The Divine Word, akin to a radiant lamp, opens the path of guidance for humankind and directs them from the darkness of ignorance and misguidance towards the light of knowledge. Among these, verse eighteen of Surah Ynus, with clear and profound expression, speaks of an injustice graver than any other sin: slandering God and denying His signs. This treatise, through reflection on this noble verse and the valuable lectures, elucidates this immense injustice and its consequences. Its objective is to guide the audience, through deep and precise insight, towards understanding the Divine truth and refraining from sins such as falsehood and slandersins that, like thorns in the heart of faith, block the path to salvation.
فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِآيَاتِهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُفْلِحُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ
So who is more unjust than one who invents falsehood against God or denies His signs? Indeed, the criminals will not succeed.
This verse, through a rhetorical question, portrays the severity of the injustice of slandering God and denying His signs. Slander is like a poisoned arrow aimed at the heart of truth, and denial of the signs is like rejecting the sun in broad daylight, depriving man of the light of guidance.
Verse eighteen of Surah Ynus, following the preceding verses which mention the denial of revelation and the request for alteration of the Quran, emphasises the greatest possible injustice: slandering God and denying His signs. This verse, with decisive expression, announces the failure of the criminals and bars the path of salvation before them. Slandering God means attributing something untrue to the Divine Essence, such as claiming to have seen God without truthfulness. Denying the signs also refers to the rejection of the Divine proofs, including the Quran, the Prophets, and the saints who are intermediaries of guidance.
In the lecture, emphasis is placed on the fact that sins such as alcohol consumption, adultery, and theft, though reprehensible, are less severe compared to slandering God and denying His signs. Slander, due to its damage to the Divine truth, is an injustice for which repentance is not accepted. This distinction is rooted in a narration from Imam diq (peace be upon him) who said: Does a believer commit adultery? It was said: Possibly. Does he steal? It was said: Possibly. Does he lie? He said: No, by God, no, by God, no, by God. This narration considers falsehood a graver sin than adultery and theft, especially when it relates to Divine matters.
One of the critiques raised is the undervaluation of the sin of falsehood in society. While sins such as alcohol consumption and adultery are made to appear grave, falsehood, due to its prevalence, is regarded as less important. This cultural deviation hinders the understanding of the severity of falsehood and slander in Divine matters. Falsehood, like a hidden plague, corrodes faith from within and leads man towards the loss of this world and the hereafter.
To clarify the severity of the sin of falsehood, tangible examples are employed. One such example is a dialogue with a professor teaching oenology to a student who, relying on mystical intuition, identified the taste of wines. This example, with bitter humour, shows that even in apparent sins, honesty is valuable, whereas falsehood, especially in Divine matters, defiles man spiritually. Additionally, reference to false claims by some individuals professing to have met God or saints highlights the danger of arrogance and slander.
One of the central questions in the lecture is the difference between slander and falsehood. Slander means attributing something untrue to another, especially to God and His signs. Falsehood generally refers to lying. The phrase slander against God with falsehood emphasises intentional and conscious lying attributed to God. This question, by inviting study of authoritative exegeses such as Al-Mzn, underscores the necessity of precise understanding of Quranic concepts. Slander is like a poisonous seed that distorts truth, whereas falsehood in general destroys honesty.
The invitation to study exegeses is a sign of the importance of contemplation on the Divine Word. The Holy Quran, like a profound ocean, requires precise and scholarly exploration. Studying authoritative exegeses is a means to avoid superficial interpretations and distortion of Divine meanings. This invitation guides the audience towards a deeper understanding of the verses.
Arrogance, like a hidden fire, leads man towards false claims in Divine matters. False claims of seeing God or saints are manifestations of this arrogance that results in slander. These claims, due to the absence of nearness and Divine knowledge, constitute great injustice.
The path to liberation from slander and denial is humility before God and intimacy with the Holy Quran. Humility, like a golden key, opens the doors of knowledge and frees man from the trap of arrogance. Intimacy with the Holy Quran kindles the light of guidance in the heart and preserves man from the darkness of inner sins such as falsehood and slander.
The interpretation of verse eighteen of Surah Ynus, like a clear mirror, reflects the truth of the immense injustice of slandering God and denying His signs. This verse, with sublime expression, speaks of the failure of the criminals and invites the audience to contemplate the severity of the sins of falsehood and slander. The lectures of this session, relying on narrations and concrete examples, stress the distinction of this sin from others and the necessity of precise comprehension of Quranic concepts. Critique of arrogance and the call to humility are pathways to liberation from the trap of inner sins and a return towards the light of Divine guidance. This treatise, employing lofty language and coherent structure, endeavours to present the profound meanings of this verse in a clear and scholarly manner, guiding the audience towards knowledge and proximity to God.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
