The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 171
PT. 4 CH. 4 ركوعاتها ٢٤ سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ مَدَنِيَّة ٤ باتها ١٧٧ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ smjúku (AN-NISA') 1. "In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. 483 2. O ye people! "fear your Lord, "Who created you from a single soul and created therefrom its مِنْ نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً mate, and from them twain وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْاَرْحَامَ اِنَّ اللهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًان spread many men and women; and fear Allah, in Whose name you appeal to one another, and fear Him particularly respecting ties of relationship. Verily, Allah watches over you. 484 a1:1. 33:71; 59:19. 7:190; 16:73; 30:22; 39:7. 483. Important Words: See under 1:1. 484. Important Words: individually, because mankind may be said to have been created from one "single soul" in the sense that each and every individual is created from the seed of man who is "one soul" رقب Watcher is derived from) رقيبا They say i. e. he watched him; or guarded him; or waited for him; or he kept or preserved it. ✓✓ is one of God's attributes meaning, Watcher, Guardian, Keeper; One from Whom nothing is hidden. _ also means, an observer; a spy (Lane & Aqrab). Commentary: The words may signify: (1) Adam; or (2) man and woman taken together, because when two things jointly perform one function, they may be spoken of as one. For instance, 2:62 speaks of one food, while it consisted of manna and quails; or (3) man and woman taken (single soul) 611 and is also born of woman who is likewise "one soul". The expression, and created therefrom its mate, does not mean that woman was created out of the body of man but that she belonged to the same kind and species as man, having the same nature and the same propensities. The meaning of this expression becomes clear when elsewhere we read in the Quran: And Allah has made for you mates from among yourselves (16:73); and He has made for you pairs of your own selves, and of the cattle also pairs (42:12). This means that, like other