Overview (Verses 168 – 171)

Which Path to Follow
 
This is followed by an invitation to all mankind to enjoy the good things in life and avoid the harmful ones. This is coupled with a warning against following the suggestions of Satan, who will only advise people to do evil and harmful things and to arrogate to themselves the right to legislate without reference to God. There is also a warning against following others blindly in matters of religion, and a denunciation of the worship of any deity other than God Almighty, neatly linking this passage with the preceding one.
 
Mankind, eat of what is lawful and wholesome on earth and do not follow Satan’s footsteps: he is indeed an open enemy for you. He enjoins you only to commit evil and indecency and to attribute to God something of which you have no knowledge. When it is said to them, ‘Follow what God has revealed, they say, ‘No; but we will follow only what we found our forefathers believing in.’ Why, even if their forefathers did not use reason at all, and followed no guidance. The unbelievers are like the one who shouts to that which hears nothing but a call and a cry. Deaf, dumb and blind, they understand nothing. (Verses 168-171)
 
Having set out the argument for God’s oneness and shown Himself as the Creator of all, and exposed the utter failure of those who worship gods other than Him, God Almighty states in these verses that He is also the provider and sustainer of life. Accordingly, He is the ultimate authority to decide what food is lawful and what is unlawful; an aspect of exercising His authority as the only God. The Creator who makes and provides is also the authority who decides what is lawful and what is not. The law, Sharī`ah, is thus inextricably intertwined with belief.
 
The verses give the whole of mankind permission to enjoy the food God has provided on earth, with the exception of what He has forbidden — which will be mentioned later in the sūrah. People are also instructed here that they should listen only to God concerning what may or may not be lawful for consumption. They should not listen to Satan’s views in these matters, because, as their sworn enemy, he will not give them good advice. He will only mislead them and encourage them to decide what is and is not lawful of their own accord, with no reference to God’s guidance, as the Jews used to do, and as the Arab idolaters used to claim.
 
These instructions show plainly how realistic and practical Islam is, and how genuinely aware of man’s nature and needs. The rule is that everything is lawful with the exception of a few things, which are listed in the Qur’ān by name.
 
God has created the earth and all its products for man’s free use, enjoyment and benefit. The exceptions and restrictions are made only to safeguard man’s interests, and to ensure that he does not over-consume, or abuse the resources God has provided for him. The most important condition, however, is that man should not refer to anybody other than God for the identification of those items that are not permissible, and for the determination of the limits and the conditions under which the permissible ones should be consumed and used. If they do not, then they will be listening to Satan’s promptings, and he is wont to bid people to commit only evil and indecency.
 
The sūrah derides the argument put forward by the Arab idolaters or the Jews, or both, who insist that they will only follow what their forefathers followed: “Even if their forefathers did not use reason at all, and followed no guidance.” That is exactly what the Qur’ān condemns. When it comes to defining matters relating to faith, the Qur’ān rejects all authority other than God’s, and flatly condemns those who follow blindly inherited traditions and practices.
 
The next verse gives a humiliating image of those blind followers of earlier generations, depicting them as herds of sheep that can hear the shouting and the sounds made by their shepherds but do not understand what those words actually mean. In fact, as the sūrah goes on we realize that they are worse. For while sheep can, at least, see, hear and bleat, while these are heedless and even worse: “The unbelievers are like the one who shouts to that which hears nothing but a call and a cry. Deaf dumb and blind, they understand nothing.” (Verse 171)
 
Such people may very well have ears, tongues and eyes of their own, but what good will these do them if not put to proper use? They might as well have none. That is indeed the lowest and the most contemptible state that human beings can reach: when they give up their intelligence and discerning faculties. No one other than God has the authority to ordain or pronounce over matters of religion, law or behaviour.
 
 

Overview (Verses 168 – 171)

Which Path to Follow
 
This is followed by an invitation to all mankind to enjoy the good things in life and avoid the harmful ones. This is coupled with a warning against following the suggestions of Satan, who will only advise people to do evil and harmful things and to arrogate to themselves the right to legislate without reference to God. There is also a warning against following others blindly in matters of religion, and a denunciation of the worship of any deity other than God Almighty, neatly linking this passage with the preceding one.
 
Mankind, eat of what is lawful and wholesome on earth and do not follow Satan’s footsteps: he is indeed an open enemy for you. He enjoins you only to commit evil and indecency and to attribute to God something of which you have no knowledge. When it is said to them, ‘Follow what God has revealed, they say, ‘No; but we will follow only what we found our forefathers believing in.’ Why, even if their forefathers did not use reason at all, and followed no guidance. The unbelievers are like the one who shouts to that which hears nothing but a call and a cry. Deaf, dumb and blind, they understand nothing. (Verses 168-171)
 
Having set out the argument for God’s oneness and shown Himself as the Creator of all, and exposed the utter failure of those who worship gods other than Him, God Almighty states in these verses that He is also the provider and sustainer of life. Accordingly, He is the ultimate authority to decide what food is lawful and what is unlawful; an aspect of exercising His authority as the only God. The Creator who makes and provides is also the authority who decides what is lawful and what is not. The law, Sharī`ah, is thus inextricably intertwined with belief.
 
The verses give the whole of mankind permission to enjoy the food God has provided on earth, with the exception of what He has forbidden — which will be mentioned later in the sūrah. People are also instructed here that they should listen only to God concerning what may or may not be lawful for consumption. They should not listen to Satan’s views in these matters, because, as their sworn enemy, he will not give them good advice. He will only mislead them and encourage them to decide what is and is not lawful of their own accord, with no reference to God’s guidance, as the Jews used to do, and as the Arab idolaters used to claim.
 
These instructions show plainly how realistic and practical Islam is, and how genuinely aware of man’s nature and needs. The rule is that everything is lawful with the exception of a few things, which are listed in the Qur’ān by name.
 
God has created the earth and all its products for man’s free use, enjoyment and benefit. The exceptions and restrictions are made only to safeguard man’s interests, and to ensure that he does not over-consume, or abuse the resources God has provided for him. The most important condition, however, is that man should not refer to anybody other than God for the identification of those items that are not permissible, and for the determination of the limits and the conditions under which the permissible ones should be consumed and used. If they do not, then they will be listening to Satan’s promptings, and he is wont to bid people to commit only evil and indecency.
 
The sūrah derides the argument put forward by the Arab idolaters or the Jews, or both, who insist that they will only follow what their forefathers followed: “Even if their forefathers did not use reason at all, and followed no guidance.” That is exactly what the Qur’ān condemns. When it comes to defining matters relating to faith, the Qur’ān rejects all authority other than God’s, and flatly condemns those who follow blindly inherited traditions and practices.
 
The next verse gives a humiliating image of those blind followers of earlier generations, depicting them as herds of sheep that can hear the shouting and the sounds made by their shepherds but do not understand what those words actually mean. In fact, as the sūrah goes on we realize that they are worse. For while sheep can, at least, see, hear and bleat, while these are heedless and even worse: “The unbelievers are like the one who shouts to that which hears nothing but a call and a cry. Deaf dumb and blind, they understand nothing.” (Verse 171)
 
Such people may very well have ears, tongues and eyes of their own, but what good will these do them if not put to proper use? They might as well have none. That is indeed the lowest and the most contemptible state that human beings can reach: when they give up their intelligence and discerning faculties. No one other than God has the authority to ordain or pronounce over matters of religion, law or behaviour.