the Lectures of Nekounam, May His Sacred Spirit be Honoured (Session 906)
The Holy Quran, akin to a luminous lamp, illuminates the path of felicity through the profound depths of its verses. Verses 146 to 148 of Surah Al-Imran, expressed with profound and mystical eloquence, speak of the perseverance of the Divine Prophets and their spiritually nurtured companions. These verses, resembling a mirror, reflect the steadfastness of those who, on the path of truth, neither faltered nor weakened nor yielded to the adversaries. In this treatise, by examining the history of the Prophets and the Rubbiyun, the concepts of patience, benevolence, and Divine love are explored. Through this reflection, a path towards a deeper understanding of spiritual training and striving in the way of God is unveiled. This study, relying on the main points of the lecture, elucidates the concepts and semantic connections among the verses and the characteristics of the Rubbiyun.
The verses under consideration, looking retrospectively, discuss the Divine Prophets and their nurtured companions, called the abundant Rubbiyun. These verses do not address todays Muslims directly, but rather point to the history of the Prophets and their loyal followers. The Prophets shone like guiding stars in the sky of human history, and the Rubbiyun, like faithful companions, engaged alongside them in striving and perseverance.
The term Rubbiyun, plural of Rabbi, refers to those who have reached perfection under Divine training; individuals who are mature, refined, and prepared for striving in the way of God. The phrase وَكَأَيِّنْ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ in verse 146 indicates the multitude of Prophets throughout history. This abundance, like a rushing river, signifies the vastness of Divine guidance among humanity. Nevertheless, the abundant Rubbiyun, although numerous alongside the Prophets, seem few in comparison to the great communities. This scarcity, akin to a rare gem, points to the difficulty in cultivating perfect and loyal human beings.
Verse 146, with the expression قَاتَلَ مَعَهُ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ, highlights the Prophets' role in the battlefield of striving and the accompaniment of the Rubbiyun on this path. This struggle is not merely a physical battle but a spiritual and inner jihad, wherein the Prophets and the Rubbiyun stood firmly against the enemies of the faith. This steadfastness, like a resolute mountain, manifests their unwavering determination to preserve faith and Divine values.
This section, by elucidating the role of the Prophets and the abundant Rubbiyun in Divine history, emphasises the importance of nurturing perfect and loyal individuals on the path of Divine guidance. The abundance of Prophets and the scarcity of the Rubbiyun resemble two sides of a scale, illustrating the balance between the widespreadness of guidance and the difficulty of its acceptance. These verses, underscoring struggle and perseverance, pave the way for a deeper understanding of the characteristics of the Rubbiyun in the subsequent section.
Verse 146, in an exalted expression, enumerates three distinguished attributes of the Rubbiyun: absence of weakness, absence of frailty, and absence of submission. These three qualities, like three steadfast pillars, constitute the foundation of the Rubbiyun's character. Each of these traits pertains to an aspect of perseverance in the face of adversity on the path of God.
Weakness (وهن) denotes frailty and self-defeat in the face of hardships on the path of God. These hardships include battle, martyrdom, loss of possessions, and captivity. The Rubbiyun, like deeply rooted trees, did not falter but stood firm against these difficulties. This resistance reflects a faith that, like a steel shield, preserved their spirit from collapse.
Frailty (ضعف) refers to incapacity in body and soul; a state where a person succumbs to deficiencies and wounds. The Rubbiyun, relying on faith in God, were free from this frailty. This faith, like a clear spring, empowered them to withstand poverty, wounds, or loss of resources without becoming incapacitated.
Submission (استكانت), derived from the root sakan, means becoming immobilised and surrendering to the enemy. The Rubbiyun, with dignity and steadfastness, never submitted to the enemy. This trait, like a raised banner, signifies a spirit that does not bow under enemy pressure.
Although all three traits relate to weakness, they differ in meaning and function. Weakness is frailty in the face of external hardships; frailty is internal incapacity of body and soul; submission is surrender and passivity before the enemy. This distinction, like three colours in a painting, portrays the multifaceted dimensions of the Rubbiyun's perseverance.
In examining these verses, some interpretations in religious sciences have been criticised for lack of precision and depth. Such exegeses, at times due to inattention to the exact meanings of words or inability to clarify the distinctions among weakness, frailty, and submission, lack sufficient scholarly merit. This critique underscores the necessity of revisiting exegetical methodologies and adopting a more scientific approach to studying religious texts.
This section, by elucidating the three distinguished traits of the Rubbiyun, addresses the importance of Divine training in nurturing individuals who remain firm and steadfast against adversity and enemies. The critique of religious sciences serves as a caution for reconstructing exegetical knowledge and opens the way for reflecting on the role of patience and Divine love in the subsequent part.
Verse 146, with the phrase وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الصَّابِرِينَ, refers to Divine love for the patient. The patience of the Rubbiyun in the face of weakness, frailty, and submission, like a shining jewel, draws their hearts nearer to God. This love is not a material reward but a spiritual gift that elevates the patient to a high rank.
Verse 147 recounts the prayer of the Rubbiyun, which solely requests forgiveness, steadfastness, and victory. Sins refers to shortcomings and excesses to transgressions in matters. This supplication, like a heartfelt melody, reveals the sincerity and selflessness of the Rubbiyun who seek nothing personal but strive only for God and triumph over the enemies of the faith.
Verse 148, by mentioning the reward of this world and the best reward of the Hereafter, speaks of Divine recompense to the Rubbiyun. This reward is limited in the world but higher due to its vastness in the Hereafter. The phrase And Allah loves the doers of good indicates Divine love for those who give benevolently without expectation. The beneficent ones, namely the Rubbiyun, through patience and benevolence, reach a rank where the fruit of their patience is benevolence.
Benevolence is like a ripe fruit on the branch of patience, a station higher than patience itself. The Rubbiyun, by enduring hardships patiently, attain benevolence devoid of any craving for material reward. This station, among the ranks of the wayfarers, holds
of Nokounam (May His Sanctity Remain Untarnished) Session 908
The Holy Qur'an, akin to a pristine and boundless spring, presents profound knowledge to humanity through its clear and illuminating verses. Verse 151 of Surah Al-Imran stands as one of these gems of wisdom, articulating, with eloquent and thought-provoking expression, the divine confrontation with disbelief and polytheism. This verse, by emphasising the instillation of terror in the hearts of disbelievers due to baseless polytheism, not only provides a theological perspective but also delivers deep sociological and psychological messages for reflection on human behaviour and its connection to rationality and reasoning. In this treatise, a comprehensive and precise examination of this verse has been undertaken, aiming to elucidate its meanings and concepts with fluent language and a coherent structure. These reflections, of religious scholars, are arranged to preserve the core content with all its details while enhancing its scientific and literary richness through semantic linkages and supplementary explanations.
Verse 151 of Surah Al-Imran follows verses that describe the characteristics of the believers, their strengths and weaknesses, and the vicissitudes of their faith. This verse, by shifting its addressees from the believers to the disbelievers and polytheists, acts as a bridge displaying the confrontation between faith and disbelief. This contextual change functions like a mirror reflecting the encounter of two opposing dimensions of human existence: the realm of faith, adorned with divine light, and the realm of disbelief, immersed in the darkness of baseless polytheism.
From a theological standpoint, this verse clarifies God's position towards the disbelievers and unveils the divine wisdom and justice in responding to human actions. From a sociological perspective, this shift in tone and audience serves as a warning to non-faith communities whose behaviour towards believers will bear divine consequences. This message resonates like a tone echoing through the annals of history, inviting societies to reflect upon their deeds.
The noble verse commences with the term سَنُلْقِی (We will cast), where the presence of the letter "sin" (س) signifies divine tranquillity and patience in fulfilling His promises. This linguistic structure acts like a brush delicately painting divine wisdom and patience onto the canvas of the verses. In the Qur'anic language, "sin" sometimes denotes the near future and sometimes the distant future, yet invariably heralds the certainty of the divine promise's fulfilment. In this verse, the use of "sin" indicates that God does not hastily punish the disbelievers but determines the appropriate time to execute His promise with wise patience.
This tranquillity, from the perspective of Qur'anic linguistics, carries a profound message: unlike hasty humans, God judges and executes His will with calmness and wisdom. This concept aligns with theological theories regarding divine patience and justice, demonstrating that although divine promises may be delayed, their occurrence is inevitable.
سَنُلْقِی فِی قُلُوبِ الَّذِینَ کَفَرُوا الرُّعْبَ بِمَا أَشْرَکُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ یَنْزِلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَمَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ وَبِئْسَ مَثْوَی الظَّالِمِینَ
Translation: Soon We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve because they associate partners with Allah for which He has not sent down any authority, and their abode is the Fireand evil is the residence of the wrongdoers.
The phrase سَنُلْقِی فِی قُلُوبِ الَّذِینَ کَفَرُوا الرُّعْبَ denotes casting fear and trembling into the hearts of the disbelievers. The word رُعْب here does not refer solely to apparent fear but to a profound instability within the spiritual and psychological realms that envelops the entire being of the individual. This fear acts like a storm that undermines the existential foundations of the disbeliever, rendering them powerless before divine grandeur.
From the perspective of social psychology, the instillation of terror can function as a mechanism of social control. This fear operates not only as a divine punishment but also as a tool for reforming or disciplining disbelieving communities. Theologically, this concept reflects God's boundless power to influence hearts and souls such that even without apparent causes, He can induce instability within the existence of disbelievers.
The Holy Qur'an presents the world as a system based on causes, where God, as the primary cause (Mubdi al-Asbab), holds control over all causes and effects. Nevertheless, sometimes God manifests His will directly, without apparent intermediary causes (non-causal action). The instillation of terror in this verse can occur through natural causes (such as war or disasters), supernatural causes (such as the influence of angels), or directly by God Himself. This flexibility within the divine system is like a river that at times flows through visible channels and at other times through hidden paths but always reaches its intended destination.
From the philosophy of religion perspective, this concept pertains to divine will and free agency in relation to natural laws. God, as the creator of causes, can act beyond them, and this ability signifies His infinite greatness and power. This view is consistent with the theological notion of God as the ultimate cause and emphasises that God is the absolute sovereign over all causes and effects.
The noble verse states the cause of divine wrath as: بِمَا أَشْرَکُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ یَنْزِلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا (because they associated partners with Allah for which He has not sent down any authority). Polytheism itself is a grave sin, but what aggravates this sin is the absence of any rationale or justification for it. This baselessness acts like a sinister shadow that casts the beliefs of disbelievers into darkness and distances them from the path of rationality and truth. From the Qur'anic perspective, baselessness is worse than polytheism and disbelief itself because it denotes the denial of reason and logic within the realm of religious beliefs.
From the philosophy of religion viewpoint, baseless polytheism means disregarding rationality in religious beliefs. This perspective aligns with rationalist theories, such as Kants view on the necessity of reason in ethics and religion. Sociologically, baselessness in beliefs can lead to intellectual fragmentation and weaken social cohesion, as societies without reasoning become prone to superstition and deviations.
The noble verse mentions the consequences of baseless
