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B. Migration from the polluted surroundings is another lesson taken from this wonderful event.

C. Precautionary dissimulation, in its constructive meaning, is another lesson taught by this story. And we know that precautionary dissimulation is not anything save that the person conceals his main subject where divulgence of facts is fruitless, and he protects his power for the time of struggle and striking against the enemy.

D. The lack of difference among persons in the way of Allah, and sitting a minister beside a shepherd, and even the guarding dog that paves their way, is another lesson in this field, in order to be manifested that the privileges of this material world. Then its different ranks have no effect along the side of separating the rows of the followers of the path of truth which is the path of Unity and the path of Unity is the path of oneness and unicity of all human beings.

E. The wonderful helps of Allah (s.w.t.) at the time of the appearance of crises is another income which the circumstance of the event teaches us.

F. In this story, even in the most grievous circumstances, they taught us the purity of food. The nutrition of the body has a deep effect on man's spirit, thought and heart. And pollution,

resulted from unlawful (haram) foods, makes man afar from the path of Allah and the path of piety.

G. Seeking help from His grace, and saying the holy phrase 'If Allah please' in informing about the future affairs, is another lessen.

H. Another instructive lesson of this story is how we confront the opponents.

I. Finally, the possibility of resurrection of the body, and that human beings will return to a new life at the time of Resurrection, is another lesson that this event teaches us.

However, the aim here is not telling a story as a hobby. The aim of the Qur'an is to bring up some steadfast, faithful, aware and brave men. One of its way is to introduce the noble samples of them through the length of history.

At the end, one of the pretexts of the Prophet's opponents was that they asked the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to change the Qur'an. They said: " …Bring us a Qur'an other than this, or change this." (Sura Yunus, No.10 verse 15). In answer to such arrogant people, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) used to say that it was not of his own accord to change it. The change of the Qur'an is only up to Allah.

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28- وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ وَلاَ تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَلاَ تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطاً

28 "And keep yourself content with those who call unto their Lord morning and evening seeking His pleasure, and let not your eyes turn away from them desiring the adornment of the life of the world, and do not obey him whose heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance and he follows his own low desires, and his affair has become all excess."

Occasion of Revelation:

A group of arrogant conceited rich Arabs came to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and, pointing to some faithful Muslims, such as: Salman, 'Abuthar, S?uhayb, Khabab and the like of them, said:

"O'Muhammad! If you sit in the seat of honor, and send away these fellows from around yourself, (so that your meeting becomes apt for notables and personalities), we will approach you. But, with the presence and existence of these people, the meeting is not a suitable place for us."

At this time, the verse was revealed and commanded the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) not to surrender to those hollow deceptive statements, and he should always receive the

faithful, sincere-hearted ones, such as those who are like Salman and 'Abuthar.

The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) told them (his true followers) that he praised Allah for that he (p.b.u.h.) did not die until when He ordered him such a commandment that he would be with them and the like of them.

He (p.b.u.h.) said: "Yes, life with you, and also death with you, is pleased."

Commentary:

One of the lessons which the story of the Companions of the Cave taught us was that the criterion of men's value is not the apparent rank, social position, and their wealth. In fact, this verse pursues this very important subject, and commands the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) as follows:

"And keep yourself content with those who call unto their Lord morning and evening seeking His pleasure,…"

Imam Sadiq and Imam Baqir (a.s.) said: "The objective meaning of calling Allah in the morning and in the evening is 'to perform the prayer'." (The Commentaries of Nur-uth-Thaqalayn, As-Safy, and Burhan)

Then, as an emphasis, the Qur'an continues saying:

"… and let not your eyes turn away from them desiring the adornment of the life of the world, …"

Again, for a more emphasis, it adds:

"… and do not obey him whose heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance and he follows his own low desires, …"

Such people are always out of normal method, so that their manner has become all excess. Since, concerning the material

lusts, the nature of man is always toward the mood of demanding more and more, a mortal ceaselessly steps in the direction of excess so far that he perishes himself. The holy verse says:

"… and his affair has become all excess."

Explanations:

1. A leader should not be heedless of the deprived, but he must be sympathetic unto them.

2. Do not turn away from the poor in order to obtain the material world and the consent of the rich.

3. The worst thing is the circumstance that people pay attention to Allah, but their leader pays to the world.

4. He who follows the low desires and the world, will go out of the path of godly ones.

5. The danger of mammonism is so much that Allah has warned His prophets of it.

6. The value of the remembrance of Allah depends on that its root to be deep in the heart and the soul. Otherwise, a man falls down step by step. The first step is negligence, then lust, and, finally, the path of aberration.

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29- وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِن رَبّـِكُمْ فَمَن شَآءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَآءَ فَلْيَكُفُرْ إِنَّآ أَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ نَاراً أَحَاطَ بِهِمْ سُرَادِقُهَا وَإِن يَسْتَغِيثُوا يُغَاثُوا بِمَآءٍ كَالْمُهْلِ يَشْوِى الْوُجُوهَ بِئْسَ الشَّرَابُ وَسَآءَتْ مُرْتَفَقاً

29 "And say: 'The truth is from your Lord; so whoever will, let him believe, and whoever will, let him disbelieve.' Verily We have prepared for the unjust a Fire, the curtains of which encompass them, and if they call for succour, they will be succoured with water like molten copper that shall scald the faces; (how) evil the drink and (how) ill the resting-place!"

Commentary:

The importance of the previous verse is so much so that the Qur'an, in this verse, explicitly says to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to say that it is a program from Allah and a reality from the Lord. Then let him who will, believe, and let him who will, reject it.

"And say: 'The truth is from your Lord; so whoever will, let him believe, and whoever will, let him disbelieve.' …"

But, everybody should be defined that those unjust mam-monish persons who, with their welfare lives of dazzling glare and its adornments, mockingly laugh at the woolen clothes of the Muslims, will have a dark and evil end, because the verse says:

"… Verily We have prepared for the unjust a Fire, the curtains of which encompass them, …"

Yes, such people, in the life of this world, whenever they became thirsty, used to order their servants to prepare them kinds of drinks before them. But, in Hell, when they call for water they will be granted water like melted brass which, if it be brought near the face, will scald the face. How dreadful the drink! And how uncomfortable the dwelling of Hell is! The verse says:

"… and if they call for succour, they will be succoured with water like molten copper that shall scald the faces; (how) evil the drink and (how) ill the resting-place!"

Here, in this life and in their tents, there exist kinds of drinks. As soon as they call the cupbearers, they bring them different cups of various drinks. In Hell, too, they will have cupbearers to bring them cups of drink. But what a drink! A drink like molten brass! A drink as hot as the tear of the orphans, and as blazing as the sighs of the poor. Yes, whatever exists there, it is the embodiment of that which they have produced here, in this world.

However, at the end, people are free to choose either belief or disbelief, yet they should know that the end of disbelief is the blazing Fire of the Hereafter.

The Arabic word /suradiq/ means 'curtain' which has been mentioned only once in the Qur'an, and it is about the people of Hell.

By the way, there has been recorded a tradition from Imam Baqir (a.s.) in the commentary books of Al-Burhan, As-Safy, and Nur-uth-Thaqalayn which indicates that the purpose of the holy phrase "And say: 'The truth is from your Lord; …" is the mastership of Ali-ibn-Abitalib (a.s.). It means that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) should state the truth about the mastership and Imamate of Ali-i-Abitalib (a.s.) from the side of the Lord.

30- إِنَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ إِنَّا لاَ نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلاً

31- اُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهِمُ الاَنْهَارُ يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَيَلْبَسُونَ ثِيَاباً خُضْراً مِن سُندُسٍ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٍ مُتَّكِئِينَ فِيهَا عَلَى الاَرَآئِكِ نِعْمَ الثَّوَابُ وَحَسُنَتْ مُرْتَفَقاً

30. " Verily those who believe and do righteous deeds, surely We do not waste the recompense of him who does a good work. "

31. " These, for them are gardens of eternity beneath which rivers flow, they shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and they shall wear green robes of fine silk, and thick brocade, reclining therein on raised coaches. O, how excellent a reward! and how fair a resting-place! "

Commentary:

In view of the fact that the style of the holy Qur'an is a constructive and comparative style, in this group of verses, after the statement of the qualities and retributions of the arrogant mammonish people, it refers to the statement of the situation of the true believers and their excellent extraordinary rewards. At first, it expressively says:

" Verily those who believe and do righteous deeds, surely We do not waste the recompense of him who does

a good work. "

Whether this recompense is little or much, general or particular from everyone in every age and year, and in any condition, Allah will not waste it.

Then, the Qur'an explains the rewards of the doers of righteous deeds. It says:

" These, for them are gardens of eternity … "

These rewards are a lot of gardens in Paradise under whose trees and castles some rivers flow. They live in those gardens while they are ornamented with golden bracelets. The verse says:

" …beneath which rivers flow, they shall be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, … "

The verse continues explaining their rewards and that they will be among a group of good companions in Heaven, where it says:

" …and they shall wear green robes of fine silk, and thick brocade, reclining therein on raised coaches. O, how excellent reward! and how fair a resting-place! "

Explanations:

1. The Qur'anic term /'adn/ means: 'a perpetual abode'. The term /'asawir/ is the plural form of /'aswirah/ which means 'a bracelet '. The Arabic word /sundus/ means 'silk', and /'istabraq/ is applied for 'silk of a thick texture, brocade'; and the term /'ar?'ik/ is the plural form of /'arikah/ which is called to a royal throne which is covered with a veil.

2. For the people of Paradise, there are all kinds of clothing and with any material and of any colour there at their disposal, but the green robes, in particular, maybe refers to their formal

and common clothing by which they decorate themselves at the time when they recline on raised coaches.

3. Keeping off from the unlawful ornaments of this life is the secret of reaching to the eternal ornaments in Hereafter as a reward.

4. Resurrection is both the spiritual resurrection and the resurrection of the body, since if it were merely a spiritual resurrection it would not need any gold, silk, and throne.

Tow Final Points:

1. The ornamental clothings in Hereafter!

There may arise this question for many persons that, in the Qur'an, Allah has reprimanded the dazzling glare of the world, but He has promised these things to the believers in the next world. They are some adornments such as gold, silken clothes: whether thin and thick, thrones, beautiful coaches, and the like of them.

In answer to this question, preliminarily, it is necessary for us to attract attentions to this matter that we comment the verses of the Qur'an as some other commentators do. They take all these words as some metaphorical ones for the spiritual concepts. We have learnt from the holy Qur'an itself that Resurrection will be both bodily and spiritual. Thus, the pleasures of the next world must be in both forms. Of course, there is no doubt that its spiritual pleasures are not comparable with its bodily pleasures.

But, in the meantime, this fact cannot be concealed that, as for the bounties of the next world, we may see only a shade of them from a long distance, and we hear some words as an indication to them, because the parable of the coming world, compared with this world, is like the parable of this world with

respect to the mother's womb, and the embryo's case. If mother can communicate with her embryo, she is not able to state the beauties of this world, such as: illuminating sun, bright moon, springs, gardens, flowers, and the like of them, for the baby she has in her womb save by signs. Similarly, it is impossible for us, the encompassed persons in the womb of the world, to understand or even to state the spiritual and material bounties of the Hereafter.

Now that this fact became clear, we return to the answer of the question. Allah has reprimanded the dazzling glare of this world for the sake that the limitation of this world causes the preparation of such life to be accompanied with kinds of injustice and cruelty, and taking benefit from it will be done with negligence and ignorance.

The unjust discriminations, which come into being in this course, will be the cause of grudges, jealousies, enmities, and, at last, bloodsheds, and fights.

But in that world, whose all things are vast and plenty, neither the earning of these ornaments creates any difficulty, nor it causes any unjust discrimination and deprivation. They neither produce any grudge and enmity in any one, nor, in that environment full of spiritualities, they cause man to become neglectful of the Lord. Those ornaments neither need to be protected and guarded nor create any jealousy in others. They are neither the source of arrogance and pride, nor are they the factor of separation from the servants of Allah and Allah Himself (s.w.t.).

Why should the people of Paradise be deprived of such a bounty which is a bodily pleasure beside the great spiritual merits with no unpleasant reaction.

2. Another point that this verse teaches us is that we must not avoid of guiding that group because of their wealth, or for

that they have a welfare life, and do not approach them. But, what is blameworthy is that we approach them in order to take benefit from their worldly material circumstances and, as the Qur'an says, become of the extension of those who " desire the adornment of the life of the world ".(1) Thus, if the aim is their guidance, and taking benefit from their wealth and possibilities is along the path of positive and valuable social activities, approaching them not only is not blameworthy but also is necessary and incumbent.

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