| METAPHORS
IN THE QUR'AN
There are some metaphors in some verses of the Qur'an. These metaphors,
that the All-Wise Allah makes, are very effective and advance the understanding
of those who read them. Every one of these metaphors and descriptions
illustrates the subject in the most effective and the clearest way.
As for those who deny Our Signs and are arrogant regarding them, the
Gates of Heaven will not be opened for them, and they will not enter the
Garden until a camel goes through a needle's eye. That
is how We repay the evildoers (Surat al-A'raf, 40)
We will advance on the actions they have done and make
them scattered specks of dust. (Surat al-Furqan, 23)
The metaphor of those who reject their Lord is that their
actions are like ashes scattered by strong winds on a stormy day. They
have no power at all over anything they have earned. That is extreme misguidance.
(Surah Ibrahim, 18)
The parable of those who reject Faith is as if one were
to shout like a goat-herd, to things that listen to nothing but calls
and cries: Deaf, dumb, and blind, they are void of wisdom. (Surat al-Baqara,
171)
The metaphor of those who take protectors besides Allah
is that of a spider which builds itself a house; but no house is flimsier
than a spider's house, if they only knew. (Surat al-Ankabut, 41)
You who believe! Do not nullify your charity by demands
for gratitude or insulting words, like him who spends his wealth, showing
off to people and not believing in Allah and the Last Day. His likeness
is that of a smooth rock coated with soil, which, when heavy rain falls
on it, is left stripped bare. They have no power over anything they have
earned. Allah does not guide disbelieving people. (Surat al-Baqara, 264)
The metaphor of what they spend in their life in this
world is that of a wind with an icy bite to it which strikes the crops
of a people who have wronged themselves and destroys them. Allah did not
wrong them; rather it was themselves they were wronging. (Surah Al 'Imran,
117)
The call of truth is made to Him alone. Those they call
upon apart from Him do not respond to them at all. It is like someone
stretching out his cupped hands towards water to convey it to his mouth:
it will never get there. The call of the disbelievers only goes astray.
(Surat ar-Ra'd, 14)
The metaphor of those who spend their wealth, desiring
the pleasure of Allah and firmness for themselves, is that of a garden
on a hillside. When heavy rain falls on it, it doubles its produce; and
if heavy rain does not fall, there is dew. Allah sees what you do. (Surat
al-Baqara, 265)
Be people of pure natural belief in Allah, not associating
anything else with Him. As for anyone who associates others with Allah,
it is as though he had fallen from the sky and the birds had seized him
and carried him away or the wind had dropped him in a distant place. (Surat
al-Hajj, 31)
If We had wanted to, We would have raised him up by them.
But he gravitated towards the earth and pursued his whims and base desires.
His metaphor is that of a dog: if you chase it away, it lolls out its
tongue and pants, and if you leave it alone, it lolls out its tongue and
pants. That is the metaphor of those who deny Our Signs. So tell the story
so that hopefully they will reflect. (Surat al-A'raf, 176)
Hold fast to the rope of Allah all together, and do not
separate. Remember Allah's blessing to you when you were enemies and He
joined your hearts together so that you became brothers by His blessing.
You were on the very brink of a pit of the Fire and He rescued you from
it. In this way Allah makes His Signs clear to you, so that hopefully
you will be guided. (Surah Al 'Imran, 103)
Who is better: someone who founds his building on fear
of Allah and His good pleasure, or someone who founds his building on
the brink of a crumbling precipice so that it collapses with him into
the Fire of Hell? Allah does not love wrongdoers. (Surat at-Tawba, 109)
Those who believe say, 'If only a sura could be sent
down.'But when a straightforward sura is sent down and fighting is mentioned
in it, you see those with sickness in their hearts looking at you with
the look of someone about to faint from fear of death. More fitting for
them would be obedience and honourable words. Once the matter is resolved
upon, being true to Allah would be better for them. (Surah Muhammad, 20-21)
When they came at you from above you and below you, when
your eyes rolled and your hearts rose to your throats, and you thought
unworthy thoughts about Allah, at that point the believers were tested
and severely shaken. (Surat al-Ahzab, 10-11)
Do not consider Allah to be unaware of what the wrongdoers
perpetrate. He is merely deferring them to a Day on which their sight
will be transfixed, rushing headlong - heads back, eyes vacant, hearts
hollow. (Surah Ibrahim, 42-43)
The Trumpet will be blown and at once they will be sliding
from their graves towards their Lord. (Surah Ya Sin, 51)
He Who created the seven heavens in layers. You will
not find any flaw in the creation of the All-Merciful. Look again - do
you see any gaps? Then look again and again. Your sight will return to
you dazzled and exhausted! (Surat al-Mulk, 3-4)
|