Salaam all,
this is 4:105
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِمَا أَرَاكَ اللّهُ وَلاَ تَكُن لِّلْخَآئِنِينَ خَصِيمًا
Inna anzalna ilayka alkitaba bialhaqqi litahkuma bayna alnnasi bima araka Allahu wala takun lilkhaineena khaseeman
The Aya says:
Indeed, We have descended to you (singular) the book, by the binding truth, so that you (singular) will steer between the people by what Allah made you see. And do not be, to the misleading ones, partisan.
My personal note:
The aya is addressing a second person singular. This means that it addressed clearly the person who received it, the prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It was a direct message to him, but it is also a direct message to every single person who takes the Qur’an seriously.
I translated the word “Litahkuma bayna Annasa”as to “steer between the people” instead of the more usual “To rule or judge between the people”. The reason is that steering is the more encompassing meaning and with more range. It encompasses judging and ruling for those who have the authority to judge, but it also encompasses our conduct of life and how we live it between people for those who are not in that position of authority. The word applies to both because the Aya talks to each one of us singularly to apply it within our capacities and within what we have learnt from the book of God.
The last statement in this Aya is also very interesting “Do not be partisan to the misleading ones”. The word KHAINEENA is often translated as traitors and that is correct, but it’s more encompassing meaning is “misleading” and this includes treason but other forms of misleading others as well. The term “do not be partisan” can be understood in two ways and both are not mutually exclusive. It can mean do not take their side and it also can mean not to take the opposite side. This is important for anyone in the position to judge, because they only rule for the truth and not for one person or another.
The reason that the misleading people were mentioned is that because they mix truth and untruth together or start with truth to arrive at an untruth. Therefore dealing with them will require extreme vigilance so that the person will not reject the truth even when it comes from them, but also not to accept their untruth. The famous statement attributes to Ali ® where he said: “A word of truth intended to support untruth.”
Translation of the transliterated words:
Inna: indeed WE
Anzalna: brought down/ made come/ descend from high
Note: the root is N-Z-L and it carries the meaning of arrival to stay and descent. One concrete meaning is the descent of the person from his or her horse or camel as they arrive at the place where they plan to stay. ANZALNA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of making arrive or making descend happened by the subject (first person plural).
Ilayka: to you (singular pointing to Muhammad pbuh)
Alkitaba: the book/ the collection of knowledge
Note: the root K-T-B and it means putting things together as in grouping the herd together or closing the lips or writing (the most common use), because in writing, one puts the letters and the ideas together. ALKITABA means, the process of writing or the book or anything related to it from the ideas to the ink and paper to the place where all is put together. In a sense, it points to the collection of knowledge and information that are communicated.
Bialhaqqi: by the binding truth/ with the binding truth
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. ALHAQQI is derived from the root Ha-Qaf-Qaf and it means binding right where right means correct as well s what is due to one person (rights and obligations). ALHAQQI is the binding right or binding truth.
Litahkuma: in order that you (singular) rule/ judge/ steer
Note: li means to and in this context, it takes the meaning of in order to. TAHKUMA is derived from the root Ha-K-M and it means the steer that steers the animal. This word is used for ruling and judging as well as other meanings that contain steering as the concept. TAHKUMA is an action that is being completed or will be completed. It means: the action of steering including judging, ruling and others is happening or will be happening by the subject (second person singular pointing to the prophet).
Bayna: between
Alnnasi: the people/ society
Note: ALNNAS is derived from the root Hamza-N-S and it means socializing. ALNNAS are the society/the people.
Bima: by what/ with what
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. MA means what
Araka: He showed you (singular)/ made you see
Note: the root R-Hamza-Y and it means viewing or seeing. ARAKA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of making the object (KA= singular you pointing to the prophet) see happened by the subject (third person singular pointing to Allah, coming up).
Allahu: Allah
Wala: and not
Takun: you (singular) happen to be
Note: the root is K-W-N and it means being. TAKUN is an action that is being completed or will be completed that is derived from the root. It means: the action of being is happening or will be happening by the subject (second person singular pointing to the prophet Muhammad pbuh).
Lilkhaineena: to the misleading ones/ to the traitors
Note: li means to. ILKHAINEENA is derived from the root KH-W-N and it means misleading or treason. Conceptually treason is encompassed in misleading, as in misleading the person to trust someone who is not worthy of trust. ILKHAINEENA are the misleading people or the traitors. I chose misleading people because it encompasses the traitors within it.
Khaseeman: partisan/ disputer
Note: The root is KH-Sad-M and it means disputing over an entity. This either can be a dispute over an issue or idea or a person and the term takes the meaning of people on opposite ends of a dispute and so forth. KHASEEMAN means disputer and in this context, it takes the meaning of either being on the side of the person or on the opposite side.
Salaam all and have a great day.
Hussein
5 comments:
Assalamu alaikum,
As usual,very beneficial and thoughful explanation. Few of my observations:
1.This ayah follows the one mentioning being hurt, which is a state in which a person may be vulnerable to make unfair decisions, being emotionally charged. So previously, one was reminded to have faith in Allah Subhanahu Ta'ala as the anchoring support.
2. The commandment is directed to be just towards humanity in general, and this perspective is lost by many of us in painful situations.
3. The ability and power to use judgment is a trust, as failing to do so makes the person from the khaineen.
4. The ones who break the trust are in state of mental turmoil, since they are constantly trying to rationalize their unjust biases through anguished arguments.
And Allah knows best.
Ma Sha Allah sister. Your points are totally beautiful and true. I totally agree.
Hussein
Assalaamu `aleykum.
I’d like to mention
a. regarding Sa’s comment
"4. The ones who break the trust are in state of mental turmoil, since they are constantly trying to rationalize their unjust biases through anguished arguments.
And Allah knows best."
“mental turmoil”, and “anguished arguments” can also come about because of what psychologists call “guilt” which seems to be a huge portion of the human destiny. Such guilt can be an emotional response to many involuntary and suggested actions which could not have been avoided, such as the proverbial eating of the forbidden fruit in Paradise by our proverbial parents. As such those who do not intentionally break trusts can also be in a state of emotional and “mental turmoil”, and “anguished arguments”. Would you agree?
b. regarding
“…by what Allah made you see…” and
“the root R-Hamza-Y and it means viewing or seeing. ARAKA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of making the object (KA= singular you pointing to the prophet) see happened by the subject (third person singular pointing to Allah, coming up).”
I’d like to know more about this concept: that Allah made the Prophet see and hear many things which were not seen and heard by others who were with him. I read mnay years ago that even during Ibn Taimiyya’s time, Islamic scholars accepted the notion that there are people, not necessarily of Prophetic rank, who could see and hear things that others did not. At that time, it was apparently treated as something normal for such people.
What I read has stayed in my mind, as it relates to a question raised by people whom I have met in my research work among non-Muslims.
In modern Islam, the Ahmadis have raised the question of such perceptions as part of their theological argument. This theology is rather unpopular with Sunni Muslim theologians, who typically do not seem to go into the subject of ordinary and extraordinary perceptions, these days. Ahmadis of both schools of thought accept and believe in the Arabic Qur`aan.
In modern psychology the normality of unusual or “extrasensory” pereceptions is studied carefully. Among psychologists there are many different opinions about the matter.
c. Regarding
“the root K-T-B and it means putting things together as in grouping the herd together or closing the lips or writing (the most common use), because in writing, one puts the letters and the ideas together. ALKITABA means, the process of writing or the book or anything related to it from the ideas to the ink and paper to the place where all is put together. In a sense, it points to the collection of knowledge and information that are communicated.”
These meanigs of kitaab and related words from Arabic, for instance, that it also means closing the lips, are fascinating.
Salaam brother Muhammad,
Thank you so much for the thoughts that you shared. Sister SA may offern her perspectives on them as well, but here are my thoughts:
1- People can mislead consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or not intentionally. God judges us according to that and if it was a genuine error, then Allah does not hold us accountable. The message of this Aya still stands though. If someone is clearly misleading then the order is the same, one does not take his side or opposite side, but the truth.
There is also another angle to the order of this Aya and that is not to enter an argument or long discussion with such person because he or she may misrepresent, misquote and mislead with it. So, the minimal contact is best. Whether they are conscious of what they do or not is between them and God, but for us, we deal with what is clear to us and we work accordingly. We do not judge their hearts, but judge according to what we see. It may be also a good idea for us to inform them of what we see.
2- Regarding ARAKA as made you see or more likely made you envision. The root is for vision, but conceptually it is extended to knowledge and opinion and so on. All scholars agree that many people receive messages from God or the angels. They also agree that people also receive messages from Satan. So, the person who receives messages will have to differentiate whether this is a holy or satanic "vision". So, how can one differentiate between the two?
The way the Sunni Orthodox scholars dealt with it is by declaring that any vision or message a person receives cannot contradict the Qur'an and the Sunna of the prophet. So, whenever a person declares himself holy and cancels a Qur'anic injunction, then his or her vision or message is not of holy background. This rule applies to anyone who claims acceptance of the Qur'an but go and contradict it because of those "visions or messages".
3- Regarding ktb. When we close our mouths, we put our lips together. It also resembles the act of closing the book
I hope this helps a little and take care.
Hussein
Thank you very much brother Hussein. Your explanations are thoughtful and helpful. May Allah reward you.
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