In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

As the Qur’ān was being revealed, it undertook the process of establishing a new nation out of a great many scattered groups each steeped in their little corners of ignorance. After Islam remoulded their characters, the Muslims were led by the hand to a much higher human standard. They were then assigned their great role as the leaders of mankind. In this way, Islam set a completely new moral standard for its followers, one based on a clear conscience and a pure social set-up.

Once the new Muslim community had attained this standard, its superiority over the rest of mankind in personal and social morality was equal to its superiority in ideological concepts. The Muslim community was then able to accomplish, by God’s will, what He had determined for it, and to assume its role as custodian of the Divine system. It, thus, became a guide for mankind bringing them out of darkness into light, and providing them with an honest and caring leadership.

Superiority of moral standards makes a nation naturally fit for the role of leadership. It provides the right foundation enabling that nation to achieve a higher standard of civilisation and scientific advancement and to formulate a better economic and political system. Superiority in these matters comes as a natural result of superior beliefs and moral values. This is part of God’s natural law which applies to individuals and communities alike.

Part of this conscience purification process on individual and social levels is represented by the two opening verses in the present passage: “God does not love evil to be spoken openly unless it be by someone who has been truly wronged. God hears all and knows all. Whether you do good openly or in private, or pardon others for evil (done against you), God indeed absolves sin and He is Powerful.” (Verses 148-149)

By virtue of its sensitivity, society needs to establish a proper standard of social morality. A word said unwittingly and a rumour intended against only one person may have highly detrimental effects on society as a whole, its traditions, and values.

Unless checked by conscience and by the quality common to believers, namely, fear of God, it is very easy to use evil language, which inevitably leaves profoundly harmful effects on society. It often destroys mutual confidence among people, giving a general impression that evil has become commonplace. It also encourages those with evil tendencies to bring them out into the open. Since they are not the first to start evil, it already being widespread, they need not worry about any reaction.

Moreover, familiarity removes the initial shock effect of evil. People tend not to express their disgust at hearing evil words, or indeed, seeing evil acts, when these become widespread. No one will try to change an evil when it becomes commonplace.

Additionally, those who are accused of evil and around whom false rumours are spread actually suffer injustice. This is a direct result of the evil language being used.

Innocent people are grouped together with those who are guilty, accusations fly around, psychological and social considerations, which restrain people from using foul language and prevent evil action, become ineffective.

The fact is that the use of evil words starts in the form of individual accusations, but it leads to social corruption and moral chaos. No individual or group of people are given their due credit and people have no confidence in each other, when baseless accusations circulate and scruples are totally disregarded. For these reasons, God does not like the Muslim community to allow evil words to become common parlance. The only exemption in this regard is given to the one who suffers injustice.

He is allowed to repel this with a foul word with which he describes the person who has wronged him, within the context of what he has suffered: “God does not love evil to be spoken openly unless it be by someone who has been truly wronged.” (Verse 148)

In this case, speaking ill of someone, including using language which may be libellous, is no more than an attempt to remove the injustice and retaliation against some wrong that has been done to a particular person. It is no more than a denunciation of injustice and the wrongdoer, which allows the community to punish the latter and restore justice. This works as a deterrent against this sort of action so that it is not repeated either by the same person or others. It should be pointed out here, that those evil words which are allowed to be spoken openly originate with a particular person, who has been wronged, for a particular reason, and are levelled at one person in particular, the wrongdoer. The end purpose justifies the exemption given in this verse, namely, to restore justice to a person who has been wronged. To be sure, Islam does not allow libel in any form. It protects people’s reputation and integrity as long as they do not wrong others. If they do so, however, they relinquish their rights of protection.

By enabling this exemption, Islam maintains a balance between its two desires, to maintain a high standard of justice which admits no breach and a standard of morality which allows no violation of personal or social propriety. Commenting on the prohibition and the exemption, the Qur’ān states: “God hears all and knows all.” (Verse 148) The conclusion relates the whole matter to God’s law, after it has been given at the outset within the context of what God loves and what He dislikes: “God does not love evil to be spoken openly.” The comment at the end of the verse emphasises that judgement of motive and intention, as well as the truth of the words uttered and the accusation so expressed is made by God who hears whatever is said and knows what is in people’s hearts. The sūrah does not stop at giving an order not to speak evil openly; it encourages the positive aspect of doing good generally and pardoning others for any error. It reminds people that God Himself is Much- Forgiving, Most Lenient, when He is able to punish offenders. This reminder also serves as an incentive to believers to follow, within the limits of their ability, God’s example in dealing with people: “Whether you do good openly or in private, or pardon others for evil (done against you), God indeed absolves sin and He is Powerful.” (Verse 149)

Here, Islam takes its followers, individuals and communities, up through another stage of their educational process, all the while refining their characters. In the first stage, it spoke to them about God’s dislike of evil being spoken openly. It provided a concession to someone subjected to injustice to speak against the person who had wronged him, this so as to remove that wrong. In this second stage, it raises them all to the level of doing good. As for the individual who has been wronged, he is encouraged to freely pardon and forgive, even though he is legitimately able to retaliate in order to remove the injustice.

Needless to say, such forgiveness is higher and more becoming of believers than retaliation. All this helps the spread of good in the Muslim community if it is done openly. If it is done in secret, it helps keep hearts and souls pure. Good is beneficial when done in public or in private. When forgiveness becomes commonplace, little room is left for evil words said in public. The only condition is that forgiveness be granted even when one feels able to retaliate. We forgive because we like to be forgiven by God who, though, able to punish us, pardons us: “God indeed absolves sin and He is Powerful.” (Verse 149)

The sūrah then moves on to speak about those people who received revelations from God prior to the advent of Islam. It then speaks about the Jews in particular and, at a later stage, about the Christians. It is well known that the Jews speak openly in evil terms about Mary and Jesus. They have no basis whatsoever for what they say against them. It is all their own fabrication. Their evil accusations are mentioned in this passage which links it to the two preceding verses in which God orders believers not to speak evil openly. The whole passage is part of the campaign conducted by the Qur’ān against the enemies of the Muslim community in Madinah. Similar parts of this campaign were given in this sūrah and the two preceding it. We will now discuss this campaign as it unfolds in this sūrah.

Those who deny God and His messengers, and want to make a distinction between [belief in] God and [belief in] His messengers, and say: “We believe in some but we deny others”, and want to pursue a path in-between those, in truth, are unbelievers.

We have prepared for unbelievers humiliating suffering. As for those who believe in God and His messengers and make no distinction between any of them — to them He will give their reward. God is indeed Much-Forgiving, Merciful. (Verses 150-152)

The Jews claimed that they believed in their prophets, but they denied the messages of Jesus and Muĥammad (peace be upon them). The Christians, on the other hand, believed in earlier prophets but stopped at Jesus, though they gave him a Divine nature. They, however, also denied the message of Muĥammad (peace be upon him). The Qur’ān denounces both groups, and explains that the proper and comprehensive concept of faith is based on believing in God and His Messenger, making no distinction between God on the one hand and His messengers on the other, or between the messengers themselves. Embracing such a wide view, Islam is then the only religion acceptable to God, because it emphasises the oneness of God and its practical effects on people’s lives and beliefs.

Believing in the absolute unity of God necessitates that we believe that the religion His messengers preached to mankind is also a single faith, and that His messengers who have been entrusted with conveying it to mankind belong to one group. Any denial of the unity of messengers or that the message itself is a single message, is a denial of the oneness of God and a misconception of what His oneness means. The religion and the code God has given to mankind come from the same source and share the same basis and essence. For this reason, those who wish to make a distinction between God and His messengers so that they profess to believe in God and deny His messengers and those who want to make a distinction between some messengers and others, believing in the former and denying the latter, are described as ones “who deny God and His messengers”. The two distinctions they want to draw represent a denial of them all.

Faith is one complete whole that cannot be divided into parts. To believe in God means to accept that He is One, which, by necessity, means that the religion and the constitution which He has devised to serve as a basis on which all human life is built is also a single religion. It implies that the messengers who have preached this religion in accordance with God’s will and His revelations are also a single unity.

Attitudes to them all must be the same. Only through absolute disbelief can this unity be dismantled, although people may claim that they believe in some messengers and deny others. The only reward for them is that God has prepared humiliating suffering for them all: “Those, in truth, are unbelievers. We have prepared for unbelievers humiliating suffering.” (Verse 151)

Muslims, on the other hand, are those whose ideological concepts require them to believe in God and all His messengers without any distinction. All messengers are highly respected by them, and all Divine faiths are true, unless distortion has crept into them. In this case, they are no longer Divine, in spite of the fact that parts of them may be still maintained in their original forms. Faith is a single unity derived from the fact that there is only one God. It is He who has devised for human beings a single faith and a single system and He who has sent His messengers to explain them to people. To a Muslim, the procession of believers is ever-continuing, led by Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muĥammad and all the other messengers, (peace be upon them all). Their own affiliation to this procession is very genuine indeed, since they are the custodians of this great task and the heirs to an ever- continuing blessing.

There can be no distinction, no isolation and no splitting asunder. True faith is a complete whole. They alone have inherited the religion of the truth, beyond which lie only falsehood and error. This is the definition of the religion of Islam, which is the only faith acceptable to God. Such are the Muslims who deserve to be rewarded by God for their deeds, and deserve to be forgiven for what they may have omitted: “To them, He will give their reward. God is indeed Much-Forgiving, Merciful.’’ (Verse 152)

Islam takes such a strict view on the question of the unity of faith in God and His messengers because it is the proper foundation on which a believer builds his concept of his Lord, and the well regulated universe where no clash or conflict takes place. It is the faith worthy of a man who recognises the same law of creation throughout the universe and which groups the believers together in one rank opposed to all groups of unbelievers. That rank, however, does not admit those who have distorted faiths, though they may have Divine origins. It admits only those who advocate the proper, pure, undistorted faith.

On this basis, Islam is the only true faith and the Muslims are “the best community ever raised for mankind”. This description, however, applies only to those Muslims who have a proper and pure faith which they implement. It does not apply to everyone born into a Muslim family or to anyone who just pays lip-service to Islam.

In this light, those who try to draw a distinction between God and His messengers, or between some messengers and others appear to stand far away from the rank of believers. They seem to try to break the unity brought about by God and seem to deny the concept of Oneness upon which belief in God is founded.

Having established this basic principle of Islamic faith with regard to the truth of faith and unfaith, God’s messengers and their messages, the sūrah now refers to the attitudes adopted by the Jews on a number of occasions and how they openly spoke evil. It denounces their attitude towards the Prophet and his message, particularly their pigheaded demands asking him to provide them with signs and evidence proving his message. It compares this attitude to the one they adopted towards their own messenger, Moses (peace be upon him), and to their attitude towards Jesus (peace be upon him) and his mother, Mary. Their stance reveals that the Jews have always had the same nature over many generations. The Qur’ān speaks of the Jewish generation which opposed the Prophet and that which opposed Jesus and the one which opposed Moses in the past as one group, in this way emphasising the fact that they all shared the same nature.

The people of earlier revelations ask you to have a book sent down to them from heaven. They asked Moses for something even greater than that, when they said:

`Make us see God with our own eyes.” The thunderbolt smote them for this their wrongdoing. After that, they took to worshipping the calf even after clear evidence of the truth had come to them. Yet We pardoned them that, and We gave Moses clear authority. We raised Mount Sinai high above them in witness of their solemn pledge.

And We said to them: `Enter the gate, prostrating yourselves”; and We also told them:

`Do not break the Sabbath-law”; and We received from them a most solemn pledge.

(Verses 153-154)

The Jews living in the Arabian Peninsula took an openly hostile and rigid attitude towards Islam and the Prophet. They continuously schemed against Islam to try to bring about its downfall. Their attitude and scheming have been described in detail in the Qur’ān. We have also discussed certain aspects of it in Volumes I and II as also earlier in this volume. Now we have an explanation of other aspects of this attitude.

Adopting an overbearing manner, they demanded of the Prophet that he should bring them a written book sent down from heaven which they could touch with their own hands: “The people of earlier revelations ask you to have a book sent down to them from heaven.” (Verse 153)

God gives the answer on behalf of His Messenger, relating to him and to the Muslim community a chapter of Jewish history with their own Prophet, leader, and saviour, Moses, in whom they claimed to believe while denying the messages of Jesus and Muĥammad (peace be upon them all). This arrogance, then is not new. It was not characteristic only of that generation of Jews. Ever since the time of Moses, they have demonstrated their insensitivity, which has restricted their understanding to the material world only, and their stubbornness which has shown that they do not yield to the truth except under pressure. They have always been treacherous, breaking their covenants not only with people but also with their Lord. They are rude and impudent: they do not verify what is being said. Nor do they refrain from using evil words. They are always greedy, trying to lay their hands on other people’s property though they may have no rightful claim to it. They turn their backs on God and the reward He has in store for believers.

What we have here, then, is a campaign revealing the true nature of the Jews and their attitudes. The fact that it tackles in such a powerful way so many different aspects shows us just what the situation in Madinah at the time of the Prophet really was like. The same sort of wicked scheming is still going on against Islam and the Muslims to this day.

“The people of earlier revelations ask you to have a book sent down to them from heaven.” You need not worry about this rigidity in which there is nothing new: “They asked Moses for something even greater than that, when they said: Make us see God with our own eyes.’” The clear evidence and clear signs God has given them through Moses, their Prophet, were not enough to touch their hearts and open their minds or to lead them to belief and submission. They wanted to see God directly, with their own eyes. This was a demand characterised by rudeness which could not have come from a person who knows or feels what faith means. Therefore, “the thunderbolt smote them for their wrongdoing”. (Verse 153) God, however, pardoned them, this in answer to the prayers of Moses who appealed to God to forgive them. This is explained in another sūrah:

“When violent trembling seized them, he (Moses) prayed: My Lord, had You so willed, You would have destroyed them before this, and me with them. Will You destroy us for what the weak-minded among us have done? All this is but a trial from You, whereby You allow to go astray whom You will and guide aright whom You will. You are Our Master: grant us then, forgiveness and have mercy on us. You are the best of all forgivers.” (7: 155)

“After that, they took to worshipping the calf even after clear evidence of the truth had come to them.” The reference here is to the golden calf, made for them by the Sāmirī using the jewellery taken by trickery from Egyptian women as they left Egypt. They immediately took to worshipping that calf when Moses was called away from them, staying at a place appointed to him by His Lord where He gave him the tablets containing guidance for his people.

“Yet We pardoned them that.” But the Jews are always the same. They succumb by force only. “And We gave Moses clear authority.” (Verse 153) That authority is most probably the laws contained in the tablets. A law given by God provides direct authority from Him. God does not sanction any law other than that. It has no real effect on people’s hearts. Consequently, people do not show proper respect to laws and regulations that they themselves issue or promulgate. These are only heeded when people fear being caught when they break them. God’s laws, on the other hand, enjoy genuine respect and people observe them willingly.

We raised Mount Sinai high above them in witness of their solemn pledge. And We said to them: `Enter the gate, prostrating yourselves”; and We also told them: “Do not break the Sabbath-law”; and We received Pam them a most solemn pledge. (Verse 154) Because their hearts had not been truly influenced by faith, the Jews refused to submit to what was written on the tablets. Hence, they were brought into submission by the sort of physical force suited to their insensitive nature. They beheld the mountain raised above their heads, threatening to fall down any moment and destroy them all unless they surrendered and pledged to observe the covenant God made with them and to carry out their duties as explained on these tablets. Only then, when they were forced into submission did they give their pledges to fulfil the binding, most emphatic covenant. The covenant is described here in terms fitting the horrific image of a mountain raised over their heads and within their hardened hearts. Describing the covenant thus also provides an image of its power and effect.

The covenant stipulated that they should prostrate themselves when they entered the gate of Jerusalem, and that they should observe the Sabbath law, after having requested that the Sabbath be their day of rest and enjoyment. But what happened thereafter? Once their feelings of fear and of being overpowered had weakened, they began to disassociate themselves from their pledges. They denied God’s revelations and killed their prophets without having any cause to do so. Moreover, they boasted arrogantly, saying that their hearts were closed to all words of admonition.

Furthermore, they did all the things God relates to His Messenger and to the Muslims in the Qur’ān: “And so, [We punished them] for the breaking of their pledge, their disbelief in God’s revelations, their killing of prophets against all right, and for their boast, “Our hearts are closed.” Indeed God sealed their hearts on account of their disbelief. As a result they have no faith except for a few of them.” (Verse 155)

At this point the account of their highly objectionable behaviour is interrupted.

They would say: “Our hearts are closed”, either to make the Prophet despair of a favourable response from them or to deride the fact that they, themselves, were being called upon to believe in Islam. An answer is given straight away to silence them: “Indeed God sealed their hearts on account of their disbelief As a result they have no faith, except for a few of them.” (Verse 155) Their hearts were not sealed by nature. It is their disbelief and their rejection of God’s messages which caused them to be stamped over and sealed by God. Thus, they are hard-hearted, misguided, incapable of appreciating what faith means. Therefore, the overwhelming majority of them remained unbelievers. Only a few kept their hearts open, maintained an objective judgement and pursued the truth wherever it led them. God has guided these people aright and they accepted the faith. But these were very few indeed. Among them were `Abdullāh ibn Sallām, Tha`labah ibn Sa`yah, Asad ibn Sa`yah and Asad ibn `Ubaydillāh.

Having answered this boastful claim, the sūrah resumes outlining the causes behind their being forbidden certain things which they were previously permitted and the preparation of an even more humiliating punishment for them in the hereafter: “And for their disbelief and the monstrous calumny they utter against Mary, and their boast: ‘We have killed the Christ Jesus, son of Mary, God’s Messenger.’” (Verses 156- 57)

The fact of their being unbelievers is referred to every time one of their evil actions is mentioned. This has already been stated in conjunction with their killing of prophets against all right. Needless to say, no prophet could ever be killed rightly. It is merely a statement of fact that the killing of prophets is described as absolutely wrongful and unjust. Again, they are described as unbelievers in conjunction with the monstrous falsehood that they circulated against Mary. Essentially, they accused Mary, the pure, of adultery with Joseph the Carpenter. Accursed are they. They then boasted that they killed the Messiah and crucified him. They coupled this with derision at his statement that he was God’s Messenger.

At this point, the account is interrupted again in order to answer this claim by the Jews and to establish the truth concerning Jesus: “They did not kill him, and neither did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them [as if it had been] so. Those who hold conflicting views about him are indeed confused, having no real knowledge about it, and following mere conjecture. For, of a certainty, they did not kill him. No! God raised him up to Himself. God is indeed Almighty, Wise.” (Verses 157-158)

As regards whether Jesus was killed or crucified, the Jews and the Christians make false claims which have no basis other than in their own suspicions. The Jews claim to have killed him, ridiculing his assertion that he was God’s Messenger. The Christians, on the other hand, claim that he was crucified and buried. But they also claim that he was raised three days later. As for history, it states nothing about Christ’s birth or his end, almost as if nothing happened. When they make their statements, neither the Jews nor the Christians are certain of their truthfulness.

Events moved fast, and conflicting reports were made and muddled up. The real truth could not be discovered, except through Divine guidance.

The four Gospels which relate the story of the arrest, crucifixion, death, burial, and rise of Jesus Christ were all written after a lengthy lapse of time which also witnessed the persecution of Christianity and the Christians. In such an atmosphere of secrecy, fear and persecution, it is exceedingly difficult to be certain of the truthfulness of the reports that circulated. Many other Gospels were written during this period, but these four were chosen towards the end of the second century and were given official status for reasons that are not entirely above suspicion.

One of the many Gospels written in this period was that of Barnabas which gives an account of the story and crucifixion of Jesus that is at variance with the four recognised Gospels. It states: “When the soldiers, and Judas with them drew near to the place where Jesus was, he heard a large number of people coming close. In fear, he retreated to the home where all eleven disciples were asleep. When the Lord saw His servant in danger, He ordered Gabriel, Michael, Rafael and Oriel, His messengers, to take Jesus away from this world. The pure angels came down and carried Jesus through the window facing south and placed him in the third heaven in the company of angels who glorified the Lord forever. Judas entered violently the room from which Jesus was raised. All the disciples were still asleep. At that moment, God the Almighty accomplished a miraculous thing. Judas’s face and voice changed so that he looked like Jesus. We all thought that he was Jesus indeed. As for him, after he awakened us, he began to search for the teacher. We were surprised and said: You are our master and teacher. Have you forgotten us?” A scholar sifting his material carefully cannot find any confirmed account of this remarkable event that took place in the depths of the night, before the break of dawn.

Hence, no report can be given more credence than another. “Those who hold conflicting views about him are indeed confused, having no real knowledge about it, and following mere conjecture.” (Verse 157) The Qur’ān, on the other hand, gives its clear account: “They did not kill him, and neither did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them [as if it had been] so.” (Verse 157) ... “For, of a certainty, they did not kill him. No! God raised him up to Himself. God is indeed Almighty, Wise.” (Verses 157-158) The Qur’ān does not give any details concerning how Jesus was raised or whether it took place in body and soul together in this state of life, or in soul after death. Nor does it tell us when and where his death took place, if at all. What we know for certain is that they neither killed nor crucified him. Instead, another victim was made to appear similar to him.

This is the only statement of fact the Qur’ān makes, apart from what it mentions elsewhere quoting God’s address to Jesus: “Jesus, I shall gather you and cause you to ascend to Me.” (3: 55) In neither statement do we have any details about how Jesus was gathered or the nature of this gathering. For our part, we do not like to change the method we have followed so far when considering statements and legends which we have no way of proving or disproving.

The Qur’ānic text has still more to say about Christ, the position of the people of earlier revelations towards him and what they believed about him: “There is not one of the people of earlier revelations but will, at the moment of his death, believe in him, and on the Day of Resurrection he will bear witness to the truth against them.” (Verse 159)

Early Muslim scholars interpret this verse in different ways, according to the referent, in their view, of the pronoun in the phrase “his death”. Some maintain that every single person of the people of earlier revelations will inevitably believe in Jesus before his, i.e. Jesus’s death, considering that he will be back on earth before the Day of Resurrection. Other scholars maintain that every single one of the people of earlier revelations will, before his own death, believe in Jesus. This means that when this person is in the throes of death, he will be made to see the truth, when his own knowledge will no longer avail him. We are more inclined to take this second view. It means that the Jews who have denied Jesus and continued to deny his status, claiming to have killed and crucified him, will have this experience which tells them that Jesus was truly a messenger from God and that his message was the truth. They will then believe in Jesus but it will be too late for their belief to be of any benefit to them. On the Day of Resurrection, Jesus will be a witness against them.

Having established the truth about the alleged crucifixion, the sūrah resumes its account of the evil deeds perpetrated by the Jews, the punishment they have endured in this life and that which they will endure in the life to come: “So, then, for their wrongdoing of the Jews did We forbid them some of the good things of life which had been formerly allowed to them; and, indeed for their turning away often from God’s path, and for their taking usury although it had been forbidden to them, and their wrongful devouring of other people’s property. We have prepared for the unbelievers among them grievous suffering.” (Verse 160-161)

This statement adds to the list of evil deeds perpetrated by the Jews some very serious ones which were not mentioned earlier. This includes wrongdoing, turning away from God’s path, which they do all the time, and their accepting usury, not because of lack of knowledge, for they have been forbidden all forms of usury, but because they pay no heed to the instruction. The list also includes the fact that they devour other people’s property wrongfully, through usury and other methods. For all these wrong deeds and the others mentioned earlier, many of the good things of this world, which they have been permitted to enjoy, have subsequently been forbidden them. God has also prepared grievous suffering for those who disbelieve.

Thus, the nature of the Jews and their history is revealed. Their thinly disguised excuses for not responding favourably to the Prophet are laid bare. If they were stubborn with the Prophet, they had been stiff and stubborn with their own Prophet, leader and saviour. It is so easy for them to violate God’s laws and to speak ill of prophets and righteous people and indeed to kill them and boast about their crimes.

By bringing all this into the open, the Qur’ān renders futile all their schemes and plotting against the Muslims. The Muslim community learns about the nature of the Jews, their methods and their opposition to the truth whether its advocates are people from among them or from other nations. In all generations and with their friends and enemies alike, they oppose the truth and its followers just as they oppose Divine guidance and its advocates. Their hearts are hardened and they do not submit to the power of the truth unless the sword is held over their heads.

It was not only for the benefit of the first Muslim community in Madinah that the nature of this type of people was exposed. The Qur’ān is the book of the Muslim community, serving as its source of guidance for the rest of time. When this nation refers to the Qur’ān for advice and guidance about its enemies, it will certainly provide that. It has given the Muslim community the advice and guidance it needs concerning the Jews. Therefore, the Muslim community was able to bring them to submission. But when the Muslims abandoned the Qur’ān, they had to submit to the Jews. We have seen them gather together only to be defeated by a small force of Jews, simply because they neglected their book of guidance, the Qur’ān, preferring to follow different doctrines and creeds. They will continue to submit to the Jews and suffer from their scheming until they turn back to the Qur’ān.

The sūrah, however, does not neglect to give credit to those few Jews who believe and submit to the truth. It includes these among believers, states that they will be well rewarded, and testifies to their being well versed in knowledge. It states that it is their profound knowledge that led them to believe in the Divine faith as a whole, including what was revealed to the Prophet and what was revealed before him: “Yet those of them who are versed in knowledge, and the believers, do believe in what is bestowed upon you from on high and that which was bestowed from on high before you. These are the ones who attend to their prayers and spend in charity, and who believe in God and the Last Day. To these We shall give a great reward.” (Verse 162)

Firm knowledge and enlightened belief lead people to accepting faith in its entirety. They also lead to the acknowledgement that Divine faith, revealed by God, the only deity in the Universe, is essentially a single faith.

This firm and proper knowledge is described as a way leading to the truth, just the same as a belief which opens hearts to light is a most appropriate description of the relationship between knowledge and faith. Superficial knowledge and arrogant denial of the truth are the two factors that prevent a human being from learning the truth. This is true of all generations. Those who acquire profound knowledge and become well versed in it find themselves face to face with signs and phenomena all over the universe leading them to faith. Or, at least, they have in front of them many a question about the universe which can only be answered through believing that there is a single Deity who has created the universe and conducts all its affairs and who has a consistent will which has established a single and constant law for the universe. Similarly, those who genuinely aspire to receive guidance, i.e. believers, will undoubtedly have it.

On the other hand, those who receive scant knowledge, yet think themselves to be great scholars, are the ones whose lack of information prevents them from identifying the signs and indicators which lead to faith. These do not see any question marks that can only be answered through faith. They are in the same position as those whose hearts do not aspire to receive guidance. Therefore, neither of these types of people feel the need for reassurance generated by faith. Some of them equate being religious with ignorant fanaticism, making distinctions between the Divine religions which have been revealed by the same Deity through a long procession of noble messengers (peace be upon them all).

Commentators on the Qur’ān mention that this verse refers in the first place to those Jews whom we have named above and who responded to the Prophet’s call and accepted Islam. It applies, however, to every one of them who accepts the guidance represented by this religion of Islam, whether motivated by profound knowledge or enlightened faith. The sūrah includes these with the believers who are identified here as those who “attend to their prayers and spend in charity and who believe in God and the Last Day”. These are qualities which distinguish true Muslims. All such people have their reward in store for them with God: “To these We shall give a great reward.” Finally, we should perhaps mention that the description of those believers as those “who attend to their prayers” is stated, from the linguistic point of view, in the objective case while all others are subjective in their case marking. According to the rules of Arabic grammar, it should normally have been stated in the subjective case, like the rest. However, the change denotes stronger emphasis as it signifies those “who particularly attend to their prayers”. This mode of expression is not uncommon in Arabic.

The sūrah continues its confrontation with the people of earlier revelations, particularly the Jews in this instance, condemning their attitude, particularly their rejection of the Prophet Muĥammad’s message and their false claim that God did not send him as a Messenger. It refers to the distinction they tried to draw between messengers and their arrogant demands for proof of this message in the form of a book sent to him, Muĥammad, from heaven. This sūrah states clearly that revelation to a messenger is not something new or strange. Indeed, it is the normal practice with all messengers since the time of Noah to that of Muĥammad. All of them have been sent as messengers bringing happy news and delivering strong warnings. This is an aspect of Divine mercy bestowed by God on His servants that they may have no argument to justify their disbelief. They have been amply warned before the Day of Judgement. All these messengers were sent for the same aim, and to convey the same message. Hence, to try to distinguish between them is an attitude smacking of arrogance and conceit. If people deny this fact, God bears witness to it, together with the angels. God is sufficient for a witness.

We have sent revelations to you just as We did send revelations to Noah and the prophets after him; as We sent revelations to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron and Solomon, and as We vouchsafed to David a book of Divine wisdom; and as [We inspired other] messengers whom We have mentioned to you previously, as well as other messengers whom We have not mentioned to you. And God has spoken His word directly to Moses. [These] were messengers sent to bring good news and to give warning, so that people may have no argument against God once these messengers (had come). God is Almighty, Wise.

(Verses 163-165)

It is then the same procession moving forward throughout human history, conveying a single message, bringing the same guidance to warn and to give a piece of happy news. It includes a group of chosen men like Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, Solomon, David, Moses, as well as others whom God spoke about to His Messenger in the Qur’ān and still others about whom He told the Prophet nothing. It is a procession which includes people from various nations and various countries, living at different times. Nothing gives any of them distinction over others. No consideration of race, nation, place, or time divides them. They all give the same guiding light, to warn and motivate, and they all try to lead human beings towards the light. This applies to those of them who were sent to a particular tribe, community, nation, city, country, or the one who was sent to all mankind, namely, Muĥammad, the last of all messengers.

Every one of them received revelations from God. None of them invented anything of his own accord. If Moses was spoken to directly by God, this was simply one aspect of revelation and none of us knows how it happened. The Qur’ān, which is the only authentic source we have on such matters, has not given us any details.

The only thing we know is that God gave this revelation in words. How and in what manner or in what sense or power Moses used to receive it we do not know. All that is part of the knowledge God has kept to Himself. If the Qur’ān does not speak to us about it, then any interpretation is simply guesswork lacking foundation. § It is Divine mercy and justice which has required that these messengers tell mankind about what God has prepared in the way of happiness and bliss for those who respond to Him and obey Him. It is their task also to warn mankind against the suffering in hell God has prepared for those who disobey. All this has a definite purpose: “So that people may have no argument against God once these messengers had come.” (Verse 165)

To God belongs the overriding argument against all creation. God has given man intelligence of the type that enables him to understand every sign that points towards faith. Nevertheless, Divine mercy is demonstrated in the fact that messengers have been sent by God to remind people and show them the way. The role of these messengers is to try to liberate human intelligence from the fetters of desire, which conceal the signs and indicators leading to faith. God is Almighty, which means that He is able to punish people for what they perpetrate. He is also “Wise”. He deals with every matter wisely. Both His might and wisdom have their role in what He decides and does.

A multitude of subtle and profound impressions are left in our minds as we read the statement: “So that people may have no argument against God once these messengers had come.” (Verse 165) We will briefly discuss only three of these impressions so as to keep within the framework we have set for ourselves in this commentary.

There is firstly the question of the value of human intellect and its role in believing in God. Man’s life on earth, its substance, form, direction and action, is based on this question of faith, as is man’s destiny in the hereafter, which is even more serious and everlasting.

God certainly knows man, his potentials and his limits. Had He known that the intellect He granted man is sufficient for him to distinguish guidance and to identify his overall interest in this life and the life to come, He would have left him to his intellect. This would mean, then, that man would rely entirely on his intellect to search for and interpret all signs and indicators that draw him closer to faith. This also means that man would be left to draw up a constitution and a way of life which keep him away from error, relying solely on his intellect. Had this been true, God would not have sent messengers to people throughout history, nor would He have assigned them the role of conveying His Divine message. Indeed, the opposite is true: had there been no messenger sent by God with His guidance, He would have allowed people a powerful argument against Himself: “So that people may have no argument against God once these messengers had come.” (Verse 165)

God knows that the intellect He has given man is inadequate as a tool to achieve guidance by itself, without being assisted, directed and disciplined by a Divine message. It is also inadequate to draw a course for human life that ensures that man achieves his best interest and saves himself from doom in this life and in the life to come. Knowing all this, God’s wisdom and mercy have dictated that He sends messengers to mankind and He does not hold people to account until His message has been conveyed to them: “We would not have punished any community before We have sent a messenger [to them].“ (17:15) Considering this Qur’ānic statement, this seems to be readily apparent, or at least an essential requirement.

This leads to the question: What is the role of human intellect in the question of believing in God and determining man’s way of life?

In short, it is to receive the message and to understand what the messenger conveys to it. The role of the messenger is to explain his message and to rescue human nature from what blurs its vision and to alert the human intellect to everything within man and in the universe which points in the direction of faith. The messenger also draws for man the method of receiving Divine guidance and how to deal with it. He also shows man the basis on which practical life is conducted according to the Divine method, in order to enable man to achieve what is best for him in this life and what is best in the life to come.

It should be clear in our minds that it is not for the human intellect to pass judgement on the principles laid down by religion. Nor can we judge through normal human reasoning the validity or otherwise of religious orders and prohibitions, or indeed decide whether to accept or reject them, after having ascertained their meaning and that they have been proclaimed by God. Had it been up to the human intellect to reject Divine legislation, because it disapproves of them or does not wish to respond to them, no punishment would have been incurred for rejecting the Divine faith after it was explained. Man is, indeed, required to accept religious teachings once he gets to know them through a proper source and has correctly understood their import.

When we say that this message of Islam addresses the human mind, we mean that it awakens our minds and directs us to use a proper method of evaluation. It certainly does not mean that it is up to our minds to judge whether the message of Islam is right or wrong, acceptable or unacceptable. Once we have an authentic statement, it provides the judgement to be obeyed and enforced, whether it sounds immediately acceptable or totally strange. We use our minds to understand the import of a particular statement, in accordance with linguistic rules and idiomatic usage. Once the import of a particular statement is ascertained, it remains valid and enforceable because it is a statement given by God. We cannot consider the human intellect a deity to evaluate and judge what has been given to us by God.

A great deal of confusion may occur here. Some people try to give the human intellect the role of a deity, giving it the power to judge the validity or otherwise of authentic religious instructions. Others try to minimise its importance and the role it plays in accepting the faith and following guidance. Neither attitude is correct. It is the middle attitude, which we have already explained, that is the proper and correct one. What it means practically is that man cannot put religious teachings against premises of his own, which he might have already developed on the basis of human logic, observations or experience. The proper attitude is that he should develop and establish his premises on the basis of correct and authentic religious statements.

These are certainly more correct than his own premises and rely on a more accurate system than his own.

It is perfectly acceptable that one intellectual understanding of a religious statement may be opposed by another. Once a statement admits more than one interpretation according to the principles and methodology approved by Islam, then no authority or individual can restrict people or compel them to follow a single interpretation or force on them one way of implementation. Again this is part of the meaning of our statement that the message of Islam addresses human intellect.

It is true that Islam is the religion of reason. This means that it does not use any supernatural power in order to make our minds submit to it. It explains its principles, judgements and teachings in a way that addresses our minds. It calls on us to contemplate and reflect on every aspect of creation within ourselves and in the universe at large. Such contemplation will undoubtedly point the way in the direction of accepting the faith. Thus, it attempts to free the human mind from the pressures of familiarity, continuity, laziness, as well as from desires that distract minds and distort human nature. Its address to the human mind means that man is not compelled to believe in what he cannot understand. It assigns to us the task of understanding the statements which express religious teachings. Once we have understood these, we have the choice of submission to them — and in this case we are believers — or denying them and becoming unbelievers. We cannot pass a judgement of validity or invalidity on separate religious statements. Nor do we have the right to accept or reject them. We cannot select and choose. Otherwise, we will be believing in part of the Divine message whilst denying other parts. Those who do this are described in the Qur’ān as unbelievers, and have been warned against grievous punishment. When God states something about the universe, man, creation, or religious teachings, His commandments must be obeyed and implemented by everyone who is aware of them and understands their import.

God, glorified be He, says: “God is He who has created seven heavens and a similar number of the earth.” (65: 12) “Are the unbelievers unaware that the heavens and the earth were [once) one single entity and We split them apart? — and that We made out of water every living thing?” (21: 30) “God has created all animals out of water” (24: 45) “He has created man out of sounding clay, like pottery, whereas the jinn He has created out of smokeless fire.” (55: 14-15) He also states many other things about the nature of the universe, life and creation. All that He has stated is the truth, no doubt. It is not up to the human intellect to say, after having understood these texts, that their import does not agree with human knowledge or experience. That knowledge and experience is liable to err, while God’s statements are always true.

Similarly, God makes in the Qur’ān statements such as: “Those who do not judge according to what God has bestowed from on high are indeed unbelievers.”(5: 44) “Believers, fear God and give up what remains outstanding of usury gains, if you are true believers. If you do not, then war is declared against you by God and His messenger. If you repent, however, you shall remain entitled to your principal. Thus, you shall commit no wrong, nor suffer any wrong yourselves.” (2: 278-9) “And stay in your homes and do not flaunt your charms as women used to do in the old days of pagan ignorance.” (33: 33) “Let [Muslim women] draw their head-coverings over their bosoms. And let them not display their charms.” (24: 31) He also delivers many other statements and teachings which have a direct bearing on people’s way of life. These statements are correct and valid. It is not up to the human intellect to say that something which is in conflict with Divine teachings is more valid or serves people’s interests better. Intellectual judgement is liable to error and can be influenced by desire. What God has determined can only be right.

As we see, the same rule applies to what God has stated in matters of faith and concepts, and to His statement with regard to the way of life which must be implemented. Once a statement is authentic, definitive and not restricted to a particular time, then it must be implemented. We cannot say: we accept the ideological part and what relates to worship, but times have changed and we choose our own system. Had it been God’s wish to make a particular ruling or legislation limited to a particular time, He would have made that clear. We can use our human intellect and discretion in applying a particular statement to a certain case. This is different from accepting or rejecting a piece of legislation in principle.

The foregoing does not limit the role of the human mind or belittle its importance.

It has wide scope open to it in determining how religious statements apply to new situations. It also has wide scope in trying to understand the nature of the universe, its potentials and the forces working within it as well as the nature of different creatures, and to make use of what God has given us in this universe. It can play a great role in improving the quality of life and developing it according to the Divine system, not by merely following the dictates of desire which throw the mind off the right course.

We need to consider from another angle the statement, “so that people may have no argument against God once these messengers had come”. (Verse 165)

It is indeed a great responsibility which has been assigned to God’s messengers, (peace be upon them all) and those who believe in their messages towards humanity.

For the destiny of mankind, in both this life and the life to come, depends primarily on the messengers and their followers. If they convey this message to people, as they are required to do, people may achieve reward and happiness in both this world and the next. Otherwise, they live in misery and deserve punishment.

When we describe this as a great responsibility, we are only making a statement of fact. Indeed God’s messengers have shown themselves to be keenly aware of the great importance of their task. God has pointed out to them the true nature of their responsibility. He made it clear to His last Messenger that the message he has been assigned is a weighty one, which he needed to prepare himself for: “O you enwrapped one, keep awake [in prayer] at night, all but a small part of one half of it, or make it a little less than that, or add to it; and recite the Qur’ān calmly and distinctly, with your mind attuned to its meaning. We shall bestow on you a weighty message.” (73: 1-5) “It is We who have bestowed from on high this Qur’ān on you, step by step, truly a bestowal from on high.

Await, then, in all patience your Lord’s judgement and pay no heed to any of them who is a wilful sinner or an ingrate; and bear in mind your Lord’s name at morning and evening and during some of the night, and prostrate yourself before Him, and extol His limitless glory throughout the long night.” (76: 23-6) It is this meaning which God makes clear to the Prophet and He commands him to make certain statements which show that he truly understands the message he has been given and its great importance: “Say; indeed no one could ever protect me from God, nor could I ever find a place to hide from Him, if I should fail to convey [to the world what has come to me] from God and His messages... He alone knows that which is beyond the reach of human perception, and to none does He disclose what He has chosen to keep to Himself of His unfathomable knowledge, unless it be to a messenger whom He has been pleased to elect... so as to make manifest that it is indeed only their Lord’s messages that these [messengers] deliver.” (72: 22-8)

The question then is that of mankind’s life, happiness and reward, indeed of existence itself. Either man accepts the Divine message when it is conveyed to him and implements it to achieve happiness in this life and in the life to come, or he rejects it and brings misery upon himself in both worlds. Alternatively, if no message has been conveyed to him, he has an argument to make against God. In this case, the responsibility for the misery he endures in this life lies fairly and squarely on those who have been assigned the task of conveying God’s message but who have failed to do so.

As for God’s messengers, (peace be upon them all), they have indeed been faithful to their trust and conveyed their message. They have discharged their responsibility and gone to their Lord. They have not only conveyed the message by word of mouth, but they have also provided a practical example to be followed, and have striven hard, day and night, to remove all impediments of every shape and form: suspicions raised, temptations offered and tyrannical forces turning people away from faith.

This is what Muĥammad (peace be upon him), God’s Messenger and the last of all Prophets did. Since his was the final and complete message, he did not merely speak of removing impediments, but he actually removed them with action so that “there is no more oppression and that submission is made to God”. (2: 193)

The same hard task continues to be assigned to those who believe in his message.

Generations come and go and the Divine message must be conveyed to all by the Prophet’s followers. They will not fulfil their heavy responsibility, make God’s argument against people, and save them from misery in this life and suffering in the hereafter, unless they actually convey God’s message, on the same lines followed by the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him). People are the same throughout all generations and the message is the same. There are, however, diversions, which lead us astray, tempting desires and doubts; and there are tyrannical forces which try to turn us away from faith, either by deception or by brute force. The same situation then, the same impediments and the same people! The task must be fulfilled and the message conveyed by word of mouth and practical action testifying to the effects brought about by the implementation of the message. Moreover, impediments must be removed. Otherwise, the message is not properly conveyed. There is simply no way this task can be left undone, otherwise the responsibility for mankind’s continued error, their misery in this life and their having an argument to make in front of God on the Day of Reckoning must be faced.

This is indeed a fearsome responsibility, sending a shudder through the entire body of anyone who realises that he must face it. No one can take it lightly.

A person who claims to be a Muslim must either convey the message of Islam in the way mentioned above, or he cannot save himself in either this or the next life.

When he says that he is a Muslim and stops short of conveying God’s message as the Prophet did, he is actually testifying against Islam in which he claims to believe. He is indeed required to make a testimony for Islam so that the following Qur’ānic verse applies to him: “Thus We have made you the community of the middle way, so that you may stand witness against the rest of mankind and the Messenger shall be a witness against you.” (2: 143)

The testimony a Muslim has to make for Islam begins with himself, his home, family and his immediate society, as he endeavours to make them a living example of Islamic life. The second step in this testimony is his advocacy of Islamic life, as he calls on all mankind to implement Islam in their personal, social, economic and political life. The final step is his striving hard, i.e. jihād, for the removal of impediments which cause people to live in error and which turn them away from faith, regardless of what these impediments are. If he sacrifices his life for this cause, he is then a martyr, or, to use the Arabic term, shahīd, having made his testimony and sought to please His Lord. The term shahīd can only apply to this type of person.

Before we conclude our comments on this verse, we need to reflect a little with our heads bowed in acknowledgement of God’s greatness, His knowledge of man, His fairness to him, as well as the care, mercy and grace He extends to him, despite his excessive ingratitude.

Let us first reflect for a moment on God’s thorough and perfect knowledge of man, his capabilities and potentials, as well as his inherent susceptibility to follow guidance or to go astray. It is on the basis of His knowledge of man that God has not left him to what his mind, the great gift He has given him, may dictate, even though it makes numerous and clear indicators which point out the way to faith. God knows that this great tool He has placed at man’s disposal may be influenced by man’s desires and that the indicators He has placed all over the horizon and within man himself may be screened from man, deliberately or through ignorance. Therefore, He does not hold man’s intellect responsible for following right guidance or for turning away from it until He has made it clear to him through His messengers. Moreover, even after such a clear message has been given, the task of devising a way of life is not assigned to man. What he is assigned is the implementation of the way of life laid down by God. Beyond that, God has given man a vast dominion to do with it whatever he likes, changing it as he pleases, and analysing it the way he wishes.

We should also reflect a little on the Divine justice which provides people with an argument against God, had He not sent them messengers to raise before them happy prospects and also to warn them against the pitfalls in their way. These messengers are sent in addition to all the indicators in the universe and within man, testifying to God’s oneness, His great creation, profound knowledge and infinite ability. Added to this is also the strong inclination of human nature to believe in God and to submit to Him. We should also remember in this respect the harmony between the indicators in the universe and the natural inclination and ability of man’s mind to collate information and arrive at conclusions. God, however, is fully aware of the weaknesses that may affect all these factors, clouding their work, bluring people’s vision and causing them to arrive at the wrong findings. Therefore, the pointers of the universe, human nature and intellect are not judged by God as sufficient on their own, unless He sends messengers to make sure that these instruments are not influenced by any foreign element as also to control their work according to the right standard shown in the Divine message. It is only when this is accomplished that the universe, human nature, and intellect will give the right and proper judgement. At this point in time, it becomes obligatory for people to submit to God and to obey Him. Their argument for not doing so is rendered futile and they, then, deserve punishment.

We must also reflect a little on the great care God takes of man and the grace He bestows on him, knowing, as He does, what weaknesses and shortcomings he may have. Nevertheless, He puts him in charge of the earth, which is, to man, a great kingdom, although it is no more than a little particle within God’s great dominion.

God’s care, grace and mercy take man even further. Despite all the indicators and the work of God’s messengers, man continues to reject the faith, stubbornly following erring ways. Yet God does not withhold from him His grace and favour.

Nor does He deprive him of the guidance He has made available through His messengers. Indeed, He does not inflict punishment on him either in this world or in the hereafter until His messengers have conveyed His messages and man continues in rejecting them until his death.

Man very often boasts to himself that he can do without his Lord, His care, mercy, guidance, religion and messengers. He claims that he has all he needs for proper guidance, making use of his intellect, when God, his Creator, knows that this is not sufficient for him, unless it is set on the proper course pointed out by Him. This brings to mind the example of a little child just beginning to walk. He feels a little strength in his legs and lets go of his mother’s supporting hand. He immediately stumbles and falls. The child in this example, however, is wiser and more responsive to nature. He is naturally inclined to make use of his latent skill, develop his ability, train his muscles and become totally independent. By contrast, the man who lets go of God’s supporting hand has no natural inclination to steer away from Divine guidance. The best that he can do for himself is to follow Divine guidance, which ensures that all his powers are used properly and directed wisely. If he turns away from Divine guidance and trusts to his own devices, his powers will be certain to malfunction.

Erroneous, indeed, is every claim which suggests that great minds are not in need of God’s message to make great achievements. The fact is that the Divine message provides the human mind with the proper method of reflection and deduction to arrive at proper conclusions. If it errs, its error is similar to that of a clock set right, but later influenced by atmospheric and other factors affecting its movement. It is not like the error of a clock that was never properly set, but left to work at random, giving the right time only by pure coincidence. The difference between the two is great indeed.

Using his intellect and guided by the Divine message, man can make great achievements to which he cannot aspire otherwise. This is evidenced by the fact that throughout human history, no great mind has managed to devise the ideological concept, the personal discipline, the code of living or the social system which ordinary intellects were able to devise when guided by the Divine message.

Plato and Aristotle were endowed with great minds. It is even said that Aristotle had the greatest mind in human history. When we consider his concept of the Divine being as he devised it independently from God’s guidance, we realise how greatly inferior it is to the concept of an ordinary Muslim who follows the Divine message.

In ancient Egypt, Akhenaton advocated monotheism. He might have been influenced by the messages of the Prophets Abraham and Joseph, but even then, there are gaps and legends in his faith making the monotheistic concept of an ordinary Muslim infinitely superior to Akhenaton’s monotheistic religion.

In moral standards, we find in the early periods of Islam ordinary people, educated and disciplined by God’s Messenger, achieving heights to which even the greatest of people cannot aspire, when they are not guided by a Divine message. As for principles, systems and legislation, Islam achieves a degree of balance and harmony which is absolutely unique. The sort of harmony and ease of life which are characteristic of Islamic society are never to be found in any other society, prior to Islam or after it.

It is not the standard of material civilisation which we should judge. This is something that increases with scientific advancement. The quality of life at any particular time is judged by the balance and harmony achieved between all its aspects and systems. That balance is the source of happiness which brings out all human potentials and gives them a chance to work in harmony, without any excesses. As we have already said, humanity has never known a perfect system such as that of Islam. Imbalance is characteristic of every non-Islamic system, although it may have its bright aspects. It is always the trend that certain aspects of human life may be promoted at the expense of others. With such an imbalance, humanity continues to suffer. Its only saviour is the perfect, balanced and harmonious system of Islam.

What we have said so far is sufficient to explain the clear feelings generated by the Qur’ānic statement: “[These] were messengers sent to bring good news and to give warning, so that people may have no argument against God once these messengers (had come). God is Almighty, Wise.” (Verse 165) We will now proceed with our commentary on the rest of this passage.

People however may deny that message for different reasons. People who have received earlier revelations from God through earlier prophets may deny the final message given to Muĥammad (peace be upon him), although it follows the same pattern of sending messengers to bring happy news to God’s servants and to warn them against disbelief. Those who received earlier revelations believe in the messengers who were sent before Muĥammad: the Jews acknowledged all messengers who came before Jesus (peace be upon him) and the Christians acknowledged all these as well as Jesus, to whom they attribute a Divine nature, as will be explained later. Addressing the Prophet, God consoles him for facing such rejection: “However it be, God [Himself] bears witness to the truth of what He has bestowed from on high to you: with His knowledge He bestowed it from on high; and the angels also bear witness to that; although God is sufficient as a witness.” (Verse 166)

This testimony by God and the angels, some of whom were entrusted with carrying the message to Muĥammad (peace be upon him), reduces to nothing all that may be said by those claiming to follow earlier revelations. What significance have they when God Himself gives His testimony and the angels do likewise? Surely God’s testimony is enough on its own. Coming when it did, this testimony provided consolation to the Prophet for the stern opposition by the Jews to his message and their scheming against it. It also provided assurance to the early Muslims in Madinah who faced determined assaults from the Jews, the magnitude of which is evidenced by the campaign launched in the Qur’ān to repel it.

This testimony is followed by a stern and fearsome warning to those who deny the message of Islam. “Those who disbelieve and debar others from the way of God have indeed gone far astray. Those who disbelieve and persist in wrongdoing will find that God will never forgive them, nor will He guide them onto any road, except the road to hell, wherein they will abide beyond the count of time. That is indeed easy for God.” (Verses 167-169)

The description of the unbelievers contained in this warning, though general in its import, applies primarily to the Jews and describes their attitude towards Islam and the Muslims, and indeed towards the truth generally. It applies equally to those of them who lived in the early days of Islam in Madinah and those who lived at the time of Moses himself, as well as to succeeding generations of Jews up to the present day, with the exception of a small number who opened their hearts to Divine guidance and followed it.

Those Jews, as well as any group of people to whom the description of disbelieving and debarring others from the way of God applies, have indeed gone far astray. They have turned away from God’s guidance and strayed from the proper way of life which ensures man’s happiness. They have erred in their concepts and beliefs, behaviour and social system, and in every aspect of this life generally. This means that their concept regarding the life to come is also erroneous.

Immense in error as they are, there is little hope that they can recognise Divine guidance and follow it. For they “have indeed gone far astray”.

They are again described as unbelievers, but this time they are also described as wrongdoers. To disbelieve is indeed to act wrongfully and to do injustice to the truth, to self and to mankind. Sometimes the Qur’ān describes disbelief as injustice or wrongdoing, as in God’s statement: “To associate partners with God is to commit grave injustice.” (31: 31) He also says: “They who do not judge in accordance with what God has bestowed from on high are indeed wrongdoers.” (5: 45) In the preceding verse, He describes them as unbelievers. (This will be discussed in detail in Volume IV, God willing.)

As for those Jews, they did not commit only the injustice of associating partners with God but they also persisted in wrongdoing by debarring people from the way of God. In other words, they were up to their ears in disbelief and wrongdoing.

Hence, their just punishment is determined by God: “Those who disbelieve and persist in wrongdoing will find that God will never forgive them, nor will He guide them onto any road, except the road to hell, wherein they will abide beyond the count of time.” (Verses 168-169) It is unfair that God should forgive such people after they have gone far astray and deprived themselves of every chance of forgiveness. It is also unfair that He should guide them to any road other than that leading to hell, because they have turned away from every road of guidance and sealed off every route leading anywhere other than the one leading to hell. They have gone far along that road, deserving to stay in hell for ever, without any hope of being saved again.

“That is indeed easy for God”, for He has the upper hand over every one of His servants. Moreover, He has no special relationship with anyone of His creation to make it difficult for Him to exact such a just punishment. Nor can their punishment be made less easy by any power or force possessed by His servants. The Jews and the Christians used to say that they were God’s own children and His beloved ones.

They also said: “The fire will not touch us except for a small number of days.” (2: 80) They also claimed to be God’s chosen people. The Qur’ān denies all this and puts them back in their place among God’s other servants. They have the same prospects as anyone else: they receive reward if they do well, and they are punished if they do badly, do not repent or pray for forgiveness. All this is easy for God.

This is followed by a universal call to all mankind, to tell them that God’s Messenger has come to them with the truth from their Lord. He who believes in him does well. Those who deny him should know that God has no need for any of them and He can overpower them all. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth. He is aware of everything, and He runs all affairs according to His knowledge and wisdom: Mankind, the Messenger has now come to you with the truth from your Lord. Believe, then, for it is better for you. But if you disbelieve, know that to God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. God is indeed All-Knowing, Wise. (Verse 170)

This call to all mankind to believe in the last message was preceded by a recital of all the false claims made by people to whom revelations were given at earlier times.

This together with the unmasking of the true nature of the Jews and their evil deeds throughout their history. Their inherent obstinacy, even in their attitude towards Moses, their Prophet, leader and saviour, is also exposed. The call is also preceded by an explanation of the nature of this last message and its purpose, both of which require that God sends messengers and sends Muĥammad to all mankind. Having sent a number of messengers with messages to their own nations, it is only logical that this process should culminate with a final, universal message to all mankind “so that people may have no argument against God, once the messengers had come”. Had this final message not been addressed to all mankind, later generations would have had an argument against God. But the final and universal message of Muĥammad (peace be upon him) has stopped any such argument. To deny that a message should come after the Jewish prophets, including or excluding Jesus (peace be upon him), is contrary to God’s justice which ensures that no punishment can be exacted without having first sent a message. As it happened, there was no universal message prior to Islam. Such a universal message was, therefore, inevitable, to ensure God’s justice and mercy to mankind. This proves God’s description of His Messenger: “We have only sent you as mercy to mankind.” (21: 107) He is, indeed, a manifestation of God’s mercy in this life and in the life to come, as appears clearly from this Qur’anic statement.