of Nekounam, (Session 160)
The Holy Quran, like a luminous beacon on the path of guidance, unveils the truth to eager hearts through its verses. Verses 6 and 7 of Surah Al-Baqarah,
Indeed, those who disbelieveit is all the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn themthey will not believe.
God has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment.
elucidate the concept of ultimate disbelief and its consequences, clarifying humanitys position vis--vis Divine truth. This work, relying on scientific lectures and theological, philosophical, and mystical analyses, interprets these verses and explicates their meanings for expert audiences and academic settings with an elevated and systematic style. Employing metaphors and allegories, this treatise endeavours to portray the profound Quranic meanings within a scholarly and universal framework, without diminishing the exalted stature of the Divine Word.
Disbelief (kufr) in the Holy Quran stands in opposition to gratitude (shukr), yet gratitude cannot be actualised without faith (iman). The phrase إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا refers to those devoid of faith in God, the Lord of the Worlds. Gratitude signifies the dissemination and manifestation of faith, whereas disbelief connotes the concealment and obscuration of Divine truth. This opposition is not a strict logical contradiction or absolute negation, but rather a relative antithesis that portrays disbelief as the absence of belief in the truth.
Gratitude resembles a flower blooming in the garden of faith, whereas disbelief is like a shadow that conceals the light of truth within the heart. This contrast demonstrates that gratitude depends upon faith, and without it, the concept becomes hollow.
In these verses, disbelief denotes the denial of the truth (al-haqq), encompassing rejection of the Resurrection, the Holy Quran, prophethood, and mission. This denial stems from lack of faith in God. Disbelief possesses various degrees and categories; here it signifies ultimate disbelief which includes atheistic, dogmatic, intellectual, and sectarian forms. This ultimate disbelief represents the utmost denial, whereby even God despairs of guiding such individuals.
Ultimate disbelief resembles a fortress, fortified with prejudice and awareness, sealed against the light of guidance, leaving no aperture for the truths penetration.
Disbelief and faith are mutually convertible. Throughout history, many disbelievers have embraced faith, while some believers have reverted to disbelief. However, the disbelief indicated in these verses is ultimate disbelief, implying a conscious concealment of truth in the heart. Such disbelievers hide God within their souls and differ from polytheists, corrupters, and hypocrites.
This transformability is like a stream that directs the pure water of faith towards disbelief or vice versa; yet ultimate disbelief is akin to a stone resisting the flow.
From the Quranic perspective, absolute atheism does not exist because the Divine nature is innate in every human being. The disbeliever consciously conceals the truth latent within their soul. This viewpoint corresponds with the verse:
So set your face towards the religion, upright, the innate nature Allah has instilled in mankind. (Surah Ar-Rum: 30)
The disbelievers addressed in these verses are knowledgeable and aware, such as the Jewish scholars (Ahbar) or the disbelievers of Quraysh, who deny the truth despite their knowledge. These differ from weak or simple disbelievers who might embrace faith upon guidance.
Such disbelievers resemble scholars who, despite cognisance of the truth, do not humble themselves before it and, out of prejudice, obstruct the path of guidance for themselves.
The verse خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَى سَمْعِهِمْ وَعَلَى أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ indicates that God has sealed the hearts, hearing, and eyes of the disbelievers with a veil. This seal is the outcome of the disbelievers conscious choice to deny the truth, not Divine compulsion.
This seal is like a lock that the disbeliever has placed with their own hand on the threshold of the heart, barring the entry of the light of guidance.
The verse mentions a great punishment for ultimate disbelievers:
And for them is a great punishment.
This punishment is the consequence of concealing the truth and resisting guidance, resulting in spiritual isolation and deprivation from Divine mercy.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Divine saints are obliged to continue guiding all humans, even disbelievers, without despair. The shortcoming in acceptance lies with the capable human, not with the agent (the Quran or the Prophet). This duty renders propagation universal and relentless.
Propagation is like rain that falls on all lands, though some lands reject its reception.
Power converts disbelief to faith or faith to disbelief. In strong societies, enemies become friends; in weak societies, even friends turn into enemies. This principle finds exemplification in history and sociology.
Power is like a wind that alters the direction of the flags of faith and disbelief, but Divine guidance determines the ultimate direction.
All humans, including disbelievers, possess intrinsic value and must not be humiliated. A disbeliever may harbour a truth that becomes manifest in the future. Humiliating disbelievers equates to humiliating believers and humanity itself. This principle accords with the verse:
And indeed We honoured the children of Adam. (Surah Al-Isra: 70)
Scholars and students, due to their role in preserving and disseminating truth, enjoy special reverence. Humiliating them is akin to destroying a Divine garden where truth grows. This view aligns with the hadith
Scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets.
The scholar is like a tree bearing the fruits of truth; harming them damages the Divine garden.
It is not possible to pass definitive judgement on individuals, even disbelievers. Examples such as Hurr in Karbala or the accursed Maula illustrate that spiritual states are unpredictable. Therefore, all humans deserve respect, as only the infallible or Divine revelation can determine final states.
Judging humans is akin to forecasting distant weather, only achievable through Divine revelation.
Despair in guiding disbelievers results from obsolete ideas rooted in colonialism that cause devaluation of others. A true believer despairs of no one and sees signs of Divine truth in every person.
The believers heart is like a vast ocean that does not exclude anyone from the shore of guidance.
The Divine saints perceive signs of truth in every human, even disbelievers. They adopt a broad vision, considering humans spiritual futures and abstaining from hasty judgement. This perspective dignifies religious propagation as a universal and respectful duty.
Excessiveness occurs not only in wealth but also in human valuation. Humiliating humans, especially disbelievers or scholars, constitutes excess in human dignity, leading to destruction of truth.
Humiliation is like casting a precious gem to the wind, yielding only loss.
The exegesis of verses 6 and 7 of Surah Al-Baqarah manifests the deep theological, philosophical, and mystical dimensions of the Holy Quran in explicating ultimate disbelief and the duty of religious propagation. Disbelief is not mere lack of belief, but the conscious concealment of Divine truth rooted in human innate nature. These verses introduce ultimate disbelief as a degree of denial accompanied by knowledge and prejudice, though its precise instances are inscrutable to humanity. The seal on the hearts and senses of disbelievers results from their own conscious choice, not Divine compulsion. The Prophet (peace be upon him) and Divine saints must persevere without despair in guiding all humans, as acceptance deficiencies lie with humans, not with the Quran or the Prophet. Human dignity protects even disbelievers from humiliation, and scholars as inheritors of the Prophets enjoy special respect. The critique of despair and humiliation elevates religious propagation into a universal and dignified responsibility that, through the broad vision of Divine saints, recognises every human as a bearer of truth. This exegesis, by providing a scholarly and universal framework, offers a profound pathway towards understanding disbelief and faith and achieving monotheistic propagation.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
