Surah Ibrahim (Abraham ) 14 : 21

Overview  (Verse 21)

Acrimonious Exchanges between Allies

At this point in the sūrah we note an even higher level of the inimitable style of the Qur’ān, and its power of imagery, expression and harmony between scenes and ideas. A short while ago we saw obstinate tyrants coming to grief, with an image of hell looming large behind them as they are made to suffer their greatest disappointment in this life. Now we see them on the Day of Judgement. It is at once an extraordinary and powerful scene, full of movement, reaction and dialogue between the weak and the powerful, and between both and Satan.

They will all appear before God, and then the weak will say to those who acted with arrogance: ‘We were your followers: can you relieve us of something of God’s punishment?’ [And the others] will reply: Had God given us guidance, we would have guided you. It is now all one for us whether we grieve impatiently or endure with patience. There is no escape for us now.’ And when everything will have been decided, Satan will say: ‘God has made you a true promise. I, too, made promises to you, but I did not keep them. Yet I had no power at all over you, except that I called you and you responded to me. Hence, do not now blame me, but blame yourselves. It is not for me to respond to your cries, nor for you to respond to mine. I have already disclaimed your associating me with God.’ Indeed, for all wrongdoers there is grievous suffering in store. Those who believe and do righteous deeds will be admitted to gardens through which running waters flow, wherein they will abide, by their Lord’s leave. Their greeting shall be: Peace. (Verses 21-23) We have now moved from this world’s stage to that of the next where everyone appears before God: “They will all appear before God.” They all come forward: the arrogant tyrants who reject His message and their weak subordinates, joined by Satan, and also those who believed in the messengers and did righteous deeds. In fact they have always been exposed before God, but now they know and feel that there is no screen to give them cover or protection. They all appear in front of Him, and now the dialogue starts:

“Then the weak will say to those who acted with arrogance: ‘We were your followers: can you relieve us of something of God’s punishment?’” (Verse 21) The weak are those who forfeited the most essential quality of the human being honoured by God when they forfeited their rights to freedom of thought, belief and choice, making themselves no more than the slaves of arrogant despots. They submitted themselves like servants to such despots like themselves in preference to submission to God alone. Such weakness is no excuse; indeed it is their crime.

God does not like that anyone should feel weak. Indeed he calls on all people to seek His protection, and find strength in His support. He does not like that anyone should abandon, willingly or unwillingly, his or her share of freedom, which is a privilege for which they deserve honour. No material force, great as it may be, can force into submission a human being who wants to remain free and hold on to his human dignity. The maximum that brute force can achieve is to have power over the body, imprisoning and tormenting it. As for the mind, conscience and spirit, these cannot be imprisoned by anyone unless the victim so agrees to hand them over.

Who has the power to make such weak people follow despots in faith, thought and behaviour? Who has the power to make them submit to anyone other than God, their Creator who is the only One to provide them with their means of sustenance? The answer is none other than their own weak souls. They are not weak because of any lack of material power, or because they have less dignity, wealth, or position than despots. All these are of little consequence. They are external or superficial aspects, and lacking them does not mean any real weakness. Instead, they are weak in their souls and dignity. They do not truly appreciate man’s most essential quality.

The oppressed represent the majority while the despots are in the minority. How come, then, that the majority are subjugated by the minority? It is only a weakness of spirit and soul, and forfeiture of the dignity with which God has graced human beings. Despots cannot humiliate and subjugate the masses unless the masses are willing to be subjugated. The masses are always able to stand up to tyrants, if only they choose to do so. What is lacking, then, is the will. Humiliation does not come about without a susceptibility to being humiliated. In fact the tyrants rely only on this susceptibility. Here we see those weak and humble ‘followers’ as they come on the stage of the hereafter. Addressing arrogant tyrants, they say: “We were your followers: can you relieve us of something of God’s punishment?” (Verse 21) We have followed you and, as a result, we are now facing this painful destiny. Or maybe it is that after seeing the punishment that awaits them they try to reproach the tyrants for having led them to this end. The sūrah quotes what they say, which carries overtones of humility.

The arrogant tyrants reply to their question, saying: “Had God given us guidance, we would have guided you.” (Verse 21) Why should you blame us when we are facing the same destiny as you? We have not followed guidance ourselves and left you to go astray. Had God given us guidance we would have led you to it, just as we led you to error when we went astray. They attribute both their guidance and error to God, now acknowledging His great power, when once they had denied these. They exercised their tyranny, subjugating the weak to their power, in a manner which took no account of God’s power. They now try to absolve themselves by attributing their error and role in leading other people astray to God. But God does not command anyone to go astray, as He says: “Never does God enjoin what is indecent.” (7: 28)

They go on to implicitly reproach the weak, telling them that there is no use in panic or patient endurance. God’s punishment is due and it cannot be averted. The time has passed when panic could have helped those who went astray to return to God in repentance. Similarly, patience in adversity used to be of benefit, because God would bestow His mercy on those who were patient. But now this is all over. There is no more room for escape: “It is now all one for us, whether we grieve impatiently or endure with patience. There is no escape for us now.” (Verse 21)