Commentary on Select Verses of Surah 42

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الحمد لله رب العلمين

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدى يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allâh, the Rahmân, the Merciful

This is the third Sûrah of the Hawâmîm, Sûrat al-Shûrâ and it includes additional disjoined letters after Hâ Mîm, namely:

عٓسٓقٓ

Ayn Sîn Qâf

(42:2)

The Disjointed Letters are from the Mutashâbihât, whose true meaning only Allâh knows. Those who interpret them in a manner that disregards the decisive and unambiguous Âyât of the Qurân, the Muhkamât, which are the Mother of the Scripture, have a deviation in their hearts and seek to make discord. Based on certain traditions, it appears that the Disjointed Letters have some relation to Abjad, Gematria or Arabic numerology. The Antichrist Dr. Rashad Khalifa was the first to discover some connection to the number nineteen, claiming that it is the basis for an in built mathematical code in the Qurân. Apparently, the Disjointed Letters that are at the beginning of certain chapters, when added to the same letters repeated throughout the chapter, produce a sum that is a multiple of nineteen. Allâh and His Apostle صلوات الله والسلام عليه know best.

کَذٰلِکَ یُوۡحِیۡۤ اِلَیۡکَ وَاِلَی الَّذِیۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِکَ

Thus does He reveal to you (O Prophet Muhammad) and to those before you

(42:3)

The omission of any mention of Allâh inspiring revelation, Wahî, to anyone after the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, is a strong indication that there is to be no prophet after him. If Mirzâ Ghulâm Ahmad, or any of the other Antichrists that appeared in this Ummah, were truly recipients of Wahî from Allâh then He would have surely stated that here, saying, “Thus does He reveal to you and to those before you and to those after you.”

وَکَذٰلِکَ اَوۡحَیۡنَاۤ اِلَیۡکَ قُرۡاٰنًا عَرَبِیًّا لِّتُنۡذِرَ اُمَّ الۡقُرٰی وَمَنۡ حَوۡلَہَا

Thus have We inspired to you (O My beloved Prophet) an Arabic Qurân that you may warn the Mother of Towns (Mecca) and all around it

(42:7)

A Prophet is inspired with revelation in a language he comprehends, or is at least made to comprehend, whereas the false prophet Mirzâ Ghulâm Ahmad claimed to receive revelations that amounted to gibberish. Likewise, the Pentecostals claim to speak in “tongues” through the Holy Spirit, but in actuality they speak gibberish and not any foreign language. Some have foolishly argued that according to the Âyah the Holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم was only sent to warn the Meccans and the Arabs. Yet logically the mention of being sent to warn a particular place does not necessitate exclusion of others. Other verses in the Holy Qurân state plainly that the Holy Prophet Muhammad صلوات الله والسلام عليه has been sent as an Apostle to all humanity:

قُلۡ یٰۤاَیُّہَا النَّاسُ اِنِّیۡ رَسُوۡلُ اللّٰہِ اِلَیۡکُمۡ جَمِیۡعَا

Say (O My beloved Prophet), O mankind! Verily, I am the Apostle of Allah to you all

(7:158)

Next, Allâh عز وجل says:

وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَهُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَـٰكِن يُدْخِلُ مَن يَشَاءُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ ۚ وَالظَّالِمُونَ مَا لَهُم مِّن وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ

And if Allâh had wished, He could have made them a single community. But He admits into His mercy whomsoever He wishes. And the wrongdoers have for them neither a protector nor a helper

(42:8)

While Allâh جلّ شأنه is omnipotent, having control over every particle of the cosmos, He has authorized man to have a certain degree of freedom so as to test him. Thus, the childish objections of those who ask that if God is all powerful why does He not prevent such and such evil and harm from happening are easily answered. If He wished He could have made everyone a Believer, into a single community with no conflicts whatsoever. But from His wisdom He has not decreed eternity and all goodness for this world. As for those who have the happiness of being admitted into Allâh’s mercy, they have not merited it by their faith or deeds. It is purely from the will of Allâh to save whom He wishes. Otherwise, everyone is worthy of condemnation. The wrongdoers, who are the unbelievers in reality, are condemned to Hell without any injustice since no one has done anything to merit salvation. For Allâh to admit a soul into His mercy means that soul shall find it easy in this world to believe in Him and His Apostle عليه السلام and to perform good deeds that are pleasing to Allâh. But the selection of the souls, before their birth in this world, for His mercy has been determined in advance. Hence, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said:

اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ أَمَّا مَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ السَّعَادَةِ فَيُيَسَّرُ لِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ السَّعَادَةِ وَأَمَّا مَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّقَاءِ فَيُيَسَّرُ لِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الشَّقَاوَةِ

Perform deeds, for everyone is facilitated for what he was created for. As for he who is among the people of happiness, he is facilitated to do the deeds of the people of happiness, and as for he who is among the people of misery, he is facilitated to do the deeds of the people of misery (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Next Allâh سبحانه وتعالى says:

لَیۡسَ کَمِثۡلِہٖ شَیۡءٌ ۚ وَہُوَ السَّمِیۡعُ الۡبَصِیۡرُ

There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the hearing, the seeing

(42:11)

The theology of the Qurân, summarized beautifully in this Âyah, is that Allâh, holy and exalted is He, is simultaneously transcendent and immanent. To believe in His transcendence while denying His immanence, or vice versa, is manifest deviation from the truth. The Jahmiyyah and Mu’tazilah are guilty of the former while the Mushabbihah and Mujassimah are guilty of the latter. While there is nothing like Him in reality, that doesn’t mean He isn’t a real person who is attributed with sight, hearing, power, knowledge and will. In order to make this matter clear to those with understanding, after mentioning that there is none like unto Him, Allâh affirms for Himself that He is one who hears and sees. Those who have gone overboard in the matter of Tanzîh, by negating for Allâh any description whatsoever, including those which occur in the Scripture itself, have taken this Âyah with an interpretation that is not consistent with the rest of the Scripture. For this reason, Imâm Ahmad bin Hanbal رحمة الله عليه explained that this Âyah is from the Mutashâbihât (Ar-Radd alal-Jahmiyyah waz-Zanâdiqah, p.95):

Next, Allâh عز وجل says:

شَرَعَ لَکُمۡ مِّنَ الدِّیۡنِ مَا وَصّٰی بِہٖ نُوۡحًا وَّالَّذِیۡۤ اَوۡحَیۡنَاۤ اِلَیۡکَ وَمَا وَصَّیۡنَا بِہٖۤ اِبۡرٰہِیۡمَ وَمُوۡسٰی وَعِیۡسٰۤی اَنۡ اَقِیۡمُوا الدِّیۡنَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوۡا فِیۡہِ

He has legislated for you the Religion with which He bequeathed to Noah, and which We have inspired to you (O My beloved Prophet Muhammad), and with which We bequeathed to Abraham and Moses and Jesus, that you establish the Religion and not become divided therein

(42:13)

The Religion of Islâm is the same Religion that Allâh bequeathed to the major Apostles prior to the Holy Prophet Muhammad, namely, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus عليهم السلام

Its basic creed, principles, values and teachings have remained the same. And a common ordinance to all who were given this Religion was that they ought to establish it. Some of the so-called “Islamists” claim this means it is a divine commandment to set up a state, a polity, so that the implementation of all the divine laws be made possible. However, the meaning of establishment of the Dîn is to establish as much of its commandments and teachings upon oneself as are possible and applicable. Otherwise, we do not see that the Prophets and Apostles of God that have come at various times in history worked directly for the establishment of a state or polity. Prophets and Apostles of God do not come into this world to radically challenge systems, including systems of governance. None of them are by any means radical in the political sense. Whatever system men have established that is sound and functional is fine. The nature of the system does not fall under the purview of Religion, or the activity of the Prophets and Apostles.

In this Âyah, Allâh has forbidden schism and division within the Religion. Schism means splitting off from the collective or main body, the Jamâ’ah, of the Believers, forming a new sect with innovated principles, beliefs or method of worship. Hence, every misguided sect guilty of schism can have its existence traced back to a person and time subsequent to the Holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم

As for the main body of the Muslims, which is called Ahl-us-Sunnati wal-Jamâ’ah or the Sunnis, which till today comprises the overwhelming majority of the Ummah, though it may be considered a “sect” in the linguistic sense, it is not a schismatic faction and is not included in the divine condemnation of sectarianism and schism. Rather, the Prophet’s own Companions رضى الله عنهم comprise the first Jamâ’ah, and the Sunnis have inherited all of their beliefs, principles, understanding and method of worship.

Allâh says:

وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ قَرِيبٌ

And what will make you comprehend? Perhaps the Hour is near

(42:17)

The impendence of the Apocalypse is a major theme of the Holy Qurân and the prophetic ministry of the Apostle Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم

The word لعل meaning “perhaps” occurs here to express that while the Hour is near, its nearness is relative. Otherwise, the opponents and the ignorant commonly object that it has been nearly fifteen centuries since the advent of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم yet the Apocalypse hasn’t occurred. Hence, Allâh says in the next Âyah:

يَسْتَعْجِلُ بِهَا الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهَا ۖ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مُشْفِقُونَ مِنْهَا وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْحَقُّ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُمَارُونَ فِي السَّاعَةِ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ بَعِيدٍ

Those who believe not therein seek to hasten it; but those who believe are fearful of it, and know that it is the truth. Beware! those who dispute concerning the Hour are in error, far gone

(42:18)

Attempting to hasten the Hour is the way of the foolish, misguided and ultimately of the unbelievers. Certain doomsday cults may be intended here, especially from the Christian tradition. If they truly believed in the reality of the Hour they would not attempt to bring it about through their dramatic actions, but would be content with the promise of God. But the attitude of the sincere Believer, who knows that the Hour is a coming reality, is that he fears it. The sense of panic and alarm that a Believer may have concerning the Apocalypse or an apocalyptic event, driving him into a certain hâl or spiritual state, is in fact a sign of his Îmân. And whoever disputes the reality and imminence of the Hour, the Apocalypse, is extremely astray. For they live in the world as though it will not one day end, and neglecting their own inevitable deaths.

Allâh says:

مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الْآخِرَةِ نَزِدْ لَهُ فِي حَرْثِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الدُّنْيَا نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا وَمَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِن نَّصِيبٍ

Whoso desires the harvest of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his harvest; and whoso desires the harvest of this world, We give him thereof, but in the Hereafter he will have no share

(42:20)

The effort an individual expends for something are as seeds that sprout into crops which are later harvested. If a person desires this world, and sows seeds for that purpose, God will let him reap the harvest of his desire and effort. But in the end he will be of the losers and deprived of a share in the Hereafter. The Message of Islâm is to focus on the harvest of the Hereafter and not of this temporary, unstable world. How can those individuals be considered intelligent who do everything in their power to reap the temporary delights of this world while failing to prepare anything for the Afterlife?

Allâh عزّ وجلّ says:

لَہُمۡ مَّا یَشَآءُوۡنَ عِنۡدَ رَبِّہِمۡ ؕ ذٰلِکَ ہُوَ الۡفَضۡلُ الۡکَبِیۡرُ

They shall have with their Lord whatever they will desire. That it is, the great grace

(42:22)

While Allâh has mentioned desirous things of Paradise to motivate the Believers, such as rivers of honey, milk and wine, and beautiful celestial maidens to whom they will be married to, ultimately the greatest of these heavenly rewards is that they shall receive whatever they desire, for each individual varies and naturally desires different things.

Allâh says:

قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ

Say (O My beloved Prophet), I ask of you no reward for it except love of kinship

(42:23)

The sign of a true Apostle of God is that he does not seek any material reward from the people for delivering God’s message and oracles to them. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is told to only ask for their love due to kinship with them, meaning the Quraysh. It may also mean that in exchange for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم doing good to the people by delivering the message of Islâm to them and guiding them to the truth the only thing he personally should expect in return from them is that they have love and compassion for his sacred household and progeny, the Ahl-al-Bayt عليهم السلام

Tragically, the family and progeny of the Holy Prophet عليه السلام had to suffer much evil and oppression at the hands of various Muslim rulers and their armies. Hence, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم emphasized repeatedly in his final will to the Believers:

وَأَهْلُ بَيْتِي أُذَكِّرُكُمُ اللَّهَ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي أُذَكِّرُكُمُ اللَّهَ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي أُذَكِّرُكُمُ اللَّهَ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي

And the people of my household! I remind you in Allâh of my household, I remind you in Allâh of my household, I remind you in Allâh of my household! (Sahih Muslim)

The emphasis with which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم willed for his community to be mindful of his household and fear Allâh concerning them indicates he was intimated through inspiration that his household would suffer at the hands of his own community sometime in the near future. The tragic event of Karbalâ, in which the Prophet’s grandson Husayn رضى الله عنه and dozens of other members of his household were cruelly massacred is perhaps the worst instance of such cruelty that members of his own Ummah perpetrated against his Ahl-al-Bayt.

Next, Allâh reveals another profound truth when He says:

وَلَوۡ بَسَطَ اللّٰہُ الرِّزۡقَ لِعِبَادِہٖ لَبَغَوۡا فِی الۡاَرۡضِ وَلٰکِنۡ یُّنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَّا یَشَآءُ

And if Allâh should broaden the provision for His slaves, they would rebel in the Earth; but He sends down according to a measure as He wishes

(42:27)

It is often said that the scarcity of resources on this planet, particularly the limited sources of energy required for all manner of industry, is the main cause of poverty and conflict in this world. But Allâh in His wisdom has decreed this limitation on resources and energy for the planet. If mankind were to have access to exponentially greater resources and sources of energy to become a Type II civilization per the Kardashev scale, they would rise to insanely new heights of arrogance and rebellion against Heaven. They would even consider themselves shielded from any natural calamity that could destroy the Earth itself. Whatever technology mankind has been able to invent till now is already a reason for them arrogating themselves a godlike position. Hence, Allâh has maintained the system of checks and balances through a limitation of resources and energy so that if one nation rises greatly in power there is always potentially another to eventually bring it down:

وَلَوۡلَا دَفۡعُ اللّٰہِ النَّاسَ بَعۡضَہُمۡ بِبَعۡضٍ ۙ لَّفَسَدَتِ الۡاَرۡضُ

And had it not been for Allâh repelling men, some of them by others, the Earth would have become filled with disorder

(2:251)

Allâh says:

وَمِنۡ اٰیٰتِہٖ خَلۡقُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ وَمَا بَثَّ فِیۡہِمَا مِنۡ دَآبَّۃٍ

And among His signs is the creation of the Heavens and the Earth and the creatures he has spread in both of them

(42:29)

The Âyah is perhaps the most explicit mention of extraterrestrial life—alien life on other planets and in outer space.

Allâh سبحانه وتعالى says:

وَاَمۡرُہُمۡ شُوۡرٰی بَیۡنَہُمۡ

And their affair is consultation among themselves

(42:38)

This chapter of the Qurân derives its name from shûrâ or consultation as it occurs in this Âyah. In all matters that have not been divinely legislated the Believers are enjoined to consult among themselves for a decision. The heretical Imâmiyyah Shî’ah, who believe that Allâh divinely appointed a succession of Imâms to lead the Ummah subsequent to the passing away of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم argue that it is unreasonable for Allâh to have left the question of succession and leadership to the consultation among the Ummah. But the lack of any compelling evidence that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم designated anyone to succeed him to the office of leadership of the Ummah, and likewise the omission of any name in the Qurân of any individual who would serve as Imâm of the community after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم means that obviously it was a matter to be determined through mutual consultation by the Believers. And whatever decision the Believers arrive at through mutual consultation is surely blessed by Allâh. Today, some ignorant Muslims imagine that the system of democracy best fulfills the institution of mutual consultation enjoined by Allâh. They fail to understand that consultation is not the same as mandating the popular will as reflected in an election with universal franchise. The institution of Shûrâ ought to be understood in light of how it was practised by the Sahâbah رضى الله عنهم

Furthermore, the qualification of بينهم meaning “among themselves” indicates that only Believers are consulted, and not all and sundry as per the Western form of democracy.

Concerning the modes of divine communication to man, Allâh says:

وَمَا کَانَ لِبَشَرٍ اَنۡ یُّکَلِّمَہُ اللّٰہُ اِلَّا وَحۡیًا اَوۡ مِنۡ وَّرَآیِٔ حِجَابٍ اَوۡ یُرۡسِلَ رَسُوۡلًا فَیُوۡحِیَ بِاِذۡنِہٖ مَا یَشَآءُ

And it is not for a mortal man that Allâh should speak to him except through inspiration, or from behind a veil or by sending a messenger to inspire by His permission what He wills

(42:51)

The Âyah is general in referring to how Allâh speaks to man, and is not restricted to Prophets and Apostles. The three forms of divine communication are direct inspiration to the heart, hearing the speech of Allâh emanating from behind a veil, and the sending of an Angel to inspire the Word of God to the recipient’s heart and mind. Concerning the second mode, speaking from behind a veil, Allâh spoke to Moses, and Moses heard His voice, with the burning bush serving as the veil. Likewise, Allâh spoke to the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم in visions, through the form of a handsome boy who was the veil. The veil is not Allâh Himself.