Linguistic Analysis of the Phrase Saghat
Qulubu kuma
In most languages, and especially in
Arabic, specific terms are employed in specific meanings
beyond their general implications. A failure to understand
these nuances of a term cannot drive one away from the correct
appreciation of the language. For instance, the word, mayl (to
lean to and to turn away from) is a general implication. Many
terms including zaygh, jur, ir’awa, hayadah, inhiraf, are used
to connote particularly turning away from something. Then come
the words fay’, tawbah, iltifat and sighw which specifically
connote turning to something. Those who confuse these two sets
of words and their meanings err and cause others to err.
A person who knows the Arabic Language is
clear on that the phrase saghat qulubukuma means anabat qulubu
kuma wa malat ila al-Allah wa rasulihi (the hearts of you both
have inclined to Allah and His Messenger) because the word
saghw connotes leaning or being attracted towards something;
it does not mean turning away from something. The following
two cognate terms are used in this sense. saghiyah of a man
are his followers. When we say: Sighwu hu ma‘aka we mean: (He
is) attracted to you. Asghaytu ila fulanin means: I turned my
ears to him. A hadith reads:
ثُمَّ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ، فَلَا
يَسْمَعُهُ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا أَصْغَی لِيتًا
Then the trumpet would be blown and no
one would hear that but he who would bend his neck to one
side. (Yunfakhu fi al-suri fa la yasma‘u hu ahadun illa asgha
litan (Muslim Number: 3940)
A common saying goes thus: al-sabiyyu
a‘lamu bimusgha khaddihi: a child knows where to turn for
benefit and with whom he should seek shelter. The sentence:
saghat al-shams wa al-nujum means: the sun and the stars
leaned towards the earth. The hadith of hirrah reads:
kana yasgha biha al-ana’: He would tilt the pot so that it could
drink easily.
The bottom of a pot is called sighw because liquid settles in
it. Ibn Barri has cited the following verse in support of his
interpretation of the words al-isgha’ bi al-sam‘ (turning
one’s ear to someone to listen):
ترى السفيه به عن كل مكرمة زيغ
وفيه إلی التسفيه إصغاء
You see that a stupid person is
characterized by a tendency to turn away (zaygh) from every
noble deed and to incline (isgha’) to every foolishness.
Dhu al-Rummah praises a she-camel in the
following verse:
تُصْغِي إِذَا شَدَّهَا بِالْكورِ جَانِحَةً
حتی إذا
ما استوى في غرزها تثبُ
When he fits her out with a saddle, she
inclines (tusghi), turning her face towards her side (janihatan),
until when he inserts his foot into the stirrup, she jumps.
A‘sha describes the slant in a camel’s
eye in these words:
ترى عينها صغواء في جنب موقه
تراقب كفي والقطيع المحرما
You would see that her eye is inclined
towards (saghwa’) the inner corner, the while she watches my
palm and the untempered leather whip.
Al-Nimr ibn Tawlab used the words isgha’
al-ina’ (inclining the pot) to connote emptying it out in the
following verse:
وإن ابن أخت القوم مصغي إناؤه
إذا لم يزاحم خاله بأب جلد
The bowl of a tribe’s nephew is emptied
out (i.e. he is deprived of his right) unless he resists his
uncles through a strong father.
I have quoted all this supportive
evidence from the lexicon Lisan al-‘Arab with minor
explanations which I offered with the intention to remove any
possible doubts or confusion. This evidence suffices for truth
seekers. A seeker of the truth will not, after pondering over
this evidence, turn his ears to what the fabricators have
added to the traditions. They have tried to distort the
meanings of the Qur’anic words and expressions once their
efforts to distort the words of the Book of God were foiled by
Him. They have indeed not relented from trying to distort the
word of God. Abu Sa‘ud has reported in his exegesis that the
words “saghat qulubu kuma” have been recited as zaghat.
He means to say that it has been read as this by those whose
readings don’t count. You see to what extent such men went in
their efforts to change the meaning of the word sagha (turning
to) to zagha (deviated). God however protects the truth and
foils falsehood.
Stylistics of the Verse in
tatuba ila
Allahi faqad saghat qulubu kuma
After a discussion on the meaning of the
expression saghat qulubukuma, I invite your attention to the
style of expression adopted in this verse so that you can
clearly grasp the interconnection of its components.
Arabs are known for their habit of
omitting the part of the speech which can be dispensed with.
They prefer brevity in speech. They are always inclined to
remove the unnecessary additions and redundant parts of their
speech. This is a great rhetorical device. This issue forms
part of a great discussion on Arabic rhetoric. Here I will
discuss only what is related to the prepositions in (if) and
qad (indeed) in this verse.
I will start with examples from the
Qur’an in order to make it easy to understand what has been
left unstated here.
God Almighty says:
إِن تَسْتَفْتِحُوْا فَقَدْ جَآءَكُمُ
الْفَتْحُ
If you are seeking a judgment, then the
judgment has come to you. (8:19)
At another place, the Almighty says:
وَإِنْ يُّكَذِّبُوْكَ فَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ
رُسُلٌ مِّنْ قَبْلِكَ
And if they have given you the lie, then
the apostles before you were given the lie. (35:04)
God says:
اِلَّا تَنْصُرُوْهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ اللهُ
If you do not help him, then God has
helped him. (9:40)
God says:
وَاِنْ يَّعُوْدُوْا فَقَدْ مَضَتْ سُنَّتُ
الْأَوَّلِيْنِ
If they persist, the sunnah (example) of
those before them is already set. (8:38)
God says:
فَإِنْ يَّكْفُرْ بِـهَا هَـؤُلَآءِ فَقَدْ
وَكَّلْنَا بِـهَا قَوْمًا لَّيْسُوْا بـِهَا بِكَافِرِيْنَ
If these people reject it, then we have
entrusted it to a people who will not reject it. (6:89)
Many such examples can also be found in
Arabic literature. A pagan poet Mirdas b. Hasayn says:
فإن نزرأهم فلقد تركنا
كفاءهم لدى الدبر المضاع
If we have killed them (no matter) for we
have been leaving their equals dead and lost behind their
(fleeing armies).
A careful study of these examples shows
that the clause following the preposition “in” mentions
something which facilitates what is mentioned in the clause
following the preposition (qad). The sentences can thus be
paraphrased as follows: If A happens that is good, or there is
nothing wrong, or the matter is as expected, for B has already
materialized.
In the light of the above, we can
confidently state that the true and clear interpretation of
the verse is this: If you turn to God by following what
pleases the Holy Prophet (sws), as he seeks to please you,
then this is what is expected from you; for your hearts have
certainly inclined towards God. I do not understand what
forced people to ignore the true meaning and implication of
the expression except for their reliance on some narratives
fabricated and ascribed to Ibn ‘Abbas (rta) who is certainly
not responsible for these lies ascribed to him later on.
Wisdom Buried in the Divine Words:
in-tatuba
Ila Allahi and Tubu Tawbatan Nasuha
Here, tawbah implies the most perfect
form of repentance, as it does not leave any aspect of
disagreement between the penitent and the authority. Such
sincere repentance is only possible after one is truly
inclined to the authority (saghw). It develops out of total
submission of heart and complete faith. In worldly life, for
example, a husband and wife become united like a single entity
through this inclination. In religious matters, this type of
repentance makes a servant of God lost in the Lord, and the
Lord becomes his ear, eye, and heart. The earlier scriptures
frequently use the example of an obedient son or wife to
exemplify an obedient nation. Many such parables have been
explained in my book al-Amthal al-Ilahiyyah (Divine Parables).
A failure to understand such parables in
the Scriptures has misled the Christians and the Jews. They
declared that they were the sons of Allah and His beloved
ones. The Qur’an however does not use such expressions
explicitly. Rather, it sometimes uses fine and subtle
expressions which imply this meaning, (so that the experts can
infer this meaning), but the laymen are not left a chance to
be misled. For a detailed discussion refer to my commentary on
Surah al-Talaq.
(Now I come back to the discussion on the
Surah.) We see that after commanding the wives of the Prophet
(sws) to repent sincerely and make it a perfect repentance,
the Almighty has directed the Muslims in general to repent a
pure and sincere repentance (tawbah nasuha). In response, they
are promised a light (al-nur) and nearness to the Prophet (qurbah)
in the hereafter. They will enjoy his company in the hereafter
just as they have been blessed with this blessing in the life
of this world. Same will be case with regard to their
families. It has explicitly been mentioned in the following
verses that they will join their families in the Afterlife:
وَالَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوْا وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ
ذُرِّيَّتُهُمْ بِاِيـْمَانٍ اَلْـحَقْنَابِـهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ
And those who believe and whose families
follow them in faith, to them shall We join their families.
(52:21)
At another place the Qur’an says:
فَاَمَّا مَنْ أُوْتـِيَ كِتَابَهُ
بِيَمِيْنِهِ. فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَّسِيْرًا.
وَّيَنقَلِبُ اِلَى اَهْلِهِ مَسْرُوْرًا.
Then, he who is given his record in his
right hand, soon will his account be taken by an easy
reckoning, and he will turn to his family, rejoicing. (84:7-9)
Similarly, in another verse, the Almighty
has also stated that pious men will also accompany each other
in the Afterlife. It has been said:
يَاَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ.
ارْجِعِيْ إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً. فَادْخُلِيْ
فِىْ عِبَادِىْ. وَادْخُلِىْ جَنَّتِيْ
(To the righteous soul will be said): O
you the satisfied soul, return to your Lord, content and
pleased. Enter the ranks of My servants and enter My Paradise.
(89:27-30)
Allah also mentions His nearness ordained
for the pious in the Hereafter in these words:
وَالسَّابِقُوْنَ السَّابِقُوْنَ. أُوْلَئِكَ
الْمُقَرَّبُوْنَ
And those foremost (al-sabiqun) will be
foremost. These will be those nearest to Allah (al-muqarrabin).
(56:10-1)
The words “return to your Lord” and the
expression “My Jannah” subtly refer to this nearness to God.
The holy Qur’an and the Scriptures describe this fact
frequently either clearly or implicitly. Truth be told,
paradise without nearness to God would be like hell. Don’t you
see that the Qur’an has stated that the real depravity of the
dwellers of the Hell is that they will not be able to face
God? The Almighty says:
كَلَّآ اِنَّهُمْ عَنْ رَّبِّـهِمْ
يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوْبُوْنَ
Verily, from their Lord, that Day, will
they be kept. (83:15)
The real meaning and essence of
returning/repentance in this world as well as in the one to
come might have become clear to you. You might have grasped
that when a man takes refuge in his protector and denounces
others, then his life becomes worthwhile; his heart finds
satisfaction and he finds perfect happiness. You also
understand that when a woman betrays her husband/master it
enrages him, injures his honor, and flares up his passion. It
is hopefully easy for you to understand the true meaning of
the parable of a sincere wife and an obedient son, a frequent
occurrence in the Scriptures. It also sets you on the right
track regarding the coherence in the remaining portion of the
surah.
Explanation of Verse no. 9 and its
Relation with the Rest of the Surah
The Almighty has said:
يَاَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ
وَالْمُنَافِقِيْنَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ
O Prophet, strive hard against the
unbelievers and the hypocrites, and be firm against them.
(66:9)
The verse contains this final and strict
injunction so that people having the ability to repent enter
the circle of the followers of the Prophet (sws). This
directive is present in Surah al-Tawbah in similar words:
يَـحْلِفُوْنَ بِاللّهِ مَا قَالُوْا
وَلَقَدْ قَالُوْا كَلِمَةَ الْكُفْرِ وَكَفَرُوْا بَعْدَ
اِسْلاَمِهِمْ وَهَـمُّوْا بِـمَا لَـمْ يَنَالُوْا وَمَا
نَقَمُوْا إِلَّآ اَنْ اَغْنَاهُمُ اللّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ مِنْ
فَضْلِهِ فَاِن يَّتُوْبُوْا يَكُ خَيْرًا لَّـهُمْ وَاِنْ
يَّتَوَلَّوْا يُعَذِّبْهُمُ اللّهُ عَذَابًا أَلِيْمًا فِى
الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمَا لَـهُمْ فِى الْأَرْضِ مِنْ
وَّلـِيٍّ وَّلَا نَصِيْرٍ
They swear by Allah that they said
nothing, but indeed they uttered blasphemy, and they did it
after accepting Islam; and they meditated a plot which they
were unable to carry out: this revenge of theirs was only
return for the bounty with which Allah and His Messenger had
enriched them! If they repent, it will be best for them; but
if they turn back [to their evil ways], Allah will punish them
with a grievous penalty in this life and in the Hereafter.
They shall have none on earth to protect or help them. (9:74)
This verse clearly shows that this
strictness was only shown to wake the people from the slumber
of ignorance. Those failing to do so, even after this, would
be punished. I have discussed this matter in detail in my
commentary on Surah al-Tawbah.
This strictness was to set the virtuous
hearts apart from the evil ones. The objectives of nature are
fulfilled through tenderness as well as strictness. The Qur’an
has examples for both ways. It has, in its exhortations,
presented both demonstrations of this nature to support its
theses:
اَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَالَتْ
اَوْدِيَةٌ بِقَدَرِهَا فَاحْتَمَلَ السَّيْلُ زَبَدًا رَّابِيًا
وَمِـمَّا يُوْقِدُوْنَ عَلَيْهِ فِى النَّارِ ابْتِغَآءَ
حِلْيَةٍ اَوْ مَتَاعٍ زَبَدٌ مِّثْلُهُ كَذَلِكَ يَضْرِبُ
اللّهُ الْـحَقَّ وَالْبَاطِلَ فَاَمَّا الزَّبَدُ فَيَذْهَبُ
جُفَآءً وَاَمَّا مَا يَنفَعُ النَّاسَ فَيَمْكُثُ فِى الْأَرْضِ
كَذَلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ
He sends down water from the skies, and
the channels flow, each according to its measure: But the
torrent bears away to foam that mounts up to the surface.
[This function of the natural phenomenon employs tenderness.]
Even so, from that ore which they heat in the fire, to make
ornaments or utensils therewith, there is a scum likewise.
Thus does Allah strike truth and evil [i.e. He makes one
strike the other and evil is eventually defeated as has been
said in Surah al-Anbiya’: Nay, We hurl the Truth against
falsehood, and it knocks out its brain. 21:18. This is then
the use of the phenomenon which employs harsh measures]. For
the scum disappears like froth cast out; while that which is
for the good of mankind remains on the earth. Thus does Allah
set forth parables. (13:17)
This strict supervision, if accomplished
properly, breaks all chains of personal relationships that
hinder progress on the path to the truth. Only when a person
leaves aside all his worldly relations for achieving nearness
to Allah--is the station of purity and contentment granted to
him, as mentioned in the Qur’an in the following words:
وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا (And I will
clear you of the rejecters. (3:55)
The Four Parables
God has made clear this purity and
termination of worldly relations with the help of four
parables. In the following discussion, I will try to infer two
points these parables lead us to.
First, relation to the pious will not do
any good to sinners on the Day of Judgment.
Second, the pious themselves abandon such
relations and take refuge in Allah and His Prophet. The Qur’an
recounts that the wife of Pharaoh prayed:
رَبِّ ابْنِ لِىْ عِنْدَكَ بَيْتًا فِى
الْـجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِىْ مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِىْ
مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِيْنَ
O my Lord, build for me, in nearness to
You, a mansion in the garden, and save me from Pharaoh and his
doings, and save me from the wrongdoers. (66:11)
She renounced her relationship with her
nation and her husband and prayed to Allah to build a house
for her under His blessings. All the pious should, therefore,
renounce their relationship with the evil doers and seek
Allah’s protection. This is the real purity one obtains and is
the actual difference between the pious and the wicked, as has
been clearly told in the Qur’an repeatedly. Abraham (sws), for
example, followed the same path and severed his relations with
his nation. Allah presented his exemplary attitude as a
believer for the Muslims to emulate. It has been discussed in
detail in the commentary on Surah al-Mumtahinah.
Third, Allah listens to the prayers of
the pious in this world and rids them of the company of the
wicked. Thus did He listen to the wife of Pharaoh and saved
her from the tyrant. The same is obviously reflected in the
stories of Noah (sws), Abraham (sws), Lot (sws), Moses (sws),
Jesus Christ (sws) and other Prophets [pbut]. Allah has
clearly stated that it is His unchanging rule. The Qur’an has
explained this fact more than once. The Almighty says:
الـم. اَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ اَنْ يُّتْرَكُوْا
اَنْ يَّقُولُوْا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُوْنَ. وَلَقَدْ
فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ
الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوْا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِيْنَ.
A.L.M. Do men think that they will be
left alone saying, “We believe”, and that they will not be
tested? We did test those before them, and Allah will
certainly know those who are true from those who are false.
(29:1-3)
This verse uses the words: “Allah will
know them.” But we know that Allah already knows all hidden
and manifest things. Thus, we have to reflect a little deeper
upon these words. It means that He will reveal their doings to
the Muslims so that the latter may part from such people that
are hiding their hypocrisy.
The same fact has been stated even more
clearly in the following verse:
مَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ
عَلَى مَآ اَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّىَ يَـمِيْزَ الْـخَبِيْثَ
مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى
الْغَيْبِ وَلَكِنَّ اللّهَ يَـجْتَبِىْ مِنْ رُّسُلِهِ مَنْ
يَشَآءُ فَآمِنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَاِنْ تُؤْمِنُوْا
وَتَتَّقُوْا فَلَكُمْ اَجْرٌ عَظِيْمٌ.
Allah will not leave the believers in the
state in which you are in now, until He separates what is evil
from what is good, nor will He disclose to you the secrets of
the unseen. But He chooses of His Messengers whom He pleases.
So believe in Allah and His Apostles. [that is, God does not
reveal to you the secrets of the hearts. However, he makes the
actions of the hypocrites clear to you as they disobey the
Messenger. Therefore, you should do your best to obey the
Messenger and corroborate your faith through obedience. Thus
you would be distinct and earn the reward of those who follow
the Messenger. This has been clearly put in the following
words:] And if you believe and do right, you have a reward
without measure. (3:179)
The complete discussion on this topic has
been afforded in my commentary on Surah al-Hadid, Surah al-Kafirun
and other related surahs.
In short, a Prophet (sws) never leaves
his nation before making the light of the truth clear and
distinguishable from falsehood. He makes the difference
between the two palpable. He distinguishes the Muslims from
the unbelievers and the hypocrites. In order to make this
distinction clear and observable, the Almighty commanded the
Prophet (sws) to be strict in this regard so that the light of
Allah and His religion was perfected and completed: a distinct
group of people was created as could carry the responsibility
of practicing, preaching and disseminating the religion. This
newly formed group was named “the army of Allah” and the
“witness (shuhada’) over the people.” The stringency that is
observed in this process of reform, leading into the birth of
a new group of believers upholding the religion, is visible in
the prophetic mission of Moses (sws), Jesus Christ (sws), and
the other Prophets. In the final moments of their preaching
among wicked nations and before migration from their people,
these Prophets declared stern rejection of evil.
Fourth, when an ummah is chosen to work
for the cause of Allah, it has to leave behind everything that
can harm its foundations. Allah’s angels also bring succor,
sustenance and good tidings from Allah, as is clear in the
life of Mary, the daughter of ‘Imran. It has been discussed in
detail in the commentary on Surah al-Mujadalah. The Qur’an
says:
لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُّؤْمِنُوْنَ بِاللَّهِ
وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّوْنَ مَنْ حَآدَّ اللَّهَ
وَرَسُوْلَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوْا آبَاءَهُمْ اَوْ اَبْنَآءَهُمْ
اَوْ اِخْوَانَهُمْ اَوْ عَشِيْرَتَهُمْ اُوْلَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي
قُلُوبـِهِمُ الْإِيـْمَانَ وَاَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوْحٍ مِّنْهُ
وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَـجْرِىْ مِنْ تَـحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ
خَالِدِيْنَ فِيْهَا رَضِىَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوْا عَنْهُ
اُوْلَئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ اَلَا اِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ
الْمُفْلِحُوْنَ
You will not find any people who believe
in Allah and the Last Day, loving those who resist Allah and
His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their
sons, or their brothers, or their kindred. For such He has
written faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a
spirit from Himself. And He will admit them to gardens beneath
which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever. Allah will be
well pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the party
of Allah. Truly it is the party of Allah that will achieve
felicity. (58:22)
In my commentary on this surah I
described how the ummah, termed here the party of Allah,
enjoys victory. It has also been detailed in several surahs
including Surah Al ‘Imran (Q 3), al-Anbiya’ (Q 21), al-Nur (Q
24), al-Saff (Q 61), al-Kafirun (Q 109) and al-Nasr (Q 110).
Therefore, all four examples indicate the dominance of the
virtuous over the unbelievers.
The examples conclude with an emphasis on
submission to Allah and returning to Him. At this very point
Qur’anic Surahs treating the divine injunctions conclude, both
in terms of order of revelation, the present arrangement of
the text in the book, and chronological order of the events of
the prophetic mission. Similarly, the Divine scheme regarding
the universe too is that all creatures have to return to God.
The culmination of all these affairs is marked by a final
return to Him who is the Lord and Helper. The details can be
found in the commentary on Surah al-Ikhlas. This is a short
exposure to the essence of these examples. Now we will explain
these examples separately.
The Interrelationship and Mutual Harmony
of the Four Examples
The first and the second example deal
with the unbelievers. They have been put first because their
mention corresponded more to the hypocrites referred to in the
verses immediately preceding these examples. Both the examples
have a strong interconnection. The next two examples highlight
obedience to God and submission to Him. As required by the
established Sunnah of God mentioned earlier, the Surah
concludes with an emphasis on this relationship. Owing to this
reason, these two examples have been discussed at the end.
Apparently these two examples discuss two
pious women. But the teachings they contain relate to men as
well as women. It necessitated mention of some matters
connected with men too. Therefore, the moral teachings visible
in these examples are important for both the sexes. For
instance, they contain teachings regarding honesty,
fulfillment of promises, secrecy, the severing of
relationships with strangers, good moral character,
affirmation of divine injunctions, the holy books, and finally
obedience to Him. All these teachings are meant for both the
sexes.
What is the nature of the dishonesty
Noah’s wife committed? We do not find the answer to this
question in any of the Scriptures or the Qur’an. We learn that
Sa‘id b. Jubayr (rta) said: “As for Noah’s wife I do not know
anything about her matter.”
As for the wife of Lot, it is clear from the previous divine
books and the holy Qur’an that she turned back to the doomed
town disregarding that her action entailed disobedience to God
as well as to her husband. It has been reported that Ibn
‘Abbas said:
The dishonesty both the women showed was
that they did not follow the religion of their husbands. The
wife of Noah revealed all the secrets of her husband to his
enemies. When someone embraced his religion, she would reveal
that and it became known to the miscreants in the nation. The
evil of Lot’s wife was that when the guests [that is, the
angels] came to them, she broke the news to all the wicked
people in the town.
Another narrative ascribed to Ibn ‘Abbas
(rta) tells us that the wife of Noah spread the news that he
had gone mad.
In my opinion, all these narratives depict the personal view
of Ibn ‘Abbas (rta) based on good inference. He has not
ascribed anything to the holy Prophet (sws). However, I too
believe that both the women disobeyed their husbands and even
disgraced them.
The most important virtue of a woman and
that of a slave is that they remain loyal to their masters and
continue obeying them. This has been clearly put in Surah al-Ahzab
(Q 33). That is why the good qualities of men and women have
been described in the same manner.
These examples show that we have to show
true obedience, servitude, love, and care to God. We have to
offer our wealth as well as our lives for His sake. Love
between a wife and a husband is a good example, albeit a weak
one. Nevertheless, in it we can see the love that must exist
between a man and God. After a description of these good and
necessary qualities, we find a mention of the examples
depicting qualities that are totally against the ones marking
the characters in the earlier two examples. An analysis of the
view of Ibn ‘Abbas (rta), about these two women, will be
offered in the next section.
The third and fourth examples relate to
the believers. The third example describes the importance of
reestablishing contact with God. Study the following verse:
إِذْ قَالَتْ رَبِّ ابْنِ لِىْ عِنْدَكَ
بَيْتًا فِى الْـجَنَّةِ وَنَـجِّنِىْ مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ
وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَـجِّنِىْ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِيْنَ
Behold she said: O my Lord, build for me,
in nearness to You (‘inda ka), a mansion in the garden, and
save me from Pharaoh and his doings, and save me from those
that do wrong. (66:11)
If you look at the words ‘inda ka, you
can see a reflection of solace of heart sought implicitly in
this phrase that cannot be described in words.
The fourth example, as described above,
is a picture of the completion and perfection of blessings.
Mary is the example for the believers regarding the completion
of God’s blessing, help, and victory, especially for the
Helpers. The Prophet (sws) in fact represents the word of
Allah. Indeed all pure souls are the word of God. This will be
detailed in my commentary on the verse 35:10 which says:
اِلَيْهِ یَصْعَدُ الْکَلِمُ الطَّیِّبُ.
To Him mount up all words of purity.
We know that the Prophet Jesus (sws) is
known for his title “word (kalimah) of God.” But we know that
Prophet (sws) contains all the attributes of the earlier
Prophets (sws). We find that in the scriptures the apostle
John (sws) referred to the Prophet Muhammad (sws) by the
appellation amin (trustworthy) and also “the word (kalimah) of
Allah.” I will discuss this issue in detail in the seventh
section of the commentary on Surah al-Fil.
The Relationship of these Examples with
the Earlier Story and the Occasion of Revelation of the Surah
So far we have discussed how the above
mentioned historical events relate to the life and attitude of
general believers. Now I wish to explain its relationship to
the story related in the beginning of the surah. This surah
obviously stresses practicing strict self accountability. We
must also watch over those under our care. Therefore, the
surah starts with an apparently ordinary incident. What the
Prophet (sws) did might seem to be a praiseworthy act at first
sight. However, the surah teaches us not to take line of
action. It reveals that Divine wisdom does not condone even
apparently ordinary misdemeanors and common mistakes. Such
small errors can lead to big trials. We know that sin leaves a
small mark on the pure sheets of the believing heart. If the
believer does not remove it and continues committing small
errors, the small spot will continue to grow and will be
nourished to dominate all the purity in the heart. It will
blacken everything.
This surah teaches spiritual and moral
purity and cleanliness. Allah has told us that to prepare
ourselves for the Divine cause we should sever our
relationships with those of the relatives who are evil. We
should carefully guard our purity. Our relations with the
world and people in the world present a great trial. This
trial distinguishes the pure from the impure. We have
discussed this issue in Surah al-Mumtahinah.
We further come to know that it is not
proper to reveal a secret to a person who is not expected to
hold it for that too amounts to dishonesty. Keeping secrets is
foundational to reformation of a society. If we are not able
to guard secrets, it means the foundations of reform and
betterment have lapsed.
At this place, I wish to stress that
mutual trust and faithfulness are necessary for a bond between
the ruler and the ruled, just as it is necessary for a sound
relationship between husband and wife. A leader is obliged to
let his subordinates take part in the decision making process
and seek their counsel. Allah commanded the Prophet (sws) to
consult his Companions and let them take part in affairs of
the government. Therefore, the holy Prophet (sws) had with him
a party of Companions who were privy to his strategies and
plans. People of the stature of Abu Bakr (rta) and ‘Umar (rta)
formed part of this circle. Not only some major Companions,
but also some common Muslims had information which could not
be revealed to the unbelievers. Nobody can deny the fact that
participation in meetings and consultation create and nourish
real trust and true love for the members of an association.
We can have a fair idea of the importance
of this mutual trust and guarding of secrets from an example.
Many religious sects have developed out of this mutual trust
and sharing of secrets. Free Masons, for example, live and
work only for the preservation of the secrets they received
from their predecessors. Those who are not able to keep these
secrets are not admitted into the group. The Prophet (sws) of
Islam too stressed the importance of keeping secrets and
guarding trusts. He is reported to have said: “He whose
opinion is sought [on regarding an issue] is handed over a
trust [which he must faithfully guard].”
The holy Qur’an commands the believers to bring important
matters to the notice of the authorities alone. The Almighty
says:
وَاِذَا جَآءَهُمْ اَمْرٌ مِّنَ الْأَمْنِ
اَوِ الْـخَوْفِ اَذَاعُوْا بِهِ وَلَوْ رَدُّوْهُ اِلَى
الرَّسُوْلِ وَإِلَى اُوْلِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ
الَّذِيْنَ يَسْتَنْبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ
When there comes to them some matter
touching safety or fear, they divulge it. If they had only
referred it to the Messenger, or to those charged with
authority among them, the proper investigators would have
tested it from them. (4:83)
Keeping the above in perspective, we can
say that keeping secrets is an important virtue in a nation.
Whenever this ideal was breached on a small scale in the first
Muslim community, the Almighty employed this opportunity to
discuss the affair, and clarified the importance of the ideal
for all the human beings.
The surah starts with two different
stories. In the first one, the Almighty commands the Prophet (sws)
to break an oath that he had sworn mistaking it for a virtuous
deed. The second story contains a warning on the leaking of a
secret that was revealed due to excessive trust. The surah
then teaches that the consequence of leaking secrets in even
such small matters ends in eternal failure, as is proved from
the examples of the wives of Noah (sws) and Lot (sws). Both
these women did not guard the secrets of their husbands and as
a result they suffered Divine wrath.
In short, the above two examples carry a
rebuke and a warning, in which the whole ummah in general and
the wives of the Prophet (sws) in particular, are commanded to
show obedience to him. It is stated that if they follow this
ideal they will be granted the company of the Prophet (sws) in
this world and also in the one to come. They are to strive
hard to merit his company and avoid breaching trusts so that
they are not deprived of Divine blessing.
The remaining two stories present
examples of perfect obedience and the truest repentance. They
reveal how dear perfect obedience is to God. These examples
help us understand that the believers need to develop a deep
relationship with the Prophet (sws). This attaches great
reward. Being in his company, they will be able to enjoy the
blessings granted to the Prophet (sws) on the Last Day. The
details of these blessings have been provided earlier in the
commentary on Surah al-Hadid. This indeed reveals the essence
of the purification that they were promised. It was promised
that through the advent of the holy Prophet (sws) they would
be purified. God says:
To purify them, and to instruct them in
the Book and Wisdom. (Q 62:02)
This is the fact that makes the religion
and shari‘ah perfect and complete.
(Translated by Tariq Mahmood Hashmi)
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