Chapter 18

Chapter 18
2:75-82

Do you then hope that they would believe in you? While a party from among them indeed used to hear the word of Allah, then altered it after they had understood it, and they know (this) (75). And when they meet those who believe they say: "We believe"; and when they are alone one with another they say: "Do you talk to them of what Allah has disclosed to you that they may argue with you by this before your Lord? Do you not then understand?" (76). What! Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they proclaim? (77). And there are among them illiterates who know not the Book but only lies, and they do but conjecture (78). Woe, then, to those who write the book with their hands and then say: "This is from Allah ", so that they may sell it for a small price; therefore woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn (thereby) (79). And they say: "Fire shall not touch us but for a few days. " Say: "Have you taken a promise from Allah, then Allah will never fail to keep His promise, or do you speak against Allah what you do not know?" (80). Yea! whoever earns evil and his sins beset him on every side, these are the inmates of the Fire; in it they shall abide (81). And (as for) those who believe and do good deeds, these are the dwellers of the garden; in it they shall abide (82)

Commentary

The context shows that the unbelievers, and especially those of Medina, thought that the Jews were the likeliest people to help and support the Apostle of Allah at his advent. The pagan tribes of Aws and Khazraj lived with the Jews of Medina, and they knew that the latter followed a divine religion and a revealed book. Thus it was not too much to expect them to believe in the latest in the series of divine religions and books.

This was the basis of their hope that the Jews would accept the Apostle of Allah as the true prophet, and would strengthen the cause of religion, and actively participate in the propagation of truth. But no sooner did the Prophet migrate to Medina than the Jews showed their latent hostility. The hope was shattered and the expectation turned to disappointment. That is why Allah addresses the believers, saying: "Do you then hope that they would believe in you?" Concealment of truth and alteration of divine words was their deep-rooted life-pattern. Why wonder if they go back on what they used to say before the advent of Islam?

QUR'A,N: Do you then hope ... and they know this: The speech is now addressed to the Prophet and the believers, referring to the Jews in third person. This same style was used in the preceding story of the Cow, because the Jews had omitted the event from the Torah. These verses continue that mode of address because it exposes their habit of altering and manipulating the divine book.

QUR'AN : And when they meet those who believe ... and what they proclaim: The two conditional clauses, "when they meet those who believe" and "when they are alone one with another" are not in opposition to each other - as were the clauses in the verse: And when they meet those who believe, they say: "We believe"; and when they are alone with their Satans, they say: "Surely we are with you, we were only mocking (2 :14) . Here the two clauses simply describe two instances of the Jews' transgressions and ignorance:

First: They indulge in hypocrisy, showing that they have accepted Islam, and trying in this way to protect themselves from trouble, ridicule and even death.

Second: They want to deceive Allah, forgetting that He is the Knower of the seen and the unseen, Aware of what they conceal and what they proclaim.

We may infer from the verses that the Jewish laity in Medina sometimes talked openly with the believers, telling them of some of the foretellings about the Prophet or giving them some information that proved the truth of Islam and its Prophet. But their leaders used to admonish them for it, telling them that it was a thing revealed to them, it should not be disclosed to the believers, lest they argued with the Jews before the Lord - as though if the believers did not argue with them before God, He would not know of it! Such thinking implies that Allah knew only the apparent, not the hidden and concealed things or thoughts. Allah refuted this foolish idea and said: "What! Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they proclaim?" It is our, and not God's, knowledge which is limited to the seen and does not comprehend the unseen, because our perception depends on the senses which in their turn depend on body organs - equipped with nervous instruments, surrounded by space and time, influenced by a hundred other material causes.

This talk also throws light on the materialistic outlook of the Israelites. They were so steeped in that belief that they applied the human limitations to God too. They thought that God was present and active inside the matter and prevailed over it. But that presence and that control and management were based on the same principles as a material cause brings out and controls a material effect. Such a belief was not a specialty of the Jews; it was and is held even by those followers of Islam who believe in fundamentality of matter. For these people, God's life, knowledge, power, choice, will, decree, order and management have the same meanings as do their own life, knowledge etc. It is a disease for which there is no cure. And the signs and warnings can avail nothing to a people who do not understand. Such views have made Islam a laughing-stock in the eyes of those who have no access to the true faith and correct Islamic knowledge. Those detractors say: The Muslims ascribe to their Prophet the saying, "Allah created Adam in His likeness"; and these followers of the Prophet have created a god in the likeness of Adam. One group of the Muslims ascribes to its Lord all the qualities of the matter. Another group does not understand anything of God's beautiful attributes; consequently it reduces all divine attributes to negatives. It says that the names and adjectives, which are used for both God and His creatures, have quite different meanings in both cases. When we say, "God is Existent, Knowing, Powerful and Alive", the words denote some divine qualities totally incomprehensible to us, completely different from the meanings they have when they are applied to a human being. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce these words to their negatives. What the above sentence, for example, means is this: "God is not non-existent, not unaware, not powerless and not lifeless." Such explanation implies that they believe in that which they do not understand, worship that which they are uncertain about and invite others to believe in that which neither they nor anyone else knows anything about.

The word of truth is enough to dispel such falsehoods. The people have been admonished by the true religion to hold fast to the essence of reality and steer clear between the above-mentioned two extremes. They should know that Allah is not like His creatures, nor is He a set of negative propositions. The true religion directs common people to believe that Allah is a thing, unlike other things; that He has knowledge, unlike our knowledge; power, unlike our power; and will, not produced by contemplation; that He talks, not with a mouth; and hears, not with ears. As for the people of higher understanding, they must ponder on His signs and acquire deep knowledge of His religion. He has said: Say: Are those who know and those who do not know alike?" Only those possessed of understanding shall bear in mind (39:9). The people of higher understanding are not equal to a common man in their knowledge of truth and religion; likewise, the two are not alike in their respective responsibilities. This, therefore, is the teaching of religion for both groups respectively; it is there for them to follow, would they do so?

QUR'AN : And there are among them illiterates who know not the Book but only lies and they do but conjecture; "al- Ummiyy" ( = one who does not read or write) is related to "al-umm" ( = mother). It is as though the excessive love of the mother prevented her from entrusting her child to a teacher to teach and train him; consequently he could learn only from his mother. "al-Aminiyy" is plural of "al-umniyyah" ( = lie). The verse says that some of the Jews were literates who did read and write the book - but making alterations in it; and the rest were illiterates who knew nothing of the book except the lies of the former group.

QUR'AN: Woe, then, to those who write the book with their hands ... : "al-Wayl" ( = woe, disaster,, severe punishment, adversity, affliction) ; "al -ishtir' " ( = to sell).

QUR'AN : therefore, woe to them for what their hands have written ... : The pronouns may refer either to all Jews or only to the interpolators among them. If the former view is taken then the woe and condemnation would cover the illiterates too.

QUR'AN : Yea! whoever earns evil and his sins beset him on every side... "al-Khat'ah" ( = translated here as "sins") actually refers to the psychical condition resulting from evil-doing. That is why the verse speaks first of his evil-doing and then of the effects of the sins besetting him on every side. When he is beset by his sins on every side, there should remain no opening for the guidance to reach him; he, therefore, will go to Hell and abide there forever.

Had there been an iota of faith in his heart, or some good traits like justice in his character, it would have been possible for the rays of guidance to penetrate to him. The overwhelming besetting of sins on every side, therefore, is possible in case of polytheism, as Allah says: Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and forgives what is besides that to whomsoever He pleases (4:48 ); and also in case of disbelief and denial of the divine signs, Allah says: And (as to) those who disbelieve in and belie Our signs, they are the inmates of the Fire, in it they shall abide (2:39). In short, the earning of evil and being beset by sins on all sides is a broad expression covering all that would make one to abide in the Hell forever.

The two verses under discussion are almost similar to the verse: Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabaeans, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good, they shall have their reward ... (2:62 ).

Both show that the basis of salvation and eternal happiness is the true belief and good deeds. The only difference between the two sets of the verses is that the verse 2:62 shows that mere taking to oneself nomenclatures like the Muslim, the Jew etc. is of no use; while the verses under discussion show that mere claiming of salvation is of no worth at all.

Traditions

al-Baqir (a.s.) said about the words of Allah, And when they meet those who believe ... : " Some of the Jews (who were not inimical to the Muslims and were not a party to the Jewish conspiracy against them), on meeting the Muslims, used to narrate what the Torah contained of the description of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.); so their elders forbade them to do so and said: Do not inform them of what the Torah contains of the attributes of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.), lest they argue with you by that before your Lord.' Thereupon, this verse was revealed." (Majma u'l-bayan )

It is narrated from the fifth or the sixth Imam that he said about the words of Allah, Yea! whoever earns evil .... "If they deny the wilyah ( = friendship, overlordship) of the Leader of the faithful, then they are the inmates of the Fire, in it they shall abide." (al- Kfi)

The author says: ash-Shaykh at-Ts has narrated in his al-Aml a tradition of nearly the same theme. The two traditions are based on the principle of the "flow" of the Qur'an and fit the verse on one of its best example. Allah has counted the love of, and submission to, the Prophet's family-members as a good deed, as He says: Say: "I do not ask of you any recompense for it except the love for (my) near relatives; and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein (42:23) . Also, the tradition may be taken as another explanation of the verse, as we shall describe in the Chapter 6 (The Table) that "the good" means complying with the demands of the belief of monotheism. If so, then the tradition particularly mentions Al (a.s.) because he was the first of this ummah to open this door.

Chapter 19
2:83-88

And when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel: "You shall not worship (any) but Allah and (you shall do) good to (your) parents, and to the near of kin and to the orphans and the needy, and speak to men good (words) and keep up prayer and pay the zakt. " Then you turned back except a few of you and (now too) you turn aside (83 ). And when We made a covenant with you: "You shall not shed your blood and you shall not turn your people out of your cities;" then you gave a promise while you witnessed (84). Yet you it is who slay your people and turn a party from among you out of their homes, backing each other up against them unlawfully and exceeding the limits; and if they should come to you as captives, you would ransom them - while their very turning out was unlawful for you. Do you then believe in a part of the Book and disbelieve in the other? What then is the reward of such among you as do this but disgrace in the life of this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they shall be sent back to the most grievous chastisement, and Allah is not at all heedless of what you do (85). These are they who have bought the life of this world for the hereafter, so their chastisement shall not be lightened nor shall they be helped (86). And most certainly We gave Mus the Book and We sent apostles after him one after another; and We gave Is, the son of Maryam, clear evidence and strengthened him with the holy spirit. What! whenever then an apostle came to you with that which your souls did not desire, you were insolent, so you called some (of them) liars and some you slew (87). And they say: "Our hearts are covered." Nay, Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief- so little it is that they believe (88).

Commentary

QUR'AN: And when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel: "You shall not worship (any) but Allah... ": To begin with, the verse refers to the Children of Israel in third person, and then ends by addressing them in second person, "Then you turned back ... " The first sentence mentions making a covenant with them - which must naturally be in words - then describes that covenant; this in its turn begins with a declarative sentence, "You shall not worship (any) but Allah", and ends up with some imperative ones, "and speak to men good words ..." When the stories of the Israelites began, they were addressed in second person, because the verses contained a lot of admonition and reprimand; it continued to the story of the Cow when, because of demands of eloquence, it was changed to third person. Consequently, this verse too began with third person, but when time came to quote the verbal covenant, the style reverted to the second person.

"You shall not worship (any) but Allah": It is a prohibition in the form of an information. This style shows the utmost importance attached to the ban by the speaker - it is as though the speaker has no doubt whatsoever that the order shall be complied with, and that, in this case, the servants will not dare to go near idolatory.

The same style is continued in the next clause, "and (you shall do) good to (your) parents, and to the near of kin and to the orphans and the needy."

The change over to second person, although resorted to for the purpose of quoting the covenant, has put the speech back to the original style and has linked the last clauses of the covenant to the fresh admonitary ones: "and keep up prayer and pay the zakt. Then you turned back ..."

QUR'AN: and (you shall do) good to (your) parents...: As translated here, it is a declarative sentence with the sense of imperative. It may also be translated as an imperative sentence: "and (do) good ..." The verse gives in descending order of importance, the list of those whom one should do good to. The parents are the root of man's existence, and nearest of all to him. Then come the near of kin. Going outside the circle of relatives, the orphans are most deserving of kindness and beneficence, because in their small age they are deprived of their father - their guardian, protector and bread-earner. Other needy persons come after them.

"and to the orphans": "al-Yatm" ( = orphan) is he whose father has died. The word is not used for him who has lost his mother. Also, it is said that a human child is called "orphan" if his father dies, but in animals, the adjective is used for one whose mother dies.

"and the needy": "al-Maskn" is plural of al-miskn ( = needy, impoverished, destitue, lowly).

"and speak to men good (words)": "Husnan" (= beauty, excellence) is an infinitive verb, used for adjective (beautiful, excellent, good) to give emphasis. Some reciters have recited it hasanan ( = beautiful, excellent, good). However, the sentence enjoins them to speak nicely to the people; it is an indirect way of ordering them to maintain good social relations to behave with people nicely, gently and good-manneredly - no matter whether the opposite party is a believer or an unbeliever. It cannot be said to be abrogated by the verse of fighting, because the two verses are not contradictory to each other; the place and time of social contact is other than the place and time of fighting. For example, using hard words when admonishing a child to correct his behaviour is not contrary to maintaining good social relation.

QUR'AN: "You shall not shed your blood... ": This too is a prohibitory order, in the form of an information - the same style which was used in, "You shall not worship (any) but Allah". "as-safk" ( = to shed blood).

OUR'AN: backing each other up against them: "at-Tazhur" ( = to help each other). az-Zahr (= helper); it is derived from az-zahr (= back) as though the helper strengthens the back of the helped one.

QUR'AN : while their very turning away was unlawful for you: Its literal translation will be, while it was unlawful for you their very turning out.' The pronoun "it" is not related here to any previously mentioned noun etc., it is a pronoun used to begin a sentence. In the verse, Say: "He, Allah is one" (112:1), the pronoun "He" has the same grammatical significance.

QUR'AN : Do you believe in a part of the Book ... : Why should you follow the rule of paying ransom for them and disobey the prohibition of turning them out? Are not both rules in the same book? Do you believe in a part of the Book and disbelieve in the other?

QUR'AN: And We sent apostles after him one after another: "at -Taqfiyah " ( = to send someone after someone else).

QUR'AN: and We gave Is son of Maryam, clear evidence: This subject will be dealt with in Chapter 3, (The Family of Imran).

QUR'AN : And they say: "Our hearts are covered": al-Ghulf " is plural of al-aghlaf . It is derived from ghilf ( = cover). They say: Our hearts are protected under various covers and veils - your call cannot reach our hearts. The sentence has the same import as the verse: And they say: "Our hearts are under coverings from that to which you call us (41:5).

Traditions

Abu Ja'far (a.s.) said about the words of Allah, and speak to men good (words): "Speak to men the best of that which you would like to be said about yourself." (al-Kafi)

as-Sadiq (a.s.) said about this verse: "Speak to men, and do not speak but good until you know what it is.

"al-Bqir (a.s.) said: "Speak to men the best, of that which you would like to be said about yourself; for certainly Allah, Mighty and Great is He, dislikes an abuser, curler, speaker of evil against the believers, indecent, shameless (and) begger, and He loves the modest, mild-tempered, chaste (and) moderate." (Mani 'l-akhbar)

The author says: A tradition, similar to the first one, has been narrated in al-Kf from as-Sdiq (a.s.) with another chain of narrators; and similarly in al-Ayyash.

Another tradition, like the second one has been written from the same Imam in al-Kf; and one like the third is narrated from al-Bqir (a.s.) in al -Ayyash. Apparently these meanings of the "good word" have been inferred from general usage.

as-Sdiq (a.s) said: "Verily Allah sent Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) with five swords: So (there is) a sword against a dhImam ( = free non-Muslim subject of an Islamic country). Allah said: and speak to men good (words); it was revealed about the dhimms, then it was abrogated by another verse, Fight those who do not believe in Allah... (9:29) (al-Ayyash)

The author says: In this tradition the Imam has taken the "speech" to mean behaviour. We say: Do not speak to him but good; what we mean is: Do not deal with him but in a good and decent manner. This meaning will apply only if we take the word, "abrogated" in its terminological sense. But it may also be taken in its literal sense (as we shall explain under the verse: Whatever signs We abrogate or cause to be forgotten ...2:106); and in that case this verse will not be in conflict with that of the fighting. It should be pointed out that such uses of words in their literal meanings (as against their terminological ones) are not infrequent in the traditions of the Imams.

Chapter 20
2:89-93

And when there came to them a Book from Allah verifying that which they have, and aforetime they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved, but when there came to them that which they did recognize, they disbelieved in him; so Allah's curse is on the unbelievers (89). Evil is that for which they sold their souls - that they should deny what Allah has revealed, out of envy that Allah should send down of His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases; so they returned with wrath upon wrath, and there is a disgraceful punishment for the unbelievers (90). And when it is said to them, "Believe in what Allah has revealed, " they say: "We believe in that which was revealed to us;" and they deny what is besides that, while it is the truth verifying that which they have. Say: "Why then did you kill Allah's prophets before if you were indeed believers?" (91) . And most certainly Mus came to you with clear evidence, then you took the calf (for a god) in his absence and you were unjust (92). And (remember) when We made a covenant with you and raised the mountain over you: "Take hold of what We have given you with firmness and listen (to Our words)". They said: "We hear and disobey. " And they were made to imbibe (the love of) the calf into their hearts on account of their unbelief. Say: "Evil is that which your belief bids you if you are believers" (93).

Commentary

QUR'AN: And when there came to them a Book: The context shows that "a Book" refers to the Qur'an.

QUR'AN : and aforetime they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved: It appears that whenever the pagans of Arabia clashed with the Jews, the latter prayed for victory by the right of the Prophet, and by his prophethood and emigration; and that this was their usual custom before the advent of the Prophet, so much so that even the pagans knew it of them. It all is implied in the word, "they used to".

QUR'AN: but when there came to them that which they did recognize: They knew that Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) was the awaited Prophet, because all the attributes and particulars mentioned in their books fitted on him perfectly. And yet they denied his truth.

QUR'AN: Evil is that for which they sold their souls...: "Baghyan " ( = out of envy) is in accusative case, explaining the reason why they disbelieved in Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) even after recognizing him. What they did was "out of envy", "that Allah should send down of His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases" was the object of their envy. "so they returned with wrath upon wrath", that is, they returned doubly enraged. It may also mean that they invited double wrath of Allah upon themselves - the first because they disbelieved in Torah and the second because they disbelieved in the Qur'an.

The verse says that they were partisans of the Prophet long before he was born; they prayed to Allah for victory by his name and his Book. When the Prophet was sent and the Qur'an was revealed, they very well recognized that he was the Prophet in whose name they used to pray for victory, and whose coming they awaited. But they were overwhelmed by envy and arrogance. No sooner did the Prophet begin his call then they denied his truth, and forgot all that they used to tell about the awaited prophet. It was not surprising as they had earlier disbelieved in Torah too. Thus they committed disbelief after disbelief, and invited the wrath of Allah upon themselves, not once but twice.

QUR'AN: and they deny what is besides that: That is, they claim that they do not believe in any book other than Torah; but the fact is that they do not believe even in Torah.

QUR'AN: Say: "Why then did you kill Allah's prophets... ": The conjunctive, "then", serves to relate this question to their claim, "We believe in that which was revealed to us". If this claim of yours is correct then why did you kill the prophets of Allah? And why did you disbelieve in Mus by taking the calf for a god? And why did you say, "We hear and disobey", when We took a promise from you and lifted the mountain over you?

QUR'AN : and they were made to imbibe (the love of) the calf into their hearts: "al-Ishrb" ( = to make to imbibe, to make to drink). Instead of saying the love of the calf', the verse says, "to imbibe the calf", for emphasis, as though they had drunk the calf itself into their hearts. The sentence thus contains two metaphors - "the calf" for the love of the calf, and imbibing into hearts for loving.

QUR'AN : Say: "Evil is that which your belief bids you... ": It is a derisive expression ridiculing them for their killings of the prophets, their disbelief in Mus and their arrogance in committing sin after sin and then claiming that they were the true believers. The verse tauntingly asks them: Is this what your belief bids you?

Traditions

as-Sdiq (a.s.) explained the verse, and when there came to them a Book from Allah verifying that which they have..., in this way: "The Jews found in their books that Muhammad (s.a.w.a.), the Messenger of Allah, would migrate and settle between Ayr and Uhud. So, they went out looking for that place. They passed by a mountain called Hadd ⁸; and they said: Hadd -and Uhud are the same'. So they dispersed nearby; some of them settled at Taym', and some others at Fadak and yet others at Khaybar. Those at Taym' once desired (to see) some of their brethren (at another place). A Bedouin from (the tribe of) Qays passed by them and they hired (his camels).

He told them: I shall take you from between Ayr and Uhud.' They told him: When you pass between the two, tell us.' When they reached the land of Medina, he said: That is Ayr and this is Uhud.' They descended from his camels and said to him: We have now found (the place of) our desire; now we do not need your camels, you may go wherever you wish.' Then they wrote to their brethren at Fadak and Khaybar: We have found the place, come therefore to us.' They wrote in reply: Now we have settled in this place, and have acquired properties; and we are so near to you. Therefore, when it will happen (i.e., when the Prophet will come to Medina), we shall rush to you.' Those Jews acquired properties in the land of Medina. When their wealth increased, its news came to the ears of Tubba' ⁹ and he attacked them. They fortified themselves and he laid siege to them. (And they used to take pity on the weekly soldiers of Tubba and throw dates and barley to them at night. This came to the notice of Tubba and he softened towards them. ¹⁰ He assured them of their safety and they came down to him. He told them: I do like this place of yours and I am inclined to settle down here.' They said: It is not for you. It is the migration place of a prophet; and no one may settle down here until that happens.' Thereupon he said: Then I am leaving among you some of the members of my clan, so that when it happens they shall help and assist him.' Thus he left behind the two tribes you see today, the Aws and the Khazraj. When these two (tribes) increased in number, they used to grab the properties of the Jews. At that time, the Jews used to warn them: Oh! when Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) is sent (by Allah) we shall certainly turn you out from our town and properties.' But when Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) was sent as Prophet, it was the Helpers (the Aws and the Khazraj) who believed in him and the very Jews denied him! This is the meaning of the words of Allah, and aforetime they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved ... " (al-Ayyash )

Ibn Ishq, Ibn Jarr, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Ab Htim and Ab Na'aym (in his Dal'ilu 'n-nubuwwah) have narrated from Ibn Abbs that he said: "The Jews used to pray for victory against the Aws and the Khazraj by the right of the Messenger of Allah, before he was sent as prophet. However, when Allah raised him from the Arabs, the same Jews disbelieved in him and denied what they used to say about him. Mu'dh ibn Jabal, Bishr ibn Bar' ibn Ma'rr and Dwd ibn Salamah told them: O Jews! Fear Allah and accept Islam; because it was you who used to pray for victory against us by the right of Muhammad, while we were polytheists, and you used to tell us that he would (soon) be sent, describing to us his attributes.' Salm ibn Mushkm, one of the tribe of Ban an Nadr, said to them: He has not brought to us anything we know; and he is not the prophet we were telling you about.' Then Allah sent down (the verse): And when there came to them a Book from Allah ... ' " (ad-Durru 'l-manthur)

Abu Nu'aym has narrated in his Dal'ilu 'n-Nubuwwah from the chains of At' and ad-Dahhk, from Ibn Abbs that he said: "The Jews of Ban Qurayzah and Ban an-Nadr, before Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) was sent as prophet, used to pray to Allah for victory, invoking Him against the disbelievers and saying: O Allah! We seek Thy help, by the right of the untaught prophet, to let us triumph over them.' And they were given victory. But when there came to them that which they did recognize (i.e., Muhammad - s.a.w.a.) , and actually they had no doubt whatsoever about him, they disbelieved in, and denied him. (ad-Durru 'l-manthur)

The author says: Similar traditions have been narrated by various other chains also.

A commentator, after pointing to the last mentioned traditions and others like them, says: "These traditions - weak as their narrators are and incompatible as they are with the narrated traditions - are anomalous in their meaning too, because they maintain that the prayer for victory was made by the person of the Prophet' or, as some traditions say, by the right of the Prophet'; and such a prayer is against the sharah; and no one has any right on Allah. How could prayer be offered with the help of such a non-existent right?

Reply: This objection results from not understanding the meaning of "right" and oath. Oath is used to join and bind a proposition, order, request or exclamation to an honourable and sublime thing - if that proposition etc. is wrong, the honour and sublimity of the thing bound to it, is tarnished and damaged. When you say, "By my life, Zayd is standing", you have bound the honour of your life to the truth of your statement; if that statement be wrong, your life would loose its honour. When you say, "By my life, I shall do this work", or "I entreat you, by my life, to do this work", you have, in the same way, put the honour of your life at stake for that work; if you did not do it, or if the second party did not heed to your entreaty, your life would loose its honour, its dignity. Two things emerge from this explanation:

First: Oath is the strongest method of emphasizing a talk, as the scholars of literature have confirmed.

Second: The thing by which one swears, must be more honourable and more important than the proposition etc. which it is related to; because a proposition cannot be emphasized with the help of a less important thing. Allah has sworn, in His Book, by His own name and attributes. For example, So, by your Lord, We would most certainly question them all (15 :92). Also, He quotes others swearing by His name and attributes: By Allah, our Lord ... (6:23) ; Then by Thy Might I will surely make them live an evil life (38:82) . But He has also sworn by His Prophet, His angels and His books, as well as by His creatures like the heaven, the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, the night, the day, the mountains, the rivers, the towns, the man, the tree, the fig and the olive. It could not be possible unless these things had a real dignity of their own bestowed on them by Allah; every such thing must have an attribute reflecting one of the divine attributes, or an activity related to the divine sublimity and every dignity and honour emanates from Him.

Now, what objection can be raised against a suppliant, if he prays to Allah for something entreating Him by one of the above-mentioned things - considering the fact that Allah Himself has sworn by those things and has given them a sublimity and dignity? Why an exception should be made in case of the Apostle of Allah only? Is it not an affront to the Prophet to remove him from this common way of showing respect? By my life, Muhammad, the Apostle of Allah (s. a. w. a.) is not less honourable in the eyes of Allah than an Iraqi fig or a Syrian olive! These people forget that Allah Himself has sworn by His Prophet: By your life! they were blindly wandering on in their intoxication (15 :72).

Now we should have a look at the "right". Right, as opposed to wrong, means a factual thing, existing outside imagination, like the earth and the man; in short, every real and substantial thing, as opposed to illusory and imaginary ones. Monetory and other social rights come within this category because they are firmly established by the society.

The Qur'an has nullified all the rights claimed by man, except that which is laid down and confirmed by Allah - in creation as well as in legislation. Right in the legislative and social spheres is that which Allah Himself has established, like the monetary rights, the rights of the brothers and the rights of the parents etc.

It is necessary to mention here that no one can lay down a right against Allah, no one can make it incumbent upon Allah to do or give something. But it is possible for Allah to make it incumbent upon Himself to do something, or to give someone something, all in the sphere of legislation. Then that "someone" shall have a right on Allah which Allah Himself has established. For example, Allah says: even so (now) it is a right on Us (that) We deliver the believers (10:103); And certainly Our word has already gone forth in respect of Our servants, the apostles: Most surely they shall be assisted ones, and most surely Our host alone shall be the victorious ones (37:171-173)

The assistance, promised here, is general and unconditional, not restricted by any proviso. Getting deliverance is the right of the believers on Allah, and getting assistance is, in the same way, the right of the apostles. By establishing this right on Himself for the apostles, Allah has enhanced their dignity and honour. And there is nothing to prevent a suppliant from entreating Allah to help and deliver him from his difficulties, by the right of His apostle or apostles. Allah Himself has laid down that right and He Himself swears by every honourable thing, showing us that such oaths and adjurations are in fact liked by Him.

In short, there is no hitch in entreating Allah by His Apostle or by the right of His Apostle. The same applies to entreating Him by His friends, or by the right of His friends. He has established a right for them on Himself that He will surely assist them in the path of happiness, with every related assistance.

The claim that "no one has any right on Allah" is just a nonsense. Of course, no one can lay down a right for himself on Allah; no one can make it incumbent on Allah to do some thing. But a suppliant does not pray to Allah by a right forced on Allah by someone else; he pleads to Him by a right which He Himself has established pledging His Own word; and His Promise is never broken.
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8 In the printed copy of at-Tafsir of al-Ayyash (vol. 1, p.49) and what has been quoted from him in al-Bihr (vol. 15, p.226), al-Burhn (vol.1, p.128) and Majma'u 'l-bayAn (vol. 1, p.158) the name has appeared as Hadd. But we could not find such a name in geographical dictionaries. Perhaps it is a corruption of Hadad which is a mountain overlooking Taym'; (see Makamu 'l-bayann, vol. 2, p. 229; al -Qms, vol. 1, p. 287 and Tju 'l-'ars, vol. 2, p. 333) or it may be another reading of Hadad. (ed.)

9 (at -Tubba) was the title of the kings of Yemen.

10 The sentences in parenthesis are not in al-Mzn. They have been added from the quotation of al-Ayyash, given in Bharu 'l-anwr, vol. 15, p.226. (m)