292. Its explanation has been given in Note. No.3 Surah An-Nisa.

The birth or creation of Hawwa (Eve) from Adam does not need any interpretation. According to the discoveries of the Biological science, there are certain animals which are single-celled, and they automatically divide themselves into parts or two cells: e.g. Amoeba. What is then astonishing if in the beginning from one single being his mate, Hawwa, was created?

293. After mentioning the first couple, the common couples of the humans (man and woman) are now being mentioned.

294. That is: When Allah gives them a good child. instead of thanking Him for His favours, they consider it as the favour of some god or goddess and offer them gifts and presents; some proceed to some temples and some others to some dargahs, then the child is given a name, smacking of polytheism. The idolaters of Makkah used to name their children, among others, Abdul-Uzza (slave of Uzza goddess), Abdush-Shams (slave of the sun); the polytheists of India name their children as Ramdas (slave of Ram) or Gokuldas (slave of Gokul), and the ‘bidati’, misguided Muslims name their children Abdur-Rasool (slave of the prophet), Husain Bakhsh (Gift of Husain), Ghulam Ghaus (slave of Abdul Qadir Jilani) etc.

295. What guidance can these idols give you? If you invoke them for guidance, you would not get any reply from them. To call them or not to call them for this purpose is the same. When they cannot give you any guidance, and when they cannot tell you which way success lies and which way failure, then how can they be god? Can god be such as not to have the capability of giving guidance and is merely a modeller’s clay?

296. The idolaters believe that their idols in reality are the images and symbols of their supposed gods, e.g. of ,the jinns, angels and historical personalities, etc. Therefore, worshipping these idols is worshipping these gods. Quran has taken exception to both these things. When it says, in this verse, that they are slaves like you, it refers to their original and real gods, i.e. jinns, angels and people, etc. It means that whether they be jinns or angels, or people or spirits, all are Allah’s slaves. None has the attributes of godhood. As regards the idols who are supposed to represent them, censure against them comes in the verse that follows.

297. If they are not the slaves of God, but are themselves god, then why do not they answer your calls and invocation, why do they not explain your purpose of life, and why do they not give you guidance in your problems of your life?

298. These are the manifestations of polytheism which the polytheists have made into idols. To bring out its foolishness some questions have been asked here. It means that though the idols have been made in the human form, their hands, feet and eyes. etc., all are only for show. They have neither the ability to walk, nor to hold anything. They can neither see nor can hear. Then how can they be considered gods? But those who are emptyheaded have no hesitation in worshipping them, presuming them to be their providers in times of need, even though they not only do not have any godly attributes, but they do not even have the qualities of man. They also do not hesitate in carving and shaping their own gods. They also do not feel ashamed to drown their own gods into the sea with their own hands.

As for explanation of the idolaters that the idols are merely a means of god-worship, it is against reality, because idolaters do not believe in one god but they believe in numerous deities. Moreover, in practice they consider their idols as a panacea for all their ills and treat them as gods. The way in which the foolishness of the idolaters has been shown in the verse is similar to that which is found in the Zabur (Psalms):

“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but do not speak: eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them are like them; so are all who trust in them. O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield”. (Psalms. 115: 4 to 9)

299. This is a challenge to the idolaters in answer to the threats which they used to give to the prophet (Peace be upon him) that in consequence of his opposition to the idols their wrath would visit him. The idolaters have been challenged to call their gods if they had any power to do anything against him and all of them together should take any revengeful action they would like against the prophet, After this challenge, when they could not harm the prophet in any way, and after the conquest of Makkah the fate which the idols met proved the point that the claim of godhood for these idols was false and Allah alone is the true God.

300. That is: when these idols are unable to see or to hear, then how can they give guidance to worshippers, and when they cannot give guidance, then how can they be gods?

301. It contains a delicate taunt, that whatever is the condition of the idols the same is the condition of their worshippers. Apparently the idols appear to be looking but in reality they are unable to see. Similarly, the idolaters have the eyes and can see the messenger of truth, but in reality they are unable to see and recognize the truth nor its messenger, because they have lost the light of their eyes.

302. The addressee is the prophet (Peace be upon him) but the guidance is for all the people of faith, through him. The direction is to be forgiving, that is, do not mind the troublesome treatment of the godless people and be magnanimous and forgive them, continue to preach righteousness, but when you come across persons who are emotionally charged and not prepared to listen to arguments, leave them to their condition, because the responsibility of preaching to those who do not listen at all does not lie on you.

303. That is: If the treatment of the opponents is provoking you to some rash action, then seek refuge in Allah, He will keep you away from evil.

By acting on these directions, the hearts of the opponents can be won over, and avenues for propagating the message of Islam can be opened. But today the condition of the Muslims is such that they are easily disturbed by the provocation from the Non-Muslims and try to pay them in the same coins. They are not prepared to be forgiving and holding their peace, with the result that they clash with them and no benefit accrues.

304. That is: The conscience of the people who follow the path of ‘taqwa’ (who fear Allah) is always awake. If perchance any Satanic temptation or evil thought crosses their mind, they immediately feel it as such and they clearly see what is right and what is wrong.

305. As against the righteous people, the condition of the brethren of Satan is such that satans go on increasing their acts of straying. When the satanic temptations cross their minds, instead of being startled they are pleased with the improper suggestion and put it into action. In this way they play into the hands of Satan. For purifying the self and moral training, it is a very important directive that has been given in this verse.

306. If there used to be some gap of a long duration before the next revelation, the idolaters used to taunt the prophet (peace be upon him) as to why he did not select a verse, that is, why he did not himself compose a Quranic verse as he was alleged to be doing. It was a provocative statetment, but the prophet was directed to give a very sober answer; which was that he followed only that revelation which was sent down to him by Allah, In other words: his task was not to compose to invent Quranic verses but to present only the revelations that came down to him from his Lord.

307. The fact of the Quranic verses being insight giving proves that they are the revelations from Allah and not the composition of the prophet’s mind. Quran is an open book, and whoever will study it with an open mind will find that whatever has been stated in it is helpful in awakening man’s conscience, in opening the inner eyes of man and in providing light to the human The Quranic words, which are insight giving. and that too of the most excellent order, how can these words be the words of man! Those who have presented their own words, ascribing them to god, contain contradictory matters, conjectures and philosophical intricacies. Their contents neither provide any light to the intellect or thinking, nor do they give any satisfaction to the heart and mind of man. Then how can it be justified to place Quran on the same level?

308. For the people of faith Quran is a guidance as well as a mercy, that is, it gives them right direction and makes it possible for them to receive Divine mercy and favours.

309. In the above lines it has been mentioned what a magnificent Book the Quran Is. The believers are now being directed to listen to it with attention whenever it is recited. No wonder they might even become sharers of this Divine Mercy. Those who raise objections against the writings in Quran, do so because generally they neither read Quran carefully nor do they listen to it with attention when it is recited before them. If they would read it carefully or listen to it attentively, all their doubts and misgivings about it would be removed and they would also be able to partake the gifts of faith.

The main purpose of the verse is the same which has been stated above, that is to listen attentively to Quran when it is recited that is to give general message to listen to it attentively. But as a corollary to this rule is also derived from it that while during the salat (prayer) the Imam is reciting Quran loudly, the ‘muqtadi’ (those behind the Imam) should listen to it attentively and quietly. As for the question, whether the ‘muqtadi’ should themselves recite Surah Fatiha or not when the Imam is reciting Quran inaudibly, the authentic tradition of the prophet should be referred to. It is wrong to drag Quran in support of one’s own school of Fiqh. The right method is to take whatever clear commands or guidance is available in the Quran about problems of Fiqh without any reservation or improper interpretation, for it is the original source and for details the authentic hadith should be referred to, as the Sunnah is the explanator of the Quran. But when people develop a mentality of blind following, they take support of any hadith for proving their school of Fiqh as correct and try to make Quran subservient to hadith, or else they offer such interpretations of the Quran and hadith that ‘opinion’ or ‘conjecture’ gain an upper hand over the Quran and Sunnah. The followers of the Quran should avoid taking such liberties.

There is a hint in the verse that when the Quran is being recited, Allah’s mercy provides its shade for the gathering. In a hadith the prophet (Peace be upon him) has clarified this hint in these words:

“Those who gather in the houses of Allah (mosques), recite Allah’s Book, read and teach it mutually, Allah’s comfort descends on them, and mercy covers them and the angels gather around them, and Allah speaks about them to those near Him”.

310. Here two forms of remembering Allah have been mentioned, one is remembering Him in one’s heart and the other is remembering with the tongue. Along with it, we are also directed to remember Him in humility and with awe, and when we should remember Him orally that is when we should recite His name or His words, we should do so without loudness, so that we may be within the respectable limits and also avoid pretensions.

It may be noted that ‘Zikr’ (rememberence) is neither the name of the tongue’s exercise nor that of emitting specific kinds of voices of ‘Hu Haq’, nor is it the customary ‘wird-o-wazeefah’, that one may repeat specific words again and again, yet the heart may not be attentive towards Allah, and the person concerned may not be experiencing any humility and awe.

As regards reading the rosary or counting the beads of ‘tasbeeh’, it may be clarified that in Islam there is no system of reading, reciting or counting rosary. This method bad been copied or borrowed from other nations, and it has no relation with the direction of remembering Allah’s name secretly as stated in this verse. In this method of counting the beads of tasbeeh, the act of remembrance is rather less, however the show of remembering Allah is more.

The timings of mornings and evenings are of the changing conditions. During these times man enters from one condition into another. therefore. in these timings especially efforts to remember Him should be made.

311. It shows that if man does not habituate himself to remember Allah, veils of neglect cover his heart. Salat (prayers) is a complete form of Allah’s remembrance, but besides salat, it is necessary and desirable that man should remember Allah in his various states during the day. while standing, sitting, walking and in his business activities so that he may never be without His thought and remembrance.

312. Means those angels that are close to God. whom the ignorant people have made their gods. though they consider themselves as Allah’s slaves and are always engaged in worshipping Him. They sing His praises and prostrate themselves before Him. If you want to be near to Allah, you should also develop in yourselves these angelic qualities. On the recitation of this verse. it is confirmed that the prophet used to prostrate himself, and the wisdom of this practise is that man may be duly influenced by what is stated here, and he should at once prove that he is not proud and that he is bowing his head before Allah.