285. Sorcery is but a trick! 

The words sorcery, sorcerer, person subjected to sorcery are being seen used in the verses 5:110, 7:109, 7:116, 7:118, 7:119, 7:120, 10:2, 10:76,77, 11:7, 20:57, 20:63, 20:66, 20:69, 20:71, 21:3, 26:35, 26:153, 26:185, 27:13, 28:36, 28:48, 34:43, 37:15, 38:4, 40:24, 43:30, 46:7, 51:39, 51:52, 52:15, 54:2, 61:6, 74:25 of the Quran.

In some places of the Quran these words are used as statements to mean sorcery could bring about an effect, and in certain other places to mean they cannot, and it is nothing but tricks by people.

People who believe sorcery could affect men, cite picking verses that suit their convenience to prove their version.

When verses of the Quran are analysed with the belief, they express unambiguous arguments, we find people supporting sorcery with claims based on misguidance.

Let’s look into this matter in detail.

People who did not believe in the preaching of the prophets called them insane, inflicted by sorcery.

This can be found in many places in the Quran.

Examples can be quoted from verse 26:153, where the community of Prophet Salih called him as affected by sorcery and also Prophet Shuaib termed as subjected to the same in verse 26:185.

While calling the prophets of Allah as those affected by sorcery, what these people meant is, they are mentally ill. They used the word sorcery to mean mental illness, and they believed it had the power to affect humans. Hence they conclude sorcery can bring harmful effects on men and cite such verses.

But such arguments do not bode well for a healthy debate. 

Allah cites such arguments to drive home the point, people who believed in sorcery put forth such views. 

The infidels believed sorcery can bring harmful effects on men, and we need to take it as their thoughts on this subject, and also other verses regarding the same.

When Allah expresses the stance of disbelievers it has to be taken in that sense.

Since they believed a person can be subjected to sorcery and called as mentally affected, they used the same term “sorcery” to address prophets as those affected by it.

Similar to those who labelled messengers as ones affected by sorcery, there were others who accused prophets of practicing sorcery.

When a trick is performed with perfection, they deny it and call it sorcery.

In verses 5:110, 61:6, 10:2, 10:77, 20:57, 20:71, 21:3, 21:52, 26:35, 27:13, 28:36, 28:48 of the Quran, Allah says the enemies of messengers called them as sorcerers.

When miracles performed by the messengers were witnessed by their enemies, they believed the same can be carried out by sorcery, leading to a conclusion it was possible. Hence the people who argue that sorcery is a reality cite these verses to strengthen their belief in it.

This argument is similar to their earlier one, believing that miracles can be performed by sorcery. But this does not form the basis of Islam.

Let’s consider what sorcery is, in the light of the Quran.

We see it in the verses 7:108-120, and 20:65-70 of the Quran.

Allah says in verse 7:116 ‘ they showed a great feat of sorcery’.

The sorcerers who jumped into the competition with Prophet Musa were extraordinary ones, the Quran says they performed a great feat in sorcery. Let’s look into what they achieved.

As a result of their feat their ropes and staffs did not turn into real snakes, but took the shape of snakes.Verse 20:66. 

Though it is termed as a ‘great feat’ by them, it could only bring about a superficial change ant not a complete one. If this was the power of a great feat by them we need to imagine their ordinary performances.

In verse 20:69, Allah says the performance by the sorcerers was an act of deception.

’' They will bring to you well trained sorcerers”.

“When they performed they enticed people”

” They created a sense of fear in people.” “They brought in great sorcery”

”They were defeated, belittled”

“ Their ropes and staffs seemed fearful to them as if because of their sorcery.” 

” What they did is a conspiracy of a sorcerer.”

“A sorcerer never succeeds”

“Truth triumphed. Their attempts went in vain”.

What do the above cited verses convey ?

The above verses clearly convey that sorcery is an imagination, a falsehood, a trick, and no truth,

Verses 52:13,14,15 also convey the meaning of sorcery in the light of Quran. 

After questioning is over in the hereafter with the paradise dwellers and hell dwellers segregated and dispatched accordingly, Allah will address the hell dwellers by asking “ Is this the hell you disbelieved “ “Is this untrue”,(a magic, a sorcery) is what the verse conveys.

While people are being led to hell Allah asks whether it (hell) is a trick or magic or sorcery, instead of asking a direct question whether it is false.

Allah gives a meaning to sorcery as falsehood.

There is no feat that can be performed to make existing things non existent, or to create things from nothing, or transform one to another. We can understand from this, things can be achieved by performance of conjuring tricks. 

Please refer to explanation points 28, 285, 357, 468, 495 499 for more information on this.

284. Prediction about gravitational force.

In verses (20:53, 43:10, 78:6) of the Quran we find the Creator saying that He has made the earth a cradle.

The earth, attracted towards the sun by a gravitational force, revolves around it , like a merry go round without moving away from its path (orbit). It revolves around the sun like as if connected by a rope.

Though the earth revolves around the sun at a speed of 1,07,000 kms/hr we do not experience it.

While we rock babies in a cradle it is not felt by them, and in fact they enjoy it and make them sleep. 

Allah mentions the word cradle referring to the movements of the earth.

The scientific discovery about the revolution and rotation of the earth, and its mention in the Quran is yet another proof that the Quran is the word of God.

283. Scuttling attempts to spread the message by citing ancestors.

These verses (20:51,52) of the Quran speak of the ingenious and at the same time not contradicting the truth replies by Prophet Musa to motivated questions by the tyrant Firoun.

Firon poses a question to Prophet Musa “ You say we are on the wrong path, what do you have to say about our ancestors? 

This was a motivated question by Firon, to elicit a reply from Prophet Musa to say “ Yes, since they were also misguided as hell dwellers.” 

The plan by Firon in posing this question was to motivate the entire community against truth.

People who are buried in pride of traditional values would not accept they are on the wrong path. Such questions were asked to motivate the community against truth by falsely saying that traditional values are being destroyed.

But Prophet Musa, without being drawn into dirty tricks by Firon, responds in an ingenious way by saying the knowledge about the fate of his ancestors rests with the Creator. 

Whenever the message of truth is being spread, questions like “ Does that mean that our ancestors who did not accept truth are hell dwellers” will arise at all times.

This verse serves as a guidance to us at such occasions.

282. Predictions about Prophet Muhammad.

In verse 61:6 of the Quran we find Prophet Esa’s declaration about a prophet to follow after him, and that his name is Ahmed. 

Though Prophet was known by the name Muhammad, he was also called by another name Ahmed.

Prophet Muhammad himself has declared that his name is Ahmed.(Hadith Book Bukhari:3532, 4896.)

We have also pointed out this in point no 457 with adequate references from the Bible about this prediction.

281. Prophet Muhammad a universal prophet.

The Quran while talking about the appointment of Prophet Muhammad as a messenger of God, mentions his limits and to whom he is being sent.

 These should not be viewed as contradicting each other, because Prophet Muhammad’s reach started to increase gradually.

In the beginning Allah commands the prophet in verse 96:1, to “Read” and understand.

In the first divine message received by Prophet Muhammad he was asked to “ Read “ and understand and was not commanded to spread the message at the very instance.

Then, in verse 26:214, Allah extends the prophet’s limits to reach and warn his close relatives.

Then in verses 6:92, 42:7, Allah further extends the prophet's limits to spread his message to Umm Al Qura “ The Mother of cities”, and residents around to warn them.

The responsibility handed over to Prophet Muhammad at that time was only the limits of Makkah and its surrounding.

Then verses 7:158, 21:107, 34:28 of the Quran speak of the limits being extended to all people in the world at that period of time.

And finally through verses 62:2, 3, the limits to call people was extended to not only people of the time but also to future generations to come.

Since the limits of reach by Prophet Muhammad was gradually increased and extended, we do not find any contradictions.

280. Passing through hell to reach paradise.

Verse (19:71) says each and every human has to pass through hell, giving rise to a question whether, even the virtuous has to go through hell. 

The same question was posed by the comarades of Prophet Muhammad when he replied, there would be a connecting bridge over hell to be crossed to reach paradise.(Hadith Book Bukhari:4909)

279. Are there statements of Jibreel (AS) in the Quran ?

Verse 19:64 seems to convey the message Quran is the statement of angels.

Quran being a scripture, should be containing only the words of God. In case it happens to contain words of others, they need to be placed in a highlighted manner to differentiate them.

But in this verse we find the words “ We will not descend without God’s permission. The question here is “How can the statement of an angel find a place in the Quran? But we find many places in the Quran words structured in this manner.

The reason is that the Quran was revealed in sound form and not in a written format. Though we will not be uttering certain sentences during conversations we would deem it understood per prevailing situation around. 

Let’s take for example a gathering where a judge presides over a dispute between two persons named Ibrahim and Ismail, and pens down the proceeding.

He asked Ismail did you commit the act?,

I did not said Ismail !

On this, the judge turned towards Ibrahim and said ‘ He says he did not do it, why do you want to accuse him without any evidence?

I have evidence with me, said Ibrahim.

This is the way a person would write down what happened there? But if the contents of the conversation were to be noted down, it would be as follows in a direct speech.

Did you do it? I did not. He says he did not , why do you want to accuse without any basis? I have evidence.

These were the words that were spoken in the gathering. Let’s compare both the paragraphs.

During the proceedings,we could observe a number of words that have been left out. We find the conversation structured in such a way necessitating addition of words.

The Quran is secured in Luvhull Mahul and Archangel Jibril revealed it to Prophet Muhammad from it whenever required.

There were days with no revelations from Jibreel, an expression from Luvhull Mahful it self, making Prophet Muhammad worrisome, also an expression from Luvhull Mahful. Also the expression from Archangel Jibreel that “ we will not descend without the creator's permission” is from Luvhull Mahful revealed in the Quran to this world.

Please refer to explanation point no; 492 for more details on this.

On this basis it needs to be understood that the words expressed by Archangel Jibreel are from the Luvhull Mahful, are the words of Allah.

Similarly verse 37:164, of the Quran says we have our own standing, in the ranks and file and, we are the one who sing His praise.

The term “We” denotes the angels, and this should not be construed as the statement by the angels, but Allah’s words.

The Quran was delivered by voice and not in a written form, hence it uses a diction to suit the situation it is revealed.

278. To whom would Prophet Esa, who is alive, pay his Zakat money to?

Many scholars have wrongly translated this verse (19:30-32) of the Quran.

Due to the wrong translation, a set of people cite this as a proof to assert Prophet Esa is dead, and these verses even when correctly translated does not convey directly or indirectly he is dead.

Hence we need to know the correct translation with proper reasoning.

1. I am a slave of God, I was revealed a scripture from Him, He made me His messenger. (Verse 19:30) 

2. I remained blessed, wherever I was. I was commanded to perform worship, and pay Zakat (compulsory alms) as long as I am alive. (Verse 19:31)

3. (19:32). He made me feel good towards my mother. He did not render me unfortunate or as an oppressor. 

Most scholars have translated the verses as above. 

Based on these translations, people following wrong ideologies raise a few questions.

Verse 19:31 says “ I was commanded to perform worship and pay Zakat (compulsory alms) as long as I remain alive”

How can Prophet Esa pay Zakat while he remains alive raised above in the heavens. His inability to pay Zakat translates into meaning he is dead. The argument put forth by these people is it is mandatory for Prophet Esa to pay only as long as he is alive.

Though the argument by these people is correct in terms of the translation cited above, but when the translation itself is wrong, their arguments fall by the wayside.

Of the three verses cited above, we do not find issues with the first two. The translation of the third verse (19:32) into Tamil and as well English convey a wrong meaning. 

Hence let’s look into the correct meaning of this verse (19:32.)

We find the phrase “ Wa barran bi walidati” in this verse meaning “ being good towards my mother.

Most of the translators have committed mistakes in connecting the words “being good towards”

At first we need to understand, in Tamil there ought not be a confusion in placing the connecting words. But in Arabic there are chances of misplacing the connecting words.

For example in Tamil the phrase, “ I consider Ibrahim as a good and proficient person, can be translated to Arabic only as Ibrahim is considered a good and proficient person by me.

In Tamil the placement of the connecting word ‘good’ is at the rear part of the phrase, but we will find the same connecting word placed in the forefront of the phrase in Arabic.

Let’s have this in mind while we analyse verse (19:32).

While we look to connect the phrase ‘ to being good towards my mother’ we find two possible spots.

One possibility is verse 19:30 where it says “He made me a messenger”. On connecting with this it continues as “ He made me a messenger and to being good towards my mother”.

Most of the scholars have connected the phrases as cited above.

The same can be connected as a continuation of verse 19:31 as, “I was commanded to be good towards my mother, keep worshipping, and pay Zakat as long as I am alive”.

This is the meaning that could be derived from this verse and seems to be indeed correct.

We need to connect (words that come as a continuation at the same time conveying collective characteristics) with the immediately available word. The rules of Arabic grammar states, when a situation arises a word cannot be connected immediately as a continuation, then a word away in the sentence can be taken to follow suit.

The verse (19:32) states ‘ ‘To being good towards my mother''. Ignoring the existing provision to connect this with its previous verse 19:31, an attempt to connect it with verse 19:30 is uncompatible.

It would be correct to mean as ‘ As long as I am alive I was commanded to be good towards my mother and pay Zakat. 

Hence it is to be understood as mandatory on the part of Prophet Esa to pay Zakat not only while he is alive but also while he is being good to his mother.

To say it otherwise, Allah lays down two conditions for Zakat to be mandatory on Prophet Esa, they are: .

1. Prophet Esa should be alive

2. And he should be in a position to be good towards his mother.

Only when both conditions are satisfied Zakat becomes mandatory for him.

These conditions were fulfilled by him, only before being raised to the heavens. He was alive and also in a position to do good to his mother.

The moment he was raised up to the heavens, the condition stating Prophet Musa is alive continues and doing good to his mother becomes non-existent. 

This also strongly proves Prophet Musa is alive, and remains,

A. A sign of the arrival of the dooms day.Verse (43:61)

B. And those who believe in the scriptures will not not lose faith in him, before his death. Verse 4:159.

C.Those before him have died.Verse 5:75.

Similar to saying Prophet Esa is not dead, these verses also prove Prophet Isa was raised up to the heavens.

There is also another question being raised, as…. 

Would Prophet Esa pay Zakat when he returns ? Would he perform salah? Would he be in a position to do good to his mother?

When Prophet Esa descends on this earth from the heavens he will not come down as a prophet but as a member of the nation of Prophet Muhammad. Whatever laws were revealed to him before will not be implemented by him. And will adjudicate on the basis of laws revealed to Prophet Muhammad. 

Hence whatever type of worship specified and was made mandatory for him before being raised up to the heavens will not be carried out by him, nor the zakat specified would be required to be paid by him.

When Prophet Esa revealed that he was commanded by Allah to perform salah and and pay Zakat, was a specific type, suiting the time when it was etc; revealed, hence on his return to earth he would not be required to continue the same nor follow that instruction to pay Zakat.(regarding percentage, and other specifics)

He will not be considered to have transgressed those commandments in case he follows the way of worship of present -day’s worship or pays Zakat as per today’s procedure. 

To know more on whether Prophet Esa is already dead or will return to earth and die, please refer to explanation points 93, 101,133, 134, 151, 342, and 456.