presentation
Attributes of Allah
2.1.Aayat-ul Kursee (Soorat al-Baqarah,2:255)
Translation of the Meanings of this Verse
Allah, there is no god except Him, the Ever-Living, the Ever-Lasting Sustainer. Neither slumber, nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His permission? He knows what happens to them (i.e. creatures) [in this world] and what will happen to them [in the hereafter]; and they will never encompass anything of His knowledge except that which He wills. His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Explanatory Notes
This verse is known as the Throne Verse, and there are a number of ahaadeeth (sing. hadeeth) which prove that it is the most excellent verse in the Qur'an. Ubayy in Ka'b narrated that the Prophet PBUH asked him about the greatest aayah in the Book of Allah and he replied, 'Allah and His Messenger know best. When the Prophet PBUH repeated the question several times, Ubayy said, It is Aayat-ul-Kursee. The Prophet PBUH exclaimed, 'Congratulations! You possess true knowledge. By Him in whose Hand my soul is, this verse has a tongue and two lips with which it praises the King (i.e. Allah) at the foot of the Throne. (Ahmad: quoted in Tafseer Ibn Katheer, English Translation, vol. 2, p. 21)
The Word Al-Qayyoom
Al-Qayyoom is an intensive form which means the One Who exists by Himself and supports, sustains and provides means of subsistence for all His creations. Al-Hayy or the Ever- Living' is one of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah.
Allah, the Ever-Living, is the source of all life. His Life is not derived from anywhere else, while everyone else's life is from Him and is dependent upon Him. It is He Who made others live, and they are alive only as long as He wants them to live. Allah was and will always be living. His Life, His being al-Hayy, is of very different High Order - not comparable with the life of His creatures. What is true of al-Hayy is true of other similar Beautiful Names of Allah.
The
Phrase
Sinatun wa Laa
Nawm
Sinatun means adoze or nap, while nawm means sleep. The negation of these two negates both the initial and full-fledged state of sleep. This means that Allah is absolutely free of any trace or effect of negligence or heedlessness.
The General Structure of
Aayah 2: 255
It is not difficult to see how various themes are organized within this aayah. The first sentence states the basic theme, which is elaborated in the following statements. Allah, the Only God, is the source of all life. It is He Who controls the whole universe - everything depends upon Him and every event follows from Him. He is not unmindful of His creation, even for a single moment. He never sleeps or slumbers. He is the Master of all beings. Each and everyone belong to Him. In reality, no one would even dare to speak as an intercessor for anyone on the Day of Judgment unless He Himself permits it. He knows everything; therefore, He does not need any recommendation of any sort, which is usually required in human affairs. He alone is the Ruler. Everything else is responsible to Him. If any person fails to do his or her duty, and thereby deserves His punishment, no intercession can help that person.
The General Structure of
Aayah 2: 255
He knows everything, and no one else knows anything without His giving him the knowledge of it. He rules the whole universe, and everything is under His control at all times. It is He Who takes constant care of the whole universe and this is not a burden upon Him at all. To Him belongs all supremacy and all majesty. In the end, we quote a hadeeth about the Prophet's intercession. Allah's Messenger PBUH reported as having said, '[on the Day of Judgment] I will stand under the Throne and fall in prostration, and Allah will allow me to remain in that position as much as He wills. I will thereafter be told, "Raise your head, speak and you will be heard, intercede and your intercession will be accepted." The Prophet PBUH then said, 'He will allow me a proportion whom I will enter into Paradise!
(Muslim)
Review
2.2. A Clear Concept of the Creator: Soorat al-
An' aam, 6:101-103
Translation of the Meanings of these Verses
101. [He is] the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How could He have a son when He does not have a female companion? Rather, He created everything and has full knowledge of all things.
102. Such is Allah, Your Lord; there is no god other than Him, the Creator of everything. So worship Him alone, and he is Disposer of all things.
103. No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision. He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.
Explanatory Notes
Verse 101
The word Badee, as applied to Almighty Allah, means the one who produces something without an earlier example; hence, the word bid'ah which means a new practice that is introduced in religion. He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. In fact, the One who originates the whole universe out of nothing is in no need of a son. Offspring are needed by mortals. They are needed by the weak who want help.
Moreover, anyone who desires offspring must have a mate or a female consort from his
own species. How, then, can Allah have a son when He has never had a mate, and when He is One and unique and nothing and no one is comparable to Him? How can any offspring be born without a mate?
Verse 102 Allah is the Creator of all
Allah is the Creator of everything. As He is the Creator of all, He also provides sustenance to all using resources in which He has no partners. Whatever all creatures eat and whatever they enjoy in this life is part of what is the sole property of Allah. He is the Lord of the universe.
He controls everything. His is the authority to which everything submits, and He operates the system by which He takes care of His creation. So He is the only one who deserves to be worshipped in the full sense of the word, which denotes total obedience and submission. He controls not only human beings but also everything else, since He is the sole Creator of everything.
Verse 103
Visions cannot sight Him in this world. In the hereafter, the true believers will see Him, but they will not be able to encompass Him fully. Allah has spoken of His vision being granted to the believers in several other parts of the Qur'an. (For instance, 75:22-3; 83:15)
Allah's Messenger PBUH once said, 'Indeed, Allah does not sleep and it does not befit His Majesty that He should sleep. He lowers the scale and raises it. The deeds of the day are ascended to Him before the night, and the deeds of the night before the day. His Veil is Light, and if He removes it the Light of His Face will burn every created thing that His Sight reaches! (Muslim) The term Lateef denotes something that is extremely subtle in quality and, therefore, intangible and unfathomable. It implies that He is unique and absolute.
Review
What does the term Badee and Lateef mean?
Why is it insane to say or assume that
Allah has a son?
2.3. Allah's Signs which the Eyes Cannot Miss Seeing:
Soorat Fussilat, 41: 37-39
Translation of the Meanings of these Verses
Verse 37
Here Allah reminds His creation of His power and states that He is the One who has no equal and that He is able to do all things. 'And of His signs are the night and the day and the sun and the moon. This means He created the night with its darkness and the day with its light, and they alternate without stopping. He created the sun with its bright light and the moon with its reflected light. He allotted them their stages and gave them separate orbits in the heavens so that by the variations in their movements people may know the stages of night and day, of weeks, months, years and time periods related to acts of worship.
Verse 37
It is unfortunate that as one of the most prominent and powerful objects in the physical world, the sun has attracted the attention and obtained the homage of many races and nations who have personified and worshipped it as a god. The Gracious Qur'an categorically rejects this. Allah is the sole cause and source of all that exists and whatever exists is but a wondrous sign of His creative power. Hence, it is blasphemy to ascribe real power to anything created, whether it is a concrete phenomenon or an abstract force of nature, or even an idea.
It is not Permissible to Prostrate before Anyone except Allah
'Do not prostrate yourselves to the sun or to the moon. This view makes it clear that prostration or sujdood is the right of the Creator of the universe. It is strictly forbidden (haraam) to prostrate before the sun, the moon or any other person or thing, for that matter. Prostration of worship for any other than Allah has never been lawful for any community in any law of any prophet.It is interesting to note that the prayer times in Islam have all been separated from the hours when the sun was or is worshipped. The Fajr prayer is offered before sunrise, Dhuhr only after it has begun to decline, 'Asr when it begins to lose its shine, Maghrib when it has set, and Ishaa' only when its light has completely vanished.
Verse 38
'But if they are too proud means to worship Allah Alone, and if they insist on associating others with Him in worship, then there are angels who are with your Lord. They constantly glorify Him night and day and are never tired.
Sujood at-Tilaawah
There are fourteen (or fifteen) aayaat in the Quran which require us to perform a prostration when we read or hear these verses. In them it is mentioned that Allah's servants and creation bow before their Lord. Aayah 38 is one of them.
Verse 39
The verse now moves on to portray other scenes of creation and living creatures on earth and in the world of plants. The state of being still and lifeless, which is expressed in the Arabic text with the word khaashi'atan is a state between life and death. This is how the earth is when it is starved of water, the basic ingredient for life and the living. Thus, when rain water is poured over it, 'it stirs and swells. This is a remarkable movement which the Quran recorded many centuries before human science.
Verse 39
When the soil is very dry and then rain falls over it, it makes a movement like shaking or stirring. It is then full of life, bringing forth blooming vegetation that radiates pleasure. Is there anything more pleasing to the eye than seeing life in bloom in an area that has long remained barren? Here, the Qur'an cites these as one of Allah's numerous signs. The Qur'an reminds us: 'Indeed, the One who gives it life can most surely give life to the dead. Indeed, He is Powerful over all things!Although the allusion to the reviving earth often occurs in the Qur'an as a parable of man's ultimate resurrection after death, in the present context, it implies a call to the believer never to abandon the hope that 'those who deny the truth' may one day grasp the truth of the Qur'anic message.
Review
2.4. To Him Belongs Whatever is in the Heavens and Whatever is in the Earth: Soorat Ash-Shooraa, 4-5
Translation of the Meanings of these Verses
5. The heavens almost break from above them, and the angels glorify the praises of their Lord and ask forgiveness for all who are on earth. Unquestionably, it is Allah who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
4. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Explanatory Notes
Verse 4
To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth' means everything is subject to His dominion and control. He is the Most High, the Most Great. Some people, deceived by the fact that they find things in their hands subjected to them, benefiting from them, and which they can use as they wish, are led to believe that they own those things. Of course, they do not. Allah is the real Owner. It is He who creates and destroys, who gives life and causes death. He has the power to let people own whatever He wills or take away from their possession whatever He wishes in order to place them in the hands of whomever He wills. True ownership remains His at all times, and He dispenses with everything in a manner that suits His Grand Plan.
Explanatory Notes
Verse 5
'From above them' means owing to the greatness and majesty of the Lord of the worlds. According to another opinion, it may refer to the earth, meaning the heavens above the strata of the earth and all its inhabitants. It should be borne in mind that according to the Qur'an, the heavens and the earth, that is, the physical universe in its entirety, are not only conscious of their Creator but also unfailingly function in accordance with His Will.This verse reflects the total submission of the natural order to almighty Allah. It may also refer to the massive physical presence of the angels throughout the universe. Allah's Messenger PBUH is reported as having said, 'Indeed, I see what you do not see, and I hear what you do not hear. The heavens groan - and rightfully so!
Explanatory Notes
Verse 5
There is no space in the heavens the measure of a hand-span or the measure of four fingers, but that there is an angel there, placing his forehead in it prostrating to Allah. By Allah! If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and you would weep much, and you would not enjoy your wives in bed, and you would come out beseeching Allah: (at-Tirmidhee, hadeeth no. 2312, and it is classified as hasan)The scope of the sources of knowledge, hidden and apparent, such as the ears, the eyes, the intellect, among other tools, given by Allah to us, extends as far as the seen world.
Explanatory Notes
Verse 5
The unseen world is beyond its capacity or domain.The way to acquire authentic and dependable knowledge about the unseen is to get it from what the prophets and the messengers of Allah inform us on the basis of what Allah causes them to see, hear and observe. According to another opinion, the heavens might nearly be rent asunder because of ascribing a son to Allah, Most High. The following verse supports this: The heavens are almost about to be rent asunder, and the earth cloven and the mountains to collapse, razed, that they attribute to the All-Merciful a son! (Soorat Maryam, 19:90-91)
Explanatory Notes
Commenting on these verse, Sayyid Qutb writes,
The very sound of these verses and their rhythm add to the air of anger at this false claim. In fact, the whole universe rejects this claim most vehemently.It shudders and quivers with abhorrence as it hears this falsehood against God Almighty. It is a reaction similar to that of a person who feels that his very integrity is attacked, or that the honesty of someone he loves is assailed. In their beat, the words here show the movement of a violent attack. Everything that is settled and stable is thus shaken. The whole universe is in anger at this false allegation against God, the Creator. The statement is shocking to everything in nature. (Sayyid Quib, In the Shade of the Qur'an, vol. 11, p. 376, Eng. Tr. *Adil Salahi)
In fact the idea that Allah might have a 'son'
- either in the real or in the metaphorical sense of this term - would presuppose a degree of innate likeness between 'the father' and the son: but Allah is in every respect unique, so that
'there is nothing like Him (Soorat ash-Shooraa,
42: 11) and 'there is none comparable to Him. (Soorat al-Ikhlaas, 112: 4) The idea of God having a son goes against the teachings of Islam and is described in the Qur'an as blasphemous, and it is for this reason that the Qur'an criticises the Christians for erroneously believing that 'Eesaa seal is the son of God.
Review
2.5. The One, the Everlasting Refuge:
Soorat Al-Ikhlaas, 112:1-4
Translation of the Meanings of this Soorah
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
4. And there is none comparable to Him.
2. Allah, the Everlasting Refuge.
3. He does not beget, Nor is He begotten,
1. Say: He is Allah, the One,
Explanatory Notes
Allah Most High is the sole subject of this soorah. Some scholars have pointed out that this is the only soorah in the Qur'an in which two attributes of Allah - al-Ahad and as-Samad
have come together and could be the reason, according to al-Qurtubee, why it has been said to be equal to one-third of the Qur'an.
Hadeeth on the Virtues of this Soorah
*Ai'shah PBUH said, 'The Prophet PBUH appointed a man as the commander of a military campaign and he used to lead his companions in prayer and recite a soorah of the Qur'an and would then follow it up with 'Say: He is Allah, the One, that is Soorat al-Ikhlaas. When they returned from the campaign, they asked him why he had done so and he replied, "Because [Soorat al-Ikhlaas] provides a description of ar-Rahmah, and I love to recite it." The Prophet PBUH said, "Inform him that Allah the Most High loves him.' (al-Bukhaaree) Allah's Messenger PBUH also said, 'By Him in whose Hand my soul is, it is truly equivalent to one third of the Qur'an. (al-Bukhaaree)
The Word al-Ahad
The word al-Ahad, which is different from the word Waahid, has added the signification of absolute and continuous unity and the absence of equals.
The Term as-Samad
According to some scholars, the word as-Samad is applied to one who has no stomach and therefore does not eat or drink; in other words, he is not dependent on anything. Yet, some other scholars explain the term as meaning one whose attributes have reached the highest point of their development, so that they cannot be bettered. 'Eternal - One without a beginning and without an end'is another interpretation provided by the pious predecessors (salaf). Literally, as-Samad would also imply one who stands in need of no one, while everyone stands in need of him; in other words, one before whom people put forward their needs.
Review
THANK YOU
Explain the verse 'To Him belongs whatever is
in the heavens and
whatever is in the earth
Define the Arabic word khaashi'atan. How will you relate it to the earth?
What is the meaning of the term Aayat-ul-Kursee? Mention the excellence of the aayah according to a hadeeth?
What does Allah expect from us instead of worshipping the sun and why?
What is the wisdom of using the term 'readings' as compared to 'selections' as a title to this
What does Allah want us to know from the parable of reviving the earth?
• Define the terms al-Ahad and as-Samad.
• What is the subject of Soorat al-Ikhlaas?
'The heavens
almost break from
above them. What does this verse refer to?
38. But if they are too proud, then those who are near your Lord glorify Him night and day, and they never feel tired.
• Why is it considered as one third of the Qur'an?
How does prayer timing
aid us in
avoiding sun worship?
39. And of His signs is that you see the land still and lifeless. Then, when We send down upon it water, it stirs and swells with life. Indeed, the
One who gives it life can most surely give life to the dead. Indeed, He is Powerful over all things.
What do the attributes al-Hayy and al-Qayyoom mean?
37. And of His signs are the night and the day and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate yourselves to the sun or to the moon, but prostrate yourselves to Allah who created them if it is Him whom you worship.
Attributes of Allah
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presentation
Attributes of Allah
2.1.Aayat-ul Kursee (Soorat al-Baqarah,2:255)
Translation of the Meanings of this Verse
Allah, there is no god except Him, the Ever-Living, the Ever-Lasting Sustainer. Neither slumber, nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His permission? He knows what happens to them (i.e. creatures) [in this world] and what will happen to them [in the hereafter]; and they will never encompass anything of His knowledge except that which He wills. His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Explanatory Notes
This verse is known as the Throne Verse, and there are a number of ahaadeeth (sing. hadeeth) which prove that it is the most excellent verse in the Qur'an. Ubayy in Ka'b narrated that the Prophet PBUH asked him about the greatest aayah in the Book of Allah and he replied, 'Allah and His Messenger know best. When the Prophet PBUH repeated the question several times, Ubayy said, It is Aayat-ul-Kursee. The Prophet PBUH exclaimed, 'Congratulations! You possess true knowledge. By Him in whose Hand my soul is, this verse has a tongue and two lips with which it praises the King (i.e. Allah) at the foot of the Throne. (Ahmad: quoted in Tafseer Ibn Katheer, English Translation, vol. 2, p. 21)
The Word Al-Qayyoom
Al-Qayyoom is an intensive form which means the One Who exists by Himself and supports, sustains and provides means of subsistence for all His creations. Al-Hayy or the Ever- Living' is one of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah. Allah, the Ever-Living, is the source of all life. His Life is not derived from anywhere else, while everyone else's life is from Him and is dependent upon Him. It is He Who made others live, and they are alive only as long as He wants them to live. Allah was and will always be living. His Life, His being al-Hayy, is of very different High Order - not comparable with the life of His creatures. What is true of al-Hayy is true of other similar Beautiful Names of Allah.
The Phrase Sinatun wa Laa Nawm
Sinatun means adoze or nap, while nawm means sleep. The negation of these two negates both the initial and full-fledged state of sleep. This means that Allah is absolutely free of any trace or effect of negligence or heedlessness.
The General Structure of Aayah 2: 255
It is not difficult to see how various themes are organized within this aayah. The first sentence states the basic theme, which is elaborated in the following statements. Allah, the Only God, is the source of all life. It is He Who controls the whole universe - everything depends upon Him and every event follows from Him. He is not unmindful of His creation, even for a single moment. He never sleeps or slumbers. He is the Master of all beings. Each and everyone belong to Him. In reality, no one would even dare to speak as an intercessor for anyone on the Day of Judgment unless He Himself permits it. He knows everything; therefore, He does not need any recommendation of any sort, which is usually required in human affairs. He alone is the Ruler. Everything else is responsible to Him. If any person fails to do his or her duty, and thereby deserves His punishment, no intercession can help that person.
The General Structure of Aayah 2: 255
He knows everything, and no one else knows anything without His giving him the knowledge of it. He rules the whole universe, and everything is under His control at all times. It is He Who takes constant care of the whole universe and this is not a burden upon Him at all. To Him belongs all supremacy and all majesty. In the end, we quote a hadeeth about the Prophet's intercession. Allah's Messenger PBUH reported as having said, '[on the Day of Judgment] I will stand under the Throne and fall in prostration, and Allah will allow me to remain in that position as much as He wills. I will thereafter be told, "Raise your head, speak and you will be heard, intercede and your intercession will be accepted." The Prophet PBUH then said, 'He will allow me a proportion whom I will enter into Paradise! (Muslim)
Review
2.2. A Clear Concept of the Creator: Soorat al- An' aam, 6:101-103
Translation of the Meanings of these Verses
101. [He is] the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How could He have a son when He does not have a female companion? Rather, He created everything and has full knowledge of all things.
102. Such is Allah, Your Lord; there is no god other than Him, the Creator of everything. So worship Him alone, and he is Disposer of all things.
103. No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision. He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.
Explanatory Notes
Verse 101
The word Badee, as applied to Almighty Allah, means the one who produces something without an earlier example; hence, the word bid'ah which means a new practice that is introduced in religion. He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. In fact, the One who originates the whole universe out of nothing is in no need of a son. Offspring are needed by mortals. They are needed by the weak who want help. Moreover, anyone who desires offspring must have a mate or a female consort from his own species. How, then, can Allah have a son when He has never had a mate, and when He is One and unique and nothing and no one is comparable to Him? How can any offspring be born without a mate?
Verse 102 Allah is the Creator of all
Allah is the Creator of everything. As He is the Creator of all, He also provides sustenance to all using resources in which He has no partners. Whatever all creatures eat and whatever they enjoy in this life is part of what is the sole property of Allah. He is the Lord of the universe. He controls everything. His is the authority to which everything submits, and He operates the system by which He takes care of His creation. So He is the only one who deserves to be worshipped in the full sense of the word, which denotes total obedience and submission. He controls not only human beings but also everything else, since He is the sole Creator of everything.
Verse 103
Visions cannot sight Him in this world. In the hereafter, the true believers will see Him, but they will not be able to encompass Him fully. Allah has spoken of His vision being granted to the believers in several other parts of the Qur'an. (For instance, 75:22-3; 83:15) Allah's Messenger PBUH once said, 'Indeed, Allah does not sleep and it does not befit His Majesty that He should sleep. He lowers the scale and raises it. The deeds of the day are ascended to Him before the night, and the deeds of the night before the day. His Veil is Light, and if He removes it the Light of His Face will burn every created thing that His Sight reaches! (Muslim) The term Lateef denotes something that is extremely subtle in quality and, therefore, intangible and unfathomable. It implies that He is unique and absolute.
Review
What does the term Badee and Lateef mean?
Why is it insane to say or assume that Allah has a son?
2.3. Allah's Signs which the Eyes Cannot Miss Seeing: Soorat Fussilat, 41: 37-39
Translation of the Meanings of these Verses
Verse 37
Here Allah reminds His creation of His power and states that He is the One who has no equal and that He is able to do all things. 'And of His signs are the night and the day and the sun and the moon. This means He created the night with its darkness and the day with its light, and they alternate without stopping. He created the sun with its bright light and the moon with its reflected light. He allotted them their stages and gave them separate orbits in the heavens so that by the variations in their movements people may know the stages of night and day, of weeks, months, years and time periods related to acts of worship.
Verse 37
It is unfortunate that as one of the most prominent and powerful objects in the physical world, the sun has attracted the attention and obtained the homage of many races and nations who have personified and worshipped it as a god. The Gracious Qur'an categorically rejects this. Allah is the sole cause and source of all that exists and whatever exists is but a wondrous sign of His creative power. Hence, it is blasphemy to ascribe real power to anything created, whether it is a concrete phenomenon or an abstract force of nature, or even an idea.
It is not Permissible to Prostrate before Anyone except Allah
'Do not prostrate yourselves to the sun or to the moon. This view makes it clear that prostration or sujdood is the right of the Creator of the universe. It is strictly forbidden (haraam) to prostrate before the sun, the moon or any other person or thing, for that matter. Prostration of worship for any other than Allah has never been lawful for any community in any law of any prophet.It is interesting to note that the prayer times in Islam have all been separated from the hours when the sun was or is worshipped. The Fajr prayer is offered before sunrise, Dhuhr only after it has begun to decline, 'Asr when it begins to lose its shine, Maghrib when it has set, and Ishaa' only when its light has completely vanished.
Verse 38
'But if they are too proud means to worship Allah Alone, and if they insist on associating others with Him in worship, then there are angels who are with your Lord. They constantly glorify Him night and day and are never tired.
Sujood at-Tilaawah
There are fourteen (or fifteen) aayaat in the Quran which require us to perform a prostration when we read or hear these verses. In them it is mentioned that Allah's servants and creation bow before their Lord. Aayah 38 is one of them.
Verse 39
The verse now moves on to portray other scenes of creation and living creatures on earth and in the world of plants. The state of being still and lifeless, which is expressed in the Arabic text with the word khaashi'atan is a state between life and death. This is how the earth is when it is starved of water, the basic ingredient for life and the living. Thus, when rain water is poured over it, 'it stirs and swells. This is a remarkable movement which the Quran recorded many centuries before human science.
Verse 39
When the soil is very dry and then rain falls over it, it makes a movement like shaking or stirring. It is then full of life, bringing forth blooming vegetation that radiates pleasure. Is there anything more pleasing to the eye than seeing life in bloom in an area that has long remained barren? Here, the Qur'an cites these as one of Allah's numerous signs. The Qur'an reminds us: 'Indeed, the One who gives it life can most surely give life to the dead. Indeed, He is Powerful over all things!Although the allusion to the reviving earth often occurs in the Qur'an as a parable of man's ultimate resurrection after death, in the present context, it implies a call to the believer never to abandon the hope that 'those who deny the truth' may one day grasp the truth of the Qur'anic message.
Review
2.4. To Him Belongs Whatever is in the Heavens and Whatever is in the Earth: Soorat Ash-Shooraa, 4-5
Translation of the Meanings of these Verses
5. The heavens almost break from above them, and the angels glorify the praises of their Lord and ask forgiveness for all who are on earth. Unquestionably, it is Allah who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
4. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Explanatory Notes
Verse 4
To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth' means everything is subject to His dominion and control. He is the Most High, the Most Great. Some people, deceived by the fact that they find things in their hands subjected to them, benefiting from them, and which they can use as they wish, are led to believe that they own those things. Of course, they do not. Allah is the real Owner. It is He who creates and destroys, who gives life and causes death. He has the power to let people own whatever He wills or take away from their possession whatever He wishes in order to place them in the hands of whomever He wills. True ownership remains His at all times, and He dispenses with everything in a manner that suits His Grand Plan.
Explanatory Notes
Verse 5
'From above them' means owing to the greatness and majesty of the Lord of the worlds. According to another opinion, it may refer to the earth, meaning the heavens above the strata of the earth and all its inhabitants. It should be borne in mind that according to the Qur'an, the heavens and the earth, that is, the physical universe in its entirety, are not only conscious of their Creator but also unfailingly function in accordance with His Will.This verse reflects the total submission of the natural order to almighty Allah. It may also refer to the massive physical presence of the angels throughout the universe. Allah's Messenger PBUH is reported as having said, 'Indeed, I see what you do not see, and I hear what you do not hear. The heavens groan - and rightfully so!
Explanatory Notes
Verse 5
There is no space in the heavens the measure of a hand-span or the measure of four fingers, but that there is an angel there, placing his forehead in it prostrating to Allah. By Allah! If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and you would weep much, and you would not enjoy your wives in bed, and you would come out beseeching Allah: (at-Tirmidhee, hadeeth no. 2312, and it is classified as hasan)The scope of the sources of knowledge, hidden and apparent, such as the ears, the eyes, the intellect, among other tools, given by Allah to us, extends as far as the seen world.
Explanatory Notes
Verse 5
The unseen world is beyond its capacity or domain.The way to acquire authentic and dependable knowledge about the unseen is to get it from what the prophets and the messengers of Allah inform us on the basis of what Allah causes them to see, hear and observe. According to another opinion, the heavens might nearly be rent asunder because of ascribing a son to Allah, Most High. The following verse supports this: The heavens are almost about to be rent asunder, and the earth cloven and the mountains to collapse, razed, that they attribute to the All-Merciful a son! (Soorat Maryam, 19:90-91)
Explanatory Notes
Commenting on these verse, Sayyid Qutb writes,
The very sound of these verses and their rhythm add to the air of anger at this false claim. In fact, the whole universe rejects this claim most vehemently.It shudders and quivers with abhorrence as it hears this falsehood against God Almighty. It is a reaction similar to that of a person who feels that his very integrity is attacked, or that the honesty of someone he loves is assailed. In their beat, the words here show the movement of a violent attack. Everything that is settled and stable is thus shaken. The whole universe is in anger at this false allegation against God, the Creator. The statement is shocking to everything in nature. (Sayyid Quib, In the Shade of the Qur'an, vol. 11, p. 376, Eng. Tr. *Adil Salahi)
In fact the idea that Allah might have a 'son' - either in the real or in the metaphorical sense of this term - would presuppose a degree of innate likeness between 'the father' and the son: but Allah is in every respect unique, so that 'there is nothing like Him (Soorat ash-Shooraa, 42: 11) and 'there is none comparable to Him. (Soorat al-Ikhlaas, 112: 4) The idea of God having a son goes against the teachings of Islam and is described in the Qur'an as blasphemous, and it is for this reason that the Qur'an criticises the Christians for erroneously believing that 'Eesaa seal is the son of God.
Review
2.5. The One, the Everlasting Refuge: Soorat Al-Ikhlaas, 112:1-4
Translation of the Meanings of this Soorah In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
4. And there is none comparable to Him.
2. Allah, the Everlasting Refuge.
3. He does not beget, Nor is He begotten,
1. Say: He is Allah, the One,
Explanatory Notes
Allah Most High is the sole subject of this soorah. Some scholars have pointed out that this is the only soorah in the Qur'an in which two attributes of Allah - al-Ahad and as-Samad have come together and could be the reason, according to al-Qurtubee, why it has been said to be equal to one-third of the Qur'an.
Hadeeth on the Virtues of this Soorah
*Ai'shah PBUH said, 'The Prophet PBUH appointed a man as the commander of a military campaign and he used to lead his companions in prayer and recite a soorah of the Qur'an and would then follow it up with 'Say: He is Allah, the One, that is Soorat al-Ikhlaas. When they returned from the campaign, they asked him why he had done so and he replied, "Because [Soorat al-Ikhlaas] provides a description of ar-Rahmah, and I love to recite it." The Prophet PBUH said, "Inform him that Allah the Most High loves him.' (al-Bukhaaree) Allah's Messenger PBUH also said, 'By Him in whose Hand my soul is, it is truly equivalent to one third of the Qur'an. (al-Bukhaaree)
The Word al-Ahad
The word al-Ahad, which is different from the word Waahid, has added the signification of absolute and continuous unity and the absence of equals.
The Term as-Samad
According to some scholars, the word as-Samad is applied to one who has no stomach and therefore does not eat or drink; in other words, he is not dependent on anything. Yet, some other scholars explain the term as meaning one whose attributes have reached the highest point of their development, so that they cannot be bettered. 'Eternal - One without a beginning and without an end'is another interpretation provided by the pious predecessors (salaf). Literally, as-Samad would also imply one who stands in need of no one, while everyone stands in need of him; in other words, one before whom people put forward their needs.
Review
THANK YOU
Explain the verse 'To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth
Define the Arabic word khaashi'atan. How will you relate it to the earth?
What is the meaning of the term Aayat-ul-Kursee? Mention the excellence of the aayah according to a hadeeth?
What does Allah expect from us instead of worshipping the sun and why?
What is the wisdom of using the term 'readings' as compared to 'selections' as a title to this
What does Allah want us to know from the parable of reviving the earth?
• Define the terms al-Ahad and as-Samad.
• What is the subject of Soorat al-Ikhlaas?
'The heavens almost break from above them. What does this verse refer to?
38. But if they are too proud, then those who are near your Lord glorify Him night and day, and they never feel tired.
• Why is it considered as one third of the Qur'an?
How does prayer timing aid us in avoiding sun worship?
39. And of His signs is that you see the land still and lifeless. Then, when We send down upon it water, it stirs and swells with life. Indeed, the One who gives it life can most surely give life to the dead. Indeed, He is Powerful over all things.
What do the attributes al-Hayy and al-Qayyoom mean?
37. And of His signs are the night and the day and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate yourselves to the sun or to the moon, but prostrate yourselves to Allah who created them if it is Him whom you worship.