Quran Speaks To You

(We continue our series from Surah Imran)

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Beneficient


There are those who declare: “Allah has charged us not to believe in any messenger unless he brings us an offering which the fire consumes”. Say: Messengers came to you before me with clear evidence of the truth and with that which you describe. Why, then did you slay them, if what you say is true?” Then if they charge you with falsehood, before your time, other messengers were also charged with falsehood when they came with clear evidence of the truth and books of wisdom and with the light-giving scripture.


Every soul shall taste death and you shall be paid on the day of resurrection only that which you have earned. He who shall be drawn away from the fire and brought into paradise shall have indeed gained a triumph. The life of this world is nothing, but an illusory enjoyment. (The House of Imran, “Aal Imran”: 183-185)


(Commentary by Sayyid Qutb. Translated by A.A.Shamis and Adil Salahi)


The verses immediately preceding the above passage refer to the warnings and condemnation of the Jews in Madinah. One reason for that condemnation was the fact that they impudently claimed that Allah was poor and they were rich and the fact that they also killed prophets sent to them. Those very people are the ones who nevertheless claimed that they would not believe in Muhammad (Pbuh) because Allah had charged them not to believe in any messenger until He brought them an offering and the miracle happened in the form of fire coming from the sky to consume it. It was this form of miracle which some Israelite Prophets were given in support of their call. Since Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) did not make that particular miracle, they would remain true to their covenant with Allah or so they claimed.


At this point, the Quran confronts them with their own history. In the past, they killed those very prophets who came to them with the very miracles, they asked of them and also gave them clear evidence of the truth: (There are) those who declare: “Allah has charged us not to believe in any messenger unless he brings us an offering which the fire consumes.” Say: “Messengers came to you before me with clear evidence of the truth and with that which you describe. Why, then, did you slay them, if what you say is true.’? By so confronting them, the Quran exposes their lies, devious methods and their persistence with their disbelief as well as their boastfulness and the fabrications they make against Allah.


Following this, the surah addresses the Prophet (Pbuh) with tenderness and reassurance, encouraging him to take lightly whatever they do by way of opposition to him. After all, it is the same as they did against his noble brother messengers throughout history: “Then, if they charge you with falsehood, before your time, other messengers were also charged with falsehood when they came with clear evidence of the truth, and books of wisdom and with the light-giving scripture.”


Muhammad (Pbuh) was not the first messenger to be confronted with the charge of lying. Succeeding generations, especially of the children of Israel, confronted with the same charge of lying, messengers who came to them with clear evidence and miracles, as well as scrolls containing divine commandments (which are described in this verse as books of wisdom) and with the light-giving scripture, such as the Torah and the Gospel. It is then the same story with messengers and divine messages. It is the same way they all follow, one of much hardship and sacrifice. It is the only way.


Following this, the surah addresses the Muslim community, explaining the values to which it should dearly hold, and for which it should sacrifice. It also speaks of the hardships and the suffering which it is bound to encounter along its way, encouraging the Muslim community to remain steadfast, show strong resolve and to always maintain its fear of Allah: Every soul shall taste death and you shall be paid on the day of resurrection only that which you have earned. He who shall be drawn away from the fire and brought into paradise shall have indeed gained a triumph. The life of this world is nothing, but an illusory enjoyment.


“You shall most certainly be tried in your possessions and in your persons, and you shall hear much hurting abuse from those who were given the scriptures before you and from the polytheists. But if you persevere and continue to fear Allah- and that is indeed a matter requiring strong resolve.
The fact that this life on earth is limited to a certain date which will inevitably come must be well established in the believers’ hearts. Good people as well as bad people will certainly die. Those who fight a campaign of jihad and those who slacken, those who feel pride in their faith and those who are humbled by other creatures, the brave who accept no injustice and the cowards who will do anything to remain alive, those who have great aspirations and the ones who seek only cheap enjoyment-will all die.


No one will be spared: Every soul shall taste death. It is a cup from which every living thing will have to drink and thus depart away from this life. There is no distinction whatsoever between one soul and another in as much as drinking of this cup is concerned. The distinction concerns a different value: the ultimate result. You shall be paid on the day of resurrection only that which you have earned. He who shall be drawn away from the fire and brought into paradise shall have indeed gained a triumph.


It is with regard to this value that distinction will be made. It is the destiny which will separate one group of souls from the other. The value is one which is worth striving for. The destiny is a fearful one which must be taken very seriously indeed: He who shall be drawn away from the fire and brought into paradise shall indeed have gained a triumph.


The Arabic term which is rendered in translation as “shall be drawn away” is much more expressive than its English equivalent because its very sound adds to its meaning and connotations. It gives the listener a feeling that the fire has strong gravity which enables it to pull towards it anyone who draws near it or enters its orbit. Such a person then needs support from someone else who draws him slowly and gradually away from its overpowering gravity. He who can be forced out of its orbit becomes free of its strong pull, will enter paradise and he would have gained a great triumph.


It is a very vivid image and all its lines are brought out in sharp relief. We see here movement, an overpowering force and strong resistance. It is indeed a very real image. For the fire has a very strong gravity, which is the overpowering temptations of all sorts of sin. Is it not true that a human being needs to be gradually away from the pull of temptation? That is indeed how he is drawn away from the fire. Despite this hard work and being always alert, man will always be in deficit with regard to what is required of him of good work. His only hope is for Allah to bestow on him His grace. That is indeed what is meant by being drawn away from the fire. It is only through Allah’s grace that man is spared the punishment of hell.


The life of this world is nothing but an illusory enjoyment. There is enjoyment in this life, it is true. But it is not real enjoyment. It is an illusory one. It is only under illusion that man thinks of it as an enjoyment. Or it is the enjoyment which leads to illusions. As for the real enjoyment which gives real happiness and ecstasy, the one which is worth striving for as hard as one can is there, in the life to come. It is the triumph gained when one is brought into paradise. When this fact is well established in the believer’s heart, when he is no longer so keen to stay alive, since every soul shall taste death anyway and when he has recognized the illusory nature of the enjoyment of this life, Allah tells the believers about the trials which they shall have to endure in their possessions and persons. By then, they are well prepared for the sacrifice.