In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

In this long passage we have a glimpse of the history of the procession of faith, with the prophets as its leaders and their actions marking its way. We have a detailed account of what is to be expected along this road. It is the history of faith and how it addresses itself to humanity as it travels along its long journey on this planet. It makes its address every time human beings stray away from the straight path, laid down by God, in order to follow other paths, tempted by the fulfilment of carnal desires. It is indeed Satan who seeks to satisfy his grudge against mankind, fulfil his threats and lead human beings by the collar, through these desires, to hell. In the opposite camp, the noble procession of prophets and messengers hold out guidance for humanity, give it light and present it with the prospect of endless happiness in heaven, warning it against the schemes of its old, accursed enemy, Satan.

It is an awesome scene portraying the age-old struggle that encompasses the whole of life and continues along the whole length of the journey. Human history is so complex because man has a dual nature and a highly sophisticated constitution.

He is made of two totally different elements, brought together by God’s will: the clay of which he is made and the breath of the divine spirit which made of this clay a human being. This unique being moves along, with his unique nature, and deals with highly complicated and mutually interactive elements, as well as different worlds. He deals with the Divine Being, His will, irresistible might, boundless grace and forthcoming mercy. He also deals with the Supreme Society, the angels, and with Satan and his tribe. Furthermore, he deals with this world and its operative laws, as well as the living things on this earth; and with other human beings. In all his dealings, he relies on this same human nature, served also by his talents and abilities that may pull in one or opposite directions.

It is in this complicated multitude of links and relations that human history is formed, influenced by man’s strengths and weakness, the guidance he receives, the righteousness he tries to maintain, his contacts with this world and with the world beyond, and his dealings with the material and the spiritual in this universe, and ultimately with God’s will. It is from all these dealings that his history is formed, and in the light of this extreme complexity that his history should be explained.

Those who try to explain human history in either economic, political, biological, spiritual, psychological or rational terms look only at one aspect of the interactive elements that influence man, or the distinctly separate worlds with which he deals.

Only the Islamic explanation of human history takes such a broad view which encompasses all this complexity and looks at human history in such a perspective.

Here we have some real scenes of this greatly complex history. In the first scene of creation, at which we have already looked, all the worlds and the elements, apparent and hidden, which man will have to deal with were present right in the first moment.

We have seen the essential abilities given to man, and his honour in the Supreme Society, when the angels were ordered to prostrate themselves to him and God Himself announced his birth. We have also seen his weakness and how it has been exploited by his enemy. We have seen his fall to earth and how he has to deal with its elements and the laws of nature as they operate in it.

We then saw that as man fell to earth, he was a believer in his Lord, appealing for forgiveness, and giving the pledge of his vicegerency on earth, which committed him to follow the guidance that he would receive from his Lord and not to follow Satan or his own caprice. In order to help him fulfil that pledge, the first experience was granted to him. Time passed and man had to swim in the sea of the universe, with waves taking him this way and that. All the complicated elements both within him and in the universe continued to have an impact on his life. Here we see him having been led to a state of ignorance, or jāhiliyyah. It is true that man may forget or he overcome by his weakness. That gives power to his enemy, Satan, and hence man must be rescued.

When man fell to earth, he repented and sought forgiveness for his sin, pledging to follow guidance and always to believe in God’s oneness, but here we find him having strayed far away, associating partners with God. He has been thrown far off course, but he has still the guidance which could bring him back. He has the divine message. Indeed God’s mercy has dictated that man is never left without guidance.

Here in this sūrah we see the procession of faith, with its standard bearers, God’s noble messengers, Noah, Hūd, Şāliĥ, Lot, Shu`ayb, Moses and Muhammad peace be upon them all. We see how these noble messengers try, by God’s guidance, to rescue mankind from the precipice into which Satan attempts to sink them. Scenes of the struggle between guidance and error, truth and falsehood, the noble messengers and the evil ones from among the jinn and humans are portrayed here. We also see at every stage how the unbelievers are destroyed and how the believers are rescued.

It is not always that stories are related in the Qur’ān according to chronological order, but here in this sūrah they are, because the sūrah gives a glimpse of the line followed by humanity ever since its first creation. It also portrays how those in the procession of faith try to rescue man every time he strays far away from the right path. As we look at this panoramic scene we can detect certain broad lines which deserve to be discussed briefly before we look at the passage in detail.

1. Human beings often stray from the path of guidance from where they started in order to sink into a state of ignorance, or jāhiliyyah, that is characterized by associating partners with God. This happens as a result of the interplay of the complex elements that exist in man’s own constitution and the elements which he has to deal with. When this state of affairs is reached, God sends a messenger to human beings explaining to them the very same truth they had had before sinking into jāhiliyyah. Some of them write their own destruction, while others are able to spare themselves by returning to the truth of faith.

These are the ones who accept that they have a single God and submit willingly and totally to Him alone. It is they who listen to their messenger as he says to them: “My people, worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him.” (Verses 59, 65, 73, 85) This is indeed the essence of the divine faith throughout human history. Every messenger preached this same message to his people who had succumbed to Satan’s design and associated partners with God, although these partners may differ in different jāhiliyyah societies. It is this basic truism that is at the core of the battle between truth and falsehood. It is people’s attitudes to this basic fact that puts them in the camp of those who are destroyed, or those who are saved by God. The Qur’ān relates how all these messengers expressed this essential fact in their various languages, using the same wording throughout: “My people, worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him.” This serves to emphasize the unity of the divine faith throughout history, even in its verbal expression. The wording itself is so precise in expressing the essence of faith, and its repeated usage portrays in a very tangible way the unity of this faith. This is in itself significant.

This emphasis the Qur’ān places on the unity of the divine faith serves to show the great divide between the Qur’ānic method and the approach of comparative religion. We can see very clearly that there has never been any gradual approach to the basic concept of faith, or development of that concept, which all messengers have preached as they received it from God. Those who speak of the development or progress of human faith and include the divine message in this gradual development make a claim that is at variance with what God states. As we see clearly in the Qur’ān, divine faith has always stressed the same basic concept which the Qur’ān relates in the same wording:

“My people, worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him.” This God, to whom all messengers refer, is “the Lord of all the worlds” who will gather all human beings for the reckoning on a great day. No messenger sent by God has ever preached a belief in a Lord of a particular tribe, nation or race, and no messenger preached a belief in a duality or multiplicity of Godhead. No messenger urged his people to worship totems, stars, spirits or idols. No religion sanctioned by God omitted to speak of a life to come, as claimed by so-called ‘religious experts’ who study the different forms of ignorance and claim that such ignorant beliefs were the religions known to humanity in those particular periods of time.

All messengers, one after the other, preached the message of God’s absolute oneness and His Lordship over the universe, as well as the reckoning and reward on the Day of Judgement. But the deviation that took place with every new form of jāhiliyyah led to a multitude of ignorant concepts. It is these concepts that are studied by ‘experts in religion’ who claim that they form the line of religious progress.

At any rate, we have here what God states, and it is the truth that we should follow, particularly those of us who tackle this subject when they explain the Islamic faith or defend it. Those who do not believe in the Qur’ān may say what they want, but God tells the truth and His word is final.

2. Every one of God’s messengers peace be upon them all came to his people after they had deviated from the principle of monotheism which was already established in their community by their earlier prophet or messenger. The first generation of human beings were monotheists, believing in God, the supreme Lord of the universe. This was the faith in which Adam and his wife believed.

When the Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) was sent after humanity had deviated into polytheism, he called on his people to return to the monotheistic faith and to believe in God alone. Then the floods destroyed the unbelievers and only the believers survived to repopulate the earth believing in God alone, as they were taught by the Prophet Noah. Succeeding generations did likewise but after a long period of time, they began to deviate into ignorance as did those who lived earlier. With the Prophet Hūd, the same story happened again with the unbelievers being destroyed by great storms. The story was repeated again and again.

Every one of these messengers was sent to his people and he said to them:

“My people, worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him.” Every one also said: “I am giving you honest counsel.” In this way, every messenger made it clear to his people that the matter was very serious, and that their arrogant refusal to accept the faith could land them in great trouble in this life and expose them to a heavier punishment in the hereafter. He also expressed his keen desire that his people should follow divine guidance. However, on each occasion the notables in the community and those who were in leading positions stood against the truth, refusing to submit themselves to God, the Lord of all mankind. It is submission to God alone which is the central issue in the divine faith in all its forms of expression contained in the messages delivered by God’s messengers. Faced with such a stubborn refusal, each one of those messengers declared his stand, totally opposed to tyranny and evil. In the case of each messenger, his people were split into two communities on the basis of faith. Thus, the ties of nationality and family relations were severed to be replaced by the ties of faith. With such a split, God made a judgement between the community following his guidance and the one deviating from the truth. This judgement brought about the destruction of the unbelievers and rescued those who submitted to God. It is God’s law that no such judgement be passed until the respective community is divided into two on the basis of faith, with its followers declaring their submission to God alone, disassociating themselves from their compatriots who followed some other faiths and making their own stand very clear. This is endorsed by the history of the divine faith ever since the early days of human life.

3. The central issue in every message was the same: that all people should submit to God alone, their Lord and the Lord of the universe. Such submission and the removal of authority from all its usurpers is the foundation of every good thing in human life. The Qur’ān does not go into any great details of those earlier messages, after explaining this common denominator in all divine messages. The details are based on this basic principle. The importance of this central issue is the reason why the Qur’ān highlights it in this way, and singles it out in painting the main features of the procession of faith. We should remember here what we have said in our Prologue to the sixth sūrah, Cattle, or al-An`ām, [Vol. V], that this central issue provided the subject matter of all Qur’ānic revelations in Makkah, while the revelations vouchsafed to the Prophet in Madinah outlined Islamic law as it addressed the needs of the community of believers.

This religion of ours has a central truth, and it adopts a very distinctive approach in outlining this truth. The approach is in no way less important than the truth itself. Therefore, we must know the basic truth outlined by Islam and follow the approach in which it is outlined. This approach highlights, frequently repeats and endorses the fact of God’s oneness. This is the reason why this basic issue stands out in the stories given in this sūrah.

4. These accounts describe the nature of faith and the nature of unbelievers among human beings. It shows two types of hearts: one ready to receive the faith and another ready to deny it. In the case of every messenger, those who believed were willing to submit themselves to God and obey His messenger.

They did not find it surprising that God chose one of them to deliver His message warning them against disbelief. The unbelievers in each case were those unwilling to relinquish the authority they had usurped and to acknowledge that it belonged to God alone, to whom all creation and all authority belonged. They were unwilling to listen to a single person among them. Those were the great ones, the chiefs who enjoyed positions of authority and leadership among their people. Thus we can recognize the central point in this faith, namely, that of sovereignty and authority. Those leaders were always aware of the meaning of what each messenger said: “Worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him”; and his statement: “I am only a messenger from the Lord of the universe.” They felt that acceptance of God’s oneness meant that sovereignty would be acknowledged to belong to its rightful owner, God, the only Lord, in the universe. What they had usurped of it would have to be restored to Him. They were ready to resist that even to the point of their destruction. They were not prepared to learn the lessons of earlier communities. On the contrary, they were prepared to follow in their footsteps to destruction and even to hell. The doom that befell those communities follows the same consistent pattern: a community forgets God’s message and moves away from His guidance; a messenger is sent to deliver a message of warning; the same community adopts an arrogant attitude refusing to submit to God; the lure of affluence causes further disregard of the warning and even an invitation to hasten doom; persecution of the believers who are determined to stick to their faith; and finally destruction of the arrogant unbelievers in accordance with God’s law that has remained in operation throughout history.

5. Equipped with power, falsehood does not tolerate even the mere existence of the truth. Even when the truth wants to stay well away from falsehood, leaving judgement between them to God, falsehood will not accept this attitude. It will continue to chase the truth and persecute it. The Prophet Shu`ayb said to his people: “If there be some among you who believe in the message with which I am sent, and others who do not believe, then be patient until God shall Al-A`rāf (The Heights) | THE QUR’ĀNIC APPROACH TO FAITH 10 5

judge between us. He is the best of all judges.” (Verse 87) But they did not accept this offer from him. They could not tolerate seeing the truth in existence, or seeing a group of people freed from the tyranny of evil and submitting to God alone. “Said the great ones among his people, who gloried in their arrogance: ‘We shall indeed expel you, Shu`ayb and your fellow believers from our land unless you return to our fold.’” (Verse 88) At this juncture, Shu`ayb declared his commitment to the truth, and refused the tyrants’ offer: “He said: ‘Even though we are unwilling? We should be guilty of fabricating lies against God, if we were to return to your ways after God has saved us from them. ‘(Verses 88-89)

This will teach the advocates of Islam that the battle against tyranny is imposed on them. They simply cannot avoid it, no matter how they try, because the forces of evil will never let them alone unless they abandon their faith and accept the beliefs of tyrannical forces. They must remember, however, that God has rescued them from those beliefs as soon as they declared their submission to God alone and freed their hearts from submission to tyranny. Hence, they must, by necessity, fight their battle, remaining steadfast, until God grants them victory. They have to say, as the Prophet Shu`ayb said: “In God we place our trust. Our Lord, lay open the truth between us and our people; for You are the best to lay open the truth.” (Verse 89) Then, they should let God’s law run its course as it has done before in all periods of history.

The procession of faith, led by the noble messengers God has sent to mankind, is clearly demonstrated in the sūrah. This is preceded by the greater procession of faith in the whole universe: “Your Lord is God who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons, and is established on the throne. He covers the day with the night in swift pursuit. The sun, the moon and the stars are made subservient to His command. Surely all creation and all authority belong to Him. Blessed is God, the Lord of the worlds.” (Verse 54)

All messengers sent by God advocated submission to the Supreme Being who created the heavens and the earth, and established Himself on the throne, and who set the night to pursue the day, and set the sun, moon and stars in motion making them subservient to His will. It is He who has created all and possesses authority over all. Indeed, His messengers call on all mankind to submit to God, the Lord of all the worlds, striving to save mankind from Satan’s schemes who endeavours to divert humanity away from God and to a state of ignorance. That state has endless forms, but all these forms have in common the characteristic of associating partners with God, claiming that they share Lordship with Him.

The Qur’ānic method often links the submission of the universe to God and the call on people to be in harmony with the universe and to submit to God as the rest of the universe has done and by whose will the universe is set in motion. This universal fact is bound to violently shake man’s heart, urging him from within to join in this willing submission, in order not to be the only odd note in the whole universal system.

The noble messengers do not call on mankind to do anything odd. Indeed, they call on mankind to believe in the truth implanted in the universe and forming the basis of its existence. It is the same truth implanted in human nature. When people are swayed by their carnal desires they enable Satan to take them away from the original truth, and it is then that Satan becomes certain that they have blinded their eyes and closed their minds to the truth.

This is a fundamental fact that clearly manifests itself when we listen to historical accounts as they are given in proper order in this sūrah.

We sent Noah to his people, and he said: “My people, worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him. I fear lest suffering befall you on an awesome day.” The great ones among his people replied: “We certainly see that you are in obvious error. “Said he: “My people, I am not in error, but I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds. I am delivering to you my Lord’s messages and giving you sincere counsel, for I know [through revelation] from God what you do not know. Do you think it strange that a reminder from your Lord should come to you through a man from among yourselves, so that he might warn you, and that you may keep away from evil and be graced with His mercy?” But they accused him of lying, so We saved him together with all those who stood by him, in the ark, and caused those who rejected Our revelations to drown. Surely they were blind people. (Verses 59-64)

This first historical account gives us a brief history of Noah. It does not include the details given elsewhere in the Qur’ān where these are required by the main theme under discussion in Sūrahs, Had and Noah. The main purpose of giving it here is to describe the main features which we have already discussed, the nature of faith, how to deliver God’s message, how people receive it and the messenger’s reaction to the response he gets, and finally the infliction of the punishment against which they were warned. Hence, only those aspects of the story which outline these points are mentioned here, following the general method of Qur’ānic historical accounts.

This passage opens with the statement, “We sent Noah to his people.” (Verse 59) This follows the pattern adopted by God, which meant that a messenger was chosen from among his own people, speaking their own language in order to win over those whose nature remained undistorted and to facilitate discussion and communication.

Those whose nature is already distorted wonder at this pattern and feel it beneath them to respond to human beings, demanding that the message be delivered to them by angels. This is no more than an excuse, because they would not have responded positively to divine guidance, whatever its means of delivery.

As Noah was sent to his people, he stressed the central point of all divine messages: “He said: ‘My people, worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him.’” (Verse 59) This is the solid unchangeable basis of divine faith, the mainstay of human life that guarantees the unity of direction and goal. It ensures that human beings are free from enslavement by their desires or by other human beings. It helps those who accept it to rise above all that they desire and to resist all temptation and threats.

The divine faith is a code for living based on the fundamental principle that all authority in human life belongs to God alone. This is the essential meaning of worshipping God alone and that God is the only deity acknowledged by human beings. When we speak of authority we include the belief that He is the Lord of both the universe and mankind who has originated them and conducts their affairs by His will and power. At the same level, we include belief in God’s Lordship over man’s day-to-day practical life and that man should conform to God’s will and abide by His law, in the same way as worship is offered to Him alone. All this is one integral whole. Otherwise, we come very close to associating partners with God, worshipping others alongside Him, or instead of Him.

Noah conveyed this single message to his people, and warned them against rejecting it, speaking to them as a brother deeply concerned for their well-being and as a herald giving them honest counsel: “I fear lest suffering befall you on an awesome day.” (Verse 59) Here we note that the faith preached by Noah, which is the most ancient faith, included belief in the hereafter and the reckoning and reward on an awesome day, with Noah fearing for his people what punishment and suffering may await them. Here we realize the clear divergence between God’s system and what it tells us about the origin of faith on the one hand, and, on the other, the system of the `religious specialists’ who grope in the dark and ignore what the Qur’ān says.

How was this clear, straightforward address received by Noah’s deviant people?

“The great ones among his people replied: ‘We certainly see that you are in obvious error.’” (Verse 60) This is also how the idolatrous Arabs responded to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when they accused him of being an apostate who had renounced the faith of Abraham.

Deviation can extend as far as making a person believe that the one who advocates a return to divine guidance is in error! When human nature is corrupted, and standards are perverted and personal desire reigns supreme, then people can be so insolent and describe divine guidance as erroneous. Consider, if you will, what ignorant societies of today say about those who follow God’s guidance. They are often described as having gone astray, and they are always offered some temptation to bring them back to the fold. That is, the fold of the filth in which jāhiliyyah finds its pleasure. Besides, what does contemporary jāhiliyyah say to a young woman who covers her body, and to a young man who looks with contempt at cheap flesh? Their purity is described as reactionaryism, backwardness and primitiveness. Indeed, jāhiliyyah employs all means of influence and all media outlets at its command to drag them from their clean standard down into the filth by which it surrounds itself.

Again, what does contemporary jāhiliyyah say about a person who chooses for himself serious preoccupations and refuses to be football crazy or television and video crazy, or refuses to waste his time in parties and discotheques? He is described as reserved, introvert, inflexible, uncultured, etc. He is offered a variety of temptations to toe the line. All jāhiliyyah is essentially the same, although appearances and circumstances may differ.

Noah denies that he is in error, and explains to his people the true nature of his call and its origin. He has not invented it, but he is simply a messenger bearing a message from the Lord of mankind, and delivering it with honest advice, based on the fact that he knows of God what they do not know. He feels that knowledge within himself, because he has his link with God: “Said he: ‘My people, I am not in error, but I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds. I am delivering to you my Lord’s messages and giving you sincere counsel, for I know [through revelation] from God what you do not know.’” (Verses 61-62)

Here we note a gap in the story. It seems that they have wondered that God should choose a human being, one of their number, to bear a message from Him to them, and that this human messenger should find within himself knowledge about his Lord which is not available to those who are not similarly chosen. This gap is indicated by what comes next: “Do you think it strange that a reminder from your Lord should come to you through a man from among yourselves, so that he might warn you, and that you may keep away from evil and be graced with His mercy?” (Verse 63)

There is nothing strange about this choice. Indeed, everything about human beings is amazing. Man deals with all the worlds and can have a direct link with his Lord because of what God has imparted to him and settled in his nature as a result of breathing into him of His soul. God certainly knows best whom to choose as His messenger. If God chooses a human being to bear His message, then this honoured person can receive the message through his latent ability to be in contact with God who gives him his special status as a human being receiving honours no other creature receives.

Noah reveals to them the goal of his message: “That he might warn you, and that you may keep away from evil and be graced with His mercy.” (Verse 63) There is first the warning so that their hearts respond and steer away from evil, as a prelude to eventually receiving God’s grace. Noah himself has no personal interest or purpose other than this noble one.

But when human nature reaches a certain limit of corruption, it ceases to reflect and use its reason. At this stage, no warning or reminder is of any use: “But they accused him of lying, so We saved him together with all those who stood by him, in the ark, and caused those who rejected Our revelations to drown. Surely they were blind people.” (Verse 64) We have already seen how blind they are, that they cannot recognize right guidance, honest warning or sincere advice. Indeed, it is their blindness which caused them to reject the truth and let them suffer their inevitable destiny.

History moves along and the sūrah moves on to another stage. We are now face to face with the people of `Ād, to whom the Prophet Had was sent.

And to `Ād [We sent] their brother Hūd. He said: “My people, worship God alone, you have no deity other than Him. Will you not, then, be God-fearing.’” Said the great ones among his people who disbelieved: “We clearly see that you are weakminded, and, truly, we think that you are a liar.” Said [Hūd]: “Weak-minded I am not, my people’, he said: “I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds. I am delivering to you my Lord’s messages and giving you sincere and honest counsel. Do you think it strange that a reminder from your Lord should come to you through a man from among yourselves, so that he might warn you? Do but remember that He has made you successors of Noah’s people, and given you a larger stature than other people. Remember, then, God’s favours so that you may attain success.” They answered: `Have you come to tell us to worship God alone, and give up what our forefathers used to worship? Bring about, then, whatever you are threatening us with, if you are a man of truth.” Said [Hūd]: “You are already beset by loathsome evil and by your Lord’s condemnation. Are you arguing with me about some names you and your forefathers have invented, and for which God has given no warrant? Wait, then, if you will. I too am waiting.” So, by Our grace, We saved him together with all those who stood by him, and We wiped out the last remnant of those who denied Our revelations and would not believe. (Verses 65-72)

It is the same message, the same dialogue and the same end. God’s law applies to all people in all generations. The people of `Ād were descendants of Noah and those who survived with him in the ark. Some reports put their number at only thirteen.

There is no doubt that the descendants of those believers, saved in the ark, followed the faith preached by the Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) which is based on complete submission to God. They definitely worshipped God alone, acknowledging no deity other than Him and believing that He is the Lord of all the worlds. That was what Noah told them. Then with the passage of time, their descendants travelled and settled in different parts of the world. Satan continued to try to lead them away from divine guidance, and exploited their desires, particularly for wealth and enjoyment.

Thus they abandoned God’s law. Those people of `Ād found it strange that the Prophet sent to them should call on them to worship God alone.

“And to `Ād [We sent] their brother Hūd. He said: ‘My people, worship God alone, you have no deity other than Him. Will you not, then, be God-fearing.’” (Verse 65) This is exactly what Noah said to his people earlier, and they refused to accept it and suffered their well-known destiny. God has given power to the people of `Ād, but the sūrah does not mention here where they lived, although we learn from another sūrah that they were settled at al-Aĥqāf, which is a reference to the high sand dunes close to the Yemen border between Yamāmah and Ĥadramawt. They followed the same pattern as Noah’s people, rejected the warnings, and refused to reflect on what happened to those who went along before them. Therefore, Mild adds in his address to them this sentence: “Will you not, then, be God-fearing.” (Verse 65) This implies a strong criticism of their attitude as they show no fear of God and no worry about a terrible destiny.

The elders and the chiefs of his people found it too much that one from among them should call on them to follow divine guidance and denounce them for not fearing God. They found his attitude rather impudent, exceeding the limits and showing them little respect. Hence, they started to accuse their Prophet with being both foolish and a liar, paying him no respect. Without proper reflection, deliberation or sound evidence, they made their accusations: “Said the great ones among his people who disbelieved: ‘We clearly see that you are weak-minded, and, truly, we think that you are a liar.’” (Verse 66) But he replied decisively: “’ Weak-minded I am not, my people’, he said:

`I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds. I am delivering to you my Lord’s messages and giving you sincere and honest counsel.” (Verses 67-68)

His denial of being foolish or weak-minded combines simplicity with truthfulness, just in the same way as Noah denied that he was in error. Also like Noah before him, Hūd explains to them the source and goal of his message and that as he delivers it to them, he is giving them sound advice and ensuring honesty in its delivery. He says all that to them with the compassion of a person giving advice, and the truthfulness which is the mark of a trustworthy person. But like Noah’s people before them, they wondered that he should be chosen as God’s messenger, and at the message entrusted to him. Thus, we find Hūd saying to them the same words Noah had said before him, as if the two persons had one soul: “Do you think it strange that a reminder from your Lord should come to you through a man from among yourselves, so that he might warn you?” (Verse 69)

He then adds something relevant to their own situation as the successors of the people of Noah and the fact that they had been given greater strength and larger stature which fits with their mountainous area: “Do but remember that He has made you successors of Noah’s people, and given you a larger stature than other people. Remember, then, God’s favours so that you may attain success.” (Verse 69) All that they have been given should have made them grateful and should have warned them against being cocky and conceited so that they would not suffer the same fate as earlier nations.

They had not made a covenant with God to suspend the laws of nature He had set in operation, in accordance with His design for life on earth. To remember God’s favours encourages gratitude for them, and to be grateful for God’s blessings requires that what has led to them should be assiduously maintained and preserved.

Only in this way can we ensure prosperity in this life as well as in the life to come.

However, when human nature deviates, it ceases to think, reflect and heed warnings. Those elders behaved in the most arrogant of manners. They stopped the argument and precipitated God’s punishment, showing boredom with sincere, honest advice and paying little heed to God’s messenger’s serious warning. Their answer shows that they can hardly tolerate the manner their Prophet spoke to them in. They do not want to even consider it: “They answered: ‘Have you come to tell us to worship God alone, and give up what our forefathers used to worship?’” (Verse 70)

This is a depressing scene of how familiar traditions exercise a blinding pressure over hearts and minds. This pressure deprives man of one of the most basic of his human qualities: that is, the freedom to think, reflect and choose his beliefs. Thus, man is enslaved by custom and tradition and by what his own and other people’s desires impose on him. Every window of knowledge and every light of hope is closed. Those people precipitated their own doom because they did not wish to face the truth or to reflect on the absurdity of their falsehood. They said to their Prophet who gave honest advice: “Bring about, then, whatever you are threatening us with, if you are a man of truth.” (Verse 70)

The Prophet’s answer was quick and decisive, as he said: “You are already beset by loathsome evil and by your Lord’s condemnation. Are you arguing with me about some names you and your forefathers have invented, and for which God has given no warrant?

Wait, then, if you will. I too am waiting.” (Verse 71)

He thus told them what fate was about to befall them and which they could no longer avoid. It was his Lord who told him of the suffering they would inevitably endure, together with God’s condemnation. He also made it clear to them that their beliefs were absurd: “Are you arguing with me about some names you and your forefathers have invented, and for which God has given no warrant?” (Verse 71) What you have associated with God has no reality. They are mere names invented by you or your forefathers. God has never given any sanction for their worship. Hence, they have no power and no proof to support their status.

A short sentence that is often repeated in the Qur’ān is particularly significant.

God says, in connection with the worship of anyone or anything other than Him that ‘God has given no warrant’ for such worship. This refers to a fundamental principle which tells us that every word, law, tradition or concept which is not sanctioned by God has little or no effect and will soon disappear. Human nature receives all this lightly, but when a word comes from God, it acquires additional weight, causing it to penetrate right through people’s minds, because it derives its power from God.

Numerous are the theories, doctrines and concepts which received a great deal of publicity backed by strong authority. But once they found themselves face to face with God’s word, they soon appeared as they truly are: weak, hollow and insupportable.

With all the confidence of a true believer, Hūd challenges his people: “Wait then, if you will. I too am waiting.” (Verse 71) It is this confidence that gives strength to the advocates of faith who are certain that falsehood is truly weak although it may temporarily have the appearance of material power and great following. The advocates of faith are certain that the power and authority of the truth they advocate will eventually triumph because it is derived from God’s power.

In the story of Hūd and his people, the waiting is not long: “So, by Our grace, We saved him together with all those who stood by him, and We wiped out the last remnant of those who denied Our revelations and would not believe.” (Verse 72) It is total destruction from which no one is saved. This is understood from the expression, “wiped out the last remnant.” In the Arabic text, the term used signifies the last person in a caravan who moves a short distance behind it.

Another page of the history of communities denying the truth is thus turned, with the warning given full effect after all reminders have been rejected. This sūrah does not go into details of how the destruction took place. This is explained in other sūrahs. Therefore, we leave its discussion for now.

And to Thamūd [We sent) their brother Şāliĥ. He said: ‘My people, worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him. Clear evidence of the truth has come to you from your Lord. This she-camel belonging to God is a token for you, so leave her alone to pasture on God’s earth and do her no harm, lest grievous punishment befall you.

Remember that He has made you the successors of `Ād and settled you firmly in the land. You build for yourselves palaces on its plains and carve out houses on the mountains. Remember, then, God’s favours and do not go about spreading corruption in the land.” The great ones among his people who gloried in their arrogance towards all who were deemed weak, said to the believers among them: “Do you really know that Şāliĥ is a Messenger sent by his Lord?” They answered: “We do believe in the message he has been sent with.” The arrogant ones said: “For our part, we reject what you believe in.” They cruelly slaughtered the she-camel, and insolently defied the commandment of their Lord, and said: “Şālīĥ, bring about the (punishment) with which you have threatened us, if you are truly one of (Gods) messengers.” Thereupon an earthquake overtook them and the morning found them lying lifeless on the ground in their very homes. He turned away from them, and said: `My people, I delivered to you my Lord’s message and counselled you sincerely, but you do not like those who give sincere counsel.” (Verses 73-79)

This is yet another episode in the history of mankind. Yet another sinking into ignorance and a confrontation between the truth and falsehood that ends in another destruction of the unbelievers.

“And to Thamūd [We sent) their brother Şāliĥ. He said: My people, worship God alone:

you have no deity other than Him.’” (Verse 73) It is the same single statement with which the creation of man started and to which humanity will certainly return. It is also the same method of belief, direction, confrontation and delivery of the message.

Here we also have an addition referring to the miracle which was given with the Prophet Şāliĥ’s message when his people demanded it in order to believe in him:

“Clear evidence of the truth has come to you from your Lord. This she-camel belonging to God is a token for you.” (Verse 73)

As the sūrah gives a quick presentation of the history of faith, the results of believing in it and the consequences of its rejection, it does not go into the details of the people’s request for a miracle. It simply refers to its existence as soon as it has outlined the essence of the message given by the Prophet Şāliĥ. Nor does this sūrah give us any details about the she-camel other than describing it as “a clear evidence of the truth ... from your Lord ... a she-camel belonging to God ... a token from Him.” From all this we realize that she was a very special she- camel, or that she was brought up for them in an extraordinary way to make of her a clear proof, and to make its belonging to God particularly significant, confirming Şāliĥ’s prophethood. We refrain from adding anything about the she-camel which is not mentioned in this most accurate of sources. Indeed, what is mentioned here is more than sufficient.

“So leave her alone to pasture on God’s earth and do her no harm, lest grievous punishment befall you.” (Verse 73) Since she is God’s camel, then she should be left alone to graze on God’s earth, or else the warning will take effect.

After having given them the miracle and made the warning clear, Şāliĥ begins to counsel his people to remember and reflect, bearing in mind the fate of past nations.

He also reminds them that it is their duty to show their gratitude for the power they have been given as successors to those nations: “Remember that He has made you the successors of `Ād and settled you firmly in the land. You build for yourselves palaces on its plains and carve out houses on the mountains. Remember, then, God’s favours and do not go about spreading corruption in the land.” (Verse 74)

We are not told here in which area the people of Thamūd lived, but we are told in another sūrah that they were at al-Ĥijr, which lies between Ĥijāz and Greater Syria.

From Şāliĥ’s reminder we realize that the Thamūd were given power and affluence, and we can also visualize the nature of the area in which they lived. It incorporates plains and mountains, and they used to have their palaces in the plains and their homes in the mountains. We can conclude from this short statement that they were a civilized nation that excelled in architecture. Şāliĥ also reminds them that they were chosen to succeed the people of `Ād, although they did not live in the same area. It seems that theirs was the architectural civilization that flourished after that of `Ād. It also seems that their power extended beyond their own area, giving them added strength and making them feared by other nations. Hence, Şāliĥ warns them against being arrogant and conceited. He tells them not to spread corruption in the land, as the lesson of `Ād and their fate must not be lost on them.

Here again we notice a gap in this story necessitated by the need for brevity. A section of Şāliĥ’s people have accepted the faith, while another section rejected it with arrogance. Those of high position are the last to believe in a faith which deprives them of personal power and attributes all power to God, the Lord of all the worlds. Hence, they inevitably try to punish the believers who have rebelled against tyranny by declaring their servitude to God alone, submitting to no one other than Him. Thus, we find the proud and arrogant chiefs of Thamūd very clear in their threats to those who have believed, particularly those who are weak: “The great ones among his people who gloried in their arrogance towards all who were deemed weak, said to the believers among them: Do you really know that Şāliĥ is a Messenger sent by his Lord?’” (Verse 75)

It is clear that the question here implies a threat. The elders simply denounce them for their beliefs and ridicule them for accepting his statement that he has been sent by God. But those believers are no longer weak. Their faith has given them strength and self confidence as well as a powerful argument. They are certain of their position. So, what effect will the denunciation and the ridicule by the elders signify? “They answered: ‘We do believe in the message he has been sent with.’” (Verse 75)

At this moment, the arrogant chiefs clearly identify their attitude which implies a strong warning: “For our part, we reject what you believe in.” (Verse 76) This is, then, what they say despite the clear proof given to Şāliĥ, which leaves no doubt in anybody’s mind. It is not the proof which those people needed in order to believe in the message. What turns them away from faith is the fact that their power and authority are threatened when they submit to the only Lord in the universe. It is their lust for power, a deeply rooted desire, which Satan manipulates in order to lead people astray.

They did not wait long before carrying out their threat. They targeted for their assault the she-camel which was a token from God giving support to His Messenger.

They slaughtered it despite their Prophet’s warnings that they would be severely punished if they harmed her: “They cruelly slaughtered the she-camel, and insolently defied the commandment of their Lord, and said: ‘Şāliĥ, bring about the (punishment) with which you have threatened us, if you are truly one of (God’s) messengers.’” (Verse 77)

This is a clear example of the arrogance which goes hand in hand with disobedience, described here as ‘insolent defiance’ in order to point out those people’s frame of mind when they actually slaughtered the she-camel. It is this frame of mind that leads them to adopt their careless attitude, challenging the Prophet Şāliĥ to bring about their doom.

The sūrah immediately declares the outcome, which is not given here in any detail:

“Thereupon an earthquake overtook them and the morning found them lying lifeless on the ground in their homes.” (Verse 78) The earth quake and their lying lifeless are shown as a punishment that befits their arrogance. With an earthquake, fear strikes people.

The way they laid lifeless shows total powerlessness. It is most fitting that an arrogant and insolent person should tremble with fear, and that an aggressor is deprived of all power. The punishment fits the crime and the image given here of their destiny is highly expressive.

They are left in that position, lifeless on the ground to show us Şāliĥ as he saw those who had rejected and challenged him: “He turned away from them, and said: My people, I delivered to you my Lord’s message and counselled you sincerely, but you do not like those who give sincere counsel.” (Verse 79)

He is simply seeking witnesses for his honesty and sincerity in delivering his message and giving sound advice to his people. He also makes it clear that he could not be blamed for the fate they brought upon themselves by their insolent defiance and rejection of God’s message.

Yet another page of the history of the nations that rejected God’s message is turned over. Those who reject it anew must heed God’s warnings.

As history moves on we come to the time of the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him), but the sūrah does not refer here to Abraham’s history, because it only wants to discuss the fate of those nations who rejected the divine message. This is in line with the fourth verse in the sūrah which says: “How many a community have We destroyed, with Our punishment falling upon them by night, or at midday while they were resting.” (Verse 4) These stories of earlier communities give some details of what this statement sums up. Abraham’s people were not destroyed because the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) did not request his Lord to destroy them. Instead, he abandoned them and the deities they worshipped instead of God. We have here a brief account of the story of the people of Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew and contemporary, because the story involves giving warnings, rejection by unbelievers, and destruction. It thus fits in with what the sūrah is all about.

And Lot said to his people: “Will you persist in the indecencies none in all the world had ever committed before you? With lust you approach men instead of women.

Indeed, you are given to excesses. His people’s only answer was: “Drive them out of your land; for they are indeed people who would keep chaste.” We saved him together with his household, except his wife: she was one of those who stayed behind. We let loose a heavy rain upon them. Behold what happened in the end to those criminal people. (Verses 80-84)

The story of Lot’s people tells us about one special aspect of perverted human nature and tackles an issue different from that of Godhead and God’s oneness which was the central point in the earlier stories. However, it is not far removed from it.

Believing in God, the only Lord in the universe, is bound to lead the believer to accept God’s law and conform to the rules of nature He has set in operation. It has been God’s will to create human beings in two sexes, male and female, who perfectly complement each other. Survival of this species is effected through reproduction that results from intimate contact between male and female. Hence, it is part of their nature to be physically and psychologically attracted to each other and to make the contact that leads to reproduction. The pleasure they receive from it is profound, and the desire to have that pleasure is deeply rooted. Both desire and pleasure provide the motive for them to seek that contact despite the difficulties they are sure to encounter later with pregnancy, childbirth, breast-feeding, maintenance, and the upbringing and education of children. It also ensures that the male and female remain united in a family where the offspring are reared, because they require fostering over a much longer period than animal offspring. Moreover, it fulfils God’s will for human life to continue.

This is the way God has ordained things. To understand it and conform to it is directly related to believing in God and His wisdom in planning and creation.

Therefore, to deliberately deviate from this norm is closely related to deviation from faith and from the code of living God has laid down.

Perversion of human nature is presented so clearly in the story of Lot’s people. It is clear that Lot, the Prophet, does not mince words about the fact that they are the abnormal ones among God’s creation, and that their ugly perversion is unprecedented: “And Lot said to his people: ‘Will you persist in the indecencies none in all the world had ever committed before you? With lust you approach men instead of women.

Indeed, you are given to excesses.’” (Verses 80-81)

The excess to which Lot is referring is that they go beyond the limits of the divine order of things which is reflected in upright human nature. They indeed go to excess with regard to the energy God has given them in order to play their role in the survival and progress of human life, by expending it wastefully in a place other than that of fertilization. It thus becomes no more than a perverted lust. God has made both man and woman derive proper and natural pleasure in the fulfilment of natural law. When a person finds his pleasure in something contrary to this natural law, then that is a mark of the perversion and corruption of nature, let alone its being a corruption of moral values. Indeed, there is no difference between the two, because Islamic morality is an embodiment of natural moral values, free of corruption and perversion.

Just like her psychology, woman’s physical constitution is the one that allows the male to have his proper and natural pleasure when the two share contact which is not meant merely to satisfy a desire. Indeed, the pleasure that attends such a contact is an aspect of God’s grace and blessing. It is He who has made this activity the source of pleasure, equal to its attendant responsibility. At the same time it fulfils His will that ensures the continuity of life. The male’s physical constitution cannot provide uncorrupted human nature with pleasure if this desire is to be fulfilled with another male. Indeed, a feeling of disgust is immediately generated which blocks such a leaning as long as human nature is normal and upright.

The nature of the faith on which a particular system is based has a decisive influence in this respect. We need only to look at contemporary jāhiliyyah in Europe and America to find the same sexual perversion rapidly increasing. No justification may be advanced for it other than the fact that people there have deviated from the right beliefs and the way of life that can be based on them. The media, often controlled by Zionist interests, is directed to undermine human life through the spreading of immorality and promiscuity. Hence it has been trying hard to stress the misconception that women’s adoption of a position of conservative propriety is the reason for the spread of such abnormal indecencies. But the facts contradict this most glaringly. In Europe and America, there is no longer any impediment to complete social and private contacts between men and women. People there often justify this, taking their lead from the animal world. Nevertheless, perverse sexual practice continues to increase. Indeed, it is no longer limited to homosexuality between males; lesbians are also on the increase. Anyone who still wants to argue in the face of these glaring facts should read first, “Men’s sexual behaviour” and “Women’s sexual behaviour” in the McKenzie Report. The controlled media nevertheless continues to repeat this falsehood, attributing perversion to women’s religious dress.

In this way, they are only fulfilling the aims of the protocols of the Elders of Zion and implementing the recommendations of missionary conventions.

Let us now turn our attention to Lot’s people to find perversion staring us in the face as we listen to their reply to the Prophet Lot: “His people’s only answer was: ‘Drive them out of your land; for they are indeed people who would keep chaste.’” (Verse 82) How amazing! The person who prefers to be chaste and maintains the path of purity is driven out of town, so that only those immersed in filth remain.

But why should we wonder when we see modern jāhiliyyah doing the same thing.

It chases those who maintain their chastity and refuse to sink into the filth of jāhiliyyah societies, falsely described as progress and as liberation of women from bondage. Such people are exposed to enormous pressures at home and at work and they are condemned personally and intellectually. Their presence in society is hardly tolerated, because only those who are prepared to sink into the filth of ignorance are welcome. The same logic of ignorance wherever and whenever jāhiliyyah exists! The fate of those people is mentioned briefly in the same way as the fate of other nations and communities: “We saved him together with his household, except his wife: she was one of those who stayed behind. We let loose a heavy rain upon them. Behold what happened in the end to those criminal people.” (Verses 83-84)

Those who were threatened by the criminals are saved, and the issue is settled on the basis of faith and the way of life it lays down. Lot’s wife, the closest person to him, is not saved because she belonged to his people and shared their beliefs and practices. A rain was sent pouring down over them, accompanied by powerful storms. We wonder, was this torrential rain meant to purify the earth from their filth and impurity? It may be so, but another case of rejection of the divine faith was thus settled forever.

The next account of communities rejecting the divine faith in those ancient days is the last given in this sūrah. It speaks about the people of Madyan and their Prophet, Shu`ayb.

And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu`ayb. He said: “My people, worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him. Clear evidence of the truth has come to you from your Lord. Give full measure and weight [in your dealings], and do not deprive people of what rightfully belongs to them. Do not spread corruption on earth after it has been so well ordered. That is best for you, if you are true believers. Do not squat on every road, threatening and turning away from God’s path anyone who believes in Him, and trying to make it appear crooked. Remember when you were few and how He caused you to rapidly increase in number. Behold what happened in the end to those who spread corruption. If there be some among you who believe in the message with which I am sent, and others who do not believe, then be patient until God shall judge between us. He is the best of all judges.” Said the great ones among his people, who gloried in their arrogance: “We shall indeed expel you, Shu`ayb, and your fellow believers from our land unless you return to our fold. “ He said: “Even though we are unwilling? We should be guilty of fabricating lies against God, if we were to return to your ways after God has saved us from them.

It is not conceivable that we should return to them, unless God, our Lord, so wills.

Our Lord has full knowledge of everything. In God we place our trust. Our Lord, lay open the truth between us and our people; for You are the best to lay open the truth.

“The great ones who disbelieved among his people said: “If you follow Shu`ayb, you shall indeed be losers.” Thereupon an earthquake overtook them and the morning found them lying lifeless on the ground in their homes, as if those that rejected Shu`ayb had never prospered there. Those that rejected Shu`ayb were indeed the losers.

He turned away from them and said: “My people, I delivered to you my Lord’s messages and counselled you sincerely. How, then, could I grieve for people who persist in unbelief” (Verses 85-93)

Compared to the other accounts given in this sūrah, we note that this one is rather longer because, in addition to the question of faith, it includes a reference to business transactions. Nevertheless, the account follows the same pattern of concentration on the main issues.

“And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shu`ayb. He said: ‘My people, worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him.’” (Verse 85) It is the same, consistent basis of the divine faith that admits no change or modification. But then we have some details about the message of the new Prophet, starting with a statement: “Clear evidence of the truth has come to you from your Lord.” (Verse 85)

The sūrah does not mention the type of that clear proof or its nature, as it did in the account given of the history of the Prophet Şāliĥ. Nor can we ascertain its nature from the other accounts of this history given in other sūrahs. We are simply told that clear proof was given to the Prophet Shu`ayb, confirming his statement that he had been sent by God. Clear evidence of the truth has been shown to them as the basis of the commandments given to them by their prophet. These required them to give full and just measure and weight, refrain from spreading corruption on earth and from threatening people as they go about their business, and to stop their efforts to persuade believers to change their faith: “Give full measure and weight [in your dealings], and do not deprive people of what rightfully belongs to them. Do not spread corruption on earth after it has been so well ordered. That is best for you, if you are true believers. Do not squat on every road, threatening and turning away from God’s path anyone who believes in Him, and trying to make it appear crooked. Remember when you were few and how He caused you to rapidly increase in number. Behold what happened in the end to those who spread corruption.” (Verses 85-86)

We understand from these injunctions that Shu`ayb’s people were unbelievers who associated partners with God and did not implement in their own dealings the divine law which ensures justice for all. Instead, they devised their own rules and regulations for their business transactions. It may be that in this particular aspect that they associated partners with God, and that made them very unpleasant to deal with in business. In addition, they were the perpetrators of corruption, threatening people and preventing them from attending to their business. They were also wrongdoers, trying to turn those who believe away from their faith, making it difficult for them to follow the right path and trying to show God’s straight path as crooked.

Shu`ayb begins by calling on them to worship God alone, submitting to His authority over every aspect of their lives, and attributing Godhead purely to Him alone. Shu`ayb knows that this forms the basis that gives rise to every good system and deals with every situation. It also forms the basis for regulations governing personal behaviour, morals and human dealings. He seeks to give more effectiveness to his admonition by certain reminders which, to them, must have been particularly inspiring, recalling to their minds some of God’s blessings: “Remember when you were few and how He caused you to rapidly increase in number.” (Verse 86) He also warns them against suffering the fate of corrupt communities that lived before their time: “Behold what happened in the end to those who spread corruption.” (Verse 86)

Shu`ayb also wants them to exercise patience and tolerance, and to maintain justice. They must not tempt those who have favourably responded to divine guidance away from their faith, and must not squat on every road, issuing threats and manipulating their might to strike fear in people’s hearts. The proper course for them, if they do not wish to accept the faith and believe in God, is to wait until God has judged between the two parties: “If there be some among you who believe in the message with which I am sent, and others who do not believe, then be patient until God shall judge between us. He is the best of all judges.” (Verse 87)

This is indeed the fairest plan. Shu`ayb made every reconciliatory move and took his stand at the last position behind which he could not retreat an inch. He called on them to accept a plan of peaceful coexistence, with every party leaving the other to practise their religion and implement their faith, until God judged between the two.

Needless to say, God is the fairest of all judges. His is the judgement that shows no favouritism whatsoever.

But the tyrants do not accept that faith should have a following and that believers should form a community that rejects tyranny. The very existence of a community that submits totally to God, acknowledging no authority other than His, and implementing no code of living other than the one He has laid down represents a threat to the authority of those tyrants. Even if this community of believers should mind its own business, leaving the tyrants to God’s judgement, its existence is conceived as a threat.

Tyranny will dictate that a battle is fought with the Muslim community, even though it prefers not to engage in such a battle. It is in the nature of things that the very existence of the truth is a source of trouble to falsehood, making a battle between the two inevitable. This is how God has ordained things. Hence, the unbelievers among the people of Shu`ayb rejected his offer and insisted that no mode of peaceful coexistence was acceptable to them: “Said the great ones among his people, who gloried in their arrogance: `We shall indeed expel you, Shu`ayb, and your fellow believers from our land unless you return to our fold. “ (Verse 88) Thus, the battle was set. The believers with Shu`ayb could not avoid a confrontation, because the unbelievers refused every mode of coexistence between the two parties.

Threats and warnings cannot shake or intimidate a strong faith. Shu`ayb made his stand taking a position from which he could not budge an inch. That was the position of peaceful coexistence which would allow every individual to adopt the faith of his or her choice and submit to the authority which he or she acknowledged, awaiting God’s judgement between the two groups. No advocate of a divine faith can make even the smallest compromise beyond this point, great as the pressures to which he is exposed may be. Otherwise, he would betray the truth he advocates.

When the arrogant chiefs of his people responded to his offer by threats of expulsion from their land unless he toed their line, Shu`ayb stood up for the truth, declaring that he would not go back to the false faith after God had rescued him from it. He turned to his Lord and protector, appealing to Him for support against the advocates of evil: “He said: ‘Even though we are unwilling? We should be guilty of fabricating lies against God, if we were to return to your ways after God has saved us from them. It is not conceivable that we should return to them, unless God, our Lord, so wills. Our Lord has full knowledge of everything. In God we place our trust. Our Lord, lay open the truth between us and our people; for You are the best to lay open the truth. “(Verses 88-89)

These few words epitomize the nature of faith and its effect on the believers as well as the nature of jāhiliyyah and its hateful effects. We also see clearly how the divine truth makes the Prophet’s heart come alive: “He said. ‘Even though we are unwilling?’” (Verse 88) His attitude is one of total denunciation of their despotic threats: “We shall indeed expel you, Shu`ayb, and your fellow believers from our land unless you return to our fold.” (Verse 88) He asks them whether they are prepared to go all the way and force him and his fellow believers to return to their faith after God has saved them from it: “We should be guilty of fabricating lies against God, if we were to return to your ways after God has saved us from them.” (Verse 89)

A person given guidance by God but who reverts to false beliefs which do not require people to submit themselves totally to God and to obey Him alone makes false testimony against God and His faith. The sum of that testimony is that he could not find anything good in divine faith, so he abandoned it to readopt the creed of the tyrants. Or at least his testimony means that the tyrants’ creed also has the right to exist and exercise power, and can exist side by side with divine faith. Thus, he returns to it and recognizes it after he has believed in God. Such a testimony is far more serious than that of a person who has not experienced God’s guidance and declared his submission to God. It acknowledges as legitimate the tyrants who usurp God’s authority over human life.

Shu`ayb also denounces the tyrants’ threats to force him and his followers back into erroneous faith: “It is not conceivable that we should return to them.” (Verse 89) It is simply impossible. Shu`ayb makes this statement in the face of threats backed by the might of the tyrants. Indeed, tyranny adopts the same attitude towards every Muslim community, wherever it exists, once it declares its rejection of tyranny and submits at the same time to God alone, associating no partners with Him.

Hard as the cost of rejecting tyranny and submitting to God alone may be, it is far easier to bear than the burden of submitting to tyrants. The latter submission may appear to ensure safety, security and a life of peace where a person can work and earn his living, but its cost is too hard and long lasting. The cost is paid out of man’s very humanity, because man does not fulfil himself if he submits to another human being. What submission is worse than yielding to the laws enacted by another human being? What submission is worse than attaching one’s destiny to the will of a fellow human being and to his pleasure and capricious desire? What could be worse than a human being with a bridle by which another person leads him wherever he wishes?

But the matter does not rest at this high level of beliefs and authority. It becomes more and more mundane so as to claim, under tyranny, people’s property which will not be safeguarded by any law. It claims also their very children who are brought up to accept whatever concept, ideas, morals, traditions and customs, tyranny wishes them to adopt. In addition, tyranny imposes its control over their souls and lives, making of them an offering for its own caprice and erecting of their skulls and remains a monument for its glory. It then claims their honour. Under tyranny, no father can protect his daughter from disgrace, either by being flagrantly raped, as happens throughout history, or through implanting in her mind certain concepts that facilitate for her promiscuity under any guise and make her an easy target for unscrupulous seducers. Whoever imagines that he protects his property, honour, life and the lives of his sons and daughters under tyranny which usurps God’s authority is living in self delusion. Under tyranny people lose their sense of reality.

To submit to tyranny is to burden oneself with an extremely heavy cost in terms of personal esteem, honour and property. Whatever burden a person finds himself required to bear for submitting himself to God is far easier and more profitable even by the standards of this present world. This is not to speak of what submission to God is worth by God’s own measure.

Maulana Mawdūdī says in his scholarly work The Moral Foundation of the Islamic Movement:

Even a person with superficial insight into human life cannot fail to realize that the whole question of human well-being depends entirely on who exercises control over human affairs. A train runs only to the destination determined by its driver. All passengers can travel only to the same destination, whether they like it or not. In the same way, the train of human civilization travels to where those who exercise power dictate. It is only too apparent that humanity as a whole cannot refuse the plan imposed by those who are in obvious control of all power throughout the world. It is those who conduct human affairs, and up to whom the masses look for the achievement of their goals and ambitions. Such people have the means of shaping ideas and theories, formulating them in an appealing fashion. They can influence personal habits, control social systems and mould moral values. If such leaders are good believers who fear God and who hope to receive reward from Him on the Day of Judgement, then the whole system of life will inevitably be set on the course of goodness and proper guidance. Evil people will be easily reformed and will realize that the path charted by faith is the proper one. Every good value becomes well established and begins to yield its fruit. The least benefit of social influence is that evil will be contained if not vanquished. On the other hand, if leadership is assumed by people who have deviated from the path laid down by God and His Messenger, and followed instead their own desires, exceeded their limits and led an undisciplined life, then the whole system of life will be based on tyranny, excesses and indecencies. Corruption will creep into concepts, theories, education, morality, politics, culture, civilization, as well as business transactions, law and justice. Evil will spread unchecked...

It is clearly apparent that the first thing divine faith requires of its followers is that they serve God alone, submitting to Him totally, so that they acknowledge no authority other than His and feel themselves to be free of all subjugation. It also requires that they recognize no law in their lives other than that laid down by God Himself and communicated to us and explained by God’s Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him). Islam also requires people to ensure the eradication of all corruption and elimination of all evil practices that incur God’s displeasure. Nothing of these noble goals can be achieved while the leadership over human beings and the control over their affairs continue to be in the hands of unbelievers. In such a situation those who follow the divine faith are forced to accept the authority of those unbelievers and submit to their tyranny, staying in their own little sanctuaries where they glorify God, isolating themselves from people’s lives, benefiting by any pardon or reprieve or guarantee the tyrants may feel pleased to grant them. This shows clearly the importance of good government and how it is instrumental in the implementation of divine law.

Hence, the establishment of such good government that undertakes such a task is one of the objectives of faith. It is a fact that man cannot achieve God’s pleasure through his own actions if he is to neglect this duty. Consider, if you will, what the Qur’ān and the ĥadīth say about being always part of the Muslim community and obeying its leadership. Indeed, people expose themselves to capital punishment if they were to abandon the community of believers, even in a small way, although they may pray, fast and claim to be Muslims. This is because the true aim of faith is the establishment of a proper Islamic system and well-guided leadership. This cannot be achieved except by the unity of the community. Whoever weakens the community does Islam and Muslims a great disservice that cannot be compensated for through prayer or even through the verbal acknowledgement of God’s oneness.

Consider also the high position Islam gives to jihād, so that the Qur’ān describes as hypocrite those who are too lazy to join in a campaign of jihād. It should be remembered that jihād denotes the exertion of continuous effort for the establishment of the system of the truth. The Qur’ān considers this jihād the measure which is used to ascertain that a person is a believer. In other words, a person who believes in God and His Messenger cannot accept a system based on falsehood and cannot hesitate to sacrifice his life and property for the establishment of the truth. If a person appears to be reluctant or too weak to join in such an effort, then he lacks strength of faith. How is such a person to benefit by any of his actions?

The establishment of good government in God’s earth is of vital importance in the Islamic system. A person who believes in God and His Messenger and submits himself properly to God in accordance with the true faith does not discharge all his obligations if he concentrates his full efforts on moulding his own life in accordance with Islamic teachings. As a believer, he must utilize everything within his power to remove unbelievers, wrongdoers and transgressors from power so that it can be assumed by pious people who fear God and realize that they are going to meet Him when He will hold them to account for what they do in this life. That is the way to ensure that the proper system which God has approved will be implemented, because it is the system which sets this life on its proper course.14

As Islam calls upon people to retrieve all authority usurped by human beings in order to return it all to God, it simply calls on them to rescue their humanity and save themselves from submission to fellow creatures. When they make a positive response, they actually save their souls and their property from the designs of tyrants, that serve their desires. In so doing, Islam requires its followers to bear the full burden of fighting tyranny, under its own banner, giving all the sacrifices such a fight may require. But at the same time, it spares them having to give sacrifices that are much more costly and humiliating. It protects their dignity and ensures their own safety at the same time. Hence, the Prophet Shu`ayb [peace be upon him] makes his statement loud and clear: “We should be guilty of fabricating lies against God, if we were to return to your ways after God has saved us from them. It is not conceivable that we should return to them.” (Verse 89)

Thus Shu`ayb stands up to the arrogant chiefs of his people, making his attitude absolutely clear and with his head raised high. Yet at the same time, he hangs his head down before his Lord, declaring his submission to Him alone, recognizing that His knowledge encompasses everything in the universe. As he refers to his Lord, he makes no final statement concerning what may happen. He simply declares that he has surrendered himself completely to God: “It is not conceivable that we should return to them, unless God, our Lord, so wills. Our Lord has full knowledge of everything.” (Verse 89)

This is an indication of complete submission to God by Shu`ayb and the believers who followed him. He makes clear that he can, at his own behest, refuse what tyrants require him to do of returning to their faith. He declares that he and his followers have no desire for such a return which sounds in principle totally unacceptable. But he, nevertheless, makes no categorical statement concerning what God may do with him or his followers. God’s will is free and absolute. Neither he, nor those who have believed with him, have any knowledge of what God may decide to do with them, while their Lord has full knowledge of everything. Hence, they submit to God’s will and knowledge. This is the mark of good manners which believers are keen to demonstrate in their dealings with God.

At this point, Shu`ayb leaves his people and their threats aside, declaring that he relies totally, and with absolute confidence, on God who is certain to judge between him and his people in accordance with the truth: “In God we place our trust. Our Lord, lay open the truth between us and our people; for You are the best to lay open the truth.” (Verse 89)

These few words portray a fascinating scene when the truth of Godhead is clearly seen and properly felt by His friend and Prophet. The Prophet knows the source of all power and the secure refuge that can be found there, and he realizes that it is his Lord who can judge in truth between faith and tyranny. He places his trust completely in his Lord before he goes into the battle that is imposed on him and his followers. He realizes that he cannot win that battle unless his Lord grants him victory.

At this moment, the unbelievers turn to those who have believed with Shu`ayb to warn and threaten them, hoping to turn them away from their faith: “The great ones who disbelieved among his people said: ‘If you follow Shu`ayb, you shall indeed be losers.” (Verse 90)

The same aspects of the continually raging battle are seen very clearly. The tyrants try first with the advocates of divine faith hoping to stop them. If they stand firm, showing that they trust only in their Lord and that they are determined to fulfil their task and deliver His message, paying little heed to the warnings of unbelievers and to the power they may possess, then the tyrants turn to those who have accepted such advocacy, trying to turn them away from their faith with stern warning and serious threats. Those tyrants have no solid argument to justify their falsehood, but they have brute force. They cannot win hearts over to their jāhiliyyah, particularly the hearts of those people who have recognized the truth and no longer pay respect to falsehood. But the tyrants can still persecute those who insist on following the divine faith and submitting to God alone.

But it is a rule that God has established in human life that when truth and falsehood have adopted their respective stands and become clearly distinct, confronting each other on the basis of principle, then God’s law will come into operation. This was what took place with Shu`ayb and his people: “Thereupon an earthquake overtook them and the morning found them lying lifeless on the ground in their very homes.” (Verse 91)

The earthquake and their lying lifeless clearly contrast with their threats and arrogance and with their persecution of believers. Thus, the punishment seems to perfectly fit the arrogant attitude. The sūrah also replies to their earlier warnings to the believers that if they follow Shu`ayb, they will be losers. This was a serious threat that they intended to carry out. But the sūrah states with clear derision that it was not Shu`ayb’s followers that turned out to be losers. “As if those that rejected Shu`ayb had never prospered there. Those that rejected Shu`ayb were indeed the losers.” (Verse 92) It was only a split second and they were lying lifeless, motionless, in their homes, as if they had never lived.

The account is concluded with remonstrations and a declaration of dissociation by the Prophet sent to them. He used to be their brother, but then they parted company and, in consequence, their respective destinies were totally different. He no longer felt any sadness or sorrow for what befell them. “He turned away from them and said:

‘My people, I delivered to you my Lord’s messages and counselled you sincerely. How, then, could I grieve for people who persist in unbelief.’” (Verse 93) They belonged to two different phases, and thus they were two separate communities. Ties of family and nationhood are of no consequence in this faith and of no weight in God’s measure.

The only solid tie is that of faith. True bonds between human beings can only be established on the basis of their strong ties with God’s faith.