The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 478
CH. 6 AL-AN'ĀM PT. 8 اِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ مَنْ يُضِلُّ عَنْ Surely, thy Lord knows. 118 ® سَبِيلِهِ ۚ وَهُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ best those who go astray from His way; and He knows best those who are rightly guided. 859 فَكُلُوا مِمَّا ذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اِنْ Eat, then, of that over. 119 كُنتُمْ بِايْتِهِ مُؤْمِنِينَ. which the name of Allah has been pronounced, if you are believers in His Signs. 860 "16:126. b5:5. means, he spoke falsely, or he lied, or he said what was untrue. means, a liar; or one who only conjectures or opines and does not make sure of a thing by ascertaining the truth (Lane & Aqrab). Commentary: The verse purports to say that the question of the truth or otherwise of Islam should not be decided according to the verdict of the majority, for the majority of mankind are ignorant. Therefore, matters of faith cannot be decided by the verdict of the majority. There has never been a people the majority of whom are wise or learned. Even in worldly legislatures, it is only a limited number of persons whose opinion matters. Again, even in so-called advanced countries the masses have their leaders, and it is these leaders whose opinion they follow. Thus, in reality, it is always a limited number whose opinion matters. The verse refers particularly to the people of Arabia in the time of the Holy Prophet, the majority of whom were undoubtedly ignorant. 859. Commentary: the fact stated in the preceding verse that the majority of men often possess less knowledge than the minority, neither the majority nor the minority can be trusted in matters of faith. Sometimes the minority are in the right and sometimes the majority. Hence it is necessary that God should decide as to which party follows the right path. In fact, God alone can be the judge. He gives His decision by showing heavenly signs and by helping the party which pursues the path of truth. 860. Commentary: The commandment to eat of that over which the name of Allah has been pronounced may appear to some to have no connection with the subject matter of the previous verses. But it is really not so. The very fact that this verse is preceded by the particle (then) shows that this commandment has come as a sequence of what has gone before. Again, the verb 15 (eat) is plural and as this commandment is given in continuation of the preceding commandments, it follows that the previous commandments, although The verse signifies that, apart from given in the singular number, are 918