Yateem

Discussion in 'Tafsir' started by sunni_porter, Jan 23, 2017.

Draft saved Draft deleted
  1. sunni_porter

    sunni_porter Well-Known Member

    sūrah ad-đuĥā v.7

    [​IMG]

    Similar to previous posts in this thread, can someone kindly post various tafsir on this ayah? Along with definitions from Arabic dictionaries on the word đāllan?
     
  2. abu nibras

    abu nibras Staff Member

    answer by mufti ziauddin naqshbandi of Jamia Nizamia.
     

    Attached Files:

  3. abu Hasan

    abu Hasan Administrator

    أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيماً فَآوَىٰ

    a lam yajidka yatīman fa āwā [sūrah ad-đuĥā v.6]
    Did He not find you an orphan, and gave you a dwelling?

    ---
    Mufti Naýīmuddin Murādābādī [Khazāyin al-Írfān]:
    The Prince of the universe şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam was still in the womb of his mother for about two months when his father passed away in Madinah. He did not leave any wealth or place for him şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam, to inherit. His grandfather, Ábdu’l Muţţalib became his guardian. When his blessed age was four or six, his mother passed away and when he was eight his grandfather passed away.

    Before his death, Ábdu’l Muţţalib bequeathed the service of RasūlAllāh şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam to Abū Ţālib, RasūlAllāh’s uncle. Abū Ţālib rendered this service most sincerely and honorably until RasūlAllāh şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam was sent forth as the [final] prophet.

    Some exegetes have also described its meaning that yatīm means ‘unique’ or ‘peerless’ as the idiom goes durrah e yatīmah: ‘a singular pearl or a unique pearl’.

    In such a case, the meaning of the verse becomes: ‘Allāh táālā found you unique and peerless in honor and virtue, so He gave you the place of His Nearness [qurb] – and He protected you from your enemies even as you blossomed whilst living among them until you were honored with being the chosen one with prophecy and message. [khāzin, jamal, ruĥ al-bayān]

    [aH note: the statement ‘until you were honored..’ is an idiom which does not mean that he şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam was not a prophet until forty.]

    ---
    Zamakhshari [Al Kash’shāf]:
    [a lam yajidka] from ‘wujud’, the meaning here is ‘knowledge’. Both are manşūb [they end with fat’ĥah] indicate the action [that is Allāh – he found/he knew, he gave place]

    Its meaning is, ‘Were you not an orphan?’; and it is because his father passed away whilst he was still in the womb [six months] and his mother passed away when he was eight years old and his uncle Abū Ţālib became his guardian. Allāh táālā gave [Abū Ţālib] compassion and affection towards him and he took good care of him şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam.

    Among the profound explanations given is: [yatīm] is from the idiom durratun yatīmah which means ‘an outstanding pearl’ or ‘a unique pearl’. So the meaning [of the verse] becomes: Did We not find you unique among the Quraysh, peerless [ádīmu’n nažīr] incomparable, and We gave you a dwelling.

    ----
    Fakhruddīn Razi [Mafātīĥ al-Ghayb]:
    The second explanation of yatīm is from the idiom durratun yatīmah, a unique pearl. The meaning thus becomes : Did We not find you alone among the Quraysh, unique, peerless, unmatched, and we gave thee a dwelling?’ That is, We gave thee someone who provided thee a dwelling [Abū Ţālib.]

    ----
    Ibn Ábdu’s Salām [Tafsīr al-Qur’ān]:

    [yatīman] there is none similar to you, nor an example; and He gave thee a place towards Himself and chose thee for His Message. durratun yatīmah, is a pearl which is unique, incomparable and has no similitude. Or yatīm as an orphan [having lost both parents] He gave thee a place in the care of Abū Ţālib; because Ábdu’l Muţţalib was his guardian after both his parents, and after him Abū Ţālib. Or that He gave you [Himself] a dwelling and made you independent from the guardianship of Ábdu’l Muţţalib.

    ----
    Khāzin [Lubābu’t Ta’wīl]:
    [a did he not find you an orphan] that is when you were young [şaghīran]

    [and gave thee a dwelling] that is did Allāh táālā not know that you were an orphan? [yajidka is] from wujud or existence which has the meaning of ‘knowledge’. That is, did He not know that you were an orphan and young when your father died? [And your father] did not leave you wealth or a dwelling; then Allāh gave you a dwelling and put you in the ward of Abū Ţālib who took care of you sincerely and well.

    This is because Ábdullāh passed away and RasūlAllāh şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam was still in his mother’s womb; his grandfather Ábdu’l Muţţalib became his guardian and when he died, his uncle Abū Ţālib took him in his care until he grew up and married Khadījah.

    It is also said that yatīm is from the idiom durratun yatīmah, ‘a unique pearl.’ Then its meaning becomes: Did we not find you alone among the Quraysh; unique, peerless, matchless – so He gave you a place towards Him and aided you and honored you with being His Prophet and chose you as His Messenger.

    ----
    Abū Ĥayyān [Baĥr al-Muĥīţ]:

    Jáfar as-Sādiq was asked: ‘Why was RasūlAllāh şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam orphaned of both his parents?’ He replied: ‘So that RasūlAllāh şallAllāhu álayhi wa sallam did not have any obligation towards anyone in the creation’ [li-allā yakūnu álayhi ĥaqqun li makhlūq].

    Zamakhshari said: Among the profound explanations is that the word is derived from durratun yatīmah. That is, ‘Did we not find you outstanding among the Quraysh; peerless and we gave you a dwelling...’

    ----
    Ismāýīl Ĥaqqī [Rūĥ al-Bayān]:
    ....
    ....
    And Allāh táālā made him an orphan because people may not mistakenly attribute his exaltedness in virtue, honor and greatness to [merely] his high-birth. Or that he inherited a great fortune and other such things [which contributed to his greatness]. In Ta’wilāt an-Najmiyyah: ‘Did He not find you an orphan, that is saw you an orphan; and He gave you a dwelling, the casket of prophethood [şadaf / protective covering of a pearl, the oyster shell] and the lamp of friendship.
    ....
    ....
    It is in Al-Kash’shāf [Zamakhshari]: Among the profound tafsirs is that it is derived from durratun yatīmah and the meaning is: Did we not find you unique among the Quraysh – matchless, peerless in virtue and honor that we gave you a dwelling right among your enemies; yet you remained in that community innocent, safeguarded and protected.

    Dictionaries:
    ----
    Fayrūzābādī [Al-Qāmūs]:

    yatīm: Lone, singular. Anything that does not have an example, similitude, rare. [yatīm: al-farđ, wa kullu shayyin yaízzu nažīruh]

    ----
    Rāghib al-Aşbaĥāni [Mufradāt al-Qur’ān]:

    Anything peerless is yatīm; note that this has been dissociated from original root [orphan] – thus they say: baytun yatīm ‘a unique house’ similar to durratun yatīmah ‘a peerless pearl’.

    Allāh táālā knows best.

    ----
    Contemporary Use:
    That explains why a leading optical store in the UAE/Bahrain goes by the name Yateem Opticians.
     
    Ghulam Ali likes this.
  4. sherkhan

    sherkhan Veteran

    I don't think that this translation by Prof. Qadri is very unique. I have come across this similar interpretation in Yusuf Ali's translation (with commentary). I am not referring to the version which only carries the translation but the one which has the commentary (accompanying the translation). Not that I'm a fan of Yusuf Ali's translation.

    That version by Yusuf Ali clearly states that the "misguided" refers to the people of Makkah during the time of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). In that respect, Prof. Tahir-ul-Qadri's commentary is not unique, although it is better than many existing translation which cast the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) in a poor light.


    ----------------------------------------------


    To digress marginally (from verse - "alam yajidka yateeman fa aawaa"), I would like to share the inspiring commentary I heard on this surah by Shaikh Hisham Kabbani during the Meelad event incidentally held at Minhaj-ul-Quran, London couple of days back.

    Shaikh Hisham Kabbani set his explanation around the following verse:

    Walasawfa yuAAteeka rabbuka fatarda (4)

    the Shaikh interpreted "fatarda" in light of the Prophet's (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) ardent wish to intercede on behalf of his ummah on the day of judgement and ensure for each of his followers a lofty station in jannah. Allah (azza wa'jal) promises to grant the power of intercession to Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) such that his wish would be satisfied.

    Carrying on, the shaikh elaborated that in the subsequent verses:

    Faamma alyateema fala taqhar (9)
    Waamma alssaila fala tanhar (10)

    "alyateema" (orphan) and "alssaila" (beggar/petitioner) connote the ummah of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). The ummah, in need of intercession, on the day of judgement and in the state of nafsa-nafsi will be "orphaned" because near and dear (mothers and fathers) will be of no avail. Prophets from Adam (alaihi'ssalam) to Isa (alaihi'ssalam) would express their inability to intercede.

    The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) will then step up to intercede on behalf of the sinning ummah. The orphans and the beggars will not be disappointed!


     
    Ghulam Ali likes this.
  5. Aqdas

    Aqdas Staff Member

    i saw it again and he mentioned tahzeeb al-lughaat (definitely), al-a'rabi (i think) and another lexicographer.

    he also did tafsir of wa wajadaka Daallan fahada that he said is in no tafsir. he quoted a muttafaq 'alayh Hadith which mentioned about after the battle of hunain.

    he said wa wajadaka means "we found you" and the daallan fahada refers to the ummah and prof. sahib said that the ummah was misguided and because of rasulAllah sallAllahu 'alaihi wasallam, the ummah was guided.
     
  6. Aqdas

    Aqdas Staff Member

    Qur'an, Sura Duha

    alam yajidka yateeman fa aawaa

    prof. dr. tahir ul qadri said that he read some of the most well known arabic dictionaries and they stated that yateem can mean unique.

    prof. sahib said that rasulAllah sallAllahu 'alaihi wasallam is yateem in that he is unique [in urdu: be-misl o be-misaal].

    aH, you mentioned taj al-'urus recently from imam murtaDa zabidi. i read in one of the periodicals that taj al-'urus is one of the works from the subcontinent that even the arabs can't do without. perhaps you can check if yateem is translated as such in there too.

    i can't remember the names of the 2 dictionaries that prof. sahib mentioned.
     

Share This Page