In this new round the sūrah again picks up the theme of the true nature of Godhead, after having discussed in the previous passage the nature of God’s message and the Messenger to whom it is entrusted. The discussion in Chapter 7

ended with a clear demarcation of the separate paths followed by the believers and the evildoers.

In this passage the nature of Godhead is brought out clearly in a number of areas which we will first outline very briefly. It is first of all clear in the Prophet’s heart as he knows that he has clear evidence given him by God. He is absolutely certain of this evidence, and his firm belief will not admit any doubts as a result of the attitude of unbelievers who deny his message. Hence, he devotes himself to his faith, and takes his stand away from his people. His certainty that they are in deep error is as strong as his certainty of the truth that he is rightly guided. (Verses 56-7)

The nature of Godhead manifests itself in God’s forbearance when He does not act on the unbelievers’ requests for a physical miracle. Should He give them such a miracle and should they continue to disbelieve, their continued rejection of the truth would ensure their total destruction. Had the Prophet been able to grant them what they hastily demanded, he would have done so. As a human being, he would have been fed up with their stubborn rejection. To allow them an indefinite chance is an aspect of God’s grace, one which reflects His Godhead. (Verse 58)

Again, the nature of Godhead is clearly reflected in God’s knowledge that encompasses everything that takes place throughout the universe. This is described in a way that cannot apply to anyone other than God, and cannot be painted by anyone but Him. (Verse 59)

Moreover, the truth of Godhead is seen in the fact that God holds sway over all His creatures in all situations, whether asleep or awake, in life and after death, in this present world and in the next one. (Verses 60-2)

Finally, it is manifested in the nature of the unbelievers themselves. When they are overwhelmed by serious danger, they call for help on none other than God. Yet, they associate partners with Him, forgetting that the one to whom they appeal for delivery from danger is able to inflict punishment on them that none can remove.

(Verses 63-5)

Say: I am forbidden to worship those beings whom you invoke instead of God. Say: I do not follow your whims, for then I would have gone astray, and would not be on the right path. Say: I take my stand on a clear evidence from my Lord, yet you deny Him.

It is not in my power [to produce] that which you so hastily demand. Judgement rests with God alone. He declares the truth and He is the best of arbiters. Say: If that which you so hastily demand were in my power, the case between me and you would have been decided. But God knows best as to who are the wrongdoers. (Verses 56-8)

This passage is particularly inspiring. It seeks to influence the addressees by stating the true nature of Godhead, explaining its different aspects, using varying cadences and a most effective style. One particularly inspiring feature is the use of the address form, “Say... Say... Say...” making it profoundly clear that this is an address to God’s Messenger (peace be upon him). He is required to deliver his Lord’s message as it is revealed to him. We are told with absolute clarity that the Messenger does not have or follow anything other than this message and seeks none other than its guidance: “Say: ‘I am forbidden to worship those beings whom you invoke instead of God’. Say: ‘I do not follow your whims, for then I would have gone astray, and would not be on the right path.’” (Verse 56)

God commands His Messenger to declare to the unbelievers that his Lord forbids him to worship those beings on whom they call instead of God and whom they make partners with God. He is forbidden to follow their whims. The fact is that they invoke those beings, giving them a divine status, as a result of their whims and caprice. This cannot be the outcome of any certain knowledge or any truth. If he responded to their whims, he too would then go astray and find no guidance whatsoever. Their whims can only cause him and them to deviate from the path of the truth and to lose their way altogether.

God instructs his Messenger to put the issues so clearly to the unbelievers and to explain to them how his way and their way cannot meet. Indeed, this is not the first time God issues such an order to His Messenger in this sūrah. Earlier, He ordered him to say: “Will you in truth bear witness that there are other deities beside God? Say: ‘I bear no such witness’. Say:’ He is but one God. I disown all that you associate with Him.’” (Verse 19)

The unbelievers used to try to tempt God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) to endorse their beliefs in return for their endorsement of his faith. They suggested to him that he should bow to their deities and, likewise, they would prostrate themselves before his, as if this could ever happen, and as if idolatry and Islam, with its emphasis on submission to God alone, could exist side by side in the heart of any one person, or worship of God alone could join hands with the worship of other beings. Nothing of this could ever be imagined. God is the One who is least in need of any partners. He requires His servants to submit to Him alone. He makes it clear to them that He will never accept their submission if they allow any traces of polytheism to creep into it.

Developing the point of God’s knowledge of who are the wrongdoers, and continuing with the explanation of the nature of Godhead, the sūrah gives us an image of this knowledge as it pertains to one of its unique areas, namely, that of ghayb. This term will be explained presently.

“With Him are the keys to what lies beyond the reach of human perception: none knows them but He. He knows all that the land and sea contain; not a leaf falls but He knows it; and neither is there a grain in the earth’s deep darkness, nor anything fresh or dry but is recorded in a clear book.” (Verse 59)

This is an image of God’s complete knowledge that leaves out nothing in terms of time or place, land, sea or sky, in the depths of the world or in the wild expanse of space, including what is dead or alive, dry or fresh, green or withering away. But how prosaic is our own description as compared to the fine Qur’ānic portrayal?

Wholly inadequate when the latter combines within itself a purely arithmetic statement with a profoundly inspiring image! This short verse causes our human imagination to come to life trying to explore the horizons of what we know and what lies beyond our knowledge. We try to imagine the limitless nature of God’s knowledge as it encompasses the whole universe and goes far beyond what we know of that universe. We are in awe as we receive one image after another from all directions and as we try to lift the curtains drawn over what is kept hidden, whether it relates to the past, the present or the future. This is a complete world extending beyond our imagination. But the keys to all of it are with God, and He alone knows them. Our minds may try to discover what has so far been unknown to us in the land or at sea, realizing that everything in them is perfectly known to God. We visualize the leaves that drop from the trees:

innumerable as they are, yet every single one of them, wherever it falls, is seen by God. Every single grain, buried in the darkest depths of the earth, is beheld by God who sees everything, whether fresh or dry, dead or alive, anywhere in the universe.

Nothing escapes God’s knowledge.

Minds are left dizzy as they contemplate the picture this verse draws of God’s knowledge. Its lines are infinite, stretching endlessly in time and place, across the visible and the unseen. This endless expanse, which exhausts our minds to just imagine, is painted with absolute precision in only a few words.

Every time we look at this short verse, we cannot fail to recognize its miraculous style which tells of the author of the Qur’ān. One look at its subject matter is sufficient to make us absolutely certain that this is something no human being would say. Human intelligence does not stretch to limitless horizons when it describes perfect, unfailing knowledge. Instead, the human intellect has different characteristics and set limits, because its images reflect its own concerns. Why should human beings care about the number of leaves falling from the trees all over the globe? Why should they bother about grains buried in the deep dark recesses of the earth? What concern is it to them to know everything that is fresh or dry? People simply do not care about falling leaves, let alone about counting them. They care about the seeds they plant, hoping to have a good harvest. Otherwise, they would not care about the grains buried in the earth. They certainly like to use what they have of fresh and dry things, but none of these matters is thought of as evidence of perfect knowledge. It is only the Creator who knows and cares about every falling leaf, buried grain and the like, as He does about other things, fresh or dry.

We need now to say a word about the first clause in this verse, which states: “With Him are the keys to what lies beyond the reach of human perception: none knows them but He.” (Verse 59)

It is important to define what we describe in English as lying “beyond the reach of human perception” and the keys to it as being known only to God. This expression is given in the Arabic text in one word, ghayb, which is an essential element of the Islamic concept of faith, existence and life. The term is derived in Arabic from a root which denotes “absence, disappearance, hiding, shielding from people’s senses and understanding”. 1

We need to speak about ghayb because it is frequently contrasted nowadays with `science’ and what is ‘scientific’. The Qur’ān states that there is something to describe as ghayb which lies beyond the reach of human perception, and that the keys to this world are known only to God. The Qur’ān also states that the knowledge man has been given is scanty, but sufficient for man and appropriate for his potential. Beyond the factual knowledge given them by God, people only indulge in guesswork, which is no substitute for the truth. God states that He has set into operation certain laws for this universe, and He has taught man how to understand some of these laws and deal with them according to his ability. He further states that He will reveal to man of these laws what strengthens his faith. This does not violate the unchangeable laws of nature or affect the world that remains beyond the reach of human perception.

Nor does it affect God’s absolute will or the fact that everything occurs in accordance with His will. We will now touch briefly on these facts.

In the Qur’ān, God often describes the believers as those who believe in what lies beyond the reach of human perception. This quality is indeed essential to faith: “This [the Qur’ān] is the Book, there is no doubt about it, a guidance for the God-fearing, who believe in what lies beyond the reach of human perception, observe prayers and give of what We bestow upon them. [They are] those who believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you, and are certain of the hereafter. Those follow their Lord’s guidance, and they shall surely prosper.” (2: 2-5)

To believe in God (limitless is He in His glory) is to believe in what lies beyond the reach of human perception. It is not possible for human beings to comprehend the nature of God. When they believe in Him, they recognize the results of His actions, but they cannot conceive His nature or what He works. Similarly, the life to come also lies beyond the reach of human perception. Everything that relates to the Day of Judgement: the reckoning, the reward, and the punishment — all belong to the world beyond. We believe in all these because God has told us about them.

The ghayb which we are required to accept in order to have true faith includes other facts mentioned in the Qur’ān as God describes the believers and their faith:

Ghayb exists all around us, beyond the realm of our knowledge which continues to be based on probabilities. Man looks at the universe around him and continues to work out hypotheses and theories about its origin, nature and movement, and about time and place, their inter-relationship with each other and with what takes place in the universe. Man also tries to think about life: its source, origin, nature, continuity, the factors and forces that influence it and how it relates to material existence. He also thinks about himself: how is man different from matter and what distinguishes him from other living things? How did he come to exist on this earth; and how does he behave? What is human intellect, and what are its distinctive features? What happens to him after death? Even if we take the human body: what occurs inside it of chemical interactions at every moment and how do such interactions happen?

All these belong to the realm of ghayb. Science stops at its peripheries, unable to penetrate through them even to assign relative probabilities to different hypotheses.

We will leave aside for the moment the subjects which scientists do not care to enlist among their priorities and preoccupations, such as the nature of Godhead and the nature of God’s other creatures, such as angels and jinn, the nature of death, and the hereafter. It is sufficient for our purposes to speak only about that sort of ghayb which is closer to us. Here also we find science acknowledging its limited ability. Let us take one or two examples.

The first example concerns the atom which, according to modern science, is the basic unit in the structure of the universe. Yet it is not the smallest unit, because it consists of protons with a positive electric charge, electrons with a negative charge and neutrons with a static charge. With an atomic fusion, electrons are released, but they do not stick to a uniform behaviour in a laboratory. At one time, they move like waves of light, and at another like missiles. We cannot determine their future behaviour in advance. This is subject to the law of probability. The same differences of behaviour apply to a single atom and a group of atoms forming a small unit.

Sir James Jeans, a prominent British physicist says:

The old science had confidently proclaimed that nature could follow only one road, the road which was mapped out from the beginning of time to its end by the continuous chain of cause and effect; state A was inevitably succeeded by state B. So far the new science has only been able to say that state A may be followed by state B or C or D or by innumerable other states. It can, it is true, say that B is more likely than C, C than D, and so on; it can even specify the relative probabilities of states B, C and D. But, just because it has to speak in terms of probabilities, it cannot predict with certainty which state will follow which; this is a matter which lies on the knees of the gods — whatever gods there be.1

This, then, is what is meant by ghayb, which relates to God’s will into which human knowledge cannot penetrate. All that human knowledge and scientific experiment can reach are only peripheries. Further than that, it cannot go. Professor Jeans gives the example of radiation and how the atoms of the radium are transformed into lead and helium. Throughout this process, they are subject to laws which remain closed to human knowledge:

Before we conclude we need to say a few words on the nature of ghayb as understood in the Islamic faith.

The Qur’ān, the basic source of Islamic faith, states very clearly that there is a world beyond the reach of human perception and another world that can be perceived. Not everything around man is ghayb, and not all forces of the universe are unknown. There are certain laws that operate in the universe without fail. Man can know some of these in as much as this knowledge can be tolerated or is needed by him to fulfil his role on earth.

God has given him the power to know this much of the laws of the universe and to manipulate these forces in accordance with these laws. He will then be able to accomplish his mission and make use of the potentials of the earth and promote life.

Side by side with these constant laws, God’s will operates free of all restrictions. It is God’s will that sets these laws in operation every time they operate. Theirs is not a purely automatic motion. Although they operate in accordance with the rules God has set for them, it is God’s will that operates them. That will is part of ghayb, which is not known to anyone with any degree of certainty. The maximum that people can know of it remains within the range of assumptions and probabilities. Science readily admits this.

Millions of processes and interactions occur within man at every given moment, all of which are, to him, imperceptible, while he is also unaware of millions of processes and interactions occurring in the world around him. Indeed, the imperceptible engulfs the past, the present and the future as they relate to man or to the universe. This works side by side with the constant laws of nature some of which are known to man, who benefits by them regularly and scientifically as he works to fulfil his role. Man comes into this world against his will and without any prior knowledge of his arrival here. He departs from it unwillingly and without any knowledge of his departure time. This applies to every living thing. No matter how much man increases his knowledge, this will remain the same. The Islamic mentality is a scientific one and it believes in the imperceptible, because science recognizes the imperceptible and accepts its existence.

Denying it is an exercise of ignorance in spite of all the claims of those who make such a denial. The Islamic mentality combines believing in what lies beyond the reach of human perception, the secrets of which are known only to God, with the belief in the constant laws of nature. Hence, a Muslim benefits by scientific achievements. At the same time, he remains at peace with the fact that there is a complete world which our faculties cannot fathom, and which is known only to God who determines how much He reveals of it to those whom He chooses.

It is animals that cannot comprehend anything beyond the reach of their senses.

When a person believes in ghayb, he elevates himself to the rank of man who realizes that the universe is far greater and wider than the limited scope of his senses. Such a belief represents a great departure in an individual’s perception of the nature of existence, the forces operating in the universe, and the Power which controls all that.

An important feature of Godhead is that which combines absolute power over all creation and a constant, alert watch. That which combines the predetermination of the life span of every individual, and our inescapable destiny with the final reckoning which is both prompt and unfailing. All this belongs to the realm of those imperceptibles which encompass human life.

He alone holds sway over His servants. He sends forth guardians to watch over you until, when death approaches any one of you, Our messengers cause him to die. They leave no part of their duty unfulfilled. They are then brought back to God, their true Lord Supreme. Indeed, His alone is all judgement; and He is most swift in reckoning.

(Verses 61-2)

“He alone holds sway over His servants.” (Verse 61) All power belongs to Him, and all creatures are subject to His power. In front of Him, they are powerless. In front of the Almighty, they are no more than submissive slaves. This is the truth confirmed by the realities of human life. Despite all the freedom of action they are given and the degree of knowledge they are allowed, and the ability instilled in them to fulfil the task assigned to them, their every breath is allowed them in accordance with a specific measure; their every action is subject to God’s power. Such is the basic law of human life which they cannot violate, although this law may manifest itself each time in accordance with a specific divine will. This even applies to every individual breath or action.§ “He sends forth guardians to watch over you.” (Verse 61) The nature of those guardians is not mentioned here. Elsewhere in the Qur’ān, we are told that they are angels who record everything we do. The point here is to impart a feeling that there is a close supervision over everyone. No single person is left all alone, not even for a moment. Watchers count and record every word we say, every action we do and every movement we make. When we imagine this, we are at the height of our alertness.

“Until, when death approaches any one of you, Our messengers cause him to die. They leave no part of their duty unfulfilled.” (Verse 61) The same atmosphere is generated again by a different image. Every soul is left until a particular moment which always remains unknown to it, although it is specified by God. It can be neither advanced nor delayed. Every soul has an angel close at hand watching over it, counting its every breath, mindful of his task and never neglecting anything. He is a guardian angel. At the appointed moment, when the human soul is fully preoccupied with its affairs the guardian completes his task and the messenger delivers his message. As we think of this, we are bound to shiver as we feel that we are totally in the hands of a destiny which remains unknown to us. We realize that we could meet death at any moment.

“They are then brought back to God, their true Lord Supreme.” (Verse 62) He is indeed our true Lord, while all other deities are false. It is He who has originated us and given us our lives, keeping us all the time under His unfailing supervision. He then gathers us back to Him for final judgement: “Indeed, His alone is all judgement; and He is most swift in reckoning.” (Verse 62) It is He alone who reckons and judges. Both His judgement and reward are readily delivered. The reference to His speed here is meant to make us feel that we are not given even a short period of grace before we are held to account.

They are then called upon to listen to the voice of their very nature. Indeed, human nature recognizes the truth of Godhead and turns to God alone when it faces dangers and difficulties. The sūrah paints for them their nature when they are in distress, and describes how they go against its appeals when they go through a period of ease and comfort.

This is all portrayed in a short, fast, clear scene, producing a profound effect. They are reminded that great distress is not limited to the Day of Resurrection when they have to face their reckoning. They, indeed, go through periods of great distress in the deep darkness of land and sea. At such moments, they turn only to God, recognizing that only He can save them. Still they revert to their erring ways in periods of ease:

“Say: ‘Who is it that saves you from the dark dangers of the land and sea, when you call out to Him humbly and in secret: If He will but save us from this peril, we will most certainly be grateful? Say: God alone saves you from these and from every distress; and still you associate partners with Him.” (Verses 63-4) At times, it is sufficient to visualize danger and remember distress to soften people’s hearts and help them restrain their wild desires.

People can then remember their feelings of weakness as they remember God’s grace when He alleviates their distress.

“Say: Who is it that saves you from the dark dangers of land and sea, when you call out to Him humbly and in secret: ‘If He will but save us from this peril, we will most certainly be grateful?’“ (Verse 63) Such an experience is well known to everyone who has gone through a period of distress or witnessed and observed what people in distress feel.

There are indeed many types of darkness involving perils of different types on land and at sea. It is not necessary that the night should spread its mantle for darkness to prevail: losing one’s way and danger are two types of darkness and what awaits people on land and at sea is screened from them by darkness. Wherever people find themselves in the midst of darkness they realize that they must turn only to God, praying to Him in earnest or appealing to Him in private. At such a moment, human nature sheds its burden and comes face to face with the truth implanted deep inside it, that is the truth of God’s oneness. Therefore, it turns to God alone, addressing Him without any partners, because it recognizes then the absurdity of idolatry and polytheism and the non-existence of any partners with God. At such a moment, those who are in distress are quick to make solemn pledges: “If He will but save us from this peril, we will most certainly be grateful.” (Verse 63)

God commands His Messenger to remind them of the truth: “Say: God alone saves you from these and from every distress.” (Verse 64) There is no one to respond to them other than He, and no one else to remove their distress. But the Prophet is also commanded to remind them of their singularly queer attitude: “Still, you associate partners with Him.” (Verse 64)

The sūrah reminds them of God’s power which could smite them after they have been saved. It is not like a momentary distress which is not replaced once it is over.

They are reminded of God’s unlimited ability to bring about suffering that they cannot endure: “Say: It is He alone who has the power to let loose upon you suffering from above you and from beneath your feet, or to divide you into disputing groups, causing the one to suffer at the hands of the other. See how We make plain Our revelations so that they may understand.” (Verse 65)

To visualize suffering coming from above or from beneath in overwhelming force has a much more powerful effect on the human mind than to visualize it coming from the right or the left. Anyone may imagine that he can resist the latter type coming sideways, but the type of suffering which is brought down from above or which overwhelms people from beneath must be irresistible. In its inspiring style, the sūrah adds this forceful effect as it states in plain terms that God is able to overwhelm people with suffering from any direction and in any method He chooses. It then adds another type of suffering which is slow and long lasting. This type does not destroy them all in a flash, but lingers with them so that they experience it day after day and night after night: “[He has the power] to divide you into disputing groups, causing the one to suffer at the hands of the other.” (Verse 65)

This is an image of long-lasting suffering which they bring upon themselves and make each other experience. God allows them to split into hostile groups which can hardly be distinguished, one from the other. There is no clarity of separating lines.

These groups are in a state of constant hostility, argument and dispute. Therefore, they bring suffering upon one another.

In many periods of its history, humanity has experienced this type of suffering, whenever it deviated from the divine method, allowing people, in their weakness and ignorance, to conduct human life in accordance with their desires. Thus we find people groping in the dark as they devise their own systems, laws and values for human life. This is followed by one group trying to impose these systems, laws and values on others. The result is that one group may resist and those who have power try to crush their resistance. The desires, ambitions and concepts held by different groups would thus be involved in a bitter conflict, with one group made to suffer the tyranny of another. Thus, mutual hatred becomes widespread. When you analyze this state of affairs, you are bound to conclude that it is caused by the fact that humanity does not apply the same standard given them by their Supreme Lord to whom all human beings must submit. While people may not find it easy to recognise the authority of others, none of them feels himself humiliated when he submits to God alone.

The most terrible situation in human life is that in which some human beings claim for themselves the rights of Godhead and try to impose these in practice on the rest of mankind. This is the sort of confused situation which splits people into hostile groups: on the surface, they may appear to be one community, but in reality some of them are subservient to others. One group wields power, using it in a tyrannical way because they are not restrained by God’s law. The others are embittered and nurse their grudges. Both groups are made to suffer the might and tyranny of each other.