Surah al-A`raf (The Elevated Places) 7 : 168

Overview (Verses 168 - 169)

A Strong Motivation for Believers

The Qur’ānic account follows the historical events after Moses. It refers to succeeding generations up to the Jewish generation that lived in Madinah at the time when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) established the first Muslim community there.

We dispersed them all over the earth as separate communities; some of them were righteous, and some far from that, and We tried them with blessings and misfortunes, so that they might mend their ways. They were succeeded by generations who inherited the Book. Yet these are keen to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of this lower world and say, “We shall be forgiven.” Should some similar pleasures come their way, they would certainly be keen to indulge them. Have they not solemnly pledged through their Scriptures to say nothing but the truth about God? And have they not studied well what is in [the Scriptures]? ” (Verses 168-169)

These verses, revealed in Madinah and added to this Makkan sūrah, serve as a complement to the history of the Children of Israel after the Prophet Moses had passed away. The Jews were dispersed across the earth, divided into groups of varying concepts and different schools, trends and leanings. Some of them were righteous indeed, while others were not. In His wisdom, God continued to set them one test after another, trying them at times with ease and comfort, and at others with affliction and misfortune. All these tests were meant to help them see things in the right perspective and choose the path of righteousness: “We tried them with blessings and misfortunes, so that they might mend their ways.” (Verse 168) It is an act of divine mercy that God puts His servants to one test after another, because these tests serve as reminders to them so that forgetfulness will not let them think too highly of themselves. Such thoughts can easily lead people to self-condemnation.

“They were succeeded by generations who inherited the Book. Yet these are keen to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of this lower world and say, `We shall be forgiven.’ Should some similar pleasures come their way, they would certainly be keen to indulge them.” (Verse 169) This new generation of Israelites have certain characteristics that are described in the Qur’ān. They have inherited the Scriptures and learned them well. However, they did not take the Scriptures to heart, so that they would bring their behaviour and practices in line with their dictates. In other words, their approach to faith was an academic one, taking their faith as mere knowledge to be learned, but having no practical purpose. Whenever a worldly pleasure offered itself to them, they took it up and indulged in it. They then claimed that they would be forgiven by God.

This state of affairs was repeated time after time. Hence, the Qur’ān poses this rhetoric question: “Have they not solemnly pledged through their Scriptures to say nothing but the truth about God? And have they not studied well what is in [the Scriptures]?” (Verse 169) In their very Scriptures they pledged never to try to manipulate the provisions of divine law, or give them a false interpretation. They also vowed not to say anything about God but the plain truth. How is it possible, then, for them to claim that they will be forgiven when they are keen to indulge in every worldly pleasure that presents itself to them? How can they justify such indulgence by making a false statement about God, assuring themselves of His forgiveness, when they are well aware that God forgives only those who truly repent of their mistakes and resolve not to repeat them? This does not apply to them, because having studied the Scriptures well and known everything they contain, they remain ready to indulge in every fleeting pleasure of this low world.

A mere academic study of religion is of little benefit, as long as faith does not establish itself in the heart of the person studying it. Many of those who study religion let their hearts drift away from it. They simply study it in order to find justification for their deeds by twisting the meaning of religious statements. Thus they try to find loopholes to justify their indulgence in worldly pleasures. Indeed, the true enemies of religion are those who have an academic approach to it, without truly believing in it and without fearing God.

“Surely the life in the hereafter is better for all who are God-fearing. Will you not use your reason?” (Verse 169) Indeed, the abode of the hereafter is the one to seek. Its value, as it is recognized by those who are God-fearing, is bound to tilt the scales. Seeking it provides the determination to resist the fleeting pleasures that present themselves now, in the life of this world. It is the motivation to gain admission into that abode of the hereafter that mends hearts and sets life on the proper footing. Without observing the requirements for such future life, this present life will go awry. How else can a human being resist the great pressure of indulging the immediate pleasures of this life? What stops a human being from indulging his greed or taking away what belongs to others? What can tame people’s urges, cravings and powerful aspirations? What can give people the reassurance that what is lost in this life struggle will not have been totally lost at the point of death? Rather, there is still more to come in a future, everlasting life. What gives the believers support in the battle between good and evil, truth and falsehood, when they see life’s pleasures slipping away from their hands, and find evil gaining increased power and imposing tyrannical authority?

Nothing can give such strength and help to believers to remain steadfast in the face of misfortunes and changing circumstances during an unabating battle with falsehood except the firm belief in the life to come and that it is far better and superior for those who are God- fearing. That abode belongs to those who forgive, rise above the fleeting pleasures of this world, show determination to follow the truth and to do what is good, remain unshakeable, as they go along the way, reassured that what God has for them is infinitely better than what they may have in this world.

This abode of the hereafter is something that lies beyond the reach of our human perception. The advocates of `scientific socialism’ want to obliterate the belief in it from our hearts, faith and life in order to replace it with an ignorant, atheistic concept, which they describe as ‘scientific’. But their attempt relates to the corruption of hearts and souls, and the corruption of life itself. So many social ills, such as bribery, greed, oppression, negligence, apathy and treachery break loose, but nothing can check them except faith. To place what is ‘scientific’ in opposition to what is ‘imperceptible’ is no more than an ignorant phenomenon that spread in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, but human knowledge has abandoned it altogether. In the twentieth century, it has only been upheld by a small minority. This whole phenomenon is in conflict with human nature. Hence, it corrupts lives to the extent that it exposes all mankind to the risk of destruction. It is part of the Zionist plan, which tries to rob humanity of the most important factors that give it health and strength. In this way, they hope to eventually make the whole world submissive to the kingdom of Zion. Such flimsy ideas are repeated by some human parrots, scattered here and there, while the regimes that Zionism has put in power in most parts of the world continue to implement the wicked Zionist plan. What is worse is that they implement it knowing its aim and purpose.