407. Here the purpose is to bring home the fact that before Allah what would count is the sacrifice of life and property in His cause and not the false assurances about which there is a belief that the intercession of saints would get deliverance for the people irrespective of what were the beliefs and deeds of the people concerned.

There is no compulsion in the religion. The right path is henceforth distinct from the wrong; whoever rejects Taghut (Rebels) and believes in Allah has grasped a firm hand-hold which will never break. And Allah hears and knows all things. (Al-Quran)

408. This verse has been named in the Hadith as “Ayat-ul-Kursi,’’i.e. the verse of the Throne (Chair) and it has been described as a grand verse. In this verse have been described some points very impressively and effectively which provide an understanding about Allah. It also explains the facts about the Oneness of Allah and refutes totally all concepts about associating others with Allah and the wrong concept about intercession, so that people in their acts and deeds may follow the correct method of worshipping Allah and believing in Him.

409. The idolaters have this belief about their gods that they drink a special kind of wine, nectar or a special kind of drink, Soma, which keeps them alive, but Allah is that living and self-subsisting eternal Being who is not required to depend on any thing or any body for being alive.

410. In the text the word “Al-Qayyum” is used, which means a being who is selfsubsisting and on whom others are dependent for their subsistence. Allah exists on His own without any help from any body or thing and He maintains and manages the world single -handedly.

411. That is: Allah is always and constantly awake. The condition of sleep and dozing have been created by him, which overtakes the created beings and therefore the question of this condition (sleep) overtaking the Creator does not arise.

412. This is a refutation of the wrong concept of intercession that some personalities are so exalted in the eyes of Allah that they can intercede with Him on behalf of anybody they like and that Allah will have to yield to their intercession. This verse says that no one enjoys this kind of prestige with Allah or is so exalted that he can open his mouth without His permission, let alone interceding or recommending any body’s case. However, there is an exception that Allah may allow anybody from His favoured slaves to intercede on behalf of anybody that He may permit. This is an honour which will be bestowed by Allah on any person whom He may like. However, it may be made clear that such an intercession will not be permitted in favour of non-believers or infidels because Allah has left no scope for them in this regard.

413. That is: The knowledge of Allah covers all the limits concerning time and space but the knowledge of His slaves is limited to the extent permitted by Allah.

414. The word used in the text is “Kursi”, which means seat, or throne, etc. A king’s throne is the symbol of his sovereignty and therefore this word is used to connote that person’s sovereignty. We do not know the nature of the throne (Kursi) of Allah because it is one of the unseen. However, its primary sense is quite clear that Allah’s sovereignty thoroughly covers the heavens and the earth and there is not a single nook or corner of the Universe which is outside of Allah’s sovereignty.

415. That is: Allah does not feel any burden or He does not at all find it difficult to preserve, maintain, manage. and run the Universe nor is He required to take anybody’s help. This also negates the concept that Allah has distributed the work of this world among a number of gods and goddessess: Some one blows winds, some one sends down rains, another one manages the affairs of the earth and still another the affairs of the heavens, this god provides food while that one is the god of death, this is the goddess of wealth and that one of diseases, etc., etc.

416. That is: The lowly things which are attributed to Him or the low concepts which are held about Him are most farfetched and He is so sublime that we cannot fully understand His greatness.

417. This clearly shows that Islam does not allow that any person be forced to accept this faith (Islam) and that Islam gives full freedom to every one to follow the religion of his choice and beliefs according to his own conscience. It is so because the main purpose of religion is to seek Allah’s pleasure, which can be achieved only by those who do it with their own free will. In the case of force and compulsion, this purpose is defeated, for one can be forced to perform certain religious rites but one cannot be forced to change one’s intention or to create in one’s heart honest and sincere desire for seeking Allah’s pleasure.

Therefore, any person’s accepting the Islamic faith unwillingly or under pressure has no meaning. Accordingly in the Holy Quran at another place it is stated: “wa lau shaa-a........Mumineen. that is:

“Had your Lord wanted, all the people of the earth would have believed in Him. Would you then force men to be believers ?” -(Surah Yunus -99).

In view of this fact, what Islam emphasises is that reasonable and sober methods be adopted in propagating religion, so that Truth may come out clearly. If even after this, some one sticks to his infidelity then he should be left to himself.

As regards Jihad (fighting in the cause of Allah), it has been made lawful to remove mischief and corruption from the earth and to establish Islamic system; and in this system there is full scope for people of other religions and faiths to live peacefully under the Islamic rule.

As for the polytheists of Arabia and those who turn apostate, the command to execute them is as a punishment.

418. In the text the word “Taghut” is used, which means to “transgress the limits and to be very severe in rejecting the Faith” (Iissan-ul-Arab Vol. 15 page 7.). It denotes every person who transgresses the limits of submission to Allah and rebels against Him. This word applies to Satan as well as rebellious men and particularly those leaders and rulers of men who enforce their own rules and laws on men instead of the commands and laws of Allah.

For further explanation please see Surah Nisa Note Nos. 116, 128, 129 and also Surah Al- Maidah Note No. 180

419. Light here means the light of Guidance, which brightens the heart and mind, and conduct and character of men of faith. Darkness here means the darkness of unbelief and going astray from the right path the darkness which covers the mind and heart and conduct and character of the infidels.

The word ‘Noor’ is used in singular, while the word “Zulmaat” (darknesses) is used in plural, which points to the fact that the path of Guidance is only one that is of Islam and those of darknesses are many and varied.