Monday, May 17, 2010

5:47

Salaam all



Walyahkum ahlu alinjeeli bima anzala Allahu feehi waman lam yahkum bima anzala Allahu faolaika humu alfasiqoona

The Aya says:
And let the people of the Evangile steer by what Allah brought down in it, and whoever does not rule by what Allah brought down, then those are the ones who left the path.

My personal note:
This Aya contains the third statement describing the ones who do not rule by what Allah has descended upon us. The first time it described them as Kafiroon which carries the designation of discarders and rejectors of the truth. The second time, it described them as Tahlimoon which means unjust or anyone who puts things out of their proper place and this third time, it describes them as Fasiqoon or the people who left the path, or make others leave the path or put harm in the path.

The three terms are someone interrelated and give three aspects or features of the same thing.

Translation of the transliterated words:
Walyahkum: and let them rule/ judge/ steer
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 is often translated as an addition (and), but inclusion probably covers the meaning a little better. LI means to and in this context it takes the meaning of let and so on. YAHKUM 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 part of the concept. HAKEEM means wise or the steering. The steering means the entity that steers in the best way possible using the best tools of knowledge, compassion, justice and mercy, and that is wisdom. YAHKUM is an action that is being completed or will be completed. It means: the action of ruling or judging is happening by the subject (third person singular or plural).

ahlu: people of
Note: the root is Hamza-H-L and one concrete meaning of the word is the fat that surrounds the back of the animal. It is used conceptually to mean family or any of the people that are closely associated with the entity being discussed. This could be because they are like the fat as in they engulf and protect and so forth and gain protection at the same time. AHLU means people of or family of.
Alinjeeli: the evangile/ the book of Jesus
Bima: by what/ with what/ in 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

Anzala: He made come down/ He made arrive
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. ANZALA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of making arrive or making descend happened by the subject (third person singular).
Allahu: Allah
Feehi: in him
Waman: and whomever
Lam: not
yahkum: rules/ judges/ steers
Note: 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 part of the concept. HAKEEM means wise or the steering. The steering means the entity that steers in the best way possible using the best tools of knowledge, compassion, justice and mercy, and that is wisdom. YAHKUM is an action that is being completed or will be completed. It means: the action of ruling or judging is happening by the subject (third person singular).
Bima: by what/ with what/ in 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

Anzala: He made come down/ He made arrive
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. ANZALA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of making arrive or making descend happened by the subject (third person singular).
Allahu: Allah
Faolaika: then those
Humu: they
Alfasiqoona: the ones who left God’s path/ drifted from the path/ putting harm in the path

Note: the root is F-S-Qaf and it means in concrete when the seed is out of it’s pod or when the rat is out of her house or causing harm to the regular path of the people. So, it is used for someone leaving the path or someone harming the safety of it. This is then understood as when one is out of the right place for them. In the Qur’an, it is used to mean being outside of God’s way. ALFASIQOON are the one who left God’s path or are trying to put harm or obstacles in it.

Salaam all and have a great day.

Hussein

4 comments:

Unknown said...

salaam

is there iltifaat going on in this ayah?
i note that one translator translates it in the past

"and the people of the injeel SHOULD HAVE...."

i know layahkum = 3rd person AMR form laam ul amr

but still wondering if it was declaration made in the past

hussein said...

I do like the understanding of should have for this Aya. Jzajka Allah kheir

Hussein

Hope said...

Hi, I wanted to ask if it would be correct to understand surah 5 47 as referring to the past. The Shakir translation has it as past tense. Is this correct ?


And We sent after them in their footsteps Isa, son of Marium, verifying what was before him of the Taurat and We gave him the Injeel in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it of Taurat and a guidance and an admonition for those who guard (against evil) And the followers of the Injeel *should have judged* by what Allah revealed in it; and whoever *did not judge* by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the transgressors. (Qur’an 5:46-47, Shakir’s Quran Translation)

Is this a correct possibility?

hussein said...

Wa Alaikum assalaam

I would agree with "Should have judged" but disagree with "Did not judge". We always should judge by what Allah had revealed. It was so in the past and still so today. However, what that means is that we make our best understanding of what we think we should do in light of what Allah had sent down and we accept that others may do the same but come with different conclusions depending on the context of the situation at hand or some other verses of the Qur'an that may guide in one direction or another.

Hussein