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103.1 And/by the time during which peoples pass away and become extinct.
From WikiIslam
The Harvest of the Earth
والعصر
WaalAAasri
103.1 And/by the time during which peoples pass away and become extinct.
Summary of 103.1:
• In Revelation, John describes the vision of Jesus coming on a cloud to reap the harvest of believers, on Earth, that have faith in Him
• Revelation tells us that this will occur at a certain definite time, via the noun “hora”
• Jesus gathers His faithful followers unto Himself
• Revelation also informs us that an angel will come to “gather the clusters of the vine of the earth”
• This is due to the grapes (staphule) being ripe
• The grapes are then cast into God’s winepress (lenos)
• These are the ones not having faith in Jesus
• 103.1 begins with “waal”, which can be taken as swearing by a thing
• The juxtaposed “al” informs us that “it is also used to indicate something which has already been mentioned or a concept of which is in the mind of the writer or reader”
• Further, “al” has the signification of “anything which has a quality requiring it to be regarded as sacred, or inviolable; which has some right pertaining to it”
• Hence the material in this sura is not only very important, and sacred, but it relates to something that is already known
• 103.1 elaborates on what is already known and sacred, by affixing the noun “asri”, which tells us of a certain time “during which peoples pass away and become extinct”
• The root “asara” is defined as “he pressed grapes”
• Further, the root “asara” has the definition of “he took, or collected, the produce of the earth”
• Surveying all five Koranic usages of the root derivatives, shows a couple more instances where grapes are being placed into a winepress
• Thus, it is clear that 103.1 is referencing the time when the unbelievers will be cast into the winepress of God Almighty, just as stated in the Book of Revelation
• Further, Revelation tells us that it is Jesus Himself who treads God’s winepress – further exemplifying Jesus as God, via deity interchangeability
