The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 288
CH. 2 AL-BAQARAH PT. 2 when death comes to any one of كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ It is prescribed for you. 181 الْمَوْتُ إِن تَرَكَ خَيْرَ الْوَصِيَّةُ ,you, if he leave much wealth لِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْاَقْرَبِينَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقَّا عَلَى الْمُتَّقِينَ that he make a will to parents and near relatives to act with fairness; it is an obligation on those who fear God. 187 E 4:12, 13, 177; 5:107. true! In fact, no peaceful social life is possible without the awarding of swift capital punishment to those who consider human life to be of so little consequence. The clause, there is life for you in the law of retaliation, has a wider significance also. For a long time Muslims suffered at the hands of disbelievers indignities, persecution and even death in patient silence. But, when the cup of the iniquities of the enemies of truth became full to overflowing, further continuation of the policy of non-resistance became tantamount to the demoralization of the victims and their national death. They were, therefore, enjoined to take up arms against the aggressors and pay the wicked people in their own coin. Indeed in the law of retaliation lies hidden the secret of individual and national life. You retaliate and you live; you refrain from retaliating and you die an ignoble death. Such is the eternal and inexorable law of nature which has been so beautifully expressed in the under comment. verse of The words, ○ men understanding, have been used to make a direct appeal to that quality in man which makes him a rational 288 being and distinguishes him from other creatures. The Quran uses this expression whenever a strong appeal is to be made to man in his capacity as a rational being. God, as it were, says to men: "We have made you the noblest among Our creation and have bestowed on you the power of understanding and intelligence as We have bestowed it on none other. Will you not, therefore, be wise and try to understand things?" 187. Important Words: ☑(much wealth) means: (1) good as opposed to evil; (2) wealth acquired or collected by fair and praiseworthy means; (3) much wealth or abundance of wealth; (4) a thing that all desire; (5) welfare and good fortune (Mufradāt); (6) the existence of a thing in abundance and perfection; (7) horses, etc. (Aqrab). حق obligation) is derived from) حقا and has been used in the verse in the accusative case, having something understood before it, the complete expression being (Kashshāf). means: (1) equity or justice; (2) right mode of acting; (3) an obligation or a duty; (4) a debt or anything that is owed; (5) a thing