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The Review of Religions is honoured to present the first full English translation of Sūrah al-Kahf, chapter 18 of the Holy Qur’ān, from Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad’s (ra) magnum opus, Al-Tafsīr Al-Kabīr for our readers.
In this edition, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra) presents the lexical analysis and commentary of verses 2-4 of Sūrah al-Kahf.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah (the Almighty), the Gracious, the Merciful (I begin).
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ الْكِتَابَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ عِوَجًا
All perfect praise belongs (solely) to Allah (the Almighty), Who has sent down this Book to His servant and has not placed therein any crookedness.
قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا
He has (revealed it) full of truthfulness and as a true guide so that it may warn (the people) of an (impending) severe punishment from Him (i.e. Allah Almighty) and give glad tidings to the believers who do righteous (and befitting) deeds that they shall have an excellent reward (decreed from God Almighty);
مَّٰكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدٗا
they shall abide in this (station of reward) forever.
Key Word Analysis[1]
الْعَبْدُ (al-‘Abd)
For the meaning of al-‘Abd, see Sūrah Banī Isrā’īl, verse 2.[2]
عِوَجًا (‘Iwajan)
الْعِوَجُ(Al-‘Iwaj) is a noun derived from عَوِجَ (يَعْوَجُ عَوَجًا) and it means crookedness or distortion. For physical bodies, the word ‘Awaj is used, whereas the word ‘Iwaj is used for a crookedness and distortion in meanings and qualities. [3](Aqrab al-Mawārid) For further explanation, see Sūrah Hūd, verse 20.
عِوَجُ الطَّرِيقِ: زَيْغُهُ (‘Iwaj al-Ṭarīq) means (Zaīghuh), i.e., the crookedness of a path.
عِوَجُ الدِّيْنِ وَالخُلُقِ: فَسَادُهُ (‘Iwaj al-Dīn wa al-Khuluq) means (Fasāduh), i.e., the deterioration of religion and morals, meaning its corruption.[4]
الْعِوَجُ اِسْمٌ لِضِدِّ الإِسْتِقَامَةِ (al-‘Iwaj Ism li Ḍidd al-Istiqāmah), i.e., the lack of straightness.
الْإِنْحِنَاءُ (Al-Inḥinā’) means to bend.
وَالْعَوَجُ بِالْفَتْحِ فِي الْأَجْسَادِ وَالْعِوَجُ بِالْكَسْرِ فِي الْمَعَانِيْ (Wa Al-‘Awaj bi al-Fatḥfī al-Ajsād wa al-‘Iwaj bi al-Kasr fī al-Ma‘ānī) Just as the word ‘Awaj is used for the physical crookedness of a body, similarly, the word ‘Iwaj is used for the crookedness and incorrectness of meanings and qualities.[5]
قَيِّمًا (Qayyiman)
مُقِيْمُهُ قَيِّمُ الْأَمْرِ: (Qayyim al-Amr) means Muqīmuh, i.e., one who manages something.
وَأَمْرٌ قَيِّمٌ: مُسْتَقِيْمٌ (Wa Amr Qayyim) means Mustaqīm, i.e., a correct matter.
وَخُلُقٌ قَيِّمٌ (Wa Khuluq Qayyim) means good morals.
وَدِيْنٌ قَيِّمٌ: مُسْتَقِيْمٌ لَا زَيْغَ فِيْهِ (Wa Dīn Qayyim) means Mustaqīm lā Zaigh fīh, i.e., a religion so correct that there is no deviation in it.
وَكُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ: مُسْتَقِيْمَةٌ .تُبَيِّنُ الْحَقَّ مِنَ الْبَاطِلِ (Wa Kutub Qayyimah) means Mustaqīmah.Tubayyin al-Ḥaqq min al-Bāṭil, i.e., correct books that clearly distinguish truth from falsehood.
الْقَيِّمُ: السَّيِّدُ وَسَائِسُ الْأَمْرِ (Al-Qayyim) means al-Sayyid wa Sā’is al-Amr), i.e., the chief and supervisor of affairs.[6]
دِيْنًا قَيِّمًا (Dīnan Qayyiman) means ثَابِتًا مُقَوِّمًا لِأُمُوْرِ مَعَاشِهِمْ وَمَعَادِهِمْ (Thābitan Muqawwiman li Umūr Ma‘āshihim wa Ma‘ādihim), i.e., an enduring religion that rectifies the affairs of both this world and the hereafter.[7]
لِيُنْذِرَ (Li Yundhira)
لِيُنْذِرَ is a conjugation of the present tense from the verb أَنْذَرَ (Andhara). Essentially, أَنْذَرَهُ means:
(1) To inform someone of the reality of a matter.
(2) To alert someone before the consequences of a matter become manifest.
(3) Giving a warning while thoroughly alerting is also called إِنْذَارٌ (Indhār).[8] For details, see Sūrah Yūnus verse number 3.
The infinitive form is إِنْذَارٌ, and the words نَذْرٌ (Nadhr), نُذْرٌ (Nudhr), نُذُرٌ (Nudhur), and نَذِيْرٌ (Nadhīr) also convey this meaning. It is said that أَنْذَرَهُ بِالْأَمْرِ: أَعْلَمَهُ وَحَذَّرَهُ مِنْ عَوَاقِبِهِ قَبْلَ حُلُوْلِهِ (Andharah bi al-Amr: A‘lamah wa Ḥadhdharah min ‘Awāqibih Qabl Ḥulūlih), meaning he made him aware of the reality of a matter and alerted him before its consequences became manifest. And they say أَنْذَرَهُ: خَوَّفَهُ فِيْ إِبْلَاغِهِ يُقَالُ أَنْذَرْتُ الْقَوْمَ سَيْرَ الْعَدُوِّ إِلَيْهِمْ فَنَذِرُوْا (Andharah) means Khawwafah fī Iblāghih.Yuqāl Andhart al-Qaum Sair al-‘Aduww Ilaihim fa Nadhirū, i.e., to thoroughly warn while conveying information. Therefore, when they say أَنْذَرْتُ الْقَوْمَ سَيْرَ الْعَدُوِّ, it means: ‘I thoroughly warned the people about the enemy’s advance.’ Its intransitive or resultative form is نَذِرَ (Nadhir), which means he became alert.[9]
الْبَأْسُ (Al-Ba’s)
الْبَأْسُ means الْعَذَابُ (al-‘Adhāb), i.e., punishment.
الْبَأْسُ: الشِّدَّةُ فِي الْحَرْبِ (Al-Ba’s) means al-Shiddah fī al-Ḥarb, i.e., an intense battle.
وَقَالَ ابْنُ سِيْدَهُ الْبَأْسُ: الْحَرْبُ ثُمَّ كَثُرَ حَتَّى قِيْلَ لَا بَأْسَ عَلَيْكَ أَيْ لَا خَوْفَ (Al-Ba’s: al-Ḥarb Thumm Kathur Ḥattā Qīl Lā Ba’s ‘Alaik Ay Lā Khauf). That is to say, Ibn Sīdah has stated that although the original meaning of Ba’s is fighting, there is also an extensive use of the term in other meanings. Thus, saying لَا بَأْسَ عَلَيْكَ (lā Ba’s Alaik) would mean لَا خَوْفَ عَلَيْكَ (lā Khauf Alaik), which literally translates to ‘there is no fear upon you.’ [10]
يُبَشِّرُ (Yubashshiru)
يُبَشِّرُis the present, third person, singular, masculine form of the verbبَشَّرَ (Bashshara). For more details, see Sūrah al-Naḥl, verse number 59.[11]
أَجْرٌ (Ajr)
For أَجْرٌ (Ajr), see Sūrah Yūsuf, verse number 57.
الْأَجْرُ: الثَّوَابُ (al-Ajr) means al-Thawāb i.e., reward or recompense.[12]
الْأَجْرُوَالْاُجْرَةُ: مَا يَعُوْدُ مِنْ ثَوَابِ الْعَمَلِ دُنْيَوِيًّا كَانَ أَوْ اُخْرَوِيًّا(Al-Ajr wa al-Ujrah: mā Ya’ūd min Thawāb al-‘Amal Dunyawiyyan Kāna aw Ukhrawiyyan), i.e., الْأَجْرُ (Al-Ajr) and الْاُجْرَةُ (Al-Ujrah) refer to that which returns as a reward for an action, whether it be for this world or the hereafter, as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an:
إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ [My reward is only with Allah] and وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَجْرَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا [We gave him his reward in this world.][13]
مَاكِثِيْنَ (Mākithīn)
مَاكِثِيْنَis from مَكَثَ (Makatha). The active participle is مَاكِثٌ (Mākith) and مَاكِثوْنَ (Mākithūn) is its plural form. مَكَثَ بِالْمَكَانِ (Makatha bi al-Makān) (يَمْكُثُ مَكْثًا)(Yamkuthu Makthan) means لَبِثَ وَأَقَامَ (Labitha wa Aqāma), i.e., to stay or remain in a place.[14]
أَبَدًا (Abadan)
الْأَبَدُ (al-‘Abad) means الدَّهْرُ (al-Dahr), i.e., a long period of time, الدَّائِمُ (al-Dā’im) i.e., eternal, الْقَدِيْمُ (al-Qadīm) i.e., ancient, and الْأَزَلِيُّ (al-Azaliyy), i.e., everlasting.[15]
الْأَبَدُ عِبَارَةٌ عَنْ مُدَّةِ الزَّمانِ الْمُمْتَدِّ الَّذِيْ لَا يَتَجَزَّءُ (Al-Abad ‘Ibarah ‘an Muddat al-Zamān al-Mumtadd alladhī lā Yatajazza’u) [i.e., Al-Abad refers to an extended period of time that is indivisible.] An unspecified duration of time.[16]
Exegesis
قَيِّمًا (Qayyiman) and the words that follow highlights that it serves as a custodian over: 1) previous books in order to remove their errors, 2) and also as a custodian over people of future times because it informs them of the deeds they should perform. This is why the tense of Qayyiman is not specified so that the command may be understood regarding both time periods.
The First Objective of this Book
In lexical terms, قَيِّمُ الْأَمْرِ (Qayyim al-‘Amr) refers to a guardian, that is, one who is entrusted with supervision and nurturing. In light of these meanings, the verse would mean that this Book is a nurturer for people to come and a guardian for those who came before.
The Meaning of لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا
In the Arabic language, بُؤْسٌ (Bu’s) means distress and poverty, while بَأْسٌ (Ba’s) means bravery and strength, or fear, torment and war. In this context, it means fear and punishment.
وَيُبَشِّرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا
[‘And that it may give the believers who do good deeds the glad tidings that they shall have a good reward.’]
In this verse, believers are promised an excellent reward. The ‘excellent reward’ does not merely mean that they will receive bounties, because such a meaning would be conveyed even by the word ‘reward’ alone. In fact, in several places in the Holy Qur’ān, only the word ‘reward’ is used for believers. For example, later in this chapter, Allah states: إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلاً. That is, ‘We shall not waste the reward of those who do good works.’[17]. Here, according to the context, ‘reward’ means an ‘excellent reward’. Similarly, in this verse, if the word ‘reward’ had been used by itself, its meaning, according to the context, would still be an ‘excellent reward’.
So by saying أَجْرًا حَسَنًا [excellent reward], it is being pointed out that the reward will bring about good results. The believers will not be spoiled by receiving these rewards; rather, they will make good use of Allah the Almighty’s blessings and accumulate further reward for themselves.
مَّٰكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدا‘They shall abide in this [station of reward] forever’ means that their reward will never end. This does not mean that this reward will never end; rather, they will continue to receive it, so long as they remain believers. This interpretation applies when we understand that this verse refers to the blessings that believers receive in this world. However, if we take it to mean rewards in the hereafter, then the meaning would be that they will continue to benefit from this reward forever, and their reward will never end. This verse indicates that if you desire never-ending grace, then you should never let go of faith.
The serialisation of Sūrah al-Kahf will continue in the next edition.
ENDNOTES
- Detailed lexical analysis of certain words in these verses have been given by the author when they first appeared in the Holy Qur’an. Therefore, a detailed lexical analysis was not given at this instance; instead, the author referred to the previous chapter and verse number. For the benefit of our readers, The Review of Religions has presented the meanings in the endnote not mentioned in this chapter. [Publisher]
- (Under Sūrah Banī Isrā’īl, verse 2:) الْعَبْدُ signifies:
الْعُبُوْدِيَةُ إِظْهَارُ التَّذَلُّلِ وَالْعِبَادَةُ أَبْلَغُ مِنْهَا لِأَنَّهَا غَايَةُ التَّذَلُّلِ
Servitude is the expression of humility. عِبَادَةٌ (‘Ibādah) is a more eloquent word in conveying this meaning, as it signifies showing extreme humility; وَلَا يَسْتَحِقُّهَا إِلَّا مَنْ لَهُ غَايَةُ الْإِفْضَالِ وَهُوَ اللهُ تَعَالَى This extreme humility can only be shown to the One Who bestows rewards and favours in abundance, and that is Allah Almighty alone. وَالْعِبَادَةُ ضَرْبَانِ عِبَادُةٌ بِالتَّسْخِيْرِ وَعِبَادَةٌ بِالْإِخْتِيَارِ There are two forms of worship: 1) Inadvertent worship, which means showing humility to Allah Almighty without realising it. 2) intentional worship, which exclusively applies to humans.
وَالْعَبْدُ يُقَالُ عَلَى أَرْبَعَةِ أَضْرُبٍ The term ‘Abd (عَبْدٌ) is used in four ways:
A. عَبْدٌ بِحُكْمِ الشَّرْعِ In light of the Sharī‘ah, it refers to a slave whose sale and purchase are permissible. In this context, the plural for عَبْدٌ is عَبِيْدٌ.
B. عَبْدٌ باِلْإِيْجَادِ وَذَلِكَ لَيْسَ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ By virtue of being brought into existence, the term عَبْدٌ is used, and thus, when attributed to Allah Almighty, it means a servant or worshiper, for He alone is the Creator.
C. عَبْدٌ بِالْعِبَادَةِ وَالْخِدْمَةِ The word ‘Abd is also used to describe worship and servitude. Essentially, those who worship Allah Almighty alone are divided into these two categories. In this context, the one who worships is referred to as عَابِدٌ and its plural is عِبَادٌ.
D. Slaves of the world and materialistic people. (Mufradāt Imām Rāghib)
3. Aqrab al-Mawārid.
4. Tāj al-‘Arūs.
5. Aqrab al-Mawārid.
6. Tāj al-‘Arūs.
7. Mufradāt Imām Rāghib.
8. Aqrab al-Mawārid.
9. Ibid.
10. Tāj al-‘Arūs.
11. (Under Sūrah al-Naḥl, verse number 59:) بُشِّرَ (Bushshira) is the passive voice form of the verb بَشَّرَ (Bashshara). بَشَّرَهُ (Bashsharah) denotes أَخْبَرَهُ فَفَرِحَ (Akhbarah fa Fariḥa) That is, ‘he received news that made him happy’. (Aqrab al-Mawārid)
12. Aqrab al-Mawārid.
13. Mufradāt Imām Rāghib.
14. Aqrab al-Mawārid.
15. Ibid.
16. Mufradāt Imām Rāghib.
17. The Holy Qur’an, 18:31.
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