The Holy Quran, the book of guidance and mercy, delineates the path to felicity for humanity through its verses. Among these, Verse 51 of Surah Al-Imran profoundly elucidates the responsibilities of the Prophet (peace be upon him) towards ordinary believers and forbids any harshness or rejection in guiding them. This treatise, by reflecting upon this noble verse and its exegesis, investigates the characteristics of ordinary believers, the role of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in warning, and the significance of mercy and moderation in religious propagation. Employing analogies, narrations, and experiential insights, it endeavours to present Quranic concepts in a clear and coherent form, guiding the reader towards a deeper understanding of divine mercy and the avoidance of violence.
The Holy Quran in Surah Al-Imran, following discussions regarding the oppressors, the ignorant, and the faithless, draws attention in verse 51 to the ordinary believers. This transition acts as a bridge from the darkness of misguidance to the light of faith, signifying the comprehensiveness of the Quranic address which both warns the misguided and guides the believers towards piety.
"And warn by it those who fear that they will be gathered unto their Lord; for them there is no protector or intercessor besides Him, that they may become righteous. And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His countenance. Not upon you is their account, and not upon them is your account. So do not drive them away, lest you be of the wrongdoers."
By means of it [the Holy Quran] warn those who fear being gathered unto their Lord, while they have no protector or intercessor besides Him; so that they may exercise piety. And do not repel those who invoke their Lord morning and evening, desiring His countenance. It is not incumbent upon you concerning their reckoning, nor is their reckoning upon you; so if you repel them, you shall be among the wrongdoers.
The ordinary believers, who are the central focus of this noble verse, are those who harbour fear of being resurrected before their Lord and firmly believe that there is no guardian or intercessor except God. This monotheistic faith functions as a lamp illuminating their path amid the darkness of the world. Their fear is constructive, directing them towards piety rather than a paralysing terror. These traits align with verses such as "And those who believe they will meet their Lord" (Al-Baqarah: 46), which considers belief in meeting the Lord as a hallmark of piety.
Key Point: Ordinary believers, with faith in monotheism and fear of resurrection, merit respectful admonition rather than rejection or harshness.
The fear expressed by ordinary believers, phrased as "those who fear being gathered," indicates a lively and dynamic faith. Unlike higher-level believers who have attained certainty, this fear within ordinary believers is akin to a seed that flourishes into piety through the Prophets warning. The Quran states elsewhere: "Indeed, those who fear God among His servants are the knowledgeable" (Fatir: 28), attributing God-fearing primarily to scholars; however, here the fear of ordinary believers is also praised.
Ordinary believers nurture pure monotheism by affirming that no guardian or intercessor exists besides God. This conviction resembles a pure heart beating solely for God. The Quran also declares: "They intercede not except for him whom He approves" (Al-Anbiya: 28), conditioning intercession on divine permission, which this verse reiterates.
Ordinary believers, possessing faith in monotheism and fear of resurrection, constitute a group deserving of Quranic guidance. They neither belong to the category of the faithless who deny, nor to that of superior believers who have attained absolute certainty. Their fear serves as a key unlocking the door to piety, and their belief in the denial of any intercessor or guardian other than God indicates their sincerity in faith.
The noble verse commands the Prophet (peace be upon him) with "And warn" to admonish ordinary believers. This command is like a celestial call urging the Prophet to continue his propagative mission. The conjunction "and" at the beginning signals the continuity of this duty and is interpreted in exegeses as equivalent to "Say".
The aim of the warning is the attainment of piety among believers: "that they may become righteous." This expression resembles a bright horizon indicating hope for salvation, yet it is not definitive, as piety is contingent upon human free will. The Quran elsewhere states: "O mankind, worship your Lord that you may become righteous" (Al-Baqarah: 21), considering "may" an indicator of choice in the path of piety.
Key Point: The Prophets warning seeks to guide towards piety, but such guidance must be accompanied by mercy and without compulsion.
The noble verse forbids the Prophet from driving away those who call upon God morning and evening seeking His pleasure: "And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His countenance." This prohibition functions as a shield preserving the unity of the believing community. The term "drive away" here implies exclusion or expulsion, underscoring the importance of maintaining connection with believers.
The believers who call upon God morning and evening and "seek His countenance" possess a sincerity akin to a radiant jewel. The term "the countenance of God" in the Quran connotes divine pleasure and nearness, as seen in "And whatever you spend, it is only seeking the countenance of Allah" (Al-Baqarah: 272).
The Quran cautions the Prophet against harshness and excessiveness in dealing with believers. This admonition is like a mirror reflecting the moderation required in religious propagation. As stated in another verse: "So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them" (Al-Imran: 159), emphasising the Prophets gentleness.
The verse explicitly declares that the reckoning of believers is unrelated to the Prophet: "Not upon you is their account, and not upon them is your account." This separation demarcates the Prophets duties, who is solely a messenger, leaving judgment to God, as affirmed in the verse: "Indeed, to Us is their return" (Al-Ghashiyah: 26).
As previously noted, the Prophet neither possesses divine treasures, nor knowledge of the unseen, nor is he an angel. He is merely the bearer of revelation, akin to a courier conveying a celestial message to creation. These
