In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

This sūrah is a Makkan revelation. Its subject matter, namely faith, revelation and the divine message, God’s Oneness, resurrection, reckoning and reward permeate Makkan sūrahs. Just as every sūrah in the Qur’ān has its distinctive character, this sūrah adopts a unique approach in presenting its material, with highlights and shading that accentuate the principles and issues it tackles. These may not be different from the principles and issues other sūrahs illustrate, but they are tackled here from a different angle so as to generate special effect and emphasis.

Furthermore, certain aspects are added and others omitted, giving the reader and the listener the overall impression that they deal with new issues and principles.

The general ambience of the sūrah derives from its title, namely Abraham, the father of all prophets who came after him. He was a blessed man, most grateful to God, most clement, tender-hearted, and devout. All the connotations of these attributes are felt throughout this sūrah, in its main issues, general approach, mode of expression as also in its rhythm.

The sūrah addresses a number of issues relating to faith, but two of these permeate the whole sūrah. These are the two issues most relevant to Abraham himself. The first is the unity of the divine message and God’s messengers, and their united stand, despite their different times and places, as one community against the state of ignorance, or jāhiliyyah. The other is God’s favours bestowed on mankind, the increase He grants to those who are grateful and the fact that most people remain ungrateful. The sūrah definitely includes other issues, but these two give the sūrah its special ambience.

The sūrah begins with an outline of the mission of God’s Messenger and the book revealed to him: “This is a book which We have bestowed on you from on high so that you might bring forth all mankind, by their Lord’s leave, from darkness into the light, to the path of the Almighty, the One to whom all praise is due.” (Verse 1) It concludes with the same point, highlighting the truth of God’s oneness which is at the heart of the divine message: “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)

In between, the sūrah mentions that Moses was sent to do the same task as Muĥammad, using practically the same wording: “We have sent forth Moses with Our revelations, saying, lead your people out of darkness into the light.’“ (Verse 5) It also explains that the general purpose behind sending God’s messengers was to make things clear: “Never have We sent a messenger otherwise than speaking the language of his own people, so that he might make [the truth] clear to them.” (Verse 4) In addition, it explains that because God’s Messenger is human, this inevitably provides the parameters for his mission: he is to inform, explain and give warning and good counsel. He cannot, however, perform a miracle except by God’s permission, and at a time God determines. Neither he nor his people have any say in this. Nor can he oblige his community to follow guidance or sink into error, for these things follow a certain rule God has set in operation according to His own free choice.

That God’s messengers were all human was a matter objected to by all past ignorant communities. The sūrah sums up all these objections and the reply given by God’s messengers, as if the objections and the reply were made all at the same time:

“They replied: ‘You are but mortals like ourselves. You want to turn us away from what our forefathers used to worship. Bring us, then, a clear proof’ Their messengers replied: ‘We are indeed but mortals like yourselves. But God bestows His grace on whomever He wills of His servants. It is not within our power to bring you any proof except by God’s leave. It is in God that all believers must place their trust.’“ (Verses 10-11)

The sūrah also explains that taking mankind from darkness into light can only be accomplished ‘by their Lord’s leave’. Every messenger makes the issues clear to his people, then: “God lets go astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills. He is Almighty, truly Wise.” (Verse 4)

These are the main lines defining the nature of a messenger sent by God, and the mission assigned to him. Nothing of the nature of God’s messengers or their qualities can be confused with God’s nature and attributes. Thus God’s oneness is shown in its full light, with no hint of similarity to anyone or anything.

The sūrah also speaks about the fulfilment of God’s promise to His messengers and to those who truly believe in them. This promise is fulfilled in this present life when they are given victory and power, and in the life to come with generous reward given to the believers and severe punishment to the unbelievers. This is shown at the end of the scene showing the battle between God’s messengers standing together and their different communities also standing together in this world: “The unbelievers said to their messengers: ‘We shall most certainly expel you from our land, unless you return to our ways.’ Their Lord revealed this to His messengers: Most certainly shall We destroy the wrongdoers, and most certainly shall We cause you to dwell in the land long after they are gone. This [I promise] to all who stand in awe of My presence, and stand in awe of My warnings.’ And they prayed for God’s help and victory [for the truth].

And every powerful, obstinate enemy of the truth shall come to grief” (Verses 13-15) It is also shown in the images drawn from the Day of Judgement: “Those who believe and do righteous deeds will be admitted to gardens through which running waters flow, wherein they will abide, by their Lord’s leave. Their greeting shall be: Peace:” (Verse 23) “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 same fact is also emphasized in the analogies given for both groups: “Do you not see how God compares a good word to a good tree? Its roots are firm and its branches reach to the sky. It yields its fruits at all times by its Lord’s leave. Thus does God set parables for people so that they may reflect. And an evil word is like a corrupt tree, torn up onto the face of the earth. It cannot have a stable position. God will strengthen the believers through the true, unshakeable word in both this life and the life to come; but the wrongdoers God lets go astray. God does whatever He wills.” (Verses 24-27) “The works of those who disbelieve in their Lord are like ashes which the wind blows about fiercely on a stormy day. They cannot achieve any benefit from all that they might have earned. This [disbelief] is indeed going very far astray.” (Verse 18)

The first of the two major issues that run through the whole sūrah is the unity of the divine message preached by all God’s messengers. This is presented here in a unique way. Other sūrahs demonstrated this through the fact that every messenger made the same address to his people. Every one of them would state the same truth, complete his work and pass away, to be followed by other messengers, each of whom stated the same truth in the same words, receiving the same reply. The unbelievers who deny the truth suffer whatever they may suffer in this life, although some of them are given respite, so as to face their fate on the Day of Judgement. In those sūrahs every messenger was shown in a separate scene, like we see a film playing back different events. The best examples of this method are seen in Sūrahs 7

and 11, The Heights and Hūd, respectively.

In this sūrah, all the prophets are grouped together on one side and their erring communities on the other. The battle goes on between them in this life, but does not come to an end here. On the contrary, we follow its progress until the Day of Judgement. Despite the great difference in time and place, we see in front of us the community of God’s messengers and their followers standing together as a single group. Indeed time and place are two transitory factors, while the great truth of faith and unbelief is far greater than both time and place:

Have you not received accounts of what befell those who lived before you? The people of Noah, the `Ād and Thamūd, and those who came after them? None knows them all but God. Their messengers came to them with clear evidence of the truth, but they put their hands to their mouths, and said: ‘We disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and we are in grave doubt about that to which you call us.’ Said the messengers sent to them: ‘Can there be any doubt about God, the Originator of the heavens and the earth? He calls you, so that He may forgive you your sins and grant you respite for an appointed term.’ They replied: ‘You are but mortals like ourselves. You want to turn us away from what our forefathers used to worship. Bring us, then, a clear proof’ Their messengers replied: ‘We are indeed but mortals like yourselves. But God bestows His grace on whomever He wills of His servants. It is not within our power to bring you any proof except by God’s leave. It is in God that all believers must place their trust. And why should we not place our trust in God, when He has guided us on our paths? Hence we will bear with patience all your persecution. In God let all the faithful place their trust.’ The unbelievers said to their messengers: ‘We shall most certainly expel you from our land, unless you return to our ways.’ Their Lord revealed this to His messengers: Most certainly shall We destroy the wrongdoers, and most certainly shall We cause you to dwell in the land long after they are gone. This [I promise] to all who stand in awe of My presence, and stand in awe of My warnings.

‘And they prayed for God’s help and victory [for the truth]. And every powerful, obstinate enemy of the truth shall come to grief. Behind him stretches hell where he shall be made to drink putrefied water, gulping it little by little, and yet hardly able to swallow it. Death will beset him from every side, yet he shall not die. More severe suffering still awaits him. (Verses 9-17)

All generations starting with the time of Noah and all messengers are grouped together, while time and place dwindle into insignificance, to give prominence to the truth of the one divine message. The objections of the unbelievers remain the same throughout. Similarly, help is given to believers, for power is granted by God to good people, while failure and humiliation are the lot of tyrants, and suffering awaits them in the hereafter. All these factors apply to them all in exactly the same way. We see that what is said by Muĥammad and Moses (peace be upon them both) to their peoples is identical: “This is a book which We have bestowed on you from on high so that you might bring forth all mankind, by their Lord’s leave, from darkness into the light.” (Verse 1) “We have sent forth Moses with Our revelations, saying, ‘Lead your people out of darkness into the light.” (Verse 5)

The battle between faith and unfaith does not end in this world. The sūrah follows it into the hereafter. We see it featured prominently in the different scenes and images the sūrah draws of the hereafter. For example:

They will all appear before God, and then the weak will say to those who acted with arrogance: ‘We were your followers: can you relieve us of something of God’s punishment?’ [And the others] will reply: Had God given us guidance, we would have guided you. It is now all one for us whether we grieve impatiently or endure with patience. There is no escape for us now.’ And when everything will have been decided, Satan will say: ‘God has made you a true promise. I, too, made promises to you, but I did not keep them. Yet I had no power at all over you, except that I called you and you responded to me. Hence, do not now blame me, but blame yourselves. It is not for me to respond to your cries, nor for you to respond to mine. I have already disclaimed your associating me with God.’ Indeed, for all wrongdoers there is grievous suffering in store. Those who believe and do righteous deeds will be admitted to gardens through which running waters flow, wherein they will abide, by their Lord’s leave. Their greeting shall be: ‘Peace’. (Verses 21-23)

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)

They devised their plots, but their plots are all within God’s grasp, even though their plots are so powerful as to move mountains. 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! On the day when the earth shall be changed into another earth, as shall be the heavens, and when all people stand before God, the One who holds sway over all that exists. On that day you will see the guilty chained together in fetters, wearing garments of black pitch, and their faces covered with flames. (Verses 46-50)

All these examples confirm that it is all one battle that starts in this world and ends in the life to come. The two parts are mutually complementary, with no gap in between. The examples, with events starting in this world and ending in the hereafter, also bring into sharp relief the main features of this battle and its results: a good word is like a good tree; and the tree is that of prophethood, faith and goodness. By contrast, an evil word is like a corrupt tree; the tree of ignorance, falsehood, rejection of the truth, evil and tyranny.

Gratitude to God for what He bestows on us animates the whole sūrah. God enumerates His favours, which He grants to all mankind, believers and unbelievers, righteous or unrighteous, God-fearing and wrongdoers. God is most certainly compassionate and merciful when He grants such favours to unbelievers, disobedients and wrongdoers in the same way as He grants them to the faithful who strive for His cause. It is their place that they should be grateful. Here God’s grace is shown extending across the widest horizon, within a framework of universal imagery: “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)

Indeed, sending messengers to mankind is an equal, if not greater favour: “This is a book which We have bestowed on you from on high so that you might bring forth all mankind, by their Lord’s leave, from darkness into the light.” (Verse 1) Light is perhaps God’s most majestic favour in the universe, but the light referred to in this verse is the greatest light that shines through our whole beings and which makes the world around us shine. The same task was assigned to Moses with his people, and indeed to all messengers, as clearly explained in the sūrah. We also note a favour in what God’s messengers say: “He calls you, so that He may forgive you your sins.” (Verse 10)

That people are called to forgiveness is a great favour almost equal to that of light.

Within the context of God’s favours, Moses reminds his people of what God bestowed on them: “Moses said to his people: ‘Remember the blessings God bestowed on you when He saved you from Pharaohs people who afflicted you with grievous torment, slaughtered your sons and spared [only] your women. That was indeed an awesome trial from your Lord.” (Verse 6) And within the same context, the sūrah mentions God’s promise to His messengers: “Their Lord revealed this to His messengers: Most certainly shall We destroy the wrongdoers, and most certainly shall We cause you to dwell in the land long after they are gone. This [I promise] to all who stand in awe of My presence, and stand in awe of My warnings.’“ (Verses 13-14) Again, this should be counted among God’s many great favours.

The sūrah also highlights the fact that God’s favours are increased when people are grateful: “For your Lord had declared: If you are grateful, I shall certainly give you more; but if you are ungrateful, then My punishment shall be severe indeed.’“ (Verse 7) It makes clear that God is in no need of gratitude, thanks or those who give them. “And Moses said:

If you and whoever lives on earth were to deny God, [know that] God is indeed Self-Sufficient, worthy of all praise.’“ (Verse 8) The sūrah explains that generally man does not show proper gratitude for the favours God bestows on 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.” (Verse 34) However, those who reflect on the signs God has placed all around them, and show insight, will persevere in the face of adversity and show gratitude for favours and blessings: “Surely in this there are signs for everyone who is patient in adversity and deeply grateful [to God].” (Verse 5)

Both patience in adversity and gratitude are expressed by Abraham in a position of humility before God, expressed in a prayer addressed near the Sacred Mosque in Makkah. It overflows with praise and gratitude to God:

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)

Because God’s favours and blessings, gratitude for them and, by contrast, their denial permeate the sūrah, many comments at the end of verses fit with this. For example: “provide them with fruits, so that they may give thanks.” (Verse 37) “Surely in this there are signs for everyone who is patient in adversity and deeply grateful [to God].” (Verse 5) “Have you not seen those who have exchanged God’s blessings for unbelief and landed their people in the House of Perdition.” (Verse 28) “Remember the blessings God bestowed on you.” (Verse 6) “All praise is due to God who has given me, in my old age, Ishmael and Isaac.” (Verse 39)

When the prophets answer the unbelievers’ objections that they, i.e. the prophets, are only human, they say: “We are indeed but mortals like yourselves. But God bestows His grace on whomever He wills of His servants.” (Verse 11) Thus, God’s grace is highlighted to fit with the general atmosphere of the sūrah, which radiates with aspects of grace, mercy, favour and gratitude on the one side and ingratitude on the other. Thus, verbal expression is brought in harmony with the sūrah as a whole to perfect the Qur’ānic artistic method.

The sūrah can be divided into two main passages: the first explains the nature of the divine message and the messenger delivering it, portraying the battle between their community and those who deny the message. It comments on all this, giving examples of good and evil words. The other passage speaks of the favours God grants to mankind, describing those who display an arrogant ingratitude and the believers who express their gratitude. The first perfect example of the latter is Abraham. It describes the fate of the wrongdoers who deny God’s favours in a series of most powerful and lively images of the Day of Judgement. Thus, the conclusion of the sūrah is brought into harmony with its opening: “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)