of Nokounam, (Session 1284)
The Holy Quran, like a radiant lamp, opens the path of guidance before humanity and, with profound and wise expression, warns against the intellectual and practical deviations that befall mankind. Verse 37 of Surah Al-Arf, through a rhetorical question, criticises the great injustice of calumny against God and denial of His divine signs, inviting humans to contemplate their responsibilities towards the truth. This verse, with a deep insight into the role of the elite and scholars in either distorting or preserving the religion, unveils the reality of disbelief and its consequences in the hereafter. In this treatise, relying on a valuable lecture series, the content of this verse is presented in eloquent language and a systematic structure, within the framework of a scientific and coherent book, serving as a mirror for reflection on the truth of religion and avoidance of deviations.
فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِآيَاتِهِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ يَنَالُهُمْ نَصِيبُهُمْ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا يَتَوَفَّوْنَهُمْ قَالُوا أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ ۖ قَالُوا ضَلُّوا عَنَّا وَشَهِدُوا عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا كَافِرِينَ
So who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against God or denies His signs? Those will receive their share of the Scripture until Our messengers come to take their souls; they will say, Where are those you used to invoke besides God? They will reply, They have departed from us. And they will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers.
The noble verse begins with a rhetorical question: So who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against God or denies His signs? This question centres on two great sins: calumny against God and denial of His divine signs. Calumny, like a fabric of lies, means fabricating rulings or beliefs attributed to God without any divine basis. Denial, however, is the rejection of the truth of the divine signs that, like stars in the firmament of revelation, indicate the path of guidance. These two sins, like two sides of a coin, divert man from the path of truth and plunge him into the darkness of injustice.
Calumny can be understood as a privative sin; that is, the creation of something non-existent and attributing it to God, such as claiming that a certain act or belief is a divine ruling without credible evidence. Denial, on the other hand, is a substantive sin; meaning the rejection of what God has revealed, like denying the obligation of prayer or distorting Sharia rulings. These two, like twin blades, tear apart the truth of religion and lead man into the abyss of misguidance.
In explaining this verse, the distinction between calumny and false accusation holds great importance. False accusation is an unjust charge directed at an individual or group, such as accusing an innocent person of theft. Calumny, in this context, is the fabrication of non-divine rulings and attributing them to God. For instance, claiming that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) ordered a particular act to be performed in a specific way when no such command exists, is an example of calumny. This distinction highlights the linguistic precision of the Holy Quran in employing terms and underscores the significance of accurately comprehending Quranic concepts.
This section, by elucidating the fundamental concepts of calumny and denial, demonstrated that these two sins originate from distorting divine truth. Calumny, like a veil of falsehood, conceals the truth, and denial, like extinguishing the lamp of guidance, plunges man into darkness. The distinction between calumny and false accusation further reflects the Qurans precision in expression. These reflections prepare the ground for examining the role of the elite and scholars in these deviations.
The Holy Quran in this verse points to the prominent role of the elite and scholars in religious deviations. Unlike the general populace, who are less likely to commit calumny or denial due to ignorance, scholars and elites bear heavier responsibility for preserving or distorting religion because of their knowledge and influence. The history of religions testifies that many deviations have stemmed from religious scholars. For example, opposition to divine prophets was often led by scholars and elites who obstructed the path of guidance by fabricating rulings or denying signs.
This responsibility is a double-edged sword: scholars may, through their knowledge, guide people towards the light of guidance, or through distortion and denial, lead them into the darkness of misguidance. The Holy Quran states in another verse: And thus We set in every city the most notorious criminals of it (Al-Anm 6:123), indicating the pivotal role of the elite in either leading societies astray or guiding them.
The noble verse continues with the phrase Those will receive their share of the Scripture, referring to the worldly benefits that deviant scholars obtain from heavenly scriptures. These benefits manifest as wealth, status, and power derived from distorting religion. For example, scholars who propagate fabricated rulings in Gods name or deny divine signs acquire material and social advantages. This worldly benefit, like a deceptive yet poisonous fruit, is transient and insignificant compared to the punishment of the hereafter.
This section demonstrated that the elite, due to their status and knowledge, have a key role in either religious deviation or reform. Although worldly benefit from the scripture is alluring for deviant scholars, it is but a fleeting shadow when confronted with the eternal truth of the intermediary realm and the hereafter. This reflection leads us to examine the eschatological consequences of these actions.
The noble verse, with the phrase until Our messengers come to take their souls, refers to the moment of death and the arrival of divine messengers to extract the soul. These messengers are the angels of death who confront the person with the reality of their deeds. At this moment, the veils of deception are lifted, and man, like a traveller who has reached his destination, faces the reality of his beliefs and actions.
The verse, with the phrase They will say, Where are those you used to invoke besides God? They will reply, They have departed from us. And they will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers, indicates the sinners confession before the angels. At this moment, the sinner admits the futility of his fabricated beliefs, such as contacting jinn or humans, or idol worship. This confession acts like a mirror reflecting the reality of disbelief and misguidance.
The sinners respond to the angels question about the whereabouts of those they invoked besides God by saying, They have departed from us. This answer reflects the collapse of false beliefs which, in this world, served as their signs. Ultimately, they bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers, not in the sense of denying God, but in concealing the truth through calumny and denial.
This section portrayed the moment of death as a comprehensive mirror confronting man with the truth of his deeds. The admission of misguidance and disbelief is the inevitable outcome of calumny and denial, which manifests in the intermediate realm like a seed that has borne fruit. This reflection guides us towards the critique of superstition and the necessity of rational argumentation.
One of the main themes of this interpretation is the critique of superstitions promoted in the name of religion. For instance, the promise of solving problems by sacrificing a sheep or performing baseless rituals is an example of calumny. These beliefs grow like weeds in the garden of religion and tarnish the truth. The general populace, due to ignorance, may accept these beliefs, but their source is often scholars who fabricate rulings for material gain.
For example, the claim that circumambulation or sheep sacrifice resolves problems without divine support is calumny. Although these acts may be performed with good intention, they resemble water drawn from a swamp rather than a pure spring, failing to quench the thirst of the soul.
The Holy Quran invites humans to think and reflect: Will you not reason? Blind acceptance of beliefs, whether by the masses or the elite, paves the way for misguidance. Man is obliged to evaluate every claim through rational argumentation and avoid accepting baseless rulings. This principle acts like a torch dispelling the darkness of illusions and illuminating the path of truth.
This section demonstrated that the truth of religion can only be attained by relying on intellect and
