In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

This second part of the sūrah begins where the first ends. The first part outlined the purpose of the Prophet Muĥammad’s message, namely, “to bring forth all mankind, by their Lord’s leave, from darkness into the light.” (Verse 1) And it outlined the purpose of Moses’s message: “Lead your people out of darkness into the light, and remind them of the Days of God.” (Verse 5) He explained to them his message and reminded them of God’s favours and blessings. He also announced what God had promised them: “If you are grateful, I shall certainly give you more; but if you are ungrateful, then My punishment shall be severe indeed.” (Verse 7) He then related to them the history of prophets with communities who refused to believe them. In fact he began this narrative, but immediately disappeared to let the sūrah relate it with magnificent theatre, culminating in the scene where the unbelievers listen to Satan giving them a memorable lesson, which comes too late to be of any benefit.

Now the sūrah turns to the unbelievers among the Prophet Muĥammad’s community, who have been given a long reel showing the great episodes of history.

These people have indeed been blessed with many favours granted to them by God.

One such major favour is the fact that God sent them a messenger to bring them out of darkness into light, and to call on them to repent so that they might receive His forgiveness. But they reject God’s blessings, and deny His message. The second part of the sūrah starts then with an expression of amazement at such people who lead their communities to destruction, just like those before them who led their followers to hell.

It goes on to portray some of the aspects of God’s favours in one of the greatest scenes of the universe. It then provides an example of thanksgiving by Abraham.

This example follows a clear order to the believers to offer prayers and be kind to people as an aspect of thanksgiving. They must do so before a day comes when wealth can no longer grow and no buying or selling can take place. As for the unbelievers, they are not just forgotten. They are given respite until a day comes when eyes are opened wide. God’s promise to His messengers will inevitably be fulfilled, no matter what the unbelievers scheme against them. All this indicates that the second part of the sūrah is in full harmony with the first, one complementing the other.

This passage begins with drawing attention to a highly singular state of affairs:

“Have you not seen those who have exchanged God’s blessings for unbelief and landed their people in the House of Perdition, hell, which they will have to endure? How vile a place to settle in! They set up false deities as equal to God, and so they lead people to stray from His path. Say: ‘Enjoy yourselves [in this life], for you will surely end up in hell.’“ (Verses 28-30)

These are people who have been granted God’s blessings in the form of a prophet sent to call on them to believe in God, and to lead them along the way to God’s forgiveness of their sins, and to a heavenly destiny. Yet they abandon all this and choose instead a state of unbelief. These, the Prophet is told, are the chiefs of his own people who follow the same practice as the elders or the chiefs of most communities.

Thus by their singular exchange, they lead their communities to hell. Just as we have seen in the histories of past nations and communities mentioned earlier in the sūrah, they land their people in hell. It is a vile and ignominious abode.

The sūrah invites the Prophet, and every believer, to marvel at the curious behaviour of such people, particularly since they have seen what happened to earlier communities. All this has been portrayed for their benefit in this sūrah in a most vivid way, accounting for what took place between the unbelievers and the messengers sent to them. It was all shown to them as if it were taking place before their very eyes. In fact, the Qur’ān only portrays what is going to take place in the hereafter as if it is happening now, or just happened before our very eyes.

These people have exchanged God’s blessing of a messenger sent to them with disbelief. The messenger called on them to believe in God alone and to associate no partners with Him, but they abandoned all this, and “they set up false deities as equal to God, and so they lead people to stray from His path.” (Verse 30) They place their false deities in a position equal to that of God, and offer worship to them as they would offer it to Him. They submit to these false deities as they would submit to Him, and they attribute to them some of the attributes that belong only to God. They thus lead people astray from the only straight path leading to God, the only deity in the universe.

The chiefs or elders have deliberately misguided their own people, leading them astray by claiming that their false deities were equal to God. The fact, however, is that the faith based on God’s oneness represents a threat to the power and vested interests of tyrannical forces in every generation, not merely in this first period of jāhiliyyah when the Prophet preached his message. Whenever people turn away from the pure faith based on God’s oneness, whatever shape this may take, and assign their leadership to others, they revert to a state of un-Islam, or jāhiliyyah. In such a state, people surrender their own freedom and personality, follow their desires and implement laws enacted on the basis of their leaders’ desires instead of deriving them from God’s revelations. In such a situation the advocacy of God’s oneness becomes a threat to those chiefs and their interests. Hence, they try to avert this threat in every way open to them. In older forms of jāhiliyyah, this took the shape of adopting false deities, claiming that they were equal to God. In our present time, it takes the form of implementing man-made laws that permit what God has not permitted and prohibit what He has made lawful. Those who enact such laws are thus placed on an equal footing with God in the way people look at them and in everyday life as well.

Hence, the Prophet is instructed to say to such people that they may enjoy themselves in this life as they please, but that this enjoyment will last only for the limit God has determined. The eventual outcome is well known: “Say: ‘Enjoy yourselves [in this life], for you will surely end up in hell.’“ (Verse 30)

The Prophet is further instructed to leave these people alone, not to trouble himself with them any more. Instead he should address God’s servants who have accepted the faith. These are the people who will take heed when they are warned against evil. They accept God’s blessings and appreciate them, and will never exchange them for disbelief. The Prophet is to address these people and teach them how to be grateful for God’s blessings. They should express their gratitude through worship, obedience to God and kindness to His servants: “Tell My servants who have attained to faith that they should attend regularly to their prayers and spend [in My way], secretly and openly, out of the sustenance We provide for them, before a day shall come when there will be no trading and no friendship.” (Verse 31)

God commands His Messenger to say to those who have attained to faith that they should express their gratitude to God by establishing regular prayer, for prayer is the most express form of gratitude to God. They should also spend in charity out of the sustenance God provides for them, and make such spending both in secret and in public. Secret charity protects the dignity of the taker and enhances the virtue of the giver. This ensures that charity does not become a source of pride and arrogance.

Charitable spending in public serves to demonstrate obedience to God’s orders, and provides a good example to others in the community. Both ways are left to the discretion and sensitivities of every believer.

The believers are told to spend on others now so that their balance which is preserved for them increases through gains they make by charitable spending. This they have to do before a day comes when there is no longer any possibility for wealth to grow, or friendship to bring any benefit. What is of benefit to people is only the good works they have already done, for their reward is stored: “Tell My servants who have attained to faith that they should attend regularly to their prayers and spend [in My way], secretly and openly, out of the sustenance We provide for them, before a day shall come when there will be no trading and no friendship.” (Verse 31)

At this point, the sūrah opens the book of the universe where every page speaks of God’s countless blessings. These extend beyond the furthest point our senses can reach, and go into the skies, the earth, the sun, the moon, the day and night, the water pouring down from the skies and the fruits of all plants on earth, the oceans and seas where ships and boats sail, and the rivers flowing with the different means of producing what sustains life. All these universal images are available for all to see, but people do not look, reflect or express gratitude. Man is truly unjust, ingrate, exchanging God’s blessings for unbelief, and setting up deities which he claims to be equal to God, when it is God who creates, sustains and controls the universe and all creatures therein: “It is God who has created the heavens and the earth, and who sends down water from the sky with which He brings forth fruits for your sustenance. He has placed under your service ships which by His leave sail through the sea, and He has made the rivers subservient to [His law] for your benefit. And for your benefit He has made the sun and the moon, both diligently pursuing their courses, subservient to [His law]; and has made the night and the day subservient to [His law]. And He gives you of everything you ask of Him.

Should you try to count God’s blessings, you will never be able to compute them. Yet man is persistent in wrongdoing, stubbornly ungrateful.” (Verses 32-34)

These verses represent an onslaught that employs such universal phenomena as tools, or rather as whips with rhythm and sound to awaken the conscience of man, a creature indulging in wrongdoing and lacking gratitude. One aspect of the unique nature of the Qur’ān is the way it relates everything in the universe and every human feeling to belief in God’s oneness. Thus, every flash of inspiration in the universe and in man’s conscience becomes proof confirming this belief. The universe is transformed into an exhibition of God’s signs where the magnificence of His hand excels so as to leave its distinct mark in every image, feature and shadow. The basic question of Godhead and servitude is not presented as a logical debate or an abstract theological argument, or an issue of metaphysical philosophy. Such methods do not appeal to, influence or inspire the human heart. The Qur’ān presents this central issue within a framework of a multitude of inspiring scenes and facts from the great universe, creation, human nature and basic thoughts and impressions, adding an element of breathtaking beauty and superb harmony.

The great scene of God’s blessings that is presented here is painted with fascinating skill, drawing its lines in the same directions the different blessings take in relation to man. This is noticeable in the line of the heavens and the earth, followed by that of water pouring down from the skies and plants and fruits shooting up from the earth. We then have a line depicting the oceans with ships sailing on their surface and rivers flowing with much bounty. A new line takes us back to the skies to show us the sun and the moon, coupled with the line of the night and day, which is closely connected to the sun and moon but remains firm on earth.

The final line is comprehensive, throwing its colour and shade over the whole panoramic scene: “And He gives you of everything you ask of Him. Should you try to count God’s blessings, you will never be able to compute them.” (Verse 34) Here we see a harmony that incorporates every touch, line, colour and shade in a universal scene of God’s blessings.

Is all this placed at man’s service? Is this whole world, with its heavens, earth, seas, rivers, sun and moon, day and night, made subservient to the small creature known as man? Is it so, and still man does not give thanks or even remember God’s favours? Hence, it is indeed true that “man is persistent in wrongdoing, stubbornly ungrateful.” (Verse 34)

“It is God who has created the heavens and the earth.” (Verse 32) Yet people set up deities and regard them as equal to Him. What more injustice could there be?

“And who sends down water from the sky with which He brings forth fruits for your sustenance.” (Verse 32) Plants are the first means of sustenance and the most visible source of God’s blessings. Rain and the growth of plants run in accordance with the nature God has given this world and the natural laws that allow rain to fall, plants to shoot and fruits to ripen, making all this compatible with man and his nature. For a single seed to grow requires that the Power that controls the whole universe utilizes universal phenomena to give that seed the ability to produce a plant and then provide it with the necessary means of life, such as a fertile place, water, sunlight and air. When people hear the word rizq, which we often translate as sustenance or a means of sustenance, they think only of their livelihood, earning money. But the Arabic term has much wider connotations. It includes everything that God provides for man. Even the smallest of such provisions requires operating celestial bodies in accordance with a law that ensures that several hundred thousands of matching conditions fall together in a coherent and complementary way, without which man could not have come into existence and, once existing, his life could not be sustained.

It is sufficient to mention the celestial bodies and phenomena referred to in these verses to understand how we can only function when we are under God’s care.

“He has placed under your service ships which by His leave sail through the sea.” (Verse 32) It is He who has placed in the sea all that is necessary for these ships to float, and it is He who has given man the ability to understand natural phenomena and rules so as to use them for his benefit.

“And He has made the rivers subservient to [His law] for your benefit.” (Verse 32) The rivers flow and life flourishes, and they overflow and man gets an increase of goodness. Rivers also carry fish, weeds and many other things that are useful to man and to other creatures man uses such as birds and cattle.

“And for your benefit He has made the sun and the moon, both diligently pursuing their courses, subservient to [His law].” (Verse 33) Man does not use the sun and the moon directly as he uses water, the fruit, the seas, ships and rivers. Yet he benefits by them and derives from them substances and energies that are required to sustain life. Thus they are made subject to God’s law which controls the universe, so that they produce what is of benefit to man in his life on earth, and indeed in the make-up and renewal of the cells of his own body.

“And has made the night and the day subservient to [His law].” (Verse 33) Again both night and day are made subservient so as to fit with the needs and constitution of man and with his time of activity and that of rest. Had there been permanent day or permanent night, man’s whole functioning would have been destroyed, as would the whole world around him. His life would have been impossible, inactive and unproductive.

Yet all that the sūrah portrays consists of general lines that gather glimpses of God’s blessings. In each line there are countless points. Therefore, a general aspect is added here without any detail so that it fits with the overall scene: “And He gives you of everything you ask of Him.” (Verse 34) That includes whatever people ask of wealth, offspring, health, luxuries and refinements. “Should you try to count God’s blessings, you will never be able to compute them.” (Verse 34) Indeed they are too many to be computed by any one person, or by all human beings, for humans are restricted to a period of time with definite beginning and end. They are also restricted to certain limits of knowledge within time and space. God’s favours and blessings, however, are not only numerous, but also unlimited. Hence, they are beyond human reckoning.

Yet despite all this, human beings adopt false deities and consider them equal to God. And instead of thanking God for His blessings, they exchange them for unbelief. Certainly “man is persistent in wrongdoing, totally ungrateful.” (Verse 34)

When man’s conscience is awakened, he looks at the universe around him and realizes that it is made for his benefit, either directly or through the harmony between its laws and human life and needs. When he looks around him, he finds it all made friendly by God’s grace, and by His power and permission it is both helpful and useful. When man considers and contemplates, he must stand in awe of his Lord, prostrate himself and express his gratitude. He always looks up to his Lord to replace with ease any hardship he may be going through, and to preserve any aspect of grace and happiness he may be enjoying.

The perfect example of a human being who always remembers God and expresses his gratitude to Him is Abraham, the father of prophets. His truly thankful character imparts a definite ambience to the whole sūrah, which also reflects God’s grace and how it is received with gratitude or ingratitude. Abraham is shown here in a scene of devotion, making a heartfelt appeal to God. His melodious supplication is inspirational as it rises to God in heaven:

Abraham said: ‘My Lord.’ Make this land secure, and preserve me and my children from ever worshipping idols. My Lord, they have indeed led many people astray.

Hence, he who follows me belongs to me. As for him who disobeys me, well, You are truly Much-Forgiving, Merciful. Our Lord, I have settled some of my offspring in a valley without cultivation, by Your Sacred House, so that they may establish regular prayers. So, cause You people’s hearts to incline towards them, and provide them with fruits, so that they may give thanks. Our Lord, You certainly know all that we conceal and all that we bring into the open: for nothing whatever, on earth or in heaven, can be hidden from God. All praise is due to God who has given me, in my old age, Ishmael and Isaac. Surely my Lord hears all prayers. My Lord, cause me and [some of] my offspring to establish regular prayers. My Lord, accept my prayer. Our Lord, grant Your forgiveness to me and my parents, and all the believers on the Day when the reckoning will come to pass.’ (Verses 35-41)

Here Abraham is shown in front of the House he built for God in Makkah, and whose custody has passed to the Quraysh, an Arabian tribe bent on disbelief in God, yet benefiting by the House built for the worship of God alone. Abraham is shown addressing his supplication with perfect devotion and heartfelt gratitude. This should make the ungrateful reflect and revise their attitude. It should make the unbelievers turn back to faith, and the oblivious remember God. It should make people generally follow Abraham in his exemplary attitude.

Abraham begins his supplication by saying: “My Lord! Make this land secure.” (Verse 35) Security and safety is so important for man, for it is intertwined with his survival. The sūrah mentions this here so as to remind of it the people of Makkah who enjoy it as if it was theirs by right, and who do not give thanks for it. They forget that it is the result of answering the supplication made by Abraham, their first father.

Hence, they follow a course which is different from that of Abraham. They turn away from pure faith, yet the second prayer in Abraham’s supplication is: “And preserve me and my children from ever worshipping idols.” (Verse 35)

This second aspect with which Abraham opens his prayer reflects his total submission to God, and his turning to Him in the deepest recesses of his heart. He appeals to Him for help in steering away, together with his children, from idol worship. He also makes it clear that to be so preserved is yet another of God’s blessings. It is indeed a great blessing that one’s heart is saved from the darkness of polytheism and its ignorance in order to be brought into the light of faith in God and belief in His oneness. This blessing takes a human being out of error, loss and confusion to the comfort of knowledge, reassurance and stability, and out of humiliating submission to a variety of false lords to honourable submission to God, the Lord of all worlds. Abraham appeals to God to maintain this blessing for him by preserving him and his children from the worship of idols.

Abraham is fully aware of the great number of people in his generation and previous generations who went astray when they were deluded by such idols.

Hence, he addresses his passionate appeal to God to spare him from such delusion:

“My Lord, they have indeed led many people astray.” (Verse 36)

Abraham continues his supplication stating that whoever follows his way and does not give in to idol worship belongs to him, as they would have the strongest bond of faith joining them together. “Hence, he who follows me belongs to me.” (Verse 36) The others who disobey him he leaves to God to determine what He does with them: “As for him who disobeys me, well, You are truly Much-Forgiving, Merciful.” (Verse 36)

In this last prayer we see Abraham, the caring, forbearing and compassionate. He does not pray to God to destroy those of his offspring who leave his path of guidance. He does not precipitate God’s punishment. Indeed he does not even mention punishment. Instead, he leaves them to God, to His forgiveness and mercy.

Thus Abraham lends to the whole scene an air of forgiveness and compassion, leaving the taint of disobedience to disappear altogether. Compassionate as he is, Abraham does not let it appear again.

Continuing his supplication, Abraham mentions the fact that he settled some of his offspring in a barren valley where there was no cultivation, next to God’s Sacred House and also states the task they were settled there to perform: “Our Lord, I have settled some of my offspring in a valley without cultivation, by Your Sacred House, so that they may establish regular prayers.” (Verse 37)

So this is the task for the performance of which they have migrated and for which they are to tolerate a life of poverty and lack of cultivation. “So, cause You people’s hearts to incline towards them.” (Verse 37) The style here is tender, reflecting love and compassion. It describes hearts as having wings and coming from the sky to that Sacred House and its neighbours in that barren valley. Its tenderness counterbalances the hardship of a barren place with the inclination of loving hearts.

“And provide them with fruits.” (Verse 37) Why does Abraham pray that they should have such fruit? To eat and enjoy themselves? Certainly, but also to bring about what Abraham, exemplary in his gratitude to his Lord, hopes for: “so that they may give thanks.” (Verse 37) Thus the purpose of settling close to the Sacred House is given prominence. It is to establish regular prayer in the most devoted and pure form. Similarly, the purpose of the prayer to incline people’s hearts to the dwellers in the neighbourhood of the Sacred House and their abundant provision from the fruits of the earth is to give thanks to God who provides all. With such a passionate prayer, there is an evident irony in the attitude of the Quraysh, the Arabian tribe living near the Ka`bah at the time of the Prophet. They offered no worship to God, and no thanks after Abraham’s prayer had been answered, giving them people’s love and abundant provisions.

Abraham follows this prayer with an acknowledgement that God knows all that people harbour in their hearts and when they turn to God with thanks and sincere supplication. It is not vocal appearances that are meant here. It is what a person feels deep in his heart, and the way he addresses God, who knows what we reveal and conceal. Indeed, nothing in heaven and earth is hidden from God’s knowledge: “Our Lord, You certainly know all that we conceal and all that we bring into the open: for nothing whatever, on earth or in heaven, can be hidden from God.” (Verse 38)

Abraham then mentions an aspect of grace which God has shown him, and he praises God for it and thanks Him, providing an example for all believers. They must not forget God’s grace, and they must always be thankful for it. “All praise is due to God who has given me, in my old age, Ishmael and Isaac. Surely my Lord hears all prayers.” (Verse 39) Giving a person children when he has attained to old age is felt more keenly, because children represent the extension of one’s life into another generation.

This is a great feeling for an elderly person who begins to think life is approaching its end. The need to feel the continuity represented by children is thus instinctive.

Hence, Abraham praises God and prays for more of God’s grace: “Surely my Lord hears all prayers.” (Verse 39)

Abraham follows his thanksgiving with a supplication to God to make him always thankful. His thanks take the form of prayer, worship and obedience to God. Thus he declares his determination to always be a devout worshipper, but fears that something may divert him from it. Hence, he prays that God may help him to carry out his intention: “My Lord, cause me and [some of] my offspring to establish regular prayers. My Lord, accept my prayer.” (Verse 40)

Abraham’s supplication shows the irony in the Quraysh’s attitude, the Arab tribe which had custody of the Ka`bah. Abraham is appealing to God for help to attend to his prayers, and to enable him to perform these at all times. They, however, turn away from it, denying the truth of what God’s Messenger tells them of how Abraham prayed for himself and his offspring. Now, Abraham concludes his humble supplication by appealing to God to forgive him and forgive his parents and all believers. He prays for that forgiveness to be forthcoming on the Day of Judgement when nothing is of benefit to anyone except the good works he or she may have done in life and God’s forgiveness for what they might have committed or omitted to do:

“Our Lord, grant Your forgiveness to me and my parents, and all the believers on the Day when the reckoning will come to pass.” (Verse 41)

Abraham’s long and humble supplication, which also mentions a number of God’s blessings and expresses gratitude and thanks for them, employing a fine musical rhythm, now comes to a close. It imparts an air of gentle tenderness and care which makes people’s hearts long to be with God, and remember His grace and blessings.

Abraham, the father of a long line of prophets, is seen as a pious servant who does not forget His Lord’s grace, or his duty to be thankful for it. He is given as an example to be followed by God’s servants who truly believe in Him, for, just before relating Abraham’s supplication, the sūrah addressed them. We note how Abraham repeats several times the addressing phrase, “My Lord” or “Our Lord”. This repeated acknowledgement of God’s Lordship over him and his offspring is significant. He does not mention God by His attribute of Godhead, but instead by His Lordship.

Godhead has rarely been subject to controversy even in jāhiliyyah societies. Nor was it so in the ignorant society of Arabia at the advent of Islam. What people have always argued about is the Lordship of God, and the need to submit to Him in everyday life on earth.

This is in fact the central point between submission to God, and believing in His oneness on the one hand, and the association of partners with Him on the other.

People either submit to God, and this means that they acknowledge Him as their Lord, or they submit to others who would become their lords. This makes all the difference in life. The Qur’ān relates Abraham’s supplication to the Arab idolaters, emphasizing his acknowledgement of God’s Lordship to draw their attention to the fact that their own way of life was in complete contrast with what this supplication truly signifies.

The sūrah moves on with its presentation of these issues, speaking to those “who have exchanged God’s blessings for unbelief and landed their people in the House of Perdition.” (Verse 28) It speaks to them as they continue with their erring ways, before they are subjected to God’s punishment. They are the ones whom the Prophet had been told to say to them: “Enjoy yourselves in this life, for you will surely end up in hell.” (Verse 30) He is further ordered to address those who believe in God, and to command them to offer their prayers and pay their zakāt: “Tell My servants who have attained to faith that they should attend regularly to their prayers and spend [in My way], secretly and openly, out of the sustenance We provide for them, before a day shall come when there will be no trading and no friendship.” (Verse 31)

Here the sūrah completes the picture, showing what God has prepared for those unbelievers who deny God’s blessings, and tells when they will face their inevitable destiny. This comes in quick images of the Day of Judgement which fill our hearts with fear: “Never think that God is unaware of what the wrongdoers are doing. He only grants them respite till the Day when eyes will stare fixedly in horror, when they will be dashing in confusion, with their heads lifted up, unable to turn their eyes from what they behold, and their hearts an utter void.” (Verses 42-43)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) does not think that God may ever be unaware of what the wrongdoers are perpetrating. It might appear so to some people who see the wrongdoers enjoying a comfortable life in this world. Such people hear God’s warning, but see nothing of it taking place in this life. This explains the deadline which is fixed for their final punishment when they are given no further respite. That takes place on the day when eyes stare fixedly in horror, unable even to wink. The fear is so great that there is no blinking of a single eyelid.

This is followed by a picture of people rushing everywhere, unable to turn their faces to anything. Their heads are raised upward, but this is unintentional for they cannot move their heads. As they see the fearsome scene ahead of them, their eyes are fixed and their hearts are void, containing nothing they remember or understand.

They are all empty.

It is to this day that God delays the wrongdoers’ punishment. Now they stand in their position, overwhelmed by fear. In this scene they are like a small bird caught in the claws of a predator: “Never think that God is unaware of what the wrongdoers are doing. He only grants them respite till the Day when eyes will stare fixedly in horror, when they will be dashing in confusion, with their heads lifted up, unable to turn their eyes from what they behold, and their hearts an utter void.” (Verses 42-43)

The Prophet is required to warn people that when this day arrives, there can be no excuses given and no evasion of responsibility. Another picture is then drawn of this horrific day: “Hence, warn mankind of the Day when suffering may befall them; when those who do wrong will say: ‘Our Lord, grant us respite for a short while, so that we may respond to Your call and follow Your messengers.’ ‘Why? Did you not in time past swear that you would suffer no decline? And you dwelt in the dwellings of those who wronged their own souls before you. Yet you knew for certain how We had dealt with them, and We placed many examples before you.’“ (Verses 44-45)

Warn them against the day when the suffering drawn earlier is bound to befall them. At this point, the wrongdoers turn to their Lord with an urgent appeal, saying:

“Our Lord.” Now they say this while earlier they were bent on unbelief, associating partners with Him: “Our Lord, grant us respite for a short while, so that we may respond to Your call and follow Your messengers.” (Verse 44)

At this point the flow of the discourse is changed from the narrative form to that of an address, as though they are now at that point, staring fixedly in horror, making their passionate appeal. This whole world is rolled over and we seem to be already in the hereafter, and they are being reproached from on high, reminded of the wrongs they used to do in their first life: “Why, did you not in time past swear that you would suffer no decline?” (Verse 44) How do you see yourselves now? Have you suffered any decline? You asserted this when you had in front of your eyes the ruins of those who went before you, giving proof of what happened to them and their inevitable destiny.

“And you dwelt in the dwellings of those who wronged their own souls before you. Yet you knew for certain how We had dealt with them, and We placed many examples before you.” (Verse 45) It is amazing that you should see the dwellings of former wrongdoers, testifying to what happened to them, and you dwelling in their place, and yet you swear that you would not suffer a decline. With this hard reproach the scene is completed. We understand what happens to them, and what takes place after their appeal and their disappointment.

This example repeatedly occurs throughout history. Many are the wrongdoers who succeed earlier tyrants. In fact, those tyrants were destroyed by their own hands, yet they follow in their footsteps and tyrannize like them. They take no heed of the lessons they see in front of their eyes. Hence, like them, they are put to the same fate. The same dwellings will be rid of them after a while.

The sūrah then turns to their present situation, and their wicked scheming against God’s Messenger, and their evil devices in every aspect of life. It gives the clear impression that they will face their inevitable destiny, no matter what powerful and elaborate schemes they devise: “They devised their plots, but their plots are all within God’s grasp, even though their plots are so powerful as to move mountains.” (Verse 46)

God is certainly aware of their scheming, although it may be so strong and powerful that it causes mountains, the strongest and most solid and firm creation, to move. In fact, the last thing any human being would expect to move is a mountain.

However, their scheming is in no way hidden from God, and never immune from God’s power. It is in front of Him, and He can foil it and do with it what He likes.

The Prophet is told again: “Never think that God may ever fail to fulfil the promise which He has given to His messengers. Indeed God is Almighty, avenger of evil!” (Verse 47)

What the unbelievers devise is of no consequence. It cannot obstruct the fulfilment of God’s promise to His messengers to grant them victory and to inflict a mighty punishment on the unbelievers: “Indeed God is Almighty, avenger of evil!” (Verse 47) He does not let injustice escape punishment. Those who resort to scheming and devising foul plans will not be spared. The word “avenge” is especially suitable here as it gives the meaning that counters both injustice and wicked scheming. A perpetrator of such injustice and wickedness deserves to suffer God’s vengeance, which is, from God’s point of view, the exercise of divine justice.

This is certainly inevitable, “On the day when the earth shall be changed into another earth, as shall be the heavens.” (Verse 48) We do not know how this happens, nor are we aware of the nature of the new earth or the new heavens, or their respective positions. The statement only gives us an impression of God’s might and His ability to change the earth and heavens. By contrast, the schemes the unbelievers devise are all too weak.

Suddenly, we see this as though it has happened: “When all people stand before God, the One who holds sway over all that exists.” (Verse 48) They realize that they are exposed, without cover or screen to protect them. They are neither in their homes nor in their graves. They stand in the open, in front of the Almighty. The emphasis here is on God’s power which cannot be resisted, not even by the scheming of the mighty tyrants which can almost make mountains move.

Then we are shown a scene of the humiliating suffering which stands in contrast to their scheming and tyranny: “On that day you will see the guilty chained together in fetters, wearing garments of black pitch, and their faces covered with flames.” (Verses 49-50)

The evil-doers are thus chained, each two together, and they are made to pass in ranks. Their humiliation is again indicative of God’s might. In addition to their being chained together, they wear dirty, black pitch garments that can easily catch fire. The connotations here are humiliation and combustion as they draw near to the fire.

“Their faces [are] covered with flames.” It is all a scene of tyrants and schemers made to suffer humiliation and burning in flames. All this is a reward for their arrogance in this life. “God will requite each soul according to what it had done. God is indeed swift in reckoning.” (Verse 51) All they have earned is their scheming and injustice. Its reward is that they stand powerless, humiliated. The swiftness of God’s reckoning contrasts with the scheming they thought would protect them, and ensure them victory.

Hence, they are dealt with swiftly to add to their humiliation.

The sūrah then ends with something similar to its opening, but it comes in the form of an open and loud declaration, intended to inform all mankind: “This is a message to all mankind. Let them be warned thereby, and let them know that He is the One and Only God. Let those who have insight take heed.” (Verse 52) The essential purpose of this message and the warning it contains is that people should know that “He is the One and Only God.” This is the basic concept of this religion on which its code of living is built.

What is required here is not that people should merely acquire such information.

The purpose is that they should conduct their lives on the basis of this knowledge. It is that people should submit to God alone, since He is the One and only God. It is God who deserves to be the Lord, i.e. the Sovereign, the Ruler and the Legislator.

When life is conducted on this basis it becomes totally different from every type of life based on the lordship of creatures, which means that some submit to others who are considered sovereign over them. The difference involves faith, worship, morality, standards and values, behaviour and practices, as well as political, economic and social systems and every aspect of the life of the individual and society alike.

Believing in the One God is the basis of a complete system. It is not merely a matter of conviction. Faith comprises all aspects of life. In the Islamic perspective, sovereignty is a question of faith, as is morality. It is on the basis of faith that the code of life that comprises both moral values and legal matters is based.

We cannot appreciate the extent which faith takes in the Islamic perspective unless we understand the full meaning of the basic declaration every Muslim must make in order to be a Muslim: “I bear witness that there is no deity other than God, and I bear witness that Muĥammad is God’s Messenger.” We must also be aware of the meaning of addressing all worship to God alone. This means that submission is only to God, not merely during prayer, but in every life situation.

The worship of idols which Abraham prayed to God to spare him and his offspring from does not take only the primitive way which the pagan Arabs and other communities practised. It is not merely the worship of deities made of stones, trees, animals, birds, stars, fire or spirits. To limit the concept of polytheism to this primitive form blurs our view so that we cannot see other forms which may bedevil humanity in different states of jāhiliyyah. We need to have a fuller understanding of the nature of associating partners with God, its relevance to idols, and the nature of idols and how they are represented in modern states of ignorance, or jāhiliyyah.

Associating partners with God may take any form and be represented in any situation where submission in all aspects of life is not to God alone. It is sufficient that a person should submit to beings other than God in certain aspects of his life to be in a situation of associating partners with God, even though he submits to God alone in the other aspects of his life. Worship is only one aspect of life where submission is reflected. But there are many other forms of submission in human life which give us practical examples of polytheism.

A person may believe that Godhead belongs completely to God alone, and he submits to Him in his prayers, fasting, performing pilgrimage and other aspects of worship, but he may at the same time submit to laws other than God’s in his social, economic and political life. He may also submit to concepts other than those approved by God in his social standards and to other human beings in his moral values, traditions, customs and style of dress. Such a person practises polytheism in its essence, in full breach of the meaning of the declaration that “there is no deity other than God and Muĥammad is God’s Messenger”. This is what people overlook.

They take all such matters carelessly, without thinking that they demonstrate the same paganism that has been practised by different communities throughout history.

It is not necessary that idols be represented in primitive form. For idols are mere covers for tyranny which hides behind them in order to impose its authority over people. Yet none of these idols speak, hear or see. Its custodian or priest or the ruler was always around, chanting the idol’s praises or acting as its spokesman, but saying what he wants to say. Therefore, when banners or slogans are raised in any community which give rulers or priests the power to put in place laws, values, standards and practices that are at variance with what is acceptable to God, then these are in effect, position and nature deities like those idols of old.

We see today that nationalism, patriotism or a certain class in society or people as a whole are made like banners or slogans which are adored in place of God. People are made to sacrifice for such banners their lives, property, morals and even their honour. Whenever divine law and its requirements come in conflict with what the service of such banners and slogans requires, then God’s law is set aside and the requirements of these banners are met. To be more accurate we should say that it is the requirements of the tyrants standing behind these banners that are fulfilled. This is indeed a form of idol worship, because an idol need not be made of wood or stone.

It can be represented in a doctrine or a slogan.

The role of Islam is not only to destroy wood or stone idols. That was not the purpose of all the efforts and sacrifices made by God’s messengers and their followers in history. Islam aims rather to establish in a very clear way the difference between submission to God alone in all matters and affairs and submission to other beings or entities. It is necessary to look carefully at forms and appearances in every situation to establish whether the existing order conforms to the concept of God’s oneness or to a form of paganism.

People may imagine themselves to be following the faith revealed by God because they declare, “There is no deity except God, and Muĥammad is God’s Messenger”, and they submit to God in all matters of worship and in marriage, divorce and inheritance. Yet when matters go beyond this narrow aspect, their submission is to other beings. They follow laws that are in clear conflict with what God has legislated.

They even sacrifice their lives, property, honour and morals, willingly or unwillingly, to fulfil what this neo-paganism requires of them, even when it is in conflict with what is acceptable to God. They are thus totally mistaken when they imagine that they follow Islam. They should wake up and realize that theirs is a situation of clear paganism.

Divine faith is not as hollow as it is imagined to be by some of those who claim to be Muslims. It is a complete way of life that comprises all the necessary details for daily life. Submission to God’s law in the details of daily life, as well as in basic principles and concepts, is the core of the divine faith. It is Islam in its true sense, which is the only form acceptable to God.

As stated earlier, polytheism does not only take the form of believing in multiple deities and claiming that they are God’s partners. It is instead the acknowledgement of other lords alongside Him. Idol worship is represented in adopting banners and slogans which are given the same sort of authority as belonged to idols of old. People everywhere then must examine their lives to determine whom they actually submit to. If they submit totally to God, obeying His orders and laws to the exclusion of any other, then they follow the divine faith. If not, then they have a religion based on idol worship. This is a terrible situation indeed.

This is a message to all mankind. Let them be warned thereby, and let them know that He is the One and Only God. Let those who are endowed with insight take heed.

(Verse 52)