The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 434
CH. 6 AL-AN'ĀM PT. 7 قُلْ مَنْ تُنَيْكُم مِّن ظُلمتِ الْبَرِّ Say, "Who delivers you. 64 from the calamities of the land وَالْبَحْرِ تَدْعُونَهُ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً and the sea, when you call upon لَبِنْ اَنْجَنَا مِنْ هَذِهِ لَنَكُونَنَّ saying, If He deliver us from مِنَ الشَّكِرِينَ Him in humility and in secret, this, we will surely be of those who are grateful"?"809 قُلِ اللهُ يُنَجَّيْكُمْ مِنْهَا وَ مِنْ كُلِّ كَرْبِ Say, Allah delivers you. 65 from them and from every distress, yet you partners with Him. '810 associate "10:23; 17:68; 29:66; 31:33. verse which uses the singular number), while in the present verse it refers to the Resurrection of all men together by saying, "Then are they returned to Allah. " This is because whereas death comes to men individually and not to all together, the Resurrection of mankind will be simultaneous and universal. 809. Commentary: men (in humility) is derived from which means, he was or became lowly, humble or submissive; or he lowered, humbled or abased himself and petitioned for a gift; or he was weak, slender or emaciated. also means, it (a kid, etc. ) took with its mouth the teat or dug of its mother. Emeans, he lowered, humbled or abased himself; or he addressed himself with earnest or energetic supplication. It also means, he writhed and called for aid (Lane). ثُمَّ انْتُمْ تُشْرِكُونَ ) ظلمات or faint. They say i. e. he was slain secretly (Lane). Commentary: The word (calamities), literally meaning "darkness", here signifies afflictions, calamities and misfortunes; for, with the Arabs, darkness is a symbol of misfortune. Thus, a day of great misfortune is called "a starry day", because it is considered so dark as to make even stars visible in the firmament. The reader should note that instead of saying "openly" and "secretly", the Quran here uses the words "humbly" and "secretly," substituting the word for "openly", thus "humbly" indicating that a prayer said openly is useful only when it is offered in humility. "Open" prayers may sometimes be offered from a motive of display and show. Such prayers are of no value. Prayers are efficacious only when offered with due humility. 810. Commentary: خفی secretly) is derived from) خفية which means, it was or became unperceived, concealed, hidden, low 874 The words, from every distress,