of Nokounam, (Session 1041)
Surah An-Nis, akin to a radiant lamp upon the path of guidance, depicts divine laws across a vast spectrum of doctrinal, ethical, and social injunctions. This Surah, by elucidating the principles of monotheism and inviting pure devotion to God, directs humanity towards the straight path. Verse 173 of this Surah, which forms the nucleus of this treatise, delineates the destinies of two groups: the believers and the arrogant, thereby revealing the reality of monotheism and the consequences of estrangement from it. Through contemplation on this verse and related themes, this discourse explicates divine laws and the necessity of adherence to the Sacred Essence of the Lord. Its objective is to present Quranic concepts in a clear and robust framework for seekers of truth.
فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ ۖ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ اسْتَنْكَفُوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا فَيُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا ۙ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا
As for those who have believed and performed righteous deeds, He will fully recompense them and increase them out of His bounty; but as for those who have turned away and behaved arrogantly, He will punish them with a painful punishment. And they will find for themselves besides Allah no protector or helper.
This verse, like a transparent mirror, portrays the destinies of two contrasting groups: believers who, by faith and righteous deeds, are guided towards divine mercy and bounty, and the arrogant who, due to their rejection and pride, suffer a painful punishment. The juxtaposition of faith and arrogance, like two sides of a scale, forms the central axis of this verse, demonstrating human felicity and misery in the face of their choices.
Faith is planted as a pure seed within the human heart, which ripens through righteous deeds. This verse stipulates faith coupled with good deeds as the condition for receiving divine rewarda reward that is not only fully granted but also increased by God's boundless grace. Conversely, rejection and arrogance act as barriers against divine guidance, depriving one of the Lords mercy. Rejection denotes refusal to accept the truth, and arrogance is the self-exaltation that prevents submission to God. These two, like wings of misery, propel a person towards a painful punishment, from which no protector or helper exists except God.
Verse 173 of Surah An-Nis, with clear and decisive wording, sketches two antithetical pathways of human existence. Faith and righteous deeds act as keys unlocking the doors of divine mercy, guiding humanity to eternal felicity, whereas rejection and arrogance function as chains drawing one towards punishment and deprivation. This verse invites human beings to reflect upon their choices and to adhere steadfastly to faith and righteous action.
Surah An-Nis, like a comprehensive blueprint for human guidance, elucidates divine laws in various dimensions: doctrinal, ethical, and social. This Surah not only addresses rulings related to women but also, with unparalleled comprehensiveness, encompasses the principles of monotheism, ethics, and social relations. Its laws, expressed through diverse phrases and addresses, resemble streams originating from a single source, all ultimately converging upon the truth of monotheism and divine guidance. This comprehensiveness has transformed Surah An-Nis into a divine code that serves as humanitys guide on the path to felicity.
By articulating divine laws in multiple dimensions, Surah An-Nis shines like a beacon on humanitys path of guidance. Emphasising monotheism and the comprehensiveness of its injunctions, it calls humans towards a life founded on faith and justice.
The Holy Quran, by the address O mankind, resembles a prophet summoning all humanity towards truth, presenting a universal and inclusive invitation. This address is a sign of Gods infinite mercy that excludes no human from the scope of His guidance. The phrase proof from your Lord in Surah An-Nis refers to the prophets, revealed scriptures, and the governance system of the universe by God. This proof, like a luminous torch, unveils the reality of monotheism and testifies that the entire cosmos is under divine sovereignty.
The universal address of the Quran, like an open door to all humanity, invites reflection upon divine proof and acceptance of monotheism. This invitation, emphasising the divine order of the universe, guides humanity towards truth and felicity.
God, like a gardener sowing the seed of life and harvesting its fruit, is the Initiator and the Heir. He bestows all things and all return unto Him. This perspective reveals the absolute ownership of God and calls humanity to submit to His will. Everything at human disposal is among Gods blessings, and humans, as trustees, are obligated to employ these blessings in the path of the Lords satisfaction.
Portraying God as the Initiator and Heir invites contemplation on absolute divine ownership and the necessity of submission. This view constitutes the foundation of the monotheism of actions and acceptance of divine will.
The Holy Quran, like a manifest light, illuminates the path of truth for humanity. This light, alongside the proof from your Lord, offers both rational and transmitted guidance to humankind. Divine verses, like stars in the sky of knowledge, lead humans towards monotheism and truth. Nothing exists in the universe except the truth, and all phenomena are manifestations of divine will.
The Holy Quran, as manifest light, serves as humanitys guide on the path of monotheism and felicity. This light, by clarifying divine truth, leads humans away from the darkness of polytheism and misguidance towards enlightenment.
Adherence to God, like a steadfast rope, guides humans towards divine mercy and bounty. This adherence is the condition for entry into the garden of mercy and for guidance along the straight path. Those who turn away from this divine rope are deprived of salvation and become ensnared in the darkness of rejection and arrogance.
Clinging to God is the path to salvation and felicity. This verse, emphasising reliance on the Lord, invites humans towards the straight path and divine mercy.
Monotheism, like a pure gem, is the core of all Quranic teachings. Any ascription of divine status to created beings, whether prophets or others, is polytheism, which distances humans from the truth. Beliefs that attribute divine ranks to creations act as veils over the eyes of truth seekers, obstructing the comprehension of pure monotheism. Religious knowledge, with emphasis on pure worship of God, repudiates any deviation from this path.
Repudiating polytheism and superstition is essential to preserving pure monotheism. This section, emphasising pure worship, invites humans to avoid all doctrinal deviations.
All creatures, from prophets to animals and inanimate objects, stand equal before God and are all His servants. This view, supported by the quotation from a religious scholar, highlights that while each creation possesses its own characteristics, all are equal in servitude. As the scholar states: In the small animal is something that is not in the great elephant, and in the elephant is something not found in that small animal. This statement acts as a mental nudge, emphasising equality of all creations before God.
Equality of creatures in servitude is a sign of monotheism and absolute divine ownership. This perspective calls humans to humility before God and respect for all creations.
The salutation in prayer, like a bridge between humans and all creatures, signifies the universality of worship and monotheism. This greeting, addressed to God, the Messenger, the righteous servants, and all creatures of the universe, reflects the profound connection of humans with existence. Stones, clay, animals, and objects are all manifestations of the divine, and saluting them honours the manifestations of the Lord, guiding the human heart towards love and purity.
The Quranic salutation, through its universality, invites humans to reflect on monotheism and a profound connection with all creations. This salutation is a sign of pure mysticism and union with divine truth.
Materialism, like a
