Overview (Verses 46 - 50)

Having thus taken us on a broad round of inspiring universal scenes, the sūrah brings us back to its main theme, namely good manners and moral values the Qur’ān aims to establish in the Muslim community. Once more we see that the Qur’ān wants hearts to be purified so as to be bright, reflecting the great light God has placed in the heavens and the earth.

Earlier in the sūrah mention was made of people who are not distracted by their business or commercial dealings from their duties of remembering God, attending regularly to prayers and paying their zakāt. It also highlighted the situation of the unbelievers, their deeds, the layers of darkness in which they live and their eventual destiny. Now the sūrah speaks of the hypocrites who benefit nothing by the clear signs God has placed all around them, or by His revelations that set all things most clearly. These turn their backs on divine guidance. Even though they profess to be believers, their attitude is markedly different from that of believers who obey God’s Messenger and are happy with his judgement in their affairs and disputes. In marked contrast to their arrogance, the believers’ behaviour confirms what they profess. And it is the believers that God has promised to establish in the land where they will be able to practise their faith and conduct their lives in line with His teachings. This is their reward for adopting the right attitude towards God and His Messenger, obeying them in all situations, despite the fact that the unbelievers stand in opposition to them for so doing. The sūrah confirms once again that the unbelievers cannot defy God. They will receive their fair punishment in hell, the worst abode for anyone.

Contrasting Attitudes

“We have sent down revelations that make things manifest; and God guides onto a straight way him who wills [to be guided].” (Verse 46) God’s revelations provide clarity, allowing God’s resplendent light to be seen. They point to the sources of His guidance, making clear what is good and what is evil. They set out the Islamic way of life without ambiguity or equivocation. They define the divine rules which must be implemented in human life on earth. When people implement them in their lives and resort to them for judgement in their disputes, they implement a code that is clearly set out, providing all guarantees that ensure equity and justice for all, and which allow no confusion between true and false or permissible and forbidden.

“God guides onto a straight way him who wills [to be guided].” (Verse 46) The Arabic statement could also be read as “God guides whom He wills onto a straight way.” This is indeed the translation adopted by most translators. If we read it in this way then the statement makes clear that God’s will is free from all restriction. However, God has established a way to ensure guidance. Any human being who moves towards that way will definitely receive God’s light and guidance. By God’s will, their path will be made smooth until they reach their destination. Those who turn away from it will lose their guiding light and become hardened in error. Such is God’s will with regard to providing guidance to mankind.

The sūrah points out that despite the revelations and the signs God had placed in the universe, there is a special type of people who are hypocrites, claiming to be Muslims, but showing no respect for Islamic values: They say: ‘We believe in God and in the Messenger, and we obey. ‘But then some of them turn away after this [assertion]. Surely these are not believers. Whenever they are summoned to God and His Messenger in order that he might judge between them, some of them turn away; but if the right is on their side, they come to him with all submission. Is there disease in their hearts? Or are they full of doubt? Or do they fear that God and His Messenger might deal unjustly with them? Nay, it is they who are the wrongdoers. (Verses 47-50) When faith is genuinely established in a person’s heart, it is reflected in that person’s behaviour. Islam is a proactive faith that cannot remain idle. When it is genuinely accepted as a personal belief, it moves on to show its influence in practice. It must be translated into action. The Islamic method of educating its followers always seeks to transform the mental acceptance of faith into a practical approach that soon becomes a habit or a rule. At the same time, it seeks to provide the mental motivation to make belief and action mutually complementary.

The hypocrites used to claim that they believed in God and His Messenger and that they were keen to obey them, but theirs was a hollow, verbal claim that lacked practical credence. They simply turned away, making their actions belie their claims. “Surely these are not believers,” because believers confirm with their actions what they claim to be their faith. Faith is not a toy which a person uses for amusement before discarding it. It is something that settles in a person’s heart, reshaping his feelings and influencing his actions. Moreover, when it is firmly established in someone’s mind and heart, there is no going back on it. Those who claimed to be believers did not hesitate to contradict that claim when they were summoned to put their disputes to God’s Messenger for judgement on the basis of His law: “Whenever they are summoned to God and His Messenger in order that he might judge between them, some of them turn away; but if the right is on their side, they come to him with all submission.” (Verses 48-49) They were well aware that a judgement made by God and His Messenger could only seek to establish what is right and ensure justice. It would never be influenced by personal likings. But such hypocrites did not care for justice and right. Hence, they were not prepared to seek the Prophet’s judgement. Indeed, they refused to put their disputes to him, except when they were sure that justice was on their side. In such a situation, they did not hesitate to go to him, declaring their prior acceptance of his judgement, because they were certain that it would be in their favour. It would be a judgement on the basis of God’s law that gave everyone their due.

Such people provide a typical example of hypocrites at all times: they dare not declare their disbelief; so they pretend to be Muslim. Yet they do not submit to God’s law. When they are called upon to put their cases to God and His Messenger for judgement they refuse, seeking any excuse. They are described as unbelievers, because a genuine believer will never reject God’s judgement. To accept such judgement is the practical evidence of belief. It is the attitude that confirms strong belief and due respect to God and His Messenger. Only a person whose heart has not been enlightened by faith and who has not adopted Islamic manners rejects God’s Messenger’s judgement.

Hence, their attitude is the subject of questions that confirm the fact that their hearts are diseased and wonders at their doubts: “Is there disease in their hearts? Or are they full of doubt? Or do they fear that God and His Messenger might deal unjustly with them?” (Verse 50)

The first question requires no confirmation, for heart disease is sure to bring about such an effect. No one with a sound human nature could deviate so badly from the truth. It is heart disease, a disease that makes someone imbalanced, unable to appreciate true faith and its moral code.

The second question wonders at them doubting God’s judgement when they claim to believe in Him. Do they doubt that it comes from God, or that it is the judgement that administers justice? Whatever the case, their attitude differs from that of believers.

The third question combines wonder with denunciation. Do they fear that God and His Messenger might be unfair to them? It is most singular for anyone to entertain such a fear. God is the Creator of all people: it is inconceivable that He would favour some of His creatures at the expense of others. “Nay, it is they who are the wrongdoers.” (Verse 50)

God’s judgement is the only judgement that is free of all prejudice, because God is fair to all and does not deal unjustly with anyone. All of His creation are to Him in the same position. Hence, He does not favour any of them at the expense of another. Any judgement other than God’s may be susceptible to unfairness. When people legislate, they cannot entirely free themselves of leaning towards what serves their interests. This applies to all human beings; be they individuals, a class or government.

When an individual legislates, he is bound to look for what ensures his own protection and serves his own interests. The same applies when a class, country or a block of countries legislates for another. But when God legislates, no personal security, protection or interest comes into play. His legislation aims to ensure absolute justice which cannot be achieved under any law other than divine law. Hence, those who reject God’s judgement, and that of His Messenger, are indeed unjust and wrongdoers. They do not want justice to be administered or right to be supreme. In fact, deep at heart they know that they do not doubt that God’s judgement only seeks to ensure justice. The point is that “it is they who are the wrongdoers.” (Verse 50)