Al Islam

b. 10:58; 12:112; 16:90. (close)

a. 10:58; 12:112; 16:90. (close)

2012. Commentary:

The verse purports to say that as to a jaundiced eye all objects appear yellow, similarly to a mind which is swayed by jealousy and prejudice, even most pure and noble teachings appear impure and ignoble. Such was the case with disbelievers in regard to the teachings of the Quran.

The word "Quran" in this verse may also be taken to refer to the portion of the Quran already revealed, the portion containing prophecies about the prosperity and success of the Faithful and the ruin and destruction of disbelievers. The verse means to say that the time has come for the fulfilment of those prophecies and that the flight of the Prophet from Mecca would usher in an era of triumph for Islam and would bring discomfiture and humiliation to disbelievers. (close)

a. See 17:68. (close)

2013. Commentary:

The verse means to say that Muslims were subjected to tortures and suffered all sorts of hardships for thirteen long years, but they bore them with fortitude and patience. The case of disbelievers, however, is different. When their turn came to be visited with Divinepunishment they would give way to despair, because they had no faith in God. (close)

1646. The words, ‘Ala Shakilati-hi, mean, according to his own motives; way of thinking; aims and purposes. (close)

a. 28:86. (close)

b. 28:86. (close)

2014. Important Words:

شاکلته (his own way). شاکلة is the feminine of شاکل which is synonymous with شکل (shaklun) which is the infinitive noun from شکل (shakala). It means, a likeness or resemblance; shape, form or form of a thing. They say ھذا علی شاکلة ابیه i.e. this is according to the likeness of his father. شاکلة also and more commonly means, a particular way, cause, mode or manner of acting or conduct; direction, side; motive, intention or purpose; creed; etc. The Quranic expression کل یعمل علی شاکلته means, everyone acts according to his particular way (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

Every man acts according to his own motives, way of thinking, aims and purposes. The aim and object of disbelievers is to attain worldly gains. Therefore when they suffer a worldly loss they give themselves up to despair. But a believer’s whole aim in life is to win God’s pleasure, so the loss of worldly wealth leaves him unperturbed. He faces all trials and hardships with a brave heart. The verse means to say that God treats men according to their motives and intentions. He takes into consideration not only the actions of man but also his intentions and motives. As all the efforts of disbelievers are for this world, they do not deserve to be the recipients of God’s help and favour. This and the preceding verse apply as much to the Jews as to the idolaters of Mecca. (close)

1647. In the period of their spiritual decline and decadence the Jews seem to have come to dabble in occult practices like many modern Spiritualists, Theosophists and Hindu Yogis. Some of the Jews of Medina also seem to have resorted to these practices in the time of the Holy Prophet. This is why when the Meccan idolaters sought their help to confute the Holy Prophet, they suggested that they (the Meccan idolaters) should question him about the human soul. The Qur’an answers them by the verse under comment by saying that the soul derives its powers from the command of God and anything else that is claimed to be acquired by the so-called spiritual exercises and magical art is all humbug. The question regarding the nature of the human soul is reported to have been first put to the Holy Prophet at Mecca by the Quraish and then, according to ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud, by the Jews at Medina. The soul has been described here as something created by the direct command of God. According to the Qur’an all creation falls under two categories: (1) Original creation which is brought about without the aid or help of any substance or matter previously created. (2) Subsequent creation which is brought about with the aid and help of the means and matter previously created. The former kind of creation falls under the category of Amr (lit. command) for which see 2:118, and the latter is known as Khalq (lit. creating). The human soul belongs to the first category.

The word Ruh also means, Divine revelation (Lane). The context seems to support this meaning. (close)

2015. Commentary:

Various meanings have been assigned to the word روح (soul) by scholars of different schools of Muslim religious thought. According to some of the commentators it applies to all angels; according to others it means only the angel to whom is entrusted the task of the creation of the world; yet others think that it particularly applies to the Archangel Gabriel.

Some scholars, however, are of the view that الروح means the word of God, while some others take it as applying to the Quran. But the most appropriate meaning of this word is "the human soul."

The question regarding the nature of the human soul was first put to the Holy Prophet at Mecca by some of the Meccan idolaters, probably at the instance of the Jews of Medina, when the news reached the latter that he had claimed to be a Divine Prophet. In reply the Prophet recited to them the present verse. When, however, he came to Medina the question appears again to have been put to him by the Jews and he must naturally have recited to them the same verse, thus giving rise to the wrong notion held by some traditionalists that this verse was revealed in Medina or that, after having been first revealed at Mecca, it was again revealed at Medina. The fact is that it was only revealed once and that was at Mecca.

As stated above, the most appropriate meaning of the word الروح is the human soul. The soul has been described here as something created by the direct command of God. As a matter of fact according to the Quran all creation falls under two categories: (1) Original creation which is brought about without the aid or help of any substance or matter previously created. (2) Subsequent creation which is brought about with the aid and help of means and matter previously created. The former kind of creation falls under the category of امر (lit. command) for which see 2:118, and the latter is known as خلق (lit. creating). In this verse we are told that the human soul belongs to the first category.

In the period of their spiritual decadence the Jews seem to have come to dabble in spiritualism and occult practices like many modern Spiritualists, Theosophists and Hindu Yogis. They had come to believe in magic and so-called spiritual practices. These occult practices appeared to have exercised great influence on them. It appears that the Jews started taking interest in magic and occult practices in the time of the Prophet David. These practices became very popular with them in the time of Jesus. According to Philo and the well-known Jewish writer, Josephus, the Essenes in the time of Jesus greatly indulged in these practices and by a life of renunciation they had greatly developed this art. The Quran also refers to the Jewish counterparts of the modern spiritualists in 72:8-10. References to black and white magic may also be found in the books of the Old and New Testaments. Some of the Jews of Medina also seem to have resorted to these practices in the time of the Holy Prophet. This is why when the Meccan idolaters sought their help in confuting the Prophet they suggested that they (the Meccan idolaters) should enquire of him regarding the powers and attributes of the human soul. The Quran answers this inquiry in the verse under comment by saying that the perfect soul derives its powers from the command of God and anything else that is claimed to be acquired by so-called spiritual exercises and magical arts is all meaningless. It may be added that by الروح is particularly meant the perfect soul. That the knowledge acquired by so-called spiritual exercises and by their professed communication with the dead carries little weight has often been demonstrated by the fact that the information claimed to be furnished by departed souls to different mediums regarding the next world always varies.

The question of the powers and attributes of the human soul is of more than local importance, inasmuch as it had not only agitated the minds of the Medinite Jews of the Prophet’s time but has also agitated those of Hindu Yogis, Theosophists and Spiritualists in our own time. Taking الروح in its general sense the verse would mean that the human soul is as much the creation of God as the human body. (close)

1648. The verse seems to imply a prophecy that a time would come when Quranic knowledge would depart from the earth. A similar prophecy of the Holy Prophet has been reported by Merdawaih, Baihaqi and Ibn-e-Majah that there would come a time when the kernel and spirit of the Qur’an would disappear from the earth, and not all the so-called mystics and Sufis of the time claiming, like their Jewish prototypes, to possess supernatural powers, would be able to restore it with their concerted efforts. (close)

2016. Commentary:

The present verse furnishes further evidence in support of what has been said in the previous verse. The words of the present verse appear to be addressed to the Holy Prophet but as a matter of fact they are not. As the question referred to in the previous verse was not asked by him, so the answer is evidently meant for those who had asked it. The verse means to say that the human soul is so weak that, far from revealing new spiritual truths, it is incapable even of reproducing those already revealed if they happen to disappear from the world.

The verse also implies a prophecy that a time would come when Quranic knowledge would depart from the earth. A similar prophecy of the Holy Prophet has been reported by Ibn Merdawaih and by Baihaqi and Ibn Majah that there would come a time when the kernel and spirit of the Quran would disappear from the earth and not all the so-called mystics and sufis of the time claiming, like their Jewish prototypes, to possess supernatural powers would be able to restore it with their concerted effort. (close)

a. 28:87. (close)

a. 28:87. (close)

2017. Commentary:

The meaning of the expression, Surely, His grace towards thee is great, among other things, is that when the spirit of the Quran disappeared from the world and its letter only remained, God alone could and would bring it back. (close)

b. 2:24; 10:39; 11:14; 62:35. (close)

1649. The challenge is held out in the first place to those people who indulge in occult practices that they should summon to their aid the hidden spirits from whom they claim to receive spiritual knowledge. The challenge also stands for all time to all people who deny the Divine origin of the Holy Qur’an. (close)

b. 2:24; 10:39; 11:14; 52:35. (close)

2018. Commentary:

This verse confirms the interpretation of the two preceding verses, for it develops the argument embodied in them. It holds out the challenge to those who indulge in occult practices and by means of these practices claim to receive spiritual knowledge from the departed spirits that, if they seriously think their claim to possess any substance, then let all of them assemble together and summon to their aid the hidden spirits which they think can communicate to them the knowledge of spiritual matters, and with their concerted and combined effort produce a book like the Quran. If they failed to produce such a book, and most certainly they would fail if they ever made such an attempt, then the falsity of their claim to receive spiritual knowledge from departed spirits would become established beyond doubt as also would their assertion that the Holy Prophet had acquired the knowledge contained in the Quran by means of certain spiritual exercises. (close)

c. 17:42; 18:55. (close)

1650. Human faculties being limited man can, at best, deal with only a limited number of problems. But the Qur’an has fully dealt with all those matters that concern his moral and spiritual development. (close)

a. 17:42; 18:55. (close)

2019. Important Words:

صرفنا (We have set forth in various ways).

See 17:42.

Commentary:

The verse brings home to disbelievers their complete inability to produce a book like the Quran. It purports to say that their mental faculties are limited. They can deal with only such matters of which they have made a special study. The Quran, on the other hand, has comprehensively dealt with all sorts of subjects—Politics, Physical Science, Ethics, Economics, etc., and has provided right guidance in matters of belief and conduct about which the various existing religions disagree. These people have not the capacity even to understand and appreciate these matters, much less to produce a book like the Quran—humanity’s infallible guide. In spite of their patent inability to accept the above challenge they persist in their denial of the Divine origin of the Quran out of sheer obstinacy. One day they will reap the fruit of their wayward denial. (close)

2020. Commentary:

When the Meccans were confounded by the answers of the Quran to their questions and objections, they turned round and demanded of the Prophet that if the Quran comprehended every kind of knowledge then he should be able to work miracles—cause springs to gush forth from the earth, grow gardens and build houses of gold for himself. The demand was either intended as mockery or had its basis in the belief that they shared with the Jews that most wonderful works could be performed by special spiritual exercises and by the help of disembodied spirits. (close)

a. 25:11. (close)

1651. When the Meccans were confounded by the answers of the Qur’an to their questions and objections, they turned round and demanded of the Holy Prophet that if the Qur’an comprehended every kind of knowledge then he should be able to work miracles—cause springs to gush forth from the earth, grow gardens and build houses of gold for himself, etc. (close)

a. 25:11. (close)