Dear Readers

AA

The series is coming to its end soon, with 5 more chapters remaining. I am thankful to Allah SWT for giving me the courage, understanding and physical power to complete this within the month of Ramadhan. I know this was not an easy task. Allah's Book is too great a work for a man to do justice to. I pray Allah to accept this effort of mine and forgive whatever mistakes I committed. I invite readers not only to send comments and suggestions but to specifically point the need to add new topics in the book and the verses that need to be added.

Some readers have suggested that the book should be published and distributed in big numbers among Non-Muslims. But this is something I cannot do on my own.

Javed

In the name of God, the Kind, the Merciful

A systematic study of the Holy Qur'an-24

By

Dr Javed Jamil

THE HISTORY OF CONFRONTATION

BETWEEN THE RIGHT AND THE WRONG

            History, as researched and described in modern times, is chiefly an account of the events occurring at the political level; it focuses on confrontations between different forces for the usurpation of power. In short, it is the history of kings and the merits and demerits of their rule. It hardly deals with anything that is not directly or indirectly related to the power struggle. The history as told by the Qur'an assumes different propositions altogether.  After describing the history of the creation of the universe and that of man, it concentrates on the struggle between the right and the wrong; and between the forces of evil and the forces of truth. It is not particular about the places, dates and names. Its emphasis is only on how the messengers of God conveyed the messages of love, brotherhood, truth and justice; how the people rejected them; and how God destroyed them, on account of their spreading chaos in society, and oppressing the week and the poor. An interesting feature of the historical accounts given by the Qur'an is the description of a number of highly developed civilizations and their downfall on account of natural calamities of different kinds. To sum up, the history in the Qur'an only supports the basic principle that it is God who is the supreme authority and those who violate God's injunctions are the ultimate losers.

In the name of God, the Kind, the Merciful

HISTORY IN THE QUR'AN

ADAM (P.B.U.H)

* Behold, thy Lord said to the angles: "I will create

A vice-regent on the earth." They said:

"Wilt thou place there in one who will make

Mischief there in and shed blood?

Whilst we do celebrate Thy praises

And glorify Thy Holy (name)?"

He said:" I know what ye know not."

And He taught Adam the nature

Of all things; then he placed them

Before the angels, and said; "Tell Me

The nature of these if ye are right."

They said:  "Glory to thee: of knowledge

We, have none, save what Thou

Hast taught us: in truth it is Thou

Who are perfect in knowledge and wisdom."

He said: "O Adam! tell them

Their natures." When he had told them,

God said: "Did I not tell you

That I know the secrets of heaven

And earth, and I know what ye reveal

And what ye conceal?"

And behold, we said to the angels:

Bow down to Adam": and they bowed down

Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty:

He was of those who reject Faith. (2: 30-34/A)

* God said: "What prevented

Thee from bowing down

When I commanded thee?"

He said: "I am better

Than he: Thou didst create

me from fire, and him from clay."

(God) said: "Get thee down

From this: it is not

For thee to be arrogant

Here: get out, for thou

Art of the meanest (of creatures)."

He said: "Give me respite

Till the day they are

Raised up."

(God) Said: "Be thou

Among those who have respite."

He said: "Because thou

Hast thrown me out

of the way, lo! I will 

Lie in wait for them

On Thy Straight Way:

Then will I assault them

From before them and behind them

From their right and their left:

Nor wilt Thou find,

In most of them

Gratitude (for Thy mercies)."

(God) said: "Get out

From this, disgraced

And expelled. If any

Of them follows thee,

Hell will I fill

With you all."

"O Adam! dwell thou

and thy wife in the Garden.,

And enjoy (its good things)

As ye wish: but approach not

This tree, or ye run

Into harm and transgression." (7: 12-19/A)

* Then we said: "O Adam!

Verily, this is an enemy

To thee and thy wife:

So let him not get ye

Both out of the Garden,

So that thou art landed

In misery.

There is there in (enough provision)

For thee not to go hungry

Nor to go naked,

Nor to suffer from thirst,

Nor from the sun's heat."

But Satan whispered evil

To him: he said, "O Adam!

Shall I lead thee to

The Tree of Eternity

And to a kingdom

That never decays?" (20: 117-120/A)

* He said: "Your Lord

Only forbade you this tree,

Lest ye should become angels

or such beings as live for ever."

And he swore to them

Both, that he was

Their sincere

Adviser.

So by deceit he brought about

Their fall: when they

Tasted of the tree,

Their shame became manifest

To them, and they began

To sew together the leaves

Of the garden over their bodies.

And their Lord called

Unto them: "Did I not

Forbid you that tree,

And tell you that Satan

Was an avowed

Enemy unto you?"

They said: "Our Lord!

We have wronged our own souls:

If thou forgive us not

And bestow not upon us

Thy mercy, we shall

Certainly be lost."

(God) said: "Get ye down,

With enmity between yourselves.

On earth will be your dwelling-place

And your means of livelihood,

For a time."

He said: "There in shall ye

Live, and there in shall ye

Die but from it shall ye

Be taken (at last). " (7: 20-25/A)

* But his Lord chose him

(For his grace): He turned

To him, and gave him guidance.

He said: "Get ye down,

Both of you, all together

From the Garden, with enmity

One to another; but, if,

As is sure, comes to you

Guidance from Me, whosoever

Follows my guidance, will not Lose his way, nor fall

Into misery.

But whosoever turns away

From My message, verily

For him is a life narrowed

Down, and We shall raise

Him up blind on the Day

Of Judgement. " (20: 122-124/A)

* Recite to them the truth

Of the story of the two sons

Of Adam. Behold! they each

Presented a sacrifice to God):

It was accepted from one,

But not from the other.

Said the latter: "Be sure"

I will slay thee.": "Surely",

Said the former, "God

Doth accept of the sacrifice

Of those who are righteous.

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

God, the cherisher of the worlds.

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."

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.

Then God sent a raven,

Who scratched the ground,

To show him how to hide

The shame of his brother.

"Woe to 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... (5: 27-31/A)

IDRIS

* Also mention in the Book

The case of Idris:

He was a man of truth

(And sincerity), (and) a prophet.

And We raised him to a lofty station.

 (19: 57/A)

NUH (NOAH)

* We sent Noah to his people. He said: "O my      people! worship God. Ye have no other god but Him. I fear for you the punishment of a dreadful day! The leaders of his people said: "Ah! we see thee evidently wandering (in mind)." He said: "O my people! No wandering is there in my (mind): on the contrary I am an apostle from the Lord and Cherisher of the worlds! "I but fulfil towards you the duties of my Lord's     mission: Sincere is my advice to you, and I know from God something that ye know not. Do ye wonder that there hath come to you a message from your Lord, through a man of your own people, to warn you,- so that ye may fear God and haply receive His Mercy?" (7: 59-63/A)

* Relate to them the story of Noah. Behold! he said to his people: "O my people, if it be hard on your (mind) that I should stay (with you) and commemorate the signs of God,- yet I put my trust in God. Get ye then an agreement about your plan and among your      partners, so your plan be on to you dark and dubious. Then pass your sentence on me, and give me no     respite. But if ye turn back, (consider): no reward have I asked of you: my reward is only due from God, and I have been commanded to be of those who submit to God's will (in Islam)." (10: 71-72/A)

* But the chiefs of the Unbelievers among his people said: "We see (in) thee nothing but a man like ourselves: Nor do we see that any follow thee but the meanest among us, in judgement immature: Nor do we see in you (all) any merit above us: in fact we think ye are liars!" He said: "O my people! See ye if (it be that) I have a Clear Sign from my Lord, and that He hath sent Mercy unto me from His own presence, but that the Mercy hath been obscured from your sight? Shall we compel you to accept it when ye are averse to it? And O my people! I ask you for no wealth in return: my reward is from none but God. But I will not drive away (in contempt) those who believe: for verily they are to meet their Lord, and ye I see are the ignorant ones! And O my people! who would help me against God if I drove them away? Will ye not then take heed? I tell you not that with me are the treasures of God, nor do I know what is hidden, nor claim I to be an angel. Nor yet do I say, of those whom your eyes do despise that God will not grant them (all) that is good: God knoweth best what is in their souls: I should, if I did, indeed be a wrongdoer."(11: 27-31/A)

* He said: "O my People! I am to you a Warner, clear and open: that ye should worship God, fear Him and obey me: so He may forgive you your sins and give you respite for a stated Term: for when the Term given by God is accomplished, it cannot be put forward: if ye only knew." (71: 2-4/A)

* They said: "Shall we believe in thee when it is the meanest that follow thee?" He said: "And what do I know as to what they do? Their account is only with my Lord, if ye could (but) understand. I am not  one to drive away those who believe. I am sent only to warn plainly in public." They said: "If thou desist not, O Noah! thou shalt be stoned (to death)."  (26: 111-116/A)

* They said: "O Noah! thou hast disputed with us, and (much) hast thou prolonged the dispute with us: now bring upon us what thou threatenest us with, if thou speakest the truth!?" He said: "Truly, God will bring it on you if He wills,- and then, ye will not be able to frustrate it! Of no profit will be my counsel to you, much as I desire to give you (good) counsel, if it be that God willeth to leave you astray: He is your Lord! and to Him will ye return!" (11: 32-34/A)

* We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them a thousand years less fifty...(29: 14/A)

* 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; He will send rain to you in abundance; give you increase in wealth and sons; and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers (of flowing water). What is the matter with you, that ye place not your hope for kindness and long-suffering in God,- seeing that it is He that has created you in diverse stages? See ye not how God has created the seven heavens one above another, and made the moon a light in their midst, and made the sun as a (Glorious) Lamp? And God has produced you from the earth growing (gradually), and in the end He will return you into the (earth), and raise you forth (again at the    Resurrection)? And God has made the earth for you as a carpet (spread out), that ye may go about therein, in spacious roads.'"

            Noah said: "O my Lord! They have disobeyed me, but they follow (men) whose wealth and children give them no increase but only Loss. And they have devised a tremendous plot. 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 (from their mark)." (71: 5-24/A)

* It was revealed to Noah: "None of thy people will believe except those who have believed already! So grieve no longer over their (evil) deeds. But construct an Ark under Our eyes and Our inspiration, and    address Me no (further) on behalf of those who are in sin: for they are about to be overwhelmed (in the Flood)." Forthwith he (started) constructing the Ark: Every time that the chiefs of his people passed by him, they threw ridicule on him. He said: "If ye ridicule us now, we (in our turn) can look down on you with    ridicule likewise! But soon will ye know who it is on whom will descend a penalty that will cover them with shame,- on whom will be unloosed a penalty lasting..." (11: 36-39/A)

* At length, behold!

There came our command,

And the fountains of the earth

Gushed forth! We said:

"Embark there in, of each kind

Two, male and female,

And your family except

Those against whom the word

Has already gone forth,

And the Believers."

But only a few

Believed with him.

So he said :"Embark ye

On the Ark,

In the name of God,

Whether it move

Or be at rest!

For my Lord is, be sure,

Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful!"

So  the Ark floated

With them on the waves

(Towering) like mountains,

And Noah called out

To his son, who had

Separated himself (from the rest):

"O my son! embark

With us, and be not

With the unbelievers!"

The son replied: "I will

Betake myself to some mountain:

It will save me from

The water." Noah said:

"This day nothing can save,

From the command of God,

Any but those on whom

he hath mercy!"

And the waves came

Between them, and the son

Was among those overwhelmed in the Flood.

Then the word went forth:

"O earth! swallow up

The water, and O sky

Withhold (thy rain)!"

And the water abated,

And the matter was ended.

The Ark rested on the Mount

Judi, and the word

Went forth : "Away

With those who do wrong!"

And Noah called upon

His Lord, and said:

"O my Lord! surely

My son is of my family!

And Thy promise is true,

And thou art

The Justest of Judges!"

He said: "O Noah!

He is not of thy family:

For his conduct is unrighteous.

So ask not of Me

That of which thou

Hast no knowledge!

I give thee counsel, lest

Thou act like the ignorant!"

Noah said; "O my Lord!

I do seek refuge with Thee,

Lest I ask Thee for that

Of which I have no knowledge.

And unless Thou forgive me

And have Mercy on me,

I should indeed be lost!"

The word came: "O Noah!

Come down (from the Ark)

With Peace from us,

And blessing on thee

And on some of the Peoples

(Who will spring) from those

With Thee: but (there will be

Other) Peoples to whom we

Shall grant their pleasures

(for a time), but in the end

Will a grievous Penalty

Reach them from Us." (11: 40-48/A)

HUD

* To the "˜Ad people, (We sent) Hud, one of their (own) brethren: He said: "O my people! worship God. Ye have no other god but Him; will ye not fear ((God))?" The leaders of the unbelievers among his people said: "Ah! we see thou art an imbecile! And we think thou art a liar!" He said: "O my people! I am no imbecile, but (I am) an apostle from the Lord and Cherisher of the worlds! I but fulfil towards you the duties of my Lord's mission: I am to you a sincere and trustworthy adviser. Do ye wonder that there hath come to you a message from your Lord through a man of your own people, to warn you? Call in remembrance that He made you inheritors after the people of Noah, and   gave you a stature tall among the nations. Call in     remembrance the benefits (ye have received) from  God that so ye may prosper." They said: "Comest thou to us, that we may worship God alone, and give up the cult of our fathers? Bring us what thou threatenest us with, if so be that thou tellest the truth!" He said:    "Punishment and wrath have already come upon you from your Lord: dispute ye with me over names which ye have devised - ye and your fathers,- without      authority from God. Then wait: I am amongst you, also waiting." (7: 65-71/A)

* To the "˜Ad People (We sent) Hud, one of their own brethren. He said: "O my people! worship God. Ye have no other god but Him. (Your other gods) ye do nothing but invent!  O my people! I ask of you no reward for this (Message). My reward is from none but Him who created me: Will ye not then understand? And O my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him (in repentance): He will send you the skies pouring abundant rain, and add strength to your strength: so turn ye not back in sin!" They said: "O Hud! No Clear (Sign) that hast thou brought us, and we are not the ones to desert our gods on thy word! Nor shall we believe in thee! We say nothing but that (perhaps) some of our gods may have seized thee with imbecility." He said: "I call God to witness, and do ye bear witness, that I am free from the sin of ascribing, to Him, other gods as partners! So scheme (your worst) against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in God, My Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature, but He hath grasp of its forelock. Verily, it is my Lord that is on a straight Path.  If ye turn away,- I (at least) have conveyed the Message with which I was sent to you. My Lord will make  another people to succeed you, and you will not harm Him in the least. For my Lord hath care and watch over all things." (11: 50-57/A)

* (Hud said to his people)"¦"Do ye build a landmark on every high place to amuse yourselves? And do ye get for yourselves fine buildings in the hope of living therein (for ever)?  And when ye exert your strong hand, do ye do it like men of absolute power? Now fear God, and obey me. Yea, fear Him Who has    bestowed on you freely all that ye know. Freely has He bestowed on you cattle and sons,- and Gardens and Springs. Truly I fear for you the Penalty of a Great Day." They said: "It is the same to us whether thou admonish us or be not among (our) admonishers!     This is no other than a customary device of the      ancients, and we are not the ones to receive Pains and        Penalties!" (26: 128-138/A)

* Mention (Hud) one of "˜Ad's (own) brethren Behold, he warned his people about the winding Sand-tracts: but there have been warners before him and after him: "Worship ye none other than God. Truly I fear for you the Penalty of a Mighty Day." They said: "Hast thou come in order to turn us aside from our gods? Then bring upon us the (calamity) with which thou dost threaten us, if thou art telling the truth?" He said: "The Knowledge (of when it will come) is only with God. I proclaim to you the mission on which I have been sent: But I see that ye are a people in     ignorance!".  Then, when they saw the (Penalty in the shape of) a cloud traversing the sky, coming to meet their valleys, they said, "This cloud will give us rain!" "Nay, it is the (Calamity) ye were asking to be       hastened!- A wind wherein is a Grievous Penalty!  "Everything will it destroy by the command of its Lord!" Then by the morning they - nothing was to be seen but (the ruins of) their houses! thus do We      recompense those given to sin! (46: 21-25/A)

SALIH

* To the Thamud People (We sent) Salih, one of their own brethren. He said: "O my people! Worship God; ye have no other god but Him. It is He Who hath   produced you from the earth and settled you therein: then ask forgiveness of Him, and turn to Him (in     repentance): for my Lord is (always) near, ready to answer." They said: "O Salih! thou hast been of us! a centre of our hopes hitherto! dost thou (now) forbid us the worship of what our fathers worshipped? But we are really in suspicious (disquieting) doubt as to that to which thou invitest us." He said: "O my people! do ye see? if I have a Clear (Sign) from my Lord and He hath sent Mercy unto me from Himself,- who then can help me against God if I were to disobey Him? What then would ye add to my (portion) but         perdition?"   (11: 61-63/A)

* He said: "O my people! worship God. Ye have no other god but Him. Now hath come unto you a clear (Sign) from your Lord! This she-camel of God is a Sign unto you: So leave her to graze in God's earth, and let her come to no harm, or ye shall be seized with a grievous punishment. And remember how He made you inheritors after the "˜Ad people and gave you habitations in the land: ye build for yourselves palaces and castles in (open) plains, and care out homes in the mountains; so bring to remembrance the benefits (ye have received) from God, and refrain from evil and mischief on the earth." The leaders of the arrogant party among his people said to those who were reckoned powerless - those among them who believed: "know ye indeed that Salih is an apostle from his Lord?" They said: "We do indeed believe in the revelation           which hath been sent through him." The Arrogant party      said: "For our part, we reject what ye believe in."           (7: 73-76/A)

* Yet they slew her (the she camel). He said: you have but three days to live in your dwellings. This promise can not be dispro­ved. (11: 65/Z)

* We sent (aforetime), to the Thamud, their brother Salih, saying, "Serve God.: But behold, they became two factions quarrelling with each other.  He said:        "O my people! why ask ye to hasten on the evil in preference to the good? If only ye ask God for      forgiveness, ye may hope to receive mercy. They said: "Ill omen do we augur from thee and those that are with thee". He said: "Your ill omen is with God; yea, ye are a people under trial." There were in the city nine men of a family, who made mischief in the land, and would not reform.  They said: "Swear a mutual oath by God that we shall make a secret night attack on him and his people, and that we shall then say to his heir (when he seeks vengeance): "˜We were not present at the slaughter of his people, and we are positively telling the truth." They plotted and planned, but We too planned, even while they perceived it not.  Then see what was the end of their plot!- this, that We   destroyed them and their people, all (of them).  Now such were their houses, - in utter ruin, - because they practised wrong-doing. Verily in this is a Sign for   people of knowledge.  And We saved those who  believed and practised righteousness.  (27: 45-53/A)

* When our Decree issued,

We saved Salih and those

Who believed with him,

By (special) Grace from Ourselves

And from the Ignominy

Of that Day. For thy Lord-

He is the strong One, and Able

To enforce His will.

The (mighty) Blast overtook

The wrong-doers, and they

Lay prostrate

In their homes before the morning,

As if they had never

Dwelt and flourished there.

Ah! Behold! For the Thamud

Rejected their Lord and Cherisher!

Ah! Behold ! Removed

(From sight) were the Thamuds! (11: 66-68/A)