THE DECISIVE AND THE ALLEGORICAL AYAHS IN THE GLORIOUS QUR'AN

 

The decisive (Muhkamaat) are the basis of the Glorious Qur’an, while the Allegorical (Mutasha’bihat) used to test if  people’s heart have perversity and may seek to cause diversion among the people. The real meanings of such Allegorical Ayahs are known to Allah and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge. They are mentioned in Surah Ale-Imran Ayahs 7 to 9. This Surah starts with such ‘Letter Symbols’ like ‘Alif Laam, Miem’

“He it is Who has sent down to you the Book, of it there are some Ayahs decisive , they are the basis of the Book, and others are ambiguous , they follow the part of it which is ambiguous (allegorical) , seeking to mislead , and seeking to give it ( their own) interpretation, but none knows its interpretation except Allah; and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say: We believe in it, it is all from our Lord; and none do mind except those having understanding. Our Lord! Make not our hearts deviate after You have guided us (aright); and grant us from You mercy; surely you are the most liberal Giver. Our Lord! Surely You are the Gatherer of men on a day about which there is no doubt; surely Allah fails not (His) promise.”  (3:7-9)

 Of course, the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) must be the first who was fully aware of such Ayahs.. According to the Traditions, he (s.a.w.a.s.) had said, “I am the City of knowledge and Ali its Gate.” He (s.a.w.a.s.) further declared before his departure from this world about the other “Rasikhona fil ilm” saying, “I leave behind me Two especially important things: the Book of God and my (divinely chosen) descendants (the Ahlul Bayt), should you be attached to These Two, never, never shall you get astray after me. These Two shall never be separated from each other, until they meet me at the Spring of Kauthar.”

Anas bin Malik relates that he asked the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) as to who the ‘Rasikhona fil ilm’ are. He (s.a.w.a.s.) replied: the Rasikhona fil ilm are those whose hands never wrought anything but righteousness, whose tongue uttered not but truth, whose hearts and mind are always on the right, whose stomachs have always been free from every prohibited or forbidden stuff.” “All these qualities can be found only in the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and the Holy Ahlul Bayt about whose purity and cleanliness God Himself has declared in Ayah 33:33.

The Glorious Qur’an in Ayah 31:13 The greatest inquiry is Shirk- polytheism, and it is declared as impurity or uncleanliness. Who can deny the historic fact that while the Glorious Qur’an was being revealed, except for the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and his vicegerent Ali, everyone had once been a polytheist, and only few years before their death they joined the rank of Muslims? Ali alone was there besides the Noble Messenger, who could rightly claim equal purity of body and souls with the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and the fact is also confirmed by the Noble Messenger in his saying: - (Ali your flesh is my flesh, and your blood is my blood.)

Further reference about knowledge, please refer Ayahs 3:17, 4:162 29:49, 58:11, 16:43, 21:7

Sources: Tafsir al-Mizan by Allama Sayyid Muhammad Husayn at-Tabatabaei’

 Tafsir-e-Namouna by Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi

The Holy Qur’an by Ayatullah Agha H.M.M. Pooya Yazdi   

EXAMPLES OF REVIVING THE DEAD IN THE GLORIOUS QUR'AN

 

Prophet Ibrahim saw a dead person whose half body was submerged in water and other half was being eaten away by animals. He paused and wondered how Allah will reassemble the scattered parts of a body. He enjoyed a prominent position among all the prophets but needed a conviction. “And when Ibrahim said, ‘My Lord! Show me how you revive the dead,’ He (s.w.t.) said, ‘Do you not believe?’ He said, ‘Yes indeed, but in order that my heart may be at rest.’ He (s.w.t.) said, ‘Take four of the birds.’ Then cut them into pieces and place a part of them on every mountain, then call them; they will come to you hastening.” (2:280)

 Before him, there was another pious person named Uzair, who came upon a township as it lay fallen on its trellises. He said, ‘How Allah will revive this after its death?” So, Allah made him die for a hundred years, then He resurrected him.” He (s.w.t.) said, “How long have you remained? Said he, “I have remained a day or part of a day.” He (s.w.t.) said, “Rather you have remained a hundred years. Now look at your food and drink which have not rotted! Then look at your donkey.” (2:259) Then Allah resurrected the donkey from the bones!

In the year 249-251 B.C. a king ruled over Rome who forced the people toward idol worshiping. A few pious youths rebelled against him and went in hiding in a Cave and prayed, “Our Lord! Grant us mercy from Yourself and help us on to rectitude in our affair.’ “So, We put them to sleep in the Cave for several years.” (18:10-11) “They remained in the Cave for three hundred years and added nine more.”

There was a rich man in the Bani Isra’il whose only heir was his nephew. The nephew was impatient for his uncle’s death to inherit his wealth. After waiting for a long time, he killed his uncle and cried to hide his crime. When the news reached Prophet Musa (a.s.), he communicated with Allah. Allah directed the people to slaughter a cow. There was a long discussion about the cow; its age, color etc. described in the Glorious Quran Surah al-Baqarah. They found the cow and touched one of its body parts to the dead whereupon the dead (rich man) was revived and identified the murderer. (2:67-74)    

Prophet Isa, with permission from Allah, revived the dead; “And I revived the dead by Allah’s leave…” (3:49) and also Allah addressed Prophet Isa as, “…and you would raise the dead, with My leave…” (5:110)

Prophet Musa took along himself seventy people to mount Tur. On reaching the Mount, they insisted to see Allah with their eyes. A lightening struck them all and they were revived on Prophet Musa’s prayer. “And when you said, O Musa! We will not believe you until we see Allah visibly. Thereupon a thunderbolt seized you as you looked on. Then We raised you up after your death so that you might give thanks.” (2:55-56)

One of the groups of Bani Is ‘rail left their homes in fear of some epidemic, but they were killed by Allah. They were revived by the prayer of a prophet Hizqil. “Have you not regarded those who left their homes in thousands, apprehensive of death, whereupon Allah said to them ’Die,’ then He revived them. Indeed, Allah is Gracious to humankind, but most people do not give thanks.” (2:243)  

Source: The Glorious Qur’an

ENORMOUS BENEFITS OF RECITING SURAHS BAQARAH TO SURAHMURSALA-Part One

 

Surah al-Baqarah (2): Tabrasi reported in Maj ’ma al Bayan that the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said that surah al-Baqarah has the distinction and Ayat al-Kursi has the most distinction. Imam Zain al-Abidin (a.s.) said that the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “Whoever recites first four Ayahs, Ayat al-Kursi and two Ayahs after Ayat al-Kursi and the last three Ayahs then he will not have any adverse effects in his person nor in his wealth.”

Surah Ali-Imran (3): The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “Whoever recites this Surah on Friday then until the sun-set, he will be showered by Mercy of Allah and the angels will beg for his forgiveness.” Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said, “If a person faces hardships in earning his livelihood, then he should write and wear it as talisman to increase his sustenance. Also, if anyone recites both Surah al Baqarah and Surah Ali Imran then these Surahs will protect him from the scorching heat on the Day of Judgement.”

Surah al-Nisa (4):  Imam Ali (a.s.) said, “Whoever recites this Surah on every Friday, he will remain safe from the squeezing in the grave (Fishare Qabr) (Tafsir al Burhan)

Surah al-Ma’idah (5): The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, whoever recites this Surah will get a reward equivalent to ten times the Christians and Jews alive in the world and will be forgiven the same number of sins.”

Surah al-An’aam (6): Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said, “People should accord due respect as names of Allah (s.w.t.) appears 70 times in it.” Imam Reza (a.s.) said, “This was revealed accompanied by 70,000 angels. They will ask forgiveness from Allah (s.w.t.) for the person who recites till the Day of Judgement.”

Surah al-A’raaf (7): The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “There will be a veil between the reciter and the Iblees and also the reciter will be in the company of Prophet Adam.” Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said, “whoever recites this surah once a month, he will have no fear on the Day of Resurrection and if it is recited on a Friday, the reciter will be exempted from accounting on the Day of Judgement.”

Surah al-An’faal (8): Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said, “Whoever recites this Surah and Surah at-Tawba every month will be protected from being a hypocrite and will be counted among the followers of Imam Ali (a.s.)

Surah at-Tawba (9): It is narrated that 70,000 angels accompanied at the time of revelation. keeping this Surah over one’s head is a safety from thieves and destruction of property by fire.

Surah Yunus (10): Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said, “Whoever recite this surah once in two three months, he will be treated in “Muqarrabeen” on the Day of Reckoning and rewarded by the number of people in prophet Yunus community.”

Surah Hud (11): The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “Whoever recites this surah will be rewarded by the number people during my time, ranked as a martyr, and his accounting will be made easy.”

Surah Yusuf (12): The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “Whoever recites this surah and teaches his family how to recite it, Allah (s.w.t.) will make his last moments before death easy, remove jealousy from his heart.

Surah Ra’d (13): The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “Whoever recites this surah will be made among those who have fulfilled his promise to Allah (s.w.t.) and will be rewarded ten times the sins he had committed. Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said, “whoever recites this surah will enter Jannah without accounting and will be allowed to intercede on behalf of his relatives and friends.”

Surah Ibrahim (14): Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said, “Whoever recites this surah and surah Hijr in a two rak’at prayer on every Friday, he will remain safe from poverty, insanity and sudden calamity.”

Surah Hijr (15): The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “Whoever recites this surah will be rewarded equal to the number of Muhajireen and Ansaar.”

Important note: The rewards for reciting any Ayahs should be followed by pondering over them and putting into practice the contents.

Sources: The Glorious Quran-Tafsir-e- Namoona by Ayatullah Nasir Nakarem Shirazi

               Fawaid-e-Qur’an by Allama Sayyid Mustafa Musawi