In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

This opening passage of the sūrah outlines the essential features of the religious groups the Muslim community faced in Madinah, with the exception of the Jews, to whom only a brief, but adequate, reference is made. They are described as the ‘satans’ or ‘evil companions’ of the hypocrites; a description that says a great deal about their qualities and the nature of their role. They are dealt with in more detail later on in the sūrah.

In delineating the features of these groups, the special characteristics of the Qur’ānic style are clearly displayed. Words are used as an artist uses lines and colours, and through them images slowly begin to take on shape and life.

At the outset, in a few words and sentences, profiles of three types of people merge, each a true representation of a group of human beings such as recurs in every day and age. Indeed, all mankind in all ages and places can be classified into these types. This is a fine example of the eloquence and power of the Qur’ānic style. In these brief and highly informative sentences and verses, pictures are brought to life with a power and focus that no lengthy or elaborate rendition could ever provide. A few rapid touches combine with the beauties of style and rhythm to supreme effect.

Following this concise and powerful introduction, the sūrah addresses all people in the world, calling on them to belong to the first category of mankind. It urges man to believe in the One God, the Creator, Sustainer and Provider, who has no equals or partners. It challenges those sceptics who doubt the truth of the Prophet Muĥammad’s message, and of the revelations he received, to come up with a single sūrah to compare with the Qur’ān. It complements the challenge with a severe warning of horrible punishment for those who reject God’s message, and a promise of everlasting bliss and happiness for those who trust and believe in God and His revelations.

The passage then responds to certain Jews and hypocrites who had questioned the use of parables in the Qur’ān, which they used as an excuse to doubt the truth and validity of Divine revelations altogether. It gives them a stern warning that they are departing from God’s path, in contrast to the believers, who are drawn closer to God and strengthened in faith. It denounces their denial of God who gives life and takes it away, the Creator who controls all and whose knowledge of things and events in this vast universe is all-embracing and comprehensive. It is God who has bestowed His grace on mankind by making the earth and all that it contains, to be under their control and for their benefit.

These are the main themes of this opening passage of the sūrah, and we shall now go on to look into them in more detail.

The sūrah opens with three Arabic letters: “Alif, lām, mīm.” (Verse 1) This is immediately followed by the statement: “This is the Book, there is no doubt about it, a guidance for the God-fearing.’’ (Verse 2)

Several sūrahs in the Qur’ān begin with a combination of Arabic letters in this way, and interpretations of these abstract openings vary quite widely. The one we tend to favour is that these are meant to emphasize the fact that the Qur’ān is a book composed of the letters of the Arabic language, in the same way as they are used by the Arabs who were the first people addressed by this divine revelation. Nevertheless, it is such an unparalleled and transcendent work that no Arab writer, using the same letters and the same language, could ever match its majesty and power. Rivals are repeatedly challenged to compose a book similar to it, or only ten sūrahs, or even a single sūrah, of matching quality. No one has ever been able to take up the challenge.

This is true for all God’s creation. Soil, for example, is made up of elements of known properties. The best man has been able to make out of soil is bricks, tiles, vessels and structures of various types and uses, which are in some cases very sophisticated. But using these same elements, God has created life, the one outstanding secret that remains far beyond man’s intellectual and creative abilities.

Similarly, the same letters and words that ordinary people, speaking the language of the Qur’ān, use to articulate expressions and convey meanings and concepts, are used by God to produce the Qur’ān as a definitive book stating the final and absolute distinction between truth and falsehood. A comparison between man’s work and the work of God is simply not possible; it is a comparison between the image and the reality, between the dead body and the living soul.

“This is the Book; there is no doubt about it.” (Verse 2) How can there be any doubt about it when the evidence for its truth and veracity is given in these very letters with which the sūrah opens? Evidence is implicit in the total inability of the Arabs to produce anything matching the Qur’ān, despite their proficiency and excellence in the use of their own language which is comprised of the same letters and words.

“This is the Book; there is no doubt about it a guidance for the God- fearing.” (Verse 2) The key word in this statement is ‘guidance’. It expresses the essence and the nature of the Qur’ān. But guidance for whom? Who are the people who will find that this Book provides them with light, direction and true counsel? They are the God-fearing.

Once a man’s heart is filled with the fear of God, he will benefit by the Qur’ān. Fear and consciousness of God is the quality that opens one’s mind to the true guidance contained in the Qur’ān and allows it to have its proper effect on one’s life. It is the factor that causes one’s heart and mind to become sensitive and receptive to God’s guidance and enables one to respond to His call and His instruction.

Anyone seeking the benefit and Godly wisdom of the Qur’ān must approach it with an open mind and a pure heart. One must also approach it with perception and sensitivity, and with a determination not to fall by the wayside or be tempted away from God. Then, and only then, will the marvels and treasures of the Qur’ān be opened and revealed, and their light and wisdom will pour into this apprehensive, alert and welcoming heart.

It is reported that `Umar ibn al-Khaţţāb, a close companion of the Prophet and his second successor, asked the learned Companion, Ubayy ibn Ka`b, about the true meaning of ‘fear of God’.

Ubayy asked `Umar, “Have you ever walked along a thorny road?” “Yes, certainly,” `Umar replied.

Ubayy asked again, “How did you manage to get through it?” `Umar replied, “I gathered up my clothes and tried my best to avoid the thorns.” “That is precisely what God-fearing is like,” said Ubayy.

Fear of God, then, is to have a sensitive conscience, clear feelings, a continuous concern, vigilance and alacrity, and a yearning for the correct path in life. It is a feeling that is ever alive, a feeling of being aware of life’s temptations and pitfalls; and the ambitions and hopes, and the worries and fears that come with it. It is a feeling of being able to discern false hopes and unwarranted fears that one associates with individuals or powers that could neither bring benefit nor cause harm. Above all, the journey of life is full of many other kinds of thorns and nettles one must be aware of and strive to avoid.

The sūrah then gives a description of those who are God-fearing. In doing so it presents the early model of believers in Madinah, which was also to be the universal one for all future generations of Muslims: “Those who believe in what lies beyond the reach of human perception, observe Prayer and give of what We bestow upon them. Those who believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you, and are certain of the Hereafter.’’ (Verses 3-4)

The most essential quality of the God-fearing believers is their conscious, active moral unity that enriches their souls with profound belief in the imperceptible, or ghayb, dedication to their religious obligations, recognition of all God’s messengers, and unshakeable certainty in the hereafter. Such are the ingredients that make the Muslim faith a complete whole and distinguishes believers from unbelievers. Such a thorough outlook is worthy of God’s final message to man, which was intended as a focus and a guide for all human endeavour on this earth. Man is called upon to adopt this message and lead a complete and wholesome life, guided by its light which shapes man’s feelings, actions, beliefs and ways of living and behaviour.

Looking more closely at each of these qualities, one discovers a number of essential values that are fundamental to human life.

“Who believe in what lies beyond the reach of human perception.” (Verse 3) The limits of human perception do not prevent believers’ souls from reaching their Creator, the omnipotent power behind the universe and all existence. Their limited natural senses do not stand in the way of their desire to reach beyond the physical world or their pursuit of the ultimate truths of life.

Belief in the imperceptible is a major threshold in human understanding, and crossing it elevates man above animals and takes him far beyond the physical world of the senses or all the devices that may extend their function. It raises human consciousness to a level where a wider and fuller world can be perceived. Such a step has far-reaching effects on man’s understanding of his own existence and the existence of everything else around him. It provides him with a totally new awareness of the realities of the interacting energies and forces that are at play in this complex world, and of the way he conceives of them. It also affects his behaviour and life on earth in general.

There is a vast difference between the thinking that is trapped within the parochial materialist world of the senses, and that which is based on the awareness of an infinite world of existence and which can, through the soul and the instinctive mind, deeply and intensely feel its energies and the forces governing it. Time and space extend far beyond what can be determined or comprehended within the short span of life. Man will come to recognize the great and ultimate truth that underpins the whole cosmos and sustains all existence, seen as well as unseen. It is the Divine Being that the human eye cannot see, nor the mind perceive.

This belief has the vital role of preserving man’s finite mental and intellectual powers and saving them from being wasted, abused or misdirected. These faculties have been bestowed on man to enable him to properly discharge his obligations as God’s vicegerent on earth. In the present life, the domain for man’s activities of procreation, construction, innovation and excellence is limited. His intellectual power needs to be strengthened and complemented by spiritual power which stems directly from God and is thereby linked to the whole of existence.

Any attempt to comprehend the world from another perspective is futile and foolish, because it resorts to the wrong tools and defies the fundamental truth that the finite cannot fathom the infinite. Man’s limited sensory and intellectual capabilities do not enable him to understand the absolute meaning of things.

This inherent human deficiency, however, in no way prevents man from believing in the imperceptible and accepting that it is the prerogative of the Divine. Man should leave these matters to God, the Omniscient, and should turn to Him for meaning, information, understanding and explanation. Recognition of this fact is the greatest prize the human mind can win, and is the first and foremost mark of the God-fearing believer.

The concept of the imperceptible is a decisive factor in distinguishing man from animals. Materialist thinking, ancient as well as modern, has tended to drag man back to an irrational existence, with no room for the spiritual, where everything is determined by sensory means alone. What is peddled as ‘progressive thought’ is no more than dismal regression. God has protected believers against such an error by describing them as those who believe in the imperceptible. For that alone they should be deeply grateful.

Those who “observe prayer,” revere and worship none but God Almighty. They never debase themselves by worshipping anyone or anything else. They turn to the real and ultimate power in this world, humbling their hearts and souls to Him alone. In this way they link up to the cause and origin of existence; their lives assume real meaning and noble purpose, transcending the crude and trivial pursuits and needs of worldly living. Their ties with God give them power over other creatures and feed their conscience with moral strength and fear of God. Prayer is an essential element in the building of a believer’s character and shaping his concepts, feelings and behaviour and in linking them directly with God.

“And give of what We bestow upon them.” (Verse 3) This implies the believers’ recognition that what they own and possess is a gift and a favour from God. It is not of their own making. Such a belief brings mercy and benevolence towards the weak and the poor, and mutual fellowship and a true spirit of brotherhood and human community among all. The outcome is to eliminate greed and fill people’s hearts with compassion and humanity, making life an opportunity for cooperation rather than an arena for conflict and confrontation. The sick, the weak and the young and helpless in society are given security, so that they feel they are living among human beings with compassionate hearts and scrupulous souls, rather than selfish beasts with nothing but claws and teeth.

This kind of benevolent spending comprises the obligatory zakāt, as well as the giving of alms, voluntary donations and all other forms of charitable offerings. The latter had been instituted in Islam long before zakāt, because they are more general and wide-ranging than zakāt, which relates to the obligatory aspect of charitable spending. Fāţimah bint Qays quotes the Prophet Muĥammad as saying: “There is a rightful claim to people’s money, other than zakāt.” [Related by al-Tirmidhī] This statement by the Prophet clearly establishes the general principle with respect to financial obligations.

“Who believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you.” (Verse 4) This is a characteristic of the Muslim community, or ummah, the rightful heir to, and custodian of, God’s message and the legacy of all prophets since the dawn of human life, and the leader of mankind. This characteristic embodies such concepts as the unity of man, the oneness of God, the unity of the divine faith and God’s messengers. It purges man’s soul of bigotry and petty fanaticism. It reassures us of God’s everlasting grace and protection which He has shown by sending successive messengers preaching one and the same faith and offering the same guidance to all mankind. It allows us to feel proud of being the recipients of God’s pure and universal guidance, which remains a bright shining star that is never extinguished, even in the darkest days of human history.

“And are certain of the Hereafter.” (Verse 4) This characteristic of the God-fearing links the present life with the life to come; the beginning with the end; deed with reward. It provokes in man the feeling that he is no mere useless being, created without a purpose and left to wither away. It comforts him by affirming that full justice is certain to come, and thus inspires man to seek to do good, with total confidence in God’s justice and mercy.

Belief in the hereafter is the point of departure between those who conceive only of the confines of the physical world and those who appreciate the limitless expanse of existence; those who believe that worldly life is the be-all and end-all, and those who see it merely as a testing arena where the ultimate reward is earned. This latter group realize that true life is there, beyond the limited confines of this earthly existence.

Each of these interrelated characteristics carries certain values for human life, and they form one harmonious entity.

Fear of God is an inner feeling, a state of mind, a source of human action and behaviour. It binds inner feeling with outer action, and brings man into constant contact with God, in private and in public. This contact extends into the deeper recesses of meaning and consciousness, penetrating barriers of knowledge and feeling, making acceptance of the belief in the unseen a plausible and natural outcome and bringing total peace and tranquillity to man’s soul.

Fear of God and belief in what is beyond human perception go hand in hand with acts of worship, in accordance with the manner prescribed by God Almighty in order to link man the servant with God the Lord and Master.

Then comes the giving of part of one’s wealth to charity, in acknowledgement of God’s favour and as an expression of human fraternity and compassion. This is followed by a broad, all-embracing fellowship with all believers in God, and acceptance of His message and all the Prophets and messengers who preached it. Finally comes an unswerving belief in the hereafter.

These qualities were true of the first Muslim community which emerged in Madinah at the time these verses were revealed. It consisted of the Muhājirūn, who had migrated from Makkah, and the Anşār, the natives of Madinah who welcomed them. Members of this model community displayed these profound characteristics of faith in their personal and public conduct. Thus they were capable of great achievements, with far-reaching effects on human life and civilization as a whole.

The passage aptly concludes with the comment: “Those follow their Lord’s guidance, and they shall surely prosper:” (Verse 5) Indeed, they adhered to God’s guidance and they were successful. For those who wish to follow in their footsteps, the route remains clearly marked.

The next human model we are presented with is that of the unbelievers. “For the unbelievers, it is alike whether you forewarn them or not, they will not accept the faith. God has sealed their hearts and ears; their eyes are covered; and a grievous punishment awaits them.” (Verses 6-7)

The contrast with the previous group is total. While God’s Book in itself is a guide for the God-fearing, no warning to the unbelievers has any effect at all. The receptivity of the believer contrasts with the unbeliever’s total unreceptivity; here the ties that bind the believer to God and the world around, and link the seen with the unseen and the overt with the covert, are completely absent. Their hearts are firmly shut and their ears can hear nothing. They are utterly incapable of receiving guidance or discovering the truth. Moreover, “their eyes are covered.” (Verse 7) They are in total darkness, with no light to guide them anywhere. All this is their just reward for ignoring God’s warnings.

The verses paint a grim and lifeless picture of these people on their way to “a grievous punishment”, which is a fitting and proper reward for obstinacy and disbelief.

We now move on to the third model. The picture that the verses paint of this type of people is neither as bright and noble as the first nor as dark and base as the second. It is an elusive, evanescent image, constantly changing. These are the hypocrites: “There are some who say: “We believe in God and the Last Day’, yet, in truth, they do not believe. They seek to deceive God and the believers, but they are only deceiving themselves, though they may not realize it. There is sickness in their hearts, and God has aggravated their sickness. Painful suffering awaits them for the lies they keep telling. When it is said to them: “Do not spread corruption in the land’, they say: “We are but doers of good.’ But, they indeed are the ones who do spread corruption, though they do not realize it. When it is said to them, ‘Believe as other people have believed’, they say, Are we to believe as the fools believe?’ It is indeed they who are fools, though they do not know it. When they meet the believers, they say, ‘We believe’, but when they are alone with their devilish allies, they say, ‘We are with you, we are only mocking.’ God will put them to derision and let them continue their transgression, blundering blindly along. These are the ones who barter away guidance for error. Their transaction is profitless and they will receive no guidance.” (Verses 8-16)

This was a description of a number of people in Madinah, but the picture can be identified in every human generation. Such people are to be found among the elite of society who lack the moral courage to either openly accept the truth or clearly reject it. They are ever assuming the moral high ground, placing themselves above all others, deriding their understanding. We should, therefore, take these verses in their absolute sense, as being descriptive of hypocrites in all generations. They indeed address the human soul which is one in all societies.

Typically, the hypocrites claim belief in God and the Last Day when they in fact entertain no such belief. They simply do not possess the resolve to declare their true feelings and convictions.

They delude themselves into thinking that they are so clever and cunning as to be able to deceive the ‘naive’ believers, but God uncovers the truth about their actions. They are trying to deceive not only believers, but God Himself: “They seek to deceive God and the believers.” (Verse 9)

This and similar Qur’ānic verses reveal a great truth and an honour that God has bestowed on believers, for they emphasize the special relationship He has with them. God always takes the believers’ side and makes their concern His concern. He protects them and stands against their enemy, and repels any attacks directed at them. This great honour elevates the status of believers among the rest of mankind, and affirms the fact that belief in God is the noblest and most honourable of all concepts in this life. It is the source of boundless reassurance to the believer that God supports his cause, nurtures him and fights on his side. The scheming and intrigue of other mortals is not to be feared.

This statement also carries a stiff warning to those who seek to deceive believers, harm them or scheme against them. It tells them that they will have to confront not only believers, but God Almighty. Waging war against believers means having to fight against God Himself and face His wrath and His retribution.

Both aspects of this fact should be appreciated and carefully considered by believers, so that they may be fully satisfied and reassured of their ultimate success. They need not be perturbed by the scheming and hostility of their detractors or the harm that these people may inflict upon them. Equally, the enemies of the believers should reflect on them, in order to appreciate the true nature and magnitude of the force they are contending with.

Going back to the verse, we find that it mocks their behaviour, pointing out that “they are only deceiving themselves, though they may not realize it.” (Verse 9) They are so oblivious of the reality of their position, and so careless, that they deceive no one but themselves. God is aware of their schemes and deception. The believers are under God’s protection. The thinking of these foolish hypocrites is so warped that they believe they have triumphed and achieved their goal, whereas in fact they have earned themselves nothing but doom and have condemned themselves to a terrible fate.

But why, we may ask, do these hypocrites resort to such behaviour? The answer is: “There is sickness in their hearts.” (Verse 10) There is something wrong with their attitude and their hearts are not pure, which causes them to deviate and incur further displeasure from God, who has “aggravated their sickness.” (Verse 10)

This type of sickness begins as a minor deviation and grows gradually, according to the established laws of human social and psychological behaviour. Predictably, such behaviour will only lead to one end, as befits those who deceive God and the believers: “Painful suffering awaits them for the lies they keep telling.” (Verse 10)

Other characteristics of the hypocrites, which were certainly evident in the case of those notorious ones encountered by the early Muslims at Madinah, such as Abdullāh ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl, is obstinacy and justification of their corrupting behaviour, together with an arrogant belief that they will escape punishment. “When it is said to them: Do not spread corruption in the land’, they say: “We are but doers of good.’ But, they indeed are the ones who do spread corruption, though they do not realize it...” (Verses 11-12) It is not sufficient for them simply to tell lies and resort to deception. They have to make false claims, adding insult to injury.

People of this type can be found in every generation. They perpetuate evil and corruption but claim to be proponents of reform and proper behaviour. Their standards of responsibility towards society and dedication to the common interest are distorted, and so is their evaluation of good and evil. Lack of faith and sincerity towards God blurs their vision of right and wrong, allowing their actions to be influenced by personal whims and desires. Their criteria of good and evil, right and wrong, are not dictated by the standards laid down by God. Therefore they are strongly and severely reprimanded: “They indeed are the ones who do spread corruption, though they do not realize it.” (Verse 12)

Hypocrites are also distinguished by their arrogance, their contempt for other people and their pretence to be what they are not. The description continues: “When it is said to them, ‘Believe as other people have believed’, they say, Are we to believe as the fools believe?’ It is indeed they who are fools, though they do not know it.” (Verse 13)

It is clear that what the hypocrites of Madinah were being called on to demonstrate was sincere, unwavering faith, free of personal desire or caprice. They were being urged to join those who accepted Islam in its totality, submitted themselves completely to God, and opened their hearts and minds to the teachings and instructions of the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him).

But it is also clear that they were too proud to accept. They thought of Islam as a religion for the meek and the poor in society, which did not become the lofty elite. This was reflected in their response. They are quoted as saying: “Are we to believe as the fools believe?” which is appropriately met by: “It is indeed they who are fools, though they do not know it.” (Verse 13) Fools are seldom aware of their predicament and are always willing to delude themselves that they are righteous and proper.

Then comes the last characteristic, which reveals the common ground that the hypocrites of Madinah shared with the grudging Jews. Their lies and deceptions are compounded by treachery and murky scheming against the Muslims: “When they meet the believers, they say, ‘We believe’, but when they are alone with their devilish allies, they say, ‘We are with you, we are only mocking.’” (Verse 14)

To some people wickedness means strength and scheming is an art; yet the opposite is true. A strong person never feels the need to resort to treachery or intrigue. The hypocrites were too cowardly to come into the open and could only adopt a two-faced attitude. With the Muslims they professed belief in order to protect themselves and have access to the Muslim community and undermine it from within, but with their allies, who were often the Jews, they would say otherwise. Their rapport was matched by their cooperation in wicked schemes.

As soon as this aspect of their conduct is revealed, God delivers the sternest warning of all: “God will put them to derision and let them continue their transgression, blundering blindly along.” (Verse 15)

What a degrading, humiliating and terrifying end: they are left wandering heedlessly, without guidance or direction, until the hand of God picks them up again, like feeble mice walking unawares into a trap. This is the true irony of their situation, which makes their mockery of the believers appear even more petty and ignoble.

Here again we are faced with the timeless truth mentioned earlier: that God always takes care to defend the believers, reassuring them and thwarting their enemy, who will blunder arrogantly in the dark, deceived by God’s temporary clemency and brief remission, towards their inevitable and dreadful fate.

Then comes a final statement to sum up: “These are the ones who barter away guidance for error. Their transaction is profitless and they will receive no guidance.” (Verse 16) They spurned the opportunity to be rightly guided, and forfeited their right to it. They are left miserable and totally lost on all counts.

We note that more space is devoted to the delineation of the character of the third group, the hypocrites, than to either of the preceding ones. This is because each of the first two types is, in a sense, simple and straightforward. The first picture shows people with clear vision and honest purpose, while the second paints those moving aimlessly, devoid of guidance. In the third picture we see those with a devious, restless, complex and sick disposition. Its delineation requires more touches and finer detail to be clearly and fully defined.

A detailed description of this third group also suggests that the role played by the hypocrites in Madinah in undermining the Muslim community during those formative years was a very serious one, and that they instigated trouble and instability in that community. It is also an indication of how far-reaching a role hypocrites can play in any Muslim community, and that there is a need to expose their activities and maleficent scheming against the Muslims.

Further examples are given to add more clarification and expose the nature of hypocrisy: “They are like one who sought to kindle a fire, and as it lit up all around him God took away their light and left them in darkness, unable to see anything. Deaf, dumb and blind, they can never return to the right path.” (Verses 17-18)

Unlike the unbelievers, the hypocrites did not turn away from divine guidance in the first instance. They did not block their ears or refuse to listen or understand. They simply elected to turn away from God’s guidance, after having considered and understood it. They sought the light and saw it, but they did not benefit from it. It was for this reason that “God took away their light and left them in darkness, unable to see anything.” (Verse 17) This is a punishment for their deliberate rejection of God’s guidance.

Man’s senses are meant to enable him to perceive and receive God’s Guidance, but the hypocrites wilfully closed off their senses, rendering themselves deaf, dumb and blind. Thus they are no longer able to see the light, nor can they find the right path again. They are lost.

Another description of their wavering and loss of direction tells us that: “Or, when there is a storm-cloud, dark, charged with thunder and lightning, they thrust their fingers in their ears at every thunder-clap, for fear of death; but God encompasses the unbelievers. The lightning all but snatches away their sight; whenever it flashes over them they walk on, but when darkness overtakes them they stand still. Should God will it, He would take away their hearing and their sight, for God has power over all things.” (Verses 19-20)

It is a fascinating scene, full of life and movement, overshadowed by confusion. It is remarkable for the sense of loss, panic and perplexity it conveys. There is light and sound, dark stormy clouds bringing heavy rain, intermittent spells of light and darkness. People walking in all directions, not knowing where to go, and stopping abruptly in terror as the light disappears, covering their ears against the piercing sound of thunder that could well-nigh kill them.

The interaction between the various dynamic elements of this awesome scene perfectly reflects the confused and perplexed state of mind of the hypocrites, their double-faced way of life and their wavering and equivocating attitude towards others. It is a vivid picture of the psychological condition of those people, eloquently expressed in the rich inimitable style of the Qur’ān.

Having clearly defined these three types of people, the sūrah goes on to address mankind as a whole with an exhortation to seek to be of the pure, constructive and honest type in order to attain happiness and prosperity. “Mankind, worship your Lord who has created you and those who lived before you, so that you may become God-fearing. He made the earth a couch for you, and the heavens a ceiling. He sent down water from the sky to bring forth fruits for your sustenance. Do not, then, knowingly set up equals to God.” (Verses 21-22)

The call is addressed to all mankind to worship God, the sole Creator of all beings. He alone is the Creator, and He alone must be worshipped. Man’s worship of God fulfils a definite purpose, namely, to make man God-fearing. It is through worship that people can attain the honourable status of believing in, and fearing none other than God. Thus, they fulfil their obligations towards the One God, Lord of the living and the dead, past and present, and the sole sustainer and provider of all that is in the heavens and the earth.

“He made the earth a couch for you.” (Verse 22) The tone here emphasizes the element of ease in human life. Planet earth has been prepared as a suitable place for living, providing comfortable shelter for man. Long familiarity, however, tends to make people take this ease and comfort for granted and to overlook the meticulous care and balance involved in providing the means to sustain human life on earth. Should only one of the elements necessary for life on this planet fail or run short, life itself would disappear or become impossibly hard.

“And the heavens a ceiling”, solid and well coordinated. Man’s life on earth is strongly linked to the skies and what they provide: heat, light, gravity, stars and planets. The forces that preserve this delicate coherence and harmony between the earth and the rest of the universe are vital to enable and sustain man’s life. It is no surprise, therefore, that this should be mentioned within the context of God’s power and grace, emphasizing man’s duty to worship and submit to Him.

“He sent down water from the sky to bring forth fruits for your sustenance.” (Verse 22) This is a recurring theme in the Qur’ān, especially in the context of reminding man of God’s power and grace. Water is the essence of all life on earth. God says elsewhere in the Qur’ān: “We have made out of water every living thing.” (21: 30) Causing plants to grow, running into rivers, forming lakes, permeating the soil to form underground reservoirs then springing out or drilled up, water remains the most vital substance for life.

Water as a phenomenon, and its role on this earth, are wonders that no one can deny or overlook. To assert God’s power and grace, it is sufficient simply to point them out as an example. Two fundamental Islamic principles emerge from this passage. The first is God’s oneness as the Creator of all beings; the other is the unity of the universe and its internal cohesion, and its fitness for man and for all life. The earth is stretched out for our ease and comfort and the skies support their marvellous systems above us, while water brings forth crops and fruits to sustain mankind. All this is by the grace of God, the sole Creator. Therefore the sūrah continues: “Do not, then, knowingly set up equals to God” (Verse 22)

Knowing that God has created us and those who came before us, and knowing that He prepared the earth for us to live on and built the skies above us, single- handedly and without a partner or helper, and provided us with water, the essence of life, how can we ever deny Him, set up equals to Him, or worship others as gods beside Him?

The concept of “setting up equals to God” which the Qur’ān frequently and strongly condemns need not necessarily refer to the worship of idols or figurines or statues, normally associated with pagan religious practice and observed by the Arab idolaters. It could very well take other forms, some of which are very subtle indeed. To pin one’s hopes on anyone other than God, to fear someone other than Him, to believe that others can bring fortune or cause harm, are all infringements of monotheistic belief and, therefore, forms of idolatry or, to use Islamic terminology, shirk.

The Prophet’s learned companion, `Abdullāh ibn `Abbās, said: “Setting up equals to God is a subtle form of idolatry, or shirk. It is more subtle than an ant stealthily walking on a smooth black surface in the thick of darkness. It is when someone swears by something other than the name of God or believes that dogs or ducks keep the thief away. It is when someone says, ‘By the will of God and the will of man’ or, ‘Were it not for God and you...’“ It is also reported that a man once came up to the Prophet and said: “Whatever you and God will.” The Prophet replied: “Do you take me as an equal to God?” The early Muslims were extremely sensitive and alert to these subtle forms of idolatry. We today have to reflect on our own attitude towards this matter and determine how true and faithful we are to the pure and fundamental principle of God’s oneness.

The Jews of Madinah used to raise doubts about the truth of the Prophet Muĥammad’s message, while the hypocrites, like the pagan Arabs of Makkah, were sceptical and called it into question. Therefore we find the Qur’ān challenging them all, as indeed it challenges mankind in general, saying: “If you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce one sūrah comparable to it and call upon all your witnesses, other than God, if what you say is true.” (Verse 23)

The challenge starts off with emphasizing an important fact by describing the Prophet Muĥammad as God’s ‘servant’. This description is significant in a number of ways: it is, first, an honour to the Prophet himself and an indication that to be a ‘servant’ of God is the highest honour a human being can attain. Second, it affirms the essence of servitude to God in the universal human context, calling on all men to submit only to God and renounce all partners that may be associated with Him. The Prophet Muĥammad, who attained the highest position of honour as a recipient of divine revelations, is also honoured by being described as a servant of God.

The challenge is also related to the opening of this sūrah, which points out that the Qur’ān was composed of the very same letters the Arabs were familiar with in their language. If they were in any doubt as to its truth or veracity, they were free to produce anything, even one sūrah, comparable to it, and they could call any witnesses they wished to testify in their favour. The Prophet’s claim had already been supported by God.

This challenge remained open throughout the Prophet’s life, and has done so ever since. The Qur’ānic argument stands just as firmly today as it has through the centuries. The Qur’ān remains today the unique work it was on the first day it was revealed, clearly distinguished from anything men can ever produce. Thus, God’s words, and His warning, remain true: “But if you fail, as you will certainly do, then guard yourselves against the fire, fuelled by men and stones, prepared for the unbelievers.” (Verse 24)

It is a remarkable challenge indeed, but what is even more remarkable is the absolute certainty with which it is made. Were any of the unbelieving Arabs able to take up the challenge, they would not have hesitated for a moment. The Qur’ānic assertion of the futility of their task, and the endurance of that assertion, are in themselves manifest and irrefutable proof of its superior nature.

The opportunity remains wide open for anyone or any group to pick up the gauntlet and try their best to match the Qur’ān and refute its claims of divinity and superiority. But this has not happened and, as the Qur’ān clearly states, will never happen. That is the Qur’ān’s final word for posterity.

Anyone with any real knowledge or appreciation of literary styles, or expertise in philosophy, psychology, social science, or any other science at all, will not fail to recognize that whatever the Qur’ān has to say in any field of knowledge is something unique, unlike anything human beings would say. Argument over this fact can only arise from blind ignorance or sheer prejudice.

The stern warning to “guard yourselves against the fire, fuelled by men and stones” should, therefore, come as no surprise to those who may fail in their challenge to God but persist, nevertheless, with their rejection of the truth.

The use of the word ‘stones’ here is intriguing. This fire is prepared for the unbelievers, described earlier in the sūrah as those whom “God has sealed their hearts and ears” and whose ‘eyes are covered.” (Verse 7) They are the ones who have failed to take up God’s challenge, and persisted, nevertheless, in their rejection of His message. They are effectively stone-like, although they have a human form. Hence the connection between humans and stones in this verse. The expression amply conveys the horror of the awesome scene in which people and stones are consumed by fire.

In total contrast, we are given the scene of bliss which awaits the believers: “To those who believe and do good deeds give the good tidings that they shall reside in gardens through which running waters flow. Whenever they are offered fruits therefrom, they say, ‘We have been given the same before’, for they shall be provided with what looks similar. They shall also have pure spouses and they shall reside there for ever.” (Verse 25)

The interesting aspect of this life of eternal bliss, besides the chaste, pure spouses, is the similar types of fruit offered to the believers, which they somehow feel they were given previously, either in this world or in heaven. This apparent similarity seems to introduce an element of recurring surprise; every time the fruits are found to be different, adding to an atmosphere already filled with pleasure, abundance and enjoyment.

The combination of apparent similarity and difference of essence is a phenomenon clearly discernible in God’s creation, indicating, for one thing, that the world we know is much greater than it seems to us. Take man as an example. Overall, people look the same and possess the same limbs and organs, with essentially the same physical, biological and chemical constitution. But how far does this similarity go? How different can people be in their habits and aptitudes? For, despite the striking physical similarity, such differences can be vast indeed.

Variety and diversity in God’s creation can be great indeed. There is variety in living species and in human races; there is diversity in shapes and features, as well as qualities and characteristics. Yet, this vast, multitudinous, diversified and inexhaustible universe goes back to a basic single cell which is made up of the same constituent parts.

Who, with all these manifest marvels and astounding proofs of God’s power and omnipotence, dare reject God and fail to submit to Him alone in total awe and reverence?

At this point the sūrah speaks of the Qur’ānic use of parables: “God does not disdain to give a parable of a gnat, or a higher creature. Those who believe know that it is the truth from their Lord, while the unbelievers ask, ‘What could God mean by such a parable?’ In this way, God lets many go astray and gives guidance to many others, but none does He leave to go astray except the evildoers, who violate God’s covenant after having accepted it, and cut asunder what He has ordered to be joined, and spread corruption in the land. They are the losers.” (Verses 26-27)

Earlier in the sūrah, the hypocrites were shown in derogatory situations. They also realized that the Qur’ān uses parables referring to insignificant creatures. One of these compares unbelievers to spiders: “Those who take beings other than God for their protectors are like a spider which makes for itself a house. The frailest of all houses is the spider’s house. Could they only understand.” (29: 41) Similarly the Qur’ān cites a parable showing the powerlessness of their false deities: “Mankind/ An aphorism is set forth; hearken, then, to it. Those beings whom you invoke instead of God cannot create a fly, even though they were to join all their forces to that end. If a fly robs them of anything, they cannot rescue it from him! Weak indeed is the seeker, and weak the sought!” (22: 73)

This passage suggests that the hypocrites in Madinah, and probably the Jews and the polytheists, were, in their clumsy and confused campaign against Islam, trying to exploit such use of parables to raise doubts about the Qur’ān’s divine origins, claiming that God would not speak about such insignificant creatures as spiders and flies. They thus hoped to undermine the authority and authenticity of the Qur’ān.

These verses serve to refute that argument and explain the wisdom underlying the use of such parables, while warning unbelievers against taking up such a line of argument and reassuring believers that they will strengthen their faith.

“God does not disdain to give a parable of a gnat, or a higher creature.” (Verse 26) God is the Lord of all creatures, big and small. Every single creature, regardless of shape or size, is a marvel to behold, embodying the greatest secret of life, which is known only to God. Besides, parables are used to explain and illustrate concepts and ideas, and the size or shape of their subjects is irrelevant; in no case should they be slighted or scoffed at. Moreover, God, in His infinite wisdom, makes use of such parables to assess and test people’s faith. “Those who believe know that it is the truth from their Lord...” (Verse 26)

Since they believe in God, they accept what He sends with the reverence that is due to Him and with respect for His wisdom, which they do not question. The faith He bestowed upon them enlightens believers’ hearts, enhances their spirits, opens their minds, brings them closer to God and makes them more sensitive and receptive to what they receive from Him.

“While the unbelievers ask, ‘What could God mean by such a parable?’” (Verse 26) Apart from being an impertinent and inappropriate question, this reveals the unbelievers’ ignorance and their exclusion from God’s light and guidance. They have no reverence for God and no trust in His revelations.

Accordingly, the answer comes in the form of a swift warning: “In this way, God lets many go astray and gives guidance to many others, but none does He leave to go astray except the evildoers.” (Verse 26)

God tests people in various ways and with varying degrees of difficulty and rigour, but the effect is not the same. Ordeals and tribulations can only bring a believer much closer to God and enhance his God-fearing sense and his submission to Him, while they will shake and confound an unbeliever or a hypocrite. It is the same with prosperity and good fortune. A believer will become more conscious of, and thankful to God, while an unbeliever or a hypocrite will grow more arrogant, inconsiderate and irresponsible.

Thus parables are used by God to test people’s faith, so that “In this way, God lets many go astray and gives guidance to many others, but none does He leave to go astray except the evildoers.” (Verse 26) In consequence of their attitudes and actions, the evildoers are given even more freedom to pursue the route they have chosen for themselves.

We have not completely departed from the subject of the beginning of the sūrah: the presentation of the main types of people found in every human society. So the text turns to speak in more detail of the “evildoers”. They are those “who violate God’s covenant after having accepted it, and cut asunder what He has ordered to be joined, and spread corruption in the land. They are the losers.” (Verse 27)

The text speaks in very general terms, without specifying the ‘covenant’ or the thing they cut asunder, or the type of ‘corruption’ they spread. Priority is given to defining the overall profile of this type of people rather than recording any particular incidents or examples. They have lost God’s trust, severed all the ties He commanded to be maintained, and they are capable of perpetrating every kind of corruption or evil. These are people condemned to confusion and loss of guidance; their basic human nature has been corrupted and perverted. They are like a prematurely picked fruit that has rotted and withered away. Their minds and outlook on life are totally distorted, so that whatever gives believers guidance and direction only confounds them and sends them further towards ruin and damnation.

Here, we may care to reflect briefly on the destructive effect of the activities of this type of people, as represented by the Jews, the hypocrites and the idolaters, on the young Muslim community of Madinah; and on subsequent Muslim societies everywhere, although under different guises and names.

Those “who violate God’s covenant after having accepted it”. (Verse 27) The ‘covenant’ is in fact several covenants, the fundamental one being man’s obligation to acknowledge his Creator and turn to Him in worship and submission. Belief in God is a basic human need that must be fulfilled; but it can be abused and misdirected, so that a person sets up partners or equals to God and turns to them.

There is the covenant made with Adam on behalf of all mankind, establishing man’s role on earth and defining his rights and obligations, as we shall discuss presently.

There are numerous covenants and agreements, conveyed through Prophets and Messengers at different stages of human history, with various communities and human groups, committing them to the belief in the One God and implementation in their daily life of His laws and teachings. Evildoers, throughout history, have violated these covenants, and once they renege on their basic and fundamental obligations towards God, there is nothing to deter them from violating laws and norms of every kind, thereby wreaking havoc and destruction on all forms of life.

“And cut asunder what He has ordered to be joined.” (Verse 27) Such ties are also numerous, and include family ties between kindred and relations as well as humanitarian ties within the larger human family. First and foremost, God has enjoined the maintenance of man’s relationship with God and his fellow believers, which underpins all other ties and relationships. When these ties are broken or dissolved, societies fall apart and chaos and corruption run rampant.

“And [they] spread corruption in the land”. (Verse 27) This corruption also takes numerous forms and manifestations, but it stems from one major evil: deviation from God’s word and violation of His covenant, severing the ties and relations He has commanded to be maintained. The root of all evil and corruption on earth is deviation from God’s laws which He has laid down for the conduct and organization of human life. This is a departure that will surely lead to ruin and destruction.

Human life cannot be built on sound and healthy foundations as long as God’s laws, commands and teachings are discarded or ignored or given second place. Once this vital bond between God and man is broken, human and natural destruction becomes inevitable. Therefore, those who advocate such deviation from God’s path and perpetrate corruption and ungodliness deserve to be left to stray and to be utterly confounded. Their confusion is caused by the same thing that provides guidance to those who are God-fearing.

The sūrah then addresses all mankind, denouncing their disbelief in God who gives life and takes it away, and who provides for all and has full control over the whole universe: “How can you reject God who has given you life after you were dead? He will cause you to die again then He will bring you back to life. To Him you shall return. It is He who created for you all that is on earth. He then turned to heaven and fashioned it into seven heavens. He has knowledge of all things.” (Verses 28-29)

Denial or rejection of God after seeing all these manifest signs is certainly despicable and utterly unjustifiable. The Qur’ān here faces mankind directly with facts they cannot deny or question. It refers to their life and the phases of human existence. God brought man out of a state of death and gave him life. This transformation is a fact that cannot be ignored or denied, and can only be explained by acknowledging the creative power of God. Life is not an illusion, but how has it come about? Who has initiated this unique phenomenon we call life, which distinguishes the living from the dead in this world? Life represents an extraordinary dimension that is the complete antithesis of death, but where does it originate?

It is a question that has to be faced and answered in a way that will satisfy man’s curiosity and put his heart and mind at rest. It is simply not enough to dismiss it or attribute life to anything other than a creative power that is itself totally different from creation. The immediate answer to this question is that life comes from God. Let those who dispute this come up with another answer.

The verse questions man’s denial of, and disbelief in, God “who has given you life after you were dead”. (Verse 28) How impertinent of man to reject God, the origin and the cause of life. It affirms that God “will cause you to die again”, a fact that is beyond dispute and of which we are constantly reminded. It adds that “[He] will bring you back to life’’, which has been, and still is today, a matter for endless argument and debate. Yet, if people would only reflect on how man came to be in the first instance, there would be no reason for bewilderment or rejection of life after death.

“And to Him you shall return.” (Verse 28) As it was from Him you have come, to Him you shall return, in total fulfilment of His will and purpose.

Thus, in one short verse, the whole book of life is opened and. closed. The whole story of man’s existence on this earth is reviewed. It begins, by the will of God, with a state of death and ends with death, after which God will restore life again, and the ultimate return thereafter shall be to Him from whom life originated. In this brief picture, we can visualize God’s awesome power and appreciate its deep impact on our hearts and minds.

This is complemented by another powerful affirmation: “It is He who created for you all that is on earth. He then turned to heaven and fashioned it into seven heavens. He has knowledge of all things.” (Verse 29)

Commentators and scholars have spoken at length about the origin and creation of the heavens and the earth. They have spoken about the order in which various parts of the universe were created. They have delved deep into the possible ways in which God could have ‘turned’ to heaven and ‘fashioned’ it. However, they overlook the fact that such dimensions of time and space are meaningless in relation to God. These are linguistic terms used to bring infinite concepts into the sphere of our finite minds. Endless disputes have periodically erupted among Muslim scholars about these and similar terms, over many centuries. These are part of the unfortunate legacy of Greek philosophy and Jewish and Christian theological and scholastic arguments that had crept into Arabic and Islamic thought and theology. Today, we would be better advised to avoid engaging in such futile debates, which can only mar the clarity of faith and destroy the beauty of the Qur’ān.

We should, therefore, look for those facts, ideas and concepts that lie beyond these Qur’ānic expressions and relate to the creation of all that is on the earth for the benefit of man. Let us look into the purpose of human existence and man’s great role on this earth, and its value in the sight of God. What value does Islam attach to human beings, and what role does it assign to them in the social system?

“It is He who created for you all that is on earth.” (Verse 29) The key words in this sentence are “for you”. They explicitly assert that God created man for a momentous and important purpose, placing him in charge of the earth’s affairs: to own it and to play an effective part in it.

Man is the master of this expansive earthly realm, and his role in its development and well-being is the most crucial of all. Man is the master on earth, and he is the master of the tools that are available to him on it. He cannot become a slave to these tools, as he is perceived to be by modern materialistic thinking. Nor is he subservient to, or dependent on, the changes or developments brought about by technology and their influence on human relations and societies, as materialists today would have us believe. Such thinking belittles man’s role, lowers his status in the world, and renders him inferior to machines instead of being their master.

No material value should ever supersede human values, or subjugate or dominate man. Any cause that aims to depreciate man’s worth is anti-human, no matter how much material advantage it achieves. Man’s dignity and integrity override all material values and ideals, which are of secondary importance.

The grace and honour implied in these verses, of which God reminds mankind, even while He denounces their rejection of Him, are not only reflected in the fact that He has provided them with all that is on earth, but also that He has appointed man its master and set him above everything else on it. This honour is represented by the fact that man has been delegated by God to rule over the earth. “He then turned to heaven and fashioned it into seven heavens.” (Verse 29) This can only be interpreted in the sense that God has total control over everything, and with Him rests the will and decision of creating and shaping things.§ There is no need to dwell on the precise meaning, shape or dimensions of the ‘seven heavens’ referred to here. It is sufficient to point out the overall import of the text as outlined above.

“He has knowledge of all things.” (Verse 29) He is the Creator of everything and has control over all things. God’s omniscience and omnipotence are strong incentives for man to believe in Him, acknowledge His favours and worship Him alone.

This brings us to the end of the first section of the sūrah, which has focused mainly on belief in God and on urging mankind to join the ranks of God-fearing believers.