Surah Al-A'raf, one of the Meccan chapters of the Holy Quran, holds a distinguished position among the Quranic surahs by virtue of its focus on the call to monotheism, elucidation of the responsibilities of the prophets and their communities, and the exposition of the divine system of deeds assessment. This treatise, through a profound examination of the verses of this surahparticularly those pertaining to divine accountability and the scale of deedsendeavours to explicate deep Quranic concepts. The present text employs a refined and solemn language to convey the exalted meanings of the Quran with appropriate precision and spiritual insight to its audience. With a structured and lucid framework, it addresses topics such as the accountability of prophets and communities, the concept of relative infallibility, and the significance of sincerity in actions, weaving semantic connections that nurture the readers soul and spirit like a pure spring.
The Holy Quran, in Surah Al-A'raf, verse six, delineates the system of divine accountability with clear and decisive wording. This verse, like a transparent mirror, portrays the responsibility incumbent upon all before the Almighty Lord:
Then, surely We shall question those to whom the messengers were sent, and We shall also question the messengers.
This verse, emphasising reciprocal accountability, demonstrates that divine justice excludes no one from its scope. Communities are questioned regarding how they respond to divine revelation, while the prophets are interrogated concerning the manner in which they fulfil their missions. This accountability acts as an exact balance, weighing the conduct and deeds of both groups in the presence of the Divine.
Key Point: Divine accountability holds not only the communities responsible for accepting or rejecting the revelation but also the prophets accountable for how they execute their missions. This system exemplifies the absolute justice of God.
One prominent example in this discourse is the behaviour of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) towards his brother Aaron (peace be upon him), as depicted in Surah Taha, verses 92 to 94:
He said: O Aaron! What prevented you, when you saw them going astray, from following me? Did you disobey my command? He said: O son of my mother, do not seize my beard nor my head!
This verse portrays a moment of Moses (peace be upon him) anger, provoked by the misguidance of the Children of Israel in the worship of the golden calf, during which he reproaches Aaron (peace be upon him) by grasping his beard and head. Although this act stems from Moses religious zeal, it is presented as an example of the human shortcomings of prophets. The text, with a touch of irony, raises the question whether such behaviour befits a prophet like Moses (peace be upon him). Nevertheless, it is emphasised that this critique neither denies the prophetic status nor implies disbelief but rather indicates the humanity of the prophets and the possibility of behavioural errors under specific circumstances.
Aaron (peace be upon him), with his calm and rational response, calls Moses (peace be upon him) to self-restraint. This dialogue, akin to a gentle breeze, invites reflection on emotional reactions and the necessity to maintain composure even at the peak of anger. This example illustrates that prophets too are subject to divine accountability; however, this accountability does not tarnish the exalted status of prophethood.
Key Point: Moses (peace be upon him) conduct with Aaron (peace be upon him) exemplifies the humanity of the prophets who, despite their lofty rank, may exhibit emotional reactions on certain occasions. This underlines the necessity of divine accountability for prophets.
This section, focusing on verse six of Surah Al-A'raf, elucidated the divine system of accountability, which, like a just balance, assesses both communities and prophets. The examination of Moses (peace be upon him) conduct towards Aaron (peace be upon him) demonstrated that even prophets, as chosen humans, are not immune to behavioural errors; however, such errors do not negate the prophetic rank. This system reflects, like a mirror, the absolute justice of God that exempts no one.
One of the key concepts presented is the notion of relative infallibility, which refers to the existence of degrees of abstention from sin in all humans, including sinners. This concept, like a light shining through dark clouds, signifies the divine nature inherent in every human being. The text illustrates with examples of sinful individuals, such as gangsters and gamblers, demonstrating that even these persons abstain from certain sins, such as murder, and this abstention is an indication of relative infallibility.
For instance, a person who assaults others may still refrain from killing, and this restraint constitutes his moral red line. This concept aligns with a verse from the Holy Quran which states:
And most of mankind, even if you strive hard, will not be believers.
This verse points to the existence of varying degrees of faith and piety in humanity. Relative infallibility is like a stream flowing within every human heart, preventing them from certain sins, although this restraint may not suffice against other sins.
Key Point: Relative infallibility is a sign of the divine nature within every human, which even manifests among sinners as abstention from certain reprehensible acts. This concept implies the existence of different levels of piety among people.
The concept of relative infallibility, as a principal theme of this interpretation, emphasises the presence of divine nature in all humans. This section showed that even sinners possess degrees of restraint from sin that, like a light in darkness, reveal the pure human nature. This notion is deeply connected with Quranic verses and underscores the diversity of levels of piety and faith among people.
The Holy Quran, in verses 8 and 9 of Surah Al-A'raf, portrays the divine system of deeds measurement with clear and profound expression:
And the weighing [of deeds] that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavyit is they who will be the successful. But those whose scales are lightthey are the ones who have lost their souls, because they used to wrong Our verses.
These verses depict the system of divine measurement on the Day of Resurrection like a precise scale. Their scales being heavy refers to righteous deeds performed with sincere intention that, like precious jewels, weigh heavily on the scale of deeds. Conversely, their scales being light alludes to deeds that, due to hypocrisy, insincerity, or lack of sincerity, are as light as straw and hold no value in the sight of God.
The use of the plural term scales indicates the diversity of divine scales, which measure each deed with unmatched precision. This system acts like a mirror that reflects the truth of human deeds, and no action, however insignificant, escapes divine observation.
Key Point: The divine system of measurement, with its multiple and precise scales, weighs good and evil deeds with absolute justice. The heaviness of the scale depends on sincerity and quality of the deed, while lightness results from hypocrisy or improper execution.
The text emphasises that their scales being light not only refers to committing sins but also to oppression against the divine verses. This oppression includes belittling divine rulings, performing ritual acts superficially without sincerity, or distorting religion under the guise of religion. The text, with irony, refers to fast prayers or prayers for breaking the fast, which scatter like autumn leaves before the wind of truth.
This concept is consistent with another Quranic verse:
Woe to those who pray, who are heedless of their prayer.
This verse condemns those who perform prayers sluggishly or hypocritically, acts that hold no value on the divine scale. Oppression against divine verses is like a dagger piercing the heart of religion, depriving it of spirituality.
Intention is the soul of action, like a spirit that breathes life into the body of deeds. The text illustrates with examples such as prayers for breaking the fast or help given for ostentation, showing that improper intention renders the deed as worthless ash. This concept aligns with the Prophetic tradition:
Indeed, deeds are judged by intentions.
A prayer performed with sincere intention is like a shining jewel that weighs heavily on the scale, whereas a prayer performed with hypocrisy or haste is as light as straw and worthless on the divine scale.
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