S E LE C T E D

K H U T. A B X

(SERMONS & WRITINGS)

8 January – 20 May, 2016

*

BY

MUHAMMAD AMIN A. SAMAD

CANBERRA, MAY, 2016

ii

حيم حمن الره الر بسم للاه

ه نستعينو ب

ين نيا و الد في أمور الد

For the Collection of my Islamic Speeches

and Writings, please visit:

[Google] muhamine.blogspot.com

http://issuu.com/muhammadaminsamad

independent.academia.edu/MuhammadAminSamad

or simply write on Google amin samad

iii

CONTENTS

Page

Contents …………………………………………………… iii

Transliteration ……………………………………………... iv

Preface ………………………………………………… …… v

A. Introduction to the Khut.bah ……………………………… vii

B. Some Examples of Du‘ā’ for the Second Khut.bah ……… vii

1. DR LAWRENCE B. BROWN ………………………… 1

2. TEN DEGREES OF GUIDANCE (1) ..…………………. 7

3. TEN DEGREES OF GUIDANCE (2) ……………….. 13

4. TEN DEGREES OF GUIDANCE (3) …………. 19

5. TEN DEGREES OF GUIDANCE (4) …………. 25

6. THE USE OF REPETITION IN THE QUR’ĀN (1) ……. 31

7. THE USE OF REPETITION IN THE QUR’ĀN (2) ……. 37

8. THE USE OF REPETITION IN THE QUR’ĀN (3) ……… 43

9. THE USE OF REPETITION IN THE QUR’ĀN (4) . ….. 49

10. THE USE OF REPETITION IN THE QUR’ĀN (5) ……. 55

11. WHY ARE YOU MUSLIM? …………………………... 61

12. INDONESIA: ITS LANGUAGES, PEOPLE,

AND RELIGIONS …………………………………. 67

13. THE STRANGE CONVERSION OF A PRIEST …… 75

14. THE RHETORICAL EXPRESSIONS OF

THE QUR’ĀN (1) …………………………….. 81

15. THE RHETORICAL EXPRESSIONS OF

THE QUR’ĀN (2) ………………………………. 87

iv

TRANSLITERATION SYSTEM

The English transliteration for Arabic names and terms followed in

this booklet is as follows:

a. Consonants:

.h = ح j = ج th = ث t = ت b = ب ’ a or = ا

ذ d = د kh = خ = dh ر = r ز = z س = s

‘ = ع .z = ظ .t = ط .d = ض .s = ص sh = ش

m = م l = ل k = ك q = ق f = ف gh = غ

(like alif) ’ = ء y = ي w = و h = هـ n = ن

b. Vowels:

Short: long:

Fath.ah -- --- : = a ـا = ā

Kasrah -- --- : = i ـي = ī

D.ammah -- --- : = u ـو = ū

c. Tā’ marbūt.ah: ah, e.g., sūrah ( ةر و س )

Tā’ marbūt.ah in id.āfah: at, e.g., sūrat al-Baqarah ( ةر ق لب ا ة ر و س )

d. Alif maqs.ūrah: á, e.g., qad.á ( ىض ق ) and shūrá ( ىر و ش )

v

مي ح الر من ح الر الل م س ب

PREFACE

This booklet is the tenth part of my collection of speeches and

writings from 8 January – 20 May, 2016, entitled Khutab X. They were

delivered at the muṣallā (place of prayer, prayer room) at the Multi-

Cultural Centre, Canberra Museum and Gallery building, Civic Square,

Canberra.

The abbreviations used in this booklet are: (1) s.a.w. (and ص.م. ) for

s.allállāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam (and م ل س و ه ي ل ع ىاللهل ص ) meaning “may Allah

bless him and grant him salvation”, sometimes translated as “peace be

upon him” (p.b.u.h.), an eulogy after the name of Prophet Muhammad, (2)

a.s. (and (ع.س. for ‘alayhis salām (and المالس ه ي ل ع ) meaning “upon him be

peace” usually used after the names of angels and prophets before Prophet

Muhammad s.a.w., (3) r.a. (and ر.ع. ) for rad.iyallāhu ‘anhu (and اللهي ض ر

هن ع ) meaning “may Allah be please with him” usually used after the names

of the s.ah.ābah (companions of the Prophet).

It has been like an accident that before leaving a certain place I left a

booklet behind. The booklet Khutab I (the collection of speeches and

sermons at the Canadian Islamic Centre, al-Rashid Mosque) before leaving

Edmonton (Canada) for Australia; Khutab II (the collection of sermons at

the Canberra Islamic Centre) at Monash, ACT, before leaving for overseas

(the longest and happiest travel I have ever made); the Khutab III before

leaving for Indonesia and Malaysia in September 2007, Khutab IV was the

collection of my khuṭbahs at the ANUMA delivered until the first quarter

of the year 2011, and published later at the end of this year after

recovering from the operation of removing the aortic aneurism of my

stomach on 11 June; the Khutab V is the collection of my khuṭbahs at the

prayer room at the Multi-Cultural Centre, Canberra Museum and Gallery

building, Civic Square, Canberra, from the end of December, 2012 till the

end of June, 2013 before leaving for Indonesia; the Khutab VI is the

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continuation of my collection of my khuṭbahs at the same location at

Civic Square, Canberra, before leaving for Melbourne visiting friends.

This visit was following the advice of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ر غبها ز

Visit at intervals, so that you will increase love;” the Khutab VII is“ تزدد حبها

the continuation of the collection of my khuṭbahs at the same location at

Civic Square, Canberra, before leaving for Sydney and Melbourne visiting

friends; the Khutab VIII is the continuation of my collection of my

khuṭbahs at the same location at Civic Square, Canberra, before leaving for

Sydney. By this time I was very lucky to reach the age of 79 AH/77 CE.

Praise be to Allah the Almighty Who has given me such a long life. I have

confidence in Him that He would give me more extra bonus life; the

Khutab IX is the continuation of my collection of my khuṭbahs at the same

location at Civic Square, Canberra.

This Khutab X which is in your hand is also the continuation of my

collection of my khuṭbahs at the same location at Civic Square, Canberra,

before leaving for Europe and Canada to visit some friends, especially in

Montreal (Quebec), Ottawa (Ontario), Edmonton, and Lac la Biche

(Alberta). By this time I shall be approaching the age of 80 AH/78 CE.

(Praise and glory be to You, O my Sustainer!). In shā’ Allāh (God willing)

I shall be back in mid-September, and continue my humble contribution to

Islam and the Muslim community.

This booklet, like the booklets written before, is far from perfect.

May Allah accept this humble contribution to Islam, and may He forgive

any mistake in this booklet. Amin!

Canberra, May, 2016 M.A.S.

vii

A. INTRODUCTION FOR THE KHUT.BAH

This is an example for the introduction to the khut.bah as follows:

شهرهو ر أ نـ فهس ذهب الل م ن نـ عهو د ي ه و تـ ه ن س تـ غ ف رهههو ن س نهههو ت ع يـ ن س م دهههو دهل له ن ح ال نا ،أ ل ح م أ ع م س يئ ات م ن ن او د الله يـ ه ت د فـ ههو م ن د فـ ل ن يهض ل ل و م ن ال مهه داو ل ياههل ت ج إ ل ه مهر ش ل ه دهأ ن أ ش الله،و ل هه،إل ش ر ي ك ههل د و ح

و ههان ح ب سهههنهأ الش ع و ههمهاس ك ار ب تـ و ههارهج ز ،ع دهي ر ايهم ل ال ع ،فـ د ي ج م ال ش ر لع وا ذهدهو دهو ال رهو فهلغ ا و ههو دهي ع يهو دئهب يـهلهههو ن و كهشر م الهلهو ق تـ يـ و ن و رهتـ ف مهيال ر ت ف ايـ م ع الى ع تـ ر سهو ه دهأ ن مهح م داع ب دهههو أ ش ،س ل ههمهي ل ك و ههلهيـ ل خ و ههي ف ص .و

ب ن ص ح ا ألهم ة ،أ ر س ل ههالله أ د ىا أل م ان ة و رام الرس ال ة و ر اجامهن يـ س الل و إ لى د اع يا يـ راو ن ذ ي راو و الل ع ط يهن ش ئي ش الل ر ضهلي و ههس ف نـ إلر ضهلي ههإن اف م ه ص ع يـ ن م و د ش ر د ق فـ ههل و سهر ع لى ب ار ك س لم و ك د ب ع ا.أ لل ههم ص لو م ع ي ن .س ك ل و سهر و ب ه أ ج ص ح آل ه و ع لى ك مي ل س ت م لس و ه ت ن سهب ك س م ت اس و ه ي د ه ىب د ت اه ن م يد ن امهح م دو ا.ريـ ث ا

ي كه ن ،أهو ص نـهو م اا لمهؤ تـ ع ال ىوهوأصدقأ م ابـ ع ده،فـ ي اأ يـ ه ن .قا ل ف از ا لمهتـ قهو إ يا ي ب تـ ق و ىالل فـ ق د م و اي ا ”القائلين: ل مهون و أ نـ تهم إ ل ت مهوتهن و ل تـهق ات ه ح ق الل ه اتـ قهواآ م نهواال ذ ين أ يـ ه ا لع ظ ي م.. “مهس الله ص د ق

B. SOME EXAMPLES OF THE DU‘Ā’ (SUPPLICATION)

AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE

SECOND KHUTBAH

Some examples of du‘ā’s and its meaning in the second khut.bah, as

follows:

يمان أن آمنوا بربكم فآمنا ربنا فاغفر لناربنا إننا سمعنا مناد يا ينادي لل

ذنوبنا وكفر عنا سيئاتنا وتوفنا مع البرار. ربنا وآتنا ما وعدتنا على رسلك

٣٩١ل تخلف الميعاد )آل عمران : ول تخزنا يوم القيامة إنك )

Our Lord! We have heard someone calling to the true faith saying

‘Believe in your Lord!’ So we believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins,

remove from us evil deeds and make us die with the righteous. Our

Lord! Give us what You have promised through Your messengers

and save us from the shame on the Day of Resurrection; for

You never break Your promise. (Q. 3:193)

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،للهم اغفر للمسلمين و المسلمات والمؤمنين و المؤمنات الحياء منهم و الموات ا

عوات و قاضي الحاجات يا رب العا لمين إنك يا مولنا سميع قريب مجيب الد

O Allah! Forgive the Muslims, males and females, the

believers, males and females, the living among them as

well as the dead! Verily, You are, O our Lord, the All-

Hearing and Near, Who answer (our) prayers, and fulfil

(our) needs, O the Lord of all creatures.

ر لهم أمورهم ر على أهل القبور قبورهم؛ اللهم اغفر للحياء و يس .أللهم نو

O Allah! Lighten the graves of the dead, O Allah,

forgive the living and facilitate their affairs.

ب على التائبين و اغفر ذنوب المذنبين و اشف مرضى المسلمين أللهم ت

ة ح د أجمعين العافية و التوفيق و و و اكتب الص ة محم .الهداية لنا و لكافة أم

O Allah! Forgive the repentant, forgive the sins of the

sinners, heal the sick among the Muslims, prescribe

well-being, vitality, prosperity and guidance for us

and for the entire community of Muhammad.

اربنا اغفر لنا و لوالدينا و ارحمهما كما ربيانا صغ ار

O Lord! Forgive us as well as our parents

and bestow on them Your mercy as they did

bring us up when we were young.

ات ن م ؤ مهال و ن ي ن م ؤ مهال و ات م ل س مهال و ن ي م ل س مهل ل ر ف اغ م ههلل أ ،ات و م أل ا و م ههنـ م اء ي ح األ ن ي م ال ع ال ب ار ي ات اج ح يال اض ق و ات و ع الد بهي ج مهب ي ر ق ع ي م اس لن و ام ي ك إن

O Allah! Forgive the Muslims, males and females, the believers,

males and females, the living among them as well as the dead! Verily,

You are, O our Lord, the All-Hearing and Near, Who answer (our)

prayers, and fulfil (our) needs, O the Lord of all creatures.

أه ل ههم ي سر و ي اء ح ل ل ؛ا لل ههم اغ ف ر ر ههم و رقـهبـه ا لقهبـهو ل ع ل ىأ ه .أ لل ههم نـ ور ر ههم مهو

“O Allah! Lighten the graves of the dead, O Allah,

forgive the living and facilitate their affairs.”

ix

غ ارا ك م ار بـ ي ان اص ههم ا ار ح م يـ ن او ل و ال د ل ن او ر بـ ن ااغ ف ر “O Lord! Forgive us as well as our parents and bestow on them

Your mercy as they did bring us up when we were young.”

ام ع اشهن ا،أ لل ههم ه ف يـ ي ان اال ت ي ل ن ادهنـ ل ح اص ر ن ا،و ةهأ م م ع ص ههو ن اال ذ ي نـ يـ ل حل ن اد ا ص

ي ر كهلخ ي اة ز ي اد ةلن ا ف ي ال ح ع ل اج ام ع ادهن ا،و ه إ ل يـ ر تـ ن اال ت ي ل ن اآخ ل ح اص و ر ت ال م و ع ل اج ر و كهلش ةل ن ام ن اح

O Allah! Bring prosperity to our affairs in this world that is the

preservation of our lives, and in the next world to which we shall

return, and increase our good deeds in our lives,

and make our death repose from evil.

ن اب اط الا لب اط ل و أ ر ن ااتـب اع ههو ار زهقـ ن اح قاال ح ق أ ر ن الل ههم أ ت ن اب ههو ار زهقـ اج

O Allah! Show us the truth as truth, and guide to follow it, and show

us the falsehood as falsehood, and guide us to avoid it.

ن ام ن ل ن اه ب ر بـ ن ا ع ل ن اأ ع يهنقـهر ة و ذهري ات ن اأ ز و اج إ م امال ل مهت ق ين و اج Our Lord! Bestow on us, our spouses and our offspring the

comfort of our eyes and make us leaders of the pious.

ج ال ف ي ابـي ن ع ل ن امهت ح ألل ههم اج ن ات ح ل أ و ك الم ك ع ل ى ع ي ن ت م مهج ل ك ل هه لع ر ش إل ل م ل يـ و ي ن ك ن اب الص ال ح ق أ ل ح و ي ن ل م فـ ن امهس تـ و و

. م ل ق ائ ك ن ايـ و أ ي ام ر يـ خ ع ل اج او ه ات م و ال ن اخ أ ع م ر يـ ع ل خ و اج O Allah! Make us love each other in Your Majesty and agree on

Your sayings, and shade us with Your Throne on the day there will

be no shade except its shade, and make us die as Muslims, and

join us with pious people, and make our best deed its last

one, and our best day the day we meet You.

ن ال ر بـ ن ا ذ ين اإ ن تـهؤ اخ ط أ ن اأ و ن س م ل و ل ر بـ ن اأ خ ن ات ح ع ل ىح م ل ت ههك م اإ ص راع ل يـ ل ن او ل ر بـ ن اقـ ب ل ن ام ن ال ذ ين ن ال ن او اغ ف ر اع ن و اع فهب ه ل ن اط اق ة ل م اتهح م و ار ح م

ن اأ ن م ع ل ىف ان صهر ن ام و ل (٦٨٢)البقرة:ال ك اف ر ين ال ق و

Or Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Our

Lord! Do not lay on us such a burden as You placed on those before

x

us. Our Lord! Do not lay on us a burden that which we have not the

strength to bear! Forgive us, have mercy on us. You are our

protector, help us against the unbelievers.(Q. 2:286)

.The prayer of Prophet Abraham, a.s) ، ع.س.دعاءسيدناإبراهيم (

إ ل ي ك ك ل ن اتـ و ع ل ي ك ر بـ ن ا ن او إ ل ي ك أ نـ بـ يرهو ع ل ن ال ر بـ ن ا.ال م ص ن ةت ج ك ف رهوال ل ذ ين ف تـ (٥-٤)الممتحنة:ال ح ك يمهال ع ز يزهأ ن إ ن ك ر بـ ن ال ن او اغ ف ر

Our Lord! In You we have placed our trust, to You we turn in

repentance and to You is our final goal. Our Lord! Do not make us

a prey for those who disbelieve, and forgive us our Lord!

You are the all-Mighty, the All-Wise. (Q. 60:4-5)

نهواأ ن ل ل يم ان يـهن اد يمهن اد ياس م ع ن اإ نـ ن ار بـ ن ا ل ن اف اغ ف ر ر بـ ن اف آ م ن اب ر بكهم آ م تـ ن ام او آ ت ن ار بـ ن ا .األ بـ ر ار م ع و تـ و فـ ن اس يئ ات ن اع ن او ك فر ذهنهوبـ ن ا رهسهل ك ع ل ىو ع د

ز ن او ل م تهخ ل فهل إ ن ك ال ق ي ام ة يـ و يع اد تهخ (٣٩١)آلعمران:ال م

Our Lord! We have heard someone calling to the true faith saying

‘Believe in your Lord!’ So we believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins,

remove from us evil deeds and make us die with the righteous. Our

Lord! Give us what You have promised through Your messengers

and save us from the shame on the Day of Resurrection; for

You never break Your promise. (Q. 3:193)

م ه ائ د ع ىأ ل ع م ههر صهان و م ههتـ م ل دك حو و ن ي م ل س مهال ف و فهصهد حو م ههلل أ O Allah, unite the Muslims and assist them against their enemies.

نـ ي اف يآ ت ن ار بـ ن ا ر ة و ف يح س ن ةالد اب و ق ن اح س ن ةال خ ي ن.الن ار ع ذ ا لع ال م ي ني ار ب الل ههم آم Our Lord! Give us the goodness, both in this world and in the

Hereafter and save us from the torment of Hellfire. (Q. 2:201)

اللهم آمين يا رب العالمين

ل ي أ مهرهالل ه إ ن ع ب اد الل، إ يت اء و ال ح س ان ب ال ع د ه ىال قهر ب ىيذ و ش اء ع ن و يـ نـ ي ع ظهكهم و ال بـ غ ي و ال مهن ك ر ال ف ح ي ذ كهرهكهم ااهذ كهرهو.ت ذ ك رهون ل ع ل كهم ههع لى الل اش كهرهو نـ عهو ن.و يـ ع ل مهم ات ص الله و بـ ره الل أ ك ره ل ذ ك أ ن ع م ه ي ز د كهم و ق م

!!!الص الة

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1. DR LAWRENCE B. BROWN

After the September 11, Islam in the world in general and the United States in particular has become known notoriously as an aggressive religion, because it had been associated with the disaster. It was claimed that Muslims did it out of their religious fanaticism. Since then, some people have started learning about Islam and either they become Muslims, or they hate Islam, because of their misunderstanding of it. Another group of people have no concern about religion. They are atheists who disbelieve or doubt in the existence of God, among them was Dr. Lawrence Brown.

Dr. Brown was graduated from Cornell University, Brown University Medical School and George Washington University Hospital residency program. He is an ophthalmic surgeon, a retired Air Force officer, and the medical director and chief ophthalmologist of a major eye centre. He also obtained a PhD in religion. He was married with three daughters. He converted to Islam in April 1994. Before his conversion Allah had sent him a message which we called a test twice: once with blessing, but he did not listen to it, and therefore he failed; the second one with affliction, and feeling helpless, he prayed to Allah for the first time, and miraculously his prayer was answered. This led him to Islam.

When his first daughter Katrina was born he said that: “… she did something I have never seen any child

do before, and that is that she was able to stand from the first day of life. From the first day if I put her on her

feet, she would stand up herself. Now I am a doctor. I am a medical doctor. I understand that there is something

in that a new born baby is not supposed to be able to do. But I did not see that as a miracle, I saw it as something

interesting, something charming about this child, but I guess I did not get the message.”

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The second message which we call a test is when his second daughter Hanna was born ten months later in October 1990. When this baby was born she was brought straight to the intensive care unit. Although he himself was a doctor he was not told what happened to his daughter. He found out her body turned dusky blue, because it was not getting oxygen. He said:

To my great dismay, she was a dusky, gunmetal blue from the chest to the toes. Her body was not getting enough blood, and the cause was found to be a coarctation of the aorta -- a critical narrowing in the major artery from the heart. Needless to say,

I was shattered. Being a doctor, I understood she needed emergency surgery, with a poor chance of long-term survival. A consultant paediatric cardio-

thoracic surgeon was called from across town, and I left him in the neonatal intensive care

unit to examine my daughter.

He knew that his daughter was not getting oxygen she needed, that she was starving, and part of her body was suffocating and dying. Even if the doctor opened her chest and replaced her blood vessel with graft, and if she survived a few years, given the technology of that time, she would need to have a surgery again to replace the graft as she grew, and eventually the graft would fail, and then she would die.

Dr. Brown was very sad. He related his sorrow, as follows:

And when I saw that I felt sad. The first time in my life I needed to turn to some greater power. I was atheist

until then; I have been raised in a family that was basically Quaker, one of the Protestant’s sect, but not practicing. And I myself did not practice any religion. So, I have to leave the intensive care unit because they brought on

a team of doctors, a team of specialist in their fields, and while they were doing their things, I just went to the prayer

room and for the first time in my life I really prayed.

3

Dr. Brown prayed in the hospital prayer room and fell to his knees. It was the first time that he even partially recognized God. He prayed the prayer of a skeptic,

“Oh God, if You are there, and if You save my daughter, and then guide me to the religion most

pleasing to You, that religion I will follow.”

About fifteen minutes later Dr. Brown returned to the neonatal ICU. He was shocked when the consultant told him that his daughter would be fine. His assessment was true, as within the next two days her condition improved miraculously, without medicine or surgery. She grew perfectly normal even when she was approaching her eighteenth birthday in July 2008. Being a doctor himself, the medical explanation of his daughter’s miraculous recovery provided by the consultant, he believed that her salvation was a divine miracle rather than a medical one. He could have accepted the doctor’s explanation rather than a miracle from God, but faith had entered his heart, and it would remain there. He had taken cardiac ultrasounds showing the stricture, and the next day, the other cardiac ultrasounds showed that the stricture had gone. All he could think was that God had made good on His part of the deal, and he had to make good on his. Even if there was a medical explanation, he claimed that it was nothing more than the pathway by which Almighty God chose to answer his prayer and affect His decree. He strongly asserted that he would not accept any other explanation.

Dr. Brown remembered his promise to God, and said that a similar situation happened to a woman in the hospital, but she did not fulfil her promise and therefore she did not receive guidance. He said that many people who made promises to God in moments of panic, but once God relieved them of their distress, and then they invented excuses to escape their part of the bargain. This reminds us of Allah’s statement in the Qur’an about people who were sailing in the ships, they were happy

4

when they got a favourable wind. But, “then comes a stormy wind and the waves come to them from all sides, and they think that they are encircled therein. Then they invoke Allah, making their Faith pure for Him Alone, (saying): ‘If You (Allah) deliver us from this, we shall truly, be of the grateful.’ But when He delivered them, behold! They rebel (disobey Allah) in the earth wrongfully…” (Q. 10:22-23). In other words, when Allah delivered them from the disaster, they forgot their promise to obey Allah; instead, they rebelled against Him.

Dr. Brown started his religious search with Judaism, then Christianity with its sects. He studied various sects of Christianity: Seventh Day Adventist, Mormon, Quakers, Southern Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Greek Orthodox. When he came to the tenet he liked some parts of it, but he had problems with others. He kept asking the preachers, “how about this, how about that,” and they could not explain it, and they just shrug their shoulders.

Dr. Brown contends that there is no foundation of the teaching of the “trinity” in Christianity, as it is not mentioned in the Bible. Jesus himself never spoke about it explicitly. The quotation about “the father, the son and the holy spirit” was not written in the original manuscript. It was only a marginal note written by the scribes in the margin on one of the manuscripts, but was later copied into the scripture. It was then an illegitimate insertion, and he wonders why the priests are teaching it as if it is the truth. He states further that Jesus Christ described himself in the Bible as “the son of man” 88 times, but nowhere does he call himself “the Son of God”. This doctrine of Trinity was introduced three hundred years after the time of Jesus.

Dr. Brown encountered the Jewish scriptures’ reference to three prophets to follow Prophet Moses. He assumes that John the Baptist and Jesus Christ were the two, and in the New Testament Jesus Christ spoke of a final prophet to follow him.

5

He found in the Qur’an the teaching of Oneness of God, and Muhammad as the final prophet. He also read the Biography of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. by Martin Ling based on the earliest sources which increased his belief in Islam. He found peace entered his heart, and that in Islam all his questions were answered, that “all puzzles came together.”

Dr. Brown admits that it is not a matter of intelligence that he found Islam, as there are more intelligent people who have not found the truth of Islam. It is a matter of what he calls “enlightenment” which we used to call hidāyah, “guidance” without which a person will remain disbelieve. He cites the translation of the following verse:

ختم . یؤمنون ال تنذرھم لم أم أأنذرتھم علیھم سواء كفروا الذین إن هللا 7-6:البقرة..( غشاوة أبصارھم وعلى سمعھم وعلى قلوبھم على )

Indeed, those who disbelieve – it is all the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn them – they will not believe. God has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and

over their vision is a veil… (Quran 2:6-7)

He also cites the translations Qur’anic verses as evidence that this “enlightenment” is only from Allah, as follows:

)11:التغابن... (قلبھ یھد باہلل یؤمن ومن ...…whoever believes in Allah He will guide his

heart … (Q 64:11),

... )13:الشورى( ینیب من إلیھ ویھدي یشاء من إلیھ یجتبي هللا

… Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back

[to Him]” ( Q. 42:13) and

... )46:النور( مستقیم صراط إلى یشاء من یھدي وهللا… and Allah guides whom He wills

to a straight path. (Q. 24:46) At the end of his discourse Dr. Brown said:

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“So I thank Allah that He chose to guide me, and I attribute that guidance to one simple formula: recognizing our Creator,

praying to Him and to Him alone, and sincerely seeking His guidance. And whom He guides, none can lead astray.”

Following the chain of revelation through the Abrahamic religions from Judaism to Christianity Dr. Brown eventually came to Islam. He relates the result of that study in his books, among which are as follows:

The First & Final Commandment: A Search for Truth in Revelation within the Abrahamic Religion – September 1, 2004

The Eighth Scroll – February 22, 2008 God'ed?: The Case for Islam as the Completion of Revelation -

Feb 22, 2008 MisGod'ed: A Roadmap of Guidance and Misguidance in the

Abrahamic Religions – February 22, 2008 Bearing True Witness: "Now that I Found Islam, What do I do

with it?" - July 14, 2010 The Returned - November 15, 2011 The Zion Deception – May 11, 2012 Miracles happen to us many times, but we do not notice them, until we realize that they are beyond reason. Staunch advocates of atheism like the English evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and the American neuroscientist Sam Harris, if Allah wills, could be easily “enlightened.”

(Civic, 8 January, 2016)

ة ھي فإذا فألقاھا موسى یا ألقھا قال " قرأ و صلى إمام عن صدیق لي حكي حی" تخف وال خذھا قال " المأموم فقال. اإلمام فسكت. حیة أمامھ وجد بالصدفة" تسعى

المأموم إلى اإلمام فالتفت تخف وال خذھا قال المأموم فكرر. ساكتا اإلمام زال ما " !!!تخف ال و خذھا انت" الحیة إلى ومشیرا قائال

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2. TEN DEGREES OF GUIDANCE (1)

The classical Muslim scholar Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawzillah (691-751/1292-1350) in his book Madārij al-Sālikīn (Steps of Divine Seekers) mentions ten degrees of guidance (مراتب الھدایة) endowed by Allah to His servants. The first degree of guidance which is the highest degree is Allah’s direct talking to His servant in his wakefulness but behind a veil, like His direct talking to Prophet Moses a.s. Allah said:

وكلم ... )164النساء:( تكلیما موسى هللا … and to Mūsā (Moses) Allah spoke directly. (Q. 4:164)

The use of maṣdar (verbal noun) تكلیم�ا (lit. "speaking") indicates that the speaking is not as a figure of speech or metaphorical, but real speaking. It happened to the Prophet in his mi‘rāj (ascension to heaven). The second degree of guidance is Allah’s waḥy (revelation), “in the form of true dreams which came true like bright daylight”, whereas the third degree is the sending of an angel to them, namely, Gabriel (Jibrīl or Jibrā’īl) a.s. either in the form of a human being or as his own appearance, and reveals to them what Allah wants to reveal to them. These three degrees of guidance are only for prophets and messengers. Allah mentions in the Qur’an as follows:

یكلمھ أن لبشر كان وما یرسل أو حجاب وراء من أو وحیا إال هللاھ یشاء ما بإذنھ فیوحي رسوال )51الشورى:( حكیم علي إن

(Q. 42:51)

It is not given to any human being that Allah should speak to him unless (it be) by Revelation, or from behind

a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to reveal what He wills by His Leave. Verily, He is the Most

High, Most Wise. (Q./42:51) When the Prophet was asked by al-Ḥarith ibn Hishām how revelation came to him, he replied:

Sometimes it is (revealed) like the ringing of a bell, this form of Inspiration is the hardest of all and then this state

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passes off after I have grasped what is inspired. Sometimes the angel comes in the form of a man and talks to me and I grasp whatever he says. ‘Ā’ishah r.a. added: Verily, I saw the Prophet s.a.w. being inspired (divinely) and (noticed)

the sweat dropping from his forehead on a very cold day as he Inspiration was over.

(Reported by Bukhārī)

The fourth degree of guidance is through taḥdīth (talking), and the person who is endowed with this privilege of being told something is called muḥaddath. Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah cites a ḥadīth narrated by Abū Hurayrah, that the Prophet s.a.w said:

أن غیر من یكلمون رجال إسرائیل بني من قبلكم كان فیمن كان قد ل تي من یكن فإن أنبیاء یكونوا (رواه البخاري) فعمر أحد منھم أم

Among the nation of Bani Israel who lived before you, there were man who used to be inspired with guidance

though they were not Prophets, and if there is any of such persons among my followers, it is ‘Umar

(Reported by Bukhārī)

Ibn Taymiyyah’s commentary on the above ḥadīth is that since the message and the prophethood of this nation have been completed, there would be no need for having a muḥaddath. The Prophet said that if there is which means it does not happen, he would be ‘Umar. A

muḥaddath is a person who is told something through his inmost and heart, and then it happens as it has been told. The upright person (al-Ṣiddīq, which is also the epithet of Abū Bakr) is in higher position than the muḥaddath, because he does not need any taḥdīth, inspiration, vision, or kashf (unveiling, illumination), because he has surrendered his whole heart and his whole life to the message of the Prophet. Moreover, a muḥaddath has to refer what he receives to the teachings of the Prophet: if it agrees with it he accepts it; otherwise, if it does not agree with it, he has to reject it.

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Ibn al-Qayyim said further that among ignorant people one would claim that his heart has spoken to him from his Lord. He said that if it is true that his heart has spoken to him, from whom? From his Lord or from Satan? If he said it was from his Lord, there would be nobody who would know whether it really came from his Lord, and that would be a lie. A muḥaddath never claimed to be so in the past, because he was not sure of it, whether it was really from Allah or not. ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, when he became caliph, his secretary wrote for him:

أرى ما ھذا اب بن عمر المؤمنین أمیر هللا الخط This is what Allah has shown to the Prince of the Believers,

he asked him to erase it and to write instead, اب بن ر عم ىأ ر ا م ذا ھ ,إن كان صوابا فمن هللا , ف الخط

و رسولھ منھ برئ إن ؤ كان خطأ فمن عمر, وهللا This is the opinion of ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, if it is right

it is from Allah, and if it is wrong it is from ‘Umar, and Allah and His Messenger are free from it

In another occasion ‘Umar r.a. gave his opinion about the kalālah (the man who has neither descendants nor ascendants) and then said,

یطان خطأ كان ؤإن , هللا فمن صوابان ك ی فإن أقول فیھا برأیي. فمني و من الشI say it with my personal opinion; if it is right it is from Allah, and if it is wrong,

then it is from me and from Satan.

Abū ‘Abdullah al-Shaybānī says that there are twenty-one matters where ‘Umar agrees with his Lord in the Qur’an although some of them are not authentic. Among sound ḥadīths are as follows:

‘Umar r.a. said, “I agree with my Lord (or my Lord agreed with me) in three matters. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I wish you take the Maqām of Ibrāhīm a place

for prayer.’ Then it was revealed خذوا مصلى إبراھیم مقام من وات “And take you (people) the Maqām (place) of Ibrāhīm

a place for prayer”[Q. 2:125] . I also said, ‘O Messenger

10

of Allah! The righteous and the wicked enter your house. I wish you would command the Mothers of the believers (the Prophet’s wives) to wear Ḥijāb. Allah sent down the verse that required Ḥijāb. And when I knew the Prophet

was angry with some of his wives, I came to them and said, “Either you stop what you are doing, or Allah will endow

His Messenger with better women than you are.” I advised one of his wives and she said to me, ”O ‘Umar! Does the Messenger of Allah not know to advise his wives, so that

you have to do the job instead of him?” The Allah revealed ھ عسى لھ أن طلقكن إن رب منكن خیرا أزواجا یبد … “It may be if he

divorced you (all) that his Lord will give him instead of you, wives better than you….[Q. 66:5]

The verse that required Ḥijāb in the above ḥadīth is as follows:

ھا یا بي أی جالبیبھن من علیھن یدنین المؤمنین ونساء وبناتك ألزواجك قل الن وكان یؤذین فال یعرفن أن أدنى ذلك ) 59:األحزاب( رحیما غفورا هللا

O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters, as well as all [other] believing women, that they should draw over

themselves some of their outer garment [when in public]: this swill be more conducive to their being recognized [as decent women] and not annoyed. But [withal,] God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

(Q. 33:59, Muhammad Asad’s translation).1 1 Muhammad Asad’s commentary on this verse is as follows: “The specific, time-bound formulation of the above verse (evident in the reference to the wives and daughters of the Prophet), as well as the deliberate vagueness of the recommendation that women ‘should draw upon themselves some of their outer garments (min jalābibihinna)’ when in public, makes it clear that the verse was not meant to be an injunction (ḥukm) in the general, timeless sense of this term but, rather, a moral guideline to be observed against the ever-changing background of time and social environment. This finding is reinforced by the concluding referenced of God’s forgiveness and grace.” Muhammad Asad, The Message of the Qur’an, p. 651, n. 75.

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In a ḥadīth narrated by Ibn ‘Umar the Prophet s.a.w. insisted to pray funeral prayer for ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ubayy, the leader of the hypocrites in Madinah, at the request of his son ‘Abdullah, who was one of his companions. ‘Umar reminded him not to do so, as he was a hypocrite. Revelation came later in support of ‘Umar’s view, as follows:

ھم قبره على تقم وال أبدا مات منھم أحد على تصل وال إن )84التوبة:( فاسقون وھم وماتوا ورسولھ باہلل كفروا

And never (O Muhammad) pray (funeral prayer) to any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave. Certainly they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger,

and died while they were rebellious (Q. 9:84) (Reported by Muslim)

When the following verse was revealed:

. مكین قرار في نطفة جعلناه ثم .طین من ساللة من اإلنسان خلقنا ولقد طفة خلقنا ثم عظاما المضغة فخلقنا مضغة العلقة فخلقنا علقة الن )14-12...(المؤمنون:آخر خلقا أنشأناه ثم لحما العظام فكسونا

And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth). Thereafter We made him (the offspring of

Adam as a Nutfah (mixed drops of male and female sexual discharge and lodged it) in a safe lodging (womb of the woman). Then We made the Nutfah into

a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We clothed

the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as another creation… (Q.23:12-14)

‘Umar said فتبارك So blessed is Allah, the Best of“ الخالقین أحسن هللاcreators”, and the verse ended like what he had said.

After the battle of Badr the Prophet asked the opinion of his companion what to do with the captives. ‘Umar said that they should be executed. Abū Bakr said they should pay ransom, or teach the Muslims reading and writing. The Prophet took Abū Bakr’s opinion, and

12

therefore, some of their relatives who were forced to join the enemy in the battlefield, like the Prophet’s uncle al-‘Abbās were saved. Later on, revelation came agreeing with ‘Umar’s opinion, as follows:

تریدون األرض في یثخن حتى أسرى لھ یكون أن لنبي كان مانی عرض )67: األنفال (حكیم عزیز وهللا اآلخرة یرید وهللا االد

It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great

slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e., the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter.

And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise (Q. 8:67)

These are some examples where revelation came agreeing what ‘Umar had said. He had reached the level of a muḥaddath, but he did not claim it, as there is no longer any muḥaddath among the followers of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., who said that if there was any muḥaddath, he would have been ‘Umar. Based on the above statement of the Prophet any person who claimes to be a muḥaddath among Muslims, let alone to be a prophet, his claim should not be accepted.

(CIVIC, 15 January, 2016) المراجع: الشاملة المكتبة )ھـ 310. ت( الطبري تفسیر )ھـ 671. ت( القرطبى تفسیر )ھـ 774. ت( كثیر ابن تفسیر

الجوزیة. مدارج السالكین.ابن القیم Muhsin Khan, Dr. Muhammad. Summarized Sahih Al-Bukhari. Riyadh:

Darussalam, 1996 Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’an. Gibraltar: Dar al-

Andalus, 1984. http://jamharah.net/showthread.php?t=22172#.VpycPlLIWpY http://www.nabulsi.com/blue/ar/art.php?art=2999&id=150&sid=734&

ssid=753&sssid=754 http://www.alhiwar.net/ShowNews.php?Tnd=26462

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3. TEN DEGREES OF GUIDANCE (2) After mentioning the four degrees of guidance Ibn al-Qayyim in his الكین he (Steps of Divine Seekers) مدارج السcontinues with the remaining degrees as follows:

The fifth degree is ifhām (اإلفھام, deep understanding, and quick thinking). It is a gift from Allah, light emanated into his heart, so that he understands what others do not, such as the one given to Prophet Sulaymān (Solomon) a.s. When a person complained to Prophet Dāwūd (David) a.s. in the case of the field in which the sheep of certain people had pastured at night (Q. 21:78). The grown grapes and bunches were spoiled by the sheep. Prophet Dāwūd ruled that the owner of the grapes should keep the sheep. But Prophet Sulaymān suggested “Give the grapes to the owner of the sheep and let him tend them until they grow back as they were, and give the sheep to the owner of the grapes and get benefit from them until the grapes had grown back as they were. Then the grapes should be given back to the owner, and the sheep should be given back to their owner.”1 This is what Allah meant when he said:

1 Muhammad Asad gives us details of this story as follows: “According to this story a flock of sheep strayed at night into a neighbouring field and destroyed its crops. The case was brought before King David for judicial decision. On finding that the incident was due to the negligence of the owner of the sheep, |David awarded the whole flock – the value of which corresponded roughly to the extent of the damage – as an indemnity to the owner of the field. David’s young son, Solomon, regarded this judgment as too severe, inasmuch as the sheep represented the defendant’s capital, whereas the damage was of a transitory nature, involving no more than the loss of one year’s crop, i.e., of income. He therefore suggested to his father that the judgment should be altered: the owner of the field should have the temporary possession and usufruct of the sheep (milk, wool, new-born lambs, etc.), while their owner should tend the damaged field until it was restored to its former productivity, whereupon both the field and the flock of sheep should revert to their erstwhile owners; in this way the plaintiff would be fully compensated for his loss without depriving the defendant of his

14

مناھا )79... (األنبیاء:سلیمان ففھ “And We made Sulaymān to understand

(the case)…” (Q. 21:79).

This story was reported by Bukhārī and Ibn ‘Abbās. We see here how the owner of the sheep repaired the damage of the grapes by tending them until they grew as before. In the meantime the grapes owner got benefit from the milk of the sheep while tending them. They exchanged jobs, so that none of them got two jobs nor lost his job.

Another example of the ifhām given to Prophet Sulaymān a.s. is the ḥadīth narrated by Abū Hurayrah, that the Prophet s.a. said:

There were two women who each had a son. The wolf came and took one of the children, and they referred

their dispute to Prophet Dāwūd. He ruled that the child belonged to the older woman. They left, and Prophet

Sulaymān called them and said: “Give me a sword and I will divide him between the two of you.” The younger woman said, “May Allah have mercy on you! He is her

child, do not cut him up!” So he ruled that the child belonged to the younger woman.

(Reported by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasā’ī and Ahmad)

Among the companions of the Prophet it was his cousin ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās who was endowed with this ifhām in spite of his young age. ‘Umar invited him one day into his gathering with old men, and asked them what Allah meant when He said: substance. David realized that his son’s solution of the case was better than his own, and passed judgment accordingly; but since he, no less than Solomon, had been inspired by a deep sense of justice, God – in the words of the Qur’ān – ‘bore witness to their judgment.’” M. Asad, The Message of the Qur’an, p. 21, n. 70. Asad said further “that Solomon’s judgment was more profound did not disprove the intrinsic justice of David’s of David’s original judgment or deprive it of its merit.” Ibid., n. 71.

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.أفواجا هللا دین في یدخلون الناس ورأیت . والفتح هللا نصر جاء ذاإھ واستغفره ربك بحمد فسبح ابا كان إن ) 3-1النصر:(.تو

When there comes the help of Allah and the Conquest, So glorify the praises of your Lord, and ask His forgiveness.

Verily, He is the One Who accepts the repentance and Who forgives. ((Q. 110:1-3)

Some of them said that they were commanded by Allah to praise Him and seek His forgiveness when He helped them and gave them victory, and others remained silent. When ‘Umar asked Ibn ‘Abbās he explained: “When there comes the help of Allah and the Conquest” means that “that is the sign of the end of your life.” ‘Umar approved his explanation and said: “I do not know anything about it other than what you have said.”

The sixth degree of guidance is called al-bayān al-‘ām It is the demonstration of the .(general clarification ,البیان العام)truth to make it distinct from falsehood through clear evidence, testimony and information, so that it becomes witnessed by the heart, like the eyewitness of seen objects. This is Allah’s evidence towards His creatures, so that He would not punish any person except that he had reached it. Allah said in the Qur’ān:

كان وما لھم یبین حتى ھداھم إذ بعد قوما لیضل هللا )115التوبة:( علیم شيء بكل هللا إن یتقون ما

And Allah will never lead a people astray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them

as to what they should avoid. Verily, Allah is All-Knower of everything (Q. 9:115)

This straying is punishment for rejecting the bayān and not acting accordingly.

Ibn al-Jawziyyah states further that a person who perceives and knows this bayān he will understand the secret of qadr (divine decree); doubts and obscurities will disappear from him, and he will understand the wisdom behind Allah’s

16

straying Whom he wills. People who turn away from the bayān which is the right path, Allah also will turn their hearts away (Q.; 61:5), which is a kind of disbelief because of their obstinacy. When they say that their hearts are wrapped, Allah set a seal upon their hearts because of their disbelief, and this is called disbelief because of the sealing of their hearts.

Guidance though bayān which is clear evidence would not be actualized or accomplished unless it is followed by another guidance, namely tawfīq, Allah’s blessing with successfulness. Allah says:

ا فأخذتھم الھدى على العمى فاستحبوا فھدیناھم ثمود وأم )17فصلت:( یكسبون كانوا بما الھون العذاب صاعقة

And as for [the tribe of] Thamūd, We offered them guidance, but they chose blindness in preference to

guidance: and so the thunderbolt of shameful suffering fell upon them as an outcome of all [the evil]

that they had wrought (Q. 41:17)

This bayān is divided into two categories: clarification through āyāt (Qur’anic verses, sign, miracle, wonder) heard and recited (i.e., Qur’anic verses), and āyāt seen and witnessed by people (i.e., signs, miracles, and wonders of creation). Both of them are evidence indicating the Oneness of Allah, His Names, Attributes, His perfection, and the truthfulness of what it conveys about Him. Therefore, Allah calls people through the recited āyāt (.i.e., Qur’anic verses) to ponder the witness āyāt (i.e., the wonders of creation), and many other things.

This is the bayān sent by Allah to His Messengers and scholars after them. After that, He would guide and misguide whom He wills. He said:

فیضل لھم لیبین قومھ بلسان إال رسول من أرسلنا وما هللا )4إبراھیم:( الحكیم العزیز وھو یشاء من ویھدي یشاء من

And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order that he might make

17

(the Message) clear for them. Then Allah misleads whom He wills and guides whim He wills. And

He is the |all-Mighty, the All-Wise (Q. 14:4)

The seventh degree of guidance is al-bayan al-khāṣṣ ( البیان the particular clarification). It necessitates particular ,الخاصguidance, together with ‘ināyah (providence from Allah), tawfīq (success granted by Allah), and ijtibā’ (being chosen by Allah), where there is no room for failure in the heart, so that it would always receive guidance. Allah says:

یضل من یھدي ال هللا فإن ھداھم على تحرص إن )37النحل:( ناصرین من لھم وما

If you (O Muhammad) covet for their guidance, then verily, Allah guides not those whom He makes to go astray (or none can guide him whom Allah sends

astray). And they will have no helpers. (Q. 16:37)

In this verse, despite the Prophet’s efforts to guide them through general bayān he failed, because of the absence of particular bayān.

Another example is in the following verse:

یشاء من یھدي هللا ولكن أحببت من تھدي ال إنك )56القصص:( بالمھتدین أعلم وھو

Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He knows best

those who are the guided.(Q. 28:56)

Here the first bayān which is general is condition (شرط), whereas the second one which is particular is requiring, obligating (موجب) without which guidance would not take place.

The above verse was revealed after the Prophet had failed in guiding his uncle Abū Ṭālib while he was on his deathbed. He asked him to say: Lā ilāha illallāh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah) with which the Prophet would defend his case before Allah. But Abū Jahl and ‘Abdullah ibn Umayyah were with him and persuaded him to keep him

18

following the religion of ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib, which he did. Then the Prophet said: “I will keep on asking for Allah’s forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden to do so.” Then the above verse was revealed as well as the following one:

بي كان ما أولي كانوا ولو للمشركین یستغفروا أن آمنوا والذین للنھم لھم تبین ما بعد من قربى )113التوبة:( الجحیم أصحاب أن

It is not proper for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allah’s forgiveness for the idolaters even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that

they are the dwellers of the (Hell) Fire (because they died in a state of disbelief) (Q. 9:113)

These are seven of ten degrees of guidance given by Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jaqzijjah. The remaining three will be dealt with in next khuṭbah, in shā’ Allāh (God willing)

(CIVIC, 22 January, 2016) :المراجع الشاملة المكتبة )ھـ 310. ت( الطبري تفسیر )(ھـ 671. ت( القرطبى تفسیر )ھـ 774. ت( كثیر ابن تفسیر

.السالكین مدارج. الجوزیة القیم ابنMuhsin Khan, Dr. Muhammad. Summarized Sahih Al-Bukhari. Riyadh: Darussalam, 1996 Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’an. Gibraltar: Dar al-Andalus, 1984 http://www.nabulsi.com/blue/ar/art.php?art=2999&id=150&si

d=734&ssid=753&sssid=754 http://siraje.net/2474-2/2474.html http://www.alhiwar.net/ShowNews.php?Tnd=26462 http://jamharah.net/showthread.php?t=22172#.VpycPlLIWpY

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4. TEN DEGREES OF GUIDANCE (3) The eighth degree of guidance mentioned by Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah in his Madārij al-Sulūk (Steps of Divine Seekers) is Ismā‘ (اإلسماع, “to make listen”). There is distinction between “hearing” which is by ears, whereas “listening” is “hearing through heart.” It is the heart that listens. Similarly, there are two kinds of “seeing”: through the eyes, and through the heart. The kuffār, those who deny the truth of Islam do hear its message, but they do not listen to it, because their hearts are closed. Allah says in the Qur’ān:

)24 : محمد( أقفالھا قلوب على أم القرآن یتدبرون أفال Do they not then think deeply in the Qur’ān

or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it?) (Q. 47:24)

It is a command from Allah to reflect upon the Qur’ān, but their hearts are locked up, so that they cannot understand it. They have eyes, ears and hearts, but they do not use it spiritually, as if they are blind, deaf, and heartless. Allah says about them as follows:

م ذرأنا ولقد یفقھون ال قلوب لھم واإلنس الجن من كثیرا لجھن أولئك بھا یسمعون ال آذان ولھم بھا یبصرون ال أعین ولھم بھا )179: األعراف( الغافلون ھم أولئك أضل ھم بل كاألنعام

And surely, We have created many of the jinn and mankind for Hell. They have hearts wherewith they understand not, and they have eyes wherewith they

see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not (the truth). They are like cattle, nay even

more astray; those! They are the heedless ones. (Q. 7:179)

Ibn al-Qayyim gives an example of a person who hears but does not listen to the truth, mentioning the following verse:

للذین قالوا عندك من خرجوا إذا حتى إلیك یستمع من ومنھم طبع الذین أولئك آنفا قال ماذا العلم أوتوا قلوبھم على هللا

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بعوا )16 : محمد( أھواءھم واتAnd among them are some who listen to you

(O Muhammad) till when they go out from you, they say to those who have received knowledge:

“What has he said just now?” Such are men whose hearts Allah has sealed, and they follow their lusts (evil desires) (Q. 47:16)

Allah said to the Prophet that among disbelievers were people who listened to him, but without paying enough attention, so that they did not understand anything about what the Prophet had said, because they were, according to the commentators Qatādah and Ibn Zayd, the hypocrites. When they left from the Prophet’s presence, they asked the companions what the Prophet had said. Their hearts had been sealed for following their lusts.

In order to receive guidance through ismā‘ Ibn al- Qayyim said that a person has to pass three degrees of hearing: hearing with his ears اع األذن)(سم , then hearing with his heart (سماع القلب), namely with understanding, then to the last degree, hearing with acceptance and with response (سماع القبول .واإلجابة) The ninth degree of guidance is ilhām (اإللھام, Inspiration, instinct). It is a gift from Allah to believers in general based on the quality of their belief. Some examples are mentioned in the Qur’ān, as follows:

وال الیم في فألقیھ علیھ خفت فإذا ,أرضعیھ أن موسى أم إلى وأوحیناا تحزني وال تخافي وه إن )7القصص:( المرسلین من وجاعلوه إلیك راد

And We inspired the mother of Mūsā (Moses) (telling): “Suckle him, but when you fear for him, then cast him into the river and fear not, nor grieve. Verily, We shall

bring him back to you, and shall make him one of (Our) Messengers.” (Q. 28:7)

قالوا وبرسولي بي آمنوا أن الحواریین إلى أوحیت وإذ ا نا واشھد آمن )111المائدة:( مسلمون بأن

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And when I (Allah) inspired al-ḥawāriyyīn [the disciples of ‘Īsā (Jesus)] to believe in Me and My

Messenger, they said: “We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims. (Q. 5:111)

This kind of guidance are also given to inanimate beings, usually called “instinct”, for example, mentioned in the Qur’ān, as follows:

بیوتا الجبال من اتخذي أن النحل إلى ربك وأوحىا الشجر ومن )68النحل:( یعرشون ومم

And your Lord inspired the bee, saying: “Take you habitations in the mountains and in the trees and

in what they erect.” (Q. 16:68)

Ibn al-Qayyim makes distinction between ilhām and firāsah (الفراسة, intuitive knowledge of human nature), which takes place rarely, whereas the former takes place often. Each of them is divided into general which takes place many times and particular which takes place rarely. Ilhām is purely a gift, whereas firāsah is attainable through acquisition and learning.

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah divides ilhām (inspiration) into three degrees: (a) an important information given as definite inspiration accompanied with hearing; (b) an inspiration that takes place clearly which is general and inevitable where it is unavoidable by the heart; and (c) an inspiration which purely clarifies the essence (substance) of conviction (verification), and genuinely talks about the essence of eternity. The details are as follows:

A. The important information gives as definite inspiration accompanied with hearing.1. It is divided into three categories:

1 If Allah talks directly to a person, it is the highest degree of inspiration and we call it revelation which occurs only to prophets, such as Prophet Moses a.s. and Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. in his ascension to heaven (mi‘rāj) as mentioned earlier.

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(1) The inspiration where the angel partially talks to somebody who is not a prophet, like ‘Imrān ibn Ḥuṣayn. It is said that the angels shook hands with him.2 It is either it is heard by ears which is rarely occurs among believers, or heard by the believer’s inner ears, namely, the angel talks to his soul. But at the same time Satan could also inspire him. The Prophet said:

Verily, the angel has a call in the heart of the son of Adam, and Satan has also a call in the heart of

the son of Adam. The call of the angel is threatening with good things and confirming Allah’s promise,

whereas Satan’s call is threatening with bad things and denying the promise.

Then the Prophet s.a.w. recited: یطان بالفحشاء ویأمركم الفقر یعدكم الش یعدكم وهللا وفضال منھ مغفرة )268البقرة:( علیم واسع وهللا

Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit evil deeds; whereas Allah promises you with

forgiveness from Himself and bounty, and Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs,

All-Knower. (Q. 2:268)

2 ‘Imrān ibn Ḥuṣayn embraced Islam lately, in the year of the campaign of Khaybar in the 7th AH. After he made a pledge with the Prophet s.a.w. with his right hand, he said that he would only use it for noble deeds. One day while he was present, the companions of the Prophet asked him, “O Messenger of Allah, what will happen to us, when we are with you our hearts become tender, and we renounce our pleasure with worldly things, as if we see the Hereafter with our eyes, until we go away from you and we meet our family, children and the world, then we denies ourselves?” The Prophet replied: “By Allah, in Whose hand is my soul, if you keep being like when you are with me, you would clearly shake hands with the angels now and then.” The classical Qur’an commentator Qatādah said that ‘Imrān ibn Ḥuṣayn shook hands with the angels until he became pressed, and so they withdrew.”

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(2) Inspiration from exclusively from the jinn (demons), either a Muslim jinn or Satan, and either heard by ears, or heard by heart. For example, Allah says in the Qur’ān:

یھم یعدھم یطان یعدھم وما ویمن الش )120النساء:( غرورا إال

He (Satan) makes promises to them, and arouses in them false desires; and Satan’s promises

are nothing but deceptions.(Q. 4:120)

If someone claims to be inspired, he has to verify, whether the inspiration comes from a Muslim jinni or from Satan. Satan would inspire somebody and talk to him, and the man would say proudly, “I have been spoken”, but by whom? When Ghaylān ibn Salamah who had ten wives converted to Islam, the Prophet told him to keep only four of them, and he did. But in the time of ‘Umar who became caliph he divorced all his wives and distributed all him wealth to his children. When ‘Umar r.a. heard this, he told him that “…Satan might have stolen information and heard about your death, so he inspired you and told you that you will no longer live long…”, and therefore, ‘Umar asked him to take back his wives and wealth.

(3) An instant address originally from man’s mind, and return to his mind, but he thinks that it comes from outside. This happens many times to divine seekers, and therefore, they make a mistake by thinking that the address comes from Allah. The reason is that the subtle signal (لطیفة)3 attained by man if it becomes pure by means of spiritual exercise, and his mind (عقل) is cut from massive distractions, its judgment becomes in virtue of the control of soul and heart over the body as well as the

3 The definition of laṭīfah is as follows: كل إشارة دقیقة المعنى تلوح للفھم ال تسعھا

It every signal with subtle meaning which appears to our . العبارةunderstanding but it is beyond our expression.

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outcome of their (the soul’s and the heart’s) judgments. Then the concern of the soul and the heart will move to purify the ideas (thoughts, senses) into spiritual mental speech and address in virtue of tradition, and will agree with the freedom of the soul, so that these ideas (thoughts, senses) form by the power of hearing as heard sounds, and by the power of sight as seen entities, so that he sees their images, and hears their speeches. All of these are within himself, and nothing outside of him at all, but he may swear that he hears, sees and that he is right, but all these are not from outside of him.

In the next khutbah, in shā’ Allah, we shall continue with the remaining ninth and the tenth degrees of guidance, as mentioned by Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah in his Madārij al-Sālikīn.

(CIVIC,29January, 2016)

:المراجع الشاملة المكتبة ) ه 043. ت) الطبري تفسیر ) ه 664. ت) القرطبى تفسیر ) ه 661. ت) كثیر ابن تفسیر

.السالكین مدارج. الجوزیة القیم ابنMuhsin Khan, Dr. Muhammad. Summarized Sahih Al-Bukhari.

Riyadh: Darussalam, 1996 Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’an. Gibraltar: Dar

al-Andalus, 1984. http://jamharah.net/showthread.php?t=22172#.VpycPlLIWpY http://www.nabulsi.com/blue/ar/art.php?art=2999&id=150&si

d=734&ssid=753&sssid=754 http://www.alhiwar.net/ShowNews.php?Tnd=26462 http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vb/showthread.php?t=231339 http://www.almaany.com/ar/dict/ar-ar/%D9%84% D8%B7%

D8%A7%D8%A6%

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5. TEN DEGREES OF GUIDANCE (4)

B. The second degree of ilhām is an inspiration that takes place clearly which is general and, unlike the first degree of ilhām, it is higher degree, as it is inevitable, and cannot be rejected by the heart. This is viewing (معاینة) and unveiling and therefore it appears to the heart like its ,(مكاشفة)appearance to the eyes. It has three signs:

1. It does not penetrate a veil, which means if a person is shown in one occasion an unveil thing, either good or bad, he cannot penetrate the veil and unveil what Allah veils from people.

2. It does not violate the limit, (a) committing disobedience, such as the works of soothsayers, or devilish practice, (b) contradictory to Islamic law, such as spying against people, (c) there is no room for mistake; it is contrary to the devil’s inspiration which is mainly a mistake. When the Prophet s.a.w. asked Ibn Ṣā‘id, “What have you seen?” he answered, “I have seen something right and wrong (at the same time).” The Prophet told him, “He (Satan) is deceiving you.” Therefore, this devilish unveiling has to be wrong and will never be right.

C. The third degree of ilhām is an inspiration where the essence (substance) of conviction has become purely unveiled, and genuinely talks about the essence of eternity. This ilhām is an objective where the essence of conviction is unable to identify itself, as it has become annihilated in witnessing the reality, so that other than the reality has disappeared. There is no longer any feeling and mental perception in receiving this kind of ilhām, because it is beyond senses and reason. This experience leads a person to the annihilation of appearance, and not of existence. This is called Waḥdat al-Shuhūd الشھود وحدة ), lit. “Unity of Witness,” “Unity of Perception,” "Unity of Appearance" or "Oneness of Manifestation" “Unity in Conscience”,

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“Apparentism”) which states that Allah and His creatures are entirely separate.

With regard to those who believe in the unity of existence, namely, the annihilation of oneself in witnessing the reality (namely, Allah) which is called Waḥdat al-Wujūd

الوجود) وحدة , lit. “Unity of Existence” or “Unity of Being”), that the Creator and the creatures are one, and that the creatures are only reflection of the Creator, the person who reaches this point is free from this idea and denounces it based on reason, religion, actuality, and perception.

Ibn al-Qayyim said further that in the condition of (divine) intoxication, unconsciousness, and annihilation a person could lose his discretion, feeling, thinking, and intelligence. In this case he might say, like Abū Yazīd al-Busṭāmī (d. 261/874 or 264/877) who was reported to have said, ين أ ش م ظ أع ام ،يان ح ب س (“Praise to Me, for My greatest Glory!”) instead of ھ ن أ ش م ظ ع أ ام ، هللا ان ح ب س (“Praise to Allah, for His greatest Glory!”) or هللا إال ة ب لج ا يف ام (“There is nothing in this robe I am wearing except Allah”) and similar expressions, then accountability might be lifted from him, as he has become insane. Ibn Taymiyyah explained of him, “He does not see himself as existing any longer, but only sees the existence of Allah, due to his self-denial.” It is impossible for a rational and sensible person in whatever condition to believe that the Creator and the creatures are one, the worshipper and the worshiped are one, and that Allah is the human being. Otherwise, if he is in his full sense and conscience, he is then a non-believer.

The concept of Waḥdat al-Wujūd (“Unity of Being”), namely, union with God or the deity is also found Hinduism, through practicing yoga, which we do not discuss here whether it has influence on it or not. The term yoga has many meanings, among which are: joining, uniting, union, mode, manner, and means. It is a means to be united with

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the deity. The New Hutchison 20th Century Encyclopedia (1980) mentions yoga as follows:

Yoga (Sanskrit, union). A system of Hindu philosophy, characterized by belief in personal deity with whom it is

possible to attain mystical and ecstatic union by the practice of hypnosis and complicated and prolonged

system of mortification of the senses, e.g., by abstract meditation, induced apathy, rigidity of posture, ascetic practices, concentration

of mind on one particular point, etc….

The Hutchinson Softback Encyclopedia (1991), explains yoga in more details, as follows:

Yoga (Sanskrit, union) Hindu philosophic system attributed to Patanjali, who lived about 150 BC at Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, India. He preached mystical union with a personal deity by the practice of self- hypnosis and a rising above the senses by abstract

meditation, adoption of special postures, and ascetic practices. As practised in the West, yoga

is more a system of induced relaxation and mental and physical exercises.

The tenth degree of guidance according to Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah is al-Ru’yā al-Ṣādiqah اد ؤیا الص قة) ,الر “True Vision”) which is part of prophethood. The Prophet s.a.w. said on the authority of Ibn Mas‘ūd:

ؤیا ادقة الر الحة الص ة من جزء الص جزءا وسبعین ست ة من بو (رواه الطبراني) الن

True valid vision is one seventy-sixth of prophethood (Reported by al-Ṭabrānī)

In another tradition the Prophet s.a.w. said:

ؤیاا ادقة لر یطان من والحلم هللا من الص (رواه البخاري) الش True vision is from Allah, whereas dreaming is

from Satan (Reported by Bukhārī)

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Ibn al-Qayym al-Jawziyyah quoted a ḥadīth that true vision is one 46th of prophethood, but also mentioned in another ḥadīth that true vision is one 70th of prophethood. He said that as the True Vision took place in a half year, and the revelation in wakefulness took place in 23 years, from the starting of revelation until the Prophet’s death, it means that True Vision is one 43rd of the whole revelation. To combine these two traditions there is an opinion that the true vision of ṣiddīqīqīn starts at the age of 64, whereas for the believers in general it starts at the age of 70.

Vision is the starting point of revelation, and its truthfulness depends on the truthfulness of the person who has the vision, and the most truthful vision is with the most truthful person. On the other hand, it is said karāmāt (الكرامات , miracles that Allah works through a pious man or allows to happen to him), did not happen in the time of the ṣaḥābah (companions of the Prophet), for they are not in need of them due to their strong faith. But it did happen to many ṣaḥābah.

The Prophet’s companion ‘Ubādah ibn Ṣāmit (d. 34/654) said: “The vision of the believer is the Lord’s talking to His servant in his sleep.” The Prophet s.a. said as narrated by Abū Hurayrah, as follows:

ة من یبق لم بو المبشرات وما قالوا المبشرات إال الن ؤیا قال الحة الر (رواه البخاري) الص

Nothing left after the prophethood, except good news. They asked what is that good news? He said the right vision (Reported by Bukhārī).

The right vision comes from Allah only. If the vision is from other than the prophet, it is to be compared with the vision of the Muslims. If it agrees with theirs, then the vision is right. The vision is also is compared with the clear revelation; if it agrees with it we accept it, and if it disagrees with it, then it is not accepted. Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah said that the truest vision is when it occurs in predawn, as it is the time Allah brings

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closely His blessings and forgiveness and the devils are in state of rest.

Vision is like the kashf (الكشف , unveiling, illumination), either it is divine mercy, personal, and devilish. The Prophet s.a.w. said:

یطان) نی ز ح ت ای ؤر و هللا ن م ای ؤر : ة ث ال ث ای ؤ الر ا اؤی ر و (من الش ممث ح ی (في الیقظة, فیراه في المنام) (رواه مسلم) ھ س ف ن ھ ب ء ر لم ا د

There are three kinds of vision: vision from Allah, vision causing grief (from Satan), and vision of what a person talk about to himself (in his wakefulness, then he sees it in his sleep) (Reported by Muslim)]

The vision from Allah could be either good news or a warning. The vision from Satan is always bad, saddening, terrifying, and consists of confused dreams. The vision of a person talking about himself includes what he used to say, to do and to know in his wakefulness.

The vision of prophets is revelation, and cannot be from Satan, as they are protected from his temptation. It is through this vision Prophet Abraham a.s. obeys Allah to sacrifice his son Ishamel. Satan tries to prevent him from obeying Allah, telling him that Allah would never order him to do bad things, like sacrificing his only and innocent son. Satan does not tell him that he is the one who tempts him in his vision, because he (Satan) knows that Prophet Ibrahim knows that he (Satan) cannot do it.

It is said that Prophet Abraham a.s. saw one night in his vision that someone told him, “Indeed, Allah orders you to sacrifice your son.” In the morning he wondered whether this vision had been from Allah or from Satan. Therefore that day was called “the day of reflection” (رویة In the next night .(یوم التhe saw in his vision again and was ask to promise it, and in the morning he knew that it was from Allah, and that day was called “the day of knowing” (یوم عرفة). In the third night he saw

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the same vision, so that in the morning he insisted to sacrifice his son, and that day was called “the day of sacrifice” (یوم النحر). It was also reported that when Prophet Abraham (Ibrāhīm) a.s. was on the process of sacrificing his son the angel Gabriel (Jibrīl) a.s. said, هللا أكبر ,هللا أكبر (“Allah is Great, Allah is Great”), and the sacrificed Ishmael (Ismā‘īl) said, إال إلھ ال هللا أكبر وهللا (“There is no god but Allah, and Allah is Great”), and Prophet Abraham a.s. said, ہلل والحمد أكبر هللا (“Allah is Great, and Praise be to Allah”. This is what the pilgrims cite in their pilgrimage (ḥajj) with slight difference: instead of citing ہلل والحمد they invert it, saying الحمد وہلل (“To Allah –only- Praise Belongs”) which is stronger in meaning.

In order to have a true vision a person has to be honest, has to eat ḥalāl (legal) food only, keep doing what is good and avoiding what is evil, sleep while he is completely clean by having wuḍū’ (ablution), face the qiblah (the direction of the Ka‘bah in Makkah), and citing dhikr (remembering Allah) until he falls asleep. By doing this, he will have a true vision, in shā’ Allāh (if Allah wills). (CIVIC, 5 February, 2016)

:المراجع الشاملة المكتبة )ھـ 310. ت( الطبري تفسیر )ھـ 671. ت( القرطبى تفسیر )ھـ 774. ت( كثیر ابن تفسیر

.السالكین مدارج. الجوزیة القیم ابنThe New Hutchison 20th Century Encyclopedia (1980) The Hutchinson Softback Encyclopedia (1991) http://jamharah.net/showthread.php?t=22172#.VpycPlLIWpY http://www.nabulsi.com/blue/ar/art.php?art=2999&id=150&si

d=734&ssid=753&sssid=754 http://www.alhiwar.net/ShowNews.php?Tnd=26462 http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vb/showthread.php?t=231339 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufi_metaphysics

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6. THE USE OF REPETITION IN THE QUR’ĀN (1)

Repetition which is in Arabic takrār 1(تكرار) literally means “going back to a thing.” Technically, it means “repeating a word or a phrase more than once for various reasons, such as emphasis )التوكید( , exaggeration, ) التھویل( , glorification (التعظیم), etc.” Repetition has been used by the Arabs in their poetry as a good style in their expression. Muslim scholars mentioned the types of repetition as follows:

a. Repetition of words and meanings, either (1) connected either in the same verse, or at the end of a verse with the beginning of its following verse, or at the end of the verse itself, or with another verse following it, or (2) disconnected, either in the same surah (chapter) of the Qur’ān, or throughout the Qur’ān. (1) The example the repetition of words and meanings

connected in the same verse is as follows: )36المؤمنون:( توعدون لما ھیھات ھیھات

Far, (very) far is that which you are promised (Q. 32:36) This is in the beginning of the verse. It can also be at the end of the verse, such as:

ت إذا كال ا األرض دك ا دك 21) : الفجر( دكNay! When the earth is ground to powder (Q. 89:21)

)22 :الفجر( صفا صفا والملك ربك وجاء And your Lord comes with the angels

in rows (Q. 89:22) The example of repetition of words and meanings at

the end of a verse connected with the beginning of its following verse, is as follows:

ة وأكواب كانت قواریرا2. ویطاف علیھم بآنیة من فض 1 The word is commonly mispronounced as tikrār (with kasrah “i”), especially when it is combined in the expression مرارا و تكرارا (“repeatedly”, “time and again”) for easy pronunciation. 2 The letter alif in قواریرا is additional; when we stop we do not say قواریر (qawārīr), but قواریر (qawārīra), sometimes written with sukūn on the alif as قواریرا for the sake of rhyme rā in previous and following verses.

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ة من قواریر روھا فض )16-15اإلنسان:( تقدیرا قد And amongst them will be passed round vessels

and cups of crystal. Crystal (-clear), made of silver. They will determine the measure thereof.

(Q. 76:15-16) The example of repetition of words and meanings in

one verse connected with another verse following it, which is the repetition of the verse itself is as follows:

)6-5الشرح: ( یسرا العسر مع إن . یسرا العسر مع فإن And behold, with every hardship comes ease:

verily, with every hardship comes ease! (Q. 94:5-6) (Asad’s translation)

(2) The examples the disconnected repetition of words and meanings in the same surah is as follows:

ھا وأذنت )5,2اإلنشقاق:( وحقت لرب And listen to and obey its Lord—

and it must do so (Q. 84:2,5) At first this surah talks about the doomsday when

the heaven shall be split asunder, and it follows that it would obey its Lord and it must happen (verse 1-2). Then it talks about the earth that it shall be stretched forth and shall cast out what was in it and become empty, it follows that it also would obey its Lord and it must happen (verse 3-5).

حیم العزیز لھو ربك وإن ,68, 9الشعراء:( الر 104,122, 140 ,159 ,175 ,191(

And verily your Lord, He is truly the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful (Q. 26:9, 68, 104, 122,

140, 159, 175, 191) At first this surah talked about people in general who denied the truth, and there was a warning that what they mocked at would happen to them, and they do not believe despite the evidence, then it was said to them that Allah is powerful enough to punish them, but at the same time He was merciful to those who believe (then

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the repeated verse was cited as verse 9). Next, it talked about Moses a.s. and Pharaoh, how Moses a.s. his followers crossed the Red Sea, escaped the persecution, while Pharaoh and his army were drowned. Then the verse was repeated again (as verse 68) to indicate that Allah is Powerful to punish them, and at the same time was Merciful to Moses a.s. and his followers.

Next, it talked about Prophet Abraham a.s. and his people who did not want to believe him. Then the verse was repeated again (as verse 104) to indicate that Allah is Powerful to punish them, and at the same time was Merciful to Abraham a.s. and his followers. This verse was repeated again (as verse 122) after talking about Prophet Noah a.s. and his people, Prophet Hūd a.s. and his ‘Ād people (as verse 140), Prophet Ṣāliḥ a.s. and his Thamūd people (as verse 159), Prophet Lot a.s. and his people (as verse 175), Prophet Shu‘ayb a.s. and his people the dwellers of Aykah (as verse 191).

In sūrat al-Mursalāt (chapter 77), the following verse is repeated ten times:

بین یومئذ ویل ,24, 19, 15المرسالت: ( للمكذ 28 ,34 ,37 ,40 ,45 ,47 ,49(

Woe that Day to the deniers (of the Day of Resurrection) (Q. 77: 15, 19, 24, 28, 34,

37, 40, 45, 47, 49) It was firstly cited (as verse 15) after Allah had

vowed that His promise would take place; the stars would lose their lights, and the heaven would be cleft asunder, the mountains would be blown away, then it would be called the day of sorting out people, either to Heaven or to Hell. Secondly, it was cited (as verse 19) after Allah hade reminded the consequence of disbelieving that many people in the past were destroyed because of their disbelief. Thirdly, was cited (as verse 24) after Allah had reminded the disbelievers how they were

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created from a despised water (semen), let them grow, and yet, they disbelieved. Fourthly, it was cited (as verse 28) after Allah had reminded them how He created the earth and their sustenance, yet they disbelieved. Fifthly, it was cited (as verse 34) after Allah had said to disbelievers to enter Hellfire. Sixthly, it was cited (as verse 37) after Allah had said that the disbeliever in the after would not be able to speak and make excuses. Seventhly, it was cited (as verse 40) after Allah had brought them together in that day called the Day of Decision where they cannot make a plot against Him. Eighthly, it was cited (as verse 45) after Allah had said that the believers would enter Heaven where they will enjoy themselves as rewards for them. Ninthly, it was cited (as verse 47) after Allah had told disbelievers to enjoy their short lives in his world. Tenthly, it was cited (as verse 49) after Allah had asked them to bow down in prayer but they rejected.

The most conspicuous repetition of a verse in one surah is in sūrat al-Raḥmān (chapter 55), where a verse is mentioned 31 times. As the chapter consists of 78 verses almost half of them are this repetitive verse, as follows:

كما آالء فبأي بان رب )13الرحمن: ( تكذ Then which of the Blessings of your Lord

will you both (jinn and men) deny?” (Q. 55:13, ) This repetitive verse is mentioned after mentioning

Allah’s blessings, such as: His creation of the sun, the moon, stars, of man teaching them to read and write, creating the earth with various kinds of fruits and seeds (then verse 13 is mentioned); the creation man from clay and jinn from smokeless flame of fire (then verse 16 is mentioned); this is also a blessing. If we and the jinn are created from the same material, then we would see each other and could wage war with them. Physical conflict and war among human kind would be more than enough,

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let alone fighting the jinn. But Allah makes each of us live in our respective world. Allah’s creation of two easts (places of sunrise during early summer and early winter) and the Lord of two wests (places of sunset during early summer and early winter); in other words, having summer and winter is one of Allah’s blessings (then verse 18 is mentioned to remind us of His blessings).

The examples the disconnected repetition of words and meanings throughout the Qur’ān are as follows:

صادقین كنتم إن الوعد ھذا متى ویقولون ,71, النمل:38, األنبیاء:48یونس:(

)25, الملك:48, یس: 29سبأ: And they say: “When will be this promise

(the torment or the Day of Resurrection), if you speak the truth?” (Q. 10:48; 21:38; 27:71;

34:29; 36:48; and 67:25) The above verse is repeated in six chapters of the Qur’ān.

كر أھل فاسألوا )7:األنبیاء ،34:النحل( تعلمون ال كنتم إن الذ… So ask the people of the Reminder [Scriptures –

the Torah and the Gospel if you do not know (Q. 16:43; 21:7)

ھا یا بي أی علیھم واغلظ والمنافقین الكفار جاھد النم ومأواھم )9, التحریم:73التوبة:( المصیر وبئس جھن

O Prophet [Muhammad]! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh

against them, their abode is Hell, -- and worse indeed is that destination (Q. 9:73, 66:9)

The above verse is repeated in two chapters of the Qur’ān. b. Repetition of meaning, but not of word. For example, the

story of Prophet Moses a.s. is mentioned throughout the Qur’ān in about twenty chapters. His encounter with the mystic fire is mentioned in Q. 27: 7-12, and Q. 28: 29-35, and Q. 20: 9-36. One verse is repeated with different wordings, as follows:

بخبر منھا سآتیكم نارا آنست إني ألھلھ موسى قال إذ

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)7النمل: ( تصطلون لعلكم قبس بشھاب آتیكم أو (Remember) when Moses said to his household;

“Verily, I have seen a fire; I will bring you from there some information, or I will bring you a burning brand,

that you may warm yourselves.” (Q. 27:7) أو بخبر منھا آتیكم لعلي نارا آنست إني امكثوا ألھلھ قال

)29القصص:( تصطلون لعلكم النار من جذوة … He said to his family: “Wait, I have seen a fire;

perhaps I may bring to you from there some information, or a burning firebrand that you

may warm yourselves.”(Q. 28:29) بقبس منھا آتیكم لعلي نارا آنست إني امكثوا ألھلھ فقال

)10: طھ( ھدى النار على أجد أو When he saw fire, he said to his family; “Wait!

Verily, I have seen a fire; perhaps I can bring you some burning brand therefrom, or find some

guidance at the fire.”(Q. 20:10)

We notice in these three verses the difference in wording, but the idea is the same and complement to each other: Prophet Moses a.s. saw fire, he asked his wife to stay, he might bring some information because apparently they were lost in the midst of cold night, as well as to get some burning firebrand. He expected to get physical guidance, and instead, he received spiritual guidance which was far better.

(CIVIC, 12 February, 20160)

:المراجع الشاملة المكتبة ) ـھ 043. ت( الطبري تفسیر ) ـھ 664. ت( القرطبى تفسیر ـ)ھ 661. ت( كثیر ابن تفسیر

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7. THE USE OF REPETITION IN THE QUR’ĀN (2)

The use of repetition in the Qur’ān according to scholars of tafsīr (commentary of the Qur’ān) serves many purposes, among which are as follows:

1. decision, taqrīr (التقریر). If we repeat something it means it has been decided by us. Allah said in the Qur’ān:

فنا عربیا قرآنا أنزلناه وكذلك الوعید من فیھ وصر )113طھ:( ذكرا لھم یحدث أو یتقون لعلھم

And thus We have sent it down as a Qur’ān in Arabic, and have explained therein in detail the warnings, in

order that they may fear Allah, [i.e., leave their sin] or that it may cause them to have a lesson from it (or

to have the honour for believing and acting on its teachings) (Q. 20:13)

The repetition of warning in the Qur’ān with the consequence of punishments indicates that it has been decided that punishment will be inflicted upon non-believers.

2. alerting (نبیھ (یاقوم) ”such as the expression “O my people ,(التin the following verses:

بعون قوم یا آمن الذي وقال شاد سبیل أھدكم ات ما قوم یا .الر ھذه إن نیا الحیاة )39-38غافر:( القرار دار ھي اآلخرة وإن متاع الد

And the man who believed said: “O my people! Follow me, I will guide to the way of right conduct [i.e.

guide you to Allah’s religion of Islamic monotheism with which Musa has been sent. O my people! Truly this life of

the world is nothing but a (quick passing) enjoyment, and verily, the Hereafter that is the home that

will remain forever.” (Q. 40:38-39)

A man among the Pharaoh’s people secretly believed in Prophet Moses a.s. and asked his people to follow him so that he would show him the right way. He said repeatedly: “O my people” to make them pay

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attention to what he was going to say. In English, during conversation, the interjection “mind!” or “mind you!” to attract the listener’s attention is used, as if the speaker is saying “please note!” The expression to that effect is also used by the Egyptians in their conversation when they say khudh bālak! (!خذ بالك)

3. emphasis, ta’kīd (أكید :such as the following verse , (الت

) 5-4النبأ:( سیعلمون كال ثم . سیعلمون كال

Nay, they will come to know! Nay, again, they will come to know!(Q. 78:4-5)

The Qur’ān commentator Ibn Kathīr called this repetition a severe threat and a direct warning.

)4-3التكاثر:( تعلمون سوف كال ثم .تعلمون سوف كال Nay, you shall come to know! Again, nay!

You shall come to know! (Q. 102:3-4)

Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī said, “This is a threat after a threat.”

)5-4الشرح:( یسرا العسر مع إن .یسرا العسر مع فإن Verily, along with every hardship is relief.

Verily, along with every hardship is relief (Q. 94:5-6)

Allah informs us that with difficulty there is ease, and He reaffirms it by repeating it.

4. glorification and horrification ( عظیم ھویل الت والت ). The examples are as follows:

المشأمة وأصحاب .المیمنة أصحاب ما المیمنة فأصحاب ) 9-8:الواقعة( المشأمة أصحاب ما

So those on the Right Hand (i.e., those who will be given their Records in their right hands – how

(fortunate) will be those on the Right Hand! (As a respect for them, because they will enter Paradise). And those on the Left Hand (i.e., those who will be

given their Record in their left hands) – how (unfortunate) will be those on the Left Hand!

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(As a disgrace for them, because they will enter Hell) (Q. 56:8-9)

On the Day of Resurrection people will be divided into three categories: (a) people who will be given their Books of Records in their right hands will be taken to the right side, and will be the residents of Paradise; (b) people who will be given their Books of Records in their left hands will be taken to the left side, and will be the residents of Hell; (c) people who are the foremost and nearest before Allah will have better status than those on the right side. They are the chiefs of those on the right side, as they are the Messengers, Prophets, true believers and martyrs. The explanation and reward of the Foremost in in Faith in Paradise is explained in the next verses, namely, verse 10-26.

)27:الواقعة( الیمین أصحاب ما الیمین وأصحاب And those on the Right Hand – how (fortunate)

will be those on the Right Hand) (Q. 56:27)

These are people belonging to the first category, and the explanation and reward of them in Paradise is mentioned in the next verses, namely, verse 28-40.

مال وأصحاب مال أصحاب ما الش 41:الواقعة( الش ) And those on the Left Hand – how (unfortunate)

will be those on the Left Hand) (Q. 56:4

These are people belonging to the second category, and the punishment they will suffer in Hell is mentioned in the next verses, namely, verse 42-55.

)3-1:الحاقة ( الحاقة ما أدراك وما .الحاقة ما .الحاقة The Inevitable (i.e., the Day of Resurrection)!

What is the Inevitable? And what will make you know what the Inevitable is? (Q. 69:1-3)

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One of the names of the Day of Judgement is al-Ḥāqqah (the Inevitable), because on this day the promise and the threat will inevitably occur. After mentioning the punishment inflicted on disbelievers in the past (verse 4-11) Allah described briefly the horror and the calamity of the Day of Resurrection: the trumpet [of judgment] shall be sounded with a single blast, and the earth and the mountain shall be lifted up and crushed with single stroke (verse 14), and the sky will be rent asunder (verse16) which is, as put by Muhammad Asad, “probably, as a metaphor for a total breakdown of the cosmic order.”1

)3-1:القارعة ( القارعة ما أدراك وما .القارعة ما.ة القارع The striking (Hour, i.e., the Day of Resurrection).

What is the Striking (Hour)? And what will make you know what the Striking

(Hour) is? (Q. 101:1-3)

Like al-Ḥāqqah (the Inevitable) al-Qāri‘ah (the Striking Hour) is another name of the Day of Judgement. Other names of it are: al-Ṭāmmah (امة ,(the Disaster , الطal-Ṣākhkhah (ة اخ the Second blow of the Trumpet on , الصthe Day of Resurrection), and al-Ghāshiyah , (الغاشیة the Overwhelming). The repetition of these names indicates the glory or the horror of the Day of Judgement.

5. freshening and renewing (جدید طریة و الت through (التrepetition the part of expression which could be forgotten in a long verse, such as the following verses:

كوكبا عشر أحد رأیت إني أبت یا ألبیھ یوسف قال إذ )4یوسف:( ساجدین لي م رأیتھ والقمر والشمس

(Remember) when Yūsuf (Joseph) said to his father: “O my father! Verily, I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon – I saw

1 Muhammad Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān. Gibraltar: Dār al-Andalus Ltd, 198 4, p. 889, n. 11.

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them prostrating themselves to me (Q. 12:4)

وصبروا جاھدوا ثم فتنوا ما بعد من ھاجروا للذین ربك إن ثم )110النحل:( رحیم لغفور بعدھا من ربك إن

Then, verily, your Lord for those who emigrated after they had been put to trials and thereafter strove hard and fought (for the cause of Allah) and were patient,

verily Your Lord, afterward, is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful (Q. 16:110)

وء عملوا للذین ربك إن ثم ذلك بعد من تابوا ثم بجھالة الس )119النحل:( رحیم لغفور بعدھا من ربك إن وأصلحوا

Then, verily, your Lord for those who do evil (commit sins and are disobedient to Allah) in

ignorance and afterward repent and do righteous deeds, verily, your Lord thereafter,

(to such) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (Q. 16:119)

ا ق هللا عند من كتاب جاءھم ولم وكانوا معھم لما مصدا كفروا الذین على یستفتحون قبل من عرفوا ما جاءھم فلم

)89البقرة:( الكافرین على هللا فلعنة بھ كفرواAnd when there came to them (the Jews), a Book (this Qur’ān) from Allah confirming what is with them [the Taurāt (Torah) and the Injīl (Gospel), although aforetime they had invoked Allah (for coming of Muhammad) in order to gain victory

over those who disbelieved, then when there came to them that which they had recognized, they disbelieved in it So let the Curse of Allah

be on the disbelievers. (Q. 2:89)

Commenting the above verse Abū ‘l-‘Āliyah said:

The Jews used to ask Allah to send them a prophet so that they would gain victory

over the Arab disbelievers. They used to say, “O Allah! Send the Prophet that we read about –

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in the Torah – so that we can torment and kill the disbelievers alongside him.” When Allah sent

Muhammad s.a.w. and they saw that he was not one of them, they rejected him and

envied the Arabs, even though they knew that he was the Messenger of Allah.

یفعلوا لم بما یحمدوا أن ویحبون أتوا بما یفرحون الذین تحسبن ال ھم فال )188آل عمران:( ألیم عذاب ولھم العذاب من بمفازة تحسبن

Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done (or bought about), and love to be praised for what they have not done,--think not you that they

are rescued from the torment, and for them is a painful torment (Q. 3:188)

This verse is not about the Muslims, but about the People of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) and the hypocrites. Ibn ‘Abbas said that when the Prophet asked the Jews of Madinah something they hid their knowledge and gave him an incorrect answer; they rejoice in it and departed after showing off. Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī said that when the Prophet went to the battle the hypocrites stayed behind and rejoiced in not joining the Prophet in the battle. When the Prophet returned they swore to having some excuse, and wanted to be praised for what they have not done. (CIVIC, 19 February, 20160)

:المراجع الشاملة المكتبة ) ھـ 310. ت( الطبري تفسیر ) ھـ 671. ت( القرطبى تفسیر )ھـ 774. ت( كثیر ابن تفسیر

Muhammad Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān. Gibraltar: Dār al-Andalus Ltd, 1984.

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8. THE USE OF REPETITION IN THE QUR’ĀN (3) A great scholar in the science of the Qur’ān who lived at

the end of the 5th Century H/11th CE and the beginning of the 6th Century H/12th CE was called Maḥmūd ibn Ḥamzah al-Kermānī (al-Karamānī, or al-Karmānī or al-Kirmānī), the native of Kerman in Iran. (He was not to be confused with Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf al-Kermānī, the well-known commentator of Bukhari’s Ṣaḥīḥ). He was known as Tāj al-Qurrā’ (“the Crown of Qur’ān Reciters”) for his mastering various readings in the Qur’ān. He lived in the era of the deterioration of the Abbasid caliphate where no more left except small image in Fāṭimī caliphate in Egypt, Syria and Morocco. At that time the Moguls (Mongols), the Qarmathians, and the Bāṭiniyyah (the upholders of the view in hidden and secret meanings of the divine texts) and other destructive religious views were being active extensively.

Al-Kermānī’s work was entitled كرار أسرار القرآن في الت (“the Secret Meanings of Repetition in the Qur’ān”), but originally it was entitled والبرھان الحجة من فیھ لما القرآن متشابھ توجیھ في البرھان (“The Demonstration in Guiding Words Resembling each other in the Qur’ān Containing Evidence and Proof”). Modern scholars did not pay much attention to it as they thought that the term mutashābih in its title meant “ambiguous”, whereas the author meant “words resembling each other,” namely, the repetition of words. Its editor ‘Abd al-Qādir ‘Aṭā published it in two titles mentioned above as if it were two books. However, in the book entitled Asrār he also put al-Burhān the second title as a commentary of the first title.

Al-Kermānī dealt with the meanings of repetition in the whole of the Qur’ān. He said many times that these repetitions are actually not repetitions at all, as every word has its own meaning and purpose. He mentions 590 repetitions in his book. We shall select what we think more important to know among them, as follows:

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أنزل بما یحكم لم ومن .(89) 1 هللا (“And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed”)

أنزل بما یحكم لم ومن )44المائدة:( الكافرون ھم فأولئك هللاAnd whosoever does not judge by what Allah has

revealed, such are the kāfirūn (disbelievers) (Q. 5:44).

أنزل بما یحكم لم ومن المون ھم فأولئك هللا ) 45:المائدة( الظAnd whosoever does not judge by what Allah has

revealed, such are the ẓālimūn (wrong-doers) (Q. 5:45).

أنزل بما یحكم لم ومن )47:المائدة( الفاسقون ھم فأولئك هللاAnd whosoever does not judge by what Allah has

revealed, such are the fāsiqūn (offenders) (Q. 5:47). Al-Kermānī mentions four different interpretations of these verses, as follows:

a. The kāfirūn (disbelievers; M. Asad, “deniers of the truth”) are Muslim rulers, the ẓālimūn (wrong-doers; M. Asad, “evildoers”,) are Jewish rulers, and the fāsiqūn (offenders, M. Asad, “are truly iniquitous”) are Christian rulers.

b. All of the three words mean one, repeated in three words: kufr, infidelity.

c. Whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed by denying it is kāfir (an infidel), whosoever does not judge with the truth knowing that it is truth, and judges the opposite of it is ẓālim (a wrong-doer), and whosoever does not judge with the truth unknowingly that it is truth, and judges the opposite of it is fāsiq (an offender).

d. Whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed is a denier of Allah’s blessings, a wrong-doer in his judgment, and an offender in his action ,فھو كافر بنعمة هللا) ظالم في حكمھ, فاسق في فعلھ)

Commenting the first verse Ibn ‘Abbās, ‘Ikrimah, al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, and others said that it was revealed about the People of the Book (the Jews and the Christians), and al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī said that it was applicable to the

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Muslims. Ibn ‘Abbās also commented , “Whoever rejects what Allah has revealed, will have committed kufr, and whoever accepts what Allah has revealed, but does not rule by it, is a zālim (unjust), and a fāsiq (rebellious), and a sinner.”

The term kāfir (كافر ,disbeliever) is originally derived from the verb kafara (كفر , to cover). Therefore, the term kāfir literally means “a coverer, a person who covers (something). The poet Labīd ibn Rabī‘ah al-‘Āmirī al-Muḍarī (d. 41/661), the well-known knight in pre-Islamic Arabia who converted to Islam in ca. 629, said in one of his poems, as follows:

)العامري ربیعة نب لبید دیوان( غمامھا النجوم كفر لیلة في ...… in a night where its clouds covered its stars

Similarly, the tillers in the Qur’ān are called kuffār (pl. of kāfir) because they covered the seeds with soil in the following verse:

)20... (الحدید: نباتھ الكفار أعجب غیث كمثل ... … ( It is) as the likeness of vegetation after

rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tillers; … (Q. 57:20)

Based on this literal meaning of the term kāfir it is totally incorrect to brand a person an infidel, a disbeliever until he covers or denies the truth. A person is not called kāfir if he does not know the truth, and if knows it and denies it, then he is coverer of the truth, namely, kāfir.

ور يف .(363) 2 ماوات في من ... الص شاء من إال األرض في ومن الس هللا“the Trumpet (will be blown)—and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth, … except him whom Allah will…”

ور في ینفخ ویوم ماوات في من ففزع الص في ومن الس شاء من إال األرض )87النمل:( داخرین أتوه وكل هللا

And (remember) the Day on which the Trumpet

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will be blown—and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth, will be terrified except him

whom Allah will (exempt).1 And all shall come to Him, humbled (Q. 27:87)

ور في ونفخ ماوات في من فصعق الص إال األرض في ومن الس شاء من )68الزمر:( ینظرون قیام ھم فإذا أخرى فیھ نفخ ثم هللا

And the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will

swoon away, except him whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown a second time, and behold they will

be stranding, looking on (waiting). (Q. 39:68)

In the first verse it is mentioned that they will be terrified ) ففزع ( in agreement with the verse that follows where terror )فزع ( is mentioned, namely,

من وھم منھا خیر فلھ بالحسنة جاء من )98:النمل( آمنون یومئذ فزع

Whoever brings a good deed, will have better than its worth; and they will be safe from the

terror of that Day (Q. 27:89) In the second verse it is mentioned that they will

swoon away ) فصعق ( which is in agreement with the verse mentioning “death”, because the term “swoon away” means “death,” as follows:

ھم میت إنك )30:الزمر( میتون وإن Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die, and

verily, they (too) will die. (Q. 39:30)

Abū Hurayrah r.a. narrated that the Prophet said that Allah ordered the angel Isrāfīl to blow the Trumpet

1 When Abū Hurayrah asked the Prophet who were the living who would be exempted from the terror, he answered that they were the martyrs; although they were dead they were alive with their Lord, and they have provision. Allah would protect and save them from the terror of that Day, which will be His punishment to be inflicted upon worst creatures. (Ibn Rāhawayh’s Musnad).

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three times: the first blow is of terror, the second of swoon, namely, death, and the third is of resurrection (Ibn Rāhawayh’s Musnad).

جعل إن أرأیتم قل .(372) 3 یرهللا غ إلھ من القیامة یوم إلى سرمدا ... علیكم هللا Say (O Muhammad): “Tell me! If Allah made …

continuous for you till the Day of Resurrection which ilāh (a god) besides Allah …”

جعل إن أرأیتم قل القیامة یوم إلى سرمدا اللیل علیكم هللا )71القصص:( تسمعون أفال بضیاء یأتیكم هللا غیر إلھ من

Say (O Muhammad): “Tell me! If Allah made the night continuous for you till the Day of the Resurrection which ilāh (a god) besides Allah could bring you light? Will you then not hear

[i.e., listen to the truth]?” (Q. 28:71) جعل إن أرأیتم قل ھار علیكم هللا إلھ من القیامة یوم إلى سرمدا الن

)72:القصص( تبصرون أفال فیھ تسكنون بلیل یأتیكم هللا غیر

Say (O Muhammad): “Tell me! If Allah made the day continuous for you till the Day of the Resurrection which ilāh (a god) besides Allah could bring you night wherein you rest? Will

you then not see [the truth]?” 2 (Q. 28:72)

The first verse talks about the continuous night where light is needed, and Allah Alone Who could bring it. Although we cannot see at night we still can hear, and therefore the verse ends with “will you then not hear?” The second verse talks about the continuous day where night is needed for rest, and Allah Alone Who could bring it. Since it is on the day time, seeing is mentioned at the end of this verse, namely, “Will you then not see?” Night is mentioned first where the morning is expected with the coming of the day. This is more important 2 “Will you then not see [the truth]?” means, “Will you not recognize the miracle of planned and purposeful creation?” M. Asad’s commentary, see The Message of the Qur’ān, p. 602, n. 77.

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than the day in the second verse where night is expected to follow. “The day time,” said al-Kermānī, “makes you able to see, whereas the sign of the day gives you mental perception.” ھار مبصرة) ھار مبصر, وآیة الن (والن Al-Qurṭubī’s commentary in the first verse is that “light” is where people seek their livelihood, or daylight where they can find their livelihood and from which fruit and plants can get benefit. In the second verse “night” is needed to have rest from fatigue, and they should see that they are making mistake by worshiping other than Him. The conclusion is that if they confirm that no one can bring night and day other than Allah, why then they worship other than Him? Allah has made neither continuous day time nor continuous night time, but He has made it alternately as blessings for his creatures. After mentioning verse 71 and 72 above He concluded with verse 73 as follows:

ھار اللیل لكم جعل رحمتھ ومن ولتبتغوا فیھ لتسكنوا والن )73:القصص( تشكرون ولعلكم فضلھ من

It is of His Mercy that He has made for you the night and the day that you may rest therein (i.e., during the

night) and that you may seek His bounty (i.e., during the day)—and in order that you may be grateful (Q. 28:73)

We have seen the repetitions of words in the above examples are not of the same ideas, but rather of different ones. (CIVIC, 26 February, 2016)

:الشاملة المكتبة ) ھـ 310. ت( الطبري تفسیر ) ھـ 671. ت( القرطبى تفسیر )ھـ 774. ت( كثیر ابن تفسیر

اء محمود بن حمزة. . دراسة و تحقیقكرار في القرآن ت أسرار الالكرماني, تاج القر .1978\1398عبد القادر أحمد عطا. القاھرة: دار اإلعتصام,

Muhammad Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān. Gibraltar: Dār al-Andalus Ltd, 1984.

http://www.alsh3r.com/encyclopedia/view/115

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9. THE USE OF REPETITION IN THE QUR’ĀN (4) We continue dealing with some examples of repetition in the Qur’an in Shaykh Maḥmūd al-Kermānī’s book where he mentions 590 examples, as follows: المیزان .(499) .4 (“the balance), is repeated three times in

the following verses: ماء )7(الرحمن: المیزان ووضع رفعھا والس

And the heaven He has raised high, and He set up the Balance (Q. 55:7)

)8:الرحمن( المیزان في تطغوا أال In order that you may not transgress

(due) balance (Q. 55:8) )9:الرحمن( المیزان تخسروا وال بالقسط الوزن وأقیموا

And observe the weight with equity and do not make the balance deficient (Q. 55:8).

Maḥmūd al-Kermānī says that the term المیزان (“the balance) is repeated for the following reasons:

a. The balance intended in every verse stands by itself. In the first verse in which Allah sets up the Balance it means “the balance of the world” میزان) whereas in the second verse it means “the , الدنیا)balance of the Hereafter” (میزان اآلخرة), and in the last verse it is “the balance of reason” (میزان العقل).

b. There is no repetition here, as the three verses were revealed separately, not consecutively, not one after the other, so that the term balance was clearly mentioned.

كما آالء فبأي .(500) 5 بان رب Then which of the Blessings“) تكذof our Lod will you both (jinn and men) deny?” is repeated 31 times in sūrat al-Raḥmān (Chapter 55).

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For easy understanding we shall divide the chapter into four groups, as follows: a. Allah mentioned His signs, the wonders of His

creation, the beginning of creation and its return, then He mentioned the above verse 8 (eight) times (verse 1-30).

b. Allah mentioned Hellfire, and the suffering for disbelievers then He mentioned the above verse 7 (seven) times (verse 31-45). It is Allah’s blessings for people who are saved from Hellfire.

c. Allah a mentioned two Gardens (in Paradise) and the blessings in them then He mentioned the above verse 8 (eight) times (verse 46-61).

d. Allah after mentioned two other Gardens (in Paradise) then He mentioned the above verse 8 (eight) times (verse 62-78)

The first part (a) contains 8 repetition, followed by second part (b) containing 7 repetition, then the third part (c) containing 8 repetition, and lastly the fourth part (d) containing 8 repetition, and the ratio is 8, 7, 8, 8. Al-Kermānī says that whoever believes in the first 8, namely in Allah, His creation and blessings mentioned in the first part namely, becomes a believer (a Muslim), and he will be saved in the 7, namely, Allah’s punishment, and he will get the remaining two 8s, namely, two Gardens plus two Gardens in Paradise.

لك أولى .(544) 6 (“Woe to you”) is repeated four times in the following verse:

)35-34القیامة:( فأولى لك أولى ثم . فأولى لك أولى

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Woe to you [O man (disbeliever)]! And then (again) woe to you! Again, woe to

you [O man (disbeliever)]! And then (again) woe to you! (Q. 75:34-35)

The classical Arabic philologist of the Baṣran school and one of the earliest Arabic lexicographers ‘Abd al-Malik al-Aṣma‘ī (121-216/740-831) says that the expression أولى among the Arabs indicates the imminent destruction (perdition), as the origin of the term is ليالو which means “being near.” Therefore, Muhammad Asad translates the above verse as follows:

[And yet, O man, thine end comes hourly] nearer unto thee, and nearer – and

ever nearer unto thee, and nearer! Shaykh al-Kermānī says that the Qur’an

commentators agree that the repetition here indicates threat. They say that the above verses mean: “Woe to you the death, and then woe to you the punishment in the grave! Again, woe to you the horror of the Resurrection! And then woe to you the punishment in Hell!”

بین یومئذ ویل .(547) 7 للمكذ (“Woe that Day to the deniers [of the Day of Resurrection”]) is repeated ten times out of 50 verses of sūrat al-Mursalāt (chapter 77). Shaykh al-Kermānī says that the repetition occurs because it deals with different cases. Therefore, it is not a wrong repetition, and without this repetition the threat would be applicable for

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some cases only, and not all of them. Let us examine what he says, as follows:

Verse 1–15. Allah swears by different creatures (the angels, or the wind or the rain) that the Hereafter will surely occur. Then He mentions what will occur on the Day of Judgement: the stars will lose their lights, the heaven will become split, the mountains will be blown away, and the Messengers will be gathered (or postponed according to another interpretation) to the Day of Sorting out (i.e., Judgement Day). “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 16–19. Allah has destroyed people in the past who rejected the Messengers and what they brought to them. He will also do the same to people of later generations, who follow them in rejecting their Messengers. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 20 – 24. Allah reminds people how He created man from despised water, placed it in the womb for a fixed period of time. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 25–28. Allah reminds people of His blessings: He made the earth kifāt (“a place of shelter”, Ibn ‘Abbās’s interpretation; “it holds the dead so that nothing is seen of it,” Mujāhid’s interpretation; “its interior is for your dead and its surface is for your living,” al-Sha‘bī’s interpretation). “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

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Verse 29–34. Disbelievers who deny the Judgement Day will be punished by Allah in Hellfire where they will have no shade. Its fierce flame throws huge sparks. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 35-37. They shall not speak during some parts of that Day, and will not be allowed to make any excuse. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 38-40. That day will be a Day of Decision where people will be gathered together. Allah will challenge them to plot against Him. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 41-45. For believers Allah will make them enter Paradise as reward for their good belief and good deeds. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 46-47. Allah says to disbelievers whom He calls criminals to enjoy themselves for a while in this world. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.”

Verse 48-50. When these ignorant disbelievers were ordered to bow down themselves (in praying) they did not. “Woe that Day to the deniers of the Day of Judgement.” Then Allah concluded this chapter, saying: “Then in what statement after this will they believe?” (Q. 77:50).

سیعلمون كال .(548) 8 (“Nay, they will come to know! [the Day of Judgement]”) is repeated twice in sūrat al-Naba’ (chapter 78) as follows:

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)5-4النبأ:( سیعلمون كال ثم .سیعلمون كال Nay, they will come to know! Nay, gain,

they will come to know! (Q. 78:4-5) It is said in previous verses that people were

asking one another about the great news (the Qur’an, the resurrection after death, and the Day of Resurrection according to Mujāhid, Qatādah, and Ibn Yazīd respectively), which they were in disagreement (verse 1-3). According to al-Ḍaḥḥāk it is a threat to disbelievers, namely, they will know the consequence of their disbelief, and the second repetition is a promise for believers, that they will know the consequence of their belief. Al-Ḥasan says that both are threats.

Al-Kermānī mentions three views on this repetition: (a) The first is directed to disbelievers, while the second is directed to believers. (b) The first is at the agony of death (النزع), whereas the second is at the Resurrection (القیامة). (c) The first is to prevent from disagreement and )اإلختالف ن(ردع ع the second is to prevent from kufr (disbelief).

)CIVIC, 4 March, 2016( :الشاملة المكتبة

) ھـ 310. ت( الطبري تفسیر ) ھـ 671. ت( القرطبى تفسیر )ھـ 774. ت( كثیر ابن تفسیر

اء تاج , الكرماني كرار أسرار . حمزة بن محمود القر دراسة. القرآن في الت .1978\1398, اإلعتصام دار: القاھرة. عطا أحمد القادر عبد تحقیق و

Muhammad Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān. Gibraltar: Dār al-Andalus Ltd, 1984

http://www.alsh3r.com/encyclopedia/view/115

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10. THE USE OF REPETITION IN THE QUR’ĀN (5) We continue dealing with some examples of

repetition in the Qur’ān in Shaykh Maḥmūd al-Kermānī’s book where he mentions 590 examples, as follows: تعلمون سوف كال .(575) 9 (“Nay! You shall come to know!”)

is repeated twice in sūrat al-Takāthur (chapter 102) as follows:

كاثر لھاكم أ كاثر ( المقابر زرتم حتى .الت )2-1 :التThe mutual rivalry (for piling up of worldly

things) diverts you, until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die) (Q. 102:1-2)

While the Prophet s.a.w. was citing “The mutual rivalry diverts you…” he said: “The son of Adam says: ‘My wealth, my wealth.’ But do you get anything (of benefit) from your wealth except for that which you ate and you finished it, or that which you clothed yourself with and you wore it out, or that which you gave as charity and you have spent it?” He also said: “If the Son of Adam had a valley of gold, he would desire another like it…”

كاثر ( تعلمون سوف كال ثم .تعلمون سوف كال )4-3: الت Nay! You shall come to know! Again nay!

You shall come to know! (Q. 102:3-4) Al-Kermānī mentions three different views

concerning this repetition “Nay! You shall come to know!”: (a) repetition is for emphasis; (b) it deals with two different times and places: the grave and he Resurrection, and therefore, there is no repetition here; (c) the first one is directed to disbelievers as a

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threat, and the second is directed to believers as a promise (according to al-Ḍaḥḥāk).

.الجحیم لترون .الیقین علم تعلمون لو كال ھا ثم كاثر ( الیقین عین لترون )7-5: الت

Nay, if you knew with a sure knowledge (the end result of piling up, you would not have

been occupied yourselves in worldly things). Verily, you shall see the blazing Fire (Hell)!

And again you shall see with certainty of sight! (Q. 102:5-7)

The term كال (“nay”) is repeated three times as prevention and rebuke from piling up worldly things (الردع و الزجر عن التكاثر) according to one opinion, and as an oath according to another.

There are three views concerning seeing the blazing Fire: (a) the repetition of seeing indicates emphasis; (b) seeing before entering the Fire, and the second seeing is after entering the Fire; (c) seeing with heart, namely, knowing, and the second one is seeing with one’s eye, namely, witnessing.1

Then the chapter ends with: عیم عن یومئذ لتسألن ثم كاثر ( الن )8: الت

Then on that Day you shall be asked about the delights (you indulged in, in this world)! (Q. 102:8)

1 The Muslim scholar Ibn Taymiyyah (661-728/1263-1328) divides yaqīn (certainty) into three levels: (a) ‘ilm al-yaqīn (علم الیقین , knowledge with certainty), for example, we know for certain that fire burns; (b) ‘ayn al-yaqīn ین الیقین) ,ع seeing with certainty), namely, seeing is believing, for example, we see fire burning; (c) ḥaqq al-yaqīn , (حق الیقین absolute truth with certainty), which is the highest level of certainty, for example, when your finger is burnt by fire, and you feel the pain.

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10 (578) is (”and they recommend one another“) وتواصوا repeated twice in sūrat a-‘Aṣr (chapter 103) as follows:

وعملوا آمنوا الذین إال .خسر لفي اإلنسان إن .والعصر الحات بر وتواصوا بالحق وتواصوا الص )3-1صر:الع ( بالص

By the time. Verily, man is in loss, except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and recommend

one another to the truth, and recommend one another to patience (Q. 103:1-3)

There are three views about the meaning of al-‘aṣr: (a) “evening time” according to al-Ḥasan and Qatādah. It is the time when the traders go home and calculate their profit from their trades that day – but Allah says they all will get lose with some exceptions. ‘Aṣr prayer is performed in late evening. (b) “a period of time of the day,” according to Ibn Abbās without specification; (c) “time” in general which is the opinion of Qur’an commentators in general.

Allah swears by time that man is in loss (in disaster, according to al-Akhfash), non-believers in general (including a group of idolaters, such as: al-Walīd ibn Mughīrah, al-‘Āṣ ibn Wāil, etc.), except those who believe in Islam, and do good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth (namely, tawḥīd, the Oneness of Allah according to Ibn ‘Abbās, the Qur’ān according to Qatādah, and Allah according to al-Suddī), and recommend one another to patience (namely, in obeying Allah, and avoiding what Allah prohibits, according to Qatādah).

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. Ubayy ibn Ka‘b said that he read this surah before the Prophet s.a.w. and asked its meanings. He said:

“By the Time” is an oath from Allah, your Lord made an oath by the end of the day. “Verily, man is in loss” is Abū Jahl. “Except those who believe” is Abū Bakr. “And do good deeds” is ‘Umar. “And recommend

one another to the truth” is ‘Uthmān, and recommend one another

to patience” is ‘Alī. This interpretation was adopted by al-

Kermānī. He added that the repetition of “and they recommend one another” is necessary because each of it deals with different objects, namely, “the truth” and “the patience.” it is also said so because each of them has different subject.

شر من .(589) 11 (“from the evil of”) is repeated four times in sūrat al-Falaq (chapter 109), as follows:

.وقب إذا غاسق شر ومن .خلق ما شر من .الفلق برب أعوذ قل فاثات شر ومن حاسد ومن .العقد في الن )5-1: الفلق( حسد إذا شر

Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of the rising dawn ,morning, according to Ibn ‘Abbas, Mujāhid , الفلق ]

al-Ḥasan, Qatādah and others]. From the evil of what He has created. And from the evil of the black darkness whenever it descends [ وقب إذا غاسق ,

the night whenever the sun sets, according to to Mujāhid]2. And from the evil of the

2 Other interpretations of غاسق إذا وقب are: (a) the star when it sets, accoding to Abḍ Hurayrah as reported by Abū ‘l-Muhazzim. (b) According to Ibn Zayd the Arabs used to call غاسق the declination of the heavenly body known as the Pleiades (ریا whenever it would decline the ;(الث

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blowers in knots. And from the evil of the envier when he

envies. (Q. 113:1-5) Al-Kermānī says that the term شر من (“from

the evil of”) is repeated five times because it deals with different kinds of evil.

is repeated five times in (”men, people“) الناس .(590) 12sūrat al-Nās (chapter 114), as follows:

الوسواس من .الناس إلھ .الناس ملك .الناس برب أعوذ قل . الخناس شرة من .الناس صدور في یوسوس الذي )6-1:الناس( والناس الجن

I seek refuge with the Lord of men, the King of men, the God of men, from the evil of the

whisperer who withdraw, who whispers in the breast of men, of jinn and men (Q. 114:1-6)

Al-Kermānī says that repetition here is used to indicate: (a) respect for them; (b) each of the verse is separated from the other, indicated with the absence of conjunction, namely, “and.” (c) the first “men,” namely, in الناس رب are the children, as the term رب (rabb) translated as “Lord” above originally means “educator, namely, the one who brings something into being from one state to another until it reaches its perfection (maturity)”3 ; therefore, رب الناس is in this sense “He is the One Who raises and educates

number of people who were ill would increase, and when it would rose their number would lessen. (c) the moon as reported by ‘Ā’ishah r.a. that the Prophet s.a.w. showed her the moon when it rose and said: “Seek refuge with Allah from the غاسق when it becomes dark. الرب في األصل: التربیة, وھو إنشاء الشیئ حاال فحاال إلى حد التمام (أنظر مفردات ألفاظ 3

)336ص عالمة الراغب اإلصفھانيللالقرآن

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children”; the second “men,” namely, in الناس ملك " (“King of men”) are the youth, as this period of time they like to have authority and are difficult to control, and it is Allah as their King Who would be able control and have authority on them; the third “men,” namely, in الناس إلھ (“the God of men”) are old people, as the term ilāh (god) is associated with worship; the fourth “men,” namely, those who are protected from the temptation of whisperers in their breasts are pious and devout people; the fifth “men” are corrupt and bad people who tempt others to do evil.

There is a variant reading for الناس صدور في which is

ي الناس صدور في “in the heart of the forgetful” (from remembering Allah)” where, for the sake of rhyme or easy reading, the ending ي is dropped and becomes There are many examples in the Qur’an where .الناس letter ي is dropped, such as: 56 (الذاریات: لیعبدون إال ( ,

)17الكھف:( المھتد فھو , ) 186البقرة: اع دعان إذا الد فیھ العاكف ,(البادي: أھل البادیة) )25(الحج: والباد قوا , آل( وأطیعون هللا فات

(CIVIC, 11 March, 2016) )50:عمران :الشاملة المكتبة ) ھـ 310. ت( الطبري تفسیر ) ھـ 671. ت( القرطبى تفسیر )ھـ 774. ت( كثیر ابن تفسیر

اء تاج , الكرماني كرار أسرار . حمزة بن محمود القر دراسة. القرآن في الت .1978\1398, اإلعتصام دار: القاھرة. عطا أحمد القادر عبد تحقیق و

)1132\425(ت. اإلصفھاني الراغب عالمةلل القرآن ألفاظ مفرداتMuhammad Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān. Gibraltar:

Dār al-Andalus Ltd, 1984 http://www.alsh3r.com/encyclopedia/view/115

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11. WHY ARE YOU MUSLIM?

Why am I Muslim? Why do I convert to Islam? The real answer is that it is Allah’s guidance. He says:

... )46النور: ;213االبقرة:( مستقیم صراط إلى یشاء من یھدي وهللا… And Allah guides whom He will to a Straight Path.

(Q. 2:213; 24:47)

While the Muslims in Indonesia were being invaded with Christian missionaries with massive foreign aids, when they were desperately in need of rescue, apparently, Allah “stepped in” with His “divine intervention” through the conversion of some Christian scholars, clergymen and priests into Islam, such as, Dr. Yahya (formerly Yopie) Waloni, Petrus Kali who changed his name into Ahmad Fikri after his conversion and turned his church into a mosque, Bernard Nababan, and the former nun Irene Handono (see Khutab IV, no. 6 and 9).

One of the amazing conversions to Islam was that of Emmanuel Manoppo, the only son of the Head of the Indonesian Council of Churches, who converted to Islam in 1990. His father expected him to take his place one day, but Allah had another plan. One night he dreamed a man with a white robe told him to convert to Islam to gain salvation. When he asked the identity of the man, he said that the Muslims knew him, as he used to come in a special night of the year. He found out that it was in the “Night of Power” (Laylat al-Qadr) and the person was the angel Gabriel (Jibrīl). Out of frustration his father persuaded him then punished him and hit him hard, but to no avail. His heart had become solid and unshakable (See Khutab III, no. 24).

The well-known pop star Cat Stephens when he was admitted to the hospital for contracted TB, he started thinking, was he just a body, and his goal in life was merely to satisfy his body, why was he in the hospital’s bed? When he was walking and was caught in the rain, getting wet made him think that the

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body is like a donkey, and has to be trained where it has to go, or it will lead you where it wants to go. He started to be interested in Eastern religion and became vegetarian. He was not interested in Buddhism because he was not ready to leave the world, to become a monk and to isolate himself from society. He tried Zen, Ching, numerology, tarot cards and astrology.

One day Cat Stephens’ brother after returning from the mosque in Jerusalem handed him a copy of the Holy Qur’an. About one and a half years later in 1977 he converted to Islam and changed his name to Yusuf Islam. He then could get direct contact with God, Allah. He was told that the Hindus also believe in one God, but the objects (idols) are used merely to concentrate. Therefore, in order to reach God in Hinduism one has to create associates, namely, idols.

When the Muslim scholar Dr. Abū Shādī was asked this question: “Why are you Muslim?” he gave a comprehensive answer as follows:

1. Islam which I believe is a simple and merciful faith compatible with reasonable logic; it is based on confirming the Oneness of God Who invented this creation and disposes its affairs on wise ancient and general rules. There is no description of Him holier and purer than that in Islam. Verily, the description of divine glory in this religion combines the concept of established scientific reality and the objects of educational and spiritual philosophy.

2. Islam rejects association with Allah in all of its manifestation, and objects all efforts to make His Oneness obscure through associating Him with any other than Him. Islam definitely considers idolatry humiliation to reason and degradation to humanity. Man in Islam is a master and free from various elements of nature. He is neither a slave of the universe nor one who subjects the existence.

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Instead, he is a being with extreme ability to choose, has free will, and is part of the divine order in this wide world.

3. Islam is integrated with revealed religions that preceded it. The teachings of ‘Īsā (Jesus) a.s., especially in peace and blessing, are defended and supported more extensively in Islam. The Jews and the Christians living in Muslim countries are treated as Muslims in nationality, even if they keep their own beliefs. As Islam does not allow conversion by forces, it treats them like its followers, based on the rule: “For them what is for us, and on them what is on us.”

4. Islam is against aggression and corruption, as from the beginning it has called for freedom and justice, and opposes oppression and wrong-doing.

5. Islam is a universal religion, cannot be limited to a special environment, class (nation) or with race. It is an established human reality.

6. Islam has a flexible constitution in its laws and moral behavior which is the Qur’ān. As the Qur’ān is based on general precepts for belief and moral behavior the Muslims are left freely to make rules suitable for their areas and eras based on common interests and acceptable ijtihād (independent judgment, especially in a legal question based upon the interpretation of the Qur’ān and the Sunnah).

7. Islam considers knowledge the lightening lamp guiding to the interpretation of its signs and showing the truth of its message. Therefore, it wages war against ignorance and foolishness, and honours learning and wisdom.

8. Islam does not acknowledge any mediator between man and his Lord. Therefore, there is no priesthood in Islam in any form. It respects human personality, and believes in the possibility of its elevation when it follows the guidance of its fiṭrah (natural disposition) and the call to the faith.

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9. Islam based on its teachings in social justice and true democracy, establishes its own political regulation for governing and remains the source of enormous blessings among people as long as it is fully applied. This governing will not fall down until it abandons its teaching and leads itself to self-destruction.

10. Islam is a practical religion guaranteeing both physical and spiritual success. It completely purifies itself from superstitions, idle talks, foolish occults, and delusive imagination created by blind discrimination.

11. Islam considers the position of knowledge higher than that of formal worships, as knowledge in its essence is a kind of devotion through which the truth upon which faith is based will be revealed, and with it superstition will vanish.

12. The Qur’ān mentions all kinds of predictions applicable with human development in discoveries and inventions which have never been imagined by anybody since fourteen centuries. If the Qur’ān were revealed today, not a single letter would change, as its validity for all eras would not be questioned.

13. The Bible and the Torah have made prediction on the advent of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. with his message, which is beyond interpretation, despite the arguments of scholars of Christianity and Judaism on its meanings.1

1God addressed Moses indicating the advent of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. as follows: “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18). (1) “Among their brethren”, namely, brethren of Israelites (descendants of Abraham through Isaac, including Jesus), are the Ishmaelite (descendants of Abraham through Ishmael, including Muhammad s.a.w.). (2) “Like unto thee (Moses): Birth: usual for both (Moses and Muhammad), unusual for Jesus. Family life: both were married and had children, whereas Jesus without marriage or children. Death: natural for both, unnatural for Jesus. Career: both were prophets

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14. The origins of Islam come from reason and natural disposition, and therefore it is open to accept all systems in conformity with its exalted moral principles, which will guarantee the welfare of human beings wherever they are. Therefore, it supports, maintains, and protects all high civilizations, so that its philosophy contains them. They develop and give share in creating prosperity to Muslims in particular and to human beings in general.

15. Islam does not tolerate reactions at all. Instead, its constant motto is progress and development. Any confinement against freedom and revival is tantamount to denying it. Every person’s right is respected, especially the freedom of thinking and speech, and they have to defend Islam, although they do not follow it.

and statesmen, whereas Jesus was a prophet only. Forced emigration in adulthood: Moses to Median, Muhammad to Madinah, whereas Jesus did not emigrate in adulthood. Encounter with enemies: Moses: hot pursuit; Muhammad: hot pursuits and battles; Jesus: no similar encounter. Results of encounter: Both: moral and physical victory; Jesus: moral victory only. Writing down of revelation: Both in their life times (Moses: Torah; Muhammad: al-Qur’an); Jesus: after him. Nature of teachings: Both: spiritual and legal; Jesus: mainly spiritual. Acceptance of leadership by his people: Both: rejected then accepted; Jesus: rejected by most Israelites. (3) “Put my words in his mouth.” This is in line with the Qur’anic verse: 4-3النجم:( یوحى وحي إال ھو إن .الھوى عن ینطق وما( “Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only a Revelation revealed.” (Q. 53:3-4). “And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:19). This verse is in line with the Qur’anic verse: ولو

ل ) 46-44الحاقة:( الوتین منھ لقطعنا ثم .بالیمین منھ ألخذنا.األقاویل بعض یناعل تقو “If he (Muhammad) had forged a false saying concerning Us (Allah), We surely would have seized him by his right hand (or with power and might), and then We certainly would have cut off his life artery (aorta)” (Q. 69:44-46). Both the late Ahmad Deedat, and his successor Dr. Zakir Naik mentioned in their speech that the expected Paraclete (Comforter, Counselor, Advocate, Helper) is no one but Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

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16. Man himself is considered responsible for his own salvation by doing good deeds, and there is no mediation, intercession or redemption to save him if his deeds do not save him. The concept of redemption is unknown to Islam.

17. A Muslim can be a follower of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad at the same time, because this is the spirit of Islam and its internationality. Moreover, Islam was, and is still, and will remain capable of leading the world in true democratic way based on the spirit of love and peace.

Dr. Abū Shādī states further that because of these distinguished reasons and various secondary reasons he prefers to remain Muslim and to be proud of his belief in Islam, leaving broad interpretation and practical application of it for concerned experts and helping cultured and conscious scholars concerned with this noble deed.

People with clear and clean heart will see the truth of Islam and will follow it. Knowing the truth does not guarantee that one would follow it. Iblīs knows the truth, but he rejects it out of envy and arrogance. Therefore, we keep praying,

نابھاجت وارزقنا باطال، الباطل وأرنا اتباعھ، وارزقنا حقا، الحق أرنا اللھم O Allah show us the truth as truth, and bless us with following it, and show us falsehood as falsehood, and bless us with avoiding it.

(CIVIC, 8 April, 2016) المراجع:

2005القاھرة: نھضة مصر, كیف نفھم اإلسالم؟محمد الغزالي. Baagil, H.M, M.D. Muslim-Christian Dialogue. Jeddah: Abul-

Qasim Publishing House, n.d. http://www.islamcan.com/convert-stories/yusuf-islam-

formerly-cat-stevens-how-he-became-a-muslim.shtml#.VvNjUXrIWpY

http://www.republika.co.id/berita/dunia-islam/mualaf/ 15/07/05/ nqzhzp-pendeta-masuk-islam-gereja-diubah-menjadi-masjid

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12. INDONESIA: ITS LANGUAGES, PEOPLE, AND RELIGIONS

Indonesia is an archipelago. Its official motto is Bhinneka Tunggal Ika in Old Javanese "Unity in Diversity.” It is written on the scroll gripped by the Garuda's claws, a mythical bird and the mount of Lord Vishnu. As an archipelago it was said in 1972 that the number of islands in Indonesia was 6.127, but in 1987 the number increased to 17.508, but only 5.707 had names. In 1992, the number of islands having names increased to 6.489. In 2002, the number of islands increased to 18.306. In 2004 the Department of Interior recorded that there were 7.870 islands with names, and 9.634 without names. (The total: 17.504 islands). Only about 6.000 islands are inhabited, and the remaining over eleven-thousand islands are uninhabited.

In 2010 it was estimated that the number of tribes in Indonesia was 1.340. In Papua (formerly called “Irian Jaya”) there are 466 tribes. The biggest tribe is the Javanese living in Central and Eastern Java. It consists of about 41% of the total of population. No wonder that most of its presidents were Javanese: Out of seven presidents until now, only B.J. Habibie was from outside Java. The next big tribe is Sundanese, consisting of 15.4 % of the total population living in West Java. Chinese Indonesians are 3.7%, Malays are 3.4%, Madurese 3.3 % and Arab Indonesians, 2.4%. In fifteen years of research it was found that there are more than 746 tribal languages in these 17.508 islands of Indonesia. Its 240 million people belong to almost 500 ethnic groups with their own cultural traditions, languages and dialects.

Since their independence in 1945, the Malay language has been adopted as the official language of Indonesia, called “Bahasa Indonesia” (Indonesian language). It is always taught alongside the native language in all schools. However, long before this, in 1928 the Indonesian Jong Islamieten Bond (Islamic Youth Association) delegates in Youth Pledge in Batavia (now Jakarta) had made their pledge unanimously that

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Indonesia had one nation, one homeland and one national language, the Indonesian language. Most of the Indonesians are bi-lingual, their mother-tongues and their national language, Indonesian.

The Indonesian language has adopted many loanwords from other languages, such as Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, Portuguese, Dutch, and Chinese, Austronesians, and recently, English. Sanskrit loanwords came either directly from India, or through the Old Javanese language. They cover many aspects of religion, because before the advent of Islam in Indonesia, its people were either Hindus or Buddhists, where Sanskrit words were used, such as: agama (āgama, religion, sacred teaching), angka (aṅka, numerical figure), bahasa (bhāṣā, language), bahaya (bhaya, danger), bakti (bhakti, homage, devotion, service etc.), bumi (bhūmi, earth), dana (dāna, donation, funds), kata (kathā, word, speech talk, story), keluarga (kula-varga, family), kepala (kapāla, head), madu (madhu, honey; in Indonesian also: co-wife), nama (nāma, name), neraka (naraka, hell), rahasia (rahasya, secret), raja (raja, king), samudra (samudra, ocean), suara (svara, sound), and surga (svarga, heaven). All these words are no longer considered foreign words.

With the conversion of the Indonesians into Islam, many Arabic words were introduced, especially dealing with worship and devotion. Among the examples are as follows: adab, ajaib, akal, akhir, akhirat, alam, aman, asal, badan, berkat, daftar, izin, kamus, kitab, kursi, sabar, sabun, sedekah, sehat, unsur, umum, umur. Sometimes the adoption changes the meaning. For example, the word ralat is taken from ghalaṭ (غلط) meaning “mistake, error”, but in Indonesian it means correction of mistakes.” Another example is the word “fitnah” which means in Arabic: “temptation, trial; charm, enchantment; riot, discord, and civil strife,” like we are having now in the Middle East. But in Indonesian it means “slandering, and defamation,” resulting with misinterpreting the Qur’ānic verse . .. القتل من أشد والفتنة ....

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) 191(البقرة: “and fitnah (polytheism) is worse than killing.” (Q. 2:191), and ) 217... (البقرة: القتل من أكبر والفتنة . … “and fitnah (polytheism) is worse than killing…(Q. 2:217).1 Slandering and defamation never means in Arabic fitnah, but rather qadhf .(إفتراء) ’and iftirā (قذف)

An idolater was mistakenly killed by the Muslims. Qur’ān commentators say that the meaning of fitnah in this verse is “polytheism, idolatry” which is the gravest sin. Although killing is a grave sin, the sin of the killed idolater is graver, as there is no forgiveness for idolatry. Allah says:

ذلك دون ما ویغفر بھ یشرك أن یغفر ال هللا إن )116,48(النساء: ...یشاء لمن

setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills,… (Q. 4:48, 116)

Another example of adopted Arabic word which changes the meaning is the word “masyarakat”, originally from the word mushārakah (مشاركة) which means “partnership, cooperation, participation,” but in Indonesian language it means “community, society” which is in Arabic mujtama’ ,meaning “community, society, commune, assembly (مجتمع) gathering place”

A new word is being introduced into Indonesian to address a person we respect, instead of “engkau” for singular or “kamu” for plural (but is also used for singular), which is used only by elders for the young and children in general. It is the word “anda” which is derived from the Arabic anta meaning “you” in respect. It is used like the term Sie rather than du in German, and Lei rather than tu in Italian. But apparently its use is not very common. However, it is also said that it is adopted from Nias language.

قال أبو جعفر: یعني تعالى ذكره بقولھ:"والفتنة أشد من القتل"، والشرك باہلل أشد من القتل1

روكم الذي القتل من وأشد جرما أعظم بھ وكفرھم باہلل شركھم أي .)الطبري( طبي) (القر بھ عی .

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Among words adopted from Persians are: anggur (an-gur, grape), bandar (port), cadar (chādar, veil), pahlawan (pahlwān, hero), pasar (bāzār, market, bazaar), nakhoda (nākhodā, captain of a ship), piala (pyāla, cup, trophy) and takhta (takht, throne). From Chinese we adopt bakmie (bak mie, meat noodle), bakso (bak so, meatball), cap cai (chap-chhài, lit. “mixed vegetable”, stir fried vegetable dish), cukong (cu kong, tycoon), gua (gua/wa, me , slang ), kecap (Keng Cio, soybean sauce). (ketchup is 'saus tomat', tomato sauce, not kecap), kue (kwe, cake, pastries), lumpia (lun pia, spring roll), mi/mie (mie, noodle), tahu (toufu/tauhu, tofu), and teh (te, tea).

Although the Portuguese did not occupy Indonesia, many words were adopted into Indonesian, such as: meja (mesa, table), boneka ( boneca, doll), jendela (janela, window), gereja (igreja, church), bola (bola, ball), bendera (bandeira, flag), roda (roda, wheel), sepatu (sapato, shoe), kereta (carreta, wagon), bangku (banco, chair), keju (queijo = cheese), garpu (garfo, fork), terigu (trigo = flour), mentega (manteiga, butter), and Minggu (domingo, Sunday).

There are about 10,000 Dutch words adopted into Indonesian, including the names of the months, from January to December, such as: polisi (politie, police), kualitas (kwaliteit, quality), wortel (wortel, carrot), kamar (kamer, room, chamber), rokok (roken, to smoke, smoking cigarettes), korupsi (corruptive, corruption), persneling (versnelling, gear), kantor (kantoor, office), kelas (klas = class), and gratis (gratis, free), om/paman (oom, uncle), oma/nenek (oma, grandma), struktur (structuur, structure), teori (theorie, theory), karcis (kaartje, ticket), apotek (apotheek¸ farmacy).

Among local languages modern Javanese has contributed the most to the Indonesian language due to their vast majority of if its native speaker among the population (41%), such as: adem (adhem, cool temperature), ambruk (collapse), apik (neat, nice), ayu (beautiful, pretty, gorgeous, graceful, elegant),

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edan (edhan, crazy), ganteng (ngganteng, handsome), and pemirsa (viewers). From Sundanese language we have: getol (active), lalap (lalab, raw vegetable, consumed), majikan (boss), risih (uneasy, uncomfortable), pengaruh (pangaruh, influence), and pemulung (waste picker). From Minangkabau which is said to have been a precursor or old dialect of Malay language we have: galau (confusion), gengsi (prestige), rendang (randang, rendang), usang (obsolete). From Betawi language, spoken by people who used to live in Betawi (now Jakarta) we have: butut (old fashioned), gelandangan (homeless), mampus (dead). From Nias we have anda (you, respectful), from Batak we have molek (voluptuous), from Maluku we have beta (I, me, myself) and from Manado we have pasti (so pasti, sure).

Malay-Indonesian language is one of the easiest languages in the world without harsh sound, nor complicated grammar. For example, the work makan (eat) remains without declension or case, so that it does not change whoever, and whenever one says it. The word akan (shall, will), sudah (already) are used before the verb to indicate the future and the past respectively.

Indonesia is the most successful multicultural and multiracial country. It recognizes six official religions. According to 2010 census: 87.18 % are Muslims (more than 99% Sunnis, 0.5 % Shias, and 0.5% Ahmadis), 6.96% Protestant (Protestantism was introduced by the Dutch, concentrated in Maluku, North Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, and Papua), 2.91% Catholic, (Catholicism was brought by the Portuguese, notably to the island of Flores), the 1.69% Hindu especially in Bali (Bali-Hindu), 0.72% Buddhist, 0.05% Confucianism, 0.13% other, and 0.38% unstated. Later, Christianity was also brought to Torajas in Central Sulawesi and the Batak people, predominantly Protestant.

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There are two major Muslim organisations in Indonesia: Nahdatul Ulama (NU), is the largest “traditionalists” one claiming more than 50 million members, probably the largest Islamic organization in the world. It was founded by Kyai Hasyim Asy’ari in 1926. It advocates religious moderation and communal harmony. Its activities are in social and religious education and operating Islamic boarding schools (pesantren). It adheres to the ideology and teachings of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah, and the Shafi’i school. Its presence is strong in rural Java. Former President, the late Abdurrahman Wahid was the grand-son of the founder.

The other major Muslim organization is Muhammadiyah, founded by Kyai Haji Ahmad Dahlan in 1912. Its orientation is “modernists” and adheres to orthodox theology, but embraces modern learning. When the late Dr. Hamka, the prolific writer an one of the prominent leaders and scholars of Muhamadiyah was asked what madhdhab (school of jurisprudence) he was following, he answered, “Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali schools.” It is the leading national “modernist” organization, has approximately 29 million members, and has branches throughout the country. It runs mosques, prayer houses, clinics, orphanages, poorhouses, schools, public libraries, and universities, such as Muhammadiyah universities in almost every big city, such as, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surakarta, Malang and Makassar.

Indonesia as the largest Muslim populations in the world is a battle-ground for proselytization between Christian missionaries and Muslim propagators. The missionaries seemed to get upper hand, especially in poor areas, such as Papua and Central Java, since they receive massive foreign funds from abroad, such Australia, USA, Germany, Vatican, and Italy. On the contrary, Muslim propagators succeeded in bringing people to Islam through dialogue, especially priests and clergymen who, after conversion, became Muslim propagators, such as Dr. Yahya Waloni and Bernard Nababan and Fadhlan Grammatan.

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Since the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979 many Indonesian Muslims have become attracted to the Twelver-Shi’a of Iran. Many students went to Iran to study the Shi’a there. In Indonesia many schools are built for Shi’a children. Dialogues and debates are common phenomena. Even in the Muslim world, especially in the Midd East, the debate between scholars of the two sects, the Sunni and the Shi’i, can be watched in the YouTube of the internet. The debates became often hot when one party was asked questions which cannot be answered with “yes” or “no”. For example, Shaykh Adnan Aroor asked: “Is the decision of al-Ḥasan to make peace (عدنان العرعور)agreement and to abdicate the imāmah (leadership) to Mu‘āwiyah right or wrong?” If the opponent said “yes”, then his younger brother al-Ḥusayn should also have done the same to Yazīd, and he was wrong for not doing so. If the opponent said “no”, then how could al-Ḥasan the second imām have committed a mistake, when as an imam he was supposed to be ma‘ṣūm (infallible)? The only escape for the opponent was that he claimed that it was not the topic of the debate.

As the influence of the Shiah in the Muslim world in general and in Indonesia in particular keeps on increasing, Allah sends His selective servant as rescue. His name is Shaykh Husayn al-Muayyad (حسین المؤید). He obtained the highest position in Iraq as a scholar, and was entitled “the greatest ayatollah” (آیة هللا العظمى). After “converting” to Sunnah, he took refuge to Saudi Arabia, leaving everything behind: his family and relatives, friends and colleagues, and his country. He was not the first “ayatollah” who turned to be Sunni, but most probably the first one who was successful leaving his country.

Shaykh al-Mu’ayyad has given in Ṣafā satellite channel ( صفا قناة ) 74 series of lectures and 64 series in Wiṣāl (قناة وصال) in the internet, and answers questions. Although his lectures are in Arabic, some are provided with Indonesian translation. He says that if the Shiah followers believe only in what have been clearly mentioned in the Qur’ān , such as praying and fasting in

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Ramadan, they would have abandon the Shiah, as the teachings of the Shiah are not clearly based on the Qur’ān , such as the imāmah, wilāyah, and ‘iṣmah (infallibility) of the imams, etc. For his website please visit www.almoaiyad.com.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the ink of the scholar is worthier than the blood of the martyr. Why? The blood kills the enemy, but the ink does not kill the enemy; it kills his enmity and turns the enemy into ally. Suppose five against five! If you kill one, the balance becomes 5 against 4; but if you kill his enmity, the balance becomes 6 against 4. That is wisdom: no blood spilled, no woman turned into a widow, and no child turned into an orphan. That was the Prophet did: he turned the general of his enemy into his own general: Khālid ibn al-Walīd. (Turner, 9 April, 2016)

:المراجع الشاملة المكتبة )ھـ 310. ت( الطبري تفسیر )ھـ 671. ت( القرطبى تفسیر

http://www.10winds.com/50languages/did_you_know/EN071.HTM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Indonesia https://asian.washington.edu/fields/indonesian https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daftar_pulau_di_Indonesia http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/indonesia/pro-

languages.htm https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suku_bangsa_di_Indonesia http://bahasa-nusantara.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/746-

jumlah-bahasa-daerah-indonesia.html http://www.kompasiana.com/hizkiahuwae/bahasa-melayu-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_loanwords_in_Indonesian riau-jadi-bahasa-resmi-asean_54f92952a333116e068b46f8

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Indonesia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhinneka_Tunggal_Ika http://www.asianinfo.org/asianinfo/indonesia/pro-

languages.htm

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13. THE STRANGE CONVERSION OF A PRIEST

This is another strange story of conversion of a priest and a missionary. His name was Sily. He was a close friend of the late Nelson Mandela of South Africa. This incident happened in the Winter of 1996 in the office of the Muslim World League in Johannesburg. Accompanied by Sulayman, a Muslim convert who had just challenged the famous boxer Muhammad Ali in boxing, Sily came and met the Director of the office, and related to him what he called an important event, namely, his conversion to Islam, as follows:

Sily was formerly a very militant priest. He served the Church earnestly. He was also a senior activist of Christianisation in South Africa. For this enormous activity the Vatican appointed him to run a Christianisation program with subsidy. The fund from Vatican was given to him for the project, and he used all means he could to reach his target, converting people to Christianity. He visited regularly madrasahs (Islamic schools) and public schools located in villages and in the hinterland, and distributed funds as contribution, gifts, charity to attract people to Christianity. At the same time, he became very rich, had a luxurious house, a car and big salary, and his position suddenly ascended among other priest.

One day Sily the priest went to the market to buy gifts, wearing a white priest robe. It was there where a sudden change started taking place within him. He met a tradesman selling gifts, who had a cap on his head, indicating that he was a Muslim. Islam in South Africa was used to be called “the religion of the Arabs.” It was difficult to convert Muslims who sticked to their religion, unlike poor Muslims who were easily converted to Christianity.

Then a conversation between the seller and the priest ran as follows: “You are a priest, aren’t you?” asked the seller.

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“That is true,” said the priest. “Who is your God?”, asked the seller. “Jesus Christ,” answered the priest. “I am challenging you to produce one verse in the Bible stating that the Christ said, ‘I am God’ or ‘I am the Son of God, so worship me!’” said the seller.1

This statement of the Muslim seller was like a lightning striking the priest’s head. He could not answer that question. He did the best he could to find the answer in his notes, in the Bible, and in other Christian books, but to no avail. He could not find any verse in the Bible stating that Jesus had said that he was God or the son God.

This statement of the seller broke down Sily’s mentality and caused problem to him. It was a disaster which annoyed him. How such a question had never occurred to his mind? He left the seller with lower head walking away without fixed direction. He would try hard to find such verse, no matter how difficult. Yet, he could not find it, and he admitted that he had been defeated.

Sily the priest went to the Church Council to hold a meeting. When the whole members of the council met he told them what he had happened to him in the market, that there was not a single verse in the Bible stating that Jesus had said that he was God or the Son of God. Instead of trying to find a verse, they attacked him, saying,

1 This statement has been made by the late Ahmed Deedat and his successor Dr. Zakir Naik. They were very sure of the absence of it in the Bible that they said that they would convert to Christianity if the Christians found any verse in the Bible stating that Jesus claimed to be God or Son of God. Allah in the Qur’an had told the Prophet to do the same, when he said, حمن كان إن قل ل فأنا ولد للر أو

Say [O Prophet]: “If the Most Gracious [truly] , )81(الزخرف: العابدین had a son, I would be the first to worship him.”(Q. 43:81) (Muhammad Asad’s translation)

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“The Arab has cheated you. He only wanted to mislead you and to convert you to the religion of the Arabs,” they said.

“If it is so, then give me the answer,” said Sily.

They rejected such question, and nobody was able to give the answer.

Sily the priest has to give a sermon and Christian advice in the church every Sunday. But that Sunday while he was standing in front of the congregation he was unable to say a single word, which was strange for them. He retreated, back to the church and asked his friend to replace him. He told him that he was being sick, but actually, his heart had been broken into pieces.

Sily the priest went home in confusion and restless. He sat in a small room weeping, looking up into the sky and prayed. But to whom he had to pray? He then prayed to whom he believed to be God the Creator. He said:

O my God Who created me, all doors have really been closed before me except Your door. Do not stop me from finding the truth, what is the truth and what is falsehood. O my God, do not let me doubtful; show

me the right way, and guide me to the right path.

Sily fell asleep and dreamed being in a very wide room where nobody else in it except himself. Suddenly a man appeared. His face was not clear because of the glittering of the light from him and from his surroundings. He was sure that the light came from him. He signal me and called me, “O Ibrahim!” He looked around, but nobody was there. He then said to him: “You are Ibrahim. Are not you the one who prayed for guidance to Allah?” “Correct,” answer Sily. “Look at your right side!” he said.

Sily did, and he saw a group of people carrying their goods on their shoulders wearing white clothes and white turbans.

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“Follow them, and you will find the truth,” said the man.

Filly woke up feeling relief, but he was still wondered how and where he could find the people he had seen in his dream. He decided to continue wandering in his quest for the truth as characterized in his dream. He was certain that it was really guidance from God. He asked an official leave and started his long journey visiting several cities to find the people with white dress and turbans. Whenever he found Muslims they were wearing pants and caps. Eventually he reached Johannesburg.

In this city Sily came to the visitors’ office belonging to the Organisation of African Muslims. He asked the officer where he could find the people he was looking for. Thinking that Sily was a beggar he gave him some money. He said, “This is not what I am looking for. Haven’t you any place of worship somewhere here? Please show me the nearest mosque.” The man showed him the direction to the nearest mosque which he followed.

When Sily reached the mosque he was surprised and happy to see a man with a white dress and turban like the one he had seen in his dream standing at the door of the mosque and he approached him.

“Welcome, Ibrahim!,” he said.

Sily wondered how the man had known his name before he introduced himself to him. The man said: “I saw you in my dream that you were looking for us. Are you looking for the truth? The truth is in the religion pleased by Allah for His slaves, and that is Islam.”

“That is true,” said Sily. “I am looking for the truth shown by the shining man I have seen in my dream that I should follow a group of man with a dress like you are wearing. Do you know the man whom I saw in my dream?”

“He is our prophet Muhammad, the prophet of Islam the true religion, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,” said the man.

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It was difficult for Sily to believe in what was happening to him. He embraced the man and said to him,

“Is it true that the man was a messenger and your prophet who came to me to show me the true religion?”

“It is true,” he answered. The man welcomed Sily and congratulated him for accepting Allah’s guidance. As it was the time for ẓuhr (afternoon) prayer, he asked Sily to sit at the back in the mosque, and went to perform the prayer with others. Sily noticed that many of them were wearing the same kind of dress as the man was wearing. They were bowing and prostrating in their prayer. Sily thought, “By God, this is the true religion. I have read in many books that prophets and messengers put their foreheads on the ground worshipping God.”

After the prayer Sily felt calm with what he had just seen, and said to himself, “By God, He had really guided me to the true religion.” A man called him to announce his conversion to Islam. He then pronounce the shahāhah, that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger. He uncontrollably burst into tears out of happiness for receiving Allah’s guidance.

Sily then stayed with this group studying Islam and making journeys visiting various places propagating Islam. He learned how to pray, how to fast, how to pray tahajjud (night prayer), how to be make du‘ā (supplication), how to be honest and trustworthy, how to call people to Islam with wisdom, piety, calmness, cheerful face and sacrifice.

After several months Sily returned home. His family and friends were looking for him. When they saw him wearing the Islamic dress, they denied me, and the Church Council asked him to hold an extraordinary meeting. In that meeting they criticized him for abandoning the religion of their family and ancestors. They told him that he had become lost and misguided by following the religion of the Arabs. He told them

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that, as a matter of fact, nobody had misguided him. It was Prophet Muhammad who came to him in his dream to show him the true religion which is Islam, not the religion of the Arabs as they claimed. He invited them to Islam, and they were silent. Then they persuaded him with wealth, power and position. They told him that the Vatican had asked him to stay there for six month to give him cash advance as down payment for buying a house and a new car, apart from an increase in salary, and highest position in the church.

All these offers were rejected by Sily. He said, “Are you going to mislead me after Allah has guided me? By Allah, I will never do it, even if you cut my neck.” He asked them to embrace Islam, and two of these priests accepted Islam. Realizing Sily’s insistence, they withdrew all of his positions. He was happy with this decision, returned all the wealth he had received, and left them for good. This story of Sily was related by him to the Head of the Muslim World League there, witness by Abdul Khaliq, the secretary of the League and two others. Sily the priest was then called the Dā‘ī (Islamic caller) Ibrahim Sily. He was from Kuza tribe in South Africa. When the seminar on the science of the sharī‘ah was held in Cape Town the Da’ī Ibrahim Sily came and visited the Head of the Muslim League who asked him what was the purpose of his visit. He said that he came to call people to Islam, to save his people from the Hellfire and to guide them to Islam. This is one of many diverse examples how Allah guides people to the right path. (CIVIC, 15 April, 2016)

Source: Muhammad Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān. The Model Story, by Muḥammad Ṣāliḥ al-Qaḥṭānī, quoted from

the work of Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Azīz Aḥmad Sarḥān, Dean of the Faculty of Education, at Makkah al-Mukarramah with a slight edition, published by Dār al-Ḥaqq, telp. no. 021-4701616.

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14. THE RHETORICAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE QUR’ĀN (1)

The Qur’ān was revealed when the Arabs were at the pinnacle of their poetry and prose, and yet, they could not even produce the smallest chapter similar to it. The smallest chapter in the Quran is chapter 108 (al-Kawthar) consisting of only 3 verses.

The British Orientalist and translator, Forster Fitzgerald Arbuthnot (1833-1901), said “that though several attempts have been made to produce a work equal to it as far as elegant writing is concerned, none has as yet succeeded.” The famous German writer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), said about the Qur’ān “[…] soon attracts, astounds, and in the end enforces our reverence […] Its style, in accordance with its contents and aim is stern, grand – ever and always, truly sublime – So, this book will go on exercising through all ages a most potent influence.”

Allah says in the Qur’ān as follows: بین الذي تصدیق ولكن هللا دون من یفترى أن القرآن ھذا كان ومااهافتر یقولون أم .العالمین رب من فیھ ریب ال الكتاب وتفصیل یدیھ

هللا دون من استطعتم من وادعوا مثلھ بسورة فأتوا قل )38-37یونس:( صادقین كنتم إن

And this Qur’ān is not such as could ever be produced by other than Allah (Lord of the heavens

and the earth), but it is a confirmation of (the Revelation) which was before it [i.e. the Torah and

the Gospel], and a full explanation of the Book (i.e. the laws decreed for mankind)—wherein

there is no doubt—from the Lord of the worlds. Or do they say: He (Muhammad) has forged it?”

Say: “Bring then a surah (chapter) like it, and call upon whomsoever you can besides Allah,

if you are truthful.” (Q. 10:376-38)

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One of the miraculous natures of the Qur’ān is its unique literary form. It is different from normal literary forms of Arabic poetry and prose, as mentioned by Dr. Taha Husayn, that it is neither pure poetry, nor pure prose, but between. The verses of the Qur’ān are full of rhetoric, namely, among other things in Western terminology are: alliteration, analogy, antiphrasis, antithesis, asyndeton,

assonance, cadence, chiasmus, epizeuxis, equivoque, homonymy, hyperbole, isocolon, metaphor, palindrome

parenthesis, polyptoton, rhetorical questions, and synecdoche. The frequent use of these rhetorical features excels any other Arabic rhymed prose. Here are some of their definitions and examples:

assonance, pun, paronomasia1. It is divided into ,ال ج ن اس .1three categories: (a) complete, (b) incomplete, and (c) simple.

1Pun or paronomasia is the use of words with similar sounds but different in meaning, such as: “tun a gitar” and “tuna guitar”, “prophet” and “profit.” In Malay and Indonesian language we have the word beruang which has two meanings: “bear” and “to have money.” So, if we say “beruang beruang” it means “the bear has money.” The example in modern Arabic poetry is that of Ismā‘īl Ṣabrī Pasha (1854-1923) who had a sister called Asmā, as follows:

)فعولن مفاعلتن مفاعلتن: الوافر البحر( ــــين ت م ل ك ى ن ت م ل ك ــــام ل ف * ى ن ت م ل ك ىت ح اب لب ا ت ق ر ط

ير ب ص ـــل ی ع ]ء[اسم ا ای ت ل ق ف * ار ب ص ـــــل یـ اع م إس ای ت ال ق ف I knocked at the door until I got tired [of knocking]

When I got tired she talked to me She said, “O Isma’il, be patient!”

Then I said, “O Asmā, I have lost my patience.” متنى +كل = my arm has become tired

= she talked to me نــــي+ كلمت ــــــل +یا صبرا +إسماعی = O Isma ‘īl, be patient

ــــل +اء اسم + یا صبري +عی = O Asmā’, my patience has almost gone This is called invented (fabricated) jinās )الملفق الجناس ( that may confuse the listeners.

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a. Complete jinās ( امالت اس ن ج ال ) is when two or more words are exactly the same, but have different meanings. This can be said to belong to the category of homonym. For example:

اعة تقوم ویوم غیر لبثوا ما المجرمون یقسم الس )55الروم:( یؤفكون كانوا كذلك ساعة

And on the Day that the Hour will be established, the criminals will swear that they stayed not but

an hour—thus were they evfer deluded [away from the truth in this life of the world].(Q. 30:55)

Here the first sā‘ah means “the Day of the Hour”, whereas the second sā‘ah means “an hour.”

یقلب .باألبصار یذھب برقھ سنا یكاد ھار اللیل هللا والن ) 44-43النور:( األبصار ألولي لعبرة ذلك في إن

The vivid flash of its (clouds) lightning nearly blinds the sight. Allah causes the night and the

day to succeed ech other. Truly, in this is indeed a lesson for those who have

insight (Q. 24:33-34) The first abṣār is the plural form of baṣar meaning

“eye-sight.” Although it is plural, it is translated in singular form, because “sights” in plural means something else, namely, something remarkable, such as “Grand Canyon is one of the sights of the world.” The second abṣār is the plural form of baṣar meaning “insight” which is knowledge. It is also translated in singular form, although it is in plural form, as “insights” in English is usually used to indicate examples of insight or sudden insight.

The above examples are of the comolete jinās of nouns. The jinās between prepositions are so many in the Qur’ān, such as follows:

(37 :النور ل ( ماء من وینز برد من فیھا جبال من الس He sends down from the sky some

mountains of hail in them (Q. 24:37)

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This is the literal translation of the above verse to indicate that the preposition min من) ( is mentioned three times each with different meanings: “from the sky” indicates where the hail cames from; “some mountains” indicates that “it is not one, but many” (من للتبعیض); “of hail” indicates the kind of the mountains, not of pebbles, a different ones.

As the word “mountains” in this verse has more than one meaning or sense, it is ambiguous, and is called equivoque. (b) Incomplete jinās ام غیر الجناس )الت ) Incoplete jinās ithat it misses one of the following conditions: (1) vowel signs, called muḥarraf; (2) letters, called muṣaḥḥaf (3) number of letters (4) sequence of letters)

(1) Al-jinās al-Muḥarraf occurs if two or ( ف)ر ح لم ا اس ن ج ال more words have different vowels only, such as:

كان كیف فانظر .منذرین فیھم أرسلنا ولقد ) 73-72:الصافات( منذرین ال عاقبة

And indeed We sent among them warners (Messengers); Then see what was the end of

those who were warned (Q. 37:72-73)

Ther term mundhirīn means “warners”, mundharīn means “those who are warned.” The difference is only in the two vowels, “i” and “a”.

ة لھم بأن وأموالھم أنفسھم المؤمنین من اشترى هللا إن الجن ) 111:التوبة( ... ویقتلون فیقتلون هللا سبیل في یقاتلون

Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties for (the price)

that their shall be Paradise. They fight in Allah’s Cause, so they kill (others) and

are killed… (Q. 9:111)

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The example from the sayings of the Prophet is as follows:

ن ح ام ك م ھ الل خلقي ن س ح ف قيخل ت س O Allah, as You have beautified the creation

of me, beautify then my character. The term khalqī means “my creation,” whereas

khuluqī means “my character." The difference is between the vowels “a” and “u…u.”

(2) Al-Jinās al-Muṣaḥḥaf ف) ح المص الجناس ( which is also called Jinās al-Khaṭṭ ( ط لخ ا اس ن ج ). It occurs in words when they have the same khaṭṭ, namely, consonantal sekeleton, but different in meanings, such as:

ئكم ھل قل ضل الذین . أعماال باألخسرین ننبنیا الحیاة في سعیھم ھم یحسبون وھم الد أن

)410-310الكھف:( صنعا یحسنون Say (O Muhammad): “Shall We tell you the

greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds? Those whose efforts have been wased in this life while

they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds.” (Q. 18:103-104)

The term yaḥsabūna means “they think”, whereas yuḥsinūna means “they do good.” They are different in meaning, but the same in their consonantal skeleton, namely, یحسنون and یحسبون are the same if we ignore the dots in them. Another example is what Prophet Abraham a.s. says as mentioned in the Qur’ān as follows:

مرضت وإذا .ویسقین یطعمني ھو والذي )80-79الشعراء:( یشفین فھو

“And it is He Who feeds me abnd gives me to drink. And when I am ill, it is He

Who cures me (Q. 26:79-80).

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The term yasqīni means “He gives me to drink”, whereas yashfīni means “He cures me.” Both are different in meaning, but have the same consonantal skeleton, namely, یسقین and یشفین if we ignore the dots in them. The example from the sayings of the Prophet to a young man as follows:

ھ ثوبك، ارفع ! أخي ابن یا لربك وأتقى لثوبك أنقى فإن (رواه البخاري و البیھقي و ابن حبان)

O my nephew! Lift up your dress, for it is cleaner for your dress and more pious to your Lord

(Reported by Bukhārī, Bayhaqī and Ibn Ḥibbān) The term anqā means “cleaner”, whereas atqā means “more pious”. They are different in meaning, but have the same consonantal skeleton, namely أنقى and أتقى if we ignore the dosts in them. The example from the sayings of the ṣaḥābah (companions of the Prophet), is what ‘Umar r.a. said:

, شیئا العطر غیر اخترت ما تاجرا كنت لو ریحھ فاتني ما ربحھ فاتني إن

If I were a a trader, I would not have chosen other than perfume; if I lost its profit, I would not lose it scent.

The term ribḥuhu means “its profit”, whereas rīḥuhu means “its scent.” Both are different in meaning, but have the same consonantal skeleton, namely, ربحھ and ریحھ if we ignore the dots in them. (to be continued) (CIVIC, 13 May, 2016)

المراجع: الشاملة المكتبة

https://islamwich.com/2013/04/03/quranic-challenge/ https://old.uqu.edu.sa/page/ar/43947 http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/essays-articles/exploring-

the-quran/the-inim http://websta.me/n/ator_m http://forums.roro44.net/545849.html

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15. THE RHETORICAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE QUR’ĀN (2)

3. Jinās based on the difference of the kinds and number of their letters. (a) Jinās based on the difference of the kinds of their letters is divided into two types: (1) al-Jinās al-Muḍāri‘ ( المضارع الجناس , similar jinās), and (2) al-Jinās al-Lāḥiq الالحق) الجناس , joined jinās); (b) Jinās based on the difference of the number of their letters is called Imperfect Jinās (al-Jinās al-nāqiṣ , الناقص الجناس(

(1) al-Jinās al-Muḍāri‘ ( المضارع الجناس , similar jinās), if their letters are similar or close to each other in articulation, such as in the following verse:

إال یھلكون وإن عنھ وینأون عنھ ینھون وھم )26األنعام:( یشعرون وما أنفسھم

And the prevent others from [following] him (i.e. Prophet Muhammad) and they themselves keep away from him, and (by doing so) they destroy

not but their ownselves, yet they perceive (it) not Q. 6:26)

The term yanhawna meaning “they prevent”, while yan’awna meaning “they keep away.” Both are different in meaning, but close in articulation.

The other example is the following verse: )16-15:التكویر( الكنس الجوار . بالخنس أقسم فال

So verily, I swear by the planets that recede (i.e., disappear during the day and appear during the night). And by the planets that move swiftly

and hide themselves (Q. 81:15-16)

The term al-khunnas means “they recede, they withdraw”, whereas al-kunnas means “they disappear.” They are different in meaning, but close in articulation.

The example with the sayings of the Prophet is as follow:

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إلى الخیر نواصیھا في معقود الخیل ) البخاري رواه( القیامة یوم

Horses are tied with goodness at their forelocks till the Doomsday (Reported by Bukhārī)

It means horses always bring goodness if they are used properly. The term al-khayl means “the horses”, whereas al-khayr means “goodness”. Both are different in meaning, but close in articulation.

(2) al-Jinās al-Lāḥiq الالحق الجناس( , joined jinās) when their articulations are very dissimilar, such as the following verses:

) 1:الھمزة( لمزة ھمزة لكل ویل Woe to every slandered and

backbiter (Q. 104:1)

The term humazah means “slanderers”, whereas lumazah means “backbiters.” They are different in meaning and in the articulation of”h (ھـ)” through the throat in the first word and “l (ل)” through the palate and the tongue in the second.

ھ ھ . لشھید ذلك على وإن ) 8-7:اتالعادی( لشدید الخیر لحب وإن( And to that he bears witness (by his deeds).

And verily, he is violent in the love of wealth (Q. 100:7-8)

The term lashahīd means “he bears witness”, whereas lashadīd means “he is violent.” Both are different in meaning, and very dissimilar between the articulation of letter “h (ھـ)” in the first word and letter “d (د)” in the second word.

بغیر األرض في تفرحون كنتم بما ذلكم )75غافر:( تمرحون كنتم وبما الحق

That was because you had been exulting in the earth without any right (by worshipping others

instead of Allah and by committing crimes),

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and that you used to rejoice extremely (in your error) (Q. 40:75)

This is what the angels would say in the Hereafter to those who rejected the truth. The term tafraḥūn means “you exult”, whereas tamraḥūn means “you rejoice.” Both are different in meaning, and there is very dissimilar between the letter “f (ف)” in the first word and letter “m .in the second word ”(م)

ا ا .تقھر فال یتیم ال فأم ائل وأم )10-9:الضحى( تنھر فال السTherefore, treat not the orphan with oppression.

And repulse not the beggar (Q. 93:9-10)

After mentioning Allah’s favours to the Prophet s.a.w. among which are: He gave him a refuge after being an orphan, guiding him after being unaware of the right way, made him rich after being poor, He asked him to treat well the poor and the needy. The term taqhar means “you oppress”, whereas tanhar means “you repulse.” Both are different in meaning, and there is very dissimilar between the letter “q (ق) ” in the first word and letter “n (ن)” in the second word in articulation.

The example from the sayings of the Prophet is his long du‘ā’ (supplication) as follows:

توبتى تقبل رب ... ذاكرا لك شاكرا لك اجعلنى للھم ... (رواه أبو داؤد و ابن حبان) ...حوبتى واغسل

“… O Allah, make me thankful to You, remember You… and accept my repentance,

and wash away my offence…” (Reported by Abū Dā’ūd and Ibn Ḥibbān)

The term shākiran means “thankful,” whereas dhākiran means “remembering.” Both are different in meaning, and letter “sh (ش) in the first word is quite dissimilar from the letter “dh (ذ)” in the second word. The term tawbatī means “my repentance,” whereas the term

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ḥawbatī means “my offence.” Both are different in meaning, and letter “t (ت)” in the first word (which is through dental articulation) is quite dissimilar with letter “ḥ (ح)” (which is articulated through the throat) in the second word.

(b) Jinās based on the difference of the number of their letters is called Imperfect Jinās (al-Jinās al-nāqiṣ , )الناقص الجناس is when the number of letters is more, either one or more, either in the beginning, the middle or the end of the word. The examples are from the Qur’ān are as follows:

اق والتفت اق الس )30-29القیامة:( المساق یومئذ ربك إلى .بالسAnd one leg will be joined with another

leg (shrouded).Then drive will be on that Day to your Lord (Allah) (Q. 75:29-30)

The term al-sāq means “the leg”, and al-masāq means “the drive”. Both are different in meaning, and the term al-masāq has one letter more than al-sāq, namely letter “m (م)”

نات رسلنا أرسلنا لقد )25... (الحدید:بالبی Indeed We have sent Our Messengers

with clear proofs … (Q. 57:25)

The term arsalnā means "We have sent”, whereas rusulanā means “Our Messengers.” Both are different in meaning. The term arsalnā has one letter more than

rusulanā, namely, letter alif (أ). ھم إن )11العادیات:( لخبیر یومئذ بھم رب

Verily, that Day I(i.e., the Day of Resurrection) their Lord will be Well-Acquainted with them

(as to their deeds and will reward them for their deeds) (Q. 100:11)

The term rabbahum means “their Lord,” whereas bihim means “with them.” Both are different in meaning. The

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term rabbahum has one letter more than bihim, namely, letter “r (ر)”

ا... ا ولكن )45القصص:( مرسلین كن … But it is We Who kept sending

(Messengers) (Q. 28:45)

The term lākinnā means “but we”, and kunnā means “we were”. Both are different in meaning. The term lākinnā has one letter more than kunnā, namely, letter “l (ل)”

رنا )12القمر:( قدر قد أمر على الماء فالتقى عیونا األرض وفجAnd We caused springs to gush forth from the

earth. So, the waters (of the heaven and the earth) met for a matter predestined (Q. 54:12)

The term qad means “already,” whereas qudira means “predestined.” Both are different in meaning. The ter qudira has one letter more than qad, namely, letter “r (ر)”

4. Inverted jinās (al-Jinās al-Ma‘kūs, المعكوس الجناس ), also called jinās al-qalb ( القلب جناس ) and jinās al-tabdīl ( التبدیل جناس ). It is divided into two types: (a) inversion of letters, either full inversion or partial inversion, and (b) inversion of words, either fully or partly.

a. Full inversion of letters is called palindrome, where they can be read both forwards and backwards, such as “radar”, and “race car.” The examples from the Qur’ān, are as follows:

)3المدثر:( فكبر وربك And magnify your Lord (Allah) (Q. 74:3)

The letters of فكبر ربك are ر ب ك ف ك ب ر and can be read inverted.

ھار سابق اللیل وال القمر تدرك أن لھا ینبغي الشمس ال الن)40یس:( یسبحون فلك في وكل

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It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all

float, each in an orbit (Q. 36:40).

The letters of فلك في كل are: ك ل ف ي ف ل ك and can be read inverted.

The example of partial inversion in the Qur’ān is as follows:

قت تقول أن خشیت إني... إسرائیل بني بین فر) 94طھ:( قولي ترقب ولم

…[Aaron said to Moses]: “ Verily, I feared lest you should say: ‘You have caused a division among the

Children of Israel, and you say have not respected my word!’” (Q. 20:94)

The term bayna means “between”, and banī means “the children of”. Both are different in meaning. The partial inversion is between bayna and banī, where letter y-n ین)( (in the first word is inverted with n-y ن)ي( in the second.

The example from the ḥadīth of the Prophet is as follows:

(رواه أحمد) روعاتنا وآمن عوراتنا استر اللھم O Allah, cover our faultiness, and safeguard

our splendour (Reported by Ahmad)

The term ‘awrātinā means “our faultiness”, whereas raw‘ātinā means “our splendour”. Both are different in meaning. The partial inversion is between ‘a-w-r (عور ) in the first word and r-w-‘a )روع( in the second word. (CIVIC, 20 May, 2016)

:المراجع الشاملة المكتبة

https://islamwich.com/2013/04/03/quranic-challenge/ https://old.uqu.edu.sa/page/ar/43947 http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/essays-articles/exploring-the-

quran/the-inim