Sura Abasa: A fresh Ahlal Sunna Commentary.

Society Religion & Philosophy
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Prophet Muhammad
The Infinite Light - I
M. Fethullah Gulen
TRUE STAR (London) Ltd. 1996
Chapter: 5 Section: Infallibility, p. 219-223

Prophethood is not an ordinary job which everyone desirious of it can do, and people are not identical to one another. Man has two aspects, one heavenly, the other earthly. He was shaped from ‘dust’, created from a comtemptible drop of ‘water’, but distuingished with the ‘breadth of God’. So, human beings range from ‘the lowest of the low’ to ‘the highest of the high’. All the Prophets were of the rank of the highest of the high. God chose them, created them pure, and endowed them with all laudable virtues, and intellectual and spiritual faculties of the highest degree. In order to catch a glimpse, only a glimpse, of the greatness of God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, we should consider how, by God’s Will and Power, he made, in so short a time as twenty-three years, out of coal-like people - savage, ignorant, pitiless, dishonest and obstinate - diamond-like founders of the most magnificent civilization in human history.

In addition, according to the rule, ‘One who causes something is like its doer’, the reward of each deed any believer does, from the time of the Prophet to the Last Day, is added to the rewards of the Prophet, causing him to grow in spirit incessantly. Despite this fact, some classical books - some Qur’anic commentaries and the like - unfortunately contain some assertions based on borrowings or unreliable anecdotes incompatible with the truth of Prophethood. What is more tragic and heart-rending than this is that in the Muslim world itself, some so-called researchers, under the influence of either orientalists or worldly temptations, have been quite tactless, even insolent, in dealing with Prophethood in general, and God’s Messenger in particular, and his Sunnah. Deceived into mistaking ‘the reflection of the sun for the sun itself’, they regard themselves as free to criticize the Prophet and his Sunnah. One of the pretexts they use for their misconduct is the initial verses of surah al-'Abasa:

[quote]
He frowned and turned away because there came to him the blind man. But how can you know: perhaps he might purify himself? Or be forewarned, and warning might profit him? As to him who regards himself as self-sufficient, to him you eagerly attend, though it is not your concern if he does not purify himself. But as for him who eagerly hastens to you, and is in fear [of God], you are heedless of him. (al-'Abasa, 80.1-10) [/qoute]

According to what some interpreters of the Qur’an have written, God’s Messenger was once deeply and earnestly engaged in conveying the Message to pagan Quraysh leaders, when he was interrupted by a poor blind man, 'Abd Allah ibn Umm Maktum, one who was also poor, so that no one took any notice of him. He desired to profit from the teaching of God’s Messenger. The holy Prophet disliked the interruption and showed impatience. Because of this, these verses were revealed to reproach the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings. This story is, however, highly questionable due to the following:

1 The narration of the event and the figures who took part in it are not the same in all of the reliable books of Tradition as in some commentaries on the Qur’an. In some versions of the narration, besides Ibn Umm Maktum, seven other people are mentioned.

2 There are several verses in the Qur’an which explain how the previous Prophets behaved towards poor people, so it is in conceivable for a Prophet who always advised his followers to be in the company of the poor, that he could frown at, and turn away from, a poor, blind man, especially when he came to listen to him.

3 God’s Messenger always rejected the calls of the leaders of Quraysh to drive away the poor Muslims from him if he desires them to believe in him.

4 The Qur’an attaches great importance to the way a believer behaves in the presence of God’s Messenger. For example, it orders them ‘not to depart without asking for his leave when they are with him on a matter’; prohibits them from entering the Prophet’s house without permission; warns Muslims that their deeds and labour would come to nothing if they raise their voices above the voice of the Prophet and threatens those who ill-treat him with eternal punishment in Hell. That being the truth, it should have been Ibn Umm Maktum, not God’s Messenger, who was reprimanded for interrupting God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings.

5 Ibn Umm Maktum, may God be pleased with him, was the son of Khadijah’s uncle, and one of those who accepted Islam in its early days. He had a remarkable position in Islam God’s Messenger deputed to him the government of Madina twice while he was on military campaign. So, he cannot have been, despite his blindness, so reckless as to interrupt God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, while inviting the leaders of the Quraysh to the truth. He was blind, but he was not deaf.

6 The reprimand contained in the relevant verses is too severe to be for the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings. The verbs ‘to frown’ and ‘to turn away from’, are never used in the Qur’an for a Prophet; in fact, they are not even used for ordinary believers. They are used in the verse in question in third singular form and in the absence of the Prophet, which means disrespect and debasement. Also, the expressions following are of the type used for the leaders of unbelievers. Therefore, it is inconceivable that the target of this reprimand was the Prophet.

7 The books of Qur’anic interpretation which mention this incident add to it that whenever God’s Messenger saw Ibn Umm Maktum after that event would say to him: ‘Greetings to you, O one because of whom my Lord admonished me!’ This addition is also not to be found in any of the reliable books of Tradition.

8 God’s Messenger was very kind-hearted and tried his hardest for the guidance of the people. And, in the words of the Qur’an, grieves him that the believers should perish, and he is ardently anxious over them, and most kind and merciful to them Tawbah, 9.128). After all these explanations, we choose to refer the truth of the matter to God, who is the All-Knowing.

[This message has been edited by AliAbbas (edited May 25, 1999).]

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Dear Ali Abbas,

This is in reference to your comment on Chapter-80 Al-Abasa.
Please allow me to unveil the treasure hidden in these beautiful words. I hope that this may give you and the readers a different way of see the insight.

CHAPTER 80 - SURA 'ABASA (Revealed before Hijra)

::::::: Date of Revelation and Context
. This Sura, like the two preceding it, with whose subject-matter it has a close association, is among those Suras which were revealed at Mecca in the early years of the Call. Noldeke and Muir, besides Muslim scholars, subscribe to this view. The Sura takes its title from the opening verse and deals with an incident in the Holy Prophet's life, which though of not much historical importance, contains a lesson of abiding moral significance.
. Towards the end of the preceding Chapter, the Holy Prophet was told that his duty was confined to conveying the Divine Message to his people. In the present Sura he is enjoined to be more careful of and pay greater attention to the poor, God-fearing believers who were likely to profit from his preaching more than the conceited and arrogant dis-believers.

::::::: Subject-Matter
. The Sura begins to deal with the incident of 'Abdullah bin Umm Maktum, a poor blind man, and proceeds to teach the lesson viz., that it is not worldly riches and social status which determine the real worth of a person but the goodness of heart and willingness on his part to listen to Truth and accept it. The Sura also constitutes an eloquent commentary on the Holy Prophet's regard for the susceptibilities of the poor and oppressed people, and proceeds to say that the Qur'an will raise them to great eminence. It further says that being the last Divine Message for mankind it will be respected and read all over the world and will continue to be protected and preserved. The dis-believers are then warned that they are rejecting this great and glorious Divine Message -the Qur'an- to their own spiritual detriment, and are so foolish as not to understand that God who created man from an insignificant fluid and then endowed him with great natural powers and faculties and made excellent provision for his physical sustenance, could not have ignored to make similar provision for his moral and spiritual development. He has made this provision by the revelation of His Word for their guidance. The Sura ends on a note of warning to disbelievers that if they rejected the Quranic Message and persisted in opposition to the Prophet they will have to face a day of reckoning when misery, shame and ignominy will be their lot. The righteous believers, however, will reside in "Gardens of Bliss," their faces beaming with Divine joy and happiness.

::::::: English Translation with Commentary of the first 11 verses

1. In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful,
2. He frowned and turned aside,
3. Because there came to him the blind man,
4. And what makes thee know that he might be seeking to purify himself,

. The verse refers to a well-known historical incident. As the Holy Prophet was engaged one day in a talk with some of the Quraish Chiefs about some matters of belief, there came up 'Abdullah ibn Umm Makturn and, thinking that the Holy Prophet's precious time and energy were being wasted on the confirmed leaders of disbelief, he sought to divert his attention and asked to be enlightened on some religious questions. The Holy Prophet disliked the intrusion, and showed his displeasure by turning aside from 'Abdullah (Tabri and Bayan).

. The incident, while it showed the Holy Prophet's solicitude for the spiritual well-being of the Quraish leaders, in that he continued his discourse with them and paid no heed to Abdullah's interruption was evidence of his great regard for the tender susceptibilities of the poor blind man, inasmuch as the Prophet merely turned his face from 'Abdullah, an act which the latter could not see, not saying even a word of reproach or disapprobation to him for his inopportune and rash interruption. The verse thus throws a flood of light on the moral stature of the Holy Prophet; and instead of implying a reproach or rebuke, (as some Commentators seem to think), enjoins him and, through him, his followers, to have due regard for the tender susceptibilities of the poor, the humble, and the down-trodden.

. 2> The words "he frowned and turned aside," according to most Commentators of the Qur'an refer to the Holy Prophet, but more correctly they seem to refer to the arrogant attitude of the conceited Quraish leader with whom the Holy Prophet was engaged in conversation and who turned away his face disdainfully, thinking how a humble and lowly person could dare interfere in the talk he was having with the Prophet.

. 4> The pronoun "thee" has been taken as applying to the Holy Prophet and the pronoun "he" to the Quraish leader with whom the Holy Prophet was holding conversation. But "thee" may more appropriately be applied to those carping critics who, being hyper-sensitive, would not relish the attitude of the Holy Prophet on that occasion which was the only right and correct attitude for him to adopt.

5. Or he may take heed and the reminder may benefit him?
6. As for him who is disdainfully indifferent.
7. Unto him thou dost pay attention '4514
8. Though thou art not responsible if he does not become purified.
9. But he who comes to thee hastening,
10. And he fears God,
11. Him dost thou neglect.

. The verse-8 seems to constitute an effective justification of the Holy Prophet's attitude towards 'Abdullah bin Umm Maktam. It purports to say that it would have brought no good to the Holy Prophet if 'Abdullah or, for that matter, the Quraish leader did or did not benefit by his talk. Thus the attitude of fancied indifference towards 'Abdullah or of deference towards the Quraish leader shown by the Holy Prophet proceeded from no consideration of any personal - interest. The Holy Prophet's reaction was solely due to compliance with the commandments of the Shari'at about behaving kindly and courteously towards one's guests and visitors.

. If vv. 6-11 are taken to apply to the Holy Prophet, then the particle "amma" in the 6th verse would signify "how could it be that" i.e., it cannot be; and these verses would be interpreted as: "How could it be possible that thou shouldst pay attention to him who is disdainfully indifferent and should neglect him who fears God and comes to thee hastening." These verses again constitute an eloquent commentary on the Holy Prophet's regard for the humble and the suppressed. But the verse under comment may be applied more fittingly to those critics who would find fault with the Holy Prophet's attitude towards 'Abdullah bin Umm Maktum on that particular occasion but who themselves, in their conceit and pride, would behave arrogantly towards the poor and the lowly.

Thus these verses have been used ironically, they bring home to the critics their own state of mind; and do not refer to any weakness of the Holy Prophet. It is indeed a very fallacious reproach towards that “spotless” Personality.

REFERENCE: The Holy Quran with English Translation and Commentary ISBN 1-85372-045-3 Islam International Publications (Volume-5, Pages 2763-2766)

wa'salam

xalim :::: [email protected]