The Holy Qur'an, like a clear spring, serves as humanitys guide towards truth and salvation. The luminous verses of Surah An-Nis, especially verses 49 and 50, with profound and cautionary expressions, critique behaviours that divert humankind from the path of sincerity and humility. These verses, focusing on arrogance, polytheism, and false accusations against God, provide invaluable lessons on the purification of the soul and the necessity of submission to the Divine will. This treatise, relying on the aforementioned verses and their detailed exegesis, explores these concepts to illuminate a clear path for understanding truth and avoiding deviations for the readers.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ۚ بَلِ اللَّهُ يُزَكِّي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا
Have you not seen those who claim to purify themselves? Nay, it is Allah who purifies whom He wills, and they are not wronged in the least.
Verse 49 of Surah An-Nis, with a striking address, invites reflection upon the conduct of those who consider themselves pure and superior. This arrogance, which in the Holy Quran is censured as self-purification, is akin to a concealed fire rooted in subtle polytheism. Polytheism, previously described in the Surah as an unforgivable sin, here manifests as self-praise and egocentrism. Those who regard themselves as pure in fact usurp the Divine position, positioning themselves as the centre of superiority and purity. This behaviour not only contradicts sincerity but is deeply intertwined with hypocrisy and ostentation.
Meanwhile, the Infallibles (peace be upon them) provide an unparalleled model of humility. Even when expressing their own virtues, they employ phrases such as أنا أقل الأقلين (I am the least of the least), manifesting their humility. In contrast, those who engage in self-praise often possess baseless claims and disguise themselves with a mask of religiosity.
The Holy Quran, by emphasising Nay, it is Allah who purifies whom He wills, clarifies the boundary between self-purification and Divine purification. True purification is solely from God, who, by His wisdom and justice, purifies and elevates deserving servants. This process, like a Divine breeze, guides prepared hearts towards salvation. Before this absolute will, humankind has no recourse but submission and humility. Self-praise, akin to attempting to paint the sun in the presence of the sun itself, is futile and false.
The phrase and they are not wronged in the least reflects Gods infinite justice like a mirror. Least (فتیل), referring to a thin strand of a date stone, symbolises the precision and subtlety of Divine justice. God neither wrongs the self-praisers nor neglects the humble. Those who claim self-purification, due to polytheism and hypocrisy, expose themselves to retribution, but this punishment is a result of their own deeds, not Divine oppression.
This justice, like a precise scale, measures human deeds and grants to each what they deserve. The arrogant, who falsely regard themselves as superior, ultimately face the consequences of their actions, whereas the humble, under the shade of Divine mercy, attain goodness and compassion.
Verse 49 of Surah An-Nis clearly condemns arrogance as an example of subtle polytheism and calls humanity to humility and submission to Divine will. Divine purification flows solely from God like a clear stream, and His justice, like a radiant sun, tolerates no injustice towards His servants. This verse serves as a warning for humans to abandon self-praise and hypocrisy and embrace sincerity and humility.
انْظُرْ كَيْفَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ ۖ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِ إِثْمًا مُبِينًا
Behold how they forge lies against Allah, and sufficient is that as a manifest sin.
Verse 50 of Surah An-Nis, with a cautionary address, calls upon humans to contemplate the sin of falsely accusing God. This slander, manifested in false claims regarding religious status or attributing incorrect rulings to God, is a manifest and unforgivable sin. Those who commit this act are like painters who distort the face of truth with the brush of falsehood, depriving religion of its essential essence.
This behaviour is particularly prevalent among those with access to divine scriptures. Religious scholars who assert unrealistic claims, such as equating themselves with prophets or distorting Divine rulings, harm the religion and distance people from the truth.
Religious scholars, due to their status and social influence, bear a heavier responsibility in preserving religious truth. Nevertheless, some of them, by fabricating traditions or making false claimssuch as equating their authority with that of the prophetshave contributed to religious deviation. This conduct, like a poison gradually corroding the body of religion, has led to public distrust of prophets and divine scriptures.
Throughout history, Abrahamic religionsfrom Judaism and Christianity to Islamhave witnessed such deviations. Religious scholars who, instead of guidance, indulge in self-purification and arrogance have reduced religion to a mere faade, placing its essence beyond the reach of the people.
Collective afflictions, such as global pandemics, act like a mirror reflecting humanitys deeds. These calamities, affecting both the poor and the wealthy, serve as a warning from God for mankind to desist from polytheism, hypocrisy, and false accusation. These punishments, like waves that sweep the shore, exemplify Divine justice that spares no one unjustly.
Among these, social behaviours such as neglecting commitments or exploiting crises demonstrate the depth of deviation and distance from sincerity. Those who, in such circumstances, engage in self-praise or deception instead of aiding the needy embody the very essence of polytheists and hypocrites.
Verse 50 of Surah An-Nis condemns false accusation against God and points to the role of religious scholars in the deviation of religions and misguidance of the people. This verse, like a warning bell, alerts that lying against God is a manifest sin leading to spiritual extinction of religion and public distrust. Collective afflictions, as signs of Divine justice, invite humanity to return to sincerity and abandon hypocrisy.
Humility, like a golden key, opens the doors of salvation to humans. The Holy Quran, by condemning arrogance and emphasising Divine purification, calls man to be humble before God and His servants. Prostration, the lowest posture of man before the Lord, symbolises this humility and sincerity. In prostration, like a tree bending before the storm, man perceives his own insignificance before Divine greatness.
To be freed from polytheism and hypocrisy, man must engage in self-examination. This introspection, like a mirror revealing flaws, invites correction of intention and behaviour. Helping the needy without expecting reward, or worshipping in solitude with sincerity, are examples of actions free from ostentation and self-praise.
Along this path, one must avoid comparing oneself to others. Even animals, considered inferior by some, provide lessons in loyalty and sincerity. This awareness calls man to contemplate his limitations and abandon arrogance.
Humility and self-examination, like two wings, enable man to soar towards salvation. The Holy Quran, by inviting humility and avoidance of hypocrisy, lays down a clear path to escape polytheism and duplicity. This journey, paved with sincerity and submission to God, rescues man from the miseries arising from arrogance and false accusation.
Verses 49 and 50 of Surah An-Nis, like a blazing torch, illuminate the path of truth and salvation for mankind. These verses condemn arrogance, polytheism, and false accusation against God, calling humanity to humility, sincerity, and submission to Divine will. Self-praise, rooted in subtle polytheism, distances man from sincerity and draws him toward hypocrisy and ostentation. Conversely, Divine purification, like a clear stream, cleanses deserving hearts. Divine justice, acting like a precise scale, permits no injustice upon the servants.
False accusation, especially by religious scholars, acts as a poison corroding the body of religion and leading to its spiritual extinction. Collective afflictions, such as global pandemics, serve as warnings to return to honesty and sincerity. In this context, humility and self-examination, like two wings, guide mankind to salvation. This interpretation, with a profound and comprehensive perspective, invites readers to reflect on their conduct and return to the path of truth.
