4:55

Salaam all,

This is 4:55
فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ آمَنَ بِهِ وَمِنْهُم مَّن صَدَّ عَنْهُ وَكَفَى بِجَهَنَّمَ سَعِيرًا
Faminhum man amana bihi waminhum man sadda AAanhu wakafa bijahannama saAAeeran

The Aya says:
Therefore, amongst them who made themselves safe in him, and amongst them who blocked from him, and sufficient by Hell, a place of intense heat.

My personal note:
The “them” in here is continuing the context of the previous Aya and it points to the people or family of Abraham. It points that some of them made themselves safe in him (Abraham or his book or his path or all) and others blocked that path, where they end up in Hell.

In a sense there are several messages here. One is that the descendants of Abraham are not exempt from following his message. Two is that while the descendants of Abraham as Jews and Christians may have fallen into the error of blocking his path at times, the same can happen to the descendants of Abraham who are the Muslims. Therefore it is a reminder to all, to follow Abraham’s path and make themselves safe in it.

Translation of the transliterated words:
Faminhum: so amongst them (pointing to the people of Abraham)
Man: who
Amana: made himself safe
Note: the root Hamza-M-N and it means safety. Conceptually, it can also be extended to trust as well, because we feel safe in the entity we trust. AMANA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of making oneself safe is happened by the subject (third person singular).
Bihi: in him
Note: Bi denotes that what comes after is a tool and/or an object or an association with an action that was mentioned. If it is an object of the action then it makes it stronger. HI means him and it points to either Abraham in the previous Aya or the book and the wisdom which came to Abraham and the prophets after him. Both are possible, although the book and wisdom covers Abraham and all other prophets, including Muhammad, may peace be upon all of them.
Waminhum: and amongst them
Man: who
Sadda: blocked/ tightened
Note: the root is Sad-D-D and it means in concrete when the clapping of the hands or the expression of puss when the skin is squeezed opposite itself. Therefore, the concept carries the meaning of something opposite something or something blocking something or tightening on something as in squeezing it and making it difficult to proceed. SADDA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of blocking and tightening.
AAanhu: from him
Note: this word takes the meaning of from, but at times takes the meaning of away from and so on. HU means the book and wisdom or Abraham of his path and all are mutually inclusive.
Wakafa: and sufficient
Note: WA is a letter that links what is before with what is after. This link is through inclusion, either one is included in the other or they are all included in the bigger sentence or bigger picture. WA often corresponds with “and/ addition” but the more encompassing meaning is in inclusion one in another or all in a bigger picture or sentence. KAFA is derived from the root K-F-W and it means meeting the challenge or the need in any way as in having done enough to meet that challenge and so forth. In this context, it takes the meaning of being sufficient.
Bijahannama: in Hell/ by Hell
Note: Bi denotes that what comes after is a tool and/or an object or an association with an action that was mentioned. If it is an object of the action then it makes it stronger. JAHANNAMA is thought to be a word borrowed from another language, probably Hebrew and it is the name for hell. There is a use of the word in Arabic in concrete to point to a well that is very deep and difficult to reach it’s water, or that it would be a difficult fall in case one falls in it, they cannot come out.
saAAeeran: place of intense heat
Note: the root is S-Ain-R and it means heat of an entity. This is concrete and then it can be taken conceptually to apply to price of entities as well as activities according to the context of the sentence. SaAAeeRAN is the place of intense heat and that is Hell.

Salaam all and have a great day.


Hussein