seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Quran 10:49. Say, “I have no power to harm or benefit myself, except as God wills. To every nation is an appointed time. Then, when their time arrives, they can neither postpone it by one hour, nor advance it.
50. Say, “Have you considered? If His punishment overtakes you by night or by day, what part of it will the guilty seek to hasten?”
51. “Then, when it falls, will you believe in it? Now? When before you tried to hasten it?”
52. Then it will be said to those who did wrong, “Taste the torment of eternity. Will you be rewarded except for what you used to do?”
53. And they inquire of you, “Is it true?” Say, “Yes, by my Lord, it is true, and you cannot evade it.”
54. Had every soul which had done wrong possessed everything on earth, it would offer it as a ransom. They will hide the remorse when they witness the suffering, and it will be judged between them equitably, and they will not be wronged.
55. Assuredly, to God belongs everything in the heavens and the earth. Assuredly, the promise of God is true. But most of them do not know.
56. He gives life and causes death, and to Him you will be returned.
57. O people! There has come to you advice from your Lord, and healing for what is in the hearts, and guidance and mercy for the believers.
58. Say, “In God’s grace and mercy let them rejoice. That is better than what they hoard.”
59. Say, “Have you considered the sustenance God has sent down for you, some of which you made unlawful, and some lawful?” Say, “Did God give you permission, or do you fabricate lies and attribute them to God?”
60. What will they think—those who fabricate lies and attribute them to God—on the Day of Resurrection? God is bountiful towards the people, but most of them do not give thanks.
Here's the commentary.
These are not the words which a pretender would utter. The words are those of an honest man who, without assuming any personal pretensions, preaches truth in all sincerity. The Holy Prophet is repeatedly made to disclaim any control of good and evil, so that he offers no low temptation to his followers. Truth must be accepted for its own sake, not for any hope of worldly gain or fear of worldly loss.
The verse does not teach fatalism. It lays down a truth which no historian can deny. To every nation, as to every individual, is granted a term of life, and nations live and die like individuals.
The coming of the doom by night or by day signifies its coming at a time when people are engaged in their revelries or occupied with their business transactions, so as to be utterly inattentive to the real value of life. There is a gentle remonstrance conveyed in the words: “What then is there of it that the guilty would hasten?” The doom approaches; why then should a people hasten on its approach by their guiltiness?
Asarra is one of the words which have contrary meanings. It means he concealed it as well as he manifested it.
They demanded punishment again and again, but they are told that Allåh has sent to them that in which they will find a healing and a guidance and a mercy for them, viz. the Holy Qur’ån. Compare 29:51, where, in answer to a demand for a sign which should destroy them, the disbelievers are told: “Is it not enough for them that We have revealed to thee the Book which is recited to them? Surely there is mercy in this and a reminder for a people who believe”.
Men hoard wealth, but they are told that the spiritual values of life — the grace of Allåh and His mercy — are much better.
Just as Allåh gave them the means of their physical sustenance, He has also sent His grace and mercy for their spiritual welfare through revelation. Yet they deprive themselves of the spiritual sustenance as if it were unlawful. Or the reference may be to their declaring certain things to be unlawful for them out of reverence for their idols.
Alcohol use to be my issue. I come from a long long line of alcoholics. I'm the daughter of one of those who would have been a drunk but he got religion instead. Then I sobered back up..... and yes... I needed sobering up because I was self medicating with alcohol. But then I met OXY, and recently I was introduced to Fentanyl. Now they make Alcohol look like my friendly cousin as opposed to the murderer down the block.
Luckily, I met Fentanyl in an operating room. It's a very nice drug and if I met it on the street.... I'm not real sure I wouldn't go off into the sunset with it. But, thankfully, it was a one time thing. Or at least I hope I have no more surgeries in my future.... but that drug is horribly nice. OXY on the other hand... I met it through the cancer and it became a "friend". I was involved with OXY and it's family of drugs for several years. I should not have been driving or working or anything.... but I was so wonderfully befriended by the drug... I didn't see myself as "high". Until, that is, until I started to kick them. Then I felt every single one of them leave.... and Oxy was the last, as I recall. I got so good at getting off of the drugs... I even quit smoking after 52 years. I mean I don't even want a cigarette any more.
Everyone has a "drug of choice". For some it's money, for some it's fame, for some it's sexual promiscuity, and for some it might be drugs or gambling. Honestly though all of them can be given up for God.... if you will.
I wondered this morning.... just something to ponder.... but did our "war" in Afghanistan end because heroine is not as socially accepted as it once was? Did our "war" in Afghanistan end because we figured how to make poppies in the lab? Did our "war" in Afghanistan end because we found someone else to sell our guns and ammo to? Is the poppy what these verses might be referring too? Is the poppy trade an example of making something that could be good for humans into money and riches for the man down the street? They have poppies.... we have guns for them to use to guard their poppies. Poppies make money.... more so than any other crop we tried to get them to convert to.... they make more off of Poppies, so much like American Tobacco or good Kentucky Whiskey it's the crop that sustains the economy.
Humans have made going to church, chapel, synagogue, or mosque into a bad thing. The preachers, priests, and rabbis seem to be so busy chasing women, boys, and money, they are tweaking the Message to meet their needs. Greed isn't a sin anymore... it's just a daily part of life.... and it supports the other daily "needs" we have. Muslims have been banned.... as if they were illegal humans.
It's as if religion should be outlawed.
