The Custodians and Witnesses of the Scripture

Lesson # 625 From Holy Qur’aan

The Custodians and Witnesses of the Scripture

‘Al-Maaa-‘idah (the Table Spread) – Chapter – 5)–Stage - 2

VerseS – 43 & 44a of 120, Section – 6 & 7 of 16 (Part - 6)

BisMIllaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim

In the name of Allaah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

43.  How come they unto thee for judgment when they have the Torah, wherein Allaah hath delivered (for them)? Yet even after that they turn away. And such (folk) are not believers. (Section – 7) 44a.  Lo! We did reveal the Torah, wherein was Guidance and a Light, by which the Prophets who surrendered (unto Allaah) gave instructions to the Jews, and same did the rabbis and the priests for they were the custodians and witnesses of Allaah’s Scripture.

43.  Wa  kayfa  yuhakkimuuna-ka  wa  ‘indahumut- Tawraatu  fiihaa  hukmUllaahi  summa  yatawallawna  mim-  ba’-di  zaalik.  Wa  maaa  ‘ulaaa-‘ika  bil-Mu’-miniin. (Section – 7) 44a.  ‘Innaaa  ‘anzalNat-Tawraata  fiihaa  Hudanw-wa  Nuur.  Yah-kumu  bi-han-Nabiy-yuunal-laziina  ‘aslamuu  lillaziina  haaduu  war-Rabbaaniy-yuuna  wal-‘ahbaaru  bimas-tuhfizuu  min-  KitaabIllaahi  wa  kaanuu  ‘alayhi  shuhadaaa’.

Lesson

Yuhakkimuuna-ka – (they come unto you for judgment), this word is from tahkiim, and has been derived from hakam. Many other words have also come out from it, like Haakim, Mahkuum etc. Tahkiim means “to appoint someone own judge, to produce own case before a person for decision”. Yatawallawna – (to turn away), it is from tawallaaa, and its object is “they disagree to accept it”. mim-  ba’-di  zaalik – (even after that), it aims that “they have Torah, but even then they do so”.

‘Ar-Rabbaaniy-yuuna  - (the friends of God), this word is plural of Rabbaanii, which has been derived from Rabb. Rabb means God. ‘Ahbaarun – it is plural of habir, which is used for the scholars and the wise. ‘As-tuhfizuu – (the custodians), it is from ‘istah-faaz, which has been made from Hifz. Hifz means “custody, watch”. ‘Istah-faaz means “to appoint a custodian”.

The Messenger (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him) is being informed by Allaah Almighty that “the Jews do not come unto you really for judgment but they have any other aim for themselves in it, for instance; a severe punishment has been prescribed for a crime in Torah. They send the case of criminals unto you to be saved from that punishment, thinking that this Messenger (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him) is illiterate (that is to say; has not got education via proper worldly method), so how can He know that, which is written in Torah. However He (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him) is merciful, so will judge a light punishment. In this manner, they will cause to admit the people their claim that there is no severe punishment in Torah. Therefore, the offender should be punished lightly in accord with the judgment of this Messenger (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him).

An incident was happened that a man from respectable class of the Jews violated the marriage-bed of a woman. Both were already married. As per Torah, the punishment for them was stoning. That is to say; “Kill both of them by stoning, while they are standing in front”. The Jews wished to save them as they belonged to a high class. So they wanted to finish this matter by concealing the command of stoning, which existed in Torah and punishing them lightly like beating them with a whip etc. So, some persons were sent unto the Messenger of Allaah Almighty (grace, glory, blessings and peace be upon Him), considering that He does not know the punishment of stoning, which has been described in Torah. Therefore, He will judge to give them a light punishment. Those persons were told, “If He gives a light punishment, then obey Him, otherwise No”.   

It has been mentioned in the verse “Surprising! They come unto you for judgment when they have the Torah, wherein Allaah Almighty has delivered for them about this offence clearly. Then what does it mean, if they do not act upon that command? Actually, neither they believe in Torah and nor in Holy Qur’aan. They have made the religion a game.

There is a praise of Torah in this verse that this Scripture, the commands of which are being ignored by the Jews now, is that dignified Holy Book, which had entire necessary guidance for the humankind of that time, when it was revealed. And it had a such Light, with the help of which, many obedient Prophets (peace be upon Them), who surrendered unto Allaah Almighty, gave instructions to the Jews for a long time, and same did the rabbis and the priests, and they all used to establish the correct way of working because they were appointed as the custodians and witnesses of Allaah’s Scripture. They used to keep it before their vision and due to their looking after, it was firm in the world, because there was no any such promise in Torah and Gospel as it exists in the Holy Qur’aan that Allaah Almighty is Himself it’s Protector. Therefore until the protectors of Torah Prophets (peace be upon Them) and Allaah’s servants lived, His Scriptures remained in their original form. When they left this world, then Torah and Gospel could not remain in their original form.

However, every kind of complete commands did exist in Torah for its time, and even till now, those commands, which have not been superseded by Holy Qur’aan, exist. It is their duty, who claim that they are Jews, that they should follow and do not change those commands themselves.   

 Transliterated Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’an published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English by Muhammad Sharif)