2- Illustration:
Illustration makes rational problems tangible and paves the way for arriving at the objectives. It universalizes all subjects and tends to silence the obstinate. Therefore, the Qur'an has utilized this method
extensively. Allah has provided three examples in this verse.
First, He has exemplified the revelation of the Qur'an to the water which is descended from the sky. He has also compared the hearts of the people to the oases which attract the water to themselves according to their own capacity. Those who make their utmost effort to understand the Qur'an will reap great rewards, like rivers and oases which are big; and those who are content with the Qur'an and make less effort in understanding its facts will reap less and take less advantages just like smaller oases and streams which obtain less shares.
Later, Allah compares the satanically whims and temptations to foam which appears on water surface. It goes without saying that the main cause of the foam is not water itself, but it is the land which does not have good soil. Also, skepticisms and doubts as well as selfish whims do not have their origin in the truth, but they have their source in the people's selves. Allah, the Almighty, proclaims that as foam does not last long and what remains of it is pure and soft water, satanical whims will ultimately disappear and vanish while the real face of the truth reveals itself and remains forever.
The third example is that He (s.w.t.) has compared paganism to those nasty materials which are dark in colour and exemplified as such which melt while they are placed on metals and the simile goes on in the case of faith which is exemplified to a melted piece of metal which is pure.
And thus end the proverbs of the Qur'an here which are so instructive.
(18) لِلَّذينَ اسْتَجابُوا لِرَبِّهِمُ الْحُسْنى وَ الَّذينَ لَمْ يَسْتَجيبُوا لَهُ لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ ما فِي الْأَرْضِ جَميعاً وَ مِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لاَفْتَدَوْا بِهِ أُولئِكَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ الْحِسابِ وَ مَأْواهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَ بِئْسَ الْمِهادُ
18. " For those (people) who accepted their Lord, it is the best (reward) . But those who did not accept Him, even if they were to have all that is on the earth and the like of it, they would certainly offer it as ransom. It is they for whom the reckoning will be terrible and their abode will be Hell and what an awful place it is! "
Commentary:
One can infer from the Holy Qur'an that there are several accounts kept for people on the Day of Judgment.
1- Some have an easy account. " by an easy reckoning" (Al- 'Inshiqaq, No. 84, verse 8)
2- Some have their account inspected audited and settled in a hard and an exact way. " a severe account " (At- T alaq, No. 65, verse 8)
3- Some go to hell and there is no need for any settlement by court or trials. " and on the Day of Resurrection We assign no weight for them. " (Al- Kahf, No. 18, verse 105)
4- Some go to the Paradise without having to settle any accounts. " only the patient will be paid back their reward in full without measure. " (Az- Zumar, No. 39, verse 16)
According to the Islamic quotations and traditions, those who are forgiving and merciful towards people and treat them
with favor, will have an easy time as far as their account is concerned; and those who are hard on others, their account will be hard to settle. The unbelievers will go to Hell with no account, and those believers who are patient will go to Paradise without any worries for their settlement of account.
As the Qur'an confirms, acceptance is mutual. That is, if the people expect Allah to accept their call, they must also accept Allah's call. " Answer Allah and the Messenger when he invites you to that which gives you life, " (Al- 'Anfal, No. 8, verse 24)
A discussion about the call:
The issue of the invitation can be dealt with from different dimensions:
1- Those Who Invite to the Truth:
A: Prophets: "Say: ' I call to Allah, " Allah commands the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to tell the people that his way of life and that of his followers is this which leads and directs people towards Allah with insight. (Sura Yousuf, No. 12, verse 108) "Remember when you were climbing (the hillside) and you paid no heed to any one, while the Messenger was calling you from your rear, " (Sura 'Al- i- 'Imran, No. 3, verse 153) "And as one inviting to Allah by His leave, and as a light- giving torch. " (Sura Al- Ah zab, No. 33, verse 46) Meaning that you call on people directing them towards Allah with His permission, thus becoming the burning torch of the world.
B: The Believers: "And there should be a party among you who invite (others )to good " ('Al- i- 'Imran, No. 3, verse 401) This means that from among you Muslims,
those who are more knowledgeable and more virtuous must lead the people towards the good and righteousness.
C: Jinn: "O' our people accept the caller of Allah (just as we did) " (Sura Al- 'Ah qaf, No. 64, verse 13)
The Callers to Falsehood:
I- Pioneers of paganism: "And We made them the pioneers (who) call to the Fire, " (Sura Al- Qas as, No. 28, verse 41)
II- The Satan: " the Satan calls them to the chastisement " That is: would they still follow the Satan's lead to hell regardless of the fact that he has called their fathers to Hell (Sura Luqman, No. 13, verse 12) ; and: "I did not have any authority over you, except that I called you and you responded me, " (Sura 'Ibrahim, No. 14, verse 22)
III- The Unbelievers: " those invite to the Fire " That is the pagans call you to hell fire by way of ignorance and darkness. (Sura Al- Baqarah, No. 2, verse 221)
2- The Subject of Invitation:
I- Life: " he invites you to that which gives you life, " This verse means that Allah and your prophet call you to accept the faith so as to enable you to reach an eternal life. (Sura Al- 'Anfal, No. 8, verse 24)
II- The Straight path: "And certainly you invite them to a straight path. " (Sura Al- Mu'minoun, No. 23, verse 73)
III- Forgiveness: " Allah invites to Paradise and forgiveness " (Sura Al- Baqarah, No. 2, verse 221)
IV- The Paradise: "And Allah does call mankind to the Abode of Peace " (Sura Younus, No. 10, verse 25)
V- Salvation: "I call you to the salvation " (Sura Al- Ghafir, No. 40, verse 41)
3- Confronting the Dissidents:
I- Accusation: Sorcerer: " Verily this indeed is a knowing sorcerer. " (Sura 'A'raf, No. 7, verse 109)
A poet: " nay! he is a poet " (Sura Al- 'Anbiya', No. 21, verse 5) Soothsayer: " for by the grace of your Lord, you are not a soothsayer " In this verse the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is commanded to mention unto people that he speaks while he is blessed by revelation and prophecy from his Lord and there is no question of lunacy existing in him. (Sura At- Tour, No. 52, verse 29)
Crazy: " And they say: "Verily he is crazy. " (Sura Al- Qalam, No. 86, verse 51)
Liar: " verily we do think you to be of the liars. " We guess you are from among the liars. (Sura Al- 'A'raf, No. 7, verse 66)
Oppressor: " who desires that he may have superiority over you, " This verse is about the people of Noah who, answering him, said to others that this person wants to achieve supremacy over you. (Sura Al- Mu'minoun, No. 23, verse 24)
II- Threat: " we would certainly stone you " (Sura Houd, No. 11, verse 21)
Slaying: " And (remember) when those who disbelieved plotted against you to take you captive, or to kill you, " (Sura Al- 'Anfal, No. 8, verse 30)
III- Humiliation: " Is this he who speaks of your gods " (Sura Al- 'Anbiya', No. 21, verse 36)
IV- Skepticism: Leaders and chieftains of the people of Salih, ridiculing the poor who became believers, said:
"Do you believe that Salih is sent by his Lord " (Sura Al- 'A'raf, No. 7, verse 75)
V- Conspiracy and war: "And (remember) when those who disbelieved plotted against you to take you captive, or to kill you, or to expel you " (Sura Al- 'Anfal, No. 8, verse 30)
4- The Motives and Factors for lack of acceptance:
I- Imitation II- Fanaticism III- Arrogance IV- Sensual desire: "But if they do not answer you, then know that they only follow their low desires, " (Sura Al- Qas as, No. 28, verse 50)
5- The Reward for Acceptance:
I- Reward: "Then, as for those who believe and do righteous deeds, He will pay them their rewards fully and will bestow them out of His Grace, " (Sura An- Nisa', No. 4, verse 173)
II- Life: "O' you who have Faith! Answer Allah and the Messenger when he invites you to that which gives you life, " (Sura Al- Anfal, No. 8, verse 24)
III- Happiness: "For those who respond to their Lord is the best (reward) . " (Sura Ar- Ra'd, No. 13, verse 18)
Any way, after depicting the profile of the 'truth' and the 'untruth' through an expressive example mentioned in the previous verse, here the Qur'an alludes to the fate of those who have accepted Allah's call and at the same time, it refers to the destiny of the ones who rejected the truth and turned to vices. At first, it says:
" For those people who accepted their Lord, it is the best (reward) . ..."
Then the Qur'an further adds that as for those who do not accept this call of Allah (s.w.t.) , their destiny is so wicked and relentless that even if they were in full possession of all of what is found on the earth or the like of it, they would be ready to dispense with them all so as to attain salvation. However, all this would not be accepted from them. The verse says:
"... But those who did not accept Him, even if they were to have all that is on the earth and the like of it, they would certainly offer it as ransom. ..."
To portray the grievousness of their punishment, there would be no interpretation more explicit than the one which assumes that supposedly one owns all of what is on the earth, rather doubling that amount, and dispenses all just to be relieved and receive salvation, yet it is of no vail.
This sentence refers, in fact, to one's ultimate desire that he wants to be the proprietor of all that exists on the earth. However, the intensity of the punishment of the oppressors and dissidents of the Allah's call is so much so that they are ready to sacrifice this ultimate worldly desire, and beyond it, and become relieved.
Following this catastrophe, abstention from accepting all that is on the earth for one's salvation, is an allusion made to their other misfortune which implies that they have got a hard and an awful account to settle, and ultimately, they will be located in the fire of the inferno. The verse says:
"... It is they for whom the reckoning will be terrible and their abode will be Hell and what an awful place it is! "
Section 3
The Faithful and the Unfaithful Compared
The faithful to their covenant and those who break it, can never be equal Those - who spend benevolently in the way of Allah shall have the abode of perpetual bliss - Allah it is Who amplifies and straitens the sustenance of His creatures - The life of this world is nothing but a vain comfort.
(19) أَ فَمَنْ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمى إِنَّما يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُوا الْأَلْبابِ
19. " Is he who knows that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the Truth, like the one who is blind Indeed, only the possessors of intellects take admonition, "
Commentary:
The Possessors of Intellect:
We have picture and profile of the details of the programs of the proponents of the truth depicted in this verse which supplements the discussion of the previous verses. In the first instance, He poses the issue in a positive interrogation with negative sense, saying:
" Is he who knows that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the Truth, like the one who is blind? ..."
This type of interpretation is a delicate reference to the fact that the lack of knowledge of this reality is utterly impossible unless one's deep insight has been entirely blocked.
Therefore, the Qur'an, towards the end of the verse adds:
"... Indeed, only the possessors of intellects take admonition, "
Anyway, we have allusions made to those who have accepted the life- giving call of the prophets (a.s.) in the previous verse, while the impact of the acceptance of that call is being stated in this verse and in the following verses. Everyone of: human nature, reason, and knowledge has got a core in one's brain which may be dismantled as a result of habits, customs, superstitions, and instincts. Therefore, man must be constantly concentrating on that central nucleus and core. (Tafsir- ul- Furqan)
The Wise in the Qur'an:
The Arabic term/ 'ulul- 'albab/ has been mentioned in the Qur'an 61 times, every one of which has been stated accompanied with one accomplishment or an attribution, among them, we note:
1. They understand the secret of commandments: "And in (the law of) retaliation there is (saving of life for you, O' possessors of intellects, " (Sura Al- Baqarah, No. 2, verse 179).
2. They are future- oriented: " and make provision, but surely the best provision is the piety. So, have awe of Me, O' possessors of intellect! " (Sura Al- Baqarah, No. 2, verse 197)
3. They regard the world as a passing stage and not a destination and residence point. The possessors of intellect are those who: " mediate on the creation of the heavens and the earth, seriously saying) : 'Our Lord! You have not created (all) thin in vain! " (Sura 'Al- i- 'Imran, No. 3, verse 191)
4. They receive instructive lessons from history: "Indeed in their stories there is a lesson for the possessors of intellect, " (Sura Yousuf, No. 12, verse 111)
5. They accept the best and the most superior logic of all: "Those who listen to the saying, then follow the best of it; " (Sura Az- Zumar, No. 39, verse 18)
6. They are of the worshipping and struggling lot who perform the night prayer: " Is he who is obedient during hours of the night only the possessors of intellect are mindful. " (Sura Az- Zumar, No. 39, verse 9)
* * * *
(20) الَّذينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَ لا يَنْقُضُونَ الْميثاقَ
20. " Those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and do not break the pledge. "
Commentary:
The Arabic phrase/ 'ahdillah/ includes both the innate and inherent promises such as 'love unto the Truth and justice', and rational promises like the comprehension of the facts of the world of existence including the issues of 'the origin and the end'. They also refer to both the religious promises such as practicing all the required acts and rituals and abstention from all that is prohibited, and the commitments of promises which men keep with regard to one another and Allah has made their observation required.
According to the statements of some commentators,(1) one of the most important Divine covenants is the Imamate, 'leadership', of the celestial leaders. After that Had rat 'Ibrahim (a.s.)attained accession to the position of Imamate following numerous tests and trials, he requested Allah to enable his progeny to achieve that rank. Instead of saying that the position of Imamate would not be bestowed on the cruel people, and to clarify the importance of this position, He said: "My covenant does not include the unjust."(2), which itself is an evidence for the importance of the position and magnitude of Imamate.
Incidentally, the Arabic term/ mi aq/ 'testament' refers to what is the source of confidence between one's heart and that
(1) - In Tafsir- us- Safi, it is quoted from Had rat Musa- ibn- Ja'far (a.s.) indicating that this verse is revealed with regard to the position of the household of Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) and their guardianship. This is the covenant of Allah.
(2) - Sura Al- Baqarah, No. 2, verse 124
thing. As the existence of a Divine leader provides comfort for men's heart and soul, therefore, this matter has been regarded as one of the examples of 'testament'.
Anyway, keeping one's promise, like respect for one's parents, and returning of the deposits, is not confined to the Islamic jurisprudence. On the other hand, it is included in human rights as well. Thus every wise and rational man must observe it.
In conclusion, religious testament is the kind of the commitment which the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) has secured from the believing people so as to obey him and abstain from committing sins and overlooking the religious commandments and prohibitions.
Incidentally the reason why the term 'testament' or 'pledge' is repeated after the word 'covenant' is that none imagines that the objective is only the Divine promise and that of the people for all the commandments and the prohibitions are included in the meaning of 'covenant'. It is for this reason that He informs us that the testament and covenant of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and the people is as vigorously to be observed as that of Allah (s.w.t.) and the people. The verse says:
" Those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and do not break the pledge. "
Some commentators, however, believe that the aim of this repetition is merely emphasis.
* * * *
(21) وَ الَّذينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَ يَخافُونَ سُوءَ الْحِسابِ
21. " And those who join what Allah has commanded to be joined and they fear their Lord and dread the terrible reckoning. "
Commentary:
Some Islamic quotations indicate that what Allah has ordained to be joined together is union of kindred. That is, conservation of family ties as well as the ideological ties which implies continuous and profound ties with the heavenly leaders and the following of the line of 'Wilayat' (leadership) . (Tafsir- us- S afi) . The verse says:
" And those who join what Allah has commanded to be joined and they fear their Lord and dread the terrible reckoning. "
A simple and in- passing glance at our contemporary world will reveal that despite having utmost and the best capital, i. e., oil, beneath their feet, and enjoying, in front of them, the common point of unity and love of over one Billion Muslims, that is Ka'bah, and despite benefiting from the best of schools and logic, some Muslims are constantly under all kinds of pressure from the super- powers for their lack of connection with the Divine leadership. It is for this reason that in the verse 27 of Sura Al- Baqarah, after the sentence " and cut asunder
what Allah has commanded to be 1joined "(1) there has been mentioned: " and they make corruption on the Earth, ", for it goes without saying that the mere cutting off ties of relationship does not by itself cause corruption on the earth. On the contrary, it is giving up of the Divine leadership which leads to the entanglement in the confinement of the despots and spreading of corruption.
Note the Following Points:
1- Union of Kindred: strengthening blood- kinship is not merely confined to the family visits and meetings. Provision of financial assistance also is one of the aspects of union of kindred. Imam Sadiq (a.s.)proclaims that in addition to Zakat (alms) , there are also other dues to be paid and which are necessary. Then he recited this verse (Tafsir- us- S afi) . The objective in mind of the Imam (a.s.) probably has been 'Khoms' (one fifth )when mentioning other dues.
2- As for the importance of 'union of kindred', it is sufficient to be noted that Allah has made mention of it next to His name. " And be in awe of Allah through Whom you demand one of another, as well as any ties of kinship; " (Sura An- Nisa', No. 4, verse 1)
3- The meaning of 'relatives' is not confined to one's family genealogical relatives, but, it refers to the great Muslim community in which all individuals of the nation are considered as brothers, where the Qur'an
(1) (-/ fasiqin/ transgressors are) "Those who break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation and cut asunder what Allah had commanded to be joined, and they make corruption on the Earth;..."
says: "The believers are but brethren " (Sura Al- Hujurat, No. 49, verse 10 ). Their father is the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) as well as Had rat Ali (a.s.) . The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) has remarked: "Ali and I are to be regarded as fathers of this community. "
4- Imam Sadiq (a.s.) , while on deathbed, ordered to hand on some gifts to those relatives who had been rude to him. When he was criticized for this act, he recited the above verse; and so did he teach us that the condition for union of kindred would not be their optimism, love and relationship with us.
5- To explain the Qur'anic phrases: 'they fear their Lord' and 'dread the terrible reckoning', one must say that though the Arabic words/ xa iyat/ (fear) and/ xauf/ (dread) have sometimes been used interchangeably and as synonyms, meaning one thing in mind, they are in fact different in an Arabic context. The word/ xa iyat/ refers to that kind of fear and impression which is left on someone as a result of respect he bears for a person. However, the term/ xauf/ refers to a wider range of meaning and includes all kinds of fear and anxiety. In other words, the term/ xa iyat/ is never used for a damaging accident and one does not refer to cold and disease as having/ xa iyat/ with respect to them, while the application of the word to/ xauf/ holds in cases of cold, heat, disease and is prevalent. Ultimately, since/ xa iyat/ is based on one's knowledge as to the respect, magnitude and importance of the other person, one can say/ xa iyat/ is peculiar to the learned men and/ xauf/ is generally applicable for all. As the Qur'an says: " those of His servants only who are knowledgeable fear Allah, " (Sura Fatir, No. 35, verse 28)
