Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Section 20: The Holy Prophet Muhammad, the Apostle Unto the Whole Mankind

Surah al-‘Araf - Verse 158

قُلْ يَآ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعاً الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّماوَاتِ وَالاَرْضِ لآ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ يُحيِي وَيُمِيتُ فَاَمِنُوا بِاللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الاُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

158. “Say: ‘O mankind! I am the messenger of Allah to you all, of Him to Whom belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. There is no god but He. He gives life. And makes to die’. Believe then in Allah and His Messenger, the unschooled prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him so that you may be guided.”

Some of orientalists have said that the Prophet of Islam (S) was thinking only for the people of his own region, but when he succeeded he thought to preach other people of the world, too.

In answer to this statement, it should be said that there are some different verses of the Qur’ān containing such words as: ‘you all’,1 ‘the whole of mankind’2 ‘whoever it reaches’3 ‘unto the worlds’.4

These Qur’ānic evidences prove that his prophethood was worldly. He was commissioned to be a prophet over all people of the world when he was in Mecca and before gaining his success. It was not so, as those orientalists say, that later he decided to invite all the people of the world.

Imam Hassan Mujtabā (as), the second Imam, has said:

“Once some of the Jewish people came to the Messenger of Allah and said: ‘Do you suppose that you are a prophet the same as Moses was?’ After a while of keeping silence, he answered:

‘Yes. I am the master of the (whole) children of Adam, but I do not boast of it. I am the seal of prophets, the leader of the pious, and the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds.’

They asked: ‘Whom have you been sent to? To Arabs, or to non-Arabs, or to us?’ Then the above verse was revealed with the meaning that he was sent as a Messenger to the whole mankind.”5

The repetition of the Qur’ānic word /’Ummi/ in this holy verse and in the sixth verse before this, is an indication to its importance.

However, the prophethood of Mohammad (S) is surely worldly, and a worldly Divine religion needs a worldly leader.

Like any project, his Messengership, of course, progressed stage by stage. At first, the invitation of the Prophet (S) was to the family members, then to the people of’Umm-ul-Qur’ā, Mecca, and, finally, to the whole humankind. The verse says:

“Say: ‘O mankind! I am the messenger of Allah to you all, of Him to Whom belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. There is no god but He. He gives life. And makes to die’…”

Another matter is that prophethood is something necessary for Theism and Resurrection. Since Allah (s.w.t.) is the only possessor of the world of existence thoroughly, and life and death are under His control, then the leadership and guidance of human beings should be authorized by Him, too. The holy verse says:

“…Believe then in Allah and His Messenger, the unschooled prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him so that you may be guided.”

Belief in Allah and His Messenger, together with obedience from the Holy Prophet (S), is the secret of guidance, for which the Qur’ān, the Prophet’s rules and practice (Sunnah) must be followed.

Surah al-‘Araf - Verse 159

وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَى اُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ

159. “And of the people of Moses there is a group who guide by the truth and establish justice thereby.”

Guiding by the truth is a sign of the absence of bigotry, and also an indication of gratitude and following the truth itself. So, this recent group, whom are referred to in this verse, were separate from the pertinacious ones who used to seek pretexts. The holy verse says:

“And of the people of Moses there is a group who guide by the truth…”

Perhaps, the objective meaning referred to this group is those people among the Jews who accepted the invitation of the Messenger of Allah (S).

Therefore, in confronting the minorities, justice should particularly be observed, and their sincere services and accomplishments must not be neglected.

The verse ends as follows:

“…and establish justice thereby.”

Surah al-‘Araf - Verse 160

وَقَطَّعْنَاهُمُ اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ اَسْبَاطاً اُمَماً وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى مُوسَى إِذِ اسْتَسْقَاهُ قَوْمُهُ أَنِ اضْرِب بِعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ فَانبَجَسَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْناً قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ اُنَاسٍ مَشْرَبَهُمْ وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الْغَمَامَ وَأَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَى كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَارَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلكِن كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

160. “And We divided them into twelve tribal communities; and We revealed unto Moses, when his people asked him for water, (saying): ‘Strike the rock with your rod.’ So twelve fountains gushed forth from it. Each tribe, indeed, came to know its drinking-place. And We outspread the cloud to overshadow them, and We sent down manna and quails upon them, (saying): ‘Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you.’ And they did no harm to Us but they were doing injustice to their own selves.”

Several kinds of Allah’s bounties upon the Children of Israel are referred to in this verse. At first, the Qur’ān says that Allah divided them into twelve groups, each of which were a branch of the progeny of Israel. He assigned a just order among them which was far from harsh conflicts.

The verse says:

“And We divided them into twelve tribal communities...”

The next bounty was at the time when the people of Moses (as) were traveling toward Jerusalem in the hot desert where they entangled with a horrible blazing thirst. They asked him for water and Allah revealed him to strike the rock with his Rod, and he did so. After that twelve springs gushed forth from the rock.

The verse says:

“…and We revealed unto Moses, when his people asked him for water, (saying): ‘Strike the rock with your rod.’ So twelve fountains gushed forth from it…”

The water of these fountains were divided among them so regularly that each group knew their own spring very well. The verse says:

“…Each tribe, indeed, came to know its drinking-place…”

Another bounty came to them in that blazing desert, where there was no shelter nor any shadow. The Lord outspread the cloud to overshadow them with the cloud. The verse continues saying:

“… And We outspread the cloud to overshadow them…”

Finally, the fourth bounty was that Allah sent down manna and quails as some delicious and nutritious food for them to eat. The verse says:

“…(saying): ‘Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you.’…”

But they ate the food and showed ungratitude. By that manner, they did no harm to Allah (s.w.t.), but they committed injustice to themselves. The verse ends as follows:

“…And they did not harm to Us but they were doing injustice to their own selves.”

Some Explanations

The Arabic term /asbāt/ is the plural form of /sibt/ which is used for the children, grandsons, and sub-branches of a family. Every tribe of the Children of Israel were the progenies of one of the children of Jacob.

The Qur’ānic term /manna/ means a kind of food like honey and some herbal expressed juice such as tamarix mannifera, and ‘salwa’ (a quail) is a bird lawful to be eaten, resembling pigeon and partridge.

During a short moment there, several miracles took place: striking the rock by the Rod, plenty water being gushed forth, the number of fountains as many as the number of the tribes, and so on.

Surah al-‘Araf - Verse 161

وإِذْ قِيلَ لَهُمُ اسْكُنُوا هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ وَكُلُوا مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ وَقُولُوا حِطَّةٌ وَادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّداً نَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطِيئَاتِكُمْ سَنَزِيدُ الْمُـحْسِنِينَ

161. “And (remember) when it was said to them: ‘Dwell in this town (Jerusalem) and eat of it wherever you desire, and ask forgiveness, and enter prostrating at the gate. We shall forgive you your faults. Soon We will give more (the portion of) the doers of good’.”

The Qur’ānic term /hittah/ philologically means: ‘the descent of something from upward.’ There are some other derivations from this term, too. It is used in the sense of request for divine mercy and remission (of sins).

The commandment was that the Children of Israel should ask forgiveness from Allah by means of this word, /hittah/, on their arrival into the holy land of Jerusalem. (But with the thought of mockery, they changed the word.) The verse says:

“And (remember) when it was said to them: ‘Dwell in this town (Jerusalem) and eat of it wherever you desire, and ask forgiveness, and enter prostrating at the gate…”

A meaning similar to the content of this verse, with a little difference, has been stated in Surah Al-Baqarah,No. 2 , throughverses 58 and 59, too.

In Islamic literature, there are some traditions narrated from the Immaculate Imams of Ahlul-Bayt (as) who have clearly said:

“We are the gate of your ‘hittah’ (forgiveness).”

That is, if you enter inside the orb of our government and mastership, mercy will be bestowed upon you.

By the way, there is a good tidings in this verse which indicates Allah may provide all the material and spiritual needs of humankind in this world nad the next world. So, in order that they can be eligible to enjoy some bounties such as: housing, food, forgiveness, and mercy, He commands them to supplicate, to ask forgiveness, and to prostrate.

Also, with a sincere repentance, Allah forgives a great deal of faults. In this verse He says:

“…We shall forgive you your faults…”

To obtain the divine remission, both supplication and practice are necessary. The verse says:

“…and ask forgiveness, and enter prostrating at the gate…”

However, there should be a difference between a good doer and a wrong doer. In the rank where evildoers can be forgiven, the good doers must be given a higher and a better grace. The verse says:

“…Soon We will give more (the portion of) the doers of good.”

Surah al-‘Araf - Verse 162

فَبَدَّلَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ قَوْلاً غَيْرَ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَهُمْ فَاَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِجْزاً مِنَ السَّمَآءِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَظْلِمُونَ

162. “But those of them who were unjust changed a saying other than that which had been spoken unto them; so We sent upon them a torment from heaven for they had been doing injustice.”

Sometimes perversion and changing the meanings are made manifestly, as the change of an utterance; and sometimes the frame of an utterance is preserved, but the content and spirit of that subject is changed. The example of the latter is the trick of the Children of Israel for catching fish on the Sabbath, (which will be dealt with in the next verse).

The verse says:

“But those of them who were unjust changed a saying other than that which had been spoken unto them…”

The Qur’ān refers to three kinds of perversion which were performed in the Law of Allah:

1 ) A pertinacious perversion, like the manner of the Children of Israel who, instead of saying /hittah/ (seeking for forgiveness and remission), said /hintah/ (wheat).

2 ) A change done deceitfully, like the action accomplished by the Children of Israel when they made some pools in the bank of the sea wherein fish came on the Sabbath,

3 ) and they hunted them on Sunday. They said they had

4 ) not hunted fish on the Sabbath. But regarding this subject, Surah Al-Baqarah,No. 2 ,verse 65 says:

“And certainly you have known those among you who exceeded the limits on the Sabbath…”

5) A change for their own benefit, like postponing the sacred months in the Age of Ignorance in order to carry on their fight. Since they did not like to cease fighting because of adapting with sacred months, they postponed the months. Then, the verse was revealed, saying

“Verily the postponing (of the sacred month) is only an addition unto infidelity…” (Surah Al-Baqarah, No. 2, verse 37)

Thus, the punishment of changing the commandments of Allah is His Wrath and chastisement. The verse says:

“…so We sent upon them a torment from heaven…”

And we should know that the fates of human beings are in their own authority, and that these punishments are the fruit of their own sins and transgressions. The verse continues says:

“…for they had been doing injustice.”

Notes

1. The verse under discussion

2. Surah Sabā’, No. 34, verse 28

3. Surah Al-’An‘ām, No. 6, verse 19

4. Surah Furqān, No. 25, verse 1

5. Tafsir-us-Sāfi

Section 21: Punishment For Transgressing the Limits

Surah al-‘Araf - Verse 163

وَسْاَلْهُمْ عَنِ الْقَرْيَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ حَاضِرَةَ الْبَحْرِ إِذْ يَعْدُونَ فِي السَّبْتِ إِذْ تَأْتِيهِمْ حِيتَانُهُمْ يَوْمَ سَبْتِهِمْ شُرَّعاً وَيَوْمَ لاَيَسْبِتُونَ لاَتَأْتِيهِمْ كَذَلِكَ نَبْلُوهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ

163. “And (O Muhammad) ask them about the town that was by the sea, when they exceeded (the limits) of the Sabbath when their fish came to them on the day of their Sabbath,

appearing on the surface of the water; but on the day they did not keep Sabbath, they (the fish) did not come unto them. Thus did We try them for the transgressions they used to commit.”

By the command of Allah, hunting fish on the Sabbath was forbidden for this group of the Children of Israel who were living on the bank of the sea. (Maybe, it was the Red Sea, beside the land of Palestine, which is known’Ilāf Harbour today).

But, on that very day, fish were seen with a more tremendous amount, so that people’s mouths watered. This circumstance was a divine trial for them.

Those people exceeded the law of Allah deceitfully, and, by making pools on the bank of the sea and banning the way of the fish therein, they captured them in those pools on Saturdays, the which were easily hunted on Sundays. Then, they claimed that, according to the commandment, they had not hunted them on the Sabbath.

The verse says:

“And (O Muhammad) ask them about the town that was by the sea, when they exceeded (the limits) of the Sabbath when their fish came to them on the day of their Sabbath, appearing on the surface of the water; but on the day they did not keep Sabbath, they (the fish) did not come unto them. Thus did We try them for the transgressions they used to commit.”

Therefore, by legal tricks and deceit, the real feature of sins may not be changed, (like making pools on the seaside for hunting fish on the following day).

In one of his sermons, Hadrat Ali (as) has intensively criticized the justification of sins, and the justification of ‘wine’ with ‘date liquor’ (nabith), ‘bribery’ with present, and ‘usury’ with ‘transaction’.1

Surah al-‘Araf - Verse 164

وَإِذْ قَالَتْ اُمَّةٌ مِنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْماً اللّهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَاباً شَدِيداً قَالُوا مَعْذِرَةً إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ

164. “And (remember) when a group of them said: ‘Why do you admonish a people whom Allah will destroy or punish with a severe punishment?’ They said: ‘In order to have an excuse before your Lord, and that they may keep from evil’.”

It seems that, from the point of behaviour, the Children of Israel were divided into three groups. One group, who formed the majority, were the violators of Divine Law. The second group were the sympathetic admonishers.

The third group were those who were inattentive to the social evil affairs. The latter ones told the sympathetic admonishers not to make themselves tired, for their preach would not affect the mischief makers and, in any case, the corruptors should be the dwellers of Hell.

But those who enjoined right and forbade wrong said that their action was not useless. They said the least thing was that they were excused with Allah.

Yes, the members of societies are usually found in the category of these three groups.

In Surah Al-Mursalāt,No. 77 ,verses 5 and 6, we recite:

“And by those who reveal the (Divine) Reminder,” “to justify or to warn.”

It should be noted that ‘forbidding wrong’ is necessary for completing the statement and having excuse with Allah. The verse says:

“…They said: ‘In order to have an excuse before your Lord…”

We must not justify our faults with ‘Divine will’. The verse says:

“And (remember) when a group of them said: ‘Why do you admonish a people whom Allah will destroy or punish with a severe punishment?’…”

Unfortunately, those who are inattentive to the evil affairs, instead of protesting against the corruptors, protest against those who enjoin the right. But, even if we do not probable a good effect, we must forbid the wrong in order to complete the statement and to have excuse before Allah.

However, godly people are not hopeless of improving the society. The verse concludes:

“…and that they may keep from evil.”

Surah al-‘Araf - Verses 165-166

فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَاذُكِّرُوا بِهِ أَنْجَيْنَا الَّذِينَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ السُّوءِ وَأَخَذْنَا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا بِعَذَابٍ بَئِيسٍ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ

فَلَمَّا عَتَوْا عَن مَا نُهُوا عَنْهُ قُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُونُوا قِرَدَةً خَاسِئِينَ

165. “So when they forgot what they were reminded of, We delivered those who forbade evil and seized those who were unjust with a dreadful punishment for the transgressions they used to commit.”

166. “So when they defied what they had been forbidden from, We said to them: ‘Be you apes scouted’.”

In this verse, the Qur’ān implies that finally mammonism overwhelmed them and they forgot the command of Allah (s.w.t.), therefore they confronted the bitter moment of punishment.

The verse says:

“So when they forgot what they were reminded of, We delivered those who forbade evil and seized those who were unjust with a dreadful punishment for the transgressions they used to commit.”

Who Were Delivered?

From those three groups of people: (the sinners, the inattentive ones, and the admonishers), only the third group were secured from the punishment of Allah. As the Islamic traditions indicate, when this group, the third group, saw that their admonishments were not effective in the wrong doers, they became worried and said that they would go out of the city.

They left the city at night and went into the desert. Accidentally, by that very night, the retribution of Allah befell upon the couple of the abovementioned groups who were inside the city.

The sort of their retribution is explained in the second verse of the above verses as follows:

“So when they defied what they had been forbidden from, We said to them: ‘Be you apes scouted’.”

It is clear that the commandment saying ‘Be you’, here, is a genetic command, which means they changed immediately in the shape of ‘apes’.

According to some Islamic literature, of course, those who were transformed continued to live only for a few days, and then they died, so that there could appear no generation from them later.

Surah al-‘Araf - Verse 167

وإِذْ تَاَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبْعَثَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ مَن يَسُومُهُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ وإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

167. “And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed that He would surely send against them, until the Day of Resurrection, those who would inflict on them a grievous punishment. Verily your Lord is certainly quick to requite (evil), and verily He is Forgiving, Merciful.”

This verse and the verse after it point to a part of the worldly retributions of those Jewish people who stood against the commandments of Allah and trod on the truth, justice, and honesty.

At first, the verse says:

“And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed that He would surely send against them, until the Day of Resurrection, those who would inflict on them a grievous punishment…”

It is understood from this verse that this rebellious group will never meet a complete calmness, although they establish a government for themselves.

Then, at the end of the verse, it adds that Allah is both quick in punishing those who deserve punishment, and forgiving, Merciful unto those wrong doers who repent. The verse says:

“…Verily your Lord is certainly quick to requite (evil), and verily He is Forgiving, Merciful.”

This Qur’ānic phrase indicates that Allah has left the way wide open for them to return in order that no one imagines that a compulsory fate with adversity, retribution, and chastisement has been assigned for them.

Surah al-‘Araf - Verse 168

وَقَطَّعْنَاهُمْ فِي الاَرْضِ اُمَماً مِنْهُمُ الصَّالِحُونَ وَمِنْهُمْ دُونَ ذَلِكَ وَبَلَوْنَاهُم بِالْحَسَنَاتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

168. “And We dispersed them into communities on the earth, some of them being righteous, and some of them otherwise, and We tried them with good things and bad things that they might return.”

It was ordained that for a length of time the Children of Israel visited honour and power, in order that maybe they might become thankful. And, for another length of time, they were involved in calamities that might the sense of repentance and humiliation be renewed in them.

Some of them were virtuous and believed in Islam, while some others pursued corruption, and insisted on their own mammonism and stubbornness.

The verse says:

“And We dispersed them into communities on the earth, some of them being righteous, and some of them otherwise, and We tried them with good things and bad things that they might return.”

Surah al-‘Araf - Verse 169

فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ وَرِثُوا الْكِتَابَ يَأْخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَذَا الاَدْنَى وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغْفَرُ لَنَا وَإِن يَأْتِهِمْ عَرَضٌ مِثْلُهُ يَأْخُذُوهُ اَلَمْ يُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِيثَاقُ الْكِتَابِ اَن لاَيَقُولُوا عَلَى اللّهِ إِلاَّ الْحَقَّ وَدَرَسُوا مَا فِيهِ وَالدَّارُ الاَخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلا تَعْقِلُونَ

169. “Then there succeeded after them (an evil) posterity (who) inherited the Book (Turah), taking the transitory goods of this lower world, and saying: ‘It will be forgiven us’. And if similar transitory goods were to come to them (again), they would take them, too. Was not the covenant of the Book taken with them that they should not attribute anything to Allah except the truth? And they have studied what is in it, while the abode of the Hereafter is better for those who keep from evil. Have you then no sense?”

In former verses, the words were about the ancestors of the Jews, but in this verse, the statement is upon the children and descendants of them.

At first, the Qur’ān remarks that their descendants inherited the Turah, but they used to prefer the material of this low world to the obedience of Allah.2 The verse says:

“Then there succeeded after them (an evil) posterity (who) inherited the Book (Turah), taking the transitory goods of this lower world…”

Then, the verse implies that when they are hesitating between the struggle of conscience, on one side, and their worldly interests, on the other side, they appeal to some false hopes and say that they do obtain this existing interest, which is in cash, whether it is lawful or unlawful, and since the Lord is Merciful, Forgiving, He will forgive them.

“…and saying: ‘It will be forgiven us’…”

This phrase shows that after committing such an action, they assumed a kind of fleeting regret and a state of extrinsic repentance. But, as the Qur’ān says, this regret and remorse of theirs had no root in them. And that was why if they found another material benefit like that, they would take it, too.3 The verse says:

“…And if similar transitory goods were to come to them (again), they would take them, too…”

However, this part of the verse points to the bribery of some of the Jews and perverting the heavenly verses of the Turah thereby, and also forsaking the ordinances of Allah because of the contrast of those laws with their benefits.

Therefore, next to that, the verse says:

“…Was not the covenant of the Book taken with them that they should not attribute anything to Allah except the truth?…”

If they were not acquainted with the divine verses (of the Turah) and committed such wrong actions, they might have an excuse for themselves. But, the difficulty of the event is in this fact that they had frequently seen the verses of the Turah and had understood them, yet they spoilt them and defied the command of Allah by setting them aside. The verse says:

“…And they have studied what is in it…”

At the end of the verse, the Qur’ān implies that they make mistake, and such actions and these goods will not be useful for them. The fact is that the abode of Hereafter is better for the pious. The verse says:

“…while the abode of the Hereafter is better for those who keep from evil…”

Then the Qur’ān questions them whether they have not any sense to perceive those facts that are so clear. Here is the words of the Qur’ān:

“…Have you then no sense?”

Surah al-‘Araf - Verse 170

وَالَّذِينَ يُمَسِّكُونَ بِالْكِتَابِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلاَةَ إِنَّا لانُضِيعُ اَجْرَ الْمُصْلِحِينَ

170. “And those who hold fast to the Book and establish the prayer, verily We do not waste the reward of the reformers.”

This verse points to another group, opposite to the above-mentioned perverted group, who not only avoid any perversion and concealing the Divine verses, but also take hold of them and practice them minutely. The Qur’ān has called this group ‘the reformers’ of the world, and maintains an important reward for them. Concerning them, it says that surely Allah does not waste the great reward that they will have with Him. The verse says:

“And those who hold fast to the Book and establish the prayer, verily We do not waste the reward of the reformers.”

The above-mentioned verse clearly indicates that, without taking hold of the Heavenly Books and Divine commandments, the fulfilment of the true reforms in the world is impossible. This meaning emphasizes this fact, once more, that religion is not something only related to the world of super nature or to the next world.

Religion is effective in the spirit of life for all human beings. It protects the interests of all humankind and it is alongside the execution of the principles of justice, peace, tranquility and any concepts which are gathered in the vast meaning of the term ‘reform’.

Surah al-‘Araf - Verse 171

وَإِذْ نَتَقْنَا الْجَبَلَ فَوْقَهُمْ كَأَنَّهُ ظُلَّةٌ وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُ وَاقِعٌ بِهِمْ خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَاكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَاذْكُرُوا مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

171. “And (remember) when We plucked the mountain (and held it) above them as if it were a canopy, and they supposed it was about to fall on them (when We told them: ) ‘Hold you firmly what We gave you and remember what is in it, that you may keep from evil’.”

This is the last verse in this Surah which is upon the life of the Children of Israel. In this verse, the Qur’ān reminds the community of the Jews another happening. The event is both a lesson of admonition and an evidence of giving a covenant. It says:

“And (remember) when We plucked the mountain (and held it) above them as if it were a canopy…”

It was so that they imagined the mountain was nigh to fall down over them. Therefore, a shaking horror and anxiety encompassed them, thoroughly their entity, and they began weeping with supplication. The verse says:

“…and they supposed it was about to fall on them…”

It was at the same time that they were in that condition and they were told to hold firm what Allah gave them. The verse continues saying:

“…(when we told them: ) ‘Hold you firmly what We gave you…”

They ought to be in awe of Allah’s punishment and fulfil their duty according to the covenants He has taken from them in it. The verse says:

“…and remember what is in it, that you may keep from evil’.”

This means that the entire messengership of Moses (as) and other prophets, and their constant struggles and hard conflicts, as well as the grievous anxieties and laborious hardships that they tolerated, all were for the sake that the command of Allah and the principles of the truth, justice, purity, and piety be executed rather perfectly among all human beings.

Notes

1. Nahjul-Balāghah, Sermon No. 156

2. The Arabic word /xalf/ is applied for an ‘impious child ’, while the Arabic word /xalaf/ is applied for a ‘ pious child ’. (Narrated from Majma‘-ul-Bayān)

3. The Arabic term /‘arad/ means any capital or property, but the term /‘ard/ means only the money which is in cush.