ALI 138 Tafseer of Sura Saba Session Three

ALI 138: Tafseer of Sura Saba Session Three ______________________ Questions for Tadabbur : Verses 6 - 9 1) verse no. 6: - who are the people to whom knowledge has been given? - how is seeing different from knowing? -what is the relevance of the two names of Allah to the rest of the verse? 2) Why is mockery a common weapon for disbelievers? 3) What were some of the accusations against the Prophet (s) 4) How does Allah answer the disbelievers?

People of Knowledge n Those who were given the Book – Ahlul Kitab Those whom We have given the Book recognize him just as they recognize their own sons, but a party of them conceal the truth while they know. (2: 146) n The believers who were knowledgeable Say: whether you believe in or do not believe in it ; surely those who are given the knowledge before it fall down in prostration on their faces when it is recited to them. And they say: Glory be to our Lord! Most surely the promise of our Lord was to be fulfilled (17: 107 -108) n Imam Ali (a) The complete and most perfect application of the verse

Qur’an – al-Haq ■ What is Haq? Opposite of Batil. Haq and Batil are compared in the following beautiful verse of the Qur’an: He sends down water from he sky whereat the valleys are flooded to [the extent of ] their capacity, and the flood carries along a swelling foam. . . That is how Allah compares Truth and Falsehood. As for the foam, it passes away as a worthless thing, and that which profits the people remains in the earth (13: 17) ■ Qualities of Haq - useful, beneficial, valuable - remains after falsehood has vanished - calm, silent, in the background

Proofs that the Qur’an is Haqq? ■ Miracle of language ■ Prophesies ■ Scientific truths ■ Complete code of life

Qur’an – The Guidance n Every part of creation is guided by an innate purpose towards fulfilling its nature , by taking the most appropriate path. This is obvious in the physical world. Our Lord who gave everything its creation, then guided it. (20: 50) n The Qur’an guides man towards fulfilling his inner nature, his fitrah. It guides towards spiritual fulfillment which is in accordance with the fitrah. n Allah speaks the truth and guides towards the way (33: 4)

Mockery of the Disbelievers ■ Why do people mock? - people mock what they don’t understand - feeling of superiority - desire to stop others ■ All Prophets were mocked And certainly Messengers were mocked before you, and that which they mocked at encompassed them. (6: 10) ■ Sign of hypocrisy When they meet those who believe, they say: we believe; and when they are with their Shaitans they say: surely we are with you, we were only mocking. Allah shall pay them for their mockery and He leaves them alone in their rebellion, blindly wandering on. (2: 1415)

Appropriate response to mockery n And be patient over what they say, and keep away from them in a graceful manner (73: 10) n You will surely hear from those who were given the Book before you, and the polytheists, much abuse, but if you are patient and God fearing, that is indeed the steadiest of courses ( 3: 186) n Many of the people of the Book are eager to turn you into unbelievers after your faith, out of their inner envy, after the truth has come to them. Yet excuse them and forbear until Allah issues His order (2: 109) n Do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and disregard their torments, and put your trust in Allah, surely Allah is sufficient as a Guardian ( 33: 48)

Promise to Believers Almighty Allah promises ultimate victory over those who have mocked the believers: Indeed the guilty used to laugh at those who believe and when they passed by them, they would wink at one another and when they returned to their own folks they would return rejoicing and when they saw them they would say: Indeed those are the astray though they were not sent to watch over them so today those who believe shall laugh at the disbelievers observing from couches have the disbelievers been requited for what they used to do? (83: 29 -34)

Resurrection in the world of Nature ■ Among His signs is that you see the barren, but when we send down water upon it, it stirs and swells. Indeed He who revives it is the reviver of the dead, Indeed He has power over all things (41: 39) ■ He who made for you fire out of the green tree, and behold, you light fire from it! (36: 80) ■ Allah made you grow from the earth, with a growth, then He makes you return to it, and He will surely bring you forth (71: 17 -18)