Surah al-A`raf (The Elevated Places) 7 : 184

Overview (Verse 184)

Points for Reflection

This serious and alarming threat was directed first of all at certain people in Makkah who denied God’s revelations, but Qur’ānic statements always go beyond the immediate occasion to have a more general import. It threatens these people because of their attitude towards the Muslim community, described here according to Islamic terminology as a nation or ummah. They are warned that they are only being given respite, and led on by a mighty scheme. This threat is followed by calling on them to use their hearts, eyes and ears, in order to spare themselves the fate of Hell. The Qur’ān also calls on them to reflect on the position of God’s Messenger who explains the truth to them and guides them to it, and to consider God’s dominion of the heavens and the earth and the indicators placed in this kingdom. It draws their attention to the fact that time passes and that their appointed hour is drawing near, while they remain unaware.

The Qur’ān shakes them and wakes them up in order to rescue their nature, minds and feelings from the pressures that weigh heavily on them. It addresses their humanity with all its systems of reception and response. It does not make an academic argument, but tries to address their whole nature: “Have they not thought things over? Their companion is no madman; he is only a plain warner.” (Verse 184)

In their propaganda campaign against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the notables of the Quraysh21 tried to deceive the public by saying that Muhammad was a madman who uttered strange words, unfamiliar to normal human beings.

Those notables of the Quraysh were fully aware that they were lying. Numerous reports suggest that they were fully aware of the truth concerning the Prophet and his message. They could not even stop themselves listening to the Qur’ān and responding to its appeal. A well-known report mentions that three of them, al- Akhnas ibn Sharīq, Abū Sufyān and Abū Jahl met one another on three consecutive nights after having sat for a long while during the night listening to the Qur’ān.

Another well-known report describes how `Utbah ibn Rabī`ah was deeply touched when the Prophet recited to him a long passage of Sūrah 41.There is also a famous report describing how they held a conference as the pilgrimage season approached, to discuss what to say to pilgrims from faraway areas about the Qur’ān. Al-Walīd ibn Al- Mughīrah finally instructed them to say that the Qur’ān was the product of sorcery. All these reports confirm that they were not unaware of the truth of this faith. They only adopted an arrogant attitude and feared for their authority which they felt to be threatened by the declaration that there was no deity other than God and that Muhammad was His Messenger. That declaration constituted a threat to all types of human tyranny as it put an end to all human attempts to force people to submit to anyone other than God.

They manipulated the unique style of the Qur’ān and the fact that it was so different from all familiar human styles. They also made use of the common belief concerning a relationship between prophecy and madness that originates from the fact that a mad person may say incomprehensible words and utterances which someone close to him might interpret any way he likes, claiming that it was given him from another world. Those Arabs manipulated that legacy in order to deceive people alleging that what Muhammad said was the product of madness.

The Qur’ān calls on them to consider and reflect: they had known this companion of theirs, i.e. the Prophet Muhammad, (peace be upon him), for a long time and they had never experienced any fault with him. Indeed, they themselves testified to his honesty, truthfulness and wisdom. They accepted him as an arbiter when a quarrel erupted between them over which tribe was to have the honour of putting the Black Stone back in its position. They accepted his judgement which spared them a potentially very costly battle. They trusted him with their valuables which they kept in his custody until the day when he left Makkah to migrate to Madinah. His cousin, `Alī, returned every valuable article to its owner.

The Qur’ān calls on them to consider and reflect on all this. They had known Muhammad for a very long time and were fully aware of his character. Was he a man to experience any madness? Were any of his words or actions indicative of madness? Certainly not: “Their companion is no madman; he is only a plain warner.” (Verse 184) There is certainly nothing wrong with his mind or with his speech. He speaks plainly to warn people about what is awaiting them. His statements could never be confused with those of mad people and his actions were certainly the actions of a very wise person.