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18. " And the Jews and the Christians say: ' We are the sons of Allah and His beloved ones.' Say: ' Why does He then punish you for your sins ?' Nay, you are mortals of those He has created. He forgives whom He pleases, and punishes whom He pleases. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them two, and unto Him is the ultimate return (of all)."
Commentary:
It is cited in the commentary of the Qur'an by Fakhr-i-Razi that some of the Jews said: " We are the sons of Allah and his belaved "when the Messenger of Allah invited them to embrace Islam. (1)
The Jews and the Christians did not consider themselves the real sons of God, but they imagined a kind of formal adoption for themselves. The Arabic phrase /abna'-ul-lah/ (the sons of Allah) is an implicit declaration of their undue expectation and extravagance in ambitions.
This fact should also be mentioned that racial superiority, privilege demanding, knowing right only themselves and their own party, and applying ' relationship instead of regulations, totally are forbidden.
Another fact is that: neither any person nor a nation nor a race should absolutely be assured of the forgiveness of Allah, nor despaired of His favour. But, the bold Jews, with those crimes they committed, inspite of having those abundant Divine signs, still knew themselves the spicific friends of Allah.
Slaying prophets, concealing the glad tidings upon the advent of the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.), breach of promises, perverting the heavenly Books, being afraid of entering the city, worshipping the Calf, seeking for excuses, gluttionie, and being impatient regarding the uniformity of their food (Manna and Salwa) are some example of their crimes.
Also, for the wrath of Allah upon them, there are some example of divine retribution such as: moving the mount from its place, being wondered for forty years, transformation and humiliation.
The verse says:
" And the Jews and the Christians say: ' We are the sons of Allah and His beloved ones.' Say: ' Why does He then punish you for your sins ?' Nay, you are mortals of those He has created. He forgives whom He pleases, and punishes whom He pleases. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them two, and unto Him is the ultimate return (of all)."
(1) This claim is also mentioned in the Bood of John, one of the Books of the New Testament, Chapter 8, No. 41
(19) íóÇ Ãóåúáó ÇáúßöÊóÇÈö ÞóÏú ÌóÇÁßõãú ÑóÓõæáõäóÇ íõÈóíøöäõ áóßõãú Úóáóì ÝóÊúÑóÉò ãøöäó ÇáÑøõÓõáö Ãóä ÊóÞõæáõæÇú ãóÇ ÌóÇÁäóÇ ãöä ÈóÔöíÑò æóáÇó äóÐöíÑò ÝóÞóÏú ÌóÇÁßõã ÈóÔöíÑñ æóäóÐöíÑñ æóÇááøåõ Úóáóì ßõáøö ÔóíúÁò ÞóÏöíÑñ
19." O' People of the Book! Indeed Our Messenger has come to you to explain (things) to you after a cessation of the (mission of the) messengers, any warner '; but, indeed, there has come to you a giver of gladtidings and a warner; and Allah is All-Powerful over all things.
Commentary:
The intermission between the time of Hadrat Messiah (Jesus Christ) (a.s.) and the advent of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) lasted about six hundred years.
During the time when there exists not an appointed Divine prophet, the glob is not empty of Allah's Authority, because the prophets' successors have always existed. As the words of Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.) indicates, the earth never lacks godly authority whether he has power or not, because the way of Allah should not be concealed for those who want to pave it.(1)
Hence, the existence of the time of intermission between coming one prophet after the former does not mean that people are left to themselves.
" O' People of the Book! Indeed Our Messenger has come to you to explain (things) to you after a cessation of the (mission of the) messengers, any warner '; but, indeed, there has come to you a giver of gladtidings and a warner; and Allah is All-Powerful over all things."
By the way, the intermissions, whether they are long or short, are certainly useful in the system of divine educational arrangements. There are several examples of this meaning in the length of the history of prophets. for instance: the separation of Moses from people, the spiritual retirement of prophets, the cease of revelation unto the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), and minor occultation and major occultation are some distinguished references for the idea.
(1) Nahajul-Balaqah, saying No. 147
Section 4
The Israelites breaking the Covenant
People of Moses commanded to march into the Holy Land - the people's refusal to act - the punishment
(20) æóÅöÐú ÞóÇáó ãõæÓóì áöÞóæúãöåö íóÇ Þóæúãö ÇÐúßõÑõæÇú äöÚúãóÉó Çááøåö Úóáóíúßõãú ÅöÐú ÌóÚóáó Ýöíßõãú ÃóäÈöíóÇÁ æóÌóÚóáóßõã ãøõáõæßðÇ æóÂÊóÇßõã ãøóÇ áóãú íõÄúÊö ÃóÍóÏðÇ ãøöä ÇáúÚóÇáóãöíäó
20. " And (remember) when Moses said to his people: ' O' my people! remember the favour of Allah upon you when He raised prophets among you and made you kings and gave you what He had not given to any one else in the world."
Commentary:
The remembrance of divine bounties is the motive of love, gratitute, and worship. Now, the greatest bounties given by Allah (s.w.t.) are: the bounty of prophecy, the bounty of government and power, and the bounty of freedom.
For the invitation of people, the factor of emotion in populations should be utilized. That is why we ought to make them prepared through reminding them the favours of Allah (s.w.t.) before inviting them to action and assitance.
One of the responsibilities of prophets (a.s.) is reminding people of Allah's favours. (1)
"...remember the favour of Allah ..."
However, we must take an example from the history of the past. After enjoying of the peccular favour of Allah and reaching authority, the people of Moses inflicted with humiliation and wretchedness because of opposing the command of Allah.
The verse is recited as follows:
" And (remember) when Moses said to his people: ' O' my people! remember the favour of Allah upon you when He raised prophets among you and made you kings and gave you what He had not given to any one else in the world."
(1) Some of the specific bounties given to the Children of Israel are: crossing the Nile, the movement of Tur Mount, Manna and Salwa coming down from heaven, the water of twelve springs, and so on.
(21) íóÇ Þóæúãö ÇÏúÎõáõæÇ ÇáÃóÑúÖó ÇáãõÞóÏøóÓóÉó ÇáøóÊöí ßóÊóÈó Çááøåõ áóßõãú æóáÇó ÊóÑúÊóÏøõæÇ Úóáóì ÃóÏúÈóÇÑößõãú ÝóÊóäÞóáöÈõæÇ ÎóÇÓöÑöíäó
21. " O' my people! enter the holy land which Allah has ordained for you and do not turn your backs, for then you will return (us) losers."
Commentary:
In this verse, the Qur'an states the process of the arrival of the Children of Israel into the holy land as follows.
Moses (a.s.) told his people to arrive the holy land which Allah (s.w.t.) had assigned for them, and as for that arrival, they should not afraid of its difficulties. They were enjoined not to refrain from any self-sacrifice, because had they turned on their backs, they would have been of the losers. The Qur'an says:
" O' my people! enter the holy land which Allah has ordained for you and do not turn your backs, for then you will return (us) losers."
The objective meaning of the Qur'anic phrase /'ard-al-muqaddas/ (the holy land) is either the whole region of ancient Shamat (Syria, Jordan, Palestine, etc.), or Jerusalem.
(22) ÞóÇáõæÇ íóÇ ãõæÓóì Åöäøó ÝöíåóÇ ÞóæúãðÇ ÌóÈøóÇÑöíäó æóÅöäøóÇ áóä äøóÏúÎõáóåóÇ ÍóÊøóìó íóÎúÑõÌõæÇú ãöäúåóÇ ÝóÅöä íóÎúÑõÌõæÇú ãöäúåóÇ ÝóÅöäøóÇ ÏóÇÎöáõæäó
22. " They (Israelites) said: ' O' Moses! verily there is a very arrogant race in it, and verily, we will never enter it until they get out from it. So if they get out fro it, then certainly, we will enter."
Commentary:
The Arabic term /jabbar/ is derived from /jabr/ with the meaning of ' improving something accompanied with force and pressure '.
Yet, the term has been applied with both of these meanings: 1) to compensate, 2) power, might, overcome. The Qur'anic word /jabbar/ has been used as a tittle or an appelation for Allah (s.w.t.) with both of the above two meanings.
The phrase /qaum-an-jabbarin/ (a very arrogant race), mentioned in the above verse, refers to the people of the very tribe of 'Amaliqah from the Semitic race who were living in Sinaie desert located in the north of old Arabia. They ('Amaliqah tribe) invaded Egypt and ruled there for five hundred years.(1)
However, the existence of some corrupted people somewhere can not be a reason for eligible persons that they retire. Enemy should be sent out. We ought not to wait until the enemy himself goes out.
" They (Israelites) said: ' O' Moses! verily there is a very arrogant race in it, and verily, we will never enter it until they get out fromit. So if they get out from it, then certainly, we will enter."
Mere pleasure-seeking is prohibited in Islam. We must act and ask Allah to help us to send out the enemy.
(1) Encyclopedia, by Farid Wajdi
(23) ÞóÇáó ÑóÌõáÇóäö ãöäó ÇáøóÐöíäó íóÎóÇÝõæäó ÃóäúÚóãó Çááøåõ ÚóáóíúåöãóÇ ÇÏúÎõáõæÇú Úóáóíúåöãõ ÇáúÈóÇÈó ÝóÅöÐóÇ ÏóÎóáúÊõãõæåõ ÝóÅöäøóßõãú ÛóÇáöÈõæäó æóÚóáóì Çááøåö ÝóÊóæóßøóáõæÇú Åöä ßõäÊõã ãøõÄúãöäöíäó
23. " Two men of those that feared (Allah) whom Allah had blessed, said: ' Enter against them by the gate! for when you have entered it, you will certainly be victorious. So, upon Allah should you rely if you are believers."
Commentary:
As the Qur'anic commentary books indicate, those two men, who are mentioned in the verse, were from among those twelve chiefs of the Israelites. They were called Yusha'-ibn-Nun (Joshua, the son of Nun), and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, whose names are mentioned in the Turah, Numbers. (1) The verse says:
" Two men of those that feared (Allah) whom Allah had blessed, said: ' Enter against them by the gate! for when you have entered it, you will certainly be victorious. ..."
By the way, fearing God is a cause for absorbing the favours of Allah (s.w.t.) and His bounties. So, the one who is in owe of Allah (s.w.t.), does not fear any other might, and therefore, he must rely only on Allah.
"... So, upon Allah should you rely if you are believers."
(1) The Old Testament, Numbers, Chapter 14, No. 6-9:
6- And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes.
7- And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying the land which we passed through to search it, is an exeeding good land.
8- If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
9- Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us; their defence is departed from them and the LORD is with us; fear them not.
(24) ÞóÇáõæÇú íóÇ ãõæÓóì ÅöäøóÇ áóä äøóÏúÎõáóåóÇ ÃóÈóÏðÇ ãøóÇ ÏóÇãõæÇú ÝöíåóÇ ÝóÇÐúåóÈú ÃóäÊó æóÑóÈøõßó ÝóÞóÇÊöáÇ ÅöäøóÇ åóÇåõäóÇ ÞóÇÚöÏõæäó
24. " They said: ' O' Moses! we shall never enter it at all, so long as they (the arrogant) are in it. Go, therefore, you and your Lord, and fight you both! verily we will stay here sitting."
Commentary:
Mecca and Jerusalem both are holy lands. When Moses (a.s.) told his people to enter it and struggle against enemy, they made a pretext and offended against his command. But, in the sixth year A.H., when the Muslims, accompanied with the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), went toward Mecca in order to perform the rites of Umrah (lesser Pilgrimage), they would invade the city vigorously if there were not the hinderance of the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.).
It was in this journey that the agreement of ' Hudaybiyyah peace ' was made. Yes, both those two peoples reached the gates of two sacred cites while one of them were so coward that refused the command of their prophet and the other were so brave that were oager to participate in the holy struggle.
" They said: ' O' Moses! we shall never enter it at all, so long as they (the arrogant) are in it Go, therefore, you and your Lord, and fight you both! verily we will stay here sitting."
The Children of Israel have been the example of the groups who are known for their impoliteness, seeking for excuses, feebleness, and loving comfort.
(25) ÞóÇáó ÑóÈøö Åöäøöí áÇ Ãóãúáößõ ÅöáÇøó äóÝúÓöí æóÃóÎöí ÝóÇÝúÑõÞú ÈóíúäóäóÇ æóÈóíúäó ÇáúÞóæúãö ÇáúÝóÇÓöÞöíäó
25. " He (Moses) said: ' O' my Lord! I have pover over none but myself and my brother, therefore make a separation between us and these rebellious people."
Commentary:
This verse denotes that Moses (a.s.) became completely disappointed from that crowd of people. He (a.s.) supplicated and asked Allah his separation from them, so that they would see the fruit of their deeds and try to improve themselves. He said:
"...' O' my Lord! I have pover over none but myself and my brother, therefore make a separation between us and these rebellious people."
Of course, the action that the Children of Israel did was almost a kind of disbelief. They manifestly rejected the command of their prophet. If we recite that the Qur'an has qualified them as ' rebellious people ', it is because the Arabic ward /fasiq/ has a vast scoup of meaning which envelops any departure from the institution of worship and servitude.
(26) ÞóÇáó ÝóÅöäøóåóÇ ãõÍóÑøóãóÉñ Úóáóíúåöãú ÃóÑúÈóÚöíäó ÓóäóÉð íóÊöíåõæäó Ýöí ÇáÃóÑúÖö ÝóáÇó ÊóÃúÓó Úóáóì ÇáúÞóæúãö ÇáúÝóÇÓöÞöíäó
26. " He (The Lord) said: ' So it (the Holy Land) will surely be forbidden to them for forty years that they will wander about in the earth, therefore do not grieve for the rebellious people."
Commentary:
The Arabic term /yatihun/ is derived from the word /tayaha/ with the sense of ' wander '. But, in the lapse of time, the word /tiyah/ was applied for the plain of Sinai. It has also been called to the place where that group of people (the Israelites) lived for forty years without having the material and spiritual merits of the ground.
" He (The Lord) said: ' So it (the Holy Land) will surely be forbidden to them for forty years that they will wander about in the earth, therefore do not grieve for the rebellious people."
The story of the disobedience of the Children of Israel and the Divine Wrath, and their wandering state in Tiyah is mentioned in the Old Testament, Numbers, Chapter four.
According to a tradition stated by Imam Baqir (a.s.), after wandering for forty years and losing Moses and Aron (a.s.), the Israelites arrived the zone by a martiel attack, and their seeking comfort had no result for them but retardation and wandering.
Imam Baqir (a.s.) has said that there will occure a similar situation for Muslims, like what happened for the Children of Israel.
Explanations:
1- The recompense of showing shortcoming and despicableness, and also that of disobedience from the commandment of Allah, and escaping from the Holy Struggle, is such deprivations and vagrancies.
2- Wandering state is a kind of punishment for the evildoers, while having the merit of light and discrimination is a kind of present for the righteous ones.
Section 5
Jews warned against their wicked plots
Cain's aggression - The Israelites warned - punishment for those who war on the Apostle (Muhammad).
(27) æóÇÊúáõ Úóáóíúåöãú äóÈóÃó ÇÈúäóíú ÂÏóãó ÈöÇáúÍóÞøö ÅöÐú ÞóÑøóÈóÇ ÞõÑúÈóÇäðÇ ÝóÊõÞõÈøöáó ãöä ÃóÍóÏöåöãóÇ æóáóãú íõÊóÞóÈøóáú ãöäó ÇáÂÎóÑö ÞóÇáó áóÃóÞúÊõáóäøóßó ÞóÇáó ÅöäøóãóÇ íóÊóÞóÈøóáõ Çááøåõ ãöäó ÇáúãõÊøóÞöíäó
27. " (O' Prophet!) Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam when they offered each a sacrifice, but it was accepted from the other. (The one) said: ' I shall certainly slay you.' (The other) said: ' verily Allah accepts only from the pious ones '."
Commentary:
The objective meaning of ' reciting the truth ', maybe, is an indication to the idea that the explanation of this event has been distorted in the Turah and it has been combined with superstitions; hence, what is stated in the Qur'an is ' the truth '.
" (O' Prophet!) Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam when they offered each a sacrifice, but it was accepted from the other. (The one) said: ' I shall certainly slay you.'..."
In Islamic literature and in the Turah, (Genesis, Chapter 4, No. 3 to 12), (1) it is recorded that Abel was a shepherd and he offered his best lamb as the sucrificial animal. But, Cain who was a farmer, brought the worst part of his agricultural product to sucrifice. The Qur'an also says: " You will never attain righteousness unless you spend out of what you love..." (2)
Therefore, the main principle is striving to draw near to Allah, not to simply sucrifice. Whatever the sucrificial thing may be, the criterion of the acceptance of deeds is piety.
"...' verily Allah accepts only from the pious ones '."
Also, we must know that the expansion of envy stretches forth up to slaying one's brother; so, we must avoid this quality.
"... (The one) said: ' I shall certainly slay you.'..."
(1) 3. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
4. And Abel, he also brought of the first lings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering.
5. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6. And the LORD said, Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7. If thou doest well, shall thou not be accpted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.
9. And the LORD said unto Cain. Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
10. And He said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground.
11. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand:
12. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength: a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
(2) Sura 'Al-i-'Imran, No. 3, verse 92
(28) áóÆöä ÈóÓóØÊó Åöáóíøó íóÏóßó áöÊóÞúÊõáóäöí ãóÇ ÃóäóÇú ÈöÈóÇÓöØò íóÏöíó Åöáóíúßó áóÃóÞúÊõáóßó Åöäøöí ÃóÎóÇÝõ Çááøåó ÑóÈøó ÇáúÚóÇáóãöíäó
28. " If you stretch out your hand toward me to slay me, I am not one to stretch out my hand toward you to slay you. Verily, I fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds."
Commentary:
When confronting a jealous person, you ought to speak with him in a calmly manner, so that you can extinquish the fire of jealousy in him with the calmness of your speech. Thus, one of the ways of ' forbidding from doing evil ' is that you assure the evil-doer that you will not transgress him in any way.
Abel did not intend to commit homicide. This does not mean that he might not defend himself either, (since submitting to a murderer's will does not adapt to piety).
" If you stretch out your hand toward me to slay me, I am not one to stretch out my hand toward you to slay you. ..."
By the way, refraining from murder because of the owe of Allah (s.w.t.) is a value, not because of unability and weakness. Hewever, piety and God-fearing is the restraining factor from committing sin and transgression in the most sensitive circumstances.
"... Verily, I fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds."
(29) Åöäøöí
ÃõÑöíÏõ Ãóä ÊóÈõæÁó ÈöÅöËúãöí æóÅöËúãößó ÝóÊóßõæäó ãöäú ÃóÕúÍóÇÈö ÇáäøóÇÑö
æóÐóáößó ÌóÒóÇÁ ÇáÙøóÇáöãöíäó
(30) ÝóØóæøóÚóÊú áóåõ äóÝúÓõåõ ÞóÊúáó ÃóÎöíåö ÝóÞóÊóáóåõ ÝóÃóÕúÈóÍó ãöäó
ÇáúÎóÇÓöÑöíäó
29. " Verily I wish that you bear my sin and also your (own) sin, and so you would be of the inmates of the (Hell) Fire, and this is the recompense of the unjust."
30. " Then his soul (through temptation of envy) ficiliated to him the murder of his brother. So he murdered him, and thus became one of the losers."
Commentary
Abel did not want to carry the burden of another person's sins, hence he did not take action on slaying his brother and shedding blood. Basides that, he put the burden of his own sins on the killer's shoulder.
Imam Baqir (a.s.) in a tradition said: " Whoever kills a believer intentionally, Allah records all the sins upon the killer and make the slain free from them; and this is His word:
"Verily I wish that you bear my sin and also your (own) sin, and so you would be of the inmates of the (Hell) Fire, and this is the recompense of the unjust."
This verse does not mean, of course, that silence before a tyrant with the hope that he carries the responsibility of our sins is proper.
****
One of the styles of ' forbidding from doing evil ' is attracting the attention of a transgressor to the fact that besides the retribution of his own cruelties, he should suffer the burden of the sins of the oppressed, too, and his punishment will be added.
However, the pure nature of man dislikes homicide, but the despotic soul makes a parade of this action and persudes him to murder.
" Then his soul (through temptation of envy) ficiliated to him the murder of his brother. So he murdered him, and thus became one of the losers."
Thus, we ought to know that the faith in Resurrection has been a part of the fundamental creed of human beings on the earth, and the very faith keeps a person from homicide and other crimes.
(31) ÝóÈóÚóËó Çááøåõ ÛõÑóÇÈðÇ íóÈúÍóËõ Ýöí ÇáÃóÑúÖö áöíõÑöíóåõ ßóíúÝó íõæóÇÑöí ÓóæúÁÉó ÃóÎöíåö ÞóÇáó íóÇ æóíúáóÊóÇ ÃóÚóÌóÒúÊõ Ãóäú Ãóßõæäó ãöËúáó åóÐóÇ ÇáúÛõÑóÇÈö ÝóÃõæóÇÑöíó ÓóæúÁÉó ÃóÎöí ÝóÃóÕúÈóÍó ãöäó ÇáäøóÇÏöãöíäó
31. " Then Allah sent a raven digging up the ground to show him (the murderer) how he should cover the dead body of his brother. He said: ' Woe unto me! Am I unable to be like this raven and cover the corpse of my brother? ' So he became one of the remorseful."
Commentary:
It is narrated in a tradition that Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said that when Cain killed his brother, he left him in the desert, because he did not know what to do. Soon after that the sawage rushed toward the corpse of Abel. At that time, as the Qur'an says, Allah sent a raven to dig up the land and, by hiding the dead body of another raven, or by concealing a part of its own prey, (as it is the habit of a raven) showed Cain how to hide the corpse of his brother in the ground. The verse says:
" Then Allah sent a raven digging up the ground to show him (the murderer) how he should cover the dead body of his brother. ..."
Next to that statement the Qur'an adds that at that moment Cain became worried of his own negligence and cried:
"...' Woe unto me! Am I unable to be like this raven and cover the corpse of my brother? ' ..."
Yet, finally he felt sorry about what he had done, but that regret was not a reference for his repentance from the sin.
"...So he became one of the remorseful."
The Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) is narrated who have said: " No blood of a person is shed unjustly unless there is a portion of its resposibility upon (cain) the son of Adam who was the first homicide as a custom." (1)
(1) Musnad Ahmad Hanbab, recorded in Tafsir-i-fi-Zalal, vol. 2, p. 703
(32) ãöäú ÃóÌúáö Ðóáößó ßóÊóÈúäóÇ Úóáóì Èóäöí ÅöÓúÑóÇÆöíáó Ãóäøóåõ ãóä ÞóÊóáó äóÝúÓðÇ ÈöÛóíúÑö äóÝúÓò Ãóæú ÝóÓóÇÏò Ýöí ÇáÃóÑúÖö ÝóßóÃóäøóãóÇ ÞóÊóáó ÇáäøóÇÓó ÌóãöíÚðÇ æóãóäú ÃóÍúíóÇåóÇ ÝóßóÃóäøóãóÇ ÃóÍúíóÇ ÇáäøóÇÓó ÌóãöíÚðÇ æóáóÞóÏú ÌóÇÁ Êúåõãú ÑõÓõáõäóÇ ÈöÇáÈóíøöäóÇÊö Ëõãøó Åöäøó ßóËöíÑðÇ ãøöäúåõã ÈóÚúÏó Ðóáößó Ýöí ÇáÃóÑúÖö áóãõÓúÑöÝõæäó
32. " For this reason We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever slays a human being for other that manslaughter or mischief in the earth, it is as he has slain mankind as a whole; and whoever saves a life (from death), it is as if he had saved mankind as a whole. And certainly our messengers come to them with clear evidences; then verily, even after that, many of them became prodigals in the earth."
Commentary:
The Oneness of Human Beings:
Next to the statement of the story of the Children of Adam, there has been mentioned a general conclusion in this holy verse which fits with humanities. At first, it says:
" For this reason We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever slays a human being for other than manslaughter or mischief in the earth, it is as he has slain mankind as a whole; ..."
How is it that slaying a human being is euqal to slaying all human beings, and saving a person is equal to saving all human beings?
To answer this question it is only possible to say that: in this verse, the Qur'an has referred to a social and training fact. The person who slays an innocent human being, has such a preparation, in fact, to kill some other innocent persons, too. This person is, indeed, a homicide whose prey is innocent human beings. And, we know that there is no difference between the innocent persons from this point of view. On the other hand, the person who, because of having the quality of philanthropy and human emotions, saves another person from death, has such a preparation to perform this sympathetic action unto any other human beings. So, regarding the fact that the Qur'an has applied the phrase: /fa-ka-'anna-ma/ (it is as if), it seems that although the life and death of a person is not equal to the life and death of a society, it has a likeness to it.
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