In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

In this final part, the sūrah reviews all the issues it tackled earlier: the nature of revelation; Godhead and its oneness, and resurrection. These are reviewed in separate sections and shown with strong effects coupled with a clear rhythm. The overall aim is to show how God’s hand controls everything in the universe. This concept is summed up in the last verse of the sūrah: “Limitless, then, in His glory is He in whose hand rests the mighty dominion over all things, and to Him you all will be brought back.” (Verse 83) His hand, strong and innovative, has created cattle and subjected them to man, and created man from a mere gamete. The same hand can also give life to bones that had broken into dust, just like it originated them in the first instance. It was this hand that produced fire from the green tree and brought the heavens and the earth into being. In the end, it has control of everything in the universe. This, then, is the gist of this final part of the sūrah.

We have not taught the Prophet poetry; nor is it fitting for him [to be a poet). This is but a reminder and a Qur’ān making all things clear, to warn everyone who is alive, and that the word of God be proved against the unbelievers. (Verses 69-70)

Right at the outset, the sūrah spoke about the question of revelation: “Yā Sīn. By the Qur’ān, full of wisdom, you are indeed one of God’s messengers, pursuing a straight way. It is a revelation by the Almighty, the Ever Merciful, so that you may warn people whose forefathers had not been warned, and who therefore are unaware [of the truth].” (Verses 1-6)

Now it is presented in this particular form to refute the allegation that the Prophet was a poet, and that the Qur’ān was mere poetry. The elders of the Quraysh were fully aware that all this was absolutely false, and that the Qur’ān Muĥammad recited was something unknown in their language. They were not so dull as to be unable to distinguish the Qur’ān from poetry. These allegations were simply part of the propaganda they launched against the new faith and the Messenger preaching it.

They simply referred to the fine, inspiring style of the Qur’ān to try to make the masses confuse it with poetry.

At this point, God in all His limitless glory denies that He taught His Messenger the art of poetry. Since God did not teach him this, he will not learn it. No one will ever get to know anything other than what God teaches them.

The sūrah also makes it clear that poetry is not suitable for God’s Messenger: “nor is it fitting for him [to be a poet].” Poetry takes a different line from that of prophethood. Poetry is an interaction which may change from time to time.

Prophethood, on the other hand, means revelations bestowed from on high, outlining a firm system and a clear code that should be implemented as it conforms to God’s law, which operates throughout the universe. Unlike poetry, it does not change to suit moods and desires.

Moreover, prophethood means constant contact with God, learning directly from what He reveals and an untiring attempt to mould human life in a way that pleases Him. In its highest standards, poetry expresses a human longing for what is perfect and beautiful, but it remains a human effort confined within man’s capabilities and limitations. At lesser levels, poetry is an expression of reactions and desires that may be strongly carnal. Indeed, prophethood and poetry are far apart: one is at best a longing that issues from the earth while the other is true guidance from on high.

“This is but a reminder and a Qur’ān making all things clear.” (Verse 69) Both descriptions apply to the same thing: the role of revelation is to be a reminder as it works on the mind keeping it alert, and the Qur’ān is to be recited. It has been revealed to perform a particular task: “to warn everyone who is alive, and that the word of God be proved against the unbelievers.” (Verse 70) Here the Qur’ānic expression contrasts unbelief with life, making unbelief equal to death and propensity to faith equal to life. Thus, the Qur’ān has been revealed to the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him) so as to warn those who are alive and can benefit from the warning.

The unbelievers, on the other hand, are dead and cannot hear the warning.

Therefore, the function of the Qur’ān, in as far as they are concerned, is to record their situation which makes them deserve punishment. God will not inflict punishment on anyone who has not received His message. Punishment is for those who did receive His message and who were determined to disbelieve in it, thereby writing their own ruin.

The second section of this final part of the sūrah addresses the question of God’s oneness providing a framework for it from what people see around them and the blessings God grants them:

Are they not aware that, among all the things Our hands have made, We have created for them cattle which they control. We have subjected these to them, so that some of them they use for riding and of some they may eat, and they have other benefits from them, and [milk] to drink. Will they not give thanks? Yet they have taken to worship deities other than God, hoping for [their] support. They are unable to support them; yet their worshippers stand like warriors to defend them. Let not their words grieve you. We know all that they keep secret as well as all that they bring into the open.

(Verses 71-76)

These verses begin with the question, ‘Are they not aware...’, which could have been literally translated as ‘Do they not see how...’ The sign to which their attentions are drawn here is present before them. They do not have to look far for it. It is before their very eyes, requiring little contemplation. It is the cattle God has created and made subject to their control. Thus, they are able to ride them, use them for food, milk and draw various other benefits from them. All this is by God’s law and the qualities He has given man and cattle. People could never have achieved any of this on their own. In fact, they cannot create a fly, even though they might muster all their resources for this purpose. They cannot control a fly unless God gave it the quality of being controlled by man. Hence the question: “Will they not give thanks?” When we look at the matter in this Qur’ānic light we are bound to feel that God’s blessings overflow from every corner around us. Thus, every time we ride an animal, eat a piece of meat, have a drink of milk, taste a piece of cheese or use fat for cooking, or wear a garment made of hide, wool or animal hair, we in our hearts feel God’s endless blessings and infinite grace. This, then, applies to all things around us and everything we use, whether animate or inanimate. All our lives, then, become a continuous act of glorifying God and giving thanks to Him.

Yet people do not give thanks. Some of them would even attribute divinity to beings other than God. “Yet they have taken to worship deities other than God, hoping for [their] support. They are unable to support them; yet their worshippers stand like warriors to defend them.” (Verses 74-75) In the past, such deities were statues, stones, trees, stars, angels or jinn. Such idolatry persists today in some areas of the world. Yet people today who do not worship such deities do not necessarily believe in God’s oneness.

They may associate partners with Him, in the form of believing in some alleged powers other than His, or relying on other things. What we need to understand here is that polytheism can take different forms at different times and places.

The unbelievers used to worship these deities seeking their help to win victory, yet it was they who protected those deities against assault from others: “yet their worshippers stand like warriors to defend them.” (Verse 75) This was absurdity of the lowest order. However, in essence, most people have not gone far above this level of absurdity; only in form. Today, people who give tyrants the status of deities are not dissimilar to those who worshipped idols and statues. They are the warriors defending the tyrants and their tyranny, yet at the same time, they humbly bow before them. Idolatry is the same, whatever form it takes. Whenever the monotheistic faith suffers any deviation, idolatry and jāhiliyyah creep in. The only thing that protects humanity is belief in God’s absolute oneness. He is the One God, to whom all worship must be addressed. He is the One to be obeyed and on whom all must rely.

“Let not their words grieve you. We know all that they keep secret as well as all that they bring into the open.” (Verse 76) This is an address to the Prophet as he confronted those worshipping deities other than God. He should not be concerned about them.

God knows all about them and what they scheme. They represent no danger to any believer who places his trust in God.

The third section of this final passage raises the question of resurrection and reckoning:

Is man, then, not aware that it is We who create him out of a gamete; and then he becomes flagrantly contentious. He comes up with arguments against Us, forgetting how he himself was created. He asks: ‘Who could give life to bones that have crumbled to dust?’ Say: ‘He who brought them into being in the first instance will give them life again. He has full knowledge of every act of creation; He who produces for you fire out of the green tree, and from this you kindle your fires.’ Is, then, He who has created the heavens and the earth unable to create their like? Of course He can. He alone is the supreme Creator, the All-Knowing. When He intends something to he, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is. (Verses 77-82)

This section looks first at man’s own position, describing his origins and ends, putting it all before him so that he looks at it as a reality taking place all the time. Yet man neither appreciates its significance nor takes it as evidence confirming the realization of God’s promise to resurrect all humanity. “Is man, then, not aware that it is We who create him out of a gamete; and then he becomes flagrantly contentious.” (Verse 77) Man does not doubt that his immediate origin is a gamete. It is no more than a tiny drop of worthless fluid; a drop containing countless thousands of cells, one of which then becomes an embryo, which later grows into a contentious person, arguing with his Lord and demanding proof and evidence from Him.

It is the creative power of God that transforms that gamete into this quarrelsome, contentious person. What a gulf between origin and end! Yet man finds it difficult to believe that this power can bring him back to life after death. “He comes up with arguments against Us, forgetting how he himself was created. He asks: ‘Who could give life to bones that have crumbled to dust?’ Say: Be who brought them into being in the first instance will give them life again. He has full knowledge of every act of creation.” (Verses 78-79)

How simple, using the logic of nature and obvious reality! Does a gamete have greater life, power or value than a crumbled bone? Is not man originated from a gamete? Is the One who made an argumentative man out of a gamete unable to produce a new creation out of a crumbled bone? This is too easy and obvious to merit any lengthy discussion: “He who brought them into being in the first instance will give them life again. He has All knowledge of every act of creation.” (Verse 79) They are then given further clarification of God’s creative power. Again the clarification uses something they always see with their own eyes: “He who produces for you fire out of the green tree, and from this you kindle your fires.” (Verse 80)

A casual look at this remarkable phenomena, to which they are often oblivious, is sufficient as convincing proof. Green trees laden with water often produce fire through friction, and then become fuel to this same fire. However, scientific understanding of the nature of the heat green trees receive as they absorb solar energy and retain it while they are full of water can only enhance the significance of this phenomena. It is God who has given trees their characteristics, and who created all things. However, we seldom look at things with such awareness. As a result, they do not reveal to us their amazing secrets nor do they point us to the Creator of the universe. We only need to open our hearts to them and they will tell us their secrets.

We will then live with them in a permanent state of worship and glorification of God.

The sūrah then further examines the question of man’s initial creation and his subsequent resurrection: “Is, then, He who has created the heavens and the earth unable to create their like? Of course He can. He alone is the supreme Creator, the All-Knowing.” (Verse 81)

The heavens and the earth are great and wonderful creations. This earth where we live with millions of other species, and compared to which we are very little in size, and about which our knowledge remains scanty, is no more than a small satellite of the sun. Our earth depends totally on the light and heat it receives from the sun.

However, the sun is only one out of a hundred million suns in this galaxy which forms our neighbouring world. The universe includes numerous other galaxies.

Using their best, but limited observatories, astronomers estimate that there are one hundred million galaxies, but they could discover more if they used more powerful telescopes. The distance between our galaxy and the next is estimated at 750,000 light years. In addition, there are also vast nebula containing distant clusters of stars. But this is as far as our limited knowledge can reach.

Most of these countless stars have planets like our own star, and each planet and star has its own orbit in which it moves according to an accurate system which allows no stoppage or deviation. Otherwise, collisions would occur in outer space.

We simply cannot try to describe what this great expanse contains: it is simply beyond our imagination. However, the question remains: “Is, then, He who has created the heavens and the earth unable to create their like?” How do people compare with such great, unimaginable creation? “Of course He can. He alone is the supreme Creator, the All- Knowing.” (Verse 81)

The truth is that God creates this and that, as well as other types of creation, effortlessly. It is all the same to Him whether the creature He wants to bring into life is large or small: “When He intends something to be, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.” (Verse 82) This ‘something’ could be a galaxy, an earth, an ant or a mosquito. It is all the same, requiring no more than a simple word, ‘Be’, and it is there. Nothing is easier or more difficult, near or far. Once God’s will intends something, it exists whatever it may be. However, God tells us of this fact in a way we understand. This is why He expresses it in this way: saying, ‘Be’, to His intended creation.

At this point, the sūrah gives its final beat, describing the relation between the universe and its Creator: “Limitless, then, in His glory is He in whose hand rests the mighty dominion over all things, and to Him you all will be brought back.” (Verse 83) The term ‘mighty dominion’ describes this relation in its majestic reality of absolute ownership and complete authority over everything in the universe. Then to Him all will return.