The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 300
CH. 2 AL-BAQARAH PT. 2 b وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيب And when My servants ask. 187 thee about Me, say: "I am near. أجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ I answer the prayer of the فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ So they should hearken to Me يَرْشُدُونَ supplicant when he prays to Me. and believe in Me, that they may follow the right way. 193 "11:62; 34:51; 50:17. 27:63. given by the verse is contained in the clause, Allah desires to give you facility and He desires not hardship for you. Though the apparent wording of this clause is different from the wordings of the succeeding clauses, actually it is also one of those that supply a reason, for in reality the clause stands like this, "that you be afforded facility, etc. " Corresponding to this clause we have the last commandment of the verse, i. e. whoso is sick or is on a journey, etc. The second clause supplying a reason is, that you may complete the number, corresponding to which we have the commandment, whosoever of you is present at home in this month, let him fast therein, hinting that God means the Muslims to fast the whole month. The third clause supplying a reason is, that you may exalt Allah for His having guided you. Corresponding to this we have the words, a guidance for mankind, etc. Finally comes the clause, that you may be grateful, corresponding to which we have the clause, the month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was sent down, hinting that the wise God has chosen the most sacred and the most blessed part of the year for fasting so that you may be doubly benefited by it. Such figure of speech in which parts of a sentence correspond with others occurring in the same sentence in a reverse order, the first clause of the former group corresponding with the last clause of the latter, is known in Arabic rhetoric as tes (Mutawwal). 193. Important Words: they) فليستجيبوا I answer and) اجيب means, he should hearken) are both derived from the same root meaning, he cut a cloth, etc. answered him or answered his question. means, the earth brought forth its vegetation, i. e. responded to sowing, means, he answered him or responded to him. means, he obeyed him or استجاب له 300 complied with his wish and did what he was asked to do (Aqrab & Lane). may follow the right way) is) يرشدون derived from meaning, he was rightly guided and became steadfast in his guidance; he took or followed the right way. (rushd) and (rashad) and mean, true guidance; following the right way with firmness and steadfastness; rectitude; maturity of intellect. and mean, one who is rightly guided, one who takes or follows the right way. is more