Even if We had sent down to you a book written on paper and they had touched it with their own hands, surely the disbelievers would still say: "This is nothing but plain magic." They say: "Why has not an angel been sent down to him?" Yet, if We were to send down an angel, the matter would be settled and they would have been allowed no further respite. And even if We had appointed an angel (as a messenger) We would certainly have made him (appear as) a man, and thus We would have confused for them that which they themselves are confusing.
Indeed other messengers have been derided before your time, but those who scoffed at them were eventually overwhelmed by the very thing they have derided.
Say: Travel all over the Earth and see what was the fate of those who denied the truth.
(Cattle; "Al An'am": 6;7-ll)
We concluded our commentary on the first verses of this passage last week saying that the Islamic view of the universe establishes a strong relationship between this world and what lies beyond human perception. We have given the example of the angels as part of Allah's creation in the imperceptible world. We pointed out some of their qualities and attributes and referred to their relationship with the world of man. We finished by saying that the Islamic concept gives man's life a much broader perspective as it establishes its links with the world beyond. Those who wish to lock the whole imperceptible world before man and insist that man has nothing to do with it, do not have man's interests at heart. They want to see man confined to the material and physical world, reducing him to the world of animals. Allah has honored man by giving him an intellect which enables him to visualize things that cannot be perceived by animals. He can thus extend his knowledge and give a greater scope to his feelings. He purifies himself as he floats in this light.
Despite all the erroneous beliefs of the Arabs in their ignorant pre-Islamic days, they were in this particular aspect better than the advocates of modern ignorance, which describes itself as "scientific". These latter-day unbelievers ridicule anything that relates to the world of the imperceptibles and consider believing in the existence of such a world as unscientific naivity. They consider believing in the world beyond human perception as totally contradictory to science and scientific advancement. We will have reason to come back to this point and discuss it at greater length later in this surah. We will limit our discussion here to a brief word about the angels. We ask: What science and what knowledge justifies or dictates the denial of the existence of angels altogether? All human knowledge cannot deny the possibility of the existing of some sort of life, different from that we know on Earth, in other planets where the atmosphere and the structure and the other conditions are different from those of the Earth. How can the advocates of the scientific and rational approach persist in categorically denying the existence of such life and such worlds when they have no evidence to support their denial? In this, we are not asking them to submit to the rule of our fajth or to what Allah says. We are simply asking them to submit to the dictates of their own "science" which they glorify as a god. Although they cannot provide any evidence based on their science they persist in their totally "unscientific" denial. Yet it is no exaggeration to say that the imperceptible world which they deny is the very truth which human knowledge has come to recognize even in our own world which we touch and see.
This passage at the opening of the surah is concluded with a reference to what has happened to those who derided Allah's messengers. The new rejectors of the faith are called upon to reflect on the fate of those who preceded them. They are told to travel all over the Earth to see for themselves the fate of earlier unbelievers, because that tells them of Allah's law which never fails: "Indeed other messengers have been derided before your time, but those who scoffed at them were eventually overwhelmed by the very thing they had derided. Say: Travel all over the Earth and see what was the fate of those who denied the truth."
Having established that their attitude was merely one of stubborn rejection and that their suggestions have no basis other than total ignorance, and having shown that Allah's refusal to act on their suggestions is only an aspect of His mercy and forbearance, the reference to the treatment received by earlier messengers have a dual purpose. First, provides some solace to the Prophet who was at the receiving end of obstinate rejection by those who denied the truth. It reassures him that Allah will certainly punish those who deride His messengers and scoff at them. It tells him that such rejection is not a new phenomenon: Earlier messengers received similar treatment by their peoples, but those who scoffed at them were soon to suffer Allah's punishment. Ultimate victory belongs to the truth.
Secondly it reminds the rejectors of the Prophet's message in Arabia of the fate of their earlier counterparts. A similar fate awaits them if they were to persist in their ridicule and rejection. Allah's punishment destroyed earlier generations who were much more powerful and who enjoyed greater wealth. This reference, then, shakes their hearts violently.
Let us reflect a little here on this Qur'anic directive: ("Say: Travel all over the Earth and see what was the fate of those who denied the truth.") To travel all over the Earth for the simple objective of reflection and drawing lessons on the basis of events that have taken place and on history that is told by one generation to the next was something totally new to the Arabs. It shows how great was the gulf between their level of ignorance and the much higher level of intelligence, knowledge and reflection to which Islam carried them. They used to travel for trade and to earn their living. As for traveling in order to gain knowledge and draw lessons, this was totally new to them. This new Islamic method took them by the hand to elevate them from the depth of ignorance and to walk them gently along the road to the zenith they were soon to achieve.
Moreover, it was totally new for mankind at that period of time, to try to interpret human history on the basis of methodical rules such as those pointed out by the Qur'an to the Arabs and according to well-defined laws based on cause and effect. All people can easily observe these laws and formulate their conceptions of premises, stages and results according to them. Up to that period in time, the best that people knew of history was the recording of events and narratives about customs and social habits. No particular method, either analytic of synthetic, was followed to determine links between events or relate results to premises. The Qur'an has elevated mankind to anew horizon and gave them a method to analyze the events of human history and reflect on them. This method does not represent a stage in the development of human knowledge. It is the only method which can give us a true picture of human history.
Those who are amazed at the great advancement achieved by the Arabs within a period of a quarter of a century at the time of Prophet Muhammad — which is totally insufficient to bring about a dramatic development of economic conditions — will cease to be amazed if they switch their attention from finding economic factors for this change. They should try to discover the secret of this advancement in 'the new divine method which Allah Who knows all has given them through His messenger, Muhammad (peace be on him). It is this method that the secret of the miracle experienced by the Arabs lies. Their attempts to find the secret with the false god created by modern materialism, namely, economy, will remain futile. For what dramatic economic development took place in Arabia to explain the formulation of new concepts and beliefs, system of government, methodical thought, moral values, new social status and new fields of knowledge which the Arabs witnessed within a quarter of a century.
The Qur'an has established a new system of thought. Totally unknown previously to man, this method is both unique and valid for all times. It is the method pointed out by numerous Qur'anic verses such as the one with which this passage concludes: "Say: Travel all over the Earth and see what was the fate of those who denied the truth.") A similar pointer is the earlier verse in the surah: ("Do they not see how many a generation We have destroyed before them — people whom We have made more powerful in the land than We have made you, and upon whom We had loosened heaven in torrents and made rivers flow at their feet? Yet We destroyed them for their sins and raised up another generation after them.")
