Paradise Lost!

Qur'aanic Verse 103:3:

Transliteration:

3. Illa allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo alssalihati watawasaw bialhaqqi watawasaw bialssabri

Translation:

3. But not those among them who believe and do good deeds, and exhort one another to Truth, and exhort one another to patience.¹

^{Study Note:}

1. The fundamental truth laid down in Verses 2 and 3 here is preceded, for emphasis, by the divine oath taken on Time as in Verse 1 above. Time is of critical essence for mankind. They have been allotted a fixed time on this earth to prove themselves eligible for Paradise. And they have not been given the knowledge as to the quantum of the fixed time. They do not know when that fixed time will come to an end. So they cannot afford to waste any time at their disposal. And yet most people remain blissfully unaware of the precious time ticking away. For them is Paradise Lost! Paradise Gained is only for those few who satisfy all the four criteria mentioned in this 3^rd Verse of the Chapter. It is not enough that one believes and does good deeds; one has also to spell out the truth even if it hurts one’s own self or one’s own kith and kin. One has necessarily therefore to exercise patience.

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An extract from yet-to-be-published Qur'aanic Studies Manzil VII.

Mohammad Shafi

The Nineteen

Qur'aanic Verse 74:31:

Transliteration:

31. Wama jaAAalna as-haba alnnari illa mala-ikatan wama jaAAalna AAiddatahum illa fitnatan lillatheena kafaroo liyastayqina allatheena ootoo alkitaba wayazdada allatheena amanoo eemanan wala yartaba allatheena ootoo alkitaba waalmu/minoona waliyaqoola allatheena fee quloobihim maradun waalkafiroona matha arada Allahu bihatha mathalan kathalika yudillu Allahu man yashao wayahdee man yashao wama yaAAlamu junooda rabbika illa huwa wama hiya illa thikra lilbashari

Translation:

31. And We have appointed none but angels as Guardians of the Fire. And We have not fixed their number [19], but only as a trial for those who suppress the Truth, and as a means of certainty for the People of the Book and increase in Faith for the Believers, so that no doubts are left for the People of the Book and the Believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the suppressors of the Truth may say, “What intention does Allah have by this issue [of appointing only 19 guards for hundreds of thousands of sinners put in Hell]?” Thus does Allah send astray whom He wills and guide whom He wills. And none but He knows [the enormity of] your Lord’s forces! And this [Qur’aan] is nothing but  Admonition/Reminder for mankind.^{2, 3}

^{Study Notes:}

2. When this Qur’aanic Chapter was being revealed in Mecca, the 19 guards of Hell became a matter of ridicule for the polytheists there. Reportedly, a hefty one told the others that he, by himself alone, would take care of 17 of those guards and asked them to take care of the other two! Those polytheists were not intelligent enough to understand that 19 was just a number to delude them. Allah Almighty is, by himself alone, capable of handling billions of prisoners in Hell. And the 19 guards of hell would not be men, but angels, specially created for the job there. The believers, and the people of the Book [Jews and Christians], could, on the other hand, understand the enormous strength of the divine forces.

3. Those 7^th century plytheists apart, a man [Rashad Khalifah] in the last [20^th] century was misled by this figure 19 into believing that he himself was a messenger of Allah come to rid the Qur’aan of two ‘false’ verses that had somehow got inserted therein, despite Allah’s unequivocal declaration [Verse 15:9] that He would protect it!

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An extract from yet-to-be-published Qur'aanic Studies Manzil VII.

Mohammad Shafi

Wrong-doers' Illusion

Qur'aanic Verse 58:18:

Transliteration:

18. Yawma yabAAathuhumu Allahu jameeAAan fayahlifoona lahu kama yahlifoona lakum wayahsaboona annahum AAala shay-in ala innahum humu alkathiboona

Translation:

18. The Day Allah will resurrect them all, they will swear to Him as they swear to you and think they are standing on something solid. Are they indeed not those who are the liars?⁶

^{Study Note:}

6. Some wrong-doers in this world repeatedly swear to gullible people at large that they are the epitomes of virtue, and they push their ill deeds under the carpet of their swearing. Their repeated swearing creates the illusion in their own selves that they really are virtuous, and they extend their swearing before their Creator as well! They forget their lies would not stand before Him.

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An extract from yet-to-be-published Qur'aanic Studies Manzil VII.

Mohammad Shafi

Houris

Qur'aanic Verse 52:20:

Transliteration:

20. Muttaki-eena AAala sururin masfoofatin wazawwajnahum bihoorin AAeenin

Translation:

20. “Reclining on couches ranged in rows!” And We shall give them Houris⁵ with lovely eyes as companions.

Study Note:

5. Believers may well remember that this Arabic word hoorin is mutashaabih in terms of Verse 3:7. Its exact meaning is beyond understanding of us humans in this world. In terms of the said Verse therefore we should not indulge in our error-prone human opinions about it. Indulging in such an exercise on this word has already created a fitnah [mischief] among the people, Muslim as well as non-Muslim. Muslims particularly should remember that those eligible to go to Paradise would be incapable of doing anything wrong or indecent there.

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The above is extracted from yet-to-be-published Qur'aanic Studies Manzil VII.

Mohammad Shafi