Surah Ash-Shuraa 42:30-53 - Quran Translation Commentary

(42:33) If He willed, He could still the wind; then they would remain motionless on its back.⁵⁴ In that there surely are signs for every stoutly patient, thanksgiving (person).

(42:34) Or He could wreck them on account of what they earn, but He forgives much.

(42:35) And let those who dispute in Our signs know that they have no place to escape.

(42:36) Whatsoever thing you are given is for the enjoyment of the life of this world, while what is with Allah is better and longer lasting for those who believe,⁵⁵ and place (their) trust in their Lord.⁵⁶

(42:37) And those who avoid the great sins⁵⁷ and the obscene, and, when they get angry, they are forgiving.⁵⁸

(42:38) And those who responded to their Lord, prayed (regularly and assiduously), and whose affair between themselves is by mutual consultation, ⁵⁹ and, out of what We have bestowed on them, they expend.⁶⁰

(42:39) And those who, when oppression strikes them, avenge themselves.⁶¹

(42:40) And, recompense for an evil is an evil like thereof.⁶² However, he who forgave, brought about a reconciliation, then, His reward is upon Allah. Indeed, He does not approve of the wrongdoers.

(42:41) And, whoever avenged himself after he was wronged, then those, upon them there is no way.⁶³

(42:42) The way is open only against those who wrong the people and act rebelliously in the earth without right. They, for them there is a painful chastisement.

(42:43) Yet, he who bore in patience, and forgave, surely, that is of the matters of great resolution.

(42:44) And, whomsoever Allah led astray, He has no protector after Him. And you will see the wrongdoers, when they will see the Chastisement, saying, ‘Is there any way to return?’⁶⁴

(42:45) You will see them as they are exposed to it, humbled in disgrace, looking with a stealthy glance;⁶⁵ when the believers will say, ‘Surely, losers are those who ruined themselves and their families on the Day of Judgment.’⁶⁶ Lo! The wrongdoers will be in a lasting Chastisement.

(42:46) They have no protectors, besides Allah, who could help them. Indeed, he who is led astray by Allah, has no way (of escape).

(42:47) Respond (therefore) to your Lord before there comes a day when there will be no putting back against Allah; that day, you shall have no place of refuge, nor will you have any (room) for denial.

(42:48) But if they turn away, then, We have not sent you a guard upon them. No more is there upon you but the conveyance. Indeed, when We bestow a mercy upon man, he exults therein. But when an evil strikes them, because of what their hands have forwarded, truly then is man ungrateful.⁶⁷

(42:49) To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He will. He bestows on whomsoever He will females, and bestows on whomsoever He will males.⁶⁸

(42:50) Or He couples them as males and females; and, He renders whomsoever He will, barren; He is indeed All-knowing, All-powerful.⁶⁹

(42:51) It was not for any mortal that Allah should speak to him (directly) except by revelation, or from behind a veil, ⁷⁰ or should send a Messenger to reveal by His leave what He will.⁷¹ He is indeed the Most High, the Most Wise.⁷²

(42:52) And thus have We revealed to you a lifeforce⁷³ of Our bidding. You were not knowing what a Book is, nor faith;⁷⁴ but rather We made it a Light, whereby We guide whom We will of Our slaves. You are surely guiding to a straight path.

(42:53) The path of Him to whom belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. Lo! To Allah return the affairs

Commentary

51. “This oft-recurring phrase is a Qur’ānic metonym for man’s doings and conscious attitudes in this world, meant to bring out the fact that these doings or attitudes are the ‘harvest’ of a person’s spiritual character and have, therefore, a definite influence on the quality of his life in the hereafter” (Asad).

52. As Allah said elsewhere (35: 45): “If Allah were to seize the people for what they earn, He would not have left a living creature on its back.”

And the Prophet said as in a hadīth of the Sahihayn, “There is no affliction that strikes a Muslim - neither fatigue, disease, worry, grief, harm, nor anguish, including a thorn that pricks him - but Allah expiates (a sin) thereby.”

Another report elucidates further. It is in Ahmad which says, `Ali said, “May I not inform you about the best of verses in Allah’s Book that the Prophet told us about? It is: ‘And, whatever affliction strikes you is because of what your own hands have earned, although He forgives much,’ And I shall explain to you presently O `Ali (said the Prophet): No disease strikes you, nor a scourge or a tribulation of this world, but it is because of what your hands have earned. And, Allah is more generous than that He should repeat the punishment upon you in the Hereafter and, Allah is more clement than that He should return (to punishment) after having forgiven (Qurtubi, Alusi).”

The report is also in Ibn Abi Hatim (Ibn Kathir, Shawkani); but its authenticity could not be traced (Au.).

After stating the above narrative, Imām Razi reports Wahidi as explaining why this verse is the best of verses. Allah (swt) divided the sins of the believers into two categories: first, those that are forgiven through expiations, and second, those that He forgives in this world itself; and He is the Noble who will not return to punishment. Thus, the believer will rise on the Day of Judgment sinless, and thus this is the most hopegiving Ayah of the Qur’ān.

It is also reported, continue Ibn Kathir and Shawkani, that some people entered upon `Imran b. Hussayn who was suffering from some bodily ailment. Somebody remarked, “We feel sorry to see you in this state.” He replied, “Do not be sorry. What you see is nothing but the result of sins; although what Allah forgives is much.”

And, Alusi adds, Asma` bint Abi Bakr would place her hand on her head when she experienced headache and say, “This is because of my sins although Allah forgives much.”

As for Prophets and pious men, the tribulations they undergo are for raising their status in the Hereafter (Thanwi and others).

53. It might be remembered that the Prophet had neither seen a boat nor a sea, far from ships of enormous size standing tall on water resembling landmarks. Nor can it be said that he could have heard the apt description from someone. In view of the fact that this Surah is Makkan, where his opponents found fault with everything he said or did, had the Prophet reproduced the description of another person, that person would have immediately claimed that the Prophet had taken the beautiful expression from him (Au.).

54. “On its back” i.e., on the back of the sea (Au.).

55. We present a summary of the summary that Sayyid Qutb places here of the passage that follows from this Ayah onward: These verses depict the qualities of the community of Muslims that was raised in Makkah and before the establishment of an Islamic state in Madinah. We need to ponder over them, in view of the fact that they are the qualities of a people who were to take up the leadership of mankind. They are: Faith, trust in Allah, avoidance of the major sins and the obscene, forgiveness in the state of anger, responding to Allah’s calls, establishment of the Prayer, extensive consultation, expending in the way of Allah, avenging the oppressor, forgiveness, reformation and patience. These are the criteria by which the Muslim community is measured. These should always remain before the sight of the people.

Thereafter Sayyid presents extracts on “faith” from Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi’s well-known master-piece of its time, “Ma dha khasira al-`alam binhitat al-Muslimin”? (What did the World Lose from the Decline of the Muslims?). We drop out the last three paragraphs here: “The major knot was unentangled – the knot of Association and disbelief - and the rest of the knots automatically uncoiled.

The Prophet fought against this first, after which he did not need to fight for the sake of every command and every prohibition. Islam overcame the Jahiliyyah in its first concerted attack. Thereafter, (Divine) help was his ally in every battle that was fought. They had entered into Islam wholeheartedly, wholly and completely: with their bodies, minds, hearts and souls: not disputing with the Prophet after what of the Guidance had become apparent to them; not finding any resistance in their hearts to what the Prophet decided about them, leaving no other choice nor alternatives after what he had commanded or prohibited but to obey (p.73, second print).

“Until, when Shaytan’s share had left their hearts – but rather, when their selves had renounced their share – and had done justice to their inner selves, the way they would do to others, and, while living in this world they became men of the other world, living out today as men of tomorrow, no infliction frightening them, nor any blessing affecting them with vanity; no want busying them, no wealth leading them to arrogance, no trade making them unheeding, no power weakening them, neither seeking dominance in the land nor corruption, but rather became standards of judgment for the people: those who stood by justice being witnesses against themselves, even if it happened to be against their own souls, or their parents and kin.

The east and west were subdued for them and they became guardians of humanity, preservers of the worlds, callers to the religion of Allah...”

(page 74).

Discussing the effects of true faith on human character and behavior, he (Abul Hasan Ali) wrote: “People, whether Arabs or non-Arabs, were living in Jahiliyyah; prostrating themselves to every thing that was created to serve them. That was a life in which neither the one obedient to the law was rewarded nor one discarding it was punished. An individual neither enjoined the good nor prevented the evil. Religiousness was something superficial in their lives.

It had no power over their souls, their selves, or their hearts, nor did it influence their character or their environment. Their belief in God was in a Person who had created to perfection but had abandoned the kingdom to mankind placing the mantle of Lordship on them. In consequence, they took upon themselves, the running of the affairs, distribution of wealth and property, and various other affairs that a kingdom attempts to organize. Their faith in God was something that can be termed as historical. It was similar to that which is obtained when students ask their history teacher in reference to God, and about creation of the heavens and the earth. They ask the teacher, ‘Who got this palace constructed?’ The teacher answers, ‘It was built by such and such a historical personality.’ The teacher need not show any respect to that king of the past, nor should he feel any fear.

That was the nature of replies they received when they inquired about God. In consequence, their religion was free of any fear of God and of hope when they addressed their supplications to Him. They knew nothing about God that would endear Him to them. Their knowledge in this respect was vague, puzzling, incomplete and brief. It created neither love in their hearts nor fear…”

“… The Arabs, and those who entered into Islam, stepped up, from this sick, obscure and spiritless understanding into clear, profound and spiritual understanding that exercised influence on the body, heart and soul, affecting the morals and the society. They believed in someone ‘whose are the best of Names and the best of examples: the Merciful, the Compassionate, the Master of the Day of Judgment, the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Granter of Peace, the Preserver, the Mighty, the Enforcer, the Proud, the Creator, the Originator, the Shaper, the Wise, the Forgiving, the Loving, the Kind: He to whom belongs the creation and whose is the Command, who has the sovereignty over all, and over everything, who gives refuge against whom no one can provide refuge …’ to the end of the description of Him given in the Qur’ān. He rewards with Paradise and tortures with Fire.

He extends provision unto whomsoever He will or restricts, who knows the hidden in the heavens and the earth, who knows the treachery of the eye and what the breasts conceal ... to the end of what has come in the Qur’ān describing His knowledge, power and ability.

“With this kind of clear, all-comprehensive and profound faith, the believers underwent an amazing alteration in their personalities. When one of them entered into belief and testified that there is no deity but Him, his life underwent a massive change, inside and outside. Faith entered into the inside of him and then spread thereon into every artery, pervading every perception. It ran through his body like blood through the veins, pulling out the germs of the Jahiliyyah, root and branch. It inundated the mind and soul with its outpourings to convert the man into an altogether different person. There appeared in him dazzling qualities of faith, trust, patience and courage and such deeds flowed out of him as which puzzled the minds, psychology, and the science of behavior. It has remained a puzzling and inexplicable phenomenon to this day. The way the personalities changed, have left no room for any other interpretation but that the factor of influence was none other than their faith” (p. 75- 76).

56. When Allah had presented a few evidences of His oneness, He followed it up with the denigration of this world, since it is the love of this world that leads to the denial of truth (Razi).

57. See Surah al-Nisa’, note 119 and 120 for identification of the Major Sins.

58. If a Muslim forgives a wrong done to him, then, he might remember that he has the example of his Prophet before him.

It is reported in Sahih collections that the Prophet never took revenge for a wrong done to him, but he reacted strongly when one of Allah’s commandment was violated. In that situation he was acting on behalf of Allah. According to another report (as in Bukhari), he would say when angry, “What’s wrong with him?” or, “May he have dust on his forehead,”

or the like words. His Companions followed him in good suit. Ibn Abi Hatim has reported about them that they did not like to be ridiculed. But when they got the better of their adversary, they forgave (Ibn Kathir).

59. Consequently, the Prophet consulted his Companions in matters concerning war and peace (Ibn Kathir).

Mawdudi expands: A few reasons why Islam has given consultation such importance: In matters involving rights of other people (in addition to one’s own), not consulting those others is to do them injustice and usurp their right apart from the fact that it involves grave responsibility in terms of accountability in the Hereafter.

Accordingly, Islamic way of life requires that consultation should be resorted to in all matters of common interest. In domestic life, one must consult his wife. When children grow up, they must be involved. If the matter concerns a whole tribe or the population of a city, then consultation must take place at that level.

In matters involving the interests of a nation, the head of the government should be appointed by common consent of the people, and he ought to consult the men of opinion – who in turn enjoy people’s confidence - in all matters of national importance.

Conversely, those whose interests are involved should have the right to freely express their opinion. They must have the right to check, voice protest, and change the rulers. Finally, the advisory committee should not be a mere stamping authority. Its recommendations must be accepted and implemented. Allah (swt) did not say, “They consult each other in their affairs,” but rather, “They conduct their affairs by mutual consultation.”

Finally, there is no consultation in matters already decided by Allah, nor any advice is acceptable if it violates any of the Shari`ah principles.

If there is any dispute the matter should be referred to the Qur’ān and Sunnah (Condensed).

This last point has been stressed by most commentators. Consultation is restricted to affairs where Islam has not pronounced a ruling. There is no changing the Shari`ah law even if it has the consent of the entire mankind.

On the other hand, consultation is a requirement in affairs of some importance. There is no point in consulting over minor affairs. Finally, if an affair happens to be of the kind where Islamic law is unclear, it is to be referred to scholars of high caliber to work out the ruling in the light of the texts and Law sources.

Sayyid adds: The fact that the Ayah stipulating consultation is Makkan, much before an Islamic state was set up, tells us that it is a part of Muslim culture, it is the way of their life.

Indeed, the characteristics of an Islamic state are no more than the projection of the character of its Muslim citizens. It is the Muslim society in general which creates it, projects it, and activates it. A Muslim society lives by the injunctions of Islam, and gives them the priority and preference over everything else. Thus, consultation is older than the state, has wider context and has profound implications, while it happens to be the distinguishing mark of the individuals, society and state. As for the form consultation will take, it has neither been concretized nor frozen.

Every society or state is free to work out its own manner of conducting the affairs through consultation. In fact, the principles and methods of the organization of the state and its machinery are not molded in steel.

There are no texts requiring literal application. But rather, and before anything else, it is the spirit - which is generated by the faith residing in the hearts – that has to be there. This spirit, the outcome of firm faith, has its deep and profound effect on everything that Muslims do. Without this spirit, generated by faith, the best consultative or administrative systems will fail to generate any noticeable benefit. It is true spirit in fact, which generates the “form.” The texts help to systematize, and not to “create” the “forms.” So that, whatever form an Islamic system adopts for itself, it is essential that there exist believers and there exists a proactive faith. Otherwise, none of the systems devised by them would do them any good nor would such a system deserve to be called Islamic.

Consequently, whensoever it happened that there were true Muslims, and faith resided in their hearts, the Islamic system grew out by itself, manifesting itself in a form which suited those Muslims, their environment and their situation best.

60. “And, out of what We have provided them, they expend”: This is an early text that speaks of expending in Allah’s path. This is because, there is no recourse to Da`wah but through charity. There is no recourse but to cleansing of the hearts, removal of parsimony, getting over the love of wealth, and dependence on what is with Allah. And all these are necessary requirements for what we refer to as faith, as they are necessary for the creation of a healthy society.

Da`wah after all, is a struggle. There is no other way but total co-operation for Da`wah to be successful.

Sometimes this community liability will require absolute economic leveling of all the members of the society, as it happened early after Hijrah, until, (when the situation became normal), the standard zakah practices were adopted. At all events, expending is one of the essential characteristics of those burdened with leadership of the people (Sayyid).

61. (That is, Islam is not the religion of the weak, and the Muslims are not such weaklings as to be unable to defend themselves, or tolerate every tyrant without a squirm, a demand constantly made on them by their adversaries: Au.). They have the will and the power to strike back (so that the evil ones might not take advantage of them: Razi).

Majid adds: “This (provision of revenge) negatives all-sufficiency of the doctrine of non-violence. Non-resistance does not necessarily prove a protection and melt the heart of the aggressor. Consider the classical example of the attempted, and almost accomplished, crucification of Jesus Christ – perfect non-violence on one side and wanton aggressiveness on the other.”

Sayyid writes: “Mention of this quality in a Makkan revelation has special significance. It is being mentioned as the inherent quality of the Muslim community: that of facing up a tyrant and refusal to bend down to oppression. This is a natural quality of a community raised up for the purposes of enjoining the virtuous and preventing the wrong and who is duty-bound to establish peace and justice on the earth. This community seeks its strength from Allah. It is another thing that there once was, in Makkah, a situation that did not allow for retaliation, when the ear- lier stages in the making of a Muslim personality required patience. They were then to establish the Prayer, expend in charity and bear the hardships in patience. But that was specific to a community passing through those conditions. It was not to be a permanent quality.

There were several reasons why an attitude of non-retaliation was adopted at Makkah. Firstly, that was a tribal society with all its trappings and complications. The torturous treatment of the early Muslims was at the hands of their own masters.

Any other of any other tribe, could not dare harm them in any way without inviting tribal vengeance.

Hence we see that when a Muslim purchased a slave and set him free, he could no more be tortured by his former master, or any person of any tribe. Had retaliation been allowed during that early phase, slaves would have attacked their masters and every home which registered a Muslim would have turned into a battle-field. Secondly, the social system then was tribal and its sense of honor was high. Muslim patience in the face of persecution was very likely to provoke the sense of honor. To be sure, this is what happened when the Muslims were socially boycotted for three years. Ultimately, the sense of honor and pride worked in their favor, and the agreement was torn away. Thirdly, the Arab culture of that time was a warring culture, one where small pretexts led them to draw swords. The personality that Islam wished to create had to be a balanced one, not one which rushed to arms at every lean pretext. It had to learn to be patient while equally ready to take vengeance if the situation so demanded. In that phase, the ability to observe patience was a necessary tool for training (Sayyid, reworded).

It is another thing, writes Ibn Kathir, that when they overcome an oppressor, they forgive like the Prophet forgave those eighty who had tried to attack him in treachery at Hudaybiyyah.

Although he was able to overpower them, he forgave them all.

On the personal level, he forgave the man who had intended to kill him while he rested under a tree. Displaying extreme calm he was able to disarm him, but, after that, he forgave him. Similarly, he forgave Labid b. al-A`sam who cast magical spell on him, as he also forgave the Jewish woman at Khaybar who admitted to having poisoned him; although later, when one of his Companions, Bishr b. al-Bara’, died out of the effects of that poisoning, he got her executed in retaliation. His life is full of such examples from which we have chosen but a few to narrate.

In sum, writes Sayyid, apart from the several objectives viz., the ability to forgive for the sake of Allah, reformation of the individual, and free the society of the emotions of hatred, forgiveness is only effective when it comes from someone able to avenge. When someone has the power, and then forgives, then it leads the wrongdoer to remorse and shame and to the recognition that the person who forgave is a man of higher virtue. In fact, the power that leads to forgiveness, leads to a higher mode of existence. In contrast, forgiveness out of weakness and inability to do anything is an evil which leads the oppressor to greater wrong, and spreads corruption in the land.

Alusi places a note: The Prophet has added to the Qur’ānic recommendation.

He said, as in a Sahih hadīth in Tirmidhi, “There are three about which I could swear. And, I shall narrate to you something, that you ought to remember.” Then he said, “A slave’s wealth does not decrease because of charitable expending, nor was a man wronged yet observed patience but Allah granted increase in his repute, and, a slave did not resort to begging but Allah opened a door of poverty on him.”

62. Although retaliation of an evil is justice, it hurts the original perpetrator as evil does, and, therefore, the justification for the words, “recompense for an evil is an evil like of it.”

Another question is, should those who avenge themselves be praised? The answer is, yes: so long as they retaliate in equal measure. Retaliation is administration of justice, and, justice is a praiseworthy quality (Zamakhshari).

This Ayah has its equivalents in several places. E.g., (2: 194), “Therefore, whosoever does you wrong, you might also do him wrong in equal measure.”

Or, (16: 126), “If you seek revenge, you might avenge with something similar to the wrong committed against you.

But if you forgave, then that is best for the patient” (Ibn Kathir).

At all events, Imām Shafe`i has used this verse to deduce that a Muslim may not be killed in retaliation of a “dhimmi” killed at his hand, for, the Ayah is demanding equality. A “dhimmi” is not equal to a Muslim, and therefore, only blood-wit will be demanded of him in retaliation of a murdered “dhimmi” (Razi). Imām Abu Hanifah has differed over this issue and has ruled that a Muslim should pay with his life for taking the life of a “dhimmi.” He has his own points of argument (Au.).

63. That is, there are situations in which forgiving is not the best course.

It is reported that in the presence of Hasan al-Basri a man began to chide and scold another. The other man remained silent, but the chiding and scolding so disturbed the man that he began to sweat. Then he stood up (to go) and recited this Ayah. But Hasan al-Basri admonished him, saying “Man, think (over the passage) and ponder. Ignorant people imagine that forgiving is obligatory.”

That is, Zamakhshari and Qurtubi add, in certain situations avenging is obligatory. The Prophet himself allowed for defense. On one occasion, as the report goes, and as narrated by `A’isha, once Zaynab entered into her house without seeking permission, in an agitated condition and said to the Prophet, “Beware of Abu Bakr’s daughter that she should get the better of you.” Then she turned to `A’isha and began to scold her.

But `A’isha did not say a word in reply until the Prophet said, “Defend yourself.” “So I began to speak out,”

says `A’isha, “until her mouth was dry, unable to reply me with a word.”

The Prophet’s face brightened up.

Ibn Kathir traces the above report (also quoted by Ibn Jarir) as in Nasa’i and Ibn Majah and declares it Sahih.

As a final word, one might say that it will all depend on the persons involved, the situation, and the issue (Au.).

We have a report in Abu Da’ud, although “mursal ” which says, Sa`id ibn al-Musayyib reports: While the Prophet was sitting with a few of his Companions, a man began to abuse Abu Bakr.

But Abu Bakr remained silent.

The man abused him a second time. But Abu Bakr remained silent. Then he abused him a third time. At that Abu Bakr replied to him. The Prophet arose when Abu Bakr began to defend himself. Abu Bark asked, “Messenger of Allah, did you find anything wrong with me?” He replied, “An angel had come down refuting his lying against you. But when you spoke defending yourself, Shaytan came in. And I am not one to sit in a place visited by Shaytan” (Ibn Kathir).

64. That is, writes Ibn Jarir, a return to the previous world, the Ayah being a replica in meaning of several others such as (32: 12), “And, if you could but see when the criminals will be in the presence of their Lord, their heads lowered (saying), ‘O our Lord! We have seen and we have heard. So, send us back that we may do righteous deeds. We are now indeed convinced.’”

65. This is in the same way in which a criminal about to be slaughtered looks at the sword of the executioner (Zamakhshari).

66. So the believers will be masters of the situation at that time (Sayyid).

67. “I.e., instead of remembering his past happiness with gratitude, he calls the very existence of God in question, arguing that if God did really exist, He ‘could not possibly have permitted’ so much misfortune and unhappiness to prevail in the world’ – a fallacious argument inasmuch as it does not take the reality of the hereafter into account and is, moreover, based on a concept of God in terms of purely human feelings and expressions” (Asad).

The above in any case, is the attitude of most people. The Prophet said when he addressed women (in a gathering for `Eid Prayers): “O womenfolk, expend in charity for I saw you as most of the inhabitants of the Fire.” One of the intelligent women asked, “What is wrong with us that we are the most in Hellfire?” He replied, “Because you curse a lot and are unthankful to the family (that supports you).” But of course, a true believer’s attitude is different. He is obedient in all situations: of ease or discomforts, as in a hadīth of Muslim: “The believer’s affair is amazing.

All of his affairs are good for him – and this is not for anyone but for a believer: if good fortune strikes him, he is thankful, which of course is good for him; but if evil strikes him he bears it with patience and fortitude, thus it is good for him” (Ibn Kathir).

The hadīth that Ibn Kathir quotes about women is from Ahmad but we have taken from Muslim (Au.).

68. Several reasons have been forwarded by the commentators for mentioning the female first. Imām Razi for instance states that since woman is weak, Allah mentioned her first to demonstrate His concern for them.

But perhaps it is also because human regeneration is not possible without a female: males can never conceive, while females can conceive without the co-operation of the males (as is the case with some animals which can reproduce without the male’s contribution). Also, in great majority of cases, the first child is female, perhaps, once again, following the above biological truth (Au.).

Qurtubi notes that in view of this verse, it is considered good omen that a woman should bring forth a female child first. This is reported, adds Alusi, of Qatadah also.

69. Most commentators have quoted the examples of Prophets themselves: Prophets Lut and Shu`ayb (who had only female children), Ibrahim (who had only sons), Muhammad (who was bestowed both females as well as male progenies), and `Isa and Yahya (who were childless). Imām Razi and Qurtubi attribute the above to Ibn `Abbas, but the authenticity could not be confirmed.

Qurtubi adds that in view of this verse which speaks of only two sexes, some scholars have thought that there is no third sex, i.e., hermaphrodites.

Qurtubi, goes on to say that he is with those who believe there have been hermaphrodites in history, although, he could not confirm through his personal experience.

Those few who have believed that there are no more than two sexes, have modern scientific evidence to their credit. There are, in fact, no hermaphrodites.

Those who are thought to be in between, are either males or females, and, perhaps need some physical and psychological treatment to behave and live like males or females.

Nature does not produce any hermaphrodites (Au.).

70. That is, the angel remains concealed, invisible, while delivering the Message. Or, Allah remains concealed even the while speaking directly to one of His slaves. This is how Musa (asws) was addressed.

Those in our times who believe that the term “hijab” (when used in reference to a woman’s covering), allows for uncovering of the face, may make note of the usage here (Au.).

71. That is, as Suddi said, “it was not for any mortal that Allah should speak to him (directly) except by revelation,”

i.e., inspire the message in his heart, “or from behind a veil,” as Allah did with Musa, “or should send a Messenger,” i.e., Jibril, to reveal the message (in person) – Ibn Jarir.

72. “As described by the Prophet, there were,” Sayyid quotes Ibn al- Qayyim, “four kinds of revelations.

The first: that which the angel used to inspire in the heart without the Prophet being able to see him. For example, he said, ‘Verily, the Holy Ghost blew it into my heart that no soul will die until it has completed its share of providence.

Therefore, fear Allah, and adopt goodly ways in seeking it.’ Second: the angel would arrive in a human form and address him until he knew what he was saying. Third: his??? arrival sounded like ringing of a bell. That was the toughest on him so that his forehead sweated on an extreme cold day; and his mount would kneel down if he was on one.

Once a revelation of this nature came to him when his thigh happened to be on that of Zayd b. Thabit. The latter felt the weight until he thought his thigh would break. Fourth: He would see the angel in the form in which he has been created to inspire in him what he would. This happened to the Prophet twice, as Allah mentioned in Surah al-Najm.”

To the above of course, we might add another kind mentioned in the Ayah under discussion: “It was not for any mortal that Allah should speak to him (directly) except … from behind a veil.” An example of this is described in the Qur’ān (4: 164), “And Allah spoke to Musa, directly.”

That is, without the medium of an angel, although He Himself remained behind the veil of light (Au.).

73. Although Suddi thought the reference by “ruh” is to revelation, Hasan (al-Basri) said that the allusion is to “rahmah”, i.e. mercy (Ibn Jarir). Another interpretation is that the allusion by “ruh” is to the Qur’ān (Ibn Kathir), because, adds Zamakhshari, it gives life to the soul just as the spirit gives life to the body.

74. The term “imān” here alludes to the detailed belief in Allah, His Messengers, angels, etc., and not to mere belief in Allah’s existence or His oneness.

Qadi (`Iyad) has said that “we have received no report about any Prophet that he committed disbelief or declared partners to Allah during his pre-Prophetic life.” In fact, many of them displayed signs of being on the right path, although if asked, they would not have been able to define it. They were given understanding and wisdom, and prevented from adopting any pagan practice, as preparatory qualities (and practices), before they became Messengers. Allah said about Yahya (19: 12), “We gave him wisdom in childhood;”

He said about Sulayman (21: 79), “And We gave the understanding to Sulayman. And to all (of them) We gave wisdom and knowledge.”

He also said about Ibrahim (21: 51), “We had certainly granted Ibrahim his rectitude earlier.”

It is said that when he was thrown into the fire, he was sixteen years old.

(When Isma’il was consulted over the slaughter, he was perhaps less than ten: Au.).

Similarly, Allah said about Yusuf (12: 15), “And We revealed to him that you will surely inform them about this affair of theirs.”

(Our own Prophet sought recluse in caves to meditate over the truth, thus revealing his dissatisfaction with the pagan religion: Alusi, in different words).

Biographers tell us that twice the Prophet thought of taking part in pagan functions but Allah saved him both the times. Qadi `Iyad has also pointed out that the Quraysh threw all sorts of allegations against him but never said, “Are you not the one who was worshiping our deities until recently?” Had the Prophet once evoked them, surely they would have used it against him. Did they not say (2: 142), “What has turned them from the Qiblah on which they were?” In short, even before revelations are sent to them, Prophets are saved by Allah from worshiping idols or taking part in pagan rituals. It is in the light of these details that this Ayah, “You were not knowing what a Book was, nor what faith was,” is to be understood.

Although the Prophet did not know the details of faith, or what exactly Revealed literature was, he never prostrated himself to an idol, did not ascribe partners unto Allah, never went to a soothsayer and never drank wine. In fact, a hadīth to the effect that the Prophet participated in a pagan function, has been declared fabricated by Imām Ahmed and Dara Qutni (Qurtubi – shortened).