Section 3: None Toucheth The Qur’an But The Purified Ones

Qur’an Is In The Book Hidden
None Toucheth It But The Pure Ones
Nearest To Every One Is God
The Virtuous Shall Be Rewarded And The Wicked Shall Be Punished

Al-Waqiah Verses 75 - 96

فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِمَوَاقِعِ النُّجُومِ

“But nay! I swear by the setting of the stars1“ (56:75)

وَإِنَّهُ لَقَسَمٌ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ

“And verily it is a great oath if ye only knew it” (56:76)

إِنَّهُ لَقُرْآنٌ كَرِيمٌ

“Verily it is Qur’an honourable2“ (56:77)

فِي كِتَابٍ مَكْنُونٍ

“In a Book hidden3“ (56:78)

لَا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ

“Toucheth it not save the purified ones4“ (56:79)

تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

“Sent down by the Lord of the worlds” (56:80)

أَفَبِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَنْتُمْ مُدْهِنُونَ

“What! Hold ye then in scorn5this statement?” (56:81)

وَتَجْعَلُونَ رِزْقَكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ تُكَذِّبُونَ

“And make ye your sustenance6that ye should belie it” (56:82)

فَلَوْلَا إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ

“Why then do ye not (help) when (the soul of the dying man) cometh up to the throat7?” (56:83)

وَأَنْتُمْ حِينَئِذٍ تَنْظُرُونَ

“And ye then (remain) only gazing8(at him)” (56:84)

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْكُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ لَا تُبْصِرُونَ

“And We are nearer to him than ye, but ye see (Us) not9“ (56:85)

فَلَوْلَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ غَيْرَ مَدِينِينَ

“Why not then, if ye are not in bondage10(unto Us)” (56:86)

تَرْجِعُونَهَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

“Ye send it (the soul) back, if ye be truthful” (56:87)

فَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ

“Then if he be of those drawn nigh (unto God)” (56:88)

فَرَوْحٌ وَرَيْحَانٌ وَجَنَّتُ نَعِيمٍ

“(For him is) rest and happiness and a garden11delightful” (56:89)

وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ

“And if he be of the people of the Right Hand” (56:90)

فَسَلَامٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ

“Then Peace unto you from the people of the Right Hand” (56:91)

وَأَمَّا إِنْ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ الضَّالِّينَ

“And if he be of those who have belied, gone astray” (56:92)

فَنُزُلٌ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ

“He shall have an entertainment of a boiling water” (56:93)

وَتَصْلِيَةُ جَحِيمٍ

“And the boiling of the hell-fire” (56:94)

إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ حَقُّ الْيَقِينِ

“Verily, this is truth in certainty” (56:95)

فَسَبِّحْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الْعَظِيمِ

“Hallow therefore the Name of thy Lord, the Great” (56:96)

‘Maqam an-Nujum’ i.e., the time or the occasion of the setting of the stars - the time between midnight and the approach of the dawn. It is true when the pious ones or the staunch devotees of God are busy in their supplications or adoration to the Lord. Some commentators say that it refers to the revelation of the Qur’an. However, it is the time when the Mercy of the Lord unfolds itself specially for those who are busy seeking it, by their supplications.

It is the best time for concentration, meditation, and thus for communion with the All-Divine. This is the time availed of, by the sincere devotees of God to elevate their souls from the limitations of the depth of the material sphere of life to the infinite sublimity of the heights of the spiritual excellence.

Verse 77

To get the full meaning, this verse has to be read along with the other following two, i.e., 78 and 79 below. These three verses deserve a serious and intelligent study. Note the Holy Qur’an is called ‘Kareem’ which may mean Honourable as well as Charitable, Beneficent, Liberal, Kind. All the various meanings of the word ‘Kareem’ are equally applicable to the Holy Qur’an. Taking the meaning Gracious, Beneficent, it has the quality in perfect consonance with the fact that it is the Word of the Gracious and the Beneficent Lord of the Universe. Beneficence or Grace, is always given to anyone and everyone who seeks it. Similarly, the Holy Qur’an is there, ever ready to benefit or profit whosoever approaches it duly as the guidance of God is promised to whosoever seeks it12.

Verse 78

It is clearly said, that it (the Holy Qur’an) is treasured in a Concealed or a Hidden Book, which means that the Holy Qur’an is an object contained in a Book which is Concealed or Hidden, i.e., duly protected - in which case the thing in our bands is only a Recital form of the Holy Qur’an and not the actual Book itself, for it is clearly said here that, it is in the ‘Kitab al-Maknoon’ ‘Hidden Book.’ Supporting this is verse 43:3, which says, that this is the only Arabic version of the Holy Qur’an, and 43:4 says that the actual Holy Qur’an is in the ‘Umm al-Kitab’ the ‘Mother Book.’

The Holy Qur’an was revealed through the Messenger Angel Gabriel descending on the heart of the Holy Prophet13. In verse 53:5, it is said that the One Strong, taught it to the Holy Prophet. In 29:49, it is clearly said that the Holy Qur’an which consists of manifest signs or verses, is treasured in the hearts of those who are gifted with the knowledge, naturally of the Holy Qur’an. All these show that the Hidden Book, in heavens is the ‘Lawh al-Mahfooz’, the ‘Secured or Guarded Tablet’ which on the earth is represented by the heart of the Holy Prophet.

The description of the Book given is so perfect14 as that in which neither any wet nor any dry thing is omitted. The Holy Prophet says: “I am the City of Knowledge and ‘Ali is its Gate.” Thus, “The Hidden Book on earth in which the Holy Qur’an is treasured is the heart of the Holy Prophet and this heavenly treasure has been passed on to the Twelve Imams (all of whom are from the seed of the Holy Prophet through ‘Ali and Fatimah) the first inheritor (or the custodian) of it was ‘Ali who got it direct from the Holy Prophet.” To understand or realise, this fact needs the purity of mind, the sincerity of the quest for the true guidance to serve the determined personal excellence, to raise itself from the abyss of degradation to the sublime heights of spiritual glory and eternal bliss.

Verse 79

The ordinary rendering of translation of this verse, is that it shall be held in all honour and purity. It shall not even be touched but by the clean at least in body with the prescribed ablution without which none shall even touch its written form. The wording means also that none but the purified one would understand it duly. Here the mental or the intellectual touch is meant.

Even the Ahmadi commentator (M.A.) acknowledges this to be one of the meanings of this verse saying: “This also shows that the understanding of the Qur’an is granted only to those who are pure in heart.” One should know as to who could be the purified ones who could have the external as well as internal purity to have the perfect touch to it. The Holy Qur’an affords the guidance to the divine personalities whose purity in every aspect of their life was affected by God Himself15.

Verses 77 - 79

There are few points to be noted:

1. That Qur’an has a pre-revealed state of being in a Hidden Book on Protected Tablet (Lawh al-Mahfooz)16.

2. That state is not of material or of physical nature to appeal to human external senses or be touchable by any physical body.

3. Such a state belongs to a Psychic and the intellectual sphere, i.e., the angelical realm. Hence the question arises and thus the word ‘mass’, meaning Touch, means the intellectual Touch, or Grasp - as the inseparable pronoun in Objective case ‘Yamassuhu’ either refers to the Hidden Book or to the Qur’an which is in the Hidden Book.

4. The clause ‘La-Yamassuhu’ should be taken as purely indicative and not of imperative significance.

5. If there is any tradition which prohibits the touching of the Revealed Version of the Qur’an by impure ones, it should be taken as an imperative based on this indicative preposition. Similar to what was pointed out in 37:102, that as Abraham telling his son Ishmael of the dream he had in the indicative form, his son translated the indicative into imperative.

6. The phrase ‘Al-Mutahharun’, i.e., the Purified ones in verse 79, does not convey the meaning of those who purify themselves by water or by embracing Islam. This phrase has been used in the Qur’an in several places indicating or referring to the Beings purified by God Himself viz. 80:13-16, 98:2, 98:3 referring to the purified Books and 2:25 referring to the purified wives in the life hereafter.

7. In the case of the physical touch, the surface of one object touches the surface of the other and thus the touch would be partial but in the case of intellectual touch or grasp, it is not the case. The knower grasps the known in such a way that the known, knowing and the knower become identified with one another. Hence the touch is entire or total.

8. As the term touch requires, the toucher and the touched one should be at the same level otherwise the touch would be impossible.

9. Considering all these points, many commentators have said that the purified ones in the exceptional clause belong are angels. This shows that they accepted in principle that touching of Qur’an in its original state of the Hidden Book or the Guarded Tablet, is only possible for those purified ones whose conscious self is of the angelical level but their attempt to confine the application of the term only to the angels discards the Status that God has given to men whom He has chosen to represent Him as His Vicegerents on earth and has purified them, as an outstanding example of human beings purified by God with the thorough purification by Himself17

Taking this verse as the minor promises and the exceptional clause as the major one, the conclusion would be that the members of the Ahl Al-Bayt are in total touch with the Qur’an in its original state of angelical order and this has been confirmed by the most authentic and irrefutable declaration of the Holy Prophet the ‘Hadith Ath-Thaqalayn’ that Qur’an and his Ahl Al-Bayt are the Two Purified entities inseparable which he left within the reach of the Muslims as his representatives, announcing that whoever adheres to these Two, will be safe from getting astray.

Thus, the Qur’an and Sunnah in unequivocal terms, asserted beyond doubt the status of Ahl Al-Bayt to be identified with that of Qur’an, i.e., both are infallible (A.P.).

Verse 81

Reference to the disbelievers, ridiculing the Holy Qur’an, calling it a compilation of old stories and not being a revelation from God.

Verse 82

Once while the Holy Prophet was travelling there happened the dearth of water and the people needed water immediately to quench their killing thirst. The Holy Prophet said if I pray to God and get the water from heaven, you will ascribe it to the effect of some star. They said that they would not. The Holy Prophet prayed and instantaneously it rained very heavily. A man while taking water for him, said that the rain was due to some star’s movement. The Holy Prophet heard it and said that I am afraid of three forbidden things in my people:

(1) Cruelty to my Ahl Al-Bayt,

(2) Disbelief in the Holy Qur’an,

(3) Belief in the stars.

1. Or the position of the Qur’an.
2. Refer to Verses 43:4; 50:4.
3. Refer to Verses 85:21-22; 80:13-16.
4. Refer to Verse 33:33.
5. Hypocritically.
6. Habit similar to the habit of eating (A.P.).
7. Refer to Verse 56:82.
8. Helplessly.
9. Refer to Verses 34:50; 50:16.
10. If you are not held under any authority (A.P.).
11. Paradise.
12. Refer to Verse 29:69.
13. Refer to Verses 26:193, 26:194.
14. Refer to Verse 6:59.
15. Refer to Verse 33:33.
16. Refer to Verses 85:21-22.
17. Refer to Verse 33:33.