Based on the reports that verses 1-83 were revealed in relation to the visit by a Christian delegation from Najrān in Yemen to Madinah and their debates with the Prophet Muĥammad about the Prophet Jesus, one would expect these opening verses to form part of those debates. However, the reports give the date of that visit as being the ninth year of the Muslim calendar which dates from the migration, Hijrah, in 622

CE, of the Prophet Muĥammad from Makkah to Madinah. The ninth year of Hijrah is also known as “the Year of Delegations” during which a succession of delegations from various parts of Arabia, having seen the power and influence of Islam spread throughout Arabia and beyond, arrived in Madinah to pay homage to the Prophet Muĥammad or to conclude agreements with him or find out more about his mission.

As already pointed out, I feel that the subject matter of these verses and their approach to the subject favour the opinion that they were revealed much earlier in the Madinian period. Accordingly, I am more inclined to conclude that the debates with the people of earlier revelations (i.e. the Jews and Christians), the refutation of their distorted beliefs, the doubts they deliberately spread about the Prophet Muĥammad and the faith of Islam, as well as the subsequent warnings and reassurances addressed to the Muslims, were not directly connected with the Najrān delegation in the ninth year of Hijrah. Other and earlier occasions must have inspired the revelation of these verses.

We now continue to take a general look at these verses as Qur’ānic arguments addressed to the people of earlier revelations but not directly linked with that event which came at a much later date. 1

These verses, as has already been pointed out, present the on-going and fundamental struggle between the Muslim community and its belief, on the one hand, and the people of earlier revelations and their beliefs, on the other. It is a struggle that has never ceased since the advent of Islam, and specifically since its emergence and the establishment of its state in Madinah. The Qur’ān documents this encounter, in which the unbelievers and the Jews of Madinah emerged as close allies, in a brilliant and succinct style.

It would hardly be surprising that certain Christian priests from distant parts in Arabia should, in one way or another, participate in that controversy. Nor is it implausible that some of them, whether in groups or as individuals, would have gone to Madinah to take part in debates on the controversial aspects of the difference between their distorted beliefs and the beliefs of the new faith, based on the concept of God’s absolute oneness, especially the identity and nature of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh).

The opening verses of the sūrah emphasise the parting of the ways between the principle of God’s absolute oneness and that of falsehood and distortion. It delivers a warning to those who reject the Qur’ān and God’s revelations it contains. All such people are branded as unbelievers, even though they may profess to be Christian or Jewish. It describes the Muslims’ attitude towards their Lord and their reactions to His revelations in a manner that makes the situation crystal clear. This it does by defining in no uncertain terms the true meanings of belief, or īmān, and disbelief, or kufr. (Verses 2-7, and 18-19)

Alif. Lām. Mīm. God: there is no deity save Him, the Ever-living, the Eternal Master of all. He has revealed to you this Book with the truth, confirming what was revealed before it; and He has already revealed the Torah and the Gospel before this as guidance for people. (Verses 1-4)

We choose as the most probable explanation of the three individual letters of the Arabic alphabet, which open the sūrah, namely, Alif; Lām; Mīm, the same explanation given in our commentary on the opening passage of the preceding sūrah al-Baqarah.

These letters are mentioned here in order to draw people’s attention to the fact that this book, the Qur’ān, is composed of the same type of letters as those available to the Arabs addressed by it. It remains at the same time a miraculous book which they cannot imitate despite the fact that their language is composed of the same letters.

This most probable of explanations helps us understand, without difficulty, the need for such references to the nature of the Qur’ān in many sūrahs that open with individual letters. In the preceding sūrah al-Baqarah, this reference points to the challenge thrown down subsequently in the sūrah in these terms: “If you are in doubt as to what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce one sūrah comparable to it and call upon all your witnesses, other than God, if you were truthful.” (2: 23)

In this sūrah a different occasion necessitates this reference to the letters of which the Qur’ān is composed. The sūrah stresses that this Book is revealed by God, the One and only deity. It is yet composed of letters and words in the same way as earlier revelations acknowledged by their followers, who are primarily addressed by this sūrah. There is nothing new in the fact that God has chosen to reveal this Book to His Messenger in this way.

The sūrah begins with confronting the People of the Book, a Qur’ānic term used to denote people of earlier Divine revelation, especially the Jews and Christians, who deny the Prophet’s message, even though their knowledge of earlier Prophets, messages, and revelations should have made them the first to accept and believe in the new message. That should have been the case if the matter was simply one of evidence and conviction.

The first passage of the sūrah confronts these people in clear terms, dismissing all doubts they entertain or deliberately try to raise in people’s minds. It points out how these doubts press on the minds of people. It defines the attitude of true believers towards God’s message and defines the attitude of doubters and those who go astray. It vividly portrays the believers’ attitude towards their Lord and how they seek refuge with Him and appeal to Him. They know all His attributes.

“God: there is no deity save Him, the Ever-living, the Eternal Master of all.” This emphatic opening stresses the absolute oneness of God. It identifies itself as the very basic difference between the faith of Muslims and all other religions and ideologies, whether atheist and polytheist creeds or the religions of those people of the Book, Jews and Christians alike, who have gone astray. It distinguishes the faith of Islam from all other faiths, creeds and ideologies. It is also the basic difference between the way of life of Muslims and that of the followers of all other religions. It is the faith which determines the direction and the system of life in an elaborate and perfect manner.

... And He has revealed the Criterion (to distinguish the true from the false). Those who disbelieve in God’s revelations shall endure grievous suffering. God is Mighty, able to requite. Nothing on earth or in the heavens is hidden from God. It is He Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases. There is no deity save Him, the Almighty, the Wise. (Verses 4-6)

These initial verses provide an affirmation of several essential principles in formulating the correct ideological concept, i.e. Islam, and for silencing the people of earlier revelations and others who denied the Prophet’s message and its Divine source. It states first the unity of the source which reveals Divine messages to Prophets and Messengers. It is God the only deity, the Ever-living, the Eternal Master of all Who has revealed this Qur’ān as He has indeed revealed the Torah to Moses and the Gospel to Jesus (pbuh them). There can, therefore, be no confusion between the position of the Divine Being and that of His servants. There is only One God Who reveals messages to His chosen servants. For their part, they are servants who submit themselves to God, despite the fact that they are Prophets sent with messages from Him.

The verses also state the unity of Divine faith, as well as the fact that the Truth included in the Scriptures revealed by God is also one. This Book which has been sent down to Muĥammad has been revealed, “with the truth, confirming what was revealed before it,” i.e. the Torah and the Gospel. All these Scriptures have been sent down for a single purpose, that is, to serve “as guidance for people.” This newly revealed Book is a “Criterion” distinguishing the Truth embodied in the revealed Scriptures from all sorts of deviation and confused ideas which have found their way into the Scriptures whether by way of personal prejudices, intellectual trends or political considerations.

These verses also include an implicit insertion that there can be no valid reason for the denial of the new message by the people of earlier revelations. In this way, it follows the same line of earlier messages. It is a book sent down with the truth in the same way as all revealed books and Scriptures are. It too has been revealed to a human messenger. Furthermore, it confirms all Divine Scriptures revealed before it.

It clearly sets out the “Truth” which they have stated earlier. Moreover, it has been sent down by the One Who is able to send down His revelations and Who has the right to lay down a code of living for mankind which sets for them their concepts of faith, law, and morality.

Verse 4 also delivers a stern threat to those who deny God’s revelations. It reminds them of God’s might, His grievous punishment, and His ability to enforce justice.

Those who deny God’s messages are those who reject this one faith in its absolute nature. The people of earlier revelations who have deviated from the Divine revelations and who deny this new book, a clear criterion distinguishing right from wrong, are the first to be described here as non-believers. They are foremost amongst those to whom God’s threat of severe punishment and grievous suffering is directed.

In this brief passage, the sūrah uncovers the reality of those who swerve from the truth. These people turn their back on the facts stated with absolute clarity in the Qur’ān, pursuing other Qur’ānic statements which admit more than one explanation in order to use the same as a basis for their fabrications. It also shows the distinctive characteristics of those who truly believe in God and submit to Him, accepting everything they receive from Him without any doubt or argument.

One report suggests that the Christian delegation from Najrān said to the Prophet:

“Do you not state that Jesus Christ was the word of God and His spirit?” They wanted to utilise this statement to support their own doctrines that Jesus was not a human being, but the spirit of God. At the same time they paid no heed to those unequivocal verses which emphatically state the absolute oneness of God, categorically rejecting all claims of His having any partner or son. The report says that verse 7 was revealed by way of reply, showing the reality of their attempt to make use of such allegorical statements, while at the same time abandoning other clear and precise statements.

This verse does, however, have more general significance than its relevance to that particular historical case. It shows the attitudes of different people towards this Book which God has revealed to the Prophet, stating the essentials of the correct concept of faith and the basics of the Islamic way of life. It also includes other statements which relate to matters kept beyond the realm of human perception. The human mind cannot fathom these matters beyond what the relevant Qur’ānic statements point out.

As for the basics of faith and Islamic law, these are definitively stated, clearly understood and have well-defined aims. These are the essence of this Qur’ān. Those matters which are stated allegorically, including the origin and birth of Jesus (pbuh)

are so given in order that we accept them at face value. We believe in them because they come to us from the source which speaks the truth: their sense and form are difficult to comprehend because, by nature, they are beyond our human, finite means of comprehension.

People’s reception of both types of revelation differs according to whether their nature has remained straightforward or has swerved from the truth. Those whose hearts have deviated and erred deliberately overlook the clear and precise essentials which make up the foundation of the faith, the law and the practical way of life.

Instead, they pursue those allegorical verses which can only be accepted on the basis of believing in their source and acknowledging that He is the One Who knows all the truth, while human perception is limited. Acceptance of both types of revelation also depends on human nature remaining pure and straightforward, believing as a matter of course that this whole book is a book of truth, and that it has been sent down with the truth and that no deviation or error can creep into it. Deviants, however, create trouble and dissension by attributing interpretations to those allegorical statements which shake the foundation of the faith, and which bring about confusion as a result of forcing the human mind into a realm which lies way beyond it. “None save God knows its final meaning.” “Those who are firmly grounded in knowledge” and who have recognised the nature of human thinking and the area within which the human mind can operate say with confidence and reassurance: “We believe in it; it is all from our Lord.” Such scholars are reassured because they know that it is all from their Lord; hence it must tell the truth, simply because whatever originates with God is the truth. It is not part of the function or ability of the human mind to look for reasons and arguments to support it. Nor is it within its ability to fathom its nature or the nature of the causes which give rise to it. True knowledge presupposes that the human mind need not try to penetrate what is kept beyond it nor what man has not been given the means to discover or understand.

As for those who disbelieve, neither their riches nor their offspring will in the least avail them against God; it is they who shall be the fuel of the fire. Just like the cases of the people of Pharaoh and those before them: they disbelieved Our revelations; therefore, God took them to task for their sins. God’s retribution is severe indeed. Say to those who disbelieve: “You shall be overcome and gathered unto hell, an evil resting place. You have had a sign in the two armies which met in battle. One was fighting for God’s cause, the other an army of unbelievers. They saw with their very eyes that the others were twice their own number. But God strengthens with His succour whom He wills. In this there is surely a lesson for all who have eyes to see.” (Verses 10-13)

This passage follows the opening verses of the sūrah which outline the attitude of the believers towards God’s revelations, whether of the clear and precise type or of the type expressed in allegory. Here we have an explanation of the end which awaits the unbelievers, and the Divine Law which never fails to inflict punishment on them for their sins. A warning is also included to the unbelievers among the people of earlier revelations who stand in opposition to Islam. The Prophet is instructed to warn them, and to remind them of what they saw with their own eyes at the Battle of Badr when such a small group of believers achieved a great victory over a much larger force of unbelievers.

The context of this passage is an address to the Israelites warning them of a similar fate to that of the unbelievers who lived before them and who may live after them. It also reminds the Israelites of the doom which befell Pharaoh and his soldiers when God saved the Israelites themselves. That, however, does not give the Israelites any right to special treatment should they revert to disbelief and denial of the truth.

There is nothing to prevent them from being branded as unbelievers should they err, and there is nothing to save them from doom either in this life or in the life to come, in the same way as doom befell Pharaoh and his army.

They are also reminded of the fate of the Quraysh army of unbelievers at the Battle of Badr. This drives it home to them that God’s law will never fail. Nothing will protect them from being overwhelmed by the same fate as the Quraysh. The cause of that fate was the Quraysh’s rejection of the faith. In essence they are being told that no one has a special position with God and no one will have any immunity except through true faith.

“As for those who disbelieve, neither their riches nor their offspring will in the least avail them against God; it is they who shall be the fuel of the fire.” (Verse 10) Wealth and children are normally thought of as two sources of protection. Neither, however, will be of any avail on that Day, about the arrival of which there is no doubt, because God never fails to keep His promise. On that Day, they will be “the fuel of the fire.” This metaphor deprives them of all the characteristics which distinguish man. They are grouped together with logs, wood and all manner of fuel.

The next few verses in the sūrah fall within that part of the Qur’ān which is mainly concerned with educating the Muslim community. The first of these verses identifies those subtle, natural incentives which cause people to deviate from the right path, unless they are properly checked. In order to control them, one must always be on the alert, yearn for more sublime horizons and aspire to those comforts which remain with God, for these are indeed far superior to worldly comforts.

Pursuing worldly pleasures and giving priority to personal desires and pleasures will no doubt distract a person’s mind and prevent him from reflecting on what fruits one is bound to reap or what lessons one can learn from the facts of life. People are thus drowned in easy, physical pleasures, unable to see what lies beyond of better and superior comforts. They are thus deprived of the enjoyment of looking beyond cheap, physical pleasure, or being preoccupied with the nobler concerns which fit with the great role of man, the creature God has placed in charge of this great dominion, the earth.

Those physical pleasures and worldly comforts and incentives are, nevertheless, naturally infused in man by the Creator to fulfil the essential role of preserving the continuity of life. Hence, Islam does not approve of their suppression. It advocates that they should be regulated, moderated and brought under control. Islam wants man to be able to control these desires, not to be controlled by them. I lam promotes the feeling of the sublime in man and helps him look to what is higher and superior.

Hence, that Qur’ānic statement, which is concerned with the education of the Muslim community, mentions all these comforts and pleasures, but portrays alongside them a variety of physical and spiritual pleasures which are provided in the life to come for those who control their natural desires in this life. These are, in part, the reward awaiting those who maintain their noble human standard, and who do not allow themselves to be overwhelmed by the cheap, physical enjoyments of this world.

In a single verse the sūrah groups together the most enjoyable pleasures of this life:

women, children, endless wealth, splendid horses, fertile land and cattle. These represent the total sum of worldly pleasures, either by themselves, or because of what they can provide for their owners by way of other pleasures. The verse which follows, however, identifies the pleasures of the hereafter: gardens through which running waters flow, spouses renowned for their chastity, and what is much more:

God’s good pleasure. These are in store for anyone who looks beyond the pleasures of this world and maintains good relations with God.

Alluring to man is the enjoyment of worldly desires through women and offspring, heaped-up treasures of gold and silver, horses of high mark, cattle and plantations.

These are the comforts of this life. With God is the best of all goals. Say: Shall I tell you of better things than these? For the God-fearing there are, with their Lord, gardens through which running waters flow where they shall dwell forever, and wives of perfect chastity, and God’s good pleasure. God is mindful of His servants, those who say: “Our Lord, we have indeed accepted the faith. Forgive us our sins and keep us safe from the torments of the fire.” They are the patient in adversity, the true to their word, the devoted who spend in the cause of God, and those who pray for forgiveness at the time of dawn. (Verses 14-17)

All these cherished desires, and all similar ones, are the comforts of this life.

Perhaps we should add here that in the Arabic text, the term “this life”, or “dunyā”, connotes “the lower life”. Hence, they are not part of the sublime life or of the higher horizon. They are indeed the easy comforts of the life of this world. What is better than all this, because it is essentially nobler and it helps protect the human soul against being consumed by worldly desires, is that which remains with God. This is available to anyone who wants it, and it more than compensates for the pleasures of this world: “Say: Shall I tell you of better things than these? For the God-fearing there are, with their Lord, gardens through which running waters flow where they shall dwell forever, and wives of perfect chastity, and Gods good pleasure. God is mindful of His servants.” (Verse 15)

The Prophet is commanded to give the happy news of these comforts of the hereafter to those who are described as “the God- fearing”. We note that these comforts are, generally speaking, physical. There is, however, an essential difference between them and the comforts of this world. These are provided only to the God- fearing, who are always conscious of God. This consciousness has a definite moderating influence on both the spirit and the body. It prevents man from being totally consumed by his desires, striving like an animal to fulfil them in any way he can. Hence, when the God-fearing look forward to these physical comforts which they are promised, they do so with a sublimity which remains free of the uncontrolled vigour of animal desire. Even in this life, long before they arrive in their promised abode, close to God, they are elevated by looking forward to these heavenly comforts.

They find in them more than a mere compensation of the worldly desires and pleasures they miss in this world. If the pleasures of this life included fertile plantations, they have in the hereafter gardens through which running waters flow.

Moreover, both they and their gardens live forever, unlike the plantations of this world which people enjoy only for a limited period of time. In contrast to the pleasures of women and children in this life, there are in the hereafter wives of perfect chastity. Their purity makes them far superior to what people desire of women in this life. As for the horses of high mark and the cattle, and the heaped-up treasures of gold and silver, all these are viewed in this life as means to achieve more and greater comforts. In the hereafter, all comforts are freely available to everyone.

No special means are required to achieve any ends.

There remains what is far superior to all comforts, namely, “God’s good pleasure.” His pleasure is, to a believer, more precious than this life and the life to come combined. The Arabic term which is used to express this pleasure has endless connotations of love, tenderness, care and compassion.

“God is mindful of His servants.” He knows their nature and the motivations and incentives which form part of it. He also knows what suits human nature in the way of directives and instructions. He knows how to deal with it in this life and the life to come.