70 Sura Al-Ma’arij (The Ways of Ascent) Mecca
Th
e title is taken from verse 3 ”A penalty from Allah, Lord of the ways of ascent.” The majority of commentators are of the opinion that ‘the ways of ascent’ refers to the judgement day and this once again is the major theme of the chapter. Judgement day will inevitably come but Muslims will be secure despite their immoral position regarding concubines (v 26-30)
“A questioner asked about a penalty to befall the unbelievers, the which there is none to ward off, (A penalty) from Allah, Lord of the ways of ascent. The angels and the spirit (Gabriel) ascend unto him in a day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years: Therefore do thou hold patience, a patience of beautiful (contentment)” (v.1-5).
No redemption from the terrors of the Judgement Day
“The day that the sky will be like molten brass, And the mountains will be like wool, And no friend will ask after a friend, Though they will be put in sight of each other, the sinner’s desire will be: Would that he could redeem himself from the penalty of that day by (sacrificing) his children, his wife and his brother, his kindred who sheltered him, And all, all that is on earth, so it could deliver him” (v 8-14 and on to v 18)
Hughes says: The slavery of Islam is interwoven with the law of marriage, the law of sale, and the law of inheritance, and its abolition would strike at the very foundation of the code of Islam ……. There is no limit to the number of slave girls with whom a Muslim may cohabit, and it is the consecration of this illimitable indulgence which so popularizes slavery amongst the Muslim nations.’
Muhammad, it is true encouraged kindliness in the treatment of slaves, but they are under no obligation to release them. The female slaves are completely under the control of their masters. Slavery can only be abolished when concubinage is abolished; and when concubinage is abolished the whole character of Islam, and especially its attitude to its prophet and its sacred book must be altered.
At a time when the Christian nations were trying to suppress slavery, Muslims were its great supporters and the Arabs converted a large portion of Central Africa into a slave-hunting ground. It must be sadly admitted that Christian nations have been guilty of holding slaves, but it is directly opposed to the spirit of their religion.
Certainty of a Judgement Day to fall on the unbelievers
“So leave them to plunge in vain talk and play about, until they encounter that day of theirs which they have been promised! The day whereon they will issue from their sepulchres in sudden haste as if they were rushing to a goal-post (fixed for them), Their eyes lowered in dejection, ignominy covering them! such is the day the which they are promised! (v 42-44)
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Sura 71 Nuh (Noah) Mecca
“We sent Noah to his people “Do thou warn thy people before there comes to them a grievous penalty.”
He said: “O my People! I am to you a warner, clear and open” (v 1, 2)
In
the Bible Noah is not a prophet but a ‘preacher of righteousness,’ while in the Quran inspiration is said to have been bestowed upon him: “Build the ship under Our eyes and by Our inspiration, and speak not unto Me on behalf of those who do wrong. Lo! they will be drowned” (v 37). In the Quran Noa h is the first prophet of punishment and then is followed by others like Hud, Salih, Lut, Shu’aib and Moses. Muhammad is fond of seeing himself reflected in the earlier prophets and sees himself functioning in the same work as the ‘Muslim Noah.’ Muhammad puts into the mouth of Noah the things that he would like to say himself and into the mouth of Noah’s opponents what he himself has heard from his opponents.
Noah is sent as a warner to his generation
“He said: “O my Lord! I have called to my people night and day: “But my call only increases (their) flight (from the right). “And every time I have called to them, that Thou mightest forgive them, they have (only) thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments, grown obstinate, and given themselves up to arrogance. “So I have called to them aloud. “Further I have spoken to them in public and secretly in private, “Saying, ‘Ask forgiveness from your Lord; for He is Oft-Forgiving; “‘What is the matter with you, that ye place not your hope for kindness and long-suffering in Allah (v 5-13).
Noah’s appeal to nature
“‘See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another, “‘And made the moon a light in their midst, and made the sun as a lamp? “‘And Allah has produced you from the earth growing, “‘And in the end He will return you into the (earth), and raise you forth (v 15-20).
Refusal and fate of the people who refused to give up idols
“And they have said (to each other), ‘Abandon not your gods: Abandon neither Wadd nor Suwa’, neither Yaguth nor Ya’uq, nor Nasr’; “They have already misled many; and grant Thou no increase to the wrong-doers but in straying because of their sins they were drowned (in the flood), and were made to enter the fire and they found in lieu of Allah none to help them.” (v.23-25)
These were the five gods worshipped before the flood, and afterwards by the Arabs.
The Muslim Noah prays for the destruction of the unbelievers
“And Noah, said: “O my Lord! Leave not of the unbelievers, a single one on earth! “For, if Thou dost leave (any of) them, they will but mislead Thy devotees, and they will breed none but wicked ungrateful ones” (v 26, 27).
The Bible says that Noah was a preacher of righteousness, it does not say that he implored God to destroy the people of his time.
Noah prays for forgiveness of sin
“O my Lord! Forgive me, my parents, all who enter my house in faith, and (all) believing men and believing women: and to the wrong-doers grant Thou no increase but in perdition!” (v 28)
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72 Sura Al-Jinn (The Jinn)
“Say: It has been revealed to me that a company of Jinns listened” (to the Quran) v.1.
According to Muslim tradition the Jinn were created of fire some thousands of years before Adam. The Jinn are considered to be like men, capable of future salvation and damnation; they can accept or reject God’s message; they are believers or non-believers. Here is in verses 1 – 7 we have the Quran’s narration of how Muhammad was sent to convert the Jinn to Islam as well as the Arabs.
When the first wife of Muhammad, Khadija, and his uncle, Abu Talib, died in the same year, Muhamma
d lost his protection and tried to find refuge in Taif, a village high above the hills of Mecca, but he was rejected harshly by the inhabitants of this village. Muhammad was helpless and in deep despair, so he escaped into the desert were jinn met with him while he was reciting the Quran. Muslims believe in the reality of spirits as this sermon to the jinn demonstrates.
A crowd of jinn listen to Muhammad’s recitation
“Say: It has been revealed to me that a company of jinns listened (to the Quran). They said, ‘We have really heard a wonderful recital! ‘It gives guidance to the right, and we have believed therein: we shall not join (in worship) any (gods) with our Lord. ‘And exalted is the Majesty of our Lord: He has taken neither a wife nor a son” (v 1-3).
According to the Quran these spirits have the ability to listen to what has been said in public or secret and are able to differentiate in peoples’ matters. They can declare whether a recital is good or bad. Here they testify that the Quran is wonderful and that it guides men to rectitude, to the right way of life in doctrine and ethical standards. They confess ‘we have believed therein’. This means that some of these spirits and demons understood the Quran, found it helpful, accepted it, and bound themselves to it. They quickly confess the main point ‘we shall not join (in worship) any (gods) with our Lord’.
The jinn give an account of themselves
“And we pried into the secrets of heaven; but we found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires. ‘And we understand not whether ill is intended to those on earth, or whether their Lord intends to guide them to right conduct. ‘There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary: we follow divergent paths. ‘But we think that we can by no means frustrate Allah throughout the earth, nor can we frustrate Him by flight” (v 8-12).
Unbelieving and believing jinn
‘Amongst us are some that submit their wills (to Allah and become Muslim), and some that swerve from justice. Now those who submit their wills they have sought out (the path) of right conduct: ‘But those who swerve, they are (but) fuel for Hell-fire’ (v 14, 15).
Seven jinn were said to have been converted but Muhammad was apparently unaware and returned back to Medina depressed. Comments about the jinn are taken from ‘The Occult in Islam’ by Abd Al-Masih
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73 Sura Al-Muzzammil (The One wrapped in Garments)
The
title of this sura is taken from verse one “O thou wrapped up (in the mantle)!” Some time had passed since Muhammad had received any communication from Gabriel then the verses 1-5 in this chapter were said to be revealed. The Quarraish are threatened for not accepting his message and the experience of Pharaoh in rejecting the messenger Moses is adapted as an example. This chapter also contains directions about prayer and reading the Quran.
Muhammad’s revelation renewed
“O thou folded in garments!
Stand (to prayer) by night, but not all night, half of it,or a little less, or a little more;
and recite the Quran in slow, measured rhythmic tones. Soon shall We send down to thee a weighty message”
(v 1-5).
Unbelievers are threatened
“And leave Me (alone to deal with) those in possession of the good things of life, who (yet) deny the truth;
and bear with them for a little while. With Us are fetters (to bind them), and a fire (to burn them),
And a food that chokes, and a penalty grievous (v.11-13)
Muhammad likened to Moses
“We have sent to you, a messenger, to be a witness concerning you, even as We sent a messenger to Pharaoh.
But Pharaoh disobeyed the messenger; so We seized him with a heavy punishment.
Then how shall ye, if ye deny (Allah), guard yourselves against a day that will make children hoary-headed? (v.15-17)
Directions are given about prayer and reading the Quran
“Thy Lord doth know that thou standest forth (to prayer) nigh two-thirds of the night, or half the night, or a third of the night, and so doth a party of those with thee. But Allah doth appoint night and day in due measure He knoweth that ye are unable to keep count thereof. So He hath turned to you (in mercy): read ye, therefore, of the Quran as much as may be easy for you. He knoweth that there may be (some) among you in ill-health; others travelling through the land, seeking of Allah’s bounty; yet others fighting in Allah’s Cause, read ye, therefore, as much of the Quran as may be easy (for you); and establish regular prayer and give regular charity; and loan to Allah a beautiful loan.” (v.20).
Commentators state that the dedication of part of the night to devotion has been abrogated.
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74 Sura Al-Muddaththir (The One Enveloped) Mecca
M uhammad when wrapped in his mantle (see Sura 73) was told by Gabriel to arise and preach, additional details of the background of this sura are found with the accomanying hadiths. An unbeliever is denounced and the threats of hell heaped upon him lead on to a description of the Muslim hell.
The Muslim Hell ‘An-Nar’ – the fire
The Muslim hell has seven divisions. ’Jahannam’ refers to the section of hell prepared for Muslims, a type of purgatory meant for purification which will not be everlasting. The orthodox teaching is that all Muslims will go to hell: “Not one of you but will pass over it: this is, with thy Lord, a decree which must be accomplished” (Maryam 19:71).
The degree and duration of punishment in hell is dependent upon the enormity of the sins committed by the person. For Muslims who have not committed great sins, hell will be cool and pleasant. However, unbelievers who say that God is a plural being will have to remain in hell forever, subjected to burning flames and icy cold.
Muhammad told to preach
We include these two relevant hadiths: Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah: That he heard Allah’s Apostle describing the period of pause of the divine inspiration, and in his description he said, “While I was walking I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up towards the sky, and behold! I saw the same angel who came to me in the Cave of Hira’, sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I was so terrified by him that I fell down on the ground. Then I went to my wife and said, ‘Wrap me in garments! Wrap me in garments!’ They wrapped me, and then Allah revealed: “O you, (Muhammad) wrapped-up! Arise and warn…… and desert the idols.” (74.1-5) …………. ” After that, the divine inspiration started coming more frequently and regularly.(Bukhari Volume 6, Book 60, Number 448)
Narrated Yahya bin Abi Kathir: Allah’s Apostle said, “I was in seclusion in the cave of Hiram’, and after I completed the limited period of my seclusion. I came down (from the cave) and heard a voice calling me. I looked to my right, but saw nothing. Then I looked up and saw something. So I went to Khadija and told her to wrap me up and pour cold water on me. So they wrapped me up and poured cold water on me.” Then, ‘O you, (Muhammad) wrapped up! Arise and warn,’ (Surat Al Muddaththir) was revealed.” (74.1) (Bukhari Volume 6, Book 60, Number 444) – Muhammad had been sweating profusely so his wife, Khadijah, gave him a blanket to relieve his fever.
Denunciation of a rich unbeliever who mocks Muhammad’s revelation
“Leave Me alone, (to deal) with the (creature) whom I created alone To whom I granted resources in abundance, And sons to be by his side! To whom I made (life) smooth and comfortable! Yet is he greedy that I should add (yet more); By no means! For to Our signs he has been refractory! Soon will I visit him with a mount of calamities! For he thought and he plotted; And woe to him! How he plotted! Yea, Woe to him; How he plotted Then he frowned and he scowled; Then he turned back and was haughty; Then said he: “This is nothing but magic, derived from of old; “This is nothing but the word of a mortal!” Soon will I cast him into hell-fire!” (v.11-26)
The commentators say that the man concerned is Walid bin Mughaira, an important person of the Qurraish tribe.
The Muslim Hell
“Ah, what will convey unto thee what that burning is! It leaveth naught; it spareth naught It shrivelleth the man.”
(v 27-29)
Nineteen angels are the guardians of Hell
“Over it are nineteen. And We have set none but angels as guardians of the fire; and We have fixed their number only as a trial for unbelievers, in order that the People of the Book may arrive at certainty, and the believers may increase in faith, and that no doubts may be left for the People of the Book and the believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the unbelievers may say, “What symbol doth Allah intend by this?” Thus doth Allah leave to stray whom He pleaseth, and guide whom He pleaseth: and none can know the forces of thy Lord, except He and this is no other than a warning to mankind (v 30,31).
These verses were probably placed in this sura at a later time as they deal with a response to Jews, possibly in Medina, who had raised the question of how many angels there were who guarded hell.
Things that led sinners into hell fire
“And (ask) of the sinners: “What led you into hell fire?”
They will say: “We were not of those who prayed;
“Nor were we of those who fed the indigent;
“But we used to talk vanities with vain talkers;
“And we used to deny the day of judgment (v 41-46).
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