OCCASION OF REVELATION

     When our prophet emigrated to Medina and Islam's foundation was established, some of the Helpers went to the prophet and told him:- ``You may make use of all our wealth and properties without any condition for the cause.''

      In answer to them, the prophet was instructed by inspiration to say:- ``I do not ask you any reward for it, except loving my Dearers and Nearers.''

      The believers returned happily, but some of the hypocrites said:- ``Mohammad has forged that lie to Allah, so as to make his own kith and kin his successors, in order to rule over us after him''. When they said so, a new revelation came saying:-

      ``Do they say he has forged a lie against Allah? But had Allah willed, He could set a seal upon your heart; and Allah will blot out the falsehood and vindicate the Truth by His word, that He knows best the contents of the hearts.''

      When this announcement was heard, a few of the hypocrites repented and returned.

THE REWARD OF OUR PROPHET IS TO LOVE HIS NEAR FAMILY

      The above verse (NO.21) implies that general legislation for Mankind must be done by Man's Creator Only, and no one else has the right and authority of doing that:-

      ``Are there deities for them, who have ordained a religion without the permission of Allah!?''

      Allah is the Creator, the Cherisher, the Protector, the Owner, and the Disposer of affairs, throughout the universe; and therefore He is the only legislator too.

      So, through the above verse, God has warned the wrong legislators and law-givers, not to establish a religion or a way of living for people.

      In the language of Qurän the false law-givers are called real oppressors for whom awaits a painful punishment:-

      ``You shall see the oppressors in fear of what they have earned, and the evil consequences of their deeds will eventually fall upon their head.''

      There is a saying that, ``the betrayer is fearful''. This implies that the minds of the wrong doers are filled with terror on account of their own guilty conscience.

      Contrary to them are the righteous who will live in tranquillity of mind and happiness of heart. So the true servants of God will neither fear nor do they grieve. Their Lord gives them whatever they desire.

SAY:- ``I DO NOT ASK YOU ANY REWARD FOR IT, EXCEPT LOVING MY DEARERS

AND NEARERS.''

      There has always been a hot dispute between the two main sects of Islam, (SONNY & SHIITE) about the above sentence of verse NO.23.

      Shiites apply it in proving the matter of Islam's Leadership and their Infalliable Imams whom they believe to have been the true successors of the prophet. On the other hand, the Sonnies deny this and say; the sentence has nothing to do with that. They give reason that the Arabic, ``GHORBÄ=NEAR FAMILY'' in the verse, is not grammatically in the possessive mood, and it can mean the near relatives of any one other than the first person.

      Shiite commentators say that; here only the near family of the prophet is meant, because the reward belongs to the prophet. Then when their love is incumbent upon all Moslems their religious leadership is also proved. Shiites also take advantage of several traditions related by successive witnesses, and particularly by sonny Narrators, that all of them have said here in this verse; by ``GHORBÄ'' the prophet's nearers and dearers are pointed to.

      In their hot dispute, one clear evidence has been ignored by both parties to be referred to, that:-

"Every body will naturally love hes own kith and kin, without being in need of sdy a prophet of God has said to me to lobe my near kindreds as a reward for the prophet! Every one does love his own children, parents, and spouses, without needing a commandment or a recomendation for that.

A JOKE

      I discussed the above matter with his holiness the Grand Ayatullah Makarim before translating the comments on the verse (NO.23). His holiness said a joke to clear this, which interested me much. His witicism was as follows:-

      ``When Potiphar bought Joseph the Dreamer as a slave boy, he took him home and introduced Joseph to his beautiful young wife, and said to her:-

      ``Treat the boy with honour, and respect his position, perhaps he may profit us.''

      In answer to her impotent husband, when the young beautiful lady saw that attractive and well-built boy, said:- ``He needs not any recommendation for that.''

      So is the case with the above reward that one may ask us to give him. The prophet needed not to recommend his followers to love their own kith and kin, because it was as natural as parental love.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE