Essence of the Holy Qur’an — Page 44
44 Chapter 20 Ta H a (Revealed before Hijrah) Date of Revelation and Context The S u rah was revealed very early at Mecca. This is the opinion of ‘Abdull a h bin Mas‘ u d, one of the earliest Companions of the Holy Prophet. The S u rah continues to deal with Christian beliefs and doctrines which formed the primary theme of the preceding Chapter. One of the basic doctrines of Christianity is that the Law is a curse. The S u rah opens with an emphatic repudiation of this Christian doctrine. The Law, it says, is not only not a curse but is positively a great Divine boon and mercy, and instead of being a burden and an encumbrance, its object is to afford solace and spiritual contentment to man. This is one of the principal objects of the Qur’ a n which it fulfils most adequately. The Holy Prophet is comforted with the message that God has revealed the Qur’ a n to lighten man’s burdens and not to add to his difficulties. It meets all human major needs and requirements. Subject-Matter The S u rah proceeds to tell Christians that in order to understand and realize the truths embodied in the Qur’ a n, they should ponder over the circumstances and conditions through which Moses had to pass. It is stated that after his spiritual upbringing had become complete and he was found fit to be entrusted with the great responsibilities of a Prophet, Moses was commanded to go to Pharaoh and convey to him the Divine Message. Pharaoh refused to accept it, behaved arrogantly and sought to kill Moses. Thereupon Moses was commanded by God to take the Israelites out of Egypt to Canaan. Pharaoh pursued them with his mighty hosts but Divine punishment overtook him and he was drowned in the sea before the very eyes of the Israelites. Moses then went up to the "Mount" where the Law was revealed to him. The S u rah then administers a subtle rebuke to Christians. They are told that when before the advent of Jesus the Israelites believed in the doctrine that God was One and later great stress had also been laid in the Qur’ a n upon Divine Unity and upon the importance and significance of the Law or the Shar i ‘ah , how could a teaching which regarded the Law as a curse and entertained and preached polytheistic doctrines intervene between these two strictly monotheistic creeds? Next, mention is made of Divine punishment that would overtake Christian nations for their sins and iniquities after they had enjoyed material prosperity for a thousand years. Of these the last three centuries would be marked by uniform progress and prosperity of a very high order. This would make them disdainfully ignore the Divine warning that a dreadful fate was in store for