6. Al-An'aam

The second verse (91) has been revealed in answer to those who had the audacity to say that Allah Ta` ala has just not revealed any book to any human being. According to them, this whole proposition of books and messengers was all wrong.

If, those who said that are the idolaters of Makkah, as mentioned by Ibn Kathir, then, the matter is obvious, for they did not believe in any book and prophet. And if they were Jews, as held by other commentators - and the contextual elements of the verse obviously support this view - then, their saying so was an outcome of their anger and irritation, something contrary to the dictates of their own religion. According to a narration of Imam al-Baghawi, this was the reason why the Jews too were displeased with the person who had made this unfortunate remark, and it was because of this erroneous conduct of his that he was removed from his office of religious authority.

In this verse, Allah Ta` ala has said to the Holy Prophet ﷺ that people who made this absurd remark did not recognize the Most True Allah as was His right to be recognized. Had they done that, this audacious remark would have never escaped their lips. Then, Allah Ta` ala tells the Holy Prophet ﷺ to ask the people who deny Scriptures absolutely: If that is what you think - that Allah Ta` ala did not reveal any book to any human being - then, you better have an answer as to who revealed the Torah, in which you too believe, and because of which you sit in judgment over your people. Along with it, they were also told: You are such connoisseurs of crooked ways that you would treat your own book, the Torah, which you believe in as being Holy Scripture, in a way that you got it conveniently written on separate sheets, rather than having it in a formally bound book, so that you can take out any sheet from it as and when you want it, and by doing so you would have the option of denying what it enjoined. An example of this are the verses of the Torah which described the signs and attributes of the Messenger of Allah which you have excluded. The last sentence of the verse: تَجْعَلُونَهُ قَرَ‌اطِيسَ (which you kept in sheets) means exactly this. The word: قَرَ‌اطِيسَ (qaratis) is the plural of: قِرطَاس (qirtas) which means sheet or paper.

After that, addressing the same people, it has been said: وَعُلِّمْتُم مَّا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوا أَنتُمْ وَلَا آبَاؤُكُمْ that is, you were taught (through the Qur an) what you or your forefathers did not know (earlier, either through the Torah or the Injil).

At the end of verse (91), it was said: قُلِ اللَّـهُ ۖ ثُمَّ ذَرْ‌هُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ (Say, "Allah." Then leave them playing with what they are indulged in). In other words, the sense is: As for the question - if Allah just did not send any book, who sent the Torah? - it was something they would not know how to answer, so, you go ahead and tell them that it was revealed by none but Allah. Now that the argument against them stands concluded, your mission as far as they are concerned is over. So, let them be lost in the game they are playing.

After having concluded the argument concerning Books revealed by Allah Ta` ala against deniers, it was said in the third verse (92): وَهَـٰذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَ‌كٌ مُّصَدِّقُ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنذِرَ‌ أُمَّ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (And this is a blessed Book We have sent down confirming what has been before it, so that you may warn the town which is the mother of all towns, and those around it), that is, as it is that they too accept that the Torah was sent down by Allah Ta` ala, so it is that We have sent down this Qur'an too, and sufficient for them is the proof of its veracity that the Qur'an confirms what has been revealed in the Torah and the Injil. And that it was revealed after the Torah and Injil is because these two Books were sent for the Bani Isra'il while for their other branch of Bani Isma'il, known as Arabs living in Umm al-Qura, that is, Makkah and its environs, there has been no prophet or book of guidance until that time. Now this Qur'an has been sent for them particularly, and for the whole world generally. Makkah al-Mu'azzamah has been called Umm al-Qura by the Holy Qur'an. It means the root and foundation of all towns and habitations. The reason is that, according to historical nar-ratives, the land mass of the earth first began appearing from here. In addition to that, this is the Qiblah, and the central attraction of all acts of ` Ibadah for the whole world. (Mazhari) Said with: أُمَّ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ (Umm al-Qura) is: وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (and those around it). It means all environs of Makkah, which includes the whole world East, West, North and South of Makkah.

Towards the end of the verse, it was said: وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَ‌ةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ ۖ وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ. It means: Those who believe in the 'Akhirah (Hereafter) also believe in the Qur'an and are particularly careful about their prayers (Salah). This carries an admonition for the Jews and disbelievers against their common ailment whereby they would, with typical lack of concern, accept what they liked and reject what they did not, opening a front against it. This is an effect of that ailment - that they do not believe in 'Akhirah. Anyone who believes in 'Akhirah and in a Day of Judgment will definitely be moved by the fear of Allah which would help him or her reason it out, and once convinced, one would bypass constraints of ignorant customs and embrace what is the truth.

A little thought would reveal that the lack of concern for the 'Akhirah is the mother of all spiritual diseases. From here come Kufr and Shirk and sin and disobedience. If a believer in the 'Akhirah happens to have committed a mistake or sin, he does feel a pinch in his heart. Sooner or later, he repents and resolves to stay away from sin in the future. So, the fear of Allah 'and the concern for the 'Akhirah are, in all truth, channels which make human beings what they should be and which make them capable of staying away from crime and sin and disobedience by conscious choice. Therefore, no Surah (Chapter) of the Qur'an, perhaps no Ruku` (Section) either, is left without a reminder of this concern for the 'Akhirah:.

اَللَّھُمَّ اجعَل …

After having concluded the argument concerning Books revealed by Allah Ta` ala against deniers, it was said in the third verse (92): وَهَـٰذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَ‌كٌ مُّصَدِّقُ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنذِرَ‌ أُمَّ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (And this is a blessed Book We have sent down confirming what has been before it, so that you may warn the town which is the mother of all towns, and those around it), that is, as it is that they too accept that the Torah was sent down by Allah Ta` ala, so it is that We have sent down this Qur'an too, and sufficient for them is the proof of its veracity that the Qur'an confirms what has been revealed in the Torah and the Injil. And that it was revealed after the Torah and Injil is because these two Books were sent for the Bani Isra'il while for their other branch of Bani Isma'il, known as Arabs living in Umm al-Qura, that is, Makkah and its environs, there has been no prophet or book of guidance until that time. Now this Qur'an has been sent for them particularly, and for the whole world generally. Makkah al-Mu'azzamah has been called Umm al-Qura by the Holy Qur'an. It means the root and foundation of all towns and habitations. The reason is that, according to historical nar-ratives, the land mass of the earth first began appearing from here. In addition to that, this is the Qiblah, and the central attraction of all acts of ` Ibadah for the whole world. (Mazhari) Said with: أُمَّ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ (Umm al-Qura) is: وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (and those around it). It means all environs of Makkah, which includes the whole world East, West, North and South of Makkah.

Towards the end of the verse, it was said: وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَ‌ةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ ۖ وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ. It means: Those who believe in the 'Akhirah (Hereafter) also believe in the Qur'an and are particularly careful about their prayers (Salah). This carries an admonition for the Jews and disbelievers against their common ailment whereby they would, with typical lack of concern, accept what they liked and reject what they did not, opening a front against it. This is an effect of that ailment - that they do not believe in 'Akhirah. Anyone who believes in 'Akhirah and in a Day of Judgment will definitely be moved by the fear of Allah which would help him or her reason it out, and once convinced, one would bypass constraints of ignorant customs and embrace what is the truth.

A little thought would reveal that the lack of concern for the 'Akhirah is the mother of all spiritual diseases. From here come Kufr and Shirk and sin and disobedience. If a believer in the 'Akhirah happens to have committed a mistake or sin, he does feel a pinch in his heart. Sooner or later, he repents and resolves to stay away from sin in the future. So, the fear of Allah 'and the concern for the 'Akhirah are, in all truth, channels which make human beings what they should be and which make them capable of staying away from crime and sin and disobedience by conscious choice. Therefore, no Surah (Chapter) of the Qur'an, perhaps no Ruku` (Section) either, is left without a reminder of this concern for the 'Akhirah:.

اَللَّھُمَّ اجعَل …

After having concluded the argument concerning Books revealed by Allah Ta` ala against deniers, it was said in the third verse (92): وَهَـٰذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَ‌كٌ مُّصَدِّقُ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنذِرَ‌ أُمَّ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (And this is a blessed Book We have sent down confirming what has been before it, so that you may warn the town which is the mother of all towns, and those around it), that is, as it is that they too accept that the Torah was sent down by Allah Ta` ala, so it is that We have sent down this Qur'an too, and sufficient for them is the proof of its veracity that the Qur'an confirms what has been revealed in the Torah and the Injil. And that it was revealed after the Torah and Injil is because these two Books were sent for the Bani Isra'il while for their other branch of Bani Isma'il, known as Arabs living in Umm al-Qura, that is, Makkah and its environs, there has been no prophet or book of guidance until that time. Now this Qur'an has been sent for them particularly, and for the whole world generally. Makkah al-Mu'azzamah has been called Umm al-Qura by the Holy Qur'an. It means the root and foundation of all towns and habitations. The reason is that, according to historical nar-ratives, the land mass of the earth first began appearing from here. In addition to that, this is the Qiblah, and the central attraction of all acts of ` Ibadah for the whole world. (Mazhari) Said with: أُمَّ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ (Umm al-Qura) is: وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (and those around it). It means all environs of Makkah, which includes the whole world East, West, North and South of Makkah.

Towards the end of the verse, it was said: وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَ‌ةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ ۖ وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ. It means: Those who believe in the 'Akhirah (Hereafter) also believe in the Qur'an and are particularly careful about their prayers (Salah). This carries an admonition for the Jews and disbelievers against their common ailment whereby they would, with typical lack of concern, accept what they liked and reject what they did not, opening a front against it. This is an effect of that ailment - that they do not believe in 'Akhirah. Anyone who believes in 'Akhirah and in a Day of Judgment will definitely be moved by the fear of Allah which would help him or her reason it out, and once convinced, one would bypass constraints of ignorant customs and embrace what is the truth.

A little thought would reveal that the lack of concern for the 'Akhirah is the mother of all spiritual diseases. From here come Kufr and Shirk and sin and disobedience. If a believer in the 'Akhirah happens to have committed a mistake or sin, he does feel a pinch in his heart. Sooner or later, he repents and resolves to stay away from sin in the future. So, the fear of Allah 'and the concern for the 'Akhirah are, in all truth, channels which make human beings what they should be and which make them capable of staying away from crime and sin and disobedience by conscious choice. Therefore, no Surah (Chapter) of the Qur'an, perhaps no Ruku` (Section) either, is left without a reminder of this concern for the 'Akhirah:.

اَللَّھُمَّ اجعَل …

Commentary

Mentioned in the previous verses was how obstinate and unmindful of consequences the disbelievers and polytheists were. Since such evils are caused when people remain unaware of Allah and His unmatched knowledge and power, the present four verses provide the antidote. Here, Allah Ta’ ala cites some samples of His Knowledge and Power, and of blessings and favours bestowed on human beings, a little reflection in which would make every sensible person admit that feats of such magnitude cannot be accomplished by any power other than that of Almighty Allah.

In the first verse (95), it was said: إِنَّ اللَّـهَ فَالِقُ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَىٰ (Surely, Allah is the one who splits the seed and the pit). Pointed to here is a marvel of creation. Splitting a dry seed and pit and bringing out from it a living green tree is the act of that Most Sacred Being who is the Creator of the Universe. Human input has nothing to do with it. The most a farmer can do is to remove impediments or things harmful away from the growth path of the tender bud or shoot rising from inside the seed or pit, a tribute to the great power of the Creator. Of course, there are processes of ploughing, cleaning, softening, leveling, fertilizing and watering of land - but, the maximum these efforts can achieve is to make sure that the tender newcomer has to face no hurdle on its way up. The rest of the job, the real job, that the seed and pit split, that a bud or shoot sprout out from it, that come leaves of many wonderful kinds and colour, that come flowers and fruits (of mindboggling colours, varieties, smells and tastes), is a job taken care of by someone else. This is art and power alive which no human ingenuity can even come close to by making one leaf, one petal in that manner. Therefore, at another place in the Qur'an, it was said: أَفَرَ‌أَيْتُم مَّا تَحْرُ‌ثُونَ ﴿63﴾ أَأَنتُمْ تَزْرَ‌عُونَهُ أَمْ نَحْنُ الزَّارِ‌عُونَ ﴿64﴾ that is, ` Do you see the seed that you sow? Do you make it grow, or are We the One who makes it grow [ the real Creator to whom its growth has to be attributed ]? - 56-63.'

Then, it was said: يُخْرِ‌جُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَمُخْرِ‌جُ الْمَيِّتِ مِنَ الْحَيِّ (He brings forth the living from the dead, and He is the one who brings forth the dead from the living). The ` dead' or lifeless refers to cell or egg which serves to create human and animal life forms. Similarly, the expression: ` dead from the living' refers to the same cell or egg which issues forth from the living.

After that, it was said: ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّـهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ (That is Allah. Whereto, then, are you straying away?). In other words, the sense is that all these things have been done by Allah Ta` ala alone, yet here you are knowlingly straying away to strange directions, such as, taking self-carved idols as your removers of difficulties and fulfillers of needs and thus the objects of your worship.

Said in the second verse (96) is: فَالِقُ الْإِصْبَاحِ (He is) the One who causes the dawn to break.' The word: فَالِقُ (Faliq) means one who splits, and the word: الْإِصْبَاحِ (al-Isbah) here means the time of morning. Thus, the expression: فَالِقُ الْإِصْبَاحِ (Faliq al-labah) means one who splits the morning, that is, one who tears the dark layer of darkness apart and brings the morning out. This too is one of those functions of such magnitude that would render the combined powers of all Jinns and human beings and all others to nothing. It does not take much to realize the truth of it. Everyone with a pair of sighted eyes is compelled to concede that the causer and creator of the morning light from the darkness of the night cannot be a human being, or angel, or any other created being, from fact or fiction. Instead of all that, the undeniable truth is that this is the work of that One Being that created the whole universe, a Being beyond human comprehension.

Night for Rest is a Blessing

After that, it was said: وَجَعَلَ اللَّيْلَ سَكَنًا (And He has made the night for rest). The word: سَکَن (sakan) is a derivation from : سُکُون (sukun). Everything - means, time or place - by having or reaching which one feels peaceful and comfortable is called sakan, therefore, the home of a person has been referred to as sakan in the Holy Qur'an: جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّن بُيُوتِكُمْ سَكَنًا (Allah made for you your home a place to rest - 16:80). This is so because the home of a person, even if it be a hut, is a habitual source of peace and comfort. Therefore, this sentence comes to mean that Allah Ta` ala has made the night a time of peace and comfort for every living being. By saying: فَالِقُ الْإِصْبَاحِ (Faliq al-Isbah: the One who causes the dawn to break) mentioned there were blessings which one benefits from during the light of the day, something that would not be equally possible during the darkness of night. Then, by saying: وَجَعَلَ اللَّيْلَ سَكَنًا (made the night for rest) after that, indication was given that, no doubt the light of the day is a great blessing for human beings trans-acting most of their businesses and chores with its help, but not that bad is the darkness of night, for that too is a big blessing when it helps a person, all tired after a hard day's work, get the rest needed to go back to work with recovered energy. Otherwise, human nature cannot withstand respite-less labour.

Earmarking the darkness of night for comfort is a regular blessing and, certainly, a special demonstration of the irresistibly subjugating power of Allah Ta` ala. Since this blessing comes handy every day without having to ask for it, one hardly bothers to think how great a favour and reward it is. Imagine if everyone were to fix a time of rest with one's choice, then, someone would be getting ready to sleep at eight in the morning, someone else at twelve noon and there will others sleeping at all sorts of odd hours during the day and night. The result would have been that there would have not come a single hour out of the twenty four hours of the night and day when human beings would have not been busy with their business, job or work and plants and …

In the third verse (97), it was said: وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ النُّجُومَ لِتَهْتَدُوا بِهَا فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ‌ وَالْبَحْرِ‌ (And He is the one who made for you the stars, so that you may be guided by them in 'darknesses' of the land and the sea). In other words, it is being said here that there are other stars too, besides the sun and the moon, which are no less unique a manifestation of the perfect power of Almighty Allah. Out of many considerations of Divine wisdom, one immediate benefit they provide for human beings travelling on high seas or open lands is that they can chart their course in the darkness of nights when it is not easy to do so. Experience bears out that even in the days of highly sophisticated guiding systems, there are alternative situations when the guidance from the position of stars cannot be totally ignored.

The point made in this verse is that one should rise above heedlessness and shortsightedness and see that these stars are also there observing the command of their maker and mover. They are there neither by themselves nor to be there nor to keep doing what they do for ever. Those who have pinned their sights on them and have ignored to look at their maker are terribly short-sighted, and ominously deceived indeed.

After that, it was said: قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ (We have elaborated the signs for people who know). The statement clearly indicates that those who do not recognize the presence and power of Allah Ta` ala even from such open signs are unaware and unconscious.

In the fourth verse (98), it was said: وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنشَأَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ فَمُسْتَقَرٌّ‌ وَمُسْتَوْدَعٌ(And He is the One who created you from one person, then, you have a place to dwell, and a place to sojourn). The word فَمُسْتَقَرّ :(mustaqarr) used in the text is from: قَرَار (qarar). So, mustaqarr denotes a place of qarar, of rest and peace, for someone or something. As for the word: مُستوَدَع (mustawda' ) in the text, it is a derivation from wadifah which means to keep something with someone temporarily for a few days. So, "mustawda"' will denote a place where something is placed temporarily for a few days.

Thus, the sense of the sentence would be: It is the sacred-most Being of Allah Ta` ala that has created man from one person, that is, Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) . Then, made for him a mustaqarr, that is, a place to dwell for a certain length of time - and a mustawda`, that is, to stay temporarily for a few days.

The words of the Qur'an are as they have been stated. But, there are many probabilities in their interpretation. This is why the sayings of the commentators differ in this matter. Some say that mustawda' is the womb of the mother and mustaqarr is this world. Others say that mustawda' is the grave and mustaqarr is the abode of the 'Akhirah. Then, there are several other sayings too. However, there is room for all these within the words of the Qur'an. Hadrat Qadi Thana'ullah Panipati has, in his Tafsir Mazhari, opted for mustaqarr being the abode of 'Akhirah, that is, Jannah or Jahannam- and all human conditions and stages, from the beginning to the 'Akhirah, are all the mustawda', that is, a place to stay temporarily, whether in the womb of the mother, or a dwelling place on the earth, or the grave, or the state of Barzakh (intermediary state after death and before Resurrection). Preference for this view seems to have confirmation from a verse of the Qur'an also where it has been said لَتَرْ‌كَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ ﴿19﴾ (you shall surely travel from stage to stage - 84:19). The outcome is that, before ultimately reaching the abode of the 'Akhirah, man remains a traveller for his whole life who, despite his obvious peace and rest, is really traversing the stages of the long journey into the night of his being:

مسافر ھوں کہاں جانا ہے، ناواقف ھوں منزل سے

ازل سے پھرتے پھرتے گور تک پہنچا ھوں مشکل سے

A traveller I am. My destination I know not.

Winding and wandering from eternity

Only upto the grave I have reached -

How tough I know. What next I know not.

In conclusion, it can be said that this last verse (98) under study is showing a mirror to those who, having sold their souls to the veneer of glamour they see in the obvious and to the craze for things and trends they envy in their fellow beings, have forgotten that their place is elsewhere, that they have to go to their Creator and that there is a journey ahead, to the ultimate domain of the 'Akhirah. The message is: Open your eyes, see reality, walk away from the web of deception and walk into salvation.

Commentary

The contents of this verse present a unique concern for thematic order. It will be noticed that three kinds of universes have been mentioned here: The low, the high and the atmosphere - that is, what generates in what we know as the Biosphere. The description was initiated with the mention of that which is on the lower level because it is closer to us. Then, it was split in two parts. One part of the statement covered vegetation which grows on the land, plants and trees and gardens. The other part featured life forms as beasts, human beings and animals. The first part was given precedence because it is more obvious as compared to the other. Then comes the case of that which has been made to come after, the other part. This is different. It has Ruh, soul or spirit. It is deep, depends on progression from the sperm to its various stages and attending conditions, something allied with the comprehension, diagnosis and judgment of physicians - contrary to the case of vegetation which, in its growth, flowering and ripening etc., is observable commonly. Then, mentioned there was the atmosphere and its life support system, the morning and the evening. Then, came the mention of what is higher, the sun, the moon, and the stars. After that, since what is at the lower level is observed more frequently, the subject was repeated and made the concluding statement. But, firstly it was taken up briefly, now it was taken up in detail - yet, in the order of this detail, the order of brevity was reversed by giving precedence to life forms and succession to the mention of vegetation. Perhaps, its basis is that the detailed statement highlights the expression of gratitude for blessings which, in that status, makes the blessed - being the intended recipients - deserving of being given precedence. As for vegetation, the previous order stays as the status of the donees, that is, of seeds and pits, remains preceded. That rain has been mentioned in between is subservient to the mention of vegetation. Incidentally, there might be another element of refinement here - in that rain has different states. In terms of its origin, it comes from the high; and in terms of its destination, it comes down to the low; and in terms of the distance covered, it is part of the atmosphere.