Message for Muslims

Sura 23. Al-Mu’minun (The Believers) Mecca

This sura is very similar to the seventh, probably due to the fact that they belong to the same period. Islam states that prophets, in all ages, like Muhammad, were rejected and treated as impostors but believers will win through in the end (v 1). Unbelievers, on the other hand, will experience sore punishment, and this would be the consequences for the unbelieving Qurraish.

Believers must win through

“The believers must win through, Those who humble themselves in their prayers; Who avoid vain talk; Who are active in deeds of charity; Who abstain from sex, except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess, for (in their case) they are free from blame (v 1-6)

Muslim male believers are allowed four wives and they may consort with female slaves taken in war, whether they are bought or received as a gift.

Rejected Messengers (verses 23-50)

Noah rejected: “(Further, We sent a long line of prophets for your instruction). We sent Noah to his people” (v 23-30).

Hud or Salih rejected by the tribe of ‘Ad or Thamud: “Then We raised after them another generation. And We sent to them a messenger from among themselves.” (v.31, 32-41)

Messengers to later generations also rejected: “Then We raised after them other generations. Then sent We our messengers in succession: every time there came to a people their messenger, they accused him of falsehood” (v 42-44).

Moses and Aaron sent and rejected: “Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron, with Our signs and authority manifest” (v 45-49),

Mary and Jesus sent  as a sign

“And We made the son of Mary and his mother as a Sign: We gave them both shelter on high ground, affording rest and security and furnished with springs.” (v 50).

Unbelievers sore punishment (The Balances)

“Then when the trumpet is blown, there will be no more relationships between them that day, nor will one ask after another! Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy, they will attain salvation: But those whose balance is light, will be those who have lost their souls, in Hell will they abide.  The fire will burn their faces, and they will therein grin, with their lips displaced.  Were not My signs rehearsed to you, and ye did but treat them as falsehood? They will say: our Lord! Our misfortune overwhelmed us, and we became a people astray!  Our Lord! bring us out of this: if ever we return (to evil), then shall we be wrong-doers indeed!” He will say: Be ye driven into it ! And speak ye not to Me! (v 101 -108)

Muslims believe that at the day of judgement two angels will stand on the bridge with a balance. Those whose good works are heavier even by the weight of a hair, will go to paradise, while those whose good works are light will be cast down into hell.

The principle of the Quran is wrong. Suppose a man is accused of theft before a judge, and he replies that he only stole on four days during the last month, while on twenty-five days he lived honestly. Would this excuse be accepted? If a man comitted only one murder and during the rest of his life did not harm anyone, would he be pardoned on this account? No, our sinful actions are countless and they cannot be atoned for by a few good deeds. Unless there is a Saviour all must go to the place of punishment.

 

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Sura 24. An-Nur (The Light) Medina

The title of this s ura is taken from verses 35-40 which describes how the light of Allah should shine in the home of believers. Legal punishments are prescribed here against moral failure and later on in this chapter directions are given a bout women being closely veiled when they go out. The light is somewhat sullied in the incident relating to the accusation against ‘Aisha of committing adultery with Safwan (verses 11-20). With the significance of this chapter so much on light we also take the opportunity to look at the ‘Nur of Muhammad’ (the Light of Muhammad) in an appendix.

Punishment (flogging) of those found guilty of illegal sexual intercourse

“The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication, flog each of them with a hundr ed stripes

Let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day:

and let a party of the believers witness their punishment” (v 2).

Here are two relevant hadiths: a) Bukhari Volume 8, Book 82, Number 819: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle judged that the unmarried person who was guilty of illegal sexual intercourse be exiled for one year and receive the legal punishment (i.e., be flogged with one-hundred stripes).

b) Bukhari Volume 8, Book 82, Number 805: Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah Al-Ansari: A man from the tribe of Bani Aslam came to Allah’s Apostle and informed him that he had committed illegal sexual intercourse and bore witness four times against himself. Allah’s Apostle ordered him to be stoned to death as he was a married person.

Punishment (flogging) of false accusers of virtuous women

“And those who launch a charge against chaste women, and produce not four witnesses flog them with eighty stripes; and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors; Unless they repent thereafter and mend (their conduct); for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (v 4, 5).

Limits (hudud) have been laid down by Allah. In Muslim criminal law punishment is meted out when the following breaches of Allah’s law are made.

a) Stoning or one hundred stripes for illicit sexual intercourse (v 2)

b) Eighty stripes for falsely accusing a married woman of adultery (v 4)

c) Eighty lashes for the drinking of wine and other intoxicating liquors (Mishkat book 14 chapter 4).

d) Cutting off the right hand for theft. (Al-Maidah 5:38)

e) Various punishments for robbery which differ according to the circumstances.

f) Death for the offence of apostasy (Bukhari)

‘Ayesha’s slanderers reproved

“Those who brought forward the lie are a body among yourselves: think it not to be an evil to you; On the con trary it is good for you: to every man among them (will come the punishment) of the sin that he earned, and to him who took on himself the lead among them, will be a penalty grievous” (v 11).

Those who spread the report Hamna, Hassan and Mestah, received the punishment of 80 stripes. It is also said that ’Ayesha was so annoyed with ’Ali for speaking of her in a disparaging way that she contrived to bring about the murder of his two sons, Hasan and Husain.

R ules about entering houses

“O ye who believe! enter not houses other than your own, until ye have asked permission and saluted those in them: that is best for you, in order that ye may heed (what is seemly). If ye find no one in the house, enter not until permission is given to you: if ye are asked t o go back, go back: that makes for greater purity for yourselves: and Allah knows well all that ye do” (v 27, 28).

It was the custom in Arabia, before Islam, to enter houses without permission. To enter a habitation abruptly may possibly surprise a person in a state of indecency or discover something wanted to be concealed.

Concerning the behaviour of women

“And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments exc ept what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they shoul d draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband’s fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments” (v 31).

Living in the light of Allah

“Al lah is the light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is as if there were a niche and within it a lamp: the lamp enclosed in glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His light: Allah doth set forth parables for men: and Allah doth knoweth all things . (Lit is such a Light) in houses, which Allah hath permitted to be raised to honour; for the celebration, in them, of His name: In them is He glorified in the mornings and in the evenings, By men whom neither tr affic nor merchandise can divert from the remembrance of Allah, nor from regular prayer, nor from the practice of regular charity: Their (only) fear is for the Day when hearts and eyes will be transformed, That Allah may reward them according to the best of their deeds, and add even more for them” (35-38)

This verse chapter is highly regarded by Sufi mystics.

Living in the darkness

“But the unbelievers, their deeds are like a mirage in sandy deserts, which the man pa rched with thir st mistakes for water; until when he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing: But he finds Allah with him, and Allah will pay him his account: and Allah is swift in taking account. Or (the unbelievers’ state) is like the depths of darkness in a vast de ep ocean, overwhelmed with billow topped by billow, topped by (dark) clouds: depths of darkness, one above another: if a man stretches out his hands, he can hardly see it! for any to whom Allah giveth not light, there is no light!” (v 36-40)

Concern ing the behaviour of aged women

“Such elderly women as are past the prospect of marriage, there is no blame on them if they lay aside their (outer) garments, provided they make not a wanton display of their beauty: but it is best for them to be modest (v 60).

Muslims to salute one another

“But if ye enter houses, salute each other a greeting of blessing and purity as from Allah.

Thus does Allah ma ke clear the signs to you: that ye may understand”  (v 61).

Those with whom you have blood ties, and those with whom you share a common religion should be saluted. If the house is empty say ’ Peace be on us, and on the righteous servants of God,’ for the angels will return your salutation.

Appendix: The Light of Muhammad (Nur Muhammad)

The expression the light of Muhammad is generally thought of as the method in which Allah conveyed the light of religious truth through the prophets and in particular Muhammad. However, among certain groups of Muslims this teaching has been turned into an amazing myth based on a saying attributed to Muhammad.

“One day Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Holy Prophet asked, Oh Muhammad, both my parents shall be my ransom, pray tell me what the Lord Almighty created before all other beings of creation?” This was his blissful reply: Verily, before your Lord made any other thing, He created from His own light the light of your Prophet.”

This statement seems to be insisting on the priority of Muhammad. The myth has been developed in many ways which are all designed to lift the prestige of Muhammad.

From the varying myths the picture emerges that Allah created light from the eternal darkness and that from this He created the ‘Nur Muhammad.’ Then he created sweet water and set a blessing in it and was divided it into ten parts. From the first part He created the great throne of heaven which sat upon the waters, then He created the pen and commanded it to circumambulate the throne for a thousand years. The pen saw the name of Muhammad inscribed on the throne. The other parts of creation only came into existence after Muhammad had praised Allah for seventy thousand years.

The idea may also be developed from the following verse.

“O Prophet! Truly We have sent thee as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings, and warner, And as one who invites to Allah’s (grace) by His leave, and as a lamp spreading light” (Al-Ahzab 33:45, 46).

The concept of almost deifying Muhammad goes against Islam’s own notion of the transcendence of God and the humanity of the prophets. In the Quran Allah commands that ‘we do not make any special distinction among His prophets‘.

 

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Sura 25. Al-Furqan (The Criterion)

The object of the chapter is the same as many others, namely to present the virtue of the Quran to the unbelieving Qurraish and try to prove that Muhammad is one in the line of many former prophets who were rejected. As the term Furqan is mostly associated with revelation many Muslims regard it as an alternative name to the Quran. It occurs in the first verse of this sura.

“Blessed is He who sent down the criterion to His servant, that it may be an admonition to all creatures.”

The word furqan occurs seven times in the Quran and appears to be derived from the Jewish-Aramaic purqan or more probably the Syriac purqana with its basic maeaning of salvation. It can be said with confidence that the term furqan was used only for a short period of time and some believe that it was applied as a criterion that seperated believers from unbelievers when the Muslims were becoming became a distinct community (Bell and Watt Introduction to the Quran). It should also be mentioned that the Quran gives the same title to the book of Moses: “And remember We gave Moses the Scripture and the Criterion (between right and wrong): There was a chance for you to be guided aright.” (Al-Baqarrah 2:.53 c/f 21:48,49)). Once again, but in a different form the Quran speaks of the integrity of the scriptures and it claims that there is no difference between the testimony of the Quran and the preceeding scriptures. What higher testimony can there be ?

Muhammad accused of forgery

“But the misbelievers say: Naught is this but a lie which he has forged, and others have helped him at it. In truth it is they who have put forward an iniquity and a falsehood. And they say: Tales of the ancients, which he has caused to be written: and they are dictated before him morning and evening. Say: The (Qur’an) was sent down by Him who knows the mystery in the heavens and the earth: verily He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.And they say: What sort of a messenger is this, who eats food, and walks through the streets? Why has not an angel been sent down to him to give admonition with him? Or (why) has not a treasure been bestowed on him, or why has he (not) a garden for enjoyment? The wicked say: Ye follow none other than a man bewitched. See what kinds of comparisons they make for thee! But they have gone astray, and never a way will they be able to find!” (v 4-9).

The frequency with which Muhammad feels it necessary to rebut this charge by denial is a strong indication of its truth.

Day of Judgement

“The day they see the angels, no joy will there be to the sinners that day: The (angels) will say: There is a barrier forbidden (to you) altogether! And We shall turn to whatever deeds they did (in this life), and We shall make such deeds as floating dust scattered about. The companions of the Garden will be well, that day, in their abode, and have the fairest of places for repose. The day the heaven shall be rent asunder with clouds, and angels shall be sent down, descending (in ranks), That day, the dominion as of right and truth, shall be for (Allah) Most Merciful: it will be a day of dire difficulty for the misbelievers. The day that the wrong-doer will bite at his hands, he will say, Oh! would that I had taken a (straight) path with the messenger! (v 22-27)

In islam on the judgement day the clouds shall descend with the angels who will be carrying the book where every man’s actions are recorded.

Previous messengers  and Muhammad rejected

Moses:   “We sent Moses the Book, and appointed his brother Aaron with him as minister” (v 35)

Noah: “And the people of Noah, when they rejected the messengers” (v 37)

‘Ad and Thamud: “As also ‘Ad and Thamud, and the companions of the Rass, and many a generation between them” (v 38).

Muhammad: “When they see thee, they treat thee no otherwise than in mockery” (v 41).

 

The Quran sent down in fragments

“Those who reject faith say: Why is not the Quran revealed to him all at once?

Thus (is it revealed), that We may strengthen thy heart thereby, and We have rehearsed it to thee in slow, well-arranged stages, gradually.

And no question do they bring to thee but We reveal to thee the truth and the best explanation (v 32, 33).

Muslims thought that the Book of Moses, the Psalms and the Gospel, were sent down from heaven all at once, whereas it was twenty-three years before the Quran was completed. Moses, David and Jesus could all read but the revealing of the Quran in stages was believed to be a help to the illiterate Muhammad giving him the opportunity of understanding and absorbing the revelation and therefore overcoming this problem. The first suras which were given contain on average only five lines; the next twenty suras, sixteen lines. The average length of the suras after the flight is five pages.

 

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Sura 26  Ash-Shu’ara’ (The Poets) Mecca

Nearly this entire chapter consists of repetitions of the history of Moses, Abraham, Noah, Hud, Salih, Lot and Shuaib, which need not be quoted. Islam claims that these prophets in fulfilling their divine mission were all called impostors, liars and madmen, by those who rejected them. Muhammad claims to be in their line and considers his rejection  is because he too has been sent on a divine mission. The chapter owes its title to certain poets, mentioned in the concluding verses. “And the poets, It is those straying in evil, who follow them” (v 24). We give a very brief introduction to the background of poetic material in ancient Arabia.

Th e poets in Arabia (see verses 224-226 below)

The famous seven poems of ancient Arabia are called the Mu’allaqat or ‘suspended’ because they were suspended on the walls of the Ka’aba. They are also known as Muzahhbat or ‘golden’ because they were written in gold. Verse 224  in this chapter shows that in the early part of Muhammad’s mission he despised the poets but when Labid and Hassan accepted Islam they rose in Muhammad’s opinion. It is related that Labid, one of the poets, posted his poem ‘Know that everything is vanity but God’ in the Ka’aba but withdrew it and accepted Islam when he heard the first verses of Surah al-Baqqarah. Later, however, Muhammad complemented Labid on his poetry saying they were the truest words ever uttered by a poet. Hassan son of Sabit was also a former celebrated poet and when fighting the Banu Quraizah Muhammad exhorted Hassan by saying, “O Hassan ibn Sabit, abuse the infidels in your verse, for verily Gabriel helps you!” (Mishkat, book 22, chapter 9 part 1).

Muhammad repudiated the idea of being a poet but because the Quran is in a rhythm and in some places actual poetry the declaration that Muhammad was not a poet has perplexed the commentators. But ar-Razi explains that in order to be a poet it is absolutely necessary that the poems should not be impromptu verses as in the Quran, but deliberately framed.

Muhammad vexed by the rejection of his message by the Qurraish

“It may be thou frettest thy soul with grief, that they do not become believers

They have indeed rejected (the message): so they will know soon the truth of what they mocked at!” (v 3 – 9).

Previous prophets message rejected

Moses (verses 10-68):  Abraham (verses 69-104):  Noah (verses 105-122): Hud (verses 123 -140): Salih (verses 141-159):  Lot (verses 160 -175) : Shuaib (verses 175-191). Each section is separated by the same response:

“And verily thy Lord is He, the Exalted in Might, Most Merciful”.

The Quran claims that it was given to Muhammad through Gabriel

“And lo! it is a revelation of the Lord of the worlds, Which the true spirit hath brought down Upon thy heart, that thou mayst be of the warners,

In plain Arabic speech And lo! it is in the Scriptures of the men of old.

Is it not a token for them that the doctors of the Children of Israel know it?” (verses 192-197)

The ‘true spirit’, denotes Gabriel, Muhammad was the instrument and the words are God’s. The Quran is supposed to support the former scriptures, it is possible that some of the Jewish converts to Islam applied the prophecies about Jesus Christ to Muhammad?

The devils descend upon liars

“Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend? They descend on every sinful, false one.” (v 221-222).

Muhammad’s enemies were believed to be assisted by devils who listened at the door of heaven to hear what they could.

Unbelieving and believing poets

“And the poets, It is those straying in evil, who follow them:

Seest thou not that they wander distracted in every valley? And that they say what they practise not? “(v 224-226)

Certain poets ridiculed and opposed Muhammad, they are said in this verse to ‘wander distracted in every valley,’ as madmen. Their productions were cited at the great annual fair held at Okatz. The poems which were judged the best were written up in letters of gold, or suspended (therefore called The Mu’allaqat) in the Ka’aba. Several poets were employed by Muhammad to counter their satire, these were in their right mind and pious Muslims. Muhammad is reported as saying: ’Ply them with satires, for they wound more deeply than arrows (Al-Beidawi).’ The poetical contests were subsequently suppressed by Muhammad, because they offered the opportunity for discussion which might prove unfavourable to his rising claims.

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