The Belief in resurrection and steadfastness

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The Denial of resurrection leads to all evilsExplanation of Verses

 The 4th verse describes how much role the belief in resurrection plays in a person going to Jihad and standing firm against the enemy.

The verse speaks about what a group of the Bani Israel said when they went to war under Saul (their commander appointed by God) against the tyrant Goliath. After a very strict test one group remained behind and only a small contingent went into the battle field. This small contingent was also divided into two groups one was terror stricken and said:

“But those who were convinced that they must meet God said, “We do not have the strength to face the army of Goliath.”

But those who believed that they would meet God (and believed in the Day of Judgment) said:

 “How often by God’s will has a small force vanquished a greater one? God is with those who steadfastly persevere.”

According to a few commentators the word “Yazannuun” here means the Day of Judgment and it should be so since this was said to those who had been tested in various manners and had stepped into the battlefield with full faith.

We should not forget that the word “Zann” has a vast meaning which includes certitude. According to Raghib in Mafuradat “Zann” is that belief that is gained through proof and signs. If it is strong then it expands the knowledge but if it is weak then it leads to whims.

Some commentators have said that “Zann” here stands for their whim while the “Beatific Vision” is not connected to The Day of Judgment here but with martyrdom. This was said by those who expected a prominent martyrdom.

But this meaning seems very far fetched because there is not compatibility of the small group overcoming a larger one. The “Beatific Vision” normally is used to denote the Day of Judgment in the Qura’n and not death or martyrdom.

It is proven that those who believe in the Day of Judgment do not consider death to be the termination of life but know it as the beginning of a better life. Such persons are never afraid of death and face it with bravery and steadfastness.

The 5th verse repeats the words of the sorcerers of the Pharaoh after they believed in Moses and the Pharaoh threatened them with a painful death. They replied very serenely:

“They said, “So decree whatever you will, for you can only decree about the life of this world. 73. We do believe in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins, and the sorcery that you forced us to do and God is the best and most abiding.”

The belief in the Day of Judgment and the considering this worldly life as insignificant resulted in these sorcerers agreeing to give a great sacrifice for they rejected all the worldly gifts of the Pharaoh and willingly submitted to a tormenting and painful death. They stood against the Pharaoh and his tyranny with all their bravery and accepted the cup of martyrdom. Yes when the elixir of the belief in the Day of Judgment is taken it so emboldens the persons that they are not cowed by any threats and they consider every thing to be insignificant compared to the ever lasting gifts of God.

This great flame of faith became the cause of the evil and degraded sorcerers of yesterday to be transformed into the brave and steadfast human beings of today (1)

They spoke very disdainfully of the “Life of this world” after they knew about the ever lasting life in the hereafter.

The next verse clearly illustrates their belief in the hereafter, the divine justice, Paradise, and Hell, the various statuses of those in Paradise, the various heavenly gifts and their ever lasting quality.

 


 

1. Two views have been expressed in explaining the term “Wallazi Fataraana”. The first is that this sentence is an oath as we have said in the above explanation. The second is that this sentence is attached to the previous one and so the meaning will be “We will never prefer you to the clear signs that have reached us and the God who has created us” But the first explanation seems more subtle because in the previous verses they had sworn by the dignity of the Pharaoh and here they swear by the creator of all human beings.”

 

The Denial of resurrection leads to all evilsExplanation of Verses
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Lotus
Mitra
Nazanin
Titr
Tahoma