The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 485
PT. 30 AL-BALAD 12. But he attempted not the steep ascent. 4731 13. And what should make thee know what the steep ascent is? 14. It is the freeing of a slave. 15. "Or feeding on a day of hunger4732 16. An orphan near of kin. 17. Or a poor man lying in the dust. 4733 a76:9; 89:19. affair; a skilful guide (Lane & Aqrab). signifies, the two high or conspicuous ways of good and evil, of truth and falsehood, of spiritual and material progress (Aqrab). Commentary: God has provided man with all those means by which he can find out the right path, can sift right from wrong and truth from falsehood. He has been endowed with both spiritual and physical eyes that he may distinguish good from evil. He has been given a tongue and two lips that he might ask for guidance, and above all God has placed before him a supreme object that he may devote all his faculties and energies to achieve it. 4731. Important Words: (attempted). They say i. e. he rushed or plunged into the اقتحم المنزل. affair without consideration means, he entered the place suddenly and without permission; rushed suddenly upon the place; he invaded ,means اقتحم العقبة or attacked the place 3381 CH. 90 فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ وَمَا أَدْرِيكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ ) فَكُ رَقَبَةِ أو ادْعُمُ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ يَّتِيْمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةِ أَوْ مِسْكِيْنًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةِ عقبه he ascended or attacked or rushed upon which means, hill; mountain; high place; steep road (Lane & Aqrab). Commentary: The verse means that through the Holy Prophet God had opened up for the Arabs all the ways and means by using which they could make unlimited spiritual and material progress but they refused to make the necessary sacrifices required to achieve the two objectives. See also next verse. 4732. Important Words: سغب hunger) is derived from) مسغبة which means, he was or became hungry or suffered hunger, together with fatigue. means, the people entered upon a state of hunger. They say a i. e. in him is hunger or hunger together with fatigue (Lane & Aqrab). 4733. Commentary: These verses (vv. 14-17) speak of