In the Name
of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
107. Wama arsalnaka
illa rahmatan lilAAalameena
36. The 2nd
person singular pronoun used here is obviously for the Prophet (peace on him).
Now, why has he been described as a mercy for the worlds? As for the
interpretation of ‘worlds’ (aalameen),
please see study note 5* under Verse
1:2. We may therefore infer that the Prophet was sent as a mercy for every
individual human life. In what sense was he a mercy? He was Allah’s mercy in
the sense that he conveyed to us the Creator’s Own Manual (the Qur’aan) for
right conduct of human life. Without this Manual, every man/woman would be just
groping in the dark, not knowing what path to follow in this labyrinthine
world. And how does one know that the Qur’aanic path is the right path? The
distinguishing feature is: the Qur’aan contains no contradictions, and it is
inimitable. It has stood this test for over 1400 years now.
*5.
This is the dictionary meaning of the Arabic word aalameen. It is
in plural: worlds, and not world. In most of the places where this word has
been used in the Qur'aan, it is accompanied by the word Rabb, as in this
place. But there are a few places where it isn't, as in Verses 2:47, 3:97,
6:86, 6:90, 21:107 and 29:6. A close study of these latter Verses would show
that the word is used in the same sense as in the sentence, "My world is
different from yours." Every individual life is one's own individual world
in the sense that his/her environment, conditions of living, circle of contacts
etc. are different from others'. One's own world is, in other words, one's own
individual life. It is to these millions of individual worlds that the Qur'aan
refers to as aalameen. Allah thus declares that He is the Rabb of
every individual life. If every individual would but submit completely
to His will and obey His commands as given in the Qur'aan, the Lord will surely
nourish and lead the individual's life to Success and Salvation! In the phrase Rabbulaalameen, however, Aalameen would include jinns, angels,
all living things (besides human) and all inanimate things in the entire
universe as well. Refer in this context Moses’ reply to Pharaoh in Verses 24,
26 and 28 of Chapter 32 (Manzil V). Rabbulaalameen
could as well be translated as the Lord of the Universe.
Grant
us all the wisdom not to fritter away Your Mercy, Allah!
Mohammad Shafi
Friday, the 10th
of March, 2017.
JazakAllah for the rememberence
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