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See note [47] above.
Lit., "of them".
Lit., "thus".
I.e., the sacrificial animals.
See n. 2808 to xxii. 33 above. What was expressed in general terms is applied here more particularly to camels, the most precious and useful animals of Arabia, whose mode of slaughter for sacrifice is different from that of smaller animals: the special word for such sacrifice is Nahr (cviii.2).
There are ethics in begging, as in charity. No approval is given to arrogant and insolent begging, though the relief of distress of all kinds, deserved and undeserved, is included in charity. But those who beg with humility and those who receive gifts with gratitude and contentment are both mentioned for special attention. Charity should not be given for show, or to get rid of importunate demands. It should find out real needs and meet them.
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The essence of sacrifice has been explained in n. 2810. No one should suppose that meat or blood is acceptable to the One True God. It was a Pagan fancy that Allah could be appeased by blood sacrifice. But Allah does accept the offering of our hearts, and as a symbol of such offer, some visible institution is necessary. He has given us power over the brute creation, and permitted us to eat meat, but only if we pronounce His name at the solemn act of taking life, for without this solemn invocation, we are apt to forget the sacredness of fife. By the invocation we are reminded that wanton cruelty is not in our thoughts, but only the need of food. Now if we further deny the greater part of the food (some theologians fix the proportion at three-quarters or two-thirds) for the sake of our poorer brethren in solemn assembly in the precincts of the Haram (sacred territory), our symbolic act finds practical expression in benevolence, and that is the virtue sought to be taught. We should be grateful to Allah for His guidance in this matter, in which many Peoples have gone wrong, and we should proclaim the true doctrine so that virtue and charity may increase among men.
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See surah {4}, note [134].
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Lit., "inasmuch as they have been wronged". Connecting with the promise, in the preceding verse, that "God will ward off [all evil] from those who attain to faith", the present verse enunciates the permission to fight physically in self-defence. All relevant Traditions (quoted, in particular, by Tabari and Ibn Kathir) show that this is the earliest Qur'anic reference to the problem of war as such. According to Abd Allah ibn 'Abbas, it was revealed immediately after the Prophet left Mecca for Medina, i.e., at the beginning of the year 1 H. The principle of war in self-defence - and only in self-defence - has been further elaborated in Al-Baqarah, which was revealed about a year later (see {2: 190-193} and the corresponding notes).
For over thirteen years, Muslims had not been allowed to fight back against the brutality of the Meccan pagans, leading to the emigration of the Prophet and many of his companions to Medina. As the hostilities continued, this verse was later revealed allowing Muslims to fight back in self-defence.
Several translators have failed to notice that yuqataluna (in the best-approved texts) is in the passive voice, "against whom war is made",-not "who take arms against the unbelievers" as Sale translates it. The clause "and verily...their aid" is parenthetical. Verse 40 connects on with "they are wronged". The wrong is indicated: 'driven by persecution from their home, for no other reason than that they worshipped the One True God'. This was the first occasion on which fighting-in self-defence-was permitted. This passage therefore undoubtedly dates from Madinah.
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Lit., "were it not that God repels some people by means of others" (cf. the identical phrase in the second paragraph of {2: 251}).
The implication is that the defence of religious freedom is the foremost cause for which arms may - and, indeed, must - be taken up (see 2:193 and the corresponding note [170]), or else, as stressed in the concluding clause of 2:251 , "corruption would surely overwhelm the earth".
To allow a righteous people to fight against a ferocious and mischief-loving people was fully justified. But the justification was far greater here, when the little Muslim community was not only fighting for its own existence against the Makkan Quraish, but for the very existence of the Faith in the One True God. They had as much right to be in Makkah and worship in the Ka'ba as the other Quraish; yet they were exiled for their Faith. It affected not the faith of one peculiar people. The principle involved was that of all worship, Jewish or Christian as well as Muslim, and of all foundations built for pious uses.
'Aziz means Exalted in power, rank, dignity; Incomparable; Full of might and majesty; Able to enforce His Will. The last signification is the one that predominates here.
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"Enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong" is an essential duty of the Muslim Ummah and one of the main purposes for which it has been raised. (See iii. 104, 110; ix. 71, 111-112, xxii, 41).
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It is nothing new if the Prophet of Allah is accused of imposture. This was done in all ages; e.g., Noah (vii. 64); Hud the prophet of the 'Ad people (vii. 66); Salih the prophet of the Thamud (vii. 76); Abraham (xxi. 55); Lut (vii. 82); Shu'aib the prophet of the Madyan people (vii. 85) and also of the Companions of the Wood (xv. 78). The case of Moses is mentioned apart, as his people survived to the time of our Prophet and survive to the present, and they frequently rebelled against Moses (ii. 49-61).
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I.e., not by his own people, since these, despite their sinning, had accepted him as God's prophet (Tabari). References to the tribes of 'Ad and Thamud and the people of Madyan are given in surah {7}, notes [48], [56] and [67].
Were they the same as the Companions of the Wood? See n. 2000 to xv. 78.
My Wrath on them, and the complete reversal of their fortune in consequence.
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The roofs fell in first, and the whole structure, walls and all, came tumbling after, as happens in ruins. The place was turned upside down.
In a dry country like Arabia, a well stands as a symbol for a living, flourishing population, and many place-names mean "the well of so-and-so" e.g., Bir 'Ali, a village just south of Madinah the quality of whose drinking water is famous, or Abyar Ibn Hassan, a noted stopping place on the road from Makkah to Madinah about 92 miles from Madinah.
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Lit., "whereupon they would have hearts wherewith they might understand, or ears whereby they might hear".
The word for "heart" in Arabic speech imports both the seat of intelligent faculties and understanding as well as the seat of affections and emotions. Those who reject Allah's Message may have their physical eyes and ears, but their hearts are blind and deaf. If their faculties of understanding were active, would they not see the Signs of Allah's Providence and Allah's Wrath in nature around them and in the cities and ruins if they travel intelligently?
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For an explanation, see 6:57 , 8:32 and 13:6 , as well as the corresponding notes.
I.e., what men conceive of as "time" has no meaning with regard to God, because He is timeless, without beginning and without end, so that "in relation to Him, one day and a thousand years are alike" (Razi). Cf. 70:4 , where in the same sense, a "day" is said to be equal to "fifty thousand years", or the well-authenticated saying of the Prophet' "God says, 'I am Time Absolute (ad-dahr)'."
If Allah gives respite, those to whom it is given have a real chance of repentance and amendment. He will not curtail His promise of respite. But on the other hand He has promised to call everyone to account for his deeds, and this involves justice and punishment for sin. This promise will also come true. It is foolish to try to hasten it. Time with Him is nothing. We keep count of time for our relative calculations. His existence is absolute, and not conditioned by Time or Place. What we call a thousand years may be nothing more than a day or a minute to Him.
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The argument begun in xxii. 45 is now rounded off and closed.
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It is the Messenger's duty to convey the warning in the clearest terms to the wicked. It is no part of his duty to coerce them or judge them, or bring on the Punishment for them. That only rests with Allah. But the warning itself is full of Mercy: for it gives the highest hope to the repentant sinner who turns and comes to Allah.
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See 8:4 and the corresponding note [5].
The "sustenance" must be construed in the widest sense, spiritual as well as intellectual and physical. The reward of righteousness is far more generous than any merit there may be in the creature following the Will of his Creator.
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