1. For comparison see Al 'Imran 3: 33 ff. where, with some minor variation, substantially the same story is recounted.

2. Zechariah, who is mentioned here, was from the family of Aaron. For an appropriate understanding of his position it is necessary to comprehend the Israelites' priestly system. After their occupation of Palestine, the Israelites entrusted the government of the land to the twelve tribes, all descended from the Prophet Jacob (peace be on him) by dividing the functions of the government between them; whereas, the religious duties were assigned to the thirteenth tribe, the Levites. Even among the Levites though, the house that was set apart to 'sanctify the most holy things...' and to 'burn incense before the Lord', was the house of Aaron. Other Levites were permitted to enter the Temple, but their duties were 'to assist the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, having the care of the courts and the chambers, the cleansing of all that is holy, and any work for the service of the house of God...' (I Chronicles 23: 28). They were also required to ... stand every morning, thanking and praising the Lord, and likewise at evening, and whenever burnt offerings are offered to the Lord on Sabbaths, new moons, and feast days...' ( Chronicles 23: 30-1).

The descendants of Aaron comprised 24 houses, and these performed their duties in turn. One of these was the house of Abijah whose chief was Zechariah. Whenever it was his house's turn to serve the Temple, it was Zechariah's duty to go there and burn the incense. (For further details, see I Chronicles 23-4 and Luke 1: 5 ff. - Ed.)

3. What Zechariah meant was that he did not see any suitable successor in the house of Abijah who could hold his office after his death. No one in his family had the religious and moral qualities essential for shouldering the task which had so far been entrusted to him. He perceived that future generations held little promise.

4. He was not only concerned as an individual that he should have a good successor. What is more, he was looking for someone who would inherit all the virtues of the House of Israel.

5. According to Luke: 'None of your kindred is called by this name' (Luke 1: 61).

6. One should take particular note of this conversation between Zechariah and the angel. For it is the same statement - viz. that the creation of a child is easy for God [even when the usual causes of such a birth do not exist] - which occurs a little later in the surah when the story of Mary is recounted (see verse 17 ff.). It is obvious that the same statement although appearing in two places has the same meaning.

Zechariah asks the angel how, given he is age-stricken and his wife barren, a son can be born to him. The angel simply replies: 'So shall it be.' In other words, he tells Zechariah that notwithstanding his old age and his wife's barrenness he will be blessed with a son. In this context, the angel obviously refers to God's infinite power, God Who has brought man into existence from a state of non-existence. If God can create a being from total non-existence, how can it possibly be difficult for Him to grant a son to one who has fallen into old age and whose wife is barren?

7. For the meaning of 'mihrab' see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. I, Al 'Imran 3, n. 36, pp. 249–50.

8. The relevant Biblical account of the event as narrated in Luke is reproduced below. This will enable the reader to have a comparative view of both the Qur'anic and Biblical accounts:

In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

Now while he was serving as priest before God, when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth;

for he will be great before the Lord,

and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink,

and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit,

even from his mother's womb.

And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.'

And Zechariah said to the angel, 'How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.' And the angel answered him, 'I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their time.' And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb (Luke 1: 5-22).

9. The Qur'anic narrative does not mention certain details of John's story - his birth under God's special command, and his attainment of youth. Omitting all this, the Qur'an mentions the mission entrusted to John (peace be on him) when he attained maturity. This mission is referred to in just a single sentence on the occasion of his designation to the office of prophethood. That mission consisted of adhering to the Torah and to making efforts to ensure that the Israelites did the same.

10. The word hukm connotes the power of making the right decision, the ability to apply the principles of faith to changing circumstances, and the capacity to comprehend the teachings of the faith both in letter and spirit. It also connotes the ability to arrive at correct judgements, and to have the authority from God to judge things.

11. The Qur'an uses the word hanan, which roughly denotes the love and compassion characteristic of mothers. (See ḥnn in Ibn Manzūr, Lisān al-'Arab -Ed.) The idea is that John's compassion for God's creatures was comparable to a mother's compassion for her children.

12. The Biblical account of Prophet John's life and work can be found in different parts of the Bible. In what follows below we have attempted to develop an integral image of John with the help of these various statements, hoping that the statement made about him in the Qur'an, both here and in Surah Al 'Imran, will be thereby further explicated.

According to Luke, John (peace be on him) was older than Jesus (peace be on him) by six months. His mother and Jesus' mother were close relatives. John was designated to prophethood when he was about 30 years old. According to the Book of John, it was in Jordan that he commenced his prophetic mission, inviting people to turn to God in penitence. He told people: 'I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the Lord", as the prophet Isaiah said' (John 1: 23).

According to Mark, John asked people to repent and baptized those who did so. This meant that he would have people repent and then take baptism in order that they become clean both in body and soul. A large number of people both in Judea and Jerusalem became his devotees and went to him for baptism (Mark 1:4-5). He, therefore, came to be known as John the Baptist. The Israelites in general recognized him as a Prophet (Matthew 21: 26). Jesus (peace be on him) said of him: Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist' (Matthew 11: 11).

John (peace be on him) wore a garment made of camel's hair and had a leather girdle around his waist. His staple diet consisted of locusts and honey (Matthew 3:4). Leading such an ascetic life, John would proclaim: 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand' (Matthew 3: 2). This meant that Jesus' prophethood and the mission were close at hand. John is, therefore, known as Jesus' irhās (precursor). (For the meaning of irhāṣ see Lisän al-'Arab, q.v.rhs -Ed.) The Qur'an makes the same point: 'Allah gives you good tidings of John who shall confirm a command of Allah' (Al 'Imran, 3: 39).

John (peace be on him) urged people to pray and fast. (For the praying and fasting of John's followers see Matthew 9: 14; Luke 3: 3, 5: 33 and 11: 1.) He also said: 'He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise' (Luke 3: 11). Tax collectors asked him, 'Teacher, what shall we do?' And he said to them: 'Collect no more than is appointed you.' Soldiers also asked him: 'And we, what shall we do?' and he said to them: 'Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.' (See Luke 3: 12-14.)

When the Pharisees and Sadducees, people immersed in evil ways, came to him for baptism, he retorted: 'You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? . . . and do not presume to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father".... Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire' (Matthew 3: 7-10).

The ruler of the day, in whose domain John carried out his mission was a Jew by the name of Herod. Herod, however, was immersed in the ways of the Romans with the net result that corruption and immorality spread far and wide; indeed, Herod himself was so perverse that he had Herodias, his brother's wife, live with him in his house. John reproached Herod at this, raising his voice in protest at such incestuous behaviour. Before long Herod had John arrested, casting him into prison. But at the same time Herod knew that John was a pious and truthful person and honoured him in his heart on that account. He also held. him in some awe as a result of his influence on the public. Herodias, however, burned with rage against John; the moral consciousness which he aroused inevitably meant that women of her ilk were stigmatized. Hence, she wanted John beheaded. The whole story is ably narrated in Matthew:

... Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; because John said to him, 'It is not lawful for you to have her.' And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and pleased Herod, so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, 'Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.' And the king was sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given; he sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. (Matthew 14: 3-11. See also Mark 6: 17-29; Luke 3: 19-20.)

13. For comparison see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. I, Al 'Imran 3, n. 42, pp. 251-2 and vol. II, al-Nisa' 4, nn. 190-1, pp. 105-7.

14. We learn from Surah Al 'Imrän (see verse 35 ff.) that Mary's mother had vowed that Mary would be solely consecrated to the worship of God. In keeping with this vow, Mary was taken to Jerusalem where Zechariah was to look after her. It is also stated there that Mary retreated to a sanctuary in Jerusalem. Here, we are told that the location of that sanctuary was in the eastern part of Jerusalem.

Following a custom of her time, Mary concealed herself from other people by means of a drawn curtain. It is also pertinent at this point to show the error of those who, out of consideration for the Biblical account, have expressed the view that the 'eastern location' mentioned in the present verse, is Nazareth. This, however, is patently wrong. For Nazareth is situated to the north of Jerusalem not to the east of it.

15. We have earlier discussed the significance of the angel's statement: 'So shall it be', in response to Zechariah's exclamation (see n. 6 above). The angel's utterance obviously does not mean that some human being would have physical contact with her whereby she would give birth to a son. It will be recalled as we have pointed out that Zechariah also expressed his amazement at the possibility of a child being born to him in his very old age and when his wife was barren. Significantly, the response of the angel on both counts was exactly the same: 'So shall it be.' Obviously, then, the meaning at both the places is bound to be the same. Likewise, in Surah al-Dhariyat the angel gives Abraham the good news of the birth of a son. On hearing this, Abraham's wife too exclaims incredulously how would a barren old woman such as herself give birth to a child. To this the angel says the same: 'So shall it be' (see al-Dhariyāt 51: 28-30). The meaning then is crystal clear; Sarah would give birth to a son despite her old age and barrenness.

Now, were we to take the Qur'anic statement here to mean that someone would have physical contact with Mary as a result of which she would give birth in the manner of all other women, then the statements which follow would become meaningless. For if the birth were to take place according to the known process of procreation, why should the angel say: 'Your Lord says: "This is easy for Me; and We shall do so in order to make him a sign for mankind, and a mercy from Us..."' (verse 21). The word ayah ('sign') in this context definitely signifies 'miracle'. The same is corroborated by the following part of the verse: 'That is easy for Me...' Thus, what is being said here can only mean one thing that this child's birth would be a miracle which God wanted to place before the Israelites. The details that follow make the miraculous character of Jesus (peace be on him) even more evident.

16. The Qur'anic expression 'a far-off place' occurs with reference to Bethlehem. It was natural for Mary to move away from her place of confinement in Jerusalem to Bethlehem. She was, as we all know, the daughter of the most pious Israelite family- the house of Aaron and she had consecrated herself exclusively to a life of devotion and worship. But then suddenly, she became pregnant. Had she stayed on in Jerusalem and her pregnancy been discovered, her life would have been made miserable by all kinds of people whether by members of her own family or by other Israelites. Hence, Mary simply left her place of worship, hoping that at least until the birth of her child, she would be spared public denunciation, slander and scandalization.

The event itself is strong evidence proving that Jesus (peace be on him) was indeed born without a father. For had Mary been a married woman and had she become pregnant by her husband, there was no reason for her to abandon all her relatives and head to a far-off place merely to give birth to her child.

17. This verse enables one to gauge Mary's suffering and anguish. If one remembers the gravity of the situation, it is easy to grasp that she did not utter these words because of intense labour pains. Rather, what tormented her was the awkward situation in which she found herself, and she did not know how she was going to come out of it. For up until then she had somehow been able to hide her pregnancy. But once the child was born she could no longer hide the situation. The consoling words of the angel: 'grieve not' (verse 24), also indicate why Mary had uttered those anguished words. For, the psychology of a married woman who gives birth to her first child is well known. Even when she writhes in unbearable pain, she is far removed from grief and sorrow.

18. Mary was asked to say nothing concerning the baby. If anyone raised an accusing finger at the child's birth, it would be for God to explain the reality of the matter. (It may be recalled that this type of fast - a fast involving abstinence from speech was quite customary among the Israelites.)

This directive is also suggestive of the true reason for Mary's disconcertion. It is also worth considering why a married woman giving birth to her first child would have resorted to a fast of silence.

19. This may be interpreted in two ways. Taken literally, it may mean that Mary had a brother named Aaron. Alternatively, in accordance with Arabic idiom, it may be taken to mean that she was a member of Aaron's house. For, according to the known Arabic linguistic tradition, a person is referred to as the brother of the tribe to which he belongs. If a person belongs to Muḍar, he is at times addressed as: 'O brother of Mudar', or as 'O brother of Hamadan', if he belongs to Hamadān.

There are reasons to support each of these two interpretations. As for the first, there are traditions from the Prophet (peace be on him) saying so. (See, for instance al-Tirmidhī, Sunan, Abwäb al-Ṣalah 'an Rasul Allāh, 'Bāb mā jā' anna man adhdhan fa huwa yuqim' - Ed.) As for the second, it seems to be supported by the context. For the event gave rise to such a commotion among the people that it can hardly be considered to be simply the case of the virgin sister of some unknown person called Aaron who returned home with a new-born baby. What enraged the public was that the apparently scandalous incident involved a girl who belonged to the most highly pious Israelite family --the house of Aaron. In principle, when there is a tradition which can be traced back to the Prophet (peace be on him), no other interpretation is admissible. However, when we consider the actual words of the tradition concerned - in Muslim, al-Nasa'ī and al-Tirmidhī - it becomes clear that they necessarily mean that Mary had a brother named Aaron. In the report narrated by Mughīrah ibn Shu'bah, it is stated that a Christian from Najran raised the objection that the Qur'an spoke of Mary as Aaron's sister while Aaron had I passed away centuries before her. Mughīrah ibn Shu'bah was unable to provide any satisfactory explanation and so he placed the matter before the Prophet (peace be on him). The Prophet (peace be on him) said: 'Why did you not tell them that the Israelites used to name their children after Messengers and other righteous persons.' (Muslim, K. al-Adab, 'Bab al-Nahy 'an al-takanni bi Abi al-Qāsim...', and al-Tirmidhi, Sunan, K. Tafsir al-Qur'an, 'Bab wa min Surat Maryam' - Ed.) What this statement suggests is that the objection could have been resolved in that manner and that instead of cutting a sorry figure, Mughīrah could have given a satisfactory answer by responding in such a way.

19a. Those who deny the miraculous birth of Jesus (peace be on him) can hardly explain the people's uproar when Mary returned to them with her baby. Nothing else but the birth of a child to an unmarried girl could explain such outraged feelings.

20. Some of those who have been engaged in distorting the meaning of the Qur'an have been inclined to put the following interpretation on this verse: 'What, should we talk to him who is merely a child of yesterday?' They, thus, hold that this conversation took place at a time when Jesus was in his youth. The elderly Israelites were contemptuously disinclined to talk with him who was so much younger than themselves; someone who not long ago used to lie in his cradle before their very eyes.

Anyone who cares to consider the verse in its correct context, however, will instantly realize that this interpretation is simply absurd. It also becomes obvious that recourse has been made to this far-fetched interpretation merely because of the disinclination of the persons concerned to affirm miracles. However, such people have allowed themselves to disregard the fact that such objections were made at the time of Jesus' birth and not when he had grown into a young man. Moreover, there are other Qur'ānic verses (see Al 'Imran 3: 46 and al-Ma'idah 5: 113) which mention Jesus (peace be on him) as uttering these words while he was a baby and in his cradle. We learn from Al 'Imrān 3: 46, that the angel, while giving the good news of the coming birth of a son to Mary also said that Jesus would speak to people both while in his cradle and as a youth. In Surah al-Ma'idah 5: 113, God Himself tells Jesus that he will speak to people while still in his cradle as well as during his youth.

20a. It is significant here that Jesus is not mentioned as one who is dutiful to his parents, but rather as one who is only dutiful to his mother. This itself suggests that he did not have a father. Evidence which further corroborates this is that Jesus is invariably referred to in the Qur'an as 'Jesus,.son of Mary'.

21. The 'sign' referred to above is the person of the Prophet Jesus (peace be on him) who was presented as a miracle before the Israelites. Before punishing the Israelites for their persistent wickedness and corruption, God wanted to make things indubitably clear so that they were left with no excuses for their errors. This was done in the following manner. A God-fearing and devout girl of the house of Aaron who had been set apart for a life of devotion in Jerusalem and who had been under the care and guidance of Zechariah, became - by God's will-pregnant while she was still a virgin. All this was with a particular design in mind. The purpose being that when she appeared with a child in her lap, creating a huge uproar within the nation, and when virtually the entire Israelite nation, in a state of anger and disgust, thronged around Mary, God made the baby speak to them. Thereafter, when that same child had attained maturity and claimed to be a Prophet, thousands could testify to the earlier miracle they themselves had witnessed, i.e. Jesus (peace be on him) speaking from his cradle. Now, if those people still refused to recognize him as a Prophet, and instead of dutifully following him, charged him with being a criminal and sought to crucify him, they should be dealt a punishment more severe than that meted out to all other peoples. (For further details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. I, Al 'Imran 3, nn. 44-53, pp. 252-60; and vol. II, al-Nisa' 4, nn. 212-13, pp. 116-17; see also al-Anbiya' 21, nn. 88-90 below, and al-Mu'minun 23, n. 43.)

22. The thrust of the argument so far clearly reveals that the Christian belief in Jesus is false. Although John was born in a miraculous manner, this birth did not make him God's son. Similarly, although Jesus too was born by means of another miracle, this in no way provided any reason for considering him to be God's son. Jesus' birth was no more miraculous than John's and there are no grounds for referring to John as God's son. Remember that according to reports which are accepted by Christians, both John and Jesus were born miraculously. In Luke, both miracles are described in terms which bear close resemblance to the Qur'anic version of the miracles. Hence, the Christian exaltation of Jesus as God's son is simply an act of doctrinal exaggeration which is shorn of all justification.

23. The Christians are told that Jesus' message was the same as that of all other Prophets before him. He called people to serve none but the One True God. It was they, the Christians, who made Jesus - a servant of God - into God, and associated someone other than God in His divinity. This was merely an innovation of the Christians themselves, an innovation with which Jesus, whom they claimed to follow, had nothing to do with. (For further details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. I, Āl 'Imrän 3, n. 68, pp. 267-8 and vol. II, al-Ma'idah 5, nn. 100, 101 and 103, pp. 180-5, 186-7; and al-Zukhruf 43, nn. 57-8.)

24. Reference is made here to the various Christian sects which hold mutually differing views.

25. This concludes the discourse as addressed to the Christians. For a proper understanding of its significance, one should recall the historical background to this surah as stated in its introductory section (see pp. 139-43 above). The present discourse was revealed at a time when the oppressed Makkan Muslims were making their way towards Abyssinia to seek refuge in that Christian dominion. The purpose of revelation of this discourse, therefore, seems to have been to enable the Muslims to come forward with this official and authoritative statement whenever questions about the Islamic standpoint on Jesus might arise.

Additionally, the discourse seeks to establish the fact that Islam teaches Muslims not to make any compromise in matters relating to truth. The religious fervour of these righteous Muslim migrants to Abyssinia is all the more remarkable since they expressed the true doctrinal position about Jesus before the court of a Christian Emperor at a time when that court was strongly inclined to accept a bribe to hand them over to their enemies. It was obvious to the Muslims that their forthright criticism of the Christian doctrine might enrage Negus and that as a result he might return them to the ruthless Makkan unbelievers. Notwithstanding the precariousness of their situation, they showed remarkable strength of faith and showed not even the slightest hesitation in speaking the truth.

26. From here onwards, the discourse is addressed to the Makkans who had compelled their own sons, brothers and all manner of relatives to leave their hearths and homes for the simple reason that they worshipped the One True God. The plight of these Muslims resembled that of the Prophet Abraham (peace be on him) who had earlier been forced by his father, and by his kith and kin, to say adieu to his homeland. The reason for recounting the Prophet Abraham's (peace be on him) story to the exclusion of other Prophets, is that the Quraysh considered Abraham (peace be on him) to be their patriarch, bragging about their descent from him in order to reinforce their pre-eminence throughout the whole of Arabia.

27. The Qur'an says: 'Do not serve Satan.' This was said even though Abraham's father and his people worshipped idols. The statement - 'do not serve Satan' - is made because those people followed the behests of Satan. We, thus, learn that worship does not only mean a set of rituals, but also covers obedience. Another point that emerges from this statement is that if a person unreservedly obeys someone, he is guilty of worshipping him even if he lavishes curses upon him. This is quite obvious given that human beings have never declared Satan to be the object of their devotional worship. On the contrary, they have always cursed him. (For further explanation see al-Kahf 18, nn. 49-50 above.)

27a. For further elaboration see Towards Understanding the Qur'ān, vol. III, al-Tawbah 9, n. 112, pp. 262-3.

28. This is intended to console and comfort the Muslim migrants who had been forced to forsake their homeland. They are being told that when Abraham surrendered his ties with his family, he courted no disaster. On the contrary, he eventually attained a much higher position. Likewise, the migration of the Prophet's followers will not bring about their ruination. Rather they will rise to heights of eminence which the Makkan unbelievers could not even have dreamed of before the advent of Islam.

29. The word mukhlas used here denotes he who had been selected by God as exclusively His own.

30. The word rasul literally means 'the one sent'. For this reason it is used to denote 'the envoy, the message-bearer, the emissary, the ambassador'. In the Qur'an it is employed for angels who are entrusted by God with some special mission, or for those human beings who are assigned the task of communicating His Message to His creatures.

Lexicographers disagree as to the exact meaning of the word nabi. Some consider it to be the derivative of the verb naba'a and denotes 'to give news' and hence the word nabi means someone who brings news. Others consider it. to be derived from nabu, meaning height and elevation. (Cf. al-Thānawī, Kashshaf Iṣtilāḥāt al-Funun, vol. II, art. al-nabi, pp. 1358-9 Ed.) Accordingly, nabi is a person who holds a high, elevated position. Quoting the authority of al-Kisa'ī, al-Azharī has put forward an altogether different source - nabi'a, meaning 'way'. Thus, a nabi is someone who directs to the way that leads to God. (See al-Azharī, Tahdhib al-Lughah (Cairo, 1967), vol. 15, p. 486 - Ed.)

In sum, when someone is called rasul nabī it either means a 'Messenger of high standing', a 'Messenger who brings news from God', or a 'Messenger who directs people to the way leading to God'.

So far as the two words - nabi and rasul -- are concerned, they are generally used in the Qur'an as equivalents. We note that on some occasions a person is referred to simply as rasul (Messenger) whereas on others he is called nabī (Prophet). On yet further occasions, both words are used in conjunction with each other for the same person. There are also instances where the two words are employed in such a manner which distinguishes between a Prophet and a Messenger in respect of their status or the nature of their assignment. For instance, in Surah al-Hajj it is said: 'Never did We send a Messenger or a Prophet before you except...' (al-Hajj 22: 52). This clearly indicates that the Messenger and the Prophet represent two distinct entities. As a result, commentators on the Qur'an have engaged in serious discussions about the nature of these differences between a Prophet and a Messenger. The fact, however, remains that these scholars have failed to persuasively establish the precise nature of any difference between a Messenger and a Prophet. All that can be said with certainty is that the word Messenger (rasul) has a more restrictive connotation than the word Prophet (nabi). Hence, while every Messenger is a Prophet, every Prophet does not enjoy the status of a Messenger. In other words, the word 'rasul' (Messenger) is used for those great figures who had been assigned duties of greater significance than those assigned to mere Prophets. This point is further corroborated by the tradition reported by Aḥmad ibn Hanbal from Abū Umāmah, and by Ḥākim, from Abū Dharr. According to this tradition Muḥammad (peace be on him) was asked about the number of Messengers. He replied that they were 313 or 315 in number, whereas when asked about the number of Prophets, he mentioned their number to be 124,000. (See Aḥmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 5, p. 266; al-Hakim al-Nayshābūrī, al-Mustadrak (Riyadh), vol. 2, p. 597 - Ed.) Although the chains of transmission of this ḥadīth are weak, it has been reported in such a variety of ways and to such a great extent, that this weakness is compensated for.

31. The right side of Mount Tür (i.e. Sinai) refers to its eastern side. The Prophet Moses (peace be on him) on his way from Midian to Egypt, took the route which passes the southern side of the Mount. Were anyone to look at the Mount from its southern side, the east would be to his right and the western side would be to his left. Hence, it is with context to the Prophet Moses' vantage-point that the eastern side is mentioned as lying to the right. Devoid of that reference, it is quite obvious that a mountain as such can neither have any right side nor any left.

32. For further explanation see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. II, al-Nisa' 4, n. 206, pp. 114-15.

33. There is some disagreement concerning Prophet Idris (Enoch) (peace be on him). Whilst some scholars regard him as an Israeli Prophet, the majority of scholars believe that Enoch lived at a time prior even to that of the Prophet Noah (peace be on him). There are authentic ḥadīth to help us establish the historicity of the Prophet Enoch (peace be on him). However, there seems to be some indication at one place in the Qur'an that he did appear before the time of Noah (peace be on him):

These are the Prophets upon whom Allah bestowed His favour from the seed of Adam, and from the seed of those whom We carried (in the Ark) with Noah, and from the seed of Abraham and Israel (verse 58).

Of the Messengers mentioned here, John, Jesus and Moses are descendants of Israel, and Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob are descendants of Abraham, and Abraham is a descendant of Noah. This leaves only Idrīs and it is to him alone that the expression 'descendant of Adam' might be applied. It should also be pointed out that commentators on the Qur'an generally believe that the Biblical figure of Enoch is identical with the Prophet called Idrīs in the Qur'an. The Biblical account of Enoch is narrated as follows:

When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah three hundred years... Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him (Genesis 5: 21-4).

Israelite traditions in the Talmud describe Enoch in greater detail. These traditions state that at some time before the advent of the Prophet Noah (peace be on him), people had taken to evil ways, and that it was then that God's angel cried out the following to Enoch, who up until then had lived in seclusion and who was devoted to a life of asceticism:

'Arise, go forth from thy solitude and walk among the people of the land. Teach them the way they should go, and instruct them in the actions they should perform.' And Enoch did as the Lord commanded him. He walked among the people and taught them the ways of the Creator, assembling them together and addressing them in earnestness and truth... And Enoch reigned over the human race for three hundred and fifty-three years. In justice and righteousness he ruled, and peace blessed the land during all this period. (The Talmud Selections, pp. 18-21.)

34. The statement here simply means that God granted Enoch a high position. Under the influence of Israelite traditions, however, many Muslims have come to believe that God raised him to the heavens. So far as the Bible is concerned, it only claims that he disappeared. The Talmudic account, however, is embellished with a great many details. It ends with the following statement: 'And on the seventh day Enoch ascended to heaven in a whirlwind, with chariot and horses of fire.' (The Talmud Selections, p. 21.)

35. They either gave up observing Prayers, or became indifferent or negligent to them. In fact, negligence and abandoning Prayer are the very first step in a people's slide towards their decline. For Prayer is the primary link between man and God. Prayer keeps a person constantly in touch with God, during all hours of the day and night. Prayer prevents a person from moving away from a life of devotion, worship and obedience of Him. As soon as this bond is broken, man increasingly begins to draw away from God. This may even happen to such an extent that not only is man's relationship with God reduced to naught on a practical level but also on an intellectual level. It is for this reason that the Qur'an expounds here a general rule: that the corruption in a nation which originally followed a Prophet began the moment that nation abandoned Prayer.

36. Following one's lusts and desires rather than truth and justice naturally results from the weakening of one's God-consciousness. When a person becomes heedless of God and abandons Prayer, he comes increasingly into the grip of his own carnal desires. Eventually, he becomes impervious to all God's commands despite the fact that these had earlier shaped his morality and conduct. Instead, bit by bit, he begins to follow, all those ways which conform to his own likes and dislikes.

37. This refers to the Gardens promised to the believers by God, Gardens which are beyond the ken of their senses.

38. The word used here - salām - denotes that which is free from all flaws and imperfections. Of the numerous blessings bestowed on man in Paradise, one of these will be that he will not encounter anything vulgar, stupid or filthy. The prevailing atmosphere in Paradise will be one of elegance and decency, and all its inmates will be people possessed of good taste. Hence, all those who abide in Paradise will hear neither abuse nor slander nor obscenity. Their ears will hear only those things which are good and decent. The import of this great blessing can only be appreciated by people whose tastes have not been impaired. Such persons can well appreciate what a torture it is for a person of good taste to be placed in a milieu where he is exposed to lies, slander, mischievous statements, obscenity and vulgarity.

39. This whole paragraph is in fact a parenthetical statement which marks the conclusion of one discourse and which serves as a prelude to another. The style adopted here suggests that this surah was revealed some time after the Prophet (peace be on him) and his Companions had gone through trying circumstances, whereby they constantly waited for revelation to guide and comfort them. This time-gap in revelation, therefore, distressed them greatly. It was against this background that Gabriel came down to the Prophet (peace be on him) along with a retinue of other angels. First of all he proclaimed that command which was urgently required under the circumstances, but before proceeding further, he said something which at once explained his prolonged absence: he spoke words of comfort from God as well as an exhortation to the believers to remain patient and restrained.

What is said above is not only borne out by internal evidence, it is also corroborated by several traditions which have been quoted by al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir and al-'Ālūsī, the author of Rūḥ al-Ma'ānī, in their works of Qur'ānic exegesis.

40. Believers are directed to steadfastly adhere to God's service and to bear all the sufferings which they might encounter with patience. They are told that if there occurs any delay in providing them with support and comfort they should not lose heart. An obedient believer is required to be content in all circumstances with God's Will and to persevere, with full determination in the task assigned to him as God's servant.

41. The word sami means namesake or homonym. The purpose of the statement is to emphasize that God alone is the One True God, and no one else holds that position. And if indeed there is no other god - and they know that is the case there is no other than Him to worship and serve.

42. This refers to those devils under whose evil influence the unbelievers regarded the life in this world as the only life and thereby denied the Next Life where all will be called to account.

43. This alludes to the leaders of the groups that defied God's commands.

44. The word wärid, according to some traditions, signifies 'one who enters'. (Aḥmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 3, pp. 328-9-Ed.) These traditions, however, are not backed up by a chain of authentic narrations going back to the Prophet (peace be on him). Moreover, this interpretation is contrary to the teachings of the Qur'an and a large number of authentic traditions which exclude righteous believers from entering Hell. Furthermore, this view is not supported by lexical evidence for indeed warud does not mean entrance. What is meant by this verse, therefore, is that everyone will pass by Hell; yet, as stated in the following verse, the pious will be saved from entering it, while the wrong-doers will be hurled into it. (See al-Tirmidhi, Sunan, K. Tafsir al-Qur'an, 'Bāb wa min Surat Maryam'; Muslim, K. al-Īmān, 'Bāb Adná Ahl al-Jannah Manzilatan fì hā' – Ed.)

45. This was a fallacious argument which the unbelievers often put forward, claiming that it was they rather than the believers upon whom God's bounties were lavished. They audaciously asked: 'Who has more stately houses to live in - the believers or us? Who enjoy higher standards of living - the believers or us? Whose assemblies are more splendid and grandiose - the believers or ours? How is it possible, they asked, that those who follow the truth suffer such a miserable lot whilst those who follow falsehood - as you fancy - prosper? (For details, see al-Kahf 18, nn. 37-8 above.)

46. That is, that whenever adherents to the truth are put to the test, God grants them the ability to judge correctly and to follow the right path. God also protects them from evil and from error. They are constantly helped by God's guidance which enables them to proceed ahead along the right path.

47. This represents the characteristic mode of thinking of the unbelievers who happen to be well-off and prosperous. Such people tend to impress upon believers that no matter what they claim about the waywardness of unbelievers or say about them being struck down by God's punishment, the fact remains that they seem better-off than the believers. Such people also contend that there is every reason to believe that what is happening to them - the unbelievers of the present will also happen in the future. These people are wont to say exultantly: 'Look at my riches, at my power and position, at the eminence. achieved by my offspring: do these show that I have been cursed by God?' Such thoughts were not merely those of just a few stray Makkan unbelievers, but rather such illusions were entertained by every tribal chief, by every eminent Makkan.

48. Such boastful remarks will further compound his crimes, and he will have to pay the price for such outrageous utterances.

49. The word used in this verse is 'izzah which conveys the meaning of bringing honour and glory. According to Arabic usage, the word denotes one who is so powerful that none will dare try to harm him. (See 'izz in Ibn Manzür, Lisän al-'Arab-Ed.) The idea that someone can be the cause of honour and glory for another person means that the former is so effective a supporter of the other that no enemy will even entertain evil designs against him.

50. On the Day of Judgement the gods which men have contrived will be utterly powerless and they will declare that they never asked anyone to worship them; they will also say that they were not even aware of the existence of those who were foolish enough to worship them.

51. The Muslims were asked not to get impatient at the excesses the unbelievers committed. For the time for them to be struck by God's punishment had drawn near; they had gone just too far, exceeding all limits. The term granted to them by God was all but over, and one only had to wait a little while before they would be seized by God's scourge.

52. The verse seems to suggest two things regarding intercession. Firstly, it will be possible only to intercede for those in whose favour God allows intercession. Secondly, intercession will only be made by those whom God permits to do so. Such are the words of the verse that they seem to embrace both elements.

The one who conforms to the first statement is one who has faith and lives a good life in devotion to God, one who is deserving of God's pardon and forgiveness. As for the second statement, it means that God will let it be known who may intervene, and it is only they, no one else, who will be able to intercede. This should dispel the illusions of those who look with great hope at some people, feeling sure that they will intercede on their behalf. What will actually happen is that no one except those whom God permits to intercede will be able to utter even a single word in His presence.

53. The believers throughout Makka were at that time subjected to the most abject humiliation. Here they are being told that that situation will not endure. Soon they will become God's favourites, the heroes of all mankind, on account of their moral excellence. People will involuntarily be attracted to them. People will simply adore them, bowing to them in respect. As for their opponents, they are doomed to ignominy. Leadership which rests on sin and transgression, on arrogance and trickery, can never win the hearts of people; the most that it can do is force them into outward obedience. Conversely, those who invite people to the right way and are themselves invested with honesty, veracity, sincerity and good morals, are bound to win over hearts in the end even if they provoke revulsion at the outset. It is simply impossible for those who lack honesty and sincerity to impede their path for long.