we drive it’s attribute of good or bad in relation to its
doer. God has created everything no doubt. Sex, killing, alcohol and supernatural It’s their relation to the
person who does them which makes it a sin or good deed, evil or trial. Sex done within the rules of
marriage set by god is good, the same sex outside of wedlock’s in fornication. Killing someone for justice
by the legislation is good but killing another person unjustly is evil As far as creationism is concerned
everything is created by god. But here’s the thing. All the good that comes out of these creations is
attributed to god and all the evil, sin and injustice is attributed to the doer. . The doers of evil bring
pending affliction upon themselves but only by Allahs permission.

In terms of capability a person is capable of doing everything because God made him capable by giving
bounties, power, and health and hearing sight. So when the credit for good deed comes it’s attributed to
Allah because a person was capable only because of Allah by his decree. But when he uses the same
capability to transgress and commit indecency, evil and sin that is attributed to Him because Allah
disowns it. Because he proactively guides to good and explicitly stops one from evil.

In short

Allah’s decree, human will and human capability.

Allah is too just to be completely understood by compulsion and too omnipotent to delegate. A persons
free will is somewhere in the middle of these two.

The will of person depends on the decree of Allah that his servant will have free will. His divine will has
given the man freedom of will; neither the divine will negates the human will, nor the human will
collides with the divine will.

The capability of person is attributed to Allah because he’s the one created him in complete form.

Person’s relation to good and evil

Deeds in isolation are not good or bad it’s relative to the user , The creation of all things/ deeds is
attributed to Allah and he made them all intended for good.
Things/deeds become good based on their relation to the doer and their intended existence.

Things become evil based on their relation of the doer and their misuse.

Allahs relation to good and evil

Allah’s forsaking someone is not him pushing that person away and then punishing him in fact its him
holding back his grace from the person who himself has pushed away from Allah. (Passive), Allahs
guiding someone is an effort that god makes proactively (active). Hence based on this principal is why
Allah owns all the goodness and disowns all the bad things

The affliction that befalls upon a person who commits evil is brought upon the person himself But
pending on Allah’s permission

The good brought upon a person who did something good is all attributed to god and not the person

Al Baqra 28-29

How do you deny Allah and you were dead and He gave you life? Again He will cause you to die and
again bring you to life; then you shall be brought back to Him (28).

The verse above explains the life and death cycle of a man. This talks about the first lifeless form in
which a man existed, then god gave him this life where a man lives and then gives him another “causing
to die” which is proceeded by a life. This explains a death in the beginning, cause to die and two lives.
Another verse similar though, 40:11 “They shall say: “Our Lord! Twice didst Thou give us death, and
twice hast Thou give us life” is talking about the death that we face after this life.

Important to understand the difference between causing to die and death. Causing to die means that
the life precedes the death before it and “death” alone means it was preceded by lifelessness. Hence
the we cannot call the “death” that we see in this life as death because it’s proceeded by life. The first
life death is figured out, so is the second life, but the second death needs to be placed somewhere
before the second life.

Analysis of two Surah’s

Verse 1: Death life causing to die Barzakh brought back to God

Verse 2: Two death two lives, (keeping in mind an important principal that death cannot be proceeded
by life. if it is proceeded by life it’s not ultimate death it’s “cause to die”. Also wherever there’s life it
always needs to be proceeded by death).

Verse 1+2: Death life causing to die Death--- Barzakh Death Life brought back to god
This is a clear indication of space between causing to die and death which is the purgatory. It’s lifeless
intervening period

29- “He it is who created for you all that is in the earth, and He directed Himself to the heaven, so He
made them complete seven heavens; and He know all things”

This verse in isolation explains that Allah has created everything on this earth and made all the other
creations submissive to human beings, the animals, the vegetation, the winds and nature everything
submissive to humans where a human can imitate nature to create his synthetic things, eat from the
earth, completely control everything according to his need for his betterment as everything is made
subservient to human beings. And God directed himself to the heaven. The seven heavens will be
explained later.

The two verses 28 and 29 when combined explain the journey of a man. Starts with genesis, the life and
blessings of a man and his imprint on the universe and the return.

As for the return journey it technically starts from the first life that a person gets. There are two routes
leading to the same destination that is God in the end as mentioned in verse 28. One route is short
sweet, straight and elevating while the other however is long, difficult and demeaning. The detail of
both the paths is mentioned is surah Alhamd.

While these two verses talk about an overview of the overall journey and direction, Surah Alhamd “ lead
us to the straight path” talks about the specifics of the straightest path in the living life between the first
death and before the caused death

Al Baqra 30 – 33:

And when your Lord said to the angels, “Verily I am going to make in the earth a vicegerent”; they said:
“wilt thou place in it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood while we celebrate Thy praise and
extol Thy holiness?” He said: “Surely I know what you do not know”(30) And He taught Adam the names,
all of them, then presented them to the angels and He said: “Tell Me the names of those if you are
right”(31).They said: “Glory be to Thee! We have no knowledge but that which Thou hast taught us;
surely Thou, Thou (alone), art the knowing, the Wise” (32) He said O Adam! Inform them of their names.
And when he had informed them of their names, He said: “Did I not say to you that I surely know the
unseen heavens and the earth and (that) I know what you manifest and what you were hiding?”(33).

When Allah said “on earth” angels suddenly realized that earth was finite while the needs of the
creation are finite and given the fact that this individual will not be the only one on the earth, Allah will
also create others and a creed and a society they are eventually going to cause bloodshed. This they got
from the word of Allah himself but surely they were also familiar of some previous experience. However
this alone would be an unauthorized analogy which would make angels equal to Iblis but no that is not
the case as theirs was no more than a question as Allah announced that he was making Adam the
“vicegerent”, he meant that he will make Adam someone who is a reflection of the divine being, in
actions, purity and existence on this earth. The angels couldn’t put two together and understand how
the creation that had infinite needs live in a world that has finite resources eventually end up causing
bloodshed be able to represent the divine being as his vicegerent while on the other hand the angles are
doing a decent job of representing him as they are obedient, stick to Allah’s will and praise his glory.
The question is in confusion is clearly not in protest but as to the contradiction of vicegerent and
eventual bloodshed that angels are familiar with as mentioned by imam Jaffar a.s and imam Baqir in his
hadiths, especially when angels were doing an exceptional job in praising lord.

It’s important to note that Allah did not make Adam a vicegerent of creatures that were before humans.
No he restarted the system by saying “he taught Adam name” and made Adam his vicegerent not
anyone else’s. Anyone who followed Adam after that was also his vicegerent as mentioned by other
verses.

To angels question, God doesn’t disagree to them regarding their concern however still shows them why
This Adam is more worthy of vicegerent. As he asks, Allah showed them that there was a matter which
they could not shoulder the responsibility of, while this proposed vicegerent could do so. Man was
entrusted with a divine secret which the angels, in their nature, were unable to know or understand.
And that divine gift would more than compensate the ensuing mischief and bloodshed.

God presented a question for both candidates, Adam and angels and asked them to answer the
question about the names of those. This situation is bracketed by Gods claim that “you do not know
what I know” and “I surely know the unseen of heaven and earth” God did not mean to ask angels if
they knew that Adam had the knowledge to the names, angles were completely unaware of the names
to begin with. “Unseen” meant the names, Unseen didn’t refer to Adam’s knowledge of the names but
the actual existence of names itself. .. God asked angels to answer the question regarding names to
which they pleaded that they were unaware of it. God asked Adam to tell the names to which Adam did.

“And He taught Adam the names, all of them, then presented them to the angels”

It’s important to note that Adam did not just show superiority in terms of vocabulary that was superior
to angels no, it was actually the knowledge behind the names that was superior to the angels that made
him more qualified to be a vicegerent. This is further backed by angles confessing that “we have no
knowledge but that which Thou has taught us”. The angels could have also protested that they were
never taught the names and Adam was which is technically favoritism, but they didn’t which proves that
teaching of the names to Adam wasn’t simply a case where the knowledge of the name was selectively
distributed, purposely keeping angels in the dark just to make Adam vicegerent, no. The knowledge of
the names was given to Adam because Adam could understand it and had the ability to shoulder the
responsibility, the ability that Angels didn’t have hence when Adam told them the names and the
knowledge behind the names, the angels backed down. After Adam told them the names angels also
could have said that now they know the names, they are also eligible to be the vicegerent as well but
they didn’t because they clearly lacked the ability to shoulder that knowledge of the named ones, the
named ones were substantial realities, the actual beings that were, at the same time, hidden behind the
curtain of the unseen (secrets) of the heavens and the earth. The mention of “them” shows that all of
the things that were named were living beings and they were in the unseen hidden of earth and heaven.

He said: “Did I not say to you that I surely know the unseen heavens and the earth and (that) I know
what you manifest and what you were hiding?”(33).

This verse refers to the unseen treasure of God hidden from earth and heaven as seen in the verse”
everything in this earth is and there is not a thing but with Us are the treasures of it and We do not send
it down but in a known measure” .Whatever is called a thing — whatever is “named” a thing — Allah has
its vast treasures, ever-lasting, never-ending, unmeasured by any measure, unlimited by any limit.
Measure and limit come to it when it is created and sent down. The vastness of these treasures is not of
the same kind as the multi-plicate of number, because a number, no matter how large, is by definition
measured, limited and quantified. The said treasure are vast in their ranks and grades. The named ones
are from the treasure. Further God says that he knows what you were manifest and what you were
hiding means that God knows what’s unseen in the universe and God knows what’s seen in the universe
among his creations. What you were hiding refers to Iblis’s intentions of hiding his disbelief. The
mentioned of “were” explains that Iblis protested somewhere between God saying I know what you do
not know and I know what you were hiding.

The traditions of Imam Baqar a.s and Imam Jaffar a.s explain that angels were familiar with something
that had happened earlier, the tradition alone would give an idea that angels were protesting but in the
context of Quran and explanation it would make sense that they were merely confused and asked a
question.

The traditions of Imam Jaffar a.s also explain the significance of vicegerent and answer to people who
think Adam was sent out as punishment, no it was planned to send him even before he consumed the
forbidden fruit. It also further signifies the meaning of vicegerent and answer to people who say that
man is free from action of God.

In asking about The names imam Jaffar a.s explains they were everything from mountains to vegetables
to In other places he also mentions that they were spirits of who’s names once mentioned in front of
angels mad them realize they were more worthy of representing Allah on earth as Allah made angels
aware of the obedience these spirits are capable of achieving to which angels fell down in front of God
and pleaded that they surely don’t know what he knows.

The two traditions are not contradicting as they are one with the verse regarding treasure of the
unseen. Everything that God had in the unseen treasure God taught that to Adam. Be it of things, be it
of spirits. Everything came into being descending from that unseen treasure.

Al Baqra 34

“And when we said to the angels: “Prostrate before Adam”, then all prostrated except Iblis. He refused
and he showed arrogance and he was one of the unbelievers”

The fact that angels were asked to prostrate in front of Adam doesn’t mean that they were worshiping
Adam. Prostration is the most important gesture of worship but it is not worship itself. Regardless of this
a person is not to prostrate in front of anyone apart from Allah almighty. If done while keeping God
aligned and with intent towards God it’s pure worship but by rituals of worship, has strictly reserved the
prostration for divine worship; it should not be done for anyone other than Allah; in Islam, one is
forbidden to prostrate before others even as a mark of respect, apart from prostration any sort of form
respect shown to a friend of Allah is not wrong, not from reason, logic or even Quran.

As far as the point of “I know what you manifest and what you were hiding” it has a couple of
explanations. Some traditions point that it was in fact towards Angels who when heard that Allah was
going to create a vicegerent on earth, got the idea of supremacy over man kind in their hearts. When
they were asked to recite names, they quickly turned to throne for forgiveness. What they were hiding
was the idea of supremacy in mind what they said was a reference to jinn’s.

Another group of traditions also point towards Iblis’s hidden grudge against the Adam and “I know what
you were hiding” was mentioned for him. The two are not different traditions who contradict, it’s one of
many angles of the same fact.

Traditions about prostrations from Imam Ali a.s and Imam Jafffar a.s suggest that prostration was not
exactly for Adam, it was to Allah.

Al Baqra 35- 39

We said: “O Adam! dwell you and your wife in the Garden and eat(you both)from it(freely)a
plenteous(food)wherever you(two)wish and do not approach(you two)this tree, for then you(two)will
be of the unjust”(35). But the Satan made them both slip from it and drove them out of what they were
in; and we said: “Get down, some of you being the enemies of others; … contd

The comparison of this Verse along with the previous one explains that it didn’t happen accidentally that
Adam ate the fruit and unplanned God had to punish him for what he did so he sent him to this earth. As
mentioned earlier God had already told that he will make a vicegerent who will represent Allah. The
following things that happened, the placing of Adam and eve in garden, prohibition of eating from the
tree, the Satan’s whispering, them eating and then getting aware of their nakedness and getting sent
down to earth shows that all the events that followed were by the divine decree, they needed to be
aware of their nakedness before getting sent to this earth and God planned it in a way where he did
make their nakedness appear before them using Satan as a cause. Their awareness of their nakedness
was an important part as it made them aware of their animal instincts that they were unaware of. With
that reveal of nakedness they became aware of all that follows that nakedness, i.e nutrition Also the fact
that Adam was not brought back to the garden after repentance and getting his repentance accepted is
also an evidence that it was preplanned and decreed by God that Adam had to live on this earth .

Also as mentioned in chapter 20 of Ta-HA” And certainly we had covenanted unto Adam before, but he
forgot” What covenant is this talking about, it’s clearly not the covenant about not eating from the tree
or not listening to Satan, It’s a covenant that God made with all mankind. The covenant is mentioned at
the end of this surah al Baqra “And whoever turns away from my remembrance, his shall surely be a
straitened life,”

This covenant clearly explains the dynamic of this life that after life comes death, health followed by
sickness, fortune followed by misfortune. Same thing is experiences both by the believer and a
disbeliever but has different effects. When we remember God and believe in him we remember that he
is the sole owner of everything in this world, he’s the master, whatever hardship or whatever good
there is comes from him, we have no control over things. When a person believes in this, every stress in
life vanishes as you leave the workings to Allah as he’s a manager, you don’t let matters of life and death
bother you. Everything that emanates from him is divine and to him belongs everything. You let go of all
matters that concern you and leave them to God. Everything that follows is his decree and a believer
accepts it fully with pleasure. The opposite is for the unbeliever who takes the matters into their own
hands, put faith in others, get disappointed, live in fear, one misfortune is followed by another and so on
making the life miserable and difficult for that person to understand. Hence the covenant is that of
following Allah’s guidance that is mentioned, if followed one shall not be unhappy. Hence forgetting of
the covenant for one brief moment has in fact caused unhappiness to Adam a.s.

“And do not approach (you two) this tree” The context shows that actual prohibition was of eating from
it; but they were told not even to approach it; the prohibition was couched in these terms for emphasis

“Or then you (two) will be of the unjust” is misunderstood for sin or breaking the sharia. However that is
not the case, if it were a sin and after repentance Adam was forgiven he would have been restored to
where he was taken away from, the garden. Whatever injustice they had done was not against Allah or
anyone else but themselves, they were advised against doing this act. Their doing of the act and going
against that advice had brought harm to themselves only. This removal from the garden is not a
punishment but a consequence of their own action that was mentioned before they even ate from the
tree “therefore let him not drive you both forth from the Garden so that you should be put to toil (117);
Surely it is (ordained) for you that you shall not be hungry therein nor bare of clothing (118); and that
you shall not be thirsty therein nor shall you feel the heat of the sun”

“But the Satan made them both slip from it” The Satan could have misled them by creating evil thoughts
in their hearts, in the same way as he misleads other human beings. But many verses, in the three
narratives quoted at the beginning of this commentary, show that the Satan had appeared before Adam
and his wife, and had talked to them face to face.

And we said: “Get down, some of you being the enemies of others

The use of plural pronoun here suggest that it’s directed towards at least three people. God had decreed
Satan’s punishment of sending him down earlier as well when he failed to prostrate, however this is a
reaffirmation of that degree along with Adam and his wife. It also mentions another degree that they
will live in there and they should be raised from there as well. . an indication that the creation and the
decree to live and die in the earth includes more than two, that is, other human beings too besides
Adam and his wife .The story of Adam may have been used by Allah to represent the rise, fall and rise
again of the whole mankind. Adam was the first representatives of humanity, and his life was a symbol,
a miniature, of the human beings life-span in this world

“Then Adam received (some) words from his Lord.so He returned to him mercifully”

At-Tawbah (repentance) of man is flanked on both sides by two (mercies) of Allah. Man can never do
without the mercy of Allah. He needs mercy and help of Allah to turn away from sins; only then he may
return to Allah, may repent from his sins; then again the mercy of Allah comes forward, and his
repentance is accepted, therefore, an accepted repentance of man issues forth from the mercy of Allah,

What were the words which Adam received from his Lord? Some people think that it refers to their
invocation reported in Chapter 7: They said: “Our Lord! We have been unjust to our-selves, and if Thou
forgive us not, and ….. Be of the losers” (7:23).But this view is not supported by the sequence of the
events. Adam and his wife had addressed that invocation before they were told to get down from the
Garden (7:24); and it was after getting that order that he “received some words” from Allãh, as is clear
from the verse 2: 36-37. Therefore, “some words”.

As mentioned earlier, when angels pointed out to God that making a human vicegerent will create chaos
and bloodshed in the world. Allah only answered by saying that he taught Adam the Names, there must
be some merit to those names that satisfied angels’ confusion and objection, probably words related to
the repentance in this context have some connection to the names that were taught.

Although Adam a.s did wrong to himself, but this process of repentance and going through different
stages of hardship and turning towards god elevated his level and made him understand god in a whole
new light, of compassion, grace and mercy. Which he wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. As
mentioned by Allah in other surah’s, repentance comes before belief. ); And most surely I am most,
forgiving to him who repents and believes and does good . . . (20:82)

We said: “Get down you therefore all together; and if there comes to you a guidance from Me, then
whoever follows My guidance, no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve. And (as to) those
who disbelieve in, and belie, our signs, they are the inmates of the fire, in it they shall abide”

It is clear that Adams repentance was in between two decrees, the second decree changed after his
repentance and as a gift of mercy god has bestowed human kind with his guidance as mentioned above,
those who follow him shall have a happy, less problematic life as they leave all the matters to Allah, and
those who disbelieve and take matters into their own hand will be unhappy.  The first decree initiated
the earthly life for him; the second, issued after his repentance, bestowed dignity and grace to that life,
by providing it with divine guidance. From then on, man's life is composed of two lives: A material, earth
and a spiritual life. From the sequence and the tone of what is mentioned, it is clear that the second
decree was given to Adam while he was still I the garden but not in the same honored position that he
was in earlier. As understood from the verse “Get down, some of you being the enemies of others; and
there is for you in the earth an abode and a provision for a time” (2:36; 7:24). “Therein shall you live,
and therein shall you die, and from it shall you be raised”. Explains clearly that Adam was surely in
gardens of heave where the life was very different from the earthly life. But it wasn’t the garden of
eternal abode.

Mistake of Adam

Adam did not go against an authoritative command more over it was going against an advice that
resulted in Adam facing the toil of this earth. Going against an advice does not count as a sin or
rebellion.

When a servant sins and repents, the person is restored to its position they had earlier. If the prohibition
against eating from the tree had the force of an authoritative command, an ordained law, Adam and his
wife should have been returned to their place in the Garden as soon as their repentance was accepted.
But they were not. It decisively proves that the prohibition was of advisory nature

The first Sharia that God ordained was after Adam was given the second decree of going down to earth.
An ordained law did not exist when Adam ate from the tree, hence no sin or crime was involved in
acting against that advice. Their repentance was more of a confession of embarrassment than asking
god to erase a sin that had been committed.
Traditions:

Garden

The garden that Adam dwelled in was different from the garden of eternal abode that is the heaven. It
also wasn’t exactly a garden in this earth or garden of barzakh but the decent meant that it was above
this earth, in heaven but not exactly the garden of eternal abode.

The “time” mentioned means the day of resurrection as it is mentioned surah’s that a person can
simultaneously be in barzakh and on the earth.

Even if they were created in earth, lived in it, it is still possible they descended from heaven as the grave
is sometime called orchid of heaven of fire pit of hell.

Iblis in garden

It is still not clear how Iblis got into that garden or what form he took, most of the ideas about peacock
or snake are Judaic

Iblis had been in a clear form appeared in front of Adam and eve as mentioned in verses above.

He could enter the garden because it was not garden of eternal abode, and although he was kicked out
of heaven when he refused to prostrate before Adam was put in the garden he could still visit the
garden of the world because.

a) It was garden of the world and not of the eternal abode where he couldn’t enter which was free
of sin.
b) He was asked to step down from the ranks of angels and as a permanent resident of the heaven,
he could still visit occasionally

The evidence of him entering the garden is that he says eat from “this” tree which denotes nearness.
The same cannot be applied to God because god is not bound by space and time.

Adams “Disobedience” and time in heaven.

As understood from narrations by Imam Reza a.s , Abu jaffar a.s ,5 th or 6th imam (a.s). P.B.O.A.T

Adams head was held high when angels prostrated before him, but then God showed him the status of
Muhammad (P.B.U.H) and his family. He aspired to be like them.

When seen in the light of the covenant mentioned above “Do not forget your Allah” This makes sense as
the balance of Tree and covenant was preserved for Muhammad (s.a.w). Adam Aspired to be like him,
not in envy but clear aspiration and couldn’t balance the covenant and the attraction to the tree. He did
not exactly forget, he tried his luck. He did not forget the covenant out of forgetfulness, he remembered
but gave the tree priority over the covenant, unintentionally or due to the lack of ability to balance both.
A balance that was only preserved for Muhammad P.B.U.H

As far as Adams sin is concerned, as mentioned by Imam Reza (a.s) in short Adam was not created for
the garden, he was created for this earth. In this earth he was protected and sinless in respect to the
purpose and place that he was created for. His disobedience came into being as a decree of God so that
he could learn repentance and be perfected to be sent to this earth. Also sin didn’t exist in garden
because no sharia was ordained to begging with, he failed to follow an advice.

As mentioned by the prophet, Adam a.s and his wife were in the heaven for 6 to 7 hours of the world,
there might be a possibility that they were descended to the courtyard of the heaven and then the
world.

Words received by Adam

In order of the events, Adam ate from the tree, he heard from lord reminding him” did I not forbid you
to eat from that tree” to which Adam and eve replied that they were unjust to themselves and asked for
forgiveness” after which God asked them to get down to earth where they will be enemy of each other,
then Adam received some “words” from his God and then he was asked to get down where he would be
guided by his lord.

The argument that words given by god to Adam were that where Adam said he was unjust and asked for
forgiveness does not work because he says these words before God asked him to get down to earth as a
reply to “did I not forbid you to eat from the tree” whereas He receives words after he was asked to get
down to earth.

The words received by Adam were almost the same as the names taught to him which were an answer
to Angel’s concern of Adam creating bloodshed in this world. Those names could not be just random
reply to angels concern but an answer which satisfies angels and made them surrender telling them that
these names, the sublime creations and their names are a counter to all the ill in this world. These would
be the same words that were then presented as a cure to Adam for repentance. The names of
Muhammad and his Ahlul bayt as also reported by syuti in dur ul manthur.

Adams Descent

As mentioned by Ali (a.s) Hazrat Adam was descended in Sirilanka, However this is opposite to traditions
that suggest he was descended in Mecca. It can be also understood by mixing these two traditions of
mecca and sirilanka with Gods two decrees of getting down to earth and being enemy of each other,
Adam receiving words and then decree of getting down to the earth getting guidance that Adam was
descended in sirilanka first, then got words from lord, repented, got up to heaven again and descended
back in mecca maybe on Safa and Bibi Hawa on Marwah.

Al Baqra 40 - 44

O children of Israel! Remember my bounties which I be-stowed on you, and be faithful to (your) covenant
……What! Do you enjoin men to be good and forget your own selves while you read the Book? Have you
then no sense?

Allah reminds Jews them of the bounties bestowed, of the honors given; contrasting it with their
ingratitude and disobedience; showing how at every juncture they paid the favors of Allah with
disregard of their covenant, open rebellion against divine commands and even with polytheism. The
series reminds them of twelve events of their history — like rescuing them from Pharaoh and his people
by parting the river, drowning of Pharaoh and his army, the appointed rendezvous at the mount Sinai,
the Jews' starting calf-worship in Mũsã's absence, and Mass order to them to kill themselves, their
demand from Mũsã to show their Lord to them face to face, their death by lightning and then their
arising from dead etc. —all of which shows how they were chosen to receive the especial favors of Allah.
But their ingratitude runs parallel to it. They repeatedly broke the covenants made with Allãh,
committed capital sins, heinous crimes and shameful deeds; more despicable. Was their spiritual
poverty and moral bankruptcy — in open defiance to their book and total disregard to the reason, It was
all because their hearts were hardened, their souls lost and their endeavors worthless.

The word rahba means fear it’s the opposite of raghbah which means desire, covenant is Ahd or path,
“be not the first” is all inclusive, can be for Jews as a first nation to get a book, or Meccans who were
first to reject it before Jews at the time of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a.

Al Baqra 45-46

And seek assistance through patience and prayer; and most surely it is a hard thing, except for the
humble ones (45), who know that they shall meet their Lord and that they shall return to Him (46)

When a person is patient any issue seems trivial while praying is only thing that a person has to reach
God and praying reinforces faith thus resulting in a confidence in a person that the cause that person is
relying upon is not going to fail.

Being humble comes from khushu and khudu both mean the same except one is internal the other ne is
in action. By “it” the mean the prayers and not the patience or seeking assistance.

“Who know they shall meet”, the word ydunun literally means think. Which means you don’t have to be
firmly rooted in knowledge to achieve humbleness. It can come at even the supposition stage. As in
even when the person hopes, or thinks or only aware of the fact that he will return to lord, but is not
exactly sure that person should still be able to achieve humbleness.

According to imam Jaffar a.s, and Abul Hassan a.s. The patience and prayer mean Fasting and prayers.
When a person meets misfortune that person should fast and pray. Also the humble ones are
Muhammad P.B.U.H and Ali a.s. so it’s inferred that that’s the medium of Prophet s.a.a.w and Ali s.s
where fasting and prayers are Muhammad s.a.a.w and Ali a.s.

Al Baqra 47-48

Children of Israel! Call to mind my favor which bestowed on you and that I made you excel the nation
(47). And be on your guard against the day when one soul shall not avail another in the least; neither
shall intercession on its behalf be accepted, nor shall any compensation be taken from it, nor shall they
be helped (48)
“And be on your guard against the day when one soul shall not avail another in the least”

Clearly there’s a custom in this world where a criminal is let of on bail either by trading a secret, or by
someone influential or by paying a certain amount. This has been the case since forever, idol
worshippers and people of the ancient times thought that after life would have the same dynamic and
workings hence sacrificing things, even humans, taking gold or a word of priest with them etc. As Quran
has mentioned In many places that no intercession of any sorts would be accepted for. e.g.

“And certainly you have come to us alone as we created you at first, and you have left behind your backs
the things which we gave you, and we do not see with you your intercessors about whom you asserted
that they were Allah’s associates in respect to you; certainly the ties between you’re now cut off and
what you asserted is gone from you (6:94)

On the other hand Quran also mentions that only Allah is the intercessor

Say: “Allah’s is the intercession altogether” (39:44)

But in other places Quran also mentions that

“And intercession will not avail aught with Him save of him whom He permits (34:23)

In short, the verses that reject intercession — albeit talking about the Day of Resurrection — do so in the
context of inter-cession independent of Allah’s authority; while the ones proving it, prove it basically for
Allah and then, depending on His pleasure, for others.

Intercession that is besides Allah or side by side with him, without his permission or will is not accepted
whereas intercession with his permission, from his chosen ones who fall under his decree and under his
control in hierarchy is accepted. In short intercession when done on Allah’s terms is accepted, any other
than that is not. Same is the case with the knowledge of unseen, raising dead, command and authority.

What does intercession mean?

It literally means to make it even by putting another word of recommendation by a second party. More
like to supplement a cause. But intercession is effective only if the person for whom one intercedes is
otherwise qualified to get the reward and has already established a relationship with the authority.

Intercession works in a way that it shifts the case from legislative reward and punishment domain to his
mercy, it does not mean that this is achieved by going against God or by confrontation and refutation.

Intercession is better understood through the chain of causes that lead to an effect, whereas Allah is the
ultimate cause for everything and intercession is one of the causes.

Allah is the ultimate cause in creation and legislation as everything starts with him.

Intercession In creation is supported by, “surely your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the
earth in six periods, and He is firmly established on throne, regulating the affair; there is no intercessor
except after His permission (10:3)” In this context of creation intercession is more of an intermediary
cause between the creator and the created thing and its effect, in regulating its effect.

Intercession in Legislation is as mentioned earlier more of a supplement to someone’s cause

“And intercession will not avail aught with Him save of him whom He permits (34:23)” That intercession
would transfer his case from the general law of recompense to the special domain of grace and mercy.
Allah has the power to change one type of deed into other, in the same way as He may render an act
null and void. He says: And We will proceed to what they have done of deeds, so we shall render them
as scattered floating dust (25:23);

It should have been clear by now that intercession, in its true sense, belongs to Allah only; all His
attributes are intermediaries between Him and His creatures and are the channels through which His
grace, mercy and decrees pass to the creatures; He is the real and all-encompassing intercessor: Say:
“Allah’s is the intercession altogether”(39:44);

Objections about intercession

Intercession is injustice: It’s not because the salvation is already written down. The sharia is written
down with respective punishments and rewards for obedient believers, disbelievers and obedient
disbelievers. The subsequent waver is written before hand for the obedient disbeliever, the salvation is
mentioned from before. Also since the wavering off is not a contradiction of the earlier command its
shift from rule to mercy hence it’s not injustice.

Intercession causes contradiction is the pattern set by Allah: This thought arises one thinks that all the
attributes have one single connection to the issuing authority or when one thinks God has one single
attribute. Which is not the case with Allah Almighty. Every attribute is a different and is extended from
Allah through a different channel hence as mentioned earlier it’s not a contradiction. Wavier based on
sum-total of numerous causes like mercy, pardon, and giving everyone his due right— does not entail
any change in the established course, nor any deviation from the right path.

Intercession is adding something to Allah’s knowledge to change his will, not possible: When night
comes our will is directed to light a lamp, and later when the morning comes the will is directed to
extinguish that lamp. In this case, there was no change at all in our knowledge and will; what changed
was the objects of that knowledge and will. And consequently they ceased to be governed by that
knowledge and that will. It does not mean there was error in Gods knowledge which was apprehended
by the intercessor which in return changed his will.

Intercession nullifies the sharia and the purpose of Prophet hood, sin, reward and punishment: Firstly
Allah has mentioned: Surely Allãh does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and
forgives what is besides that to whomsoever He pleases (4:48). What about this then? It would nullify
these mentioned things if it was specific and unconditional. Which it is not, it’s vague and doesn’t
promises unconditionally.
The verses either refute or are with a proviso which is a negative style in Quran: The verses which refute
Intercession are the ones that point towards a fact that intercession without Allah’s permission won’t be
accepted. Verses like “it is they who shall not benefit from the inter-cession of intercessors” actually
prove the existence of intercessors and intercession. As for the supposed negative style “but after his
permission” is a infinite verb permission written in genitive case His permission.

The verses never mention on the Day of Judgment, Intercession is the deliverance by the Prophets in the
lifetime by showing a path of salvation: Of course that’s one part of it but not limited to that. “Surely
Allãh does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and forgives what is besides that to
whomsoever He pleases (4:48).” This verse explains that cases that are sans repentance. Only
Polytheism would not be forgiven sans repentance and everything else would be forgiven if he please.
That everything else is what the intercession covers. Cases where a person has not repented properly.

Verses are ambiguous and some are decisive, we should leave its meaning to Allah: The ambiguous
verses when put next to decisive ones will give an answer.

Who will benefit from the intercessions?

People with the book in right hand who prayed, gave zakat, didn’t reject revelations and believed in the
Day of Judgment as seen in means right in practice (74, 38- 48)

Book will be given to those in the right hand who follow the right Imam. Means the faith needs to be
approved by Allah, unconditional intercession (17, 71-72)

People who have major sins, because if they had minor only it would have been wiped out, if they have
minor sins means they have major sins as well.

Guilty ones who followed the convent of worshiping God as compared in 19: 85-87, 20:74-75, 36: 60-61)

Who will intercede?

In this living life every cause is an intercessor.

In legislation there are two categories, in life and in hereafter.

In life: Repentance, true faith, good deeds, Quran, Prophets, angels and the believers themselves.

In hereafter:

Prophet: And they say: “The Beneficent God has taken to Himself a son.” Glory be to Him. Nay! They are
honored servants; they do not precede Him in speech and (only) according to His commandment do they
act. He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they do not intercede except for him
whom He approves . . . (21:26-28)… Hazrat Isa,
Angels: And how many an angel is there in the heavens whose intercession does not avail at all except
after Allãh has given permission to whom He pleases and chooses (53:26); on that day shall no
intercession avail except of him whom the Beneficent God allows and whose word He is pleased with. He
knows what is before them and what is behind them (20:109 -110)

Believers: And those whom they call upon besides Him have no authority for (or, do not own) inter-
cession, but he who bears witness of truth and they know (him) (43:86) And (as for) those who believe in
Allãh and His apostles, these it is that are the truthful and the witnesses with their Lord .(57:19)

When will they intercede?

As mentioned intercession does take place in this world through cause and effect however in terms of
legislation, intercession will take place on the Day of Judgment after people have been sent to heaven
and hell and the remaining disobedient believers are left. Intercession will not help in protecting people
from the turmoil of that day.

People confuse intercession with the authority of Ahle bayt for e.g., the visiting in graves or helping in
places. It’s an example of them practicing authority bestowed upon them by their lord. Intercession is
Shafaat. A verse that highlights authority is ”day when We will call every people with their Imam; then
whoever is given his book in his right hand . . .The intermediary position of the imam in calling every
people and giving them their books is a sort of authority and rule vested in him by Allãh.

Traditions:

According to Abu Abdallah (a.s), Abu Ibrahim (a.s)

Muhammad s.a.w.a will intercede on the behalf of sinful believers who would be standing in the sun and
sweating for forty years, He will fall down in prostration twice before he is granted intercession by Allah.
That is when he will be the most eminent person on that day hence the verse “may be your Lord will
raise you to a praised position” That raised position is the position of intercession.

Another tradition by Muhammad ibn e Ali (a.s) further adds that the verse “And soon will your Lord give
you so that you shall be well pleased” is also referring to intercession by Muhammad s.a.w.a. that this
thing that Allah is going to bless Prophet s.a.w.a with is unconditional. Also when we analyze the
meaning of pleased, its mot simply getting pleased on hedonistic ground like normal people do, it would
be the pleasure a needy person experiences when the needs are fulfilled, Since Holy Prophet is the most
compassionate and merciful he won’t be able to be able to rest until his believers get freed from hell
because of his intercession.

Another tradition by the fifth Imam tells the hierarchy of intercession that Prophet s.a.w.a will have
authority of intercession over his Shias and his Shias will have intercession for their relatives and a
believer would intercede for his servant. By comparing verses “And those whom they call upon besides
Him have no authority for intercession, but he who bears witness of the truth and they know (him)
(43:86)” and “And thus We have made you a medium [just] nation that you may be witnesses over the
people and [that] the Apostle may be a witness over you” Means that prophet s.a.w.a will be the
witness over the witnesses hence intercessors over intercessors.
The (fifth) imam said about the verse, And intercession will not avail aught with Him save him whom He
permits: “No prophet or apostle may intercede until Allãh permits him, except the Apostle of Allãh,
because Allãh has already given him permission before the Day of Resurrection; and intercession is
(allowed) to him and to the Imams from his progeny, and after that to the prophets.” (at-Tafsīr,al-
Qummi).

Imam Ali said the three groups to intercede with God are Prophets, scholars and martyrs.

Other Traditions tell that Imam Ali a.s and Lady Fatimah a.s will also intercede on behalf of their
believers and their believers will also intercede on behalf of others. Even the miscarried fetus will
intercede for their parents.

“And they do not intercede except for him whom He approves (21:28);” Prophet s.a.w.a there’s not a
believer who sins and then doesn’t regret, for someone to be forgiven regret and repentance is enough.
Hence anyone who regrets and repents is a believer. One who doesn’t repent is of the unjust ones and
Quran has said “the unjust shall not have any true friend nor any intercessor who should be obeyed”.

Prophet s.a.w.a also said a small sin done with persistence is worse than a big sin that’s done just once
because persistence is reflective of an absence of belief in hereafter. Hence the religion of that person
doesn’t get approved by Allah, and as mentioned above there will be only intercession for people whom
Allah approves. As according to their Ahadith by Prophet s.a.w.a.

Al Baqra 49 - 61

The first few verses highlight the times when Pharaoh had enslaved Israelites. Their sons were killed
while the women were spared to be treated with indecency, so Allah split the sea for them and saved
them, and Hazrat Musa a.s when called to Mount Sinai was for thirty days and then added ten days
while the Israelites took a golden calf for themselves as God.

“Therefore turn to your Creator (penitently) and kill your people that is best for you with your Creator; so
He turned to them mercifully”

No doubt it is very hard to repent by killing your own people. But Allah, who now orders you to destroy
yourselves by killing, is the same God who had created you. He was pleased to create you when it was
good for you; and now he has decreed that you should kill your own people, and this order too is good
for you. How can he decide anything for you except that which is good, and He is your Maker and
creator. The phrase, “your Creator”, points to a special relation which they have with him, and it
emphasizes the fact that the given command is not for revenge; it is based on divine love, in order to
purify them.

By you Allah addresses the entire Jewish nation, as they were united by nationality, one person would
stand up for another. Otherwise not all of them had worshiped the calf and killed prophets but still they
were addressed as you. The words so he turned to you mercifully suggest that their repentance was
accepted. This forgiveness before the order was fully complied with shows that the command was given
as a trial. The case is somewhat similar to the dream of Ibrahim (a.s.). “And kill your people, that is best
for you with your creator”, and Allah confirmed the order, yet He took the killing of some as equal to the
execution of all, and informed them that their repentance was accepted, “so he turned to you
(mercifully)”
“And they were returned with Allah’s wrath, this was so because they disbelieved in the signs of Allah
and killed the prophets unjustly; this was so because they disobeyed and exceeded the limits”

They disobeyed and exceeded limits, that’s why they disbelieved and killed prophets and hence there
was wrath upon them, According to traditions they did not kill prophets with their hands. They
disbelieved in them, then they used to get the secrets of their prophets out to the enemy’s which
compromised their positions and got them killed.

Tradition:

According to Imam Ali, the people of Moses a.s killed 70 thousands of their people. Imam also said that
when Musa a.s found out about the golden Calf he told his people “therefore turn to your Creator
(penitently) and kill your people that is best for you with your Creator” and they asked him how so Musa
a.s told them to gather around Bayt al Maqdas “tabernacle” with swords and iron and faces covered.
And so they did and when Musa a.s ascended the throne. They started killing themselves until Jibrael a.s
came down and said “that is best for you with your Creator; so He turned to you (mercifully),for surely
His is Oft-returning(with mercy),the Merciful. “(at-Tafsīr)

Hence through this tradition we find by repeating Hazrat Musa’s words Allah confirmed his words and it
means that the act was done in full and not left midway. The execution of ten thousand calf-worshippers
— was all that was intended from the very beginning; and that the order of Mũsã a.s was carried out in
full, and not partially. According to what appears from the wording of Mũsã a.s., it was best for them if
all of them were killed; but only some of them got killed, not all. By repeating the same words, Allah
made it clear that what Mũsã a.s had meant from the words, “the best for you”, was not the execution
of all.

In explanation of verse by Abul Hassan Hadi and Imam Baqir a.s “they did not harm us but they harmed
themselves “, would seem a superfluous and implausible assertion, because there was no need for
saying that Allãh could not be harmed nor did he harm anyone — unless it was meant to convey some
fine point to the listeners. And that point is this: Great persons often speak on behalf of their servants
and dependents; likewise, Allãh in this verse is speaking on behalf of Muhammad and his progeny
(peace be on them all), joining them to Himself in this declaration.

Al Baqra 62

“Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabaeans, whoever
believes in Allãh and the Last Day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there
is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve(62).”

These verses talks about the names first of all the supposed groups, believers, Jews, Christians Sabeanas
and then mentions out of all of these whoever believes in Allah shall not grieve. In short the names
don’t matter, if you’re called a believer, a Jew or Christian or a Sabean. What matters is the belief.

According to Traditions of Salman e Farsi, this verse was revealed when Hazrat Salman a.s asked the
prophet s.a.w.a about his previous belief.

According to Imam Ridha a.s Nasara are Nazareans, Jews are Yehuda because of Judah son of Yaqoob
a.s, and Sabeans are not from either of them they worship stars and sun and moon. A form of Idol
worship.
Historically

According to Al Bairuni, the earliest amongst them was Yudasaf in the first year of the reign of Thamrut,
then Bishdadian kings in Balkh worshipped stars until Zorostor appeared, and now some of them are in
Haraniyyah, comes from Haran, brother of Abraham a.s. Al kindi says, They believed in monotheism,
their worship places include dome on Ummayad mosque, Baalbek Lebanon, Qiran, some of their Idols
were in Kaaba as well, Laat and Uzza represent Saturn and Venus. Their prophets include Hermes of
Egypt, Agadhimun, Walles, Pythagoras and Babaswar (maternal grandfather of Plato). Hermes is
sometimes called Idris, who is mentioned in Torah as Akhnũkh. Some of them say that Yũdhasaf was
Hermes. Some say that Haraniyah have nothing to do with Sabeans, Haraniyas are heathens and
idolaters while Sabeans were the Jews who stayed back in Babylon after the Cyrus the great took over,
what resulted from this was the mixture of Judaism and Zoroastrianism. They criticize Haraniayhs and
they have just few similarities, while they face South Pole to pray, Sabeans face North Pole to pray.
Some say he’s from the sons of methuselah other than lamech who was called Sabi and they were in
eastern part of the world. The opinion, attributed to some writers that Sabaeans' religion was a mixture
of Judaism and Zoroastrianism flavored with some elements of Harrãniyyah's beliefs.

Al Baqra 63- 74

“And when we took a promise from you and lifted the mountain over you…and surely there are some of
them which fall down for fear of Allãh, and Allãh is not at all heedless of what you do”

“And lifted the mountain over you mountain over them as if it were a covering overhead” The context
clearly shows why the mountain was lifted. It was to frighten them without putting them under
compulsion. The objection that there’s no compulsion in religion as per a verse from Quran, and this is a
form of compulsion Is baseless as there is a difference between compulsion and showing a miracle that
just frightens people or shocks them into seeing something unnatural. Otherwise every Miracle that
Moses showed was as form of compulsion. The misunderstanding that the mountain was not literally
lifted but it was just pulled out of the ground, which is a natural phenomenon is also baseless as it
clearly says lifted it over you , this interpretations rejects the principal of miracle all together that is
explained above. Hence every such verse can be distorted.

“So that you may guard (against evil)”

When this particle is used as May it’s suggestive of hope. However that hope can be is either referenced
to the listener or to the addressed person in the context of what’s written, it can’t be attributed to Allah
as Allah knows everything and he can’t hope.

“And when Mũsã said to his people: “Surely Allah commands you that you should sacrifice a cow”

The writing style is very interesting as it starts with the middle of the story 67-71 and then followed by
the beginning 72 and then the conclusion 73. What’s also interesting that up till verse 66, all the verses
were directly addressed to Israelites in second person, from 67- 71 directly addressed to the Prophet
while the Israelites were addressed in third person and then returns again to addressing the Israelites in
second person. The first five verses 67- 71 are a parenthetic statements which clarifies the next two
verses 72-73. The first five verses also show how ill-mannered these people were, how the addressed
their prophet so offensively accusing him of speaking idle words , they arrogantly demanded one after
another to clarify things when the order was not at all ambiguous. Their insulting way of referring to
God by using the term “your lord” as if he was not their lord. Moreover asking for particulars when the
order was simply to get any cow. They took a general unrestricted command and blew it out of
proportions by arrogantly asking for particulars. Then accusing the prophet of ridiculing them and in the
end accusing him of not being clear when they couldn’t think of something else to say.

This story is not mentioned in the current Torah therefore it was better not to address it to Israelites.
Maybe that can also be the reason for referring to them in Third person as it was directed towards the
prophet only. A similar command is mentioned in Torah where an unknown dead body is found and a
middle aged cow is to be slaughtered to find out who the murderer is. It is the irrelevance of finding the
cow to the latter, finding the murderer that prompted the Israelites to accuse Mũsã (a.s.) of ridiculing
them, of joking with them. This accusation showed they were not inclined to obey any command
without knowing its why and where for as they said earlier.  “O Mũsã! We will not believe in you until
we see Allah manifestly”. They believed if somewhere there was a particular cow possessing this
unheard of quality of bringing dead to life, it should be pin-pointed with accurate and detailed
description, and the fact that regardless of any particular attributes pointed out to them, it wasn’t
enough. They stopped only when they couldn’t think of any more questions to ask not because of
submissiveness to their prophet and even then put the blame on Musa implying that Musa and his God
weren’t able to compile the instructions properly in the first place.

“And when you killed a man…. Strike the dead body with a part of“

When the man was killed every group started to disown its responsibility. Someone has said that there
was no resurrection involved in fact it was just a way of saying that the murderer was identified As
Quran mentions, “And there is life for you in(the law of)retaliation(2:179)”. However it’s baseless as the
context and the wording “Thus Allah brings the dead to life.” Leaves no room for misinterpretation.

“Then your hearts hardened…some of which fall down for fear of Allah”

This explains how their hearts were verse than rocks as water is soft and a rock is hard but still it
sometimes splits open or gives way for water to cross, sometimes it falls down because of natural causes
or earthquakes out of fear of Allah and following Allah’s command as complying with natural causes is
also complying with the command of Allah, Either way the hardest of the rocks can be split open by
softest of things and the most immovable rocks can be moved out of the fear of Allah and his command.
But the Jews were much worse as their hearts were much harder than rocks as no fear of Allah or his
command could get through their hearts.

Traditions

Abũ Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allãh (s.a.w.a.) said: “If the children of Israel had not said: and
if Allah please we shall surely be guided aright, they would have never been given respite.
According to traditions from Imams and specially imam Ridha a.s the part of the cow which was used
was its tail and it was taken from a youth who had not woken up his father for a business deal once and
his father had given this cow as a recompense for the loss of business.

Debate on resurrection and transformation:

Metamorphosis.

Miracles do not oppose the cycle of cause and effect, in fact they’re very much aligned by it. According
to the laws of metamorphosis, it’s always progressive and not regressive. Bringing the soul back to one’s
body is not regression as body is just a tool, as soon as the connection with it is severed, the soul stops
progressing. Hence it can travel back to the body because it won’t be regression, as the soul has not
progressed to begin with after the death

As far as the transformation. Sometimes when a person repeatedly attempts at debauchery his psyche
changes that to a pig, their facial features start changing as well. Such a man is still a man however a
transformed one. Not that he has lost his humanity.

Unquestioning acceptance of Rulings

Of course, it is a shame if a man remains content with un-questioning following, even where he can form
an independent opinion based on detailed knowledge; as it is a shame if he forms independent opinion
without acquiring necessary knowledge. Both trends are undesirable, both are equally ruinous to a
healthy civilization, both are dangerous to the society

Al Baqra 75 – 82

Do you then hope that they would believe in you? While a party from among them indeed used to hear
the word of Allãh, then altered it after they had understood it, and they know(this) (75).

This is when people thought that Jews would be the first to accept this monotheistic religion as it’s very
similar to theirs, however when Prophet s.a.a.w migrated to Madina Muslims faced opposition from
them, These verse were addressed to Prophet s.a.a.w to tell them that Jews were no better.

This speech is now addressed to the prophet s.a.a.w.in a similar style that it was addressed in the earlier
verses of this chapter where the verses were addressed to Prophet Musa a.s while addressing the Jews
in third person. This style of address continues here to expose their shortcomings of altering the divine
book.

“And when they meet those who believe . . . and what they proclaim”

This verse doesn’t refer to their hypocrisy, the two conditional clauses are not opposite each other like
in the verse “And when they meet those who believe, they say: “We believe”; and when they are alone
with their Satan’s, they say: “Surely we are with you, we were only”. These verses refer to the fact that
Jews when they talked to Muslims, they pointed out that there were foretelling’s in their books
regarding Prophet Muhammad s.a.a.w. They were admonished by their elders for doing so telling them
that it was a thing revealed to them, it should not bed is closed to the believers, lest they argued with
the Jews before the Lord — as though if the believers did not argue with them before God, He would not
know of it! This is again reflective of the materialistic, literal approach by the Jews who applied human
limitations to God.

And there are among them illiterates who know not the Book but only lies and they do but conjecture;

The verse says that some of the Jews were literates who did read and write the book — but making
alterations (Al umniyah) in it; and the rest were illiterates(al umiyy) who knew nothing of the book
except the lies of the former group.

“Woe then to those who write… For what their hands have written”

The pronouns may refer to all the Jews or only those who interpolate..

“Yea! Whoever earns evil and his sins beset him on every side “

This verse refers to the physical condition besetting from doing evil, once a person does evil his sins
cover him from all sides cutting him off from any guidance and making hell his eternal abode. An overall
besetting of sin is possible in the case of Polytheism or disbelief in the signs.

When compared to other verse mentioned earlier that Jews Sabeans and others won’t go to heaven on
the bases of their names but will go on the basis of right belief. A common theme emerges that people
will only be able to go to heaven if they have the right belief and do good deeds. The only things that’s
different in these two is that one mentions that mere claim of nomenclature is not enough to end up in
heaven while the other mentions that a mere claim of salvation is not enough.

Traditions

It is narrated from the fifth or the sixth Imãm that he said about the words of Allah, Yea! Whoever earns
evil . . .:“If they deny the wilãyah (ُ‫=ﺔَﻳ ِﻻﻮْ ﻟَا‬friendship, over lordship) of the Leader of the faithful, then they
are the inmates of the Fire, in it they shall abide.” (Al-Kãfī)

Al Baqra 83-88

And when we made a covenant with the children of Israel: “You shall not worship (any) but Allãh”

In the earlier verses Allah addressed the Israelites in second person because of direct admonitions and
reprimands, the style changes to addressing them in third person because of the requirements of
eloquence as it was addressed to them through the Prophet Moses and not directly because it’s also not
in the current book. The sentence starts with the declarative point and ends with imperative points such
as “you shall do good to men”. The beginning sentence” you shall not worship any but Allah” starts with
prohibition but in the form of information, the same style is carried on to the other one to other
sentence as well “You shall do good to your parents”. The change to the second person has put the
speech back into its original style and joined he previous clauses with the fresh new admonitory ones
about Zakat and Prayers.

“And (you shall do) Good to (your) parents” This can be interpreted as an imperative sentence as well
has declarative. It’s speaks in descending order first to that of parents, then nearer of kin who are the
second circle, then the circler expands to Yateem, means one who doesn’t have a father, in animals its
used for ones who don’t have a mother. Then to Miskin who have parents but they’re needy.

“And speak to men good (words)”

Hasnanan means “beauty, excellence” Meet people nicely regardless of the fact that they’re believers or
unbelievers. It cannot be said to be abrogated by the verse of Fighting because the time and place and
condition is different for these and they’re not directly opposing. Admonishing a child cannot be the
exact opposite maintaining good social relations.

“You shall not shed your blood”

Again a prohibitory order in the form of information as earlier sentences.

“Backing each other up against them”

“(ُ‫ﺮُهﺎ‬ѧ‫ =ﻈﱠﺘﻟا‬to help each other).Az -zahīr(‫ﺮ‬ѧْ‫=ﻴِﻬﱠﻈﻟا‬helper); it is derived from Az-zahr(ُ‫ﺮ‬ѧِِْ‫ =ﻬﱠﻈﻟا‬back) as
though the helper strengthens the back of the helped one,

“While their very turning away was unlawful for you… Do you believe in a part of the Book”

Its literal translation would be “while it was unlawful for you their very turning out”, it here is not
related to any previous noun that is used as a pronoun to start a sentence. Allah rebukes them for
turning them out in the first place then paying their ransom when they’re return as prisoners. Aren’t
these two laws in the same book? Do you believe in one part and disbelieve in other.

And they say: “Our hearts are covered”: al-Ghulf (‫ﻒ‬ѧْ‫ )ﻠُﻐﻟا‬is plural of al–aghlaf (ُ‫ ﻒ‬ѧَ‫)ﻠ ﻏ ﻻ ا‬.It is derived
from ghilãf (ُ‫فﻼ‬ѧِ‫ =ﻏ‬cover). They say: Our hearts are protected under various covers and veils — your
call cannot reach our hearts.

Traditions:

Abũ Ja'far (a.s.) said about the words of Allãh, and speak to men good (words) : “Speak to men the best
of that which you would like to be said about yourself.”(al-Kãfī), as-Sãdiq (a.s.) said about this verse:
“Speak to men, and do not speak but good until you know what it is.”

Al Baqra 89-93

“And when there came to them a Book” The context shows that “a Book” refers to the Qur’an

“And aforetime they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved” Whenever the pagans of
Arabia used to clash with Jews in Arabia they used to pray for victory by the right of the Prophet
Muhammad s.a.a.w, before prophets birth or his migration, it was so common that even the polytheists
knew of this custom.
“But when there came to them that which they did recognize” They recognized Prophet Muhammad
s.a.a.w through his attributes mentioned in their books, it fitted him perfectly and yet they denied.

“Evil is that for which they sold their souls” This is an accusative case where they denied Prophet
Muhammad s.a.a.w because of their envy and that “Allãh should send down of His grace on
whomsoever of His servants He pleases” was the object of their envy. They returned with wrath after
wrath means they returned with double the rage or it can also mean that the wrath of God was invoked
on them twice, once for denying Torah and once for denying Quran. The verses explains that they used
to pray to Allah for victory by the name of Muhammad s.a.a.w and his book long before he was born.
But when he did come to them they were over whelmed with envy and arrogance hence invoking the
wrath of God upon themselves. Not once but twice.

“And they deny what is besides that “That is, they claim that they do not believe in any book other than
Torah; but the fact is that they do not believe even in Torah

Say: “Why then did you kill Allãh's prophets” This verse points out their lie that if they did actually
believe In Torah why did they kill Allah’s prophets then, why did they take a calf for a God then, why did
they say we hear and disobey when mountain was lifted over them. Instead of saying ‘the love of the
calf’, the verse says, “to imbibe the calf”, for emphasis, as though they had drunk the calf itself into their
hearts.

Say: “Evil is that which your belief bids you” is meant more like a taunt that if this is what you belief as
you claim, is it evil then which your belief asks you to commit”?

Traditions:

Imam Jaffer a.s has said that Jews had settled in the areas of Medina as they came looking for Prophet
s.a.a.w who according to them would be between Ayr and Uhud, some settled in Fadak , some near
Khyber while others near medina. When Tubba attacked them from Yemen he sieged them. Out of
compassion they used to throw dates and barley at the soldiers. Tubba loved this gesture and said that
he’ll leave them be and he left some of his men Aws and Khazraj to help them till they wait for their
Prophet s.a.a.w. Whenever they fought with people from Yemen , had disagreements or when people
from Yemen took their lands they used to pray for victory by the right of Muhammad s.a.a.w. When
Prophet Muhammad s.a.a.w claimed Prophethood it was the people of Aws and khizraj who became
Muslims first while the Jews out of envy didn’t accept Islam. This is the meaning of “And aforetime they
used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved”.

Praying by the right of Apostle

One takes an oath in someone’s name when the person wants to add weight to their claim. One takes
an oath by things that are high in honor. Which means that the statement that is attached to the
honorable thing is meant to be true, if not then it brings dishonor to statement as well as the things that
one takes an oath on. In Quran Allah has sworn by many things such as the river, the sun, moon, fig and
olive. Now can objection be raised against a suppliant for praying for entreating him by one of these
things? For sure the last prophet is a much more “by your life! They were blindly wandering on in their
intoxication (15 :72)”

Now as far is right is concerned, right as opposed to wrong is everything that’s factual and substantial
not imaginary or illusionary. Allah has himself mentioned rights such as rights of brothers and social
spheres. It is necessary here to mention that no one can force a right upon Allah however Allah takes it
upon himself to give someone something in the sphere of legislation. Allah says: “even so(now)it is a
right on Us(that)We deliver the believers(10:103), And certainly Our word has already gone forth in
respect of Our servants, the apostles: Most surely they shall be assisted ones, and most surely Our host
alone shall be the victorious ones(37:171-173)” Getting deliverance is the right of the believers on Allah,
and getting assistance is, in the same way, the right of the apostles, Allah Himself has laid down that
right and He Himself swears by every honorable thing, showing us that such oaths and adjurations are in
fact liked by Him. One pleads to Him by a right which He Himself has established pledging His Own word;
and His promise is never broken

Al Baqra 94 – 99

Say: “If the future abode . . .” The Jews claimed, “Fire shall not touch us but for a few days” when they
were asked to believe they said we believe in whatever was sent to us before. All this implied that they
considered themselves to be saved from the hardships of the Day of Judgment and that they will only
face punishment for the time that they worshipped the golden calf which was for one day. To remove
this self-delusion Allah tells the Prophet s.a.w.a to tell them that only the “future abode” which means
felicity and happiness of the afterlife, the house that they think they’re going to manage according to
their own needs, “with Allah” means the with permission of Allah by his command and control, and
“purely” unmixed with punishment-, max which you think is for just few days, “to the exclusion of
people” because you think all other religions except yours are false. If you think that and believe then
invoke death if you’re truthful. This is similar to “Say: “O you who are Jews, if you think that you are the
friends of Allãh to the exclusion of other people, then invoke death if you are truthful”. They have been
longing for this promise and look at opportunities to lay hands on it. If they think are truthful they
should invoke death upon themselves.

“On account of what their hands have sent before and Allah knows the unjust ones” (95).

It’s a metaphorical reference to deeds, it works two ways. A person does deeds with their hands and
also sends them forward with their hands. Actions of a man are a reflective of their personality. A
person with a bad personality doesn’t want to meet his God so soon.

“On account of what their hands have sent before…..Allah sees what they do” (96)

They don’t look forward to death because they are greedy for life, it’s this greed that stops them from
looking forward to their life in hereafter. They’re even greedier than the polytheists about their life,
polytheists don’t even have the concept of resurrection or Day of Judgment and their love for this life
should be consequently higher. And their love for this life will not prevent them from the punishment
that’s waiting for them, or being granted a long life will not save him from the chastisement

“Every one of them loves that he should be granted a life of a thousand years”
 1000 is the highest denomination in Arabic described by a single word, other higher denominations are
just repetitions of 1000. Eventually one has to face death and punishment that follows.

“And Allãh sees what you do”

“al-Basīr”(ُ‫ﺼﺒﻟا‬
َ ‫ )ﺮﻴ‬one of the beautiful names of Allah, all seeing. Means even though he doesn’t have a
body or an eye he can still perceive and is cognizant of what we perceive with our eyes, it shows the
facet of the name “All knowing”

“Say: “Whoever is the enemy of Gabriel – for surely he revealed it to your heart by Allah’s Command,
verifying that which is before it, and guidance and good news for the believers (97). Whoever is the
enemy of Allãh and His angels and His apostles and Gabriel and Michael – so surely Allãh is the enemy of
the unbelievers” (98)

The Jews considered Gabriel an enemy who brought revelations to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a, Allah
has countered this by saying that Gabriel is the messenger of Allah who does not bring down revelation
without Allah’s permission, if you have enmity with him still you cannot defy the word brought down by
him as it’s at the end of the day Allah’s command. Also you cannot deny something that is verifying what
has come before, Torah the book of Jews, how can one accept one book and deny the other that’s
verifying the first one? In fact for one’s who believers it’s guidance. It’s also good news for believers,
how can one possibly turn their face away from a good news. In short Allah is saying that Gabriel and
Muhammad s.a.w.a are the messenger of Allah who don’t say anything except for the command of
Allah, any enmity towards them or their words is an enmity towards Allah.

“Or surely he revealed it to your heart by Allah’s command”

It should have been “my heart”, it can be seen that the style of referring has been changed from first
person to second person since Allah is showing how distant he is from Jews he has kept the same
consistent style of referring to them in third person even when the verse requires to be addressed in
first person through Prophet s.a.w.a. The verse shows that the heart of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a is a
receptacle for revelation that is bound by doing and saying what the verse commands and conveys it to
the people.

“The enemy of the unbelievers”

Instead of saying, “their enemy”, the verse uses the word, “enemy of the unbelievers”; it serves to show
also the reason of that enmity. Allãh is their enemy, because they are unbelievers, and Allãh is the
enemy of the unbelievers.

And none disbelieve in them except the transgressors: It explains the cause of their disbelief; they
disbelieve because they are transgressors. Or, may be the definite article “the”, in “the transgressors”
refers to the group mentioned in the beginning of the chapter: “but He does not cause to err by
it(any)except the transgressors, who break the covenant of Allãh after its confirmation . . .(2:26-27)”

Traditions:

This verse was revealed when Jews questioned Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a to confirm his prophet hood
based on the predictions that were written in their Torah. They asked how the prophet sleeps, if a child
is born from parents how is it that he sometimes looks like maternal uncles and sometimes looks like
paternal uncles, and what part of parents does a child inherit and which angel brings down revelation to
him.

To which Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a replied that he sleeps fully aware of his surroundings, the physical
feature a child inherits depends on which parent’s fluid is stronger, child inherits bones and nerves from
father and blood, nails and hair from mother. And that angel Gabriel brings the revelation. The Jews
agreed to all the answers except the last one because they consider him an enemy and Michael their
friend. And refused to accept Prophet Hood. To which this verse was revealed.

Al Baqra 100-101

“What! Whenever they make a covenant, a party of them cast it aside? Nay, most of them do not
believe(100).And when there came to them an Apostle from Allãh verifying that which they have, a party
of those who were given the Book threw the Book of Allãh behind their backs as if they knew
nothing(101)”

“And when there came to them an Apostle from Allãh verifying”

The verse refers to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a not any other apostle, it’s says when there came to
them not whenever there came to them. This verse refers to their adverse attitude where they made
changes to their Torah that foretell Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a’s prophet Hood, and rejected Quran
because they were so stepped in falsehood even when Quran clearly verified their previous book Torah.

Al Baqra 102-103

“And they followed what the Satan’s chanted (of sorcery) against the kingdom of Suleiman; “

This verse indicates to the fact that sorcery was prevalent among the Jews and they attributed their
learnings to two sources, Prophet Suleyman a.s and the remaining is ascribed to the Angel’s Harut and
Marut.

This verse admonishes the Jews for interpolating their stories to fit the mood of that time. It says that
the Jews followed the fake news, or a lie that was spread by the Satans’ from among the Jins. Tatlu here
means chanted in terms of faked upon or told lies about the kingdom of Hazrat Suleyman a.s that
everything in his control i.e the winds, the birds and the Jins were all under him because of this magic. It
was a false accusation because Suleiman a.s was a prophet who was way above these things. We know
that they were from the Jins by coupling these two verses “And of the Satan’s there were those who
dived for him and did other work beside that, and We kept guard over them (21:82); and when he fell
down, the jinn came to know plainly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have tarried in
abasing torment (34:14)”.

“And Suleiman was not an unbeliever”

“And” used here is in the meaning of “while”, he wasn’t an unbeliever because he was one of the
believers. It was the Satan’s who disbelieved because they taught people sorcery and misled them
against Hazrat Suleiman a.s.

“And what was sent down”

It means what was sent down to the two angels Harut and Marut through inspiration, they did not teach
anyone without admonishing them. They clearly said that whatever we teach you is a test for you so
beware.

“Even then men learned from these two”

Means that Jews still learned from the two angels Harut and Marut even after they admonished them
and told them to beware. They learned what causes separation between a Man and his Wife.

“By which they might cause a separation between a man and his wife and they cannot hurt with it
anyone except with Allah’s permission; and they learned what harmed them.”

The sentence “they cannot hurt with it anyone except with Allah’s permission” is a parenthetic sentence
to remove any misunderstanding that people might think that sorcery was so strong that it would
disrupt the harmony in system set by Allah between a man and his wife, it clarifies the misunderstanding
by providing a parenthetic to the preceding sentence “By which they might cause a separation between
a man and his wife” the sentence that follows this tells that the effect of causing a separation, described
in the preceding sentence will not harm anyone without Allah’s permission. If this sentence “they
cannot hurt with it anyone except for Allah’s permission” was placed after “and they learned what
harmed them” it would have seemed out of place.

“And certainly they knew that he who bought it should have no share (of good) in the hereafter”

They knew it because their reason and intellect told them that the sorcery was the wicked source of
disorder in the society. Also, they were made aware of it by Mũsã (a.s.) when he had said: and the
magician shall not be successful whosesoever he may come from (20:69).

And vile was the price for which they sold their souls; had they but known (this):

They knew that sorcery was bad for them as it causes wicked disorder in the society but the fact that
they knew as good as not knowing it because they didn’t guard against it or didn’t act upon it. Their
knowledge was as good as ignorance.

“And if they had believed and guarded themselves”

This verse indicates that the disbelief emanating from sorcery is a disbelief within the sphere of action,
like that which results from withholding zakat; it is not a disbelief within the sphere of faith. Had the
sorcery been a disbelief within the sphere of faith, Allah would have only said, “And if they believed”,
with-out adding “and guarded themselves (against evil)”. The Jews had believed, no doubt; but they did
not guard themselves against evil and did not desist from the things forbidden by Allah; therefore, Allah
did not attach any importance, any value, to their belief, and they were called the disbelievers.

Reward from Allah would certainly have been better; had they but known (this):

That is, better than the rewards and profits they seek through sorcery and amass through disbelief.

Tradition:

According to Imam Baqir a.s, after Hazrat Suleyman a.s death Iblis forged a book of sorcery and then on
its back credited it to Asif bin Barkihya. Then buried it under Suleiman’s throne and then unearthed it in
front of Jews and recited it. A group of people fell for it and said this is how he gained authority over all
of us while another group refused to believe it and said Prophet Sulayman a.s was a righteous prophet.
That is what the verse “And they followed what the Satan’s chanted (of sorcery) against the kingdom of
Sulaymãn.”(at-Tafsīr,al-‘Ayyãshi, al-Qummi ).

This tradition ascribes the deed to Iblis while Quran ascribes it to Satan’s. It’s not in conflict because it is
eventually Iblis that instigates his friends to do something that’s wicked and evil. His friends in this case
were Satan’s from the Jins.

According to Imam ar Ridha a.s the angels Harut and Marut taught people magic to protect themselves
from the enchantment of sorcerers. And they did not teach anyone enchantment until they warned
them “surely we are only a trial, therefore do not be a disbeliever.’ But a group from among them
disbelieved.

Other traditions about Hazrat Sulayman going to washroom and giving his ring to his wife who gets
tricked into giving it to Satan or Iblis, or traditions that ascribe that Venus seduced Harut and Marut and
went up in the sky to become a star as Allah swears on the stars on the basis of being flawless. “But nay!
I swear by the stars that run their course (and) hide themselves”.

Sorcery and witchcraft

A close investigation suggests that these event are the product of the will of a person who’s doing it, will
that is derived from the confidence which is derived from the knowledge of the subject. Sometimes the
will works independently and sometimes it’s supported by a certain enchantment, amulet or ink. When
the conditioned is fulfilled the will becomes stronger and the desired effect takes place. When the
knowledge becomes one with the knower it effects his senses to such an extent that he see’s the end
product with his eyes. Some examples are that of placebo effects or positive therapy.

Similarly if someone’s will power is really strong it will have an effect on others psyche as well. It is
based on three principals.

First: In order to achieve this extraordinary feat one must have firm conviction in their belief, however it
is irrelevant weather or not the belief stems from something that’s true or not. This explains séance and
spiritualists. The soul that appears in a séance is not exactly a soul since it’s not possible for a soul to
leave one’s body while that person is at the same time working and doesn’t feel it, soul is an immaterial
essence can’t present itself within time and space etc etc. What’s understood is that it’s actually the firm
belief of the practitioner in his art that’s resulting in this extraordinary feat and it doesn’t depend on the
correctness of his belief.

Second: Some people bring about the feat on their own, such events are bound and limited while others
like prophets make these things happen with the permission and help from Allah, such events are not
limited in any way. The first group uses if they use Jins for inquiry is called kihanah which includes
fortunetelling, soothsaying, divination. While on the other hand if it’s done by the talisman, charm,
amulet or any other instrument of portion then its called magic.

When a prophet achieves these extraordinary feats if it’s done as a result of a challenge it’s a miracle, if
it’s done without any challenge it’s called karamah translated as a mark of honor, and when it is as a
prayer to god it is knows as an answer to the prayer.

Third: The whole thing depends on the willpower of the doer, its strength will depend on the strength of
the will power of the person, and this explains why some extraordinary feats overpower other
extraordinary feats.

Academic discourse

Al Simiya: when will power is coupled with some physical or material thing to manipulate a natural order
and bring about an extraordinary effect. Under this banner comes eye enchantment, it qualifies as
magic.

Al limiya: Through this one can form a connection between his psyche and of higher spirits. Under this
falls conjuring of Jins and spirit of stars. Also known as knowledge and subjugation of spirits.

Al Himiya: The stars and their configuration have some relation to the material happenings of this world,
in the same way as the elements and compounds and their physical qualities affect those phenomena.
Supposedly if the heavenly forms, pertaining to a certain event, for example, A’s life or B’s death, could
be combined with the relevant material forms, the desired effect would take place without fail

Ar rimiya: Teaches one to control and manage properties of one things to produce seemingly
supernatural effect. Sleight of hand, jugglery, magic falls under this.

“al-Kīmiyã’”)ُ‫=(ءﺎﻴﻤﻴِـﻜﻟَا‬alchemy, the forerunner of chemistry, primarily the attempt to transmute base

metals into gold or silver)formed what the ancients called the five secrets, mysterious branches of
knowledge

The best book that exists is Kulah-e-Sar. Which is an acronym for all these branches.

Supplementary to these are knowledge of numerology, which shows relation of numbers and letters to
produce a desired effect. The particular number or letters are filled in a square to produce a desired
effect.

al-Khafiyah:ُ ‫ =(ﺔَﻴِـﻓﺎَﺨﻟَا‬the hidden knowledge): It breaks down the name of the desired effect or other
relevant names, and finds out the names of the angels or the Satan’s managing the said effect; and then
composes the invocations made of those names
Some modern arts include mesmerism, hypnosis, and spirit communication.

Al Baqra 104 - 105

“O you who believe!”

This is a special epithet that is reserved for this Ummah and this verse is the first time that Quran has
referred to Muslims with this epithet out of the total 88 times. Similar epithet have been used for
previous nations as well such as “children” for children of Israel, “dwellers” for the dwellers of madayan,
“People” for people of Nuh/ Hud. It should be kept in mind that the epithets “those who believe” and
“believers” don’t have the same import. Those who believe refers to the people who were the first and
foremost converts of Islam while believers generally to the Muslim Ummah of past and present. It can
be seen from the surah (40:78) it states that Angels surrounding the throne pray for forgiveness of those
who believe and also pray that their fathers, wives and offspring’s enter the garden with them. If those
who believe covered everyone who believes regardless of any merit there would be no need of
mentioning Fathers mothers and offspring’s separately. Also seen in the verse “And (as for) those who
believe and their offspring follow them in faith, we will unite with them their offspring…” 52:21 if those
who believe referred to all the believers then mentioning offspring’s separately wouldn’t make sense. If
one says that the import of the verse is that generation after generation of believers would be united
then the meaning doesn’t fit the context of the verse as the merit then keeps diminishing as the later
generation would be honored to enter garden on behalf of a generation that is already there on mercy
of the previous generation. It would make sense only for the last generation and the generation prior to
that which according to this verse is not the import. The verse 59:8-10 then further explains that it’s
those people who fled their homes explains that these were the people who had precedence based on
deed and not necessarily precedence in faith unlike the other group mentioned in the same verse.
Similarly those who disbelieve is used for the specific pagans of mecca at that time and unbelievers is
used generally for people who don’t believe across the board. It’s important to understand that the
message or order ordained to the “those who believe is although addressed only towards the specific
believers of that time but the order or the message is for the generations to come as well until
mentioned so by any abrogation or specified that it is against those who disbelieve.

“Do not say, “Have regard for us”, and say, “Wait for us”; and listen”

This tells us that Jews used the word Raina in their language for “cattle tenderer or stupid as seen in
another verse 4:46, while the Muslims used the word Raina for “have regard for us” when prophet said
something that they couldn’t keep up with. Jews seized this opportunity to disrespect holy prophet
s.a.w.a by repeating this word which actually showed that they respected but in reality they were
taunting as the word Raina had a different connotation in their language. The verse under discussion
here specifically prohibits Muslims from using this word Raina and instead use Unzurna “wait for us” so
that Jews are disarmed of their secret ways of taunting.

“And for the unbelievers there is a painful chastisement”

That is, for those who disobey this rule, it is one of the occasions when disobedience of a law of religion
has been termed as disbelief.

“Those who disbelieve from among the People of the Book do not like, nor do the poly-theists, that any
good should be sent down to you from your Lord; and Allãh chooses especially whom He pleases for His
mercy, and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace (105).” Now this verse refers to those people from among
the people of book that are Jews as the preceding verses suggest that they do not like if any good is sent
upon you, like Jews were disappointed that the last prophet and his holy book was not sent to them
which took their unique distinction away from them they showed avarice towards Allah and stood
against him hence the later part of the verse mentions that “Allah choses especially whom he pleases for
his mercy and Allah is the lord of mighty grace”.

Traditions

Abu Nu‘aym has narrated in hilyatu ‘l-awliyã’ from Ibn‘Abbãs that he said: “The Apostle of Allah s.a.w.a.
said: ‘Allah has not revealed any verse (beginning) with, “O you who believe! “But that ‘Ali is its head
and leader.’ ” (ad-Durru ’l-manthũr)

Al Baqra 106-107
Whatever signs we abrogate or cause to be forgotten, we bring one better than it or like it. Do you not
know that Allah has power over all things? (106). Do you not know that Allah’s is the kingdom of the
heavens and the earth, and that besides Allah you have no guardian or helper? (107)
“Whatever signs we abrogate or cause to be forgotten”
This verse is a manifestation of the meaning of abrogation, an-naskh means to remove, in some places
also as replace, abrogation can also be used in the sense of changing as in “Tabdil”. Abrogation doesn’t
mean that a sign is erased completely. It’s also important to understand that a sign is anything that
points towards the divine command. Abrogation of a verse replaces its command or an order but not
necessarily the verse itself. The following verse “do you not know Allah’s is the kingdom of heaven and
earth” explains why Allah abrogates. Abrogation means that the verse loses its quality as a symbol or a
sign but still remains in existence as before. This followed by al-insa meaning forgotten aligns with the
foregoing interpretation. Abrogation is the erasure of verses effect while Al insa is the erasure of the
verse from memory. A sign is anything that leads one to Allah, similar to verses of Quran prophets and
Allah’s companions are his signs, Signs can be big or small. A sign might have more than one significance,
In that case if one of those aspects is removed it still exists for other symbolic significances, In case a sign
has only one symbolic significance, the erasure of that aspect will erase the sign completely. An
objection may attributes incomprehensiveness to Allah, something that humans usually experience but
it can’t be attributed to Allah. A second objection is that once something is done its done it can’t be
undone, as in when we make something we have the authority over it while it’s in our hand and not sent
forth, the moment it’s set forth it can’t be undone. The answer to these two objections is addressed in
the next verse by Allah. The answer to first one is that that abrogation doesn’t steam out of
incomprehensiveness or improvisation but as a result of power. The second objection is dealt by
explaining that in our case we think we own something but in reality it’s the lack of ownership draped in
illusion of ownership or its poverty wrapped in the illusion of owning. When Allah blesses someone with
one thing the real ownership still remains with him. What we think was in our hands before we set it
forth and then it got out of our hand wasn’t in our hands to begin with, so for someone who didn’t own
a thing to begin with its possible when he sets it forth he can’t undo it. But for someone like Allah who
says “Do you not know that Allah’s is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth” he clearly mentions
that all the real ownership belongs to him unlike us who have the illusion of ownership and we can’t
attribute our understanding of ownership and that things can’t be undone once they are done to Allah
who can do and undo anything that he wants because he’s the owner of heaven and the earth.
It is clear the abrogation is not limited to religious laws but also in the sphere of creation, abrogation has
two parts to it the abrogated and the abrogative, and Abrogative is equally as good or better as
compared to the previously abrogated sign. A similar point between abrogated and abrogative is that
they’re both meant to be beneficial in their form both in the sphere of creation for e.g one prophet
following another and also one in terms of religious law for e.g Muslims were asked to forgive pagans
when they had less resources as they grew stronger the command was abrogated by the command of
fighting and then that command was replaced by the command of flogging. It got abrogated based on
the benefit as per that times requirement.
There is one thing that makes abrogated and abrogative different from general or particular,
unconditional or conditional and unspecified proposition to specified proposition. In abrogated and
abrogative the apparent contradiction is removed by the benefit of the society or the wellbeing required
of that time. Where as in the later three options the apparent contradiction is removed by the strength
and the clarity provided in the particular, conditional and specific verses. Same is the case for ambiguous
and decisive verse.
“Or cause to be forgotten: “Nunsihã” (‫ )ﺎ َ ِﻬ ْﺴﻨُﻧ‬is derived from“al-insã“
As we have described earlier. It is a general and unconditional statement. It is not restricted to the
Apostle of Allah (s.a.w.a.); nay, it does not include him at all. Allah had said about him: We will make you
recite so you shall not forget, except what Allah pleases (87:6 -7). It is a Meccan verse, while the verse of
abrogation is of Medina period. Obviously the Apostle could not forget anything after the promise of
Allah, “so you shall not forget”. An objection may arise that it says that “Except what Allah pleases”
might mean that there is a possibility hence proving that forgetting something can be attributed to the
prophet. It should be pointed out that Allah has added this clause to others things such as taking
someone out of the eternal abode if it pleases him, that according to Muslims is a place where once a
person enters he can never leave but still this clause is added doesn’t mean that such clause will actually
take place. Also everyone remembers and forgets by Allah’s command, what grace is it adding to
Prophet s.a.w.a by adding to this verse something that’s quite common. Anything that is abrogated is
replaced by something that is equally good or better either in its perfection as creation or its benefit as
law.

Traditions
The Commander of the faithful (‘Ali - a.s.) said, after enumerating various abrogated and abrogating
verses: “And the word of Allah: And I did not create the jinn and the human beings except that they
should worship me(51:56) was abrogated by His word: and they shall continue to differ, except those on
whom your Lord has mercy; and for this did He create them(11:118 - 119),that is, for the mercy did He
create them.” (at-Tafsīr,an-Nu‘mãni)
In this tradition imam Ali a.s refers to abrogation in a broader sense than its terminology That god has
created everyone for worship but has created a specific few of his worshipers for his mercy. The
tradition refers to abrogation of the generality of the surah. According to imam Baqir a.s among many
forms of abrogation is Al badah or a surprise in simpler words that Allah withhold a certain order to
himself for a certain time being for the betterment of mankind or to make the test more meaningful for
his servant. For e.g. Hazrat ibrahims a.s sacrifice or saving Hazrat Yunus’s people.
According to Ahlul bayt a.s the death of an imam followed by a succession of another imam is one
Example of abrogation.

Al Baqra 108- 115

Or, do you wish to put questions to your Apostle, as Musa was questioned before? And whoever adopts
unbelief instead of faith, he indeed has lost the right way.
This verse suggests that some of that some of the Muslims even though had belief in Prophet s.a.w.a
questioned few things similar to Jews questioning Musa a.s hence this verse puts them and Jews in the
same line. Here the right way means the straight path.
“Many of the People of the Book wish”
This verse refers to Huyay ibn akhtab a Jew from medina;s banu nadir tribe who was one of the
strongest opposer of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a, whose daughter Bibi Safiyah later became Prophet
Muhammad’s s.a.w.a wife.
“But pardon and forgive (them)”
According to the exegetes this order was abrogated by the verse of fighting
“Until Allah should bring about His command”
As mentioned earlier this verse hints at the future command that will replace this command similar to
(As for) those, it was not for them that they should have entered them except in fear (2:115), when read
together with the verse: the idolaters are nothing but unclean, so they shall not approach the Sacred
Mosque after this (very) year. (9:29). the clause, “except in fear”, had hinted to the intended ban that
was promulgated later.
“And they say: “None shall enter the garden except he who is a Jew or a Christian”

This verse explicitly joins Jews and Christians from now on they’ll share the crimes and offense against
Allah and it will be explained together.

“Yes! Whoever submits his self entirely to Allah and he is the doer of good, he has his reward with his
Lord”

This verse reiterates for the third time the same message that had been explained the in previous verse
of 2:62, 2:81-82 and again in this verse of 2:108-115 that nomenclature doesn’t matter what matters is
the right belief and good deeds, right belief being submission to Allah and fear of the day of judgment.

“While they recite the Book”

This verse calls to the fact that these are the people who have the book they have the guidance they
should be the last ones to say things like Christians don’t follow any good or Jews don’t follow any good
as they have the book with them which tells them where the truth is. It is further supported by the
following verse that equates them to pagans who are called “who don’t have knowledge” because they
don’t have any book and this is something that they say that “people of the book don’t follow any
good”.

“And who is more unjust than he who prevents”

This verse refers to the polytheists of Mecca, these verses were not revealed long after Prophet
Muhammad s.a.w.a migrated to medina.

“It was not for them that they should have entered them except in fear”

The verb, “was”, shows that the sentence describes a past event. It perfectly fits the pagans of Mecca
and their misdeeds. The traditions say that “he who prevents” refers to the unbelievers of Mecca, it was
they who prevented the Muslims from praying in the Sacred Mosque (Masjid ‘l-Haram).

“And Allah’s is the East and the West”

This verse explains Allah’s ownership over directions, this is unlike any ownership that we have in our
society and world where we only own the benefit and not the thing itself whereas Allah’s ownership is
as such that it transcends the thing that he owns not only does he own that things benefit and cause he
also owns the thing itself and can change it as he likes, his ownership permeates the owned thing,
anyone turning to these directions is turning to Allah and the possessed thing cannot exist without the
owner. The Term East and west are relative terms that cover almost all the directions except for true
north and true south hence at any given moment whenever a person turns his face around he will have
east and west in every direction. Allah has mentioned “wither you turn” unconditional and not said
“wither you turn of two” which covers the true north and south as well. Which means wherever you
turn you’re bound to face east or west and Allah’s is every direction in East and west and where ever
you turn your face. East and west were mentioned here because they’re the base directions that can be
found out by the rise and setting of sun upon which north and south can be deduced.

“Therefore, whither you turn, thither is Allah’s face”

This verse replaces the effect with the cause that you’re allowed to turn to a direction because Allah’s
face is there. Al Wasi explains that it’s all encompassing, vast. Wherever you turn you he’s there, he’s
not unlike humans who can turn to one direction at a given moment he doesn’t need to turn to any
direction nor is he limited by direction, he’s above every direction, he is present in every direction at any
given moment he encompasses us and all directions.

This verse overall also gives a latitude for the Qibla and its direction but not the exact location.

Tradition

It was written to Abdul salih a.s that if a man has prayed against a Qibla by accident what should he do,
to which he replied if there’s still time left he should repeat it. Also does he not know the verse
“Therefor, wither you he turn tither is Allah’s face”

Imam Al Baqir a.s has also stated in his hadith about “and Allah’s is the east and west” that the verse
“wither you turn tither is Allah’s face” is specially revealed for the voluntary prayers.
It is the way of Imam’s of Ahlul Bayt that they deduce a voluntary rule from a general verse and an
obligatory rule from the verse combined with a particular one.

As it is inferred from two important principals of Quranic Knowledge.

First: Every Qur’anic clause or sentence, taken alone, describes an established reality or rule; when it is
joined to another revealed qualifying clause, it indicates another reality or rule.

Second: If two stories or two themes are joined in one sentence or clause, both of them must be having
a common base.

Al Baqra 116- 117

“And they say: “Allãh has taken to himself a son”.

This verse refers to Jews and Christians alike and admonishes them for their beliefs. Jews called Hazrat
Uzayr a.s as son of God and Christians called Jesus a.s son of God. At first it started off by just as an
honor to the Prophets similar to how nation’s referred to themselves as children of God but then it took
a more literal form and meaning. The verse provides two arguments against them, first being that
“whatever’s in the heavens and the earth is his” Which means that when a being begets something, it
removes a part of itself, nurtures it and makes it grow into something that is of a similar specie to
themselves, how is that possible for Allah when he’s not similar to anything, he’s above everything else
in heaven and earth, in fact owns everything, how can one thing be similar to him in this unique aspect.
Neither is he a specie. With the basis of similarity not being there, the argument of begetting dissipates
itself. 2nd argument being that begetting is a gradual process and gradual creation can’t be attributed to
him. He says be and it is in a blink of an eye neither does he create something with a help of a secondary
cause. He is the actual originator in true sense who doesn’t need an existing model to create neither is
his creation process gradual. How can such an originator be said to take to himself a son. After all
begetting is a gradual process. Two things to take away from this verse are that the command to
worship Allah is followed by everything in heaven and earth, secondly gradualism cannot be ascribed to
him.

“Glory be to Him”: By using this phrase Allah has shown the manners of declaring his glory whenever
something that is unworthy of Allah is ascribed to him
ْ ُ‫ﻟَا‬ѧ‫ =( ﻘ‬to worship; self-abasement).
“All are obedient to Him”: “al-Qunũt”‫ت ُﻮﻨُـ‬

“The Originator of the heavens”: Originating implies that the thing so created is not like any other thing.

“And it is”: The sentence branches out from the word, “Be”. The preceding clause is not a conditional
one; that is why this verb is not in apocopate form, that is, its last vowel has not been cut off

Traditions

Sudayr as-Sayrafi said: “I heard Humrãn ibn a‘yan asking Abu Ja‘far a.s about the word of Allah: The
Originator of the heavens and the earth. Abu Ja‘far a.s said: ‘Verily Allah, Mighty and Great is He,
originated all things by His (Own) Knowledge, without there being any previous model. So, He originated
the heavens and the earth, and there were no heavens.

Philosophical

Everything is unique nothing is similar to the other even if they are there can be obvious differences
found by scientific tests. However if two things were actually similar then it would mean the two of
them together are one and the same, but they are not because they’re two different entities.

If they’re same it means they cannot be seen with respect to each other and their distinction will be
made by comparing it an outside factor, which makes the two of them one, and absolute and indivisible,
anything that’s indivisible and absolute can’t be replicated

Al Baqra 118 -119

And those who have no knowledge say: “Why does not Allah speak to us or a sign come to us?” Even
thus said those before them, the like of what they say; their hearts are all alike. Indeed we have made
the signs clear for a people who are sure (118).

This verse refers to the Pagans of Mecca when it says “those who have no knowledge” who asked for
clear signs and manifestation of Allah in a form, then it refers to people from before, the Jews who were
people of the book and apparently had knowledge even they made the exact same requests which
makes them alike to people the unbelievers or polytheists of Mecca. The rebuttal for this demand is that
the signs have already appeared and they’re only apparent to people of the belief while the disbelievers
are blinded by prejudice, that’s why they can’t benefit from the signs. The fact that they’re unawareness
of the signs is why they’re called “those who have no knowledge”.

“Surely, we have sent you with the truth as bearer of good news and as a warner, and you shall not be
questioned as to the companions of the flaming fire (119)”

After the rebuttal to the polytheists Allah turns to Address Prophet s.a.w.a and declares that he is sent
by Allah “with truth and a bearer of good news and as a warner” these verses are meant to console
prophet s.a.w.a and tell him that this is a specific group of disbelievers who’s meant for the flaming fire,
whether or not you warn them or not they are going to disbelieve regardless and it’s the same group
that is mentioned in surah Baqrah verse (2:6) “verse: Surely those who disbelieve alike is to them
whether you warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe”. . This group is meant to disbelieve
and meant to be in the fire and no guidance will change them and it’s this group that Prophet
Muhammad s.a.w.a should not be bothered about as it’s not shortcoming on his part that they’re
disbelieving as they’re surely meant to be in the flaming fire.

Al Baqra 120-123

And the Jews will not be pleased with you, nor the Christians until you follow their religion. Say; “Surely
Allah’s guidance that is the (true) guidance”. And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has
come to you, you shall have no guardian from Allah, nor any helper (120)
This verse now continues addressing Prophet s.a.w.a and is back to referring to only Jews and Christians.
It says that they will continue to disbelieve you unless you follow their religion, the religion that that
have tampered with, changed according to their desires and their needs. The verse asks prophet s.a.w.a
to tell them that what they have with them in the name of their religion is merely just their desires
disguised as religion whereas Allah’s guidance which means Quran here is the right guidance and
restricts it to this, which means what they are devoid of guidance. It follows that what Prophet s.a.w.a
has is knowledge while what they have is desires. And if you follow desire instead of Knowledge there
will be no guardian from Allah.

“Those to whom we have given the Book read it as it ought to be read. These (it is who) believe in it; and
whoever disbelieves in it, these it is that are the losers”

Now if the Jews and Christians are not going to ever believe in Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a, let alone be
pleased with him, isn’t inviting them to Islam an effort in vain? The following verse answers this by
putting a restriction to the previous clause “that Jews and Christians will not be pleased with you”,
except for those who have gotten the book (which can mean Torah and Injil which contains foretelling of
the last prophet s.a.w.a, and they read it untampered as it should have been read It’s those people who
will believe in Quran and guidance from Prophet.

This verse being a restriction and explaining not all Jews and Christians are going to disbelieve also
simultaneously works as a proposition for believers if the meaning of the book is taken to be Quran in
that case it would mean that believers whom we have given Quran are the ones who will believe in you
and not the Jews and Christians who follow their desires.

“O Children of Israel!”. . . Nor shall they be helped:

These two verses are almost similar to the verses 47 and 48. Here the present talk with the Children of
Israel comes to its end. The Qur’an, by repeating the prologue in the epilogue neatly ties the two ends
together.

Traditions: Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.) said, explaining the word of Allah, “Those to whom We have given the
Book read it as it ought to be read” that Quran is meant to be meditated upon , it’s meant to be
pondered upon and acted upon. It’s not simply meant to be recited or learned without knowing its
meaning. As Allah has said “A book we have sent down to you abounding in good, so that they may
ponder over its verses” (38:29). Imam in another place said about the same verse “As it ought to be
read” that it means stopping at the descriptions of heaven and hell.

Imam Sadiq a.s said about the verse “those to whom we have given the book” means Imams of Ahlyl
Bayt a.s according to the flow of Quran, it mentions the best examples of the believers.

Al Baqra 124

“And (remember) when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, then he fulfilled them: He said: “Surely
I am going to make you an Imam for men.”(Ibrahim) said: “And of my offspring? “He said: “My covenant
will not include the unjust” (124)”
“And (remember) when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words” …This verse refers to an event taking
place at the end of Hazrat Ibrahim a.s’s life when he was bestowed Imamah. As seen in other verses that
mention events that took place in Hazrat Ibrahim a.s’s life, until he was given the glad tidings by Angels
that he’ll be bestowed with two sons he wasn’t sure if he’ll ever have children, “He said:” Do you give
me good news (of son) when old age has come upon me? – of what then do you give me good news!”
They said: “We give you good news with truth; therefore, be not of the despairing” (15:51-55)” As it can
be seen that when Ibrahim a.s had gotten this news he has no hopes of any offspring, whereas when he
says “And what of my offspring’s” we see a picture of a man who’s certain of the fact that he will have
an offspring, moreover how can a person Like Hazrat Ibrahim a.s make dua for something that he’s not
certain of without any proviso like “if thou give me son” if he’s not certain . The event took place after
he had a child in old age after Migration. It was either migration of Hagar and his son that being tried is
talking about or the sacrifice of his child that Quran mentions as the Manifest trial in (37: 102-106) “O
my son! Surely I am seeing in dream that I am sacrificing you; consider then what you see.” He said: “O
my father! Do what you are commanded; if Allah please, you will surely find me of the patient ones.” So
when they both submitted and he threw him down upon his forehead, and we called out to him
(saying):“O Ibrahim! You have indeed proved the vision true; surely thus we reward the doers of good.
Most surely this is a manifest trial”.

The “word” here is used in the meaning of a command that requires action, as it can be seen in various
places in Quran that word is used as a speech of God “surely those against whom the word of your Lord
has proved true will not believe (10:96)” and it is fulfilled when the action is completed “And the good
word of your Lord was fulfilled (completed) in the Children of Israel (7:137)” so it is clear that word does
not simply mean word but word of God is a command that requires action, a person tried with words is
not a person simply tried with word but actually tried with a command that requires action in return.
Sometime a word is not command in form of speech but it is command in form of a situation.

Word: Speech (Proposition or command) demanding action (Its fulfilment is highlighted in Quran)

Word: Situation demanding action (relevant to this verse)

Word: Material creation of God (Like Isa and Adam)

Word: Speech independent of any required action to fulfil its rquirements (This never happens in Quran)

“Surely I am going to make you an Imam for men.”

The word Imam is not used in the meaning of Prophet Hood as pointed out by many people, the claim
doesn’t have any legs. Firstly, imam is a second accusative of the word Jailuka. The word jailuka is a
nomen agentis which is never used in past tense, if used in a place of verb it’s used as future or present
tense. In this verse Allah promises to bestow this to him in future, while Prophet Ibrahim was already a
Prophet long before he was an imam as this talk itself is sent to him in capacity as a Prophet. Secondly
Hazrat Ibrahim as mentioned earlier got this news long after he had gotten prophet hood, after the
Angels had given him glad tidings that he’ll have sons in old age. By that time he was already a prophet
when he got the news about the people of Lut. And the bestowing of Imamah clearly happens after that
which makes it clear that prophet hood is different and Imamah is different.

Imamah is not just a different designation by word, the reality which follows it is different from prophet
hood, authority, Khilafat, messenger ship, and can’t be used interchangeably with these terms. And its
guidance entails conveying them to the final destination by the command of Allah. It is different from
that guidance which only shows the way – and which is usually done by the prophets and messengers of
Allah as well as by other believers who guide the people towards Allah with sincere exhortation and
good advice as mentioned in the verses , And We did not send any apostle but with the language of his
people, so that he might explain to them clearly; then Allah makes whom He pleases err and He guides
whom He pleases(14:4)…And he who believed(i.e. The believer from the family of Pharaoh)said: “O my
people! Follow me, I will guide you to the right course”(40:38), Why should not then a company from
every party from among them go forth that they may acquire(proper)understanding in religion, and that
they may warn their people when they come back to them, so that they may be cautious?(9:122)

Imamah is explained by analyzing the following verses.

And We gave him Ishaq and Ya‘qub as a further gift; and We made(them)all righteous ones; and We
made them Imams, to guide(people)by Our command. . .(21:72 - 73

And we made of them Imams to guide by our command as they were patient, and they were certain of
our signs (32:24) (merit)

His command, when He intends anything, is only that He says to it: “Be”, and it is. Therefore glory be to
Him in whose hand is the kingdom of everything (36:82-83)

And thus did we show Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and so that he might be of
those who are sure (6:75) (share in the knowledge of command for certainty by Allah).

Nay! If you had known with a knowledge of certainty, you should most certainly have seen the hell
(102:5 – 6)…….. Nay! Most surely the record of the righteous shall be in the ‘Illiyyīn. And what will make
you know what ‘illiyyīn is? It is a written book; see it those who are near (to Allah) (83: 18–21).
(Attributes of Imamah no rust, near god, knows illyin and hell)

Command Creation (space and time bound, ages, zahir)

Being (Deeds, heart)

Imamah (guardianship, lead) = Guide by the Lord’s command soul/kingdom (Sublime side, unbound,
hidden)

Merit: Patience & certainty God gave knowledge of

So Abraham can be sure

(Near god, no rust, know illyin, hell)

Hence the verses: the day when we will call every people with their Imam (17:71)….. On the day when
hidden things shall be tried.

Imam’s definition: Imam is a leader or a guardian who guides and delivers to the destination by Allah’s
command, he becomes Imam by the virtue of patience and certainty, the certainty that he acquires
through the divine knowledge of the esoteric hidden, subline side of the creation, Shared by Allah which
is also the actual command of the god when he says “Be”

Imamah is a very exalted position, it’s of one who doesn’t make any mistake. Since Imam guides a
person and delivers them to a final destination, Quran says “Is he then who guides to the truth more
worthy to be followed, or he who himself does not go right unless he is guided? (10:35). This clearly
mentions that the one who’s worthy of being followed is someone who was guided since the beginning,
in fact guided others to the right path and didn’t require any guidance instead of someone who was
unjust in the beginning and was guided to the right path. As mentioned “And We made them Imams to
guide(people)by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good(deeds)and the establishing
of prayer and the giving of zakãt, and Us(alone)did they worship(21:73). If Allah would have said, ‘We
revealed to them: Do good deeds’, it would not have shown that they actually obeyed the command and
did good; but when He says, We revealed to them the doing of good, it means that whatever they did
was good and it was by Divine inspiration and heavenly help. When Allah revealed to Hazrat Abraham
a.s “My covenant will not include the unjust” this covenant could have four possible scenarios one who
is unjust his whole life, one who is just their whole life, one who was born unjust but became just later
in life, one who was born just but became unjust later on. Abraham a.s is too sublime to be the first and
the last option. Out of the remaining two options Quran rejects one and keeps one. Hence six points are
clear.

First: Imamah is a Divinely-made status.

Second: The Imam must be ma‘sum, by Divine ‘ismah; in other words, he must be protected by Allah
from sins and errors.

Third: The earth cannot remain without a rightful Imam, as long as there is a man on it.

Fourth: It is essential for an Imam to be supported by the Divine help.

Fifth: The deeds of the people are not hidden from the Imam.

Sixth: The Imam must have knowledge of all that is needed by the people for their good in this world
and the next.

Seventh: It is impossible for any other person to surpass the Imam in any virtue.

Guidance

Masum
 Imamah Abraham Prophet Hood

(12 imams) & sons (Prophet not from Abram)

An objection can arise that if All Prophets are rightly guided , and Imams are rightly guided wouldn’t that
make prophet hood equal to Imamah and the argument against prophet hood being different from
Imamah will be turned in toto against the explanation given above . As seen in Surah Al An’am A lot of
Prophets are mentioned by names and explicitly mentioned as ones who were rightly guided and by the
virtue of Prophet hood also guided others to God But just because Prophet hood and Imamah share the
attribute of being rightly guided doesn’t make their realities similar. Being rightly guided is a bigger
umbrella of guidance, being an imam comes under it. Imamah is specifically limited to only Hazrat
Ibrahim’s a.s and descendants. As seen in Quran “when Ibrahim said to his father and his people:
“Surely, I am clear of what you worship ;( I worship) but (only) Him Who created me, for surely He will
guide me.” And He made it a word to continue in his posterity”.. The meaning of “word” here is in that
of guidance. Imamah after Ibrahim is confined to his descendants and the verse “and of my offspring?’
He said: ‘My covenant will not include unjust’” This reply disqualifies only one group and not all. In other
words, it grants the request for a selected group of his offspring and further sanctifies it as a covenant.

Traditions:

Imam as Sadiq a.s explained: “A fool will not be Imam of a pious.” (al-Kãfī), it refers to the verse

And who forsakes the religion of Ibrahim but he who makes himself a fool, and most certainly we chose
him in this world, and in the hereafter he is most surely among the righteous. When his Lord said to him,
submit (yourself), he said: “I submit myself to the Lord of the worlds.” In other words whoever is unjust is
a fool. It is contrasted by divine selection by God also, the person who submits himself to his lord, the
submission here known as al Islam. As narrated from imams of Ahlul Bayt “My covenant will not
include the unjust means “Whoever had (ever) worshipped an idol or a sculpture or an image, cannot be
an Imam.

al-’Ayyãshī has narrated in his Tafsīr, through several chains, from Safwan the camel-driver that he said:
“We were at Mecca; and the talk gradually reached the words of Allah, and (remember) when his Lord
tried Ibrahim with certain words, then he fulfilled them.”(The Imam) said: “That is, he completed them
with Muhammad and ‘Ali and the Imams from the descendants of ‘Ali, as Allah says: Offspring, one from
the other” (3:34). Here this tradition takes the meaning of word as Imamah, Allah tested Ibrahim with
Imamah of him and his sons Ismael a.s and Isaac a.s then fulfilled it with bestowing Imamah on
Muhammad s.a.w.a and Hazrat Ali and all 12 imams until Imam Mehdi a.s.

Al Baqra 125-129
“And (remember) when we made the House rendezvous for men and a (place of) security”: It refers to
the legislation of the hajj and the sanctuary offered by the House. Al-Mathãbah”ُ‫ =ﺔـَﺑﺎﺜَﻤﻟَا‬rendezvous; a
place to which one returns) is derived from thãba, yathũbu‫َبﺎَـﺛـ َُب ُﻮـ‬،‫ =(ﺜَﻳ‬he returned, he will return).

“And take (for yourselves) a place of prayer on the standing-place of Ibrahim”: Apparently, the preceding
sentence is a sort of introduction, pointing to the reason why prayer in that place was prescribed; that is
why this sentence does not put emphasis on “prayer” – in other words, it does not say, and pray in the
standing-place of Ibrahim; it literally says, and take on the standing-place of Ibrahim (a.s.) a place of
prayer.

“And we enjoined Ibrahim and Isma’ili (saying):“Purify (you two) My House . . .” Al-‘Ahd‫=( ﻟَاُ ْﺪﻬَﻌ‬to enjoin,
to obligate). The order to purify the House may mean to keep it exclusively reserved for the worship by
those who go around it making circuits, those who abide in it for devotion, and those who pray in i

“And (remember) when Ibrahim said: “My Lord! Make it a secure town . . . “: In this way Ibrahim (a.
s.)Called on his Lord to bestow security and safety as well as sustenance on the residents of Mecca; and
the prayer was granted. Far be it from Allah to quote in His speech an unaccepted prayer without
hinting at its rejection; It also shows how Hazrat Ibrahim prayed for his migration from Syria, prayer for
his progeny, parents, invocation while building Kaaba, prayer for a prophet to be sent from his progeny.
His prayers show us his sublime spiritual status before Allah.

“Such of them as believe”: This is a proviso added by Hazrat Ibrahim a.s, although he prayed for
everyone generally, which would include unbelievers as well since he had declared himself separate
from unbelievers long ago and God was his witness “but when it became clear to him that he, that is, his
father, was an enemy of Allah, he declared himself to be clear of him [9:114]” he added this proviso,
although he knew that Allah knows his affairs of distributing sustenance better, Ibrãhīm’s prayer was
granted for the believers, and was extended to cover the unbelievers also. The reply given to Ibrãhīm
(a.s.) implies that Allãh would give them sustenance according to the system He has created in this
world; in other words, believers and unbelievers both would be given their livelihood, because
restricting it to the believers would entail unnecessarily breaking the usual and established system,
Hazrat Ibrahim prayed for people generally regardless of them being believers or unbelievers so that
everyone gets attracted to this place and that it’s not deserted. That House was built in a valley devoid
of every agricultural produce; and if it were not provided with fruits and food-stuff, nobody would settle
in it, and the place would remain uninhabited.

“And whoever disbelieves, I will grant him enjoyment for a short while:” The word translated, “I will
grant him enjoyment”

“Then I will drive him to the chastisement . . .”

The word further shows how Allah honored Hazrat Abraham’s prayer by granting him more than he
asked for by including even the unbelievers, but he clears it out further that the blessing of sustenance is
not because of their honor, it’s because of the honor of the house that they are included in the blessing
of sustenance. As for their life after death they will surely be punished for their wrong belief.

And (remember) when Ibrahim and Ismail were raising the foundations of the House: al-Qawã‘id ()
‫ﻟَاُ ِﺪﻋاَ َﻮﻘ‬isplural of al-ga‘idah. Refers to the raising of the walls of Kaabah, raising of the foundation is an
allegorical expression that means raising of the walls upon the foundation.
“Our. Lord! Accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing”: The verse doesn’t mention “they
said” this if one of many beautiful styles of Quran, as it describes what was happening and we can hear
and read the invocation simultaneous to their actions. The fact that they did not mention accept from s
this construction shows that they didn’t consider their act as worthy of mentioning, in their eyes it was
so insignificant that they didn’t mention the subject of prayer and only said accept from us this. This
omission of the object has given the following connotation to their prayer: Our Lord! Accept from us this
in-significant deed, although it is not worthy of Thy name; surely Thou art hearing our prayers, knowing
our intentions “Ours. Lord! Accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing:

“Our Lord! And make us both submissive to thee and (raise) from our offspring a group submitting to
Thee”: The word submission is used here as “Muslim” and its feminine “Muslima”. The prayer refers to
Hazrat Ibrahim’s request to make him a Muslim but he has been a Muslim long before this prayer, so
then why is he asking to be Muslim now. The verse “When his Lord said to him: “Be a Muslim”, he said:
“I submit myself to the Lord of the worlds” (2:131). This shows that the prayer wasn’t simply to achieve
a trivial grade of Islam, it was to achieve a sublime grade of Islam. No doubt it’s in man’s power to
facilitate conditions that favor the attainment of such sublime grade of Islam, but sometimes the given
condition of his heart and mind which might make it impossible for him to achieve that grade of Islam,
hence the lofty stages of Islam are out of his reach which makes it okay for a person to pray for it.
Moreover, there is another deeper connotations: It is only actions which are attributed to man and
emanate from his free will and power; as for his attributes and deep-rooted traits (which are etched on
his psyche by repeated actions), they are in fact beyond his power. Therefore, they may be – or let us
say, should be –attributed to Allah.

“And show us our ways of devotion and turn to us (mercifully), surely Thou art the Oft-returning (with
mercy), the Merciful”: The phrase, “our ways of devotion”, refers to those acts of worship which they
were doing or had already done; it does not refer to any action which they intended to do in future. In
this context, the phrase “show us” does not mean “teach us” or “help us to do”; rather it means
“strengthen us by showing us the realities of our acts of worship”, as we pointed out earlier while writing
the verse: and We revealed to them the doing of good (deeds) and the establishing of prayer and the
giving of zakat (21:73).

Traditions

As-Sadiq (as.) said: “Verily Allah, Mighty and Great is He! Says in His Book: ‘Purify (you two) My House
for those who make circuit and those who abide (in it for devotion) and those who bow down (and)
those who prostrate themselves. ’Therefore, it is proper for a servant not to enter Mecca except that he
is clean, (and) has washed away his sweat and dirt and has purified himself.”

Also it is narrated from al-Bãqir or as-Sadiq (a.s.) that he said: “Verily Allãh ordered Ibrahīm to build the
Ka‘bah and to raise its walls and to show the people their ways of devotion (i.e. Hajj).Thereupon,
Ibrahīm and Ismail built the House, every day (the height of) a knee until it reached the place of the
Black Stone. “And al-Bãqir (a.s.) said: “Then the (mountain) Abu Qubays called to him: ‘I have something
in trust for you;’ and it gave him the (Black) Stone, and he put it in its place.”(al-Kãfī) ath-Thawrīsays: “I
asked Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the Stone. He said: ‘three stones came down from the Garden: the
Blackstone which was put in place by Ibrãhīm, and the Standing-place of Ibrãhīm, and the stone of the
Israelites.’“ (Al-‘Ayyãshī).
As said by Abu ‘Abdallah (A.S.): He said: ‘The Ummah of Muhammad s.a.w.a. are the Children of Hãshim
in particular as mentioned ‘(It is) the words of Allãh: And (remember) when Ibrãhīm and Ismail were
raising the foundations of the House: “Our Lord! Accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the
Knowing. Our Lord! And make us both submissive to Thee and (raise) from our offspring a group (um-
mah) submitting to Thee, and show us our ways of devotion and turn to us (mercifully), surely Thou art
the Oft-returning (with mercy), the Merciful.” And then later prophet Ibrahim said “and save me and my
sons from worshipping idols: My Lord! Surely they have led many men astray; then whoever follows me,
he is surely of me, and whoever disobeys me, Thou surely art Forgiving, Merciful” (14:35 – 36). It proves
that the Imams, and the submissive ummah in which Muhammad s. a. w. a. was raised, cannot be
except from the offspring of Ibrãhīm (a.s.), because he had said: “save me and my sons from
worshipping idols” ’ ”.(al-‘Ayyãshī)

The above tradition shows that by Ummah Prophet Abraham meant his off springs who stay away from
Idol worship. Although some of his offspring’s like tribe of Mudar and Quraysh stated worshipping idols
hence Prophet Abraham changed the words from off springs to sons and shows disconnect from ones
who do worship idol.

Al Baqra 134- 140

“And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim but he who makes himself a fool”:

Whoever turns away from the religion of Ibrahim is a fool; he does not recognize what is beneficial to
him from that which is harmful. From this verse we may infer what we have been told in the hadith:
“Surely wisdom is that by which the Beneficent (God) is worshipped.

“And most certainly we chose him in this world: “

Al-Istifã means choosing the best part of something over others. Here choosing refers to choosing Hazrat
Ibrahim for a higher level of Islam, total servitude and submission. The choosing here refers to the latter
part that follows “When his Lord said to him, Submit, he said. “I submit myself to the Lord of the
worlds”. Here in these verses we can see that the pronouns have changed from the first person to third
and then from second to third. The reason is as follow, When Allah refers to Hazrat Ibrahim a.s by saying
“When his lord said to him” by using this third person pronoun Allah is making the conversation
between him and Hazrat Ibrahim exclusive by cutting of the hearer of this verse, if he had said “we” it
would have included the hearer as well but referring to him in third person makes the conversation a lot
more personal, sublime and exclusive between Allah and Ibrahim a.s. Similarly the reply by hazrat
Ibrahim is in third person, although Allah has extended his speech to make it intimate with Hazrat
Ibrahim a.s but Ibrahim a.s knowing his position doesn’t reply as frankly and maintains his servitude as a
slave rather than being friendly and frank.

Islam means total submission to the creator in creative measures and decree as well as legislative
matters such as laws and prohibitions. Since people vary in following the legislative matters their degree
of Islam also varies. There are total of four levels of Islam (submission) and Iman (belief).

First stage of Islam is following the exoteric commandments, prohibitions and orders by accepting
shahada regardless if the belief has entered the heart or not as mentioned “The dwellers of the desert
say: “We believe”. Say: “You do not believe but say, ‘We submit’; and faith has not yet entered into your
hearts”. . .(49:14), This is followed by the first stage of Imaan that is sincerely believing in the shahada
and following most of the rules of sharia.

Second stage of Islam is following the beliefs sincerely in depth and following all the concomitants that
are good deeds, occasional slips are possible. It’s referred in Quran as those who believed in our signs
and were submissive (43:69). Also, He says: you who believe! Enter into submission one and all (2:208).
This is followed by second stage of Iman that is the believing, with full details and reasoning, in the
realities of the religion. Allah says: The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger
then they doubt not and struggle hard with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah; they are the
truthful ones (49:15)

Third stage of Islam is when a man is imbued with all the above mentioned Iman, all the worldly desires
are under him and he’s able to control all that attracts him to material and trinkets of this world. When
one reaches this stage they’re able to worship god like they’re seeing him, if not seeing him then god is
able to see them. He is never annoyed with any decree or measure of Allah as mentioned in Quran “But
no! By your Lord! They do not believe until they make you a judge of that which has become a matter of
disagreement among them, and then do not find any straightness in their selves as to what you have
decided, and submit with total submission (4:65)”. This is followed by the third stage of imaan where
nothing else has any independent existence – neither in person or characteristics nor inactions. referred
to as “successful indeed are the believers, who are humble in their prayers and who keep aloof from
what is vain...(23:1–3) this is what is referred in the verse which says “when his lord said to him submit
yourself”.

This is followed by the fourth stage of Islam that is he is shown the reality, and sees with his heart’s eyes
that the Kingdom belongs to Allah, nothing else owns anything at all – except when Allah bestows it to
someone; there is no Lord other than He. It is a Divine Gift, a bestowal by Allah, to whom He pleases; a
man cannot reach this sublime stage by his own will or effort. Probably it is to this Islam that the prayer
of Ibrahim and Ismail refers: Our Lord! And make us both submissive to Thee and (raise) from our off-
spring a group submissive to Thee, and show us our ways of devotion . . . (2:12). When the believer is
submerged in all the above mentioned stages of Islam and imaan they enter the fourth stage of imaan
where they know nothing takes place without the divine decree, it’s this certainty that insulates them
from the grief and problems that loom ahead. It’s mentioned in Quran by “Now surely the friends of
Allah – they have no fear nor do they grieve; those who believed and were pious (10:62-63)”

“And in the hereafter he is most surely among the good ones: “as-Salãh”

This verse refers to the distinguished group of “good one’s”. Quran has referred to good either in terms
of deeds or in terms of individuals. What counts as a god deed is not clear in Quran however there are
few effects that it accounts for. Good deeds are those that are done for the lord as seen in verse who
“are patient, seeking the pleasure of their Lord . . . (13:22)”, Good deeds are those that brings rewards
from god as seen in verse “Allah’s reward is better for him who believes and does good...(28:80)”, good
deeds are those that lift the words to God as seen in the verse “To Him do ascend the good words; and
the good deed lifts them up . . .(35:10)” as far as the individuals are concerned Quran refers to them in
such words. And whoever obeys Allah and his messenger these are they upon whom Allah has bestowed
favors from among the prophet, the truthful, the martyr and the good ones. And excellent are these as
companions. Also Hazrat Suleiman is seen praying to Allah “and make me enter, by Thy mercy, into Thy
servants, the good ones (27:19)” now the mercy is not referred to the general mercy that god has on all
of his creation neither does it point towards the mercy that Allah bestows on the pious believers this is a
different grade of mercy. The phrase also doesn’t refer Al wilayah, people whose affairs are managed by
Allah. Good ones are a distinguished group like the prophets, martyrs and the truthful whereas al
wilayah is an honor that can be bestowed upon either of them and not just limited to good ones. What
gives “good ones” a distinction is that they are taken into Allah’s mercy and they get comprehensive
protection from chastisement as seen in the verses “Then as to those who believed and did good, their
Lord will make them enter into His mercy (i.e. Into the Garden) (45:30); They shall call therein (i.e., in the
Garden) every fruit in security (44:55). Also it is clearly that this mercy and making someone good is not
in a man’s control, divine goodness is an attribute that is bestowed upon man by Allah “And we took
him into our mercy (21:75); and we made (them) all good ones (21:72)” .. Since divine declaration states
that rewards are in lieu of good actions it would mean that reward would be given for good deeds
however the divine goodness will only be bestowed as gods’ mercy upon whom he pleases. They have
therein what they wish and with us is more yet (50:35): Possibly, the first clause (They have therein what
they wish) refers to the reward of their deeds; and the second one (and with us is more yet) concerns
what they shall be given not in lieu of action, but purely by Divine Mercy”. Now prophet Abraham is a
prophet and one of the ulu l Azam prophets , he was made good as mentioned in the verse “and we
made them all good ones” (21:72). But still why he was praying for Allah’s mercy to make him good. This
explains that similar to Islam (Submission) and Iman there are different grades of “goodness” as well.
Allah granted Prophet Abraham his prayer for the hereafter “we chose him in this world (for
submission), and for here after he will surely be among the good ones” (2:130) it is mentioned in two
other places. Prophet Abraham was praying for something that Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a had
achieved in his life as he said “Surely my guardian is Allah who revealed the book and takes in his hands
the affairs of the good ones” (7:19) claims the wilãyah for himself. In other words, the Prophet,
according to his claim mentioned in the verse, had already got the “goodness”; and Ibrahim a.s was
praying to be joined to a group of “good ones” who had already been given that rank, and that group
was Muhammad s.a.w.a and his progeny.

“And the same did Ibrahim enjoin on his sons” that is, the same religion “Therefore die not unless you
are Muslims:” Death is not in one’s control, then why did prophet Yaqub a.s admonish his son’s for
something that’s not in their control. It means that death can come any time but one should be
steadfast in staying a Muslim at any given time of their lives so whenever death approaches they die a
Muslim.

“We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishhãq”: Here the word
father has been used to refer to uncle, grandfather and father. This can explain that when Abraham a.s
referred to his father he had been referring to his uncle Azar while his actual father was Tarukh or Terah
a.s.

“One God only”: This sums up the preceding detailed description, “your God and the God of your fathers
. . .” it serves to remove any possible misunderstanding that his God was other than the God of his
fathers – as the idol-worshippers thought that there were many Gods.

“And to Him do we submit”; It refers to the subject of their talk, that is, worship. They made it clear that
their worship of Allah would be totally in accordance with the dictates of Islam. The reply shows that the
religion of Ibrahim was Islam. Accordingly, the religion which was inherited by his offspring, for example,
Ishaq, Ya‘qũb and Ismail, and which continued in the Children of Israel and Ismail, was Islam, and
nothing else. It was this religion which Ibrahim (a.s.) brought from his Lord; and nobody had any right to
turn away from it or to call to any other religion….

Traditions

First stage of Islam: Imam as sadiq a.s has said that the position of Iman with respect to Islam is similar
to that of Kabah in Haram. You can be in Haram and not be in Kabah but you can’t be in Kabah and not
be in the haram.

Imam also said that Islam is through which general rulings and way of life style is implemented and
validated while belief is which guides.

2nd stage of Islam: Imam Ali has said that that to accept Islam is submission and submission is conviction.
. While imam Jaffer has said that if a person fulfils all aspects of religious practice but if he doubts Allah
and his prophet s.a.w.a it’s as if he’s still a polytheist.

3rd and 4th stage: On the night of accession Allah told Prophet Muhammad that he will reveal what
results in a happy and long lasting life. Allah says that for happy life a servant needs to remember Allah
and his blessings, fulfil all his rights and seek for his pleasure. As for the long lasting life once a person
does the above Allah fulfills that persons heart with his love, when that happens the person starts
seeing and hearing things with his heart, Allah dresses him in modesty and blesses him with three
things, his gratitude, his remembrance and his love. Allah shows all hidden things to him and reveals to
him his hidden creatures, talks to him secretly, he can hear the angels, and people are in his awe. It
becomes clear to him what will happen on the Day of Judgment and the horrors of hellfire. His life after
death will be in ease and at peace in his grave. Whoever forgets Allah, Allah will not care in which valley
he perishes.

Mercy: Al-Qummi writes about the words of Allah, and with us is more, that the Imam said: “Looking
towards the mercy of Allah.”(At-Tafsīr)The Prophet said: “Allãh says: ‘I have prepared for my good
servants that which no eye has ever seen, nor any ear ever heard, nor has it ever passed from the heart
of any man.’ ” (Majma‘u ’l-bayãn)

Al-Bãqir (a.s.) said about the words of Allãh, Or, were you witnesses when death approached
ya‘qũb . . .:“It is applied to al-Qa’im of the progeny of Muhammad s.a.w.a. Which means that every
Qaim asks his children the same question before dying and the children give the same reply as the sons
of Yaqub.
Al Baqra 135-141

“And they say: ‘Be Jews or Christians, you will be rightly guided”

The preceding verses have clarified that Ibrahim a.s and his sons were all Muslims and followers of one
religion only that is the religion of Islam. The message has one and has always been one of the upright
religion but due to prejudices, personal reasons and desires, the Jews and the Christians seem to have
split in schisms, sects and different movements, dyeing the religion of Allah and breaking down into
various proponents which diverge from the actual religion. But the religion is not divided; it is one, in the
same way as God, Who is to be worshipped, is one; it is the religion of Ibrahim; Since this world is an
ever changing places same applies to its people and nations, sometimes the rites of the nations are not
immune to this change which allows some extraneous factors to seep in religion and replace the original
meaning with that of the innovation. Worldly goals replace the original meaning and essential rules are
declared anathema. The evil innovation becomes the virtue and the virtue becomes evil with no one to
defend it. And what doesn’t call to Allah and things deteriorate to an extent where they can’t be saved.
Since Jews say “be Jews and you’ll be on the right path” and Christians say “be Christians and you’ll be
on the right path” , they make such divergent claims because of their divergent beliefs and thinking.

Say: “Nay! (we follow) the religion of Ibrahim, the upright one, and he was not of the polytheists” : This is
the suggested reply by Allah to prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a that we follow the religion of Abraham the
one who was upright, he never followed any of these differences and beliefs because he wasn’t a
polytheist, had there been so many innovations and differences in the religion he would have become a
polytheist. Whatever is not a part of Allah’s religion can never invite towards Allah and will surely invite
to something other than Allah.

Say: “We believe in Allah and (in) that which has been revealed to us, and (in) that which was revealed to
Ibrahim . . .”

After mentioning the claims of the Jews Allah goes on to mention the truth as he always tells the truth.
He asks prophet to say that he believes in the fundamental truth that is in Allah. It has been mentioned
apart from prophets because one doesn’t need prophets to reach the fundamental truth that Allah
exists, it’s a natural instinct. And then it goes on to mention that we believe in the truth revealed to us
that is the Quran and knowledge contained in it. Then it further goes on to mention Ibrahim and his
descendants and the verse specially mentions Musa and Isa as Christians and Jews hold them in high
regards respectively and finally goes on to mention all the remaining prophets which paves the way for
saying that we do not make any distinction between them.

It’s important to point out that when Allah refers to Abraham and his descendants he uses the word
reveal while when he refers to Musa and Isa he uses the word given. Since Jews and Christians dispute
amongst themselves over Abraham and his descendants including the tribes, Jews say they followed
Judaism while Christians say they followed Christianity. If the word “given” was used with them
Christians would have said the word is used similar to Isa hence they were all Christians Similarly if the
word revealed was used with Moses Jews would have said that Moses was a Jew with the exclusion of
Isa of course since the same word was used. The distinction in the way these prophet are referred to By
Allah to plays a functional part in clearing out any such misunderstandings that would lead Jews and
Christians to claim ownership over any of the prophets and to clear out that they were all sent with
divine revelation.
While there’s no doubt about Moses a.s amongst Jews and no doubt about Isa a.s amongst Christians
respectively they are referred to with the word “given” even though the word “given” doesn’t
necessarily mean divine revelation as mentioned in “And certainly We gave wisdom to Luqmãn (31:12);
And certainly We gave the book and the wisdom and the prophecy to the Children of Israel . . . (45:16).”
It would still not leave any room for misunderstanding regarding divine revelation as Jews and Christians
believe with full conviction that the two were blessed with divine revelation. Moreover it refers to
Moses and Isa with the same word to make them both one since Jews dismiss Isa and Christians
consider Isa superior over Moses, by referring them both with a similar way they won’t be able to create
any distinction.

Meanwhile there’s no dispute amongst rest of the prophets before or after Abraham and Jews or
Christians didn’t lay any claim so they are referred to as “given” similar to mosses a.s and Isa a.s.

“And the tribes”: The tribes mentioned here can be referred to the individual prophets who belonged to
the different tribes or maybe the word tribe is used metaphorically as a whole group as prophets
belonged to those tribes but it doesn’t refer to the sons of Yaqub a.s .

“If then they believe in like of what you believe in, they are indeed on the right course:” The word “like”
used here is because if they were told to believe in what believers believed in” they would outright
reject the truth and say that we believe in what has been revealed to us. However by using the word like
it therefore, this verse teaches the Muslims a different way of expressions: We believe in that which
contains nothing but pristine truth; therefore, you too should believe in that which contains only pristine
truth like it. Addressed in this way, they will not find any loop-hole, nor will they be able to resort to
their obstinate wrangles. And then they will realize that what they have had is not the unadulterated
truth.

“In great dissension”: “ash-Shiqãq” means hypocricy, disputation, dissension.

“So Allah will suffice you against them”: It was a promise to the Messenger of Allah to help him against
them; and Allah fulfilled this promise. And the same favor shall be completed for the Muslim nation
when Allah wills. This verse is a parenthetic statement between the preceding and the following verses.

“The dyeing of Allah, and who is better than Allah in dyeing?” Which Allah has dyed us; and it is the best
of the colors – it is not a dye of the Judaism nor of the Christianity, which emanate from dissensions in
religion, when people fail to keep on the right track.

“And him do we worship: Grammatically the sentence describes the condition; it gives the reason of the
preceding phrase: “the dyeing of Allah. . .”

“Say: “Do you dispute with us about Allah?”: When someone disputes about a leader they do it on the
basis of three things either when one party out of the two doesn’t follow the same leader, either when
they follow the same leader, but each claims a close relationship with the leader, denying a like privilege
to the other or when one party wants to show that the other party, because of his unbecoming behavior
and immoral character, has lost the right to be counted among the followers of the leader; his claim of
being a follower of the leader is an insult to the latter. Quran answers all this claims one by one by
mentioning that we follow the same God who is one absolute Allah, there can’t be any clash in our
deeds because they’re not the same and that we are sincere to him so we have not lost the right to be
counted amongst the leader.
“Or, do you say that Ibrahim . . . were Jews or Christians?” both Jews and Christians claimed that Ibrahim
and His descendants were Jews and Christians.

“Say: ‘Are you better knowing or Allah?”: Because Allah has clearly mentioned in his book that they were
neither Jews nor Christians as the books of Musa a.s and Isa a.s came after Abraham.

“And who is more unjust than he who conceals a testimony that he has from Allah?” That is, he who
conceals a testimony, a fact known to him, that Allah has informed in His Books that the sharia of
Judaism and Christianity were sent after Ibrahim and the other named prophets. The “testimony”, thus,
refers to a fact known to one.

“This is a people that has passed away . . .:” It will do you no good to dispute about other people as to
which group they belonged to; nor will silence on this matter do you any harm. You must spend your
time in those things which you will be asked about tomorrow, especially when it’s clear that Shariah of
Jews and Christians came long after Abraham and his descendants.

Traditions:

Al-Bãqir (a.s.) said: “The upright religion (of Ibrahim, a.s.) did not leave anything (unguided), so much so
that it includes the trimming of the moustache, and cutting of nails, and circumcision.” (ibid.)

The upright religion contains ten things five of the head and five of the rest of the body…it was never
abrogated, nor will it ever be abrogated until the Day of Resurrection.”(At-Tafsīr, al-Qummi).

Al-Baqir (A.S.) said about the words of Allah: Say: We believe in Allah . . .: “Allah has meant Ali, and
Fatimah, and al-Hasan, and al-Husain, in this verse; and after them it has continued in the Imams . . .”
(al-Kãfī; al-‘Ayyãshī).

By looking at the invocation of Abraham a.s “we” can mean the five infallibles or other Imams or in any
context it doesn’t contradict if the meaning of we is supposed for Muslims generally the scope varies
depending on the context as similar to the meaning of submission varies with various stages of the Islam
and Iman.

As-Sãdiq (a.s.) said: “(Allah) dyed the believers with alwilãyah ‫ـﻳﻻﻮ‬ ِ َ‫ =( ﻟَاُﺔ‬love and obedience of the
ْ ُ‫ =( ﻟَا‬the covenant taken from the
Prophet and his Ahlu ’1-bayt) in (i.e., at the time of) al-mīthãq ‫قﺎﺜﻴﻤ‬
souls).” (Al-Kãfī; Ma‘ãni ‘l-akhbãr).
 2nd Paara

Al Baqra 142-151

“The fools among the people will say: “What has turned them from their Qiblah which they had?”

This verse specifically refers to Jews and pagans of Mecca as previously Muslims were facing towards
Bayt ul Maqdis for praying which gave Jews a sense of precedence over Muslims as they felt validated
that Muslims were facing towards their Qiblah and pagans because they were always on a look out for
something to pick on. Secondly this change in Qiblah had a bigger effect on the soul of Muslims as
compared to other laws of invocation and cleanliness, Jews understood this and they resented it as Jews
gave a lot of importance to physical changes that they can perceive with their five sense and this change
would have surely turned their heads. Their objection was mainly based on the fact that they didn’t
understand abrogation and would have objected that Muslims have turned away from the right course
or the right path. The reply to this is that no Qiblah or location has a special natural characteristic that
makes it a Qiblah, any place that Allah wishes he makes it a Qiblah, in short it’s an honor that is
bestowed by Allah and not something that a place has by its creation.

“The fools among the people will say”: As mentioned earlier it was referred to the Jews and pagans and
they were called fools because their ideas of divine laws and their mentality was crooked and foolish.

“What has turned them away from their Qiblah”: At tawliyah when used without a preposition means
to turn as in to face and when used with a preposition “an” it means to turn away. Meaning that turning
away from Bayt ul Maqdis. And it was for the same reason that the opening phrase says: “What has
turned them”, instead of saying“What has turned the Prophet and the Muslims.” It would not have
looked objectionable in the least if they had said: “What has turned the Prophet and the Muslims from
the Qiblah of the Jews”

“Say: “The East and the West belong only to Allah”: The east and the west cover all compound directions
and based on them all cardinal direction are also identified like north and the south hence that’s why
these directions are written here.

“He guides him whom He likes to a straight path: The word “sirãt”َُ‫=( طا َ ِﺮﺻ‬path) is mentioned here
without a definite article “al”)‫(ﻟَ ْاـ‬,since it is a common noun, and does not specify a definite path,
because nations differ in their paths due to their differences in ability to attain perfection and happiness.

“And thus we have made you a medium nation that you may be witnesses for the people and the
Messenger may be a witness for you”

About Witnessing: As some exegetes have pointed out that the Muslim Ummah is the balance between
spiritual and physical world unlike the Christians who give into monasticism and focus on only the
spiritual aspect while the pagans deny the existence of the soul and only believe in the present life.
Hence they’re a good measure of balance Muslim Ummah will be a witness over other nations and the
prophet s.a.w.a. will be a witness over them. This explanation doesn’t establish any correlation between
two witnessing and also gives the Ummah an overall high pedestal that it doesn’t deserve especially
since the Muslim nation is filled with nimrods and pharaohs. Quran has mentioned witnessing as a
reality for example in verses “And on the day when We will raise up a witness out of every nation, then
shall no permission be given to those who disbelieve, nor shall they be made to solicit favor (16:84); . . .
and the Book shall be laid down and the prophets and the witnesses shall be brought up . . . (39:69).
These show that witnessing will take place as witnessing is mentioned unconditional here and no doubt
they will give the evidence in the hereafter; but they must have seen the events in this life, as may be
inferred by the words of ‘Isa a.s quoted in the Qur’an:. . “and I was a witness of them so long as I was
among them, but when Thou didst take me(away)completely, Thou were the watcher over them, and
Thou art witness of all things(5:117)”;. .and on the Day of Resurrection he(i.e.,‘Isa)shall be a witness
against them(4:159). Since Quran has mentioned that witnessing will take place on the day of
Judgment, it’s not possible for a normal person to witness what others are doing in other places,
moreover even if they keep an eye on them they won’t be able to become witness of what’s in their
heart after all mentioned in Quran “but He will call you to account for what your hearts have earned
(2:225)”. Surely this will require someone who is aware of the reality of deeds, the hidden esoteric side
of the actions. This fact may be inferred from the words of Allah: And those whom they call upon besides
Him have no authority for intercession, but he who bears witness of the truth (i.e. of the reality) and they
know (43:86). Actually, they have been called “witnesses” of the people, because they see and observe
in this world the realities of the people’s actions – felicity and infelicity, rejection and acceptance,
submission and arrogance. It is also known that a normal person from Ummah will not be able to
achieve this status as mentioned in the verse “and whoever obeys Allah and his messenger are among
those upon whom Allah has bestowed favor from among prophets, truthful, martyrs and the good ones
and excellent are these as companions (4:49)”- That the lest that can be said about Martyrs- Witness of
deeds is that they enjoy favors from Allah. When Allah said that children of Israel are made to excel over
other nations he didn’t refer to the whole nation, he referred to a chosen group of people who belonged
to that nation and not every individual was made to excel other nations, similarly when he says he made
a medium nation he doesn’t refer to the entire nation but just a group of people among the nation. An
objection can be raised on the verse “And (as for) those who believe in Allah and His messengers, these
it is that are the truthful and the witnesses near their Lord(57:19)” is meant for all the believer. This
verse is general and not for Muslims only but for all the believers of all the messengers, also the word
near their lord suggests that it’s an honor that they’ll get in the hereafter and it’s not an ability that
they’ll have in the living world as mentioned earlier for witnessing it’s important to be living in the world
as Hazrat Isa a.s mentioned In the verse.

About Medium: As Allah says: O you who believe! Bow down and prostrate yourselves and worship your
Lord, and do good that you may succeed. And strive hard in(the way of)Allah,(such)a striving as is due to
Him; He has chosen you and has not laid upon you any hardship in religion; the faith of your father,
Ibrahim; he named you Muslims before and in this, so that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and
you may be witnesses for the people; therefore, establish prayer and pay zakat and hold fast to Allah; He
is your Guardian; how excellent the Guardian and how excellent the Helper!(22:77), This verse shows
that a person who is a witness is chosen by Allah and that they don’t find any hardships in the religion
because they’re made submissive as an answer to the prayer of Abraham who prayed for them in the
verse “Our Lord! And raise up in them an Apostle from among themselves who shall recite to them Thy
communications and teach them the Book and the wisdom, and purify them (2:129). It’s because they’re
chosen by Allah because of Ibrahim’s a.s prayer, they’re made pure by Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a and
taught wisdom and this is because they will not find any hardship in religion. Hence keeping the prayer
of Abrahim a.s in mind they’re the Muslims, and it’s them who’ll be witness over people and messenger
will have precedence over them hence they’ll be a medium Ummah because you will be between
messenger and.

“And we had not made the qiblah which you had but that we might know him who follows the
Messenger from him who turns back upon his heels” the phrase “we might know” is used here has either
in plural as great people refer to the acts of their servants and attach themselves to it, or “we might
know” as in not an addition to knowledge but that we might see how this unravels. Having said that the
verse says that all these rules and legislations are made for the benefit of the people themselves. The
laws of religion aim at training the people and perfecting them; separating the believer’s from others;
distinguishing the obedient from the disobedient, the submissive from the arrogant. And this of course
would raise any question amongst the minds of the believers that whatever they have prayed in the last
13 years has it gone to waste to which Allah has replied “and Allah was not going to make your faith to
be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the people.”.

“Indeed we see the turning of thy face to heaven, so we shall surely turn thee to a qiblah which thou
shalt be pleased with”: This verse refers to the event where Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.a turned his face
towards the Qiblah and prayed to God for Qiblah waiting or hoped that Allah would send a
commandment. The verse “though shalt be pleased with” doesn’t mean that Prophet s.a.w.a was
displeased with the previous Qiblah, this is far from Prophet s.a.w.a to feel displeased at something that
Allah has given It was in fact a response to the reviling of Jews that Muslims are facing their Qiblah so
they have precedence over Muslims so Prophets hope was to get a commandment that either tells him
to keep facing the same Qiblah as Bayt ul maqdis, this way he will be able to tell Jews that it’s by Allah’s
command and not because they have any precedence over Muslims or Muslims imitate them. To
prophets pleasure he was answered and it was doubly welcomed because the command to change the
Qiblah was also given while differentiating them from Jews.

“Turn then thy face towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you are, turn your face towards it” “ash-
Shatr”)‫(ﻟَاُﺮْ ﻄﱠﺸ‬translated here as “towards”, literally means “part of”. The pervious order that was given
to Muslims was to turn to a part of Bayt ul Maqdas which is the rock similarly this order also was given
to face a part of the sacred mosque that is the Kabah. This verse validates the tradition that this verse
was revealed when Prophet s.a.w.a was leading a prayer and was being followed by the companions.
There-fore, he was personally told to turn towards the Ka‘bah during that prayer; then the verse went
on describing a general order which covered him and all the Muslims, for every time and in every place.

“And those who have been given the Book most surely know that it is the truth from their Lord“ Their
Book contains the prophecies showing the truth of the prophet hood of Muhammad s.a.w.a , or that this
True Prophet would pray facing to-wards the Sacred Mosque. In any case, the verse shows that the
Jews’ Book had some verses which confirmed – explicitly or implicitly – the truth of this legislation; and
Allah is not at all heedless of what they do; He knows how they hide the truth and conceal the
knowledge which they had been given.

“And even if you bring to those who have been given the Book every sign they would not follow your
qiblah” This verse rebukes the Jews for not following the right path, and they don’t follow the right path
not because they don’t know the truth, they know it very well they just refuse to accept it and they will
continue to do so even if obvious signs are brought to them. “nor can you be a follower of their qiblah"
This verse is a prohibition is the form of a proposition, it puts restrictions on Muslims that their Qiblah
can’t be followed since clear verses have been mentioned that abrogate their Qiblah. “Neither do they
follow each other’s Qiblah” Jews and Christians follow different Qiblah Neither the former would follow
the qiblah, of the latter, nor the latter would accept the qiblah of the former –because all of them follow
their own desires.

“And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then you shall most surely be
among the unjust:” The admonition (in singular pronoun) is addressed to the Prophet, but it is really
meant for his Ummah. It also indicates that the Jews, in their recalcitrance, follow their desire and have
become unjust.

“Those whom we have given the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons” The verse says: The
People of the Book recognize the Messenger of Allah by the prophecies which their book contains.
Furthermore previous verses were directed to Prophet s.a.w.a in second person where as this one
addresses him in third person almost as if it was addressed to the audience where God turns towards
the audience and treats prophet s.a.w.a as absent, mentioning him by pronouns of third person. When
that topic is finished, he again assumes the previous style of addressing him directly.

“The truth is from your Lord, therefore you should not be of the doubters” It emphasizes the preceding
statement and strongly interdicts doubting. The talk in singular pronouns is addressed to the Prophet
but is actually intended for the Ummah.

“And everyone has a direction to which he would turn; therefore, hasten to (do) good work” : Mentions
every nation has its own Qiblah, pre-scribed for them according to their own needs and atmosphere.
Being Qiblah is not an inherent and inseparable characteristic of anyplace or direction; it is not a natural
or personal feature of a thing which could not be changed. It is therefore not good for you to waste your
time and energy in disputation and argumentation about it. You should rather hasten to do good work
and try to excel others in virtuous deeds. And Allah will bring everyone together on the day that is
promised where ever you are.

“And from whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque” The verse says
that the law to face the Ka‘bah is a firm order which you have to observe in Mecca as well as in other
towns and places. Then Allah emphasizes it in these words: and surely it is the very truth from your Lord,
and Allah is not at all heedless of what you do.

“And from whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever
you are turn your faces towards it”: The first sentence is repeated here word by word, to show that this
law is to be followed in every condition. The meaning is as follows: Face towards the Sacred Mosque of
Mecca whence you had to come out, and wherever you happen to be in the world, turn your faces
towards it.

“So that people shall have no argument against you, except such of them as are unjust; so do not fear
them, and fear me; and so that I may complete my favor on you and that you may walk on the right
course”: The verse mentioned above refers to three benefits for Muslims, Firstly the people the Jews
were foretold in their books that the last prophet will change his Qiblah from Bayt ul Maqdis to Kabah,
this was foretold in their books as suggested by the verse “and those who have been given the Book
most surely know that it is the truth from their Lord(2:144)” which shows that this change further
Validates the truth mentioned in the book, had it not happened the Jews would have further rejected
the fact based on this prediction being not fulfilled. It is further mentioned that the unjust will not
accept this as a sign because they follow their desires so don’t fear them as they’re bound to be like this.
Fear me.

Secondly Obedience of this rule will lead the Muslims to the completion of Divine favor and thirdly there
is the hope that through this rule the Muslims will be guided to the straight path. Many exegetes have
further added that this verse indicates towards the victory of mecca as mentioned in the verse of victory
“Surely We have given to you a clear victory, so that Allah may forgive you your (i.e., you rummah their)
past faults and those to follow and complete His favor to you and keep you on a straight path (48:1-2). It
doesn’t fit the verse because both the verses discuss of a proposition , something that’s going to happen
in the future and the verse of victory doesn’t show it’s fulfilment in fact it is as a reminder of the same
promise of what’s going to happen in future. The verse that fulfills the promise and to which both the
verses point towards is “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favors on you
and chosen for you Islam as a religion (5:3)”

“Even as we have sent among you a Messenger from among you who recites to you our communications
and purifies you and teaches you the Book and the wisdom and teaches you that which you did not
know” This verse says like we have blessed you with Kabah that was built by Abraham a.s and his son
Ismael a.s we have blessed you with the messenger s.a.w.a who is a direct answer to The prayer of
Hazrat Ibrahim a.s and his son Ismael a.s in the verse “Our Lord! And raise up in them a Messenger from
among themselves, who shall recite to them Thy communications and teach them the Book and wisdom
and purify them. ‘This verse, in short, says that it was Allãh’s favor on this Ummah that he sent the
Prophet among them, as it was a favor to appoint the Ka‘bah as their Qiblah. Who are the people
referred to by the second person pro-nouns in “among you a Messenger from among you”? That is,
those who were given authority over religion and followers of religion; literally all the Muslims from the
progeny of Isma’il (i.e., the Arabs of Mudar tribe) are included; legislatively, it covers all the Muslims,
Arabs and non-Arabs alike.

“Recites to you our communications:” refers to the ayats of Quran and not the meaning, At- Tazkiyah
means purifying from the wrong beliefs like polytheism, fornication, intoxication, pride etc.

“And teaches you the Book and the wisdom and teaches you that which you did not know ”: It
encompasses all primary and secondary aspects of religious knowledge

Traditions: Imam as Sadiq a.s has said that when prophet was in Medina after 13 years and seven
months, Jews used to revile prophet so one day he turned towards the sky in hopes of getting an
answer, next day at Zohar time in the mosque of banu Salim while Prophet s.a.w.a was praying towards
Bayt ul Maqdis, Jibril appeared after two rakats and held prophet s.a.w.a by his arm and turned him
around.

Narrated from al-Bãqir (a.s.) that he said: “Only the Imãms and the Messengers will be witnesses for the
people. And as for the (general) ummah, it is unthinkable that Allah would call them as witnesses – and
there are among them those whose testimony is not accepted for a bundle of vegetable.” 

As-Sadiq (a.s.) narrates from his father, from the Prophet, that he said: “It is among the (bounties) which
Allah gave to my ummah and (by which) He made them excel all other nations, that He gave them three
attributes which (previously) were not given but to a prophet . . . And when He sent a prophet, made
him a witness for his nation; and surely Allah, Blessed and High is He, has made my ummaha witness for
the creatures, as He says: so that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and you may be witnesses for
the people(22:78). (Qurbu ’l-asnãd).

Amir ul-mu’minin (a.s.) says, inter alia, in a hadith describing the Day of Judgment: “They will gather in a
place where everyone will be required to speak; (but) no one shall speak: except he whom the Beneficent
Allah permits and who speaks the right thing (78:38). Then the Messenger shall be asked to stand (and
speak); and that is (the meaning of) His word to Muhammad (s.a.w.a.): How will it be, then, when We
bring from every people a witness and bring you as a witness for these?(4:41).And he is the witness of
the witnesses, and the witnesses are the Messengers.” (Al-’Ayyãshī)

When Imam Jaffar a.s was asked if faith is word with deed or word without deed he said faith is deed
and word is one of those deeds then he mentioned the verse where word faith was used as a synonym
of praying “and Allah was not going to make your faith to be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate,
Merciful to the people”

Note: prophet was in the mosque of Banu Salim while other were in mosque of two Qiblas when the
Qiblas were changed.

Al-Bãqir (a.s.) said explaining the words of Allah, turn then thy face towards the Sacred Mosque: “Face
towards the Qiblah, and do not turn away from the Qiblah; otherwise your prayer will be void.

Imam Jaffer a.s says about the verses “and they recognize him as they recognize their sons” that Jews
knew very well from their books the signs of prophet, his companions and the emigration as Allah says
in the verse “and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are severe against the
unbelievers, compassionate among themselves; you will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves,
seeking grace from Allah and pleasure; their marks are in their faces because of the effect of prostration;
that is their description in the Torah and their description in the Injīl . . .(48:29).” And this was the
description of the Messenger of Allah s.a.w.a and of his companion’s in the Torah. Thereafter, when
Allah raised him up, the People of the Book recognized him. (But they rejected him) as Allah, Great is His
Majesty!

Many Shiite traditions say that the words of Allãh, wherever you are, Allãh will bring you all together,
has been revealed about the companions of al-Qã’im (a.s.). Some of those traditions say that it is applied
to them according to the principle of the “flow of theQur’ãn”.A tradition, narrated by the Sunni
narrators says that ‘Ali (a.s.) said about the words of Allãh, so that I may complete My favor on you:
Completion of favor is the death in the state of Islam (i.e.,to die as a Muslim).”Another Sunni ahdīth says
that the completion of favor is entering into the Garden.
Al Baqra 152

“Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be thankful to me, and do not be ungrateful to me
(152)”

There are three types of remembrance. Firstly If we take remembrance in the meaning of “Adh-Dhikr” (=
remembrance) is sometimes used as opposite of “al-ghaflah (=inattention and heedlessness).Allah says :
and do not follow him whose heart we have made inattentive to our remembrance (18:28 ). Inattention is
“not knowing that one knows – although the original knowledge is present in memory”.
“Remembrance”, as its opposite, means “knowing that one knows”.

Secondly if we take remembrance in the meaning of presence of knowledge and similarly the opposite
for forgetfulness that is cessation of knowledge in one’s mind.  It is to this meaning that the words of
Allãh refer in the verse: “and remember your Lord when you forget . . .(18:24)” 

Third type of remembrance is actually not a type of remembrance of but an effect of remembrance or
an exclusive characteristic. The existence of that characteristic sometimes leads one to believe that
remembrance or forgetfulness exists for example sometimes when those effects and characteristics are
found, we say that one remembers, although there is no actual remembrance; or that one has forgotten,
although there is no actual forgetfulness. For example, if you do not come to the aid of your friend –
when you know that he needs your help– then people say that: “You have forgotten him”, although in
fact you remember him very well. The word “remembrance” is also used in the same way. Apparently,
the use of this word for “verbal remembrance” (e.g., reciting or repeating the names of Allah) comes in
this category, because you cannot express something in words unless you remember it in mind. Allah
says: Say; “I will recite to you an account (a remembrance) of him” (18:83). There are many other
examples like it. But if verbal remembrance is counted as a real meaning of the word ‘remembrance
‘then it will be one of its(lower) degrees.

An analysis of the verses below lead us to believe in two things. Firstly the remembrance in fact has
degrees to it and verbal remembrance is not exactly the real meaning of the word remembrance and the
real meaning is the remembrance in heart as seen in the verses “now surely by Allah’s remembrance
are the hearts set at rest(13:28)”; “And remember your Lord within yourself humbly and fearing and in a
voice not loud in the morning and the evening, and be not of the heedless ones(7:205)” ; “then
remember Allah as you remember your fathers, rather a more intense remembrance(2:200)”. Now, it is
the thought or feeling which become intense, not the words. Also, we have quoted the above verse: and
remember your Lord when you forget and say: “May be my Lord will guide me to a nearer course to the
right than this” (18:24).The last sentence, beginning with Say: “May be . . .” tells the servant to hope for
a rank higher than his present one. Its connotation will be as follows: If you slip down to a lower rank,
that is, if you forget what you knew before, then remember you’re Lord and then you may hope for a
higher rank that is nearer to the right course than the present one. It shows that the remembrance of
the heart, per se, is of many degrees. It also proves the validity of the saying, “Remembrance is the
presence of an idea in the mind”; because even “presence” has various degrees and ranks.
If we turn our attention to the first mentioned meaning of Remembrance that was “knowing the known”
then we have a different meaning, as the word “Me” in “remember me “refers to Allah. Knowledge by
definition is “having an idea of form in the mind of the knower”. Knowledge confines the known thing
and encompasses it in the knowers mind and obviously it within the knower’s mind. Obviously, Allah
cannot be known, or remembered (i.e., known to be known) in any way like this. He is beyond the
description of describers. He Himself says: Hollowed be Allah, from what they describe, except the
servants of Allah, freed (from sins) (37:159–160); they do not comprehend Him in knowledge (20:110) .
(We shall write later on, Allah willing, somethings related to these two verses.) In view of this
established fact, if we were to say that the words, “Remember Me”, have been used herein their real,
and not metaphorical sense, then we will have to say that man has, or can have, a knowledge whose
definition would be quite different from the one known to us.

Traditions:

Al-Husain al-Bazzaz said: “Abu Abdallah a.s. told me: ‘Should I not tell you the most difficult (thing)
which Allah has made obligatory for His creatures?’ I said: ‘Yes, certainly.’ He said: ‘To do justice to the
people (even) against yourself, and your beneficence to your brother, and remembrance of Allah in
every place. Why, (by remembrance) I do not mean (recitation of): “Glory be to Allah, and praise be to
Allah, and there is no god except Allah, and Allah is Great” – although this is from that (i.e., it is one
aspect of remembrance); but remembrance of Allah in every place (means that you should remember
Him) when you rush to His obedience or to His disobedience.” (Ma‘ãni ‘l-akhbãr).

The Prophet said: “Allah says: ‘When I know that the pre-dominant trait of my servant is to be engrossed
in Me, I transfer his desire to my invocation and my secret conversation. When my servant becomes like
this (i.e., when he attains this position), then if he wants to (i.e., if he is about to) forget, I come between
him and his forgetfulness (i.e., I protect him from it). They are truly my friends; they are truly the heroes;
it is they that when I want to destroy the people of the earth in chastisement, I remove it (the
chastisement) from them because of those heroes.’ “(‘Uddatu’d-dã‘ī)

“Sa‘īd ibn Mansur, Ibnu ’Mundhir and al-Bayhaqī (in his Shu‘abu ’īman) narrate from Khalid ibn Abi
‘Imran that he said that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘Whoever obeys Allah, he indeed has remembered
Allah, even if his prayer and his fast and his recitation of the Qur’an are small in quantity. And whoever
disobeys Allah, he indeed has forgotten Allah, even if his prayer and his fast and his recitation of the
Qur’an are abundant.
Al Baqra 153- 157

“o you who believe! Seek assistance through patience and prayer; surely Allah is with the patient ones”

Then Allah praises patience that Allah is with those who have got this virtue: In this respect this verse
differs from the verse “And seek assistance through patience and prayer; and most surely it is a hard
thing except for the humble ones (2:45)” which had focused attention on prayer; and most surely it is a
hard thing except for the humble ones. But this verse singles out the patience, because here the talk is
about facing the difficulties and fighting against the enemies; and in this context patience acquires
greater importance. Surely Allah is with the patient ones. It is a special proximity unlike the company
mentioned in the verse: and he is with you wherever you are (13:4). This latter verse says that Allah
controls your affairs and His knowledge encompasses you; while the verse under discussion means that
Allah helps and aids the patient ones. Patience, therefore, is the key to get relief from distress.

“And do nots speak of those who are slain in Allah’s way as dead; nay, (they are) alive, but you do not
perceive”

One way to interpret this and how many people have tried explaining it is through materialistic
approach saying that their name and fame will live on forever hence as mentioned in Quran “nay they
are alive”. The supporters of this explanation argue that clearly all unbelievers and believers alike will
live after their death and we all know and believe in resurrection, the special distinction mentioned here
is that of the praise and fame the person will receive after their death. This explanation clearly sides
with imaginary, unreal meaning of “alive” which opposes the principle set by Quran that it only
mentions realities as mentioned in the verse and says: “and what is thereafter the truth but error?
(10:32). Of course, Ibrahim a.s had prayed to Allah: And make for me a truthful tongue among the
posterity (26:84).But what he meant by “a truthful tongue” was continuation of his true mission after
him; he did not mean only that his good name be remembered and his praise be sung becoming
generations. When atheists and agnostics realized the problem that there’s no life after death and a
man by nature believes in happiness and despair and some sort of compensation after death as that
gives the person to sacrifice the comfort and little things in this world for others betterment and
knowing that he will be compensated for it in the afterlife, an absence of afterlife caused a sociological
dilemma for them as it would seem pointless to sacrifice one’s life so they replaced it incentive of the
afterlife with a material incentive of the world i.e. a martyrs name will stay alive in a people’s minds.
But who will enjoy that noble life when according to them existence of a person perishes after death.

The last phrase do not perceive removes any possible misunderstanding that might be there about the
correct explanation. If it were written that your name will live on for generations after generation it
would have provided people a more encouraging and positive incentive but its written “you do not
perceive”. Also the verse mentioned below decisively explains that the life in not imaginary but exists
“And reckon not those who are killed in Allah’s way as dead; nay, they are alive (and) are provided
sustenance from their Lord; Rejoicing in what Allah has given them out of His grace, and they rejoice for
the sake of those who, (being left) behind them have not yet joined them, that they shall have no fear,
nor shall they grieve. They rejoice on account of favor from Allah and (His) grace, and that Allah will not
waste the reward of the believers (3:169-171). Clearly, it is a description of a real, not imaginary.

Many people believers and unbelievers at the time of the prophet weren’t very clear on the topic of life
after death and barzakh as it is not vividly explained in Quran hence some people still have that
misconception. In short life after death is real and not imaginary as mentioned “and they made their
people to alight into the abode of perdition (14:28).So, it is the life of bliss that is true life, and it is only
the believers who will live that life, as Allah says: and as for the next abode, that most surely is the life –
did they but know (29:64)” The believers and unbelievers alike aligned their idea of death with what
they could perceive that is the perishing and extinction of the human body hence Quran explains that
death is the opposite of life for you that is the extinction because such ideas align with what you see but
it’s not true as death is not the opposite of life but a transition onto another life which does not align
with your sensory perceptions hence you do not perceive. While clarifying the concept of life after death
this verse also lifts the spirits of the unbelievers who knew what it meant as a reminder that they
shouldn’t feel sad as this separation is only temporary.

A few people have explained that this verse is specifically for martyrs of Badar. If it’s true it’s clearly
contradictory to their previous explanation that mentions that people get extinct after they die and if
that’s the normal case then this exception would mean that it’s some special miracle that no one else
has ever been blessed by making this the only case hence and exceptional case of impossibility and
miracles don’t cover an impossibility. Secondly some people say that martyrs at Badar were seen
through eyes of other believers as being killed and trampled but in actuality they were away from the
sight and perception of people enjoying God’s sustenance and so the verse covers that. If that were the
case then anything that we perceive can’t be trusted as this verse blurs the line between delusion and
reality and makes it sound like a frequent occurrence.

Barzakh is a reality and it’s explained in the verses as follows And reckon not those who are killed in
Allah’s way as dead; nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord; Rejoicing in what
Allah has given them out of His grace, and they rejoice for the sake of those who, (being left) behind
them, have not yet joined them, that they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. They rejoice on
account of favor from Allah and (His) grace, and that Allah will not waste the reward of the believers
(3:169 – 171). For people who say that the previous verse was only for the martyrs of Badar this verse
proves that it’s not only the martyrs but also the believers who are mentioned in this. Also as mentioned
earlier How do you deny Allah and you were dead and He gave you life? Again He will cause you to die
and again bring you to life; then you shall be brought back to Him (28). And in another verse it is
mentioned in 40:11 “They shall say: “Our Lord! Twice didst Thou give us death, and twice hast Thou give
us life” is talking about the death that we face after this life” also suggests of the time in between
resurrection and death of a person. Also mentioned in the verse “And the most evil punishment
overtook Pharaoh’s people: The Fire, they are brought before it (every) morning and evening; and on the
day when the hour shall come to pass: Make Pharaoh’s people enter the severest chastisement (40:46)”.
It is known that the Day of Resurrection shall have no morning or evening.

The above verses imply that man, per se, is not the body; he does not die when the body dies, he does
not perish when the body perishes. The body disintegrates, its parts are scattered, but the “man”
continues. Even after the death of his body, he continues to live, either in eternal bliss and everlasting
felicity and grace, or in never ending misery and painful chastisement. That bliss or misery is based on
his traits, trends, characteristics and actions, which he had acquired and done in this world’s life – not in
his bodily accomplishments or social achievements. Thus, the human soul is different from his body.
Also, the verse 39:42 points to this fact: Allah takes completely the souls at the time of their death, and
those that die not during their sleep; then He withholds those on whom He has passed the decree of
death and sends the other back till an appointed term. And in another verse “….Nay! They are
disbelievers in the meeting of their Lord. Say: “The angel of death who is given charge of you shall take
you completely, then to your Lord you shall be brought back” (32:10– 11)” “The angel of death . . . be
brought back. “there is an angel who has been given charge of you; he shall take you completely; he will
not let you be lost, as you shall be under his protection, his control; what is lost in the earth is your
body, not your soul or person (the reality which is referred to by the word “you”, because the angel of
death shall take “you” completely.

One more verse: Allah says, mentioning the creation of man: “Then He made him complete and
breathed into him of His spirit . . . (32:9)” Read it in conjunction with the verse: “And they ask you about
the soul. Say: “The soul is from the command of my Lord” (17:85)”. The soul, therefore, is from the
command of Allah, and that command has been explained and defined in these words: “His command,
when He intends anything is only that He says to it: “Be”, and it is. Therefore, glory be to Him in whose
hand is the kingdom of everything.... (36:82 – 83)”.The soul is from the kingdom and it is the word, “Be”.
In another place, the command is further explained in these words: And Our command is but one, as the
twinkling of an eye(54:50).The phrase, as the twinkling of an eye, shows that the command, that is, the
word “Be”, is an instantaneous, not a gradual, being. It comes into being at once, and is not bound with
the chain of time and space.

 Obviously, the human soul is not a material thing and is different from the body, although it has a
special relationship with the body. There are some verses which show the nature of that relation-ship.
Allah says: From it(the earth)We created you . . .(20:55) ;He created man from dry clay like earthen
vessels. . .(55 :14) ;.. .and He began the creation of man from dust, then He made his progeny from an
extract of water held in light estimation(32:7 –8); And certainly We created man of an extract of clay,
then We made him a small life-germ in a firm resting place, then We made the life-germ a clot, then We
made the clot a lump of flesh, then we made(in)the lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with
flesh, then We caused it to grow into another creation; so blessed be Allah, the best of creators(23:12 –
14).

We may say that the soul has the same relation to the body –from which it emanates – as a fruit has to
its tree, or a lamp flame has to its oil. But these similes are a bit far-fetched. How-ever, these
illustrations serve to show the nature of the relation between the soul and the body – how it is attached
to the body in the beginning and how that connection is severed on death. In short, the soul, in the
beginning, is the body itself, then it grows into another creation, and lastly it becomes completely
independent and separate from the body on death.

“And we will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and
fruits”: This verse prepares the believers for difficulties that are to follow in later years where they’ll
have to face all these problems because of the opposition from rulers and calls for jihad, but they should
be able to get through it if they hold on to patience and prayer, their case is further strengthened by
their belief in life after death and martyrdom, if they are able to overcome their enemy they’ll be able to
remove injustice and make Islam the dominant upright faith but if they die in the process, they’ll stay
alive and just move on to the next phase of life and still live. The fruits in these verses refer to offspring’s
and children as a lot men and youth are killed in battles.

“And give good news to the patient ones who, when a misfortunate befalls them, say: “Surely we are
Allah’s and to Him we shall surely return”: The word “say” as used here does not mean mere utterance
of the sentence with-out keeping its meaning in mind. Even understanding its meaning is not sufficient,
unless one penetrates to the depth of its reality. And that is that man is owned by Allah – in real
ownership – and that he is surely to return to Allah, his Master. If this feeling takes deep root in his
heart, the man will observe the highest degree of patience; sorrow, fear and anguish will be totally
eradicated, in short, there is a “real” ownership; it is reserved for Allah, nobody – be he a man or
something else – shares it with Him. And there is an “apparent” ownership, for example, man “owns” his
own “self” as well as his children and properties etc. But the real ownership is of Allah, and man owns
them in form and appearance only – and that also because Allah has allowed such attribution. Thus,
when man remembers the reality of Divine ownership, and then looks at his own “self”, he knows that
he is wholly and totally owned by Allah. One may be affected only by something which one owns –
feeling happiness when it is found or sorrow if it is lost. But when he believes that he owns nothing, he
shall not be affected by finding it or losing it. How can he be afflicted by any loss when he believes that
Allah is the real Owner of every-thing.

There are three specific models for ethics many people base their moral science on good worldly
foundations that is, the knowledge, ideas and ideals which are thought praiseworthy and laudable in the
society. They acquire a good trait because it is commendable in the eyes of the people. For e.g Avarice
results in poverty and privation. Greed destroys one’s prestige. Knowledge attracts people and bestows
respect and dignity in the eyes of elite; it opens the eyes of the knowledgeable person, and protects him
from unpleasant things. This is the well-known basis on which the moral science is founded. Ancients
like Greek philosophers followed this very system. Quran doesn’t recognize this model because this
model is based on likes and dislikes of the pubic whereas Qurans teaching is based on reward and
punishments of the afterlife , even when in some places where Quran comes close to this model it
actually refers to the reward and punishment of the afterlife for e.g. “And wherever you are, turn your
faces towards it, so that people shall have no argument against you . . . (2:150)” “or and do not quarrel,
for then you will be weak in hearts and your power will depart, and be patient . . . (8:46)” Allah tells the
believers to be patient, as impatience and quarrelling among themselves would weaken their hearts,
dilute their power and embolden their enemy. The second model is based on keeping in sight the other
worldly goals such as “Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their properties for this,
that they shall have the garden . . . (9:111)”. . .”only the patient ones will be paid back their reward in
full without measure.(39:10)” . This model is similar to the previous one except that the main aim is not
to get publics approval but to stay in the parameters of sharia and law to get compensations in afterlife
while adding other verses to this model are some verses that point towards stoic, free of grief life on
earth such as “No misfortune befalls on the earth nor in your own souls, but it is in book before We bring
it into existence; surely that is easy to Allah (57:22). This verse exhorts man not to feel any sorrow (or
joy) on whatever misfortune (or good thing) comes to him; what has come to him, could not be averted,
and what-ever has been lost could not be obtained, because all happenings occur by a firm Divine
Decree which is unavoidable. “No affliction comes about but by Allah’s permission; and whoever believes
in Allah, He guides aright his heart (64:11)” Such verses, like the earlier quoted ones, create high morals
by pointing to the sublime goals of the next world. These other worldly goals are real, not imaginary,
perfections. These verses reform the human character by fixing man’s attention to the real already
existing causes like the Divine measure and decree, adaptation of the Divine characteristics and
remembrance of the good names of Allah and His sublime attributes. An objection may arise after this
that such a model that attributes all the good and bad to divine decree and already written tablet might
result in individuals who don’t do anything at all since their belief would entail that no good or bad could
come from their action since it’s already decreed or written in the tablet. Such an objection is baseless,
the concept of free will and decree has covered this in earlier surahs. For e.g. It is decreed that station of
hunger might or might not happen but it’s wrong to say that in either case it is useless to eat, it is
important for an individual to take an action at least to reach that. It would be foolish of one to expect
for one thing to happen without fulfilling all the circumstances that are required. It is wrong for a man to
negate the factor of free will which is the king pin of this life through which felicity and infelicity is
attributed to a person. But it’s equally wrong to think that the all the things happening in one’s life are
independent and one’s will is the ultimate control and no other circumstances play a role in that. Each
effect is a product of many causes such as circumstance, events etc out of which one of the main factors
is human choice that functions through free will but still comes under divine decree. All these factors
combined lead to an effect. It would be foolish to attribute the taking place of an effect simply to just
human will and power, all the other factors need to be added up as well for that required effect to take
place, and even if one of those factors is missing the required effect won’t take place. Also it’s
important to note even human power cannot be attributed to the individual themselves. There are
some specific things that Quran does not attribute to Divine decree there are some actions, conditions
and traits which, if attributed to the Divine Decree and Measure, would nullify the principle of free will;
for e.g. “And when they commit an indecency they say: “We found our fathers doing this, and Allah has
enjoined it on us. “Say: “Surely, Allah does not enjoin indecency; do you say against Allah what you do
not know?”(7:28) while on the other hand there are some attributes that are only attributed to “divine
decree such as and give them of the wealth of Allah which He has given you (24:33). The second system
of ethics is what is practiced by prophets and previous religions as well. There is a third system as well
which is exclusively mentioned in Quran and this system entails that a person achieves the traits not
through the previous two systems but by submitting and turning ones face completely towards Allah
and accepting and understanding the reality of Allah’s might and supremacy, if a person can achieve this
state the person will know that he doesn’t need to turn to anyone or fear anything or beg anyone. In
short he will not desire for anything other than Allah he will not attach any importance to his own
existence nor will he care for himself in face of the Absolute Truth, that is, the eternal existence of his
Creator – Great is His Glory. For e.g “Allah is He besides whom there is no god; His are the very best
names (20:8); that is Allah, your Lord, there is no god but He; the Creator of all things (6:102);” Also this
is the system that the verse “and when misfortune befalls them they say: ‘Surely we are Allah’s and to
Him we shall return.” While the first system invites one to the sociological truth the second one invites
one to actual truth and perfection and the third one invites one to absolute reality. Two are governed by
reason while the third one is governed by Love. Love has its own rules and reason has its own.

“Those are they on whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord, and those are the followers of the
right course”
As we can see mercy and blessing have been used not as a synonym but as two different words. Mercy is
written in singular while blessings is used in plural. The different meaning of the two verses can be seen
from the verse “He it is who sends His blessings on you, and (so do) His angels, that He may bring you
forth out of utter darkness into the light; and He is Merciful to the believers” (33:43) This verse makes
blessings and effect of mercy as it says you are blessed because Allah is merciful. The relation of blessing
to mercy is that of a premise to a result or glancing to seeing or fire to burning. Allah’s mercy is all
encompassing and it is what envelops all his creations, in material, soul, realities that can be seen or
realities that can’t be seen as Allah says in a verse “My mercy encompasses all things(7:156) ; also, He
says: And your Lord is the self-sufficient one, the Lord of mercy; if He pleases, He may take you off, and
make whom He pleases successors after you, even as He raised you up from the seed of another
people(6:133)” This verse points towards the fact that Allah is equally self-sustainable and equally
merciful, creation neither helps him nor affects him. Mere existence of anything is because he’s merciful
and choses to let it be even when it doesn’t give him any advantage or disadvantage. In this sense
everything in creation that is in material, soul or seen and unseen reality exists because of his mercy.
Existence of anything is a product of his mercy and his self-sufficiency. One of his creations and bounties
is blessings which comes under Allah’s mercy.

“And they are the followers of the right course”

The mentioned verse explains the result of the mercy, evidently, the mercy of Allah consisted of guiding
them to Himself; the blessings were like the preliminaries of that guidance, and their following that right
course was the result of that guidance. Thus, the blessings, the mercy and the following of the right
course, all are different from one another, although looking from another angle all three were but Divine
Mercy.

The idea of soul is that of an immaterial, singular thing. Unlike body or material it’s not divisible neither
is it a subject to change. Our perception of “I”, the way we identify our self is constant since the gnosis
of a man and it doesn’t change while the body goes through gradual changes. The notion of soul is single
and simple and not pluralistic, an absolute ne. Every man finds in himself that he is not someone else.
The materialists, Zahirists and some Muslim theologians do not accept the immateriality of the soul.

The materialists argue that the soul is a product of human perception, as our mind is constantly
perceiving external things and each perception and image is replaced by the following at such a speed
that it gives the illusion of a constant “one” It is true that it is other than limbs and organs but it is not
necessarily other than the body. The fact is that it is a composite series which appears to be one,
because of continuous and rapid substitutions – and we are never oblivious of it, because such an
oblivion would result in nullity of the nervous system – in other words, death. It gives the perception of
a single unified composite but in reality it’s not, it’s divisible and constantly changing it’s just how it’s the
illusion that it gives of oneness. Another argument by the materialists is that the soul is just a unified
perception of all our faculties, organs and limbs. It is the sum-total of nervous perceptions, which in
their turn emanate from mutual action and reaction between external matter and nervous system. It is a
composite unity, not the real one.

The argument provided by the materialists is based on the fact that the senses perceive all the images
that in turn move so rapidly in our nervous system that it gives the perception of a single composite
oneness but in reality it is not, according to them people who do perceive soul do so because of the lack
of knowledge and they attribute whatever they can understand to body and whatever they can’t
understand to the soul. This is not the case, people who believe in soul attribute all the things to the
body directly and to the soul indirectly with the exception of just one thing that is the idea of oneness
since human gnosis. As far as the argument is concerned it’s flawed because it doesn’t answer what is
that faculty that confuses or perceives the constant flow of numerous and divisible perception as “one”
it can’t be a part of the brain because it would simply be just one of the many perceptions similar to the
external sensors and there is no organ or faculty in hierarchy that would perceive it as one as whatever
perceives it would also be the same as many other perceptions and whatever is perceived would simply
be in line with all the moving perceptions. What makes a part of brain or any other faculty special and
independent from other organs and faculties? Secondly the error or confusion is found out by
comparing the reality with the perceived image. How is it possible to declare an error or confusion when
they haven’t compared it to any reality or measured the perceptions to understand the error or
confusion? Just because they weren’t able to find it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist.

Some theologians have argued that the soul is not immortal and that it’s not singular, it’s a composite of
many single life giving cells in our body and that the soul dies with the death of those cells, and that the
soul’s existence is dependent on the cells while the creation is attributed to the metaphysical. According
to them a rational argument is not enough in the world of experiment and science. The above argument
regarding materialists applies fully to this argument as well on top of which there are two more points. If
the scientific research is until now unable to unravel the mysteries of soul and realities of life, it does not
necessarily mean that it cannot do so even in future; nor that these spiritual characteristics are in fact
not based on material causes – although we may not know it. Therefore, the theologians’ argument is
no-thing but a fallacy by which they have equalized inexistence of knowledge with knowledge of
inexistence. Also the attribution of one aspect to the creator and one to the material is the opposite of
monotheistic views which is even not in line with the materialist view.

Ethics show that human morality belongs to three main faculties that are desire, anger and rational
faculty and all the human actions can be divided into three categories, either they are intended to gain
some benefit for e.g. the need to eat and sleep stems from the faculty of desire, or the need to protect
oneself from harm which stems from the faculty of anger or they are related to mental conception and
proposition which stems from the rational faculty. They together become a composite unit and all the
human actions emanate from these three. It is necessary for a man to stick to the middle path in all
these traits in both quantity and quality, a misbalance in one of the actions would in return effect the
entire composite. For e.g the middle part of faculty of desire is continence, the middle part for the
faculty of anger is bravery while of the rationality is wisdom. And the extremes on left and right are rash
full and cowardice, deception and dull mindedness, greed and undue quiescence respectively. With
these three things combined another trait is formed called justice which regulates all the traits , gives
them their due position and balance the left and right extremes are infliction of injustice and
surrendering to it . Ethics defines each of those characters and differentiates the middle path from the
excess left and right, it explains why virtue is a virtue then explains how it can be achieved by practicing
it over and over and putting oneself in a situation to emerge successfully with traits. The two systems
mentioned above of moralists and theists fall under this system. They differ in sense that one’s for the
betterment of society while the latter is for happiness in while the first system aims at acquiring a
perfect trait because it is approved by the society and attracts praise from the people, the second one
aims at achieving by it the genuine happiness for the man, that is, perfection of belief in Allah and His
signs, and the felicity of the next world, which is the real happiness and perfection. Yet, both systems
are similar in that, the ultimate goal of both is the perfection of man in his character and morals. The
third system is different from the above two as its goal is not to achieve perfection of man but the aim is
to achieve Allah’s pleasure. A man want to achieve Allah’s pleasure through all his actions and then
further moves from strength to strength, gets closer and starts seeing Allah in everything, falls in love
because it’s in human nature to love beauty, the perfection and imperfection doesn’t matter to him
much and neither does heaven or hell or what’s good in society’s eyes and what’s bad, the person starts
seeing divine presence in everything even if it’s imperfect. He neither seeks nor intends, neither hopes
nor fears, neither chooses nor abandons, becomes neither despaired nor depressed, is neither pleased
nor displeased – except for Allah and in the cause of Allah.  Previously, he acquired a virtue because it
was a human perfection, and discarded an evil because it was a defect. But now his only interest is in
seeking the Sublime Majesty of Allah; he does not care about any perfection or defect, nor is he
attracted to any worldly praise or cherished remembrance; he rises above this world as well as the next;
he takes into consideration neither the Paradise nor the Hell – he discards everything and rises above
them. Now, his destination is his Lord.

There is a fourth proposed system that states that vices and virtues are not absolute, they change with
society and time, societies evolve like individuals and similar to the law of natural selection, whatever
aligns with their goals is a virtue and needs to be kept whatever doesn’t align, is vice and needs to let go
off hence the virtues and vices are a subject to change also does the moral and ethical values. This is a
belief held by material communists and others such as Greek cynics and Mizdakiets. A human being
with their personality and external existence is an individual. Two individuals can’t be the same or one
person. An idea is general or particular and further more too particular it can be relative or real but none
the less it’s subjective as its type is dependent on comparison with each other. General idea like that of
a tall man, black man is the opposite of individuality. A human being’s external existence evolves, one
change being different from other but connected by a single existence or else it wouldn’t be evolution it
would be replacement. This movement is general if seen without respect to boundaries or changes and
it’s numerous if seen with respect to changes and boundaries. This general movement is different from
general ideas stated above as general ideas are imaginary, the general movement is real. An individual
human being is a product of nature and society is a product of humans, in other words society is a bi
product of the nature. The external existence of the a human being is constantly changing and evolving
but the nature remains the same and the nature is preserved through procreation branching out from
one and other this is called nature of the species. That is what makes us different from other species.
And like individual nature which proceeds and evolves, nature of the species also evolves moves
towards perfection. As an individual exists in a society, similarly an individual society exists within a
general society. And as the individual evolves similarly an individual society evolves and similarly the
general society evolves as well towards perfection. The society moves with the movement of a man, the
law governing the individual man is the unit of a larger law that is the general law of mankind. Like an
individual being is bound by their laws of nature a general society is bound by its nature. As
establishment of society is a law of human nature and one of its characteristics, so the general society is
a characteristic of the general human species. This general society exists and continues with the
humanity. And the laws of society which it has brought into being will remain intact as long as the
general society exists. Now it is clear that there are some ethical principles which are unchangeable and
are valid for ever – like general virtue and vice –as the general society is firm, constant and unalterable
from the beginning. Society cannot turn into non-society (i.e., individuality) –although a particular
civilization may give way to another particular civilization. Likewise, general virtue (and vice) cannot turn
into non-virtue (or non-vice) – although a particular virtue may evolve into some other particular virtue.
An individual man needs – for his existence and continuation– some perfections and benefits which he
must achieve and acquire for his own self. That is why nature has equipped him with organs and
faculties to help him in this compulsory quest, for example, alimentary canal for food intake and
digestion. He should not go on eating until he becomes sick, or dies, or becomes unable to use his other
faculties. He must keep to the middle course in achieving all his requirements, perfections and benefits.
This middle course is called continence. Similarly the other faculties are also to be used for continuation
and betterment of the society, and all of them are good and virtues. Good is that which is in conformity
with the ultimate goal of a thing and promotes its perfection and felicity. Then an individual, by his
nature and in himself, has this attribute, then he would be having it also within the framework of the
society. Society, being a product of nature, cannot negate nature’s rules; otherwise, it would be a
contradiction in terms. Human species in framework of the “general” society has the same
characteristics as an individual has in his particular society, as mentioned above. Human species in its
civilization tries to achieve its perfection by repulsing what is harmful and acquiring what is beneficial to
it; by learning as much as is good for it and practicing justice – that is, giving everyone his due right,
without indulging into injustice and without surrendering to injustice. And all these four characteristics
are virtues. The civilization, per se, decrees that they are absolute virtues and their opposites are
absolute vices. The confusion that absolute virtue and vices don’t exist and these thigs are relative to
situation stems from a confusion of generality of idea with generality of existence. The aim of the
society is the happiness of the species. And it is impossible to think that all happenings and possible
events and actions would always be good for the society. Surely some would conform to its needs and
some would not. Things that do conform to the wellbeing of the entire general existence of mankind are
these four traits that’s is bravery, continence, wisdom and justice. Hence hey are absolute. No society
exists that discards these values and considers their opposites virtues. The objection that the views
often differ from society to society on what virtue is. One thing is considered as virtue in one society,
while another society treats it as vice.” Steams from the confusion of society’s nature Vis a Vis society’s
aspiration. According to them whatever aligns with societies aspiration is a virtue which is not true as
virtues and vices stem from nature of the individual and the faculties that nature has equipped it with,
it’s real while an aspiration is imaginary and something that has to happen in future.  On the other hand
“society’s aspiration” is just a set of some imaginary ideas, invented for creating a society on prescribed
lines by imposing it on its members. In other words, society and society’s aspirations are two completely
different things: Society Is an established fact, societies aspiration is only a potential which is yet to
come into being; the former is an actual fact while the latter is only a plan yet to be implemented.

Traditions

The words of Allah: Who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: ‘Surely we are Allah’s and to Him we
shall surely return. ’Those are they on whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord, and those are the
followers of the right course. ”Then Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said: “It is for the man from whom Allah takes
something forcibly.

As-Sadiq (as) said: “as-Salah)‫(ﻟَ ٰاﻠﱠﺼُةﻮ‬from Allah is mercy, and from the angels is purification, and from the
people is prayer.”(Ma‘ãni‘1-akhbãr)The author says: There are other traditions of the same meaning. At
first glance, there appears to be a conflict between this and the preceding tradition. This tradition
explains as-salah as mercy, while the preceding one counts as-salah as other than mercy; and this view is
further strengthened by the wording of the verse itself which mentions as-salah and mercy separately,
“blessings and mercy from Allah”. But in fact there is no contradiction as we have explained in detail in
the Commentary.

Al Baqra 158

“Surely the Safa and the Marwah are among the signs of Allah; so whoever makes a pilgrimage to the
House or performs‘ Umrah thereof, there is no blame on him to go round them both; and whoever on his
own accord does good, then surely Allah is Grateful, All-knowing(158)”

“Surely the Safa and the Marwah are among the signs of Allah . . . to go round them both”

This verse points towards the fact that Safa and Marwah are divine signs of Allah as they lead to Allah
and remind one of Allah, they are counted as divine signs among many other signs. They are the Divine
Signs because Allah has made them so, by appointing them as the places of His worship; thus they
remind one of Allah, the Creator. They are the signs for which Allah has prescribed especial rites of
worship. The verse “There is no blame on him to go round them both” starts with “so “which shows that
this sentence s an offshoot of the previous sentence. Its import is to show that walking quickly between
these two hills is a part of the Islamic sharia –it does not imply that the said walking is voluntary or non-
obligatory. If Allah had wanted to declare its voluntariness, it would have been more appropriate to
praise and extol as-say, rather than saying that there was no blame in it. Because the Safa and the
Marwah were among the places of the worship of Allah – it would do you no harm to worship Him
therein. And it is the language of legislation. Frequently, when the Qur’an wants to ordain an obligatory
law, it uses such expressions which by themselves do not show that the act is obligatory “jihad; that is
better for you (61:11)”

“And whoever on his own accord does good, Allah is Grateful, All-knowing”

The word “and” connects this sentence with three possible preceding sentences and their meanings are
as follows If it connects with the “so whoever makes a pilgrimage” it would give a more general reason
to do this task as compared to a more particular reason mentioned before as “Surely the Safa and the
Marwah are among the signs of Allah”. According to this interpretation, “doing good on one’s own
accord” would mean “obedience” in general term, and not a voluntary deed. If it starts as a new
sentence then it would refer to “there is no blame on him to go round them both” hence pointing
toward the desirability of the entire act. Similarly it can show desirability of the acts of Hajj and Umrah.
ash-Shakir(= Grateful) and al-‘Alīm(=All-knowing) are two of the beautiful names of Allah. ash-
Shukr(=gratefulness, thankfulness). When a beneficiary returns the benevolence of the benefactor by
announcing it in words and/or deeds, it is called gratefulness. No Allah’s beneficence is all
encompassing, it starts from him no one can force him to be grateful. Yet he in his benevolence looks at
his creatures’ good deed as they have been beneficent to him (while the ability to do good deed has
been given by Allah himself) and thus he repays those good deeds with gratefulness and benevolence,
which in fact is a double benevolence. Thus, the name “Grateful” is used for Allah in its real, not
allegorical sense.

Traditions

One of our companions has narrated this tradition from as-Sadiq (a.s). He says: “I asked him about
walking between the Safa and the Marwah whether it was obligatory or voluntary. He said: ‘Obligatory.’
I said: ‘Does not Allah say: so whoever makes a pilgrimage to the House or performs‘ umrah thereof,
there is no blame on him to go round them both? ’He said: ‘It was in the‘ Umrah of Qada ; that is, the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) had stipulated with them (i.e., the pagans of Mecca) that they would
remove the idols (for the period of ‘umrah);and one of his companions was engaged otherwise until the
idols were returned(to their places): (The Imam) said : ‘Then Allah revealed: Surely the Safa and the
Marwah are among the signs of Allah; so whoever makes a pilgrimage to the House or performs‘
umr+ah thereof, there is no blame on him to go round them both, i.e., even when there were idols on
them.’ “(al-’Ayyãshī).

Similar tradition has been reported in Al Kafi that when Prophet s.a.w.a Performed Hajj and it’s Tawaaf
he went on to perform the Sayi as he recited “Surely the Safa and the Marwah are among the signs of
Allah” but his companions thought that Sayi was a polytheist ritual as pagans performed it so this verse
was revealed which cleared the concern.

Al Baqra 159 - 162

“Surely those who conceal the clear proofs and the guidance that we revealed”

The guidance means the knowledge of sharia that leads the followers to bliss while clear proofs mean
the verses, signs and arguments that are the attestation of the truth the truth that is guidance.
Concealing it refers to the act of miscommunicating it, misapplication, and concealing the truth.

“After we made it clear for men” (principle of divisions)

As a general rule, only a few persons are informed of the matter directly, and it is through them that the
rest of the people get the information; he who is present conveys the message to the absent persons;
The learned man Is one of the major links of the chain and when that person conceals the truth that is
when people start to differ In the matters of religion and get misguided, otherwise religion and nature
are one with each other and human nature agrees with it and discerning mind agree to it if it’s explained
properly. As explained by the verse “Then set your face uprightly for the(right)religion in natural
devotion(to the truth) ;the nature made by Allah in which He has made men; there is no alteration(by
anyone else)in the creation of Allah; that is the right(established)religion, but most people do not
know(30:30)” This verse explains that the religion is natural, nature cannot resist it if it is explained to it
with clarity either through the purity of souls like prophets had or either with good explanation. The
later method invariably depends of the former that is why the above-quoted verse combines the two
premises: the naturalness of religion and lack of its knowledge. It says: “The nature made by Allah in
which He has made men; and then says: but most people do not know” further more “Mankind was but
one people, so Allah sent the prophets as bearers of good news and as warner’s, and He sent down with
them the book with truth, so that it might judge between the people in that in which they had differed.
And none differed about it but the very people who were given it, after clear signs had come to them,
revolting among themselves. (2:213)” This verse shows that it is because of the concealment of truth by
the scholars and the misinterpretations that difference are caused which results in revolt amongst the
people, this injustice is mentioned in the words of Allah. “Allah says: Then a crier will cry out among
them that the curse of Allah is on the unjust, who hinder (people) from Allah’s way and seek to make it
crooked” it is the verse mentioned above that this verse under discussion is similar to in its meaning. The
recompense for the revolt is mentioned further in the verse under discussion in words “ these it is whom
Allah does curse”

“These it is whom Allah does curse, and those who curse do curse them (too)”

This verse talks about the recompense of the people who hide the truth or revolt against the truth and
hide the guidance. These are the people who Allah curses and those who curse do curse. The curse is
mentioned twice because it has a different connotation when attributed to Allah that is removal of
blessing and mercy from that person and when attributed to the people it is their prayer to god to
remove mercy from the person who is cursed. The curse is not limited or restricted, any curse by anyone
will be directed towards those who conceal the truth. The aim is to remove the the accursed from the
bliss and happiness. There is no Bliss and happiness except for the religious one. As the real religious
bliss is explained by Allah and accepted by nature no one would be deprived of it except the one who
rejects it. The one who are not aware of it do not fall under this curse because they didn’t know to begin
with but the ones who do know and still hide it, it’s their act that is rejection of the truth therefore
“these it is that Allah curses and those who curse them too”  This explanation is further supported by
the following verse: “Surely those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers, these it is on
whom is the curse of Allah and the angels and men all.” Apparently, the particle inna‫ =(ﱠ‬surely) coming at
the beginning of the verse gives the reason, or intensifies the theme, of the verse under discussion, by
repeating its meaning in other words, “Surely those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers . .
.”

“Except those who repent . . . the Merciful”

It is the exception from the preceding verse, it qualifies their repentance with amendment but it’s only
possible when they make it clear that they were concealing the truth earlier. If they fail to make this fact
clear their repentance will not be accepted.

“Surely those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers, these it is on whom is the curse of Allah
and the angels and men all”

It alludes to their persistence in disbelief and their obstinate and stubborn refusal to accept the truth.  (If
a man does not accept the true religion, not because of obstinacy and arrogance, but because it was not
made clear to him, then in reality he is not a disbeliever and his judgement is in the hands of Allah)  This
theme is supported by the fact that most of the verses describing the disbelief qualify it with “belying”.
Look especially at the verses of the descent of Adam, containing the first law legislated for the mankind:
We said: “Get down you therefrom all together; and if there comes to you a guidance from Me, then
whoever follows My guidance, no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve. And (as to) those
who disbelieve in and belie our signs, they are the inmates of fire, in its they shall abide.”(2:39-40) Hence
this verse refer to those who obstinately belie the signs and guidance of Allah – those who conceal what
Allah has revealed. It is a Divine Decree that every curse by anyone from among the angels or men,
without any exception, shall be attached to them only. And surely on you is curse until the Day of
Judgment (15:35). Thus, Allah made him the target of every curse from whatever source it may
emanate. Likewise, these learned persons who conceal their knowledge are partners of Satan in this
general and unrestricted curse.

“Abiding in it (i.e.in the curse), their chastisement shall not be lightened nor shall they be given respite”

The word “curse”, has been changed here to “chastisement”; it shows that the curse shall be converted
into their chastisement on that Day. It’s important to take note that the verse starts in first person “We
revealed”, “We made it clear”; then the style changes, mentioning Allah by name, “Allah does curse”.
The change was affected because the theme demands show of intense displeasure, and the greater the
name of the displeased person, the more severe the effect of the displeasure– and none is greater than
Allah. Then the reference was again changed to the first person pronouns, “I turn (mercifully); and I am
the Oft-returning (to mercy) . . .” It was done to show the highest mercy and benevolence of Allah. The
next verse again discards the pronoun for the Divine Name, “these it is on whom is the curse of Allah”;
and the reason is the same as was explained for the change in the first verse.

Traditions

One of our companions has narrated from as-Sadiq (a.s). He says: “I said to him: ‘Tell me about the
word of Allah, the Mighty, the High: Surely those who conceal. . .’.He said: ‘We are meant by it – and to
Allah is the resort for help. When (Imamah) comes to one of us (i.e., the Imams), he has no authority (or,
choice) but to make it clear for the men who will be (Imam) after him.’ ” (al- ‘Ayyãshī)

al-Baqir (a.s.) said about this verse: “(Allah) means us by it, and to Allah is the resort for help.
”Muhammad ibn Muslim said: “(The Imam) said: ‘These are the People of the Book.’   All these traditions
are based on the principle of the flow of the Qur’an and its application. Otherwise, the verse is general.
Some traditions quote ‘Ali (a.s) as saying: “Its interpretation is the learned people when they are
depraved.

The Prophet said about this verse: “Whoever is asked about knowledge which he has got, and he
conceals it, he shall be reined on the Day of Resurrection with a bridle of fire; and it is (the import of) His
words ,these it is whom Allah does curse and those who curse do curse them(too).”(Majma‘u ’l-bayãn)

The author says: These two traditions confirm what we have written in the Commentary.as -Sadiq (a.s.)
said explaining the words of Allah, and those who curse do curse them(too) : “We are those (who
curse) ; and they say that it means the vermin’s of the earth.” (al-‘Ayyãshī)

The explanation given by the Imam reminds one of the import of the verse: . . . “ And the witnesses shall
say: “These are they who lied against their Lord.” Now surely the curse of Allah is on the unjust (11:18)” 

as-Sadiq (a.s.) said: about the verse, surely those who conceal the clear proofs and the guidance,(that it
means the proofs and guidance) “regarding ‘Ali.” (ibid.)

Al Baqra 163 - 167

“And your God is one God”

Oneness here in terms of “wahid” refers to the oneness in terms of attribute. Like Zayd’s manhood is
one, his attribute in this respect is single and can’t be a subject of plurality, It is in contrast to manhood
of two men Zayd and Amr, in which case the attribute is shared by two and is not singular in nature
anymore and is numerous. Thus Zayd when he is looked at in this context of his attribute is single and
indivisible but when he is seen in the context of his other attributes such as knowledge, power etc. he’s
numerous, plural and divisible. Allah on the other hand in his attribute’s has attributes that no one can
share such as his divinity, knowledge, power so he is singular and indivisible in that sense while also his
numerous attributes although have different verbal meaning, they’re in reality one. Allah knows by his
power, and has power by His life, and is alive by His knowledge. He is not like other things where
attributes are multiple and numerous not only in meanings but in reality also. Sometimes a thing
possesses oneness through its nature and personality that type of oneness is called “Al-ahad” and is
used as a first construct of a genitive case or a prohibitive, negative construct. For example it is used in
the meaning of no one. A sentence such as “no one came to me “ ignores the general attribute or
singularity and plurality attached to it and focuses on the nature. The sentence “one man did not come
to me” will not have the same connotation and doesn’t imply that two or more men did not come. The
verse “your God is one God” encapsulates the essence of monotheism as “oneness” could be
misinterpreted in many ways that suited people’s interest for example it may be understood as one out
of many deities, because each deity even for polytheists is one in itself, similarly oneness could be taken
in the meaning of a general species for e.g one horse one mule but in reality horse is manifold in nature.

“There is no god but He”: The sentence has an implied predicate “existent”, and the meaning will be as
follows: There is no real and actual god existing “but He”. The pronoun “He”, used in place of the proper
name, Allah, is in nominative, not subjunctive case. Therefore, the word “but” is not used here as
particle of exception; rather it is an adjective in the sense of “other than”. The complete sentence, thus,
means: There is no real god, other than Allah, existing. This verse therefore only aims at repudiating
other deities and not the aim is not to affirm the existence of God. The repudiation is enough to prove
the existence of Allah moreover Quran see’s existence of Allah as a self-evident truth, it only reaffirms
the attributes of Allah.

“The Beneficent, the Merciful”: From Him emanates every general bounty –pursuant to His Beneficence
– and every special favor, in the way of guidance and the next world’s bliss – pursuant to His Mercy.

“Most surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth . . .”

This verse offers argument to prove the existence of God and that he is one. However the import of the
verse is not to prove the existence of God and his oneness. Or else the verse would have been “your
God is one, there is no God but he” but as mentioned above Quran doesn’t delve into proving a self-
evident truth this verse only provides arguments that proves. First one being that the sky, celestial
bodies, the alteration of day and night all these things by their very nature need a creator, Secondly the
distance between celestial bodies, the phenomenon of gravity the right measure of distance and gravity
between the heavenly bodies that maintain a balance and harmony between the two bodies, the
consistency in the micro and macro cosmos, that of an electron orbiting the nucleus and that of a planet
orbiting sun. If you stop at any stage between the micro and macro cosmos you will find a system, in
short, the universe is one, and its arrangement and management inter-related; all its parts – no matter
how diverse and multiple they may be – are managed under a single system; and the faces are humbled
before the Living, the Self-subsistent God(20:111). Therefore, the God of the universe, is one; He alone
created and He alone manages it. Also man is one of the creatures who need the above system for its
sustenance, the alteration of day and night, heat and light provides that, these are the things man
requires for his physical needs, for his existence and continuation of life. It proves that the God who
created the universe and manages its affairs is the same God who also created man and manages his
affairs. Again, it is God who bestows on everything what it needs for happiness of this world and for bliss
of the next. How can anyone man-age the end of any affair other than he who manages the affair itself?
This is the proof given by the two names, The Beneficent, the Merciful.

“And the alternation of the night and the day”

This verse refers to the changes in the duration of the night that is caused because of two factors,
rotation of earth on its axis that causes day and night, when the side faces sun it’s day, it gets light and
heat from the sun while the side that’s on the opposite side throws a shade on the universe and is dark
and secondly the earth is not perpendicular to its orbit, it tilts at an angle, the tilt causes north to be
close to sun for six months hence getting a day for six months and the south to be away from sun for six
months hence the night for six months. This flips when earth makes it to the other side of the orbit. The
night and day at equator are 12 hours each hence making the hours equal to night and day on south and
northpole. The areas in between north south and equator then vary depending on how far they are from
the equator. It is because of this difference that the sun’s life-giving light and heat reach various regions
of the earth with varying intensity. This in its turn creates diversity in various factors governing the earth
and its environment. And man profits from that diversity in numerous ways.

“And the ships that run in the sea with that which profits men”

The verse counts the ships (which are made by man) side by side with those things and natural
phenomena which are beyond human power, like the heavens, the earth and the alternation of the day
and the night. It shows that ultimately the ships too, like those natural phenomena, are the handiwork
of Allah. On deep consideration, when we ascribe a work to a man, it has no more significance than
ascribing it to a natural cause. Of course, man has a free will and power. But he is not a sufficient or total
cause; nor does that freedom make him independent of Allah. He is as much in need of Allah’s will and
permission as any other natural cause. A natural cause acts on, and reacts with, a matter and through a
process of combination and break up gives it a form – let us say, turns it into a rock. A man cuts, breaks
up and joins some matters giving them a form – let us say, turn them into a boat. Is there any difference
between the two makers? Both ultimately draw their strength and ability from Divine creation and
invention; nothing is independent of Allah either in its person or in its activities. Boat too like all physical
creations depend on Allah in its existence and management of affairs. As Hazrat Ibrahim a.s has been
quoted in Quran as ascribing manmade thing to Allah “And Allah has created you and what you make
(37:96)” Also “And His are the ships reared aloft in the sea like mountains (55:24)” This shows that all
man made things exist also because of Allah’s decree and a man’s creation is not independent of divine
decree. As the materialists say that whatever was above human comprehension was attributed to God,
now science has evolved and a reason for every phenomenon is in front of us hence they don’t need to
be attributed to Allah. The following repy gives an answer to this comment, Quran never disregards a
cause for any effect that takes place, in fact the principle of cause and effect is one of the basis of
religious teachings. The Quran acknowledges the natural cause that causes a certain effect however it
considers a natural cause as a transient cause while it argues that the actual cause, the major cause for
all the transient causes and effect that follow is Allah. It was never the case where a natural cause for
something was disregarded and replaced by an explanation that attributes it to Allah. Every cause
known or unknown is at the end of the chain attributed to Allah. The belief in that Supreme Cause does
not negate the general law of causality. In the same way, the existence of material causes for the
material effects does not make this whole chain of the causes and effects independent of the Supreme
Cause. In the same way, the existence of material causes for the material effects does not make this
whole chain of the causes and effects independent of the Supreme Cause.  “There are other verses
which attribute an action to its doer and at the same time ascribe it to Allah. For example, And Allah has
created you and what you make (37:96)”  In short, it can never be doubted that the Qur’an proves the
existence of the One and Only God basing its arguments on the system of causality found in all the
components of the universe; and then it attributes the whole universe to Allah, Who created and made
all of it. It is not that we ascribe some things to Allah and some others to their material causes. Man
made things such as Liquor, and instruments of music and gambling etc. Allah says: . . . intoxicants and
games of chance and (sacrificing to) stones set up and(dividing by) arrows are only an abomination of
Satan’s handiwork . . .(5:90).And evidently what Allah counts as handiwork of Satan should not be
ascribed to Allah Himself. The creation of idol is ascribed to Allah but it’s worship and misuse is ascribed
to Man and Satan.

“And the water that Allah sends down from the cloud, then gives you life with it to the earth after its
death and spreads in it all(kinds of)animals”: The cycle of rain where steam rises up condenses in the
form of clouds, fall back to the earth in the form of snow, hail and water, gets stored on top of
mountains, lakes and underneath the earth all of which in truns ensures flowing water and sustainability
of life, all the vegetation’s that grow and provide sustenance to the man. It’s an intricate interwoven
system that requires a creator and the creator of the rain is the god of the man.

“And the changing of the wind”: It refers to the changes in directions of the wind, because of various
natural factors, the most important of them being the sun’s rays. The sun raises the temperature of the
air, making it lighter and less dense. This lighter air is unable to carry the load of the surrounding air
which is cooler and heavier. The lighter air displaces the hot air while the hot air moves in the opposite
direction causing wind currents. The wind helps in pollination of trees, shrubs and flowers, removes
atmospheric pollutions, and carries rainclouds from one place to another, besides rendering many other
services. Blowing of wind is a most important factor in the genesis and life of vegetable, animal and
man. Wind, by itself, proves that there is a Creator God; by its inter-woven relation with other terrestrial
and extraterrestrial phenomena, proves that there is only one Creator.

“And the clouds made subservient between the heaven and the earth” The cloud is made subservient, in
its flow and rain, to the winds and atmospheric temperature and other relevant factors, by the
permission of Allah. The cloud is a sign of Allah in the same way as other things mentioned with it. The
alternation of the day and the night, the rain coming down from the clouds, the blowing of wind and the
subservient clouds are the main natural phenomena, which together make up the system of creation in
the terrestrial world, like the vegetable, the animal and the man. This verse may therefore be taken to
be a detail of the general statement contained in the verse: . . . and He blessed therein and made therein
its foods, in four periods: alike for the seekers (41:10).

“There are signs for a people who understand”: It denotes perfect comprehension and
understanding.al-‘Aql is that by which man differentiates between good and bad, distinguishes fact from
fiction, and discerns truth and falsehood. It is the selfsame man who perceives; it is not one of his
faculties’ and characteristics which are like branches of the soul.

“And there are some among men who take for them-selves equals besides Allah”: an-Nidd is on the
paradigm of al-mithl) ‫ﻟَاُﻞْ ـ‬ѧ‫( ﺜِﻤ‬and has the same meaning: equal, alike, etc. In some other verses Allah has
used a slightly different phrase; for example, therefore do not set up equals to Allah (2:22); and they set
up equals with Allah (14:30). The style has been changed here to “besides Allah” because it is preceded
by the exclusive statement: “And your God is one God! There is no god but He; . . .” Thus anyone taking
any object of worship besides Allah would violate that exclusiveness without any justification;

“Whom they love as the love for Allah, and those who believe are stronger in (their) love for Allah”
(principle for love for prophet and his family)

The verse does not include the idols only it takes further it includes, men and angels who were taken
besides Allah without authorization from Allah. When those who were followed shall re-nonce those
who followed (them) (2:166) The pronoun them suggest that it refers to a living thing as well also They
have taken their doctors of law and their monks for lords besides Allah(9:31).. This verse under
discussion cancels out the argument for those who say that love can’t be attributed to Allah as it is one
of the material and bodily desires and that Love for Allah means his obedience and love can be
attributed in a metaphorical sense. The verse under discussion says that love of the believer is stronger
in relation to those who disbelieve the use of the word “stronger” suggests that there is a degree of
variation, if were said in the meaning of obedience then it doesn’t make any sense in degree of variation
as polytheism doesn’t even fall on the spectrum of obedience to Allah. The verse condemns those who
take others as equals to Allah, saying: “whom they love as the love for Allah”; then it praises the
believers, saying that they, “are stronger in (their) love for Allah.” This comparison between the two
groups apparently shows that the former has been condemned because they have divided their love
between Allah and those whom they have taken as equals to Allah. There was possibility of a
misunderstanding that if they had loved Allah more, they would not have been blamed but the following
verse has removed that misunderstanding “When those who were followed shall renounce those who
followed (them), and they see the chastisement and their ties are cut asunder” These verses make it
clear that they have been condemned not because of the love, per se, but because of its concomitant,
that is, following. However, when the love for Allah becomes stronger, the lover does not follow anyone
other than Allah; he exclusively obeys the commands of Allah. That is why the believers have been
praised that they “are stronger in (their) love for Allah”. But love of a person who calls to the obedience
towards Allah doesn’t count as polytheism as the verse says “If your fathers and your sons . . . are dearer
to you than Allah and His Messenger . . .” (9:24).This verse assigns to the Messenger (s.a.w.a.) a love as
it assigns it to Allah Himself Because the effect of this love, that is, following of the Messenger (s.a.w.a.)
is exactly the obedience of Allah. Allah Himself calls to the obedience of His Messenger, as He says: And
We did not send any messenger but that he should be obeyed by Allah’s permission (4:64) Say: “If you
love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you”(3:31). This explains that love an obedience of Prophet
s.a.w.a , his progeny, his signs, scholars and books which are diametrically opposed to polytheism is
accepted as the verse “and whoever respects the signs of Allah, this surely is(the outcome)of the piety of
hearts(22:32) the signs mentioned here are unconditional, not just like Safah and Marwah.

“O that those who are unjust could see, when they see the chastisement, that the power is wholly Allah’s
and that Allah is severe in chastisement”: The verse means Would that those who are unjust could see
in this world the day when they would see the chastisement; then they would see that the power
belongs wholly to Allah, and that they had committed the greatest blunder when they ascribed some of
that power to their false deities, and that Allah is severe in chastisement and in punishing those who are
guilty of this unforgiveable sin As the next verses show, the chastisement would contain of their seeing
their blunder in taking other objects of worship besides Allah, and in their wrong assumption that those
objects had any power, and then seeing the punishment of their polytheism and misdeed “Thus will
Allah show “those who were unjust and took others as equals to Allah, “their deeds” (i.e., their love and
obedience to those leaders whom they took as equals to Allah) “to be intense regret to them, and they
shall not come forth from the fire”

“And they shall not come forth from the fire” It is a proof against those who say that the chastisement of
the fire shall one day come to an end..