“Euzu Billahi minesheytanir racim”
“BismillahirRahmanirRahiym”
Dear Qur’an friends, in our previous lesson, we studied the first page of Maida Chapter. In those verses our attention was pulled to the subtext of Allah-human interactions. We were reminded with examples of betraying Allah’s contract and sons of Israel who became Jewminded because of their treason against Allah were shown us as this example. In todays lesson this subtext still exist like a pattern and we will encounter several hints about this eternal contract between Allah and mankind.
In addition to our previous lessons example about sons of Israel who became Jewminded, we will see some other examples about Christians who were complaining about Jesus but their complatins haven’t reflecting aby kind of truth.
14-) Ve minelleziyne kalu inna nesara ehazna miysakahum fe nesu hazzan mimma zukkiru Bih* feagreyna beynehumul ‘adavete vel bagdae ila yevmil kiyameti, ve sevfe yunebbiuhumullahu Bi ma kanu yasne’un;
And We had taken a covenant from those who say, “We are Christians!” They also forgot to take a share from what they were reminded of… So We caused among them animosity and hatred until the period of Doomsday… Allah will show them what they produce and do. (A.Hulusi)
From those, too, who call themselves Christians, We did take a covenant, but they forgot a good part of the message that was sent them: so We stirred up enmity and hatred between the one and the other, to the Day of Judgment. And soon will Allah show them what it is they have done. (A.Yusuf Ali)
Ve minelleziyne kalu inna nesara ehazna miysakahum And We had taken a covenant from those who say, “We are Christians!” As in we had taken a covenant from sons of Israel who became Jewminded, we had seen to that. And here we learn that our Rabb had taken a covenant from those who say, “We are Christians.”
Even I translated this part as “We are Christians.”, in fact I should say, “We are Nasara.” Because there’s a difference between Christian and Nasara (people of Nazareth).
Nasara is the name Qur’an chooses. It means helpers. Like in the verse we studied before. “kale men ensariy ilAllah” “Who helps me in this way of Allah?” asked Jesur to his apostles. “kalel Havariyyune nahnu ensarullah.” (Alu Imran/52) Apostles answered “We will help you on this way to Allah.”
So Qur’an chooses the name nasara to create a reference to that situation. Saying, “Those who say, “We are Nasara”, but lost their function as such. Those who lost the function of helping, function of being a helper to Jesus.”
Why did they lose? Because they corrupt the message Jesus brought let alone try to help spreading it. So they were just claiming it. They had claims of being a helper. But their claims are from the unprovable kind. They were the followers of Jusus. They were saying that they were helpers but in fact they weren’t. The real nasara were the people who helped Jesus to spread the message. They were also mentioned in Qur’ans the chapter of Yasin. The ambassadors sent to Antakya (Antioch). Like the apostles.
So then you may ask where this Christianism name comes from? Christianism is a given name to Jesus in the form of Hristos or Christ, a word finds its way from Aramic to Ancient Greek to Greek and eventually to Latin. In fact those who first gave this name to Jesus weren’t his friends but his enemies. The Christ name was first used by Jesus’ enemies and disbelievers both for the reason of corruption and insult.
Where was its origin? First hearers of this word is the two apostles who went to Antioch for spreading toe word of Bible in the name of their Rasul, apostles named Barnabas and Paul. This is not the same Paul who destroyed the real Christianism. No he wasn’t the Paul of Tarsos. This is the real apostle who had lived in the era of Jesus.
So the apostles Barnabas and Paul were the first people who were addressed with this name by the people of Antioch when they were there to invite them to their beliefs. Heathens, idolists and altogether the enemies of faith used this name to insult the people of Jesus. But curiously Christians chose this name to describe theirselves later. This is the meaning. Choosing a name for yourselves, a name given to you by your enemies to insult you.
So in this sense, Qur’an expression of nasara has more distinctive touch, more accurate. All names can be seperated into two. Definititive for surface and definitive for the essence. Christianism is a name of surface definition. A name which labels the person from outside. But the word nasara is a qualification. A name of feature. That’s why Qur’an chooses name to define that group.
The verse informs us that “We have taken a covenant too from those who say “We are nasara.” A contract which Allah has done with all communities that are sent revelations. Because sending and recieving the verses creates a contract. It’s about addressing that community. When this happens, it means Allah makes a contract with that specific community. This contract is about being sensitive to the words of revelations, being loyal to the cause, following Allah’s rules and treating the prophet of Allah with all the respect. If a community does the opposite of these rules, it is considered treason. This covenant situation is a matter we constantly discuss in our lessons also a topic of utmost interest from the beginning of this chapter.
fe nesu hazzan mimma zukkiru Bih They also forgot the some of the truths that they were reminded with. This sentence was also said for Jews, more specifically sons of Israel who chose the path of becoming Jewminded. They too forgot some of the truths they were familiar with before. feagreyna beynehumul ‘adavete vel bagdae ila yevmil kiyameti, So We caused among them animosity and hatred until the period of Doomsday. This is the punisment of those communities who betrayed the message that are treated with intentionally or unintentionally, the sentence of the communities who cast off the revelations from their lives, betraying the messages that Allah sent to them.
So if we ask what is this hatred and hostility among them, what is the intention of this animosity. It’s their cursed blood feud. According to one aspect, the blood feud with Jews and Christians.
What is this blood feud? Christians see Jews as the killers of their prophets. In a sense they were since slandering their own prophet, Jews were condemning Jesus. But in truth Christianity is nothing different that Jewism. That’s why all Bibles include Tora as well. That’s why ahdi cedid and ahdi atik are gathered under the name of Testaments. Old Testaments is Tora and New Testaments is Bible. So what is this blood feud then? The answer to this question is hidden between the lines of this verse.
It also have this meaning. A blood feud among Christians themselves. There are many sects in Christianism. Ortodox and Heterodox Churches have fought a lot, many conflicts have emerged over the years.
We all know churches like Nasturi, Jacobi, Syryani or Cipti had struggled to survive in early Christianic era, how they were treated out of line and religion by Catholic church. This crusade between them also happened among Orthodox and Prothestant or Prothestants and Catholic Churches. For example, remember the Bartelomeo Massacre in 16th century France, where 30000 people were massacred during the Catholic and Protestant conflict.
Even today we see the signs of this struggle. In Ireland an ongoing battle happening due to Protestand and Catholic Chruches differences. So the teachings of this intersectal conflicts in Christianism as well as the battle between Jewism and Christianism is an ongoing and relentless teaching. Jesus was saying; “I didn’t bring something new. I only arrived to remind you what you already have. That’s why I’m not part of a new understanding.”
In this sense, it’s obvious that Jesus was sent to sons of Israel as a prophet. So one thing can be said at this point as a result of this punisments wisdom in this verse. It’s this expression of tearing their religion apart. Those who tear their religion apart, shall be condemned to conflict with each other at the end. Because there’s no unity of knowledge here. How can one mention about the unity of thought if there’s no unity in knowledge?
At this point Muslims should thank Allah as much as they can. There’s a unity of source in Islam. Qur’an is one and only. Every person from all over the World, whether he’s black, white, asian, indian, european or american; it’s always the same Qur’an read in every house in this world. How can we deny such a miracle? How can we ignore this great help of Allah fort his community. So after all this unity in knowledge, how then there are so many conflict among Muslims too, you ask; I believe we have no excuse we can give to Allah at this point for our ignorance.
Think about this. Records indicate that there were over 3000 Bibles emerged though the timeline of Christianism. 3000 Bibles. Only 300 had arrived in Council of Nicaea. 300 give or take a few. Onyl 4 Bibles came out as canonic Bibles from there. With approval. Also we have to mention that these Bibles came out despite the protests of many Christian scholars, they came because Emperor Constantine ordered them to. Even with that, there’s no excuse fort his many dissamblence among them, how they have no distinct book, no distinct path, no distinct prophet and for that no distinct excuse they can give to Allah. That’s why we should look back to this verse and see what an examplary situation is presented fort his community. Those before you tore their religion apart so their lives fell apart. Their unity and power are broken down.
So why then this community became like this despite the unity of knowledge exists? Because this community even with a single book have different interpretations. When they broke with the single book, they become broken. Every heart went its own way. Minds shattered, hearts, feelings, thoughts were broken apart. Because those hearts couldn’t be able to take light from Qur’an. Single Qur’an couldn’t be able to penetrate the thick walls of hearts. If Qur’an enters the lives of those who follow it, you can ask this question then.
So why it’s like this despite the Qur’an. But you cannot ask this now. Because Qur’an has no place in their lives. This seperation is all about lack of Qur’an in lives. If you manage to establish Qur’an in peoples lives, even they are a World distance away, one from the east an done from the West, you may see that they have the same comments on a subject. Because they have the same perspective then. Their parameters be the same. So their livestyles and visions reflect their opinions naturally.
This doesn’t mean the lack of different thoughs though. It doesn’t have a meaning of everyone should think the same, they become the same. Because this attitude becomes a destruction of another of Allah’s verse, richness of mankind. In this sense having different opinions reflect the richness of thoughs. But like I said, unity on the fundamentals. And these fundamentals, these roots should come from Qur’an.
feagreyna beynehumul ‘adavete vel bagdae ila yevmil kiyameti, So We caused among them animosity and hatred until the period of Doomsday. We translated that. ve sevfe yunebbiuhumullahu Bi ma kanu yasne’un Allah will show them what they produce and do.
15-) Ya ehlel Kitabi kad caekum Rasuluna yubeyyinu lekum kesiyren mimma kuntum tuhfune minel Kitabi ve ya’fu an kesiyr* kad caekum minAllahi nurun ve Kitabun mubiyn;
O those to whom the knowledge of the reality has been given… There has come to you Our Rasul who informs you of the many truths you conceal pertaining to the reality and who forgives most of you (for concealing it)… Indeed, there has come to you a Nur from Allah and a Clear Book (the clear knowledge of the sunnatullah). (A.Hulusi)
O people of the Book! There hath come to you our Messenger, revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary): There hath come to you from Allah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book,- (A.Yusuf Ali)
Ya ehlel Kitabi O people of the Book! kad caekum Rasuluna yubeyyinu lekum kesiyren mimma kuntum tuhfune minel Kitabi ve ya’fu an kesiyr There has come to you Our Rasul who informs you of the many truths you conceal pertaining to the reality and who forgives most of you for concealing it.
I told you about over 3000 Bibles just now. Remember The Nicaea Council and you understand what it means by hiding many truths sentence. Who knows what were in those Bibles? Why had they burned them? Why had they be destroyed? Som many truths were concealed by burning those Bibles. But even with all those truths may seem lost. It’s possible to recover some of them even today.
The Bible Martin Luther had used by translating it from Helenic language or ancient greek, the Bible he used in 1682; it contains some additional parts we cannot see in modern Bibles. I listened that part of the translation from the scholar who translated that part first hand. I saw that the passage translated has no sections in todays Bibles. This Bible passage is used in 1682. Think about how many truths have been revealed from that day to now. What kinds of truths can we learn from those parts that are lost to us. This is what it means by concealed truths.
kad caekum minAllahi nurun ve Kitabun mubiyn; There hath come to you from Allah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book. What is this. Last revelations named Qur’an and its light, of course.
As we all know it, Qur’ans message is above time and space. It’s above all those ages, all clans and tribes and all religions. That’s why Qur’an gathered all the essence of previous revelations within. All the constant values of humanity and its values are in Qur’an and Qur’an chooses to address all the humanity directly instead of addressing the majority.
Ya eyyuhen nas. It says. O Humanity!. This is the addressing style of Qur’an which sees everyone as a member of humanity. In this sense Qur’an reveals its secrets and messages to those who see themselves as a human being.
16-) Yehdiy Bihillahu menittebe’a ridvaneHU subules selami ve yuhricuhum minaz zulumati ilennuri Bi izniHI ve yehdiyhim ila siratin mustekiym;
Allah guides those who follow His pleasure (the faculty of realization within man’s essence) to the reality, with the qualities of the Names; the reality of Allah. Based on the appropriateness of their Name compositions, He will take them out of darkness to Nur, and guide them to a righteous life. (A.Hulusi)
Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leadeth them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light,- guideth them to a Path that is straight. (A.Yusuf Ali)
Yehdiy Bihillahu menittebe’a ridvaneHU subules selami Topic of previous verse continues with this one. Wherewith Allah guides all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety. subules selami ways of salvation.
Not one way, not singular. This is the meaning of richness we mentioned a while ago. Many streets may lead to the same road. That’s why telling a way holy and treating other ways as opposite might be a wrong attitude. “My path is the one and only path to salvation, close your roads and follow my path.” This type of attitude cannot lead to a safe path. That’s why it’s not mandatory or even possible for every believers who is enlightened by the light of Islam may follow the exact same path. No obligation for that. That’s why the expression of subul can be found in many verses in Qur’an.
Paths. Paths of Selam which is meaningful. Selam, a simple in literacy but hard to explain deeply. Destination is not a complete translation for it as does the peace and salvation. So we should understand them both. Both peace, happiness, salvation and destination. Both physical and spiritual. Religional and earthly. Both physical and metaphysical. Inner and outer peace. Selam is an expression that can cover them all with a single word. That’s why there’s no translationin english for this word. There might some signs for other languages but in truth no word can express the full meaning of Selam.
Paths to salvations. Path which call you to happiness, peace and success. ve yuhricuhum minaz zulumati ilennuri Bi izniHI and leads them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light.
Yes, revelations are blessings, my dear friends. Allah addresses people by them. Even without this blessing, we are also blessed with mind, will and nature. These are sufficent. But Allah’s mercy is eternal. That’s why Allah chooses to address to us with these verses. This blessing is so powerful that it can deliver everyone into the light.
minaz zulumati ilennur not from darkness. Because darkness cannot be singular. It’s many. There are many darknesses. That’s why we shouldn’t be happy to get out of a single darkness, also we should be sure that we aren’t stepping into another darkness. We have to be sure that we are following the light. You can understand it easily, Seperation from darkness from the light is simple. Darkness has no source but light has.If there’s a source, there’s light and that light for us is the revelations. If one cannot get the light of revelations, he cannot see even with a healthy set of eyes. Revelations is like a light and mind is the meaning of having eyes. One cannot lead you to salvation without the other. Seeing action can only be complete with both eyes and light. ve yehdiyhim ila siratin mustekiym; guides them to a Path that is straight.
17-) Lekad keferalleziyne kalu innAllahe HUvel Mesiyhubnu Meryem* kul femen yemliku minAllahi shey’en in erade en yuhlikel Mesiyhabne Meryeme ve ummehu ve men fiyl Ardi cemiy’a* ve Lillahi mulkus Semavati vel Ardi ve ma beynehuma* yahluku ma yesha’ * vAllahu ala kulli shey’in Kadiyr;
Indeed, those who said, “Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary” has denied the reality! Say, “Who has the power to prevent Allah if He chooses to destroy the Messiah, the son of Mary, his mother, and everyone else on earth?”… Everything in the heavens, the earth and in between is for Allah (for the manifestation and observation of the Names)! He creates what He wills! Allah is Qadir over all things. (A.Hulusi)
They disbelieved indeed those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: “Who then hath the least power against Allah, if His will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and every one that is on the earth? For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between. He createth what He pleaseth. For Allah hath power over all things.” (A.Yusuf Ali)
Lekad keferalleziyne kalu innAllahe HUvel Mesiyhubnu Meryem Indeed, those who said, “Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary” has denied the reality!
Why is that, dear friends. Because there are people who claim that. This is how old Nasarans, old muslims who were followers of Jesus had become Christians. They deitify a human being and became as today. Deitifying a human being is one of humanities oldest weaknesses. If a person cannot find a right address to be a worshipper for, he loses no time to fall for a wrong address to worship. Because worshipping is in humans nature. Seeking support from a higher being is in humanities nature. Worshipping something is coded to humans nature. And just because a person couldn’t be able to find the right path and Allah in first place, it doesn’t mean that he won’t worship for someone or something else. That’s why Allah saves a persons honor by inviting him to worship Allah. Otherwise, humanity has a weak sense of honor. It craves to worship someone else, even to his own kind. There are some people even who are willing to worship something less than them.
Sometimes they overvalue something. Overvaluing his own kind. This person might be prophet to being with. But that doesn’t change anything. If you choose to deitify a human being, that persons identity as a prophet doesn’t mean you are excusable. No excuse can be presented for deitifying a human being. Prophet or the person who is overvalued has no guilt in this scenario. Jesus had never said, “I’m a god, worship me.” But those who give the position of god, haven’t only slandered them, but slandered to the being who has the actual title. That’s why the ideology of trinity, treating Jesus as the son of God is one of the biggest insults to Jeus. Tyrany is the name of relocating something by force. If youy choose to give a man the position of the creator, that not only you take the humanity from that person but by doing that you oppress him, because you force him to become something else.
Other signs are there too. If you want to shut someone out from life, if you want to throw him and his teachings from life, there are two ways.
1-Insulting him. You undervalue him, slander him. This is the way of Jewminded ideology. They humiliated their prophets, stoned them, murdered them.
2-Glorifying him. Christians did that. They deitify their prophet. The common ground for both actions is this. They didn’t carry their prophets into their lives. They shut them off. They didn’t see them as an exampler individual. That’s why in Islam, the prophet of this community by looking two sides actions said this; “La tutruni kema etriyepne Meryem. Don’t make me flying lihe they did to Jesus, son of Mary. Don’t make me a supernatural being. Fein nema ene abdun. I’m just a man. Fe kulu Abdullahi ve resuluhu For me say this. “He is the worshipper and prophet of Allah.”
This great will, this call of prophet is the call of not becmoing Jewminded or Christianminded. You don’t insult me like the Jews did their prophets because I am a prophet and Rasul. Don’t undervalue me to a position of a mere cable. I’m an example for your lives. Because I’m a worshipper and prophet of Allah. But don’t overvalue me either like the Christians did to their prophets. Don’t make me fly, don’t turn me into something that I’m not. Because Abdullah, I’m a worshipper of Allah. This passage is all about balance, staying away from both ends of the deviousness roads.
kul femen yemliku minAllahi shey’en in erade en yuhlikel Mesiyhabne Meryeme ve ummehu ve men fiyl Ardi cemiy’a Say: “Who then has the least power against Allah, if His will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and every one that is on the earth? Sentence is obvious. It’s clear that further translation is unnecessary.
Maybe the only thing we should point out is this. Presenting the addressed group the logical proofs. The message doesn’t say, “I’m Allah, whatever I say, it does.” No, the minds are addressed here by saying this. “Don’t you think this when you overvalues a person to a degree of a deity, if Allah chooses to damage the person you put in that position, who has the power to deny it, cancel it? ve Lillahi mulkus Semavati vel Ardi ve ma beynehuma For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between.
This is also a logical proof. What significance is a person against Allah who has the dominion of heavens and earth. So how can you give this title to a mere person when you witness Allah’s existence. yahluku ma yesha’ Allah creates what He pleases. vAllahu ala kulli shey’in Kadiyr; For Allah has power over all things.
18-) Ve kaletil yehudu vennesara nahnu ebnaullahi ve ehibbauHU, kul felime yuazzibukum Bi zunubikum* bel entum besherun mimmen haleka, yagfiru limen yeshau ve yuazzibu men yesha’* ve Lillahi mulkus Semavati vel Ardi ve ma beynehuma* ve ileyhil mesiyr;
The Jews and the Christians say, “We are the sons and the beloveds of Allah”… Say, “Then why does He punish you for your mistakes?”… No, you are also humans created by Him… He forgives whom He wills and abandons whom He wills to suffering… The dominion of the heavens, the earth and everything in between is for Allah… To Him is the return! (A.Hulusi)
(Both) the Jews and the Christians say: “We are sons of Allah, and his beloved.” Say: “Why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay, ye are but men,- of the men He hath created: He forgiveth whom He pleaseth, and He punisheth whom He pleaseth: and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between: and unto Him is the final goal (of all)” (A.Yusuf Ali)
Ve kaletil yehudu vennesara nahnu ebnaullahi ve ehibbauHU (Both) the Jews and the Christians say: “We are sons of Allah, and his beloved.
Greed, in one word. This claim which is huge and impactful and dangerously sensitive for Allah can only be made by a community that is blinded by greed. A community blinded by this kind of greed begins to think that they are chosen. But in fact Qur’an draws the line over fort his types of claims.
That’s why throuhgout the history one of the most typical and advanced example of this kind of greed is in fact the sons of Israel who became Jewminded. Their greed reached a level that they took the constant values of Allah and converted Islam into a national concept. They took Moses’ religion something national. They emptied it and filled it with their racial notions. That’s why even today they have been looking being a Jew as equal of being Ben-i Israel, being a born member of Israel clan. They matched race with religion.
More that that, they nationalize the Book. They made Allah’s revelations, Allah’s message into a national book.
They didn’t stay there. They made Moses, the prophet of Allah and other prophets into a national leaders, figureheads. Even they were the ones responsible for many of that prophets deaths. And lastly they turn Jehova as in God their national God. Like Allah only belongs tos ons of Israel. I should quote a line from the Book of Jeremiah here. “Israel is the son of Me and I am the father of Israel.” They went so far to claim that Allah said these. So how can that be, how can they blessed themselves. Easy, you ignore everyone else. If you put yourselves as the measurement of truth, you begin to close yourselves. You create a circle and close yourselves to any alternative and in the end this is what happens. You being to bless yourselves and shut everyone else. You are the chosen and everyone else are goim.This is the Hebrew expression in Tora. It has two meanings, both outsider and blasphemer.
Also an interesting turn. You can give usury to a goim in Tora. You can give an outsider money that you can later take with interest. Youy can act as a loanshark to an outsider. But you cannot do that to a fellow Jew. They seperate their ethics like that. Even in their moral codes they developed two distinct standards. Double standards. That’s what greed does.
All types of nationalism is a for of Jewminded behaviours. Nation, race or any other seperation is wrong literally since the word nation comes from religious roots. It has the meaning of believers of a particular way. Qur’an gives us an example by saying Abraham’s nation. But today we use this word wrongfully. That’s why being a part of a land is used as this word. So in this sense we can also say first wrong nationalist is the satan.
How he did that? “I’m superior.” He said. “ene hayrun minhum.” His superiority claim wasn’t coming from an action oriented situation but a structural, material value. We learnt this from Qur’an as well. “You created me from fire, him from clay. Fire is superior from clay. Hence I’m superior from him.” This is primitive materializm. Taking material as a means to value the superiority. In this sense Satan is the first nationalist.
But a man cannot brag about something that he doesn’t have control over. You cannot brag about being a male. Because the choice wasn’t yours. You don’t feel undervalued because you are a woman. Bragging about being a white or feeling sorry of being a black. One cannot brag about his race or nation whether he’s American, English, Arabic or Turkish. You shouldn’t feel bad about it either. If there’s one thing to be proud of in this World, it’s your responsibility and your awareness of it for Allah. Takwa in one word according to Qur’an.
Qur’an brings universal prudness principles. These principles are the values you may and should gain. Then you can feel really proud. Because you have a saying in this matter. You are the one who won. Then you can brag. If you try to brag about something that you don’t have control over, that’s when the conflicts begin to surface. That’s when you put primitive material values over superior constant values of universe.
kul felime yuazzibukum Bi zunubikum* Say: “Why then doth He punish you for your sins?” Why indeed if you are really the friends of Allah , sons of Allah.” bel entum besherun mimmen haleka, No, you are but men,- of the men Allah hath created yagfiru limen yeshau ve yuazzibu men yesha’* He forgives whom He pleases, and He punishes whom He pleases ve Lillahi mulkus Semavati vel Ardi ve ma beynehuma* and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between ve ileyhil mesiyr and unto Him is the final goal of all.”
19-) Ya ehlel Kitabi kad caekum Rasuluna yubeyyinu lekum ala fetretin miner Rusuli en tekulu ma caena min beshiyrin ve la neziyr* fekad caekum beshiyrun veneziyr* vAllahu ala kulli shey’in Kadiyr;
O those to whom the knowledge of the reality has been given… There has come to you a Rasul informing you of the truth, in a period of suspension between Rasuls… So that you don’t say, “A bringer of tidings and a warner has not come to us”… Here is the bringer of tidings and warner… Allah is Qadir over all things. (A.Hulusi)
O People of the Book! Now hath come unto you, making (things) clear unto you, Our Messenger, after the break in (the series of) our messengers, lest ye should say: “There came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner (from evil)”: But now hath come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner (from evil). And Allah hath power over all things. (A.Yusuf Ali)
Ya ehlel Kitabi O People of the Book! kad caekum Rasuluna yubeyyinu lekum ala fetretin miner Rusuli en tekulu ma caena min beshiyrin ve la neziyr* fekad caekum beshiyrun veneziyr Now has come unto you, making things clear unto you, Our Messenger, after the break in the series of our messengers, lest you should say: “There came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner from evil”: But now has come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner from evil. There he came to you. By this expression you shouldn’t think that you are not among th addressed group of this verse. This last message is also coming to you.
Another expression is above. After a long while. ala fetretin miner Rusul a long period without prophet. This period mentioned here is the timeline between Jesus and Rasulallah. Although Ibn Arabi says that another Rasul named Halit bin Sinan and Jesus and the time between can also be mentioned here in his book Fusus ul Hikem, but since there are no other source the support this claim for us we should look for the obvious course here. vAllahu ala kulli shey’in Kadiyr; since Allah has power over all things.
Dear Qur’an friends, by this addressing method of Qur’an we understand that the targeted group for these verses are everyone, true. We also understand that every clan, tribe and unions were blessed with their prophets. For example another verse in Qur’an we see, ve in min ummetin illa hala fiyha neziyr; There is no community to whom a warner has not come. At this point Qur’ans message is pretty clear. All communities have met their own prophets. Ve lekad beasna fiy kulli ummetin Rasulen.. Nahl/36 also support this claim. Indeed, we have disclosed a Rasul within every community. So all people on earth should recieve his or her message at this point. What about the ones who cannot recieve it. Qur’ans answer for it also exists. ve uhiye ileyye hazel Kur’anu liunzirakum Bihi ve men belaga.. En’am/19 This Quran was revealed to me so that I may warn you and whomever it reaches… ve men belaga whomever it reaches. So what about those who cannot get the message. Qur’an puts the responsibility on those who recieve the message.Just like we cannot judge anyone who cannot recieve the message of Qur’an, Allah too doesn’t hold them responsible for the things they cannot get. So who are the ones responsible? Those who recieve the message of Qur’an. Who are the ones get punished? Those who recieve the message of Qur’an and don’t fulfill their duties accordingly. They are the ones. Moving on.
20-) Ve iz kale Musa li kavmihi ya kavmizkuru ni’metAllahi aleykum iz ceale fiykum enbiyae ve ceallekum muluken, ve atakum ma lem yu’ti ehaden minel alemiyn;
Moses once said to his people, “My people, remember the favor of Allah upon you, He disclosed Nabis from within you and appointed you as rulers, He gave to you what He did not give to anyone else in the worlds (the knowledge pertaining to vicegerency upon earth).” (A.Hulusi)
Remember Moses said to his people: “O my people! Call in remembrance the favor of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples. (A.Yusuf Ali)
Ve iz kale Musa li kavmihi Remember Moses said to his people ya kavmizkuru ni’metAllahi aleykum iz ceale fiykum enbiyae ve ceallekum muluken “O my people! Call in remembrance the favor of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings.”
Actually the expression ve ceallekum muluken here; giving it the meaning of freedom isn’t just me. For example Razi delivers the same meaning from Suddi as did many translators in various records all the way from the first community. The literal meaning is making them kings but in this case it can be taken as making them rules over themselves, hence the concept of freedom.
ve atakum ma lem yu’ti ehaden minel alemiyn and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples. Indeed Allah had given a special position to sons of Israel over the earth. This choice is also been reminded us in Baqarah/47 Ya beni israilezkuru ni’metiyelleti en’amtu aleykum. O sons of Israel, remember the blessing I bestowed upon you. I gave multiple of My blessings, drowned you with them. ve enniy faddaltukum alel alemiyn; and I chose you among humanity,exalted you. That’s how it was. They survived a massacre, holocaust. Allah delivered them to salvation and appoint them leaders over earth. But that didn’t stop them from betrayal which Qur’an also points out.
21-) Ya kavmidhulul Ardal mukaddesetelletiy ketebAllahu lekum ve la terteddu ala edbarikum fetenkalibu hasiriyn;
“My people, enter the Holy Land that Allah has assigned to you and do not turn back to the past, lest you turn back as losers.” (A.Hulusi)
“O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin.” (A.Yusuf Ali)
Ya kavmidhulul Ardal “O my people! mukaddesetelletiy ketebAllahu lekum Enter the holy land which Allah has assigned unto you. This is the land of Palastine ve la terteddu ala edbarikum and do not turn back to the past. We can also use the literal meaning here and say, “Don’t turn your backs to your beliefs.” fetenkalibu hasiriyn; or you turn back as losers.
22-) Kalu ya Musa inne fiyha kavmen cebbariyn* ve inna len nedhuleha hatta yahrucu minha* fein yahrucu minha feinna dahilun;
They said, “O Moses, indeed a despot community lives there… Until they abandon this place we will not enter it… If they leave with their own will, then we will enter it.” (A.Hulusi)
They said: “O Moses! In this land are a people of exceeding strength: Never shall we enter it until they leave it: if (once) they leave, then shall we enter.” (A.Yusuf Ali)
Kalu ya Musa inne fiyha kavmen cebbariyn so what did they do for this call of Moses, this call of Allah. They were about to enter the lands which they had left, the country they had left during the prophet Josephs era. They became slaves in pharaoh era after that. They endured countless tortures, massacres and genocides. But now they are turning into their own lands. A prophet in front of them, they were about to enter the ancient lands of theirs; all those scattered clans of Israel and they wera about to have a real identity. A personality. A community which lost their purpose as slaves under a pharaoh community was about to gain a unique personality.
So what did they do? This was their attitude. Kalu ya Musa inne fiyha kavmen cebbariyn They said: “O Moses! In this land are a people of exceeding strength. ve inna len nedhuleha hatta yahrucu minha Never shall we enter it until they leave it. fein yahrucu minha feinna dahilun; but if (once) they leave, then shall we enter.
23-) Kale raculani minelleziyne yehafune en’amAllahu aleyhimedhulu aleyhimul bab* fe iza dehaltumuhu feinnekum galibune ve alellahi fetevekkelu in kuntum mu’miniyn;
Two men, upon whom Allah had bestowed His blessings, from the community they feared, said, “Enter upon them through the gate, for when you enter, you will prevail… If you are believers then place your trust in Allah (believe the Name Wakil in your essence will fulfill its function).” (A.Hulusi)
(But) among (their) God-fearing men were two on whom Allah had bestowed His grace: They said: “Assault them at the (proper) Gate: when once ye are in, victory will be yours; But on Allah put your trust if ye have faith.” (A.Yusuf Ali)
Kale raculani minelleziyne yehafune en’amAllahu aleyhimedhulu aleyhimul bab But among their God-fearing men were two on whom Allah had bestowed His grace. Two people from the city who have the fear of Allah in their hearts. They said: “Enter upon them through the gate.”
According to the records and the explanations in Tora, sons of Israel had the intention of entering the city via back fields and by pillaging. If you possess a community with a ethical scar, you finish them without their knowing. You cannot deliver any message there because their safety within is already severed. There’s no trust among them and to others as well.
This is the message wanted us for the notice. You deliver a message, you are the community of a mission. You have a mission. So you are not there to pillage the villages, you cannot go to city from the back. You should enter the city from the front door. This also has this meaning too. fe iza dehaltumuhu feinnekum galibune for when you enter, you will prevail.
Those two people. In Tora their names are given to us as Yeshu (Joshua) and Kalep (Caleb) These were the only decent individuals among the entire group of sons of Israel. Rest, they all backed down.
Their identities, their personalities disappeared because of the slavery under the pharaoh. That’s why Moses couldn’t be able to build up an identity, he couldn’t make them come to their senses. This is the problem of being a nameless, proudless and honorless community under pharaohs rule.
fe iza dehaltumuhu feinnekum galibune “Enter upon them through the gate, for when you enter, you will prevail. ve alellahi fetevekkelu in kuntum mu’miniyn; But on Allah put your trust if ye have faith.” These are the words of those two people to the entire community. So what was their response? What was the attitude fort his call of sense. Fort his beautiful advice of being a honorable person, being a person of identity?
24-) Kalu ya Musa inna len nedhuleha ebeden ma damu fiyha fezheb ente ve Rabbuke fe katila inna hahuna ka’idun;
They said, “O Moses, as long as they are there, we will never enter it… Go, you and your Rabb, and fight! Indeed we are sitting right here.” (A.Hulusi)
They said: “O Moses! while they remain there, never shall we be able to enter, to the end of time. Go thou, and thy Lord, and fight ye two, while we sit here (and watch).” (A.Yusuf Ali)
Kalu ya Musa inna len nedhuleha ebeden ma damu They said: “O Moses! while they remain there, never shall we be able to enter, fiyha fezheb ente ve Rabbuke fe katila Go, you and your Rabb, and fight! Classic sign of becoming a Jewminded person. You go with your Rabb and fight. inna hahuna ka’idun; Indeed we are sitting right here.
This was their answer. I want to remind you the difference between flies and bees. They were signing up to be flies, not the bees. They had no intention of making honey. In order to make honey, you should travel through all sorts of flowers. It need working, running and sweating. But they were like, “You go ahead and do the honey so we may eat it.” They were pillagers. Their intentions were to usurp the honey others made. That’s why they were carrying a disease inside them. Their germs were spreading from there.
Remember, flies don’t touch just honey. They are attracted by all sorts of filthy things. Because they have no identity and personality. This is the difference between honey bees and flies. And that’s how they were content with being a fly, not a bee. This was their answer.
25-) Kale Rabbi inniy la emliku illa nefsiy ve ehiy fefruk beynena ve beynel kavmil fasikiyn;
(Moses) said, “My Rabb… Indeed, my word has no bearing on anyone other than myself and my brother, so part us from the people (whose faith is) corrupt.” (A.Hulusi)
He said: “O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brother: so separate us from this rebellious people!” (A.Yusuf Ali)
Kale Rabbi inniy la emliku illa nefsiy ve ehiy Moses said: “O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brother. This was a reproof. fefruk beynena ve beynel kavmil fasikiyn so separate us from this rebellious people. And this was the call for help.
26-) Kale feinneha muharremetun aleyhim erbe’iyne seneten, yetiyhune fiyl Ardi fela te’se alel kavmil fasikiyn;
He said, “Indeed, that place has been forbidden to them for forty years, they will wander the earth confused… So do not grieve over those (whose faith is) corrupt.” (A.Hulusi)
Allah said: “Therefore will the land be out of their reach for forty years: In distraction will they wander through the land: But sorrow thou not over these rebellious people. (A.Yusuf Ali)
Kale feinneha muharremetun aleyhim erbe’iyne seneten And now Allah’s response for this reaction.
Dear Qur’an friends, this section represents an interesting example regarding the education of a society, a living proof from the history. But also shows us a law of Allah. Let’s read the rest now. Allah gave this response for their reaction. “Therefore will the land be out of their reach for forty years.” yetiyhune fiyl Ard yes, yetiyhune fiyl Ard. they will wander the earth confused. fela te’se alel kavmil fasikiyn; So do not grieve over those whose faith is corrupt.
Yes my precious friends this is the sociological rule here. As you can see sons of Israel were condemned to wander around the desert for forty years. Almost like the punishment of Allah, recieving Allah’s curse. yetiyhune fiyl Ard they will wander the earth confused like wild horses.
So now the reason. Why? Because through the forty years, that generation, all those corrupted grownups, those lack of identity and personality, those without hope met their demise, they died in that desert. And a new generation emerged. Moses left dads which turned to hopeless causes and began to raise a brand new generaion. From ground, from the core, new bloods whose souls weren’t corrupted, nerves healthy, a generation which still carry their identities and proud enough not to imitate their enemies. Because the old one was a generation that worship their enemies gods.
They were the ones who build the cow gods statue, the god of pharaoh who was also the person made them slaves by collecting their jeweleries when Moses was away from them to meet his Rabb. This was the action of that generation.
They were also the ones who were willing to sacrifice their freedom form ere onions and garlics. They had said, “O Moses, we don’t want to have men and selva all the time, bring us some onions, garlics and such too.” Moses showed the path to Egypt to them and said, ihbitu misran feinne lekum ma seeltum.. Baqarah/61 Then go back to Egypt, back to slavery. Give up your freedoms and become slaves again to get them. Since they are there.
Those fathers, those hopeless generation and naturally Moses gave up hope on them. He began to raise a new generation. In forty years a new generation from the point zero to enter the lands and build their old faith city. A new generation began to work to establish Allah’s message on earth and build a new society under that light. People who were unbound from their shackles, uncorrupted faiths, unsold freedoms and a generation unique, without the hint of imitation like mere monkeys.
27-) Vetlu aleyhim nebeebney Ademe BilHakk* iz karreba kurbanen fetukubbile min ehadihima ve lem yutekabbel minel ahar* kale leaktulenneke, kale innema yetekabbelullahu minel muttekiyn;
Tell them the truth about the two sons of Adam… How they had both offered a sacrifice, where one was accepted and the other wasn’t… (Cain, whose sacrifice was not accepted) said, “I will surely kill you”… (Abel, whose sacrifice was accepted) said, “Allah accepts only from the muttaqeen (those who live in line with their essential reality).” (A.Hulusi)
Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold! they each presented a sacrifice (to Allah): It was accepted from one, but not from the other. Said the latter: “Be sure I will slay thee.” “Surely,” said the former, “Allah doth accept of the sacrifice of those who are righteous. (A.Yusuf Ali)
Vetlu aleyhim nebeebney Ademe BilHakk By this verse Qur’an enters a new passage. But naturally it’s not unrelated to the passage before it. Tell them the truth about the two sons of Adam.
BilHakk With Hakk, to show them the truth. It has two meanings as one showing the truth, two explaining the story. In Tora’s The Book of Genesis, the passages 1 to 16 explains some of the points about this fact.
This Cain and Abel story was argued among many scholars that they weren’t Adam’s sons. Even Hasan Basri and Dahhak, translators from the first generation suggested that the sons of Adam should or can be taken as son of man. So they might not the sons of Adam the Prophet but they were just two individuals from the community of Israel. They took the meaning like that and translated the rest of the passage under this light. But the informations in following verses are clear about their funeral arrangements, more specifically lack there of. These two men had no information about burying a dead person properly but even the early generations of Israel had that information. So there’s no further comments on this topic is necessary. It’s a great chance that these two men, Cain and Abel were indeeed the sons of Adam the First Prophet.
iz karreba kurbanen Behold! they each presented a sacrifice (to Allah). fetukubbile min ehadihima ve lem yutekabbel minel ahar* It was accepted from one, but not from the other. kale leaktulenneke, Said the latter: “Be sure I will slay you.” kale innema yetekabbelullahu minel muttekiyn; “Surely,” said the former, “Allah doth accept of the sacrifice of those who are righteous.
An interesting and dramatic dialog between two brothers. Abel’s sacrifice was accepted. By further informations we learnt that he had presented his best animal from the hers, most valuable one. But the other one, Cain had chosen the most simple and wortless animal for sacrifice to Allah. There’s a perspective here. Points of view of Cain and Abel’s behaviours, all seperated in their visions of Allah.
Abel sacrificed the most valuable animal to Allah since he was aware that his offerings will return to him multiplying. But Cain didn’t trust Allah, because he didn’t trust himself. He didn’t take anyone seriously, didn’t take his worshippings seriously. So naturally he chose the most wortless offering to Allah. Because he had no intention of anything.
This was the difference, because of this basic difference he began to hold grudge against his brother. He hold grudge against Abel and tried to murder him since Abels’ offering was accepted but his offering wasn’t.
28-) Lein besatte ileyye yedeke li taktuleniy ma ene Bi basitin yediye ileyke li aktulek* inniy ehafullahe Rabbel alemiyn;
“If you raise your hand to kill me, I promise I shall not raise my hand to kill you! For, I fear Allah, the Rabb of the worlds!” (A.Hulusi)
“If thou dost stretch thy hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against thee to slay thee: for I do fear Allah, the Cherisher of the worlds. (A.Yusuf Ali)
Lein besatte ileyye yedeke li taktuleniy ma ene Bi basitin yediye ileyke li aktulek* “If you raise your hand to kill me, I promise I shall not raise my hand to kill you!” says Abel. inniy ehafullahe Rabbel alemiyn; Why? I fear Allah, the Rabb of the worlds.
The moral code he applied when he chose the sacrificial animal is the same moral code he replied to his brother when he said he had the intention of killing him. Based on that same principle he said; “If you raise your hand to kill me, I promise I shall not raise my hand to kill you!” Why? Because I put Allah in the center of my all actions. You are driven by your instincts, I with my faith. This is the difference. Those who follow their instincts act like Cain and those who listen to their faiths act like Abel.
29-) Inniy uriydu en tebue Bi ismiy ve ismike fetekune min ashabinnar* ve zalike cezauz zalimiyn;
“I want you to take on my sin and your own sin so you will be among the companions of the fire… This is the consequence of the wrongdoers!” (A.Hulusi)
“For me, I intend to let thee draw on thyself my sin as well as thine, for thou wilt be among the companions of the fire, and that is the reward of those who do wrong.” (A.Yusuf Ali)
Inniy uriydu en tebue Bi ismiy ve ismike fetekune min ashabinnar “I want you to take on my sin and your own sin so you will be among the companions of the fire.” Abel continued his response with these words.
Mujahid brings a wonderful explanation fort his response. Student of Ibn Abbas, one of the early translator; Muhahid says, “If victim would be alive and willing to make amends or repent for any reason but cannot be able to due to the circumstances of getting killed, all the sins he had committed are going to transfer to the murderer. It’s a nice explanation. The murderer not only suffers the sin of murder but the sins of his victim as well. ve zalike cezauz zalimiyn; This is the consequence of the wrongdoers!”
Here Abel speaks like a person from two worlds. Cain is an individual of one world. Difference between these two on the matter of perspective is astounding. One sees gain where other sees loss. One sees success where the other sees failure. One commits to this World and live fully on his life where other is willing to work for his afterlife. So different perspective. Their mentalities were completely different. Speaking the same language but talking about different worlds.
30-) Fe tavve’at lehu nefsuhu katle ehiyhi fekatelehu feasbeha minel hasiriyn;
Finally, the ambition and jealousy driven by his ego made it easy for him (Cain) to kill his brother (Abel), so he killed him… Thus he became of the losers. (A.Hulusi)
The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him, and became (himself) one of the lost ones. (A.Yusuf Ali)
Fe tavve’at lehu nefsuhu katle ehiyhi Finally, the ambition and jealousy driven by his ego made it easy for Cain to kill his brother Abel fekatelehu so he killed him. feasbeha minel hasiriyn. Thus he became of the losers.
31-) Febe’asellahu guraben yebhasu fiyl Ardi li yuriyehu keyfe yuvariy sev’ete ehiyh* kale ya veyleta e’aceztu en ekune misle hazel gurabi feuvariye sev’ete ehiy* fe asbeha minen nadimiyn;
Then Allah disclosed a crow to him, grubbing the earth, showing him how to bury his brother’s corpse… Cain said to himself, “Woe unto me! I am not even like this crow to know how to bury the corpse of my brother!” And he became of the regretful. (A.Hulusi)
Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. “Woe is me!” said he; “Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?” then he became full of regrets-(A.Yusuf Ali)
Febe’asellahu guraben yebhasu fiyl Ardi li yuriyehu keyfe yuvariy sev’ete ehiyh* Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. kale ya veyleta “Woe is me!” said Cain e’aceztu en ekune misle hazel gurabi feuvariye sev’ete ehiy “Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?”
That’s when he realised his weakness. His inability and his pitifulness, how he became one of the fallens when he committed that action. That weakness haunted him. fe asbeha minen nadimiyn; then he became full of regrets.
32-) Min ecli zalik* ketebna ala beni israiyle ennehu men katele nefsen Bi gayri nefsin ev fesadin fiyl Ardi fe keennema katelen Nase cemiy’a* ve men ahyaha fekeennema ahyenNase cemiy’a* ve lekad caethum Rusuluna Bil beyyinat* summe inne kesiyren minhum ba’de zalike fiyl Ardi lemusrifun;
This is why we decreed upon the Children of Israel, “Whoever kills a person except (as retribution) for a (murdered) person or for spreading corruption in the land, it is as if he has killed the whole of mankind… And whoever saves a person’s life, it is as if he has saved the whole of mankind…” Indeed, there has come to them our Rasuls as clear proofs; but after this most of them still squander on earth (do not evaluate what We have given them). (A.Hulusi)
On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person – unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land. (A.Yusuf Ali)
Min ecli zalik* ketebna ala beni israiyle This is why we decreed upon the Children of Israel, ennehu men katele nefsen Bi gayri nefsin ev fesadin fiyl Ardi “Whoever kills a person except (as retribution) for a (murdered) person or for spreading corruption in the land fe keennema katelen Nase cemiy’a* it is as if he has killed the whole of mankind. ve men ahyaha fekeennema ahyenNase cemiy’a And whoever saves a person’s life, it is as if he has saved the whole of mankind.
This is the universal moral truth dear friends. How can you describe this universal moral truth better than that? Isn’t this proof for these codes, Qur’ans miracle nature. What more can a person want from Qur’an? Is there any place on earth that cannot benefit from this universal code. These rules are not in possession of east or West, Jew or Christian. These are the rules that should be followed by everyone.
These rules, is it possible to think that only muslims should follow? Is it only possible to save the entire humanity if only the person who save lives is muslim. No, these rules ar efor all humanity. Whoever takes these rules in heart are among the ones who deserve the prize. Also the opposite is valid too. He’s a muslim but he kills someone. Qur’an says he is like a murderer of entire humanity. His claim of being a muslim cannot defend him from the agony of being the one who break the these universal moral code.
So why is Cain and Abel example needed here then? It’s put there to show us that murder is a universal crime and these rules are applied to everyone regardless of their place, race, color or nation.
ve lekad caethum Rusuluna Bil beyyinat* Indeed, there has come to them our Rasuls as clear proofs; summe inne kesiyren minhum ba’de zalike fiyl Ardi lemusrifun; but after this most of them still squander on earth. This part is to describe the Jews. There were prophets sent for them. But they chose to path of mischief and misery anyway.
33-) Innema cezaulleziyne yuharibunAllahe ve RasuleHU ve yes’avne fiyl Ardi fesaden en yukattelu ev yusallebu ev tukattaa eydiyhim ve erculuhum min hilafin ev yunfev minel Ard* zalike lehum hizyun fiyd dunya ve lehum fiyl ahireti azabun aziym;
The retribution for those who fight with Allah and His Rasul, and strive to spread corruption on earth, is to be killed, or hung, or have their hands and feet cut crosswise, or to be prisoned. This is a disgrace for them in this world… And there is great suffering for them in the eternal life to come. (A.Hulusi)
The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter; (A.Yusuf Ali)
Innema cezaulleziyne yuharibunAllahe ve RasuleHU for those who fight with Allah and His Rasul we should say. Open war against Allah and His Rasul, what an awful and creepy expression. Qur’an informs us that opening war against Allah and Rasul is a crime of humanity. Why? Because it leads to preventing humanities happiness. Allah wants humans to be happy. Those who wage war against Allah, wage war against humanity as well. To peoples happiness. Prophets are people who lay their lives to establish happiness in humans lives. That’s why if one opens war against prophets deliberately opens war against humanity and that is a crime of humanity. So if we someone wages war against Allah and His Rasul we should treat him as an enemy of mankind.
Verse continues,Those who open war against Allah and Rasul ve yes’avne fiyl Ardi fesaden and those who try to create mischief on earth. This expression comes right after the previous crime. If one opens war against Allah and Rasul brings destruction and dissolution in humanity. That’s why we call it mischief and chaos. Because they fight against Allah and Rasul that means they fight agains goodness, the beautiful, against all ethical rules.
So with whom, who they choose as ally? They fight side by side with satan. Not even that. Because Satan never opened war against Allah. That means if someone takes on Allah and Rasul as rivals that makes him an individual worse that Satan. Because he fights with crime not against it, he fights with tyrany, not against it. He defends murder, stands next to killers, takes indeceny as his morals, fights to create corruption, fights to create social dissolution. He becomes the very thing that corrupt the entire society. This is what it means to wage war against Allah and Rasul, this is the definition of creating mischief on earth.
en yukattelu is to be killed ev yusallebu or hung, ev tukattaa eydiyhim ve erculuhum min hilafin or have their hands and feet cut crosswise. This part can be translated like this. Have their hands and feet cut because of their cross actions, because of their warped behaviours. min hilafin means becoming opposition which causes another problem. We will get on that later. Now we finish the verse first. ev yunfev minel Ard or to be prisoned or exiled.
Back to the beginning again. Innema ceza this is only the response. zalike lehum hizyun fiyd dunya This is a disgrace for them in this world. ve lehum fiyl ahireti azabun aziym And there is great suffering for them in the eternal life to come.
Dear friends, I chose the version of translation that Muhammad Esed used here. Taking the verse not like the form of a verdict or a building rule or a coomans but as a news, a measurement indicator. I find this approach much accurate. At this point I should give my proofs as well as Esed’s proofs to support our claims. The verbs in the verse, hanging, cutting or getting exciled comes in to form of simple and passive tense. This doesn’t create any future tense or command actions.
Secondly the form yukattelu doesn’t only have the meaning of murdering. It can be translated as, “Most of them executed.” Not all of them. So how can a distinguishing be made? How can we let some live and execute the most?
Thirdly, if we say exiled from earth since the classic translation gives us this form, how can this order be met. Exiled from earth. Abu Caniph takes this part as carceration, putting someone prison also means exiling someone from earth since he has no contacts in society after that point.
Another thing is, this shows us a massive punishment from the beginning of an action that leads to the worst possible reaction. The actions of pharaoh is informed to us, believers as threat. Araf/124, Taha/71, Shuara/49. Verses. So how can Allah commands such an action that is named as the punisment of pharaoh. The answer is, this is not an order but an information. This has the meaning of, “Those wo commit these deeds shall be hung, killed or met worse consequences in the end.”
34-) Illelleziyne tabu min kabli en takdiru aleyhim* fa’lemu ennAllahe Gafurun Rahiym;
Except for those who repent before you seize them… Know well that Allah is the Ghafur, the Rahim. (A.Hulusi)
Except for those who repent before they fall into your power: in that case, know that Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. (A.Yusuf Ali)
Illelleziyne tabu min kabli en takdiru aleyhim* Except for those who repent before they fall into your power. fa’lemu ennAllahe Gafurun Rahiym know that Allah is Oftenly Forgiving, Most Merciful. At this point we beg for Allah’s blessing and mercy and take shelter in Allah’s forgiveness. I pray for all of us to live a life under the shelter of Qur’an, the greatest blessing given to mankind.
“Ve ahiru davana velil hamdulillahi rabbil alemiyn” (Jonah/10) “Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds!” All products of our claims, causes and lives are for Allah and our last word to our Allah is “Hamd”.
“Esselamu aleykum.”
