Quran Garden

Session 495

Chapter 3

Verse 164

a continuation

Indeed, God has been truly gracious to the believers in sending them a messenger from among them—reciting to them His revelations, purifying them, and teaching them the book and wisdom.  For indeed they had previously been clearly astray.  (Chapter 3: Verse 164)

Muhammad, peace be upon him, is God's Messenger who delivered the revelations and turned people's hearts toward the marvelous signs of creation.  Our universe holds infinite beauty and operates in fantastic harmony.  The more science advances, the more precision and magnificence we discover.  Muhammad taught us Islam, a heavenly religion that brings the same beauty and harmony into our daily lives, and it all happens through purification.   

The phrase "purifying them" comes from the Arabic Tazkia, which shares its root with the Zakat almsgiving.  Look at the state of individuals and society in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, and you will find that people chased their whims and indulgences and were ruled by tyranny and oppression.  Islam purified life from all that filth.   

Purification is a big word.  But does Islam deliver?  Let's examine this closely.  We know that a person cares most about preserving him or herself; next on the list is preserving family and community, and lastly is the welfare of humankind.  Purification encompasses all of these matters.  We start with self-preservation.  God teaches you that instead of lying, you should purify your tongue with the truth.  You cleanse the eyes by lowering your gaze instead of looking at the sexuality of the opposite sex.  And rather than taking what is not yours, you purify your hands with hard work.  Stealing, after all, is degrading.  We know this because every thief hides after the act as He or she does not want to face the shame of being exposed.  No one wants to be known as a thief or a liar, even thieves and liars!  In fact, if you call a dishonest man a Liar, he would be very offended.  God's path preserves your dignity and cleanses your heart from shame, worry, and hatred.  Now, your energy can be focused on what is good and productive. 

How does purification work at the community level?  Let's say you are old, weak, and poor.  Who is going to help you now that you can no longer work?  Who is going to spare you the humiliation of pleading for help?  Allah will!  He made the Zakat almsgiving an obligation of the Muslim rich.  As you sit at home, they look for people like you to give them money because they want to pay their annual Zakat.  This is not a charity; it is your due right.  Isn't this a society worth living in?  Wouldn't every person –rich or poor- feel secure because they know others would help if life turns sour?  When a helpless person sees all the faithful helping, he or she will say: I am not alone in this world.  

Lastly, we consider how God's teachings purify the human race.  Allah wants to cleanse humanity and give future generations an honorable life.  Thus, Islam purified the relations between men and women and guarded them under the cover of marriage.  Every pregnancy starts in purity, and a loving family welcomes and nourishes every child.  Then, the child is taught by his parents and grandparents that the eyes have boundaries that must be respected, the tongue has limits to be observed, the hands should not steal, and so on.  The circle of beauty and harmony is now complete.

Is the act of purification for the betterment of the one purifying or the one being purified?  We answer that God is free of need, so the benefits of Islam and the Quran are all ours.  Take the example of a man with abundant wealth and vast estates.  He wishes for his children to succeed in school, so he encourages them by saying, "If you score high on your exams, I will buy you a sports car!"  The father is already successful and would gain nothing from the children's academic achievement, but he loves them and wants the best life for them.  Islam is for our well-being as it nourishes our body and soul.  God doesn't gain anything when we fulfill our religious duties, but He wants the best for us.     

The verse continues, "and teaching them the book and wisdom." "Wisdom" is usually mentioned in the Quran after the holy book.  For example, God says when addressing Prophet Muhammad's wives:

Remember what is recited in your houses of God's revelations and wisdom, for God is all subtle, all aware (33:34)

We understand that the noble Quran is the book, and the narrations of our beloved Prophet -also known as Hadith- are the wisdom.  God revealed the scriptures to His messengers, and, in addition, He blessed them with the ability to speak with wisdom. 

The beginning of the verse reads, "Indeed, God has been truly gracious to the believers in sending them a messenger from among them—reciting to them His revelations, purifying them, and teaching them the book." Some scholars said that since the Quran –revelations- was mentioned at the opening of the verse, it necessitates that the word "Book" has a meaning other than the Qur'an.  They said "teaching them the book" refers to writing, as in writing down the Mushaf.  We answer that the two meanings converge.  While most people at the time of the Prophet were illiterate, he, peace be upon him, strongly encouraged education.  When prisoners of war were brought to Medina, each could earn freedom by teaching ten Muslim youths how to read and write.  Therefore, we find that the interpretation of writing is appropriate for this verse.  God says,

It is He who has sent among the unlettered people a Messenger of their own, reciting to them His Revelations, and purifying them, and instructing them in the Book and the Wisdom, whereas before that they were indeed lost in obvious error. (62:2)

The verse ends with, "For indeed they had previously been clearly astray." To say so-and-so strayed means that he traveled a road that didn't lead to his goal.  That is OK in worldly and materialistic matters.  But how about matters of faith?  Straying from God's path will not only lead you away from the desired goal –Paradise-but it will also land you in the Fire, which is "clearly astray."  

The clarity of error goes much deeper.  We say that people who are astray know that they are lost.  They recognize their mistake and –more critically- know the right way.  We gave the example of how every thief hides and every liar covers.  We also find a great example in the story of our beloved Joseph's time in prison.  God says,

Two other youths were imprisoned along with him.  One of them said, "I dreamt that I was pressing grapes," and the other, "I dreamt that I was carrying bread on my head, and the birds were pecking at it.  Tell us the meaning of this.  We see you as a righteous man." (12:36)

Did you notice what the young men said?  They described Prophet Joseph as a righteous man, which means that they – a couple of criminals- knew what was good.  When matters became personal, such as seeing disturbing dreams, the young men did not seek a fellow criminal for advice; they sought a good man to ask.  They saw in Yusuf, peace be upon him, was righteous and worthy of their trust.  People who deviate from God's path still appreciate the purification faith brings to individuals and communities.  God says,

Indeed, God has been truly gracious to the believers in sending them a messenger from among them—reciting to them His revelations, purifying them, and teaching them the book and wisdom.  For indeed, they had previously been clearly astray.  (Chapter 3: Verse 164)