Verses 26-34 apply the preceding verses: Satan persuaded Adam and Eve to lose their garments (stripping them of their raiments, in v. 27; presumably this refers figuratively to the raiment of righteousness mentioned in v. 26, but whether one takes it figuratively or literally, it appears that Muhammad re-shaped the story of Adam and Eve just enough to forge it into a weapon against the practice he was condemning); the inhabitants of Mecca are instructed against falling for the same trick. In other words, their custom of circumambulating the Ka'aba stark naked is denounced as a type of Fahishah (sexual sin), despite the Meccans insistence that it was the custom their forefathers received from Allah.
There's an interesting contrast between v. 27 and v. 30: after the first verse teaches that Allah made the devils protectors of the unbelievers, the other verse teaches that the unbelievers deserve to be in error since they took the devils as their protectors instead of Allah. The implication that Allah arranged for the unbelievers to remain in error does not seem to have bothered Muhammad.
Verse 31 refers to the Meccans custom of circling the Ka'aba naked, and while fasting. The text instructs Muslims to Take your adornment and to eat and drink, with moderation. Some Muslims interpret the principle of moderation to apply to ones appearance at prayer-times: one should dress respectably but not ostentatiously.
Verses 32-34 serve as a transition from the prohibitions about circumambulating the Kaaba to general instructions which serve to separate the listeners into groups of the obedient and disobedient. Verses 35-36 concisely describe the distinguishing characteristic of these two groups: the rewarded group is the group which acknowledges Allahs prophets; the punished group ~ sentenced to dwell in hell-fire forever ~ is the group which rejects Allahs prophets. These two verses sum up the theme of this section, and to some extent, the theme of the entire surah.
Verse 37 zooms in on the fate of those who reject Allahs revelation: in terms similar to 6:130, the death-angels will ask them about their idolatry and they will confess their error. As a result, in v. 38, they will be thrown into hell. The picture of hell provided here is not of individuals entering hell, but whole generations of communities, in which the learners curse the teachers who preceded them.
Verse 39 might conceivably be related to Jesus saying in Matthew 19:30, but the similar language (about the first and the last on judgment-day) could be superficial. In the following verse, though, the Quran contains a statement which is manifestly based on a New Testament passage, Matthew 19:24b (It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God).
Although those who reject Allahs revelation are said to be put to bed in hell, those who accept Allahs revelation are promised Paradise: all animosity is undone and they praise Allah for guiding them into Paradise through His messengers. The end of v. 43 adds that someone will announce to them, This is the Paradise which you have inherited for what you used to do.
This is noteworthy in three respects: first, though this phrase resembles Matthew 25:34, the idea of "inheriting" Paradise is also expressed in Matthew 19:29. (This makes three points of similarity between this section and the second half of Matthew 19.) Second, this seems to be an exception to the usual Islamic doctrine that Allah has no children, inasmuch as inheritance is generally given to ones family. Third, some interpreters, wishing to leave nothing unresolved, have attempted to name this announcer (who also cries out in v. 44): Shi'ite interpreters entertain the idea that he is Ali, Muhammads son-in-law.
In v. 44 the text presents Paradise and Hell as realms which are essentially side-by-side, like two kingdoms meeting at a fence. The inhabitants are pictured talking to one another, in a way reminiscent of the conversation between Lazarus and Abraham in Luke 16:23-26 (with the exception that a chasm separates Hades and Abrahams bosom in Luke, while a tall fence or tall wall separates hell from Paradise in this surah).
Verse 46 mentions Al-Araf The Heights or The High Wall between Paradise and hell. This structure, mentioned only here, might be a clever solution to a theological problem: Islam says that those whose good deeds outweigh their bad deeds go to Paradise, and those whose bad deeds outweigh their good deeds go to hell, but what happens to individuals whose good deeds and bad deeds are of equal weight? They get put on the ramparts of Al-Araf, a partition between Paradise and hell from which both are visible. Verses 47-51 describe how the inhabitants of Al-Araf criticize hells inhabitants on account of their ill-treatment of and disregard for the saved, and -- in a passage that echoes Luke 16:24, those in hell-fire will beg in vain for Paradises inhabitants to pour water on them.
The recurring theme of this presentation of the afterlife is spelled out in verses 52-53 ~ those who reject Allahs revelation specifically, Muhammads recitations will be rejected by Allah on judgment-day, and no intercession will be available to help them.
In v. 53 the subject changes to the supremacy of Allah. The text utilizes anthropomorphic language, picturing Allah rising over His throne after creating the heavens and the earth in six days. Verse 54 may seem to echo Genesis 11:31-2:1 or Exodus 20:11, but I think the content and tone resemble Psalm 148:1-6 even more.
After a few miscellaneous instructions commending humility, secret prayer, and avoidance of mischief v. 57 depicts Allah as He who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings. The idea here is that just as clouds bring rain which rejuvenates the dead earth, Allah will raise the dead on judgment-day (notice the similarity in symbolism and theme to James 5:7-8). The following verse expands the agriculturally-based comparison: some soils easily produce a plentiful crop; other kinds of soil only produce a little crop, after the farmer has spent much effort on it. Plainly Muhammad was not just talking about grain; he was primarily describing souls, not soils borrowing a comparison straight from Jesus Parable of the Sower (see Matthew 13:3-23). The condemnation of the Meccans as poor soil is hardly veiled.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
There's an interesting contrast between v. 27 and v. 30: after the first verse teaches that Allah made the devils protectors of the unbelievers, the other verse teaches that the unbelievers deserve to be in error since they took the devils as their protectors instead of Allah. The implication that Allah arranged for the unbelievers to remain in error does not seem to have bothered Muhammad.
Verse 31 refers to the Meccans custom of circling the Ka'aba naked, and while fasting. The text instructs Muslims to Take your adornment and to eat and drink, with moderation. Some Muslims interpret the principle of moderation to apply to ones appearance at prayer-times: one should dress respectably but not ostentatiously.
Verses 32-34 serve as a transition from the prohibitions about circumambulating the Kaaba to general instructions which serve to separate the listeners into groups of the obedient and disobedient. Verses 35-36 concisely describe the distinguishing characteristic of these two groups: the rewarded group is the group which acknowledges Allahs prophets; the punished group ~ sentenced to dwell in hell-fire forever ~ is the group which rejects Allahs prophets. These two verses sum up the theme of this section, and to some extent, the theme of the entire surah.
Verse 37 zooms in on the fate of those who reject Allahs revelation: in terms similar to 6:130, the death-angels will ask them about their idolatry and they will confess their error. As a result, in v. 38, they will be thrown into hell. The picture of hell provided here is not of individuals entering hell, but whole generations of communities, in which the learners curse the teachers who preceded them.
Verse 39 might conceivably be related to Jesus saying in Matthew 19:30, but the similar language (about the first and the last on judgment-day) could be superficial. In the following verse, though, the Quran contains a statement which is manifestly based on a New Testament passage, Matthew 19:24b (It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God).
Although those who reject Allahs revelation are said to be put to bed in hell, those who accept Allahs revelation are promised Paradise: all animosity is undone and they praise Allah for guiding them into Paradise through His messengers. The end of v. 43 adds that someone will announce to them, This is the Paradise which you have inherited for what you used to do.
This is noteworthy in three respects: first, though this phrase resembles Matthew 25:34, the idea of "inheriting" Paradise is also expressed in Matthew 19:29. (This makes three points of similarity between this section and the second half of Matthew 19.) Second, this seems to be an exception to the usual Islamic doctrine that Allah has no children, inasmuch as inheritance is generally given to ones family. Third, some interpreters, wishing to leave nothing unresolved, have attempted to name this announcer (who also cries out in v. 44): Shi'ite interpreters entertain the idea that he is Ali, Muhammads son-in-law.
In v. 44 the text presents Paradise and Hell as realms which are essentially side-by-side, like two kingdoms meeting at a fence. The inhabitants are pictured talking to one another, in a way reminiscent of the conversation between Lazarus and Abraham in Luke 16:23-26 (with the exception that a chasm separates Hades and Abrahams bosom in Luke, while a tall fence or tall wall separates hell from Paradise in this surah).
Verse 46 mentions Al-Araf The Heights or The High Wall between Paradise and hell. This structure, mentioned only here, might be a clever solution to a theological problem: Islam says that those whose good deeds outweigh their bad deeds go to Paradise, and those whose bad deeds outweigh their good deeds go to hell, but what happens to individuals whose good deeds and bad deeds are of equal weight? They get put on the ramparts of Al-Araf, a partition between Paradise and hell from which both are visible. Verses 47-51 describe how the inhabitants of Al-Araf criticize hells inhabitants on account of their ill-treatment of and disregard for the saved, and -- in a passage that echoes Luke 16:24, those in hell-fire will beg in vain for Paradises inhabitants to pour water on them.
The recurring theme of this presentation of the afterlife is spelled out in verses 52-53 ~ those who reject Allahs revelation specifically, Muhammads recitations will be rejected by Allah on judgment-day, and no intercession will be available to help them.
In v. 53 the subject changes to the supremacy of Allah. The text utilizes anthropomorphic language, picturing Allah rising over His throne after creating the heavens and the earth in six days. Verse 54 may seem to echo Genesis 11:31-2:1 or Exodus 20:11, but I think the content and tone resemble Psalm 148:1-6 even more.
After a few miscellaneous instructions commending humility, secret prayer, and avoidance of mischief v. 57 depicts Allah as He who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings. The idea here is that just as clouds bring rain which rejuvenates the dead earth, Allah will raise the dead on judgment-day (notice the similarity in symbolism and theme to James 5:7-8). The following verse expands the agriculturally-based comparison: some soils easily produce a plentiful crop; other kinds of soil only produce a little crop, after the farmer has spent much effort on it. Plainly Muhammad was not just talking about grain; he was primarily describing souls, not soils borrowing a comparison straight from Jesus Parable of the Sower (see Matthew 13:3-23). The condemnation of the Meccans as poor soil is hardly veiled.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
