Overview (Verses 97 - 98)

A Strange Enmity to an Angel

The sūrah goes on to direct Prophet Muĥammad to proclaim more challenging truths: “Say, ‘Whoever is an enemy of Gabriel should know that he revealed it [the Qur’ān] to your heart by God’s leave.’ It confirms the Scriptures revealed before it, and is a guidance and joyful tidings for the believers. Whoever is an enemy of God, His angels, His messengers, and to Gabriel and Michael will surely find that God is indeed the enemy of the unbelievers.” (Verses 97-98)

Another astonishing trait of the Israelites is revealed. The spite and envy they feel towards other recipients of God’s grace are not only beyond belief, but have now landed them in a serious paradox. Because they knew that the Angel Gabriel conveyed God’s revelations to Muĥammad, and in view of the hatred and the grudge they harboured against Muĥammad, they circulated the absurd tale that Gabriel was also an enemy of theirs because he was the Angel of death and destruction. This, they alleged, gave them a valid reason to reject Muĥammad and the revelations he was receiving. Had it been the Angel Michael who had conveyed the revelations, they claimed, they would have accepted it, because he was the angel of rain, fertility and prosperity.

It is a ludicrous argument brought about by blind hatred. They had no reason to be hostile towards Gabriel who, not being human himself, could not take sides for or against them. He was a messenger whom they disliked although he had no personal preference or choice in delivering that message. He only did as he was bid.

We note in this verse the point that the Qur’ān was lodged in Muĥammad’s ‘heart’, a term used frequently in the Qur’ān to indicate a non-physical part of the human personality that receives and understands. It does not refer to the physical human organ known by that name. The heart, according to the Qur’ān, is the centre of human perception.

The Qur’ān was lodged in Muĥammad’s heart, confirming “the Scriptures revealed before it, and is a guidance and joyful tidings for the believers”. (Verse 97)

The Qur’ān confirms and endorses in general terms all divine revelations received before it. The religion of God, as expounded and preached by all revealed Scriptures, is basically one and the same. All divine revelations have come as guidance to man and as a source of joyful tidings for all believing hearts that are receptive and willing to have faith in God.

There is an aspect of religious experience which is important to emphasize. The effect of divine revelations on the believing heart is uniquely uplifting. The simple recitation of the Qur’ān fills the heart with tranquillity and solace, and opens up new vistas of meaning and knowledge. The study of this revelation can also be very inspiring, uncovering wider horizons of understanding and, therefore, guidance and achievement. Many verses include descriptions of the Qur’ān as ‘guidance for the God- fearing’ (2: 2), or ‘guidance and grace for people who believe’ (12: 111), or ‘a cure... and mercy for all believers.’ (10: 57) These descriptions confirm that its guidance is the fruit of strong faith and trust in, and genuine fear of, God Almighty.

Such qualities were seen to be lacking among the Israelites. They have traditionally undermined the inherent unity of divine religion by discriminating between the prophets and between the angels themselves. The verse, therefore, insists that prophets and angels should be equally respected and revered, and that whoever opposes or is hostile to any of them shall have God’s power to contend with. “Whoever is an enemy of God, His angels, His messengers, and to Gabriel and Michael will surely find that God is indeed the enemy of the unbelievers.” (Verse 98)