In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

This passage tackles the unbelievers’ attitude of the Prophet Muĥammad’s message. Indeed their attitude echoes that of the affluent to every divine message.

Such people are normally deluded by their riches and their offspring, and the fact that they command much of what this life can offer, thinking that this indicates they are favoured by God, and that such favours will ensure they do not suffer punishment in the hereafter. Therefore, the sūrah shows them their situation in the life to come, as though it is happening now before their very eyes. This so that they will know whether anything of what they have can benefit or protect them on the Day of Judgement. These scenes show clearly that neither the angels nor the jinn they worshipped in this life, and from whom they sought help, can give them anything whatsoever in the life to come. As the argument progresses the sūrah explains what carries real weight in God’s measure. Thus the false values they have in this world are seen for what they are. It becomes clear that granting wealth in abundance or otherwise in this present life depends on God’s will. It should not be taken as evidence of anyone’s position with Him. It is all a means of testing people.

We have sent you to all mankind so that you bring them good news and give them warning; but most people do not understand. They ask: ‘When is this promise to be fulfilled, if what you say be true?’ Say: ‘There has been appointed for you a day which you can neither delay nor advance by a single moment.’ (Verses 28-30)

This clarifies what was stated in the previous passage about each individual’s accountability to God, and that the role of the advocates of truth does not go beyond delivering God’s message and presenting it clearly before the rest of mankind. The current passage starts with explaining the mission assigned to the Prophet. It is clear that they are unaware of its nature. Hence they try to hasten what he promises or threatens them with. It makes clear that this comes at the time God has determined for it, which is unknown to anyone other than Him: “We have sent you to all mankind so that you bring them good news and give them warning.” (Verse 28) Such is the remit of the message addressed to all mankind: to bring good news and to give warning.

When this is done, the messenger’s role has ended. As for the fulfilment of promise and warning, this is all left to God to determine: “but most people do not understand.” (Verse 28)

“They ask: When is this promise to be fulfilled, if what you say be true?” (Verse 29) The very question implies that they do not understand the messenger’s role or the limits of the message. The Qur’ān wants the question of God’s oneness to be absolutely clear: Muĥammad is His Messenger with a clearly defined remit. He fulfils his task but does not go beyond this. All authority belongs to God: it is He who has given him the message to deliver, clearly defining his role. It is not part of his role to decide, or even to know, when the promise and the warning are to be fulfilled. This all belongs to God. The Prophet knows his limits. Therefore, he does not even question anything God has not chosen to inform him of, or has not assigned to him.

Here, God instructs him to give them this particular reply: “Say: There has been appointed for you a day which you can neither delay nor advance by a single moment.” (Verse 30)

Everything occurs at its particular time which God has determined. It is neither hastened nor delayed for anyone. Nothing occurs by coincidence. On the contrary, everything is created according to a particular plan, in which things are interrelated.

God’s will determines events and timings according to His own wisdom, of which we only understand what God chooses to impart to us. When people try to hasten His promise or warning, they betray their ignorance of this fundamental fact. Hence, since most people do not understand, this leads them to questioning and hastening things.

The next verse speaks about a determined attitude to reject all divine guidance:

“The unbelievers say: We will never believe in this Qur’ān, nor in any earlier revelations.” (Verse 31) They make it clear that they will never believe, neither in the Qur’ān nor in any divine book that preceded the Qur’ān, which in fact confirms its truth. They are not prepared to believe in any of this at any time in the future either. They are determined to disbelieve, deliberately refusing even to consider anything that points to faith. It is all, then, a well considered stance. Therefore, the sūrah puts before their eyes what happens to them on the Day of Judgement as a result of their stubborn rejection:

If only you could see how the wrongdoers shall be made to stand before their Lord, hurling reproaches at one another. Those of them who were weak on earth will say to those who had deemed themselves mighty: Had it not been for you, we would certainly have been believers.’ The ones who deemed themselves mighty will say to those who were weak: ‘Was it we who prevented you from following right guidance after it had been given you? Certainly not! It was you who were guilty.’ Those who were weak will reply to those who deemed themselves mighty: Not so! It was your scheming, night and day, ordering us to disbelieve in God and to set up equals to Him.’ When they see the punishment awaiting them, they will all harbour utter and unmitigated remorse. We shall put chains round the necks of the unbelievers. Are they to be requited for anything other than what they did? (Verses 31-33)

Their assertion that they will never believe in any revealed book is made in this life. So, what will they say in a totally different situation? If only we could see these wrongdoers when they are ‘made to stand’, i.e. forced into it against their will or better judgement. They are guilty, made to stand and await a decision by their Lord, in whose words and scriptures they profess they will never believe. Yet now they stand before Him. If you could watch them, you would see how they reproach one another, exchanging accusations and trying to blame each other. So, what is it that they say?

“Those of them who were weak on earth will say to those who had deemed themselves mighty: Had it not been for you, we would certainly have been believers.” (Verse 31) They blame their leaders, accusing them of being responsible for this humiliation and what will come next of great suffering. They state this now but were totally unable to confront them in this way during their life on earth, prevented as they were by their weakness and submission. They had sold out the freedom and dignity God had granted them, as well as the reasoning He had blessed them with. Now that all false values have been discarded, and they are put face to face with a long-lasting suffering, they can express themselves without fear: “Had it not been for you, we would certainly have been believers.” (Verse 31)

Those who used to think much of their power base are fed up with those whom they treated with humiliation. Both face the same punishment, but the weaker elements want them to bear responsibility for leading them astray, which is what has brought them to this suffering. Therefore, their reply is haughty, disowning any responsibility. They also tell them rudely what they think of them: “The ones who deemed themselves mighty will say to those who were weak: Was it we who prevented you from following right guidance after it had been given you? Certainly not! It was you who were guilty.” (Verse 32)

It is not only that they deny responsibility for others, but they acknowledge that the message they received was one of guidance. In their first life, they paid little heed to the weak or their views. In fact, they treated them as if they did not exist, accepting neither argument nor opposition from them. Now that they are facing the punishment of the hereafter, they reproachfully ask them: “Was it we who prevented you from following right guidance after it had been given you?” (Verse 32) With this denial comes an accusation: “It was you who were guilty.” (Verse 32) You refused the guidance that was given you because you yourselves were guilty.

Had this exchange taken place in this life, the weak would have sat quietly, unable to utter a word. But on the Day of Judgement, when false airs are seen for what they are, and when the facts that were hidden are brought into the open, the weak do not accept this accusation. Instead, they speak out telling the others that it was they who consistently schemed to turn them away from God’s guidance, it was they who established false beliefs, created confusion around the truth, and who used power and influence to keep people astray: “Those who were weak will reply to those who deemed themselves mighty: Not so! It was your scheming, night and day, ordering us to disbelieve in God and to set up equals to Him.” (Verse 33)

Both groups will then realize that such a depressing dialogue benefits neither. It will not spare either the punishment they deserve. Each party is guilty of their own sins: the ones who claimed power have to account for their own sins, as well as for leading others astray; and similarly the weak are responsible for their own sins and for following tyrants. They cannot he exempt on account of the fact that they were weak. God favoured them with reason and freedom, but they chose not to use their reason and sold their freedom, accepting humiliation and servility. Thus, they all deserve to be punished. When they see the suffering they have to endure, they are in deep sorrow, regretting all that they have done: “When they see the punishment awaiting them, they will all harbour utter and unmitigated remorse.” (Verse 33) This is a description of a state of total regret that leaves the person unable to utter a word.

Hearts are buried and lips are sealed.

They are then taken to where their punishment, hard and painful, is meted out:

“We shall put chains round the necks of the unbelievers.” (Verse 32) As they are being so driven, the sūrah addresses the onlookers, saying: “Are they to be requited for anything other than what they did?” (Verse 33)

The curtains are drawn leaving behind both those who enjoyed power and those who were servile. Both are wrongdoers. One group does wrong by tyrannizing, distorting the truth and exceeding their limits, while the other does wrong by surrendering their human dignity, reason and freedom, and accepting tyranny. Both groups are equally punished; both are requited only for what they did.

The scene shows the wrongdoers what they will face, bringing it alive before their very eyes. They see themselves in the hereafter while they are still in this life. Not only so, but others also see their end. All this is done when there is still time for all to make amends and correct their attitudes.

The wealthy Qurayshi people behaved in exactly the same way as others of affluence when they received a divine message: “Whenever We sent a warner to any community, those of them who lived in luxury said: ‘We do not believe in the message with which you have been sent.’“ (Verse 34) Thus, it is the same story repeated again and again throughout the generations. Luxurious life hardens hearts, blunts sensitivity, and corrupts nature so that it no longer sees the pointers divine guidance provides. It thus lures people into arrogance, darkness and falsehood.

People who live in luxury are often deceived by false values and transient affluence. They are deluded by the power and wealth they enjoy, thinking that it will spare them God’s punishment or that it is evidence of God’s being pleased with them, or that in their position they are above accountability for their deeds: “They also say: Richer than you are we in wealth, and we have more children. We certainly are not going to be made to suffer.” (Verse 35)

The Qur’ān puts in front of them the standard of values God wants. It explains to them that whether God grants provisions in plenty or makes them scanty is no indication of God’s being pleased or displeased with a person. It has nothing to do with the correct standard of values; it neither prevents punishment nor induces it. It is totally separate from the question of accountability, reckoning, requital and God’s pleasure. It is subject to a totally different divine rule: “Say: My Lord gives in abundance, or gives in scant measure, to whomever He wills; but most people do not understand.” (Verse 36)

This question of wealth and property, and how much someone has of the means of luxury and pleasure, is one that makes many people wonder.

They are troubled when they see that the wicked, the corrupt and the perpetrators of evil have whatever they wish for of wealth and power, while those who are virtuous, good and honest are deprived of it all. Some tend to think that God only gives in abundance to someone who enjoys a privileged position with Him. Others may even doubt whether goodness, honesty and virtue have any real value, since they often go hand in hand with poverty and deprivation. Therefore, the Qur’ān separates the riches and luxuries of this world from the values which God approves of. It states that God grants sustenance in abundance or scant measure to whomever He wills, and this has nothing to do with Him being pleased or displeased with anyone. God may indeed give riches in abundance to someone with whom He is displeased as well as to one who has earned His pleasure. Likewise, He may stint the provisions of anyone, good or evil. Most certainly the actions they do will not lead to the same result.

God may give in plenty to the perpetrators of evil, giving them the chance to delve further into evil, compound their corruption and increase their record of sin and crime. He will then punish them for their evil in this life or in the life to come as He, in His infinite wisdom, may determine. On the other hand, He may give them sustenance in a tight and scanty measure, and as a result they may go further on the loose, adding to their crimes and sins, despairing of ever receiving God’s grace.

Again their record of sin and evil will mount.

By contrast, God may bestow His favours in abundance on good and virtuous people so as to enable them to do many more good things that they would not have been able to do without having plentiful provisions. Thus, they will show their gratitude to Him by feeling, word and action. Their record of good things will then grow in accordance with their actions and with the goodness of their hearts, which is known to God. Alternatively, He may grant them sustenance only in small measure to test their perseverance, trust in their Lord, reassurance and acceptance of whatever lot is assigned to them. Again, if they prove themselves, there will be a manifold increase in their record of goodness.

Whatever the reasons for giving people in plenty or in limited measure are, the whole question is entirely separate from people’s respective positions with God. A person’s wealth, position or offspring in this life bear no indication of that person’s standing with God. Such standing is determined on the basis of how people behave.

If God grants someone wealth and children, and he uses both in a good way, God may give him double reward for this good action in connection with the blessings received from Him. It is their conduct that gives them double reward, not the wealth, power or offspring.

It is neither your riches nor your children that can bring you nearer to Us: only he who believes and does what is right [comes near to Us]. To these multiple reward will be given for all that they have done. They will dwell in safety in the mansions of paradise; whereas all who strive against Our revelations, seeking to defeat their purpose, shall be given over to suffering. (Verses 37-38)

The rule concerning people’s provisions and whether they are given in abundance or small measure is restated, making it clear that it is subject to God’s wisdom. It tells us that whatever of our provision is spent for God’s sake is the portion that remains and grows. We need to keep this fact clear in our minds:

Say: My Lord gives in abundance, or gives in scant measure, to whomever He wills of His servants; whatever you give for His sake He will replace it for you, for He is the best of providers. (Verse 39)

The passage concludes with a scene from the Day of Judgement, where we see them gathered, and God confronts them with the angels they used to worship instead of Him. It ends with them suffering the torment they used to hasten, as the sūrah has already mentioned:

On the day He gathers them all together, He will say to the angels: ‘Was it you that these people worshipped?’ They will answer: Limitless are You in Your glory! You alone are our patron, not they. In fact they worshipped the jinn and most of them believed in them.’ Today none of you has any power to benefit or harm another. We will say to the wrongdoers: ‘Taste now the suffering through fire which you persistently denied.’ (Verses 40-42)

These are the angels they used to worship, or hope would intercede for them with God: they are brought face to face with them, but the angels glorify God, stating that He is exalted above all that these people allege. They disassociate themselves from such false worship, as though it had not taken place. They are indeed in Satan’s service, either worshipping him and appealing to him for help, or obeying him by associating partners with God. In fact, when they worshipped angels, they were actually worshipping Satan. Indeed worship of the jinn was practised by some Arabs.

Some of them actually addressed their worship to the jinn, while others sought their help. Hence, the sūrah says: “They worshipped the jinn and most of them believed in them.” (Verse 41) This explains the relevance of Solomon’s story with the jinn to the major issues discussed in this sūrah.

As this scene concludes, the mode of expression changes from narrative to address. The blame is squarely put on them, and they are severely reproached:

“Today none of you has any power to benefit or harm another.” (Verse 42) Neither can the angels benefit people, nor can those unbelievers benefit one another. The fire the wrongdoers used to deny is now in front of them. It is an undoubted reality: “We will say to the wrongdoers: ‘Taste now the suffering through fire which you persistently denied.’ (Verse 42)

Like all previous passages, this one concludes with further emphasis on the question of resurrection, accountability, reckoning and reward.