ROOT س م ر

2299

Important Words:

السامری (Samiri) is derived from سمر. They say سمرہ i.e. he nailed it, i.e. he made it fast, firm or strong with a nail or nails, a nail being called سمار. Hence سامر is one who makes things fast with nails, i.e. one belonging to the profession of blacksmiths, carpenters, etc. Thus سامرة means, a people who carry on the profession of blacksmiths, carpenters etc. i.e. artisans. Samiri, the mischief-maker, seems to belong to this class. So سامری may be a descriptive or attributive name. Or it may be a relative noun from سامرة (the Samaritans), a people said to be one of the tribes of the Children of Israel; or a sect of the Jews, differing from them in many of their institutions. Properly speaking they were inhabitants of Samaria. The name is now restricted to a small tribe of people living in Nablus and calling themselves "Bene Yisrael". Their history as a distinct community began with the taking of Samaria by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. (Lane & Jew. Enc.).

2301

Important Words:

موعدک (thy promise) means, the promise which we made to thee.

Commentary:

Whereas the Quran in this verse says that the Egyptians gave the Israelites jewels of gold and silver of their own accord, the Bible accuses them of having despoiled the Egyptians of their ornaments (Exod. 12:36). But, as generally is the case, in this respect also the Bible has contradicted itself. At another place (Exod. 12:35) it says that the Egyptians themselves gave the ornaments to the Israelites and insisted that they should leave Egypt forthwith. Reason and common sense support the Quranic and the latter statement of the Bible.

2308

Important Words:

ماخطبک (what hast thou to say). خطب (khatbun) among other things may also mean, object, purpose, plea, defence etc. See also 12:52.

2555

Important Words:

سامراً (telling stories by night) is derived from سمر which means, he held a conversation or discourse by night; he waked; continued awake; did not sleep. سمر الخمر means, he drank wine by night. سامرہ means, he held a conversation or discourse with him by night. سامر means, a man holding or one who holds a conversation or discourse by night; a person waking or continuing to be awake or one who did not sleep. ترکتھم سامراً means, I left them while they were holding a conversation by night (Lane & Aqrab).

تھجرون (talking nonsense) is derived from ھجر. They say ھجر او ھجر فی کلامه i.e. he talked nonsense; he talked foolishly or deliriously. See also 4:35. ھجر فی مرضه اونومه means, he talked nonsense or deliriously in his sickness or sleep. The Quranic words سامرا تھجرون mean, holding discourse by night, talking nonsense or foolishly (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The expression مستکبرین may signify that disbelievers regard the revelation of the Quran to be too big and important an affair to be entrusted to a weak human being. In the latter case it may mean that when disbelievers hear the Quran being recited they turn away from it in pride and arrogance. The latter meaning which is preferable is given in the text.