Surah al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage ) 22 : 65

Overview (Verses 65 - 66)

Mercy Without Limit

Once more the sūrah points out some of the aspects of God’s power as seen in nature: “Do you not see that God has made subservient to you all that is on earth, and the ships that sail the sea at His bidding? He it is who holds the celestial bodies, so that they may not fall upon the earth except by His leave. Most compassionate is God, and merciful to mankind.” (Verse 65) This draws people’s attention to the earth they live on, which contains a wide variety of powers and wealth which God has made subservient to man. Yet man remains oblivious of God’s favours which he enjoys night and day.

God has placed everything on earth at man’s disposal, by making the laws of nature affecting the earth compatible with man’s nature and abilities. Had these been at variance with the natural laws of the earth, human life would not have been possible on this planet, and man would not have been able to utilize its resources to his benefit. Had he been physically different from the condition which allows him to tolerate the earth’s atmosphere, breathe its air, eat its food and drink its water, man could not have survived on earth for even a very brief time. Had the density of the earth or the human constitution been different, man would not have been able to walk or stand upright on earth; he would either fly in the air or sink into the earth. Had the earth been without an atmosphere, or had the air been heavier or lighter than its present condition, man would have suffocated or been unable to breathe. Thus, it is the compatibility of all these natural elements with human nature that makes man able to live on earth and benefit by its resources. This is only feasible through God’s will.

Moreover, God made the earth subservient to man through the powers and abilities He gave man. Without these man would not have been able to tap the resources of the earth to his benefit. As it is, man discovers these resources one by one. Whenever he needs something new for his life, he uncovers new treasures; and whenever he feels that the earth’s reserves of an essential material are running short, he finds new ones or alternative materials. Today, although there remain plenty of oil supplies and other minerals, yet the vast potential of nuclear energy has become available. But man is still like a child who plays with fire, and can easily burn himself and those around him. Hence, he needs to abide by the code of living God has laid down so that he can make full use of the earth’s resources to build a better human life and fulfil his mission.

“Do you not see that God has made subservient to you all that is on earth, and the ships that sail the sea at His bidding?” (Verse 65) It is God who created the laws that allow ships to sail through the sea, and who gave man the necessary means to discover these laws and utilize them to his benefit. Had the nature of the sea, or the ships, or man’s powers of understanding and learning been different, none of this could have happened.

“He it is who holds the celestial bodies, so that they may not fall upon the earth except by His leave. Most compassionate is God, and merciful to mankind.” (Verse 65) It is He who created the universe and chose its appropriate system. It is He who has made its laws which ensure that celestial bodies remain far apart from each other.

Every theory explaining this universal system is no more than an attempt to understand the laws that ensure the maintenance of the balance that God has placed in the universe. Yet some people overlook this essential fact. They think that if they learn how the universe works, then they are negating God’s role and His power which operates it. This is a particularly singular way of thinking. To explain how a certain law of nature works does not negate that it has been devised by the One who set it in operation in the first place, or that He continues to ensure that such a law remains in operation. Besides, all that man has come up with is a host of theories that attempt to explain natural phenomena. They may be right, and may equally be wrong.

God Almighty holds the celestial bodies so that they may not fall upon the earth’ through the system He has devised for the universe. He keeps them from falling ‘except by His leave.’ This is a reference to a time when He may decide to stop this system for a purpose He, in His infinite wisdom, wishes to happen.

The sūrah completes its reference to aspects of God’s power and the perfection of natural laws by speaking of the human soul. It talks of human existence, life and death: “It is He who gave you life, and then will cause you to die, and then will bring you back to life. Bereft of all gratitude is man.” (Verse 66) The first life is a miracle renewed with every child born at every moment of the night and day. Its secret continues to fill man’s mind with wonder and to leave a vast area for us to contemplate. Death is also a secret that man cannot fathom. It occurs within a brief moment, yet the gulf between the nature of life and that of death is vast indeed, leaving a similarly vast area for contemplation. Life after death is something that lies beyond our faculties of perception, but our present life provides ample evidence for it. This is a further area for contemplation.

Yet man seldom reflects or contemplates, because man is ‘bereft of all gratitude.’ The sūrah shows all these aspects and draws our attention to them within the context of assuring victims of oppression that they will have God’s support as they try to repel such hostility. Such is the Qur’ānic method in using universal scenes to arouse human feelings, and in linking the laws of justice to the laws governing universal existence.