of Nekounam, (Session 1413)
Surah Yunus, like a brilliant gem in the treasury of the Holy Quran, encompasses verses that depict the Divine grandeur and human incapacity before the boundless wisdom of the Lord. These verses, revealed in response to the denial of the Revelation and its attribution to sorcery, invite humanity to contemplate the cosmic order, to submit to truth, and to draw near to the Creator. This composition, relying upon the lecture of session 1413, undertakes a re-examination and analysis of the initial verses of Surah Yunus, especially verse three. The objective is to elucidate the profound meanings of these verses and to call for reflection upon the Divine signs that, like a mirror, manifest the majesty of the Creator and encourage humility and worship. This text, structured systematically and articulated in eloquent language, strives to present the spirit of the verses in a coherent and lucid manner to the reader.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ ٱلشَّمْسَ ضِيٓاءً وَٱلْقَمَرَ نُورًا وَقَدَّرَهُۥ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُوا۟ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلْحِسَابَ ۚ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
He is the One Who made the sun a radiant light and the moon a luminous lamp, and appointed for it stages so that you may know the number of years and calculation. Allah created none of this except in truth. He explains the signs in detail for a people who possess knowledge.
This verse serves as a window towards the grandeur of creation, displaying the Divine order in the cosmic system. The sun, like a blazing torch, is termed iy (radiance), and the moon, resembling a reflecting mirror, is called Nr (light). This distinction not only indicates the differing functions of these two creations but also alludes to a sublime wisdom and order, the depth of which human beings are incapable of fully comprehending. The determination of the moons phases for calculating time signifies the purposeful nature of creation; however, this purposefulness remains enveloped in mystery and ambiguity that only the learned those who contemplate the signs with Divine knowledge can perceive in part.
The Holy Quran, like an unfathomable ocean, contains concepts beyond human cognitive capacity. Faced with verses such as "seven heavens" or "truth," humans grasp merely the magnitude and greatness, remaining unaware of their exact nature and essence. This unfamiliarity does not originate from any deficiency in the verses but stems from the limitations of human knowledge. Just as a star in the night sky shines from afar but its details are hidden in mystery, so too the Divine signs reveal only a fraction of their grandeur to humanity. This limitation calls for humility and submission before the Lord, whose wisdom transcends human comprehension.
This section, focusing on verse three of Surah Yunus, underscores Divine grandeur and human incapacity to fully comprehend the verses. The cosmic system, like a tableau of Divine wisdom, demonstrates the order and purposeful creation, yet humans understand only its surface and remain unaware of the depth of this wisdom. This unfamiliarity is not an impediment to faith but a motivation for humility and intimacy with the Lord. The Quranic verses, like guiding lamps on the path of guidance, summon humanity towards piety and Divine knowledge.
Within the lectures of this session, religious sciences at times polluted by superstition and erroneous conceptions have been critically examined. Such sciences, which occasionally mislead rather than guide towards truth, cannot provide a pathway to understanding the Divine verses. Just as a traveller in a desert is led astray by a flawed map, superficial sciences devoid of Divine knowledge distance the human being from the ultimate truth. This critique does not imply negation of knowledge but invites reconsideration of methods of comprehension and emphasizes the necessity of proximity to the Lord.
إِنَّ فِي ٱخْتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَءَايَٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَّقُونَ
Indeed, in the alternation of night and day and what Allah has created in the heavens and the earth are signs for a people who guard against evil.
True knowledge is a light that the Lord casts into the heart of whomever He wills. This knowledge does not originate from apparent books but springs from Divine lordship. Just as rain quenches a thirsty land, Divine grace fills the believers heart with the light of knowledge. This part of the lecture emphasises the fact that understanding the Quranic verses requires closeness and intimacy with the Lord, not mere reliance on superficial sciences.
دَعْوَىٰهُمْ فِيهَا سُبْحَٰنَكَ ٱللَّهُمَّ وَتَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا سَلَٰمٌ ۚ وَءَاخِرُ دَعْوَىٰهُمْ أَنِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Their call therein will be: "Exalted are You, O Allah," and their greeting therein will be peace. And the last of their call will be, "Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds."
Glorification and praise of Allah serve as a bridge between the human heart and the Lord, a means to intimacy with Divine grandeur. This worship, even if its details are unknown to humans, is a path for receiving Divine grace. Just as a cool breeze soothes the spirit, glorification and praise draw the believers heart nearer to the Lord.
This section, through critique of religious sciences and emphasis on Divine knowledge, summons humanity towards proximity and intimacy with the Lord. Superficial sciences, if deprived of the light of faith and piety, cannot illuminate the path to truth. Conversely, glorification, praise, and Divine proximity function as keys that open the doors of knowledge and guide humanity towards salvation.
فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِـَٔايَٰتِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ
Who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah or denies His signs? Indeed, the criminals do not succeed.
This verse, with explicit language, emphasises the injustice of those who deny Divine revelation and attribute it to sorcery. Revelation is like a light from the heavens, sent by the Lord, whereas sorcery is a terrestrial and limited phenomenon. The deniers resemble those who shut their eyes before the sun, deprived of the light of guidance. This verse stresses the authenticity of revelation and the necessity of faith in it.
The deniers of Divine signs, referred to in this verse as "criminals," face a dire fate. Although its details remain unknown to humans, this failure is the consequence of neglecting the truth and rejecting Divine verses. Just as a rootless tree falls before a storm, the wrongdoers are powerless before Divine justice. This section stresses the necessity of faith and avoidance of disbelief.
This section, focusing on verse seventeen of Surah Yunus, highlights the injustice of those who deny revelation and their ensuing failure. Divine revelation, like a guiding light, shows the path to salvation, yet its denial plunges humanity into the darkness of misguidance. These verses, expressed in eloquent and clear language, call humanity to faith, piety, and avoidance of disbelief.
قُلْ مَا يَكُونُ لِىٓ أَنْ أُبَدِّلَهُۥ مِن تِلْقَآئِ نَفْسِىٓ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّى عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ
Say: It is not for me to change it of my own accord; I follow only what is revealed to me. Indeed, I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous day.
Understanding the Quranic verses requires proximity and inner vision. External recitation, like reading lifeless letters, cannot guide a person to the truth of the verses. Divine proximity is like a golden key that opens the doors of knowledge and guides humanity to presence before Divine verses. This section underscores the necessity of intimacy with the Lord and avoidance of superficial sciences.
