*75. This shows that the angels visited Prophet Abraham (peace be on him) in human form and that initially they did not disclose their identity. Prophet Abraham (peace be on him), therefore, thought that they were strangers, and immediately arranged a good meal for them.
 

*76. Some commentators on the Qur'an are of the view that when the guests hesitated to take food Prophet Abraham (peace be on him) felt suspicious about their intentions. He even became apprehensive that they had come with some hostile design. For, in Arabia when someone declines the food offered to him by way of hospitality, this gives rise to the fear that he has not come as a guest but rather with subversive purposes. The very next verse, however, does not lend any support to this view.
*77. The words as well as the tone of the verse suggest that as soon as Abraham (peace be on him) noticed that his guests were disinclined to eat, he realized that they were angels. Since angels appear in human form only in very exceptional circumstances, what terrified Abraham (peace be on him) was the possibility that the angels may have been sent to inflict punishment on account of any lapses that he himself, his family, or his people may have committed. Had Abraham (peace be on him) not been sure about the identity of his guests - as some Qur'an-commentators believe - they would have said: 'Do not fear, we are angels sent by your Lord.' However, they did not say so. They rather tried to allay Abraham's fears by saying: 'Do not be afraid, we have been sent to the people of Lot.' It is, thus, clear that Abraham had become aware of their true identity. What caused Abraham (peace be on him) to worry was the idea that the angels had been sent to his people, that his people were about to suffer a severe chastisement. However, he was soon to feel relieved that the angels had been sent to the people of Lot rather than to his own. So there was no reason to fear that his own people would soon suffer destruction.
 

*78. According to this verse, the whole of Abraham's family was worried about the visit of the angels in human form. From sheer anxiety Abraham's wife also came out. However, when she came to know that the coming of the angels did not forebode any evil, she was reassured and became joyful.
*79. The angels gave the glad tidings of the birth of Isaac to Sarah rather than to Abraham. For Abraham (peace be on him) already had a son called Ishmael, born of his first wife Hagar. At that time Sarah was without any issue, and for this reason she felt sad. When the angels gave her the glad tidings they foretold her not only of the birth of Isaac, but also of her grandson, Jacob. It is needless to say, perhaps, that both of them - Isaac and Jacob - became Messengers of great standing.
 

*80. This expression does not, in any way, suggest that Sarah, instead of feeling happy, considered this prediction the foreboding of a calamity. In point of fact the expression is an exclamation to which women, in particular, resort to in a state of wonder and amazement. Thus, what is intended is not what the
*81. According to the Bible, Abraham was one hundred years and Sarah ninety years old at that time.
 

*82. Ordinarily, it is uncommon for women to bear children at such an advanced age. However, such a thing is not at all beyond the range of God's power. And since the tiding had been conveyed at the instance of God, there was no reason why a staunch believer such as Sarah should feel astonished, let alone entertain any doubts about it.
 

*83. The word 'dispute' here expresses the nexus of affection and endearment between Abraham (peace be on him) and God. Perusal of this verse brings to one's mind Abraham's persistent pleading to God that He may spare Lot's people His chastisement. To this God replied that since they were totally devoid of all good and had exceeded all reasonable limits, they did not deserve any leniency. Yet Abraham (peace be on him) continued to plead for them and presumably submitted that if there was even the least bit of good left in them, their chastisement be deferred so that this good may come to the fore.
It is interesting to note that the Bible also recounts this 'dispute' between God and Abraham. However, the Qur'anic account, though brief, is much more meaningful, and significant. (Cf. Genesis 18: 23-32.)
 

 

*84 The mention of Abraham's story as a preamble to the story of the people of Lot may appear somewhat out of tune with the purpose for which the events of the past are being narrated here. However, to better appreciate this, two things should be borne in mind. Firstly, that the immediate addressees of She Qur'an were the Quraysh. The Quraysh, since they were the descendants of Abraham (peace be on him), were the custodians of the Ka'bah - the shrine of God. For the same reason, they also had a predominant influence over the religious, moral, cultural and political life of Arabia. The Quraysh believed that since they were the offspring of a Prophet who enjoyed God's favour, they would never be punished by God. They felt sure that Abraham (peace be on him) would intercede effectively with God on their behalf.
The Qur'an strikes a powerful blow to the Makkans' misconceptions. They are told, in the first instance, the story of the Prophet Noah (peace be on him) in graphic detail: how he watched his own son drown and how he distressfully prayed to God to show mercy to him. And yet, as we know, Noah's prayer was to no avail. Not only was Noah's prayer not granted, he was even rebuked for praying on behalf of his unrighteous son.
Noah's story is followed by a narration of Abraham's story. Abraham (peace be on him) enjoys, on the one hand, the innumerable blessings of God. He is also addressed by God in terms which are clearly indicative of God's special love and affection for him. On the other hand, when Abraham interferes in a manner that amounted to compromising justice with regard to an evil-doing nation, God sets his intercession aside.
The second thing that ought to be borne in mind is that the present discourse emphasizes to the Quraysh that God's law of retribution has always been operative in history. The Quraysh had become altogether oblivious of that law and were no longer afraid of it. The Qur'an, therefore, drew their attention to its constant manifestation in human history, including the traces of its operation in their immediate surroundings.
Their attention was also drawn to Abraham (peace be on him) who had migrated for the sake of the truth and had settled down in an alien land. Apparently, he had no power or resources at his disposal. Nonetheless, God rewarded him for his righteousness. He also caused Abraham's wife to deliver a child when she had reached the age of barrenness and when Abraham himself had also reached an advanced age. This child was Isaac (peace be on him) who was to become the father of another Prophet, Jacob (peace be on them). The progeny of Isaac and Jacob are known as the Children of Israel. They were indeed a great people who retained, for centuries, their ascendancy in the region - Palestine and Syria - where Abraham (peace be on him) had first set his foot as an uprooted, homeless refugee.
Distinguishable from the Israelites were the people of Lot. They remained immersed in their evil deeds and continued to bask in the warmth of their prosperity. They had no idea at all that on account of this iniquity they would be overtaken by God's punishment in the near future. Hence, whenever the Prophet Lot (peace be on him) attempted to admonish them, they scornfully brushed his counsel aside. However, the same day on which it was decided to exalt the progeny of Abraham (peace be on him) into a very outstanding nation, it was also decided to annihilate the people of Lot who had become exceedingly wicked. So thorough was the destruction to which they were subjected that to-day there exists no trace of their habitation.
 

*85. For details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. Ill, al-A'raf, nn. 63-8, pp. 49-53 - Ed.
*86. What seems to be evident from the story as related in the Qur'an is that the angels had come to Lot (peace be on him) in the form of handsome young boys. It also seems that Lot (peace be on him) was unaware that they were angels. He also felt quite disturbed, therefore, at the sight of the visiting young boys. His reaction was natural in view of the known degeneration and unabashed perversity prevalent among his people.
 

*87. It is possible that Lot (peace be on him) used the word 'daughters' to refer to the totality of females in his nation as such. For a Messenger is indeed like a father to his people, and all the females of that nation are to him like his own daughters. It is also possible that when Lot used the word 'daughters' he meant his own daughters. Whatever is the correct interpretation, one should not misunderstand the statement and think it an invitation for Lot's people to indulge in illegitimate sex. For the very next part of his remark, viz. 'they are purer for you', excludes all justification for such a misunderstanding. The whole thrust of Lot's statement was that if they wished to satisfy their sex-urge, they should do so in the natural and legitimate manner as laid down by God. Lot (peace be on him) wished to underscore the fact that the natural and legitimate means of sexual satisfaction were readily available as there was no dearth of women in their society.
 

*88. This Qur'anic statement vividly portrays the moral degradation and perversity of those people. They had brazenly deviated from the natural way of satisfying their sexual desires and had adopted instead an altogether perverse and filthy way. What was even more heinous was that their interest had become confined only to those perverse forms of sexual gratification which had come into vogue in their society. This perversity had reached such a point where they felt no shame in stating that they were not interested at all in what was universally held to be the natural and legitimate way of sexual satisfaction.
This is the lowest conceivable depth of moral degeneration and perversity. Such a case is very different from that of a person who might commit a sin in a moment of weakness when he is overwhelmed by his passions, but has not ceased to distinguish good from evil. For it is quite possible for such a person to mend his ways.
But even if he does not mend his ways, he may, at the most, be considered a man who has lapsed into evil ways. But a person who becomes so thoroughly perverse that his interest is confined only to what is forbidden and sinful, and who believes that all that is right and permissible is simply not meant for him, is altogether a different situation. Such a person is not only wicked, but has sunk so low that he cannot be truly considered a human being. Such a person is a worm that thrives only on filth and finds all that is clean and pure totally disagreeable. Were such a worm to be found in the house of someone who loves cleanliness, he would use insecticide to get rid of it at the first available opportunity! Such being the case, how is it conceivable that God, the Lord of this universe, can allow such worms to concentrate and become strong at any given place or time?
 

 

*89. The warning implied in directing Lot (peace be on him) and his household to depart at their earliest was loud and clear. They were told not to tarry behind in the region which had been marked for total destruction.
*90. This is the third instructive event related in this surah. The purpose of relating it is to underscore the fact that family connections with, and the intercession of, people of high spiritual standing can be of no avail in rescuing a people from the punishment they invite upon themselves by their evil deeds.
 

*91. This scourge probably took the form of a severe earthquake combined with volcanic eruptions. The earthquake turned their dwellings upside down and by means of a volcanic eruption they were subjected to a severe rain of stones. The expression 'stones of baked clay' perhaps refers to the stones formed by the underground heat and lava in volcanic regions. The signs of this volcanic eruption can be noticed almost everywhere in the region south and east of the Dead Sea even today.
 

*92. This implies that each stone had been earmarked for a specific act of destruction.
*93. The moral of the story is that those who engage in acts of transgression should not delude themselves into believing that they are safe from God's punishment. For, if the people of Prophet Lot (peace be on him) could be overtaken by a severe chastisement, so can they. For none can overwhelm God or frustrate His plan: neither the people of Lot nor any other.
 

*94. For details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. Ill, al-A'raf, nn. 69-75, pp. 53-7.
 

 

*95. Shu'ayb (peace be on him) made it clear to his people that he had no power to compel them to adopt one kind of behaviour or another. His task was merely that of a sincere adviser. All he could do was to admonish and warn them. It was up to them either to pay heed to that advice or to disregard it. What really mattered was that one day all human beings will be mustered by God to render an account of their deeds. It is this - the rendering of an account before God - that people should truly fear. It matters little whether they care for Shu'ayb or not. What really matters is whether they have any fear of standing before God's judgement. If they do fear this, it is essential that they give up the iniquity in which they are engrossed.
 

*96. This, in fact, is a taunting remark. Remarks which are expressive of the same spirit are heard today among every group of people who are heedless of God and who are engrossed in sin and evil. Prayer is obviously the first and the most obvious symbol of man's religious orientation. That orientation is not simply considered a dangerous disease, but the most dangerous one by irreligious people. Hence, Prayer is looked upon by these people as a manifestation of mental derailment rather than what it actually is - an act of worship. Irreligious people are also aware that those who become religiously committed are not content merely with self-reform. Such people are wont to go a step further and strive to reform others. Not only that, but it even becomes difficult for such people to refrain from criticizing attitudes opposed to religion and morality. Hence, irreligious people feel jittery because they fear that Prayer is not simply performed as a religious ritual but that it is the precursor of endless sermonizing on religion and morality. In addition, it may even lead to scathing criticisms of every aspect of social life. It is for this reason that Prayer is often singled out for every kind of taunt and reproach. Moreover, if those who observe Prayer criticize the evils rampant in their society and urge people to act righteously, this inspires opponents of religion to direct every possible invective against Prayer and to lash out at it as the source of every conceivable evil.
*97. This is a full-blooded expression of the world-view of Ignorance (Jahiliyah) as distinguished from that of Islam. The Islamic view is that all worship except the worship of God is erroneous. It is erroneous because worshipping any other than the One True God is supported by nothing - neither reason, knowledge, nor revelation. Moreover, God should not only be worshipped in the limited sphere of life called 'religion'. God's worship should extend to all aspects of life - social, cultural, economic and political. For all that man has in the world belongs only to God. Man, therefore, has no right to consider any aspect of his life to be independent of God's guidance.
The contrary of this is Jahiliyah. According to this view, man ought to observe the customs and usages he inherits from his ancestors, and he ought to do so merely because they come down from the past. This world-view considers religion to be confined to the domain of ritual; the ritual of worship. As for the ordinary affairs of worldly life, man ought to act as he pleases.
It is thus quite clear that there is nothing so 'modern' about the tendency of driving a wedge between the religious and secular spheres of life. For some three and a half thousand years ago the nation of Shu'ayb was as emphatically insistent on bifurcating life into two water-tight compartments - the secular and the religious - as Westerners and their Eastern disciples of our time are wont to do. There seems little justification, therefore, to characterize the attitude of the present-day secularists as something altogether novel, as an attitude that has emerged in modern times as a result of the cumulative intellectual progress of mankind. Far from it, the new-fangled ideology which is being played up everywhere for its freshness and newness is, in fact, the same stale, old-fashioned obscurantism which characterized Jahiliyah several thousand years ago. Likewise, the Islamic defiance of, and opposition to, Jahiliyah is also a perennial reality of human history.
 

*98. 'Provision' in this context has two connotations. It might signify, in the first place, the provision of knowledge of the truth communicated by God to someone. Secondly, it might also signify, as it commonly does, the provision of the means bestowed by God on His creatures in order that they may be able to live.
Were we to understand this word in the first sense, the verse substantially repeats the same point that has been expressed earlier in this surah through the Prophets Muhammad, Noah and Salih (peace be on them). Common to their statements is their affirmation that they found the signs of the truth in their own beings and in the universe around them. Those signs were corroborated by direct knowledge of the truth intimated to them by God. (See verses 17,28 and 63 above - Ed.) Hence it was not possible for them to join their people in their errors of belief and in their acts of wickedness.
However, if the word is taken in the latter sense, it amounts to a response to the sarcastic remark hurled at Shu'ayb: 'Do you fancy that you, and only you, are forbearing and right-directed?' (See verse 87 above.) It is noteworthy that the answer to this most bitter and caustic query is couched in exceedingly moderate and dispassionate words. The answer amounts to telling his opponents that if his Lord had granted Shu'ayb knowledge of reality and also a livelihood that is pure and lawful, how could their sarcastic remarks change the fact that Shu'ayb had received God's favours? Also, in view of the favours which God had lavished upon Shu'ayb, how could it be appropriate for him to act ungratefully towards God by legitimizing their erroneous beliefs and acts of corruption?
*99. Shu'ayb pointed out to his detractors that they could measure his integrity by only one thing: whether he practised what he preached. Had he forbidden others from visiting false deities, and then had become the custodian of some such shrine, people would have been justified in reproaching him for inconsistency and self-contradiction. They could have rightly criticized him for preaching something and practising its opposite. Had he asked them to abstain from unlawful earnings and had himself resorted to dishonest practices they would have been perfectly justified in accusing him of talking of honesty merely to build up a good image of himself and then exploiting it for his personal ends.
It was clear, however, that Shu'ayb could be accused of nothing like that. It was crystal clear that he had stayed well away from all those vices which he asked others to abstain from. He had no stains on him of which he wanted others to remain free. Shu'ayb also practised all those acts of goodness to which he invited others. All this was sufficient to establish that Shu'ayb was fully sincere about his mission.
 

*100. Shu'ayb reminded his people of the story of the people of Lot (peace be on him). This tragic episode took place not far from where the people of Shu'ayb lived. In addition, it was no more than six or seven centuries previously that the people of Lot were utterly destroyed.
 

*101. God is neither callous nor merciless. He has no enmity towards His own creatures. It cannot even be conceived that God would want to punish people just for the fun of it. It is only when people exceed all reasonable limits and exercise no restraint in their wickedness that God punishes them, and then only reluctantly. He is so prone to forgiveness that no matter how sinful a person may have become, God's mercy encompasses him if only he sincerely repents and turns to God. For God's love and compassion for His creatures is simply immense.
The Prophet (peace be on him) fully illustrated this by two examples. One is that of a man who had a camel carrying his food and water provisions. The camel strays away in a dreary desert. The person continues to search for the camel until he retires under the shade of a tree in utter despair. Then, suddenly, he finds the camel standing right in front of him. When a sinner repents and turns to God, He is even more joyous than the owner of the camel who suddenly finds his lost beast in a moment of total despair. (See Muslin-, al-Tawbah, Bab fi al-Hadd 'ala al-Tawbah, traditions 1-8.)
The second example is perhaps even more moving. 'Umar narrated that once a few prisoners of war were brought to the Prophet (peace be on him). One of them was a woman whose infant child had been left behind. Her motherly compassion overwhelmed her to such an extent that she would grab any baby she could lay her hands on, would clasp him to her bosom, and start suckling him. When the Prophet (peace be on him) saw that woman in such a state of mind he asked the Companions whether they thought she would cast her children into fire. The Companions replied in the negative. They said that rather than throw her children into a fire, she would make every possible effort lest they slide into it. The Prophet (peace be on him) added: 'God is even more merciful to His servants than this woman is to her child.' (Muslim, al-Tawbah, Bab Sa'at Rahmat Allah - Ed.)
A little reflection may help one appreciate that it is God Who has created compassion in the hearts of parents for their children. Had God not created this compassion for children, their parents may, in fact, have been quite inimical to them. For a child is indeed one of the greatest causes of parents' discomfort and annoyance. If one remembers that it is God Who planted love and compassion for children in the hearts of parents it is quite easy to grasp the extent of God's love and compassion for His creatures.
 

*102. When Shu'ayb's people stated that they did not understand much of what Shu'ayb said, they did not say so because Shu'ayb (peace be on him) spoke in some foreign language, or because he talked in an ambiguous or complicated manner. On the contrary, Shu'ayb's teaching was quite clear and simple and was conveyed to his people in a language they fully understood - their own. The difficulty in understanding Shu'ayb's teaching arose from the fact that his people had become simply too perverse to grasp it. It is always the case that when some people become fully seized by their prejudice, are overpowered by their lusts, or begin to move vehemently in one particular intellectual direction, they hardly have the patience to give ear to any idea which is different from their own. But even if they were to listen to any unfamiliar idea, it would only sound to them as gibberish, as something coming to them from some other planet.
*103. It should be borne in mind that exactly the same situation that had obtained in the past among the people of Shu'ayb also obtained in Makka at the time these verses were revealed. The Quraysh were seething with enmity towards Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) and wanted to put an end to his life in much the same way as Shu'ayb's people were inimical to him. The only reason which prevented the Quraysh from violently laying their hands on the Prophet (peace be on him) was that his clan, Hashim, stood firmly behind him.
Thus, the story of Shu'ayb in relation to his people was exactly the same as that of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) in relation to the Quraysh. The story of Shu'ayb is narrated here precisely because of the obvious resemblance it bears to the predicament of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him).
Soon we will also come across (see verse 93) a very instructive statement of Shu'ayb's in response to the harsh expression of hostility (see verse 91). The implication is quite clear. The same statement would be addressed by Muhammad (peace be on him) to his own unbelieving people.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*104. It clearly emerges from this verse as well as from other verses of the Qur'an that those who lead a nation or a group of people in the present world will also be their leaders on the Day of Resurrection. If the leaders had directed their people to truth, virtue and righteousness their followers will gather under their banner on the Day of Resurrection and will march to Paradise under their leadership. On the other hand, if these leaders called their people to erroneous beliefs, to immorality, or to false ways of conduct, they will continue to follow them even on the Day of Resurrection and until they end up in Hell. This seems evident from the remark made by the Prophet (peace be on him) about Imr al-Qays: 'Imr al-Qays will bear the standard of the poets of Jahiliyah to the Fire.' (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 2, p. 228 - Ed.)
Now everyone can visualize what kind of procession both these would be, each pressing on to their destined goal. There would be the procession of those who had been misled by their so-called leaders. On that Day they would be fully conscious of the dangerous end to which they would be in due course dragged. They would, therefore, quite naturally look upon those leaders as the ones responsible for all their suffering and misfortune. In the front line of the procession would be the so-called leaders and behind them would be throngs of their followers hurling abuses and curses at them. In sharp contrast, will be the other procession, the one led by those whose leadership made their followers merit entry into Paradise. With this blissful end in view, the followers will joyously press ahead, lavishing prayers and grateful tributes on their leaders.
 

 

 

 

 

*105. In such incidents of history there are instructive signs for all people. Only a little reflection will make them realize that the punishment of the unrighteous is inevitable and that the information provided by the Prophets (peace be on them) in this respect is absolutely true. These signs can also help men have some idea of how horrible the Day of Judgement will be. This realization is likely to create in man's heart a fear which will direct him to righteous behaviour.
One may well ask, what are the signs in human history which indicate that there is an After-life, one in which people are liable to suffer punishment? These signs can easily be appreciated by those who do not consider history to consist merely of a series of unrelated events and who are inclined to reflect over the underlying logic of those events and so derive some conclusion from them. What is most conspicuous in the long record of history is the constantly recurring phenomenon of the rise and fall of nations. Moreover, this rise and fall seems to be tied up with certain moral factors. The way in which certain nations have encountered significant falls and have suffered destruction clearly indicates that man, in this universe, is under a dispensation in which blind physical laws do not predominate. Instead, under that dispensation a moral law is also in operation. The result is that the nations which maintain a given minimum level of adherence to moral principles are rewarded. Those who slide below that minimum level of adherence to moral principles, are granted a temporary respite. However, once a nation falls perceptibly below that minimum level, it meets its tragic end and is made a lesson of for future generations. The occurrence and repetition of these events at regular intervals leaves no doubt whatsoever that retribution is a permanent feature, a fully-fledged law that operates in human history.
Moreover, were one to carefully reflect upon the different forms of punishment which visited these different nations of the world, one would also realize that those punishments only partially accord with the requirements of justice and retribution. Were total justice to be meted out, it would be necessary to do a great deal more. For the punishments which struck the nations of the world in the past, struck only those generations which lived at the time when the punishment visited them. But there are generations of men who sowed the wind of wickedness but disappeared when that wind developed into a whirlwind. The consequences of their evil deeds were faced by the generations that followed after them. It is obvious in this case that the real culprits escaped retribution.
Now, if we are able to grasp the inner workings of this universe by our study of history, this should lead us to the conclusion that the unfulfilled requirements of justice call for a new order of existence to be brought into being. It is only then that those transgressors and wrong-doers who escaped divine punishment in the worldly life can be duly punished and their punishment will be much more severe than that suffered by the evil-doers in the world. (See Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. Ill, al-A'raf, n. 30, pp. 23-6 and vol. IV, Yunus 10, n. 10, p. 9.)
 

 

*106. Some people entertain the misconception that their saintly patrons will intercede on their behalf and obtain salvation for them on the Day of Resurrection. They believe that some of the saints will simply stage a sit-in protest before God, and will thus virtually extract from Him a pardon for their devotees. All this, of course, is sheer nonsense. For in God's majestic court, everyone - howsoever great they may otherwise be, including angels - will be in a state of spellbinding awe. At that awe-inspiring moment - the Day of Judgement - none will even dare speak until God Himself permits him to do so.
There are of course many in this world who make offerings at the altars of many beside God in the belief that they will simply have an overwhelming influence with God. Many people continue to commit misdeeds in the hope that the intercession of such beings will bring about their rescue. Such people will face utter disappointment on that Day.
 

 

*107. There are two possible interpretations for the words, 'as long as the heavens and the earth endure'. One possibility is that they refer to the heavens
*108. There is no power other than God's that can prevent the sinners from suffering eternal punishment. However, God may Himself will that someone may be spared His unending punishment. He may also decide to pardon such a person after he has been made to suffer a period of punishment in the After-life. In such cases, God certainly has both the authority and the power to do that. For if there is any law, it is God Who has made it, and hence that law can set no limit upon His power and authority.
 

*109. A person's permanent stay in Paradise is equally not contingent upon some higher law that would compel God to facilitate this. On the contrary, people will be able to stay there permanently only by dint of God's grace and mercy. If God were to act otherwise, He obviously has both the power and the authority to do so.
 

*110. This does not mean that the Prophet (peace be on him) entertained any 'doubts' concerning the deities whom the unbelievers associated with God in His divinity. Though this verse is ostensibly addressed to the Prophet (peace be on him), it is really aimed at conveying a message to the people of Makka. The thrust of the verse is that no sensible person should entertain the notion that those who worship false gods and pray to them have any plausible grounds for doing so and for expecting some benefit from such worship.
The fact of the matter is that the worship of false deities and the offerings, sacrifices and invocations addressed to them were supported neither by knowledge, careful observation, nor any scientific experimentation. The only basis for such worship was blind imitation of their ancestors. The same shrines found amongst today's polytheists were also found among several past nations of the world. The same miraculous feats which are popular today were equally popular in the past among other nations. However, when God's punishment seized those nations which worshipped false deities, they were utterly destroyed. Their shrines proved altogether unavailing.
 

*111. If people launch scurrilous attacks on the Qur'an, this is not altogether novel. The same happened before. When Moses (peace be on him) was granted the scripture, people raised a variety of objections against it. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) should not, therefore, feel disheartened that his people rejected the teachings of the Qur'an despite their lucidity.
*112. This is being said in order to comfort the Prophet (peace be on him) and his Companions. They are being asked to be patient and not to seek a hasty judgement from God concerning those who differ about the Qur'an. For God will soon come forth with His judgement. He has determined that this judgement will neither come a moment before, nor a moment after the expiry of the term. It is true human beings wish God's judgement to come hastily. As for God, He never judges hastily.
 

 

 

 

*113. The 'two ends of the day' refer to the morning and the sunset. Similarly, the 'first hours of the night' refer to the time of the 'Isha' Prayer. We thus learn that this Qur'anic verse dates back to the time when the five daily Prayers had as yet not been prescribed. The Prophet's ascension took place at a later time than the revelation of these verses and it is then that the five daily Prayers were prescribed. (For further explanation see alIsra 17, n. 95; Ta Ha 20: 111; and al-Rum 30: 124.)
*114. The Qur'an informs the believers of the best way to drive away the evils which are rampant in the world and how to obliterate the wrongs perpetuated by the inveterate enemies of Islam. It counsels the believers to become increasingly righteous. For the righteousness of the believers will ultimately overwhelm evil and corruption. Now, since Prayers constantly remind people of God, they are the best means of making people righteous. The power that the believers receive from Prayer will not only enable them to repulse the onslaught of the organized forces of evil, but also to establish a righteous and benevolent order in the world. (For further elaboration see al-'Ankabut 29, nn. 77-9.)
 

 

 

*115. These verses bring out, in a significantly instructive manner, the real factors which caused the destruction of those nations whose history has been narrated earlier (see verse 36 ff. above). Reviewing that history, the Qur'an points out the single common denominator of all those nations which met their doom in the past. All those nations had formerly been favoured with God's blessings. But drunk with affluence, they resorted to mischief on earth. Their collective conscience was also completely vitiated. The result was that no righteous person was left among them to prevent them from committing evils. And if any such person did exist, their number was either too small, or their voice too feeble to prevent evils from predominating. This situation eventually invited God's wrath upon them. Had they not been so evil, there was no reason why God should punish them. After all, He bears no such grudge against His creatures that would prompt Him to punish people even when they act righteously.
The above statement is intended to underscore three points. Firstly, that it is imperative that there should always be a good number of righteous people in every society; those who would invite people to righteousness and prevent them from evil. For God likes to see that there is righteousness in the world. And if God does tolerate the existence of evil in human society, He does so since the potential for righteousness continues to exist in that society. But such tolerance endures only as long as that potential remains. However, if the condition of a community deteriorates, rendering it altogether devoid of good people, or if the good people in that community become an insignificant minority, too weak to prevent it from proceeding along its evil ways, then God's chastisement begins to loom large over it. That much can be said for sure. However, it is difficult to say with any precision when God's chastisement will actually smite that community and destroy it.
Secondly, a community that is prepared to put up with everything except a group of righteous people in its midst - people that call men to do good and forbid them from doing evil - is certainly destined for self-destruction. The attitude of that community clearly shows that it cherishes all that would lead to its destruction, and that it is intolerant of all that would ensure its survival.
Thirdly, God's final decision whether to punish a community or not depends on the extent to which that community is possessed of the elements that would enable it to respond to the call of truth. If it has such people in good numbers that would suffice to extirpate evil and establish a righteous order, such a community is spared the kind of chastisement which embraces whole communities and totally destroys them. If it is subjected to some partial rather than an all-embracing chastisement, the purpose of it is to enable its righteous elements to mend their ways.
It is possible, however, that in spite of continued efforts, the community will be unable to throw up a sufficient number of good people needed to bring about its reform. It is also possible that the community will demonstrate by its action that it is full of corrupt people and altogether bereft of virtuous ones. The community, in such a case, has obviously become a heap of coal in which no diamonds are left. When such a stage is reached God causes a fire to erupt, a fire that reduces this heap of coal to a heap of ashes. (For further elaboration see al-Dhariyat 51, n. 34.)
 

 

*116. This is being said in order to remove misconceptions which are often put forward under the appellation 'fate'. The explanation of the destruction of those ancient nations mentioned above is liable to give rise to serious objections. For, in the context of the above explanation it might be pointed out that the non-existence of righteous persons in a nation, or their existence in very small numbers, depends entirely on God's will. If such is the case, how can any blame be directed at those nations'? For, after all, why did God not create a large number of good people in those nations?
In the course of clarifying this misconception, it is pointed out here that God's will with regard to human beings does not consist of binding them to follow an inalterable course of conduct in the manner of plants, animals and other similar living beings who, as we know, have no choice except to follow the course determined for them either by the laws of nature or their instincts. Had such been the case, there would be no point in inviting human beings to believe, to raise Prophets, to reveal scriptures. All human beings would have been born as ones who would believe and submit to God's command. However, it was God's will regarding man that he should be granted free will and be vested with the power to follow the ways of his choice. It was God's will that the ways leading both to Paradise and Hell should remain open to him, and that everyone be provided with the opportunity to make a choice between them. Thus, whatever one is able to acquire is the fruit of his own labour.
Now, the very scheme of man's creation consists of granting him free will and providing the opportunity to choose between belief and unbelief. In such a case it is simply inconceivable that a nation would wilfully decide to go astray and God compel it to righteousness. If a nation decides to set up a system that produces rogues who try to excel one another in their evil, wrong-doing and sin, how can God forcibly direct them, by means of His direct interference, to the course of righteousness? Such an interference is simply not apart of God's scheme of things. Members of a community become good or bad as a result of the measures taken by that nation itself. But a time may come when a community immerses itself so deeply in evil that no sizeable group of good people are left in it to champion righteousness. Alternatively, the social system of that community may be so geared as to leave no room for reform. When such a stage is reached, God simply lets that community proceed to the tragic end that it has chosen for itself.
Those nations which deserve God's mercy are possessed of altogether different characteristics. Such nations abound in persons who respond to the call of righteousness. Moreover, their social values make it possible for righteous people to carry on their efforts to bring about reform. (For further elaboration see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. II, al-An 'am o, n 24, pp. 228-9.)
 

 

 

 

*117. God is cognizant of all that is being done by the two panics engaged in the encounter between belief and unbelief. It is simply inconceivable that there should be chaos and disorder in God's realm. For God's realm is not the realm of a negligent, heedless sovereign who is unaware of what is going on, However, since God is Wise and Forbearing, He does not resort to punishing people hastily. However, justice is eventually meted out and those who deserve punishment are ultimately punished. Thus, all those who are engaged in the effort to bring about reform, should feel reassured that their efforts will not be wasted.
On the other hand, there are also those who are engaged in making and perpetuating mischief, who have focused all their efforts on brutally persecuting reformers and suppressing their reform efforts. Such people should know that all their evil deeds are known to God, and that they will be made to pay very dearly for these misdeeds.