Preface
Surah Yunus, one of the Meccan chapters of the Holy Quran, elucidates with profound and exalted language the Divine Majesty and invites humanity towards monotheism and submission before the Lord. The initial verses of this Surah, especially verses three to six, introduce God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Governor of all affairs, and the ultimate destination of all creatures. They emphasise the epistemic limitations of human beings juxtaposed with the boundless greatness of the Divine. These verses were revealed as a response to the denial of the Divine revelation and the accusation of sorcery, and they summon humankind, with remarkable rhetoric, to contemplate the power of the Lord and accept His guidance. In this treatise, based on exegetical lectures, these verses have been rewritten and analysed so that their profound meanings are presented in a clear and coherent manner for erudite audiences. The forthcoming text, preserving all details and core concepts, explicates Divine Majesty, the distinction between revelation and sorcery, and the invitation to worship and submission, employing literary allusions to enrich the content.
The opening verses of Surah Yunus, expressed with majestic eloquence, introduce God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. These verses respond to the disbelievers who attributed Divine revelation to sorcery, emphasising the Lords sovereignty and divinity. God proclaims in these verses:
"Your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself upon the Throne, managing all affairs. There is no intercessor except after His permission. That is Allah, your Lord; so worship Him. Will you not then take heed?"
This verse, by introducing God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, accentuates His infinite grandeur and power. The concept of creation of the heavens and the earth is so vast and sublime that human intellect, despite all scientific advancements, remains incapable of fully comprehending it. Just as the stars shining in the night sky manifest the majesty of the cosmos, this verse likewise reminds humanity of the Divine Majesty, without disclosing details beyond the grasp of limited human understanding.
A principal theme of these verses is the emphasis on humanitys incapacity to fully understand the Quranic concepts. What are the heavens? What is the earth? What is the meaning of six days of creation? What is the Divine Throne? These questions remain unanswered, not only in early Islam but also in the current era of scientific progress. This inability resembles the human endeavour to count the stars with fingers, a sign of epistemic limitation before Divine greatness. The Holy Quran, by presenting such ambiguous concepts, invites humankind to humility before Divine wisdom and acceptance of His guidance.
The first section of this treatise, focusing on the introduction of God as the Creator of existence and the human incapacity to grasp sublime concepts, demonstrated that the initial verses of Surah Yunus invite humanity to contemplate Divine Majesty and accept His Lordship. These verses, through magnificent language, portray human epistemic limitations and direct man towards worship and submission before the Lord. Just as an infinite ocean displays its greatness through its waves, these verses exhibit Divine Majesty to humanity without enabling full comprehension.
A central theme in the initial verses of Surah Yunus is the response to the accusation by disbelievers who attributed Divine revelation to sorcery. The Holy Quran elucidates the distinction between revelation and sorcery, emphasising the Divine authenticity of revelation. Revelation is the speech sent down from above, effortless to receive and independent of human exertion, whereas sorcery is an earthly phenomenon formed from below, requiring labour and material tools. This distinction is akin to the difference between sunlight, which shines effortlessly, and a handmade lamp that requires effort to light; it signifies the transcendent nature of revelation and the limitations inherent in sorcery.
The disbelievers, by attributing revelation to sorcery, sought to negate the authenticity of the Divine message. The Holy Quran, in response, introduces God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, accentuating His infinite greatness and power. This response, like a resounding cry against murmurs of doubt, testifies to Divine Lordship and the authenticity of revelation. By invoking concepts such as creation, the Throne, and governance of affairs, God calls the disbelievers to ponder His grandeur and accept Divine guidance.
The second section of this treatise, by explicating the distinction between revelation and sorcery, demonstrated that the Holy Quran, with clear and exalted language, refutes the accusation of revelation being sorcery. Revelation, as Divine speech, is free from any human effort and enlightens the heart of the Prophet upon its descent. These verses, by introducing God as the Creator and Governor of existence, invite humanity to accept Divine guidance and refrain from denial, as a shining star in the night sky guides the lost.
The verses of Surah Yunus, through concepts such as "six days," "the Throne," "management of affairs," and "intercession," stress the ambiguity of these notions for human intellect. The "six days" refer to the stages of creation, yet their precise meaning remains unknown to humanity. The "Throne," as a symbol of Divine sovereignty, transcends human comprehension. "Management of affairs" denotes Gods governance over all existence, but the modality eludes human understanding. This ambiguity, like a dense fog atop a lofty mountain, invites humanity to humility before Divine wisdom.
"To Him is your return all together. The promise of Allah is true. He begins creation then repeats it so that He may recompense those who have believed and done righteous deeds with justice. But those who disbelieve will have a drink of boiling water and a painful punishment because they used to disbelieve."
This verse, by emphasising the return of all creatures to God and the just system of Divine recompense, invites humanity to reflect on their ultimate fate and accept Divine guidance. Concepts such as "a drink of boiling water" and "painful punishment," due to their transcendent nature, exceed human comprehension; only their greatness and severity can be apprehended by humans.
Despite humanitys inability to fully grasp ambiguous concepts, the Holy Quran calls upon man to worship and submit to God. This call, like an invitation to a secure shore amidst a raging storm, guides man from misguidance towards guidance. Worship, as a rational response to Divine Majesty, is a path for intimacy with the Lord and reception of Divine knowledge.
The third section of this treatise, by elucidating ambiguous concepts and the invitation to worship, showed that the verses of Surah Yunus, with exalted language, invite humanity to contemplate Divine Majesty and accept His guidance. These verses, presenting notions such as creation, the Throne, return, and recompense, depict human epistemic limitations and direct mankind towards worship and submission, just as a light in darkness guides the lost.
In the lectures, the Quranic verses were likened to a black cauldron that seemed frightening in childhood but was merely darkness and the unknown. This analogy points to humanitys inability to grasp the sublime concepts of the Holy Quran. Just as the black cauldron evoked fear and ambiguity for a child, the Quranic verses, through their grandeur and ambiguity, direct man to contemplate Divine Majesty and accept His guidance.
The lectures, by reference to empirical experiences such as observing the process of iron melting, emphasise the majesty and inscrutability of creation. Witnessing an iron beam becoming soft and fluid like cotton candy in a blazing furnace is an experience that illustrates the grandeur of material creation. This experience, akin to observing a starry sky on a dark night, induces wonder and humility before Divine Majesty.
