of Nekounam, (Session 1786)
Surah Saba, one of the Meccan chapters of the Holy Qur'an, presents the intrinsic grandeur and authority of humanity as the highest creation of God, like a pure mirror. This Surah, with profound and wise expression, elucidates the position of man within the cosmic system and emphasises his boundless capacities in physical, intellectual, and spiritual realms. Man is a being adorned by God with the gift of speech and dialogue, distinguishing him from other creatures. Nevertheless, intrinsic human grandeur, though a testament to his greatness, does not culminate in felicity without well-being and faith. This text, with a deep examination of Surah Saba's content, explores human authority, the role of dialogue in the flourishing of this authority, and the necessity of well-being as a foundation for happiness. By utilising Qur'anic verses and detailed analyses, this work seeks to provide a coherent framework for rethinking the position of man and pathways to attain felicity.
The Holy Qur'an introduces man as the greatest divine creation, a being superior to other creatures in beauty, majesty, and perfection across all dimensions. This grandeur is manifest not only in physical appearance but also in intellectual and spiritual capacities. Man is akin to a steward whom God has appointed over the universe, granting unparalleled abilities.
Surah Saba highlights the extraordinary capabilities of prophets such as Solomon and David, clearly demonstrating this superiority. Solomon, peace be upon him, controlled the wind and the jinn, while David, peace be upon him, softened iron examples of human authority granted by God. These abilities signify man's exalted status in the cosmic order.
Mans intrinsic grandeur, which is his primary perfection, though distinguishing him from other creatures, does not necessarily lead to happiness, which is a secondary perfection. Happiness requires faith, well-being, and correct orientation, whereas grandeur without these elements can lead to misery.
Surah Saba, by referencing the people of Saba who fell into decline due to ingratitude for divine blessings, demonstrates that material and civilisational grandeur without gratitude and faith leads to destruction. Conversely, prophets who combined grandeur and faith attained eternal felicity.
This verse illustrates the material grandeur of the people of Saba alongside the warning for the necessity of gratitude and faith, whose absence led to their decline.
Man, as the highest divine creation, possesses unparalleled authority manifested in physical, intellectual, and spiritual capacities. However, this grandeur does not lead to happiness without faith and well-being. Surah Saba clarifies this truth with examples from prophets and the people of Saba.
Man is a being endowed with speech who manifests freedom and choice through dialogue. The Holy Qur'an extensively uses derivatives of the root "Q-W-L" (such as qla, ql, yaqlu, qul)1714 occurrences in totalto emphasise the importance of dialogue. These derivatives indicate the dynamic spirit of this divine book in promoting discourse and reasoning.
Dialogue is not merely talking; it is conducted with thought, choice, and reason. Speech may arise from arrogance or disbelief, yet this does not diminish the intrinsic value of dialogue.
This verse invites the Prophet to engage in a reasoned dialogue with disbelievers, signifying the importance of dialogue in guidance and enlightenment.
Proper dialogue requires abstention from anger, slander, and harshness. It must be accompanied by active listening and logical response. The Holy Qur'an even invites disbelievers to dialogue without silencing them, a sign of the greatness of this divine scripture.
This verse exemplifies an invitation to logical dialogue which, with calmness and reasoning, encourages reflection.
Dialogue, as a fundamental attribute, distinguishes man from other creatures and signals his freedom and rationality. The Holy Qur'an, with its remarkable emphasis on derivatives of "Q-W-L," invites humanity to logical, non-violent discourse. This attribute provides the basis for guidance and enlightenment.
The contemporary Islamic society suffers from a lack of dialogue culture. Many individuals, due to arrogance or prejudice, refuse to listen to others. This issue stems from the lack of thiqal al-smia (the capacity to listen attentively).
The Holy Qur'an guides humanity toward constructive dialogue by emphasising hearing speech and following the best of it.
