of Nokounam (Session 887)
Surah Al-Imran, one of the most luminous chapters of the Holy Quran, in its verse 110, introduces the Islamic Ummah as the best nation brought forth for the service of humanity. This verse, with an emphasis on social and faith-based duties such as enjoining good, forbidding evil, and believing in God, outlines a clear blueprint for the guidance of societies. In this treatise, with a profound and analytical perspective, this verse is elucidated. The objective is to present the lofty concepts of this verse in a lucid and dignified language, within a coherent and scholarly framework, to serve as a guiding light illuminating the path of the Ummah's elevation. This exposition, inspired by collective reason and social interests, critiques certain erroneous interpretations and unfounded narrations, and stresses the rational and variable nature of enjoining good and forbidding evil.
كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ ۚ مِنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
You are the best nation brought forth for mankind: you enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and believe in God. And if the People of the Book had believed, it would have been better for them; among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.
Verse 110 of Surah Al-Imran introduces the Islamic Ummah as the best nation, a community created for the service of humanity (li-l-ns). This goodness is not due to arrogance but stems from possessing the final and most advanced Divine Messenger, who has elevated the capacity for perfection within this Ummah to its zenith. The phrase brought forth for mankind alludes to the universal mission of the Ummah, which transcends ethnic and religious boundaries, emerging to guide all humanity. This mission is like a sun whose light shines upon the entire earth, dispelling the darkness of ignorance.
Certain interpretations have rendered best nation as best imams, implying the verse refers exclusively to the infallible Imams. This interpretation neither accords with the verses apparent meaning nor does it faithfully represent its intent. The term Ummah in the Quran denotes a unified community with a shared purpose, here distinguishing the Islamic Ummah from other nations such as the Jews and Christians. The excellence of this Ummah is conditional upon fulfilling the social and faith duties stated later in the verse.
The Islamic Ummah, as the best nation, carries a global mission to guide humanity. This superiority is not born from self-conceit but from the guidance of the final Prophet and the potential for perfection bestowed upon it. Criticism of incorrect interpretations, such as attributing the term best nation to the Imams, highlights the necessity of adhering to the Qurans apparent meaning. This section prepares the ground for analysing the social and faith duties of the Ummah.
Contrary to common misconception that regards enjoining good and forbidding evil purely as religious acts, these duties are rooted in collective reason and social interests. Each society, according to its customs and culture, defines its own norms of good and evil which assist in maintaining order and societal conventions. This duty is akin to a sentinel guarding the ethical and customary borders of the community. For instance, wearing the chador may be considered virtuous in one society, while in another, a headscarf or even uncovered hair may constitute the norm. This relativity demonstrates that enjoining and forbidding depend on place, time, and social conditions.
Each environment governs its own specific standards of good and evil. For example, in a coastal region where scant clothing is customary, wearing a swimsuit is not considered evil, whereas removing a coat on the street may not be deemed inappropriate. However, if a religious scholar removes his turban and cloak, due to his social standing, it is considered an offence. These differences indicate that enjoining good and forbidding evil are not fixed or solely religious matters, but rational, social, and variable in nature.
The term command in enjoining good has mistakenly been interpreted in popular culture as an order, coercion, or bullying. This misunderstanding stems from a culture of violence and dictatorship alien to the spirit of the Quran. Enjoining good means a compassionate recommendation towards righteousness, just as forbidding evil is a gentle invitation to avoid wrongs. Violence in this matter contradicts the Prophets (peace be upon him) practice and is considered tantamount to disbelief, as it clashes with the merciful nature of religion.
Some religious scholars have linked enjoining good with punishment and violence, suggesting that disobedience warrants retribution. This view, a thorn in the side of religion, contradicts the Prophets practice who rejected compulsion even in the face of disobedience. Advice is like a gentle breeze that softly touches hearts, not a violent storm that destroys.
Enjoining good and forbidding evil are not exclusive to Islamic societies. Even among non-believing communities, this duty exists on rational and social grounds. For example, in pagan cultures, breaking idols is considered an evil act and is discouraged, despite their disbelief. This shows that enjoining and forbidding have roots in collective reason and are not dependent on faith. The Quran, by placing you believe in God after enjoining and forbidding, emphasises that these duties existed in human societies even prior to faith.
Enjoining good and forbidding evil are rational and social duties defined by each society according to its norms and conditions. This duty is not a command involving violence but a compassionate recommendation consistent with the merciful spirit of religion. Critiquing violent interpretations and emphasising the universal nature of this duty reflect the profound rational and social dimensions of this Quranic concept.
Following the emphasis on enjoining good and forbidding evil, the verse mentions faith in God: and believe in God. This sequence may indicate that enjoining and forbidding existed in human societies prior to faith. However, the Quran, by calling the Islamic Ummah to faith, warns them against the fate of the People of the Book: And if the People of the Book had believed, it would have been better for them. If the People of the Book had believed, it would have been advantageous for them, but the majority became defiantly disobedient.
The phrase among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient shows that a minority among the People of the Book were believers, but the majority succumbed to transgression and sin. Here, defiant disobedience does not mean disbelief or polytheism but refers to immoral acts, violations, and crimes. This warning exhorts the Islamic Ummah to preserve faith and avoid transgression.
At the time of revelation, the verse addressed those believers around the Prophet (peace be upon him) who obeyed him. Yet after the Prophet, the majority of the Islamic Ummah also turned to transgression. Narrations affirm that Muslims, like Jews and Christians, committed acts such as murder, plunder, and violence. This similarity acts as a mirror reflecting the shared flaws of Abrahamic religions. The histories of Jews, Christians, and Muslims are filled with crimes rooted in violence and cruelty rather than the merciful essence of religion.
Faith in God is a duty distinguishing the Islamic Ummah from the People of the Book, most of whom became transgressors. Transgression, as immoral conduct, has recurred in the histories of Abrahamic religions and stands as a warning for the Islamic Ummah to shun violence and crime. This section stresses the importance of faith and adherence to social recommendations.
One criticised narration tells a story in which the Prophet (peace be upon him), because of eating dates, postponed advising a child not to eat dates until the following day. This narration is not only baseless but also logically inconsistent. Just as a physician may consume food harmful to a patient, the Prophet may eat dates while advising someone differently. Advice regarding prohibited matters (such as lying and backbiting) must align with the advisers conduct, but no such restriction applies to permissible acts (such as eating dates).
Some narrations, evidently fabricated, wrongly restrict the Prophet from consuming certain things to maintain authority in recommendations. These narrations, like weeds in the garden of religion, stem from scientific and social weakness. For example, a narration claiming that eating onions in Mecca leads to Paradise is a superstition incompatible with reason and logic. Religion utilises rational and social matters, though some rulings, such as prayer conditions, are intrinsic to the religion itself.
Critiquing baseless narrations and superstitions demonstrates the necessity of adherence to reason and logic in understanding religion. Recommendations to enjoin good and forbid evil must rest on social and rational interests, not on superstition or erroneous interpretations. This section emphasises the importance of purifying religion from fabricated narrations.
Violence in enjoining good is not only incompatible with the Prophets (peace be upon him) practice but is considered disbelief. Religion, like a clear spring, has come for mercy and guidance, not coercion and cruelty. The histories of Abrahamic religions abound with examples of violence justified in the name of religionfrom the Crusades to the crimes of charismatic figures like Hitler who considered themselves bearers of mission. These violences act as destructive storms, bringing humanity to ruin.
True religion is founded upon a merciful and compassionate God. The Holy Quran, emphasising mercy to the worlds, distinguishes the path from violence and crime. Those who resort to violence in the name of religion have lost their way and become like beasts whose religious appearance is but a deceptive mask. True Muslims manifest faith in God, advocate for truth, and avoid wrongdoing.
