John Gay has among his Fables:ِ ``An open foe may prove a curse, But a pretended friend is worse.'' Very often the role of friend in one's prosperity and progress is much more effective than any other factor. True that prosperity gives us friends, but adversity proves their friendship. The above occasion of revelation will show us how a man may reach the critical stage of beginning a prosperous life, when he is suddenly knocked down by the ignorance of a friend:ِ ``O, woe is me!
Would that I had not taken so and so for a friend.'' The first lesson that we may learn from this verse is to take care, not to choose an evil friend or comrade who may lead us astray from the path of truth. It is a tested proverb that, old friends are better than the new ones; and a friend in need is a friend indeed. [ 400 ] وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِى اتَّخَذُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُوراً(( 30 )) 30- AND THE MESSENGER SAID:ِ ``O, MY LORD!
SEE THAT MY PEOPLE HAVE ABANDONED THIS QURA"N.'' وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِىّ عَدُوّاً مِّنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ هَادِياً وَنَصِيراً (( 31 )) 31- AND SO HAVE WE MADE FOR EVERY PROPHET AN ENEMY FROM AMONG THE SINNERS, AND YOUR LORD SUFFICES FOR A GUIDE AND HELPER.
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلاَ نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنُ جُمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً كَذَلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِيلا(( 32 )) 32- AND THE NON-BELIEVERS SAID:ِ ``WHY HAS NOT THE QURA"N BEEN SENT DOWN TO HIM ALL AT ONCE?'' SO DID WE TO STRENGTHEN YOUR HEART BY IT, AND WE READ IT TO YOU GRADUALLY.
(BY AND BY) وَلاَ يَأْتُونَكَ بِمَثَل إِلاَّ جِئْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيراً(( 33 )) 33- AND THEY DO NOT BRING TO YOU ANY SIMILITUDE, EXCEPT THAT WE BRING TO YOU THE TRUTH, (ABOUT IT) AND A BETTER EXPLANATION. الَّذِينَ يُحْشَرُونَ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ أُوْلَئِكَ شَرٌّ مَّكَاناً وَأَضَلُّ سَبِيلا(( 34 )) 34- THOSE WHO WILL BE GATHERED ON THEIR FACES (HEADLONG) TO HELL, THEY HAVE THE WORST OF PLACES, AND THE MOST ASTRAY OF WAY. [ 401 ] THE COMMENTARY O, MY LORD!
PEOPLE HAVE ABANDONED QURA"N VERSE NO.30ِ34 The first verse of the above passage consists of the prophet's complain, that people have not received the glorious Qura"n as they should:ِ ``And the Messenger said:ِ O, my Lord! See you that my people have abandoned this Qura"n.'' This complain of our prophet is still valid and also applies to Muslims of our time.