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aboutanancientenquiry · 2 years

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Herodotus’ method, the Greek poetry, the Greek medical writers, and the Presocratics

“5. Conclusions

At the outset of Book 8, Herodotus posits his γνώµη as a prominent tool of evaluation of historical truth by reworking a statement that, in both poetic and prose contexts, had served the purpose of emphasising the narrator’s privileged status in discerning truth from falsehood. He thereby claims for himself an authority sitting somewhere between traditional poetic forms of authority and the developing prose ones.

It is generally and rightly pointed out in scholarship78 that Herodotus shares with the early medical writers the emphasis on the senses as reliable epistemological tools. I have ventured to suggest, however, that in his narrative of Artemisium and Salamis he seems to challenge, at least implicitly, their reliability. After all, early medical writers too refer to the intelligence (διανοίη) needed to discriminate true from false statements. 79 Yet Herodotus’ resort to the poetic tradition at the opening of a narrative that goes on to highlight, precisely, the epistemological unreliability of the senses draws him perhaps closer to pre-Socratic philosophers than to early medical writers.

The philosophers and Herodotus make claims about their own personal insight and intellectual grasp: Heraclitus, in his prose—which is yet somewhat ‘poetic’ in its being riddling, oracular-like—speaks of eyes and ears as ‘bad witnesses’ (22 B 107 D-K), and presents the deep structure of reality as a riddle or sign which he is able to crack, while ordinary people are just puzzled by it (22 B 1 D-K). In his poem, Parmenides also questions the senses,80 and, despite using the language of divine inspiration, also seems to claim to have the personal logos by which he can test the ‘strife-encompassed refutation’81 (πολύδηρις ἔλεγχος) presented to him by the goddess (28 B 7.3– 5 D-K).82 Democritus, ‘in stark contrast to the medical writers’,83 sets the senses in opposition to ‘genuine knowledge’ (γνησίη γνώµη, 68 B 11 D-K).

The alternative itself, available to the Presocratics, between prose and poetry as viable strategies of communication attests to a persisting perception of the tension between prose and poetic forms and formulations as key to authoritative intellectual expression. Prose developed only after centuries of reliance on verse for the dissemination, through performance, of authoritative public speech: no matter whether through appropriation or rejection, implicitly or explicitly, poetic authority had still to be negotiated by early prose writers.84

As to the question why Herodotus challenges his own methodology and resorts to a poetic-like authority at this particular point in the narrative, my tentative answer is twofold. First, the oral traditions he was drawing on for his account of the Persian Wars had arguably already given an epic-like or elegiac-like shape to the events: Simonides’ Artemisium, Salamis, and Plataea elegies (frr. 1–4, 6–9, and 10–18 W2 , respectively) in fact strongly suggest this. Discussing ὄψις and ἀκοή in relationship to γνώµη in terms that resonate with poetic language and diction would have been, perhaps, an almost natural choice. Secondly, the increasingly greater closeness in time of the events reported arguably implied a plurality of competing versions of events, each purporting to be ‘the truth’.85 To establish the authority and persuasiveness of his version, Herodotus resorted to the authoritative voice par excellence in the competitive, traditionalist, and performative context of Greek σοφία: the poet’s voice.

78 Cf., e.g., Lateiner (1986); Thomas (1993) and (2000); Demont (2018); Pelling (2018).

79 See Lateiner (1986) 6 on the author of On Regimen 1.26–7, 2.14, 48 and 41; Clements (2014) 129–31.

80 Lami (1991) 280 n. 32; Clements (2014) 116.

81 Translation by Kirk–Raven–Schofield (1983) 248.

82 For discussion of possible intertextual relationships between Parmenides’ poem and both Homeric and Hesiodic poetry (including Th. 27–8), see Buongiovanni (2011) 15–20, with further bibliography.

83 Clements (2014) 131.

84 On Herodotus’ engagement with the lyric and epic tradition see Donelli (2021).

85 On how, paradoxically, greater difficulties might be met in trying to ascertain the recent past as opposed to the distant past, see Thomas (2018) 265 and 267.”

Giulia Donelli “Truth, Fiction, and Authority in Herodotus’ Book 8″ (conclusion) in Ivan Matijašić (editor) Herodotus-the most Homeric Historian? published on https://histos.org/documents/SV14Ch7Donelli.pdf

Giulia Donelli, Department of Classics, King’s College London

Very good text, which must be read in its entirety. I believe, however, that we should not forget that, despite all the obvious huge influence of the great Greek poets on Herodotus, there are major differences between the authoritative persona of Homer or Hesiod and the authoritative persona of Herodotus: Homer and Hesiod are claiming inspiration by the Muses, whereas Herodotus presents the results of a human inquiry, without claiming any divine inspiration and help, the product of a method of investigation of the past that he exposes and defends in various places of his work, a thing which is a radical novelty in the intellectual history of Greece and not only (and G. Donelli’s study contains paragraphs with very valuable developments concerning Herodotus’ methodology as historian).

#herodotus #ancient greek classics #the histories #giulia donelli

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dailytafsirofquran · 2 years

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Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Surah Al-Ma’idah Ayah 48-50

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

5:48 And We have sent down to you the Book (this Qur'an) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and Muhayminan over it (old Scriptures).

So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging away from the truth that has come to you.

To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way.

If Allah willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you; so compete in good deeds.

The return of you (all) is to Allah; then He will inform you about that in which you used to differ.

5:49 And so judge between them by what Allah has revealed and follow not their vain desires, but beware of them lest they turn you far away from some of that which Allah has sent down to you.

And if they turn away, then know that Allah's will is to punish them for some sins of theirs.

And truly, most men are rebellious.

5:50 Do they then seek the judgment of (the days of) ignorance!

And who is better in judgment than Allah for a people who have firm faith.

Praising the Qur'an; the Command to Refer to the Qur'an for Judgment

Allah mentioned the Tawrah that He sent down to His Prophet Musa, the one whom He spoke directly to, praising it, commanding that it should be implemented, before it was abrogated.

Allah then mentioned the Injil, praised it and commanded its people to adhere to it and follow it, as we stated.

He next mentioned the Glorious Qur'an that He sent down to His honorable servant and Messenger.

Allah said,

And We have sent down to you the Book in truth...,

meaning, with the truth that, no doubt, is coming from Allah.

confirming the Scripture that came before it,

meaning, the Divinely Revealed Books that praised the Qur'an and mentioned that it would be sent down from Allah to His servant and Messenger Muhammad.

The Qur'an was revealed as was foretold in the previous Scriptures. This fact increased faith in the previous Scriptures for the sincere who have knowledge of these Scriptures, those who adhered to Allah's commands and Laws and believed in His Messengers.

Allah said,

Say: "Believe in it or do not believe (in it). Verily, those who were given knowledge before it, when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration.'' And they say: "Glory be to our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord must be fulfilled.'' (17:107-108),

meaning that they say, the promise of our Lord, concerning the coming of Muhammad by the words of His previous Messengers, will certainly be fulfilled.

Allah's statement,

and Muhayminan over it,

According to Sufyan Ath-Thawri who narrated it from Abu Ishaq from At-Tamimi from Ibn Abbas,

means entrusted over it. Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"Muhaymin is, `the Trustworthy'. Allah says that the Qur'an is trustworthy over

every Divine Book that preceded it.''

This was reported from Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Mujahid, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Atiyah, Al- Hasan, Qatadah, Ata' Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd.

Ibn Jarir said,

"The Qur'an is trustworthy over the Books that preceded it. Therefore, whatever in these previous Books conforms to the Qur'an is true, and whatever disagrees with the Qur'an is false.''

Al-Walibi said that Ibn Abbas said that; Muhayminan means, `Witness'. Mujahid, Qatadah and As-Suddi said the same.

Al-Awfi said that Ibn Abbas said that;

Muhayminan means, `dominant over the previous Scriptures'.

These meanings are similar, as the word Muhaymin includes them all. Consequently, the Qur'an is trustworthy, a witness, and dominant over every Scripture that preceded it. This Glorious Book, which Allah revealed as the Last and Final Book, is the most encompassing, glorious and perfect Book of all times. The Qur'an includes all the good aspects of previous Scriptures and even more, which no previous Scripture ever contained. This is why Allah made it trustworthy, a witness and dominant over all Scriptures. Allah promised that He will protect the Qur'an and swore by His Most Honorable Self,

Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr and surely, We will guard it (from corruption). (15:9)

Allah said,

So judge between them by what Allah has revealed. Ibn Jarir said,

The Ayah commands: O Muhammad! Rule between the people, Arabs and non-Arabs, lettered and unlettered, by what Allah has revealed to you in this Glorious Book and what it approves of for you from the Law of the previous Prophets.

Ibn Abi Hatim reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"The Prophet had the choice to judge between them or to turn away from them and refer them to their own Law. Then this Ayah was revealed,

So judge(between them by what Allah has revealed, and follow not their vain desires...) (5:49) and he was commanded to judge between them by our Book.''

Allah's statement

and follow not their vain desires...,

This means the ideas they promote, because of which they turned away from what Allah revealed to His Messengers.

This is why Allah said,

And follow not their vain desires, diverging away from the truth that has come to you.

The Ayah commands: Do not diverge from the truth that Allah has ordained for you, to the vain desires of these miserable, ignorant people.

Allah's statement,

To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way.

To each among you, We have(prescribed a law),

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Ibn Abbas, Shir`at meaning, a clear path.

If Allah willed, He would have made you one nation.

This is a general proclamation to all nations informing them of Allah's mighty ability. If Allah wills, He would make all mankind follow one religion and one Law, that would never be abrogated. Allah decided that every Prophet would have his own distinct law that is later abrogated partially or totally with the law of a latter Prophet. Later on, all previous laws were abrogated by the Law that Allah sent with Muhammad, His servant and Messenger, whom Allah sent to the people of earth as the Final Prophet.

Allah said,

If Allah willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you.

This Ayah means, Allah has instituted different laws to test His servants' obedience to what He legislates for them, thus, He rewards or punishes them according to their actions and what they intend.

Abdullah bin Kathir said that the Ayah, (In what He has given you),

means, of the Book. Next, Allah encouraged rushing to perform good deeds,

so strive as in a race in good deeds.

which are obedience to Allah, following His Law that abrogated the laws that came before it, and believing in His Book, the Qur'an, which is the Final Book that He revealed.

Allah said next,

The return of you (all) is to Allah;

Therefore, O people, your return and final destination is to Allah on the Day of Resurrection,

then He will inform you about that in which you used to differ.

Allah will inform you about the truth in which you used to differ and will reward the sincere, as compensation for their sincerity, and will punish the disbelieving, rebellious people who rejected the truth and deviated from it to other paths, without proof or evidence to justify their actions. Rather, they have rejected the clear evidences, unequivocal proofs and established signs.

Ad-Dahhak said that, (So strive as in a race in good deeds),

is directed at the Ummah of Muhammad, but the first view is more apparent.

Allah's statement,

And so judge between them by what Allah has revealed and follow not their vain desires,

emphasizes this command and forbids ignoring it. Allah said next,

but beware of them lest they turn you far away from some of that which Allah has sent down to you.

meaning; beware of the Jews, your enemies, lest they distort the truth for you in what they convey to you. Therefore, do not be deceived by them, for they are liars, treacherous and disbelievers.

And if they turn away,

from the judgment that you pass in their disputes, and they defy Allah's Law.

then know that Allah's will is to punish them for some sins of theirs.

meaning, know that this will occur according to the decree of Allah, and because out of His wisdom they have deviated from the truth, and because of their previous sins.

And truly, most men are rebellious.

Therefore, the majority of humans are disobedient to their Lord, defiant of the truth and deviate away from it.

Allah said in other Ayat,

And most people will not believe even if you desire it eagerly. (12:103)

and,

And if you obey most of those on the earth they will mislead you far away from Allah's path. )6:116(

Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"Ka`b bin Asad, Ibn Saluba, Abdullah bin Surya and Shas bin Qays said to each other, `Let us go to Muhammad to try and misguide him from his religion.'

So they went to the Prophet and said, `O Muhammad! You know that we are the scholars, noblemen and chiefs of the Jews. If we follow you, the Jews will follow suit and will not contradict us. But, there is enmity between us and some of our people, so we will refer to you for judgment in this matter, and you should rule in our favor against them and we will believe in you.'

The Messenger of Allah refused the offer and Allah sent down these Ayat about them,

And so judge between them by what Allah has revealed and follow not their vain desires, but beware of them lest they turn you far away from some of that which Allah has sent down to you.) until, (for a people who have firm faith.)'' (5:49-50)

Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this Hadith. Allah continues,

Do they then seek the judgment of (the days of) ignorance! And who is better in judgment than Allah for a people who have firm faith!

Allah criticizes those who ignore Allah's commandments, which include every type of righteous good thing and prohibit every type of evil, but they refer instead to opinions, desires and customs that people themselves invented, all of which have no basis in Allah's religion.

During the time of Jahiliyyah, the people used to abide by the misguidance and ignorance that they invented by sheer opinion and lusts.

The Tatar (Mongols) abided by the law that they inherited from their king Genghis Khan who wrote Al- Yasiq, for them. This book contains some rulings that were derived from various religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Many of these rulings were derived from his own opinion and desires. Later on, these rulings became the followed law among his children, preferring them to the Law of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Therefore, whoever does this, he is a disbeliever who deserves to be fought against, until he reverts to Allah's and His Messenger's decisions, so that no law, minor or major, is referred to except by His Law.

Allah said,

Do they then seek the judgment of (the days of) ignorance!

meaning, they desire and want this and ignore Allah's judgment.

And who is better in judgment than Allah for a people who have firm faith.

Who is more just in decision than Allah for those who comprehend Allah's Law, believe in Him, who are certain that Allah is the best among those who give decisions and that He is more merciful with His creation than the mother with her own child Allah has perfect knowledge of everything, is able to do all things, and He is just in all matters.

Al-Hafiz Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani recorded that Ibn Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah said,

The most hated person to Allah is the Muslim who seeks the ways of the days of ignorance and he who seeks to shed the blood of a person without justification.

Al-Bukhari recorded Abu Al-Yaman narrating a similar Hadith, with some addition.

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donveinot · 2 months

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dfroza · 8 months

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Today’s reading from the ancient books of Proverbs and Psalms

for September 14 of 2023 with Proverbs 14 and Psalm 14, accompanied by Psalm 86 for the 86th day of Astronomical Summer, and Psalm 107 for day 257 of the year (with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 2nd revolution this year)

[Proverbs 14]

A wise woman builds her house,

but a foolish one picks it to splinters with her own hands.

Whoever travels through life with integrity respects the Eternal,

but whoever turns from it hates Him.

A fool’s words betray his pride and invite punishment,

but the humble speech of the wise will spare them.

A farm without oxen has a manger without grain;

there’s a good return in the strength of an ox.

An honest witness can always be trusted,

but a false witness breathes out nothing but lies.

Wisdom eludes mockers, though they seek it,

but insight comes quickly to those with understanding.

Walk away from the company of fools,

for you cannot find insight in their words.

It takes wisdom for the clever to understand the path they are on,

but the fool is deceived by his own foolishness.

Fools make a mockery of guilt and repentance,

but those who do what is right receive special standing.

Only the heart can know its own resentment;

likewise no stranger can experience its joy.

The house of the wicked will be destroyed,

while the tent of the upright will prosper.

Before every person lies a road that seems to be right,

but the end of that road is death and destruction.

Laughter can mask heartache,

and joy often gives way to grief.

A disloyal heart has its fill of disloyal ways,

but a good person will be satisfied from above.

The gullible believe anything they are told,

but clever people know to question every step.

The wise are cautious and stay far from evil,

but fools are hotheaded and careless.

Quick-tempered people make fools of themselves,

and evil schemers make many enemies.

The naive are heirs to foolishness,

but the clever are honored with insight.

Evil people will be humbled before the good;

the wicked will stoop at the doorstep of the righteous.

The poor are hated even by their own neighbors,

but the rich are loved by many friends.

Those who have contempt for their neighbors are sinners,

but those who are kind to the poor are happy.

Don’t those who work evil stray from the truth?

Those who plan goodness experience unfailing love and faithfulness.

Prosperity comes from hard work,

but talking too much leads to great scarcity.

The wise are honored for their wealth;

the reward of fools is more foolishness.

A truthful witness protects lives by not allowing evil to triumph,

but a deceitful witness speaks lies and puts the innocent in jeopardy.

Reverence for the Eternal brings bold confidence,

and one’s offspring will have hope of protection.

Respect and honor for Him is the basis of a satisfied life,

which guards a person from being trapped in the snares of death.

A king’s splendor is in his many people,

but a declining population will lead to his ruin.

Whoever is patient and slow to anger shows great understanding,

but whoever has a quick temper magnifies his foolishness.

A serene heart can add years to one’s life;

but jealous passion rots the bones.

Whoever oppresses the poor insults his Maker,

but anyone who is gracious to the needy honors Him.

The wicked are waylaid by their evil actions,

but the right-living find hope’s sanctuary even in their death.

Wisdom rests in the heart of one with insight

and can even be experienced by fools.

Living according to God’s instructions makes a nation great,

but sin colors those who commit it with disgrace.

The king shows kindness to a servant who acts wisely,

but his anger burns toward one who brings shame.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 14 (The Voice)

A note from The Voice translation:

The wrong kind of passion can be a dangerous thing. Too often people are ruled by strong emotions, thoughts that cannot be checked, and actions that cannot be controlled. If that’s the case, then you are putting your life and well-being in jeopardy. Peace of mind, tranquility of soul, and serenity of heart become the recipe for a long, happy life.

[Psalm 14]

For the worship leader. A song of David.

This is a wisdom psalm that grieves over the pervasiveness of sin and its sad effects. It is repeated with minor changes in Psalm 53. Paul refers to this Davidic psalm to explain how all of humanity is tainted by sin (Romans 3:1–12).

A wicked and foolish man truly believes there is no God.

They are vile, their sinfulness nauseating to their Creator;

their actions are soiled and repulsive; every deed is depraved;

not one of them does good.

The Eternal leans over from heaven to survey the sons of Adam.

No one is missed, and no one can hide.

He searches to see who understands true wisdom,

who desires to know the True God.

They all turn their backs, walking their own roads;

they are rancid, leaving a trail of rotten footsteps behind them;

not one of them does good,

not even one.

Do the wicked have no clue about what really matters?

They devour my brothers and sisters the way a man eats his dinner.

They ignore the Eternal and don’t call on Him, rejecting His reality and truth.

They shall secretly tremble behind closed doors, hearts beating hard within their chests,

knowing that God always avenges the upright.

You laugh at the counsel of the poor, the needy, the troubled who put their trust in God.

You try to take away their only hope,

but the Eternal is a strong shelter in the heaviest storm.

May a new day, a day of deliverance come for Israel, starting with Zion.

When the Eternal breaks the chains of His oppressed people,

the family of Jacob will rejoice, and Israel will be delighted.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 14 (The Voice)

[Psalm 86]

A prayer of David.

O Eternal One, lend an ear to my prayer and answer me,

for I am weak and wanting.

Safeguard my soul, for I remain loyal to You.

Save me, Your servant, who trusts in You, my God.

O Lord, please be merciful to me,

as all day long I cry out to You.

Bring joy into the life of Your servant,

for it’s only to You, O Lord, that I offer my soul.

O Lord, You are good and ready to forgive;

Your loyal love flows generously over all who cry out to You.

O Eternal One, lend an ear and hear my prayer;

listen to my pleading voice.

When times of trouble come, I will call to You

because I know You will respond to me.

O Lord, You stand alone among the other gods;

nothing they have done compares to Your wonderful works.

O Lord, all the peoples of earth—every nation You established—

will come to You, bowing low to worship,

and rightly honor Your great name.

For You are great, and Your works are wondrous;

You are the one True God.

O Eternal One, guide me along Your path

so that I will live in Your truth.

Unite my divided heart so that I will fear Your great name.

O Lord, my God! I praise You with all that I am.

I will rightly honor Your great name forever.

For Your loyal love for me is so great it is beyond comparison.

You have rescued my soul from the depths of the grave.

O True God, arrogant people are after me.

A violent gang wants to kill me;

they have no interest in You or Your ways.

But Lord, You are a God full of compassion, generous in grace,

slow to anger, and boundless in loyal love and truth.

Look at me, and grant me Your favor.

Invest Your strength in me, Your servant,

and rescue me, Your handmaiden’s child.

Give me a sign so I may know Your goodness rests on me

and so those who hate me will be red with shame at the sight of it.

For You, O Eternal One, have come to my aid and offered me relief.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 86 (The Voice)

[Book Five]

Book Five (Psalms 107–150) succinctly presents many of the major themes of the previous psalms. It tracks along Israel’s history as God’s nation, from the united monarchy, through the exile, to the restoration. Psalm 107 is a song of thanksgiving composed by those who survived exile and made their way home. As in Isaiah, the return from exile is described as a new exodus. Three Davidic psalms toward the beginning of Book Five represent the monarchy and recall Israel’s golden age. The Songs for the Journey to Worship (Psalm 120–134) are composed for use by God’s people as they traveled from their homes up to Zion to worship God at the temple. Representing their time in exile are songs of lament, heartbreaking testimonies to individuals’ pain when they are crushed by their enemies and separated from God’s blessings. Finally, Book Five concludes the collection by offering praise and thanks to God, for the story of Israel does not end with its exile and separation; rather, it ends in restoration and hope. Those who edited and compiled the Book of Psalms were relieved to be back in the land of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—rebuilding their temple and reestablishing their connection with God.

[Psalm 107]

Erupt with thanks to the Eternal, for He is good

and His loyal love lasts forever.

Let all those redeemed by the Eternal—

those rescued from times of deep trouble—join in giving thanks.

He has gathered them across the earth,

from east and west,

from [north and south].

Some drifted around in the desert

and found no place where they could live.

Their bellies growled with hunger; their mouths were dry with thirst;

their souls grew weak and weary.

In their distress, they called out to the Eternal,

and He saved them from their misery.

He showed them the best path; then He led them down the right road

until they arrived at an inhabited town.

May they erupt with praise and give thanks to the Eternal

in honor of His loyal love

And all the wonders He has performed for humankind!

He has quenched their thirst,

and He has satisfied their hunger with what is good.

Some people were locked up in dark prisons, confined in gloom as bleak as death.

They were captives bound by iron chains and misery,

All because they had rebelled against the directives of the True God

and had rejected the wisdom of the Most High.

So they suffered the heaviness of slave labor;

when they stumbled and fell, there was no one to help them up.

In their distress, they called out to the Eternal;

He saved them from their misery.

He rescued them from the darkness, delivered them from the deepest gloom of death;

He shattered their iron chains.

May they erupt with praise and give thanks to the Eternal

in honor of His loyal love

And all the wonders He has performed for humankind!

He has broken down the bronze gates

and severed the iron bars that imprisoned them.

Some people became fools infected by their rebellious ways,

and sickness followed because of their sins.

Afflicted and weak, they refused any sort of food

as they approached the gates of death.

In their distress, they called out to the Eternal,

and He saved them from their misery.

He gave the order and healed them

and rescued them from certain death.

May they erupt with praise and give thanks to the Eternal

in honor of His loyal love

And all the wonders He has performed for humankind!

Let them present to Him thanksgiving sacrifices

and tell stories of His great deeds through songs of joy.

Some set out to sea in ships,

traveling across mighty seas in order to trade in foreign lands.

They witnessed the powerful acts of the Eternal,

marveled at the great wonders He revealed over the deep waters.

For He spoke and summoned a violent wind

that whipped up the waves of the sea.

Relentless waves lifted the ships high in the sky, then drove them down to the depths;

the sailors’ courage dissolved into misery.

They staggered and stumbled around like drunkards,

and they had no idea what to do.

In their distress, they called out to the Eternal,

and He saved them from their misery.

He commanded the storm to calm down, and it became still.

A hush came over the waves of the sea,

The sailors were delighted at the quiet,

and He guided them to their port.

May they erupt with praise and give thanks to the Eternal

in honor of His loyal love

And all the wonders He has performed for humankind!

Let them glorify Him in the assembly of His people

and worship Him in the presence of the elders.

God transforms wild, flowing rivers into dry, lonely deserts,

lively springs of water into thirsty ground.

He turns lush gardens into lifeless wastelands,

all because of the wickedness of those who reside there.

Yet He transforms a dry, lonely desert into pools of living water,

parched ground into lively springs.

And He allows those who are hungry to live there

so that they might build a livable city.

There they sow fields and plant vineyards

and gather up an abundant harvest.

He anoints them with His blessings, and they greatly increase in number.

He does not allow their herds to dwindle.

When His people lessen in number and are humbled

through persecution, suffering, and brokenheartedness,

He pours out contempt on those responsible leaders

and then makes them drift around in an uncharted wasteland.

But He raises the poor away from their suffering

and multiplies their families like a flock.

The righteous see God’s actions, and they take delight in what He does,

but the unrighteous don’t dare to speak.

Is there anyone wise? If so, may the wise take notice of these things

and reflect upon the loyal love of the Eternal.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 107 (The Voice)

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slowips · 1 year

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list of 107 words

send me a number + a character and i'll write something :)

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witness

false

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trick

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blank

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note

distort

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lack

swing

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okay

#genshin x reader #with words.#/#trying to curate this was so fun HAHAH

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aaryanbansal · 1 year

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Blog on Criminal Conspiracy

[Chapter VA (120A-120B)]

Introduction

Conspiracy means a combination of two or more persons for unlawful purposes. It is an agreement between two or more persons to commit an illegal act. Criminal conspiracy is a substantive offence under the Indian Penal Code, 1860(I.P.C.). Generally, the accused is charged with the offence of criminal conspiracy along with the charge of some other substantive offence under the I.P.C. or any other law. Chapter V-A of the I.P.C. as inserted in 1913 deals with the offence of criminal conspiracy. In this article, the author will attempt to analyse the substantive offence of criminal conspiracy with the help of relevant case laws.

Background

Originally, the term ‘conspiracy’ was used to refer to the acts of agreement of two or more persons to institute a false legal case against someone or to carry on legal proceedings in a vexatious or improper way.

In Poulterer’s case(1611), the criminal aspect of conspiracy was developed for the first time by the Star Chamber and conspiracy was recognised as a substantive offence.

Brief facts of the case are: One Walters along with other defendants imputed a false charge of robbery on Stone and did everything possible to ruin his family’s reputation. Rumours were spread that Stone was a gentleman thief and a knave. However, Stone had an alibi and brought some 30 people to attest that he was in London on the day the alleged robbery took place. The jury found an ignoramus and Stone was discharged. Thereafter, Stone brought an action before the Star Chamber to clear himself of the imputations levelled against him and vindicate his reputation. The defendants attempted to settle the matter out of court and also tried to persuade Stone to drop the suit. However, when the process started, the defendants accused Stone of barratry and also intimated some of his witnesses. The court held that the mere presence of conspiracy among the defendants, irrespective of whether Stone was falsely indicted or acquitted is the gist of the offence and can be considered a crime.

The House of Lords in Mulcahy v. R.(1868) stated that “A conspiracy consists not merely in the intention of two or more but in the agreement of two or more to do an unlawful act by unlawful means. So long as such a design rests in intention only it is not indictable….” Thus, two or more persons must agree to carry it into effect and the very plot is an act in itself punishable for a criminal object or the use of criminal means.

Before the insertion of Chapter V-A, conspiracy under I.P.C. was punishable only in two forms-

By way of abetment under Section 107 I.P.C.

By way of involvement in a certain offence (Section 310, Section 401, Section 400 I.P.C.)

Then, in 1870, Section 121A was added which provided punishment for conspiracy to commit offences punishable by Section 121 i.e. conspiracy to wage or attempt to wage war against the Government of India.

It is thus clear that conspiracy per se was not a crime under I.P.C. before 1913. The Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1913 inserted Chapter V-A in the I.P.C. which introduced criminal conspiracy as a substantive offence.

Definition of Criminal Conspiracy

Section 120A I.P.C.

Section 120A of the I.P.C. defines criminal conspiracy as an agreement of two or more persons to do or cause to be done-

An illegal act, or;

An act that is not illegal by illegal means.

Section 43 of the I.P.C. defines the term ‘illegal’ as everything that is an offence or is prohibited by law or furnishes ground for a civil action.

The Proviso attached to Section 120A provides that a mere agreement to commit an offence shall amount to criminal conspiracy and no overt act or illegal omission is required to be proved. Such overt act is necessary only when the object of the conspiracy is the commission of an illegal act not amounting to an offence. It is immaterial whether the illegal act is the ultimate object of such agreement or is merely incidental to that object.

Ingredients

Two or more persons agree to do or cause to be done an illegal act or an act which is not illegal by illegal means i.e. there must be at least 2 persons who conspire. However, a person may be indicted alone for the offence of criminal conspiracy if the other co-conspirators are unknown, missing or dead.

Joint evil intent to do an illegal act or an act that is not illegal by illegal means is necessary.

Punishment of criminal conspiracy

Section 120B of I.P.C. provides for punishment of criminal conspiracy-

Where the criminal conspiracy is to commit a serious offence: In cases where the conspiracy is to commit an offence-

Punishable with death,

Imprisonment for life or

Rigorous imprisonment for a term of two years or upwards

and where no express punishment is provided under the Code for such conspiracy,

every person who is a party to such a criminal conspiracy shall be punished in the same manner as if he had abetted such offence.

Criminal conspiracy to commit offences other than those covered in the first category: Whoever is a party to such a criminal conspiracy shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding six months or with fine or with both.

Proof of conspiracy

The offence of criminal conspiracy can be proved by either direct or circumstantial evidence. A conspiracy is usually hatched in a secret and private setting which is why it is almost impossible to produce any affirmative evidence about the date of the formation of the criminal conspiracy, the persons involved in it or the object of such conspiracy or how such object is to be carried out. All of this is more or less a matter of inference.

Case Laws

Parveen v. State of Haryana (2021) SC

The brief facts of the case are: Four accused were being escorted by the police from the Central Jail, Jaipur by train to be produced in the Court of CJM, Bhiwani. On reaching the Railway Station Nangal Pathani, four young boys entered their compartment, attacked the police party and tried to rescue the accused. The accused, who were in custody also tried to escape and an attempt was also made to snatch the official carbine. It was alleged that one of the accused fired upon the Head Constable, who got injured and later succumbed to his injuries. One accused was apprehended and the other three fled. The accused were charged under offences Sections 224, 225, 332, 353, 392, 307, 302, 120-B of the IPC and for certain offences under the Arms Act. The accused were held guilty by the Sessions Court and on appeal, the High Court of Punjab and Haryana confirmed their conviction. The appellant Parveen @ Sonu filed an appeal in the Supreme Court.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court held that it is not safe to hold a person guilty for offences under Section 120B I.P.C. in absence of any evidence to show a meeting of minds between the conspirators for the intended object of committing an illegal act. The Court ordered the acquittal of the appellant and held that it is not safe to maintain the conviction of the accused on the alleged confessional statements of the co-accused in absence of any other corroborative evidence.

Kehar Singh and others v. State (Delhi Administration) (1988) SC

The Hon’ble Supreme Court, in this case, has held that the most important ingredient of the offence of conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to do an illegal act. Such an illegal act may or may not be done in pursuance of the agreement, but the very agreement is an offence and is punishable.

Conclusion

The offence of criminal conspiracy comes under the category of inchoate crimes as it does not require the commission of an illegal act. Criminal conspiracy is a partnership in crime and a joint or mutual agency exists in each conspiracy for the prosecution of a common plan. Nowadays, it is seen that the provision of criminal conspiracy is very loosely invoked which is not in line with the principles laid down by the Supreme Court. Hence, it is very much required that the superior courts keep a check on the misuse of the provision while upholding the rule of law.

Blog by – Aaryan Bansal

500092398 BBA.LLB(b3)

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foreverknightalways · 3 years

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Natalie asks Nick, So how about you and the rest of the world? Has it forgiven you yet for telling the truth? Nick answers, It's getting there. Natalie tells Nick, You see, you're not immune to happy endings. By the way, you never told me about what happened to that musician.

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questionsonislam · 2 years

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Could you please give information about Lying? What are the circumstances under which lying is permissible?

Lying is a habit of telling too many lies. Lying is hiding the truth and telling the opposite of what is known. Lying is a very abominable habit. Our religion prohibited lying severely and made it haram.

Lying is a disease in one’s soul. Muslims should protect themselves from it. Children should be trained to tell the truth when they are still young and they should be explained why lying is harmful.

Although Allah the Glorious ordered “Avoid lying” (al-Hajj, 22:60), there are people who lie for simple worldly interests. Especially, perjury (false testimony) is a very abominable behavior and this is counted amongst major sins. A true Muslim should tell the truth and refrain from lying, even though it may be against his own good. Allah the Supreme said:

“O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for God can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily God is well-acquainted with all that ye do.” (al-Nisa, 4:135).

The Reverend Prophet also emphasized that lying and perjury is amongst major sins. (Riyazu’s-Salihin, III, 138). Moreover, he stated that lying is an indicator of being hypocrite. (Muslim, Faith, 107).

Lying is permitted in three situations in our religion:

a) Someone imposed to cruelty and injustice can lie in order to save his/her life, property and honor from being harmed.

b) Lying is permitted when it is used in order to reconcile between spouses who are offended with each other; because the Messenger of Allah said: “He is not a liar who reconciles between people and who says or narrates good words for this reason.” (Muslim, Birr, Sila, 27).

c) Lying is permitted during war in order to defeat enemy.

As for the perversity of lying, the Prophet (pbuh) said:

“Lying leads to perversity and perversity leads to Hell. By lying again and again, one is eventually recorded as a liar by Allah.” (Bukhari, Adab, 69; Muslim, Birr, 103-105). This is the most important negativity of lying. That is to say; it is the fact that it alienates one from pleasing Allah and eventually leads to Hell. Moreover, lying puts people at odds with each other. It destroys trust between people, causes chaos in society, ends friendships and gives rise to enmity. For a lie will be noticed sooner or later, liars become people who are not trusted, not respected and not loved. In summary, lying leads one to devastation both in this world and the otherworld.

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simplymariac · 8 months

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From Season 1, Episode 107 False Witness - Nick and Capt. Stonetree at a crime scene. #ForeverKnight #GeraintWynDavies #GaryFarmer

Just having fun with these screenshots. Sony has all the rights to this screenshot set. 😉

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tawakkull · 3 years

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ISLAM 101: Spirituality in Islam: Part 91

Ghayra (Endeavor)

Endeavor (ghayra) literally means making every effort of concern, and being alert in striving, for chastity, honor, and esteem. It signifies being on the alert in respect of religious prohibitions. God is limitless in His concern for the purity of His servants and is infinitely pleased with the care they show and the endeavors they make in preserving it. For this reason, He has made some things, including indecencies and evil acts in particular, unlawful. So His servants, at least, must respond to His concern by being as careful as possible not to commit such acts. This is endeavor (ghayra); in this lies a person’s honor.

In order to remind us of this point, God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, said: “Do you wonder at the degree of Sa’d’s concern? I am more concerned than Sa’d, and God is more concerned than me.” Concern requires fulfilling with great zeal whatever God likes and orders and being as determined as possible not to commit whatever He dislikes and forbids. It also requires loving from the bottom of one’s heart the Essence, Attributes and Names of the Necessarily Existent Being, and doing one’s utmost so that He may be loved also by others, and preferring relationship with one’s Lord to everything in the world and the Hereafter. In expressing these last two points in particular, the following verse of a saint is highly significant:

I wish all the people of the world love Him Whom I love, And all that we speak about would be the Beloved.

If the endeavor required is the assumption of a determined attitude not to commit evil and therefore related to God’s absolute dislike of such acts, then this would mean that one must adopt a manner that belongs to God. He who was the voice of truth, upon him be peace and blessings, said: There is no one more concerned than God. It is because of His concern that He has prohibited all indecencies to be committed, whether in public or secretly.[1] This draws attention to the Divine source of concern and endeavor. By saying, God displays concern, and a believer also displays concern. God’s concern is for the prohibited acts that His servant may commit,[2] he reminds us of the mutuality of concern and the ardent endeavor that is required by it.

The scholars of truth have interpreted concern and endeavor in two ways:

Recognizing no alternative or rival to the Beloved. Fixing all of one’s attention on the Beloved and trying to outdo all else in loving Him. However we want to understand endeavor, whether it be resisting corporeal desires and trying to lead our lives on the horizon of the heart and the spirit, or waging war against evil morals and establishing a way of life formed of good morals or virtues, or feeling in our hearts that we belong to Him exclusively -all these are among the principal elements which will bring us up to the level of true humanity. They are a response to God Almighty’s infinite concern for His servants. God’s concern is that He does not leave His servants forever vulnerable to others’ sense of what is fair, just and right, and He honors them with exclusive loyalty and servanthood to Him, He does not throw them into the humiliation of subjection to false, imaginary deities. In response to this, the required concern of His servants is, in the words of Mawlana Jami’, the craving for One, the invoking of One, the seeking of One, the seeing and following of One, the knowing of One, and the mentioning of One.

Some view endeavor as the initiates’ making Him their unique concern, their sole hope of contentment, and excluding all else other than Him from the sphere of their efforts which must be directed toward Him alone and exclusively. It has been regarded as the manifestation of the state in which that some wander sighing for the Beloved from whom they are separated, are. The initial verses of the Mathnawi by Jalal al-Din al-Rumi sound like melodies of such endeavor and longing:

Listen to the flute, how it recounts; It complains of separation. ……………………………………………………………………… I seek a bosom split in parts by separation, So that I can explain to it my painful yearning! Whoever has fallen far from his origin, Longs for the day when he will be reunited with the Beloved.

Those who have made serious endeavor with utmost concern have treated the subject of endeavor in three degrees:

The first consists of the endeavor that is practiced and known by regular, profound worship of God, by those who embroider their lives with the threads of piety and righteous deeds. In order to become perfected, they exert such endeavor that even a single, slight error is enough for them to suffer pangs of conscience for a life-time.

The second degree of endeavor is practiced by those who have set their hearts on God, the Truth, exclusively, who go from state to state, who travel from love to pleasure and thereon into deeper and deeper yearning. They make every endeavor to please Him and, as stated in the verse, To whatever direction you turn, there is the “Face” of God (2:115), they always turn to Him with all their faculties and under all circumstances, and are on the alert against letting their eyes slide to another beloved. They always try to find Him in any corner of their hearts for special meetings, as mentioned in a hadith,I have a special time with God.[3] They regard it as the greatest disrespect for time to fail to spend even a moment in knowing and pleasing Him. They tremble with the threat, This is because you exulted on earth without right, and you behaved insolently! (40:75), and they hear with eagerness the Divine call, Eat and drink at ease as reward for your deprivations and sacrifices in past days! (69:24) resounding all the time at different pitches.

The endeavor of those endowed with true knowledge of God, which is the third degree, is always to pursue deeper and deeper knowledge of Him, saying, We have not been able to know You as Your knowledge requires. They glimpse unbelievable beauties and sometimes keep what they have witnessed concealed, even from their own eyes, in jealousy. Sometimes they bemoan this world as being a place where He cannot be seen and complain of their eyes, in that they are unable to see Him and belittle their own being as they cannot keep concealed their special relationship with the Beloved and His special favors to them. Like a compass, they are always sensitively poised and agitated until they reach the day of final, eternal reunion with the Beloved, a day when they will acquire steadiness.

O God, I want (Your) forgiveness and endeavor (to please You)! O God, lead me to what You love and are pleased with! And may Your blessings and peace be on our master Muhammad Mustafa.

[1] Al-Bukhari, “Nikah,” 107; Al-Muslim, “Tawba,” 32-34. [2] Al-Muslim, “Tawba,” 36. [3] al-Ajluni, Kashf al-Khafa’, 2:173.

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basicsofislam · 4 years

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ISLAM 101: Your Faith: Part 8

The Messengers’ Signs and Miracles

Allah I supported His messengers with a number of signs and miracles to prove their truthfulness and prophethood. A miracle, or mu‛jizah, is an extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers. It is performed by prophets, by Allah’s command, for its credential value, to accredit them as Allah’s true messengers

Examples of miracles include:

-Moses’s rod turning into a snake

-Jesus’s informing his people of what they ate and stored in their houses

-The splitting of the moon for Prophet Muhammad (saw)

A Muslim’s Beliefs regarding Jesus u

1) He was one of the greatest of Allah’s messengers and one of those held in high esteem. Indeed, he is one of the messengers Allah describes in the Qur’an as having ‘firm resolve’, namely, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon all of them. About these prophets, the Qur’an states, “We made a covenant with all the Prophets – with you and with Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus son of Mary – We made a binding covenant with them.” (Soorat Al-Ahzaab, 33:7)

2) He was a mere human being with no divine attributes whatsoever, whom Almighty Allah sent to guide the Children of Israel and supported with a number of miracles, as the Qur’an states, “He is only a slave on whom We bestowed Our blessing and whom We made an example for the tribe of Israel.” (Soorat Az-Zukhruf, 43:59) He never ordered his people to take him and his mother, Mary, as gods besides Allah; he only told them to do as Allah commanded him to tell them: “Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” (Soorat Al-Maa’idah, 5:117)

3) Muslims believe that Jesus Peace be upon him was one of the greatest of Allah’s messengers, that he had no divine attributes whatsoever and that he was neither killed, nor crucified.

4) He was the son of Mary, a chaste, pious and truthful virgin who entirely devoted herself to the worship of Allah. She gave birth to Jesus after miraculously conceiving him without a human father, his likeness in this being as that of Adam, as the Qur’an states, “The likeness of Jesus in Allah’s sight is the same as Adam. He created him from earth and then He said to him, ‘Be!’ and he was.” (Soorat Aal-‛Imraan, 3:59)

5) There was no prophet between him and Muhammad r. In fact, Jesus u gave the good news of the advent of Prophet Muhammad r, as the Qur’an states, “And when Jesus son of Mary said, ‘O Children of Israel, I am the Messenger of Allah to you, confirming the Torah which came before me and giving you the good news of a Messenger to come after me whose name is Ahmad.’ When he brought them the Clear Signs, they said, ‘This is downright magic.’” (Soorat As-Saff, 61:6)

6) We believe in the miracles he performed by Allah’s permission, such as his ability to heal the lepers, bringing dead people back to life and informing his people of what they ate and stored in their houses, all by Allah’s permission. Allah gave him the ability to perform such miracles to prove he was a true prophet who came with a divine message from his Lord.

7) A person will not be considered a true believer unless he believes that Jesus u was Allah’s servant and messenger and strongly rejects the false statements Jews make about him and which Allah dismiss as untrue. He must al strongly reject the Christian beliefs about Jesus, who have gone far astray for taking him and his mother as gods besides Allah, claiming that he was the son of God or adopting the doctrine of the Trinity, referring to Allah as “the third of three”. Glorified is He and High Exalted above what they say!

8) He was neither killed, nor crucified; instead, he was raised up by Allah to heaven. In fact, Allah gave someone else Jesus’ appearance, causing everyone to believe that Jesus was crucified. The Qur’an says about this, “And their saying, ‘We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah.’ They did not kill him and they did not crucify him but it was made to seem so to them. Those who argue about him are in doubt about it. They have no real knowledge of it, just conjecture. They did not really kill him. Allah raised him up to Himself. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. There is not one of the People of the Book who will not believe in him before he dies; and on the Day of Rising he will be a witness against them.” (Soorat An-Nisaa’, 4:157-59) In this way, Allah I protected him and raised Him to heaven. He will eventually return to earth towards the end of the world, rule by Muhammad’s law; then he will die and be buried, and will eventually be resurrected, like all human beings, as the Qur’an states, “From it We created you, to it We will return you, and from it We will bring you forth a second time.” (Soorat Taa Haa, 2o:55)

Belief in Muhammad (saw) as a Prophet and Messenger

-We believe that Muhammad May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him was Allah’s servant and messenger, that he is the best of all mankind without exception, the seal of the prophets and so there will be no prophet after him. He Fully delivered the divine message assigned to him, discharged his prophetic duties, sincerely counselled the Muslim community, and strove hard for the cause of Allah to the best of his ability.

-We believe what he said, obey his commands and avoid the acts he prohibited and warned us against. We must worship Allah according to his guidance (Sunnah) and take none but him as our example. The Qur’an says, “You have an excellent model in the Messenger of Allah, for all who hope for Allah and the Last Day and remember Allah much.” (Soorat Al-Ahzaab, 33:21)

-We must show more love for the Prophet r than for our own parents, children and indeed all humankind. “None of you will be a true believer,” the Prophet r once observed, “until he loves me more than his parents, his children and all mankind.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree: 15 and Saheeh Muslim: 44). However, true love for the Prophet r can only be realised by following his Sunnah. Indeed, true happiness and complete guidance cannot be attained without obeying him, as the Qur’an states, “If you obey him, you will be guided.’ The Messenger is only responsible for delivering the message clearly.” (Soorat An-Noor, 24:54)

-We must accept everything he has brought to us from Almighty Allah, adhere to his Sunnah, holding his guidance in high esteem, as the Qur’an states, “By your Lord, they will not be true believers until they seek your arbitration in their disputes and find within themselves no doubt about what you decide and accept it wholeheartedly.” (Soorat An-Nisaa’, 4:65)

-We must avoid disobeying his orders, for doing so is bound to lead to trials, misguidance and a severe punishment in the hereafter, as the Qur’an states, “Those who oppose his command should beware of a testing trial coming to them or a painful punishment striking them.” (Soorat An-Noor, 24:63)

Characteristics of Prophet Muhammad’s Message

Prophet Muhammad’s message has a number of characteristics which distinguish it from the previous divine messages. These include:

-It was the final divine message, as the Qur’an states, “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but the Messenger of Allah and the Final Seal of the Prophets.” (Soorat Al-Ahzaab, 33:40)

-It abrogated all previous messages and laws, and thus no religion will be acceptable to Allah after Muhammad’s mission except Islam. This can only be done by following Prophet Muhammad’s guidance. Similarly, no one will be admitted into Paradise without following in his footsteps, for he is the most honourable of all Allah’s messengers, his community (ummah) is the best community that has ever been brought forth for the good of mankind and his law is the most comprehensive of all divine laws. The Qur’an says, “If anyone desires anything other than Islam as a religion, it will not be accepted from him, and in the next world he will be among the losers.” (Soorat Aal-‛Imraan, 3:85) The Prophet r also said, «By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, any person of this Community, Jew or Christian, who hears of me and dies without believing in what I have been sent with will be among the inhabitants of Hell.” (Saheeh Muslim: 153; Musnad Ahmad: 8609)

-It is addressed to both the jinn and mankind. Recounting the statements of some of the jinn who embraced Islam, the Qur’an states, “Our people, respond to Allah’s caller and believe in Him.” (Soorat Al-Ahqaaf, 46:31) Addressing Muhammad r, the Qur’an also says, “We only sent you for the whole of mankind, bringing good news and giving warning.” (Soorat Saba’, 34:28) In this connection, the Prophet r said, “I have been favoured over the other prophets in six ways: I have been given the gift of concise yet comprehensive speech; I have been supported with fear [which Allah cats into my enemies’ hearts]; war booty has been made permissible for me; the entire earth has been made a means of purification and a place of worship for me; I have been sent to all of mankind; and the line of Prophets ends with me.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree: 2815; Saheeh Muslim: 523)

Benefits of Belief in Allah’s Messengers

Belief in Allah’s messengers has a number of benefits, including the following:

1) Awareness of Allah’s care for His slaves for sending messengers to them to guide them to the right path and show them how to worship Allah. Indeed, the human mind cannot possibly do this. Addressing Prophet Muhammad r, Allah I says, “We have only sent you as a mercy to all the worlds.” (Soorat Al-Anbiyaa’, 21:107)

2) Showing gratefulness to Allah for this great blessing.

3) Showing love for Allah’s messengers, holding them in high esteem and adequately praising them for delivering Allah’s message to their people and giving them good counsel.

4) Following the guidance contained in the message which the messengers have brought from Allah, namely, to worship Allah alone without associating any partners with Him in worship and adhering to the dictates of this message. This will bring about happiness for the believers in both this life and in the life to come. The Qur’an says, “Those who follow My guidance will not go astray and will not be wretched. But whoever turns away from My reminder, he will lead a miserable life.” (Soorat Taa Haa, 20:123-24)

Parts 1-7:

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627183884732416000/islam-101-your-faith-part-1

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627229326084079616/islam-101-your-faith-part-2

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627356113398022144/islam-101-your-faithpart3

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627412366835990528/islam-101-your-faith-part-4

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627486614749315072/islam-101-your-faith-part-5

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627594227450298368/islam-101-your-faith-part-6

https://basicsofislam.tumblr.com/post/627715253328838656/islam-101-your-faith-part-7

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dailytafsirofquran · 3 years

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Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Surah Al-Baqarah Ayah 111-113

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

111. And they say, "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.'' These are their own desires. Say (O Muhammad ), "Produce your Burhan if you are truthful.''

112. Yes! But whoever submits his face (himself) to Allah (i.e. follows Allah's religion of Islamic Monotheism) and he is a Muhsin then his reward is with his Lord (Allah), on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

113. The Jews said that the Christians follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); and the Christians said that the Jews follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); though they both recite the Scripture. Like unto their word, said those (the pagans) who know not. Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection about that wherein they have been differing.

The Hopes of the People of the Book

Allah tells;

And they say, "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.'' These are their own desires. Allah made the confusion of the Jews and the Christians clear, since they claim that no one will enter Paradise, unless he is a Jew or a Christian.

Similarly, Allah mentioned their claims in Surah Al-Ma'idah: We are the children of Allah and His loved ones. (5:18)

Allah refuted this false claim and informed them that they will be punished because of their sins. Previously we mentioned their claim that the Fire would not touch them for more than a few days, after which they would be put in Paradise. Allah rebuked this claim, and He said about this baseless claim, (These are their own desires).

Abu Al-Aliyah commented,

"These are wishes that they wished Allah would answer, without basis.''

Similar was stated by Qatadah and Ar-Rabi bin Anas.

Allah then said,

Say, meaning, "Say O Muhammad:''

"Produce your Burhan...''

Abu Al-Aliyah, Mujahid, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi bin Anas stated, meaning, "Your proof.''

Qatadah said that the Ayah means,

"Bring the evidence that supports your statement. if you are truthful, (in your claim).''

Allah then said,

Yes! But whoever submits his face (himself) to Allah (i.e. follows Allah's religion of Islamic Monotheism) and he is a Muhsin.

meaning, "Whoever performs deeds in sincerity, for Allah alone without partners.''

In a similar statement, Allah said,

So if they dispute with you (Muhammad) say: "I have submitted myself to Allah (in Islam), and (so have) those who follow me.'' (3:20)

Abu Al-Aliyah and Ar-Rabi said that, (Yes! But whoever submits his face (himself) to Allah) means,

"Whoever is sincere with Allah.''

Also, Sa`id bin Jubayr said that, (Yes! But whoever submits) means, he is sincere.

(his face (himself)) meaning, in his religion.

(and he is a Muhsin) following the Messenger.

For there are two conditions for deeds to be accepted;

* the deed must be performed for Allah's sake alone and

* conform to the Shariah.

When the deed is sincere, but does not conform to the Shariah, then it will not be accepted.

The Messenger of Allah said,

Whoever performs a deed that does not conform with our matter (religion), then it will be rejected.

This Hadith was recorded by Muslim.

Therefore, the good deeds of the priests and rabbis will not be accepted, even if they are sincerely for Allah alone, because these deeds do not conform with the method of the Messenger, who was sent for all mankind.

Allah said regarding such cases,

And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust. (25:23)

As for those who disbelieved, their deeds are like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water, until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing. (24:39)

and,

Some faces, that Day will be humiliated.

Laboring, weary. They will enter in the hot blazing Fire. They will be given to drink from a boiling spring. (88:2-5)

When the deed conforms to the Shariah outwardly, but the person did not perform it sincerely for Allah alone, the deed will also be rejected, as in the case of the hypocrites and those who do their deeds to show off.

Similarly, Allah said,

Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As-Salah (the prayer), they stand with laziness to be seen by people, and they do not remember Allah but little. (4:142)

and,

So woe unto those performers of Salah (prayers) (hypocrites). Those who delay their Salah (from their stated fixed times). Those who do good deeds only to be seen (of men). And withhold Al-Ma`un (small kindnesses). (107:4-7)

This is why Allah said,

So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord. (18:110)

He also said in this Ayah,

Yes, but whoever submits his face (himself) to Allah (follows Allah's religion of Islamic Monotheism) and he is a Muhsin.

Allah's statement, Shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve, guaranteed them the rewards and safety from what they fear and should avoid. (There shall be no fear on them) in the future, (nor shall they grieve) about what they abandoned in the past.

Moreover, Sa`id bin Jubayr said, (There shall be no fear on them) in the Hereafter, and (nor shall they grieve) about their imminent death.''

The Jews and Christians dispute among Themselves out of Disbelief and Stubbornness

Allah said,

The Jews said that the Christians follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); and the Christians said that the Jews follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); though they both recite the Scripture.

Allah explained the disputes, hatred and stubbornness that the People of the Book have towards each other.

Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"When a delegation of Christians from Najran came to the Messenger of Allah, the Jewish rabbis came and began arguing with them before the Messenger of Allah. Rafi bin Huraymilah said,

`You do not follow anything,' and he reiterated his disbelief in Jesus and the Injil. Then a Christian man from Najran's delegation said to the Jews, `Rather, you do not follow anything,'

and he reiterated his rejection of Musa's Prophethood and his disbelief in the Torah. So Allah revealed the Ayah, The Jews said that the Christians follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); and the Christians said that the Jews follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); though they both recite the Scripture.''

Allah made it clear that each party read the affirmation of what they claimed to reject in their Book.

Consequently, the Jews disbelieve in Jesus, even though they have the Torah in which Allah took their Covenant by the tongue of Moses to believe in Jesus. Also, the Gospel contains Jesus' assertion that Moses'

Prophethood and the Torah came from Allah. Yet, each party disbelieved in what the other party had.

Allah said,

Like unto their word, said those who know not, thus exposing the ignorance displayed by the Jews and the Christians concerning their statements that we mentioned.

There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning of Allah's statement, (who know not), For instance, Ar-Rabi bin Anas and Qatadah said that, (Like unto their word, said those said those who know not) means,

"The Christians said similar statements to the Jews.''

Ibn Jurayj asked Ata "Who are those `who know not?'''

Ata said, "Nations that existed before the Jews and the Christians and before the Torah and the Gospel.''

Also, As-Suddi said that, (said those who know not) is in reference to the Arabs who said that Muhammad was not following anything (i. e. did not follow a true or existing religion).

Abu Jafar bin Jarir chose the view that; this Ayah is general and that there is no evidence that specifically supports any of these explanations. So interpreting the Ayah in a general way is better.

Allah knows best.

Allah said,

Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection about that wherein they have been differing.

meaning, that Allah will gather them all on the Day of Return. On that Day, Allah will justly judge between them, for He is never unjust with anyone, even as little as the weight of an atom.

This Ayah is similar to Allah's statement in Surah Al-Hajj, Verily, those who believe (in Allah and in His Messenger Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians, and the Majus, and those who associate partners with Allah; truly, Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. Verily, Allah is over all things a Witness. (22:17)

Allah said,

Say: "Our Lord will assemble us all together (on the Day of Resurrection), then He will judge between us with truth. And He is the Just Judge, the Knower of the true state of affairs.'' (34:26)

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traincat · 5 years

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hey so im doing a speech on peter being jewish and im trying to explain the whole wit as a weapon and how its very jewish/integral to his character but i cant quite put it into words if that makes sense??? could u help at all w this

I can try! To be honest, “wit as a weapon” is something I’ve been using as a bit of shorthand for myself because while I’m very confident in this being something that is both integral to Peter as a character and very important when you look at the long history of Spider-Man’s Jewish coding, it is a concept that I find difficult to explain succintly. It’s something that I feel is so culturally ingrained deep in me that actually going into it feels daunting. I can recognize it, but I’m not sure how good I’ll be at articulating it. First, I think the idea of wit in and of itself being a superpower needs to be established, because if there is a Jewish superpower, it’s intelligence. This is not to say that All Jewish People Are Smart, but intelligence is something that is greatly culturally valued, and not just in the form of education: there’s a certain mental acuity and sharpness that you see in Jewish stories, be they historical accounts or folk tales. If you have this culture and religion with this history attached to it, of coming up against forces that greatly overpower you, you shift your focus: if you can’t overpower your enemy, you don’t surrender: you outwit them. And so that becomes the thing of value: quickness of wit, and the ability to use that to your favor and towards the protection of your people. And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that his genius intellect is the one power, so to speak, that exists in Peter before the spider’s bite. The superstrength, the agility, the durability, the spider-sense all come to him after that, but that intelligence within him is God given.

Then there’s another element in play here, which is wittiness as defined as someone being funny. Jewish humor is very verbal as opposed to being more slapstick; it’s very eloquent, very sarcastic. We like words and word games and finding the humor in twisting the logic within words. We like that sharpness. But the thing about funny is that funny gets misread. Funny gets underestimated. Funny, unless it’s straight up bleak humor the whole way down, gets falsely conflated with ‘not dangerous.’ You can use humor, especially humor associated with cultures that are often stereotyped as physically ineffectual and as intellectual rather than athletic, to force people’s reactions to go a certain way. You can control the crowd…

(”The patented bad puns have always been for the onlookers. Cracking wise seems to make the bystanders okay with the fact that a masked man in tights is beating the snot out of someone right in front of them.” - Spider-Man & Black Cat: Evil That Men Do #1)

… or you can force someone to let their guard down, if you play your cards right.

(Renew Your Vows (2015) #5)

That Peter Parker quips is probably one of the top three things people who are only even slightly familiar with Spider-Man as a concept will pull up about him. He’s known as the funny superhero. But Peter doesn’t joke without reason, and Peter doesn’t (traditionally) joke just any old way. Peter’s sharp-tongued, he’s sarcastic, and his speech when written the best has a particular rhythm to it. Sometimes when I’m writing his dialogue I’ll hold up my hand in front of my ear and snap several times in close succession: that’s the rhythm I want to hit, one two three, punchy. I want to hear that rhythm in my head in order to best get it down on the page. Humor is a strategy; it’s part of a bigger picture, it’s not just there because he can’t help it. He’s very intelligent and he’s an extremely fast thinker; he is making this choice. And we don’t just see this tendency to use humor for a reaction in fight scenes:

In this scene from Amazing Spider-Man #511, Peter uses humor to deflect. If you look at his dialogue here, it’s looser and more rambling – he’s trying to use it to put Mary Jane at ease rather than to rile an opponent up, so it’s a much softer kind of patter than his punchy in-fight quipping. Conversely, you can see that she doesn’t buy it, because she knows him better than anyone else does. Even so, if you look at the sentence structure of his dialogue here, it goes, and feel free to imagine me snapping here – beat, beat, beat. Snap, snap, snap. He’s hitting marks. There’s a rhythm to Jewish humor, and whether it’s intentional or accidental on an individual writer’s part, when Peter is written the best, he nails it.

But there’s also, if I’m going to talk about wit as a weapon, the utter sharpness of his dialogue at times.

“Hold it, chuckles! I want to talk to you! Which proves I’ve gotta be a masocist!”/“Stop! You’re stretching my double-knit jacket!”/”I’ll stretch your double-knit skull if you don’t shut up!” – Amazing Spider-Man #107.

(Spectacular Spider-Man #145) Both of these scenes are scenes I would classify as funny, but Peter’s decidedly sharp in both of them. So there’s this concept of wit as a weapon in wit being something that’s aggressive. It’s funny, but it’s sharp, and Peter is in total control of the situation. He’s not being funny to entertain the people he’s with, because he is decidedly not doing that. It’s indulging in this wittiness for his own self, because it’s something that’s ingrained in him on a level that I, personally, feels goes deeper than just personally. There’s background there. And it is hard for me to articulate beyond that because for me at least it’s just this feeling of recognition. Like, hey, I do that, I know where I get that from, I’ve seen it in other Jewish people besides me, and it’s so interesting to see it reflected in this particular fictional character. So I don’t know if that helped, but I hope it did, and good luck on your speech! In the words of Peter B Parker, he of the Jewish wedding scene, from Into the Spider-Verse: don’t watch the mouth. It’s this ability to use this verbal quality and this humor as a force that’s as tangible as his ability to throw a Jeep, and it’s a very Jewish one.

#peter parker #traincat talks comics #*replies #jewish peter parker

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dfroza · 2 years

Text

Today’s reading from the ancient books of Proverbs and Psalms

for September 14 of 2022 with Proverbs 14 and Psalm 14, accompanied by Psalm 86 for the 86th day of Astronomical Summer, and Psalm 107 for day 257 of the year (now with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 2nd revolution this year)

[Proverbs 14]

A wise woman builds her house,

but a foolish one picks it to splinters with her own hands.

Whoever travels through life with integrity respects the Eternal,

but whoever turns from it hates Him.

A fool’s words betray his pride and invite punishment,

but the humble speech of the wise will spare them.

A farm without oxen has a manger without grain;

there’s a good return in the strength of an ox.

An honest witness can always be trusted,

but a false witness breathes out nothing but lies.

Wisdom eludes mockers, though they seek it,

but insight comes quickly to those with understanding.

Walk away from the company of fools,

for you cannot find insight in their words.

It takes wisdom for the clever to understand the path they are on,

but the fool is deceived by his own foolishness.

Fools make a mockery of guilt and repentance,

but those who do what is right receive special standing.

Only the heart can know its own resentment;

likewise no stranger can experience its joy.

The house of the wicked will be destroyed,

while the tent of the upright will prosper.

Before every person lies a road that seems to be right,

but the end of that road is death and destruction.

Laughter can mask heartache,

and joy often gives way to grief.

A disloyal heart has its fill of disloyal ways,

but a good person will be satisfied from above.

The gullible believe anything they are told,

but clever people know to question every step.

The wise are cautious and stay far from evil,

but fools are hotheaded and careless.

Quick-tempered people make fools of themselves,

and evil schemers make many enemies.

The naive are heirs to foolishness,

but the clever are honored with insight.

Evil people will be humbled before the good;

the wicked will stoop at the doorstep of the righteous.

The poor are hated even by their own neighbors,

but the rich are loved by many friends.

Those who have contempt for their neighbors are sinners,

but those who are kind to the poor are happy.

Don’t those who work evil stray from the truth?

Those who plan goodness experience unfailing love and faithfulness.

Prosperity comes from hard work,

but talking too much leads to great scarcity.

The wise are honored for their wealth;

the reward of fools is more foolishness.

A truthful witness protects lives by not allowing evil to triumph,

but a deceitful witness speaks lies and puts the innocent in jeopardy.

Reverence for the Eternal brings bold confidence,

and one’s offspring will have hope of protection.

Respect and honor for Him is the basis of a satisfied life,

which guards a person from being trapped in the snares of death.

A king’s splendor is in his many people,

but a declining population will lead to his ruin.

Whoever is patient and slow to anger shows great understanding,

but whoever has a quick temper magnifies his foolishness.

A serene heart can add years to one’s life;

but jealous passion rots the bones.

Whoever oppresses the poor insults his Maker,

but anyone who is gracious to the needy honors Him.

The wicked are waylaid by their evil actions,

but the right-living find hope’s sanctuary even in their death.

Wisdom rests in the heart of one with insight

and can even be experienced by fools.

Living according to God’s instructions makes a nation great,

but sin colors those who commit it with disgrace.

The king shows kindness to a servant who acts wisely,

but his anger burns toward one who brings shame.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 14 (The Voice)

A note from The Voice:

[Psalm 14]

For the worship leader. A song of David.

A wicked and foolish man truly believes there is no God.

They are vile, their sinfulness nauseating to their Creator;

their actions are soiled and repulsive; every deed is depraved;

not one of them does good.

The Eternal leans over from heaven to survey the sons of Adam.

No one is missed, and no one can hide.

He searches to see who understands true wisdom,

who desires to know the True God.

They all turn their backs, walking their own roads;

they are rancid, leaving a trail of rotten footsteps behind them;

not one of them does good,

not even one.

Do the wicked have no clue about what really matters?

They devour my brothers and sisters the way a man eats his dinner.

They ignore the Eternal and don’t call on Him, rejecting His reality and truth.

They shall secretly tremble behind closed doors, hearts beating hard within their chests,

knowing that God always avenges the upright.

You laugh at the counsel of the poor, the needy, the troubled who put their trust in God.

You try to take away their only hope,

but the Eternal is a strong shelter in the heaviest storm.

May a new day, a day of deliverance come for Israel, starting with Zion.

When the Eternal breaks the chains of His oppressed people,

the family of Jacob will rejoice, and Israel will be delighted.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 14 (The Voice)

[Psalm 86]

A prayer of David.

O Eternal One, lend an ear to my prayer and answer me,

for I am weak and wanting.

Safeguard my soul, for I remain loyal to You.

Save me, Your servant, who trusts in You, my God.

O Lord, please be merciful to me,

as all day long I cry out to You.

Bring joy into the life of Your servant,

for it’s only to You, O Lord, that I offer my soul.

O Lord, You are good and ready to forgive;

Your loyal love flows generously over all who cry out to You.

O Eternal One, lend an ear and hear my prayer;

listen to my pleading voice.

When times of trouble come, I will call to You

because I know You will respond to me.

O Lord, You stand alone among the other gods;

nothing they have done compares to Your wonderful works.

O Lord, all the peoples of earth—every nation You established—

will come to You, bowing low to worship,

and rightly honor Your great name.

For You are great, and Your works are wondrous;

You are the one True God.

O Eternal One, guide me along Your path

so that I will live in Your truth.

Unite my divided heart so that I will fear Your great name.

O Lord, my God! I praise You with all that I am.

I will rightly honor Your great name forever.

For Your loyal love for me is so great it is beyond comparison.

You have rescued my soul from the depths of the grave.

O True God, arrogant people are after me.

A violent gang wants to kill me;

they have no interest in You or Your ways.

But Lord, You are a God full of compassion, generous in grace,

slow to anger, and boundless in loyal love and truth.

Look at me, and grant me Your favor.

Invest Your strength in me, Your servant,

and rescue me, Your handmaiden’s child.

Give me a sign so I may know Your goodness rests on me

and so those who hate me will be red with shame at the sight of it.

For You, O Eternal One, have come to my aid and offered me relief.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 86 (The Voice)

[Book Five]

[Psalm 107]

Erupt with thanks to the Eternal, for He is good

and His loyal love lasts forever.

Let all those redeemed by the Eternal—

those rescued from times of deep trouble—join in giving thanks.

He has gathered them across the earth,

from east and west,

from [north and south].

Some drifted around in the desert

and found no place where they could live.

Their bellies growled with hunger; their mouths were dry with thirst;

their souls grew weak and weary.

In their distress, they called out to the Eternal,

and He saved them from their misery.

He showed them the best path; then He led them down the right road

until they arrived at an inhabited town.

May they erupt with praise and give thanks to the Eternal

in honor of His loyal love

And all the wonders He has performed for humankind!

He has quenched their thirst,

and He has satisfied their hunger with what is good.

Some people were locked up in dark prisons, confined in gloom as bleak as death.

They were captives bound by iron chains and misery,

All because they had rebelled against the directives of the True God

and had rejected the wisdom of the Most High.

So they suffered the heaviness of slave labor;

when they stumbled and fell, there was no one to help them up.

In their distress, they called out to the Eternal;

He saved them from their misery.

He rescued them from the darkness, delivered them from the deepest gloom of death;

He shattered their iron chains.

May they erupt with praise and give thanks to the Eternal

in honor of His loyal love

And all the wonders He has performed for humankind!

He has broken down the bronze gates

and severed the iron bars that imprisoned them.

Some people became fools infected by their rebellious ways,

and sickness followed because of their sins.

Afflicted and weak, they refused any sort of food

as they approached the gates of death.

In their distress, they called out to the Eternal,

and He saved them from their misery.

He gave the order and healed them

and rescued them from certain death.

May they erupt with praise and give thanks to the Eternal

in honor of His loyal love

And all the wonders He has performed for humankind!

Let them present to Him thanksgiving sacrifices

and tell stories of His great deeds through songs of joy.

Some set out to sea in ships,

traveling across mighty seas in order to trade in foreign lands.

They witnessed the powerful acts of the Eternal,

marveled at the great wonders He revealed over the deep waters.

For He spoke and summoned a violent wind

that whipped up the waves of the sea.

Relentless waves lifted the ships high in the sky, then drove them down to the depths;

the sailors’ courage dissolved into misery.

They staggered and stumbled around like drunkards,

and they had no idea what to do.

In their distress, they called out to the Eternal,

and He saved them from their misery.

He commanded the storm to calm down, and it became still.

A hush came over the waves of the sea,

The sailors were delighted at the quiet,

and He guided them to their port.

May they erupt with praise and give thanks to the Eternal

in honor of His loyal love

And all the wonders He has performed for humankind!

Let them glorify Him in the assembly of His people

and worship Him in the presence of the elders.

God transforms wild, flowing rivers into dry, lonely deserts,

lively springs of water into thirsty ground.

He turns lush gardens into lifeless wastelands,

all because of the wickedness of those who reside there.

Yet He transforms a dry, lonely desert into pools of living water,

parched ground into lively springs.

And He allows those who are hungry to live there

so that they might build a livable city.

There they sow fields and plant vineyards

and gather up an abundant harvest.

He anoints them with His blessings, and they greatly increase in number.

He does not allow their herds to dwindle.

When His people lessen in number and are humbled

through persecution, suffering, and brokenheartedness,

He pours out contempt on those responsible leaders

and then makes them drift around in an uncharted wasteland.

But He raises the poor away from their suffering

and multiplies their families like a flock.

The righteous see God’s actions, and they take delight in what He does,

but the unrighteous don’t dare to speak.

Is there anyone wise? If so, may the wise take notice of these things

and reflect upon the loyal love of the Eternal.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 107 (The Voice)

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