صفوة التفاسير - محمد علي الصابوني 2 The Premier Exegeses - Muhammad Ali al Sabooni

Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise.

Oh Muhammad, they wish that you yield to them and leave those things that do not please them. Thus when you compromise they will in turn compromise.

In the al-Tashil we find, “Compromise, المداهنة, is amicability and sociability which is inappropriate. It is traditionally narrated that that the pagans said to the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم “If you worship our gods we would worship your God.” and thereupon this verse was revealed.” (1)





Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger,

حلاف
Oh Muhammad do not follow the person who constantly takes oaths whether rightfully or wrongfully. They take oaths in such a manner that they makes light of the greatness of God.

مهين
Nor the one impudent and feeble.





Detractor, spreader abroad of slanders,

هماز
A slanderer who analogously eats the flesh of others through defamation and fault finding.

مشاء بنميم
The one who walks among people spreading slander. He relates others' conversations in order to stir trouble between them.
In a vigorously authentic Prophetic Tradition, we find “He will not enter Paradise who is slanderous.” (2)





Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor

مناع للخير
A miser who does not spend in way of God.

معتد أثيم
A transgressor who exceeds the bounds of injustice and enmity and is ever the sinful criminal.

The words حلاف, هماز, مشاء and مناع have been used in the Arabic exaggerated form to denote frequency.





Greedy therewithal, intrusive.

عتل
Callous, hard hearted and lacking understanding.

بعد ذلك
[Literally: after that.] That is after these horrible characteristics that have been mentioned…

زنيم
An illegitimate child. This is the harshest of his shortcomings and the most disgraceful.

This person is a bastard child and has no true lineage.

The exegetists have said that this was revealed in regard to al Walid ibn al Magirah. It was said that he was an illegitimate child among Quraish who was not from them. His father had adopted him as his child after 18 years. That is, he was made a child and given lineage after not knowing a father.

Ibn Abbas said “We don’t know of anyone who has been described by God with such disgrace. This humiliation stuck with him and never left him. This debasement was due to the fact that if the seed is ruined the child is ruined”

It was narrated that when this verse was revealed Walid asked his mother “Muhammad has described me with nine characteristics and all of them are apparent but the ninth.” meaning زنيم - illegitimate “If what you explain does not confirm what I think I’ll take my sword to your neck!” She replied, “Your father was impotent and I feared for money. So I gave into a shepherd and you are the son of that shepherd.” So Walid never knew that he was an illegitimate child until the verse was revealed. (3)





It is because he is possessed of wealth and children

That is, he claimed that the Quran was just old tales because of the arrogance his wealth and offspring produced. (4) Instead of responding to blessings with thankfulness he responded with disbelief and accusations of falsehood.





That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old.

When the verses of the Quran are recited to this evil doer he said in mock and ridicule, they are ancient tales and absurdities that Muhammad had made up and attributed to God.
In refutation and promising punishment, God replied:





We shall brand him on the nose.

We shall mark his nose with a seal so that he will be known by it until his death. The word خرطوم , literally a snout or trunk, is here used to denote nose. This description is reaches the limits of humiliation and insult. In the same manner one’s hand and feet may be described as paws and claws.

Ibn Abbas remarked “We shall mark his nose with a sword and make it a symbol that will remain as long as he lived. And on the day of the Battle of Badr his nose was scarred by a sword. (5)

Fakhir al-Din Razi says: “Since the face is the noblest parts of the body, the nose is the noblest of its features because it protruded from the rest of the face. The nose الأنف is etymologically related to the word for pride الأنفة. It is said of a humiliated person, “His nose is abased or cleaved!” So the expression of marking his nose is an extreme humiliation. If a blemish anywhere on the face is seen as a disfigurement then what about noblest part of the face? (6)

Then God mentions the story of the people of the garden and how he tested them by ruining their crops and fruits and made them an example for the Meccan pagans.





Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden…

That is, We tested the people of Mecca with drought and hunger at the time of Messenger of God’s mission صلى الله عليه و سلم, just as we tested the people of the garden. Our only task for the Meccans was to thank their lord for their blessings just as we imposed on the companions of the garden gratitude to their lord by giving to the poor what was rightfully theirs.

The exegetists have said: “A Muslim close to Sana’a had a garden with date grooves, crops and fruit. At harvest he would call the poor and give them an abundant portion in the kindest of manner. When he had died his children inherited the garden from him. They said, “Our families are large and our wealth is limited and as such we have no means to give to the unfortunate as our father once did.” They all conceded and determined that they would not give anything to the poor. They decided that in the morning they would hide the fruits of their gardens. To this they vowed. Then God descended a fire upon their garden during the night which burned down its trees and ruined its fruit. In the morning they proceeded to their garden and seeing no trees or fruit thought that they took the wrong route. When it became clear that it was in fact their garden they realized that God had punished them for their evil plans and repented when it was too late.” (7)





...when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning,

That is, when they pledged that they would cut down its fruits in the morning before the poor would leave for the garden.






And made no exception (for the Will of Allah);

That is, they never said إن شاء الله “If God wills” when they took their vow as if they were assured about it.





Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept

Then a visitor coming with the punishment of God paid visit to it. And they were unaware of what happened because they were asleep.

Al Kalbi has remarked “While they slept God sent a fire from the sky upon it and scorched it.”





And in the morning it was as if plucked.

That is, it become like a harvested crop as it resembled dried stubble.

Ibn Abbas said, “It became like black ash. They were deprived of the goodness of their garden because of their sins.”






And they cried out one unto another in the morning,

That is, they called on each other in the morning to go to the garden just as they vowed.






Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit).

That is, leave early to your fruits, crops and vineyards if you want to harvest them and cut them.

So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones:







They went off towards the garden and lowered their voices so that the poor would not hear them saying:





No needy man shall enter it to-day against you.

That is, no one from the poor should enter the garden and you should stop anyone from entrance.





They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose.

They left with strength and purpose, thinking that they would be able to do what they desired.

Ibn Abbas said “على حرد is with strength and purpose”.
Al Sadi said “It means with spite and anger”.
Al Hasan said “It means out of need and necessity”. (8)
Ibn Abbas’ opinion is the most apparent.







But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error!

When they saw their garden was burned and blacked, transformed from splendour and vigour to darkness and blackness, they said, we’ve lost our way and this is not our garden.

Abu Hayan said “This proclamation was when they first arrived. They denied that it was the garden and believed that they had erred along their way. Then it became clear that it was their garden and that a punishment befell it that cast all its good away. Then they said…” (9)






Nay, but we are desolate!

We have not lost the way rather we are desolate. We have been deprived of its fruits and all its goodness because of the crimes we committed against ourselves.





The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah)?

The wisest and best in thought among them said “Why do you not glorify God and say سبحان الله “Glorified be God” or إن شاء الله “If God wills”.

In the Surrounding Sea is it said “He reminded them and rebuked them for leaving the glorification of God. If they had thought of God and His blessings and obeyed what He commanded in charity, they would have kept their fathers’s traditions alive. When they forgot the remembrance of God and became adamant about depriving the poor God tested them.” (10)

Al Razi said “When the group determined that they will withhold Zakat and became deceived by their wealth and power, the best amongst them said to them “Repent from this sin before punishment shall fall upon you.” When they saw the condition of their garden he reminded them of his first admonishment. They then busied themselves with repentance but only after being so short sighted.” (11)






They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong-doers.

They then said “Allah our Lord is free from wrong when in His acts. Rather we wronged ourselves when we denied the poor their rights”







Then some of them drew near unto others, self-reproaching.

They rebuked one another saying “you where the one who brought evil upon us with this idea”, “Rather it was you”, “You frightened us with the threat of poverty and made us desire hoarding our wealth”. And this is التلاوم the act of self-reproach.


They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous.

They said “Destruction be upon us if God does not forgive us for we were evil and sinners in preventing the poor and not relying on God.”

Al Razi says “The intent of this verse is that they considered their crimes awful.” (12)


It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord.

Perchance God may give us better than it because of our repentance and acknowledgement of our wrongs.

And we long for His forgiveness and seek His benefit and bounty.



Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know.

God conveys this story to teach us that the end of a miser and one who refuses Zakat is destruction. And if one become miserly with a portion of wealth he may destroy all of his wealth because of the wrath of God.

And for this reason God mentioned after this story …

_________________________________
(1) التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل Ease of the Sciences of Revelation Vol. 4 page 138.
(2) Related by Muslim.
(3) See Tafsir of Jalalain and al Sawi’s margin notes, Vol. 4 page 233.
(4) Tabari and Ibn Kathir chose the interpretation that the verse is is connected to the verse following it. So that the meaning becomes: since he had wealth and children he became proud and said that the Quran was fables and lies.
Differing from them, others interpreted the verse to follow the preceding verse in meaning. So the meaning becomes: he never gave charity to others as a consequence of his wealth and children.
(5) Tafsir Tabri Vol. 29 page 18.
(6) The Grand Tafsir of al Fakhir al Razi Vol. 30 page 86.
(7) The Grand Tafsir of al Fakhir al Razi Vol. 30 page 87. The Surrounding Sea of Abi Hiyan Vol. 8 page 311
(8) Al Tabari said “The closest to the truth is the meaning that they left early for in pursuit of this matter they were determined about and promised in secrecy, and were able to do this.” This would give precedence to the opinion of Ibn Abbas. And this is what we prefer as well.
(9) The Surrounding Sea Vol. 8 page 313.
(10) Ibid.
(11) The Grand Tafsir of al Fakhir al Razi Vol. 30 page 90.
(12) The Grand Tafsir of al Fakhir al Razi Vol. 30 page 91.

صفوة التفاسير محمد علي الصابوني The Premier Exegeses - Muhammad Ali al Sabooni

I figured that a good way to ensure that I understand some of the chapters of the Quran is to see if I can translate some basic tafsirs. So here's my first installation.

The translation of the Quran is from Pickthal, which I realized is pretty good at getting the a literal translation.

Enjoy:

Verses 1 - 8

The chapter of “The Pen” is from the Meccan Chapters that deal with the principles of belief and creed.

The chapter is composed of three fundamental subjects:
1) The theme of prophethood and the Meccan Pagan's accusations against the mission of Muhammad ibn Abdullah .
2) The story of the companions of the garden, which illustrates the outcome of disbelief and rejection of God’s bounties.
3) The Hereafter, the events surrounding it, its hardships and what God has prepared for the two parties, the believers and the disbelievers.

However the axis this chapter revolves around the theme of affirming Muhammad’s prophethood.

The chapter begins by taking an oath to confirm the great ability and aptitude of the Prophet, his nobility and innocence from that which the pagans accusations against his personality- in particular their charge (and God forbid) of madness. With clarity this chapter describes his grand character and elevated traits.
“Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith), Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman. And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing. And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature…”

Then the chapter turns to the malefactors’ stance concerning the Messenger's call and what God has prepared for them in punishment and torture.

Then a parable is struck whereby the Meccan disbelievers' rejection of God’s greatest bounty, raising the final Messenger amongst them, is compared to the story of the Companions of the Garden who revolted in the face of God's blessings and forbade the rights of the poor and destitute. God burned down their garden and made their story an example for those who contemplate.
“Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning, And made no exception (for the Will of Allah); Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept. And in the morning it was as if plucked….”

Then the chapter compares the Faithful and the Infidels in method often used by the Quran by grouping between الترهيب and الترغيب, between admonition and inciting desire.
“Shall We then treat those who have surrendered as We treat the guilty?”

The great chapter then turns to the Resurrection and its terrible events. It mentions the place of the guilty disbelievers on the day when they will be called upon to prostrate to the Lord of the Universe, but they will will be unable.
“On the day when it befalleth in earnest, and they are ordered to prostrate themselves but are not able…”

The chapter concludes by ordering the Prophet to be steadfast in the face of the Pagan offences , and to free himself from the exasperation from the trials he will face on the path of calling others towards God just as Jonas faced when he left his people and rushed to the sea.
“But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of the fish, who cried out in despair…”

Language

يَسْطُرُونَ -They write. When someone does the act of سطر to some knowledge it means they write it with a pen.

مَمْنُونٍ -Cut off, severed. One can say, that some one has done the act of من to a rope if he cuts it.

عُتُلٍّ - العتل (with a dammah on the ع) is rough, crude hash, and brutish, quick to evil. The word comes from the العتل (with a fatha on the ع) which is pulling.
خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ “Take him and fetter him”. In the Jauhari’s lexicon, Sihah, we find “someone will do the act of عتل to another if he pulls the other with a stern pulling.

زَنِيمٍ - Someone who is attached to a group of people, but he is not from them. He is an illegitimate child whose father is not known. The poet said:

بغي الأم ذو حسب لئيم
زنيم ليس يعرف من أبوه
“Illegitimate, whose father is not known
A loose mother with a rebukeable account. (1)

صَارِمِينَ -A thing that has the act of صرم done to it is severed. When this is done to a palm tree, its fruits have been cut off.

حَرْدٍ -Endeavor and determination.

زَعِيمٌ - Liable and responsible.

مَكْظُومٌ -Filled with fury and grief.

Tafsir




Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith),

Nun is one of the Huruf Maqtuah, separated letters that appear at the beginning of some chapters of the Quran. It is used here to bring attention to the inimitable nature of the Quran. God swears by the pen which man used to inscribe knowledge and science. The pen is the fraternal companion to the tongue, and is from the bounty of al-Rahman provides his servants.

The meaning of the verse is: "I swear by the pen and what the writers write with it, concerning the truth of Muhammad. That he is free from the madness that the guilty infidels ascribe to him." In swearing by the pen and what is written, we get a sense of mangitude and praiseworthiness of reading and writing. Man is alone from amongst all other creatures who has been selected with the knowledge of writing which allows him to articulate what he finds within himself. “Who teacheth by the pen, Teacheth man that which he knew not.” (2)

Sufficient evidence of the pen’s nobility is that God swore by it in this chapter, and thus glorifying the station of writers and elevating the station of those of knowledge. In the pen there is expression just as with the tongue. With it knowledge and science is sustained. Ibn Kathir said: “Apparent from God’s saying By the pen and that which they write is that “the pen” is the genus of pens (the idea of Pen). God, the Exalted, swears by the pen to bring to His creation’s attention His Blessings, namely teaching them writing by which they can attain knowledge." (3)







Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman

Oh Muhammad, by God’s blessings and His favour of Prophethood, you are not mad like the ignorant claim. You are, and Praise be to God, wise and not as they claim: “…O thou unto whom the Reminder is revealed, lo! thou art indeed a madman!” (4). Ibn Atiyah says: “this verse is the answer to what is being swear upon. [i.e. I swear by the pen and that which they write that you are not a madman.] And His saying “for thy Lord's favour unto thee” is an objection or rebuttal . Just as you may say to someone “You are, with the praise of God, gracious”(5) .







And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing.

That is, for you there is reward,without any cease or limitation, for enduring the harm found on the path of delivering God’s invitation.







And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.

You are, Oh Muhammad, refined and noble in behoavior beyond enumeration. For God has collected within you virtue and perfection. No man has been able to properly appreciate his nature for the Lord of might, Elevated and Sublime, has characterized Muhammad with such venerated characteristics.

From his nature was knowledge and gentleness, intense modesty, abundance of worship and generosity, patientnce and thankfulness, humility and asceticism, mercy and sympathy, and perfection of companionship and manners (6). How great was the saying of the poet,

إذا الله أثنى بالذي أهله
فما مقدار ما تمدح الورى عليك

“If God described you with what befits you,
then what is the weight of what mankind praises you with?”






And thou wilt see and they will see

That is, you shall see, Oh Muhammad, and your people and those that oppose you, shall see when the punishment will befall them.








Which of you is the demented.

That is, which one of you has been tormented with madness? Is it as they claim? Or is it them with their disbelief and their turning away from guidance?

Qurtabi says: “المفتون is the demented who has been tormented by the devil. Most of this surah has been revealed in relation to al-Walid ibn al-Mugirah and Abi Jahl. The pagans would say “Indeed Muhammad is a devil”. It was this by which they meant by mad – المجنون. So God says, they will know tomorrow which one of them is mad, that is, which is the devil from whose touch madness and manipulation of the mind occurs.” (7)







Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.

It is He, Glorified, who knows who is evil minded and deviant from God's religion and the path of guidance. And He it is who knows the righteous and those guided to the true religion.

This is the justification of what is before it and is assurance for that which is promised. It is as if He is saying: “Truly they as the ones that are mad and not you. For they had intellects that they never benefited from or never used to protect and truely give themsleves delight.




Therefor obey not thou the rejecters

That is, do not obey the leaders of disbelief and deviation who have belied your message and the Quran by in taking heed to their call.

Al-Razi says: “The people of Mecca called him to the religion of their fathers and God forbade him from obeying them. This was إلهام inspiration from God and a threatening command to oppose them.

__________________________________

[1] Tafsir Qurtabi, Vol. 18 page 234
[2] Quran, The Clot Chapter 19 verses 3 and 4.
[3] Summary of Ibn Kathir Vol. 3, page 532[1] Quran Stone land Chapter 15 verse 6
[4] Quran Stone land Chapter 15 verse 6
[5] The Surrounding Sea, Vol. 8 page 308. Abu Hiyan mentioned that this verse is definitive evidence of the correctness of the claim (That he is not mad). “The favour” was clear in the perfection of his eloquence, wisdom, praiseworthy life and noble characteristics such that accusations should be self-evidently denied.
[6] The two shaikh’s (Bukhari and Muslim) narrate on the authority of Anas ibn Malik, , “I served the Messenger of God for ten years and he never said “Uff” to me, nor did he say to me about some I had done, “Why did you do this?” nor to some thing I didn’t do, “Why didn’t you do this?” And he was the best of all people in behavior. I never felt any piece of velvet or silk or anything else softer than the palm of the Messenger of Allah , I never smelt musk nor fragrance more pleasant than the sweat of Messenger of Allah ”. In Bukhari, on the authority of Aisha, may God be please with her, when she was asked about his manners, she said, “His manners were the Quran”. She meant he characterized himself with the good characteristics mentioned in the Quran.
[7] Tafsir Qurtabi Vol. 18 page 229