The Apostles and the knowledge of Qura’n and others

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There are the hardships of the apostles. (1)The parameters of the knowledge of the apostles

 We cannot deny the fact that it is imperative for the removal of all screens from the hearts of the apostles of God for the purity of their souls, social perfection and for their hearts being cleansed of all impurities. Though this awareness is not a pre-requisite for their ministry but it is no secret that it is necessary if they are to attain perfection.

In other words the absence of problematic issue is one thing but the perfection of their intelligence is something else. But if we are unable to prove their connection with the world of Shariah in this sense then we can prove it in another manner. the verses of the Qura’n can be a valid and substantial proof. Qura’n has spoken about the great names and has described the event in which Adam was endowed with knowledge so that his intellectual prowess could be widened and so that he could guide and lead others.

So God taught him the knowledge that was also necessary for the other apostles though they do not seem necessary for explaining His commandments and His laws. They do however have the basic importance in their lives. We will now study the following verse connected with this topic.

Verse 80 of Surah Anbiya:

“And we taught him the art of making the coat of mail for you, that you might protect yourselves in your wars; will you then be grateful?”

The word “Laboos” means any kind of protective but here it means a coat of armor used in war but some linguists like Ibn Manzoor who has written in Lisan-ol-Arab and some commentators like the late Tabrisi in Majmaul Bayan have written regarding this verse: “All kinds of arms defensive and well as offensive but the verse proves that it is a defensive coating like the coat of arms as described in the verse.

Some commentators say that this is the dresses they wore to save themselves from the attack of their enemies. The person who made the coat of arms by inter twining chain links was David and this he did on the instructions of God. (1)

The same meaning has been conveyed in other verses as it is said in verses 10 and 11 of Surah Saba:

“And We made the iron soft for him saying (to David) “Make coats of mail and measure its links and do good”

The word “Ass-saabighaat” is the plural of Saabighun” which means a very well made armor. In Asbaghol Loghat it is termed as the excess of graces and in Asbaghol Wuzu it is termed as the excess of water for ablution.

The word “Ass-Sard’ means the mending of torn clothes and here the term “Wa Qadir fissard” means the interlinking of the chains in the armor. This tells us that God softened the iron for him and taught him how to make the protective from it.

Did the iron melt like wax in David’s hands or did God give him the knowledge of melting iron and making fine arms from it? Can the melting of iron in his hands be taken as a miracle or was he taught the specifics about iron? Was he unaware of this earlier? God had taught him the knowledge of making armors from the chains only. Though they were softened but inherited the strength which they never had to protect the body of a person and save him from being slain. This armor protected them like a wall.

The point to be noted here is that when down melted the iron in his hands he could make defensive weapons as well as offensive ones like swords. Any way, it is not very important for the apostles to learn these things but what was important was the knowledge of the establishing the norms desired by God and maintaining them in society.

We will now read about Solomon.

Verse 16 of Surah Naml says:

“He said:” O people! We have been taught the language of the birds and we have been granted abundance of everything; verily this is a manifest grace.”

This is part of the great knowledge that God bestowed upon David and Solomon. (Walaqad Aataiyna Daooda wa Suleman Ilma”

The knowledge about the birds and their languages is not a prerequisite of the knowledge of apostles but the Qura’n clearly states that God gave Solomon this special knowledge. In the other verses the book says that Solomon was endowed with the knowledge of language of the ants also.

Verses 18 and 19 of Surah Naml say:

“Until they came to the valleys of the ants and an ant said, “O you ants! hide in your dwe4llings so that Solomon and his host may not crush you (unknowingly). (Solomon) smiled and laughed at her and said, “O my Lord! Make me be thankful for the bounty you have bestowed on me and my parents and that I do good such as You would be pleased with, and admit me by Your mercy, among your righteous servants.”

We read about the dialogue Solomon had with the hoopoe in the same manner in verses 20 and 28 of Surah Naml:

“He reviewed the birds and then he said “How is it that I do not see the hoopoe; is he among the absentees? I will certainly chastise him severely, or slaughter him or he shall bring to me a clear warrant. And he did not tarry long (he came up in the air and) said, “I comprehend what you comprehend not and I have brought to you from Sheba sure tidings. Verily I found a woman ruling over them and she has been given plenty of everything and she has a magnificent throne. I found her and her people prostrating before the sun besides God and Satan has made their deeds fair seeming to them and so has turned them from the right path and they are not guided aright. This is why they do not bow before God who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth and what you hide and what you u show. God there is no god but He. He is the Lord of the Arsh the mighty.” Solomon said, “We will see if you speak the truth or if you are one of the liars. Go with this letter of mine and give it to them and turn away from them and see what answer they give.”

Anyway we do not have to go into a lengthy discourse at this point. The issue is that did he wave the knowledge of the languages of the bird like hoopoe and insects like the ants? Did he understand their words and speak to them?

Was this expressed through words or was it conveyed through signs (We have discussed all this in details in Tafsir Amthal) (1)

But the explanation of these verses does not affect the purpose because here it refers to the knowledge which not normal or extraordinary especially for the apostles and they do not exist in normal people but their absence is one of the conditions of apostleship.

It is also said in the verses that Joseph too had extra-ordinary knowledge and power about dreams. At one point his father Jacob told him that God had entrusted him (Joseph) with the knowledge to interpret dreams.

Verse 6 of Surah Yusuf says:

“And thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretations of sayings.”

In another instance Joseph speaks to the Egyptian governor. In verse 21 of Surah Yusuf it says:

“And thus did We establish Joseph in the land and that we might teach him the interpretations of the sayings.”

In another instance the Book tells us that Joseph heard and interpreted the dreams of two inmates in jail. Verse 37 of Surah Yusuf says:

“This is from what my Lord has taught me.”

Finally there is the instance when Joseph pleaded with his lord after getting to be the authority and after meeting his parents and other members of the family. Verse 101 of Surah Yusuf says:

“Lord you have given me the kingdom and taught me the interpretations of sayings.”

The commentators have spoken about other doubts regarding not just the interpretations of sayings and dreams but some thing else and that is “Taweelol ahadith” and this they say is about the mysteries of the divine books.

(1) See Tafsir Amthal for the discussion about these verses.

 

There are the hardships of the apostles. (1)The parameters of the knowledge of the apostles
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