The text briefly returns to the initial subject of the surah (women's rights) in v. 127. A hadith suggests that this verse was communicated to address a situation in which a female orphan had inherited some date trees, and her custodian did not want to marry her or allow her to marry someone else (since he would thus lose his income from the date-harvest). An appeal is made to earlier verses which forbid the withholding of inheritances. (Since some of those verses appear at the beginning of this surah, this is clear evidence that this surah is a compilation of utterances given at different times.)
Verses 128-130 are about divorce. The text is straightforward: couples are encouraged not to divorce. If a wife fears cruelty or desertion, she and her husband should try to make peace. Nevertheless divorce is permitted. In the New Testament, only adultery and desertion are explicitly named as legitimate grounds for divorce (in Matthew 5:32 and First Corinthians 7:10-15). (Most Christian interpreters also consider physical abuse as a form of unfaithfulness, inasmuch as it violates the traditional marriage-vows.) In Islam, the grounds for divorce are more similar to the Old Testament standard (i.e., divorce can be easily obtained, as it was in the case of Zaid bin Harithah).
Verse 129 notes that "You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire." This seems to collide, somewhat, with 4:3, which states that if a man fears that he will not be able to deal justly with more than one free-born wife, then he should marry only one free-born woman. One would think that, taken together, these two verses can only mean that a Muslim man can have only one free-born wife at a time. Yet that is not the example of Muhammad, nor of many early Muslim leaders. And it is even implied in this verse that a man may have more than one wife, inasmuch as he is instructed to equitably balance his time and resources among them.
Next comes a brief (and slightly repetitive) appeal to Muslims to uphold justice, even if it means making a ruling against your own family. This is in sync with Isaiah 56:1 and Exodus 23:1-9. And to do what is just, one should - the text asserts - follow the instructions which Allah has sent to His messenger in the Quran "and the Scripture which He sent down to those before him." This is significant because here the Quran endorses the Scriptures previously sent down (the Taurat [Torah] and the Injil [Gospel]), with no qualification such as "except for what the Jews and Christians have altered."
This raises a question: elsewhere, where the Quran says that the previous Scriptures have been changed, does it mean that readers of the previous Scriptures are pronouncing different words than what they are reading (i.e., making audible changes) or does it mean that the text written on the pages of Scripture themselves has been substantially altered? [If it is the latter, then why does the text here instruct listeners to consult and believe the previously sent-down Scriptures? If the previously-delivered Scriptures had undergone serious textual corruption, then this would be similar to instructing Muslims to consult books which did not exist.]
As a contrast with those who seek to establish justice, the Hypocrites are again brought into view in v. 137. It plainly states that those who believe, and then disbelieve, and then believe, and then disbelieve, and go on disbelieving more, will not be forgiven. Yet, further along, in verses 145-146, the text states that the Hypocrites will dwell in the lowest part of hell, "Except those who repent, do righteous deeds, cling to Allah, and purify their religion." (Unless one concludes that none of the wavering Hypocrites described in v. 137 will repent, it may be difficult to harmonize these two statements.) The text regards such fair-weather believers as actually disbelievers - and Muslims should not take them as friends instead of believers.
Verse 139 closes with the phrase "To Allah belongs all honor, power, and glory," a phrase very similar to the benediction in Matthew 6:13 ~ "For Yours in the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, Amen." It is interesting to contrast 4:139 with 63:8, which says, "Honor, power, and glory belong to Allah, and to His Messenger, and to the believers." In one place, /all/ honor, power, and glory are given to Allah; in the other place, there's some left over for Muhammad and the believers.
The Hypocrites of Medina are then criticized for various shortcomings: they are quick to take credit for military victories. They pretend to be loyal to Muhammad. They pray inattentively, and as a show. They are waverers. Verse 142 says, "The hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them." Allah is presented as some sort of deceiver. There are passages in the Bible that present YHWH as some sort of deceiver, too the vision of Micaiah in First Kings 22:19-23 being a prime example (though its conceivable that this is a rhetorical device used by the prophet).
Yet God is a God of truth. When an individual is reprobate, one will mislead him whether one tells him the truth or a lie (in the sense that no matter what you tell him, he will remain lost). Its in this sense that God "misleads" some people - the class of individuals known as the reprobate. The Bible does not mean that God deliberately drags them into error. It looks like the Qurans concept of Allah as a deceiver of the Hypocrites is along the same lines; however there may be more to it, inasmuch as v. 143 refers to Allah sending people astray.
The gist of 4:148 seems to be that only the victim of a disservice has the right to harshly accuse the perpetrator in public.
Verses 150-152 are focused on some Hypocrites who claimed to accept the genuineness of some of Allahs Messengers, and reject others. The text demands that all of Allahs Messengers must be accepted, and no distinctions should be made between them. (So Muslim leaders should have no problem granting free access to printed copies of the Injil, right?) Some Muslims interpret this as grounds against the celebration of Christmas, inasmuch as the holiday tends to exalt Jesus above other prophets. This also implicitly forbids Muslims from calling upon Muhammad in place of Allah.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
Verses 128-130 are about divorce. The text is straightforward: couples are encouraged not to divorce. If a wife fears cruelty or desertion, she and her husband should try to make peace. Nevertheless divorce is permitted. In the New Testament, only adultery and desertion are explicitly named as legitimate grounds for divorce (in Matthew 5:32 and First Corinthians 7:10-15). (Most Christian interpreters also consider physical abuse as a form of unfaithfulness, inasmuch as it violates the traditional marriage-vows.) In Islam, the grounds for divorce are more similar to the Old Testament standard (i.e., divorce can be easily obtained, as it was in the case of Zaid bin Harithah).
Verse 129 notes that "You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire." This seems to collide, somewhat, with 4:3, which states that if a man fears that he will not be able to deal justly with more than one free-born wife, then he should marry only one free-born woman. One would think that, taken together, these two verses can only mean that a Muslim man can have only one free-born wife at a time. Yet that is not the example of Muhammad, nor of many early Muslim leaders. And it is even implied in this verse that a man may have more than one wife, inasmuch as he is instructed to equitably balance his time and resources among them.
Next comes a brief (and slightly repetitive) appeal to Muslims to uphold justice, even if it means making a ruling against your own family. This is in sync with Isaiah 56:1 and Exodus 23:1-9. And to do what is just, one should - the text asserts - follow the instructions which Allah has sent to His messenger in the Quran "and the Scripture which He sent down to those before him." This is significant because here the Quran endorses the Scriptures previously sent down (the Taurat [Torah] and the Injil [Gospel]), with no qualification such as "except for what the Jews and Christians have altered."
This raises a question: elsewhere, where the Quran says that the previous Scriptures have been changed, does it mean that readers of the previous Scriptures are pronouncing different words than what they are reading (i.e., making audible changes) or does it mean that the text written on the pages of Scripture themselves has been substantially altered? [If it is the latter, then why does the text here instruct listeners to consult and believe the previously sent-down Scriptures? If the previously-delivered Scriptures had undergone serious textual corruption, then this would be similar to instructing Muslims to consult books which did not exist.]
As a contrast with those who seek to establish justice, the Hypocrites are again brought into view in v. 137. It plainly states that those who believe, and then disbelieve, and then believe, and then disbelieve, and go on disbelieving more, will not be forgiven. Yet, further along, in verses 145-146, the text states that the Hypocrites will dwell in the lowest part of hell, "Except those who repent, do righteous deeds, cling to Allah, and purify their religion." (Unless one concludes that none of the wavering Hypocrites described in v. 137 will repent, it may be difficult to harmonize these two statements.) The text regards such fair-weather believers as actually disbelievers - and Muslims should not take them as friends instead of believers.
Verse 139 closes with the phrase "To Allah belongs all honor, power, and glory," a phrase very similar to the benediction in Matthew 6:13 ~ "For Yours in the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, Amen." It is interesting to contrast 4:139 with 63:8, which says, "Honor, power, and glory belong to Allah, and to His Messenger, and to the believers." In one place, /all/ honor, power, and glory are given to Allah; in the other place, there's some left over for Muhammad and the believers.
The Hypocrites of Medina are then criticized for various shortcomings: they are quick to take credit for military victories. They pretend to be loyal to Muhammad. They pray inattentively, and as a show. They are waverers. Verse 142 says, "The hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them." Allah is presented as some sort of deceiver. There are passages in the Bible that present YHWH as some sort of deceiver, too the vision of Micaiah in First Kings 22:19-23 being a prime example (though its conceivable that this is a rhetorical device used by the prophet).
Yet God is a God of truth. When an individual is reprobate, one will mislead him whether one tells him the truth or a lie (in the sense that no matter what you tell him, he will remain lost). Its in this sense that God "misleads" some people - the class of individuals known as the reprobate. The Bible does not mean that God deliberately drags them into error. It looks like the Qurans concept of Allah as a deceiver of the Hypocrites is along the same lines; however there may be more to it, inasmuch as v. 143 refers to Allah sending people astray.
The gist of 4:148 seems to be that only the victim of a disservice has the right to harshly accuse the perpetrator in public.
Verses 150-152 are focused on some Hypocrites who claimed to accept the genuineness of some of Allahs Messengers, and reject others. The text demands that all of Allahs Messengers must be accepted, and no distinctions should be made between them. (So Muslim leaders should have no problem granting free access to printed copies of the Injil, right?) Some Muslims interpret this as grounds against the celebration of Christmas, inasmuch as the holiday tends to exalt Jesus above other prophets. This also implicitly forbids Muslims from calling upon Muhammad in place of Allah.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
