The Meaning of the Saying of Allah the Exalted: "And these are examples which We present to the people so that they may reflect," and the Mention of Examples in the Qur'an

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The Shaykh :

And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought.

وتلك الأمثال نضربها للناس لعلهم يتفكرون

[Al-Hashr 59:21]

. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, presents examples to people so that they may remember and reflect on these matters. Can you bring forth an example other than this in the Noble Qur'an? Please.
The student: The saying of Allah the Exalted:

like the example of those shortly before them: they tasted the bad consequence of their affair

كمثل الذين من قبلهم قريبا ذاقوا وبال أمرهم

[Al-Hashr 59:15]

.

The Shaykh : Yes, and others? Please.
The student: The saying of Allah the Exalted:

Their example is that of one who kindled a fire, but when it illuminated what was around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness [so] they could not see.

مثلهم كمثل الذي استوقد نارا فلما أضاءت ما حوله ذهب الله بنورهم وتركهم في ظلمات لا يبصرون

[Al-Baqarah 2:17]

.

The Shaykh : Well done.

Their example is that of one who kindled a fire

مثلهم كمثل الذي استوقد نارا

[Al-Baqarah 2:17]

means asking someone else to light a fire, up to the end of the example. And Allah the Exalted said:

⁽¹⁷⁵⁾ And recite to them, [O Muhammad], the news of him to whom we gave [knowledge of] Our signs, but he detached himself from them; so Satan pursued him, and he became of the deviators. ⁽¹⁷⁶⁾ And if We had willed, we could have elevated him thereby, but he adhered [instead] to the earth and followed his own desire. So his example is like that of the dog: if you chase him, he pants, or if you leave him, he [still] pants. That is the example of the people who denied Our signs. So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought.

واتل عليهم نبأ الذي أتيناه آياتنا فانسلخ منها فأتبعه الشيطان فكان من الغاوين ولو شئنا لرفعناه بها ولكنه أخلد إلى الأرض فمثله كمثل الكلب إن تحمل عليه يلهث أو تتركه يلهث

[Al-A'raf 7:175-176]

. And Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said regarding the Jews:

The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on

مثل الذين حملوا التوراة ثم لم يحملوها

[Al-Jumu'ah 62:5]

What is it?

like that of a donkey who carries volumes

كمثل الحمار يحمل أثقالا

[Al-Jumu'ah 62:5]

. So Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, clarifies rational matters through tangible matters. This is a way of making meanings clear. Do you not know that Allah the Exalted gave an example of the Resurrection with rain that descends upon the earth while it is barren, and then it becomes green?

Do you not see that Allah has sent down rain from the sky and the earth becomes green?

ألم تر أن الله أنزل من السماء ماء فتصبح الأرض مخضرة

[Al-Hajj 22:63]

. And Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said:

And of His signs is that you see the earth stilled

ومن آياته أنك ترى الأرض خاشعة

[Fussilat 41:39]

meaning barren, with no vegetation.

but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and grows. Indeed, He who has given it life is the Giver of Life to the dead. Indeed, He is over all things competent.

فإذا أنزلنا عليها الماء اهتزت وربت إن الذي أحياها لمحي الموتى إنه على كل شيء قدير

[Fussilat 41:39]

. The point is that presenting examples is a method of the Qur'an, because it makes what? The meanings clear. Since a person's conception of tangible matters is closer than his conception of rational matters. Therefore, Allah the Exalted mentions examples to make rational meanings clear to people.

Source alathar.net

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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