- 1-7. The universe, in its silent...
- 8-10. When the call of Islam is...
- 11-14. While Islam was still unfami...
- 16-17. When these verses were re...
- 18-19. To give one’s possessions to...
- 20. God has created examples of...
- 22-24. The receiving of things in...
- 25. Two things are required in...
- 26-27. All the prophets who came...
- 28. ‘Believers,’ here refer to...
Commentary By Maulana Wahiduddin khan
1-7. The universe, in its silent…
The universe, in its silent language, sings the praises of and describes the attributes of its Creator. In the Quran, those same attributes have been put into words. When a thing comes into being here, it has manifestly been brought into existence by the Supreme Being. Its end itself announces its termination by the Supreme Being. The fact is the universe is the vehicle of God’s praises, while the Quran is their verbal recitation.
8-10. When the call of Islam is…
When the call of Islam is given, it is based on clear reasoning in its preliminary stages. The second stage is marked by victory in its immediate surroundings. In the first stage, only those who have the capacity to see the inherent greatness of a thing solely on the level of reasoning are courageous enough to make sacrifices for Islam. But when Islam has already been crowned by success, every individual is able to see its greatness and everybody feels proud of coming forward and offering his life and property for its sake.
One who spends for the cause of Islam in the early stages has to do it without thought of reward, while in the latter stage, whatever a man spends is redoubled in this world itself, as a reward in various forms. That explains why, in the eyes of God, each group has a different status.
11-14. While Islam was still unfami…
While Islam was still unfamiliar, accepting it meant putting oneself through a great trial. At that time, the truth of Islam was veiled in doubt. Spending for Islam at that time was like giving a loan to somebody with flimsy hopes of getting any return. The atmosphere was pervaded by doubt and hesitation.
As compared to the promises of God, the benefits right before people appear more certain to them. Under these circumstances, surrendering one’s life and property for the cause of Islam requires a very strong decision-making ability. At such a time, only one who has the capacity to recognise the reality of things through wisdom and insight, has the courage to progress in the right direction.
For those who prove to have this insight in the world, it will become easy on the Day of Judgement; by making use of their insight, they will be able to pass more easily through the difficult stages there. The insight which had become their guide in this world will, by the grace of God, serve as a guide also in the Hereafter.
16-17. When these verses were re…
When these verses were revealed, though Islam had not yet become a substantial power, it nevertheless had the full force of arguments and warnin s behind it. Under these circumstances, one who did not feel the force of arguments and was not moved by Divine warnings is shown, by this, that he was suffering from a lack of awareness. Just as the earth becomes fresh and green when it receives water, so also should the individual awaken from his moral torpor when he hears clear arguments. How strange it is if he does not.
18-19. To give one’s possessions to…
To give one’s possessions to others and to spend on the requirements of religion are very great deeds. Those who spend like this, whether men or women, have proved their steadfastness in faith. In an atmosphere of doubt about the Truth, they were able to see the Truth. Such action on their part will become a beacon for them in the Hereafter. They will be treated as accepters of God’s signs. They will be given the status of God’s witnesses, i.e. presenters of the report of the deeds of the people in the Court of the Hereafter.
20. God has created examples of…
God has created examples of the Hereafter in this world. One of these examples is that of a field. When, after receiving water, the crops ripen, their greenery looks very attractive for a few days. But soon hot winds blow and they begin to wither away. Then, the crops are reaped and threshed.
Similarly, the glamour of this world is also temporary. It lasts but a few days. After coming into possession of it, man becomes misled. He starts thinking that it is his everything. But, afterwards, when he is taken back to God, it will be evident to him that the glories of the world were valueless.
22-24. The receiving of things in…
The receiving of things in the world or the losing of them is purely for the purpose of putting man to the test. Almighty God has settled in advance what shape man’s test-paper should take. A man should pay real attention not to what he has received or what has been taken away from him, but to how he reacted on each of these occasions. The correct and required reaction is that a man should not be disheartened if he suffers some loss, nor should he develop feelings of pride and vanity if he gains something.
25. Two things are required in…
Two things are required in religion. One is the following of religion and the other is the support of religion. The balance?or the Scales of Justice?is a symbol of the following of religion by its adherents. Just as man measures excess or shortage by means of a balance, similarly, God’s book is also a balance for Truth. People should test their actions against the standard of God’s book and find out how far they are right and how far they are wrong.
Similarly, iron is the symbolic representation of the support for religion. Whenever, any problem about religion arises, a man should prove as strong as iron. He should defend religion with the strength of iron.
26-27. All the prophets who came…
All the prophets who came here on behalf of God brought the same religion. But successive generations, introduced innovations in the name of the prophet. An example of this is found in the followers of Jesus. Jesus was entrusted only with the task of conveying the Truth. His prophetic responsibilities did not include fighting. So, he laid more emphasis on missionary ethics, such as are based entirely on affection and compassion. He advised his followers to be affectionate and compassionate towards others. But after Jesus his followers could not fully appreciate this point. By temperament they tended towards renunciation. For the purpose of missionary work, they were only advised not to be engrossed in purely worldly considerations, but they went to the extreme of renouncing the world.
28. ‘Believers,’ here refer to…
‘Believers,’ here refer to those who embraced the faith of Jesus. Those who had faith in the previous prophet and now, having discovered the Truth in the call of the Last of the Prophets, adopt his faith, are entitled to a double reward. Similarly, if those who are Muslims by birth study Islam afresh, and with renewed Islamic consciousness, become believers or Muslims, they too will be entitled to a double reward in the eyes of God.
