The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 621
PT. 9 AL-A'RĀF give them the description that they may ponder. 1064 CH. 7 سَاءَ مَثَلَا الْقَوْمُ الَّذِيْنَ كَذَبُوا بِايْتِنَا Evil is the case of the. 178 وَأَنْفُسَهُمْ كَانُوا يَظْلِمُونَ people who treat Our Signs as lies. And it was their ownselves that they wronged. "3:12; 7:183; 8:55. 1064. Important Words: Aqrab). See also 3:63. :Commentary | تحمل thou drive him away) تحمل عليه is derived from J. They say ale i. e. he bore or carried or conveyed it. means, he loaded him with the thing, or he put the thing on him as a load; or he imposed on him the thing as a burden. means, he charged or assaulted or attacked him (Lane). It is in the last mentioned sense that the word has been rendered here as "drive him away". (hangs out his tongue) is formed from meaning, he thirsted; or thirst heated his body. They say ✓ ✓ i. e. the dog put forth his tongue on account of thirst or fatigue or weariness. means, the breath of the man rose on account of fatigue or weariness; or he was fatigued or weary (Lane & Aqrab). (description) is the noun- The verse continues the description of the similitude begun in the previous verse. When a man becomes wholly engrossed in worldly affairs and begins to follow his evil desires and inclinations and rejects truth, he becomes, degraded, as it were, to the position of a dog. His thirst for money becomes insatiable. He continues to hanker after the paltry goods of this world. This description quite fits in with a hypocrite or one weak in faith. Whether or not he is made to undergo sacrifices in the cause of religion, he seems to be always panting like a thirsty dog, as if the ever-increasing burden of sacrifices is leaving him exhausted. The above interpretation is in accord with the meaning of the expression in the sense of "putting a load حمل عليه. . قص اثره infinitive from They say he followed his footsteps; or he followed his track in pursuit. means, he cut or clipped the hair. means, he related to-him the news or the narrative or the story. therefore, means, description or explanation; a narrative or story; following someone or something in his or its footsteps or track (Lane & 1061 on". If, however, the expression is taken in the sense of "attacking or charging" or for that matter "driving", then the words would mean that the weak of faith belonging to the class of people mentioned here always feel fatigued and weary in the way of God, whether they are smitten with afflictions and trials or not.