The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 634
CH. 18 AL-KAHF PT. 15 وَإِنَّا لَجُعِلُوْنَ مَا عَلَيْهَا صَعِيدًا جُرُزًان And We shall make all that. 9 is thereon a barren soil. 2049 "18:41. 2049. Important Words: devoid of all good. All of them add to the beauty of human life. Muslims (soil) is derived from. They were expected always to keep in view the great truth underlined in these simple words and to devote their time and energy to delving into the great secrets of nature and to exploring the unlimited properties of its elements. But they ignored this supreme lesson while the Christian peoples of the West remembered it well with the result that they became the most advanced and powerful nations in the world. It is to be regretted, however, that while Western nations greatly benefited by the lesson taught in the words, We have made all that is on the earth as an ornament for it, they neglected the one embodied in the words, that We may try them as to which of them is best in conduct. No doubt they sought after knowledge and made great advances in science. But the object of the advance and expansion of knowledge is that man's conduct may become pure and human life more peaceful. But these nations, instead of employing their knowledge and resources to the service of man, have ended by making human life miserable and unbelievable. They have failed to set an example of good conduct and have put their scientific researches to evil use and have thereby laid the foundations of injustice, tyranny and corruption in the world. It is probably to this fact that the present verse refers. صعيد. or herbage sayi. e. he ascended the ladder. has means, the orchard became a desert, i. e. land without trees means, high or elevated land or ground; land or ground without any trees; the surface of earth; wide or an ample place; a road; a grave. (Lane & Aqrab). جرز barren is derived from) جرزا They say i. e. he cut it or exterminated it. means, time destroyed or extirpated him or it. The Arabs say ji. e. he ate all that was on the table and did not leave anything; he ate quickly. means, land in which there is no herbage or from which the water is cut off so that it is dried up and is without herbage; or land that produces no herbage (Lane & Aqrab). Commentary: 1842 The verse means to say that all the things of this world are transitory. Their acquirement is not the end and object of human life. On the contrary, they have been created to higher and more sublime purposes- serve to be used for the service of humanity. But Christian nations of the west, after having acquired wealth, power and dominion and after having made great discoveries and inventions, have not turned their scientific achievements to the service of mankind, but instead have employed them generally to add to human misery. As these scientific