This treatise undertakes an in-depth and detailed examination of verse 130 of Surah Al-Anam, which presents a portrayal of the trial of jinn and humans on the Day of Resurrection. This verse, expressed with eloquent clarity, elucidates the shared responsibility of these two groups before divine guidance, analysing the allurements of the worldly life alongside the causes of disbelief and confession of sin before the Divine presence. The present text, through a comprehensive view of the lectures content and exegetical analyses, endeavours to expound profound Quranic concepts with lucid and dignified language for its readership. The structure of this text is thematically organised, such that each section addresses a key aspect of the verse and its related themes.
In verse 130 of Surah Al-Anam, the Divine address begins with the phrase O assembly of jinn and humans, wherein the jinn are mentioned prior to humans. This precedence is neither coincidental nor devoid of meaning; rather, it alludes to the intrinsic and existential attributes of the jinn. By virtue of their multiplicity, superior power, and extensive range of pleasures and enjoyments, the jinn surpass humans. These characteristics, rooted in the fiery nature of the jinn, are indicated in another Quranic verse:
And He created the jinn from a smokeless flame of fire. (Ar-Rahman: 15)
This fiery essence endows the jinn with a power surpassing that of humans. Moreover, the breadth of their enjoymentswhich transcend the physical limitations of humansgrants them a distinct capacity for deriving both material and spiritual pleasures. Humans, composed of clay and constrained by limited needs, possess less diversity in their pleasures in comparison. For instance, humans require sleep after eating, whereas the jinn are free from such restrictions. This difference resembles the contrast between a breeze freely blowing over a plain and a rivulet confined within its earthly bed.
Despite the aforementioned precedence of the jinn, humans are distinguished in another respect: intellect. The Holy Quran regards intellect as a divine light placed within the human heart. This light is akin to a lamp that illuminates the path for a traveller during a dark night:
A light which Allah places in the heart of whom He wills.
Yet, this intellect is accessible only to those who seek its benefit. Many humans, due to heedlessness or attachment to the worldly life, remain deprived of this light and, metaphorically, are closer to wild animals than to rational humans. This reality resembles a tree bearing sweet fruit, which only the diligent gardener who tends to it can enjoy.
One of the profound concepts presented in this lecture is the necessity of recognising ones pair for the knowledge of the Lord. For a human to comprehend the truth of their Creator, they must first know themselves. This self-knowledge becomes attainable through contemplation of ones similarities with other beings, particularly animals. The Quran states in this regard:
And in yourselves. Will you not then see? (Adh-Dhariyat: 21)
By reflecting on the behaviours, needs, and characteristics of animals, humans can discern their own similarities and differences with them. This pair-recognition functions like a mirror guiding the human towards the truth of their existence. For example, humans resemble animals in physical needs such as eating and sleeping, but differ in intellect and the ability to choose the path of truth.
Verse 130 of Surah Al-Anam, by mentioning the advent of prophets from among each group, emphasises the independence of the guidance system for jinn and humans:
O assembly of jinn and humans! Did there not come to you messengers from yourselves, reciting to you My verses and warning you of the meeting of this your Day? They said: We bear witness against ourselves. But the worldly life deceived them, and they bore witness against themselves that they were disbelievers. (Al-Anam: 130)
This verse demonstrates that each tribe had prophets from their own kind who recited Divine verses and warned them of the torment of the Day of Resurrection. This independence is like two rivers flowing in separate courses but ultimately merging into the one sea of divine guidance.
The prophets, through reciting verses and issuing warnings, bore the responsibility of guiding and deterring jinn and humans. This warning is like a shout echoing in a silent desert, calling the lost back to the right path. They not only recited the verses but diligently cautioned people against the consequences of disobedience. This role culminates in the confession of jinn and humans on the Day of Resurrection, when they say: We bear witness against ourselves.
One of the central themes of verse 130 is the deceptive nature of worldly life, which leads both jinn and humans towards disbelief. The Quran states this reality elsewhere:
And the life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of deception. (Al-Imran: 185)
This deception is akin to a mirage that beckons the thirsty but is nothing more than an illusion of water. Entrapped in this mirage, jinn and humans become heedless of the truth and confess their disbelief on the Day of Resurrection.
On the Day of Resurrection, jinn and humans submit before the Divine truth and confess their sins. This confession is not born out of coercion or torture, but from confronting an unveiled reality that no veil can obscure. This scene resembles the moment when the sun shines at its zenith and no shadow can escape its light.
In this world, confession of sin often occurs under physical or psychological pressures, such as torture. Accounts of spiritual and bodily tortures in various cultures, from East to West, reveal the profound impact of these pressures on the human psyche. For instance, in some cultures, tortures are designed to bring a person to the brink of psychological collapse, such as exposure to wild animals or deprivation of air. These methods, like a sharp blade upon the psyche, compel confession. However, on the Day of Resurrection, the confession of jinn and humans arises not from torture but from confronting Divine truth.
Confession in this world is often compelled and performed under duress, whereas on the Day of Resurrection, this confession emerges from awareness and submission to truth. This distinction resembles that between a confession uttered out of fear of the whip and an acknowledgment arising from the depths of the soul before the mirror of reality.
Disbelief is not limited to idolatry alone; rather, it encompasses all forms of obscuring the truth, ranging from lies and hypocrisy to superficiality. The Quran states:
Woe to every sinful liar. (Jathiya: 7)
Disbelief functions as a veil that covers the truth and deprives the human of the light of faith. This veil may manifest as falsehood, hypocrisy, or attachment to worldly appearances.
Opposite to disbelief lies faith, which depends on truthfulness, steadfastness, and spiritual integrity. Faith is like a clear spring that gushes from the depths of the soul and guides humans towards the truth. The invocation La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (There is no power nor strength except through Allah) serves as a spiritual shield that protects a person from the trap of disbelief and worldly deception.
One of the prominent points in the lecture is the critique of superficial faith and superstitious behaviours in religious and social culture. Faith devoid of truthfulness is like a hollow shell bearing no fruit. This critique underscores the necessity of returning to the essence of religion and avoiding deceptive appearances. For example, certain superstitious practices, such as kissing the walls of sacred places with the intention of gaining closeness, stem from a lack of true understanding.
If correctly understood and applied, religious knowledge can liberate humans from the snares of superstition and deceptive appearances. This knowledge is like a lamp shining in the darkness of ignorance, illuminating the path to truth. However, if limited to superficial aspects, it leads not to guidance but to misguidance.
This treatise, through the examination of verse 130 of Surah Al-Anam and related analyses, explicated the position of jinn and humans in the creation order, the role of prophets in guidance, the deceitfulness of the world, and the distinctions between disbelief and faith. The precedence of the jinn over humans, the superiority of human intellect, and the necessity of pair-recognition for knowing the Lord were among the key concepts discussed. Furthermore, the critique of superficial faith and the emphasis on the invocation La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah as a means for preserving faith were other salient points. This text serves as a window opening towards a deeper understanding of the Quranic verses and invites the reader to reflect on their own existential truth.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
