EXPLANATION OF THE VERSES

The Official Website of Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi

صفحه کاربران ویژه - خروج
Sort by
 
PHILOSOPHY AND GOD THE EVER LIVING AND ETERNAL.Introduction

There are many attributes of God in the first six verses of Surah Hadeed and their interpretations are really meaningful and thought provoking.

Some Hadith say that when Imam Ali Bin Hussein (Zainol Abedin) was asked about Tawhid he said, “god knew that in the last days there will be people who will go into the depth of the issues so he revealed Surah Ikhlas and the first verse of Surah Hadeed that says God has the complete knowledge of everything.

The first verse under discussion is the first verse among the six verse of this Surah. It is said, “He is the First and the Last; the evident and the hidden; and He has the knowledge of all things.” (1)

 What is meant by the first and the last? The commentators have given different opinions but their meanings are the same. Some feel that He is the First in the sense that He has no beginning; He is last because He has no end. Some say, He is the first creator and is the last because He gives sustenance. Some are of the view that He is the first of all beginning and the last of all ends.

Yet others say that He is first being ever living and the last being eternal. Some say he is the first in doing goodness and the last who will forgive and reward. (2) It is clear that the first refers to being ever living and the last refers to being eternal.

Nahjul Balagha says, “He was the first before any beginning and He is last before the existence of things in the sense that none will exist after Him. (3)

The sermon entitled Ashbah says, “He is that first who is not preceded by one in existence and the last that has no after or end so that any can be supposed after Him.” (4)

There is a tradition from the Holy Messenger that says, “God you are the first who is preceded by none and you are that last because there is nothing after you.” (5)

Some commentators believe the first and the last includes all time and also the manifest or hidden truth so this verse tells that God is always present at all times. (6)

The second verse speaks of the destruction of the worldly creatures but it is not dependent on them. It is said, “All that is on the earth shall perish. (27) But the Face of the Lord shall abide for ever, full of majesty, bounty and honor.”

It is correct to assume that the term ‘all that is on earth” refers to the intelligent beings like the humans and the jinn but as some commentators have pointed out it may include every thing that exists on earth (it has been used in the sense of misappropriation). In short there is death and destruction for everything but life for God only.

The word ‘Wajah” has been described in the dictionary as face but in such situations it means existence and being.

The term “full of majesty, bounty and honor” may be referring to the inherent and the manifest attributes because the term “zuljalaali refers to the negative attributes not found in Him and His being is far above them. The term “honor” refers to those attributes that manifest the glory of something and they are inherent in God like knowledge and power.

Yes the God who has the beautiful and awesome attributes will remain and there is death and destruction for all other things.

The point to be noted is that the verse cited above is among those of Surah Rahman that speaks of the variety of His grace.

Are death and destruction included in the gifts of God? Yes they too are gifts but why?

Mankind is being asked to shed the cloak of polytheism and adopt monotheism and it is being made clear the obedience and reverence should be for God only and not the finite and destructible beings.

Man is being warned to make the best use of the time he spends in life.

The worldly life is never devoid of trials and tribulations. Solace is being given that these hardships are but temporary.

This death is the predecessor of well being. It is the freedom from the constricted life of this world and the journey into the vast realm of peace and grace in the hereafter.

The first part of the third verse speaks about the repentance and belief of the Pharaoh’s magicians and the subsequent threat of life from him. The meaning is very vast. The pharaoh is addressed by the now believing magicians, “We now believe in our God so that He may forgive us our sins and also this sorcery that you forced us to perform” they further said, “For God is best and most abiding.”

The word “Baqa” here means absolutely eternal. We have already said that obedience is not separate from eternal life and so the now believing magicians realized that they should sacrifice the temporary gifts of the pharaoh for the eternal gifts of God.

The fourth verse rejects all kinds of polytheism and states, “Everything will perish except His face.” This sentence is the proof of the previous statement because the contingent beings which are finite do not have the capacity to be god only He who is ever living is worthy of worship.

It has been repeatedly stressed that the literal meaning of “Wajah” is face but some situations it is used to denote the being (as in this verse).

Some Ulema have taken “Wajah” to mean religion and good deeds but they are without proof but is acceptable if this is referred to God and connected with Him.

Anyway, this verse is the proof of God being eternal and it is evident that being eternal is not separate from being ever living.

All existing things, servants, wealth and pomp, station and authority, the earth and the heavens are all contingent. It is not that they will be destroyed but they are destructible even now because their existence is not self created. They will die by themselves if not for the grace He bestows and if they are not connected with God.

The word ‘Fana” here denotes literally the death and destruction of the existing being so there is nothing contradictory with the verse that says that their soil will remain and on the Day of Judgment man will begin his life from that point or that the components of the mountains will remain to be reconstructed in the form of a new world.

One question arises here that Paradise and Hell both are existing. Verse 133 of Surah al Imran speaks about Paradise, “prepared for the righteous” and verse 131 speaks about Hell, “Prepared for those who reject faith” Will they too be destroyed?

We will discuss later that all contingent being despite their existence are finite and if they exist it is because of the grace of God. (Reflect).

It should be noted that some people are of the opinion that the word “ Azl” has been derived from “ La Yazal” which in turn comes from “Zawal” which means changes and alterations. This may be the reason that it has not been mentioned in the Qura’n but instead the, “the first word” has been used which has a better and clearer meaning. The literal meaning of “Abad” is a long time and is not connected with the word “Aakhir’ this is the reason why the words that are clearer than “Azl or Abad” like “The first, the last, the ever remaining and the ever living” have been used. But in our times the word “Azl and Abad” have been used so frequently that their meanings are clear.

 


 

1. Usul Kafi Vol. 1 page 91
2. Tafsir Majmaul Bayan Vol.9 page 230
3. Nahjul Balagha from Tafsir Nurus Saqlain Vol.5 page 237.
4. Nahjul Balagha Sermon No 91
5. Tafsir Al Qartabi Vol. 9 page 6406
6. Tafsir Fi Zalaal-ol-Qura’n Vol.7 page718
7. Tafsir Kabeer vol. 25 Page 24.

 

PHILOSOPHY AND GOD THE EVER LIVING AND ETERNAL.Introduction
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Lotus
Mitra
Nazanin
Titr
Tahoma