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Contents of "GENERAL KNOWLEDGE FROM THE QUR'AN"

METAPHORS IN THE QUR'AN

There are some metaphors in some verses of the Qur'an. These metaphors, that the All-Wise Allah makes, are very effective and advance the understanding of those who read them. Every one of these metaphors and descriptions illustrates the subject in the most effective and the clearest way.

As for those who deny Our Signs and are arrogant regarding them, the Gates of Heaven will not be opened for them, and they will not enter the Garden until a camel goes through a needle's eye. That is how We repay the evildoers (Surat al-A'raf, 40)

We will advance on the actions they have done and make them scattered specks of dust. (Surat al-Furqan, 23)

The metaphor of those who reject their Lord is that their actions are like ashes scattered by strong winds on a stormy day. They have no power at all over anything they have earned. That is extreme misguidance. (Surah Ibrahim, 18)

The parable of those who reject Faith is as if one were to shout like a goat-herd, to things that listen to nothing but calls and cries: Deaf, dumb, and blind, they are void of wisdom. (Surat al-Baqara, 171)

The metaphor of those who take protectors besides Allah is that of a spider which builds itself a house; but no house is flimsier than a spider's house, if they only knew. (Surat al-Ankabut, 41)

You who believe! Do not nullify your charity by demands for gratitude or insulting words, like him who spends his wealth, showing off to people and not believing in Allah and the Last Day. His likeness is that of a smooth rock coated with soil, which, when heavy rain falls on it, is left stripped bare. They have no power over anything they have earned. Allah does not guide disbelieving people. (Surat al-Baqara, 264)

The metaphor of what they spend in their life in this world is that of a wind with an icy bite to it which strikes the crops of a people who have wronged themselves and destroys them. Allah did not wrong them; rather it was themselves they were wronging. (Surah Al 'Imran, 117)

The call of truth is made to Him alone. Those they call upon apart from Him do not respond to them at all. It is like someone stretching out his cupped hands towards water to convey it to his mouth: it will never get there. The call of the disbelievers only goes astray. (Surat ar-Ra'd, 14)

The metaphor of those who spend their wealth, desiring the pleasure of Allah and firmness for themselves, is that of a garden on a hillside. When heavy rain falls on it, it doubles its produce; and if heavy rain does not fall, there is dew. Allah sees what you do. (Surat al-Baqara, 265)

Be people of pure natural belief in Allah, not associating anything else with Him. As for anyone who associates others with Allah, it is as though he had fallen from the sky and the birds had seized him and carried him away or the wind had dropped him in a distant place. (Surat al-Hajj, 31)

If We had wanted to, We would have raised him up by them. But he gravitated towards the earth and pursued his whims and base desires. His metaphor is that of a dog: if you chase it away, it lolls out its tongue and pants, and if you leave it alone, it lolls out its tongue and pants. That is the metaphor of those who deny Our Signs. So tell the story so that hopefully they will reflect. (Surat al-A'raf, 176)

Hold fast to the rope of Allah all together, and do not separate. Remember Allah's blessing to you when you were enemies and He joined your hearts together so that you became brothers by His blessing. You were on the very brink of a pit of the Fire and He rescued you from it. In this way Allah makes His Signs clear to you, so that hopefully you will be guided. (Surah Al 'Imran, 103)

Who is better: someone who founds his building on fear of Allah and His good pleasure, or someone who founds his building on the brink of a crumbling precipice so that it collapses with him into the Fire of Hell? Allah does not love wrongdoers. (Surat at-Tawba, 109)

Those who believe say, 'If only a sura could be sent down.'But when a straightforward sura is sent down and fighting is mentioned in it, you see those with sickness in their hearts looking at you with the look of someone about to faint from fear of death. More fitting for them would be obedience and honourable words. Once the matter is resolved upon, being true to Allah would be better for them. (Surah Muhammad, 20-21)

When they came at you from above you and below you, when your eyes rolled and your hearts rose to your throats, and you thought unworthy thoughts about Allah, at that point the believers were tested and severely shaken. (Surat al-Ahzab, 10-11)

Do not consider Allah to be unaware of what the wrongdoers perpetrate. He is merely deferring them to a Day on which their sight will be transfixed, rushing headlong – heads back, eyes vacant, hearts hollow. (Surah Ibrahim, 42-43)

The Trumpet will be blown and at once they will be sliding from their graves towards their Lord. (Surah Ya Sin, 51)

He Who created the seven heavens in layers. You will not find any flaw in the creation of the All-Merciful. Look again – do you see any gaps? Then look again and again. Your sight will return to you dazzled and exhausted! (Surat al-Mulk, 3-4)


OATHS IN THE QUR'AN
FOR WHICH OATHS WILL PEOPLE
BE TAKEN TO TASK?

Allah will not take you to task for inadvertent statements in your oaths, but He will take you to task for the intention your hearts have made. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, All-Forbearing. (Surat al-Baqara, 225)



INADVERTENT OATHS

Allah does not take you to task for your inadvertent oaths, but He will take you to task for oaths you make intentionally. The expiation in that case is to feed ten poor people with the average amount you feed your family, or clothe them, or free a slave. Anyone without the means to do so should fast three days. That is the expiation for breaking oaths when you have sworn them. Keep your oaths. In this way Allah makes His Signs clear to you, so that hopefully you will be thankful. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 89)


OATH WHILE TESTIFYING AND MAKING ONE'S WILL

And to every one We have appointed heirs of what parents and near relatives leave; and as to those with whom your rights hands have ratified agreements, give them their portion; surely Allah is a witness over all things. (Surat an-Nisa', 33)

You who believe! When one of you is near to death and makes a will, two just men from among you should act as witnesses; or, if you are travelling when the misfortune of death occurs, two men who are strangers to you. You should detain them after prayer and, if you are doubtful, they should swear by Allah: 'We will not sell it for any price, even to a near relative, and we will not conceal the testimony of Allah. If we did we would indeed be wrongdoers.' If it then comes to light that the two of them have merited the allegation of wrongdoing, two others who have the most right to do so should take their place and swear by Allah: 'Our testimony is truer than their testimony. We have not committed perjury. If we had we would indeed be wrongdoers.' That makes it more likely that they will give their evidence properly or be afraid that their oaths will be refuted by subsequent oaths. Have fear of Allah and listen carefully. Allah does not guide deviant people. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 106-108)

Those who make an accusation against their wives and have no witnesses except themselves, such people should testify four times by Allah that they are telling the truth. (Surat an-Nur, 6)


THOSE WHO MAKE THEIR OATHS
AN EXCUSE FOR NOT DOING GOOD

Do not, by your oaths, make Allah a pretext to avoid good action and guarding against and putting things right between people. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Surat al-Baqara, 224)



THOSE WHO MAKE THEIR OATHS
A MEANS OF DECEIT

Do not be like a woman who spoils the thread she has spun by unravelling it after it is strong, by making your oaths a means of deceiving one another, merely because one community is bigger than another. Allah is only testing you by this. He will make clear to you on the Day of Rising the things about which you differed. (Surat an-Nahl, 92)

Do not make your oaths a means of deceiving one another or your foot will slip after it was firmly placed and you will taste evil for barring access to the Way of Allah and you will have a terrible punishment. (Surat an-Nahl, 94)


THOSE WHO MAKE THEIR OATHS INTO A CLOAK

They made their oaths into a cloak and barred the Way of Allah, so they will have a humiliating punishment. (Surat al-Mujadala, 16)

They have made their oaths into a cloak and barred the Way of Allah. What they have done is truly evil. (Surat al-Munafiqun, 2)


THOSE WHO SELL THEIR OATHS FOR A SMALL PRICE

Those who sell Allah's contract and their own oaths for a paltry price, such people will have no portion in the hereafter and on the Day of Rising Allah will not speak to them or look at them or purify them. They will have a painful punishment. (Surah Al 'Imran, 77)


THOSE WHO BREAK THEIR OATHS

If they break their oaths after making their treaty and defame your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief – they have no binding oaths – so that hopefully they will stop. Will you not fight a people who have broken their oaths and resolved to expel the Messenger, and who initiated hostilities against you in the first place? Is it them you fear? Allah has more right to your fear if you are believers. (Surat at-Tawba, 12-13)

Be true to Allah's contract when you have agreed to it, and do not break your oaths once they are confirmed and you have made Allah your guarantee. Allah knows what you do. Do not be like a woman who spoils the thread she has spun by unravelling it after it is strong, by making your oaths a means of deceiving one another, merely because one community is bigger than another. Allah is only testing you by this. He will make clear to you on the Day of Rising the things about which you differed. (Surat an-Nahl, 91-92)


THOSE WHO SWEAR TO FALSEHOOD

How will it be when a disaster strikes them because of what they have done, and then they come to you swearing by Allah: 'We desired nothing but good and reconciliation'? (Surat an-Nisa', 62)

Those who believe say, 'Are these the people who swore by Allah, with their most earnest oaths, that they were with you?' Their actions have come to nothing and they now are losers. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 53)

He (Satan) swore to them, 'I am one of those who give you good advice.' (Surat al-A'raf, 21)

If it had been a case of easy gains and a short journey, they would have followed you, but the distance was too great for them. They will swear by Allah: 'Had we been able to, we would have gone out with you.' They are destroying their own selves. Allah knows that they are lying. (Surat at-Tawba, 42)

They swear to you by Allah in order to please you, but it would be more fitting for them to please Allah and His Messenger if they are believers. (Surat at-Tawba, 62)

They will swear to you by Allah when you return to them, so that you leave them alone. Leave them alone, then! They are filth. Their shelter will be Hell as repayment for what they did. They will swear to you to make you pleased with them, but even if you are pleased with them, Allah is certainly not pleased with deviant people. (Surat at-Tawba, 95-96)

They said, 'If a wolf does come and eat him up when together we make up a powerful group in that case we would truly be in loss!' (Surah Yusuf, 14)

They have sworn by Allah with their most earnest oaths that if you give them the command, they will go out. Say: 'Do not swear. Honourable obedience is enough. Allah is aware of what you do.' (Surat an-Nur, 53)

They swore by Allah with their most earnest oaths that if a warner came to them they would be better guided than any other community. But then when a warner did come to them, it only increased their aversion. (Surah Fatir, 42)

Do you not see those who have turned to people with whom Allah is angry? They belong neither to you nor to them. And they swear to falsehood and do so knowingly. (Surat al-Mujadala, 14)

On the Day Allah raises up all of them then together they will swear to Him just as they have sworn to you and imagine they have something to stand upon. No indeed! It is they who are the liars. (Surat al-Mujadala, 18)

But do not obey any vile swearer of oaths. (Surat al-Qalam, 10)


THE INVALID OATHS OF DISBELIEVERS

Are these the people you swore that Allah's mercy would never reach?' (To the Companions of the Garden) 'Enter the Garden. You will feel no fear and know no sorrow.' (Surat al-A'raf, 49)

Or do you have oaths which bind Us, extending to the Day of Rising, that you will have whatever you decide? (Surat al-Qalam, 39)

They swear by Allah with their most earnest oaths that Allah will not raise up those who die, when, on the contrary, it is a binding promise on Him; but most people do not know it. (Surat an-Nahl, 38)

We and our forefathers were promised this before. This is nothing but the myths of previous peoples!' (Surat al-Mu'minun, 83)


THE OATH OF SATAN TO MISLEAD PEOPLE

He said, 'My Lord, because You misled me, I will make things on the earth seem good to them and I will mislead them all, every one of them. (Surat al-Hijr, 39)


THEY SWEAR THAT THEY ARE BELIEVERS
EVEN THOUGH THEY DO NOT BELIEVE

Do you not see those who have turned to people with whom Allah is angry? They belong neither to you nor to them. And they swear to falsehood and do so knowingly. (Surat al-Mujadala, 14)

They have sworn by Allah with their most earnest oaths that if a Sign comes to them they will believe in it. Say: 'The Signs are in Allah's control alone.' What will make you realise that even if a Sign did come, they would still not believe? (Surat al-An'am, 109)
They swear by Allah that they are of your number, but they are not of your number. Rather, they are people who are scared. (Surat at-Tawba, 56)

As for those who have set up a mosque, causing harm and out of disbelief, to create division between the believers, and in readiness for those who previously made war on Allah and His Messenger, they will swear, 'We only desired the best.' But Allah bears witness that they are truly liars. (Surat at-Tawba, 107)

They swore by Allah with their most earnest oaths that if a warner came to them they would be better guided than any other community. But then when a warner did come to them, it only increased their aversion. (Surat al-Fatir, 42)


THE DECREE REGARDING ONE'S SWEARING
TO EQUATE HIS WIFE WITH HIS MOTHER (ZIHAR)

Those of you who divorce your wives by equating them with your mothers, they are not your mothers. Your mothers are only those who gave birth to you. What you are saying is wrong and a slanderous lie. But Allah is Ever-Pardoning, Ever-Forgiving. Those who divorce their wives by equating them with their mothers, and then wish to go back on what they said, must set free a slave before the two of them may touch one another. This is what you are enjoined to do. Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat al-Mujadala, 2-3)

Allah has not allotted to any man two hearts within his breast, nor has He made those of your wives you equate with your mothers your actual mothers, nor has He made your adopted sons your actual sons. These are just words coming out of your mouths. But Allah speaks the truth and He guides to the Way. (Surat al-Ahzab, 4)


THE DECREE REGARDING THOSE WHO SWEAR
TO ABSTAIN FROM THEIR WIVES

For those who take an oath for abstention from their wives, a waiting for four months is ordained; if then they return, Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat al-Baqara, 226)


THE EXPIATION OF OATHS

Allah has made the expiation of your oaths obligatory for you. Allah is your Master – He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. (Surat at-Tahrim, 2)
Allah does not take you to task for your inadvertent oaths, but He will take you to task for oaths you make intentionally. The expiation in that case is to feed ten poor people with the average amount you feed your family, or clothe them, or free a slave. Anyone without the means to do so should fast three days. That is the expiation for breaking oaths when you have sworn them. Keep your oaths. In this way Allah makes His Signs clear to you, so that hopefully you will be thankful. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 89)


THINGS THAT ALLAH SWEARS BY

By your Lord, We will question them all, every one of them. (Surat al-Hijr, 92)

We know that your breast is constricted by what they say. (Surat al-Hijr, 97)

By the Wise Qur'an. (Surah Ya Sin, 2)

By those drawn up in ranks, and by the warners crying warning, and by the reciters of the Reminder: (Surat as-Saffat, 1-3)

Sâd By the Qur'an holding the Remembrance. (Surah Sâd, 1)

By the Book which makes things clear. (Surat az-Zukhruf, 2)

By the scatterers scattering, and those bearing weighty loads, and those speeding along with ease, and those apportioning the command. (Surat adh-Dhariyat, 1-4)

By Heaven with its oscillating orbits, (Surat adh-Dhariyat, 7)

By the Lord of heaven and earth, it is certainly the truth, just as you have speech. (Surat adh-Dhariyat, 23)

By the Mount and an Inscribed Book on an Unfurled Scroll, by the Visited House, by the Raised Canopy, by the Overflowing Ocean: (Surat at-Tur, 1-6)

By the star when it descends, (Surat an-Najm, 1)

And I swear by the places of the stars – and that is a mighty oath if you only knew – (Surat al-Waq'ia, 75-76)

Nun By the Pen and what they write down! (Surat al-Qalam, 1)

I swear both by what you see and what you do not see, (Surat al-Haqqa, 38-39)

No! I swear by the Lord of the Easts and Wests that We have the power. (Surat al-Ma'arij, 40)

No indeed! By the moon and the night when it withdraws and the dawn when it grows bright, (Surat al-Muddaththir, 32-34)

No! I swear by the Day of Rising! No! I swear by the self-reproaching self. (Surat al-Qiyama, 1-2)

By those sent forth in succession, by the violently gusting blasts, by the scatterers scattering, by the winnowers winnowing, by those hurling a reminder, (Surat al-Mursalat, 1-5)

By those who pluck out harshly, and those who draw out gently, and those who glide serenely, and those who outrun easily, and those who direct affairs. (Surat an-Nazi'at, 1-5)

No! I swear by the planets with their retrograde motion, swiftly moving, self-concealing, and by the night when it draws in, and by the dawn when it exhales, (Surat at-Takwir, 15-18)

No, I swear by the evening glow, and the night and all it shrouds, and the moon when it is full, (Surat al-Inshiqaq, 16-18)

By Heaven with its Houses of the Zodiac, and the Promised Day, and the witness and the witnessed, (Surat al-Buruj, 1-3)

By Heaven and the Night-Comer! And what will convey to you what the Night-Comer is? The Piercing Star! (Surat at-Tariq, 1-3)

By Heaven with its cyclical systems and the earth with its splitting seeds. (Surat at-Tariq, 11-12)

By the dawn and ten nights, and the even and odd, and the night when it travels on, is there not in that an oath for the intelligent? (Surat al-Fajr, 1-5)

I swear by this city – and you are resident in this city – and by a father and what he fathered, (Surat al-Balad, 1-3)

By the sun and its morning brightness, and the moon when it follows it, and the day when it displays it, and the night when it conceals it and the sky and what erected it and the earth and what extended it. and the self and what proportioned it and inspired it with depravity or its sense of duty. (Surat ash-Shams, 1-8)

By the night when it conceals and the day when it reveals and the creation of male and female, there is a vast difference in your striving. (Surat al-Layl, 1-4)

By the morning brightness and the night when it covers with darkness, (Surat ad-Duha, 1-2)

By the fig and the olive and Mount Sinai and this safe land, (Surat at-Tin, 1-3)

By the charging horses panting hard, striking sparks from their flashing hooves, raiding at full gallop in the early dawn, leaving a trailing dust-cloud in their wake, cleaving through the middle of the foe, (Surat al-'Adiyat, 1-5)

Through the ages, (Surat al-'Asr, 1)