Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

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Al-Mizan An Exegesis of the Qur'an, vol 3

From Suratul Baqarah (2), verse 183 to Suratul Baqarah (2), 223

The tafseer of Surah al-Baqarah continues in the third volume with the exposition of verses 183-185 and the volume ends with the commentary of verses 222-223 of the same Surah.Translated by Allamah Sayyid Sa'eed Akhtar Rizvi.

Author(s): Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabataba'i

Translator(s): Allamah Sayyid Sa'eed Akhtar Rizvi

Publisher(s): World Organization for Islamic Services [W.O.F.I.S.]

www.alhassanain.org/english

English translation

First edition 1982/1402

Translated from the Arabic

al-Mizān fī tafsīri ’l-Qur’ān,

Beirut, 1393/1973 (3rd ed. )

Published by:

World Organization for Islamic Services, P. O. Box No. 11165-1545, Tehran – IRAN.

Features of Volume 3:

The tafseer of Surah al-Baqarah continues in the third volume with the exposition of verses 183-185 and the volume ends with the commentary of verses 222-223 of the same Surah.

The discussions of this volume are concerning the following subjects:

The revelation of the Qur'an in the month of Ramadan and on the Night of Power(laylat al-qadr) with special emphasis on its stage by stage revelation; meaning of du'a'-supplication; private ownership as one of the permanent social institutions;jihad , as enjoined by the Qur'an; the social necessity of defense;mut'ah (temporary marriage);hajj -generality of its laws; the problem ofraj'ah (resurrection) and refutation of the doubts expressed by some people against it. There is a comprehensive discussion about the reality of human existence, and the history of mankind, the origin of human existence and general human characteristics, emergence of differences among human beings, human life in the Hereafter and other such issues have been fully investigated. 'Allamah Tabataba'I has expressed his scholarly opinion regarding these issues and analyzed them with remarkable insight.

There is a significant discussion regarding the problem of prophethood, which has been discussed from various angles, such as the Qur'anic, philosophical and social.

Allamah Tabataba'I has also analyzed in detail the purport of the verse:

“….And whoso becomes a renegade and dies in his disbelief: such are they whose works have fallen both in the world and Hereafter….” (2:217)

With reference to this verse, he has dealt with the problem of the futility of actions. In this context he has discussed the Qur'anic injunctions concerning the acts and other related problems at a high academic level and estimated them carefully.]

In the Name of Allāh,

The All-compassionate, The All-merciful

Praise belongs to Allāh, the Lord of all being;

the All-compassionate, the All-merciful;

the Master of the Day of Judgement;

Thee only we serve, and to Thee alone we pray

for succour:

Guide us in the straight path;

the path of those whom Thou hast blessed,

not of those against whom Thou art wrathful,

nor of those who are astray.

* * * * *

O’ Allāh! send your blessings to the head of

your messengers and the last of

your prophets,

Muhammad and his pure and cleansed progeny.

Also send your blessings to all your

prophets and envoys.

Notice:

This version is published on behalf of www.alhassanain.org/english

The composing errors are not corrected.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TRANSLITERATION 10

FOREWORD [IN ARABIC] 11

FOREWORD 13

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verses 183-185 15

GENERAL COMMENT 15

COMMENTARY 17

TRADITIONS 34

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verse 186 40

COMMENTARY 40

TRADITIONS 44

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verse 187 53

COMMENTARY 53

TRADITIONS 58

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verse 188 60

COMMENTARY 60

TRADITIONS 61

Discourse on Social Science 62

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verse 189 63

COMMENTARY 63

TRADITIONS 65

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verses 190-195 67

GENERAL COMMENT 67

COMMENTARY 68

THE WAR, AS ORDAINED BY THE QUR’ĀN 72

FROM THE SOCIOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW 76

TRADITIONS 78

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verses 196-203 81

COMMENTARY 82

TRADITIONS 89

TRADITIONS ON MUT’ATU’L-HAJJ 93

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verses 204-207 102

COMMENTARY 102

TRADITIONS 105

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verses 208-210 108

COMMENTARY 108

TRADITIONS 112

OTHER TRADITIONS 113

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verses 211-212 117

COMMENTARY 117

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verse 213 119

GENERAL COMMENT 119

HOW MANKIND CAME INTO BEING 120

HIS COMPOSITION FROM SOUL AND BODY 120

HIS PERCEPTION AND CONNECTION WITH OTHER THINGS 121

HIS PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE 121

HIS EXPLOITATION OF OTHER THINGS 123

MAN IS SOCIAL BY NATURE 123

DIFFERENCE AMONG HUMAN BEINGS 124

RELIGION REMOVES THE DIFFERENCE 125

DIFFERENCE IN RELIGION ITSELF 127

MAN AFTER THIS WORLD 128

COMMENTARY 128

SINLESSNESS OF THE PROPHETS 137

ABOUT PROPHETHOOD 143

TRADITIONS 146

PROPHETHOOD: FROM A PHILOSOPHICAL POINT OF VIEW 151

SOCIOLOGICAL ARGUMENTS ABOUT PROPHETHOOD 152

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verse 214 160

COMMENTARY 160

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verse 215 162

COMMENTARY 162

TRADITIONS 164

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verses 216-218 166

COMMENTARY 166

FORFEITURE OF DEEDS 170

AN ESSAY ON THE RULES GOVERNING ACTIONS 173

A) About Their Reward and Punishment: 173

B) Actions preserved, written and embodied: 181

C) Relation between actions and. ‘‘natural’’ phenomena: 181

D) Actions with reference to happiness and misery: 185

E) Actions with reference to reason: 188

TRADITIONS 188

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verses 219-220 192

COMMENTARY 192

TRADITIONS 199

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verse 221 203

COMMENTARY 203

TRADITIONS 207

Volume 3: Surah Baqarah, Verse 222-223 208

COMMENTARY 208

TRADITIONS 215

Notes 222

LIST OF THE IMPORTANT SUBJECTS DEALT WITH IN THIS VOLUME 223

APPENDIX “A” 226

APPENDIX “B” 229

TRANSLITERATION

FOREWORD [IN ARABIC]

FOREWORD

1. al-‘Allāmah as-Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabātabā’ī (1321/1904 - 1402/1981) - may Allāh have mercy upon him was a famous scholar, thinker and the most celebrated contemporary Islamic philosopher. We have introduced him briefly in the first volume of the English translation of al-Mīzān which will be published, by the help of Allāh, in the near future.

2. al-‘Allāmah at-Tabātabā’ī is well-known for a number of his works of which the most important is his great exegesis al-Mīzān fī tafsīri ’l-Qur’ān which is rightly counted as the fundamental pillar of scholarly work which the ‘Allāmah has achieved in the Islamic world.

3. We felt the necessity of publishing an exegesis of the Holy Qur’ān in English. After a thorough consultation, we came to choose al-Mīzān because we found that it contained in itself, to a considerable extent, the points which should necessarily be expounded in a perfect exegesis of the Holy Qur’ān and the points which appeal to the mind of the contemporary Muslim reader. Therefore, we proposed to al-Ustādh al-‘Allāmah as-Sayyid Sa‘īd Akhtar ar-Radawī to undertake this task because we were familiar with his intellectual ability to understand the Arabic text of al-Mīzān and his literary capability in expression and translation. So we relied on him for this work and consider him responsible for the English translation as al-‘Allāmah at-Tabātabā’ī was responsible for the Arabic text of al-Mīzān and its discussions.

4. We have proceeded to publish the translation of the second volume of the Arabic al-Mīzān earlier as it was ready for printing, whereas the first volume is not ready yet for the reasons which we do not wish to state here. So we saw no reason in delaying its printing. We have included two appendixes: one for the authors cited in all the volumes of al-Mīzān, and the other for the books cited therein. These two appendixes have been attached to the first volume of the English translation. Apart from this, the reader will find two appendixes in all the volumes of the translation of al-Mīzān.

* * * *

We implore upon Allāh to effect our work purely for His pleasure, and to help us to complete this work which we have started. May Allāh guide us in this step which we have taken and in the future steps, for He is the best Master and the best Helper.

WORLD ORGANIZATION FOR ISLAMIC SERVICES

(Board of Writing, Translation and Publication )

6/4/1402

1/2/1982.

Tehran-IRAN.

Volume Three

ch.2, vrs. I83-223

[SURHA BAQARAH]