of Nekounam, may his secret be sanctified (Session 1228)
The Surah Al-Anm, akin to a profound ocean, elucidates the doctrine of monotheism in opposition to polytheism and disbelief, guiding humanity towards knowledge and divine guidance through its verses. Verse 124 of this Surah presents a clear depiction of the behaviour of disbelievers in the face of divine signs; a conduct rooted in arrogance, ignorance, and cunning. This treatise, through a deep examination of this verse, undertakes a theological and psychological analysis of the disbelievers behaviour and, employing metaphors and semantic connections, explicates the concepts in a lucid and dignified manner for an audience endowed with religious knowledge. What follows is an endeavour to reflect divine wisdom in the selection of recipients of the verses and a critique of behaviours founded upon denial and deceit, preserving all details and nuances of the original lecture.
Surah Al-Anm, contrary to what its name may suggest by referring to livestock, addresses not material or superficial matters but profound issues of monotheism, polytheism, and disbelief. This Surah, like a shining beacon in the darkness of ignorance, depicts divine unity against pagan and infidel beliefs. Within this context, verse 124 exemplifies the disbelievers encounter with divine verses, which is not borne out of sheer ignorance but arises from pride and arrogance.
As one of the Meccan Surahs, Al-Anm, with a coherent structure, invites the audience to accept the truth of monotheism. Through logical arguments and clear verses, it paves the way for the understanding of truth. The verse under discussion acts as a mirror reflecting the disbelievers behaviour towards divine signs.
وَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمْ آيَةٌ قَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ حَتَّىٰ نُؤْتَىٰ مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ رُسُلُ اللَّهِ ۘ
And when a sign comes to them, they say, We will never believe until we are given the like of what was given to Allahs messengers.
The disbelievers, when confronted with divine verses, reject acceptance of the truth with an attitude of arrogance and self-exaltation. Instead of opening their hearts to the light of guidance, they set an illogical condition: they will not believe unless they are granted signs similar to those given to the former messengers. This conditionality acts as a veil concealing their hostility to truth and pride.
This behaviour stems from the psychology of denial and self-deception. The disbelievers do not reject the verses due to sheer ignorance but because of arrogance and pride, deeming the verses insufficient. They resort to excuses in an attempt to belittle the truth and evade acceptance. This reaction indicates a genuine unwillingness to believe; as if their hearts are as hard and impermeable as stone against the light of truth.
اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ ۗ
Allah knows best where to place His message.
In response to the disbelievers excuses, Allah affirms, with clear and decisive expression, His absolute wisdom and knowledge. He, the Knower of hidden and manifest secrets, knows precisely in which heart and mind to implant His message. This response, like pure water, dispels the dust of excuse-making and shows that the selection of recipients of the verses is based on merit and spiritual readiness.
The disbelievers, due to pride and ignorance, are deprived of this grace. Allah reveals His verses to those whose hearts are prepared to accept the truth, not to those who seek to deny it through cunning and deceit. This divine wisdom acts as a key that opens the doors of knowledge for the believers and leaves the disbelievers immersed in the darkness of their arrogance.
In this verse, the term message (rislah) does not solely mean prophecy, but also encompasses the divine verses and signs sent down to guide humanity. These verses are like stars in the guiding sky, illuminating the path for seekers of truth. Allah places these verses in the hearts ready for acceptance, not in those who stand against the truth with pride and denial.
This meaning reveals the depth of divine wisdom. Here, the message is not merely prophetic revelation but any sign that guides humanity toward monotheism and knowledge. The disbelievers, by ignoring these signs, deprive themselves of the grace of guidance.
Despite awareness of the truth of the verses, the disbelievers refuse acceptance due to pride and self-centredness. This ignorance is not sheer lack of knowledge but arrogance that distances the heart from the light of knowledge. Like a child unaware of the value of a gem, the disbelievers disregard the divine verses and use excuses to deny the truth.
An everyday metaphor clarifies this concept: just as an ignorant child fails to appreciate the value of moneywhether given one unit or one thousanddisbelievers consider the divine verses, however great and clear, as trivial and insignificant. This ignorance is rooted in self-centredness and arrogance, which obstruct acceptance of the truth.
سَيُصِيبُ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا صَغَارٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَعَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَمْكُرُونَ
Indeed, those who have committed crimes will be humiliated before Allah and will have a severe punishment because of what they used to plot.
The Holy Quran, with explicit expression, elucidates the consequences of denial and deceit by the disbelievers. Humiliation before Allah and severe punishment are the inevitable ends of those who, despite awareness of the truth, resort to cunning and denial. This humiliation falls like a heavy shadow upon the disbelievers souls, and the severe punishment is the natural consequence of their deceit and hostility to divine verses.
Deceit (mkir) is a deliberate and calculated act to belittle the truth. The disbelievers, despite being aware of the verses, intentionally deny them and seek to render the divine signs worthless through excuses. This conduct not only leads to humiliation before Allah but also results in a severe punishment.
The Quran uses the phrase because of what they used to plot (bim kn yamkurn) instead of because of what they used to do (bim kn yamaln) to emphasise the deliberate nature of the disbelievers conduct. Deceit (mkir), unlike invalid action which may stem from ignorance, is an intentional and hostile act aimed at denying the truth.
The disbelievers, fully aware of the truth of the verses, resort to cunning to belittle and devalue them. This conduct does not originate from ignorance but from arrogance and self-centeredness. The distinction between deceit and invalid action is that deceit is committed with hostile intent and conscious awareness, whereas invalid action may arise from unawareness.
This verse underscores the necessity of knowledge and comprehension of truth. A person who understands the truth but refuses to accept it falls into deceit and consequently incurs divine punishment. Knowledge acts as a key that opens the doors of faith; yet the disbelievers, despite awareness, keep this door closed due to pride and self-centeredness.
A person who perceives the truth but does not accept it is ensnared by deceit. This deceit not only deprives one of the grace of guidance but also leads to humiliation and punishment. The Holy Quran thus invites humanity to ponder the verses and embrace the truth.
Allah, according to His absolute wisdom and knowledge, grants blessings and verses to those worthy of receiving them. This wisdom, like a clear flowing stream, manifests divine justice in the distribution of blessings. The disbelievers, due to arrogance and ignorance, are deprived of this grace, whereas the divine verses are placed in the hearts of believers prepared for acceptance.
Another metaphor clarifies this concept: just as religious scholars, guided by wisdom, entrust valuable gifts to the deserving, so too does Allah bestow His verses upon those whose hearts are ready to receive the truth. This principle reflects divine justice and wisdom in guiding humanity.
The disbelievers not only deny the divine verses but also reject the prophethood of the messengers, claiming that this prophet is unlike those before him. This denial stems from bigotry and arrogance. By comparing the prophet to former messengers, they seek excuses to reject his message.
This behaviour constitutes an attempt to extinguish the light of truth behind a veil of excuses. Despite awareness of the truth, the disbelievers, due to pride and self-centeredness, refuse to accept the message. This denial targets not only the verses but also the prophet and exemplifies deceit and cunning.
Verse 124 of Surah Al-Anm, like a clear mirror, reflects the behaviour of the disbelievers towards divine verses. This verse explicates the arrogance, ignorance, and deceit of the disbelievers, while emphasising divine wisdom in the selection of recipients of the message. The disbelievers, despite awareness of the truth, reject the verses due to pride and excuse-making, and through their deceit, face humiliation and punishment. This treatise, through a deep theological and psychological examination, highlights the necessity of knowledge and acceptance of truth and elucidates divine wisdom in the distribution of blessings. This analysis may serve as a guide for religious scholarship and spiritual reflection.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
