Al-Tafsīr Al-Kabīr | The Review of Religions
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EXCLUSIVE SERIALISATION
We proudly present the first full English translation of the commentary of Chapter 113, Sūrah al-Falaq, by Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad (ra) from his magnum opus:
Al-Tafsīr Al-Kabīr – The Grand Exegesis
In the previous edition, we began the commentary of verse 4 of Sūrah al-Falaq.
In this edition, we present the lexical analysis of verse 5.
Translated by Murtaza Ahmad
Edited by The Review of Religions Translation Team
وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ
And to save me from the mischief of all those who blow upon the knots of mutual relationships, intending to undo them. (5)
(5) Lexical Analysis:
النَفَّاثَاتُ is plural for النَّفَّاثَةُ, which is the feminine superlative participle of نَفَثَ. The expression نَفَثَ مِنْ فِيْهِ signifies رَمٰى بِهِ i.e., to spit something out from one’s mouth. And when one says نَفَثَ الْجُرْحُ الدَّمَ it means أَظْهَرَهُ, or blood oozed from the wound. Furthermore, نَفَثَ can also mean
بَزَقَ؛ وَقِيْلَ بَزَقَ وَلَا رِيْقَ مَعَهُ، أَوْ هُوَ كَالنَّفْخ ِوَأَقَلُّ مِنَ التَّفْلِ i.e., he spat – and according to some lexicographers [1] – the word نَفَثَ is used to describe spitting in a way that the mouth makes the spitting sound but no spit actually comes out or to the sound made when one blows air out of their mouth. نَفَثَ فُلَانًا means سَحَرَهُ i.e., he bewitched him. When one says نَفَثَتِ الْحَيَّةُ السَّمَّ it signifies the term نَكَزَتْ, meaning the snake secreted poison. And نَفَثَ الْقَلَمُ means كَتَبَ, that the pen wrote it. The expression نَفَثَ اللهُ الشَّيْءَ فِي الْقَلْبِ implies أَلْقَاهُ meaning Allah Almighty inspired his heart with something.
نَفَّاثَات refers to:
(1) A group or individuals who spit excessively.
(2) A group or people who spew out poison.
(3) A group or individuals who cast doubts on the hearts and minds of others.
(4) A group or individuals who are prolific writers.
العُقَدُ is the plural of العُقْدَةُ which conveys the meaning of الولَايَةُ عَلَى البَلَدِ i.e. to rule over a city. Moreover, اَلعُقْدَةُ means اَلضَّيْعَةُ, that is, property.
العِقَارُ الَّذِيْ اِعْتَقَدَهُ صَاحِبُهُ مِلْكًا أَيْ اِقْتَناهُ i.e., property that one considers to be his own.
Furthermore, العُقْدَةُ signifies مَوْضِعُ العَقْدِ meaning the place where a knot has been tied. Similarly, العُقْدَةُ refers to مَا يُمْسِكُ الشَّيْءَ وَيُوْثِقُهُ [what holds or binds an object] or in other words: a knot. The expression الْبَيْعَةُ الْمَعْقُوْدَةُ لِلْوُلَاةِ – the pledge taken at the hands of the rulers – is also referred to as العُقْدَةُ. The expression الْمَكَانُ الكَثِيْرُ الشَّجَرِ وَالنَّخْلِ وَالْكَلَأِ الْكَافِي لِلْإِبِلِ describes a place where there is an abundance of trees, grass, and water, which is sufficient [to fill the needs of] camels and other animals. It also confers the meaning of وَمَا فِيهِ بَلاغُ رَجُلٍ وَكِفايَتُهُ, any thing which man relies upon. Moreover, العُقْدَةُ refers to كُلُّ أَرْضٍ مُخْضَبَةٍ i.e. verdant land. And وَالْعُقْدَةُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ: وُجُوبُهُ وَإِحْكامُهُ وَإِبْرامُهُ – the knot in anything refers to whatever is necessary to complete, strengthen and establish it.[3]
Mufradāt [of Imām Rāghib] defines the word اَلْعَقْدُ as الجَمْعُ بَيْنَ أَطْرافِ الشَّيْءِ, that is, tying the two ends of something together; however, sometimes this word is used metaphorically. For instance, any pledge or matter that can neither be violated nor rendered null and void would be called الْعَقْدُ.
Thus, وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ means:
(1) I seek protection from the evil of those who sever friendships and break pledges.
(2) I seek protection from the evil of those groups that incite opposition to the caliphs and who break their pledges of allegiance.
(3) I seek protection from the evil of those individuals who shatter the unity of the Muslims and bring down Muslim governments.
The serialisation of Sūrah al-Falaq will continue in the next edition.
ENDNOTES
[1] Tāj al-‘Arūs, Lane.
[2] Aqrab al-Mawārid.
[3] Ibid.
