Exegesis of Al-Bayyina (Q. 98)

In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful the Most Gracious...
He, upon him be peace, was asked about the interpretation of: {Those who disbelieve amongst the People of the Book and the idolaters...}
{People of the Book}: People of the Torah, the Book revealed to Moses, peace be on him.
It is authoritative to the Jews and Christians, both of which have many sects amongst them.
Amongst the Jews are: the Judaists, the Samaritans, and others you‟ve seen and heard of.
The Christians are: the Melkites, Jacobites, Nestorians, and others you‟ve seen and heard of.
There‟s no need to mention them in our exegesis and talk about them in specifics.
It suffices to say that they are the People of the Book, whether them or other divisions.
The {idolaters} are those Arabs that worshipped idols with Allah as gods and lords.
They are set up as lords, and from people, they are those who denied, rejected, and abhorred
That there should be to these things a Lord that should be worshipped and adored.
One could claim that these things remain still as one could readily see in accord.
It cannot be established that these things can organise something or have an effect.
They commit a grave offense in that they are blind and ignorant, but have eyes yet.
Despite that, they do not see that these manufactured things are false, an effected thing,
An innovated object, and well-measured. It‟s not hidden from the blind or the seeing.
Verily, in this, there is no acknowledgement of the Hereafter and final destination.
The People of the Torah, People of the Book, those who do not have affirmation
Of God are not the same as the Arab. The Arab is likened to the one acknowledges God
But sets up partners to Allah. Their intellects are as those of freely grazing livestock.
When a convincing argument is brought before them by Allah, with sound principles,
By which Allah diffuses all of their excuses, their rejection is shown to be evident simple.
Those mentioned in this sūrah are only those who acknowledge the Lord but don‟t believe.
They are those amongst the People of the Book and idolaters who reject and therefore disbelieve.
He says, Glorified be He: {Those who disbelieve amongst the People of the Book and the idolaters did not fragment...}
Fragmentation refers to the staying away from and avoiding the others; forming sects.
They fragment from the agreement of their groups and slander Allah in that respects.
The word {disbelieve} here means: are ungrateful. This is because the unappreciative
To Allah, Blessed be His Name, is the rejecter who commits evil acts of disobedience.
This is the case even with someone who acknowledges and believes in Allah by gnosis;
Similar to Satan, who mentioned Allah, Glorified be He, by means of what he did know thus.
He was declared ungrateful to his Lord due to his persistence in committing major sins.
Similarly, anyone who persists in major sins falls from grace and declared ungrateful then.
Whosoever attains His pleasure, aligns with His friends and opposes His foes, is grateful.
Because of the disobedience of the People of the Book and idolaters, they are "ungrateful."
However, in all of their hearts and tongues is an establishment of Allah. Then, He states so:
{Those who disbelieved amongst the People of the Book and idolaters did not fragment...}
This means: They did not divide, avoid one another, and become disobedient,
{...until there came to them the Explanation}, which means: Clear Enlightenment.
{A Messenger from Allah rehearsing pure scripture}
{... rehearsing...} means: reciting and following after the recitation.
{...scripture...}: what from the reading was gathered in pagination.
{...pure...} means: that in which lies purity and blessing clear.
A book in which lies enlightenment and an explanation there.
Everything that is pure is blessed and everything blessed is pure.
In it is blessing and purity by Allah. Similarly is said of the Messenger.
When he is mentioned by what Allah made in him from blessings,
He is the Messenger of Allah, the pure and the one in whom is pleasance.
There are many statements that mention him as pure. Whosoever mentions
Him as pure, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, is ingenuous.
By that, one only means that he is blessed and a pure human being.
Him having just performed the ritual ablution is not the intended meaning.
Similar is the case regarding his daughter, Fāŧima, upon her be peace;
For she is known as the Pure One. Blessed is what this epithet means.
This means what was granted to her and what blessings has been given
To her as the issue of Allah‟s Messenger, peace be upon his progeny and him.
This is the interpretation of purity. This perspective is known and undeniable.
One isn‟t ignorant of it or objectionable. It‟s known in Arabic and conceptually viable.
{In it are laws established aright}
The meaning is: laws of enlightenment, decisiveness, and explanation.
In possesses light, evidences, and proofs. There‟s no difference or deviation.
Then, Allah mentions what we did about the People of the Book engaging in separations,
As well as disagreeing; and what they do now and before now, splitting into denominations.
{Those who have the Book did not separate until after there came to them the Explanation}
The meaning of {Explanation} is: the Messengers and Enlightenment they brought;
There is no trickery or obscurity in it. But, it is evident to the intellect and clearly taught.
{They were not commanded except to worship Allah sincerely. This is the upright religion; to establish the prayer and render the purification dues}
They were commanded to worship Him alone. The Christians worshipped Christ,
His Messenger and Slave, along with him. They were commanded to be genuine
In their religion and place alongside Him a son. But they made him a third of three.
{The ones who disbelieve are those who say: "Verily, Allah is a third in a trinity."
But there is no god but One} (Q. 5:73). Allah is One, Everlasting, without progeny.
The Jews say, as quoted by Allah, in their equation with something and in equality:
{Ezra is the son of Allah} (Q. 9:30). By such, they agree with the Christians
In disbelief of Allah. They liken to Allah His creation in power and description.
They claim that Allah sits upon a throne as a bed and imagine inconsistencies.
They imagine that His seat is on the Throne, Chair, and established upon these.
There are those from this community who say the same from Allah‟s Speech:
{The Most Merciful is established on His Throne} (Q. 20:5).
They are commanded to be upright and turn away from sin.
{...upright...} is: obedience, right-acting, and submission.
They are commanded to pray to Allah alone, not others with Him;
This includes: those who pray to idols and Jesus, son of Maryam,
Also, who prays to Him, likening Him to Adam in form, blood, and fleshing;
And who prays imagining Him as light, a formed body, and in six directions:
Behind, front, right, left, above, and under. Allah‟s above what they ascribe!
He is Exalted, Sanctified from being, to creation in match and like, described!
How can it be that a master is abject to the level of one who‟s a slave of his?!
One eternal can‟t be compared to the one who, for a long time, didn‟t exist.
Allah, Glorified be He, says of His religion and its description:
His command to right guidance is: {the established religion}
{Verily, those who disbelieve from the People of the Book and idolaters shall be in the Fire of Hell, therein to abide forever. They are the worst of creation!}
The disbelievers in Allah amongst the People of the Book and idolaters
Are those who hold to the division of Allah‟s Lordship. Allah says they are:
{...the worst of creation} by what they claim of invalidities and allegations.
{...creation...} refers to what Allah created from seen and unseen creations.
{...the Fire of Hell...} is a fire that none knows or can compare to other flames.
There is no fire like it. For Allah has made its fire greater and burn without wane.
The meaning of {...abide forever...} is: without end and without death‟s claim.
As Allah, Glorified be He, says: {To those who disbelieve shall be the Fire of Hell. There shall be no end, and they shall not die. Their punishment shall not be lightened. That is how We requite every disbeliever} (Q. 35:36).
{...the Fire of Hell...} is a blazing fire whose blaze does not cool or die.
If it were to cool, it would mean that the punishment is lightened thereby.
{Those who believe and do righteous deeds, they are the best of creation! Their payment with Allah, will be perpetual Gardens under which flows rivers, to abide therein forever. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. That is for the one who is humbly submissive to his/her Lord}
{Those who believe} refers to the believer who avoids the major sins of iniquity;
Those who fear bearing false witness and of slanderous calumny, fear being guilty.
They are those who always had the name "belief" ascribed to them in every sense.
They are those who are declared: The People of Guidance, Righteousness, and Excellence.
{...righteous deeds...} refer to those good deeds for Allah, in speech and action.
{Their payment} is: Their reward from Allah and what He grants them as benefaction.
{...perpetual gardens...} are: gardens which are remaining and stay securely.
{Allah is pleased with them...} in that, the pleasure of Allah is upon them surely.
{...they are pleased with Him}: pleased with what He‟s granted and given them;
Because in their lives in this world, they never stopped being pleased with Him,
Even before they reached their final destination. Then says He, Glorified be He:
{That is for the one who is humbly submissive to his/her Lord} which means:
For the one who fears and is conscious of Him. By this, the Majestic demonstrates
The people of God-consciousness, noble actions, and those He‟s pleased with their states.
They are those who will be pleased in their final places and destinations.
{...to abide therein forever...}: to eternally remain after reaching their stations.

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