The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 124
CH. 2 AL-BAQARAH PT. 1 وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا لَّا تَجْزِى نَفْسٌ عَنْ نَّفْسٍ 49. And fear the day when no soul shall serve as a substitute شَيْئًا وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَلَا يُؤْخَذُ for another soul at all, nor shall مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ وَلَا هُمْ يُنْصَرُونَ intercession be accepted for it; nor shall ransom be taken from it; nor shall they be helped. 55 "2:124, 256; 19:88; 20: 110; 21:29; 34:24; 39:45; 43:87; 53:27; 74:49. Israelites are superior to all peoples who have ever dwelt or will ever dwell on this planet. Such a meaning is inconsistent with other passages of the Quran. For instance, in 3:34 it is said: Allah did choose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of Imran above all peoples. As there can be only one people who can have superiority over all other peoples in the true sense of the term, evidently the word (peoples) here signifies peoples of that age only. Where the Quran desires to convey the idea of real superiority over all nations, it uses other expressions. For instance, the Quran addresses the Muslims in the words: You are the best people raised for the good of mankind (3:111). Here the Muslims are definitely spoken of as the best nation that has ever been brought forth for the good of the world. 55. Important Words: (shall serve as a substitute) is derived from which means, he or it sufficed; he rendered satisfaction; he paid; he requited or recompensed. The جزى هذا عن هذا or جزى هذا من هذا expression means, this stood in the place of that, which means, he provided a thing, which was alone, with another, or he joined up a single thing with another, so as to make it one of a pair or couple. The Arabs say, bi. e. it was a single thing and I joined to it another and made it one of a couple. According to Ar-Raghib signifies the adjoining a thing to its like; thus the word has the significance of likeness or similarity also. Then the verb has come to mean, he interceded, because the person who intercedes for another attaches, or, as it were, joins or links up the latter to himself and thus uses his influence in his favour. Thus si él se çêü means, he interceded for such a person with the prince; he requested or prayed the prince to help or show favour to such a person on the ground that he was attached to him as a relation or friend or follower, etc. acle therefore means, interceding or praying for a person to the effect that he may be shown favour or that his sins may be passed over, on the ground that he is connected with the intercessor or is like or similar to him, it being also implied that the petitioner is a person of higher position than the one for whom he or this served as a substitute for that (Lane & Aqrab). acle (intercession) is derived from pleads and is also connected with him 124