General or Specific (Verse 8:29)
Question:
Salaam bro,
Verse 8:29 addresses believers and states that if they fear Allah He will grant them a Criterion.
Some commentaries of Quran states that this verse is hinting that the criterion would be that Muslims will prevail over their enemies.
Other commentaries have taken it as a more general directive and state that " If a man is God fearing and tries his best to refrain from acts that displease God, God will create in him the ability to discern for himself at every step which attitude is proper and which is not., which is the path of Truth and which is the path of Satan.
My query is that is the evrse specific for that period of time or general or can be both.
Answer:
Salam,
The verse is as follows:
يَأَيهُّا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِن تَتَّقُواْ اللهَ يجَعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْقَانًا وَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّاتِكمُْ وَ يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَ اللهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيم
"O you who believe! if you develop piety for God He will grant you a distinction and do away with your evils and forgive you And God is the Lord of Mighty Grace" (8:29)
The promises that are given in the above verse are:
- Being isolated and clearly distinct and separated from the false
- Removing the effects of bad deeds from one's soul
- Forgiveness
In my understanding when it comes to general and specific in the Qur'an, the verses of the Qur'an are of three types:
1. Verses that have entirely general application
2. Verses that only have specific application
3. Verses that have a very specific meaning for a specific group of addressees but are based on a generally applicable principle
The above verse in my view is of the latter kind, that is, it primarily addresses the believers at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) but is also on the basis of a general rule that can be applicable to any one.
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April 2013
Salaam bro,
Verse 8:29 addresses believers and states that if they fear Allah He will grant them a Criterion.
Some commentaries of Quran states that this verse is hinting that the criterion would be that Muslims will prevail over their enemies.
Other commentaries have taken it as a more general directive and state that " If a man is God fearing and tries his best to refrain from acts that displease God, God will create in him the ability to discern for himself at every step which attitude is proper and which is not., which is the path of Truth and which is the path of Satan.
My query is that is the evrse specific for that period of time or general or can be both.
Answer:
Salam,
The verse is as follows:
يَأَيهُّا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِن تَتَّقُواْ اللهَ يجَعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْقَانًا وَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّاتِكمُْ وَ يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَ اللهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيم
"O you who believe! if you develop piety for God He will grant you a distinction and do away with your evils and forgive you And God is the Lord of Mighty Grace" (8:29)
The promises that are given in the above verse are:
- Being isolated and clearly distinct and separated from the false
- Removing the effects of bad deeds from one's soul
- Forgiveness
In my understanding when it comes to general and specific in the Qur'an, the verses of the Qur'an are of three types:
1. Verses that have entirely general application
2. Verses that only have specific application
3. Verses that have a very specific meaning for a specific group of addressees but are based on a generally applicable principle
The above verse in my view is of the latter kind, that is, it primarily addresses the believers at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) but is also on the basis of a general rule that can be applicable to any one.
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April 2013
