A Qur'anic Commentary (Sura 11)
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This is a commentary from the "Qur'an-aloner" perspective. It presents interpretations of all ayat relevant to the argument. I have altered the previous ones slightly and they can be found here
Sura 1 & 2
http//allpoetry.com/column/show/2364504mSura 3
http//allpoetry.com/column/show/2364515Sura 4
http//allpoetry.com/column/show/2364524Sura 5
http//allpoetry.com/column/show/2364530Sura 6
http//allpoetry.com/column/show/2364611Sura 7
http//allpoetry.com/column/2364615Sura 8
http//allpoetry.com/column/show/2364623Sura 9
http//allpoetry.com/column/show/2364641Sura 10
http//allpoetry.com/column/2364749Sura 11 (this one)
http//allpoetry.com/column/2364780Prayer according to the Qur'an alone
http//allpoetry.com/column/2364536Feel free to copy, paste and use as you wish.
?Alif Lam Ra a Book, whose verses are made decisive, then are they made plain, from the Wise, All-aware?
1
The ordinance of the Qur?an is absolute and final. What is in the Qur?an cannot be changed, and once it is there it will remain there. There is no doctrine of ?abrogation?. The ayat are clarified by the Wise. He is wise and thus He delivers the wisdom (the wisdom (al hikma) comes from Allah (SWT) through the Qur?an (1739, 3334, 362, 434, 4363, 545). It is (in part) the ability to recognise truth and to adhere to it (2269, 1912, 2621, 2683, 2814, 312, 3112, 3820). See also 1722-38 for specific examples of wisdom).
?That you shall not serve but Allah; surely I am a warner for you from Him and a giver of good news, and you that ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn to Him; He will provide you with a goodly provision to an appointed term and bestow His grace on every one endowed with grace, and if you turn back, then surely I fear for you the chastisement of a great day.?
2-3
We should serve none but Allah (SWT) (therefore we must accept no source of religion other than the Qur?an). The Messengers are but plain warners and we should ask forgiveness from Him and not from (or through) them.
?And there is no animal in the earth but on Allah is the sustenance of it, and He knows its resting place and its depository all are in a manifest Book.?
6
This is the ?Master Book? wherein all things are recorded (659, 1061, 1849).
?And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods-- and His dominion on the water-- that He might manifest to you, which of you is best in action, and if you say, surely you shall be raised up after death, those who disbelieve would certainly say This is nothing but clear magic.?
7
Allah (SWT) will manifest who is best in action through the Criterion (the Qur?an) (253).
?Then, it may be that you will give up part of what is revealed to you and your breast will become straitened by it because they say Why has not a treasure been sent down upon him or an angel come with him? You are only a warner; and Allah is custodian over all things. Or, do they say He has forged it. Say Then bring ten forged chapters like it and call upon whom you can besides Allah, if you are truthful. But if they do not answer you, then know that it is revealed by Allah's knowledge and that there is no god but He; will you then submit??
12-14
We should believe all of the Qur?an. The Messenger is only a warner and does not create religion himself. Idol-worshippers say that Muhammad (SAW) has forged it, but they would not need to say this if he simply created laws himself (hence the Qur?an is the only Revelation/source of religious law). Whoever claims to bear another source of religious law must present something equal to the Qur?an. If this cannot be done (and it will not (223-24)), then the person is false.
?Can they be like he who has with him clear proof from his Lord, and for whom a witness from Him recites it and before it the Book of Musa, a guide and a mercy? These believe in it; and whoever of the parties disbelieves in it, surely it is the truth from your Lord, but most men do not believe. And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah? These shall be brought before their Lord, and the witnesses shall say These are they who lied against their Lord. Now surely the curse of Allah is on the unjust. Who turn away from the path of Allah and desire to make it crooked; and they are disbelievers in the hereafter. These shall not escape in the earth, nor shall they have any guardians besides Allah; the punishment shall be doubled for them, they could not bear to hear and they did not see.?
17-20
The Qur?an is clear proof of Allah (SWT) and it is a guide and mercy. It is no different to the other Books (12111) and thus does not require ahadith. Different sects will disbelieve in it, but it is the truth. Those who create other sources of religion thus forge a lie and work to make the path of Allah (SWT) crooked. Such people will never benefit from intercession.
?And certainly We sent Nuh to his people Surely I am a plain warner for you That you shall not serve any but Allah, surely I fear for you the punishment of a painful day. But the chiefs of those who disbelieved from among his people said We do not consider you but a mortal like ourselves, and we do not see any have followed you but those who are the meanest of us at first thought and we do not see in you any excellence over us; nay, we deem you liars. He said O my people! tell me if I have with me clear proof from my Lord, and He has granted me mercy from Himself and it has been made obscure to you; shall we constrain you to it while you are averse from it? And, O my people! I ask you not for wealth in return for it; my reward is only with Allah and I am not going to drive away those who believe; surely they shall meet their Lord, but I consider you a people who are ignorant And, O my people! who will help me against Allah if I drive them away? Will you not then mind? And I do not say to you that I have the treasures of Allah and I do not know the unseen, nor do I say that I am an angel, nor do I say about those whom your eyes hold in mean estimation Allah will never grant them good-- Allah knows best what is in their souls-- for then most surely I should be of the unjust.?
25-31
Messengers are but plain warners. They do not create or embellish religion in any way but simply confirm that Allah (SWT) is the only source (of religion and religious law). The Message is clear proof but it is made obscure to disbelievers. Messengers do not know the unseen (except that which is revealed for us to follow).
?And if I intend to give you good advice, my advice will not profit you if Allah intended that He should leave you to go astray; He is your Lord, and to Him shall you be returned. Or do they say He has forged it? Say If I have forged it, on me is my guilt, and I am clear of that of which you are guilty.?
34-35
The good advice is to follow the mandate of Allah (SWT) and an example is in 769 as well as 773-79 and 785-93. Messengers cannot guide people; only Allah (SWT) can guide people (He does this through the Message). The good advice must be Revelation or else they would not say ?He has forged it!?
?These are announcements relating to the unseen which We reveal to you, you did not know them-- you nor your people-- before this; therefore be patient; surely the end is for those who guard . And to Ad their brother Hud. He said O my people! serve Allah, you have no god other than He; you are nothing but forgers .?
49-50
Messengers know nil of the unseen except what is revealed to them (which is revealed to us as the Message). We should serve Allah (SWT) alone, and those who follow else follow untruths.
?They said O Hud! you have not brought to us any clear argument and we are not going to desert our gods for your word, and we are not believers in you.?
53
Idol-worshippers do not think that the Message is clear.
?Surely I rely on Allah, my Lord and your Lord; there is no living creature but He holds it by its forelock; surely my Lord is on the right path.?
56
Only Allah (SWT) can guide people, and He leads on the right path.
?But if you turn back, then indeed I have delivered to you the message with which I have been sent to you, and my Lord will bring another people in your place, and you cannot do Him any harm; surely my Lord is the Preserver of all things. And when Our decree came to pass, We delivered Hud and those who believed with him with mercy from Us, and We delivered them from a hard chastisement. And this was Ad; they denied the communications of their Lord, and disobeyed His messengers and followed the bidding of every insolent opposer .?
57-59
The sole mission of Messengers is to deliver Allah?s (SWT) Message. Those who do not obey the Messages disobey Allah (SWT) and His Messengers. See (notes for) 331-32 and 459.
?And to Samood their brother Salih. He said O my people! serve Allah, you have no god other than He; He brought you into being from the earth, and made you dwell in it, therefore ask forgiveness of Him, then turn to Him; surely my Lord is Nigh, Answering. They said O Salih! surely you were one amongst us in whom great expectations were placed before this; do you forbid us from worshipping what our fathers worshipped? And as to that which you call us to, most surely we are in disquieting doubt. He said O my people! tell me if I have clear proof from my Lord and He has granted to me mercy from Himself-- who will then help me against Allah if I
disobey Him??61-63
Muslims must obey Allah (SWT) alone, but idol-worshippers practice what their parents practice. The Message is clear and Messengers abide only by the Revelation of Allah (SWT).
?And to Madyan their brother Shu'aib. He said O my people! serve Allah, you have no god other than He, and do not give short measure and weight surely I see you in prosperity and surely I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing day. And, O my people! give full measure and weight fairly, and defraud not men their things, and do not act corruptly in the land, making mischief What remains with Allah is better for you if you are believers, and I am not a keeper over you. They said O Shu'aib! does your prayer enjoin you that we should forsake what our fathers worshipped or that we should not do what we please with regard to our property? Forsooth you are the forbearing, the right-directing one. He said O my people! have you considered if I have a clear proof from my Lord and He has given me a goodly sustenance from Himself, and I do not desire that in opposition to you I should betake myself to that which I forbid you I desire nothing but reform so far as I am able, and with none but Allah is the direction of my affair to a right issue; on Him do I rely and to Him do I turn.?
84-88
Muslims must serve Allah (SWT) alone. A Messenger is not a keeper over them since he relies on Allah (SWT) and the Message alone. However he gives good advice (forbidding things through the Message) and a clear proof. Thus in this way ?obeying the Messenger? is obeying Allah (SWT) (see 480).
?And certainly We sent Musa with Our communications and a clear authority.?
96
Messengers carry the authority of the Message.
?Therefore be not in doubt as to what these worship; they do not worship but as their fathers worshipped before; and most surely We will pay them back in full their portion undiminished. And certainly We gave the book to Musa, but it was gone against; and had not a word gone forth from your Lord, the matter would surely have been decided between them; and surely they are in a disquieting doubt about it.?
109-110
Idol-worshippers follow traditions blindly. The criterion of right and wrong is whether or not people go against the Message.
?Continue then in the right way as you are commanded, as also he who has turned with you, and be not inordinate , surely He sees what you do.?
112
The right way is Allah?s (SWT) way (2170).
?But why were there not among the generations before you those possessing understanding, who should have forbidden the making of mischief in the earth, except a few of those whom We delivered from among them? And those who were unjust went after what they are made to enjoy of plenty, and they were guilty.?
116
Allah (SWT) declares what is right and wrong (allowed and forbidden). Messengers enjoin it on their peoples by delivering and following the Message (also see 260-61). So do the believers (3113-114) (therefore this comes only from the Qur?an).
?And all we relate to you of the accounts of the messengers is to strengthen your heart therewith; and in this has come to you the truth and an admonition, and a reminder to the believers.?
120
The accounts of the Messengers related to following the Message alone. This is because the Message is truth and a reminder.
?And Allah's is the unseen in the heavens and the earth, and to Him is returned the whole of the affair; therefore serve Him and rely on Him, and your Lord is not heedless of what you do.?
123
We should serve Allah (SWT) only and rely on His words alone.
Khuda Hafiz