In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

Earlier in the sūrah God gave two examples to drive home to people an important principle of faith. Now He gives another to portray the situation of Makkah and its pagan people who denied the blessings God had bestowed on them. The example serves to make clear what destiny awaits them if they persist in their attitude. The example highlights the blessings of abundant provisions, peace and security given to the city before mentioning the good and wholesome things they prohibit themselves on the basis of their pagan myths. In fact God has made these lawful to mankind. He has clearly outlined what He has forbidden, and it does not include the matters they prohibit themselves. This is an act of ingratitude to God, giving no thanks to Him for His blessings. By adopting this attitude they lay themselves open to God’s severe punishment.

As it outlines the foul things God has forbidden to Muslims, the sūrah mentions the wholesome things God had forbidden to the Jews because of their wrongdoing.

These were not forbidden to their forefathers at the time of Abraham who was a devout servant of God. These were indeed permissible to him and his offspring.

Some were later forbidden to the Jews as a sort of punishment for their subsequent disobedience. Those who then mended their ways could receive God’s forgiveness and mercy.

Then God revealed a new message to Muĥammad as the final version of His faith.

Thus all wholesome things were made lawful again. The same applies to the restrictions of the Sabbath, the day on which the Jews are forbidden fishing and hunting. The Sabbath applies to its own people who disagreed over it. Some of them obeyed the orders and refrained from doing what God had forbidden, while others transgressed and incurred God’s punishment. They were sent to a depth far below that of human beings.

At this point the sūrah comes to its close with an order given to God’s Messenger to call on people to follow God’s guidance. He should make his call with wisdom and goodly admonition, and with argument that is kindly. He is also told to maintain the laws of justice, replying to any aggression with similar measure, knowing that patience and forbearance are even better. The final outcome is indeed in favour of the God-fearing because God is with them, showing them the way to success, supporting and taking good care of them.

God cites the case of a town living in security and ease. Its sustenance comes to it in abundance from all quarters. Yet it was ungrateful for God’s favours. Therefore, God caused it to experience the misery of hunger and fear for what its people used to do.

There had come to them a messenger from among themselves, but they denied him.

Therefore suffering overwhelmed them as they were wrongdoers. (Verses 112-113)

This case is very similar to that of Makkah where God’s sacred house was built. It was made a consecrated city where everyone could feel secure. No one was threatened, even though he might be guilty of murder. All enjoyed the security of being in the neighbourhood of God’s Inviolable House. People all around were threatened by all manner of dangers, while the people of Makkah enjoyed peace and security. Their provisions came to them easily from all over the world, carried by pilgrims or trade caravans which travelled in peace. Yet they lived in a barren valley with no cultivation or vegetation. Nevertheless, ever since the days of Abraham, they enjoyed a life of prosperity in addition to their security.

Then a Messenger came to them: a man from among them whom they knew to always tell the truth and to be exemplary in his honesty. They could find nothing wrong with his character. It was God who sent him as His Messenger, bringing mercy to them and to all mankind, preaching the same faith as that of Abraham, who built the Inviolable House of worship which ensured their security and prosperity.

But they were quick to reject his message, levelling at him all sorts of false accusations, and subjecting him and his followers to persecution.

The example cited here by God is practically identical with their own situation:

“God cites the case of a town living in security and ease. Its sustenance comes to it in abundance from all quarters. Yet it was ungrateful for God’s favours.” (Verse 112) The result of these people’s attitude is placed before their very eyes. They denied the messenger God sent them, “Therefore, God caused it to experience the misery of hunger and fear for what its people used to do.” (Verse 112) The inevitable result was that “suffering overwhelmed them as they were wrongdoers.” (Verse 113)

The Arabic text brings this image to life by enhancing the effects of the hunger and fear, making them a garment to be worn, but then they are also made to ‘taste’ or ‘experience’ these to generate a more profound effect than that of the image of contact between skin and garment. The text highlights the response of different senses to enhance the effect of experiencing hunger and fear and how this affects the unbelievers. The sūrah does this so that they may take heed and endeavour to spare themselves the same destiny which is inevitable if they persist in their wrongdoing.

In virtue of this example which highlights the blessings and the provisions given to them, and by contrast, the risks of restriction and deprivation, they are ordered to eat of the good things God has made lawful to them and to show their gratitude to Him. This is how to maintain the path of true faith, submitting totally to God alone and associating no partners with Him. It is when partners are associated with God that wholesome things are made forbidden in the name of such false deities: “So eat of all the lawful and good things God has provided for you, and be grateful to God for His favours, if it is truly Him that you worship.” (Verse 114)

Now the sūrah defines what is forbidden, listing the prohibitions in detail. The list does not include what the Arabs forbade themselves, giving these special names such as baĥīrah, sā’ibah, waşīlah and ĥām.

We note the exclusivity in the way the prohibitions are listed: “He has forbidden you only carrion, blood, the flesh of swine and anything over which any name other than God’s has been invoked.” (Verse 115) These are forbidden either because they are physically harmful, as in the case of dead animals, blood and pig meat, or because they are outrageous to faith or to mental well-being as when invoking a creature’s name at the time of slaughter. “But if anyone is driven to it by necessity, neither desiring it nor exceeding his immediate need, then God is Much- Forgiving, Merciful.” (Verse 115) This faith of Islam is made easy, involving no affliction. If someone fears to die or becomes ill as a result of hunger and thirst, he may eat something of these forbidden items. We mentioned earlier the differences among scholars as to how much one may eat in such cases. The important thing is that one must neither transgress the principle of prohibition, nor exceed the limits of necessity that override the prohibition in order to permit what is normally restricted.

These are the limits of what God has prohibited or left lawful in relation to food.

These limits must not be trespassed on the basis of pagan myths. No one can make a false claim describing as prohibited what God has permitted. Permissibility and prohibition are made by order from God, because they are part of legislation, which is the prerogative of God alone. Anyone who claims legislative authority for himself, on any basis other than God’s orders, is an inventor of untruth. Those who invent anything without God’s authority will never prosper:

Do not say — for any false thing you may utter with your tongues — that ‘This is lawful and this is forbidden’, so as to attribute your lying inventions to God. Indeed those who attribute their lying inventions to God will never be successful. Brief is their enjoyment [of this life], and grievous suffering awaits them [in the life to come].

(Verses 116-117)

This is an express order that they must not describe anything as lawful or unlawful without appropriate warrant. When they say that something is lawful and another prohibited, without a reliable statement in support, they are stating a naked lie, which they falsely attribute to God. The sūrah makes it clear that those who invent falsehood and attribute it to God will have nothing but brief enjoyment in this life. Beyond this, they will be made to experience grievous suffering.

Yet some people have the audacity to enact legislation of their own, relying on no valid text to serve as the basis of what they legislate. What is most amazing is that they still expect to prosper in this life and in the life to come as well.

Beyond this, God has made certain prohibitions applicable to the Jews. These were stated earlier in Sūrah 6, Cattle: “To those who followed the Jewish faith did Wye forbid all animals that have claws; and Wye forbade them the fat of both oxen and sheep, except that which is in their backs and entrails and what is mixed with their bones.” (6: 146) But this was a punishment to the Jews in particular. It does not apply to Muslims. Now this sūrah states: “To the Jews We have made unlawful such things as We have mentioned to you earlier. We did them no wrong, but they were the ones who persistently wronged themselves.

But indeed your Lord [grants forgiveness] to those who do evil out of ignorance, and then repent and mend their ways. After all this, your Lord is certainly Much-Forgiving, Merciful.” (Verses 118-119)

The Jews deserved that these wholesome things be made forbidden because of their transgression and disobedience of God. It was they who thus wronged themselves, while God did them no wrong. However, a person who does wrong in ignorance, without persistently disobeying God until his death, and who follows his repentance with doing good will surely enjoy God’s forgiveness. God will bestow His mercy on him. The statement here is general, so as to include the Jews who repented and anyone else who, in future, repents after committing a wrong. This applies right to the Day of Judgement.

The sūrah then mentions Abraham and states the truth about his faith. His mention is relevant to the prohibitions made specially applicable to the Jews. It is also relevant to the claims of the pagan Arabs of the Quraysh that they followed Abraham’s faith, particularly in what they prohibited for themselves, consecrating it to their false deities. The sūrah makes it clear that the message of the Prophet Muĥammad is directly related to Abraham’s faith:

In truth Abraham was a model, devoutly obedient to God, and true in faith. He was not one of those who associated partners with God. He showed his gratitude for the blessings bestowed by Him who had chosen him and guided him to a straight path. We bestowed on him good in this world; and truly, in the lift to come he will be among the righteous. And now We have inspired you with [this message]: ‘Follow the creed of Abraham, who was true in faith, and who was not one of those who associated partners with God.’ [The observance of] the Sabbath was ordained only to those who differed about him. Your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection with regard to all that on which they dispute. (Verses 120-124)

The Qur’ān describes Abraham as the perfect follower of God’s guidance, obedient to his Lord, grateful to Him. The Arabic term describing him here, ummah, means a ‘nation’ or a ‘leader’. Thus the verse may be taken to mean that Abraham was equal to a whole nation in his faith and true obedience. Or it may be understood to mean that he was a leader to be followed in all goodly matters. In commentaries on the Qur’ān, both meanings are mentioned. In fact they are not that far apart. A leader who encourages his followers to do what is good leads a whole nation and receives his own reward and a reward similar to that given to all those whom he guides. This means that he is, in his goodness and reward, like a whole nation.

Abraham is also described as being ‘devoutly obedient to God’, always seeking to be pure in his devotion, ‘and true in faith’ which means that he always sought the truth and abided by it. Since he never associated partners with God, those who do so must not claim any relationship with him, because there is no such affinity.

Abraham also showed his gratitude, by word and deed, for the blessings bestowed by Him’. He was totally unlike those pagans who denied God’s blessings verbally and showed their ingratitude by deed. They even claimed that what they enjoyed of God’s sustenance was given to them by the false deities they associated with Him.

Hence God chose Abraham and ‘guided him to a straight path.’ This is the path of faith based on God’s absolute oneness.

This is the truth about Abraham whom both the Jews and the Arab unbelievers claimed to follow. “And now We have inspired you with [this message]: ‘Follow the creed of Abraham, who was true in faith, and who was not one of those who associated partners with God.’” (Verse 123) This means a re-establishment of the faith based on God’s oneness, followed by Abraham and reiterated in the new message revealed to Muĥammad.

The restrictions of the Sabbath apply to the Jews only, who differ on its details. It was neither a part of the faith of Abraham nor sanctioned in the faith of Muĥammad who followed Abraham’s footsteps. “[The observance of] the Sabbath was ordained only to those who differed about him.” (Verse 124) Their case is left to God who knows the truth about all matters: “Your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection with regard to all that on which they dispute.”(Verse 124)

The sūrah has thus clarified what similarities may appear between the faith based on believing in God’s oneness as outlined by Abraham and perfected by Islam, God’s final message to mankind, and the deviant beliefs to which the Jews or the pagan Arabs adhered. All this is part of what the Qur’ān has been revealed to set right. The Prophet is told to continue his efforts, calling on people to follow the divine faith, but utilizing wisdom and good exhortation, and delivering his argument in a kindly manner. If his opponents go on the offensive and act aggressively, the penalty should be of the same type as the aggression, or the Prophet may choose the better way of forgiveness and patience in adversity, despite being able to exact punishment. This is sure to bring him a better outcome. He need not grieve however over those who reject God’s guidance, nor should he be afflicted by their scheming against him and his followers.

Call people to the path of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in the most kindly manner. Your Lord knows best who strays from His path and who are rightly guided. If you should punish, then let your punishment be commensurate with the wrong done to you. But to endure patiently is far better for those who are patient in adversity. Endure, then, with patience, remembering always that it is only God who helps you to be patient; and do not grieve over them, nor be distressed by their intrigues. God is indeed with those who remain God-fearing and those who do good. (Verses 125-128)

Such are the basic rules of Islamic advocacy and such are its appropriate methods.

The proper approach is being shown here to the Prophet and to all who succeed him in advocating the Islamic faith. The advocate must make it clear that he simply calls on people to follow the path outlined by God. He is not calling for any personal or national cause. He is simply discharging his duty towards his Lord. He claims no credit for himself, nor does he have a favour to curry with the message itself or with those who respond to his call and follow divine guidance. He receives his reward from God alone.

Advocacy must be undertaken with wisdom. The advocate of the divine message must take into consideration the situation and circumstances of the people whom he addresses in order to determine what he tells them on each occasion. He must not make things appear difficult to them, nor should he burden them with a long list of duties before they are so prepared. He must also consider how he should address them, and how to diversify his method of address in accordance with different circumstances. He must not let his enthusiasm carry the day so as to overlook the prerequisites of wisdom.

Together with wisdom goes goodly exhortation which addresses hearts gently, seeking to kindle good feeling and response. No unnecessary reproach or remonstration should be thrown at them. An advocate of Islam does not publicize genuine mistakes which people commit with good intention. Kindly exhortation often attracts people to follow God’s guidance, achieving good results that cannot be achieved through reproach or rebuke.

The third element in this proper approach to Islamic advocacy is to argue ‘in the most kindly manner’. This means that there should be no personal criticism or humiliation of an opponent. It is important in such an argument to make the other party realize that, as advocates of the cause of faith, we have no vain desire to win an argument or to boast about having an irrefutable case. Our aim must always be clear, namely, to arrive at the truth. Human beings have their pride, and they will not concede any point unless the argument is carried on in a kindly manner. No one likes to be defeated in argument. People often confuse their own prestige with the value of their opinion, considering that they are humiliated when they have to admit that their view is mistaken. It is only when argument is carried out kindly that people’s sensitivity can be tempered, as they realize that their own dignity is preserved. They then recognize that an advocate of Islam seeks only the truth and has no desire to press home personal advantage.

In order to help advocates of Islam restrain themselves and not allow themselves to be carried away by enthusiasm, the sūrah mentions that it is God who truly knows those who follow His guidance and those who are in error. Hence there is no need to press an argument beyond what is reasonable. Issues should be stated clearly and matters should then be left to God: “Your Lord knows best who strays from His path and who are rightly guided.” (Verse 125)

This is the proper method of advocacy as long as it remains within the realm of verbal address and stating a point. Should the advocates of Islam suffer aggression, then the whole situation changes. Aggression is an action that must be repelled with similar force in order to preserve the dignity of the truth and to ensure that falsehood does not triumph. Response to aggression, however, must not exceed the limits of repelling it. Islam is the faith of justice and moderation, peace and reconciliation. It repels any aggression launched against it or its followers, without committing any aggression against others: “If you should punish, then let your punishment be commensurate with the wrong done to you.” (Verse 126)

This is indeed part of the method of advocacy. To repel aggression within the limits of justice preserves the dignity of the Islamic message so that it suffers no humiliation. A humiliated message has no appeal for anyone. Indeed no one will accept that humiliation be suffered by a divine message. God does not permit His message to suffer humiliation without repelling it. Those who believe in God do not sit idle in the face of persecution and humiliation. They are entrusted with the task of establishing the truth in human life, maintaining justice between people, and leading mankind to the right path. How are they to fulfil their tasks when they do not reply to aggression or respond to unjust punishment?

Yet at the same time that the rule of equal punishment is established, the Qur’ān calls on believers to endure with fortitude and to forgive. This applies in situations when the believers are able to repel aggression and to eradicate evil. In such cases, forgiveness and patience are more effective and of greater value to the Islamic message. Their own personal position or prestige is of secondary importance when the interests of the message are better served by forgiveness and endurance.

However, should such forgiveness compromise the position of the message and lead to its humiliation, then the first rule of equal retaliation is preferable.

Since endurance requires resisting one’s feelings and impulses, restraining one’s emotions and maintaining control over natural reactions, the Qur’ān relates it to faith and earning God’s pleasure. It also assures the believers that it brings them good:

“But to endure patiently is far better for those who are patient in adversity. Endure, then, with patience, remembering always that it is only God who helps you to be patient.” (Verses 126-127) It is God who gives a believer the strength to be patient in adversity and to control his instinctive reactions. Seeking God’s pleasure is the one thing that restrains the impulse to retaliate and punish.

The Qur’ān encourages the Prophet, and every advocate of Islam as well, not to grieve when they see people turning their backs on God’s guidance. They have their duty to fulfil. Guiding people aright or leaving them to go astray are matters determined by God, in accordance with His laws of nature which control people’s souls and their striving to follow guidance or to turn away from it. “Do not grieve over them, nor be distressed by their intrigues.” (Verse 127) The Prophet should not be distressed when he sees such people scheme against him. God will protect him against their scheming and intrigue. He will never let them have the upper hand when he conveys his message, seeking no personal gain for himself. He may have to endure harm, but that is only to test his patience. He may feel that victory is slow in coming, but that is only to test his trust in God’s support. The ultimate outcome is known in advance: “God is indeed with those who remain God-fearing and those who do good.” (Verse 128) He who has God on his side need not worry about anyone’s scheming or intrigue.

Such is the constitution that any advocacy of God’s message should follow. It is the only way to ensure victory as promised by God. This is what God tells us, and God always tells the truth.