RENAISSANCE MAY 2023

Qur’ ā nic Exegesis 24 | Monthly Renaissance May 2023 orchard. And Adam disobeyed the directive of his Lord; he was thus led astray. Then his Lord blessed him, graciously accepted his repentance and guided him. He ordered: “All of you get down from here. You shall remain enemies of one another. Thus if there comes to you guidance from Me, then he who follows My guidance will neither go astray nor will be deprived. And he who turns away from My reminder, for him is a life of affliction and on the Day of Judgement, We shall raise him as a blind person.” He will say: “Lord! Why did you raise me blind? I was one who had eyesight?” God will reply: “Our revelations came to you in this world in this way; so you ignored them. Today you shall be ignored likewise.” And in this way shall We treat him in exchange who exceeds the limits and does not profess faith in the revelations of his Lord and the torment of the Hereafter will be more severe and more lasting. (115-127) Was this not enough to guide them that We have destroyed many nations before them in whose settlements they walk about? Indeed, there are many signs in this for those who have intellect. And had a matter not been decreed earlier by your Lord and there was not a prescribed time, a torment would have surely visited them. So, show patience on whatever they say and keep extolling your Lord while glorifying Him before the sun rises and before it sets and glorify him in the night times too and on the margins of the day also so that you are showered with favours. And do not even glance at the resources of worldly pleasures We have given some of their groups in it for their trial, and your Lord’s sustenance is better and lasting. And ask your people to offer prayer and adhere to it yourself also. We do not ask for any sustenance from you. It is We Who shall provide sustenance to you, and success in the end is for piety. (128-132) And they say: “Why does he not bring a sign from his Lord for us?” Has not the testimony of what is written in their earlier scriptures reached them? And if We destroyed them before this through some torment, they would have said: “Lord! Why did You not send a messenger to us that we may have followed Your revelations before being humiliated and disgraced?” Say: Each one is waiting; so, you also wait. Soon you will know who is treading the right path and who the wrong one and who will reach the destination. (133-135)