وَمَنۡ اَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنۡ مَّنَعَ مَسٰجِدَ اللّٰہِ اَنۡ یُّذۡکَرَ فِیۡہَا اسۡمُہٗ وَسَعٰی فِیۡ خَرَابِہَاۤ ۚ اُولٰٓئِکَ مَا کَانَ لَہُمۡ اَنۡ یَّدۡخُلُوۡہَاۤ اِلَّا خَآئِفِیۡنَ ۚ لَہُمۡ فِی الدُّنۡیَا خِزۡیٌ وَّلَہُمۡ فِی الۡاٰخِرَۃِ عَذَابٌ عَظِیۡمٌ

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

And who is more unjust than he who prohibits the name of Allah being glorified in Allah’s temples and seeks to ruin them? It was not proper for such men to enter therein except in fear. For them is disgrace in this world; and theirs shall be a great punishment in the next.

English - Five Volume Translation

And who is more unjust than he who prohibits the name of Allah being glorified in [a]Allah’s temples and seeks to ruin them? It was not proper for such men to enter therein except in fear. For them is disgrace in this world; and theirs shall be a great punishment in the next.[121]

9:17, 18; 22:26; 72:19, 20.

Important Words:

خرابھا (their ruin) is derived from خرب. They say خرب البیت i.e. the house became desolate and deserted. The word خرابwhich is infinitive from it is the opposite of عمارة i.e. to build or to occupy and live in, and is used about a place when it becomes deserted and desolate and ruined (Aqrab).

Commentary:

This verse constitutes a strong indictment of those who carry their religious differences to such extremes that they do not even refrain from perpetrating outrages against the places of worship belonging to other creeds. They hinder people from worshipping God in their sacred places and even go so far as to destroy their temples. Such acts of violence are denounced here in strong terms and a lesson of tolerance and broad-mindedness is inculcated.

The Quran recognizes for all the free and unrestricted right to use their temples and declares that if people wish to worship God in a place of worship, they should not be prevented from doing so; for a temple or a mosque is a place dedicated to the worship of God and anyone who prevents them from worshipping Him in it, in fact, contributes to its ruin and desolation.

This is what Islam teaches about respect for the places of worship, and yet it has come to be condemned as an intolerant religion. Islam is indeed the first and the only religion to inculcate broad-mindedness and teach respect for the religious susceptibilities of all peoples and the Holy Prophet was the first person who carried this great and noble principle into actual practice. He allowed the Christians of Najran to hold their service in his own mosque, the celebrated مسجدالنبی, when they came to have a religious discussion with him at Medina (Zurqani).

It will be noted that the verse prescribes two punishments for those who prohibit the name of Allah being glorified in places of worship. One is disgrace in this world and the other is heavy punishment in the next. The punishment of disgrace is typical of the offence; for a person who first builds a temple or a mosque with the object that the name of God may be remembered in it and then proceeds to prevent people from worshipping Him therein cannot but bring upon himself humiliation and disgrace in the eyes of the world. The words also contain a prophecy about the disbelievers of Mecca who prevented the Muslims from entering the Ka‘bah. The prophecy was fulfilled when Mecca was taken and the infidels met with humiliation and disgrace. Finally, it may be noted that the verse should not be understood to mean that the Quran advocates the unqualified access for all sorts of persons to all places of worship without regard to circumstances. In fact, only those who wish to use them for the specific purpose of God’s worship and have no ulterior motive are allowed.

English - Five Volume Commentary ^*

Cross Refs:

9:17, 18; 22:26; 72:19, 20.

121

Important Words:

Commentary:

4:142

اَلَّذِیۡنَ یَتَرَبَّصُوۡنَ بِکُمۡ فَاِنۡ کَانَ لَکُمۡ فَتۡحٌ مِّنَ اللّٰہِ قَالُوۡۤا اَلَمۡ نَکُنۡ مَّعَکُمۡ وَاِنۡ کَانَ لِلۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ نَصِیۡبٌ قَالُوۡۤا اَلَمۡ نَسۡتَحۡوِذۡ عَلَیۡکُمۡ وَنَمۡنَعۡکُمۡ مِّنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ ۚ فَاللّٰہُ یَحۡکُمُ بَیۡنَکُمۡ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ ۗ وَلَنۡ یَّجۡعَلَ اللّٰہُ لِلۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ عَلَی الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ سَبِیۡلًا

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

Those who wait for news concerning you. If you have a victory from Allah, they say, ‘Were we not with you?’ And if the disbelievers have a share of it, they say to them, ‘Did we not get the better of you, and protect you against the believers?’ Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection; and Allah will not grant the disbelievers a way to prevail against the believers.

7:13

قَالَ مَا مَنَعَکَ اَلَّا تَسۡجُدَ اِذۡ اَمَرۡتُکَ ۖ قَالَ اَنَا۠ خَیۡرٌ مِّنۡہُ خَلَقۡتَنِیۡ مِنۡ نَّارٍ وَّخَلَقۡتَہٗ مِنۡ طِیۡنٍ

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

God said, ‘What prevented thee from submitting when I commanded thee?’ He said, ‘I am better than he. Thou hast created me of fire while him hast Thou created of clay.’

اردو تفسیرِ صغیر

(اس پر خدا نے اس سے) کہا کہ میرے حکم کے [1]باوجود تجھے سجدہ کرنے سے کس نے روکا[2] تھا۔ اس نے جواب دیا کہ میں تو اس (آدم) سے بہتر ہوں تو نے میری فطرت میں آگ رکھی ہے اور اس کی فطرت میں گیلی مٹی[3] کی صفت رکھی ہے۔

9:54

وَمَا مَنَعَہُمۡ اَنۡ تُقۡبَلَ مِنۡہُمۡ نَفَقٰتُہُمۡ اِلَّاۤ اَنَّہُمۡ کَفَرُوۡا بِاللّٰہِ وَبِرَسُوۡلِہٖ وَلَا یَاۡتُوۡنَ الصَّلٰوۃَ اِلَّا وَہُمۡ کُسَالٰی وَلَا یُنۡفِقُوۡنَ اِلَّا وَہُمۡ کٰرِہُوۡنَ

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

And nothing has deprived them of the acceptance of their contributions save that they disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger. And they come not to Prayer except lazily and they make no contribution save reluctantly.

12:64

فَلَمَّا رَجَعُوۡۤا اِلٰۤی اَبِیۡہِمۡ قَالُوۡا یٰۤاَبَانَا مُنِعَ مِنَّا الۡکَیۡلُ فَاَرۡسِلۡ مَعَنَاۤ اَخَانَا نَکۡتَلۡ وَاِنَّا لَہٗ لَحٰفِظُوۡنَ

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

And when they returned to their father, they said, ‘O our father, a further measure of corn has been denied us, so send with us our brother that we may obtain our measure, and we will surely take care of him.’

17:60

وَمَا مَنَعَنَاۤ اَنۡ نُّرۡسِلَ بِالۡاٰیٰتِ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ کَذَّبَ بِہَا الۡاَوَّلُوۡنَ ۚ وَاٰتَیۡنَا ثَمُوۡدَ النَّاقَۃَ مُبۡصِرَۃً فَظَلَمُوۡا بِہَا ۚ وَمَا نُرۡسِلُ بِالۡاٰیٰتِ اِلَّا تَخۡوِیۡفًا

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

And nothing could hinder Us from sending Signs, except that the former people rejected them, but this is no hindrance. And We gave Thamud the she-camel as a clear Sign, but they unjustly rejected it. And We send not Signs but to warn.

English - Five Volume Translation

[a]And nothing could hinder Us from sending Signs, except that the former people rejected them, but this is no hindrance. And We gave Thamud the she-camel as a clear Sign, but they unjustly rejected it. And We send not Signs but to warn.[1989]

17:95; 18:56.

Important Words:

ظلموا بھا (unjustly rejected it). The word ظلم means, (1) he did wrong; or acted wrongfully, unjustly or tyrannically, (2) he put a thing in a wrong place or in a place not its own. They say من اشبه اباہ فما ظلم i.e. whoso resembles his father, he has not put the likeness in a wrong place; (3) he made him suffer loss as in وما ظلمونا ولکن کانوا انفسھم یظلمون i.e. and they made not Us to suffer loss or detriment but it was themselves they made to suffer loss or detriment. ظلم الارض means, he dug the ground in what was not the place of digging. ظلمه also means, he imposed upon him a thing that was above his power or ability. The word is also used transitively by means of ب as in the Quranic words فظلموا بھا i.e. and they disbelieved in them (the Signs) or unjustly rejected them (Lane & Aqrab). See also 2:36, 52.

Commentary:

The verse beautifully states that heavenly signs will never cease to appear. It warns Muslims not to entertain such a foolish belief and proceeds to refute and demolish the only possible objection against the appearance of heavenly signs. The objection is: When the people to whom the signs were first shown did not profit by them, where was the warrant that their successors would do so? The arguments given in refutation of this objection are: (a) If the rejection of heavenly signs had been a reasonable ground, no Prophet after the very first Prophet—Adam––would have appeared. But this did not happen and fresh Prophets continued to appear in all ages and fresh signs continued to be shown at their hands, which showed that the rejection of signs never proved a barrier in the way of the appearance of new signs. (b) Prophets are sent in the world in order to warn wrongdoers of their transgressions and iniquities and of the impending Divine punishment in consequence of those iniquities. Any such punishment without a previous warning and without showing signs would be contrary to Divine mercy.

As an illustration of the claim that wrongdoers never go unpunished if they do not repent, special mention has been made of the tribe of Thamud because the Thamud were an Arab tribe and their history was a matter of common knowledge with pagan Arabs as well as with the Jews of Arabia.

English - Five Volume Commentary ^*

Cross Refs:

17:95; 18:56.

1989

Important Words:

Commentary:

17:95

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ اَنۡ یُّؤۡمِنُوۡۤا اِذۡ جَآءَہُمُ الۡہُدٰۤی اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ قَالُوۡۤا اَبَعَثَ اللّٰہُ بَشَرًا رَّسُوۡلًا

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

And nothing has prevented men from believing when the guidance came to them save that they said, ‘Has Allah sent a man as a Messenger?’

English - Five Volume Translation

[a]And nothing has prevented men from believing when the guidance came to them save that they said, ‘Has Allah sent a man as a Messenger?’[2023]

17:60; 23:25; 34:44.

Commentary:

In the previous verse the Holy Prophet, in reply to the foolish and frivolous demands of disbelievers, was commanded to say to them that he was nothing beyond a Messenger of God. The present verse contains their strongest objection that he is only a mortal. In fact, the words, Has Allah sent a man as a Messenger, contain not one but several objections. The first is that, God being so great, it is incompatible with His dignity to appoint a mere mortal as His Messenger. This objection in reality implies rejection and denial of revelation itself. Some people reject a Prophet out of vanity and a false sense of self-importance. They do not deny the possibility of Divine revelation, but in their pride and egotism they cannot bring themselves to think that God could possibly choose a man of no consequence, as they think, to be the bearer of His Message. Another class of people hold that man, being endowed with great natural gifts and talents, is quite fit to find the right path by the help of these natural faculties alone and needs no Divine revelation to guide him. Yet a third class would object to any mortal being a Divine Prophet on the ground that a Prophet requires higher and better faculties for the effective discharge of his onerous duties than those possessed by a mere mortal. These people are ever ready to believe in the claims of any mountebank if only he professes to possess superhuman powers, but find it hard to believe in similar claims of another person possessed of the highest moral and spiritual stature who might be sincere enough to disclaim all such superhuman powers. This class of men fall an easy prey to supernaturalism. Persons who suffer from such mental distempers might well profess to believe in the past Prophets, but their failure to recognize the truth of a new claimant to Prophethood amply proves that the faith which they profess in the old Prophets is but an empty and customary faith inherited from their forefathers and is devoid of all reality.

English - Five Volume Commentary ^*

Cross Refs:

17:60; 23:25; 34:44.

2023

Commentary:

18:56

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ اَنۡ یُّؤۡمِنُوۡۤا اِذۡ جَآءَہُمُ الۡہُدٰی وَیَسۡتَغۡفِرُوۡا رَبَّہُمۡ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ تَاۡتِیَہُمۡ سُنَّۃُ الۡاَوَّلِیۡنَ اَوۡ یَاۡتِیَہُمُ الۡعَذَابُ قُبُلًا

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

And nothing hinders people from believing when the guidance comes to them, and from asking forgiveness of their Lord, except that they wait that there should happen to them the precedent of the ancients or that punishment should come upon them face to face.

20:93

قَالَ یٰہٰرُوۡنُ مَا مَنَعَکَ اِذۡ رَاَیۡتَہُمۡ ضَلُّوۡۤا

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

Moses said, “O Aaron, what hindered thee, when thou didst see them gone astray,

21:44

اَمۡ لَہُمۡ اٰلِہَۃٌ تَمۡنَعُہُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِنَا ۚ لَا یَسۡتَطِیۡعُوۡنَ نَصۡرَ اَنۡفُسِہِمۡ وَلَا ہُمۡ مِّنَّا یُصۡحَبُوۡنَ

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

Have they any gods that can protect them beside Us? They cannot help themselves, nor can they be befriended by any one against Us.

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Morphology Tree

مَّانِعَت

مَمۡنُوۡعَۃ

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