Day 10

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ELEVENTH PÂRA

At the end of the tenth pâra, besides the sincere believers, mention was made of those hypocrites who inspite of having monetary means and transport, did not participate in the Battle of Tabûk. At the beginning of the eleventh pâra, mention is also made of the hypocrites. Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى informed Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم on the road while returning from Tabûk that when he reaches Madînah, then the hypocrites will present different types of excuses. They will say they could not participate in the battle of Tabûk due to severe difficulties, otherwise they had strong intentions to join. This is exactly what happened. The hypocrites took oaths and tried to convince Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم that they were truthful. Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم, knowing the reality, kept quiet due to his sense of honour and did not call them liars. In contrast to the hypocrites, Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى mentioned the qualities of the sincere Muslims and praised those people who admitted their mistakes, and did not speak lies trying to show their wrong to be right.

In between this, those hypocrites are also mentioned who built Masjid-e-Dirâr to cause harm to Islâm, to give rise to kufr and to create division amongst the Muslims. They requested Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم to inaugurate this masjid. However Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى prevented His Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم from even allowing this masjid to stand. Thus, on his (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) command, it was burnt to ashes. In contrast to Masjide-Dirâr is Masjide-Quba and in contrast to the hypocrites are the people of îmân who have exchanged their lives and wealth in the path of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى for Jannah. Nine such qualities of the people of îmân are mentioned which every believer should strive to imbibe within himself i.e. to be one who repents, who worships, who praises Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, who fasts, who makes rukû, who makes sajdah, who commands towards righteousness, who prevents from evil actions and who protects the bounds of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى . (112)

From the people who were deprived of participating in the Battle of Tabûk were three such sincere Muslims regarding whose îmân and sincerity no-one had doubt i.e. Hadhrat Kâb Ibn Mâlik, Hadhrat Hilâl Ibn Umayyah and Hadhrat Murârah Ibn Rabî’ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ. They did not fabricate any excuse but openly admitted that in remaining behind, it was completely their error, laziness and weakness. Their matter was kept separate. They were boycotted for a period of fifty days. However, due to their truthfulness, they were honoured in such a way that the proclamation of the acceptance of their tawbah (repentance) was done through wahî (revelation). This proclamation was such a glad-tiding that Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم himself addressing Hadhrat Kâ’b ibne-Mâlik رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ said, “From the day your mother gave birth to you, there has been no day more better and blessed for you than this day.” The acceptance of these people’s repentance has been mentioned in verse 117 and 118.
In the following verse, four things have been emphasized for the people of îmân :
1- They should hold firm onto taqwâ, both inwardly and outwardly.
2- Staying far away from the hypocrites, they should choose the companionship of the truthful and righteous.
3- They should give preference to the Nabî of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى over themselves irrespective of whether there is an abundance or shortage of sustenance.
4- In reality, Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has promised from His side that every form of worship and obedience will be recompensed by Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى Himself, and according to the amount of sacrifice and effort that is expended for Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى’s dîn, a person will accordingly be rewarded. (120-121)
Inspite of the great virtues and importance of jihâd, we have been commanded that not all the Muslims should proceed for jihâd. Some people should remain in the service of Rasûlullâh صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم so that they can gain an understanding of dîn from him. (122) Just as there was a need for jihâd in the initial stages of da’wat, to break the strength of the enemies, similarly there was a need for such a foundation on which the buildings of an Islâmic empire could stand. For this purpose, the revelation of shar’î laws continued coming down and Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم continuously prepared such individuals who would becomes teachers, lecturers, guides, judges, rulers, leaders and administrators.

Thus, this command was given that a sufficient amount of Muslims should remain in Madînah so that they could acquire an understanding of dîn. Leaving aside the necessity of knowledge to run an Islâmic state, the attainment of knowledge of dîn in itself is a very great action. Thus Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم has said, “For whomsoever Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى wishes goodness, He grants him an understanding of dîn.” This is also the statement of Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم, “One faqîh (one who has understanding of dîn) is more weightier on Shaytân than a thousand worshippers.”

An important principle of jihâd has been outlined i.e. Jihâd should be done on the basis of closeness i.e. first jihâd should be made with those kuffâr who are close, and then the frontiers should be expanded. (123)
In the last verses of sûrah Tawbah, the munâfiqîn are criticized once again because these unfortunate people do not even take benefit from the Qur’ân. In fact their filth, with regards to their thoughts and actions, increases all the time. In the 2nd last verse of this sûrah, Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى praises Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم and chooses two names for Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم from His own beautiful names i.e. Ra’ûf (the Most Compassionate) and Rahîm (The Most Merciful). There is no doubt that Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم was most compassionate and merciful, to not only his whole ummah, but to all of mankind. Hadhrat Ibn Abbâs رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ states that from amongst His Names, Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى has not combined these two names for anyone else besides Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم.

Sûrah Yûnus

Sûrah Yûnus is a Makkî sûrah. It has 119 verses and 11 rukûs. In this sûrah, the basic fundamentals and beliefs of îmân, and especially the Qur’ân-e-Karîm have been discussed. The sûrah commences with the mention of the Book of Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى and the messenger of Allâh صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم. None should be surprised about the nubuwwat and risâlat of the Last Messenger (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم) because this is nothing new. To every nation, some or the other Rasûl has come. Thereafter, the reality of rubûbiyat (the quality of sustaining), ulûhiyyat (divinity) and ubûdiyyat (servitude) as well as the relationship between the creator and created are mentioned. We are informed that only that Being who is the creator and sustainer, is worthy of being worshipped. All the systems of the universe testify to His quality of sustaining and His power. (6)

After pondering over these proofs and these systems, man becomes divided into 2 groups :
1- Those who deny.
2- Those who believe.

The final result of the deniers is the fire whereas the final abode of those who accept will be the everlasting gardens. (7) A major reason of denial is due to the haste inherent in man’s nature that sometimes man even makes du’â for the destruction or punishment of himself or his progeny. (10) The conditions of these deniers is that they do not even refrain from denying the Qur’ân and mocking it.
Mockingly, they say to the Nabî of Allâh صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم, “Bring another Qur’ân or change this one.” Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم is commanded to say, “I do not have any choice in the matter.” I am also obliged to follow the revelation. Do you people think (Allâh forbid!) that I have made up this speech and I am attributing it to Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى . I have spent forty years of my life amongst you people. Have you ever heard me speaking lies? Or have you seen me attaining knowledge from any tutor? If you have not heard and seen these things, then how can I suddenly start speaking lies or how can I present such a miraculous speech in your presence? Is it possible that I do not lie to people, but I am brave enough to lie about Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى? Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم’s pure life and true tongue was such that even his enemies were forced to acknowledge it.

When Heraculas, the Roman king asked Abu Sufyân (who at that time had not yet accepted Islâm), “Have you ever heard Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم speaking lies before claiming nubuwwat?”, then Abu Sufyân was forced to reply in the negative inspite of him being a disbeliever and mushrik. Heraculas, on hearing his answer, remarked, “How can it be that he does not lie to people, but speaks lies about Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى?”

Imam Râzi RAH states that the mushrikîn had witnessed the life of Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم from childhood till the revelation of the Qur’ân. They knew that he never studied any book nor was he the student of any teacher. Forty years passed in this way. Suddenly, a great book came to him which included unique principles, the finer points of law, the beauty of the knowledge of character and the hidden facts of the incidents of the past. It was such a book that the great poets and literals could not dare challenge its eloquence and beauty. Whichever person has been given a clear mind will definitely know that this was not possible without the means of revelation.

In the following verse the idol-worshipping of the mushrikîn as well as the proofs of tawhîd are mentioned. We are informed that at the time of difficulties and hardships, the greatest of polytheists also forget their false gods and are forced to call the one true diety. (22) Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم is commanded to ask them in an instructive manner, “Who grants you sustenance from the heavens and earth? Or who is the owner of your ears and eyes? Who creates life from dead things and who gives death to living things? And who runs all matters?” They will soon say, “Allâh”. Then ask them, “Do you not fear Allâh then.” (32)

To prove the truthfulness of the Qur’ân, a challenge is issued to them that if this is human speech then bring forth any one such sûrah like it. For this purpose, call from the Arabs and non-Arabs whomsoever you wish to call. Thereafter, Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى Himself mentions the reason for their denial i.e. man’s nature is such that if he is ignorant of anything and does not understand its reality, then he denies it completely. A major reason for the denial of the mushrikîn of tawhîd, resurrection after death and the truthfulness of the Qur’ân was their ignorance. In this sûrah, sometimes in a rebuking manner, and sometimes in an advising manner, a call is made for them to leave their stubbornness and to believe in these three fundamental beliefs. Mentioning the high qualities of the Qur’ân, Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى states, “O People! An advice has come to you from your Rabb, a cure for the sicknesses which are in the heart, a means of guidance and a mercy for the people of îmân. Say, “This book has been revealed through the kindness and mercy of Allâh. Thus, let them be happy about this. This is much better than that (wealth and treasures) which they gather.” (87)

After mentioning the proofs of tawhîd, the certainty of resurrection after death, the truthfulness of the Qur’ân and refutation of the false thoughts of the mushrikîn, three incidents are mentioned for advice and as a lesson.

The first incident is of Shaikhul-Ambiyâ Hadhrat Nûh عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام, whose life and period of propagation was longer than that of all the other Ambiyâ, but whose followers were very little.

Then the incident of Hadhrat Mûsa and Hârûn عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام is mentioned who confronted a person like Fir’awn, who claimed divinity.

The third incident is of Hadhrat Yûnus عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام. This sûrah is named after him. In the Qur’ân-e-Karîm, Yûnus عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام’s name is explicitly mentioned four times, and in two places he has been addressed as “the person of the fish”. He lost hope in his people accepting îmân. Being convinced that Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى ’s punishment was about to descend, he left the land of Nineva. When he boarded a ship on his journey, the people of the ship threw him into the ocean due to the ocean becoming very rough and stormy. A huge fish swallowed him. However Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى kept him alive in the belly of the fish. Eventually, after a few days, the fish regurgitated him at the shore of the ocean. On the other side, the men, women, young and old of his people had gone out to the jungle where they cried, sought forgiveness and accepted îmân due to which Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى ’s punishment was averted.

After mentioning these three incidents, the mushrikîn are warned that if they do not refrain from kufr and shirk then a punishment may afflict them before Qiyâmah. Nabî صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم and the believers are given glad-tidings that Allâh’s help is very close. This is Allâh’s habit that eventually the people of îmân are given success. Just as Sûrah Yûnus commences with mention of the book full of wisdom, it ends commanding us to follow this truthful book. Allâh سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى states, “Say, ‘O People! Haq (truth i.e. the Qur’ân) has come to you from your Sustainer. So whoever will be guided shall receive guidance only for himself, and whoever will go astray shall go astray only to his own detriment. I am not a over-seer over you.’ And (O Rasûlullâh صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم), follow that which has been revealed to you and be steadfast until Allâh passes a judgment. He is the best of those who passes judgment.”