Overview  (Verses 9 - 11)

The Dialogue between Messengers and Unbelievers

Moses continues with his reminders, but now he no longer features in the scene painted in the sūrah. Instead, a picture is drawn of the raging battle between the community that follows the Prophets and jāhiliyyah society which denies the messengers and their messages alike. This is a remarkable aspect of the refined style of the Qur’ān which brings the scene alive, transforming it from a historical one that someone is reporting to an immediate one that we see in front of our eyes, able to listen to the people in it as they talk, and notice all their actions and reactions. In this panoramic scene, all limitations of time and space are done away with.

Have you not received accounts of what befell those who lived before you? The people of Noah, the `Ād, and Thamūd, and those who came after them? None knows them all but God. Their messengers came to them with clear evidence of the truth, but they put their hands to their mouths, and said: ‘We disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and we are in grave doubt about that to which you call us.’ (Verse 9)

This reminder is made by Moses, but as he goes behind the scenes the sūrah continues with its account of what happened to God’s messengers and messages during all periods of history, and the confrontation between them and jāhiliyyah in its different states and societies, and the fate of those who denied these messages. It is as if Moses is a narrator who begins with a reference to the main events of a great history, before leaving its players to take over and enact that history, and say whatever they wish. This method of narrating a story or historical account is often employed in the Qur’ān. It serves to bring the historical account alive. We see here God’s noble messengers following one another, and confronting all mankind who had given in to jāhiliyyah. The gaps between generations and communities disappear, while the great truths stand out without being tied to a specific time or place.

“Have you not received accounts of what befell those who lived before you? The people of Noah, the `Ād, and Thamūd, and those who came after them? None knows them all but God.” (Verse 9) Thus, they are numerous. There were many other such communities than those mentioned in the Qur’ān, who lived during the intervening period between the time of Thamūd and that of Moses. The sūrah does not give any details of them, because there is complete unity in the message preached by all prophets, and a unity in the reaction to it.

“Their messengers came to them with clear evidence of the truth.” (Verse 9) That evidence is absolutely clear, giving no room for confusion by anyone with undistorted faculties of understanding. “But they put their hands to their mouths, and said: ‘We disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and we are in grave doubt about that to which you call us.” (Verse 9) They put their hands to their mouths as does he who wishes to change the pitch of his voice so that it can be heard at a distance. He moves his hand in front of his mouth as he raises his voice, and this causes the sound to break and be heard from afar. The sūrah paints this movement in order to indicate the fact that they were outspoken in their denial of the divine message. Furthermore, they make such an impolite movement to reassert their open rejection of the faith.

Since what the messengers call for is belief in God’s oneness, and His being the only Lord of mankind and the whole universe, casting doubts on this clear truth sounds extremely odd and peculiar. This truth is self-evident, easily recognized by human nature, and repeatedly confirmed by numerous signs that can be seen everywhere in the universe. Hence, the messengers are horrified at such doubting, pointing to the heavens and the earth as witnesses: “Said the messengers sent to them: ‘Can there be any doubt about God, the Originator of the heavens and the earth?” (Verse 10) Everything in the heavens and the earth testifies to the truth of God being the Creator and Originator of all. How can there be any doubt about Him? The messengers say this because the heavens and the earth are two very clear signs of God’s existence. A mere reference to them is sufficient to quickly help any straying person come back to his senses. The messengers do not add anything to this quick reference, as they know it to be sufficient. Instead, they go on to point out God’s grace to mankind, as He calls on them to believe, and gives them respite while they reflect and begin to take action to avert His punishment. “Said the messengers sent to them: ‘Can there be any doubt about God, the Originator of the heavens and earth? He calls you, so that He may forgive you your sins.’“ (Verse 10) The call is originally to believe in God, and that leads to the forgiveness of sins. However, the sūrah then makes the call a direct one for forgiveness so that God’s grace and blessings are brought out in sharp relief. In such a context, it is especially odd that people adopt such a negative attitude.

“He calls you, so that He may forgive you your sins and grant you respite for an appointed term.” (Verse 10) With this call to forgiveness, God does not demand an immediate positive response, nor does He inflict His punishment immediately when they make their first rejection. He grants them another favour by giving them a period of grace, either for a time He sets in this life or to the Day of Reckoning. During this respite they may reflect on various signs and indicators, and on the messengers’ warnings. Such respite is an act of grace, considering their negative response to His call.

Yet those ignorant people revert to their baseless objection: “They replied: ‘You are but mortals like ourselves. You want to turn us away from what our forefathers used to worship.’“ (Verse 10) Human beings should have been proud at God’s selection of one of their number to bring them His message. Instead they object to this choice and make of it grounds for suspecting the validity of the message. They claim that what the messengers call on them to believe in is a mere wish to turn them away from what their forefathers worshipped. They do not bother to ask themselves why the messengers should wish to turn them away from that. All ignorant societies are rigid. Hence people of such societies do not reflect on the true nature of what their forefathers worshipped, and why they objected to such false deities. Nor do they think about the nature of the new call. Instead, they ask for a miracle to force them to believe. “Bring us, then, a clear proof” (Verse 10)

The messengers do not deny their human status. On the contrary they confirm it, but they draw their attention to the favours God gives when He chooses human messengers and gives them what they need in order to be fully equipped to discharge their great duty: “Their messengers replied: ‘We are indeed but mortals like yourselves. But God bestows His grace on whomever He wills of His servants.’“ (Verse 11) The phrase, ‘bestows His grace,’ is used here so that the dialogue fits in harmoniously with the general atmosphere of the sūrah. It is an atmosphere generated by speaking about God’s grace which He bestows on whomever He chooses of His servants. His grace is limitless. It is not granted only to God’s messengers, but rather affects humanity as a whole. For mankind has been honoured by the choice of one of its number to undertake this great task of receiving a message from on high.

It is also a special favour granted to mankind, so that they can come out of darkness into the light. Their faculties of reception and understanding are reawakened so as to resume an active life after a long state of stagnation akin to death. But the greatest aspect of divine grace bestowed on mankind is that they are saved from submission to others, which means humiliation and servitude to mortals like themselves.