اَرۡبَع
Appears 16 times in Quran
Derived Words (12)
Words derived from the stem "اَرۡبَع".
- four
- the maximum period of waiting is four months
- Take four birds
- four of you against them
- four times
- four
- four
- four
- forty
- four
- four times
- four months and ten days
Occurrences in Quran
Found 16 verses containing "اَرۡبَع".
وَاِذۡ وٰعَدۡنَا مُوۡسٰۤی اَرۡبَعِیۡنَ لَیۡلَۃً ثُمَّ اتَّخَذۡتُمُ الۡعِجۡلَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِہٖ وَاَنۡتُمۡ ظٰلِمُوۡنَ
7:143.
2:55, 93; 4:154; 7:149, 153; 20:89.
Moses, the Founder of Judaism, who delivered the Israelites from the tyranny of Pharaoh, was the greatest Israelite Prophet. According to biblical data he lived about 500 years after Abraham and about 1,400 years before Jesus. He was a Law-giving Prophet; the other Israelite Prophets that came after him were only the followers of his system.
See 7:143.
Man generally is the slave of his environments. This is particularly true of a subject people, who generally imitate the manners and customs of their rulers. The Israelites had lived under the bondage of Pharaohs for a long time, and naturally had imbibed the idolatrous faith of the Egyptians. When they left Egypt with Moses and came across an idol-worshipping people on the way, they requested him to sanction a similar worship for them (7:139).
7:143.
2:55, 93; 4:154; 7:149, 153; 20:89.
Important Words:
ظالمون (transgressors) is the plural of ظالم which is derived from ظلم which means (1) he put a thing at a wrong place (2) he transgressed against or wronged a person (Aqrab).
Commentary:
In this verse the incident of calf-worship mentioned in Exodus 32 is related. Man is generally the slave of environment. This is particularly true of a subject people, who assiduously imitate the manners and customs of their rulers. The Israelites had lived under the Pharaohs for a long time, and had imbibed the idolatrous faith of the Egyptians. When they left Egypt with Moses, and came across any idol-worshipping people on the way, they requested Moses again and again to sanction a similar worship for them (7:139). So eager were they for such worship that when Moses went to Mount Sinai, they made a calf and took to worshipping it. They revered the calf, because in Egypt the cow was held in special veneration. Egypt, like India, was an agricultural country where cattle must be of the highest value to man. Hence cow-worship.
The Bible mentions Aaron as having made a calf for the Israelites (Exod. 32:1-6). But the Quran strongly refutes this idea. Aaron was a Prophet of God and could not stoop to idol-worship. Says the Quran, And Aaron had said to them before this, 'O my people, you have only been tried by means of the calf; and surely, the Gracious God is your Lord; so follow me and do as I bid you' (20:91). It is strange that such baseless and incredible stories as the participation of a chosen one of God in idol-worship should find place in a Book which claims to be inspired. It only proves that the Bible has been the object of human interference. It is probable that some interested people deliberately interpolated the sacred writings and ascribed certain vices to the Prophets; and the Christian divines eagerly took them for granted, as they were of good use to them as a means of the exaltation of Jesus over the rest of the Prophets.
The verse speaks of the appointed duration as being of forty nights. In 7: 143 the Quran further tells us that at first the appointed duration was thirty nights, but by a subsequent addition of ten the period was extended to forty nights which is a fuller number. This favour was granted to Moses because of his faithfulness and sincerity.
The words, and you were transgressors, mean, you resorted to setting up equals with God, because this practice is indeed the greatest ظلمi.e. putting a thing in a wrong place. Elsewhere the Quran says: شرک i.e. attributing partners to God is indeed a great ظلم (31:14).
b
7:143.
c
2:55, 93; 4:154; 7:149, 153; 20:89.
51
穆撒是犹太教的创始人, 他使古以色列人从法老的暴政下解救出来, 是伟大的犹太人先知。按照 «圣经» 资料, 他生活在伊布拉欣之后约五百年, 约比伊撒早一千四百年。他是一位有经的先知; 他身后的一些其他古以色列人先知只是他道统的遵行者。
52
见7:143。
a
7:143.
b
2:55, 93; 4:154; 7:149, 153; 20:89.
58
Important Words:
ظالمون (transgressors) is the plural of ظالم which is derived from ظلم which means (1) he put a thing at a wrong place (2) he transgressed against or wronged a person (Aqrab).
Commentary:
In this verse the incident of calf-worship mentioned in Exodus 32 is related. Man is generally the slave of environment. This is particularly true of a subject people, who assiduously imitate the manners and customs of their rulers. The Israelites had lived under the Pharaohs for a long time, and had imbibed the idolatrous faith of the Egyptians. When they left Egypt with Moses, and came across any idol-worshipping people on the way, they requested Moses again and again to sanction a similar worship for them (7:139). So eager were they for such worship that when Moses went to Mount Sinai, they made a calf and took to worshipping it. They revered the calf, because in Egypt the cow was held in special veneration. Egypt, like India, was an agricultural country where cattle must be of the highest value to man. Hence cow-worship.
The Bible mentions Aaron as having made a calf for the Israelites (Exod. 32:1-6). But the Quran strongly refutes this idea. Aaron was a Prophet of God and could not stoop to idol-worship. Says the Quran, And Aaron had said to them before this, 'O my people, you have only been tried by means of the calf; and surely, the Gracious God is your Lord; so follow me and do as I bid you' (20:91). It is strange that such baseless and incredible stories as the participation of a chosen one of God in idol-worship should find place in a Book which claims to be inspired. It only proves that the Bible has been the object of human interference. It is probable that some interested people deliberately interpolated the sacred writings and ascribed certain vices to the Prophets; and the Christian divines eagerly took them for granted, as they were of good use to them as a means of the exaltation of Jesus over the rest of the Prophets.
The verse speaks of the appointed duration as being of forty nights. In 7: 143 the Quran further tells us that at first the appointed duration was thirty nights, but by a subsequent addition of ten the period was extended to forty nights which is a fuller number. This favour was granted to Moses because of his faithfulness and sincerity.
The words, and you were transgressors, mean, you resorted to setting up equals with God, because this practice is indeed the greatest ظلمi.e. putting a thing in a wrong place. Elsewhere the Quran says: شرک i.e. attributing partners to God is indeed a great ظلم (31:14).
b
7:143.
c
2:55, 93; 4:154; 7:149, 153; 20:89.
90
Moses, the Founder of Judaism, who delivered the Israelites from the tyranny of Pharaoh, was the greatest Israelite Prophet. According to biblical data he lived about 500 years after Abraham and about 1,400 years before Jesus. He was a Law-giving Prophet; the other Israelite Prophets that came after him were only the followers of his system.
91
See 7:143.
92
Man generally is the slave of his environments. This is particularly true of a subject people, who generally imitate the manners and customs of their rulers. The Israelites had lived under the bondage of Pharaohs for a long time, and naturally had imbibed the idolatrous faith of the Egyptians. When they left Egypt with Moses and came across an idol-worshipping people on the way, they requested him to sanction a similar worship for them (7:139).
لِّلَّذِیۡنَ یُؤۡلُوۡنَ مِنۡ نِّسَآئِہِمۡ تَرَبُّصُ اَرۡبَعَۃِ اَشۡہُرٍ ۖ فَاِنۡ فَآءُوۡ فَاِنَّ اللّٰہَ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِیۡمٌ
在述及立誓的那两节开头和插入的经文之后, «古兰经» 现在又回到夫妻关系的原题上来。这节经文谈到那些立誓要与自己妻子离异的人, 但实际上还没有同她们离婚 。有趣的是, 在谈到离婚的这一论题时可以看到, «古兰经» 先谈月经 (2:223), 这是一种暂时的和不完全的然而不是真正的分离, 然后 (像在这节经文中) 它谈及真正的然而是尚未完全肯定的分离。然后, 在随后的几节经文中谈及真正的然而是可撤回的离婚。最后, (2:231) 它谈及不可撤回的离婚。伊斯兰教认识并且坚持认为离婚必然是一种不好的事情, 在离婚的道路上确实巧妙地安排了尽可能多的一系列障碍。伊斯兰教给予一个立誓不再接近他妻子的人至多四个月的时间。在这段时间里, 他必须或者同妻子和解, 恢复夫妻关系, 或者双方实行离异。伊斯兰教绝不容许不离婚而无限期分离, 使那个女人好像是 “悬挂在那里。” اِيْلَاء (Ila’) 意指离异的誓言。根据这种誓言, 一个女人在那 “愚昧的时代” 处于一种悬挂的状态。她既不能嫁别人, 又不能和她的丈夫有夫妻关系。
اِیْـلَا ءً: اٰلٰی یُؤْلِیْ اِیْلَا ءً: قسم کھانا۔ یہ اَ لَا سے نکلا ہے جس کے معنے کسی کام میں کمی یا تاخیر کرنے کے ہیں اور اِیْـلَا ء قرآن کریم کے محاورہ میں اس قسم کو کہتے ہیں جو اس بات پر کھائی جائے کہ مرد اپنی بیوی سے کوئی تعلق نہ رکھے گا (مفردات) چونکہ اس قسم میں عورت کے حق کا اتلاف ہے اس لئے اسے اِیْـلَا ء کہا گیا۔
(۴) فَاءَ یَفِیْءُ فَـیْـئًا: لوٹ آیا۔ فَاءَ الْاَمْرَ رَجَعَ اِلَیْہِ: اس بات کی طرف لوٹ آیا (اقرب) فَاءَ کا لفظ نیک امور کی طرف لوٹنے کے متعلق استعمال ہوتا ہے (مفردات) اصل میں اس کے معنے تعاون اور امداد باہمی کے لئے ایک دوسرے کے ساتھ مل کر کام کرنے کے ہوتے ہیں اور سایہ کو بھی فَیْئٌ کہتے ہیں کیونکہ وہ سورج کے ساتھ اِدھر سے اُدھر ہوتا رہتا ہے۔ ان دونوں معنوں کو مدِّنظر رکھتے ہوئے فَاءَ بالعموم اچھے معنوں میں استعمال ہونے لگا ہے۔
عرب میں یہ رواج تھا کہ بعض لوگ اپنی بیویوں کو طلاق تو نہ دیتے مگر قسم کھا لیتے تھے کہ ہم ان سے تعلق نہیں رکھیں گے۔ اس
After the two introductory and intervening verses in which the subject of taking oaths has been dealt with, the Qur’an now reverts to the original subject of conjugal relations. The verse speaks of those men who vow abstinence from their wives without actually divorcing them. It is, interesting to note that while approaching the subject of divorce, the Qur’an first speaks of menstruation (2:223) which is a sort of temporary and partial, though unreal, separation. Then (as in the present verse), it speaks of real though indefinite separation. And then, in the succeeding verses, it speaks of real though revocable divorce. And finally (2:231) it speaks of irrevocable divorce. A really wonderful order designed to put as many obstacles as possible in the way of divorce, which Islam recognizes and retains as a sort of necessary evil. Islam allows four months at the most to a person who swears not to approach his wife. During this period, he must either get reconciled to his wife and restore conjugal relation
Important Words:
یؤلون (vow) is derived from the root لاآ meaning, he fell short; or he fell short of doing what he ought to have done; or he was remiss. آلی means, he swore. آلیت علی الشیء means, I swore to do the thing. آلیت لا افعل کذا means, I swore that I would not do such a thing. آلی من زوجه شھرا means, he swore he would not go near his wife (i.e. not go in unto her) for a month. ائتلی also gives the same meaning as آلی i.e. he swore, as in 24:23. ایلاء means, an oath or the act of swearing; and technically it means, a vow taken by a husband not to go near his wife (Aqrab & Lane).
تربص (waiting) is derived from ربص. They say ربص به i.e. he waited for a good or an evil to befall him. تربص means, he waited or he awaited, or he tarried waiting. تربص عن الامر means, he remained waiting and did not do the thing, i.e. he abstained from doing it (Aqrab).
Commentary:
After the two introductory and intervening verses in which the subject of taking oaths has been dealt with, the Quran now reverts to the original subject of conjugal relations. The verse under comment speaks of those men who vow abstinence from their wives without actually divorcing them. It is, in this connection, interesting to note that while approaching the subject of divorce, dealt with in the succeeding verses, the Quran first speaks of menstruation (2:223) which is a sort of temporary and partial, though unreal, separation. Then (as in the present verse) it speaks of real though indefinite separation. And then, as in the succeeding verses, it speaks of real though revocable divorce. And finally (2:231) it speaks of irrevocable divorce. A really wonderful order designed to put as many obstacles as possible in the way of divorce which Islam recognizes and retains as a sort of necessary evil.
As clearly stated in the verse under comment, Islam allows four months at the most to a person who swears not to approach his wife. During this period, he must either get reconciled to his wife and restore conjugal relations, or separation will be effected between the two. Islam would in no case permit indefinite separation without divorce, leaving the woman "suspended" as it were.
The words if they go back from the vow, surely Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful indicate that swearing abstinence from one’s wife is reprehensible in the sight of God Who loves to see reconciliation between husband and wife. The verse thus abolishes the custom of ایلاءwhich was prevalent among the Arabs before the advent of Islam and by which it was sought to deprive women of their conjugal rights for long and indefinite periods.
165
在述及立誓的那两节开头和插入的经文之后, «古兰经» 现在又回到夫妻关系的原题上来。这节经文谈到那些立誓要与自己妻子离异的人, 但实际上还没有同她们离婚 。有趣的是, 在谈到离婚的这一论题时可以看到, «古兰经» 先谈月经 (2:223), 这是一种暂时的和不完全的然而不是真正的分离, 然后 (像在这节经文中) 它谈及真正的然而是尚未完全肯定的分离。然后, 在随后的几节经文中谈及真正的然而是可撤回的离婚。最后, (2:231) 它谈及不可撤回的离婚。伊斯兰教认识并且坚持认为离婚必然是一种不好的事情, 在离婚的道路上确实巧妙地安排了尽可能多的一系列障碍。伊斯兰教给予一个立誓不再接近他妻子的人至多四个月的时间。在这段时间里, 他必须或者同妻子和解, 恢复夫妻关系, 或者双方实行离异。伊斯兰教绝不容许不离婚而无限期分离, 使那个女人好像是 “悬挂在那里。” اِيْلَاء (Ila’) 意指离异的誓言。根据这种誓言, 一个女人在那 “愚昧的时代” 处于一种悬挂的状态。她既不能嫁别人, 又不能和她的丈夫有夫妻关系。
3
اِیْـلَا ءً: اٰلٰی یُؤْلِیْ اِیْلَا ءً: قسم کھانا۔ یہ اَ لَا سے نکلا ہے جس کے معنے کسی کام میں کمی یا تاخیر کرنے کے ہیں اور اِیْـلَا ء قرآن کریم کے محاورہ میں اس قسم کو کہتے ہیں جو اس بات پر کھائی جائے کہ مرد اپنی بیوی سے کوئی تعلق نہ رکھے گا (مفردات) چونکہ اس قسم میں عورت کے حق کا اتلاف ہے اس لئے اسے اِیْـلَا ء کہا گیا۔
4
(۴) فَاءَ یَفِیْءُ فَـیْـئًا: لوٹ آیا۔ فَاءَ الْاَمْرَ رَجَعَ اِلَیْہِ: اس بات کی طرف لوٹ آیا (اقرب) فَاءَ کا لفظ نیک امور کی طرف لوٹنے کے متعلق استعمال ہوتا ہے (مفردات) اصل میں اس کے معنے تعاون اور امداد باہمی کے لئے ایک دوسرے کے ساتھ مل کر کام کرنے کے ہوتے ہیں اور سایہ کو بھی فَیْئٌ کہتے ہیں کیونکہ وہ سورج کے ساتھ اِدھر سے اُدھر ہوتا رہتا ہے۔ ان دونوں معنوں کو مدِّنظر رکھتے ہوئے فَاءَ بالعموم اچھے معنوں میں استعمال ہونے لگا ہے۔
عرب میں یہ رواج تھا کہ بعض لوگ اپنی بیویوں کو طلاق تو نہ دیتے مگر قسم کھا لیتے تھے کہ ہم ان سے تعلق نہیں رکھیں گے۔ اس
233
Important Words:
یؤلون (vow) is derived from the root لاآ meaning, he fell short; or he fell short of doing what he ought to have done; or he was remiss. آلی means, he swore. آلیت علی الشیء means, I swore to do the thing. آلیت لا افعل کذا means, I swore that I would not do such a thing. آلی من زوجه شھرا means, he swore he would not go near his wife (i.e. not go in unto her) for a month. ائتلی also gives the same meaning as آلی i.e. he swore, as in 24:23. ایلاء means, an oath or the act of swearing; and technically it means, a vow taken by a husband not to go near his wife (Aqrab & Lane).
تربص (waiting) is derived from ربص. They say ربص به i.e. he waited for a good or an evil to befall him. تربص means, he waited or he awaited, or he tarried waiting. تربص عن الامر means, he remained waiting and did not do the thing, i.e. he abstained from doing it (Aqrab).
Commentary:
After the two introductory and intervening verses in which the subject of taking oaths has been dealt with, the Quran now reverts to the original subject of conjugal relations. The verse under comment speaks of those men who vow abstinence from their wives without actually divorcing them. It is, in this connection, interesting to note that while approaching the subject of divorce, dealt with in the succeeding verses, the Quran first speaks of menstruation (2:223) which is a sort of temporary and partial, though unreal, separation. Then (as in the present verse) it speaks of real though indefinite separation. And then, as in the succeeding verses, it speaks of real though revocable divorce. And finally (2:231) it speaks of irrevocable divorce. A really wonderful order designed to put as many obstacles as possible in the way of divorce which Islam recognizes and retains as a sort of necessary evil.
As clearly stated in the verse under comment, Islam allows four months at the most to a person who swears not to approach his wife. During this period, he must either get reconciled to his wife and restore conjugal relations, or separation will be effected between the two. Islam would in no case permit indefinite separation without divorce, leaving the woman "suspended" as it were.
The words if they go back from the vow, surely Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful indicate that swearing abstinence from one’s wife is reprehensible in the sight of God Who loves to see reconciliation between husband and wife. The verse thus abolishes the custom of ایلاءwhich was prevalent among the Arabs before the advent of Islam and by which it was sought to deprive women of their conjugal rights for long and indefinite periods.
275
After the two introductory and intervening verses in which the subject of taking oaths has been dealt with, the Qur’an now reverts to the original subject of conjugal relations. The verse speaks of those men who vow abstinence from their wives without actually divorcing them. It is, interesting to note that while approaching the subject of divorce, the Qur’an first speaks of menstruation (2:223) which is a sort of temporary and partial, though unreal, separation. Then (as in the present verse), it speaks of real though indefinite separation. And then, in the succeeding verses, it speaks of real though revocable divorce. And finally (2:231) it speaks of irrevocable divorce. A really wonderful order designed to put as many obstacles as possible in the way of divorce, which Islam recognizes and retains as a sort of necessary evil. Islam allows four months at the most to a person who swears not to approach his wife. During this period, he must either get reconciled to his wife and restore conjugal relation
وَالَّذِیۡنَ یُتَوَفَّوۡنَ مِنۡکُمۡ وَیَذَرُوۡنَ اَزۡوٰجًا یَّتَرَبَّصۡنَ بِاَنۡفُسِہِنَّ اَرۡبَعَۃَ اَشۡہُرٍ وَّعَشۡرًا ۖ فَاِذَا بَلَغۡنَ اَجَلَہُنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَیۡکُمۡ فِیۡمَا فَعَلۡنَ فِیۡۤ اَنۡفُسِہِنَّ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِ ۗ وَاللّٰہُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ خَبِیۡرٌ
2:241.
2:229.
The ‘Iddat or the period of waiting in the case of widows is four months and ten days, which roughly corresponds to four alternate periods of menstruation and purity combined. Islam has prescribed a longer period in the case of a widow as a mark of respect for her feelings at the death of her husband and has thus added to the dignity and sanctity of the marriage tie.
The words, concerning anything that they do with regard to themselves, obviously refer to re-marriage. Elsewhere the Qur’an says, And arrange marriages for your widows (24:33).
2:241.
2:229.
Important Words:
یتوفون (who die) is derived from توفی which is derived from وفی (wafa). They say وفی بالعھد i.e. he fulfilled his promise; he was faithful in his word. وفی فلانا حقه (waffa) means, he gave him his right in full. اوفی gives both the meanings ascribed to وفی and وفی(waffa) above. توفی means, he took something in full, as they say توفی حقه i.e. he got or obtained his right in full. توفی الله زیداmeans, God took away the soul of Zaid, leaving the body behind; God caused Zaid to die. توفی فلان means, his soul was taken away, i.e. he died. In this case God is متوفی (mutawaffi) and the man who dies is متوفی (mutawaffa). الوفاة means, death (Aqrab). The Quran says: الله یتوفی الانفس حین موتھاوالتی لم تمت فی منامھا i.e. God takes away the souls of men at the time of their death; and He also takes away the souls of men that have not died, during their sleep (39:43). The Arabic idiom, which has the support of the Quranic usage, definitely shows that wherever God is فاعل (i.e. subject) and a being having a soul is مفعول به(i.e. object) the word توفی invariably means, the taking away of the soul.
Commentary:
After having dealt with the question of the remarriage of divorced women, the Quran in this verse proceeds to issue commandments regarding widows. The عدة i.e. the period of waiting in the case of widows, is four months and ten days which roughly corresponds to four alternate periods of menstruation and purity combined. Islam has prescribed a longer period in the case of a widow as a mark of respect for her feelings at the death of her husband and has thus added to the dignity and sanctity of the marriage tie.
This verse also implies a rebuke to those who are opposed to widow remarriage, thinking it to be an insult to the family and a disgrace to the widowed woman. The words, what is fair, show that it is not only lawful, but preferable and desirable, for a widow to remarry. The words, in anything that they do with regard to themselves, obviously refer to remarriage. Elsewhere the Quran says, And marry your widows (24:33).
a
2:241.
b
2:229.
180
عِدَّة (‘Iddat) 即寡妇守候四个月零十天的时期, 约略地相等于行经与洁净四次交替时期的总和。伊斯兰教给寡妇规定了较长的时期, 作为对她死了丈夫后感情上表示的一种尊重。这就增强了婚姻关系的庄严和严肃性。
181
“她们为自己所做的任何合宜的打算” 这几个字明显是指再嫁。«古兰经» 在其它地方说, “为你们的寡妇安排婚事” (24:33)。
a
2:241.
b
2:229.
241
Important Words:
یتوفون (who die) is derived from توفی which is derived from وفی (wafa). They say وفی بالعھد i.e. he fulfilled his promise; he was faithful in his word. وفی فلانا حقه (waffa) means, he gave him his right in full. اوفی gives both the meanings ascribed to وفی and وفی(waffa) above. توفی means, he took something in full, as they say توفی حقه i.e. he got or obtained his right in full. توفی الله زیداmeans, God took away the soul of Zaid, leaving the body behind; God caused Zaid to die. توفی فلان means, his soul was taken away, i.e. he died. In this case God is متوفی (mutawaffi) and the man who dies is متوفی (mutawaffa). الوفاة means, death (Aqrab). The Quran says: الله یتوفی الانفس حین موتھاوالتی لم تمت فی منامھا i.e. God takes away the souls of men at the time of their death; and He also takes away the souls of men that have not died, during their sleep (39:43). The Arabic idiom, which has the support of the Quranic usage, definitely shows that wherever God is فاعل (i.e. subject) and a being having a soul is مفعول به(i.e. object) the word توفی invariably means, the taking away of the soul.
Commentary:
After having dealt with the question of the remarriage of divorced women, the Quran in this verse proceeds to issue commandments regarding widows. The عدة i.e. the period of waiting in the case of widows, is four months and ten days which roughly corresponds to four alternate periods of menstruation and purity combined. Islam has prescribed a longer period in the case of a widow as a mark of respect for her feelings at the death of her husband and has thus added to the dignity and sanctity of the marriage tie.
This verse also implies a rebuke to those who are opposed to widow remarriage, thinking it to be an insult to the family and a disgrace to the widowed woman. The words, what is fair, show that it is not only lawful, but preferable and desirable, for a widow to remarry. The words, in anything that they do with regard to themselves, obviously refer to remarriage. Elsewhere the Quran says, And marry your widows (24:33).
a
2:241.
b
2:229.
289
The ‘Iddat or the period of waiting in the case of widows is four months and ten days, which roughly corresponds to four alternate periods of menstruation and purity combined. Islam has prescribed a longer period in the case of a widow as a mark of respect for her feelings at the death of her husband and has thus added to the dignity and sanctity of the marriage tie.
290
The words, concerning anything that they do with regard to themselves, obviously refer to re-marriage. Elsewhere the Qur’an says, And arrange marriages for your widows (24:33).
وَاِذۡ قَالَ اِبۡرٰہٖمُ رَبِّ اَرِنِیۡ کَیۡفَ تُحۡیِ الۡمَوۡتٰی ۖ قَالَ اَوَلَمۡ تُؤۡمِنۡ ۖ قَالَ بَلٰی وَلٰکِنۡ لِّیَطۡمَئِنَّ قَلۡبِیۡ ۖ قَالَ فَخُذۡ اَرۡبَعَۃً مِّنَ الطَّیۡرِ فَصُرۡہُنَّ اِلَیۡکَ ثُمَّ اجۡعَلۡ عَلٰی کُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِّنۡہُنَّ جُزۡءًا ثُمَّ ادۡعُہُنَّ یَاۡتِیۡنَکَ سَعۡیًا ۚ وَاعۡلَمۡ اَنَّ اللّٰہَ عَزِیۡزٌ حَکِیۡمٌ
صُرْتُ الْغُصْنَ اِلَیَّ (Surtul-Ghusna ilayya) 意思是, 我把那树枝弯向自己 (Lane)。这一介词 اِلَیْ (Ila) 决定了 صُرْهُنَّ (Surhunna) 这词的意义, 意思是弯曲或依附而不是斩断。
بعض لوگوں نے صُرْھُنَّ کے معنے قتل کرنے کے کیے ہیں۔ حالانکہ الفاظ قرآنیہ صُرْھُنَّ اِلَیْکَ کے ہیں۔ اور یہ کہنا بے معنے ہے کہ پھر ان کو اپنی طرف قتل کر۔ اصل میں اس لفظ کے معنے سدھانے کے بھی ہیں اور وہی اس جگہ درست ہیں۔ (مفردات و اقرب)
حصہ جُزْءًا کا ترجمہ ہے۔ مطلب یہ ہے کہ پہاڑ کی چار چوٹیوں پر چار پرندے بٹھا دو۔ جُزْءًا کے معنے ایک پرندے کے ٹکڑے کے نہیں بلکہ چاروں پرندوں کا جزء مراد ہے جو ایک کا عدد ہے۔ قرآن کریم میں ایک اور مقام پر اسی محاورہ میں جُزْئٌ کا لفظ استعمال ہوا ہے۔ فرماتا ہے اِنَّ جَھَنَّمَ لَمَوْعِدُھُمْ اَجْمَعِیْنَ۔ لَھَا سَبْعَۃُ اَبْوَابٍ لِکُلِّ بَابٍ مِّنْھُمْ جُزْئٌ مَّقْسُوْمٌ (الحجر: ۴۴‘۴۵) یعنی جہنم سب کفار کے لئے مقرر جگہ ہے اس کے سات دروازے ہوں گے اور ہر دروازہ کے لئے کفار کا ایک حصہ مقرر ہوگا۔ اس جگہ بھی جزء کا لفظ استعمال ہوا ہے لیکن کوئی یہ معنے ن
یَاْ تِیَنَّکَ سَعْیًا۔ سَعْیٌ کے معنے چلنے اور دوڑنے کے ہوتے ہیں۔ لیکن محاورہ میں کوشش سے کسی کام کے کرنے کے بھی ہوتے ہیں وَ یُسْتَـعْمَلُ لِلْجِدِّ فِی الْاَمْرِ خَیْرًا کَانَ اَوْ شَرًّا (مفردات) یعنی کبھی یہ لفظ خوب زور سے کام کرنے کے متعلق بھی استعمال ہوتا ہے خواہ کام اچھا ہو یا ُبرا۔ چونکہ پرندہ دوڑتا نہیں اڑتا ہے اس لئے ’’تیزی سے تیری طرف چلے آئیں گے‘‘ ترجمہ کیا گیا ہے۔ ان آیات میں حضرت ابراہیم علیہ السلام کے ایک کشف کا ذکر ہے اور چار پرندوں سے یہ مراد ہے کہ حضرت ابراہیم علیہ السلام کی اولاد چار دفعہ ترقی کرے گی اور چار دفعہ تنزل کرے گی۔
The difference between Iman (belief) and Itminan (the heart being at ease) is that in the former state one simply believes that God can do a thing, while in the latter one receives the assurance that the thing would be done in his case also. Abraham did indeed believe that God could bring the dead to life, but what he desired was his personal satisfaction of knowing that God would do so in the case of his own posterity as well. Referring to the verse under comment, the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "We are more deserving of entertaining Shak (doubt) than Abraham" (Muslim), the word Shak signifying an intense hidden desire anxiously awaiting fulfilment; for the Holy Prophet never entertained any doubt about any of God’s promises or doings. This shows that Abraham’s question was not prompted by doubt but simply by an anxious desire.
Surtul-Ghusna Ilayya means, I inclined the branch towards myself (Lane). The preposition ila determines the significance of the word Surhunna in the sense of inclining or attaching and not cutting.
Juz’ means, a part or portion or division of a thing. Thus, if a thing consists of or comprises a group, the word "part" or "division" would signify each member of it.
This is a vision of Abraham. In "taking four birds" the implication was that his posterity would rise and fall four times, which phenomenon was to be witnessed twice among the Israelites, and to be repeated twice among the followers of the Holy Prophet of Islam who was descended from Abraham through Ishmael. The power of the Jews, the progeny of Abraham through Isaac, was crushed twice, first by Nebuchadnezzar and then by Titus (17:5-8; Enc. Brit. under Jews); and each time God raised them after their fall, the second revival having been brought about by Constantine, the Roman Emperor who accepted Christianity. Similarly, the power of Islam, was first rudely shaken when Baghdad fell to the Tartar hordes, but soon it recovered from the crushing blow. The victors became the vanquished and the grandson of Halaku, the despoiler of
Important Words:
تحی الموتی (Thou givest life to the dead). For the meaning of حیاة (life) and موت (death) and میت (dead person) see 2:20; 2:29; 2:57 and 2:74.
یطمئن (be at rest) is derived from طمئن. They say طمئن ظھرہ i.e. he bent his back low. طمئن الشیء means, he made the thing calm and set it at rest. اطمأن means, it or he was at rest; it or he became calm after being agitated; it or he became docile and submissive. المطمئن means, (1) one who is calm and tranquil or in a state of rest or ease; that which is motionless and stationary; (2) if used in connection with some piece of land, it means a low-lying, soft piece of land (Aqrab).
صرھن الیك (make them attached to thyself). صرھن is derived from صار with واو as the central root letter. They say صار الشیء الی نفسه i.e. he inclined the thing to himself. صار وجھه الی means, he inclined his face towards me. صرت الغصن لاجتنی الثمر means, I inclined the branch towards myself in order to pluck the fruit. صار with ی as the central root letter, means, he cut a thing, etc. into pieces (Aqrab). The Quran uses here صار with واو as the central root letter as the dammah in صرھن indicates. Moreover, the preposition الی (to) determines the significance of the word in the sense of inclining or attaching and not cutting.
جزء (each) is derived from جزاء. They say جزأ الشیء i.e. he divided the thing into parts. So جزء means, part or portion or division of a thing (Lane). Thus, if a thing consists of, and comprises, a group, the word part or division would signify each member of it.
Commentary:
This verse provides yet another illustration of the process of life and death arranged by God in this world. In other words, the rise of a fallen nation is further discussed. Abraham asked God to show him how He caused a people to come to life after they had become fallen and degraded.
The difference between إیمان (belief) and اطمینان (heart being at rest) is that in the former state one simply believes that God can do a thing, while in the latter one receives the assurance that the thing would be done in his case also. Abraham did indeed believe that God could bring a dead people to life, but what he desired was the personal satisfaction of knowing that He would do so in the case of his own posterity as well; hence the words, so that my heart may be at rest.
The verse proceeds to describe a vision of Abraham. By asking him to take four birds, God hinted that his posterity would rise and fall four times. This rise and fall was witnessed twice among the Israelites, and the same phenomenon was to be repeated among the followers of the Holy Prophet of Islam who was descended from Abraham through Ishmael. The power of the Jews, the progeny of Abraham through Isaac, was crushed twice, first by Nebuchadnezzar and then by Titus (the Quran, 17:5-8; the Bible, II Kings ch. 25 and Enc. Brit. under Jews); and each time God raised them after their fall, the second revival having been brought about by the acceptance of Christianity by the Roman Emperors. As to the power of Islam, it was first rudely shaken when Baghdad fell to the arms of the Tartars, after which it again revived owing to the conquerors being won over to Islam. The second fall came later when there was a general and wholesale decline of Muslims both in the spiritual and the political field. The final rise is being arranged by God through the Ahmadiyya Movement founded by Ahmad, the Promised Messiah.
Referring to the verse under comment, the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "We are more deserving of entertaining شك than Abraham" (Muslim). Here شك does not mean "doubt" but an intense hidden desire anxiously awaiting fulfilment, for the Holy Prophet never entertained any doubt. This shows that Abraham also never doubted and his question was not prompted by doubt but simply by an anxious desire. He had firm faith in the power of God and fully believed that He could restore a fallen people to prosperity; what he wanted was simply the satisfaction of his hidden desire, i.e. an assurance that God would do so in the case of his people also. The word شك therefore here only means the feeling of anxiety in the mind, or the state of commotion or disturbance of the heart and mind (Lane).
The double fall and subsequent rise of the Israelites and of the posterity of Ishmael making the total number of such phenomena four may be interpreted in another way also. The Israelites were a fallen people before Moses and God raised them through him. They fell again before the time of Jesus and were again given new life through him. Similarly, the Ishmaelites were a fallen people before the advent of the Holy Prophet who gave them new life, and they are again a fallen people now when they are being given a new life by Ahmad, the Promised Messiah.
Many commentators have translated the word صرھن as, "cut them into pieces and mince them", but this is clearly wrong; for as explained under Important Words above صار یصور (with واو as the central root letter) means "inclining" and not "cutting", particularly when it is used with the preposition الی. So the expression صرھن would mean "make them inclined towards thyself", so that they may become attached to thee. In this case the placing of a جزء of the four birds each on a hill would mean, putting each separate bird on a separate hill, and not placing portions of the minced meat thereon. The commandment to place the four birds separately on separate hills is to point to the fact that the rise and fall of the progeny of Abraham would take place at four distinct and separate times. The word جزء has been used in this sense elsewhere also (15:45).
199
صُرْتُ الْغُصْنَ اِلَیَّ (Surtul-Ghusna ilayya) 意思是, 我把那树枝弯向自己 (Lane)。这一介词 اِلَیْ (Ila) 决定了 صُرْهُنَّ (Surhunna) 这词的意义, 意思是弯曲或依附而不是斩断。
1
بعض لوگوں نے صُرْھُنَّ کے معنے قتل کرنے کے کیے ہیں۔ حالانکہ الفاظ قرآنیہ صُرْھُنَّ اِلَیْکَ کے ہیں۔ اور یہ کہنا بے معنے ہے کہ پھر ان کو اپنی طرف قتل کر۔ اصل میں اس لفظ کے معنے سدھانے کے بھی ہیں اور وہی اس جگہ درست ہیں۔ (مفردات و اقرب)
2
حصہ جُزْءًا کا ترجمہ ہے۔ مطلب یہ ہے کہ پہاڑ کی چار چوٹیوں پر چار پرندے بٹھا دو۔ جُزْءًا کے معنے ایک پرندے کے ٹکڑے کے نہیں بلکہ چاروں پرندوں کا جزء مراد ہے جو ایک کا عدد ہے۔ قرآن کریم میں ایک اور مقام پر اسی محاورہ میں جُزْئٌ کا لفظ استعمال ہوا ہے۔ فرماتا ہے اِنَّ جَھَنَّمَ لَمَوْعِدُھُمْ اَجْمَعِیْنَ۔ لَھَا سَبْعَۃُ اَبْوَابٍ لِکُلِّ بَابٍ مِّنْھُمْ جُزْئٌ مَّقْسُوْمٌ (الحجر: ۴۴‘۴۵) یعنی جہنم سب کفار کے لئے مقرر جگہ ہے اس کے سات دروازے ہوں گے اور ہر دروازہ کے لئے کفار کا ایک حصہ مقرر ہوگا۔ اس جگہ بھی جزء کا لفظ استعمال ہوا ہے لیکن کوئی یہ معنے ن
3
یَاْ تِیَنَّکَ سَعْیًا۔ سَعْیٌ کے معنے چلنے اور دوڑنے کے ہوتے ہیں۔ لیکن محاورہ میں کوشش سے کسی کام کے کرنے کے بھی ہوتے ہیں وَ یُسْتَـعْمَلُ لِلْجِدِّ فِی الْاَمْرِ خَیْرًا کَانَ اَوْ شَرًّا (مفردات) یعنی کبھی یہ لفظ خوب زور سے کام کرنے کے متعلق بھی استعمال ہوتا ہے خواہ کام اچھا ہو یا ُبرا۔ چونکہ پرندہ دوڑتا نہیں اڑتا ہے اس لئے ’’تیزی سے تیری طرف چلے آئیں گے‘‘ ترجمہ کیا گیا ہے۔ ان آیات میں حضرت ابراہیم علیہ السلام کے ایک کشف کا ذکر ہے اور چار پرندوں سے یہ مراد ہے کہ حضرت ابراہیم علیہ السلام کی اولاد چار دفعہ ترقی کرے گی اور چار دفعہ تنزل کرے گی۔
267
Important Words:
تحی الموتی (Thou givest life to the dead). For the meaning of حیاة (life) and موت (death) and میت (dead person) see 2:20; 2:29; 2:57 and 2:74.
یطمئن (be at rest) is derived from طمئن. They say طمئن ظھرہ i.e. he bent his back low. طمئن الشیء means, he made the thing calm and set it at rest. اطمأن means, it or he was at rest; it or he became calm after being agitated; it or he became docile and submissive. المطمئن means, (1) one who is calm and tranquil or in a state of rest or ease; that which is motionless and stationary; (2) if used in connection with some piece of land, it means a low-lying, soft piece of land (Aqrab).
صرھن الیك (make them attached to thyself). صرھن is derived from صار with واو as the central root letter. They say صار الشیء الی نفسه i.e. he inclined the thing to himself. صار وجھه الی means, he inclined his face towards me. صرت الغصن لاجتنی الثمر means, I inclined the branch towards myself in order to pluck the fruit. صار with ی as the central root letter, means, he cut a thing, etc. into pieces (Aqrab). The Quran uses here صار with واو as the central root letter as the dammah in صرھن indicates. Moreover, the preposition الی (to) determines the significance of the word in the sense of inclining or attaching and not cutting.
جزء (each) is derived from جزاء. They say جزأ الشیء i.e. he divided the thing into parts. So جزء means, part or portion or division of a thing (Lane). Thus, if a thing consists of, and comprises, a group, the word part or division would signify each member of it.
Commentary:
This verse provides yet another illustration of the process of life and death arranged by God in this world. In other words, the rise of a fallen nation is further discussed. Abraham asked God to show him how He caused a people to come to life after they had become fallen and degraded.
The difference between إیمان (belief) and اطمینان (heart being at rest) is that in the former state one simply believes that God can do a thing, while in the latter one receives the assurance that the thing would be done in his case also. Abraham did indeed believe that God could bring a dead people to life, but what he desired was the personal satisfaction of knowing that He would do so in the case of his own posterity as well; hence the words, so that my heart may be at rest.
The verse proceeds to describe a vision of Abraham. By asking him to take four birds, God hinted that his posterity would rise and fall four times. This rise and fall was witnessed twice among the Israelites, and the same phenomenon was to be repeated among the followers of the Holy Prophet of Islam who was descended from Abraham through Ishmael. The power of the Jews, the progeny of Abraham through Isaac, was crushed twice, first by Nebuchadnezzar and then by Titus (the Quran, 17:5-8; the Bible, II Kings ch. 25 and Enc. Brit. under Jews); and each time God raised them after their fall, the second revival having been brought about by the acceptance of Christianity by the Roman Emperors. As to the power of Islam, it was first rudely shaken when Baghdad fell to the arms of the Tartars, after which it again revived owing to the conquerors being won over to Islam. The second fall came later when there was a general and wholesale decline of Muslims both in the spiritual and the political field. The final rise is being arranged by God through the Ahmadiyya Movement founded by Ahmad, the Promised Messiah.
Referring to the verse under comment, the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "We are more deserving of entertaining شك than Abraham" (Muslim). Here شك does not mean "doubt" but an intense hidden desire anxiously awaiting fulfilment, for the Holy Prophet never entertained any doubt. This shows that Abraham also never doubted and his question was not prompted by doubt but simply by an anxious desire. He had firm faith in the power of God and fully believed that He could restore a fallen people to prosperity; what he wanted was simply the satisfaction of his hidden desire, i.e. an assurance that God would do so in the case of his people also. The word شك therefore here only means the feeling of anxiety in the mind, or the state of commotion or disturbance of the heart and mind (Lane).
The double fall and subsequent rise of the Israelites and of the posterity of Ishmael making the total number of such phenomena four may be interpreted in another way also. The Israelites were a fallen people before Moses and God raised them through him. They fell again before the time of Jesus and were again given new life through him. Similarly, the Ishmaelites were a fallen people before the advent of the Holy Prophet who gave them new life, and they are again a fallen people now when they are being given a new life by Ahmad, the Promised Messiah.
Many commentators have translated the word صرھن as, "cut them into pieces and mince them", but this is clearly wrong; for as explained under Important Words above صار یصور (with واو as the central root letter) means "inclining" and not "cutting", particularly when it is used with the preposition الی. So the expression صرھن would mean "make them inclined towards thyself", so that they may become attached to thee. In this case the placing of a جزء of the four birds each on a hill would mean, putting each separate bird on a separate hill, and not placing portions of the minced meat thereon. The commandment to place the four birds separately on separate hills is to point to the fact that the rise and fall of the progeny of Abraham would take place at four distinct and separate times. The word جزء has been used in this sense elsewhere also (15:45).
327
The difference between Iman (belief) and Itminan (the heart being at ease) is that in the former state one simply believes that God can do a thing, while in the latter one receives the assurance that the thing would be done in his case also. Abraham did indeed believe that God could bring the dead to life, but what he desired was his personal satisfaction of knowing that God would do so in the case of his own posterity as well. Referring to the verse under comment, the Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "We are more deserving of entertaining Shak (doubt) than Abraham" (Muslim), the word Shak signifying an intense hidden desire anxiously awaiting fulfilment; for the Holy Prophet never entertained any doubt about any of God’s promises or doings. This shows that Abraham’s question was not prompted by doubt but simply by an anxious desire.
328
Surtul-Ghusna Ilayya means, I inclined the branch towards myself (Lane). The preposition ila determines the significance of the word Surhunna in the sense of inclining or attaching and not cutting.
329
Juz’ means, a part or portion or division of a thing. Thus, if a thing consists of or comprises a group, the word "part" or "division" would signify each member of it.
This is a vision of Abraham. In "taking four birds" the implication was that his posterity would rise and fall four times, which phenomenon was to be witnessed twice among the Israelites, and to be repeated twice among the followers of the Holy Prophet of Islam who was descended from Abraham through Ishmael. The power of the Jews, the progeny of Abraham through Isaac, was crushed twice, first by Nebuchadnezzar and then by Titus (17:5-8; Enc. Brit. under Jews); and each time God raised them after their fall, the second revival having been brought about by Constantine, the Roman Emperor who accepted Christianity. Similarly, the power of Islam, was first rudely shaken when Baghdad fell to the Tartar hordes, but soon it recovered from the crushing blow. The victors became the vanquished and the grandson of Halaku, the despoiler of
وَالّٰتِیۡ یَاۡتِیۡنَ الۡفٰحِشَۃَ مِنۡ نِّسَآئِکُمۡ فَاسۡتَشۡہِدُوۡا عَلَیۡہِنَّ اَرۡبَعَۃً مِّنۡکُمۡ ۖ فَاِنۡ شَہِدُوۡا فَاَمۡسِکُوۡہُنَّ فِی الۡبُیُوۡتِ حَتّٰی یَتَوَفّٰٮہُنَّ الۡمَوۡتُ اَوۡ یَجۡعَلَ اللّٰہُ لَہُنَّ سَبِیۡلًا
4:20, 26; 24:20.
在 «古兰经» (7:29; 33:31; 65:2 )中 فَاحِشَةْ (Fahishah) 未必意味着在 24:3中所规定要惩罚的私通或通奸。这一个词是指可能扰乱社会关系及导致破坏社会秩序显著的不正当行为。在本节经文中所指的妇女, 像在下节中所提到犯有类似罪恶而惩罚未确定的男人一样, 是那些除了私通或通奸以外, 犯有邪恶或不道德行为的妇女。这也是阿布•穆斯林 (اَبُوْ مُسْلِمْ, Abu Muslim) 和穆甲海德 (مُجَاهِدْ, Mujahid) 的见解。这类妇女应受禁和其他妇女在一起相处, 直到改过自新或结婚的时候, 结婚是安拉给她们的一条出路。由于所提到的这种罪过是严重的, 必须考虑四个见证, 以免该妇女受屈辱。
اس آیت اور اگلی آیت میں معروف ناپسندیدہ افعال کی سزا مقرر کی ہے۔ عورت کے لئے یہ کہ خاندان کے چار گواہوں کی گواہی پر اسے گھر سے آزادنکلنے سے روکا جائے اور مردوں کے لئے یہ کہ تمدنی گرفت ان پر کی جائے۔ اس میں ہرگز کسی شہوانی جرم کا ذکر نہیں۔ کیونکہ اُس کا ذکر سورہ نور میں آتا ہے اور وہاں اس کی سزا بھی بیان کی گئی ہے۔ چونکہ سورہ نور میں بیان شدہ سزا اور اِس آیت میں بیان شدہ سزا دونوں آپس میں مختلف ہیں۔ اس لئے معلوم ہوا کہ اس آیت میں بیان شدہ جن امور کی سزا ہے۔ وہ ناپسندیدہ افعال اور بُرے اخلاق کی باتیں ہیں۔
4:20, 26; 24:20.
Fahishah as used in the Qur’an (7:29; 33:31; 65:2) does not necessarily mean fornication or adultery for which punishment is prescribed in 24:3. The word refers to any glaringly improper conduct which may disturb social relations and may lead to breaches of the peace. The women referred to in this verse, as the men in the next in which similar offence with an undefined punishment is mentioned, are those guilty of foul or immoral conduct short of fornication or adultery. This is the view also of Abu Muslim and Mujahid. Such women should be prevented from mixing with other women until they reform themselves or get married, marriage being the way opened for them by Allah. As the offence mentioned is a serious one, four witnesses are considered necessary lest injustice be done to women reported against.
4:20, 26; 24:20.
Important Words:
الفاحشة (lewdness) is derived from فحش. They say فحش الامر i.e. the matter or the affair or the thing was or became foul, evil, immodest or lewd; or it became excessively foul, etc. فحشت المرأة means, the woman became foul or ugly. فاحشهmeans, he vied with him or strove to surpass him in foul or obscene speech or language, etc. فاحشة therefore means, an excess or enormity or anything exceeding the bounds of rectitude; or a thing excessively and enormously foul, evil, immoral, lewd or obscene; a sin or crime which is excessively foul; adultery or fornication. فحشاءbesides giving the same meaning as فاحشة also signifies avarice or niggardliness in the payment of Zakah or the poor-rate (Lane).
Commentary:
The women referred to in this verse are those guilty of foul or immoral conduct short of adultery. Abu Muslim and Mujahid, among others, have also held this view.
The words, confine them to the houses until death overtake them or Allah open for them a way, mean that they should be prevented from mixing with other women until they reform themselves or get married, marriage being an effective means of weaning people from immoral practices. As the offence mentioned is a serious one, four witnesses are considered necessary in order to prevent injustice being done to women.
Some scholars have sought to interpret the verse in the light of a saying of the Holy Prophet which runs as follows: "Learn from me, Allah has indeed opened for them a way, which is that if an unmarried couple commit fornication with each other they should receive a hundred stripes and should be banished for one year. But if a married man commits adultery with a married woman, then they should receive a hundred stripes each and be stoned to death" (Jarir, iv. 182). These scholars hold that the word فاحشة (fahishah) mentioned in the verse means "adultery" and that this verse prescribed that the women who committed adultery were to be detained in their houses till their death or till the time when God should open a way for them, i.e. reveal the law concerning them; and that the law which was afterwards revealed was to the effect that an unmarried woman committing fornication should receive a hundred stripes and one year’s banishment, while a married woman guilty of adultery should be stoned to death after she had received a hundred stripes. This interpretation, however, is open to many objections:
1. If the words, confine them to the houses until death overtake them or Allah open for them a way, mean that they were to be detained in their houses until God gave His law concerning them, the question is, what hindered God from giving His law at the very time of the revelation of the verse under comment? There is no hint here that the time was not yet ripe for such a law to be revealed. In this case, the only inference will be that God hesitated to give the necessary law at the time when this verse was revealed because He was not yet decided, the matter being still under His consideration. Such a supposition cannot be made about God.
2. The law mentioned in the above-quoted hadith is not found in the Quran.
3. The Holy Prophet’s own practice was against this hadith. No less than four persons were stoned to death for adultery in his lifetime, but none of them was given the punishment of a hundred stripes before being stoned as the above-mentioned hadith prescribes.
It may also be pointed out here that according to the usage of the Quran, the word فاحشة (fahishah) does not always mean "adultery" but as shown under Important Words above, it is also applied to all sorts of excesses or sins or crimes or acts exceeding the bounds of rectitude. For this meaning of the word the reader is referred to 33:31 which says: O wives of the Prophet, if any of you be guilty of فاحشة مبینة (manifestly dishonourable conduct); and 65:2 which says: unless they commit فاحشة مبینة (an act which is manifestly foul); and 7:29 which says: and when they commit فاحشة (a foul deed). In none of these verses does the word فاحشة mean adultery.
b
4:20, 26; 24:20.
317
在 «古兰经» (7:29; 33:31; 65:2 )中 فَاحِشَةْ (Fahishah) 未必意味着在 24:3中所规定要惩罚的私通或通奸。这一个词是指可能扰乱社会关系及导致破坏社会秩序显著的不正当行为。在本节经文中所指的妇女, 像在下节中所提到犯有类似罪恶而惩罚未确定的男人一样, 是那些除了私通或通奸以外, 犯有邪恶或不道德行为的妇女。这也是阿布•穆斯林 (اَبُوْ مُسْلِمْ, Abu Muslim) 和穆甲海德 (مُجَاهِدْ, Mujahid) 的见解。这类妇女应受禁和其他妇女在一起相处, 直到改过自新或结婚的时候, 结婚是安拉给她们的一条出路。由于所提到的这种罪过是严重的, 必须考虑四个见证, 以免该妇女受屈辱。
2
اس آیت اور اگلی آیت میں معروف ناپسندیدہ افعال کی سزا مقرر کی ہے۔ عورت کے لئے یہ کہ خاندان کے چار گواہوں کی گواہی پر اسے گھر سے آزادنکلنے سے روکا جائے اور مردوں کے لئے یہ کہ تمدنی گرفت ان پر کی جائے۔ اس میں ہرگز کسی شہوانی جرم کا ذکر نہیں۔ کیونکہ اُس کا ذکر سورہ نور میں آتا ہے اور وہاں اس کی سزا بھی بیان کی گئی ہے۔ چونکہ سورہ نور میں بیان شدہ سزا اور اِس آیت میں بیان شدہ سزا دونوں آپس میں مختلف ہیں۔ اس لئے معلوم ہوا کہ اس آیت میں بیان شدہ جن امور کی سزا ہے۔ وہ ناپسندیدہ افعال اور بُرے اخلاق کی باتیں ہیں۔
a
4:20, 26; 24:20.
496
Important Words:
الفاحشة (lewdness) is derived from فحش. They say فحش الامر i.e. the matter or the affair or the thing was or became foul, evil, immodest or lewd; or it became excessively foul, etc. فحشت المرأة means, the woman became foul or ugly. فاحشهmeans, he vied with him or strove to surpass him in foul or obscene speech or language, etc. فاحشة therefore means, an excess or enormity or anything exceeding the bounds of rectitude; or a thing excessively and enormously foul, evil, immoral, lewd or obscene; a sin or crime which is excessively foul; adultery or fornication. فحشاءbesides giving the same meaning as فاحشة also signifies avarice or niggardliness in the payment of Zakah or the poor-rate (Lane).
Commentary:
The women referred to in this verse are those guilty of foul or immoral conduct short of adultery. Abu Muslim and Mujahid, among others, have also held this view.
The words, confine them to the houses until death overtake them or Allah open for them a way, mean that they should be prevented from mixing with other women until they reform themselves or get married, marriage being an effective means of weaning people from immoral practices. As the offence mentioned is a serious one, four witnesses are considered necessary in order to prevent injustice being done to women.
Some scholars have sought to interpret the verse in the light of a saying of the Holy Prophet which runs as follows: "Learn from me, Allah has indeed opened for them a way, which is that if an unmarried couple commit fornication with each other they should receive a hundred stripes and should be banished for one year. But if a married man commits adultery with a married woman, then they should receive a hundred stripes each and be stoned to death" (Jarir, iv. 182). These scholars hold that the word فاحشة (fahishah) mentioned in the verse means "adultery" and that this verse prescribed that the women who committed adultery were to be detained in their houses till their death or till the time when God should open a way for them, i.e. reveal the law concerning them; and that the law which was afterwards revealed was to the effect that an unmarried woman committing fornication should receive a hundred stripes and one year’s banishment, while a married woman guilty of adultery should be stoned to death after she had received a hundred stripes. This interpretation, however, is open to many objections:
1. If the words, confine them to the houses until death overtake them or Allah open for them a way, mean that they were to be detained in their houses until God gave His law concerning them, the question is, what hindered God from giving His law at the very time of the revelation of the verse under comment? There is no hint here that the time was not yet ripe for such a law to be revealed. In this case, the only inference will be that God hesitated to give the necessary law at the time when this verse was revealed because He was not yet decided, the matter being still under His consideration. Such a supposition cannot be made about God.
2. The law mentioned in the above-quoted hadith is not found in the Quran.
3. The Holy Prophet’s own practice was against this hadith. No less than four persons were stoned to death for adultery in his lifetime, but none of them was given the punishment of a hundred stripes before being stoned as the above-mentioned hadith prescribes.
It may also be pointed out here that according to the usage of the Quran, the word فاحشة (fahishah) does not always mean "adultery" but as shown under Important Words above, it is also applied to all sorts of excesses or sins or crimes or acts exceeding the bounds of rectitude. For this meaning of the word the reader is referred to 33:31 which says: O wives of the Prophet, if any of you be guilty of فاحشة مبینة (manifestly dishonourable conduct); and 65:2 which says: unless they commit فاحشة مبینة (an act which is manifestly foul); and 7:29 which says: and when they commit فاحشة (a foul deed). In none of these verses does the word فاحشة mean adultery.
d
4:20, 26; 24:20.
576
Fahishah as used in the Qur’an (7:29; 33:31; 65:2) does not necessarily mean fornication or adultery for which punishment is prescribed in 24:3. The word refers to any glaringly improper conduct which may disturb social relations and may lead to breaches of the peace. The women referred to in this verse, as the men in the next in which similar offence with an undefined punishment is mentioned, are those guilty of foul or immoral conduct short of fornication or adultery. This is the view also of Abu Muslim and Mujahid. Such women should be prevented from mixing with other women until they reform themselves or get married, marriage being the way opened for them by Allah. As the offence mentioned is a serious one, four witnesses are considered necessary lest injustice be done to women reported against.
قَالَ فَاِنَّہَا مُحَرَّمَۃٌ عَلَیۡہِمۡ ۛ اَرۡبَعِیۡنَ سَنَۃً ۛ یَتِیۡہُوۡنَ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ ۚ فَلَا تَاۡسَ عَلَی الۡقَوۡمِ الۡفٰسِقِیۡنَ
2:244.
2:244.
When the Israelites behaved in a cowardly manner, God decreed that they should continue to wander in the wilderness for 40 years in order that the life of the desert should invigorate them and infuse in them a new life and should strengthen their morals. In the meantime, the old generation had become practically extinct and the younger generation grew brave and strong enough to conquer the Promised Land.
2:244.
Important Words:
یتیھون (they shall wander in distraction) is derived from تاه meaning: (1) he lost his way in the desert; (2) he was or became confounded or perplexed; (3) he went away in the land confounded or perplexed and was unable to see his right course; (4) his intellect or mind was or became disordered and confused and he perished; (5) he magnified himself or behaved proudly or insolently (Aqrab & Lane).
Commentary:
When the Israelites behaved in a cowardly manner, God decreed that they should remain in the desert for a period of 40 years so that the life of the desert should invigorate them and strengthen their morals. In the mean-time, the old generation became practically extinct and the younger generation grew brave and strong enough to conquer the Promised Land. See also note on 5:24 above. For the relevant portion of the Bible see Num. ch. 14.
b
2:244.
a
2:244.
662
Important Words:
یتیھون (they shall wander in distraction) is derived from تاه meaning: (1) he lost his way in the desert; (2) he was or became confounded or perplexed; (3) he went away in the land confounded or perplexed and was unable to see his right course; (4) his intellect or mind was or became disordered and confused and he perished; (5) he magnified himself or behaved proudly or insolently (Aqrab & Lane).
Commentary:
When the Israelites behaved in a cowardly manner, God decreed that they should remain in the desert for a period of 40 years so that the life of the desert should invigorate them and strengthen their morals. In the mean-time, the old generation became practically extinct and the younger generation grew brave and strong enough to conquer the Promised Land. See also note on 5:24 above. For the relevant portion of the Bible see Num. ch. 14.
a
2:244.
735
When the Israelites behaved in a cowardly manner, God decreed that they should continue to wander in the wilderness for 40 years in order that the life of the desert should invigorate them and infuse in them a new life and should strengthen their morals. In the meantime, the old generation had become practically extinct and the younger generation grew brave and strong enough to conquer the Promised Land.
۞ وَوٰعَدۡنَا مُوۡسٰی ثَلٰثِیۡنَ لَیۡلَۃً وَّاَتۡمَمۡنٰہَا بِعَشۡرٍ فَتَمَّ مِیۡقٰتُ رَبِّہٖۤ اَرۡبَعِیۡنَ لَیۡلَۃً ۚ وَقَالَ مُوۡسٰی لِاَخِیۡہِ ہٰرُوۡنَ اخۡلُفۡنِیۡ فِیۡ قَوۡمِیۡ وَاَصۡلِحۡ وَلَا تَتَّبِعۡ سَبِیۡلَ الۡمُفۡسِدِیۡنَ
2:52.
اس جگہ جو واقعات بیان ہوئے ہیں جغرافیہ کی ترتیب سے بیان نہیں ہوئے بلکہ عبرت اور نصیحت کو مدِّنظر رکھ کر جو قرآن کریم کا اصل مقصود ہے بیان ہوئے ہیں۔ گو زمانہ اور جغرافیہ کی ترتیب کے لحاظ سے آگے پیچھے ہو گئے ہیں۔
2:52.
God’s communion with Moses was completed in the promised thirty nights. The prolongation of the period by ten nights did not form part of the promise but was an additional favour.
The words show that Aaron’s position was that of a subordinate to Moses. Moses called the Israelites "my people” and directed Aaron to act for him, i.e. officiate in his place during his absence.
2:52.
Commentary:
The promised nights were only thirty, and ten were added subsequently to increase the favour. In fact, God’s communion with Moses was completed in the promised thirty nights, as hinted in the next verse. So the prolongation of the period by ten nights, which was due to the request of Moses to God to manifest Himself to him, did not form part of the promise but was something additional.
The words, Act for me among my people in my absence, clearly indicate that Aaron’s position was subordinate to that of Moses. Moses called the Israelites "my people" and directed Aaron to act for him, i.e. officiate in his place during his absence, which shows that Aaron occupied no independent position but was only a subordinate Prophet to Moses.
The words, and follow not the ways of those who cause disorder, are intended as a warning to Aaron to beware of the mischief-makers and adopt a strong policy.
The use of the word "nights" is significant. As this period was meant to be passed in meditation and devotion for which the quiet and calmness of the night is much more suitable than the day, so God used the word "nights".
c
2:52.
1
اس جگہ جو واقعات بیان ہوئے ہیں جغرافیہ کی ترتیب سے بیان نہیں ہوئے بلکہ عبرت اور نصیحت کو مدِّنظر رکھ کر جو قرآن کریم کا اصل مقصود ہے بیان ہوئے ہیں۔ گو زمانہ اور جغرافیہ کی ترتیب کے لحاظ سے آگے پیچھے ہو گئے ہیں۔
a
2:52.
1032
Commentary:
The promised nights were only thirty, and ten were added subsequently to increase the favour. In fact, God’s communion with Moses was completed in the promised thirty nights, as hinted in the next verse. So the prolongation of the period by ten nights, which was due to the request of Moses to God to manifest Himself to him, did not form part of the promise but was something additional.
The words, Act for me among my people in my absence, clearly indicate that Aaron’s position was subordinate to that of Moses. Moses called the Israelites "my people" and directed Aaron to act for him, i.e. officiate in his place during his absence, which shows that Aaron occupied no independent position but was only a subordinate Prophet to Moses.
The words, and follow not the ways of those who cause disorder, are intended as a warning to Aaron to beware of the mischief-makers and adopt a strong policy.
The use of the word "nights" is significant. As this period was meant to be passed in meditation and devotion for which the quiet and calmness of the night is much more suitable than the day, so God used the word "nights".
a
2:52.
1044
God’s communion with Moses was completed in the promised thirty nights. The prolongation of the period by ten nights did not form part of the promise but was an additional favour.
1045
The words show that Aaron’s position was that of a subordinate to Moses. Moses called the Israelites "my people” and directed Aaron to act for him, i.e. officiate in his place during his absence.
فَسِیۡحُوۡا فِی الۡاَرۡضِ اَرۡبَعَۃَ اَشۡہُرٍ وَّاعۡلَمُوۡۤا اَنَّکُمۡ غَیۡرُ مُعۡجِزِی اللّٰہِ ۙ وَاَنَّ اللّٰہَ مُخۡزِی الۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ
6:135; 11:21.
اس آیت میں جن لوگوں کو چار ماہ کی مہلت دی گئی ہے اس سے مراد وہ مشرکین ہیں جنہوں نے مسلمانوں سے کوئی معاہدہ نہیں کیا تھا۔ اور انہوں نے مسلمانوں کے خلاف عملاً جنگ جاری رکھی تھی اور جو لوگ ایسے ہوں ان کا کوئی حق نہیں تھا کہ وہ عرب میں رہتے کیونکہ وہ لڑائی کرنے والے تھے اور لڑائی کرنے والوں کو دنیا کی کوئی حکومت اپنے ملک میں نہیں رہنے دیتی۔ یہاں کسی شخص کو شبہ ہو سکتا ہے کہ مکہ والوں کو چار مہینے کے بعدنکلنے کا حکم کیوں دیا گیا؟ اس کا جواب یہ ہے کہ ایسا حکم قرآن میں کہیں نہیں‘ بلکہ چار مہینے کی اجازت کا ذکر ہے کہ چار مہینے تک پھر کر دیکھ لو کہ عرب پر اسلامی حکومت قائم ہو چ
6:135; 11:21.
With the Fall of Mecca and the defeat of Hawazin in the Battle of Hunain, the rule and authority of Islam had been established throughout the Hijaz. Certain tribes had made treaties with the Muslims and had laid down arms. These treaties were to be fully observed. But there were other tribes who had not made formal submission, had not laid down their arms and also had not made any treaty with the Muslims, ensuring the maintenance of peace and the observance of law and order. They had commenced hostilities against the Muslims, and though they had in effect been vanquished, they had not yet acknowledged defeat nor had agreed to live in peace with the Muslims. These tribes were given a four-month period of respite during which operations against them would remain suspended. They could go about freely in the land and satisfy themselves that further resistance was useless. They could then make their submission and make treaties. It is to these tribes that this verse refers.
6:135; 11:21.
Commentary:
This verse particularly refers to the fulfilment of the prophecy contained in 54:2. Disbelievers are told to travel throughout the length and breadth of Arabia for four months, (the period ordinarily required in the Prophet’s time for such travel), and see whether there has remained any vestige of infidel rule and dominion in any part of the country. The infidels of Arabia opposed and persecuted the Prophet and his followers and spared no pains to crush and extirpate Islam. But Almighty God promised help to His Messenger with the result that the cause of Islam triumphed and all opposition was swept away.
a
6:135; 11:21.
2
اس آیت میں جن لوگوں کو چار ماہ کی مہلت دی گئی ہے اس سے مراد وہ مشرکین ہیں جنہوں نے مسلمانوں سے کوئی معاہدہ نہیں کیا تھا۔ اور انہوں نے مسلمانوں کے خلاف عملاً جنگ جاری رکھی تھی اور جو لوگ ایسے ہوں ان کا کوئی حق نہیں تھا کہ وہ عرب میں رہتے کیونکہ وہ لڑائی کرنے والے تھے اور لڑائی کرنے والوں کو دنیا کی کوئی حکومت اپنے ملک میں نہیں رہنے دیتی۔ یہاں کسی شخص کو شبہ ہو سکتا ہے کہ مکہ والوں کو چار مہینے کے بعدنکلنے کا حکم کیوں دیا گیا؟ اس کا جواب یہ ہے کہ ایسا حکم قرآن میں کہیں نہیں‘ بلکہ چار مہینے کی اجازت کا ذکر ہے کہ چار مہینے تک پھر کر دیکھ لو کہ عرب پر اسلامی حکومت قائم ہو چ
a
6:135; 11:21.
1165
Commentary:
This verse particularly refers to the fulfilment of the prophecy contained in 54:2. Disbelievers are told to travel throughout the length and breadth of Arabia for four months, (the period ordinarily required in the Prophet’s time for such travel), and see whether there has remained any vestige of infidel rule and dominion in any part of the country. The infidels of Arabia opposed and persecuted the Prophet and his followers and spared no pains to crush and extirpate Islam. But Almighty God promised help to His Messenger with the result that the cause of Islam triumphed and all opposition was swept away.
a
6:135; 11:21.
1152
With the Fall of Mecca and the defeat of Hawazin in the Battle of Hunain, the rule and authority of Islam had been established throughout the Hijaz. Certain tribes had made treaties with the Muslims and had laid down arms. These treaties were to be fully observed. But there were other tribes who had not made formal submission, had not laid down their arms and also had not made any treaty with the Muslims, ensuring the maintenance of peace and the observance of law and order. They had commenced hostilities against the Muslims, and though they had in effect been vanquished, they had not yet acknowledged defeat nor had agreed to live in peace with the Muslims. These tribes were given a four-month period of respite during which operations against them would remain suspended. They could go about freely in the land and satisfy themselves that further resistance was useless. They could then make their submission and make treaties. It is to these tribes that this verse refers.
اِنَّ عِدَّۃَ الشُّہُوۡرِ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ اثۡنَا عَشَرَ شَہۡرًا فِیۡ کِتٰبِ اللّٰہِ یَوۡمَ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضَ مِنۡہَاۤ اَرۡبَعَۃٌ حُرُمٌ ۚ ذٰلِکَ الدِّیۡنُ الۡقَیِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظۡلِمُوۡا فِیۡہِنَّ اَنۡفُسَکُمۡ ۚ وَقٰتِلُوا الۡمُشۡرِکِیۡنَ کَآفَّۃً کَمَا یُقٰتِلُوۡنَکُمۡ کَآفَّۃً ۚ وَاعۡلَمُوۡۤا اَنَّ اللّٰہَ مَعَ الۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ
چاندوں کے حساب سے جو اسلام نے اختیار کیا ہے سال کے مہینے صرف بارہ بنتے ہیں۔ سورج کے حساب کو ماننے والوں نے بھی بارہ ہی مہینے بنائے ہیں مگر بہائیوں نے انیس مہینے بنائے ہیں۔ حالانکہ چاند کے لحاظ سے انیس ہو ہی نہیں سکتے۔ اور سورج کو مہینوں کا جنم دینے والے ہیئت دانوں نے بھی بارہ سے تجاوز نہیں کیا۔
یعنی اصل غرض مہینہ نہیں‘ بلکہ اصل غرض پاکیزہ زندگی بسر کرنا ہے۔
Both the lunar and the solar years comprise 12 months.
The four Sacred Months are Dhul-Qa‘dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.
Important Words:
کتاب (ordinance) is derived from کتب i.e. (1) he wrote; (2) he prescribed or ordained. کتاب means, a book or a writing; Divine prescript or ordinance or decree (Lane). See also 2:54 & 2:130.
Commentary:
The words فی کتاب اللّٰه (by Allah’s ordinance) mean that God so ordained on the day when He created the heavens and the earth that the number of months should be twelve, i.e. the law of nature determines that number, which holds true both in the solar and the lunar system.
The four sacred months are Dhul-Qa‘dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. These months have been held sacred by the Arabs, who are mostly descended from Abraham, from time immemorial and Islam confirmed their sacredness. It is considered unlawful to wage war or, for that matter, to continue a state of war in these four months unless, as the Quran points out, the enemy is the first to violate their sanctity. See also note on 2:218.
1
چاندوں کے حساب سے جو اسلام نے اختیار کیا ہے سال کے مہینے صرف بارہ بنتے ہیں۔ سورج کے حساب کو ماننے والوں نے بھی بارہ ہی مہینے بنائے ہیں مگر بہائیوں نے انیس مہینے بنائے ہیں۔ حالانکہ چاند کے لحاظ سے انیس ہو ہی نہیں سکتے۔ اور سورج کو مہینوں کا جنم دینے والے ہیئت دانوں نے بھی بارہ سے تجاوز نہیں کیا۔
2
یعنی اصل غرض مہینہ نہیں‘ بلکہ اصل غرض پاکیزہ زندگی بسر کرنا ہے۔
1196
Important Words:
کتاب (ordinance) is derived from کتب i.e. (1) he wrote; (2) he prescribed or ordained. کتاب means, a book or a writing; Divine prescript or ordinance or decree (Lane). See also 2:54 & 2:130.
Commentary:
The words فی کتاب اللّٰه (by Allah’s ordinance) mean that God so ordained on the day when He created the heavens and the earth that the number of months should be twelve, i.e. the law of nature determines that number, which holds true both in the solar and the lunar system.
The four sacred months are Dhul-Qa‘dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. These months have been held sacred by the Arabs, who are mostly descended from Abraham, from time immemorial and Islam confirmed their sacredness. It is considered unlawful to wage war or, for that matter, to continue a state of war in these four months unless, as the Quran points out, the enemy is the first to violate their sanctity. See also note on 2:218.
1181
Both the lunar and the solar years comprise 12 months.
1182
The four Sacred Months are Dhul-Qa‘dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.
وَالَّذِیۡنَ یَرۡمُوۡنَ الۡمُحۡصَنٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمۡ یَاۡتُوۡا بِاَرۡبَعَۃِ شُہَدَآءَ فَاجۡلِدُوۡہُمۡ ثَمٰنِیۡنَ جَلۡدَۃً وَّلَا تَقۡبَلُوۡا لَہُمۡ شَہٰدَۃً اَبَدًا ۚ وَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡفٰسِقُوۡنَ
24:24.
24:24.
The other social evil, second to adultery in heinousness, which eats into the vitals of human society, is the slandering of innocent persons. Islam also views with extreme disfavour this social evil which has become so common in the so-called civilized modern society, and severely punishes the accusers of innocent people. The verse mentions three forms of punishment in an ascending order which are to be meted out to a slanderer: (a) the physical punishment of scourging; (b) the disgrace of being branded as a perjurer and a liar which invalidates his evidence and (c) the spiritual stigma of being adjudged as a transgressor. It may be noted that no mention is made here of the accusation being true or false. So long as the accuser cannot produce the necessary evidence in support of his charge, the charge would be considered as false and the accuser would render himself liable to the prescribed punishment. Whatever the facts of the case, the woman with whom adultery is alleged to have been committed will be he
24:24.
Commentary:
The other social evil, second to adultery in heinousness which eats into the vitals of human society, is the slandering of innocent persons. Islam views also with extreme disfavour this social evil which has become so common in the so-called civilized modern society, and severely punishes the accusers of innocent people. The verse under comment mentions three forms of punishment in an ascending order which are to be meted out to a slanderer; first, the physical punishment of scourging; secondly, the disgrace of being branded as a perjurer and a liar which invalidates his evidence and thirdly, the spiritual stigma of being adjudged as a wicked transgressor.
It may be noted that the punishment prescribed for the slanderer who accuses a chaste woman without producing adequate evidence seems to be even more serious than the punishment prescribed for the crime of adultery itself. In the latter case the punishment prescribed is one hundred lashes, only twenty lashes more than those prescribed for slandering. But after undergoing the punishment the adulterer or adulteress has not to carry the disgrace of being branded as a perjurer, nor does he or she lie under the more serious spiritual stigma of being adjudged by God as a wicked transgressor.
The commandment about scandal-mongering is of particular importance in the present state of the so-called civilized society where it has assumed the form of a common social pastime. No wonder that as a result of scandal-mongering sexual immorality has greatly increased, particularly in western countries.
It may also be noted that in this verse no mention has been made of the accusation being true or false. So long as the accuser cannot produce the necessary evidence in support of his charge, the charge would be considered as false and the accuser would render himself liable to the prescribed punishment. Whatever the real facts of the case, the woman with whom adultery is alleged to have been committed will be held innocent so long as the required evidence is not produced. The law is, in fact, intended to suppress with a strong hand the offence of slandering and scandal-mongering which is calculated to encourage the spread of those very crimes which the scandal-mongers hold up to public gaze.
It follows from this verse that a person charged with adultery is held guilty only if four witnesses, in addition to the accuser, are forthcoming who solemnly declare and testify to the fact of having seen with their own eyes the accused person actually committing the crime.
In case the offender himself confesses to the crime, no witnesses will, of course, be required to prove his guilt provided he is in full possession of his senses. From Hadith it appears that in such an event the offender must himself testify four times to having committed the crime. In case a man alleges that he has committed adultery the woman implicated will not be held guilty unless she herself admits that she too has committed the crime. This provision is intended to save the good name of innocent men or women from being besmirched by persons of no character who are not ashamed of confessing to having committed adultery in order to implicate other innocent persons along with themselves.
Similarly, when a person makes an allegation against another, it is the accuser who is required to produce four witnesses to the crime alleged. The accused person has not to prove his innocence. It is only after four witnesses have been produced that he is asked to produce his defence. If the accuser fails to produce the requisite four witnesses, then both he and the witnesses will be liable to punishment on the plea of having made an allegation for which they had not produced the necessary evidence.
The object of such stringent provisions is to discourage the spread of indecent scandals. Such provisions amply refute the criticism that the penalty Islamic Law prescribes for adultery is barbarous. The evidence and the attendant conditions required to prove the commission of adultery are, in fact, almost impossible to produce save in cases where the offence is committed openly and in such cases a severe punishment, in order to be deterrent, is certainly very essential.
If a person confesses to having committed the crime and repeats his confession four times, he will not be punished if he recants at the time of infliction of the punishment. In such an event, however, the culprit will be liable to punishment for slandering the alleged accessory.
The commandment contained in this verse covers both men and women although the word used is المحصنات which means 'chaste women.' In the Arabic language when something has to be said which relates equally to both men and women the gender used is masculine. But when something is said regarding a matter which concerns women more than men, then feminine gender is used. The commandment here relates to punishment for slandering whether the victim of the slander is man or woman but as women generally are more often the victims of such slanders, the verse speaks of 'chaste women'. Similarly the word الذین (those) though in masculine gender applies to both men and women slanderers.
b
24:24.
a
24:24.
2594
Commentary:
The other social evil, second to adultery in heinousness which eats into the vitals of human society, is the slandering of innocent persons. Islam views also with extreme disfavour this social evil which has become so common in the so-called civilized modern society, and severely punishes the accusers of innocent people. The verse under comment mentions three forms of punishment in an ascending order which are to be meted out to a slanderer; first, the physical punishment of scourging; secondly, the disgrace of being branded as a perjurer and a liar which invalidates his evidence and thirdly, the spiritual stigma of being adjudged as a wicked transgressor.
It may be noted that the punishment prescribed for the slanderer who accuses a chaste woman without producing adequate evidence seems to be even more serious than the punishment prescribed for the crime of adultery itself. In the latter case the punishment prescribed is one hundred lashes, only twenty lashes more than those prescribed for slandering. But after undergoing the punishment the adulterer or adulteress has not to carry the disgrace of being branded as a perjurer, nor does he or she lie under the more serious spiritual stigma of being adjudged by God as a wicked transgressor.
The commandment about scandal-mongering is of particular importance in the present state of the so-called civilized society where it has assumed the form of a common social pastime. No wonder that as a result of scandal-mongering sexual immorality has greatly increased, particularly in western countries.
It may also be noted that in this verse no mention has been made of the accusation being true or false. So long as the accuser cannot produce the necessary evidence in support of his charge, the charge would be considered as false and the accuser would render himself liable to the prescribed punishment. Whatever the real facts of the case, the woman with whom adultery is alleged to have been committed will be held innocent so long as the required evidence is not produced. The law is, in fact, intended to suppress with a strong hand the offence of slandering and scandal-mongering which is calculated to encourage the spread of those very crimes which the scandal-mongers hold up to public gaze.
It follows from this verse that a person charged with adultery is held guilty only if four witnesses, in addition to the accuser, are forthcoming who solemnly declare and testify to the fact of having seen with their own eyes the accused person actually committing the crime.
In case the offender himself confesses to the crime, no witnesses will, of course, be required to prove his guilt provided he is in full possession of his senses. From Hadith it appears that in such an event the offender must himself testify four times to having committed the crime. In case a man alleges that he has committed adultery the woman implicated will not be held guilty unless she herself admits that she too has committed the crime. This provision is intended to save the good name of innocent men or women from being besmirched by persons of no character who are not ashamed of confessing to having committed adultery in order to implicate other innocent persons along with themselves.
Similarly, when a person makes an allegation against another, it is the accuser who is required to produce four witnesses to the crime alleged. The accused person has not to prove his innocence. It is only after four witnesses have been produced that he is asked to produce his defence. If the accuser fails to produce the requisite four witnesses, then both he and the witnesses will be liable to punishment on the plea of having made an allegation for which they had not produced the necessary evidence.
The object of such stringent provisions is to discourage the spread of indecent scandals. Such provisions amply refute the criticism that the penalty Islamic Law prescribes for adultery is barbarous. The evidence and the attendant conditions required to prove the commission of adultery are, in fact, almost impossible to produce save in cases where the offence is committed openly and in such cases a severe punishment, in order to be deterrent, is certainly very essential.
If a person confesses to having committed the crime and repeats his confession four times, he will not be punished if he recants at the time of infliction of the punishment. In such an event, however, the culprit will be liable to punishment for slandering the alleged accessory.
The commandment contained in this verse covers both men and women although the word used is المحصنات which means 'chaste women.' In the Arabic language when something has to be said which relates equally to both men and women the gender used is masculine. But when something is said regarding a matter which concerns women more than men, then feminine gender is used. The commandment here relates to punishment for slandering whether the victim of the slander is man or woman but as women generally are more often the victims of such slanders, the verse speaks of 'chaste women'. Similarly the word الذین (those) though in masculine gender applies to both men and women slanderers.
a
24:24.
2028
The other social evil, second to adultery in heinousness, which eats into the vitals of human society, is the slandering of innocent persons. Islam also views with extreme disfavour this social evil which has become so common in the so-called civilized modern society, and severely punishes the accusers of innocent people. The verse mentions three forms of punishment in an ascending order which are to be meted out to a slanderer: (a) the physical punishment of scourging; (b) the disgrace of being branded as a perjurer and a liar which invalidates his evidence and (c) the spiritual stigma of being adjudged as a transgressor. It may be noted that no mention is made here of the accusation being true or false. So long as the accuser cannot produce the necessary evidence in support of his charge, the charge would be considered as false and the accuser would render himself liable to the prescribed punishment. Whatever the facts of the case, the woman with whom adultery is alleged to have been committed will be he