Was there not a period of time when man was not yet something to be thought of We have created man from a drop of mingled fluid, so that We might try him. Therefore, we have endowed him with hearing and sight. We have shown him the way, [giving him the choice] to be thankful or ungrateful. (Verses 1-3)

This question with which the surah opens signifies a statement, but it is phrased in this way so that man should ask himself: Am I not aware that there was a period of time when I was nothing to be thought of?’ This should lead to further questioning: should he not reflect on this fact? Should not such reflection guide him to how he was ushered in on life’s stage where lights were focused on him to make of him a creature of note? The interrogative form in this instance facilitates some fine thoughts, encouraging us to reflect further.

One point of reflection takes us to the stage before man comes into existence. What was the universe like before man’s advent? Man is so full of himself that he tends to forget that the universe was there long, long before he was. Perhaps the universe never expected that a new creature, man, would ever come into existence and certainly not until God willed it to so happen.

Another point takes us to the moment when human existence first began. Our imagination can paint different visions of that moment, known only to God, which added this new creature to the universe. Yet this was taken into account by God before it happened, with this new creature’s role within the life of the universe well determined.

We should also reflect on how Gods hand placed this new creature on life’s stage, assigning a role to him and preparing him for it. Indeed, the same hand has linked his life to the life of the universe and provided the circumstances that ensure his survival and ability to fulfil his role easily. It monitors his progress, step by step.

Further reflections can be added, all coming from this short statement, culminating in the realization that the initiation, the life journey and the end are all determined according to an elaborate scheme.

Man’s development and survival is also outlined in the surah: “ We have created man from a drop of mingled fluid, so that We might try him.

Therefore, we have endowed him with hearing and sight.” (Verse 2) The 'drop of mingled fluid" perhaps refers to its formation when the mans sperm fertilizes the womans egg. Alternatively, it may refer to the genes, or units of heredity, which distinguish the human species in the first place and transmit features from parent to offspring.

So, man is created from a drop of mingled fluid, neither by coincidence nor in idle play. He is created so that he can be tested. God certainly knows man, his test and the outcome of this test. What is meant here is that all this should come out on life’s stage, producing its effects which cling to man so that he is requited in accordance with the outcome of his test. It is for this reason that God endowed man with the faculties of hearing and sight. He has been given these faculties of perception so that he can receive and respond, measure things and values, judging them and picking his choices. He will be rewarded in accordance with his choice.

Now that the test has been put, and man has chosen one way or the other, what happens next? What awaits the unbelievers is briefly stated in one verse, because the general ambience of the surah is one of luxury, comfort and blessing. The torment prepared for the unbelievers is summed up: “For the unbelievers, we have prepared chains and shackles, and a blazing fire” (Verse 4) They will have chains for their feet and shackles for their wrists, and then they will be cast into the blazing fire.

The surah then quickly moves on to speak about the happiness of the other group:

The righteous shall drink from a cup mixed with kafur, a fountain where God's servants shall drink, making it flow in abundance, (Verses 5-6)

This statement implies that the drink given to the righteous who are in heaven will be mixed with kafur, i.e. the calyx of sweet-smelling flowers, and that they will receive this drink in a cup filled from a fountain which flows in abundance. The Arabs used to mix their wine with kafur, or ginger, to give it a fine taste. Now, they know that their drink in heaven will be mixed with this and that it is plentiful. As for the nature of this drink, we understand that it is much finer and purer than any type of drink in this world, and that its enjoyment will be that much more enhanced. In our limited world, we cannot define the level or kind of enjoyment in the life to come. These are merely descriptions that give us an impression of what there is, because God knows that mankind cannot imagine what is beyond their world.

The surah calls the dwellers of heaven ‘the righteous in the first verse, and describes them as ‘ God's servants in the second, honouring them first by acknowledging their moral standing and then referring to them as close to God. It then describes the qualities that earned them such a prize:

They are the ones who fulfil their vows and stand in awe of a day of woes that fly far and wide, who give food — though they need it themselves - to the needy the orphan and the captive, [saying within themselves,] ‘We feed you for the sake of God alone. We desire neither recompense from you, nor thanks. We fear the day of our Lord: a bleak, distressful day] (Verses 7-10)

This is a bright picture of people with sincere hearts, sincere in their determination to fulfil the duties required by their faith, compassionate to those who are less fortunate, putting them ahead of themselves, keen to earn Gods pleasure and wary of incurring what may earn His punishment. Thus, they are God-fearing and serious in approaching their duties.

“They are the ones who fulfil their vows” (Verse 7) They thus fulfil what they intend to do of acts of worship and the duties they commit themselves to perform, taking the question of faith very seriously. They neither shirk their duty nor evade their commitment. The Quranic statement is wider in scope than the literal meaning of nadhr, the Arabic word used here meaning pledge, vow, etc. “And stand in awe of a day of woes that fly far and wide.” (Verse 7) They realize what sort of day it will be. It is a day of woes and these woes can spread all over, affecting those who fall short of fulfilling their duties and those who are even worse, doing badly. Hence, they fear that some of these woes may apply to them. This fear is characteristic of people who are God-fearing, aware of the heavy duty placed on them, worried that they may not be up to its fulfilment however much they do of good deeds.

“ Who give food - though they need it themselves - to the needy the orphan and the captive.” (Verse 8) This statement describes their compassionate feelings, symbolized in their offering of food, which they need for themselves, to people who are less fortunate than themselves. In other words, they put such needy people, orphans and captives ahead of themselves, feeding them despite their own need of the food they give them. This picture suggests that the social environment that prevailed in Makkah upon the advent of Islam was hard, lacking in compassion.

Yet these Arabs paid generously when it was a question of competing for social standing. The righteous servants of God were like an oasis in this hard and barren desert: they gave food out of genuine compassion, sincerely dedicating their action to God: “ We feed you for the sake of God alone. We desire neither recompense from you, nor thanks. We fear the day of our Lord: a bleak, distressful day” (Verses 9-10) We see compassion overflowing from such hearts that seek Gods pleasure, looking for no reward or praise from any creature. They do not hold up their favours in an attitude of conceit. They simply want to avoid the woes of a bleak and grim day, which they genuinely fear. The Prophet showed them the way to spare themselves its woes, as he said: “Save yourself from the fire by as little as half a date.”1

Giving food to the needy in such a direct manner was at the time the proper expression of these peoples own compassion and the most needed type of help. Ways and forms of charity may be completely different in other circumstances and social environments. What is important is the need to maintain such compassion towards others and the desire to do good only for Gods sake, looking for no earthly recognition or reward.

Taxes may be regulated in society, and a portion of such taxes may be allocated for social security, ensuring that the poor are helped. However, this meets only one part of the Islamic objective that these verses refer to. Islam imposes the zakat duty to fulfil this part of meeting the needs of the poor and the deprived. Islam, however, considers an equally important part of this objective, the feelings of those who give; in other words their desire to give elevates them to a high, noble standard. We must not belittle the importance of this objective. Yet some people seek to turn such high standards upside down, describing the Islamic system of zakat and voluntary charity as ugly and claiming that it humiliates those who take and corrupts those who give. Islam is a faith that sets a system to cultivate peoples better feelings and sentiments. Kindly feelings and generosity refine those who are charitable and benefit the ones in need.

The surah now looks at the situation of the unbelievers who persist in their opposition to the divine faith. These did not understand the nature of what the Prophet advocated. Therefore, they tried to compromise with him, hoping that he would stop, or at least forgo the part of it that most offended them. The last section of the surah deals with this situation against the backdrop of their seeking a compromise with the Prophet, persecuting his followers, turning people away from God’s message and rejecting the way of goodness that ensures reward in heaven:

It is We who have bestowed the Quran upon you by gradual revelation.

Await, then, your Lord's judgement in all patience, and pay no heed to any of these sinners and unbelievers. Remember your Lord's name morning and evening. At night prostrate yourself before Him, and extol His limitless glory throughout the long night. (Verses 23-26)

These four verses sum up an important principle of the Islamic faith, one which its advocates should fully understand and appreciate. They should study its effects within the human soul and in practical life.

God’s Messenger faced the unbelievers directly, calling on them to believe in God’s oneness. In advocating his message, the Prophet was not merely facing different beliefs. Had it been so, the case would have been much easier. The unbelievers’ polytheistic beliefs were too flimsy and groundless to give them any solid ground to reject the clear, simple and logical Islamic faith. Instead, what led to their fierce and determined opposition, reported in history and recorded in the Qur’an, was a host of circumstances and considerations. Social position as well as pride in prevailing values and what they might entail of material interest constituted the first factor motivating such people to hold tight to their flimsy and false beliefs, resisting those that were evidently true. Similarly, life under a system of jdhiliyyah allowed indulgence in every type of pleasure and gratification of every desire. Hence, people who were keen to indulge in these were expected to resist a faith that adopted a serious approach to morality and high values, stamping out all immoral and carnal practices. All these factors stood up against the Islamic message when it was first advocated. They continue to stand up against it in every community and every generation. They represent the essential forces in the battle of faith, making it a hard-fought battle, requiring those fighting for faith to stand firm in the face of all such difficulties, willing to make great sacrifices. Therefore, advocates of Islam, regardless of place or time, must fully understand the truth summed up in these four verses and learn the circumstances leading to their revelations so that they apply to them too.

The Prophet received instructions from his Lord requiring him to warn his people. When he began carrying out his instructions, he was faced with those factors and circumstances that turned people away from his message and motivated them to persist with their own beliefs, knowing how flimsy and insupportable these were. They were very stubborn, and fought hard to preserve their beliefs, social order, personal interests and familiar practices and indulgences. They realized that the new faith threatened all these. Their defence of their system and old ways took several manifestations, starting with persecuting the few believers who responded to the new faith and trying to turn them back to the old way by force and physical torture. They also tried to give the new faith a bad image, making false accusations and spreading false rumours about it and the Messenger preaching it. They hoped that in this way they could prevent people from joining it. They thought that stopping people joining the new faith would be much easier than trying to turn them back from it after they had embraced and felt its truth.

The surah continues to emphasize the fact that the Prophet’s way has no meeting point with that of the unbelievers. They are so oblivious to what serves their own good, completely preoccupied with trivialities:

“ These people love the fleeting life, and leave behind them a day that will be heavy? (Verse 27) Their concerns are petty, their goals insignificant, they are fully immersed in the fleeting life of this world, caring little for the heavy day ahead. It is heavy with accountability and outcome.

Such people cannot be heeded, and their way cannot be followed. They share no goal with the believers. Hence, no thought should be paid to their life, wealth, power and comfort. They all belong to this fleeting life and are, therefore, of little value. Their preference for this fleeting life indicates their inability to see what is good for them. This verse, then, continues with strengthening the Prophet and his followers as they faced the unbelievers’ opposition. It also implies a warning for the unbelievers of the difficulty that lies ahead for them on the Day of Judgement.

The surah makes it clear that God, who created them and gave them all the power they enjoy, can easily replace them by others. However, in His infinite wisdom, He gives them time to reconsider:

It is We who have created them and strengthened their constitution.

If it be Our will, We can replace them entirely with others of their kind. (Verse 28)

This is a reminder to those unbelievers, who are proud of their strength, of the source of their power, and indeed the source of their very lives. It reassures the believers, few and weak as they were, that they actually advocate the message of the One who grants power to whom He will. It assures them that God’s will operates according to His wisdom and to fulfil His purpose, until He makes His judgement.

He is certainly the best of judges.

“If it be Our will, We can replace them entirely with others of their kind” (Verse 28) They cannot use their power to defy God; it is He who has created them and given them their power. He is able to replace them with other people. If he gives them respite, this is an aspect of His grace that He bestows on His creatures. It is all His judgement and a manifestation of His wisdom.

Again, this verse aims to give the Prophet and the believers further strength, stating the respective positions of believers and unbelievers.

It alerts the unbelievers who are so preoccupied with their love of this world and its pleasures, and who think too highly of their strength, that they must express their gratitude for God’s favours and treat these as a test.

The surah alerts them further to the chance they still have as the Qur’an, including the present surah, is recited to them: “ This is but a reminder. Let him who will, take the way to his Lord." (Verse 29)

This is followed by re-emphasizing Gods absolute will, to which everything refers. This is mentioned here so as to ensure that people submit to its judgement, and that they recognize it as the ultimate power: