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Commentary :Through traditional narrations we are informed that only one person had killed the she- camel. Despite this, the Qur'an says:/ 'aqarouha/ which means that all of them killed her. This indication signifies that there had been a consensus of opinion among them about the killing. From the Islamic point of view, the ideological bond between individuals causes them to be responsible for the sins of single individuals within the context of that ideology. Question: What is the underlying philosophy of a three- day grace period Firstly: So as to give them a chance to repent. Secondly: To provide a means for spiritual pressure and augmentation of the penalty. If a person is told that he will be killed within three days, this very news will serve as the greatest blow upon him psychologically speaking. Thirdly: It provided another good proof for the legitimacy of the Divine prophet since fixing a dead line results from having access to news from the invisible world. However, one should never take Divine warnings as jokes or lies as scorning them will cause the infliction of Divine penalties. * * * * (66) فَلَمَّا جاءَ أَمْرُنا نَجَّيْنا صالِحاً وَ الَّذينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنَّا وَ مِنْ خِزْيِ يَوْمِئِذٍ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ الْقَوِيُّ الْعَزيزُ 66. " And when Our Decree came(to pass), We saved Salih and those who believed with him by a Mercy from Us, and(delivered them)from the ignominy of that day. Verily, your Lord is the All- strong, the All- mighty. " Commentary :The Arabic term/ xizy/, applied in this holy verse, means a kind of defect of deformity, the appearance of which causes man embarrassment and loss of prestige. Natural catastrophes such as earthquakes, floods or dangerous epidemics may happen to both to the faithful as well as to idol worshippers, just like carelessness, which may be seen in one man, but the effects of which can be felt by all. However, when the issue in question is the Divine punishment, the faithful are secure and safe unless they have merited punishment owing to their lack of action, their condescension to oppression, or their ceasing to dissuade others from what has been forbidden. The verse says: " And when Our Decree came(to pass), We saved Salih and those who believed with him by a Mercy from Us, and(delivered them)from the ignominy of that day. Verily, your Lord is the All- strong, the All- mighty. " * * * * (67) وَ أَخَذَ الَّذينَ ظَلَمُوا الصَّيْحَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا في دِيارِهِمْ جاثِمينَ (68) كَأَنْ لَمْ يَغْنَوْا فيها أَلا إِنَّ ثَمُودَ كَفَرُوا رَبَّهُمْ أَلا بُعْداً لِثَمُودَ 67. " And the(mighty)Blast overtook those who were unjust, so they became motionless corpses in their abodes. " 68. " As if they had never dwelt there. Behold! Verily Thamoud rejected their Lord. Behold! away with Thamoud! " Commentary :The Arabic term,/ ja imin/ is derived from/ ja ama/ which means sitting on one's knees or falling on face, like the state in which one has received an electric shock which renders one immobile, making that person lose the power to escape. The Qur'anic term/ yaqnau/ is derived from/ qiniy/ which means staying in one place. The record of these obstinate and oppressive people of Thamoud comes to a close in this verse. S alih(a.s.) is one of the Arab prophets, and the tribe of Thamoud is an ancient tribe belonging to prehistoric period, which resided in Wadi- al- Qura, located between Medina and Damascus. They were a nation of farmers and used to engage in horticulture. The name of Salih has been mentioned in the Books of the Divine prophets. The annihilation of the people of Salih by the mighty blast has been likened to and resembles that of the supersonic jets of today which break the sound barrier when their speed exceeds that of sound. The terrifying sound caused, shatters glass windows, can cause abortions in pregnant women, and hasten heart attacks. As a result of the mighty blast, the Thamoud people also were annihilated. The verse says: " And the(mighty)Blast overtook those who were unjust, so they became motionless corpses in their abodes. ..." The end of time will also be associated with a Divine mighty blast which will exterminate everything. Sura Yasin, No. 36, verse 49 says: "They will not have to wait for anything but a single Blast: it will seize them while they are yet disputing(among themselves). " Again, Sura Yasin, No. 36, verses 29, 32, say: "It was naught but a single(mighty )Blast, and behold! They were(like ashes)quenched and silent. " "And all of them shall surely be brought before Us. " The raising up of the dead on the Day of Resurrection will also be made manifest in the same way. However, the Divine punishment inflicted upon the oppressors takes a similar course as a result of their injustice and cruelty. It must be noted that Allah's retributions are not given only in the Hereafter, but injustice and cruelty will be rewarded even in this very world, too. The verse says: "... As if they had never dwelt there. Behold! Verily Thamoud rejected their Lord. Behold! away with Thamoud! " * * * * Section 7Ministry of LotThe Angels sent by Allah first meet - Abraham Abraham's wife given the glad tidings of Isaac and - Jacob Abraham pleads for the people of Lot but asked to leave the people to have their own earning - The Angels appear to Lot - Lot admonishes his people who reject the warning and thus were destroyed. (69) وَ لَقَدْ جاءَتْ رُسُلُنا إِبْراهيمَ بِالْبُشْرى قالُوا سَلاماً قالَ سَلامٌ فَما لَبِثَ أَنْ جاءَ بِعِجْلٍ حَنيذٍ 69. " And certainly Our messengers(the angels)came to Abraham with glad tidings. They said 'Peace! ' He answered 'Peace! ' and he did not delay to bring a roasted calf. " Commentary : Now is time to focus on one of the highlights of the life of Abraham, the iconoclastic champion. Of course, only that part of his story, which deals with the story of the people of Lot and punishment of this unruly people is being discussed here. The Qur'an says that Allah's messengers(angels)came to Abraham, bearing good tidings, though they had come to deliver a message to Abraham(a.s.) before. The verse says: " And certainly Our messengers(the angels)came to Abraham with glad tidings. ..." There are two hypotheses incompatible with each other, as to what message those angels were carrying: First; the message relates to tidings regarding the birth of Ismail and Isaac which were great good tidings for him. Secondly, Abraham, who was tired of the unruliness and corruption of the people of Lot, became happy on hearing of the mission of the angels to destroy them. When the messengers arrived they gave him the greetings of 'Peace' and he answered them likewise. Before long he had brought them a roasted calf. The verse says: "... They said 'Peace! ' He answered 'Peace! ' and he did not delay to bring a roasted calf. " The inference drawn from the sentence is that one of the rules of hosting a guest is that a meal should be prepared for him at the earliest possible time, after his arrival, for he can be both tired and hungry, especially when he is a traveler. * * * * (70) فَلَمَّا رَأى أَيْدِيَهُمْ لا تَصِلُ إِلَيْهِ نَكِرَهُمْ وَ أَوْجَسَ مِنْهُمْ خيفَةً قالُوا لا تَخَفْ إِنَّا أُرْسِلْنا إِلى قَوْمِ لُوطٍ 70. " But when he saw their hands extended not towards it, he mistrusted them, and conceived a fear of them. They said: 'Fear not; we have been sent against the people of Lot'. " Commentary :Abraham's(a.s.) fear is different from the kind of fear and weakness found in ordinary men when facing problematic situations, for he was the archetypical iconoclast in history who was never afraid of anything. Nevertheless focusing one's attention on possible dangers and on being a possible target is another matter. The verse says: " But when he saw their hands extended not towards it, he mistrusted them, and conceived a fear of them. They said: 'Fear not; we have been sent against the people of Lot'. " At any rate, since Lot(a.s.) and his tribe was one of the groups under Abraham's command, he had to be briefed before their annihilation. * * * * (71) وَ امْرَأَتُهُ قائِمَةٌ فَضَحِكَتْ فَبَشَّرْناها بِإِسْحاقَ وَ مِنْ وَراءِ إِسْحاقَ يَعْقُوبَ 71. " And his wife was standing(by)and she laughed when We gave her the glad tidings(of the birth)of Isaac, and after Isaac, of Jacob. " Commentary : There are several possibilities mentioned as to the reasons for the standing by of Abraham's wife; when the verse says: " And his wife was standing(by)and she laughed when We gave her the glad tidings(of the birth)of Isaac, and after Isaac, of Jacob. " a- for worshipping b- for serving the guests c- for witnessing the comings and goings of individuals and the discussions. Her laughter was either because she understood that their abstinence from eating was not a sign of danger for Abraham, or, as has been pointed out in some commentaries, Sarah, Abraham's wife, was an elderly woman who had long passed her child bearing days when she suddenly heard this unbelievable news. However, while in this mood, she realized that the Divine Will was that she would have a child. However, each group of the Divine angels were commissioned to accomplish a particular affair. These group of angels followed two objectives. One of which was the extermination of the corrupt people of Lot, and the other was to give the good tidings of a child to be bestowed upon Abraham(a.s.) and Sarah. (72) قالَتْ يا وَيْلَتى أَ أَلِدُ وَ أَنَا عَجُوزٌ وَ هذا بَعْلي شَيْخاً إِنَّ هذا لَشَيْءٌ عَجيبٌ 72. " She said: 'Voe is me! Shall I bear a child when I am an old woman, and this my husband is an old man Verily this is a wonderful thing! '" Commentary :Sarah, who had given up hope of having children, with a tone of tremendous wonder, exclaimed implying that alas for her. Might she give birth to a child despite her old age and despite the fact that her husband too was old That was a truly amazing matter. The verse itself says: " She said: 'Voe is me! Shall I bear a child when I am an old woman, and this my husband is an old man Verily this is a wonderful thing! '" That same Allah Who had made the fire cold for Abraham(a.s.) and had made him win over the idol- worshippers, is definitely able to make an infertile old woman fertile and an old man sire a child. * * * * (73) قالُوا أَ تَعْجَبينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ رَحْمَتُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكاتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ إِنَّهُ حَميدٌ مَجيدٌ 73. " They said: "Do you wonder at Allah's decree The grace of Allah and His blessings on you, O people of the House! Verily He is Praise worthy, Glorious. " Commentary :One day, Amir- ul- Mu'mineen Ali(a.s.) gave greetings to a group of people which returned his greetings, saying: "Our greetings to you and may Allah's favor and blessings be with you, the Ahl- ul- Bayt, and may His forgiveness and His paradise also be upon you as well. " Ali(a.s.) said: "Do not add anything to what the angels said to Abraham(a.s.) , therefore, the phrase 'And may Allah's favour and blessings be with you' would suffice. " The verse says: " They said: "Do you wonder at Allah's decree The grace of Allah and His blessings on you, O people of the House! Verily He is Praise worthy, Glorious. " Question: Considering the fact that in the above verse, the angels addressed Abraham's wife using the phrase Ahl- ul- Bayt, and since, naturally, everyone's wife is considered as part of one's household, why is it then that in the verse of Tathir in the Sura Al Ah zab, No. 33, verse 33,(1) the wives of the Prophet Muhammad(p.b.u.h.) are not included in his household? Answer: Regarding only the literal meaning of the word, it would be natural for the word Ahl- ul- Bayt to include reference (1) It says: "... Verily Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House and to purify you a(thorough)purifying. " to one's wife. However, we have firm grounds regarding the fact that someone can be excluded from this denotation even when normally they would be included in its purview, like in the verse saying: "Verily he is not of your household" where Noah's son is not counted as a member in Noah's household. Sometimes it also happens that there could be a reason to include someone who would normally not be considered as a member of the household, as has been said of Salman: "Salman belongs to our household(Ahl- ul- Bayt)" There are numerous narrations concerning the verse of Tathir which say that the blessed Prophet(p.b.u.h.) had taken certain people under his cloak calling them his Ahl- ul- Bayt, while he did not allow his wife, the pious Umm- us- Salamah, to enter. This Divine favor and blessings were not confined to that time and place. It has continued in this family, too. What Divine blessing can be superior to that bestowed upon the Prophet(p.b.u.h.) and the Immaculate Imams(a.s.) who have emerged from this household? (1) Sura Hud No. 11, verse 46 * * * * (74) فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَ عَنْ إِبْراهيمَ الرَّوْعُ وَ جاءَتْهُ الْبُشْرى يُجادِلُنا في قَوْمِ لُوطٍ 74. " So when fear had passed from Abraham and the glad tidings reached him, he began disputing with Us concerning the people of Lot. " Commentary : Perhaps Abraham's(a.s.) plea is the same one mentioned in Sura 'Ankabout, No. 92, verse 13, where, in addressing the angels, he asked how they would overturn the land when Lot(a.s.) still remained among them. They answered that they were well aware of their status, so they would save Lot and his followers. The verse says: " So when fear had passed from Abraham and the glad tidings reached him, he began disputing with Us concerning the people of Lot. " The angels removed his anxiety and in directly addressing Sarah they reinforced the good tidings of them being graced with progeny. Concern and anxiety in the face of possible danger are safety- orientated issues while having children has an emotional dimension. Safety issues relate to society as a whole and children are related to the household. * * * * (75) إِنَّ إِبْراهيمَ لَحَليمٌ أَوَّاهٌ مُنيبٌ (76) يا إِبْراهيمُ أَعْرِضْ عَنْ هذا إِنَّهُ قَدْ جاءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ وَ إِنَّهُمْ آتيهِمْ عَذابٌ غَيْرُ مَرْدُودٍ 75. " Verily Abraham was indeed for bearing, tender- hearted, penitent. " 76. " O Abraham! Forsake this! Indeed the decree of your Lord has come to pass and surely there is coming(upon)them an irreversible chastisement. " Commentary :Patience is a highly praised characteristic that enables someone to forbear any infliction in times of crisis and not try to avenge it. This is why Abraham wished to haply remove the punishment from the people of Lot. This good quality is very prominent in prophets, godly benevolent authorities, and knowledgeable people, for were it not to exist, they would not be able to tolerate the difficulties and troubles of their people, and therefore, they would not be able to achieve their objectives which would include guidance. The Qur'anic term/ 'awwah/ means supplication and humility before Allah, along with crying and weeping. The verse says: "Verily Abraham was indeed for bearing, tender- hearted, penitent. " Here, Abraham shows compassion for the people of Lot, who are rather inextricably entangled with having to suffer this awesome penalty. The Qur'anic term/ munib/, mentioned in the first verse, denotes repentance and returning, and at the same time concentrating on Allah, for Abraham appealed to Him to forgive and not to condemn the people of Lot. However, Allah, the Blissful and Glorious, is so perfectly patient, forgiving, indulgent and compassionate that His servants can not even remotely conceive its extent. The crucial determining factor in all this, however, is that it all depends upon the suitability of the servant in point, which, when lacking in suitability sparing them is of no avail. Once the limits are exceeded, the mercy changes to rigor and this must be so of necessity, for mercy from the point of view of the sharp teeth that Allah gave to a panther is the other side of oppression from the point of view of the sheep in its jaws. The people of Lot had no more potential to be guided, and if they were left to continue, their evil acts would have permeated other spheres as well, just like a corrupt organ which, if not excised, would affect other organs, thus spreading the infection further. Therefore, in response, the angels said: " O Abraham! Forsake this! Indeed the decree of your Lord has come to pass and surely there is coming(upon)them an irreversible chastisement. " At that point Abraham realized that there was no more room for mercy, he gave up pleading for them and the angels of death went forth to do their work executing the Divine order and exterminating the people of Lot. * * * * (77) وَ لَمَّا جاءَتْ رُسُلُنا لُوطاً سيءَ بِهِمْ وَ ضاقَ بِهِمْ ذَرْعاً وَ قالَ هذا يَوْمٌ عَصيبٌ 77. " And when Our messengers(the angels)came to Lot, he was grieved for them and felt straitened to protect them. He said: 'This is a distressful day'. " Commentary :When the angels came, Lot was engaged in farming outside the town. He noticed some handsome, well- dressed young men arrived. He became afraid that his people might take to them when they entered the town. He thought that it would be best to invite them to his house, which he did, and his invitation was accepted. As he was taking them home, he was worried that his people might pass by and notice them. He wanted them to go back where they came from, saying: "You should know that you are going to a despicable and evil people". At this point, Gabriel said: "That's one". The reason why Gabriel said this was that Allah had told the angels that they should not hasten to destroy the people of Lot until Lot himself had testified to their evil three times. As they kept on going, for the second time Lot told them: "Really, you are going towards an evil people. " Gabriel this time said: "That's the second time". As Lot arrived at the gate of the town, he said for the third time: "You are going among an evil people from among Allah's creatures. " Gabriel said: "That's the third time". Lot entered the town followed by his guests. One by one they entered the house, and when Lot's wife noticed their handsomeness she wanted to call the people and tell them about it. She climbed up on the roof of the house and lit a fire. When the evil people of the town came, she told them that there were some very handsome young men in the house. Lot was at his wits end trying to find a way to get rid of these people, to save his guests from being the objects of their evil intentions and to protect his honor. He was having a hard time, because he was in a quandary as to what he should do. He murmured: "This is a very difficult day. " On the one hand, how could he protect his guests from the wretchedness and evil of those people On the other hand, how could he eradicate the evil that they had caused And finally, what should he do about the spy on the inside, his wife, who was willing to reveal anything secret in his house to the enemy outside ?As the Qur'an says: "Allah sets forth an example to the Unbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous servants, but they acted treacherously towards them so they availed them nothing before Allah on their account, but were told: 'Enter you both the Fire along with(others)that enter! '"(1) (1) Sura At- Tahrim, No. 66, verse 10 * * * * (78) وَ جاءَهُ قَوْمُهُ يُهْرَعُونَ إِلَيْهِ وَ مِنْ قَبْلُ كانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئاتِ قالَ يا قَوْمِ هؤُلاءِ بَناتي هُنَّ أَطْهَرُ لَكُمْ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَ لا تُخْزُونِ في ضَيْفي أَ لَيْسَ مِنْكُمْ رَجُلٌ رَشيدٌ 78. " And his people came rushing towards him, And aforetime they had been practicing abominations. He said: 'O my people, here are my daughters they are purer for you. So fear Allah, and do no degrade me with my guests! Is there not among you one upright man '" Commentary :The Arabic term/ yuhra'oun/ derived from/ 'ihra'/ means intensive driving. That is, the uninhibited passion of this rebellious people goaded them on towards Lot's(a.s.) guests. The meaning of the term/ at- har/, in this verse, is not that sodomy has something pure about it but that marriage is purer. It means that for the sinner who is pursuing the gratification his sexual instincts, it is preferable to get married than to commit sin. It is worthy to note that one's potentialities can flourish when caught in the midst of anxieties and difficulties. If the Divine angels would have introduced themselves to Lot(a.s.) on their arrival, there would have been no need for moaning, sighing, crying for help and appealing to the emotions of the public, nor would there have been any need to offer a marriage proposal. The verse says: " And his people came rushing towards him, And aforetime they had been practicing abominations. He said: 'O my people, here are my daughters they are purer for you. So fear Allah, and do no degrade me with my guests! Is there not among you one upright man ?'" Question: Why would a prophet propose his daughter for marriage to an unbelieving idol worshipper ? Answer: Perhaps he might suggest that conversion be a condition for the marriage so that the marriage could facilitate and strengthen the belief in Allah. Maybe the meaning of the term/ banati'/ is 'people's daughters' as the prophet is considered the father of the nation and is speaking on their behalf. Or maybe, at that time, such marriages were common for the sake of convenience and expediency. Explanations:1- Sometimes the norms of human society degenerate to such an extent that people hasten towards committing sins being seduced by their unruly lower selves. 2- To prevent people from doing what is forbidden, we must at first open up and show the true path to them so that they do not seek pleasure by committing sins. 3- The meaning of the term 'chastity' is not isolation. On the contrary, it means purity in normal social intercourse. 4- Marriage is the sole and only correct context for sexual gratification, other methods are unclean and sinful. 5- Considering sin as a commonplace matter does not exempt man from his responsibility in dissuading others from performing forbidden acts. 6- Showing hospitality is such an important matter that the noblest of men have tolerated a tremendous degree of suffering for its sake. 7- Homosexuality has been forbidden, considered abominable, and has been rejected in previous religions and is incompatible with one's manliness, development and chastity. (79) قالُوا لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ ما لَنا في بَناتِكَ مِنْ حَقٍّ وَ إِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ ما نُريدُ (80) قالَ لَوْ أَنَّ لي بِكُمْ قُوَّةً أَوْ آوي إِلى رُكْنٍ شَديدٍ 79. " They said: 'You know we have no right to your daughters, and verily you know well what we desire'. " 80. " He said: 'Would that I had the power against you or I might take refuge in a strong support'. " (6)
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