- Interpretation Of Quran / The long version
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- (004) Al Nisaa
The purpose of calamities in this world is man’s safety:
Dear brother, with the 12th lesson of Al-Nisaa chapter and in verse twenty six, Allah says:“Allah doth wish to make clear to you and to show you the ordinances of those before you; and (He doth wish to) turn to you (in Mercy); and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”
First of all, Almighty Allah is one complete and perfect Being, one complete essence.
This complete Being wants nothing except goodness for people.
“Except those on whom thy Lord hath bestowed His Mercy: and for this did He created them”
His Majesty created them to bestow his mercy on them, to be merciful toward them, to have mercy upon them, and to make them happy. That is the essence of the creation.
Adding to that, the vehicle was made to move, but it is very necessary to have brakes; and the brakes counteract with the movement because the brakes stop it. The need of the vehicle for the brakes is a very fundamental, essential and crucial need, because the brakes guarantee its safety; as such are the calamities in life. The brakes’ basic aim is to guarantee the safety of the human being. Almighty Allah says:
“And indeed we will make them taste of the Penalty of this (life) prior to the supreme Penalty, in order that they may (repent and) return.”
Eight verses in this chapter that are so valuable to the nation
Ibn Abas says:In alNisaa chapter, there are eight verses for the nation of Mohammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
They are better than the sun rising and setting.
The first one:
“[26] Allah doth wish to make clear to you and to show you the ordinances of those before you; and (He doth wish to) turn to you (in Mercy); and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. “
The second one:
“[27] Allah doth wish to turn to you, but the wish of those who follow their lusts is that ye should turn away (from Him), far, far away.”
The third:
“[28] Allah doth wish to lighten your (difficulties): for man was created weak (in flesh).”
The fourth:
“[31] If ye (but) eschew the most heinous of the things which ye are forbidden to do, we shall expel out of you all the evil in you, and admit you to a Gate of great honour.”
The fifth:
“Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed.”
The sixth:
“If anyone does evil or wrongs his own soul but afterwards seeks Allah's forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
The seventh:
“Allah is never unjust in the least degree: if there is any good (done) He doubleth it, and giveth from His own presence a great reward.”
The eighth:
“What can Allah gain by your punishment, if ye are grateful and ye believe? Nay it is Allah that recogniseth (all good) and knoweth all things.”
Guidance is one of the greatest goals of religion:
The first verse: (Allah doth wish to))This means that the will of Allah is to guide us, to make us know His majesty, and to show us the way to our safety and happiness. But for the one who says Allah created us to make us miserable, He created us for hell - this actually contradicts with this verse:
Allah says:
“Allah doth wish to make clear to you and to show you”
This means that guidance is one of the biggest aims of the religion. You should guide people, you should find the way, you should discover the biggest truth, you should find the only truth in the universe, and that is Almighty Allah.
Everything that brings you closer to this truth is right and everything that brings you away from it, is falsehood. The prophet Mohammad, peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, says:
((There is nothing that will bring you closer to paradise
but I asked you to do it, and there is nothing that will bring you away from paradise but I asked you not to do it)).
This means that there is only one truth in the universe: that is Allah. Almighty Allah is the source of happiness, safety, and security. In his hand is victory, success, glory, giving, prevention, and everything. If you knew him, and you tried to bring yourself close to him, and you tried to gain his contentment, this means that you achieved the aim of your being and your creation. And if you forget Him and neglect Him, then as a result you are the biggest loser.
Mankind is divided into two kinds of men. There is the man who knew his god, knew his doctrine and was a straight man. He was good to people; he ended up happy in life and in the afterlife.
And there is the man forgot who his god, escaped from his doctrine and was bad to people. He ended up wretched and unhappy in life and in the afterlife.
Allah wants to guide us. There are some words that are uttered by some people: “Glory to Allah, Allah made him astray.” That is blasphemy. Almighty Allah wants to guide us all, to make us know His majesty, but the human being has free choice. The meaning of that is the following: Allah wants him to do what he chooses. Sometimes Allah allows a sin to happen,
but His majesty doesn't command you to do it.
He is not content with it, but he allowed it to happen
because if you give someone free choice and you want to test him, and if you prevent him from doing something, this means there is no free choice.
The reality is that man has a free choice:
“ If We had so willed, We could certainly have brought every soul its true guidance:”
This means if we want to cancel your choice and your identity, and if we want to cancel the trust, and if we want to impose upon you and force you, we will force you only to guidance.
“If we had so willed, we could certainly have brought every soul its true guidance:”
This means every human being has free choice:
“Say, "The Truth is from your Lord": Let him who will, believe, and let him who will, reject (it).”
“ We showed him the Way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will).”
“Those who give partners (to Allah) will say: "If Allah had wished, we should not have given partners to Him, nor would our fathers: nor should we have had any taboos." So did their ancestors argue falsely, until they tasted of Our wrath.”
Allah’s Will and man’s choice:
Many verses assure the fact that human being has free choice. But, what is the relation between the will of Allah and the choice of the human being?? The will of Allah is with the choice of the human being. His majesty allowed him to do what he wants, but at no-one’s expense:“Thus do We make the wrong-doers turn to each other, because of what they earn.”
The human being may choose to steal but he can't steal things from anyone. He can steal from the one who His majesty Allah allowed him to steal from. Therefore, you have the free choice and Allah allows you to achieve your choice, but not randomly –only according to his guidance.
“Thus do We make the wrong-doers turn to each other, because of what they earn.”
The tyrant is the voice of Allah sometimes. His majesty takes revenge through him and then He takes revenge on him:
“If Allah do touch thee with hurt, there is none can remove it but He: if He do design some benefit for thee, there is none can keep back His favour: He causeth it to reach whomsoever of His servants He pleaseth. And He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Allah commits Himself to guide people:
What he says:
“If Allah do touch thee with hurt,”
Harm is not the will of Allah. I will make it clearer to your minds with the following example:
A top-level school was established to teach students - to discipline them, to implant the moral values in them, to illuminate their minds, and to bring out leaders to the nation.
But in this school, there are rules and punishment. If the school punished someone, it is not right to say,
“We built this school to punish students”. No, it is not that. The school was founded to teach them but sometimes they have to punish them. But, his will is to guide them.
“ Verily we take upon ourselves to guide,”
“Now have we caused the Word to reach them themselves, in order that they may receive admonition.”
“And unto Allah leads straight the Way, but there are ways that turn aside: if Allah had willed, He could have guided all of you.”
Then the first will of Allah is to guide us to Him, to make us know him, to show us the way, to make us happy in this life and in the afterlife.
Man is the first creature:
The holy Quran is a clear revelation to us. The mission of the prophets and the messengers, the holy books, preachers on the earth and every mission carried out by scholars after the prophets - all these are clear revelation, clear evidences and great proofs for us. You should know who you are. You are the first creature.
You should know the truth of life; it is the residence of affliction not steadiness, a residence of grief not joy.
The one who knows its reality will neither be happy with luxury nor sad with wretchedness. Allah has made it the best end, the outcome of your deeds. He made the suffering of life a reason for the giving of the Hereafter. And the giving of the Hereafter is a recompense for the afflictions of life. Allah wants to show us the truth of the universe. It is an embodiment of the names (attributes) of Almighty Allah.
He wants to show us the truth of life. It is a place of responsibility, not tribute; a place of hard work, not hope; and a place of pursuit, not honor. Honor is in the Hereafter. Allah wants to show us that the human is the highest-ranking creation.
“We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof: but man undertook it; he was indeed unjust and foolish; “
Guiding people is one of the greatest wills of Allah:
Allah wants to show us the fact that the woman is created to be a wife not a mistress. We have come to the details of the doctrine. The rules of marriage, the rules of work, the rules of making money and spending it and all the matters of life -Almighty Allah wants to show people the way to relieve them from the troubles of life because the human has free will, and everything on earth is neutral to him.
Desire is neutral to him. It can be either a ladder which you ascend or a step from which you fall. All the fortunes that were given by Allah to humans should be used in goodness.
And also, they may be used in evil because human has the free choice. When you search for the right you achieve the will of Allah. Allah wants you to be safe and happy, but if you insist on going astray, then it is your business.
“Allah doth wish to make clear to you and to show you the ordinances of those before you”
Why did Almighty Allah wipe out former nations? For a reason which Almighty Allah revealed. A nation deviated in measures and weights, and another nation deviated in lusts. Nations dealt in fraud and nations worshiped another god. Adultery spread in a nation, and alcohol in another nation. Allah shows us the reasons for which former nations were destroyed.
Stable rules are there to make us ask Allah forgiveness:
Allah guides us to the stable rules by which the human may become happy or destroyed. Every human sees a disaster that happened to someone and he will ask, “why did that happen?” What mistakes have I made? Why was this nation destroyed? What is the reason for the rising of this nation? Rising and falling of nations. Their prosperity and their demise have rules.It is as if Almighty Allah shows us these rules by which the nations rise and fall so we can follow these rules for our happiness and safety and stay away from the reasons behind our misery and destruction.
Why is science searching for laws? To have the ability to predict the future. If we establish a building, we should make some gaps in the building. If we don't, when the summer months come, the iron starts to extend and the building begins to crack because the metals extend by heat. This rule helps us to design a building which contains gaps to prevent the building from cracking and being destroyed. You should discover the laws and rules of Allah to avoid the suffering of this life and the afterlife. These rules don't change.
“But the Thamud; they were destroyed by a terrible Storm of thunder and lightning!
[6] And the 'Ad; they were destroyed by a furious Wind, exceedingly violent;
[7] He made it rage against them seven nights and eight days in succession: so that thou couldst see the (whole) people lying prostrate in its (path), as if they had been roots of hollow palm-trees tumbled down!”
“(All) these transgressed beyond bounds in the lands.
[12] And heaped therein mischief (on mischief).
[13] Therefore did thy Lord pour on them a scourge of diverse chastisements:
[14] For thy Lord is (as a Guardian) on a watch-tower.”
“As to the Thamud, We gave them guidance, but they preferred blindness (of heart) to Guidance: so the stunning Punishment of humiliation seized them, because of what they had earned.”
“O ye people! Worship your Guardian-Lord, Who created you and those who came before you, that ye may have the chance to learn righteousness;”
The truth is that Almighty Allah placed lusts in the human and these lusts infiltrated him deeply. In a moment of weakness, a human may fall into a sin but Allah legislated the repentance. Due to the weakness of the human being, Almighty Allah opened the door of repentance to him. And He wants him to repent. Repentance contains three things: the legislation of repentance, the repentance of the servant of Allah and the acceptance of the repentance. Repentance is a mercy from Allah.
If you come back to me with sins that may fill heaven and earth, I forgive them all and I don't care. If you repent, Allah with all His might and all His majesty is pleased with your repentance. Allah is happy with your repentance because he created you to make you happy. In the prophetic tradition (Hadith):
((Almighty Allah is so pleased with his servant's repentance -more than the one who was very thirsty and found water, and the one who lost his way in the desert and then found it, and more than the one who was sterile and becomes fertile)).
“Allah doth wish to turn to you”
The first will is to make it clear to us and show us the way. The second will is the repentance.
“Allah doth wish to turn to you”
Allah wants to forgive us, to accept our repentance, and He wants to respond to our prayers and fulfill them.
“Say: "O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
It is most probable that Allah’s Mercy extends over all sins:
“But My Mercy extendeth to all things”
“Truly no one despairs of Allah's soothing Mercy, except those who have no faith."
“Nor obey any whose heart We have permitted to neglect the remembrance of Us, one who follows his own desires, whose case has gone beyond all bounds.”
Whoever neglects the remembrance of Allah follows his desires:
Who should I follow then?“And follow the way of those who turn to Me (in love).”
Two men: one man follows the way of Allah, and a man follows his desires. This one don't listen to him at all, didn't care about him.
“…nor obey any whose heart We have permitted to neglect the remembrance of Us, one who follows his own desires, whose case has gone beyond all bounds.”
(We have permitted to neglect the remembrance of Us)
This means Almighty Allah found his heart neglecting the remembrance of Allah and following its desires.
You either follow the way of truth or that of falseness:
“Seest thou one who denies the Judgment (to come)?
[2] Then such as the (man) who repulses the orphan (with harshness),”
“But if they hearken not to thee, know that they only follow their own lusts:”
You either follow the way of righteousness or the way of lusts, the way of heaven or the way of hell, goodness or evil.
“Allah doth wish to lighten your (difficulties): for man was created weak (in flesh).”
Man is created weak to be in need to Allah and gets happy:
Why was the human created weak? Because of his weakness, he will need his Creator and he will be happy because of that need. If he was created strong he would do out without his Creator and he would be wretched. For example, an expensive machine with a great benefit should contain a weak point in the electric current, for if the electric current comes high, and this weak point doesn't exist, the machine will burn. The weakness in the human was created for his benefit. If he doesn't feel afraid, he will not repent. He may feel afraid from a certain disaster then he would rush to his god. Why did he repent? Because he was afraid. Why was he afraid? Because he is weak. His weakness was the reason behind his repentance and his repentance is the reason behind his happiness.The hero is the one who chooses to go to Allah:
“Truly man was created very impatient;
[20] Fretful when evil touches him;
[21] And niggardly when good reaches him;”
Who is the niggardly? He is the one who doesn't spend money. If he spends money he will act against his nature, and if he acts against his nature he will rise to Allah. The human loves money by nature, and spending it needs a strong will.
Once, someone who works as a steward narrated to me a story that happened to him. The airplane entered into an electrified cloud, and as a result, the front part of the plane was damaged and it was about to fall. But Almighty Allah, through his mercy and wisdom, saved them. They survived by his mercy. He said to me: “It was unbelievable, when the airplane was about to fall, the people started to hit their faces, tear their cloths and they were screaming. They were in total panic.” He asked them to calm down, but in vain. Then he saw someone sitting as if nothing happened. He thought of talking to him to help him in this situation but when he came closer he discovered that the man had lost consciousness.
”Truly man was created very impatient;
[20] Fretful when evil touches him;
[21] And niggardly when good reaches him;”
Whoever gets weak against his desires can repent:
“Man is a creature of haste”
Man wants things in haste. What did the believer do? He turned away from the moment and he chose the future (Hereafter). He chose something against his nature; his nature is to live his life in pleasure and to spend his time in a temporary lust. But the believer in Allah has a far reaching aim; he seeks that which is after death. When he goes against his nature, he will move upward to Allah.
Guidance, accepting repentance and easing difficulties:
First will: Allah wants to make it clear and to show you.The second will: Allah wants to turn to you to accept your repentance.
The third will: Allah wishes to lighten your (difficulties).
The person who commit sins, builds his glory on the destruction of sh3er, achieves his security at the expense of the fear of sh3er, builds his life on the death of sh3er, builds his wealth on the poverty of sh3er - when he returns to his nature, he will be tortured. In the prophetic tradition (Hadith):
((Shame would stake to the one in the judgment day to extend that he would say oh Allah, sending me to hell is better than what I feel.))
Thus when Almighty Allah invited us to know him, to worship him and to repent, he invited us to lighten our difficulties. If a boy stole a pen from his friend, and the owner of the pen complained to the teacher, and the teacher closed the door and searched for the pen. If he found the pen in the pocket of the one who stole it, he would be shameful. Allah knows what would happen.
“The Unbelievers will be addressed: "Greater was the aversion of Allah to you than (is) your aversion to yourselves, seeing that ye were called to the Faith and ye used to refuse."”
If a father found out that his son stopped studying, left school, and was spending his time with bad friends, he would, with his profound experience, be able to see the end of the future of his son. There would be no jobs, no work, no marriage, no house. He could become an outcast in the streets. The father would suffer when he would see his son out of school, but his son would suffer when he grew up.
