of Nokounam, (Session 956)
The Holy Quran, like a guiding lamp, shows humanity the path of felicity and perfection. Verse 32 of Surah An-Nis, with profound and universal expression, invites mankind to contemplate divine wisdom and to abstain from envy and greed. This verse not only elucidates a moral and human law but also, with a deep insight into the system of creation, directs humans towards submission and contentment with Divine Will. In this treatise, relying on the content of the lecture series, this verse is examined from various ethical, psychological, philosophical, theological, and social perspectives, so that its profound messages become clear to the contemporary human.
وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۚ لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا اكْتَسَبُوا ۚ وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ ۚ وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا
And do not wish for that by which Allah has made some of you excel others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned. And ask Allah of His bounty. Indeed, Allah is ever, of all things, Knowing.
Surah An-Nis, like a treasury of rulings and laws, encompasses directives that some correspond with the social and cultural conditions at the time of revelation, while others, due to their universal nature, apply to all eras and places. These rulings sometimes respond to the specific needs of the contemporary society and sometimes serve as general principles that transcend time and space, guiding humanity. Some of these laws may lose their previous function with the passage of time and changing circumstances; however, this does not undermine the nature of the Holy Quran, because the Quran is a mirror reflecting existential realities in all their diversity and differences.
Verse Thirty-Two of Surah An-Nis, as one of the universal gems of the Holy Quran, elucidates an ethical, scientific, psychological, and human law that is obligatory not only for the Prophets and saints but for all human beings, both scholars and laypeople alike. This verse, like a star in the firmament of knowledge, opens a path towards human perfection and, with clear expression, liberates mankind from the snares of envy and greed.
Verse Thirty-Two explicitly forbids a person from desiring what Allah has granted others: And do not wish for that by which Allah has made some of you excel others. This desire, termed in Persian as envy-driven longing, encompasses wanting beauty, rank, wealth, or any virtue bestowed upon another. For example, someone who observes anothers beauty and says, I wish I were like that, or who covets anothers rank and wealth, falls into the trap of envy. This longing is like a fire in the heart that robs the individual of tranquility and drives them towards dissatisfaction and ingratitude.
From a psychological viewpoint, envy is a mental malady threatening the health of the mind and soul. Due to limited perception, a person sees only their inner self afflictions, pains, and deficiencies yet envies others who appear outwardly calm and carefree. This cognitive error, like a mirage in the desert, entices one toward an illusion of others happiness. Socially, envy fosters unhealthy competition and undermines communal solidarity.
Divine grace is akin to a garment tailored specifically to each individual's stature. Desiring anothers grace is, from a logical standpoint, a faulty analogy; what benefits one may not be effective for another. This analogy, like attempting to wear an ill-fitting garment, yields only distress and failure. The verse, by forbidding this desire, invites the individual to accept their destiny and share.
The Holy Quran, with wise expression, demonstrates that God has created no being without grace or deficiency. Every creature, from humans to animals, possesses perfections granted by God alongside imperfections that form part of creations system. This balance, like a precise scale, reveals divine wisdom in creation. Even in beings considered evil, a hidden grace exists that manifests the wisdom of creation.
From a theological perspective, absolute evil does not exist in creation; every evil is accompanied by good. This viewpoint confirms Gods infinite mercy and invites humans to reflect upon the concealed wisdom behind events. For instance, the story of a seminary student who escaped danger during an attack on Feyziyeh Seminary due to a broken leg, or a person who survived death in war because of a physical defect, illustrates that deficiencies may sometimes be divine mercy.
One narration recounts that during a battle, soldiers who were healthy were killed, but a man with a broken leg was spared death. This story, like a mirror, reflects divine wisdom, indicating that sometimes deficiency is a path to deliverance. Due to human limitation, the hidden wisdom of these events remains obscure, yet the Quran calls for submission and contentment.
Verse Thirty-Two, with clear wording, states: For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned. This share is the outcome of each individuals acquisition, encompassing a chain of existential factors from conception and sustenance to inheritance and historical contexts. Men and women, each according to their efforts and existential backgrounds, receive a portion of Divine grace. This equality in share demonstrates gender justice within the system of creation.
Acquisition is a broad concept that extends beyond individual effort to include antecedent factors such as genetics, inheritance, and environment. This causal chain, like a flowing river, shapes each individuals destiny. For example, a story of a woman who, upon seeing the beauty of a veiled woman, was attracted to the veil shows that acquisition sometimes derives from environmental and social influences. This narrative, like a flower in the garden of knowledge, indicates the effect of spiritual beauty in guiding humanity.
In a narration, a woman who saw the beauty of a veiled woman at an assembly was drawn towards hijab and spirituality. This story shows that beauty, at times like a shining torch, illuminates the path to perfection. However, material beauty, if not accompanied by wisdom, can lead to dangers such as deception and misguidance.
After forbidding envy, the verse invites humans to request grace directly from God: And ask Allah of His bounty. This request must be sincere and free from imitation of others. Praying for material desires, akin to attempting to pick an unripe fruit, leads to disappointment. The story of a radish planted with the intention of bread but resulting in death due to a snake demonstrates that misguided desires bring torment.
Prayers for material gains sometimes represent interference in Divine Will, diverting humans from the path of perfection. The Holy Quran invites man to submit and be content with his share and requests that instead of imitating others, he seek Gods infinite grace. This prayer, like a cool breeze, soothes the heart and brings one closer to God.
A narration tells of a person who planted radish to secure daily sustenance, but a hidden snake in the ground led to his death. This story, like a warning, shows that imprudent desires sometimes culminate in torment and failure. Humans must rely on divine wisdom instead of whims.
The concept of absoluteness, like a mirage in the desert of knowledge, sometimes leads humans towards superstition. From a theological standpoint, even divine names such as The Most Merciful (Ar-Rahman), The Most Compassionate (Ar-Rahim), and The Compeller (Al-Jabbar) are relative and none is identical to another. This diversity, like varied colours in the painting of creation, demonstrates unity in multiplicity. The notion of essence or absoluteness, due to lack of nomenclature, is epistemologically nonsensical and distorts human understanding of God.
