The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 123
PT. 27 AN-NAJM 10. So that he became, as it were, one chord to two bows or closer still. 3974 Commentary: The verse means that the Holy Prophet attained the utmost nearness to God. See next verse. 3974. Important Words: ✰ (chord) substantive noun from (qaba) which means, he was or became near or he approached. ☑✓ means, the portion of a bow that is between the part that is grasped by the hand and the curved extremity; or from one extremity of the bow to the other; measure or space. The Arabs saya i. e. between them two is the measure of a bow, which means that there is a very close relationship between them. The Arabic proverb CH. 53 فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنى 8 in such a way that they appeared as one and then they would shoot an arrow from that combined bow; thus indicating that they had become, as it were, one person, and that an attack on one was an attack on the other. If the word be taken to apply to God, the verse would mean that the Holy Prophet went up to God and God came down to him till they both became, as it were, united into one person. possesses فكان قاب قوسين The expression yet another very beautiful and subtle significance, viz. that while on the one hand the Holy Prophet became so completely merged in his Lord and Creator that he became, as it were, on ,(پیکر او شد سر اسر صورت رب رحیم i. e. they shot at us from His image رمونا عن قوس واحد one bow, means, they were unanimous against us. The word thus denotes complete agreement (Lane, Lisān & Zamakhsharī). Commentary: Whatever may be the significance of the word, the expression indicates very close union between two persons. In this sense of the expression the verse purports to say that the Holy Prophet continued to scale the heights of spiritual ascension and to approach near God till all distance between them disappeared and the Prophet became, as it were, "one chord to two bows. " The verse reminds of an ancient Arab custom according to which when two persons pledged themselves to firm friendship they would join their bows 3019 the other he came down to mankind and became so full of love, sympathy and solicitude that Divinity and humanity became united in him, and in the Quranic words he became the central point of the chord of the two bows of Divinity and humanity. The words signify that the between the relationship Holy Prophet and God became closer and more intimate than could be conceived. Verses 8-18 describe the Spiritual Ascension () of the Holy Prophet, when he was spiritually transported to heavens and was vouchsafed the view of a spiritual manifestation of God, and ascended spiritually very close to his Maker. The Mi'raj was, in fact, a double