of Nekounam, may his sanctity be preserved (Session 1178)
This treatise elucidates and analyses verse 48 of Surah Al-Imran, approaching it with a profound and mystical perspective, examining the role of the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners, alongside the influence of faith and reform in liberating humanity from fear and sorrow. The present text, inspired by the discourses of religious scholars, endeavours to present Qur'anic concepts in clear and dignified language within a structured and coherent framework. By utilising allegories and references, this work aims to invite the reader to reflect upon the profound meanings of divine guidance and human perfection, without departing from a scholarly and research-oriented context. The structure of this treatise is designed such that each section independently, yet coherently, elucidates an aspect of this noble verse.
وَمَا نُرْسِلُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْذِرِينَ ۖ فَمَنْ آمَنَ وَأَصْلَحَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
And We send not the messengers except as bearers of glad tidings and warners. So whoever believes and reformsthere is no fear concerning them, nor shall they grieve.
The Holy Qur'an, in verse 48 of Surah Al-Imran, confines the mission of the prophets to two fundamental roles: conveying glad tidings and issuing warnings. The prophets, as divine emissaries, bear the responsibility of guiding humanity towards good and felicity and cautioning them against evil and misguidance. Glad tidings signify the promise of divine rewards that illuminate the believers heart with the light of hope, while warning constitutes an alert that makes humankind aware of the consequences of disobedience. These two roles, like two wings, assist the prophets in the path of humanitys guidance. Contrary to rulers and sovereigns who pursue dominion and power, prophets carry solely the divine message with no worldly greed in their mission. This distinction is testimony to the sincerity of intention and spiritual centrality of the prophets, who are neither successors nor rulers but only guides who, through divine revelation, acquaint humanity with good and evil.
In contrast to the prophets who invite humankind to truth through glad tidings and warnings, rulers and kings often seek to impose their own will. This difference, like a line dividing light and darkness, separates the divine mission from worldly ambitions. Prophets, through divine revelation, guide humans towards what God loves and caution them against what He dislikes. Conversely, kings, by force and oppression, pursue the fulfilment of their personal desires without regard for public welfare or ultimate felicity. This distinction signifies the fundamental difference between divine guardianship, which serves guidance, and human sovereignty, which serves power.
The noble verse considers faith as the primary condition for liberation from fear and sorrow. Faith is the heartfelt affirmation of God and His mission that shines like a light in the believers heart. This inner reality extends not only to God but also to all that God commands. Faith is akin to a root that fertilises the tree of righteous deeds and guides the human being towards perfection. This concept aligns with other Qur'anic verses, such as Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds (Al-Baqarah: 82), which regard faith as the prerequisite for righteous action.
Reform, as a complement to faith, is an external act aimed at improvement and regulation. This reform, like a pure stream, encompasses all creatures: humans, animals, and even the relationships between disbelievers and believers. Reform is not confined to the believers alone but includes all that exists in creation. This concept correlates with reconciliation between people (An-Nisa: 114), referring to the rectification of social relations and establishment of peace and good in society. Reform acts like a breeze that calms turmoil and guides hearts towards unity and solidarity.
The Holy Qur'an promises that those who believe and reform will be protected from fear in this world and sorrow in the hereafter. Fear is the dread that arises in this world from hardships and adversities, and sorrow is the grief in the hereafter stemming from losses or regrets. The believer, by faith and reform, acts as a steadfast shield against these two. This promise, like a shining star, illuminates the believers path in both realms and safeguards them from worldly anxieties and otherworldly grief.
The hardships of this world are like a furnace that tempers and prepares the believer. Just as a bird in a pot, enduring heat, is transformed into nourishing food for the believer, hardships refine the person from rawness to perfection. This allegory beautifully demonstrates that tribulations are not merely afflictions but blessings that guide humans towards true perfection and humanity. The Holy Qur'an also mentions in the verse And We will surely test you with something of fear (Al-Baqarah: 155), referring to trials as a means for spiritual growth.
The text, with a profound perspective, critiques the material paradise that rests solely upon sensory pleasures such as maidens and pavilions. Although such a paradise is described in the Holy Qur'an, it is insufficient for the elevated humans who seek divine knowledge and encounter. The true believer is distressed by the existence of suffering for others in Hell and cannot find rest in a material paradise. This critique acts like a mirror that reveals the fleeting nature of transient pleasures against the backdrop of eternal knowledge.
يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ * ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً
O tranquil soul! Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him].
The tranquil soul is like a bird freed from the cage of determinations, soaring towards the divine encounter. This station transcends both Paradise and Hell, where the human is liberated from all material and even paradisiacal determinations and attains unity with the Truth. This concept is linked with Islamic mysticism and the idea of fana fi Allah (annihilation in God), which invites the human towards non-determination and union with the Divine Essence.
The text, referring to the narrators experience with animals, presents the believers compassion as a sign of humanity and responsibility. This affection, which extends even to a sparrow or a cat, aligns with the concept of the Prophets mercy to all worlds (peace be upon him). The believer, like a gushing spring, spreads mercy and kindness to all creatures and is pained by their suffering.
The true believer cannot rest in a material paradise while others suffer. This sensitivity acts like a fire that purifies the believers heart from selfishness and directs them towards empathy and social responsibility. This viewpoint corresponds with verses such as And those who came after them say, Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers (Al-Hashr: 10), which invite believers to pray for others.
The ultimate goal of humanity is not the pleasures of paradise but divine knowledge and encounter. This cognition is like a door opened to infinity, liberating the human from all material and even paradisiacal determinations. The Holy Qur'an in the verse The face of your Lord, full of majesty and honour (Ar-Rahman: 27) regards this sublime aim as the vision of the Lord, which transcends all worldly and otherworldly desires.
The text, with regret, points to the deficiency in religious knowledge that sometimes keeps humans bound to material determinations and paradisiacal pleasures. This critique serves as a wake-up call inviting the reader to reflect deeply on religion and avoid superficiality. Religious knowledge, if it does not reach divine cognition, cannot guide humans towards true perfection.
This treatise, by elucidating verse 48 of Surah Al-Imran, examined the role of prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners, and the influence of faith and reform in liberation from fear and sorrow. The hardships of this world were introduced as a furnace for the believers maturation, and the material paradise as a shadow against the light of divine cognition. The tranquil soul, freed from determinations, attains the encounter with the Lord, and the believers religious affection directs them towards social responsibility and empathy with creatures. This interpretation, combining Qur'anic concepts and mystical allegories, invites the reader to reflect on the ultimate goal of life and avoid superficiality in religious knowledge.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
