النص المفهرس

448
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 118 - 121
بِأَهْوَائِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَاَ عْلَمُ بِالْعْتَدِيْنَ ﴿١١٩) وَذَرُوا
ظَاهِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَبَاِتَهُ إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَكُسِبُونَ الْإِثْمَ سَيُجُزَّوُنَ بِّا
كَانُوا يَقْتَرِفُونَ ﴿ ١٢) وَلَا تَأْكُلُوْا ◌ِّا لَمْ يُذُكِرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ
وَإِنَّهُ لَفِسْقٌُّ وَإِنَّ الشَّيْطِيْنَ لَيُؤْحُونَ إِلَى أَوْ لِهِمْ لِيُجَادِ لُؤُكُمَْ
وَإِنْ أَطَعْتُهُوُهُمْ إِنَّكُمْ لَمُبِكُونَ ﴿١٢١﴾
So, eat of that upon which the name of Allah has been
invoked, if you do believe in His verses. [118]
And what can make you not to eat of that upon which
the name of Allah has been invoked, while He has
spelled out to you all that He has made unlawful for
you, except that to which you are compelled by an ex-
treme necessity? And surely, there are many who mis-
guide with their desires without knowledge. Surely,
your Lord is the best knower of those who cross the
limits. [119]
And leave sin, the outward and the inward. Surely,
those who commit sin shall be punished for what they
used to commit. [120]
And do not eat that over which the name of Allah has
not been pronounced. This is surely a sin. And the sa-
tans inspire their friends to dispute with you. And if
you were to obey them, you would be Mushriks .* [121]
Linkage of Verses
Earlier (116), by saying: 213 31; (And if you obey), following people in
error was prohibited absolutely. Onward from there, comes the prohi-
bition of such following in a particular matter as necessiated by an
event. That event pertains to the lawfulness of what has been slaugh-
tered properly or improperly. The event is that disbelievers tried to
put Muslims in doubt by commenting that they did not eat of the ani-
* Mushrik: one who ascribes partners to Allah.

449
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 118 - 121
mals killed by Allah (i.e. by natural death) while they had no problem
with eating of what they killed (slaughtered) themselves (as deduced by
Abu Dawud and al-Hakim from Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas). Some Muslims reported
this doubt before the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Thereupon, these
verses ending at: 32 på (121) were revealed (narrated by Abu Dawud and Al-
Tirmidhi from Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas as in Al-Lubab).
The gist of the answer given is: You are Muslims. You observe the
injunctions of Allah particularly - and Allah has told you all about the
Halal and the Haram. So, keep abiding by it. Do not entertain any
doubts about something Halal being Haram, and something Haram,
being Halal. As for the scruples of disbelievers, just pay no attention to
them.
The substantiation of this answer is that rational proofs are re-
quired only to prove the basic principles of faith (like Oneness of Allah,
the prophethood of His messengers etc.) but once these basic principles
are established and admitted, rational arguments are no more re-
quired for establishing a subsidiary or consequential rule of the Sha-
ri'ah. What is required is to prove that this rule is based on a specific
order given by Allah or His messenger. Once it is established that the
rule is based on a specific injunction imposed by Allah Ta'ala or His
messenger, it cannot be called in question on the basis of rational ar-
guments. (because after admitting that the rule is prescribed by Allah
Who is all-Wise, all-Powerful, it will always be based on wisdom which
might be unknown to us.) Rather, it is sometimes harmful to mention
rational wisdom for the rules of Shari'ah, because any wisdom given
by one's conjectures will always remain subject to doubts on the basis
of counter arguments, and there is no way to find out a certain and ab-
solute wisdom for a subsidiary rule of Shari'ah. However, if it is evi-
dent that a person wants to know the wisdom behind a rule of Sha-
ri'ah only to seek truth and to satisfy himself, there is no harm in
mentioning some possible reasons of a rule before him as a matter of
additional knowledge. But in the event that the rational wisdom is
asked only for the sake of confrontation, then the proper way for a
Muslim should be to ignore such questions and to act according to the
prescribed rules without paying attention to the critic. It is true that if

450
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 118 - 121
a person wants to prove that a subsidiary rule of Shari'ah is repugnant
to an absolute principle established by reason, the point raised by him
may deserve answer, but the question raised by the mushriks in the
present case was not of this nature in any way. Therefore, the Mus-
lims are directed to ignore such absurd questions and keep believing
and acting as before.
It is on the basis of the aforesaid principles that the question of
Mushriks has not been answered in express terms, However, the ex-
pression used has given a subtle indication to the difference between a
carrion and an animal slaughtered properly. The text gives permission
to eat an animal on which Allah's name is invoked (die in zers't pis). It
is obvious that Allah's name is invoked on an animal while slaughter-
ing it, therefore, it implies the condition of slaughtering an animal
which drains out impure blood from the animal. On the other hand, it
is forbidden to eat of an animal on which Allah's name is not invoked
Not invoking Allah's name may happen in two. (وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا لَمْ يُذُكَرِ اسْمُ اللهِ تَعَلَيْهِ)
different situations: (1) Not slaughtering an animal at all (2) slaugh-
tering an animal without invoking Allah's name. Both these situations
render the animal Haram according to this verse. Obviously, an ani-
mal which dies its natural death is covered under the first situation
where its impure blood was not drained out and remaining in the body
rendered it impure. That is why it has been held as Haram.
Commentary
The Qur'anic order of reciting the name of Allah implied ness
de (that upon which the name of Allah has been invoked) includes
both kinds of slaughter termed in Islamic Figh as "al-dhabh-al-
ikhtiyariyy" (slaughtering an animal under control) and "al-dhabh-al-
idțirariyy" (hunting an animal out of control with an arrow or a hunt-
ing dog or falcon). The name of Allah shall be recited in the latter case
when releasing the arrow or the dog or falcon.
Similarly, the words"ِمَاؤُكِرَ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْه" include reciting actually or as
implied. That is why Imam Abu Hanifah has allowed to eat an animal
upon which the reciting of the name of Allah was missed
inadvertantly. However if it is missed deliberately, it will render the
animal Haram.

451
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 122
Verse 122
اَوَمَنُ كَانَ مَيْتًا فَاحْيَيْنُهُ وَجَعَلُنَا لَهُ نُؤْرًا يَّهُشِى بِهِ فِى
النَّاسِ كَمَنُ مَّتَلُهُ فِى الُّلُمْتِ لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِنْهَا كَذْلِكَ
زُيِّنَ لِلْكُفِرِيْنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٢٢)
Could it be that the one who was dead and We gave him
life and made for him a light with which he walks
among men, (is held to) be like the one whose condition
is such that he is in total darkness, never coming out of
it? This is how their deeds appear beautified to the dis-
believers. [122]
Commentary
In the previous verses, mentioned there was the demand of ever
new miracles by disbelievers as proof of their sheer obstinacy as they
had already witnessed the open miracle of the Qur'an itself. After that,
the Qur'an argued that the miracles already before their eyes should
have been enough to lead them to the true path, only if these people
themselves would have been genuinely seeking truth. Then, came the
description of these miracles.
The present verse employs a similitude to focus on two life-styles
in a tight frame. On one side is the state of those who believe in the
Qur'an and in the Prophet of Islam, may he be blessed and protected
by Allah Ta'ala. Then, on the other side, there is the state of those who
refuse to believe in them. Also stated through it is the good or bad end
of both, as well as, the reality of what a believer or disbeliever stands
for, and what belief and disbelief actually are. A believer is like one
alive and the disbeliever is like one who is dead. Belief or 'Iman is like
light - and Disbelief or Kufr is like darkness. These are Qur'anic simil-
itudes. They are no poetry. They are a statement of reality.
Believer is Alive; Disbeliever, dead.
In this similitude, a Mu'min, a true believer has been identified as
alive while a Kafir, a disbeliever, has been pointed to as dead. The rea-
son is that kinds and forms of life in human beings, animals and vege-
tation differ, but this much no sensible person can deny that every life
form is there for a specific purpose. And nature has endowed it with

452
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 122
full ability to achieve this purpose. This is what the Qur'an is saying
in : أَعُظَى كُلَّ شَيُ خَلْقَهُ ثُمَّ هَدِى (Our Lord gave everything its creation, then guid-
ed it - 20:50), that is: Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu created everything in the
universe and gave it full instructions to achieve the purpose for which
it was created. It is under this arrangement that all created beings are
pursuing the mission assigned to them. In this eco-system, land, wa-
ter, air and fire, and the moon, the sun and the stars are all aware of
their duties and are fulfilling it. And this act of fulfilling their duties is
a proof of life in all those things. And when one of these, whatever the
condition or time, stops fulfilling its duties, then, it is no more alive; it
is dead. If water stops its function of quenching thirst and removing
impurities, it will not remain water anymore. If fire stops igniting and
burning, it will not be the fire it was anymore. Trees and vegetation,
once they stop growing and bearing flowers and fruits, will not be the
trees and vegetation as they are - because they have abandoned the
purpose of their life, as a result of which, they became lifeless, like the
dead.
After looking at the universe around him bit by bit, anyone with
the least fund of reason and understanding with him is bound to pon-
der about questions such as: What is the purpose of human life? What
is one supposed to do as duty? Now, if one is fulfilling the purpose of
one's life, one is entitled to be taken as alive - and whoever is not ful-
filling the purpose of one's life, he or she is no better than a dead body.
What is the purpose of human life and what are the duties human
beings have to fulfill? The question needs thought and - an answer. Ac-
cording to the principle stated above, it has already been determined
that one who is fulfilling the purpose of his or her life is alive, other-
wise, is dead. Now there are sightless tyrants among human beings
who would take their species as self-rising vegetation or some kind of
smart animal, with whom there is no distinction between a human be-
ing and a donkey or dog. According to them, the sole purpose of life is
to fulfill the desire of one's self, to eat, drink, sleep, wake up, and then
die. So, reasonable people anywhere in the world would not take them
as their addressees. People of reason and understanding, no matter
what their religion, community or school of thought, have all along the
lanes of time been in agreement that human beings are the superior-

453
Surah Al-An'am : 6: 122
most in creation and that the universe has been made and put into
their service. It is obvious that what is most superior has to have a
purpose of life which is matchingly superior. Every discerning person
knows that there is no difference between human beings and animals
as far as eating, drinking, sleeping and waking, finding and holding a
shelter, dressing and wearing is concerned - in fact, many animals eat
better and eat more than them, are even dressed better in standard
natural attires. They even live in better surroundings with lots of
fresh air. As for knowing their gain and loss, there too, every animal,
even every tree, has awareness to limits suited to it. They have the
ability to acquire the beneficial and stay away from the harmful. Simi-
larly, when it comes to being beneficial to others, all animals and the
vegetation seem to be obviously way ahead of human beings in that
their flesh, skin, bone, ligaments, and of trees, including all they have
in between their roots to the tiniest leaves, almost everything is har-
nessed into the service of man, yielding countless benefits to produce
things needed in life. It is interesting that quite contrary to this, there
is man whose flesh is of no use to anyone, nor is his skin, or hair, or
bone or ligaments.
Now worth finding out is how does Monseigneur Humane (Mr.
Man, the homo sapiens), under these circumstances, stand to deserve
being the served one in this universe and being the cream of creation
as much heralded? This brings us closer to the destination of truth. A
little reflection will reveal that the reach of reason and consciousness
given to all these units of creation is limited to the transitory and acci-
dental gain or loss - and it is in this life, it appears beneficial for oth-
ers. What was there before the life on this earth and what will be com-
ing after is a field in which the reason and consciousness of nothing
organic or inorganic, not even that of the smartest of animals, would
work, nor can anything there serve as functional or beneficial in this
particular field. So, this is the field in which human beings have to
work, human beings for whom the universe has been commissioned to
serve, and human beings who are the most superior of all creation.
Only this will bring out the difference between the distinct status of
human beings as compared with other elements of creation clearly and
conclusively.

454
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 122
What we now know is that the purpose of human beings on this
earth is to keep in sight the beginning and the end of this universe, to
assess what it entails as a result, to determine what is collectively
beneficial or harmful, then use the insight so gained to acquire the
beneficial and abstain from the harmful, and also invite others to-
wards the beneficial and take measures to shield them from the harm-
ful - so that the dream of a life of lasting peace and tranquility can be
fulfilled. Now that it is settled that the purpose of human life is to ac-
quire this standard benefit issuing forth from human perfection indi-
vidually and collectively, enriching one's own self and at the same time
enriching others. This realization helps us see the similitude of the
Holy Qur'an we have been talking about in the form of a reality - that
alive is one who puts his or her faith in Allah Ta'ala and in His Rasul
and in between his or her view of the beginning and end وصلى الله عليه وسلم
of life, recognizes his collective gain and loss in the light of Divine Rev-
elation, because human reason alone has never truimphed over this
field, nor it can. And when we know that, in terms of the fulfillment of
the purpose of life, the person alive is the person who follows the Di-
vine Revelation and is a believer, then we also come to the definite
conclusion that whoever does not do that deserves to be called dead.
Maulana Rumi has put it so delightfully:
زندگی از بهر طاعت بندگی است ہے عبادت زندگی شرمندگی ست
آدمیت جز رضائ دوست نيست
آدمیت لحم و شحم و پوست نیست
Life is to obey and serve
Life without devotion is a shame
Man's reality is not flesh, fat and skin
Man's reality is but the pleasure of the Friend!
This was the first similitude of the Qur'an, that of a believer and a
disbeliever, where believers have been likened to the living and the
disbelievers to the dead. The second similitude is that of 'Im an (faith)
and Kufr (disbelief) which have been placed in juxtaposition to light
and darkness.
Faith is Light and Disbelief, Darkness
In this verse, 'Im an (faith) has been called Nur (light) and Kufr
(disbelief) has been equated with Zulmah (darkness). A little thought

455
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 122
will show that this similitude is not imaginary. It is a statement of
fact. As we looked for the real purpose of things earlier, we can do the
same here by finding out the justification for the existence of light and
darkness. The purpose of light is to be able to see things far and near
with its help, as a result of which, one has the advantage of staying
away from the harmful and the opportunity of acquiring what is bene-
ficial.
Let us now look at 'Iman. This is a light which surrounds every-
thing in the heavens and the earth. It is this light alone which can
show the end of the universal system as well as the correct conse-
quences of everything done. Whoever has this light by his side, he can
not only save himself from the consequences of everything harmful
and injurious, but can also help others to stay safe from them. But,
one who does not have access to this light remains in the dark. He has
no panoramic view. He cannot see life as a whole, neither beginning,
nor end. He cannot distinguish between what is beneficial and what is
not. At best what he can do is to grope around and use his sense of
touch to figure out what they are, at least to some extent. The life of
this world as we know it is just about the environment most of us usu-
ally live in and around. The disbeliever thus does find out the life
around him and the benefit and loss it has to offer within that limited
framework. But, he has no idea or awareness of what lies ahead in the
eternal life to come later, nor can he comprehend how beneficial or
harmful it can be for him. This subject has been further explained by
the Qur'an in Surah Ar-Rum:
يَعْلَمُوْنَ ظَاهِرًا مِنَ الْحَيُوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمُ عَنِ الْآخِرَةِ هُمْ غْفِلُونَ
They know the obvious from the present life of the world
while, about the life-to-come ('Akhirah), they are (totally)
heedless - 30:7).
In a verse of Surah Al-'Ankabut, after the description of past com-
munities given to denial and disbelief, the Qur'an says: Ban Ris;
(though they were men of sight - 29-38). It means that these people who
had dismissed this matter of 'Akhirah demonstrating rank heedless-
ness and seeming lack of foresight were really not that dense when it
came to their matters in worldly life. In fact, they were "mustabşirin" -
keen-sighted, enlightened people. But, this enlightenment of theirs

456
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 122
was outwardly-oriented, of the surface, of the mundane, which could
only serve them well to enrich what revolved round their transitory
life in this world. However, for the eternal life of 'Akhirah, the life-to-
come, this was not to work.
After hearing these details, please recite the present verse of the
أَوَمَنْ كَانَ مَيْتًا فَأَحُبَيْنْهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُ نُؤْرًا يَّمْشِئْ بِهِ فِى النَّاسِ كَمَنُ مَثَلُهُ فِى الظُّلُمتِ : Qur'an once again
"05: " It means that one who was dead earlier, that is, was a dis-
believer, then, Allah raised him back to life, that is, gave him the tau-
fiq to become a Muslim - and then, He gave him a light, that is, 'Im an
or faith, with which he moves about among people. Now can this per-
son be equal to one who is surrounded by all sorts of darkness, out of
which, he cannot get out, that is, is groping in the darkness of disbe-
lief, does not himself know what is good or bad for him, and there is no
way he can ward off his destruction. If so, how can he bring any bene-
fit to others?
The Light of Faith Brings Benefits for Others Too
In this verse, by saying : ◌ِنُورًّا يَمْشِى بِهٍ فِى النَّاس (light with which he walks
among men), the instruction given was that the light of faith is not re-
stricted to a mosque (masjid), spiritual seminary (khanqah) or a mod-
est roomette secluded for reflection and remembrance (hujrah). Whoev-
er is blessed with this light by Allah Ta'ala, he carries it with him
everywhere he goes through the lives of people on the streets and in
the homes. Everywhere he is, he himself benefits from the light and
lets others too benefit by it. Light is light and cannot be supressed by
any darkness. Even a tiny flickering lamp does not easily give up un-
der the weight of surrounding darkness, though the light it emits does
not go very far. When light is strong, it spreads over a larger area.
When light is dim, it lightens a smaller area. But light is light. It sub-
dues darkness after all - darkness does not subdue light. Light is not
light if it surrenders to darkness. Similarly, an 'Iman which surrenders
to Kufr, or is scared by it, is no 'Iman. This light of 'Im an, this light of
faith is there with its bearer in all walks of life, under all conditions
and in every age.
In this similitude, there is yet another hint that light is after all
universally beneficial. Every human being and every animal benefits
by it, intentionally, or without intention, more or less. Let us suppose

457
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 123 - 125
that a person who has the light but does not wish to let the other per-
son benefit from it, nor the other person has come out to seek the bene-
fit of his light, but the very fact that someone is walking with light by
his side is bound to spread out its benefit to others naturally, rather
compulsively. This is what happens with the 'Iman of a true Muslim.
It does make its benefit shower on others too, in some degree, whether
or not the receivers realize it. At the end of the verse, it was said: Juk
-This is how their deeds appear beautified to the dis) زِّنَ لِلْكْفِرِينَ مَاكَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
believers). It means that the disbelievers and deniers of truth who do
not accept proofs which are open and clear do so because everyone has
a craze of his own which keeps him pleased with himself. There is the
ever-present Sahytan, and no less is the retinue of one's desires,
whims and fancies which present before the eyes of such people a mo-
saic of their evil deeds which they start seeing as nice and beautiful.
Calling it a deception is an understatement. May Allah keep all of us
protected from it.
Verses 123 - 125
وَكَذْلِكَ جَعَلُنَا فِيْ كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ أَكْبِرَ مُجْرِمِيْهَا لِيَمُكُوْا فِيْهَا"
وَمَا يَمْكُرُونَ إِلَّ بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَمَا يَشُّعُرُونَ ﴿١٢٣) وَإِذَا
جَاءَ تُهُمْ آيَةٌ قَالُوا لَنْ تُؤْمِنَ حَتْ نُؤْتِى مِثْلَ مَّا أُوتِىَ رُسُلُ
اللّهُ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ سَبُصِيْبُ الَّذِيْنَ أَجْرَمُوْا
صَغَارٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَعَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَمُكُرُونَ ﴿١٢٤﴾
فَمَنْ تُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَهْدِيَةُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرِهِ لِلْإِسُلَاِمْ وَمَنْ تُرِدُ أَنْ
تُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلُ صَدْرَةً ضَِّقًا حَرَجًاٍ كََّا يَضَّعَّدُ فِى السَّمَاءِ"
كَذَلِكَ يَجْعَلُ اللّهُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١٢٥)
And in a similar way, We have made in every town its
chief sinners so that they commit mischief in it. And
they do not commit mischief but against themselves,
and they do not realize. | 123|
And when a sign comes to them, they say, "We shall
never come to believe unless we are given the like of
what was given to the messengers of Allah. Allah

458
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 123 - 125
knows best where to place His message. Those who
committed sin shall soon suffer from disgrace before
Allah and face severe punishment for the mischief they
have been making. [124]
So, whom Allah wills to give guidance, He opens his
heart for Islam, and whom He wills to go astray, He
makes his heart narrow, much too narrow, as though
he climbs up to the sky. In this way, Allah brings igno-
miny over those who do not believe. [125]
Commentary
Mentioned in the previous verse was that this world is a place of
trial. Good deeds here are tied with some effort. This is a way laid out
with hurdles. The same is true about evil deeds. They come with a web
of deception laced with unending desires and their short-lived gratifi-
cations, a way of living which makes these evil deeds look good in the
sight of human beings who are unaware of their reality and heedless
to their ultimate end. Such is their pull that the smartest of the smart
in this world would not hesitate to jump into the bandwagon.
In the first (123) of the present verses, it is said that this trial can
be seen as an ongoing spectacle of life since the beginning of the uni-
verse of our existence. Usually, it is the big people of a community, the
rich, the influential, the holders of clout and access who, when they get
used to the taste of money, power and recognition, start committing
crimes in one or the other form, never bothering to reflect on the ulti-
mate end of what they were doing. As for the common people, they be-
come accustomed to following the example set by these big people.
They copy them with the conviction that it is good for them and that
they are on the obvious road to success. In contrast, there are the
blessed prophets and their deputies charged with learning, teaching
and preaching. They try to stop people from their evil deeds and warn
them of the consequences of what they were doing. Then, these big
people open a front of hostility and conspiracy against them, which is
obviously to harass or harm these pious souls, but in the ultimate
analysis, the curse of what they do against them recoils back on them
alone. And this can happen to them even within their life in the
present world.
In this statement of guidance, Muslims have been warned against

459
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 123 - 125
aspiring to be like the big, the rich, the wealthy of the world. They
should leave the habit of looking at them as role-models and stop fol-
lowing them mob-like. For them, the ideal is that they should make a
habit of seeing everything in perspective making sure that they are
aware of the final end of their deeds, and that they should themselves
learn to figure out as to what is good or bad for them.
In addition to that, the purpose here is to comfort the Holy Prophet
when he has been asked not to grieve about the hostility صلى الله عليه وسلم
of the chiefs of Quraysh, for it was nothing new. Prophets in the past
had also faced such people. But, in the end, they were disgraced and
the word of Allah reigned supreme.
In the second verse (124), mentioned there is a conversation relating
to the same chiefs of the Quraysh. What they said was a combination
of verbal belligerence, sarcasm and mockery. It was answered.
Imam al-Baghawi reports from Sayyidna Qatadah that Abu Jahl,
the big chief of the tribe of Quraysh once said: We have confronted
Banu 'Abd Munaf (that is, the family of the Holy Prophet ) on every
front and we have never been behind them. But, now they say: 'you
cannot match us in nobility and spiritual greatness because we have a
prophet in our family who receives revelation from Allah Ta'ala.' Then
he said: I swear by Allah that we will never follow them unless we too
start receiving the kind of revelation he receives. The statement: 131,
,And when a sign comes to them) بَجَآءَ تُهُمْ أَيَّةٌ قَالُوا لَنْ تُؤْمِنَ حَيْى نُؤْتِى مِثْلَ مَّا أُوْتِىَ رُسُلُ اللهِ
they say, "We shall never come to believe unless we are given the like
of what was given to the messengers of Allah) at the end of the verse
means extactly this.
Prophets and Messengers are appointed by Allah:
This Office cannot be acquired or appropriated:
After having reported the statement quoted above, the Qur'an an-
swers it by saying: ◌ًاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَّتَه (Allah knows best where to place
his message). It means that the person making this remark thinks in
His ignorance that the station of a prophet and messenger can be ac-
quired on the basis of family nobility, tribal authority and wealth
while prophethood is the office of the Vice Regency (Khilafah) of Allah
the acquisition of which is in no one's control. No matter how many ex-
cellences and perfections one has acquired for himself, still no one can

460
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 123 - 125
- through his discretion or control or power of achievement - succeed in
acquiring the office and station of prophethood and messengership.
That is purely a blessing of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu. He bestows it on
whomsoever He wills.
This proves that prophethood and messengership are not con-
trolled by human beings. They are not what can be acquired by intel-
lectual perfection or pragmatic excellence or utmost striving or con-
suming devotion. Even a waliyy or saint, no matter how high he may
soar in his spiritual station, cannot acquire it. That is nothing but Di-
vine grace as it is given only to particular servants of Allah as dictated
by Divine knowledge and wisdom. However, it is necessary that
whoever is chosen to occupy this station and office, in the ultimate
knowledge of Allah Ta'ala, is identified right from the beginning when
he is created with appropriate inherent ability and then he is specially
groomed in his morals and deeds.
سَيُصِْبُ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا صَغَارٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَ: Towards the end of the verse, it was said
-Those who committed sin shall soon suffer from dis) عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَمْكُرُونَ
grace before Allah and face severe punishment for the mischief they
have been making). Here, the word: Jus (saghar) is a verbal noun
which means disgrace. The sentence means that these antagonists of
truth who are known to be the big chiefs of their people will see their
pride and prestige rolling in dust. Disgrace is coming; so is punish-
ment - and both are grim. That can be within the life of the present
world, and in the 'Akhirah as well - as has been the fate of the oppres-
sors of the prophets in the past who were put to disgrace in the
present world as well. The topmost antagonists of our own Prophet,
may the blessing of Allah and peace be upon him, who boasted about
their prestige, either entered the fold of Islam or, as was the case with
those who did not, were destroyed in disgrace. What happened to the
legendary chiefs of Quraysh, Abu Jahl and Abu Lahb, became a lesson
when the Conquest of Makkah broke their backs.
Signs of 'Sharh al-Sadr ' in Din
Some signs of the Divinely-guided, and the firm on error, have been
فَمَنُ مُرِدِ اللّهُ أَنْ تَهُدِيَةً يَشُرَعُ صَدُرَاً:given in the third verse (125). Said there was
SusU (So, whom Allah wills to give guidance, He opens his heart for
Islam).

461
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 123 - 125
Hakim in al-Mustadrak and Baihagi in Shu'ab al-'Iman report from
Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud as Ul »,: When this verse was re-
vealed, the Companions of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم requested
him to explain the meaning of Sharh al-Sadr, the opening of the heart
for Islam. He said: 'Allah Ta'ala puts a light in the heart of a believer
through which his heart opens up for the perception, understanding
and acceptance of truth. The Sahabah submitted: 'Is there a sign which
will help recognize the person who has such Sharh al-Sadr? He said:
'Yes. The sign is that 'Akhirah and its blessings become the object of all
his desires. He avoids uncalled-for desires and fleeting enjoyments and
starts getting ready for death before it comes.'
After that, he said: "ِوَمَنْ يُرِدُ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلُ صَدْرَةُ ضَّقًا حَرَجًا كَانَمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِى السَّمَاء " (and
whom He wills to let go astray, He makes his heart narrow, much too
narrow [wherefore, for him to accept the truth and to act in accordance
with it becomes as difficult], as though he climbs up to the sky).
Kalabi has said: 'the narrowing of his heart means that no passage
for the entry of truth and good remains open there.' A similar explana-
tion has also been reported from Sayyidna Faruq al-A'zam e ill yo, and
Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas as Ul », has said: 'When he hears the
Dhikr of Allah, he feels being harassed and when he listens to what is
Kufr and Shirk, his heart relishes it.'
The Noble Şahabah: Ever-Eager Receivers of Truth
This was the reason why the noble Sahabah, may Allah be pleased
with all of them, who were chosen by Allah Ta'ala to be His Prophet's
companions in faith, and to be the learners and carriers of his teach-
ings as his direct disciples. They were so convinced as his adherents
that their doubts about Islamic injunctions, if any, remained negligibly
low. During their whole lifetime, the number of questions presented
before the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم by them are but a counted few.
The reason was that by the grace of the company of the Holy Prophet
-their hearts were almost engraved with love and rever صلى الله عليه وسلم
ence for Allah Ta'ala and because of which they were blessed with the
high station of Sharh al-Sadr, a heart open to the acceptance of truth.
In fact, their hearts had become in themselves the very standard of
truth and falsehood. They would accept truth promptly and falsehood
could not find entry into their hearts. After that, as the distance from

462
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 126 - 128
the blessed period of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم increased, doubts
and scruples started finding room for infilteration and that was the be-
ginning of dogmatic differences.
To Remove Doubts : Open Hearts, Narrow Debates
In our day, the world is a stage infested with doubts. People seek
solutions through debates, arguments and counter-arguments and end
up with confusion worse confounded. This is not a sound way to handle
doubts as pointed out by the unique Indian poet, Akbar Ilahabadi:
ڈور کو سلجها رہا هے پر سرا ملتا نهيں
فلسفی کو بحث کے اندر خدا ملتا نہیں
The philosopher
deep in debate cannot find God
He is untangling the string but cannot find where to begin!
There is only one way out, that which was taken by the blessed
Companions and by the early righteous elders: Think of the perfect
power of Allah Ta'ala and imagine His blessings and feel the presence
of His love and reverence, the doubts evaporate automatically. This is
the reason why the Qur'an has itself prompted the Holy Prophet All
:(to make the following Du'a (prayer عليه وسلم
رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِىُ صَدُرِئُ
Rabbishrah li sadri
O my Rabb, open my heart.
كَذَلِكَ يَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ : At the end of the verse it was said
which means that this is how Allah brings damnation and disgrace
upon those who do not believe. For truth, their hearts are not open
while to every evil they dash.
Verses 126 - 128
وَهَذَا صِرَاطُ رَبِّكَ مُسْتَقِيمًا* قَدْ فَضَّلُنَا الْأَيْتِ لِقَوْمِ يَّذَّكَّرُوْنَ
﴿١٢٦) لَهُمْ دَارُ السَّلْمِ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَهُوَ وَلِّتُهُمُ بِمَا كَانُوا
يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٢٧) وَيَوْمَ يَحْتُُهُمْ جَمِيْعًا يُمَعُشََرِ الْجِنِّ قَدِ
اسْتَكْثَرْتُمْ مِّنَ الْإِنْسِ، وَقَالَ أَوْلِيَّتُهُمْ قِنَ أُلإِنْسِ رَبَّنَا اسْتَمْتَعْ
بَعْضُنَا بِبَعْضٍ وَبَلَغْنَّا أَجَلَنَا الَّذِىّ آَخَّلُتَ لَنَاءُ قَالَ الَّارُ

463
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 126 - 128
مَثْوُبِكُمُ خُلِدِيْنَ فِيْهَا إِلَّ مَاشَاءَاللهُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيْمٌ عَلِيْهمْ
﴿١٢٨﴾
And this is the path of your Lord, a straight path. We
have made the verses elaborate for people who accept
the advice. [126] For them there is the Abode of Peace
with their Lord, and He is their Guardian by virtue of
what they used to do. [127]
And the day He gathers all of them together: "O Jinn-
kind, you have done too much against mankind." And
their friends from among the human beings will say,
"Our Lord, some of us have benefitted from some oth-
ers, and we have reached our term You had appointed
for us." He will say, "The Fire is your Abode where you
will remain for ever, except what Allah wills. Surely,
your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing." [128]
Commentary
In the first (126) of the three verses appearing here, the address is
وَهُذَا صِرَاطُ رَبِّكَ مُسْتَقِيمًا : and it has been said صلى الله عليه وسلم to the Holy Prophet
(And this is the path of your Lord, a straight path). Here, as said by
Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud are Al ), the word: lis (hadha:this) re-
fers to the Qur'an, and as said by Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas Je,
ue, it means Islam (Ruh al-Ma'ani). The sense of the sentence is: This Way
is the Way of your Lord, that is, this is a Way which has been proposed
by your Lord in His infinite Wisdom, and with Him it finds favour.
Here, by attributing the Way to the Lord of all, it has been indicated
that the working system of Qur'an and Islam given to him was not for
the benefit of Allah Ta'ala, rather, it was for the benefit of those who
would act in accordance with it. This is as required by His being the
Rabb, the Supreme Nurturer. Through this Way, the purpose is to
nurture, train and groom human beings in a manner which would
guarantee their eternal well-being.
Then, by bringing in the word: , (Rabb:Lord) in a state of attribu-
tion to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم , that is :ربك (Rabbik:your Lord),
the impression of a special kindness towards him has been released -
that: 'your' Lord has proposed this Way. The delicacy of this attribu-

464
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 126 - 128
tion can be readily felt by people of taste. Think of a servant of Allah.
If he ever happens to find his person placed in even the minor-most
frame of reference to his Rabb and Ma'bud, his Lord and the object of
his worship and devotion, that would be, for him, the highest possible
achievement. And now, if the Lord of lords, the One worship-worthy
entity in this whole universe, were to attribute His pristine Person to
him and say, "I am yours," what remains there for him to say anything
anymore about his wonderful 'kismet!'
After that, the 'existing identity' of this Qur'anic Way has been ex-
plained through the word: 22' (mustaqim), that is, this path is the
straight path. Here too, rather than have 'mustaqim' (straight) as the
adjective of 'sirat' (path), it has been placed as an adverb which indi-
cates that the Way has been proposed by the Lord of the universe, and
in this, any probability, other than its being straight, just cannot exist.
(Ruh al-Ma'ani and Al-Bahr al-Muķīt)
The text then says : ◌َقَدْ فَضَّلُنَا الْأَيْتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُون (We have made the verses
elaborate for people who accept the advice).
The word: 'da' (Fassalna: We have made elaborate) is from: 12 &
(tafșil) which basically means to describe a subject by analysing it unit
by unit. This way comprehending the subject becomes easy. Therefore,
the outcome of tafsil is to explain explicitly. So, the sense comes to be:
'We have stated matters of principle explicitly and in details in which
there remains no brevity or ambiguity.' After that, by saying: 53-pás
(for people who accept the advice), it was pointed out that, though
these statements of the Qur'an are clear, but benefit from them has
been derived only by those who ponder over the Qur'an to seek good
counsel honestly, that is, doggedness, inherent resistence, opinionated-
ness, a priori hostility or the barriers of blind adherence to or following
of ancestral customs do not come in between as walls.
In the second verse (127), it was said: l Ergista (For them there
is the Abode of Peace with their Lord). It means that the people who
have been mentioned above, people who see and hear the Qur'anic
words of advice with an open mind and who, as an inevitable result,
accept the advice and guidance, then, it is for them that there is that
reward of Darus-Salam, present and preserved, waiting. Here, the

465
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 126 - 128
word: 315 (dar) means home or abode and: > (salam) means peace and
security from all calamities, catastrophies and hardships. Therefore,
Darus-Salam can be the description of a home where none of these, or
sorrow or pain of any kind, can find entry. And that, as obvious, could
only be Paradise.
And Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas as Al _», said: Salam is the
name of Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu. And the Dar of As-Salam means the
'Dar' (home, house or abode) of Allah. It is evident that the abode of Al-
lah is a place of peace. Therefore, the meaning essentially remains the
same, that is, a home where total and all-inclusive peace reigns. By
calling Jannah (Paradise) Darus-Salam, the indication given is that
Jannah alone is the place where one sheds off all pain, anxiety and
distaste, and enjoys total bliss, something never acquired by the high-
est of the high in this mortal world, nor even by the greatest of the
great prophets or messengers - because this state of life in the mortal
world is not the proper locale of perfect and eternal peace and pleas-
ure.
It has been stated in this verse that, for those who have the good
fortune of accepting the advice, there is 'Darus-Salam' with their Lord.
Now, the expression - 'with their Lord' - could also mean that this
'Darus-Salam' cannot be cashed instantly here in the mortal world,
rather, they will get it when they go to their Lord on the Day of Qiya-
mah. And it could also mean that the promise of 'Darus-Salam' cannot
be false. The most gracious Rabb is its guarantor. It lies safe with
Him. Then, right here, there is yet another indication towards the fact
that no one can ever imagine the blessings of this 'Darus-Salam' within
the limitations of this frame of existence. Only the Rabb, with whom
lies this treasure, knows it.
Moreover, in the light of the second meaning given above, the actu-
al getting of this 'Darus-Salam' does not seem to hinge upon the coming
of Qiyamah (The Last Day) and 'Akhirah (Hereafter). In fact, it is also
possible that the most gracious Rabb would make anyone He wills its
fortunate recepient within the life of this world - whether by making
them totally immune to and protected against all calamities and hard-
ships, as has been the case is some examples of past prophets and men
of Allah, or, by making the blessings of the 'Akhirah appear before

466
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 126 - 128
their eyes with a touch of the real, their very eyes were attuned to the
real thing in a manner that it helped them perceive the pains of the
transitory world as something insignificant and not worthy of much
notice. For such people, even stockpiles of suffering are reduced to a
blade of grass.
That the forthcoming rewards to be received as against the hard-
ships of the mortal world would make them welcome these hardships
as something delectable is not a proposition too far out. Think of the
eternal blessings of the 'Akhirah. They are certainly great as they can
be. Then, think of the fleeting comforts of this mortal world. Their very
thought thrills. Man slaves for them, yet takes his slavery with a smile
and a sigh of relief. Man sacrifices the bliss of his freedom and ex-
changes it with worldly comforts through recommendations and
bribes, goes for the hard labour of job or work which cuts through his
sleep and rest, even does it with zest and enthusiasm, and then, is
happy and grateful about it - because he sees before his eyes the pas-
sage of thirty one days of the month which will bring to him the taste
and pleasure of the salary he has earned. That pleasure makes every
bitterness of this slavery in work tasteful and pleasing. According to
one of the possible explanations (Tafsir) of the Qur'anic verse: su Ju g1;
s &, those who fear Allah Ta'ala shall have two Paradises, the one in
the 'Akhirah and the other in the mortal world. To begin with, Para-
dise in the world means that one finds the help of Allah with him in
everything he does. What he does seems to be becoming easy for him -
and, even if he has to face a passing phase of difficulty, extra-effort, or
even failure, that appears welcome to him in anticipation of the last-
ing blessings of the 'Akhirah, something which.turns even this painful
experience into a state of comfort.
To sum up, it can be said that the reference in this verse, of 'Darus-
Salam' for good people being with their Rabb, is a promise which is
certain and determined for the Akhirah, and it is also possible that
they may be given a taste of the 'Darus-Salam' in this world as well.
وَهُوَ وَلِيُّهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ :At the conclusion of the verse (127), it was said
(and He is their Guardian by virtue of what they used to do). It means
that, because of their good deeds, Allah Ta'ala becomes their guardian,
care-taker and helper. Everything hard they face becomes easy on

467
Surah Al-An'am : 6 : 126 - 128
them.
Mentioned in the third verse (128) is a dialogue before a gathering
of Jinns and human beings on the plains of the Resurrection (Al-
Hashr). Allah Ta'ala will address the satans among Jinns telling them
about their excessive role in misleading human beings. What would
they say in reply has not been mentioned by the Qur'an. As obvious,
there was not much they could do but to confess the truth before the
All-Knowing and the All-Aware. But, in not mentioning their confes-
sion, the hint given is that they will be so confounded with the ques-
tion that they would not know how to make an answer. (Ruh al-Ma'ani)
After that, the text turns to the satans among human beings, that
is, those who followed the instigations of satans during their life of the
world, went astray themselves, and kept becoming the cause of others
going astray. It is from them that an answer submitted in the court of
the Judge of all judges has been mentioned - though, the inital ques-
tion was not asked of the satans of human beings, but in an implied
manner, they too were the addressees, because they too had done the
same job of making people go astray as was the job of the satans of the
Jinn. Thus, their reply was based on their being the implied address-
ees. But, it seems obvious that the human-like satans too are liable to
be questioned which, though, is not mentioned here explicitly. Howev-
er, it does find mention in a verse of Surah Ya Sin, which is: Konzipjí
-that is, 'had I not taken a pledge from you, O chil يُبَنِيَ ادَمَ أَنْ لَّ تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطْنَ
dren of Adam (through messengers), that you shall not obey the Shay-
tan? - 36:60).
From this we know that human satans too will be subjected to the
question on this occasion and they would, in reply, confess that, surely,
they committed that crime and that they listened to the satans, and
they would also confess that, surely, the two of them benefitted from
each other through their friendship and cooperation. The human sa-
tans learned from them the ways of securing gratification from worldly
enjoyments and, on occasions, called on them for help in one or the
other way, as is the practice in idol-worshipping Hindus and, for that
matter, even among ignorant Muslims, who would practice methods
through which the help of satans and jinns can be harnessed in some
tasks. As for the satans among Jinns, their gain was that they found a