“Nun. By the pen. by all they write. ” (Verse 1) The surah begins with an oath by God Almighty. The oath is by the letter nun. the pen and writing. The relationship between this letter of the alphabet and the other two, i.e. the pen and writing, is clear. As God swears by these He gives them due importance, highlighting this and presenting it to a community where learning through this approach was not valued. In fact, writing was very rare and primitive in that community while the role it was destined to play required that such ability develop and become widespread. This was the only way through which it could advocate its faith and the systems it laid down for human life. It would then be required to provide wise leadership for humanity. Writing is no doubt a basic element in fulfilling such tasks.

This point is endorsed by the fact that Islamic revelations started with the order to read: “Read in the name of your Lord who has created— created man out of a germ-cell. Read — for your Lord is the most Bountiful One. Who has taught the use of the pen. taught man what he did not know” (96: 1-5) This instruction was given to the unlettered Prophet, whom God in His infinite wisdom willed to be unable to read and write. Yet the revelations vouchsafed to him began with such emphasis on learning through reading and writing with the pen. This importance is reiterated here by the oath using the letter nun. the pen and the writing. All this should be seen as part of the divine system of cultivating the Muslim community and preparing it for the universal role God assigned to it.

God Almighty states this oath by nun. the pen and writing to refute the unbelievers’ false allegation. He shows how improbable it is, since it is He who bestowed His grace on His Messenger: “You are not. by your Lord’s grace, a madman” (Verse 2) This short verse also identifies God’s grace bestowed on the Prophet in an expression that confirms his closeness to Him. At the same time, the verse refutes the alleged condition, one that cannot combine with God’s grace bestowed on His chosen servant.

Anyone who studies the Prophet’s relations with his people will be utterly astonished that any should level such a description at him. They knew him to be very wise. Several years before his prophethood, they accepted his arbitration in a dispute over which of their clans should be honoured with placing the Black Stone in its position in the Ka'bah. It was they who nicknamed him al-Amin, meaning the trustworthy. They also continued to deposit their valuables with him for safekeeping, and this despite their fierce enmity towards him and his message, throughout his time in Makkah. Indeed, so trustworthy was the Prophet that he entrusted his cousin, cAli, with the task of returning such deposits to them when he migrated to Madlnah. The unbelievers also confirmed that he never told a lie even before the start of his prophethood. Heracules, the Byzantine Emperor, asked Abu Sufyan, the Quraysh leader, whether they ever accused Muhammad of lying before he became a prophet. Abu Sufyan, who was his sworn enemy at the time, said that they did not.

This is followed by a great testimony and abundant honour: “Most certainly, yours is a sublime character? (Verse 4) The whole universe echoes this unique praise of the Prophet. No writer can describe the value of this great testimony by the Creator of the universe; no imagination can give it its worth. It is a testimony by God, according to His own measure, given to His servant, in His own words: “Most certainly, yours is a sublime character A sublime character has, according to Gods measure, its own unique value which no other creature can imagine.

This testimony confirms Muhammad’s greatness in several ways. First of all, by the fact that it is God’s own testimony, given in His majesty, and appreciated by the whole universe and echoed by everyone on high.

Secondly, his greatness is seen by virtue of the fact that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was able to receive God’s testimony, live with it and know who was saying it. It was God Almighty, in His absolute power and knowledge, that stated it. The Prophet knew his own position in relation to such absolutely great power. He could appreciate this position as no one else could. The fact that Muhammad (peace be upon him) held his position firmly as he received this word, from its sublime source, without being crushed by the pressure it brought on him, and that he remained calm and stable is the best evidence of his own greatness.

There are many reports about the Prophet’s greatness given by his Companions. Indeed, his practical conduct is better evidence than anything reported about him. However, this testimony, given by God Almighty, is greater still than any reported evidence. God knows best whom to entrust with His final message. Muhammad, (peace be upon him), in his sublime character, was indeed the one to deliver this message, which is the noblest in history. He was a match for it, and a living example of its greatness. The message of Islam is so perfect, beautiful, comprehensive and truthful that it could only be delivered by a man who deserved such testimony from God, and by one who would receive such divine testimony with confidence. At the same time, however, God remonstrated with the Prophet for some of his actions but all the while imbibing the same confidence and reassurance. He declared both aspects to all people, hiding nothing. In both situations, he was a noble Prophet, an obedient servant and a trusted deliverer of the divine message.

The greatness of Muhammad (peace be upon him) mirrors the greatness of the Islamic message: both go further in scope than the most powerful telescope can reach. The most that anyone who wants to monitor this dual greatness can do is to look at it without assigning limits to it, and point to its field in the universe, without setting parameters on it.

Once more I feel the need to stress the broad significance of the fact that the Prophet received this testimony from his Lord and that he remained firm, confident and reassured. He himself, a human being, would praise one of his Companions and that person, as well as those close to him, would feel so excited and overwhelmed with joy. Yet all involved, the one making the statement of praise, the praised person and the ones who heard of it knew that the Prophet was human. It is true that he was a Prophet, yet he remained within the human circle, with its well-known limitations. In his case, the praise came from God Almighty, and he knew of God what no one else could know. Yet he remained firm and continued his mission. How this must have felt is beyond imagination.

We also note here that the moral element is given considerable weight in Gods measure. It is a fundamental element in the Islamic message, just as it is fundamental in the Prophets own character. Indeed, we note its prominence in both. In fact, both legislative and educational aspects of the Islamic message rely on moral values. The strongest emphasis in what it advocates is laid on purity, cleanliness, honesty, truth, justice, mercy, compassion, kindness, fulfilment of promises and commitments, actions matching words and both consistent with intentions and thoughts. It forbids injustice, dishonesty, cheating, taking other peoples property unlawfully, violating other peoples rights and honour and spreading immorality in any way or form. Its laws are geared to protecting these principles and safeguarding the moral element in peoples consciences and behaviour, as well as in personal, social and international dealings.

The Prophet says: “I have been given the message that perfects noble morality.” He thus sums up the objective of his message. His teachings are highly consistent in emphasizing the importance of morality and good manners. His own behaviour provides a shining picture as well as a practical noble example that merits a record in Gods eternal book:

“Most certainly, yours is a sublime character” (Verse 4) Thus God praises His Messenger as well as the morality aspect of His message. With such praise God sets out a strong bond pulling the earth towards heaven. He makes this aspect the one to which believers’ hearts, those who look up to His reward, are strongly attached. He thus identifies for them which values He would like them to possess.

This is the unique aspect of Islamic morality. It does not stem from the local environment, or indeed from any earthly consideration. Nor does it draw on any tradition, interest or bond that was at play in that generation. Instead, it comes from heaven and relies on it. It responds to the call coming from heaven so that those on earth look up to a high horizon. It derives from God’s own absolute attributes, which people are asked to emulate. This so that ordinary human beings can achieve their utmost level of humanity and be worthy of God’s honour, bestowed on them as they are placed in charge of the earth. It is in this way only that they will merit a more sublime life, “in a seat of truth, in the presence of an all-powerful Sovereign” (54: 55) This means that Islamic morality is not restricted by any earthly limitation. It rather aspires to the highest level that people can achieve.

Moreover, Islamic morality is not a set of individual values, such as truthfulness, honesty, justice, mercy, kindness, etc. Rather, it is a complete system in which personal education collaborates with the legal code; a system that deals with life as a whole and defines its direction. It ultimately seeks God’s pleasure, and nothing else. This morality, in its perfection, beauty, balance, consistency, straightforwardness and unity was reflected in the person of Muhammad, (peace be upon him), as he deservedly earned the praise granted by none other than God Almighty:

God then reassures His Messenger about the immediate future and how things will develop with those unbelievers who hurled such lies at him. He warns them that their true situation will be publicized and their falsehood be made public:

You shall before long see, as they will see, which of you is the one afflicted.

Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, as He knows the ones who are rightly guided. (Verses 5-7)

The afflicted person whom God assures the Prophet will be identified to all is the one that has gone astray, or the one subjected to a test that reveals his true condition. The two meanings are not much apart. This promise reassures the Prophet and the believers in his message and at the same time it warns those who oppose and abuse him, regardless of whatever type of madness they attribute to him. Most probably they did not mean that he was insane, because they realized that this could not be the case. They probably meant that he had associates from among the jinn, who perhaps inspired him with the fine words he recited. They used to say that every poet had someone from the jinn assisting their efforts. This was, however, far from the case with the Prophet. Nor does it fit with the nature of his revelations that are both consistent and truthful.

This promise by God confirms that the future will make clear the true nature of the Prophet and those who denied his message. The future will prove which party was afflicted or had gone astray. God reassured him that his Lord “knows best who has strayed from His path, as He knows the ones who are rightly guided” (Verse 7) It is his Lord who gave him his revelations. He indeed knows that he and his followers are rightly guided. This is enough to reassure the Prophet and set his enemies worrying about what the future will bring.

God then tells the Prophet of their true feelings as they continued to argue with him about the truth he preached and the abuse they levelled at him. They may appear determined to uphold their ignorant beliefs, but the truth is that they are fundamentally uncertain about them. They are ready to shed most of these if only the Prophet would abandon some of what he called on them to accept. They are prepared to compromise everything, retaining only some appearances in return for a gesture of compromise from him. They do not have a faith that they consider to embody the truth; they are only keen to retain some appearances:

So pay no heed to those who deny the truth. They would love that you compromise with them, so that they will also compromise.

(Verses 8-9)

It is all subject to negotiation, then, with the aim of agreeing a meeting point somewhere in the middle, just like commercial transactions. Yet the difference between beliefs and commercial activities is vast. A person with faith will not abandon any of its beliefs or values, because its minor points are the same as its major ones. Indeed, in faith there is nothing minor and nothing major: both are the same. A faith is a single unity with parts complementing each other. Its advocate will never discard any part of it in order to please someone else.

The importance of the moral element is again stressed when the Prophet is ordered not to obey one particular unbeliever. We have a full list of the terrible and shameful qualities of this person, who is then threatened with humiliation:

Furthermore, pay no heed to any contemptible swearer, slanderer, going about with defaming tales, hinderer of good, aggressor, sinful, cruel and, on top of all that, given to evil. Just because he has wealth and children, when Our revelations are recited to him, he says, ‘Fables of the ancients!' We shall brand him on the snout. (Verses 10-16)

It is said that this person was al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah, to whom the following passage in Surah 74 also refers: “Leave to me the one I created alone, to whom I have granted vast wealth, and sons by his side, making life smooth and easy for him; yet he greedily desires that I give him more. No! He has set himself stubbornly against Our revelations. I will constrain him to endure a painful uphill climb! He thought and he schemed. Damn him, how he schemed!Again, damn him, how he schemed! He looked around, then he frowned and glared, then he turned his back and gloried in his arrogance, and said, 'This is just sorcery handed down from olden times! This is nothing but the word of a mere mortal!' I will cast him into the scorching fire." (74: 11-26) There are many reports that speak of al-Walids repeated scheming against the Prophet and his opposition to the message of Islam, trying to turn people away from it. It is also reported that the verses in the present surah refer to al-Akhnas ibn Shariq, another of the Prophet’s determined opponents. The present denunciation of the man, whether he was al-Walid or al-Akhnas, and the stern warnings given in the other surah, suffice as evidence of this persons wicked role in the fight against the Prophet and the Islamic message. They also indicate his evil intentions and that he was devoid of all goodness.

The Qur’an lists here nine of his bad characteristics. He is a ‘swearer’, which suggests that he always does so. Only a liar swears much because he feels that people do not believe him. Therefore, he resorts to swearing to persuade people to accept what he says. Moreover, he is contemptible’, someone who does not even respect himself. Nor do people trust his word. This is proven by the fact that he feels the need to swear all the time to overcome people’s mistrust. Despite the fact that he has wealth, sons and position, he remains contemptible. It is often the case that a tyrant remains contemptible even though he holds power and authority.

Likewise, dignity is a personal trait which remains distinctive of its possessor even though he has nothing of the material luxuries of this world.

He is a ‘slanderer’ who disrespects people and tries to insult them by word and gesture, in their presence or absence. This is a characteristic that Islam brands as most hateful because it is contrary to gallantry, self- respect and propriety of conduct towards others in so far as respecting their dignity, regardless of their social position. The Qur’an denounces this characteristic in several places: “Woe to every taunting, slandering backbiter.” (104: 1) “Believers! No men shall deride other men: it may well be that those [whom they deride] are better than themselves. And no women [shall deride other] women: it may well be that those [whom they deride] are better than themselves. And neither shall you defame yourselves, nor insult one another by [opprobrious] epithets.” (49: 11) All the actions mentioned in this verse are types of slander.

A reminder of the outcome of the greed and denial of other peoples rights then follows. This in a reference to a group of people who owned a garden. It seems that the story was well known to the Arabs addressed by the Qur’an. The reminder makes it clear that what people have of wealth and children is only a means to test them, in the same way as the people of the garden were put to trial. The result of all such tests will inevitably be revealed:

We try them as We tried the owners of a certain garden, who vowed that they would harvest its fruits on the morrow, and made no allowance. A visitation from your Lord came upon that garden while they were asleep, so that by morning it was stripped bare and looked desolate. At daybreak they called out to one another: ‘Go early to your tilth if you wish to gather all its fruits.9 So they went off, whispering to one another, "Make sure that no needy person enters the garden today. "Early they went, strongly bent on their purpose. When they saw it, they exclaimed: Surely we have lost our way! No! We are utterly ruined.9 The wisest among them said, 'Did I not tell you, “Will you not extol God's limitless glory?”" They said, 'Limitless in His glory is our Lord! Truly, we were doing wrong." Then they turned upon each other with mutual reproach. They said:

'Woe betide us! We have done great wrong. It may be that our Lord will grant us something better instead. To our Lord we truly turn in hope." Such is the suffering [in this life], but greater indeed is the suffering in the life to come, if they but knew it. (Verses 17-33)

This story may well have been well known, but its narration in the Qur’an reveals what lies behind its episodes of Gods power, the tests He sets for some of His servants and their requital at the end. This is, then, what is new in its presentation in the Qur’an. As it unfolds, we see a group of naive people who appear to us in their thoughts and actions like simple rural people. Perhaps this type of person was closer to the addressees who were stubborn in their rejection of the faith, but who were not particularly sophisticated characters. Rather, they tended to be simple folk.

From an artistic point of view, the narrative represents one of the methods of story-telling in the Qur’an. It includes an element of surprise that captures the listener’s interest. It shows the ludicrous nature of human scheming as compared with God’s planning. Moreover, the events are brought alive as if we see them unfolding.

We see the owners of a garden agreeing to a plan. According to reports, the previous owner of the garden was a good man who had allocated a portion of its harvest to the poor. His heirs, however, wanted to keep all its fruits and yield for themselves, depriving the poor of their customary share.

The story now unfolds: “ We try them as We tried the owners of a certain garden, who vowed that they would harvest its fruits on the morrow, and made no allowance” (Verses 17-18) They made up their minds to harvest its fruits very early in the morning, taking all for themselves and making no allowance for the poor. They swore to this and even went to bed with this evil intention. We leave them in their slumber to look at what takes place during the night when they are totally unaware. God certainly does not sleep. His scheme is different from theirs: “A visitation from your Lord came upon that garden while they were asleep, so that by morning it was stripped bare and looked desolate” (Verses 19-20) We then leave the garden to look at the plotters and what they are now doing.

At this point, the surah puts a simple, uncomplicated argument to them, challenging them, putting to them one question after another, on matters that can have only one answer. It warns them, showing them a fearsome scene of the life to come, and threatens them that, in this present life, they could face a war against God Almighty:

Should We treat those who submit themselves to Us as We treat the guilty? What is the matter with you? On what basis do you judge? Or have you a divine book which you study, and in which you find that you shall have all that you choose? Or have you received solemn oaths, binding on Us till the Day of Resurrection, that you will get whatever you yourselves decide? Ask them which of them will vouch for this. Or have they partners? Let them produce their partners, if what they say is true. On the day when matters become so dire, they will be asked to prostrate themselves, but they will not be able to do so. Their eyes will be downcast, with ignominy overwhelming them. They were invited to prostrate themselves when they were safe. Therefore, leave to Me those who deny this revelation. We shall bring them low, step by step, in ways beyond their knowledge. I will allow them more time: My scheme is truly firm. Do you [Prophet] demand a payment from them [and so they fear] that they would be burdened with debt? Do they have knowledge of the hidden reality so that they can write it down?

(Verses 35—47)

The warning against punishment in the life to come and a war in this present life is made within the argument and challenge this passage delineates. This has the effect of heightening the argument and increasing the pressure the challenge represents. The passage starts with a rhetorical question: “Should We treat those who submit themselves to Us as We treat the guilty?” (Verse 35) This question refers to the outcome of the two parties that has already been stated. This is a question that admits only one answer. No, it cannot be! Those who submit to God can never be treated on the same footing as those who are knowingly guilty. No logic and no standard of justice allows that the guilty and those who submit to God should face the same result. Hence, the surah puts a second rhetorical question to them: “ What is the matter with you? On what basis do you judge?" (Verse 36) How do you judge matters so as to make the two equal? This certainly cannot be.

The surah moves on to add an element of sarcasm: “Or have you a divine book which you study, and in which you find that you shall have all that you choose?" (Verses 37-38) It is a sarcastic question that asks whether or not they have a book and if their studies lead them to make a judgement that no logic or fair standard would accept. A book that tells them that those who submit to God and the guilty are treated in the same way is indeed a funny sort of book that seeks to please them and fan their desires. It provides them with whatever rulings they like.

Needless to say, such a book has nothing to do with truth, reason, justice or human tradition.

A remarkable statement, “Leave to Me those who deny this revelation?

carries with it a terrible threat. It is then followed by an outline of the battle between God and His enemies. Together, the two statements make it clear that the Prophet and the believers have no part in the battle between faith and unfaith, truth and falsehood. This is indeed true, even though the Prophet and the believers may think that they have a genuine role to play in this battle. Whatever role they do play, when God so facilitates it for them, is only a part of Gods will in His battle against His enemies. They arc merely a tool, which God may or may not use. In either case, He does what He wants to do. In both cases, it is He who conducts the battle according to His laws ascertained as He chooses.

This statement was revealed when the Prophet and his followers were still in Makkah, a small minority unable to do much. Hence, it served as reassurance to those weak elements suffering persecution, and it struck fear in the hearts of those who thought they were powerful, having much at their disposal. In MadTnah, the situation completely changed. God willed then that the believers should play a prominent role in the battle. Yet at the same time, He also reiterated what He had said earlier, when they were in Makkah, weak and helpless. When they achieved their resounding victory at Badr, He said to them: “It was not you who slew them, but it was God who slew them. When you threw [a handful of dust], it was not your act, but God's, so that He might put the believers through a fair test of His own making. Indeed, God hears all and knows all? (8: 17)

God wants this truth of the battle being His battle to be firmly understood by the believers. It is His issue and He settles it. When He assigns a role in it to the believers, it is only because He wants to put them to a fair test, for which they earn a good reward. As for the war itself, it is He who fights it, and it is He who assigns its victory. He is able to conduct this war without them. When they participate in it, they are one of the tools He uses, not the only tool. There are many Quranic texts that assert this truth in all situations. It also fits well with the Islamic concept of Gods will, rules and laws, as well as the nature of human efforts made to accomplish Gods will. These efforts are no more than a tool in Gods hand.

This truth gives believers great reassurance in their two conditions of weakness and strength, provided they are sincere in their efforts, placing their trust in God when they fight for His cause. It is not their own power that ensures victory in the battle between truth and falsehood, faith and unfaith. It is God who ensures their victory. Their weakness does not lead to defeat because Gods power supports them. God, however, may give respite to the unbelievers and lead them step by step. He determines events according to His will, wisdom, justice and mercy.

At the same time, this truth is bound to strike fear in the hearts of the enemy, whether the believers they are confronting are in a state of weakness or in a state of strength. Those believers are not the actual opponent. It is God who is conducting this war, with His own might.

Now the Prophet is directed to remain patient in adversity. He should persevere in his efforts to deliver his message, and face all obstacles including peoples twisted minds, the harm they cause him and their denial of the truth. He must remain patient facing all this adversity until God judges as He pleases at the time of His choice. The Prophet is here reminded of the experience of a brother of his who lived in former times. That prophet was impatient and felt fed up with all the opposition. Had he not been granted Gods grace, he would have been left in a state of disgrace:

So, await in patience your Lord's judgement; and do not be like the man in the whale who called out in distress. Had not grace from his Lord reached him, he would have been left upon that barren shore in a state of disgrace. His Lord, however, chose him and made him one of the righteous. (Verses 48-50)

The man in the whale was the Prophet Jonah, as mentioned in Surah 37. God reminds the Prophet Muhammad, the last of all prophets, of Jonahs experience so that he can benefit by it. All prophets preceded Muhammad and he, the one charged with delivering Gods final message to all mankind, should benefit from all their experiences. His task is not to address a particular tribe, town or nation, but to put God’s message to all communities and all generations. His example should provide guidance for them all. Thus he should set a code of living that remains suitable for all mankind’s needs, in all situations and all conditions, despite the fact that every day brings something new.

The gist of Jonah’s experience is that God sent him to the people of a town said to be Nineveh, near Mousil in todays Iraq. When they were slow in responding to his call, he was terribly upset. He left them in anger, thinking that God would not leave him to bear all the opposition those people presented. God would be kind to him and send him to others who would be less stubborn. In his distress, he went towards the coast where he took a boat. When they were far out at sea, the boat became shaky and seemed about to sink. It thus became necessary to throw someone overboard so as to reduce the load. They drew lots to choose that person. Jonah was the one, and they threw him overboard.

Subsequently, a whale swallowed him. Finding himself in such terrible distress, in layers of darkness, inside the whale in the depths of the sea, Jonah appealed to God, saying: “ There is no deity other than You!Limitless are You in Your glory! I have done wrong indeed." (21: 87) God bestowed His grace on him and the whale threw him out, leaving him skinless on the shore. His skin had melted inside the whale. God preserved his life by His will, which is unrestricted by any law that is familiar or unfamiliar to man.

Here, in this surah, God says that had it not been for the grace He bestowed on him, Jonah would have been abandoned, disgraced by God because of his lack of patience. He had acted on his own initiative, without waiting for God’s permission. He was though only spared by God’s grace. God accepted Jonah’s repentance just as he demonstrated what deserves acceptance. Hence, God chose him and made him one of His righteous servants.

The surah concludes with an image of the unbelievers as they received the Prophet’s call. They are full of hatred and grudges shown in the way they look at him as though they want to do away with him. The Qur’an gives the best description of their looks:

The unbelievers well-nigh trip you up with their eyes when they hear this reminder. They say, 'He is surely mad' (Verse 51)

Their looks almost affect the Prophets feet so as to make him lose his balance and trip. It is a superb image describing the hatred embedded in these looks that boil with anger. Added to these hateful looks is their false allegation: “They say: He is surely mad? (Verse 51) The image is taken from a scene of public address when the message is openly presented to people and they are called upon to accept it. It cannot be anywhere other than a public place where some of the most determined opponents are present, reacting with such looks that reflect a deep-seated hatred.

The final comment in the surah says: “Yet it is but a reminder to all mankind? (Verse 52) Such a reminder cannot be presented by a madman. God tells the truth, while falsehood emanates from lying fabricators.

We conclude our commentary with highlighting the phrase 'to all mankind, used at the end of the surah. We should remember that this revelation was Makkan, occurring in the early days of Islam, when the message was met with hard denial and the Prophet received such spiteful looks, when the unbelievers were fighting it with all their might. At this low ebb in its fortunes, the message of Islam declares its universal nature.

Thus, its address to all mankind was in no way something it acquired later in Madinah, when it achieved several victories, as some present-day fabricators allege. Right from its early days in Makkah, Islam declared its universal nature because this is part of its essence, right from its very first day. Thus did God will it to be and thus did He determine its direction from its early days. Thus will it remain until the end of time. God has willed it to be so, and He is its sponsor who protects and defends it. It is He who fights its battle against its opponents. As for its advocates, they only have to remain steadfast, patient in adversity until God, the best of judges, makes His judgement.