of Nekounam, (Session 922)
Verses 166 to 169 of Surah Al-Imran in the Holy Quran, like a mirror before the reality of human existence, portray the lawfulness of the universe under the illumination of Divine will. These verses, revealed in the historical context of the Battle of Uhud, not only refer to the events of that time but also serve as a radiant torch guiding humankind in the understanding of the truths of faith, hypocrisy, and the good life. This writing, with a profound contemplation of these verses, elucidates the concepts of occurrence, divine trial, and the station of martyrdom within the cosmic order. Employing eloquent language and a systematic structure, it endeavours to clarify the profound meanings of these verses for readers and to reveal the connection between reason and revelation in comprehending these truths.
وَمَآ أَصَٰبَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْتَقَى ٱلْجَمْعَانِ فَبِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
"And whatever befell you on the day the two armies met, it was by the permission of Allah, that He might make the believers known."
Verse 166 of Surah Al-Imran, like a key to understanding the lawfulness of the universe, places the concept of occurrence at its centre. Occurrence, meaning whatever befalls a personbe it good or evil, calamity or blessingexists within the framework of Divine will and permission. This concept presents the universe as an orderly system in which no event occurs beyond the scope of the Creators decree. Against the backdrop of the Battle of Uhud, where two groups of believers and opponents confronted each other, the calamities that befell the believers were not accidental but happened by Divine permission to distinguish the true believers from others.
From the perspective of moral philosophy, occurrence refers to human responsibility in the face of adversity. Man, as an actor upon the stage of existence, shapes the course of events through his choices, yet these choices ultimately reach their conclusion under Divine governance. Theologically, this verse emphasises the unity of Divine acts, asserting that every event, from victory to defeat, lies within the hands of the Lord.
The phrase "Yawm al-Talaqa al-Jam'n" refers to the day of the Battle of Uhud, the day when two hostile frontsthe believers and their adversariesstood against each other. This day is not only a historical event but also a symbol of the confrontation between faith and disbelief, perseverance and hypocrisy. The groups present on this stage, ranging from true believers to hypocrites, the weak in faith, disbelievers, and polytheists, displayed a diversity of motives and beliefs. From a sociological perspective, this confrontation alludes to the complexities of group relations and the impact of motivational differences on collective behaviour. Theologically, this diversity serves as a mirror reflecting the degrees of faith and disbelief before the eyes of onlookers.
وَلِيَعْلَمَ ٱلَّذِينَ نَافَقُوا۟ ۚ وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا۟ قَاتِلُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَوِ ٱدْفَعُوا۟ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَوْ نَعْلَمُ قِتَالًا لَّٱتَّبَعْنَٰكُمْ ۚ هُمْ لِلْكُفْرِ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَقْرَبُ مِنْهُمْ لِلْإِيمَٰنِ ۚ يَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِهِم مَّا لَيْسَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَكْتُمُونَ
"And [this was] so that He might know those who are hypocrites. And said to them, 'Come, fight in the way of Allah or defend.' They said, 'If we had known [there would be] fighting, we would have followed you.' They were closer to disbelief that day than to faith. They say with their mouths what is not within their hearts, and Allah knows what they conceal."
Verse 167, like a double-edged sword, unveils the face of the hypocrites and distinguishes true faith from hypocrisy. The hypocrites, who outwardly professed faith, when confronted with the divine trialnamely, the call to fight or defendmade excuses: "If we had known there would be fighting, we would have followed you." This excuse, like a mask over the face of truth, revealed the weakness of their faith and their proximity to disbelief. The Holy Quran, emphasising that "they were closer to disbelief than to faith on that day," indicates that the hypocrites, due to fear and weakness, distanced themselves from faith and approached disbelief during the Battle of Uhud.
From a psychological perspective, the duplicitous behaviour of the hypocrites stems from fear and dishonesty. They speak with their tongues what is not in their hearts; this linguistic hypocrisy forms a barrier between appearance and reality, concealing the truth of their being. Theologically, Allahs knowledge of what they conceal acts as a light illuminating the darkness of the heart. God, the most knowing of hidden secrets, exposes the hypocrites in the crucible of trial.
The hypocrites in verse 167 were called upon to fight in the path of Allah or at least defend themselves. This invitation was a test to examine the sincerity of their claim to faith. However, their responseIf we had known there would be fighting, we would have followed youserved as a feeble excuse revealing their hypocrisy. From the perspective of Islamic jurisprudence, this invitation pertains to defensive jihad, where even if one is unable to fight, defending oneself is obligatory. Ethically, this verse stresses the collective responsibility of humans towards the truth, and fleeing from it is a sign of weak faith.
The phrases "وَلِيَعْلَمَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ" and "وَلِيَعْلَمَ ٱلَّذِينَ نَافَقُوا۟" refer to the actual knowledge of God, not His innate knowledge which encompasses all existence as indicated in the concept "the pen has dried writing what will be." Actual knowledge, like an instrument in the hands of the Lord, distinguishes believers and hypocrites in the context of divine trials. From the standpoint of Islamic mysticism, this distinction points to the levels of Divine knowledge, where innate knowledge is like a boundless ocean containing all existence, and actual knowledge is like a wave upon this ocean, appearing at the moment of trial.
ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ لِإِخْوَٰنِهِمْ وَقَعَدُوا
