Surah Yunus [ Jonah ] , 10

tuanku,

we move fast with dr israr beyond  ayat 75

he is going faster than the future ecrl train...

no one in their right mind  in malaysia now discusses the ecrl...

at the rate things are going with covid 19, despite  satisfactory containment at present, this is going to be a long long haul.

seeing tired nurses sewing and making local made ppe's in the utube today, obtaining some supplies from local ah kow hard ware, make patik wonder....

where are the other ministries in our fight against covid.

in fact patik heard within the gravevine, some ministers are unfairly envious  with the health dg at present, for being given a long lonely lead in this fight.

i dont blame tsmy for having full trust in the dg who is most capable, especially if he has a health minister whose only positive input, it seemed, is to advice malaysian to  consume 'air suam', and economic minister whose main preoccupation seemed to be only the barbers!

there is lots and lots of work cut out for him actually given the coming economic doldrum post covid. one wonder whether he has the cerebral capacity to confront this, from his his performance so far.

ini belum buka cerita pasal plan in letting 'clowns' who cannot even count 'the numbers on the fingers and toes' to head all the glcs in this tumultous and crises laden time, if we are to take that 'taki' fellow's word seriously.

mashaallah, nampak sangat kita ni as a people 'dah hilang pedoman', or about to hilang pedoman.

lessons from the recent past of letting pirates to head glcs do not work,'dulu, sekarang dan selama lama nya'.

bismillah hi majri ha wa mursaha innallaha ghafur rurahim

dr nik howk

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Reflection and commentary by Dr Israr
[ verse 75 onwards...]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YpYqfNdytg






Would it not be appropriate for the unbelievers to take advantage of the delay in bringing punishment upon them to repent and make up for their misdeeds?

Say: Have ye thought: When His doom cometh unto you as a raid by night, or in the (busy) day; what is there of it that the guilty ones desire to hasten? (50) Is it (only) then, when it hath befallen you, that ye will believe? What! (Believe) now, when (until now) ye have been hastening it on (through disbelief)? (51)

Would any human being be able to avoid God's punishment when the appointed time comes? How could they, when God Almighty is in control of everything? "Lo! verily all that is in the heavens and the earth is Allah's. Lo! verily Allah's promise is true. But most of them know not." (55) . That is said with respect to all creations, but as for rational beings, God specifically says: "Beware ! To Allah belongeth whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth Those who follow aught instead of Allah follow not (His) partners. They follow only a conjecture, and they do but guess." (66)

Since the whole universe and all creatures in it, human and otherwise, are subservient to God and are fully obedient to His will, how can anyone or anything escape His power or punishment? "And they ask thee to inform them (saying): Is it true? Say: Yea, by my Lord, verily it is true, and ye cannot escape. "(53). What causes some people to think that it is so strange or extraordinary that God should choose a man to  receive His revelation and convey it on His behalf to others? One reason could be sheer envy, as we are told in verse 8 of surah Sa'd. Another could be angry reaction at criticism of pagan practices and traditions. Naturally, those who inherit polytheist or material belief, rituals, or tradition are loath to accept monotheism. Yunus is one of the surahs that champions the concept of 'Tauhid' and it goes to elaborate lenght  to explain and define it. It puts forward evidence from the natural world to demonstrate the existence of God and His unparalleled power, saying:

He it is Who appointed the sun a splendour and the moon a light, and measured for her stages, that ye might know the number of the years, and the reckoning. Allah created not (all) that save in truth. He detaileth the revelations for people who have knowledge. (5)

The Arabs rejected divine revelation and the surah cites three instances of their denunciation of the Qur'an. First: " And when Our clear revelations are recited unto them, they who look not for the meeting with Us say: Bring a Lecture other than this, or change it.... "(15). What they really wanted was that Muhammad and the Qur'an should praise and honor their gods and endorse their erronenous beliefs and bogus religious traditions.But  the Qur'an instructs him: "..... It is not for me to change it of my own accord. I only follow that which is inspired in me. Lo! if I disobey my Lord I fear the retribution of an awful Day. (15). The Prophet was also directed to point out to his people that he had already lived among them up to age forty years before he received any revelation or criticized their religious beliefs. He was only prompted to do so when God's revelation had been communicated to him, and he could not possibly disobey God's commands, " Say: If Allah had so willed I should not have recited it to you nor would He have made it known to you. I dwelt among you a whole lifetime before it (came to me). Have ye then no sense? "(16). Second: 

..this Qur'an is not such as could ever be invented despite of Allah; but it is a confirmation of that which was before it and an exposition of that which is decreed for mankind - Therein is no doubt - from the Lord of the Worlds. (37) 

No fair-minded person reading the Qur'an with an objective mind would fail to realize immediately that Muhammad could not have made up a single word of it. It is also evident that the main thread going through all its text is that of the truth. Were the Qur'an to be the work of anyone else, some of its contents would not have made any sense at all. Were we to accept those allegations, it would imply that the human mind was more capable, as it were, of producing divine revelation that God Himself! For, the Qur'an puts forward the strongest possible defence of the principle of 'Tawhid' and is the most eloquent and convincing exposition of its meaning and ramifications. If the Qur'an was the work of a human mind however, what would stop its detractors who make that claim from producing works similar to it?

Or say they: He hath invented it? Say: Then bring a surah like unto it, and call (for help) on all ye can besides Allah, if ye are truthful. (38)

The Qur'an challenges the Arabs to seek the help of anyone human or otherwise, who would be skilled or knowledgeable enough to compose something similar to the Qur'an or even a single short surah. Centuries have now passed and the challenge remains. No one has yet been able to take it up. 
"Nay, but they denied that, the knowledge whereof they could not compass, and whereof the interpretation (in events) hath not yet come unto them. Even so did those before them deny. Then see what was the consequence for the wrong-doers!" (39). Because of their ignorance, God has delayed their punishment in case they might retract their claims and come to their senses. The surah explains that "And of them is he who believeth therein, and of them is he who believeth not therein, and thy Lord is Best Aware of the corrupters. "(40). What attitude should then be adopted towards the skeptics and the cynics? "..if they deny thee, say: Unto me my work, and unto you your work. Ye are innocent of what I do, and I am innocent of what ye do." (41) .
No other Book has been open to so much scrutiny, criticism and free debate. The Qur'an has been presented to humankind under no duress or coercion. Those with honest and open minds can only respond to it positively; others who reject it are blinded with ignorance and prejudice.

And of them are some who listen unto thee. But canst thou make the deaf to hear even though they apprehend not? (42) And of them is he who looketh toward thee. But canst thou guide the blind even though they see not? (43)

Third: God says in the surah: "O mankind! There hath come unto you an exhortation from your Lord, a balm for that which is in the breasts, a guidance and a mercy for believers." (57). Indeed , the Qur'an is all of this. It nourishes and cultivates the soul. It acts as a  deterrent against sinful behavior. It shields the heart and the mind against doubt, cynicism and uncertainties. In short, it provides those who accept it with material, psychological and spiritual advantage and enrichment. No one who understands the Qur'an and opens his/her heart and mind to it should ever feel that anyone else is happier or more fortunate. "Say: In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy: therein let them rejoice. It is better than what they hoard. "(58). With the Qur'an as his reference and guide in every situation, Prophet Muhammad was able to fight and overcome all foes who rose up against him and was able to refute and rebut their arguments. The surah echoes this, saying:

And thou (Muhammad) art not occupied with any business and thou recitest not a Lecture from this (Scripture), and ye (mankind) perform no act, but We are Witness of you when ye are engaged therein. And not an atom's weight in the earth or in the sky escapeth your Lord, nor what is less than that or greater than that, but it is (written) in a clear Book. (61)

The ending of the surah reinforces its opening statements that 'tawhid' is the essence and the cornerstone of belief and faith in God. As the opening verses of the surah refer to people's surprise at the fact that God had chosen to send His revelation  to an ordinary human being, the last verse reassures Prophet Muhammad, directing him to: "And (O Muhammad) follow that which is inspired in thee, and forbear until Allah give judgment. And He is the Best of Judges." (109)

The dispute over the Qur'an has been very intense, and we as Muslims have no doubt whatsoever that it is the incontrovertible Truth. The meaning of some of its linguistic constructions and expressions are sometimes not immediately clear to those not sufficiently versed in the Arabic language and its rhetoric, and some have misunderstood or misinterpreted them. In everyday language, you may urge someone not to be lethargic or to maintain certain standard of character or behavior, without him being lazy or showing a decline in behavior. Your objective would be to provoke, encourage and stimulate that person to move forward and improve. Similarly, God urges His Prophet, saying: "And if thou (Muhammad) art in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto thee, then question those who read the Scripture (that was) before thee. Verily the Truth from thy Lord hath come unto thee. So be not thou of the waverers. "(94) .  Would this be a recommendation that Muhammad should seek counsel with, or direction from, those who advocate the doctrine of Trinity or claim that God appeared in human form? The answer must be a resounding 'No!' Such queries by the Prophet as cited in the Qur'an are either rhetorical or polemical or for reasons of education and instruction.

'Tauhid', from the standpoint of Islam, is beyond dispute: "...He is Allah, the One! (1) Allah, the eternally Besought of all! (2) He begetteth not nor was begotten. (3) And there is none comparable unto Him. (al-Ikhlas :4). Likewise, the contentious allegation made by the Israelites with respect to God and His Messengers, as cited in the surah, are refuted. Hence the prophet is told:

And if thou (Muhammad) art in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto thee, then question those who read the Scripture (that was) before thee. Verily the Truth from thy Lord hath come unto thee. So be not thou of the waverers. (94) And be not thou of those who deny the revelations of Allah, for then wert thou of the losers. (95) Lo! those for whom the word of thy Lord (concerning sinners) hath effect will not believe, (96) Though every token come unto them, till they see the painful doom. (97) 

Simple honest logic and common sense dictate that God cannot be two or three or more, nor could He be in any way likened to a a human being.

Muhammad al-Ghazali
[ 1917 -1996 ] 
" A Thematic Commentary On The Qur'an "







Reflection and commentary by Dr Israr
[ verse 75 onwards...]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YpYqfNdytg



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Fresh Catch from " Pearls & Gem ";-
The Core of The Matter,
http://drnikisahak.blogspot.com/2009/11/core-of-matter-yusuf-estes.html