Surah Yunus (10): Read Online and Download - English Translation

Commentary

Mentioned in the verses appearing immediately above, there are some circumstantial details along with their corresponding injunctions as they relate to Sayyidna Musa and Sayyidna Harun (علیہما السلام) and the children of Isra'il and the people of the Pharaoh. The first verse (87) carries an injunction pertaining to a particular event. Banu Isra'il (the children of Isra'il) who observed the religious law of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) used to perform their prayers only in their synagogues as customary. Then, the past communities were also bound by this injunction. Their prayers were not valid if performed in their homes. The Muslim Ummah was the special recipient of the convenience that they could, if needed, perform their prayers everywhere as they wished. In a Hadith of Sahih Muslim, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has, out of his six singularities, given one as, ` the whole earth has been made a masjid for me.' It means that Salah performed anywhere remains valid. However, it is something else that the performing of obligatory prayers in congregation only in masjids has been declared as an emphasized Sunnah. Then, saying nafl prayers inside homes is better. This was the usual practice of the Holy Prophet i He would say only the Fard Salah in the Masjid then go home and say his sunnahs and nafls there. As for the Banu Isra'il, they were bound to offer their prayers only in their synagogues in obedience to their religious laws. Realizing this, the Pharaoh who used to oppress them in all sorts of ways had all synagogues demolished so that they could be deprived of offering their prayers in accordance with their religious laws. Thereupon, Allah Ta` ala sent to the two prophets of Banu Isra'il, Sayyidna Musa and Harun, may peace be on them both, the injunction mentioned in verse 87. It was said there that new houses should be built in Egypt for Bani Isra'il and that their orientation should be towards the Qiblah so that prayers could be offered in those very residential houses.

This tells us that the religious law of past communities demanded that prayers should be offered in houses of worship specifically built for this purpose. But it was because of a particular incident that the Bani Isra'il were temporarily allowed to offer their prayers at home and, for this purpose, they were to have houses oriented towards the Qiblah. And it can also be said that even at this time of emergency they were allowed to offer their prayers in particular houses that were oriented towards the Qiblah. Praying in common homes and public places was still not permitted even at that time. It was unlike the Muslim community that has the convenience of offering their prayers anywhere, be it a city or wilderness. (Ruh al-Ma'ani)

It will be good to answer another question at this point. In this verse, the Bani Isra'il have been commanded to orient themselves towards the Qiblah. Which Qiblah is this? The Ka'bah or the Baytu 'l-Maqdis? Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ says, It means the Ka'bah and the Ka'bah alone was the Qiblah of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) and his people.' (al-Qurtubi and Ruh al-Ma` ani)

In fact, some religious scholars say that the real Qiblah of all past prophets was no other but the Ka'bah.

As for the Hadith where it is said that the Jews turn their faces towards the Sakhrah (the Rock) of Baytu 'l-Maqdis during their prayers, it will be applied to the time when Sayyidna Musa left Egypt and headed towards Baytu 'l-Maqdis. This is not contrary to his Qiblah being the Baytullah during the period of his stay in Egypt.

It is also proved from this verse that the condition of facing to-wards the Qiblah was operative also during the period of past prophets. Similarly, it also stands proved from authentic reports that purity (taharah) and body cover (satr al-'aurah) were conditions of Salah even in the religious laws of all past prophets.

Since the very purpose of making houses Qiblah oriented was to pray in there, therefore, by giving the command: ` Establish Salah' (اَقِیمُوا الصَّلٰوۃَ ) after that, the instruction given was: If the Pharaoh stops you from making prayers in places reserved for worship, prayers do not stand dropped. Make these in your homes.

At the end of the verse, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) has been asked to convey the good news to believers that their mission will be successful. They will overpower the enemy and they will go to Paradise in the Hereafter. (Ruh al-Ma` ani)

It will be noted that, at the beginning of the verse, Sayyidna Musa and Harun (علیہما السلام) may peace be upon them both, were addressed in the dual form because they both were charged with the responsibility of having houses made Qiblah oriented and allowing occupants to pray in there. After that, by using the plural form which included all Bani Isra'il, command was given to establish Salah - because, this law included all, the prophet and his community. At the end, the command to convey the good news was given particularly to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) - because, it was he, as the law-giving prophet, who had the right to give out the good news of Paradise.

Mentioned in the second verse (88), there is a curse which Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) invoked after having lost all hopes of reforming the people of the Pharaoh. At its beginning, he submitted before his Lord that He had given the Pharaoh and his group glamour and riches in their worldly life (mines of gold, silver and precious stones in Egypt and Ethiopia - al-Qurtubi). As a result, they misled people from His way. Because, common-people, when they looked at their bulging affluence, they started doubting - had they been in error, why would they have been so blessed? Again, because common-people were unable to see through the reality that material affluence without good deeds cannot be the sign of a person being right and true. It was only after having been disappointed with his efforts to correct the people of the Pharaoh, and having realized the danger it posed for other people who were being misled by the glamour and wealth of the Pharaoh's group that he invoked the curse: رَ‌بَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَىٰ أَمْوَالِهِمْ (Our Lord, obliterate their riches).

According to the statement of Sayyidna Qatadah ؓ ، such was the effect of this invocation that all gold, precious coins, stones, land produce belonging to Pharaoh's people were transformed into bland rocks. In a bag found during the period of the pious Khalifah Sayyidna ` Umar ibn ` Abd al-` Aziz (رح) ، there were things dating back to the time of the Pharaoh. Seen in it, there were eggs and almonds of solid rock. Leading commentators say that Allah Ta` ala had turned all fruits, vegetables and grains they had into rocks. This is among the nine ayat (signs or miracles) mentioned in the Qur'an as in: وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ رَ‌بَّنَا اطْمِسْ عَلَىٰ أَمْوَالِهِمْ (and We gave Musa [ Moses ] nine clear signs - 17:101).

The second curse invoked by Sayyidna Musa علیہ السلام for them appears in the words: وَاشْدُدْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّىٰ يَرَ‌وُا الْعَذَابَ الْأَلِيمَ (and harden their hearts, so that [ they are deprived of the very ability to receive any good and ] they may not come to believe until they witness the painful punishment - 88).

The invocation of this curse obviously appears to be something far out as coming through the speech of an apostle or prophet, because the sole mission of a prophet's life is nothing but to invite people to believe and act right and make efforts towards that end.

But, in terms of the hard facts of the situation here, Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) has already made whatever efforts he could. He was to-tally disappointed. Now he wanted that they better learn through the punishment for their deeds. In doing so, it was probable that these people, once they see the punishment coming, may make a confession and declare that they now believed, whereby the punishment could stand warded off. Therefore, what became the cause of this invocation from him was his hatred for kufr (disbelief, infidelity). This is similar to what happened to the Pharaoh. When he started to announce his belief at the time he was drowning, the angel, Jibra'il shut his mouth lest Divine mercy turns to him and he stands delivered from the punishment.