Overview (Verses 195 - 197)

Prayers Answered and Obligation Defined

Their Lord answers them: ‘I will not suffer the work of any worker among you, male or female, to be lost. Each of you is an issue of the other. Therefore, those who emigrate and are driven out of their homes and suffer persecution in My cause, and fight and are slain [for it] — I shall indeed efface their bad deeds and admit them to gardens through which running waters flow, as a reward from God. With God is the best of rewards. Let not the disbelievers’ prosperity in the land deceive you. It is but a brief enjoyment. Then, Hell shall be their abode. What an evil abode. (Verses 195-197)

In this passage we have God’s answer to the prayer repeated at length by the believers who have come to accept the faith after their reflection on the scene of the universe. They recognise that God has not created all this in vain. They understand the message imparted by these scenes and make the appropriate response and pray to God to spare them the disgrace of being committed to hell in the Hereafter. God’s answer is a detailed one, harmonious with the artistic characteristics of the Qur’ānic style which takes into account the psychological requirements of every situation. Let us consider this answer and what it tells us about the nature of the Divine method and how Islam sets about refining the characters of its followers. Those people, described in an earlier verse as “endowed with insight” have reflected on the creation of the heavens and the earth and on the succession of night and day and have appreciated the message of the book of the universe, responding to the truth as it is clearly explained in it. They have addressed their Lord with a long, heart-felt prayer which reflects their apprehension. Here they receive the response of their merciful Lord. Their prayers are answered as their attention is drawn to the constituent elements of the way of life God wants them to adopt and to its obligations: “Their Lord answers them: I will not suffer the work of any worker among you, male or female, to be lost. Each of you is an issue of the other.” Here they are told that reflection, contemplation, apprehension and passionate prayer are not enough, nor is it enough to turn to God for forgiveness and for bad deeds to be effaced and salvation to be granted. These goals require positive action of a particular type that is motivated by understanding the lessons learnt through reflection on the creation of the universe.

Islam considers this an act of worship, in the same way as it considers reflection, contemplation and remembrance of God, a prayer for forgiveness and a fear of God and a hope in His bounty. Indeed, Islam views action as the practical result of such worship. It is accepted from all, male and female alike, without any discrimination on the basis of sex. All people are equal as human beings, since each one of them issues from another, and they are all judged equally.

The work required is then outlined. We can see here the obligations imposed by Islamic faith with regard to personal and financial sacrifices. We can also appreciate the nature of the Islamic method of life and in what sort of society it is to be implemented. We are made to understand further the way to establish such a society and the barriers and difficulties which work against its establishment. The need is urgent to remove such obstacles and to prepare the soil for the seed of Islam to grow and be firm, no matter how great the sacrifices: “Therefore, those who emigrate and are driven out of their homes and suffer persecution in My cause, and fight and are slain [for it] — I shall indeed efface their bad deeds and admit them to gardens through which running waters flow, as a reward from God. With God is the best of rewards.”

This was the status of those who engaged in this prayer and who were the first generation to be addressed by the Qur’ān. They emigrated from Makkah and were driven out of their homes there because of their faith. They were persecuted for no other reason than serving God’s cause. They had to fight and were killed in battle. The same applies to the advocates of this faith in every land and in every generation. Whenever the faith of Islam begins to establish itself in any environment of ignorance, in a hostile land, which could be any land, and among hostile people, any people, it then faces a bad reception because it stands up to people’s illegitimate ambitions and greed. Its followers are persecuted and chased away, especially when its advocates are still few in number. This blessed plant, however, will grow in spite of persecution and hostility. It will then acquire the ability to resist persecution and defend itself against aggression. This inevitably leads to fighting in which some of its followers are killed. In return for these great efforts, bad deeds are effaced, sins are forgiven and reward, great reward, is granted.

Only in this way does the Divine system of life come to establish itself. It is a system whose implementation God has ordained must be through human effort. Effort exerted by true believers who struggle and work hard for God’s cause, seeking God’s pleasure.

This is the nature of this system, its constituent elements and obligations. We have also seen the course which it follows in educating its followers and refining their characters, giving them directives which ensure that they move from the stage of reflection on God’s creation to the stage of positive action and are thus able to implement the system God wants man to implement.

Following this, a glance is cast on the temptation which is represented by the luxuries and comforts available in this life to the unbelievers, the disobedient and those who are hostile to the Divine faith. This only aims at making known the true weight and value of such luxuries and comforts so that they do not dazzle the eyes of their beneficiaries or the believers who suffer all the persecution of being driven out from their homes, and who have to fight and sacrifice their lives: “Let not the disbelievers’ prosperity in the land deceive you. It is but a brief enjoyment. Then, Hell shall be their abode. What an evil abode.”

Their prosperity is an aspect of affluence, wealth, position and power. It is bound to leave something in the hearts of believers as they suffer hardship, poverty, and persecution and as they have to fight in battle. All these are hardships which are very difficult to bear. Yet, the followers of falsehood enjoy themselves and are prosperous. The masses, on the other hand, are bound to feel something when they see the advocates of the truth enduring the suffering while the followers of falsehood are spared and enjoying all they want. The evildoers themselves look at the situation and become hardened in their false beliefs, erroneous ways, evil deeds and corruption.

At this point, we have this gentle touch which sets things aright: “Let not the disbelievers’ prosperity in the land deceive you. It is but a brief enjoyment. Then, Hell shall be their abode. What an evil abode.” Their enjoyment is brief. It will soon disappear. As for their final and permanent abode, it is nothing other than Hell. It is indeed an evil abode.