'It is Ahmed, stunning on 'one chord to two bows' (qasida 19:10)

This is the motto of this section, which is for talking about our beloved prophet Mohammad [PPBUH].

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Look at us, O Messenger of Allah 

[O ye of Faith! Say not: "Ra'na", rather say: "Inzorna" - i.e. keep an eye on us - and hearken. To those without Faith is a grievous punishment] al-Baqara 2:104.

The command is directed to those of faith, the believers. Abdullah ibn Mas'oud said: If you hear Allah saying [O ye of Faith!], you should listen carefully, as it is either something good you should do, or something bad you should avoid. This verse commands the believers to be polite when asking for a look or for a care from the Prophet [PPBUH], and to avoid the words that could be misunderstood. I.e. the two words "Ra'na" and "Inzorna" have the same meaning in Arabic and they both mean "Look at us, take care of us, and keep an eye on us", but Allah, Almighty, preferred one over the other and ordered us to use that one, "Inzorna", and prevented us from saying the other one, "Ra'na". This prevention means that it is forbidden, as ibn Kathir said in his interpretation. the word "Inzorna" is special for glorifying the Prophet [PPBUH]. Furthermore, this command for the politeness with the Prophet [PPBUH], when asking for a look or care, does not end by his passing away [PPBUH], since he is exalted in his death exactly as in his life, as Imam Malik said. Also this means that this request for the look of the Prophet [PPBUH] is continuously valid. Abo-Jafar said "When Allah said [rather say: "Inzorna"], i.e. say O believers to your Prophet [PPBUH]: Look at us and watch for us -from the care- so we can understand and recognize what you say to us, and what you teach us". This is consistent with what Allah said [One day will the hypocrites - men and women - say to the believers 'Look at us and let us borrow from your light'] al-Hadid 57:13. We say that the look coming from the Prophet [PPBUH] at us would give us a glimpse of his lights [PPBUH] to open for us his hidden and apparent knowledge.

But what is the meaning in "Ra'na" that made it forbidden by Allah, Almighty for all believers to say it? and why Did He commanded them to prefer the word "Inzorna".

Al-Qortoby said in his interpretation:

Allah, Almighty, prevented the believers from saying "Ra'na", in spite of the fact that the word "Ra'na" means take care of us and keep an eye on us, as you say the famous greetings of the Arabs before Islam "Ra'ak Allah", meaning "may Allah protects and preserves you", but the word also my have the meaning of "listen to us carefully". And as Allah has ordered the believers to respect and glorify the Prophet [PPBUH], until He, Almighty, prevented them from raising their voice before him [PPBUH] or talk to him in the same manner they do with each other, and He, Almighty, warned them as they may loose all the benefits of their good deeds if they fail to do that. So Allah warn the believers from saying what might contain any kind of rudeness, and ordered them to choose the best words and the nicest of meanings when they talk to him [PPBUH]. Thus Allah, Almighty, prevented the believers from saying "Ra'na" because of the meaning that this word might have of "listen to us carefully so that we listen to you, and understand us so that we understand you" because this word has to be between equal parties. So Allah, Almighty, prevented the companions of the Prophet [PPBUH] from saying that, and ordered them to only ask him [PPBUH] to look at them, to keep an eye on them and to make them understand what he is giving them through honoring and glorifying him [PPBUH], not through rudeness, roughness, frowning, or being similar to the Jews in their behavior towards him [PPBUH]. Ash-Shawkany said: Allah ordered them to talk to the Prophet [PPBUH] using words that can never contain any possibility of defect or insinuation.

Ibn Kathir said in his interpretation about Allah's words [rather say: "Inzorna"]: they were ordered to talk to him [PPBUH] with revering, i.e. "Please turn to us and look at us". It seems like calling for the look of the eyes which is associated with consideration, which is the same meaning of the word "Ra'na", so it was switched for the believers to avoid the possibilty of what the Jews meant.

It was also said about this first word "Ra'na": that it might be understood as "listen carefully to us" which is a rude word that implies that "you listen to us, and we listen to you".

Also Attiya said about [Say not: "Ra'na"]: There were some people of the Jews who used to say "Are'na Sam'k" - i.e. listen to us- which were mocking words, and that some Muslim people heard it and said it without knowing its bad meaning for the Jews. So Allah warned the believers from imitating the Jews and said [O ye of Faith! Say not: "Ra'na"] as the Jews said.

As-Sadiyy also said about [[O ye of Faith! Say not: "Ra'na", rather say: "Inzorna"]: There was a Jewish man - from a tribe called Bani Qayneqa'. He was called Refa'a ibn Zayed ibn as-Sa'ib who used to come to the Prophet [PPBUH] and say to him "Are'na Sam'k" which is a word, in their language, they - the Jews - say to each others as an insult. So Allah prevented the believers to say like the Jews to avoid the suspicion.

Ibn Kathir said, in his interpretation, that this verse contained two indications:

The first one is: Avoiding the words that can possibly insinuate any blemish, with the exception of the direct defamation which imposes the punishment in our religion. Ibn Hayyan comments on that saying, in his book "the Surrounding Sea": This prevention included any dealing with the Prophet [PPBUH] on equal sides, i.e. there can be no sharing with him [PPBUH] in any action.

The second one is: Sticking to Avoiding "Zary'a" - the possibilities of doubtful actions - which is the doctrine of Imam Malik and his people and also Im Ahmed ibn Hanbal, and which is supported by Qur'an and Sunna. "Zary'a" means an action which is not prevented in itself, but for fear of committing something that is prevented in itself.

Ibn Kathir continued: Allah's saying [and hearken] to what Allah ordered and prohibited which is urging for the kind of listening that includes obeying. Then Allah told them that whoever denies His verses or signs from them or any others, disobeyed His commands or prohibitions, and accused the Messenger of lying, would be punished with agonizing torture in the hereafter. So Allah said: And for those disbelievers of Me and My Messenger agonizing torture.

Al-Alousy said in his interpretation: It is a command to good listening, i.e. with prepared heart that is free from preoccupations. Then one would not need to ask for the consideration and care. As it emphasized their incomplete listening until they committed what may lead the dangerous acts. So what it needed is to say "We listened and obeyed" in insinuation to the Jews who said "We listened and disobeyed". And if the intention is to listen to that command and prohibition, then it would assuring to what was mentioned before. [To those without Faith is a grievous punishment] to the people who betrayed their covenants - the Jews - who said what they said out of underestimation to the known Messenger. From all that we conclude that the underestimation of the Messenger is a disbelief that calls for a grievous punishment. This contain ascertaining to the prohibition. And it would include all those of the same kind like the Jews. But what ibn Hayyan chose is not clearly shown, as the speech is directed to the believers, so it cannot be generalized, i.e. the disbelievers of those commands and prohibitions.

An-Niasaboury said in his interpretation about the signs of this verse: the fineness of the speech is from the complete politeness. Complete politeness is the means that gets someone to the substance of the righteousness. Whoever does not have manners, he has no refining, and whoever has no refining, he has no advancement, then he has no reaching. I.e. Whoever is not raised by the hands of the Men of Allah, he will not be able to raise Men. They said "He who misbehave with the beloveds, will expelled out to the door. And he who misbehave at the door, will be expelled to the grooming of the riding animals". They also said "Make your work like the salt, and your manners like the flour". Also "One would reach with with manners and politeness to great ranks while he does not do much. Whoever is deprived from politeness, is deprived from all the goodness. Whoever is given the politeness, is given the keys to the hearts". Abo-Osman [AAH] said "Politeness with the great ones and in the sittings of masters from the saints, would someone to the high ranks and goodness in the worldly life and the afterwards". Abo-Hafs al-Haddad said "All the religion is manners, for every time there is manners, for every state there is manners, for every situation there is manners. Whoever abide by manners will reach the ranks of Men, and whoever is deprived from manners would be far when he thinks he is close, and rejected when he hopes to be accepted". Za-n-Noon al-Misry [AAH] said "If the seeker is deviated from the manners, he will go back where came from". It was said that "Whosoever is not polite for some time, then this time is aversion". It was also said "He who is bounded by his ancestry, will be released by the manners. Whoever had low manners, will have more riot". Also said "Politeness is the support for the poor ones and the ornament for the rich ones".

Written by Samer al-Lail  

Translated by Mohamed

Whoever wants to get more about this subject, can seek it in the website of Al-Nabi [PPBUH]

the Editorial Team