correct understanding of 22:15

[ilker]

salam friends,

maybe i'm opening too much topics lately but i've gotta learn about these questions right away or i'll forget about them. There are lots of different explanations and translations about 22:15.

"Anyone who fancies that Allah will not support him in this world and in the Hereafter, let him reach out to heaven through a rope, and then make a hole in the sky and see whether his device can avert that which enrages him." (22:15)

I quote some of the translations from islamicstudies.info:


" 22. There is a great divergence of opinion about the exact meaning of this verse. Some of the interpretations are:

(1) One who presumes that Allah will not help him (Muhammad: peace be upon him), he should hang himself by a rope from the ceiling.

(2) One who presumes that Allah will not help him (Muhammad: peace be upon him), he should ascend to the sky by a rope and try to stop Allah’s help.

(3) One who presumes that Allah will not help him (Muhammad: peace be upon him), he should ascend to the sky and stop the process of revelations.

(4) One who presumes that Allah will not help him (Muhammad: peace be upon him), he should ascend to the sky and stop his provisions.

(5) The one who presumes that Allah will not help him (the presumer himself), he should hang himself by a rope from the ceiling of his house.

(6) The one who presumes that Allah will not help him (the presumer himself), he should try to ascend to the sky to seek help.

The first four interpretations are obviously irrelevant to the context, and the last two, though they might fit in with the context, do not explain the real meaning of the verse. If we consider this in the context, it becomes obvious that the one who presumes is the one who serves Allah standing on the border line. This is to rebuke him, as if to say: You may do whatever you can to change the decrees of Allah, but you will see that no device of yours can succeed, whether these decrees are favorable to your designs or unfavorable to them. Obviously, “so let him stretch a rope up to the sky, then cut it off” has not been used in the literal but in the figurative sense.

Also there is a different opinion on this ayat and a good explanation MashaAllah:

http://quranqanda.com/4004/can-you-please-explain-the-15th-ayah-of-surat-hajj

But I want to know what your opinions are! (maybe brother Joseph's too).

[good logic]

Peace ilker.

My opinion about that verse is that we should trust in GOD Alone. Nothing else can benefit us or harm us , this makes sense to me:

22: 15 ” If anyone  thinks that GOD cannot support him/her  in  this life and in the hereafter, let him/her  turn completely to ( the creator in ) heaven and sever ( depending on anyone else). He/she  will then see that this plan eliminates anything that bothers him/her.”

GOD Alone is the best supporter.

GOD bless you.
Peace.

[deleted]

سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ,

Could someone (with evidence) state which of these translations is right; "From [the people] is he who assumes that the God won't help him in the Here, and Hereafter; then for him is to extend a reason to the Heavens", or "then for him is a reason to extend to the Heavens"?

[ilker]

سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ,

Could someone (with evidence) state which of these translations is right; "From [the people] is he who assumes that the God won't help him in the Here, and Hereafter; then for him is to extend a reason to the Heavens", or "then for him is a reason to extend to the Heavens"?

alaikum salam. good question ! they are different.

[ilker]

after some thinking, i guess the latter one "then for him is a reason to extend to the Heavens?" kind of involves the former. Because it is time for you to "extend a reason to the Heavens", "for this reason (for thinking you are not receiving any help from Allah)".

You don't think Allah's help will arrive and this is a reason why you should "extend a reason" to the Heavens (pray to Allah only!) and then wait for the answer.

Only Allah knows best and may He guide us to His way if we are wrong (ameen).