Quran (القرآن) and Quran Tafsir with Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa (على جمعة): Al-An’am (سورة الأنعام), “The Cattle” (Quran 6:6)
I have been studying chapter 6 of the Qur’an: The Cattle (Al-An’am). I have been learning from Ali Gomaa; a leading Islamic scholar. He is the second highest Sunni authority in Egypt. This is episode 11 of 19.
This episode focuses on the word “generations” found in Quran 6:6 with a continued emphasis on the generation of Muhammad, his Companions, and Followers. Ali Gomaa discusses the tradition that Muhammad’s gaze had the ability to make others Compansions and students.
To help understand this episode about the generation/century of Muhammad it is helpful to understand the importance of Muhammad’s companions (sahaba) and followers (Tabi‘un):
Companions (sahaba [الصحابة]) – “For Sunni Muslims, a reference to the Companions serves not only to describe certain individuals as a collective entity but also carries with it an immense weight from a theologico-political prescriptive: Appeal is made to the sayings and deeds of the Prophet and his Companions, as recorded in the Hadith, in all matters of Islamic decision-making as well as for guidelines about personal piety and everyday conduct…the manner of conduct (sunna) of the Prophet and his Companions is considered one of the four sources of the law (uṣūl al-fiqh) and commands an authority second only to that of the Quran” (“Companions of the Prophet.” Encyclopaedia of the Quran).
Followers/Successors (tabi’un [التابعون]) – “Successors of the Companions of the Prophet. The Successors are the members of the generation of Muslims that followed the Companions, or those Muslims who knew one or more of the Companions but not the Prophet himself. They played a significant role in the early stages of the Kuran commentary, the biography of the Prophet including the history of his campaigns, jurisprudence and the collection and dissemination of tradtions” (Encyclopaedia of Islam).
Sheikh Ali Gomaa’s Teaching About Surat Al’An’am
0:09-1:28
“Why did most of the scholars say that, he whom the Prophet saw is counted as a companion? Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqallaani Imam of Hadith scholars says: That’s because, when the Prophet looked to one of them, he (SAWS) 1Abbreviation for the Arabic phrase transliterated, Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. This phrase is used after references to Muhammad and his titles. It means May Allah bless him and grant him peace. would have an effect causing him to be of good record. i.e. when our Master (SAWS) looked to a person, that person turned to a fair person. So the Prophet (SAWS) had a way of educating people only by the look, which is a very high level of education. Why is that: “he whom the Prophet (SAWS) saw” and not “He who saw the Prophet (SAWS)”? So that the blind would be included, like Ibn-Umm-Maktoom. Abdullah Ibn-Umm-Maktoom was blind who did not see the Prophet (SAWS), but the Prophet (SAWS) saw him, thus he remains a companion. So the first step is that the Prophet (SAWS) looked at him. This look adjusts him directly. This is the opinion of Ibn-Hajar in the reason why did majority of scholars approve, that all people seen by the Prophet (SAWS), believing in him (SAWS) till their death, are considered as companions.”
1:31-3:25
Ali Gomaa goes on to discuss those who saw Muhammad’s companions (Sahaba) but did not see Muhammad. These people are known as “the followers” (Tabi’un).
Ali Gomaa says of these “followers”, “The best among them is Owais El-Qarni, because he was present while the Prophet (SAWS) was alive, but being dutiful to his sick mother. He remained next to her till the Prophet (SAWS) passed away.”
“The Prophet (SAWS) advised Omar: “If you meet Owais El-Qarni let him pray for you.” Omar kept looking for him, each hajj season, each time he saw the delegration coming from Yemen, he asked if Owais El-Qarni was among them, till he finally found him. He took him to the Ka’ba and asked him to pray for him. Omar was firm and strict, when he asked Owais to pray for him, he tried to refuse saying that he has nothing to do with such matter. But Omar insisted, and Omar was a respectful man, with a great personality. He was…almost 3 meters tall. He was a venerated man. He was squint and bald. He mastered writing with both hands. When seeing him, people used to fear him. So our master Owais prayed for him and ran away. He thought that Omar will always ask me to pray for him and I am a humble man who has nothing to do with such matter, so he traveled to Baghdad, then to Egypt where he died and was buried in Upper Egypt that was honored by such a grave..”
3:47-7:27
“The best century is mine then those who follow.” Ali Gomaa says, “So the century is a generation. Or, it may be one hundred year[s], as we are using the word for. We say the 20th century, the 19th century, etc. Or it can mean what happened between two important incidents in history.”
“Have they not seen how many a generation We caused to perish even before them, (whom) We had established in the earth, in whatever We have not established you, and We have sent the heaven upon them plentifully, and made the rivers to run from beneath them? Then We caused them to perish for their guilty (deeds), and we brought into being even after them another generation.”
“We spoke about the century meaning in language and said that it is generation. Peoples who live in a certain era, like the honorable companions. The companions’ generation is that generation that extended lived for almost one hundred years. Mahmoud Ibn Ar-Rabi’ (RA) for example, remembered a blow of water the Messenger (SAWS) blew once in his face. Meaning: there was a pot filled with water. Our Messenger (SAWS) took one sip from it. Mahmoud Ibn Al-Rabi’ was four years old then. As a joke, he (SAWS) blew the water in the kid’s face. How lucky he was. The Messenger (SAWS), has been the full meaning of cleanliness, beauty and pureness. Allah (SWT) 2Abbreviation for the Arabic phrase, Subhanahu wa ta’ala. This expression is used after using the name Allah. The English translation means “highly praised and glorified is He.“ made him (SAWS) pure in both his interior as exterior, in his noble body that everything in him (SAWS) was pure. The belief of Muslims is that all prophets are pure. El-Bahouti says, what is defiled from us, is pure from him (SAWS) and from all other prophets. All prophets are, for Muslims, in a complete state of pureness, inside and outside, everything in the Prophet (SAWS) was beautiful. Therefore, the companions used to compete in his (SAWS) love, they acted upon love, they loved him (SAWS). He (SAWS), although his highest station, blew water from his mouth on Mahmoud Ibn Ar-Rabi’. Mahmoud used to remember it till he died…and was proud of it. Muslims envied him for that that the Prophet (SAWS) blew water in his face while playing with him.”
Christianity, the Quran, Muhammad, and Jesus
The blind remained blind in Muhammad’s presence. But in Jesus’ presence, the blind regained sight. Jesus’ ability to open minds to heavenly truths was demonstrated by His opening eyes that were blind to things in this world.
One of my favorite stories of Jesus’ healing the blind and opening eyes to heavenly truth is John 9.
OTHER BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF JESUS HEALING THE BLIND
- Matthew 9:27-31
- Matthew 12:22
- Matthew 15:30
- Matthew 20:29-34
- Matthew 21:14
- Mark 8:22-26
- Mark 10:46-52
HEALING THE BLIND IS ONE OF THE PROOFS JESUS IS THE PROMISED SAVIOR OF THE OLD TESTAMENT (Isaiah 35:4-6 with Matthew 11:2-5)
Related Posts about Quran Tafsir:
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Quran 6:6, Ali Gomaa discusses the Importance of History and a Discussion of Free Thinking (#10)
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Quran 6:6, Ali Gomaa discusses History, Idioms, and Inventions (#12)
Sample chapters from Is the Qur’an the Word of God:
Jesus’ Death on the Cross and the Qur’an
Trinity, Tawheed, and Monotheism
Ahmadiyya
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
Ahmed Deedat
References
