Lesson # 626 - The Commands of the Torah

Lesson # 626 From Holy Qur’aan

The Commands of the Torah

‘Al-Maaa-‘idah (the Table Spread) – Chapter – 5)–Stage - 2

VerseS – 44b & 45 of 120, Section – 7 of 16 (Part - 6)

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim

In the name of Allaah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

44b.  So fear not mankind, but fear Me. And barter not My Revelations for a little gain. And whoso judgeth not by that which Allaah hath revealed; such are disbelievers. 45.  And We prescribed for them therein: The life for the life, and the eye for the eye, and the nose for the nose, and the ear for the ear, and the tooth for the tooth, and for wounds retaliation. But whoso forgoeth it (in the way of charity) it shall be expiation for him. And whoso judgeth not by that which Allaah hath revealed; such are wrongdoers.

44b.  Falaa  takhsha-wunnaasa  wakh-shawni  wa  laa  tash-taruu bi-‘Aayaatii  samanan  qaliilaa.  Wa  mallam-  yah-kum-  bimaaa  ‘anzalAllaahu  fa-‘ulaaa-‘ika  humul-kaafiruun. 45.  Wa  KatabNaa  ‘alayhim  fiihaaa  ‘annan-nafsa  binnafsi  wal-‘ayna  bil-‘ayni  wal-‘anfa  bil-‘anfi  wal-‘uzuna  bil-‘uzuni  was-sinna  bis-sinni,  wal-juruuha  Qisaas.  Faman-  tasaddaqa  bihii  fahuwa  kaffaara-tullah.  Wa  mallam  yahkum-  bimaaa  ‘anzalAllaahu  fa-‘ulaaa-‘ika  humuz-zaalimuun.

Lesson

Laa  takhshaw – (Don’t fear), ‘Akh-shaw – (fear) these both words are from khash-yah, which means “Fear, dread”. laa  tash-taruu – (Do not barter), it is from ‘ish-taraaa, which has been derived from sharaaa’. Usually these both words “Bay’ and Sharaaa’ are used collectively, for which, we use the word “barter”. Saman – (price, value, gain), commonly it is used for the money, which is paid to get a thing as its retaliation. The word saman has been used in this verse for money, because actual need is to acquire the money here. Something has been given to get it.  

It was told in the previous verses that the scholars of the Jews have made the religion a game. They either change its commands due to one little pretext or the other, or hide it for the only cause that the higher class people of the world remain contented with them. Or they may get some property and the worldly people obey them, considering that they are great. It can be so, if they judge always according to their desires. Therefore, they superseded the command of stoning and wished the support of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allaah Almighty (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him). They also changed the meanings of that glad tiding in Torah, which was about His (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him) arrival and denied to believe in His Messenger-hood. In short, they ruined the religion for the sake of their worldly desires and did not value the Torah, such a glorious Scripture.

The Muslims are warned in this verse that they should not adopt this behavior of the Jews. They change the matters of religion due to fear of the people. “You should fear Allaah Almighty only; keep away from the favor of anyone in the matter of religion and from avarice of property, that you judge falsely by taking bribe.

Remember! Those people, who do not judge in accord with the Revelations of Allaah Almighty {which are of two kinds i.e. Holy Qur’aan and the Sayings of His Messenger (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him)} are included in the disbelievers, because they do not believe in the truth intentionally.         

Tasaddaqa – (to give alms, to forgive, to forego), it has been made from Sadaqah, which means “almsgiving”. Here it aims, “the person, who has been teased, forgives the sin of him (in the way of charity), who tyrannized”. It is his kindness; otherwise he can demand the retaliation lawfully. This forgiveness is almsgiving (charity), and his sins will be forgiven in its retaliation.

Another unreasonable matter of the Jews has been described in this verse. Allaah Almighty says, “We prescribed for them in the Torah: the life for the life (the person, who killed someone else, will be killed), and the eye for the eye (who injured an eye of anyone, his eye of that side will be injured and as much he injured, so much his eye will be injured), and the nose for the nose, and the ear for the ear, and the tooth for the tooth, and for the wounds retaliation is likewise he wounded the other. But the Jews did not obey this order. They show favor of the higher class people and by taking bribes, they saved the offender.  They had to behave that the law of Allaah Almighty would be be enforced and punished the criminal properly. However, whosoever forgives the offender himself and does not take retaliation, his sins will be forgiven. But the persons, who do not wish to issue the law for their own purpose, surely they are tyrants. The Muslims should take a lesson from them.     

Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’an published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)