April 2021 – Page 30 – Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi

15- I swear by those that recede
16- By flowing that goes to nest
81-At-Takvir The Rolling, 15-16

To gain clearer insight into the meaning of these verses, let us see first
the signification of the words used in Arabic. The Arabic word
“hunnes” that we translate with the expression “Those that recede”
also has the connotation of “shrinking,” “sinking,” “retrogression”
and “regression.” On the other hand, the Arabic word “kunnes”
means “to follow a definite itinerary,” “to return home” and also
“nest of a moving object.” And the word “flowing” in the 16th verse
is expressed by the word “jariye.”
We are inextricably bound by an indefinite number of scientific
laws in our daily life, among which are the law of gravitation, the law
of motion, the law of thermodynamics, etc. While we eat or relieve
ourselves we are subject to the law of gravitation. When astronauts eat
and relieve themselves in space, they have to take recourse to special
arrangements in order to satisfy their demands, because their bodies
were created according to the standards of the earth gravitation.
Discoveries of scientists are not discoveries of the non existent, as
their function is to throw light on those things that already exist.
Gravitational force has always existed in the universe. But it fell to the
lot of Isaac Newton (1642-1727) to clarify it by describing it with
mathematical formulas. Newton demonstrated by the law of gravitation that God’s creation was based on the law of gravity, which governs the stars, the earth, the moon, and that man’s erect posture was
not a haphazard development, but was related to the gravitational
force inherent in matter .Referring to the fine balances of the universe, Isaac Newton said
that the author of this extremely sensitive system, composed of the
sun, the planets and the comets, can only be a Creator endowed with
intelligence and power. He, whom we call our omniscient Lord, is the
ruler of all these things, His dominion embraces all.

UNIVERSAL MATHEMATICS

The Quran often speaks of the fact that Allah created everything within a given measure. This means that everything in the universe is governed by mathematics. The thing made to measure is commensurable,
measurable by a given standard and can be expressed in mathematical
terms. Newton corrected the results that Kepler and Galileo had
reached, gave them precision and proved that the material universe
could be explained in mathematical terms.
In the 1700s science took cognizance of the importance of the
gravitational force. Allah alluded in the Quran in the 600s to the law
of gravitation, to which He had had recourse in His creation. In the
verses mentioned at the head of this chapter, one can see the allusion
to attraction and to the balance between attraction and motion. The
sun and the nucleus of the atom are in states of recession and retrogression, the nucleus attracting electrons and the sun attracting planets. The nuclei, which have already retrograded in the centre, want to
integrate the electrons, and the sun acts likewise by drawing the planets unto themselves by applying forces that cause them to recede. The
word “hunnes” mentioned in verse 15 of the sura, The Rolling, can
easily be claimed to be signifying attraction.
Despite the attraction by the nucleus of the atom, electrons do not
adhere to the nucleus. Likewise, the planets do not come into contact
with the sun despite the latter’s gravitational force. It is the motion of
electrons and planets that prevent the electrons from fusing to the
nucleus and the planets to the sun. The word “jariye” used in verse
16 of sura The Rolling signifies flowing, and is a perfect choice since
it is the factor that prevents adhesion. Had the electrons and planets
tended to adhere to the nucleus and to the sun respectively, no planet, no solar system, no orbit, no vital energy, and no majesty in the
creation would exist. If the electrons and planets were to scatter in
defiance of the “hunnes,” having been released from the gravitational force, again, neither galaxies, nor the animal kingdom, nor vegetation,
nor we would exist. Thanks to these two separate phenomena, electrons return to their orbits, their homes, and planets where they
belong, to move in their orbits. This is marvelously expressed with the
word “kunnes” in verse 16. The Quran uses the word “hunnes” to signify attraction, and motion by the word “jariye” that resists against
the force of attraction and to be within the orbit again by the word
“kunnes.” Thus, in a period when there was no term to express attraction, the Quran had already revealed the phenomena that depended
on attraction.

MARVELS FROM ATOMS TO STARS

As we already have seen, Allah testifies under oath to pull our attention
to certain events or phenomena. The oaths we see pronounced in
verses point to the flawless creations of Allah, and the miraculous
announcements in the Quran for minds cleansed from stubbornness.
Protons exert attraction in the innumerable nuclei of atoms in our
body while the electrons oppose this force while remaining within the
orbit. These happenings in the atom are in continuous and harmonious activity thanks to the electromagnetic force and to the other
forces of the atom. If the atoms of our body we call “I” were to stick
to the chair we are sitting in and to integrate with the ground upon
which we stretch out, there would no longer be an entity called “I.”
Again, if the electrons of the chair we are sitting on collided with the
electrons of our body, giving rise to chaos, could we have ever existed? No. The gravitational force and the motion, as well as other
forces, harmoniously contribute to our being.
Forces that have come about, and everything in Creation, remind
us of Allah.

The people of Madyan were Arabs. Madyan was a city near Ma’an in the surroundings of Syria on the direction of the Hijaz and near to the sea of the people of Sayyidina Lut AlahisSalam. These people followed the people of Sayyidina Lut c on heels. They were known as the tribe of Madyan and they were the children of Madyan bin Madyan bin Ibrahim . Shu’ayb AlaihisSalam was their Prophet. He was the son of Mikyal bin Yahjan. There are other versions about the line of his descent.

It is said that he was one of those who believed in Sayyidina Ibrahim and migrated with him to Damascus, Wahb bin Munabbih has said that he believed in Ibrahim AlahisSalamon the day he was put into the fire, and Malgham was with him. They then married the daughters of Sayyidina Lut AlahisSalam. But all these sayings are unconfirmed. Allah knows best.

There are some other such unconfirmed narrations.

In the Hadith narrated by Abu Zarr it is stated, “Four are from the Arabs: Hud, Salih, Shu’ayb and your Prophet, О Abu Zarr!” O

Some of the predecessors called Shu’ayb the orator of the Prophets for his eloquence and good speech.

According to Ibn Abbas whenever the Messenger of Allahﷺ is mentioned

him, he said, “he was the orator of the Prophets.

The people of Madyan were infidels. They were highwaymen and frightened travellers. They worshipped Al-Aykah. It is a tree of thick wood surrounded by thick bushes. They were worst of people when dealing with others. They were given to cheat when weighing and measuring and gave less measure when selling but extracted excess when buying.

So, Allah sent to them one of their own people as His Messenger. He was Shu’ayb AlahisSalam. He invited them to the worship of Allah the One and forbade them from associating anyone with Him. He prohibited them from doing the ugly acts that they were used to do. Some of them believed in him but a vast majority rejected him. Finally Allah punished them severely and He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy.

In the very first verse cited above (85 of Al-A’raf), we are told that Shu’ayb AlahisSalam presented to his people sound arguments and clear proofs’. These were the miracles of which we are not given details.

Sayyidina Shu’ayb AlaihisSalam stressed upon them that they should give up their evil ways, cheating and robbing people.

According to Ibn ‘Abbas Radiallahu anhoo they used to haunt the highways and extract ten per cent of the merchandise of the travellers. He reminded them of the favours of Allah on them, like increasing their numbers when they were few.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺhas said, “The buyer and seller will have the option (of cancelling or confirming the bargain) before they part and if they spoke the truth and made clear the defects of the merchandise then they would be blessed in the bargain and if they lied and hid facts they would be deprived of blessings in their bargain.”

The meaning is clear: lawful profit is blessed even it is trifle but the unlawful does not benefit even if it is abundant.

It is said that they used this language in a mocking way. “Oh, your prayer requires us to give up our gods whom our forefathers have been worshipping for years. Should we only worship your God? And, should we use our wealth only as you suggest?” According to Ibn Abbas, Maymun bin Mahvan, Ibn Jarij, Zayd bin Aslam and Ibn Jarir, they added scornfully, “You are the forbearing, the right-minded.”

The arrogant chiefs said to Shu’ayb that they would expel him and those

who had believed in him unless they returned to their creed. He told them that would be like forging a lie against Allah if they abandoned their religion to return to their creed.

Our Lord! Decide with justice between us and our people, and You are the Best of deciders. (Al-A’raf, 7:89)

It became as if they had never been. Allah seized them with a variety of punishments. This Surah has mentioned earthquake while Suralı Hud mentions the blast or shiriek, and Surah Ash-Shu’ara, mentions chastisement of the day of omopy. The references to punishment are in terms of context of the verses.

In Surah Al-A’raf they try to shake the belief of the believers so they were seized with an earthquake. In Surah Hud their mockery and scorn invites on them the slout in retaliation of their noise.

, The words their brother are not mentioned there because their worship of Al-Aykah is recalled in the beginning of the verse and it is not proper to describe the Prophet as their brother there. They used to worship the Aykah tree. But when they were mentioned as a tribe then Shu’ayb was described as their brother. If we deduce from the varying description of punishment on them that they were different people then we should not restrict ourselves to choosing the punishment of the day of canopy against the other two varieties of punishment shriek and earthquake. In fact there would be three people in this manner because three kinds of punishment are mentioned. Allah knows best.

.The punishment of the day of canopy involved ‘severe heat and stoppage of blowing of wind for seven days. Water and shade provided no relief. These people gathered in an open place and a cloud shadowed them and they stood below it. When they were there together the sky rained on them sparks, ashes and cinders. At the same time, the earth shook with the quake and a loud shriek from the sky pierced their ears. Their souls were thus extracted and……

Al-Hafiz-Ibn ‘Asakir has stated in his Tarikhı, on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas that Sayyidina Shu’ayb AlahisSalam and came after Sayyidina Yusuf

And, Wahb bin Munabbih has said that Shu’ayb AlaihisSalam died in Makkah as also the Believers with him. Their graves are to the west of the Ka’bah between an-Nadwah and house of Banu Sahm.

THE OFFSPRING OF SAYYIDINA IBRAHIM AlahisSalam

We have dealt with the life story of Sayyidina Ibrahim and his people and how they behaved. We have recalled also the blessings on him and the respect he was shown.

At the same time, we also narrated the story of Sayyidina Lut who was his contemporary. This, we followed with the story of Madyan, the people of Sayyidina Shu’ayb AlaihisSalam . We observed this sequence because the Qur’an treats them in this manner. After the account of Sayyidina Lut AlahisSalam then the Qur’an takes up the account of Madyan who were the people or companions of Al-Aykah, and we have observed the same pattern.

Now, we will deal with the offspring of Sayyidina Ibrahim AlahisSalam in some detail because Allah has bestowed Prophethood and the book (revelation) on his offspring. Every Prophet sent after him was one of his descendants.