Surah Al-Anm, akin to a luminous beacon along the path of divine knowledge, invites humanity to contemplate monotheism, polytheism, and disbelief through profound discourse and diverse reasoning. Verse 93 of this Surah, employing eloquent language and a profound warning, addresses one of humanitys greatest injustices, namely the slander against the Divine Sanctity. It depicts the scene of the agonies of death experienced by the wrongdoers, portraying the ominous fate of such misguidance. This treatise, relying on the content of scholarly lectures and precise analyses, elucidates this verse and its related concepts. The objective is to provide a comprehensive and profound perspective on this verse, guiding the reader towards understanding the truth of monotheism and abstaining from spiritual deviations.
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ قَالَ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ وَلَمْ يُوحَ إِلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ وَمَنْ قَالَ سَأُنْزِلُ مِثْلَ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ۗ وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَاسِطُو أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُوا أَنْفُسَكُمُ ۖ الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَكُنْتُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهِ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah, or says, "It has been revealed to me," when nothing has been revealed to him, or says, "I will reveal something like what Allah has revealed"? And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the pangs of death while the angels extend their hands, [saying], "Discharge your souls! Today you will be awarded the punishment of humiliation for what you used to say against Allah other than the truth and [that] you were, toward His verses, arrogant."
Surah Al-Anm, like a radiant gem among the chapters of the Holy Quran, concentrates on monotheistic epistemology, inviting humanity to reflect on divine reality and to distance itself from polytheism and disbelief. This Surah, through diversity in reasoning and style, presents foundational monotheistic concepts with unique and profound expression. Verse 93, as one of the pivotal verses of this Surah, explicitly critiques the slander against the Divine Sanctity and warns humanity by portraying the fate of the oppressors. This verse was revealed within the context of historical confrontations among the followers of the divine religions, especially Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and addresses behaviours that deny or distort the truth of revelation and prophethood.
Verse 93 of Surah Al-Anm begins with a thought-provoking question: "And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah?" This question profoundly points to the injustice inherent in slandering God. Slandering the Divine Sanctity is an injustice that not only leads the individual astray but also deprives society of the light of guidance. This injustice, like a devastating blow, shatters the spiritual foundations of humanity and distances people from the path of monotheism. While lying about a weak individual harms only that person, slandering God, like a deadly poison, propels the entire community towards spiritual ruin.
Slandering a weak individual, though reprehensible, has limited effect, and God, in His justice, rewards that person accordingly. However, slandering God, like fire in a stack of grain, leads everyone to loss. This difference lies in the social and spiritual impact of the slander. God is the axis of human guidance, and any distortion of this axis, like losing the compass in a stormy sea, directs people toward destruction.
Slander against God manifests in various forms. Some deny divine attributes such as justice, or claim that God has misguided or impoverished them, thereby slandering the Divine Sanctity. Although these statements may seem genuine from the speakers perspective, they stem from a misunderstanding of divine will. God is just, and misguidance results from human erroneous choices. Another type of slander is explicit falsehood, manifesting in denial of revelation and prophethood, such as the claim that no revelation has been sent down to the prophets.
Slander is not necessarily falsehood. For example, one who says "God has made me miserable" expresses a reality from their perspective, but this statement is slander due to ingratitude and misunderstanding. Falsehood, on the other hand, is explicit lying, such as denying the descent of the Quran or claiming that no revelation was sent to the Prophet. This falsehood is like a dagger to the heart of truth, the worst kind of slander, which the verse explicitly condemns.
One example of falsehood is denying divine revelation. Some claim that no revelation has been sent down to humanity: "Nothing has Allah revealed to any human being." This denial is like covering the sun with ones hand, concealing an evident truth. The Holy Quran, emphasising its own descent as a blessed and confirming book, refutes this falsehood: "This is a blessed Book which We have revealed, confirming that which was before it." This response, like a torch in darkness, reveals the truth of revelation.
Verse 93 enumerates three types of slander against God: firstly, lying against God (inventing falsehood), secondly, claiming revelation without any actual revelation ("It has been revealed to me" when nothing has been revealed), and thirdly, claiming to send down something similar to what God revealed. Each of these claims reflects a degree of arrogance and misguidance. Claiming false revelation abuses the status of prophethood, while claiming to produce revelation indicates ignorance and pride before the Divine Sanctity.
The verse powerfully depicts the fate of the oppressors in the agonies of death: "If you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the pangs of death." The pangs of death are like a deep quagmire, swallowing the oppressors and drowning them in misery and helplessness. This state manifests not only at the moment of death but also in this world. The oppressors, despite their wealth and power, are sometimes afflicted with illnesses such as cancer or psychological turmoil, which turn life into a hell for them.
The angels, by extending their hands ("extending their hands"), like a midwife ready to receive a newborn, challenge the oppressors: "Discharge your souls!" This command is not merely for taking the soul but to intensify the punishment. The oppressors, at this moment, lack the power to release their souls and are trapped in the bitterness of dying. This punishment, like a harsh delivery, holds their spirit and body in torment.
The verse calls the punishment of the oppressors "the punishment of humiliation," a torment accompanied by disgrace and abasement. This punishment results from lying against God and arrogance before His signs. The oppressors, at this moment, are deprived of peace and subjected to degradation before the angels. This humiliation, like a mirror, reflects their disgraceful deeds.
Arrogance in the face of divine signs is a root cause of misguidance. Some, by denying revelation or claiming its reception, consider themselves superior to divine truth. This arrogance, like a false pride, leads one away from guidance. The Holy Quran condemns this behaviour with emphasis: "And you were arrogant concerning His verses," and considers the punishment of humiliation its consequence.
Some claim to have received revelation or possess the ability to produce it, thereby harming religion. These claims, sometimes seen among certain religious movements, indicate disrespect and self-exaltation. The saints of God, with humility and sincerity, have never made such claims. These claimants, like those lost in darkness, distort the truth of religion with superstitions and baseless statements.
The Jews and Christians, by denying the Prophet Muhammad and labelling him as an orphan or a merchant, exhibited arrogance. This pride stemmed from religious prejudice and obstructed the acceptance of the unity of the prophets. The Holy Quran, by granting abundance to the Prophet ("Indeed, We have granted you abundance"), rejected these accusations and demonstrated his divine honour.
The punishment of the oppressors is the consequence of their own deeds. God, with His justice, rewards each individual according to their actions. The angels are merely divine agents, and the punishment originates from the essence of the oppressors deeds. This justice, like a precise scale, measures every act with its fitting recompense.
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