The Holy Qur'an, a pure fountain of guidance and knowledge, presents in its verses the infinite divine secrets to humanity. Surah Al-Ma'idah, one of the Medinan chapters revealed in the late blessed life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), emphasises legal rulings, social justice, and divine ethics, serving as a guide for faithful living. Verses eight and nine of this Surah, which are the focus of these reflections, open two distinct horizons of faith and practice before the believers: one is a call to sincere standing for God and impartial justice, and the other a divine promise of forgiveness and reward for believers who pursue righteous deeds. This writing, through a profound examination of these two verses, endeavours to explore their spiritual, mystical, and ethical layers in an eloquent and dignified language, offering seekers of knowledge a gateway to a deeper understanding of the Holy Qur'an.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا ۚ اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for God, witnesses in justice, and let not the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear God. Indeed, God is Acquainted with what you do.
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ۙ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ
God has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds that for them is forgiveness and a great reward.
A key point: among approximately six thousand verses of the Holy Qur'an, no two verses have been juxtaposed like verses eight and nine of Surah Al-Ma'idah. This adjacency reveals a profound spiritual and practical difference between them, as if one is an invitation to the pinnacle of divine perfection and the other a ladder for believers along the journey.
Verses eight and nine portray two distinct levels of faith and practice. Verse eight, by calling to stand firm for God and bear witness to justice, depicts a lofty and pure horizon, while verse nine, by promising forgiveness and reward, refers to a simpler faith and general righteous action. This difference, akin to the distance between heaven and earth, indicates two divergent horizons on the path of spiritual discipline.
The address "O you who have believed" in verse eight encompasses a wide range, including all believers, even those who have doubts in their faith. This inclusiveness, like the ocean of divine mercy, signifies the comprehensive nature of God's invitation, calling even wavering hearts towards perfection. This address is an invitation to stand for Godnot for personal gain or material reward.
Verse nine begins with "God has promised," referring to Gods promise to the believers. This promise, offering forgiveness of sins and a great reward, in a deeper perspective, indicates some believers need for divine assurance. This need, like a shadow over faith, reveals a deficiency in complete trust in the Divine Essence.
Faith in verse eight is like a shining sunpure and free from any non-divine motive. This faith, exclusive to the elect of God, is a call to annihilation in the Divine Essence and living for God alone. Yet, faith in verse nine is like a young plant still concerned with reward and forgiveness. This difference, comparable to the distance between lofty peaks and smooth plains, represents two levels of spiritual progression.
The believers of verse nine, who seek forgiveness and a great reward, are sometimes ironically called "daghuri-maghuri" a phrase referring to individuals with moderate faith who look for spiritual or material rewards, such as Paradise. Although this group walks the path of faith, they remain attached to worldly ties and need divine assurance.
Verse nine promises forgiveness (remission of sins) and a great reward. Although this promise is divine mercy, from a deeper viewpoint, it signals a weakness in the audience's faith, who, instead of full trust in God, pursue reward. Asking for this promise itself is a fault, since it reflects a lack of absolute trust in the Divine Essence.
explications of religious scholars, thawab (reward) is closeness to God, whereas ajr refers to material or spiritual wage, like a workers payment. Verse nine refers to ajr, indicating a level of faith still engaged with reward, not pure divine proximity.
The phrase "do righteous deeds" in verse nine refers to general good deeds, not necessarily acts of worship such as prayer and fasting. This emphasis, like a breeze blowing across a vast plain, indicates the broad nature of Gods call to virtue, which can lead to divine mercy even without particular acts of worship.
The spiritual distance between verses eight and nine is described as the distance between heaven and earth or billions of light-years. Verse eight is an invitation to divine perfection and annihilation in the Divine Essence, whereas verse nine addresses believers who are still on the way and focused on reward.
Verse eight tolerates no motive except God. This sincerity, like a fire burning away every impurity, calls the believer to stand purely for God. This invitation is devoid of any personal interest and is only attainable for the elect of God, who have annihilated themselves in the Divine Essence.
The phrase كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّهِ means living and acting solely for God. This standing, like a river flowing to the sea, guides the believer towards annihilation in the Divine Essence. This invitation is not for reward but for the realisation of an existence where nothing but God remains.
Anything other than God, from wealth to spouse and children, is regarded in this perspective as refuse with no value before the Divine Essence. These attachments are like tribulations that divert the believer from standing for God. Only what is for God is worthy of pursuit.
Faith in verse eight is reserved for the elect of God, such as Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him), who have annihilated themselves in God. This faith, like a lofty peak, is accessible only to those who have transcended egoistic limitations and see none besides God.
The intensified form قَوَّامِينَ means complete standing and annihilation in God. This concept is elucidated by a mystical poem: "Who am I, Layla and who is Layla, both one soul without a body," indicating existential unity with the Divine Essence. The body, which sheep and jackals also possess, holds no value at this rank; what matters is the soul annihilated in God.
شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ means fair and practical testimony to external justice. This justice, like a balanced scale, acts impartially even towards enemies and friends alike. This station is possible only for the elect of God, who judge impartially even against Gods enemies, such as Shimr and Imam Hussain (peace be upon him).
Testifying to justice demands complete impartiality towards friends and foes. This justice, like a clear mirror, accepts no partiality, even in familial disputes where one naturally tends to favour close relatives.
Partiality in family disputes, such as supporting a child or spouse against others, contradicts testimony to justice. This partiality, like a dust cloud on the mirror of justice, prevents the realisation of the ideal of verse eight.
