of Nokounam, (Session 1489)
The Holy Quran, like a radiant lamp, illuminates the path to felicity and salvation for humanity, and through its luminous verses, invites reflection upon divine grace and mercy, gratitude for the boundless blessings of the Lord, and abstention from arbitrary imposition in religious rulings. Verses 58 and 59 of Surah Yunus, with profound and sagacious expression, call upon humans to rejoice in divine grace and mercy, and caution against self-made determinations of what is forbidden and permitted without divine sanction. This treatise, relying on the scholarly lectures and deep contemplations on these verses, examines the concepts of divine grace, gratitude for what the Lord has granted and withheld, and critiques egocentric behaviours in the formulation of religious injunctions. This work endeavours, in a clear and dignified style, to elucidate the lofty Quranic meanings with a comprehensive outlook, linked to divine wisdom and the spiritual needs of contemporary humanity.
The Holy Quran in verse 58 of Surah Yunus invites humanity to rejoice in divine grace and mercy, considering these two superior to material possessions that humans amass with greed and desire:
Say, In the grace of Allah and in His mercytherein let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumulate.
Divine grace and mercy, like a clear spring, quench the soul of man and liberate him from attachment to material possessions which are but a deceptive mirage.
Divine grace, akin to life-giving rain, encompasses guidance, salvation, and spiritual felicity of infinite worth far beyond material wealth. Under the shadow of this grace and mercy, man attains a tranquility unmatched by any worldly treasure. This verse, in a wise expression, warns humanity against greedily amassing material possessions (what they accumulate) and directs them towards a spiritual essence that brings eternal happiness.
Material possessions, metaphorically described as junk in the text, are as insignificant compared to divine grace and mercy as straw is to a great mountain. Even lawful blessings, if they cause forgetfulness of God, hold no value against divine favour. This critique invites reflection on the nature of material possessions and warns man against the bondage of materialism. As a wise mystic has stated, the human heart is like a mirror that, if tainted with the dust of worldly attachments, can no longer reflect divine light.
Material accumulation is like a heavy burden upon mans shoulders that prevents his flight towards the pinnacles of spirituality.
From the viewpoint of Islamic mysticism, this perspective aligns with the concept of fan f Allh (annihilation in God), which calls man to detach from material attachments and connect to the infinite divine essence. By renouncing materialism, man attains spiritual freedom and his heart is illuminated by the light of divine grace.
This section, based on verse 58 of Surah Yunus, calls man to rejoice in divine grace and mercy and considers material possessions insignificant in comparison to these boundless blessings. Reflecting upon this verse, man realises that true felicity lies not in material accumulation but in connection to divine grace and mercy. This outlook frees man from the captivity of materialism and guides him towards spiritual tranquility and felicity.
The Holy Quran in verse 59 of Surah Yunus reproaches those who declare Gods provision as forbidden or permitted without His sanction:
Say, Have you considered what Allah has sent down to you of provision, and you have made some of it forbidden and some lawful? Say, Has Allah permitted you, or do you invent against Allah untruth?
Declaring forbidden and permitted without divine permission is like building a shaky bridge over a deep abyss that leads man to fall into the pit of blasphemy against God.
This verse, with decisive language, cautions humanity against arbitrariness in religious rulings. The right to declare forbidden and permitted belongs solely to the Lord, and any human interference in this domain constitutes blatant slander against the exalted divine essence. Such conduct may stem either from ignorance of divine injunctions or from self-made traditions that undermine the integrity and sincerity of religion.
The original text considers human knowledge of what is forbidden and permitted as incomplete and asserts that many prevalent rulings originate in superstitions or baseless traditions. This critique invites reflection on the sources of religious rulings and stresses the necessity of reference to the Holy Quran and authentic Sunnah. As a learned scholar has remarked, true knowledge of rulings is like a light emanating from the Quran and Sunnah, and deviation from these sources plunges man into the darkness of ignorance.
Incomplete knowledge of religious rulings is like a double-edged sword that harms both the devout and the religion itself.
From a theological perspective, this critique emphasises the necessity of referring to authoritative religious sources. Religious knowledge, if not derived from the Holy Quran and Prophetic Sunnah, leads to deviation and transgression. Man, relying on his ignorance, sometimes formulates rulings that not only fail to aid his felicity but also lead him towards destruction.
This section, focusing on verse 59 of Surah Yunus, critiques self-made behaviour in determining religious rulings and regards it as blasphemy against God. Man, by arbitrariness in rulings, distances himself from divine guidance and falls into ignorance and superstition. This verse, in clear language, invites man to follow divine injunctions and avoid egocentrism in religion.
The Holy Quran continues in verse 60 of Surah Yunus, emphasising the ingratitude of the majority of people towards divine grace:
And what will be the supposition of those who invent lies against Allah on the Day of Resurrection? Indeed, Allah is Possessor of bounty for the people, but most of them do not give thanks.
True gratitude is like a golden key that opens the doors of felicity and guides man to contentment with what God has given and withheld.
True gratitude extends not only to the bestowed blessings but also to those withheld by God. Man, by acceptance of the Lords wisdom in both giving and withholding, attains a tranquility surpassing every material treasure. This gratitude frees man from the bondage of deficiencies and guides him towards spiritual felicity.
The text criticises those who continually focus on their deficiencies, regarding such behaviour as a sign of ingratitude and distance from divine grace. Man is likened to a traveller in the desert of life who, instead of thanking for the clear springs of blessings, fixates on the mirage of deficiencies and is thus deprived of felicity.
Focus on deficiencies is like a dark veil that conceals the light of divine blessings from the eyes of man.
From a psychological perspective, this focus on deficiencies results in cognitive distortion that prevents man from recognising existing blessings. By gratitude for what God has given and withheld, man attains resilience and tranquillity, freed from anxiety and ingratitude.
The text stresses that human endeavour should not contradict gratitude for what God has given and withheld. Effort for good is like a seed planted in the soil of reliance upon God and ripens through divine gratitude. Man, by striving in the path of good and trusting God, attains felicity.
Effort for good is like a stream that, under the shade of gratitude and reliance, flows into the sea of felicity.
This section, focusing on divine gratitude and acceptance of the Lords wisdom, invites man to liberation from fixation on deficiencies and movement towards spiritual felicity. Gratitude for what God has given and withheld frees man from material bondage and guides him to tranquillity and felicity.
The text differentiates between poverty in the sense of misfortune and divine grace. Divine grace, whether in giving or withholding, encompasses the good of man. Man, by acceptance of divine wisdom, realises that whatever God has given or withheld is for his own good.
Divine grace is like a breeze that, whether in giving or withholding, heralds the good and felicity of man.
From the standpoint of Islamic philosophy, this view accords with the concept of divine wisdom, which considers every decision of the Lord as good. Man, by submission to this wisdom, attains tranquillity and felicity.
Acceptance of divine wisdom is like a key that opens the doors of felicity. Man, by consenting to what the Lord has given and withheld, is freed from egocentrism and attains spiritual tranquillity. This acceptance frees man from bondage to deficiencies and material greed.
Acceptance of divine wisdom is like a bridge that guides man from the darkness of egocentrism to the light of felicity.
This section, emphasising the distinction between poverty and divine grace, invites man to acceptance of the Lords wisdom. Divine grace, whether in giving or withholding, contains the good of man, and man, through gratitude and acceptance of this wisdom, attains felicity.
The interpretation of verses 58 and 59 of Surah Yunus, like a radiant lamp, illuminates the path to felicity and salvation for humanity. These verses, with sagacious language, invite man to rejoice in divine grace and mercy, gratitude for what the Lord has given and withheld, and abstention from arbitrariness in religious rulings. Through reflection on these verses, man realises that true felicity lies not in material accumulation but in connection to divine grace and acceptance of the Lords wisdom. This treatise, relying on scholarly lectures, has sought to elucidate these concepts in a clear and dignified manner, guiding man towards spiritual tranquillity and felicity.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
