Koran Curious - A Guide for Infidels and Believers (19 page)
Read Koran Curious - A Guide for Infidels and Believers Online
Authors: C.J. Werleman
[15:33] He said, “I am not to prostrate before a human being, whom You created from aged mud, like the potter’s clay.”
[15:34] He said, “Therefore, you must get out; you are banished.
[15:35] “You have incurred My condemnation until the Day of Judgment.”
Muhammad narrates the Sodom & Gomorrah story again, as a warning to the Meccans.
[15:61] The messengers went to Lot’s town.
[15:73] Consequently, the disaster struck them in the morning.
[15:74] We turned it upside down, and showered them with devastating rocks.
Muhammad invites the Meccans to finally submit to the authority of the Koran and him.
[15:86] Your Lord is the Creator, the Omniscient.
[15:87] We have given you the seven pairs, and the great Quran.
[15:88] Do not be jealous of what we bestowed upon the other (messengers), and do not be saddened (by the disbelievers), and lower your wing for the believers.
[15:89] And proclaim: “I am the manifest warner.”
[15:99] And worship your Lord, in order to attain certainty.
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Written in Mecca prior to the migration to Medina, this sura contains one hundred and twenty eight verses – and its title doesn’t represent anything in particular, other than for the purpose of identifying it from other chapters.
At the actual time of this scripture, persecution of the Muslims in Mecca was at its peak. In many instances, Muslims had fled to neighboring towns to escape the taunts and prejudice against them. Therefore, the tone of this sura is of significant venom, targeted directly to all those who have rejected his mission.
Muhammad lashes out at polytheism and those who claim the Koran is simply his words and not of any divine revelation, while also offering comfort to his followers who have fled their homes.
God has created the earth and all its treasures with Muslims in mind.
[16:2] He sends down the angels with the revelations, carrying His commands, to whomever He chooses from among His servants: “You shall preach that there is no other god beside Me; You shall reverence Me.”
[16:3] He created the heavens and the earth for a specific purpose. He is much too High, far above any idols they set up.
[16:10] He sends down from the sky water for your drink, and to grow trees for your benefit.
[16:14] And He committed the sea to serve you; you eat from it tender meat, and extract jewelry which you wear. And you see the ships roaming it for your commercial benefits, as you seek His bounties, that you may be appreciative.
Muhammad spells out the evil of polytheism.
[16:20] As for the idols they set up beside GOD, they do not create anything; they themselves were created.
[16:21] They are dead, not alive, and they have no idea how or when they will be resurrected.
[16:22] Your god is one god. As for those who do not believe in the Hereafter, their hearts are denying, and they are arrogant.
God will punish the nonbelievers on Judgment Day
[16:25] They will be held responsible for their sins on the Day of Resurrection, all of them, in addition to sins of all those whom they misled by their ignorance. What a miserable load!
[16:28] The angels put them to death in a state of wronging their souls. That is when they finally submit, and say, “We did not do anything wrong!” Yes indeed. GOD is fully aware of everything you have done.
[16:29] Therefore, enter the gates of Hell, wherein you abide forever. What a miserable destiny for the arrogant ones.
Muslims will be rewarded in paradise.
[16:30] As for the righteous, when they are asked, “What do you think of these revelations from your Lord,” they say, “Good.” For those who lead a righteous life, happiness; and the abode of the Hereafter is even better. What a blissful abode for the righteous.
[16:31] The gardens of Eden are reserved for them, wherein rivers flow. They have anything they wish therein. GOD thus rewards the righteous.
Muhammad claims that while polytheists have clever arguments for defending the virtues of their faith, they are still liars.
[16:35] The idol worshipers say, “Had GOD willed, we would not worship any idols besides Him, nor would our parents. Nor would we prohibit anything besides His prohibitions.” Those before them have done the same. Can the messengers do anything but deliver the complete message?
[16:36] We have sent a messenger to every community, saying, “You shall worship GOD, and avoid idolatry.” Subsequently, some were guided by GOD, while others were committed to straying. Roam the earth and note the consequences for the rejectors.
[16:37] No matter how hard you try to guide them, GOD does not guide the ones He had committed to straying. Thus, no one can help them
[16:39] He will then point out to everyone all the things they had disputed, and will let those who disbelieved know that they were liars.
The Koran is the one true message.
[16:43] We did not send before you except men whom we inspired. Ask those who know the scripture, if you do not know.
[16:44] We provided them with the proofs and the scriptures. And we sent down to you this message, to proclaim for the people everything that is sent down to them, perhaps they will reflect.
God is all-wonderful. Worship him at all times, not only when in times of distress.
[16:48] Have they not seen all the things created by GOD? Their shadows surround them right and left, in total submission to GOD, and willingly.
[16:52] To Him belongs everything in the heavens and the earth and therefore, the religion shall be devoted absolutely to Him alone. Would you worship other than GOD?
[16:53] Any blessing you enjoy is from GOD. Yet, whenever you incur any adversity you immediately complain to Him.
[16:54] Yet, as soon as He relieves your affliction, some of you revert to idol worship.
Muhammad warns of the Mecca’s false teachings.
[16:55] Let them disbelieve in what we have given them. Go ahead and enjoy temporarily; you will surely find out.
[16:56] They designate for the idols they set up out of ignorance, a share of the provisions we bestow upon them. By GOD, you will be held accountable for your innovations.
Muhammad warns the Muslims not to be bigoted against baby girls.
[16:58] When one of them gets a baby girl, his face becomes darkened with overwhelming grief.
[16:59] Ashamed, he hides from the people, because of the bad news given to him. He even ponders: should he keep the baby grudgingly, or bury her in the dust. Miserable indeed is their judgment.
[16:60] Those who do not believe in the Hereafter set the worst examples, while to GOD belongs the most sublime examples. He is the Almighty, the Most Wise.
God is the creator of everything, so why would you worship other gods who have achieved nothing?
[16:63] By GOD, we have sent (messengers) to communities before you, but the devil adorned their works in their eyes. Consequently, he is now their lord, and they have incurred a painful retribution.
[16:64] We have revealed this scripture to you, to point out for them what they dispute, and to provide guidance and mercy for people who believe.
[16:73] Yet, they worship beside GOD what possesses no provisions for them in the heavens, nor on earth, nor can provide them with anything.
Judgment Day is coming. Muslims will be rewarded and the nonbelievers will perish.
[16:84] The day will come when we raise from every community a witness, then those who disbelieved will not be permitted (to speak), nor will they be excused.
[16:86] And when those who committed idol worship see their idols, they will say, “Our Lord, these are the idols we had set up beside You.” The idols will then confront them and say, “You are liars.”
[16:87] They will totally submit to GOD on that day, and the idols they had invented will disown them.
[16:98] When you read the Quran, you shall seek refuge in GOD from Satan the rejected.
[16:99] He has no power over those who believe and trust in their Lord.
[16:100] His power is limited to those who choose him as their master, those who choose him as their god.
Engaging with Jewish righteousness. Abraham is the model worshipper for Muslims
[16:120] Abraham was indeed an exemplary vanguard in his submission to GOD, a monotheist who never worshipped idols.
[16:121] Because he was appreciative of His Lord’s blessings, He chose him and guided him in a straight path.
[16:122] We granted him happiness in this life, and in the Hereafter he will be with the righteous.
[16:123] Then we inspired you (Muhammad) to follow the religion of Abraham, the monotheist; he never was an idol worshiper.
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Recited in Mecca during the final year of Muhammad’s life, ‘The Children Of Israel’ takes its name from the first verse, which tells the story of the Muhammad’s night journey to “the farthest Mosque” and Jerusalem. While the city of Jerusalem is not mentioned by name anywhere in the Koran, it is identified in various hadiths.
It had now been twelve years since Muhammad had founded Islam, and he had overcome a litany of obstacles in making it this far. But despite the spread of his religion throughout Arabia, the Muslims still faced many challenges. First and foremost being the open hostility of the Meccans, despite the treaty established a few years earlier.
Like several of the suras before it, Muhammad extends a final invitation to the Meccans and pagans to convert. If not, they faced annihilation from his soldiers or the fires of hell on Judgment Day. Either way, the Muslims will prevail.
Muhammad also lays out further instructions for creating a harmonious Islamic society.
Muhammad describes his mystical night journey.
[17:1] Most glorified is the One who summoned His servant (Muhammad) during the night, from the Sacred Masjid (of Mecca) to the farthest place of prostration, whose surroundings we have blessed, in order to show him some of our signs. He is the Hearer, the Seer.
[17:4] We addressed the Children of Israel in the scripture: “You will commit gross evil on earth, twice. You are destined to fall into great heights of arrogance.
[17:5] “When the first time comes to pass, we will send against you servants of ours who possess great might, and they will invade your homes. This is a prophecy that must come to pass.
[17:6] “Afterwards, we will give you a turn over them, and will supply you with a lot of wealth and children; we will give you the upper hand.
