The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 54
CH. 2 AL-BAQARAH PT. 1 اللهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِي Allah will punish their. 16 طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ) mockery and will blet them continue in their transgression, wandering blindly. 22 Commentary: "9:79; 11:9; 21:42. 6:111; 7:187; 10:12. The context of the verse makes it clear that by here is meant not evil spirits but rebellious ringleaders among the disbelievers and the hypocrites who were proud and haughty and ready to transgress all limits. Reference to such leaders has been made in 33:68 where God says, And they (the people of Hell) will say, 'Our Lord, we obeyed our chiefs and our great ones and they led us astray from the way. ' These were the men who egged on the hypocrites to mischief and who were ever burning with jealousy and hate at seeing the Muslims prosper and who had gone far astray from truth. Some Christian writers have rendered the word in this verse as "satans" or "devils", and then charged the Quran with reviling idolaters, Jews and Christians. The charge is groundless; for, as already explained, the word does not here mean "satans" but simply proud and mischievous ringleaders. In fact, as shown above, the word has a very wide significance in Arabic. The Holy Prophet once said to his Companions, "A single rider is a shaiṭān, a pair of riders also is a pair of shaiṭāns, but three riders are a body of riders" (Dāwūd). The meaning here is that one rider is exposed to mischief and danger and 54 so are two riders, but three riders travelling together form a safe company. Christian critics, ever keen on finding fault with the Quran, forget the New Testament passages (Mark 8:33; 8:38 & Matt. 3:7; 23:33) where Jesus calls a disciple satan and his opponents serpents and a generation of vipers, etc. This meaning of the word bla i. e. ringleaders from among disbelievers and hypocrites, is supported by eminent Muslim scholars like Ibn 'Abbās, Qatādah, Mujāhid, and 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (Jarir). 22. Important Words: مد مده (will punish mockery). See 2:15 and also commentary below. (He will let them continue) is derived from They say meaning, he let him continue in a course, or he granted him a delay or respite. Literally means, he spread, or he stretched, or he made a thing extend (Aqrab). ob (transgression) is derived from which means, he exceeded the proper limits. means, he was excessive in sin and transgression. b means, the water was in flood (Aqrab). (wandering blindly) is derived from which means, he was or became confounded or perplexed and was unable to see his way, and went to and fro in confusion (Aqrab). dc is