The Majestic Quran

1 The phrase “what your right hands possess” refers to slaves. The Prophet r received the revelation at a time when slavery was widespread. Although Islam encouraged the freeing of slaves, this was not possible to achieve all at once, therefore rules were revealed on how to treat slaves in the best possible way. See Chapter An-Nur p688. 2 Wasiyya : Bequest is the written will. 3 In Shariah, the maximum that can be bequeathed is a third of the estate. 4 Verses 15 and 16 describe the penalty for adultery and fornication, respectively; this was later changed by the ruling mentioned in Chapter An-Nur : 1. 5 A pre-Islamic Arab custom: a man could inherit a male relative’s widow without her consent or the need to renew the marriage. 6 The custom of war in Arabia and elsewhere at the time was that women and children captured on the battlefield were not to be killed or left to die, but taken as hostages or slaves. Their previous marriage became void. 7 Literally “don’t eat one another ’ s wealth” but here it is metaphorical, as we might say, “don’t kill yourself,” to someone who is throwing all their effort into getting a job done, for example, or saving up money to buy something. Others say it refers to suicide, or it is an order not to kill each other. 8 In Arabia, contracts like wills became binding not by a signature, but by a solemn oath. 9 See also verse 128 for advice to women on how to deal with such ill-conduct and high-handedness of husbands. 10 There is an alternative meaning of the word ‘Wadrebuhunna’; apply force on them. When asked to explain this phrase, the Prophet r took his miswak (a teeth cleaning twig, a traditional alternative to the modern toothbrush) and lightly prodded the Companion sat next to him; a purely symbolic act, like not sharing the bed, which represents the husband’s displeasure but does not cause any physical harm. Violence of any kind against women is forbidden. 11 In the early days of Islam alcoholic drink was not banned, it was forbidden by the revelation of Al- Ma’idah: 90 12 In the Hanafi school, a person is a traveller when he sets off on a journey of fifty four miles or more, and intends to stay fewer than fifteen days in any one place, in which case he can shorten the prayer. 13 This is known as “tayammum”, a symbolic way of purifying oneself, in lieu of wudu, ablution. 14 See Al-Baqarah 2: 104 for an explanation. 15 The word “fateel” refers to the thin film covering a date stone, a metaphor for an insignificant weight or amount. 16 “Naqeer” refers to the little groove in date stones, and means the same as “fateel” in this context. 17 The nerves that sense pain are in the skin, without the skin there would be no pain. So, this terrible and painful description shows the nature of that suffering. 18 This introduces verse 71, encouraging Jihad for the defence of faith and freedom. 19 The pagans used to plunder to enrich their tribe, violence wasn’t for defence or a moral cause as in Islam. The Quran repeatedly speaks of war as a means of putting an end to the persecution of the weak by the strong. They were told: “Hold back your hands” from wrongdoing, since they would pick only on weak groups, which tended to run away, leaving their goods behind for the taking. 20 The Bedouins were used to raids, which they won by a mere show of strength, rather than actual fighting. 21 Salam, meaning “peace”, a customary greeting of Arab Jews, Christians and Muslims. The verse was revealed after a Muslim had killed someone who had greeted him with “as-salam ‘alaykum” . Rather than give the stranger the benefit of the doubt, he thought this person was pretending to be a Muslim to save his life. His action was condemned.