002:157

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Abid

The Holy Qor-aan                                                                                                                 002:157

 

الَّذِيۡنَ اِذَآ اَصَابَتۡهُمۡ مُّصِيۡبَةٌ  ۙ قَالُوۡٓا اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَاِنَّـآ اِلَيۡهِ رٰجِعُوۡنَ

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Ul-la-zee-na-ezaa-asaa-but-hoom-mo-see-ba-toon                                                                   Qaa-loo-in-naa-lil-laa-hay-wa-in-naa-elai-hay-raa-jay-oon.

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Who when a misfortune has struck them                                                                           They said, “We surely belong to Allah. And we surely will return to Him.”

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  • ٱلَّذِينَ — Ul-la-zee-na Who — (= pl., m, 3rd person. All those articles, things or persons)

[ The next four words are also in 004:063 ]

  • اِذَاۤ — Ezaa — When (= Any time or event; now that; when; whenever)
  • اَصَابَتۡ — Asaa-but — Struck (= v., past., f., 3rd person, Affected; afflicted; arrived;  befell; came to; got hold of; landed upon; overtook; reached; smote; smut; struck)
  • ھُمۡ‌ — Hoom — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3rd person. Refers to aforesaid people)
  • مُّصِيۡبَةٌ — Mo-see-ba-toon — Misfortune (= n., s., Adversity; affliction; bad luck; calamity;  catastrophe; difficult situation; disaster; hardship;  loss; inconvenience; misfortune; severe problem; tribulation; trouble)
  • قَا لُوۡا — Qaa-loo — They said (= v., past., pl., m., 3rd person.  All those men: Asserted; announced; called; conveyed; declared; exclaimed; explained; insisted; professed; specified; stated; told.  Also added in extrapolation:  “They do not loose heart, but say…”
  • اِنَّـآ — In-naa — Surely we (= Combines two words. اِنَّ means ‘certainly, definitely,
    surely or verily. And نَآ means ‘all of us’)
  • لِ — L…(il) — Belong to (= For the benefit, object, person, purpose or reason)
  • اللّٰهِ — Laa-hay — Allah (= The Almighty God; The only One worthy of worship)
  • وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; but; also; more over; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
  • اِنَّـآ — In-naa — Surely we (= Combines two words. اِنَّ means ‘certainly, definitely,
    surely or verily. And نَآ means ‘all of us’)
  • اِلَيۡ — Elai — To (= In the direction of; to; towards)
  • هِ — Hay — Him (= pro., s., m., 3rd person. Refers in instant case to Allah)
  • رٰجِعُوۡنَ — Raa-jay-oon — Return (= Come back; revert)
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002:156

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Abid

The Holy Qor-aan                                                                                                                   002:156

 

وَلَـنَبۡلُوَنَّكُمۡ بِشَىۡءٍ مِّنَ الۡخَـوۡفِ وَالۡجُـوۡعِ وَنَقۡصٍ مِّنَ الۡاَمۡوَالِ وَالۡاَنۡفُسِ وَالثَّمَرٰتِؕ وَبَشِّرِ الصّٰبِرِيۡنَۙ‏

 

Wa-la-nub-lo-won-na-koom-bay-shai-in                                                                                       May-nul-khao-fay-wul-joo-aiy-wa-nuq-sin-may-nul                                                                    Um-waa-lay-wul-un-fo-say-wauth-tha-ma-raa-tay                                                                   Wa-baush-shay-ris-saa-bay-ree-n.

 

And We surely will test you with some                                                                                From (= of the) fear and hunger and loss of                                                                    Assets and lives and gains.                                                                                                And congratulate the persevering.

 

  • وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses; additionally; but; also; more over; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
  • لَ — La — Certainly (= Absolutely; definitely; doubtlessly; earnestly; indeed; positively; really; seriously; surely; truly; verily)
  • نَبۡلُوَنَّ — Nu-blo-won-na — Test (= Examine; test for steadfastness; try. A/t/a 1. Rewarding after disciplining. 2.”Muslims should be prepared … to lay down their lives in the cause of Islam” are construed to be a preparation for war but our Commentary Jihad-war of aggression is no Isslaam presents an accurate and a  lot more balanced, peaceful and reasonable interpretation)
  • كُمۡ — Koom — You (= pro., pl., m., 2nd person., You men. The Holy Qor-aan and other scriptures state that way when both men and women are addressees)
  • بِ — Bay — With (= The English equivalent of this Arabic word is ‘with’)
  • شَىۡءٍ — Shai-in — Something (= Smallest part of any article, item, object, material, matter, thing, phenomenon or stuff; to the least extent)
  • مِّنَ — May-na…(ul) — Out of (= Among, from or out of a class, category, count, kind, lot or several persons or things)
  • الۡخَـوۡفِ — Khao-fay — Fear (= The condition or state of being afraid or feeling scared of any real,]imagined or perceived danger or peril)
  • وَ — Wa…(ul) — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above)
  • الۡجُـوۡعِ — Joo-aiy — Hunger (= Famine; period of hunger; person with the appetite; the state of having no food to eat; the urge or feeling that one must eat something)
  • وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above)
  • نَقۡصٍ — Nuq-sin — Loss (= Diminishing; the state of loosing what one owns)
  • مِّنَ — May-na..(ul) — Out of (= Among, from or out of a class, category, count, kind, lot or several persons or things)
  • الۡاَمۡوَالِ — Um-waa-lay — Assets (= pl., Affluence; gains; goods; money; property; riches; wealth; resources; substance; valuables. See more meanings in Note 002:262)
  • وَ — Wa…(ul) — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above)
  • الۡاَنۡفُسِ — Un-fo-say — Lives (= pl., 1.  Hearts; individuals; minds; persons; souls.
    2.  Fellows; folks; followers; individuals; people.  3.  Brethren; countrymen; kinsman; nation; tribes)
  • وَ — Wa…(uth) — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above)
  • الثَّمَرٰتِ — Tha-ma-raa-tay — The gains (= n., pl., 1. Gains from using one’s abilities, blessings, capabilities; capacities, faculties, qualities or talents one has. Usufruct of the assets, education, facilities, opportunities or qualifications one acquires. Fruits of  efforts made, labors performed, services rendered or toil done. 2. Fruits; crops harvested; edibles produced by or from the plants and trees; yield)
  • وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., links words, phrases or clauses. See وَ  above)
  • بَشِّرِ — Baush-shay-r(is) — Congratulate (= Announce, give, inform, make aware, proclaim, share, state or tell good and happy news or glad tiding)
  • لصّٰبِرِيۡن — Saa-bay-ree-n — The persevering (= n., Consistent; constant; insistent; patient; persistent; pursuant; steadfast; those who patiently persevere with  continuity, endurance, fortitude and regular repetitions  and show the above characteristics with no failing, flailing  falling or faltering; unwavering.  Patient in tribulation   and adversity and time of stress)
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Planning -vs- Predestination

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Abid

Planning -vs- Predestination

Verse 002:149 highlights four issues that scholars have raised but not answered uniformly.

  • 1. Did God predetermine everything for everyone and so man has no choice in that? OR
  • 2. Has God given man an unbridled will and whim to do what and when he pleases? OR
  • 3. Does God know what man will do in a specific scenario, but gave him a leeway? OR
  • 4. Has God predestined specific results of specific actions as rules of universal application but given man a limited choice of several (seven per 023:018) alternatives?

And then there are several meanings of following four words in the verse 002:149.

  • a) The word وِّجۡهَةٌ (Wij-ha-toon) means a person’s attention, countenance, determined mind, face, focus, ideal, intent, mission, sole purpose or total endeavor. All, entire, sole, total or whole attention to his single purpose of life. Goal in a pre-occupied mind. Clear-cut closing settlement one sets up for himself exclusively. Dominant thought and pursuit of a sole objective. Ultimate end-result object towards to which one is drawn. Direction one seeks and pursues at all costs. Destination. Destined goal. Destiny.
  • b) The word هُو (Ho-wa) refers to who: man who is focused OR ‘Allah who turns him.’
  • c) The word مُوَلِّيۡ (Mo-wul-lee) means to ‘achieve or arrive, attain or turn, etc.’ Is it ‘He, the man, will eventually succeed in reaching and arriving there” (M M Pikthall)? OR Is it Allah Who ‘will turn him, the man, in the direction destined for him’ (Ahmad Zindan).
  • d) The word الۡخَيۡرٰتِؕ (Ul-khai-raat) indicates man’s actions like good deeds and happy and pleasant acts, OR values like appreciating things that hold prospects of a better and improved prize, and comparatively superior noble goals, or moral virtues at their apex.

A commentary titled The Holy Qor-aan – The Most Read Book In The World has given a reasonable explanation of one view.   “In Trillions of disputes, cases and controversies the judges and jurists, and in academic situation the academia and critics have interpreted and extrapolated its Commandments and Prohibitions in all kinds of legal and social issues, spiritual and temporal environments, personal and familial matters.” But there are other views too.

The permutations and combinations of meanings of all above created many possibilities.   One of those possibilities that exceed over 65,000 when mathematically calculated is the answer.   Whether God preordained man’s life or empowered him to change it per his choice is one answer.   It is the disagreement in answering the above that has produced the right guidance for mankind.   The Almighty God has created every human being for a given purpose and not in vain (003:192).   Everyone is responsible for his actions (006:165), and that rule has been repeated several times.   The Holy Qor-aan makes man’s relation with his God the most important in religious matters.   And the law where one chooses to live binds him to obey it and to live in peace in temporal life.

The most logical meanings of the verse are thus very simple.   Everyone has a purpose of life, is given choices and exhorted to excel in virtuous conduct.   It appears illogical there is anybody who has a pre-set bad destiny to which God drives him.   The Tuq-dee-r (pre-ordained destiny) is known to be moved with a human Tud-bee-r (plan).   The plan provided in 002:046 and 002:154 is to seek Allah’s help and guidance with persistent prayers.

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Islam – 207 – Translations With Different Ideas

Posted on November 28, 2015 by Abid

ISLAM – 207

 

Translations With Different Ideas

 

The Holy Qor-aan brought Islsaam (see our Commentary Islam-101) and guaranteed it to remain intact (015:10).  Despite untold number of translations, cool complements, adverse criticism, and fabricated frivolous falsehoods, the Holy Qor-aan has not changed.

Translators’ mastery over English vocabulary often induced them to translate the Arabic of the Holy Qor-aan into flowery English, supplanting the original meaning with their own ideas. For example, in Verse 079:032, a reference to rain water was translated by an author into the ‘moisture and pasture.’

Elsewhere, the counter-concepts of wickedness and righteousness have been translated as ‘sins and piety,’ ‘wrongs and right,’ ‘the bad and the good,’ ‘weaknesses and strength,’ ‘evils and virtue’ as laid out in our Note to the verse 091:009.

A translator’s choice of a word, phrase or idea will remain open to critique by others, although even embellished translations must be construed as the best effort done in good faith to convey what the original text really meant.

“A translator’s task … is extremely difficult. He has to do with highly mystical symbols expressed in elliptical language suitable for mysticism, and he has to render them in another language with words of precision intelligible to readers. It is therefore necessary for him to put in part of the Commentary in the Translation in such cases.” A Yusuf Ali’s translation Note 5916.

Many translations of the Arabic words to English equivalents are distinctly different.  An example is how the words in وَاِذَا النُّفُوۡسُ زُوِّجَتۡ  ‘081:008  were translated and then explained.  Was ‘men will be united’ best translated and illustrated by the formation of a ‘United Nation? What if they got ‘together’ in great numbers by easier travels in ships, planes, cars and trains? Could that be a fill of the forecast if men ‘gathered’ in humongous concerts and conferences? Will millions visiting Moslem Hajis in Mecca or Hindu Yatries on the Ganges banks qualify?

This site has chosen to side-step all attempts to answer the above difficult questions. Instead our word-by-word translation should enable a reader to make those determinations.   

M Muhammad Ali translated the verse 081:008 as “When men are united'” and in Note #2674 explained: “One of the greatest achievement of the modern civilization … Time is not far … when the whole world will be united and may become as a single nation.” A similar sentiment is expressed in many other translations as well. But Dr Khan has said, “Souls are joined with their bodies – the good with the good and the bad with the bad.”

The following part of our Note 081:008b  sheds light on this from an angle that currently has heated debates.

The key word زُوِّجَتۡ is generally used to express the matrimonial ties between a man and a woman. One example of such use is creating pairs consisting of a male and a female stated in 078:009. It is no extraordinary event for man and woman to marry to procreate the life as is done since Adam. Traditional marriage is hardly the type of a catastrophic extraordinary event told in other verses. The abomination of same-sex marriage is of that kind although legalized now in some countries. Almost all Scriptures denounced those who openly practiced the evil (007:082) thing in the past. The Prophet Lot was sent to end the immorality acquiesced by those people by warning them first. But the community persisted with its life-style and continued it until they annihilated themselves. The same-sex humans licensed as husband and wife is by no means the natural way to procreate. What makes sense for the continuation of human race is procreation of life by man and woman.

And then there are several other formations. Like nations forming consortiums such as the League of Nations and United Nations. Or, countries creating regional defense packets like NATO, CENTO and SEATO. Or, foreign invasions organized by creating multi-national task forces and alliances. Or, nations marrying and merging into each other before divorcing and separating like Syria did with Egypt or East Pakistan turned into Bangla Desh.

Illustrated above is just one verse which has been given distinct extrapolations in honest translations. But different translations of the same Arabic words, phrases and whole verses do confuse readers. There is no exception whether that reader is a genuine seeker of the Truth or a highly inimical critic. An uneducated Moslem is in the same boat as any other not familiar with vast Moslems’ literature. Even educated Moslems lazily prefer following their indoctrination over personally learning afresh. Those not equipped to become well-versed on their own have to follow what had been said earlier. Some scholars unwittingly fall to the political expediency, sectarian biases, even personal agendas. Resulting confusion is natural, particularly when one work is put against other for a comparison. Several examples of the difference in opinions are verses like 078:039, 079:044, and the following.

a. 078:013 shows the word شِدَادًا extrapolated multifariously in different translations such as ‘mighty heavens’, ‘firmaments’, ‘strong heavens’, ‘strong heavenly bodies of the solar system’, ‘major planets of the solar system of which sun is the center’, or ‘seven stages of spiritual development of man’, ‘ways by adding ‘Paradise’ as the 7th, the other six are the spiritual stages of the growth of Believers’, and ‘the major planets of the solar system.’

b. 079:002 detailed in our Commentary titled as The Callers to Allah.

c. 081:024 shows translators differing as to whom the pronoun هُ (hoo = him) has referred.

  • Him’ refers to the Almighty God – M Zafrulla Khan
  • ‘Him’ refers to ‘Himself’ ( صَاحِبُكُمۡ = your companion) the Holy Prophet s.a.w – M M Pickthall, Allamah Nooruddin and M Muhammad Ali.
  • ‘Him’ refers to the angel “Jibrail (Gabriel)” – Dr Khan, Dr Al-Hilali and N J Dawood.
  • As ‘It’ it refers to the ‘Glorious future of Islam,” or as ‘Him’ … “He saw himself in the distant East in the person of the Promised Messiah.” Malik Ghulam Farid

d. 082:002 detailed in our Commentary titled as The Interruptions to a Speaker.

e. 084:020. The word تَرۡكَبُنَّ (Tur-ka-boon-na = Pass on) is translated in opposite ways.

  • Moving upwards – conveyed by ‘ascending, developing, evolving, growing or improving into next better stage.’
  • Moving downwards – conveyed by ‘deteriorating down to the next lower stage’ based upon the two verses that follow this verse – Several translations.
  • Moving sideways – conveyed by ‘pass on’ that covered both sides.

The Holy Qor-aan has been and will forever remain safe and protected, unaffected and far above any impact by different translations whether friendly errors or inimical assaults.

 

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War of aggression is no Islam

Posted on November 21, 2015 by Abid

LAW

War of aggression is no Islam

See our Commentary titled Mullah’s Jihad is no road to peace, which collects and links to a dozen other Commentaries related to different aspect of Jihad.

The West feels threatened because it cannot understand why “Muslims should be prepared not only to lay down their lives in the cause of Islam but should also be prepared to suffer all kinds of afflictions” [Malik Ghulam Farid in his Note # 182 to the verse 002:156].

The verse 002:208 states that “Among men is he who sells his soul seeking the pleasure of Allah.”    But A Yusuf Ali translated it as the “Type of man who gives his life to earn the pleasure of God.”    The benign nature of his translation and the constructive purpose is explained in foot Note 279.    Yet his choice of words conveyed quite a bit of militancy in preparing one to give life and get killed.    Still even that does not justify financing, recruiting, indoctrinating and training a suicide-bomber.

But no one can purge from Moslem literature all that is placed there in the last fourteen centuries.   All in the West and all in the East prepare their soldiers to die for the safety of those back home.   Ask any recruiter who must keep beefing up his country’s army to claim being the world’s best.   Ask any trainer who must sharpen the killing skills of all uniformed soldiers to be ready for war.   Ask any pilot who must fly home dead in the body bags or injured on stretchers.

The Holy Qor-aan has spelled out its teachings for the entire mankind.    All people have been instructed by the verses 002:154 to 002:158 that must be studied together.    The first two urge everyone to beseech for the help of the Almighty God by persistent prayers.    The last two verses offer solace and show how to cope with a loss as all must suffer sometime.    The central 002:156 explains how every human will have to suffer in some way during his life.    Altogether  these verses provide a Rule of Universal Application which appliesto all alike.

Yet the extrapolations of these verses vary widely.   Some allege to justify Jihad as a holy war.  Others try to criticize Jihad as a genocide.  Hardliners on both extremes advance confusingly indistinguishable arguments.  The Holy Qor-aan does not mandate indiscriminate unholy fighting which the Jihadists notoriously practice.  Killing the innocents members of any faith is no holy war by any stretch of imagination.  The kindness presented in Islam must be shown by the actions of insiders, not merely shown in translating words to the insiders.

We are not new in trying to make sense out of all that.   “Islam follows the Golden Mean. All well-regulated societies lay down reasonable limitations.   These become incumbent on all loyal members of any given society, and show what is ‘lawful’ in that society” – A. Yusuf Ali.    Our several Commentaries including the following floodlight many involved issues.

Law – Jihad- Is Striving For The GoodLaw

Law – Jihad prohibited as a war

Law – Jihad, defined by the High Court

Law –  Jihad, Is It Fighting.

Man has always fought with man.    The earliest story in the recorded history of man is of one son of Adam who killed his brother.    From the hurting to the killing always was preceded by some kind of real or perceived fear.    Sometime the excuse was the anticipated threat which was retaliated by a preemptive strike.    Other times it was a pure greed to get money, power or control that someone else got first.    There were ambitions to conquer the world or have the sun never set on their nation’s empire.    Evangelical determinations sought to convert everyone to the religions their clergy preached.    Small nations negotiated trade relations and then stepped up to enslave much larger nations.    But each surge urged someone else to lay his life for the touted good of those back home.

Alexander, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane of the medieval ages may have had their spirits incarnated in Napoleon, Hitler and Stalin of the modern era.   But the zealots of the communism, socialism, capitalism and fanaticism are modern equivalents of Christian crusades and Moslem conquests.   Their first waves of onslaught may have taken some gifts, gone to buy spices, taught to drill oil, or spread an economic or social service.   But the supporting swarms following them revealed their real intent:

  • By wearing masks of do-gooders yet focused solely on benefiting their motherland
  • By ruling and controlling other countries, such as India was ruled for nearly 200 years
  • By initially preparing their own to fight and kill but eventually tutoring their loyal subjects to fight and kill for them such as was done in WWII.

Likewise some criminals hijacked some reasonable provisions relative to wars; see our Commentary Law of War.     They fabricated some unwarranted theories; see our Commentary titled as the Abrogation Theory.     They distorted the most rational approach to peace in most heinous crime against the humanity.    Their conduct has shown them as criminals covering their nefarious activity with religious masks.     Their wave of crimes using terms like Ghazi, Shaheed and Khilafut does not sanctify it as a Jihad.     They truly don’t have even the remotest connection with real Islaam that they use only as a cover.   Shaving heads, growing beards, killing helpless children or women who wage no war is no Isslaam.   The truth is that Jihad-war of aggression is no Isslaam – and – Isslaam allows no war of aggression.

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Law – Jihad Is Striving For The Good

Posted on November 17, 2015 by Abid

LAW

Law – Jihad Is Striving For The Good

See our Commentary titled as Islaam – 303 – Jihad is no road to Peace which is the hub-post and refers to about a dozen other Commentaries related to different aspect of Jihad.   Really the Holy War (Jehaad-il-oolaa) is striving with one’s wealth, self and pen, and not with the sword.

The Holy Qor-aan never mandated murdering anyone.   Its best precedent-setter, the Holy Prophet Mohammad s.a.w., never hurt anyone except when attacked in a war.   Yet criminals sacrilegiously defiling the name of Islam (See Commentary Islam, Qor-aan, Mohammad, Relationship) keep killing the innocent.

While allowing war to end hostilities, the Holy Qor-aan never permitted killing the innocent.   Its teaching to practically end all wars has been misinterpreted to have instead promoted wars (See our Commentary Law of War).

The Qur’an declared that the intentional killer of a believer would go to hell (004:094).   It deprecated the ‘killing of one person as tantamount to killing the whole mankind’ (005:033).

The Holy Qor-aan laid down Commandments by mostly using several derivative words flowing out of the two roots ق ت ل (See our Commentary Jihad, Is It Fighting) and ج ه د (See our Commentary Jihad, Prohibited As A War).   The basic concept of a root stays intact in every word derived from it, and these two roots are often translated in English to ‘fight’ and ‘strive.’

‘Fighting’ is defined by Merriam-Webster as “to use weapons or physical force to try to hurt someone, to defeat an enemy, etc.; to struggle in battle or physical combat; to be involved in (a battle, struggle, etc.); or to argue in an angry way.”

In sharp contrast, ‘Striving’ is defined by the same source as simply “to try very hard to do or achieve something.”

The Holy Qor-aan has used the term ‘Je-haad’ almost exclusively as striving in God’s cause with one’s wealth, or self — but not violence.   It clearly gave preference to those who “strive with their wealth and their persons” over those who remain sitting down (004:096), without taking action.

The Commandments in the Holy Qor-aan allowed believers to ‘Fight’ (047:021) against infidels (004:090, 009:029) and urged to ‘Strive in God’s cause with wealth and self ‘ in many places (including 009:041). The repetition of this theme is like showing an object in a dark field with flood-lights from many angles so that none of its sides remain left in the dark, unlit.

Israelites were initially allowed to fight (002:247 to 002:252) and helped despite their numerous disobediences.   Moslem were extended that same permission, but only for God’s causes (002:217, 002:245, 004:085).   (See our Commentary Islam,Qor-aan, Jews Moslems alike? 002:046).

Fighting is specifically disallowed in many enumerated instances: when hostilities end (002:192/194), when the disorder (conditions warranting war) ends (008:40), and when enemy accepts subjugation and pays taxes (009:029).

Fighting is allowed in self-defense when attacked (002:191-192), , for those who were wronged (022:040) or thrown out of their homes (022:041), and in obedience to Allah’s messenger if he orders going out for a war (024:054).   Spoils of war are for those who fight (048:016 / 020 / 021).

Fighting is allowed in God’s cause (004:075) and to rescue the week, women and children (004:076).   Believers fight in God’s cause and disbelievers for evil things (004:077). Believers are commanded to strike hard when striking in God’s cause (004:095) and fight against idolaters as they fight you (009:036).

Finally, fighting is allowed against an enemy who starts hostilities after being pardoned and told to desist (008:039 to 041), or one who breaks a truce.

The Qur’an establishes rules for fighting.  For instance:

  • 20 righteous people would prevail over 200 opponents (008:066).
  • God helped believers in skirmishes when unjustly drawn in (009:025).
  • Strike hard in war, take captives, and then accept ransom or free them gratuitously (047:005).
  • Painful punishment is prescribed for those who opt out of fighting without just cause (048:017) or receiving an exemption (009:091/092, 048:018).
  • Secret arrangements with an enemy are prohibited when proceeding to strive in God’s cause (060:002).

Ignoring the contextual reference of verses like the following confused some translators.

  • Jaa-he-dil-koof-faa-ra-wul-mo-naa-fe-quee-na [Strive infidels and hypocrites] (009:073).
  • Ta-huj-jud from the same root is a prayer recognized and respected by Moslem of every school.
  • Jaa-he-do-fil-laa-hay-huq-qua-je-haa-de-hee [Strive in God’s cause a true striving] (022: 079).
  • Jaa-hid-hoom-bay-hee-je-haa-dun-ka-bee-raa [Argue with them with big argument] (025:053).

Ja-ha-da, Jaa-hid and Jaa-he-doo are words derived from one root ج  ه  د and frequently accentuated by adding fee-sabeel-il-laah ending all doubts that the action contemplated is striving hard in God’s cause with wealth as it is good for you (061:012).   Those who strive that way are better than those who don’t (004:096), are friends of believers (008:073), are real believers (008:075) even if they came later (008:076), are shown by Allah (009:016), are better than those offering water to pilgrims (009:019) and have great ranks with Allah (009:020).    They love Allah more than their family and friends (009:024).   We guide those who strive for Us (029:070).    Those who shun striving with their wealth in the causes of God will face hell fire (009:081).

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Jihad – Is It Fighting?

Posted on November 17, 2015 by Abid

LAW

Jihad – Is it Fighting?

See our Commentary titled as Islaam – 303 – Mullah’s Jihad is no road to Peace which is the hub-post and refers to about a dozen other Commentaries related to different aspect of Jihad.

The primary meanings of the root ق ت ل from which many words flow include the following.
1. Fight; attack; battle; combat; war.
2. Act in self-defense; fight back; oppose; push back; resist; retaliate; strive; struggle
3. Persecute; oppress; suppress; unfairly prosecute; social, political or legal pressurizing.
4. Commit carnage; massacre; murder or mayhem; kill; slaughter; slay.

The root ق ت ل  and its derivative nouns and verbs have been translated with differences.   The coloring to their grammatical variations by the academia further increased the divide.   The result in interpreting them sowed seeds of huge confusions, contradictions and conflicts.

Most variations in the meanings were magnified in the context of the history of the Israelites.   Verses 002:055, 002:191 and others show the right road though in different periods of time.   The first chronicled an event in the past Jewish history that was hard-cast and unchangeable.   The second illuminated the future of Islam that had yet to take a shape in the Moslem conduct.   God-given teachings of Islam were straightforward and designed to suit all human beings.

Yet man-made meanings placed on a single word turned Islam to appear a perpetual war-machine.   Mistranslating the derivatives of a single root caused grievous misunderstandings about Islam.   Malicious efforts to deface Islam by the outsiders got help from insiders’ shallow knowledge.

Islam had spread in the medieval ages like wild fire by those not fully steeped in its teachings.  The excited had little time to fully comprehend the niceties of rich Arabic of the Holy Qor-aan.  The blessings of peace which Islam had brought were masked behind spread-by-sword image.

Few languages in the world have strings of words which flow as derivatives from all roots.  The derivatives of the root  ق ت ل  include the following.

  • Verbs, in the past tense and active form, have fourteen (14) derivatives – for (a) one, (b) two or (c) three or more individuals in (i) 1st person, (ii) 2nd person and (iii) 3rd person; plus +
  • Verbs, in the past tense and passive form, have another (14) derivatives; plus +
  • Verbs, in the present tense, have another fourteen (14) derivatives; plus +
  • Several nouns, adjectives, adverbs and other verb forms, in many ‘chapters’ and ‘rhymes’, are derived from the same one root – but carry a unique shade or nuance in its meanings.

It takes skill to differentiate between the shades and nuances in the meanings of a derivative word. It is made more complex by considering ‘who translated’, ‘for what purpose’ and ‘with what motive’?

Most translations have chosen only one meaning of a derivative.    One good example is فَاقۡتُلُوۡٓا اَنۡفُسَكُم in 002:055 and ٱقۡتُلُوهُمۡ in 004:090. Its translations range widely.  What did the Command mean?  Was it a direction to physically kill others?  Was it a directive to psychologically suppress evil tendencies?  Was it to wage wars?  One extreme stated “kill your ring-leaders”, “slay the culprits and evil-doers among you” and “the innocent among you kill the wrongdoers among you” by just labeling them so.  The other extreme said “kill your passion”, “kill your evil desires” and “let each one of you slay the evil propensities of his mind.”  Is it killing and slaying, or suppressing with one’s will-power?

Another example is 009:029 where diverse translations have portrayed Islam differently. Is Islam as an instrument of aggression or the life-style for a peaceful existence for all citizens?

No civilized society can bear a segment of its populace to act rebellious or violate its law in force.  No country must limit to only some of its residents the benefits from the amenities it has garnered.  No reasonable person expects to be a non-contributing to the national exchequer while benefiting from what an orderly, peaceful and prosperous society has put together for its law-abiding people.

It is precisely this justification for the rule in the subject verse. It is not easy to defend the Moslem warriors running rampart, invading neighbors, destroying countries and conquering others.  Juzya is not to fund building bigger better armies and continuously strengthening a war machine.

Studying Islam is a serious matter; it must not be taken lightly; see The Holy Qor-aan is no joke.   Help is available in the Notes to verses 002:055, 002:073 and 002:191.   Soon the Commentary titled as ‘Arabic Grammar – 103 Questions Answered’ will also appear this site.

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Jihad prohibited as a war

Posted on November 17, 2015 by Abid

LAW

Jihad Prohibited As A War

See our Commentary titled as Islaam – 303 – Jihad is no road to Peace which is the hub-post and refers to about a dozen other Commentaries related to different aspect of Jihad.

The Arabic root ج ه د carries in it the concept of striving, overpowering a resistance with greater will power or struggling for good cause. Ordinary meanings of the words from this root do not involve any militancy or extremism like attacking, killing, slaughtering, slaying or committing murder or mayhem. Instead, the original meanings imply communicating, talking and settling disagreements by peaceful dialogue and conversation.

The noun from this root ‘Je-haad’ (incorrectly spelled as Jihad) means the aforesaid type of striving hard by exerting strong will. The derivative word ‘Jaa-hid’ (009:073) means the ‘doer of the acts of Je-haad’. It has been used to extrapolate that the Holy Prophet s.a.w (See our Commentary Islam, Qor-aan, Mohammad, Relationship) was ordered to ‘fight’ the disbelievers and hypocrites.

Any reasonable person can pin-point the fallacy of such assertion by looking at the reference to the context and the contents of the two verses before it and the three verses after it reproduced below:

And the believing men and women are friends to each other. They join in doing the good, prohibiting the evil, observing the prayers, paying the poor-due and obeying Allah and His messenger. They are on whom Allah will soon shower His mercy. Indeed Allah is Almighty All-Wise (009:071).

Allah has promised the believing men and women gardens beneath which streams flow. They will abide in clean dwellings in the Gardens of Eden and the greatest pleasure of Allah, the Greatest. That is the supreme triumph (009:072).

Listen Prophet! you too strive with those who don’t yet believe and the hypocrites and be firm with them that not following you they will go to hell and an evil Return (009:073).

They swear by Allah in what they say but they utter words of disbelief after their Islam and pursue what they can’t achieve. And they didn’t hate until after Allah and His messenger had enriched them with His grace. If they believe, it will be good for them. If they disbelieve, Allah will punish them terribly in this life and the Hereafter. And they will have no friend or helper anywhere on earth (009:074).

And among them are those who promised, “We will donate to charity if His grace reached us” (009:075).

But when His grace reached them they hoarded, turned back and were averse (009:076).

These passages make clear that the good fate of Believers is the incentives for others to join them. They urge non-believers to enter the fold by warning of God’s punishment (as all Scriptures, including Torah and Bible, do).

Nowhere is a Moslems ordered to invade the country or homes of non-Moslems to establish his faith. To the contrary, verse 009:074 is explicit: the punishment for non-believers will come from Allah, not from Believers mistakenly wielding a false mandate that God never gave.

In fact, the true meaning of these verses upholds the principles on which United Nations was founded. It prohibits spreading communism, socialism, capitalism or democracy by conquering other sovereign nations to really plunder their natural resources like the South African diamonds, Indian food and spices or middle eastern oil.

To be fair, the verse 002:191 of the Holy Qor-aan clearly confers upon a victim the right of private defense by retaliating against his transgressor. But even that exercise of self-defense is limited (a) to the situation when self-defense advances the cause of Allah, and (b) to the extent it is proportionate to the initial aggression committed against the victim.

This verse (or for that matter, any other verse of the Holy Qor-aan) does not allow, justify, permit or warrant a cart blanch killing of other human beings for any reason whatever — leave alone doing so on the basis of any real or perceived difference in the religion, views, cast, creed or color like Man the animal has always done wanting to ‘conquer the world’ or ‘impose his version of religious, political or economic’ suitability for the whole mankind.

This verse really is an absolute prohibition against initiating, continuing or perpetuating war of any kind. How sad it is that the very prohibition against war has been twisted around by some as a justification to spread their dogmas by crusades, holy wars, Jehad or Jihad, while by others to criticize Islam, which is essentially a message for love, peace and humanism.

This verse merits to be studied along with other verses mentioned in the Law of War.

 

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Jihad defined by Pakistan’s High Court

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Abid

LAW

JIHAD
Defined by the West Pakistan HighCourt

Report of the Court of Inquiry constituted under Punjab Act II of 1954 to inquire into the Punjab Disturbances of 1953 – Published by the Superintendent, Government Printing Press, Punjab. 1954. Part IV

“There are various theories about Jihad which vary from the crude notion of a megalomaniac moved by religious frenzy going out armed with sword and indiscriminately slaughtering non-Muslims in the belief that if he dies in the combat he becomes a shahid and if he succeeds in killing attains the status of a ghazi, to the conception that a Musalman throughout his life is pitted against kufr, kufr here being used in the sense of evil and wrong, and that his principal activity in life is to strive by argument and where necessary by force to spread Islam until it becomes a world religion. In the later case he fights not for any personal end but because he considers such strife as a duty and an obligation which he owes to Allah and the only recompense for which is the pleasure of Allah” (p 222)… “Generally accepted view is that (9:5) abrogated the earlier verses revealed in Mecca which permitted the killing of kuffar only in self defense. As against this the Ahmadis believe that no verse of the Qur’an was abrogated by another verse .. that both sets of verses have different scopes and can stand together.. that the doctrine of Nasikh and Munsukh is opposed to the belief in the existence of an original scripture” (pp 223-224).

“We are wholly incompetent to pronounce on the result to which the doctrine of Jihad will lead if, as appears from … writings produced before us including one by Maulana Abul Ala Maudoodi and another by Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani, it involves the spread of Islam by arms and conquest. ‘AGGRESSION’ and ‘GENOCIDE’ are now offences against humanity for which under sentences pronounced by different International Tribunals at Nuremburg and Tokio the war lords of Germany and Japan had to forfeit their lives. And there is hardly any difference between the offences of ‘aggression’ and ‘genocide’ on the one hand and the doctrine of spread of Islam by arms and conquest on the other” (p 224).

“Each of the verses in Soorut-ul-Kafiroon which contains thirty words and no verse exceeds six words, brings out a fundamental trait in man engrained in him since his creation while the La Ikraha verse, the relevant portion of which contains only nine words, states the rule of responsibility of the mind with a precision that cannot be surpassed.  Both of these texts which are an early part of the Revelation are, individually and collectively, the foundation of that principle which human society, after centuries of conflict, hatred and bloodshed, has adopted in defining one of the most important fundamental rights of man.   But our doctors would never disassociate chauvinism from Islam” (p 220).

“As to the doctrine of Jihad, the Ahmadi view is that what is called jihad-bis-saif is permissible only in self defense and that in stating his own view on this question Mirza Ghulam Ahmad merely expounded a doctrine which is based on, and directly follows from, the several texts in the Qur’an and that he did not profess to repeal or abrogate any rule or injunction of the Qur’an” (p 192).

See our Commentary titled as Islaam – 303 – Jihad is no road to Peace which is the hub-post and refers to about a dozen other Commentaries related to different aspect of Jihad.

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078:001 to 004

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Abid

The Holy Qor-aan                                                                                                  078:001 to 004

Verses of the Holy Qor-aan are quoted on this site with the numbers, the first set of three being the number of Soorah (Chapter) followed by the last set of three being the number of the verse. The numbers include بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ‏‏ as the verse #1 in every Soorah except the Soorah #9. The original Arabic word is shown first, or in Col #1. The phonetic transliteration in English is shown next, or in Col #2, and is based upon words commonly pronounced like bat, cat, sat → fate, gate, hate → bait, trait → bay, nay, say → be, he, she → bet, pet, wet → bit, fit, sit → cot, dot, rot → boot, hoot, root → bout, rout → but, cut, hut, ultimatum. The English equivalent to the Arabic words (shown first, or in Col #1) are provided next, or in Col #3. Some other alternates in English used in other translations are given last, or in Col #4.

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Chapter # 78                                  Soora-toon-Na-ba-aiy                                      سُوۡرَةُ النّبَإِ

بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ

عَمَّ يَتَسَآءَلُوۡنَ ‌ ۚ‏ ○ عَنِ النَّبَاِ الۡعَظِيۡمِ ۙ‏ ○  الَّذِىۡ هُمۡ فِيۡهِ مُخۡتَلِفُوۡنَ ؕ‏ ○ كَلَّا سَيَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ۙ‏ ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏○ اَلَمۡ نَجۡعَلِ الۡاَرۡضَ مِهٰدًا ۙ‏○ ○وَّالۡجِبَالَ اَوۡتَادًا ۙ‏ ○ وَّخَلَقۡنٰكُمۡ اَزۡوَاجًا ۙ○ ‏وَّجَعَلۡنَا نَوۡمَكُمۡ سُبَاتًا ۙ○ ‏وَّجَعَلۡنَا الَّيۡلَ لِبَاسًا ۙ ○ وَّجَعَلۡنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا‏○ وَّبَنَيۡنَا فَوۡقَكُمۡ سَبۡعًا شِدَادًا ۙ‏ ○ وَّ جَعَلۡنَا سِرَاجًا وَّهَّاجًا ۙ‏ ○ وَّاَنۡزَلۡنَا مِنَ الۡمُعۡصِرٰتِ مَآءً ثَجَّاجًا ۙ ○ لِّـنُخۡرِجَ بِهٖ حَبًّا وَّنَبَاتًا ۙ ○‏ وَّجَنّٰتٍ اَلۡفَافًا ؕ‏ ○ اِنَّ يَوۡمَ الۡفَصۡلِ كَانَ مِيۡقَاتًا ۙ ‏○ يَّوۡمَ يُنۡفَخُ فِى الصُّوۡرِ فَتَاۡتُوۡنَ اَفۡوَاجًا ۙ‏○ وَّفُتِحَتِ السَّمَآءُ فَكَانَتۡ اَبۡوَابًا ۙ‏○ وَّ سُيِّرَتِ الۡجِبَالُ فَكَانَتۡ سَرَابًا ؕ‏ ○ اِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتۡ مِرۡصَادًا ۙ‏○  لِّلطّٰغِيۡنَ مَاٰبًا ۙ‏ ○ لّٰبِثِيۡنَ فِيۡهَاۤ اَحۡقَابًا‌ ۚ‏ ○ لَا يَذُوۡقُوۡنَ فِيۡهَا بَرۡدًا وَّلَا شَرَابًا ۙ ○ اِلَّا حَمِيۡمًا وَّغَسَّاقًا ۙ○ جَزَآءً وِّفَاقًا ؕ‏○ اِنَّهُمۡ كَانُوۡا لَا يَرۡجُوۡنَ حِسَابًا ۙ○ ‏وَّكَذَّبُوۡا بِاٰيٰتِنَا كِذَّابًا ؕ‏ ○ وَكُلَّ شَىۡءٍ اَحۡصَيۡنٰهُ كِتٰبًا ۙ‏ ○ فَذُوۡقُوۡا فَلَنۡ نَّزِيۡدَكُمۡ اِلَّا عَذَابًا○ ‏ اِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِيۡنَ مَفَازًا ۙ‏ ○ حَدَآٮِٕقَ وَاَعۡنَابًا ۙ ○ وَّكَوَاعِبَ اَتۡرَابًا ۙ ○ ‏ وَّكَاۡسًا دِهَاقًا ؕ‏ ○ لَا يَسۡمَعُوۡنَ فِيۡهَا لَـغۡوًا وَّلَا كِذّٰبًا‌ ۚ‏ ○ جَزَآءً مِّنۡ رَّبِّكَ عَطَآءً حِسَابًا ۙ ○ رَّبِّ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا الرَّحۡمٰنِ‌ لَا يَمۡلِكُوۡنَ مِنۡهُ خِطَابًا‌ ۚ‏ ○ يَوۡمَ يَقُوۡمُ الرُّوۡحُ وَالۡمَلٰٓٮِٕكَةُ صَفًّاؕ ۙ لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُوۡنَ اِلَّا مَنۡ اَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحۡمٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا‌‏ ○  ذٰلِكَ الۡيَوۡمُ الۡحَـقُّ‌ ۚ فَمَنۡ شَآءَ اتَّخَذَ اِلٰى رَبِّهٖ مَاٰبًا‏  ○ اِنَّاۤ اَنۡذَرۡنٰـكُمۡ عَذَابًا قَرِيۡبًاۚ يَّوۡمَ يَنۡظُرُ الۡمَرۡءُ مَا قَدَّمَتۡ يَدٰهُ وَيَقُوۡلُ الۡـكٰفِرُ يٰلَيۡتَنِىۡ كُنۡتُ تُرٰبًا ○‏

1. Bis-mil-laa-hir-rah-maa-nir-ra-heem
2. Um-ma-ya-ta-saa-aa-loo-n
3. Aa-nin-na-ba-il-azee-m
4. Ul-la-zee-hoom-fee-hay-mookh-ta-lay-foon
5. Kul-laa-sa-yau-la-moo-na
6. Thoom-ma-kul-laa-sa-yau-la-moo-na
7. Aa-lum-nuj-aa-il-ur-dza-may-haa-dun
8. Wul-jay-baa-la-auo-taa-dun
9. Wa-kha-luq-naa-koom-uz-waa-jun
10. Wa-ja-ul-naa-nao-ma-koom-so-baa-taa
11. Wa-ja-ul-nul-lai-la-lay-baa-sun
12. Wa-ja-ul-nun-na-haa-ra-ma-aa-shaa
13. Wa-ba-nai-naa-fao-qa-koom-sub-un-shay-daa-dun
14. Wa-ja-ul-naa-say-raa-jun-wa-haa-jun
15. 15.Wa-un-zul-naa-may-nul-moe-say-raa-tay-maa-un-thuj-jaa-jaa
16. Lay-nookh-ray-ja-bay-he-hub-bun-wa-na-baa-taa
17. Wa-jun-naa-tin-ul-faa-aa
18. In-na-yao-mul-fus-lay-kaa-na-me-qaa-tun
19. Yao-ma-yoon-fa-kho-fis-soo-ray-fa-tau-too-na-uf-waa-jun
20. Wa-fo-tay-ha-tis-sa-maa-o-fa-kaa-nut-ub-waa-bun
21. Wa-soo-yay-ra-til-jay-baa-lo-fa-kaa-nut-sa-ra-baa
22. In-na-ja-hun-na-ma-kaa-nut-mir-saa-daa
23. Lit-taa-e-ghee-na-ma-aa-ba
24. Laa-bay-thee-na-fee-haa-ah-qaa-baa
25. Laa-ya-zoo-qoo-na-fee-haa-bur-dun-wa-laa-shraa-baa
26. Il-laa-ha-me-mun-wa-ghus-saa-qaa
27. Ja-zaa-un-wa-faa-qaa
28. In-na-hoom-kaa-noo-laa-yur-joo-na-hay-saa-bun
29. Wa-kuz-za-boo-bay-aa-yaa-tay-naa-kiz-zaa-ba
30. Wa-kool-la-shai-in-ah-sai-naa-ho-kay-taa-ba
31. Fa-zoo-qoo-fa-lun-na-zee-da-koom-il-laa-azaa-baa
32. In-na-lil-moot-ta-qee-na-ma-faa-zaa
33. Ha-daa-eqa-wa-au-naa-bun
34. Wa-ka-waa-eba-ut-raa-bun
35. Wa-kau-sun-de-haa-qaa
36. La-yus-ma-oo-na-fee-haa-lugh-won-wa-laa-kiz-zaa-ba
37. Ja-zaa-un-min-rub-bay-ka-ataa-un-hay-saa-baa
38. Rub-boos-sa-maa-waa-tay-wul-ur-dzay-wa-maa-bai-na-ho-mur-rah-maa-nay-laa-yum-lay-koo-na-min-ho-khay-taa-baa.
39. Yao-ma-ya-qoo-moor-roo-ho-wul-ma-la-eka-to-suf-fun–laa-ya-ta-kul-la-moo-na-il-laa-mun-aa-zay-na-la-hoor-rah-maa-no–wa-qaa-la-sa-waa-ba.
40. Zaa-lay-kul-yao-mlol-huq–fa-mun-sha-ut-ta-kha-za-elaa-rub-bay-he-ma-aa-baa.
41. In-na-un-zur-naa-koom-azaa-bun-qa-ree-bun–yao-ma-yun-zo-rool-mur-o-maa-qud-da-mut-ya-daa-ho–wa-ya-qoo-lool-kaa-fay-ro-yaa-lai-ta-nee-koonto-to-ra-baa.

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1. With the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful I begin.
2. About what they ask one another
3. About the Great Event
4. That in which they differ
5. The fact is that soon they will know the truth
6. Again, the fact is that soon they will know the truth
7. Don’t We make the earth as a bed
8. And the mountains as pegs
9. And We created you as couples
10. And We made your sleep as the rest
11. And we made the night as a dress
12. And We made the day as the time to work
13. And we built above you seven strong layers of skies
14. And We made the dazzling sun
15. And we sent down from the dripping clouds water pouring down profusely
16. So that We grow with it grains and vegetation
17. And gardens with thick foliage
18. Surely the Day of Decision has been fixed
19. The day the trumpet will be blown and you will come in big waves
20. And the sky would be opened up; then it would look like it has been big open doors
21. And the mountains would be moved away. Then it (= the category of mountains) would look like that has been a mirage.
22. Definitely the Hell would look like it has been nearby
23. A home for the rebellious
24. Staying in it for ages
25. They will not taste in it anything cool or nice drink
26. Except boiling water and awful fluid
27. An exact reward
28. They certainly had not been expecting any reckoning
29. And they belied Our signs as a total lie
30. And everything We have recorded it in a register
31. So taste, as a result of your evil deeds We won’t increase you except in punishment.
32. Certainly for the pious is the success
33. Gardens and vineyards
34. And the youthful companions, truly compatible
35. And a cup overflowing with clean and pure drink
36. They will not hear in it any vain talk, and no lie either
37. A reward from your God, a grant accurately measured.
38. The Lord God of the heavens and earth and what is between those two is the Most Beneficent God. Yet they won’t have any authority from Him to address Him.
39. On that day the Spirit and the angels would stand in rows. They won’t speak except anyone whom the Most Beneficent God permits. And He would say what is right.
40. That is the day of the Truth.. So whoever chose could take a turn to his God.
41. We surely have warned you of a nearby punishment. That day everyone will see what both his hands had forwarded. And the disbeliever would say, “I wish I was dust.”

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The Holy Qor-aan                                       078:001                                   ○بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ‏‏

Bis-mil-laa-hir-rah-maa-nir-ra-heem

With the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful I begin.

(Beginning, commencing, starting)

  • بِ — B…(is) — With (= This Arabic word literally means ‘with’. Its translation in English is more accurate with ‘with’ than with ‘in’)
  • سۡمِ — Ism…(il) — The name of (= The way to be addressed or called)
  • اللهِ — Laa-h…(ir) — Allah (= The Almighty God; the One Only worthy of worship)
  • الرَّحۡمٰنِ — Rah-maa-n(ir) — The Most Beneficent (= The One who fully, totally and wholly benefits all, to the maximum, with no condition, limitation or restriction. Compassionate. Gracious)
  • الرَّحِيۡمِ — Ra-heem — The Most Merciful (= The One who fully, totally and wholly showers mercy, to the maximum, again and again, continually, indefinitely and perpetually like the endlessly incoming waves from the oceans)

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The Holy Qor-aan                                         078:002                                               عَمَّ يَتَسَآءَلُوۡنَ ‌ ۚ‏

               Um-ma-ya-ta-saa-aa-loo-n

               About what they ask one another

  • عَمَّ Um-ma About what (= Combination of 2 words. The 1st word عَنۡ (un) means ‘about, concerning, regarding or relative to’. The 2nd word مَاۤ (maa) means ‘all that, whatever, whatsoever or what.’ The combinationعَمَّا (um-maa) of which the
    abbreviated is عَمّ (umma) means ‘about what; as regards; concerning; regarding; relative to all that; whereof.”
  • يَتَسَآءَلُوۡنَ — Ya-ta-saa-aloo-n — They ask (= Inquire; interrogate; question; seek info. The verse refers to the disbelievers who ask that way )

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The Holy Qor-aan                                         078:003                                              عَنِ النَّبَاِ الۡعَظِيۡمِ ۙ‏

                Aa-nin-na-ba-il-azee-m

                About the Great Event

  • عَنِ — Aa-nin — About (= About; concerning; regarding; relative to)
  • النَّبَاِ — Na-ba-i…(l) — Event (= Announcement; happening; news; occurrence; tiding)
  • الۡعَظِيۡمِ‏ — Azee-m — Great (= As a n., it tells of (a) a person, place, time, condition or    situation that good, great, superb, fabulous, fantastic, terrific and wonderful packed with the concepts of awe, might and glory, and (b) the opposite thereof in someone something that is bad and not good.  As an adj., or adv., it accentuates the good by translations with exceedingly, extremely, immensely, incredibly or infinitely, as also  its opposite to describe the bad with translations such as abjectly, awfully, deplorably, disgustingly, dreadfully, frightfully or terribly, etc. See Note 003:173a)

* Note 078:003. This event was the “Islamic Monotheism, the Qur’an which Prophet Muhammad s.a.w brought and the Day of Resurrection” – Dr Khan and Dr Al-Hilali.

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The Holy Qor-aan                                         078:004                                       الَّذِىۡ هُمۡ فِيۡهِ مُخۡتَلِفُوۡنَ ؕ‏

                Ul-la-zee-hoom-fee-hay-mookh-ta-lay-foon

               That in which they differ

  • الَّذِىۡ –Ul-la-zee That (= s., m., 3rd person. That one article, thing or person)
  • ھُمۡ‌ — Hoom — They (= pro., pl., m., 3rd person. Refers to the ‘disputants’)
  • فِىۡ — Fee — In (= About; concerning; for the sake of; in reference to; pursuant to; regarding; relative to)
  • هِ — Hay — It / which (= pro., s., m., 3rd person. Refers to the ‘Great News’)
  • مُخۡتَلِفُوۡنَ — Mookh-ta-lay-foon — Differ * (= Conflict; contradicting each other; disagree; dispute. The disbelievers differing with the believers and also among themselves.

* Note 078:004. This verse refers to those who used to ‘differ’ regarding the life after death and questioned one another by way of either soliciting for actual information or just commenting by way of sarcasm.

The Note 5889 by A Yusuf Ali elaborating this issue states that “There is practically nothing about the Resurrection in the Old Testament,” very little in the “early Christian Church,” and “the idea of a future life – if any – varied from place to place and from time to time.”

But the Holy Qor-aan verse 026:082 [where Abraham talks about the Almighty God that “He is going to cause my death and then give me life again”] clearly separates Islaam from other religions and scriptures on this issue. Moslems do not differ regarding the ‘Life After Death’ as this belief is set in the 5 Acts of worships or pillars of Islam.

Continued: See 078:005 to 017

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