seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Quran 13:32. Messengers before you were ridiculed, but I granted the disbelievers respite, and then I seized them. What a punishment it was!
33. Is He who is watchful over the deeds of every soul? Yet they ascribe associates to God. Say, “Name them! Or are you informing Him of something on earth He does not know, or is it a show of words?” In fact, the scheming of those who disbelieve is made to appear good to them, and they are averted from the path. Whomever God misguides has no guide.
34. There is for them torment in the worldly life, but the torment of the Hereafter is harsher. And they have no defender against God.
35. The likeness of the Garden promised to the righteous: rivers flowing beneath it; its food is perpetual, and so is its shade. Such is the sequel for those who guard against evil, but the sequel of the disbelievers is the Fire.
36. Those to whom We gave the Scripture rejoice in what was revealed to you, while some factions reject parts of it. Say, “I am commanded to worship God, and to never associate anything with Him. To Him I invite, and to Him is my return.”
37. Thus We revealed it an Arabic code of law. Were you to follow their desires, after the knowledge that has come to you, you would have neither ally nor defender against God.
38. We sent messengers before you, and We assigned for them wives and offspring. No messenger could bring a sign except with the permission of God. For every era is a scripture.
39. God abolishes whatever He wills, and He affirms. With Him is the source of the Scripture.
40. Whether We show you some of what We have promised them, or We cause you to die—your duty is to inform, and Ours is the reckoning.
41. Do they not see how We deal with the earth, diminishing it at its edges? God judges; and nothing can hold back His judgment. And He is quick to settle accounts.
42. Those before them planned, but the entire plan is up to God. He knows what every soul earns. Those who disbelieve will know to whom the Ultimate Home is.
43. Those who disbelieve say, “You are not a messenger.” Say, “God is a sufficient witness between me and you, and whoever has knowledge of the Scripture.”
And there's a lot of commentary. Allåh watches what everyone does, i.e. requites everyone for what he does — their alleged associate-gods are admittedly unable to do this. The answer to the question, Is He ...? is given in the words that follow, yet they ascribe partners to Allåh.
It is to show the utmost contempt for the alleged associates of the Divine Being that their worshippers are called upon to give them a name, as if it were said that they are not worthy of a name. Or the meaning may be, give them a name expressing any qualification of godhead, such as a sustainer, creator, etc.
The appeal is to the inner self of man. Is anything hidden from God? Is He not Aware of the inmost feelings of man? Must there be a partner with God, who should tell Him of what He knows not? Are your outward sayings not known to Him, so that there must be a partner to inform Him of what you say? He knows both the inner feelings of man and his outward sayings, and He does not stand in need of a mediator.
It is the devil who makes the evil deeds fair-seeming to men. And elsewhere it is made clear: “And the devil made their deeds fair-seeming to them, so he kept them back from the path”.
By the Book is meant the Qur’ån, as the context clearly shows. Some, however, take the Book to signify the previous revelation given to the Israelite prophets, and understand Jewish or Christian converts to Islåm to be meant here.
God was now going to efface falsehood and to establish the Truth.
A∆råf signifies sides, as indicating the high and the low or exalted men. The reference may be either to some of the exalted men having come over to Islåm and the opposition being thus weakened, or to the diminution of the number of disbelievers, both high and low, by men daily leaving their ranks and joining the ranks of Islåm.
The meaning is that the plans of the enemy need not be feared, for all their planning is controlled by Allåh, or that the requital of their plans is in the hands of Allåh.
The Book here stands for previous revelation from Allåh, and attention is called to the fact that all those who have any knowledge of previous revelation will testify to the truth of the revelation of the Qur’ån, because it fulfils all previous prophecies and satisfies the criteria of a true revelation.
So that will finish chapter 13 titled "Thunder".
I love thunder storms. I sit and listen for thunder.... and then watch for the lightening.... counting off the seconds in between the two... and then I divide by two.... and that's how far the storm is from me. If the thunder and lightening are together.... well I'm in the house by then... that's one sure fire way of knowing.
These verses say that God's Scriptures are like the thunder..... It always come before the lightening. Thunder is just noise to warn us.... that's what I taught my children so they wouldn't be afraid of the thunder. Thunder means lightening is around somewhere.... and lightening, unlike thunder, is harmful. We need to avoid lightening... that's what I taught my children so they wouldn't be standing in a puddle shaking their fist at that thunder and get struck by the lightening. I've heard thunder when the skies were clear blue and only a little dark cloud was hovering. I've heard thunder when it just didn't make sense.... but the storm eventually hit.... somewhere close. I taught my children.... when you hear thunder.... watch out!
Yesterday there was a shooting at a grocery store. People were murdered gathering supplies. Mothers were slaughtered. Fathers were slaughtered. Babies were put in harms way.... and then the weasel who did all the shooting.... shot himself... coward!!!! I've only been in a grocery store less than a handful of times since the whole COVID crap started. I've been dealing with my eye... and surgeries.... so I've had to be in quarantine and hubby has been doing all the shopping. So when we heard about the shooting in the grocery store.... we started talking about tactics. Hubby said... grab something that you can throw.... and that might distract a shooter so we can get loose..... but first there has to be a shot.... before I grab something heavy to lob at a shooter.... someone has already been shot.... because unlike thunder... a gun shot doesn't warn... it's just like lightning.... without the benefit of thunder.
God has warned us. God's retaliation will happen as sure as lightning follows thunder.
Now.... aren't we glad our God gives us a warning?
