The structure of Surah 11 (Hud) is refreshingly clear. It is a lot like Surah 7:59-179; the major difference being that the story of Moses in Surah 7 is much more extensive, and the story about Abraham in Surah 11 is more extensive, and the story about the Jewish fishermen who broke the Sabbath-commandment and were therefore turned into apes (which seems to be a favorite anecdote is absent from Surah 11 (but is present in Surah 7:163-166). Here is a general outline with some side-by-side comparisons to Surah 7:
Verses 1-24 are a sermonette about the genuineness of Muhammads revelations, the eternal advantages of believing them, and the eternal disadvantages of rejecting them.
Verses 25-49 are a re-telling of the story of Noah. (Surah 7:59-64)
Verses 50-60 tell the story of Hud, a person who was acknowledged to be a prophet. (Surah 7:65-72)
Verses 61-68 tell the story of Salih, another person who was acknowledged to be a prophet. (Surah 7:79)
Verses 69-83 tell some anecdotes about Abraham and Lot. (Only Lot is the focus in Surah 7:80-84)
Verses 84-95 are about Shuaib (Jethro), Moses father-in-law. (Surah 7:85-93)
Verses 96-99 briefly recollect the outcome of the contest between Moses and Pharaoh. (Surah 7:103-136)
Verses 100-123 return to the theme of the first section.
It is because of surahs like this that some of the Meccans accused Muhammad of merely adapting tales of the ancients in attempts to augment his own plausibility as a prophet. This accusation was made more than once (6:25 is just one example). Muhammad offers some responses to that charge in the course of this surah -- some of which resemble the brilliant refutation in 6:39 (that those who say that Muhammad was gleaning from ancient tales are deaf and dumb).
Because so much of the material in this surah repeats material already commented upon in Surah 7, I will focus on special features and on some interesting parallels between Muhammads words and the words which he presents here as the statements of ancient prophets.
After verses 1 (which features the Alif-Lam-Ra prefix, about which see the comments on 10:1) commends the text and Muhammad, verses 2-4 sum up Muhammads basic call to the Meccans. On the surface of it, theres nothing here that is unBiblical. Those who worshiped idols were told to worship only the one true Lord, to ask for His forgiveness, to repent of their sins, and to hope that He would bestow His grace upon them. If they reject this invitation from their omnipotent Creator, then they will be liable to be tormented on Judgment Day.
Many Christian missionaries have made similar appeals to polytheistic people. And some were rejected. Muhammad describes how the Meccans rejected his message in v. 5 by saying that they folded up their breasts. Idiomatically, this means that they closed their hearts to the idea that Muhammad was really a prophet. (I picture people folding their arms across their chests while listening to Muhammad speak, to signify their skepticism.)
Thats about all there is to Muhammads invitation, though. After all, whats the point of building a beautiful house as long as people refuse to step into the doorway? Muhammad realized that until the Meccans believed that he was a genuine prophet, they would remain polytheists. So the establishment of his own authenticity was a major theme of Meccan surahs like this one.
Verse 6 echoes Psalm 139:1-4 and 139:16.
Verse 7 begins with familiar material (congruent to 10:3), but then seems to add a new reason why Allah made the heavens and the earth: to test people and see which of them had the best deeds. Rather than expound on that statement, though, the text re-gravitates to the subject of the Meccans unbelief.
Verses 8-11 repeat some of the sentiments also found in Surah 10: the Meccans who ask when Judgment Day will arrive will panic when it arrives. And, the Meccans, like many other people, complain when times are hard and forget to give thanks when times are good. (This may indicate when this surah was delivered -- shortly after the end of a severe drought in Mecca, a year-and-a-half or less before Muhammad left the city.)
Verses 12-24 engage, or address, or simply dismiss, the responses which some unbelieving Meccans gave to Muhammads claim of prophethood. Some wondered why Muhammads source didnt tell him how to become rich. Some wondered why Muhammads angel seemed so shy. Some claimed that Muhammads revelations were forgeries. In v. 13, his response to the charge of forgery is a challenge to Bring you then ten forged Surahs like it, and call whomsoever you can, other than Allah, if you speak the truth. The Meccans, as far as I can tell, never took up this challenge (which, as I explained in comments on surah 10, was later effectively withdrawn). Possibly they figured that, at the time, it was inadvisable to participate in such a contest because they already held a position of strength. (Some Islamic commentators point out that this was Muhammads first challenge, and that /later/ he challenged them to produce a single surah like his revelations.) Or perhaps they anticipated that even if they responded, Muhammad would simply say that their material was inferior because it was not produced in Allahs name.
Muhammad perceived that some Meccans were sympathetic to his advocacy of monotheism but were unwilling to sacrifice their social status for the sake of Allah. These individuals were the probable focus of v. 15 , along with some who regarded the Torah as a respectable source of revelation from the Creator. Verse 15 is particularly notable because it describes the Book of Moses (the Pentateuch) as a guidance and a mercy" -- not /mostly/ a guidance.
Verse 15 is exceptionally disjointed in the Hilali-Khan translation; heres the text minus the parenthetical embellishments. Can they who rely on a clear proof from their Lord, and whom a witness from Him recites it; and before it, came the Book of Musa, a guidance and a mercy, they believe therein, but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting-place. So be not in doubt about it. Verily, it is the truth from your Lord, but most of the mankind believe it not. Still nonsensical, right? Try this paraphrase: Can those who rely on the revelations spoken by Muhammad, which he received from Gabriel, be equal with those who do not openly embrace it? Before Muhammads revelations, there was the Book of Moses -- a guidance and a mercy. Those who believe the Book of Moses believe Muhammads message, too. But those groups who reject it will be assembled in hell. So have no doubts about it; it is truth from your Lord, though most people do not believe it. (Muhammad is presented as the person who should have no doubts about it.)
The first part of v. 18 echoes 10:17. The rest of v. 18, along with verses 19-24, amount to a protest-by-prophecy against the charge that Muhammad was a fake prophet, assuring those who reject him that they will burn, burn, burn, because they are "blind and deaf" losers, cursed by Allah, whereas those who agree with him see and hear, and will enter Paradise.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
Verses 1-24 are a sermonette about the genuineness of Muhammads revelations, the eternal advantages of believing them, and the eternal disadvantages of rejecting them.
Verses 25-49 are a re-telling of the story of Noah. (Surah 7:59-64)
Verses 50-60 tell the story of Hud, a person who was acknowledged to be a prophet. (Surah 7:65-72)
Verses 61-68 tell the story of Salih, another person who was acknowledged to be a prophet. (Surah 7:79)
Verses 69-83 tell some anecdotes about Abraham and Lot. (Only Lot is the focus in Surah 7:80-84)
Verses 84-95 are about Shuaib (Jethro), Moses father-in-law. (Surah 7:85-93)
Verses 96-99 briefly recollect the outcome of the contest between Moses and Pharaoh. (Surah 7:103-136)
Verses 100-123 return to the theme of the first section.
It is because of surahs like this that some of the Meccans accused Muhammad of merely adapting tales of the ancients in attempts to augment his own plausibility as a prophet. This accusation was made more than once (6:25 is just one example). Muhammad offers some responses to that charge in the course of this surah -- some of which resemble the brilliant refutation in 6:39 (that those who say that Muhammad was gleaning from ancient tales are deaf and dumb).
Because so much of the material in this surah repeats material already commented upon in Surah 7, I will focus on special features and on some interesting parallels between Muhammads words and the words which he presents here as the statements of ancient prophets.
After verses 1 (which features the Alif-Lam-Ra prefix, about which see the comments on 10:1) commends the text and Muhammad, verses 2-4 sum up Muhammads basic call to the Meccans. On the surface of it, theres nothing here that is unBiblical. Those who worshiped idols were told to worship only the one true Lord, to ask for His forgiveness, to repent of their sins, and to hope that He would bestow His grace upon them. If they reject this invitation from their omnipotent Creator, then they will be liable to be tormented on Judgment Day.
Many Christian missionaries have made similar appeals to polytheistic people. And some were rejected. Muhammad describes how the Meccans rejected his message in v. 5 by saying that they folded up their breasts. Idiomatically, this means that they closed their hearts to the idea that Muhammad was really a prophet. (I picture people folding their arms across their chests while listening to Muhammad speak, to signify their skepticism.)
Thats about all there is to Muhammads invitation, though. After all, whats the point of building a beautiful house as long as people refuse to step into the doorway? Muhammad realized that until the Meccans believed that he was a genuine prophet, they would remain polytheists. So the establishment of his own authenticity was a major theme of Meccan surahs like this one.
Verse 6 echoes Psalm 139:1-4 and 139:16.
Verse 7 begins with familiar material (congruent to 10:3), but then seems to add a new reason why Allah made the heavens and the earth: to test people and see which of them had the best deeds. Rather than expound on that statement, though, the text re-gravitates to the subject of the Meccans unbelief.
Verses 8-11 repeat some of the sentiments also found in Surah 10: the Meccans who ask when Judgment Day will arrive will panic when it arrives. And, the Meccans, like many other people, complain when times are hard and forget to give thanks when times are good. (This may indicate when this surah was delivered -- shortly after the end of a severe drought in Mecca, a year-and-a-half or less before Muhammad left the city.)
Verses 12-24 engage, or address, or simply dismiss, the responses which some unbelieving Meccans gave to Muhammads claim of prophethood. Some wondered why Muhammads source didnt tell him how to become rich. Some wondered why Muhammads angel seemed so shy. Some claimed that Muhammads revelations were forgeries. In v. 13, his response to the charge of forgery is a challenge to Bring you then ten forged Surahs like it, and call whomsoever you can, other than Allah, if you speak the truth. The Meccans, as far as I can tell, never took up this challenge (which, as I explained in comments on surah 10, was later effectively withdrawn). Possibly they figured that, at the time, it was inadvisable to participate in such a contest because they already held a position of strength. (Some Islamic commentators point out that this was Muhammads first challenge, and that /later/ he challenged them to produce a single surah like his revelations.) Or perhaps they anticipated that even if they responded, Muhammad would simply say that their material was inferior because it was not produced in Allahs name.
Muhammad perceived that some Meccans were sympathetic to his advocacy of monotheism but were unwilling to sacrifice their social status for the sake of Allah. These individuals were the probable focus of v. 15 , along with some who regarded the Torah as a respectable source of revelation from the Creator. Verse 15 is particularly notable because it describes the Book of Moses (the Pentateuch) as a guidance and a mercy" -- not /mostly/ a guidance.
Verse 15 is exceptionally disjointed in the Hilali-Khan translation; heres the text minus the parenthetical embellishments. Can they who rely on a clear proof from their Lord, and whom a witness from Him recites it; and before it, came the Book of Musa, a guidance and a mercy, they believe therein, but those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting-place. So be not in doubt about it. Verily, it is the truth from your Lord, but most of the mankind believe it not. Still nonsensical, right? Try this paraphrase: Can those who rely on the revelations spoken by Muhammad, which he received from Gabriel, be equal with those who do not openly embrace it? Before Muhammads revelations, there was the Book of Moses -- a guidance and a mercy. Those who believe the Book of Moses believe Muhammads message, too. But those groups who reject it will be assembled in hell. So have no doubts about it; it is truth from your Lord, though most people do not believe it. (Muhammad is presented as the person who should have no doubts about it.)
The first part of v. 18 echoes 10:17. The rest of v. 18, along with verses 19-24, amount to a protest-by-prophecy against the charge that Muhammad was a fake prophet, assuring those who reject him that they will burn, burn, burn, because they are "blind and deaf" losers, cursed by Allah, whereas those who agree with him see and hear, and will enter Paradise.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
