| Pain, Pleasure and Prejudice The Complete Layman’s Guide to the Koran Mughirah - Enemy of the Prophet With a god like Allah, it is to be expected that much time and energy will be spent on revelations as to how the unbelievers as a group will burn in hell for an eternity. What is unexpected is that an omnipotent, all-Powerful god like Allah will single out individuals for special attention, for special roasting as was the case with Abu Lahab, an uncle of the Prophet. Remember Abu Lahab and his wife and the terrible punishment to be visited on them by Allah for having opposed His Messenger. 111:1 Perish the hands of Abu Lahab, and may he perish too; 111.2 Neither his wealth nor what he has earned will avail him anything. 111:3 He will roast in a flaming fire, 111:4 And his wife will be a carrier of fire-wood, 111:5 She shall have a rope of fibre around her neck. What the sadistic story of the roasting of Abu Lahab has to do with the Koran as an example for mankind is beyond my understanding; as is the branding and roasting of al-Walid Ibn al-Mughirah for having made a joke at the Prophet’s expense, and like Abu Lahab, refused to accept that his fellow tribesman was God’s mouthpiece. It is said that al-Mughirah insulted the Prophet by making a joke about Allah not favouring his greatest messenger with sons. Allah, like His Messenger, is not one to easily forgive and forget. Rather than provide the Prophet’s with sons and make a liar of Mughirah, Allah promises His Messenger that al-Mughirah will get His special attention when He gets His hands on him on Judgement Day. The longer story of al-Mughirah is in surah 74 The Enrobed and begins with a wakeup call from Allah followed by verses of encouragement for his embattled “enrobed one.” 74:1 O enrobed one (Reference is to Prophet, who used to be ‘wrapped up’ when the Koran was imparted to him by the Angel Gabriel.), 74:2 Arise and warn. 74:3 Glorify your Lord, 74:4 And purify your garments, 74:5 And abandon abomination. 74:6 Do not give in expectation of increased return, 74:7 And for the sake of your Lord, persevere. A reminder to his Messenger of Judgement Day, and how hard it will be on the unbelievers, and that he will take care of al-Walid Ibn al-Mughirah personally. 74:8 Then, when the Trumpet is sounded; 74:9 It is then a hard Day, 74:10 For the unbelievers, not an easy one. 74:11 Leave Me with him (al-Walid Ibn al-Mughirah) whom I created alone, 74:12 And gave him abundant wealth, 74:13 And children as Witnesses; 74:14 And I smoothed things for him. 74:15 Nevertheless, he is eager that I increase him. 74:16 He has been an obdurate disbeliever in Our Signs. 74:17 I will exhaust him increasingly. Al-Mughirah was asked by another enemy of the Prophet, Abu Jahl (see verses pertaining to Abu Jahl at the end of this section) to listen to the Prophet and report back as to what was this Koran. He listened to the Prophet recite verses from the 41st surah. After hearing about how Allah had destroyed ‘Ad and Thamud he had heard enough, and returned to tell Abu Jahl what he thought about this Koran. He told him that it wasn’t poetry, soothsaying, or sermonizing but that it made his skin creep. He had to think about it some more. The next day he told Abu Jahl that, as far he was concerned, the Koran was sorcery. With that introduction, the following verses should make sense: 74:18 He reflected and reckoned. 74:19 May he perish how he reckoned! 74:20 Again, may he perish how he reckoned! 74:21 Then he considered; 74:22 Then he frowned and turned pale. 74:23 Then he turned back and waxed proud, 74:24 Saying: “This is indeed nothing but sorcery recounted; 74:25 “This is only the discourse of mortals.” 74:26 I will roast him in Saqar (one of the names of Hell) Not only will Allah roast Mughirah in His Hell, the Compassionate One will burn His brand on the poor man's lips. 68:14 Because he (al-Walid Ibn al-Mughirah) has wealth and children. 68:15 If our verses are recited to him, he says: “Legends of the ancients.” 68:16 We shall brand him upon the muzzle. The Prophet did not always look to Allah to exact revenge on the people who had wronged him or made fun of his mission. When he became powerful enough he exacted his own revenge (see The Jews of Medina). What Mughirah Heard In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful 41:1 Ha - Mim. 41:2 This is a revelation from the Compassionate, the Merciful; 41:3 A Book whose Verses have been well-expounded, an Arabic Qur'an addressed to a people who know; 41:4 Bearing good news and warning. Yet most of them have turned away and are unheeding. 41:5 They say: "Our hearts are shielded against what you call us unto, in our ears is a heaviness and between us and yourself is a veil. So act, we are acting too." 41:6 Say: "I am only a mortal like you, to whom it is revealed that your God is One God; so head strength towards Him and seek His forgiveness, and woe betide the idolaters; 41:7 "Those who do not pay the alms, and in the Hereafter they disbelieve." 41:8 Surely, those who believe and do the righteous deeds shall have an unstinted wage. 41:9 Say: "Do you really disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in [two days] and assign equals to Him? That is the Lord of the Worlds." 41:10 And He set up immovable mountains upon it and blessed it, and ordained therein their varied provisions in four days equally to all those who ask. 41:11 Then He arose to heaven while it was smoke, and He said to it and to the earth: “Come over, willingly or unwillingly.” They said: “We come willingly.” 41:12 Then He completed them as seven heavens in two days and assigned to each heaven its proper order. And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps as protection (from the demons). That is the determination of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. 41:13 If they turn away, then say: "I warn you against a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt of "Ad and Thamud." 89:8 The like of which was not created in the land? Mughirah may not have waited for the remaining revelations in this retelling of what happened to 'Ad (see Old Testament - Eber/Hud) and Thamud (see Salih and The Destruction of Thamud). 41:14 When the Messengers came to them from their front and their rear saying: "Do not worship any one but Allah", they said: "Had our Lord wished, He would certainly have sent down angels. Therefore, we disbelieve in the message you have been sent with." 41:15 As for 'Ad, they waxed proud in the land unjustly and said: "Who is superior to us in strength?" Did they not see that Allah Who created them is superior to them in strength? And they used to repudiate Our Signs. 41:16 So, We loosed upon them a roaring wind on inauspicious days, so as to make them taste the punishment of disgrace in the present life. However, the punishment of the Hereafter is more disgraceful and they shall not receive support. 41:17 But as for Thamud, We extended guidance to them; yet they preferred blindness to guidance, and so the thunderbolt of humiliating punishment seized them on account of what they used to earn. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Allah, in destroying ‘Ad, admits in another surah that He destroyed a city that was one of a kind. 89:6 Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with ‘Ad? 89:7 Iram (the ancient city of ‘Ad in central Arabia) of the many pillars; Abu Jahl Abu Jahl was a prominent figure in Mecca, a leader. His real name was Abū l-Hakam meaning Father of Wisdom. He was considered a wise man by the dominant tribe of Mecca, the Quraysh – the same tribe to which the Prophet Muhammad belonged. It was his opposition to the Prophet that earned him the nickname Abu Jahl, meaning Father of Ignorance. He too will have to answer to Allah personally. 96:9 Have you considered him (Abu Jahl) who forbids, 96:10 A servant when he prays? 96:11 Have you considered whether he was well-guided? 96:12 Or commanded piety? 96:13 Have you considered whether he was lying and backtracking? 96:14 Does he not know that Allah perceives? 96:15 No; if he will not desist, We shall take him by the forelock, 96:16 A lying, erring forelock. 96:17 Let him then call his company. 96:18 We shall call the guards of Hell. 96:19 No; do not obey him. Prostrate yourself and come closer. ---- 75:30 Unto your Lord shall be the resort. 75:31 For he (Abu Jahl) did not believe nor pray; 75:32 But rather denied and turned away. 75:33 Then, he went to his own folk in a swagger. 75:34 Woe be to you and woe; 75:35 Then, woe be to you and woe!
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