the Lectures of Nokounam Session 1432
The Holy Quran, a clear spring of divine guidance and mercy, reveals the path of happiness and perfection to humanity through its illuminating verses. Verses 57 and 58 of Surah Yunus stand as radiant gems, speaking of divine admonition, healing of hearts, guidance, and mercy for the believers. This treatise, by reflecting upon these verses and expanding upon their profound meanings, endeavours to present the sublime Quranic concepts in a clear and coherent academic manner. Its purpose is to lead the reader toward a deeper understanding of the relationship between human beings, God, and the material world.
Verse 57 of Surah Yunus addresses all humankind with a universal proclamation of divine admonition sent by their Lord. This address, irrespective of faith, knowledge, or social status, encompasses all people and introduces the Holy Quran as an admonition aimed at reforming conduct and beliefs.
O mankind, there has come to you admonition from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers.
The invocation O mankind resembles a call from the heights of the heavens, inviting all humanity toward truth. This address makes no distinction between believer and non-believer, scholar and ignorant, and presents the Quran as a universal admonition. This admonition is like a mirror confronting humans with the reality of their existence, inviting them to reform both their inner and outer selves. From a psychological perspective, this address can serve as a tool to alleviate anxiety and enhance mental health by encouraging reflection on lifes meaning and ones relationship with the Creator of existence.
Verse 57 introduces the Holy Quran as healing for what is in the breasts. This healing is a remedy for the impurities, defilements, and desires that imprison the human heart. The Quran, like a skilled physician, treats the diseased hearts and guides them toward clarity and health.
This healing is not merely physical but refers to the purification of the psyche and soul from spiritual contamination. The impurities and desires act like dark clouds obscuring the heart from the light of knowledge. The Quran, through its illuminating verses, dispels these clouds and opens the heart toward the light of divine guidance and mercy. From a positive psychology standpoint, this process can reduce stress, anxiety, and feelings of guilt, leading to a state of inner peace and psychological health. This viewpoint aligns with the concept of purification of the self in Islamic mysticism, where the human being attains inner purity through contemplation and adherence to divine verses.
Following the mention of admonition and healing, verse 57 speaks of guidance and mercy for the believers. This guidance and mercy are the rewards for those who respond to the divine admonition and purify their hearts from impurities. Believers, by accepting this admonition and acting upon it, are led toward salvation and union with divine truth.
Guidance resembles a lamp that illuminates the dark path of life, steering the human being from misguidance toward felicity. Divine mercy is like rain that nourishes the barren soil of the heart, fostering spiritual blossoming. From a theological perspective, this guidance and mercy result from faith and righteous deeds. Psychologically, embracing spiritual values can increase a sense of purpose and life satisfaction, as it directs the individual toward lofty and enduring meanings.
Verse 57 is recommended as a remembrance (dhikr) to be repeated in various situations, including sleep, wakefulness, prostration, and bowing. This repetition not only aids in the purification of the heart but also guides the human being toward intimacy with God and divine knowledge.
Remembrance acts as a key opening the doors of the heart toward divine light. The repeated recitation of verse 57, with mindful presence and awareness, liberates the mind and soul from worldly distractions and directs the individual toward peace and understanding. From the perspective of Islamic mysticism, remembrance with presence connects the person to the unseen divine realm; from psychological viewpoints, it functions as a mindfulness practice, reducing negative thoughts and enhancing concentration. This verse, despite its brevity, is a precious gem that can return the human being to God at any time and place.
Verse 58 of Surah Yunus invites human beings to rejoice in the bounty and mercy of God:
Say: In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy in that let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumulate.
Divine bounty and mercy are like two wings enabling the human soul to soar toward the heavens of knowledge and felicity. This verse invites people to delight not in their material possessions but in Gods bounty and mercy. This joy is not a fleeting worldly happiness but a profound joy stemming from connection to divine truth. From an Islamic philosophical viewpoint, divine bounty and mercy are Gods endless graces guiding humanity toward eternal felicity.
Verse 58, by emphasising the phrase it is better than what they accumulate, asserts the superiority of divine bounty and mercy over material possessions such as wealth, offspring, knowledge, and other worldly gains. Although these possessions may be lawful and pure, they are worthless in comparison with Gods favours.
The human being is like a traveller busy gathering goods in the worldly inn, oblivious to the fact that these possessions hold no value against divine mercy and guidance. This critique is a warning against materialism, which drives humanity to amass transient wealth and distances them from spiritual values. Sociologically, this perspective aligns with the criticism of consumer culture; mystically, it connects with the concept of annihilation in God, inviting the individual to detach from material attachments.
Intimacy with God, attained through remembrance and contemplation of the Holy Quran, is a path to liberation from material attachments and connection to the unseen divine. Remembrance, if accompanied by presence of heart and understanding, frees the individual from worldly bonds and guides toward peace and knowledge. Practices such as the Four Tasbihat (Tasbihat Arbaa), when recited with awareness and intimacy, can open the heart toward God.
Remembrance is like a breeze that removes the dust of the world from the heart and leads it toward divine light. The individual must recite remembrance not mechanically but with mindful presence and understanding. From the perspective of Islamic mysticism, remembrance with presence connects the human to the divine unseen realm; from psychology, it is a mindfulness technique aiding stress reduction and concentration enhancement.
The human being must prepare for the moment of death by relying upon Gods bounty and mercy rather than material possessions. This preparedness frees one from the anxiety of death and guides toward peace and satisfaction.
Death is like a gateway transferring the individual from this world to the eternal realm. One who relies on divine bounty and mercy passes through this gateway with tranquillity and certainty, whereas one attached to what they accumulate experiences anxiety and turmoil at the moment of death. Existential psychology emphasises that acceptance of death and focus on spiritual values lead to peace and contentment.
The human being must pursue divine knowledge and mercy through contemplation of the Holy Quran and continual remembrance. This pursuit requires distancing oneself from material attachments and concentrating on spiritual values. The Quran is like a map showing the path to felicity, and remembrance is like a lamp illuminating this path.
This spiritual journey liberates the individual from the worlds bonds and leads toward divine knowledge and mercy. From an Islamic mystical viewpoint, this process aligns with the concept of closeness to God, and from psychology, it contributes to a sense of purpose and mental well-being. One must avoid worldly distractions and, through remembrance and contemplation of the Holy Quran, proceed toward eternal felicity.
Verses 57 and 58 of Surah Yunus, like two shining gems in the treasury of the Holy Quran, call humanity toward divine admonition, healing of hearts, guidance, and mercy. These verses, with a universal address to all people, speak of the role of the Quran as divine admonition that heals hearts and guides believers toward salvation. Verse 58 invites rejoicing in divine bounty and mercy, emphasising the superiority of these graces over material possessions. Through contemplation of these verses and their repetition as remembrance, the individual can be freed from material attachments and move toward divine knowledge and mercy. This treatise, by reflecting upon and elaborating on these verses, endeavours to provide a clear path toward a deeper understanding of the relationship between human beings, God, and the material world.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
