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Examples On Narrating Hadith By Meaning Hadith Of Islam And Faith

Muslim reports on the authority of Talhah ibn Ubayd Allah that he said: a furious man from the people of Najd, the reverberation of whom we would hear without apprehending what he was saying, came to the Messenger of Allah and approached him, starting to inquire about Islam. The Messenger of Allah said: It consists of five prayers during day and night. He asked: Are there other things incumbent upon me to do? He (S) said: No, unless you volunteer.

Then the Messenger of Allah referred him to the zakat (alms-due). He again said: Shall I have to do other than it? He (S) replied: No, unless you volunteer. He (Talhah) said: The man turned the back, exclaiming: By Allah, I shall never increase to or decrease anything from this. The Messenger thereat said: If he says the truth he will verily be successful. In another narration, he said: By the life of his father he shall be victorious should he utter the truth. Yet in another narration, he (S) said: By the life of his father, he will verily enter the Paradise if what he said is true.

In the hadith on Gabriel, Abu Hurayrah is reported to have said:

The Messenger of Allah said: Question me. But they felt awe of him, after which a man came and sat at his (S) knees saying: O Messenger of Allah, what is Islam? You should never take a partner to Allah, and establish the prayers, and take out zakat (of your properties), and fast the Month of Ramadan. He said: You said the truth. Then he said: O Messenger of Allah, what is faith (iman)? He (S) replied: It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His Book, meeting Him, His apostles, and the Unseen, and in Destiny as a whole. He said: You said the truth, adding: O Messenger of Allah, what is benevolence? He said: It is to fear Allah as if you are seeing Him, since if you see Him not He is verily seeing you…etc. We discussed this hadith in details in our book Shaykh al-mudirah, so it is better to refer to it with reading what Dr. Taha Husayn stated about it.1

Abu Ayyub2 is reported to have said: A man came to the Prophet and said to him: Inform me what act I can do to bring me near the heavens, and distance me from the Fire. He said: You should worship Allah without taking anything a partner to Him, establish the prayers, and pay the zakat, and be kind to your relations. Then the Messenger of Allah said: If he heeds to what he was ordered to do he will verily enter paradise.

In another narration by Ibn Abi Shaybah, (he [S] said): “If he heeds to it…”

Abu Hurayrah is reported to have said: A bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah and said to him: O Messenger of Allah, guide me to an act that when I do I can enter paradise. He (S) said: You should worship Allah without taking anything into partnership to Him, establish the prescribed prayers, pay the zakat, and fast the Month of Ramadan. The man said: By Whom in Whose hand is my soul, I shall neither add anything to this nor omit from it. After he left, the Prophet said: Whoever likes to look at a man from paradise inhabitants, he is asked to look at this man.

In his comment on these traditions, al-Imam al-Nawawi said (in the very words):3 “Know that any reference to hajj (pilgrimage) was never made in hadith of Talhah or Gabriel hadith through narration of Abu Hurayrah. Besides, in some other traditions no reference was made to fasting (sawm), nor to zakat in some others. In some of them doing kindness to uterine relations was mentioned, and paying out the khums (one-fifth) in some others, while no any reference to iman (faith) was made in some others. So there was diversity among these traditions in regard of several traits of faith (iman), by addition, cutting out, confirmation and omission.

A reply was given by al-Qadi ‘Iyad and other than him, that was epitomized and rectified by al-Shaykh Abu ‘Amr ibn al-Salah, saying: This difference is not coming out from the Messenger of Allah, but it is dissimilarity among the narrators in memorization and exactitude. One of them was sufficed with narrating what he learnt by heart, conveying it without negating or confirming the additions of others.

Though his content with this is an attempt to show that what he reported was the whole of the hadith, but the contrary of this was proved when other trustworthy narrators reported the same hadith, demonstrating that his confining to it was only due to his failure to memorize the whole hadith. Don’t you see the hadith of al-Nu’man ibn Nawfal, regarding whose traits the narrations differed, by addition and reduction, though the narrator of all of them being one and the same?

Following is hadith of al-Nu’man ibn Nawfal4 : On the authority of Abu Sufyan, from Jabir, it is reported that the Prophet (S) was visited by al-Nu’man ibn Nawfal who said to him: O Messenger of Allah, do you believe that when I perform the prescribed prayers, deeming unlawful what is ordained unlawful, and deeming lawful what is lawful (in the Qur’an), I deserve to enter paradise? The Prophet (S) replied: Yes.

Al-A’mash, reports on the authority of Abu Salih and Abu Sufyan, from Jabir that he said: Al-Nu’man ibn Nawfal said: O Messenger of Allah, with the similar hadith, and they added to it, while I haven’t added anything to it.

Hadith of I Married Her to You with What you Have

Hadith of I Married Her to You with What You Have5 .

A woman came to the Prophet, intending to offer herself (for marriage) to him, whereat a man advanced forward saying: O Messenger of Allah, marry her to me. But since he owned nothing to present as a mahr (dowry) except some Qur’anic verses he was learning by heart, the Prophet said to him: “I married her to you (ankahtukaha) with what you have (in memory) of the Qur’an (as a mahr)”. In another narration, he (S) said: “I married her to you (zawwajtukaha) with what you have of the Qur’an.” Yet in a third narration, he said to him: “Zawwajtukaha (I married her to you) with what you have.” In a fourth narration, he said: “I gave her in possession of you (mallaktukaha) with what you have.” In a fifth narration: “I gave her in possession of you with what you have (memorized) of the Qur’an”. In a sixth narration: “I marry her to you (ankahtukaha) on condition that you recite (Qur’an) for her and teach her.” In a seventh narration: “Amkannakuha (I made you able to communicate marriage with her)”. In an eighth narration: “Take her with what you have”. These were eight differences in one expression.

Ibn Daqiq al-‘Id is reported to have said: This being one word in one story, regarding which that much of difference occurred, with oneness of source of the hadith. Al-‘Ala’i says: It is quite known that the Prophet has not uttered all these terms at that time, so he should have said only one of them, but it was expressed by the narrators by meaning only. One of them holding that marriage be consummated by the word of possession, arguing with its being cited in this hadith.

But his argumentation will be unable to stand when being contradicted with the other words. If he determines that this being the very word uttered by the Prophet and what is reported by others is only conveying the meaning of it! – his opponent would reverse it to him with claiming the opposite of his claim, the case in which no alternative would be left except to preponderate an external factor. This hadith and its alike were the only reasons that impelled Sibawayh and others to refuse considering hadith among the evidences for establishing any linguistic or grammatical rules, as it will be elucidated in its proper place of this book.

Hadith of Performing Prayers in Banu Qurayzah

Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of Ibn Umar that the Prophet (S) said on the day (Battle) of Ahzab: None of you should perform the ‘asr (afternoon) prayers but only in Banu Qurayzah. Some of them catched the time of asr prayers while being still en route, when they said: We never pray till we reach them (Banu Qurayzah). Some others said: Rather we should perform prayers, we were not ordered to do so. Then they mentioned all that to the Prophet (S), but he did not reprimand or reproach anyone of them.

In expounding this hadith, Ibn Hajar is reported to have said: In all the versions of al-Bukhari and so also of Muslim the word zuhr (noon) prayers was recorded, with concurrence of both of them on reporting it from one shaykh with one isnad. Also Abu Ya’la and others agreed with Muslim, and the same word was reported by Ibn Sa’d, whereas those believing in significations held it to be the ‘asr.

Then Ibn Hajar said: Al-Bukhari has written it out of his memory, never observing the very words (of the Prophet) as was known in respect of his school6 which permitting this. This was opposite of the belief held by Muslim, who used to be so keen in conveying the very (Prophet’s) words, not permitting the same for those following him, and agreeing with him in conveying the same words, contrary to al-Bukhari.

The narrators have gone to extremes through narrating the hadith by (using) their own words and asanid, ascribing it then to the Sunnah books.

Al-‘Iraqi in Sharh al-Alfiyyah, is reported to have said: Al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan wa al-ma’rifah and al-Baghawi in Sharh al-Sunnah and others, used to narrate the hadith with their own words and asanid ascribing it then to al-Bukhari and Muslim, with words and denotations different from the original, as their purpose is to convey the meaning of the hadith not ascribing its words.

An example for this can be seen in al-Nawawi’s saying in the hadith

“The Imams are from Quraysh”, which was reported by the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim), though the words used in the Sahih being: “This affair (caliphate) will continue to be in Quraysh even when only two of them shall stay alive.” As you see, there is so great difference between the two words and two meanings.

Hadith on Pollinating the Date Palms

Muslim reported on the authority of Musa ibn Talhah, from his father that he said: I and the Messenger of Allah passed by some people on the top of date palms, when he (S) asked: What are these people doing? I replied: They are pollinating them (trees)…they are inserting the male into the female, when she is pollinated. The Messenger of Allah said: I never believe this to be of any use or advantage. As soon as those people were apprised of this, they abandoned that act. Then the Messenger of Allah was told of this, when he said: If this (act) be of benefit to them, they can do it, as I am only surmising, so never reproach me for surmise. But if I relate to you something from Allah, you should heed to it, since I never lie against Allah, the Glorious and Exalted.

Rafi’ ibn Khadij is reported to have said: The Prophet entered al-Madinah, while people were pollinating the date palms. Thereat he said: What are you doing? They replied: We were pollinating them. He said: It would be much better if you don’t do that. Then they gave up that act, after which the date palms faded, (or he said) and they grew less. The narrator says: After that they informed the Prophet of what happened, when he said: I am only a human being, when ordering you to do something related to your religion you should heed to it. But when commanding you to do something from my opinion, I am only a human being. (It is reported by Muslim and al-Nasa’i).

Hisham ibn Urwah, reports from his father, from A’ishah and Anas, that the Prophet passed by some people pollinating the trees, when he said:

Should you not do so, its produce would be better. But then the dates produced were bad (shays). Again he passed by them asking: What is the matter with your date palms? They replied: You told us to do so and so. He said: You are better aware of your world affairs.

In another narration by Ahmad, he (S) said: Whatever is related to your religion refer it to me, and whatever is related to your world, you are better aware of it. In another narration reported by Ibn Rushd in his book al-Tahsil wa al-bayan, he (S) said: “I am neither a farmer nor owner of date palms.”

Hadith of Ali’s Sahifah

The following hadith is reported by Ahmad, al-Shaykhan (al-Bukhari and Muslim) and authors of al-Sunan (books) with miscellaneous expressions. But al-Bukhari reported it under chapter kitab al-’ilm, on the authority of Abu Juhayfah thus: I said to Ali: Do you have a (special) book? He said: No, except the Book of Allah, or an understanding given to a Muslim man, or whatever is recorded in this sahifah. I said: What does this sahifah contain? He said: (It contains) intellect and setting free of a captive, and that the Muslim should not be killed for (killing) an infidel (kafir).

Under bab al-diyat, it is reported that he said: I asked Ali, may Allah be pleased with him: Do you (Ahl al-Bayt and Shi’ah) have anything other than the Qur’an? He replied: By Him Who has splitted the seed and created the air, we never have other than what this Qur’an contains, except a comprehension given to a man in his book, and what this Sahifah contains. I said: What does this sahifah contain? He said: Reason (‘aql), and freeing the slave … etc.

In Kitab al-Hajj, bab Haram al-Madinah, Ibrahim al-Taymi reports on the outhority of his father that he (A) said: We have nothing except the Book of Allah and this sahifah that is taken from the Prophet (S), in which he said: “al-Madinah is a sanctuary (haram) between ‘Athir to so and so. Whoever causing a hadath (condition requiring wudu’), or giving shelter to a muhdith (one causing hadath), upon him shall be the curse of Allah and angels and all mankind. From him neither disposition nor justice will be accepted”.

And he said: “Dhimmah (obligation) of Muslims is one. Whoever disgraces a Muslim upon him will be the curse of Allah, and angels and all people, and neither disposition nor Justice shall be accepted from him. Whoever takes as a patron someone without permission of his masters, upon him shall be the damnation of Allah, and angels and all people. Neither disposition nor justice will be accepted from him.”

Under bab dhimmat al-Muslimin in Kitab al-jizyah, the hadith is reported thus: Ali addressed us saying: We have nor book to read except the Book of Allah and whatever is there in this sahifah. The audience said: What does this sahifah contain? He said: It contains sarcasms and camels’ teeth, and that al-Madinah being sanctified (haram) from ‘Ir up to so and so region. Whoever causing any hadath (condition requiring wudu’), or giving shelter to a muhdith (one causing hadath), upon him shall be the curse of Allah and the angels and all people, and neither disposition nor justice will be accepted from him. Whoever takes as a supporter other than his masters, upon him will be the like of this. The obligation (dhimmah) of Muslims is one, and whoever disgraces any Muslim, upon him will be the same (curse).

Under bab: “The guilt of whoever making a covenant and breaching it then with a word,” it is reported from Ali (A) that he said: We have written nothing from the Prophet (S) other than the Qur’an and whatever this sahifah contains: The Prophet (S) said: Al-Madinah is haram between ‘Athir and so and so place (kadha). Whoever causing any hadath or giving shelter to a muhdith, upon him shall be the curse of Allah and the angels and all people. From his neither disposition nor justice shall be accepted. Obligation of Muslims is one; whoever violates sanctity of a Muslim, upon him shall be the curse of Allah and the angels and all people. No disposition or justice will be accepted from him. Whoever patronizing a people with no permission from his masters, upon him shall be the curse of Allah, and angels and all people, and no disposition or justice shall be accepted from him.

Under bab: “The guilt of that who disowns his masters by a word,” he is reported to have said: We have no book to read other than the Book of Allah and this sahifah. Then he took it out, and it contained things like jirahat and teeth of the camels, and that al-Madinah is haram...etc. beside referring to the issues of taking a friend (wala’) and obligation as previously mentioned.

And under bab: “Repugnance of penetration and disputation and extravagance in religion, from kitab al-i’tisam bi lafz, it is reported: One day Ali addressed us from the pulpit saying: By God we have no book to read except the Book of Allah and whatever this sahifah contains. When he opened it, we found in it teeth of the camels, and al-Madinah is haram from ‘Ir up to so and so region Whoever causing a hadath in it, upon him shall be the curse of Allah and obligation of Muslims is one, calumniated by the lowest of them. Whoever violates the sanctity of a Muslim upon him...etc. And whoever patronizes a people without permission of his masters upon him But he said: Allah will never accept from him any disposition or justice (as reported by al-Bukhari).

The narrations of Muslim and authors of Sunan give the same meaning of the ones reported by al-Bukhari, while Muslim referred to the two boundaries of al-Madinah, i.e. ‘Ir and Thawr (two mountains). Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, in his comment on hadith of Ali, on the authority of Ibrahim al-Taymi from his father said: The sahifah included whatever is reported, i.e. every narrator was reporting something from it, either due to the situation necessitating mention of it alone, or because some of them could never memorize or hear whatever it contained.

Undoubtedly all that which was reported by them was only conveyed according to the denotation without any abidance by the original words as a whole, the fact entailing the occurrence of differences among the expressions used by them. The narrators couldn’t claim that he has read the traditions for them as a whole, and they have memorized or written them down from him, but rather their words indicate that he used to mention whatever they contained or some of it out of his memory. Besides, those for whom he read the traditions, have not written them down, but narrated whatever they memorized, including the Prophet’s words and those summing up the meaning.

An example for this is the phrase “al-`aql and freeing the captive”, and the word `aql indicates blood-money (diyah) of murder. It is called `aql as it is originally a camel that is tied, i.e. bound by shackles in the courtyard of the murdered man, or his relations deserving it. His words (teeth of camels) in some narrations give the meaning of the provisions stipulated for the teeth of the camels of blood-money (diyah) or sadaqah (alms) etc. Generally speaking, we know no one to have written from Amir al-Mu’minin any text of the Sahifah, nor that he himself to have written it according to the Prophet’s order, as he said in the narration of Qatadah on the authority of Abu Hassan, that he heard something and committed it to writing briefly.

Should we have to comment on this Sahifah which is ascribed to Ali, and the various traditions it contained, that were recorded in hadith books, we want to say that we never have confidence in all the narrations cited in it whoever be their narrators. Sufficient be for us to notice what kind of narrations reported by Ibn Hajar.

The reason behind our suspicion lies in the fact that if Ali intended to write from the Messenger of Allah, that which seemed for him to be of benefit for Muslims, he would never be content with such a Sahifah that he – as reported – used to hold in the sheath of his sword. But he used to write thousands of traditions regarding all the rules concerning Muslims’ affairs, being truthful in all his writings if he intended. Nevertheless we have extremely benefitted from the reports contained in this Sahifah, as it showed us clearly the extent of distortion caused by riwayah through meaning, and how it was detrimental to religion, language and literature, as will be soon demonstrated God-willing.

We conclude this chapter with a short comprehensive statement by Ibn Kathir in his book al-Ba’ith al-hathith.7 After introducing those permitting narration of hadith through meaning, he said:

“Riwayah (narration) through meaning was prohibited by another group of traditionists, Jurisprudents and usuli scholars, with strong emphasis in this regard. This was supposed to be the matter of fact, but it never happened. Because the trend that was actually followed being narration of hadith through the meaning it was conveying, which is widely found in all hadith books with no exception. When going through biography of al-Bukhari, it will be found out that he was one among those who used to narrate hadith through meaning. The dear reader can refer to chapter “Standpoint of Grammarians toward Hadith Books” in this book.

Notes

1. Mir'at al-Islam, pp. 211, 212.

2. His name is Khalid ibn Zayd al-Ansari. Refer to Sharh al-Nawawi 'ala Muslim, vol. I, p. 172; Ibn Qutaybah's al-Ma'arif, p. 119.

3. Op. cit., vol. I, p. 215, margin by al-Qastallani.

4. Op. cit., vol. I, p. 175.

5. I have not alluded here to the controversies among the fuqaha in regard of veracity of this hadith, due to divergence of its words. Refer to their books to realize what the narration by meaning did to hadith. Also see Fath al-Bari, vol. IX, pp. 168-176.

6. What is said by Ibn Hajar in regard of al-Bukhari is supported by what al-Khatib al-Baghdadi narrated about al-Bukhari by saying: There might be a hadith that I heard in Basrah and wrote in the Sham, and there might be a hadith that I heard in the Sham and wrote in Egypt. When he was asked: O Abu Abd Allah! (did you do so) completely? He kept silent (Ta'rikh al-Khatib, vol. II, p. 11). Haydar ibn Abi Ja'far, governor of Bukhara, said: One day Muhammad ibn Isma'il said to me: There might be a hadith that I heard in Basrah and wrote in the Sham, and there might be a hadith that I heard in the Sham and wrote in Egypt. I said to him: O Abu Abd Allah: Completely? He kept silent (Huda al-sari fi muqaddimat Fath al-Bari, vol. II, p. 201). See also the commentary on al-Bukhari's book among famous hadith books, in the chapter I dedicated for this in my book.

7. Al-Ba'ith al-hathith, pp. 165, 166.

Surah Qari’ah, Chapter 101

(The Calamity)

Number of Verses: 11

Contents of Surah Qari'ah

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

This Surah, on the whole, describes the Resurrection Day and its preliminary events. The style is alarming and awakening with some clear warnings. According to this Surah, people are divided into two definite groups: Those whose good deeds weigh heavy by the Divine Scales will rejoice in a pleasant life; and those whose good deeds weigh light will have the abyss as their abode.

The name of the Surah, Al-Qariah, is taken from the first verse.

The Virtue of Studying this Surah

On the virtue of reciting the Surah, a tradition from Imam Baqir (as) says:

“He who recites Al-Qari'ah, Allah secures him from the calamity of (believing in) Dajjal (the deceiver) and also from the hideousness of Hell on the Day of Judgement, Allah willing,”1

Surah Qari’ah, Verses 1-11

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

الْقَارِعَةُ

مَا الْقَارِعَةُ

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْقَارِعَةُ

يَوْمَ يَكُونُ النَّاسُ كَالْفَرَاشِ الْمَبْثُوثِ

وَتَكُونُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِ الْمَنفُوشِ

فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ

فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ

فَأُمُّهُ هَاوِيَةٌ

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا هِيَهْ

نَارٌ حَامِيَةٌ

1. “The Calamity”

2. “What is the Calamity?”

3. “And what makes you aware of what the Calamity is?”

4. “(It is) a Day whereon men will be like moths scattered about,”

5. “And the mountains will be like carded wool.”

6. “So, he whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy,”

7. “He will be in a life well-pleasing.”

8. “And he whose scales (of good deeds) are light,”

9. “Then his abode will be Hawiyah' (the abyss).”

10. “And what makes you know what that (abyss) is?”

11. “(It is) a Raging Fire.”

The Calamity

In these verses, which are about the circumstances of the Judgement Day, first it says:

“The Calamity”

“What is the Calamity?”

The term /qari'ah/ is based on /qar'/ which means 'to beat or strike something on something else so that a sound is heard', hence 'whip' and 'hammer' are termed /miqra'ah/, and further, any important, grievous event is called /qari'ah/.

Regarding the senses put in verses 2 and 3 that even the holy Prophet (S) is told:

“And what makes you aware of what the Calamity is”,

clarifies the fact that this event is so great that no imagination can comprehend it.

In any event, many commentators have said that /qari'ah/ is one of the names of the Day of Judgement. They have not clarified that this sense refers to the events before the Hereafter when this world will be destroyed, the Sun and the Moon will become dark, and the seas will overflow. If it is so, the name selected for the event, Qari'ah, has a clear reason.

Or, if the purpose is the second stage, i.e., the resurrection of the dead and the new design in the world of being, the use of the word 'qari'ah' is for the reason that fear and terror of that Day will strike the hearts.

The verses following that verse partly agree with the incident of the world destruction, and partly refer to the resurrection of the dead, but, on the whole, the first probability seems more appropriate, though both incidents, in these verses, are mentioned one after another; (like many other verses of the Qur'an which inform about the Hereafter).

Then, to describe that amazing Day, it says:

“(It is) a Day whereon men will be like moths scattered about.”

The term /faras/ is the plural form of /farasah/. Many commentators have considered it as meaning 'moths' while some others have rendered it to mean 'locusts'.

The meaning of the word, itself, is the former one, of course, so they may have adapted it to the meaning in Surah Qamar, No. 54, verse 7 in which people, on That Day, are likened to 'scattered locusts':

“They will come forth - their eyes humbled - from their graves, (torpid) like locusts scattered abroad.”

It is probable that likening people to 'moths' is for the reason that the state of moths in a violent storm gives some idea of the confusion, distress, and helplessness of which men are overwhelmed with on the Day of Judgement.

Again, the question arises, here thus: is this confusion, distress and horrible helplessness because of the end of this physical world, or, is it because of the beginning of the spiritual world, the Hereafter?

The answer to the question is clearly found in what is said above.

Then, referring to another speciality of that Day, it says:

“And the mountains will be like carded wool.”

The term /ihn/ means 'colored wool', and the term /manfus/, based on /nafs/, means 'teased, carded (wool)’ which is usually done by special means on a wool-carder.

It was mentioned before that according to the different verses of Qur'an, at the threshold of the Hereafter, first, mountains will move, then, they will cleave as under and break into pieces, and finally they will turn into dust and scatter in the air, which, in this verse, is likened to colored-carded wool; the wool which travels with storms and will be seen only by its color. This is the last stage in the destruction of the mountains.

This idea may also refer to the various colors of the mountains, because the mountains, on the earth, range in color and each has a special color.

In any case, this meaning shows that the above verses speak about the first stage of the Hereafter; that is, the stage of destruction and the end of the world.

Then, reference is made to the Resurrection stage and the reviving of the dead and their division into two groups.

It says:

“So, he whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy,”

“He will be in a life well-pleasing.”

“And he whose scales (of good deeds) are light,”

“Then his abode will be 'Hawiyah' (the abyss).”

“And what makes you know what that (abyss) is?”

“(It is) a Raging Fire.”

The term /mawazin/ is the plural form of /mizan/ which means 'scales, balance'; an instrument which was used for weighing material things, at first, and then, figuratively, was used for measuring spiritual things, too.

Some believe that, on That Day, the deeds of Man will appear in the form of corporeal beings which can be weighed, and they will actually be weighed by deed-scales.

It is also considered that the record, itself, may be weighed and if it contains good deeds recorded, it weighs heavy, otherwise, it is light or weightless.

But, apparently, it does not need these explanations.

The instrument for measuring deeds is not necessarily the ordinary weighing which is done with two scales, but it can be by any means of weighing, as a tradition says:

“Amir-al-Mo'mineen and other Imams from his descendents (as) are the scales by which our deeds are measured.”2

A tradition from Imam Sadiq (as) denotes that when he was asked about the meaning of /mizan/ he answered:

“The scales and Justice are the same.”3

Thus, with the existence of Allah's saints and /or the divine laws of justice by which the deeds of Man are compared, will be weighed and valued due to their similarity and adaptability to them.

By the way, the term /mawazin/, in its plural form, shows that the saints of Allah and the divine laws are individually separate scales of measurement, otherwise, the variety of the form and kind of Man's attributes and deeds demand different means of measurement.

Raqib cites in Mufradat:

“In the Holy Qur’an /mizan/ is sometimes used in the singular and sometimes in the plural form; the former refers to the One Who reckons, the Lord, and the latter refers to those who are reckoned with.”

The term

/‘isat-ir-raqiyah/ ‘a life well-pleasing'

used in the verse, is a very interesting sense about the favourable life of the good-doers in Heaven which is thoroughly calm and peasant.

It is so pleasant that the life, itself, is

'well-pleasing',

which is the subjective case, instead of being 'well-pleased', which is the objective case.

This great privilege is only for the next life, because however much happy, favourable, safe, and pleasant the life of this world may be, it is still not free from many unpleasant factors. It is only the next-world-life that is thoroughly favourable, happy, and pleasant with full safety, tranquility and bounty.

The word

/umm/ ‘mother',

mentioned in the verse, is for the reason that mother is generally a shelter for the child when. There is trouble and here it indicates that the sinner whose scale of good actions is light has no shelter, but Hell, and woe unto the one whose shelter is 'Hell'.

The term /hawiyah/ is based on /hawaya/ in the sense of 'to fall' and it is one of the names of Hell, because sinners fall into it and also, it denotes to the depth of the blazing fire of Hell.

The term /hamiyah/ is based on /hamy/ with the meaning of 'violent heat', and /hamiyah/, here refers to the extraordinary burning, hot fire of Hell.

In any case, the phrase

“And what makes you know what that (abyss) is?”

“(It is) a Raging Fire”

is an emphasis on the idea that chastisement of the Hereafter and the fire of Hell is beyond the consideration of all men.

Weighing the Good Deeds; the Deciding Factors

No doubt, the values of the deeds of good-doers are not the same. They are very different from each other. So, some good actions, which are the cause of the scales of deeds being heavier on the Day of Judgement, are emphasized on more than others.

(According to a tradition, commenting on the phrase

'there is no god, but Allah’

the holy Prophet (S) said:

“It points to the Oneness of Allah and no action is accepted by Allah without it. It is the word of virtue by which the scales of deeds will be weighed heavy on the Day of judgement.”4

In another tradition, from Hazrat Ali (as) about the attestation to the Oneness of Allah and the prophecy of the holy Prophet (S) he has said:

“The scales by which deeds are measured without these two are light and they are heavy with them.”5

Another tradition from Imam Baqir or Imam Sadiq (as) says:

“There is nothing on the scales heavier than the benediction upon Prophet Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad”.

Then, he continues saying:

“On the Day of Judgement some people will come for their account whose scale of (good) deeds are light, but, these will become heavy when the 'benediction upon Prophet Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad is added to it.”6

Supplication

O Lord! Change the scales of our good deeds to heavy from our love for Muhammad (S) and the progeny of Muhammad (as).

O Lord! It is impossible for us to approach the state of 'being in a life well-pleasing', but by Your Favor. Might You, Yourself, help us to reach it.

O Lord! The Fire of Hell is a blazing inferno and we cannot bear it. By Your Grace keep us far from it.

Notes

1. Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 530.

2. Bihar-al-Anwar, vol. 7, p. 251.

3. Nur-uth-Thaqalayn, vol. 2, p. 5.

4. Nuruth Thaqalayn. vol. 5, p. 659, tradition 12.

5. Nur-uth- Thaqalayn, vol. 5, p. 659, tradition 8.

6. Ibid. , tradition 7.

Surah Takathur, Chapter 102

(Vying in Exuberance)

Number of Verses: 8

Contents of the Surah

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

Numerous commentators believe that this Surah has been revealed in Mecca; then the subject mentioned in the Surah about vying and self-glorification is, customarily, referring to the tribes of Quraish who used to boast to each other, in vain, about worthless affairs.

But, some others, such as the late Tabarsi who cited his idea in Majma'-al-Bayan, believe that the Surah was revealed in Medina, and what is said is it about vying and boasting in each other's sight refers to the Jews or to two tribes among the 'Ansar'. But, regarding the close similarity that this Surah, being Meccan, has with the Meccan Suras, seems more proper.

The content of the Surah in general is firstly, a scorn on those people who, based on things of no value, boast to each other and secondly, there is a warning about the proposition of the Hereafter and the Hell-fire; and finally, warning that we will be questioned about the bounties in our life.

The name of the Surah is derived from the words in the first verse.

The Virtue of Studying Surah Takathur

On the virtue of reciting the Surah, a tradition from the Prophet (S) says:

“He who recites it, Allah will not account the bounties he was given in the world and He will award him such a reward as if he had recited one thousand verses (of the Qur'an).1

A tradition from Imam Sadiq (as) denotes that

“The recitation of this Surah in the obligatory and optional prayers has a reward similar to Martyrdom.”2

It is obvious that these total rewards are for the one who recites it, practices it in his daily life and harmonizes his mind and soul with it.

Surah Takathur, Verses 1-8

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ

حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ

كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

كَلَّا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ

لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ

ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ

ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ

1. “Engageth you (your) vying in exuberance.”

2. “Until you visit the graves.”

3. “Nay! You shall soon know,”

4. “Again, Nay! You shall soon know.”

5. “Nay! Were you to know with the knowledge of certainty, (you would beware!)”

6. “You shall certainly see the blazing fire,”

7. “Again, you will surely see it with certainty of sight!”

8. “Then, on that Day you will surely be questioned about the joy (you indulged in).”

The Occasion of Revelation

As we mentioned before, commentators believe that this Surah was revealed against the tribes who vied in boasting with one another and prided themselves on increasing their wealth, position, and the number of their adherents so to add to the number of men in each tribe, they even went to the cemetery and counted the tribal graves.

Some believe that the meaning refers to two tribes from the tribes of Quraish in Mecca, while some others think it refers to two tribes from the helpers of the Prophet (S), the Ansar, in Medina; and still, some relate it to the vying of the Jews to others, though to consider the Surah Meccan seems more appropriate.

But, it is certain that whatever these occasions of revelation could be, they never limit the meaning of the verse.

The Affliction of Vying in Exuberance!

In these verses, at first, in a scorning tone, it says:

“Engageth you (your) vying in exuberance”,

“Until you visit the graves”,

To enumerate the graves of your dead.

In commenting on the verse, this probability has also been conveyed that 'vying' has engaged them so much so that it will continuously persist until they enter their graves.

But, the first meaning,

'Until you visit the graves'

considering the occasion of revelation and also the words of Hazrat Ali (as) in Nahj-ul-Balagha, which will be dealt with later, is more fitting.

The term /alhakum/ is based on the root /lahw/ with the meaning of 'amusement, being busy with unimportant small things and neglectful of great aims and ideas.’ Raqib cites in Mufradat: “The word /lahw /means something that amuses one with itself and detains him from his real goals.”

The term /takathur/ is derived from, /kithrat/ with the sense of 'vying, glorifying and boasting in each other's sight'.

The term /zurtum/ is based on /ziyarat/ and /zaur/ which originally means 'the upper part of the chest' and later, it has been used in the sense of 'to visit' and 'to face with’.

The term /maqabir/ is the plural form of /maqbirah/ with the meaning of 'the place of the grave of a corpse'; and visiting the graves metaphorically means “death” (according to some commentaries), or it has the meaning of 'going to the graves in order to vie for the number of the dead'.

As it was said earlier, the second meaning seems more proper.

One of the evidences to this idea is the words of Hazrat Ali (as), on this matter, cited in Nahj-ul-Balagha, Sermon, No. 221, that after reciting

“Engageth you (your) vying in exuberance”,

“Until you visit the graves”,

he said:

“Row distant (from achievement) is their aim, how neglectful are these visitors and how difficult is the affair. They had not taken lessons from things which are full of lessons, but, they took them from far off places. Do they boast on the dead bodies of their forefathers, or do they regard the number of dead persons as a grounds for feeling boastful of their numbers?

They want to revive the bodies that have become spiritless and the moments that have ceased; those which are more entitled to be a source of lesson than a source of pride and those are more suitable for being a source of humility than of honour.”3

In the next verse they are severely threatened:

“Nay! You shall soon know,”

“Again, Nay! You shall soon know.”

A group of commentators have considered these two verses as a repetition and emphasis on one matter. They, in a general form, inform of the punishments waiting for these vying, proud people.

Some have related the first verse to the chastisement in the graves and purgatory after the death that Man is faced with, and the second to the punishment in the Hereafter.

It is narrated that Amir-al-Mo'mineen Ali (as), in a tradition, said:

“Some of us were in doubt about the chastisement in the grave until the time that Surah Takathur was revealed, (the verse) says:

‘Nay! You shall soon know'

which indicated (the punishment) in the grave, and (the verse)

‘Again, nay! You shall soon know'

(refers to it) in the Hereafter.”4

Then, it adds that it is not such as you vying, proud people think.

If you believed in the Hereafter and knew it with the you would never indulge in such vain affairs and vie for foolish things:

“Nay! Were you to know with the knowledge of certainty, (you would beware!)”.

Then, for a stronger warning and a more emphatic statement it says:

“You shall certainly see the blazing Fire,”

“Again, you will surely see it with certainty of sight!”

“Then, on that Day you will surely be questioned about the joy (you indulged in).”

On That Day, you must clarify how you enjoyed the bounties of Allah, in your life, and whether you used them in the way of obeying Allah or committing sin and consequently, wasting them.

Explanations

The Source of Vying

It is understood from the above verses that one of the main factors in vying and pride is ignorance of the rewards and punishments given by Allah, for our deeds and the lack of Faith in the Resurrection.

Besides, Man’s ignorance of his weaknesses, his creation and his final destiny are among the causes of the existence of this pride and vying. That is why the Holy Qur'an, to break this vying and pride, tells the story of the destruction of some earlier nations in different verses, and how they were simply vanished while they had much power and possibilities. They were destroyed by wind, lightening, earthquake, excessive rain and sometimes, small baked clay carried by little birds.

Yet, What is This Mass of Yying and Pride For?

Another factor for this status is the feeling of weakness and helplessness originating from defects some people have, themselves, and they want to cover them with vying and pride. Concerning this, a tradition from Imam Sadiq (as) says:

“No one is proud or behaves arrogantly except for the disgrace that he finds in himself.”5

Another tradition from Amir-al-Mo'mineen Ali (as) says:

“Two things have killed people: the fear of poverty (which forces man to gather wealth by any means and any way), and demanding pride.”6

And verily, this very unreasonable fear of poverty and vying between individuals, tribes, and societies are among the greatest causes of greed, lowliness, mammonism, destructive rivalries and many other social vices.

A tradition from the holy Prophet (S) says:

“I do not fear you for poverty, but I fear you because of lying.”7

All it was said before, the term 'Takathur' originally means 'vying', but, it is sometimes applied to the 'act of multiplying' especially in piling up wealth.

We conclude this subject with a meaningful tradition from the Prophet (S) who commenting on the verse

“Engageth you (your) vying in exuberance”

said:

“Man says 'My wealth, my wealth' but you have not from your wealth save the food you eat, what you wear, and what you spend in the way of Allah.”8

This is, of course, a delicate, interesting point that everyone's share from the total wealth he gathers and sometimes does not pay the least attention to whether it is lawful or unlawful, is only the very small portion that he eats, drinks, wears, and spends in the way of Allah; and knows that what he uses, himself, is little, then, it is better to increase his share by spending a part of it in the way of Allah; and the more the better.

Certitude and its Degrees

'Certitude' (yaqin)

is the opposite case to 'doubt' as 'knowledge' contrasts with 'ignorance', and means 'the clarity and positiveness of something'. According to what is understood from the Islamic narrations and traditions, one of the strongest features of Faith is called 'yaqin'.

Imam Baqir (as) said:

“Faith is one degree higher than IsIam, and 'Taqwa' virtue, is one degree higher than Faith, and yaqin', certitude, is one degree higher than 'taqwa’.

Then, he added:

“Nothing is divided less among people than certitude (yaqin)”.

Then, he (as) was asked what 'yaqin' meant and he replied:

“(It is) trust in Allah, obedience to Allah, well-pleasing with the Will of Allah, and leaving all of (one's) affairs to Allah”.9

This highness of the position of 'yaqin', certitude, to the positions of virtue, Faith, and Islam is somewhat like that which is mentioned and emphasized in other Islamic narrations, too.

From these statements and other evidences we clearly realize that when a person obtains the position of 'certitude' (yaqin) a special calmness and quietness fills his heart and his soul, completely.

In any event, certitude (yaqin) has degrees which are referred to in the verses of the Surah under discussion and in Surah Waqi'ah, No. 56, verse 95:

“Verily, this is the very truth and certainty”.

Certainty of knowledge (yaqin) has been described as having three stages:

1. Certitude of knowledge or certainty of mind ('Ilm-ul-yaqin) which is the Faith that a person obtains by various means such as the one who sees smoke and believes there is fire there.

2 Certainty of Sight ('Iym-ul-yaqin) which is what one sees with one's eyes; for instance, one sees the fire, himself.

3. The absolute truth of assured certainty (Haqq-ul-yaqin) which means the 'realization' or the 'knowledge proper' and is the personal experience as when the one who arrives in the fire oneself and feels the heat of it and takes the attributes of fire into his entity. This very state is the highest degree of 'yaqin'.

In fact, the first stage is general; the second stage is for pious people; and the third stage is for those who are in some way chosen above others.

A tradition from the Holy Prophet (S) denotes that some people asked him about a matter that they had heard about some of the companions of Prophet Jesus (as) who used to walk on water, and he (S) said:

“If their certitude was in a highest position they could walk in the air.”10

The late 'Alamah Tabatabai, after mentioning this tradition, adds that everything pivots on the certitude to Allah, the Glorified, and to know no other means of the effects of this world, but Allah. Therefore, the more the Faith and certainty, in a person, is the absolute power of Allah, the more objects, in this world, will be obedient to him.

And this is the secret of the relation of certitude (yaqin) and the 'extraordinary interference' in the world of creation.

All Will See Hell

The phrase /latarawonn-al-jahim/ has two different commentaries. The first is the observation of Hell in the Hereafter, by disbelievers, or generally for all humans and Jinn.

The second meaning is its observation by spiritual intuition in this very world. In this case the phrase is the answer to the conditional proposition.

It says:

“...Were you to know with the knowledge of certainty, (you would beware)”.

“You shall certainly see the blazing fire”

in this very life and with the sight of spiritual intuition, because we know that Paradise and Hell are prepared and exist just now.

But, as was said earlier, the first commentary is more fitting with the following verses which refer to the Day of Justice, therefore, this is a decisive proposition, not a conditional one.

What Bounties Are Asked About in the Hereafter?

The last verse, in this Surah, denotes that on Doomsday we will be questioned about the bounties we have incurred. Some have said that it means the bounty of health and mind-security; some others believe it refers to healthiness and security and finally, some have considered all bounties in its meaning.

A tradition from Hazrat Ali (as) says:

“Bounty (na'im)

is a 'ripe date' and 'cold water'“.

According to another tradition, Abu Hanifah asked Imam Sadiq (as) about the meaning of this verse, then, he (as) returned the question to him and asked him what he thought

/na'im/ ‘bounty'

was, and he replied that it was 'food' and 'cold water'.

Then, the Imam said that if Allah kept him before Him to ask him about every morsel he ate and every drop of drink he drank, his stay, there, would be very long.

Abu Hanifah asked again about the meaning of /na'im/ and Imam (as) said:

“It refers to us, Ahlul-Bait, for whom Allah has given His servants bounties, and made them united after they were diverse and joined their hearts together in brotherhood after they had been enemies (with each other) and He has guided them to Islam through us and this is the bounty that will not cease, and Allah asks them about the 'right' of the bounty which He has given them and guided them to Islam by us.

Yes,

'bounty'

is the Prophet (S) and his household.”11

The meaning of these apparently different traditions is that the term /na'im / has a very vast sense so that it covers all the divine bounties; from spiritual ones such as religion, Faith, Islam, Qur'an and vicegerency to material ones whether they are personal or social. But, the more important bounties like the bounty of 'Faith and vicegerency' are asked about more from them than if they had fulfilled their complete duty to them or not.

How could it be possible that these bounties would not be asked for when they are great, useful assets endowed to Man and each of which should be appreciated, thanked and used in their appropriate ways.

Supplication

O Lord! Shower upon us, ceaselessly, Your, unlimited bounties especially the bounty of 'Faith and vicegerency'.

O Lord! Give us the success of fulfilling our duties for them as their right is.

O Lord! Please increase these bounties for us and never deprive us from them.

Notes

1. Majma -al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 532.

2. Ibid.

3. Nah-jul-Balagha, Sermon No. 221 (Arabic version).

4. Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 534.

5. Usul al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 236, tradition 17.

6. Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol, 73, p, 290, tradition 12.

7. Durr-ul Manthur, vol, 6, p. 387.

8. Sahih-i-Muslim (as Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 534 quotes).

9. Bihar-al-Anwar, vol. 70, p. 138, tradition 4.

10. Al-Mizan, vol. 6, p. 200.

11. Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 535.

Surah Qari’ah, Chapter 101

(The Calamity)

Number of Verses: 11

Contents of Surah Qari'ah

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

This Surah, on the whole, describes the Resurrection Day and its preliminary events. The style is alarming and awakening with some clear warnings. According to this Surah, people are divided into two definite groups: Those whose good deeds weigh heavy by the Divine Scales will rejoice in a pleasant life; and those whose good deeds weigh light will have the abyss as their abode.

The name of the Surah, Al-Qariah, is taken from the first verse.

The Virtue of Studying this Surah

On the virtue of reciting the Surah, a tradition from Imam Baqir (as) says:

“He who recites Al-Qari'ah, Allah secures him from the calamity of (believing in) Dajjal (the deceiver) and also from the hideousness of Hell on the Day of Judgement, Allah willing,”1

Surah Qari’ah, Verses 1-11

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

الْقَارِعَةُ

مَا الْقَارِعَةُ

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْقَارِعَةُ

يَوْمَ يَكُونُ النَّاسُ كَالْفَرَاشِ الْمَبْثُوثِ

وَتَكُونُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِ الْمَنفُوشِ

فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ

فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ

فَأُمُّهُ هَاوِيَةٌ

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا هِيَهْ

نَارٌ حَامِيَةٌ

1. “The Calamity”

2. “What is the Calamity?”

3. “And what makes you aware of what the Calamity is?”

4. “(It is) a Day whereon men will be like moths scattered about,”

5. “And the mountains will be like carded wool.”

6. “So, he whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy,”

7. “He will be in a life well-pleasing.”

8. “And he whose scales (of good deeds) are light,”

9. “Then his abode will be Hawiyah' (the abyss).”

10. “And what makes you know what that (abyss) is?”

11. “(It is) a Raging Fire.”

The Calamity

In these verses, which are about the circumstances of the Judgement Day, first it says:

“The Calamity”

“What is the Calamity?”

The term /qari'ah/ is based on /qar'/ which means 'to beat or strike something on something else so that a sound is heard', hence 'whip' and 'hammer' are termed /miqra'ah/, and further, any important, grievous event is called /qari'ah/.

Regarding the senses put in verses 2 and 3 that even the holy Prophet (S) is told:

“And what makes you aware of what the Calamity is”,

clarifies the fact that this event is so great that no imagination can comprehend it.

In any event, many commentators have said that /qari'ah/ is one of the names of the Day of Judgement. They have not clarified that this sense refers to the events before the Hereafter when this world will be destroyed, the Sun and the Moon will become dark, and the seas will overflow. If it is so, the name selected for the event, Qari'ah, has a clear reason.

Or, if the purpose is the second stage, i.e., the resurrection of the dead and the new design in the world of being, the use of the word 'qari'ah' is for the reason that fear and terror of that Day will strike the hearts.

The verses following that verse partly agree with the incident of the world destruction, and partly refer to the resurrection of the dead, but, on the whole, the first probability seems more appropriate, though both incidents, in these verses, are mentioned one after another; (like many other verses of the Qur'an which inform about the Hereafter).

Then, to describe that amazing Day, it says:

“(It is) a Day whereon men will be like moths scattered about.”

The term /faras/ is the plural form of /farasah/. Many commentators have considered it as meaning 'moths' while some others have rendered it to mean 'locusts'.

The meaning of the word, itself, is the former one, of course, so they may have adapted it to the meaning in Surah Qamar, No. 54, verse 7 in which people, on That Day, are likened to 'scattered locusts':

“They will come forth - their eyes humbled - from their graves, (torpid) like locusts scattered abroad.”

It is probable that likening people to 'moths' is for the reason that the state of moths in a violent storm gives some idea of the confusion, distress, and helplessness of which men are overwhelmed with on the Day of Judgement.

Again, the question arises, here thus: is this confusion, distress and horrible helplessness because of the end of this physical world, or, is it because of the beginning of the spiritual world, the Hereafter?

The answer to the question is clearly found in what is said above.

Then, referring to another speciality of that Day, it says:

“And the mountains will be like carded wool.”

The term /ihn/ means 'colored wool', and the term /manfus/, based on /nafs/, means 'teased, carded (wool)’ which is usually done by special means on a wool-carder.

It was mentioned before that according to the different verses of Qur'an, at the threshold of the Hereafter, first, mountains will move, then, they will cleave as under and break into pieces, and finally they will turn into dust and scatter in the air, which, in this verse, is likened to colored-carded wool; the wool which travels with storms and will be seen only by its color. This is the last stage in the destruction of the mountains.

This idea may also refer to the various colors of the mountains, because the mountains, on the earth, range in color and each has a special color.

In any case, this meaning shows that the above verses speak about the first stage of the Hereafter; that is, the stage of destruction and the end of the world.

Then, reference is made to the Resurrection stage and the reviving of the dead and their division into two groups.

It says:

“So, he whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy,”

“He will be in a life well-pleasing.”

“And he whose scales (of good deeds) are light,”

“Then his abode will be 'Hawiyah' (the abyss).”

“And what makes you know what that (abyss) is?”

“(It is) a Raging Fire.”

The term /mawazin/ is the plural form of /mizan/ which means 'scales, balance'; an instrument which was used for weighing material things, at first, and then, figuratively, was used for measuring spiritual things, too.

Some believe that, on That Day, the deeds of Man will appear in the form of corporeal beings which can be weighed, and they will actually be weighed by deed-scales.

It is also considered that the record, itself, may be weighed and if it contains good deeds recorded, it weighs heavy, otherwise, it is light or weightless.

But, apparently, it does not need these explanations.

The instrument for measuring deeds is not necessarily the ordinary weighing which is done with two scales, but it can be by any means of weighing, as a tradition says:

“Amir-al-Mo'mineen and other Imams from his descendents (as) are the scales by which our deeds are measured.”2

A tradition from Imam Sadiq (as) denotes that when he was asked about the meaning of /mizan/ he answered:

“The scales and Justice are the same.”3

Thus, with the existence of Allah's saints and /or the divine laws of justice by which the deeds of Man are compared, will be weighed and valued due to their similarity and adaptability to them.

By the way, the term /mawazin/, in its plural form, shows that the saints of Allah and the divine laws are individually separate scales of measurement, otherwise, the variety of the form and kind of Man's attributes and deeds demand different means of measurement.

Raqib cites in Mufradat:

“In the Holy Qur’an /mizan/ is sometimes used in the singular and sometimes in the plural form; the former refers to the One Who reckons, the Lord, and the latter refers to those who are reckoned with.”

The term

/‘isat-ir-raqiyah/ ‘a life well-pleasing'

used in the verse, is a very interesting sense about the favourable life of the good-doers in Heaven which is thoroughly calm and peasant.

It is so pleasant that the life, itself, is

'well-pleasing',

which is the subjective case, instead of being 'well-pleased', which is the objective case.

This great privilege is only for the next life, because however much happy, favourable, safe, and pleasant the life of this world may be, it is still not free from many unpleasant factors. It is only the next-world-life that is thoroughly favourable, happy, and pleasant with full safety, tranquility and bounty.

The word

/umm/ ‘mother',

mentioned in the verse, is for the reason that mother is generally a shelter for the child when. There is trouble and here it indicates that the sinner whose scale of good actions is light has no shelter, but Hell, and woe unto the one whose shelter is 'Hell'.

The term /hawiyah/ is based on /hawaya/ in the sense of 'to fall' and it is one of the names of Hell, because sinners fall into it and also, it denotes to the depth of the blazing fire of Hell.

The term /hamiyah/ is based on /hamy/ with the meaning of 'violent heat', and /hamiyah/, here refers to the extraordinary burning, hot fire of Hell.

In any case, the phrase

“And what makes you know what that (abyss) is?”

“(It is) a Raging Fire”

is an emphasis on the idea that chastisement of the Hereafter and the fire of Hell is beyond the consideration of all men.

Weighing the Good Deeds; the Deciding Factors

No doubt, the values of the deeds of good-doers are not the same. They are very different from each other. So, some good actions, which are the cause of the scales of deeds being heavier on the Day of Judgement, are emphasized on more than others.

(According to a tradition, commenting on the phrase

'there is no god, but Allah’

the holy Prophet (S) said:

“It points to the Oneness of Allah and no action is accepted by Allah without it. It is the word of virtue by which the scales of deeds will be weighed heavy on the Day of judgement.”4

In another tradition, from Hazrat Ali (as) about the attestation to the Oneness of Allah and the prophecy of the holy Prophet (S) he has said:

“The scales by which deeds are measured without these two are light and they are heavy with them.”5

Another tradition from Imam Baqir or Imam Sadiq (as) says:

“There is nothing on the scales heavier than the benediction upon Prophet Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad”.

Then, he continues saying:

“On the Day of Judgement some people will come for their account whose scale of (good) deeds are light, but, these will become heavy when the 'benediction upon Prophet Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad is added to it.”6

Supplication

O Lord! Change the scales of our good deeds to heavy from our love for Muhammad (S) and the progeny of Muhammad (as).

O Lord! It is impossible for us to approach the state of 'being in a life well-pleasing', but by Your Favor. Might You, Yourself, help us to reach it.

O Lord! The Fire of Hell is a blazing inferno and we cannot bear it. By Your Grace keep us far from it.

Notes

1. Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 530.

2. Bihar-al-Anwar, vol. 7, p. 251.

3. Nur-uth-Thaqalayn, vol. 2, p. 5.

4. Nuruth Thaqalayn. vol. 5, p. 659, tradition 12.

5. Nur-uth- Thaqalayn, vol. 5, p. 659, tradition 8.

6. Ibid. , tradition 7.

Surah Takathur, Chapter 102

(Vying in Exuberance)

Number of Verses: 8

Contents of the Surah

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

Numerous commentators believe that this Surah has been revealed in Mecca; then the subject mentioned in the Surah about vying and self-glorification is, customarily, referring to the tribes of Quraish who used to boast to each other, in vain, about worthless affairs.

But, some others, such as the late Tabarsi who cited his idea in Majma'-al-Bayan, believe that the Surah was revealed in Medina, and what is said is it about vying and boasting in each other's sight refers to the Jews or to two tribes among the 'Ansar'. But, regarding the close similarity that this Surah, being Meccan, has with the Meccan Suras, seems more proper.

The content of the Surah in general is firstly, a scorn on those people who, based on things of no value, boast to each other and secondly, there is a warning about the proposition of the Hereafter and the Hell-fire; and finally, warning that we will be questioned about the bounties in our life.

The name of the Surah is derived from the words in the first verse.

The Virtue of Studying Surah Takathur

On the virtue of reciting the Surah, a tradition from the Prophet (S) says:

“He who recites it, Allah will not account the bounties he was given in the world and He will award him such a reward as if he had recited one thousand verses (of the Qur'an).1

A tradition from Imam Sadiq (as) denotes that

“The recitation of this Surah in the obligatory and optional prayers has a reward similar to Martyrdom.”2

It is obvious that these total rewards are for the one who recites it, practices it in his daily life and harmonizes his mind and soul with it.

Surah Takathur, Verses 1-8

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful

أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ

حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ

كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

كَلَّا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ

لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ

ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ

ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ

1. “Engageth you (your) vying in exuberance.”

2. “Until you visit the graves.”

3. “Nay! You shall soon know,”

4. “Again, Nay! You shall soon know.”

5. “Nay! Were you to know with the knowledge of certainty, (you would beware!)”

6. “You shall certainly see the blazing fire,”

7. “Again, you will surely see it with certainty of sight!”

8. “Then, on that Day you will surely be questioned about the joy (you indulged in).”

The Occasion of Revelation

As we mentioned before, commentators believe that this Surah was revealed against the tribes who vied in boasting with one another and prided themselves on increasing their wealth, position, and the number of their adherents so to add to the number of men in each tribe, they even went to the cemetery and counted the tribal graves.

Some believe that the meaning refers to two tribes from the tribes of Quraish in Mecca, while some others think it refers to two tribes from the helpers of the Prophet (S), the Ansar, in Medina; and still, some relate it to the vying of the Jews to others, though to consider the Surah Meccan seems more appropriate.

But, it is certain that whatever these occasions of revelation could be, they never limit the meaning of the verse.

The Affliction of Vying in Exuberance!

In these verses, at first, in a scorning tone, it says:

“Engageth you (your) vying in exuberance”,

“Until you visit the graves”,

To enumerate the graves of your dead.

In commenting on the verse, this probability has also been conveyed that 'vying' has engaged them so much so that it will continuously persist until they enter their graves.

But, the first meaning,

'Until you visit the graves'

considering the occasion of revelation and also the words of Hazrat Ali (as) in Nahj-ul-Balagha, which will be dealt with later, is more fitting.

The term /alhakum/ is based on the root /lahw/ with the meaning of 'amusement, being busy with unimportant small things and neglectful of great aims and ideas.’ Raqib cites in Mufradat: “The word /lahw /means something that amuses one with itself and detains him from his real goals.”

The term /takathur/ is derived from, /kithrat/ with the sense of 'vying, glorifying and boasting in each other's sight'.

The term /zurtum/ is based on /ziyarat/ and /zaur/ which originally means 'the upper part of the chest' and later, it has been used in the sense of 'to visit' and 'to face with’.

The term /maqabir/ is the plural form of /maqbirah/ with the meaning of 'the place of the grave of a corpse'; and visiting the graves metaphorically means “death” (according to some commentaries), or it has the meaning of 'going to the graves in order to vie for the number of the dead'.

As it was said earlier, the second meaning seems more proper.

One of the evidences to this idea is the words of Hazrat Ali (as), on this matter, cited in Nahj-ul-Balagha, Sermon, No. 221, that after reciting

“Engageth you (your) vying in exuberance”,

“Until you visit the graves”,

he said:

“Row distant (from achievement) is their aim, how neglectful are these visitors and how difficult is the affair. They had not taken lessons from things which are full of lessons, but, they took them from far off places. Do they boast on the dead bodies of their forefathers, or do they regard the number of dead persons as a grounds for feeling boastful of their numbers?

They want to revive the bodies that have become spiritless and the moments that have ceased; those which are more entitled to be a source of lesson than a source of pride and those are more suitable for being a source of humility than of honour.”3

In the next verse they are severely threatened:

“Nay! You shall soon know,”

“Again, Nay! You shall soon know.”

A group of commentators have considered these two verses as a repetition and emphasis on one matter. They, in a general form, inform of the punishments waiting for these vying, proud people.

Some have related the first verse to the chastisement in the graves and purgatory after the death that Man is faced with, and the second to the punishment in the Hereafter.

It is narrated that Amir-al-Mo'mineen Ali (as), in a tradition, said:

“Some of us were in doubt about the chastisement in the grave until the time that Surah Takathur was revealed, (the verse) says:

‘Nay! You shall soon know'

which indicated (the punishment) in the grave, and (the verse)

‘Again, nay! You shall soon know'

(refers to it) in the Hereafter.”4

Then, it adds that it is not such as you vying, proud people think.

If you believed in the Hereafter and knew it with the you would never indulge in such vain affairs and vie for foolish things:

“Nay! Were you to know with the knowledge of certainty, (you would beware!)”.

Then, for a stronger warning and a more emphatic statement it says:

“You shall certainly see the blazing Fire,”

“Again, you will surely see it with certainty of sight!”

“Then, on that Day you will surely be questioned about the joy (you indulged in).”

On That Day, you must clarify how you enjoyed the bounties of Allah, in your life, and whether you used them in the way of obeying Allah or committing sin and consequently, wasting them.

Explanations

The Source of Vying

It is understood from the above verses that one of the main factors in vying and pride is ignorance of the rewards and punishments given by Allah, for our deeds and the lack of Faith in the Resurrection.

Besides, Man’s ignorance of his weaknesses, his creation and his final destiny are among the causes of the existence of this pride and vying. That is why the Holy Qur'an, to break this vying and pride, tells the story of the destruction of some earlier nations in different verses, and how they were simply vanished while they had much power and possibilities. They were destroyed by wind, lightening, earthquake, excessive rain and sometimes, small baked clay carried by little birds.

Yet, What is This Mass of Yying and Pride For?

Another factor for this status is the feeling of weakness and helplessness originating from defects some people have, themselves, and they want to cover them with vying and pride. Concerning this, a tradition from Imam Sadiq (as) says:

“No one is proud or behaves arrogantly except for the disgrace that he finds in himself.”5

Another tradition from Amir-al-Mo'mineen Ali (as) says:

“Two things have killed people: the fear of poverty (which forces man to gather wealth by any means and any way), and demanding pride.”6

And verily, this very unreasonable fear of poverty and vying between individuals, tribes, and societies are among the greatest causes of greed, lowliness, mammonism, destructive rivalries and many other social vices.

A tradition from the holy Prophet (S) says:

“I do not fear you for poverty, but I fear you because of lying.”7

All it was said before, the term 'Takathur' originally means 'vying', but, it is sometimes applied to the 'act of multiplying' especially in piling up wealth.

We conclude this subject with a meaningful tradition from the Prophet (S) who commenting on the verse

“Engageth you (your) vying in exuberance”

said:

“Man says 'My wealth, my wealth' but you have not from your wealth save the food you eat, what you wear, and what you spend in the way of Allah.”8

This is, of course, a delicate, interesting point that everyone's share from the total wealth he gathers and sometimes does not pay the least attention to whether it is lawful or unlawful, is only the very small portion that he eats, drinks, wears, and spends in the way of Allah; and knows that what he uses, himself, is little, then, it is better to increase his share by spending a part of it in the way of Allah; and the more the better.

Certitude and its Degrees

'Certitude' (yaqin)

is the opposite case to 'doubt' as 'knowledge' contrasts with 'ignorance', and means 'the clarity and positiveness of something'. According to what is understood from the Islamic narrations and traditions, one of the strongest features of Faith is called 'yaqin'.

Imam Baqir (as) said:

“Faith is one degree higher than IsIam, and 'Taqwa' virtue, is one degree higher than Faith, and yaqin', certitude, is one degree higher than 'taqwa’.

Then, he added:

“Nothing is divided less among people than certitude (yaqin)”.

Then, he (as) was asked what 'yaqin' meant and he replied:

“(It is) trust in Allah, obedience to Allah, well-pleasing with the Will of Allah, and leaving all of (one's) affairs to Allah”.9

This highness of the position of 'yaqin', certitude, to the positions of virtue, Faith, and Islam is somewhat like that which is mentioned and emphasized in other Islamic narrations, too.

From these statements and other evidences we clearly realize that when a person obtains the position of 'certitude' (yaqin) a special calmness and quietness fills his heart and his soul, completely.

In any event, certitude (yaqin) has degrees which are referred to in the verses of the Surah under discussion and in Surah Waqi'ah, No. 56, verse 95:

“Verily, this is the very truth and certainty”.

Certainty of knowledge (yaqin) has been described as having three stages:

1. Certitude of knowledge or certainty of mind ('Ilm-ul-yaqin) which is the Faith that a person obtains by various means such as the one who sees smoke and believes there is fire there.

2 Certainty of Sight ('Iym-ul-yaqin) which is what one sees with one's eyes; for instance, one sees the fire, himself.

3. The absolute truth of assured certainty (Haqq-ul-yaqin) which means the 'realization' or the 'knowledge proper' and is the personal experience as when the one who arrives in the fire oneself and feels the heat of it and takes the attributes of fire into his entity. This very state is the highest degree of 'yaqin'.

In fact, the first stage is general; the second stage is for pious people; and the third stage is for those who are in some way chosen above others.

A tradition from the Holy Prophet (S) denotes that some people asked him about a matter that they had heard about some of the companions of Prophet Jesus (as) who used to walk on water, and he (S) said:

“If their certitude was in a highest position they could walk in the air.”10

The late 'Alamah Tabatabai, after mentioning this tradition, adds that everything pivots on the certitude to Allah, the Glorified, and to know no other means of the effects of this world, but Allah. Therefore, the more the Faith and certainty, in a person, is the absolute power of Allah, the more objects, in this world, will be obedient to him.

And this is the secret of the relation of certitude (yaqin) and the 'extraordinary interference' in the world of creation.

All Will See Hell

The phrase /latarawonn-al-jahim/ has two different commentaries. The first is the observation of Hell in the Hereafter, by disbelievers, or generally for all humans and Jinn.

The second meaning is its observation by spiritual intuition in this very world. In this case the phrase is the answer to the conditional proposition.

It says:

“...Were you to know with the knowledge of certainty, (you would beware)”.

“You shall certainly see the blazing fire”

in this very life and with the sight of spiritual intuition, because we know that Paradise and Hell are prepared and exist just now.

But, as was said earlier, the first commentary is more fitting with the following verses which refer to the Day of Justice, therefore, this is a decisive proposition, not a conditional one.

What Bounties Are Asked About in the Hereafter?

The last verse, in this Surah, denotes that on Doomsday we will be questioned about the bounties we have incurred. Some have said that it means the bounty of health and mind-security; some others believe it refers to healthiness and security and finally, some have considered all bounties in its meaning.

A tradition from Hazrat Ali (as) says:

“Bounty (na'im)

is a 'ripe date' and 'cold water'“.

According to another tradition, Abu Hanifah asked Imam Sadiq (as) about the meaning of this verse, then, he (as) returned the question to him and asked him what he thought

/na'im/ ‘bounty'

was, and he replied that it was 'food' and 'cold water'.

Then, the Imam said that if Allah kept him before Him to ask him about every morsel he ate and every drop of drink he drank, his stay, there, would be very long.

Abu Hanifah asked again about the meaning of /na'im/ and Imam (as) said:

“It refers to us, Ahlul-Bait, for whom Allah has given His servants bounties, and made them united after they were diverse and joined their hearts together in brotherhood after they had been enemies (with each other) and He has guided them to Islam through us and this is the bounty that will not cease, and Allah asks them about the 'right' of the bounty which He has given them and guided them to Islam by us.

Yes,

'bounty'

is the Prophet (S) and his household.”11

The meaning of these apparently different traditions is that the term /na'im / has a very vast sense so that it covers all the divine bounties; from spiritual ones such as religion, Faith, Islam, Qur'an and vicegerency to material ones whether they are personal or social. But, the more important bounties like the bounty of 'Faith and vicegerency' are asked about more from them than if they had fulfilled their complete duty to them or not.

How could it be possible that these bounties would not be asked for when they are great, useful assets endowed to Man and each of which should be appreciated, thanked and used in their appropriate ways.

Supplication

O Lord! Shower upon us, ceaselessly, Your, unlimited bounties especially the bounty of 'Faith and vicegerency'.

O Lord! Give us the success of fulfilling our duties for them as their right is.

O Lord! Please increase these bounties for us and never deprive us from them.

Notes

1. Majma -al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 532.

2. Ibid.

3. Nah-jul-Balagha, Sermon No. 221 (Arabic version).

4. Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 534.

5. Usul al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 236, tradition 17.

6. Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol, 73, p, 290, tradition 12.

7. Durr-ul Manthur, vol, 6, p. 387.

8. Sahih-i-Muslim (as Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 534 quotes).

9. Bihar-al-Anwar, vol. 70, p. 138, tradition 4.

10. Al-Mizan, vol. 6, p. 200.

11. Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 535.