of Nokounam Session 1834
The Holy Quran, the divine book of guidance, elucidates with profound and systematic discourse the relationship between human deeds and their consequences through the concepts of Ithbah (reward), Isbah (infliction), Musbah (calamity), and Furqn (criterion). These concepts, rooted in the active and perfect divine Names of the Lord, not only portray the just and wise divine system of recompense and retribution but also invite humanity towards self-awareness, behavioural rectification, and nearness to the Truth. This treatise, relying upon Quranic verses and scholarly analyses, examines these concepts within the Surahs Midah, Fath, Kahf, Maryam, Fajr, Abasa, Arf, Ysuf, Tawbah, l Imrn, and Furqn. The aim is to provide a comprehensive exposition of the divine system of reward and punishment that calls humans to reflect upon their actions and consequences. The present work, structured methodically and articulated with clarity, endeavours to present these concepts with due precision and in a manner befitting researchers of religious sciences.
The Holy Quran, in Surah Midah, with clear articulation, explicates the standing of various religious groups vis--vis the believers and provides a precise criterion for evaluating enmity and friendship. These verses delicately refer to the fundamental distinctions among the Jews, Christians, and polytheists, accentuating the role of humility and knowledge in the acceptance of truth.
Surely, you shall find the most intense of the people in enmity towards the believers to be the Jews and those who associate others with Allah; and surely, you shall find the nearest of them in affection to the believers to be those who say, We are Christians. That is because among them are priests and monks, and they are not arrogant.
This verse explicitly identifies the Jews and polytheists as the most hostile groups towards the believers. The hostility of the Jews stems from doctrinal and behavioural contradictions with the principles of Islamic faith, whereas the Christians, owing to the presence of clerics and ascetics and the absence of arrogance, are closer to the believers. The humility of the Christians, manifesting in the lack of pride, facilitates the acceptance of truth and proximity to faith. This distinction reflects the divine value system in which knowledge and humility constitute the primary criteria for the acceptance of truth.
And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognised of the truth. They say: Our Lord, we have believed, so write us down among the witnesses.
This verse depicts the profound impact of divine verses upon the hearts of the Christians. The tears flowing from their eyes signify recognition of the truth and the emotional and spiritual influence of the divine word. Their plea So write us down among the witnesses reveals their yearning to be registered among the witnesses of truth, stemming from sincere faith based on knowledge. This reaction testifies to the readiness of hearts to accept the truth, who upon hearing the divine verses, are guided towards submission and faith.
And why should we not believe in Allah and what has come to us of the truth, and hope that our Lord will admit us among the righteous?
In this verse, the Christians express their motivation for faith as acceptance of the truth and hope for companionship with the righteous. This motivation, rooted in rationality and aspiration for the hereafters good, demonstrates the nexus among faith, knowledge, and hope for divine recompense. The desire to associate with the righteous signifies pure faith and orientation towards good, inviting man to rectify conduct and draw nearer to the truth.
So Allah rewarded them for what they said with gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally; and that is the recompense of the doers of good.
The concept of Ithbah in this verse denotes the return of action in the form of heavenly reward. The benefactors, who are free from arrogance and ignorance, deserve gardens with flowing rivers owing to their faith grounded in knowledge and humility. This reward, manifested in the eternal paradise, indicates the just divine system of recompense for the doers of good. Ithbah resembles a garment that fits the actors body and beautifully displays the consequence of their deed.
The verses of Surah Midah, by explicating the divine value system, provide clear criteria for evaluating religious groups. Humility and knowledge, as keys to accepting truth, bring Christians closer to faith, while the enmity of Jews and polytheists stems from pride and bigotry. The emotional effect of divine verses, the eagerness to be recorded among the witnesses, and hope for association with the righteous all demonstrate the profound connection among faith, knowledge, and divine reward. Ithbah, as the return of action, is granted to the benefactors in the form of heavenly recompense, inviting humans towards behavioural reform and proximity to truth.
Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquillity upon them and rewarded them with a near victory.
This verse refers to the Pledge of Ridwn that the believers made with the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). This pledge exemplifies sincere faith and alignment with the truth. Allah, knowing the sincerity of the believers hearts, granted them two kinds of reward: first, the descent of tranquillity as an initial spiritual reward, and subsequently a near victory as the principal reward encompassing both material and spiritual aspects. This gradual system of reward demonstrates divine wisdom in response to sincere deeds. Ithbah in this verse resembles a breeze that brings tranquillity and triumph after a sincere pledge.
