The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 332
CH. 2 AL-BAQARAH b land to create disorder in it and destroy the crops and the progeny of man; and Allah loves not disorder. 212 212. Important Words: (he is in authority) is derived, from means: (1) he turned his back, he went away from one's presence; (2) he held command, or he was in authority; he became a J, or ruler (Aqrab & Tāj). (runs about) means: (1) he walked briskly or he ran; (2) he made an effort; or he strove to obtain an object (Aqrab). the crops) is the) الحرث noun- infinitive from i. e. he ploughed or tilled the soil; he sowed seeds or planted plants in it; he acquired or earned or laboured for wealth or sustenance; he worked or laboured for the goods of the world. means: (1) a tilth or a piece of land ploughed for sowing, or land actually sown with some crop; (2) land under crop; (3) crop or produce of land whether field crop or garden crop; (4) gain, acquisition or earning; (5) reward or recompense; (6) worldly goods; (7) wife or wives, because a wife is like a tilth in which seed is sown to bear crop in the form of children; (8) a much used road or a beaten track (Lane). PT. 2 فِيهَا وَيُهْلِكَ الْحَرْثَ وَالنَّسْلَ وَ اللهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَسَادَ Commentary: This verse further develops the idea contained in the preceding one. The type of man described in the previous verse (i. e. one whose talk about the affairs of this world is very pleasing but who is selfish at heart) becomes unmasked when he happens to be in authority, or when he goes away from the presence of the people and meets his associates in private. Thus both the meanings of the word as mentioned under Important Words are appropriate here: (1) While he is in the presence of those who are sincere lovers of mankind, he says pleasing things; but when he goes away from them and meets his comrades in private, he strives to create disorder on the earth. (2) Similarly, when he happens to come to power, he becomes exposed and all his talk about improving the affairs of the like smoke, and world vanishes instead of acting like a reformer, he actually becomes disorder. a source of The clause, destroy the crops and the progeny, means that all his efforts are directed towards harming people and حرث means, he and their property. The words نسل الولد. (progeny) النسل begot a child. means, the man had many children; the progeny of the man increased. ___ means: (1) creatures; (2) children; (3) progeny, whether of man or beast (Aqrab & Lane). 332 have a number of meanings and all are applicable here. They refer to all kinds of damage relating to person and property. The words, Allah loves not