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Saturday, 17 June 2017
 

Surat Al-Nisaa -4- Medinian –Ayats 176 – Section – Five – Verses 46-63

Among those who are Jews/Judaized, are some who displace/pervert/distort words from their [right origin] places and say: “We hear your word [O’ Muhammad PPBUH] and disobey” and “hear and let you [O’ Muhammad PPBUH] hear nothing” And {Ra’ina= راعنا}; with a twist of their tongues and a mockery/slander to the Faith/Islam. But if they only had said:”We hear and obey” and “do look at us and make us understand”; it would have been better for them, and more proper. But God has cursed them for their disbelief, so they will not believe, except a few of them. (46)    

مِنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَاسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَاعِنَا لَيًّا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِي الدِّينِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاسْمَعْ وَانْظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَكِنْ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا (46)

O’ you People who have been given the Book/ Scriptures (Jews and Christians); believe in what We have (now) revealed, confirming what was already with you; before We efface/change faces and fame of some {of you} beyond all recognition and turn them hind wards; or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers, For the decision/ commandments of God Must be executed. (47)   

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ آَمِنُوا بِمَا نَزَّلْنَا مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا مَعَكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ نَطْمِسَ وُجُوهًا فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلَى أَدْبَارِهَا أَوْ نَلْعَنَهُمْ كَمَا لَعَنَّا أَصْحَابَ السَّبْتِ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ مَفْعُولًا (47)

Verily, God do not forgive that partners should be set with Him {in worship}, but He forgives anything else to whom He pleases. And whoever sets up partners with God in worship, he has indeed invented tremendous sin, most heinous. (48) 

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا (48)

Have you not turned your vision and saw those (Jews and Christians) who claim sanctity for themselves? Nay; but God sanctify whom He Wills, But never will they to fail to receive Justice in the least little thing (Fateela). (49) 

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ بَلِ اللَّهُ يُزَكِّي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا (49)

Behold! Look how they invent a lie against Go! And that in itself is a manifest sin. (50)

انْظُرْ كَيْفَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَكَفَى بِهِ إِثْمًا مُبِينًا (50)

Have you not turned your vision and saw those who were given a portion of the Book/Scripture? They believe in (Al-Jibt= الجبتand Al-Taghut= الطاغوت) Sorcery and Evil, and say to the unbelievers that they are better guided in regards to the right way, than the believers. (51)

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيبًا مِنَ الْكِتَابِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْجِبْتِ وَالطَّاغُوتِ وَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْدَى مِنَ الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا سَبِيلًا (51)

They are those whom God has cursed them; And those whom God has cursed, you will not find for him any helper. (52) 

أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ يَلْعَنِ اللَّهُ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ نَصِيرًا (52)

Or, have they a share in the dominion or power? Behold, {in that case} they would not give mankind even a [Naqeera = نقيرا] farthing-a tiny speck/spot on the date pit. (53)

أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِنَ الْمُلْكِ فَإِذًا لَا يُؤْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيرًا (53)

Or do they envy men [Muhammad PPBUH and his followers] for that what God has given them of His Bounty? Then, We had already given the People of Ibrahim the Book and the Wisdom, and conferred upon them a great kingdom. (54)

أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَا آَتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فَقَدْ آَتَيْنَا آَلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَآَتَيْنَاهُمْ مُلْكًا عَظِيمًا (54)

Some of them believed, and some of them averted their faces from him; and enough is Hell for a burning fire. (55)

فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ آَمَنَ بِهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ صَدَّ عَنْهُ وَكَفَى بِجَهَنَّمَ سَعِيرًا (55)

Surely, those who reject/disbelieved in Our Signs= {verses-proofs-evidences-lessons-revelations-etc} We shall soon cast them into the Fire; as often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for fresh skins, so that they may taste the penalty/ punishment. Truly, God is Ever Most-Powerful, Exalted in Power, All-Wise. (56)  

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآَيَاتِنَا سَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِمْ نَارًا كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُمْ بَدَّلْنَاهُمْ جُلُودًا غَيْرَهَا لِيَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا (56)

But those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, We shall soon admit them to Gardens (Paradise) with rivers flowing beneath-their eternal home- therein they shall have Mates/ Companions/wives purified and holy: We shall admit them to shades, cool and ever deepening.   

وَالَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا لَهُمْ فِيهَا أَزْوَاجٌ مُطَهَّرَةٌ وَنُدْخِلُهُمْ ظِلًّا ظَلِيلًا (57)

Verily, God commands you to render back your trusts to those to whom they are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice. Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He gives you! Truly, God is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer 

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا (58)

O’ you who believe! Obey God, and obey the Messenger [Muhammad PPBUH], and those of you who are charged with authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer to God and His Apostle/Messenger [Muhammad PPBUH], that if you do believe in God and the Last Day. That is better and most suitable for final determination.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآَخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا (59)

Have you not turned your vision and saw those {hypocrites} who claim/declare that they believe in that revelation that have come to you, and to those before you? Their [real] wish is to resort together for judgment to the Evil One {false Judges} while they have been ordered to reject them. But Satan’s wish is to lead them astray, far away from the right. (60)  

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آَمَنُوا بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَنْ يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا (60)

And when it is said to them:”Come to what God has revealed, and to the Messenger [Muhammad PPBUH]”. You [Muhammad PPBUH] saw the Hypocrites avert their faces from you in disgust/ turn away from you in aversion. (61)

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ رَأَيْتَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنْكَ صُدُودًا (61)

How then, when they are seized by misfortune/ catastrophe befallen on them, because of their deeds which their hands have sent forth? Then they come to you swearing by God:” We meant no more than good-will and conciliation”! (62)

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ جَاءُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلَّا إِحْسَانًا وَتَوْفِيقًا (62)

Those men (the Hypocrites), God knows what is in their hearts; So keep clear/turn aside of them, and admonish them, and speak to them an effective word to reach their very souls. (63)

أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَعِظْهُمْ وَقُلْ لَهُمْ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ قَوْلًا بَلِيغًا (63)

COMMENTARY:
(Verse 46)– (See Surat Al-Bagara 2- verse 93). A trick of the Jews was to twist words and expressions, so as to ridicule the most solemn teachings of Faith. Where they should have said: “We hear and we obey”, they said aloud: “we hear” and whispered: “We disobey”. Where they should have said respectfully:” we hear” then added in whisper: “what is not heard”, by way of ridicule. Where they claimed the attention of the Teacher, they used an ambiguous word apparently harmless, but in their intention disrespectful. (Also see Suart Al-Bagara 2- verse 104)- (Ra’ina=?????) - if the word used respectfully in the Arabic way, would have meant:”please attention to us”, but with a twist of their tongues, they suggested an insulting meaning, such as “O’ YOU THAT TAKES US TO PASTURE” or in Hebrew: “THE BAD ONE”. 
(Verse 47)- Literally:”before we obliterate some features (or faces) and turn them front to back or back to front”, an Arabic idiom, which must be translated freely to yield its proper meaning in English. The face is the chief expression of a man’s own real essence; it is also the index of his fame and estimation. The People of the Book had been specially favored by God with spiritual revelation. If they proved themselves unworthy, they lost their “face”. Their eminence would –owing to their own conduct- be turned into degradation. Others would take their place. The first shall be last, and the last shall be first. (See Matt. 19-30). (Also see Al-Bagara 2- verse 65).
(Verse 48)- Just as in an earthly kingdom the worst crime is that of treason, as it cuts –at the very existence of the State, so in the spiritual kingdom, the unforgivable sin is that of contumacious treason against God by putting up God’s creatures in rivalry against Him. This is rebellion against the essence and source of spiritual Life. It is what Plato would call:”the lie in the soul”. But even here, if the rebellion is through ignorance, and is followed by sincere repentance and amendment, God’s Mercy is always open. (See verse 17).
(Verse 49-50)- The sanctimonious or self-sanctified people are the farthest from sanctity or purity, which can only proceed from God. They cannot play with God’s Truth and yet go on claiming to be guided and purified or justified by God. Their falsehood in itself condemns them; no further proof is needed of their selfishness and evil. Literally: Fateela=????? - the small skin in the groove of a date stone, a thing of no value.
 (Verse 51)- See Surat Al-Imran 3- verse 23. The phrase also occurred in verse 44. The word which I have translated {Sorcery} is Jibt, which may mean: divination, sorcery, magic, or any false object of belief or worship, such as an idol. The word which I have translated Evil -here and in Surat Al-Bagara 2- verse 256) is Taqut, which means the Evil One, the one who exceeds all bounds, Satan; or it may refer to some idol worshipped by the Pagan Arabs, with whom the Jews of Al-Medina were intriguing against the Holy Apostle [Muhammad PPBUH]. The Jews had taken much to sorcery, Magic, divination, and such superstitions.   
(Verse 52)- The Jews were then seeking the aid of the Meccan Pagans against Muhammad [PPBUH], but so far from getting any help from them, they and the Pagans were both overthrown. That was the immediate occasion, but the words having a perfectly general – a universal- meaning.
(Verse 53)- The word (Naqir) which translated as farthing- a tiny speck/spot on the date pit, the groove in a date stone, a thing of no value whatever. Close-fistedness and envy are among the worst forms of selfishness, and appear especially incongruous in people of power, authority, or influence, from whom is expected generosity in giving and generosity in seeing other people’s prosperity and happiness.
(Verse 54)- Such as the Kingdom of David and Solomon, for they had international fame.
(Verses 55-56)- Envy is like an internal fire, which is in itself a Hell.
(Verse 57) – See Surat Al-Bagara 2- verse 25. The Garden is contrasted with the Fire; the shade is contrasted with the roasting. Evil grows with what it feeds on. So goodness and felicity grow with their practice. The good may be alone to start with, but –unlike evil ones- they get holy companions, wives, and mates. Just as spiritual agony increases with what it suffers [typified by fresh skins growing as the old ones burn out], so spiritual felicity finds deeper and deeper meaning [typified by the shades in a Garden, which grow deeper and cooler as you proceed into the interior].
(Verses 58-59)- Ulul-amir=?????????: Those charged with authority or responsibility or decision making, or the settlement of affairs. All ultimate authority rests in God. Men of God derive their authority from Him. As Islam makes no sharp division between sacred and secular affairs, it expects ordinary governments to be imbued with righteousness, and stand in the place of the righteous Imam, and we must respect and obey such authority; otherwise there will be no order or discipline. Where-in actual fact- there is a sharp division between law and morality, between secular and religious affairs, as is the case in most countries at present day. Islam still expects secular authority to be exercised in righteousness, and on that condition, enjoins obedience to such authority.
(Verse 60)- The immediate reference was to the Hypocrites (Munafiqin=???????) of Al-Medina, but the words are general, and the evil of hypocrisy has to be dealt with in all ages. The type of these men is what is called (Mr. Facinorous ways). Such men declare that they are always with the Right, but calmly intrigue with Evil and Injustice, and even they make Injustice their judgment if their personal interests are served in that way.
(Verses 61-62-63)- How should Hypocrites be treated? To take them into your confidence would –of course- be foolish. To wage unrelenting war against them may destroy the hope of reforming them and purging them of their hypocrisy. The man of God keeps clear of their wiles, but at the same time, does not hesitate to show them the error of their ways; nor to put in a word in season, to penetrate their hearts and win them back to God.