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Secret Knowledge of the Qur‘an
By S.M. Zakir Hussain (Bangladesh)
Chapter V
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Secret Knowledge
of the Qur‘an
5. Visible Revelation
The Qur‘an bears witness to the fact that sometimes verses were revealed to him in audio-visual form. In this age of computer, humans can get satellites to take photographs of distant things of the world as well as the space, which we can see with a mere click of the mouse of the computer. The Internet,
among other things, has made the world very small. Although
these technologies were not there at the time of the Prophet, God did not deprive him from enjoying the benefits of them. After all, nothing can escape God’s knowledge. Let us see some examples to be doubtless about the fact that nothing was kept hidden from the eyes of the Prophet (PBUB).
5.1. Read this short example:
10: 4. To Him is the return of all of you; it is a promise of Allah in truth. Look! He produces creation, then reproduces it, so that He may reward those who believe and do good works with equity; while, as for those who disbelieve, theirs will be a boiling drink and painful doom because they disbelieved .
See the tense pattern of the verbs that have that have been highlighted. Why does the last sentence contain verbs of past and present tenses?
In fact, after the completion of the revelation of the first two sentences, the Prophet (PBUB), by the Will of God, instantly migrated to the hereafter to see the consequences of those who disbelieve, and as he was watching them suffering in the Hell, the third sentence was revealed as an explanation of the fact. If this were not so, the abrupt use of the past tense would be meaningless.
5.2. Let us see another example.
10:45. And on the day when He shall gather them together, (when it will seem) as though they had stayed but an hour of the day, recognizing one another, those will certainly have perished who denied the meeting with Allah and were not guided.
Here also the second sentence bears witness to the same process. The fact that this is an instance of the visual revelation is substantiated by the verses that follow the ones cited above. Here they are:
10:46. Whether We let you (O Muhammad) see something of that which We promise them or (whether We) cause you to die, still to Us is their return, and Allah, moreover, is Witness over what they do.
5.3. The following verse explicitly contains the word ‘see’:
10:73. But they denied him, so We saved him and those with him in the ship, and made them viceroys (in the earth), while We drowned those who denied Our revelations. See then the nature of the consequence for those who had been warned .
5.4. Now let us consider another verse. This time the Prophet (PBUB) is not the only spectator, rather the audience includes even those who are now disbelieving. Only what makes the difference is that they do not know that they have seen it. In fact, according to some sayings of the Prophet (PBUB), we are always living in the hereafter, although we do not feel so:
50:19. And the agony of death comes in truth. This is that which you were accustomed to reject.
50:20. And the trumpet is blown. This is the threatened Day.
50:21. And every soul comes, along with it a driver and a witness.
50:22. You were in heedlessness of this. Now We have removed from you your covering, and your sight is keen this day.
5.5. Have a look at this verse too:
58:22. You will not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren or their clan. As for such, He has written faith upon their hearts and has strengthened them with a Spirit from Him, and He will bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. They are Allah's party. Lo! is it not Allah's party who are the successful?
It is being shown to the Prophet (PBUB) that those who are supposed to go to the paradise have already been there.
5.6. Here is another example, showing the fact-to-face love affairs between the Prophet (PBUB) and God:
67: 1. Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Sovereignty, and, He is Able to do all things.
67: 2. Who has created life and death that He may try you which of you is best in conduct; and He is the Mighty, the Forgiving,
67: 3. Who has created seven heavens in harmony. You (Muhammad) can see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: can you see any faults?
67: 4. Then look again and yet again, your sight will return to you weakened and made dim.
5.7. Such visions were also given to other prophets. Here is an example:
12:24. She (the queen of Egypt) certainly desired him (Joseph), and he would have desired her if it had not been that he saw the argument of his Lord. Thus it was, that We might ward off from him evil and lewdness. Look! he was of Our chosen slaves.
11:76. O Abraham! Forsake this! Look! your Lord's commandment has gone forth, and Look! there comes to them a doom which cannot be repelled.
5.8. Now let us see some more examples:
11:67. And the (awful) Cry overtook those who did wrong, so that morning found them prostrate in their dwellings,
11:68. As though they had not dwelt there. Look! Thamud disbelieved in their Lord. A far removal for Thamud!
11:69. And Our messengers came to Abraham with good news. They said: Peace! He answered: Peace! and delayed not to bring a roasted calf.
11:70. And when he saw their hands reached not to it, he mistrusted them and conceived a fear of them. They said: Fear not! Look! we are sent to the folk of Lot.
11:71. And his wife, standing by laughed when We gave her good tidings (of the birth) of Isaac, and, after Isaac, of Jacob.
11:72. She said: Oh woe is me! Shall I bear a child when I am an old woman, and this my husband is an old man? Look! this is a strange thing!
11:73. They said: Wonderest you at the commandment of Allah? The mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, O people of the house! Look! He is Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory!
11:74. And when the awe departed from Abraham, and the glad news reached him, he pleaded with Us on behalf of the folk of Lot.
11:75. Look! Abraham was mild, imploring, penitent.
11:76. O Abraham! Forsake this! Look! your Lord's commandment has gone forth, and Look! there comes to them a doom which cannot be repelled.
11:77. And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was distressed and knew not how to protect them. He said: This is a distressful day.
11:78. And his people came to him, running towards him - and before then they used to commit abominations - He said: O my people! Here are my daughters! They are purer for you. Beware of Allah, and degrade me not in (the person of) my guests. Is there not among you any upright man?
5.9. This is a good one also:
17:59. nothing hinders Us from sending portents save that the folk of old denied them. And We gave Thamud the she-camel - a clear portent save to warn.
17:60. And (it was a warning) when we told thee: Look! your Lord encompasses mankind, and We appointed the sight which We showed you as an ordeal for mankind, and (likewise) the Accursed Tree in the Qur'an. We warn them, but it increases them in nothing save gross impiety.
5.10. And now enjoy this:
22:23. Lo! Allah will cause those who believe and do good works to enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will be allowed armlets of gold, and pearls, and their raiment therein will be silk.
22:24. They are guided to gentle speech; they are guided to the path of the Glorious One.
5.11. This small one is also very rich in beauty:
27:52. See, yonder are their dwellings empty and in ruins because they did wrong. Look! herein is indeed a portent for a people who have knowledge.
27:53. And we saved those who believed and used to ward off (evil).
5.12. The following one is like the one that precedes:
28:58. And how many a community have We destroyed that was thankless for its means of livelihood! And yonder are their dwellings, which have not been inhabited after them save a little. And We, even We, were the inheritors.
38:59. Here is an army rushing blindly with you. (Those who are already in the Fire say): No word of welcome for them. Look! they will roast at the Fire.
5.13. Here is a direct declaration that things were shown to the Prophet (PBUH):
43:42. Or (if) We show you that wherewith We threaten them; for lo! We have complete command of them.
5.14. This one is multi-dimensional:
43:68. O My slaves! For you there is no fear this day, nor is it you who grieve;
43:69. (Ye) who believed Our revelations and were self-surrendered,
43:70. Enter the Garden, you and your wives, to be made glad.
43:71. Therein are brought round for them trays of gold and goblets, and therein is all that souls desire and eyes find sweet. And you are immortal therein.
43:72. This is the Garden which you are made to inherit because of what you used to do.
5.15. At last, why not another example?
55:43. This is hell which the guilty deny.
55:44. They go circling round between it and fierce, boiling water.
55:45. Which is it, of the favors of your Lord, that you deny?
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