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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Al-mizan an Exegesis of the Qur'an (volume Four) Volume 4: Surah Baqarah, Verses 224-227 And make not Allah a target of your swearing (by Him) against your doing good and guarding (against evil) and making peace between men, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing (224). Allah will not call you to account for what is vain in your oaths, but He will call you to account for what your hearts have earned, and Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing (225).

For those who swear (to abstain) from their wives is (ordained) a waiting for four months; then if they go back, then Allah is surely Forgiving, Merciful (226). And if they resolved on divorce, then Allah is surely Hearing, Knowing (2:227). **COMMENTARY ** QUR'AN: And make not Allah . . . and Allah is Hearing, Knowing. "al-'Urdah" is derived from al-'ard which means to display a thing to show its fitness for the purpose for which it is made.

For example, to display goods for sale, to show a house for rent, to offer food for consumption. Some of the uses of al-'urdah are : a target for shooting practice is called al-'urdah of the arrows; a horse readied for a journey is called al-'urdah for travel; a girl of marriageable age is called al-'urdah of marriage. All these are relevant to its original meaning. But the use of this word for a hindrance on the road (and other similar uses) have come into vogue later as metaphors.

"al-Ayman" is plural of "al-yamin" and means "oaths". Its original meaning is the right hand. As they strike by, raise, or give, the right hand when taking an oath, showing allegiance or concluding a deal, the word was metaphorically used for the oath, borrowing the organ of an action for the action itself, because of their mutual relationship.

This same relationship also allows the use of the name of the action for its organ, as as-sabbabah (the one who abuses) is used for the forefinger which is often used to point with when abusing.

The meaning of the verse, then, shall be as follows (And Allah knows better!):­ And do not use (the name of) Allah (like) a target upon which to attach your oaths which you have sworn to the effect that you will not do a good deed or will not guard yourselves against evil or will not make peace between people; because Allah does not like it that His name be made a means of desisting from what He Himself has ordered.