Prophet Muhammad is reported to have been asked, " Will God destroy us while good people are still living amongst us?" His reply was, " Yes, when most of you are wrong-doers." For that reason God dispersed the Israelites and subjugated them to the rule of other nations. In this case, however, human transgression and disobedience had not come about as a result of ignorance or lack of prior warning, but had been a calculated and delibrate stance: " We made a covenant of old with the Children of Israel and We sent unto them messengers. As often as a messenger came unto them with that which their souls desired not (they became rebellious). Some (of them) they denied and some they slew. [ al Maidah, 70 ] . As cases of over-weaning pride and insolence accumulated, there come a time when God;s patience with them would runs out, and their state is described by this parable:
Recite unto them the tale of him to whom We gave Our revelations, but he sloughed them off, so Satan overtook him and he became of those who lead astray. (175) And had We willed We could have raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust. Therefor his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may take thought. (176)
This of course is true for individuals as well as nations who receive guidance, underestimate its value, or reject it altogether. Today, the opponents of Islam are facing "Muslims' who, unfortunately, are far more negligent of God's revelations and guidance than they are. Sadly, many of today's "Muslims' are people who have violated God's laws, cast aside the banner of Prophet Muhammad, and adopted systems that are alien to their religion and their culture. It would come as no surprise, therefore, that they too should be included with Moses's recalcitrant followers in the general meaning of the verse which says:
Already have We urged unto hell many of the jinn and humankind, having hearts wherewith they understand not, and having eyes wherewith they see not, and having ears wherewith they hear not. These are as the cattle - nay, but they are worse! These are the neglectful. (179)
History tells us that the kingdom of the Jews was destroyed and ransacked by many enemies over successive generations, and the surah confirms that, saying: " And We have sundered them in the earth as (separate) nations. Some of them are righteous, and some far from that. And We have tried them with good things and evil things that haply they might return. (168)
Prophet Muhammad is reported to have been asked, " Will God destroy us while good people are still living amongst us?" His reply was, " Yes, when most of you are wrong-doers." For that reason God dispersed the Israelites and subjugated them to the rule of other nations. In this case, however, human transgression and disobedience had not come about as a result of ignorance or lack of prior warning, but had been a calculated and delibrate stance: " We made a covenant of old with the Children of Israel and We sent unto them messengers. As often as a messenger came unto them with that which their souls desired not (they became rebellious). Some (of them) they denied and some they slew. [ al Maidah, 70 ] . As cases of over-weaning pride and insolence accumulated, there come a time when God;s patience with them would runs out, and their state is described by this parable:
Recite unto them the tale of him to whom We gave Our revelations, but he sloughed them off, so Satan overtook him and he became of those who lead astray. (175) And had We willed We could have raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust. Therefor his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may take thought. (176)
This of course is true for individuals as well as nations who receive guidance, underestimate its value, or reject it altogether. Today, the opponents of Islam are facing "Muslims' who, unfortunately, are far more negligent of God's revelations and guidance than they are. Sadly, many of today's "Muslims' are people who have violated God's laws, cast aside the banner of Prophet Muhammad, and adopted systems that are alien to their religion and their culture. It would come as no surprise, therefore, that they too should be included with Moses's recalcitrant followers in the general meaning of the verse which says:
Already have We urged unto hell many of the jinn and humankind, having hearts wherewith they understand not, and having eyes wherewith they see not, and having ears wherewith they hear not. These are as the cattle - nay, but they are worse! These are the neglectful. (179)
Next we come to the very thought-provoking verses. One says: " He whom Allah leadeth, he indeed is led aright, while he whom Allah sendeth astray - they indeed are losers. "(178), while the second asserts: " Those whom Allah sendeth astray, there is no guide for them. He leaveth them to wander blindly on in their contumacy." (186)
Let me say right at the outset that there is no way that these verses, and others like them in the Qur'an, can be interpreted to indicate predestination. The human quality of free will is beyond question; otherwise responsibility and accountability would be null and void and the whole existence turn into a meaningless farce. Guidance or lack of it can come about either by personal choice, that is, self-induced, or by action of an outside agent. God leads astray or confounds only those who have already by their own choice taken that route. God says elsewhere in the Qur'an: " Say: As for him who is in error, the Beneficent will verily prolong his span of life until, when they behold that which they were promised, whether it be punishment (in the world), or the Hour (of doom), they will know who is worse in position and who is weaker as an army." [ Maryam, 75 ]
The ending of these two verses confirms our view that a person's free will is inviolable. The one ends with the phrase: "....wander blindly on in their contumacy." , while the other ends with the words:"..... they indeed are losers. ", indicating in both cases that the underlying reason for their condemnation stems from their own choice. Furthermore, the inimitable style of Qur'anic language is an important factor on this regard. We may care to refer back to verse 179, which talks of " having hearts wherewith they understand not, " and " having eyes wherewith they see not, " and "..having ears wherewith they hear not," The meaning here is that such "hearts", "ears", and "eyes", will lead those who possess them to hell, but these people ought to open their hearts and ears and eyes to the truth- something which they are perfectly capable of doing. For the same reasons, we find in the surah expressions such as: " Have they not bethought them (that) there is no madness in their comrade? He is but a plain warner. "(184), and : " Have they not considered the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and what things Allah hath created, and that it may be that their own term draweth nigh? In what fact after this will they believe?" (185). The point is that those who are not able to study, reflect, or ponder, shall only have themselves to blame.
Excerpt from " A Thematic Commentary On the Qur'an "
Muhammad al-Ghazali
[ 1917- 1996 ]
Recitation by Shaykh al-Shuraim
[ ayat 142 - ayat 170 ]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3268FxGFMM&feature=relmfu
[ayat 171 - ayat 206 ]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6GdfMUvWCw&feature=relmfu
Reflection and commentary by Prof Quraish Shihab
ayat 152 - ayat 156 :
Part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIEvJTzYEe4
[ vacuum of spirituality; materialism; .......]
Part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js5bvenw__k
[ Rabbana atina fiddunya hasanah; My mercy encompassed everyone, My wrath is selective..]
Part 3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRmf8FT06sw
[ Rabbana atina fiddunya hasanah....]
ayat 157 - ayat 160 :
Part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc53M5779PU
Part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoxvzA6OfNQ
Part 3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g-llRnLEGA
[ Muhammad the Perfect man..; the many 'roads' to Makkah ]
ayat 161 - ayat 166 :
Part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ4hNKEVBNE
[ the Jews of Mosses' time ]
Part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PmAMxfdu-k
[ on sabbath ; on 'bala' ; muhsinin ; ihsan ]
Part 3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3wwYlW8ZsI
[ on 'daawah' , ]
ayat 167 - ayat 171 :
Part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJbmQYt4l7w
[ on Zionism and curse of God till Doomsday..]
Part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sOiWzzp2e4
[ 'pick and choose' present day Muslims , ]
Prophet Muhammad is reported to have been asked, " Will God destroy us while good people are still living amongst us?" His reply was, " Yes, when most of you are wrong-doers." For that reason God dispersed the Israelites and subjugated them to the rule of other nations. In this case, however, human transgression and disobedience had not come about as a result of ignorance or lack of prior warning, but had been a calculated and delibrate stance: " We made a covenant of old with the Children of Israel and We sent unto them messengers. As often as a messenger came unto them with that which their souls desired not (they became rebellious). Some (of them) they denied and some they slew. [ al Maidah, 70 ] . As cases of over-weaning pride and insolence accumulated, there come a time when God;s patience with them would runs out, and their state is described by this parable:
Recite unto them the tale of him to whom We gave Our revelations, but he sloughed them off, so Satan overtook him and he became of those who lead astray. (175) And had We willed We could have raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust. Therefor his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may take thought. (176)
This of course is true for individuals as well as nations who receive guidance, underestimate its value, or reject it altogether. Today, the opponents of Islam are facing "Muslims' who, unfortunately, are far more negligent of God's revelations and guidance than they are. Sadly, many of today's "Muslims' are people who have violated God's laws, cast aside the banner of Prophet Muhammad, and adopted systems that are alien to their religion and their culture. It would come as no surprise, therefore, that they too should be included with Moses's recalcitrant followers in the general meaning of the verse which says:
Already have We urged unto hell many of the jinn and humankind, having hearts wherewith they understand not, and having eyes wherewith they see not, and having ears wherewith they hear not. These are as the cattle - nay, but they are worse! These are the neglectful. (179)
History tells us that the kingdom of the Jews was destroyed and ransacked by many enemies over successive generations, and the surah confirms that, saying: " And We have sundered them in the earth as (separate) nations. Some of them are righteous, and some far from that. And We have tried them with good things and evil things that haply they might return. (168)
Prophet Muhammad is reported to have been asked, " Will God destroy us while good people are still living amongst us?" His reply was, " Yes, when most of you are wrong-doers." For that reason God dispersed the Israelites and subjugated them to the rule of other nations. In this case, however, human transgression and disobedience had not come about as a result of ignorance or lack of prior warning, but had been a calculated and delibrate stance: " We made a covenant of old with the Children of Israel and We sent unto them messengers. As often as a messenger came unto them with that which their souls desired not (they became rebellious). Some (of them) they denied and some they slew. [ al Maidah, 70 ] . As cases of over-weaning pride and insolence accumulated, there come a time when God;s patience with them would runs out, and their state is described by this parable:
Recite unto them the tale of him to whom We gave Our revelations, but he sloughed them off, so Satan overtook him and he became of those who lead astray. (175) And had We willed We could have raised him by their means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own lust. Therefor his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history (of the men of old), that haply they may take thought. (176)
This of course is true for individuals as well as nations who receive guidance, underestimate its value, or reject it altogether. Today, the opponents of Islam are facing "Muslims' who, unfortunately, are far more negligent of God's revelations and guidance than they are. Sadly, many of today's "Muslims' are people who have violated God's laws, cast aside the banner of Prophet Muhammad, and adopted systems that are alien to their religion and their culture. It would come as no surprise, therefore, that they too should be included with Moses's recalcitrant followers in the general meaning of the verse which says:
Already have We urged unto hell many of the jinn and humankind, having hearts wherewith they understand not, and having eyes wherewith they see not, and having ears wherewith they hear not. These are as the cattle - nay, but they are worse! These are the neglectful. (179)
Next we come to the very thought-provoking verses. One says: " He whom Allah leadeth, he indeed is led aright, while he whom Allah sendeth astray - they indeed are losers. "(178), while the second asserts: " Those whom Allah sendeth astray, there is no guide for them. He leaveth them to wander blindly on in their contumacy." (186)
Let me say right at the outset that there is no way that these verses, and others like them in the Qur'an, can be interpreted to indicate predestination. The human quality of free will is beyond question; otherwise responsibility and accountability would be null and void and the whole existence turn into a meaningless farce. Guidance or lack of it can come about either by personal choice, that is, self-induced, or by action of an outside agent. God leads astray or confounds only those who have already by their own choice taken that route. God says elsewhere in the Qur'an: " Say: As for him who is in error, the Beneficent will verily prolong his span of life until, when they behold that which they were promised, whether it be punishment (in the world), or the Hour (of doom), they will know who is worse in position and who is weaker as an army." [ Maryam, 75 ]
The ending of these two verses confirms our view that a person's free will is inviolable. The one ends with the phrase: "....wander blindly on in their contumacy." , while the other ends with the words:"..... they indeed are losers. ", indicating in both cases that the underlying reason for their condemnation stems from their own choice. Furthermore, the inimitable style of Qur'anic language is an important factor on this regard. We may care to refer back to verse 179, which talks of " having hearts wherewith they understand not, " and " having eyes wherewith they see not, " and "..having ears wherewith they hear not," The meaning here is that such "hearts", "ears", and "eyes", will lead those who possess them to hell, but these people ought to open their hearts and ears and eyes to the truth- something which they are perfectly capable of doing. For the same reasons, we find in the surah expressions such as: " Have they not bethought them (that) there is no madness in their comrade? He is but a plain warner. "(184), and : " Have they not considered the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and what things Allah hath created, and that it may be that their own term draweth nigh? In what fact after this will they believe?" (185). The point is that those who are not able to study, reflect, or ponder, shall only have themselves to blame.
Excerpt from " A Thematic Commentary On the Qur'an "
Muhammad al-Ghazali
[ 1917- 1996 ]
Recitation by Shaykh al-Shuraim
[ ayat 142 - ayat 170 ]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3268FxGFMM&feature=relmfu
[ayat 171 - ayat 206 ]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6GdfMUvWCw&feature=relmfu
Reflection and commentary by Prof Quraish Shihab
ayat 152 - ayat 156 :
Part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIEvJTzYEe4
[ vacuum of spirituality; materialism; .......]
Part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js5bvenw__k
[ Rabbana atina fiddunya hasanah; My mercy encompassed everyone, My wrath is selective..]
Part 3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRmf8FT06sw
[ Rabbana atina fiddunya hasanah....]
ayat 157 - ayat 160 :
Part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc53M5779PU
Part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoxvzA6OfNQ
Part 3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g-llRnLEGA
[ Muhammad the Perfect man..; the many 'roads' to Makkah ]
ayat 161 - ayat 166 :
Part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ4hNKEVBNE
[ the Jews of Mosses' time ]
Part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PmAMxfdu-k
[ on sabbath ; on 'bala' ; muhsinin ; ihsan ]
Part 3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3wwYlW8ZsI
[ on 'daawah' , ]
ayat 167 - ayat 171 :
Part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJbmQYt4l7w
[ on Zionism and curse of God till Doomsday..]
Part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sOiWzzp2e4
[ 'pick and choose' present day Muslims , ]
Reflection and commentary by Dr Israr on ayat 164 to ayat 175
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugqoyQsv-3E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCvWmdo7K7I
No comments:
Post a Comment