Monday, December 23, 2019

9:114

Salaam all

9:114
وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ إِلاَّ عَن مَّوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لأوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ
Wama kana istighfaru ibraheema liabeehi illa AAan mawAAidatin waAAadaha iyyahu falamma tabayyana lahu annahu AAaduwwun lillahi tabarraa minhu inna ibraheema laawwahun haleemun

The Aya says:
And Abrahams plea for his father's forgiveness was not done except upon a promise (his father) promised. So, when he realized that he (his father) was an enemy of Allah, he dissociated from him. Indeed, Abraham is caring, patiently forgiving.

My personal note:
The Aya mainly explains that Abraham did ask for forgiveness for his father until he realized that his father is an enemy of Allah and then he abandoned the prayer for forgiveness. The Aya then describes Abraham in the positive attributes of caring for others and hurting for their hurt as well as being patient and forgiving at the same time.

Translation of the transliterated words:
Wama: and not
Kana: was/ happened to be
Note: KANA is derived from the root K-W-N and it means being. KANA is an action that is completed that is derived from the root. It means: the action of being happened by the subject (third personal singular). WAMA KANA gets the meaning: it was not

Istighfaru: asking forgiveness/ asking protective cover
Note: the root is GH-F-R or Ghain-F-R and it means covering for protection. The concrete word is the helmet of the fighter. In the Qur’an the usual context is protection from the consequences of poor actions or sins. ISTIGHFARU is the act of asking for forgiveness or protective cover.
Ibraheema: Abraham
Note: Abraham as the patriarch of prophets peace be upon him.
Liabeehi: for his father
Illa: except/ if not
AAan: about
mawAAidatin: a promise
Note: the root is W-Ain-D and it means promise. MAWAAiDATAN means: promise

waAAadaha: He promised it
Note: the root is W-Ain-D and it means promise. WaAAaDA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of promising happened by the subject (third person singular pointing to Abraham’s father) of the object (Ha=it)

Iyyahu: to him (Abraham)
Falamma: so when
tabayyana: became clear
Note: the root is B-Y-N and it means in concrete between. The action of the verb is betweening. This betweening can mean clarifying because one can know better the difference between two things. It also can mean distancing because the betweening makes things become apart. TABAYYANA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of becoming clear or self-evident happened or revealing itself to the subject (lahu= to him, Abraham)

Lahu: to Him (Abraham)
Annahu: that he (his father)
AAaDUWWUN: enemy
Note: the root is Ain-D-W and it means running or overstepping boundaries since the running is a form of overstepping a boundary. Conceptually, it is also used to point to animosity since animosity stems from overstepping boundaries or enemies overstep boundaries of each other. AAaduwwun means enemy/ transgressor.

Lillahi: to Allah/ against Allah
Tabarraa: he (Abraham) dissociated/ cut his ties
Note: the root is B-R-Hamza and it means dissociation from an entity. This takes many meanings according to the situation. One of them is cure from disease because it is dissociation from disease, another is creation of a living thing out of a dead thing and that is dissociation from the state of death and any other type of dissociation in between. TABARRAA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of dissociation or cutting ties happened by the subject (third person singular pointing to Abraham)
Minhu: from him (his father)
Inna: indeed
Ibraheema: Abraham
Laawwahun: indeed caring
Note: LA here is for emphasis. AWWAHUN is derived from Hamza-w-h and it is the expression for pain or hurt. Conceptually it is used when expressing pain or worry about someone going through a hard time and so on. I translated here as caring and it is mixed with worry about the well-being of others.
Haleemun: forgiving/ patiently forgiving.
Note: the root is HA-L-M and it is a root used for the nipple but also for dreams and also for the time when night emissions occur and therefore announcing puberty and maturity. Conceptually the term is used for someone who is forbearing and not easily disturbed by the actions of others, perhaps very much like the breast-feeding mother and any mature person. It is used when someone combines patience with forgiveness often.

Salaam all and have a great day

Hussein

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

9:113

Salaam all,

9:113
مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُواْ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُواْ أُوْلِي قُرْبَى مِن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ

Ma kana lilnnabiyyi waallatheena amanoo an yastaghfiroo lilmushrikeena walaw kanoo olee qurba min baAAdi ma tabayyana lahum annahum ashabu aljaheemi

The Aya says:
It is not for the prophet and the faithful to ask forgiveness for the polytheists even if they were relatives after it became clear to them that they were companions of Hell.

My personal note:
The Aya states that the community of believers do not have the right to ask forgiveness for polytheists if the faithful came to the realization that those particular polytheists are going to Hell. There are two important things for consideration here related to being sure someone is going to Hell:

1- We as Muslims are prohibited from declaring someone going to Hell or Heaven as long as they are living. So, the Aya only applies to those who died at the polytheistic religion.
2- Also, while Muslims can say that a believer of so and so if they die on that belief then they are going to Hell, they cannot declare any particular person, even if a believer of such belief, that they are going to Hell. That is because the knowledge of the particularities of that person are between him/ her and God.
In this light one can see certain rulings coming out of this Aya:
1- We can pray for the polytheists as long as they are living but cannot when they die.
2- There is a difference in opinion with the majority saying we cannot ask forgiveness while the minority says that we can ask forgiveness but cannot pray ritual prayers on their bodies.

Translation of the transliterated words:

Ma kana: it was not to be/ it should not/ it is not
be
Note: MA is for negation of what comes after. KANA is derived from the root K-W-N and it means being. KANA is an action that is completed that is derived from the root. It means: the action of being happened by the subject (third personal singular). MA KANA gets the meaning: was not to be/ should not be

Lilnnabiyyi: for the prophet/ to the prophet
Note: Li means to or for. ALNABIYYI is derived from one of two roots either The first is N-B-Hamza and it means news. The other is N-B-Y and it means elevated. The word NABIYY means a prophet, and it could be because the prophet brings news or that he is elevated over others or both. ALNNABIYYA means the prophet and the AL signifies that the person talked about is known to the listener or listeners.

Waallatheena
: and those who
amanoo: made themselves safe/ caused safety/ caused trust/ attained faith
Note: the root is Hamza-M-N and it means safe or safety. AMANOO is an action that is derived from the root and that is completed. It means: the action of making the object (not mentioned and therefore the subject and the object can be the same entity here) become safe happened by the subject (third person plural). So, it ends up meaning: they made themselves safe but it can also extend to making safety and trust situation for others as well.
An: to / that
Yastaghfiroo: seek protective cover/ seek forgiveness.
Note: the root is GH-F-R or Ghain-F-R and it means covering for protection. The concrete word is the helmet of the fighter. In the Qur’an the usual context is protection from the consequences of poor actions or sins. YASTAGHFIROO is an action that is happening or will be happening. It means: Seeking protective cover or forgiveness is happening by a third person plural.

Lilmushrikeena: for the polytheists
Note: LI means for or to. ALMUSHRIKEENA is derived from the root SH-R-K and it means partner or partnership and with this partnership is a measure of equality or being on par. ALMUSHRIKEENA are the ones who make partners to God in worship or in action and that includes the polytheists.
Walaw: even if
Kanoo: they were
Note: the root is K-W-N and it means being. KANOO is an action that is completed that is derived from the root. It means: the action of being happened by the subject (third personal plural). This in turn means: they were/ they happened to be.

Olee: people of
Note: OLOO is derived from the root Hamza-W-L and it means ultimate as a concept and takes different shapes and specific meanings according to the situation including first and so on. It often takes the meaning of first because that is the most ultimate. OLOO means people of priority and that means relatives.

Qurba: nearness
Note: the root is Qaf-R-B and it means nearing or becoming near. QURBA is affinity or nearness / more affinity/ closer. OLEE QURBA points to relatives

Min: from
baAAdi: after
Note: the root is B-Ain-D and it means further in time or space. In space it means farther in distance and in time, it means after. BaAADI here means: after.

Ma: that
Tabayyana: became clear
Note: the root is B-Y-N and it means in concrete between. The action of the verb is betweening. This betweening can mean clarifying because one can know better the difference between two things. It also can mean distancing because the betweening makes things become apart. TABAYYANA is an action that is completed. It means: the action of becoming clear or self-evident happened or revealing itself to the subject (lahum= to them).

Lahum: to them
Annahum: that they
Ashabu: companions of
Note: ASHABU is derived from the root Sad-Ha-B and it means companion or companionship. ASHABU means companions of.
Aljaheemi: The intense fire/Hell
Note: the root is J-Ha-M and it means to burn intensely. ALJAHIM is the intensely burning fire.

Salaam all and have a great day

Hussein

Tuesday, December 03, 2019

9:112

Salaam all,

9:112
التَّائِبُونَ الْعَابِدُونَ الْحَامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاكِعُونَ السَّاجِدونَ الآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّاهُونَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَالْحَافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللّهِ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Alttaiboona alAAabidoona alhamidoona alssaihoona alrrakiAAoona alssajidoona alamiroona bialmaAAroofi waalnnahoona AAani almunkari waalhafithoona lihudoodi Allahi wabashshiri almumineena

The Aya says:
The rebonding, worshipping, praising, fasting/ travelling, bending, prostrating, enjoining good and advising against evil and the ones who preserve Allah’s boundaries. And, bring glad tidings to the faithful.

My personal note:
The Aya brings about the features of the faitful and describes them with the above terms. I translated TAIBOON as “rebonding”. This term is usually translated as repenting but is more rooted in return to the strong bond with Allah after it had been broken or weakened so I felt rebonding is a better explanation of the term.

The term ALSSAIHOON is translated as fasting and that is one of the meanings of the word in Arabic dictionaries. The term can also apply to travelling. The meaning can certainly encompass fasting as an act of worship and also travel when it is also an act of worship such as pilgrimage or to acquire knowledge that increases our bond with Allah.

Translation of the transliterated words:
Alttaiboona: the repentant/ the always returning
Note: the root is T-W-B and it means repentance or the ultimate return to GOD. The concrete word that is related is TABOOT and it means coffin which is what takes us to our ultimate return to GOD or repentance. ALTTAIBOONA means the repentant or the ones who always come back (To Allah)
alAAabidoona: the worshipping/ the humbled/
or servant. The road that is MUABBAD is the road that is well trodden and made easy to walk or drive on and so on. Conceptually, aAABD is an entity that is easy to manage and does smooth sailing either by it’s own or by being subject to pressure from above. It is used for slave or servant or anyone who is humbled for love or devotion or by the sheer power of the other entity. AlAAaBIDOON are the ones who worship or humbled of full of humility to Allah.
Alhamidoona: the praising
Note: the root is Ha-M-D and it means praise or thanks. According to the understanding of scholars an entity receives HAMD (praise) for her actions, words, or just attributes that are praiseworthy. ALHAMIDOONA are the ones who praise.
Alssaihoona: the travelers/ the fasting
Note: the root is S-Y-HA and it means the flowing water or liquid on the face of the earth. It is conceptually then used for travel and sometimes for fasting because if you are fasting as if you are travelling and not knowing when is your next meal. ALSSAIHOON in this context points to those who travel seeking knowledge or closeness and to those who fast.
alrrakiAAoona: the bending in prayer
Note: the root is R-K-Ain and it means to bend the back or to bow This meaning extends to the concrete and the abstract and both are correct and are binding unless there is a reason to limit the meaning to one. ALRRAKiAAooNA are the ones who bend in prayer.
Alssajidoona: the prostrating in prayer
Note: the root is S-J-D and in concrete it means in one concrete form: a tree that is tilting downward due to a heavy load of fruits. It therefore is used conceptually to mean tilting downward of the face or the body including prostration as well as showing any sign of submission to a higher power. The range of meaning all those meanings together and one needs to understand it as both unless there is a strong reason in the sentence or elsewhere in the Qur’an to make one meaning inappropriate or impossible. ALSSAJIDOONA are the ones who prostrate in prayer.

Alamiroona: the enjoiners
Note: the root is Hamza-M-R and it means ordering something and the implementation of it. ALAMIROONA in this context means are the ones who give orders or enjoin others to act.

bialmaAAroofi: by the goodness
Note: BI signifies an attachment or close linkage between what is before and what is after it. In a Verbal sentence it can mean attachment to the action or to the subject as it does the action. This attachment can then signify many things according to the verb and to the sentence and so on. ALMAROOFI is derived from the root Ain-R-F and it means the elevated place that will be known or recognized from a distance. MaAAROOF is what is recognized. This is also used to mean what is good or recognized as being good or appropriate

Waalnnahoona: and the forbidders/ and advising against
Note: WA here is for contrasting this with what preceded it. ALNNAHOONA is derived from the root N-H-Y and it means stopping or ending or desisting. This then takes different form according to the plane of thought of the sentence. ALNNAHOONA are the ones who make others stop short of/ forbid or block an action.
AAani: of/ away from
Almunkari: the bad/ the unrecognizable as good/ the objectionable
Note: ALMUNKARI is derived from the root N-K-R and it means no recognition. This is the concept and it takes several meanings according to the context. They can mean not recognized as unknown. It can also mean not recognized as being good or acceptable and so forth. This is what the context here dictates. MUNKAR is the unrecognized as being good or acceptable and I used objectionable.

Waalhafithoona: and the ones who preserve/ keep safe/ keep guarded
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. ALHAITHOONA is derived from the root
Lihudoodi: of boundaries of
Note: LI means to or of or for. HUDOODI is derived from the root Ha-D-D and it means limit and boundaries. HUDOODI are the set limits of/ the boundaries of. In a sense, what should not be breached.

Allahi: Allah
Wabashshiri: and give glad tidings/ and give good news
Note: WA here is to start a sentence or new statement. BASHSHIRI is derived from the root B-SH-R and it means the outer skin of people. This is also a sign of beauty and good news in the abstract. BASHSHIR is an order or request addressed to an individual and this individual is the prophet (pbuh). It means: give glad tidings
Almumineena: the faithful
Note: ALMUMINEENA is derived from 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. ALMUMINEENA means: those who make themselves safe.

Salaam all and have a great day

Hussein