Like the preceding sūrah, al-An`ām, or Cattle, this sūrah2 was revealed in Makkah.

Hence, its main subject matter is faith, which runs throughout Makkan revelations.

But the two domains in which these two sūrahs work are widely different.

Every sūrah of the Qur’ān has its unique character and distinctive features. It adopts a special approach, uses a particular style and allows itself a specialized area in explaining its theme, making it clearly understood. All Qur’ānic sūrahs have a common theme and share in a common objective. Each, however, has its special characteristics and unique approach. They are similar, in this respect, to human beings who all share the same characteristics and biological and physiological constitution. Apart from that, they exhibit an endless range of variety. We may see similarities between them in certain details, but we find each of them making a special pattern of his or her own which would have made him or her absolutely unique, had it not been for common human qualities and characteristics.

I have reflected on, and dealt with, the Qur’ānic sūrahs in this light, after having ‘lived’ with them and recited them over a very long period of time. I have thus been able to identify the distinctive characteristics of each. As a result, I find in the Qur’ānic sūrahs a great variety resulting from different patterns, a friendliness which can be attributed to the close personal approach, and an enjoyment that is ever renewed. All of these sūrahs are friends imparting an air of friendliness, love and enjoyment. Each gives you a different set of inspirations to impress on you its uniqueness. To take a journey with a sūrah from beginning to end involves looking at a great many worlds, contemplating a large number of facts and truisms, and delving into the depths of the human soul as well as contemplating the great scenes of the universe. However, each is a special journey that is bound to give you something unique.

As has already been said, the subject matter of both this sūrah and the preceding one is faith. However, the preceding Sūrah, Cattle or al-An`ām, outlines the nature and essence of faith. It confronts the jāhiliyyah, or the state of ignorance which prevailed in Arabia at the time, as well as every type of jāhiliyyah, in any community, with the attitude of a person who knows the truth and advocates it. In this confrontation, the sūrah makes use of all inspiring indicators available all around us in the universe. These have already been discussed in detail.3

On the other hand, the present sūrah adopts a totally different approach as it discusses the same question of faith. It provides for it with the panoramic setting of human history. It starts with mankind’s journey as it begins in heaven and where it aims to return. Along this great expanse, we see the procession of faith starting with the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) to the last of all prophets and messengers, Muhammad (peace be upon him). The procession holds the banner of faith and advocates, throughout human history, that the only way to human happiness is for people to adopt the faith based on God’s oneness. The sūrah outlines what reception this call received in different periods of history; how the leaders of this procession put the message across to mankind, and the responses they received; how the people in power went about conducting their campaigns of opposition and how the procession of believers brushed them aside and went along its way. This sūrah also portrays the fate that befell opponents of faith in this life and the different destinies in the hereafter of both believers and unbelievers.

It is a very long journey, but the sūrah takes us along, stage by stage, making a stop at every landmark to indicate that the road is clearly demarcated with wellknown starting and finishing lines. All mankind travels along, aiming to return to the point where it started, in heaven, with the Supreme society.

Mankind began at the starting point with two individuals, Adam and Eve, the first human beings on earth. Satan also started along with them, having been granted God’s permission to try to lead them and their offspring astray. At the same time, Adam and Eve are bound with a covenant with God that applies to their offspring as well. They are given a measure of choice so that they can either fulfil their covenant with God with strong resolve or lean towards Satan, their enemy who drove their parents away from heaven. They either listen to the revelations conveyed to them by the noble group of messengers God sends them, or they listen to Satan’s temptation who mobilizes all his power to undermine their position.

Thus, man’s march starts with his Lord, before he descends to earth. Here on earth, every human being is supposed to work hard, repair or undermine, build or destroy, compete, fight, and, in general, play his or her part in the toil which no human being can escape. Humanity then returns to its Lord who had set it on its journey. Each individual returns carrying what they have earned on their trip, be it bright or shameful, precious or cheap, good or evil. It is the end of the day at the dawn of which humanity started its march.

The sūrah does not present the history of faith or the journey of mankind from its first origins to its ultimate return in story fashion. Rather, it presents it as a battle with jāhiliyyah, the state of ignorance that affects individuals and communities.

Hence, its theme is presented in scenes and attitudes, showing us a living community standing in opposition to the Qur’ān. The Qur’ān, therefore, confronts that community with this long story, pointing out the lessons to be drawn from it, reminding and warning people, and engaging them in a real battle. Hence, the comments given after every important stage are addressed in the first instance to those first combatants, as also to all people who adopt the same attitude to faith in every future generation.

The Qur’ān relates a story only to use it as a means of dealing with an existing situation. It only states a truth in order to remove a falsehood. It takes practical measures within a living environment. It neither makes a premise for academic purposes, nor relates a story for intellectual pleasure.

In this sūrah we note that, in its comments, it lays special emphasis on reminders and warnings on the one hand, and on the starting and finishing lines in the human journey on the other. It gives accounts of the peoples of Noah, Hūd, Şāliĥ, Lot and Shu`ayb, but treats the history of Moses at much greater length and with stronger emphasis.

In this Prologue, we can only give brief examples of the points of emphasis in the sūrah. It opens in the following manner: “Alif. Lām. Mīm. Şād. This is a book that has been bestowed on you from on high — so do not entertain any doubt about it — in order that you may warn people with its message, and admonish the believers. Follow what has been sent down to you by your Lord, and follow no masters other than Him. How seldom do you keep this in mind.” (Verses 1-3) Thus, right from the outset, it takes the form of an address to the Prophet and to the people to whom he directs his efforts, equipped with the Qur’ān. All that is subsequently presented in the sūrah, including the historical accounts of past communities, the long human journey and its final destination, the scenes portrayed of the universe and the Day of Judgement, is an indirect address, though it takes at times a direct stance, to the Prophet and his people, serving as a warning and a reminder.

The statement addressed to the Prophet, “This is a book that has been bestowed on you from on high — so do not entertain any doubt about it,” describes a practical situation which is only appreciated by one who lives in a state of jāhiliyyah and advocates Islam, knowing that his goal is hard and his way full of difficult obstacles. What he aims to achieve is to establish a faith that provides a new set of standards and values, and a social set-up that differs with what exists anywhere in the world. But he encounters jāhiliyyah with its lingering concepts, values and standards exercising enormous pressures on people’s minds, souls, feelings and social practices. He then discovers that the truth he is advocating sounds strange, objectionable, too demanding, because it seeks a total change in people’s ideas, values, laws, traditions, bonds and social relations. Hence, he finds himself reluctant to confront people with this truth and its heavy demands. This reluctance creates that doubt which God tells His Messenger not to entertain. Instead, he should go ahead, warning and reminding, caring little for whatever he meets with of people’s surprise, objection, opposition and even active resistance.

All this is preliminary to giving an account of how human life came into being, showing its starting point and where it began its long journey. The sūrah concentrates on this point. It also uses it by way of reminder and warning, utilizing every element that strikes a strong note in human consciousness. (Verses 11-25)

In this starting point scene, the entire outcome of the journey and the destinies of the travellers are outlined. We see the making of the great fight, which continues with no respite, between all mankind and their declared enemy. We also see man’s weaknesses and how Satan tries to exploit these. Therefore, the sūrah uses this scene to provide long comments, warning human beings against falling into the same trap set for their first parents by their avowed enemy. Also, in the light of this scene in which we see Satan standing face to face with Adam and Eve, and the results of this first encounter, the sūrah addresses its reminders to all mankind, warning people against heading to the same fate.

Children of Adam, We have sent down to you clothing to cover your nakedness, and garments pleasing to the eye; but the robe of God- consciousness is the finest of all. In this there is a sign from God, so that they may reflect. Children of Adam, do not allow Satan to seduce you in the same way as he caused your [first] parents to be turned out of the Garden. He stripped them of their garment in order to make them aware of their nakedness. Surely, he and his tribe watch you from where you cannot perceive them.

We have made the devils as patrons for those who do not believe. (Verses 26-27)

Children of Adam! Whenever there come to you messengers from among yourselves to relate to you My revelations, then those who are conscious of Me and live righteously shall have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve. But those who deny and scorn Our revelations are the ones destined for the fire, where they shall abide. (Verses 35-36)

We note how the scene of nakedness, as a result of disobedience to God, and Adam and Eve’s attempt to cover themselves with leaves from the Garden, is followed by a reminder of God’s blessing of fine clothing. People are warned that they must not allow Satan to tempt them to uncover themselves as he did with their first parents. We also note that this part of the story and the comments given after it addressed a practical situation in the idolatrous Arabian society. Influenced by certain deviant traditions and myth, some Arabs used to do their ţawāf around the Ka`bah naked. They prohibited themselves certain types of clothes and food during the pilgrimage period, alleging that this was all part of God’s law, and that it was God who enforced such prohibitions. Hence, in this story of mankind and the accompanying comments we find suitable answers to this practical situation in Arabian jāhiliyyah, and indeed in every state of jāhiliyyah. A common feature of all states of jāhiliyyah is to undress, lose one’s sense of modesty and to have no fear of God.

This points to an important feature of the Qur’ānic approach. Even when the Qur’ān employs a story, it only does so to deal with an existing situation. Since it always deals with a different situation, the portions of the story related each time are those which fit with the particular situation the Qur’ān is addressing, giving it the sort of emphasis that draws the lesson required. As we said in the Prologue to the preceding sūrah,

Before the travellers set out on their long journey; before God’s messenger provides them with guidance; before giving any details of the history of faith after Adam and Eve and their first experience; the sūrah provides a scene of the ultimate end of the entire journey. This method is often used in the Qur’ān: the two ends of the journey are set in contrast, in the life of this world and in the life to come, showing it to be one uninterrupted trek.

Here we have one of the richest and most detailed scenes of the Day of Resurrection given in the Qur’ān. The scene portrays a long succession of images and gives details of dialogues that take place then. This scene, occurring as it does immediately after man’s fall from heaven and God’s warning to mankind against listening to Satan’s promptings, serves as a confirmation of what God’s messengers have said to their peoples. Thus, those who obey Satan and do his bidding are forbidden admission into heaven, just like their first parents who were turned out of heaven by Satan. By contrast, those who obey God and turn their backs on Satan are returned to heaven after their long journey. The scene is too long to be quoted here in the Prologue but we will be discussing it in detail at its appropriate place.

Nonetheless, the sūrah also uses this scene to warn those who disbelieve in the Qur’ān, requiring miracles so that they can accept that it is God’s word. It warns them against a greatly miserable end. (Verses 52-53)

After showing this long trip, from first creation to resurrection, the sūrah pauses for comments, stating the nature of Godhead and Lordship in the universe with breathtaking scenes. This is all in line with the Qur’ānic method of using the universe as a field in which the truth of Godhead appears in full view, producing its great inspiration to any human heart that warms to it. The aim of this portrayal of universal scenes is to present the central issue of faith, namely that the entire universe submits to, and worships God alone, its only Lord. It behoves man not to be the only jarring note in the superb symphony of faith played by the universe. He must not be the only creature to disclaim himself a servant of God, the overall Lord of the universe, the Lord of all the worlds. (Verses 54-58)

So the journey continues and the story unfolds. The long line of noble advocates of faith, formed by God’s messengers, call out with compassion to erring mankind, reminding them of the truth and warning them against following a course that is certain to lead to ruin. But those who are deep in error confront this compassionate address with rejection at first and later with force, persecution and tyranny. When God’s messengers have fulfilled their duties of reminding and warning, standing up to opposition and persecution by their peoples, ultimately moving away and declaring their allegiance to faith, God Himself takes over the conduct of the fight.

The sūrah gives accounts of the prophets Noah, Had, Şāliĥ, Lot and Shu`ayb with their respective communities. They all present one never-changing truth: “My people, worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him.” (Verses 59, 65, 73, 85) Their peoples argued with them, rejecting the very concept of God’s oneness and His being the only Lord in the universe. They also wondered about God sending human messengers. Some of them argued that religion had nothing to do with people’s lives or with the regulation of financial and business transactions. This is echoed by some people in today’s jāhiliyyah, despite the passage of many centuries. They describe their old, ignorant and futile argument as `liberalism,’ and `progress’. At the end of each account, the sūrah shows the fate of those who rejected God’s message.

When we look carefully at the way these stories are presented, we cannot fail to note that all messengers said the same words to their communities: “My people, worship God alone: you have no deity other than Him.” Every messenger presents this central truth to his people in the manner of a caring and honest adviser who fears for his people the inevitable doom of which they remain oblivious. None of these Al-A`rāf (The Heights) | PROLOGUE 9

communities appreciated the advice given by their messenger. None thought about their fate. None recognized the profound sincerity of their messenger, nor of his having no personal interest in the matter.

At this point we may refer to the first account of the Prophet Noah (Verses 59-64)

and the last one referring to the Prophet Shu`ayb (Verses 85-93). These two show the truth of the single faith which all God’s messengers preached, each to his own people. All received the same rejection by people in power and their weak followers.

In each account we cannot fail to note the clarity and power of faith in the hearts of the messenger and the believers who follow him, or the messenger’s keen desire to guide his people to the truth, or his taking a stand away from them after having completed his mission.

At this point the sūrah pauses for comment. It outlines God’s law of dealing with people who receive a message from Him but who continue to deny the truth. He tests them first with tribulation and hardship so that they may be alerted to the truth and respond to it. If they continue in their rejection, then He tries them with affluence, which is an even harder test. Thus, they may be confused and mistake God’s law. Ultimately, He takes them suddenly, when they are totally unaware.

The sūrah then moves on to relate the story of Moses, giving first an account of the events that took place between Moses and Pharaoh, before it gives a detailed account of the struggle Moses had to undertake against his own people, the Children of Israel. The history of Moses related in this sūrah is the longest and most detailed of any account given of it in any other sūrah. It should be remembered that certain episodes of the story of Moses are given in many places in the Qur’ān, in addition to brief references to it in several other sūrahs. It is the story mentioned most frequently in the Qur’ān. The great details of the history of this particular nation are perhaps given in the Qur’ān for the reasons we have already outlined. Let us remind ourselves of these purposes here:

One purpose relates to the fact that the Children of Israel were the first to confront the Islamic message with wicked designs, plots and open warfare both in Madinah and the whole of Arabia. Their hostile attitude could be traced back to the very early days of the Islamic message. It was they who encouraged and nurtured hypocrisy and the hypocrites in Madinah, providing them with the means to scheme against Islam and the Muslims. They also incited the pagan Arabs to fight the Muslim community and gave them their active support. It was they who started the war of false rumours against the Muslim community raising among them doubts and suspicions about the Muslim leadership and circulating distortions of the Islamic faith before they confronted the Muslim community in open warfare. It was necessary, therefore, to expose them to the Muslim community so that it knew its enemies: their nature, history, methods and means as well as the nature of the battle it had to fight against them.

Another purpose can be seen in the fact that the Israelites were the followers of a Divine faith revealed before the final faith of Islam. They had a long history before Islam, during which distortions crept into their faith and they repeatedly violated their agreement and covenant with God. The practical consequences of these violations and deviations were seen in their lives, their moral values and their traditions. As the Muslim nation is the heir to all divine messages and the custodian of the monotheistic divine faith as a whole, it is necessary that it be made fully aware of the history of the Israelites with all its ups and downs. This gave the Muslim community an accurate knowledge of the way it should follow, what slips lay ahead of it and the consequences of such slips, as these are reflected in the history and morality of the Jews. This enabled the Muslim community to add the experience of the Jews to the total sum of its own experience and to benefit by it in future. It could, thus, avoid the slips and deal effectively with deviation right at the start before it had a chance to develop.

Yet another purpose relates to the fact that over their long history the experience of the Jews was highly varied. God is aware that with the passage of time, people may change, and certain generations may deviate from the right path. As the Muslim nation will continue until the end of life, it is bound to go through certain periods which are not dissimilar to what the Jews have gone through. God has, therefore, chosen to make available to the leaders of the Muslim community and its reformers in different generations, clear examples of what could befall nations so that they may be able to diagnose the disease of their particular generation and administer the proper cure. It is a fact of life that those who deviate after having known the truth are the most resistant to calls and appeals to follow right guidance. Those without any prior knowledge of the truth are more responsive because they find something new which appeals to them and helps them shake off the burden of ignorance. They are most impressed by the first call that makes its appeal to them. Winning over those with an earlier experience requires a much more strenuous effort and a great deal of perseverance on the part of advocates of the Divine faith.

Moses (peace be upon him) faces Pharaoh and the chiefs of his people, declaring the fact that he, Moses, is a Messenger of God, the Lord of all the worlds: “Moses said:

‘Pharaoh, I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds, and may say about God nothing but the truth. I have come to you with a clear evidence from your Lord. So, let the Children of Israel go with me.’” (Verses 104-105) The same fact is driven home to Pharaoh when Moses wins the confrontation with Pharaoh’s sorcerers and they declare their acceptance of God’s oneness: “The sorcerers fell down prostrating themselves, and said:

`We believe in the Lord of all the worlds, the Lord of Moses and Aaron.” (Verses 120-122)

Again when Pharaoh threatens them with severe punishment, they turn to their Lord and declare that they will always turn to Him in life, death and future life: “They replied: `To our Lord we shall indeed return. You want to take vengeance on us only because we have believed in the signs of our Lord when they were shown to us. Our Lord, grant us abundance of patience in adversity, and let us die as people who have surrendered themselves to You.’” (Verses 125-126)

As Moses teaches his people their faith, we frequently see him emphasizing to them who their true Lord is. This is the case when Pharaoh threatens them with general persecution, and later when they deviate and ask him to make them a deity like those of the people they came across after their salvation from Pharaoh. (Verses 128-129 and 138-140) Such Qur’ānic statements made within the story confirm the true nature of the religion preached by the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) and the sort of beliefs that result from it. These are the same beliefs Islam calls for and which are advocated by every divine message. Moreover, these Qur’ānic statements prove the fallacy of the theories advanced by Western `experts’ in the history of religion, and the error of anyone who adopts their method and premise about the development of human faith.

These Qur’ānic statements also show the different sorts of deviation that occurred in Jewish history and the perverted nature of the Israelites, even after Moses was given his message. Examples of this are seen in their request: “Moses, set up a god for us like the gods they have.” (Verse 138); and in their adoption of the calf when Moses went for his appointment with his Lord; and in their demand to see God in order to believe in Him. None of these represents the faith Moses preached. These are deviations which may not be attributed to the faith. The claim that these were part of the Jewish religion which later developed into a monotheistic faith is indeed false.

The confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh illustrates the nature of the battle between the divine faith, in its totality, and jāhiliyyah, in all its forms and aspects. It shows how the evil forces look at this faith, feeling the danger it represents to the very existence of these forces. It further shows how believers view the battle between them and tyrannical evil forces.

The story also relates how God subjected Pharaoh’s people to several trials, allowing different types of hardship to afflict them. Nevertheless, they persist in their rejection of God’s message, making all types of excuses. Eventually destruction befalls them. (Verses 130-136)

In this passage we realize how adamantly and persistently tyranny clings to its falsehood, resisting with all its might the message declaring God’s Lordship over all the worlds. These tyrants realize, with perfect certainty, that such a message undermines their position. Indeed, it does not recognize their claims to such a position. Tyranny will never allow the declaration of God’s oneness, or His Lordship over all the worlds, unless these words lose their true meaning, becoming mere words of little significance. In such a situation, they represent no threat to tyranny.

On the other hand, when a group of people adopt these words and take them seriously, in their true meaning, tyranny will not tolerate them. It immediately realizes the threat they represent to its usurped authority which enables it to exercise sovereignty and lordship over its subject people. Thus, Pharaoh could not tolerate that Moses should advocate faith in God, the Lord of all the worlds, or that the sorcerers should declare their belief in Him. He and his chiefs persisted with their rejection of this truth when signs were shown to them, and then when different types of hardship afflicted them, one after another. To them, all this was easier to tolerate than to acknowledge God as the Lord of all the worlds, because that would have ended their usurped authority.

We see also in the way the sūrah speaks of the signs and the trials how God deals with those who deny His messages. He first tries them with hardship and tribulation, then with affluence and plenty, before He finally smites them with a severe punishment. The believers, who have been weak and subjugated, are then given power and established in the land. “We caused the people who were persecuted and deemed utterly low to inherit the eastern and western parts of the land which We had blessed.

Thus your Lord’s gracious promise to the Children of Israel was fulfilled, because they were patient in adversity; and We destroyed all that Pharaoh and his people had wrought, and all that they had built.” (Verse 137)

But the Israelites soon succumbed to their deviant nature, and they disobeyed God, as the Qur’ān makes clear. They played tricks on Moses, their Prophet and saviour, remained ungrateful for God’s blessings, and turned away from the straight path of faith. This happened time after time, with God forgiving them on each occasion, until eventually they earned God’s punishment: “Then your Lord declared that He would most certainly raise against them people who would cruelly oppress them till the Day of Resurrection. Your Lord is swift indeed in His retribution, yet He is certainly much forgiving, merciful.” (Verse 167) God’s warnings came true, and they will continue to come true in the future. They may have their day in the cycle of history, but when they spread corruption and resort to injustice, God will raise against them people who will punish them severely. This will continue to be the case until the Day of Judgement.

This story of Moses is given in such detail for another purpose. It depicts the nature of faith and unbelief as reflected by the personalities and events of that history. It concludes with the scene of accepting the covenant of the Children of Israel after they have witnessed how God’s might strikes. This is followed by the great scene showing human nature making its covenant with God. We then have a scene showing the one who reneges on this covenant as he discards God’s revelations after he has learnt them. It is a very powerful scene serving to warn against such a line of action. A comment follows this scene describing the nature of divine guidance and the nature of unbelief, making clear that the latter indicates a failure of man’s faculties of perception, leading to utter ruin. (Verses 171-179)

The sūrah then turns to the unbelievers in Makkah who were denying the truth of the message of Islam, distorting God’s names in order to coin up names for their false deities. It warns them against suffering God’s punishment. It also invites them to reflect deeply and clearly on the status of God’s Messenger who called on them to follow divine guidance. When they do so, they should remove their prejudices that cause them to accuse the Prophet of madness. They should contemplate the kingdoms of heaven and earth and what they contain of pointers to the truth of divine guidance. A touch is added reminding them of death that could come when they are totally unaware. (Verses 180-186)

The sūrah takes on the unbelievers who deny the Last Hour signalling the arrival of the Day of Resurrection and their questions about its timing. It shows that this is a grave matter, but they refer to it lightly. It states the nature of God’s message and the role of the Messenger who delivers it. It states the truth of Godhead and that all its attributes belong to God alone, including the knowledge of the realm that lies beyond man’s perception, and the bringing about of the Last Hour at its appointed time. (Verses 187-188)

Within the context of this confrontation with the unbelievers, the sūrah gives an outline of the nature of idolatry and the story of deviation from the covenant made with human nature to always believe in God’s oneness. It shows how such deviation occurs within man, as if it is describing the deviation of that very generation which opposed the Prophet, while their early ancestors followed Abraham’s faith. (Verses 189-192)

Since it aims to describe the situation of those particular idolaters whom the Qur’ān was addressing at the time of its revelation, the sūrah moves immediately from the case it outlines to a direct address to them. It directs the Prophet to challenge them and their deities. (Verses 193-198)

As the sūrah comes to its conclusion, it addresses the Prophet and the Muslim community to deal gently with people as they present God’s message to them. They must not give way to anger at people’s slackness. They need to seek refuge with God against Satan who tries to fuel their anger. (Verses 199-203) This directive reminds us of what is stated at the beginning of the sūrah: “This is a book that has been bestowed on you from on high — so do not entertain any doubt about it — in order that you may warn people with its message, and admonish the believers.” (Verse 2) It makes it clear that the task is tough, because it involves calling on all people to accept the faith, putting up with all their impediments, including traces of erroneous beliefs, deviation, desire, negligence, etc. It requires much perseverance and tolerance.