seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Quran 42:30. Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned; and yet He pardons much.
31. You are not the ones to interfere on earth; and besides God, you have no ally, and no helper.
32. And of His signs are the ships sailing the sea like flags.
33. If He willed, He could have stilled the winds, leaving them motionless on its surface. Surely in that are signs for every disciplined, grateful person.
34. Or He could wreck them, because of what they have earned. And yet He pardons much.
35. Those who dispute Our signs know that there is no asylum for them.
36. Whatever thing you are given is only the provision of this life. But what God possesses is better and more lasting for those who believe and rely on their Lord.
37. And those who avoid major sins and indecencies; and if they become angry, they forgive.
38. And those who respond to their Lord, and pray regularly, and conduct their affairs by mutual consultation, and give of what We have provided them.
39. And those who, when wronged, defend themselves.
40. The repayment of a bad action is one equivalent to it. But whoever pardons and makes reconciliation, his reward lies with God. He does not love the unjust.
41. As for those who retaliate after being wronged, there is no blame on them.
42. Blame lies on those who wrong people, and commit aggression in the land without right. These will have a painful punishment.
43. But whoever endures patiently and forgives—that is a sign of real resolve.
Here's today's commentary.The ship in these two verses is the ship of the affairs of the disbelievers, which was ultimately to be wrecked, yet Allåh dealt with them mercifully by pardoning most of the wicked things they did. The next verse makes the significance clear by drawing attention to the fact that the statement is a warning to those who dispute about the messages of Allåh, that they will find no refuge when their ship is wrecked.
The occurrence in an early Makkan revelation of the words whose affairs are decided by counsel among themselves is very significant. The Muslims are here enjoined as usual to observe prayer and to spend out of what Allåh has given them. Yet between these two injunctions, which always go together in the Holy Qur’ån, is placed a third: whose affairs are decided by counsel among themselves. It is clear that at this early period the Muslims had no important matters to decide for which they might have stood in need of counsel, yet between two injunctions which are the basis of a true Islamic life, a third is inserted enjoining that, as a rule, counsel should be taken. The injunction is clearly meant to prepare them for transacting the momentous affairs of State and all matters connected with national weal or woe. In fact, the word amr, which I have translated as affairs, means command; and amr Allåh, or Allåh’s command, often signifies the establishment of the kingdom of God, which stands for an Islamic kingdom. The use of the word amr, therefore, here refers to the Islamic kingdom, the affairs of which must be transacted by counsel. In this Islåm has laid the basis of Government by parliaments, and the idea found a clear practical expression in the early days of the Caliphate, when the Khalßfah had to refer every important affair to counsel. It is strange indeed that Government by parliament is now looked upon by Europeans as an institution which is quite foreign to Islåm and unsuited for the Muslim people.
Inta©ara alone signifies he defended himself against his injurer; followed by min, it signifies the taking of revenge. The first meaning is applicable here, as it is not followed by min.
A golden rule relating to forgiveness of evil is given here. The rule laid down is that evil must be requited by punishment proportionate thereto. Note that punishment which is meted out for an evil is called a sayyi‘ah or an evil, because the Arabs speak of the requital of an evil in terms of that evil. Also note that the punishment must be proportionate to the evil. A very just and necessary restriction. And this beautiful maxim is given by a man whose people were in the habit of slaughtering whole tribes for the most trifling fault of one member. Again, forgiveness is not neglected, nor preached in such a manner as to make it impracticable. There is in Islåm neither the one extreme of tooth for tooth or the opposite one of turning the left cheek when the right is smitten or giving away the cloak to one who has already wrongfully taken the coat of his brother; it is the golden and beautiful mean that forgiveness may be exercised, if forgiveness will mend the matter and do good to the wrongdoer himself. The object to be kept in view is to amend, whether it is attained by giving proportionate punishment or by exercising forgiveness.
This is way to heavy for an old woman this morning. This is turn the other cheek even in war.... heavy.Before pulling off a World War III response on Russia.... the world seems to be taking the "turn the other cheek" approach. We're turning the other cheek because the horror of war is an abhorrent issue and if we start fighting.... we are likely to be judged as having taken a "disproportionate" response.
Verses 39-43 seem to warn us that sometimes picking up a weapon is the right thing to do. Verse 39 says.... if someone has been attacked... they have the right to fight back.
This does not say.... go get your weapons and murder.... it says "defend yourself".
But then it calls for a council or a court. The idea of taking the power to "defend" or the power to dole out "justice" lies with the court.... that's a way to "talk it over" before flying off the handle. It's a way of staying out of World War III until the time is right. That's what is going on now.
When the world steps in..... and in my opinion they will..... it will be a punch in the jaw of Russia.... and she will feel it. It will get her attention... it will be well planned and meant to put an end to this war brought on by Russia.
As soon as the fighting stops though..... we are reminded.... "turn the other cheek" is the law of the land.
