of Nekounam, may his sacred spirit be sanctified (Session 1009)
The Holy Quran, like a crystalline spring, flows with divine knowledge into the hearts of mankind and illuminates the path of felicity and salvation through its enlightening verses. Verse 117 of Surah Al-Imran is among these luminous verses which, with profound expression, unveils the reality of polytheism (shirk), the passivity of creatures before the Creator, and the position of the rebellious Satan in opposition to divine monotheism (tawhid). This treatise, through reflection upon this noble verse, examines the concepts of shirk, passivity, and Satanic disobedience, and elucidates its profound meanings for truth-seeking audiences in a clear and solemn language. Like a tree whose roots are embedded in the soil of knowledge and whose branches stretch towards the sky of wisdom, this exegesis endeavours to shed light on the path of comprehension through the integration of Quranic meanings and scholarly analyses.
The Holy Quran, in verse 117 of Surah Al-Imran, unequivocally presents shirk as a major impediment to tawhid. This verse lifts the veil on the reality of shirk and regards it as a deliberate act arising from conscious intent, standing in opposition to divine knowledge.
إِنْ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ إِلَّا إِنَاثًا وَإِنْ يَدْعُونَ إِلَّا شَيْطَانًا مَرِيدًا
Translation: They call upon nothing but passive beings, and they call upon nothing but a rebellious Satan.
Unlike disbelief (kufr), which may stem from ignorance or lack of knowledge, shirk is an act committed with full awareness of the grandeur of the Divine. The polytheist, despite knowing the oneness of God, assigns partners to Him, thereby placing themselves in opposition to the Creator of existence. The Holy Quran states in verse 116 of Surah Al-Imran: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ (God does not forgive associating partners with Him), indicating the extreme abhorrence of shirk. Shirk, like a dark shadow, dims the light of monotheism within the human heart and directs one towards worshipping entities devoid of any intrinsic power.
Within Quranic terminology, kufr and shirk are distinct concepts. Kufr sometimes arises from ignorance or an environment that deprives an individual of knowing God. The Quran in verse 98 of Surah An-Nisa states: إِلَّا الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ (except the oppressed), indicating the possibility of forgiveness for disbelievers who did not recognise God due to ignorance. Conversely, shirk is an act committed with awareness of the truth of monotheism, where the polytheist knowingly sets up another entity alongside God. This distinction, like a clear line between the darkness of ignorance and the light of knowledge, designates shirk as a graver sin.
The noble verse directs the polytheists towards the worship of a rebellious Satan (شَيْطَانًا مَرِيدًا). The term marid denotes rebelliousness and disobedience, portraying Satan as an entity that has defied the divine command. The Holy Quran warns in verse 60 of Surah Yaseen: أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ أَنْ لَا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَ (Did I not enjoin upon you, O children of Adam, not to worship Satan?). This verse identifies the worship of Satan as a direct consequence of shirk.
In the exegesis of this verse, a subtle distinction is made between Satan and Iblis. Satan, as a seductive force, leads mankind towards shirk, while Iblis symbolises rebellion and disobedience in direct opposition to God. The Quran states in verse 50 of Surah Al-Kahf: وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ (And when We said to the angels, Prostrate to Adam), where Iblis refused to obey this command due to his rebellion. This distinction, like two branches of one root, reveals different dimensions of defiance against the Divine.
One of the key concepts of verse 117 in Surah Al-Imran is the word إِنَاثًا, interpreted as passive beings. This term does not denote women or specific idols, but rather any entity that is passive in relation to the absolute agency of God. The Quran states in verse 4 of Surah An-Najm: إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا (They are nothing but names which you have named), portraying idols as powerless and passive entities.
Some commentaries have restricted the meaning of إِنَاثًا to idols such as Lt and Uzz or merely to women. Such interpretations are criticised for distorting the meaning and attributing weakness to women. The Quran in verse 7 of Surah Al-Imran warns: فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ (As for those whose hearts are inclined to deviation), emphasising the importance of avoiding distortion of Quranic meanings. In this verse, إِنَاثًا signifies any passive being that lacks intrinsic power before God, including idols, humans, and all creatures.
In this interpretation, passivity is defined as transformation and inclination, not weakness or incapacity. All creatures, including men and women, are passive before God, but this passivity is an indication of their perfection within their designated place. The Quran states in verse 26 of Surah Al-Imran: يُؤْتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ (He grants wisdom to whom He wills), emphasising the dependence of all creation upon God. Passivity is like a river flowing towards the sea, not from weakness but by the wisdom of the Divine.
In this exegesis, the passivity of women in relation to men is described as inclination and transformation, not weakness or incapacity. Even if a woman is physically or socially strong, she is passive in the biological and psychological structure. This passivity is not a defect but part of the Divine wisdom in creation. The Quran states in verse 34 of Surah An-Nisa: الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ (Men are the maintainers of women), underscoring the complementary roles of men and women in the system of creation.
Islamic narrations introduce modesty as a factor in regulating the passivity of women. Modesty acts as a shield, restraining the natural inclination of women within an ethical framework and preventing deviations. The Quran states in verse 25 of Surah Al-Qasas: فَجَاءَتْهُ إِحْدَاهُمَا تَمْشِي عَلَى اسْتِحْيَاءٍ (One of the two women came walking modestly), emphasising the role of modesty in womens behaviour. A narration states: If modesty were not present in a woman, every woman would incline to many men, indicating the guiding role of modesty over natural passivity.
Women are introduced as desirable beings within the system of creation, complementing men. This desirability arises from the natural passivity of women, manifested socially such as in courtship. The Quran states in verse 21 of Surah Ar-Rum: وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا (And among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves), emphasising the complementary relationship between women and men. This complementarity is like two wings of a bird which, through coordination, enable it to soar towards perfection.
Passivity, in this interpretation, is regarded as a transformative power that attracts beings towards itself. This power is more evident in women, yet exists among all creatures before God. The Quran states in verse 54 of Surah Al-Araf: إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ (Indeed, your Lord is Allah who created the heavens and the earth), affirming the absolute agency of God and the passivity of creatures before Him. Passivity is like a mirror reflecting the light of divine agency, and a sign of the wisdom of creation.
From a biological and psychological viewpoint, women are passive due to their bodily and mental structure, but this passivity does not signify weakness. Even the least attractive women possess a charm by virtue of this passivity that surpasses the most handsome men. This trait indicates the transformative power of women that draws creatures towards them. Men, in response to this passivity, themselves become passive; however, this passivity is not a flaw but a sign of Divine wisdom in creation.
Verse 117 of Surah Al-Imran, like a blazing torch, elucidates the reality of shirk and the passivity of creatures before God. Shirk, as the principal enemy of monotheism, is a conscious act that directs humans towards worship of passive beings and the rebellious Satan. إِنَاثًا, meaning passive beings, encompasses all creatures who stand before the absolute agency of God. Passivity is not a sign of weakness but a transformative power playing a complementary role in the system of creation. Modesty, as an ethical trait, guides this passivity within a divine framework. This exegesis, by meditating on Quranic meanings and scholarly analyses, invites a deeper understanding of tawhid and abstention from shirk, so that hearts may be illuminated by the light of divine knowledge.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
