The Holy Quran, the Divine Book of Guidance, in its luminous verses, directs humanity towards the knowledge of Divine Unity and a faithful mode of life. The verses of Surah Al-Imran, particularly verse nineteen and its related verses, illuminate the path to felicity through faith and obedience to the Lord and His Messenger, like a shining lamp. This treatise, by reflecting upon these verses, elucidates the profound concepts of the unity of divine actions, the triumph of the believers, the negation of independent human agency, and the necessity of avoiding hypocrisy. Employing a refined Persian style and a coherent structure, this text seeks to present Quranic concepts clearly and cohesively, akin to a mirror reflecting Divine Truth before the eyes of truth-seekers.
إِنْ تَسْتَفْتِحُوا فَقَدْ جَاءَكُمُ الْفَتْحُ ۖ وَإِنْ تَنْتَهُوا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ تَعُودُوا نَعُدْ ۚ وَلَنْ تُغْنِيَ عَنْكُمْ فِئَتُكُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَوْ كَثُرَتْ ۚ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
If you seek victory, indeed victory has come to you. And if you desist, it is better for you. And if you return [to hostility], We will return [to punishment]. And your company will not avail you at all, even if it should be great. And indeed, Allah is with the believers.
This noble verse, like a golden key, unlocks the doors of the knowledge of Divine Unity. The term Istiftah (seeking victory) is an invitation to the believers to place reliance not on their apparent power but on Divine Will. Victory does not stem from numerical superiority or tools, but from the Divine Decree. This concept flows like a river, connecting with the unity of divine actions mentioned in the preceding verse, And you did not throw when you threw, attributing true agency solely to Allah. In the Battle of Badr, the believers, though few in number, overcame the vastly larger army of disbelievers by Divine support, as if the sun of faith shone over the darkness of apparent multitude.
The second part of the verse, And if you desist, it is better for you, is like a merciful breeze calling all, from believers to disbelievers and hypocrites, to repentance and return to truth. This invitation opens a door to boundless Divine Mercy, guiding even the opponents to goodness and felicity. This universal address signifies the inclusiveness of the Quranic message, which excludes no servant from the circle of Divine Mercy. Among them, the believers shine like brilliant stars, protected by special Divine support through their faith and piety.
The verse continues with the phrase And if you return [to hostility], We will return [to punishment], issuing a decisive warning to those who persist in disbelief and hostility. This threat, like a thunderbolt, manifests Divine Justice which responds fittingly to evil. The term Naud indicates the just reaction of the Lord, which may appear in the form of defeat in battle or other calamities. This concept harmonises with the preceding verse The plot of the disbelievers is doomed to failure, portraying Allah as the one who frustrates the schemes of the disbelievers.
The phrase And your company will not avail you at all, even if it should be great reflects the futility of apparent multitude against Divine Power. The metaphor of zero here beautifully demonstrates the impotence of human forces without Divine backing. No matter the number of soldiers or weapons, without Divine support, they are like a string of zeros without value. This concept was exemplified at the Battle of Badr, where the small army of believers triumphed by reliance on Allah over the enemy.
The verse concludes with And indeed, Allah is with the believers, as if confirming the exalted status of the believers before the Lord. This accompaniment is not limited to apparent victories but also manifests in spiritual guidance and protection from deceit and calamities. The believers are like helmsmen navigating the stormy seas of the world, relying on the Divine rudder to reach the shore of salvation. This concept aligns with other Quranic verses such as Indeed, Allah is with the righteous.
The address of this verse initially encompasses all: believers, disbelievers, hypocrites, and the People of the Book. This inclusivity displays Divine Mercy extended to all servants. However, subsequently, the phrase O you who have believed draws special attention to the believers, as if the Lord distinguishes them as precious gems among the crowd. This structure reflects the universal mercy and particular guidance of Allah.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۥ وَلَا تَوَلَّوْا عَنْهُ وَأَنتُمْ تَسْمَعُونَ
O you who have believed, obey Allah and His Messenger and do not turn away while you hear.
This verse calls the believers to obedience to Allah and His Messenger, as if an invitation to the pure spring of guidance. Obedience to the Messenger, who utters nothing but what is from Allah, is essentially obedience to the Lord. The phrase Anhu, referring implicitly to Allah, also includes the Messenger, since the Messenger is the complete mirror of Divine Will. This call warns believers against turning away from the truth, as if cautioning to preserve the jewel of faith against the temptations of the world.
وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ
And do not be like those who said, "We have heard," while they do not hear.
This verse critiques the hypocrisy of those who claim to hear the truth but are inattentive in heart and deed. The distinction between sama (apparent hearing) and istima (internal comprehension and acceptance) is like the difference between the peel and the core of a fruit. An analogy is a student who, instead of listening attentively in class, engages in futile distraction, illustrating this concept vividly. This critique urges believers to sincerity in accepting the truth and acting upon it, as a warning against hypocrisy and pretense.
Formal knowledge is like a shell which, without the core of true understanding, does not lead to felicity. Quranic knowledge is rooted in lawful sustenance, pure origin, and sincerity. This knowledge is like a jewel originating from the fountain of Divine Unity, guiding man towards eternal felicity. Formal sciences, although instruments for understanding religious texts, without connection to the knowledge of Divine Unity, are like rootless trees bearing no fruit.
At certain times, religious knowledge, instead of nurturing true understanding, has turned into tools for separating religion from daily life. This distortion is like a shadow obscuring the light of truth. Quranic knowledge, emphasising Divine Unity, sincerity, and righteous deeds, can dispel this darkness and restore religion to its original status. This perspective invites a reconsideration of religious educational systems and a return to the pure springs of Quranic knowledge.
The verses of Surah Al-Imran, especially verse nineteen and related verses, serve as guiding lights directing humanity towards the unity of divine actions, obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and avoidance of hypocrisy. These verses, with the promise of Divine victory, call to repentance, and warning to disbelievers, manifest Divine mercy and justice. The critique of formal knowledge and emphasis on Quranic understanding call humanity towards sincerity and righteous deeds. This treatise, by reflecting on these concepts, seeks to illuminate the path to felicity in the light of the Holy Quran, like an invitation to a pure spring that quenches the thirst of the soul.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
