Importance of The Scripture and the Criterion

Importance of The Scripture and the Criterion

Surah ‘Al-Baqarah (The Cow) – Chapter – 2)

Stage – 1, Verse – 53 of 286, Section – 6 of 40 (Part - 1)

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

And when We gave unto Moses the Scripture and the Criterion (of right and wrong) that ye might be led aright.

Wa ‘iz ‘aataynaa Muusal- Kitaaba  wal-Furqaana  la-‘al-lakum  tahtaduun.

Lesson

         

Al-Furqaan – the Orders, Commands or Mandates, which separate, disunite or dis-join. This word has been derived from the word faraqa which means “to divide or distinguish” the Holy Books (as distinguishing or separating the truth from falsehood). The Commentators of the Religion have different sayings about Furqaan:

·         Those Miracles which were bestowed to the Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) from God, the Most High.

·         Such victory and overcoming which was gained by the children of Israel against the Army of Pharaoh.

·         The Jews understand also from this word, those verbal teachings which were revealed upon the Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) besides Torah.

·         ‘Al-Furqaan is the name of Holy Qur’aan too as well as other Heavenly Books are called Furqaan also, because these Commands differentiate between the Right and the Wrong.

In this verse ‘al-Furqaan means the Orders and Commands by which the true and the false, the right and the wrong, and the goodness and the evil may be separated from one another and there may not remain any accommodation for doubt and suspicion. 

When the repentance of the Children of Israel was accepted, the Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) went again to the Mount Sinai (Koh –i – Toor) and brought many
Commands from God Almighty which were written on the tablets. The Collection of those Orders is called Torah.

God Almighty is reminding the Children of Israel His Favors in this verse. He commands them, “You disobeyed Our Orders and began worshiping the Calf, but We forgave you with Our kindness. Then We revealed upon Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) such Scripture, which contained complete Law of Divine and a Guide (Torah), so that you may pass your lives according to its instructions. By that Scripture, it was easy to distinguish between just and absurd, lawful and unlawful, good and bad.”

It is known from this lesson that the Holy Book revealed from Allah Almighty and the Measure (Miizaan) among the just and the absurd is a great blessing for the human being. The Guidance can be obtained from it only and only those individuals are successful, who act upon the Holy Word of God Almighty, and take guidance from the Balance of true and false. It is incumbent on us that we should correct our words and deeds in the light of Holy Qur’aan and Sayings of the last Prophet Muhammad (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him), grow the virtue of distinguishing among the true and the false into ourselves and don’t consider the good and the bad equal. We should keep distinction between lawful and unlawful before us every time. 

 

 Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)

Choosing the calf as worshiped and then pardon

Choosing the calf as worshiped and then pardon

Surah ‘Al-Baqarah (The Cow) – Chapter – 2)

Stage – 1, Verses – 51 & 52 of 286, Section – 6 of 40 (Part - 1)

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

And when We did appoint for Moses forty nights (of solitude), and then ye chose the calf, when he had gone from you, and ye were wrongdoers.

Wa ‘iz waa-‘adnaa Muusaaa ‘arba-iina lay-latan-  summat-takhaztu-mul-‘ijla mim- ba’-dihii wa ‘antum zaalimuun.

Lesson

         

Muusaaa – (Moses) was a great, glorious and favorite Prophet (peace be upon Him) of God Almighty. Mostly the Commentators of the religion imagine that the word ‘Moses’ is derived from Hebrew language. Some scholars say that it is an Egyptian word which means child or son. Father’s name of the Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) was Imran. His sister’s name was Mary and Brother Aaron. They both were elder than Him. The Time of Moses (peace be upon Him) is stated as 1500 B.C. or 1300 B.C. He drove the children of Israel away from the slavery of Pharaoh and his folk.

In this verse God, the Most High narrated the events of Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) and His nation, which happened after the crossing of Red Sea. When Moses (peace be upon Him) reached near the Mountain Sinai (famous place for the conversation between Moses and God Almighty) after crossing the sea, God Almighty commanded Him to worship for forty nights on the Mountain Sinai (Koh-i-Tuur). Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) went for worship on the Mountain Sinai obeying this order and detailed His brother, Aaron to look after the nation in His absence.

After the departure of Moses (peace be upon Him) obstinacy and liberty grew in the nation (the Children of Israel). In the presence of even Aaron (peace be upon Him) they did not incline toward the worship of God. It is known as they did not forget still then the Idol-worshiping of the Egyptians. They were simpleton. Out of them a conjurer named ‘Saamrii’ (who was a story teller) reaped advantage of their weakness (simplicity) and made a calf of the gold. Whenever it blew, a meaningless sound came out of the mouth of calf. That sound was wonderful for them, as though the children may get different sounds from the customary toys of animals. All the Children of Israel began worshiping the calf except a few persons out of them.

The Prophet Aaron (peace be upon Him) caused His best to understand them but they did not turn unto God-worshiping. As though they could not remain on the straight path in the forty days’ absence of Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him). And leaving God Almighty they started worshiping the calf, which was lifeless and false. It was their much bigger weakness and till today some nations are involved in this error.   

Then, even after that, We pardoned you in order that ye might give thanks.

Summa ‘afawNaa ‘ankum-mim- ba’-di zaalika  la-‘allakum  tash-kuruun.

Lesson

         

Tash-kuruun – (ye might give thanks). This word is derived from the word Shukar. Shukar means thanks, gratitude and a just appreciate. Aim of the Shukar in Islam is a just appreciation for the favors of God Almighty by the human being. An individual should use His favors and Grants in a right and sound manner. He should not disesteem or be thankless.

  

In the absence of the Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) Saamrii told the Children of Israel, “this calf is the worshiped of you and the Moses (peace be upon Him) so you should worship it”. Besides a few persons, the entire nation fell prostrate before the calf and began to worship it with extremely lowness.

When the Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) returned from the Mount of Sinai, He saw that all the Children of Israel have been misled. He filled with fury and threw those tablets which He brought with Him and on which the Commands of God Almighty were written, and asked His brother Aaron furiously. Aaron (peace be upon Him) stated the entire story and told about His own helplessness.

Finally God Almighty ordered, “Throw the calf into the sea and kill each other because it is the only way to accept your repentance,” so two thousand persons were killed in a day. At last the Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) begged from God, the Most High and they received the command of forgiveness.

It is the mercy and grace of God Almighty that the mankind commits mistakes but God Almighty overlooks from them. Whenever the human being admits his negligence and promises to abstain from evils in future, God Almighty forgives. If any person does not admit His kindness upon even it then it will be infinite thankless and worthlessness, and this error is not forgivable. 

 Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)

Deliverance from Pharaoh’s folk

Deliverance from Pharaoh’s folk

Surah ‘Al-Baqarah (The Cow) – Chapter – 2)

Stage – 1, Verses – 49 & 50 of 286, Section – 6 of 40 (Part - 1)

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

And (remember) when We did deliver you from Pharaoh’s folk, who were afflicting you with dreadful torment, slaying your sons and sparing your women. And that was a tremendous trial from your Lord.

Wa ‘iz najjay-naakum-min –‘Aali- Fir-‘awna yasuu-muuna- kum  suuu-‘al-‘azaabi yuzab-bihuuna ‘abnaaa-‘akum wa yas-tahyuuna nisaaa-‘akum.  Wa fii zaalikum balaaa-‘um-mir-Rabbikum ‘aziim.

Lesson

         

‘Aali- Fir-‘awna – (Folk, people, near relatives, religion fellows, servants and children of Pharaoh), Pharaoh was title of the King of Egypt. Usually the people imagine a king of the Egypt who was named as Pharaoh. In fact it was not the name of one person. Moreover it was surname of the entire kings of Egypt as the title of the king of China was ‘Khaqaan’ (Emperor) and the King of Rome was surnamed as ‘Caesar’.

Prophet Joseph (Peace be upon Him) brought and populated the Israelite in the Egypt. They lived in the Egypt hundreds of the years and their population reached in hundred thousands. The King of Egypt made them his slaves and treated them extremely disgracefully and contemptibly.

Once, the King dreamed at night. He gathered the soothsayers and asked them to interpret his dream in the morning, “I have seen a fire coming from the Temple of Jerusalem. It has besieged the Egypt and begun to burn the ‘Qabtees’ (Egyptians) choosing one by one”. Listening to it the soothsayers told the King that a child would be born in the Israelite that would become the cause of your death and fall of the Emperor.

The Pharaoh collected all the nurses and midwives of the country and ordered them, “Whenever any ‘son’ comes into the world by birth in the Israelite, kill him at once. However the girls be left alive.” Due to the orders of the King thousands of the sons of Israelite were killed. After all, the leaders of the Egypt thought, “If all the Israelite are killed in this manner, who will serve us?”

Listening to it, the Pharaoh ordered, “Continue killing process for one year and stop it for the next year regularly”. The year in which killing process was postponed, in that year Prophet Aaron (peace be upon Him) was born and in the year killing process was in force, during that period Prophet Moses (Peace be upon Him) came in this world but God, the Most High saved his life with His sound policy and he could not be slain.

The above mentioned verse indicates towards such event. The nation of Pharaoh had put the children of Israel in so much difficult calamity and labor. Finally God Almighty set them free from these disasters through His Prophet Moses (Peace be upon Him). 

And when We brought you through the sea and rescued you, and drowned the folk of Pharaoh in your sight.

Wa ‘iz faraqnaa bikumul-bahra fa-‘anjay-naakum wa ‘agraq-naaa ‘Aala- Fir-‘awna wa ‘antum tanzuruun.

Lesson

         

Al-bahra – (Sea) here, aim from al-bahra is the Red Sea (Arabian Gulf). It is also called as deep sea. Through this sea the Egypt meets with Syria and Siena. The Israelite entered in Peninsula Siena after crossing this Sea and got freedom from Pharaoh and folks of Egypt.  

Faraqnaa bikumul-bahra - (We brought you through the Sea). It points towards the event mentioned in this verse that when the Children of Israel began crossing the Red Sea, God Almighty created for them a way to cross the sea. It was Miracle of Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) that when He beat His stick on the water of sea, the earth in the sea became dry and now there was a path for Israelite to cross the sea. As per historians this event was occurred nearly 1447 B.C.

Wa ‘antum tanzuruun – (And you were looking). The Children of Israel are being told that they had seen with their own sight about the infamy and disgraced death of their greatest cruel and despotic king.

The Israelite used to bear the cruelties of their tyrant kings of Egypt for many years. After all they devised that they should leave the Egypt and go to their ancestor’s native country Syria and Palestine under the supervision of Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him). Because the government of Egypt was not agreeing to permit them leaving the Egypt, so they started their journey at night. They had fear about following by the Egyptian government, grief on leaving their homes and utter darkness of night. Due to fear and confusion they forgot the straight path.

On the other side the Pharaoh had known that the Children of Israel had run away. He followed with his Army and reached near to them. Now the Jews were entirely helpless. Before them there was sea in the east and behind them a great Egyptian Army. The Children of Israel were much confused as they had been surrounded. At that time, Prophet Moses (peace be upon Him) beat His stick in the sea according to the command of God Almighty. The sea was cracked and the dry land appeared. Caravan of the Israelite crossed the sea. Mean while the Army of Pharaoh reached there. They saw dried path and dropped down. But they were still in the middle of the way that the water became in a level and met mutually itself. Pharaoh drowned along with his Army. The children of Israel looked the show of drowning their enemy helplessly with their sights. Above mentioned verse signifies towards this story.

 Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)

O Israelite! Remember God’s favors & guard yourselves from the Doomsday

O Israelite! Remember God’s favors & guard yourselves from the Doomsday

Surah ‘Al-Baqarah (The Cow) – Chapter – 2)

Stage – 1, Verses – 47 & 48 of 286, Section – 6 of 40 (Part - 1)

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

O Children of Israel! Remember My favour wherewith I favoured you and how I preferred you to (all) creatures.

Yaa-Baniii- ‘Israaa-‘iilaz-kuruu ni’-mati-yal-latiii ‘an-‘amtu ‘alaykum wa ‘annii faz-zaltukum  ‘alal-‘aalamiin.

Lesson

         

Faz-zaltukum – (preferred you), this word has come out from the word Fazal, which means preference. Aim of giving preference over the entire world is that the Israelite remained the most excellent over all the communities and there was none peer of them. However, when they left the Truth misled the Divine’s Law and opposed the last Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon Him), then that preference was snatched from them and they earned anger of God Almighty. Destruction became their fate, and the Muslim nation was given the title of “Khayra ‘Ummah” (Well Nation).

‘Alal-‘Aalamiin – (over all creatures) here ‘Aalamiin means the entire nations of the world.

There was a time when the Children of Israel were preferred to all the people of this world. When the other nations were going astray in the darkness and depravity, were involved in infidelity and worshiping of Idols, were lustful in corruption and heresy, then there was only the nation Israelite, who had concept of Oneness of God and they had the Heavenly Guide Book. What would be the preference more than it?

Slowly and gradually these people went astray from the straight path due to their weaknesses and corruptions, and left behind the Heavenly Guidance. So God Almighty admonishes them on the point, “Admit your real religion in its correct form and come on the straight path.”

It was difficult to acquire faith and Fear of God (piety) through patience and worship. So its easy and simple way has been explained, which is gratitude. God Almighty reminds the Children of Israel His favors, presents and honors, which He had bestowed upon them from time to time and discloses also their wicked deeds. It is a nature of the human being that he begins to love with his benefactor and beneficent. So God Almighty warns them about His favors, and instructs them toward the straight path.

It is the Token of warning for the people of the entire world that the Children of Israel fell down in the well of the wrath of God after achieving so much higher rank of preference. We should gain advice from their such condition and try to keep away ourselves from those acts, which became reason of their depravity, ruin and destruction. 

And guard yourselves against a Day when no soul will in aught avail another, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be received from it, nor will they be helped.

WattaquuYawmal-laa tajzii nafsun ‘an-nafsin- shay-‘anw-wa laa yuqbalu minhaa shafaa-‘atunw-wa laa yu’-khazu minhaa ‘ad-lunw-wa laa  hum yun-saruun.

Lesson

         

Yawmun – (Day), here it aims the Day of Resurrection. It is necessary for giving up the worldly amusements and performing good deeds that the Faith in the Day of Resurrection or Rewards and punishment on one’s deeds should exist in the religion, so that the people would have to leave their evils and bad acts due to the concept of that Day and do good works having the hope of rewards. With the passage of time, Belief in the Day of Resurrection had gone from the hearts of the Jews, so they are being warned of the Day of Judgment.

‘Ad-lun – (justice, revenge, reward, exchange, equality, accuracy, rivalry etc.), if remuneration or compensation is given for anything, that is considered equal to the capital. So the word ‘ad-lun is used as the exchange. It also means justice or equity because on doing justice among two persons, it becomes equity.

It was the concept of the Jews, “As how much we commit evils and sins, we shall not be punished because our forefathers were Prophets (peace be upon them). They will cause to procure pardon for us”. God Almighty commands that such faith of theirs was totally false. The guilty would have to be punished for his sins.

Usually, there are four forms to set free the criminal:

·         Any other individual admits that the crime was committed by him (instead of the actual guilty).

·         Set the guilty free on anyone’s recommendations.

·         Let him off by paying some compensation (cash).

·         Get him free violently.

There is no any such form out of the above, which may be used by the evildoer on the Day of Judgment.

On the Day of Resurrection, every person will think about himself only. Nobody will be able to recommend any other without the permission of God Almighty. He does not need any wealth and property that He accept the ransom. There is no any power in the heavens and the earth, who may compel God Almighty and set the sinners free from Him, Who is the Most High.

Allah Almighty rendered the faith of the Jews null and void by revealing the verse under discussion and caused to know them that they should come back towards the straight path having fear of the Day of Resurrection.

 Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)

Concept of the Hereafter and Humble-minded people

Concept of the Hereafter and Humble-minded people

Surah ‘Al-Baqarah (The Cow) – Chapter – 2)

Stage – 1, Verses – 45 & 46 of 286, Section – 6 of 40 (Part - 1)

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

45.  And seek help in patience and prayer. And truly it is hard save for the humble-minded— 46.  Who know that they will have to meet their Lord, and that unto Him they are returning.

45.  Wasta-‘iinuu bis-Sabri was-Salaah. Wa ‘innahaa lakabii-ratun ‘illaa ‘alal- Khaashi-iin. 46.  ‘Allaziina yazun-nuuna ‘annahum-mulaaquu Rabbi him wa ‘annahum ‘ilayhi   raaji-‘uun.

Lesson

         

‘Ista-‘iinuu – (seek help). When anyone feels a difficult task, he needs help of any other person/thing.

‘As-Sabru – (power of endurance, and tolerance), it is needed every time. Whenever any good work is being performed, doing it whole hearted is a patience and whenever someone has to suffer any calamity, bearing it without confusion is also tolerance. During working hard, the patience is necessary also. To keep the wishes pressed needs patience too. In short, the patience is required every time and if we see; it is the foundation of every good virtue.

 

God Almighty bestowed the human being two things, soul and body, and the both are the great blessings. Duty of the soul is to attain knowledge, to devise and to take the work from the body. And it is the duty of the body to move in accord with the intention of the soul. The prayer is a source of gratitude for these spiritual and bodily blessings. Recognizing God Almighty is the thanks of the knowledge. The gratitude of the blessings of standing position is that someone should pray God Almighty in straight standing position, then bow and pray in this position and then fall prostrate and pray in this position; that due to His blessings hands from elbows, legs from knees, hands and feet from wrists and ankles can bend. This is the great blessings, otherwise if any joint becomes stiff, then it would have a severe thrashing. Then someone should sit down and think that how is it a great blessing? Remember the blessing of turning the neck at the time of saying salaam to the right and then to the left.  At last someone should thank God with tongue also adopting every position of the body with intention. It is called a Prayer.   

Al- Khaashi-iin – (humble-minded); the individuals who suppose themselves weak and feeble without help of God, they are called ‘al- Khaashi-iin. It is the great worship of the heart to assert his humility during standing position, bowing position, falling  prostrate position and in sitting position before God Almighty, because in the prostrate position, all limbs of the body bend which is a sign of capability to work and health of the body. So the prostration is the best form for declaration of the gratitude and conception of helplessness. We should think that if the body parts do not turn then the human being is helpless and cripple. From it, those people should learn who deem the prayer useless. 

Yazun-nuuna – they know, they presume. This verse signifies toward attaining the virtue, which has a specific degree in Faith. If anybody does not have humility in his heart, then he should think that he would have to face his Lord in his every deed, motion and comfort. Without His help, he can do nothing. His Lord is with him every time. He knows his every condition, listens to his voice and observes his every movement. As his thought will become matured gradually, his faith will increase. At last, the prayer and worship will become easy for him and the virtue of tolerance will begin to reveal.

Becoming good-natured and for guidance of others, there is no way without it. The other thing with which prayer and worship becomes easy, that is Belief in the Day of Resurrection. On that Day everyone will be rewarded or awarded (the future reward of virtues or torture, agony, anguish due to wicked deeds) according to one’s own deeds, which he performed or committed during his first life (in this world). When the thought will become matured, will two good manners be produced, from which the faith will become matured:

•        Fear of the Wrath of God Almighty.

•        Hope of His Mercy.

Result of the maturity of the Belief will be humility, and due to humility, offering prayer will become easy, and it will result the patience, which is root of all good manners.

This small Section of Holy Qur’aan is an abstract of all real teachings. How beautifully the Children of Israel are being invited towards the religion Islam and along with it the Believers of Islam are being taught about the principles of Islam. Islam has proved through these types of commands that its principles are natural. Opposing them is actually opposing the humanity. Islam has come to purify its ancient form from all kinds of evil, which is common in Jewish, Christianity and other religions of the world. Israelite are plaintiff of religious and scholars, so it is their duty to recognize and understand Islam, because it is the last form of that, which was held in actual Torah, Psalms and Gospel (old and new Testament (the Bible) and all worldly Heavenly Scriptures.   

Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)