Page 739 - An Index to the Qur'an

TOWN to every town. (25:51)
Remember when We said, ‘Go into this town and They will not fight against you all together as a
eat from it wherever you like, freely. Enter the group except in fortified towns or behind high
gate prostrating and say, "Relieve us of our bur- walls. Their hostility towards each other is in-
dens!" Your mistakes will be forgiven. We will tense. They are full of bravado in each other’s
grant increase to all good-doers.’ (2:58) company. You consider them united but their
Or (what about) the one who passed by a town hearts are scattered wide. That is because they
which had fallen into ruin? He asked, ‘How can are people who do not use their intellect. (59:14)
Allah restore this to life when it has died?’ Allah
caused him to die a hundred years then brought TRACE
him back to life. Then He asked, ‘How long have How many generations We have destroyed be-
you been here?’ He replied, ‘I have been here a fore them! Do you see a trace of any one of them
day or part of a day.’ He said, ‘Not so! You have or hear even a whisper of them? (19:98)
been here a hundred years. Look at your food They said, ‘Our Lord, put more distance between
and drink–it has not gone bad–and look at your our staging posts.’ They wronged themselves so
donkey so We can make you a Sign for all We made legends of them and scattered them
mankind. Look at the bones–how We raise them without a trace. There are certainly Signs in that
up and clothe them in flesh.’ When it had be- for everyone who is steadfast and thankful.
come clear to him, he said, ‘Now I know that (34:19)
Allah has power over all things.’ (2:259) Have they not travelled in the earth and seen the
When they were told: ‘Live in this town and eat final fate of those before them? They were greater
of it wherever you like and say, "Relieve us of our than them in strength and left far deeper traces
burdens!" and enter the gate prostrating. Your on the earth, yet Allah seized them for their
mistakes will be forgiven you. We will grant in- wrong actions and they had no one to protect
crease to good-doers.’ (7:161) them from Allah. (40:21)
Ask them about the town which was by the sea Have they not travelled in the land and seen the
when they broke the Sabbath–when their fish final fate of those before them? They were more
came to them near the surface on their Sabbath numerous than them and greater in strength and
day but did not come on the days which they did left more and deeper traces on earth, but what
not keep the Sabbath. In this way We put them to they earned was of no use to them. (40:82)
the test because they were deviators. (7:163) Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those
So they went on until they reached the inhabi- who are with him are fierce to the disbelievers,
tants of a town. They asked them for food but merciful to one another. You see them bowing
they refused them hospitality. They found there a and prostrating, seeking Allah’s good favour and
wall about to fall down and he built it up. Musa His pleasure. Their mark is on their faces, the
said, ‘If you had wanted, you could have taken a traces of prostration. That is their likeness in the
wage for doing that.’ (18:77) Torah. And their likeness in the Gospel is that of a
‘As for the wall, it belonged to two young or- seed which puts up a shoot and makes it strong
phans in the town and there was a treasure un- so that it thickens and grows up straight upon its
derneath it, belonging to them. Their father was stalk, filling the sowers with delight–so that by
one of the righteous and your Lord wanted them them He may infuriate the disbelievers. Allah has
to come of age and then to unearth their treasure promised those of them who believe and do right
as a mercy from Him. I did not do it of my own actions forgiveness and an immense reward.
volition. That is the explanation of the things (48:29)
about which you were not able to restrain your-
self.’ (18:82) TRADE
If We had wished We could have sent a warner Those who practise usury will not rise from the
737