In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

The early passages in this sūrah sound like waves following one another in quick succession. Rising high and with a deep, mysterious rhythm, this third wave comes after a discussion about denying the truth of Islam, turning away from it, meeting its advocates with derision and ridicule. The discussion in the earlier passage included very strong threats and a reminder of the fate of earlier nations that took a similar attitude to God’s messages. The first passage, representing the first wave, discussed the truth of Godhead as reflected in the creation of the wide universe and highly complex human beings. This new wave also discusses the same truth of Godhead but it includes different aspects, employing different rhythms and a new inspiration.

Thus, the discussion on denying the truth comes in between the opening and the present passages, and this adds to its unpleasant reality.

In the opening passage, Godhead is reflected in the creation of the heavens and earth, darkness and light, the creation of man out of clay, his first term of life, and the setting of another term for resurrection. It made clear that the whole universe submits itself to God, whose knowledge of mankind includes what everyone does both in public and in private. None of these qualities is approached in the sūrah in a theoretical, philosophical or theological way. Rather, the approach aims to establish what they mean to human life: complete and total faith in God alone, entertaining no doubts about Him whatsoever, and acceptance that His Godhead comprises all aspects of the universe and human life. Thus, human submission to God’s sovereignty in all affairs becomes the natural and logical option in the same way as the universe submits to the same sovereignty.

In this new wave, the reality of Godhead is shown in a variety of aspects:

ownership, direct action, the provision of sustenance, care, overwhelming power, bringing benefit and causing harm. Again, we do not see a theoretical, philosophical or theological approach here. The aim is to define the meaning of all these aspects in human life: namely, the unity of allegiance and worship as a practical demonstration of the unity of submission. Thus, when God’s Messenger is directed to denounce the very thought of having any master other than God, this denunciation is based first of all on the fact that it is God who provides nourishment while He needs none. It is also based on the fact that the acknowledgement of a master other than God is contrary to His orders requiring him to submit himself to God alone.

The presentation of the reality of Godhead in this form and for this objective is accompanied by a host of powerful and inspiring effects. It starts with explaining that God owns all, provides sustenance to all creatures while He needs nothing from anyone. It then refers to the great suffering the mere avoidance of which represents an act of mercy granted by God and a great success. It also mentions God’s power to administer benefit or harm, His authority over all creatures, and His infinite wisdom.

All this is associated with a powerful rhythm, provided by the repeated Divine order, ‘Say... Say... Say...’.

When the presentation is completed, the conclusion is given with increased rhythm, calling out witnesses to God’s oneness and denouncing the very thought of associating partners with Him, all this within a clear demarcation of positions. Here again the strong rhythm is enhanced by the repeated order, `Say... Say... Say...’. Thus, the passage delivers a sense of awe and seriousness.

Say: To whom belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth? Say: To God. He has committed Himself to bestow grace and mercy. He will certainly gather you all together on the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. Those who squandered their own souls will not believe. To Him belongs whatever takes its rest in the night or in the day. He alone hears all and knows all. (Verses 12-13)

Here, the sūrah adopts an attitude of confrontation that aims to state the issues very clearly before drawing the lines that separate the believers from all others. It gives the Prophet certain instructions to take up this confrontation with those who are fully aware that God is the Creator of the whole universe, but who, nevertheless, worship other beings even though these have no power to create anything equal to Him. That is, they associate partners with Him whom they claim have a say in how they conduct their lives. The Prophet is instructed to confront them with a question about the ownership, which follows creation, of everything in the heavens and on earth. As the question is put, it is meant to include every single element in the whole universe. It is followed by a statement of fact over which they did not and could not argue. The Qur’ān tells us elsewhere that they used to acknowledge it fully: “Say: To whom belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth? Say: To God.” (Verse 12)

Despite the depth of their ignorance, which resulted in deviant concepts that devalued their quality of life, the Arabs in their pre- Islamic days were superior in this particular aspect to later-day jāhiliyyah. This new jāhiliyyah shuts its mind to this fact while the Arabs used to recognise and admit that God owned everything in the heavens and on earth. However, they did not bring that recognition to its logical conclusion which would have required them to acknowledge God’s total authority over what He owns and that the only proper way to use what God has created is to obtain His permission and to act according to His law. Because of this, the Arabs were described as idolaters and their lifestyle as ignorant. How then should those who deny God’s authority to legislate for human existence and, instead, exercise that authority themselves, be described? They must be given a description other than that of idolatry. God describes them as unbelievers, as wrongdoers and transgressors, no matter how strongly they claim to be Muslims and regardless of what religion is entered on their birth certificates.

The Qur’ānic verse follows this statement asserting God’s ownership of the heavens and earth by stating that “He has committed Himself to bestow grace and mercy.” (Verse 12) He is the sole, undisputed owner of the whole universe. He, however, out of His generosity and by His own will, has committed Himself to bestow grace and mercy. No one could suggest this exercise of bestowing grace to Him or require it of Him, apart from His absolutely freewill and His compassionate lordship over the universe. Grace and mercy provide the basic rules in His treatment of, and judgement over, His servants both in this present life and in the life to come.

Believing in this rule is one of the constituents of the Islamic concept of life. Even when God tests His servants with hardship, His mercy takes precedence. Indeed, the test is meant to prepare a group of them for the fulfilment of the trust He assigns to them after they have proven their dedication to His cause and preparedness to sacrifice themselves for it. He actually sorts out the good from the bad among them:

those among them who are keen to follow God’s Messenger distinguish themselves from those who turn back on their heels. The exercise of mercy and the bestowing of grace in all this are clearly manifest.

If we were to try to make an exhaustive list of the incidents and occasions wherein God bestows His mercy and how it is reflected in life, we would need to devote our whole lives to it. Indeed, generations can come and go before this task could be accomplished. In every moment God’s grace is showered over people. We have only identified that mercy which is reflected in hard tests, because often people do not see it as such. We have no intention to attempt a full list of the occasions and the incidents where God’s mercy is brought into action. We will instead only make some brief references to it. However, we need to reflect a little on the way this Qur’ānic statement is phrased: “He has committed Himself to bestow grace and mercy.” (Verse 12)

The same statement is repeated again in Verse 54 of this sūrah with a slight variation:

“Your Lord has committed Himself to bestow grace and mercy.” What immediately attracts our attention in this statement is the fact that God, the Creator, the Owner, the Almighty who has power over all His servants, has granted them the favour of making the exercise of His mercy and grace a commitment to which He has bound Himself out of His own free-will. This is a great fact, one which we can hardly contemplate let alone appreciate. There is, however, yet another favour here which attracts our attention. This is manifested in the fact that He has also favoured His servants by telling them about this commitment. Who are human beings that they deserve the favour of being told of what God has willed, and for the communication to be given in God’s own words through His Messenger? It is nothing short of a great favour that can only be bestowed by God, the Most Gracious.

When we reflect on this fact in this way, we feel a mixture of surprise and happiness that no words can describe. Indeed, such facts and the effects they have on the human mind are indescribable in human language. Humans, however, can appreciate these facts even though they may not be able to define them.

To appreciate this fact forms a part of our understanding of the nature of Godhead and the relationship between God and His servants. It is a pleasant, comforting and reassuring understanding which makes us wonder at those perverted minds which level accusations at Islam because it rejects the very idea of God having a son. Islam has no time for such insupportable visions. At the same time, it describes the relationship of grace and mercy between God and His servants in a way that has a profound effect on peoples’ hearts and minds. God’s mercy is extended to all His servants throughout their lives. Here, we can only refer to some of its main aspects. It is reflected in the very existence of mankind who originate from where they do not know and who are given a noble position, easily recognised in the qualities God bestows on many of His servants. It is also reflected in the forces and resources of the universe which God has made subservient to man. This is, indeed, the broader view of the meaning of the provisions God has given to man to enable him to live in comfort and affluence. It is further reflected in granting man the ability to learn and to make his talents and abilities responsive to the world around him. The result is the knowledge man achieves through God’s grace and on account of which some miscreants reject God’s existence. Again, the knowledge God has given to man is part of the grace He has bestowed on him.

God’s grace is clearly seen in the role God has assigned to man as His vicegerent, and the care He takes of him by sending messengers to him to give him guidance.

Nevertheless, God treats man with forbearance despite his stubborn refusal to listen to the warnings of God’s messengers. It is so easy for God to punish him but God’s grace oversteps His punishment.

It is further reflected in the fact that God forgives man his sins every time he repents of them. In the same vein, we can mention the fact that when God punishes man, His punishment is administered on the basis of what is exactly equivalent to his bad deeds. On the other hand, God rewards man for his good deeds at least ten times their value and He may increase that manifold for whomever He wills. Furthermore, a good deed erases bad ones. All this is part of God’s grace because no human being can earn admission into heaven on the basis of his or her actions alone, unless God bestows His mercy on them. God’s Messenger states that this also applies to him, thereby acknowledging man’s shortcomings and God’s grace.

It is only appropriate to acknowledge that it is impossible for us to attempt to make an exhaustive list of the aspects of God’s mercy and grace. Suffice it to say that it is beyond human ability to fully reflect on and appreciate the full significance of one moment in which God opens the gates of His mercy to His servant so as to give him security and reassurance. To describe such a moment and the feelings it generates is a much harder task.

Let us now consider a number of aĥādīth which give us an insight into how the Prophet portrayed God’s grace so as to make it properly appreciated by ordinary people.

Abū Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: “When God created His creation, He wrote in a book which He keeps with Him above the Throne: My grace overspeeds My anger.” (Related by al-Bukhārī and Muslim with slight variations.) In another version related by al- Bukhārī, the last sentence is quoted as, “My grace oversteps My anger.” Both al-Bukhārī and Muslim relate on the authority of Abū Hurayrah that God’s Messenger said that: “God has made mercy into one hundred parts. He then retained ninety-nine parts and placed on earth one part. It is from that one part that creatures show mercy to one another, to the extent that a female animal lifts its hoof away from its young in order not to harm it.” Muslim also relates on the authority of Salmān that God’s Messenger said: “God has one hundred acts of mercy. One of these is the one by which creatures show mercy to one another. The other ninety-nine parts are reserved to the Day of Judgement.” In yet another ĥadīth related by Muslim, we read: “When God created the heavens and the earth, He also created one hundred mercies, each one of them filled the space between the heavens and the earth. He placed one mercy on earth. It is through this that a mother is compassionate to her baby, and so are wild beasts and birds. On the Day of Judgement, God complements them with this one mercy.” This is an inspiring description by the Prophet, one which makes it easy for the human mind to visualise the extent of God’s grace. We only need to reflect on how mothers are so kind-hearted to their youngsters and the sympathy and kindness people show towards the very young and very old, the sick and the invalid, and to relatives and friends. We should also contemplate how birds and animals sometimes manifest their mercy to one another in amazing ways. Now let us consider that all this mercy is the result of a single part out of one hundred parts of God’s mercy. We can, thus, appreciate the extent of God’s abounding, and inexhaustible grace.

Time after time, the Prophet spoke to his Companions about God’s grace, reminding them that its benefits go to His servants. `Umar ibn al-Khaţţāb reports that once a group of slaves was sent to the Prophet in Madinah. A woman slave was seen walking fast with her breast oozing with milk. She found a young boy among the slaves, picked him up and put him to her breast to feed him. The Prophet put this question to his Companions: “Do you think that this woman would throw her boy in the fire?” They replied: “No! By God, she would not if she has any way of avoiding that.” He said: “God is more merciful to His servants than this woman to her child.” (Related by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.) How could it be otherwise when the woman’s kindness to her child is produced by her share of a single mercy God has placed into the world out of one hundred He has created?

Having taught his Companions this important fact and its great significance in such an inspiring way, God’s Messenger moved them on another step so that they became merciful in their dealings with others and so that they were compassionate to one another and to all living things. The Prophet wanted them to enjoy the happiness of being merciful, just as they were happy to appreciate the extent of God’s grace.

`Abdullāh ibn `Amr quotes the Prophet as saying: “The merciful are granted mercy by God. Show mercy to those on earth so that you are shown mercy by the One in heaven.” (Related by Abū Dāwūd and al- Tirmidhī.) Jarīr quotes God’s Messenger as saying: “God does not bestow His grace on those who do not show mercy to people.” (Related by al-Bukhārī, Muslim and al-Tirmidhī.) Abū Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: “No one but a miserable creature is deprived of mercy.” (Related by Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī.)

Abū Hurayrah also reports that God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) kissed al- Ĥasan ibn `Alī, his grandson, when al-Aqra` ibn Ĥābis was in the Prophet’s presence.

Al-Aqra` said: “I have ten children but I never kissed any one of them.” The Prophet looked at him and said: “Mercy is not granted to one who is not merciful.” (Related by al- Bukhārī and Muslim.)

In teaching his Companions, the Prophet did not stop at extending mercy to mankind. He was fully aware that God’s grace encompasses everything, and that the believers are required to cultivate within themselves the moral principles which form the attributes of God. Man does not attain his full humanity unless he is merciful to every living thing. The Prophet’s instructions in this regard were, as always, highly inspiring. Abū Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: “A man was travelling along a road when he was very thirsty. He found a well, so he went down into it to drink.

As he came up he found a gasping dog who was apparently so thirsty that he licked the dust. The man thought, `this dog is now as thirsty as I was a short while ago’.

Therefore, he went down the well again and filled his shoe with water. Holding it in his mouth, he came up and gave the water to the dog to drink. God rewarded him for his action by forgiving him. “The Prophet’s audience asked: `Messenger of God, are we to be rewarded for kindness to animals?” He answered: “You get a reward for every kindness you do to any living creature.” (Related by al-Bukhārī, Muslim and Mālik.)

In another report, a prostitute is mentioned as having seen a dog walking to and fro in front of a well on a very hot day. His tongue was hanging out because of his thirst. She used her shoe to give him water to drink. So, God forgave her because of her kindness.

`Abd al-Raĥmān ibn `Abdullāh transmits the following report by his father, who says: “We were travelling with God’s Messenger when we saw a small bird with two chicks. We took the chicks away. The bird came over us lowering her wings and flying close to the earth. When the Prophet came over, he asked, `Who has taken the chicks of this bird? Give her back her chicks.’ He also saw that we burnt a number of ant dwellings. When we owned up to the fact in response to his question, he said, `No one may punish any creature with fire except the Lord of the Fire’.” (Related by Abū Dāwūd.)

Abū Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: “An ant bit one of the earlier prophets, so he ordered the ant dwellings to be burnt. Through inspiration God asked him: If you are bitten by an ant, would you burn a whole nation which glorifies God?” (Related by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.)

Such was the Prophet’s method in cultivating among his Companions a keen sense of appreciation of Qur’ānic guidance. This enabled them to appreciate how limitless God’s grace is, through their own mercy to one another. It was clear to them that all aspects of mercy in their world come only from one out of a hundred parts of God’s mercy.

When this concept of mercy is engrained in a Muslim’s thinking, it leaves a profound impact on his life, his view of things and his manners and moral values. A full study of such impact is beyond the scope of this commentary. Therefore, we have to be content with only a few very brief observations.

When a Muslim truly appreciates the significance of God’s commitment to being merciful to His servants, he experiences a profound sense of reassurance which remains with him even when he goes through periods of hardship and severe trials that are enough to turn people away from their Lord. A believer is certain that at every moment and in every situation and condition, God’s grace is present and sure to be bestowed. He knows that his Lord does not put him to the test because He has abandoned him or denied him His mercy. God does not deny His grace to anyone who sincerely hopes to receive it. It is human beings who deny themselves God’s mercy when they disbelieve in Him and reject His grace. A believer’s reassurance that God’s grace is close at hand fills his heart with strength, perseverance, hope and comfort. He knows that he is in good, caring hands and he enjoys the comfort of God’s grace as long as he does not go far astray.

Moreover, when a believer recognises this fact in this particular manner, his sense of modesty in front of God is enhanced. Hoping for God’s mercy and forgiveness does not motivate people to disobey God as some would have us believe. Indeed, it makes a believer very shy in his dealings with God, the Much-Forgiving, the Merciful. A person who is tempted to disobey God because of God’s mercy is one who has not experienced the true taste of being a believer. For example, some Sufis or mystics claim that they deliberately indulge in sin, in order to enjoy the sweetness of God’s forbearance, forgiveness and mercy. This is twisted logic, which is alien to the proper nature of a believer.

A true recognition by a believer of God’s unfailing grace is bound to leave a very strong influence on his moral values and manners. He knows that he is required to cultivate within himself the same manners and values as God. As he recognises that despite his shortcomings, slips and mistakes, he still enjoys an abundance of God’s grace, he learns that he must show mercy to others, forgive them their mistakes and treat them with forbearance. It is to strengthen this principle that the Prophet tried to cultivate a sense of mercy in his Companions.

One of the aspects of God’s mercy which is stated in the Qur’ānic verse is that God has decreed that all people will be gathered together on the Day of Judgement. This undoubted gathering is certainly an aspect of His grace. It tells us that for certain, God looks after His servants whom He has created for a particular purpose, and placed them in charge of this earth for a definite objective. He has not created them in vain and has not abandoned them altogether. He has made the Day of Resurrection the end of their journey, as travellers arrive at their destination. He will then give them the reward of their endeavours and compensate them for their toil in this life.

Nothing is lost and no one is without reward on the Day of Judgement. In taking such care of His servants, an important aspect of God’s grace is discerned. Other aspects are manifest in the fact that God’s punishment of any sin is equivalent to it, but He rewards a person with ten times the value of his good deeds, and may multiply that further to whomever He wills. He may also forgive any slips or sins to whom He chooses of His servants.

Before God favoured the Arabs with this religion and elevated them to its noble level, they used to deny the Day of Resurrection in the same way as the proponents of the present-day jāhiliyyah deny it. Hence, this fact of gathering God’s creatures has been expressed in the most emphatic style: “He will certainly gather you all together on the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt.” (Verse 12)

The only losers on that day are those who have not believed during this life. These shall not gain anything to compensate for their loss, because they have lost everything. Indeed, they have lost themselves and are no longer capable of anything.

After all, man tries to make a gain for himself. When he has lost his own soul, what can he gain? And for whom? “Those who squandered their own souls will not believe.” (Verse 12)

Since they have forfeited their souls, they no longer have what they need in order to believe. It is a very apt and accurate description of a real condition. Those who reject this religion, in spite of its profound appeal to human nature and despite its irrefutable arguments and all the signs and pointers which direct them to faith, must have already lost their share of uncorrupted nature. Their receptive and responsive systems must have either been totally destroyed or locked up and screened over. In such a condition, they lose themselves and they are unable to believe since they no longer have the souls that will respond to faith. This is the underlying explanation of their refusal to believe despite all the evidence around them supporting faith. Alas! This is what determines their destiny on the Day of Resurrection. That destiny is the greatest loss of all that comes in consequence of their having lost themselves.

The sūrah then refers to all creatures in terms of time, as it has referred to them in terms of place in the preceding verse. It states that God, limitless is He in His glory, owns them all, has full knowledge of them and hears everything they say and do:

“To Him belongs whatever takes its rest in the night or in the day. He alone hears all and knows all.” (Verse 13)

The Arabic term used in the Qur’ānic verse and rendered here by the phrase `takes its rest’ also means `to dwell, stop moving, etc.’ The reference in the verse is then made to every creature that rests at night or in the day. As such, it includes all creatures. The Qur’ānic verse states the fact that they all belong to God alone. This is the second statement of this fact although it came in the first verse in terms of place:

“Say: ‘To whom belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth?’ Say:’ To God.’” (Verse 12)

The reference here, in the second verse, is made in terms of time: “To Him belongs whatever takes its rest in the night or in the day. He alone hears all and knows all.” (Verse 13) This tendency to include all, and to use every aspect, is perfectly familiar in the Qur’ān.

The final comment is that which concerns God’s attributes of hearing all and knowing all. It implies having complete and perfect knowledge of all these creatures and all that is said about them by the unbelievers. The pagan Arabs used to acknowledge that the Creator and the Owner is one. Nevertheless, they claimed for their false gods a portion of the fruits, cattle and children as will be told later, in Verse 136 of this sūrah. Hence, their acknowledgement of God’s ownership of everything is stated clearly here so that they will be confronted with it later on as part of a reference to what they assign to those partners they associate with God.

Moreover, the establishment of this fact of God’s ownership of everything is given here as a prelude to the statement that God has mastery over everything and all creatures since He is the owner of all, who hears and knows everything that is said and done.

So far, the basic fact that God is the only Creator and the only owner of everything that exists in the universe has been established. This is now followed by a strong denunciation of seeking support from, or addressing worship to, anyone other than God. All such deeds contradict the fundamental fact of submission to God since they are acts of polytheism that do not fit with Islam. A number of God’s attributes are also stated here, including that He is the Creator of the heavens and earth, the sustainer of all, the Almighty. The general air of awe is enhanced by a mention of God’s severe punishment.

Say: ‘Am I to take for my master anyone but God, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, who gives nourishment to all and Himself needs none’? Say: ‘I am commanded to be the first of those who surrender themselves to God, and not to be among those who associate partners with Him. Say: Indeed I would dread, were I to disobey my Lord, the suffering of an awesome day. He who is spared that shall have received His grace. This will be a manifest triumph. If God were to expose you to affliction, none can remove it but He. And if He were to bless you with good fortune — well, He has power over all things. He alone holds sway over all His creatures, and He alone is truly wise, all-aware. (Verses 14-18)

This is, indeed, the basic issue: taking God alone for our Master, or waliy, in every sense of the word. He alone is the Lord to be worshipped. We submit to Him as He is the only Sovereign. No support may be sought from anyone other than Him. In every grave situation, we appeal to Him alone for help. This is the basic question of faith.

When we take Him as master, in every sense of the word, and submit to Him alone, we are true Muslims. Those who associate others with Him in any aspect of His mastery are guilty of associating partners with God. This is something that cannot be entertained by any Muslim.

This fundamental issue is stated in these verses in the strongest terms and is contained within a powerful rhythm: “Say: Am I to take for my master anyone but God, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, who gives nourishment to all and Himself needs none? Say: I am commanded to be the first of those who surrender themselves to God, and not to be among those who associate partners with Him.” (Verse 14)

This Qur’ānic verse reflects human nature’s powerful logic. To whom does mastery belong and who alone is to be viewed as patron, if not the Creator who has originated the heavens and the earth? To whom, if not to the One who provides sustenance and nourishment to every creature in the heavens and on earth while He Himself needs none? “Say: ‘Am I to take for my master anyone but God’”, when such are His attributes? What logic allows that anyone other than God be taken as master? If it is help and support that one needs from a master, then God, the originator of the heavens and the earth has the supreme power in both. If the objective of taking a master is to get provisions and sustenance, then it is God who provides sustenance to all creatures in the universe. How then can mastery be attributed to anyone other than the Almighty who provides for all?

This is followed by another instruction to the Prophet: “Say: I am commanded to be the first of those who surrender themselves to God, and not to be among those who associate partners with Him.” (Verse 14) To submit oneself to God and not to associate partners with Him means that we must not accept anyone other than God as a master. To do so is to be guilty of polytheism and polytheism cannot be equated with Islam.

It is all a single issue that admits no equivocation. Either we turn to God alone, receive His instructions, submit to Him and obey Him, seek His support, worship Him alone, and acknowledge only His authority over all matters, pledge our loyalty and allegiance to Him in both worship and law-making and thus become Muslims, or we claim that any one of His creatures has a say or partnership with Him in any of these matters and we, thus, become guilty of polytheism. Needless to say, Islam, i.e.

submission to God, and the association of partners with Him cannot exist side by side.

God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) was commanded to declare all this without ambiguity. He was ordered to face the unbelievers with it, that is those who were trying to persuade him to accept a compromise and allow a place in his faith for their gods in return for their acceptance of it. They also tried to obtain a concession from him such that some of them were allowed certain attributes of Godhead in order that they could retain their prestige and safeguard their interests. Had he afforded them this concession and allowed them in particular the authority to forbid things or make them lawful, they would have offered to stop opposing him, would have made him their chief, given him much of their wealth and married him to the prettiest of their girls. They tried hard, waving a stick in one hand, representing torture, hardship and war, and holding a carrot of reconciliation and peace in the other.

In reply to this dual attempt, the Prophet was commanded to make this powerful and decisive denunciation of their beliefs and to state the principles of Islam in the clearest of terms. He was also ordered to warn and frighten them, declaring at the same time how seriously he viewed the whole issue and how he dreaded God’s punishment, should he be guilty of disobedience to Him: “Say: Indeed I would dread, were I to disobey my Lord, the suffering of an awesome day. He who is spared that shall have received His grace. This will be a manifest triumph.” (Verses 15-16)

This verse is a faithful portrayal of the feelings of God’s Messenger in respect of the commandments he received from God, and how he truly feared God’s punishment. To be spared that punishment is considered an act of grace bestowed by God and a clear triumph for the recipient over all temptation. In addition, these two verses violently shook the hearts of the unbelievers at that time, as they continue to do at all times. They describe the torment of the Day of Judgement as something fearsome, moving fast towards its victim and surrounding him before claiming him altogether. The only way to avert it is through the power of the Almighty who diverts it away. As we view this scene depicted in this verse, we hold our breaths, waiting for the final image.

But why should man take a master for himself other than God? Why does he allow himself to sink into paganism when he has been forbidden to do so? Why does he not do what he is commanded to do, namely to submit himself to God? Why does he expose himself to the grievous torment which follows upon such disobedience? Does he think that people will come to his help if he experiences misfortune? Or does he hope to receive kindness from them? All this can only be granted to him by God, who has supreme power and who can cause everything to happen and who holds sway over all His creatures. It is He alone who grants and denies people’s wishes according to His wisdom and His knowledge of their conditions: “If God were to expose you to affliction, none can remove it but He. And if He were to bless you with good fortune — well, He has power over all things. He alone holds sway over all His creatures, and He alone is truly wise, all-aware.” (Verses 17-18)

Here we see how the Qur’ān penetrates the depth of the human soul to touch on its latent desires and innermost fears. It brings all this into the open and subjects it to the light of faith which distinguishes good from evil. It presents the issues clearly and defines the nature of Godhead succinctly. This fits well with the importance of the central question with which the sūrah deals at this point and which the Qur’ān tackles on many occasions.

Now comes the climax of this passage, which employs a profound rhythm so as to re-emphasise the right attitude of a believer. The final verse of the passage serves as a clear statement of position, a warning a nd a move away from everything that has an element of setting partners with God. The style here is both strong and decisive:

“Say: What is weightiest in testimony? Say: God is witness between me and you. This Qur’ān has been revealed to me that I may thereby warn you and all whom it may reach. Will you in truth bear witness that there are other deities beside God? Say: I bear no such witness.

Say: He is but one God. I disown all that you associate with Him.” (Verse 19)

This verse is made up of a series of short statements which follow each other in very quick succession. This, to give us quick images of the different attitudes which can be held in relation to the central issue. Nevertheless, the painting is so vivid that we can see all expressions on the faces of the characters drawn and we can even penetrate their thoughts. What we see first is a command given by God to His Messenger. This is immediately followed by a scene wherein God’s Messenger confronts the unbelievers who are associating partners with God and who want him, i.e. the Prophet, to endorse their falsehood before they accept his message. They imagine that such an exchange is feasible and that Islam and idolatry can exist side by side in someone’s heart. It is sad to say that some people still think that this is possible. They argue that a person can submit himself to God while he conducts his life on the basis of teachings he receives from other sources and while he acknowledges the authority of other powers and seeks the help and patronage of other beings.

Thus, God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) confronts the unbelievers. He makes it clear to them that he and they follow two separate roads that cannot meet. He outlines the difference between what he advocates of believing in God’s oneness and submitting to Him and their beliefs and practices which associate partners with God.

He tells them that the starting points of both camps are so wide apart that no compromise between them can be worked out unless they abandon their beliefs and accept His faith.

This confrontation is depicted in a public scene calling for an open testimony:

“Say: What is weightiest in testimony?” (Verse 19) Who is the best witness in the whole universe? Who is the One whose testimony refutes every other argument? Who has the final word? In order to make the generalisation total so that nothing in the whole universe is discounted as a possible witness, the question is asked in this manner:

“What is weightiest in testimony?” (Verse 19)

The Prophet is ordered to put the question, and he is also ordered to provide the answer. The addressees themselves acknowledge that there is no other answer to give: “Say: God.” (Verse 19) Yes, indeed. God — limitless is He in His glory — is the One who provides the weightiest testimony. He tells the truth and He is the best to provide the final answer to all issues and questions. When He has made His testimony, all matters are settled.

Having declared this indisputable fact, that God’s testimony is strongest and weightiest, the Prophet declares that God Almighty is the witness between them and Him in this central issue: “God is witness between me and you.” (Verse 19) The Arabic text admits a break in this statement, making it more in line with the general scene and giving it a more powerful and dramatic effect. In the first instance, the sentence is given in the same way as it is rendered in the translation: “Say: ‘God is witness between me and you.” (Verse 19) If we break it up, it reads as follows: “Say: ‘What is weightiest in testimony? Say: ‘God. is witness between me and you.’” (Verse 19)

When the principle of referring to God for arbitration in this central issue has been established, the Prophet declares to the unbelievers that God’s testimony is included in the Qur’ān which He has revealed to him to warn them as well as everyone who comes to know of the Qur’ān during the Prophet’s lifetime or subsequently. Thus, the Qur’ān is taken in evidence against them and against all those whom it reaches, because it contains God’s testimony in this central issue which provides the basis of human existence and universal existence as a whole. “This Qur’ān has been revealed to me that I may thereby warn you and all whom it may reach.” (Verse 19)

Thus, every human being who becomes aware of the Qur’ān and what it contains in a language he understands has been duly warned. He incurs God’s punishment if he rejects the message of Islam after it has been conveyed to him. A person who does not know the language of the Qur’ān and, therefore, cannot understand its message is not held accountable in the same way. However, Muslims are deemed to be at fault for not conveying the message of the Qur’ān to others in a language which they know well enough to understand the true meaning of this testimony.

Having made it clear to them that God’s testimony is included in the Qur’ān, the Prophet goes on to sum up this testimony in a challenging way which discards the unbelievers’ own testimony, since it is fundamentally at variance with God’s own.

The Prophet also declares to them that he totally rejects their assertions and believes them to be false. He further declares that he firmly believes in the oneness of God, the Supreme Lord of the universe. As such, he parts company with them at the outset and dissociates himself most emphatically from their polytheism: “Will you in truth bear witness that there are other deities beside God? Say: I bear no such witness. Say: He is but one God. I disown all that you associate with Him.” (Verse 19)

With such powerful rhythm and short, emphatic sentences, the Qur’ānic text touches people’s hearts in a way no other style can do. I, therefore, do not wish to make any comment which could affect its flow and powerful impact.

However, I wish to discuss the central question in this passage, namely that of faith and its fundamental principle: God’s oneness and the break with unbelievers.

Those of us today who belong to the Muslim community should reflect very deeply on this passage and the way it tackles this central issue. The small community of true believers today are faced with well entrenched jāhiliyyah throughout the world, in the same way as the first generation of Muslims were when these verses were revealed.

In the light of these verses, the proper attitude to be adopted by the Muslim community must be defined now as it was defined then.

The situation of mankind today is in many ways identical to what it was at the time when the Qur’ān was revealed to the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him).

At that time, Islam, as a faith and a code of living was established on a central principle which required people to declare their acceptance that `there is no deity other than God’. It is a declaration which has a special meaning as outlined by Rab`ī ibn `Āmir, a messenger sent by a Muslim army commander to Rustom, the Persian commander, before the two armies fought a decisive battle. The latter asked him what brought the Muslims out of their land. He answered: “It is God who ordered us to march out so that we may help to free those who are willing to be freed from the worship of creatures to the worship of God alone, and from the restrictions of this present life to the expanse of its universal link with the life to come, and from the oppression exercised by other religions to the justice of Islam.” That Muslim messenger was keenly aware that Rustom and his people did not consider their emperor, Khusraw, as the lord who created the universe, nor did they offer worship rituals to him. They simply acknowledged him as the sovereign who enacted laws for them. As such, they made themselves subservient to him in the particular sense that is diametrically opposed to Islam. Thus, the Muslim messenger informed the Persian commander that the Muslims were fulfilling God’s orders to help free people from situations where one group of them worship another. They do so by attributing to rulers an essential quality of Godhead, i.e. sovereignty and what it imparts of authority to legislate, and implementing their legislation in practice, which is a form of religion. The mission of the Muslim armies was to free people so that they would worship God alone and enjoy the justice of Islam.

We are today in a situation similar to that which prevailed when the religion of Islam declared to mankind that ‘there is no deity other than God’. Human beings have reverted to the worship of other creatures and accepted the oppression of different forms of religion and abandoned the principle of God’s oneness in its true sense. It is true that some groups of people still make the declaration on mosque minarets that `there is no deity other than God’, but they hardly know its true sense, and as such, they do not mean it. Nor do they reject the claims of others to sovereignty, which is synonymous with Godhead. It does not matter whether individuals, legislative councils or nations claim the authority. For none of these is a god to exercise that authority. It is only the relapse of humanity into jāhiliyyah that assigns to such creatures the attributes of Godhead. As such, humanity no longer manifests a firm belief in God’s oneness or total devotion to Him alone.

This applies to all mankind, including those everywhere in the world, who repeat the declaration of God’s oneness from minarets without giving it its true meaning or putting it into practice. These incur a bigger sin, one which is more severely punishable on the Day of Judgement, because they have sunk back into the worship of creatures after they have received proper guidance and embraced the true faith.

The advocates of Islam should reflect deeply on these verses, starting with the one which outlines the relationship of patronage: “Say: ‘Am I to take for my master anyone but God, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, who gives nourishment to all and Himself needs none? Say: ‘I am commanded to be the first of those who surrender themselves to God, and not to be among those who associate partners with Him.’” (Verse 14) Such reflection would bring home to them that to take anyone other than God for a patron or master, submitting to him and seeking his help, is contrary to Islam. It is, indeed, the sort of idolatry from which Islam endeavours to free mankind. They will also come to know that the first manifestation of such a relationship is to accept laws enacted by any being other than God, whether they relate to faith or practical life.

Needless to say, all mankind are in this position today. Hence, the advocates of Islam must define their objective to free all mankind from subservience to other creatures so that they submit to God alone. In carrying out their noble task, they face the same sort of ignorance as that faced by God’s Messenger when he received the Qur’ān from God.

Moreover, the advocates of Islam need to contemplate the basic facts outlined in the following verses: “Say: Indeed I would dread, were I to disobey my Lord, the suffering of an awesome day. He who is spared that shall have received His grace. This will be a manifest triumph. If God were to expose you to affliction, none can remove it but He. And if He were to bless you with good fortune — well, He has power over all things. He alone holds sway over all His creatures, and He alone is truly wise, all-aware.” (Verses 15-18)

Anyone who faces ignorance, its tyranny, might, deviousness, arrogance, corruption and wickedness needs to keep these facts in mind and preserve these feelings in his heart as a precaution against falling into sin as also to ward off the terrible punishment which awaits sinners. This will enhance his conviction that the only one who can benefit or harm him is God, who holds sway over all His servants and whose judgement cannot be overturned. The task of establishing Islam anew in the face of the overwhelming opposition posed by jāhiliyyah is hard indeed, requiring a long and enduring struggle. It cannot be undertaken by anyone who does not keep the above facts in mind and who does not nurture the aforementioned feelings.

When the advocates of Islam have made certain what their present task is, they need to adopt the same decisive attitude of dissociating themselves totally from the type of idolatry practised by societies that are deep in jāhiliyyah, and to seek the right witnesses for their stand. They should say what God’s Messenger was commanded to say in this position, and to confront jāhiliyyah with it in the same way as the Prophet did in fulfilment of what he was bidden by God: “Say: What is weightiest in testimony? Say: God is witness between me and you. This Qur’ān has been revealed to me that I may thereby warn you and all whom it may reach. Will you in truth bear witness that there are other deities beside God? Say: I bear no such witness. Say: He is but one God. I disown all that you associate with Him.” (Verse 19)

This is the word of truth which must be stated loudly, decisively and without ambiguity. When the advocates of Islam have declared it in this way, they must turn to God in full realisation that He has power over all things. Even the mightiest of tyrants are weaker than flies, for they cannot retrieve anything a fly takes away from them. With all their might, they cannot harm or benefit anyone unless God lets them.

God always prevails in whatever be His purpose. Most people, however, do not know this fact.

The advocates of Islam must also be certain that they will not triumph or enjoy the fruits of God’s promise to grant them power or establish them in the land, unless they part company with jāhiliyyah at the outset. They must first confront tyranny and jāhiliyyah in the clearest of terms.

The Qur’ān was not revealed to confront a single situation at a particular moment in history. It is an approach which cannot be restricted by the limitations of time and place. Whenever the Muslim community finds itself in a situation similar to that which prevailed at the time of the revelation of the Qur’ān, it must adopt this approach. As we have already said, we face today the same situation which prevailed at the time the Qur’ān was revealed. Therefore, an unshakeable certainty of the truth of this religion, a complete awareness of God’s absolute power and a categorical rejection of falsehood and its advocates must constitute part of the strength of the Muslim community. “God is the best guardian and of those who show mercy He is the most merciful.” (12: 64)