In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

I often feel reluctant to comment on Qur’ānic texts, knowing that my style and resources are inadequate. As with Sūrah 6, Cattle, I find myself ill-equipped to explain the present sūrah. But what am I to do, realizing as I do that our generation needs to receive the Qur’ān with a detailed explanation of its nature, method, subject matter and aims? Unfortunately people have moved too far from the environment in which the Qur’ān was revealed, and from its purpose and goals. They are little aware of its import and dimensions. Even its terminology does not carry to them its true meanings. People today live in a state similar to that the Qur’ān faced at the time of its revelation, but they do not use the Qur’ān to confront this jāhiliyyah as the early Muslims did. Without such action, people cannot begin to formulate a proper understanding of the Qur’ān and its secrets, because such secrets remain a closed book for anyone who sits idle, unwilling to act according to Qur’ānic guidance.

Nevertheless, I am overwhelmed whenever I attempt to comment on the Qur’ān.

It is impossible for me to put in words and sentences what I feel when I listen to the Qur’ān or reflect on its text. Hence, I know how wide the gulf is between the feelings the Qur’ān generates within me and what I present to my readers.

I am also profoundly aware of the great gulf that separates our generation from that which directly received the Qur’ān. The Qur’ān addressed them directly, and they felt its rhythm, viewed its images, appreciated its inspiration and recognized its hints, interacting with it and making their response clear. They aimed to fulfil its message in their approach to life and their confrontation with its opponents. Hence, they were able to accomplish what was, by all standards, miraculous in a short time- span. They achieved a total about-turn in their feelings, concepts and life generally, and produced a similar and complete change in the life of their community, in human life generally and in the line human history would take to the end of time.

They drank at the Qur’ānic spring, allowing no intermediary between them and the Qur’ān. Their ears felt its music as it was first spoken, and they appreciated its warmth and inspiration. Hence, they took immediate action to mould their lives and thoughts in accordance with its principles, values and the facts it presented. By contrast, our present generation shapes its life pattern in accordance with this or that philosophical approach, little realizing that the opponents of such approaches are only mortals too, liable to all manner of error.

Furthermore, when we consider what those early Muslims achieved within themselves and in the life around them, which was miraculous by any standard, we try to explain such achievements by reference to our own logic based on standards and values that are fundamentally different from theirs. Hence, we err in identifying their motives and goals and in appreciating the results they achieved. We forget that they were made a different creation by the Qur’ān.

I appeal to my readers not to make the understanding of my book their aim. They should read it to draw nearer to the Qur’ān, then put the book aside and approach the Qur’ān as it is. They cannot do so unless they dedicate themselves to the implementation and fulfilment of its values and principles in their lives, fighting opposition forces under its banner.

This was my first thought as I began to look at this sūrah, as if I was reading it for the first time, although I had read and heard it countless times. The Qur’ān, however, gives you as much as you give to it. Each time, it opens up to you with new light, inspiration and rhythm, giving as much as you are prepared to receive. It sounds fresh every time, as though you had never read, heard or dealt with it before.

The present sūrah is a remarkable one, maintaining the same rhythm and giving the same ambience from start to finish. 2 Nevertheless, it presents us with a multitude of images, feelings and thoughts that fill our imagination and address our hearts and souls in every possible way. With its brilliant light and endless meanings, it travels with our hearts to wider worlds, times and horizons, keeping us fully aware, understanding everything we see and hear.

What we have here is not words and sentences; rather, a strong, hammering rhythm pervades the entire sūrah, permeating its images, meanings, and finer touches.

The main theme of the sūrah, like all Makkan revelations,3 is faith and the main issues which surround it: God’s oneness and Lordship, submission to Him in this world and in the life to come, revelation, resurrection and its correlatives. Yet this single issue with its multiple strands is never presented in the same way in any two sūrahs, whether revealed in Makkah or Madinah. Every time we find it presented in a new way and new light, generating a different impact and inspiration.

These issues are not presented in the form of an academic argument, based on cold logic. Instead they are presented within a framework, which is the universe and its remarkable phenomena which serve as proofs to be appreciated by open minds.

These marvellous phenomena are unending. Indeed, they look new every day, as they continue to reveal their secrets time after time. Even what was revealed earlier seems to acquire a new perspective in the light of new discovery. Hence, the issues the sūrah tackles remain alive.

The sūrah takes the human heart on a grand tour, showing it the universe in a variety of spectacular images: the heavens raised without support; the sun and the moon pursuing their courses for a definite time; the night covered by day; the spread of the earth with its firm mountains and running rivers; gardens, plants and date trees with different shapes, tastes and colours yet growing in adjacent land irrigated with the same water; the lightning generating fear and hope; the thunder glorifying and praising God; the angels standing in awe; the thunderbolt God hurls against whomever He wishes; the clouds heavy with rain that pours over riverbeds; and the foam that disappears into nothing to allow what is of benefit to stay.

The sūrah pursues the human heart wherever it tries to go. This pursuit is based on God’s absolute knowledge which encompasses every little detail, including what is concealed or moving openly in broad daylight. It is the knowledge that records every fleeting thought occurring to any living thing. At the same time, whatever happens to be beyond the reach of human perception is encompassed by God’s knowledge, including what every female conceives and whatever falls short or increases in gestation.

The sūrah gives an impression of the nature of God’s power that encompasses the entire universe: the hidden and the apparent, large and small, present and removed.

The part of the universe that human faculties can imagine is great and awesome indeed.

In addition, the sūrah includes some parables that are presented in vivid, moving scenes and images. It also adds a scene of the Day of Judgement, with its happiness for some and suffering for others, and people’s reactions to both. There are also brief references to the fate of earlier generations and how they conducted themselves, and were subjected to God’s law and its operation.

These are, in brief, the main themes and issues tackled in the sūrah. The sūrah is also remarkable for its artistry in presenting these issues. The general framework within which these issues are presented is the universe, with its remarkable phenomena and spectacular imagery. But the framework here has a special ambience provided by contrasting natural scenes and phenomena: heaven and earth; sun and moon; night and day; entities and shadows; firm mountains and running rivers; useless scum and penetrating water; adjacent but different pieces of land; clustered and non-clustered date trees, etc.

This element of contrast is carried further so as to include all meanings, actions and fates. Thus, the abstract contrast echoes the physical one to perfect its general atmosphere. Thus we see the clear contrast within God’s supreme power as He establishes Himself on the throne making both the sun and the moon subservient; embryos in the womb fall short in gestation with others increasing; the one who speaks in whispers and the one who speaks aloud; the one who moves stealthily in the night and the one who walks in broad daylight; fear and hope regenerated by lightning; the glorification of God in praise by the thunder and in fear by the angels.

The true prayer addressed to God is contrasted with the false one addressed to false deities. Similarly we see the contrast between those who know and those who are blind; the people of earlier revelations who are delighted by the Qur’ān and those who deny some parts of it; the annulment and the confirmation in God’s records.

Everything in the sūrah: its meanings, directions and movements utilize the element of contrast to the full.

Another aspect of the remarkable harmony of style is seen in the fact that because the sūrah raises a background of natural scenes, referring to heaven and earth, sun and moon, thunder and lightning, thunderbolts and rain, it also mentions what is carried in animal wombs, coupled with a reference to “by how much the wombs may fall short [in gestation], and by how much they may increase.” These two aspects are in harmony with the water running in riverbeds and the growth of vegetation.

Harmony is a consistent aspect of the Qur’ānic style.

All this provides some explanation as to why I feel inadequate and reluctant to tackle Qur’ānic sūrahs with my inadequate style. But once more the need is compelling, because people in our generation do not live with the Qur’ān. I therefore seek God’s help and support in this task.