of Nokounam (may his sanctity be revered), Session 903
Verses 139 to 141 of Surah Al-Imran from the Holy Quran, like a brilliant light amidst the darkness of history and society, articulate the fundamental principles of perseverance, faith, and the turning of time. These verses, set within the context of discussions about the early Islamic battles, especially the Battle of Uhud, constitute an invitation to reflect on the true meaning of faith and its impact on the destiny of communities. With a language that is simultaneously profound and enlightening, these verses urge the believers not to falter in the face of hardships nor succumb to sorrow, and they condition spiritual and social superiority upon true faith. In this treatise, a profound examination of these verses has been undertaken, seeking to convey their meanings and messages with eloquent and dignified language, structured scientifically for discerning audiences. This work, relying on deep analyses and semantic connections, explores the concepts of faith, resilience, and divine justice, offering pathways for a better understanding of contemporary challenges facing religious societies.
وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنْتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ
Do not falter, nor grieve, and you shall be superior if you are indeed believers.
This verse, like a divine command, warns the believers against two great afflictions: weakness (tahinu) and sorrow (tahzanu). Weakness is likened to an autumn that sheds the leaves of the tree of faith, and sorrow to a shadow that dims the light of hopeboth are enemies of the spiritual soul of faith. The Holy Quran, in this verse, with an expression as pure as a flowing spring, calls the believers to perseverance and maintaining morale in the face of adversities. The promise of superiority (wa antum al-alawna) is conditional upon true faithfaith that is rooted not only in words and appearance but also in deeds and steadfastness.
From the perspective of religious psychology, this prohibition of weakness and sorrow points to spiritual resilience. Faith serves as a shield protecting the believer against the storms of life. Yet, this shield is effective only when fortified by righteous deeds and perseverance. The absence of this practical faith, referred to in the original text as the second faith, is the principal cause of failure among religious communities in attaining lasting superiority.
In analysing this verse, a subtle distinction is drawn between two types of faith: the first faith, limited to superficial beliefs and religious rituals such as prayer and fasting, and the second faith, which is embodied in perseverance, righteous deeds, and steadfastness in the face of challenges. The first faith resembles a shell encompassing the core of faith, yet without the second faith, this shell remains fragile and unstable. In religious communities, including Jews, Christians, and Muslims, although the first faith is widespread, the absence of the second faiththat is, perseverance and righteous actionprevents the fulfilment of the promise of superiority.
This weakness is like a tree whose roots have not deeply penetrated the soil of faith, and thus falls with the blowing of the winds of hardship. In the history of early Islam, especially in battles such as Uhud, this instability was manifestly evident. The believers, due to weakness and sorrow, failed to achieve the status of antum al-alawna, and this failure had its root in the weakness of the second faith.
Verse 139 of Surah Al-Imran, with a statement shining like a torch in the darkness, calls the believers to perseverance and deliverance from weakness and sorrow. This verse seeks superiority not in the mere claim of faith but in practical faith and steadfastness against hardships. The distinction between the first and second faith is crucial for understanding why religious communities, despite superficial beliefs, have failed to achieve lasting superiority. This section forms the foundation for the subsequent analysis of verses that discuss the turning of time and the distinction between believers and wrongdoers.
إِنْ يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِثْلُهُ وَتِلْكَ الْأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنْكُمْ شُهَدَاءَ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ
If a wound touches you, a similar wound has touched the people. And these days We alternate among the people, that Allah may know those who believe and take to Himself from among you martyrsand Allah does not love the wrongdoers.
This verse, like a mirror reflecting the reality of war and time, points to the reciprocal wounds in battles and the divine lawfulness of the turning of days. The phrase If a wound touches you, a similar wound has touched the people indicates that in war, both partiesbeliever and disbeliever alikesuffer wounds and harm. This apparent equality resembles a scale that weighs the material outcomes of war equally. Yet, what disrupts this equality is the practical faith mentioned later in the verse.
The expression And these days We alternate among the people refers to a universal and pervasive law whereby time, like a ceaseless wheel, revolves among all humanity. This cycle is neither confined to war nor to any specific group of people. Both believers and disbelievers are caught in this wheel, and victory and defeat, like waves on the shore of history, ebb and flow. From the perspective of the philosophy of history, this law demonstrates the dynamism of the fate of societies, sparing no group from change and transformation.
The phrase that Allah may know those who believe and take to Himself from among you martyrs refers to two divine purposes: the recognition of genuine believers and the selection of witnesses from among them. Here, witnesses does not solely mean bloodied martyrs but those who, through faith and righteous action, shine like stars in the firmament of the faithful society. These witnesses are exemplars who manifest true faith in practice and bear testimony to the truth of the divine path.
The divine knowledge mentioned in this verse is actual knowledge, renewed with the actions and behaviour of human beings. This knowledge is like a stream that gains fresh flow with every human deed. Through these trials, God separates the true believers from the claimants of faith and selects witnesses who guard the truth.
The verse concludes with the phrase And Allah does not love the wrongdoers, which draws a red line demarcating right from wrong. Oppression is like a poison that dries the roots of faith and prevents the realisation of superiority. God does not love the oppressors, whether among the believers or the disbelievers. From an ethical perspective, this principle emphasises divine justice and indicates that oppression is the principal enemy of superiority and felicity.
Verse 140 of Surah Al-Imran, with a tone as a wise breeze settling on the soul, speaks of the apparent equality in wars, the turning of time, and the testing of faith. This verse stresses the recognition of true believers and the selection of witnesses, highlighting the significance of practical faith in differentiating truth from falsehood. Divine aversion to oppressors serves as a warning that oppression, whether manifested as weakness or disbelief, obstructs felicity. This section forms a bridge to the next verse, which addresses the purification of believers and the destruction of disbelievers.
