The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Seven

By Muhammad Yunus, New Age Islam (Co-author (Jointly with Ashfaque Ullah Syed), Essential Message of Islam, Amana Publications, USA, 2009) 20 September 2025 Section-10. Concluding Years Of Revelation (631-632 CE) 201. Year Of Deputations (631) The Prophet’s safe return from his long and perilous journey to Tabuk, in sequel to his uninterrupted successes in the preceding years veritably crowned him as the king of the whole of Arabia. Meanwhile the truth of the Qur’anic revelation was becoming increasingly clear as its seemingly unrelated, or otherwise disjointed passages were falling in place. This created a great excitement all over the country and delegates came to Medina from faraway places to see the Prophet, to listen to the Qur’an, and to swear allegiance to the new faith. However, since there was no compulsion in religion, many nomadic tribes preferred idol worship, and remained hostile to Muhammad. 202. The Great Pilgrimage (631) and the Advent of Surah al-Tauba (9th Surah) By the year 631, the pagan Arabs were increasingly alarmed at the Prophet’s mission, which had continued for more than twenty years and was advancing with irresistible momentum. They saw their numbers dwindling, their strength weakening, and Islam gaining ground against all odds. In frustration, many of them repeatedly violated the Treaty of Hudaibiyyah and disregarded even close kinship ties (9:10). The Qur’an now had to bring this to a decisive close, as the revelation was soon to complete its course. Accordingly, during the Great Hajj of 631, the revelation issued a four-month ultimatum to the pagan tribes who were violating the Peace Treaty on every opportunity. It came in the form of a proclamation of disawoval of treaty obligations as follows: “A declaration from God and His Messenger (is issued) to all people on the day of the Great Pilgrimage: Allah disowns the polytheists, as does His Messenger. If you repent, it will be good for you, but if you turn away, know that you can’t evade God. Inform those who disbelieve of severe punishment (9:3). However, to those polytheists with whom you’ve made a treaty, and who didn’t violate any of its terms, nor supported anyone against you, complete their treaty until its period. Allah loves the righteous. (9:4). When the Sacred Months have passed, slay the polytheists wherever you find them. Capture them, besiege them, and ambush them at every possible location. However, if they repent, establish prayer, and give in charity, let them go their way. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (9:5). If any of the polytheists seeks your protection, grant it to him, so that he may hear the Word of Allah. Then escort him to where he can be safe, for they are a people who lack knowledge.” Verse 9:5 is often labelled in classical exegesis as the ‘Sword Verse.’ In modern polemical writings, however, the term is sometimes broadened to include other verses with similar warnings. In the context of the revelation, the ultimatum (9:1-9:5) was a historical necessity, addressing the recurrent violations of the Peace of Hudaibiyyah by the Meccan tribes. The declaration (9:1-3) released the Muslims from any obligation toward the violators of Hudaibiyah Peace Treaty and commanded them, after the expiry of the grace period, to “kill, capture, blockade, and ambush them” (9:5) — unless they repented, established prayer, and gave the zakat (9:5, 9:11). Those pagans who had remained faithful to their treaty and had not aided others against the Muslims were exempted; their treaties were to be honoured until their terms expired (9:4). At the same time, those seeking protection were to be granted safety until they had heard the word of God, and then escorted to a secure place — their tribal homelands — so they would not suffer harm from aggrieved Muslims (9:6). The 9th Surah, al-Tauba — also called Surah al-Bara’ah (Disavowal) — virtually indemnifies the Prophet’s followers from any obligation toward those Meccan tribes that flagrantly broke the Hudaibiyyah Treaty. At the same time, it records this breach as a testimony to the Meccans’ repeated violations during the final phase of the revelation. 203. The Pagans (Mushrikin) Are Prohibited From Approaching The Sacred Mosque The exemption granted to treaty-bound pagan tribes from the ultimatum created a sensitive situation regarding the status of the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram). The Muslims now used it exclusively for the worship of God, while some allied pagans, under their treaty rights, continued to bring idols into it. This anomaly required immediate correction, especially as, in the divine scheme, the Prophet’s earthly mission was nearing its end. Accordingly, the Qur’an declared that the pagans were spiritually impure (najas) and must no longer approach the Sacred Mosque after that year (9:28). The House was henceforth to be reserved solely for the worship of God. Since this exclusion meant a loss of trade and offerings from pagan pilgrims, the Muslims were assured that God would enrich them out of His bounty, if He so willed (9:28). The revelation also forbade the Prophet and the believers from seeking forgiveness for the pagans — even if they were relatives — once it was clear that such people were destined for the blaze (9:113): “It is not fitting for the Prophet and those who believe that they should pray for forgiveness for the pagans, even if they were relatives, once it has become clear to them that they are inmates of the blaze” (9:113). 204. Praying for the Dead among the Polytheists or Disbelievers in God Most traditional scholars argue that this verse (9:113, Note 203), revealed late in the Prophet’s mission, forbade Muslims from praying for deceased relatives who had died without embracing Islam. However, the verse itself indicates that the prohibition applied specifically to those who had persistently opposed the Prophet and actively sought to frustrate his mission through hostility or conspiracy. Its explicit reference to the Prophet gives it an existential dimension, binding only during his lifetime, when he and his companions could identify those who had wilfully rejected divine truth. After the Prophet, no believer can claim such certainty about the fate of any individual. Some exegetes cite the case of Prophet Abraham, who refrained from seeking forgiveness for his father once it became clear that he was an enemy of God (9:114). But this example is unique. Abraham was endowed with a profound spiritual insight, and his father’s lifelong, conscious rejection of monotheism was of and immeasurable gravity. No ordinary non-Muslim parent of a believer can be likened to Abraham’s father in this respect. Thus, the Qur’anic prohibition in Abraham’s case cannot be generalized. It follows that the forbiddance in 9:113 was never a universal bar on praying for deceased non-Muslims. Today, when many inherit their faith or misunderstand Islam due to historical and social circumstances, no believer can presume to know who has consciously opposed God. Judgment belongs to God alone. Accordingly, Muslims should not hesitate to pray for the forgiveness of any deceased non-Muslim relative, leaving their ultimate fate to God’s perfect justice and mercy. 205. Farewell Pilgrimage and the conclusion of the Prophet’s Mission 632) The mission of the Prophet was now in its conclusive phase though the community, and probably the Prophet himself had no inkling. It was an era of peace, after a prolonged period of persecution, military threats, anxieties, traumas, and wars and gave a respite to the nascent community to taste of peace. As time went by and the month of hajj closed in, the community looked forward to it with great excitement. It was going to be a hajj by only the believers in God with no pagan hiding an idol under his arms, or going about the rites unclothed as the very poor pagans who couldn’t afford new clothes customarily did in the pre-Islamic era. Before long, the Prophet disclosed his intention to lead it. This raised the excitement of the entire community to a feverish pitch as it gave the opportunity to all and sundry from the farthest corners of the land to see the Prophet. He had single handedly delivered them from the darkness of paganism to the sunshine of Islam, and gave them a scripture, an identity and a civilization that they never had since ancient times, and so there could be no greater joy for them than to accompany him in the hajj. As there was no military engagement of any significance, the era did not make any great news and there is little account of the hustle and bustle and the excitement that must have preceded the hajj, though the biographic accounts give the details of the journey in graphic details. The Qur’an, however, made up for its near silence about this greatest event by a singular and historically the most significant revelation. As the Prophet was delivering his sermon on the planes of Arafat, he shocked the gathering and caused an outpour of tears as he recited the concluding revelation as part of the verse 5:3 declaring its own closure that also signalled his imminent death: “…This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your religion…”. In historical perspective this was the greatest festival in Arab history – a festival unparalleled in spirituality and fervour – the first ever hajj by believers in God alone with no pagan in their midst. It marked the greatest event in the history of Islam and true to this predictive revelation, the Prophet died soon after his return from Mecca. This hajj is remembered as the Farewell pilgrimage. 206. The Grand Finale Of Qur’anic Revelation As the revelation progressed all the way through its nearly 23 years track with thousands – if not more of its largely disjointed pieces, the passages fell in place and created an immensely intricate and inexplicably harmonious pattern of the Qur’anic text. This fully convinced the Arabs, who had opposed Muhammad for almost two decades on his claim to the divinity of the Qur’an, and they came to the Prophet in large numbers from all over Arabia to embrace the new faith. The Qur’an marks this extraordinary event in its 110th Surah (an Nasr) that proclaims: “When God’s help and victory (Fatah*) come (110:1) And you see people entering God’s religion in multitudes (110:2) Then celebrate the praise of your Lord, and seek His forgiveness. He is ever accepting of repentance. (110:3)]. [*word Fatah) also connotes breakthrough out of an impasse–[see verse 48:18, Note 192] The underlined word victory (Fatah)) in 110:1 must be comprehended in the pacifist sense as ‘breakthrough’ as noted by Abdullah Yusuf Ali in his renowned translation – note 6292 as there was no military engagement in the Meccan expedition. Through its key pacifying verses (48:24, 48:26, Note 194) the Qur’an decreed the extraordinary integration of Mecca in a totally peaceful manner, The traditional rendition of the word Fatah) in 110:1 as military victory is therefore misleading. The Qur’an uses this word with a wide range of connotations as listed under the Postscript. 207. The Litmus Test of the Revelation While the integration of Mecca in 630 CE was by far the greatest breakthrough (Fatah) of the Revelation, some of its most severe challenges still lay ahead—challenges that could have tipped its course toward either enduring success or sudden collapse. The conquest of Mecca could not instantly transform its entire population from hostile pagans into devout and committed Muslims. For two decades, the Meccan leadership had regarded Muhammad as their archenemy, doing everything possible to destroy him. They could not be expected to reconcile with him overnight, even if they outwardly cooperated under the force of changing circumstances. Moreover, the sudden integration disrupted long-standing norms, social order, and inter-tribal political equations. This created a highly diverse and potentially unstable political domain under Islam: • Pagan tribes of Mecca and Medina (many of whom did not convert, as there was no compulsion in religion) • The Muslims of Medina—comprising the Emigrants (Muhajirun) who had fled from Mecca some eight years ago (622 CE), and the Helpers (Ansar), the Medinite converts who sheltered them—still carrying vestiges of pre-Islamic tribal loyalties and political rivalries, yet united under the Prophet in a single Umma (inclusive community). It was like a vast mansion built from bricks, slabs, arches, and domes of different shapes and sizes, held together by fresh mortar that needed time to cure. Beyond this internal volatility, Islam faced formidable external and covert foes: • Desert Arabs from surrounding regions who opposed the Prophet, determined to defend their ancestral gods and ways. • Hypocrites of Medina (Munafiqun), who plotted against the Prophet and sought to expel him and his followers, resenting the political ascendancy of the rootless Emigrants. • The Christian Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire), conceivably threatened by the rise of a newly unified Arab power—fearless tribal warriors now armed with religious zeal and readiness for martyrdom. • The Prophet’s imminent death. In the divine scheme, the Prophet had only two years left. Unless the hostile pagans and hypocrites were reconciled and the Byzantine threat neutralized, Islam risked extinction soon after his death. In metaphorical terms, Islam in these years was like a ship sailing through a gathering storm, one that could easily break it apart in the turbulent wake of the Prophet’s passing—a fate that would have seemed almost inevitable to a historian of the era. 208. How Islam Survived The Existential Challenges In Its Concluding Years (631–632) 1. Integration of the hypocrites — History facilitated this through unforeseen events. Most crucially, their leader, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, died around 631 CE, delivering a decisive blow to their movement. 2. The Tabuk Expedition (630 CE) — Despite warnings and misgivings, the Prophet marched to the North toward Byzantine territory. He returned to Medina unchallenged—having faced no military engagement with the mightiest empire of the age (Note 196). This remarkable outcome greatly enhanced his political standing, military prestige, and spiritual authority throughout Arabia. 3. The Great Pilgrimmage (631) – declaring the Qur’an’s ultimatum to treaty violators with the proclamation of Surah al Tauba (Note 202). 4. The Farewell Pilgrimage (632) — The largest gathering for the Hajj in Arab history, unparalleled in spiritual fervor, brought together Emigrants, Helpers, newly converted tribes, and former opponents (Note 205). This monumental event fused them into a single, more cohesive community, ready to carry the Prophet’s mission forward after his passing. 209. Role of the Prophet as Witness to Humanity The Qur’an says: “And thus We have made you a just community so that you may be witnesses over mankind, and the Messenger be a witness over you…” (2:143) What Was The Prophet A Witness To? If the Prophet had a civilizational crystal ball—or a kaleidoscope—he would have observed a cross-section of deeply embedded social and ethical vices, as implicit in the Qur’anic narrative and illustrated in Part 1 of this book. The author has therefore attempted to take a 360-degree view of what has been reviewed in detail under numerous sub-headings or Notes. Given the enormity of the themes, personal laws, tenets of guidance, behavioural paradigms, and notions embedded in the Qur’an, no author can hope to capture them in their entirety. Moreover, each facet of the hypothetical crystal ball can be viewed differently by countless exegetes over the centuries, making it impossible to claim absolute veracity. Accordingly, the author makes no claim of perfection. If there are flaws or errors in interpretation, the author accepts full personal responsibility in the divine court.” A World Without Justice The Arabia of the Prophet’s time knew no concept of universal justice or due process. Punishments were arbitrary, often brutal, and determined by tribal chiefs who ruled according to their oral customs. Powerful tribes enjoyed impunity, their offenders escaping retribution even for crimes as grave as murder or robbery. Inter-tribal raids—ghazwā, looting caravans of rivals—were an accepted mode of commerce, a way to recover losses. Civil rights did not exist; disputes were settled by whim, and crimes were punished tribally: if a member of one tribe was killed, vengeance could be taken on any member of the offender’s tribe—whether guilty or innocent. Blood feuds spanned generations, fed by a distorted code of retaliation, “a hand for a hand, an eye for an eye,” leaving no space for forgiveness. Accused persons and prisoners of war were treated mercilessly, their fate determined by force, not fairness. Economic Injustice Wealth was viewed as absolute personal property, bound by no moral obligation to share with the poor. There was no notion of the needy having any moral claims (ḥuqūq) on the wealth of the affluent. Traders cheated openly in weights and measures; trustees betrayed deposits by returning inferior goods. Moneylenders charged exorbitant interest, driving debtors into lifelong bondage. Raiding rival caravans, again, was normalized as a means of commercial profit. Economic life was marked by unbridled exploitation and dishonesty. Women in Chains Perhaps most striking was the plight of women. They were treated as chattel—ostracized during menstruation, stripped of legal rights, and even inherited as property upon the death of a husband. Female infanticide was practiced to escape the supposed shame of raising daughters. Marriage itself lacked institutional clarity: while a man could claim his wife’s fidelity, he might tolerate her cohabitation with others in his absence. Sexual exploitation of female slaves was common. Women were scantily clothed due to poverty, their beauty (zinat)– particularly those of bindmaids displayed without any sence of shame or protection. Widows and divorced women faced bleak prospects: they could not remarry freely, nor did they enjoy maintenance or inheritance rights. Female kin were excluded from family estates, and guardians often misappropriated the inheritance of orphans. Adultery was a capital offense, punishable by stoning, but the very structures of marriage and divorce denied women dignity or agency. A woman could not terminate her marriage except by returning her dowry; she could not step outside her home without a male guardian. In short, women lived under burdensome shackles, both social and legal. Neglect of the Vulnerable The most vulnerable were abandoned. Orphans, widows, the destitute, the emaciated “lying in the dust,” as the Qur’an vividly puts it, were disregarded. The disabled—the blind, the crippled, the leprous—were considered cursed and isolated. Stranded travelers found no safety net. Slaves, deprived of rights, could not even purchase their freedom over time. Poverty and weakness meant invisibility in public life; only strength commanded recognition. Idolatry and Superstition All this was compounded by a culture steeped in idolatry and superstition. Children were sacrificed to idols or slain for fear of poverty. Tribal loyalty dictated morality in the absence of any higher guidance. Without scripture, without prophets for generations, the Arabs had only their faltering conscience to navigate life. The Qur’anic Turning Point. This was the world weighed down by what the Qur’an calls “burdens and shackles.” Into this society, God raised Muhammad—“the untutored Prophet, whom they find described in the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins what is right and forbids what is wrong, makes lawful the good things, forbids the impure, and relieves them of their burdens and shackles” (7:157, Note 07). His mission was not for Arabia alone but for all humankind. Reforming such a morally degraded society required nothing less than a revolution of values - indeed, a series of overlapping and interconnected revolutions. The Qur’an’s revelations, unfolding over twenty-three years, gradually restructured a civilization—anchoring justice, protecting the vulnerable, restoring dignity to women, and infusing economic and social life with accountability before God. Through these revelations, the Prophet not only witnessed the darkness of his society but also illuminated a path of moral reformation. That was, and remains, the historical pivot of Islam. 210. The Changing Inter-Faith Dynamics Of The Qur’an As the context of the revelation and the attitude of individual Christians and Jews changed with the changing political dynamics of the time and inter-tribal alliances, verses revealed during periods of peace and hostility changed their tones accordingly though maintaining a nuanced balance: “You will find that the people most hostile towards the believers are the Jews and the polytheists. And you will find that the nearest in affection towards the believers are those who say, ‘We are Christians.’ That is because among them are priests and monks, and they are not arrogant (5:82). And when they hear what was revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears, as they recognize the truth in it. They say, ‘Our Lord, we have believed, so count us among the witnesses’ (5:83).” “Among the People of the Book is one, that if you entrusted him with a fortune, he would return it to you, while there is among them (yet) another, that if you entrusted him with a tiny gold coin, he would not return it to you unless you constantly chased him. This is because they say: ‘It is not our way to (deal with) these unlettered folks.’ They are knowingly telling a lie against God” (3:75). “There are among the People of the Book those who believe in God, and in the revelation sent to you (O Muhammad,) and in the revelation sent to them. They fear God, and do not sell God's messages for a petty price: it is they who have their reward with their Lord. Indeed God is Swift in reckoning” (3:199). As the Jews of Medina and the polytheists resisted the Revelation to preserve their religious, cultural, and political identities, the Qur’an often refers to confrontations—sometimes violent—between Islam and these groups. Taken in isolation, some verses may appear hostile. Yet these were context-bound and not part of the Qur’an’s universal message, which reached its clearest expression in the reconciliatory passage 60:7–60:9 (see Note 09), reiterated here for emphasis: “It may be that God will bring about love between you and those of them you (now) regard as your enemies. (Remember,) God is Able (to do anything) and God is Most Forgiving and Merciful (60:7). God does not forbid you to be virtuous (Tabarru) and just to those who did not fight you over religion, nor drove you from your homelands. Indeed, God loves the just (60:8). God only forbids you to befriend those who fought against you over religion, and expelled you from your homelands, and backed (others) in your expulsion; and whoever befriends them – it is they who are unjust” (60:9). “We have sent down the Book to you (O Muhammad,) with blessings so that the prudent may probe into its verses (message) and be mindful of it” (38:29). “Will they not probe into the Qur'an - or are there hearts sealed” (47:24). These examples underscore the significance of the Qur’an’s bidding to probe its verses and seek the best meaning in it as referenced eerier (39:18, 39:55, Note 10) 211. Tributes To The Qur’an By Some Of The Iconic Figures Of History To conclude this straightforward exposition of the Revelation (Part II)—preceded by a broad account of its moral and social reforms (Part I), reforms which in any other historical setting might have required centuries of upheaval, revolutions, and bloodshed—it is fitting to close with discerning tributes from distinguished non-Muslim scholars and historians: “Islam prevailed because it was the best social and political order the time could offer. It prevailed because everywhere it found politically apathetic people, robbed, oppressed, bullied, uneducated and unorganized, and it found selfish and unsound governments out of touch with any people at all. It was the broadest, freshest and cleanest political idea that had yet come into actual activity in the world and it offered better terms than any other to the mass of mankind.” – H.G. Wells [1] “The Eastern thinkers of the ninth century laid down on the basis of their theology, the principle of the Rights of Man … of which the humane and chivalrous prescriptions would have put to blush certain belligerents in the Great War; [they] expounded a doctrine of toleration of non-Muslim creeds so liberal that our West had to wait a thousand years before seeing equivalent principles adopted.” – Count Leon Ostrorog [2] “The theory of the Muslim faith enjoins toleration and freedom of religious life for all those followers of other faiths who pay tribute in return for protection… The very existence of so many Christian sects and communities in countries that have been for centuries under Mohammadan rule is an abiding testimony to the toleration they have enjoyed, and shows that the persecutions they have from time to time been called upon to endure at the hands of bigots and fanatics, have been excited by some special and local circumstances, rather than inspired by a settled principle of intolerance.” – Thomas W. Arnold [3] “After Muhammad's death, Jews and Christians were never required to convert to Islam but were allowed to practice their religion freely in the Islamic empire. Later, Zoroastrians, Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs were also counted among the ‘People of the Book.’ It has never been a problem for the Muslims to coexist with people of other religions.” – Karen Armstrong [4] References: 1. H.G. Wells, The Outline of History, pp. 613–614 (the originality of sourse is yet to be confirmed as the author is unable to locate it in his collection) 2. Asif A.A. Zaidi, Outlines of Mohammedan Law, 5th ed., New Delhi, 2005, pp. 53–54 3. Thomas W. Arnold, The Preaching of Islam, 2nd revised ed., 1913; reprinted Delhi, 1990, pp. 419–420 4. Karen Armstrong, Muhammad, London, 1991, p. 87 212. The Role of this book as an abridged Tafsir. The Prophet’s mission was to convey the guidance of the Qur’an—a mission this book seeks to present in a structured and reader-friendly manner. It is therefore hoped that Muslims today, as inheritors of that mission, will find this work both accessible and valuable. While it may be viewed as a condensed form of tafsir, it differs from classical tafsirs in key ways. Traditional commentaries are often deeply shaped by secondary sources—particularly Hadith—and the interpretations of scholars across different doctrinal schools and historical periods. They also incorporate, sometimes indirectly, details of the Prophet’s engagements with his audience. As a result, these tafsirs become voluminous and demand a level of scholarly engagement that can be overwhelming for the average reader. In contrast, this book offers an easy-to-follow version of that vast resource, allowing the Qur’an to speak for itself by presenting its key commandments in a topic-wise format, with relevant verses cross-referenced for clarity and coherence. With this we bring this discourse to a close with a simple reminder: Those who wish to hear the voice of the Qur’an—stripped of its linguistic subtleties, historical allusions, elliptical diction, shifting themes, unique literary form, changing tones and styles, and its reach beyond time, space, parables, and cosmic imagery—may find here a plain reading: of what the Qur’an affirms, and of what it does not. It is for the reader to explore further, or to consign it to the archive. Dated 09.09.2025. Muhammad Yunus POSTSCRIPTS 1.Taqwa: The Qur’an uses this word and its derivatives for men, women, or both in various contexts, underscoring its versatile association with moral awareness and moral excellence, as adopted in this book: • those who believe in the unseen, perform the prayers, and spend out of what God provided for them (2:3). • those who believe in the divinity of revelations given to Prophet Muhammad and before him, and are certain of the Hereafter (2:4). • those who deal justly even with those they may hate (5:8). • those (men) who give half the contracted dower if they terminate the marriage before consummation (2:237). • those (women) who forgo the contracted dower if they terminate the marriage before consummation (2:237). • those (men) who provide reasonable maintenance to their divorced wives (2:241). • those (men and women) owning property who make a will in a just and fair manner for parents and near of kin (2:180). • those who are generous and enjoin what is good (92:5). • those who give from their wealth to become pure (92:18), seeking nothing in return (92:19), but only the acceptance of their Lord, the Most High (92:20). those who eschew arrogance, avoid excesses, and do not obstruct others from worshipping in their own way (96:6–14) 2.Kafir: It is not a static label for “non-Muslim” as Muslims today tend to believe. The Qur’an uses it as a dynamic concept rooted in covering up truth or blessings such as ingratitude, denial, and adherence to polytheism, hostility, and even farming. Illustrations: Covering up God’s blessings: “…If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favour]; but if you are ungrateful (in Kafartum), indeed, My punishment is severe.” (14:7) Rejecting or Concealing the Truth After Recognizing It: “…But when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it (Kafarū Bihi). So the curse of God is upon the disbelievers” (2:89). Associating anything with God: “Indeed, association with God (shirk) is surely a great kufr/injustice” (31:13). People Who Actively Oppose or Wage War Against the Prophet: “…If they break their oaths after their treaty and defame your religion, then fight the leaders of kufr…” (9:12). Ordinary Non-Believers (Neutral Usage): “Say: O you who disbelieve (kāfirūn), I do not worship what you worship…” (109:1-6) Farmers (Literal Sense of Covering Seeds): “…like vegetation after rain, the growth of which pleases the kuffār (farmers)…” (57:20). Satan as the Archetypal Kāfir:“…[God] said to the angels: Bow down to Adam. They bowed down, except Iblīs; he refused and was arrogant, and was of the Kafirin.” (2:34) 3. New Magnificent Churches built under Islamic rule in its early centuries The following account draws on Sir Thomas Arnold’s book, Preaching of Islam – first published in 1896, revised in 1913 (p.66, 67) relating to the new churches built in Egypt in the early period of Islamic rule. The contribution of the distinguished author – who was later knighted and the Publication House are posthumously recognized and extract from the referenced book is shown under asterisk: “a wealthy Christian of Edessa, named Athanasius, erected in his native city a fine church dedicated to the Mother of God, and a Baptistery in honour of the picture of Christ that was reputed to have been sent to King Akbar; he also built a number of churches and monasteries in various parts of Egypt, among them two magnificent churches in Fustat. Some Christian chamberlains in the service of `Abd al-Aziz b. Marwan (brother of `Abd al-Malik), the governor of Egypt, obtained permission to build a church in Halwan, which was dedicated to St. John, though this town was a Muslim creation. “In A.D. 711 a Jacobite church was built at Antioch by order of the Caliph al-Walid (705-715). In the first year of the reign of Yazid II (A.D.720) Mar Elias, the Jacobite Patriarch of Antioch, made a solemn entry into Antioch, accompanied by his clergy and monks, to consecrate a new church, which he had caused to be built; and in the following year he consecrated another church in the village of Samada, in the district of Antioch, and the only opposition he met with was from a rival Christian sect that accepted the council of Chaldecon. “In the following reign Khalid al-Qasari, who was governor of Arabian and Persian Iraq from 724-738, built a church for his mother, who was a Christian to worship in. In 759 the building of a church at Nisibis was completed, on which the Nestorian bishop, Cyprian, had expended a sum of 56,000 Dinars. From the same century dates the church Abu Sirjah in the ancient Roman fortress in old Cairo. In the reign of al-Mahdi (775-785) a church was erected in Baghdad for the use of the Christian prisoners that had been taken captive during the numerous campaigns against the Byzantine empire. “Another church was built in the same city, in the reign of Haroon al-Rashid (786-809), by the people of Samalu, who had submitted to the Caliph and received protection from him; during the same reign, Sergius, the Nestorian Metropolitan of Basra, received permission to build a church in that city, though it was a Muslim foundation, having been created by the Caliph Umar in the year 638, and a magnificent church was erected in Babylon in which were enshrined the bodies of the prophets Daniel and Ezechiel. “When al-Mamun (813-833) was in Egypt he gave permission to two of his chamberlains to erect a church on al-Muqattam, a hill near Cairo; and by the same Caliph's leave a wealthy Christian named Bukkam, built several fine churches at Bura in Egypt. The Nestorian patriarch, Timotheus, who died AD 820 erected a church at Takrit and a monastery at Baghdad. In the 10th century, the beautiful Coptic church of Safayan was built in Fustat. A new church was built at Jiddah in the reign of al-Zahr, the 7th Fatimid caliph of Egypt (1020-1025). New churches and monasteries were also built in the reign of Abbasid al Mustadi dedicated to Our Lady the Pure Virgin. “Indeed so far from the development of Christian church being hampered by the establishment of Mohammadan rule, the history of the Nestorian exhibits a remarkable outburst of religious life and energy from the time of their becoming subject to Muslims.” 4. Grievous distortion of Qur’anic Message by Internal Agents In an age of unrestrained freedom of speech, anyone—regardless of intellectual standing—may publish opinions on religion, however malicious or ill-informed. The more outrageous the view, the more attention it attracts, especially when aimed at Islam. For many, this has become a lucrative enterprise: a sensationalist book or provocative claim against the Qur’an ensures notoriety, sales, and often sponsorship. Islam, to borrow an image, has become like an elephant that even a lame crow can peck at. Yet such attacks cannot scar a faith that has grown from a handful of followers in an obscure town (Mecca) to nearly three billion adherents worldwide. Still, they can distort perceptions—reducing the Qur’an in the eyes of some Muslims to a mere book of rituals, and in the eyes of critics to a text of fables and violence. This estrangement breeds a reverential remoteness among believers and blinds critics to its living guidance. To illustrate how this distortion works, A few examples are cited below from very different sources. I. Yusuf Al-Abeeri (Al-Qaida Ideologue) In December 2012, al-Abeeri issued an eight-part fatwa attempting to justify the mass killing of civilians in the wake of the Twin Towers attack. He wrenched a handful of verses (2:194, 16:126–128, 42:39–42) from their context to argue for indiscriminate violence. He even cited alleged reports of mutilation at the Battle of Uhud to argue for retaliatory desecration of corpses—something the Qur’an never sanctioned, the Prophet never practiced, and Islamic history never endorsed. In reality, these verses emphasize restraint, proportionate justice, and reconciliation. By tearing them from their moral framework, al-Abeeri turned a message of justice into a license for terror. Ii. Irshad Manji (Celebrity Reformist) In The Trouble with Islam, Manji calls the Qur’an “a bundle of contradictions” and invokes the so-called Pact of Umar to paint early Islam as inherently intolerant. Yet, as Thomas Arnold’s historical research shows, the Pact was forged centuries later and never consistently applied. Early Christian chroniclers themselves testified that Muslim rule initially imposed few religious disabilities. By presenting late-era forgeries as authentic, Manji perpetuates myths that disfigure the Qur’an’s spirit of justice and coexistence. Iii. Hassan Radwan (Muslim Intellectual) In a 2017 essay, Radwan dismissed the Qur’an as “not infallible, not perfect, and not the word of God,” portraying the Prophet’s mission as a violent rather than intellectual struggle. Such claims represent a fringe scepticism but are troubling because they often rely on half-truths and sweeping generalizations. In reducing the Qur’an to “myths and fairytales,” Radwan ignores its enduring coherence, its literary uniqueness, and its profound moral impact on successive civilizations. Conclusion From al-Abeeri’s weaponisation of verses to Manji’s uncritical use of forgeries and Radwan’s sweeping denials, these distortions illustrate a common pattern: selective reading, historical inaccuracy, and disregard for the Qur’an’s overarching ethos of justice, patience, and mercy and stark ignorance of reading the Qur’an in the light of history that a holistic reading of the Qur’an as in this book culls out from its scattered verses by connecting relevant veses with one another. By exposing these tactics, one can see clearly that the Qur’an’s message cannot be undone by internal or external detractors. It remains what it always was: a guide to ethical living, resilience, and human dignity. 5. Misinterpretation Of Key Qur’anic Words And Verses Some simple and innocuous verses of the Qur’an have been traditionally interpreted in a distorted manner: i. al Fatah: Verse 61:13 “….And help will come from God and a near victory (fatah) close at hand“ (61:13). This invocation is universally recited by the Muslims when in imminent danger, anxiety or testing The following incidences of usage across a broad cross section of Qur’anic verses illustrates that the word Fatah has a core connotation of ‘opening up’ or ‘laying bare’ such as: - God unfolding or ‘opening up’ the revelation to the Jews (2:76), - Deciding (laying bare truth) between people (7:89, 34:26), - Opening up or showering (35:2) mercy. - Opening someone’s baggage (12:65), - Letting lose Gagog and Magog (21:96), - Opening a gate (23:77, 39:7, 78:19), However, traditional literalist translation of the verses 61:13 conflate the word fatah with conquest which has a military connotation which distorts the meaning of this verse as commented under Note 191 while translating the verse 48:18. ii. 2.65. Addressed to early adherent of Bani Israel (Jews), the verse states: “And you certainly knew those who transgressed among you concerning the Sabbath, so We said to them, ‘Be apes, despised.’ (2:65). Given the Qur’an’s claim of the allegorical character of some of its verses, this and other complimentary ayat are in all likelihood of an allegorical nature (Note. 145 above) iii. 2:74 The literal reading of the verse capturing the fall of boulders from a rocky mountain is as follows: “Then your hearts hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. Yet, there are stones from which rivers burst forth, and there are some that split open and water comes out, and there are some that fall down for awe of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do” (2:74). The imagery of stones falling in the Awe of God is obviously metaphorical and taken literally sounds absurd. 6. Jizyah – A diplomatic alternative to integrate the vanquished people into the domain of Islam often misinterpreted as a license for their forced conversion. Towards the concluding years of the revelation, when the Prophet set out to the North to fulfil a Qur’anic prophecy made in the wake of Hudaibiyah Peace treaty warning the Desert Arabs about their fighting against a people of great might (48:16, Note 195) - he encountered many Jewish and Christian settlements on the way. He had the option to play the warrior and conquer them – as by this time he had grown very strong militarily - or to find a way out to peace and inclusiveness. The Qur’an offered a way out in its following verse that was revealed in course of the Tabuk Expedition (Note 196) “Fight those from among the People of the Book (and Jews) who do not have faith in God, nor in the Last Day, and do not consider forbidden what God and His messenger have forbidden, and do not acknowledge the religion of truth - until they pay tribute (jiziyah) willingly as subjects” (9:29). The verse empowered the Prophet to form peace alliances with the Christian and Jewish settlements of the southern regions of Byzantium without any military engagement or forced conversion. In the immediate context of the revelation, the institutionalization of Jizyah served as a diplomatic alternative to conflict, securing the rights and safety of the non-Muslim communities while providing the Muslim state with necessary resources to support its governance without imposing military burdens on non-Muslims. Besides, but for the sole verse on Jiziyah (9:29), the conquering Muslim army might have plundered, brutalized and enslaved the vanquished people in its early sweep and before long found it impossible to sustain the occupation of its expanding empire that included all the major neighboring countries – Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Persia within thirty years of the Prophet’s death. In historical perspective, even before the advent of Islam, small states, weak kingdoms or vanquished people were required to pay a royalty or tax to their mighty neighbour to defending them against external aggression. Thus, all small Christian kingdoms beyond the borders of the Byzantine Empire paid a defence levy to the Roman (Byzantine) Emperor. When these kingdoms merged with Islam, they paid the defence levy (Jizyah) to the Muslim Caliph based on their physically fit and combat capable adult population. Jizyah also served as a balancing tax - as a partial substitute for the Zakat that Muslims were required to pay towards public funds. Thus, in effect, Jizyah was a combination of welfare levy, and exemption tax and not a discriminatory tax against the non-Muslims settled in Islamic domain as the critics of Islam claim. Accordingly, women, under age and old men, sick or crippled men, and monks and priests were exempt from this tax. Those non-Muslims who volunteered military services were also exempt. The principle of jizya was so noble, and its application was so honest, that many Christian settlements looked forward to their integration with the Islamic state. - Philip K.Hitti, History of the Arabs, 1937, 10th edition, London 1993, p. 152. The End. Copyright: The author has vested Sultan Shahin, Founder and Editor, New Age Islam, New Delhi a blanket and sole copyright of this publication without any alteration, omission or addition as a trust with the following responsibility purely on voluntary basis • To spread it across institutions engaged in the study and teaching of the Qur’an focusing on its guidance and historicity • To get the work translated into other languages as his resources permit and reach it into Islamic schools and seminaries in the Western word where the growing Muslim population desperately needs it. Pool funds institutionally, needed for the above noble though very challenging task and independently manage at personal discretion all the funds that this project may generate. Note on Authorship and Editorial Refinement "I must also mention the names of Sultan Shahin and Arman Neyazi for promptly responding to any editorial corrections even after the posting of an article relating to this project. This had become necessary for proper chronological sequencing of verses and passages on various events of the revelation – given that the Qur’an records glimpses of events without any historical details notably date and venue and to place them in a time-frame needed a great deal of shuffling and relocation of text." Also Read (Previous Parts of Part One): The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part One The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Two The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Three The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Four The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Five The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Six The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Seven The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition Of Qur’anic Guidance In Its Own Words - Part Eight The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Nine The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Ten The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light): An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Eleven ------ Parts of Part Two: The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part One The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Two The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Three The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Four The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Five The Qur’an – Nurun ‘Ala Nur (Light Upon Light) Part-2: An Exposition of Qur’anic Guidance in Its Own Words - Part Six ----- Muhammad Yunus, a Chemical Engineering graduate from Indian Institute of Technology, and a retired corporate executive has been engaged in an in-depth study of the Qur’an since early 90’s, focusing on its core message. He has co-authored the referred exegetic work, which received the approval of al-Azhar al-Sharif, Cairo in 2002, and following restructuring and refinement was endorsed and authenticated by Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl of UCLA, and published by Amana Publications, Maryland, USA, 2009. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/books-documents/quran-nurun-ala-nur-light-part-2-quranic-guidance-part-seven/d/136902 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism