Surah 42. Ash-Shuraa

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Verses [Section]: 1-9[1], 10-19 [2], 20-29 [3], 30-53 [4]

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Quran Text of Verse 10-19وَ مَاAnd whateverاخْتَلَفْتُمْyou differفِیْهِin itمِنْofشَیْءٍa thingفَحُكْمُهٗۤthen its rulingاِلَی(is) toاللّٰهِ ؕAllahذٰلِكُمُThatاللّٰهُ(is) Allahرَبِّیْmy Lordعَلَیْهِupon Himتَوَكَّلْتُ ۖۗI put my trustوَ اِلَیْهِand to Himاُنِیْبُ I turn 42. Ash-Shuraa Page 484فَاطِرُ(The) Creatorالسَّمٰوٰتِ(of) the heavensوَ الْاَرْضِ ؕand the earthجَعَلَHe madeلَكُمْfor youمِّنْfromاَنْفُسِكُمْyourselvesاَزْوَاجًاmatesوَّ مِنَand amongالْاَنْعَامِthe cattleاَزْوَاجًا ۚmatesیَذْرَؤُكُمْHe multiplies youفِیْهِ ؕtherebyلَیْسَ(There) is notكَمِثْلِهٖlike Himشَیْءٌ ۚanythingوَ هُوَand Heالسَّمِیْعُ(is) the All-Hearerالْبَصِیْرُ the All-Seer لَهٗTo Him (belongs)مَقَالِیْدُ(the) keysالسَّمٰوٰتِ(of) the heavensوَ الْاَرْضِ ۚand the earthیَبْسُطُHe extendsالرِّزْقَthe provisionلِمَنْfor whomیَّشَآءُHe willsوَ یَقْدِرُ ؕand restrictsاِنَّهٗIndeed Heبِكُلِّof everyشَیْءٍthingعَلِیْمٌ (is) All-Knower شَرَعَHe has ordainedلَكُمْfor youمِّنَofالدِّیْنِthe religionمَاwhatوَصّٰیHe enjoinedبِهٖuponنُوْحًاNuhوَّ الَّذِیْۤand that whichاَوْحَیْنَاۤWe have revealedاِلَیْكَto youوَ مَاand whatوَصَّیْنَاWe enjoinedبِهٖۤuponاِبْرٰهِیْمَIbrahimوَ مُوْسٰیand Musaوَ عِیْسٰۤیand IsaاَنْToاَقِیْمُواestablishالدِّیْنَthe religionوَ لَاand notتَتَفَرَّقُوْاbe dividedفِیْهِ ؕthereinكَبُرَIs difficultعَلَیonالْمُشْرِكِیْنَthe polytheistsمَاwhatتَدْعُوْهُمْyou call themاِلَیْهِ ؕto itاَللّٰهُAllahیَجْتَبِیْۤchoosesاِلَیْهِfor HimselfمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُHe willsوَ یَهْدِیْۤand guidesاِلَیْهِto Himselfمَنْwhoeverیُّنِیْبُ turns وَ مَاAnd notتَفَرَّقُوْۤاthey became dividedاِلَّاuntilمِنْۢafterبَعْدِafterمَا[what]جَآءَهُمُcame to themالْعِلْمُthe knowledgeبَغْیًۢا(out of) rivalryبَیْنَهُمْ ؕamong themوَ لَوْ لَاAnd if notكَلِمَةٌ(for) a wordسَبَقَتْ(that) precededمِنْfromرَّبِّكَyour Lordاِلٰۤیforاَجَلٍa termمُّسَمًّیspecifiedلَّقُضِیَsurely, it (would have) been settledبَیْنَهُمْ ؕbetween themوَ اِنَّAnd indeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoاُوْرِثُواwere made to inheritالْكِتٰبَthe Bookمِنْۢafter themبَعْدِهِمْafter themلَفِیْ(are) surely inشَكٍّdoubtمِّنْهُconcerning itمُرِیْبٍ disquieting فَلِذٰلِكَSo to thatفَادْعُ ۚthen inviteوَ اسْتَقِمْand stand firmكَمَاۤasاُمِرْتَ ۚyou are commandedوَ لَاand (do) notتَتَّبِعْfollowاَهْوَآءَهُمْ ۚtheir desiresوَ قُلْbut sayاٰمَنْتُI believeبِمَاۤin whatاَنْزَلَAllah has sent downاللّٰهُAllah has sent downمِنْofكِتٰبٍ ۚ(the) Bookوَ اُمِرْتُand I am commandedلِاَعْدِلَthat I do justiceبَیْنَكُمْ ؕbetween youاَللّٰهُAllahرَبُّنَا(is) our Lordوَ رَبُّكُمْ ؕand your LordلَنَاۤFor usاَعْمَالُنَاour deedsوَ لَكُمْand for youاَعْمَالُكُمْ ؕyour deedsلَا(There is) noحُجَّةَargumentبَیْنَنَاbetween usوَ بَیْنَكُمْ ؕand between youاَللّٰهُAllahیَجْمَعُwill assembleبَیْنَنَا ۚ[between] usوَ اِلَیْهِand to Himالْمَصِیْرُؕ(is) the final return 42. Ash-Shuraa Page 485وَ الَّذِیْنَAnd those whoیُحَآجُّوْنَargueفِیconcerningاللّٰهِAllahمِنْۢafterبَعْدِafterمَا[what]اسْتُجِیْبَresponse has been made to Himلَهٗresponse has been made to Himحُجَّتُهُمْtheir argumentدَاحِضَةٌ(is) invalidعِنْدَwithرَبِّهِمْtheir Lordوَ عَلَیْهِمْand upon themغَضَبٌ(is) wrathوَّ لَهُمْand for themعَذَابٌ(is) a punishmentشَدِیْدٌ severe اَللّٰهُAllahالَّذِیْۤ(is) the One Whoاَنْزَلَ(has) sent downالْكِتٰبَthe Bookبِالْحَقِّin truthوَ الْمِیْزَانَ ؕand the Balanceوَ مَاAnd whatیُدْرِیْكَwill make you knowلَعَلَّPerhapsالسَّاعَةَthe Hourقَرِیْبٌ (is) near یَسْتَعْجِلُSeek to hastenبِهَا[of] itالَّذِیْنَthose whoلَا(do) notیُؤْمِنُوْنَbelieveبِهَا ۚin itوَ الَّذِیْنَand those whoاٰمَنُوْاbelieveمُشْفِقُوْنَ(are) fearfulمِنْهَا ۙof itوَ یَعْلَمُوْنَand knowاَنَّهَاthat itالْحَقُّ ؕ(is) the truthاَلَاۤUnquestionablyاِنَّindeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoیُمَارُوْنَdisputeفِیconcerningالسَّاعَةِthe Hourلَفِیْ(are) certainly inضَلٰلٍۭerrorبَعِیْدٍ far اَللّٰهُAllahلَطِیْفٌۢ(is) Subtleبِعِبَادِهٖwith His slavesیَرْزُقُHe gives provisionمَنْ(to) whomیَّشَآءُ ۚHe willsوَ هُوَAnd Heالْقَوِیُّ(is) the All-Strongالْعَزِیْزُ۠ the All-Mighty

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Translation of Verse 10-19

(42:10) The¹³ judgement on whatever you differ rests with Allah.¹⁴ Such is Allah,¹⁵ my Lord; in Him I have put all my trust and to Him I always turn in devotion.¹⁶

(42:11) The Originator of the heavens and the earth, He has appointed for you pairs of your own kind, and pairs also of cattle. Thus does He multiply you. Naught in the universe is like Him.¹⁷ He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.¹⁸

(42:12) His are the keys of the heavens and the earth. He enlarges and straitens the sustenance of whomsoever He pleases. Surely He has knowledge of everything.¹⁹

(42:13) He has prescribed for you the religion which He enjoined upon Noah and which We revealed to you (O Muhammad), and which We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus, commanding: “Establish this religion and do not split up regarding it.”²⁰ What you are calling to is very hard upon those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity. Allah chooses for Himself whomsoever He pleases and guides to Himself whoever penitently turns to Him.²¹

(42:14) They did not split up except after knowledge had come to them,²² and then only because they wished to commit excesses against each other.²³ Had your Lord not already decreed that judgement would be made later at an appointed time, the matter between them would surely have been decided once and for all.²⁴ Indeed those who were later made the heirs of the Book are in disquieting doubt about it.²⁵

(42:15) (This being so, O Muhammad), call people to the same religion and be steadfast about it as you were commanded, and do not follow their desires,²⁶ and say (to them): “I believe in the Book Allah has sent down.²⁷ I have been commanded to establish justice among you.²⁸ Allah is our Lord and your Lord. We have our deeds and you have your deeds.²⁹ There is no contention between us and you.³⁰ Allah will bring us all together. To Him all are destined to return.”

(42:16) Those who contend concerning Allah³¹ (after His call has been responded to), their contention is absolutely void in the sight of their Lord. Allah's wrath is upon them and a grievous chastisement awaits them.

(42:17) Allah it is Who sent down this Book with the Truth and the Balance.³² And what would make you know that the Hour (of Judgement) has drawn near?³³

(42:18) Those who do not believe in it seek to hasten its coming. But those who believe (in it) hold it in dread and know that the Hour (of Judgement) is bound to come. Lo, those who dispute concerning the coming of the Hour are gone far in error.

(42:19) Allah is Most Gentle to His servants³⁴ and grants sustenance to whomsoever He pleases.³⁵ He is All-Strong, Most Mighty.³⁶

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Commentary

13. The whole paragraph from here to the end of verse 12 is a revelation from God, but the address is from the Prophet (peace be on him) rather than God. Through these words the Prophet (peace be on him) is directed to make this declaration on God’s behalf. At times the Qur'an specifically instructs the Prophet (peace be on him) to proclaim something while at other places it is implied and one learns about it from the context. In certain instances, while the discourse is God’s it is expressed through the believers. Surah al-Fatihah best illustrates this. In other instances, such as Maryam 19: 64-65, those who articulate the discourse are angels.

14. This is a natural corollary of the fact that the universe is entirely God’s and that He is also Sovereign and Lord for settling mutual; differences among mankind here on earth. Those who think that this will; happen only in the Hereafter are mistaken. For there is no evidence to 4 establish the above proposition. Nor is God’s role limited only to settling theological matters and questions of faith. The Qur’anic declaration is general and categorical that judgement on disagreements between men rests with God. He is the King of the Day of Judgement as well as the Best of Judges in this world. He decides what represents truth in any dispute in matters of belief. Likewise, in legislative matters, His Word is final and clearly states what is good for man. He declares what is lawful and what is unlawful, what is desirable and what is undesirable, what is virtue and what is vice, what is good conduct and what is bad, and what are men’s mutual rights and obligations. Again, it is He Who decides what is good and bad for man’s social, cultural, political and economic life.

The Qur’an lays down the following laws in this context: ‘If you were to dispute among yourselves about anything, refer it to God and the Messenger,’ (al-Nisa’ 4: 59). ‘It does not be hove a believer, male or female, that when God and His Messenger have decided an affair, they should exercise their choice,’ (al-Ahzab 33: 36) and ‘(O people), follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord and follow no masters other than Him,’ (al-A ‘raf 7: 3).

The context of the verse points to another implicit meaning, It is not only God’s legal right to settle mutual differences among men but, for all practical purposes, He distinguishes between truth and falsehood.

As a result, those given to falsehood eventually meet their doom while the devotees of truth are elevated to great heights. People may feel that a Divine decision on such issues takes a very long time. However, the judgement is wholly God’s. (This point reappears in verse 24 of this surah.

It also features in the following verses: al-Ra‘d 13: 17 and 40-41; Ibrahim 14: 18 and 23-27; Bani Isra’il 17: 86 and al-Anbiya’ 21: 18 and 44).

15. That God has the real authority to resolve disputes among ‘people.

16. Here two acts are mentioned, one in the past tense and the other in the imperfect verbal form which conveys the sense of continuity. First, it is stated as follows in the past tense: ‘...in Him I have put all my trust’.

This indicates that the believer decided that as long as he lives he will rely on God's assistance, God’s guidance and God’s protection and support and that he will depend on God’s decision alone. This is followed by a statement in imperfect verb ‘to Him I always turn in devotion.’ What this implies is that the believer turns to God in whatever problems confront him in his life. When faced with any affliction, adversity or difficult problem he looks to none else but God from Whom He seeks assistance.

When faced with a danger, it is God’s refuge that he seeks, placing reliance on His protection. When faced with any problem that calls for solution he tries to find its solution in the Guidance that God has made available.

Also, if there is dispute with anyone, he looks up to God for its final resolution, fully trusting that His judgement will be right.

17. The actual words are (‘naught in the universe is like Him’). There is nothing like God. Some Qur’anic commentators and grammarians say that according to Arabic usage, the addition of ka before the word mithl is for idiomatic purposes and is aimed at giving force to the statement. This is a common practice in Arabic. For example, a poet employs it thus: (They were dead like tracks of palm-dates), while another poet says: (There is none like them among people, not even one). (Tabari, Tafsir, comments on Surah al-Shura 42: 11.) Some others highlight the emphatic tone of the statement: what is here asserted is that it is simply out of the question that there will be any like God Himself. (Tabari, Tafsir, comments on Surah al-Shura 42: 11). If we were to accept for argument’s sake that there was any that bore likeness to Him, nobody will be even similar to the one who bears likeness to God, let alone that he be like God Himself.

18. God listens to everyone and watches everything all the time.

19. These arguments vindicate that God alone is to be taken as the real patron and one should repose all trust only in Him. (For further details see also, al-Naml 27, nn. 73-83, Towards Understanding the Qur’an, vol. VIL, pp. 171-9 and al-Rum 30, nn. 25-31, vol. VII, pp. 88-92.)

20. Here the statement that was made in passing earlier (see verse 93 above) is being elaborated. It is stated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) is not the founder of any new religion. No Prophet ever laid the foundation of a new faith. Rather, each of them expounded the same faith on God’s behalf. At the present, the same is being done by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him).

In this context, mention is first made of the Prophet Noah (peace be on him), the first Messenger for the human race after the Flood. This is followed by mention of the Prophet Abraham (peace be on him), whom the Arabs looked upon as their patriarch. Next, reference is made to the Prophets Moses and Jesus (peace be on them), with whom Jews. and Christians respectively associate themselves. In this verse a pointed reference is made to five Messengers. This does not mean that only those five were directed to preach the true faith. What is brought home is that all Prophets represent the same faith. To illustrate the point five outstanding Messengers have been mentioned by name.

It is through them that-humanity received the best known codes of Divine Law. Since this verse throws ample light on faith and its objective, it should be grasped fully.

The Qur’an here declares that ‘He has prescribed for you [the religion] which He enjoined upon Noah...’ The verb used is a derivative of shari‘ah which means to pave a way. As a term it stands for a way of life, a code of conduct and a set of laws. It is closely associated with legislation. This law making on God’s part is the logical outcome of the fundamental truths enunciated in verses 9 and 10 above. According to them, God is the Lord of everything in the universe and the true Guardian of mankind and it is for Him to settle the differences found among men. Again, it is for Him to lay down a code of life for them. The expression used here is call a, which Shah Wali Allah interprets as ‘ordained for you as in (constitution)’. God’s religion thus stands out as the constitution for all mankind. On studying this in conjunction with our definition of din (see Surah al-Zumar 39, n. 3 above), one may readily understand that faith signifies one’s surrender and obedience to the laws of the One whom one looks upon as one’s Sovereign. Used in the sense of a way, it stands for the way which one is obligated to follow.

The verse, thus, declares that God’s laws are to be obeyed by men. So what the Qur’an presents as religion is not a set of recommendations or sermons or exhortations. Rather, it is God’s law for His servants. Anyone who does not abide by it commits a rebellion against God and indulges in rejection of God’s Lordship and of man’s subservience to Him.

It is also pointed out that the same law and guidance that were conferred upon the Prophets Noah, Abraham and Moses (peace be on them) are now bestowed upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). Implicit in it are the following points: (i) Rather than send His law from time to time to each and every individual directly, whenever God deems it necessary He appoints someone as His Messenger and entrusts him with the task of conveying His Law to people. (ii) This legislation has been identical all along because God did not prescribe several faiths; instead, He prescribed a single faith from the very beginning. (iii) It is an essential part of man’s faith that besides accepting God’s Sovereignty and Lordship he should also believe in His Messengers through whom the Law has been communicated, and to believe in Revelation of which the Law is an integral part. Reason and logic too require the same for man will be inclined to abide by that Law alone which he believes to be authentically from God.

This is followed by the observation that the Prophets were endowed with Law based on religious faith with the emphatic directive ‘And establish this religion.’ Shah Wali Allah has translated it as we have done. Shah Rafi’ al-Din and Shah ‘Abd al-Qadir have translated it as: ‘And maintain the religion [by keeping it operative].’ Both translators are correct for iqamat al-din means both: to establish religion and maintain it in that state. As for the Prophets, they are required to look after both tasks. Their first task is to establish the true religion whenever it was not in an established state and to maintain it in that state after it has been established. It is obvious that something can be maintained only after it has been established, or else effort has to be made first to establish it.

Once this has been achieved, every effort will be needed to ensure that it will continue to be operative.

Here, however, we are faced with two questions: (i) What is meant by establishing faith? (ii) What is meant by faith which is to be established and maintained? It is easy to grasp the idea of establishing or putting in place a physical or material object. However, when the same directive is related to something abstract, it signifies its implementation, the bringing of it in vogue and enforcing it. For example, when we say that someone established his rule, it does not mean that he merely called people to accept his rule. Rather, it means that he made the people of that land subservient to his rule; he organized all affairs of the land in a way that only his command would reign supreme. By the same token, when we talk about the establishment of a legal system, it means that judges and courts are put in place and are engaged in the dispensation of justice. It does not refer to a mere discourse on that legal system on which praise is theoretically heaped in order to convince people of its excellence. Likewise, when the Qur’an bids that Prayer be established, this is not confined only to calling people to Prayer. Rather, it signifies that one should not only offer Prayers while fulfilling all of its conditions, but should also devise a system which promotes the observance of regular Prayers among the believers. There should be mosques, arrangements for congregational Prayers, including Friday Prayer, and adhan at the appointed hours. Imams and preachers should be appointed and all this should make people habituated to going to mosques on time for Prayers.

In the light of the above explanation, it should not be hard to understand that when the Prophets were asked to establish and maintain faith, their obligation was not confined to their personal lives. Nor was their role restricted only to preaching in order to convince people of the truth of Prayers. On the contrary, the purpose behind His command was that the believers should follow the faith in their lives as a whole and this should go on perpetually. Preaching is, no doubt, an initial but essential stage without which the next stage cannot be reached. Yet it is evident that preaching is not an end in itself. The goal is the establishment and maintenance of. faith, of which preaching is only a means. Preaching cannot be regarded as the only objective of the Prophets’ mission.

Let us now turn.to the other question: what is meant by faith? It was noted that faith has been common to all the Prophets. On the other hand, their shari‘ahs vary from one another. As stated in the Qur’an itself: ‘For each of you We have appointed a Law and a way of life’ (al-Ma’idah 5: 48.) Some people have, however, misconstrued the faith prescribed by God to be confined only to belief in monotheism, the Hereafter, the Scriptures and Messenger ship, without any regard for implementing the shari’ah laws. At most, they include in faith some broad moral principles which permeate all shari‘ahs. This is a very superficial view of faith which is premised on a superficial view of the unity of all faiths and the diversity of shari’ahs.

If this misconception is not removed, it might culminate into divorcing the shari‘ah from faith or repeating the mistake committed earlier by St. Paul in expounding the concept of a faith divorced from law. His mistake misled the Christian community. For it led them to believe that shari'ah separate entities and that believers are obliged only to embrace faith and have nothing to do with the shari’ah. If this notion ‘accepted by Muslims, as it was done by Christians, they too will disregarded the shari‘ah and will simply abide by the articles of faith and some broad moral principles.

Instead of making such speculations on the theoretical plane of Islam about faith and its requisites, let us turn to the Qur’an itself to find Out whether it is concerned only with articles of faith and some broad moral, principles or whether it is concerned with the commands of the shari’ah as well. The Qur’an speaks of the following as constituents of faith:

(1) ‘Yet all that they had been commanded was that they serve God with utter sincerity, devoting themselves exclusively to Him, and that they establish Prayer and pay Zakah. That is the Right Faith,’ (al-Bayyinah 98: 5.

It is clear from the above that Prayer and Zakah are ineluctable parts of faith, though their forms and commands have varied in several shari'ahs. For it is nobody’s contention that all the earlier shari‘ahs too prescribed the same forms, postures, components, rak‘ahs, direction, timing and other rules of Prayer as laid down by Islam. Nor can it be proved that the same rates of Zakah and its system of distribution obtained before the advent of the Prophet (peace be on him). Notwithstanding the variations in the shari‘ah, God reckons these two items Prayer and Zakah—as essential components of faith.

(2) ‘Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, the animal slaughtered in any name other than Allah’s, the animal which has either been strangled, killed by blows, or has died] of fall or by goring or by being devoured by a beast of prey unless.it be that which you yourselves might have slaughtered 7 while it was still alive - and forbidden to you also is that which q was slaughtered at the altars. You are also forbidden to seek q knowledge of your fate by divining arrows. All these are sinful {acts. This day the unbelievers have fully despaired of your religion. Do not fear them; but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion’, (al-Ma’idah 5: 3.)

(3) ‘Fight against those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day - even though they were given the scriptures, and who do not hold as unlawful that which Allah and His Messenger have declared to be unlawful, and who do not follow the true religion’, (al-Tawbah 9: 29.)

(4) ‘Those who fornicate whether female or male — flog each one of them with a hundred lashes. And let not tenderness for them deter you from what pertains to God’s religion, if you do truly believe in Allah and the Last Day’, (al-Nur 24: 2.) ‘He [Prophet Joseph] had no right, according to the religion of the king [emphasis added] (i.e. the law of Egypt), to take his brother...’ (Yusuf 12: 76).

It emerges from the Prophet Joseph’s story that criminal law is a part of faith. If one abides by the criminal law laid down by God, one is to be taken to be a follower of Divine faith. By the same token, if one observes the law of a king, one will be regarded as the devotee of that king. The above passages present the commands of the shari’ah as synonymous with faith. On a little reflection one will note that men’s acts which incur punishment in Hellfire relate to the domain of faith, as for example, illicit sex, usury, killing a believer, usurping the belongings of an orphan, devouring someone’s possessions while resorting to falsehood, sodomy and committing unfair practices in business and trade, of which the Prophet Shu‘ayb’s community in particular was guilty. For one of the objectives of faith is to protect man from God's punishment and Hellfire. Moreover, there are many other shari‘ah commands which are an intrinsic part of faith. This because their violation entails eternal perdition in Hellfire. For example, the law of inheritance is followed by this dire warning: ‘And he who disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses the bounds set by Him him shall Allah cause to enter the Fire. There he will abide. A humiliating chastisement awaits him’, (al-Nisa’ 4: 14.) The same holds true of some other Divine commands which lay down the unlawfulness of sexual relations with one’s mother, sister and daughter and prohibit wine, theft, gambling and false testimony. If these commands are not reckoned as parts of faith, it would imply that they are superfluous and, as such, need not be enforced. By the same token, those commands which God declares as religious duties, for example fasting and Hajj, cannot be excluded from the establishment of faith, It cannot be argued that fasting is not compulsory as this 30-day fast was not part of the earlier shari‘ahs or that Pilgrimage to the Ka’bah was incumbent only on the progeny of Ishmael.

One, thus, realizes that the shari‘ah is a constituent of faith and establishing faith involves the enforcement of the shari‘ah as a whole.

That God has prescribed the shari‘ah for each community should not give rise to the misperception that since a shari‘ah was meant for each community, and the directive was to establish that particular faith, the command for establishing faith does not include the instruction to enforce the shari‘ah.

A study of this verse in its broader context makes one realize that the shari‘ah prescribed by God for each community represents the faith for that community and it was obligatory for the respective Prophets to establish it. While functioning as a Prophet, Muhammad (peace be on him) was granted the shariah which stands out as the Divine faith and its enforcement is synonymous with establishing faith. As to the differences in the shari‘ahs prescribed for different communities, this does not imply that these were at variance with one another. Instead, local color and condition accounted for some minor differences. Take Prayers and fasting, which are parts of faith, offering them in a particular form or at the appointed days is not part of the same assignment. It will be rather correct to hold that every Messenger and his community were obliged to offer Prayers and fasting in the particular mode in which they were directed to perform them and it was a part of their duty to establish faith. Now, the duty of establishing faith involves that fasting and Prayer be observed in the manner prescribed by the Islamic Shari’ah. The same holds true for other shari’ah commands as well.

On studying the Qur’an carefully, it clearly emerges that the Qur’an does not envision that believers will lead their lives in subservience to unbelievers and to an unbelieving order. Rather, the Qur’an seeks to establish an order of its own liking, urging believers to exert themselves in making the true faith prevail in ideological, moral, cultural, legal and political spheres. It entrusts them with a program of reform in human life much of which can become operational only if believers hold the reins of power and authority. Significantly, the purpose of sending down the Qur’an is: ‘(O Messenger), We have revealed to you this Book with the Truth so that you may judge people in accordance with what Allah has shown you,’ (al-Nisa’ 4: 105.) The Qur’anic commands on the collection and distribution of Zakah presuppose the existence of the state that will implement these commands by collecting and distributing it (al-Tawbah 9: 60 and 103.) The Qur’anic denunciation of usury (al-Baqarah, verses 2: 275 and 279) can be put into: practice only if the reins of power in a land are in the hands of believers.

The Qur’anic command to charge blood money from those guilty of homicide (al-Baqarah 2: 178), to amputate the hand of those guilty of theft (al-Ma’idah 5: 38), to award the punishments laid down by the shari ah for illicit sex and gadhf (al-Nur 24: 2 and 4) are obviously not based on the assumption that believers will enforce these commands as the functionaries of an unbelieving state and as subjects of the unbelievers’ rule. Nor has the Qur’anic command to fight against unbelievers (al-Baqarah 2: 90-216) been issued on the assumption that they will fight unbelievers as soldiers of an unbelieving state’s army. Likewise, the command for levying jizyah on and assuming protection of the People of the Book (al-Tawbah 9: 29) is not premised on the proposition that Muslims will do so as subjects of unbelievers. These commands are not confined to the Madinan surahs. One can discern even in Makkan surahs a blueprint for the dominance of faith rather than of unbelief, or of Muslims living as dhimmis. (For further details see Bani Isra’il 17, nn. 89,99 and 101, Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. VI, Ppp. 62-3, 67-8; al-Qasas 28: 104-5; al-Riim 30, nn. 1-3, vol. VIL, pp. 73-5; al-Saffat 37, nn. 93-4, vol. IX, pp. 324-32; Introduction to Surah Sad (Surah 38 and n. 12 above.) What illustrates the above point best is the Prophet’s own conduct spanning over 23 years. It is common knowledge that he brought Arabia under his control both by preaching and the sword. He also established a state which was run according to detailed shari’ah norms. The shari‘ah embraced every aspect of life, from articles of belief to acts of worship, personal conduct, collective morality, culture and civilization, society, economy, politics, law, and war and peace.

By so doing, the Prophet (peace be on him) was following the same directive of establishing faith which was also given to all other Prophets. If this proposition is not accepted, its logical implication would be to believe that while the Prophet's mandate was limited only to preaching articles of faith and some broad moral principles, he exceeded his mandated limits and set up a state, with elaborate laws, which were either at variance with the common denominator of the shari‘ahs granted to earlier Prophets or were an addition to them. Alternatively, it amounts to charging God with having deviated from His categorically stated position in this surah (see verse 13), asking His Final Messenger to accomplish things over and above what is implied by establishing faith. Furthermore, in contravention of His ‘earlier decree, He issued another proclamation as well, declaring: ‘Today I have completed for you your religion’, (al-Ma‘idah 5: 3). May God protect us from such pernicious thoughts. Can there be any other interpretation of ‘establishing faith’ than the two mentioned by us, an interpretation that retains the concept of ‘establishing faith’ and precludes God and His Last Prophet from the allegations mentioned above?

The directive to establish faith is followed by another directive: that believers should not fall prey to dissensions in faith. What dissension faith actually means is innovation in faith, which is undesirable. If insists that faith is contingent upon following an innovation for there is no justification, thus causing a schism between those who accept the innovation and those who don’t. This innovation can have a variety of forms. It might consist of adding to din something extraneous to it. It may consist of interpolating into faith what did not exist in the original faith. Or it may consist of deleting something that was part of the original faith. Or the fundamentals of faith may be twisted to invent a new set of beliefs and rites. Or it may represent a sheer distortion of faith by relegating the basics of faith to its margins or by exalting what was at most desirable to the level of an obligation, rather quintessential, in the communities of earlier Prophets. Gradually, these sects turned into separate religions, so distinct from one another that their adherents fail to notice any common ground between them. These dissensions are totally different from the perfectly legitimate and genuine differences of opinion found among ‘ulama’ in their efforts to elaborate and decode religious commands and to derive their inferences. Their differences are within the limits sanctioned by the syntax, grammar and usage of the Qur’anic text.

(For a detailed discussion on this topic, see al-Baqarah 2, n. 230, Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. I, pp. 165-6; Al ‘Imran 3, nn. 16-17, vol. I, p. 242; al-Nisa’ 4, nn. 211-16, vol. IL, pp. 116-17; al-Ma’idah 5, n. 101, vol. I, pp. 181-5; al-An‘am 6, n. 141, vol. 1, pp. 297-8; al-Nahl 16, nn. 117-21, vol. IV, pp. 372-5; al-Anbiya’ 21: 92-7; al-Hajj 22, nn. 114-17, vol. VI, pp. 64-5; al-Mu'minun 23, nn. 43-5, vol. VI, pp. 102-4; al-Qasas 28, nn. 72-4, vol. VIL, pp. 228-32; and al-Rum 30, nn. 50-1, vol. VIII, pp. 101-3.)

21. This reiterates the truth stated in-verses 8-9 of this surah, one which we have explained in n. 11. Although the Prophet (peace be on him) expounds before the unbelievers the Straight Way of faith, they resent it. Yet there are some members of the same community who turn to God and He guides them. It is open to everyone to choose guidance or error.

However, God makes only the pious incline towards faith. Those who shun faith are not compelled by God to embrace it.

22. These differences arose after God had endowed people with knowledge. They are responsible for the dissensions insofar as they deviated from clear and explicit commands of the shari‘ah and invented false practices which led to the emergence of various sects.

23. They were not prompted by any good intention in sowing seeds of dissension. Their motives were to exhibit innovativeness, to do something novel and different from others and to amass wealth. The ambitious realized that as long as people obey the One True God and one Messenger and follow one Scripture and one way of life, they themselves will not be able to achieve any personal glory. They will fail to rally others around their holy personages. Nor will they be able to duly fleece them. Prompted by this realization, they opted for innovating beliefs, philosophies, and ways of life and rituals and outlooks on life. It misled many into following false paths, and to driving them away from the Straight Way.

Their polemics culminated in bitter conflicts which were aggravated by political and economic clashes. All of this ultimately resulted in violence and bloodshed which besmirched the annals of human history.

24. God has the power to decimate those who had concocted false doctrines to misguide people. However, He has deferred. His final decision until the Day of Judgement. For, if the matter had been decided in the world, the test to which man has been put would be rendered meaningless.

25. After a Prophet died and his immediate followers faded out, that Prophet’s community often exhibited uncertainty about the authenticity and purity of their Scripture. They could not claim with full strength of conviction that their scripture had remained safe from corruption.

This holds true of the Torah and the Gospel. These Scriptures were not faithfully transmitted to the subsequent. generations in their pristine forms. God’s Word was mingled with man’s such as what one finds in exegetical comments, historical narratives, verbal traditions and juristic rulings. The translation of the Scripture came in such great vogue that the original scripture was virtually lost from sight; only the translations remained: The sources which transmitted the Scripture were not duly maintained with the result that the scripture lost its historical authority, so that it has become difficult to claim that the text that people have in their hands is the one that truly goes back to Moses or Jesus (peace be on them). Moreover, the clergy had from time to time introduced complex and confounding theories pertaining to theology and metaphysics, philosophy and law, physics, psychology and social life which enmeshed people’s attention, causing them to lose track of the Straight Way of truth.

Since God’s Word was not available in its original form, people could not draw upon an infallible source which could enable them to distinguish truth from falsehood.

26. The Prophet (peace be on him) is directed here not to make any compromise in matters of faith in order to placate the unbelievers. Islam has no room for their superstitions and prejudices. The Prophet (peace be on him) is asked not to try to win them over by pandering to their errors.

Those inclined to embrace faith should accept the unadulterated faith as revealed by God. Otherwise, those keen on stumbling into Hellfire are free to choose that path. Divine faith cannot be tailored to the whims and fancies of people. If they want success and felicity, they should change themselves in accordance with the dictates of faith.

27. A true believer recognizes that all of God’s Books are true. He does not treat them differently, believing in a part of it and rejecting its other parts. As for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), he affirms that all the Books revealed by God are equally truthful.

28. This pervasive statement covers several meanings: (i) The Prophet (peace be on him) is required to act with perfect justice. He therefore, cannot be swayed by any bias be it for or against any particular group of people. For him, all people are equal and he is required to treat them alike. He supports only truth, even if it be with those quite alien to him. By the same token, he is opposed to falsehood and error, irrespective of who commits it, even if they be his own kith and kin. (ii) The truth preached by him has a universal import and is applicable to all whether rich or poor, noble or commoner, friend or foe. The same standards of truth and falsehood apply to all. The lawful and the unlawful are likewise binding on one and all. These laws make no allowance even for the Prophet (peace be on him). (iii) The Prophet’s assignment consists in establishing justice.

It is his responsibility to extirpate the imbalance and injustice found in the lives of people and in their society. (iv) This also had a fourth meaning which became evident after the Hijrah to Madinah. This consisted of affirming that the Prophet (peace be on him) was the qadi appointed by God to dispense justice.

29. Everyone is responsible for his deeds. The reward due to a pious person cannot reach a wicked person. By the same token, a pious person will not be punished for the misdeeds of a sinner. Everyone is accountable for his own deeds. The same truth features in al-Baqarah 2: 139; Yunus 10: 41; Hud 11: 35 and al-Qasas 28: 55.

30. The Prophet (peace be on him) preaches truth in a convincing manner. It is pointless quarrelling with him for he was not available for wrangling with those who are out to pick a quarrel.

31. Reference is to the situation which then prevailed in Makkah. As the Makkan unbelievers came to know of someone’s acceptance of Islam, they took to persecuting him. As a result, he was under constant pressure from his people everywhere, both at home and outside. He was teased and persecuted in a hundred different ways until he disassociated himself from the Prophet (peace be on him) and reverted to Jahiliyah.

32. ‘Balance’ here signifies the shari’ah which distinguishes between truth and falsehood, between justice and wrong-doing and between good and bad. The Prophet (peace be on him) is obliged to act with perfect justice. Both the Qur’an and the shari‘ah stand out as a means to give effect to justice.

33, The Makkan unbelievers should mend their ways at the earliest.

They should not take the Last Day as a far-off, remote event. For one cannot say with certainty whether one will even survive until the next moment, at any time one could breathe one’s last breath.

34. Latif suggests that God is full of compassion, affection and favor towards His servants. Furthermore, He caters for all of their needs. It is worth clarifying that the above treatment is not exclusively for believers.

His sustenance is showered without distinction upon all, believers and unbelievers alike.

35. God, however, does not grant His favors in equal measure to all individuals, which might seem to be a requirement of His being ‘Most Gentle’. Rather, He grants something to one and denies that to others, and also what He grants to them is not of the same measure.

36. God’s entire system of bounties is self-subsistent. No one has the power to change it or to extract something for himself or prevent anyone from receiving what God apportions for him.