Bismillaahi walhamdulillaahi wassalaatu wassalaamu ‘alaa
rasoolillaahi
Assalaamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa
Barakaatuhu
Teachings of the
Qur`aan
Al-Baqarah
Soorah 2
Aayat
115-118
by Ayub
A. Hamid
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When worshipping
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa), people have to face a direction and
places of worship are to be built facing that direction. The need for a
direction to face is a human need which does not mean that Allaah is only
in that direction. He, being infinite, is in every direction but to
fulfill that human need, He designates a direction for people to face
while worshipping Him. In facing that direction the key is the obedience
to the Lord Who can command us face any direction He wants and change it
whenever He wants. Those who do not understand this spirit of obedience
exaggerate the rule of facing in a particular direction making it an end
in itself, instead of focusing on the spirit of obedience. They treat all
physical religious symbols and rules the same way making them the objects
instead of the religious objectives that they are designed to achieve.
Consequently, they fight over, argue with others and destroy each other’s
places of worship even on issues such as the direction for worship or
other rules of religion. The Jews and Christian both have fought over
petty issues of symbolism and exaggerated in terms of the significance of
certain symbols, words, rules and personalities. In fact all their
religion constitutes is an exaggeration in these matters. They have
totally lost the objectives for which Islam was sent. Keeping that
mentality in mind, the next verse introduces this topic in terms of
Allaah’s infinite boundlessness. This topic will be discussed in detail
subsequently from the perspective of the change of direction Allaah
commanded Muslims to make.
115 The East and the West are
Allaah’s, therefore, whichever way you turn, Allaah will be in front;
verily Allaah is Boundless, Knowing.
The tendency to exaggerate in terms
of rules about physical symbols and places was prominent among the Jews,
the next one -- the tendency to exaggerate about words and persons – is
prominent in Christians.
116 And they say: Allaah has begotten a son. His glory supersedes
such notions of finiteness. Rather, He owns everything and everyone in
heavens and earth; all are submissively obedient to Him. 117 Wonderful Originator of the heavens
and the earth! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, Be, and it
occurs.
People adopt Shirk only because of
their wrong perception about Allaah. Instead understanding the infinite,
eternal and absolute nature of Allaah’s attributes, they attach some
finiteness, limit or imperfection to one or more of His attributes. That
perception of finiteness leads them to equating others with Allaah, or in
other words, committing Shirk. That is why wherever such a notion is
mentioned in the Qur-aan, it is refuted and people are immediately
reminded of the infiniteness of Allaah by the words, “Subhaanahu”; which
means the His infinite glory is above, beyond, surpassing and transcending
any notion of finiteness, limits, or weakness of any kind. Any people who
started ascribing sons or daughter to Allaah have done so for their wrong
views about Allaah. As those topics appear in the various verses, those
notions will be elaborated. Here, Allaah SWT has refuted their claim with
two facts: firstly, He owns everyone and everything in the universe
because everything and everyone is His creation. Creation is not like
begetting. He creates, does not beget. Secondly, His ways of creation are
beyond human imagination. He does not need to work like human beings to
make things happen. When he intends that something should happen, the
things fall in place and it just happens. He created this whole universe
out of nothing in the same way.
As polytheists and atheists are concerned, they rely too much
on their own physical experiences, not letting their minds think
logically, reflect on signs and draw rational conclusions.
118 And those
who have no knowledge of the Book say: Why does not Allaah speak to us or
a sign come to us? Even those before them talked in the same manner; their
attitudes are all alike. We have Indeed made the signs clear for a people
who are open to believe.
The interesting aspect is that regardless of the age or level
of knowledge or scientific advancements, their attitude and mentality is
always the same. Their questions, demands and arguments remain static.
Although, they always think that they are enlightened people, yet their
arguments always remain very primitive. The keep repeating the same
questions that have been answered zillions of time in all ages before and
can be easily answered if they just open their minds to let them perform
their function of understanding normally.
Their demand about directly speaking to Allaah is so absurd and
such a flagrant display of ignorance of Infinity of Allaah that it has not
been even commented upon. For their desire to see a sign, in terms of a
miracle, they are being told that there are countless signs all around
them if they are just open to thinking and understanding. Signs are not
lacking; it is their openness to think, reflect, and understand that is
lacking. As is their confidence in their rational ability and courage to
take a stand for what makes sense.
In addition to many signs mentioned in the Qur-aan, the Qur-aan and
the life of the Prophet are in themselves great
signs.
Next: Verses 119 - 121
Copyright ©2004, Ayub A.
Hamid
Permission is
granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post on
Internet sites and
to
publish in
full in not-for-profit publications. Contact author for all other
rights, which are reserved.
Please Note: This series is providing the teachings
of the Qur'aan, not a literal translation.
Instead of literal translation, it gives interpretive
meanings of the verses, along with their contextual details.
Please remember that any translation of the Holy Qur'aan is
in fact only an _expression_ of the translator's understanding
of the
Word of Allaah Subhaanahu wa
Ta'aala, and
hence cannot be equated with the Qur'aan itself.
Only the original Arabic text can be called the
Holy Qur'aan.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
If you did not receive
the following soorahs of 'Teachings of the
Qur'aan' series by Ustaadz Ayub A. Hamid, please
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Karima.
Al-Faatihah: The First Verse of the Qur'aan -
Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem
Al-Faatihah:
Part
1: Name, Background, Teachings and
Commentary.
Al-Faatihah:
Part
2: The Significance and
Summary.
Al
Baqarah: Name, Background and Topics
Al
Baqarah: The Letters: Alif, Laam, Meem - Aayah
1
Al Baqarah: 2:2-5 / 2:6-7 / 2:8-16 / 2:17-20 / 2:21-25 / 2:26-27 / 2:28-29 / 2:30-33 / 2:34-39 / 2:40-46 / 2:47-56 / 2:57-61 / 2:62 /
2:63-66 / 2:67-74 / 2:75-77 /
2:78-82 / 2:83-86/ 2:87-88 / 2:89-91 / 2:92-98 / 2:99-103 / 2:104-107 / 2:108-110 / 2:111-114
An-Nisaa:
4:1-4 / 4:5-14 / 4:15-28 / 4:29-43 /
4:44-52 / 4:53-58
/
4:59-63 / 4:64-76 / 4:77-87
/ 4:88-100
/ 4:101-112
/ 4:113-126 /
4:127-149 / 4:150-158
/ 4:159
/ 4:160-176.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Karima-DDN
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