This treatise undertakes an examination and interpretation of Verses 152 and 153 from Surah Al-Imran in the Holy Quran, which elucidate with profound and contemplative expression the characteristics of genuine faith, the believers relationship with God and the Prophets, and the epistemological challenges confronting humanity. These verses, like a luminous light in the sky of knowledge, guide believers towards the comprehensive acceptance of divine truth and avoidance of deviations. In this regard, the content of the lecture has been rewritten in a fluent language and coherent structure to convey the Quranic concepts with precision and depth to the audience. The present writing, in various sections, explicates faith, divine recompense, the unreasonable demands of the People of the Book, and instructive historical lessons, utilising semantic links to illuminate the theological, philosophical, and ethical dimensions of these verses.
The Holy Quran in Verse 152 of Surah Al-Imran introduces the true believer as follows:
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ أُولَئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا
Translation: And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and do not make distinction between any of them We will surely give them their rewards. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
This verse, akin to a pure mirror, reflects the reality of faith. The true believer is one who harbours faith in God and all His Prophets within an integrated heart, making no discrimination or distinction between the divine Messengers. This characteristic signifies unity within multiplicity; as if all the Prophets, from Moses to Jesus, Abraham, and David (peace be upon them), are threads of one rosary bearing a single truth. Acceptance of this truth necessitates a heart freed from ethnic and religious prejudices and illuminated by the light of divine knowledge.
This concept negates any divisive attitude that sows discord between religions or Prophets. As noted in the lecture, some resort to proverbs such as Moses for his religion, Jesus for his religion to promote separation among religions, whereas the Quran rejects this view and invites the believer to unity in faith.
Although Verse 152 does not explicitly mention righteous deeds, the lecture emphasises that genuine faith inevitably accompanies righteous action. A believer who does not differentiate between God and the Prophets naturally adheres to divine teachings. This connection resembles the root and branch of a robust tree, indicating the unity between belief and conduct. Faith without action is like a seed that remains in barren soil and does not bear fruit.
From the perspective of Islamic theology, faith and righteous deeds are the two wings that enable the human soul to soar towards perfection. This view aligns with numerous Quranic verses, such as Verse 277 of Surah Al-Baqarah, which places faith and righteous deeds side by side.
Verse 152 promises that believers with unified faith will receive their recompense on the Day of Resurrection:
أُولَئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا
Translation: They will surely be given their rewards. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
The use of the plural term أُجُورَهُمْ (their rewards), like the abundant branches of a tree, refers to the diversity and multiplicity of divine recompenses. These rewards are the result of faith in God, acceptance of the Prophets, and avoidance of discord. Furthermore, the attributes Forgiving and Merciful of God depict, like a gushing spring, the boundless forgiveness and kindness of the Divine. God not only pardons the sins of the believers but, with His infinite mercy, bestows blessings beyond their due.
The lecture emphasises that, besides forgiving sins, God grants the believers a multiplied mercy as if a door of endless mercy has been opened to them.
The first section of this treatise, relying on Verse 152 of Surah Al-Imran, elucidated the characteristics of the true believer. Unified faith, encompassing the indiscriminate acceptance of God and the Prophets, along with righteous deeds, paves the way to divine rewards. This faith, like a radiant lamp, illuminates the path to felicity and keeps the believer away from discord and prejudice.
The Holy Quran in Verse 153 of Surah Al-Imran alludes to the unreasonable demands of the People of the Book:
يَسْأَلُكَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ أَنْ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَابًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ ۚ فَقَدْ سَأَلُوا مُوسَىٰ أَكْبَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالُوا أَرِنَا اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً
Translation: The People of the Book ask you to bring down to them a book from the heaven. Indeed, they asked Moses for something greater than that and said, Show us Allah openly.
This verse, like a mirror reflecting flaws, refers to the unreasonable demands of the People of the Book. The request for a book to be sent down from heaven or to see God openly indicates a materialistic perspective that reduces divine reality to the level of sensory experiences. The lecture terms these demands good questions, but critically views them as resulting from ignorance and an incorrect understanding of the divine nature. These requests are like attempting to see the sun with closed eyes, stemming from ignorance and disobedience.
From the philosophy of religion perspective, such demands reveal a religious materialism that seeks material signs instead of heartfelt knowledge. The Quran, by rejecting this outlook, invites humanity to faith based on intellect and heart.
The Quran states the outcome of these irrational demands as follows:
فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ بِظُلْمِهِمْ
Translation: So the thunderbolt seized them because of their wrongdoing.
The thunderbolt, like an arrow of divine justice, was the consequence of the disobedience and injustice of the Children of Israel. The lecture defines injustice not only as oppression of others but as any deviation from the path of truth, including pointless questions and ignorance. This punishment serves as a warning to humanity not to transgress divine limits and to seek truth with humility and knowledge.
