In the Shade of Quran
Saeid Qutb
Surah # 78
The Tiding
an Nab'a
---
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
About what are they asking?
About the fateful tiding
on which they are at variance.
No indeed; they shall certainly know !
Again, no indeed; they shall certainly know.
Have We not spread and levelled the earth,
and made the mountains as pegs?
We created you in pairs,
and made your sleep a cessation of activity.
We made the night a mantle,
and appointed the day for gaining a livelihood.
We built above you seven mighty ones,
and placed therein a blazing lamp.
We send down out of the rain-clouds water in abundance,
by which We bring forth grain and varied plants,
and gardens thick with trees.
Fixed is the Day of Decision.
On that day the Trumpet is blown and you shall come in crowds,
and heaven is opened, and becomes gates,
and the mountsins are get in motion, and seem to have been a mirage.
Hell stands as a vigilant Watchguard,
a home for the tyrants and the transgressors.
Therein they shall abide for ages,
tasting neither coolness nor any drink,
save boiling fluid and decaying filth:
a fitting recompense
They did not expect to be faced with a reckoning,
and roundly denied Our revelations.
But We noted and recorded all,
(and We shall say:) "Taste this, then;
the only increase you shall have is increase of torment."
The godfearing; shall have a place of security,
gardens and vineyards
and high-bosomed maidens, of equal age, for companions,
and a cup overflowing.
There they shall hear no idle talk, nor any falsehood.
Such is the recompense of your Lord: a truly sufficient gift:(1/1)
Lord of the heavens and earth and all that lies between them, the
All Merciful, with Whom they have no power to speak.
On the day when the Spirit and the angels stand in ranks, they shall not
speak, save him to whom the All-Merciful has given leave, and who
shall say what is right.
That day is a certainly Let him who will seek a way back to his Lord.
We have forewarned you of an imminent scourge, on the day when a
man will look on what his hands have forwarded and the disbeliever
will cry: "Would that I Were dust"!
In the Shade of the Quran(1/2)
This thirtieth part of the Qur'an has a special, distinctive colour. All the surahs it includes are Makkan, except two, namely, "The Clear Proof" and "Victory". Although they vary in length, they are all short. More significant, however, is the fact that they form a single group with more or less the same theme. They have the same characteristics of rhythm, images, connotations and overall style. They are, indeed, like a persistent and strong knocking on a door, or loud shouts seeking to awaken some people who are fast asleep, or some drunken men who have lost consciousness, or are in a night club, completely absorbed with their dancing or entertain ment. The knocks and the shouts come one after the other: Wake up! Look around you! Think! Reflect! There is a God! There is planning, trial, liability, reckoning, reward, severe punishment and lasting bliss. The same warning is repeated time after time. A strong hand shakes them violently. They seem to open their eyes, look around for a second and return to unconsciousness. The strong hand shakes them again, the shouts and knocks are repeated even more loudly. They may wake up once or twice to say obstinately, "No!" They may stone the person warning them or insult him and then resume their position of inattention. He shakes them anew.(1/3)
This is how I feel when I read this part of the Qur'an. It puts strong emphasis on a small number of highly important facts and strikes certain notes which touch men's hearts. It concentrates on certain scenes in the universe and in the world of the human soul, as well as certain events which take place on the Day of Decision. I note how they are repeated in different ways, which suggests that the repetition is intended.
This is how one feels when one reads:
Let man reflect on the food he eats ... (80:24) Or: Let man then consider of what he was created ... (86:5) Or: Let them reflect on the camels, and how they were created; the heaven, how it was raised on high; the mountains, how they here set down, the earth, how it was levelled flat.(88:17-20) Or: Which is stronger in constitution: you or the heaven He has built? He raised it high and gave it its perfect shape, and gave darkness to its night, and brought out its daylight. After that He spread the earth. He brought out water from it, and brought forth its pastures; and the mountains He set firm, for you and your cattle to delight in. (79:27-33) Or: Have We not spread and levelled the earth, and made the mountains as pegs? We created you in pairs, and gave you sleep a cessation of activity. We made the night a mantle and appointed the day for gaining a livelihood. We built above you the seven mighty ones and placed therein a blazing lamp. We send down out of the rain-clouds water in abundance, by means of which we bringforth grain and varied plants, and gardens thick with trees. (78:6-16)(1/4)
Or: Let man refl'ect on the food he eats: how We pour down the rain in torrents, and cleave the earth in fissures; how We bring forth the corn, the grapes and the fresh vegetation, the olive and the palm, the dense-treed gardens, the fruit-trees and the green pastures, for you and your cattle to delight in. (80:24-32) Or: O man, what has lured you away from your gracious Lord, Who created und moulded you and gave you an upright shape. He can give you whatever form He wills. (82:6-8) Or: Praise the name of your Lord, the Most High, Who creates and proportions well Who determines and guides, Who brings forth the pasturage, then turns it into withered grass.(87:1-5) Or: We indeed have created man in the fairest shape and form: then We brought him down to the lowest of the low, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds, for theirs shall be an unfailing recompense. Who, then, can give you the lie as to the Last Judgement? Is not Allah the most Just of judges? (95:4-8) Or: When the sun is darkened, when the stars fall and disperse. when the mountains are made to move away, when the camels, ten months pregnant, are left untended, when the wild beasts are brought together, when the seas are set alight, when men's souls are paired (like with like), when the infant girl, buried alive, is asked for what crime she was slain, when the records are laid open, when the sky is stripped bare, when Hell is made to burn fiercely, when Paradise is brought near, every soul shall know what it has put forward. ((1/5)
81:1-14) Or: When the heaven is cleft asunder, when the stars are scattered, when the oceans are made to explode, when the graves are hurled about, each soul shall know its earlier actions and its later ones. (82:1-5) Or: When the sky is rent asunder, obeying her Lord in true submission, when the earth is stretched out and casts forth all that is within her and becomes empty, obeying her Lord in true submission. (84:1-5) Or: When the earth is rocked with her (final) earthquake, when the earth shakes off her burdens, and man cries: 'whats the matter with her?' On that day she will tell her news, that your Lord has inspired her. (99:1-5)
We experience the same feeling as we meditate over the scenes of the universe portrayed at the beginning or in the middle of some of the surahs in this part of the Qur'an:(1/6)
I swear by the turning stars, which move swiftly and hide them selves away, and by the night as it comes darkening on, and the first breath of dawn. (81:15-18) Or: I swear by the twilight, and by the night and what it envelops, and by the moon in her full perfection. (84:16-18) Or: By the dawn, by the ten nights by that which is even and that which is odd, by the night as it journeys on. (89:1-4) Or: By the sun and his morning brightness, by the moon as she follows him, by the day which reveals its splendour, by the night when it enshrouds him, by the heaven and its construction, by the earth and its spreading, by the soul and its moulding, and inspiration with knowledge of wickedness and piety. (91:1-8) Or: By the night when she lets fall her darkness, by the day in full splendour by him who created the male and the female. (92:1-3) Or: By the white forenoon and the brooding night. (93:1-2)(1/7)
Strong emphasis is laid, throughout this thirtieth part of the Qur'an, on the origin of man as well as the origin of life, in both its vegetable and animal forms. Emphasis is also given to various scenes in the universe, such as scenes of the Day of Resurrection, which is described in different places as "the Greatest Catastrophe" the Stunning Blast", "the Enveloper", etc. Scenes of the reckoning, fine reward and severe retribution are also given prominence. They are drawn with images which leave a stunning effect. All these are given as a proof of the reality of creation and elaborate planning of the universe by Allah, as well as evidence confirming the reality of the life to come, and its decisive reckoning. These scenes are, at times, combined with scenes of the fate of some of the nations who rejected the Divine messages. The whole of this part exemplifies all this. We will make, however, a brief reference in this introduction to some examples.
The present surah, "The Tiding" is an example of the emphasis laid on the realities of creation and resurrection, and the prominence given to the scenes of the universe and the hereafter. The same applies to the next surah, entitled "The Pluckers". The third surah in this part, "The Frowning" starts with a reference to a certain event of the early days of Islam. The rest of the surah is devoted to a discussion of the origins of man and plants before it tackles the "Stunning Blast":(1/8)
On that day each man will forsake his brother, his mother and his father, his wife and his children: for each one of them will on that day have enough preoccupations of his own. Some faces on that day shall be beaming, smiling and joyful. Some other faces on that day shall be covered with dust, veiled with darkness. (80:34-41)
Surah "The Darkening" portrays scenes of the great upheaval which envelops the whole universe on the Day of Resurrection. It also draws some fine and inspiring scenes of the universe in the context of affirming the reality of revelation and the honesty of the Prophet.
Surah "Cleaving Asunder" includes scenes of the universal upheaval, coupled with scenes of perfect happiness and eternal suffering in the hereafter. As it portrays these scenes it attempts to shake and awaken men's hearts:
O man! What has lured you away from your gracious Lord ... (82:6)
Scenes of both types are also portrayed in the surah entitled, "The Rending". Surah "The Constellations" touches very briefly on some scenes of the universe and the here after by way of introduction to the main theme. The surah tackles the history of a group of believers who were subjected by the disbelievers to severe torture with fire. It also states how Allah will inflict greater and more severe torture with fire on those disbelievers.
Surah "The Night Visitor" gives some scenes of the universe and speaks of the origins of man and plants prior to an oath by all these affirming
Surely it is a decisive word, it is no frivolity. (86:13-14)(1/9)
The surah entitled "The Most High" speaks of creation, planning, Divine guidance and the various stages of the growth of pastures. All this is given by way of introduction to the theme of the hereafter, reckoning, reward and retribution. Surah "The Enveloper" gives some images of the happiness of the believers in the hereafter. and the misery of the disbelievers. It also draws attention to the creation of camels, heaven, earth and mountains. The same applies right through to the end of this thirtieth part, with the exception of a few surahs which are devoted to the exposition of the fundamental principles of faith, such as the surahs entitled "Purity of Faith", "The Disbelievers", "Small Kindness" "The Declining Day", "Power", and "Victory", and with the exception of a few more surahs which give encouragement and solace to the Prophet and direct him to seek the refuge of his Lord against all evil, such as those entitled, "The Forenoon", "Solace", "Abundance", "The Daybreak" and "Men".(1/10)
Another aspect of the style of this part is its artistic use of fine expressions, images, rhythm, meter and rhyme to touch upon areas of exceptional beauty in the human soul and in the universe at large. It does this in order to achieve better results as it addresses those who have lost sight of the truth, trying to attract their attention and awaken their feelings. This is clearly evident, for example, in its portrait of the stars as they turn in their orbits, rise and set, in the image of deer disappearing in their dens then appearing again, its image of the night as a living being walking quietly in the dark, and the dawn breathing with the first rays of light:
I swear by the turning stars, which move swiftly and hide themselves away, and by the night as it comes darkening on, and the first breath of dawn. (81:15-18)
It is also clear in the description of sunset, the night and the moon:
I swear hy the twilight, and by the night and what it envelops, and by the moon, in her full perfection (84:16-18)
and in the scenes of dawn and the travelling night:
By the dawn, by the ten nights, by that which is even and that which is odd, by the night as it journeys on, (89:1-4) or: By the white fore noon and the brooding night. (93:1-2)
Again it is markedly evident in the inspiring address to the human heart:
O man, what has lured you away from your gracious Lord, Who created and moulded you and gave you an upright shape? He can give you what ever form He wills. (82:6-8)
in the description of Heaven:(1/11)
Other faces on that day are jocund, well-pleased with their striving, in a sublime garden, where they hear no babble (88:8-11),
and of Hell:
But he whose scales are light, shall have the abyss for his home. Would that you knew what that is like! It is a raging fire. (101:8-11)
Allegory is often employed and an unusual derivation is sometimes preferred in order to obtain the intended musical effect. All this shows the artistry which so entirely pervades this part of the Qur'an.
The present surah is a good example of the general bent of this part, its themes, the fundamental principles it seeks to establish, the scenes and images it portrays, its inferences, its music and its fine touches, as well as its artistic selection and manipulation of terms and expressions to enhance its effect. It opens with a form of question which imparts a sense of gravity to the matter in dispute, yet it is something that admits of no dispute. This is followed by an immediate warning of what will happen on the day when they will realise its nature:
About what are they asking? About the fateful tiding on which they are at variance. No indeed; they shall certainly know! Again, no indeed; they shall certainly know.
Discussion of this fateful tiding is then temporarily dropped. The surah draws attention to what we see around us in the universe and what we feel in our souls which give an unmistakable indication of what will follow:(1/12)
Have We not spread and levelled the earth, and made the mountains as pegs? We created you in pairs, and made your sleep a cessation of activity. We made the night a mantle and appointed the day for gaining a livelihood. We built above you seven mighty ones, and placed therein a blazing lamp. We send down out of the rain-clouds water in abundance, by which We bring forth grain and varied plants, and gardens thick with trees.
After this multitude of images taken from actual life the surah takes up the issue of the event of which they have been warned. It explains to them its nature and how it takes place:
Fixed is the Day of Decision. On that day the Trumpet is blown and you shall come in crowds, and heaven is opened, and becomes gates, and the mountains are set in motion, and seem to have been a mirage.
Then follows the scene of misery, violent, infinitely powerful:
Hell stands as a vigilant watchguard, a home for the tyrants and the transgressors. Therein they shall abide for ages tasting neither coolness nor any drink, save boiling fluid and decaying filth, a fitting recompense. They did not expect to be faced with a reckoning and roundly denied Our revelations. But We noted and recorded all, (and We shall say): 'Taste this, then; the only increase you shall have is increase of torment.'
The scene of happiness, on the other hand, overflows with beauty:(1/13)
The godfearing shall have a place of security, gardens and vineyards and high-bosomed maidens, of equal age, for companions, and a cup over flowing. There they shall hear no idle talk, nor any falsehood. Such is the recompense of your Lord. a truly sufficient gift.
The surah closes with a distinctive note which accompanies a majestic scene of the day when all this takes place:
Lord of the heavens and earth and all that lies between them, the All Merciful, with Whom they have no power to speak. On the day when the spirit and the angels stand in rank, they shall not speak, save him to whom the All-Merciful has given leave, and Who shall say what is right. That day is a certainty. Let him who will seek a way back to his Lord. We have forewarned you of an imminent scourge, on the day when a man will look on what his hands have forwarded and the disbeliever will cry: Would that I were dust!
This is the fateful tiding about which they ask, and this is what will happen on the day when they will realise the true nature of this great event.
About what are they asking? About the fateful tiding on which they are at variance. No indeed; they shall certainly know. Again, no indeed;they shall certainly know.
The surah opens by shunning the enquirers and the enquiry. It wonders that anyone should raise any doubts about resurrection and judgement, which were the centre points of bitter controversy. For the disbelievers could hardly imagine that resurrection is at all possible, despite the fact that it is most logical. The surah asks what they are talking about:
About what are they asking?(1/14)
We are then given the answer. The question is not meant to solicit information but to draw attention to the singularity of their questioning by putting forward the subject of their questions and stating its nature:
About the futeful tiding on which they are at variance.
The answer does not name the event but describes it to enhance the feeling of wonder and amazement at such people. The variance was between those who believed in resurrection and those who denied it, but the questions were raised by the latter only.
The surah does not provide any more details about the event in question. It simply describes it as great before adding an implicit threat which is much more frightening than a direct answer.
No indeed, they shall certainly know. Again, no indeed, they shall certainly know.
The phrase "no indeed" is used here as the nearest possible rendering of the Arabic term "kalla", which denotes strong shunning. The whole sentence is repeated to add force to the threat implied.
The surah then puts aside, apparently, that great event which is at the centre of controversy, only to pick it up later on. The surah takes us on a quick round of the universe in which we see a multilude of scenes, creatures and phenomena. Contemplation of these would strongly shake any human heart:(1/15)
Have We not spread and levelled the earth, and made the mountains as pegs? We created you in pairs, and made your sleep a cessation of activity. We made the night a mantle and appointed the day for gaining a livelihood. We built above you seven mighty ones, and placed therein a blazing lamp. We send down out of the rain-clouds water in abundance, by which We bring forth grain and varied plants, and gardens thick with trees.
In this round we go across the vast universe, observing a great multitude of scenes and phenomena, which are sketched out with great economy of words and phrases. This helps make the rhythm sharp and penetrating, like incessant hammering. The form of question implying a statement is used here on purpose. It may be likened to a strong hand shaking those unaware, it draws their attention to all these creatures and phenomena which give strong evidence of the deliberate planning and designing which go into their creation, the ability to create and recreate, and the wisdom behind creation, which dictates that no creature will be left out of the great reckoning. Hence we come back to the fateful tiding, the subject of argument.
The first leg in our round takes in the earth and the mountains:
Have We not spread and levelled the earth, and made the mountains as pegs?
Both facts mentioned here can be easily recognised and appreciated by everyone. Indeed, even primitive man can be affected by them once his attention is drawn to them.(1/16)
As human knowledge advances and man acquires better insight into the nature of the universe and its varied phenomena, his appreciation of these two aspects is enhanced. He recognises more fully Allah's elaborate planning of the universe, the accurate balance maintained between the individual kinds of creation and their respective needs, the preparation of the earth for human existence and man's adaptability to his environment. That the earth has been specially prepared as a comfortable home for human life in particular is irrefutable evidence of the careful designing of this existence.
It is sufficient to break one relation in the conditions available on earth or in the conditions and proportions required for life and the earth would no longer be that comfortable home for men to tread on.
Man recognises easily, by eyesight, that the mountains are very much like the pegs of a tent. From the Qur'an we learn that they steady the earth and keep its balance. This may be bccause the mountains' height offsets the depth of the seas and oceans. An alternative explanation is that mountains balance out the inner with the outer movements of our planet. Or probably they merely increase the weight of the earth at certain spots to prevent its violent shaking with earthquakes, volcanoes or internal tremors. There may be another explanation not yet known to man. In the Qur'an we find numerous references to natural laws the essence of which was completely unknown to man at the time of revelation, but knowledge of them has been acquired a few centuries later.(1/17)
In its second leg our round touches upon various aspects of human existence:
We created you in pairs.
Again, this is a well established phenomenon, easily recognised by every human being. Allah has made the survival and continuity of mankind conditional on each of the two different sexes, male and female, playing its role in life fully. Not much knowledge is required for appreciating what this involves of comfort, pleasure and recreation. Hence the Qur'anic statement stands to be appreciated by every society in every age according to that society's abilities and knowledge.
Beyond the primitive feeling of the importance of this fact there is a wider scope of contemplation as man's knowledge increases and his feelings become more refined. We may contemplate how one sperm produces a male child while another, absolutely similar to the first, produces a female child. Our contemplation, however penetrating, is bound to lead us to the inescapable conclusion that it is the perfect planning of Ailah which gives each sperm its distinctive characteristics so that we may have a male and a female, for life to continue.
And made your sleep a cessation of activity. We made the night a mantle and appointed the day for gaining a livelihood.(1/18)
Allah has willed that sleep should overpower man and make him lose consciousness and activity. When asleep, man is in a state which is unlike life and unlike death. It ensures rest for his body and mind and compensates both for whatever effort they have exerted during wakefulness. All this happens in a way the true nature of which man cannot conceive. His will plays no part in it and it is impossible for him to discover how it happens to him. When awake, man does not know his condition while he is asleep. He is also unable, when asleep, to observe his condition and how sleep affects him. It is one of the secrets of the constitution of man and all living creatures, unknown except to the Creator Who has made sleep essential for life. For there is no living creature who can stay without sleep except for a limited period. If he were forced, by external means, to stay awake he would certainly die.(1/19)
Sleep does not merely satisfy some of man's physical and mental needs. It is, indeed, a truce for the human soul from the fierce struggle of life. It is a respite which allows man to lay down his armour willingly or unwillingly, and enjoy a period of perfect peace which he needs no less than he needs food and drink. Sometimes, when one is low-spirited, mentally exhausted, possessed by fear and alarm, sleep may overpower one, for a few minutes perhaps, and bring about a total change in one's condition. Sleep does not merely renew one's strength, but it may revive one as if one wakes up a new person altogether. This is miraculous but still very true. It happened on a large scale to the early Muslims who fought in the battles of Badr and Uhud. Allah mentions both occasions in the Qur'an, reminding the Muslims of His favours.
He made slumber overcome you as a reassurance from Him. (8:11) Then, after grief, He let peace and security fall upon you - a sleep which overtook some of you ... (3:154)
Many other people had the same experience in similar conditions. Cessation of activity and consciousness through sleep is a prerequisite for the continuity of life. Yet it can be given only by Allah. It is mentioned here by way of inviting man to contemplate his own creation and constitution.(1/20)
Allah's perfection of creation has provided a correspondence between the movement of the universe and that of living creatures. As man requires sleep afler his day's work, so Allah has provided the night as a covering mantle for man to enjoy his slumber. Day is also provided as a period of activity for man to pursue his livelihood. Thus perfect harmony is established. The world is perfectly suitable for the creatures who live in it, and Allah's creation is endowed with the characteristics which fit in easily and gently with the characteristics of the universe. What perfect planning by a scrupulous Designer!
The final leg of our round touches on the creation of heaven;
We built above you seven mighty ones, and placed therein a blazing lamp. We send down out of the rain-clouds water in abundance, by which We bringforth grain and varied plants, and gardens thick with trees.(1/21)
The seven mighty ones Allah has built above the earth are the seven heavens or skies, the precise nature of which is known only to Allah. They may be seven galaxies (a galaxy is a group of stars the number of which may exceed one hundred million) which have a bearing on our planet or on our solar system. The phrase may also refer to something else which we do not know. What we know for certain, however, is that these seven have strong constitution and do not easily disintegrate. This much we know about the stars and we observe-in what we call "the sky". The surah also points out that the construction of the seven mighty ones is in perfect harmony with the creation of the earth and the world of man. This is implied in the following verses:
And placed therein a blazing lamp.
This is a reference to the sun which shines and gives the heat necessary for the earth and its living creatures. It also plays an important part in forming the clouds by evaporating sea water:
We send down out of the rainclouds water in abundance.
The Arabic text refers to these clouds as something squeezable. But who squeezes them to extract their juice? The winds, maybe, or perhaps some kind of electric charge in the atmosphere. Beyond both types, however, there is the hand of the Designer, who has assigned to everything in the universe its respective qualities.(1/22)
The use of the word "lamp" to refer to the sun is very apt, for a lamp gives heat and light and it shines as if it is ablaze. The heat and the light provided by the sun combine with the water flowing in abundance time after time from the "squeezable" clouds to help the seeds send out their shoots. This is how grains, vegetables, bushes and wide-branching trees grow. This consonance in the design of the universe could not have been achieved without the careful Designer and the wise Planner. Any man would appreciate this if his attention were drawn to it. If he acquired advanced knowledge he would find much more consonance and congruity in the universe, which would leave him wondering in complete amazement. He would then find completely insupportable the argument that all this had been the result of coincidence. He would consider those who evade admitting the fact of elaborate and conscious planning pig-headed, unworthy of respect.(1/23)
The Qur'an refers to this multitude of scenes and phenomena in the universe in a very significant succession: making the earth level, the mountains its pegs, mankind pairs, sleep a cessation of activity, the night a covering mantle, the day a period of bustling activity, building the seven mighty ones, providing the blazing lamp and the abundant flow of water so that vegetation, grains and trees can shoot forth and grow. This succession confirms the perfect consonance and produces a very strong feeling of the great Wisdom that has planned all this. It inspires the heart with the realisation of the purpose of this life ... Hence, we pick up again the theme of the fateful tiding, the subject of controversy.
All this has been for work and pleasure, but there are reckoning and reward to follow, on the appointed Day of Decision:
Fixed is the Day of Decision. On that day the trumpet is blown and you shall come in crowds, and heaven is opened and becomes gates, and the mountains are set in motion, and seem to have been a mirage.
Creation is not without purpose. The Creator Who has accurately measured human life and carefully provided perfect harmony between it and the universe cannot let people just live and die in vain. Reason cannot accept that those who do good and the evil-doers should both end in dust. The rightly guided and the straying folk, the just and the tyrants cannot have the same fate. There must be a day when everything is judged and evaluated. The day is appointed by Allah:
Fixed is the Day of Decision.(1/24)
It is a day when upheaval overtakes the universe and destroys its systems.
On that day the Trumpet is blown and you shall come in crowds, and heaven is opened and becomes gates, and the mountains are set in motion, and seem to have been a mirage.
The "Trumpet" is a kind of horn of which we know nothing except its name and that it will be blown. We need not waste our time trying to discover how, for such discovery will not strengthen our faith.
Allah has revealed to us what we need to know of the secrets of the universe so that we may not waste our energy in futile pursuit of useless knowledge. We can imagine, however, a blow on the Trumpet which men answer by coming in crowds. We can visualise such a scene when all generations of mankind, which succeeded one another on this earth, rise up, walking in multitudes, from all directions to attend the great reckoning. We can imagine the fearful sight of people rising up from graves and the great crowd, huge, endless. We can feel the horror of the day with such an unprecedented crowd, helpless', horror-stricken. We do not know where will this happen, for the universe is full of great events" and heaven is opened and becomes gates, and the mountains are set in motion, and seem to have been a mirage.(1/25)
Heaven, the mighty heaven, is opened up so that it becomes gates. It is, as described elsewhere in the Qur'an, rent asunder. So, it will look very unfamiliar to us. The firmly dug-in pegs, namely, the mountains are set in motion. They are hammered, scattered, turned into dust, blown by the wind, as other Qur'anic verses describe. Hence, they become non-existent, like a mirage which has no reality. Or, probably, different rays are reflected against them after they have been turned into dust and they look like a mirage.
All in all, it is horror apparent in the upheaval which envelops the universe as well as in men's resurrection after blowing the Trumpet. Such is the Day of Decision carefully and wisely fixed.
The surah takes another step, beyond resurrection, to describe the fate of the tyrant disbelievers and that of the righteous. It begins with the former group who raise doubts about the fateful tiding:
Hell stands as a vigilant watchguard, a home for the tyrants and the transgressors. Therein they shall abidefor ages, tasting neither coolness nor any drink, save boiling fluid and decaying filth: a fitting recompense. They did not expect to be faced with a reckoning and roundly denied Our revelations. But We noted and recorded all, (and We shall say:) Taste this, then; the only increase you shall have is Increase of torment.(1/26)
Hell has been created so that it may watch the tyrants and transgressors and await their arrival. They come to find it well prepared to receive them, as if they return to their natural home after having gone on a journey to the earth . It is a home in which they stay endlessly. But they taste "neither coolness nor any drink." The next verse gives an exception to that, but the exception is even worse: "save boiling fluid and decaying filth." Their throats and stomachs burn as they drink their boiling fluid, which is the "coolness" they have, while their other drink is the filth of the burning bodies, decaying by the enormous heat. The Qur'an comments that this is "a fitting recompense." It is in keeping with what they have done in their lives.
For they thought they would never return to Allah:
They did not expect to be faced with a reckoning and roundly denied Our revelations.
Their denial, as the Arabic verse suggests, is strongly emphatic and stubbornly upheld. But Allah keeps a meticulous record which does not leave out anything they do or say: "But We noted and recorded all." Then follows a reproach coupled with the tiding that they can hope for no change in their condition and no abatement of its intensity: "Taste this, then; the only increase you shall have is increase of torment."
We then have the corresponding scene of the righteous in complete bliss.(1/27)
The god fearing shall have a place of security, gardens and vineyards, and high-bosomed maidens, of equal age, for companions, and a cup over flowing. There they shall hear no idle talk, nor any falsehood. Such is the recompense of your Lord, a truly sufficient gift.
If Hell is a vigilant watchguard which the tyrants cannot escape, the righteous, the godfearing, will end in a place of security. What a place it is: "gardens and vineyards." The vine tree is specifically mentioned because it is well known to the addressees. The godfearing will also have companions who are described here as high-bosomed and of equal age. They also drink ef a cup overflowing with drink. These luxuries are given a physical description so that they may be appreciated by human beings. The precise nature of these luxuries and how they may be enjoyed remain unknown to us as our understanding is restricted by our limited world. But the enjoyment provided to the righteous is not purely physical.
There they shall hear no idle talk, nor any falsehood.
So it is a pure life there, free of the idle chatting and falsehood which give rise to controversy. The reality is known to everyone, which means that there is no room for futile argument. It is a sublime state of affairs suitable for the eternal life. Then follows the Qur'anic comment:
Such is the recompense of your Lord: a truly sufficient gift.(1/28)
The surah closes with the final scene of the day when all this happens. It is a scene in which we see Jibril, the Holy Spirit, and all the angels standing in ranks before Allah, their All-Merciful Lord. They stand in awe of Him; no-one dares utter a word without prior permission from the Merciful.
Lord of the heavens and earth and all that lies between them, the All Merciful, with Whom they have no power to speak. On the day when the Spirit and the angels stand in ranks, they shall not speak, save him to whom the All-Merciful has given leave, and who shall say what is right.
The recompense given to the righteous and to the tyrant transgressors which was detailed in the previous section is from
your Lord ... Lord of the heavens and earth and all that lies between them, the All-Merciful.
What a befitting context to reaffirm the eternal truth of godhead. Allah is the Supreme Lord of man, heavens and earth, this life and the next, Who metes out reward for righteousness and punishment for tyranny. But above all He is the All-Merciful. The reward He assigns to each group is a manifestation of His mercy. Even the torment endured by the transgressors originates from Allah's mercy. For it is indeed part of mercy that evil should be punished and that it should not have the same end as good.(1/29)
The other Divine attribute implied here is majesty: "with Whom they have no power to speak." In this highly awesome situation no man or angel can speak without permission from the All-Merciful. Whatever is said will be right because He does not permit anyone to speak whom He knows will not be saying what is right.
When we think that the angels, who are favoured by Allah, and absolutely pure from sin, stand silent in front of Allah and dare not speak without His permission, we are bound to feel how awesome the atmosphere is. Having motivated such a feeling the surah gives a cry of warning to those who have chosen not to hear or see:
That day is a certainty. Let him who will, seek a way back to his Lord. We have warned you of an imminent scourge, on the day when a man will look on what his hands have forwarded and the disbeliever will cry: 'Would that I were dust!'
Those who raise doubts and question the reality of the Day of Decision are given a violent shake: "That day is a certainty." There is no room left for doubts and controversy. Yet there is time for mending one's erring ways before the fearful watchguard, i.e. Hell becomes a permanent home: "Let him who will, seek a way back to his Lord." The warning is stern enough to make the drunken awake: "We have forewarned you of an imminent scourge." It will not be long coming, for man's life is but a short period. The scourge is so fearful that the disbelievers, when faced with it, will send up that great cry expressing the wish that they had never lived:(1/30)
on the day when a man will look on what his hands have forwarded and the disbeliever will cry: 'Would that I were dust!'
It is a cry of one who is in great distress, who feels ashamedly for what has been and what one has done. He feels that it is better not to be, or to be something as worthless as dust, than to witness such a fearful occasion. The horrifying position of the disbelievers is the subject of the questions and doubts they raise concerning that fateful tiding.
"I am your supreme Lord", he said.(1/31)
Surah # 79
The Pluckers
an Nazi'aat
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
By those that pluck out vehemently
and those that move forward rapidly;
by those that swim vigorously
and those that outstrip swiftly
and those that conduct a certain affair.
On the day when the earth shall quake,
followed soon afterwards by the sky,
all hearts shall be filled with terror,
and all eyes shall be downeast.
They say, "What, are we being restored as we were before?
What, when we have been turned to old, hollow bones?
They say, "That will be a losing return."
But with just one blast
they shall be alive on earth.
Have you heard the history of Moses?
His Lord called out to him in the holy valley of Towa,
saying: "Go to Pharoah: he has tyrannised and transgressed
bounds,
and say to him: 'Would you like to reform yourself?
I will guide you to your Lord, so thst you may be in awe of Him.'"
He showed Pharaoh the mightiest miracle,
but Pharaoh cried lies and rebelled.
He then turned away hastily.
He summoned all his men and made a proclamation to them:(1/31)
Allah smote him with the scourge of the life to come
and that of this life as well.
Surely in this there is a lesson for the godfearing.
Which is stronger in constitution: you or the beaven He has built?
He raised it high and gave it its perfect shape,
and gave darkness to its night, and brought out its daylight.
After that He spread out the earth.
He brought out water from it, and brought forth its pastures;
and the mountains He set firm,
for you and your cattle to delight in.
Then, when the Greatest Catastrophe comes
on the day when man shall call to mind what he has done,
When Hell is brought in sight of all who are looking on;
then, he who tyrannised and transgressed
and chose this present life
will have Hell for his dwelling place.
But he who feared to stand before his Lord
and forbade his soul its caprice
will dwell in Paradise.
They question you about the Hour of Doom, when will it come?
But why should you be concerned witb its exact timing?
The final word concerning it belongs to your Lord.
Your mission is merely to warn those who fear it.
On the day when they see that hour, it will seem to them that their life
on earth had spanned only one evening, or one morning.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This surah is just one example of many in this thirtieth part of the Qur'an
which have one common objective, namely, to drive home to man the reality
of the hereafter, its inevitability, and its awesome and serious nature,
and to stress its importance to the Divine planning of man's life in this
world. Such planning culminates in man's death and subsequent resurrection(1/32)
for the life to come. As it sets out to drive this idea home to man, the
surah touches the emotions in different ways which are directly relevant
to its central idea.
First we have an ambiguous opening which creates an air of fear and worried
expectation. The rhythm here is quick and throbbing; it helps evoke
feelings of fear, surprise and wonder:
By those that pluck out vehemently, and those that move out rapidly,
by those that swim vigorously, and those that outstrip swiftly, and
those that conduct a certain affair.
This equivocal, shaking opening is followed by the first of the scenes of
the hereafter. The scene shares style and tempo with the opening which
thus serves as a framework for the scene:
On the day when the earth shall quake, followed soon afterwards by
the sky, all hearts shall be filled with terror, and all eyes shall
be downcast. They say, 'What, are we being restored as we were before?
What, when we have been turned to old, hollow bones?' They say, 'That
will be a losing return.' But with just one blast they shall be alive
on earth.'
Having spread an air of awe, the surah gives an account of the end met by
some of the disbelievers in the story of Moses and Pharaoh. Here the rhythm
is quieter and more relaxed to suit the narrative style:
Have you heard the history of Moses? His Lord called out to him in the
holy valley of Towa, saying: 'Go to Pharaoh: He has transgressed all
bounds, and say to him; "Would you like to reform yourself? I will guide
you to your Lord, so that you may be in awe of Him.' He showed Pharaoh(1/33)
the mightiest miracle, but Pharaoh cried lies and rebelled. He then
turned away hastily. He summoned all his men and made a proclamation to
them: 'I am your supreme Lord,' he said. Allah smote him with the scourge
of the life to come and that of this life as well. Surely in this there
is a lesson for the godfearing.'
This account serves as an introduction to the great principle the surah
aims to establish.
Leaving history aside, the surah takes up the open book of the universe. It
paints some of the great scenes of the universe which testify to the
limitless power and careful planning of Allah, the Creator of the universe
Who controls its destiny both in this life and in the life to come. These
scenes are drawn here with powerful style and strong rhythm in harmony with
the opening of the surah and its general cadence.
Which is stronger in constitution: you or the heaven He has built? He
raised it high and gave it its perfect shape, and gave darkness to its
night, and brought out its daylight. After that He spread out the earth.
He brought out water from it and brought forth its pastures; and the
mountains He set firm, for you and your cattle to delight in.
After all these introductory scenes and inspiring touches comes the
statement concerning the "Greatest Catastrophe" accompanied by the
distribution of rewards for actions alone in this life. The rewards are
portrayed in scenes which fit in harmoniously with the Greatest
Catastrophe:
Then, when the Greatest Catastrophe comes, on the day when man will
call to mind what he has done, when Hell is brought in sight of all(1/34)
who are looking on; then, he who has transgressed and chosen this
present life will have Hell for his dwelling place. But he who feared
to stand before His Lord and forbade his soul its caprice will dwell
in Paradise.
At this point, when we are overwhelmed with the effects of the scenes of
the Greatest Catastrophe, Hell brought near, the end of the transgressors
who prefer this life to the next, and that of the godfearing who restrain
themselves and do not give in to their own caprice, at this point, the
surah turns to those who deny resurrection and ask the Prophet to fix its
time. The rhythm here is superb: it adds to the feeling of awe produced by
the account of the Hour of Doom.
They question you about the Hour of Doom, when will it come? But why
should you be concerned with its exact timing. The final word
concerning it belongs to your Lord. Your duty is merely to warn those
who fear it. On the day when they see that hour, it will seem to them
that their life on earth had spanned only one evening, or one morning.
Perhaps we should note that these verses end with the sound 'aaha' which
adds length to the meter, intensifying the effect of majesty and awe.
By those that pluck vehemently and those that move forward rapidly; by
those that swim vigorously and those that outstrip swiftly and those
that conduct a certain affair.
Some commentators say of these verses that they refer to the angels who
pluck out the souls vehemently, move along actively with ease and speed,
swim along as they move in the outer world, outstrip other creatures to(1/35)
embrace the faith and carry out Allah's commands and conduct whatever
affairs they are charged with. Other commentators maintain that they
refer to the stars who pluck out as they run in their orbits, move
rapidly in phases, swim in space, outstrip others as they run fast
and bring about certain phenomena and results which are entrusted to
them by Allah and which affect life on earth. A third group of commentators
are of the view that the pluckers, runners, swimmers and outstrippers
refer to the stars while the conductors of affairs are the angels.
Another group believe that the pluckers, runners and swimmers are the stars
while the outstrippers and conductors of affairs are the angels.
Whatever the referents of these terms are, we feel from the general
Qur'anic sense that mentioning them in this particular manner produces a
shock and a feeling of expectation of something fearful. Thus, they
contribute, right at the outset, to preparing our minds for the fearful
account of the first and second quakes and of the Greatest Catastrophe
later on in the surah.
Perhaps it is better not to go into great detail in trying to explain and
discuss these verses. It is perhaps more fruitful to let these verses
produce their effect naturally. The Qur'an seeks to achieve its objective
of awakening men's hearts in different ways. If we do this we simply
follow the example of Umar ibn Al-Khattab. He once read the surah entitled
"The Frowning" . When he reached the verse which reads "wafakihatan wa
abba"' he wondered, "We know the fruit trees 'fakihatan', but what is(1/36)
'abba'?" But then he reproached himself saying: "You Ibn Al-Khattab, are
being really fussy today! What harm is there in your not knowing the
meaning of a word used in Allah's book?" He then said to the people
around: "Follow what you understand of this book; what you do not
understand you may leave alone." His statement, aimed at discouraging
people from trying to explain what may be equivocal to them without the
backing of perfectly sound authority, represents an attitude of veneration
towards Allah's words, some of which may have been deliberately left
equivocal so that they may fulfil a certain objective.
The opening of the surah takes the form of an oath, to confirm the event
related in the following few verses:
On the day when the earth shall quake followed soon afterwards by the
sky, all hearts shall be filled with terror, and all eyes shall be
downcast. They say, 'What are we being restored as we were before?
What, when we have been turned to old, hollow bones?' They say. 'That
will be a losing return. ' But with just one blast they shall be alive
on earth.
It has been suggested that the "quaker" is the earth. This is based on
what the Qur'an says in another surah:
On the day when the earth and the mountains will quake" (73:14)
It has also been suggested that the "follower" is the sky, as it follows
the earth and witnesses its own upheaval which causes it to split and
causes the stars to scatter. An alternative suggestion claims that the
"quaker" refers to the first blast on the Trumpet which causes the earth,(1/37)
the mountains and all creation to quake and tremble and makes all who are
in heaven and on earth fall down fainting except those who shall be spared
by Allah. "The follower" it is claimed, refers to the second blow on the
Trumpet which brings all creation back to life (as stated in surah 39,
verse 68).
Whichever suggestion is the correct one, the very verses make men's hearts
feel the quake and shake with fear and worry. They prepare them to realise
what sort of terror will fill the hearts on the day of judgement:
All hearts shall be filled with terror and all eyes shall be downcast.
Thus, it is a combination of worry, fear, humiliation and breakdown. This
is what happens on that day, and it is the fact which the oath at the
opening of the surah seeks to establish. In both sense and rhythm, the
scene portrayed by these verses fits in perfectly with the opening.
The surah goes on to speak of their surprise and wonder when they are
resurrected:
They say, 'What, are we being restored as we were before? What, when
we have been turned to old, hollow bones?
They wonder whether they are being returned to life again. Amazed, they
ask how this can be done after they have been dead for so long that their
bones have become hollow. Then they realise that their awakening does not
take them back to their life on earth, but to their second life. At this
point they feel their great loss and cry:
They say, 'That will be a losing return.'
They have not banked on such a return, and have not prepared for it, so
they have everything to lose by it. The Qur'anic comment is to state what(1/38)
will actually happen.
But with just one blast they shall be alive on earth.
The "blast" is a shout, but it is described here as a blast to emphasise
its force, and to strike a note of perfect harmony between this scene and
the other scenes of the surah. The term used for "the earth" here refers
to a bright white earth which is the land of resurrection. We do not know
its exact location. All we know of it is that which the Qur'an or the
authentic traditions of the Prophet relate. We have no intention of adding
anything unauthoritative to their account. Other Qur'anic statements lead
us to the conclusion that this one blast is most probably the second blow
on the Trumpet, i.e. the blow of resurrection. The expression used here
gives a sense of speed. The blast itself is associated with speed, and the
general rhythm of the surah is a rapid one. The terrified hearts also beat
fast. Hence the perfect harmony between the sense, the rhythm, the scenes
and the surah as a whole.
The rhythm then slows down a bit in order to suit the style of narration.
For next we have an account of what had taken place between Moses and
Pharaoh, and the end which Pharaoh met after he had tyrannised and
transgressed all bounds:
Have you heard the history of Moses? His Lord called out to him in the
holy valley of Towa, saying: 'Go to Pharaoh: he has transgressed all
bounds, and say to him: 'Would you like to reform yourself? I will guide
you to your Lord, so that you may havefear of Him.' He showed Pharaoh
the mightiest miracle, but he cried lies and rebelled. He then turned(1/39)
away hastily. He summoned all his men and made to them a proclamation:
'I am your supreme Lord, 'he said . Allah smote him with the scourge of
the life to come and that of this life as well. Surely in this there is
a lesson for the godfearing.'
The story of Moses is the most frequent and most detailed of the Qur'anic
stories. It is mentioned in many other surahs, in different styles and with
varying emphasis. At times, certain episodes are given greater prominence.
This variation of style and emphasis aims at striking harmony between the
historical account and the surah in which it occurs. Thus, the story helps
to make the message of the surah clearer. This method is characteristic of
the Qur'an. Here the historical account is given in quick successive scenes
which open with the call Moses receives in the holy valley and end with the
destruction of Pharaoh in this life and the life to come. Thus, it fits
very well with the main theme of the surah, namely the hereafter. The part
given here of Moses's history spans a long period, but it is covered by a
few short verses, so that it may fit in well with the rhythm and message
of the surah. These short verses include several stages and scenes of the
story.
They start with an introductory question addressed to the Prophet,
Have you heard the history of Moses?
The question serves to prepare us to listen to the history and contemplate
its lessons. Moses's story is described here as history to emphasise that
it has actually happened. It starts with the scene of Moses being called by
Allah:(1/40)
His Lord called out to him in the holy valley of Towa.
Towa is probably the name of the valley which lies to the right of the
Mount Toor, as one comes up from Madian in North Hijaz. The moment when
this call was made was awesome. The call from Allah Himself to one of His
servants, great beyond description, embodies a secret of Divinity, and a
secret of how Allah has made man susceptible to receiving His call. No
one can comprehend what is involved here without inspiration from Allah
Himself.
The communication between Allah and Moses is discussed in more detail
elsewhere in the Qur'an. In this surah, however, it is touched upon
briefly, before Allah's command to Moses is stated:
Go to Pharaoh. He has tyrannised and transgressed all bounds, and
say to him ' Would you like to reform yourself? I will guide you
to your Lord, so that you may be in awe of Him.' Go to Pharaoh, he
has tyrannised and transgressed all bounds.
Tyranny and transgression should not have taken place and must not go on.
They lead to corruption and to what displeases Allah. So Allah (praised
be He) selects one of His noble servants and charges him with the task of
trying to put an end to them. They are indeed so hateful that Allah
Himself commands one of His servants to go to the tyrant in an attempt to
turn him away from his erring ways, so that he may have no excuse should
Allah decide to exact His retribution.
Go to Pharaoh: he has tyrannised and transgressed all bounds.
Allah then teaches Moses how to address the tyrant in the most persuasive(1/41)
manner, so that he may desist and try not to incur upon himself the dis
pleasure of Allah:
and say to him. 'Would you like to reform yourself?'
The first question to be put to the tyrant is whether he would like to
purify himself of the stains of tyranny and the filth of disobedience to
Allah. Would he like to know the path of the pious, the blessed:
I will guide you to your Lord, so that you may be in awe of Him.
The offer made here to Pharaoh is to be shown the way acceptable to Allah.
Once he knows it, he will feel the fear of Allah in his heart. Man does
not transgress and tyrannise unless he loses his way and finds himself
taking a road which does not lead to Allah. His heart hardens as a result,
and he rebels and tyrannises.
Moses has been told this in the scene of Allah's call to him. He of course
puts these questions to Pharaoh when he encounters him. The surah, however,
does not repeat them when it describes the encounter. It skips over what
happens after Allah's call to Moses and deletes what Moses says when he
conveys his message. It is as if the curtain falls after the scene of the
call. When it is lifted again, we are presented with the end of the
encounter scene:
He showed Pharaoh the mightiest miracle, but Pharaoh cried lies and
rebelled.
Thus, Moses conveys the message with which he has been entrusted in the
manner Allah has taught him. This warm, friendly attitude, however, cannot
win over a heart that has been hardened by tyranny and ignorance of the
Lord of the universe. So Moses shows him the great miracles of the stick(1/42)
turning into a snake and Moses's hand becoming brilliant white in colour,
(as they are explained in other surahs), "but he cried lies and rebelled."
The scene of Moses's encounter with Pharaoh and his conveying the message
to him ends with Pharaoh's rejection and rebellion. It is then followed by
a scene in which Pharaoh turns away to mobilise his forces and bring
forward his magicians for an encounter between magic and the truth.
Pharaoh adopted this course of action because he was determined not to
accept the truth or submit to right.
He then turned away hastily. He summoned all his men and made a
proclamation to them: 'I am your supreme Lord, ' he said.
The surah does not give any details of Pharaoh's efforts to muster his
magicians and sorcerers and summon all his men. It simply says that he
went away to do that, and then boasted with his impertinent proclamation
which betrays his infinite ignorance and conceit:
I am your supreme Lord, he said.
Pharaoh's declaration betrays the fact that he was deceived by his people's
ignorance and their submission to his authority. Nothing deceives tyrants
mort than the ignorance and the abject submission of the masses. A tyrant
is in fact an individual who has no real power or authority. The ignorant,
submissive masses simply bend their backs for him to ride, stretch out their
necks for him to fit them with reins, hang down their heads to give him a
chance to show his conceit, and forego their rights to be respected and
honoured, thus giving him a chance to tyrannise. The masses do all this(1/43)
because they are deceived and afraid at the same time. Their fear has no
real basis except in their imagination. The tyrant, an individual, can
never be stronger than thousands or millions, should they attach the
proper value to their humanity, dignity, self-respect and freedom. Every
individual in the nation is a match for the tyrant in terms of power. No
one could tyrannise in a nation which is sane, or which knows its true
Lord, believes in Him and refuses to submit to any creature who has no
power over its destiny.
Pharaoh, however, found his people so ignorant, submissive and devoid of
faith that he was able to make his insolent, blasphemous declaration, 'I
am your supreme Lord!' He would have never dared to make it had he found
that his nation had the qualities of general awareness, self-respect and
faith in Allah.
With such an intolerable insolence on Pharaoh's part coming on top of his
grim tyranny, the Supreme Power moved in:
Allah smote him with the scourge of the life to come and that of this
life as well.
The scourge of the life to come is mentioned first because it is much
harsher and perpetual. It is indeed the real punishment for the tyrants
and the transgressors because of its severity and endlessness. It is also
more appropriate to give it prominence since the life to come is the main
theme of the surah. Besides, it fits perfectly with the general rhythm of
the surah.
The scourge of this life is fearful and severe, but that of the life to
come is much more so. Pharaoh had power, authority and glory, yet none of(1/44)
that was of any use to him. One can only imagine what will be the fate of
the disbelievers who do not have similar power, authority or glory but
still resist the call of Islam and try to suppress it.
Surely in this there is a lesson for the god fearing.
Only those who know their true Lord and fear Him will benefit from the
lessons of Pharaoh's history. Those who do not fear Allah will continue
in their erring ways until they reach their appointed end, when they
shall suffer the scourge of both this life and the life to come.
Having mentioned the end met by the tyrants who thought themselves very
powerful, the surah turns to the present disbelievers who also depend on
their own power. It directs their attention to some manifestations of the
work of the Supreme Power in the universe.
Their power does not stand any comparison with that of Allah:
Which is stronger in constitution: you or the heaven He has built? He
raised it high and gave it its perfect shape, and gave darkness to its
night, and brought out its daylight. After that He spread out the
earth. He brought out water from its depth, and brought forth its
pastures; And the mountains He set firm, for you and your cattle to
delight in.
The question these verses start with:
Which is stronger in constitution: you or the heaven He has built?
admits of one answer only: Heaven. So the question seems to infer another:
Why should you think so highly of your own power when heaven is much
stronger in constitution than you and the Lord Who created it is much
stronger than it?(1/45)
The question may also be carried forward in a different direction: Why do
you think resurrection impossible? He has created heaven, the creation of
which requires more power than your own creation? Resurrection is merely a
repetition of creation. It follows that He who has built heaven will find
your resurrection an easier proposition.
"He has built" heaven. The term "build" suggests strength and firm
constitution. Heaven is so indeed. Its planets are held together in a
perfect system. They neither scatter, nor fall away from their orbits.
"He raised it high and gave it its perfect shape. " A glance is enough to
recognise the perfect coherence and harmony in the building of heaven.
Knowledge of the laws which govern the existence of the creatures in the
sky above us and provide a perfect balance between their movements and
between their mutual effects enhances awareness of the significance of
this verse. It intensifies the feeling of the limitlessness of their very
real world, of which human knowledge has uncovered only a small part. This
part, however, is enough to make man overwhelmed with wonder and
astonishment. He stands speechless at the infinite beauty of the universe.
He can give no explanation for it except that a superhuman power has
planned it and governs it. This explanation is now accepted even by those
who profess not to believe in any religion.
And gave darkness to its night, and brought out its daylight.
The Arabic words used in this verse add to the strength of the general
tone. They also have stronger connotations than the translation suggests.(1/46)
They are used here because they are more fitting with the general context.
The succession of darkness at night and light in the morning is a
phenomenon recognised by all, but it may be overlooked because of its
being so familiar. Here, the Qur'an reminds us of its permanent novelty.
For it is repeated anew every day, producing the same eflfects and
reactions. The natural laws governing this phenomenon are so precise
and miraculous that they continue to impress and astonish man as his
knowledge increases.
After that He spread out the earth. He brought out water from it,
and brought forth its pastures, and the mountains He set firm.
Spreading out the earth is a reference to the levelling of its surface so
that it becomes easy to walk on, and to the formation of a layer of soil
suitable for cultivation. Setting the mountains firm is a result of the
final shaping of the surface of the earth and its cooling down to a level
suitable for the emergence of living organisms. Allah also brought out
water from the earth. This applies to the springs that allow the deep
waters to flow out on the surface of the earth. It applies also to the
rain water, since it comes originally from the earth. He also brought
forth the pastures, which is, in this context, a reference to all plants
upon which man and animals feed, and which directly and indirectly sustain
life.
All this happened after the heaven was built, the night darkened and the
earth spread. The recent theories of astrology support this Qur'anic
statement, for they assume that the earth was moving in its orbit, with(1/47)
day and night succeeding each other for hundreds of millions of years
before it was levelled and spread out, became suitable for the growth of
vegetation, and before its surface took its final, present shape of plains,
valleys and mountains.
The Qur'an declares that all this is "for you and your cattle to delight
in." This is a reminder for man of what Allah has made for him, and of His
perfect and elaborate planning. It is not by chance that the heaven was
built in this fashion and that the earth was spread out to take its present
shape. Man's existence, as Allah's vicegerent, was taken into account.
Man's existence and development depend on so many factors which operate
in the universe generally, and in the solar system in particular, and more
particularly in the earth itself. All these factors must be made to
function in absolute harmony.
Following the Qur'anic approach of giving a short statement which embodies
the basic fact, yet is rich with hints and inferences, the surah names just
a few of these harmonised factors - the building of heaven, darkening of
the night, bringing out the daylight, spreading out the earth, bringing
out its waters and pastures and setting the mountains firm - for man and
his cattle to delight in. This statement makes the idea of elaborate
planning of the universe understood by everybody. It makes use of some of
its manifestations which require no particular standard of education to
appreciate. This enables the Qur'an to be a universal address, to all men,
in all ages and societies, whether primitive or advanced. The reality of(1/48)
meticulous and elaborate planning of the whole universe, however, goes far
beyond the level mentioned here. The very nature of this universe rules
out any possibility of its formation by chance, for no chance could result
in such perfect and absolute harmony on such an immeasurable scale.
The harmony starts with the fact that our solar system is unique among
millions and millions of planetary systems, and our earth is also a unique
planet with regard to its location in the solar system. It is this
uniqueness which makes life on earth possible. We have not yet discovered
among the many thousands of similar planets anyone which enjoys similar
harmonisation of the essential factors which help the emergence and
sustenance of life.
Life may appear on a certain planet if certain conditions are met: the
planet must be of suitable size, at a medium distance from the sun, and it
has to be of a composition which mixes the elements in the right proportion
to permit the emergence of life. The suitable size is necessary because the
atmosphere of the planet is conditioned by the force of its gravity. The
medium distance is also a necessary condition because the planets which
are near to the sun are so hot that nothing can solidify on them, and
those that are far from the sun are so cold that nothing on them can have
any measure of elasticity. The right composition of elements is necessary
because such a composition in the right proportion is a must for the
growth of vegetation which is, in turn, essential for the sustenance of(1/49)
life. The Earth has the ideal location to satisfy all these conditions
which help the emergence of life in the only form which we now know. [1]
The establishment of the fact of elaborate planning of the grand universe,
and giving man a special place in it prepares man's heart and mind to
receive and accept the statement of the realitv of the hereafter and its
final judgement and rewards with a feeling of reassurance. If the origins
of the universe and of man are so, then the cycle must be completed, and
everyone must have his reward. It is inconceivable that the final end comes
with the end of man's short life in this world, or that evil and tyranny
can get away without retribution, or that good, justice and right can be
left to suffer whatever hardship is visited on them in this life, without
there being a chance to put matters right. Such an assumption is, its
very essence, contrary to the fact of elaborate planning, so apparent
everywhere in the universe. Hence the reality touched upon in this part
of the surah serves as an introduction to the reality of the hereafter
which is the main theme of the surah.
Then, when the Createst Catastrophe comes, on the day when man will
call to mind what he has done, when Hell is brought in sight of all
who are looking on; then, he who transgressed and chose this present
life will have Hell for his dwelling place. But he who feared to stand
before his Lord and for bade his soul its caprice will dwell in
Paradise.
This present life is a period of comfort and enjoyment which are given in(1/50)
precise and accurate measure. Its duration is determined according to the
overall planning relating to the universe and human life. Its comfort and
enjoyment will end at the time appointed for their expiry. When the
Greatest Catastrophe comes it ravages all and overwhelms all. The fleeting
comfort of this life is extinguished, the whole universe, its built heaven,
spread out earth, firm mountains are overturned and all living creatures
are overwhelmed. At that moment "man will call to mind what he has done."
He might have been distracted by the events and comforts of this life and
he might have overlooked what he had done. But he will recall it all then,
when remembrance brings to him nothing but sadness and grief as he
realises what miserable end he is facing.
When Hell is brought in sight of all who are looking on.
The term used here for "bringing in sight" is particularly powerful. It is
rich in its connotations and makes the rhythm even stronger. The result is
that the image is so vivid that we almost see the whole scene in front of
us now.
Then, people will have different destinies and the aim of the earlier
planning of the first life will be revealed:
Then, he who tyrannised and transgressed and chose this present life
will have Hell for his dwelling place.
The two verbs "tyrannise" and "transgress" are used here to render the
meaning of one Arabic term, namely, "tyrannise" which is used here, as
elsewhere in the Qur'an, in a much wider sense than strict despotism of
rulers and dictators. "Tyranny" is used here as synonymous with exceeding(1/51)
the limits of right and truth. Hence these three verses refer to all those
who transgress the boundaries of right, prefer this life to the future
life, taking no heed of the latter.
Since consciousness of the hereafter defines the values and standards to
be applied, he who prefers this present life will suffer a breakdown of
values and standards which results in his adoption of faulty standards of
behaviour. This puts him in the category of despots and transgressors.
Thus, Hell which is brought in sight of everybody on the day of the
Catastrophe will be "his dwelling place ".
But he who feared to stand before his Lord and forbade his soul its
caprice will dwell in Paradise.
The one who fears to stand in front of Allah does not indulge in sin. If
he slips and commits a sin, in a moment of human weakness, his fear of
facing Allah will lead him to repent and pray for forgiveness. Thus he
remains within the area of obedience, the central point of which is the
control of one's caprice and desires. Indulgence of desire and caprice
is essentially the cause of all forms of tyranny and transgression. It
is the spring of evil. Man hardly ever falls for any reason other than
succumbing to caprice and desire. Ignorance is easy to cure. Desire,
after ignorance has been cured, is the plague which requires a long and
hard struggle to overcome. The fear of Allah is the solid defence against
the violent attacks of desire. Indeed, there is hardly any other defence
which can withstand such attacks. Hence, the surah mentions the fear of(1/52)
Allah and the control of caprice together in one verse. This fact is
here asserted by Allah, the Creator of man and the only one Who knows
the human soul, its weaknesses and their effective cure.
Allah does not ask man to suppress his desires, because He knows that it
is not possible for him to do so. He simply asks man to control his desires
and not to let them control him. He tells him that fear of standing before
his Lord, the Almighty, should be of great help to him. He has fixed his
reward for this hard struggle: Paradise as a dwelling place. For Allah
knows perfectly well the hardships involved in this struggle and the high
standards to which man is elevated by it. This struggle, self-control and
elevation help man fulfil his humanity. Such fulfilment cannot be achieved
by giving way to all distres, and following caprice wherever it leads, on
the pretext that desire and caprice are part of human nature. Allah, who
made man sensitive to certain urges, also gave him the ability to control
such urges by self discipline. He also gives him Paradise as a reward when
he wins and elevates himself to the high standard of humanity.
There are two types of freedom. The first is the one achieved through
scoring a victory over one's desires and releasing oneself from the chains
of caprice. When man achieves such a victory he finds himself able to
fulfil these desires and caprices in a controlled and balanced way which
emphasises man's freedom of choice. This type of freedom is the human
type, the one which suits the honour Allah has bestowed on man. The other(1/53)
type is the animal freedom, represented in man's defeat, his enslavement
by his desires, and his loss of control over himself. This type of freedom
is advocated only by those who have lost their humanity, so they try to
cover their slavery with a dress of deceptive freedom.
The first type is enjoyed by those who elevatc and prepare themselves for
the sublime and free life in their future dwelling place of Paradise. The
second is indulged in by those who sink into the cesspool of desire, thus
preparing themselves for Hell where they are deprived of their humanity.
The end is the natural one, in both cases, according to Islam which gives
everything its true and proper value. The last part of the surah is
expressed in a rhythm which evokes awe.
They question you about the Hour of Doom, when will it come? But why
should you be concerned with its exact timing? The final word
concerning it belongs to your Lord. Your mission is merely to warn
those who fear it. On the day when they see that hour, it will seem
to them that their life on earth had spanned only one evening, or one
morning.
Every time the die hards of thc polytheists heard a description of the
fearful events of the Day of Judgement, and the reckoning which takes
place then, they used to ask the Prophet (peace be on him) to specify
its time: " When will it come?" The answer given here to such questions
is a rhetorical question, "But why should you be concerned with its exact
timing? " It is an answer which suggests that the Hour of Doom, or thc Day(1/54)
of Judgement, is so great and majestic that the questions put by the
disbelievers concerning it sound stupid and pitiful. Moreover, such
questions can be put forward only by the impudent. The great Prophet
himself is asked, "Why should you be concerned with its exact timing?"
It is so great that neither you nor anyone else should ask to be informed
of its exact time. This knowledge belongs to Allah alone, not to anybody
else. "The final word coneccting it belongs to your Lord." He himself is
the master of everything which relates to it. The Prophet's own duties,
and the limits he should not, and need not exceed are well defined: "Your
mission is merely to warn those who fear it." He is to warn those who
will benefit by such warnings. Such people will feel that it is true and
fear the out-come, so they conduct their lives according to their firm
belief that it will arrive at the time appointed by Allah.
The majesty and awe of the Hour of Doom is explained through the
description of its effects on men's feelings and the comparison they draw
between its duration and the length of this present life.
On the day when they see that hour, it will seem to them that their
life on earth had spanned only one evening, or one morning.
It so grips the soul that our present life with all its epics, events and
luxuries will seem to those who lived them shorter than a single day- just
one evening or one morning. So, the whole world, its centuries and ages
will shrink to nothing longer than one morning or one evening in the(1/55)
sight of the very people who quarrel and fight for it, preferring it to
their share in the life to come, and who commit all sorts of sin,
tyranny and transgression to achieve their ends in it, yielding to their
desire and caprice. Yet for such a passing enjoyment they abandon
the hereafter and forego the certain prospect of dwelling in Paradise.
That is definitely the greatest stupidity of all, which no man who has
ears and eyes to hear and see can ever perpetrate.
References:
[1]. A. M. Al Akkad, Beliefs of Twentieth Century Thinkers, p. 36
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)
Surah # 80
The Frowning
Abas
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
He frowned and turned his back
when the blind man came to him.
How could you tell? He might have sought to purify himself.
He might have been forewarned and the reminder might have
profited him.
But to the one who considered himself self-sufficient
you were all attention.
Yet the fault would not be yours if he remained uncleansed.
As to him who comes to you with zeal
and with a feeling of fear in his heart
him you ignore and busy yourself with tribes.
No indeed ! This is an admonition;
let him who will, bear it in mind.
It is written on honoured pages,
exalted, purified,
by the hands of noble and devout scribes.
Perish man! How ungrateful he is!
Of what did Allah create him?
Of a little germ. He created him and proportioned him.
He makes his path smooth for him.
He then causes him to die and puts him in his grave.(1/56)
He will surely bring him back to life when He pleases.
But by no means has man fulfilled His bidding.
Let man reflect on the food he eats:
how We pour down the rain in torrents,
and cleave the earth in fissures;
how We bring forth the corn,
the grapes, and the fresh vegetation,
the olive and the palm,
the dense tree'd gardens.
the fruit-trees and the green pastures,
for you and your cattle to delight in.
But when the stunning blast is sounded,
on that day each man will forsake his brother,
his mother and his father,
his wife and his children:
for each one of them will on that day have enough preoccupation's
of his own.
Some faces on that day shall be beaming,
smiling and joyful.
Some other faces on that day shall be covered with dust,
veiled with darkness.
These shall be the faces of the disbelievers, the hardened in sin.
In the Shade of the Quran
This surah discusses certain principles of grave importance. It is unique
in its images and the impressions it leaves, combining its marked spiritual
effect with superb musical rhythm.
Its first part treats a certain incident which took place in the early days
of Islam. The Prophet (peace be on him) was busy with a few dignatories of
the tribe of Quraish, explaining to them the message of Islam, when Ibn Umm
Maktoom, a poor blind man, interrupted him. Unaware that the Prophet was
busy with those people, the blind man asked him repeatedly to teach him
some verses of the Qur'an.
The Prophet (peace be on him) was not very pleased at this interruption. He
frowned and turned away from Ibn Umm Maktoom.(1/57)
This surah opens by criticizing the Prophet's behaviour in this incident.
It lays down clearly the values and principles upon which Islamic society
is founded and states the true nature of the message of Islam.
He frowned and turned his back when the blind man came to him. How
could you tell? He might have sought to purify himself: He might
have been forewarned and the reminder might have profited him.
But to the one who considered himself self-sufficient you were all
attention. Yet the fault would not be yours if he remained uncleansed.
As to him who comes to you with zeal and with a feeling of fear in
his heart, him you ignore and busy yourself with trifles. No indeed!
This is an admonition, let him who will, bear it in mind. It is written
on honoured pages, exalted, purified, by the hands of noble and devout
scribes.
Man's ungrateful attitude to Allah and his denial of Him come up for
discussion in the second part. Here man is reminded of his origin of how
his life is made easy; of how Allah determines his death and resurrection;
and of how, after all, he fails to carry out His orders:
Perish man! how ungrateful he is! Of what did Allah create him? Of a
little germ. He created him and proportioned him. He makes his path
smooth for him. He then causes him to die and puts him in his grave.
He will surely bring him to life when He pleases. But by no means has
man fulfilled His bidding.
The third part directs man to reflect upon things of immediate concern to
him, namely, his food. Absolute perfection of creation is obvious in the(1/58)
provision of food for man as it is obvious in the creation, proportioning
and development of man himself.
Let man reflect on the food he eats: how We pour down the rain in
torrents, and cleave the earth in fissures; how We bring forth the
corn, the grapes, and the fresh vegetation, the olive and the palm,
the dense-tree'd gardens, the fruit-trees and the green pastures, for
you and your cattle to delight in.
The final part touches upon "the stunning blast" and its fearful effects.
The very sound of the words gives an impression of horror. It makes people
unaware of anything around them. Their faces, however, give a lucid account
of what is happening to them.
But when the stunning blast is sounded, on that day each will for sake
his brother, his mother and his father, his wife and his children: for
each one of them will on that day have enough preoccupation's of his
own. Some faces on that day shall be beaming, smiling and joyful. Some
other faces on that day shall be covered with dust, veiled with
darkness. These shall be the faces of the disbelievers, the wicked.
This quick preview of the surah leaves a profound effect on the reader.
Its message and its implications are so powerful that no human heart can
avoid being deeply touched, even by a quick perusal of it.
In the following pages we will attempt to illustrate some of the very far
reaching effects of certain parts of the surah which may not be immediately
apparent.
He frowned and turned his back when the blind man came to him. How could
you tell? He might have sought to purify himself: He might have been(1/59)
forewarned and the reminder might have profited him. But to the one who
considered himself self-sufficient you were all attention. Yet the fault
would not be yours if he remained uncleansed. As to him who comes to you
with zeal and with a feeling of fear in his heart, him you ignore and
busy yourself with trifles. No indeed! This is an admonition; let him
who will, bear it in mind. It is written on honoured pages exalted,
purified, by the hands of noble and devout scribes.
The Divine instructions which followed this incident are much more far
reaching than appears at first sight. They are indeed a miracle. These
instructions, the principles they seek to establish and the change they
aim to accomplish in human society are, perhaps, the first and greatest
miracle of Islam . But the instructions are made here as a direct comment
on a single incident. It is part of the Qur'anic method to make use of
isolated incidents in order to lay down fundamental and permanent
principles. The principles established here and their practical effects,
as seen in the early Islamic society, are indeed Islam itself. They
constitute the truth which Islam and the earlier Divine religions seek
to plant in human life.
The point at issue here is not merely how an individual or a class of
people should be treated. This is indeed the significance of the Qur'anic
comment on the incident itself, taken in isolation. The heart of the
matter is, however, something far more important. It is: how should people
evaluate everything in their lives? From where should they derive their(1/60)
values and their standards for such an evaluation.
What the Divine instructions contained in the opening part of the surah
seek to establish is that men must base their values and standards on
Divine considerations, laid down by Allah.
No social circumstances, traditions or practices, nor any concept of life
derived from them should be allowed either to encumber or determine these
values and standards. There is no denying the difficulties involved in
conducting human life on the basis of values and standards laid down by
the Divine Being, free from the pressure of all worldly considerations.
If we consider the heavy pressure of society on the individual's feelings
and attitudes - traditional values, family and social ties, and
environmental values, for example - we can appreciate the difficulty of
carrying out these Divine instructions. We can appreciate such difficulty
even better when we remember that in order to convey it to people,
Muhammad himself (peace be on him) needed this special directive, or
rather this censure. Reference to this is sufficient to convey the
gravity of the matter. For Muhammad (peace be on him) has reached greater
heights of sublimity and greatness than any man can aspire to. Yet the
fact that special instructions were required for him to convey a certain
principle makes that principle greater than greatness, unique in sublimity.
This is indeed, a true description of the principle established here,
namely that mankind should derive their values and standards from the
Divine Being, after they have freed themselves from the pressure of their(1/61)
social set-up with all its values and standards.
The basic standard Allah has, through His prophets, commanded mankind to
adopt is: "The noblest of you in Allah's sight is he who fears Him
most.(49:13)" This is the standard by which all values, traditions and
practices should be evaluated. It establishes a purely Divine criterion
which has nothing to do with any worldly considerations. But people live
on earth and establish a multitude of ties, each having its own weight and
gravity. They have considerations of family relations, power and wealth.
The distribution or concentration of these creates certain practical and
economic results which determine the position of every man or every class
of people in relation to others.
Thus some acquire a position superior to that of others, in worldly
standards.
When Islam declares: "The noblest of you in Allah 's sight is he who
fears Him most", it simply indicates that all these values and
considerations are void, however important they seem to men. It
substitutes for them a single value derived directly from Allah, the
only value accepted by Him. The incident itself serves to establish
this value in an actual situation. Thus the essential principle is
established: the scales recognised are those of Allah; the supreme
value which should govern man's life is the Divine one. Hence, all
human values, standards, traditions and concepts must be abandoned by
the Islamic nation.
Let us now consider the incident itself. Ibn Umm Maktoom, a poor blind
man, comes to the Prophet (peace be on him) at a time when he is busy(1/62)
with a group of the most powerful and influential personalities in Makka,
including Utbah and Shaibah, the two sons of Rabi'ah, Abu Jahl Amr ibn
Hisham, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, Al-Waleed Ibn Al-Mogheerah. Also present is
Al-Abbas ibn Abdel-Muttalib, the Prophet's uncle. It is a crucial meeting.
The Prophet explains the message of Islam to them and hopes for a
favourable response. He feels that the cause of Islam will gain a lot by
such a response. The time is very hard for Islam in Makka. Those very
people have been using all their wealth, power and influence to check
its advancement, and to stop people from accepting it. They have managed
to freeze Islam in Makka and hinder its progress elsewhere.
Outside Makka, the other tribes have adopted an attitude of wait and see.
For they feel that that is their best stand in a tribal society such as
theirs which gives to the tribe's attitude paramount importance.
They are aware that against Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, stand his own
kinsmen, who, theoretically speaking, should be his most ardent supporters.
It must be emphasised that when we say that the Prophet is busy with those
people, he has no personal interest with them. He is simply working for the
interest of Islam. Acceptance of Islam by these influential and powerful
people means the removal of all impediments from the path of Islam in
Makka. It also ensures for Islam the freedom to progress outside Makka.
While this crucial meeting is in progress, a poor man comes and interrupts
the Prophet (peace be on him) saying:(1/63)
Messenger of Allah! teach me some verses of what Allah has taught you.
Despite his awareness that the Prophet (peace be on him) is busy, he
repeats his request several times. The Prophet dislikes this interruption.
His face, which remains unseen by the blind man, expresses his aversion.
He frowns and looks away from the poor man, who has interrupted the crucial
meeting of which the Prophet has great hopes for his message. Indeed, the
Prophet's motive has been his great enthusiasm to win badly-needed support
for Islam.
Here, heaven intervenes to say the final word in this matter and to put
the landmarks along the whole length of the road. Thus we are given the
scales by which to weigh our values regardless of all considerations,
including the consideration of what serves the interests of Islam, as
seen by men, and even by the greatest man, Muhammad (peace be on him).
This is why the Prophet who has been described elsewhere in the Qur'an as
having "great and sublime nature", (68:4) is strongly censured by Allah,
the Most High. It is the only point in the Qur'an that the Prophet, who
is very dear to Allah, is told "kalla" (inadequately translated as "no
indeed"). Kalla is a term of censure and an order to desist. That is
because the contravened principle is central to this religion.
The reproof is made in unique style, which defies translation into ordinary
language. Written language has to apply certain rules and observe some well
defined norms. These would dampen the effects of the very vivid style of(1/64)
the Qur'an, which is characterised in this instance by its rapid touches
and short phrases which are more like feeling reactions and instant
pictures.
He frowned and turned his back when the blind man came to him.
The use of the third person form here is significant. It suggests that the
subject-matter is so distasteful to Allah that He does not like to confront
His beloved messenger with it. This in itself is a gesture of mercy and
kindness to the Prophet. Thus, the action which necessitated the reproof
has been disguised with great subtlety. The reproof then takes the form of
direct address, starting somewhat mildly:
How could you tell? He might have sought to purify himself He might
have been forewarned and the reminder might have profited him.
How could you tell but that a great gain might have been made? That is to
say that the poor, blind man who came to you seeking light might have
profited by Allah's reminder and set about purifying himself. His heart
might have brightened by Allah's light and he might become like a light
house, guiding people to safety. This is exactly what happens every time
a human being genuinely accepts the faith.
It is, indeed, what carries real weight in Allah's scales.
The reproof then takes a stronger tone. It wonders at the action in
question:
But to the one who considered himself self-sufficient you were all
attention. Yet the fault would not be yours if he remained uncleansed.
As to him who comes to you with zeal and with a feeling of fear in
his heart - him you ignore and busy yourself with trifles!(1/65)
The one who pretends that he can do without you and your religion, light
goodness and purity is the one who receives your attention! You go to him
yourself when he turns away, and you are at pains to try to persuade him
to accept the faith.
Yet the fault would not be yours if he remained uncleansed.
What is it to you if he chooses to remain in filth? You are not answerable
for his sinful actions. He will not secure your victory. As to him who
comes to you with zeal", out of his own free will, "and with a feeling of
fear in his heart, " groping his way with outstretched hands, fearful of
pitfalls, "him you ignore and busy yourself with trifles!" What a strong
description of the act of not paying due attention to the man who came to
seek the right guidance.
The tone gets even stronger and the reproof becomes outright censure:
"kalla" or "No indeed", this must never be the case.
There follows a statement affirming that Islam is an honourable and noble
call. It has no need for anybody's support. It cares only for the one who
accepts it on its merits, regardless of his position in human society!
This is an admonition; let him who will, bear it in mind. It is written
on honoured pages, exalted, purified, by the hands of noble and devout
scribes.
It is a noble and honoured message in every respect. Its pages are purified
and exalted, entrusted to "noble and devout" angel ambassadors who convey
it to those human beings selected for the task of conveying it to their
people. It is also dignified. No one who pretends that he is self(1/66)
sufficient need be approached about accepting this message of Islam. It
is only for those who know its value and seek to be purified by it.
So this is the Divine standard by which all values and considerations
should be evaluated, and all men should be judged. This is also Allah's
word, which is the final judgement in all situations.
But where and when was this laid down? The answer is in Makka when the
Muslims were few in number, and Islam was the weaker side in an unequal
battle. The attempt to win a group of powerful and influential men was not
motivated by any personal interest. Ignoring the poor blind man was not
occasioned by any personal consideration. All was for the sake of the new
message. But the message itself calls for the adoption and application of
this very standard and these very values. For Islam can never acquire any
real power or achieve any true victory except through the establishment of
these values and standards.
As stated earlier, the essential principle involved is far greater and
wider in scope than this single incident. It is that man should derive his
values and standards from Allah, not from any worldly source
The noblest of you in Allah's sight is he who fears Him most.
Indeed; the one whom Allah considers noble is the one who deserves to he
attended to and looked after, even if he is completely lacking in family
relations, power and wealth, the assets highly valued according to worldly
standards. These and all other worldly values become worthless when they
part ways with faith and the fear of Allah. This is the great issue which(1/67)
the Divine instructions in this surah seek to settle.
The Prophet was deeply and powerfully touched by these Divine instructions
and by Allah's reproof. Throughout his life, he worked tirelessly for the
establishment of this great principle in Islamic society.
The first action taken by him was to announce these instructions and the
reproof in public. This in itself is something very great Taken from any
point of view, no person other than a Messenger of Allah could have
announced in public that he had been censured so strongly, in such a
singular manner, for a slip he had made. It would have been enough for
any other great man to recognise his mistake and to avoid a repetition in
future. With the Messenger of Allah however, things acquire different
proportions. No person other than Allah's messenger could have had the
courage, in such circumstances as Islam was facing, to make this
declaration, challenging with it the masters of Qur'aish, who were very
proud of their lineage, power and wealth.
These were at the time the only considerations of any importance in Makkan
society, where people wondered:
Why was this Quran not revealed to some great man from the two
towns? (43:31)
They were, of course, aware of Muhammad's lineage, and that he was the
descendant of the noblest family in Arabia. His ancestors were masters
of Makka. Nevertheless they asked such a question simply because Muhammad
himself did not occupy a position of power in Makka before prophethood.
In such a society, at that particular time, such a great principle could(1/68)
have never been the product of any earthly factor, or host of factors. It
could have had only one source: Allah. No power could have pushed it
through other than the Divine will. The Islamic society received it
directly from the Prophet. It was soon well established and it acquired
depth and momentum, which helped it to continue its operation in the
Islamic nation over the centuries.
The establishment of this principle was, indeed, a rebirth of humanity. It
was greater in importance than the first birth of man.
Man was able to free himself from all worldly bonds and standards, and
substitute for them a set of heavenly values which are independent of all
earthly considerations. The new values were soon understood and accepted
by everybody. Soon the grave matter which necessitated that Muhammad him
self be issued with a special directive in order to convey it became the
operative principle of the Islamic conscience and the basic code of the
Islamic society. It remained so for a very long period.
Perhaps we cannot appreciate fully the true nature of the rebirth of
humanity. The reason for our inability is that we cannot conceive the
practical significance of our release from the pressures of society, its
values, standards, traditions and practices. In order to appreciate the
magnitude of these pressures we have only to remember that the advocates
of the materialistic view of history consider that the economic condition
of a certain society determines the beliefs, arts, literature, laws,
customs of that society, as well as its view of life and its destiny. What(1/69)
a narrow and mistaken view of the true nature of man! With this basic
principle, Islam accomplished the miracle of the rebirth of man.
Since then the values attached to this great principle have become supreme.
Their ascendancy, however, was by no means easy, neither in the Arabian
society, nor in the minds of the Muslims themselves.
Through his actions and directives, coloured by the profound effect the
Divine instructions in this surah left on him, the Prophet was able to
implant this basic principle of Islam in the consciences of his companions
and in the life of the Islamic society he had established. He looked after
his new plant with unfailing care until it had established deep roots and
spread its branches wide. This was why this principle remained for
centuries the guiding principle of the Muslim community, in spite of a
multitude of opposing factors.
After this incident the Prophet always gave Ibn Umm Maktoom a warm welcome.
Whenever he met him, he said: "Welcome to the man for whose sake my Lord
reproved me." He appointed him twice as his deputy governor of Medina when
he had to be away.
The Prophet married his own cousin Zainab bint Jahsh of the Assad clan to
his former slave Zaid ibn Harithah. Marriage has always been a very
delicate issue, and it was particularly so in the Arabian Peninsula at
that time. The Prophet's motive was to deal a deadly blow to all the
social values and standards based on worldly considerations .
Soon after the Makkan Muslims settled in Medina the Prophet established a(1/70)
bond of brotherhood between every two Muslims. He made his own uncle,
Hamza, a brother to his former slave, Zaid; and Khalid ibn Rowaiha of
the Khath'am tribe and Bilal, the former slave, were made brothers.
He appointed Zaid as Commander-in-Chief of the Muslim army which fought
the battle of Mu'tah. Zaid's first deputy was the Prophet's own cousin
Ja'afar ibn Abu Talib. The second deputy was Abdullah ibn Rawaha of Al
Ansar. A number of well-known personalities from Makka and Medina were
in that army of three thousand men, including the most famous Muslim
commander of all time, Khalid ibn Al-Waleed. The Prophet himself went
out to bid them farewell. It is also worth mentioning that Zaid and his
two deputies were killed in that battle.
The last action of the Prophet was to appoint Usamah ibn Zaid, a young man
in his teens, as commander of an army he raised to fight the Romans. In the
army was a large number of the early Muslims, of both Al-Muhajireen (the
Makkans) and Al-Ansar (the Medinans), including his two most distinguished
companions and immediate successors, Abu Bakr and Umar, as well as his own
relative Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqas, one of the very earliest people to embrace
Islam. Some people grumbled about the fact that Usamah was made commander,
because he was so young. Abdullah ibn Umar takes up the story: "When some
people complained about giving the army command to Usamah, the Prophet
said: 'You are deprecating his appointment as commander in the same way
as you previously deprecated his father's appointment. By Allah, his(1/71)
father was a worthy commander, and one of the dearest people to me.
Usamah is also one of the dearest people to me."
Some people spoke in derogatory terms about the Prophet's companion,
Salman, the Persian. They took a narrow nationalistic view and spoke of
the inferiority of Persians in relation to Arabs. The Prophet took a
decisive step to put down all such narrow tendencies. He declared:
"Salman belongs to the Prophet's family." The Prophet's statement
transcends all lineage, tribal and national considerations, which were
of immense weight in Arabia.
Some disagreement occurred between two of the highly esteemed companions
of the Prophet, Abu Tharr and Bilal. Out of temper, Abu Tharr called Bilal
"you, son of a black woman". The Prophet was extremely upset by what Abu
Tharr said. He rebuked him saying: "That is too much, Abu Tharr. He who
has a white mother has no advantage which makes him better than the son
of a black mother." Thus the Prophet put the dispute in its proper
perspective.
What distinguishes people is their faith, not their colour. This is the
Islamic criterion, which is so unlike the worldly criteria of Ignorant'
societies. The Prophet's rebuke had a profound effect on Abu Tharr, who
was a very sensitive person. He wanted to atone for his mistake, so he
put his head on the ground swearing that he would not raise it until Bilal
had put his foot over it.
Bilal achieved a position of great distinction in the Islamic society. What
made his achievement possible was the application of Heaven's values. Abu(1/72)
Huraira related that the Prophet once said to Bilal: "Tell me what action
of yours you hope to be most rewarding to you, for last night I heard your
footsteps as you drew near to me in heaven." Bilal answered: "I don't
think that since becoming a Muslim I have ever done anything which I hope
to be more rewarding than that every time I have ablution at any time of
day or night I pray whatever I can."
Once Ammar ibn Yassir asked permission to see the Prophet. The Prophet
said: "Let him come in, welcome to the cleansed good man." He also said
of Ammar: "Ammar is full of faith to the top of his head." Huthaifa
related that the Prophet said: "I do not know how long I shall be with
you, so accept the leadership of the two who will follow me (and he
pointed to Abu Bakr and Umar), and follow the guidance of Ammar. Believe
whatever Ibn Massoud tells you."
Ibn Massoud was so close to the Prophet that any stranger in Medina would
have thought him a member of the Prophet's household. Abu Mussa said: "I
came to Medina from the Yemen with my brother. We were for quite sometime
under the impression that Ibn Massoud and his mother belonged to the
Prophet's household, an impression we had formed because of the frequency
of their coming in and out of the Prophet's homes, and their long
companionship with him."
The Prophet himself sought the hand of an Ansari woman in marriage for
Julaibeeb, a former slave. Her parents were reluctant to sanction such a
marriage. She, however, said to them: "Do you mean to reject the Prophet's(1/73)
suit? If the Prophet thinks that this man is suitable for us, then Id this
marriage go through." So they gave their consent. Soon after his marriage,
Julaibeen took part in an armed expedition. After the battle, which
resulted in a victory for the Muslims, the Prophet asked his companions:
"Is anybody missing?" They named a few people. He repeated the question
and they named a few others. He asked the same question for the third
time and they answered in the negative. He said: "I think Julaibeeb is
missing." They looked for him and found his body next to seven enemy
soldiers whom he had killed. The Prophet came over, stood near him, and
said: "He killed seven people before he was killed. This man belongs to
me and I belong to him." He lifted him on his arms until a grave was dug
for him. He then put him in his grave. The tradition does not say whether
Julaibeeb was given a death wash.
With this Divine instruction and the guidance of the Prophet, the rebirth
of humanity was accomplished in a unique manner. Thus a new society came
into existence, which imported its values and standards from heaven, and
lives on earth, unhampered by earthly restrictions. This is the greatest
miracle of Islam, a miracle which could not have happened except by the
will of Allah, and through the actions of the Prophet. This miracle is in
itself a proof that Islam is a religion revealed by Allah, and that the
man who conveyed it to us is His messenger.
It was the Divine will that the leadership of the Islamic society, after(1/74)
the death of the Prophet, should be assigned successively to Abu Bakr and
Umar, the two persons who were most keenly aware of the true nature of
Islam and most vividly impressed by the guidance of the Prophet. Indeed,
Abu Bakr and Umar surpassed everybody else with their love of the Prophet
and determination to follow very closely in his footsteps.
Abu Bakr was well aware of the Prophet's object in assigning the army
command to Usamah. His first action after he became Caliph was to send
the army raised by the Prophet and commanded by Usamah on its original
mission. Abu Bakr, the Caliph, went along with the army to the outskirts
of Medina to bid it farewell. It was a strange scene: Abu Bakr the old
Caliph walking, and Usamah the young commander on his horse. Usamah felt
ashamed and begged Abu Bakr to ride or else he would walk alongside him.
Abu Bakr refused saying: "You shall not walk and I shall not ride. It
will do me no harm to walk for an hour if my walking is for the cause
of Allah."
Abu Bakr felt that he needed Umar to help him shoulder the responsibilities
of government. Umar, however, was a soldier in Usamah's army, so he had to
ask Usamah's permission to discharge him. Hence, the Caliph, the Head of
the State, said to his army commander: "If you think you could spare me
Umar to help me, then please do so"! What a request! It is the height of
magnanimity, attainable only with Allah's will, by individuals well taught
by Allah's Messenger.
A few years go by and we see Umar assuming the leadership of the Islamic(1/75)
society, as its second Caliph. One of his actions was to appoint Ammar ibn
Yassir, who formerly belonged to the lower classes of Makka, as governor
of the Kufa region in Iraq.
One day a number of dignatories from Qur'aish, including Suhail ibn Amr
and Abu Sufian, sought to see Umar. He let them wait and admitted first
Suhaib and Bilal, two former slaves, on grounds of their early acceptance
of Islam and their taking part in the battle of Badr. Abu Sufian felt very
angry and said: "I have never seen a day like this. These slaves are
admitted and we are kept waiting!" Suhail, who was more keenly aware of
the true nature of Islam, said: "Gentlemen! I see in your faces an
expression of what you feel, but I say to you that if you are angry you
should be angry with yourselves. Both they and you were called upon to
accept Islam at the same time. They were quick to respond but you were
slow. What will you do if on the Day of Judgement you find that they are
included among the chosen people and you are left behind?"
Umar allotted Usamah ibn Zaid a larger share of the spoils of war than he
allotted his own son Abdullah. When Abdullah queried his father's decision
Umar said: "Son, the Prophet used to love Zaid more than he loved your
father, and he loved Usamah more than he loved you. What I did was simply
to attach to the Prophet's love higher value than I attached to my own
love." As he said this Umar was, of course, fully aware that the Prophet
measured his love by the Divine standards.
Umar sent Ammar to question Khalid ibn Al-Waleed, the victorious commander(1/76)
of the Muslim army and the descendant of a noble family, about certain
charges. Ammar tied Khalid's robes round his neck Some reports add that
he tied Khalid's hands throughout the interrogation with the cloth of his
own turban. When the investigation proved Khalid's innocence Ammar untied
him and put Khalids turban back on his head with his own hand. Khalid did
not object to this treatment. He knew that Ammar was one of the early
companions of the Prophet. Khalid also knew what the Prophet used to say
about Ammar.
It was Umar himself who used to say about Abu Bakr and Bilal: "Abu Bakr is
our master and he freed our master." This refers to the days when Bilal was
a slave of Umayyah ibn Khalaf, who used to torture him mercilessly, in
order to turn him away from Islam. Abu Bakr bought Bilal from Umayyah and
set him free. This former slave, Bilal, is described by Umar, the Caliph,
as "our master".
Umar was the one who said, "Had Saalim, the former slave of Abu Huthaifa,
been alive I would have nominated him to succeed me."
This statement must be taken against the background that Umar did not
nominate anyone to succeed him, not even Othman, Ali, Talha or Zubair. He
only appointed a consultative committee of six, so that the next Caliph
should be chosen from among them.
Ali ibn Abu Talib sent Ammar and Al-Hassan, his own son, to Kufa to seek
their support against Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). His message
said, "I know that she is your Prophet's wife in this life and in the here
after. You are, however, faced with a test which will prove whether you(1/77)
follow your Prophet or his wife."' The people of Kufa accepted his case
against Aisha, mother of the believers and Abu Bakr's daughter, (may Allah
be pleased with them all).
Bilal was asked by his brother in Islam, Abu Ruwaiha of Khath'am, to speak
for him to the family of a Yemeni woman he wished to marry. Bilal went to
them and said: "I am Bilal ibn Rabah and this is my brother. Abu Ruwaiha.
He lacks good manners and firm belief. You may please yourselves whether
you give him your daughter in marriage or not." He did not deceive them by
hiding the truth, nor did he behave as a mediator, unmindful of his answer
ability to Allah.
The family concerned were pleased with such honesty. They married their
daughter to Abu Kuwaiha, the noble Arab whose advocate was Bilal, the
former slave from Abyssinia.
This fundamental principle remained for centuries firmly established in
the Islamic society, despite the various factors working for the bringing
about of a setback to that society. "Abdullah ibn Abbas was always
remembered with his slave Ikrimah, while Abdullah ibn Umar was remembered
with his slave Nafi'. Anas ibn Malik was always associated with his slave
Ibn Sirin, as was Abu Huraira with his slave Abdurrahman ibn Hormuz. The
most distinguished men of learning were Al-Hassan in Basra, Mujahid ibn
Jabr, Attaa ibn Rabah and Tawoos ibn Kaissan'. In Egypt, Yazeed ibn Abi
Habeeb a black slave from Dengla, was the grand Mufti (holder of the
highest position of religious authority) during the reign of Umar ibn
Abdulaziz."(1/78)
This Divine standard continued to win high respect for the pious and god
fearing, even when they were deprived of all things to which worldly
considerations attached great value. It was only recently that this
Divine standard ceased to operate after the whole world had been over
whelmed by the tide of Ignorance. In the United States, the leading
country of the West, a man is valued according to the size of his bank
balance. In the Soviet Union, the leading country of the East, where
materialism reigns supreme, a man is worth less than a machine. The land
of Islam, on the other hand, has sunk back into Ignorance, from which
Islam had saved it a long time ago. Ignorant creeds which Islam had
rooted out have been revived. The Divine standard has been abandoned
in favour of Ignorant values which are completely alien to Islam.
The only hope that remains is that the new Islamic movement will be able
to rescue mankind once again from the clutches of Ignorance and bring about
a second rebirth of humanity, similar to the one announced by the decisive
verses at the opening of this surah.
The second part of the surah wonders at man's conceited attitude as he
turns his back to the true faith, despite his being called upon to adopt
it. It wonders how man forgets his humble origin and is totally oblivious
of the care Allah has taken of him and of His complete power over every
stage of his existence, both in this life and in the hereafter. In his
attitude of utter ungratefulness man fulfils nothing of his duties towards(1/79)
his Lord, Who has created and sustained him and Who will hold him to
account for his actions:
Perish man! How ungrateful he is! Of what did Allah create him? Of a
little germ. He created him and proportioned him. He makes his path
smooth for him. He then causes him to die and puts him in his grave.
He will surely bring him back to life when He pleases. But by no means
has man fulfilled His bidding!
"Perish man!" He deserves to be killed for his abominable attitude. The
mode of expression adds to the sense of horror excited by this attitude.
"How ungrateful he is!" He strongly denies the claims of his creation. Had
he been mindful of these claims he would have shown humble gratitude to
His Lord who created him; he would have shown no conceit and would have
remembered the end he will have to meet. Indeed, how can man be so arrogant
and conceited? What are his origins: "Of what did Allah create him?" It is
a very humble origin, worthless indeed except for the grace of Allah. "Of
a little germ. He created him and proportioned him." A little germ of no
significance; that is man's beginning. Allah, the Creator, has then
proportioned him. The Arabic verb used here denotes precise and meticulous
proportioning. It also denotes bestowing weight and value This is how man
has been created, honoured and raised from his humble origin to a high
position in which the whole world has been put at his disposal.
"He makes his path smooth for him": The path of life has been smoothed for
him. He has also been given the ability to recognise and follow the right
path.(1/80)
When the journey of life is over, when every living being meets the
inevitable end, "He then causes him to die and puts him in his grave" So
in the end the case is just the same as in the beginning: man submits to
his Lord Who brings him to life when He wills and ends his life when He
wills. He honours him by making the earth his last abode, rather than
leaving him as food to wild animals. He has made it part of human nature
to bury the dead. When the time He has appointed arrives, He brings him
back to life for the reckoning: "He will surely bring him back to life
when He pleases." So man will not be left without reward or retribution.
But has man prepared himself for this reckoning? "But by no means has man
fulfilled His bidding." Mankind as a whole, and all human generations, from
the very first man created up to the last breath of the last human being,
will not have fulfilled Allah's bidding. This is the inference of the
Arabic expression used here. Man will always remain negligent of his
duties. He will never remember his origin and creation as he should, nor
will he thank and praise his Creator Who has guided him and looked after
him as He should be thanked and praised. He does not prepare himself in
this life for the day of reward and retribution. This applies to humanity
as a whole. In addition, the great majority of men turn their backs
arrogantly on the Divine guidance.
Next the surah invites man to reflect upon his food and the food of his
cattle, which is one of the great many things Allah has provided for him:(1/81)
Let man reflect on the food he eats: how We pour down the rain in
torrents, and cleave the earth in fissures; how We bring forth the
corn, the grapes, and the fresh vegetation, the olive and the palm,
the dense-tree'd gardens, the fruit-trees and the green pastures, for
you and your cattle to delight in.
This is the full story of man's food, related here stage by stage. Let man
reflect: does he play any significant role in it? Can he determine or
change its course? Indeed, the same hand which has brought him to life has
brought forth the food to sustain him. "Let man reflect on the food he
eats." Food, the first necessity of human life, deserves a few thoughts.
It is made readily available day after day. But it has a simple and wonder
ful story. Yet its simplicity makes man forget its wonder. Nevertheless,
it is as miraculous as man's own creation. Every step is determined by the
Supreme Will which has created man.
"How we pour down the rain in torrents." Pouring down the rain is a fact
known to every human being, wherever he lives, regardless of his level of
experience or knowledge. It is, therefore, taken up in this address to all
human beings. As man's knowledge has increased, he is now able to
appreciate the meaning of this verse more fully. He knows that something
happened a long time before the daily phenomenon of rain came to be
established. Perhaps the theory closest to the truth concerning the
formation of the oceans, whose water evaporates and then falls down as
rain, claims that they were formed somewhere above the earth and then(1/82)
were poured down in torrents. A contemporary scientist says on this
subject:
If it is true that the temperature of the earth at the time of its
separation from the sun was about 12,000 degrees, or that of the
surface of the sun, then all the elements were free and, therefore,
no chemical combination of importance could exist. Gradually, as
the earth, or the earth-forming fragments, cooled, combinations
would take place and a nucleus of the world as we know it is formed.
Oxygen and hydrogen could not combine until the temperature was reduced
to 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. At this point these elements would rush
together and form water. What we know as the atmosphere must have been
enormous at that time. All the oceans were in the sky and all those
elements not combined were in the air as gases. Water, having formed
in the outer atmosphere, fell towards the earth but could not reach it,
as the temperature near the earth was higher than it was thousands of
miles out. Of course, the time came when the deluge would reach the
earth only to fly up again as steam. With whole oceans in the air,
floods that would result as cooling progressed are beyond
calculation ... A Cressy Morrison, Man Does not Stand Alone,
London, 1962, pp 35-6
Although we do not claim any definite link between this theory and this
particular Qur'anic statement, we acknowledge that the theory gives us a
better understanding of what it means and the period of history it refers
to, i.e., the period of pouring water down in torrents. The theory may(1/83)
be proved right. On the other hand, other theories may be put forward to
explain the origins of water. The Qur'anic statement, however, remains
valid for all ages and societies.
This is how the production of food starts: "We pour down the rain in
torrents". No one can claim either to have produced water, at any stage
of its formation, or to have poured it down, so that the process of food
production may be set in motion.
"And cleave the earth in fissures". All human societies may be asked to
reflect on this second stage, which follows the pouring down of rain. The
primitive man sees the rain falling and realizes that he has no power over
it. He sees the water splitting the earth and penetrating the soil. He
also sees the plant cleaving the earth with the Creator's will and growing
over its surface. He notices that the plant is thin and the earth heavy
yet the Creator's hand enables the plant to split the earth and move
through it. Anyone who contemplates how plants grow can recognise the
miracle involved here. He can feel the operation of the latent power
inside the gentle, little plant.
As human knowledge expands, a new understanding of this statement may be
developed. The cleaving of the earth so that it becomes suitable for the
growth of vegetation may have taken place long time ago. The Qur'anic
statement may refer to the multiple break up of the rocks of the surface
of the earth caused by the great floods and by the various climatic factors
which, according to modern scientists contributed to the formation of a(1/84)
soil layer where vegetation can grow. This interpretation fits more
closely with the sequence of events as it is reported here.
In either case, the third stage is that of the growth of all kinds of
vegetation. The kind mentioned here is the best known to the people
immediately addressed by the Qur'an, and the kind most common in the food
of man and animal. "How we bring forth the corn", "The corn" refers to all
cereals and grains used for human or animal food. "The grapes, and the
fresh vegetation". The reference here is to the well-known vine fruits
and to all vegetables which can be eaten raw and can be picked time after
time. "The olive and the palm, the dense-tree'd gardens, the fruit trees
and the green pastures." The olive and the palm fruits are well-known to
all Arabs. "The gardens" refer to the fenced fields of fruit trees. They
are described here as being dense with trees. The Arabic term "abb"
translated here as "green pastures" refers in all probability to the
herbage used for cattle. As mentioned in the commentary on the preceeding
surah, Umar asked what the "abb" meant and then blamed himself for asking.
So we follow Umar's suit and add nothing to what has been already
mentioned.
This is the story of food, the provision of which is carefully planned by
the hand which created man. Man plays no role in any of its stages. Even
the seeds and grains he may throw in the earth are not of his making. The
miraculous aspect here lies in the original production of these seeds and
grains, which is beyond man's comprehension. Various seeds may be planted(1/85)
in the same piece of land, irrigated by one kind of water; yet each one
produces its own fruit. It is the hand of the Creator which makes this
infinite collection of plants and their fruits, and preserves in the
little seed the characteristics of its mother plant so that they may
reappear in the plant which issues from it. Man remains ignorant of
the secrets of this process. He has no power over it. It is Allah's own
production: "For you and your cattle to delight in". This delight is,
however, for a limited period. There follows something totally different
which needs to be carefully considered by man before it actually arrives.
But when the stunning blast is sounded, on that day each man will
forsake his brother, his mother and his father, his wife and his
children: for each one of them will on that day have enough pre
occupations of his own. Some faces on that day shall be beaming,
smiling and joyful. Some other faces on that day shall be covered
with dust, veiled with darkness. These shall be the faces of the
disbelievers, the wicked.
This is the end of all delight and enjoyment. It fits perfectly with the
long planning and comprehensive designing which include every stage in the
development of man. The end portrayed in this scene comes into perfect
harmony with the scene portrayed at the beginning of the surah which shows
someone coming forward with zeal and with a feeling of fear in his heart,
and another considering himself self-sufficient and turning away from the
Divine guidance. Here we have an exposition of their standing in Allah's
view.(1/86)
"The stunning blast" is the nearest translation of an Arabic term which
carries a very sharp tone; it almost pierces through the ears. This effect
simply prepares us for the following scene in which we see "each man will
for sake his brother, his mother and his father, his wife and his
children." These ties between the man and his nearest relations cannot be
severed in the normal course of events. Yet the stunning blast destroys
these very links and ties and throws them into the air.
The fearfulness depicted in this scene is purely psychological. It strikes
the soul, isolates it and holds it in its grip. The result is that each one
will think only of himself. He shall have no time or power to think of
others: "for each one of them will on that day have enough preoccupation's
of his own ". The description is vivid; yet there could not be a shorter
and more comprehensive statement to describe the general condition of
worried minds and souls: "for each one of them will on that day have
enough preoccupation's of his own. This condition is universal when the
stunning blast takes place. Then follows a description of the condition of
the believers and that of the disbelievers after the two groups have been
assigned their values by the Divine standards: "some faces on that day
shall be beaming, smiling and joyful." These faces are beaming with
happiness overflowing with delight, lit up with a broad smile. They are
hopeful and reassured because they feel that the Lord is pleased with
them.
The people of this class are spared the terror of the stunning blast, so(1/87)
they can afford to smile and show their happiness. Or probably the smiles
and manifestations of happiness are seen after these people have realized
the good end awaiting them.
Some other faces on that day shall be covered with dust, veiled with
darkness. These shall be the faces of the disbelievers, the hardened
in sin.
These faces are covered with the dust of sadness and misery, darkened with
humiliation and depression. They know what they have done in this life and
they await their inevitable punishment.
These shall be the faces of the disbelievers, the hardened in sin.
The people of this class are devoid of faith. They do not believe in Allah
or in the Divine message. Moreover, they are hardened in their erring and
sinful ways. They persistently violate the Divine commandments.
The destiny of each group is portrayed in their faces. It is a vivid
portrait drawn with words and expressions - a fact which testifies to the
immense power characteristic of the Qur'anic style.
The opening and the close of the surah are in perfect harmony. The opening
lays down a fundamental principle and a general standard, and the close
shows us the results of applying this standard. The surah is a short one;
yet it states a number of major facts and principles, portraying a large
number of scenes, utilising different rhythms. The style brings out all
the images in full relief.
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)
Surah # 81
The Darkening
at Takweer(1/88)
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
When the sun is darkened,
when the stars fall and disperse,
when the mountains are made to move away,
when the camels, ten months pregnant, are left untended,
when the wild beasts are brought together,
when the seas are set alight,
when men's souls are paired (like with like),
when the infant girl, buried alive, is asked for what crime she was slain,
when the records are laid open,
when the sky is stripped bare,
when Hell is made to burn fiercely,
when Paradise is brought near,
Every soul shall know what it has put forward.
I swear by the turning stars,
which move swiftly and hide themselves away,
and by the night as it comes darkening on,
and by the dawn as it starts to breathe,
this is truly the word of a noble and mighty messenger,
who enjoys a secure position with the Lord of the Throne.
He is obeyed in heaven, faithful to his trust.
Your old friend is not mad.
He saw him on the clear horizon.
He does not grudge the secrets of the unseen.
It is not the word of an accursed devil.
Whither then are you going?
This is only a reminder to all men,
to those of you whose will is to be upright.
Yet, you cannot will except by the will of Allah, Lord of all the Worlds.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This surah may be divided into two parts, each of them treating one major
principle of faith. The first is the principle of Resurrection accompanied
by a great upheaval in the universe, which affects the sun and the stars,
the mountains and the seas, heaven and earth, wild and domestic animals,(1/89)
as well as man. The second principle, discussed in the second half of the
surah, is the principle of revelation. The surah has something to say about
the angel carrying the Divine revelation, the Prophet receiving it, the
people addressed by it, and the Supreme Will which has shaped their nature
and sent down to them this revelation.
The rhythm of the surah is one of violent movement which leaves nothing in
its place. Everything is thrown, smashed or scattered away. The movement is
so violent that it excites and frightens. It alters every familiar situation
and shakes men's hearts violently for a long period so that they feel
deprived of both shelter and reassurance. In such a violent destructive
storm the human heart is no more than a little feather, blown in every
direction. No protection and, indeed, no safety can then be found except
what is Granted by Allah, the Eternal Being. Thus, the rhythm of the surah
has on its own, the effect of pulling man's heart and soul away from every
thing associated with safety and security, in order to seek peace, safety
and protection in Allah.
The surah is also a gem of striking images drawn from the universe in both
its present beautiful condition which is familiar to us and its condition
on the Day of Resurrection when every familiar thing is changed beyond
recognition. The surah is, moreover, rich in fine expressions which add
colour to the images portrayed. As the surah is so short, the rhythm,
images and fine expressions combine together to produce a very strong and
lasting effect.(1/90)
Had it not been for the fact that the surah contains some words which are
no longer familiar to us today, I would have preferred not to comment on
it. Its rhythm and images leave a far stronger effect than any human
interpretation can aspire to achieve.
When the sun is darkened, when the stars fall and disperse, when the
mountains are made to move away, when camels, ten months pregnant, are
left untended, when the wild beasts are brought together, when the seas
are set alight, when men 's souls are paired (like with like), when
the infant girl, buried alive, is asked for what crime she was slain,
when the records are laid open, when the sky is stripped bare, when
Hell is made burn burn fiercely, when Paradise is brought near, every
soul shall know what it has put forward.
These verses sketch a scene of a great upheaval which envelops the whole
universe. It is an event which reveals every guarded secret and leaves
nothing hidden away. Every human being faces what he has put forward for
the clay of reckoning and judgment.
The great events mentioned indicate that the present familiar state of the
universe, with its perfect harmony, measured movement, controlled
relations, perfected by a meticulous and able Maker will suffer a break
down of its system. It will have completed its role. Along with all
creation, it will move into a new predetermined phase of life, unlike
anything known to us in this world.
The surah aims to get this idea of the inevitable upheaval well established
in men's hearts and minds so that they may attach little or no importance(1/91)
to the values and riches of this world, though these may seem to be of
lasting consequence. The hearts and minds of people should establish a
firm bond with the everlasting truth, i.e. the truth of Allah the Eternal,
Who never changes when everything else changes and disappears. They should
break the chains of what is familiar in this life in order to recognise the
absolute truth which admits no restrictions of time, place, finite
faculties or temporal standards.
As one goes through the events of this universal upheaval, one cannot fail
to observe an inner feeling for this affirmation.
As to what exactly happens to all these types of creation during the
Resurrection we can only say that it is known to Allah alone. We can only
comprehend what we have experienced. When we think of a great upheaval in
the world our imagination cannot stretch beyond a violent earthquake or
volcano, or, perhaps, the fall of a bomb.
Floods are perhaps the most destructive manifestation of the power of
water known to us. The most powerful events in the universe we have
monitored were some limited explosions in the sun, which is millions of
miles away from us. All these events, great as they may be, seem so small
when they are compared to that universal upheaval which will take place on
the Day of Resurrection that they may be considered akin to children's
play. If we really want to know what will happen then, we can do no more
than attempt to draw some sort of comparison with what we have experienced
in this life.
The darkening of the sun probably means that it will cool down and its(1/92)
flames which stretch out for thousands of miles in space will dwindle and
die down. As the sun is now in gas form because of its intense heat, which
reaches a maximum of 12,000 degrees, its darkening probably means its
transformation by freezing to a form similar to that of the surface of the
earth. It may adopt a circular shape without becoming stretched out.
This is probably the meaning of the opening verse, but it could also mean
something different. As to how it will happen, or what will cause it to
happen, we can only say that this is known only to Allah.
The falling of the stars probably means that they will break away from the
system which holds them together and lose their light and brightness. Only
Allah knows which stars will be affected by this event: will it affect
only a small group of stars, say, our own solar system, or our galaxy,
which comprises hundreds of millions of stars, or will it affect all the
stars in their millions of millions? It is a wellknown fact that the
universe comprises an almost infinite number of galaxies, each with its
own space.
The forcing away of the mountains probably means that they will be crushed
and blown away as indicated in other surahs:
They ask you about the mountains. Say: 'My Lord will crush them to
fine dust and leave them a desolate waste. (20:105) When the mountains
crumble away and scatter into fine dusts. (56:5) And the mountains
shall pass away as if they were mirage. (78:20)
All these verses refer to a certain event which will affect the mountains(1/93)
and do away with their firm foundation and stability. This may be the
beginning of the quake which will shake the earth violently, and which is
mentioned in surah 99 "The Earthquake".
When the Earth is rocked in her last convulsion, when the earth
shakes off her burdens. (99:1-2)
All these events will take place on that very long day.
When the camels, ten months pregnant, are left untended.
The Arabic description of the camel here specifies that she is in her tenth
month of pregnancy. When in this state, she is to the Arab his most
valuable possession because she is about to add to his wealth by a highly
valued young camel, and to give him a lot of milk which he and his family
will share with the new born animal. However, on that day, which will
witness such overwhelming events, such priceless camels will be left
without care, completely untended. The Arabs who were the first to be
addressed by this verse never left such camels untended, except for the
gravest of dangers.
When the wild beasts are brought together.
The great terror which overwhelms the wild beasts in their jungles is the
cause of their coming together. They forget their mutual enmities, and
move together, unaware of their direction. They neither seek their homes
nor chase their prey as they usually do. The overwhelming terror changes
the character of even the wildest of beasts. What would it do to man?
When the seas are set alight.
The Arabic term used here may mean that the seas will be over-filled with
water, from floods similar to those which characterised the early stages(1/94)
of life on earth. On the other hand, earthquakes and volcanoes may remove
the barriers now separating the seas so that the water of one will flow
into the other.
The Arabic expression may also mean that the seas will experience
explosions which set them ablaze, as mentioned elsewhere in the Qur'an:
When the oceans are made to explode. (81:3)
The explosions may result from separating the oxygen and the hydrogen
which make the sea water. They could also be atomic explosions of some
sort. If the explosion of a limited number of atoms in a hydrogen or
atom bomb produces such dreadful consequences as we have seen, then the
atomic explosion of the waters of the oceans, in whatever manner it
may occur, will produce something much too fearful for our minds to
visualise. Similarly, we cannot conceive the reality of Hell, which
stands beyond these vast oceans.
When men 's souls are paired (like with like).
The pairing of souls may mean the reunion of body and soul at the time of
resurrection. It may also mean their grouping, like with like, as mentioned
elsewhere in the Qur'an: "You will be divided into three groups" (56:7)
the chosen elite, the people of the right, and the people of the left. It
may also mean some other way of grouping.
When the infant girl, buried alive, is asked for what crime she was
slain.
The value of human life must have sunk very low in pre Islamic Arabian
society. There existed a convention of burying young girls alive, for fear
of shame or poverty. The Quran describes this practice in order to portray(1/95)
its horror and record its Ignorance i.e. Jahiliyyah. Its condemnation fits
in perfectly with the declared aim of Islam, to destroy Ignorance and save
mankind from sinking to its depth. In surah 16 "The Bee" we read in
translation:
When the birth of a girl is announced to one of them, his face grows
dark and he is filled with rage and inward gloom. Because of the bad
news he hides himself from every body; should he keep her with disgrace
or bury her under the dust? How will they judge. (16:58-9)
And in surah 17 "The Night Journey" we read
You shall not kill your children for fear of want. We will provide
for them and for you. (17:31)
Girls were killed in an extremely cruel way. They were buried alive! Those
Arabs who did not kill their young daughters or send them to mind cattle,
had different methods of ill treating women. If a man died, the head of the
clan would throw his gown over the widow. This was a gesture of acquisition
which meant that the widow could not re-marry anyone except the owner of
the gown. If he fancied her, he would marry her, paying no regard whatso
ever to her feelings in the matter. If he did not marry her, he would keep
her until she died so as to inherit her wealth.
Such was the attitude of the Ignorant society in Arabia to women Islam
condemns this attitude and spurns all these practices. It forbids the
murder of young girls and expresses its horrifying nature. It makes it
one of the subjects of reckoning on the Day of Judgment. Here, the surah
mentions it as one of the great events which overwhelm the universe in a(1/96)
total upheaval. We are told that the murdered girl will be questioned
about her murder. The surah leaves us to imagine how the murderer will
be brought to account.
The Ignorant social order of the pre-Islamic period would never have
helped women to gain a respectable, dignified position. That had to be
decreed by Allah. The way of life Allah has chosen for mankind secures
a dignified position for both men and women who share the honour of having
a measure of the Divine spirit breathed into them. Women owe their
respectable position to Islam, not to any factor of environment or
social set-up.
When the new man with heavenly values came into 'being, women became
respected and honoured. The woman's weakness of being a financial burden
to her family was no longer of any consequence in determining her position
and the respect she enjoyed. These considerations have no weight in the
scales of heaven. Real weight belongs to the noble human soul when it
maintains its relationship with Allah. In this man and woman are equal.
When one puts forward the arguments in support of the fact that Islam is
a Divine religion, and that it has been conveyed to us by Allah's Messenger
who has received His revelations, one should state the change made by Islam
in the social status of women as one of the irrefutable arguments. Nothing
in the social set-up of Arabia at the time pointed to such an elevation of
the woman's position. No social or economic consideration made it necessary
or desirable. It was a deliberate move made by Islam for reasons which are(1/97)
totally different from those of this world and from those of the Ignorant
society in particular.
When the records are laid open.
This is a reference to the records of people's deeds. They are laid open
in order that they may be known to everybody. This, in itself, is hard to
bear. Many a breast has closely hidden a secret, the remembrance of which
brings a feeling of shame and a shudder to its owner. Yet all secrets are
made public on that eventful day. This publicity, representative of the
great upheaval which envelops the whole universe, is part of the fearful
events which fill men's hearts with horror on the day.
When the sky is stripped bare.
This image corresponds closely to throwing open people's secrets. When the
word "sky" is used, our first thoughts reach to the blue cover hoisted over
our heads. Its stripping means the removal of that cover. How this would
happen remains to us a matter of conjecture. It is enough to say that when
we look up we will no longer see our familiar blue dome. This may be
brought about by any change affecting the status quo in the universe which
causes this phenomenon to exist. The last scene of that fearful day is
portrayed by the next two verses:
When Hell is made to burn fiercely, when Paradise is brought near.
Where is Hell? How does it burn? What fuel is used in lighting and feeding
its fire? The only thing we know of that is that it "has fuel of men and
stones." (66:6) This is, of course, after they have been thrown in it. Its
true nature and its fuel prior to that is part of Allah's knowledge.(1/98)
Every soul shall know what it has put forward.
In the midst of all these overwhelming events, every soul shall know for
certain what sort of deeds it has brought with itself. Every soul shall
also know that it cannot change, omit from or add to what it has done.
People will find themselves completely separated from all that has been
familiar to them, and from their world as a whole. Everything will have
undergone a total change except Allah. If man turns to Allah he will find
that His support is forthcoming when the whole universe is overwhelmed by
change.
Thus ends the first part of this surah which fills both mind and heart
with a vivid impression of the universal upheaval on the Day of
Resurrection.
The second part of the surah opens with a certain form of oath by some
very beautiful scenes in the universe. The oath, in fine expressions, is
made to assert the nature of revelation, the angel carrying it, and the
messenger receiving and conveying it as well as people's attitudes to it
all in accordance with Allah's will:
I swear by the turning stars, which move swiftly and hide themselves
away, and by the night as it comes darkening on and by dawn as it
starts to breathe, this is truly the word of a noble and mighty
messenger, who enjoys a secure position with the Lord of the Throne.
He is obeyed in heaven, faithful to his trust. Your old friend is not
mad. He saw him on the clear horizon. He does not grudge the secrets
of the unseen. It is not the word of an accursed devil. Whither then
are you going? This is only a reminder to all men, to those of you(1/99)
whose will is to be upright. Yet, you cannot will except by the will
of Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
The stars referred to here are those which turn in their orbit, and are
characterized by their swift movement and temporary disappearance. In
translating the text we have to forego the sustained metaphor used in
Arabic which draws an analogy between these stars and the deer as they
run at great speed towards their homes, disappear for a while and then
reappear at a different point. The Arabic metaphor adds considerable
liveliness and beauty to the description of the movement of the stars,
which corresponds to the rhythmic beauty of the expression.
Again, the rhythm of the Arabic verse translated as "and by the night as
it comes darkening on" gives a feeling of life, depicting the night as a
living being. The beauty of the Arabic expression is of surpassing
excellence.
The same applies to the next verse: "and by dawn as it starts to breathe".
This verse is indeed more effective in portraying dawn as alive, breathing.
Its breath is the spreading light and the life that begins to stir in
everything. I doubt whether the Arabic language, with its inexhaustible
wealth of fine imagery and vivid expressions, can produce an image
portraying dawn which can be considered equal to this Qur'anic image in
aesthetic effect. After a fine night, one can almost feel that dawn is
breathing.
Any aesthete will readily perceive that the Divine words of the first four
verses of this second part of the surah constitute a gem of fine expression
and vivid description:(1/100)
I swear by the turning stars, which move swiftly and hid themselves
away, and by the night as it comes darkening on, and by dawn as it
starts to breathe.
This descriptive wealth adds power to man's feelings as he responds to
the natural phenomena to which the verses refer.
As the Qur'an makes this brief, full-of-life description of these phenomena
it establishes a spiritual link between them and man, with the result that,
as we read, we feel the power which created these phenomena, and the truth
which we are called upon to believe. This truth is then stated in a manner
which fits in superbly with the general theme of the surah:
This is truly the word of a noble and mighty messenger, who enjoys a
secure position with the Lord of the Throne. He is obeyed in heaven,
faithful to his trust.
This Qur'an with its description of the Day of Judgment is the word of a
noble messenger, i.e. Jibril, the angel who carried and conveyed it to
Muhammad (peace be on him).
The surah then gives a description of this chosen messenger. He is "noble",
honoured by Allah who says that he is "mighty", which suggests that
considerable strength is required to carry and convey the Qur'an. "Who
enjoys a secure position with the Lord of the Throne." What a great honour f
or Jibril to enjoy such a position with the Lord of the universe. "He is
obeyed in heaven", i.e. by the other angels. He is also "faithful to his
trust", carrying and discharging the message.
These qualities add up to a definite conclusion: that the Qur'an is a
noble, mighty and exalted message and that Allah takes special care of(1/101)
man. It is a manifestation of this care that He has chosen an angel of
the calibre of Jibril to convey His revelation to the man He has chosen
as His Messenger. As man reflects on this Divine care he should feel
humble. For he himself is worth very little in the kingdom of Allah,
were it not for the care Allah takes of him and the honour He bestows
on him.
There follows a description of the Prophet who conveys this revelation
to the people. The surah seems to say to them: You have known Muhammad
very well over a considerable length of time. He is your old honest,
trusted friend. Why, then, are you fabricating tales about him, when he
has been telling you the simple truth which he has been entrusted to
convey to you:
Your old friend is not mad. He saw him on the clear horizon. He does
not grudge the secrets of the unseen. It is not the word of an accursed
devil. Whither then are you going? This is only a reminder to all men.
They knew the Prophet perfectly well. They knew that he was a man of steady
character, great sagacity and complete honesty. But in spite of all this
they claimed that he was m ad, and that he received his revelations from
the devil. Some of them adopted this attitude as a basis for their
sustained attack on the Prophet and his Islamic message. Others did so
out of amazement and wonder at his revelation, which is unlike anything
said or written by man. Their claim confirmed their traditional belief
that each poet had a devil who wrote his poems, and each monk had a devil
who uncovered for him the secrets of the unknown world. They also believed(1/102)
that the devil may come in contact with some people causing them to say
some very strange things. They ignored the only valid explanation, that
the Qur'an is revealed by Allah, the Lord of all the Worlds.
The surah counters this attitude by a reference to the surpassing beauty
of Allah's creation, noticeable everywhere in the universe, and by
portraying some universal scenes, as they appear, full of life. This
method of reply suggests that the Qur'an comes from the same creative
power which endowed the universe with matchless beauty. It also tells them
about the two messengers entrusted with the Qur'an, the one who brought it
down and the one who conveyed it to them, i.e. their own friend whom they
know to be sane, not mad. The surah tells them that he has indeed seen the
other noble messenger, Jibril, with his own eyes, on the clear horizon
where no confusion is possible. He is faithful to his trust and cannot be
suspected of telling anything but the truth. After all, they have never
associated him with anything dishonest. "It is not the word of an accursed
devil". Devils, by nature, cannot provide such a straight forward and
consistent code of conduct. Hence the surah asks disapprovingly: "Whither
then are you going?" How far can you err in your judgment. And where can
you go away from the truth which stares you in the face wherever you go?
"This is only a reminder to all men." It reminds them of the nature of
their existence, their origin and the nature of the universe around them.
The reminder is "to all men ". Islam here declares the universal nature of(1/103)
its call right from the start, in Makka, where it was subjected to an
unabating campaign of persecution.
The surah then reminds us that it is up to every individual to choose
whether to follow the right path or not. Since Allah has granted everyone
his or her free will, then every human being is responsible for himself:
"To those of you whose will is to be upright", that is to say, to follow
Allah's guidance. All doubts have been dispelled, all excuses answered by
this clear statement of all the relevant facts. The right path has been
indicated for everyone who wishes to be upright. Anyone who follows a
different path shall, therefore, bear the responsibility for his action.
There are, in the human soul and in the universe at large, numerous signs
which beckon every man and woman to follow the path of faith. These are so
clearly visible and so powerful in their effect that one needs to make a
determined effort to turn one's back on them, especially when one's
attention is drawn to them in the stirring, persuasive manner of the
Qur'an. It is, therefore, man's own will which leads him away from Allah's
guidance. He has no other excuse or justification.
The surah concludes by stating that the operative will behind everything
is the will of Allah: "You cannot will except by the will of Allah, Lord
of all the Worlds." We notice that the Qur'an makes a statement of this
type whenever the will of human beings or creatures generally is mentioned.
The reason for this is that the Qur'an wants to keep the fundamental(1/104)
concepts of faith absolutely clear. These include the fact that everything
in the universe is subject to the will of Allah. No one has a will which
is independent from that of Allah. That He grants man a free will is part
of His own Divine Will, like everything else. The same applies to His
granting the angels the ability to show complete and absolute obedience
to Him and to carry out all His commandments.
This fundamental fact must be clearly understood by the believers, so that
they may have a clear concept of the absolute truth. When they acquire such
a concept they will turn to the Divine Will for guidance and support, and
regulate their affairs according to this Will.
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)(1/105)
Surah # 82
Cleaving Asunder
al Infitar
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
When the heaven is left asunder,
when the stars are scattered,
when the oceans are made to explode,
when the graves are hurled about,
each soul shall know its earlier actions and its later ones.
O man, what has lured you away from your gracious Lord,
Who created and moulded you and gave you an upright shape?
He can give you whatever form He wills.
Shun it ! but you deny the Last Judgement.
Yet there are guardians watching over you,
noble recorders,
who know all your actions.
Surely the righteous shall be in bliss,
while the wicked shall be in Hell,
where they shall be thrown on the Day of Judgement;
nor shall they ever be absent from it.(1/105)
Would that you knew what the Day of Judgement is !
Oh, would that you knew what the Day of Judgement is!
It is the day when no soul can be of any help to any other soul and when
Allah reigns supreme.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This short surah refers to the great upheaval discussed in the previous
surah "The Darkening", but gives it a special colour. It has a different
rhythm, deep and calm. It adds a touch of expostulation coupled with an
implicit threat. Hence, it does not detail the scenes of the great upheaval
as in the previous surah, where these scenes are dominant. The scenes here
are shorter, in order to suit its quieter atmosphere and slower rhythm.
At the opening the surah mentions the cleaving of the sky, the scattering
of the stars, the bursting of the oceans and the hurling of the graves as
simultaneous with every soul's knowledge of its earlier and later actions,
on that solemn day.
The second part starts with the remonstrance combined with an implicit
threat to man who is the recipient of abundant grace; yet he does not show
any gratitude for Allah's grace. "O man what has lured you away from your
gracious Lord, Who created and moulded you and gave you an upright shape.
Ale can give you whatever form He wills." The third part provides the
reason for such an ungrateful attitude. The denial of reckoning and
judgement, the surah tells us, is the source of every evil. The reality
of the meting out of reward and punishment at the Last Judgement is re
emphasised;
Shun it! but you deny the Last Judgement. Yet there are guardians(1/106)
watching over you. Noble recorders, who know all your actions. Surely
the righteous shall be in bliss, while the wicked shall be in Hell,
where they shall be thrown on the Day of Judgement, nor shall they
ever be absent from it.
The final part gives an idea of how fearful the Day of Judgement is, how
everyone is absolutely helpless and all power belongs to Allah:
Would that you knew what the Day of Judgement is! Oh, would that you
knew what the Day of Judgement is! It is the day when no soul can
be of any help to any other soul and Allah reigns supreme.
So the surah represents yet another way of portraying the same basic
principles stressed in this thirtieth part of the Qur'an in various
methods and styles.
When the heaven is cleft asunder, when the stars are scattered when
the oceans are made to explode, when the graves are hurled about,
each soul shall know its earlier actions and its later ones.
In the commentary on the previous surah we described the feelings
generated in people when they visualise the universe undergoing a change
so violent that it leaves nothing in its familiar shape and condition. We
also said that such feelings tend to pull man away from anything which
gives him a sense of security, with the exception of Allah, the Creator
of the universe, the One Who lives on after everything has died and
withered away. Man's heart is thus made to turn to the only true being
Who neither changes nor dies, to seek His support and security in the
face of the general upheaval which destroys everything that seemed once(1/107)
to be permanent. For nothing lives for ever except the Creator Who is
the only one worthy of being worshipped.
The first aspect mentioned here of the universal upheaval is the cleaving
or rending of the sky, which is mentioned in other surahs:
When the sky is split asunder and becomes rose red, like stained
leather. (55:37) When sky will be rent asunder, for on that day it
is frail and tottering. (69:16) When the sky is rent asunder. (84:1)
That the sky will be split or rent asunder on that hectic day is certain.
What is meant exactly by such rending, and how the sky will look after it
has been rent are difficult to say. All that we are left with is a feeling
of violent change which overwhelms the universe, as we see it, and a
realisation that its perfect system will no longer be in operation.
The violent upheaval in the universe causes the stars to scatter after
they have been held together by a system which makes every star keep to
its orbit, along which it may move fearfully fast, without swerving out
of it. If the system is broken at any time, as will happen when the life
of the stars comes to its end, they will just disappear in the wide space,
as does a particle of dust running loose.
The explosion of the oceans may refer to their being overfull to the
extent that they drown the dry land and swallow the rivers. It may,
alternatively, mean an explosion which separates oxygen from hydrogen,
the two gases which form water. Thus water returns to its original gas
condition. The verse may also be taken to refer to a nuclear explosion of(1/108)
the atoms of the two gases. If this is the case, then the explosion would
be so fearful that our nuclear devices of today would seem, in comparison,
like children's toys. The explosion may also take a different form,
totally unknown to us. One thing, however, we know for certain is that
there will be horror far greater than any man could have ever experienced.
The hurling about of the graves may be a result of one of the events
mentioned above. It may also be a separate event which occurs on that
eventful day. As the graves are hurled about people are resurrected and
stand up again, back in life, to face the reckoning and receive their
reward or punishment. This is complemented by the verse which follows
the description of these events:
Each soul shall know its earlier actions and its later ones.
That is, each soul shall come face to face with what it has done and what
it left behind of the consequences of its actions; or, what it has enjoyed
in this present life and what it has saved for the hereafter. The
knowledge, however, will accompany these horrific events. It will indeed
be one of them, for it terrifies the soul no less than any of the other
events mentioned earlier.
The Arabic expression used here may be translated literally as "a soul
shall know ... " It is, however, in Arabic a neater and more effective
denotation of "each soul shall know ... " Furthermore, the knowledge by
every soul is not the end of the matter. It has consequences which are
as violent as the scenes portrayed here of the great upheaval. The(1/109)
consequences are merely implied, not stated here, which is again more
effective. After this opening which alerts men's senses and consciences,
the surah, by means of gentle remonstrance coupled with an implicit
threat, touches the hearts of men who busy themselves with trivialities.
It reminds man of Allah's very first act of grace towards him, namely,
his moulding in such an upright perfectly proportioned shape. Allah could
have easily given him any form He wished. Yet man is ungrateful:
O man, what has lured you away from your gracious Lord, Who created
and moulded you and gave you an upright shape? He can give you what
ever form He wills.
The address appeals to man's most noble quality, his humanity, which
distinguishes him from all creatures and assigns to him the highest
position among them. This quality represents Allah's gracious blessing
to man and His abundant generosity to him.
This appeal is immediately followed by a gentle remonstrance: "What has
lured you away from your gracious Lord?" What makes you neglect your
duties to your Lord and behave impudently towards Him when He has given
you your humanity which raises you above all His creation and provides
you with the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. A few details
of Allah's generosity are then added: "O man, what has lured you away from
your gracious Lord, Who created and moulded you and gave you an upright
shape." It is an address which appeals straight to man's heart. He listens
to the remonstrance of Allah when He reminds him of His grace while he(1/110)
continues with his erring ways and impudent behaviour towards Him.
Indeed, man should reflect deeply over his creation, his physically and
physiologically perfect constitution. Reflection should prompt him to show
his genuine gratitude, deep respect and real love to Allah, his gracious
Lord, Who has blessed him with such constitution, perfect, upright and
handsome. The miraculous aspects in man's constitution are far greater
than what he sees all around him and what he can imagine. Perfection and
the right balance are easily evident in man's physical, mental and
spiritual constitution. Full volumes have been written on the perfection
of creation as evidenced by man. It is perhaps useful to include here one
or two quotations from such works.
The human body is composed of a number of specialised systems: the
skeleton, the muscular system, the skin, the digestive system, the blood
circulation system, the respiratory system, the procreative system, the
lymphatic system, the nervous system, the urinal system and the senses of
tasting, smelling, hearing and seeing. Everyone of these systems is
miraculous and far more wonderful than any scientific achievement which
makes man possessed with wonder. Yet man tends to overlook the wonders of
his own constitution ! A contributor to the British Scientific Journal
writes:
Man's hand is one of the most remarkable wonders of nature. It is
extremely difficult, indeed impossible, to invent a device which
can match the human hand for simplicity, efficiency, ability and
instant adaptability. When you read a book you take it in your hand,(1/111)
then you hold it in the position most suitable for your reading. The
same hand will automatically correct the position of your book whenever
a correction of position is necessary. When you turn a page you place
your finger underneath the paper and apply the amount of pressure needed
for turning the page. When the page is turned no more pressure is
applied. You also use your hand to hold a pen and to write. With your
hand you use all the tools you need such as a spoon, a knife or a pen.
You use it to open or close the window and to carry anything you wish
to carry ... Man's hand has 27 pieces of bone in addition to 19 groups
of muscles.
A part of the human ear is a series of some four thousand minute but
complex arches graduated with exquisite regularity in size and shape.
These may be said to resemble a musical instrument, and they seem
adjusted to catch, and transmit in some manner to the brain, every
cadence of sound or noise, from the thunderclap to the whisper of the
pines and the exquisite blending of the tones and harmonies of every
instrument in the orchestra. If in forming the ear the cells were
impelled to evolve strict efficiency only that man might survive, why
did they not extend the range and develop a superacutness? Perhaps the
power behind these cells' activities anticipated man's coming need of
intellectual enjoyment, or did they by accident build better than they
knew?'
The visual functions are carried out mainly by the eye with its 130
million retinal light receptors. The eyelids with the eyelashes at(1/112)
their tips protect the eyes day and night. Their movement, which is
involuntary, keeps out dust particles and other alien bodies. The eye
lashes throw their shades over the eye to lessen the intensity of light.
Furthermore, by their movement the eyelids prevent the eyes from
becoming dry. The fluid around the eye, which we call tears, is a
highly effective, most powerful disinfectant ...
In human beings, the taste function is carried out by the tongue,
through groups of the taste cells which are located in the taste buds
of the mucosal surface of the tongue. These buds are of different
shapes: some are filamentary, some mushroom-shaped and others are
lenticular. They are supplied by fine branches of the glosso-pharangeal
nerve as well as the nerve which carries the taste sense. When we eat,
these fine branches of the taste nerve are stimulated and convey the
impulses of the taste sensation to the brain. This system is located
at the front of the tongue, so that we may reject what we sense to be
harmful. It is this system which helps us sense whether what we eat is
bitter or sweet, hot or cold, sour or salty, etc. The tongue contains
nine thousand of these fine taste buds, each of which is linked with
the brain by more than one nerve. Hence we may wonder: 'How many nerves
have we? What are their sizes? How do they function individually and
how do they combine to give the brain their various types of sensation?
The nervous system, which effectively controls the body, is composed of
fine neurons which cover every part of the body. The neurons are linked(1/113)
to larger nerves which are, in turn, linked to the central nervous
system. Whenever any part of the body feels any sensation, even the
slightest change of temperature, the neurons convey this sensation to
the peripheral nerves which, in turn, convey it to the brain so that it
may order the necessary action. The signals are carried through the
nerves at the speed of 100 metres per second.
If we think of digestion as a process in a chemical laboratory and of the
food that we eat as raw materials, we immediately discover that it is a
wonderful process which will digest anything edible except the stomach
itself.
First into this laboratory we put a variety of food as a raw material
without the slightest regard for the laboratory or how the chemistry of
digestion will handle it. We eat steak, cabbage, corn and fried fish, wash
it down with any quantity of water, and top it off with alcohol, bread,
and beans. We may add sulfur and molasses as spring medicine. Out of this
mixture the stomach selects those things which are useful by breaking down
into its chemical molecules every item of food, discarding the waste, and
reconstructs the residue into new proteins, which become the food of the
various cells. The digestive tract selects calcium, sulfur, iodine, iron
and any other substances which are necessary, takes care that the essential
molecules are not lost, that the hormones can be produced and that all of
the valid necessities of life are on hand in regulated quantities, ready
to meet every necessity. It stores fat and other reserves to meet such an(1/114)
emergency as starvation, and does all this in spite of human thought or
reason. We pour this infinite variety of substances into this chemical
laboratory with almost total disregard of what we take in, depending on
what we consider the automatic process to keep us alive. When these foods
have been broken down and are again prepared, they are delivered constantly
to each of our billions of cells, a greater number than all the human
beings on earth. The delivery to each individual cell must be constant,
and only those substances which the particular cell needs to transform
them into bones, nails, flesh, hair, eyes, and teeth are taken up by the
proper cell. Here is a chemical laboratory producing more substances than
any laboratory which human ingenuity has devised. Here is a delivery
system greater than any method of transportation or distribution the world
has ever known, all being conducted in perfect order.'
A lot may be said about every other system of the human body. But wonderful
as these systems are, man may have them in common with animals. He, however,
is privileged to possess his unique mental and spiritual qualities which
are regarded in this surah as a special favour from Allah. After the surah
has dealt with the humanity of man, it mentions the perfection of his
creation and the right proportioning of his mould:
O man, what has lured you away from your gracious Lord Who created
and moulded you and gave you an upright shape.
Let us reflect on our powers of comprehension, the nature of which is(1/115)
unknown to us. The mind is the medium of comprehension but the working of
our minds and how they function remain to us incomprehensible. If we
suppose that what we grasp is transmitted to the brain through the nerves,
where and how does the brain store its information? If we compare the brain
to a magnetic recording tape, every man needs in his average lifetime of
sixty years a great many' billion metres on which to record such a huge
multitude of pictures, words, meanings, feelings and responses so that he
may, as he actually does, remember them several decades later. Furthermore,
how does man sort out individual words, meanings, events and pictures to
mould them together in a sort of coherent education? How does he transform
information and experiences into knowledge?
Yet this is by no means the most significant of man's distinctive
qualities. There is that wonderful ray of Allah's spirit which provides
a link between man and the beauty of the universe and its Creator. As
this link is established, man can experience at clear, bright moments a
sense of communion with the infinite, the absolute, which prepares him
for a blissful eternal life in Allah's paradise. Yet man has no power to
comprehend the nature of his spirit, which is Allah's greatest favour to
him and which makes him a man. Hence Allah addresses him by this quality
of his "O man! " then remonstrates with him directly: "What lures you away
from your gracious Lord?" Thus man is reminded of Allah's greatest favour,
but he stands impudent, negligent of his duties to Allah, unashamed and(1/116)
ungrateful. But man does not need more than to realise the source of this
remonstrance and what attitude he adopts when he stands before his Lord to
be absolutely overwhelmed by shame: "O man! what lures you away from your
gracious Lord, Who created and moulded you and gave you an upright shape.
He can give you what ever form He wills."
The surah moves on to explain the reason for man's impudence and
negligence, namely, the denial of the Last Judgement. It emphatically
confirms the reality of reckoning, reward and punishment:
Shun it! but you deny the Last Judgement. Yet there are guardians
watching over you, noble recorders, who know all your actions. Surely
the righteous shall be in bliss, while the wicked shall be in Hell,
where they shall be thrown on the Day of Judgement: nor they shall
ever be absent from it.
The English expression "shun it" is used here to render the meaning of
the Arabic word "kalla" which is a command to desist and an indication of
a change of subject and style. Hence the following verses are in the form
of a statement. "Shun it! but you deny the Last Judgement." You think that
reckoning and accountability are falsehoods, and this is precisely the
cause of your impudence and negligence of your duties. How can any person
disbelieve in the Judgement and still lead a life based on goodness and
right guidance? Some people may achieve a higher degree of faith: they
worship Allah because they love Him, not out of fear of punishment nor
in hope of reward. But these people continue to believe in the Last(1/117)
Judgement. They fear it and look forward to it at the same time, because
they hope to be with their beloved Lord. When man, however, flatly rejects
the Day of Judgement he will be devoid of politeness and light; his heart
and conscience are dead.
You deny the Day of Judgement when you will certainly face it. Everything
you do in this life will be counted for or against you. Nothing is lost,
nothing forgotten: " Yet there are guardians watching over you, noble
recorders, who know all your actions. " These recorders are the angels
charged with accompanying men, watching them and recording all what they
do and say. We do not know and are not required to know how this takes
place. Allah knows that we are neither given the ability to understand
it nor are we going to benefit by understanding it because it does not
affect the purpose of our existence. Hence it is useless to attempt to
explain by our means what Allah has chosen not to reveal to us of the
world of the imperceptible.
Sufficient it is to us to feel that we do not live in vain and that there
are noble recorders who note what we do, in order to be alert and
prudent.
Since the atmosphere of the surah is one of benevolence and nobility, the
description of those recorders given here is that they are "noble", so that
we may feel shy and try to be polite in the presence of these noble angels.
It is natural for people to exercise extra care not to say or do anything
impolite or disgraceful when they are in the presence of noble people. How
careful would they be if they realised that they were all the time in the(1/118)
presence of angels. The surah indeed arouses the most noble feelings of
our upright nature by portraying this fact in such a familiar way.
We are then told of the destinies of the righteous and the wicked, which
are determined by the reckoning based on the recordings by the noble
angels:
Surely the righteous shall be in bliss, while the wicked shall be
in Hell, where they shall be thrown on the Day of Judgement, nor
shall they ever be absent from it.
The end is certain. That the righteous shall dwell in blissful happiness
and the wicked shall end up in Hell is already determined. A "righteous"
person is the one who consistently does "right" actions, i.e. good deeds
of all kinds, until doing them becomes an intrinsic quality of his. The
adjective "righteous" has connotations which fit in well with nobility
and humanity. The contrasting quality, "wickedness", carries connotations
of insolence and impudence as the wicked indulge in their sinful actions.
Hell is a proper recompense for wickedness. The surah emphasises the
certainty of this punishment: "where they shall be thrown on the Day of
Judgement. " Then it re-emphasises it: "nor they shall ever be absent from
it." They cannot escape it in the first place, nor will they be allowed to
leave it, not even for a short while Having stated what happens on the
Day of Judgement, the surah emphasizes again the certainty of that day,
since it is denied by some.
The emphasis is provided here in the form of a rhetorical question which
enhances the mystery surrounding the object of the question. The surah(1/119)
then states the complete helplessness of everyone, the absolute
impossibility of giving or receiving support and that Allah is the
absolute sovereign on that awesome day:
Would that you knew what the Day of Judgement is! Oh, would that you
knew what the Day of Judgement is! It is the day when no soul can be
of any help to any other soul and Allah reigns supreme.
The form "would that you knew ... " is in Arabic a form of rhetorical
question often used in the Qur'an. It suggests that the matter under
discussion is far beyond our imagining and understanding. This is
stressed here by repetition of the question before details about
conditions on the day concerned are given: "It is the day when no soul can
be of any help to any other soul." It is total helplessness when everyone
stands alone, busy with his own problems, unable to think of anyone else,
relative or friend. "And Allah reigns supreme." He indeed reigns supreme
in this life and the next. This fact, however, becomes so clear on that
day that no one can overlook it, as the ignorant and the conceited do in
this life. The surah closes with an air of fear and speechless expectation
which contrasts with the air of violent horrors of the opening. In between
the two man is addressed with that remonstrance which overwhelms him with
a feeling of shame.
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)(1/120)
Sura # 83
The Stinters
al Mutaffifoon
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Woe to the stinters who, when others measure for them, exact in full,
but who, when they measure or weigh for others, defraud them Do such
men not think that they will be raised to life on a great day, the day
when all mankind shall stand before the Lord of all creation? No
indeed; the record of the transgressors is in Sijjeen Would that you
knew what Sijjeen is! It is a sealed book. Woe on that day to the
disbelievers who deny the Day of Judgement. None denies it but the
guilty aggressors, the evil-doers, who, when Our revelations are
recited to them, cry "Fables of the ancients!" No indeed; their own
deeds have cast a layer of rust over their hearts. No indeed; on that
day they shall be shut out from their Lord they shall roast in Hell,
and a voice will say to them "This is (the reality) which you denied!"
But the record of the righteous is in Illiyun. Would that you knew what
Illiyun is! It is a sealed book, witnessed only by those who are closest
to Allah. The righteous shall surely dwell in bliss. Reclining upon soft
couches they will look around them In their faces you shall mark the
glow of joy. They shall be given to drink of a pure-drink, securely
seded, with a seal of musk, for this let the strivers emulously strive.
It is a drink mixed with the waters of Tassneem a fountain at which the
favoured will drink. The evil-doers scoff at the faithful and wink at
one another as they pass by them. When they go back to their folk they
speak of them with jests, and when they see them they say: "These are(1/121)
erring men!" Yet they have not been assigned the mission of being their
guardians. So on that day the faithful will mock the disbelievers, as
they recline upon their couches and look around them. Shall not the
disbelievers be rewarded according to their deeds.
In the Shade of the Quran
The surah describes the conditions the Islamic call was facing in Makka.
Its other objective is to awaken the hearts of men and draw their
attention to the new event which would cause the life of the Arabs, and
mankind in general, to take a new turn The event in question is the
arrival of Heaven's message to earth. The general state of affairs in
Arabian society is portrayed at the outset, as the surah threatens the
stinters with a woe which will befall them on the great day, "the day
when all mankind shall stand before the Lord of all creation". The
reason for such a threat is revealed at the end, when the surah gives
a sketch of the manners of the evildoers, their attitude towards the
believers, their scoffing at them, winking to one another as they pass
by and their assertion that the believers "are erring men".
The surah may be divided into four parts The first opens with a
declaration of war against the stinters:
Woe to the stinters who, when others measure for them, exact infull,
but who, when they measure or weigh for others, defraud them. Do
such men not think that they will be raised to life on a great day,
the day when all mankind shall stand before the Lord of all
creation?
The second part warns the transgressors and denounces them in strong(1/122)
terms. It threatens them with woe and ruin and establishes their guilt
and aggression It explains the reasons for their blindness and describes
the punishment on the Day of Judgement
No indeed; the record of the transgressors is in Sijjeen. Would that
you knew what Sijjeen is! It is a sealed book. Woe on that day to the
disbelievers who deny the Day of Judgement. None denies it out the
guilty aggressors, the evil-doers, who, when Our revelations are
recited to them, cry: 'Fables of the ancients! ' No indeed; their
own deeds have cast a layer of rust over their hearts. No indeed;
on that day they shall be shut out from their hearts. No indeed; on
that day they shall be shut out from their Lord. They shall roast in
Hell, and a voice will say to them: 'this is (the reality) which
you denied.'
The third part gives an account of the righteous It describes their
high rank, the bliss they will enjoy, the delight showing in their faces,
and the pure drink they will have while they recline on their soft
couches, and look all around them. It is a delightful image of happiness
But the record of the righteous is in Illiyun. Would that you knew
what Illiyun is! It is a sealed book, witnessed only by those who
are closest to Allah. The righteous shall surely dwell in bliss.
Reclining upon soft couches they will look around them. In their
faces you shall mark the glow of joy. They shall be given to drink
of a pure drink, securely sealed, with a seal of musk - for this let
the strivers emulously strive. It is a drink mixed with the waters(1/123)
of Tassneem, a fountain al which the favoured will drink.
The last part of the surah describes what the transgressors mete out to
the righteous in this world of conceit and hollow vanity: harsh treatment,
ridicule and bad manners. Juxtaposed are descriptions of the ultimate
situation of each group, the transgressors and the righteous, in the
world of truth and immortality:
The evil-doers scoff at the faithful, and wink at one another as they
pass by them. When they go back to their folk they speak of them with
jests, and when they see them they say: ' These are erring men! ' Yet
they have not been assigned the mission of being their guardians. So
on that day the faithful will mock the disbelievers, as they recline
upon their couches and look around them. Shall not the disbelievers
be rewarded according to their deeds?'
The surah depicts a social environment, and is also an account of the
Islamic way of dealing with the world as it exists and with the human
mind. This is what we shall attempt to explain as we consider the surah
in detail.
Woe to the stinters who, when others measure for them, exact in full,
but who, when they measure or weigh for others, defraud them. Do such
men not think that they will be raised to life on a great day, the
day when all mankind shall stand before the Lord of all creation?
The surah opens with Allah's declaration of war against the stinters "Woe
to the stinters". The Arabic term used for "woe" implies destruction and
ruin. The implication is the same whether we consider this verse as a(1/124)
statement of a future eventuality or a curse, for a curse made by Allah
has the same effect as that of a statement of what is going to happen.
The next two verses explain the meaning of the "stinters" or defrauders
as intended in the surah. They are those "who when others measure for
them, exact in full, but who, when they measure or weigh for others,
defraud them." They are those who want their merchandise complete and
intact when they buy, but they do not give the right amount when they
sell. The following three verses wonder at the defrauders, who behave
as if they will not have to account for what they gain in this life.
Do such men not think that they will be raised to life on a great
day, the day when all mankind shall stand before the Lord of all
creation?
The fact that the behaviour of the defrauders is tackled in this manner
in a Makkan revelation is very interesting. Makkan surahs generally
concentrate on the fundamentals, such as the assertion of the unity of
Allah, the supremacy of His will and His dominion over the universe and
over mankind, and the assertion of the truth of revelation and
prophethood, the truth of the Day of Judgement, the reckoning and the
reward. The Makkan revelations also endeavour to form and develop the
moral sense and relate it to the fundamentals of faith. The tackling
of a specific issue of morality, such as the stinting of weights and
measures, or business dealings in general, is a later concern; it is
characteristic of Medinan revelations, which regulate the life of the(1/125)
community in an Islamic state. The fact that this Makkan surah makes
the issue of stinting its focal point therefore deserves to be considered
carefully.
The first point to note is that in Makka the nobility were very rich,
were unscrupulous and exercised complete monopoly of trade in their
business concerns. They organised the export and import trade using
caravans which traveled to Yemen in winter and to Syria in summer.
They had their seasonal trade fairs such as the Okaz Fair which was
held in the pilgrimage season. The fairs were for business dealings
as well as literary activities.
The text suggests that the defrauders against whom war was declared
belonged to the nobility and wielded much power and influence which
enabled them to force others to succumb to their wishes. The Arabic
expression connotes that for some unspecified reason they were able
to impose their will and exact in full. The meaning implied is not
that they exacted their full due; for this would not justify the
declaration of war against them. What is meant is that they obtained
by sheer force what they had no right to demand. But when it was their
turn to weigh or measure for others, they exercised their power by
giving them less than their due.
Indeed this warning, coming so early in the Makkan period, gives an
idea of the nature of the religion of Islam. It points out that Islam
embraces all sides of life and aims to establish a firm moral code
which accords with the basic principles of the Divine teachings. At
the time when this surah was revealed the Muslim community was still(1/126)
weak. The followers of Islam had not yet won power in order to organise
society and the life of the community according to Islamic principles.
Yet Islam demonstrated its opposition to those acts of flagrant injustice
and unethical dealings. It declared war against the stinters and
threatened them with woe and destruction at the time when they were the
powerful rulers of Makka. It declared its uncompromising stand against
the injustice suffered by the masses whom it has never sought to lull
into a state of lethargy and apathy. This gives us an insight into the
real motives behind the stubborn opposition to Islam by the masters of
Makka. They were undoubtedly keenly aware that what Muhammad (peace be
on him) was calling for was not merely a matter of personal conviction
which demanded no more than a verbal assertion of the unity of Allah
and the prophethood of Muhammad, and a form of prayers addressed to
Allah and not to idols. They realised that the new faith would establish
a way of life which would cause the very basis of their positions and
interests to crumble. They were fully aware that the new religion, by
its very nature, did not admit any partnership or compromise with any
worldly concepts, alien to its Divine basis, and that it posed a mighty
threat to all the base earthly values of Ignorance. This is why they
launched their offensive, which continued in full force both before and
after the Muslim emigration. It was an offensive launched to defend their
way of life in its entirety, not only a set of concepts which have no(1/127)
effect beyond individual acceptance and personal conviction.
Those who attempt in any age or land to prevent it from organising and
ruling human life also realise these essential facts. They know very well
that the pure and straightforward Islamic way of life endangers their
unjust order, interests, hollow structure and deviant practices. Indeed
the tyrannical stinters (whatever form their stinting takes and wherever
it is, in money and finance, or in the area of rights and duties) are
those who fear most the ascendancy of Islam and the implementation of
its just methods.
The representatives of the two Medinan tribes, Aws and Khazraj, who
pledged their support and loyalty to the Prophet were also aware of
all this. Ibn Ishaaq, the Prophet's biographer, wrote:
Assim ibn Umar ibn Qataadah told me that when the Medinan Muslims
came to give their pledge to the Prophet, Al-Abbas ibn Ubaadah Al
Ansari, who belonged to the clan of Salim ibn Awf, addressed them
and said: "You Khazraj! Do you know what your pledge to this man
really means?" They answered 'Yes, we do'. His rejoinder was, 'You
are pledging to fight the rest of mankind, white and black alike!
So it would be better to leave him alone now if you think you would
give him up to his enemies in the event of your sustaining material
losses or losing your leaders. If you do such a thing you will bring
upon yourselves great humiliation both in this life and in the life
hereafter. But if you feel that you will honour your pledges despite
any sacrifice in money or men, then go ahead, because this will be(1/128)
best for you here and in the hereafter!' They said, 'We offer our
loyalty and support and declare our readiness to sustain any
sacrifice, material or personal!' Turning to the Prophet, they
asked him, 'What will be our reward if we honour our pledges?' He
said, 'Heaven'. They said, 'Give us your hand'. He did and they gave
him their pledges of support.
These supporters, like the Makkan tyrants, were keenly aware of the
nature of Islam. They realised that it stands for absolute justice and
fairness in the social order it seeks to create. It accepts no tyranny,
oppression, conceit, injustice or exploitation. Hence it faces the
combined forces of all forms of despotism, arrogance and exploitation.
Do such men not think that they will be raised to life on a great
day, the day when all mankind shall stand before the Lord of all
creation?
Their attitude is singularly strange. The mere idea of being raised to
life again on that great day, when all mankind shall stand as ordinary
individuals in front of the Lord of the Universe, awaiting His just
judgement, without support from any quarter, should be enough to make
them change course. But they persist, as if the thought of being raised
to life after death has never crossed their minds.
They are called "stinters" in the first part of the surah; in the second
they are described as "transgressors". The surah proceeds to describe the
standing of this group with Allah, their situation in this life, and what
awaits them on the great day.
No indeed; the record of the transgressors is in Sijjeen. Would that(1/129)
you knew what Sijjeen is! It is a sealed book. Woe on that day to the
disbelievers who deny the Day of Judgement. None denies it but the
guilty aggressors, the evil-doers, who, when Our revelations are
recited to them, cry: 'Fables of the ancients!' No indeed! their own
deeds have cast a layer of rust over their hearts. No indeed; on that
day they shall be shut out from their Lord. They shall roast in Hell,
and a voice will say to them: 'This is (the reality) which you
denied!'
They think they will not be raised to life after death, so the Qur'an
rebukes them and affirms that a record of their actions is kept. The
location of that record is specified as an additional confirmation of
the fact, albeit a location unknown to man. They are threatened with
woe and ruin on that day when their sealed book shall be reviewed:
No indeed; the record of the transgressors is in Sijjeen. Would that
you knew what Sijjeen is! It is a sealed book. Woe on that day to the
disbelievers.
The transgressors, as the Arabic term here connotes, are those who indulge
excessively in sin. Their book is the record of their deeds. We do not
know the nature of this book and we are not required to know. The whole
matter belongs, in point of fact, to the realm of which we know nothing
except what we are told by Allah, the Lord of that realm. This statement,
that there is a record in Sijjeen of the transgressors' deeds, is followed
by the familiar Qur'anic form of expression associated with connotation
of greatness, "Would that you knew what Sijjeen is!" Thus, the addressee(1/130)
is made to feel that the whole matter is too great for his complete
understanding.
The surah then gives further description of the transgressors' record:
"It is a sealed book". There is no possibility of addition or omission
until it is thrown open on that great day. When this takes place, "woe
on that day to the disbelievers. " Then we are given information about
the subject of disbelief, and the true character of the disbelievers
who deny the Day of Judgement. None denies it but the guilty
aggressors, the evil-doers, who, when Our revelations are recited
to them, cry: 'Fables of the ancients!'
So, aggression and bad deeds lead the perpetrator to deny the Day of
Judgement and to take a rude and ill-mannered attitude towards the
Qur'an, describing it as "Fables of the ancients!" This description
by the disbelievers is, of course, based on the fact that the Qur'an
contains some historical accounts of former nations. These accounts
are related as a lesson for later generations as they demonstrate with
much clarity the working of the Divine rules to which all nations and
generations are subject. They are strongly rebuked and reprobated for
their rudeness and disbelief. These connotations, carried by the Arabic
term "Kalla" (translated here as "No indeed"), are coupled with an
assertion that their allegations are unfounded. We are then given
an insight into the motives of their insolence and disbelief and the
reasons for their inability to see the obvious truth or respond to it
"their own deeds have cast a layer of rust over their hearts". Indeed(1/131)
the hearts of those who indulge in sin become dull, as if they are
veiled with a thick curtain which keeps them in total darkness, unable
to see the light. Thus they gradually lose their sensitivity and become
lifeless. It has been transmitted by Ibn Jareer, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nassai
and Ibn Majah that the Prophet said:
When a man commits a sin, it throws a black spot over his heart. If
he repents, his heart is polished; but if he persists in his practice,
the stains increase.
at-Tirmidhi described this tradition of the Prophet as authentic. an
Nassai's version differs in wording but not in import. His version may
be translated as follows:
When a man commits a sin, a black spot is formed on his heart. If
he desists, prays for forgiveness and repents, his heart will be
polished; but if he persists, the spot grows bigger until it has
covered his whole heart.
This is what Allah refers to when he says: "No indeed, their own deeds
have cast a layer of rust over their hearts." Explaining this verse,
Imam Al-Hassan Al-Basri said: "It is a case of one sin on top of another
until the heart is blinded and dies."
Thus we have learnt the situation of the transgressing disbelievers, as
well as their motives for transgression and disbelief. Then we are told
what will happen to them on that great day, a destiny which befits their
evil deeds and denial of the truth:
No indeed! on that day they shall be shut out from their Lord. They
shall roast in Hell, and a voice will say to them: 'This is (the
reality) which you denied!(1/132)
Because their sins have cast a thick veil over their hearts, they are
unable in this life to feel the presence of Allah, and it is only
appropriate that they will not be allowed to see His glorious face.
They will be deprived of this great happiness, which is bestowed only
on those whose hearts and souls are so clean and transparent that they
deserve to be with their Lord, without any form of separation or
isolation.
Such people are described in surah 75 'The Resurrection':
On that day there shall be joyous faces, looking towards their
Lord. (75:23)
This separation from their Lord is the greatest and most agonising
punishment and deprivation. It is a miserable end of a man whose very
humanity is derived from only one source, namely his contact with
Allah, his benevolent Lord. When man is torn away from this source
of nobleness he loses all his qualities as a human being and sinks
to a level which makes him deserve to be thrown in Hell. "They shall
roast in Hell." On top of that, there is something much worse and
much more agonising, namely, rebuke. "And a voice will say to them,"
This is (the reality) which you denied!"
Then follows an account of the other group, the righteous. This is given
in the customary Qur'anic manner of providing two elaborately contrasting
images, so that a detailed comparison may be drawn:
But the record of the righteous is in Illiyun. Would that you knew
what Illiyun is! It is a sealed book, witnessed only by those who
are closest to Allah. The righteous shall surely dwell in bliss.(1/133)
Reclining upon soft couches they will look around them. In their
faces you shall mark the glow of joy. They shall be given to drink
of a pure drink, securely sealed, with a seal of musk, for this let
the strivers emulously strive. It is a drink mixed with the waters
of Tassneem, a fountain at which the favoured will drink.
This section of the surah starts with the Arabic term 'kalla' which
connotes strong reproach and a firm command to the transgressors to
desist from their denial of the truth. It then proceeds to speak about
the righteous. Since the record of the transgressors is in Sijjeen,
that of the righteous is in Illiyun. The term "righteous" refers to
the obedient who do good. They are the exact opposite of the
transgressors, who indulge in every excess. The name "Illiyun" connotes
elevation and sublimity, which suggests that "Sijjeen " is associated
with baseness and ignominy. The name is followed by the form of
exclamation often used in the Qur'an to cast shades of mystery and
grandeur: "Would that you knew what Illiyun is!"
The surah then states that the record of the righteous is "a sealed
book, witnessed only by those who are closest to Allah." We have already
stated what is meant by "a sealed book". We are told here that the angels
closest to Allah do see this book and witness it. This statement gives
the feeling that the record of the righteous is associated with nobility,
purity and sublimity. The angels closest to Allah look at it and enjoy
its description of noble deeds and glorious characteristics. The whole(1/134)
image is provided as an evidence of the honour the righteous receive.
There follows an account of the situation in which the righteous find
themselves. We are told of the bliss they enjoy on that great day: "The
righteous shall surely dwell in bliss". This contrasts with Hell, in
which the transgressors dwell. "Reclining upon soft couches they will
look around them". This means that they are given a place of honour. They
look wherever they wish. They do not have to look down, out of humility;
and they suffer nothing which distracts their attention. In their bliss,
the righteous live in mental and physical comfort. Their faces are radiant
with unmistakable joy;
In their faces you shall mark the glow of joy. They shall be given
to drink of a pure drink, securely sealed, with a seal of musk.
Their drink is absolutely pure without any unwanted additions or
particles of dust. Describing it as "securely sealed" with musk
indicates, perhaps, that it is ready made in secured containers
to be opened when a drink is needed. All this adds to the impression
of the meticulous care being taken. The fact that the seal is of musk
adds an element of elegance and luxury. The whole picture, however,
is understood only within the limits of human experience in this
world. In the Hereafter people will have different concepts, tastes
and standards which will be free from all the bonds of this limited
world. The description is carried further in the following two verses:
It is a drink mixed with the waters of Tassneem, a fountain at which
the favoured will drink.(1/135)
So, this pure, securely sealed drink is opened and mixed with a measure
of the water of a fountain called Tassneem and described as the one
from which the favoured drink. Before this last part of the description
is given we have a highly significant instruction: "For this let the
strivers emulously strive".
Those stinters who defraud their fellow men pay no regard to the Day of
Judgement, and, worse still, deny that such a Day of Reckoning will come.
Hardened by their sins and excesses, they strive endlessly for the petty
riches of this world. Each of them tries to outdo the others and gain as
much as possible. Hence, he indulges in all types of injustice and vice
for the sake of ephemeral luxuries which should never be an object of
competition. It is the other type of luxury and honour which deserves
emulous striving: "For this let the strivers emulously strive ".
Those who strive for an object of this world, no matter how superb, grand
or honourable it is, are in reality striving for something hollow, cheap
and temporary. This world, in its totality, is not worth in Allah's view,
one mosquito's wing. It is the hereafter which carries real weight with
Him. So, it should be the goal for strenuous competition and zealous
striving. It is remarkable that striving for the hereafter elevates the
souls of all the strivers, while competition for worldly objects sinks
their souls to low depths. As man works continuously to achieve the
happiness of the hereafter, his work makes this world a happy and pure
one for everybody. On the other hand, efforts made for the achievement(1/136)
of worldly ends turn this world into a filthy marsh, where animals devour
one another and insects bite the flesh of the righteous. Striving for the
hereafter does not turn the earth into a barren desert, as some
transgressors imagine. Islam considers this world a farm, and the hereafter
its fruits. It defines the role of the true believer as the building of
this world while following the path of piety and righteousness. Islam
stipulates that man must look on his task as an act of worship which
fulfills the purpose of his existence as defined by Allah:
"I created mankind and the jinn so that they worship me."
The statement,
"For this let the strivers emulously strive",
inspires man to look far beyond this finite, little world, as he sets out
to fulfill his mission as Allah's vicegerent on earth. Thus as they work
on purifying the filthy marsh of this world their souls are elevated to
new heights.
Man's life on earth is limited while his future life is of limitless
duration. The luxuries of this world are also limited while the happiness
of Paradise is much too great for us to conceive. The elements of happiness
in this life are well known to everyone, but in the next world they are
on a level befitting a life which is everlasting.
What comparison can then hold between the two spheres of competition or
the two goals, even when we apply the human method of balancing losses
against profits? It is, indeed, one race and a single competition: "For
this let the strivers emulously strive".
The beatitude enjoyed by the righteous is discussed at length in order to(1/137)
give a detailed account of the hardships, humiliation and insolence they
are made to suffer by the transgressors. The final comment of the surah
taunts the disbelievers as they behold the righteous enjoying their
heavenly bliss:
The evil-doers used to deride the faithful, and wink at one another
as they pass by them. When they go back to their own folk they would
speak of them with jests, and when they see them they would say:
'These are certainly erring men! ' Yet they have not been assigned
the mission of being their guardians. So on that day the faithful
will mock the disbelievers as they recline upon their couches and
look around them. Shall not the disbelievers be rewarded according
to their deeds.
The images portrayed by the Qur'an of the evil-doers' derision of the
faithful, their rudeness and insolence, and their description of the
faithful, as "erring men" are taken directly from the real life of Makka
at the time. But the same actions happen over and over again in all ages
and places. Many people in our own age have witnessed similar actions,
as though this surah was revealed to describe what these contemporary
people have seen with their own eyes.' This proves that the attitude of
the transgressors and the evil-doers to the believers hardly ever changes
from one country to another or from one period of time to another.
"The evil-doers used to deride the faithful." Notice here the use of the
term "used to"! The surah takes us away from this world to the hereafter
to see the righteous in their bliss while we hear what used to happen to(1/138)
them in this world. The believers were made to suffer ridicule and
derision by the transgressors, either because they were poor or weak or
because their self-respect would not allow them to return the abuse of
the base evil-doers. What a contrast of attitudes: the evil doers
persecute the believers and laugh at them shamelessly while the believers
stick to their attitude of dignified perseverance and self respect.
"And wink at one another as they pass by them ". They wink at one another
or make certain actions intended as mockery and derision. Such behaviour
betrays their baseness and bad manners. They try to make the believers
feel embarrassed and helpless. "When they back to their folk they would
speak of them with jests". When they have nourished their little, evil
minds with such mockery and injurious actions aimed at the believers
they would go back to their folk to "speak of them with jests". They feel
satisfied with what they have done. Although they have sunk to the lowest
depths in their behaviour, they cannot imagine how contentible they are.
"And when they see them they would say: 'These are certainly erring
men!'" This is even more singular! Nothing is more absurd than that
those transgressors should speak about the right ways and the erring
ways, or that they should say that the believers are erring.
Transgression knows no limits. The transgressors never feel ashamed of
what they do or say. Their description of the believers as "erring men"
is a clear manifestation of this fact. The Qur'an does not try to defend(1/139)
the believers or refute this evil accusation leveled at them, because
it is not worth refuting. It laughs loudly, however, at those who involve
themselves impudently in something which does not concern them, "Yet they
have not been assigned the mission of being their guardians!"
No one has asked them to look after the believers, or to watch over them,
or to assess their situation. So why do they give their unsolicited
opinion?
This sarcasm concludes the narration of what the transgressors do in this
life. The surah relates it as if it is something of the past, and gives
an image of the present, i.e. in the hereafter, when the believers
rejoice in their heavenly bliss: "So, on that day the Faithful will mock
the disbelievers, as they recline upon their couches and look around
them". On that day the disbelievers are shut out from their Lord,
suffering this isolation combined with the torture of Hell when they are
told: "This is (the reality) which you denied!" At the other end the
believers recline on their couches, in total beatitude, partaking of
their pure drink which is secured with a seal of musk and mixed with
the waters of Tassneem. As the surah gives the two images, it shows
how the tables are turned; for then it is the believers who laugh at the
disbelievers.
The surah concludes with another loud, ironic question: "Shall not the
disbelievers be rewarded according to their deeds? " Their "reward" is
not a good one, as the term used here connotes in ordinary usage. We
have just been given an image of their doom, which is described here(1/140)
sarcastically, as their "reward ".
The scene of the evil-doers' ridicule of the believers merits further
discussion. It is portrayed in considerable detail, in the same way as
the earlier scene of the righteous in their heavenly bliss. The detailed
description is highly artistic. It also has a marked psychological effect
which is soothing. The Muslim minority in Makka was facing a sustained,
demoralising onslaught by the polytheists, but Allah did not leave the
Muslims on their own: He comforted them and urged them to persevere.
They feel comforted by the very fact that their sufferings as a result
of the harsh treatment they receive from the polytheists are outlined
by Allah in detail. He sees what the believers suffer and does not ignore
what He sees, although He may let the disbelievers do as they wish, only
for a while. He also sees how the transgressors laugh unrepentantly at
the sufferings of the faithful. Since He describes all this in the
Qur'an then He must take it into account. This, in itself, is enough
consolation for the believers.
There are also those ironic remarks about the evil-doers. They may go
unnoticed by the disbelievers because their indulgence in their sinful
practices have made them insensitive. The highly sensitive hearts of the
believers, however, are touched and comforted by them. It must be noted
that the only consolation offered by Allah to the believers who were
subjected to harsh treatment and painful ridicule was Heaven for the
believers and Hell for the disbelievers. This, again, was the only(1/141)
promise the Prophet (peace be on him) made to the believers when they
pledged their wealth and their lives for the cause of Islam. Victory in
this life was never mentioned in the Makkan chapters of the Qur'an as a
consolation or as an incentive to persevere. The Qur'an was cultivating
the hearts of the believers, and preparing them to fulfil the task with
which they have been entrusted.
It was necessary that these hearts should attain a high standard of
strength and self-denial so that they would give everything and suffer
all hardships without looking for anything in this life. They seek only
the Hereafter and to win the pleasure of Allah. They should be prepared
to go through the whole journey of life suffering all sorts of hardships
and deprivations without the promise of any reward in this life, not
even victory for the cause of Islam .
Such a group of people must be first established. When this happens and
Allah knows that they are sincere and determined in what they have pledged
themselves to do, then He will give them victory in this life. Victory
will not be theirs as a personal reward. They will be given power as
trustees appointed for the implementation of the Islamic way of life.
They will be worthy trustees because they were neither promised nor did
they look for any worldly gain. They pledged themselves truly for Allah
at a time when they were unaware of any benefit that may befall them
except that they would win Allah's pleasure.
All the Qur'anic verses which speak of victory were revealed later in(1/142)
Medina when this was no longer an issue. Victory was given because Allah
willed that successive human generations should have an actual, definite
and practical example of the Islamic way of life. It was not a reward for
sacrifices made or hardships suffered.
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)(1/143)
Sura # 84
The Rending
al Inshiqaq
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
When the sky is rent asunder, obeying her Lord in true submission; When
the earth is stretched out and casts forth all that is within her and
becomes empty, obeying her Lord in true submission ! O man! You labor
hard unto your Lord, and you shall meet Him. He who is given his book
in his right hand shall have a lenient reckoning and return rejoicing
to his people. But he who is given his book behind his back shall call
down destruction upon himself and shall roast in the fire of Hell. He
lived among his family joyfully. He surely thought he would never
return. Yes, indeed; his Lord was watching over him. I swear by the
twilight, and by the night and what it envelops, and by the moon in her
full perfection, that you shall certainly ride, that you shall certainly
ride, stage after stage. Why then do they not accept the faith, or
kneel in prayer when the Qur'an is read to them? But the disbelievers
are crying lies, and Allah knows very well what they are hiding. So
give them the tidings of a woeful doom, save those who embrace the
true faith and do good deeds; for theirs is an unfailing recompense.(1/143)
In the Shade of the Qur'an
The surah opens by sketching some of the scenes of universal upheaval
which were dealt with in greater detail in surahs 81, 82 and earlier in
surah 78; "The Darkening", "The Cleaving Asunder" and "The Tiding",
respectively. These scenes, however, are now given a special tone arising
from emphasis on the complete submission by heaven and earth to Allah:
When the sky is rent asunder, obeying her Lord in true submission;
when the earth is stretched out and castsforth all that is within
her and becomes empty, obeying her Lord in true submission.
This powerful opening with its emphasis on submission to Allah is a
foreword to the subsequent address to man. to make him feel his
humbleness in front of his Lord. Man is reminded of his position and
his ultimate destiny when he returns to Allah:
O man! You labour hard unto your Lord, and you shall meet him.
He who is given his book in his right hand shall have a lenient
reckoning and return rejoicing to his people. But he who is given
his book behind his back shall call down destruction upon himself
and shall roast in the fire of hell. He lived among his family
joyfully. He surely thought he would never return. Yes, indeed;
his Lord was watching over him .
The third part of the surah sketches certain scenes of life on earth
which are well known to man. These have their significance as they point
to Allah's planning, which is elaborate, and faultless. An oath is made
to assert that men must live through deliberately planned stages which
they cannot escape journeying through and experiencing:(1/144)
I swear by the twilight, and by the night and what it envelops, and
by the moon in her full perfection, that you shall certainly ride,
stage after stage.
The last part of the surah wonders at those who deny the faith when
their position is as described in the previous two parts, and the
end of their world is as described in the beginning of the surah:
Why then do they not accept the faith, or kneel in prayer when
the Qur'an is read to them?
Then follows an assertion that Allah knows what they conceal within
themselves and an ultimatum is given on their inevitable end:
But the disbelievers are crying lies, and Allah knows very well
what they are hiding, so give them the tiding of woeful doom,
save those who embrace the true faith and do good deeds, for
theirs is an unfailing recompense.
Two main qualities are evident in this surah: its quiet rhythm and its
earnest message. Both are evident even in the images of the universal
upheaval the surah contains, which are portrayed with much more violence
elsewhere (Surah 81, "The Darkening"). Here the attitude of sympathetic
and compassionate cautioning is adopted. The cautioning is gradual, easy
and presented in a quiet, inspiring statement beginning with the words
"O man". This awakens the conscience.
The various parts of the surah are ordered according to a special plan.
It carries the reader through a variety of scenes, some relating to the
universe, others to man himself. The scenes are sketched one after the
other in a thoughtful order starting with the scene of universal(1/145)
submission to Allah, which leaves a gentle but real impression on the
reader's heart. Then we have the scene of the reckoning, reward and
retribution, followed by a contemporary scene of life on earth and its
phenomena. Then follows a statement of wonder at those who, after all
this, still refuse to accept the faith. The statement is combined with
a warning of severe punishment, and a promise of unfailing reward to
the believers.
All this is embodied in the few lines which compose this short surah.
Succinctness of style is just one aspect of the miraculous nature of
the Qur'an . The ideas the surah sets out to explain could not normally
be tackled with such power and to such effect, even if entire books
were devoted to the task. But the Qur'an achieves its purpose because
it addresses hearts directly. No wonder! It is the word of the Lord
Who knows all.
When the sky is rent asunder, obeying her Lord in true submission;
when the earth is stretched out and castsforth all that is within
her and becomes empty, obeying her Lord in true submission.
The splitting of the sky has been dwelt upon in the commentary on other
surahs. One new element here is the submission by the sky to her Lord
and her complete obedience: "obeying her Lord in true submission."
Another new element is the stretching of the earth: "when the earth
is stretched out." This means perhaps an expansion of her size or shape
as a result of a disruption of the laws of nature which govern her and
preserve her in her present shape. The statement, made in the passive,(1/146)
suggests that this will be carried out through the intervention of an
outside force, "and castsforth all that is within her and becomes empty."
This image portrays the earth as a living entity casting out what is
within her and getting rid of it.
There are indeed a great many things within her, countless types of
creation that have lived, died and were buried over a long period of
time, the span of which is known to no one but Allah . It also includes
abundant resources of metals, water and other secrets unknown except to
the Creator. The earth carries all this load one generation after another
until that final day when it casts forth all that is within her and gets
rid of it. "Obeying her Lord in true submission". She follows the sky's
suit and declares total obedience and complete submission to Allah.
These short verses with their vivid description show both the sky and
the earth as living, receiving their orders and instantly complying with
them. Their obedience is a manifestation of their conscious and dutiful
submission.
Although the scene sketched here is one of universal upheaval which takes
place on the Day of Judgment, its shades of humility solemnity and
tranquillity are brought out in full relief. The impression it leaves,
therefore, is one of humble and obedient submission to Allah.
In such an atmosphere of conscious obedience, man is addressed from high:
"O man! You labour hard unto your Lord, and you shall meet Him."
"O man!" your Lord has made you in a perfect way. He has given you your(1/147)
humanity which distinguishes you from the rest of creation. Your humanity
endows you with certain characteristics which should have made you more
conscious of your Lord, and more obedient and submissive to Him than both
the sky and the earth. He has given man of His own spirit and endowed him
with the ability to communicate with Him, receive His light, ennoble him
self with Allah's grace in order to achieve the highest degree of
perfection attainable by man. This is no little distinction. "O man!
You labour hard unto your Lord and you shall meet Him." Man certainly
labors hard in this life, shouldering his responsibilities and exerting
himself. All this he does in order to return, in the end, like all the
rest of creation, to Allah. Man labors even for what he enjoys! Nothing
in this life comes easily or without effort: if sometimes no physical
labour is needed, then surely some mental and emotional effort will be
required. In this the rich and poor are alike, although the labour
exerted may differ in kind and form. This address reminds man that
laboring hard, in a variety of ways, is the lot of all in this life on
earth. But when men meet their Lord, they will fall into two groups:
one will suffer hardship incomparable to that suffered on earth; another
consisting of those who have demonstrated their obedience and true
submission, will enjoy the blessings of a rest in which the suffering of
this life will be forgotten.
He who is given his book in his right hand shall have a lenient
reckoning and return rejoicing to his people(1/148)
He who is given his book in his right hand is the happy one who was
true to his faith Allah is pleased with him and rewards him well. He
will have a lenient reckoning, that is to say that he will not be called
to account for what he did in his life. This is abundantly clear in the
traditions of the Prophet. "Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)
related that the Messenger said, 'He who is called to account will
suffer affliction.' I pointed out, she said, that Allah says, 'He ...
shall have a lenient reckoning'. The Messenger answered, 'That is not
what is meant by reckoning and accountability. Lenient reckoning
signifies no more than showing his record. He who is called to account
on the Day of Judgement will suffer affliction." (al Bukhari, Muslim,
at Tirmidhi, an Nasai).
Aisha also related: "I heard Allah's messenger (peace be upon him) saying
in his prayers 'My Lord, make my reckoning a lenient one'. When he had
finished his prayers I asked him, 'What is the lenient reckoning?' He
answered: 'He who receives lenient reckoning will have his record looked
into and will be forgiven, but he who is called to account on that day
will perish."
This is, then the lenient reckoning accorded to him who receives his
book in his right hand. He shall win "and return rejoicing m his people",
who will also have won and arrived in heaven ahead of him. We deduce from
this statement that those who accept the faith in this life and adhere
to the right path will gather together in heaven. Everyone ends up with
those whom he loves and enjoys their company. We also have an image of(1/149)
the winner's all-important test: he returns with his face overflowing
with happiness.
This image is the extreme opposite of what happens to the afflicted who
has to account for his evil deeds and receives his book with reluctance.
But he who is given his book behind his back shall call down
destruction upon himself and shall roast in the fire of Hell.
The Qur'an usually makes a distinction between receiving the book with
one's right hand or left hand. Here we have a new image: the book is
given from behind the back. There is no reason to prevent the combination
of anyone being given the book in his left hand and from behind his back
at the same time. It is an image of one who feels great shame and hates
to be confronted with what he has done. We have no real knowledge of
the nature of this book or how it is given in one's right or left hand
or behind one's back. But we comprehend from the first expression the
reality of escape, and from the second the reality of doom.
This is indeed what we are meant to appreciate. The various forms of
expression are used mainly to drive the point to us and to enhance
its effects. The exact knowledge of what will happen and how it will
happen belongs to Allah.
So, the unfortunate one who lived his life on earth laboring hard but
disobeying Allah and indulging in what is forbidden will know his
destiny. He realizes that what lies in front of him is more suffering
and hard labour with the only difference that this time the suffering
is greater, uninterrupted and endless. So, he shall call destruction(1/150)
upon himself, for he will see his own destruction as his only means of
salvation from what will befall him. When man seeks refuge in his own
destruction, then he is certainly in a helpless position. His own non
existence becomes his strongest desire. His helplessness is beyond
description. This is the meaning implied by the Arab poet Al-Mutanabbi,
in his poem which starts with what may be rendered in English as:
Suffice it a malady that you should think death a cure. It says
much that doom should be desired.
It is certainly a case of indescribable distress and misery. "And (he)
shall roast in the fire of Hell." This is the end from which he wishes
to escape by means of his own destruction; but there is no way out.
Having portrayed this miserable scene, the surah gives us a glimpse
of the sufferer's past which led him to this endless misery: "He
lived among his family joyfully. He surely thought he would never
return." The past tense is used here because we feel that we are on
the Day of Judgement, after this life has ended. The indulgence and
the joy had taken place in this life. "He lived among his family
joyfully." He cared for nothing beyond the moment he was in, and made
no preparation for the hereafter. "He surely thought he would never
return" to his Lord. Had he thought about the return at the end of his
Journey through life, he would have carried with him some provisions to
sustain him. "Yes, indeed; his Lord was watching over him". Indeed Allah
has always been aware of man's thoughts, actions and feelings. Allah(1/151)
knows that, contrary to what man had thought, there would be a return to
Him to receive the reward merited by actions on earth. This is indeed
what happens when all return to Allah to meet their appointed destiny,
when what Allah has ordained would take place. The image of the miserable
one when he was joyful among his family in his short life on earth,
characterised by its hard labour, in one form or another, has a counter
part in the image of the happy one who returns rejoicing to his people
to live with them an eternal happy life, free from all hardship.
The surah then refers briefly to some scenes of the world which man
inhabits. Men, however, continue to overlook the evidence such scenes
provide of the deliberate planning that has gone into the making of this
world. Indeed, this planning includes the creation of man himself, and
his phases and transitions through life:
I swear by the twilight, and by the night and what it envelops, and
by the moon in her full perfection, that you shall certainly journey
on, stage after stage.
The oath, which is indirect in the Arabic text, serves to draw man's
attention to these scenes of the universe. The connotations here are
in perfect harmony with those of the opening of the surah and the scenes
portrayed there. The twilight refers to that period of stillness after
sunset when the soul is overwhelmed by a deep feeling of awe. The heart
feels, at such a time, the significance of parting with a beloved
companion, and the feelings of quiet sadness and deep melancholy this(1/152)
involves. It also experiences a feeling of fear of the approaching
darkness.
"And by the night and what it envelops." What the night envelops is left
unspecified to enhance the effect. Imagination can travel far and wide
as one thinks of what the nigh may conceal of events and feelings. But
the travels of the imagination cannot capture all the images generated
by the short Qur'anic verse: "And by the night and what it envelops."
Man is left with an overwhelming feeling and reverence which is in perfect
harmony with the stillness and awe associated with the twilight.
"And by the moon in her full perfection". This is another quiet and
splendid scene, describing the full moon as her light descends over
the earth. The full moon is always associated with tranquillity. The
general impression implied here is closely associated with the twilight,
and the dark night as it conceals everything. There is here a
complementary feeling of stillness and reverence.
"That you shall certainly ride, stage after stage," that is to say, you
will pass from one stage of suffering to another to what has been
predestined for you. The Qur'an uses the term "ride" to denote the
undergoing of various stages of suffering. "Ride" is frequently used in
Arabic to signify the passage through risk and difficulty. This usage
suggests that difficulties and risks are like horses or mules to be
ridden. Each one will take the riders the stage predestined for it and
for them. Thus each one will deliver them to a new stage which is again
predetermined, in the same way as the universal stages, i.e. the twilight,(1/153)
the night and the perfect moon, are predetermined. They eventually end
with their meeting with Allah, which bas been mentioned in the preceding
part. This coherent ordering of the parts of the surah and the smooth
movement from one point to another is a characteristic of the superb
Qur'anic style.
Following on from these sketches portrayed in the surah there comes an
expression of wonder at those who persist in their denial of the faith
when they have all these signs and all this abundant evidence within
themselves and in the world at large which indicates the truth: "Why
then do. they not accept the faith, or kneel in prayer when the Qur'an
is read to them?" Indeed, why do they not accept the faith? There are
numerous indications in the universe and within the soul which point
out that the path of faith is the right path. They are at once numerous,
deep and powerful, so they besiege the heart if it tries to run away
from facing them. But if a man listens to them, then they address him
in a manner which is friendly and affectionate.
Why then do they not accept the faith, or kneel in prayer when the
Qur'an is read to them?.
The Qur'an addresses them in the language of pure human nature. It opens
the heart to the truth and points out its evidence both within themselves
and over the horizon. It kindles in the hearts the feelings of God
consciousness, humbleness, obedience and submission to the Creator of
the universe. The expressions "kneel in prayer" refers to these feelings.
The universe is splendid and inspiring: it offers a multitude of signs,(1/154)
mental stimuli and moments of purity which combine to arouse in the human
heart a ready response and a willing submission. The Qur'an is also superb
and inspiring; it links the heart with the splendid universe and,
consequently, with the Creator who made the universe. It gives the heart
a feeling of the truth about the universe which also demonstrates the
truth of creation and the Creator. Hence the wonder:
Why then do they not accept the faith, or kneel in prayer when the
Qur'an is read to them?
It is indeed amazing, but the Qur'an does not dwell on it for long. It
proceeds to describe the behavior of the disbelievers and the end which
awaits them. "But the disbelievers are crying lies, and Allah knows very
well what they are hiding, so give them the tiding of a woeful doom."
The disbelievers cry lies, but the object of their denunciation as lies
is unspecified. In Arabic, omission of the object serves to widen the
scope of references of the verb. Thus, here we understand that "crying
lies" is an entrenched habit and a characteristic of the disbelievers.
But Allah is fully aware of the evil they conceal in their hearts and
He knows perfectly well their motives for belying the truth.
The surah leaves off to address the Messenger (peace be on him): "So
give them the tiding of a woeful doom, " an unpleasant tiding for anyone
who is awaiting any news of his future. At the same time the surah
describes what awaits the believers who prepare for their future by
their good deeds. The description is made in the form of an exception(1/155)
from what awaits the disbelievers: "save those who embrace the faith
and do good deeds; for theirs is an unfailing recompense." This type of
exception is known in Arabic linguistics as "unrelated exception". The
believers, not originally among the recipients of the black tidings, are
then excepted from it. This form of expression serves to draw attention
to what follows. The unfailing recompense is one which is continuous and
unceasing, and will be given in the hereafter, where men are immortal.
On this decisive note the surah ends. It is a surah of short verses and
powerful effect.(1/156)
Sura # 85
The Constellations
al Burooj
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
By the heaven with its constellations, by the Promised Day, by the
witness and that which is witnessed, slain be the men of the Pit,
the fire abounding in fuel, when they sat around it, watching what
they did to the believers. They took vengeance on them for no reason
save that they believed in Allah, the Almighty, the Praised One, the
Sovereign of the heavens and the earth, Who witnesses all things.
Those who persecute the believers, men and women, and do not repent
shall suffer the chastisement of Hell, the chastisement of burning.
But those who believe and do righteous deeds shall have gardens with
flowing rivers; that is the great success. Stern indeed is your Lord's(1/169)
vengeance. He is surely the One who originates His creation and re
creates them. He is All-forgiving, Compassionate, Lord of the Throne,
the Glorious, Performer of what He wills. Have you heard the story
of the warriors, of Pharoah and Thamoud? Yet the disbelievers persist
in their denials. But Allah surrounds them all. This is indeed a
glorious Qur'an, inscribed on a well-guarded tablet.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This short surah outlines the essentials of faith and the basics of
belief as matters of great importance. It sheds a powerful and searching
light over these essentials in order to reveal what lies beyond the
elementary facts expressed in the text. Every verse, and sometimes every
word, in this surah virtually opens a window overlooking a limitless
world of truth.
The immediate theme of the surah is the pit incident, when a community
of believers who lived before the advent of Islam (said to be unitarian
Christians) were faced by ruthless and tyrannic enemies who sought to
force them away from their faith. The believers refused. The tyrants
then lit up a great fire in a pit they dug, and threw them into it. The
believers were thus burnt to death in front of big crowds which were
gathered to witness this ghastly act of extermination. The tyrants sat
by, amused by the believers' sufferings: "They took vengeance on them
for no reason save that they believed in Allah, the All-mighty, the
Praised One."
The surah starts with an oath: "By the heaven with its constellations,
by the Promised Day, by the witness and that which is witnessed, slain(1/170)
be the men of the Pit ... " In this way the surah links heaven and its
magnificent constellations, the promised day and its great events, the
multitudes which witness that day and the events they witness with the
pit incident and Allah's anger with the aggressors responsible for it.
The surah then proceeds to portray the tragic scene in a few, quick
glimpses which give a feeling of its horror without dwelling on
details.
It includes a reference to the greatness of faith which exalted itself
over the atrocious cruelty of men and triumphed over the fire, attaining
a level of sublimity which is an honour to all the generations of
mankind. It also refers to the heinousness of the crime and the evil and
injustice it involves in comparison with the sublimity, innocence and
purity of the believers. Then follows a series of short comments stating
a number of principles which are highly important to the Islamic call,
faith and outlook.
We have firstly a reference to the fact that all heavens and earth are
part of Allah's kingdom and to His witnessing of all that takes place
in the heavens and on earth. He is "the Sovereign of the heavens and
the earth, Who witnesses all things."
Secondly, we have a reference to the chastisement of Hell and burning
which awaits the wicked tyrants, and a reference to the perfect bliss
in heaven awaiting the believers who choose faith in preference to life
itself and exalt themselves despite the persecution by fire. The
believers' action is referred to as the great success:
Those who persecute the believers, men and women, and do not repent(1/171)
shall suffer the chastisement of Hell, the chastisement of burning.
But those who believe and do righteous deeds, shall have gardens with
flowing rivers; that is the great success.
A further reference is made to the power with which Allah smites His
enemies and to the fact that He creates and re-creates after death:
Stern indeed is your Lord's vengeance. He is surely the One who
originates His creation and re-creates them.
The fact mentioned here is directly related to the life blotted out in
the pit incident. The surah then mentions some of the Divine attributes,
each of which has a specific relevance to the subject matter of the
surah: "He is All-forgiving, Compassionate." He forgives those who repent
regardless of the enormity and horror of their sins. He also loves His
servants who choose Him. His love is the soothing balsam which heals
whatever injuries they may have suffered. "Lord of the Throne, the All
glorious, Performer of what He wills." These attributes portray Allah's
absolute will, dominance and power, all of which are relevant to the
event discussed in the surah. Following that we have a reference to
examples of Allah's punishment of the tyrants when they were heavily
armed.
Have you heard the story of the warriors, of Pharoah and Thamoud?
These were two very different examples of Allah's punishment with widely
different effects. Along with the pit event they have numerous
implications. Finally, the surah explains the situation of the
disbelievers and that Allah surrounds them though they may be unaware
of the fact.(1/172)
Yet the disbelievers persist in their denial. Allah surrounds them
all.
It concludes with a statement of the truth of the Qur'an and its blessed
origin:
This is indeed a glorious Qur'an inscribed on a well-guarded tablet.
This was a brief outline of the theme of the surah, the light it sheds
and its limitless horizon. A more detailed discussion will now follow.
By the heaven with its constellations, by the Promised Day, by the
witness and that which is witnessed.
Before making any reference to the pit incident, the surah opens with
an oath by the heaven full of constellations. The Arabic term used for
'constellations' may be taken to mean the huge mass of the planets which
resemble great towers or palaces built in the sky. In this sense the
verse can be related to two other verses:
And heaven - We built it with Our might, and gave it a wide expanse
(51:47) and, Which is stronger in constitution: you or the heaven He
has built? (79:27)
The Arabic term may, alternatively, be interpreted as meaning the
positions between which these planets move as they go round in orbit.
These constitute the spheres within which the planets remain as they
move. The reference to the constellations however, gives an impression
of huge creation. This is, indeed, the connotation intended at the
outset.
"By the Promised Day." That is the day when judgement is passed on all
the events of this life and when the accounts of this world are settled.
It is a day Allah has promised will come, and is a great day awaited by
all creation. "By the witness and that which is witnessed. " On that day(1/173)
all deeds and creatures are exposed and witnessed. Everybody becomes a
witness. Everything becomes known as there is no cover to hide anything
from the beholding eyes. References to the heaven and the constellations,
the promised day, the witness and what is witnessed all combine together
to impart an aura of seriousness, concern, attention and greatness to the
manner in which the pit incident is related. They also convey the
framework in which the incident is placed, judged and settled on the
basis of its true nature. It is a framework stretching far beyond the
limits of this short life.
Having thus provided the desired atmosphere and opened up such a horizon,
the surah then refers to the incident in a few touches.
Slain be the men of the Pit, the fire abounding in fuel, when they
sat around it, watching what they did to the believers. They took
vengeance on them for no reason save that they believed in Allah,
the All-mighty. The Praised One, the Sovereign of the heavens and
the earth, Who witnesses all things.
Reference to the event starts with a declaration of anger with the men
of the pit: "Slain be the men of the Pit". It also gives an impression
of the enormity of the crime which invokes the displeasure and anger of
the All-clement and makes Him threaten the perpetrators. Then we have a
description of the pit: "The fire abounding in fuel" The literal meaning
of "pit" is a hole in the ground, but the surah defines it as "the fire"
instead of using the term "trench" or "hole" in order to give an
impression that the whole pit was turned into a blazing fire.(1/174)
The men of the pit aroused Allah's wrath for the evil crime they committed
"When they sat around it, watching what they did to the believers." They
sat over the fire, very close to this horrifying process, watching the
various stages of torture, madly enjoying the burning of human flesh in
order to perpetuate in their minds this ghastly scene.
The believers had not committed any crime or evil deed against those
people:
They took vengeance on them for no reason save that they believed
in Allah, the All-mighty, the Praised One, the Sovereign of the
heavens and the earth, Who witnesses all things.
That was their only crime: that they believed in Allah, the All-mighty
Who can do what He wills, the Praised Lord Who deserves praise for
every situation and Who is praised even though the Ignorant do not
praise Him. He is the Lord who deserves to be believed in and worshipped.
He is the sole sovereign of the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth.
He witnesses all things and He is a witness to what the men of the pit
have done to the believers. This verse carries a reassuring touch to the
believers and a powerful threat to the conceited tyrants. Allah has
been a witness and He suffices for a witness.
The narration of the event is completed in a few short verses which
charge the heart with a feeling of repugnance towards the terrible crime
and its evil perpetrators. They also invite us to contemplate what lies
beyond the event, its importance in the sight of Allah and what it has
aroused of Allah's wrath. It is a matter which is not yet completed: its
conclusion lies with Allah.(1/175)
As the narration of the event is concluded we feel our hearts overwhelmed
by the magnificence of faith as it exalts the believers and attains its
triumph over the hardships and over life itself. We feel the elevation of
the believers as they rid themselves of the handicaps of human desires and
worldly temptation. The believers could have easily saved their lives by
accepting the tyrants' terms. But what a loss humanity as a whole would
have incurred! How great the loss would have been had they killed that
sublime concept of the worthlessness of life without faith, its ugliness
without freedom and its baseness when the tyrants are left free to
exercise their tyranny over the souls after they have exercised it over
the bodies. But they have won a very noble and sublime concept while they
felt the scorch of the fire burning their bodies. Their noble concept has
triumphed as it was purified by the fire. They will, later on, have their
reward from Allah and their tyrannic enemies will have their retribution.
The surah goes on to explain both.
Those who persecute the believers, men and women, and do not repent
shall suffer the chastisement of Hell, the chastisement of burning.
But those who believe and do righteous deeds shall have gardens with
flowing rivers; that is the great success.
What has happened on earth in the first life is not the end of the story.
There remains a part which will come later. There remains the allocation
of awards which will restore the balance of justice and provide the final
settlement of what had taken place between the believers and the tyrants.(1/176)
That it will come is certain and confirmed by Allah: "Those who persecute
the believers, men and women" and persist with their evil ways, careless,
unrepentant, "and do not repent shall suffer the chastisement of Hell, the
chastisement of burning." Burning is specified although it is also
implied by the chastisement of Hell. It earns its specific mention in
order to serve as a counterpart to the burning in the pit. Although the
same word signifying the action is used, the two types of burning are
dissimilar in intensity and duration. The burning here is by fire lit
by human beings while the burning in the hereafter is by fire lit by the
Creator. The burning here is over in a few minutes while in the hereafter
it goes on for ages unknown except to Allah. The burning here is
accompanied with Allah's pleasure with the believers, and with the
triumph of that noble human concept referred to earlier, while in the
hereafter the burning is attended by Allah's anger and man's abject
degradation.
Paradise symbolises Allah's pleasure with the righteous believers and
His reward to them.
But those who believe and do righteous deeds shall have gardens with
flowing rivers.
That is the real escape: "that Is the great success." The Arabic term
used here connotes escape, success and triumph. To escape the punishment
of the hereafter is to achieve success. How to describe, then, the reward
of gardens where the rivers flow ! With this conclusion justice is
restored and the whole question is finally resolved. What has taken(1/177)
place on earth is no more than one part; the matter remains unfinished
here. This is the fact emphasised by this initial comment on the pit
incident, so that it may be fully comprehended by the few believers who
have accepted the faith in Makka, and by every group of believers
subjected to trail and tyranny in any period of history.
Further comments follow: "Stern indeed is your Lord's vengeance." This is
a most suitable comment which contrasts Allah's punishment with the petty
and trifling vengeance exacted by the tyrants, and thought by them and by
people generally to be very powerful. The really powerful strike is that
leveled by the All-mighty, to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens
and the earth, not that leveled by some insignificant people who impose
their rule over a limited piece of land for a limited period of time. The
statement also emphasises the relationship between the addressee, namely,
the Messenger (peace be on him) and the speaker, that is Allah, the All
mighty. He says to him, "stern indeed is your Lord's vengeance." He is
your Lord, in Whose godhood you believe, and on Whose assistance you
rely. This relationship is very significant in a situation where the
believers suffer the chastisement inflicted by the tyrants.
"He is surely the One who originates His creation and re-creates them."
In their wider connotations origination and re-creation refer to the
first and second creations. The two terms, however, signify two events
which are constantly taking place. In every moment there is origination(1/178)
as well as re-creation of what has died and decayed. The whole universe
is in a state of continuous renovation, and constant decay. Within the
context of this ever-repeated cycle of origination and reorigination the
whole affair of the pit and its apparent results seem to be, in reality,
no more than a beginning of what would be created anew, or a re-creation
of what has been already originated. It is a part of a continuous process.
"He is the All-forgiving, the Compassionate." Forgiveness relates to the
earlier statement: "and do not repent Forgiveness is part of Allah's mercy
and grace which have no limits or restrictions. It is an open door which
is never closed in the face of anyone who repents, no matter how grave
his sins are. Compassion, however, relates to the stand of the believers
who choose their Lord in preference to all things. It is a tender touch
of Divine benevolence. Allah elevates His servants who love and choose
Him to a grade which the pen would hesitate to describe except for the
fact that Allah, out of His blessing, bestows it. It is the grade of
friendship between the Lord and the servant. It is a tie of love which
exists between Allah and His favoured servants. How insignificant the
transitory life they have sacrificed and the momentary affliction they
have suffered appear when compared to only a small part of this splendid
love or a touch of that loving tenderness. Some slaves of this world, who
live in servitude to an individual human being, would take fatal risks
in order to win a word of encouragement or receive a sign of pleasure(1/179)
from their master. They do this although both master and servants are
slaves.
What, then, should be the attitude of Allah's servants who receive that
compassionate love and benevolence from the "Lord of the Throne, the All
Glorious", the All-compeller, the All-sublime. So petty becomes life, so
paltry becomes all suffering, and so trifling becomes every treasured
object when the pleasure of the loving Lord of the Throne is at stake.
"Performer of what He wills." This is His constantly realised, never
failing attribute. His will is absolute. He may choose, on a certain
occasion, that the believers should, by His grace, win victory for a
specific purpose He wants to accomplish. He may choose, on other
occasions, that faith should triumph over persecution and trial. This
may be manifested through the physical elimination of the believers from
this transitory life, again to accomplish a specific purpose. He may
decide to smite the tyrants in this life, or to delay their punishment
to the promised day. Either course of action fulfils a certain purpose
behind which Divine wisdom lies. Any action He performs is part of His
well-defined scheme and His ability to do what He wills.
All this fits very well with the related account of the pit incident
and with what comes later of reference to the fates of Pharoah and
Thamoud. Beyond all these events and beyond life and the universe there
exist the free will and the absolute power of Allah. Examples of this
are given: "Have you heard the story of the warriors off Pharoah and(1/180)
Thamoud?" This is a reference to two long stories well known to the
addressees as they have been mentioned several times in the Qur'an.
The two nations concerned are described here by the term "the warriors"
in reference to their might and equipment. Have you heard their stories
and how Allah did with them as He pleased? Theirs are two different
stories in nature and consequences. Pharoah was eliminated with his army
when the Children of Israel were saved by Allah. He gave them power to
rule for a certain period in order to accomplish a certain scheme of His.
As for Thamoud, Allah exterminated them and saved His prophet, Salih, with
his few followers. The believers in this instant did not establish a state
of their own; they were merely saved from their corrupt enemies. Both
stories are manifestation of the Divine will and its performance. They
provide two examples of what may befall the advocates of the Islamic
call. They are mentioned along with the third possibility which
distinguishes the pit incident. The Qur'an explains all three
eventualities to the believers in Makka and to all generations of
believers.
The surah concludes with two statements characterised by their sharp
and decisive rhythm. Each is a statement of fact and a final verdict.
"Yet the disbelievers persist in their denials. But Allah surrounds
them all." The truth about the disbelievers is that they are in a
constant state of disbelief, crying "lies" morning and evening "But
Allah surrounds them all." They are unaware that Allah's might and(1/181)
His knowledge engulf them making them even more powerless than mice
stranded in a great flood. "This is indeed a glorious Qur'an inscribed
on a well-guarded tablet." The term "glorious' ' signifies nobility and
sublimity. Indeed, there is nothing more noble or more sublime or more
glorious than the word of Allah, the All-mighty. It is inscribed on a
well-guarded tablet, the nature of which we cannot comprehend because
it is part of the knowledge Allah has reserved for Himself. We benefit,
how-ever, from the connotations of the statement and the impression it
leaves that the Qur'an is well preserved and well-guarded. It is the
final word in every matter it deals with.
The Qur'an states its judgement in the pit incident and what lies behind
it. This judgement is final.
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)
Sura # 86
THE NIGHT VISITOR
AT-TARIQ
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
By heaven and by the night visitor. Would that you knew what the night
visitor is! It is the star of piercing brightness. For every soul there
is a guardian who watching over it. Let man then reflect of what he is
created: he is created of gushing water which issues from between the
loins and the chest bones. Allah is well able to bring him back (to
life). On the day when men's consciences are tried, he shall be
helpless, with no supporter. By the heaven with its returning rain,
by the earth ever splitting with verdure, this is surely, decisive(1/182)
word; it is no frivolity. They try and scheme against you, but I too
have My schemes. So give respite to the disbelievers; leave them alone
for a while.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
It has been stated in the introduction to this thirtieth part of the
Qur'an that its surahs are like continuous loud and violent knocks, or
like shouts addressed to people who are fast asleep. Both knocks and
shouts repeatedly strike their senses with the same message and the
same warning:
Wake up! rise! reflect! look around! think! consider! There is a God.
There is an organisation and a deliberate system of creation. There
is trial and liability, reckoning and reward, severe chastisement
and endless happiness.
The present surah is a typical example of these qualities. Its tone is
sharp. The scenes portrayed, the rhythm chosen, the sounds of the
individual words and their meanings all contribute to this sharpness
of tone. The scenes include the night visitor, the star piercing with
brightness, the gushing water, the returning rain and the splitting
earth. The meanings include watching over souls: "For every soul there
is a guardian who watches over it"; the lack of strength and help: "On
the day when men's consciences are tried, he shall be helpless, with no
supporter"; the complete seriousness: "This is surely a decisive word;
it is no frivolity." The same characteristics apply to the warnings
given in this surah: They try and scheme against you, but I too have My
schemes. So give respite to the disbelievers; leave them alone for a
while.(1/183)
There is complete harmony between the scenes of the universe portrayed
in the surah and the facts it states. The harmony becomes abundantly
clear when the surah is carefully considered. 'By heaven and by the
night visitor. Would that you knew what the night visitor is! It is
the star piercing with brightness. For every soul there is a guardian
who watches over it. " This oath includes a scene of the universe and a
fact of faith. It opens by mentioning heaven and the night visitor and
fact that statement by the form of exclamation made familiar in the
Qur'an; "Would that you knew what the night visitor is!" This form of
exclamation gives the impression that it is mysterious, beyond
explanation!
The Qur'an then states its nature and form: "It is the star of piercing
brightness." It pierces darkness with its penetrating rays. The
description applies to all stars. There is no need to attach it to a
particular star. Generality is more useful in this kind of context. It
makes the meaning read like this: "By heaven and its stars which
pierce darkness and penetrate through that veil covering all things."
Thus, this reference sheds its own light on the facts outlined in this
surah and the scenes it portrays, as will be discussed later on.
Allah swears by heaven and its piercing stars that every soul has an
observer appointed by Allah to watch it: "For every soul there is a
guardian who watches over it." This particular mode of expression
implies a strong assertion that there is an agent appointed by Allah to
watch every soul and to keep a record of its actions and thoughts.(1/184)
The watch is over the soul because it is there that thoughts and secrets
which are responsible for action and its reward lie. Thus, people are
not left to roam about over the earth, or to do as they wish without
someone to watch what they do. On the contrary, an accurate and immediate
record is kept, on the basis of which the reckoning is made.
The awesome inference becomes clear as the soul feels that it is never
alone even when without company. There is always the watcher who remains
nearby even when one hides from all and is secure against any visitor or
intruder. There is the watcher who penetrates all covers and has access
to all concealed things, in the same way as the piercing star tears
through the night cover. For Allah's method of creation is the same
with regard to human souls and the wide horizons. This touch which
unites the human soul with the universe is followed by another which
emphasises the truth of organised creation and deliberate planning to
which Allah has sworn by heaven and the night visitor The early stages
of man's creation constitute a proof of this fact and suggest that man
is not forgotten as an insignificant lost item:
Let man then reflect of what he is created: he is created of gushing
water, which issues from between the loins and the chest bones.
Let man consider his origins and what has become of him. It is a very
wide gulf which divides the origins from the final product, the gushing
water from man the intelligent, rational being with his highly
sophisticated organic, neurological, mental and psychological systems.(1/185)
The reference to this great gulf which the gushing water crosses in order
to be made into a communicating being suggests that there is a power
beyond the province of man which moves that shapeless and powerless
fluid along its remarkable and impressive journey until it is shaped
into its magnificent ultimate form. It implies that there is a guardian
appointed by Allah to look after that moist germ, and to guide it through
its remarkable journey, which is full of wonders much greater than those
met by man throughout his life.
This one fertilising cell, of which there are millions in every gush, is
hardly visible under the microscope. It is a creature without support,
reason or will. But as soon as it settles in the womb it proceeds to
search for its food. The guarding hand of Allah equips it with a quality
which enables it to convert the lining of the womb around it into a pool
of blood, to supply it with fresh nourishment. Once it is sure of the
availability of food it starts another process of continuous division
to produce new cells. This shapeless and powerless creature which has no
reason or will, knows exactly what it is doing and what it wants. The
guarding hand watching over it provides by with guidance, knowledge,
power and will to enable it to know its way. It Is charged with the
task of making every group of the newly produced cells specialise in
building a part of the magnificent structure of the human body. One
group proceeds to produce the skeleton; another group forms the muscles;
a third the nervous system; a fourth the lymphatic system. The same(1/186)
applies to every major part of the human structure. But the matter is
not as simple as that: it involves a higher degree of specialisation;
for every bone, every muscle and every nerve is unique and dissimilar
to every other. The structure is accurately planned, and has a wide
range of functions. Hence, as every group of cells proceeds to fulfil
its appointed task in building this structure. it learns to break up
into specialised subdivisions, each having its particular function in
the general set up. Every little cell proceeds knowing its way,
destination and function. Those cells entrusted with the task of forming
the eye know that the eye must be in the face, and that it cannot be
situated in the abdomen or the foot or the arm, despite the fact that
any of these localities is a suitable place for forming an eye. If the
first cell charged with making the eye was taken off course and planted
in any of these localities, it would have fulfilled its mission and made
an eye there. But when it sets out on its mission it simply goes to the
exact spot specified for the eye. Who then has told this cell that this
structure needs its eye to be that particular spot? It is Allah the
watching Guardian who guides it, looks after it and shows it its way.
All the cells work individually and collectively within a framework set
for them by certain elements functioning inside the cells. These
elements are known as the genes which preserve the general characteristics
of the species and the distinctive traits of the parents and forefathers.(1/187)
When the eye cell divides and proliferates in order to form the eye, it
endeavours at the same time to preserve Its shape and particular features
so that it turns out to be a human eye and not an eye of any animal.
Furthermore, it endeavours to make it an eye of a human being whose
forefathers had certain features and characteristics which distinguished
their eyes. The slightest error in designing that eye, whether in shape
or qualities, forces the forming cell out of its set course. So who has
endowed power, ability and knowledge to this insignificant cell which has
no reason, will or power of its own? It is Allah Who taught it to design
and produce what all mankind can never design or produce. For mankind
cannot design an eye or a part of it, if they are charged with this task,
while an insignificant cell or group of cells in the human body can
accomplish this great mission.
This is merely a quick glance at parts of the remarkable journey which
transforms the gushing water into the communicative human being. But
there is indeed a great multitude of wonders in the physiological
functions of the various organs and systems. It is beyond the scope of
this work to trace these wonders but they all constitute evidence of the
elaborate planning and organisation and bear the stamp of Allah's
guarding, helping and guiding hand. They emphasise the first fact in
the surah sworn to by heaven and the night visitor, and prepare for the
next fact, namely, the resurrection, which was not believed by the
polytheists who were among the first to be addressed by the Qur'an.(1/188)
Allah is well able to bring him back, on the day when men's
consciences are tried, he shall be helpless, with no supporter.
Allah, Who has created him and looked after him, is well able to bring
him back to life after death. The first creation is evidence of His
ability as well as His elaborate planning and organisation. Unless
there is a return for a trial of the secrets in order to accord everyone
his fair reward then the highly sophisticated and wise creation would be
in vain .
On the day when men's consciences are tried.
The Arabic terms used by the Qur'an have much wider connotations than
"conscience and trial. " They suggest that that part of the human soul
where secrets are safely deposited will be thrown open, searched and
exposed in the same way as the night visitor penetrates the covering
darkness of the night. As the guarding watcher penetrates through the
soul hidden under multiple covers, secrets are tried when man finds
himself powerless and without support:
He shall be helpless, with no supporter.
Standing bare with no cover and being without strength adds to the strains
and hardships of the situation. The description has a deep effect on the
reader's perception, as it moves from talking of the universe and the
human soul to man's creation and his remarkable journey, until he reaches
the end when his secrets are exposed and he stands alone, powerless and
without support.
By the heaven with its returning rain; by the earth ever splitting with
verdure; this is surely a decisive word; it is no frivolity.(1/189)
The rain which comes from the sky again and again and the vegetation
which splits the earth and springs out are two images describing one
of the many manifestations of life, the life of plants and their
origins. Water which pours down from heaven and verdure which springs
out from the earth, are akin to the water gushing between loins and the
breast bones and to the embryo springing out from the darkness of the
womb. It is the same life, the same scene, the same movement. It is
one system indicating a Maker Who has no competitors. The rain and
verdure scene is not dissimilar to that of the night visitor, the
piercing star as it splits covers and curtains. It is also similar to
the scene of consciences being searched and all concealment's being
thrown open. It is again the same style of structure which tells of
the Maker. Allah swears by these two creations and their two events,
the heaven of the returning rains and the earth splitting with verdure.
The impact of the scene portrayed combines with the rhythm to strike a
strong note of finality and decisiveness. The oath is that this word,
or the Qur'an generally, which states that there is a return and a trial,
is the decisive word which admits of no frivolity. It puts an end to all
argument and to all doubts and uncertainties. It is a true and final word,
to which both the heaven of the returning rain and the earth splitting
with verdure are witnesses When this final statement of the return and
trial is made, there follows an address to Allah's Messenger. At the(1/190)
time of revelation he was with the few believers who supported him in
Makka. They were suffering the brunt of the hostility of the polytheists
and their plots against the Islamic call. The polytheists were tirelessly
trying to smother the call. The address is made to the Messenger to
encourage and reassure him, and to disparage what the schemers devise.
It states that the scheming is temporary; the battle is in Allah's hand
and under His command. So, let the Messenger persevere and be patient,
and let him and the believers be reassured:
They try and scheme against you, bur I too have My schemes. So give
respite to the disbelievers; leave them alone for a while.
Those people who are created out of gushing water issuing between the
loins and the breast bones, brought forth without any strength, ability
or will of their own, guided along their long journey by the Divine power
and destined to that return when the secrets are searched and tried and
where they have no strength or support - are devising a scheme against
the Prophet and the Muslims! I - the Creator who guides, preserves,
directs, brings back to life and puts to trial; the Able; the Victor
Who has made the sky, the night visitor, the gushing water and man; the
Maker of the heaven with its returning rain and the earth splitting with
verdure, I, Allah, am devising a scheme of My own. So, there are the two
schemes and a battle. It is, in truth, a one-sided battle but described
as one between two sides for the sake of sarcasm.
So give respite to the disbelievers; leave them alone for a while." Do not(1/191)
be impatient. Do not precipitate the end of the battle when you have seen
its true nature. There is a wisdom behind this respite and delay which is
short even though it may take up the whole length of this first life; for
how short this life appears when compared with a life of limitless
duration. Allah's benevolent and compassionate attitude to His Messenger
is noticeable in the final verse:
So give respite to the disbelievers; leave them alone for a while.
He is addressed here as if he were the final authority, or as if he were
the one who decides or approves that they may have a short respite. But
the Messenger has no such authority; it is merely an expression of kind
and benevolent tenderness which blows an air of compassion over his heart.
It is a Divine tenderness which suggests that the Messenger has a say in
the whole matter as if he had a share or an interest in it. It lifts all
barriers between the Messenger and the Divine domain, where all matters
are judged and settled.(1/192)
Sura 87
The Most High
al Al'a
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Praise the name of your Lord, the Most High, Who creates and proportions
well, Who determines and guides, Who brings forth the pasturage, then
turns it into withered grass. We shall teach you to read and you shall
not forget save what Allah wills. He knows what is manifest and what is
kept hidden. And We shall smooth your way to perfect ease. Give warning,
therefore, if warning is of use. He who fears Allah will heed it, but
the most wretched will turn aside from it, He shall be c cast into the(1/192)
greatest fire, in which he shall neither die nor live. Prosperous is he
who purifies himself and glorifies the name of his Lord and prays. Yet
you prefer this present life, while the life to come is better and longer
lasting. All this is surely written in earlier scriptures; The scriptures
of Abraham and Moses.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal has transmitted on the authority of Ali, the
Prophet's cousin and companion, that the Prophet used to love this
surah. The famous traditionalist, Muslim, has also transmitted that
the Prophet used to read this surah and surah 86, "The Enveloper", in
the prayers of Islamic festivals and in Friday prayers. If one of
the festivals fell on a Friday, the Prophet would be sure to read
these two surahs in the prayers.
The Prophet is right to love this surah as it turns the whole universe
into a temple whose four corners echo the praises and glorification of
his Lord, the Most High.
Praise the name of your Lord, the Most High, Who creates and
proportions well, Who determines and guides, Who brings forth
the pasturage, then turns it into withered grass.
The rhythm of the surah, characterised by the long vowels with which each
of its verses ends, imparts a feeling of the praises echoed every where
in the universe. The Prophet is also right to love this surah as it brings
him good news. As Allah charges him with the double task of conveying His
message and warning people, He promises him:
We shall teach you to read and you shall not forget, save what
Allah wills. Be knows what is manifest and what is kept hidden.(1/193)
And We shall smooth your way to perfect ease. Therefore, give
warning, if warning is of we.
So Allah takes upon Himself the responsibility of making His Messenger not
forget anything of the Qur'an. He also promises that his path will be
smoothed in all his affairs, whether they are personal or concern his
message. This is certainly a great favour. Again, the Prophet is right
to love this surah as it includes the basic ingredients of the Islamic
concept of life and existence: the unity of Allah, the Creator; the
reality of Divine revelation; and the reality of reward and punishment
in the life to come. The surah also affirms that these basic principles
have well-established roots in the earlier Divine messages.
All this is surely written in earlier scriptures; the scriptures of
Abraham and Moses.
All this is in addition to the impression it imparts of the easy nature
of the Islamic ideology, the Messenger who conveys it, and the nation it
builds.
Praise the name of your Lord, the Most High, Who creates and proportions
well, Who determines and guides, Who brings forth the, pasturage, then
turns it into withered grass.
The surah opens with an order to praise the Lord, which means to glorify
Him, recognise His supremacy and infallibility in everything, and
remember His Divine attributes. It is much more than verbal repetition
of the phrase "Subhan Allah", or "Praise be to Allah" . It is a genuine
feeling of the sublimity of these attributes.
As the surah inspires one with the splendour of a life based on constant(1/194)
appreciation of the Divine attributes, it creates within one a feeling
which is very real and very difficult to describe at the same time.
The two immediately presented attributes are Lordship and Highness. The
"Lord" or the Arabic equivalent "Rabb" is the one Who tends and nurtures.
The denotations of this attribute fit in very well with the general
atmosphere of the surah, its glad tidings and easy rhythm. The "Highness"
attribute prompts one to look up to endless horizons. Having a genuinely
vivid feeling of this attribute is indeed the essential purpose of praising
Allah and glorifying Him.
The surah opens with an order addressed by Allah to the Prophet in the
first instance: "Praise the name of your Lord, the Most High." The order
is given with an air of friendliness and compassion almost beyond
description.
Whenever the Prophet read this surah he used to fulfill this order
promptly by stopping after the first verse to say: "All praise be to my
Lord, the Most High". Thus, he would receive the order, carry it out
promptly and read on. When this surah was revealed the Prophet told
the Muslims to fulfill the Divine order as they prostrate themselves in
their daily prayers. Similarly he told them to carry out the other
order of 'Praise the name of your Lord, the Most Great, as they bow in
their prayers. These praises, warm with life, have been included in the
prayers as a direct response to a direct order, or more precisely to
a direct permission. For Allah's permission to His servants to praise
Him is one of the favours He has bestowed on them. It is a permission(1/195)
to them to be in contact with Him in a manner, given their limited
abilities, they can appreciate. He, out of His grace, has permitted
them to do this so that they may know Him and His attributes as best
they can.
Praise the name of your Lord, the Most High, Who creates and proportions
well, Who determines and guides.
Everything Allah has created is well proportioned and perfected. Every
creature is assigned its own role and given guidance so that it may know
its role and play it. It is told the purpose of its creation, given what
it needs for sustenance and guided to it. This is clearly visible in every
thing around us, big or small, important or trivial. (For everything is
well perfected and guided to fulfill the purpose of its creation as it
can be fulfilled best.) All things are also collectively perfected so
that they may fulfil their collective role.
The single atom is well balanced between its electrons and protons, to
the same degree as the solar system, its sun, planets and satellites! are
well balanced. Each of the two knows the way it is assigned to travel and
fulfills its role. The single living cell is also perfect and well
equipped to do everything it is asked to do, in the same measure as the
most advanced and complex species. This perfect balance, in the individual
and the collective sense, is easily noticeable in every one of numerous
kinds of creation that fill the gap between the single atom and the solar
system or between the single cell and the most advanced living creature.
This basic fact, evidenced by everything in the universe, is well(1/196)
recognised by the human heart as it contemplates what is in the universe.
This sort of inspiration and recognition is within the reach of every man
in every age, regardless of his standard of education. All that is
required for it is an open mind which contemplates and responds. Increased
knowledge then endorses and emphasizes with individual examples what
inspiration has already proven with the first glance. The results of
study and research endorse, within their limited scope, this basic truth
which applies to everything in the universe.
The American scientist, A Cressy Morrison, Head of the Science Academy
in New York, says in his book "Man Does Not Stand Alone":
Birds have the homing instinct. The robin that nested at your door
may go south in the autumn, but will come back to his old nest the
next spring. In September, flocks of many of our birds fly south,
often over a thousand miles of open sea, but they do not lose their
way. The homing pigeon, confused by new sounds on a long journey in
a closed box, circles for a moment then heads almost unerringly for
home. The bee finds its hive while the wind waving the grasses and
trees blots out every visible guide to its whereabouts. This homing
sense is slightly developed in man, but he supplements his meagre
equipment with instruments of navigation.
We need this instinct and our brain provides the answer. The tiny
insects must have microscopic eyes, how perfect we do not know, and
the hawks, the eagle and the condor must have telescopic vision. Here
again man surpasses them with his mechanical instruments. With his(1/197)
telescope he can see a nebula so faint that it requires two million
times his vision, and with the electron microscope he can see hither
to invisible bacteria and, so to speak the little bugs that bite
them.
If you let old Dobbin alone he will keep to the road in the blackest
night. He can see, dimly perhaps, but he notes the difference in
temperature of the road and the sides with eyes that are slightly
affected by the infra-red rays of the road. The owl can see the nice
warm mouse as he runs in the cooler grass in the blackest night. We
turn night into day by creating radiation in that short octave we
call light.
The honey-bee workers make chambers of different sizes in the comb
used for breeding. Small chambers are constructed for the workers,
larger ones for the drones, and special chambers for the prospective
queens. The queen bee lays unfertilized eggs in the cells designed for
males, but lays fertilized eggs in the proper chambers for the female
workers and the possible queens. The workers, who are the modified
females, having long since anticipated the coming of the new
generation, are also prepared to furnish food for the young bees by
chewing and predigesting honey and pollen. They discontinue the
process of chewing, including the predigesting, at a certain stage
of the development of the males and females, and feed only honey and
pollen. The females so treated become the workers.
For the females in the queen chambers the diet of chewed and
predigested food is continued. These specially treated females develop(1/198)
into queen bees, which alone produce fertile eggs. This process of
reproduction involves special chambers, special eggs, and the marvelous
effect of a change of diet. This means anticipation, discretion, and
the application of a discovery of the effect of diet.
These changes apply particularly to a community life and seem necessary
to its existence. The knowledge and skills required must have been
evolved after the beginnings of this community life, and are not
necessarily inherent in the structure or the survival of the honey
bee as such. The bee, therefore, seems to have out stripped man in
knowledge of the effects of diet under certain conditions.
The dog with an inquiring nose can sense the animal that has passed.
No instrument of human invention has added to our inferior sense of
smell, and we hardly know where to begin to investigate its extension.
Yet even our sense of smell is so highly developed that it can detect
ultra-microscopic particles.
How do we know that we all get the same reaction from any single odour?
The fact is that we do not. Taste also gives a very different sensation
to each of us. How strange that these differences in perception are
hereditary.
All animals hear sounds, many of which are outside our range of
vibration, with an acuteness that far surpasses our limited sense of
hearing. Man by his devices can now hear a fly walking miles away as
though it was on his eardrums, and with like instruments record the
impact of a cosmic ray.
One of the water spiders fashions a balloon-shaped nest of cobweb(1/199)
filaments and attaches it to some object under water. Then she
ingeniously entangles an air bubble in the hairs of her under body,
carries it into the water, and releases it under the nest. This
performance is repeated until the nest is inflated, when she proceeds
to bring forth and raise her young safe from attack by air. Here we
have a synthesis of the web, engineering, construction, and
aeronautics. Chance perhaps, but that still leaves the spider
unexplained.
The young salmon spends years at sea, then comes back to his own river,
and, what is more, he travels up the side of the river into which flows
the tributary in which he was born. The laws of the States on one side
of the dividing stream may be strict and the other side not, but these
laws affect only the fish which may be said to belong to each side.
What brings them back so definitely?
If a salmon going up a river is transferred to another tributary he
will at once realize he is not in the right tributary and will fight
his way down to the main stream and then turn up against the current
to finish his destiny. There is, however, a much more difficult reverse
problem to solve in the case of the eel. These amazing creatures
migrate at maturity from all the ponds and rivers everywhere, those
from Europe across thousands of miles of ocean, all go to the abysmal
deeps south of Bermuda. There they breed and die.
The little ones, with no apparent means of knowing anything except
that they are in a wilderness of water, start back and find their way
to the shore from which their parents came and thence to every river,(1/200)
lake and little pond, so that each body of water is always populated
with eels. They have braved the mighty currents, storms and tides, and
have conquered the beating waves on every shore. They can now grow and
when they are mature, they will, by some mysterious law, go back
through it all to complete the cycle.
Where does the directing impulse originate? No American eel has ever
been caught in European waters and no European eel has ever been caught
in American waters. Nature has also delayed the maturity of the European
eel by a year or more to make up for its much greater journey. Do atoms
and molecules when combined in an eel have a sense of direction and
willpower to exercise it?
A female moth placed in your attic by the open window will send out
some subtle signal. Over an unbelievable area, the male moths of the
same species will catch the message and respond in spite of your
attempts to produce laboratory odours to disconcert them. Has the
little creature a broadcasting station, and has the male moth a mental
radio set beside his antennae? Does she shake the ether and does he
catch the vibration? The cricket rubs its legs or wings together, and
on a still night can be heard half a mile away. It shakes six hundred
tons of air and calls its mate. Miss Moth, working in a different
realm of physics and, in apparent silence, calls quite as effectively.
Before the radio was discovered, scientists decided it was odour that
attracted the male moth. It was a miracle either way, because the odour
would have to travel in all directions, with or without the wind. The(1/201)
male moth would have to be able to detect a molecule and sense the
direction from whence it came. By a vast mechanism, we are developing
the same ability to communicate, and the day will come when a young man
may call his loved one from a distance and without mechanical medium
and she will answer. No lock or bars will stop them. Our telephone and
radio are instrumental wonders and give us means of almost instant
communication, but we are tied to a wire and a place. The moth is
still ahead of us, and we can only envy her until our brain evolves
an individual radio Then, in a sense, we will have telepathy.
Vegetation makes subtle use of involuntary agents to carry on its
existence - insects to carry pollen from flower to flower and the
winds and everything that flies or walks to distribute seed. At last,
vegetation has trapped masterful man. He has improved nature, and she
generously rewards him. But he has multiplied so prodigiously that he
is now chained to the plough. He must sow, reap, and store; breed and
cross-breed; prune and graft. Should he neglect these tasks starvation
would be his lot, civilization would crumble, and earth return to her
pristine state.
Many animals are like a lobster, which, having lost a claw, will by
some restimulation of the cells and the reactivation of the genes
discover that a part of the body is missing and restore it. When the
work is complete, the cells stop work, for in some way they know it
is quitting time. A fresh-water polyp divided into halves can reform
itself out of one of these halves. Cut off an angle worm's head and he(1/202)
will soon create a new one. We can stimulate healing but when will our
surgeons, if ever, know how to stimulate the cells to produce a new
arm, flesh, bones, nails, and activating nerves?
An extraordinary fact throws some light on this mystery of recreation.
If cells in the early stages of development are separated each has
the ability to create a complete animal. Therefore, if the original
cell divides into two and they are separated, two individuals will be
developed. This may account for identical twins but it means much
more - each cell at first is in detail potentially a complete
individual. There can be no doubt then, that you are you in every cell
and fibre.
An acorn falls to the ground - its tough brown shell holds it safe.
It rolls into some earthy crevice. In the spring the germ awakes, the
shell burns food is provided by the egg like kernel in which the genes
were hidden. They send roots into the earth, and behold a sprout, a
sapling, and in years a tree. The germ with its genes has multiplied
by trillions and made the trunk, bark and every leaf and acorn
identical with that of the oak which gave it birth. For hundreds of
years in each of the countless acorns is preserved the exact
arrangement of atoms that produced the first oak tree millions of
years ago.
The author says in another chapter of his book:
Every cell that is produced in any living creature must adapt itself
to be part of the flesh, to sacrifice itself as a part of the skin,
which will soon be worn off. It must deposit the enamel of teeth,(1/203)
produce the transparent liquid in an eye, or become a nose or an ear.
Each cell must then adapt itself in shape and every other
characteristic necessary to fulfil its function. It is hard to think
of a cell as right-handed or left handed, but one becomes part of a
right ear, the other becomes part of the left ear. Some crystals that
are chemically identical turn the rays of light to the left, others to
the right. There seems to be such a tendency in the cells. In the exact
place where they belong, they become a part of the right ear or the
left ear and your two ears are opposite each other on your head, and
not as in the case of a cricket, on your elbows. Their curves are
opposite, and when complete, they are so much alike you cannot tell
them apart. Hundreds of thousands of cells seem impelled to do the
right thing at the right time in the right place.
Elsewhere in his book Mr Morrison says:
In the melee of creation many creatures have come to exhibit a high
degree of certain forms of instinct, intelligence, or what not. The
wasp catches the grasshopper, digs a hole in the earth, stings the
grasshopper in exactly the right place so that he becomes unconscious
but lives as a form of preserved meat. The wasp lays her eggs exactly
in the right place, perhaps not knowing that when they hatch, her
children can eat without killing the insect on which they feed, which
would be fatal to them. The wasp must have done all this right the
first and every time, or there would be no wasps of this species.
Science cannot explain this mystery, and yet it cannot be attributed(1/204)
to chance. The wasp covers a hole in the earth, departs cheerfully,
and dies. Neither she nor her ancestors have reasoned out the process,
nor does she know what happens to her offspring. She doesn't even
know that she has worked and lived her life for the preservation of
the race.
In the same book we also read:
In some species, the workers bring in little seeds to feed the other
ants through the winter. The ants establish what is known as the
grinding room, in which those which have developed gigantic jaws
especially built for grinding, prepare the food for the colony. This
is their sole occupation. When the autumn comes and the seeds are
all ground, 'the greatest good for the greatest number' requires that
the food supply be conserved and as there will be plenty of grinders
in the new generation, the soldier ants kill off the grinders,
satisfying their entomological conscience by believing perhaps that
the grinders had had reward enough in having had first chance at the
food while they ground.
Certain ants, by means of instinct or reasoning (choose which you
prefer), cultivate mushrooms for food in what may be called mushroom
gardens, and capture certain caterpillars and aphids (plant lice).
These creatures are the ants' cows and goats, from which they take
certain exudations of a honeylike nature for food. Ants capture and
keep slaves. Some ants, when they make their nests, cut the leaves to
size, and while certain workers hold the edges in place, use their
babies, which in the larval stage are capable of spinning silk, as(1/205)
shuttles to sew them together. The poor baby may be bereft of the
opportunity of making a cocoon for himself, but he has served his
community. How do the inanimate atoms and molecules of matter composing
an ant set these complicated processes in motion? There must be
Intelligence somewhere.
True, there must be a Creator Who guides these and other creatures, big
and small. He is the One " Who creates and proportions well Who determines
and guides ". The examples we have quoted above are but few of the large
number of remarkable aspects science has recorded in the worlds of plants,
nsects, birds and animals. But all these aspects reflect only a part of the
import of the two verses: "Who creates and proportions well, Who
determines and guides. " For our knowledge covers only a scanty part of
what is in the visible universe, beyond which extends a whole world of
which we know nothing apart from the few hints Allah has chosen to drop
to us, as befits our limited abilities.
Having fired such a great volley of praises to Allah to resound in even
the remotest corners of the universe, the surah complements that with an
inspiring touch from the realm of plants: Who brings forth the pasturage,
then turns it into withered grass." The "pasturage", as used here, refers
to all plants. Every plant is suitable for one sort of species or another.
The term then has a much wider sense than the familiar pastures where
cattle feed. Allah has created this planet and provided on it enough food
to nourish every single living creature which walks, flies or hides itself
underground.(1/206)
The pasturage is green when it first shoots forth, but it withers away and
blackens. It may be used for feeding when green, after it blackens and
withers, or in between. Thus, it is useful in every condition, and it
serves a purpose according to the elaborate planning of the One Who
creates, proportions, determines and guides.
The reference here to the life of plants carries also an implicit
connotation that all plants are reaped and harvested. Similarly, every
living being will come to its appointed end. This connotation fits in
well with the reference to the two worlds of man: "Yet you prefer this
present life, while the life to come is better and more lasting." This
life is a pasture which comes to its end when it withers away and blackens,
while the life to come is the one which lasts.
As the beginning of the surah opens up this limitless horizon, it provides
a framework for the fundamental facts tackled in this surah to be related
to the whole universe. The framework is remarkably suitable, it is
perfectly harmonious with the atmosphere of the surah, its rhythm and its
shades of meaning.
The surah then gives the Prophet, and the Muslim nation in general, a very
welcome tiding:
We shall reach you to read and you shall not forget save what Allah
wills. He knows what is manifest and what is kept hidden. A And We
shall smooth your way to perfect ease. Give warning therefore if
warning is of use.
The glad tiding starts with sparing the Prophet the trouble of memorising
the Qur'an. All he needs to do is to read as he is taught and Allah will(1/207)
ensure that he will never forget any part of it.
We shall teach you to read and you shall not forget.
So keen to keep the Qur'an in his memory, the Prophet used to repeat it
after Jibril, the angel, had come down with it to him. He felt that it was
part of his responsibility to keep it registered in his memory. But Allah
decided that He would look after this task. The tiding is also a happy one
for the Islamic nation since it is a reassurance that the faith the Prophet
preaches is authentic. It is from Allah and He looks after it. This is part
of Allah's grace. It shows how weighty the question of purity of faith is
in His scales.
Every time the Qur'an states a definite promise or a constant law, it
follows it with a statement implying that the Divine will is free of all
limitations and restrictions, even those based on a promise from Allah or
a law of His. For His will is absolute beyond any such promise or law.
Here, the surah emphasizes this principle after the promise made to the
Prophet that he will never forget anything of the Qur'an:
Save what Allah wills.
The two are complementary in the sense that the promise is within the
Divine will. So we look forward to Allah's fulfilment of what He has
willed to promise.
He knows what is manifest and what is kept hidden.
This is stated here by way of giving a reason for all that has passed:
teaching to read, freedom from forgetfulness and the exception made to
that. Everything is decided according to the wisdom of the One Who knows
the secret and the manifest. He views everything from all angles and makes(1/208)
His decisions on the basis of His unfailing knowledge.
Then follows another tiding, happy and all-embracing:
And We shall smooth your way to perfect ease.
This is a glad tiding for the Prophet personally and for the Islamic
nation at large. It is furthermore a statement of the nature of Islam,
its role in human life and in the universe. This verse, which is rendered
in Arabic in no more than two words, states one of the most fundamental
principles of faith and existence. It provides a link between the nature
of the Prophet, the nature of Islam and that of the whole universe. It is
a universe created by Allah with ease; it follows its appointed way with
ease and draws nearer its final objective with ease. Thus it is an
inspiration lighting limitless horizons.
If Allah smooths a certain person's path, he finds ease in everything in
his life. For he will move along his way to Allah with the universe which
is characterised by its harmony of construction, movement and direction.
Hence he does not clash with those who digress, for these are of no
importance, compared with the vast universe. Ease will pervade his whole
life. It will be evident in his hand, tongue, movement, work, concepts,
way of thinking and conducting all affairs and tackling all matters; ease
with himself and with others as well.
His wife, Aisha, reports that whenever faced with a choice, the Prophet
would always choose the easier of the two alternatives. She also reports:
Whenever the Prophet was alone with his family at home, he was the
easiest of men, always smiling and laughing.(1/209)
Al-Bukhari has also transmitted,
A maid servant would take the Prophet by the hand and lead him wherever
she wished.
His guidance in matters of clothes, food, household furniture and other
matters of day to day life points to a preference for what is easy. Imam
Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah speaks in his book "Zaad Al-Ma'ad ' of the
Prophet's guidance in matters of dress: "He had a turban which he gave
to Ali as a gift, but he used to wear it over a cap. But he also wore
either the turban or the cap separately. When he wore the turban, how
ever, he used to leave the end part of it hanging between his shoulders.
This has been transmitted by Muslim in his book of authentic traditions,
on the authority of Omar ibn Hareeth, who said, 'I saw the Prophet
speaking on the platform of the mosque, wearing a black turban with its
end hanging between his shoulders'. Muslim has also transmitted on the
authority of Jabir ibn Abdullah that the Prophet was wearing a black
turban when he entered Makka, but nothing is mentioned here about his
leaving its end part hanging. This signifies that the Prophet did not
always leave the tail of his turban hanging between his shoulders. It
is also said that the Prophet entered Makka wearing his battle dress,
with a helmet on his head, which suggests that he used to wear what
suited the occasion."
Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah says in another chapter of his book: "The best
method, it is true, is that followed by the Prophet and which he
encouraged his companions to adopt. His guidance regarding dress is,(1/210)
in short, that he used to wear whatever was available, whether woollen
or cotton or other types of material. He used Yemeni gowns and had a
green gown. He also used different types of dress such as overcoat,
long dress, shirts, trousers, top gown, sandals and shoes. He left the
end of his turban hanging between his shoulders on occasions, and did
not on other occasions."
On the Prophet's guidance regarding food, the author says: "The Prophet
never refused what was available at home, nor did he ever go out of his
way to get what was not. He would eat whatever was served of good food
and he never slighted any sort of food whatsoever. If he did not like
something he would simply not eat it but would not forbid it. An example
of his attitude is the case of dhabb, which he used not to eat but he did
not forbid others eating it. On the contrary, he watched others eating it
at his own table. He liked sweets and honey, used to eat dates, fresh and
preserved; drank milk, pure and mixed, added water to ice and honey and
drank dates drink. He also ate khazeerah which is a thick soup made of
milk and flour. He ate cucumber with fresh dates butter, dates with
bread, bread with vinegar, dried meat, a dish called dabba (which was
one of his favourite dishes), boiled meat, rice and meat cooked with
fat, cheese, bread with oil, water melon with fresh dates, and he used
to like dates cooked with butter. In short, he never refused good food,
nor did he go to any trouble to get it. His guidance was to eat what was
available. If he did not have anything to eat he would simply go hungry
etc.'(1/211)
The author also speaks of the Prophet's guidance concerning sleep and
wakefulness: "He used to sleep sometimes on a mattress, sometimes on a
simple animal skin. Occasionally he would sleep on a rough mat, or on
the cold earth with nothing under him, or on a bed, perhaps a plain bed
and perhaps covered with a black bedspread." The Prophet's traditions
urging the adoption of an easy, gentle and tolerant attitude in all
matters, especially those which concern religious duties are numerous.
From among these we may quote: "This religion is of an easy nature. Any
one who pulls hard against it shall be the loser." (Transmitted by Al
Bukhari). "Do not be hard on yourselves lest it should be made hard for
you. A former nation chose to be hard and it was made harder for them."
(Transmitted by Abu Dawood). "A rider driving hard neither reaches his
destination nor keeps his transport." (Transmitted by Al-Bukhari). "Make
it easy, not difficult, for others." (Transmitted by Al-Bukhari and
Muslim). Concerning social dealings, the Prophet says: "May Allah have
mercy on any person who is tolerant when he buys, sells and asks for
his rights." (Transmitted by Al-Bukhari). "A believer is gentle and
friendly" (Transmitted by Al-Baihaqi). "A believer gets on well with
others and is easy to get on well with." (Transmitted by Al-Daraqutni).
"The type of man Allah dislikes most is the quarrelsome one who does not
budge " (Transmitted by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). One of the highly
significant features of his character is that he hated hardness even(1/212)
in names and physical features. This shows how Allah has moulded his
nature and smoothed even his temperament. Saeed ibn Al-Mussayyib reports
that the Prophet asked his father what was his name (Al-Mussayyib was his
nickname). He answered "Hazn" (which means rough and difficult). The
Prophet said, "No you are Sahl (plain and easy).' The man said, "I will
never change a name given to me by my father". Saeed comments, "As a
result, we have always had a trace of hardness in our characters."
(Transmitted by Al-Bukhari). "Ibn Umar reports that the Prophet changed
the name of a woman from 'Aassiyah (disobedient) to Jameelah (pretty)."
(Transmitted by Muslim). He also said, "It is part of kindness to receive
your brother with a smiling face." (Transmitted by Al-Tirmithi). Thus we
realise how refined and gentle the Prophet was to dislike even names and
features which smacked of roughness and to try to substitute for them
what related to gentility and tolerance. The life story of the Prophet
is composed of pages of gentility, ease, tolerance and understanding in
all affairs. Let us quote here an incident which reveals his method of
dealing with people of difficult temperament: "Once a bedouin came to
the Prophet asking something. The Prophet granted his request then said,
'Have I treated you well?' The bedouin said, 'No, and you have not been
kind either!' The Muslims with the Prophet felt very angry and wanted to
punish the man. The Prophet, however, motioned them to leave him alone.
He then went into his house, sent for the man and gave him something over(1/213)
and above his original request. He then asked him, 'Have I treated you
well?' The man said, 'Yes, indeed. May Allah reward you well for you are
a good kinsman and a good tribesman'. The Prophet then said to him, 'When
you said what you said you made my companions feel angry with you. If you
like to tell them what you have just told me so that they would have
nothing against you.' The man said, 'I will'. The following day he came
and the Prophet said, 'This bedouin said yesterday what you have heard.
We gave him more and he claims now that he is satisfied. Is that so?' The
bedouin said, 'Yes indeed! May Allah reward you well, for you are a good
kinsman and a good tribesman.' The Prophet then said to his companions,
'My affair with this bedouin is similar to that of a man who had a she
camel which ran loose. Other people rushed to try to catch her but they
managed only to make her run wild. The owner then appealed to them to let
him alone with his she-camel as he was gentler to her and knew her
temperament. The owner then went towards her, having picked something
to feed her with. He approached her gently until she responded and sat
down. He then saddled her and mounted her back. Had I left you alone when
the man said what he said, you would probably have killed him and he would
have gone to Hell."
So gentle, simple and compassionate was the Prophet's attitude towards
any person of rough nature. Examples of this attitude abound in the
records of his life. These examples are practical manifestations of how
his path had been smoothed for him to achieve perfect ease in every(1/214)
aspect of life. He had been given a tolerant, understanding nature so
that he might carry out his mission as Allah's messenger to mankind. In
this way his nature and the nature of Islam, the message he carried and
conveyed, are alike. He was able, with Allah's grace, to fulfil the great
task with which he had been entrusted. For when his path was smoothed,
the heavy burden of his mission became an enjoyable sport.
The Qur'an describes Muhammad, Allah's Messenger, as a source of mercy
to humanity, who has come to relieve people of the burdens imposed on
them by reason of their being too hard against themselves
We have sent you forth only as a mercy to mankind. (21:107) Those
who follows the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write,
whom they shall find described in the Torah and the Gospel. He will
enjoin upon them what is right, and forbid them what is evil. He will
make all good things lawful to them and prohibit all that is foul. He
will relieve them of their burdens and of the shackles that weigh upon
them. (7:157)
The Qur'an also describes the message the Prophet has delivered in
statements of like import:
We have made the Qur'an easy for warning: but will any take
heed? (54:22) He has laid on you no hardships in the observance
of your religion. (22:78) Allah does not wish to burden you,
He seeks only to purify you. (5:6) Allah does not charge a soul
with more than its capacity. (2:286)
The message of Islam is made easy for people to follow since it takes
into consideration the limitations of human abilities. It imposes no(1/215)
burdens which are too heavy. This easy nature of the religion of Islam
is readily identifiable in its spirit as well as in its commandments:
Follow the upright nature Allah has endowed mankind with. (30:30)
When we look carefully through this religion we find that care has been
taken to make it easy for men to follow, without overstraining themselves.
It takes into consideration the different situations man finds himself in,
and the conditions he faces in different environments. The faith itself
is based on concepts which are easy to grasp: a single god; none like Him;
He has created everything, He has guided everything to realise the purpose
of its existence, He has also sent messengers to remind people of their
role in life and to call them back to their Lord Who has created them.
All obligations imposed by this faith fit in perfectly together; there
are no conflicts, no contradictions. People have to fulfil these
obligations according to their abilities: there need be no overstraining,
no heavy burdens: "If I give you an order, fulfill! it as much as you
can; but leave off what I forbid you." Prohibition may be also relaxed
"save under compulsion of necessity." (6:119) These basic principles
provide the limits within which the Islamic commandments and principles
operate.
Hence the Messenger and the message have this basic feature, easy nature,
in common. So does the nation of Islam, the easy message, build: it is a
middle nation, merciful, the recipient of Divine mercy easy natured and
enjoys a life which is perfectly harmonious with the; wider existence in(1/216)
the universe.
The universe itself with its perfect harmony provides a true picture of
how Allah's creation moves easily and smoothly, without clash or crash.
Millions of millions of stars move in their orbits in the great space
Allah has provided, each with its own gravity, yet none moves out of
step and none crashes against another. There are millions of millions of
living creatures, each moving through life to its appointed aim, near or
distant, according to a perfect plan. Each is given the abilities which
make its aim easy to achieve. Millions of millions of movements, events
and conditions come together then go their separate ways; yet they are
much the same as the sounds of the different instruments in an orchestra:
so different but combine to give together a beautiful tune.
In short, perfect harmony exists between the nature of the universe, the
message, the Messenger and the Islamic nation. They are all the creation
of Allah, the One, the Most Wise.
Give warning, therefore, if warning is of use.
Allah has taught him to read and not forget, smoothed his way to perfect
ease so that he may be able to discharge his great task, namely, to warn.
For this he has been the subject of careful preparation. Hence, he is
asked to warn whenever he has a chance to address people and to convey
to them Allah's message. "If warning is of use". Warning is always useful.
There will always be, in every land and every generation, those who will
listen to the reminders and warnings and will benefit by them, no matter
how corrupt their society is and how hardened their people are.(1/217)
If we ponder a little over the verses in this surah and their sequence,
we realise the greatness of the message entrusted to the Prophet. To convey
it, and to give the warnings he is asked to give he needs special
equipment: a smooth way to perfect ease in everything, to be taught to
read and Allah's preservation of the message intact. Once the Prophet
has conveyed his message, his task is fulfilled. Everyone is left to
choose his way, Their destinies differ according to their choice of the
ways they follow:
He who fears Allah will heed it, but the most wretched will turn
aside from it. He shall be cast into the greatest fire, in which he
neither dies nor lives. Prosperous is he who purifies himself and
glorifies the name of his Lord and prays.
The Prophet is told here that his warnings will benefit him, Who fears
Allah and fears His punishment. Any intelligent man will feel a shudder
in his soul as soon as he learns that there is a Creator who proportions
well, determines and guides. For he realises that such a Creator must
hold every man responsible for his actions, good or evil, and will reward
him accordingly. Hence he fears and heeds the warnings when he is warned
"But the most wretched will turn aside from it." If a man does not listen
to the warning given, then he is absolutely "the most wretched" He lives
in a void, uninspired by the facts surrounding him, turning a deaf ear
and a senseless mind to the evidence they give.
Such a person lives in constant worry, striving hard to attain the paltry(1/218)
pleasures of this world. Hence he is the most wretched in this life. But
he is also the most wretched in the hereafter as he suffers there endless
torment: "He shall be cast into the greatest fire, in which he shall
neither die nor live." The greatest fire is that of Hell. It is indeed
the greatest of all fires in intensity, duration and size. He who suffers
it finds it endless. He neither dies to rest from its torment, nor does
he live in it a life of rest and security. It is a never-ending agony
which makes the sufferer yearn for death as his greatest hope. At the
other end we find prosperity accompanied with self purification and
heeding of the warnings: "Prosperous is he who purifies himself and
glorifies the name of his Lord and prays. " Purification is used here
in the widest sense of the word: purification from everything filthy or
sinful. The person who seeks to purify himself, glorifies his Lord, feels
His power and majesty in his inmost soul and prays, (whether taken in its
general sense or its special Islamic sense) will definitely be
"prosperous", as Allah states here. He will be prosperous here in this
life as he enjoys his relationship with Allah and the perfect bliss that
results from his glorification of Allah. He will also be prosperous in
the hereafter as he escapes Hell and is rewarded with perfect happiness
in Paradise. How different the two destinies are.
Having sketched the two different ends of the most wretched and the
godfearing, the surah points out to the addressees the real reason for(1/219)
their great wretchedness, the failure which drives them headlong into
the greatest fire: "Yet you prefer this present life while the life to
come is better and longer lasting". This short sighted preference for
the present life is the real reason for every misery which befalls man.
It is indeed the cause of man's taking no heed of the warnings given to
him. The Qur'an calls the present life "dunia" which connotes both
contemptuousness and ease of access. The life to come is better in kind
and duration. Only the foolish who are deprived of sound Judgement would,
in the circumstances, prefer the present life to the next.
In conclusion, the surah points out that the message of Islam is not new,
its roots go back far deep in time. "All this is surely written in earlier
scriptures, the scriptures of A Abraham and Moses." The basics of the
grand faith contained in this surah are the same old basic facts outlined
in the ancient scriptures of Abraham and Moses.
The truth is one and the faith is one. This results from the fact that
their origin is one, Allah, Whose will it was to send messengers to
mankind. The messengers deliver basically the same message, the same
simple truth. Details of the messages may differ according to local or
temporal needs, but the basics are the same. They have one origin: Allah,
the Most High, Who creates, proportions well, determines and guides.(1/220)
Sura 88
THE ENVELOPER
AL GHASHIYAH
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Have you heard the story of the Enveloper? Some faces on that day are
downcast, labour weary, toilworn, roasting at a scorching flre, made to
drink from a boiling fountain. Their only food shall be the fruit of
Dhari', which will neither nourish nor satisfy their hunger. Other faces
on that day are jocund, well-pleased with their striving, in a sublime
garden, where they hear no babble. A running fountain shall be there,
and raised couches, and cushions laid in order, and carpets outspread.
Let them reRect how the camel was created; how heaven was lifted up; how
the mountains were hoisted; how the earth was outstretched. Therefore give
warning; your mission is only to warn them. You are not their overseer.
But he who turns his back and disbelieves, Allah shall inflict on him
the greatest chastisement. To Us they shall surely return, when We shall
bring them to account.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This surah is a deep and calm melody which invites meditation, hope and
fear, and warns man to be ready for the day of reckoning. It carries man's
heart into two vast spheres: the life hereafter, its limitless world and
moving scenes; and the visible sphere of existence, with the signs Allah
has spread in all the creatures sharing this existence, held out for every
one to see. After these two great scenarios, the surah reminds man of the
reckoning on the Day of Judgement, of Allah's power, and of the inevitable
return to Him. Throughout, the style is characterised by its depth of
tone: it is calm but highly effective, powerful, and awesome.
"Have you heard the story of the Enveloper?" With this introduction, the(1/221)
surah wants to make human hearts turn back to Allah, to remind men of His
signs in the universe, His reckoning on the Day of Judgement, and His
certain reward. It starts with this inquiry, which implies greatness and
indicates a positive statement. It points out that the question of the
hereafter had already been affirmed and earlier reminders had been given.
The Day of Resurrection is here given a new name, "the Enveloper", which
suggests that a calamity will befall mankind and envelop them with its
horrors. It is one of the evocative names mentioned in the thirtieth part
of the Qur'an. Others are: "the Overwhelming", "the Deafening", "the
Stunning Event". They are all very suitable to the general tone and
nature of this part.
The Prophet (peace be on him) whenevcr he listened to this surah would
feel that the address "Have you heard ..." was directed to him personally,
as if he was receiving it from his Lord directly for the first time. He
was extremely moved by Allah's address to him. The reality of this Divine
address was always present in his mind. A tradition related by Umar ibn
Maymoon says that the Prophet once passed by a woman who was reading the
surah . When she read "Have you heard the story of the Enveloper ...?" he
stopped to listen and said "Yes, I have heard it."
The address is nevertheless a general one, directed to everyone who hears
the Qur'an. The story of the Enveloper is the oft-repeated theme in the
Qur'an, reminding men of the hereafter, warning them of its punishment,
and promising its rewards. It is a story which aims to awaken men's(1/222)
consciences, to arouse their fear and apprehension as well as their hope
and expectancy.
After asking "Have you heard the story of the Enveloper?", the surah
relates a part of this story: "Somefaces on that day are downcast, labour
weary, toilworn, roasting at a scorching fire, made to drink from a boiling
fountain. Their only food shall be the fruit of Dhari, which will neither
nourish nor satisfy their hunger." The scene of suffering and torture is
given before the scene of joy, because the former is closer to the
connotations and impressions of "the Enveloper".
Thus we are told that there are on that day faces which look humble, down
cast and toilworn. They belong to people who have laboured and toiled
without any satisfactory results. Indeed the results they get are a total
loss, which increases their disappointment, and causes looks of
humiliation and exhaustion on their faces. Hence they are described as
"labour weary, toilworn". They had laboured and toiled for something
different than the cause of Allah. Their work was totally for themselves
and their families, for their own ambitions in the worldly life. Then
they come to reap the fruits of their toil, not having made any provisions
for the future life. Hence they face the end with a mixture of humiliation,
exhaustion, misery and hopelessness. In addition to all this they roast
"at a scorching fire."
They are "made to drink from a boiling fountain. Their only food shall be
thefruit of Dhari', which will neither nourish nor satisfy their hunger."(1/223)
Dhari' is said to be a tree of fire in Hell. This explanation is based on
what has been revealed about the tree of "zayqoom" which grows at the
centre of Hell. It is also said to be a kind of cactus thorn, which when
green is called "shabraq" and is eaten by camels. However, when it is
fully grown it cannot be eaten as it becomes poisonous. Whatever it is
in reality, it is a kind of food like "ghisleen" and "ghassaaq" (names
given by the Qur'an to refer to the food available in Hell) which neither
nourishes nor appeases hunger.
It is obvious that we, in this world, cannot fully comprehend the nature
of that suffering and torture in the hereafter. The description is made
in order to give our human perceptions the feeling of the greatest
possible pain, which is produced by a combination of humiliation,
weakness, failure, the scorching fire, drinking and bathing in boiling
water, and eating food unacceptable even to the camels.
From all these aspects we get a feeling of the ultimate affliction. But
the affliction of the hereafter is, nevertheless, greater. Its true nature
is incomprehensible except to those who will actually experience it. May
Allah never count us among them.
On the other hand we find "other faces on that day are jocund, well
pleased with their striving, in a sublime garden, where they hear no
babble. A running fountain shall be there, and raised couches, and goblets
set forth, and cushions laid in order, and carpets outspread." Here are
faces bright with joy, animated with pleasure. They are well-pleased with(1/224)
what they are given. They enjoy that splendid, spiritual feeling of
satisfaction with what they have done, as they sense Allah's pleasure
with them. There is no better feeling for man than to be reassured of
his own actions, and to see the results reflected by Allah's pleasure
with him. The Qur'an gives precedence to this kind of happiness over
the joys of heaven. Then it describes heaven and the joys it affords to
its happy dwellers: "in a sublime garden." It is glorious and sublime,
with lofty positions and elevated gardens.
The description of height and elevation gives us a special feeling. "Where
they hear no babble": this expression creates a sense of calmness, peace,
reassurance, affection, satisfaction and pleasant discourse between
friends. It also provides a feeling of raising oneself above any vain
conversation. This is in itself a kind of joy and happiness, which is
better felt when one remembers the first life and its increasing polemics,
disputes, contentions, quarrels, sin and uproar. When one remembers all
this, one relaxes with the feeling of complete calmness, total peace and
pleasant happiness generated by the Qur'anic expression "where they hear
no babble". The very words are endowed with pleasant fragrance. They flow
with a gratifying rhythm. It also implies that, as the believers turn away
in this life from polemics and vain discourse, their way of life acquires
a heavenly element.
As has been said earlier, of all the descriptions of heaven, Allah
emphasises first this sublime and brilliant element, before He mentions(1/225)
the joys which satisfy the senses. These are given in a form
comprehensible to man, but in heaven they take the form which is suited
for the elevated standards of the people of heaven. Thus they remain
unknown except to those who actually experience them.
"A running fountain shall be there": the description combines a sense of
the appeasement of thirst, with beauty of movement and flow. Running water
gives a sense of liveliness and youth. It is pleasant to the eye and the
mind, and touches the depths of human feeling.
"And raised couches": the adjective "raised" gives an impression of
cleanliness and purity. "A nd goblets set forth", so they are ready for
drinking - there is no need to order or prepare them. "And cushions laid
in order" are for the dwellers to recline and relax. "And carpets out
spread" are for the dual purpose of decoration and comfort. All these
luxuries are similar to luxuries enjoyed in this life, but these are
mentioned merely to make them comprehensible to us. Their true nature,
and the nature of their enjoyment, are left for the experience of those
successful people whom Allah has rewarded. It is useless to make
comparisons or enquiries concerning the nature of the joys of the here
after, or the nature of its afflictions. People gain their understanding
by means that are limited to this world, and the nature of life in it.
When they are in the next life all veils will be lifted and barriers
removed. Souls and senses will be free from all restrictions, and the
connotations of the very words will alter as a result of the change in(1/226)
feelings they refer to. These Qur'anic descriptions help us to imagine
the ultimate of sweemess and joy. This is all that we can do while we
live on earth, but when Allah honours us with His grace and pleasure,
as we pray He shall, we will know the reality to which the Qur'an
refers.
When this account of the hereafter comes to its close, the surah refers
to the present world, which is in itself a manifestation of the power
and perfect planning of Allah, the Almighty: "Let them reflect how the
camel was created, how heaven was lifted up, how the mountains were
hoisted, and how the earth was outstretched" These four short verses
join together the boundaries of the world of the Arabs - the first people
to be addressed by the Qur'an. They also group together the prominent ends
of creation in the universe as they speak of the sky, earth, mountains and
camels. The last of these stands for all animals, although the camel has
its own distinctive features and a special value for the Arabs. All these
aspects of creation - the sky, earth, mountains and animals - are always
in front of man wherever he is. Whatever man's level of civilisation and
scientific advancement, they remain within his world and within his sphere
of consciousness. When he considers their roles, they suggest to him
something of what lies beyond. In each of them there is a miracle of
creation. The distinctive, incomparable work of the Creator is clear in
them all, and this alone is sufficient to indicate the true faith. Hence
the Qur'an directs to them the attention of every human being.(1/227)
"Let them reflect how the camel was created. " The camel was the principal
animal for the Arab. It was his means of transport and it carried his
belongings. It gave him food and drink. From its hair and skin he made
his clothes and dwellings. Besides, the camel is unique among all animals.
Despite its strength, size and firm build, it is tame: a boy can manage
it. It gives man a great service and, at the same time, it is inexpensive
to keep and its food is easy to find. Moreover, it is the only animal to
endure hunger, thirst, hard work and poor conditions. Its shape has also
a special characteristic which is in perfect harmony with the portrait
drawn here, and this will be discussed later on.
So, the Qur'an asks of its first audience to ponder on how the camel is
made. This does not require them to undertake any difflcult task or to
discover any obscure field of science. "Let them reflect how the camel
was created." Camels were a part of their world, and they only needed
to look and consider how they were made most suitable for their role;
how their shape and build fit perfectly with their environment and
function. Man did not create camels, nor did camels create themselves.
So, they must have been made by the Unique Maker whose work reflects His
supreme ability and perfect planning, and proves His existence.
"How heaven was lifted up." The Qur'an repeatedly directs man's
reflective faculties to think of the skies. The desert people should be
the first to undertake this, because in the desert the sky has a much(1/228)
richer impact and is more inspiring - as if it has a unique existence.
The sky - its days brilliant and beaming, its late afternoons captivating
and fascinating, its sunsets charming and inspiring, its infinite nights,
sparkling stars and friendly whispers, its sunrises live and animating,
all this is certainly worth a good deal of reflection and contemplation.
They should consider how it was lifted up. Who raised it so high without
pillars to support it? Who scattered those innumerable stars? Who endowed
it with its beauty and inspiration? They certainly did not lift it up, and
it could not have been lifted by itself. A power is responsible for its
creation and erection, and intelligent thought is enough to indicate Him.
"How the mountains were hoisted." For the Arab in particular, a mountain
is a refuge and a friend. In general, it always looks majestic and awe
some. Next to a mountain, a man appears small and humble. It is natural
for a man on a mountain to think of Allah, and feel himself nearer to
Him. He feels a distinct detachment from the petty concerns of his
worldly life. It was neither a vain whim nor a coincidence that Muhammad
(peace be on him) should go to the cave in Mount Hira'a for periods of
worship and contemplation (before he was given the message). It is also
not surprising that those who want to spend a period in self-purification
should seek to do so in a mountain. The reference here to the mountains
speaks of them being "hoisted", because this fits in perfectly with the
image portrayed, which will be dealt with later on.(1/229)
"How the earth was outstretched " The earth is obviously outstretched and
made suitable for human life and its full and varied range of activities.
Man could not have outstretched it, as it was completed long before his
existence. So should not man reflect on and consider who outstretched the
earth and made life feasible on it?
Intelligent reflection on all these aspects will always inspire the minds
and excite the souls into recognition of Allah, the Creator.
Perhaps we should pause a little to consider the perfection with which
this image of the universe is portrayed. The Qur'an addresses man's
religious conscience in a language of artistic beauty, and both coalesce
in the believer's perception to bring the whole image in full relief. The
scene portrayed includes the elevated heaven and the outstretched earth.
Across such a boundless horizon stand the mountains. They are not
described as firmly-rooted, but "hoisted". The camels also stand with
their upright humps. It is a majestic scene, vast and in6nite, with merely
two horizontal lines and two vertical ones. This manipulation of graphic
description for the expression of ideas is a distinct characteristic of
the Qur'anic style.
Having dealt first with the Hereafter, and pointed out some apparent
aspects of the universe, the surah now addresses the Prophet, (peace be
upon him), laying down the nature of his mission and limits of his role.
It then concludes with a final reminder to mankind:
Therefore give warning; your mission is only to warn them. You are not(1/230)
their overseer. But he who turns his back and disbelieves, Allah shall
inflict on him the greatest chastisement. To Us rhey shall surely
return, when We shall bring them to account.
Remind them then of the hereafter and the universe, and all there is in
each of them." You are not the it overseer." You have no control over
their heans and you cannot compel them to adopt the faith. Men's heans
are in the hands of Allah, the Merciful. Jihad (struggle in the cause of
Allah), which was later made a duty of the Prophet and all Muslims, did
not aim at converting people to Islam by force. Its only aim was to remove
all hindrances in the way of the Islamic call, so that it could be
conveyed freely, and so that people were not prevented from listening
to it or persecuted for doing so. That is the role the Prophet can fulfil:
to remove the obstacles which prevent him conveying his message.
The notion fhat the Prophd's mission is confined to reminding and
conveying the message is often repeated and stressed in the Qur'an .
There are several reasons for this emphasis, the first of which is to
relieve the Prophet of the heavy burden of directing the course of the
Islamic call once he has conveyed it. He must leave it to Allah to decide
its course. The urgency of the human yearning to win victory for the
Truth and to get people to benefit trom its absolute goodness is so keen
that such repetition is required to make the advocates of this call
distinguish their own desires and ambitions from their mission. When
this distinction is clear, they proceed with the fulfilment of their(1/231)
duty regardless of the response and consequences. Thus the advocates of
the call do not worry themselves over who has accepted the faith and who
has rejected it. They are not charged with this burden, which becomes
particularly heavy at times of adversity, when favourable response
becomes a rarity and enemies abound. But conveyance of the Message,
which is the limit of the Prophet's task, is not the end of the matter.
The disbdievers are not to be left alone. They cannot deny Allah and be
safe. "But he who turns his back and disbelieves, Allah shall inflict
on him the greatest chastisement. "They will no doubt return to Allah,
and He will inevitably administer their retribution. The surah ends on
a decisive and final note: "To Us they shall surely return, when We
shall bring them to account." The definition of the Prophet's role and
the role of every subsequent advocate of Islam is thus completed. They
have only to remind and the reckoning will be made by Allah.
It must be stressed, however, that the process of reminding includes the
removal of hindrances so that people may be free to listen to the call.
This is the aim of Jihad as it is understood from the Qur'an and the
history of the Prophet. It is a process which neither admits negligence
nor permits aggression.(1/232)
SURAH 89
THE DAWN
al Fajr
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
By the dawn, by the ten nights, by that which is even and that which
is odd, by the night as it journeys on ! Is there not in that an oath
for a man of sense? Have you not heard how your Lord dealt with Aad
Who belonged to Iram and were tall as pillars, the like of whom had
not been created in the whole land? And with Thamoud, who u#d to cut
the rocks of the valley? And with Pharoah, of the tent-pegs? They were
all tyrannical nd transgressors, and infested the land with much
corruption. Your Lord let loose on them, therefore, the scourge of His
punishment. Your Lord surely observes all. As for man, whenever his Lord
tria him with honour and with favors He bestows on him, he s ys, My Lord
has honoured me. But whenever He tries him by stinting his me w, then he
says, My Lord has left me humilated. No indeed; but you show no kindness
to the orphans, nor do you urge one another to feed the needy. You devour
the orphans' inheritance greedily, and you love wealth passionately.
Noindeed! When the earth is systematically levelled down, and your Lord
comes, with the angels rank on rank, and Gehanna is, then, brought near,
Then man will remember, but how will that remembrance profit him .
He shall say, "Oh,would that I had prepared for my life! On that day
none shall chastise as He chastises, nor shall any bind with chains as
He binds. "Oh soul at peace, return to your Lord, well pleased and well
pleasing. Enter you among My servants! Enter My Paradise!"
In the Shade of the Quran
The present surah follows, in general, the line of this thirtieth part of
the Qur'an, inviting the human heart to faith, urging man to awake,
meditate and follow the path of piety. It uses different kinds of em-
phasis, connotation and rhythm. It constitutes, nevertheless, a single(1/233)
harmonious piece of music varying in tones but maintaining the
same cadence. Some of its scenes have a touch of quiet beauty and a
light, pleasant rhythm. This is particularly evident in its opening,
which describes certain charming scenes in the universe and provides
at the same time an aura of worship and prayer: "By the dawn; by the
ten nights; by that which is even and that which is odd; by rhe night as
it journeys on!" Other scenes are tense and dramatic in both what they
describe and their music, like this violent, frightening scene: When
the earth is systematically levelled down; and your Lord comes, with the
angels rank on rank; and Gehanna is, then, brought near, then man will
remember, but how will that remembrance profit him? He shall say.
'Oh, would that I had prepared for my life! ' On that day none shall
chastise as He chastises; nor shall any bind with chains as He binds."
Others are pleasing, gentle and reassuring, striking perfect harmony
between the subject matter and the rhythm. This is true of the ending
of the surah. "Oh soul at peace, return to your Lord, well pleased and
well pleasing. Enter you among My servants! Enter My Paradise." The
surah also includes some references to the destruction that had be-
fallen some insolent people of the past. The rhythm here is some-
where in between that of easy narration and that of violent
destruction: "Have you not heard how your Lord dealt with Aad who
belonged to Iram and were tall as pillars ... Your Lord surely observes
all". We also have an outline of some human concepts and values(1/234)
which are at variance with faith. This part has its own style and
rhythms: "As for man, whenever his Lord tries him with honour and
with favours He bestows on him, he says, 'My Lord has honoured me'.
But whenever He tries him by stinting his means then he says, 'My Lord
has left me humiliated'." A refutation of these erroneous concepts
and values is provided through an exposition of the human con-
ditions which give rise to them. Here we have two kinds of style and
rhythm: You show no kindness to the orphan, nor do you urge one
another to feed the needy. You devour the orphans' inheritance greedi-
ly. and you love wealth passionately." It is noticeable that the latter
style and rhythm serves as a bridge between that of the statement of
the erroneous human ways and that of the explanation of their
attendant fate. These verses are immediatdy followed by the scene of
the earth as it is levelled down.
This brief survey reveals to us the numerous colours of the scenes
described and explains the change of metre and rhyme according to
the change of scenes. The surah is indeed an excellent example of an
exceptionally beautiful style which is varied and harmonious at the
same time.
"By the dawn, by the ten nights, by that which is even and that which
is odd, by the night as it journeys on! Is there not in that an oath for
a man of sense?" This opening of the surah groups together a few scenes
and creatures who have familiar, pleasant, and transparent souls.
"By the dawn" refers to the time when life starts to breathe with ease(1/235)
and happiness, the time which gives a feeling of fresh, friendly com-
panionship. The dormant world gradually wakes up in a prayer-like
process.
"By the ten nights". The Qur'an does not specify which are the ten
nights referred to here. Several explanations, however, have been
advanced. Some say they are the early part of the month of Thul-
Hijja; some say they are in al-Muharram; and others state that they
are the last ten nights of Ramadan. As it leaves them undefined, the
Arabic reference acquires an added amiable effect. They are merely
ten nights known to Allah but the expression connotes that these ten
nights have a special character, as if they were living creatures with
souls and there was mutual sympathy between them and us, trans-
mitted through the Qur'anic verse.
"By that which is even and that which is odd". This verse adds an
atmosphere of worship to that of the dawn and the ten nights. Ac-
cording to at-Tirmithi, the Prophet says: "Some prayers are of even
number and some are odd." This is the most appropriate import to
be attached to this verse, in the general context of the surah. It sug-
gests a mutual response between the souls of the worshippers and
those of the selected nights and the brightening dawn .
"By the night as it journeys on." The night here is personified as if it
were journeying on in the universe like an insomniac walking on and
on in the darkness, or a traveller who prefers to start his long journey
at night. What a beautiful expression, describing a pleasant scene
with a superb rhythm! The harmony between this verse and the(1/236)
dawn, the ten nights and the even and the odd is perfect. These are
not mere words and expressions: they provide a feeling of the breeze
of dawn, and the morning dew diffusing the fragrance of flowers.
This is the effect of a gentle whisper to the heart and soul, and an
inspiring touch upon the conscience. The beauty of this loving
address is far superior to any poetic expression because it combines
the beauty of originality with the statement of a certain fact. Hence it
ss concluded with a rhetorical question: "Is there not in that an oath
for a man of sense?" The oath and the conviction are certainly there
for anyone with a meditative mind. Although the positive meaning is
intended, the interrogative form is used because it is gentler. Thus
harmony with the preceding gentle address is maintained.
The subject of the oath is omitted, but it is explained by the follow-
ing discussion of tyranny and corruption. The chastisement inflicted
by Allah on the insolent, tyrannical and corrupt peoples is a law of
nature asserted by this oath. The assertion takes the form of a hint
sultable to the generally light touches of this surah: "Have you not
heard how your Lord dealt with Aad who belonged to Iram and were tall
as pillars, the like of whom had not been created in the whole land? And
with the Thamoud, who used to cut the rocks of the valley? And with
Pharoah, of the tent-pegs? They were all tyrannical and transgressors
and infested the land with much corruption. Your Lord let loose on
them, therefore, the scourge of lfis punishment. Your Lord surely
observes all."(1/237)
The interrogative form in such a context is more effective in draw-
ing the attention of the addressee, who is, in the first instance, the
Prophet (peace be on him) and then to all those who may ponder over
the fates of those nations of the past. The people of the Prophet's gen-
eration, who were the first to be addressed by the Qur'an, were aware
of what happened to these nations. Their fates were also explained in
reports and stories conveyed by one generation to another The
description of these fates as the deeds of Allah is comforting and
reassuring to the believers. It was particularly so to those believers in
Makka who, at the time when this surah was revealed were subjected
by the disbelievers to relentless persecution and great hardship.
These short verses refer to the fates of the most powerful and
despotic nations in ancient history. They speak of the earlier tribe of
Aad of Iram, a branch of the extinct Arabs. They used to dwell at
Ahqaf, a sandy piece of land in southern Arabia, midway between
Yemen and Hadramout. Aad were nomadic people who used posts
and pillars to erect their tents. They are described elsewhere in the
Qur'an as extremely powerful and aggressive. Indeed they were the
most powerful and prestigious of all contemporary Arabian tribes:
"The like of whom had not been created in the whole land. " The dis-
tinction here is restricted to that particular age. "And with Thamoud,
who used to cut the rocks in the valley? " The tribe of Thamoud used to
live at Al-Hijr, a rocky tract in northern Arabia, on the road from(1/238)
Medina to Syria. Thamoud excelled in using rocks to build their
palaces and homes. They also dug shelters and caves in the moun-
tains. "And with Pharoah. of the tent-pegs." The term "tent-pegs"
denotes the pyramids which are as firm in their construction as pegs
well dug in the ground. The Pharoah referred to here is that despot
who was Moses's contemporary.
All these people "were tyrannical and transgressors, and infested
the land with much corruption". Corruption is an inevitable result of
tyranny, and it aflfects the tyrant and his subjects alike. Indeed,
tyranny ruins all human relations. It forces human life out of its
healthy, constructive and straight path and diverts it into a line which
does not lead to the fulfilment of man's role as Allah's vicegerent on
earth. Tyranny makes the tyrant captive of his own desires because
he is uncommitted to any principle or standard and unrestrained
within any reasonable limits. Thus the tyrant is always the first to be
corrupted by his own tyranny. He assumes for himself a role other
than that of a servant of Allah, entrusted with a specific mission . This
is evident in Pharoah's boastful claim: "I am your Lord, the most
high".
Here we have an example of the corrupting influence of despotism
in Pharoah's aspiration to something greater than the status of an
obedient creature, an aspiration which made him very insolent.
Tyranny also corrupts the masses, as it humiliates them and compels
them to suppress their discontent and the hatred they feel towards(1/239)
the tyrant. It kills all feelings of human dignity and wastes all creative
talents, which cannot flourish except in an atmosphere of freedom . A
humiliated soul inevitably rots away and becomes a breeding ground
for the germs of sickly desires. Hence, digression from the right
path becomes the order of the day as clear vision becomes an
impossibility. In such conditions no aspiration to a higher human
standard can be entertained. The net result of all this is spreading
corruption.
Tyranny also destroys all healthy standards and concepts because
they constitute a threat to its existence. Hence, values are falsified
and standards are distorted so that the repulsive idea of despotism
becomes acceptable as natural. This, in itself, is great corruption.
When the aforementioned people caused so much corruption, the
remedy was, inevitably, a complete purge: " Your Lord let loose on
them, therefore, the scourge of His punishment. Your Lord surely
observes all. Allah is certainly aware of their deeds and He records
them. So, when corruption increased, He punished the corrupt seve-
rely. The text connotes that the chastisement was very painful as it
uses the term "scourge'', (or "whip" as the Arabic term literally
means) and that it was in large supply as is indicated by the use of the
phrase "let loose". Thus the corrupted tyrants were made to suffer
plentiful and painful retribution.
As the believer faces tyranny in any age or place, he feels great re-
assurance emanating from far beyond the fates of all those nations.(1/240)
He also feels a particular comfort as he reads the verse: "Your Lord
surely observes all." Nothing passes unnoticed and nothing is forgot-
ten. So let the believers be always reassured that Allah will deal, in
time, with all corruption and all tyranny.
Thus the surah provides some examples of what Allah may do
about the cause of faith, which are totally different from the example
of the "People ofthe Pit" outlined insurah 85, "The Constellations".
All these stories are related for a definite purpose, namely, the edu-
cation of the believers and their preparation to face whichever course
Allah chooses for them. They will be, then, ready for all eventualities
and equipped with the Divine reassurance as they submit themselves
to Allah and let His will be done.
"Your Lord surely observes all." He sees, records, holds to account
and rewards according to a strict and accurate measure which neither
errs, nor exceeds the limits of justice. It is never deceived by appear-
ances because it judges the essence of things. Human measures and
standards are liable to all sorts of errors. Man sees nothing beyond
the appearances unless he adopts the Divine measure.
"As for man, whenever his Lord tries him with honour and with
favours He bestows on him, he says 'My Lord has honoured me'. But
whenever He tries him by stinting his means, then he says. 'My Lord has
left me humiliated'." Such is man's thinking about the various forms
of trial Allah may set for him, be it comfort or hardship, wealth or
scarcity. Allah may test him with comforts, honour, wealth or pos-(1/241)
ition but he does not realise the probationary nature of what he is
given. Rather he considers the gesture as proof that he deserves to be
honoured by Allah and as evidence that He has chosen him for a
special honour. It is a line of thinking which mistakes trial for reward
and test for result. It imagines honour in the sight of Allah to be
measured by the amount of worldly comforts given to a certain
person. Allah may also try man by stinting his means, and man again
mistakes trial for reward and imagines the test to be a retribution. He
feels that Allah has made him poor in order to humiliate him.
In both situations the human concept is faulty. Wealth and
poverty are two forms of a test Allah sets for His servants. A test with
abundance reveals whether a man is humble and thankful to his Lord
or arrogant and haughty, while a trial of the opposite kind reveals his
patient acceptance or his irritability and fretfulness. A man's reward
is given according to what he proves himself to be. What he is given
or denied of worldly comforts is not his reward, and a man's standing
in the sight of Allah is in no way related to his possessions, for He
gives and denies worldly comforts regardless of whether a man is
good or bad. A man devoid of faith cannot comprehend the wisdom
behind Allah's action of giving worldly comforts or denying them
But when his mind is enlightened with faith and truth becomes ap-
parent to him, he realises the triviality of worldly riches and the value
of the reward after the test. So he works for this reward whether he is(1/242)
tried with abundance or scarcity of worldly riches. As he disregards
the hollow considerations of wealth and poverty, he feels reassured
about his fate and his position in the sight of Allah.
At the time of its revelation, the Qur'an was addressing a kind of
people, common to all Ignorant societies, who lost all their relations
with a world beyond our present life. Such people adopt this mis-
taken view about Allah's granting or denial of wealth, and apply a set
Of values which reserve all honour to money and social standing.
Hence, their craving for wealth is irresistible. It makes them covet-
ous, greedy and stingy. The Qur'an reveals their true feelings and
states that their greed and stinginess are responsible for their in-
ability to understand the true significance of a Divine trial by grant-
ing wealth or denying it. "No, indeed; but you show no kindness to the
orphan, nor do you urge one another to yeed the needy. You devour the
orphans' inheritance greedily, and You love wealth passionately." The
real issue is that when men are given wealth they do not fulfil the
duties demanded of the wealthy They do not look after a young
orphan who has lost his father and becomes therefore in need of pro-
tection and support. They do not urge one another to contribute to
the general welfare. Such a mutual encouragement is indeed an
important feature of the Islamic way of life. Since those people do not
comprehend the significance of the trial, they do not even try to come
out of it successfully by looking after the orphans and urging one(1/243)
another to feed the needy. On the contrary, they devour the orphans'
inheritance greedily, and crave unrestrainedly for wealth. It is a crav-
ing which kills all nobility in their minds and leaves no room for
generous gestures or goodwill towards the poor.
In Makka, Islam was facing a situation characterised by a com-
mon urge to accumulate wealth by every possible means, an urge
which makes hearts hard and unsympathetic. The weak positions of
the orphans, and orphan girls in particular, tempted many to deprive
them of their inheritance in different ways. The ardent love of
wealth, the craving to accumulate it through usury and other means,
was a distinctive feature of the Makkan society before the advent of
Islam. Indeed, it is a distinctive feature of all Ignorant societies in
all ages and in the present age.
These few verses do not merely expose the true nature of their atti-
tude. They also condemn this attitude and urge its discontinuation.
The condemnation is evident in the repetition in these verses, their
rhythm and metre which provide a strong feeling of the urge to ac-
cumulate wealth: " You devour the orphans' inheritanee greedily, and
you love eJealth passionately."
Once their erroneous concept of the trial with wealth and poverty
is outlined, and their vile attitude has been exposed there follows a
stern warning about the Day of Judgement which comes after the
result of the test is known. Here the rhylhm is very powerful: "No
indeed! When the earth is systematically levelled down, and Your Lord(1/244)
comes, with the angels rank on rank, and Gehanna is, then, hrought
near, then man will remember, but how will that remembrance profit
him? He shall say, 'Oh would that I had prepared for my life!' On that
day none shall chastise as He chastises. nor shall any hind with chains
as He binds." The total destruction of all that is on earth and the sys-
tematic levelling down is one of the upheavals which will take place
in the universe on the Day of Resurrection. Allah's coming with the
angels is unexplained but the expression overflows with connota-
tions of reverence, awe and fear. The same applies to the bringing
closer of Gehanna: we take it to mean that Gehanna will be on that
day very close to its prospective dwellers. What actually happens and
how it happens is part of the Divine knowledge Allah has chosen to
withhold until that day. These verses, with their captivating rhythm
and sharp notes, portray nevertheless a scene which strikes fear into
the hearts, and makes it apparent in the eyes. The earth is being sys-
tematically levelled down: Allah the Almighty sits to judge everyone:
the angels stand there rank on rank and Gehanna is brought near and
set in readiness. At that moment "man will remember". Man, who
lived unaware of the wisdom behind the trial with worldly riches or
with deprivation; who devoured the inheritance of orphans greedily;
who craved for money and did not care for the orphans or the needy;
who tyrannised, spread corruption and turned away from the Divine
guidance will then remember the truth and take account of what he(1/245)
beholds. But alas ! it is too late: "but how will that remembrance profit
him?" The time for remembrance is over, so remembrance on the
Day of Judgement and Reward will not profit anybody. It serves
merely as an act of grief for a chance given but not taken in the first
life.
When man is fully aware of the true nature of his situation he says
despairingly, "Oh, would that I had prepared for my life!" For the true
life, the only one that deserves the name is indeed the life hereafter. It
is the one which is worth preparing for. "Oh, would that I had ... " It
is a sigh of evident regret and grief, but it is the most a man can do for
himself in that second life.
The surah goes on to portray the fate of that man after his desper-
ate sigh and useless wish: "On that day none shall chastise as He chas-
tises, nor, shall any bind with chains as He binds." It is Allah, the
Supreme Victor, the Almighty Who inflicts His incomparable chas-
tisements, and Who binds as no one can bind. The Divine punish-
ment and binding are explained in detail in other parts of the Qur'an
as it outlines various scenes of the Day of Judgement. But the refer-
ence to them here is very brief, stressing mainly their incomparability
to human chastisement and binding. The reference to the Divine
punishment here brings to mind the earlier reference to human
tyranny in the given examples of Aad, Thamoud and Pharoah . Those
tyrants are stated to have spread much corruption in the land, which
includes the infliction of physical torture on people and binding them(1/246)
with chains and ropes. These last verses serve as an address to the
Prophet and the believers, reminding them that their Lord will chas-
tise and chain those who used to torture people and chain them But
the two kinds of punishment and chaining are entirely different.
Meagre is the torture that any creature can administer, but great is
that inflicted by the Creator. Let the tyrants continue with their pun-
ishment and persecution; they will have their turn and be the
sufferers of a punishment which is beyond all imagination.
Amidst all this unimaginable horror comes an address from on
high to the believers: "Oh soul at peace, return to your Lord, well
pleased and well pleasing. Enter you among My servants! Enter My
Paradise!" It is a tender, compassionate and reassuring address: "Oh
soul at peace". It speaks of freedom and ease, after the earlier refer-
enceto chains and affliction: "return to your Lord" After your alien-
ation on earth and your separation from the one you belong to,
return now to your Lord with Whom you have strong ties: "well-
pleased and well-pleasing." It is a gentle address which spreads an
atmosphere of compassion, and satisfaction. "Enter you among My
servants", among those servants chosen to enjoy this Divine grace.
"Enter My Paradise", to receive Allah's mercy and protection. As it
opens, this address generates an aura of heaven: "Oh soul at peace".
The believer's is a soul at peace with its Lord, certain of its way, cer-
tain of its fate. It is a soul satisfied in all eventualities: happiness or(1/247)
affliction, wealth or poverty. It entertains no doubts; it is free from
transgressions. The gentle music adds a feeling of intimacy and
peace. The majestic face of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful,
with alt His splendour looks from above.(1/248)
SURH 90 THE CITY
AL-BALAD
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
I swear by this city, this city in which you yourself are a dweller,
by sire and offspring: indeed, We have created man in affliction.
Does he think that none has power over him? "I have wasted vast
riches," he says. Does he think that none observes him? Have We not
given him two eyes, a tongue, and two lips, and shown him the two
paths. Yet he has not attempted the Ascent. Would that you knew what
the Ascent is. It is the freeing of a slave, or the feeding, in a day
of hunger, of an orphaned near of kin, or a needy man in misery.
Moreover, it is to be of those who believe and counsel one another
to be steadfast, and enjoin mercy or one another. Those who do this
shall be on the right hand. And those who deny Our revelations
shall be on the left hand, with Hell-fire close above them.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This short surah touches on a large number of facts which are of cen-
tral importance in human life, in a style characterised by its powerful
allusions and revealing touches. Such a number of facts is not easy to
combine in any form of concise writing except that of the Qur'an,
with its unique method of hitting the right chords of the human heart
with such swift and penetrating strokes.
The surah opens with a forceful vow asserting an inherent fact of(1/248)
human life: "I swear by this city, this city in which you yourself are a
dweller, by sire and of spring: indeed, We have created man in afflict-
ion". The city is Makka, the sacred House of Allah which was the first
temple ever to be erected on this earth as a place of peace where
people put down their weapons and forget their quarrels. They meet
inside in peace; each is sacred to all. Even the plants, the birds and all
creatures that happen to be in this House enjoy full and complete
security. It is the House built by Abraham, the father of Ishmail, who
is the grandfather of all the Arabs and the Muslims. Allah then hon-
ours His Prophet, Muhammad, by mentioning him and his residence
in Makka a fact which adds to the sanctity of the city, its honour and
glory. This is a point of great significance in this context; for the
believers were violating the sanctity of the House by harassing the
Prophet and the Muslims in it. But the House is sacred and the
Prophet's dwelling in its neighbourhood makes it even more so. Allah's
oath by this city and by the Prophet's residence in it adds even more
to its sacredness and glory, which consequently makes the attitude of
the disbelievers grossly impertinent and objectionable on all counts.
For they claim to be the custodians of the House, the descendants of
Ishmail and the followers of Abraham.
This last reference supports the inclination to take the phrase, "by
sire and offspring" to refer to Abraham and Ishmail in particular.
This reading includes in the oath the Prophet, the city where he lives,(1/249)
the founder of the House and his offspring. However, it does not pre-
clude that the statement can be a general one, referring to the
phenomenon of reproduction which preserves the human race. This
reference may be taken as an introduction to the discussion of the
nature of man, which is indeed the subject matter of the surah.
In his commentary on this surah in his "Juz'u 'Amma', the late
Sheikh Muhammad Abduh, makes a fine remark which is useful to
quote here:
Allah then swears by parent and children to draw our attention to
the great importance of the stage of reproduction in life, and to the
infinite wisdom and perfection which this stage involves. It also
emphasises the great suffering encountered by parent and
offspring during the process from its inception up to its conclusion,
when the newcomer achieves a certain degree of development.
Think of plants and the tough opposition met by a seed of a
plant in the process of growth, until it adapts to the various factors
of climate. Think of its attempts to absorb the food necessary for
its survival from its surroundings, till it develops branches and
leaves. It then prepares for the production of a similar seed or
seeds that will repeat its function and add to the beauty of the
world around it. Think of all this then consider the more advanced
forms of animal and human life and you will see something much
greater and far more wonderful concerning reproduction. You
will have a feeling of the hardship and suffering met by all sires and
offspring for the sake of preserving the species and the beauty of
this world ...(1/250)
The oath reaffirms an intrinsic fact in human life: "Indeed, We
have created man in affliction". Indeed, man's life is a process of con-
tinued hardship that never ends, as stated in surah 84, ("The Rending")
"O man, you are striving to your Lord laboriously, and you will duly
meet Him". No sooner does the first living cell settle in the mother's
womb than it starts to encounter affliction and to work hard in order
to prepare for itself the right conditions for its survival, with the
permission of its Lord. It continues to do so until it is ready for the
process of birth, which is a great ordeal for both the mother and the
baby. Before the baby finally sees the light it undergoes a great deal
of pushing and squeezing to the point of near suffocation in its
passage out of the womb.
A stage of harder endurance and greater suffering follows. The
newborn baby begins to breathe the air, which is a new experience. It
opens its mouth and inflates its lungs for the first time with a cry
which tells of the hard start. The digestive system and the blood cir-
culation then start to function in a manner which is totally un-
familiar. Then it starts to empty its bowels, encountering great difficulty
in adapting its system to this new function. Indeed, every new step or
movement is attended by suffering. If one watches this baby when it
begins to crawl and walk, one sees the kind of effort required to ex-
ecute such minor and elementary movements.
Thus, affliction continues with teething, developing the abilities of
standing up, walking firmly, learning and thinking and with every(1/251)
single new experience in the same way as in the case of crawling and
walking.
Then the roads diverge and the struggle takes different forms. One
person struggles with his muscles, another with his mind and a third
with his soul. One toils for a mouthful of food or a rag to dress him-
self with, another to double or treble his wealth. One person strives to
achieve a position of power or influence and another for the sake of
Allah. One struggles for the sake of satisfying lusts and desires, and
the other for the sake of his faith or ideology. One strives but achieves
no more than Hell and another strives for Paradise. Everyone is
carrying his own burden and climbing his own hills to arrive finally at
the meeting place appointed by Allah, where the wretched shall
endure their worst suffering while the blessed enjoy their endless
happiness.
Affliction, life's foremost characteristic, takes various forms and
shapes but it is always judged by its eventual results. The loser is the
one who ends up suffering more affliction in the hereafter, and the
prosperous is the one whose striving qualifies him to be released from
his affliction and ensures him the ultimate repose under his Lord's
shelter. Yet there is some reward for the different kinds of struggle
which people endure. The one who labours for a great cause differs
from the one who labours for a trivial one, in the amount and the
quality of gratification each of them gains from his labour and
sacrifice.
Having established this fact concerning human nature and human(1/252)
life, the surah goes on to discuss some of the claims that man makes
and some of the concepts underlying his behaviour. "Does he think
that none has power over him? 'I have wasted vast riches ' he says. Does
he think that none observes him? " This creature, man, whose suffering
and struggling never come to an end, forgets his real nature and
becomes so conceited with what Allah has given him of power, abl-
lity, skill and prosperity that he behaves as if he is not accountable for
what he does. He indulges in oppression, tyranny, victimisation and
exploitation, trying to acquire enormous wealth. He corrupts himself
and others in total disregard of anything of value. Such is the charac-
ter of a man whose heart is stripped of faith. When he is called upon
to spend for good causes, he says, "I have wasted vast riches" and
given more than enough. "Does he think that none observes him?" Has
he forgotten that Allah is watching over him? He sees what he has
spent and for what purposes. But man still ignores this, thinking that
Allah is unaware of what he has done.
In view of man's arrogance, which makes him believe that he is
invincible, and in view of his meanness and claim of having spent abun-
dantly, the Qur'an puts before him the bounties Allah has bestowed
upon him which are manifested in his make-up abilities, although he
has depreciated them. "Have We not given him two eyes a tongue and
two lips and shown him the two paths. "
Man is conceited because he feels himself powerful, but he is
granted his power by Allah. He is mean with his wealth while Allah is(1/253)
the One Who provided him with it. He neither follows the right guid-
ance nor shows his gratitude, although Allah has given him the
means to do so. He has given him eyes which are marvellous, precise
and powerful. He has also granted him the faculty of speech and the
means of expression, "a tongue and two lips". He has equipped him
with the ability to distinguish good from evil, and right from wrong
"and shown him the two paths" so that he may choose between them
for in his make-up there exists the ability to take either way It is
Allah's will that man should be given such ability and such freedom
of choice, to perfect His scheme of creation which assigns to every
creature its role in life and equips it with the means necessary for its
fulfilment.
This verse explains the essence of human nature. In fact, the basis
of the "Islamic Psychological Theory" is contained in this verse as
well as the following verse of surah 91 "The Sun": "By the soul and
Him who moulded it and inspired it with knowledge of wickedness and
piety. Successful is the one who keeps it pure and ruined is the one who
corrupts it."
These are the favours bestowed on man in his actual make-up to
help him to follow the right guidance: his eyes with which he recog-
nises the evidence of Allah's might and the signs indicated all over
thls umverse whlch should prompt him to adopt the faith, and his
tongue and lips which are his means of speech and expression. One
word sometimes does the job of a sword or a shotgun and can be even
more effective than either. It may, on the other hand, plunge a man in(1/254)
the fire of Hell. Muaath ibn Jabal said, "I was with the Prophet on a
Journey. One day I was walking beside him when I said, 'Messenger
of Allah! point out to me something I may do to take me to Paradise
and keep me away from Hell!' He said, 'You have indeed askod
about something great, yet it is quite attainable by those for whom
Allah has made it easy. Worship Allah assigning to Him no partner,
offer your prayers regularly, pay out what is due to the poor of your
money, fast in the month of Ramadhan and offer pilgrimage.' The
Prophet then said, 'Shall I point out to you the gates of good?' I said,
'Yes, Messenger of Allah, please do.' He said, 'Fasting is a safeguard
and a means of protecting yourself; charity erases your errors just as
water extinguishes a burning fire; and your praying in the late hours
of the night is the sign of piety.' He then recited the verse, '(those) who
forsake their beds as they call on their Lord in fear and in hope; and who
give in charity or what We have bestowed on them. No soul knows what
bliss and comfort is in store for these as reward for their labours." (1)
The
Prophet then went on: 'Shall I tell you what the heart of the matter is,
its backbone and its highest grade?' I said, 'Yes, Messenger of Allah,
please do.' He said, 'The heart is Islam i.e. submission to Allah, the
backbone is prayers, and the highest grade is Jihad i.e. struggle for
the cause of Islam.' He then said, 'Shall I tell you what commands all
these?' I said, 'Yes, Messenger of Allah, please do.' He said, 'Control(1/255)
this ' and he pointed to his tongue. I said, 'Are we, Prophet of Allah,
really accountable for what we say?' He said 'Watch what you are
saying. (2) For what else are people dragged on their faces in Hell apart
from what their tongues yield?' (Related by Ahmad, At-Tirmithi,
An-Nissaie and Ibn Majah)."
All these bounties have not motivated man to attempt the Ascent that
stands between him and Paradise. Allah explains the nature of the
Ascent in the following verses, " Yet he (man) has not attempted the
Ascent. Would that you knew what the Ascent is. It is the freeing of a
slave, or the feeding in a day of hunger an orphaned near of kin. or a
needy man in misery. Moreover it is to be of those who believe and
counsel one another to be steadfast and enjoin mercy on one another.
Those who do this shall be on the right hand."
This is the Ascent which man, except those who aid themselves
with faith, refrains from attempting, and which separates him from
Paradise. If he crosses it he will arrive! Putting it that way serves as a
powerful incentive and a stimulus to the human heart to take up the
challenge since the Ascent has been clearly indicated and marked as
the obstacle depriving him of such an enormous fortune. The import-
ance of attempting the Ascent in the sight of Allah is then emphasised
to encourage man to scale it no matter what effort of struggle he may
have to put into this. For struggle he must, in any case. But if he
attempts it, his struggle will not be wasted but will bring him
favourable results.
Then follows an explanation of this Ascent and its nature by(1/256)
means of, first, enumeration of examples of actions which were
totally lacking in these particular surroundings that the call of Isiam
was facing at the time: the freeing of slaves and the feeding of the
poor who were subjected to the cruelty of that ungracious and greedy
society. It then adds what is applicable to all ages and societies and
needed by all who attempt the Ascent: "Moreover it is to be of those
who believe and counsel one another to be steadfast and enjoin
mercy on one another."
This surah was revealed in Makka when Islam was surrounded by
powerful enemies and the state that would implement its laws was
non-existent. Slavery was widespread in Arabia and the world at
large. The treatment meted out to slaves was brutally severe. When
some of the slaves or former slaves, like Ammar ibn Yasser and his
family, Bilal Ibn Rabah, Suhaib and others, accepted Islam their
plight became worse, and their cruel masters subjected them to un-
bearable torture. It then became clear that the only way to save them
was to buy them from their masters. Abu Bakr, the Prophet's com-
panion, was, as usual, the first to rise to the occasion, with all the
boldness and gallantry it required.
"Ibn Ishaaq related: 'Bilal, Abu Bakr's servant, was owned by
some individual of the clan of Jumah as he was born a slave. He
was, however, a genuine Muslim and clean-hearted. Umayyah ibn
Khalaf, the Jumah master, used to take Bilal out when it became
unbearably hot and order him to be laid down on his back on the
hot sand of Makka and cause a massive rock to be placed on his(1/257)
chest. Then, he would say to Bilal that he would stay like that until
he died or renounced Muhammad and accepted as deities the idols
called Al-Lat and Al-'Uzza, the goddesses of the pagan Arabs.
Under all that pressure, Bilal would simply say, 'One, One,' mean-
ing that there is only one God.'
"One day, Abu Bakr passed by and saw Bilal in that condition.
He said to Umayyah 'Do you not fear Allah as you torture thls
helpless soul? How long can you go on doing thls?' Umayyah
replied, 'You spoiled him, so you save him.' Abu Bakr said, 'I will. I
have a black boy who follows your religion but he is stronger and
more vigorous than Bilal. What do you say to an exchange deal?'
Umayyah said, 'I accept.' Abu Bakr said, 'Then he is yours'. When
Abu Bakr took Bilal he set him free.
"While in Makka, before emigration to Medina, Abu Bakr freed
a total of seven people: Amir ibn Faheerah, who fought in the
battle of Badr and was killed in the battle of Bir Ma'oonah, was the
only other man freed by Abu Bakr. The other five were all women.
The first two were Umm Obais and Zaneerah, who lost her eye-
sight when she was freed. Some people of Quraysh claimed that the
two idols Al-Lat and Al-'Uzza caused her loss of her eyesight. Zan-
eerah said, 'What rubbish! Al-Lat and Al-'Uzza are absolutely
powerless'. Allah then willed that she recover her eyeslght. Abu
Bakr also freed a woman called An-Nahdiyyah and her daughter,
who belonged to a woman of the clan of Abduddar. One day he
passed by the two women as their mistress was sending them on an(1/258)
errand to prepare some flour. As she gave them her instructions,
she declared: 'By God, I will never set you free'. Abu Bakr said to
her 'Release yourself of your oath'. She rejoined: 'It was you who
spoilt them. Why don't you set them free?' He said, 'How much do
you want for them?' She named her price. He said, 'It is a deal, and
they are free.' He turned to the two women and told them to give
the woman her flour back. They suggested that they should finish
preparing it for her first and he agreed. The fifth woman was a
Muslim slave of the clan of Muammal. She was being tortured by
Umar ibn Al-Khattab, who was then still a disbeliever. He beat her
until he was tired and said to her, 'I apologize to you. I have only
stopped beating you because I am bored', to which she replied,
'And so Allah shall thwart you.' Abu Bakr bought her and set her
free."
Ibn Ishaaq related: "Abu Quhafa, Abu Bakr's father, said to him
'I see you, son, freeing some weak slaves. Why don't you free some
strong men who can defend and protect you?' Abu Bakr replied, 'I
am only doing this for the sake of Allah, father."' Thus Abu Bakr
scaled the Ascent by freeing those helpless souls, for the sake of
Allah. The attendant circumstances in that particular society make
such an action one of the most important steps towards scaling the
Ascent.
"Or the feeding in a day of hunger of an orphaned near of kin or a
needy man in misery." The time of famine and hunger when food
becomes so scarce, is a time when the reality of faith is tested. For the
orphans in that greedy, miserly and ungracious society were(1/259)
oppressed and mistreated even by their relatives. The Qur'an is full of
verses which urge people to treat orphans well. This in itself is a
measure of the cruelty of the orphans' surroundings. Good treat-
ment for the orphans is also urged in the Medinan surahs as they out-
hne the rules of inheritance, custody and marriage, especially in
surahs 2 "The Cow" and 4 "Women". The same can be said of feeding
the needy on a day of famine, which is portrayed here as another step
for scaling the Ascent. For this is again a test which reveals the char-
acteristics of the believer, such as mercy, sympathy, co-operation
and lack of selfis,hness. It also reveals the extent of one's fear of
Allah.
These two steps, freeing slaves and feeding the needy, are men-
tioned in the surah as necessary in the existing situation at the time of
revelation; yet their implications are general, which accounts for
their being mentioned first. They are followed by the widest and most
important step of all, "Moreover. it is to be of those who believe and
counsel one another to be steadfast and enjoin mercy on one another."
The conjunction in the Arabic text is "then" but it does not signify
here any time ordering; it is used simply as introduction to the state-
ment of the most important and most valuable step of all towards
scaling the Ascent. For what would be the value of freeing slaves or
feeding the hungry without faith? It is faith which gives such actions
their value and their weight in the sight of Allah, because it relates
them to a profound and consistent system. Thus good deeds are no(1/260)
longer the result of a momentary impulse. Their aim is not any social
reputation or self-interest.
Steadfastness is an important element in the general context of
faith as well as in the particular context of attempting the Ascent.
That people should counsel each other to be steadfast is a higher level
than that of being steadfast. It is a practical demonstration of the
solidarity of the believers as they co-operate closely to carry out their
duties as believers in Allah. The society formed by the believers is an
integrated structure whose elements share the same feelings and the
same awareness of the need of exerting hard efforts in order to estab-
lish the Divine system on earth and to carry out its duties fully.
Hence, they counsel each other to persevere as they shoulder their
common responsibilities. They rally to support one another in order
to achieve their common objective. This is something more than the
perseverance by the individual although it builds on it, which indi-
cates the individual's role in the believers' society, namely, that he
must be an element of strength and a source of hope and comfort to
the whole society.
The same applies to enjoining each other to be merciful, which is a
grade higher than simply being merciful. Thus the spirit of mercy
spreads among the believers as they consider such mutual counsel-
ling an individual and communal duty in the fulfilment of which all
co-operate. Hence, the idea of "community" is e dent in this injunc-
tion, as it is emphasized elsewhere in the Qur'an and in the traditions(1/261)
of the Prophet. This idea is central to the concept of the religion of
Islam which is a religion and a way of life of a community. Neverthe-
less, the responsibility and accountability of the individual are
clearly defined and strongly emphasised. Those who scale the
Ascent, as defined here in the Qur'an, shall have their dwelling place
on the right hand, which indicates that they will enjoy a happy
recompense for what they do in this life.
"And those who deny Our revelations shall be on the left hand with
Hell-fire close above them." There is no need here to identify this
group with more than "those who deny Our revelations" as this is
enough to settle the issue. Nothing can be good if coupled with dis-
belief, and all evil is contained and encompassed by the denial of Allah.
There is no point in saying that this group do not free slaves or give
food to the needy, and, moreover, they deny Our revelations. For
such a denial renders worthless any action they may do. They dwell
on the left hand, which indicates their degradation and disgrace.
These people cannot scale the Ascent.
" With Hell-fire close above them " that is, they are encircled by it
either in the sense that they are locked within it, or in the sense that it
is their eternal abode. Its being close above them gives them no
chance of breaking away from it. The two meanings are quite inter-
esting.
These are then the fundamental facts concerning human life laid
down from the point of view of faith, in a limited space but with great
power and clarity. This remains the distinctive char'acteristic of the(1/262)
Qur'anic style which is unique.
1. 32:16
2. The Arabic expression here would be translated literally: "May
your mother lose you". The expression, however, has lost its
literal meaning and serves as simple exclamation which may be
rendered in several forms as suits the context - Translator's note.
.(1/263)
SURAH 91THE SUN
ash Shams
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
In the Shade of the Quran
By the sun and his morning brightness, by the moon as she follows him,
by the day which reveals its splendour, by the night when it enshrouds
him, by the heaven and its construction, by the earth and its spreading,
by the soul and its moulding and inspiration with knowledge of wickedness
and piety. Successful is the one who keeps it pure, and ruined is the
one who corrupts it. In their insolence the people of Thamoud denied
the truth, when their most-wretched broke forth. The Messenger of Allah
said to them: "The she-camel of Allah, let her have her drink". But
they cried lies to him, and hamstrung her. For that sin their Lord
let loose His scourge upon them, and razed their city to the ground.
He fears not what may follow.
This surah, which maintains a single rhyme and keeps the same musi-
cal beat throughout, starts with several aesthetic touches which seem
to spring out from the surrounding universe and its phenomena.
These phenomena form the framework which encompasses the great
truth which is the subject matter of the surah, namely, the nature of
man, his inherent abilities, his choice of his line of action, and his re-
sponsibility in determining his own fate(1/263)
This surah also refers to the story of the tribe of Thamoud and their
negative attitude to the warnings of Allah's messenger to them, and
their killing of the she-camel; and finally the collapse of Thamoud
and their complete annihilation. This comes as an example of the
unpromising prospects which await those who corrupt their souls
instead of keeping them pure and do not confine themselves within
the limits of piety. "Successful is the one who keeps it pure, and ruined
is the one who corrupts it. "
By the sun and his morning brightness, by the moon as she follows
him, by the day which reveals its splendour, by the night when it ensh-
rouds him, by the heaven and its construction. by the earth and its
spreading, by the soul and its moulding and inspiration with knowledge
of wickedness and piety. Successful is the one who keeps it pure, and
ruined is the one who corrupts it.
Allah swears by these objects and universal phenomena as He
swears by the human soul, how it is fashioned and how it is inspired.
The oath gives these creatures an added significance and draws
man's attention to them. Man ought to contemplate these phenom-
ena and try to appreciate their value and the purpose of their
creation.
There exists in fact, some kind of a special language through which
the human heart communicates with the universe and its marvellous
scenes and phenomena. This language is part of human nature. It is a
language which does not use sounds and articulation. It is a com-
munication to the hearts and an inspiration to the souls which come(1/264)
alive whenever man looks up to the universe for an inspiring touch or
a cheerful sight. Hence, the Qur'an frequently urges man to reflect
upon the surrounding universe. It does this in various ways, some-
times directly and sometimes with hints and incidental touches and
stimuli, as in this case where some phenomena of the universe are
made the subject of Allah's oath, in order to serve as a framework for
what follows in the surah. These explicit directives and indirect hints
are very frequent in this thirtieth part of the Qur'an. There is hardly
one surah in it which does not encourage man, in one way or another,
to communicate with the universe, in their secret language, so that he
may appreciate its signs and understand its address.
Here we have an inspiring oath by morning. The oath also specifies
the time when the sun rises above the horizon, when it is indeed at its
most beautiful. Indeed, mid-morning is, in winter, a time for refresh-
ing warmth. In summer, it is the time when the atmosphere is just
mild and fresh before the blazing heat of midday sets in, and the sun
is at its clearest.
The oath is also by the moon as she follows the sun and spreads her
beautiful and clear light. Between the moon and the human heart
there is an age-long fascination that is well established in men's
inmost souls. It is a fascination that is born anew everytime the two
meet. The moon issues her own special whispers and inspirations to
the human heart, and she sings her songs of praise to the Creator,
which a poet can almost hear through the tenderness of moonlight.(1/265)
On a clear moonlit night, one can almost feel oneself sailing through
the moonlight, clearing off one's worries and enjoying a perfect bliss
as one feels the hand of the Maker beyond this perfect creation.
Allah also swears by the day as it exposes the sun. The Arabic
wording of this verse makes the pronoun preceding 'splendour'
ambiguous. Initially, one tends to take it as if it refers to the sun. The
general context, however, suggests that it refers to the earth as it is lit
by the sun. This method of changing referents is widely employed in
the Qur'an when the change is easily noticeable when the subject
matter is familiar. Here we have a discreet allusion to the fact that
sunlight does reveal the earth and has a great effect on human life, as
is well known. Our familiarity with the sun and his light makes us
tend to overlook his beauty and function. This Qur'anic hint
reawakens us to this magnificent daily spectacle.
The same applies to the following verse, "by the night when it en-
shrouds him ", that is, the opposite of what happens in the day. Night
time is like a screen that covers and hides everything. It also has its
own impressions on everyone, and its impact on human life is not less
important than that of day time.
Allah then swears "by the heaven and its construction." When
heaven is rnentioned, our immediate thoughts go to the huge dome-
like sky above us in which we see the stars and the planets moving
each in its orbit. But we are in fact uncertain of the exact nature of
heaven. However, what we see above us does bear the idea of build-(1/266)
ing and construction because it looks to us a firm and solid whole. As
to how it is built and what keeps it together as it floats in the infinite
space, we have no answer. All that has been advanced in this field is
only theory that is liable to be invalidated or modified. We are cer-
tain, however, that the hand of Allah is the one which holds this
structure together, as emphasised elsewhere in the Qur'an: "Allah
holds the heavens and the earth that they do not collapse. Should they
collapse none could hold them back but He." [1] This is the only definite
and absolute truth about the matter.
The oath then includes the earth and its spreading as preparatory
to the emergence of life. Indeed, human and animal life would not
have been possible had the earth not been spread. It is indeed the
special characteristics and the natural laws which Allah has in-
corporated in the making of this earth that make life on it possible,
according to His will and plan. It appears that if any of these laws
were to be violated or upset, life on earth would have been im-
possible or would have changed its course. The most important of
these is perhaps the spreading of the earth which is also mentioned in
surah 79 ("The Pluckers"): "After that He spread out the earth. He
brought out water from it, and brought forth its pastures. [2]
The surah moves on to state the basic truth about man, and relates
this truth to the various phenomena of the universe, for man is one of
the most remarkable wonders in this harmonious creation: "by the(1/267)
soul and its moulding and inspiration with knowledge of wickedness and
plety. Successful is the one who keeps it pure, and ruined is the one who
corrupts it."
These four verses in conjunction with a verse in the preceding
surah, "The City": "And ( We have) shown him the two paths", and a
verse in surah 76, "Man", which says: " We (Allah) have shown him the
right path, be he grateful or ungrateful, " [3] constitute the basis of the
"Psychological Theory of Islam". They supplement the verses which
point out the duality in man's make-up in surah 38, "Sad", which
says: " Your Lord said to the angels, 'I am creating man from clay.
When I have fashioned him, and breathed of My spirit into him, kneel
down and prostrate yourselves before him. ' [4] These verses also sup-
plement and are related to the verses which define man's respon-
sibility and accountability for his actions, as the one in surah 74,
"The Cloaked One", which reads in translation: "Every soul is the
hostage of its own deeds," [5] and the verse in surah 13, "Thunder",
which states that Allah's attitude to man is directly related to man's
own behaviour: "Allah does not change a people 's lot until they change
what is in their hearts." [6] These and similar verses define the Islamic
view of man with perfect clarity.
Allah has created man with a duality of nature and ability. What
we mean by duality is that the two ingredients in his make-up, i.e.,
earth's clay and Allah' with, form within him two equal tendencies
to good and evil, to follow Divine guidance and to go astray. Man is(1/268)
just as capable of recognising the good as he is of recognising the evil
in everything he encounters, and he is equally capable of directing
himself one way or the other. This dual ability is deeply ingrained
within him. All external factors like Divine messages only serve to
awaken his potential and help it take its chosen way. In other words,
these factors do not create this potential, which is innate; they only
help it develop.
In addition to his innate ability man is equipped with a conscious
faculty which determines his line of action and is, therefore, respon-
sible for his actions and decisions. He who uses this faculty to
strengthen his inclinations to what is good and to purify himself and
to weaken the evil drive within him will be prosperous and successful;
while he who uses this faculty to suppress the good tendency in him-
will ruin himself: "Successful is the one who keeps it pure and ruined is
the one who corrupts it."
There must be, then, an element of responsibility attached to
man's conscious faculty and freedom of choice. For if he is free to
choose between his tendencies, his freedom must be coupled with re-
sponsibility. He is assigned a definite task related to the power given
to him. But Allah, the Compassionate, does not leave man with no
guidance other than his natural impulses or his conscious,
decision-making faculty. Allah helps him by sending him messages
which lay down accurate and permanent criteria, and point out to
him the signs which should help him choose the right path and which(1/269)
exist within him and in the world around him, and clear his way of
any obstructions so that he may see the truth. Thus, he recognises his
way easily and clearly and his conscious decision-making faculty
functions with full knowledge of the nature of the direction it
chooses and the implications of that choice.
This is what Allah has willed for man and whatever takes place
within this framework is a direct fulfilment of His will.
>From this very general outline of the Islamic concept of man
emerge a number of vital and valuable facts: firstly, that this concept
elevates man to the high position of being responsible for his actions
and allows him freedom of choice, (within the confines of Allah's will
that granted him this freedom). Responsibility and freedom of
choice, therefore, make man the honoured creature of this world, a
position worthy of the creature in whom Allah has blown something
of His own spirit and whom He has made with His own hand and
raised above most of His creation.
Secondly, it puts man's fate in his own hands (according to Allah's
will as explained earlier) and makes him responsible for it. This
stimulates in him an attitude of caution as well as the positive sense of
the fear of God. For he knows then that the will of Allah is fulfilled
through his own actions and decisions: "Allah does not change a
people's lot until they change what is in their hearts." This is in itself
a great responsibility which demands that one should be always alert.
Thirdly, it reminds man of his permanent need to refer to the cri-(1/270)
teria fixed by Allah in order to ensure that his desires do not get the
better of him, lead him astray and destroy him. Thus man keeps near
to Allah, follows His guidance and illuminates his way by the Divine
light. Indeed, the standard of purity man can achieve is limitless.
The surah then gives an example of the failure which befalls those
who corrupt themselves, and erect a barrier between themselves and
Divine guidance: "In their insolence the people of Thamoud denied the
truth, when their most-wretched broke forth. The Messenger of Allah
said to them, 'The she-camel of A llah, let her have her drink' But they
cried lies to him, and hamstrung her. For that sin their Lord let loose
His scourge upon them and razed their city to the ground. He fears nor
what may follow."
The story of Thamoud and their Messenger, Salih, is mentioned
several times in the Qur'an. A discussion of it is given every time it
occurs. The reader may refer to it for further details in the commen-
tary on surah 89, "The Dawn", in this volume. The present surah,
however, states that the people of Thamoud rejected their Prophet
and accused him of Iying simply because they were arrogant and
insolent. Their transgression is represented here by their most-
wretched breaking forth to hamstring the she-camel. He is the
most-wretched as a result of his crime. Their Messenger had warned
them in advance, saying, "Beware! never harm Allah's she-camel
and never touch her drink." This was his condition when they asked
him for a sign. The sign was that she-camel who had the water for(1/271)
herself one day and left it for the rest of the cattle one day. The she-
camel must have had something else peculiar to her, but we shall not
go into its details because Allah has not told us about it. Thamoud
however, did not heed their Messenger's warnings but hamstrung the
she-camel. The person who perpetrated the crime, the arch-sinner, is
the most-wretched, but they all were held responsible because they
did not take him to task. On the contrary, they applauded what he
did. A basic principle of Islam is that the society bears a collective re-
sponsibility in this life. This does not conflict with the principle of in-
dividual responsibility in the hereafter when everyone is answerable
for his own deeds. It is a sin, however, not to counsel and urge one
another to adhere to the good and not to punish evil and trans-
gression.
As a result of Thamoud's insolence and their outrageous crime, a
calamity befell them: "For that sin their Lord let loose His scourge
upon them and razed their city to the ground. ' ' The Arabic verse uses
the verb 'damdama' for 'let loose His scourge', which creates, by its
repetitiveness, an added feeling of horror, as we learn that the city
was completely razed to the ground.
"He fears not what may follow ". All praises and glorification be to
Him. Whom, what and why should He fear? The meaning aimed at
here is what the statement entails: he who does not fear the conse-
quences punishes most severely. This is true of Allah's punishment.
In conclusion, we say the surah provides a link between the human(1/272)
soul, the basic facts of the universe, its constant and repetitive scenes
and Allah's unfailing law of punishing the tyrant transgressors. This
He does according to His own wise planning which sets a time for
everything and a purpose for every action. He is the Lord of man, the
universe and fate.
[1]. 35:41
[2]. 79:30
[3]. 76:3
[4]. 38:72-3
[5]. 74:38
[6]. 13:11(1/273)
ٍSURAH 92 THE NIGHT
AL-LAIL
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
By the night when she lets fall her darkness, by the day in full
splendour, by Him who created the male and the female: surely your
striving is diverse. For him who gives and is godfearing and believes
in that which is the Best We shall smooth the way to perfect ease.
But as for him who is a miser and deems himself self-sufficient,
and calls the Best a lie We shall smooth his way to affliction. His
wealth will not avail him when he falls headlong. It is for Us to give
guidance, and to Us belong the End and the Beginning. I warn you,
therefore, of the fiercely blazing fire, in which none shall burn
but the most wretched, who denies the truth and turns away. Preserved
from it will be the righteous who gives away his money to purify
himself, not in recompense of any favour done Him by anyone. He
simply seeks the pleasure of His Lord, the Most High. He shall
indeed be well content.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
Within a framework of scenes taken from the universe and the realm
of human nature, this surah states emphatically the basic facts of
action and reward. This issue had diverse aspects: "Surely your striv-
ing is diverse. For him who gives and is godfearing, and believes in that
which is the Best, We shall smooth the way to perfect ease. But as for
him who is a miser and deems himself self-sufficient, and calls the Best a
lie, We shall smooth his way to affliction. " The end in the hereafter is
also varied, according to the type of action and the direction taken in
this life: "I warn you, therefore, of the, fiercely blazing fire in which
none shall burn but the most wretched, who denies the truth and turns
away. Preserved from it will be the righteous who gives away his money
to purify himself. "
The subject matter of the surah, i.e., action and reward, is by nature
double directional, so the framework chosen for it at the beginning of
the surah is of dual colouring. It is based on contrasting aspects in the
creation of man and the universe: "By the night when she lets fall her
darkness, by the day in full splendour, by Him who created the male and
the female. " This is one form of artistic harmony extensively used in
the Qur'an.' [1]
"By the night when she lets fall her darkness; by the day in full splen-
dour, by Him who created the male and the female. " Allah swears by
these two of His signs, namely, the night and the day, and describes
them by the scene each produces on the horizon: the night as she
enshrouds everything with her veil of darkness, and the day as it
attains its full splendour. The night covers and conceals thc land and
all there is on it, and the day brightens up and makes every object
apparent and visible. The two times are contrasting in the astro-(1/274)
logical cycle and in their respective scenes, qualities and effects.
Allah also swears by His creation of all species in two contrasting
sexes: "by Him who created the male and the female." This completes
the contrast in the general atmosphere of the surah as well, as in the
facts it emphasises. The night and the day are two general phenom-
ena which carry a certain message with which they inspire the human
heart. The human soul is automatically affected by the cycle of the
night and its curtain and the day and its splendid brightening. This
continuous succession of night and day specks the universe, its mys-
terious secrets and phenomena over which man has no control. It
suggests that there is a power which controls time in the universe as if
it was a simple wheel. It also tells of the never-ending change in the
universe.
As one contemplates and meditates upon these phenomena one is
bound to conclude that there is an able hand which controls the uni-
verse and alternates the night and the day in that perfect, unfailing
accuracy. One is also bound to conclude that the hand of Allah also
controls the lives of men. He has not created them in vain, and He
does not abandon them to lead a life without purpose.
However the disbelievers try to drown this reality and divert atten-
tion away from it, the human heart remains responsive to this uni-
verse. It receives its intimations and ponders over its changes and
phenomena. Contemplation and meditation endorse its innate feel-
ing that there is a Controller whose presence is bound to be felt and(1/275)
recognised in spite of all nonsense and conceited denials.
The same applies to the creation of male and female. In man and
the mammals it all starts with a living germ settling in a womb, a
sperm which unites with a cell. What is the reason then for this differ-
ence in outcome? What is it that says to one germ, "Be a male", and
to another, "Be a female"? Discovery of the operative factors does
not make the matter any different. How do the male factors exist in
one case and the female ones in the other? What makes the end pro-
duct, I.e., division of the species into two sexes, so fitting with the
course of life as a whole and a guarantee of its continuity through
procreation?
Is it all a coincidence? Even coincidence has a rule which deems it
impossible for all those elements to come together accidentally. The
only explanation is that there is a Controller in charge Who creates
the male and the female according to a carefully worked-out plan
which has a definite objective. There is no room for chance in the
order of this universe.
Moreover, the male and female division is not limited to mam-
malia alone: it is applicable to all animate species, including plants.
Singularity and oneness belong only to the Creator Who has no
parallel whatever.
Allah swears by these contrasting aspects of the universe and of
man's creation and constitution that the striving of human beings is
diverse, the roads they follow lead to different ends. Hence, their re-
ward is also diverse. Good is not the same as evil, following the right(1/276)
guidance is unlike wrong-doing, and righteousness is different from
corruption. Generosity and godfearing are unlike hoarding and con-
ceit. The faithful are unlike those devoid of faith. Variance of
ways necessitates variance of destinations. The reward is also
appropriately different: "Surely your striving is diverse. For him who
gives and is godfearing, and believes in that which is the Best, We shall
smooth the way to perfect ease. But as for him who is a miser and deems
himself self-sufficient, and calls the Best a lie, We shall smooth his way
to affliction. Iiis wealth will not avail him when hefallsheadlong."
" Your striving is diverse." It varies in essence, motives, directions
and results. Men have diverse temperaments, environments, con-
cepts and concerns, so much so that every man seems to be a distinct
world by himself living in his own, special planet.
This is a fact, but along with it there is another general fact which
applies to all beings and their different worlds. It groups them in two
distinct classes and two contrasting positions. It assigns to each its
distinctive label: "who gives and is godfearing and believes in that
which is the Best;" and, "who is a miser and deems himself self-
sufficient and calls the Best a lie. "
These are the two positions at which the disparate souls line up
where all the diverse striving and the divergent ways of life end. Each
group has its way in this life smoothed, all obstructions removed:
"For him who gives and is godfearing, and believes in that which is Best,(1/277)
We shall smooth the way to perfect ease." He who is charitable and
godfearing and believes in the ideology which has the Best as its title
has indeed done his best to purify himself seeking right guidance.
Hence, he deserves the help and grace which Allah has, by His own
will, committed Himself to provide. For without this grace man finds
himself absolutely helpless. He whose path to perfect ease and com-
fort is made smooth by Allah achieves something certainly great, and
achieves it with ease and in this life. He lives in ease. Ease flows from
him to all around him. Ease becomes characteristic of his movement,
action and handling of all things and situations. Success coupled
with quiet contentedness becomes the distinctive mark of his life, all
its details and its general aspects. He attains the highest grade of all,
in the sense that he joins the Prophet as recipients of Allah's promise
to His messenger: " We will indeed facilitate for you the way to perfect
ease. '" [2].
But for him who is a miser and deems himself self-sufficient. and
calls the Best a lie We shall smooth his way to affliction. His
wealth will not avail him when he falls headlong.
He who sacrifices nothing of himself or his wealth, professes that
he is in no need of His Lord or His guidance and disbelieves in His
message and religion, makes himself most vulnerable to evil. He
deserves for so doing that everything should be made hard for him.
Hence, Allah makes easy his path to affliction, and withholds from
him all kinds of help. Allah makes every stride he takes really hard,(1/278)
drives him away from the path of the right guidance, and leaves him
to traverse the valleys of misery, although he may imagine himself to
be taking the road to success. How greatly mistaken he is! He loses
balance so he tries to avoid falling only to go down heavily, and finds
himself further away from the path set by Allah, deprived of His
pleasure. When he falls headlong eventually he can make no use of
the wealth he has hoarded and which has caused him to imagine him-
self in no need of Allah or His guidance. "His wealth will not avail him
when he falls headlong." Facilitating evil and sin is the same as facili-
tating the way to affliction, even though the sinful person may be suc-
cessful and prosperous in this life. For is there any affliction worse
than Hell? Indeed, Hell is affliction itself.
Thus the first part of the surah ends having made clear that there
are only two ways for all mankind in all times and places. All human-
ity is in two parties under two headings however numerous are their
colours and forms.
The second part states the fate of each group. It emphasises firstly
that the end and reward of each group is fair and inevitable, for guid-
ance has been provided and warnings have been issued: "It is for Us
to provide guidance, and to Us belong the End and the Beginning. I warn
you, therefore. of the fiercely blazing fire. in which none shall burn but
the most wretched who denies the truth and turns away. Preserved from
it will be the righteous, who gives away his money to purify himself, not(1/279)
in recompense of any favour done him by anyone. He simply seeks the
pleasure of His Lord, the Most High. He shall indeed be well content."
One aspect of Allah's grace and mercy to His servants is that He
has taken upon Himself to provide clear guidance readily acceptable
to human nature, and to explain it as well through His messages and
messengers, and by means of the signs He has provided. Thus, no one
will have a valid argument for his deviation, and no one will suffer
injustice: "It is for Us to give guidance. "
Then follows a straightforward statement of the essence of the
power which has control over man and all around him, from which
he can have no shelter: "and to Us belong the End and the Beginning. "
By way of elaboration on the two facts just mentioned, namely,
Allah's provision of guidance and that to Him belongs this life and
the hereafter, i.e., the realms of actions and reward, there is a
reminder to us that He has cautioned and warned: "I warn you, there-
fore, of the fiercely blazing fire. " It is only the most wretched of man-
kind who are thrown in this fire. Indeed there is no wretchedness
Worse than suffering in Hell: "in which none shall burn but the rmost
wretched." Then follows a description of the most wretched. It is
he "who denies the truth and turns away." He denies this message
and turns away from Divine guidance. He does not answer his Lord's
beckoning to him so that He may guide him as He has promised any
one who comes towards Him with open mind.
"Preserved from it will be the righteous." who will be the happiest in(1/280)
contrast with the most wretched. The righteous, the surah explains, is
the one "who gives away his money to purity himself", not for any
vanity or to satisfy any snobbish feeling. He spends it voluntarily not
out of any indebtedness to anybody, seeking no gratitude from
anyone. His only objective is the pleasure of his Lord, the Most
Exalted: "nor in recompense of any favour done him by anyone. He
simply seeks the pleasure of his Lord, the Most High. "
What can the righteous person expect in return for spending his
money in self-purification, for the pleasure of his Exalted Lord? The
reward which the Qur'an states is indeed astonishing: "He shall
indeed be well content. " It is the satisfaction which fills the believer's
heart and soul, animates everything in his life, and radiates through
him. What a reward, and what grace! "He shall indeed be well con-
tent. " He will be satisfied with his religion, his Lord and his destiny.
He will be content with whatever befalls him of comfort or dis-
comfort, and whether he is poor or wealthy. He will be free of anxiety
and hard feelings. He does not worry about his burden being too
heavy or his objective too far. This satisfaction is in itself a reward,
great beyond description. Only the person who sacrifices hlmself and
his wealth for it and who seeks to purify himself and to win the pleas-
ure of Allah deserves this reward. It is Allah alone Who can pour such
a reward into the hearts which submit to Him with all sincerity and
pure devotion. Having paid the price, the believer "shall indeed be(1/281)
well content. " At this point, the reward comes as a surprise, but it is a
surprise awaited by the one who attains the standard of the
righteous, whose main qualifications are spending for self purifica-
tion and seeking the pleasure of Allah. Such a person will be well
pleased and well satisfied.
[1]. For a fuller treatment of this reference may be made to the chapter
entitled "Artistic Harmony" in the author's book "The Qur'anic Art
of Picture Drawing" (Arabic).
[2]. 87:8(1/282)
SURAH 93THE FORENOON
AD-DHUHA
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
By the white forenoon and the brooding night your Lord has neither
forsaken you, nor does He hate you. Surely the life to come will be
better for you than this present life. Did certainly your Lord will
be bounteous to you and you will be satisfied. Did He not find you
an orphan and give you a shelter? Did He not find you in error and
guide you? Did He not find you poor and enrich you? Therefore do not
wrong the orphan, nor chide away the beggar, but proclaim the goodness
of your Lord.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This surah, with its subject matter, mode of expression, scenes, con-
notations and rhythm is a touch of tenderness and mercy. It is a mes-
sage of affection, it is a benevolent hand which soothes pains and
troubles and generates an air of contentment and confident hope.
The surah is dedicated in its entirety to the Prophet (peace be on
him). It is a message from his Lord which touches his heart with
pleasure, joy, tranquillity and contentment. Altogether it i5 a flow of(1/282)
mercy and compassion to his restless soul, and suffering heart.
Several accounts mention that the revelation of the Qur'an to the
Prophet came, at one stage, to a halt and that Jibril stopped coming
to him for a while. The unbelievers therefore said, "Muhammad's
Lord has bidden him farewell!" Allah therefore revealed this surah.
Revelation, Jibril's visits and the link with Allah were the
Prophet's whole equipment along his precarious path. They were his
only solace in the face of hard rejection and his sole comfort against
outright repudiation. They were the source from which he derived his
strength to stand steadfast against the unbelievers who were intent
on rebuff and refusal, and bent on directing a wicked, vile attack
against the Prophet's call, faith and guidance.
So when the Revelation was withheld, the source of strength for
the Prophet was cut off. His life spring was sapped and he longed for
his heart's friend. Alone he was left in the wilderness, without susten-
ance, without water, without the accustomed companionship of the
beloved friend. It was a situation which taxes human endurance heavily.
Then this surah was revealed and it came as a rich flow of com-
passion, mercy, hope, comfort and reassurance. "Your Lord has
neitier forsaken you, nor does He hate you. Surely the life to come will
be better for you than this present life. And certainly your Lord will be
bounteous to you, and you will be satisfied." Your Lord has never
before left you or rejected you, or even denied you His mercy or pro-(1/283)
tection. "Did He not find you an orphan and give you a shelter? Did He
not find you in error and guide you? Did He not find you poor and enrich
you?
Do you not see the proof of all this in your own life? Do you not
feel it in your heart? Do you not observe it in your world? " Your Lord
has neither for saken you, nor does He hate you. " Never bad His mercy
been taken away from you and it never will be. "Surely the life to
come will be better for you than this present life. " And there will be
much more: "And certainly your Lord will be bounteous to you and you
will be satisfied."
This statement of the fact of the matter, made in excellent style and
fine rhythm, is given in the framework of a universal phenomenon:
"By the white forenoon and the brooding night." The expression
spreads an air of affection, kindliness and complete satisfaction.
"Your Lord has not for saken you, nor does He hate you. Surely the life
to come will be better for you than this present life. And certainly your
Lord will be bounteous to you and you will be satisfied. Did He not find
you an orphan and give you shelter? Did He nor find you in error and
guide you? Did He not find you poor and enrich you? " That tenderness,
that mercy, that satisfaction, that solace are all felt in the sweet ex-
pressions and the soothing words and phrases which softly thread
along the surah with gentle echoes and lively rhythm as they are con-
tained within the frame of the morning hours and the still night
which are the times of the day and night most conducive to clarity.(1/284)
During these periods one's reflections flow like a stream, and the soul
is best able to communicate with the universe and its Creator, and
feels the universe worshipping its Lord and turning towards Him in
praise with joy and happiness. In addition, the night is described as
"brooding". It is not the dark gloomy night as such but the "brood-
ing" night that is clear, silent and tranquil, covered with a light cloud
of sweet longing and kind reflection. It is a picture similar to that of
the orphan's life. More still, the night is cleared away by the crossing
morning and thus the colours of the picture beautifully match with
those of the framework, and harmony is achieved.
The scene drawn here is one of perfect beauty. Such perfection is
Divine, unparalleled and inimitable.
"By the white forenoon, and the brooding night: your Lord has
neither for saken you, nor does He hate you. Surely the life to come shall
be better for you than this present life. And certainly your Lord will be
bounteous to you and you will be satisfied."
Allah vows by these two calm and inspiring periods of time and es-
tablishes a relationship between natural phenomena and human feel-
ings. Thus, mutual response is encouraged between human hearts
and the universe, which is beautiful, alive and sympathetic to all
living beings. Hence, hearts live in peace with the world, relaxed and
happy .
This mode of expression is particularly appropriate in this surah as
the feeling of fellowship is stressed here as if to tell the Prophet right
from the beginning of the surah that his Lord had already blessed him(1/285)
with the fellowship of the world around him and that he was by no
means forsaken or left alone.
Then follows a straight forward assertion. " Your Lord has neither
forsaken you, nor does He hate you. " He has not left you, nor has He
been harsh to you as is alleged by those who want to afflict your heart
and soul or trouble your feelings. For He is your Lord and you
belong to Him. He is your sustainer and protector. Allah's favours
on you have neither run out nor have they been stopped. You,
Muhammad, are to get much more and better favours in the
hereafter than you are getting in this life. "Surely the lire to come will
be better for you than this present life."
Allah is saving for you, Muhammad, what will satisfy you in your
mission and ease your hard path and bring about the victory of your
call and the vindication of the truth you advocate. These thoughts
were in fact pre occupying the Prophet's mind as he was encountering
his people's outright rejection, ill-treatment, and malice. " Your Lord
will be bounteous to you and you will be satisfied . "
The surah then goes on to remind the Prophet of his Lord's atti-
tude towards him from the very beginning of his mission so that he
may reflect on how favourably Allah has been treating him. This is to
make him recall the happy memories of the Divine kindness which is
a joy revived by the words, "Did He not find you an orphan and give
you a shelter? Did He not find you in error and guide you? Did He not
find you poor and enrich you?" Reflect on your present life and on(1/286)
your past. Has He ever forsaken you or hated you even before He
charged you with the assignment of prophethood.
You were born an orphan but Allah protected you. He made so
many people kind to you, especially your uncle Abu Talib, though he
followed a religion different from yours. You were poor and He
made your heart rich with contentment, and made you rich through
your business gains and the wealth of your wife, Khadeejah, so that
you would not suffer from poverty or yearn for the riches that
abound all around you.
You were also brought up in an Ignorant society, full of confusion
of beliefs and concepts, where erring ways and practices abounded.
You did not like those beliefs, concepts and practices but you could
not find a clear and suitable way out. You could find your way
neither in the Ignorant world nor with the followers of Moses and
Jesus, who adulterated their beliefs, distorted their original form and
went astray. But Allah has guided you through His revelations and
the way of life He has set which establishes a firm bond between Him
and you.
This "guidance" in the wilderness of disbelief and confusion is the
greatest favour of them all. The happiness and reassurance it brings
about cannot be matched. The Prophet had been greatly perturbed
and afflicted because of the cessation of revelation, and the malicious
attitude of the polytheists during the period of its cessation. Hence
comes this reminder to put his heart at ease and reassure him of his
Lord's promise never to abandon him .
Allah takes the opportunity of mentioning the Prophet's earlier(1/287)
orphanhood, error and poverty in order to instruct the Prophet and
all Muslims to protect every orphan, to be charitable to every beggar,
and to speak of the great favours they enjoy from Allah, the first of
which is guidance to the religion of Islam. "Therefore, do not wrong
the orphan nor chide away the beggar, but proclaim the goodness of
your Lord.
As we have already mentioned repeatedly, these instructions
reflect the needs of the day, in that greedy and materialistic society in
which the weak, who could not defend their own rights, were not
catered for. Islam came to reform that society with Allah's laws
which establish equity, justice and good-will.
Speaking of Allah's bounties, especially those of guidance and
faith, is a form of expressing gratitude to Him, the Giver. It is a prac-
tical manifestation of thanks on the part of the recipient.(1/288)
SURAH 94 SOLACE
ASH SHARH
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Have We not lifted up your heart, and relieved you of your burden,
which weighed down your back? And have We not given you high renown?
With hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship comes ease. When you
have completed your task resume your toil and seek your Lord with all
fervour.
This surah was revealed soon after the revelation of surah 93, 'The
Forenoon', as if it was a continuation of it. Here, also, abound the feel-
ings of sympathy and the atmosphere of delightful, friendly
discourse. It portrays the Divine care for the Prophet and explains the
measures taken out of concern for him. The surah also carries glad(1/288)
tidings of the forthcoming relief, points out to the Prophet the secret
of ease, and emphasises the strong tie with Allah.
"Have We not lifted up your heart, and relieved you of your burden
which weighed down your back? And have We not given you high
renown?" This suggests that the Prophet was troubled in his soul for
some reason concerning the message hc was entrusted with, and the
obstacles in its way and the plots against it. These verses also suggest
that the difficulties facing his mission weighed heavily on his heart
and made him feel that he urgently needed help and backing. Hence
came this comforting address and delightful discourse.
"Have We not lifted up your heart", so that it may warm to this
message? Have We not facilitated it for you, endeared it to you
defined its path and illuminated it for you to see its happy end? Look
into your heart! Do you not see it to be full of light, happiness and
solace? Reflect on the effects brought about by all the favours
bestowed on you! Do you not feel comfort with every difficulty, and find
contentment with every kind of deprivation you suffer?
"And relieved you of your burden which weighed down your back?"
We have relieved you of your burden which was so heavy that it
almost broke your back. The relief took the form of lifting up your
heart so that you might feel your mission easier and your burden not
difficult to shoulder. Another aspect of the relief was the guidance
you received on how to discharge your mission and how to appeal to
men's hearts. Furthermore, there is relief for you in the revelation of(1/289)
the Qur'an which explains the truth and helps you to drive it home to
people easily and gently. Do you not feel all that when you think of
the burden which weighed down your back? Do you not feel it to be
lighter after We have lifted up your heart?
"And have We not given you high renown? " We exalted you among
those on high, on earth and in the whole universe. We raised your
fame high indeed as we associated your name with that of Allah
whenever it is pronounced. "No Deity but Allah, Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah." Indeed, this is the highest degree of exaltation.
It is the position granted only to Muhammad and to no other human
being For Allah has willed that one century should turn after
another and generations succeed generations with millions and mil-
lions of people in all corners of the world honouring the blessed name
of Muhammad with prayers for peace and blessings to be granted to
him, and with his profound love entrenched in their hearts. Your
fame spread far and wide when your name became associated with
this Divine way of life.
Certainly the mere fact that you were chosen for this task is an
exaltation to which no one else in this universe can ever aspire. How
can there remain any feeling of affliction or hardship after this favour
which heals up all hardships and difficulties?
Allah, nevertheless, addresses His beloved messenger kindly. He
comforts and reassures him and explains to him how He has given
him unceasing ease. " With hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship
comes ease." Hardship never comes absolute, without some ease(1/290)
accompanying it. When your burden became too heavy We lifted up
your heart and relieved the sting of hardship for you
This is strongly emphasised by a literal repetition of the statement:
" With hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship comes ease." The
repetition suggests that the Prophet had endured serious hardship
and suffered much affliction. This reminder recalls the various
aspects of care and concern shown to the Prophet and then reassures
him emphatically. A matter which afflicts Muhammad's soul so
much must be very serious indeed.
Then follows a statement pointing out the aspects of comfort and
the factors contributing to the lifting up of hearts and spirits, which is
of great help to Muslims as they travel along their hard and long way:
" When you have completed your task resume your toil and seek your
Lord with all fervour. "
With hardship goes ease, so seek relief and solace. When you have
finished whatever you may have to do, be it a matter relating to the
conveyance of your message or an affair of this life then turn with all
your heart to what deserves your toil and striving, namely devotion
and dedication in worship. "And seek your Lord with all fervour "
Seek Him alone and let nothing whatsoever distract you. Do not
ever think of the people you call to believe in Him. A traveller must
have his food with him and this is the real food for your journey, and
a fighter for a cause needs to have his equipment and this is the equip-
ment necessary for you. This will provide you with a feeling of ease in(1/291)
every difficulty you may encounter, and with comfort against every
kind of affliction you may suffer.
The surah ends on the same note as the preceding surah, "The
Forenoon". It leaves us with two interwined feelings. The first
is a realisation of the great affection shown to the Prophet, which
overwhelmed him because it was the love of his Lord, the Com-
passionate, the Merciful. The other feeling is one of sympathy to his
noble self. We can almost feel what was going on in his blessed heart
at that time which required this reminder of the delightful affection.
It is this mission of Islam: a grave trust and a burden which weighs
down his back . It is nevertheless the rising of the Divine light, the link
between mortality and eternity, existence and non-existence.(1/292)
SURAH 95 THE FIG
AT TEEN
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
By the fig and the olive, and the Mount of Sinai, and this secure city,
We indeed have created man in the finest form When We brought him down
to the lowest of the low except for those who believe and do righteous
deeds for theirs shall be an unfailing recompense Who, then, can give
you the lie as to the Last Judgement Is not Allah the most Just of
judges?
In the Shade of the Qur'an
The basic fact outlined in this surah is that of the upright nature
which Allah has given man. This upright nature is essentially in per-
fcst harmony with the nature Of faith. With faith it attains its
ultimate perfection. But when man deviates from this upright nature and
from the straight path of faith he sinks into the lowest of ranks.(1/292)
Allah swears to the validity of this by the fig "teen", the olive "zai-
toon", the Mount of Sinai "Toor Sineen" and the secure city of
Makka "al-balad al-ameen". As we have already seen in many surahs
of this thirtieth part of the Qur'an, this oath is the framework which
perfectly fits the essential fact presented within it.
The Toor of Sinai is the Mount on which Moses received the
Divine summons. The secure city is Makka, Allah's Holy House. The re-
lationship between the two on the one hand and religion and faith on
the other is obvious. But a similar relationship is not readily clear
with regard to the figs and olives. Suggestions as to the significance of
the figs and olives are numerous. It is said that the fig refers to the fig
tree in heaven with the leaves of which Adam and his wife, Eve, tried
to cover their private parts. Another suggestion is that the reference
here is to the place where the fig tree appeared on the mountain
where Noah's ship embarked.
As for the olive, it is suggested tbat it is a reference to the Mount of
Toor Zaita in Jerusalem. It is also said that it refers to Jerusalem
itself. Another suggestion is that it refers to the olive branch brought
back by the pigeon which Noah released from the ship to examine the
state of the floods. When the pigeon brought back the olive branch,
he knew that the land had reappeared and that vegetation was
growing.
A different opinion posits that the fig and olive mentioned in the
surah are simply those two kinds of food with which we are familiar.(1/293)
Alternatively, it is claimed, they are symbols of growth out of land.
There is another reference in the Qur'an to the olive tree in associ-
ation with the Mount. The verse there reads as follows: "And a tree
issuing from Mount Sinai which bears oil and seasoning for all to eat."
[1] The olive tree is mentioned here for the only time in the Qur'an.
Hence, we cannot say anything definite on this matter. However,
on the basis of parallel frameworks in other surahs of the Qur'an, the
most likely explanation of the fig and olive mentioned here is that
they refer to certain places or events which have some relevance to re-
ligion and faith or to man as the creature fairest in shape and form.
(This may have been established in Heaven where man's lifc began.)
The harmony between this detail and the main fact outlined in the
surah is yet another example of the unique method of the Qur'an
whereby the framework and the fact within it fits perfectly .
The essential fact of the surah is embodied in the verses: "We
inteed have created man in the fairest form. Then We brought him
down to the lowest of the low, except for those who believe and do
righteous deeds, for their shall be an unfailing recompense."
Allah has perfected all His creation; and the special emphasis laid
here and elsewhere in the Qur'an on man's being endowed with per-
fect form shows clearly that this creature, man, has enjoyed extra
care. Moreover, Allah's care for this creature despite his distortion of
his upright nature and the corruption he indulges in suggests that(1/294)
Allah has given him a special rank and a special weight in the
universe. Allah's care is most clearly apparent in the moulding of his
highly complicated physical structure and his unique spiritual and
mental make up.
The emphasis here is on man's spiritual qualities since these are the
ones which drag man down to the most ignoble state when he
deviates from the upright nature and turns away from belief in Allah
which is perfectly harmonious with this nature. It is needless to say
that man's physical structure does not sink down into such a low
level. Moreover, the superiority of man's creation is most clearly ap-
parent in the spiritual qualities. He is made in a way which enables
him to attain a sublime standard, superior to that of the highest-
ranking angels. This is illustrated in the story of the Prophet's ascen-
sion to Heaven. Then, Jibril stopped at a certain level and
Muhammad, the human being, was elevated much higher.
At the same time, man is given the dubious ability to sink down to
levels unreached by any other creature: "Then We brought him
down to the lowest of the low. " In this latter case, the animals become
superior to him and more upright since they do not violate their
nature. They praise the Lord and fulfil their function on eanh as they
arc guided to do. But man who has been given the fairest form and
abilities denies his Lord and sinks right down.
"We have created man in the fairest shape and form ". This is a refer-
ence to his nature and abilities. "Then We brought him down to the(1/295)
lowest of the low. " That is, when he forces this nature away from the
line Allah has defined for him. Having laid down the way. Allah left
man to choose whether to follow it or not.
"Except for those who believe and do righteous deeds." For these are
men who stick to the upright nature, consolidate it with faith and
righteous deeds, elevate it towards its destined level of perfection
until they finally attain a life of perfection in the world of perfection:
"for theirs shall be an unfailing recompense " But those who cause
their nature to sink to the lowest of the low go down with it along
their slippery road until they reach the lowest level, that is, in Hell
where their humanity is shed and they are completely debased. Both
ends are natural results of two widely different starts and lines of
action.
Thus, the importance of faith in human life becomes clear. Faith is
the elevating path through which upright human nature ascends to
its ultimate perfection. It is the rope stretched between man and his
Maker. It is the light showing him where to put his feet along the ele-
vating path. When the rope is cut and the light put out, the inevitable
result is the fall down the steep path into the lowest of the low. The
clay element in man's make-up separates from the spiritual element
and man, along with stones, becomes fuel for the hell-fire.
In the light of this fact, the Prophet is addressed in this manner
" Who, then, can give you the lie as to the Last Judgement? Is not Allah
the most Just of judges?" What makes you, man, belief this religion(1/296)
after you have known this fact, after having realised the importance
of faith in the life of humanity, and after becoming aware of the des-
tiny awaiting those who disbelieve, turn away from this light and
refuse to follow the straight path laid down by Allah?
"Is not Allah the most just of judges?" Is not He the most Just when
He gives this ruling concerning the destiny of creation? Is not Allah's
wisdom clearest and most reassuring as He rules between the
believers and the disbelievers? Justice is certainly clear and wisdom is
manifest. Hence, we are taught in the tradition (Hadith) related by
Abu Hurairah that when one reads this surah one should answer the
rhetorical question "Is not Allah the most Just of judges?" by saying:
"Indeed and I am a witness to that."
[1]. 23:20(1/297)
SURAH 96 THE BLOOD CLOTS
AL-ALAQ
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Read in the name of your Lord who created, created man from clot
of blood. Read ! your Lord is the most Bounteous, Who has taught
the use of the pen, has taught man what be did not know. Indeed,
man tyrannises, once he thinks himself self sufficient. Surely to
your Lord all things return. Observe the man who rebukes a servant
of Allah when he prays! Think: does he not follow the right guidance
and enjoin the piety? Think: if he denies the truth and turns his back,
does he not realise that Allah sees all? Let him desists or We will
drag him by the forelock, his lying, sinful forelock. Then let him
call his henchmen. We will call the guards of Hell. No, never obey
him, but prostrate yourself and draw closer to Allah.(1/297)
In the Shade of the Qur'an
It is universally agreed that the opening of this surah was the first
Qur'anic revelation. The accounts stating that other verses were re-
vealed first are not authentic. Imam Ahmad transmits the following
hadith attributing it to Aisha, the Prophet's wife:
The first aspect of revelation to Allah's Messenger was that his
dreams came true. Whatever vision he might have in his sleep
would occur exactly as he had seen. Then, he began to enjoy seclu-
sion. He used to retreat alone into the cave of Hira where he would-
spend several days in devotion before going back to his family. He
used to take some food with him, and when he came back he would
take a fresh supply for another period. He continued to do so until
he received the truth while in the cave of Hira. The angel came to
him and said, "Read." He replied, "I am not a reader." The
Prophet says, "He held me and pressed hard until I was exhausted,
then he released me and said, "Read." and I replied, "I am not a
reader". So, he held me and pressed me hard a second time until I
was exhausted, then he released me and said, "Read." I replied, "I
am not a reader." He then held me and pressed me hard for the
third time. Then he said, "Read, in the name of your Lord Who
created, created man from clots of blood. Read! your Lord is the
most bounteous, Who has taught the use of the pen, has taught man
what he did not know." The Prophet returned home to Khadeeja
trembling and said, "Wrap me! Wrap me!" They wrapped him
and his fear subsided. He turned to Khadeeja and exclaimed,(1/298)
"What has happened to me?" and related to her what had hap-
pened and said, "I fear for myself." And Khadeeja replied, "Fear
not, be calm and relax. Allah will not let you suffer any humilia-
tion, because you are kind to your relatives, you speak the truth,
you assist anyone in need, you are hospitable to your guests and
you help in every just cause." Then she took him to Waraqa ibn
Nawfal, her paternal cousin who was a Christian convert and a
scholar with good knowledge of Arabic, Hebrew and the Bible. He
had lost his eyesight as he had grown very old. Khadeeja said to
Waraqa, "Cousin, would you like to hear what your nephew has to
say?" Waraqa said, "Well, nephew, what have you seen?" The
Prophet related to him what he had seen. When he finished,
Waraqa said, " It is the same revelation as was sent down to Moses.
I wish I was a young man so that I might be alive when your people
turn you away from this city." The Prophet exclaimed, "Would
they turn me away?" Waraqa answered "Yes! No man has ever
preached a message like yours but was met with enmity. If I live till
that day, I will certainly give you all my support." But Waraqa
died soon after that ...
This hadith is transmitted in both of the most authentic books of
the Prophet's traditions and was related by Al-Zuhri.
Al-Tabari also transmitted the following tradition, related by
Abdullah ibn Az-Zubair:
The Prophet said, 'While I was asleep he came to me carrying a
case of a very rich material in which there was a book. He said,
'Read.' I replied, 'I am not a reader.' He pressed me so hard that I(1/299)
felt I was about to die. Then he released me and said, 'Read.' I
asked 'What shall I read?' (and I said this only out of fear that he
might repeat what he had done to me before.) He said, 'Read: In
the name of your Lord who created ... taught man what he did not
know. ' I read it. He stopped, then left me and went away. I woke up
feeling that it was actually written in my heart'." The Prophet went
on to say, "No man was ever more loathsome to me than poets or
deranged persons. I could not bear even looking at either. I
thought, 'The man (meaning himself) is undoubtedly a poet or
deranged. This shall not be said about me amongst the Quraish.
Let me climb high up in the mountain and throw myself and get rid
of it all.' I went to carry out this intention. When I was half way up
in the mountain I heard a voice coming from the heavens saying,
'Muhammad, you are the Messenger of Allah and I am Jibril.' I
raised my head up to the sky and I saw Jibril in the image of a man
with his feet one next to the other, up on the horizon. He said
again, 'Muhammad, you are the Messenger of Allah and I am
Jibril.' I stood in my place looking up at him; this distracted me
from my intention. I was standing there unable to move. I tried to
turn my face away from him and to look up at the sky, but wher-
ever I looked, I saw him in front of me. I stood still, moving neither
forward nor backward. Khadeeja sent her messengers looking for
me and I remained standing in my place all the while until they
went back to her. He then left me and I went back to my
family ...(1/300)
This tradition is also related in more details by Ibn Ishaq, on the
authority of Wahb ibn Kayssan.
I reflected for a while upon this event. We all have read it many
times in books; either those of the Prophet's biography or those
explaining the meaning of the Qur'an. But we either read it casually
or gave it little thought and went on with our reading.
Yet this is an event which has immense significance. It is an event
which has important bearing on the life of humanity; but much as we
try today to perceive its great value, many of its aspects will remain
beyond our perception. It is no exaggeration to describe this event as
the greatest in the long history of human existence.
The true nature of this event is that Allah, the Great, the Com-
peller, the Almighty, the Supreme, the Sovereign of the whole uni-
verse, out of His benevolence, has turned to that creation of His
which is called "man", and which takes its abode in a hardly visible
corner of the universe, the name of which is the "Earth" . He has hon-
oured this species of His creation by choosing one of its numbers to
be the recipient of His Divine light and the guardian of His wisdom.
This is something infinitely great. Some aspects of its greatness
become apparent when man tries, as best as he can, to perceive the
essential qualities of Allah: absolute power, freedom from all limi-
tations and everlastingness; and when he reflects, in comparison, on
the basic qualities of Allah's servants who arc subject to certain limi-
tations of power and life duration. One may then perceive the signifi-(1/301)
cance of this Divine care for man. He may realise the sweetness of
this feeling and manifest his appreciation with thanksgiving, prayers
and devotion. He feels that the whole universe shares in the general
happiness spread by the revelation of Divine words to man in his
obscure corner of the universe.
What is the significance of this event? With reference to Allah, it
signifies that He is the source of all the great bounties and unfailing
compassion. He is the Benevolent, the Loving, Who bestows His
mercy and benefactions for no reason except that benevolence is one
of His Divine attributes. As for man, this event signifies that Allah
has bestowed on him an honour the greatness of which he can hardly
ever appreciate and for which he can never show enough gratitude
not even if he spends all his life in devotion and prostration. This
honor is that Allah has taken notice and care of him, established
contact with him and chosen one of the human race as His messen-
ger to reveal to him His words that the earth, man's abode has
become the recipient of these Divine words, which the whole uni-
verse echoes with submission and devotion.
This great event began to bear on the life of humanity as a whole
right from the first moment. It marked a change in the course of his-
tory, following the change it brought about in the course followed by
human conscience. It specified the source man should look up to in
order to derive his ideals, values and criteria. The source is heaven
and the Divine revelations, not this world and man's own desires.(1/302)
When this great event took place the people who recognised its true
nature and adapted their lives accordingly enjoyed Allah's protect-
ion and manifest care. They looked up to Him directly for guidance
in all their affairs, big and small. They lived and moved under His
supervision. They expected that He would guide them along the
road, step by step, stopping them from error and leading them to the
right. Every night they expected to receive some Divine revelations
concerning what they had on their minds, providing solutions for
their problems and saying to them, "Do this and leave that."
The period which followed the event was certainly remarkable:
twenty-three years of direct contact between the human race and the
Highest Society. The true nature of this period cannot be recognised
except by those who lived in that period and went through its experi-
ence, witnessed its start and its end, relished the sweet flavour of that
contact and felt the Divine hand guiding them along the road. The
distance which separates us from that reality is too great to be
defined by any measure of length this world has known. It is a dis-
tance in the world of conscience incomparable to any distance in the
material world, not even when we think of the gaps separating the
stars or galaxies. It is a gap that separates the earth and the Heaven; a
gap between human desires and Divine revelation as sources from
which concepts and values are derived; a gap between Ignorance and
Islam, the human and the Divine.
The people who lived in that period were fully aware of its unique-(1/303)
ness, recognised its special place in history and felt the grtat loss
when the Prophet passed away to be in the company of the Supreme
Companion. This marked the end of this remarkable periDd which
our minds can hardly imagine but for its actual occurrence.
Anas related that Abu Bakr said to 'Umar after the death of the
Prophet "Let us go to visit Umm Ayman as the Prophet used to do."
When they went to her she burst into tears. They said, "What are you
crying for? Don't you realise that Allah's company is far better for
the Prophet?" She replied, "That is true, I am sure. I am only crying
because revelation has ceased with his death." This made tears spring
to their eyes and the three of them cried together. (Transmitted by
Muslim).
The impact of that period has been in evidence in the life of
humanity ever since its beginning up to this moment, and it will
remain in evidence until the day when Allah inherits the earth and all
that walks on it. Man was reborn when he started to derive his values
from Heaven rather than earth and his laws from the Divine revel-
ation instead of his own desires. The course of history underwent a
change the like of which has never been experienced before or since
That event, the commencement of revelation, was the point at which
the roads crossed. Clear and permanent guidelines were established
which cannot be changed by the passage of time or effaced by events.
Human consceence developed a concept of existence, human life and
its values unsurpassed in comprehensiveness, clarity and purity of all(1/304)
worldly considerations as well as its realism and practicability in
human society. The foundations of this Divine code have been firmly
established in the world and its various aspects and essential stan-
dards have been made clear, "so that he who perishes may perish
after having received a clear sign and he who lives may live after having
received a clear sign. " (8:42)
The beginning of revelation was a unique event at a unique
moment marking the end of one era and the start of another. It is the
demarcation line in the history of mankind, not merely in the history
of a certain nation or a particular generation. It has been recorded by
the universe and echoed in all its corners. It has also been recorded in
the conscience of man which today needs to be guided by what Allah
has revealed and never to lose sight of it. It needs to remember that
this event was a rebirth of humanity which can take place only once
in history.
It is self evident that the rest of the surah was not revealed at the
same time as its opening but at a later date. For it refers to a certain
situation and to events in the life of the Prophet which took place
later, after he was instructed to convey his message and commanded
to offer his worship in public, and after he was met with opposition
by the polytheists. This is indicated in the part of the surah which
begins: "Observe the man who rebukes a servant of Allah when he
prays ..." Yet there is perfect harmony between all parts of the
surah. The facts it relates after the opening part are also arranged in(1/305)
perfect order. These two factors make the surah one perfectly har-a
monious unit.
Read in the name of your Lord Who created, created man from
clots of blood Read! your Lord is the most Bounteous, Who has taught
the use of the pen, has taught man what he did not know.
This is the first surah vf the Qur'an so it starts with the name of
Allah.' It instructs the Messenger of Allah right at the very firsf
moment of his blessed contact with the Highest Society and before
taking his very first step along the way of the message he was chosen
to deliver, to read in the name of Allah, "Read in the name of your
Lord." The first attribute of Allah it mentions is that of creation and
initiation: " ... your Lord Who created " Then it speaks in particular
of the creation of man and his origin: "created man from clots of
blood." He is created from a dried drop of blood which sticks to the
womb: a cheap and unsophisticated substance. This reflects the grace
and mercy of the Creator as much as it reflects His power. It is out of
His grace that He has elevated this clot of blood to the rank of man
who can be taught and who can learn: "Read! your Lord is the most
Bounteous, Who has taught the use of the pen, has taught man what he
did not know." The gulf between the origin and the outcome is very
wide indeed. But Allah is Able and He is Bounteous, hence this
change which makes us dizzy with wonder.
Here also emerges the fact of the teaching of man by the Creator.
The pen has always been the most widespread means of learning and(1/306)
it has always had the most far-reaching bearing on man's life. This
fact was not as clear at the time of revelation as it is now. But Allah
knows the value of the pen; hence, this reference to the pen at the bc-
ginning of this His final message to humanity, in the first surah of the
Qur'an. Yet the Messenger charged with the conveyance of this
message could not write. Had the Qur'an been his own composition, he
would not have stressed this fact at the first moment. But the Qur'an
is Allah's revelation and a message from the Divine.
The surah then states the source of learning, which is Allah. From
Him man receives all his knowledge, past, present and future. From
Him man learns any secret revealed to him about this universe, life
and himself.
This single paragraph revealed at the very first moment of the
Messenger's contact with the Highest Society states the compre-
hensive basis of faith and its concepts. Everything starts, works and
moves in His name. He is the One Who creates, originates and
teaches Whatever man learns and whatever experience and
knowledge he acquires come originally from Allah. He has taught man
what he did not know. The Prophet recognised this basic Qur'anic
fact. It governed his feelings teachings and actions for the rest of his
life because it is the principal fact of faith.
Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah summarises in his book "Zad
al-Ma'ad" the Messenger's teaching respecting the remembrance of
Allah:
The Prophet was the most perfect man with regard to his remem-
brance of Allah, the Exalted. Indeed whatever he spoke was in the(1/307)
line of such remembrance. His commands, prohibitions, legis-
lations, his teaching concerning the Lord and His attributes,
judgements, actions, promises and threats were all part of this
remembrance So were his praise and glorification of the Lord, his
prayers to Him, his feelings of fear and hope of Him and even his
silence. He was conscious of Allah at all times and in every state.
His praise of Allah was part of his very nature as if he praised Him
with every breath. Indeed he praised Him as he stood up, sat or
reclined and when walking, riding, moving, at home or travelling.
When he woke up he used to say, "Praise be to Allah Who has
given us life after He had caused us to die. To Him we shall be
resurrected." Aisha said that the Prophet used to say when he
woke up at night, "Allah is the greatest," and would repeat it ten
times. Then he would repeat ten times the statement, "There is no
deity but Allah," and pray, "My Lord, I seek refuge with You
against constraint in this life and on the Day of Resurrection," ten
times. Then he would start his formal prayers. Aisha also said that
when the Prophet woke up at night for his devotion he would say,
"There is no God but You, my Lord. Praise be to You. I beseech
You to forgive my sins and appeal to You for mercy. My Lord,
enrich my knowledge and cause not my heart to go astray after
You have granted me Your guidance. Grant me Your mercy, for
You are the most Bounteous." (Transmitted by Abu Dawood)
The Messenger has also taught us that whoever gets up at night(1/308)
and says, "There is no God but Allah alone; He has no partner; to
Him belongs the Sovereignty and praise; He is able to do every-
thing; all grace is His; Glorified be He; there is no deity but Allah;
Allah is the greatest; no power can operate without His per-
mission; He is the Great, the Supreme," and after this says, "My
Lord, forgive me," or any other prayer, his prayers will be an-
swered. Should he make ablution and offer prayers, these will be
accepted.
The Messenger once stayed for a night at Ibn Abbas's home.
The latter related that when he, the Messenger, woke up he raised
his hand to the sky and read the last ten verses of surah
"Aal-'lmran. " Then he went on to pray, "My Lord, to You belongs
all praise; You are the light of heaven and earth and all therein;
Praise be to You, the true Lord; Your promise is true; whatever
You say is true; the Meeting with You is true; Heaven is true; Hell
is true; the Prophets are true; and the Hour is true. I submit myself
to You, I believe in You and depend on You. To You I return . Any
dispute I may enter into is for You. To You I turn for judgement.
Forgive me all my sins, past and future, public and secret. You are
my Lord and there is no God but You. No power can operate with-
out the permission of Allah, the Great, the Supreme."
Aisha related that when the Prophet woke up at night to wor-
ship he used to say, "My God, the Lord of Jibril, Mikaeel and Isra-
feel, the Creator of heaven and earth, Who knows what is
concealed and what is made public. You judge amongst Your ser-(1/309)
vants in their disputes. Guide me, with Your own will, to the truth
over which people argue and dispute, for You guide whom You
will to the straight path." She might have also said that he used to
say this at the start of his prayers.
After offering the "witr" prayer, the Messenger used to repeat
three times, "Glorified be Allah, the Holy One." When he went
out of his house he would say, "In the name of Allah. I depend on
Allah. My Lord, I appeal to You to guard me against going astray
or causing anyone to go astray, and against any slip, and being
unjust to anyone or being victim to any injustice by others, and
against acting ignorantly, or being ignorantly done by."
The Messenger said, "Whoever says as he leaves his home, 'In
the name of Allah. I depend on Allah. No power is operative with-
out the permission of Allah,' he will receive the answer. 'You are
rightly guarded and well protected,' and the devil will be made to
turn away from him."
Referring to the night when he was host to the Messenger, Ibn
Abbas said that when the Messenger left for the mosque for the
dawn prayers he said, "My Lord, give me light in my heart,
tongue, ears and eyes: give me light in front of me, over me and
below me and make the light You give me great."
Abu Said al-Khudri related that the Prophet said, "When a man
goes out to the mosque for prayers and says, 'My Lord, I appeal to
You by the right of those who pray to You, and the right us my
journey to You. I have not come out with any feeling of self-
sufficiency, nor in hypocrisy or conceit, nor to seek reputation. I(1/310)
have come out with the hope of avoiding Your anger, seeking
Your pleasure. I pray you, save me from Hell and forgive me my
sins; You are the Only One Who forgives sins;' seventy thousand
angels will be charged with praying for his forgiveness and Allah
will receive and welcome him until he finishes his prayers."
Abu Dawood transmitted that the Prophet used to say when he
entered the mosque, "I seek refuge with Allah, the Great, and His
Holy face, and His old power against Satan, the Outcast." When a
man says this the Devil says, "He is now protected against me for
the rest of the day."
The Prophet said, "Whenever any of you comes to the mosque,
let him pray and ask peace for the Prophet and say, 'My Lord,
open to me the doors of your mercy.' When he leaves the mosque,
let him say, 'My Lord, I pray You to give me out of Your grace.'"
It is also related that when the Prophet entered the mosque, he
would ask peace for Muhammad (himself) and his household,
then he would say, "My Lord, forgive me my sins and open the
doors of Your mercy to me." When he left, he would again ask
peace for Muhammad and his household, and say, "My Lord,
forgive me my sins and lay open to me the doors of Your grace." After
offering the dawn prayers, Allah's Messenger used to stay in his
praying place until sunrise, utilising his time in the remembrance
of Allah, the Exalted. In the morning, he would say, "Our Lord,
we have lived till this morning by Your will, and we also live till
evening by Your will. We live and die by Your will. To You we will(1/311)
return." He also used to say, "Morning has appeared. This morn-
ing all sovereignty belongs to Allah, praised be He. There is no
God but Allah alone. He has no partner, to Him belongs all the
universe and to Him is all praise. He is the Almighty, able to do
what He wills. My Lord, I pray to You to give me of the best of this
day and the best of the days to follow. I seek refuge with You
against the evil of this day and the days to follow. My Lord, I seek
Your refuge against laziness and the evils of old age, against suffer-
ing in Hell and suffering in the grave." In the evening he would
repeat the same prayer substituting evening for morning (Trans-
mitted by Muslim).
Once Abu Bakr, the Prophet's most distinguished companion
said to him, "Teach me some prayers to say in the morning and in
the evening." Allah's Messenger taught him the following prayer,
"My Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. Who knows the vis-
ible and the unseen, the perceptible and the imperceptible, the
Lord and Possessor of all, I declare that there is no God but You. I
appeal to You to protect me against my own evil and the evil of
Satan; I seek Your refuge against doing myself any harm or caus-
ing harm to any Muslim." The Messenger told Abu Bakr to say
this prayer in the morning, evening and before going to bed. (Zad
al-Maad contains numerous traditions on the same subject.)
... When Allah's Messenger had a new garment, he would
mention it by name (e.g. a shirt, a gown or a turban) and say, "My
Lord, praise be to You. You have given me this. I pray You to give(1/312)
me its goodness and the goodness for which it was made. I pray to
You to rid me of its evil and the evil for which it was made."
The Messenger is reported to have been in the habit of saying the
following prayer when he returned home, "Praise be to Allah who
has given me this shelter and what is sufficient for me; and praise
be to Allah Who has given me food and drink, and praise be to
Allah Who has given me much (of His generosity). I pray You to
extend Your protection to me against Hell.
It is confirmed in the two authentic books of the Messenger's
traditions that, when he entered the toilet, he used to say,
My Lord, I pray You to rid me of evil things." When he left, he
used to say, "Praise be to Allah Who has ridden me of harm and
given me good health." (Transmitted be Ibn Majah).
It is also confirmed that he once put his hand in a water con-
taincr and said to his companions, "Make ablutions in the name of
Allah." When he saw the new moon, he used to say, "My Lord, let
it come to us with security, faith, safety and submission to You.
New moon, Allah is my Lord and Your Lord." (Transmitted by
At-Tirmithi).
When he started eating, he used to say, "In the name of Allah."
He also said, "When any of you eats, let him mention the name of
Allah. If he forgets to do so, let him say (when he remembers), in
the name of Allah at the beginning and at the end."
Thus was the life of the Messenger of Allah. It was conditioned,
down to every single detail, by the Divine instruction which he
received at the very first moment of his message. This instruction(1/313)
helped his faith to bc established on a genuine basis .
It is Allah, then, Who creates, teaches and bestows His abundant
bounties on man. This implies that man should acknowledge Allah's
benevolence and be grateful for it. But what actually happens is
something different.
The second part of the surah deals with man's transgression.
'Indeed man tyrannises once he thinks himself self-sufficient. Surely to
your Lord all things return." It is Allah Who gives to man in abun-
dance and makes him independent. He also creates and teaches him
and extends to him His generous treatment. But men in general (ex-
cluding those guarded by faith) are not thankful for their indepen-
dence which is made possible by what they are given. They do not
recognise the source of this grace, which is the same as the source of
their creation, knowledge and livelihood. They tyrannise and trans-
gress all limits and show their conceit instead of being dutiful and
thankful.
The portrait of the transgressor, conceited because he has forgot-
ten his origin, is followed by a comment charged with an implicit
warning, 'Surely to your Lord all things return." Where can this
proud tyrant then turn? At the same time one or the fundamental
rules of the Islamic ideological concept is emphasised. That is, all
must refer to Allah in every matter, thought or action. he is the only
reason and refuge. The good and the bad, the obedient and the sinner,
the righteous and the wrong-doer, the rich and the poor, will all
return to Him. Even the man who tyrannises when he thinks himself(1/314)
independent will come to Him eventually.
Thus, the first two parts of the surah state together the ideological
concept of Islam: creation and teaching belong to Allah alone and to
Him all return: "Surely to your Lord all things return. "
The third part tackles a particularly appalling form of tyranny. Its
description in the inimitable Qur'anic style fills one with wonder and
dismay that it should take place at all. "Observe the man who rebukes
a servant of Allah when he prays. Think: does he not follow the right
guidance and enjoin true piety? Think: if he denies the truth and turns
his back, does he not realise that Allah sees all? "
The feelings of wonder and dismay are aroused by the manner of
expression which takes the form of address and conversation using
short sentences that follow in rapid succession. The effect can hardly
ever be produced by ordinary written language. "Observe" this
ghastly business actually taking place! "Observe the man who rebukes
a servant of Allah when he prays. " Have you seen this repulsive sight?
Have you realised how repugnance is doubled by the fact that the
person being dissuaded from his prayers is in fact following Divine
guidance. He merely enjoins righteousness and piety, yet he is dis-
couraged and told to desist!
Yet the transgressor outdoes himself by taking a still more abhor-
ent stand, Think: if he denies the truth and turns his back. " The clos-
ing note is one of implicit warning, similar to that of the previous
paragraph, "Does he not realise that Allah sees all? " He sees every-(1/315)
thing: the denial of truth, the turning away from it, as well as the for-
bidding of the believers from offering their prayers. Since Allah sees
all there is something which follows His seeing. This is the implicit
warning.
Thus, we have a scene of tyranny trying to suppress the call of faith
and obedience to Allah which is followed immediately by a stern
warning stated explicitly this time, "Let him desist, or We will drag
him by the forelock. " The Arabic term used for "drag" has a marked
tone of violent action. The dragging is by the forelock as it is the part
of the head raised high by every conceited tyrant. It undoubtedly
deserves to be hit violently: 'His lying, sinful forelock!" The tyrant
may think of calling his clan and supporters to come to his aid: " Then
let him call his henchmen. " On the other side, " We will call the guards
of hell," and they are powerfull and ruthless. The outcome of the
battle is never in doubt.
In the light of this frightening destiny of the disbelievers, the surah
concludes with an instruction to the obedient servants of Allah to
persevere and follow the path of faith: "No, never obey him, but pros-
trate yourself and draw closer to Allah. " Do not obey this tyrant who
tries to stop you from offering your devotion and conveying your
message. Prostrate yourself to your Lord and bring yourself closer to
Him through worship and obedience. As for the tyrant, leave him to
the guards of Hell who are sure to mete out to him what he deserves.
Some authentic reports say that the surah, with the exception of(1/316)
the first part, refers to Abu Jahl who once passed bv the Prophet
while he was praying at the Ka'aba. He turned to him and said,
"Muhammad, have I not ordered you to stop these practices?" He
also added some warnings to the Prophet who gave him a stern reply.
This was possibly the time when the Prophet seized Abu Jahl by the
collar and warned him of his impending doom. Abu Jahl said,
"Muhammad, what do you threaten me with? I am sure I have the
largest following in this valley." Hence, the revelation, "Let him call
his henchmen. " Ibn Abbas, the Prophet's companion, said in com-
ment "Had he called them, the angels charged with meting out pun-
ishment would have taken him away there and then."
The surah, however, is general in its significance. It refers to every
obedient believer calling men to follow the path of Allah and to every
tyrant who forbids prayer, threatens to punish the believers and act
conceitedly. The concluding Divine instruction is therefore, "No,
never obey him, but prostrate yourself and draw closer to Allah. "(1/317)
SURAH 97
POWER
AL-QADR
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
We revealed it (the Qur'an) on the Night of Power. Would that you
knew what the Night of Power is like. Better is the Night of Power
than ? thousand months. On that night the angels and the Spirit
descend by their Lord's permission, with all His decrees. That
night is peace, till the break of dawn.
Th!s surah speaks about the promised great night which the whole
umverse marked with joy and prayers. It is the night of perfect com-(1/317)
munion between this world and the Highest Society. It is the night
which marked the beginning of the revelation of the Qur'an to
Muhammad (peace be on him), an event unparalleled in the history
of mankind for Its splendour and the significance it has for the life of
mankind as a whole. Its greatness is far beyond human realisation
"We revealed it on the Night of Power. Would that you knew what the
Night of Power is like. Better is the Night of Power than a thousand
months."
The Qur'anic statements which relate this great event radiate with
Allahs clear and shining light: "We revealed it on the Night of
power. There is also the light of the angels and the Spirit moving be-
between the earth and the Highest Society. "On that night the angels and
the Spirit descend by their Lord 's permission with all His decrees." In
addition, there is also the light of dawn which the surah represents as
perfectly harmonious with the light of the Qur'an and the angels as
well as with the spirit of peace: " That night is peace, till the break of
The night in question here is the same night referred to in surah 44,
(Smoke) We revealed it (the Qur'an) on a blessed night, for We
would warn (mankind), on a night when every precept was made plain as
a commandment from us. We have ever sent forth messengers as a
blessing from your Lord, who hears all and knows all. " It is established
that it is a night in the month of Ramadhan, as stated in surah 2
("The Cow"): "In the month of Ramadhan the Qur'an was revealed, a
book of guidance distinguishing right from wrong. " This means that(1/318)
the Night of Power marked the beginning of the revelation of the
Quran to the Prophet and his charge of conveying it to mankind
Ibn Ishaq related that the first revelation, consisting of the opening
of surah 96, ("The Blood Clots"), took place in the month of Rama-
dhan, when the Messenger of Allah was at his devotion in the cave of
Hira.
A number of traditions specifying this night have come down to
us: some stress that It is the twenty-seventh of Ramadhan, others the
twenty-first; a few others say it is one of the last ten days and some
others do not go beyond saying that it is in Ramadhan.
Its title "The Night of Power" may be taken to mean assignment
designation and organisation, or it may mean value, position and
rank. Both meanings are relevant to that great universal event of the
revelation of the Qur'an and the assigning of the message to the
Prophet. For it is the greatest and most precious of all events which the
universe has witnessed. It is also the event which explains more
clearly than any other the place of assignment, designation and
organisation in the life of mankind. This night is better than a
thousand months. The figure here and elsewhere in the Qur'an does not
signify its precise number. It simply denotes a very high number.
Many thousand months and many thousand years have passed with-
out leaving behind a fraction of the changes and results brought
about in that blessed and happy night.
This night is of an essence too sublime to be understood by human
intellect: " Would that you knew what the Night of Power is like. "(1/319)
There is no reason to attach any value to the legends circulating
among the masses concerning this night. It is great because Allah has
chosen it for the revelation of the Qur'an, so that its light may spread
throughout the universe, and Divine peace may spread in human life
and conscience. That night is great because of what the Qur'an in-
cludes: an ideology, a basis for values and standards and a compre-
hensive code of moral and social behaviour, all of which promote
peace within the human soul and in the world at large. It is great be-
cause of the descent of the angels, and Jibril in particular, by their
Lord's permission carrying the Qur'an which was first sent down on
that night. They fill all the space between heaven and earth in such a
splendid, universal celebration, vividly portrayed in this surah.
When we look today in retrospect, after the lapse of numerous
generations, at that glorious and happy night, and imagine the fasci-
nating celebration the world witnessed on that night, and ponder
over the essence of revelation and its far-reaching effects on human
life and its values we appreciate the greatness of this event. We can
then understand, io some extent, why the Qur'anic reference to that
night is made in such an equivocal way: " Would that you knew what
the Night of Power is like ".
On that night every matter of significance was made plain and dis-
tinct; new values and standards were established; the fortunes of
nations were determined; and values and standards were sifted.
Humanity, out of ignorance and to its misfortune, may overlook(1/320)
the value and importance of the Night of Power. When humanity
ignores all that, it loses the happiest and most beautiful sign of grace
which Allah bestowed on it. It loses the real happiness and peace
gifted to it by Islam, namely, the peace of conscience, family and
society. What it has otherwise gained of material civilisation cannot be
adequate compensation for its loss. Humanity is miserable in spite of
higher production levels and better means of existence. The splendid
light which once illuminated its soul has been put off; the brilliant
touch of happiness which carried it high up to the Highest Society
has been smothered; the peace which overflowed on the hearts and
minds has disappeared. Nothing can compensate for the happiness
of the soul, the heavenly light and the elevation to the loftiest ranks.
We, the believers in Islam, are commanded not to forget or
neglect this event. The Prophet has taught us an easy and enjoyable
way to commemorate that night, so that our souls may always be in
close communion with it and with the universal event which took
place in it. He has urged us to spend this night of each year in devo-
tion. He said "Seek the Night of Power in the last ten nights of
Ramadhan." 'He who spends the Night of Power in worship, with a
pure motive of faith and devotion, will have all his past sins forgiven."
Islam is not mere formalities. Hence, the Prophet specified that
the consecration of that night must be motivated by faith and devo-
tion. This would make its consecration by an individual an indi-(1/321)
cation of his full awareness of the far-reaching effects of what took
place in that night.
The Islamic method of character building links worship with faith
and the truth it establishes in the heart and conscience of the indi-
vidual. In this method, worship is considered a means for main-
taining full awareness of this truth, its clarification and firm
establishment in one's mind, heart and soul. This method has been
proved to be the best for the revival of this truth so that it may have a
constant influence on men's consciences and behaviour. The theor-
etical understanding of this truth cannot, on its own and without
worship, establish it or give it the necessary impetus for its operation
in the life of the individual or the life of the society. This link between
the anniversary of the Night of Power and its consecration in faith
and devotion is a part of the successful and upright method of Islam .(1/322)
SURAH 98 THE CLEAR PROOF
AL BAYYINAH
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Those who disbelieve among the people of the earlier revelations and
the polytheists could have never departed (from their erring ways)
until there had come to them the Clear Proof: A Messenger from Allah
reciting purified pages, containing books of high value and importance.
Nor were the people of the earlier revelations divided until the Clear
Proof had been given to them. Yet they are ordered to do nothing more
than to serve Allah, to worship Him alone with sincerity, and with
purity of faith, to attend to their prayers and to pay the purifying(1/322)
alms (zakat). That is surely the faith of the upright nation.
Those who disbelieve among the people of the earlier revelations and
the polytheists shall burn forever in the fire of Hell. They are the
worst of all creatures. But those who believe and do righteous deeds
are the best of all creatures. Their Lord will reward them with the
gardens of Eden underneath which rivers How, where they shall dwell
forever. Allah is well pleased with them and they with Him. This is
the reward of the god fearing.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
As stated in our copies of the Qur'an and according to the greater
number of reports, this surah is a Medinan revelation. There are,
however, some reports which classify it as Makkan. Although its
classification as Medinan carries more weight in view of these reports
and its mode of expression and style, yet the possibility of its being
Makkan cannot be ruled out. The fact that it mentions "the purifying
alms" (zakat) and "the people of earlier revelations" is not clear cut
argument against the Makkan possibility. Some surahs which are
indisputably Makkan mention the people of earlier revelations. Also,
there were some of these people in Makka; some of them adopted
Islam and some did not. Moreover the Christians from Najran came
to the Prophet when he was still in Makka, and they accepted the
Islamic faith, as it is known. Moreover, "zakat" or "the purifying
alms" is mentioned in some Makka surahs.
This surah deals in a positive manner with a number of facts relat-
ing to history and faith. The first fact is that the sending of the Mess-(1/323)
enger, Muhammad (peace be on him), was essential to the
transformation of those of the people of the earlier revelations and
the polytheists who had ended up in disbelief. They could not have
departed from their erring ways without thc help of this prophetic
mission: " Those who disbelieve among the people of the earlier revel-
ations and the polytheists could have never departed (from their erring
ways) until there had come to them the Clear Proof: a Messenger from
Allah reciting purified pages containing books of high value and import-
ance.
The second fact is that religious discord and conflict among the
people of the earlier revelations did not arise out of their ignorance
of, or from any obscurity or ambiguity in, their religion. On the con-
trary, they ran into discord after they had received true knowledge
and the clear proof: "Nor were the people of the earlier revelations
divided until the Clear Proof had been given to them. "
The third fact is that, in regard to its origin, religion is one. Its fun-
damentals are simple and clear and do not, by themselves and by
their plain and easy nature, make for divisions or conflicts: " Yes they
are ordered to do nothing more than to serve Allah, to worship Him alone
with sincerity and with purity of faith, to attend to their prayers and to
pay the stated alms. That is surely the faith of the upright nation. "
The fourth fact is that those who disbelieved after receiving the
clear proof are the worst creatures of all, while those who believe and
do good deeds are the best creatures. Hence the rewards of the two(1/324)
types are totally different: " Those who disbelieve among the people of
the earlier revelations and the polytheists shall burn forever in the fire of
Hell. They are the worst of all creatures. But those who believe and do
righteous deeds are the best of all creatures. Their Lord will reward
them with the gardens of Eden underneath which rivers flow, where they
shall dwell for ever. Allah is well pleased with them and they with Him.
This is the reward of the godfearing.
All these four facts are greatly valuable for the full understanding
of the role of the Islamic ideology which is the final Divine message,
as well as for the formulation of one's concepts of faith.
Those who disbelieve among the people of the earlier revelations
and the polytheists could have never departed (from their erring ways)
until there had come to them the Clear Proof: a Messenger from Allah
reciting purified pages, containing books of high value and import-
ance.
The world was terribly in need of a new message. Corruption had
spread around the whole world to the extent that there was no hope
of reform except by means of a new message, a new method of orien-
tation and a new movement. Disbelief crept into and became the
characteristic of all creeds and doctrines whether those of the people
of earlier revelations (i.e. the Jews and the Christians) who pre-
viously knew the Divine religions and distorted them or those of the
polytheists in the Arabian Peninsula and beyond, all alike. They were
not to turn away trom this disbelief into which they had sunk except(1/325)
by means of this new message and at the hands of a messenger who
would himself be a clear proof, distinctive and specific. "A Messen-
ger from Allah reciting purified pages", that is, purified of all idola-
tory and disbelief, "containing books of high value and importance. "
The term "book" is used for reference to the subject discussed, for
example, book of purity, book of prayers, book of destiny and
book of resurrection. These pure pages are indeed the Qur'an which
contains valuable and important books.
Hence this message and the messenger came at a perfectly
suitable time. These scriptures also came with all that they contain of
books and facts to bring about a far reaching reform of this world.
As to how badly the world needed this message and messenger we
shall be content to indicate by quoting some inspiring remarks from
the valuable book written by the Muslim author Sayyid Abul-
Hassan Ali Nadwi and entitled "Islam and the World ". This book is
the clearest as well as the briefest that we have read on this subject.
The author writes in chapter one:
The sixth Century of the Christian era, it is generally agreed.
represented the darkest phase in the history of our race. Humanity
had reached the edge of the precipice, towards which it had been
tragically proceeding for centuries, and there appeared to be no
agency or power in the whole world which could come to its rescuc
and save it from crashing into the abyss of destruction .
In his melancholy progress from God forgetfulness to self-
forgetting, man had lost his moorings. He had grown indifferent(1/326)
to his destiny. The teachings of the prophets had been forgotten:
the lamps that they had kindled either had been put out by the
storms of moral anarchy or the light they shed had become so
feeble that it could illumine the hearts of but a few men, most of
whom had sought refuge in passivity and resignation. Having
been vanquished in the battle between spiritualism and material-
ism, they had shut themselves up in monasteries or gone into
wilderness Such of them as were still left in the whirlpool of life
had aligned themselves with the ruling classes of their lands. They
helped them in the satisfaction of their sensual desires and in the
maintenance of unjust political and economic systems and co-
operated with them in reaping unlawful benefits out oi the wealth
of the people ...
Great religions became playthings in the hands of debased
ecclesiastics who corrupted and twisted them beyond recognition,
so much so that if it were possible for their founders to return to
the physical life, they could not have recognised them. In con-
sequence of the moral debasement of the great centres of civilisation
and general disorder and unrest, people everywhere got entangled
in their internal problems. They had no message to offer to the
world The world had become hollow from within; its life-springs
had dried up. It possessed neither the light of religious guidance
for their personal conduct nor any abiding and rational principles
for running a state.
This outlines briefly the condition of mankind and religions just
before the advent of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). The(1/327)
Qur'an refers in various parts to the aspects of this disbelief which
spread amongst the people of the earlier revelations as well as the
polytheists. Among these references to the Jews and Christians are:
"The Jews say. 'Ezra is the son of Allah" [1], and the Christians say. ' the
Messiah is the son of Allah" and "The Jews say, 'the Christians
follow nothing true', and the Christians say. 'the Jews follow nothing
true'." [2] The Qur'an also refers to the Jews: "The Jews have said,
'Allah 's hand is fettered '. Fettered are their hands, and cursed they are
f or what they say. His hands are outspread: He bestows as He wills." [3]
It says about the Christians: "They are surely disbelievers who say,
'Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary" [4] and, "They are surely disbe-
lievers who say, "Allah is one of a trinity" [5] The Qur'an also speaks
about the polytheists: "Say: "Disbelievers! I do not worship what you
worship. Nor do you worship what I worship. I shall never worship what
you worship, neither will you worship what I worship. You have your
own religion and I have mine'. " [6] There are many other statements in
the Qur'an which support this view.
In addition to this disbelief, there were backwardness, divisiors, ruin
as wel I as other evils spread all over the world.
In short there was no nation on earth with an upright thinking.
There was neither a society built on a foundation of morality and
virtue, nor a government based on justice and mercy, nor a leader-
ship founded on knowledge and wisdom, nor a true religion that
came through the prophets. [7](1/328)
Hence, the Divine grace extended to mankind required that a
Messenger be sent from Him reciting purified scriptures containing
valuable and important books. There was no way of putting an end
to the widespread corruption except by the sending of this Messen-
ger, the deliverer, the guide and himself the Clear Proof.
Having made this fact clear at the outset, the surah goes on to state
that the people of the earlier revelations in particular did not experi-
ence religious conflicts and divisions as a result of ignorance on their
part or confusion or complicaiion on the part of their religion. Their
divisions occurred after the true knowledge and the clear signs of
their religion were delivered to them through the Messengers sent to
them: "Nor were the people of the earlier revelations divided unril the
Clear Proof had been given to them."
The first division was among the Jews who split into sects and
groups before the prophethood of Jesus. Although their prophet was
Moses and the Torah was their book, they split up into five main
sects, namely, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Asians, the Extrem-
ists and the Samaritans. Each had their own characteristics and their
own ways. Later on the division between the Jews and the Christians
took place in spite of the fact that Jesus is the last prophet sent to the
Children of Israel. He came to endorse the Torah and confirm it.
Nevertheless, the quarrel between the Jews and the Christians
reached the level of violent enmity and wicked hatred. History tells
us about the horrifying massacres that took place between the two
parties.(1/329)
The mutual jealousy and hatred between the Christians and the
Jews, which did not permit them to forego any opportunity of set-
tling an old score was brought to its climax towards the close of the
sixth century. In 610 A.D. the Jews of Antioch rebelled against the
Christians, and the Emperor Phocas sent his famous general Bon-
osus to put down the uprising, who set about his business with
such enthusiasm that the whole of the Jewish population was
wiped out. Thousands of Jews perished by the sword, while hun-
dreds of them were drowned or burnt alive or thrown to the wild
beasts. [8]
This was repeated again and again between the Jews and the
Christians. Al-Maqrizi says in his Book of Plans (Al Khitat),
"During the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Phocas, Chosroes,
the Shah of Persia, dispatched his armies to Syria and Egypt. They
destroyed the churches of Jerusalem, Palestine and the rest of the
Syrian land. They wiped out all the Christians and pursued them
to Egypt, where they slaughtered them in large numbers and
enslaved an unimaginable number. The Jews helped them in fighting
the Christians and destroying their churches. They poured from all
directions to help the Persians and came from Tiberia, the Mount
of Galilee, Nazareth village and the City of Tyre and all around
Jerusalem. They committed all sorts of atrocities against the
Christians, organised ghastly massacres, destroyed two Christian
churches in Jerusalem, burnt their places, stole a piece of the pillar
of the Cross and captured the Patriarch of Jerusalem and a great(1/330)
many of his friends and companions ..." Al-Maqrizi goes on to
relate the Persian conquest of Egypt; then he writes: "At that time,
the Jews in the City of Tyre rebelled and sent messengers from
among themselves to other cities and towns and all agreed to lay a
trap for the Christians and kill them. A war broke out between the
Jews and Christians in which the number of the Jews was around
20,000. They destroyed the Christian churches around Tyre. But
the Christians surrounded them and raised much greater numbers,
so the Jews suffered a ghastly defeat and a great number of them
were killed. At the time Heraclius ascended to power in Con-
stantinople. He defeated the Persians by setting a trap for the
Shah, who left him eventually and went away. Then he marched
from Constantinople to re-establish his authority over Syria and
Egypt and to renew what the Persians had destroyed. The Jews
from Tiberia and other places went out to meet him. They pre-
sented him with precious gifts and begged him to guarantee their
security and to take an oath to this effect. He granted their request.
He went on to Jerusalem where he was received by the Christian
population holding up their Bibles, crosses, and incense, and burn-
ing candles. He was very much displeased at seeing the city and its
churches destroyed. He expressed his sorrow to the local Chris-
tians who told him about the uprising by the Jews and their siding
with the Persians, the massacre of the Christians and the destruc-
tion of their churches. They told Heraclius to level a blow to the(1/331)
Jews but he protested that he had already guaranteed their security
and had taken an oath to that effect. Their monks, cardinals and
priests gave their judgement that the killing of the Jews was justi-
fiable on the grounds that they had played a trick in order to win
that assurance from him before he knew what they had done. The
clergy also pledged to atone for Heraclius' oath by committing
themselves and all Christians to fast a certain Friday every year for
the rest of time. Thus he leaned to their argument and wreaked
such a savage vengeance upon the Jews that in the Byzantine prov-
inces of Syria and Egypt those alone could save themselves who
could take to flight or go into hiding.
These reports give us an idea about the degree of savagery the
two parties, the Christians and the Jews, had reached, their watch-
ing for a chance to strike against the enemy and their heeding no
rules in all that. [9]
Then divisions and differences broke out amongst the Christians
themselves in spite of the fact that their book is one and their messen-
ger is one. They were divided first in matters of faith; then they split
up into hostile and warring sects. The differences were concerned
with the nature of Jesus and whether he had a Divine or a human
nature, and with the nature of Mary, his mother, and also with the
nature of the Trinity which constitutes God, as they claim. The
Qur'an relates two or three of their sayings on these issues: "They are
surely disbelievers who say. 'Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary'" [10],(1/332)
"They are surely disbelievers who say: 'Allah is one of a trinity'" [11]
and, "Allah said: 'Jesus, son of Mary! Did you eversay to people. " Worship
me and my mother as gods beside Allah "? [12]
The most violent of doctrinal divisions was that which erupted
between the Byzantine State and the Christians of Syria and the
Christians of Egypt, or, in a more accurate definition, the Melkites
and the Monophysites. The main dispute was over the alleged
combination of the Divine and the human natures in Jesus. The
Melkite Christians of Syria held that he was both Divine and
human, while the Monophysites of Egypt insisted upon his being
truiy Divine, the human part of his nature having lost itself in the
Divine as a drop of vinegar loses its identity in the ocean. The dis-
pute between the two parties became much stronger in the sixth
and seventh centuries so that it looked as if it was a ceaseless war
between two rival religions, or a dispute between Jews and
Christians. Every group kept saying to the other that its stand was
without foundation.
Emperor Heraclius (610 641) tried after his victory over the
Persians in 638 to reconcile the contending creeds in his state and
to unite them by compromise. This compromise took the shape of
a general ban on indulging in any argument on the nature of Jesus
Christ, the Messiah, and whether he had a single or dual nature.
But everyone had to accept the doctrine of a single energy in
Christ. [13] Agreement on this was established at the beginning of
631, and thus the Menothelian creed was declared the official(1/333)
creed of the state and all those of its populations who belonged to
the Christian church. Heraclius was determined to give the new
creed overall supremacy, and he utilised all means for this end.
But the Copts disputed his authority and declared their totai re-
jection of this innovation and deviation. They took the opposing
stand and sacrificed their all for their old faith. The Emperor tried
once again to unite all the creeds and settle the differences. He was
content that people should accept that there is a single will for
Christ.' As for the other issue, namely, the realisation of that will
by action, he deferred taking a stand on it altogether. He also
banned all people from indulging in arguments and debates on
these issues. He included all that in an official message which he
delivered to all parts of the Eastern world. But the message failed
to end the storm. Instead, brutal persecution was administered by
the Emperor in Egypt for ten years which witnessed what would
send a shiver of terror into any mortal being. Men were tortured
savagely before being put to death by drowning. Big torches were
lit and directed to the miserable prisoners until the fat ran from
both sides of their bodies to the floor. Prisoners were put in sacks
which were then filled with sand and thrown into the sea. These
and other ghastly brutalities were committed. [13]
All these disputes among the people of earlier revelations took
place after "the Clear Proof had been given to them". They were not
lacking in knowledge and proof, but they were blindly driven by their
desires into deviation.(1/334)
Yet religion is clear in its original form and the faith is simple in its
essence: " Yet they are ordered nothing more than to serve Allah, to
worship Allah alone with sincerity, and with purity of faith, to attend to
their prayers and to pay the purifying alms (zakat). Thal is surely the faith
of the upright nation. " This is the basis of the Divine religion through-
out the ages and in all its forms. It is simply the worship of Allah
alone, sincere and pure submission to Him, detachment from poly-
theism and the polytheists, the establishment of regular worship and
payment of the prescribed alms: " That is surely the jaith of the upright
nation.' It is a pure and sincere faith in the heart, worship of the
Divine Being which is a translation of this faith, and spending money
for the cause of Allah as He has stated. He who fulfils these injunc-
tions has met the requirements of faith, as the people of the carlier
revelations were commanded to do, and as these requirements are
outlined in all the forms of the Divine religion. It is one religion, the
same faith in all the successive messages and as preached by the suc-
cessive messengers of Allah. It is a religion free from all ambiguity
and complication; a faith which gives no reason for division and dis-
pute. It is very clear and very simple. How completely different this
religion is from those complicated and confusing concepts and from
those lengthy polemics.
Since clear proof has been given to them formerly in their own re-
ligions through their own prophets, and since clear proof had been(1/335)
given to them again, full of life, in the form of a Messenger from
Allah reciting purified pages, and offering them a clear and simple
faith, then the true path becomes very clear. So does the destiny of
the disbelievers, and that of the believers: "Those who disbelieve
among the people of the earlier revelations and the polytheists shall
burnforever in the fire of Hell; they are the worst of all creatures. But
those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of all creatures.
Their Lord will reward them with the gardens of Eden underneath
which rivers flow where they shall dwell forever. Allah is well pleased
with them and they with Him. This is the reward of the godfearing."
Muhammad (peace be on him) was the last messenger, and Islam,
which he preached, the final message. Messengers from Allah came
successively every time corruption spread in the world. Their objec-
tive was to make mankind return to righteousness. Those who
deviated from the right path had one chance after another to correct
their behaviour. But now that Allah has willed to close His messages
to earth by this final, comprehensive, perfect and accomplished mes-
sage, then the last chance has been given. It is either the adoption of
faith and salvation, or the denial of faith and destruction. For disbe-
lief now is an established evidence of unlimited evil, while accepting
the faith is proof of goodness which goes to its absolute end.
"Those who disbelieve among the people of the earlier revelations
and the polytheists shall burn forever in the fire of Hell. They are the(1/336)
worst of all creatures." It is a clear and absolute verdict which gives
no room for argument of dispute. It is applicable even if some of their
actions, values or systems were good, since these are not based on be-
lieving in this final message and final messenger. No appearance of
goodness will make us entertain even the slightest doubt in this
judgement, since this apparent goodness is detached from the up-
right method of living laid down by Allah.
"Those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of all crea-
tures. " This is also an absolute verdict that makes for no dispute or
argument. Its condition is also clear, free from any ambiguity or de-
ception. The condition is faith, not merely being born in a land which
claims to be Islamic, or in a family which claims to belong to Islam.
Neither is it a few words which one repeats again and again. It is the
acceptance of faith which establishes its effects on the actual life,
"and do righteous deeds. " It is entirely different from the words that
go no further than the lips. As for the "righteous deeds", these are
everything Allah has commanded to be done in matters of worship,
behaviour, action and day-to-day dealings. The first and most im-
portant of these 'righteous deeds " is the establishment of Allah's law
on this planet, and the government of people according to what
Allah has legislated. Those who act accordingly are the best creatures
of all .
"Their Lord will reward them with the gardens oJ Eden underneath
which riversflow, where they shall dwell forever. " These gardens are a(1/337)
specially prepared, permanent and happy dwelling. The happiness is
symbolised here by security against death and by the prevalent feel-
ing of contentment as against the feelings of anxiety which mar and
disrupt all earthly comforts. It is also symbolised by the rivers flow-
ing underneath these gardens; a picture which adds a sense of ease,
life and beauty.
The surah then adds some refined touches to the picture it portrays
of their perpetual happiness: "Allah is well pleased with them and they
with him." This pleasure of Allah with them is much more exalted
and far more enjoyable than any happiness. Moreover, in their
inmost souls they feel their pleasure with their Lord. They are well
pleased with the destiny He has set for them, delighted with the grace
He has granted them, enchanted with this relationship with their
Lord. It is a pleasure which fills the heart and soul with security and
contentment as well as delight and happiness, deep and pure. It is an
expression which suggests unique connotations: "Allah is well
pleased with them and they with him. "
"This is the reward of the godfearing. " This is the final assertion. It
stresses that all that has been said is dependent on the nature of the
relationship between man's heart and Allah. It also depends on
man's having a feeling Of Allah which urges him to all sorts of good
deeds and militates against all sorts of deviation. It is a feeling which
removes the barriers, lifts the curtains and makes man's heart stand
bare before Allah, the One, the All Powerful. It is a feeling which(1/338)
helps make worship and submission to Allah pure and purges
human actions from all elements of hypocrisy and polytheism. in all
norms. So he who truly fears his Lord cannot allow his heart to en-
tertain the slightest shred of influence by any being other than Allah.
the Creator of all beings. Such a man knows that Allah rejects any
deed by which the doer seeks any being beside Allah. For Allah is in
no need of partners. Every action must be pure for Him or else He
rejects it.
1. 9:30
2. 2:113
3. 5:64
4. 5:72
5. 5:73
6. 109:1-6
7. Abul Hasan Ali NAdwi, Islam and the World.
8. Ibid. pp. 17-18
9. Ibid pp. 9-11
10 5:72
11 5:73
12 5:116
13 Nadwi, Ibid, pp. 3-5(1/339)
Sura 99
The Earthquake
az Zalzalah
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
When the earth is rocked with her (final) earthquake, when the earth
shakes off her burdens, and man cries: What is the matter with her?
on that day she will tell her news, that your Lord has inspired her
(with His command). On that day men will issue forth in small groups
to be shown their labours. Whoever doea an atom's eight of good will
see it then, and who ever has done an atom's weight of evil will see
it then also.
In the Shade of the Quran
According to some reports, this surah is a Medinan revelation but other
reports say it was revealed in Makka. The latter report seems to us to be
more valid, because the surah's mode of expression and its subject matter
are more in line with the style and subjects of Makkan surahs.
The surah gives a violent shake to drowsy hearts; the subject matter, the(1/339)
scene drawn and the rhythm all contribute to the effect of a violent jolt.
It is a powerful blast that makes the earth and all that is on it quake
and tremble. Men hardly recover their senses when they find themselves
confronted with the reckoning, weighing and evaluating of actions and
deeds, and with recompense. All this is expressed in a few short phrases,
which is characteristic of this thirtieth part of the Qur'an as a whole
and is forcefully portrayed in this surah.
When the Earth is rocked with her (final) earthquake, when the Earth
shakes off her burdens, and man cries, ' What is the matter with
her?' on that day she will tell her news, that your Lord has inspired
her with His (command).
It is the Day of Judgement when the firm earth trembles and quakes
violently. yields up her long-carried loads of bodies and metals and
other matters which have weighed heavily on her. It is a scene that
makes every firm and solid object under the feet of the listeners
shake and totter. They think themselves to be staggering and toddling
and the earth beneath them shuddering and quaking. It is a scene which
cuts the heart from everything on earth it clings to, thinking it to
be firm and everlasting. This is the first impression created by these
scenes which the Qur'an portrays. The Quran imparts to them a kind of
movement which is transmitted almost to the very sinews of the listener
as soon as he hears these unique expressions. This impact is all the
more forceful because man is portrayed as confronting the scene described(1/340)
and revealing his reaction and reflexes while beholding it: "And man
cries: What is the matter with her?"
It is the question advanced by the bewildered. astonished, surprised and
puzzled who sees something unfamiliar to him, encounters what is
imperceptible to his senses and beholds what makes him impatient and
agitated. So he bursts out, "What is the matter with her"? What is
quaking and shaking her so violently?" He cries as he reels and staggers,
trying to hold on to anything which may support him or keep him upright.
But all around him waver and totter violently.
Man has experienced earthquakes and volcanoes which have filled him with
awe and terror and have brought to him ruin and destruction. But when man
witnesses the quake of the Day of Resurrection he sees no similarity
between it and the earthquakes and volcanoes of this world. He neither
knows its secrets, nor does he remember anything similar to it. It is
something august and dreadful, taking place for the first time ever.
"On that day", when this quake occurs, leaving man entirely shaken, "she
(the Earth) will tell her news, that your Lord has inspired her". This
earth will then tell her news, describe her condition and what has
happened to her. It all will have been brought about simply because "your
Lord has inspired her", ordered her to shake and quake so fiercely and
to shake off her burdens. She obeys only the Lord's orders "in true
submission to Him." (84:2) She will relate her news because what will
be taking place is a simple and clear account of what lies behind it of(1/341)
Allah's orders and inspiration to the earth.
At this point when man is astonished and puzzled, and as the rhythm gasps
with dread and terror, with surprise and wonder, tottering and shuddering
- at this point when man can hardly keep his breath, crying "What is the
matter with her? What has happened to her?" - at this point he encounters
the scene of resurrection, reckoning, weighing and recompense. "On that
Day men will issue forth in small groups to be shown their labours.
Whoever has done an atoms weight of good will see it then, and whoever
has done an atom 's weight of evil will see it then also."
In the twinkling of an eye we behold the scene of people coming out of
their graves; "On that Day mankind will issue forth in small groups". We
behold them issuing forth from all over the globe: "as if they were
swarming locusts". (54:2) This is also a scene unknown to man, it is
something unprecedented, unique in nature, with all human generations
issuing forth here and there, all over the globe. "On that Day, the
Earth will split asunder and they will come out in haste". (50:44)
Wherever you look you behold a ghost coming up, then he hurries away,
caring for nothing and never looking back nor turning his face either
left or right. They all are "rushing to the Summoner" (54:8), with their
heads down and their eyes staring forward, "for each one of them will on
that day have enough preoccupation's of his own". (80:37)
It is a scene indescribable in human language. It is ghastly and it is
also astonishing. All these adjectives and all their synonymous and(1/342)
analogous terms in the dictionary cannot describe this scene, while it
would be better conceived with a stretch of imagination and contemplation
within the limits and capacity of the human mind.
"On that Day men will issue forth in small groups to be shown their
labours". This is far more terrible and dreadful. They go to where they
will be shown their deeds. They have to face their deeds and their
rewards or punishments. Encountering one's deeds may be, sometimes, far
more severe than any punishment. Man sometimes does things which he
avoids even thinking about when he is alone.
In a spell of repentance and remorse, man would even turn his face from
some of his deeds because they are ghastly. Then, in what condition will
he be on that day when he faces his deeds in front of all mankind and in
the presence of Allah, the Great, the Almighty, the All-Powerful? It is
a terrible and frightful punishment, although it is only that they are
shown their deeds and have to confront their labours. But following this
confrontation (between men and their deeds) comes the accurate reckoning
which does not leave an atom's weight of good or evil unassesed or without
reward. "Whoever has done an atom 's weight of good will see it then, and
whoever has done an atoms 's weight of evil will see it then also".
"An atom's weight": the early commentators on the Qur'an explain this
phrase as "a mosquito" or "a particle of dust" which could be seen only
when exposed to the light of the sun. These were the smallest things they(1/343)
could think of, and which may be referred to as an "atom". But now we know
that the word "atom" refers to a definite thing which is much smaller than
that "particle of dust" seen in the sunlight. For the particle of dust
can be seen by the human eye while it is impossible to see the atom,
even with the help of the most powerful microscopes in laboratories. It
is only "conceived" by the scientists. None of them has seen it either
with his eyes or with his microscope. All that they have seen is its
effects. This atom, or what is similar to it in weight, whether good
or bad, will be brought forth and shown to its doer, who will then
receive its reward. At that time man does not undervalue any of his
actions and deeds, whether good or bad. He does not say, "Oh, this is
a trivial thing which has no weight or consideration". On the contrary,
his conscience will be as sensitive to everything he has done as an
accurate scale registering even the weight of an atom favourably or
unfavourably. There is nothing parallel or similar to this measure in
this world, except the believing heart. For the believing heart is
sensitive to even an atom's weight of either good or evil. But there
are some hearts in this world which are unmoved even by mountains of
sins and crimes. They remain unaffected while suppressing fountains of
good which are far firmer than the mountains. These hearts are conceited
in this earth but on the Day of Judgement they are crushed under their
own burdens.(1/344)
Sura 100
The Courses
al Adiyat
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
By the snorting coursers, striking sparks of fire, by those which sour
to raid at dawn, blazing a trail of dust, cleaving into the center of
the enemy: man is surely un-grateful to his Lord, and of this he him
self is a witness; and truly, he is passionate in his love for
wordly riches. But he is un-aware that when the contents of the graves
are scattered about, and what is in the breats is brought out, surely
their Lord will on that know all about them.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This surah is presented in rapid and violent touches. The text moves
swiftly from one scene to another. As we come to the last verse,
everything - the verbal expressions, the connotations, the subject matter
and the rhythm - settle down in a manner similar to that of a courser
reaching the finishing point.
The surah starts with the scene of war steeds running, snorting, striking
sparks of fire with their hoofs, launching a raid at dawn and blazing a
trail of dust, cleaving suddenly into the centre of the enemies, taking
them by surprise and striking terror and fear in their hearts.
Then follows a picture of the human self: a scene of ingratitude,
ignobleness, greed and extreme miserliness. Immediately after that there
is a description of graves laid open and their contents scattered, and
the secrets of hearts poured out. Finally the trail of dust, ingratitude
and miserliness, the contents of the graves and the dragged out secrets
all come to the same terminus. They come to Allah and settle down: "surely
their Lord will on that day know all about them."(1/345)
The rhythm of the surah is robust and thunderous and thus fits well with
the dusty and clamorous atmosphere generated by the upturned graves and
the secrets violently pulled out of the breasts. These characteristics
of the rhythm are also appropriate to the picture of ingratitude, thank
lessness and extreme miserliness. A framework for this picture is provided
by a dusty and tumultuous atmosphere of horses racing and thundering. Thus
the frame and the picture are in perfect harmony with each other.
"By the snorting coursers. striking sparks of fire, by those which scour
to the raid at dawn, blazing a trail of dust, cleaving into the centre
of the enemy, man is surely ungrateful to his Lord. A And of this he
himself is a witness; ant truly, he is passionate in his love for worldly
riches ".
Allah swears by the war horses and describes their movements one after
the other - running, snorting and neighing. They strike their hoofs
against rocks, producing sparks of fire. They wage their attack early at
dawn in order to take the enemy by surprise, producing a trail of dust
during the unexpected battle. They pierce swiftly the enemy ranks creating
disorder and confusion amongst them. These successive stages were well
known to those who were first addressed by the Holy Qur'an. The fact that
Allah swears by the horses provides an emphatic suggestion that the
movement portrayed is a lovable one and men should respond to it actively.
This they do only after realising how precious it is in the measure of
Allah, which is reflected in His paying attention to it. Added to all(1/346)
this is the harmony between this scene and the scenes which are the
subject of the Divine oath, namely the state of the human soul when it
is devoid of faith and its impetus. The Qur'an draws man's attention to
this state in order that he may gather all his willpower to combat it. For
Allah is perfectly aware of how deeply it is ingrained in man and what
great pressure it exercises on him.
"Man is surely ungrateful to his Lord and of this he himself is a witness;
And truly, he is passionate in his love for worldly riches". It is a fact
that man reacts with ingratitude to all the bounties of his Lord. He
denies the favours which Allah confers on him. His thanklessness and
ingratitude is reflected in a host of actions and verbal statements which
will serve as witness against him. Or perhaps, on the Day of Judgement, he
may testify against himself, admitting his ingratitude: "and of this he
himself is a witness ". For on the Day of Judgement he will speak the
plain truth even against himself, without any contentions or excuses. "And
truly, he is passionate in his love for worldly riches". Man is a
passionate self-lover. But he loves only what he imagines to be good for
him: wealth, power and the pleasures of this world. This is his nature
unless he has faith which changes his concepts, values and even his
concerns. Faith changes his ingratitude to humble thankfulness. It
changes his greed and miserliness to benevolence and compassion. It
makes him aware of the proper values which are worthy of being the object(1/347)
of ambition and hard competition. Indeed these are much more exalted than
money, power and mundane pleasures.
Man without faith is an ignoble creature having only trivial ambitions
and petty concerns. However big his desires, however strong his ambitions
and high his objectives may seem, he remains sunk in the cesspool of this
earth, confined within the limits of this life, imprisoned in self. He
cannot be freed or elevated except by an attachment to a world superior
to this earth, extending beyond this life; a world which originates from
Allah who is the First Being and returning to Allah the Eternal; a world
into which this life and the life hereafter converge and which has no end.
Hence, the final touch in the surah provides the cure for ingratitude,
greed and miserliness.-It portrays the scene of resurrection in a way
which makes man shudder, and puts his love for wealth and indulgence in
worldly riches out of his mind, unshackling his soul and setting it free
from earthly attachments: "But is he unaware that when the contents of
the graves are scattered about, and what is in the breasts is brought
out, surely their Lord will on that day know all about them". It is a
violent and frightening scene in which we witness the "scattering about"
of the contents of the graves and the bringing out of the secrets of the
hearts which were closely guarded, kept away from everyone. The Arabic
terms used here for scattering and pulling are very forceful, suggesting
an atmosphere of violence and force.
Does he not know when this will take place? The mere awareness of all(1/348)
this is enough to inspire man to seek an answer and explore every avenue
in search of it, while at the same time discerning all that may result
from these wild movements. These nimble and agile movements finally come
to where every matter and destiny is settled: "surely their Lord will on
that day know all about them ". So to their Lord is their end. He "on
that day" knows them and all their affairs and secrets. Allah certainly
knows everything at all times and in all conditions but the knowledge of
"that day" has some effects to which their attentions are drawn here. It
is a knowledge which necessitates the reckoning and reward. This implicit
meaning is the one underlined here.
The surah is a swift, vehement and breathless piece, with a sudden
terminus of meaning, expression and rhythm. It reflects a unique Qur'anic
method of expression.
Sura 101
The Striker
al Qari'ah
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
The striker! What is the striker? Would that you knew what the striker
is! The day when men shall be scaterred moths, and the mountains like
carded wool. Then he whose scales are heavy, shall enjoy a life of
satisfaction. But he whose scales are light, shall have the abyss for
his home. WOuld that you knew what this is like. It is a raging fire.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
"Al-Qaari'a' or the Striker is the resurrection named in other places in
the Qur'an as the Overwhelming One, the Deafening Shout, the Stunning
Blast and the Enveloper. The term al-Qaari'a also connotes hitting and
knocking hard. It hits the hearts with its engulfing horrors.(1/349)
The surah as a whole deals with the Striker, its essence, what takes place
in it and what it leads to in the end. Thus the surah portrays one of the
scenes of the resurrection.
The scene portrayed here is one of horror directly affecting man and
mountains. In this scene men look dwarfish in spite of their great number.
For they are "like scattered moths"; they fly here and there having no
power or weight, experiencing the dilemma and perplexity of moths which
rush to destruction, having no aim or purpose.
Besides, mountains which used to be firm and solidly based seem to be
like carded wool carried away by winds, and even by a light breeze. Thus,
it is in harmony with this image that the Day of Resurrection is described
as the one that strikes or knocks out. The connotations of the expressions
used and the rhythm are in consonance with the effects of the Striker on
both men and mountains. The surah spreads an air of awe and expectation
of the outcome of the reckoning.
"The Striker! What is the Striker! Would that you knew what the Striker
is!" This surah starts with the single word "Al-Qaari'a" which stands for
"the Striker". It is thrown alone like a shot without any further
information or any predicate or adjective. As such it creates through
its sound and connotations a feeling of resounding awe. The word is
immediately followed by a question suggesting something alarming: "What
is the Striker?" It is that dreadful and formidable thing which arouses
curiosity and questioning. Then comes the answer in the form of a cryptic(1/350)
exclamation, giving no clear indication: "Would that you knew what the
Striker is!!" It is too great to be comprehended or imagined. Then follows
the answer which states what takes place in it but refrains from stating
its exact nature: "The day when men shall be like scattered moths and the
mountains like carded wool"
This is the first scene of the Striker, a scene that leaves the hearts in
panic and makes the limbs tremble with fear. The listener feels that
everything he clings to in this world is flying all around him like dust.
Then comes the end of all mankind. "Then he whose scales are heavy shall
enjoy a life of satisfaction. But he whose scales are light shall have the
abyss for his home. Would that you knew what this is like! It is a raging
fire". It is useful for us to consider the "scales" and their being heavy
or light. This means that there are standards which Allah credits with
being valuable and others that are valueless. This is the general meaning
of the statement which Allah wants to convey. He, however, knows best the
exact nature of these "scales". To indulge in a sophisticated, logical and
linguistic dispute about the meaning of this term is in itself a departure
from the Qur'anic spirit and indicates that the reader is not interested
in the Qur'an and in Islam.
"He whose scales are heavy" according to Allah's measures and His
evaluation, "shall enjoy a life of satisfaction". Allah makes this
statement general without any detailed information. Thus, the statement
imparts to man's feelings the connotations of content and satisfaction(1/351)
or, indeed, pure happiness. "But he whose scales are light", according
to the same measures of Allah and His evaluation, "shall have the abyss
for his home" The Arabic text uses the term "mother" for what is rendered
here as "home". It is to his mother that a child turns for help and
protection as he seeks shelter and security at home. But such people
with light scales can turn and resort only to the abyss! The expression
is a fine one, beautifully ordered. It has also a shade of obscurity
preparing the way for subsequent clarification which adds to the depth
of the intended effect: " Would that you knew what this is like!" It is
again the cryptic exclamation used often in the Qur'an which emphasises
that it is beyond comprehension and vision. Then comes the answer in the
closing note: "It is a raging fire". So this is the mother of the one
whose scales are light. This is his mother to whom he turns for help and
protection and for security and comfort. But what does he find with such
a mother? - The abyss and the raging fire. It is a sudden shock rendered
by the expression to represent the hard reality.(1/352)
Sura # 102
Rivalry for Wordly Gain
at Takathur
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
Rivalry for wordly gain distracts you, untill you visit your graves.
Indeed you shall know! Again, you shall certainly come to know.
Indeed, were you to have certain knowledge ... You shall certainly
see the fire of Hell. Yes, you will it with your eyes. Then, on
that day, you shall be questioned about your joys and comforts.
In the Shade of the Qur'an(1/352)
This surah has a rhythm that is majestic and awe-inspiring - as if it were
the voice of a warner standing on a high place and projecting his voice
which rings out in weighty emphasis. He calls out to people who are
drowsy, drunken, confused. They approach a precipice with their eyes
closed and their feelings numbed. So the warner increases the volume of
his voice to the limit: "Rivalry for worldly gain distracts you until
you visit your graves."
You drunken and confused lot! You who take delight and indulge in rivalry
for wealth, children and the pleasures of this life - from which you are
sure to depart! You who are absorbed with what you have, unaware of what
comes afterwards! You who will leave the object of this rivalry, and what
you seek pride in and go to a narrow hole wherein there is no rivalry or
pride! Wake up and look around, all of you ! For indeed, "rivalry for
worldly gain distracts you until you visit your graves".
With a deep and grave rhythm the Qur'an then strikes their hearts with
the terror awaiting them after coming to the graves: "Indeed, you shall
know". Then it repeats the same note with the same words and with the
same firm and terrifying rhythm: "Again, you shall certainly come to
know". Then it adds to the depth and awe of this assurance, and hints at
the grave future that lies beyond, the terrifying essence of which they
do not recognise in the flush of intoxication and rivalry for worldly
riches: "Indeed, were you to have certain knowledge ..." The conditional
sentence is not completed in the text. This is acceptable as a refined(1/353)
form of Arabic. It adds to the feeling of awe generated by the surah.
The inference here is that had they known what they should know for
certain, they would have not indulged in such rivalry for petty gains.
The surah then discloses the fearful fact which has been withheld: "You
shall certainly see the fire of Hell ".
Then it emphasizes this fact and deepens its striking impact on people's
hearts: "Yes, you will see it with your very eyes". Finally, it puts the
last statement which makes the drunken sober, the lethargic conscious,
the confused attentive and the self-indulgent tremble and feel
apprehension at his indulgence in comforts and pleasures: " Then on that
day you shall be questioned about your joys and comforts". You will be
questioned concerning all that: How did you get it? How did you dispense
with it? Was it obtained from a lawful source and dispensed with in a
lawful way? Or from a forbidden source and in a sinful manner? Was it
legal or illegal? Have you praised and thanked Allah for it? Have you
given the poor their due? Have you given some of it to others? Or have
you monopolised it all for your selves? " You shall be questioned " about
your rivalry in gathering and amassing wealth and about what you take
pride in. It is a burden which you, in your preoccupation and enjoyment,
think little of. But beyond it lie heavy responsibilities.
This is a self-expressing surah. It leaves its impact on man's feelings
by its meaning and rhythm. It leaves the heart occupied burdened with the
problem of the Hereafter, inattentive to the trivialities of this worldly(1/354)
life and its petty concerns which please hollow-minded people.
This surah portrays the life of this world as a fleeting wink in the long
span of existence: "Rivalry for worldly gain attracts you until you visit
your graves ". The wink of this life is over and its small leaf is turned.
Thereafter time stretches on and so do the burdens. The style of the surah
produce this inference, achieving harmony between the actual reality and
the manner of expressing it.
Whenever a human being reads this awe-inspiring and majestic surah, he
feels its rhythm which travels upwards in space at the beginning and
travels downwards to the deep, deep level at the end. He feels the burden
of this wink of a life on his shoulders as he walks heavily along the road.
Then he starts questioning himself about the smallest and even the most
trivial of his deeds.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This short surah of three verses outlines a complete system for human life
based on the Islamic viewpoint. It defines, in the clearest and most
concise form, the basic concept of faith in the context of its
comprehensive reality. In a few words the whole Islamic constitution is
covered and in fact, the nation of Islam is described in its essential
qualities and its message in one verse only: the third. This is the(1/355)
Sura # 103
The Declining Day
al 'Asr
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
I swear by the declining day, that man is a certain loser, save those
who have faith and do righteous deeds and counsel one another to follow
the truth and counsel one another to be steadfast.
eloquence of which Allah alone is capable.
The great fact which this surah affirms is simply that throughout the
history of man there has been one worthwhile and trustworthy path - that
which the surah indicates and describes. All other paths lead only to
loss and ruin. As it says in outline, that path is first the adoption of
faith, followed up with good deeds and exhortation to follow the truth
and to steadfastness.
What does the adoption of faith then signify? We shall not give here its
juristic definition. Instead, we shall describe its nature and its
importance in human life. Faith is the characteristic by which the minute,
transient human being attains closeness to the Absolute and Everlasting
Originator of the universe and all that exists in it. He thus establishes
a link with the whole world, which springs from that One Origin, with the
laws governing it and with the powers and potentialities created in It.
As a result, he breaks away from the narrow boundaries of his trivial
self to the broadness of the universe, from his inadequate power to the
immensity of the unknown universal energies, and from the limits of his
short life to the "Eternity" that Allah alone comprehends. This proximity
grants the human being a certain power, limitless scope and freedom. It
endows him with great enjoyment of life, its beauty and its constituents
with whose "souls" he lives in mutual friendship. Thus life becomes a
pleasant journey for mankind everywhere and at all times. From this
everlasting happiness, delightful joy and true intimate understanding(1/356)
of life and all creation are derived. This is the invaluable gain, to
lack which is an immeasurable.
The qualities of faith are also precisely those of sublime and dignified
humanity, such as the worship of one God which elevates man above
servitude to others and establishes within him the truth of the equality
of all men so that he neither yields nor bows down his head to any but
the One, the Absolute. The result is that man will enjoy true liberty,
which radiates from within his conscience following his realisation of
the fact that there is only one power and one Lord in this world. This
liberation is spontaneously developed from such an awareness, for it is
the only logical sequence.
Godliness is the second quality of dignified humanity. This quality
determines for man the source from which he derives his concepts, values,
criteria, considerations. doctrines, laws and whatever brings him into
relation with Allah, the world at large and with human beings. Thus,
equity and justice replace personal desires and self-interest. This
strengthens the believer's realisation of the value of his way of life
and keeps him above ignorant concepts, values and interests and above
all strictly mundane values. This is so even when the believer is the
only one of his kind. For he counters these features with those which
he derives directly from Allah and which therefore rank highest in value
and are the most sound and the most deserving of devotion and esteem.
A third quality of faith and dignified humanity is the clarity of the(1/357)
relationship between the Creator and the created, the restricted creature
is connected with the Everlasting Truth without any mediator. It supplies
man's heart with light, his soul with contentment and gives him confidence
and purpose. It eliminates from his mind perplexity fear, anxiety and
agitation as well as unlawful haughtiness on earth and unjustifiable
tyranny over people. Steadfastness along the path ordained by Allah is
the next quality of such humanity. This must be maintained so that good
does not occur casually, incidentally or without deliberation but springs
from definite motives and heads towards certain aims. People united for
Allah's cause collaborate. Thus, with a single definite purpose and a
single distinguished banner, the Muslim community is raised. This is true
for all generations that are similarly welded together. Another quality
is belief in the dignity of man in the sight of Allah. This heightens
man's regard for himself and restrains him from aspiring for a position
higher than that which the Creator has defined for him. For man to feel
that he is dignified in Allah's sight is the loftiest conception he may
attain of himself. Any ideology or concept which abases this valuation
and ascribes a dishonourable origin to man, separating him from the
Highest Society of Allah is, in effect inviting him to abjection and
derogation, though it may not say so openly. Hence, the effects of
Darwinism, Freudianism and Marxism are among the most horrid disasters
human nature has encountered.
For they teach mankind that all abasement and downright animalism are(1/358)
natural phenomena with which we should be familiar and of which we need
not be ashamed. Purity of motivation is yet another quality of the
dignified humanity established by faith. This directly follows the
realisation of man's dignity in Allah's sight, His supervision over
men's conscience and His knowledge of their innermost undertakings. The
normal human being whom the theories of Freud, Karl Marx and their type
have not deformed is bashful that another human being may come to know
what incidental unhealthy feelings he may have. The believer feels the
awesome presence of Allah in his innermost consciousness and his
awareness makes him tremble. He therefore attends to selfpurification
and spiritual cleansing. A refined moral sense is the natural fruit of
faith in a just, kind, compassionate, generous and forbearing God who
abhors evil and loves goodness and who knows the furtive look and the
secret thought. From this follows the responsibility of the believer
which results from his free will and the comprehensiveness of Allah's
supervision over him. It stimulates within him healthy awareness,
sensitivity, serenity and foresight. It is a communal responsibility
rather than an individual one and it is a responsibility towards all
humanity in relation to goodness, pure and simple. The believer feels
all these in every action. He achieves a higher degree of self-respect
and calculates the results before taking any steps. He is of value in
the world and the whole realm of existence and has a role in its smooth
running.(1/359)
The final quality is man's elevation above greed for worldly gains and
the choice of Allah's richer, everlasting reward for which all men should
strive, as the Qur'an directs them to do and which results in elevation,
purification and cleansing of their souls. Of Immense help in this regard
is the fact that the believer has a broad scope to move in: between this
life and the next and between the heavens and the earth. The elevation of
man lessens his anxiety about the results and fruits of his deed. He does
good only because it is good and because Allah requires it. It is never
his concern whether it leads to further goodness in his own short life
time. Allah, for whom he performs the good, never dies nor does He forget
nor ignore any of men's deeds.
The reward is not to be received here, for this life is not the last. Thus,
the believer acquires the power to continue to perform good deeds
sustained by this overwhelming belief. This it is that guarantees that
doing good becomes a deliberate way of life and not a casual incident or
motiveless event. It is this belief that supplies the believer with the
power and the fortitude to face evil, whether manifested in the despotism
of a tyrant or in the pressures of Ignorance or in the frailty of his
will-power to control his passions which arise primarily from his feeling
of the shortness of his life to achieve aims and enjoyments and from his
inability to comprehend the deeper results of the good and witness the
victory of right over evil. Faith tackles these feelings radically and
perfectly.(1/360)
Faith is the great root of life from which goodness springs in its various
forms and to which all its fruits are bound. What does not spring from
faith is a branch cut from a tree: it is bound to fade and perish, it is
indeed a devilish production, limited and impermanent! Faith is the axis
to which all the fine fabric of life's network is connected. Without it
life is a loose event, wasted through the pursuit of yearnings and
fantasies. It is the ideology which collects diversified deeds under a
consonant system, following the same route and geared to the same
mechanism, possessing a definite motive and a predetermined goal.
Hence, all deeds not stemming from this origin and not related to that
path are completely disregarded by the Qur'an. Islam is invariably candid
over this. In surah 14, "Abraham", we read what may be translated as:
The likeness of those who disbelieve in their Lord: their works
are like ashes which the wind blows furiously on a tempestuous
day. They have no power over anything they have earned.
In surah 24, Light's, we have:
As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a
desert. The thirsty traveller thinks it is water but when he
comes near he finds that it is nothing.
Now these are clear statements discrediting every deed not related to
faith, which, in turn, gives it a motive that is connected with the
origin of its existence and an aim that is compatible with the purpose
of the world in all creation. This is a logical view of an ideology that
attributes all events to Allah. Whoever dissociates himself from Him,(1/361)
vanishes and loses the reality of his existence.
Faith is a sign of health in a person's nature and soundness in his
disposition. It also indicates man's harmony with the nature of the whole
universe, and a sign of mutual effect between man and the world around
him. His life, as long as his behaviour is straightforward, must bring
about an orientation which ends up in his adoption of faith because of
what this universe itself possesses of signs and testimonies about the
absolute power that so created it. Were the contrary the case, something
must then be wrong or lacking in the state of the recipient - i.e. the
human being - which would be a sign of corruption that only leads to loss
and nullifies any deed which might somehow give an appearance of
righteousness.
So extensive and comprehensive, so sublime and beautiful, so happy is the
believer's world that the world of the disbelievers around appears to him
minute, trivial, low, feeble, ugly and miserable - that is, in a state of
ruin and complete loss.
Doing what is righteous is the natural fruit of faith and a spontaneous
activity generated at the same time as the reality of faith settles
inside the human heart and mind. For faith is a positive and active
concept which, once it has pervaded the human conscience, hastens to
activate it to the outside world in good deeds. This is the Islamic view
of faith. It must be dynamic. If it is not, then it is either phoney or
non-existent, just as a flower cannot withhold its fragrance which, if
present, naturally spreads, or else it is not in the flower at all.(1/362)
From all this we recognise the values of faith: dynamism, activity,
creativeness and productiveness devoted to Allah's pleasure and not
narrowness, negativity or isolation into self. It is not just sincere
and innocent intentions, that never develop into actions. This is the
distinguishing characteristic of Islam that makes it a creative power
in practical life.
All this is logical only as long as faith remains the link with the
Divinely ordained path. This path is characterised by perpetual dynamism
in the world among people. It is founded according to a specific plan and
orientated towards a definite goal. Moreover, faith propels humanity
towards implementing that which is good, pure, constructive and
utilitarian.
Counseling one another to follow the truth and to steadfastness reveals
a picture of Islamic society which has its own very special entity, a
unique inter-relationship between its individual members and a single
destination and which fully understands its entity as well as its duties.
It realises the essence of its faith and what it has to do of good deeds
which include, among other tasks, the leadership of humanity along its
own path. To execute this tremendous duty, counseling and exhortation
becomes a necessity.
From the meaning and nature of the very word "counsel" appears the
loftiest and most magnificent picture of that integrated, coordinated,
righteous and enlightened nation or society which caters for right,
justice and goodness on this earth. This exactly is how Islam wants
the Islamic nation to be. Mutual counsel aimed at that which is right(1/363)
is a necessity because it is hard always to maintain what is right,
bearing in mind that the obstacles in its way are innumerable: egoistic
passions and predilictions, the false concepts in the environment, and
the tyranny, inequity and despotism of some. Hence the mutual exhortation
urged here means reminding, encouraging and expressing the unity in aim
and destination and equality in responsibility and charge. It also
collects the individual efforts into a unified whole and thus increases
the feelings of brotherhood in every guardian of truth, that there are
others with him to exhort, encourage, support and love him. This is
precisely the case with Islam, the righteous way of life whose
establishment requires the care of a co-ordinated, interdependent, self
sufficient and self-supporting community.
Counsel and exhortation to be steadfast are also a necessity because the
sustenance of faith and good deeds and catering for right and equity are
the hardest tasks ever to carry out. This makes endurance utterly
indispensible. Endurance is also necessary when adapting oneself to the
Islamic way of life, when confronting others, when afflicted with
maltreatment and hardship. Steadfastness is necessary when evil and
falsehood triumph. It is necessary for traversing the length of the
route, putting up with the slowness of the process of reform, the
obscurity of road-posts and the lengthy road leading to the destination.
Exhortation to endurance and steadfastness widens the capacities by
inspiring unity of aim and direction and the feeling of togetherness(1/364)
in everyone, equipping them with love, fortitude and determination. It
generates vitality in the community where the truth of Islam can survive
and through which it is implemented.
Judging by the doctrine which the Qur'an outlines for the life of the
successful group which attains salvation, we are gravely shocked to see
the loss and the ruin in which humanity finds itself everywhere on this
earth today. We are shocked by the frustrations humanity suffers in this
present world and by witnessing how humanity turns away, in vain, from
the goodness Allah has bestowed upon it. We are the more distressed by
the absence of a righteous and faithful authority to stand up for the
Truth. Moreover, the Muslims, or rather people claiming to be Muslims,
are the farthest of all from what is good and the most averse to the
ideology Allah ordained for their nation and the one route He prescribed
for their deliverance from loss and ruin. People, in the very realm where
this righteousness took its roots, have deserted the banner Allah raised
for them, that of faith, to raise instead banners of race which have
never done them any good all through their history or given them any
reputation either on earth or in the heavens. Islam it was that raised
for them the banner totally conforming to Allah's will, flying in His
name only and identified with Him alone. Under this banner the Arabs
triumphed, were predominant and gave humanity a righteous, strong,
enlightened and successful leadership for the first time in their history
and the long history of humanity. Professor Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi(1/365)
outlines the characteristics of this unique leadership in Chapter 3 of
his valuable book, Islam and the World:
Once the Muslims were aroused, they quickly burst the bounds of Arabia
and threw themselves zealously into the task of the fuller working out
of human destiny. Their leadership held the guarantee of light and
happiness for the world; it gave the promise of turning humanity into
a single divinely-guided society. Some of the characteristics of Muslim
leadership were: The Muslims had the unique advantage of being in
possession of the Divine Book (the Qur'an) and the Sacred Law (the
Shari'at). They did not have to fall back on their own judgement on
the vital questions of life, and were thus saved from the manifold
difficulties and perils that are attendant upon such a course. The
Divine Word had illumined all the avenues of life for them and had
enabled them to progress towards a destination which they clearly
envisaged. With them it was not to be a case of trial and error. Says
the Holy Qur'an:
Can he who is dead, to whom We give life and a Light whereby he
can walk amongst men, be like him who is in the depths of dark
ness from which he can never come out? (6:122).
They were to judge among men on the basis of the Revealed Word; they
were not to diverge from the dictates of justice and equity; their
view was not to be blurred by enmity, hatred or desire for revenge.
O you who believe, stand out firmly for God as witnesses to fair
dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve
to wrong and depart from justice. Be just; that is nearer to(1/366)
piety; and fear God, for God is well acquainted with all that ye
do. (5:8).
They had not by themselves leapt into power all of a sudden from the
abysmal depth of degradation. The Qur'an had already beaten them into
shape. They had been brought to a high level of nobility and purity
by the Prophet through long years of unremitting care. The Prophet
had conditioned them to a life of austerity and righteousness; he had
instilled into their hearts the virtues of humility and courageous
self-denial; he had purged them clean of greed and of striving after
power, renown or wealth. It was laid down by him as a fundamental
principle of Islamic polity that "We shall not assign an office under
the government to anyone who makes a request for it, or shows his
longing for it in any other way."
The Muslims were as far removed from falsehood, haughtiness and mischief
as white is from black. The following words of the Qur'an had not in
vain been grounded into them night and day:
That Home of the Hereafter We shall give to those who intend not
high-handedness or mischief on earth; and the End is (best) for
the righteous. (28:33).
Instead of aspiring for positions of authority and trust, they accepted
them with great reluctance and when they did accept an official position
they accepted it as a trust from God, to Whom they would have to render
full account of their sins of omission and commission on the Day of
Judgement. Says the Holy Qur'an:
God commands you to render back your trusts to those to whom they
are due; and when you judge between man and man, that you judge(1/367)
with justice. (4:58).
It is He Who has made you (His) vicegerents on the earth. He has
raised you in ranks, some above others, that He might try you in
the gifts you receive; for your Lord is quick in punishment, yet
He is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (6:165).
Further, the Muslims were not the agents of any particular race or
country; nor were they out to establish Arab imperialism. Their
mission was a universal mission of faith and freedom. They were happily
free from all the sickly obsessions of colour and territorial
nationality. All men were equal before them. The Qur'an had pointedly
said:
O mankind, We created you from (a single pair of) a male and a
female; and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know
each other (not that you may despise each other). Verily the most
honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most
righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is Well
Acquainted (with all things). (49:13).
Once the son of 'Amr ibn al-'As, the Governor of Egypt, struck an
Egyptian commoner with a whip. The matter was brought to the notice
of Caliph 'Umar. The Caliph did not show the least regard for the
high status of the offender's father, and ordered the Egyptian
straightaway to avenge himself for harm done to him. To the offender's
father he administered this telling rebuke, "Why have you made them
slaves when they were born free?"'
The Arabs were not stingy in making the benefits of Faith, culture and
learning available to the non-Arabs. They did not care for the(1/368)
nationality or the family connections of the recipients when it came
to the conferment of high honours and positions in the State. They
were, as it were, a cloud of bliss that rained ungrudgingly over
the entire world, and from which all peoples, everywhere freely
profited according to their own capacity.' The Arabs allowed a free
and equal partnership to all nations in the establishment of a new
socio-political structure and in the advancement of mankind towards
a fuller and richer moral ideal. There were no national divisions, no
colour bars, no vested interests, no priesthood and no hereditary
nobility in the Islamic Commonwealth. No special benefits were
reserved for anyone. There was nothing to prevent the non-Arabs from
surpassing the Arabs in the various fields of life. Even as Doctors
of Fiqh and Hadith a number of non-Arabs attained to distinction
for which the Muslims in general and the Arabs in particular feel
proud. Ibn Khaldun writes:
It is an amazing fact of history that though their religion is
of Arabian origin and the Law that the Prophet had brought had
an Arab complexion, with a few exceptions, all eminent men of
learning in the Muslim Millat, in the field of theological as
well as secular sciences, are non-Arabs. Even those who are
Arabs by birth are non-Arabs by education, language and
scholarship.
During the later centuries, too, the non-Arab Muslims continued to
produce leaders, statesmen, saints and savants of exceptional merit.
This would obviously not have been possible, had the Arabs been mean(1/369)
or prejudiced in sharing their opportunities with the people of other
nationalities in the Islamic world. Humanity has many sides - physical,
emotional, social, moral, mental and spiritual. We cannot neglect any
one of them for the benefit of another. Humanity cannot progress to
its highest level unless every human instinct is brought into proper
play. It would be futile to hope for the establishment of a healthy
human society till an intellectual, material, moral and spiritual
environment is created in which a man is enabled to develop his latent
potentialities in harmony with God's plan of creation. We learn from
experience that this goal must remain a dream so long as the reins of
civilization are not held by those who attach due importance to both
the material and the spiritual yearnings of life, and can, together
with having a high moral and spiritual sense, fitly appreciate the
claims of flesh and blood upon man and the inter relationship between
the individual and the society.
He then speaks of the reign of the first four Caliphs who ruled after the
Prophet:
We, consequently, find that no period in the recorded history of the
human race has been more auspicious for it in the true sense of the
term than what is known among the Muslims as Khilafat-i-Rashida. During
this epoch, all the material, moral and spiritual resources of man were
brought into use to make him an ideal citizen of an ideal State. The
Government!! was judged by the yard-stick of morality, and the morals
were judged by their utility to lift humanity in permanent values and(1/370)
establishing justice in human society. Though the Islamic Commonwealth
was the richest and the most powerful State of its time, the popular
heroes and ideal personalities in it used to be drawn from among those
who possessed, not earthly glory, but purity and nobleness of character.
There was no disparity between power and morality. Material advancement
was not allowed to out-run moral progress. That is why in the Islamic
world the incidence of crime was very low in spite of the abundance of
wealth and the great heterogeneity of its population. To put it in a
nutshell, this epoch was the most beautiful springtime mankind has to
this day experienced.
We know some features of that glorious period of human history whose
generation lived under the Islamic Constitution, the pillars of which
this particular surah erects and under the banner carried by the group
of believers who performed righteous deeds and encouraged each other to
follow the truth and to be steadfast. Now what, in the light of all this,
is the "loss" humanity is suffering everywhere and how great is its
failure in the battle between good and evil because of a blind eye it
turns to that great message the Arabs conveyed to it when they raised
the banner of Islam and thus assumed the leadership of mankind? Having
abandoned Islam, the Arab nation is in the forefront of the caravan which
is heading towards loss and ruin. Since then, the banners of mankind have
been for Satan, falsehood, error, darkness and loss. No banner has been
raised for Allah, truth, guidance, light or success. The banner of Allah,(1/371)
however, is still there awaiting the arms that will raise it and the
nation which under this banner will advance towards righteousness,
guidance and success.
All that has been said so far concerned gain and loss in this life which,
though of great importance, is very trivial in comparison with the here
after. There is an everlasting life and a world of reality - the real
gain and the real loss, the attainment or deprivation of Paradise and
the pleasure of Allah. There man either accomplishes the highest of
perfection allowed for him or completely collapses so that his humanity
is crushed and ends up as worthless as pebbles or even worse in condition
On a day when a man will look on what his hands have forwarded and
the disbeliever will cry: 'Would that I were dust'
This surah is unequivocal in indicating the path leading humanity away
from loss, "save those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and counsel
one another to follow the truth and counsel one another to be steadfast .
There is one right path and one only - that of faith, good deeds and the
existence of a Muslim community whose members counsel each other to follow
the truth and to show endurance and steadfastness.
Consequently, whenever two companions of the Messenger of Allah were
about to depart from each other, they would read this surah, after which
they would shake hands. This was indicative of a pledge to accept this
doctrine fully, to preserve this faith, piety and a willingness to counsel
each other to follow the truth and remain steadfast. It was a mutual(1/372)
compact to remain good elements in an Islamic society established
according to that doctrine and to preserve the foundation of this
society.
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)(1/373)
Sura # 104
The Slanderer
al Humazah
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
Woe to every taunting slanderer and backbiter, who piles up wealth
and keeps it counting again and again, thinking that his wealth will
make him immortal. By no means! He will indeed be flung into the
crushing one. Would that you know what the crushing one is! It is
Allah's own kindled fire, which rages over men's hearts. It is
closed on them from everyside, in towering columns.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This surah portrays one of the actual scenes in the early days of the
Islamic call. Yet this scene is a pattern which is repeated in every
environment and society. It is the scene of the vile, mean one who is
given wealth and uses it to tyrannise over others - until even he cannot
bear himself. He thinks that wealth is the supreme value in life, the
value before which all values and all standards come toppling down. He
feels that since he possesses wealth, he controls other people's destiny
without being accountable for anything he does. He imagines that his
money and his wealth is a god, capable of everything without exception,
even of resisting death, making him immortal and stopping the judgement
of Allah and His retribution.
Deluded as he is by the power of his wealth, he counts it and takes(1/373)
pleasure in counting it again and again. A wicked vanity is let loose
in his being which drives him on to mock other people's positions and
dignity, to taunt and slander them. He criticises others with his
tongue, mocks them with his movements, either by imitating their
movements and voices or by ridiculing their looks and features - by
words and mimicry, by taunts and slander.
It is a vile and debased picture, one of the pictures of human beings
devoid of the ideals of manhood and generosity and stripped of faith.
Islam despises this abject sort of people because of its own high
standards of morality. Islam emphatically forbids mockery and ridicule
and fault-finding in others. But in this case the Qur'an describes these
actions as sordid and ugly and adds warnings and threats to anyone who
indulges in them. This suggests that it is referring to an actual case
of some polytheists who have subjected the Prophet and the believers to
their taunts and slander. The reply to these actions comes in the form
of strong prohibition and fearful warning. There are some reports which
name certain people as being the traducers meant here, but they are not
authentic, so I will not discuss them, but shall be content with what I
have just stated.
The warning comes in the form of a scene of the hereafter portraying
the mental and physical sufferings and giving an image of Hell which
is both palpable and telling. It takes care to relate the crime to the
punishment inflicted and to its effect on the culprit. On the one side(1/374)
there is the image of the taunting slanderer and backbiter who is given
to mocking other people and ridiculing them while he gathers wealth
thinking that he is guaranteed immortality in this way. This image of
the cynical calumniator who seeks power through wealth is
contrasted with the image of the slighted, neglected one flung into a
crushing instrument which destroys all that comes in its way and thus
crushes his structure and his pride.
The crushing instrument is "Allah's own kindled fire". Its identification
as the fire of Allah suggests that it is an exceptional, unfamiliar sort
of fire and makes it sound full of terrors. This fire "rages" over his
heart and mind from which spring mockery and ridicule and in which lie
his vanity and conceit. To complete the image of the slighted, neglected
and crushed, this fire closes in on him from all directions and locks him
in. None can save him and none asks about him. Inside he is tied to a
column, as animals are tied, without respect.
The tone of the vocabulary used in this surah is very strong "Keeps
counting it again and again; by no means! he will indeed be flung;
rages, towering. " In the meaning of the expressions, forcefulness is
conveyed by various forms of emphasis: "He will indeed be flung into
the crushing one. Would that you knew what the crushing one is! It is
Allah's own kindled, fire". The generalisation and cryptic expression
first, then the exclamation suggesting great horrors, and then the clear
answer - all these are forms of forceful expression. The style also(1/375)
conveys warnings: " Woe; he will be flung into, the crushing one; Allah's
kindled fire; which rages over men's hearts, it is closed on them; in
towering columns. " In all this there is a kind of harmony between
imagery and feelings and the actions of the "taunting slanderer and
backbiter".
At the time of its revelation, the Qur'an was following up the incidents
faced by the Islamic call and leading it simultaneously along its road.
The Qur'an is the infallible weapon which destroys the cunning of the
conspirators, shakes the hearts of enemies, and fills the believers with
courage and steadfastness. Indeed we recognise two significant facts in
Allah's care here as He denounces this sordid example: firstly, we are
shown the ugliness of moral decline and how people are rendered so
abject. Secondly, we realise that He defends the believers, preserves
their souls against their enemies' insults, shows them that Allah knows
and hates what is inflicted on them, and that He will punish the wrong
doers. This is enough to elevate their souls and to make them feel their
position high above any wicked designs.(1/376)
Sura # 105
al Feel
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful!
Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the people of the
Elephant? Did He not cause their treacherous plan to be futile,
and send against them flights of birds, which pelted them with
stones of sand and clay? Thus He made them like devoured dry
leaves.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This surah refers to a widely famous incident in the Arabian Peninsula
which took place before the commencement of the Islamic message. The
incident shows very clearly how Allah protected the Holy land, which He
willed to be the focal point of the last enlightenment, the cradle of the
new ideology, from where it was to begin its blessed and holy march to
exterminate Ignorance from all corners of the world and to establish in
its place Allah's infallible guidance. The various reports on this
incident relate that after the Abyssinians had expelled the Persians
from Yemen and established their rule there, the Abyssinian governor of
Yemen, Abrahah, built a superbly luxurious church in his area giving it
the name of the Abyssinian emperor at the time. He did this after he had
witnessed the love and enthusiasm of Yemeni Arabs - which were the same
as those felt all over the Arab land - to the Ka'ba, the Holy Mosque at
Makka; with the aim of making them forsake their attachment to the Mosque
of Makka and turn instead to his new luxurious church.
But the Arabs did not turn away from their Holy House. They believed
themselves to be the descendants of Abraham and Ishmael who built the
House. For them, this fact was a source of pride in line with their
tradition of taking pride in their forefathers. Besides, vain and hollow
as they were, their beliefs were, in their eyes, better and more profound
than those of the people of earlier revelations (Jews and Christians).
They knew how the latter beliefs were conflicting and futile.
As a result, Abrahah made up his mind to pull down the Ka'ba in order(1/377)
to achieve his objective of turning the Arabs away from it. He therefore
marched at the head of a great army equipped with elephants. In the front
was a very big elephant which enjoyed special fame among Abrahah's men.
The news of Abrahah's march and his objective travelled in the Arab land
and there spread among the Arabs very strong feelings against the
destruction of their Holy House. A nobleman of the royal family of
Yemen, called Thu Nafar, tried to stop the Abyssinian governor, calling
on his people and other Arabs to fight Abrahah and defend the Holy House.
Some Arab tribes joined him in a battle against Abrahah which Thu Nafar
lost before he was taken prisoner. Later, while Abrahah was on his way,
he was attacked by Nafeel ibn Habab Al Khath'ami, who had mobilised two
Arab tribes as well as troops from other supporting tribes, but Abrahah
won the battle again and captured Nafeel. Nafeel then agreed to act as a
guide for Abrahah to show him the way in the Arab land. When the
Abyssinian governor approached Ta'if,' a number of its leaders went to
him to say that the House he wanted to pull down was in Makka and not at
Ta'if. They did this in order that he would not destroy the house they had
built for their idol "Al-Lat". They also provided him with a guide to show
him the way to the Ka'ba.
Then on arrival at Al-Mughammas (a valley mid-way between Ta'if and Makka),
Abrahah despatched one of his commanders to Makka where he looted some
belongings of the Quraish and other Arabs, including two hundred camels(1/378)
which belonged to Abdulmuttalib ibn Hashim, the chief of Makka and the
Prophet's grandfather. Quraish, Kinana, Huthail and neighbouring Arab
tribes gathered to fight Abrahah but then they realised that they stood
no chance of winning, so they did not proceed. Then Abrahah sent a
messenger to Makka to meet its chief and convey to him that the governor
of Yemen did not come to fight the Makkans but to pull down the House; if
they left him to accomplish what he had come for, he would be pleased not
to cause any bloodshed. Abrahah also ordered his messenger to bring with
him the Makkan chief if the latter did not propose to fight. When the
messenger communicated his master's message to Abdulmuttalib, the latter
said:
By God, we do not want to fight him and we have no power to resist
him. This is God's sacred House, built by His chosen friend, Abraham.
If He protects it against him, it is because the House is His, and if
He leaves it to him to destroy, we cannot defend it.
Abdulmuttalib then went with the messenger to Abrahah. Ibn Ishaq said
that Abdulmuttalib was a most handsome, charming and attractive person.
When Abrahah saw him he felt much respect for him. He felt that Abdul
Muttalib was too noble to sit beneath his royal bed but at the same time
he did not wish to be seen by the Abyssinians sitting with him on his
royal bed, so he came down and sat with Abdulmuttalib on the carpet.
Then Abrahah ordered his interpreter to ask his guest what he wanted.
Abdulmuttalib said he wanted to request the king to give him back his(1/379)
two hundred camels which were looted by his commander. Abrahah ordered
his interpreter to tell Abdulmuttalib on his behalf:
I admired you when I first saw you but when I spoke to you I was
disappointed. Do you come to talk to me about two hundred looted
camels and forget about the House which is an embodiment of your
and your forefathers' religion and which I have come to destroy?
You did not even say a word to persuade me to spare it.
Abdulmuttalib said:
I am only the master of my camels, but the House has its own Lord
who is sure to protect it.
Abrahah snapped, "It cannot be defended against me". The Makkan chief
said: "You take your chance!" Abrahah returned his camels to him. Abdul
Muttalib went back to the Quraish and told them of his encounter with
the Abyssinian commander and ordered them to leave Makka and seek shelter
in the mountains surrounding it. Then he went with a few personalities of
the Quraish to the Ka'ba where he held the ring on its door in his hand.
They all prayed hard to Allah for his help and protection of the House.
Abdulmuttalib is reported to have recited the following lines of poetry
in his prayer:
Our Lord, a creature protects his property, so protect Yours. Let
not their cross and their might ever overcome Your might. If You
are leaving them to destroy our House of worship, then You surely
have something in mind.
Abrahah, on the other hand, ordered his army to march with the elephants
to complete their mission, but just outside Makka the renowned big elephant
sat down and refused to go any further. The soldiers exerted all efforts(1/380)
to persuade the elephant to enter the city but their efforts were in vain.
This incident is a fact acknowledged by the Prophet. When his she-camel,
Al-Qaswa', sat down some distance away from Makka, on the day when the
Hudaibiyah peace agreement was concluded, the Prophet said to those of
his companions who claimed she had become mulish, that she had not and
that mulishness was not part of her nature. "But", the Prophet added, "she
has been prevented by the same will which debarred the Elephant from
entering Makka". On the day of the conquest of Makka, the Prophet said:
Allah protected Makka against the Elephant but He allowed His
messenger and the Believers to conquer it. Its sanctity today is
the same as yesterday. Let those who hear this convey it to those
absent.
Then Allah's will to destroy the Abyssinian army and its commander was
fulfilled. He sent groups of birds to stone the attackers with stones
of sand and clay, leaving them like dry and torn leaves, as the Holy
Qur'an tells. Abrahah suffered physical injuries. The remainder of the
army carried him on their way back to Yemen but his limbs began to
separate from the rest of the body and he started losing one finger
after another, until they arrived at Sana'a. Abrahah died after his
chest was broken apart, according to various reports. Versions relating
to this event vary with regard to the description of those groups of
birds, their size and the nature of stones and the manner of their
effect. Some of these versions add that smallpox and measles broke(1/381)
out in Makka in that year. Those who are inclined to limit the scale
of miracles and imperceptible phenomena and who seek to explain all
events as resulting from the operation of familiar natural phenomena,
prefer to explain this event as an actual outbreak of smallpox and
measles among the army. They further explain that "the birds" could
have been flies or mosquitoes carrying germs. The word "bird" in Arabic
refers to all that flies. Imam Muhammad 'Abduh, explaining this surah in
his commentary on the thirtieth part of the Qur'an, says:
On the second day the epidemic of smallpox and measles broke out
among the soldiers. Ikrimah said: "It was the first time smallpox
had appeared in the Arab land". Yakoub ibn Utbah said: "That was
the year when measles and smallpox appeared in Arabia. The
diseases had an almost unparalleled effect on their bodies: their
flesh began falling apart. The soldiers and their commander were
horror-stricken and ran away. Abrahah was also hit; his flesh
continued falling off his body, finger by finger, until eventually
his chest broke and he died at Sana'a. This is what different reports
have mentioned and what is logically acceptable. This holy surah shows
us that the smallpox and measles were produced by solid stones carried
and thrown on the soldiers by colossal groups of birds which are
usually carried by winds. It is in line to believe that those birds
referred to in the surah were a kind of fly or mosquito which carries
the germs of some diseases, and that the stones were of dried and(1/382)
poisonous clay which the wind carried and which might have stuck to
the legs of those birds. When this clay touched any organism, it
penetrated deep into it and then caused complications of wounds and
injuries which upset the whole body, leading to the dropping off of
the flesh. Many kinds of these powerless birds are, as a matter of
fact, the most efficient troops of Allah, which He uses for the
destruction of whomsoever He wills. That little organism called now a
days "germ" is within this classification. It gathers in big groups,
the number of which is unknown except to the Creator. It is not
essential for the manifestation of Allah's might that the birds should
be as big as mountain tops, or of a certain shape or colour, and it is
not essential for this manifestation that we should know the size of
those stones and the way they work. For Allah has troops of all kinds:
"In everything He has a sign attesting to His Unity", as the saying
goes.
There is no force in the universe but is subject to His power. To that
tyrant (Abrahah) who wanted to destroy the House, Allah sent birds
carrying smallpox and measles. Both he and his people were destroyed
before entering Makka. That was a grace and a blessing from Allah
bestowed on the neighbours of His sanctuary in spite of their
polytheism. Allah wished to protect His House until He sent the one
who would protect it with the force of faith and ideology, that is,
the Prophet. At the same time, it was a punishment from Allah inflicted
on His enemies, the people of the Elephant, who wanted to destroy the(1/383)
House without any reason to justify their action.
This can be taken as a basis for understanding this surah. Nothing else
can be accepted without logical explanation, even if it is authentically
reported. The Divine power would be exhibited more strikingly when those
who manifested their might by recruiting elephants (the biggest four
legged animals) should be destroyed and crushed by a tiny animal
invisible to human eyes. For the wise, this is certainly greater,
more fascinating and miraculous.
Neither this assumption (of smallpox or measles resulting from clay
infected with germs of these diseases) advanced by the well-versed Imam,
nor the opposite one described in some narratives, that the stones (thrown
by the birds) split the heads and bodies of the Abyssinians and went
through in them to tear their bodies apart leaving them like remnants
of dry leaves - neither of the two explanations outweighs the other in
manifesting Allah's might and neither needs be taken as a better
explanation of the event. To me, both are the same with regard to their
possibility and the exhibition of Allah's power. Whether the natural
phenomena known and familiar to man operated to destroy the people Allah
willed to be destroyed, or His purpose was accomplished through some
Divine rules and phenomena of which man has no knowledge, are in my view
exactly the same.
The Divine rules of nature are not circumscribed by the boundaries of
man's knowledge or what is familiar to him. For man knows of the Divine
rules of nature only a fraction which Allah has put before him and which(1/384)
is proportionate to his capacity of understanding and thought nourished
by his experience through the ages. Hence, the so-called miracles are
part of the rules of nature laid down by Allah, but they are miracles
only when measured by human knowledge and experience.
Hence, there is no need for unease or doubt when faced with a supernatural
event. Nor is there any need to seek an explanation for it, if the reports
mentioning it are authentic, or if there are enough reasons, based on what
is in the texts, to suggest that it was supernatural and did not comply
with known natural laws. That a certain event should run according to
familiar natural laws is not, in my opinion, less significant or less
effective than its following supernatural laws. The natural rules familiar
to men are in fact miraculous when weighed in the measures of man's powers
and abilities. Sunrise is a miracle, though it occurs every day, and the
birth of every child is superhuman in spite of its happening every minute.
It anyone wants to challenge this, let him try to devise a birth! The
employment of birds of any kind to carry ground stones infected with
germs of smallpox and measles, then to throw them at that particular
place and time, to afflict the raiding army with these epidemics at the
moment when the army was about to overwhelm the city and destroy the House,
is indeed a great miracle. That Allah's will should have been realized in
that way would comprise several miracles with each as a clear manifestation
of Allah's might and will. Had that course been followed, it would not have(1/385)
been less significant or less striking than sending a certain kind of bird,
carrying unfamiliar kinds of stones, to afflict human bodies with a
peculiar sort of affliction at that particular time. The two courses are
the same; both are supernatural and superhuman.
As for the event in question, the opinion advocating an unfamiliar,
superhuman course carries more weight. This opinion visualises that Allah
sent groups of unfamiliar birds, carrying strange stones which caused
extraordinary affliction to human bodies. To accept this opinion does not
necessitate the acceptance of those narratives which describe the birds
in a most striking and fascinating way, similar to descriptions of other
incidents which betray exaggeration.
The general tone. of this surah and the circumstances of the event tend
to support this opinion. Allah had a scheme for the House: He wanted to
preserve it as a refuge for mankind where everyone finds peace, and to
make it a gathering point for the followers of the new faith to march out
in security in a free land, not subject to any external force or to any
tyrannical government which might try to smother the new message in its
cradle. Allah also wanted to make this event a permanent lesson, clear to
everyone in all ages, so much so that in this surah He reminds the Quraish
even after the Prophethood' of Muhammad (peace be on him) of this grace
He bestowed on them, and gives it as an example of how He protects His
sanctuaries and preserves them. There is no need for any attempt to
impart a familiar image to this event that is exceptional and singular(1/386)
in essence and circumstances. This is all the more so especially when
we take into consideration the fact that what we know of smallpox and
measles and their effects on man does not fit in with what was reported
of the effects of the incident on the bodies of the soldiers and their
commander. Neither of the two diseases causes the falling off man's
limbs, finger by finger and organ by organ, and neither of them causes
the breaking up of one's chest. The Qur'an's narrative suggests very
clearly that this is what happened: "Thus He made them like devoured dry
leaves". Moreover, the reports of Ikrimah and Yakoub ibn 'Utbah do not
state that smallpox hit the army. Neither report says anything more than
that smallpox broke out that year for the first time in the Arabian
peninsula. Neither of the two men suggested that Abrahah and his army
particularly fell victims to this epidemic. Besides, if the army only
was hit with the disease while the Arabs around remained safe - that is,
if the birds were meant to hit only the army - then this is again preter
natural. Since the event is in any case supernatural, why trouble our
selves in limiting it to a certain explanation only because this
explanation is based on what is familiar to human senses?
The motives of the rational school of which Imam Muhammad 'Abduh was the
leading thinker, to limit the field of the supernatural and the
imperceptible to our senses when explaining the Holy Qur'an, are
commendable and understandable. This school tried to explain such events(1/387)
within the bounds of the known and familiar natural laws. It was confronted
with the superstitious trend which tightened its grip on the minds of the
masses at that time. Moreover, it was facing a flood of legends and
Thalmudic narratives with which books explaining the Qur'an were over
burdened, while the fascination with modern technology and science and
doubt in the principles of religion was reaching its zenith. The rational
school tried, therefore, to preserve the place of religion taking the
standpoint that whatever it says is compatible with reason. Hence, this
school strived to keep religion pure from any association with any kind
of legend and superstition. It also tried to establish a religious
mentality which understood the natural laws and recognised that they
were constant and infallible, and which attributed all human and universal
functions and operations to these natural laws. This mentality is in
essence the Qur'anic mentality. For the Qur'an refers men to the natural
laws as they constitute the permanent and infallible rule which organizes
individual operations and diverse phenomena.
But resisting the pressures of superstition on the one side and fascination
with technology on the other left their stamps on that school. It became
extra cautious, tending to make the familiar natural laws the only basis
of the Divine Laws of nature. Hence the Qur'anic explanations of Sheikh
Muhammad 'Abduh and his two disciples Sheikh Rasheed Rida and Sheikh Abdul
Qadir Al-Mughrabi show clearly a strong desire to reduce the greater number(1/388)
of miracles to only the more familiar of Allah's natural laws rather than
the supernatural. They explain some of these miracles in a way that would
be in line with what is called "rational", and they are excessively
cautious in accepting what is imperceptible to human senses.
But with this understanding and appreciation of the environmental factors
behind this trend of the rational school, it may be noted that it has gone
too far in overlooking the other side of the comprehensive concept which
the Qur'an aims to implant in the minds of the Muslims. This is that
Allah's will and power are absolute, limitless and go far beyond the
universal rules and laws He ordained, whether familiar to man or not.
This absoluteness does not accept the human mind as a final arbiter.
Neither does it accept the limits of the human mind as binding in such
a way as to classify as probable only what may be acceptable to human
reason, and to demand "rational" explanations for all which may be
unacceptable to it. This demand is frequently stated by the advocates
of this school. Moreover, the Divine laws of the universe are not only
those familiar to man. Indeed, what is familiar to man is only a fraction
of these laws. Both these and the unfamiliar laws are the same in
manifesting the greatness of the Divine power and the exactness and
precision of Allah's designs.
Nevertheless, we must be well guarded against superstition and at the
same time reject any unfounded legend with conscious moderation, so that
we do not succumb to the influence of particular environments nor be(1/389)
motivated by the need to resist a common tradition of a certain age.
There is a safe rule for approaching the Qur'anic texts which may be
appropriately stated here, viz, we cannot approach what the Qur'an
states with prejudiced minds and preconceived ideas, whether generally
or in relation to the subject matter of the statements under study. The
opposite is the right way: WE MUST APPROACH THE QUR'ANIC STATEMENTS IN
ORDER TO DERIVE OUR CONCEPTS AND FORMULATE OUR IDEAS FROM THEM. What the
Qur'an states is final as it is. For what we call "reason" and its
adjudication on what the Qur'an relates of events in the universe or
in the history, in the world of man or of the imperceptibles, is no
more than the net result of our finite human existence and experiences.
Although this reason is, in essence an absolute force, not subject to,
or limited by individual experiences or events, yet, it is, after all,
confined to our human existence. This existence does not reflect "The
Absolute" as this belongs to Allah. The Qur'an comes from Allah, the
Absolute. Hence, it is binding on us in the sense that whatever it
states is the basis of our very "rational" concepts. Then, no one can
say about a certain statement of the Qur'an: "It is unacceptable to
reason, so a logical explanation must be sought for it," as the advocates
of the rational school frequently say. This does not mean that we should
accept superstitions, it only stresses that human reason is not the
arbiter of what the Qur'an states. When the expressions of a Qur'anic(1/390)
text are clear and straightforward, they determine how our reasons
should approach it in order to formulate our views concerning its subject
matter as well as regarding other universal facts.
Now we proceed to discuss the surah itself and try to understand the
significance of the story.
Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the people of the
Elephant?
It is a question which draws attention to the wonders involved in the
incident itself and stresses its great significance. The incident was
so well known to the Arabs that they used to consider it a sort of
beginning of history. They used to say, "This incident happened in the
Elephant year", and, "That event took place two years before the Elephant
year", or, "This dates to ten years after the Elephant year". It is well
known that the Prophet was born in the Elephant year itself. This is
perhaps one of the fascinatingly perfect arrangements of the Divine will.
The surah then is not relating to the Arabs something they did not know.
It is a reminder of an event well known to them, aiming at achieving
something beyond the actual remembrance of it. After this opening note,
Allah goes on to tell the rest of the story in the form of a rhetorical
question: "Did He not cause their treacherous plan to be futile? ", which
means that the designs of the people of the Elephant were useless,
incapable of achieving anything at all. They were like someone who lost
his way and thus could not get to his own destination. Perhaps this is a
reminder to the Quraish of the grace Allah bestowed on them when He(1/391)
protected and preserved the House at the time when they felt too weak
to face the mighty aggressors, the people of the Elephant. Such
remembrance may make them feel their disgrace when they persist in
denying Allah after He has helped them out of their weakness. It may
also curb their conceit and heavyhandedness in their treatment of Muhammad
and the few believers who supported him. Allah destroyed the powerful
aggressors who wanted to pull down His House and sanctuary. Allah then
may destroy these aggressors who try to persecute His messenger and
suppress His message. The Qur'an superbly portrays how the defeat of
the aggressors' designs were brought about:
And send against them flights of birds, which pelted them with
stones of sand and clay. Thus He made them like devoured dry
leaves
The birds were flying in groups. The Qur'an uses a Persian term,
"sijjeel", which denotes "stone and clay" to describe the substance
with which the birds struck the aggressors. The dry leaves were
described as ''devoured'' to denote that insects or other animals
had eaten them. It is a vivid image of the physical shattering of
the Abyssinian soldiers when they were stricken with these muddy
stones. There is no need to go into such explanations as that it
was an allegorical description of their destruction with smallpox or
measles.
The significance of this event is far reaching and the lessons deduced
from mentioning it in the Qur'an are numerous. It first suggests that
Allah did not want the polytheists to take the responsibility of(1/392)
protecting His House, in spite of the fact that they held it in deep
respect and sought security in being its neighbours. When He willed to
preserve the House and made it clear that He Himself was its protector
who looked after it, He left the polytheists to be defeated by the
Abyssinians. The Divine Will then directly intervened to repel the
aggression and preserve the sacred House of Allah. Thus the polytheists
did not have the chance to hold the protection of the House as a 'favour
they did to Allah' or as "an act of honour". If they did, they would have
been prompted by the fanatic impulses of Ignorance. This point gives
considerable weight to the argument that the Divine Will of destroying
the aggressors was accomplished through preternatural rules.
This direct intervention by Allah to protect the Holy House should have
prompted the Quraish and the rest of the Arabian tribes to embrace Islam,
the Divine religion, when it was conveyed to them by the Prophet. Surely,
their respect and guardianship of the House, and the paganism they spread
around it, should not have been their reason for rejecting Islam ! Allah's
reminder to them of this event is a part of His campaign against them and
His drawing attention to their amazingly stubborn attitude.
The event also suggests that Allah did not allow the people of earlier
revelations, represented in this case by Abrahah and his army, to destroy
the sacred House or to impose their authority over the Holy land, even
when it was surrounded by the impurity of polytheism and the polytheists(1/393)
were its custodians. Thus the House remained free from any human
authority, safe against all plottings and designs. Allah preserved the
freedom of the land in order that the new faith would grow up there
completely free, not subjected to the authority of any despot. Allah
revealed this religion as the force which keeps under its fold all
other religions and all mankind and takes over the leadership of
humanity. This was Allah's will concerning His House and religion. It
was accomplished long before any human being knew that the Prophet, who
was to convey the new message, was born in the same year. We feel
contented and reassured when we realize this aspect of the significance
of the event. We know the wicked ambitions of international crusading
forces and world Zionism concerning the Holy lands. We realize that
these forces spare no effort to achieve their wicked ambitions. But
we are not worried. For Allah who protected His House against the
aggression of the people of earlier revelations when its custodians
were polytheists will protect it again, if He wills, and will protect
Medina the city of His Messenger against the plottings and designs of
the evil doers. The third aspect the event refers to concerns the reality
of the Arabian situation at the time. The Arabs did not have any role to
play on the face of the earth; they did not even have an identity of
their own before Islam. In the Yemen they were subjugated by either the
Persians or the Abyssinians. If they had any government of their own it
was under the protection of the Persians. In the north, Syria was(1/394)
subject to the Byzantine rule which was either direct or in the shape of
an Arab government under the protection of the Byzantines. Only the heart
land of the Arabian Peninsula escaped foreign rule. But this also was in
a state of tribalism and division which deprived it of any weight in world
power politics. Tribal war could drag on for forty years or more, but
neither individually nor as a group did these tribes count as a power in
the eyes of the neighbouring mighty empires. What happened with regard to
the "Elephant" aggression was a correct assessment of the real force of
these tribes when faced with a foreign aggressor.
Under Islam the Arabs had, for the first time in history, an international
role to play. They also had a powerful state to be taken into
consideration by the world powers. They possessed a sweeping force that
destroys thrones, conquers empires, and brings down the false deviating
and ignorant leaderships in order to take over the leadership of mankind.
But what facilitated these achievements for the Arabs for the first time
in their history was that they forgot their Arabism. They forgot the
racial urges and fanaticism. They remembered that they were Muslims, and
Muslims only. They carried the message of a forceful and all-comprehensive
faith, which they delivered to humanity with mercy and compassion. They
did not uphold any sort of nationalism or factionalism. They were the
exponents of a Divine idea which gives mankind a Divine, not earthly,
doctrine to be applied as a way of life. They left their homes to(1/395)
struggle for the cause of Allah alone. They were not after the
establishment of an Arab empire under which they may live in luxury
and conceit. Their aim was not to subjugate other nations to their own
rule after freeing them from the rule of the Byzantine or the Persians.
It was an aim clearly defined by Rabaie ibn Amir, the Muslims' messenger
to the Persian commander, when he said in the latter's headquarters:
Allah ordered us to set out in order to save humanity from the
worship of creatures and bring it to the worship of Allah alone,
to save it from the narrowness of this life so that it may look
forward to the broadness of the life hereafter, and from the
oppression of other religions so that it may enjoy the justice
of Islam.
Then, and only then, did the Arabs have an identity, a power and a
leadership. But all of these were devoted to Allah alone. They possessed
their power and leadership as long as they followed the right path. But
when they deviated and followed their narrow nationalistic ideas, and
when they substituted for the banner of Islam that of factional bonds,
they came under subjugation by other nations. For Allah deserted them
whenever they deserted Him; He neglected them as they neglected Him.
What are the Arabs without Islam? What is the ideology that they gave,
or they can give to humanity if they abandon Islam? What value can a
nation have without an ideology which it may present to mankind? Every
nation which assumed the leadership of humanity in any period of history
advanced an ideology. Nations which did not, such as the Tartars who(1/396)
swept over the east, or the Berbers who crushed the Roman Empire in the
west, could not survive for long. They were assimilated by the nations
they conquered. The only ideology the Arabs advanced for mankind was the
Islamic faith which raised them to the position of human leadership. If
they forsake it they will no longer have any function or role to play in
human history. The Arabs should remember this well if they want to live
and to be powerful and to assume the leadership of mankind. It is Allah
who provides guidance for us lest we go astray.(1/397)
Sura # 106
Quraish
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful!
For the tradition of Quraish, their tradition of traveling in
winter and summer. Let them worship the Lord of this House, Who
provided them with food lest they should go hungry, and with
security lest they should fear.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
When Abraham, the friend (khalil) of Allah, completed the building of
the house of worship (the Ka'ba) and had purified it he turned to Allah
with the following prayer:
Lord, make this a city of peace and sustain its inhabitants with
the fruits (of the earth). (2:126)
So Allah made that House one of peace; He made it free from all human
authority and free from all tyranny. He granted security and peace to
anyone seeking shelter in that House, while fear was all around it.
Even when the people transgressed, ascribed Divinity to beings other
than Allah and worshipped idols, there was peace and security; for
Allah had designed a purpose for this sacred House.(1/397)
When the people of the Elephant marched to destroy the House, there
happened to them what is described in the preceding surah, "The
Elephant". Allah preserved for the House its peace, security and
sacredness. Of those who lived around it, Allah says: "Do they not
then see that We have made a secure Sanctuary, and that men are being
snatched away from all around them?" (29:67)
The Elephant incident had an added effect in greatly enhancing the
sanctity of the House amongst the Arabs all over the Arabian peninsula.
It also strengthened the position of the Quraish, the custodians of
the House, in all Arabia. They were thus able to travel far and wide
in peace and security. Wherever they went they met with generosity
and high esteem. This encouraged them to establish two great routes
for their commercial caravans, to the Yemen in the south and to Syria
in the north. They organised two enormous trading expeditions; one to
the Yemen in the winter and the other to Syria in the summer.
In spite of very poor conditions of security in all parts of the Arabian
peninsula at the time, and in spite of all the looting and plundering
raids that were very common in that land, the sanctity of the House in
the eyes of all Arabs guaranteed security and peace in their flourishing
business to those who lived near it and were its custodians. It created
for the Quraish a distinct and exclusive position and opened up to them
extensive and guaranteed means of sustenance in peace, security and
contentment. The Quraish became accustomed to these two profitable and(1/398)
peaceful trips, which were soon established among their traditional
habits.
This is the specific grace of which Allah reminds the Quraish, as He
had reminded them of the Elephant incident in the previous surah. It
is the grace of their being accustomed to the trips of winter and
summer, and the abundance with which He endowed them in these two
fruitful journeys. It is by the grace of Allah that while their land
is desolate and dry, they still live a comfortable life. Out of His
grace He secured them from fear whether in their hearths and homes,
next to Allah's house, or in their trips and journeys. Their security is
the result of their being the custodians of the House, the sanctity of
which is ordained and preserved by Allah against any violation.
Allah reminds them of these graces in order that they may be ashamed
of their submission to other beings, while He is the Lord of the House.
Allah says to them in effect: for this tradition of Quraish, namely
their trips of winter and summer, let them submit to the Lord of this
House Who guaranteed their security and so encouraged them to take such
beneficial trips. "Let them worship the Lord of this House, Who provides
them with food lest they should go hungry." As their land is infertile,
they would have starved had it not been for the sustenance supplied to
them by Allah. "And with security lest they should live in fear." Poor
as they are, and living in an insecure surroundings, their life would
have been one of fear and apprehension. But Allah granted them security(1/399)
and allayed their fear. And this is a reminder which generates and leaves
a deep shame in the hearts of the Quraish, who were not unaware of the
great value of the House and the effect of its sanctity on their lives.
At the moment of danger and difficulty, the Quraish used to appeal only
to the Lord of that House and seek only His help. This was the case with
Abdulmuttalib' who did not confront Abrahah with any army or physical
strength. Instead Abdulmuttalib addressed himself only to the Lord of
the House, because He was the only one who could protect His House.
Abdulmuttalib did not appeal to any of the idols or graven images for
any help. He did not even say to Abrahah that these "gods" will protect
their House. He only said to him,
I am only the master of the camels, but the House has its own Lord
who is sure to protect it.
But Ignorance does not listen to any logic, or acknowledge what is
right, or accept any reasonable argument.
This surah seems to be an extension of the preceding one, "The Elephant,"
with regard to its subject matter and general tone. Nevertheless, it is
an independent surah with the usual beginning of the Qur'anic surahs,
namely, "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful" Authorities
state that nine surahs were revealed between the revelation of surah "The
Elephant" and surah "Quraish", but these two were put next to each other
in the Qur'an because of their close similarity of subject.
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)(1/400)
Sura # 107
Small Kindness
al Ma'oun
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful!
Have you seen him who denies Our religion?
It is he who harshly repels the orphan
and does not urge others to feed the needy.
Woe to those who pray
but are heedless of their prayers;
who put on a show of piety
but refuse to give even the smallest help to others.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This surah is a Makkan revelation according to some authorities and a
Makkan-Medinan one according to others (the first three verses are said
to have been revealed in Makka and the rest in Medina). The latter
opinion is perhaps more accurate. Yet the surah is one interwoven
entity, aiming at the establishment of one of the most fundamental
aspects of Faith. For this reason we are more inclined to take it as
being an entirely Medinan revelation. Its subject matter is more in
line with the topics of the part of the Qur'an revealed in Medina.
It is related to the phenomena of hypocrisy and false appearances which
were unheard of among the Muslim community in Makka. But there is no
need to reject the assertion that the surah is a Makkan, Medinan
revelation, because it is possible that the last four verses were
sent down in Medina and integrated with the first three on grounds of
similarity of subject. Having said that, let us now consider the surah
and its theme.
This surah of seven short verses tackles an important and vital issue
which could very well change the common meanings normally assigned the
terms "faith" or "Iman" and "disbelief" or "Kufr" Moreover, it brings(1/401)
forth the fundamental truth intrinsic in the nature of the Islamic
faith, the enormous benefit it offers to all humanity and the abundant
blessings with which Allah favoured mankind when He sent them His last
Message.
Islam is not a way of life built on ostentation and superficiality. The
apparent aspects of the different acts of worship are, according to
Islam, meaningless unless they are motivated by sincerity and devotion
to Allah. Worship sincerely motivated produces effects within the
individual's heart which then cause him to act righteously and which
are reflected in a social behaviour which elevates man's life on this
earth.
No less true is the fact that Islam is not a loose, fragmentary, dis
jointed system from which one can pick and choose at leisure. On the
contrary, it is a complete way of life with acts of worship and rites
as well as individual and collective obligations that are mutually
complementary. Together they lead to a goal of which mankind is the
sole beneficiary, a goal which ensures that hearts are purified, life
is ennobled, and men co-operate for the common good and progress a
goal wherein abounds the blessings of Allah.
A man can profess to be a Muslim, that is, he accepts this religion
and all its principles, offers prayers regularly and observes other
of worship, and yet be lacking in the essence of faith and sincerity of
belief. In fact, he may be very far from these. For there are signs
which indicate the firm establishment of these qualities in men's
hearts.
As explained in the commentary on surah 103, "The Declining Day", the(1/402)
essence of faith once firmly rooted in the hearts and minds, will begin
immediately to operate and manifest itself in men's behaviour. The surah
stresses unequivocally that, if this is not the case, there is no faith.
"Have you seen him who denies Our religion? It is he who harshly repels
the orphan and does not urge others to feed the needy." The surah starts
with a question addressed to all who can "see", generating suspense and
holding their attention in order to make them discover the target and
subject of the surah. Ah! Who is this creature identified by the Qur'an
as the one who denies the religion of Islam? Hence, the answer: "It is
he who harshly repels the orphan and does not urge others to feed the
needy." This definition of the disbelievers may sound surprising when
compared with the traditional definition of faith. but this is the core
of the whole matter. Indeed the one who denies the faith is he who
wickedly repels the orphan, humiliating him and hurting his feelings!
and who does not care for the needy or their welfare. For if the truth
of Islam has in any degree touched his heart. he would commit no such
acts. True belief in Islam is not a spoken word but an overall change
of the individual's heart, motivating him to benevolence and goodwill
for all his fellow beings that are in need of his care and protection.
Allah does not want mere words from His servants but demands deeds to
support the spoken words which, otherwise, are as weightless and
valueless as blown ash. Nothing can be more forceful than these three(1/403)
verses in affirming this fact which represents most aptly the nature
of Faith.
We do not intend here to indulge in a juristic discussion on the
boundaries of faith and Islam. These are required in legal affairs,
whereas this surah states the facts from Allah's point of view and
judgement, which is quite different from the legal aspect. Next,
Allah offers a practical illustration of what is meant above: "Woe
to those who pray, but are heedless of their prayers." These verses
contain Allah's invocation against, or a threat of destruction to
those who offer prayers but are careless about them. Who exactly are
such? They are those "who put on a show of piety but refuse to give
even the smallest help to others," those who perform prayers but do
not aptly meet their requirements. They execute the mechanical aspects
and pronounce the verbal formulae of prayers but their hearts are never
alive to them, nor are they nourished by praying.
The essence and purpose of prayer and its component parts (recitation,
supplication and exaltation of Allah) are never present in their souls.
They offer prayers only to deceive others and not out of devotion to
Allah. Hence, they are inattentive when they pray. They only outwardly
perform their prayers. Muslims are required to offer their prayers
regularly, having in mind that their prayers are a manifestation of
their servitude to Allah alone. Thus, prayer leaves no result in those
who are neglectful and inattentive to it. Consequently they refuse to
be kind or helpful to their fellow beings and deny the slightest charity(1/404)
to any of the servants of Allah.
Once again, we find ourselves presented with the fundamental truth and
the nature of this religion, a Qur'anic verse threatens with destruction
certain people who offer prayers precisely because they carry out
meaningless movements devoid of any spirit or sense of purpose,
intended for deceit and pretence, and not devoted to Allah. Since
their prayers have not affected their hearts and behaviour, they are
not merely useless but rather a sin for which they are liable to severe
punishment.
From all these, we gather the purpose behind what Allah demands of
His servants when He instructs them to believe in, and worship Him.
He seeks no benefit thereof for Himself, as He is All-Affluent, but
all He cares for is their own welfare and prosperity, purification
of their hearts and happiness in their lives. Allah wishes human life
to be elevated, happy, based on pure motives and characterised by
mutual compassion, brotherhood and purity of hearts and behaviour.
To where then is humanity driving itself? Away from this abundance of
mercy? Away from this wonderful and sublime path? How can mankind debase
itself to living in the wilderness of a wretched and gloomy Ignorance
when it beholds the sparkling light of faith before its very eyes at
the cross-roads where it now stands?
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)(1/405)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful!
Indeed We have given you abundance.
So pray to your Lord and sacrifice to Him.
Surely, he who hates you is the one cut off.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
Similar to surahs 93 and 94, "The Forenoon" and "Solace", this surah
exclusively concerns the Prophet, cheering him up and assuring him of
happier prospects in his struggle. In it Allah threatens the enemies of
the Prophet with destruction while directing the Prophet to the path
of thanksgiving.
The surah represents a glimpse of the life of the Prophet and the course
of his mission in the early period at Makka. It deals with the plots and
insults directed against the Prophet and the Divine message he conveys.
The surah is an instance of Allah's actual protection of His servant and
the few who followed the Prophet and believed in Allah. It is an instance
of Allah's direct support to the believers in their struggle, supplying
them with fortitude, restraint and promise, while threatening a terrible
fate to their antagonists.
In this way, the surah symbolises the reality of guidance, goodness and
faith on the one hand and that of error, evil and disbelief on the other;
the former category is one of abundance, profusion and expansive goodness,
the latter one of scantiness, shrinking resources and annihilation.
Among the people of the Quraish (the Arab tribe which was dominant in
Makka) there were some impudent folk who viewed the Prophet and his
mission with no small degree of antagonism. They would resort to
machinations and taunts against him to deter the people from listening
to the Truth, which he conveyed to them in the form of a Divine message.(1/406)
Sura # 108
Abundance
al Kawthar
Among them were people like Al-Aas ibn Wa'il, 'Uqba ibn Abi Mu'yat,
Abu Lahab, Abu Jahl and others.
They used to say about the Prophet that he was a man with no posterity,
referring to the early death of his sons. One of them once remarked,
"Do not be bothered with him; he will die without descendants and that
will be the end of his mission ."
Such a trivial and cunning taunt had a wide impact in the Arab society
of the time, which set great store by sons. This sharp taunt delighted
the enemies of the Prophet and undoubtedly this was a source of
depression and irritation to his noble heart. This surah was therefore
revealed, comforting the Prophet and assuring him of the abiding and
profuse goodness which Allah had chosen for him and of the deprivation
and loss awaiting his persecutors.
"Indeed We have given you abundance." The word used in the surah and
rendered here as "abundance" is "kawthar", derived from the stem word
"kathrah'' which signifies "abundance" or "a multitude". This "kawthar"
is unrestricted and unlimited. It indicates the opposite meaning to the
one the impudent folk of Quraish tried to attach to the Prophet. " We
have given you" that which is plentiful, overflowing and rich, unstinting
and unending.
If anyone wishes to pursue and observe this abundance which Allah has
given to His Prophet, he would find it wherever he looks and reflects.
He would find it in Muhammad's prophethood itself this link with the
great Reality and the great Being, Who has no parallel and no partner.
What indeed can the one who has found Allah be said to have lost?(1/407)
He would find it in this Qur'an which was revealed to Muhammad every
chapter of which is a fountain of richness which flows incessantly.
He would also find this kawthar or abundance manifest in the of the
Prophet's Sunnah (way of life) throughout the centuries, in the far
flung corners of the earth, in the millions upon millions who follow
in his footsteps, in the millions upon millions who pronounce his
name with respectful affection and the millions upon millions of hearts
that cherish, and would cherish his example and memory even to the
Day of Resurrection.
He would also find this Kawthar or abundance manifest in the goodness
and prosperity which have accrued to the human race as a result of his
message, and which reach those who know and believe in him and those
who do not. He would also discern this abundance in various and manifold
phenomena, attempting to enumerate which would at best give only a passing
feeling of a great reality.
This indeed is abundance in its absolute unlimited sense. The surah
therefore does not give it a specific definition. Several accounts
relate that "al-Kawthar" is a river in Paradise granted to the Prophet
but Ibn Abbas, a learned companion of the Prophet, contends that the
river is but one part of the abundance which Allah has furnished for
His Prophet. Keeping the circumstances and the whole context in mind,
Ibn Abbas's view is the more valid.
"So pray to your Lord and sacrifice to Him." Having assured the Prophet
of this munificent gift, which disproves what the calumniators and(1/408)
conspirators say, Allah directs the Prophet to be completely and
sincerely thankful to Him for His bounty; to devote himself to Him alone
in worship and ritual slaughter, taking no heed whatsoever of all forms
of polytheism and refusing to participate in the worship of the poly
theists, especially when they pronounce any name other than that of
Allah in their offerings.
Islam frequently lays emphasis on the pronouncing of Allah's name when
slaughtering animals. It prohibits anything that is consecrated to any
other being, which indicates the importance Islam attaches to the
purification of human life from all forms of polytheism and all that
leads to it. Islam does not aim merely at purifying the imagination and
conscience, for it is the religion based on the unity of Allah in every
sense. It pursues polytheism in all its manifestations, striving to
eliminate its marks in the conscience of man, in his worship and
rituals, and in his behaviour generally. Life, Islam says, is one
indivisible entity and must be treated as such. It must be cleansed
inside out and completely oriented towards Allah, in all its aspects
and spheres - worship, tradition and social behaviour.
"Surely he who hates you is the one cut off". In the first verse, Allah
specified that Muhammad was not the one who had no posterity but, on
the contrary, was the one endowed with abundance. In this verse, Allah
throws back the taunt on those who hated and reviled the Prophet. Indeed,
the promise of Allah has come true. For, the influence and the legacy of(1/409)
Muhammad's enemies was short-lived, while his impact on human history
and human life has grown and deepened. Today we are witnessing the
truth of this Divine pronouncement as clearly as no one among those
addressed by the Qur'an for the first time ever did or imagined.
Faith and goodness cannot be barren: they leave deep-rooted influence
but falsehood, error and evil- no matter how fast they grow and spread,
do ultimately come to nothing.
Allah's criteria are different from the criteria laid down by man. Men
are often deceived when they vainly believe their sense of judgement
to be the criterion. Before us is the eloquent and enduring example of
the Prophet. Of what value or interest to humanity have those slanderers
and foes of Muhammad been to anyone?
On the other hand, calling others to the religion of Allah, to truth and
goodness, can never be called futile. Neither can the righteous and
the true be called deprived or cut off. How can it be, when this message
itself comes from and is supported by Allah, the Immortal, the Eternal?
But deprived and sterile indeed are disbelief, error and evil as are
their votaries, however strong and widespread they may appear to be at
a particular moment.
Allah affirms the truth; the wily opponents are but liars!
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)(1/410)
Surah # 109
The Disbelievers
al Kafiroon
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
Say: "Disbelievers! I do not worship what you worship nor do you
worship what I worship. I shall never worship what you worship
You have your own religion and I have mine."
In the Shade of the Qur'an
Although the Arabs before Islam were not disavowing Allah, they did not
know Him by the true identity He accorded Himself as the One and the
Eternal. They did not only depreciate Him and ineptly worship Him but
they also ascribed to Him, as partners, idols that were supposed to
represent their great and pious ancestors or, in some cases, the angels
whom they claimed to be the daughters of Allah. Moreover, they alleged a
kinship between Him and the jinn. They often ignored all these
qualifications, however, and worshipped those idols themselves. But in
all cases, as the Qur'an quotes them as saying, they only "worship them
(the various gods) so that they may bring us near to Allah." (39:3)
The Qur'an also states:
If you ask them who it is that has created the heavens and the earth,
and subjected the sun and the moon (to fixed laws) they will say:
Allah (29:61) And again: If you ask them who it is that sends down
water from the sky, and thereby revives the earth after it has died,
they will say: ' Allah. (29:63)
Moreover, Allah superseded their gods in their oaths and supplications.
But in spite of their belief in Allah, the polytheism they entertained
fouled their conceptions as well as their traditions and rites to the
extent that they assigned to their alleged gods a portion of their
earnings and possessions, and even their offspring; in fact, they had
often been obliged to sacrifice their children. Concerning this, the(1/411)
Qur'an has the following to say:
They set aside for Allah a share of what He has produced in abundance
of crops and cattle, saying: This is for Allah, so they pretend, and
this for the partner-gods we associate with Him. But nothing of the
share of their partner-gods may ever go to Allah while the share of
Allah may go to their partner-gods. How ill they judge! Thus those
partner-gods of theirs have induced many polytheists to kill their
children so that they may ruin them and confuse them in their faith.
Had Allah willed, they would not have done so; so leave them to their
false inventions. They say: "Such cattle and crops are forbidden; no
one may eat of them save those whom we permit", so they assert. Further,
there are cattle which they prohibit men from riding, and others over
which they do not pronounce the name of Allah. All these are lies
they assert against Allah. He will surely punish them for their
invented lies. They also say: "What is in the wombs of these animals
is reserved to our males, forbidden to our females." But if it is still
born, then they all partake of it. Allah will surely punish them for
what they impute to Him. He is surely wise and He knows all." Lost are
they who, in their ignorance, wantonly slay their children, and make
unlawful what Allah has provided for them, inventing lies against Allah.
They have indeed gone astray and heeded no guidance. (6:137-41)
The Arabs were also convinced that they were the followers of the religion
of Abraham and that they were better guided than the People of the(1/412)
Scriptures (i.e. Jews and Christians) inhabiting the Arabian peninsula at
the time: the Jews and the Christians preached respectively that Ezra and
Jesus were the sons of Allah whereas they, the Arabs, worshipped angels
and jinn - the true offspring of Allah according to them. Their belief,
they maintained, was more logical and more conceivable than that of the
Christians and the Jews. Nonetheless, all was polytheism.
When Muhammad (peace be on him) declared his religion to be that of
Abraham, they argued that there was no reason for them to forsake their
beliefs and follow Muhammad's instead, since they too were of the same
religion. In the meantime, they sought a sort of compromise with him
proposing that he should prostrate himself before their gods in return
for their prostration to his God, and that he should cease denouncing
their gods and their manner of worship in reciprocation for whatever he
demanded of them! This confusion in their concepts, vividly illustrated
by their worship of various gods while acknowledging Allah, was perhaps
what led them to believe that the gulf between them and Muhammad was
not unbridgeable. They thought an agreement was somehow possible by
allowing the two camps to co-exist in the region and by granting him some
personal concessions!
To clear up this muddle, to cut all arguments short and firmly distinguish
between one form of worship and the other, between one doctrine and concept
and the other this surah was revealed in such a decisive, assertive tone.
It was revealed in this manner to demarcate monotheism (tawheed) from(1/413)
polytheism (shirk), and to establish a true criterion, allowing no further
wrangling or vain arguments.
Using all the mentioned means, the surah goes on to emphasize a negation
in one sentence and an affirmation in another. "Say", this denotes a
clear-cut Divine order which conveys the fact that the whole affair of
the religion belongs exclusively to Allah, nothing of it belongs to
Muhammad himself, and that Allah is the only One to order and decide.
Address them, Muhammad, by their actual and true identity: "Say:
'Disbelievers!' They follow no prescribed religion, nor do they believe
in you. No meeting-point exists between you and them anywhere. Thus the
beginning of the surah brings to mind the reality of a difference which
cannot be ignored or settled.
"I do nor worship what you worship" is a statement affirmed by shall
never worship what you worship". "Nor do you worship what I worship" is
also repeated for more emphasis and in order to eliminate all chances of
doubt or misinterpretation. Finally, the whole argument is summed up in
the last verse, "You have your own religion, and I have mine", meaning
that you (disbelievers) and I (Muhammad) are very far apart, without any
bridge to connect us - a complete distinction and a precise, intelligible
demarcation. Such an attitude was essential then in order to expose the
fundamental discrepancies in the essence of the two beliefs and doctrines,
in the source of the two concepts and in the nature of the two paths of
monotheism and polytheism, faith and disbelief. Faith on the one hand, is(1/414)
the way of life which directs man and the whole world towards Allah alone
and determines for him the source of his religious concept, laws, values,
criteria, ethics and morals. That source is Allah and nobody else. Thus
life proceeds for him accordingly, devoid of any form of polytheism which,
on the other hand, represents another way of life entirely dissimilar to
that of faith. The two never meet.
On the whole, the distinction we are dealing with here is indispensable
both for those who invite people to Islam and the people themselves,
because Ignorant concepts are likely to be mixed with those of Islam
especially in those societies which previously followed the Islamic method,
but have later deviated from it. They are, to be sure, the most rigid and
the most hostile to the idea of regaining faith in its healthy, clear and
straight forward form, certainly more so than those who have not known
Islam originally. They take it for granted that they are righteous while
they grow more and more complicatedly perverse!
The existence of noble and base beliefs and thoughts in those societies
may tempt the advocate of the Islamic system to-hope for their quick
return, thinking he may be able to strengthen the good aspects of their
life and rightly correct undesirable features! This temptation is
dangerously misleading. For Ignorance is nothing but Ignorance and Islam
is altogether different from it. The only way to bridge the gulf between
the two is for Ignorance to liquidate itself completely and substitute for(1/415)
all its laws, values, standards and concepts their Islamic counterparts.
The first step that should be taken in this field by the person calling
on people to embrace Islam is to segregate himself from Ignorance. He must
be separated to the extent that any agreement or intercourse between him
and Ignorance is absolutely impossible unless and until the people of
Ignorance em brace Islam completely: no intermingling, no half measures or
conciliation is permissible, however clever Ignorance may be in usurping
the role of Islam or reflecting it. The chief basis of the personality of
the person inviting others to Islam is the clear manifestation of this
fact within himself and his solemn conviction of being radically different
from them. They have their own religion, and he has his. His task is to
orientate them so that they may follow his path without any fraud or
pretence. Failing this, he must withdraw completely, detach himself from
their life and openly declare to them: "You have your own religion, and I
have mine."
This is a sine qua non for the contemporary advocates of Islam. They badly
need to realize that they are calling for Islam today in entirely Ignorant
surroundings amongst ex-Muslim peoples whose hearts have grown harder and
whose beliefs have now deteriorated considerably. They need to understand
that there is no room for short-term or half solutions, compromises, or
partial redemption or adjustment, and that their call is for uniquely
distinguished Islam, in contrast to what these people conceive of as(1/416)
Islam. They must face these people bravely and explicitly put it to
them: "You have your own religion, and I have mine." Our religion is based
on absolute monotheism whose concepts, values, beliefs and laws cover all
aspects of human life and are all received from Allah and none else. With
out this basic separation confusion, double-dealing, doubt and distortion
will certainly persist. And let it be clear in our minds here that the
movement advocating Islam can never be constructed on any ambiguous or
feeble foundations, but has to be built upon firmness, explicitness,
frankness and fortitude as embodied in Allah's instruction to us to
declare: "You have your own religion, and I have mine". Such was the way
adopted by the Islamic call in its early days.
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)In the Shade of the Qur'an
This short surah brings the good news to Allah's Messenger concerning the
advent of victory, the Conquest and peoples' collective acceptance of
Allah's religion. It instructs him to turn towards his Lord in a devoted
adoration and a humble request for His forgiveness. The surah also presents
the nature and the righteousness of this Faith and its ideology - how high(1/417)
Sura # 110
Victory
an Nasr
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
When the victory granted by Allah and the Conquest come
and you see people embracing the religion of Allah in large numbers
then celebrate the praises of your Lord, and seek His forgiveness.
He is ever disposed to Mercy.
humanity ascends to an ideal and brilliant summit unattainable otherwise
than by responding to the call of Islam.
Of the several traditions regarding the revelation of this surah, we quote
that of Imam Ahmad which goes as follows:
Aisha said that the Messenger of Allah used to repeat very frequently,
towards the end of his life, 'Exaltations and praises be to Allah, whose
forgiveness I ask; I repent of my sins.' He also said, 'My Lord told me
I would see a sign in my nation. He ordered me to praise Him, the
Forgiving, and ask His pardon when I see this sign. Indeed, I have. When
the victory granted by Allah and the Conquest come ... (transmitted by
Muslim)
Ibn Katheer said in his commentary on the Qur'an:
The Conquest', it is unanimously agreed, is a reference to the conquest
of Makka. The Arab tribes were awaiting the settlement of the conflict
between Quraish and the Muslims, before accepting Islam, saying: 'If he,
Muhammad, prevails over his people, he would indeed be a prophet.'
Consequently, when that was accomplished they accepted Islam in large
numbers. Not two years were to pass after the conquest of Makka when the
whole Arabian Peninsula was dominated by Islam, and, all thanks to
Allah, every Arab tribe had declared its belief Islam.
Al-Bukhari in his Sahih related
Amr ibn Salamah said that when Makka was conquered, every tribe hastened
to declare acceptance of Islam to Allah's Messenger. They were waiting
for it to take place saying, Leave them to themselves. He would indeed
be a prophet if he prevailed over them.(1/418)
This version is the one which agrees chronologically with the beginning of
the surah in the sense that its revelation was a sign of something to
follow with some instructions to the Prophet, on what he should do when
this event took place.
There is, nevertheless, another fairly similar version in agreement with
the one we have chosen and it is that by Ibn 'Abbas which says:
Umar used to let me join the company of elders who were present at Badr,
some of whom felt uneasy and asked why I should be allowed with them
when I was young. But ' Umar said to them, 'You know that he is of high
standing.' One day 'Umar invited them all and invited me as well. I felt
that he wanted to show them who I was so he asked them, 'What do you
make of Allah's saying, ' When the victory granted by Allah and the
Conquest come?' Some of them replied, 'He ordered us to praise Him and
seek His forgiveness when He helps us to triumph and bestows His favours
on us.' The others remained silent. Then 'Umar asked me, 'Do you agree
with this view, Ibn Abbas?' I answered in the negative. 'Umar asked me
again. 'What then do you say?' I replied, 'It was a sign from Allah
to His Messenger indicating the approach of the end of his life meaning,
when the victory from Allah and the Conquest come, you; end is near,
so extol the praises of your Lord and seek His forgiveness.' 'Umar
commented, 'I have known no more than what you have said. (transmitted
by al Bukhari).
So it is possible that the Messenger, having witnessed his Lord's sign,
realized that he had fulfilled his mission on this earth and that it was(1/419)
time for him to leave, which was what Ibn 'Abbas actually meant.
However, there is another account narrated by Al-Hafiz al Baihaqi also
attributed to Ibn 'Abbas who according to it said
When this surah was first revealed, the Messenger of Allah called
Fatimah and said, 'My death has been announced to me.' She was seen
to start crying, then she smiled. She explained later, 'I cried when
he told me of his approaching death. But he said to me, 'Be restrained,
because you will be the first of my family to join me', so I smiled.'
According to the last tradition quoted the time of the revelation of the
surah is actually fixed as coming later than the sign, that is, the
Conquest and the people's collective movement into Islam. When events took
place in this fashion the Messenger of Allah knew that his life would soon
come to a close. But again the first account is more authentic and fits in
more suitably with the outline of the beginning of the surah, especially
as the Fatimah incident is related in a different form which gives more
weight to what we have suggested. This other form goes as follows:
Umm Salamah, the Prophet's wife said: The Messenger of Allah called
Fatimah to him sometime during the year of the Conquest and he said
something to her. She cried. Then he spoke to her again and she was
smiling. After he had died, I asked her about the incident and she
explained 'The Messenger of Allah told me he was soon to die, so I
cried. Then he told me that I would be the next most celebrated woman
in Paradise after Mariam (Mary), the daughter of Imran, so I smiled.'(1/420)
This narration agrees with the general meaning of the Qur'anic text and
with what Imam Ahmad related which appears in the Sahih of Muslim - that
is, there was a sign (in the surah) between Allah and His Messenger and
when the Conquest was accomplished the latter knew that he was soon to
meet his Lord, so he spoke to Fatimah in the manner described by Umm
Salamah.
Let us now consider the actual text of the surah and the injunction it
gives for all time:
When the victory granted by A Allah and the Conquest come, and you
see people embracing the religion of Allah in large numbers. Then,
celebrate the praises of your Lord and seek His forgiveness. He is
ever disposed to mercy.
The beginning of the first verse implicitly presents a concept of what goes
on in this universe: the events that take place in this life, and the
actual role of the Messenger of Allah and his followers in the progress of
Islam, and to what extent it depends on their efforts. "When the victory
granted by Allah", denotes that it is Allah's victory and Allah is the One
who brings it about in His own good time, in the form He decides and for
the purpose He determines. The Prophet and his companions have nothing to
do with it at all, and they obtain no personal gain from it. It suffices
them that He does it through them, appoints them as its guards and entrusts
it to them. This is all they acquire from the victory of Allah, the
Conquest and the people's acceptance en masse of His religion.
According to this concept, the duty of the Messenger and his companions(1/421)
whom Allah chose and gave the privilege of being the instruments of His
victory, was to turn to Him at the climax of victory in praise, expressing
gratitude and seeking forgiveness. Gratitude and praise are for His being
so generous as to have chosen them to be the standard bearers of His
religion; for the mercy and favour He did to all humanity by making His
religion victorious; and for the Conquest of Makka and the people's
collective acceptance of Islam.
His forgiveness is sought for the various unrevealed, defective feelings,
such as vanity, which sometimes creep into one's heart at the overwhelming
moment of victory attained after a long struggle. Human beings can hardly
prevent this happening and therefore Allah's forgiveness is to be sought
for it. Forgiveness also has to be sought for what might have been
insinuated into one's heart during the long and cruel struggle and for
petulance resulting from the belatedness of victory or the effects of
convulsive despair, as the Qur'an brings out elsewhere:
Or think you that you will enter Paradise while yet there has not come
to you the like of that which came to those who passed away before you?
Affliction and adversity befell them; they were shaken as with earth
quake, till the Messenger (of Allah) and those who believed along with
him said: 'When will Allah's help come?' Now surely Allah's help is
near. (2:214)
It is also necessary to seek Allah's forgiveness for one's shortcomings in
praising Allah and thanking Him for His favours which are perpetual and
infinite.(1/422)
And if you were to count the favours of Allah, never will you be able
to number them. (16:18)
However much one's efforts in this respect, they are never adequate.
Another touching thought is that seeking forgiveness at the moment of
triumph arouses in one's mind the feeling of impotence and imperfection
at a time when an attitude of self-esteem and conceit seems natural. All
these factors guarantee that no tyranny will afflict the conquered. The
victorious is made to realize that it is Allah who has appointed him,
a man who has no power of his own and is devoid of any strength, for a
pre determined purpose; consequently the triumph and the conquest as
well as the religion are all His, to Whom all things ultimately return.
This is the lofty, dignified ideal the Qur'an exhorts people to toil
towards and attain, an ideal in which man's exaltation is in neglecting
his own pride and where his soul's freedom is in his subservience to
Allah. The goal set is the total release of human souls from their egoistic
shackles, their only ambition being to attain Allah's pleasure. Along with
this release there must be exerted a striving which helps man to flourish
in the world, promote human civilisation and provide a rightly-guided,
unblemished, constructive, just leadership devoted to Allah.
In contrast, man's efforts to liberate himself while in the grip of egoism,
shackled by his zest for worldly things, or overpowered by his cravings,
turn out to be absolutely in vain unless he sets himself free from self and
lets his loyalty to Allah override everything else, particularly at the(1/423)
moment of triumph and the collecting of booty.
Such a standard of behaviour, which Allah wants humanity to aspire towards
and to attain, was the characteristic feature of the Prophets at all times.
So it was the case with Prophet Yussuf (Joseph), when all he wanted was
achieved and his dream came true:
and he placed his parents high on the throne of dignity and they fell
down prostrate before him. He said: 'Father! This is the fulfillment of
my dream of old. My Lord has made it come true. He has been gracious to
me. He has released me from prison and has brought you from the desert
after Satan had stirred-up strife between me and my brothers. My Lord
is gracious with all that He plans to do. He is full of knowledge and
wisdom. (12:100)
Then, at that moment of climax, Yussuf took himself away from the
jubilations and from the embracing arms to turn towards his Lord, praising
him with a pure feeling of gratitude:
My Lord! You have given me something of sovereignty and power and have
taught me something of the interpretation of visions. Creator of the
heavens and the earth! You are my Protector in this world and the here
after. Let me die in submission and join the righteous. (12:101)
Thus vanished the feeling of predominance and reputation and the happiness
brought by his reunion with his family, and the picture we are left with is
of that individual, Yussuf, praying to Allah to help him remain submissive
to Him until he dies and to let him, out of His mercy and grace, join His
righteous servants. So, it was also with Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon), when(1/424)
he saw the Queen of Sheba's throne brought into his very reach in a flash:
And when he (Sulaiman) saw it set in his presence he said: 'This is
of the bounty of my Lord, that He may try me whether I give thanks
or remain ungrateful. He who gives thanks does so for his own good,
and he who is ungrateful ... my Lord is all sufficient and bountiful.
(27:40)
And so indeed it was with Muhammad all through his life. In the moment of
triumph, as the Conquest of Makka was accomplished, he entered it on the
back of his camel with his head bowed down. He forgot the joy of victory
and thankfully bowed his head seeking his Lord's forgiveness, though he
had just conquered Makka, the city whose people had openly and unashamedly
persecuted and expelled him. This also was the practice of his companions
after him.
Thus, upon belief in Allah, was that great generation of humanity raised
very high, reaching an unparalleled standard of greatness, power and
freedom.(1/425)
Sura # 111
Fire Flames
al Masad
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
May the hands of Abu Lahab perish; doomed he is.
His wealth and his gains shall not avail him.
He shall be plunged in a flaming fire,
and his wife the carrier of firewood,
shall have a rope of palm fibre rounder her neck.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
Abu Lahab, whose real name was Abduluzza ibn Abdulmuttalib, was an uncle
of the Prophet. He was so nicknamed because of the radiant look he had on
his face. With his wife Abu Lahab was one of the most unbending foes of
the Messenger and the ideas he was propagating.(1/425)
Ibn Ishaq related the report made by Rabiah ibn 'Abbad Ad-Daili who said,
When I was a youngster I once watched with my father Allah's Messenger
preaching Islam to the Arab tribes saying 'O sons of ... (calling their
respective names), I am Allah's Messenger sent to order you to submit to
and worship Him and nothing else beside Him, and to believe in me and
protect me until I carry out what Allah has entrusted me with.' A cross
eyed, bright-faced man was behind him, who used to say, after he had
finished, 'O sons of ... this man wants you to forsake Al-Lat and Al
Uzza (two prominent idols worshipped by the pagan Arabs) and your allies
of the jinn, the children of Malik ibn Aqmas and to substitute for them
these innovations and nonsense he has brought. Do not harken to him, nor
follow what he preaches.' I asked my father who that man was and he told
me that it was Abu Lahab, the Prophet's uncle.' (Imam Ahmad and Tabarani
also had the same version.)
This is but one incident of Abu Lahab's intimidation and ill-will towards
the Messenger and his call. His wife Arwa, the daughter of Harb Ibn Ummya,
a sister of Abu Sufyan, gave him unfailing support in his virulent,
relentless campaign.
Such was the attitude of Abu Lahab towards the Prophet from the very start
of his Divine mission. Al-Bukhari related, on the authority of 'Ibn Abbas,
that the Prophet went out to Batha' (a large square in Makka) one day,
mounted a hill and summoned the people of Quraish. When they came to him
he addressed them and said,
Were I to tell you that an enemy is drawing near and will attack you(1/426)
tomorrow morning or evening, would you believe me? 'Yes,' they replied.
'So listen to me,' he went on, 'I am warning you of gruesome torment
(from Allah).' Abu Lahab was there and snapped at him, 'Damn you!' For
this you have called us?' (Another version goes: 'Abu Lahab stood up
shaking the dust off his hands and saying, 'Damn you all day long ...')
Then this surah was revealed.
Another instance was when the Hashimi clan (the Prophet's own clan) decided
on grounds of tribal loyalties, under the leadership of Abu Talib to
protect the Prophet despite their rejection of the religion he was
preaching. Abu Lahab was the only one to take a different stand. He
joined with the Quraish instead, and was with them in signing the document
to boycott the Hashimi clan completely and starve them till they gave up
the Prophet to them.
Abu Lahab also ordered his two sons to renounce the daughters of Muhammad,
to whom they had been engaged before Muhammad's prophetic assignment, so
as to burden him with the expenses of their maintenance and welfare.
Thus, Abu Lahab and his wife, Arwa, who was also called Umm Jamil,
continued to launch their persistent onslaught against the Prophet and
his message. The fact that they were close neighbours of the Prophet
made the situation worse still. We are told that Umm Jamil used to
carry thorns and sharp wood and place them in the Prophet's path (though
it is thought that the phrase 'the carrier of firewood' in the surah is
used only metaphorically to indicate her lies and malice about him).(1/427)
This surah was revealed as a counter-attack against their hostile
compaigns, Allah had taken over the command of the battle.
May the hands of Abu Lahab perish, doomed he is.
The Arabic term rendered here as 'perish ' also signifies failure and
cutting off. The term is used twice in two different senses. It is used
first as an appeal, while in the second occurence it implies the granting
of the appeal and its fulfillment. So, in one short verse, an action is
realised which draws the curtains upon a scene of a completed battle.
What later follows is merely a description of what took place with the
remark that 'his wealth and his gains shall not avail him.' He can have
no escape. He is defeated, vanquished and damned. That was his fate in
this world, but in the Hereafter 'he shall be plunged in a flaming fire.'
And his wife, the wood-carrier, will reside there with him having around
her neck a rope of palm-fibre with which, as it were, she is being dragged
into Hell; or which she used for fastening wood bundles together, according
to whether a literal or metaphorical interpretation of the text is adopted.
The language of this surah achieves a remarkable degree of beautiful
harmony between the subject matter and the atmosphere built around it. Abu
Lahab will be plunged into a fire with 'Lahab', which is the Arabic word
for flames of fire; and his wife who carries the wood, a fuel, will be met
with the same fire with a palm-fibre rope around her neck. 'Jahannam' or
Jehanna with fiercely burning 'Lahab' will be inhabited by Abu Lahab. And(1/428)
his wife, who wraps up thorns and sharp woods, materials which,
significantly, can increase the blaze of a fire, and puts them in the
Prophet's way, will be subsequently dragged to Hell with a rope tied to
her neck, bundled like firewood. How perfect is the matching between the
words and the pictures; the punishment is presented as of the same nature
as the deed - wood, ropes, fire and Lahab!
Phonetically, the words are arranged in a way which provides a wonderful
harmony between the sounds made by the pulling of the wood and the neck by
ropes. Read in Arabic, the verse, ' Tabbat yada abi Lahabin watab, ' makes
one feel a kind of hard sharp pull, analogous to that of bundles of wood
or of dragging an unwilling person by the neck into a wild fire; all is in
phase with the fury and the violent, bellicose tone that goes with the
theme of the surah. Thus, in five short verses of one of the shortest
surahs of the Qur'an, the vocal melodies click neatly with the actual
movements of the scene portrayed.
This extremely rich and brilliant style led Umm Jamil to claim that the
Prophet was in fact 'satirizing' her and her husband. The arrogant and
vain Arab woman could not get over being referred to with such a
humiliating phrase as 'the carrier of firewood,' who 'shall have a rope
of palm-,fibre round her neck. ' Her rage grew wilder when the surah
became popular among the Arab tribes who esteemed such a literary style!
Ibn Ishaq related:
'Umm Jamil, I was told, having heard what the Qur'an said about her
and her husband, came to the Prophet who was with Abu Bakr at the(1/429)
Ka'aba. She was carrying a handful of stones. Allah took her sight
away from the Prophet and she saw only Abu Bakr to whom she said,
'Where is your comrade? I have heard that he has been satirizing
me. Were I to find him, I would throw these stones right into his
face. 1, too, am gifted in poetry.' Then she said before leaving:
'The contemptible we obey not! Nor what he says shall we accept!'
'Abu Bakr turned around to the Prophet and said, 'Do you think that
she saw you?' 'No,' replied the Prophet, 'Allah made her unable
to see me.'
Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bazar also related, on the authority of Ibn Abbas,
that when this surah was revealed Abu Lahab's wife sought the Prophet.
While he was with Abu Bakr she appeared and Abu Bakr suggested, 'She will
not harm you if you hide yourself away!' 'Don't worry,' said the Prophet
in a soothing manner. 'She will not see me.' She came to Abu Bakr and
said, 'Your friend has lampooned us!' 'By the Lord of this Ka'aba, he
has not,' Abu Bakr assured her. 'He is no poet and what he says is not
poetry,' he added. She said, 'I believe you,' and then left. Abu Bakr
then enquired from the Prophet whether she had seen him and he said, 'No,
an angel was shielding me all the time she was here.' So much was her
fury and her indignation at what she thought was poetry and which Abu
Bakr rightly refuted.
Thus, the humiliating picture of Abu Lahab and his wife has been recorded
to last forever in this eternal book, the Qur'an, to show Allah's anger
with them for their animosity to His Messenger and the ideas he was(1/430)
advocating. All those who choose to take a similar attitude towards
Islam, therefore, shall meet with the same disgrace calamity and
frustration, both in this life and in the Hereafter, as fitting punishment
and reward!(1/431)
Surah # 112
Purity of Faith
al Ikhlas
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
Say: He is Allah, the one and only God
the Eternal, the Absolute
He begot none, nor was He begotten
and there is none comparable to Him
In the Shade of the Qur'an
This short surah is "equivalent to one third of the Qur'an". al Bukhari,
the leading traditionist, was told about someone who had heard a man
reciting, "Say: He is Allah ..." repeatedly and had gone to the Prophet
the following morning and told him disapprovingly about what he had heard.
The Prophet commented, "I swear by Him in Whose hand is my soul that it
(the surah) is equivalent to one third of the Qur'an."
And, indeed, there is nothing surprising in that. For the unity of Allah
which the Messenger was ordered to declare to the whole world is a belief
to be ingrained in our beings, an explanation of human existence and a way
of life in itself. From this standpoint, the surah can be said to have
embraced in the clearest terms the principal and most fundamental ideas
of the great truth of Islam.
The Arabic term "Ahad" used here to refer to the unity of Allah is much
more precise than the much more frequently used term "Wahid" which means
"one". "Ahad" has the added connotations of absolute and continuous unity
and the absence of equals.(1/431)
The unity of Allah is such that there is no reality and no true and
permanent existence except His. Moreover, every other being acquires what
ever power it possessed from the effective power of Allah which rules over
this world. Nothing else whatsoever plans anything for the world nor
decides, for that matter, anything in it.
This is the belief that should be entrenched in us. It is a full
explanation of human existence. Once this belief has become clear and that
explanation has established itself in the human mind, the heart is
purified of all falsities and impurities and it is released from all ties
except those of the one and unique Being who alone possesses the reality
of being and who is the only effective power in this world. The human heart
is then released from bondage to anything in this world, if not from
attributing existence to anything else altogether. Indeed, why should men's
hearts aspire to something that has no permanent reality nor has any
independent power to function in this world, since the real being is that
of the Divine Being and the truly effective power is the Divine Will?
When the human heart releases itself from believing in anything but the one
Truth, the Truth of Allah, and upholds this everlasting Truth, it liberates
itself from all shackles, false ideas, evil desires, fear of earthly powers
and from the confusions that mislead in this life.
For when the human heart finds Allah, it benefits and loses nothing. So why
should it desire anything but the pleasure of Allah? And why should it fear(1/432)
anything, since there is no absolutely effective power but that of Allah?
When a conception that sees nothing in the world but the reality of Allah
establishes itself in the human mind and heart, it is accompanied by the
vision of this genuine, permanent reality in every other being that has
sprung from it. This is the stage at which the heart feels the hand of
Allah in everything and beyond which it feels nothing but Allah in the
whole universe. There would be no other reality to be felt.
It is also accompanied by the attribution of every event and every movement
in this life and in this universe to the first and only cause, that is,
Allah, that brings other causes about and influences their effectiveness.
The Qur'an takes great care to establish this truth in the Muslims' concept
of faith. It has always put aside apparent causes and associated events
directly with the will of Allah. It says,
When you threw (a handful of dust) it was not your act, but Allah's.
(8:17) There is no triumph except that given by Allah, (8:10, 3:126)
You have no will except as Allah wills. (76:30)
By disregarding all apparent causes and connecting matters directly with
the will of Allah, a feeling of relief gently penetrates the human heart
so that it knows the only Saviour from whom it can ask whatever it wishes
and by whom it is rescued from all it fears. It becomes unimpressed by the
apparent influences, reasons and causes that bear no reality or true
existence in themselves.
These are the steps of the way some mystics tried to climb, but they(1/433)
deviated too far from it. For Islam wants people to follow this route
struggling with the realities of life with all its varied conditions and
qualities, and to lead a human life in which they exercise their role of
vicegerency of Allah on earth with all their resources and the obligations
laid upon them.
From this concept of the unity of Allah, stems a perfect path of life based
on the explanation of human existence and whatever outlooks, feelings, and
traits it stimulates. Such a path is based on the worship of Allah alone,
who is the only real and permanent being, and whose will is the only
effective power in the world. It is the path that makes its followers turn
towards Allah alone and seek refuge in Him in time of need and fear,
happiness and discomfort, luxury and hardship. For what is the use of
turning towards a non-existent or a powerless being? This path has as its
benefactor Allah alone. From Him we receive our beliefs, outlook, values,
criteria, legislation's, institutions, systems, ethics and traditions.
Such qualities must be obtained from the One and Permanent Being and the
One Truth.
It is a path for performing activities, doing work and making sacrifices
absolutely and only for Allah, and for wishing to be nearer the truth.
This path also strengthens the links of love, brotherhood, mutual sympathy
and responsiveness between all beings and Individual hearts. For when we
speak of the liberation from complete submission to these feelings we by
no means suggest that people should despise or hate them or escape from(1/434)
practising them. They arise from the creative hand of Allah and they all
owe their existence to Him. They are a gift to us from the Beloved and,
therefore, they deserve our love.
It is a sublime and lofty path by whose standards this earth is so small,
life is so short. its enjoyments and luxuries are worthless; and the
breaking away from the various hindrances and falsifications is a supreme
wish and a great aim for humanity. But in Islam, however, this release does
not mean seclusion and neglect, nor does it mean contempt for or escape
from life, but it simply means a continuous and sincere endeavor and an
everlasting struggle to lead humanity to the submission of everything in
human life to Allah alone. Consequently, as was stated earlier, it is the
fulfilment of man's role as Allah's vicegerent on earth with all its
obligations.
The liberation of the human soul by priesthood and extreme spiritualism is
available and easy to achieve but Islam does not approve of it, because,
according to it, man's vicegerency on earth and the leadership of mankind
are a part of its Divine path of liberation. This is a harder way that
guarantees and secures the humanity of man and achieves the victory of the
Divine will within his being . This is the real liberation, the flight of
the human soul unto its Divine source and the achievement of its sublime
truthfulness within the scope its wise Creator has chosen for it.
For the sake of all this, the first call to Islam was devoted to the
establishment of the reality of the unity of Allah in the hearts and minds(1/435)
of men. For in this form it is a belief by the human soul, heart and mind,
a full explanation of human existence, a way of life and not merely a
spoken word or an inert belief. It is life in its entirety and religion
in its totality and whatever faults follow after it are no more than the
natural fruits of its establishment in the hearts and minds Of mankind.
All the deviations that afflicted the followers of earlier Divine
religions, and which corrupted their beliefs, ideas and life arose, in the
first place, from the deterioration of the concept of the absolute unity
of God in their minds. But what distinguishes this concept in the Islamic
faith, is its deep rootedness in the entire human life and the construction
of the latter on its basis and its being considered as s foundation for the
realistic and practical system of human life with its effects clearly
appearing in legislation as well as in belief.
"He is Allah, the one and only God," means that He is "the Eternal and the
Absolute," and that, "He begot none nor was He begotten," and that "there
is none comparable to Him." But the Qur'an states it all in detail for more
emphasis and clarification.
"The Eternal, the Absolute" means the supplicated Lord without whose
permission nothing is decided. Allah is the One Lord. He is One in His
Divinity and all the other beings are but His servants. To Him and Him
alone are addressed all supplications. He and only He decides everything
independently. No one decides with Him. And since He is the one and only
God this quality is already His.(1/436)
"He begot none, nor was He begotten," means that the reality of Allah is
deep-rooted, permanent and everlasting. No changeable circumstances ever
affect it. Its quality is absolute perfection at all times. Birth is
descent and multiplication and implies a developed being after
incompleteness or nothingness. It requires espousal which is based on
similarity of being and structure. All this is utterly impossible in the
case of Allah. So the quality of "One" includes the renouncement of a
father and a son.
"There is none comparable to Him" means that no one resembles Him in
anything or is equivalent to Him in any respect, either in the reality
of being, or in the fact that He is the only effective power, or in any
of His qualities or attribute. This is implied in the statement of his
being "One" made in the first verse, but it is repeated thus to confirm
and elaborate on that fact. It is a renunciation of the two-god belief
which implies that Allah is the God of Good while Evil has its god who,
as the belief goes - is in opposition to Allah, spoils His good deeds and
propagates evil on earth. The most well-known two-god belief was that of
the Persians, who believed in a god of light and a god of darkness. This
belief was known to the people in the south of the Arabian Peninsula,
where the Persians once had a state and exercised sovereignty.
This surah is a fir establishment and a confirmation of the Islamic belief
in the unity of Allah as was surah 109, "The Disbelievers", a denunciation
of any similarity or meeting point between the unity of Allah and(1/437)
anthropomorphic belief. Each surah deals with the unity of Allah from a
different angle. The Prophet used to start off his day reciting these two
surahs in his morning prayer (fajr). This, surely, was significant.
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)(1/438)
Surah # 113
The Day Break
al Falaq
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the Day break,
from the evil of what He has created;
from the evil of darkness when it gathers;
from the evil of the conjuring witches;
from the evil of the envier when he envies.
In the Shade of the Quran
This surah, along with the following one, "Men" contains a directive from
Allah primarily to His Prophet and secondly to the believers at large, to
take refuge in Him and seek His protection in the face of any source of
fear, hidden or visible, known or unknown. It is as if Allah, the Exalted,
is unfolding His world of care, and embracing the believers in His guard,
and is kindly and affectionately calling on them to resort to His care
where in they will feel safe and peaceful:
I know that you are helpless and surrounded by foes and fears ... Come
on here for safety, contentment and peace ...
Thus the two surahs start off with,
Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the Daybreak, and, Say: I seek refuge
in the Lord of men.
Several accounts have been handed down concerning the revelation and
popularity of this surah and they all fit in neatly with the above(1/438)
interpretation, that is, of Merciful Allah unfolding His care and offering
shelter to His faithful servants. The Messenger of Allah himself loved this
surah deeply, as is clearly apparent in his traditions.
According to Uqba ibn 'Amir, the Prophet's companion, the Messenger of
Allah once said
Have you not heard the unique verses that were revealed last night,
'Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the Daybreak' and 'Say: I seek
refuge in the Lord of men.'(Transmitted on the authority of Malik,
Muslim, At-Tirmithi, Abu Dawood and An-Nissai).
Jabir, the Prophet's companion, said
The Messenger of Allah said to me once, 'Jabir recite!' and I asked,
'What shall I recite?' He replied, 'Recite "Say: I seek refuge in the
Lord of the Daybreak,' and "Say: I seek refuge in Lord of men." So
I recited them and he commented, 'Recite them (as often as you can)
for you shall never recite anything equivalent to them.' (Transmitted
by An-Nissai)
Tharr ibn Hubaish said that he had inquired from Ubay ibn Ka'ab, the
Prophet's companion, about Al-Mu'awwathatain (as the two surahs are
called) saying, "Abu Al-Munthir,' your brother, Ibn Masoud says so and
so. (For some time Ibn Masoud was under the false impression that these
two surahs were not part of the Qur'an, but he later admitted his
mistake). What do you think of that?" He replied,
I asked Allah's Messenger about this and he told me that he had been
instructed to say the context of the surahs and he had carried out the
instruction. We surely say the same as Allah's Messenger has said.
(Transmitted by Al-Bukhari).(1/439)
All these reports throw powerful light on that underlying factor of Allah's
kindness and love to which the two surahs draw attention. Allah, the
Exalted, refers to Himself in this surah by His attribute,
The Lord of the Day break.
The Arabic term "falaq" simply means "daybreak" and yet it could be taken
to mean "the whole phenomenon of creation" with reference to everything
breaking out into life. This interpretation is supported by Allah's saying
in Surah 6. "The Cattle":
Allah it is who splits (faliq) the seed and the fruit-stone (for
sprouting). He brings forth the living from the dead ... He is the
cleaver (faliq) of the daybreak, and He has ordained the night for
rest, and the sun and the moon for reckoning. (6:96-97)
If the meaning "daybreak" is adopted, refuge is being sought from the
unseen and the mysterious with the Lord of the daybreak, Who bestows
safety as He kindles the light of day. If, however, "faliq" is taken to
mean "creation", then refuge from the evil of some creature is being
sought with the Lord of all creation. In both cases, harmony with the
theme of the surah is maintained.
From the evil of what He has created.
The phrase contains no exceptions or specifications. Mutual contact between
various creatures, though no doubt advantageous, brings about some evil.
Refuge from it is sought with Allah by the believer in order to encourage
the goodness such a contact produces. For He who created those creatures
is surely able to provide the right circumstances that lead them on a
course where only the bright side of their contacts prevails.(1/440)
From the evil of darkness (ghasiq) when it gathers (waqab).
From the linguistic point of view, "ghasiq'' means "substantially pouring
out" and "waqb" is the name given to a little hole in a mountain through
which water issues forth, "waqab" is the verb denoting such an action.
What is probably meant here is the night, with all that accompanies it
when it rapidly engulfs the world. That is horrifying in itself; in
addition it fills hearts-with the possibility of an unknown, unexpected
discomfort caused by a savage beast, an unscrupulous villain, a striking
enemy or a hissing poisonous creature, as well as anxieties and worries
(which entail depression and uneasiness) and evil thoughts and passions
that are liable to revive in the dark during one's state of solitude at
night. This is the evil against which the believer needs the protection
of Allah.
From the evil of conjuring witches
refers to the various types of magic, whether by deceiving physical human
senses or by influencing people's will power and projecting ideas onto
their emotions and minds. (The verse specially refers to a form of witch
craft carried out by women in Arabia at the time who tied knots in cords
and blew upon them with an imprecation.)
Magic is the production of illusions, subject to a magician's designs, and
it does not offer any kind of new facts or alter the nature of things. This
is how the Qur'an describes magic when relating the story of Moses in surah
20, "Ta Ha":
They (the magicians of Pharaoh) said, 'Moses, Will you throw down(1/441)
your gear first or shall we be the first to throw?' He said: 'Throw
down yours. ' And by the power of their magic, their cords and staffs
appeared to him as though they were running. Moses conceived a secret
fear within him. But We said: "Fear not! You shall have the upper
hand. Throw that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up
that which they have made. That which they have made is but the
deceitful show of witchcraft. Come where he may a magician shall
never be successful. (20:65-9).
Thus, their cords and staffs did not actually turn into snakes but it
seemed so to the on lookers Moses included, to the point where he felt
uneasy inside. He was restrained by the transformation of his stick into
a real snake, by Allah's own doing, to destroy the phoney ones.
This is the nature of magic as we ought to conceive it, that through it
one is capable of influencing other people's minds, causing them to think
and act according to one's suggestions. We refrain from going any further
with this. It is indeed an evil from which Allah's protection needs to be
sought.
A few unsupported narratives, some of which have been quoted by authentic
sources, allege that Labid ibn 'Assam, a Jew, hypnotized the Prophet for
several days or months in Medina so that, as some relate he felt he was
having a marital relationship with his wives when he was not; or, according
to others, thought of having done something when he did not do so. This
surah and the next one "Men", according to these narration's, were revealed
to release him from that state by reciting them.(1/442)
But surely these stories contradict the idea of the infallibility of the
Prophet in word and deed and do not agree with the belief that all his
actions are exponent of the Islamic way of life for all Muslims. Above
all, they conflict with the Qur'anic emphatic denial of his being
influenced by any kind of magic whatsoever, as claimed by some opponents
of Islam. Hence, we dismiss such stories, on the grounds that the Qur'an
is the ultimate arbiter, and that singularly narrated traditions are left
out in matters concerning the faith. These stories have not had proper
backing and such backing is an essential qualification for a tradition to
be rated as authentic. What weakens the stories most, however, is that the
two surahs were revealed in Makka while these stories relate the incident
as having taken place in Medina!
And from the evil of the envier when he envies.
Envy is the evil, be grudging reaction one feels towards another who has
received some favours from Allah. It is also accompanied by a very strong
desire for the annihilation of such favours. Some harm to the envied may
result from such a baseless grudge. Now, this may either be the outcome of
some direct physical action of the envier or may result from the suppressed
feelings alone.
We should try not to feel uneasy on learning that there is a countless
number of inexplicable mysteries in life. There are several phenomena for
which no account has been offered up till now. Telepathy and hypnosis are
examples of such phenomena.
Very little is known about the mysteries of envy and the little that is(1/443)
known has often been uncovered by chance and coincidence. In any case,
there is in envy an evil from which the refuge and protection of Allah
must be sought. For He, the Most Generous, Most Merciful and the One who
knows all has directed His Messenger and his followers to seek His refuge
from this evil. It is unanimously agreed by the Islamic schools of thought
that Allah will always protect His servants from such evils, should they
seek His protection as He has directed them to do.
Al-Bukhari related that Aisha said that the Prophet would blow into both
hands when getting into bed to sleep, and recite:
Say: He is Allah, the One ..." and, "Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of
the Day break ..." and, "Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of men", and
starting with his head, face and front part of his body, he would then
run his palms all over the rest of his body. He did that three times.
(Also transmitted by the other major traditionists).
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)(1/444)
Surah # 114
Men
an Nas
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
Say: O seek refuge in the Lord of men,
the King of men,
the God of men,
from the mischief of the slinking prompter,
who whispers in the hearts of men,
from among jinn and men.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
In this surah, as can be seen, refuge is sought in the Lord, Sovereign and
God of mankind from the insidious whisperer, jinn or human who prompts evil
ideas into people's minds. The surah presents the relevant attributes of(1/444)
Allah to keep away this invisible evil which the mind on its own cannot
shut out. For the Lord is He who preserves directs, cherishes and protects
mankind; the Sovereign is He who owns, governs and independently runs the
world; and the Deity is He who supercedes all other beings and absolutely
supervises over all their affairs. The particular mention of mankind here
brings man closer to Allah's protection and care.
Allah, the Merciful, instructs His Messenger and his nation or followers to
recognize the attributes of His and seek His protection against this
sneaking evil which locates itself within their hearts. For they cannot rid
themselves of such an evil which creeps into their hearts surreptitiously
and imperceptibly without the aid of Allah, the Lord, the Sovereign, the
Deity.
The nature of this evil-importing medium is identified in the text first
as "the slinking prompter. " Its function is outlined as to "whisper in
the hearts of men ". Then its origin is specified as "from among jinn and
men."
The style adopted here is quite significant because it draws one's
attention fully to the identity of this sneaking whisperer after describing
its nature in order to show the process by which that evil is insinuated,
so that one is alerted to watch and confront it. For when one is given the
full picture one knows that this sneaking whisperer operates secretly. One
also realizes that it is jinn as well as human, for human beings are not
exceptions in spreading evil while unseen.
We do not know how the Jinn perform this whispering, but we certainly find(1/445)
its repercussions in the behaviour of individuals as well as in human life
generally. We know for sure that the battle between Adam (man) and Iblis
(Satan) is a very old one. War between the two was declared by Satan out
of the evil inherent in him, his conceit and his envy and resentment of
man. He was given Divine permission to carry out this battle for some
purpose which Allah alone comprehends. But, significantly, man has not
been left alone, dispossessed of the necessary means of protection. He
has been provided with power of faith or "Iman", (that is, conscious
belief in and knowledge of Allah and His attributes through conviction and
sincere devotion).
Meditation and seeking refuge in Allah are among the most effective
weapons. When man neglects these means of security and defence, he indeed
has only himself to blame.
Ibn Abbas related that the Messenger of Allah had said,
Satan besieges the individual's heart, he subsides whenever one
conscientiously remembers Allah, but insinuates his evil whenever
one is un-thoughtful of Him.
As for humans we know a great deal of their curious ways of whispering and
prompting and some types like the following are more devilish than the
Devil:
a bad companion who injects evil into his comrade's heart and mind
while he is unaware, as he is thought to be trustworthy,
a ruler's counselor or advisor who "whispers" to him and turns
him into a destructive tyrant,
an unscrupulous slanderer who fabricates and decorates tales and
makes them sound factual and convincing,(1/446)
a hustler of immoral business and dealings who tries to get through
to people by exploiting their sensual, unhealthy desires,
a hundred other "whisperers" who lay various traps inconspicuously
utilizing people's different weak points which they detect
and look for.
They are more devilish than even the jinn themselves. Faced with evil in
this guise, man is not capable of ensuring his own safety. Allah therefore
points out to him in this surah the means he can employ in this fierce
battle.
And there is a very direct significance in identifying the "prompter" as
"slinking". For while this description indicates the secretiveness of this
whisperer on the one hand, it is, on the other hand, an illusion to its
intrinsic feebleness whenever it is discovered or resisted. It subsides
and meekly withdraws when met in the open; or, as the Messenger said in
his accurate illustrations,
He (Satan) subsides whenever one conscientiously remembers Allah, but
insinuates his evil whenever one is un-thoughtful of Him!
This presentation fortifies the believer's heart in face of this timid,
subsiding whisperer.
Nevertheless, the battle is everlasting since this "prompter" is always
watchful for the right moment (when one neglects the remembrance of Allah)
to implant its evils. For the believer to be conscious of Allah once in a
while is not sufficient, as the war is continuous till the end of time;
this the Qur'an vividly states in a lucid picture:
And when We (Allah)said to the angels, 'Fall down prostrate before
Adam ', they fell prostrate except Iblis (Satan) who said, 'Shall I(1/447)
bow down before him whom You have created of clay? Do you see this
creature whom You have honoured above me? If You give me grace until
the Day of Resurrection, I will certainly destroy his offspring, save
but a few'. 'Be gone!' said He. 'But you and whoever of them follows
you will have Hell for reward. An ample reward it shall be. Rouse with
your voice whomever you are able. Muster against them your horse men
and your fool men. Be their partner in their wealth and in their off
spring. Make them promises. Whatever Satan promises them is only for
deceit. But over My true servants you shall have no power.' Your Lord
is their all Sufficient Guardian. (17:61-5)
This concept of the battle and the source of evil in it, whether provoked
by Satan himself or by his human agent, fully inspires man to feel that he
is not helpless in it; since his Lord, Sovereign and Deity controls all
creations and events. Though He has permitted Satan to attack, He has
supreme power over him and He has also provided guidance for man. Allah
leaves to Satan only those who neglect Him their Lord, Sovereign and Deity,
but those who live in consciousness of Him are safe and protected against
his intimidation's and incitements. Thus, righteousness is supported by the
only true power of the Lord, Sovereign and Deity, whereas evil is backed
by a slinking prompter, a sneaky whisperer, cowardly in the open field,
quick to retreat in war, and easily defeated by one's seeking refuge with
Allah.
This is the most perfect conception of the battle between good and evil.(1/448)
It is a conception which protects the being against defeat and provides
him with strength confidence and contentment.
Praise be to Allah at the beginning and at the end. From Him we derive
confidence and success. To Him we turn for unfailing support.
--
Ali Abbas | Say: I ask of you naught in return for it
The George Washington Univer. | but love for relatives. (Quran 42:23)(1/449)