Explanation

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10. The previous Apostle in normal lifeThe Prophet of Islam (SAW)

We have to revert to the previous and other explanations to understand this verse and the explanations given for the other verses. There is a link between the victory at Makkah and these sins. God wants to tell him that “I have eradicated all your previous hardships with the victory at Makkah.”

The previous hardships are known but how can the forgiveness of god be included in the hardships that he did not face? (Or the future hardships for which he will not be fore warned). If this is what it means then is it a logical deed?

After seeing these points the true meaning of the verse is clearly understood. And that is that God’s awe will be overpowering in the future and there will be no danger. But some biased bigots without any proof have attributed these accusations to the Holy Prophet and stand in the ranks of the liars accusing their own leaders falsely.

This has resulted in sectarianism. This was all done to establish their power and to gain wealth and authority. Such people became the puppets in the hands of the unscrupulous and created strife in religion. Our view is the proof of our claim.

But if everything depends on the grace of God then these frivolous habits can be erased that have raised their heads because of personal greed. The truth of the divine leader will be established. All these evil and accusations whether connected with the past or future are the cause of shame and remorse. This is the trait of the blind hypocrites and of those bigots who are enemies and have no belief. These people believe in worldliness more than truth.

This is why God in verses 1 and 2 of Surah Fath said:

“Verily we have granted you a manifest victory. So that God may forgive your faults of the past and those to follow; fulfill His favor to you, and guide you on the straight path.” (Those who sin themselves and accuse you about it)(1)

The connection of word “forgiveness” Ghufran” which is derived from “Ghafra” is clear. It has been highlighted with the term “Manifest victory”

It is also notable that we find the same meaning in the hadith of Imam Reza as recorded by “Oyuno akhbar- erreza” which he said to refute the question of Mamun. It is absolutely according to the high status of the prophets.” None other than the Messenger was the greatest sinner in the yes of the polytheists of Makkah. “He then further explained, “it was because they worshipped 360 idols and when the Messenger invited them to the Oneness of God they were shocked and they exclaimed in surprise, “do you want to change our gods into one god?’ Is it not strange?” He then said, “ After God had granted him victory at Makkah He said:, “O Mohammad I have given you a manifest victory to save you from sin or (tortures) of the Ummah that you suffered in the past or was to suffer in the future. This was because of the invitation to God’s oneness that you had given or will be giving because some pagans had accepted Islam and some migrated and those that have stayed do not have the strength to deny God’s Tawhid. So when you enjoin the people then they will not torture in the future.”

When Mamun heard this explanation he said, “By God you have explained it correctly.” (2)

The same meaning has come in other hadiths also. Which Sayyid Ibn Taos has recorded in his book, “Saadus Suood” and they are as follows:

“The Quraysh and the people used to attribute many sins to the Holy Prophet before and after the migration but when he gained control over the enemies after the victory of Makkah they stopped doing so. (3)

In the end Qura’n says:

“Fulfill His favors to you: and guide you on the straight way.”

It is evident that the bounties of God are not just completed because of a Prophet but were bestowed on the entire Muslim because of this manifest victory. Only the enemies of Islam were the losers and will always be so. The followers of the Prophet and all Muslims will be great gainers.

We will read in the other verses that God addresses the Prophet and says, “

“God forgive you! Why did you give them leave (to stay behind) until those who spoke the truth became evident to you and you had known the liars?”

Is this forgiving not because of admonishment and chastisement and the prayer asking for forgiveness because of giving them leave. This is the proof that the Prophet permitted some hypocrites not to join the war. Is this not against his stature? Is this verse according to the status of the prophet?

The verse very subtly mentions forgiveness first and punishment later. But some ignorant people misinterpret this issue so much so that they take this verse to be a proof of the sin of the Holy Prophet without paying attention to the words of God as we have just done. Zamakhshiri in his book Kashaf writes about this verse:

The words, “God forgives you “are about sin because the word “Afw” has two meanings, one that you have made a mistake and what you have done was evil. (4)

But if we think about this verse we will know that this “Afw” and punishment is due to the wrong doings of the hypocrites though it is addressed to the Prophet. This is a subtle hint about a very fine point which points to this dangerous event.

Explanation

Some times a person addresses his friend in a serious and admonishing manner because he has not distanced those whose reality was evident to the people while this admonishment and punishment is for a third person.

This can be clarified through meaningful example:

Suppose one tries to strike you righteous son but a friend of yours stops him from doing so and you too are not perturbed by this deed but some times to make the character of the enemy more evident you tell you friend angrily “Why did you not send that person who wanted to strike my son away and when every one knew about his cruel heartedness.” This address comes under the heading of punishment and admonishment but in reality it is a hint about the person cruel nature.

There is a hadith about the explanation of this verse from Imam Ali Reza. He said:

“Whatever has been revealed is like “warning the wrong doer by warning the innocent” or God addressed the Messenger though the words are addressed to the Muslims. (5)

There is a doubt that these verses speak about the previous meaning and the proof is the capability of the Prophet that has been granted by God and spoken about in the Qura’n. It tells the Muslims to leave there personal preferences and save themselves from doing evil.

If they (the Muslims) ask permission (to go to war) then it will be for their reformation.

Verse 62 of Surah Noor says:

“When they seek your permission to attend to their affairs, grant permission to whomever you please and seek God’s forgiveness for them.”

So in this context the exemption granted by the Messenger to the hypocrites has no meaning either way especially when their presence would not solve the problems of the Muslims and this will a further cause for their punishment.

It is possible from all these des c r i p tions that the interpretation of the previous verse is better which does not harm the infallible and chaste nature of the apostle.

The next verse is about the marriage of the Messenger with the divorced wife of his adopted son Zayd. This issue also raises doubts and questions for some people.

“When you said to the one on whom God had bestowed His bounty and to whom you had shown favor, “Retain your wife, and fear God” you did hide in yourself that which God intended to bring to light and you feared the people while God had the right that you should fear Him. When Zayd concluded his concern with her, We joined her as your wife, so that there should be no difficulty for the believers concerning the wives of their adopted sons, when they had ended their affairs with them, and the command of God shall be carried out.”

(Verse 37 of Surah Al Ahzab.)

The most important thing is to clarify the meaning of the two sentences in this verse and nothing (else that is frivolous) else has any affect on the Qura’n and the Messenger for they do not deserve to be researched upon.

The first sentence is: “But you did hide in your heart that which god was about to manifest”

The second sentence is: “You did fear the people while it is more fitting that you should fear God.”

Are not these two sentences against the status of chastity and infallibility of the Prophet?

The meaning of the first sentence seems vague but the lines that are connected with them have vast connotations and this seems to be a boon (a delicious morsel) for the enemies of Islam so much so that they accuse the Messenger of falling in love and wooing the wife of Zayd.

The verse denies just claims. The sentence “You did fear the people while it is more fitting that you should fear God.” Means he advised Zayd regularly not to divorce his wife. This sentence contains the present and the future which proves continuity. This sentence denies that the Prophet was agreeable to this divorce so much so that he did not remain silent so how can we logically accuse him?

But the second sentence describes the reason why the Prophet was afraid of the people and why was God deserved to be more feared?

These doubts that are found in the interpretations of these two sentences especially have even put many famous commentators in doubt. This is due to not fully understand the purpose of the verse. These two sentence are suffice to explain the verse but if we do not reflect on them and one sentences is not connected to the other then the doubts will increase.

If we read one of the sentences in the verse we will find that God had bestowed faith on Zayd the adopted son of the Messenger. (he was earlier a slave of the Prophet but because of his intelligence and inner capabilities he freed him and adopted him like a son) and bestowed his favors on him. He married him to his cousin sister (his uncle’s daughter) who herself was a capable woman. This is understood from the sentence “On whom God had bestowed His grace and you”

But the people take the help of the seco0nd sentence and attribute discord between Zayd and his wife and the matter reaches to divorce. But the prophet tells him not to divorce her and enjoins him to Taqwa or righteousness. “Keep you wife to yourself and Fear God.”

The Holy Prophet was apprehensive and the reason was that if he asked Zayd to divorce then he would have to marry her. He asked Zayd not to do so to save his cousin from unwarranted criticism and to avoid the insistence of his freed slave Zayd. The second reason was the Messenger was afraid of the people especially the hypocrites who were always on the look out for such critical matters. There are two views about this (the fear of the Messenger) also.

The first is that he would have to break the age old custom of ignorance because they used to consider the foster or the adopted son as a true son. And to marry his divorce woman was like marrying one’s own daughter in law.

Secondly, they believed that marrying the divorcee of a freed slave is below the status of a messenger of God for it demotes his status.

But God was in favor of this wedding and to end this frivo0lous and evil custom as has been expressed in the words, “So that there would be no blame on the faithful in respect of the wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have ended their relations with them (got through with them)”

The fear that the Messenger had and which God declared was about marrying the divorced wife of Zayd. The deed that he was worried about was about the result of breaking a custom of the days of ignorance. He kept silent until there came an explicit commandment about it or else it would be taken as demeaning to his status.

But when the marriage became imperative and the commandment to break the frivolous custom had come and when God had explained as (Zawwajna Kaha) or “we marry her to you” he overcame all the fear he had about this issue.

The point is that there is an emphasis in the following verse and it is said:

“There is no blame on the Prophet in that which God has made lawful for him. That has been God’s way with those who passed earlier. And the command of God is a determined decree.

The verse tells us that whatever the Prophet did was already a duty and a Sunnah from God. The decision of God is secret but has to be revealed and take place.

Had the issue been to save the personality then such a revelation highlighting his status would not have come in the Qura’n. But the greedy people despite being aware of this fact try to hide it and so some narrators of such hadith ignore the truth intentionally.

Fortunately the words of the Qura’n about this issue are very explicit and suffice.

We should note that a learned commentator of the Ahli Sunnah has attribute one hadith to Imam Husein Ibn Ali where in he is reported to have said:

“God sent a revelation to the Prophet that Zayd would divorce his wife and he (The prophet) will marry her. So Zayd complained about the attitude of his wife Zainab and said that she did not obey him and declared that he would divorce her the Messenger advised him, “ Fear God and keep your wife” even though he knew that he would separate from her and He ( the Messenger) would marry her. But the Messenger was afraid of what the people would say when he married Zainab after Zayd. He was his master and could have asked him to divorce her. God admonished him about why he was afraid of the people when God had made it lawful for him. Then even he said, “Keep her” and he knew that Zayd would divorce her and he knew “it is more fitting that you should fear God.”

Qartabi adds “Our Ulema have preferred this view of this verse.”

Imam Hussein is one of those who are endowed with knowledge by God and among the ones who research.

He further emphasizes his assumption by saying that Tirmidhi in Nawadirol Wasuul (referring to this hadith) that indeed Ali Ibn Husein had brought this (hadith0 from his treasure trove of knowledge and he brought one of costly pearls from his treasure of pearls.”(7)

Another verse that raises question about the Holy Prophet is verse 68 of Surah Anam that says:

“And when you those who engage in false conversation About Our verses, mocking them; stay away from them till they turn to another topic. But if Satan makes you forget then once you remember do not sit in the company of the unjust.”

 The question is: “If Satan has access to the chaste apostle and can make him forget the command of God without the presence of disbelievers then how an apostle can be infallible? In other words, a scope is made for the demotion of chastity and it is through mistakes, errors, and forgetfulness. Does not the verse create a doubt on the infallibility of an apostle?

The Answer:

If we look deeply the word “Hadith” is clarifying every thing though the verse seemingly is addressed to the Holy Messenger though it actually means his companions because if the mistakenly sit in evil company and the disbelievers make fun of their righteousness then it is imperative for them leave such a company. This is to make them self introspect. This actually is related to a very famous Arabic adage (To admonish the household in order to admonish the neighbor)

We now read verse 69 of Surah Anam:

“Whoever obeys God and the Messenger shall be with those whom God has blessed, including the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs (Witnesses) and the righteous and excellent companions they are!”

Moreover we can read in the Qura’n how God how God describes the rights of the parents in verse 23 of Surah Isra. He says:

“The Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to (your) parents. Should either or both of them reach old age do not utter any word of displeasure to them; do not chide them but speak kindly to them.”

The word “ Rabbuka” reverts to the Messenger while “ ‘Alaa ta-buduu” addresses all believers ( plural form) and then again the rest from “ Immaa yabluganna indakal kibara” to the end is singular and addressed to the Messenger while we know that the parents of the Messenger had died before the declaration of his mission. Though it is addressed to the Messenger it is covered by “You are being addressed but the actually it is for some one else.”

Whatever the commentators of the Ahli Sunnah say about the Messenger in such a manner is because they do not it feel detrimental to his status and they believe that he was prone to mistakes. This is wrong. What is forgotten here are the commandments of God? And is it possible to believe that the Messenger of God will forget such commandments when they are the base of his mission and invitation to others?

Verses 6 to 8 of Surah Dhuha together with these other verses invite us because we are those who believe in the infallibility of the Messenger right from his birth. They say:

“Did He not find you an orphan and sheltered you? Did he not find you wandering and guided you? Did He not find you needy and make thee self sufficient?”

The commentators have given different views and explanations about these verses and very few of them explain them through disbelief and evil. Those commentators who are ignorant about the proofs of infallibility say that the Holy Messenger was an idolater for forty years before he was commissioned by God for Prophethood.

But most Shia commentators and the scholars of Ahli Sunnah (as admitted by Fakhr Razi) do not accept such an explanation. They are all unanimous that the Holy Prophet in his life time never committed a single mistake or sin. He did not accept any other God for even a moment.

There are umpteen views of the commentators about this verse and are nearly twenty in number. Fakhruddin Razi has collected all their views in his discussion of this verse. The commentaries that are important for this verse and commentaries of these similar verses are as hereunder.

When we consider the two verses and similar ones that are about the childhood and adulthood of the Prophet we will understand that they say “O Prophet you have spent those times in hardships and found you life in peril (When your foster mother Halima came to you and took you to Makkah and then to a valley and sometimes you stayed with Abdul Muttalib and sometimes you went with Abu Talib and his trading caravan to Syria. Once you lost your way in the darkness of the night and had no companion) So God guided you in all these hardships and returned you to your grand father’s place or to the loving uncle.

The proof of this explanation is the hint about the days when the prophet was a young orphan and as described his being unsettled but those guidance and instability were material and physical. It is not correct to take this as a spiritual guidance in these material matters. (Reflect Deeply)

Instability and guidance here means knowledge and the absence of knowledge about the secrets of prophethood, the laws of Islam and the wisdom of the Qura’n. It is sure that he had no knowledge about these things but God instilled the divine light in his heart so that he could guide the people.

The proofs of these claims are the other verses of the Qura’n including this particular verse which says:

Verse 52 of Surah Shura says:

“You did not know what the Book was, nor the faith, but We made it a light by which We guide whoever We please. Verily you are indeed guiding (mankind) to the straight path.”

It is certain that the prophet though he was a monotheist without the divine grace of God before he attained the position of prophethood and Messengership and before he knew about the meanings of the Qura’n. God caught his hand guided him and bestowed this status on him.

In the verse quoted above guidance means the guidance in Islam.

We read in verse 3 of Surah Yusuf we read:

“We relate to you the best of our stories through Our revelations to you of this Qura’n. And before this you were among those who knew nothing about it.”

According to this explanation guidance and instability are explained spiritually and is separate from the other verses but there is point that some verses of the Qura’n explain other verses.

Here “Zaall” means the disability of the holy prophet among his people and his family as has been explained in the hadith of Imam Reza. He said:

“(He found you wandering and he gave you guidance.” Which means the waywardness that was in his people for they did not have his divine benevolence? So God guided them to him.” (8) This meaning in another des c r i p tion has come in Nurus Saqlain which quotes Oyuno Akhbarrerreza. (9)

The words Azaal and “Azzaalla” are naturally used for this meaning as described previously in the hadith that says, “Wisdom is the lost treasure of the Mumin.”(10)

There are many commentaries about this verse which prove the Chastity and infallibility of the chosen ones.

 


 

1. According to the author of Maqayis-ol-Loghat , the real meaning of Ghafra, Ghufran, and Maghfirat is to hide or cover something and here it suggests the covering of sins.
2. Tafsir Nurus Saqlain vol. 5 page 56 hadith 18
3. Tafsir Nurus Saqlain vol.5. Page 56 hadith 17 with explanation.
4.   Tafsir Kashaf vol.2 page 274
5. Tafsir Burhan vol.2 page 130 hadith 1
6. For further details and explanations about this one should consult At Tafsirol Amthal.
7. Tafsir Qartabi vol.8 page 5272 about this verse.
8. Tafsir Majmaul Bayan vol.10 page 506
9. Tafsir Nurus Saqlain vol.5 page 596
10. Nahjul Balagha Kalimatol Qisaar 80

 

10. The previous Apostle in normal lifeThe Prophet of Islam (SAW)
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