The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 297
PT. 13 AR-RA'D CH. 13 covenant of Allah, after having وَالَّذِينَ يَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللهِ مِنْ And those who break the. 26 بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا اَمَرَ اللهُ established it and cut asunder ية أن يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أو ليكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ what Allah has commanded to be joined, and act corruptly in the earth: on them is the curse of God and they shall have a grievous abode. 1637 "2:28. had been represented to them as different gates. By saying, Peace be unto you, as used in the present verse, the angels will remind believers that, as they practised every kind of virtue, they will enjoy every kind and form of peace from every side, the word (peace) being repeated at every gate of Paradise separately. The construction of the expression (peace be unto you) is also intended to signify that the bliss of Paradise will be abiding and permanent because believers were "steadfast" i. e. displayed patience constantly and in all circumstances. The verse, therefore, purports to say to believers: "You stuck to virtue as long as you lived, thus you can rightly be regarded as having performed your duty. It was not in your power to avoid death. You adhered to virtue as long as it was in your power to do so. When, therefore, the hand of death put a stop to your good deeds, it became incumbent on God to grant you perpetual peace and everlasting bliss even as you would have ever continued on the path of virtue if you had lived. " The verse thus contains an effective answer to the objection, "How can deeds of limited duration win unlimited reward?" The verse also shows that those who lose heart under trials are not deserving of Paradise. Only those are deserving who maintain their connection with God in all circumstances and persevere in the doing of good deeds till the very end. See also v. 23. 1637. Commentary: Some persons sever ties of kinship; others violate the discipline of their community. Some oppose Divine Messengers, while others show lack of fellow-feeling, and yet others forsake God. All these are different forms of cutting asunder what Allah has commanded to be joined. Such people not only cut asunder what Allah has bidden to be joined but go a step further. They act corruptly in the earth viz. they perpetrate acts of injustice, and even oppose and act inimically towards those with whom they are bidden to establish a firm connection. 1505 The words, on them is the curse of God, mean, as they cut off their