Verse:122 Commentary Commentary

In the previous verses, mentioned there was the demand of ever new miracles by disbelievers as proof of their sheer obstinacy as they had already witnessed the open miracle of the Qur'an itself. After that, the Qur'an argued that the miracles already before their eyes should have been enough to lead them to the true path, only if these people themselves would have been genuinely seeking truth. Then, came the description of these miracles.

The present verse employs a similitude to focus on two life-styles in a tight frame. On one side is the state of those who believe in the Qur'an and in the Prophet of Islam, may he be blessed and protected by Allah Ta` ala. Then, on the other side, there is the state of those who refuse to believe in them. Also stated through it is the good or bad end of both, as well as, the reality of what a believer or disbeliever stands for, and what belief and disbelief actually are. A believer is like one alive and the disbeliever is like one who is dead. Belief or 'Iman is like light - and Disbelief or Kufr is like darkness. These are Qur'anic similitude. They are no poetry. They are a statement of reality.

Believer is Alive; Disbeliever, dead.

In this similitude, a Mu'min, a true believer has been identified as alive while a Kafir, a disbeliever, has been pointed to as dead. The reason is that kinds and forms of life in human beings, animals and vege-tation differ, but this much no sensible person can deny that every life form is there for a specific purpose. And nature has endowed it with full ability to achieve this purpose. This is what the Qur'an is saying in: أَعْطَىٰ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلْقَهُ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ (Our Lord gave everything its creation, then guided it - 20:50), that is: Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu created everything in the universe and gave it full instructions to achieve the purpose for which it was created. It is under this arrangement that all created beings are pursuing the mission assigned to them. In this eco-system, land, water, air and fire, and the moon, the sun and the stars are all aware of their duties and are fulfilling it. And this act of fulfilling their duties is a proof of life in all those things. And when one of these, whatever the condition or time, stops fulfilling its duties, then, it is no more alive; it is dead. If water stops its function of quenching thirst and removing impurities, it will not remain water anymore. If fire stops igniting and burning, it will not be the fire it was anymore. Trees and vegetation, once they stop growing and bearing flowers and fruits, will not be the trees and vegetation as they are - because they have abandoned the purpose of their life, as a result of which, they became lifeless, like the dead.

After looking at the universe around him bit by bit, anyone with the least fund of reason and understanding with him is bound to ponder about questions such as: What is the purpose of human life? What is one supposed to do as duty? Now, if one is fulfilling the purpose of one's life, one is entitled to be taken as alive - and whoever is not fulfilling the purpose of one's life, he or she is no better than a dead body.

What is the purpose of human life and what are the duties human beings have to fulfill? The question needs thought and - an answer. Ac-cording to the principle 'stated above, it has already been determined that one who is fulfilling the purpose of his or her life is alive, otherwise, is dead. Now there are sightless tyrants among human beings who would take their species as self-rising vegetation or some kind of smart animal, with whom there is no distinction between a human being and a donkey or dog. According to them, the sole purpose of life is to fulfill the desire of one's self, to eat, drink, sleep, wake up, and then die. So, reasonable people anywhere in the world would not take them as their addressees. People of reason and understanding, no matter what their religion, community or school of thought, have all along the lanes of time been in agreement that human beings are the superior most in creation and that the universe has been made and put into their service. It is obvious that what is most superior has to have a purpose of life which is matchingly superior. Every discerning person knows that there is no difference between human beings and animals as far as eating, drinking, sleeping and waking, finding and holding a shelter, dressing and wearing is concerned - in fact, many animals eat better and eat more than them, are even dressed better in standard natural attires. They even live in better surroundings with lots of fresh air. As for knowing their gain and loss, there too, every animal, even every tree, has awareness to limits suited to it. They have the ability to acquire the beneficial and stay away from the harmful. Similarly, when it comes to being beneficial to others, all animals and the vegetation seem to be obviously way ahead of human beings in that their flesh, skin, bone, ligaments, and of trees, including all they have in between their roots to the tiniest leaves, almost everything is harnessed into the service of man, yielding countless benefits to produce things needed in life. It is interesting that quite contrary to this, there is man whose flesh is of no use to anyone, nor is his skin, or hair, or bone or ligaments.

Now worth finding out is how does Monseigneur Humane (Mr. Man, the homo sapiens), under these circumstances, stand to deserve being the served one in this universe and being the cream of creation as much heralded? This brings us closer to the destination of truth. A little reflection will reveal that the reach of reason and consciousness given to all these units of creation is limited to the transitory and acci-dental gain or loss - and it is in this life, it appears beneficial for others. What was there before the life on this earth and what will be coming after is a field in which the reason and consciousness of nothing organic or inorganic, not even that of the smartest of animals, would work, nor can anything there serve as functional or beneficial in this particular field. So, this is the field in which human beings have to work, human beings for whom the universe has been commissioned to serve, and human beings who are the most superior of all creation. Only this will bring out the difference between the distinct status of human beings as compared with other elements of creation clearly and conclusively.

What we now know is that the purpose of human beings on this earth is to keep in sight the beginning and the end of this universe, to assess what it entails as a result, to determine what is collectively beneficial or harmful, then use the insight so gained to acquire the beneficial and abstain from the harmful, and also invite others towards the beneficial and take measures to shield them from the harmful - so that the dream of a life of lasting peace and tranquility can be fulfilled. Now that it is settled that the purpose of human life is to ac-quire this standard benefit issuing forth from human perfection indi-vidually and collectively, enriching one's own self and at the same time enriching others. This realization helps us see the similitude of the Holy Qur'an we have been talking about in the form of a reality - that alive is one who puts his or her faith in Allah Ta` ala and in His Rasul صلى الله عليه وسلم and in between his or her view of the beginning and end of life, recognizes his collective gain and loss in the light of Divine Rev-elation, because human reason alone has never triumphed over this field, nor it can. And when we know that, in terms of the fulfillment of the purpose of life, the person alive is the person who follows the Divine Revelation and is a believer, then we also come to the definite conclusion that whoever does not do that deserves to be called dead. Maulana Rumi has put it so delightfully:

زندگی از بہر طاعت بندگی است بےعبادت زندگی شرمندگی ست

آدمت لحم و شحم و پوست نیست آدمیت جز رضایے دوست نیست

Life is to obey and serve Life without devotion is a shame

Man's reality is not flesh; fat and skin Man's reality is but the pleasure of the Friend!

This was the first similitude of the Qur'an, that of a believer and a disbeliever, where believers have been likened to the living and the disbelievers to the 'dead. The second similitude is that of 'lman (faith) and Kufr (disbelief) which have been placed in juxtaposition to light and darkness.

Faith is Light and Disbelief, Darkness

In this verse, 'Iman (faith) has been called Nur (light) and Kufr (disbelief) has been equated with Zulmah (darkness). A little thought will show that this similitude is not imaginary. It is a statement of fact. As we looked for the real purpose of things earlier, we can do the same here by finding out the justification for the existence of light and darkness. The purpose of light is to be able to see things far and near with its help, as a result of which, one has the advantage of staying away from the harmful and the opportunity of acquiring what is beneficial.

Let us now look at ` Iman. This is a light which surrounds everything in the heavens and the earth. It is this light alone which can show the end of the universal system as well as the correct consequences of everything done. Whoever has this light by his side, he can not only save himself from the consequences of everything harmful and injurious, but can also help others to stay safe from them. But, one who does not have access to this light remains in the dark. He has no panoramic view. He cannot see life as a whole, neither beginning, nor end. He cannot distinguish between what is beneficial and what is not. At best what he can do is to grope around and use his sense of touch to figure out what they are, at least to some extent. The life of this world as we know it is just about the environment most of us usually live in and around. The disbeliever thus does find out the life around him and the benefit and loss it has to offer within that limited framework. But, he has no idea or awareness of what lies ahead in the eternal life to come later, nor can he comprehend how beneficial or harmful it can be for him. This subject has been further explained by the Qur'an in Surah Ar-Rum:

يَعْلَمُونَ ظَاهِرً‌ا مِّنَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ عَنِ الْآخِرَ‌ةِ هُمْ غَافِلُونَ ﴿7﴾

They know the obvious from the present life of the world while, about the life-to-come ('Akhirah), they are (totally) heedless - 30:7).

In a verse of Surah Al-` Ankabut, after the description of past communities given to denial and disbelief, the Qur'an says: وَكَانُوا مُسْتَبْصِرِ‌ينَ (though they were men of sight - 29-38). It means that these people who had dismissed this matter of 'Akhirah demonstrating rank heedless-ness and seeming lack of foresight were really not that dense when it came to their matters in worldly life. In fact, they were "mustabsirin" - keen-sighted, enlightened people. But, this enlightenment of theirs was outwardly oriented, of the surface, of the mundane, which could only serve them well to enrich what revolved round their transitory life in this world. However, for the eternal life of 'Akhirah, the life-to come, this was not to work.

After hearing these details, please recite the present verse of the Qur'an once again: أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيْتًا فَأَحْيَيْنَاهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُ نُورً‌ا يَمْشِي بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ كَمَن مَّثَلُهُ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ لَيْسَ بِخَارِ‌جٍ مِّنْهَا . It means that one who was dead earlier, that is, was a disbeliever, then, Allah raised him back to life, that is, gave him the taufiq to become a Muslim - and then, He gave him a light, that is, ` Iman or faith, with which he moves about among people. Now can this person be equal to one who is surrounded by all sorts of darkness, out of which, he cannot get out, that is, is groping in the darkness of disbelief, does not himself know what is good or bad for him, and there is no way he can ward off his destruction. If so, how can he bring any benefit to others?

The Light of Faith Brings Benefits for Others Too

In this verse, by saying: نُورً‌ا يَمْشِي بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ (light with which he walks among men), the instruction given was that the light of faith is not restricted to a mosque (masjid), spiritual seminary (khanqah) or a modest roomette secluded for reflection and remembrance (hujrah). Whoever is blessed with this light by Allah Ta` ala, he carries it with him everywhere he goes through the lives of people on the streets and in the homes. Everywhere he is, he himself benefits from the light and lets others too benefit by it. Light is light and cannot be suppressed by any darkness. Even a tiny flickering lamp does not easily give up under the weight of surrounding darkness, though the light it emits does not go very far. When light is strong, it spreads over a larger area. When light is dim, it lightens a smaller area. But light is light. It sub-dues darkness after all - darkness does not subdue light. Light is not light if it surrenders to darkness. Similarly, an 'Iman which surrenders to Kufr, or is scared by it, is no 'Iman. This light of' Iman, this light of faith is there with its bearer in all walks of life, under all conditions and in every age.

In this similitude, there is yet another hint that light is after all universally beneficial. Every human being and every animal benefits by it, intentionally, or without intention, more or less. Let us suppose that a person who has the light but does not wish to let the other person benefit from it, nor the other person has come out to seek the benefit of his light, but the very fact that someone is walking with light by his side is bound to spread out its benefit to others naturally, rather compulsively. This is what happens with the 'Iman of a true Muslim. It does make its benefit shower on others too, in some degree, whether or not the receivers realize it. At the end of the verse, it was said: كَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْكَافِرِ‌ينَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (This is how their deeds appear beautified to the disbelievers). It means that the disbelievers and deniers of truth who do not accept proofs which are open and clear do so because everyone has a craze of his own which keeps him pleased with himself. There is the ever-present Sahytan, and no less is the retinue of one's desires, whims and fancies which present before the eyes of such people a mosaic of their evil deeds which they start seeing as nice and beautiful. Calling it a deception is an understatement. May Allah keep all of us protected from it. Verse:123 Commentary Commentary

Mentioned in the previous verse was that this world is a place of trial. Good deeds here are tied with some effort. This is a way laid out with hurdles. The same is true about evil deeds. They come with a web of deception laced with unending desires and their short-lived gratifications, a way of living which makes these evil deeds look good in the sight of human beings who are unaware of their reality and heedless to their ultimate end. Such is their pull that the smartest of the smart in this world would not hesitate to jump into the bandwagon.

In the first (123) of the present verses, it is said that this trial can be seen as an ongoing spectacle of life since the beginning of the universe of our existence. Usually, it is the big people of a community, the rich, the influential, the holders of clout and access who, when they get used to the taste of money, power and recognition, start committing crimes in one or the other form, never bothering to reflect on the ultimate end of what they were doing. As for the common people, they become accustomed to following the example set by these big people. They copy them with the conviction that it is good for them and that they are on the obvious road to success. In contrast, there are the blessed prophets and their deputies charged with learning, teaching and preaching. They try to stop people from their evil deeds and warn them of the consequences of what they were doing. Then, these big people open a front of hostility and conspiracy against them, which is obviously to harass or harm these pious souls, but in the ultimate analysis, the curse of what they do against them recoils back on them alone. And this can happen to them even within their life in the present world.

In this statement of guidance, Muslims have been warned against aspiring to be like the big, the rich, the wealthy of the world. They should leave the habit of looking at them as role-models and stop following them mob-like. For them, the ideal is that they should make a habit of seeing everything in perspective making sure that they are aware of the final end of their deeds, and that they should themselves learn to figure out as to what is good or bad for them.

In addition to that, the purpose here is to comfort the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم when he has been asked not to grieve about the hostility of the chiefs of Quraysh, for it was nothing new. Prophets in the past had also faced such people. But, in the end, they (the people) were disgraced and the word of Allah reigned supreme. Verse:124 Commentary In the second verse (124), mentioned there is a conversation relating to the same chiefs of the Quraysh. What they said was a combination of verbal belligerence, sarcasm and mockery. It was answered.

Imam al-Baghawi reports from Sayyidna Qatadah that Abu Jahl, the big chief of the tribe of Quraysh once said: We have confronted Banu ` Abd Munaf (that is, the family of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم) on every front and we have never been behind them. But, now they say: ` you cannot match us in nobility and spiritual greatness because we have a prophet in our family who receives revelation from Allah Ta` ala.' Then he said: I swear by Allah that we will never follow them unless we too start receiving the kind of revelation he receives. The statement: وَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمْ آيَةٌ قَالُوا لَن نُّؤْمِنَ حَتَّىٰ نُؤْتَىٰ مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ رُ‌سُلُ اللَّـهِ (And when a sign comes to them, they say, "We shall never come to believe unless we are given the like of what was given to the messengers of Allah) at the end of the verse means exactly this.

Prophets and Messengers are appointed by Allah:

This Office cannot be acquired or appropriated:

After having reported the statement quoted above, the Qur'an answers it by saying: للَّـهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِ‌سَالَتَهُ (Alah knows best where to place his message). It means that the person making this remark thinks in His ignorance that the station of a prophet and messenger can be ac-quired on the basis of family nobility, tribal authority and wealth while prophethood is the office of the Vice Regency (Khilafah) of Allah the acquisition of which is in no one's control. No matter how many excellences and perfections one has acquired for himself, still no one can through his discretion or control or power of achievement - succeed in acquiring the office and station of prophethood and messenger-ship. That is purely a blessing of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu. He bestows it on whomsoever He wills.

This proves that prophethood and messenger-ship are not controlled by human beings. They are not what can be acquired by intellectual perfection or pragmatic excellence or utmost striving or consuming devotion. Even a waliyy or saint, no matter how high he may soar in his spiritual station, cannot acquire it. That is nothing but Divine grace as it is given only to particular servants of Allah as dictated by Divine knowledge and wisdom. However, it is necessary that whoever is chosen to occupy this station and office, in the ultimate knowledge of Allah Ta` ala, is identified right from the beginning when he is created with appropriate inherent ability and then he is specially groomed in his morals and deeds.

Towards the end of the verse, it was said: سَيُصِيبُ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَ‌مُوا صَغَارٌ‌ عِندَ اللَّـهِ وَعَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَمْكُرُ‌ونَ ﴿124﴾ (Those who committed sin shall soon suffer from disgrace before Allah and face severe punishment for the mischief they have been making). Here, the word: صَغَار (saghar) is a verbal noun which means disgrace. The sentence means that these antagonists of truth who are known to be the big chiefs of their people will see their pride and prestige rolling in dust. Disgrace is coming; so is punishment - and both are grim. That can be within the life of the present world, and in the 'Akhirah as well - as has been the fate of the oppressors of the prophets in the past who were put to disgrace in the present world as well. The topmost antagonists of our own Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، may the blessing of Allah and peace be upon him, who boasted about their prestige, either entered the fold of Islam or, as was the case with those who did not, were destroyed in disgrace. at happened to the legendary chiefs of Quraysh, Abu Jahl and Abu Lahb, became a lesson when the Conquest of Makkah broke their backs. Verse:125 Commentary Signs of 'Sharh al-Sadr in Din

Some signs of the Divinely-guided, and the firm on error, have been given in the third verse (125). Said there was: فَمَن يُرِ‌دِ اللَّـهُ أَن يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَ‌حْ صَدْرَ‌هُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ (So, whom Allah wills to give guidance, He opens his heart for Islam).

Hakim in al-Mustadrak and Baihaqi in Shu'ab al-'Iman report from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ : When this verse was revealed, the Companions of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم requested him to explain the meaning of Sharh al-Sadr, the opening of the heart for Islam. He said: ` Allah Ta` ala puts a light in the heart of a believer through which his heart opens up for the perception, understanding and acceptance of truth. The Sahabah submitted: ` Is there a sign which will help recognize the person who has such Sharh al-Sadr? He said: ` Yes! The sign is that 'Akhirah and its blessings become the object of all his desires. He avoids uncalled-for desires and fleeting enjoyments and starts getting ready for death before it comes.'

After that, he said: " وَمَن يُرِ‌دْ أَن يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَ‌هُ ضَيِّقًا حَرَ‌جًا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِي السَّمَاءِ " (and whom He wills to let go astray, He makes his heart narrow, much too narrow [ wherefore, for him to accept the truth and to act in accordance with it becomes as difficult ], as though he climbs up to the sky).

Kalabi has said: ` the narrowing of his heart means that no passage for the entry of truth and good remains open there.' A similar explanation has also been reported from Sayyidna Faruq al-A'zam ؓ and Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ has said: ` When he hears the ذِکر Dhikr of Allah, he feels being harassed and when he listens to what is Kufr and Shirk, his heart relishes it.

The Noble Sahabah: Ever-Eager Receivers of Truth

This was the reason why the noble Sababah, may Allah be pleased with all of them, who were chosen by Allah Ta` ala to be His Prophet's companions in faith, and to be the learners and carriers of his teachings as his direct disciples. They were so convinced as his adherents that their doubts about Islamic injunctions, if any, remained negligibly low. During their whole lifetime, the number of questions presented before the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم by them are but a counted few. The reason was that by the grace of the company of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم their hearts were almost engraved with love and reverence for Allah Ta` ala and because of which they were blessed with the high station of Sharh al-Sadr, a heart open to the acceptance of truth. In fact, their hearts had become in themselves the very standard of truth and falsehood. They would accept truth promptly and falsehood could not find entry into their hearts. After that, as the distance from the blessed period of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم increased, doubts and scruples started finding room for infilteration and that was the be-ginning of dogmatic differences.

To Remove Doubts : Open Hearts, Narrow Debates

In our day, the world is a stage infested with doubts. People seek solutions through debates, arguments and counter-arguments and end up with confusion worse confounded. This is not a sound way to handle doubts as pointed out by the unique Indian poet, Akbar Ilahabadi:

فلسفی کو بحث کے اندر خدا ملتا نہیں ڈور کو سلجھا رہا ہے پرسرا ملتا نہیں

The philosopher deep in debate cannot find God

He is untangling the string but cannot find where to begin!

There is only one way out, that which was taken by the blessed Companions ؓ and by the early righteous elders: Think of the perfect power of Allah Ta` ala and imagine His blessings and feel the presence of His love and reverence, the doubts evaporate automatically. This is the reason why the Qur'an has itself prompted the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to make the following Du` a (prayer):

رَبِّ اشرَح لِی صَدرِی

Rabbishralh li sadri

0 my Rabb, open my heart.

At the end of the verse it was said: كَذَٰلِكَ يَجْعَلُ اللَّـهُ الرِّ‌جْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ which means that this is how Allah brings damnation and disgrace upon those who do not believe. For truth, their hearts are not open while to every evil they dash. Verse:126 Commentary Commentary

In the first (126) of the three verses appearing here, the address is to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and it has been said: وَهَـٰذَا صِرَ‌اطُ رَ‌بِّكَ مُسْتَقِيمًا (And this is the path of your Lord, a straight path). Here, as said by Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ عنہما the word: ھذا (hadha: this) refers to the Qur'an, and as said by Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ it means Islam (Ruh al-Ma'ni). The sense of the sentence is: This Way is the Way of your Lord, that is, this is a Way which has been proposed by your Lord in His infinite Wisdom, and with Him it finds favour. Here, by attributing the Way to the Lord of all, it has been indicated that the working system of Qur'an and Islam given to him was not for the benefit of Allah Ta` ala, rather, it was for the benefit of those who would act in accordance with it. This is as required by His being the Rabb, the Supreme Nurturer. Through this Way, the purpose is to nurture, train and groom human beings in a manner which would guarantee their eternal well-being.

Then, by bringing in the word: رَبّ (Rabb: Lord) in a state of attribution to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، that is: (Rabbik: your Lord), the impression of a special kindness towards him has been released - that: ` your' Lord has proposed this Way. The delicacy of this attribution can be readily felt by people of taste. Think of a servant of Allah. If he ever happens to find his person placed in even the minor-most frame of reference to his Rabb and مَعبُود Ma` bud, his Lord and the object of his worship and devotion, that would be, for him, the highest possible achievement. And now, if the Lord of lords, the One worship-worthy entity in this whole universe, were to attribute His pristine Person to him and say, "I am yours," what remains there for him to say anything anymore about his wonderful ` kismet!'

After that, the ` existing identity' of this Qur'anic Way has been explained through the word: مُستَقِیم (mustaqim), that is, this path is the straight path. Here too, rather than have 'mustaqim' (straight) as the adjective of صِرَاط ` sirat' (path), it has been placed as an adverb which indicates that the Way has been proposed by the Lord of the universe, and in this, any probability, other than its being straight, just cannot exist. (Ruh al-Mani and Al-Bahr al-Muhit)

The text then says: قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُ‌ونَ (We have made the verses elaborate for people who accept the advice).

The word: فَصَّلْنَا (Fassalna: We have made elaborate) is from: تَفصِیل (tafsil) which basically means to describe a subject by analysing it unit by unit. This way comprehending the subject becomes easy. Therefore, the outcome of tafsil is to explain explicitly. So, the sense comes to be: ` We have stated matters of principle explicitly and in details in which there remains no brevity or ambiguity.' After that, by saying: (for people who accept the advice), it was pointed out that, though these statements of the Qur'an are clear, but benefit from them has been derived only by those who ponder over the Qur'an to seek good counsel honestly, that is, doggedness, inherent resistance, opinionatedness, a priori hostility or the barriers of blind adherence to or following of ancestral customs do not come in between as walls. Verse:127 Commentary In the second verse (127), it was said: لَهُمْ دَارُ‌ السَّلَامِ عِندَ رَ‌بِّهِمْ (For them there is the Abode of Peace with their Lord). It means that the people who have been mentioned above, people who see and hear the Qur'anic words of advice with an open mind and who, as an inevitable result, accept the advice and guidance, then, it is for them that there is that reward of Darus-Salam, present and preserved, waiting. Here, the word: دَارُ‌ (dar) means home or abode and: سَلَامِ (salam) means peace and security from all calamities, catastrophies and hardships. Therefore, Darus-Salam can be the description of a home where none of these, or sorrow or pain of any kind, can find entry. And that, as obvious, could only be Paradise.

And Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ said: Salam is the name of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu. And the Dar of As-Salam means the ` Dar' (home, house or abode) of Allah. It is evident that the abode of Allah is a place of peace. Therefore, the meaning essentially remains the same, that is, a home where total and all-inclusive peace reigns. By calling Jannah (Paradise) Darus-Salam, the indication given is that Jannah alone is the place where one sheds off all pain, anxiety and distaste, and enjoys total bliss, something never acquired by the highest of the high in this mortal world, nor even by the greatest of the great prophets or messengers - because this state of life in the mortal world is not the proper locale of perfect and eternal peace and pleasure.

It has been stated in this verse that, for those who have the good fortune of accepting the advice, there is Darus-Salam' with their Lord. Now, the expression - ` with their Lord' - could also mean that this Darus-Salam' cannot be cashed instantly here in the mortal world, rather, they will get it when they go to their Lord on the Day of Qiyamah. And it could also mean that the promise of Darus-Salam' cannot be false. The most gracious Rabb is its guarantor. It lies safe with Him. Then, right here, there is yet another indication towards the fact that no one can ever imagine the blessings of this ` Darus-Salam' within the limitations of this frame of existence. Only the Rabb, with whom lies this treasure, knows it.

Moreover, in the light of the second meaning given above, the actual getting of this ` Darus-Salam' does not seem to hinge upon the coming of Qiyamah (The Last Day) and 'Akhirah (Hereafter). In fact, it is also possible that the most gracious Rabb would make anyone He wills its fortunate recipient within the life of this world - whether by making them totally immune to and protected against all calamities and hardships, as has been the case is some examples of past prophets and men of Allah, or, by making the blessings of the 'Akhirah appear before their eyes with a touch of the real, their very eyes were attuned to the real thing in a manner that it helped them perceive the pains of the transitory world as something insignificant and not worthy of much notice. For such people, even stockpiles of suffering are reduced to a blade of grass.

That the forthcoming rewards to be received as against the hard-ships of the mortal world would make them welcome these hardships as something delectable is not a proposition too far out. Think of the eternal blessings of the 'Akhirah. They are certainly great as they can be. Then, think of the fleeting comforts of this mortal world. Their very thought thrills. Man slaves for them, yet takes his slavery with a smile and a sigh of relief. Man sacrifices the bliss of his freedom and exchanges it with worldly comforts through recommendations and bribes, goes for the hard labour of job or work which cuts through his sleep and rest, even does it with zest and enthusiasm, and then, is happy and grateful about it - because he sees before his eyes the pas-sage of thirty one days of the month which will bring to him the taste and pleasure of the salary he has earned. That pleasure makes every bitterness of this slavery in work tasteful and pleasing. According to one of the possible explanations (Tafsir) of the Qur'anic verse: وَلِمَن خَافَ مقامَ رَبِّہِ جَنَّتٰن those who fear Allah Ta` ala shall have two Paradises, the one in the 'Akhirah and the other in the mortal world. To begin with, Paradise in the world means that one finds the help of Allah with him in everything he does. What he does seems to be becoming easy for him - and, even if he has to face a passing phase of difficulty, extra-effort, or even failure, that appears welcome to him in anticipation of the lasting blessings of the 'Akhirah, something which turns even this painful experience into a state of comfort.

To sum up, it can be said that the reference in this verse, of Darus-Salam' for good people being with their Rabb, is a promise which is certain and determined for the Akhirah, and it is also possible that they may be given a taste of the Darus-Salam' in this world as well.

At the conclusion of the verse (127), it was said: وَهُوَ وَلِيُّهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ; (and He is their Guardian by virtue of what they used to do). It means that, because of their good deeds, Allah Ta` ala becomes their guardian, care-taker and helper. Everything hard they face becomes easy on them. Verse:128 Commentary Mentioned in the third verse (128) is a dialogue before a gathering of Jinns and human beings on the plains of the Resurrection (Al-Hashr). Allah Ta` ala will address the satans among Jinns telling them about their excessive role in misleading human beings. What would they say in reply has not been mentioned by the Qur'an. As obvious, there was not much they could do but to confess the truth before the All-Knowing and the All-Aware. But, in not mentioning their confession, the hint given is that they will be so confounded with the question that they would not know how to make an answer. (Ruh al-Ma'ani)

After that, the text turns to the satans among human beings, that is, those who followed the instigations of satans during their life of the world, went astray themselves, and kept becoming the cause of others going astray. It is from them that an answer submitted in the court of the Judge of all judges has been mentioned - though, the initial question was not asked of the satans of human beings, but in an implied manner, they too were the addressees, because they too had done the same job of making people go astray as was the job of the satans of the Jinn. Thus, their reply was based on their being the implied addressees. But, it seems obvious that the human-like satans too are liable to be questioned which, though, is not mentioned here explicitly. However, it does find mention in a verse of Surah Ya' Sin, which is: أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ أَن لَّا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَ that is, had I not taken a pledge from you, 0 children of Adam (through messengers), that you shall not obey the Shay-tan? - 36:60).

From this we know that human satans too will be subjected to the question on this occasion and they would, in reply, confess that, surely, they committed that crime and that they listened to the satans, and they would also confess that, surely, the two of them benefitted from each other through their friendship and cooperation. The human satans learned from them the ways of securing gratification from worldly enjoyments and, on occasions, called on them for help in one or the other way, as is the practice in idol-worshipping Hindus and, for that matter, even among ignorant Muslims, who would practice methods through which the help of satans and jinns can be harnessed in some tasks. As for the satans among Jinns, their gain was that they found a pliable people to listen to them because of which they succeeded in making human beings follow their dictates, so much so that they forgot all about death and the Hereafter. That was when they confessed that they had forsaken the thought of death and the Hereafter because of the instigation of satans, and now they see it in front of them.

Thereupon, Allah Ta ala will say: النَّارُ‌ مَثْوَاكُمْ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّـهُ ۗ إِنَّ رَ‌بَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ("The Fire is your abode where you shall remain forever, except what Allah wills [ that is, wills to take someone out of it ]. Surely, your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing" ). But, as in the definitive statements of the Qur'an (Nusus), it stands proved that even Allah Ta` ala would not so will, therefore, it is for ever that they shall have to be in it. Verse:129 Commentary Commentary

Lexically, the word: (nuwalli) appearing in the first (129) of the three verses cited above can be translated either in the sense of joining up and bringing closer, or in the sense of setting on or imposing on. Narrations reported from leading authorities in Tafsir among the Sahabah and Tabi` in also carry the explanation of this word as based on these two meanings.

The Basis of Human Groupings after Resurrection

Early authorities Said ibn Jubayr and Qatadah and others have taken the first sense and, according to them, the verse means that, on the day of Qiyamah before Allah Ta` ala, the collective formations - that is, groupings and party alignments of people - will not be on racial or national or colour and language basis, instead of which, these groupings shall be on the basis of deeds and morals. A Muslim obedient to Allah Ta` ala, wherever he may be, shall be together with Muslims; and the disobedient disbeliever, wherever he may be, shall be together with disbelievers - whether their race, heredity, country, language, colour and social living may be way different.

Then, even among Muslims, those good in deeds shall be with the righteous while the evil doers will be grouped up with evil doers and sinners. This is the sense of what has been said in Surah At-Takwir: وَإِذَا النُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ that is, when people shall be grouped (like with like) the sense of which is that the people gathered before Allah Ta` la on the plains of Resurrection shall split in different groupings in terms of their deeds and morals.

In his Tafsir of this verse, Sayyidna Faruq al-A'zam ؓ has said: ` The doers of one kind of deeds, good or bad, shall be grouped together. The good will go with the good to Jannah and the evil will be led with the evil to Jahannam.' To authenticate his explanation, Sayyidna Faruq al-A'zam ؓ cited proof from the verse: احْشُرُ‌وا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَأَزْوَاجَهُمْ of the Holy Qur'an (37:22) which deals with the same subject by saying that, on the day of Qiyamah, the command will go forth: 'Gather those who have been unjust, and their cohorts, (and take them to Jahannam).

The gist of the explanation of this verse is that Allah Ta` ala will, by merging some of the unjust with some others, will make them one group, irrespective of how far apart they may be from each other in terms of their race and homeland.

In addition to what has been stated above, it has also been clarified in another verse that, on the fateful day of Resurrection, the temporal grouping based on race, country, colour, language and other unifiers will break up root and branch: وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَفَرَّ‌قُونَ ﴿14﴾. It means: When the Hour (of Qiyamah) is established, those united shall stand separated - 30:14).

Deeds and Morals affect Collective Matters even in this World

As for the severance of existing relations and affiliations, that is something which will come before everyone fully and clearly after all, but a minor sampling of this can be found everywhere in this mortal world as well. It goes without saying that a good person is temperamentally tuned to virtues and virtuous people. He is attached to them individually or collectively. This becomes his passport to ever-new avenues of good deeds which go on to make his determination firm. The same holds for doers of evil deeds. They too relate to their kind; to them they are attached and with them they keep company. And this negative company keeps contributing to their evil deeds and evil morals, as a result of which, avenues of good and prospects of better con-duct keep closing on him before his own eyes. This is his cash punishment for his evil deeds which he gets right here in this world.

So, in a nutshell, we can say that there is a reward or punishment of good or bad deeds which will come in the 'Akhirah and there is a reward or punishment which comes within the life of this world in a way that a good person is blessed with colleagues who are equally good and honest and whose contribution to whatever is undertaken makes them rise and prosper together. In contrast, there is the person with evil deeds and evil intention who gets what he deserves. The colleagues he gets and the help and assistance he employs are no different than him.

What is left of his misfortune, the evil group around him takes care of that when it pushes him into a far deeper abyss.

As mentioned earlier, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: When Allah Ta` ala is pleased with a ruler, He gives him good ministers and good staff who make his government well-managed and progress-prone - and when Allah Ta` ala is displeased with someone, he gets colleagues who are bad and so are the officials he must deal with. As a result, even if he wishes to do something good, he cannot get it done.

An oppressor is punished at the hands of another oppressor

The sense of the verse given above is in terms of its translation ac-cording to the first meaning mentioned earlier. As for the second meaning mentioned alongside, reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas, Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Zubayr, Sayyidna ibn Zayd, Malik ibn Dinar and others ؓ is a Tafsir according to which, ` Allah Ta` ala sets some unjust people (Zalim) over other unjust people and thus has one Zalim (oppressor) punished at the hands of another Zalim.'

This approach to meaning is also correct and sound in its place, and is in accord with other statements of the Qur'an and Hadith. The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is reported to have said in a Hadith: کَمَا تَکُونُوںَ کَذٰلِکَ یُؤمَّرُعَلَکم that is, as you shall be, so shall be the rulers set on you. If you are unjust and evil, your rulers will also be unjust and evil. And if you are good in your deeds and characters, Allah Ta` ala will make good, kind and just people your rulers.

Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ says: When Allah Ta` ala wishes well for a people, He appoints the best rulers and officials for them - and when He wishes otherwise for a people, He sets the worst rulers and officials over them. (Tafsir Al-Bahr AI-Muhit)

According to Ruh al-Ma'ani, it is on the authority of this verse that Muslim jurists prove that: When people of a country, turn away from Allah Ta` ala and become involved in deeds of injustice and oppression, Allah Ta` ala sets oppressive rulers and officials over them and lets them be punished at their hands.

Based on a narration by Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ Ibn Kathir has reported a decisive statement of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that is, whoever helps a Zalim (oppressor) in his Zulm, (injustice) then Allah Ta` ala sets that very Zalim on him to torment him, and it is at his hands that he gets his punishment.