Having thus taken us on a broad round of inspiring universal scenes, the sūrah brings us back to its main theme, namely good manners and moral values the Qur’ān aims to establish in the Muslim community. Once more we see that the Qur’ān wants hearts to be purified so as to be bright, reflecting the great light God has placed in the heavens and the earth.

Earlier in the sūrah mention was made of people who are not distracted by their business or commercial dealings from their duties of remembering God, attending regularly to prayers and paying their zakāt. It also highlighted the situation of the unbelievers, their deeds, the layers of darkness in which they live and their eventual destiny. Now the sūrah speaks of the hypocrites who benefit nothing by the clear signs God has placed all around them, or by His revelations that set all things most clearly. These turn their backs on divine guidance. Even though they profess to be believers, their attitude is markedly different from that of believers who obey God’s Messenger and are happy with his judgement in their affairs and disputes. In marked contrast to their arrogance, the believers’ behaviour confirms what they profess. And it is the believers that God has promised to establish in the land where they will be able to practise their faith and conduct their lives in line with His teachings. This is their reward for adopting the right attitude towards God and His Messenger, obeying them in all situations, despite the fact that the unbelievers stand in opposition to them for so doing. The sūrah confirms once again that the unbelievers cannot defy God. They will receive their fair punishment in hell, the worst abode for anyone.

“We have sent down revelations that make things manifest; and God guides onto a straight way him who wills [to be guided].” (Verse 46) God’s revelations provide clarity, allowing God’s resplendent light to be seen. They point to the sources of His guidance, making clear what is good and what is evil. They set out the Islamic way of life without ambiguity or equivocation. They define the divine rules which must be implemented in human life on earth. When people implement them in their lives and resort to them for judgement in their disputes, they implement a code that is clearly set out, providing all guarantees that ensure equity and justice for all, and which allow no confusion between true and false or permissible and forbidden.

“God guides onto a straight way him who wills [to be guided].” (Verse 46) The Arabic statement could also be read as “God guides whom He wills onto a straight way.” This is indeed the translation adopted by most translators. If we read it in this way then the statement makes clear that God’s will is free from all restriction. However, God has established a way to ensure guidance. Any human being who moves towards that way will definitely receive God’s light and guidance. By God’s will, their path will be made smooth until they reach their destination. Those who turn away from it will lose their guiding light and become hardened in error. Such is God’s will with regard to providing guidance to mankind.

The sūrah points out that despite the revelations and the signs God had placed in the universe, there is a special type of people who are hypocrites, claiming to be Muslims, but showing no respect for Islamic values:

They say: ‘We believe in God and in the Messenger, and we obey. ‘But then some of them turn away after this [assertion]. Surely these are not believers. Whenever they are summoned to God and His Messenger in order that he might judge between them, some of them turn away; but if the right is on their side, they come to him with all submission. Is there disease in their hearts? Or are they full of doubt? Or do they fear that God and His Messenger might deal unjustly with them? Nay, it is they who are the wrongdoers. (Verses 47-50)

When faith is genuinely established in a person’s heart, it is reflected in that person’s behaviour. Islam is a proactive faith that cannot remain idle. When it is genuinely accepted as a personal belief, it moves on to show its influence in practice.

It must be translated into action. The Islamic method of educating its followers always seeks to transform the mental acceptance of faith into a practical approach that soon becomes a habit or a rule. At the same time, it seeks to provide the mental motivation to make belief and action mutually complementary.

The hypocrites used to claim that they believed in God and His Messenger and that they were keen to obey them, but theirs was a hollow, verbal claim that lacked practical credence. They simply turned away, making their actions belie their claims.

“Surely these are not believers,” because believers confirm with their actions what they claim to be their faith. Faith is not a toy which a person uses for amusement before discarding it. It is something that settles in a person’s heart, reshaping his feelings and influencing his actions. Moreover, when it is firmly established in someone’s mind and heart, there is no going back on it.

True believers have a different attitude that reflects their complete respect for God’s judgement. When they are summoned so that God’s Messenger can arbitrate in their disputes, their reaction reflects the profound enlightenment of their hearts:

“The response of believers, whenever they are summoned to God and His Messenger in order that he may judge between them, is none other than, ‘We have heard, and we obey.’ It is they that shall be successful.” (Verse 51)

This is an attitude of complete obedience. There is no hesitation, argument or dispute, because it is an obedience based on complete trust that God’s judgement is right and just, and whatever differs with it is based on personal prejudice. Such obedience testifies to complete submission to God, who gives life and conducts it as He wills. It demonstrates full trust that what God chooses for people is infinitely better than what they choose for themselves. God, the Creator, knows His creation better than they know themselves.

“It is they that shall be successful.” (Verse 51) Since God conducts their affairs, organizes their relations and judges between them on the basis of His knowledge and justice, they must be in a far better position than those who rely, in all such matters, on other human beings who are similarly short of knowledge. Besides, the believers are successful because they follow a single straight path that allows no deviation.

They are confident of the soundness of their code of living, follow it without hesitation, which means that their energy, talents and skills work in coherence. They suffer no internal division based on conflicting desires. They follow their own path, charted for them by God.

“Those who obey God and His Messenger, stand in awe of God and remain truly God- fearing are the ones who shall certainly triumph.” (Verse 52) The previous verse spoke of obedience and submission when judgement is made. This verse speaks of complete obedience in all matters, implementing every order or prohibition. Such obedience must be coupled with God consciousness and standing in awe of Him. The latter is more pervasive because it entails watching God and feeling His presence at every turn. This makes a person very uneasy about committing anything that God has forbidden, for they are ashamed and fear His punishment.

“Those who obey God and His Messenger, stand in awe of God and remain truly God- fearing are the ones who shall certainly triumph.” (Verse 52) They save themselves in this life and in the life to come. This is what God has promised, and God is always true to His promise. They deserve to triumph, as they have practically taken the necessary measures to ensure such a triumph. Obedience to God and His Messenger requires diligent following of the right way God in His wisdom has defined for mankind.

Following this way automatically ensures success in this life and in the life to come.

Moreover, standing in awe of God and fearing Him ensure continuity in one’s conduct, helping one to ignore all temptations that lure believers away from their straight path.

Once the attitude of the hypocrites has been discussed and settled, the sūrah leaves them aside and speaks about obedient believers. It outlines the reward of sincere obedience and proactive faith. The first instalment of such reward is given in this life, before human beings are held to account on the Day of Resurrection.

God has promised those of you who believe and do good deeds that, of a certainty, He will cause them to accede to power on earth, in the same way as He caused those who lived before them to accede to it; and that, of a certainty, He will firmly establish for them the religion which He has chosen for them; and that, of a certainty, He will cause their erstwhile state of fear to be replaced by a state of security. They will thus worship Me alone and associate with Me no partners whatsoever. Those who, after this, choose to disbelieve are indeed wicked. (Verse 55)

Such is God’s promise to the believers who do good deeds and follow the Prophet Muhammad’s guidance. They will be given power and will be established on earth.

Their state of fear will be replaced by a state of reassurance and security. God’s promise will always come true. It is, then, pertinent to ask about the nature of faith and the practical fulfilment of this promise by God.

True faith, which ensures that God’s promise comes true, is great indeed. It influences all human activity and defines its direction. Once faith is well established in a person’s heart, it begins to manifest itself in the form of positive and constructive action undertaken for God’s sake and addressed to Him. It means full compliance with His orders in all matters, major and minor. It transforms a believer’s desires and inclinations so as to make them all in line with the Prophet’s guidance, because such guidance has been given to him by God.

It is the sort of faith that fills people’s whole entity, their feelings, aspirations, natural inclinations, actions, movements, as well as their behaviour at home, in society and with their Lord. All these must be addressed or dedicated to God alone.

This is specifically mentioned in the sūrah as justification for giving believers power and establishing them on earth: “They will thus worship Me alone and associate no partners with Me whatsoever.” (Verse 55) Idolatry can take different shapes and forms, and can creep into a person’s mind through a variety of ways and means. The sūrah makes it clear however that to address any action or feeling to anyone other than God is a manifestation of idolatry.

Belief in God is a complete way of life. It incorporates all divine orders including the provision of all means, taking all precautions and ensuring all that is necessary to fulfil the great trust of being in charge of the earth and building human life on it. So what does this involve in reality?

It does not just entail being in power and forming a government. Rather it involves all this with the proviso that it is used for promoting sound human life and the implementation of the way of life God has chosen for mankind. It is only through such implementation that humanity can achieve the level of perfection that befits the species God has honoured.

“Those who, after this, choose to disbelieve are indeed wicked.” (Verse 55) They are the ones who do not meet God’s conditions, and, therefore, God’s promise does not apply to them.

God’s promise was fulfilled once, and remained effective for as long as the Muslims continued to meet His conditions: “They will thus worship Me alone and associate with Me no partners whatsoever.” (Verse 55) This includes any partners, whether in the form of deities to which worship is addressed or desires and ambitions. They must believe and do righteous deeds. God’s promise applies to anyone who meets these conditions, and it remains in force till the end of human life.

However, victory, power and security may be slow in coming, but this will only be the result of a failure by the believers to meet some aspects of the conditions outlined, or their failure to attend to a particular duty involved. But when the Muslim community has benefited by the trials they have to endure and passed the test God sets for them; when they have endured fear and sought security; when they yearn for dignity after having suffered humiliation; when they aspire to having power after being weak; God’s promise will be fulfilled to them in spite of any opposing power. One proviso applies, however: in their perseverance through tests and trials, and in their aspiration to the fulfilment of God’s promise, the believers must always resort to the means God has outlined and fulfil the conditions He has made clear.

Therefore, the promise is followed with an order to attend to Islamic duties, such as prayer, zakāt and obeying the Prophet. Moreover, the Prophet and his followers must never give any weight to the power of unbelievers who fight them on account of their faith.

Attend regularly to your prayers and pay your zakāt, and obey the Messenger, so that you might be graced with God’s mercy. Do not think that the unbelievers can frustrate [God’s plan] on earth. The fire is their abode, and vile indeed is such a journey’s end.

(Verses 56-57)

Believers must maintain their bond with God, keep their minds and hearts on the right path through prayer, resist stinginess, purify themselves as individuals and as a community through the payment of zakāt, obey the Prophet and accept his judgement, implement God’s law in all matters, great or small, so as to set human life on the path He has chosen. Believers must do all this so that they “might be graced with God’s mercy.” (Verse 56) In this life, God’s mercy removes corruption, fear, worry and error, and in the hereafter, it removes His punishment.

Addressing them directly, God says to the believers: if you remain steadfast, following My path, then you need not worry about the might of the unbelievers.

They cannot frustrate God’s purpose on earth. The power they apparently wield will not stand in your way. You are far stronger when equipped with your faith, implement your system and raise whatever power you can muster. In material power, you may not be a match for them, but believers who strive for the truth can work miracles.