The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 286
CH. 23 AL-MU'MINÜN We are never neglectful of the creation. 2522A 2522A. Important Words: (stages of heaven) is the plural of ab which means, a way, course, rule, mode or manner of acting or conduct; the way or course of an event; a line; streak or stripe in a thing; stage of heaven; a web; or a tall palm-tree. means, stages of heaven, so called because they lie one above another. means, the vicissitudes of times or fortune. stages اطباق السماء According to Raghiba of heaven) are called Aqrab). See also 20:64. Commentary: (Lane & also The six stages of spiritual progress described in the first twelve verses of this Sūrah become seven if "Paradise" (v. 12) be counted as the last stage of spiritual development when man attains the object of his creation. Similarly, if the preparatory stage previous to the formation of the sperm (referred to in v. 13) be added to the six stages of the embryonic development, this number becomes seven. Thus the seven stages to which reference has been made in this verse correspond to the seven stages of the physical development of man mentioned in vv. 13-15. It is through these seven stages that man has to pass in order to achieve the highest point of spiritual development. These seven spiritual stages are as follows: 1. The first stage may be called the stage of lack of spiritual perception or that of spiritual feelinglessness. At this PT. 18 كُنَّا عَنِ الْخَلْقِ غُفِلِينَ stage, like inanimate things, a person is completely devoid of all capacity to distinguish between right or wrong or good or evil. He is devoid of any high aims and his whole life seems to consist in providing for and meeting his physical needs. This stage of spiritual lifelessness is described by the Quran in the words "Then your hearts became hardened after that till they were like stones or harder still" (2:75). 2200 2. The second stage may be likened to vegetable life when, like vegetables, man comes to develop some capacity and power to grow and make spiritual progress, but spiritually he is yet too weak adequately to defend himself against the onslaughts of evil beings and spirits. This stage is described in the Quranic words: "And if you invite them to guidance, they hear not. And thou seest them looking towards thee, but they see not" (7:199). 3. The third stage may be called the animal stage when spiritually a person is no better than animals, when on being called he hears the voice of the caller but does not understand the significance or meaning of the call. The Quran beautifully describes the spiritual condition of such people in the words: "They have hearts but they comprehend not therewith, and they have eyes but they see not therewith, and they have ears but they hear not therewith. They are like cattle; nay,