Surah Yunus, like a radiant gem among the verses of the Holy Quran, serves as a guide for understanding the secrets of human life, wherein good and evil, happiness and misery, are displayed before human eyes. This Surah, with profound and wise expression, delineates the path of salvation to humanity and warns against the deviations and corruptions that lead it towards destruction. The focus of this treatise is contemplation upon verses 83 to 86 of Surah Yunus, which narrate the story of the faith of a group from the people of Moses (peace be upon him) in the face of the fear and deception of Pharaoh and his chiefs. These verses elucidate three principles of happiness (faith, abstention from injustice, and avoidance of hypocrisy) and three destructive traits (hypocrisy, injustice, and disbelief), guiding man towards perfection and liberation from the seditions of tyrants and disbelievers. In this work, through a deep and methodical approach, the contents of the lectures and related analyses on these verses are presented in a structured and coherent manner to facilitate reflection on the lofty Quranic concepts.
فَمَا آمَنَ لِمُوسَىٰ إِلَّا ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ عَلَىٰ خَوْفٍ مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنَهُمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ لَعَالٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الْمُسْرِفِينَ
"So none believed in Moses except a progeny from his people, out of fear of Pharaoh and his chiefs lest they should be seized; and indeed Pharaoh was haughty upon the earth, and indeed he was of the extravagant."
This verse, like a clear mirror, reflects the resistance to truth among the people of Moses (peace be upon him). Only a group of the younger generation, whose minds had not yet been shackled by the chains of obsolete customs and traditions, accepted the call of Moses (peace be upon him). However, this acceptance did not occur in a calm and carefree environment, but under the shadow of fear from the deception and harm of Pharaoh and his associates. Pharaoh, renowned on earth for his arrogance and pursuit of supremacy, misused his power to lead society towards misguidance and corruption. He, as described in the Holy Quran, was one of the extravagantextravagance in power, in leading others astray, and in oppression. This characteristic of Pharaoh, as a historical example, serves as a warning for all ages that power, if not accompanied by divine guidance, culminates in ruin.
From a psychological perspective, the acceptance of faith by the younger generation stems from cognitive flexibility and the absence of deep-rooted prejudices. The elders of the people, accustomed to obsolete and misleading traditions, resisted the invitation of Moses (peace be upon him). This resistance was rooted in conditioning and attachment to the status quo. From a sociological perspective, Pharaoh, as a symbol of power-seeking and extravagance, by creating an atmosphere of fear and deception, prevented the acceptance of truth among the majority of society. This situation bears resemblance to the present conditions where habituation to injustice and misguidance impedes humans from progressing towards happiness. The Holy Quran expresses this reality in another verse:
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُوا مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُوا بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا
"And when it is said to them, Follow what Allah has sent down, they say, Nay! We will follow that upon which we found our forefathers." (Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 170)
وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ يَا قَوْمِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ آمَنْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُوا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُسْلِمِينَ
"And Moses said: 'O my people! If you have believed in Allah, then rely upon Him if you are indeed Muslims.'"
Moses (peace be upon him), like a guiding light, calls his people to reliance upon God. Reliance (tawakkul), which is a sign of true faith and submission before the Lord, liberates the human being from the shackles of fear and deception. This verse links faith not only to a heartfelt belief but also to a practical act embodied in reliance on God and entrusting matters to Him. True faith, when accompanied by submission and reliance, guides man towards happiness and protects him from the sedition of tyrants and disbelievers.
From a mystical perspective, reliance on God is like a shield that protects the individual against worldly trials. The Holy Quran states this reality in another verse:
فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ
"So do not fear them, but fear Me." (Surah Al-Hashr, Verse 13)
Reliance leads the individual to inner tranquility wherein fear of apparent powers transforms into trust in divine power. The people of Moses (peace be upon him), relying on God, prayed to their Lord to save them from the sedition of the oppressors and disbelievers, a supplication reflected in the subsequent verses of Surah Yunus.
فَقَالُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ وَنَجِّنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
"So they said: 'Upon Allah do we rely. Our Lord, do not make us a trial for the wrongdoing people. And save us by Your mercy from the disbelieving people.'"
The people of Moses (peace be upon him), in response to his invitation, expressed their reliance on God and beseeched Him to keep them safe from the sedition of the oppressors and disbelievers. This supplication, like a cry from the depths of the soul, manifests profound faith and trust in divine mercy. The oppressors, who lead society to ruin through deception and tyranny, and the disbelievers, who deny divine truth, are perpetual threats to human happiness. These verses call mankind to seek refuge in divine mercy and avoid worldly trials.
From a sociological viewpoint, injustice and disbelief are like pests that threaten the cohesion and happiness of society. The supplication of the people of Moses (peace be upon him) for deliverance from the sedition of oppressors and disbelievers demonstrates awareness of the destructive effects of these traits on society. The Holy Quran states in another verse:
وَاتَّقُوا فِتْنَةً لَا تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْكُمْ خَاصَّةً
"And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively." (Surah Al-Anfal, Verse 25)
This supplication raises human awareness of social responsibility vis--vis injustice and disbelief and directs them towards justice and happiness.
According to the Holy Quran, three traits hypocrisy, injustice, and disbelief are like chains that drag man towards misery. Hypocrisy, meaning duplicity and instability, distances man from sincerity and true faith. The Holy Quran says about this:
يَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ مَا لَيْسَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ
"They say with their mouths what is not within their hearts." (Surah Al-Munafiqun, Verse 8)
Injustice, meaning oppression and harming others, leads man towards destruction and corruption. Disbelief, the denial of divine truth, is the pinnacle of human misery; for one who denies God accepts no truth. These three traits, as successive stages, distance man from happiness and drive him towards ruin.
In opposition to these destructive traits, three principles of happiness stand firm: faith in God, avoidance of injustice, and abstention from hypocrisy. Faith is like a light that illuminates the human heart and guides him towards truth. Avoidance of injustice restrains man from harming others and himself and directs society towards justice. Abstention from hypocrisy, meaning sincerity and steadfastness in faith, leads man to perfection and salvation. These three principles are like strong pillars upon which the edifice of human happiness is erected.
From a philosophical perspective, hypocrisy, injustice, and disbelief represent stages of human fall from truth towards nonexistence. Hypocrisy is instability and duplicity that deprives man of inner unity. Injustice is the misuse of power and harm to others that culminates in social corruption. Disbelief is denial of divine truth that distances man from the source of happiness and perfection. Conversely, faith, avoidance of injustice, and abstention from hypocrisy guide man towards unity, justice, and truth. Mystically, faith is like empathy and companionship with God that leads man to eternal happiness.
The faithful human being is not only responsible for himself but also accountable to his society. Injustice, hypocrisy, and disbelief are like pests that destroy not only the individual but also the entire society. The supplication of the people of Moses (peace be upon him) for deliverance from the sedition of oppressors and disbelievers demonstrates awareness of this responsibility. The Holy Quran states:
وَاتَّقُوا فِتْنَةً لَا تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْكُمْ خَاصَّةً
"And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively." (Surah Al-Anfal, Verse 25)
The faithful individual, by relying on God and avoiding injustice and hypocrisy, guides not only himself but also society towards happiness.
Verses 83 to 86 of Surah Yunus, like a shining lamp, open before man the path of happiness and misery. The faith of the younger generation in the face of Pharaohs fear and deception, reliance on God as a sign of true faith, and the supplication for deliverance from injustice and disbelief offer profound lessons for all ages. The three principles of happiness (faith, avoidance of injusti
