Indexed OCR Text

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Sūrah Ța-Ha : 20 : 83 - 89
these two categories. They could not be described as fai' because they
were borrowed from the Egyptians who did not transfer their ownership
to Bani Isra'il, nor could they be considered as spoils of war because they
were not taken in the course of a religious war. Thus according to the
Islamic Shari'ah the Bani Isra'il could not have lawfully used the
ornaments for their personal benefit.
It is well-known that when the Holy Prophet
decided to migrate to
Madinah, he had with him many valuables which the infidels of Arabia
had entrusted to him for safe custody because they had full faith in his
honesty and integrity and had, in recognition of these qualities, bestowed
upon him the title of Amin (!) - honest). He was so solicitous about these
deposits that he placed them in the hands of Sayyidna 'Ali
and
specifically directed him to restore them to their rightful owners before
migrating to Madinah. This clearly shows that it is not lawful for Muslims
to appropriate, for their personal use, the valuables belonging to
non-Muslims.
The word tu la - means, "we cast away the ornaments". According to
the hadith-ul-futun (narrated earlier in detail) this was done under the
orders of Sayyidna Harun Nel while some other versions say that Samiri
cajoled the Bani Isra'il into throwing the ornaments in the pit. It is quite
possible that both these versions are true (as appears below).
So did throw Samiri - 20:87) It appears from the) فَكَذلِكَ الْقَى السَّامِرِىُّ
hadith-ul-futun related by Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas
(reported
in earlier pages) that after the Bani Isra'il had thrown away all the
ornaments, Sayyidna Harun SEEl ordered a big fire to be lit in the pit
which melted them and left them in one solid piece. The decision as to the
disposal of this precious metal was deferred till the return of Sayyidna
Musa Cal . After all this had happened Samiri approached Sayyidna
Harun Mal . He had something in his closed fists and sought permission
to throw it in the pit. Sayyidna Harun SKEll thinking that he held some
ornaments in his fists permitted him to cast them in the pit. Then Samiri
said, "I will certainly throw it, but first I want you to pray to God that a
wish which I have may be granted." Sayyidna Harun Kal, unaware of
the evil which he planned, prayed to Allah in his behalf, and Samiri
opened his hands and threw what he held in the pit. It was not

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Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 83 - 89
ornaments but only dust from under the hoof marks of the horse of
Jibra'il Sell which Samiri had collected after he observed that signs of life
appeared in the dust under the hoof marks of the horse. Aided by Satan
he now wished to put life into a calf by means of this dust. Nevertheless,
whether it was the result of the miraculous property of the dust or
whether it was a consequence of the prayer of Sayyidna Harun Sal in
behalf of Samiri, the molten lump of gold and silver assumed the form of a
calf and started making bovine sounds. There are other traditions also
which relate that it was Samiri himself who persuaded the Bani Isra'il to
throw the ornaments in the pit after which he carved the molten metal in
the shape of a calf which had no life. He then sprinkled on it the dust
from the hoof marks of the mount of Sayyidna Jibra'il Sel and it became
a living calf. All these and similar stories which are based on Isra'ilite
traditions have been related by Qurtubi in his commentary and by other
writers as well. These traditions cannot be wholly relied upon, yet at the
same time we do not possess sufficient ground to disprove them either.
So he brought forth for them a calf, a body) فَاَخُرَجَ لَهُمُ عِجُلاً جَسَدًا لَّه، خُوَارٌ
with a lowing sound. - 20:88) Some Commentators maintain that it was
only a body without life and that the sound was produced by a special
contrivance. But the majority of commentators believe that the calf in fact
possessed signs of life.
Then they said, "This is your god and the) فَقَالُوا لهذَا إِلَهُكُمْ وَإِلَهُ مُؤْسِى فَنَسِىَ
god of Musa, and he erred." - 20:88) Having carved a calf which could also
produce a sound, Samiri and his friends said to the Bani Isra'il", "Here is
your god and the god of Musa. It seems Musa has forgotten, that is why
he has gone elsewhere in search of god".
Do they not then see that it) آفَلاَ يَرَوُنَ اَلاَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمُ قَوْلاً لا وَّلاَ يَمْلِكُ لَهُمُ ضَرًّا وَّلاَ نَفْعًا
does not respond to them with a word, nor does it have power to harm or
benefit them? - 20:89) The excuses put forward by the Bani Isra'il before
Sayyidna Musa Ka for the evil deeds end with the previous verse. In
this verse Allah reminds them of their folly by pointing out to them that
even if the calf had life and made bovine noises would that be sufficient
reason to adopt it as the object of their worship? They were well aware
that it could not answer their prayers nor had it the power to harm them
or to benefit them.

149
Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 90 - 94
Verses 90 - 94
وَلَقَدْ قَالَ لَهُمْ هُرُوْنُ مِنْ قَبْلُ ثِقَوْمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنْتُمُ بِهِ ، وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ
الرَّحْمِنُ فَاتَّبِعُونِىُ وَأَطِيْعُوّا أَمْرِىُ ﴿١٠﴾ قَالُوْا لَنْ نَّبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ
◌ِكِفِيْنَ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ إِلَيْنَا مُؤْسى ﴿٩١﴾ قَالَ يَهُرُوْنُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ
رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُوًا ﴿٢﴾ أَلاَّ تَتَّبِعَنِ ، اَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِىُ ﴿٩٣﴾ قَالَ يَا بُنَؤُمَّ
لاَتَأْخُذُ بِلِحْيَتِىْ وَلاَ بِرَأْسِىُ : إِنِّىُ خَشِيْتُ أَنْ تَقُوْلَ فَرَّقُتَ بَيْنَ بَنِى
إِسْرَآءِيْلَ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبُ قَوْلِىٌ ﴿٩٤﴾
And Harun had already said to them, "O my people, you
have only been led astray with it, and your Lord is the
Rahman (All-Merciful). So follow me and obey my
command." [90] They said, "We will never discontinue
staying with it, until Musa returns to us." [91] He
(Musa) said, "O Harun what did prevent you from
following me when you saw them going astray? [92] Did
you then disobey my command?" [93] He said, "O son of
my mother, do not hold me by my beard, nor by my
head. I feared that you would say, 'You have caused
discord among the children of Isra'il and did not
observe my advice." [94]
Commentary
When the Bani Isra'il were smitten with the mischief of calf-worship
Sayyidna Harun &@as the deputy of Sayyidna Musa
remonstrated with them but to no avail. They split into three factions.
Those who remained loyal to Sayyidna Harun & and refused to be
misled by Samiri and who numbered, according to Qurtubi, twelve
thousand. The second faction adopted calf-worship with the reservation
that if Sayyidna Musa &H , on his return, forbade them they would give
it up. The third faction consisted of zealots who believed that Sayyidna
Musa
would approve of their action and would himself join them in
calf-worship but even if he did not, they themselves would never give up
their new faith. When Sayyidna Musa Ma returned to his people he
rebuked them for the mischief they had caused (as related in the earlier

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Sūrah Ța-Ha : 20 : 90 - 94
verses). Then he turned to Sayyidna Harun && and in a rage seized him
by his beard and the hair of his head. He asked him that when the
unbelief (A) of the Bani Isra'il had become obvious, why he did not
follow him to the Tur mountain and why he disobeyed his orders.
What did prevent you from following me when) مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْرَأَيْتَهُمُ ضَلُّوَّا أَلاَّ تَتَّبِعَنِ
you saw them going astray. - 20:92) One meaning of ittiba' (following)
referred to in this verse is that when Sayyidna Harun al discovered
that the Bani Isra'il had strayed from the righteous path, and were
beyond recall, he should have abandoned them and joined Sayyidna
Musa Scel at the Tur mountain. The other meaning of the word 'follow',
as adopted by some commentators is that when the Bani Isra'il had
forsaken the True Faith, Sayyidna Harun & should have fought them
as Sayyidna Musa Skal would have done had he been present there. In
any case Sayyidna Musa Ka blamed Sayyidna Harun Sea that he
should either have fought the Bani Isra'il or should have parted company
with them and joined Sayyidna Musa Stell at the Tur mountain, and that
his continuing to live with them was an unwise act. Sayyidna Harun Sel
addressed him as 1 g ( (O my mother's son!) which implied a plea not to
judge him too harshly. His excuse was that if he had fought the Bani
Isra'il or abandoned them with his twelve thousand men, it would have
caused discord and strife among them. He said that he had understood
the parting advice of Sayyidna Musa أُخْلُفُنِىُ فِى قَوْمِى وَأَصْلِحُ الََّة (Take my
place among my people and keep things right - 7:142) to mean that he
should maintain harmony among the people and prevent differences at
all cost. Besides, he said, he had hoped that when he (Sayyidna Musa
Kell) would return, he would be able to handle the situation satisfactorily.
A further excuse which he offered and which is reported elsewhere in the
Qur'an was 7:150) إِنَّ الْقَوْمَ اسْتَضْعَفُوُنِىُ وَكَادُوا يَقْتُلُونَنِى) which means that the Bani
Isra'il have taken me as weak because of the small number of my
supporters and were about to kill me. Sayyidna Musa &gal did not press
the matter any further with his brother. He then turned to Samiri and
asked him to explain his conduct in this whole affair. Qur'an does not
indicate whether he accepted the excuses offered by Sayyidna Harun
Sel or whether he considered the latter's mistake as one of ijtihad
(assessment) and dropped the matter.

151
Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 95 - 98
Differences between two prophets when the opinions of both
could be right
In this affair the considered opinion of Sayyidna Musa el , by way
of ijtihad was that in the situation as it took shape Sayyidna Harun Sel
should have totally dissociated himself from the Bani Isra'il by removing
himself and his followers from their company, and that by continuing to
stay with them he had compromised his position. On the other hand
Sayyidna Harun NE felt, by way of ijtihad, that such an action would
have caused a permanent split among the Bani Isra'il and divided them
into factions, and since there was hope that they would see the error of
their way when Sayyidna Musa
returned, he thought it wise to
adopt a conciliatory attitude towards them. The purpose of both the
prophets was a strict adherence to the commands of Allah and to ensure
that the Bani Isra'il remained steadfast in the observance of the True
Faith and in their belief in the Oneness of Allah. Where they differed,
however, was the manner in which these objectives could be achieved
whether to make a complete break with the dissidents or to bear with
them in the hope that things would improve ultimately. Both these views
have merit and it is not possible to pass a firm and final judgment on
them. The differences among the jurists based on ijtihad are of a similar
nature and those holding different opinions cannot be charged of having
broken any religious laws. As regards Sayyidna Musa
seizing his
brother by the hairs, it only shows his anger and frustration with the
situation which had developed during his absence, but on hearing his
explanation, he prayed to Allah to forgive them both.
Verses 95 - 98
قَالَ فَمَا خَطُبُكَ يُسَامِرِىُّ ﴿٩٥﴾ قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَالَمُ يَبْصُرُوْا بِهِ
فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ آثَرِ الرَّسُوْلِ فَنَبَذْتُهَا وَكَذلِكَ سَوَّلَتُ لِىُ نَفْسِىُ
﴿٩٦﴾ قَالَ فَاذْهَبُ فَإِنَّ لَكَ فِى الْحَيوةِ أَنْ تَقُوُلَ لاَمِسَاسَ ص وَإِنَّ
لَكَ مَوْعِدًا لَّنْ تُخْلَفَه" وَانْظُرُ إِلَى إِلِهِكَ الَّذِى ظَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفَاء
لَنُحَرِّقَتَّهِ، ثُمَّ لَنَنْسِفَنَّهُ فِى الْيَجِّ نَسُفًا ﴿٩٧﴾ إِنَّمَآ ◌ِلهُكُمُ اللهُ الَّذِىُ لَآَ

152
Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 95 - 98
إِلَّهَ إِلاَّهُوَ* وَسِعَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًا ﴿٩٨)
He (Musa) said, "What then is your case, O Samiri?" [95]
He said, "I perceived something they perceived not. So I
picked up a handful of dust from under the foot of the
messenger (the angel). Then, I cast it. And thus my
inner self tempted me." [96]
He (Musa) said, "Then go away, for your fate in this life
is to say: 'Do not touch me'. And, of course, you have
another promise, never to be held back from you. And
look at your god to which you stayed devoted. We will
certainly burn it, then we will scatter it thoroughly in
the sea. [97] Your God is Allah other than whom there is
no god. He encompasses everything with knowledge." [98]
Commentary
(20:96 - I perceived something they perceived not) بَصُرُتُ بِمَالَمْ يَبْصُرُوا بِهِ
The reference here is to Jibra'il Seel. There is a tradition that he was
present on his horse at the river crossing when, the Bani Isra'il having
crossed it safely to the other side, the Pharaoh and his army entered the
river in pursuit of the fugitives. There is another tradition that after
Sayyidna Musa Mal had crossed the river Sayyidna Jibra'il A came to
him riding a horse to invite him to go to the Tur mountain. At that time
Samiri alone, and no one else, saw him and the reason, according to a
tradition of Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 400, was that he was nourished by
Jibra'il when his mother had left him in the cave, and knew him well.
(Bayan ul-Qur'an)
So I picked up a handful of dust from under the) فَقَبَضُتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنُ آثَّرِالرَّسُوْلِ
foot of the messenger .- 20:96) The word J'y (messenger) refers to Jibra'il
SKEll. The Satan planted the idea in the heart of Samiri that the earth
under the hoofs of the mount of Jibra'll Seal must somehow contain signs
of life and he should pick up some of it - which he did. According to the
tradition of Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas
القى فى روعه أنّه لا يلقيها على شيئ فَيَقُول كن كذا، الاّ كان
(The thought occurred to Samiri was that if he sprinkled this
earth on something and uttered the words, "You become so and
so", it will change its original form and become "so and so.")

153
Sūrah Ța-Ha : 20 : 95 - 98
It is also related by some exegetes that Samiri observed that grass
sprouted unfailingly in the earth under the hoofs of the horse of Jibra'il
(كذا فى الكمالين) .from which he deduced that it contained traces of life التعليقات
The same explanation is adopted by Ruh ul-Ma'ani on the authority of
Tabi'in and majority of commentators, and it includes comments on doubts
expressed by some skeptics فجزاه الله خير الجزاء . (Bayan ul-Qur'an)
Later on he moulded the ornaments, which the Bani Isra'il had
thrown in the pit, in the shape of a calf and sprinkled the earth on it. By
a miracle of Allah it developed signs of life and could even make a sound.
The detailed story of Samiri and his calf has been given in (hadith
ul-futūn) in earlier pages of this volume.
فَإِنَّ لَكَ فِى الْحَيْوةِ آَنُ تَقُوْلَ لاَمِسَاسَ
For your fate in this life is to say: 'Do not touch me' .- 20:97
The punishment proposed by Sayyidna Musa Se for Samiri in this
world was that everyone should sever all contacts with him and not to
come near him, and he too was commanded not to touch anyone. Thus he
was condemned to spend the rest of his life away from all social contacts -
like a wild animal. Whether this punishment was awarded to him by
Sayyidna Musa See by means of a law which was binding on Samiri as
well as on the Bani Isra'il, or whether Samiri was smitten by some
peculiar affliction which deterred people from making any physical
contact with him, is not known. Some traditions have it that Sayyidna
Musa SE had laid a curse on Samiri so that if anyone touched him then
both the parties came down with fever (Ma'alim). Thus he spent all his
life hiding from people and whenever he saw someone approaching him,
he would call out play (Don't touch me). It is mentioned in Ruh
ul-Ma'ani on the authority of Al-Bahr ul-Muhit that initially Sayyidna
Musa Sca had intended to execute Samiri but Allah stopped him because
Samiri was a very generous person and helped people who were in
distress.
The word '&gu means "we will certainly burn it". Here the question
arises: how could the calf which was carved from gold and silver be burnt,
because these metals when subjected to extreme heat are melted but are
not reduced to ashes. Several possibilities have been advanced. The first is
that after signs of life appeared in it, the calf ceased to be a figure of gold

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Sūrah Ța-Ha : 20 : 99 - 114
and silver and became an animal of flesh and blood in which case it could
be slaughtered and burnt. The second explanation is that it could be filed
with a rasp into very minute particles of dust (Ad- Dur al-Manthur). A third
explanation is that it could be burnt by means of some chemical device
(Ruh ul-Ma'ani). There is yet a fourth explanation, namely that the calf
could be burnt by some miracle (Bayan ul-Qur'an).
Verses 99 - 114
كَذلِكَ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنْبَاءِ مَا قَدُ سَبَقَ وَقَدْ أَنَّيْنَكَ مِنْ لَّدُنَّا
ذِكْرًا (٢٦) مَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَحْمِلُ يَوْمَ الْقِيْمَةِ وِزْرًا ﴿١٠)
لحلِدِيْنَ فِيْهِ * وَسَآءَ لَهُمُ يَوْمَ الْقِيْمَةِ حِمُلاً ﴿١١) يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِى
الصُّوْرِ وَنَحْشُرُ الْمُجْرِمِيْنَ يَوْمَئِذٍ زُرْقًا ﴿٢٠٢ ﴾ يَّتَخَافَتُوْنَ بَيْنَهُمُ إِنْ
لَِّثْتُمْ إِلاَّ عَشْرًا ﴿١٠٣) نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَقُوْلُونَ إِذْ يَقُوُلُ أَمْثَلُهُمْ
طَرِيْقَةٌ إِنْ لَِّثْتُمْ إِلاَّ يَوْمًا ﴿١٢٤) وَيَسْئَلُوْنَكَ عَنِ الْجِبَالِ فَقُلُ
يَنْسِفُهَا رَبِىُ نَسْفًا ﴿١٠٥﴾ فَيَذَرُهَا قَاعًا صَفْصَفًا ﴿١٠٦﴾ لاَ تَرِى فِيْهَا
عِوَجًا وَّلاَ آَمْتًا ﴿١٠٧) يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَّبِعُوْنَ الدَّاعِىَ لاَعِوَجَ لَه،)) وَ
خَشَعَتِ الْأَصْوَاتُ لِلرَّحْمنِ فَلاَ تَسْمَعُ إِلاَّ هَمُسًا ﴿١٠٨) يَوْمَئِذٍ لاَّ
تَنْفَعُ الشِّفَاعَةُ إِلَّ مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحُمِنُ وَرَضِىَ لَهُ، قَوْلاً ﴿١٠٩) يَعْلَمُ
مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيْهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ يُحِيُطُوْنَ بِهِ عِلْمًا ﴿١١٠﴾ وَعَنَتِ
الْوُجُوُهُ لِلْحَيِّ الْقَيُّوُمِ* وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ حَمَلَ ظُلُمًا ﴿١١١﴾ وَمَنْ
يَّعُمَلُ مِنَ الصُّلِحتِ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلاَ يَخْفُ ظُلْمًا وَّلاَ هَضُمًا
﴿١١٢﴾ وَكَذلِكَ آَنْزَلْنُهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا وَّصَرَّفْنَا فِيْهِ مِنَ الْوَعِيْدِ لَعَلَّهُمُ
يَتَّقُونَ أَوْ يُحْدِثُ لَهُمُ ذِكْرًا ﴿١١٣﴾ فَتَغَلَى اللهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّهَ وَلاَ
تَعْجَلُ بِالْقُرْآنِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يُقْضِى إِلَيْكَ وَحُيُهُ وَقُلُ رَّبِّ زِدُنِىُ

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Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 99 - 114
عِلْمًا ﴿١١٤)
Thus We narrate to you certain events of what has
passed, and We have given to you, from Ourself, a (book
of) advice. [99] Whoever turns away from it shall
certainly bear a heavy burden on the Doomsday, [100]
all such people living under it forever. And how evil for
them is that burden on the Doomsday! [101] The Day
when the Horn (Sur) will be blown and We shall gather
them together that day, while turned blue, [102]
whispering among themselves, "You did not remain (in
graves) more than ten (days)". [103] We very well know
what they say, when the best of them in his ways will
say, "You did not remain more than a day." [104]
And they ask you about the mountains. So, you say, "My
Lord will blow them up totally (as dust), [105] then will
turn them into a levelled plain [106] in which you will
see neither a curve nor a mound. [107]
That day they will follow the caller, having no
crookedness. And the voices will turn low in awe for
the Rahman (All-Merciful). So, you will hear not but
whispering. [108]
That day no intercession will be of any use to anyone,
except the one whom the Rahman (All-Merciful) has
permitted and was pleased with his word. [109] He
knows what is in front of them and what is behind
them, and they do not encompass Him in (their)
knowledge. [110]
And all faces will be humbled before the Ever-Alive, the
All-Sustaining. And the loser is the one who bears (the
burden of his) transgression. [111] And whoever does
acts from righteous deeds, while he is a believer, shall
fear neither injustice nor curtailment (of his rewards).
[112]
And in this way We have sent it down to you, an Arabic
Qur'an, and have detailed therein some warnings
repeatedly, so that they may be fearful or it may
produce a lesson for them. [113] So High above all is
Allah, the King, the True.

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Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 99 - 114
And do not hasten with (reciting) the Qur'an before its
revelation to you is concluded, and say, "My Lord,
improve me in knowledge." [114]
Commentary
(And We have given to you, from Ourself, a (book of) وَقَدْ اتَيُنْكَ مِنْ لَّدُنَّا ذِكْرًا
advice. - 20:99) According to a majority of commentators the word $;
(advice) in the present context means the Qur'an.
Whoever turns away from it shall) مَنْ أَعُرَضَ عَنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَحْمِلُ يَوْمَ الْقِيْمَةِ وِزْرًا
certainly bear a heavy burden on the Doomsday - 20:100) Turning aside
from the Qur'an can take different forms: not paying proper attention and
respect when it is being recited; showing scant desire to learn to read it or
to comprehend its meaning, or reading it incorrectly without regard to
correct pronunciation etc .; reading it without full concentration; reading it
not to win God's goodwill but to attain worldly rewards such as wealth
and fame. Likewise not striving to comprehend the laws laid down by the
Qur'an or, having understood them, not complying with them or acting in
their defiance are extreme forms of disregard for the Qur'an. Any neglect
of the rights and claims of the Qur'an is a great sin and the guilty person
will bear it on his head on the Day of Judgment in the shape of a heavy
load. It has been related in several traditions that the evil deeds and the
sins which a person has committed in his life time will be placed on his
head in the shape of a heavy burden on the Day of Resurrection.
(20:102 - The Day when the Horn [Sur] will be blown) يُنْفَخُ فِى الصُّوْرِ
According to Sayyidna Ibn 'Umar 400, a Bedouin asked the Holy Prophet
about . (the Horn) to which he replied that it is something like a
horn which will be blown, meaning thereby that when the angel will blow
into it all those who had lain dead for centuries will return to life. Only
Allah knows the true nature of the Sur (the Horn).
And do not hasten with (reciting) the) وَلاَ تَعُجَلُ بِالْقُرْآنِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يُقُضِى إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُ
Qur'an before its revelation is concluded - 20: 114.) It has been stated in
Sahih Hadith on the authority of Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 4
that in the
early days of revelation when angel Jibra'il & brought a Qur'anic verse
and recited it to the Holy Prophet
, the latter would try to repeat it
after him, lest it escapes from his memory. He had, thus, to make a double
effort, i.e. to listen to and understand the meaning of the Qur'anic verses

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Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 115 - 127
while they were being recited by Jibra'il
and also to repeat them in
order to commit them to memory. In this verse as well as in the verse
Allah lightened this burden (75:16) قِيَامَهُ occurring in Surah لأَتُحَرِّكُ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ
from the Holy Prophet
by assuring him that he need not worry himself
about memorizing the Qur'anic verses which were revealed to him
because He (Allah) would make it possible for him to remember them
without any effort on his part. All that he was directed to do was that he
should keep praying, رَبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْمًا (My Lord, improve me in knowledge).
This comprehensive prayer includes a plea for memorizing that portion of
the Qur'an which had already been revealed to him and a desire for what
remained of it and for the ability to understand its true meaning.
Verses 115 - 127
وَلَقَدْ عَهِدْنَا إِلىَ أَدَمَ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَنَسِىَ وَلَمُ نَجِدُ لَهُ، عَزْمًا ﴿١١٥﴾ وَإِذْ
قُلْنَا لِلْمَلائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِدَمَ فَسَجَدُوّا إِلَّ ◌ِيْلِيُسَ ﴿ اَبى ﴿١١٦) فَقُلُنَا
يَادَمُ إِنَّ هَذَا عَدُوٌّلَّكَ وَلِزَوْجِكَ فَلاَ يُخْرِ جَنَّكُمَا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَتَشْقُى
﴿١١٧) إِنَّ لَكَ اَلاَّ تَجُوُعَ فِيْهَا وَلاَ تَعْرِى ﴿١١٨﴾ وَأَنَّكَ لاَ تَظْمَؤا
فِيْهَا وَلاَ تَضُحى ﴿١١٩﴾ فَوَسُوَسَ إِلَيْهِ الشَّيْطُنُ قَالَ يَادَمُ هَلْ آَدُلُّكَ
عَلَى شَجَرَةِ الْخُلْدِ وَ مُلْكٍ لاَّ يَبُلى ﴿١٢٠﴾ فَاَكَلاَ مِنْهَا فَبَدَتْ لَهُمَا
سَوْاْتُهُمَا وَطَفِقًا يَخْصِفْنٍ عَلَيْهِمَا مِنْ وَّرَقِ الْجَنَّةِ ، وَعَضَى آدَمُ
رَبَّهُ، فَغَوْى ﴿١٢١) ثُمَّ اجْتَبْهُ رَبُّهُ، فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ وَهَدى ﴿١٢٢﴾ قَالَ
اهْبِطَا مِنْهَا جَمِيْعًا بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِنَّكُمْ مِنْىُ هُدًى
فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَاىَ فَلاَ يَضِلَّ وَلاَ يَشْقَى ﴿١٢٣﴾ وَمَنُ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ
y
ذِكُرِىُ فَإِنَّ لَهْ مَعِيشَةً ضَنْكًا وَّنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيْمَةِ أَعْمَى ﴿١٢٤﴾
قَالَ رَبِّ لِمَ حَشَرْتَنِىَّ أَعْمَى وَقَدْ كُنْتُ بَصِيْرًا ﴿١٢٥﴾ قَالَ كَذلِكَ
أَتَتُكَ أَيُنَا فَنَسِيْتَهَا وَكَذلِكَ الْيَوْمَ تُنُسى ﴿١٢٦﴾ وَكَذلِكَ نَجْزِئُ

158
Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 115 - 127
مَنْ أَسُرَفَ وَلَمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِيْتِ رَبِّهِ وَلَعَذَابُ الْأُخِرَةِ اَشَدُّ وَأَبْقْى
﴿١٢٧ ﴾
And earlier We had given a directive to 'Adam, then he
forgot, and We did not find in him a firm resolve. [115]
And when We said to the angels, "Prostrate before
'Adam". So, they prostrated, all but Iblis who refused.
[116] So, We said "O 'Adam, this is an enemy to you and
to your wife. So let him not expel you from Paradise,
lest you get into trouble. [117] Here you are privileged
that you will not be hungry nor will you be unclad, [118]
and you will not be thirsty, nor will you be exposed to
sun." [119]
Then the Satan instigated him. He said, "O 'Adam, shall
I guide you to the tree of eternity and to an empire that
does not decay?" [120]
So, both of them ('Adam and Eve) ate from it, and their
parts of shame were exposed to them, and they started
stitching on themselves some of the leaves of Paradise.
And 'Adam disobeyed his Lord, and erred. [121]
Thereafter his Lord chose him. So He accepted his
repentance and gave (him) guidance. [122] He said, "(O
'Adam and Eve) Go down from here, all of you, some of
you enemies of some. Then, should some guidance come
to you from Me, the one who follows My guidance shall
not go astray, nor shall he be in trouble. [123]And
whoever turns away from My message shall have a
straitened life, and We shall raise him blind on the Day
of Judgment." [124] He will say, "My Lord, why did you
raise me blind while I was sighted?" [125] He will say,
"Like this Our signs came to you and you had ignored
them. And in the same way you will be ignored today."
[126]
And thus We recompense him who exceeds the limits
and does not believe in the signs of his Lord. And
certainly the punishment of the Hereafter is more
severe and more lasting. [127]
Commentary
And now we come to the story of Sayyidna 'Adam & which has

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Sūrah Ța-Ha : 20 : 115 - 127
been related earlier in Surah Al-Baqarah and Al-A'raf and partly in
Surah Hijr and Al-Kahf, and will also appear later in Surah Sad. The
link of the story with the preceding verses has been variously explained
by the commentators. The most obvious of these explanations is the one
which refers to an earlier verse ◌َكَذلِكَ نَقُصُ عَلَيُكَ مِنْ أَنْبَاءِ مَا قَدُ سَبَق (Thus We
narrate to you certain events of what has passed- 20:99) in which Allah
informed the Holy Prophet
that the stories of the past prophets were
revealed to him as evidence and confirmation of his own prophethood and
in order that his own followers be warned against committing the sins for
which the earlier generations were punished. The first, and in some ways,
the most instructive story was that of Sayyidna 'Adam Seal in which
there was a clear warning for the followers of the Holy Prophet
that
Satan was an old enemy of mankind who by his flattery and show of
sympathy tricked Sayyidna 'Adam &del into committing an error for
which both he and his wife were expelled from Paradise and the clothes
which they wore there were taken away from them. Later their prayer for
forgiveness was accepted by Allah and Sayyidna 'Adam de was elevated
to the status of prophethood.
And earlier We had given a) وَلَقَدُ عَهِدْنَا إِلى اُدُمَ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَنَسِىَ وَلَمُ نَجِدُ لَهُ، عَزُمًا
directive to 'Adam, then he forgot, and We did not find in him a firm
resolve. - 20:115) Here the word tuge has been used in the sense of Gul or
, (Al-Bahr ul-Muhit), and the meaning of the verse is that long before
the time of the Holy Prophet
Allah had assigned a particular tree and
enjoined upon Sayyidna 'Adam &Cel to shun it and not to eat any yield
from it, and that barring this tree and its yields he was free to use the
fruits of all the trees and all the other gifts from Allah which were
abundantly available in Paradise. And, as will follow, he was also warned
that the Satan was his enemy against whose wiles he must at all times
remain on his guard and that any lapse on his part would land him in
serious trouble. But he forgot and was found wanting in resolution. Here
two words have been used, namely ou's (nisyan) which means to forget or
to be unmindful, the other word is (" ('azm) which means to be resolute
in the performance of some task. In order to fully comprehend the
meanings of these two words it is well to bear in mind that Sayyidna
'Adam &cell was one of those prophets who were endowed by Allah with
constancy and determination, and that prophets, by virtue of their status

160
Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 115 - 127
are infallible.
The first word suggests that Sayyidna 'Adam Mua was overtaken by
otw (forgetting) and since forgetting something is beyond one's control
and volition it does not constitute sin. There is a Hadith which says
My followers will not be held liable for mistakes and) امّتى الخطأ والنسيان
unmindfulness). Then there is the general pronouncement in the Qur'an
- Allah does not obligate anyone beyond his capacity) لاَيُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسُعَهَا
2:286). At the same time it has to be remembered that there are ways and
means which if adopted will prevent people from forgetting things. And
since the prophets stand high in the favour of Allah a special
responsibility rests upon them to adopt such ways and means to avoid
even mistakes and refrain even from forgetting something, therefore,
they may well be held liable for not using the means which were available
to them in order to avoid forgetfulness. The well known Sufi Junaid
Al-Baghdadi J Al , has expressed this idea in the following words
The good deeds of ordinary virtuous men are often) حَسَنات الابرار سيّئات المقرّبين
regarded as sinful and evil when performed by those who stand high in
Allah's favour).
The episode under reference occurred before Sayyidna 'Adam Sel
was granted prophethood and according to some Sunni Scholars sins
committed in the prior period do not militate against the concept of the
prophet's immunity from sin. Also it was a case of forgetfulness which
cannot be considered as a sin, but in view of the high position of Sayyidna
الشبيكة Adam
as a prophet of Allah this too was regarded as a lapse for
which he was admonished and as a warning to him his lapse was
described as suas (Disobedience).
The second word is 'azm (firm resolve) and the same verse says that
Sayyidna 'Adam Mal was found wanting in 'azm. As a matter of fact he
was fully determined to comply with the commands of Allah but the
intrigues of Satan weakened his resolve and unmindfulness made him
lose his grip on it.
Khai Ci , (And when We said to angels - 20:116)Here is a brief
mention of the command which, after the creation of Sayyidna 'Adam
Sel, Allah gave to all the angels including Iblis (Satan) who at that time
lived in the Paradise with them, to prostrate to him. All the angels obeyed

161
Sūrah Ța-Ha : 20 : 115 - 127
but Satan refused. In his haughtiness he claimed that he was made of
fire while Sayyidna 'Adam
was made of clay, and fire being superior
to clay, he could not be expected to prostrate to the latter. As a
punishment for his arrogance and defiance of the command of Allah he
was accursed and driven from Paradise while all the gates of Paradise
were opened wide for Sayyidna 'Adam &
and Sayyidah Hawwa' 4.le
().JI to enjoy the fruits of its gardens and all the blessings of Allah at
their will. However, there was one particular tree which they were told to
shun in all circumstances and never to partake of any of its produce. This
story has been related in Surah Al-Baqarah and Al-A'raf. Instead of
repeating it here, Allah has mentioned his directives given to Sayyidna
'Adam &Kell to comply with His commands to the fullest extent. Referring
to the rebellious conduct of Satan He reminds Sayyidna 'Adam Sal that
the former is his enemy and that both he himself and his wife should at
all times be on their guard against his deceptions. But if they succumbed
to his tricks and became heedless of the commands of Allah then they
.(فَلاَ يُخْرِ جَنَّكُمَا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَتَشْقَى) would be expelled from Paradise and face distress
The word Auf (tashqa) is derived from aus (shaqawah) which has two
meanings namely distress or trouble in the Hereafter and distress in this
world. Here the word has obviously been used in the second meaning
because it cannot be used in its first meaning even for pious Muslims,
leave alone the prophets. Commentators have explained this word in the
sentence هو ان يأكل من كدّ يديه (He will have to earn his living by the labour of
his hands). (Qurtubi) In the present context the second meaning of the
word appears more appropriate because in the following verse reference
has been made to the four basic needs of human life, namely food, water,
clothes and shelter which are freely available in Paradise without any
effort and toil. This verse also contains a hint to Sayyidna 'Adam el
that if he ever was expelled from Paradise, He would forfeit all these gifts.
It is worth noting that here only those gifts have been mentioned which
are basic to human life, to the exclusion of the other major rewards and
comforts which are available in Paradise and the intention is to warn
Sayyidna 'Adam
that one wrong step would deprive him of all these
benefits, which he would have to earn for himself with physical labour
and by the sweat of his brow. Most commentators have adopted this very
meaning of the word als. (lest you get into trouble) Imam Qurtubi
JAUl has also recorded that when Sayyidna 'Adam Mel came down to

162
Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 115 - 127
the earth, Jibra'il & gave him some grains of wheat and rice and
taught him how to plant the seeds, harvest the ripe crop, grind the grain
and prepare bread from it. Finally when all the stages were completed
and Sayyidna 'Adam KE sat down to eat, the bread slipped out of his
hand and rolled down the hill. Sayyidna 'Adam Mel went after it and
retrieved it with great exertion. Thereupon Jibra'il Sl told Sayyidna
'Adam &gel that on the earth he and his descendants would have to work
very hard in order to earn their livelihood. (Qurtubi)
The responsibility for providing the essential needs of a wife rests
on her husband
Early in this verse when Allah spoke to Sayyidna 'Adam SEA He
عَدُوٌّ لَّكَ وَلِزَوُجِكَ فَلاَ يُخْرِ جَنَّكُمَا مِنَ included Sayyidah Hawwa' also in His address
JI (Satan is your enemy and the enemy of your wife. So you both must
be very careful so let him not expel you from Paradise - 20:117). But
towards the end of the verse word And (lest you get into trouble) is used
in the singular and not in dual form. From this Imam Qurtubi has
deduced the rule that a husband is responsible for meeting the essential
needs of his wife and that any physical labour which is necessary to meet
that responsibility must be provided by the husband alone. The use of the
word is in second person singular is a pointer to Sayyidna 'Adam
that if they were sent to the earth the onus of earning a livelihood for
himself and Sayyidah Hawwa' عليها السلام will fall on him alone.
Only four things fall within the definition of obligatory
maintenance.
Qurtubi says that this verse clearly indicates that there are four
things only which a husband must provide for his wife namely food,
water, clothes and shelter. Anything else which he gives her will be
regarded as gift, but is not binding on him. From this it has also been
deduced that wherever Islamic law makes a person responsible for the
maintenance of somebody else (such as sick and needy parents whose
maintenance is the responsibility of the children), it is obligatory on him
to provide only these four things.
Here you are privileged that you will not be) إِنَّ لَكَ أَلاَّ تَجُوُعَ فِيُهَا وَلاَ تَعُرِى
hungry nor will you be unclad, and you will not be thirsty, nor will you be
exposed to sun - 118, 119.) Four things needed for the existence of life will

163
Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 115 - 127
be provided in Paradise without asking or putting in any labour. One
should not doubt that good taste of food will not be enjoyed because of the
absence of hunger in Paradise. Similarly, it is incorrect to assume that one
would not enjoy drinking cold water in Paradise because of lack of thirst.
The reality is that hunger and thirst would not be felt in Paradise to the
extent of feeling any difficulty. The food will be made available as and
when one would desire, and the cold water will be provided immediately
when one would like to drink. In fact everything will be provided the
moment one would desire.
... Then the Satan instigated him) فَوَسُوَسَ إِلَيْهِ الشَّيُطْنُ (الی قوله) وَعَصی اُدَمُ رَبِّه، فَغَوی
And 'Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred - 120, 121.) Here it is pertinent to
ask that when Allah had specifically told Sayyidna 'Adam & and
Sayyidah Hawwa' >.JI ,Je to abstain from a particular tree or to eat any
part of its yield, and had also warned them to beware of Satan's
machinations who was their sworn enemy who would do his best to
seduce them and thus cause their expulsion from Paradise, why then,
despite all the warnings and admonitions, did Sayyidna 'Adam Sal let
himself fall into the trap laid out for him by the Satan. His action clearly
constituted disobedience of the commands of Allah and were, therefore,
acts of sin. There is consensus among scholars that the prophets of Allah
are immune from all sins - minor or major, and Sayyidna 'Adam & was
a prophet of Allah! So how may one explain his action of eating the fruit
of the forbidden tree when Allah had warned him in such clear terms? An
answer to all these questions will be found in the commentary of Surah
Al-Baqarah which also explains the use of the words as (to disobey) and
s'se (to err) in reference to Sayyidna 'Adam &H . According to the divine
Islamic law the action of Sayyidna 'Adam &gel did not constitute a sin but
because he was a prophet of Allah and in His high favour therefore this
minor lapse on his part has been described as of'es (disobedience) for
which he was admonished by Allah. A further point here is that the word
s'è has two meanings: One is "to be deprived" and the other is "to err", or
"to go astray". Al-Qushairi and Al-Qurtubi have adopted the first
meaning of the word and have explained this verse by saying that as a
punishment for his lapse Sayyidna 'Adam &Cel was deprived of the
comforts which were available to him in the Paradise and as a result his
life became harsh and bitter.

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Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 115 - 127
It is incumbent on Muslims to show reverence to the prophets of
Allah when referring to them
Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn Al-'Arabi Ju Ul was when discussing the word
Sas (disobeyed) etc. in reference to Sayyidna 'Adam &al in his book
Ahkam-ul-Qur'an has made an important observation which is
reproduced below in his own words:
لا يجوز لاحدنا اليوم ان يخبر بذلك عن ادم الا اذا ذكرناه فى اثناء قوله تعالى عنه
او قول نبيّه فاما ان یبتدئ ذلك من قبل نفسه فلیس بجائز لنا فی آبائنا الادنین الينا
المماثلين لنا فكيف فى ابينا الاقدم الاعظم الاكرم النّبى المقدّم الذى عذره الله
سبحانه وتعالى وتاب عليه وغفرله (تفسير قرطبى وذكره فى البحر المحيط ايضاً)
Today it is not permissible for any of us to use the word oulle
(disobedience) in relation to Sayyidna 'Adam & except when it
has been used with reference to this verse or to a Hadith of the
Holy Prophet . When indeed it is not desirable to use this
word in relation to our own not-too-distant ancestors, who were
like us, how can it be permissible in relation to Sayyidna 'Adam
&# who is the father of all mankind and more deserving of
respect than our own ancestors? Besides he is a revered prophet
of Allah whose excuse He accepted and forgave him for his
lapse. For such a person the use of the word les (disobedience)
is totally forbidden.
The same views have been expressed by Qushairi Abu Nasr.
The words 123) إِهُبِطَا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا) mean "both of you go down together".
This command can be in reference to Sayyidna 'Adam & and the Satan
in which case the meaning of the phrase ◌ٌبَعُضُكُمُ لِبَعُضِ عَدُو (some of you
enemies of some - 123) is obvious, namely that the two of them will remain
enemies in the world also. However if it is argued that the Satan had
already been expelled from Paradise long before these events occurred,
then it would be correct to assume that these words have been addressed
to Sayyidna 'Adam Ml and Sayyidah Hawwa' pul lule meaning
thereby that their children would cherish hostile feelings towards one
another and mutual hostility among the children embitters the lives of the
parents.
(.20:124 - And whoever turns away from My message) وَمَنْ أَعُرَضَ عَنُ ذِكُرِىُ
Here the word can refer both to the Qur'an and the Holy Prophet
as
has been mentioned in other verses 925033 (65:10). In both cases the

165
Surah Ța-Ha : 20 : 115 - 127
meaning would be that if anyone fails in his duty to recite the Qur'an or
to comply with its commands, or if he fails to submit to the authority of
the Holy Prophet
then as punishment he would be condemned to a
harsh and rigorous life in this world and would be raised blind on the Day
of Resurrection.
The truth about the life of infidels and evil-doers being harsh in
this world
Here one may ask that a life of penury and destitution in this world is
not for the infidels and wicked people only but it afflicts good and pious
people also. Indeed the prophets of Allah JI le have to endure the
greatest misfortunes and calamities in their worldly life. Şahin
.Al-Bukhari and all other books of Hadith contain a tradition in which, on
the authority of Sa'd
and others, the Holy Prophet
is reported to
have said that the severest trials and tribulations are suffered by the
prophets and in the case of the pious people those who enjoy a higher
rank in the hierarchy are the ones who will get a greater share of
misfortunes. On the other hand the infidels and the evildoers enjoy a life
of comfort and affluence. Therefore the words of the Qur'an that such
people would be condemned to a harsh and rigorous life can refer to the
life in the Hereafter (I) only, because experience shows that they
have, in this world, all the comforts of life.
The answer to the question posed above is that the punishment which
the evil-doers will suffer in this world refers to the chastisement which
awaits them in the grave where their existence will be made miserable
and beyond endurance. Their graves will be their abodes and will squeeze
them so tight that their graves will crack. There is a tradition in Musnad
al-Bazzar on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah
that the Holy
Prophet
himself stated that the words . (straitened life)
occurring in this verse (124) refer to the existence in the grave. (Mazhari)
Another interpretation given to these words by Sayyidna Said ibn
Jubair 4 is that these people will be deprived of the gift of contentment
which will result in an overpowering greed for worldly goods (Mazhari) but
no amount of wealth will ever give them peace and content. The constant
desire to augment their worldly possessions and the fear of any
decrease in their size will always keep them anxious and uneasy. It

166
Sūrah Ța-Ha : 20 : 128 - 135
is generally observed that the wealthy people who have all the means of
comfort at their disposal actually are unable to enjoy comfort themselves,
because comfort cannot be achieved without content and peace of mind.
Verses 128 - 135
أَفَلَمُ يَهْدِ لَهُمْ كُمْ أَهْلَكُنَا قَبْلَهُمُ مِّنُ الْقُرُوْنِ يَمُشُوْنَ فِىُ مَسْكِنِهِمُ
إِنَّ فِىُ ذِلِكَ لَأَيْتٍ لِّأُولِى النُّهى ﴿١٢٨﴾ وَلَوْ لاَ كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِنْ
رَّبِّكَ لَكَانَ لِزَامًا وَّاَجَلٌ مُّسَمَّى ﴿١٢٩﴾ فَاصْبِرُ عَلى مَا يَقُوُلُوْنَ وَ
سَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوْعِ الشَّمُسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوُبِهَا، وَمِنُ أَنّائِ
الَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحُ وَأَطْرَافَ النَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرْضُى ﴿١٣٠﴾ وَلاَ تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيُكَ
إِلَى مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِةٍ أَزْوَاجًا مِّنْهُمُ زَهُرَةَ الْحَيْوةِ الدُّنْيَا لا لِنَفْتِنَهُمُ فِيْهِ *
وَرِزْقُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ وَّأَبْقُى ﴿١٣١﴾ وَأْمُرْ آَهُلَكَ بِالصَّلْوَةِ وَاصْطَبِرُ
عَلَيْهَا لاَنَسْئَلُكَ رِزْقًا نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ ، وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَى ﴿١٣٢﴾ وَ
قَالُوا لَوْلاَ يَأْتِيْنَا بِيُّةٍ مِّنُ رِِّهِ * آوَلَمُ تَأْتِهِمُ بَيْنَهُ مَا فِى الصُّحُفِ
الْأُوْلِىِ ﴿١٣٣﴾ وَلَوْ أَنَّا أَهْلَكْثُهُمُ بِعَذَابٍ مِّنْ قَبْلِهِ لَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا لَوْلاً
أَرْسَلُتَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُوْلاً فَنَتَّبَعَ أَيْتِكَ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنُ نَّذِلَّ وَ نَخْزِى ﴿١٣٤﴾
قُلْ كُلُّ مُّتَرَبِّصْ فَتَرَبَّصُوا فَسَتَعْلَمُوْنَ مَنْ أَصُحِبُ الصِّرَاطِ
السَّوِيِّ وَمَنِ اهْتَدى ﴿١٣٥﴾
Did it give them no guidance, as to how many
generations We have destroyed before them who used to
walk in their dwellings? Surely, in this there are signs
for the people of understanding. [128] And had there not
been a word from your Lord that had come earlier, and
an appointed time, it (the punishment) would have
been inevitable. [129]
So, (O messenger) endure what they say and proclaim
the purity and praise of your Lord before the sun rises