Qur'anic Studies 1: 2. THE MEANING OF AL-AQABAH IN THE QUR’ĀN

 

2. THE MEANING OF AL-AQABAH IN THE QUR’ĀN

The term al-‘aqabah (العقبة) means “the steep path”). Its original meaning is “a rugged path in the mountain or a long range mountain (العقبة في الأصل: طريق في الجبل وعر، أو الجبل الطويل).  This term is found in only one surah (chapter) in the Qur’ān where it is mentioned twice, namely, al-Balad: 11 and 12).  The term is a metaphor for doing good which is not easy like passing the steep path. In previous verses Allah reminds people that He and His bounties encompass them asking them with rhetorical questions,

 “Does he [i.e. human race] think that none can overcome him (i.e. take his wealth?” [When he boasts] “I have wasted [i.e. spent] wealth in abundance”,[1] [Allah asks] “Does he think that none sees him [i.e. he is responsible to none but himself]? Have We made for him two eyes [to see with them]? And a tongue [to speak with, so that he can express what is in his mind]? And two lips [to help him with speaking, eating food, and beautifying his face and his mouth]? And shown him the two ways [i.e. the good and the evil]?” (Q. 90:5-10).

In another verse Allah mentions the two ways, the good and the evil, as follows:

إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا. إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا. إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ سَلَاسِلَ وَأَغْلَالًا وَسَعِيرًا. إِنَّ الْأَبْرَارَ يَشْرَبُونَ مِنْ كَأْسٍ كَانَ مِزَاجُهَا كَافُورًا (الإٍنسان:٢-٥)

Verily, We have created man from Nutfah (mixed

drops of male and female sexual discharge), in order

to try him, so We made him hearer and seer. Verily,

We showed him the way whether he is grateful

or ungrateful. Verily, We have prepared for the disbelievers iron chains, iron collars and a blazing

Fire. Verily, al-Abrar (the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism) shall drink of a cup (of wine) mixed

with (water from a spring in Paradise

called) Kāfūr (Q. 76:2-5)

 Allah says further in the Qur’ān:

فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ. وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ. فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ. أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ.

 يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ. أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ (البلد:١١-١٦)

But he has not attempted to pass on the path that is

steep (i.e the path which will lead to goodness and

 success). And what will make you know the path

 that is steep? (It is) freeing a neck (slave), or giving

 food in a day of hunger (famine). To an orphan

near of kin. Or to a miskin (needy) cleaving

of dust (out of misery). (Q. 90:11-16)

 

        Muslim commentators of the Qur’ān have different interpretation of the term al-Aqabah, among which are as follows:     

a.    Al-‘Aqabah is a real steep path where people ascend in the Hereafter. It is a steep path in Hell according to ‘Aṭā’ and Muqātil and Qatādah. It is a steep path between Heaven and Hell according to al-Kalbī. It is a path put towards Hell according to Mujāhid and al-Ḍaḥḥāk. A ṣaḥābah (companion of the Prophet) is said to have wept when he was approaching his death because he said he would ascend the steep path leading either to Heaven or Hell.

b.   It is reported from Mujāhid that the ‘aqabah in the above verse means the ‘aqabah (the steep path) is the one in this world. Ibn al-‘Arabī who hold this view says that verse explains that it is the steep path of freeing slaves, feeding the neddy etc. which can be done in this world, and not in the Hereafter. This is the correct view according to al-Bukhārī. It is an example given by Allah for struggling man and Satan in doing good. This is the view of al-Ḥasan who said: “By Allah, al-‘Aqabah is hard: It is man’s struggle against his desire (inclination), his passion and Satan. This is also the view of Muqātil who said: “This is an example given by Allah that a person who frees a slave, feeds the orphan and the poor pushes his desire and his devil, like being forced to ascend a steep path with difficulty. So, He compares the difficulty of freeing a slave with being forced to ascend a steep path which is also the view of Abū ‘Ubaydah.”

Man’s unwillingness to free slaves, like ascending steep mountain led to the break of civil war between the Southern States of America which defended slavery and the Northern states which wanted to abolish it. The civil war (1681-1685) resulted with the freedom of four million slaves, but of the 3.5 million men who fought in the war, there were 1.5 million casualties 620,000 of which were deaths.

Allah says in the Qur’ān:

مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَلَا يُجْزَى

 إِلَّا مِثْلَهَا وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ (الانعام:١٦٠)

 Whoever brings a good deed (Islamic Monotheism and

 deeds of obedience to Allah and His Messenger)

 shall have ten times the like thereof to his credit,

 and whoever brings an evil deed (polytheism,

 disbelief, hypocrisy, and deeds of disobedience

 to Allah and His Messenger) shall have only the

 recompense of the like thereof, and they

 will not be wronged (Q. 6:160)

There are many ḥadīths mentioning that the good deed is multiplied tenfold, while the sin is recompensed with the same, such as follows:

          On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbās the Prophet s.a.w. said:

“Your Lord is Most Merciful. Whoever intends to perform a good deed and does not do it, it will be written for him as a good deed. If he performs it, it will be written for him as ten deeds, to seven hundred, to multifold. Whoever intends to commit an evil deed, but does not do it, it will be written

 for him as a good deed. If he commits it, it will be

 written for him as a sin unless Allah erases it.

 Only those who deserve destruction

 will be destroyed by Allah.”

(Reported by Aḥmad)

          To do good is not easy. Therefore, Allah multiplies tenfold rewards of doing good. Even the intention of doing good is not easy, and therefore, Allah gives one reward for just the intention. If it is done, then the reward is multiplied tenfold except for fasting which needs sincerity, determination, and strong faith where the reward is much more which is up to Allah with no fixed limit. Allah has promised that the reward of spending in the path of Allah is 700 folds.

        Apart from the tenfold reward Allah has promised unlimited fold of reward for spending in the path of Allah. He says:

إِنْ تُقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضاً حَسَناً يُضاعِفْهُ لَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ

وَاللَّهُ شَكُورٌ حَلِيمٌ (التغابن:١۷)

If you lend to Allah a goodly loan (i.e. spend in

 Allah’s Cause) He will double it for you, and will

 forgive you. And Allah is Most Ready to appreciate

and to reward, Most Forbearing (Q. 64:17)

          He promised to multiply seven hundred-fold of rewards for spending in His Cause. He says:

مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنْبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنابِلَ فِي كُلِّ

 سُنْبُلَةٍ مِائَةُ حَبَّةٍ، وَاللَّهُ يُضاعِفُ لِمَنْ يَشاءُ وَاللَّهُ واسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ (البقرة:٢٦١)

The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, is the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower (Q. 2:261)

          Then Allah gives the examples of doing good which is hard like passing through a steep path. The first thing mentioned here is freeing a slave which means “the freeing of a human being from bondage.” This slavery covers social, economic, and political subjugation and exploitation.

          The Prophet mentions the merit of freeing a slave, such as:

 Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said:

 "Whoever frees a Muslim slave, Allah will save all

 the parts of his body from the (Hell) Fire as he has

 freed the body-parts of the slave." Sa‘id bin Marjana

 said that he narrated that Hadith to 'Ali bin Al-Husain

 and he freed his slave for whom 'Abdullah bin Ja'far

had offered him ten thousand Dirhams or

one-thousand Dinars.

(Reported by al-Bukhārī)

 

Narrated by Abu Dhar, “I asked the Prophet, "What is the

best deed?" He replied, "To believe in Allah and to fight

 for His Cause." I then asked, "What is the best kind of

manumission (of slaves)?" He replied, "The manumission

 of the most expensive slave and the most beloved by his master." I said, "If I cannot afford to do that?" He said,

 "Help the weak or do good for a person who cannot

work for himself." I said, "If I cannot do that?" He

 said, "Refrain from harming others for this

will be regarded as a charitable

 deed for your own good."

(Reported by al-Bukhārī)

In conclusion: Freeing slaves, feeding the poor and destitute in the time of famine, are so difficult for some people like ascending the steep path, except those who have strong faith and dedication to Islam.  (Turner, 2 September 2020)

المراجع:

المكتبة الشاملة

تفسير الطبري (ت. ٣١٠/٩٢٢  (

تفسير القرطبى (٦١١ - ٦٧١ هـ / ١٢١٤ - ١٢٧٣ م(                       

تفسير ابن كثير (ت. ٧٧٤/ ١٣٧٣)

تفسير المراغي (ت. ١۳۷١/١۹٥٢)

Muhammad Asad. The Message of the Qur’ān

https://www.bing.com/search?q=casualty+in+civil+war+on+slaves&cvid=1d8034b4301a420a840a

http://iswy.co/e124u5: المادة

www.islamicfinder.org › hadith › manumission-of-slaves

https://khaledalsabt.com/interpretations/2123/2من-قوله--تعالى-فلا-اقتحم-العقبة-الاية10-الى-اخر-السورة

https://ar.islam

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[1]According to mufassirin (Qur’ān exegetes) the verse was revealed in the case of Abū’l-Ashadd ibn Kildah who was very arrogant (al-Ṣābūnī, Ṣafwat al-Tafāsīr)